Chapter 3 (Father's)

Kaegal’s POV

I helped Armand to prepare TJ’s things in his son’s room, since he will be the one who will take care of his son while he haven’t get his new contract. While TJ is cleaning his toys, Me and Armand were preparing TJ’s cloth.

“Papa, can I bring the rock you gave to me?” TJ asked me.

“Of course baby, it’s in my room. It’s in the table beside my bed,” I replied.

“Okay, papa,” TJ’s short reply and started to walk towards the door. I told him that I’ll go with him and help him to get it but he refuse it and told me that he’s already a big boy, I just gave him a beam. Armand and I remained in the room arranging TJ’s things.

It was a deafening silent in the room until Armand asked me, “your father still don’t support you despite of graduating with a Latin Honor and as tone of the youngest teacher in the country?”

“Oh,” I reacted and smiled. “We both knew that he want me to take a course related in business but it’s just not for me,” I added.

“After all of your achievements and being number one, it’s still not enough?” if your father is my father he might be more proud of you the he is to me.

“Is that sarcastic?” I asked him in a silly way. “We both know that our father and mine are brothers a like,” I whispered to him and we both started laughing.

“Seriously speaking, does you and uncle Edward are in good relationship now?” I asked him.

“I guess? He became one of the main investors where I’m working now,” he replied while making face in a confuse way and smirked at me.

“At least he’s starting supporting you on his own way... Right? Unlike me,” I replied.

“So it means you’re still planning to take..” Armand stopped speaking when TJ went inside the room asking me where the rock was.

I decided to help him find his rock in my room but no matter how much effort we give we didn’t see it, TJ’s were starting feel sad when Armand went to my room asking if’s the his holding is the one we are seeking. Luckily it was, TJ started jumping because of happiness. We went back to TJ’s room. The rock was find by Armand under TJ’s pillow on his bed, TJ might forget that it was in his room all the time.

When TJ’s things are already packed up I decided to take a shower and prepare for my work. “You can leave now if you want to, I’ll prepare now for my work,” I told to Armand as I open the door to leave the room.

“No, we will wait for you. I’ll drive you to your work. Right, TJ?” Armand said, trying to convince me. “It’s the least that I can do to thank you for taking care of my son while I’m not around,” he added.

“I already told you last night, he’s also my son,” I explained. I was strongly refusing it but TJ want me to bring in school with his father.

“Come on papa, it’s like a one happy family with two father and me. Don’t you like it papa?” TJ said while doing a puppy eye to convince me.

I look at Armand when TJ said, “like a one happy family.” I can also see how embarrassed he is from what his son said but I just smiled and replied TJ. “Okay baby, I’ll take a bath quickly so you and daddy won’t wait too long,” I said.

“You can take your time, as if you can shower within a minute,” Armand said sarcastically.

I know what he’s trying to say, I take a bath for an hour. I just looked at him with a poker face and replied, “you said it, I’ll do it.” Then I leave the room.

“But not too long!” Armand shouted.

After a while we are already at the car, Armand is in the driver’s seat, we’re using his car, Armand and I are in the front seat while TJ is sitting on my lap listening classical songs.

“I’ll take a bath quickly, I’ll take a bath quickly,” Armand moked me. I just looked at him with a poker face. “You look good in your uniform, when it’s tucked in,” Armand changed the topic and started the car.

“Armand, I’m born to look good,” I replied him sarcastically and looked at him while moving my eyebrows upside down.

Armand chuckles and said, “yeah. You are born to look good and to be a single all your life.”

“Look who’s speaking right now?” I replied.

“It’s my choice, I can have wife right now if I want to,” Armand said exaggeratedly.

“Ahuh. But you can’t have a wife that could be TJ’s deserving mother,” I told him.

We both keep on teasing each other like a kid why we’re both still single and how will we ended up when we grow old.

“You’ll be like the other captain for having a big tummy like a pregnant woman,” I told him.

“Instead of growing old with tons of students paper works I might find my wife now,” Armand replied.

“I want papa...” TJ said as he removed the earphone in his ear.

Armand and I look each other in the front mirror suspiciously.

“Daddy, papa, I want food, I’m starving. Can we have a drive threw?” TJ told us.

I almost misinterpret what TJ said earlier which the reason why Armand and I looked each other. But I guess he didn’t hear what we are talking about since TJ is listening music.

“TJ, Kaegal might be late for his work,” Armand replied to TJ.

“No, my work is 11am and it’s just 10:09. We’re almost there and we will arrived 15 in minutes. So we still have time to take orders,” I said while pinching softly TJ’s cheek.

“Okay, okay. You’re always on his side,” Armand said.

There are lot of drive threw showing up but a kid like TJ wants Jollibee. We went there and have our orders.

“What’s your order?” Armand asked TJ.

“I want fries and cheeseburger,” TJ said. “And ice cream!” He added.

Armand smiled at TJ nodded, he didn’t even asked me what I want. He immediately tell TJ’s order to the crew without asking me.

“Two large fries, three yum burgers, one super meal and two sundaes,” Armand ordered to the crew. “Add an extra ketchup for the fries and no drinks, thank you,” he added.

“Did I got what you want?” Armand asked me as he drove the car to the next station where we will get our order.

Surprisingly he still remember what I want. I replied him a nod with a smile of impressed and told him, “you still didn’t forget eat.”

“No drinks as usual. I guess you’re the one who influences my son,” Armand said.

I chuckled and replied him, “you know how fat I was before and I’m afraid to be like that again. In terms of your son he really don’t like soft drinks but juice— home made juice.”

We finally got our orders and drove to the university where I’m working. We ate our finger foods while inside the car. I’m helping TJ to feed himself while I’m eating the sundae and fries.

“TJ can feed himself own his own, but I can’t,” Armand said.

“So?” I replied as I eat my food.

“Feed me too, I’m also starving,” Armand replied to me.

I didn’t mind him and focus on eating my food. Dipping the fries in the sundae and put a tomato ketchup on it is a heaven feeling for me, it makes me feel like in the cloud.

“You’re still weird like we were kids,” Armand repined. But still I didn’t mind him. He tries to reach my food and disturb me.

“Stop it, Vann. You’re big enough to feed yourself,” I said and rolled my eyes. “You even had the chance to annoy so what’s eating by yourself?” I added.

“Ohhh. Chill, sorry,” he said and laughed. “Calling me on my second name means you’re really mad. I just want a tender care,” Armand said as he pouted his lips and laughed so hard trying to pissed me more.

“Nyenyenyenye,” I replied him.

“Now your a kid, do you want me to take care of you baby?” He teased me.

I made a “tsss” sound as a sign that I’m annoyed. “You can drop me their on that street, I’ll walk for a short so both of you can drive ahead— it’s quite out of the way,” I said.

“Nah. I insist it so I will,” Armand strained. “You can’t get out of this car since TJ is already sleeping at your lap,” he added and chuckles.

I looked at TJ and he’s sleeping while holding his fries and his sundae which is already melted. I took the sundae and forced Armand to drink it.

“No. You know I don’t like ice cream, I only eat it because of you,” Armand strongly refused.

“Don’t be stubborn, your bought it so you have to eat it,” I looked at him seriously. “Hey. Can’t you see I’m driving?” Armand refused. “Now you don’t want me to babysit you?” I teased him. He stopped driving at the side of the road, he grabbed the sundae and forced to drink it.

“Done,” he said madly and continue to drive.

“Very good, Captain Zara,” I said and chuckled.

“Lol. Not your student,” he smirked

“Now you’re the one who’s mad,” I teased him more as I prick his cheeks.

“Stop, we might awake TJ from his sleep,” Armand said.

I looked at TJ and remembered how Armand fall asleep after while he’s eating unripe mangoes when we were kids. I chuckled and told him how cute TJ is because he’s still holding his fries. “Look, he’s still holding his fries,” I told to Armand. I took a picture of TJ for falling asleep while eating, and took a selfie with him.

I show the pictures to Armand and said, “he’s so cute, look!”

Armand just give me a smirked. “Well, the father is cute as well,” he replied.

“Thank you,” I said as a reply and chuckled.

“Thank you? For what?” He asked confusedly.

“Cause you compliment me,” I replied and give him me.

“Huh? When did I do that?” He shouted.

“About an earlier. You said the father is cute as well,” I replied him and gives him a silly smile.

“I was referring to myself, not you!” He shouted.

“Shhhh. My baby might awake,” I told to him as I cover TJ’s ear and hugged him.

“We are already here,” he said.

“Oh. That’s quite fast,” I said to him.

I slowly and carefully get up myself from sitting just not to awake TJ from his nap. Successfully, I get out the car not waking TJ. Once I closed the door I went to the window where his side is.

“What time should be here later?” Armand asked.

“Huh?” I reacted confusedly.

“I mean, what time should I bring you home?” he cleared.

“You don’t have to, I’ll be going home on my condo near here. But thank you for the offer,” I explained.

“Cause you’re father are home,” he replied and smirked.

“You know me so well, Mr. Zara,” I replied him formally.

“If that’s so... See you on Sunday? Me and my son will have a long bond for sure,” Armand said.

“You should be. Take care of him or else... You know me,” I replied him fiercely.

“Of course I will, I’m the father Dr. Zaldua,” he replied to me and strongly-slowly speaks my name.

“I am too, Mr. Zara,” I replied to him and imitate what he did.

He just gave me a smirk. I was to go when he called my name. “Hey!” he called me to catch my attention. I turned around and look at him, I raised my eyebrows as a reaction asking him. He grabbed something in the car.

“Here’s your food, I almost forgot,” he said and gave me the paper bag with a food we ordered in the drive threw earlier.

I just look at it confusedly when he told me, “I bought this for new, and we will eat lunch later in a fancier dining,” Armand explained sarcastically.

I get the food, rolled my eyes. “Thank you,” I replied to him as if I don’t like it. “I wish to choked yourself in a fancy dinning,” I added and started to walk towards the university.

I know that his chuckling from what I acted, I heard the engine started. As I turned around to look at it the car is already moving to their way. I smiled and move forward to my work.