chapter 27: acceptance

"You were in the toilet for pretty long... Are you okay?" Aiden asked me the moment I came back from the toilet.

"Of course! Don't worry"

Aiden smiles at me and brushes my hair with his hand. His smile has never been this bright before. I mean the brightest and most sincere I have seen was when we first started dating, however, this smile surpassed that moment. There's something about his squinting eyes, huge smile, and dimples on his cheeks that tell me that he's extremely happy right now.

I was so mesmerized by the beauty of his smile, additionally, his hand gently brushing my hair, made me forget that we were sitting right in front of his father. The smile on my face quickly dropped when I heard a 'hem'. I gasped so loud and pushed Aiden's hand away harshly. I turned my body back to face his father while acting like nothing happened. Aiden's father was already looking at me with his left eyebrow slightly upwards than the other.

"Sir I can explain," I said while Aiden put his arm on my shoulder suddenly. I brushed his hand off my shoulder.

"We're not like what you're thinking," I said, with Aiden's arms wrapped around my waist and his head on my chest. Again, I pushed him carefully away.

"I know it seems like there's nothing to explain but there is and it's not like what you're thinking! Me and Aiden are not-!" Before I could even finish, Aiden's already laid his lips on mine. He went for a little further until it produced a sound the moment he let go of my lips.

It happened too fast before I could even react. His attack got me to close my eyes as a reflex. The moment his lips stopped pressing against mine, I opened my eyes and there was no longer just a figure in front of us, there was his mother also. With her mouth opened, standing frozen in shock, with her still holding our drinks on a tray. His father also froze, it was silent, and only the sound of air-conditioning could be heard. Not only did both of them freeze in shock, but I was also stunned to speak or do anything. Different from the boy who is next to me who repeatedly moves his head to see his parents and me.

"Han and I are dating." He said so carelessly. The silence finally broke by him. I quickly closed Aiden's mouth with my palm but what had been said was already heard by his parents' ear. I turned my head to look at them looking at each other, still in their surprised expression. After a few seconds of staring at each other, probably digesting what just happened, they both excused themselves and went to the kitchen.

The moment they were out of sight I let go of my hands from his mouth, there's a bright innocent smile hidden under my palms.

"Why the fuck you're so calm? What if they didn't approve of us?!" I asked.

"Don't worry, I will still love you in secret without their knowing if that happens." He winks.

"No, that's not what I meant. What if they are mad at you again? Even worse you might get kicked out again! You guys just made up and I saw your very sincere happy smile while you were talking to your dad. I don't want to be the cause of you guys fighting again..." Aiden smiled after I said that. He pulled my chin up so that I could look at him.

"That sincere happy smile you said, it's not because of my papa, but because of you. I smile so brightly because I'm happy that you finally met my parents. The way they were interested in you, gave me hope that they would accept the true me, accept that you are my boyfriend." My heart accelerates, his sweet words fuel up my heart so that it can beat even faster. I pulled myself onto him. He rubbed my back slowly.

After a few minutes, his parents are back from the kitchen. They both sat down on the couch that was in front of us. Their face is expressionless, the tension felt so tense. Even my sweater couldn't warm me even more. I'm so nervous, I put my hands on my thighs because if I let them float, they would be shaking in nervousness. Aiden noticed how nervous I looked, he held my hand tightly. Even if he didn't look at me while holding my hand, I knew that he wanted to whisper to my ears to not be so tense. But he wants to maintain his poker face in front of his parents in this air filled with awkward fog.

"I mean, you're still our son." Her mom broke the silence. Being so confused, I accidentally said "huh" out loud. I quickly covered my mouth and apologized to her. At that moment I thought that I have already made a very bad first impression of them, I fucked up, but that was until I heard waves of laughter brightening the thick awkward fog.

"Our other son is hilarious, Mom... I like him." His father said. Aiden's mom just nods, saying that she agrees with his husband's thoughts.

The word 'son' just opens a door filled with hope and light. I just need confirmation before entering it. I looked at Aiden in a surprised yet confused expression. He's already looking at me with a surprised smile before turning back to his parents.

"So Mama and Papa are trying to say?" He asked. His parents look at each other with their hands holding. I can see that his mother's shoulder and chest rise before starts talking.

"Aiden... You're our only son and child. All we want is the best for you. But we forgot that we sometimes are the problems which lead you to become upset with us. Having you out of this house for months is very excruciating. Our nights are always filled with nothing more than just the sound of the television with no viewers sitting on the couch. This house, this family, we felt so lonely and empty with you Aiden. We can't afford to lose you anymore, we don't want to lose you again... So, whatever you choose to do, if it makes you happy, then we have no choice but to let you. Of course, as long as it is not illegal or wrong!" His mother explained.

"We accepted your boyfriend Aiden." His father added. Aiden's eyes started to get watery, he started to sniff his nose. A genuinely happy bright smile formed on his face with the combination of dripping salty liquids from his eyes. He then got up from his seat and ran to his parents to hug them. His parents were not expecting that, they were also so surprised. It took them a few seconds to digest what happened before returning Aiden's hug. My scenery is now a family crying in happiness.

My heart felt so light knowing that I had been accepted by his parents. I thought that they would kick him out again and curse me or call me a slur. Thankfully, it didn't happen.

*

On our way home there were no words being said. With our hands tied together, under a sky filled with shiny stars, it's enough to make me all smile since we left Aiden's home. The sound of crickets and flowing water in the drain felt so romantic to me.

"Are you that happy Han?" I turned my head to the person I was holding hands with.

"I feel so light right now. I've always thought that the cricket sounds are annoying, miracelly, you make it sound romantic tonight." I replied. He then turns his head to me with a smile that melts every bit of me.

"I'm glad you are..."

"Why? You don't feel the same?" I asked. He shook his head first before replying to me.

"I am happy, very happy. It feels so nice, I'm enjoying every second right now. Thank you for convincing me to meet my parents, Han, it feels so nice now that we are on a good term. Not to mention they accepted me and you as my boyfriend." He said. I have no words to say, just a smile to give. We walked back home with our hands swinging back and forth.

When we entered the gate, I immediately dropped Aiden's hand when I saw my parents sitting outside together. Thankfully they didn't see us holding hands. When they saw us, my mom waved at us.

"So how was it going?" She asked.

"They are now on good terms. They even cried together." I joked. All three of us laughed, but that was until I realized that Aiden wasn't laughing, he just gave a weak smile. Even if he tried to deny it, I can see that the smile on his face is not sincere.

"Mom, Dad, can I excuse myself to the room? I want to take a shower." He said with that still fake smile. My face dropped guilty, I guess I shouldn't have said that.

"Go ahead!" My dad allowed him. I stared at him who was slowly walking out of my sight. But I chose to think more positively that he was just tired and couldn't have another conversation. I continued my talk with my parents before finally entering the house.

When I entered my room, Aiden was still in his before clothes, sitting at the edge of the bed. Usually, when I entered the room he would turn all his attention to me, sometimes run to me to hug me, but this time not even a glance was given to me. That's when I knew something was wrong. I sat next to him and asked him what was wrong. At first, he refused to tell me but I kept pursuing him to tell me which he eventually did. However, he starts with a cliche question, that doesn't lead to a cliche conversation.

"Han, do you love me?" He asked.

"Of course I am Aiden! If I didn't then I wouldn't be the first to confess." I laughed, I thought he was joking.

"Are you embarrassed of me?"

"What?" I asked after a few seconds, confused with that question.

"Can you stop faking your true self, Han?! Why are you so scared to get out of that fake comfort zone?! Be yourself, Han!"

I was too stunned to say anything. Have I been fake recently that he asked me this? Did I do something that pissed him off? I'm so confused, even though my mouth is open there are no words that come out of it.

"Or are you just embarrassed that I am your boyfriend?" He suddenly asked. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply in frustration. It was a wrong thing to do as it made Aiden even fire up.

"So I was right? You're embarrassed of me. Am I not good enough Han? What else is there left for me to do to make you all mine Han? Tell me! Tell me!" He said while grabbing my shoulder and shaking my body. When I opened my eyes, I could see that his eyes were watery, tears running down his cheeks, it made me feel so blue.

"Aiden, you don't have to do anything anymore. You have done more than enough. I love you and that's all that matters. Embarrassed of you? Says who?! I'm fucking proud of myself for having you as my boyfriend! It felt like I won a trophy, it feels so nice when we are dating and your shoulder is the one I leaned on! Don't say that okay? It hurts me when you think you're not enough... You're perfect in my eyes Aiden and I love you." I said while pinching his cheeks. His tears are still running down, constantly sniffing his nose, his eyes are so red right now.

"If you're not embarrassed of me, then why did you drop my hand!" It took me a few seconds to fully understand what he was trying to refer to and when I finally did, I now understand why he's so upset right now.

I don't know what to do. Aiden is still sitting next to me crying but no longer looking at me. I was lost in my thoughts, thinking carefully about this decision that I was about to make. When I finally dared to do it, I grabbed Aiden's wrist and dragged him to the outside of the house. I don't care if he's crying right now, I need to get this done while I still dare to do so. Aiden constantly asked me where we were going but I didn't pay attention to him because I was still thinking about what I was about to say, and what I was possible to face.

When we were finally outside, I dragged him together with me to my parents who were still talking to each other. They looked at me in confusion, either because of how serious my face looked or because the man I was holding his wrist was wiping his eyes off tears like a toddler. Either way, I need to confess to them. After all, they already know about my sexuality, why am I so nervous about it?

"Aiden and I are dating!" I said, straightforwardly. My dad, who was sipping his tea, started to choke when he heard what I said. My mom looked at me with her eyes so wide open before letting out a loud gasp. I looked at my behind to see Aiden who was also surprised with his still red eyes because of crying, and pulled him into my embrace.

"We started dating weeks ago... Please accept us, Mom and Dad!" I said before burying my face in Aiden's chest. It was silence, that's it I'm going to get kicked out.

"Han..." I looked at my above eyes to see Aiden who was looking at me while smiling. He turned his head to see my parents, signaling me to do the same.

"O- Of course we do a-accept... We're just surprised that you got yourself a boyfriend." My dad said.

"Actually I have already predicted this before. You guys sleep on the same bed together. Either you guys are dating or one of you guys have a crush on each other. Which one was it when you guys decided to sleep together?" My mom asked.

"Both." Aiden replied.

"Impressive." My dad complimented my mom.

I look at them in pure shock, that's it? That's the reaction I get for confessing?

"That's all?" I asked with my eyebrows so close to each other and wrinkles on my forehead.

"I mean, what else do you want to happen? It's not that surprising if I'm being honest. We're just being dramatic just now." My dad explained.

"Furthermore, we have already known your sexuality and I have already predicted this so... This is boring." My mom added.

"Should have added more spice in this confession." My dad complained.

"Yeah, it felt so dry. I'm pretty sure people could have predicted that we would approve of your guys' relationship."

For some reason I don't think that they're dissing me, it feels like they are dissing someone else who is not in this story. What?

"So you guys approved us?" Aiden asked.

"Oh, of course, Han." My mom said with a smile.

I turned my head to Aiden who was smiling all bright. He then grabbed my hand and dragged me running to the bedroom. The moment we entered the bedroom, he quickly locked the door and kissed me on the lips at that very moment. His upper is between my lips, the constant sound of our lips off each other as we exchange saliva. Something was awake in me, I bit his lower lip as he moaned in pleasure. He then went down to my neck, sucking on my collarbones before coming back to my lips and wetting them with his saliva.