“…and where have you been all this time?”

Jungkook grins as he sips his Negroni. The maknae has been evading the question ever since they arrived at the reception. Yoongi tries not to laugh at Hoseok’s frustrated expression. Beside him, his daughter toys with the utensils.

“Guess.”

“I’ve been guessing for thirty minutes already.”

“It’s not that hard.”

“I’m going with a bowler in Busan,” pipes Yoongi, finishing his gin and tonic, “Or stripper in Jeolla Province.”

“Hyung, not here!” calls out Hoseok, covering his daughter’s ears. Yoongi rolls his eyes as Jung Hana wonders if someone around her swore. Jungkook, on the other hand, laughs heartily as he drinks again, smacking his lips as he enjoys his choice of alcohol.

“It has something to do with what I like,” hints the maknae.

“Body builder in Geongchang.”

“Stripping in Jeolla Province.”

“AH YOONGI HYUNG!”

Kookie’s boisterous laughter rings in the air; despite the chatter from the other wedding guests, Yoongi hears it loud and clear—and he couldn’t be happier.

“God, you clearly don’t remember what I’m like, huh?”

Hoseok rolls his eyes. “Geez Kookie, I mean...I did have a kid. It’s not like I had the time to remember if you enjoyed doing this and that.”

The youngest can only tease his hyung with a smile. Instead of answering, he directs his attention to the little girl seated opposite him. His heart eyes shine as he watches Hana fumble with the fork, combing her hair with it. It begs another question for the rapper.

“Hey JK.”

“Yeah?”

Yoongi casually brushes dirt off his sleeves.

“You seeing someone?” he asks.

Hoseok hums in agreement; he also raises an eyebrow at the new question raised by the rapper hyung. Jungkook, on the other hand, does not seem fazed with the question. It’s like he expected them to ask.

“Well...”

“Girl or boy?”

“It’s not Yugyeom?”

The maknae looks scandalized. “Hyung, you do know that Yugyeom is seeing someone, right?” he asks, “And just because we’re close, doesn’t mean we’re dating. You’ve been reading way too many fan fiction.”

“So are you seeing someone?”

“Why is my love life suddenly interesting? Don’t you want to know what I’ve been up to?”

“IT’S NOT LIKE YOU’VE BEEN ANSWERING, YOU BRAT.”

Jungkook’s clearly enjoying his Hobi hyung’s frustration. He laughs as he stands up and straightens his tie.

“Is it someone we know or a fan?” continues Yoongi, “I mean, you’ve contemplated dating a fan before.”

“Good grief Kookie. You’re not doing drugs, are you?” asks a slightly panicky Hoseok, “Is that why you’re not telling us? Are you a drug lord or something?”

“You’re probably dating a noona, huh? You always liked older women.”

“...for the love of all things holy, Jeon Jungkook. If you’re into something illegal, I will strangle you.”

Jungkook rounds the table and bends down in front of Jung Hana, ignoring his hyungs’ questions. Little Hobi’s eyes immediately light up at the sight of him. No one could blame her; the maknae’s mega-watt smile is still as mesmerizing as ever.

“Hey sweetie, mind coming with me to the sweets table?” he asks her, “I’m kind of hungry right now and the party hasn’t even started.” He matches his pout with a little belly rub, hoping to appeal to Hana.

She nods her head vigorously. “Yes, yes, Kookie oppa!” she sings.

Immediately, she steps down from her chair and takes a hold of his big hand, making the 33-year old laugh. He tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

“Thanks, Hana,” he tells her, “And remember, you’re the only one allowed to call me oppa, okay?”

Hoseok’s daughter giggles as she joins her Uncle Kookie. The taller man simply grins at his hyungs and tells them he’ll be right back.

“Aisht that kid,” curses Hobi, leaning back on his chair, “He evades the question by stealing my daughter.”

“Ever thought Jungkook would make an ideal son-in-law, Hoseok-ah?”

“Hell no. I’m taking my daughter out of the country if he tries.”

Yoongi chuckles as he downs his first glass for the night.

The reception hasn’t started since the lovebirds are still MIA. Suga thought wardrobe changes happened for brides only; apparently, he was wrong. Knowing Jin, however, he’s not surprised this married hyung insisted on arriving at his reception in style.

“So Jin hyung and Monnie are really married, huh?”

Hoseok’s wistful tone brought back the rapper hyung’s attention. He glances at his dongsaeng and sees him eyeing the entrance, a dreamy expression on his face.

“You better believe it.”

He sounds sarcastic, but even Yoongi acknowledges how everything feels so surreal right now. Last night, he feared Jin and Namjoon might cancel their wedding due to Jimin’s outburst. He didn’t think this day would actually see Joon’s apology, JK’s appearance, and the wedding pushing through.

Oh what a ed up world we live in.

“But the ceremony was really something, huh?”

Hobi still sounds like he’s in a dream trance. Yoongi knows the lead dancer is a er for precious moments such as these; even a 30-second commercial about dogs is enough to make him cry. So it’s no surprise a massive event like a wedding sends him a tidal wave of feelings.

“I guess.”

“Aisht hyung; you guess?” exclaims an astounded Hoseok, “How could you be so cold?”

“It’s just a wedding, Hoseokie.”

“It’s not just a wedding, hyung!” argues the dongsaeng, “Ah, what’s the point of arguing with the Great Min Yoongi? I’m going to lose anyway.” He sips from his cocktail. “Well, it moved me. I feel like getting married right now.”

Suga almost drops his glass; it took just a second to lose his cool demeanor.

They hadn’t talked about that again—that implying to Hoseok’s plan of marrying the mother of his child. There’s still no concrete news about it. Hobi did say he was thinking about it, but unknown to the Bangtan dancer, his rapper hyung has also been thinking about it.

In fact, Yoongi lost a night’s worth of sleep because of it.

He’s itching to ask again, but can he take whatever answer comes his way?

“So you really want to marry, huh?” is all he says.

Hobi breaks from his dreamlike thought upon hearing Yoongi’s comment. Instantly, the hyung regrets.

“Ah...about that—“ he begins.

. Yoongi you er, he’s going to talk about it. . You opened a can of worms and you haven’t eaten dinner yet.

The dancer traces the rim of his glass with his fingers, a thoughtful expression on his face. Meanwhile, Yoongi is silently squirming in his seat, telling himself off for being an idiot.

“I’ve been thinking about it—that thing about marrying my daughter’s mom,” says Hobi, “To be honest, it’s such a convenient option. I mean...we live together and Hana seems to like it better. My family would probably say yes in an instant and my noona would be over the moon since it’s her friend. Plus, weddings are fun, anyway.”

, he’s going to marry her.

His heart drops to his stomach, but the producer keeps his poker face perfectly. Yoongi holds his tongue; he doesn’t want to say something stupid, but can he handle Hobi’s news?

“It sounds ed up, but I actually did the math last night after Minnie’s big blow up,” continues the dongsaeng, “What’s there to lose? It’s so convenient.”

There you go, Min Yoongi. Say goodbye to your dreams and hello to regret once again.

But should he really say nothing for the nth time?

I can’t let Hoseok go like this.

He’s about to say his piece, to somehow confess to this man he’s been pining for since he realized feelings are great.

But Hobi interrupts his thoughts.

“But then I figured, do I really want to marry out of convenience?” he contemplates, “Because the last thing I heard about marriages, it’s about love and commitment—not because it’s handy.”

Yoongi’s jaw slightly drops. Fortunately, his dongsaeng doesn’t notice as he continues with his personal monologue.

“At first, I kept telling myself it would be the best for Hana. But would it really do my daughter good for her to see her father isn’t happy? That he just married her mother because he had to?” he was saying, “I don’t want Hana to get a ed up view of marriage and love. I’d rather let my daughter see me happy with the person I choose to marry—even if that’s not her mother.”

It’s almost as if someone poured a bucket of water over the great Min Yoongi. He sits there, frozen over what Hoseok just revealed.

He’s...not marrying her.

“You don’t love her?”

It’s an honest question that begs for honest answers.

Hoseok stares at the space blankly. “I haven’t been fair to her, I guess. I’m a big jerk for saying that, but believe me hyung, I’ve tried,” he confesses, “When I moved in, it’s not like I didn’t try to shed emotion or anything. I know she did too. We did everything for Hana’s sake, but...” he pauses, “While Joonie was saying his vows to Jin hyung, I realized I couldn’t say those words to her. And I don’t think she can do it to me, either.”

“I can’t marry someone I don’t love, hyung. I’ll wait for that person if I have to.”

He then glances at Yoongi, clueless to the latter’s fighting emotions.

There’s that urge to heave a loud sigh of relief, to finally laugh out loud, coming from Min Suga. His feet are itching to stand up, go to Hoseok, and embrace him. While he does that, he can also say the words he’s wanted to utter for years:

You can be with hyung, Hoseok-ah.

But he remains planted there, drowning in Hobi’s stare. Part of Yoongi wonders if his dongsaeng is trying to say something—if so, what?

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please?”

The emcee’s booming voice distracts both Yoongi and Hoseok. By the stage, they see Eric Nam going up, wearing that popular smile on his face. Jungkook and Hana have also returned, both of them holding plates filled with sweets and pieces of cheese.

“Oh it’s about to start,” notes the maknae, “Finally.” He settles beside his Yoongi hyung. “Did I miss anything? Did you guy finally figure out?” He spears a piece of cake and shoves it down his mouth. JK’s round eyes meet Yoongi’s. “Hyung, are you okay? You look shaken.”

It takes a second for the rapper to find his voice.

“You’re...still a muscle pig.”

The maknae stares weirdly at his hyung before he laughs.

“Well, you got that right,” he answers, “Ah the program’s about to start! Wah, Eric hyung still looks so good. Marriage did him well too.” He leans back while his hyung remains frozen beside him. Yoongi glances at Hoseok; as expected, the dongsaeng is already doting on his daughter, wiping off chocolate from her lips.

"Are you guys having fun?” asks Eric Nam into the mic. He’s greeted by an explosion of chatter. “I guess you all are! I know you  are hungry too, but don’t worry. The long wait is over. Please direct your eyes to the entrance and be amazed!”

Everyone does as they are told—even flabbergasted Yoongi.

“I’ll wait for that person if I have to.”

He wants to ask Hobi about it, but decides now is not the time.

When the doors fly open, he and the rest of the audience welcome the attractive newlyweds in their changed outfits.

“Let’s all welcome Kim Namjoon and Kim Seokjin!”

Should I have chicken or just the salad?

Jimin’s known for being a big fan of dieting; people might think he’s on one right now, but really he’s just not in the mood to eat. When all of this is over, he’ll probably have his monstrous appetite back. The buffet is inviting him to dig in, but he just can’t.

Let’s get this over please.

It’s been years since he did this—five years, to be exact.

“Jimin-ah!”

His Hoseok hyung’s voice startles him. The dongsaeng turns around and sees Hobi is already dressed for the part.

“Hey, what are you doing?” asks the older dancer, “Where’s your jacket?”

“It’s...at the back.”

“Well what the hell are you waiting for? We’re up in—“

“Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you’re all having a good time,” comes emcee Eric’s voice, “While you enjoy your meal, both the grooms have a special—“

“, Minnie. Go get your jacket!”

“—performance that supposedly talks about their relationship,” continues Eric, “May I please call on to the stage the lovebirds of the night?”

As Hobi and Jimin rush off, Namjoon and Jin take up the center stage. The spotlight emphasizes the attractiveness of each groom, making the audience swoon in their seats. Joon, holding Jin’s hand, taps the mic first before speaking.

“Ah...hello everyone, thanks so much for staying till the reception,” he says, “The food’s great, isn’t it?”

There’s a collective murmur of agreement.

“Everyone, I didn’t cook it, but I’m glad you love it,” adds Jin, causing the audience to laugh.

“But kidding aside, we’re really happy you’re all here. If you’re invited, it means you played a special part in our relationship,” Namjoon tells the audience, “Some of you know how I fell in love with Jin hyung first and if you really know me, you know that one thing I kept saying over and over again.”

“What’s that?” asks the other groom.

“HOW HE KNEW IT WAS YOU THE FIRST TIME HE SAW YOU!” screams Jackson Wang from the audience, a cocky grin on his face.

“That’s right,” affirms Namjoon, “It sounds stupid, but that’s how I felt. Of course, I didn’t say anything before; didn’t want to scare this handsome guy who was street casted in our group. But as the years progressed, I felt like it was really meant to be.”

Beside him, Jin is cringing as he takes in the cheesiness of his husband’s words.

“There’s one particular song that was inspired by my feelings for him,” reveals the Bangtan leader, “At that time, I wasn’t sure I liked him, but these thoughts just swirled in mind—hence, the lyrics. Can anyone guess?”

“What Am I To You?”

“Serendipity!”

“Collateral Damage!”

“HEY, WHO SUGGESTED COLLATERAL DAMAGE?!”

The audience bursts in laughter at Jin’s whining. Joon joins the laughter as he wraps an arm around his husband’s waist.

“Sadly, it’s none of those,” he tells them, “This song is actually the one we’re performing right now—with the help of our members. Forgive us if it’s a bit shabby but let’s face it: this was spur of the moment plan and we’re old.”

“Nonetheless, we think we’ll do good,” adds Jin.

“So without further ado, expect the Bangtan Boys to put on another good show.”

The couple smiles at the crowd before the lights go out. Everyone can help but be excited; it’s been years since BTS performed and no one saw this coming. What could this Billboard-recognized idol group be up to?

A second later, the first beats of their hit DNA blast from the speakers.

The crowd applauds as the 7-member group make a comeback, performing one of the songs that skyrocketed them to fame.

I recognized you as soon as I saw you

As if we’ve called each other

The DNA in my blood is telling me

That it’s you who I’ve been looking for

“Oh my god, Kim Taehyung can still dance. What can he not do?” remarks one of the guests as Taehyung finishes his part and dances with his Hoseok hyung.

The evidence of fate given to me

You are the origin of my dreams

Take it take it

My hand held out to you is destiny

“Joonie’s still got the heat, damnit!” squeals Jackson, hitting his Jaebum hyung.

“Jackson, don’t make me punch you here!”

From the day the universe was formed

Past infinite worlds

Probably in our past life and in our next lives

We’ll be together forever, DNA

For the sake of nostalgia, everyone’s wearing their trademark outfit: Jimin in his sparkling Gucci jacket, Taehyung in his red-necktie and blue jacket ensemble, Jin with his dapper dark suit, and Yoongi in his oversized dress shirt.

Watching them, everyone can agree: It’s almost as if BTS never left.

I want it this love I want it real love

I’m only focusing on you

It pulls me harder

“That line gets me every time.”

“I don’t know about you, but Yoongi is the only one who can rap that line with fluff and conviction.”

Don’t worry love

Because all of this is not coincidence

We’re completely different baby

Because we’ve found our destiny, DNA

“And of course, Jimin is still hot.”

“How is this a spurt of the moment performance? They’re still good!”

Near the end of the song, dance leader Jung Hoseok brought it home. Despite being in his late thirties, he busted fierce dance moves while singing lalalala with conviction.  The guests stay on the edge of their seats as J-Hope makes a comeback and kills the dance with his six friends.

The audience burst into loud cheers and applause as BTS wraps up their performance of DNA.

Each member catches their breath as they stand there, aching joints and everything. Despite the pain, there’s an adrenaline rush that keeps the Bulletproof Boy Scouts going. They revel in the cheers, remembering the good old days of performing together.

One by one, they turn to the audience and bow, laughing at the blessed miracle of them still performing despite their age.

“...it’s going to sound like we’re having a comeback concert, but it’s just a 2-song performance. I’m sorry.”

The guests groan.

“Hey, at least you guys get to hear us!” reasons Jin, wiping away the sweat from his forehead, “Our fans would do anything to be in your place right now.”

“You’re living the life with a 2-song concert from BTS already.”

Everyone laughs as they watch the newlyweds and their friends sit on stools prepared by the staff.

Jimin drinks from his bottle of water, wiping his lips, and takes the microphone handed by one of the coordinators. He’s still surprised he managed to dance so well despite the lack of practice. His Hobi hyung informed him of the performance just two days ago; to make things worse, he said to just remember DNA like it was yesterday.

He wanted to swear so loud, but he didn’t want to get smacked.

Fortunately, they all pulled it off.

Now, he’s prepping his vocal cords for the next perform