The golden light of sunset painted Chris’s room in soft orange tones. Ash’s bag was already packed and sitting near the door, but neither of them wanted to talk about it.

 Chris stood by the window, watching the sky fade, trying not to feel the ache of the quiet. Ash was behind him, sitting on the edge of the bed, tying his laces slower than necessary.

 “I should go,” Ash said softly, not moving.

 Chris turned. “I know.”

 He didn’t.

 Ash stood, slinging his bag over his shoulder. For a second, they just looked at each other.

 “I’ll call you when I get in,” Ash said, trying to keep it casual, but his voice was too gentle for it to work.

 Chris stepped closer, hands brushing against Ash’s arms, but not pulling him in. “Okay. But not too romantic, alright? My mom's still around.”

 Ash chuckled, eyes warm. “Right. Gotta protect the illusion.”

 But Chris didn’t move back. He let their foreheads rest against each other for just a second. Quiet, close, but careful.

 Then Ash leaned in, lips brushing lightly against his cheek instead. “I’ll miss you.”

 Chris felt his chest squeeze. “Yeah. Me too.”

 They didn’t say goodbye. Ash just gave one last look, turned, and walked down the stairs.

 Chris followed him to the door and watched from behind the curtain as he left.

 As he turned to head upstairs again, his mom’s voice floated out from the hallway, too casual to be just casual.

 “Tell Ash to travel safe.”

 Chris paused mid-step, lips parting slightly.

 He turned toward the hall. “You—uh—you knew he was staying here?”

 She didn’t answer immediately.

 “Honey,” she said with a knowing smile in her voice, “why wouldn't I.”

 And that was it.

The cafeteria was buzzing as usual. Jin was rambling about something that happened in chemistry class, and Nick was just nodding while flipping through his phone.

 Chris sat across from them, barely touching his drink.

 “Okay,” he said suddenly. “I need to tell you guys something.”

 Both of them looked up.

 Nick raised an eyebrow. “Finally.”

 Jin blinked. “Wait—what’s going on?”

 Chris leaned forward, voice low. “Me and Ash… we’re together.”

 Jin’s eyes widened so much, Chris thought they might actually fall out. “Ash as in Nick’s hot college neighbor??”

 “Yeah.”

 “Damn!” Jin threw his hands up. “That’s why you’ve been sticking to Sienna like glue! We thought y’all were secretly dating or something.”

 Nick laughed. “Bro, who’s we? I knew something was up. You know Chris — the worst person at hiding anything.”

 Jin gasped. “True! But this one? He got me. I didn’t suspect a thing.”

 Just then, Sienna walked over, sipping from a juice box. “Well, now that you guys know we’re not dating, I can officially say I’m just his in-law.”

 The table exploded in laughter.

 Jin wiped tears from his eyes. “So what you’re saying is… Chris is probably getting married first?”

 Everyone: “Seems like”

Chris groaned but couldn’t help smiling. He hadn’t realized how much he needed this.

That Thursday afternoon, Chris stepped into the house and dropped his bag by the stairs like usual.

 “Mom, I’m home!” he called out.

 But it wasn’t her voice that answered.

 “Hey, buddy.”

 Chris froze mid-step.

 His heart jolted — that voice. That voice.

 He turned the corner and there he was.

 His dad, standing in the living room with a small duffel bag by his feet and the kind of warm, tired smile that made everything else in the world go quiet.

 Chris hadn’t seen him in a year.

 The last time had been before his work transfer took him abroad for what was supposed to be six months — but turned into twelve. There were video calls, updates, check-ins… but it wasn’t the same.

 Now, he was here.

 “Dad?”

 His father nodded. “Surprise.”

 Chris hugged him tight, tighter than he meant to. All the unspoken missing and updates and milestones without him — they all collapsed into that moment.

 “Jeez, you grew taller,” his dad said with a soft laugh. “And heavier.”

 Chris just smiled into his shoulder. “I missed you.”

 “Me too, kid. Me too.

 They moved to the couch not long after, Chris still reeling a little from how surreal it felt to have his dad home again. The man looked older, maybe just a little — a few more lines around his eyes, some grey near his temples — but he still had the same calming presence Chris remembered.

 “So,” his dad said, settling back comfortably, “how’s school been? Still top of your game?”

 Chris smiled, relaxing into the cushions. “Yeah. I mean, it’s been good. Busy, but not too bad.”

 His dad raised an eyebrow. “You? Busy? Please. You’ve never really struggled with school. That brain of yours doesn’t even take days off.”

 Chris chuckled. “I guess not.”

 There was a pause.

 Then his dad asked, casually, like he was asking what Chris had for lunch, “So… been getting any girls or guys lately?”

 Chris blinked. Froze. Full-on internal error message.

 Girls or—guys?

 His heart jumped straight into his throat.

 Did Mom tell him? Did he hear something? Was he testing me? Oh my God, is this a trap?

 He looked at his dad, who was just sipping water like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb.

 And then it clicked: he didn’t know. He was just genuinely asking. No hint, no suspicion — just open-minded, soft, and curious.

 Chris blinked fast, trying to clear the panic from his face. “Uh… nah. Not really.”

 His dad nodded, unbothered. “Fair enough. You’ve always been a bit picky.”

 Chris exhaled through his nose, forcing a half-smile. “Yeah. I guess so.”

“But when it does happen,” his dad added gently, setting his glass down, “whoever it is — boy or girl — they’ll be lucky. You’re a good kid, Chris.”

 That one landed deeper than Chris expected. His chest tightened, but in a warm way this time.

 “Thanks, Dad.”

 His dad gave him a soft grin and patted his knee. “Just be happy, alright? That’s all I want.”

Chris nodded, trying not to let it show how much that meant.

 He had no idea when or how he’d be ready to tell his parents. But in that moment, sitting beside the man he looked up to his whole life, he knew something for sure:

 When the time came, it wouldn’t be nearly as scary as he’d always imagined.