Promise Ring
After some time, Allen was seated, supported by Stephan, with his family gathered closely around him. Everyone was offering comfort and reassurance, creating a safe and warm space for him.
Stephan's father spoke firmly, "When you told us about the issues with your mother, we never imagined it could be this serious."
Stephan's mother shook her head, incredulous, "Honestly… how could someone speak this way about their own child?"
Stephan's sister huffed, "I hope she reflects on her actions for a long time. The things she was shouting… unbelievable!"
Allen was surrounded by support, and that night he lay beside Stephan, still quietly crying. Even half-asleep, Stephan sensed it and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
He whispered, "I know… it was really awful, but… just go back to sleep now."
"You don't need to go back to that house anymore. I'll talk to my dad, he can help find you a new place, maybe an apartment or a hostel, or… you can just stay here with me."
Allen clung to him tightly. "It's not that… it's…"
Stephan brushed a strand of hair from his face, "Then… what is it?"
After crying for a long while, Allen finally opened up to Mr. L., sharing the full truth and his little acts of revenge. Though he had secured a scholarship at college, his part-time jobs still couldn't cover all his expenses. Occasionally, his mother would even steal from his savings, and there were countless times when he didn't even have enough money for meals, let alone for decent clothes. His mother had completely abandoned all sense of responsibility. On top of that, it seemed she was even looking for a "sugar daddy" or something similar. She would attend parties and, without thinking, likely share their home address with all kinds of people. As a result, some of those people even showed up at their house uninvited.
Seeing all this, he too, as her son, was subjected to vile words and cruel judgments, constantly told by those dirty people with cruel names like "slut" or "pimp" and they even tried to harass him repeatedly.
Because of this, he rarely went home, and he didn't have enough money to live elsewhere. With his part-time job, he could barely manage to afford even the simplest necessities for himself.
Finally, Allen had come up with a plan: he would take a large loan in his mother's name to manage for a year, with the intention of slipping away before the repayment was due. He had somehow managed to get her to sign the papers while she was under alcohol. This was his small act of revenge, making sure his cruel mother got a taste of payback before he left!
But after spending three months living with Stephan, Allen had completely forgotten about it all. He hadn't properly talked with the lenders for days, so it was only a matter of time before they went to his mother, and that's how they had ended up here.
Tears streaming down his face more and more, Allen whispered, "Please… don't tell your family about this."
"Or else… they might start hating me too, right? Ugh…"
"I know… I shouldn't have done it, should I? It's bad."
Stephan held him gently, brushing away his tears. "No, baby. This isn't your fault. You did what you had to, given the situation."
"And honestly," he added softly, "after seeing her true colors, she deserved no less."
Allen looked up hesitantly, "So… you won't tell anyone?"
Stephan's eyes met his, "No. Of course not."
"I'll always stand by you… no matter what," he promised, holding Allen close.
Allen asked softly, "Even if I were wrong…?"
Stephan kissed him gently, whispering with a smile, "Can you ever truly be wrong?"
They laughed together, hearts light, and soon drifted off to sleep side by side, wrapped in each other's warmth.
The following month, both Stephan and Allen celebrated their graduation. Allen had been staying at Stephan's home all this while, and to ensure his safety, Stephan's father had taken legal steps to keep his mother temporarily restrained. It wasn't a harsh punishment, just enough to give Allen peace and prevent her from coming after him again.
Yes. Naturally, Stephan and Allen kept the whole debt matter hidden from their families. Stephan even lied, saying that it was Allen's mother who had taken the money and that now she was falsely blaming Allen, just as she always did. He explained that he wanted to start anew with Allen, far away from all this chaos.
Allen had always planned to leave this place anyway, so it suited him perfectly. Stephan's family wasn't entirely pleased with the idea, but Stephan convinced them by assuring that they would move to another city where he would establish his department store for the family business.
Seeing Stephan's father finally give his approval, everyone relaxed, and at last, no one stood in the way of the two of them.
Back at the very lake where Allen and Stephan had first truly become a couple, Stephan had prepared a beautiful surprise. The area was decorated with care, and there, on one knee, he offered Allen a promise ring.
"Allen," he said softly, taking Allen's hand in his, "not yet… because you're not ready, as you told me."
"Otherwise… I'd be ready to marry you right this very moment!"
Allen laughed, a gentle, emotional laugh that carried both happiness and warmth.
Stephan looked at him, with love. "But… at least you can accept this promise ring, right?"
Still smiling, Allen nodded, and they carefully slipped the rings onto each other's fingers. They wrapped themselves in a long, tender hug, sealing it with a soft, lingering kiss.
Allen's voice trembled slightly as he asked, "Why… why do you love me so much?"
Stephan cupped his face gently, looking deep into his eyes. "You don't need a reason to love someone. Love just… happens."
"I don't think so," Allen murmured, still a little bewildered. "I just don't understand… there are countless beautiful girls and handsome boys in the world. So… what did you see in me?"
Stephan's held Allen's hands tightly. "There may be millions of good people in this world, but in my eyes… there's no one like you."
"And always remember… I love you, Allen. No matter what."
Allen chuckled, a warm, heartfelt sound, feeling the weight of the words settle in his heart. For the first time, he spoke clearly something he'd never said to anyone before. "I love you too, Stephan."