Here with you

One helluva guy

'We just walked from there. Are you really going to walk all the way back?'

'Ah, well. My home is on the right side of the school, not the left.' he said, rubbing the back of his neck. 'I didn't want to tell you earlier, in case you insisted on going our separate ways.'

His gesture touched me so much that I grabbed his hand and made an impromptu proclamation. 'Then let's share the journey. One day I'll walk you to your house, and the next day you walk me to my house. That good?'

His face brightened like the morning sunrise and he wrapped me in a quick hug before dashing off. Fighting a stupid grin off my face, I enter my house with a feeling that's almost hopeful. One look at my dad's expression, however, ruined everything.

'Who was that?' he asked, faced morphed into a cruel version of curiosity.

'No one,' I replied, slinging my bag on the sofa with a despondent thud and making my way to the fridge. But Dad was unrelenting; he followed me and badgered me with questions that caused my blood to boil.

'That didn't seem like no one. It seemed like you two are close... if you know what I mean.' he persisted. 'Who was that girl? She looked a little like a boy to me, but I guess everyone has their own way of dressing. As long as she likes you, am I right?'

'Uh huh,' I mumbled, grabbing a carton of milk and chugging it. When, oh when, can I scream that I'm gay and that I have absolutely no interest in girls? That I fantasize about having a boyfriend and living happily ever after with him?

There might have been a chance for acceptance once. But it all vanished when mom died.

'Son,' Dad said, placing a heavy hand on my shoulder. 'I don't enjoy pushing you either, but mom used her dying wish to ensure that you get a girl with whom you can spend the rest of your life.'

'I know, dad. She could have used it for anything else, being a rare soul, but she only thought of me and my eternal happiness. So for her sake, I should settle down with a nice girl,' I recited with a painful twang from my heart. It seemed to satisfy him, though, and he gave me a content smile and left me alone.

Usually this was my cue to go to my room and study, but today my head was full of the charming and thoughtful Kim Dae-woon. He seemed like he was gay, and was in for the long haul, and that very fact kept me eagerly waiting for school.

Dae-woon seemed surprised at my sudden change of heart, but took it in stride and leaned on me closer than ever. Our friendship over the next few weeks gave me more satisfaction than any of my ex-girlfriends, and I knew that I wanted to be his boyfriend.

The only problem now was my mom's wish that she'd bestowed on me. Before asking him out, I needed to tell him the truth about me.

'Dae-woon,' I said one day, where we were sitting on a tree with our legs swinging in the breeze. 'There's something I need to tell you.'

'I know,' Dae-woon smiled. 'You want to ask me out, is it? I've known for a really long time that I like you. I was waiting to confirm whether you liked me back, and now I think you do. So-'

'Wait,' I said, my heart beginning to pound. He likes me back. We can be together. But I need to tell him everything first. 'Dae-woon. There's something you have to know before we consider... dating.'

And so I tell him everything. About my mother being one of the rare people who could make a powerful wish on her deathbed. About her using that wish to make me super attractive to women, so that I could date someone and never be lonely. About my dad taking her last wish as a personal blow, and meddling with every aspect of my life to ensure her wish wasn't wasted on me.

'I come with baggage, Dae-woon,' I said, struggling to keep the tears from my eyes. 'My dad will never accept us. Girls will keep fawning over me until I settle down with a woman. I'll always be on edge because of my mother's curse.'

'Hey, don't say that,' Dae-woon said, clasping my hands between his. 'Everybody faces struggle in their life. Why do you think we look for companionship? It's to ensure that whenever we stumble, someone is always there to catch us. I'm sure that's what your mother wanted, even though she didn't phrase her blessing properly.'

I manage a choke-laugh at the way he's able to lighten the situation and assuage my fears so easily. Gods, I love him so much.

'We'll convince your dad too. Once he knows that you're set, he'll be able to move on with his life, and stop being stuck in the past. And as for the women...' he said, giving me a small smirk. 'I know that you're hella gay, and you'll be committed to me, so I won't ever feel jealous of your fangirls.'

I couldn't help it anymore, I leaned forward and hovered over his lips. 'Can I kiss you?'

That was all I needed to say. He grabbed my jaw and pressed his lips to mine, and my first kiss was pretty much how I'd always pictured it. Absolutely passionate, and absolutely gay.

Later that day we walked hand-in-hand down the same road we took together from school. And this time I was with my wonderful boyfriend, and nothing could go wrong, really. As long as he held my hand like this.

'Dad, I'm home,' I called, pushing the door open. 'I've brought someone with me.'

Dad looked up from his laptop with an eager expression that, for once, matched mine. Before he could speak, I held up our intertwined hands in the air. Up where he could see them.'This is my boyfriend, Dae-woon. And he's one helluva guy. I hope we all become close.'