“Daeboo! Daesung-ah! I think your phone is ringing!”. Daesung dashed downstairs like a lightning, running into the kitchen. He had forgotten his phone on the kitchen table after helping his mother clean after dinner. His heart was racing from all the running, trying to catch his breath he picked up the phone. Daesung's head started spinning. He wasn't sure if it was a result of running too fast or the fact that the word 'lobster' kept blinking on the screen. Painfully aware of his mother's presence, he pushed 'answer'. He really didn't want to talk to Seunghyun in front of his mother, but he was afraid that Seunghyun would've stopped calling by the time he reached the living room.

“Hi.” Daesung tried to sound normal, failing miserably. He could see his mom's ears growing bigger, listening in. He quickly left the kitchen to avoid her espionage. She would've made a great secret agent, Daesung thought. She was quick on the uptake, had great instincts and never failed to pick up on it when something smelled fishy. “You sound weird.” Seunghyun said on the other end of the line. Hearing his deep gruff voice made the hairs on Daesung's arms rise. “He he yeah, my mom was listening.” Daesung explained embarrassed. “So ahm.. what's up?” Daesung tried to change the subject. “I was thinking..” Seunghyun started. Daesung lay down on the sofa, closing his eyes. He could listen to that voice for hours on end. “..I really liked hanging out with you today.” Seunghyun said sweetly. Daesung got so many butterflies in his stomach, he didn't know what to do with himself. “Me too.” Daesung replied timidly, blushing from head to toe. He was glad Seunghyun couldn't see him. “So.. I think we should go on a real date.” Seunghyun said resolutely. There was silence. “You there?” Seunghyun asked when Daesung didn't say anything. Daesung was in a fantasy land far far away, already imagining how their first date would be.

Seunghyun was dressed like a prince, riding gallantly through the countryside on a beautiful white horse. What a majestic vision, it took Daesung's breath away. Daesung was laboring in the field, minding his own business, when Seunghyun rode up to him. He reached out his perfect hand towards him, his milky skin smooth as a baby's bottom, his long slender fingers indicating that Daesung should grab hold of them. Daesung hesitated, since his hand was dirty from working all day. Manual labor had taken its toll on his hands, robbed them of their youth, nothing but blisters and calluses remained. Daesung didn't want to expose those precious hands of Seunghyun's to the rough feel of reality. Still, he couldn't help but reach out his hand towards him, even though he wasn't worthy.

“Daesung? Daesung-ie?” Seunghyun was getting worried. “Oh! He he, sorry, I kind of spaced out, I do that sometimes.” Daesung apologized sheepishly. “So.. will you go out with me?” Seunghyun asked softly, a trace of vulnerability in his low voice. “Yes! I'd love to!” Daesung exclaimed excitedly, realizing after the fact that he should maybe dial it down a bit, he shouldn't let on how eager he really was. “I was thinking Friday?” Seunghyun added. “Friday?!” Daesung almost shouted. Friday was days away, it might as well be next year! He could hear Seunghyun's chuckles on the other side. “I know it's far away but I want to do this properly, like a real date, you know?” Seunghyun explained thoughtfully. “Yeah..” Daesung couldn't mask his disappointment, he wanted to see him sooner. “How about this, every day after school we'll have one coffee together, then you go home and do your homework like the good little student you are, and then I'll call you to say goodnight, how's that?” Seunghyun offered. Daesung couldn't believe how straightforward he was being. No games, no hide and seek. Instead of being freaked out by Daesung's overreaction, he was embracing his enthusiasm with open arms. Daesung melted into the sofa. How had he been so lucky to get a boyfriend like Seunghyun? Boyfriend! This was the first time Daesung had allowed himself to think about it since this afternoon. It had felt too unreal, like he was going to wake up any minute. Daesung giggled inaudibly, overwhelmed by the overflow of happiness. “I'd like that.” Daesung said softly, trying to control his excitement.

“What were you thinking about earlier, when you spaced out?” Seunghyun suddenly asked. Daesung got a pang in his stomach, “I can't tell you.” Daesung replied shyly. “Why, was it about me?” Daesung could hear the smirk on Seunghyun's face. He decided to repay directness with directness, “Yeah.”. “What was I doing?” Seunghyun sounded really curious. “Mmhh..” Daesung didn't know what to say, he wouldn't be able to face Seunghyun tomorrow if he told him about the little fairytale that was playing in his head. “Okay okay, you don't have to tell me. Just make sure imaginary-Seunghyun treats you right, or else I'll kick his , you hear!” Seunghyun was too good an actor, he sounded completely serious. Daesung almost got scared for imaginary-Seunghyun's behalf.

Daesung could hear Seunghyun yawn. “Babo, do you know how late it is? Keeping me up on a school night like this!” Daesung pretended to scold him so it would be easier to say goodbye, not doing a very good job of masking his ulterior motives. “I'm a bad boy, didn't you know?” Seunghyun answered coolly, his voice even deeper and more masculine than usually. Daesung felt giddy, that was his boyfriend talking. His boyfriend! “I knew.” Daesung's replied quietly.

“Oh, before I hang up, I wanted to talk to you about this face to face but maybe it's better to get it over with..” Seunghyun's demeanor changed abruptly, becoming all business-like. Daesung held his breath, not sure whether he liked where the conversation was going. “Let's keep a low profile at school, okay? So no one finds out, right?” Seunghyun was dead serious. Daesung's heart sank. “Mmm.” he answered, “Good night.” he added joylessly and they hung up. So they could date, but nobody could ever know about it? How was that going to work? Would they have to wear masks on their dates then? Daesung wasn't happy about this at all. He wondered if he should fight Seunghyun on his decision, but he wasn't sure he had the guts to actually bring it up.

Daesung's mom came into the living room with two popsicles, handing one to Daesung. “Sooo.. who was that on the phooone?” she didn't even try to hide her curiosity. “No one.” Daesung replied, his popsicle, determined not to fall into her spy trap. He couldn't tell her even if he wanted to, since apparently they were a secret couple. But the truth was that he didn't want to tell her. How do you tell your mom that instead of having found yourself a pretty girlfriend, the perfect daughter in law, going on to having a big happy family with a house full of kids, you were dating some mysterious guy you hardly knew anything about? The more he thought about it, he started to understand where Seunghyun was coming from. If someone at school were to find out, they would probably be ridiculed, or worse. The school would most likely let their parents know, and then all hell would break loose. Would his mom understand? Daesung wasn't sure. Daesung was lucky, he had a pretty understanding and open minded mother, but how far would her understanding go? He decided not to put it to the test.

Daesung tossed and turned, trying to catch that rascal called sleep, but he was a slippery fellow. A million thoughts rushed through Daesung's head, one in particular screaming the loudest. He was gay. Was he gay? He hadn't really stopped to think about it through this rollercoaster that was his relationship with Seunghyun. He fell for him so fast and so hard, that he didn't really give the fact that he was a guy much thought. It had felt natural. Come to think of it, he hadn't really had much interest in girls over the years. However, he had never had a crush on a guy before either. Did being in love with Seunghyun make him gay? Or had he just fallen for him, him as a person and not his gender as a whole? Daesung went round and round, developing a slight headache.

Daesung had never in his life met a gay person. Was there any difference between straight and gay people, besides the obvious one? Daesung doubted it. Why was it such a big deal, being gay? He didn't really get it. If two people loved each other, wasn't that enough? Wasn't that what life was all about? Daesung got annoyed at the world for being so irrationally unfair. He was starting to realize that the journey that lay ahead of him and Seunghyun wouldn't be all clear skies and smooth sailing, but he was prepared to fight for them. To take on the whole world and fight to his last breath if needed.