Third Person POV

With much trepidation, Tin knocked softly on the door of his father's private study.

"Come in," his father called out.

When Mr. Medthanan saw the fear and anxiety on his son's face, he softened considerably.

"Son," he said in a gentle tone, "I did not ask to meet with you to give you a lecture. I just want to know if you can enlighten me on my Chief Financial Officers' son's behavior earlier this evening."

Up until this time, Tin was trying really hard to keep a brave front, but his father's gentle and understanding tone was his undoing. He found himself unable to speak and breaking down in tears.

Mr. Medthanan stood up from his chair and walked around to the front of his large oak desk.

He placed his arms around his son and said, "I am a willing listener. Try me."

Tin did not want to hold back any longer.

"I love him, Father," he said in almost a whisper, between sobs.

"What?!?!?!" his father, broke away from his son in deep shock.

When Mr. Medthanan finally recovered from his son's confession, he asked Tin, "Have you told him? Did you force yourself on him? Was that why he felt he had to run away when he saw you?"

"No, Father, no!!!" Tin protested at his father's accusation. "I can't even get near him. He either runs away when he sees me approaching or tells me coldly to go away. He just won't have anything to do with me."

"But why is that? There has to be a reason why he can't bear to be in your presence," his father persisted.

Tin had no choice but to confess.

"His close friend is the boyfriend of Pete," said Tin.

Pete's family were friends with Tin's family so Mr. Medthanan knew Pete. For some reason he was not surprised that Pete had a boyfriend instead of a girlfriend.

"I'm waiting for the rest of your explanation," Tin's father said when Tin took some time to continue talking.

Tin took a deep breath and said, "I guess I was just trying to protect Pete when I found out that his boyfriend was from the other side of our university campus where students from lower income families go to study. One day, I approached Pete after class when I saw him with his boyfriend. At that time, Can was also with them because they had just finished playing a soccer game. I told Pete in front of Can and Pete's boyfriend to stay away from them because they were poor and dirty and would only take advantage of his money, that they would borrow money from him with no intention of paying him back."

Tin's father listened patiently but was shaking his head. He seemed to know why his son had developed trust issues toward people of lower income level.

"So how did it come about that you fell in love with Can when he is not in the same financial level as you?" Mr. Medthanan needed to understand what made Tin change his mind about his Chief Financial Officer's son.

"Because I have been observing him and Pete's boyfriend and they are not what I had thought they were," he said, crying all over again.

"Now it's too late, no matter how much I try to make it up to him, he just won't give me the time of day!" what started as a soft crying from Tin had now turned into wailing.

"Do you want me to do something about it?" asked Tin's father, looking on at his son with great sympathy.

"No, Dad!" cried Tin, "I made my own problem,  I will solve it myself."

"Okay," said Tin's father, "just let me know whenever your efforts are no longer working so I can hire some of my men to kidnap him and bring him to our house."

Tin looked at his father in wide eyed disbelief.

"I was joking, son," said his father, "now go off to bed and try to forget your troubles for now. I need to make a call to Can's father to thank him for his effort in bringing his family over for dinner."

"Good night, Dad," said Tin as he walked out of his father's private study. He did not feel optimistic at all that anything would change at all in his standing with Can.