"Shopping" with my Daughter

Two years have passed; my daughter is now two years old. Haru would sometimes run around the family restaurant, and talk with other customers with her limited words she had learned from my family. She would ask if she had a mommy always, which I could only look at her with a sad smile. Although I taught her some magic which she learned fast, I didn't tell her about the other side of the world—the world where her mother died. In doing this, she would stay away from that side of the world.

I know that eventually, she would find out until then, I just keep it a secret for her safety. Although the perks of her having learned magic are that she would not question why I would disappear for some time, she would now cast her illusion magic on her own to hide her appearance. The downside of her learning magic is she would use fly magic instead of walking; she almost did it in front of my family. I might want to take on Alice's offer on living in London after Haru turns three. Though my daughter looked like her mother, she has one difference between the two of them; my daughter is way too energetic and outspoken.

Currently, my brother and I are shopping in a nearby shopping center. I try to hold down Haru so she won't use her flight magic.

Haru: "Papa, can you pwise put me down? I pwomis I would not use magic." she whispered to my ear with her puppy look on her face. I looked at her face and sighed.

Joseph: "Just make sure don't run around and get lost, "I said while softly pinching her nose.

Haru: " I wuve you, Papa, you are the best." she said while kissing me on the cheek before I let her down. And just like I thought, she broke her promise and ran off toward the toys section. I ran after her with my brother behind me.

When I finally got there, she was looking around for the stuff toy area. She eventually chose a cute hedgehog stuff toy and ran towards me.

Haru: "Papa, can I get tis, pwwiise... " she said with her puppy eyes again. I was going to say yes when Jonah behind me talked to me.

Janah: "you're going to spoil her rotten; you know that right, Joseph." when I heard his words, I just sighed and looked at my baby girl who was about to cry.

Joseph: "you heard your uncle. We will not get this toy for today, okay, honey," I said with a guilty look on my face. When Haru heard this, her eyes all of a sudden turned red about to cry, which I quickly said something to appease her. "What about next time you asked I will buy it for you, okay now please don't cry."

Haru: "okay, Papa," she said while going next to me to hold my hands.

We were about to continue shopping when I felt danger lurking around the area. I looked around and saw men in black outfits being shady around the field, pretending to shop. When I saw this, my face turned cold and looked at Jonah.

Joseph: "Jonah, I need you to take care of Haru; there is something I need to do first," I said with a dead smile on my face. When Jonah saw this, he was confused at first before nodding his head and taking Haru's hands from me.

I walked around the corner and saw them following me; without hesitation, I walked towards the exit of the shopping center to find a less crowded area. When I left the shopping center, I walked for a few blocks before turning into a deserted alleyway. I summoned a blood hunting knife, ready to fight them.

Joseph: "Come out, I know you're there," as I said that all the shadowy figures came out from the dark with a weapon on hand. "Are you from Trinity, or are you here for the bounty on my head."

The dark clothed people did not answer my question but ran towards me, ready to swing his sword. I used my hunting knife and deflected the sword, then used my bionic arm and grabbed his wrist, but just before I could knock him down. He kicked at me, which I quickly caught with my free hand. I let go of his wrist and used my elbow and bent his legs in another direction.

???: "AAAAHHH!! What the fuck are you all doing shoot at him." said the man who fought me in close-quarter combat. Without thinking, I hid behind the dumpster waiting for them to reload. When I finally heard them empty their bullets at the dumpster, I ran towards the closest one and disarmed him from his weapon and performed a throw toward the ground.

I grabbed three magazines from the guy I knocked out and quickly ducked down in another dumpster. I quickly reloaded the gun and came out from the cover. I promptly shoot all of them on the head except for one, who I hit on the leg for interrogation. I pointed my gun at his crotch to scare him.

Joseph: "who are you and how you found me." I said, with a dead smile on my face. "Or your little brother here will not survive."

???: "Please spare me. I will tell you everything." the dark clothed man said with terror on his face, which I stayed silent but cocked my gun, pointing at his little brother. "We found you by accident when we were just shopping for food for our expedition."

Joseph: "So, are there any more of you who know my whereabouts?" I said while putting down my weapon away from his crotch.

???: "N..No, it's only us who knows you are here." the man said, shaking in fear.

Joseph: "Oh, and how would I know that you're not lying to me." I said, pointing my gun back at his little brother.

???: "NO NO, there only us who know you are here." he said, trying to plead for his future children.

Joseph: "Okay, right; you have no use for me now."I said before shooting his little brother. The man screamed in pain as he held his crotch.

???: "why I told you everything I know." he said in pain.

Joseph: "oh, that's for disturbing my shopping with my daughter." I said while pointing the gun at his head and pulling the trigger.

I cleaned off the fingerprint on the gun and left it there. I quickly got out of the alleyway and went toward the shopping district. When I finally saw Jonah in the pet store, I headed toward them. When Haru saw me, she ran toward me and jumped on me, which I quickly caught her.

Haru: "Papa! Your back," she said with excitement in her voice. "Papa, why do you have ketchup on your shirt."

When I heard her say ketchup, I looked at my shirt and saw the bloodstain from the men I killed in the alleyway. My heart dropped as I saw this; I quickly made an excuse.

Joseph: "I was feeling hungry and bought hot dogs," I said while mentally wiping sweat away from my forehead.

Haru: "where is my hot dog, then papa," she said, looking for food on me.

Joseph: "I only bought one for myself," I lied through my teeth. When Haru heard this, her eyes started to water up.

Haru: "Papa, don't wove Haru no more." she said, starting to cry. I quickly think of a way for her to be happy.

Joseph: "what about this. I will buy you anything you want right now." I said with a loving smile on my face. If I had a look closer at the crying Haru, I would have noticed a wicked smile on her face.

Haru: "anything you said?" she said with a happy look on her face. I just nodded at her for confirmation. "Then get me tis, " she said while pointing at a cute hedgehog in a cage. I looked at her and saw her smiling playfully on her face. I look at Jonah, who is facepalming at me. Then I realized that I got played by my daughter.