Anhedonia

Know The Truth

Liam drove as fast as they could after the babysitter called Rosie and told her someone forcedly took Akiro. He stepped on the gas and he was so focus on the road while Rosie crying on the shotgun seat. It was already late night so there are very few cars on the road and Liam could drive past to the maximum speed.

After forty five minutes, they finally got into Rosie's apartment building. The place is so quiet that you wouldn't think that something horrible happened on the second floor.

Rosie pushed the door open and she saw the teenage babysitter on the corner, hugging his daughter tightly, their apartment got trashed. All of their things scattered around.

"Do you see the face of the guy who took my son?" Rosie asked, though she was panicking, but she didn't want to scare the little girl. She has seen a lot and it's not good for her to see another scene.

"H-he's tall about 6'1 foot a-and he has a beard." The teenager stuttered.

Rosie saw the bruise on the girl's cheek, she lifted her chin and looked closer. "Did he hit you?"

"Y-yes, I tried to fight but he has a gun and he p-pointed it at my d-daughter so I-I-I need to—."

"Shh, it's okay."

"I'm r-really sorry—."

"It's not your fault, please. Calm down okay? I'm sorry for what happened." Rosie said, trying to calm down the teenager since she was stuttering too much and they could even see how she's still trembling in fear.

"They'll be here soon, I already told them not to contact the cops." Liam handed a glass of water to the girl and helped them both to stand on their feet and guided them to the couch that he just flipped over. "Do you have any idea who it might be?" He asked Rosie.

"No, but I know that Jayvee has something to do with it."

"There's no other suspect than him."

"If only Jerry did not humiliate him, he wouldn't do this to my son." Rosie said through her gritted teeth.

"Look, Jerry only wants to put him in his place and I admit that it was too much but let's not blame him, he was just concerned."

"Concern? If he's concerned, he shouldn't have to do that! I told him not to meddle in my life and yet he still did!"

"Calm down, Rosie." Liam reached for his best friend's hands and squeezed it. "We will find Akiro."

"We don't even know who took him!"

"But we know who's behind it. And I think he's really planning to do this since he knows where you are hiding." Liam said and was trying to convince Rosie that it was all Jayvee's fault so she wouldn't blame Jerry for what happened.

Rosie didn't reply and just stayed silent. She's trying to recall every person she saw outside their apartment since there are only houses around the area and it's impossible for Rosie not to recognize every household. She realized that Liam might be right because whoever took Akiro knows where to take him and for sure that he's been watching them for awhile now.

A car approached outside and Liam looked over the banister to see if it's their friends. Jerry got out of the car first, then Seul-ki in the shotgun seat. Juhyun and Hayley need to stay because of their kids and Jeremy.

Jerry ran to the second floor, skipping two steps at a time until he reached the second floor and was about to run to Rosie's door but Liam stepped out of the door before Rosie's apartment.

"Where is she?" Jerry immediately asked and behind Liam, he saw Rosie glaring at him, but he ignored it and still continued his way towards her. "Are you okay?"

"No!" Rosie shouted which made the babysitter and her daughter flinch. "I'm sorry." She immediately apologised and grabbed Jerry's hand then dragged him outside. "Didn't I tell you that I don't want to see your face—."

"Will you cut it out? I don't care if you don't want to see my face, I'm here because of Akiro and that's all!" Jerry yelled even if he didn't mean to do that, but after he found out that Akiro got kidnapped, something inside of him ignited and he was so mad at himself, to Jayvee and even to Rosie for leaving the kid. "And don't worry, after this, you will never see me again." Jerry hissed and he walked back inside the apartment. "Do you know who it was?" He asked Liam.

"The witness said that he's about 6 foot 1 tall and has a beard." Liam said.

"He also has a deep voice and a tattoo on his neck." The babysitter added information since she's slowly recalling the guy who took Akiro and already calmed down.

"Wait, a tattoo on his neck? Is it a scorpion?" Seul-ki asked because if he's not wrong about the tattoo then he knows who it was.

"I'm not sure if it's a scorpion but it has claws just like in a crab."

"Those are pedipalps and it is a scorpion." Seul-ki said with certainty in his voice as he pulled out something from his pocket and opened the folded paper he was holding. "Do you think you can recognize him here?" He asked, showing the pictures that he took from the table just in case he will need it.

"Yes! That's him!"

Jerry took the photo and he crumpled it, his jaw clenched and he was looking at nothingness. "It was Jared." He said and fished out his phone to call someone. "I want you to go to his house and take him, do not let him go until I get back." Jerry said to whoever he was talking to and ended the call. "Seul, come with me."

"Where?"

Jerry looked at Rosie first before answering Seul-ki's question. "To Jayvee."

"I'm going with you." Rosie Immediately said when she heard it.

"No, you're going to stay here with Liam."

"You don't get to tell me what I'm going to do!"

"Oh really? Okay then." Jerry mocks and he looks over his shoulder. "Take her with you." He told Liam and continued his way out of the apartment while Seul-ki was on his heels.

Rosie got so pissed at Jerry's cockiness but she didn't want to argue with him because she's more worried about his son. She bid to the babysitter and told her that she'll be back and promised her about the p*****t for the damages in her apartment and went to her apartment to get something.

"Here, I'm sorry for this mess." Liam said to the babysitter as he handed her a large amount of money from his wallet.

"You don't have to—."

"I insist, please take this. My best friend doesn't have money to pay you so please, don't tell her that I gave you this."

"I understand, please save Akiro." The girl said as she took the money from Liam.

"We will now put your sister to bed."

"She's not my sister, she's my daughter." The babysitter smiled.

Liam was surprised by that but didn't say anything and just smiled back at the girl before leaving their apartment.

They tailed Jerry's car back to Seoul and they didn't have any idea where he was heading, but since Jerry told him to just follow him, they didn't ask any questions. Until they entered an exclusive subdivision and Rosie knew the place very well because their house was in the same subdivision.

Jerry's car stopped right in front of a house and he got out of the car, looking at Liam's car before he walked towards the gate. A guy opened it and bowed at him.

"What are we doing in your house?" Liam asked as they both got out.

"I don't know and I don't care." Rosie replied and she followed Jerry inside and so as Seul-ki and Liam, both were confused.

The main door was open and there were few people inside and all of them were working at the Kim Security Agency. They all bowed at the chairman and led him to the living room where Jayvee was tied down in a single chair.

"Is he awake?" Jerry asked as he sat on the chair in front of Jayvee.

Jayvee slowly brought his head up to see whoever spoke. And when he saw Jerry, he tried to stand up but he couldn't do it as he was tied tightly. Then his gaze shifted behind Jerry, his eyes squinted upon seeing Rosie, who is now holding back herself not to attack him while he's helpless.

"I know that you know where Jared is right now." Jerry said in an authoritative voice, glowering at his cousin.

"What the hell are you doing, Jerry?" Jayvee asked, ignoring what Jerry had said.

"What the hell are you doing, Jayvee?" Jerry asked back and he leaned his body forward. "First, you hurt Rosie and your son, and now you kidnapped your own son? What the f**k are you doing to your family?"

"Son?" Jayvee scoffed, looking back to Rosie. "So you still didn't tell him?"

"Shut the f**k up, Jayvee and just tell us where is my son!" Rosie growled at him.

"I don't know where he is and I don't care about him."

Jerry stood up from his chair and grabbed Jayvee's collar. "How could you be like that to your son?! Are you really that big of an asshole?!"

"Why would I give a damn care to a child that's not even mine?!" Jayvee fired back which made Jerry freeze.

"W-what did you say?"

"Don't you dare." Rosie growled low on her throat as she approached Jayvee but Jerry stood up to block her way.

"Jerry, let's just focus on finding Akiro." Liam said nervously and he looked at Seul-ki as if asking for help.

"Right, we're here for the kid and nothing else."

"Why are you guys so scared? Are y'all afraid that Jerry would know the truth?" Jayvee asked them mockingly.

"What truth are you talking about?" Liam asked innocently, though he knows what's going on but he didn't want Rosie to find out that they also know the truth about Akiro.

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" Jerry asked, he was confused by whatever Jayvee was trying to say and why does it seem everyone didn't want him to tell what it is.

"Akiro is—."

"Shut the hell up, Jayvee!" Rosie shouted and she tried to approach the guy but Jerry didn't let her and his men pulled Rosie away.

Then Jerry turned to Jayvee, lowering his upper body and looked at him straight into his eyes. "Tell me." He demands with so much power in his voice.

"The kid is not my son."

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