Worlds Apart - Taekook - Book 2

Chapter 294 - Banter

"Does this make you want to get married?" Ash aimed the question at Stefan but realised that it also applied to Smiler. Since everyone was getting married these days, he thought the question was viable.

Stefan shakes his head, "No, it isn't something we want. We've talked about it a lot but we've always agreed that we don't want to."

"What do your parents say about that? Mine are so keen for me to marry!" Smiler adds.

"And I wouldn't know what parents want." Ash says. He says it in jest because he was too young when his parents died and being content with his life enabled him to leave that trauma behind.

The life decisions Ash had made, were his own. He'd sought reassurance from Jungkook from time to time but he had lacked adult guidance, the sort that came from parents.

How could he miss what he'd never really had the chance to have?

Ash did feel grateful for the two people who stepped into his life and made themselves available. He'd probably called on Billy and Marie for advice in the last few months, more so than he'd asked anyone his entire life. At first they used to bring up the fact that they weren't parents so they didn't know what advice they 'should' be giving. That was squashed as a legitimate response when Ash and Jungkook told them repeatedly to stop it.

"What about Billy and Marie?" Smiler asks.

"They want me to be happy. I think that's different?" Ash replies.

"Oh yeah, that is definitely different. My parents have gone on and one about me getting married since I was a child. They obviously didn't expect me to be under the LGBTQ umbrella." Smiler adores his parents for their understanding of his identity. It was one of the most nerve shredding moments of his life, when he got his first boyfriend so could no longer hide who he was.

Smiler's options back then, were to hide himself or his relationship and he didn't want to do either so his option was to be honest. He played with ideas, wondering how best to tell them and considered that sitting them down and having a conversation wasn't the option he wanted. Smiler thought that felt 'serious', more akin to giving out bad news and telling the people that brought you into the world that you are gay... was not bad news. What it said was that you trust your parents enough with that piece of yourself and that should be celebrated... even though he was painfully aware that society didn't share this view.

Smiler was a little theatrical with his announcement. He bought his parents mugs that were black on the outside and as he poured their green tea in, the heat made the outer darkness disappear and in its place was a rainbow with the word 'Your Son is Gay, Congratulations'.

His parents took it in and read the mug. Neither knew what to say and it crossed both of their minds that this was a joke?

A few conversations later and Smiler's explanation of his feelings led to hugs and acceptance because their son Jae-Woo was still their son Jae-Woo, nothing had changed. They had periods of time where they prepared themselves for a non-traditional wedding, perhaps in a completely different country due to legalities and then Smiler met Phoenix.

They adore Phoenix!

They could see how much she needed to be loved beyond what her parents offered and they wanted to be the extended family that could support her further. Smiler's mother wept when she hear Phoenix's story, that even with her parents behind her, she'd still experienced such pain at the hands of a society stuck in the past. Both of Smiler's parents saw the pure heart and gentleness that Phoenix possessed. They saw the way her eyes shone as she spoke about the animals at the shelter and how much she adored Smiler. It was obvious from the outset that there was a strong emotional connection between the young couple and Smiler's parents had to hope that it would work out for them.