Ben was seated on the table, whereas the Chairman stood in one corner of it. They were both drawing the outline of a kite on paper from either side. Ben was hunched over, his small body almost rolled into a ball as he worked with full concentration. Simon Hunter was toppling over the table too, trying to draw a perfect curve line, his face filled with determination.The atmosphere was grim.
It was only when one side of the kite had been given proper shape, that the two breathed in relief.
"Well done, Ben," Simon congratulated.
"Thank you, uncle," Ben nodded back.
The two pa.s.sed each other a slow, strange smile.
"Now what do you think we should draw on the kite? I drew a face on mine last time." The old Hunter proudly presented his creepy yellow kite to the boy, on which he had drawn a painted face.
Ben looked at it admiringly.
"It is very cool," he said with utmost sincerity, "Then… should I draw an eagle on this one?"
Simon Hunter thought about it for a second, then spoke, "It would be nice, I think. When we fly the kite, it would be like an eagle flying."
"Yes!"
"Good! You make the body. I"ll draw the wings."
They both set to work again.
It didn"t escape Senior Hunter"s notice though, that the boy had been working for two hours now, and he didn"t seem hungry. He had also found out how the child had reached here too. Jimmy had left Ben with Mr. Park before proceeding to the meeting with Simon Hunter, it seemed. The butler, knowing that the child liked reading had then brought him to the library in Black Opal. He had initially watched over the child, but then he had received a call and had left for work.
He had returned a few minutes before, but the Chairman had happily asked him to not worry now. Park had seemed glad to leave.
The boy not eating did worry the old man though. So he went over to the other side of the shelf, got his favourite jar of almonds and kept it in front of the child.
"Never forget to eat while you"re working," he said to Ben gravely, "Or you won"t ever be as strong as your mother."
That struck Ben. He looked up at the old man in worry, his eyes full of question.
Simon nodded.
"I"m not lying," his tone was sincere.
Ben quickly nodded and began to chew on the almonds.
Simon followed suit.
They worked quietly for another hour, before Simon Hunter noticed that the little boy was getting drowsy. He quickly moved over to his side again, and was helping him come down the table, when he saw that Ben was about to fall. The boy seemed too tired.
Without another thought, the old man lifted him in his arms and began to walk towards the couch.
Ben dozed off as soon as Simon Hunter held him. The boy rested his small head against the giant man"s chest, and simply began to snore.
The Chairman stood still for a minute, and then was struck.
His mind went back to thirty years ago.
That long, long time ago when Jimmy had turned one. Simon Hunter had held his son for the first time.
His mind became a flutter of memories.
The sudden surge of emotions sent him panicking, and he knew he was getting old when he felt his heart melt for this child too.
d.a.m.n.
He was acting like an old fool.
Simon placed the boy on the couch, and covered him up with a blanket. He then seated himself in a nearby chair, and sighed.
When he had laid that condition of Jimmy"s marriage for him to succeed, he had never expected the past to shove its face so brutally towards them all. To think all their lives had been so intertwined, all along!
Simon looked at the sleeping boy, at the soft black hair that fell into the child"s eyes. He saw the features of a handsome man in that face, and his mother"s demeanour whenever the boy smiled.
His mind raced back to that one chance meeting ages ago.
Miya… she had been a delightful child.
"But, sir, you"ll fall down!" she had shouted, looking up at him worriedly, while the old man had tried to step onto a frail branch of a tree, "Let me show you how it"s done, please!"
Simon Hunter chuckled at the memory.
He also remembered seeing her ages after, at Jonathan Freeman Storm"s home.
And now, she was married to his son.
Simon Hunter leaned into the chair, looking up at the ceiling without expression.
He wasn"t an emotional man. He didn"t believe in fate and destiny. Truth be told, he knew people made their destinies with their own two hands. It had nothing to do with anything else.
And yet, for the second time in his life, he had been proved wrong.
Jimmy was obviously attracted to the girl. He remembered last night like a horror dream, with his son imitating the masquerade party from thirteen years ago, the one that had happened at Jonathan"s house.
Simon had no idea Jimmy had met Miya too, over there.
Maybe it was to make her remember that night that the Junior Hunter had worked so hard. And of course, for only a brief second, but the old man had seen the two kiss as well.
He couldn"t help it.
Jimmy Hunter, his one and only son, was walking down a path that lead nowhere.
Simon recalled the boy"s mother, and his own mouth went dry.
Yes, he didn"t believe in fate.
And yet, here fate was, f***ing up things again.
How could this end normally? Jim already didn"t know anything at all. And Miya had too much to hide.
But the boy was attracted to the girl, without even a.s.sessing the circ.u.mstances.
Jim"s mothers face flashed before Simon"s eyes again.
Jimmy Hunter… he really was his son after all.
Park had warned him about it.
And now, he was worried for the two.