The following days were filled with intense training sessions for the entire group. The workload increased significantly, with packed schedules leaving the boys spending nearly all their time in the practice room. They would rehearse until midnight, often not getting home until around 1 a.m.

Faris, with his foresight and extensive network thanks to Gus, had continuously sought out top-notch experts to support the group. From renowned music producers to talented choreographers, he invited them on board to train the members. Faris's strong investment created a professional and inspiring working environment.

Thanks to these experts' dedication and the members' relentless effort, the group made remarkable progress. Their choreography became more synchronized and powerful, and each song was refined day by day. The boys could clearly feel the positive changes within themselves and in their teamwork. They all poured their hearts and souls into their dreams and goals, determined to achieve what they desired in the future.

---

*Whooshhh~*

An arrow was drawn to its maximum tension on the bowstring, then quickly released and pierced the bullseye perfectly, piercing the center of a target 30 meters away.

The well-fitted sportswear, combined with the previous movements, perfectly highlighted every line of Faris's sturdy body.

"Again, boss? You already won and still nailed another bullseye! Not giving me any face at all?" - Gus, standing nearby, grumbled in frustration, but this wasn't the first time.

"Gotta finish all three rounds, right?" - Faris chuckled triumphantly, grabbing a water bottle as he sat beside Gus. Turning to him, he asked - "They really won't budge with us, huh?"

"Yeah, from what I see, Dansiri is way too arrogant. If we partner with them long-term, there will definitely be plenty of clashes!" - Gus looked helpless but his assessment was partly correct.

"Alright, let me reconsider. Maybe we can explore another option with Chiang Dao." - Faris seemed to have resolved. If one door closed, he'd find another. He quickly changed the subject - "By the way, the team you found for James is pretty spot on. Everyone's working really well together."

"Of course, with Gus on the job, how could it be bad!" - Gus replied confidently.

"Yeah, finally seeing your worth!" - Faris teased, gulping water just as Gus shot him another question.

"So, how's it going with him? Have you slept together yet?"

"Pffft~" - Faris's reaction said it all! Gus was very curious about his friend's first love who was always so focused on work. Gus had tried to set him up numerous times, but none had caught his eye.

"Kissed?" - Gus asked, eyebrows raised, but Faris just kept ignoring him. He tilted his head and asked again.

"Held hands?" *Silence*

"Still haven't?"

"Hey... hey, don't tell me you've just been watching that 'fresh meat' walk back and forth for months now?" - Gus asked incredulously.

"I'm not you!" - Faris shot back.

"Sigh...I'm telling you the truth, one day you'll get snatched out of your hand, don't call me, Mr. Faris!"- Gus, with his rich experience in love affairs, patted his boss's shoulder to 'reassure' him.

"Willows are weak yet they bind other wood... Oh well, someone like you wouldn't understand! Plus, I respect him!"

"But if it is too weak, you might lose him, boss!"

Although he said that, Faris couldn't help but ponder over it. Yet, with James so intensely focused on his training these days, Faris didn't want to be a distraction. For now, he simply wanted to be a steady support for James, allowing him to focus on his career without any worries, and that would be good enough, wouldn't it?

_

In recent weeks, Faris had been "conveniently" dropping James off at home more and more frequently, gradually becoming a habit. His messages often appeared as training was about to end, no matter if it was late at night or on a weekend afternoon like today. Was it just a coincidence?

"James, is practice almost over? I'm on my way home, I could give you a ride."

Those messages, when read over and over, didn't sound like questions at all, but more like firm offers. Could James consider himself a special customer of Illuminate, being picked up by the CEO so often?

James had always been a sensitive boy, with a keen understanding of those he cared for. It wasn't surprising that his feelings and intuitions were often sharper and more accurate than others.

Lately, these feelings were growing stronger, yet something compelled him to ignore the strange sensations Faris brought out in him. The little one let it happen naturally, neither resisting nor being too curious. But the clearest realization was that he didn't feel awkward around this man. And since when had he gotten used to waiting to see if Faris would "conveniently" stop by today...

"About 30 more minutes and we'll be done!" - James replied to the message.

"Alright, I'll be there right on time!" – In truth, Faris was already waiting outside.

.

James and the other members finally finished work. As James walked out, he was side by side with James Na, who had his arm casually draped around his shoulder, laughing together. Before leaving, James Na pulled him back and handed him something, lightly tapping the brim of James' cap. The kid seemed so happy, didn't he? Faris witnessed everything from the car.

James crossed the street towards the familiar car, opening the door without hesitation.

"P'Faris, what brought you here on a weekend?" James greeted cheerfully.

"I'm here to pick you up!" - The response was straightforward—no teasing, no joking. Should he ask about what James Na had handed him? That might seem weird.

"Can I treat Phi to dinner tonight?" - James assumed Faris was joking, so he didn't notice the seriousness in his expression. It was still early, so he wanted to invite Faris to dinner, as a thank you for giving him rides so many times.

"Why? James looks very happy today!" - Faris's mood brightened slightly when he heard James wanted to have dinner with him.

"No, it's because Phi has given me so many rides, I should show some appreciation, right?" - Seeing him nod without answering, James asked again - "Or is Phi busy today? If you're busy, another day is fine?"

"No... I'm free. But, how about I choose the place?" - In reality, Faris was busy—busy considering the list of restaurants he had in mind to take James to.

"Sure! Deal!"

.

The Porsche stopped in front of a quaint small restaurant named MONIC (Meet the unique tastes of Menorca), a place that wasn't too luxurious, looking very cozy. The outside seemed simple, but when stepping inside, the interior was filled with a romantic and modern ambiance retaining the unique Mediterranean charm.

Warm yellow light enveloped the entire space, interspersed with modern and abstract art paintings - exactly James's style. The most surprising aspect for him, though, was the fact that the restaurant was filled entirely with couples on dates. Indeed, this was one of the spots Faris had long wanted to bring James to, believing that the cozy atmosphere was perfect for conversations.

James was visibly delighted by the relaxed setting, thinking Faris would have chosen a Michelin-starred, 5-star restaurant instead. Now, he couldn't help but fall in love with the place, wanting to learn more about its origins.

"This is a Mediterranean-style restaurant, designed to resemble a local eatery on the Spanish island of Menorca. I hope James likes it!" - Faris introduced, as he remembered James had once said he wanted to try many different cuisines, right?

James looked around, his eyes full of curiosity - "I love it! I always thought European food was only available in fancy restaurants!" - The two were led to a reserved table, Faris pulled out the chair for him, and James thanked him softly and sat down. Even the waiter sensed the 'atmosphere' between them.

"Glad you like it. Alright, let me order for us."

"Please feel free, sir. Today we have a special promotion for couples. When you order the Caldereta de llagosta for two, you will receive two cups of Leche merengada." - The waiter advised enthusiastically.

*Caldereta de llagosta: lobster stew
*Leche merengada: a typical Spanish dessert made with milk, egg whites, sugar, and cinnamon.

Hearing the word "couple" made James blush for a few seconds.

"Yes, we'll have that dish, but could you make it less spicy? And can you help me change the Leche Merengada to a Sangria Cocktail?" - Faris carefully requested.

"Of course, sir!"

Faris quickly selected a few more signature Menorcan dishes. When the vibrant Sangria cocktails arrived, showcasing the deep red of wine, the yellow of pineapples, the green of apples, and the white of pears, James tasted it and couldn't stop praising the drink. After being infused with various fruits, the wine's bitterness softened into a smooth, sweet freshness.

"Why did you switch to this drink earlier? It's really delicious, Phi!" - He kept complimenting the drink.

"That one has milk as the main ingredient. Aren't you allergic to milk?" - Faris asked, his tone more assertive than questioning.

"How did you know?" James was genuinely surprised.

"Because I really care!" - He looked into the kid's eyes, somewhere there was a hint of sincerity.

This time, Faris made no effort to hide his feelings. James felt embarrassed a little but couldn't resist the warmth in Faris's smile and gaze. Receiving such a sudden answer, he took another sip to distract himself from that straightforward answer.

Seeing that adorable expression again, Faris smiled softly, took his glass, and clinked it against James's glass. The clinking sound was clear, carrying the subtle vibration from Faris's hand to his glass, then to James's and finally making James's lips tremble slightly, quietly awakening the feelings that were smoldering inside.

At that moment, the food was served. James silently thanked the waiter, silently thanking the yellow bulbs here in the room for helping him hide the 'two red tomatoes' on his cheeks.

The table was full of attractive colors from the dishes he had ordered, each dish at first glance was enough to awaken all of his senses. The Sobrassada with its spicy, rich flavor began the meal, followed by the hearty lobster stew Caldereta de llagosta and the golden paella with seafood. Each dish gave him an unforgettable and utterly satisfying experience.

Tonight had truly been a wonderful culinary adventure for James. As they enjoyed the dessert—spiral-shaped pastries—Faris received a phone call. Instead of stepping outside, he chose to stay and talk right at the table. James tried not to eavesdrop, but Faris's tone with his mother was so soft and sweet that it caught his attention. After talking for a while, James vaguely heard:

"Mae... I really can't."

"Why are you so insistent?"

"When the time comes, I'll bring him home!"

James kept telling himself that he wasn't curious—it was just that the conversation was so loud. Still, his ears were clearly tuned into the man talking nearby. He caught:

"Alright, I'm with him right now, mae, just wait a minute!" - James was startled, was this part related to him? He quickly turned to see Faris whispering:

"Mae wants me to bring my lover home; otherwise, she'll push me into a blind date tomorrow. Please help me out this time, will you?!" - Before James could even process what was happening, Faris had already put his phone on speaker and held it up to James, signaling, "Mae's listening. Say something."

Thankfully, all his years of acting experience came in handy at that moment. But why was he feeling a bit nervous?

"Ahh... yes, hello, ma'am!" - James said politely, his eyes wide as he glanced at Faris while keeping his tone gentle.

"Oh, hello, dear! So lovely to finally speak with Ja... Ah, what's your name? Why didn't Faris tell me about you sooner?" - The lady on the other end sounded very cheerful, while James was surprised and thought - 'Why isn't she surprised that her son's lover is also a man?'

"My name's James, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you!" - He said, accidentally using his real name without thinking.

"Oh, what a lovely name! How long have you two been together?" - The lady on the other end further confirmed her thoughts.

"Four years—uh, no, four months!" - James stuttered, trying to correct himself while Faris couldn't help but smile.

"Haha, that's so cute. When you have a chance, come visit me, I really want to meet James!" - The lady laughed happily, completely unaware of his embarrassment.

"Ya...yes, of course. Once we're more settled, we'll visit you, ma'am." - It seemed like he was saying more and more wrong things.

"Great, come over during the next holiday na?!" - Faris's mother quickly sealed the deal.

"Sure, of course!"

Oh... James had slipped up, his heart was pounding like a drum. He didn't expect to agree so quickly, but now it was too late to refuse.

'What should I do????' - James turned to Faris, whispering in a panic.

But all he got was a shrug from him - 'You said it yourself, I didn't force you!' - The mother-son duo had successfully cornered him into the only option left—continuing to pretend to be Faris's boyfriend

"That's wonderful! Alright, I won't interrupt your date any longer. Goodbye, James!" - Faris's mother said before hanging up. This left James still reeling, while Faris couldn't help but burst into laughter at how adorable James was in that moment. He reached over, flicked James' forehead lightly to make him look at him and said:

"Don't worry, I'll talk to mae again. You don't have to come if you don't want to!"

"Really?" - Slightly relieved, however, he said - "But... wouldn't that just disappoint her even more?"

The truth was, James couldn't bear to hurt someone like that. He deeply cared for his own mother and understood how important it was not to make her sad. He knew that Faris felt the same way, so he decided to continue acting in this play, to make her a bit happier. They could always find the right moment to explain things later—it was better than crushing her hopes right now.

While James was lost in thought, Faris watched him intently, thinking - 'This soft-hearted kid, you just can't say no, can you?' - Finally, James spoke up:

"I think it's fine, just this once. Later on, you can find a good time to tell her, and it won't be too late..."

"Thank you so much.... James!" - Faris said, silently thanking his mother as well....

The fact that Faris was pursuing someone and that it was a man, wasn't news to his mother.

At first, she was utterly shocked; sometimes, she couldn't wrap her head around the idea of her future "daughter-in-law" being another boy. But since Faris was her only child, she didn't want to sever the bond between them. So, she chose to try accepting it just once—it couldn't be that hard, right?

She was genuinely happy that Faris chose to confide in her. Beyond simply supporting him, she never wanted to do anything that might hurt her son. From the stories Faris had shared, she knew about a boy named James and even looked him up on social media. He was indeed a sweet young man, and after speaking with him today, she found him even more endearing. But she also noticed James's awkwardness, which made her realize just how slow her son was at making a move!

"This time, mae will have to take action!!"

_