Dawn broke.
Fiona didn't have an answer for where things were going.
So, life went on.
Early in the morning, Fiona was in the kitchen, habitually bustling over breakfast.
Of course, the guilt in her actions was obvious.
It was a relatively quiet morning at the Gallagher house. No chaos.
After breakfast, since it was Saturday and there was no school, Ian checked the time and didn't waste a second. He headed straight for Dean's hotel, planning to catch him and talk about Mickey.
Ian didn't have to wait long.
7:50 AM.
Dean was driving Bianca to work. Just as he pulled out of the parking lot, he saw Ian squatting by the curb.
Ian saw Dean too and quickly called out, "Dean."
Dean heard him, hit the brakes, and wondered why Ian was looking for him so early. "Yeah, Ian? What's up?"
Ian glanced at Bianca in the passenger seat and hesitated. "I need to talk to you about something."
"Is it urgent?" Dean asked with a smile, guessing it was about Mickey.
"Kind of," Ian replied.
"Why don't you hop in? I'll drop Bianca at the hospital, and we can talk on the way back," Dean offered. He thought the situation was amusing.
Ian, the top, coming to discuss Mickey, that tough-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside bottom. How interesting.
"Okay," Ian thought for a moment, nodded, and got in the back seat.
The car started up and they arrived at the hospital shortly.
"See you tonight," Dean said goodbye to Bianca.
"Mhmm," Bianca smiled and left.
Dean turned the car around. "Alright, Ian. Spill it. What's going on?"
"You know about Mickey?" Ian wanted to confirm first.
Dean smirked. "You mean about you and Mickey?"
Confirmed. Ian didn't beat around the bush. "Mickey is worried you'll talk. He wants to kill you."
"Hah." Knowing Mickey couldn't actually touch him, Dean wasn't the least bit fazed. He just wanted to laugh. "Good ol' Mickey. He's got some balls. Maybe I should print out some flyers and really advertise you two."
Dean deliberately poked the bear. "That way, Mickey won't have a reason to kill me anymore, right?"
"?????" Ian couldn't follow Dean's logic. He froze for a second, then panicked. "Dean, what are you saying? This isn't a joke!"
Dean smiled and nodded earnestly. "I'm not joking. Mickey wants to kill me because he's afraid I'll out him as gay."
"So if I beat him to it and announce it, he won't need to kill me, right?"
Ian: "??????"
What kind of logic was that?
Ian was confused and felt like Dean wasn't kidding. He got more anxious. "Dean!! Don't do that. If you say anything, there's no telling what Mickey might do."
Comrade Ian was really funny.
Dean wanted to mess with him. "Actually, Ian, doing this would be good for you. Think about it. Then you guys could be together openly, right?"
"..." Ian actually considered it for a split second, but only a second. "More likely, Mickey would never speak to me again! Dean, come on, don't do it."
Dean pretended to hesitate, staying silent for a few seconds before speaking. "What do I get for doing you this favor?"
"????" Ian felt like something was off. It took him a moment to react before emphasizing, "If you don't help, Mickey really will kill you."
Dean shook his head. "Mickey can't kill me. I'm not worried."
Ian finally realized Dean wasn't simple. Hesitating, and worried Mickey would do something stupid and end up in juvie, he asked, "What kind of favor do you want?"
Since he was just teasing Ian anyway, Dean smiled and replied casually, "How about this: I do you a favor, you do me a favor. As for what, I haven't thought of it yet. I'll tell you when I do. Deal?"
"If what you ask is too much, I have the right to refuse," Ian wasn't stupid and spoke seriously.
"Fair enough," Dean smiled.
"Deal," Ian agreed.
"Alright then. You can tell Mickey to relax. I won't say a word."
"Thanks."
Arriving at the hotel entrance, Ian got out and hurried toward Mickey's place.
Dean sat in the car watching for a moment, thinking about their future wedding, and couldn't help but chuckle.
Outside Mickey's house.
Ian didn't have a phone, so he had to squat and wait again.
Luckily, it was almost time for work. Twenty minutes later, Mickey walked out, cigarette in mouth, strutting with that cocky walk toward the restaurant.
Seeing Mickey, Ian's love-struck brain activated. A smile instantly appeared on his face, and he scrambled over to Mickey's side.
Mickey was deep in thought and didn't notice him, getting startled. "Fxxk! Where the hell did you come from?"
Ian beamed. "I was waiting for you."
Mickey shot Ian a side-eye, his tone softening a lot. "Why didn't you text me?"
"No phone," Ian replied nonchalantly.
Mickey was speechless for a second, then asked, "Why are you waiting for me?"
"I went to see Dean. He promised he wouldn't say anything. You don't have to kill him," Ian said happily.
"He just agreed like that?" Mickey was convinced Dean wasn't a good guy and was surprised.
Ian chose to lie. "Yeah, he doesn't care. No reason not to agree."
"Alright, got it," Mickey nodded.
They fell silent for a moment, walking side by side.
After a bit, Mickey couldn't hold it in. "Don't you have anything else to do? Why are you following me?"
"I'm going to work at the grocery store. It's on the way," Ian smiled.
Mickey couldn't really argue with that.
They reached the intersection by the grocery store.
"I'm off to work then," Ian said goodbye.
Mickey thought for a moment, his expression complex, trying to sound casual. "See you tonight at the usual spot."
"Okay," Ian agreed happily.
Mickey didn't waste more words. He walked with his duck-footed strut toward Dean's Grill. But when he passed the restaurant, he didn't go in. Instead, he kept walking into a phone store, pulled out some cash, and bought a new iPhone.
Walking out with the phone.
"Grown ass man and doesn't even have a phone."
"Damn Gallaghers!"
---
The Ferrari roared down the street.
Kevin and Veronica were like country bumpkins in the big city, soaking up all the stares. It felt good. Damn good.
"Damn! Being rich is fxxking awesome," Kevin sighed from the heart. "V, we gotta buy a Ferrari someday!"
"You got it!" Feeling the jealousy from the white girls passing by, Veronica was truly happy and agreed instantly.
Laughing and chatting, they started their busy day of wedding prep.
Hotel after hotel.
Bridal shop after bridal shop.
Tasting all kinds of food...
By the end of the day, they had thoroughly enjoyed the perks of having money.
Finally, because they hadn't quite shaken their old habits, they happily hauled a bunch of freebies back to the Alibi.
"Making money!" Arriving at the Alibi, the excitement still high, Kevin shouted as he opened the door. "We're doing this every time we get the chance!"
"Yeah!" Veronica agreed with a beaming smile.
About half an hour later, the regulars, including Tommy and Kermit, who had been waiting all day, trickled in noisily, expressing their dissatisfaction with Kevin.
Kevin was in a good mood, grinning, not minding a bit. "Hey, it's our wedding. No whining."
The drunks made a fuss.
Amidst the noise, they learned what Kevin and Veronica had accomplished that day.
It was a lot.
The hotel was booked—a five-star place with a garden lawn and beautiful scenery.
Veronica's dress and Kevin's suit were being made.
The menu was mostly selected.
Basically, the wedding just needed a few details ironed out, and it was good to go.
"Damn!" Tommy was shocked. "You got all that done in one day? When I got married, my damn ex-wife dragged it out for months."
Veronica laughed. "We did a lot of research online beforehand. That's why it was so fast today."
"Ah, I see," Tommy laughed. "Anyway, it's a happy occasion. Kevin, drinks are on the house tonight, right?"
Kevin immediately put on a serious face. "No way. Do you know how much we spent today? I'm broke! You gotta pay!"
Before Tommy could say anything, Kevin's face flipped to a grin. "Haha, just kidding. Tonight's on me. Drink up, boys."
"Someone struck it rich. Perfect timing," Dean walked in with Bianca, Vivian, and his dog, Bozo, chiming in with a laugh.
Kevin and Veronica saw the trio and immediately welcomed them warmly.
Before long.
The Alibi Room was filled with laughter and noise.
"All you drunks, listen up. First of next month, you're all coming to our wedding," Kevin shouted with a smile.
The atmosphere hyped up even more.
Tommy and the others cheered.
Even the introverted Bianca got infected by the vibe, cheering along and drinking quite a bit.
Worth mentioning, the goofy dog Bozo drank a lot too, wobbled around, found a comfy spot, and passed out snoring.
---
After work, Mickey had a cigarette in his mouth and went to the usual spot.
Seeing Ian, Mickey didn't waste words. He arrogantly shoved the new phone into Ian's hand. "Here. Take it. Don't say shit."
Love-struck Ian couldn't handle it. He instantly smiled like a total fruitcake.
Mickey felt his scalp tingle. He couldn't handle it either and barked, "Wipe that stupid smile off your face or I'll kick your ass!"
Ian tried to cooperate, but he was just too happy. He couldn't hide it.
There was still a sweet smile on Ian's face.
Mickey clenched his fist, really wanting to punch him. He held it back with great difficulty and quickly changed the subject.
Under the moonlight, in the spring breeze.
They chatted, did their business, chatted more, and walked home.
Gallagher house.
The relative peace continued.
Fiona bought a cheap TV on her way home from work.
Carl, Debbie, and Liam were watching it.
Fiona went to her night shift.
Lip wasn't home.
Ian sat on the couch smiling, enjoying the quiet.
In Karen's BMW.
Karen and Lip were going at it.
Lip was happy. Karen even more so.
Of course, their reasons were different.
After they finished.
After accepting another round of Karen's manipulation like an idiot, Lip reluctantly got out of the car and walked home.
Karen drove home, imagining Lip's reaction in a few days when she staged the "miscarriage," losing the baby that was already gone.
Karen believed that after that, Lip would be wrapped even tighter around her finger.
Perfect!
Karen loved the feeling of controlling people!
It was just too good!
--
Days passed.
With Kermit's arrival, Sheila, who knew why Frank had disappeared, said goodbye to Kermit. She sat back on the couch, thought briefly about Frank's miserable state, then tossed him to the back of her mind. She watched TV as usual, waiting for her pager to beep.
About half an hour later.
Beep~ Beep~
The pager went off.
She jumped, checked it to make sure she wasn't hallucinating, and quickly called the doctor. It was confirmed. A suitable heart was available for transplant...
She smiled happily.
Not long after, an ambulance arrived.
She got in, heading to the hospital, waiting for the transplant, waiting for a new life.
---
At the hospital.
Just as the doctors predicted, despite being told not to move, Frank kept stealing drugs.
After getting caught trying to steal another patient's meds again, the nurse in charge of Frank exploded. She genuinely felt the law was flawed. Scum like Frank should just die early. Being alive was a waste of oxygen.
That evening.
Fiona and the Gallaghers finally heard that Frank had his arm chopped off and was in the hospital. They all rushed over to his bedside.
Did Frank care? No.
Frank only cared about getting high, drinking, and drugs.
Unfortunately, deep down, Fiona still held out hope for Frank.
Lip and Ian didn't have much hope, but they were soft. Seeing Frank like that, they still felt sympathy.
Debbie cried her eyes out, heartbroken.
As for Carl...
Carl didn't cry, but he looked different than usual. His expression was heavy.
Fiona and the others stayed at the hospital for a while before leaving.
From then on, the hospital became a new daily stop for Debbie and Carl.
---
Time flew. It was the 22nd.
After consulting Dean and getting his approval, Karen ghosted Lip and executed her "accidental miscarriage" plan.
It went smoothly. And the results were super effective.
The next day.
Lip got the news and rushed to Karen's house, disregarding everything else. He was incredibly attentive and caring.
Her scheme successful, Karen was laughing inside, but on the surface, she put on an Oscar-worthy performance, looking incredibly sorrowful. "I'm sorry, I don't know what happened, the baby is just gone. Don't blame me."
This move was powerful.
Lip, the idiot, didn't suspect a thing. He comforted her, heartbroken.
After a long while.
Karen felt the time was right to show her "good side" to this fool. Weakly, she said, "Lip, now that the baby is gone, you should go back to school. You're so smart, don't waste it."
With the baby gone, Lip had no reason to persist in dropping out. He spoke softly, "I'll take care of you first. When you recover, we'll go to school together."
Karen nodded obediently.
The plan going forward... or rather, the instructions Dean gave were...
Karen should show her best side, use that to hang around the Gallagher house often, and subtly drive a wedge between Lip and Fiona. Specifically, to piss Fiona off.
Karen didn't really know why Dean wanted to piss off Fiona, but it didn't matter. She was getting paid. Whatever works.
"Lip, you're so good..." Karen leaned into Lip's chest, whispering.
Lip was happy.
Heh.
How interesting.
---
The 25th.
After some genuinely hard work by the real estate agent, Dean signed another contract.
With that.
2118 North Wallace, 2119 North Wallace, the storefront for Dean's Grill, and the storefront for Dean's Grocery were all owned by Dean.
"Thanks," Dean didn't waste time. He wrote a check and handed it to the agent. "In a while, when I'm free, we'll have more business. I need to buy a lot of property."
The agent took the check, grinning from ear to ear. "Great, great. Thank you, Mr. Dean. Call me anytime you need anything."
"Will do. Pleasure doing business."
"Pleasure."
After seeing off the agent, Dean stretched.
Since the Gallagher house was officially his... it was time to talk to Fiona about rent.
Dean pulled out his phone and called Fiona.
Fiona, currently scrubbing a toilet at work, answered, surprised. "Hello?"
"Fiona, is now a good time?" Dean asked with a smile.
"What is it?" Fiona had complex feelings about Dean. Overall, she wasn't interested in talking to him much.
"Just a little something. Warren Gallagher sold 2119 North Wallace—the house you're living in—to me. We just signed the papers."
"As far as I know, you're renting it for five hundred a month, right?" Dean asked calmly.
Fiona was stunned. "???? What? You bought our house?"
Dean laughed silently. "You could say that."
"Why? That's our house!" Fiona said it instinctively.
"I'm doing some investing lately, and that house was a good deal," Dean explained casually. "I thought I should tell you. When you have time, we'll sign a new lease. From now on, just pay the rent to me on time. No need to pay Warren."
"..." Fiona's mind was a mess. She didn't know what to say.
Dean understood and waited patiently for a few seconds before speaking. "Fiona?"
"Oh, okay. I got it. I'll talk to you later," Fiona decided to find Warren and figure this out.
An hour later.
Fiona confirmed it in disbelief.
Warren really sold the house to Dean.
Dean was now the Gallaghers' landlord.
"Fxxk!!!" On the way back, Fiona's emotions were all over the place. She cursed who knows how many times.
Back at the Gallagher house.
Fiona immediately explained the situation to Lip and the others.
Hearing this.
"Fxxk!" Lip still hated Dean and cursed immediately.
Ian didn't like or dislike Dean much. He asked Fiona, "Dean will still rent to us, right?"
Fiona nodded. "He has to, even if he doesn't want to. We have a contract with Patrick."
Ian didn't realize the severity of the problem. "Then it's fine. No different than before. And we don't have to pay property tax."
Debbie asked in a panic, "We won't get kicked out, right?"
"No, don't worry," Fiona comforted her immediately.
Carl smiled. He thought it was cool that Dean was his landlord.
Among the Gallaghers, only Lip felt a sense of crisis because he hated Dean. His expression was grave. "This is bad! Even if we have a lease, rich guys like Dean have ways to find loopholes!"
"We'll get kicked out sooner or later!"
Carl didn't like Lip talking about Dean like that and defended him. "Dean is a good guy. He wouldn't do that."
Lip knew Carl was close to Dean and didn't know what Dean wanted with Carl. He didn't argue with Carl but said to Fiona with a headache, "He said to sign a new lease, right?"
"Tomorrow I'll draw up the contract. To prevent him from setting any traps!"
Truth be told, Fiona disliked Dean. She felt Dean ruined her relationship with Veronica and even blamed him for the other jobs she quit for the restaurant gig.
"Okay," Fiona nodded heavily.
The next day.
Fiona brought the contract Lip drafted to Dean's Grill.
Counting it up, this was the third time Fiona had stepped into this restaurant in months.
Veronica saw Fiona and was slightly surprised. Then she looked away, didn't say a word, pretending she didn't see her.
Fiona noticed. The corner of her mouth twitched with dissatisfaction and disdain. She asked Mickey, "Is Dean in?"
"Kitchen," Mickey pointed casually.
Soon, Dean came out and sat opposite Fiona. He took the lease Fiona handed over and read it carefully.
No big issues.
There were a few minor issues, mostly restrictions on him. Clause after clause, the purpose was clear: ensure he couldn't kick the Gallaghers out during the lease.
Finished reading, Dean smiled and looked at Fiona. "Lip wrote this?"
Fiona nodded. "Yeah."
"Always just clever enough to be annoying," Dean commented with a smile. He signaled Vivian to bring a pen. "Fiona, the rest of the contract is fine, but one clause needs to change."
"I'm not responsible for repairs. You live there, if something breaks, you fix it."
This was very reasonable.
However, Fiona bit her lip, unsure.
Normal. Shameless people always want all the benefits.
"I have to ask Lip," Fiona said.
"Okay. Make it quick, I'm busy," Dean didn't care.
Fiona went outside, called Lip, and returned a few minutes later, nodding at Dean. "Okay, we can delete that clause."
"Great," Dean smiled.
Soon, the contract was signed.
Fiona breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't say much else to Dean and left the restaurant.
Watching her leave, Dean wanted to laugh.
Shameless people. So short-sighted. She didn't realize what losing ownership of that house meant...
From now on.
Fiona and her crew had absolutely no assets of value. They had to pay six grand a year in rent, on top of barely making any money, plus a scum dad like Frank and an idiot mom like Monica...
Considering their own issues.
Heh.
In the future, only Carl could save the Gallagher family.
If Carl changed and didn't want to save them...
Unless a miracle happened, Fiona and the rest would never turn their lives around. They'd just be stuck in that pit forever.
How interesting.
Dean laughed quietly for a while.
Mickey saw it and felt a chill down his spine, feeling an inexplicable fear.
---
Time passed quickly.
It was the end of the month. Kevin and Veronica's wedding on the 1st was getting closer.
As Kevin's best man, Dean was busy handling all sorts of things.
In fact, even Bianca, the maid of honor, squeezed out as much time as possible to help Veronica's mom, Carol.
Blink of an eye, last day of the month.
Noon.
The main event before the wedding—the bachelor party—was about to start.
As best man, Dean spent a good chunk of change booking a decent strip club.
Tommy and the others were incredibly excited, just waiting for nightfall.
It's worth mentioning that the most excited one was actually Carl, who had been hanging around helping out whenever he had time.
Carl's excitement was written all over his face.
Bianca couldn't get excited like these guys. She was worried. After hesitating for a while, she couldn't help but say to Dean, "Don't drink too much tonight, and don't do anything crazy."
"Haha, don't worry," Dean chuckled. "I promise I'll have plenty of energy left for you tonight."
"...I'm being serious," Bianca said.
Dean nodded seriously. "I am being serious."
Bianca was helpless. "I'm done talking to you."
"You too. Don't go crazy," Dean grinned.
Bianca nodded heavily. "I'll try not to drink at all."
Her serious look was cute.
"Okay," Dean replied. Then he found Vivian. "Vivian, keep an eye on Bianca tonight."
"Okay! Don't worry, nothing will happen," Vivian smiled happily.
"Yeah. You have fun too," Dean said.
"I always have fun," Vivian replied.
Dean paused.
Well, that was true.
Afternoon.
Carl came over.
"Carl, let's go. I'm taking you to buy a suit. Let's get you cleaned up," Dean greeted him.
Carl rarely got new clothes year-round.
In fact, Carl had almost no new clothes. He wore Lip and Ian's hand-me-downs.
"Awesome!" Carl was happy and didn't fake politeness.
They went out for about two hours.
Voila.
Carl was transformed. He looked like a little tuxedo-clad mobster. It was a vibe.
Evening arrived.
Dean's crew, including Ian, Carl, Tommy, Kermit, and the other drunks, marched grandly to the strip club.
Kevin even thoughtfully brought along Stan, whose dementia was getting worse.
Around the same time.
Bianca took Veronica and the others to a high-end club downtown.
Fiona and Debbie got invites but didn't go.
Lip didn't go either.
That night.
Debbie was home watching Liam and TV.
Fiona was working, feeling complicated, miserable, and ready to explode.
Lip had nothing to do and wandered the streets alone.
Karen went to Veronica's bachelorette party.
That night.
Staring unblinkingly at everything in the strip club, Carl truly felt his life was complete. He had reached the peak. He was unspeakably happy.
Dean watched Carl's reaction with amusement. He was sure Carl was the happiest person there tonight.
Second was... the cursing Stan.
Old Stan was hilarious. Cursing up a storm while practically drooling.
---
Late night.
Both parties wound down.
Dean and Bianca showered, played a rigorous "game," and fell asleep.
--
Dawn.
New month, new day.
Early in the morning, everyone attending the wedding woke up, got dressed, and headed to the Alibi.
Carl wore his brand new suit, looking like a human being.
Ian rented a black suit.
Lip, Fiona, and Debbie chose not to attend.
Mickey bought a suit directly.
Mandy wore a beautiful long dress and dressed up carefully.
Tommy, Kermit, and the other drunks cleaned themselves up for once and put on suits.
Dean did the same.
Interestingly, seeing Dean in a black suit, Bianca stared for a few seconds before teasing, "Why do I feel like you're even more handsome?"
"Haha," Dean wasn't humble at all. "Of course. You too. You look amazing."
"Hehe."
The two shameless lovebirds praised each other, took the dog Bozo, and left the hotel for the Alibi.
7:30 AM.
The entrance to the Alibi was crowded. It was a bit shocking.
Tall and actually quite handsome Kevin saw Dean and Bianca arrive and immediately went up to them. He thanked Dean sincerely, "Dean, thank you. If it weren't for you, we'd never have this kind of life."
Dean grinned.
People who know gratitude are good people.
"You're a grown man saying stuff like that. Gross. Cut the crap. Everyone here?" Dean couldn't handle the mushy stuff.
Kevin grinned. "Almost."
Dean checked the watch Bianca had given him. "The cars are almost here. Do a headcount. Hurry up the stragglers."
"You got it!"
7:50 AM.
Led by a Rolls Royce, a convoy of over twenty Mercedes flowed like a dragon to the front of the Alibi and stopped.
This scene... in the South Side slums, was absolutely shocking no matter how you sliced it.
In the blink of an eye, they were surrounded by shocked shameless folks.
Interestingly, Kevin and Veronica were stunned too. Dean had only said he arranged cars, not a luxury convoy like this.
"Dean, this is too much..." Recovering, Veronica didn't know what to say.
Dean smiled brightly.
He didn't arrange this to suck up to them. He just thought it was fun.
And having money without spending it—what's the point?
"You two are the stars today. Nothing else matters," Dean laughed. "Get in. Don't waste time."
Clack clack clack.
Doors opened.
The shameless wedding guests excitedly got in.
The convoy moved out, watched by countless onlookers, heading to the five-star hotel nearby.
The weather was great.
So the wedding was held in the hotel garden.
The setup was beautiful.
Under the sun, bouquets of flowers bloomed, smelling fragrant. Many people couldn't help but feel envious. Veronica's mom, Carol, was in tears.
11:00 AM.
Accompanied by cheerful music, the wedding officially began.
Kevin, in his sharp suit, stood by the priest, quietly watching Veronica walk down the aisle on Carol's arm. His face was full of joy.
Dean stood nearby.
Honestly, he was touched.
The atmosphere of a wedding is just too infectious.
Dean wasn't alone.
The crowd of shameless folks had similar reactions.
Ian couldn't stop stealing glances at Mickey.
Mickey got agitated by the staring and almost punched him, barely holding it back.
Svetlana sat with her girls. Knowing that before meeting Dean, Kevin and V were just poor trash, she couldn't help but feel great hope for life.
Carl watched blankly, looking forward to the future.
Naturally, Mandy, the goddess of pure love, felt the same.
Karen was thoughtful, her mind racing.
Others had various thoughts... but essentially, they were the same. One word: Money!
Look how good money is. With money, you can have all this.
Shameless people... are shameless, but the desire for good things is human nature.
Soon.
The priest began the ceremony.
Kevin and Veronica exchanged rings.
"I now pronounce you..." The priest finally smiled.
Kevin and Veronica kissed.
Everyone seated stood up, applause thundering.
---
11:50 AM.
The reception began.
Food and drinks were buffet style.
Music pumped, and everyone started dancing.
Dean and Bianca joined in for a bit, then stepped aside to eat.
"I have to tell you something," Dean said after Bianca ate a little.
Bianca froze, instinctively feeling it wasn't good. She panicked a little. "Just say it. Don't scare me."
Dean smiled faintly. "It's nothing bad. I have to leave for a while the day after tomorrow. I'm going back to Alaska. Might stay a bit longer."
Hearing this, Bianca was shocked. "Huh? So sudden? How long?"
"About two or three months. Probably back in the summer." Dean felt a bit guilty about leaving after they'd slept together for so long.
"That long..." Bianca felt lost and lowered her head.
"Sorry. It's a bit sudden," Dean bullshitted.
"Did something happen?" Bianca bit her lip and looked up.
"Yeah. My old mentor is dying. Me and a few of the other guys have to go see the old man off."
"Oh?" Bianca hadn't forgotten the story Dean made up before, and she still believed it. She was surprised again. "That's terrible. Isn't he in a hospital? What's wrong with him?"
Dean shook his head. "No hospital. The old man has hidden in the wilderness his whole life. He'd rather die than leave. Can't be helped. But he's over a hundred years old. It's normal. Hospital wouldn't do much anyway."
Bianca: "?????"
Too much information.
Alaska is so mysterious.
Bianca didn't know what to say. She was silent for a few seconds before realizing something. "In the wilderness? So... no phone?"
Dean nodded apologetically. "Yeah... I'll probably be out of touch until summer."
"..." Bianca was speechless. She stared at Dean, her eyes slowly turning red.
"I'm sorry," Dean was genuinely sorry.
Bianca blinked, took a silent deep breath, and forced a smile. "It's okay. It's just two or three months."
"I'll try to come back early," Dean said.
"You have to!"
"Yeah."
"Let's not talk about it. Let's party," Bianca didn't want to talk about sad things on such a festive day.
---
The wedding ended.
Kevin and Veronica stayed at the hotel in the honeymoon suite.
Dean and the others took the cars back.
The day ended perfectly.
A new day arrived quickly.
The newlyweds drove the Ferrari back to the South Side. Kevin opened the Alibi for business.
Veronica went to the restaurant to prepare for work.
This was their last day of work for a while. Tomorrow, they would fly to Costa Rica for their honeymoon.
Dean's Grill.
Dean brought Bianca, who had taken another day off, into the restaurant. Without wasting words, he announced they were closed today and that he was leaving for Alaska tomorrow.
Veronica, Vivian, and Mickey were stunned.
"Boss, why are you leaving again?" Vivian had a headache.
"Boss, you're really slacking off," Veronica said.
Mickey, being tsundere, didn't say anything.
Dean smiled. Before chatting, he handed out the salary checks for the next three months that he had prepared with the accountant.
"I'm going back for about three months to handle some personal stuff."
"I gave you all a few thousand extra as a bonus. For the next three months, you can enjoy life or keep running the restaurant. Up to you."
"..."
Dean said it all in one breath, then turned to Vivian. "Vivian, maybe you should go travel."
"Not fun," Vivian said.
"Haha, seeing the world is always good," Dean smiled.
"I'll try," Vivian replied helplessly.
Dean then said to Mickey, "Mickey, try not to get yourself sent to juvie."
Mickey: "...Fxxk off!"
"Haha."
After chatting a bit more and saying goodbye, Dean and Bianca took Bozo and left. They went to Dean's Grocery to say goodbye to Svetlana.
"Svetlana, three months. Be smart. Don't get caught and deported," Dean warned.
Svetlana nodded seriously. "Mhmm, I will."
Leaving Svetlana, Dean and Bianca went to 2118 North Wallace to find Tommy.
The only reason was to pay him for the renovation.
Done.
Dean and Bianca took Bozo for a walk, enjoying the day before separation.
Evening.
At the Alibi, Dean said goodbye to Kevin.
"Have fun in Costa Rica," Dean said finally.
--
The 3rd.
Morning.
Dean drove Bianca to the hospital and gave her the car keys. "See you in the summer."
"Mhmm. See you in the summer," Bianca replied reluctantly.
Dean nodded and prepared to leave.
"Dean..." Bianca suddenly called out.
"Yeah?"
"I love you," Bianca blushed.
Dean smiled. "I love you too."
In the parking lot, they kissed for a long time, ignoring the stares of passersby.
After a long time.
They separated.
"See you in the summer," Bianca blushed, dropped the words, and ran toward the hospital building.
Dean smiled, watched Bianca disappear, and turned to leave.
Behind the hospital doors, Bianca watched him quietly for a long, long time.