PETE'S POV
I was lost in thought during breakfast with Alex, who noticed I wasn't eating and asked if something was wrong with the food. I reassured him it was good, but that I was just preoccupied with some thoughts. When he pressed me on what was bothering me, I hesitated before admitting it was about "them".
I confessed that I was afraid because I hadn't seen them in so long. The fear that they might hate me or kick me out was overwhelming, and I was so scared that I couldn't even finish my sentence. Alex then hugged me from behind and told me not to worry, promising he wouldn't let anyone hurt me as long as he was with me.
"Don't worry if they kick you out, I'll catch you," said Alex.... His words made me less anxious... He then told me to finish my food so that we can go and meet my family.... I looked at Alex.... I feel a sense of peace knowing he is there with me.....
AUTHOR'S POV
After a while, they set off to the Main family's house, noting that the Main and Minor families now live as one big family. At the entrance, Pete becomes nervous, but Alex calms him by holding his hand as they go inside. Pete notices Chay upstairs who, in disbelief, pinches himself before excitedly yelling out for the others, announcing that P'Pete is there. Alex, observing the excitement, internally notes that the guy looks cute.
Chay rushes downstairs to hug Pete tightly and cry. The rest of the family soon follows, each hugging him so tightly he can barely breathe. Tankun is particularly emotional, screaming and crying continuously like a child despite Pete's attempts to calm him down. Macao notices Pete amidst the group hug, and Pete sees Macao and breaks the hug and goes towards him...
Pete asked Macao how he had been. Suddenly, Macao pulled Pete into a fierce hug and began crying heavily. Pete's own eyes welled up with tears that streamed down his cheeks, a sight that caused others in the room to start tearing up as well. The emotional scene was briefly interrupted when someone else walked into the house and stopped abruptly, looking as though he had seen a ghost. Tears immediately began falling from his eyes too.
The newcomer was Vegas. He tentatively said Pete's name in disbelief, to which Pete responded with a smile and a simple, "Hi Vegas... Long time no see..." In the very next second, Vegas closed the distance and embraced Pete in a tight hug. Vegas, his voice shuttering with emotion, told Pete that he had missed him immensely. Pete, ever the calmer one, gently told him it was okay and to stop crying, reminding him that he was a grown-up.
Pete then broke the hug and looked over at Alex, who had been watching the entire reunion unfold. Alex gave Pete a smile, which Pete returned. It was at this moment that Kinn noticed a stranger between them.
Kinn's eyes widened slightly in disbelief, his gaze fixed on the newcomer. "You...?" he started, the question hanging in the air with a mix of surprise and confusion. Before Kinn could finish, Pete stepped forward slightly, offering a calm explanation.
"He came with me," Pete clarified, gesturing subtly toward the man beside him. Alex then stepped into the space, his posture confident as he began his own introduction, "Hi, I'm Alex... I'm Pete's..." He paused, looking briefly at Pete, who finished the sentence for him with a definitive statement: "He is my boyfriend."
A wave of stunned silence fell over the room. Everyone present was visibly shocked by the sudden declaration, but the person who seemed truly taken aback was Vegas. Vegas stared intently at Alex, a look of pure hatred in his eyes.
The intensity of his gaze was such that if looks could kill, Alex would have been dead a hundred, maybe a thousand, times over. Alex, noticing Vegas's hostile stare, did not flinch; instead, he offered Vegas a slow, wicked smile....