how you get the boy ✧ jaywon

019

this chapter's song:
unconditionally katy perry

Jungwon bit on the inside of his cheek before pushing his bowl of rice to the center of the dinner table, avoiding eye contact with his mother who was sitting across from him. She had asked him to eat dinner with her and Jungwon knew there was no way of getting out of it.

He had been trying his best to avoid her and they have barely talked since the morning after she caught him and Jay kissing. Jungwon would like to keep it that way though, especially if all that was going to come out of her mouth was nonsense.

"I'm sorry I've been working nights lately, how have you been?" His mother spoke, breaking the silence between them.

"Good."

His mother nodded before asking, "And school?"

"Good."

"That's good."

"Yeah." Jungwon said, tossing his spoon from hand to hand.

"I'm sorry." She said, pressing her lips together, "Jungwon-ah, I'm really sorry."

Jungwon swallowed back, scratching the back of his head, "For what?"

"I was so selfish and I should've been there for you. You needed me as much as I needed you."

"Thank you for apologizing." Is all Jungwon replied with and his mother nodded, a look of sorrow on her face.

"Do you love him?"

Jungwon looked at her, eyes widening. He bit onto his tongue before he said, "Yes."

His mother nodded once again, "And he loves you?"

"Yes."

The air felt thick. Jungwon felt his heart sink to the bottom of his stomach, not knowing what his mother would say next. "Then I will try my hardest to accept that."

Jungwon didn't raise his head, instead unconsciously made fists with his hands. A single tear streamed down his cheek as he unclenched his fists, feeling like he could finally breathe.

It was like for the first time in a while, he felt seen. He felt like his feelings and thoughts were valid to his mother. Although his mother had a lot of growing to do, this was a start.

"It's hard for me, you know. I didn't grow up like your generation but you are my son and I will love you no matter what."

"Thank you." Jungwon said, pressing his lips together into a small smile. "That means a lot."

His mother nodded and tucked the strands of hair that laid over Jungwon's forehead, behind his ear. Before she could say anything else, there was a knock on the door.

Jungwon sat up, looking through the window that was attached to the front door and saw Jay standing there, face in his palms. He looked at his mother who nodded once more and got up, hurrying to the door to open it.

"Jay."

"Hi." Jay breathed out, letting out a painful chuckle.

From where Jungwon was standing, he could see Jay had a bloody lip and his eyes were swollen and almost purple. Jungwon's furrowed his eyebrows, mouth agape as he stepped closer to him, "What happened to your face?"

Jay pressed his lips together into a smile, "Guess."

Jungwon closed his eyes shut and sighed, wanting to go over to Jay's house and throw a chair at his father. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Jay said, "I had it coming."

"Why?"

"I told my parents about us."

Jungwon stood there, hands grabbing for Jay's. "I'm so sorry."

Jay reached out his hand and caressed Jungwon's cheek with his thumb, "Don't be sorry."

"You didn't have to tell them." Jungwon said, antsy.

"I did, it would've been worse if they found out."

All Jungwon could do was nod, "What did your dad say?"

"That I'm no longer his son." Jay laughed, earning a frown from Jungwon.

"He said that?"

"Yup." Jay answered, putting emphasis on the p at the end.

"What a fucking asshole." Jungwon cursed.

"And my mom cried and watched my dad hit me like the coward she is."

Jungwon nodded, not knowing what else he could to say to Jay to comfort him. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Jay without a second thought and pulled him into a hug. He couldn't possibly ever know how Jay felt and to think that Jay still went through with telling his parents about them, knowing he was going to get it bad from his father, meant that Jungwon was worth it. And even though just the thought of that made Jungwon's heart skip a beat, he wished that Jay didn't have to go through this.

Jungwon and Jay turned their heads when they saw Jungwon's mother's head peek out from the front door, "Come in, boys."

Jay looked at Jungwon before looking back at Mrs. Yang. "Oh, um— okay."

"Sit." Jungwon's mother said, sitting down on a chair, herself.

Jay sat down, not hesitating on what he was about to say, "Mrs. Yang, before you say anything, I just want you to know that I love your son more than anything in this world. I know that it's probably hard for you to understand that but please don't take him away from me." Jungwon could feel the desperation in his voice, "Please."

His mother stayed quiet for a moment, fixating her eyes on the cup that was on the coffee table, "I won't."

Jay looked up, biting onto his bottom lip, his mouth turning into a soft smile, "Thank you, Mrs. Yang. Thank you."

Jungwon's mother nodded, smiling painfully as she looked over at Jungwon. "I just want my son to be happy, Jay."

"I can make him happy— I promise." Jay said, Jungwon feeling the tips of his ears burning up and a tickling feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Jungwon knew that Jay could keep his promise. He knew that Jay would do anything to make him happy. Jungwon hoped that one day, they could both look back on this day and remember it being a turning point in their relationship. That one day they would be accepted without a second thought.

That one day, Jungwon could show the world how much he loved Jay— how much Jay loved him. And how much they would sacrifice just to be with each other.