As soon as it sizzled, the whites started to firm up, leaving the glossy golden yolk sitting majestically right in the middle. Beside it, two perfectly caramelized slices of bacon continued to cook with the egg.

Slowly, the door opened from the hall side and a small white head popped out to peek.

With his sleepy ruby eyes, he groggily walked the counter and sat on the booth chair facing the stove.

My adorable son yawned as he waited for breakfast to finish cooking.

“Good morning… mom…”

Awkwardly, he greeted.

“Hehe… good morning!”

As soon as the bacon and eggs finished cooking, I served him a plate with a slice of bread.

“... thank you…”

Shyly, he reached for the cutlery beside him.

I continued to watch him eat earnestly savouring each bite.

I knew I wanted a son, but I never realized I’d be such a doting mother. Regardless of who is his biological mother, it seems that my motherly instinct was still triggered... or Silvio might’ve done something to me again.

“...mom, aren’t you eating?”

With a dab of yolk on his cheek, he tilted his head with a puzzled look on his face.

I reached for a napkin and wiped his cheek.

“I will. Do you want some butter or jam with your toast?”

I took out a plate of butter and jam.

This child, although Silvio said that he’s supposed to have reincarnated, he acts very much like a child. I mean, how old was he when he died before?

He may act timid and may seem calm headed but it seems like he’s trying so hard not to think about his situation.

“Tell me, aren’t you bothered by suddenly having me as your mother?”

It was a blunt question. Considering he was left to walk in the middle of the cold frosty forest at night, with that malnourished body, you’ll know at first glance that he didn’t have a mother to protect him…

I feel like crying just thinking about it… *sniff*

“...umm…”

He placed his knife and fork down and looked up with expectant eyes.

“...it’s not that I’m bothered…”

Fidgeting under my gaze, his face flushed in embarrassment.

“I’ve… I’ve always wanted a mother… a family I can call my own…”

He gave me a wry smile as he said so.

Crap.

My eyes feel hot and I fear tears might start to fall anytime soon.

“Umm… I don’t know how much [that guy] told you, but I died young in my previous life. I wasn’t blessed with any blood-relatives either… umm… but I did have a mother… She…”

Frantic, he explained his past. Apparently he died when he was 13 years old, he bore the weight of the world all on his own to save his ‘family’.

A family that he wasn’t born with, but a family that found him, accepted and loved him dearly as their own. He had 14 adopted siblings together with the nun that ran the orphanage.

At the age of twelve, he was forced to take on the darkness that swallowed the land. As the oracle foretold, oncoming darkness would swallow the world and all living creatures would cease to exist.

As he continued to tell his story, tears started to fall from my eyes uncontrollably. How can such a young boy endured so much, why did he have to endure that much…!

Looking down at his fists, a dark shadow continued to cloud over his face. He trembled at every word as he told me what happened in his previous life.

God, why did you give him such fate? Why did he have to experience such hardship…?

Unconsciously, I reached for him. I hugged him as tight as I could while my tears continued to flow. I don’t understand why, but I thought if I didn’t, it felt like he would vanish and disappear, leaving nothing but a shell of a little boy that wished for happiness.

“It’s okay, you’ve endured well… you’re fine now…”

Although it wasn’t enough, even as a consolation, I patted his head.

Soon, tears can be felt on my shoulders. He cried… we cried together until both of our eyes were swollen.

By the time we stopped crying, the sun was already high up in the sky and our breakfast had gone cold.

“It’s funny how you can say so much during meals, no?”

He smiled bashfully.

I wiped his tears and we laughed as we reheated our cold breakfast.

I promise. I promise to make you the happiest son in the whole world…!