✓SEASONS [JAKE GYLLENHAAL]

shí sān.

PIZZA
hey a good family
activity aye!

PINEAPPLE
gOoD fAmIlY
aCtIvItY

PIZZA
you and jake still
not on speaking
terms, huh?

PINEAPPLE
the occasional nods
and eye contact are
all the we have 😐

PIZZA
damnnn

you two are SO
good at the cold
shoulder thing

PINEAPPLE
tell me
about it 😪

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It was around seven in the evening when Rosalie was almost brought to tears for the second time that day.

Rosalie and her sons were seated around the dining table with acrylic paint, miniature figurines, and brushes surrounding them. While Hugo was continuing his reading on the different types of plants, Levi and Rosalie were painting figurines (Levi painted his miniature dog figurine black and white to resemble Robin while his mom decided to paint on a simple heart).

"Mommy, are we going to build the tree-house together?" Levi asks, an excited smile on his face.

Rosalie sighs. "Honey, I don't think we can. You have school in a few days so we need to prepare and your Dad and I are going to be a little busy."

From hearing his, Hugo looks up from his book. "But, you said we could build the tree-house if I get down the tree, Mom."

"I know what I said, baby, but a tree-house isn't a really good idea right now. We don't even have a tree in our backyard that can support it. Maybe during summer next year. How about that?"

"Then, we'll plant one." Hugo tells her as if it was as easy as brushing your teeth.

Rosalie sighs tiredly and places her hand on her eldest son's shoulder. "Hugo, why do you want a tree-house so badly?"

Two days back home and she had already seen some changes in her boys: Hugo had been more. . .persuasive than usual; always insisting that it would be better in a certain way and Levi had added more words into his vocabulary while at least growing another two inches taller.

Hugo slams his book shut and stands. He proceeds to slam his two hands repeatedly on the table which makes Levi cling to his mother's waist and set Robin barking at the sound. "Ma, nǐ wèishéme yào zhèyàng zuò? Bàba huì gěi wǒmen yīgè shù wū." (Mom, why do you have to do this? Dad would have gotten us a tree-house.)

Aside from his looks, Hugo had gotten his mother's quirk of ranting in full Chinese in these situations. To his parent's surprise, he was a fast-learner and picked up Chinese words and sentences from his mother and maternal grandparents (whenever they did decide to visit).

With her arms wrapped protectively around Levi's small figure, Rosalie narrowed her brown eyes at her child's outburst. "Hugo Guiren Gyllenhaal, tíngzhǐ jiān jiào!" (Hugo Guiren Gyllenhaal, stop screaming!) She scolds, her tone of voice didn't raise—it just remained firm and steady. "Nǐ xià dào nǐ de dìdì suǒyǐ qǐng lěngjìng xiàlái." (You're scaring your little brother so please calm down.)

Frustrated, Hugo groans and pulls at his mop of jet-black hair. "Mom, zhè tài yúchǔnle!" (Mom, this is so stupid!) He bellows and, this time, the seven year-old skims his hands angrily at the paint and figurines, creating a bigger mess on the kitchen floor. "Ugh, I hate you, Mom! I wish you never came back!"

Three things happened once Hugo said that:

One: his mother was stunned into a silence—with her lips quivering and pained tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Negative thoughts began to corrupt her mind. Her hands shook slightly as Rosalie balances her younger son on her hip, running her fingers through his brown hair. Am I really that awful?

Two: Hugo's younger brother already had a runny nose and red eyes from all the crying and screaming and things breaking. As the miniature figurines fell to pieces and the acrylic paint splattered all over the floor, he helplessly begs his brother: "Ahia (big brother), stop screaming at Mommy!" Before he was swooped into his mother's arms.

Three: his father—the rock of the family—runs into the room upon hearing noise. Jake makes it in time just to hear the last statement and sees the colorful mess. He took in his two crying sons (one on the other side of the table and not meeting his eyes and the other had his face buried deep into Rosalie's neck, no doubt still crying), his Rosalie—eyes downcast in shame as she lightly bounces Levi in her arms to calm him down—and lastly, Robin who was looking between Rosalie and Hugo. All Jake could think was: what the fuck is going on?

"Hugo, buddy, hey." Jake coos and makes his way over to the distraught boy. Before he could reach him, Hugo storms out of the room and makes his way upstairs.

Muddy brown eyes meet ocean blue ones. Even in their silent war over their relationship, Rosalie and Jake still worked like team. Setting his bag down, Jake heads upstairs, taking the stairs at two steps at a time, and Rosalie sets Levi down on the high stool, her mind set on cleaning the mess in the kitchen while also dumbfounded about the one in her own home.