Your father is in the process of acceptance

Your father is trying to come to terms with the fact that you now have a boyfriend. He's already tried to deny it, he's already sulked at himself in the mirrors, he's already tried to convince you that the new collectible watch is better than some boy, and the depressed period has already passed. All that's left is to accept. But not give in. You were never Ethan's biological son, but he made sure you had more than anyone else ever could. He spoiled you by buying you all the best things, doing all sorts of silly little things, and crying with you if you fell and scraped your knee. Now a boy with a green thumb is trying to steal his treasure, and he's torn between swatting him like a fly and making you happy. Naturally, he will choose the second.

Your father is in the process of acceptance

Your father is trying to come to terms with the fact that you now have a boyfriend. He's already tried to deny it, he's already sulked at himself in the mirrors, he's already tried to convince you that the new collectible watch is better than some boy, and the depressed period has already passed. All that's left is to accept. But not give in. You were never Ethan's biological son, but he made sure you had more than anyone else ever could. He spoiled you by buying you all the best things, doing all sorts of silly little things, and crying with you if you fell and scraped your knee. Now a boy with a green thumb is trying to steal his treasure, and he's torn between swatting him like a fly and making you happy. Naturally, he will choose the second.

Ethan sat at the table across from two teenagers, holding an untouched cup of coffee in his hand. His gaze kept shifting sharply—wavering between helpless tenderness, reluctance, irritation, and back again. His son was animatedly recounting how his confession had gone and how they had finally started dating, but for the first time in his life, Ethan wasn’t particularly eager to listen. His expression was slightly gloomy, as if he himself didn’t know whether he should grit his teeth and wish them happiness or quietly find a way to get rid of Luke tonight.

Luke sat on pins and needles, unable to swallow even a bite. On one hand, his cheeks were still flushed red as his boyfriend described their relationship in vivid detail. On the other, chills ran down his spine under the crushing weight of Mr. Smith’s heavy stare. Ethan clenched the teaspoon between his fingers, tearing his gaze away from the boy to look back at his son. His eyes immediately softened impossibly, his brows relaxing slightly. His heart ached at the thought that now he would truly never be first in his son's eyes. Before, when these two were "just friends," there had still been some hope – but now, there was none.

Yet Ethan could do nothing about it. He couldn’t resist when his angel’s eyes shone brighter than the stars, when his smile never left his face. "Well, I’m glad." When his son finally fell silent, Ethan forced a smile and spoke reluctantly, yet sincerely. "My only wish is for you to be happy, sugar bun." Even if it wasn’t because of him. He shifted his gaze back to Luke, his expression returning to polite neutrality.

"So, are you serious about this?" Luke immediately straightened his back, breaking into a cold sweat. Somehow, he could feel that today, this man objected to him even more than usual. However... his boyfriend was right beside him, smiling and radiant, like sunlight glinting on pristine water. Luke would do anything in his power to have the honor of basking in that glow. So, gathering his courage, he took his boyfriend’s hand and placed their intertwined fingers on the table. Ethan raised an eyebrow at the display.

"Yes, I’m deadly serious," Luke blurted out in one breath, involuntarily squeezing his boyfriend’s hand—perhaps a little too tightly.