Chapter 11

The victim was passing by with his child when he saw the woman was trapped by two men in a dark alley. He quickly grabbed one of them and tried to drag her out of those thugs' hold, but the bad men were fast enough to catch him instead. Without being bothered by the small kid watching his mother being hit mercilessly, they beat him to pulp and left the scene. The woman felt responsible for what befell that man, so she shouted for help to attract attention and to avoid those thugs from returning too.

"That was what we were told by the Omega woman," said the police officer while intertwining his fingers on the table. His eyes fixated on the composed Junya. "Do you want to add more? Because the woman insisted on not arresting you, but we just need more witness."

Junya sighed, "I'm sorry. I did arrive at the scene but I didn't see the bad guys. The victim was already bleeding when I arrived."

The interrogation went on well, really smoothly, but to Junya it was too long. His heart urged him to quickly end the session and go to hospital to look after Tao. Tao was being taken care by Tori and him while the Mama was sent to the hospital.

"What do you want to do now, Tao-chan?" Junya gently asked. At this time, being hard to Tao would just hurt him. So he tried to speak really gently as he could.

Tao didn't say much. His little hands still gripped on Junya's either arm sleeve or pants, depending on their position at the moment. Junya felt sorry for Tao to have watched such incident before his eyes. He was only three years old though.

"I want Mama..." Tao replied, almost to a murmur but Junya still could hear him. "Nao-chan is still at home."

"Nao-chan is at home?" Tori ogled a little. They almost forgot about Nao, the toddler. "Who is with him?"

"Papa is looking after Nao-chan today."

Badump! It was the first time Junya got struck by a mysterious feeling lingering in him. Jealousy? Contemplation? Desire? He wasn't sure. The Mama has two children, definitely a sign that he was married to someone else. The worst he could think of was the Mama was a lover to someone, but it was kind of rude to a stranger like Junya to assume like that. Just because they always came across the Mama without the Papa, Junya has thought so.

How insolent I am, Junya scolded himself.

"Are your Papa having holiday today?" Tori carefully asked. Somehow Junya could feel it as a method to dig in secret of the family.

Tao nodded vigorously. "Papa worked outside, and he returned home yesterday. So he rests at home and looks after Nao-chan."

So the Papa was always working outside, huh. "You're a cute boy, so does Nao-chan. Your Papa must be a very handsome man, right?"

"Yes, he is!" Tao was really inspirited by the random topic, unknowingly Junya and Tori were investigating about his family. "He is a hardworking man because he rarely returns home."

Junya and Tori secretly exchanged glances. This Tao boy didn't know that his Papa was too engrossed with his work that he inadvertantly neglected his family. The Mama's injury was the result of his absence.

"Does your Papa treat you well, Tao-chan?" Junya was eager to know more, hence such inquiry came out. It wasn't proper to ask so though. Yet curiosity overwhelmed him.

Tao pouted before replied excitedly. "Yes, Papa loves us! Like this much!" He even flailed his arms in the air.

Junya ruffled through the kid's smooth hair, smiling to no one. This bright kid loved his family too. He might understand that his Papa was too busy with work, thus that was why Junya and Tori always saw him with his Mama. He acted tough all the way so that people would not pity him.

"One day, I will bring Junya nii-san to Papa. Friends!" Tao added gleefully. "Nii-san is tall like Papa. You can be friends!"

Tori held his laugh from bursting. The innocent Tao hoped Junya could be friends with his Papa, whereas neither of them recognize who the Papa was.

"When can I meet Mama?" suddenly the atmosphere turned gloomy. Tao must be missing his Mama very much.

"Don't you want to go home? Papa is waiting," Junya purposely piqued the interest of Tao by mentioning about the Papa.

Junya glanced at Tori. This person really knew his heart, it seemed.

"I want to wait by Mama's side," Tao pulled a pout. "Can nii-san bring me to Mama?"

The plan crashed. They were about to meet Tao's Papa but Tao wanted something else instead. Got no choice but to agree, the boys and Tao went to where the Mama was brought to.

Meters ahead was a building Junya wished to never set his foot at. The hospital where the Mama was hospitalized was the one Junya's family had a share of, which meant they could come across anyone of Junya's family there. He gritted his teeth, not being able to think wisely especially when he caught a glimpse of his father's car at the compound.

"Hey, Junya," Tori grabbed Junya on the shoulder, "Do you really want to go?"

Junya pressed his lips against each other. "Tao would be weird if I stayed outside."

"But you are avoiding your family, right?" Tori whispered really slow.

"But I can't let Tao go inside by himself. He's just 3 years old."

"Nii-san, let's go!"

Junya and Tori haven't done contemplating when Tao seized Junya's wrist to get inside the hospital instead of dilly dallying outside. Junya couldn't bring himself to take his wrist back, hence he let Tao drag him. Tori shouldn't have any problem like Junya.

...without knowing Junya's big brother has already caught the sight of those three meters from behind.