Chapter 53 - A Hope

Months later, Yul had yet to hear from his father. His mother would call him as she did before but there wasn't a word from his father and Yul had almost given up on what little hope he had.

"Is your um… partner there?" It came as a surprise when Mrs Wang asked her son over the phone about Zeng.

Yul looked in Zeng's direction. The other man was washing vegetables in the kitchen in preparation for tonight's dinner. He hummed in the speaker, "Yeah, it was his day off. He is here."

"Can I talk to him? It won't take long." The question caught him off-guard but Yul was a bit excited. It was after a long time that any of his parents had decided to interact with his lover, only this time they knew.

"Zeng ge!" He called out and Zeng gave him a questioning look. Yul gestured to him to come near. Zeng wiped his hands before coming closer and sitting beside him.

Yul gave him the phone.

Zeng was a bit startled at the action. His eyes filled with panic. What was happening? Was he supposed to talk to them? Were they going to throw curses at him? Just what was happening?!

"Mom just wants to talk," Yul said, reading the panic on his face. He held the device up, urging him to take it.

Zeng slowly accepted the phone and put it close to his ear, "Hello." He spoke timidly.

"Hello. Zeng?" The woman on the other line asked.

Zeng looked at Yul who just looked back at him innocently. Was this going to be a warning session? He didn't know but it didn't help his nerves. "Yes, ma'am." He tried to sound firm but failed.

Mrs Wang's sweet laugh filtered through the speaker. "No need to be so formal, Zeng-ah. I don't bite. We have met before and I can tell you are sincere about my Yul."

"Yes, I am," Zeng agreed without a second's delay. He relaxed listening to the playfulness of her voice.

"Is he well?" She asked after a while, not trusting her son to tell her about his own well-being, something that he took from his father.

"Yes, he is fine but he misses you both," Zeng answered correctly, earning an accusing glare from Yul who was offended by the reveal. Zeng just pinched his cheek and later held his hand.

"Take care of my Yul," Mrs Wang spoke, "He is quite shy but becomes clingy when he likes someone. He may annoy you but he's a very sweet boy at heart. He was loud about his love and would do anything for his lover. When he feels down, he goes silent for weeks. So make sure to ask him if he needs anything. He craves for sweet things so make sure he gets cookies and cakes and everything he wants. And take care of his meals; he had become so skinny over the years. Lastly, just look out for him. That kid has a knack for action, his job worries me."

"Yes, I will," Zeng promised, "You please take care of yourself and Mr Wang." He said and the woman hummed, ending the call after exchanging greetings.

"What did she say?" Yul asked once the call ended.

Zeng made a face, wrinkling his nose, "She said my son is so annoying, how do you keep up with him?"

Yul glared. Zeng laughed at the instant reaction. His boyfriend was really so cute! He ruffled Yul's hair and kissed him on the cheek, pulling him close so that his head rested in the crook of his neck.

"She said she loves you very much and asked me to take care of you," he answered.

"I am not a kid," Yul protested. "I can take care of myself."

"Yeah yeah," came Zeng's usual response which Yul knew was a little mocking but he didn't care. It felt nice. Being the younger in a relationship surely had its own benefits, one of them was that you get pampered a lot.

They stayed there in silence with Zeng patting Yul's hair, kissing his head every so often, nearly forgetting about making the dinner. Zeng was about to go when Yul made him sit back again. He said he wanted to tell something.

"I am taking exams," the officer said after a while, "I am aiming for the anti-narcotics department."

"You'll qualify," Zeng said without a doubt. He was sure of his boyfriend's capabilities.

"My seniors said I had a chance," Yul admitted. "I have a good record and there are consistent achievements. So I too think I'll make it." He was pretty confident. He had been waiting for this opportunity ever since he joined the department.

He looked at Zeng. "When I get it, I want all of you to be there to see me. You, mom and dad, all three of you."

Zeng agreed, "Of course, we will be there."

"Even dad?" Yul asked expectantly. Zeng hesitated. He wasn't sure if Yul's father would accept him by that time. Homophobia could make people do things they would otherwise never have but Zeng believed people could change. Yul had changed him. Though it was true that Zeng was still holding onto his old self, Yul's love that had filled the gaps in his heart and mended it back had changed him considerably. If he could, then Yul's father also could. So there was hope.

"Yes, him too," he said, betting on the hope he had.

Yul wanted to be positive but couldn't outweigh the negatives that swirled around. "What if he doesn't come? What if he has decided to never see me again?"

"That won't happen." Even if Zeng himself wasn't sure, he insisted. Giving false hope was against the moral ethics of his profession but he couldn't help but cling to that small hope. He desperately wanted it to happen. The love Yul deserved shouldn't be diminished for the reason of his sexuality. He hoped Yul's father could look past it, accepting it and view the boy as his son, not just some abomination. Zeng wished every parent could do that. Things would be much better and easier for their children because family mattered. Their love and support matter. Even if the world wasn't on their side but if the family was, it was fine. It was enough.

"It will be alright, Yul," Zeng hoped, drawing in a heavy breath, "It will be alright."