Chapter 10 Introducing The Boyfriend

Throughout the car ride, I am silent while Sean keeps on interrogating Bryle about us and Bryle would also answer him with lies. It is so awkward, at least for me it is. The two keep on talking to each other casually like they’ve known each other for decades that I feel so left out.

We are heading to the hospital to visit my mom and give my dad some clothes he can change into since he is the one who’s been taking care of my mom since yesterday. He didn’t go home last night because he doesn’t want to leave my mom inside the hospital alone.

“Okay, Sean, that’s enough nosiness,” I intervene their conversation and Sean looks at me with malice.

“Aww, I see. Someone’s jealous!” Sean exclaims while Bryle laughs at him before looking at me with a smirk.

“Are you, babe?”

My jaw drops at the endearment he uses to call me while Sean screams like a banshee that I feel like my ear drum is going to explode. “Oh my gosh! Babe?!” He exclaims so I shake my head.

I look at Bryle and smile widely at him through gritted teeth. “I’m not jealous, Babe! I just want to intervene you two because I want to say something to Sean, that’s it!” I explain and turn to look at Sean with a glare. “Sean, stop looking at me like that! You look like a duck combined with a banshee!” I scold him and he pouts like a duck. This idiot! “After we visit mom and dad, can you stay with them for a while? Bryle and I has an important thing to do after.”

Sean raises a brow. “Where are you two going?” He asks me.

“We... Ahh...” I don’t know what to reason so I turn to look at Bryle for help.

Bryle understands what I’m trying to say so he immediately links our hand before looking at Sean through the mirror while wiggling his brows suggestively. Sean gasps loudly then turns to look at me with a grin. “Aww... Naughty! Alwin, I don’t know you have that spirit in you!” He laughs.

My face turns beet red and I turn to look away. They are both laughing now. “Whatever! I can stay with my parents while you two can go ahead if you want!” I exclaim without looking at them.

I can hear Sean giggles from behind. Yeah, behind because he’s sitting at the backseat while I’m sitting beside Bryle in the front seat. I also hear Bryle chuckles beside me so I glare at him.

“Relax, babe. Your brother is just kidding,” he says.

“Hmmp!”

~

Once we arrive inside my mom’s room, I see my dad reading some news article beside my mom while she’s just sleeping soundly. I clear my throat to gain my dad’s attention. Dad then looks up from his newspaper and smiles widely when he sees me and Sean.

“My sons! Why are you here? Don’t you both have classes to attend?” He asks worriedly. Sean and I crouch down in front of him and hugs him which earns us a hearty laugh from him.

“We do, later. We wanna visit you and mom first before going back to class!” Sean says then goes to sit beside mom on the bed.

“Okay. And who’s this handsome young lad with you?” He asks when he sees Bryle standing awkwardly near the door.

I stand up from my crouching position before pulling Bryle’s hand to come closer. “Dad... This is Bryle, my b-boyfriend,” I stutter at the word ‘boyfriend’. “I brought him here so I can finally introduce him to you and mom. I hope you can forgive me for having a guy as my l-lover...” I continue and look down on the floor in shame.

This is the first time that I’m lying to my parents. I have never lied to them before because I wasn’t raised a liar. They thought me different values and good morals so I grew up believing on those things though I keep using some profanities. The only thing that keeps me from saying the truth to dad is the fact that my mom will get operated any time sooner.

“Son...” my dad calls out, “There’s nothing wrong with having a guy as your lover. I can gladly accept you and your boyfriend because I support you. I love you and I don’t care about gender at all. You can love anyone because love is love regardless of their gender. Gender is just a word to identify a person and it has nothing to do with what you really feel towards a person.”

I look up to my dad with welling eyes. This is just a pretend so I shouldn’t be affected with my dad’s touching words because the only important here is to introduce Bryle as my boyfriend and that’s it. But I feel even more guilty! I can’t back out now. I have already introduced him and I couldn’t take back my words anymore.

I crouch down again and hug him tightly. I’m so lucky to have a parents like them. “Thank you, dad! I love you too!” I say and he pats my head soothingly.

“This baby! You never change. You still act like a baby, our baby. Though the only difference from then and now is that you’ve got yourself a very handsome boyfriend! I really thought you will grow old single forever,” dad jokes and Sean immediately laughs, I even hear Bryle chuckles a bit at the back.

I pout at my dad. “Dad...” I whine like a kid and dad chuckles.

“There, there. Why don’t you introduce your boyfriend to me again and this time, proudly,” he suggests and I giggle before standing up and link my hand with Bryle’s.

“Dad... This is Bryle Kraisee, my handsome boyfriend! And Bryle, this old hog is my most handsome father!” I enthusiastically introduces each other with a mix of joke.

To be honest, I just add a lame joke because I feel so nervous and I wanna lighten up my own self as I am the only one feeling awkward in this room or so I thought.

“H-Hello, sir. Nice to meet you. Alwin keeps saying a lot of things about you and your wife,” Bryle says and I frown a second because I never said anything to him about my parents and then I remember that we are only pretending.

“Really? Win did? Tell me what did Alwin told you about us? I hope it’s not that bad,” Dad laughs heartily again.

My heart beats so fast. Oh my gosh! Wrong move! Mission abort! Now, how will you escape that question without slipping off, huh?! Huh?! I internally yell at him and I want to hit him on the head so bad! Stupid jerk!

He glances at me and I just raise my brow at him challengingly. Let’s see how he will pass the exam! Hahahahaha!

He turns to look at my dad again when he realizes that I won’t help him with it. Actually, it is really not my place to answer that question because it was meant for him and not me. My dad would be wondering why if I’m the one who would answer instead of him.

“Well... Alwin told me that you and your wife is really gracious, kind, a very good role model, have a strong faith to everything, and he loves you both so much. He’s a very proud son and is very lucky to have you as his parents,” Bryle smoothly says and my jaw almost drops at his very wonderful answer. It looks like he’s not lying at all! Everything he had said is true. I love them a lot!

I smile genuinely at Bryle before looking at my dad. “What do you think of my boyfriend, dad?”

My dad suddenly extends his hand towards Bryle and he immediately accepts it. “Welcome to the family, young man. I’m happy that Alwin finally found a man that would fulfill his heart and love him. Please, take care of him for me, okay? He still acts like a baby, you know?”

“Dad! I’m not!” I defend myself and pouts.

“See? You’re still a baby.” Bryle and Sean laugh at my misery.

And our small banter continue until Bryle and I finally decide to go. We leave Sean with dad and promised him that we will come back for him later as we just need to take care of something.