Chapter 40 Zhen's Confession

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Zhen asked Xian whilst eyes on the ground. They're sitting on the swing that was hanging on the branch of the big tree at the back of the school. It's less crowded and very few students come there as the backyard is a bit grove.

"You don't wanna ask me first about something that's missing?" Xian replied, gazing at the younger boy. Zhen went silent for a moment before he spoke

"Please don't show those to anyone, especially Yiyi," Zhen replied, still looking down at the ground.

"I won't, don't worry."

"Good, thank you," replied Zhen, and then released a deep sigh of relief.

Xian stood up and then crouched down before Zhen. He held Zhen's face, making the younger boy gaze straight into his eyes.

"W-What are you doing?" Zhen stuttered, his face blushing bright red. Xian smiled

"Be honest with me little Zhen."

"D-Don't call me little! Soon I'll be bigger and taller than you!" Zhen moved his face, averted from Xian's intense gaze whilst he tightened his grips on the swing chains.

Xian smirked, he was amused how the younger boy's face turned like a steam crab. He wanted to tease the boy even more but he restrained himself as he wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with the boy. Xian held his chin again to face him, making the boy's breath uneven.

"Do you like me, Zhen?" Xian waited for Zhen's answer but he got nothing. Zhen lowered his gaze but Xian brought it back to him.

"I-I don't!" Xian frowned at Zhen's answer.

"Okay, if that's what you said." Xian got up and went back to the swing beside Zhen.

"Do uncle Barry and uncle Liam know about your– your preference?" Xian whilst he sways the swing gently. Zhen lifted his gaze and looked at Xian.

"H-How, how do you know about my sexual orientation?" Zhen asked in bewilderment.

"I just know, and it's better if you could be honest about this to your parents and everyone around you."

Xian looked down again

"I'm… I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"To the people's j-judgment," Zhen tightened his grips on the swing chains and sways it higher, averting his gaze to a different direction as his eyes welled up and tears ran down his cheeks.

The emotions he was battling inside him for a long time finally find their way to seep out through him. He shakes the swing even higher, afraid Xian might see his unpleasant face. But he failed to hide it as his tears flew by the wind and dropped to Xian's face. Xian stood up and caught the younger boy's swing.

Xian went to the younger front and hugged him. His heart itched a bit when he saw the younger boy's pitiful face and tears. He suddenly wanted to pamper him.

"Why do you care about people's judgment?" Xian while patting Zhenzhen's back as the boy keeps sobbing whilst leaning against his chest. Zhen didn't answer

"The most important thing is your family and your loved ones' acceptance. Other than that; everyone's opinion doesn't matter at all. So, be honest my little Zhen. Your dads won't like it and they may get hurt if you keep this thing kept out of them. They may think you didn't trust them." Xian as he continued rubbing the younger boy's back.

"But I'm still afraid, brother Xian," Zhen said softly. Xian's heart skips a bit hearing Zhen calls him “brother Xian” so delicate.

"Don't worry, I will help you if you need me. Just be honest with your feelings, alright?

"I - I 'll talk to dads," replied Zhen.

"That's good," Xian then let go of Zhenzhen as the boy calmed down and stopped sobbing.

Xian cupped Zhen's face as he wiped his leftover tears with his thumbs. Zhen blushed again at Xian's sweet gestures but felt embarrassed at the same time.

"I'm sorry," Zhen tried to wipe Xian's chest as it was drenched from his tears. Xian smiled and held his hands.

"So, do you like me now?" Asked Xian as he pressed the younger boy against him. Zhen pushed him with full force but Xian was too strong for him.

"I said, I don't… I don't like you!" Zhen wiggled to free himself but Xian pressed him even more against him.

"I'll be waiting then," Xian mumbles.

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for the day that you could be honest with me and tell me your true feelings without me forcing you, my little Zhen." Xian's litany

"T-That would never happen!"

"Let's see!" Xian replied before placing a kiss on Zhenzhen's head. Zhenzhen was frozen for a second before pulling away from Xian's embrace and leaving Xian alone.

Xian sighed and sat back at the swing where Zhenzhen was sitting earlier.

"We have plenty of time, my little Zhen." He mumbles, placing his finger over his lips.

***

"Dadda, Daddy... um," Zhenzhen paused and breathed out. Liam, Barry, and Yiyi remain quiet as they were waiting for Zhenzhen's confession just like what he told them earlier that he has something to confess to them.

"Take your time, son," told Barry, putting his hand over Zhenzhen's hand that was resting on the table. They've just finished eating dinner.

"I'm… " Zhen isn't sure now if he will continue or not.

"Whatever that is, son; we will understand you. You knew how much we love you, right?" Liam said, adding his hand over Zhenzhen and Barry's hands.

"I love you brother, whatever that is, I'm always by your side." Yiyi then put her hands over Liam's.

Zhen looked them in the eyes and Zhen could feel his chest lighter and then he remembered what Xian told him.

"I'm… I like boys, I'm gay." Zhen gulps hard, he shuts his eyes and purses his lips when he doesn't hear any reaction from them but slowly opens his eyes again when the warmth of his daddy's hand leaves his hand.

"That's it?" Liam said as they hugged Zhenzhen.

"Yo-you're not angry, daddy? Dadda? Yiyi?" Zhen spoke as he wiped the tears that were clouding in his eyes.

"Why should we? You are still and will always be our Zhen. We are family, so we should not hide something like this from us," Barry explained. "The truth is, I and daddy already know about this, we're only waiting for you to confess it by yourself." Added Barry which made Zhenzhen surprised.

"You already know? H-How?" Zhen shifts his gaze from his dadda to his daddy back.

"Son, we are your parents, what kind of parents would we be if we didn't know our children?" Liam patted Zhenzhen and Yiyi's heads as he spoke.

"I'm sorry for hiding it for a long time," Zhen said apologetically.

"That's okay," replied Barry. "But what convinced you to confess?

"Am, brother Xian told me to be honest with what I've truly felt and that I should not be thinking of others' opinions." He explained with a small smile on his lips. Liam and Barry's brows furrowed.

"You lied to me, brother!" Yiyi pouted and sulked. She crossed her arms over her chest as she slumped her butt back on the chair.

"Lied?" Zhen was baffled not comprehending what Yiyi meant.

"I thought you loved me!" Yiyi continues to sulk.

"Yes, I love you, you are my only twin sister."

"But why is brother Xian?" Yiyi frowned even more and Zhen felt discomfort inside him. He thought that Yiyi was angry with him because he likes Xian.

"I'm sorry," Zhen said as he lowered his gaze. "But I didn't like brother Xian, I swear;" Yiyi, Liam, and Barry's eyes widened.

"Huh? Do you like brother Xian?" Yiyi's eyes beamed and abruptly got up.

"No, I said I didn't!" Replied Zhen in a hurry, reassuring Yiyi. "So don't be angry with me anymore."

"What?" Yiyi's eyes broaden even more. "So do you think I am angry with you because you like brother Xian?"

"I said I don't like brother Xian, but yes; you are angry because you thought I like brother Xian. Isn't it?"

"Ftfft!" Yiyi burst into laughter whilst Liam and Barry's eyes averted from Xian to two Yiyi back and forth. Yiyi slams her hands onto the table while laughing.

"Oh my gosh! Brother Zhen! I'm not angry but I just feel so upset because you broke your promise. You told and promised me that I was the first to know if ever you have a problem or something troubling you. But you told brother Xian first, I'm just a little disappointed." Yiyi explained whilst Zhen's mouth hung open wide.

"So, that's it?" Zhen asked in disbelief.

"Then what else?" Yiyi rolled her eyes

"But I didn't lie and I didn't tell my brother Xian, he just found out. So stop sulking," explained Zhen.

"I'm not sulking anymore, brother." Yiyi then stood up and hugged Zhen.

"I'm envious of brother Zhen," she said, pulling herself from Zhen and going back to her seat.

"Why?"

"Because he managed to convince you to confess." Zhen smiled at the thought of Xian.

***

"Come in," Zhen responded to the knock on his door. It was his dadda

"What are you doing baby?" Asked Barry as he entered and closed the door behind him.

"Just listening to music, dad," replied Zhen and got up from his study table and went to sit at the edge of the bed. Barry sat beside Him

"Can we talk, baby?" He said softly

"Of course dad," Zhen replied, removing his earpiece to focus on what his dad is to converse about. Barry holds the boy's hands.

"I just want to tell you that, you should not be ashamed of your sexual orientation. I know how you feel since I've also gone through the same situation as yours. I know the awful feelings of battling all your emotions inside and being afraid of the cruel society's judgment. The only difference is my father disowned me, but that thing will never happen to you. Me, daddy, Yiyi, and the whole family will accept you. Our love for you will never change a bit. Do you understand?" Barry explained sincerely whilst caressing his child's hand.

"Yes dad, I'm sorry for not being honest with you and daddy."

"That's okay baby, be proud of yourself. We are all proud of you, so you should as well."

"I will, dad; but, since when did you and daddy discover my preference?"

"Not that long, I saw your notes in one of your sketchbooks accidentally when you were 13 years old. But I have had my hunches ever since you were a child."

"T-That long, dad?" Zhen was surprised.

"Mm," Barry hums in response. "Just as I have already told you, I experienced the same situation as you. So you can't hide something like this from your dadda." Barry pinches Zhen's nose. "But I have to act like I didn't, I want you to accept and admit it by yourself. And I'm glad that you did it."

"Thank you, dad." Zhen embraces his dadda.

"Anything for my baby, but–" Barry halted as he pulled away from Zhen's embrace. "But how did Xian convince you?" Barry asked, raising his eyebrow. Zhenzhen blushed and he failed to hide it from his dad.

"Am, I… um…" Zhen stammered as he was lost for words to say. Barry chuckles at his son's red face.

"That's fine, but no boyfriend until 18 even if it's Xian." Zhen's mouth is agape at his dad's statement.

"I, I-I don't like brother Xian!" Zhen defended, Barry narrowed his eyes

"Okay, you don't like Xian, you just love painting him, I got it," Barry said, teasing him.

"Dadda," Zhen covered his face. Barry laughs at him before patting Zhen on the back of his shoulder.

"It's okay to have a crush on someone tho, even if it's Xian, but no boyfriend till 18." Zhen blushes even more.

Barry then left Zhen's room after a short while, Zhen felt so happy and lighthearted after the conversation with his dadda.

"I should thank him," Zhen mumbles as he takes his phone and calls Xian.