✨ Emerald Standard ✨

16 - The Ultimate Confession: A Final Moment of Truth ( Part II )

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Asian parents are often known for their emphasis on discipline, hard work, and academic achievement, believing that education is key to future success.

They tend to have high expectations for their children, encouraging them to pursue stable careers such as medicine, engineering, or law.

Family values like respect for elders, responsibility, and obedience are central, with traditions and cultural identity playing an important role in upbringing.

However, this parenting style can vary across countries and families, balancing between strictness and love. Many Asian parents express care through actions-like providing financial security and home-cooked meals-rather than verbal affection.

The same is happening with Yuna ...

Her parents had always been traditional, especially her father, who spoke of family honor and keeping up appearances.

How would they react? Would they be disappointed, angry? Or, worse, would they reject her entirely?

The fear of losing them had kept her silent for so long, but now, the burden of hiding her true self felt heavier than ever. She couldn't live like this-pretending, lying, wearing a mask for their sake.

The silence of the room was deafening as Yuna lay there, torn between the desire to live authentically and the fear of what that would cost her. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she wiped them away quickly, frustrated with herself.

Why did it have to be so hard? Why couldn't she just be honest and live her truth without fearing the consequences?

As the night wore on, Yuna knew that a decision had to be made soon. She couldn't keep running from the truth, not forever. But the thought of sitting her parents down and telling them she was a lesbian, that she would never marry a man, felt like standing on the edge of a cliff, staring into the unknown.

The ground beneath her felt unsteady, but one thing was clear-she couldn't keep living in the shadows.

As Yuna tossed and turned in bed, her thoughts kept spiraling back to all the times her parents had pressured her into going on blind dates.

Each time, they had meticulously picked out "nice" guys, hopeful that one of them would become her future husband.

They always seemed so pleased with themselves when they presented her with their latest candidate: a promising young lawyer, a family friend's son who just started his own business, a doctor from a respectable family.

Yuna could still remember the uncomfortable silence that hung in the air during those dates. She would sit there, smiling politely while her mind drifted elsewhere.

The men were always kind and well-mannered, but there was never a spark, never that feeling she knew deep down she should have. When they would try to flirt or make small talk, all Yuna felt was dread.

She was careful to never let on, though. Instead, she made excuses-saying she was too busy with her job or that she was focused on her studies.

It was easier to lie than face the truth, especially when that truth was something her parents would never expect.

But deep down, Yuna had always known the real reason she wasn't interested in these men. She wasn't attracted to men at all.

The thought of being in a romantic relationship with one felt foreign, wrong even. Her heart had never skipped a beat when a man looked her way, and those so-called butterflies her friends described when they had a crush?

She had never felt them-not with any guy, at least. The truth was simple and inescapable: she only had eyes for women. But in her parents' world, where tradition and expectations reigned supreme, there was no room for that kind of truth.

Suddenly, the muffled sound of her parents' voices drifted through the door, pulling Yuna out of her thoughts. They were talking about her.

She could hear them discussing her future, debating what kind of man would be best for her to marry.

Her mother's voice was soft but serious, "She needs someone strong, someone who can take care of her."

Yuna's father chimed in, his voice firmer, "We just want her to be happy, but she's getting older. It's time she settled down."

A knot formed in Yuna's stomach as their words echoed in her mind. The familiar sense of anxiety crept back, tightening around her chest like a vice. They meant well, she knew that. But their version of happiness wasn't hers.

It never had been. She felt her pulse quicken as she lay there, staring at the door, their conversation making her feel more trapped than ever.

Her heart raced as the realization hit her: she couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't keep hiding, pretending, and lying to herself and to them.

The weight of their expectations had been suffocating her for too long, and the thought of continuing this charade, of living a life that wasn't her own, was unbearable.

With a shaky breath, Yuna made up her mind. She had to tell them the truth, no matter how terrifying it seemed. She couldn't keep dodging their questions or lying about who she was.

She deserved to live her life authentically, and they deserved to know the real Yuna. The thought of sitting them down and saying the words-"I'm a lesbian"-was daunting, but there was no other choice. She couldn't hide anymore.

Her hands trembled as she imagined their reactions. Would they be angry? Hurt? Disappointed? The fear of losing their love, of being rejected, gnawed at her insides.

But at the same time, there was a strange sense of calm, a quiet strength that steadied her resolve. She didn't know how they would react, but she knew she couldn't keep running from the truth.

With newfound determination, Yuna decided that tomorrow would be the day. She would sit them down, look them in the eyes, and tell them everything.

It would be scary, possibly the hardest thing she'd ever done, but it was the only way forward. She couldn't keep hiding her true self forever.

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I can literally feel her tension sweats.
But I hope she can get the answer she wants!!
Let's see what happen next ...