Can's POV

I held Tin lovingly in my arms for a little while on the couch. Matt was sitting on the other side looking down on his hands that were folded on his lap.

Suddenly Matt stood up, and Tin struggled to stand up on his one good leg, bowing respectfully with his palms placed together in a prayer like fashion.

I looked up to see both my father and mother standing in the doorway leading from the living room to the dining room.

"Dad!" I stood up from the couch as well, not knowing what to say because he was looking sharply at me.

I turned to Tin. "What am I gonna tell him?" I whispered.

"That I am your boyfriend and that I came to see you to clarify a misunderstanding," Tin said bravely and with determination.

"Are you sure, Tin?" I asked. I wasn't feeling as brave.

"I'm sure," Tin said firmly.

"Dad," I said, pulling Tin with me towards my father.

Tin came with me, walking on one good leg and limping with the injured one.

"This is my boyfriend Tin," I said.

My parents' eyes widened but to their eternal credit, they did not utter a word of criticism nor a word of objection.

"And when did this all start?" my father asked when he finally found his voice.

Tin and I looked at each other, and then Tin spoke up, "We cannot say exactly when, but for me, it seems like it all goes back to time immemorial."

I blushed at how Tin was looking so lovingly at me, not minding that he was doing so in front of my parents.

Suddenly we heard the gate buzzing.

I excused myself and ran to see who was there, expecting it to be P'Wan or Good, but praying that it was neither of them, not at this particular time.

My eyes widened to see Mrs. Medthanan at the gate.

I stepped aside to let her in.

"I'm sorry to barge in on you like this, Can," she said, "but I was so worried about Tin. The housekeeper informed me that he had run out of the house with Matt, looking very desperate and I concluded that this would be the most logical place to look for him."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Medthanan," I said, "it was because we had a misunderstanding and I ran away from him."

"That's alright, Can," said Mrs. Medthanan, "misunderstandings can sometimes happen between boyfriends."

My eyes widened once more in shock at what Tin's mom had just said.

"Well, you and Tin are boyfriends, aren't you?" she raised her eyebrows, as if preparing to be disappointed if I said otherwise.

"Yes, ma'am, we are," I admitted, "in fact Tin and I have just confessed to my parents just before you buzzed at the gate."

"Well, aren't you going to introduce your future mother-in-law to your parents?" I suddenly realized where Tin got the go-for-it attitude.

I blushed, as I quickly invited her in, feeling at the same time how fast things seemed to be going.

"Mom, dad," I said when Mrs. Medthanan and I entered the living room, "this is Mrs. Medthanan, Tin's mom."

It was Tin's turn to look at his mom wide eyed.

"I apologize for coming to your house without an invitation," said Tin's mom, "I just got very worried about my son's disappearance, but now I can see that he is in good hands."

Mrs. Medthanan was smiling at me as she was saying the last part of her sentence.

I blushed once more. Was there no end to my blushes?

"It is our pleasure to meet you," my father said, "you have a very brave son. He has just admitted to me and my wife that he is my son's boyfriend."

"My son has always been the kind to go after what he wants, but in this case, who he wants," said Mrs. Medthanan, looking at me once again, with a gentle smile.

"And you have no objection towards my son?" my father asked.

"On the contrary, I have been the one facilitating their opportunities to be together," said Mrs. Medthanan, "I hope you do not have any objections towards my son as well."

"After my wife and I recovered from the shock, we have noticed how these two seem to genuinely love each other, so as parents all we can do is to support them," my dad said.

At that moment, I felt so lucky to have my dad for a father.

Tin limped towards me because I was still standing beside his mom.

"Can, will you marry me?"

"Too soon! Too soon!" my mother who had been quiet all this time suddenly found her voice.