WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?

A few days after…

[EROS' POV]

I've been working non-stop these past few days since the party happened. And since the party happened, we've been receiving a lot of calls from the press regarding our new project and they did a documentary about our success since day one. Moreover, we got a lot more attention from the people here in the country than any other.

I've been like this before, even before I started at the Pinetree Corporation. So, I've got used to these things and also Ares and Eryx.

"Mr. Beckett, I received a call from Japan."

Griffin said and he continues, "Sir. Alejandro says hello and he will be back next month."

"I'm glad that he's taking his time off."

"Yes, it's busier here."

I chuckle, "He thinks I still regret not coming to the airport."

Griffin smiles, "You are happier here."

"Really?" I whisper and I start typing my email.

These past few days have been very hectic and there are times that I can only have my free time during peeing and pooping.

But, I still like it when I come home.

•••

As soon as every piece of paperwork has been finished, Griffin made me go home. I opened the door and I can already smell something delicious coming from the kitchen.

"You're here?" I heard him say.

I yawn as soon as I lay on the sofa.

"You need to take a shower first." He says and puts the plates in the living room which I prefer the most.

"But I want to lay down so badly."

"Okay, just 5 minutes." He puts a pillow on my head and I closed my eyes and trying to fall asleep. But I can't just fall asleep like this, knowing that he's here with me.

I take a little peek and he's looking at me. He always looks at me whenever I'm not looking at him and I just want to see what he looks like when I'm not looking but it's impossible. So, I just peek or see it through the mirror, sometimes.

"I know I'm handsome." I joked.

"But you are."

"I'm more handsome than you?"

"Yup, I'm cuter, right?"

I laugh and I mess up his hair, his hair is getting longer and he's looking more like a girl, and it brings back the memories of how I first met him.

"Why are you laughing? You always say I'm cute." He says and then he laughs, he knows me so well that even when we were kids, I always say that he's cute which is very true!

I got jealous of some of the old ladies near our house whenever they see him, they pinch his cheeks and say, "You looked so cute, Ellis."

"Don't you want to cut your hair?"

"I like it this way." He says as he holds a strand of his hair and looks at it.

"Okay," I say and I got a hair tie from my pocket which Griffin gave me the other day.

Because I asked him if he has a hair tie and didn't even ask me if what it is for and I wanted to do this to Ellis, trying his hair and see his cuteness.

"Move closer," I say to him, and moves closer to me, making me smell his scent.

I smell pork chops and it made me smile, making me even hungrier.

I hold up his bangs and choose a portion of it, then I tie it into a bun if that's what they call it.

"There," I say and as expected, he looks adorable and I added, "It didn't cover your eyes, that's good."

He pouts, "Do I look like a kid?"

"No, a baby."

"What? I'm not a baby." He still pouting.

I sit up and face him, "You're my baby."

He looks at me, surprised at what I said and I softly flick his nose and I stood up from the sofa and went to get some water for the two of us since he only got the plate and the food.

I put three iced cubes to his water which he always does and I just take bottled water.

"How's work?" He asked as he took a bite of his food.

"Everything's doing well. How about yours? Did your 5th store got the sales that you need?"

"It's getting more sales than ever. That's how it does in my other stores, it's increasing day after day, which is good." He smiles.

"You made mom proud," I say to him and I slice a piece of pork chop and I dump a portion of mashed potato over it and I eat it.

"Do you think so?"

I nodded while chewing, "If mom is here, she would say, 'Ellis is better at handling my business than you, Ros. You should learn more from him.'"

He laughs, "You sounded like her!"

"What?" I laugh.

"But, I missed her." He looks down.

"I missed her too."

"Did you ever regret leaving us?" He asked and that's the first time of hearing that from him.

I'm scared of hearing that from him because, to be honest, I don't know what to answer.

"I'm sorry." He says and I pinch his cheek,

"Don't be sorry El."

I let go of his cheek and I smile at him. I don't even know what to say to him after that, I know he's still curious about why I left. He didn't believe that I left because of freedom. Also, that they're not included in my future.

He got it right from the start.

The truth is, they are included in my future. They are the most important people in my life and I want to cherish that no matter what, even if I need to sacrifice myself.

I want them to be happy even if I'm not there with them, I want them to forget me if they could, just knowing that they're safe, I'm okay with that.

That's what I thought first.

Mom died and I'm not there in her last moment and Ellis... he, hated me, or even curse me to hell for what I did to them. I'm lucky enough to talk to him and to be with him like this, but I know he's emotionally unstable for all those years that I'm not there with them.

Looking at his eyes from the moment I met him again, I see his anger, pain, and sadness.

I understand him a lot. If he did that to me, I would feel the same way.  He may not understand now, and the truth behind that, I'm still keeping it from him, whatever I can.

But deep inside, I know, he will know the truth and that scares me the most.

"Ros, what are you thinking?" He asked and I looked at him, he already finished his plate.

"Are you thinking what I said?"

"N-no," I say and I continue to eat, trying to ignore his questions.

"You did not hear it."

"What do you mean?"

"I was telling you something else." He says.

What did he say? But I remember he's saying sorry about what he said and I say, 'Don't worry.' Did he say something after that?

He rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

He stood up and he walks to the kitchen to wash his dishes and he's upset because of that.

"El, what did you say?"

"Nevermind."

I quickly finished my food and I stood up while my mouth is busy chewing.

"El, I didn't hear it. I promise." I say.

He's still washing the dishes and ignoring me.

I sigh, "Come on, El, please."

He's pouting and ignoring me at the same time, I don't know if I'll be angry or happy because he's being so adorable. He knows me too well! And I hate it. It's making my pride go to waste.

"Take a shower, now." He glares at me and I moved far from him.

He looks like a tiger! No. A cat!

I run to my room and went straight to my bathroom. I sigh. What did he say? I'm so busy thinking about the past, I'm forgetting that I'm already talking to my future.

Fuck.

"My future."

Did I just say that out loud?

•••

As soon as I got finished showering, I went out of my room to find him.

"El?" I called out.

No one answer.

Where is he? "El?"

Ting!

I got my phone from the sofa and it's a message from Ellis.

I went home.

WHAT!

I sigh.

Then, he messaged me again.

(Did you remember what I say? 😠)

No. I don't. But... instead, I reply,

(Yes, I remember. I'm sorry. 😭)

He texts back once more.

(Is that a yes or a no?)

Wait. Yes or no? What does he mean? But, I don't remember what he said but I said I remember it but not.

I have to make a choice. Yes or no?

Shit.

If I chose no, maybe he'll get angry? But if I chose yes? Would he be happy? Or the other way around?

I sigh.

My fingers are shaking and I don't know what to reply. But I have to make a choice!

I quickly exit the messages and went to the application of Flip The Coin.

If heads, I'll reply yes. If tails, I'll reply no. I virtually flip the coin. And it's heads! Should I? I should do it!

(Yes.)

I replied.

I waited for his reply and I'm getting scared.

It already took a minute, but there's no reply. Maybe he's taking his time? I waited again.

"It's been 2 minutes," I say to myself.

I should go after him. I should apologize and kneel for him. This is my fault. I shouldn't decide for myself and just say the truth.

I grab my jacket and car keys, I quickly opened the door but I stopped as soon as I see him in front of my door.

He's looking down and now he's facing me, there are tears coming from his eyes and my heart is beating faster. Why is he crying?

He suddenly hugs me so tight and I'm surprised because I don't have any idea what's going on right now. Is he mad? Is he sad about what I answered?

"I thought you've changed your mind."

On what? I don't know what he's saying but I just answered yes to him. Now, I have to prove that I texted him 'yes.'

"No, I didn't." I just say.

But I'm freaking nervous on what's he's talking about right now, then he replied, "Really?"

He smiles and suddenly, he hugs me tightly.

"Then, there's no problem living us together."

My eyes widen and I think I misheard something. Did he just say,

Living TOGETHER?

•••