Family matters are always complicated and complex, especially if no one wants to talk about it. But, the moment Brett Yang and Eddy Chen talk about it, all hell breaks loose, in a good way. It feels like imprisonment and release at the same time.

a/n: sorry everyone for ghosting this book! But I am back with 4.8 k mess of a fic. It's longer than usual and I hope you enjoy it! An update or two of None But The Lonely Heart may come soon, maybe towards the end of the month. Thank you for the support!

Third Person POV

Jean Yang never really questioned why his father had him and raised him alone. It was never really something that bothered him because he understood why his father might not date other people. What confuses him though, is even if his father was present, he didn't exactly feel complete with him.

It seemed like there was a certain distance between Brett and Jean that he could never really explain. Don't get him wrong, Jean knew his father loved him. Sometimes, it feels like a part of him is still missing. His only excuse is that he didn't really meet his mom, that's why a part of him was still missing.

Brett and Jean were on their way to his uncle Eddy's apartment. There were days where Eddy seemed more present in his life than his father was, but he couldn't really crucify his father much. His father was always trying and always gave him exactly what he wanted and needed. His father just showed love differently than Eddy did.

It might also be the natural barrier between a parent and their teen child. Of course Jean would feel awkward to talk to Brett about some matters and that's why Eddy was there for the awkward conversations and questions.

Eddy approached them by his door and greeted both of them with a hug. Brett and Jean knew this routine too well. They always had experienced it ever since Jean was born. Brett had experienced this before Jean was born, even.

Brett and Eddy had been doing YouTube for quite some time now. It became the reason why Brett was able to provide for his son well. It was also the reason why Jean got close to Eddy.

"Brett, did you talk to our editors with regards to the video we'll upload on Thursday?" Eddy asked as he went to the kitchen to give Jean water.

Brett and Jean sat down the couch as Eddy was approaching them. Brett nodded and Eddy seemed happy about the answer.

"Jean, we'll just film for a while, is that okay with you?" Brett asked.

"Yes, it's okay. I'll either study or read something, anyway." He answered back, smiling at his father.

"Okay, thank you Jean. If you need anything just grab it. Eddy couldn't be mad at you even if you stole the entirety of this flat." Brett joked, which got him a slap from the back of his head from Eddy.

"I mean, not like I'll make an effort to stop you but I do need a place to live in." Eddy replied.

"You could live in the house with papa. You've done it in Singapore, you could do it here again." Jean joked back at Eddy, smiling at him.

Brett nervously chuckled at that. Jean looked at him with a confused look and Brett immediately had to defend himself.

"If you're living here then you get no support from us." Brett joked back.

"I could sell some of your things for a huge amount of money. Especially that old violin of yours, papa. It's a nice Scrollavezza too." Jean threateningly said.

Brett fake gasped, pretending to be offended at the statement. Eddy just laughed at Brett's response.

"That violin is still perfectly fine. That will be my wedding gift and inheritance for you."

"Papa, you have a lot of nice and expensive shit but you give me that violin as an inheritance? I get the sentimental value but not the monetary value." Jean cackled.

They all shared cheerful laughs across the apartment. But sadly, Brett and Eddy did have to film in order to finish early. Their schedules have changed but one thing was certain. They still loved what they were doing. They will never stop loving TwoSet and the impact it had on everyone.

When they were done filming for the day, Brett and Eddy found Jean asleep on the couch. Eddy grabbed a blanket from his drawers and draped it over Jean's sleeping figure. Brett looked away, saying that he would order dinner for them.

Once Brett was done, he settled on the dining table since Jean was occupying the entirety of the couch. Eddy was already sat there, using his phone. Brett sat down and Eddy looked at him.

"Why don't you find a nice girl for yourself and Jean, Brett?" Eddy asked as he leaned back his chair.

"I don't really want someone else to worry about, you know? There's Jean, there's my family and even you. Besides, our friends also told us that they can never picture me getting married. To be honest, though? I can't see myself marrying someone too." Brett replied carefully, wishing that the longing behind his eyes couldn't be read.

"Have you ever even liked someone seriously? I feel like I haven't seen you with anyone nor see you actively try to pursue someone." Eddy started.

Jean woke up to the sound of that question but he still pretended to be asleep.

"I have but it didn't really work out." Brett replied.

"Did you pursue this person, at least?"

"Not really, no."

"Why didn't you?"

"They were always with someone else every single time I had the courage to tell them. So, after the third time, I really didn't take a chance on it." Brett thoughtfully said. "What's the sudden interest in my love life, though?" He asked, chuckling at Eddy.

"I could feel that you're lonely, Brett. Yes, you are contented and happy, you have no complaints about the life you built for you and Jean but it is heavy carrying all the weight of what's inside your mind." Eddy replied thoughtfully, too.

"That's the thing, though... I feel like I'm not worthy enough to share that weight with someone else." Brett spoke honestly and Eddy felt the shift in the atmosphere.

The doorbell rang before Brett could respond and he was happy about that. Saved by the doorbell, as always. That was the first time Jean heard his father spoke his feelings about dating.

He liked someone before but never pursued it, why and who? Jean thought to himself, still pretending to be asleep.

He paid for the food and set it all on the table. He got Korean fried chicken, rice and honey citron iced tea for all of them. Eddy was looking at him with a knowing look while Brett avoided it to wake Jean up.

Jean heard the footsteps of his father going towards him. He didn't immediately get up when his father woke him up. It would be too obvious if he did so. After a minute of shaking Jean awake, they were on their way to the dining table. Dinner was comfortably silent until Eddy spoke up.

"I met someone..." He started.

Brett didn't budge much while Jean's eyes lit up.

"Really, how is it going then?" Jean asked quietly.

"Yeah, how is it?" Brett parroted.

"I told you guys, because I was thinking of proposing. So yeah, it's going well." Eddy smiled.

"That's great, uncle Eddy! You don't have to live in this dumpy flat alone anymore. It might also be cleaner when they come around." Jean joked.

"Shut up and eat Jean." Eddy joked back.

Brett really couldn't say anything as of the moment. He was soothing the pain first then conjuring up words to say.

"Bro, you didn't tell me you met someone. How long have you been together?" Brett asked, wishing his voice didn't falter.

"We've been together for almost a year now. 10 months, to be exact."

"You're gonna propose in your first anniversary?" Jean asked.

"Yeah, so I don't have to remember multiple dates for anniversaries and such." Eddy joked.

"Oh, is this why you were interrogating me about my love life a while ago?" Brett joked. "Don't worry man, I won't be mad when we don't marry at the same time." He added, laughing a little.

"Yes but also no. I want you to have someone to love you and someone you'll love back. Jean's growing up and I'll probably have a family of my own soon enough. Not that we might not have the time for you, but we won't also be available all the time." Eddy said.

"Thanks for the concern Eddy, but I'm telling you, I'll be fine without a partner. If someone comes, that's great. If there isn't anyone, that's fine too." Brett replied.

The rest of the conversations that night were a blur. Brett and Jean were in the car ride back home.

"Papa, are you somehow asexual or aromantic?" Jean asked out of the blue.

"I'm not really sure... I haven't dated anyone to see if I am ace or aro. Not that I need to date to know, but yeah, I'm really not sure." Brett replied.

They arrived and came out of the car. Brett was locking the car doors while Jean was waiting.

"What do you mean you never dated anyone? So, my mom wasn't your girlfriend? Was she just a hookup?" Jean asked.

He suddenly realized. He never really asker about his mother. Brett was frozen but answered.

"I don't wanna do this without Eddy's consent but you have to know." Brett answered, opening their door.

"Have to know what, Pa?" Jean asked.

Brett took off his shoes and immediately went to his bedroom. The drawer that was always locked was now opened. Jean followed suit.

"Your mom wasn't my girlfriend or a hookup. She was Eddy's fiancee." Brett explained, looking at the photos of her with Eddy.

"You got uncle Eddy's fiancee pregnant? Pa, you're a bad friend." Jean said sadly, looking at his mother intently.

"No, I didn't get her pregnant, Jean..."

"Then who is my father, pa?"

"Jean, Eddy's your father..."

"Why do I have your last name, then? Why didn't he take me in and why didn't you let me meet my mother?" Jean asked continously, tears spilling down his face.

"It's a long story but I'll summarize it for you to answer your questions first. Eddy and Joanie, your mother, were together since they were 18. Eddy proposed to her at 23 and found out she was pregnant the same year. Eddy was so happy to have a child and so was she." Brett said, pointing at the picture of Eddy and a pregnant Joanie, it seemed like they were playing a duet for the piano and violin.

Jean didn't say anything else but urged Brett to continue.

"She had you but died because of childbirth. She knew she had the risk of dying but she told the doctor to put you first. The doctor did as she told but Eddy was so angry and devastated. I know he wanted you but he wasn't in the right state of mind and circumstance to raise a child." Brett said, recalling exactly their argument about it.

"Before she died, she talked to me about adopting you. She asked to make legal documents in case Eddy really can't care for you. I didn't want you to take my last name but she requested it. She asked me to tell you when you understand. And I'm sure you do now." Brett finished.

"I'm sorry if you hate me, Jean... I know I wasn't exactly the most attentive parent you could ever have but I'm glad you are my child..." Brett added while Jean was just crying.

"I'm sorry, I don't really know what to say or call you right now." Jean hiccupped.

"It's okay Jean... Do you wanna be held?" Brett asked gently.

"Please..." Jean replied weakly, resting his weight on Brett.

Brett held Jean close to him, allowing the boy to process and cry completely. He didn't need to say anything, he just wanted to be there for Jean.

"Thank you, papa. For taking me in and raising me as if I was your own child..." Jean sobbed, holding Brett tighter.

"But, you are my own child. Don't you dare think otherwise for a second of your life..."

Brett placed Jean on his bed as he fetched water and painkillers. He gave them to Jean and Jean immediately takes both. Brett knew that he would have a headache after crying. That's how Eddy was too, after crying.

Once both of them had settled down, Brett wanted to entertain questions that Jean might have.

"Papa, why did my mother ask you to adopt me instead of her other family members?"

"Your mother doesn't have other family members. She was put in the adoption system at the age of 10 because all her family died on a car crash. She didn't want you to experience that. I didn't want you to experience that as well. So, she said that I was the only one, besides Eddy, to raise you and take care of you. All the legal documents were prepared in case Eddy really couldn't care for you properly."

"It kind of makes sense that uncle Eddy is my father, honestly. I have a strong bond with you but there was something different with him."

"Of course. That is a child's intuition after all."

"Pa, I'm 14, not a child."

"Whatever you say, Jean."

It was quiet for a while. Jean was lying on Brett's bed and Brett was next to him. Both were just staring at the ceiling.

"Pa, how come it was so easy for you to take uncle Eddy's responsibility? I know you guys are best friends but typical male best friends don't do that so effortlessly. It was like you carried all that at a young age just to what, spare your best friend the pain? I don't think I'd be able to do that for anyone, honestly..." Jean started, still looking up at the ceiling.

"It was mostly for you. Yes, I was young but my state of mind and circumstance is much better than Eddy's at the time. I really couldn't imagine losing the one you love..."

"Papa, I overheard you and uncle Eddy's conversation about your love life. I didn't wanna intrude but you said that every single time you were brave enough to pursue the one you love, they were always with someone else... Why did you give up after the third time?"

"The person, um, got engaged and was happy, so I never really tried after that."

It was silent until Jean put two and two together.

"You were in love with uncle Eddy." Jean almost screamed, the epiphany arrived at him.

"Um, yeah..." Brett replied, scratching the back of his neck.

"It made sense, the way you look at him, the things you do for him and even the way you talk around him... You've been in love with him all these years!"

"Shh, I don't need the whole world knowing that!" Brett almost shrieked in horror.

"That's why it was so easy for you to take me in! I told you no one would do that the same way you did."

"Don't be too excited. You just found out your adopted, no one is ever that excited." Brett joked.

"How come you don't tell him again?"

"No, that would probably be a bad idea. He was already set on proposing to the one he is with. I don't wanna jeopardize that." Brett said as he chuckled nervously.

"You have a point but you have to let him know someday... You saved him so many times already, you have to get that weight off." Jean coaxed.

"I'll just let him know when I'm not in love with him that way anymore... I can't just go to him and say 'hey, you've been my best friend for over 20 years and I'm so in love with you that when the mother of your child asked me 14 years ago to adopt your child when you can't take care of him and I did even though I was so scared shitless about being a father during my mid 20s. But I took him in anyway and the night you cradled your child and you were looking at your child lovingly, I wish that you could look at me like that for even at least once in your life. I swear I'd leave you alone if you don't feel the same way.' Now, can I?" Brett said, laughing at the absurdity of the statement.

"Pa, you've been a martyr for love for far too long. But you said you gave up after the third try, when was the two other tries?"

"I realized that I liked him after a year of our friendship. I was fifteen at the time and he was fourteen. There was this girl he really adored when I was about to tell him of my crush. The next one is when he was eighteen and I was nineteen, he just met Joanie and they got together after a few months."

"I thought the Eddy and Joanie thing was the third one?"

"It was, but there wasn't exactly someone else he loved. There was a night where I took you home to the place where we first lived as I was raising you. He asked to hold you and he was looking at you the way he looked at Joanie. It made me happy and sad, at the same time. Happy because he could look at someone like that again and sad because I could never be the recieving end of that look. So, that was when I gave up trying to pursue him." Brett explained.

"Papa, how was my mother like?"

"She was always so kind and caring. She never made me feel like I wasn't important to her. She always made me feel like I was as important as Eddy in her life. Maybe I was. She was so selfless and giving. You look exactly like them too. You got both of their good features but you did get Eddy's ability to be allergic to dust. You got your mother's gentleness and her walk." Brett said.

"It's nice hearing about how my mom was always like how I imagined her to be."

"I'm glad she's your mom, too."

"How do you plan on telling uncle Eddy that you told me the truth?"

"I'll just wait it out until his proposal. He might get distracted if I tell him eventually. So, don't act so weird towards him for now, if that's okay with you..."

"Of course."

Brett's phone vibrated, almost making them jump up.

"Speak of the devil..."

Brett picked up the phone and they talked for a while. Jean looked at him with a knowing smirk. Brett covered the lower portion of his phone and asked Jean if he wanted to go with Eddy on a Friday night. He answered yes.

They spend the rest of the night talking until the sunrise appeared. Brett called up the school to let them know that Jean will be absent. Jean feels closer to his father.

- - - - -

Friday night arrived faster for Jean. He was a little nervous for what was to come but he didn't mind. He could ask a few questions about Brett and maybe even Eddy. He thought he knew Eddy, but suddenly, it feels like he's a completely different person. He doesn't really know what to feel about it.

"Uncle Eddy, was papa always like this?" Jean asked out of the blue while they were walking around the mall.

"Always like what?" Eddy asked back.

"Self-sacrificing... I always thought that he was a bit distant. But, he did raise me at a young age..." Jean started.

"He always did that, especially for those he loved. Maybe it's the reason he doesn't have a significant other. He feels like he shouldn't have someone that devotes so much of them solely to him."

"But that's exactly what he deserves."

"Exactly, and he says I'm the stubborn one!" Eddy exclaimed

"Right? He always scolds me but when it comes to himself, he ignores it." Jean said.

There was a moment of silence between them. They sat down on a cafe and Eddy got him something to drink. Jean observed the way Eddy moved. Once their drinks and cakes were served, Jean couldn't help but asked.

"I love hanging out with you, uncle Eddy. But this was too abrupt, even for you." Jean started.

"Woah, you are observant... But yeah, remember the one I met? We broke up exactly after that dinner we had. When I was ready to propose, too." Eddy said sadly.

"I'm really sorry for that... I shouldn't have asked." Jean apologized.