“Leo come out!” Hongbin knocked on the door again. “It will be okay! Open the door, Leo!” The other shut his eyes tight as he sat on the floor of Hongbin’s bathroom refusing to make a move.
What was this? If the director knew then ... then could coach know?
IF coach knew… he’d never ever let him play!
“Leo, open this door or I’m breaking it down!” the younger threatened, pleading. He was worried. After N had told the news and broken down into tears, Ravi had told the whole story, “We went to his office to tell him the plan.

We hadn’t even thought for a second he’d have something against you two. And suddenly he just says ‘You are friends with those two, the ones from the cafeteria!’

We had asked if he meant you two and he said, ‘Those two, the footballer and the good for nothing! IF you are close with them tell them, I will have none of this at my school!

 You guys can have your hormones and fun outside of these walls but leave your gay pride and politics out there! They are not allowed to the graduation party!

 Imagine what people would say if they found out our star footballer was gay?!

A nightmare! We need them to tell everyone it was a joke, okay? Just a small prank!

And make sure to keep the Hongbin away from Leo, he isn’t a good influence! We cannot have our school star messing with those types of people!’”

At this N had to break out into another wave of tears. Hongbin was as if frozen to his chair, what was happening?

‘Keep away from Leo’ and ‘bad influence’? Him?
What had he done?

He knew how much football meant to Leo! How could the director think he was doing the other harm?! Wait, Leo?!
He began to realize there was an empty spot next to him, the other was gone.

Hongbin heard the bathroom door slam shut and the lock fall into place, he was up and running towards it.

“Leo?? Leo!” which brings us back to our current situation.
“Leo, ya! I swear-“ the door opened.

Hongbin’s heart broke.

There stood his lion.

His love.
Looking at him with tears running down his face.
Silently, just looking at him.

Without a word Hongbin took a step forward and wrapped both arms around Leo. Burying the other’s head into his chest.

Let it out. Leo wept quietly into Hongbin’s chest.

The younger his hair had a calming effect.
“Don’t lock yourself away, Leo” Hongbin spoke softly, “I am here for you.”

This caused another shudder as Leo cried even harder.
“My … football… the coach… Bin…. “, he managed to stutter through the tears, “Bin, I cannot do this… my football! It is my life!”
Football was the one thing that gave him happiness, next to Hongbin and singing. If he was to give it up. He couldn’t even imagine that.
“If the coach… if the coach finds out….” “Shhhhh” Hongbin gently took Leo’s face into his hands and wiped away the tear stains as the other looked back at him.
“The coach will be okay with it! I’ve gotten to know him, since we got together!”
“But… but … we thought the director would be okay with it and look where that’s gotten us!!” Leo broke into tears again.
It was heart breaking for Hongbin to see Leo in this state; he wanted to be strong for the other. Be there for him. There must be a solution!
That director will pay!

“Well, if you haven’t told the coach, all is good right?” Hongbin tried to smile, even though this one didn’t reach his eyes. Leo looked up and could only nod sadly.
But if the director told him, ran through his mind.

“I will have a word with the director, okay? Everything will be fine!”

They stood there a while, Hongbin the other’s head whilst Leo softly cried, until he was finished.

With an uneasy heart, Leo agreed to Hongbin’s plan to talk with the director. And they returned to the table.

“You cannot say it was a joke!” N burst out as soon as they arrived. The pair looked at him and then at each other.
“We had never even thought of that option!” Hongbin told the silver haired, defiant.

And as much as Leo wanted to be able to say that sentence, a little voice at the back of his mind told him...

...it would be an option.