Four years had passed since then.
After Athan smiled and told Shawn he was glad to see him again, he left England and followed Knox to Australia despite the disapproval they made no effort to hide. Shawn had to go back home, but from time to time, Athan would send a picture of him and Knox, and later with a newborn baby, to him.
Knox remained his friend, and Athan contacted him as often as he could. He declared that he had no intention of marrying him just because of their families' arrangement, so Shawn was at peace. If Athan doesn't want to marry him, then, there is nothing he should worry about. As long as the engagement remained vague, his father would not search for another prospective son-in-law and Shawn gets to do what he wants in the meantime.
Not until that day.