His words stunned Derek.
He blinked, and after a moment of silence, he replied stubbornly. "What if I like you?"
James knew that he was being hard-mouthed and smiled silently. "If you can, I hope you can like girls. It is very tiring to like boys."
Derek frowned and asked. "I like who I like. Why would I feel tired?"
James put his arm on the table and looked up at the boy. "Then let me ask you, can you really accept the strange gaze of the public? Do you dare to hold my hand in the street? Dare to introduce me to others as your lover? You can't even get past your family."
Derek shrugged and said disapprovingly, "What's the big deal? What if I dare?"
"Well, even if you dare, we're not suitable for each other."
Derek's breath sank, and he was already extremely irritable and repeatedly asked. "Why not? What makes you think so?"
James didn't answer but asked instead. "How old are you?"
"18."
"Do you know how old I am?"
