Not another cinderella story

3

Most people would think that, being this rich, the Shens would be workaholics, traveling  the planet for work purposes all the time, not present in their son's life, and would be in an arranged marriage for a company merging, a business partnership where there was no love, only a lot of cheating and veiled hatred.

But that could not be farther from the truth. Since Ricky was a kid, his parents were always by his side, giving him and his sister all the attention, love and care they needed, and they loved each other dearly and deeply, not afraid to show affection in both words and actions . Their marriage was a testament to their love and commitment to each other. They were each other's best friends and confidants, and their relationship was built on mutual respect and trust. They did work hard to maintain their success and wealth, but they would never forget the importance of family and relationships.

As he grew up and started school, things weren't any different. From meetings with teachers at his school, helping with his homework, enjoying their vacations somewhere around the world or even the small playground at their house, Ricky's parents were always by his side. They weren't overbearing and respected his privacy, his individuality and his choices so, when he came out as gay to them, he got all the support and understanding he needed.

They stood by their son even during the times when he faced bullying and discrimination. Every time someone at school would make fun of him, call him names, and use slurs that made him go home crying, his mother would hug him and wipe his tears while whispering comforting words, making sure he knew he was not a freak. His father would cook him his favorite comfort meal, and they would all cuddle watching cartoons until he fell asleep. The next morning, his father would drive him to school himself, chatting the whole way and making him laugh with his dad jokes. However, Ricky never wanted any of them to go as far as talking to the principal or teachers, because he believed could handle things himself, as he liked to say. And a couple of times, he had to physically stop his younger sister from punching someone at school to defend her beloved brother.

His parents were the epitome of supportive and loving parents. They provided him with a safe and nurturing environment where he could be himself and grow into the person he wanted to be. Their unconditional love and acceptance helped him develop a strong sense of self-worth and confidence, which enabled him to stand up for himself and handle difficult situations with grace and maturity. They also encouraged Ricky to pursue his passions and interests, providing him with every opportunity to explore and develop his skills. The same was true for his sister, who was still living in the United States, studying abroad.

It was only logical for Ricky to confide a lot in his mom and always tell her everything, as she was always willing to listen and support him without judgment. She was also her son's best friend, along with his sister. He shared everything about his feelings, first crushes, first kiss, first boyfriend when he was in high school, even his first time and not even once he heard that it was wrong. Because, well, it wasn't.

And now, he could not be happier to introduce his first "adult" boyfriend, Kim Jiwoong. The boy spent more than a month gushing over the "most handsome guy ever", who "looks like he just got out of a fairy tale", even going as far as saying he "thinks he's the love of his life", making his parents really enthusiastic about finally getting to know him.

Jiwoong, on the other hand, could not be more nervous. He had no idea what to expect, because his only past relationship was with a guy from his high school, back when he was a sophomore. And even though they had met each other's parents, the elders never knew they were more than friends. Plus, this was supposed to be just a dinner with Ricky's friends, but unfortunately, they were suddenly busy and, not wanting his boyfriend's day off to go to waste, Ricky thought it would be a great idea to still host said dinner. Only with his parents.