Your Name

57| "Try to understand that I deserve to find my happiness as well."

╰┈➤𝐘𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕*ೃ༄

As I woke up from sleep, War's naked body wrapped around me, hugging me tightly. I smiled, knowing that even in his sleep, he sought closeness with me. I kissed his forehead before gently removing myself from his embrace, not wanting to disturb his peaceful slumber. I then pulled the blanket to cover his body.

After a shower, I glanced back at War, still deep in sleep and couldn't resist leaning in to place another kiss on his forehead. "I love you. I will be back soon," I whispered softly before quietly slipping out of the room.

As I made my way through the living room, War's dad greeted me with a warm smile. "Good morning, Yin. Off somewhere early?" He inquired, with War's mom joining him.

I rubbed the back of my neck, a sheepish smile playing on my lips. "I'm going to my parents' house for a while. I think if I don't visit them soon after coming back, they will be even more upset," I said and they both nodded in understanding.

"Does War know you are leaving, dear?" War's mom asked.

I shook my head. "No, he's still asleep. But it's alright. I will be back before he wakes up," I reassured them, hoping to alleviate any worry they might have.

War's dad nodded. "Well, you better get going then. Don't keep your parents waiting," he said with a kind smile.

"Thank you. I will be back soon," I replied, returning his smile before heading towards the door.

As I reached for the handle, War's mom stepped forward, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Yin, take care of yourself, alright? And tell your parents we send our regards," she said with genuine concern.

I nodded gratefully. "I will, aunty. Thank you," I replied, touched by her concern for me.

━◦○◦━◦○◦━

As I stepped through the doorway of my parents' house, I braced myself for what I knew would come. Without a word of welcome, my mae's slapped me with a force that stung both physically and emotionally. Pa stood nearby, his expression inscrutable.

"You have chosen him over your own family, Yin Anan Wong!" Mae's voice cracked with anguish, tears streaming down her face. "I'm your mother!" She cried out, her hand striking my chest with each word. "I brought you into this world! How can my son love another man?" Her sobs echoed through the room.

I stood there...Taking a deep breath, I tried to find the right words to explain, to bridge the gap between us.

"Mae, please listen," I pleaded. "I love him. I love War with all my heart but that doesn't mean I love you any less. You are my mother and nothing can change that."

My mae's eyes flashed with anger, her fists clenched at her sides. "Love?" She spat out the word as if it were poison. "This is not love, Anan! Love is what your pa and I have for you, the sacrifices we have made, the dreams we have had for you."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked between my parents. "I know it's hard to understand," I said, my voice trembling, "but War makes me happy. He's the one I want to spend my life with, mae."

Mom shook her head, her tears flowing freely now. "How can I accept this, Anan?" She cried out. "How can I accept that my son has chosen a path that goes against everything we have ever taught you?"

I reached out, gently taking her hand in mine. "I know it's not easy, mae," I said softly, "but please try to understand. This is who I am and I can't change that. All I ask is for your love and acceptance, no matter who I choose to love."

For a moment, there was silence, broken only by the sound of our shared tears.

"Then...this time, you really need to make a choice," she said, her words cutting through the tense silence like a knife. "It's either him or us. War or your family!"