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“What are you afraid of, Father?” I ask, staring him straight in the eyes, his face a mask of disgust. “Are you worried that me being here will bring back the past? Because that video is nothing. Dead. I’m not a singer anymore. I’m not singing for my career. Your image won’t be tarnished—if that is what you’re concerned about. Or has me being gay always been the issue?” I lay it all out for him. There’s nothing he can say that will make me walk away today. “I’m here for Halmeoni. Just like He Sook is. Just like you.”

“I don’t care about the video or you kissing that boy. That’s in the past. You don’t belong here. Bringing you back was a mistake, as I told you before. You may stay until your grandmother wakes up and say your goodbyes. After that, you will return to your new home. I don’t want to see you again.”

Those words nearly cut my heart out of my chest, but I can’t let his cruelty get to me. At least I got to the root of his hate. He hates me because I’m gay and that’s what has tarnished his reputation. But that makes no sense. He is still in the entertainment industry. He still has clients. He’s making money. So, I don’t think it’s all of it.

“You can say whatever you want to, but I’m not leaving until I decide when to leave. Not you.” I won’t play into my father’s mind games anymore either.

“You’re no son of mine,” he spits out, his upper lip curling up.

“That’s fine by me. You were never the father I should have had. You haven’t done a damn thing for me, not since you sent me away. So do what you need to do to make yourself happy, just like you always have done.”

My father glowers at me before he spins around and strides away, like he just didn’t have his own words thrown back in his face.

“That was intense. I didn’t think you had it in you to talk to Father that way,” He Sook says as she grips my hand tighter. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Being away from his verbal abuse does that to a person. I found my voice and my spine.” I grin at my sister, but falter a second later. “I wonder if he’s going to security right now.”

“No. He’s going to go cool off. I know him. If he calls security, that would only incite gossip, which will draw negative attention to him. And you know it’s always about Father’s good reputation.” She rolls her eyes.

I laugh, feeling genuinely happy that my baby sister is here. “You’re right.”

“It’s going to be a while and Halmeoni’s surgery just got started. Let’s get some food?”

“Yes. Family drama takes a lot out of me,” I say, straight faced.

He Sook bursts out laughing. “I’m going to tell Halmeoni you said that. She’ll get a kick out of it.”

“Yes, she will,” I say, though Halmeoni isn’t going to be happy when she finds out that her son literally kicked me out of the family.

As I walk to the elevator, my mind shifts to Rafe and his friends, and I wonder again how he is faring. As if summoned, a particular ring tone—a guitar riff from my favorite Warrior Black song—sounds from my phone.

“Rafe.” I breathe out his name like saying it calms me. I release my sister’s hand, but she looks at me with an inquisitive brow and mouths, Who is that? I ignore her and quickly answer, “Hey.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Rafe

My knee is bouncing up and down like a caffeinated jackrabbit as I debate whether or not I should call Lyric. With the time difference and knowing that his grandmother is in surgery for her foot, and having to deal with his father at the same time, there’s a lot Lyric’s facing by himself.

But I need to hear his voice—more so now than ever. My friends and I are in Ron’s condo back in L.A., while we figure out which songs to sing at the Club FF. Some would say it’s emotional torture to be in a place where the man you cared about—a man who lifted your career to new heights, lived before he passed away. Yet, we all agree that being in Ron’s place gives us a level of comfort, as if he’s watching over us.

And as crazy as it sounds, in this same place, is where we all decided to go ahead with the impromptu concert in Korea. At first, Dante wanted to call off the gig, but Danny asked me what I would do if it was my decision.

I told them about the confrontation with Lyric’s father and how we got the gig in the first place. After hearing that, the band agrees with me that we can’t blacken our band’s name by not showing up, and that if we withdrew it would also be letting Lyric down. I agreed, but refrained from adding that disappointing Lyric would rip me in two. In some ways, he’s the reason I’m willing to still do the show. I want to prove to Lyric that I’m here and present for him, and I’m not just some hook-up he had sex with these past months. I want him to look at me as something more permanent.

My feelings for Lyric started off as a physical attraction, nothing unusual for me. But the more time I spent with him, and now after meeting his grandmother, what I feel for him is… bigger. I have developed a deeper emotional bond with Lyric than I’ve ever had with any other man.

I can’t believe I’m admitting this, but I want something more with Lyric. A relationship—like the ones Danny, Connor and Callum have with their men. I want to wake up with Lyric and fall to sleep with him. I want to incite his ire, and his passion. I want to be the only man in his life. If he’ll have me.

Dante strides into the room, their phone to their ear, reluctance across their face, before they pulls the cell away from their ear and look at us. “So the record label agrees to the terms of the show and is allowing you boys to go ahead with the plans in Korea.”

We are all wide-eyed, staring at each other. I’m surprised the label supports our decision. Although the realist in me knows that there will be a positive kickback to them from this venture.

“You have less than a week, so you need to figure out which songs you are playing,” Dante huffs. “I’m going to make sure our travel plans are set. Be ready and packed by tomorrow morning.” They leave without a backward glance.

“I can’t wait to spend some time with Lyric beforehand,” I admit, not looking at my friends.

“Lovesick already?” Callum says, and when I glance his way, he smiles at me.