LOOK--
CHILDHOOD
"Lets work hard, Arson. So we can go to the U.S. Your daddy will see us there!"
- Mother
Arson was born in Manila, Philippines from a Filipino mother and an American soldier. However, despite the first few years growing up, the belief of being able to head to America to see his father would be less and less. Eventually Arson understood that his own father would never come back to see them and he never knew the whereabouts of him. It was fine for Arson - considering that they had the support of their friends and extended families. And most of the time he spent years growing up with his mother and her older brothers that lived by the piers - fishing for days on end.
But starting elementary, Ocampo was a popular child. Constantly engaging and socializing with others - and he also made friends with a popular gal in the same year... whom he had a crush on at day one.
TEENAGE LIFE
"America! I've only heard nothing but good things about that place - we'll have better opportunities there, Arson. And don't worry, we're going there together!"
- Emery's Mother
Arson remained best friends with this young lady and the both of them had been a constant, popular pair of people in school. Both graduated high school and his friend had the dream of continuing school in the United States. But she didn't expect that she would be having a full ride scholarship in California University.
Ocampo followed soon after but he ended up dropping out of college after the second year. But more for the reason that his best friend (and longtime crush) fell in love with one of her classmates. He pursued love at his own pace not long after to forget whatever heartbreak he dealt it and found a potential woman while he was working in his cousin's mechanic shop.
ADULTHOOD
"Dad, I don't get it. What are you worried about? How come you don't see what I'm seeing in front of me? You're my parent. You're my only parent. I have no mom. I have you - I'm happy that I get to be here with you."
- Regret
Arson had fallen in love with this same woman, decided that they'd live together and get married. However, his love life fell short after realizing his wife's demanding personality and it tired Arson greatly. However, he continue to commit, but their relationship never progressed - not even to a point where Arson wanted to marry. Their relationship eventually went down the drain and they split. However, he didn't expect that his partner had given birth to their child (whom he never agreed on the name Regret). In fact, his lover never told her anything about Arson being the father and he found out a year after they broke up. They've eventually split again after Arson tried to reconnect, and she thought it was best that she would fly back to her hometown (in the Philippines) and taking Gret with him. However, he occasionally was willing to see his son in the Philippines and asked if his son ever wanted to come along, but Ocampo always came home to America alone but continued to keep in contact with Regret through the phone and messages.
But it had been a long while since he saw his son, and decided to fly over to the Philippines once again unplanned to surprise his child. However, he comes to be welcome by a beaten and bruised child; abused by his mother and step-father. Completely angered and upset at the sight of his only child suffering alone in the household, he forced Gret to come to America with him in his small, shaggy apartment.
Arson's memory of seeing Gret in that situation haunted him and wished that he realized the situation much sooner. Despite his scraggy, unpleasant appearance, he was giving Regret as much love as he could as a father. But even all that attention - he never felt like it was enough for his son.
TLDR
- Grew up with his mother and uncles. His father was an American soldier and never came back to visit him.
- Fell in love with Emery's mother, who was a childhood friend since elementary. They moved to America soon after they graduated highschool in the Philippines.
- Emery's mother fell in love with someone else while she was in University and Arson sought to fall in love with someone else. He fell in love with a woman that he met in his cousin's auto shop but it was short-lived.
- After they broke up, Ocampo didn't realize that she was pregnant with his child. Despite trying to get back together so the two of them could raise their son Regret, she decided to go to her birthplace in the Philippines with their kid.
- Arson found out years later that Regret was living in an abusive household solely because of his sexual preferences. He got mad and took Regret home back to America.
- Arson lives with his only son and puts effort into making his life a happier but still wholeheartedly blames himself for not taking Gret home sooner.
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