A Father's Realization
The soft hum of Max's computer filled the quiet room as he leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms after finishing his latest freelance project. The client was satisfied, the payment was secured, and now—he finally had some free time.
He let out a sigh and rubbed his temples. *Man, that took longer than expected.*
Standing up, he cracked his neck and headed to the kitchen for a drink. The house was unusually quiet. Kota was probably in his room, playing or reading. Lately, Kota had been busier than ever—with school, his friends, and whatever mischief he was getting into with Ayumi.
Max grabbed a glass from the cabinet, filled it with cold water, and took a sip. As he set the glass down, his eyes landed on something on the fridge.
A small, slightly worn-out photo.
It was a picture of him and Kota from two years ago.
Max reached out and gently pulled it from the fridge door. In the photo, a tiny Kota, barely four years old, was sitting on Max's shoulders, grinning ear to ear while holding onto Max's messy hair. Max, in the picture, was laughing—*truly laughing*—as he held onto Kota's legs to keep him steady.
That moment.
That was when everything changed.
Before Kota, Max's life had been dull, almost meaningless. Work, eat, sleep—repeat. He had been drifting, unsure of what he was even living for.
Then Kota came into his life like a storm—loud, chaotic, and full of energy. But somehow, that little storm brought light into his world.
Max stared at the photo, a small smile forming on his lips.
Lately, he realized, they hadn't been spending as much time together. Kota was growing up, making new friends, finding his own little adventures.
That was good. *Great, even.*
But still...
Max placed the picture back on the fridge and leaned against the counter, deep in thought.
*Kota's first real friend, Ayumi. His first rivalry, Toru. His first school memories.*
Max couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic.
And maybe... just a *tiny* bit left out.
That's when an idea hit him.
Something simple. Something fun. Something *just for them*.
Camping. Fishing. A weekend away—just father and son.
Max smirked to himself as he grabbed a notepad and started listing what they'd need. He wasn't going to tell Kota. Nope, this was going to be a surprise.
A weekend just like old times.
Just him and his little storm.
And with that thought, he got to work, planning every little detail.
Tomorrow was going to be special.
CHAPTER END