I'm still updating this story from my phone, so I really apologize if these chapters aren't that long. Please bare with me, as you all mean so much to me! Please continue to enjoy this story, and please continue to tolerate my sad, pathetic chapters, YOU GUYS GIVE ME STRENGTH!!!

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"So, wanna meet my mom?" Yukwon asked as the two sat together in the cafeteria during lunch. "She'll really like you." He nodded eagerly. It was about two weeks into their relationship, and Yukwon felt that his mother needed to meet Jihoon since he talked about him every chance he got. 

Jihoon took a bite of his sandwich before nodding. "Of course I wanna meet her." He smiled, but frowned shortly after. "I'd offer for you to meet my parents, but, y'know.." 

"That's okay, Jihoon." Yukwon reassured. "But, can I ask you something?"

"Go for it."

"Have you, like, sat down and talked to your mom at all in the past few years?" Yuwkon asked slowly.

"Not really.." Jihoon looked down at his lunch tray, not really having much of an appetite anymore. "Why?"

"I.. Well when I came to see you after you left the hospital, she looked really worried, and she looked like she'd been crying a lot."

"Wait, you came to see me?" Jihoon asked, trying to remember, to no avail.

"Yeah, but you were sleeping. I just dropped off your schoolwork and left. I didn't wanna wake you up or anything." Yukwon sighed. "I think that's when I started to realize I really liked you." 

"Oh, so you liked me already, but you just weren't sure?"  Jihoon asked casually.

"Yeah, but when I was sitting there, watching you, I really thought about how great of a person you are, and how sweet and fragile you are. That's when it hit me. That's when I knew for sure I had feelings for you." 

"I'm not that fragile." 

"Oh, sure." Yukwon snorted. "Anyway, back to your mom. I think she wants to reach out to you, but doesn't know how."

Jihoon laughed as if Yukwon told him a joke. "Bull." He shook his head and shrugged. "She wouldn't reach out to me even if she was hanging off a ledge and I was the only one around to help." 

"I'm serious, Jihoon. You should try and talk to her. For me." 

"Why should I?"

"Because, I want to see a smile on your face whenever you bring her up, and I want you to introduce me to her one day. Under better circumstances, that is." Yukwon nodded. "I know, there's probably no hope for your dad, but I really believe your mom still loves and worries about you. Please, try and talk to her."

Jihoon sighed heavily. "Fine, but only because you asked." He didn't understand why Yuwkon wanted him to do that, but he'd give it a try. Of course, part of him wanted to sit and converse with his mother because its his mother- the source of his strength, and his courage. What would he be without his mother? Where would he be? But, this wouldn't prove to be easy. Not with his father in the picture. It was probably him who turned her against Jihoon. Oh, how Jihoon hated that man- his own father. Hatred ran deep in his veins when it came to his father- a man who didn't even deserve the clothes on his back. 

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In class, Jihoon managed to focus, even with the anxiety of talking to his own mother slowly built up as the day went on. And, after class, Mr. Li asked Jihoon to stay after for a small 'chat'.

"Did I do something wrong?" Jihoon asked after class dismissed.

"Actually, its the opposite." Mr. Li said, with a content look on his face. "You've managed to  significantly bring your grade up in my class." 

Jihoon, of course, was surprised. In fact, he was so surprised he almost shed a tear or two. "Really? So... I'm gonna pass? And graduate?" 

"That depends. What are your other grades like?" 

"Well, this class and my history class were the only two I was really failing in. But, I brought them up."

"Well, I guess you're walking on time." Mr. Li congratulated Jihoon with a soft smile. "I can honestly say I'm proud as if you were my own son." 

"Thanks, Mr. Li. I owe it all to you, and my friends who helped me." Jihoon thanked his teacher before leaving the classroom. 

"Hey you." Yukwon greeted his boyfriend as he stepped out into the less crowded hallway. "Why do you look so happy?"

"Kitty, I'm graduating!" Jihoon shouted with excitement, which caused a few people to look in their direction. 

"Really?!" Yukwon asked, rather surprised. "I'm so glad!" He cheered and wrapped his arms around Jihoon's neck, and planted a number of kisses all over Jihoon's face. "Y'know, this'll be amazing news for your mom. Go and tell her." He nodded.

"Okay, okay. But, if this doesn't go well, I'm blaming you." Jihoon informed. "I'll call you later and tell you how it went." He kissed Yukwon's forehead and said his goodbyes. 

Once he made it homr, he heard his mother in the living room watching television, so he set his backpack down and slowly walked into the living room. When she saw him standing there, her small smile slowly faded, and that wary look of hers returned. "Hi, mom." Jihoon awkwardly shifted under the threshold. 

"Hi, Jihoon." His mother slowly replied. 

"I... I have good news." He took slow, cautious steps toward his mother. "But first, I wanna talk. We haven't really said much to each other for a long time, and I..." Jihoon paused, feeling his eyes beginning to sting. "I miss you, mom." He admitted reluctantly, and sat next to her on the couch. "I'm sorry if I disappointed you- if I turned out to be something different than what you wanted." 

"Jihoon..." His mother watched him for a long time, before caressing his cheek with her small, pale hand. "You're my son.. You've never disappointed me. Ever." She smiled weakly. "I'm the one who should apologize, right?" She analyzed his features as she spoke to him, as if she was seeing him for the first time. "I'm the one that shunned you, in your own home. The one that made you feel like you didn't matter. The one that looked the other way whenever you and your father argued. The one that left the room when you entered it." By the time she finished speaking, she and Jihoon both had tears streaming from their eyes. "I didn't know what else to do, Jihoon.. But I didn't want to accept it. I didn't want to accept that my only child was gay." 

Jihoon wiped his mother's tears and vice versa. "I hated you and dad for so long. My life for the past two years were hell. I thought you stopped loving me and I felt like you didn't care about me anymore." He nodded. "I really wanted to die." 

"I would never stop loving you. You're my everything, Jihoon. I just didn't know how to handle the situation, and for that I'm so sorry. I was hit with so much guilt, and even so, I couldn't gather the courage to sit you down and talk." She sighed and removed her hands from her son's face.

"So, you do care?" 

"I'll never stop." His mother took his hand in hers, and smiled reassuringly at him. "You mean everything to me."

"Dad won't talk to me will he?"

His mother drew in a deep breath before looking down at their hands. "I dont think so."

"Who needs him, anyway." Jihoon shrugged, already knowing that would be the answer. 

"What's your good news?" She reminded him.

"Oh, right." He laughed nervously. "Mom, I get to graduate. I brought all my grades up, and I stopped skipping." To him, the look on his mothers face was priceless. He hadn't seen such a big smile from her in a while. It was somewhat refreshing, and he was overwhelmed with joy. His mother pulled him in for a long hug and he couldn't help but break down in her arms. He had waited so long to feel the warmth of his mother's embrace. And there he was, sobbing like a fool in his mother's arms because, oh how he missed his mother's touch. Oh, how he longed for it.