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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

BECAUSE HE has a family dinner that evening, pagka-uwi na lang niya siya magsusuot ng isang onesie against sa kaniyang will para kay Denryl. Although finding it childish and insane to wear one, mapapanatili naman nito si Denryl sa penthouse niya. He'll endure anything just so he could keep his beloved in hind eyesight.

As he arrived at his penthouse, he stripped every clothing on his body and emerged to the lukewarm showers of his penthouse. The water bounced on his olive skin and it cascades down to the drains. He felt refreshen.

After taking a shower, he wrapped a white robe around his naked body with a towel to dry his hair and casually headed straight to his walk-in closet. Dahil nga ito ang family dinner nila since Luziano got disowned by his unapologetic father, he found himself a pair of elegant suit to be presentable. His mother already texted him the restaurant's information that his mother booked and the time they should arrive.

He dressed himself sa napiling damit at pinaligoan ang sarili ng mamahaling perfume. He combed and styled his hair to a sleek back and just left it like that. Isinuot din niya ang mamahaling relos sa pulsohan bago tinignan ang buong pigura. He looks gorgeous as always.

Dahil may isang oras pa bago ang family dinner nila, tinawagan niya ang kasintahan. Ilang ring lang ay sinagot ito ng kasintahan.

"Hey, Denz. When are you coming to my place?" aniya sa kabilang linya.

"Oh, hi. Probably maya-maya, why?" Denryl's voice answered him.

"I'm about to leave, so be here when I came back or else I won't wear that stupid thing. You can destroy anything you want here, make yourself at home."

"Okay, sige. Ingat nga pala sa pag biyahe mo and enjoy your dinner with your family. Love you."

"Hm, love you, too. See you later."

"Okay, bye~"

At binaba na niya ang tawag nila.

With a grin, he picked up his wallet and car keys before heading straight to his elevator. Hearing his boyfriend's voice kahit sa phone can easily lights up his mood.

Agad siyang pumanhik sa underground parking lot ng building dahil nandoon naka-park ang kotse niya. He pushed the button to unlock his car nang malapit na siya sa mamahaling sasakyan, and its lights flickered. Wala na siyang inaksayang oras at binuksan ang pintoan ng sasakyan at sumakay rito. He started the engine after putting on a seatbelt, so it hummed quite softly to life.

Pushing down the handbrake, he maneuvered the gear shift from park mode to drive mode. He pressed the accelerator and drove to the said restaurant his mother booked.

Withing fifteen minutes, he arrived. Tumigil siya sa harap ng sinasabing restaurant, at may valet na lumapit sa kaniya upang ito na ang mag-park ng kotse niya sa underground parking lot ng restaurant. Yes, the restaurant is that fancy dahil may mga valet ito.

Naglakad siya sa harap ng receptionist. It was a good looking woman, already smiling at him.

"Good evening and welcome to The Roquefort Diner," the woman behind the reception desk greets him. Ilang beses na niya itong nakikita rito, and he always winks at her direction kapag nagkataon. Ngayon, he's committed to someone, so he's not doing that to her anymore. "Do you have any reservations, Sir?"

"Yes, under Bernard and Kreishna Altarejos."

Agad na hinanap ng babae ang tinutukoy niyang reservation under such names, and she looks up at him with a grin when she found it. "Follow me, please."

Sampung minuto siyang maaga sa nasabing oras ng pagtitipon nila rito. He better hope nandito na rin ang ama at ina nila.

As he follows the receptionist, he lazily laid his eyes to the fancy decor of the whole place. He's been here a lot of times. Brought a lot of women he'd take to a date before---mostly sila pumili na rito sila kakain. It was their chance to eat at a fancy restaurant, so they have to pounce on the opportunity.

Thankfully, the table he was escorted to was already occupied by both of his parents. Ngumiti siya agad sa ina nang makita siya nitong paparating sa table nila. His father, on the other hand, was emotionless as he watch his youngest son approached their table. Wala pa ang kuya Luziano niya roon.

"Have a seat, please," the receptionist said.

He didn't need to be said to take a seat. A table nila ay for four person lang, but it was spacious for only four chairs. Magkatabing naka-upo ang ama at ina niya sa harap, at bakanteng upoan naman ang kaniyang nasa tabi.

"I'mma leave you lovely family to it. A waiter will take your order once you all are ready." The woman exited herself after waiting for Laurentius to look at her way to secretly wink at him. Laurentius was unhinged outside, but he's dying to raise his middle finger to that woman inside.

I have an amazing boyfriend, you bitch, he exclaims inside his mind.

"So, have you had dinner here before? The place's great, right?" his mom suddenly asks him with her cheerful voice.

Napabaling ang atensyon niya sa mga magulang. "I toke my dates here. I mean, they wants me to take them here. The place is not that amazing to me anymore."

"Oh," his mother cooes. "Marami na pa lang nadalang babae ang playboy kong anak rito, ah. Just make sure you use protections if you take them to a motel after your dates. Although, having grandchildren sounds fun."

Yeah, like my Denryl can get pregnant if we have sex unprotected. Can you imagine, a pregnant man? Funny . . .

"Why don't your older brother be like you?" biglang salita ng ama niya roon.

Nawala ang ngiti niya at naging blangko ang mukha dahil sa sinabi nito. He's sensing something bad is gonna come out of his father's mouth.

"Is he really that barren of sex, that he even craves for what a man have in his pants? He also have those, right? Come on, a pussy is all a man needs. All those boobs and nipples," pagpatuloy na salita ni Bernard Altarejos doon.

Kreishna Altarejos immediately elbowed his husband and sharply eyes him. She already made him promised not to say inappropriate things to their sons.

"Daddy, please, not tonight," his mother pleaded.

Shrugging, he had the audacity to smirk at them. "Alright, I won't."

Ngayon pa lang, parang gusto na niyang umalis doon, bumalik na sa sariling penthouse and pound Denryl's tight man pussy to forget this dinner have ever occured. It is already tempting enough to go back to his penthouse since Denryl might be already there waiting for him.

"It's gonna be our very first time having a family dinner for over a decade now since Luziano left," sabi ni Kreishna Altarejos sa asawa nito.

"Yeah, whatever," ang sabi lang ng asawa.

Napalingon na lang sila nang dumating ulit ang receptionist with a very presentable Luziano trailing behind her. He looks bored like it isn't his own will to show up at this family dinner---which kinda of. Well, at least he's well dressed at this rare occasion.

"Please take a seat," the receptionist instructed to Luziano, so the guy reluctantly toke a seat beside Laurentius and in front of his father. Now this is great.

"Have a lovely family dinner."

"Oh, we will; thank you," Bernard Altarejos said to the receptionist, indicating something malicious.

"I'm sorry I'm a bit late. It was traffic," walang ganang anunsyo roon ni Luziano sa lamesa.

Ang totoo niyan ay may kinasta itong lalaki bago pumunta rito. He was about to ditch this dinner to have another round of sex with the guy, but he received a lot of texts from his mother to remind him to come. Dahil sa konsensya dahil baka lulungkot ang kaniyang ina sa gagawin, he showed up to the diner.

"Busy sucking some guy's dick?" biglang tanong ni Bernard Altarejos sa anak with a taunting grin. If he could just rip that stupid grin off his sorry excused of a father's face.

"Daddy, stop na this instant," Kreishna Altarejos warned his husband again.

Luziano just chuckled from his father's remarks. He's still a pitiful old sack, then.

"Dad, that's very unethical thing to say at the dining table. Let's just eat and be a fucking normal family just for tonight, gosh," sabat na ni Laurentius doon.

"That's a funny word. Normal, huh?" Bernard Altarejos said as he eyed his eldest son. Natatawa pa ito sa narinig at sinabi galing sa kaniya.

"Daddy, I said this is enough," pa-sigaw nang suway ng ina ng Altarejos doon sa lamesa. The tables are a bit far from each other, so having a normal talking voice couldn't be heard by other customers. Shouting, however, can do attract some people dwellers there. "This family dinner is all I asked for the last years. Why don't you boys give it to me? Hello, a peaceful dinner and being a civilized human beings are easy things to do. Can we all do that?"

"Pfft, fine," Bernard Altarejos huffed and leaned back on his own seat.

Laurentius shrugged there and check for the time on his watch. Luziano just silently agreed to their mother.

"Should we start ordering our food now, boys? I think we should." Kreishna Altarejos immediately called the nearest waiter to them. They were handed their menus. Hindi na tumingin sa menu si Laurentius at agad na sinabi ang gusto niyang pagkain.

After taking down their orders, the waiter left to the kitchen. Tumahimik ulit ang table nila, but that's won't be permanent. It is like waiting for the raging storm to erupt any minute. It's like a ticking bomb ready to explode in front of their faces.

Luziano turned to him and started to brought some topics about some things. Laurentius replied to his brother in hush tones, kaya silang dalawa lang nagkakarinigan sa pinag-u-usapan.

After minutes of waiting, their steaming food has arrived. The waiter placed them carefully sa harap nila, and then they didn't waste any time and dig for their perspective food. Akala nila kakain lang sila roon at pagkatapos ay aalis na, but they're wrong. Luziano also couldn't think a proper topic to talk about as a "perfect" family, so tahimik lang siyang kumain doon.

"I have a very important thing to announce at this "normal" family dinner," biglang salita roon ni Bernard Altarejos sa lamesa. They can sense he's gonna say something stupid. "As a responsible father, my friend and business partner, Uriah, and I, properly agreed to marry our children off," he announced it like it's a very casual word to say.

"I'm not marrying someone just because you said so," inis na anas ni Luziano sa ama. "Are you really that desperate?"

"I'm not talking about you," sabi lang nito sa kay Luziano. Napasalubong ang kilay ni Laurentius nang bumaling ang tingin ng ama sa kaniya. "I'm pertaining to my obedient and my only normal son. Uriah's daughter and Laurentius are childhood sweethearts. Technically speaking, they've known each since childhood and became couples at some point, so it won't be a problem for him to marry her---Ulyssa Beatrice. A beautiful gal."

Lalong nagkasalubong ang mga kilay ni Laurentius sa narinig galing sa ama. Why did he came up with such ridiculous idea? Where is he from arranging marriage for their off-springs, 1800s? That's just absurd for today's society.

"Dad, what makes you think I will agree to this?" agad na sabat ni Laurentius doon. He wants to say he's in a relationship---with a guy---to them to stop this madness already.

"Daddy, why are you making such hasty decisions for our sons?" Kreishna Altarejos also spoke up to his husband. Seriously, Luziano is still questioning up until today why his mother married this shitty husband and father. "Aren't they big enough to decide for their own? Love someone on their own? Live their lives how they wants it?"

"Mommy, not now," Bernard Altarejos warned her. Tumahimik na lang ito sa tabi ng asawa. "He's a good son, he'll obey me. I've given him 65% of our companies, so he should be grateful enough to follow me. He's not like his older brother who selflessly thinks highly of himself only. He's older brother is useless and has mental disorder called homosexuality, while our youngest son here can give us grandchildren with his normal mentality. Can't you see that?"

Laurentius heard a slam on the table, kaya napabaling siya sa gumawa nito. It was Luziano. Luziano couldn't take in what their sperm donor was saying. He had enough of this pathetic dinner pagkarating pa lang niya rito.

"All right, I'm leaving this shitty family dinner. I've lost my appetite with your shit. You're the one who made this family dinner a pure bullshit and living hell," ang tiim-bagang na sambit doon ni Luziano bago tinalikuran ang mga ito. Nagka-atensyon at komosyon naman doon dahil sa ginawa nila.

"Kuya, wait for me," tawag doon ni Laurentius kay Luziano. Mabuti na lang huminto ito sa pag-alis at lumingon sa kaniya. Hinarap niya ulit ang mga magulang. "Mom, Dad, sorry to disappoint you but I am not marrying that woman. She's not what I want anymore. Actually, I found someone, and I cherish that person very much. I am deeply in love with him. And yes, he's a guy. I have a boyfriend," mahabang salaysay roon ni Laurentius sa mga magulang. Napasalubong naman ang kilay ni Bernard Altarejos sa narinig galing sa akala nilang heterosexual na anak. Binalingan niya ang ina, "Actually, Mom, you met him already at my penthouse. He's the one who cooked dinner for us yesterday. He's a sweet person, so I hope you'll accept him as my boyfriend."

Maluha-luha namang tinignan ni Kreishna Altarejos ang anak, bago ito tumayo sa kina-uupoan at linapitan siya. Niyakap niya ang anak in a soothing way.

"Sorry if you felt doubting me of not accepting you who you'll love. He's a perfect person for you, I'm so happy," anito habang niyayakap ang anak.

"What do you mean you're in love with a guy? Are you saying that you're a disgusting gay-shit like your brother, too?" biglang salita roon ni Bernard Altarejos. Agad na kumalas sa yakapan ang mag-ina sa sinabi ng ama. "That's bullshit. I don't have sons with mental disability. You're not gay, you love w-women and their fucking pussy. You're not like your disgusting brother. You're gonna marry a woman like Ulyssa and give us grandchildren. Just fucking no."

Bigla na lang natawa ni Luziano sa unahan nila. His laugh was full of sarcasm and fake humor.

"Jokes to you, old man," Luziano said as he points his finger to their father. "Headlines, both of your sons are homosexuals. You better suck it up or be salty about it until you die. Fuck your bullshit, we're out of here."

"I am so not marrying that woman. I am in love with Denryl, and that will never change," huling sabi ni Laurentius doon bago tumalikod at sinundan ang kapatid na na-una nang umalis.

Ang mga taong nandoon ay tumingin at naki-usyoso rin sa nangyayari. Most of them knows that Bernard Altarejos is very homophobic, even he disowned his eldest son because of it. Dahil nga sa komosyon, nagtawag ang iba ng guards baka bigla na lang mag-iskandalo ang sino sa kanila. They were too late, though.

"Why are your strides so big? Will you slow down?" inis na tanong ni Laurentius sa kapatid niya at naglakad sa tabi nito. "Where are you going?"

"I'm want to get laid and piston fuck someone until their hips breaks to relieve some of my stress," sagot nito sa kaniya, not even facing him. "You?"

"Going home to my boyfriend," aniya.

"It must be nice to call someone as your home and comfort."

"Yeah . . . it does. You can say I'm a lucky bastard."

xALPHA_SYRICx | SYRICH