𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟑

Fourth POV:

While we were in the middle of eating, I noticed the glances of Gemini at me. They were talking as a family, while Gemini and I were just silent.

"Fourth, taste this salad that I made for you." Auntie Nhai smiled at me, when she handed me a bowl of veggie salad.

"Thank you, auntie." I smiled.

I was chewing the salad that Auntie Nhai made me taste when I noticed that they were all staring at me, I suddenly felt pressure because they were all smiling at me and waiting for me to respond.

"Delicious, auntie." I smile at them, I swallow the food.

"When you cook Gemini food, force him to eat veggie. He will listen to you." Auntie's voice complained.

"Mom." Gem answered irritatedly.

"I hope auntie, he will listen." awkwardly I said.

Gemini turned to me and they were all stunned because of the topic, it was like I felt an awkwardness surrounding the entire dining area.

"N' Fourth, how's Quan doing?" Uncle Uen changed the topic to be less awkward.

"His condition is still the same, but his operation will be in two weeks." I answer.

"I hope the operation will be successful, I will pray that he recovers soon." Uncle Uen said in a good mood.

"Thank you, uncle." I smile at him.

"By the way, I'll be back in Canada for the second time. The admission called me, they said I can get the papers." Phuwin inserted into the conversation.

"Leave Oreo here, I will watch over him." suggested by Auntie Nhai.

"Fourth's birthday next week, can we take Oreo on the trip?" Gemini gladly informed.

I stopped eating because of what I heard, I didn't know that he still remembered my birthday.

"Yes, it's Fourth's birthday next week." Nhai remembered.

"Too bad I wasn't at your birthday." Phuwin regretted.

"We want Fourth to bond with Oreo, can we bring him along?" Gemini joyful voice.

I was speechless when I heard from Gemini, I was happy because somehow he remembered my birthday but there was a mixture of wonder in my mind.

I wondered because I didn't know anything about his idea, I didn't have any plans for my birthday but it looks like he has something planned.

   After dinner, I stood meditating in front of the big tree while staring at the ladder of the treehouse.

"When I save up, you will be the first one I will renovate." I talk to the trunk at the tree house.

"When you renovate that, can I still play with you." Gemini came closer to me, while looking at the tree house.

"And what are we going to play? Each other's feelings? It seems the game hasn't even started, I'm already losing." I said sarcastically.

"Fourth, I thought we were okay?" Gemini asked nervously.

"Yes, I forgive you, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten what you did." I calmly answered.

Gemini grabbed me by my shoulders and turned my body to face him, he looked at me with fear and wonder.

"What do I have to do so that you can forgive me?"

"What is forgiveness for you? Even if I forgive you, you will do it again and again. So what is the sense of forgiving you?"

"Fourth, I gave up my career for you, isn't that enough for us to get along?"

"Enough? It must have been enough... that you lost once, compared to the many times you hurt me." my voice cracked filler of resentment.

"Okay then. On your birthday, we will celebrate on the beach for 5 days. After 5 days, if we really can't fix it anymore... Let's file for divorce." His voice stammered as he tear up in front of me.

"Gemini-

"Fourth please. Give me a chance in 5 days, but you really don't want it anymore... There's nothing I can do about it." Gemini spoke tearfully.

"Alright. 5 days." I agreed.

Phuwin was looking at the balcony of the second floor while observing the two, Phuwin's eyes could feel the worry and frustration because of the situation of the two.

Mark's POV:

The next day, I was walking in the parking lot of GMM, I stopped in my tracks when I saw Ford standing in the distance.

He walked towards me with a fierce look, I was clueless because I didn't know what he was doing in the parking lot.

"You're Fourth's friend, right?" I asked as he came closer.

I was out of balance when he suddenly punched me hard, when I touched my lips I saw my finger with blood on it.

"Stay away from Fourth, don't bother him anymore!" his voice was furious.

"What's the matter with you?" I complain.

"What is my problem?" he pointed to himself.

He exclaimed, "You!! You are the problem for the three of us, because of you our friendship was ruined!! Why are you doing this, huh?"

I slowly lifted the body from the ground and forced myself to stand in front of him.

"Is that all you came here for?" I asked.

"I've been wanting to visit you for a long time, but it's a good thing I caught up with you. The next time you approach and trouble Fourth, that's not all you'll get from me." his trembling voice.

"And who are you to tell me what to do? Why are you keeping me away from Fourth, are you jealous?" I teased him.

"You're pervert, huh." he whispered,

He was about to slap me when he raised his hand to me but suddenly I grabbed his wrist to stop him, he tried to remove his hand but I tightened it even more to annoy him even more.

"Try to hit me, I will kiss you." I whispered to him.

"Don't you dare, pervert." His narrow eyes.

I brought my face a little closer to him but he took a step back, I didn't let go of his wrist as he was struggling.

"Let go, I'm going to scream here."

"Shout, you think I'm afraid of ruining my image? Shout."

"Oh really, help!!! Help me!! Someone is harassing me!!" he shouted that echoed throughout the parking lot.

I suddenly covered the mouth of his mouth which was very noisy and pulled to hide behind the car, when I noticed someone going down the elevator.

We swat and sat in the back of the car to hide, I tried to calm him down because there were media making noise coming out of the elevator.

"Shut up if you don't want to have an issue with me." I whispered to him.

I released my hand from holding him to let him go, he just stared at me with judgment and rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry if I ruined your friendship." I whispered to him.

I added, "Fourth told me the other day, what do I need to do for you to get along?"

"We don't need your help... I want you to avoid Fourth, I don't want our friendship to be ruined just because of a superficial reason." Ford dectate.

When the media left the parking lot, Ford stood up and walked out directly to his car and drove away.

Fourth's POV:

Since Sunday, I told Auntie Nhai that I was going to our house next to their house to clean, but I found the main door closed, so I went behind the house because I was going to duplicate the key in the backyard.

I didn't see anything else in the house but dusty and dark surrounding, like mom stayed in the hospital to watch over dad for several weeks.

When I got to my room, I turned on the light and I didn't see anything but the arrangement of the last day I left.

I don't know why but nothing else came to my mind during those times but the memories of me and Gemini when we were children. The one where he runs away from them in the middle of the night just to sleep here, the one where he always comes here or to play and the one when he cries and coming over here everytime Auntie Nhai scolds him.

"I can't quite imagine that my childhood friend will be my husband. So weird." I grin.

While I was cleaning the room, I noticed a big cardboard box under my bed, out of surprise I pulled it out. When I opened the box, I saw Gemini and I's toys, I was surprised because before I left the house, I had already asked my mom to thrown the toys away because I was really furious with Gemini at the time.

I took the toys out of the box one by one, while I was rummaging through the toys, I heard my phone ring on the bed. I peeked at the screen and saw Mark's name appear, I was still thinking twice about answering that because of the awkward thing that happened the last time we met.

"P' Mark..." I stuttered in answer to the call.

Gemini POV:

when I woke up I was surprised because I was groping on the other side of the bed but I didn't touch anything but a blanket and a pillow, when I opened my eyes Fourth was no longer beside me. I looked for him all over the house when I saw mom cooking in the kitchen, so he was the one I approached to ask.

"Mom, where's Fourth?" I ask.

"He went to their house, it's a good thing you're awake. Take this food to him, he might not have eaten yet." my mom ordered.

She put a lunch box on the counter after putting food in it, I was walking in the living room out the door when I heard Oreo's voice calling me.

"Dada!" His excitement voice.

"why, baby?" I turned to him when I stopped walking.

I saw Phuwin holding his hand down the stairs, but he let go of his grip and hurried down the staircase.

"Oreo, be careful!! watch what you step on." Phuwin reprimanded.

Oreo ran to me and hugged me on the legs, "Dada, where are you going? I'll with you."

"Okay. As long as you don't reprimand." I held his hand to help him walk.

"Gemini, take a look at Oreo. If something happens to him, you're dead to me." Phuwin pointed out to me before we went out of the house.

"We're just there on the other side of the fence." I answered, as I lifted the lunch box.

When Oreo and I arrived at the other house, I noticed that the main door of their house was closed, so I went around the backyard to check. When I twisted the door of their backyard, the door opened, so Oreo and I went inside. Oreo even hid behind me because he was afraid of the darkness inside.

"Dada, let's go outside, the ghost might eat us here." Oreo's voice sounded nervous.

"You want me to give you to the ghost." I teased.

Oreo was clinging very tightly to my clothes because he was so scared, when we went up to the second floor of the house I noticed that the door to Fourth's room was open. while I was walking in the hallway near his room, I suddenly stopped in my tracks when I heard his voice as if he was talking to someone.

"Ouch." Oreo touched his forehead, when he bumped into my lower back.

"Khab P' Mark..." Fourth's glad voice.

he added, "about the beach? what are we going to do there? as long as you're free... I'll be free. okay, bye... bye."

I gasped at what I heard, I haven't seen Fourth's expression yet, but he seems happy to be talking to Mark. I took a step back and turned to walk out, that's when I realized that we might not really get along.

I was walking back when I noticed that no one was following me, when I turned around I noticed Oreo standing on the side. I asked him to leave because Fourth might catch up with us but he shook his head, he pouted when he pointed to the cockroach that was walking.

"Oreo, let's go. It won't eat you." irritated whisper.

"Dada, I'm scared." he pout.

"it's up to you, I'm leaving." I tease him.

I turned my back to leave and suddenly he started crying, my eyes widened when I heard his growl. When I turned to him, Fourth suddenly came out of the room and we both gaze at each other.

"What are you doing here?" he wonder.

I saw that Fourth suddenly tapped something on his phone and put it in his pocket, he approached Oreo who was crying and picked it up.

Fourth was still looking at me evilly as he stroked Oreo's back to pacify him, he brought Oreo inside the room so I couldn't do anything but go back and follow the two.

When I entered the room, Fourth made Oreo sit on the side of the bed and the toys scattered on the floor.

"Why are you crying?" Fourth asked.

"Dada was teasing me with cockroach." Oreo answered in hiccups.

Fourth turned to me with an evil look while caressing Oreo's back to pacify him.

   Fourth's POV:

After a few minutes, Oreo became quiet, I let him play with the toys that I took out of the cardboard box. I decided to clean the room and open the windows, while I was cleaning the windows Gemini approached me.

"What are you doing here with Oreo?" I asked.

"Mom asked me to deliver this food to you because she said you might not have eaten yet." he answered, when he handed me the lunch box.

I didn't respond anymore but I just wiped my window. Whenever I ignore him, whenever I act cold towards him, and whenever I talk to him... I feel guilty. Shouldn't he regret what he did, but why does it seem like I'm the one who's having trouble?

"I'll just put the food on the table, Oreo and I are going to leave." he letting me know.

I dead maliciously and didn't do anything to him. When I heard him ask Oreo to leave, I turned to the two of them.

"Gemini." I called him.

They both stopped walking and turned to me, I was still thinking twice about what I wanted to convey.

"I ordered some food. Can you... join me and Oreo here... To eat." I stuttered to invite them.

It only took a few hours for the food I ordered to arrive, while the three of us were eating at the table in my room, it was inevitable that our lunch would be disturbed because Mark kept calling me.

"Uncle Fourth, why didn't you answer the call?" Oreo asked me.

"Don't pay attention to the caller, it's just my friend." I smiled to enlighten Oreo.

"Tell him to call later because he's disturbing our lunch." Oreo's tiny voice.

"Hmm." I nod.

"Uncle Fourth Doesn't he know that Dada is with us." Oreo looked at Gemini.

I glanced at Gemini because of Oreo's words, but he looked away from me and smiled at Oreo.

"Oreo, nosy." he whispered to Oreo.

Oreo stuck out his tiny tongue and stretched his neck to tease Gemini.

After we had lunch, I put away what the three of us ate, Oreo went back to playing. I stopped putting the leftovers in the plastic when I heard what Gemini said.

"I heard you and Mark talking earlier about the beach, what are you going to do on the beach?" he stuttered.

"Why did you ask that?" I asked nervously.

"Did he ask you to go to the beach?" he asked straightforward.

"Yes." I replied.

"You agree, don't you?" his follow-up question.

"Yes." I quickly answered.

"Does he like you?" Straightforward question.

I put down the plastic that I was holding on the table and faced Gemini with a full stance, I forced my eyes to take a breath and when I opened my eyes, I looked straight at Gemini.

"He confessed." I admit.

"What's your answer?" his trembling voice, as the tears gathered in his eyes.

"Why do you have to meddle? When you broke up with Mint did I interfere?" I reverse.

"I broke up with her because I chose you, I chose you more than my own. So even if I lose my career, I don't care anymore." he sighed.

"So shuold I be thankful? Thank you because you chose me over your fucking career, is that so? Thank you because you left Mint for me, is that it?" my voice trembled.

I added, "I'll ask you. When something happened between the two of us... What did the 'I love you' you said mean to you?"

"Why did you ask that all of a sudden?" he asked me.

"Whenever do you say I love you? whenever you have sex? how much is your 'I love you', because I will pay. no matter how expensive it is I will pay, just say it." I plead.

I couldn't stop not getting it, I pinched my nose to stop my tears but I couldn't handle the weight I was feeling anymore.

"Because that was the first time you told me 'I love you'. Now... I'm confused because I don't know if what you said that night was true, because if you loved me you wouldn't have hurt me like this." My voice was shaking while I was crying in front of him.

"Fourth, I'm sorry." he pleads.

"Does something have to happen to us again for me to hear those words?" I asked straight away, it's been hard for me to breathe for hours because I'm trying to hold back my cries.

"Fourth, N' Fourth, Fotfot... I love you." he murmur. I stare at his eyes through his lips to read his mouth and back to his eyes again.

"I know that words is easy for you to say, but I love the way you lie."    I started crying even more when I heard those words from Gemini, I thought I would never hear that from him again.

He gently stroked my head with his whole palm and leaned it on his chest, my body was so weak because of the crying that I couldn't let out.

I was gripped by Gemini's clothes and gasping for breath, I suddenly felt warm heat when he hugged me very tightly. he held me by my fluffy cheeks and slowly brought my face to his.

Little by little the ends of our heads touched as he attempt to kiss me, but Oreo suddenly call him so I swerved to avoid him before the kid saw us. He immediately put away his hand on my cheek so I turned around to wipe my tears and faced Oreo as if nothing had happened.