It had been a little over a week since QnA, and while John had been texting Kane, the pace wasn’t as thrilling as John had hoped. Lying on his bed, he replayed their kiss in his mind, imagining the press of Kane’s lips, the wrestling of their tongues, and the heat of his body pressed against his own. The memory made him restless. 

Yet, for all the longing, John was also terrified of seeing Kane again. His lack of experience gnawed at him. Kane had to be more experienced, right? What if he expected more than John could give? 

Despite the mix of emotions, one thing was clear: John had gotten a taste, and now he wanted more. 

The version of events John told his parents about that night at QnA had been heavily edited: a few drinks, dancing with friends, and a stop at McDonald’s on the way home. 

Mum’s most dramatic reaction? A disappointed, “I can’t believe you had that garbage in the middle of the night.” 

John had to stifle a laugh. If she knew how many people he’d kissed, a poorly timed trip to McDonald’s would have been the least of her worries. 

It was another lazy day with no plans, and John spent the afternoon on his computer, clicking through random searches. Having a computer in his room felt liberating, but he dreamed of owning a laptop so he could scroll from the comfort of his bed. 

That dream felt distant, though—his bank account was laughable, and his supermarket shifts hadn’t restarted since exams ended. He debated looking for a new job but didn’t want to deal with rejection. 

In his boredom, a thought struck him. Dra and Devon had once mentioned meeting guys online. Was that still a thing? 

He hesitated but gave it a shot, typing into the search bar: 

“Meet gay men online Melbourne” 

Gaydar. Manhunt. Dozens of sites popped up. He clicked one. Images of shirtless, grinning men with perfect teeth filled the screen. They laughed, posed, and leaned seductively on each other beneath the banner: 

“Meet hot guys in your area now!” 

John’s face burned. His hands grew clammy, and he quickly exited the page. 

Not today. 

John wandered into the kitchen, where Mum was mixing what looked like mince, parsley, and breadcrumbs in a large metal bowl. 

“You’re home for dinner tonight, aren’t you?” she asked without looking up. 

“Yeah, no plans,” John said. 

“Good. We have a surprise,” Mum said, her voice teasing, though her expression betrayed nothing as she went back to mixing. 

“What’s the surprise?” 

“You’ll see,” she said with a grin. “Trust me, you’ll never guess.” 

John gave up trying to read her and turned on the TV at her request. The Bold and the Beautiful was starting, and as always, it didn’t take long to pick up the gist of the overly dramatic arcs. He half-watched as his mind turned back to the surprise. A laptop for uni? Some kind of gift card? He couldn’t come up with anything else. 

Eventually, the episode ended, and the sound of the front door bell—Dad’s keys jingling—signaled his arrival. 

John greeted Dad as he came in, receiving a hug and a kiss on the head. 

“Coffee, boys?” Mum called out from the kitchen. 

Dad nodded. “Thanks, lover.” 

“I’ll have one too,” John said, hoping coffee would speed up the revelation of this surprise. 

Mum moved efficiently, putting on the machine as Dad and John sat at the table. The rich aroma of freshly ground beans filled the room, mixing with the savory scent of the meatballs simmering on the stove. 

Dad sipped his coffee, smiling as he exchanged pleasantries with Mum. But beneath the casual conversation, John could feel something brewing. 

Finally, Mum turned to him, her excitement barely contained. 

“Darling, do you remember Tadao? That Japanese man your dad used to work with?” 

John shook his head. 

“Well, we’ve kept in touch with him and his wife, Tsukiko,” she continued, her grin widening. 

“They’re lovely people,” Dad chimed in. “Very kind. And we told them all about you studying Japanese.” 

John blinked. Was this about private lessons? 

“So,” Mum said, her voice rising with excitement, “we have a surprise for you.” She looked at Dad. “Do you want to tell him?” 

Dad beamed. “What if we told you that this time next week, you’ll be in Japan?” 

John tilted his head, the words not quite registering. 

“What?” 

“You’re going to Japan,” Mum repeated, practically glowing. “You’ll be staying with Tadao and Tsukiko for a few months as a graduation present!” 

John stared at them, uncomprehending. “I… how?” 

“We’ve been planning this for months,” Dad said. “We already got your ticket and some yen sorted. Tadao and Tsukiko offered to host you for free, so most of your expenses are covered. We’ll send you money as you need it.” 

“I… I don’t know what to say.” 

“A thank you and a hug would be a good start,” Mum said with a laugh, her eyes shining with unshed tears. 

John’s throat tightened as a wave of emotion washed over him. Before he could speak, the tears spilled over, and he began to sob. 

The intensity of John’s reaction caught even him off guard. His parents hugged him tightly, their warmth grounding him as his emotions ebbed and flowed. 

He was excited—Japan had always been a dream. But he was also terrified: What if he couldn’t communicate? What if he made a fool of himself? What about Kane and the life he’d just started exploring? 

For now, those thoughts were drowned out by gratitude and the overwhelming realization of how much his parents cared, despite their differences. 

At dinner, Mum and Dad explained the details. He wouldn’t need a visa for his three-month stay. Tadao and Tsukiko lived in Kichijoji, a charming suburb west of Tokyo. 

“They’re a fun couple,” Mum said. “Tsukiko’s a little kooky, but she’s kind. Tadao’s solid—a good fella.” 

John thanked them repeatedly, feeling almost guilty for how he’d resented them lately. They’d done all of this for him. 

That night, John lay in bed, unable to sleep. His thoughts were a tangle of excitement, nerves, and questions. He got up, turned on his computer, and started researching everything he could about Japan. 

By the time fatigue finally claimed him, he was sprawled on his bed, his head buzzing with half-formed plans and possibilities. 

For the first time in weeks, he didn’t dream.