Anhedonia

Unintentionally

"Okay, calm down. I'm sorry if I didn't tell you, it's my fault. Don't get mad at Juhyun or at Hayley —."

"Wait, so you mean.. Hayley knows?" Liam asked, the disappointment showed in his features. "My wife knows?" He asked again when no one answered his question. "Rosie.."

"Yes, he knows. And I told her not to tell you because I don't want you to—."

"So that's the reason why Hayley keeps telling me random reasons to not visit you or Jerry?" Liam cuts her off again with a dry chuckle.

"Liam, listen to me okay? He has selective amnesia and all he could remember is Hayley and his feelings towards your wife back then so please, let's not make it a big deal."

"Not make it a big deal? Do you know how dumb you sound right now? I am not mad because he loves my wife— which I am aware of since then because Hayley told me about it." Liam slumped down his shoulders, cupping his best friend's face. "I am mad because he's hurting you."

"Unintentionally."

"Doesn't matter, Rosie. I won't let him hurt you in any possible way. If he can't remember you, then I will make him remember you." The guy said with certainty in his voice. Seul-ki scrunched up his nose because he knew Liam so damn well and once he made a decision, though it may sound so stupid, but he knows it's gonna work so he agreed to him by nodding his head.

"Please don't." Rosie shook her head to disagree. "You're just going to make it worse, my son was already going through so much right now."

"Trust me, Rosie. By the end of this day, he is going to throw himself at you." Liam tapped her head lightly with a soft and warm smile. "Let's go back." He added and tugged the girl with him. Seul-ki followed them, still holding the forgotten cup of coffee for Liam.

When they got inside the room, Jerry's eyes landed to Rosie then to Liam, glaring dangerously. The three of them saw but decided not to say anything as Rosie walked back to her position, sitting down carefully.

"What took you so long?" Jerry asked, annoyance in his face was visible and didn't even try to hide it.

"Sorry." Rosie replied without even looking at him which made Jerry more annoyed.

"One last time and we're done here." Jerry said. Liam looked at him and shrugged his shoulders then he walked forward, bending his body to level Rosie's face.

He wiped the side of her lips which surprised the woman but didn't react too much to that. "Smile for me, my Rosie. I want you to give me your beautiful smile that I have loved to see everyday since we were kids."

"Liam.."

"Just get behind your damn camera and finish your job." Jerry hissed and he's as red as tomatoes for containing his anger. He didn't know why he's so mad at what he saw, his heart doing its job and favouring Liam's plan.

"Okay then, boys. Smile okay?" Liam walked back in front and he stood in front of his camera. Seul-ki just watched what's going on while sipping his cup of coffee like he's enjoying what he could see in Jerry's face. "Okay, smile on three!" He announced as he started the countdown with his fingers and before he pressed the shutter button, he waited for Jerry to smile. That didn't happen so he had no choice but to take the picture multiple times.

"Are you done?" Jerry asked monotonously.

"Yeah." Liam replied, reviewing all the pictures on his DSLR. "I will just send you the copy."

"Okay." Jerry said and he turned back to his company. "Let's go."

"Uh, I was wondering if I can stay here for the meantime. You can leave the kids with me." Rosie said, which made Jerry look at her.

"Why? Do you still have business here?"

"No, I just want to stay with Liam."

"I promised Jeremy that we're going to a park, I cannot let him down." Jerry was starting to feel annoyed again but he didn't want to snap at Rosie.

"Then bring him with you, I will take Akiro since you could only remember him. I promised that I will bring him to an arcade." Rosie lied, because she didn't promise anything to her son but she really wanted to stay with Liam so they could talk it out more and hoping that her best friend won't get mad at his wife.

"Why don't we bring them to an arcade first, then let's go to the park?" Jerry sounded like negotiating and the kids, who were just listening to them, felt excited about that plan and they looked at Rosie with puppy eyes.

Rosie looked at Liam and Seul-ki, who were also listening to them and Liam nodded his head. "Fine." Rosie sighed in defeat.

"Yes!" The kids cheered and they did a high five which made Jerry and Rosie smile and Liam didn't let it pass as he took that chance and captured those genuine smiles and immediately turned around when the couple snapped their heads at him.

"Let's go." Jerry said and he offered his hand to the kids. Jeremy quickly reached for it while Akiro was hesitating that he needs to look at Rosie first, as if asking if it's alright to hold Jerry's hand. Rosie nodded her head to encourage her son, so Akiro smiled before reaching for Jerry's hand.

"I'll just follow, I'll just talk to my friends." Rosie said and it is very visible to everyone how Jerry fell into a frown but still nodded his head.

"Just make it quick, I hate waiting."

"I waited for you for four years, five minutes was nothing to compare." Rosie mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing, just wait for me in the car. It'll be quick." Rosie said dismissively and she strutted her way towards her friends who were looking at her proudly.

After Jerry and the kids left the room, Liam and Seul-ki suddenly burst out into loud laughter and Rosie had to cover their mouths with her hands.

"Shut up, he might hear you two!" She scolded.

"Sorry, he looked so stupid earlier." Seul-ki laughed. "I could tell that he's being jealous."

"No, he's not!" Rosie being in denial but deep inside her, she's hoping it was true.

"He is, I almost saw God when he shot me venomous glares. Good looks couldn't kill a person." Liam laughed too, shaking his head.

"Whatever guys, I need to go or else I would ruin his will to treat the kids." Rosie bid, giving the two men a quick kiss on their cheeks. "Please don't get mad at Juhyun and Hayley."

"I won't." Liam smiled. "Let me walk you out."

"No need—."

"I insist." Liam said and he wrapped his arm around Rosie's shoulder and ushered the woman out of the building.

Jerry was just waiting impatiently inside his car while looking at the exit while the kids were already planning what game they would play in the arcade. Then two people came out, Jerry gripped the steering wheel tightly that made his knuckles pale while glaring at Liam and Rosie.

He couldn't hear them but seeing Rosie smiling to Liam pissed him off, especially when Liam put his coat around Rosie's shoulders and kissed the woman one last time, making sure that Jerry could see them.

"He's looking." Liam smirked.

"You're crazy."

"I'm just letting him taste his own medicine, Rosie. I'm your best friend and I won't let a guy like him hurt you, understand?"

"Whatever." Rosie rolled her eyes playfully. "Bye." She waved her hand before walking towards the car where Jerry was still glaring at Liam dangerously, as if he's killing the guy in his head.

When Rosie got inside the car, Jerry immediately turned off the AC of the car before he manoeuvred the car and pulled out from the parking lot and drove away.

"Did you just turn off the AC?" Rosie asked ludicrously.

"You feel cold, aren't you? That's why he gave you his coat." Jerry spat, not even sparing the woman a single glance.

"I don't feel cold, he gave me this because he said that I'm wearing way too revealing clothes." Rosie scoffed.

"Wow, so he's a conservative asshole? Is he also like that to his wife?"

Rosie could sense a mockery in Jerry's voice and as much as possible, she never wanted an argument with him but he's being unreasonable right now.

"Yes, he's a conservative guy and watch your mouth. He's my best friend and there are kids at the back." Rosie growled, crossing her arms abruptly and looked outside the window.

"So what if he's your best friend? He couldn't do those things in front of my face! That was so dumb! I'm your husband!"

"You ditched me in our wedding, if I may remind you! So no, you are not my husband!" Rosie fired back.

"Well, too bad because after three months, I will be your husband whether you like it or not because I am the father of your child!" Jerry spat at her and he was too proud of himself for shutting up the woman and he thought he won but when the words he said had sunk into him, his eyes widened and he whipped his head to Rosie, who's staring at him in stunned surprise.

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