“No way I’m leaving Baekhyun’s side for the whole two weeks.” Chanyeol’s voice dropped an octave lower. His face showed raw dissatifaction toward Kris’ bargain for the situation they currently handling right now.

“Better than bringing him along with you to some of the most dangerous dungeons in the world,” Kris said calmly, a striking contrast to Chanyeol’s furious one.

Chanyeol cursed under his breath. He hated to admit that his consigliere was right this time. He needed to go around the world to beg for people’s help, selling himself—his dignity—and deep down, he knew it was impossible for him to bring Baekhyun along with him. But he wasn’t willing to leave Baekhyun here either, every space in this world where Baekhyun wasn’t in the distance of his reach was dangerous.

But Kris was there to knock some sense into him. Baekhyun can’t come with him. It was too risky.

“Chanyeol, let me say this.” Now Jongin, who since the beginning only listened to the two elder men, got up from his seat. “He’ll be right under my protection. No need to worry.”

Chanyeol wasn’t worried, he was scared. He was so confident yesterday when he assured Baekhyun that everything was going to be okay. It was not. The upcoming thirty days would be tough.

One month.

Chanyeol only had one month to finish the he—or rather, his father—had started.

His aim for now was to go around the world, visiting his long lost family of Yakuza, Bratva, Sinaloa, and other mafia in the world to help him. He still didn’t know what kind of help he longed to get, he didn’t know what he would give to them so they would help him either.

Like Kris said, he was bargaining here. A dangerous bargain. One that had Baekhyun’s life on the line. And that was what he scared the most.

He didn’t like the thought that he was bargaining Baekhyun’s life.

Chanyeol’s train of thought was snapped when he heard a series of knocks of his workroom door. His eyebrows drew together in the middle as Kris began to stroll down the room to open the door.

The knocks were still going until Kris clicked the door open. Chanyeol can’t see who was knocking because Kris’ big and tall frame blocked the view outside the room. But Chanyeol’s question was quickly answered by Kris’ surprised scream.

“Master Baekhyun?”

Hearing the name of the source of his headache since this early morning, Chanyeol’s ears perked up. What the hell is Baekhyun doing here?

“Hello, Kris. Good morning,” Baekhyun’s cheerful voice resonated from outside.

Chanyeol can’t see Baekhyun at all, and he didn’t know if he should blame the tallness of his consigliere or the shortness of his husband.

“Can I see Chanyeol, please?”

Alerted, Chanyeol rose up from his seat, but Jongin beat him to it and already stood beside Kris. “Is there something wrong?” Jongin asked. “Whoa, Baekhyun Hyung, what a sight.”

Jongin’s last statement had snapped Chanyeol’s patience completely. He tsked before he himself walked around his large wooden desk to see what the hell was happening.

“I need to see Chanyeol.”

“I’m sorry, Master. But we’re in the middle of serious talk,” Kris explained.

“It’ll only take two minutes,” Baekhyun pleaded, whining, and Chanyeol felt irritated because of Jongin and Kris’ tall height, he can’t see Baekhyun’s cute pleading face.

“Master, with all due respects—“

“Let him in,” Chanyeol said when he finally neared the three arguing people.

The perks of being a don, people never questioned his order, just like right now, Kris and Jongin quickly stepped aside, and Chanyeol was soon met with Baekhyun, and his eyes immediately popped wide open as he registered what Baekhyun was wearing.

What the hell?

“Why in the goddamn world are you wearing a bathrobe, Baekhyun?” Chanyeol’s voice raised. An intense feeling of possessiveness washed over him, and all he wanted to do right now was ripping everyone’s eyeballs out of their sockets. “Everyone. Out. Now.” Chanyeol growled each word as he shoved between Kris and Jongin, and grabbed Baekhyun’s wrist so he could hide Baekhyun away from everyone.

It only took less than 3 seconds before they finally left alone in Chanyeol’s workroom. Baekhyun was standing in front of him, only wearing a thick white bathrobe, and the little master didn’t seem to think that it was out of ordinary at all.

Chanyeol closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed to control his primitive sense of possessiveness for now. He opened his eyes and began to speak, “Baekhyun, why are you still in your bathrobe? Wait, why Kyungsoo even let you out of the room without wearing your suit?”

Baekhyun, with his black hair still a little bit damped from his shower, grinned so wide it could break his face. “Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk about with you.”

Chanyeol crooked his eyebrows, “What?”

“You see, I don’t like wearing suits, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol sighed. “How many time should I tell you that’s the rule here?”

“I’m not done yet. I know that it’s the tradition here. But I hate it to the core. It’s such a stupid rule.” Baekhyun brought his hands to his chest and began to show exaggerated expression.

“Alright,” Chanyeol crossed his arms. “And I believe you have something to say about that?”

“Yep, I want to give you a bargain.”

Chanyeol hated the hell out of that word. Bargain.

Chanyeol had a feeling that he wouldn’t like whatever Baekhyun had to offer to him. So he braced himself as he nodded, giving his husband permission to speak.

Baekhyun’s smile was slow before he opened his mouth. “I’ll wear suits, if they are colorful.”

Chanyeol’s response was even slower. Did he hear his husband right? “I’m sorry, what?”

Chanyeol’s expression must be pretty funny because laughter burst from Baekhyun’s lips, and the master reached for Chanyeol’s shoulders, making Chanyeol go stiff for a few seconds. “You guys always wear black suits. God, how boring is that?” Baekhyun asked the hypotethical question as he traced the line of Chanyeol’s black suits.

“So you want colorful suits?”

“Yeah, like blue or green or yellow.”

Chanyeol was torn between wanting to laugh or pinch his husband’s cheeks. His husband was never gonna stop surprising him, wasn’t he?

“You seriously want colorful suits?” Chanyeol repeated his question. “Or are you just trying to kid me?”

Hearing Chanyeol’s response, Baekhyun’s face turned sour and the little master folded his arms on his chest, mirroring Chanyeol’s posture. “Are there any traces on my face that I’m kidding?”

Chanyeol smiled. “No.”

“That,” Baekhyun took one step forward, as if challenging the don. “Or I’ll never wear suits.”

Chanyeol squeezed his eyes shut for a second, then opened them again and fixed his gaze at his bare faced husband. Baekhyun looked so innocent and pretty like this, making him want to kiss him again, this time preferably on his lips, but it could wait, Chanyeol had more pressing matter to handle now.

“If it stops you from wandering around the place with only bathrobe covering you, then fine.” Chanyeol exhaled. “God, Baekhyun, what were you thinking? Do you even wear something underneath?”

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped open, his eyes widening. “I beg your pardon? Whoa, stop your thoughts right there, sir.” Baekhyun stepped backwards, somehow his hands traveled to his chest, trying to cover the exposed area with his bathrobe. “Of course, I’m wearing... something.”

The image of Baekhyun not wearing anything underneath was enough to make Chanyeol’s throat go dry. He shook his head to get rid of the rated mental image before it got even wilder. “Jesus christ,” Chanyeol cursed and his voice came out rusty. He turned around and quickly went for his phone to call the person he chose to take care of his husband. “Kyungsoo? Can you get Baekhyun something to wear? Yeah, his suit. Thank you.”

When Chanyeol turned around again, Baekhyun was already fuming. “I don’t want to wear suit.”

Chanyeol usually hated childish people. But Baekhyun’s way of act was surprisingly endearing to him. He had to press down the urge to hold his husband and baby him. “Just for today, wear your normal suit. Starting tomorrow, you could wear whatever suits you want. Do we have a deal?”

Baekhyun’s eyes twinkled, and Chanyeol could tell that the master was happy and excited. But it was obvious that Baekhyun didn’t want to show it. “Okay,” Baekhyun said, with a surpressed smile.

~

It didn’t take long for Kyungsoo to come. Baekhyun was not permitted to get out of Chanyeol’s workroom with only his bathrobe, and the boss had insisted that he could change his clothes in his restroom. Baekhyun willingly changed there because Chanyeol had agreed to his bargain. If the boss had lower down the hundred years of rule for him, Baekhyun would do anything .

“You still mad at me?” Baekhyun asked as Kyungsoo put a black tie around his collar.

“Of course I’m still mad at you,” Kyungsoo growled and Baekhyun was grateful that his servant wasn’t channeling his anger to his grip on his tie or else he’ll die now. “No body walk out on me like that, Master. Especially when I was in the process of grooming them.”

Baekhyun cringed at the title. Kyungsoo was really pissed. “I’m sorry. But it won’t happen again. Chanyeol said from now on I could wear whatever suits I want.”

“Of course he would allow you,” Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, but his lips were taking a shape to something akin like a smile. “He’s hella whipped.”

Baekhyun’s initial bright expression faded, replaced by a beet red shade. “No, he’s not.”

“Trust me,” Kyungsoo bit his words out as he tightened his master’s tie. “He’s smiling a lot more in these few days than that one hell of a month before you came.”

Something squeezed in Baekhyun’s chest, and he huffed out a forced laugh. “Maybe I’m just fun to be with.”

“Whether he likes you or not, romantically or platonically, I can’t really say. But one thing I’m sure of,” Kyungsoo planted his hands on Baekhyun’s shoulders. “He likes having you around. You’re a good influence for him, for his sanity. Hell, you’re a good influence for all of us.”

Baekhyun wasn’t usually speechless, but now, he was too busy getting rid of unnecessary flutters in his stomach, which weirdly had been there since yesterday after the “talk” with Chanyeol.

“Anyway, you’re done,” Kyungsoo cleared his throat. “Such a shame. You look really good in black suits, Baekhyun.”

A wave of relief waved over Baekhyun at the change of subject. He tried to force a smile one more time. “You’re going to love me in colorful clothes.”

“Nu-uh, not me.” Kyungsoo almost opened the door of the restroom, but not until he gave Baekhyun his playful smirk. “But Chanyeol probably would.”

*

When Baekhyun came out of Chanyeol’s bathroom, already with his complete black suit look, Chanyeol was alone no more, he was with Kris and Jongin. His previous kinda-soft look on his face was long gone, Baekhyun realized. Chanyeol was not his husband right now, he was the don.

“We need to go to the palace first before we leave for Japan,” Kris said as his eyes were downcast looking to the pile document on his hand. But because of his sensitive instinct, he quickly averted his gaze to the master at the side of the room. “Master, you’ve done changing?”

Trying to tamp down his dissapointment that Chanyeol wasn’t the first one to notice him, Baekhyun made his way to the group of the tall men in the middle of the room. “What are you guys talking about?” Baekhyun asked, ignoring Kris’ question earlier.

“Nothing of your concern,” Chanyeol answered. Baekhyun had grasped his full attention as now the don chose to approach his tiny husband rather than talking about serious matter with his consigliere and head of defence. “We just talked about the usual business,” he said as he stopped in front of Baekhyun and took his hand.

It only added to Baekhyun’s suspicion, but he can’t protest if they were really talking about business. He was still aware that it wasn’t his place to meddle with.

From the side of his eyes, he can see both Chanyeol’s subordinates and Kyungsoo turned around to give them privacy. Baekhyun fidgeted. “You’re going to Japan?”

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol moved his hand to sweep the bangs across Baekhyun’s forehead. “I’ll be gone for two weeks.”

“What—“ Baekhyun blinked, confusion crossed his face. Moreover, a feeling of fear suddenly crept into him, making him shiver. The image of himself being alone in this place, without Chanyeol, was already haunting him. “Why do you need to go to Japan for so long?”

“Not only Japan. I’m gonna have to make a few stops.”

Baekhyun’s shoulder slouched. “So you’re going to leave me?”

Chanyeol smiled swiftly. His hanging hand had found its place on Baekhyun’s soft cheek. “I don’t want to leave you either. But if you don’t want me to go, you need to talk to that man over there,” Chanyeol pointed Kris with his eyebrows.

Baekhyun should’ve known. With an angry huff, Baekhyun turned to Kris. The consigliere still had his back facing them, so Baekhyun yelled his protest. “Are you seriously going to take my husband away?”

Distinct kind of laughters echoed around the room, they were Jongin’s and Kyungsoo’s. Chanyeol, too, was laughing, although his was soundless and less histerical. Meanwhile the person that Baekhyun addressed his protest to was turning around to face him with indifferent stoic expression.

“Pardon me, master. But the matter at hand right now needs the assistance of the don,” Kris explained, his hands folded behind his back. “It will only take two weeks. You don’t need to worry about your safety as you’ll be right under our head of defence’s protection.”

Again, a sense of fear mounted in him. The thought of being away from Chanyeol made him uncomfortable, and kind of vulnerable. He didn’t want to be left alone. But he know whining wouldn’t be a good choice to get out of this situation.

But Baekhyun wouldn’t let anyone, even Chanyeol—especially Chanyeol—to see his vulnerable state. So Baekhyun exhaled, held his head high, and smiled. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Chanyeol raised his eyebrows.

“Yeah,” Baekhyun grinned, the fake one that he usually used in his big family meeting. “I mean, Jongin’s with me, and also Sehun, I believe. So it would be fine. I’m gonna be okay.”

“Baekhyun—“

“When will you be going?” Baekhyun took a step back. Somehow Chanyeol’s presence felt so overbearing right now. It was weird because all Baekhyun wanted was for his husband to be with him.

It was obvious that Chanyeol was upset that Baekhyun put a distance between them as the don’s sour expression kept lingering. “I have to go this afternoon.”

Baekhyun tried hard not to make his dejected feeling apparent. He felt like his heart fell to the floor, but the initial feeling of fear had gone. If anything, he feared of being lonely now, not because of his safety. He realized that Chanyeol’s presence was never only a matter of his physical well-being, but more like his emotional state.

“Baekhyun, are you okay?”

Baekhyun jerked up when he felt a warm hand cupping his jaw. He must be spacing out just now, because he clearly didn’t listen to what Chanyeol had said.

The little master blinked away his thin layer of unease tears. “I’m sorry, what? I wasn’t listening.”

Chanyeol clearly showed his discomfort. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave Baekhyun here, Kris. I have a bad feeling.”

Baekhyun cursed himself mentally. Chanyeol already had so many things on his shoulders. He would become the worst husband in the world if the only thing he could do was to add the burden. “You don’t have to be worried, really. I’ll be fine. I have Kyungsoo, and Jongin, and hundreds of other men here, and I’m pretty sure I could protect myself, too.”

“Yeah, and he’s in the safest place on Earth, Don. Your worry is groundless,” Jongin had turned around to face them. “Just do your job as the don out there. Finish it as fast as you could so you could see him again soon.”

“If you’re worried that he’ll go around the quarter without his clothes, I’ll make sure he won’t,” that was Kyungsoo, his face was serious as he said the promise.

It was obvious that Kyungsoo was joking, and Baekhyun was almost laughing at his joke. But when he looked at Chanyeol’s face, he realized that this wasn’t the time to be joking. Beside Baekhyun himself, the person that most scared right now was Chanyeol.

Now Baekhyun was the one who stepped forward and grabbed Chanyeol’s hand. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, erasing all the worry or fear from his own eyes, before he looked at Chanyeol’s eyes. “I’m gonna be okay, Chanyeol, I promise.”

Chanyeol lowered his head and placed it at the top of Baekhyun’s forehead. It definitely made Baekhyun’s heart race. It wasn’t fair for him. The littlest physical contact with Chanyeol could drive him crazy any time.

“Ten days,” Chanyeol breathed. “I’ll come back in ten days.”

Baekhyun blinked in confusion. “I thought you said two weeks?”

“Ten days or I’m not leaving your side at all.” Chanyeol took a step back.

Baekhyun tried so hard to control his facial expression, but it must be really obvious that he was happy with Chanyeol’s decision because his husband was now smiling too.

“Ten days it is, then. I’ll wait for you.”

As Baekhyun closed the door of Chanyeol’s workroom, knowing that after this Chanyeol must’ve been immediately left, it felt like a bit of him had been torn away.

Happy new year!