An honest lie | Kim Taehyung (editing*)

- Nonetheless -

XVI

4 years ago, Eda's POV

"Mom! Mom! I want that!" Asked a little boy to her mother sitting a little bit further away from me.

I couldn't figure out whether a minor act like that and the reaction of the mother might compromise future aspects of the child, or did it have to do with bigger criteria?

Parents have such a strong impact on the life of a kid, their future is established on how they are raised, and if the parent sets the wrong example, that could lead to a whole lot of unnecessary suffering on their future psychological state of mind.

"No, I bought you a toy already, we have to wait for our flight. SIT DOWN! Francis! I will not repeat myself!" She started getting frustrated and enraged at the instance of her child, which caused him to react even more spoiled.

Noted. That didn't work. I wonder what she could have done to control him better, or at least make him understand.

My ears started hurting from the insufferable crying of the boy. But not even that was as irritating as the yelling of the mother, that had the most annoying high-pitched voice I had ever heard in my life.

I started wishing with all my might, that I wouldn't be on the same flight as them. But as I was about to put my earphones on, I noticed the ticket in the mother's hand. Thank the heavens it was another company entirely.

My gaze shifted to the boy, who surprisingly, was already gazing at me with his red eyes.

It felt strange, because he wouldn't stop staring at me with a blank face. But I could say the same for me, since I fairly mirrored his expression, if not even colder.

We made eye contact for a while, and then, I saw it. I saw the person, the human inside that little body. His eyes showed more than just a spoiled brat, one who could have the capability to understand if only given a chance to.

The proper words, the right tone of voice, the straight explanation, could have compromised his whole act.

I suddenly felt the impulse to do something, but I knew it wasn't my place to do so. That was until, his mother harshly pulled him by the arm and dragged him away. He turned around one last time and glimpsed at me with the same expression.

I watched them leave for their own life as I did with mine. I put my earphones on and waited for my flight while thinking of my own dilemmas.

As I observed my surroundings, all those people in that airport were there for their purpose and reasons. Just fulfilling their lives and minding their own business. Looking at them, I noticed how many of them would have a specific kind of expression on their face, which could have been deciphered as many different personalities and behaviors.

There was one man in particular that caught my eye. His back was facing me and he was dressed quite elegantly and refind. Many women or men would stare at him and admire him, but I on the other hand, found him very familiar. As I was trying to recall where I had seen him before, he suddenly turned around. Instant realization absorbed my confused thoughts and a feeling of disdain overtook my senses.

Everything about that man had me irritated. His attitude, his being, his voice, even his bare face. That high maintained jaw that expressed a sort of imposed power on others around him, the slightly raised eyebrows as a sign of indifference and superiority, and of course, his perfection, in clothing, posture, and demeanor.

I lowered my baseball cap to hide my face so that he wouldn't recognize me. The last thing I wanted was to have a conversation with him after what happened between me and Ellen.