Chapter 24: Knoa Arden
"Papa..."
Little kisses showered Knox's face as his eyelids fluttered open. He wasn't completely awake yet, but the tiny hands that caressed his face were so cold and wet that his eyes immediately opened wide. Knox hastily sat up and looked beside him.
The little kid lying on his stomach above his pillow was giggling. His hands were dripping with white liquid, and he started to flap like some sea lion having a blast from pranking his father. Knox rubbed his still drowsy eyes and squinted them after, finding out why the little sea lion was rejoicing.
"Knoa!" Knox exclaimed after sizing up the situation. He picked his three-year-old boy whose grin almost reached his ears. His curly, black hair swayed softly from the movement, and his bright green eyes curved like a half-moon. Knox frowned, feigning anger, "What is it this time? Why are you watering my face with milk, hm?"
The innocent boy leaned his head to the back from giggling. Knox shifted his hand to support the boy's nape. Then, while still laughing, cheerful Knoa answered, "Papa, it's not milk! Hehe!"
"What?" Knox sniffed Knoa's hands, they smelled like milk, but his child was trying to prank him so he pretended he didn't know, "What?! What is it then?"
Knoa grinned wickedly and threw his hands up like he was celebrating. Then, he yelled energetically, "Pee!"
Knox gasped dramatically which made Knoa laugh even harder. Where did his child even learn to pull jokes like this?
"Oh, boy! You can't fool Papa. Pee is not white! Come here," Knox brought the kid to his arms and caught his flapping hands. Some drops hit his face and trickled down his lips before he could even wipe them.
He grabbed a tissue from the nightstand and started wiping Knoa's milk-stained face. "What happened? Did you make your milk bottle explode?"
Knoa replied firmly, "I want a bath!"