WINTER wanted to roll his eyes while watching his parents act lovey-dovey.

Hello, Mom and Dad? I'm here. Don't ignore me.

It was frustrating that his mother and father couldn't hear him the way the sketchy saint could. But he couldn't do anything about it. After all, before he was given the chance to be reborn again, he agreed to several terms.

Limitations, to be precise.

First and foremost, he couldn't tell his parents what he discovered in his past life. If he did, the memories of his previous life would be erased. He was desperate to make it up with his mommy so even though the terms didn't favor him, he agreed to it.

Most of all, he did it for his mother.

I'm so sorry for being a useless son in the past, Mommy.

He extended his little hand to reach his mother. But of course, he just touched the ice wall of his incubator. To be honest, he didn't need it anymore. He absorbed enough Mana from his father to say that he was already fully-recovered. Even though he was born prematurely, he could say that his life wasn't in danger anymore.

I want to come out and feel my mommy's warmth.

In his past life, he refused to use his fire because of his "hatred" for his mother. To simply put, he didn't learn how to wield it properly. Plus, in the past, his father told him to keep his fire Mana a secret because apparently, it wasn't normal for a person to produce fire without the help of magical weapons– just like what Fire Wielders used.

Right. Back then, we never found out that Mommy was a Fire Mage.

Well, he didn't. He wasn't sure if his father found out his mother's true origin.

After all, Winter was killed just a few years after his mommy's execution.

The pain that he felt in his heart when he remembered the tragedy of his past life made his little body warm– very warm, actually.

Before he knew it, the ice incubator started to melt.

Oh, am I a Fire Mage genius?

It seemed like that caught his parents' attention.

His father saw it first. Then, he informed his mother. The two had a short conversation before they turned to him at the same time.

They both looked shocked and amazed by what he did.

"Oh my baby," his mommy said while walking towards him, his father following her closely behind like a puppy.

Well, he remembered that even though the last few years of his parents' marriage had been hell, his father had been a good husband to his mother. He was respectful and protective of her. But he was too young to know then if it was love.

This time though, it looks like their relationship has improved so much.

"Winter," his mommy said with a smile when she finally reached him. Then, she sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hands on the ice incubator. She helped him melt the ice with her own Mana. Ah, it felt warmer than he imagined. "Do you want to come out now?"

Winter smiled as a response– hoping that his facial muscles did what he wanted to do.

It seemed like he succeeded because his mother gasped, then her beautiful smile widened. After that, she looked up at his daddy who stood behind her. "Hon, did you see that? Our Baby Winter smiled!"

"I saw it, honey," his father said while looking at his mommy's face. "I understand our little rascal though. Even I want to smile automatically whenever I see your beautiful face, Tilly."

As a response, his mother giggled.

Oh, god, stop it!

Winter cringed at his parents' flirting– it almost gave him goosebumps.

I mean, I'm genuinely happy for them. But do children who want to see the "preview" of how they were "made" by their parents exist?

If there were children like that, then he would respect it.

But it's definitely not me.

"Winter," his mother said affectionately when the ice incubator finally melted. Then, she gently and carefully carried him in her warm arms. "Gosh, your little body is as cold as your father's."

Yeah, he knew that already.

In his past life, people used to call him the 'Ice Prince.' That title never failed to make him cringe, but he somehow got used to it. He didn't like it, but he didn't hate it either.

But this time, he wanted to get rid of that title.

I want to embrace the part of me that I got from my mommy.

"You're so beautiful, Winter," his mother said in a cracked voice. Then, she stood up and faced his father. And yet, she didn't take her eyes off him. She was already teary-eyed. "I can finally hold you in my arms, our little cinnamon roll."

His mother's beautiful and crying face pulled at his heartstrings.

Even in his past life, his mother was also very beautiful. But her instability and fits made it unbearable for him to look at her. There was a time that he even felt scared of his own mother. But of course, it was because of the drugs that she didn't know she had been taking for many years.

He remembered that there were times that his mother was calm. Whenever he wasn't throwing tantrums, she acted like a normal and loving mommy to him. There were even times that she shared quiet yet romantic moments with his father.

I believe that Mommy and Daddy really loved each other even in the past.

But somehow, the dosage of the drugs her mother took increased. That was when she had completely lost her sanity. She only didn't ruin herself– she also pushed them away.

Inevitably, her marriage with his father fell apart.

He also distanced himself from his "crazy" mother.

That and because the people around him back then told me that it was better for him and his dad to cut her off his life.

He regretted that.

I'm so sorry for failing to notice your cry of help, Mommy, Winter said, then he raised his little arm until his tiny hand touched his mother's warm cheek. This time, I will protect you.

"Your skin is cold but your touch feels warm, Winter," her mother said. She was smiling but her pretty purple eyes still brimmed with tears. "You're making me feel so loved, baby." She carefully lifted him and kissed him on the forehead. "I didn't know I could still love someone else as much as I loved your father until you came into my life, my little cinnamon roll."

Okay, that got him emotional as well.

I love you, too, Mommy.

His warm moment with her mother was interrupted when his father "coughed" loudly.

Then, his dad wrapped his arms around her mother's shoulders protectively. After that, he looked at his face with a somewhat calculating gaze.

God, is Daddy getting jealous because Mommy is paying attention to me?

Well, he could see the happiness and warmth in his father's gaze. But still, he already knew that his daddy could sometimes be petty when it came to his mother.

"Hello, little rascal," his father greeted him. "Your mommy is still tired from giving birth to you. May I hold you this time so that your mommy could take a break?"

Well, if you insist.

He raised his little arms towards his father's direction.

That little action of his brought a glow of happiness in his dad's golden eyes– and he got his eyes from him.

Fine. I missed you, too, Dad.

"Winter wants you to carry him," his mother said in a delighted voice, then she carefully handed him over to his father. "Be careful, hon. We practiced this a lot before."

"Yes, honey," his father answered gently. Then, he carefully carried him in his cold arms. "Wow. You're so tiny. And light. God, you'll probably die if I drop you, won't you?"

Winter almost rolled his eyes.

Daddy didn't change. He could still be so tactless sometimes.

"Kiho," his mother said, obviously upset. She even hit his father's arm. "What are you saying in front of our son?"

His father suddenly looked guilty (and afraid of his mother).

It was amusing, really.

Even in his past life, he could tell that his father would panic whenever his mommy was upset. Then, in his dad's own way, he would find a way to pacify his mommy.

Now, thinking back, he couldn't believe that their marriage still fell apart.

I wonder what went wrong.

Well, he found out about the drugs that her mother had been taking for years without her knowledge. But something else ruined her.

"I'm sorry, honey," his father said– distracting him from his thoughts. Then, he turned to him again. "Daddy is sorry, little rascal."

Winter raised his little hand and gently tapped his father's cheek. I forgive you, Dad.

His father, the "ice king," smiled warmly at him.

He felt warmth in his chest upon seeing that.

"I love seeing the two of you together," his mother said, still emotional. "We're finally complete again."

Winter turned to his mother and at that moment, he remembered what exactly went wrong in the past.

The image of the woman with jet-black hair came into his mind.

Ah, she wasn't just a "woman."

For some evil reason, that lady became his stepmother.

Everything went downhill after that.

Remembering that part of his life also rekindled the "hate" that he had towards his father. He knew that his dad did "that" for their family. Still, upon remembering the reason his life ended in the past, fear crept into his heart.

And because he was still a baby, he couldn't control his emotions. And babies let their parents know what they feel through one effective method.

Winter cried loudly– much to his annoyance.

God, I'm already an adult in mind but now I'm reduced to a crybaby!

***

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