CHAPTER 49: CLICK, SMILE, AND KISS

"Thank goodness, Dad..." Adrian exhaled in relief, the tension in his shoulders easing.

"Your grandpa also said he can’t wait to hold his great-grandchild. Maybe your grandpa’s condition will get even better if you give him a great-grandchild soon," Dean chuckled, recalling his father’s words.

Adrian was speechless. He glanced at Bianca from the corner of his eye before replying to his father, "I’ll try to work on that, Dad."

He couldn’t make any promises. If making a baby was as easy as blinking, he would’ve had plenty by now. And it wasn’t just about that—he also needed Bianca’s consent. Adrian was certain she would refuse. Convincing Bianca to carry his child would be even harder than convincing her to marry him in the first place. His head throbbed, and he suddenly felt dizzy, a quiet sigh escaping him as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Oh, right, Adrian. Your grandpa asked you to send him some photos of you two in Japan. He wants to see what you’ve been up to there." Dean’s voice carried a hint of eagerness.

Adrian rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit awkward. "Bianca and I haven’t had the chance to take any photos, Dad. Bianca sprained her ankle, so for the past few days we’ve mostly been staying at the hotel here in Japan."

"Sprained? Is she okay now? How did she sprain her ankle?" Dean’s concern was clear in his tone.

"She’s fine. She slipped in the bathroom," Adrian murmured, his voice low as he glanced toward Bianca, who was quietly listening nearby.

"I see. Tell your wife to be more careful next time. I hope she recovers quickly. As her husband, you should always take care of her. Look after her well, Adrian. Don’t let her out of your sight. For now, just rest together at the hotel," Dean advised his son warmly, his words filled with fatherly care.

"Alright, Dad..."

"And one more thing I want to say to you, Adrian." His dad’s serious tone made him pay attention.

"What is it?"

"Make the most of your time in Japan. You know what I mean, right? It’s not just your grandpa who wants to hold a great-grandchild. I want to hold a grandchild too."

"I know, Dad." Adrian massaged his temple, even though it wasn’t hurting.

"Good, as long as you understand. Oh, and one more thing, just send a photo of you and Bianca that you take at the hotel. Your grandpa will be happy to see that you’re both doing well there."

"I’ll send it later, Dad."

"Alright. I’ll hang up now, Adrian. Say hi to Bianca for me." Dean ended the call.

Bianca, who had been quietly sitting beside Adrian and listening to his conversation with his father, finally spoke once he put his phone down, her voice soft but curious.

"Your dad?"

"Mm..." Adrian nodded, looking thoughtful.

"Did something happen?"

"Dad said Grandpa’s health is getting better. The doctor said there’s hope he might live longer."

"That’s really good news, Adrian," Bianca said with a small, relieved smile.

"If the doctor says so, then it’s probably true," Bianca said, trying to be reassuring.

"Let’s hope so. Grandpa also asked Dad to check on us. He wants to know how we’re doing and asked to see some photos of us here."

"Photos of us?" Bianca frowned, puzzled.

"He wants to see what we’ve been up to during our honeymoon," Adrian explained, sounding a little embarrassed as he looked away.

"But... we haven’t taken any pictures since we got here."

"I already told Dad. That’s why he suggested we send photos taken at the hotel instead."

"But... we haven’t taken any photos at the hotel either," Bianca said, still confused.

Adrian gave a small smile, lifting his phone and waving it a bit in front of her. "We can take a photo, right here, right now."

Bianca nodded, catching on. "Okay."

"Come here," Adrian said, motioning for her to scoot closer.

He wrapped his left arm around Bianca’s shoulder and snapped a picture of them together.

Bianca was a little surprised when Adrian put his arm around her, but bit by bit, she started getting used to his sudden closeness.

"Okay, now smile big at the camera," Adrian said, sounding playful.

Bianca followed his lead and smiled at the phone.

"Another one," Adrian said, then pressed his cheek against hers. The warmth from Adrian’s cheek spread to Bianca’s cooler skin, making her heart flutter a bit.

"Smile," Adrian said, then took the shot before pulling away.

"One more, Bianca. This will be the last one," he added, "For this last photo, I want us to look more intimate—like a happy newlywed couple on their honeymoon."

"Alright, what kind of pose do you want for that?"

"I need to kiss your cheek. Can I?" Adrian asked, flashing her a cheeky smile as he looked for her permission.

Bianca felt a little shy, but since their contract allowed cheek kisses and they’d already kissed on the lips—she saw no reason to be embarrassed.

She nodded, agreeing.

Adrian smiled, then brought the phone closer and pressed his lips to Bianca’s smooth cheek, snapping the picture.

He scrolled through the photos, pleased with how they looked, except for the one where he kissed Bianca’s cheek, which he decided to leave out and then quickly sent the rest to his grandpa via his dad’s WhatsApp, a soft smile still on his face.

"Do you have Instagram?" Adrian asked, still scrolling through the photos.

"I don’t use social media. Do you?"

"Mm," Adrian hummed in reply.

He uploaded all the photos of them smiling and him kissing Bianca on the cheek to his Instagram with the caption. Me & You.

Not long after, his phone buzzed with a notification. Someone had commented on the post.

His lips curved into a sly smile when he saw the comment from Zak.

ZakRiv: These newlyweds look like they’re having a blast. Don’t forget my souvenir and I’m still waiting for baby Adrian Jr.

Adrian chuckled softly, shaking his head. Zak never stopped teasing him, with jokes ranging from corny to downright hardcore. He just liked the comment and didn’t reply to Zak.

***