The Only Exception | Armin x Annie

Chapter 17

Annie's Point of View

The other side of the bed was cold and empty when I woke up. I remembered sleeping beside Armin but he isn't here right now. I was about to grab my phone at the bed side table when I saw a note saying:

I'll leave early today, Annie. Don't worry about me. Go eat breakfast okay? I already prepared it for you :)

I smiled as I read his note and walked my way towards the kitchen and saw a covered plate filled with butter toast and avocado slices, sunny side up, some bacons, and a bowl of freshly washed tropical fruits that were already sliced into bite size pieces.

I felt my stomach growling so I ate up, not worrying about my weight and the calories it could bring since no one would lecture me anymore. As I finished, I washed the plate I ate from and was about to go back to my room when the doorbell rang.

I went to open the door without looking at the monitor and saw Bertholdt standing right in front of me.

"Good morning, Annie." He greeted and smiled at me. He was wearing his casual clothes with no disguise on. I looked side to side to make sure no one was stalking us and made him come in.

"G-Good morning, Bertholdt. Come in!" I said as I guided him towards the living room. I felt awkward since it has been a while that we've last seen each other. Maybe he heard of the news that I was fired by our own entertainment company.

"Have you eaten?" I asked as we sat down the sofa. He looked and me and nodded before exhaling sharply. He stayed silent for a couple of minutes, just staring at the faux flower in my coffee table.

"Annie, how are you?" He asked, worry filled in his voice. He stared at me blankly, an expression that I couldn't read again. He was always like this. The only way I could read him was through his eyes. Despite it being hooded and dark, it tells a thousand words.

"I'm fine Bertholdt. You don't have to worry about someone like me." I said as I gave him a reassuring smile before breaking eye contact with him to stare at everything in the living room except for him. I don't know how to face him right now. Especially if people thought I cheated on him, when in fact he was just a mere love team, a partner created by the management because we could garner more fans and money. They only loved the idea of our love team because they were used to us both.

"You're not just somebody to me, Annie." He whispered as his voice was filled with pain.

"You know the first moment I got partnered with you, I was the happiest I've ever been. Because out of all the men in the industry, people chose me, someone who looked the best when I'm with you." He began reminiscing our past memories.

"I fell in love with you so easily. How you acted all your roles flawlessly, how you took your job seriously, and how you worked hard to sustain your family's needs unconditionally." I saw him look away from me and stare at the scene from outside my window as I stayed silent, listening to whatever he's about to say.

"You worked hard just to make your family happy. Never once did you show them that you were exhausted. That you were in pain. That you were tired of the world. You kept on saying yes to all the offers just to raise your name into fame. Even if you personally didn't want to." His voice was as delicate as a flower as he spoke those lines.

"I loved you, Annie. I loved you so much. Even if it was just one sided. Throughout the years I managed to know you better. How you hated guys who were disrespectful towards your interests, how you hated reading books but would end up reading all of your little sister's suggestions, how you hated doing the first move." I bit my lip as I tried my best not to cry as his words were as heavy as the sky.

"Throughout those years, I saw how you weren't genuinely happy with me. Although I confessed to you a couple of times, you would always reject me. But you would never grow cold towards me. You still treated me as a partner. These days you changed..." I tilted my head to look at him. He was looking at me with his soft yet dark and intimidating eyes.

"You changed...And you became happier. I was surprised to see Armin here that morning. I felt heartbroken. I felt all of my efforts go to waste. I thought that it was somehow unfair. I kept on asking my mind, why him? Why not me? What does he have, that you couldn't find on me? I felt jealous. Despite you just meeting him, he changed your life drastically and pulled you out of the hole you tried your best to get out of." I saw his tear fall down his eyes as he locked his gaze on mine.

"Bertholdt..."

"He made you happy in a short amount of time. There were times I wish he was dead but I can't find a single flaw from him. He was a genuine man who had clean motives from you. When I asked him that day what he wanted from you, was it your body, your fame, your money...He answered...Your happiness." I felt my tears finally escape my eyes as he muttered the last few words.

"Deep inside I was grateful. Because you found the man who could make you happy. You found your safe place within him. After years and years of you pretending to be happy just for the sake of your reputation, right now when you met him, your happiness became genuine that it reached me. That's where I knew...I lost." He chuckled softly before furrowing his eyebrows as he opened his mouth slightly, finding the right words he wants to say.

"Annie, Armin is a great guy. I know he'll treat you well. Although I hoped I was him, I knew that I couldn't be able to pull him off. You've been a great partner to me, always taking the bullets when it came to scandals. So right now, I want to be the one to protect you, Annie." He said as he leaned closer to me and cupped my cheek with his hand as he wiped my tears with his thumb.

"Thank you for being my partner. I'm genuinely happy for your relationship with Armin and I don't want your smile to fade away just because of others' opinions on you both. I want you to build a relationship with him so strong that I wouldn't regret letting you go." He whispered before embracing me in his arms. I hugged him back and closed my eyes as I tried to remember every word he said.

It was the comfort I needed. It was the reassurance I wanted. It was the words I needed to hear. It was the person I wanted to hear it from.

He pulled away before smiling at me and patting my head.

"I wouldn't want Armin to punch me so...I need to leave right now." He said which made the both of us chuckle. I nodded and both of us stood up.

"I forgot to tell you, Annie."

"Hmm? What is it, Bertholdt?"

"Turn on your television at exactly 8 PM tonight." He said as we walked towards my doorway.

"What? Why?"

"Just do it okay? Make sure to watch and after you watch, I want you to check your social media accounts and smile." He said before leaving.

I stood by my doorway, confused of what he just said.

What is he up to now and what did he mean?