After having dinner and small amount of liquor at Loui's home, Gavin acts like he is drunk and refuses to leave Loui's bed. Later, Gavin asks Loui why the teacher was looking for him. Loui tells Gavin about his mother and the meeting that day with his stepfather. Gavin also learns Loui likes to eat salted-egg lotus-bean flavoured moon cakes on August 15. The next day, Loui's mother meets Gavin at a restaurant to convince him to make him live with her and her husband; however her attempt fails. Later that night, Gavin buys salted-egg lotus-bean flavoured moon cakes, which both Gavin and Loui eat and go to bed. In bed, Loui tells Gavin that he knows Gavin is living in a rented house and that he is rich.
P.O.V...
Gavin lingers by Loui's side, learning about his family and favorite moon cakes. Despite Loui's mother trying to persuade him, he stays firm. That night, sharing moon cakes, Loui quietly admits he knows Gavin's secret, deepening their trust and closeness.
The evening air was filled with the faint scent of jasmine drifting through Loui's home. Dinner had been simple—rice, vegetables, and a small amount of wine that Gavin insisted he didn't need but had sipped anyway.
Gavin leaned back on the sofa, his cheeks slightly flushed.
"I—I think I might have had too much," he slurred, though his grin betrayed him. "Maybe… maybe I'll just stay here tonight."
Loui raised an eyebrow. "Stay here? On my bed?"
"Exactly." Gavin wobbled slightly, pretending to stagger. "I—uh—I can't leave."
"You're not drunk," Loui said flatly, though a small smile tugged at his lips.
"Am too," Gavin protested, flopping onto Loui's bed. "And you're not moving me."
Loui sighed but couldn't help laughing softly. "Fine, but if you wake up and snore, don't blame me."
Gavin's grin softened. "Hey… why was your teacher looking for you today?"
Loui's face darkened slightly as he tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. "It's… complicated. My mother and stepfather… they had a meeting today. He wanted to talk about me, about my living arrangements."
Gavin propped himself up on one elbow, his tone gentle. "And you… didn't want to live with them?"
Loui shook his head. "No. I… I'm used to managing things myself."
Gavin tilted his head, studying him. "I get it. I… I just wish it didn't have to be so complicated."
A pause followed, broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioner. Then Gavin's eyes lit up. "Hey… I didn't know—salted-egg lotus-bean moon cakes. That's your favorite?"
Loui blinked. "Yeah… only on August 15."
"Noted," Gavin said, smirking. "I'll remember."
The next day, Loui's mother approached Gavin in a quiet corner of a restaurant, her hands neatly folded.
"Gavin," she began, her voice firm yet kind, "I want Loui to live with us. With me and your stepfather… it would be better for him."
Gavin met her gaze evenly. "I appreciate the offer, ma'am, but Loui's choice matters most. I can't force him."
Her eyes softened slightly, but she nodded. "I just hope he's happy."
That night, Gavin returned with a small paper bag, the scent of moon cakes immediately filling the room.
"Salted-egg lotus-bean," he said, placing it in front of Loui with a sly smile. "You didn't think I'd forget, did you?"
Loui laughed softly, the sound bright in the quiet room. "You remembered."
"Of course," Gavin said, opening a moon cake and offering a bite. "Now, share it with me."
They ate in companionable silence, the city lights casting soft shadows across the room. When the last piece was gone, they lay side by side on the bed.
Loui's voice was quiet. "I… I know about you, Gavin. About the rented house. About being rich."
Gavin turned to him, surprised. "You… know?"
Loui nodded, cheeks slightly pink. "I do. And it doesn't matter. I like that you're here, anyway."
Gavin's heart swelled. "I'm glad… I'm really glad."
They lay together, the warmth of the bed, the sweet taste of moon cake, and the quiet confession settling around them like a soft blanket. For the first time that day, Loui felt safe—truly seen—and Gavin felt at home in a way he hadn't expected.
The aroma of dinner lingered in Loui's small apartment, mingling with the faint scent of jasmine drifting through the open window. Gavin had insisted on a small glass of wine, claiming it was "just to taste," but Loui knew better.
Gavin leaned back against the sofa, cheeks flushed pink, a small, mischievous grin on his face.
"I—I think I might have had a little too much," he slurred, though his tone carried more teasing than truth. "Maybe… maybe I should stay here tonight."
Loui arched an eyebrow. "Stay… here? On my bed?"
Gavin wobbled slightly as if the thought of leaving were physically painful. "Exactly. I… I can't leave. You wouldn't let me, right?"
"You're not drunk," Loui said flatly, though he felt warmth creep into his chest at the sight of Gavin's earnest, teasing expression.
"Am too!" Gavin protested dramatically, flopping onto Loui's bed. "And you're not moving me."
Loui sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. But if you snore, don't say I didn't warn you."
Gavin's grin softened. "Hey… why was your teacher looking for you today?" His voice, though playful, carried a note of genuine concern.
Loui hesitated, curling his fingers into the hem of his sleeve. "It's… complicated. My mother and stepfather had a meeting. He… my stepfather wanted to talk about me. About where I'm living."
Gavin propped himself up on one elbow, his gaze steady. "And… you didn't want to live with them?"
"No," Loui admitted softly. "I… I'm used to managing things myself. I can't… I can't be someone else's responsibility."
Gavin reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair from Loui's forehead. "I get it. I just wish it didn't have to feel so heavy."
Loui swallowed, a lump forming in his throat. "It's not just heavy. It's… complicated. And I don't want to hurt anyone."
Gavin's eyes softened. "I know. That's why I'm here."
There was a pause, broken only by the hum of the air conditioner. Then Gavin's grin widened, mischief returning.
"Wait… salted-egg lotus-bean moon cakes? That's your favorite?"
Loui blinked, startled. "…Yeah. Only on August 15."
"Noted," Gavin said, smirking. "I'll remember. You can't hide things from me."
The next day, Loui's mother met Gavin at a quiet corner of a restaurant, her hands folded politely in front of her.
"Gavin," she began, her tone firm but warm, "I want Loui to live with us. With me and your stepfather… it would be better for him."
Gavin met her gaze calmly. "I appreciate the offer, ma'am. But Loui's choice matters most. I can't force him."
Her expression softened, though a shadow of worry lingered. "I just… hope he's happy."
Gavin nodded. "He will be. I promise."
That night, Gavin returned with a small paper bag, its sweet scent immediately filling the apartment.
"Salted-egg lotus-bean," he announced, setting the bag gently in front of Loui. "You didn't think I'd forget, did you?"
Loui laughed softly, his lips curling into a shy smile. "You remembered."
"Of course I did," Gavin replied, opening a moon cake and offering a piece. "Now, share it with me."
They ate slowly, savoring each bite, the faint sweetness mingling with the warmth between them. Gavin's fingers brushed Loui's accidentally once, and both froze, cheeks warming.
After the last bite, they lay side by side on the bed. Silence settled, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Instead, it hummed with unspoken understanding.
Loui's voice broke the quiet, soft and tentative. "I… I know about you, Gavin. About the rented house… about being rich."
Gavin turned to him, surprised. "You… know?"
Loui nodded, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "I do. And it doesn't matter. I… I like that you're here anyway."
Gavin's heart swelled. "I'm glad… I'm really glad."
He reached over and laced his fingers with Loui's, a small gesture that carried more weight than words ever could. Loui didn't pull away. Instead, he rested his head on Gavin's shoulder, letting the quiet intimacy wrap around them like a soft blanket.
For the first time that day, Loui felt safe—truly seen. And for the first time, Gavin realized home wasn't a place or a house—it was Loui, here beside him, in the warmth of moon cakes, laughter, and shared secrets.