But before I could think more about it, the sound of the door creaking open snapped me back to reality.
I looked toward the door and saw a man stepping in. He looked utterly exhausted, breathing heavily, his shoulders slumped as if he'd just sprinted through the night.
The moment the man's eyes met mine, he froze in place. The room fell so silent, it was as if even the air dared not move.
The silence finally broke when the woman—or my mother, if I'm right—spoke up.
"What's the matter, honey? Are you just going to stand there? Don't you want to hold our son?"
Wait. She... just called me our son.
That pretty much confirms it—she's my mother. And I really have been reincarnated into some infant.
And… is he my father?
He's tall, with a refined build—neither overly muscular nor too lean. His long, dark hair is slicked back effortlessly, accentuating a perfect jawline and a pair of piercing, shadowy eyes. And that dark… aura, giving him striking presence.
Even though the outfit is clearly the kind of medieval noble attire, it looks nothing short of outstanding on him.
And yeah… now that I've seen him, I can't even argue—if I end up anything like him, calling me a future ladies' man might actually be underselling it.
After what felt like an eternity, my father finally spoke. Yes… father. I guess it's time I start accepting this new life. From now on, I'll call them mother and father—because that's what they are now.
His voice was soft, yet carried a quiet authority. "Serenia… h-he's my son. My blood… my own flesh and blood."
The overwhelming joy on his face made it hard for him to say anything more beyond those few words. And just like before, he stood there frozen again.
Holding me in her arms, my mother rose from the bed and walked over, stopping right in front of him to give him a better look at me.
With a gentle smile on her face, like the warmth of a quiet sunrise, she spoke to him,
"Hold him, honey. He's waiting for his father to hold him with warmth."
Carefully, my father took me from her arms and held me close to his chest, a big, joyful smile spreading across his face. He stood there in silence for a moment, holding me like I was the most precious thing in the world. Then, as he brought me closer to his face, he kissed me—once… and just as he was about to kiss me again—
I protested with all the infant strength I could muster. Like Alright, man... I get it. You're my father, and yeah, you're obviously overjoyed—I've pretty much come to terms with that. But as a guy, I'm not exactly into being smothered with kisses… especially not by another man. So chill out, okay? I'm not going anywhere.
Seeing my struggle to avoid any more kisses, my mother chuckled and teased him, "Okay, my big baby, I think that's enough for today. He's not going anywhere."
Then, with a softer tone, she added, "And before anything else... I want you to give him a name."
"A name?" he laughed weakly, disbelief in his voice. "You mean... you haven't named him yet?"
My mother shook her head gently. "No. I wanted him to carry the name his father gave him—because no name I chose could ever mean as much as the one spoken from your lips."
The words left him speechless. He looked at her for a long moment, then slowly turned his gaze toward me. Leaning in a little closer, his eyes narrowed with curiosity. I couldn't tell if he noticed something unusual in me… or if he was just frozen again.
My question was answered when he finally spoke to her. "Wait a minute... his hair—it's... half and half?" he said in surprise.
"What, you just noticed now, honey?"
"Yeah, I was too focused on his cute little face," he admitted, still staring in awe. "But wow… half black and half white."
That was news to me too. Half black, half white? It actually sounds kind of cool. Like I carry both their hair colors—split right down the middle.
He pauses for a moment, eyes still fixed on my hair, then speaks up. "Now that I've seen him up close, I think I've come up with the perfect name for him."
Then, gently—almost like a whisper—he said,"...Nox."
My mother tilted her head slightly, her voice soft with curiosity. "Nox?"
He nodded, gaze never leaving me.
"The black in his hair… it's like the night sky. And the white—like moonlight, which itself is a reflection of the night time. That's why… Nox. A name born from the night itself—it suits him perfectly."
Hearing this, her eyes shimmered. "Nox Everhart... I love it."
I smiled to myself. Nox, huh? Short, simple… and he really put some thought into choosing it.
Maybe this new life won't be so bad after all.
....
I must've been really tired earlier—I don't even remember when I fell asleep. It must've been somewhere in the middle of my mother and father talking about something.
Now I've been awake for a while, just lying here on the bed—and yeah, it looks like I'm starving. Even though I know my mother fed me not too long ago, here I am, in the middle of the night, dying of hunger all over again.
Aside from being hungry, I also find myself stuck halfway through recalling what my mother and father were talking about earlier.
It was a conversation that filled me with questions.
Right after giving me my name, my father had apologized to my mother for not being with her during my birth.
But she completely brushed off his apology, saying it wasn't his fault that, I was supposed to be born months later, but I came into the world prematurely.
She also added how she was expecting him to arrive a month later, and yet he came as soon as he could.
She even admitted, with a soft, loving
voice, that he's the kind of husband any woman would dream of. That part was heartwarming.
But then… something didn't sit right with me.
Wait a minute—he arrived after I was already born?
That was insane—because from my perspective, I only opened my eyes just last night. That was the first time I saw either of them.
I don't remember being born. I don't remember anything before that moment. But according to her… I was already here.
Of course, as a baby, I'm not supposed to remember those things. But I'm not just a baby. I'm me. An adult man with a full set of memories from my past life.
Which can only mean one thing… I was born earlier, but my memories just arrived later.
Well, even if there is another explanation, I don't think I can exactly ask about it in this infant body. So, I guess I'll just have to wait for now.
But one thing I can't wait on… is this hunger. It's killing me.
I looked at my mother, peacefully sleeping beside me, and couldn't help but feel a little guilty—waking up an angel like that.
But my infant body couldn't take it anymore. Hunger was winning. So, somehow, I managed to grab one of her arms and, with all the strength my tiny limbs could muster, gave it a determined little shake.
I even managed to let out a few classic baby sounds.
"Aaah… Whaaa…"
Not exactly eloquent, but hey—it's the best I've got right now.
After a few minutes of struggling—my first real effort since being reborn—I finally managed to get a reaction out of her.
I let out another round of baby sounds, just to make sure the message of "I'm starving" was loud and clear.
Eventually, she stirred, rubbing her eyes as she slowly sat up. The moment her gaze met mine, full awareness seemed to return in an instant.
Without wasting a second, she reached for me and gently lifted me into her arms. With practiced care, she adjusted her nightgown and brought me close to her chest.
Finally… relief.
The hunger that had been gnawing at me faded as I fed, wrapped in her warmth and the steady rhythm of her heartbeat.
"My sweet little baby Nox… Mama's awake now, so you don't have to hold back. Drink as much as you want," she whispered gently.
In that moment, I couldn't help but think—every time she speaks, it's like a melody. Soft and soothing, wrapping around me like a lullaby. Her voice calms me in a way I can't even explain.
And most of all, not just her—but my father too. His warmth was so comforting. Being near him, I felt safe… except when he started attacking me with kisses.
But aside from that, he's amazing. Honestly, they both are. The way they love me—and love each other—it makes them feel like the most amazing people I've ever known.
But they're not just any people—they're my family now. And it feels like the kind of family I always dreamed of. A real, happy, loving family—something I was never able to have in my past life.
That life…