The next day passed in a blur. Luan had been in a daze as he packed everything he thought he may need and then some. It was only when he was in the plane and it was pulling away from the airport did he finally snap out of it.
He looked back towards the airport, knowing he could no longer see inside but sensing that Thoma was watching his plane leave.
Thoma had readily agreed to go with him but his work felt much less inclined to agree with him. Fortunately, Thoma had stock piled PTO that he would be able to utilize. Unfortunately he needed to submit these forms two weeks in advance, so he would be coming to Japan to meet up with Luan later.
Luan slept for most of his plane ride, though the person sitting beside him struck up a conversation with him. She was kind and funny, it helped the plane ride go by very quickly. However, there was an uncomfortable exchange after the plane landed where she shyly asked for Luan's number. He had, coincidentally, been looking down at his phone to turn it on. It shone with a picture of Thoma squishing Luan's face and kissing his cheek.
Luan had to ask the girl to repeat herself and once she did he had to kindly decline, admitting that he was flattered, but that he had someone waiting for him back in the states. When she inquired further he flatly said, "I appreciate your interest, but I have a boyfriend." Her face dropped and she looked disgusted. She said nothing more to him before racing ahead of him off the plane.
"Great to be back."
While waiting for the conveyor belt to bring his luggage, Luan opened up his phone once again. There were a few texts from Thoma, asking if he had landed safely and such. He was typing a reply when he heard a familiar voice call him. He looked up to see his sisters' Hana and Jona running towards him and he dropped his bags so he could hug them.
"Wahhh!" They both sobbed into him and he laughed but tears pricked his eyes. He'd missed his sisters so much. "Are you sore? Hungry? How was your flight?" They asked in succession and he answered as best he could. "Let's go home to drop off your stuff and then we'll go to the hospital." They both helped him carry his stuff to the taxi and then afterwards, into their house.
His sisters told him they'd wait in their car so he could dress more comfortably, being that the weather in Japan was currently much colder than it had been in the states.
His old room was pretty much the same as when he'd left it, maybe even cleaner. The lack of dust made Luan guess that his mother had been tidying his room since he left. His stomach churned thinking about seeing both his parents, and not for the first time today did Luan wish Thoma was beside him.
Realizing he still hadn't replied to Thoma he quickly shot him a reassuring text with a promise to call sometime if they could find the time. After layering up, Luan hurried outside to his sister's car and they headed to the hospital together.
Each step Luan walked behind his sisters made him more anxious. He hadn't kept in contact much with his family since leaving and now to come back so suddenly, it was all too much. A woman was seated in front of them, her head in her hands. Jona called to her and she looked up and hastily stood up as they approached.
Jona and Hana made way between them for their mother to make her way to Luan. "Is this my beautiful boy? You've lost weight. Why haven't you been taking care of yourself?" She asked and tears pricked the corner of her eyes but she quickly wiped them away. Luan smiled at his mom and pulled her into a hug. "It's so good to see you, mama," Luan said and kissed her cheek.
"C'mon let's go see your father," She said and Luan's stomach dropped. His father had reacted the worst when Luan's sexuality came to light. So if he was awake in that room, Luan feared for their reception. He also didn't want his sisters to have to see another fight like the one that made him leave.
Thankfully, his mother simply opened the door and waved him in, while the rest of them waited outside.
Luan slowly lifted his head and saw his father sitting up on the hospital bed. He had hoped upon hope that he would be asleep when Luan looked in on him, but he seemed wide awake. His glasses were resting on his nose and he set his book down on his lap when he saw Luan.
"Luey?" He asked.
Luan stood by the door and anxiously cracked his fingers, afraid to move. He loved his father and had always wanted his approval. But the words he said to him before Luan left had ruined him. The words rang in his mind from time to time.
"Why are you here?" He asked and Luan turned to leave.
"No, no, I'm sorry." He corrected and Luan turned back to him. "I was gonna ask you to talk to me. Let us have a serious conversation once again, man to man. But I suppose with your 'disposition' that won't be possible."
His words cut deep, even after all these years. Luan had a brief recollection of Thoma's smiling face, just a glimpse of his warmth and it gave him courage.
"I came back because mom asked me to. I came back for Hana and Jona. Don't think for a second that I came back so you could disrespect me even after all these years. I am your child and if you can't accept that then accept that I am an adult. Who I choose to love is none of your business." Luan spat out and his father watched him vent in eery silence.
"Alright then Mr. Hasake," his father teased him and Luan clenched his fist. "You can stay as long as you want for your mother and your sisters. But not under my roof. As an adult you can provide for yourself. So provide another place for you to stay until you inevitably run away again."
Luan bowed without another word and turned away back through the door. Jona, Hana and his mother all ran to him, but knowing that they heard everything made Luan want to run away once again.
"Don't listen to your father, stay with us. Please Luan," his mother said and held his arm.
"It's okay, mama. I'll come see you tomorrow. Just send me the hours you need help at the restaurant. I love you," Luan said and had his sister Jona drive him back to their house.
She tried not to talk about anything that had happened with their father. But as they parked and Luan was getting ready to leave, Jona grabbed his hand.
"You know that Hana and I are okay with who are,right?" She asked quietly and Luan squeezed her hand. "I thank you for that. I love you both" He said.
"I-If you have a boyfriend...I'd like to see a picture of him. Or-or meet him in the future," She said and he grinned. He quickly showed her his lock screen and she grinned.
"He's so handsome!" She beamed and Luan felt sincerely happy for the first time since he got here. He begin to tell her about Thoma, and his life back home. She listened intently and asked many questions. Only when Hana called Jona to come back did Luan grab his unpacked luggage from his room and call a car to bring him to a hotel nearby.
Once he got into his room, showered, changed and laid down, it was well past midnight. He knew it was around 10 a.m. back in the U.S. and shot Thoma a text real quick to wish him a good day and a promise to call him once Thoma was off work.
With that, Luan cuddled into the unfamiliar bed and let exhaustion overtake him.
"14 days until Thoma gets here."
YOU ARE READING
Sincerely, Yours
RomanceLuan was doing well in his life. He had a stable job, a good circle of friends, good grades at the college he attended. His goals were bright and simple in front of him, all it was gonna take was time. Thoma had had a rough hand in life. He'd lost...
