CHAPTER 25: UNSPOKEN APOLOGIES, UNFINISHED HEALING;

Location: A fancy restaurant. Neutral ground.

Two tables.

Two families.

Two sons.

And one strained dinner no one asked for—but everyone needed.

Mek's dad cut his steak like it owed him money.

Pete's mom adjusted her bracelet every five seconds.

The air? Thick with tension, baby.

Pete cleared his throat.

"So... how's the company, Dad?"

Grunt. "Fine."

Mek tried. "Mom? You look nice."

A tight smile. "Thank you."

It was like two enemy kingdoms pretending to be... civil.

But under the silence, there were glances.

Tiny, hesitant, confused glances.

Pete's dad looked at Mek when he laughed.

Mek's mom poured water into Pete's glass without asking.

Little things. Quiet care, wrapped in awkward silence.

Then came the kicker—

A kid from the next table leaned over.

She was maybe seven, cute as a button.

She pointed right at Pete and Mek, and giggled:

> "Are you two boyfriends?"

The whole table froze.

Mek's face went red. Pete didn't flinch.

> "Yeah," Pete said proudly. "I love him."

The little girl grinned. "That's cool. My big brother has a boyfriend too."

She turned back to her spaghetti. As if love was just... normal.

Pete looked at his parents. Mek looked at his.

Their parents?

Still. Silent. Avoiding each other's eyes.

But Pete saw it—the flicker. In his mom's face. That softening.

And Mek? He caught his dad's jaw clench... right before he muttered,

> "Well. As long as you're happy."

It was almost too quiet to hear.

Mek blinked. "What?"

His dad grabbed a breadstick.

> "I said the food's not bad."

Lies. Beautiful, cowardly lies.

But that was his way of saying:

> "I'm trying. Even if I can't say it out loud yet."

---

Outside the Restaurant

Pete held Mek's hand as they walked.

"They're still scared," Mek whispered.

"Yeah."

"Of the world. Of judgment. Of what people might say."

Pete kissed Mek's fingers. "But they're watching us not fall apart. They're seeing that this... isn't wrong. It's real."

Mek nodded. "It's just gonna take time."

Pete smiled. "Good thing we've got forever."