February 19, 2028
Western part of Starc City.
In a modest seven-story apartment building, nestled on the third floor, lived a struggling family of four—the Dowman family. Life wasn't easy, but they endured together: a father, a mother, a son, and a daughter.
Inside their small kitchen, a woman stood by the stove, dressed in a white top tucked into a black skirt, an apron tied neatly around her waist. Her thick brown ponytail bounced slightly as she stirred the pot. A gentle smile played on her lips—she seemed genuinely at peace, enjoying the simple act of cooking dinner.
Suddenly, the sound of tiny footsteps echoed from the hallway.
"Mom! Mom! Tell big brother to stop chasing me!" a little girl squealed with laughter as she burst into the kitchen. She had black hair tied in a ponytail, and wore jean suspenders over a cream-colored shirt. She clung tightly to Tabitha, her mother, her eyes sparkling with mischief and joy.
"Mom's not going to save you! I'm gonna catch you!" shouted a young boy in shorts and a singlet, raising both hands as he chased after his little sister.
"You two—this is the kitchen, not a playground!" their mother scolded, smiling as she stirred the pot. "Go now, or I'm going to catch both of you!"
The kids squealed and dashed into the living room.
"Dinah, run!" the boy yelled. "Run faster, or Mom's gonna get you first!"
"Craig! Don't leave me behind—carry me on your back!" Dinah cried, panting as she chased him.
"No way! You'll slow me down!" Craig replied with a grin.
"I've got you now!" Tabitha called out, sweeping Dinah off the ground and lifting her into the air. The little girl burst into laughter, kicking her legs in delight.
"See? Mom caught you first!" Craig said, pointing at his sister. "If I had carried you, she would've caught us both."
"You're mean, Craig... You can't even save your own sister," Dinah pouted.
"Hahaha! Oh, my cute little Dinah," Tabitha laughed. "So just because your brother wouldn't carry you, he's now mean?"
"Don't mind her, Mom," Craig said, hopping onto a nearby chair. "She gets all sad over the tiniest things, like being left behind."
"My two cherries, don't fight, okay?" Tabitha smiled warmly as she sat down too, cradling Dinah on her lap.
Sniff, sniff...
"Hmmm... What's that smell? It smells so nice, Mom. What are you cooking?" Craig asked, sniffing the air.
"It smells good, right?" Tabitha beamed. "Mommy's making bean soup."
"Really? Bean soup? I love it!" Dinah said in a soft, excited tone.
"You're going to love it. It's almost done—and once it's ready, we'll wait for Daddy to come home so we can all eat together," Tabitha said, brushing Dinah's hair gently.
"Ughh... We have to wait for Daddy? I wanna eat as soon as it's done!" Dinah whined, folding her arms with a little frown.
"My sweet cherry," Tabitha chuckled. "We'll wait for Dad, okay? He's almost home. I already spoke with him."
"Hungry, hungry Dinah! Can't even wait for your own dad—you little foodie!" Craig teased.
"Mom! Brother is mocking me!" Dinah shouted with a small pout.
"Craig, be nice to your sister," Tabitha said—but she winked at Craig secretly, making sure Dinah didn't see it.
***
30 minutes later
Knock knock.
"I'm coming! Who's at the door?" Tabitha called as she got up from the chair.
"Mom, could it be Dad?" Craig asked excitedly.
"Well, let's find out." Tabitha smiled as she hurried to the door.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"Honey, it's me," a deep, tired voice responded.
"Dad's back!" Tabitha said with a smile—but a flicker of concern crossed her face.
"Welcome home, my love." She opened the door, but her husband's sad expression immediately caught her attention. "What's with the look?"
"Dad! Welcome home!" both kids shouted in unison.
"Hey, my little ones. How are you doing?" Hogan replied, forcing a smile.
"We're good! Mom made bean soup!" Craig said.
"That's great. Can't wait to eat," Hogan said, walking inside.
"Daddy, carry me!" Dinah chimed in.
"Sorry, Dinah. Daddy's tired right now. I'll carry you later," Hogan said.
Tabitha blinked at her husband's words, clearly surprised, but stayed quiet. She turned to Dinah with a gentle smile. "Daddy's just tired, sweetie. I'll get food for you and your brother, okay?"
***
In the bedroom...
"I'll join you at the dining table," Hogan said, removing his shirt.
"Okay. But… you still haven't told me what happened today," Tabitha asked softly.
"I'll tell you over dinner," Hogan replied.
She waited and helped him with whatever he needed, and then they both joined the kids at the table.
Tabitha brought the food, setting the bowls down in front of them. The kids, cheerful as ever, were already seated, but Hogan remained quiet and distant. Once she sat down, Craig led a quick prayer, and they began eating.
"This is sooo good, Mom!" Craig shouted with joy.
"Yeah, Mom—it is!" Dinah echoed.
"Thank you. There's more if you want seconds," Tabitha said warmly, looking at her children.
She turned to Hogan. "Alright. We're at dinner..."
Hogan's eyes darkened. His jaw tightened as he spoke.
"I didn't get the job."
Tabitha let out a small sigh. "Is that all? Sweetheart, we can always try somewhere else. You've done your best." She reached for his arm gently.
"Tried my best," Hogan muttered bitterly.
"Yes, love. You've tried. We can look agai—"
"How many times are we going to 'look somewhere else'?!" Hogan snapped, slamming his fist on the table.
The kids froze. Tabitha stiffened, startled by his outburst.
Seeing their fear, Hogan took a deep breath and said, "Sorry... I don't know why I yelled. I promise it won't happen again."
Tabitha nodded softly. "It's okay. I know it's hard... But you're trying. You'll see—a better opportunity will come."
"Yeah, Daddy! You'll find a better place, and they'll make you the boss! Then I'll tell my friends my dad's the boss!" Craig said proudly.
Dinah chimed in, "Yeah, Daddy! What big brother said!"
Tabitha smiled at her children, gently rubbing Hogan's arm. Hogan managed a weak smile in return.
***
Later that night...
The kids were asleep in their room. Tabitha was already lying down, but Hogan sat at the edge of their bed, arms crossed, eyes lost in thought.
"I can't even get a job... Why is my life like this?" he muttered to himself. "That was the one place I was sure of—and still, nothing. Just more failure."
He glanced at Tabitha, asleep beside him, and kept muttering. "Look at her. Sleeping peacefully, like everything's fine. All she does is stay here with those kids... cooking, waiting."
As he stared, Tabitha stirred and opened her eyes.
"Honey, why aren't you sleeping?" she asked, concern in her voice. "Is it about today? I told you, don't worry—we'll find a new place."
"Find a new place? No, Tabitha. We've been on this 'new place' train for three years—and nothing's changed!" he growled.
"Hey, lower your voice. Why are you getting mad all of a sudden?" she asked gently.
"Why shouldn't I be mad?! It's frustrating!"
"I know it is, love. I know. But please—keep your voice down. The kids are sleeping," Tabitha pleaded.
"The kids. The kids!" Hogan scoffed. "What have I gotten from them? Just bad luck... bad omen."
"Don't you dare call my kids bad luck!" Tabitha snapped. "They have nothing to do with this! Take those words back!"
They began arguing—but neither of them noticed a small figure standing outside the door.
It was Craig.
He'd gotten up, hearing the shouting, and followed the sound. He cracked the door open slightly and peeked in—watching, listening.
Hogan's voice roared. "My life was perfect until you—and your goddamn kids—came into it! How am I even sure they're mine?! No kid of mine would bring this much misfortune!"
"We are not bad luck! Maybe you should check yourself before blaming your failure on us!" Tabitha shouted back.
Then it happened.
Craig's eyes widened in horror.
He watched his father do something he'd never done before.
SLAP.
A loud slap echoed through the room. Tabitha stood frozen, holding her cheek.
"You... you slapped me, Hogan," she said, stunned.
But Hogan wasn't done. He lunged at her and began hitting her again.
***
The scene fades to the present. A now adult Craig sits beside a man, recounting the story.
"As soon as I saw my dad hit my mom... he became dead to me. His face, his voice—I can't remember any of it. All I remember is that he was the man who hurt my mom."