All Chapters of Love In The Gray: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

— Sixteen years ago.The sun shone brightly over the wide field. Children ran and laughed as they played, their joy filling the air. Seven-year-old Tristan sat alone at the edge of the field, his head bowed as he traced shapes in the dirt with his finger. His long hair, tied in a single ponytail that hung down his back, gave him a delicate, almost girlish appearance. He preferred being by himself—always had.His aunt’s words from the day before echoed in his mind: “You’ll get used to it here. Just give it time.” But Tristan doubted he ever would. Even though his stay here wasn’t permanent, he couldn’t imagine this place ever feeling like home.As he focused on his drawings, a soccer ball rolled toward him, coming to a stop just in front of his feet. He looked up, his gaze shifting to the boy running toward him."Pass the ball," the boy said with a big smile. Tristan didn’t respond. He simply stared at the boy, then at the ball, making no move to pass it. Without waiting, the boy jog

— Present Day.Aiden sat upright on the bed as Tristan explained the whole event.His swollen eyes locked onto Tristan, the weight of everything finally sinking in. Tristan's words echoed in his mind, yet he couldn’t fully grasp their meaning—at least, not yet. "Since when did you know I’m 'that' Aiden?" Aiden’s voice was steady, though there was an underlying bitterness that was hard to ignore. He stared at Tristan, searching for some kind of answer, something that could explain the twisted situation they found themselves in. Tristan hesitated for a moment, looking as if the truth pained him. "From the start. From the moment I was transferred to our high school," he admitted, his gaze dropping to the floor. "When Mom got engaged, I moved here. A month later, I found out. If I’d known earlier... maybe I would’ve tried to explain things to my mom... and to your Dad." Aiden’s expression hardened, a slow, controlled anger rising inside him. "You knew a month after being transferred

“It hurts… I’m in pain,” he whispered, his voice breaking as the sobs overtook him. “Aiden is so mad at me.”Belinda pulled him into a comforting embrace, gently patting his back as his tears soaked into her shoulder.Tristan hiccupped like a child, unable to hold back his sobs. After a moment, Belinda pulled away from the hug and cupped his face in her hands. She gently wiped his tears with her thumbs, her touch tender.She looked at him, her heart aching. This was the boy she had cared for most of his life, someone who felt like more than family to her. Seeing him so broken hurt in a way she couldn’t put into words.The last time she had seen him cry like this was sixteen years ago… when he was suddenly called home and didn’t get the chance to say a proper goodbye to Aiden.“What can I do to fix this?” she whispered, more to herself than to him.Tristan gently pulled her hands away from his face. “What can we do, Aunt? Mom’s already married to his dad. What are we supposed to do....

The room was quiet except for the thud of bags landing on the study desk and the soft shuffle of footsteps. Troy walked ahead, his face calm and unreadable, while Eric followed silently. Eric was worried—Troy hadn’t spoken to him since the confrontation with his ex. But he didn’t think Troy was angry. After all, Troy had kissed him afterward. So, what was wrong? The silence felt heavy, making Eric uneasy. He didn’t like this quiet version of Troy, unsure if it meant he was pretending to be annoyed or truly upset.Troy kicked off his shoes and made his way toward his bed, ready to escape under the sheets. But as he moved to lay down, Eric grabbed his wrist, pulling him closer with surprising strength. Before Troy could protest, Eric’s other arm snaked firmly around his waist, holding him in place. "Thank you," Eric said softly, his voice a little rough, almost vulnerable. "For what?" Troy replied, feigning annoyance."For not getting angry at someone like me." Eric's gaze lowered

"You’re such a pain," Tristan said softly, a small smile forming on his lips as he held Aiden closer, one hand gently stroking his hair. "A pain I just can’t cure. One I’m addicted to." He hugged Aiden even tighter, as if to keep him from slipping away. As they slowly pulled back from the hug, Aiden’s bottom lip pushed forward in a soft pout, his brows slightly furrowed like a child waiting for attention. Tristan couldn’t help but smile at the sight, leaning in to place a quick, feather-light kiss on Aiden’s lips. It was brief, but it was enough to make Aiden’s pout fade into a quiet, satisfied grin. Tristan sat on the bench at the rooftop and Aiden lay sprawled across Tristan’s lap, his head resting comfortably as a gentle breeze swept over them."Exams are next week," Tristan began, his fingers absentmindedly brushing through Aiden’s hair. "The day right before the big match."Aiden turned his head to look up at Tristan. "I heard," he muttered."What’s next on your agenda after