Player For A Son

The movie played on, my mother's grip on my arm growing tighter, and I was finally starting to get used to the feeling of her nestled against me when her voice broke the silence.

"Luca..." She said suddenly, her tone curious yet absentminded. "What exactly is this movie about?"

"You've been watching it this whole time, haven't you? Why are you suddenly asking such a question now?" I blinked, my focus snapping from the screen to her in disbelief.

She tilted her head innocently, giving me a sheepish smile as she said, "Not really, Kafka. I've been more focused on staring at your face and thinking about how handsome you have become that I totally forgot to watch the movie."

Her candid confession threw me completely off balance. My mouth opened, but no words came out for a good second or two.

"W-What?" I stammered, flabbergasted.

Her expression didn't change, her smile as sweet as ever, and her tone as matter-of-fact as if she'd just announced the weather.

"You heard me. Spending time and simply gazing at you is much more interesting than some random movie you put on."

I gawked at her, my mind scrambling to process her words. It wasn't just what she said—it was the way she said it, so casually and with such affection, that made it impossible to argue. I sighed, running a hand down my face.

"Alright, fine." I relented, shaking my head. "For your information, this movie is about a guy who became a playboy to forget about his feelings for a woman he broke up with in the past."

"Oh..." she murmured, nodding along as though she was genuinely intrigued. I then continued, narrowing my eyes slightly as the realisation dawned on me, "And then that same woman re-enters his life, forcing him to confront his feelings all over again while also dealing with the chaos of his current life."

The more I spoke, the more the plot struck a chord, and I felt a pang of unease...Wait a minute.

My mind raced as the eerie similarities sank in. This wasn't just any story—it was way too close to home. The man's struggles, his buried feelings, the woman who re-entered his life. Except in my case, the "woman" wasn't just anyone—it was my mother.

Oh, great. Now this is awkward.

But before I could even fully absorb that realisation, my mother suddenly gasped lightly, her grip on my arm tightening. "No wonder this plot sounds so familiar; it's because it's so similar to your life!" She said, her tone filled with wonder as if she had made a major discovery.

I froze. My heart skipped a beat as I slowly turned my head toward her and nervously asked, "What…What do you mean?"

"The protagonist of the movie. He kind of resembles you, don't you think?" Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she glanced up at me.

I tensed up instantly, my thoughts spiraling...Did she figure it out? Could she see through me?

"No way. I don't see it at all." I let out a forced laugh, shaking my head.

But she wasn't buying it.

"Oh, come on! He's charming, complicated, and terrible at handling his feelings. That's got you written all over it." Her brow furrowed in mock disbelief, and she jabbed me lightly in the side.

My stomach churned as her words hit too close to home, but I kept my expression as neutral as possible. "I think you're reading too much into it." I muttered, trying to brush it off.

"Luca, you can't be serious! He's practically your twin." She crossed her arms and huffed, angry that I wasn't agreeing with her.

My heart nearly stopped...Does she know? No, she can't possibly....But luckily, my worries disappeared into the mist when I heard what she said next.

"Especially with how much of a player he is like you, Luca...We can deny any other similarly, but the way he keeps on moving from woman to woman like he's simply changing his clothes is most undeniably exactly like how you were in the past." She looked up at me and announced, a sly grin spreading across her face,

I blinked, caught completely off guard by her statement.

Relief washed over me as I realised that this was the connection she was making. "Oh, that's what you meant...You had me on the ropes for a second." I said, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Of course, that's what I meant!" She exclaimed, her grin widening. "Do you think I don't know my son?"

I didn't even have time to respond before she launched into a full-blown rant.

"Like do you even remember that one time when you came home late smelling like someone else's perfume? And don't even try to deny it—you were caught red-handed when I found that scarf in your bag. What did you say again? 'Oh, it's just a friend's.'" She scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "A friend's, huh?...Sure, Luca."

"Mom…" I groaned internally, suddenly feeling like the comfy sofa I was sitting on was like a bed of nails.

"Oh, and let's not forget that incident with the neighbour's daughter." She continued, waving a hand dramatically. "What was her name? Noelle, was it? She was practically camping outside our house, waiting for you to come out because of how you somehow used your cheap tricks to charm your way into her innocent heart. But the poor girl was crushed when you told her you weren't 'ready for a relationship yet.'"

My face grew warm as she rattled off more stories, her tone teetering between scolding and teasing.

"And then there was the time you came home with lipstick on your collar...Lipstick, Luca!" She gestured wildly, as if the memory still baffled her. "I swear, it's like you were running a dating club. Did you even keep track of their names?"

"It wasn't that bad. I just had multiple female friends, that's all...You can't blame me for everyone wanting to spend time with someone like me." I winced, offering her a sheepish smile.

"Not that bad?" She raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with disbelief as she thought about the past. "Luca, I had to fend off phone calls from girls asking if you were 'okay' after you ghosted them. I felt like your secretary, and you're still saying that it wasn't that bad."

"You make it sound like I was running a business." I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all.

"You might as well have been!" She retorted, throwing her hands up dramatically, her voice tinged with mock exasperation. "If you hadn't already sworn that you wouldn't act that way anymore after what happened last time, I wouldn't be joking about this right now—I'd be giving you the scolding of your life...And believe me, Luca, you wouldn't have survived it."

My mother's sharp tone softened slightly, her teasing gaze narrowing as a new thought seemed to strike her. She then tilted her head, looking at me with a mix of suspicion and curiosity, her eyes searching mine as if she could find the truth just by staring hard enough.

"Speaking of which…" She started, her voice quieter now but still edged with concern. "Not that I'm doubting your promise or anything, but...Are you really done playing around with women?"

Her question made my stomach clench. I blinked at her, startled by the sudden shift in tone, her playful demeanour replaced by something more serious.

"Of course, I'm done, Mom." I said, my voice firm and steady despite the guilt creeping up inside me. "That part of my life is over. I've left it behind."

She didn't seem convinced. Her narrowed eyes searched my face for any hint of deception, her arms crossing over her chest.

"Is that really true?" She pressed, leaning closer like she was daring me to lie. "I need to hear it from you, Luca."

I held her gaze, my expression turning earnest as I raised my hand in an oath and said in a solemn tone,

"Mom, I promise. It's true. I'm done with that. Completely...No more playing around...No more games...I'm just a boring guy who basically never leaves his home nowadays."

For a moment, the room fell silent except for the faint hum of the rain outside. That is until her intense stare gradually softened, her shoulders relaxing as she let out a deep breath.

"I'm so glad." She said quietly, leaning into my arm as if the weight of her worries had finally been lifted. Her head rested against my shoulder, and I felt her exhale deeply. "You have no idea how much I worried about you back then, Luca. You were so reckless…I was scared you'd lose yourself."

Hearing the vulnerability in her voice made my chest tighten. I smiled softly, my heart swelling at her concern.

"You don't have to worry anymore," I said gently, brushing my fingers through her hair, the silky strands sliding between my fingertips. "I've already moved past that phase..." I then added in offhandedly, "...From now on, I'm only going after the girl of my dreams...if I find her."

My mother's body stiffened slightly at my words, and she pulled back just enough to look at me, her expression shifting into something I couldn't quite place.

There was a strange glint in her eyes, a mix of confusion and...Something else.