"What is it like when... so, uhm, there are also men who... well..."

His mother frowns. Inho thinks quickly before talking again and comes up with an excuse: "I saw two men kissing on the way home today. I mean, really kissing, like couples do in movies, or like you and dad used to, so I'm kinda wondering... isn't that a strange thing to do as a man?"

"Well...", she warily answers. "It's not impossible. But being gay might bring up many problems. A lot of people don't like it and threaten such men even if it doesn't affect them personally. Others insult them. Some find it simply terrible and are against it. Your grandfather was someone like that, and your aunt is the same, and your father... he had nothing against it as long as it did not concern anyone he knew or who belonged to his own family. That is why I have always wished that you could be happy with a woman... but you've never really been interested in girls, have you?"

She looks at him questioningly. Should he tell her now that his thoughts are all about a boy? A certain boy he barely talks to?

Actually, she knows her son well enough that she knows why he really asked. She quietly sighs and continues: "Please don't worry about it. If you don't like girls, that's fine. I just don't want you to feel bad about it or get in trouble, so please be careful to whom you talk about such things. But you can date boys, I don't mind. I only wish that you are happy, no matter if you need a girl or a boy or no one at all."

Thoughtfully Inho nods. She is very kind and caring and her words make him a bit more comfortable with himself and his strange feelings. "Thank you," he says. His mother also nods and secretly worries. Hopefully he can be happy.

"I don't know what I want," he confesses. He knows who he wants - but not what. Does he want to kiss Hyunuk again? Does he want to be friends with him? Does he just want to sit next to him at the window, look into the stars, and talk about their dreams?

"It's okay not to know. Maybe one day you will know, maybe never. You don't have to know everything to be happy. But if you feel that something is missing, you should listen to yourself and find out what it is", she advises him.

In the evening Inho looks out of the window and tries to listen to what his heart is trying to tell him, but he only looks into the stars and imagines Hyunuk doing the same thing thinking of Inho. The longer he stares into the night sky, the more certain he is that he wants to kiss him again.

But will Hyunuk still want that after kicking him the first time and running away the second?

His heart hurts when he thinks of that.