A year had passed, 365 days, 8760 hours—it all felt like a fleeting moment to you. Yet, the guy beside you still couldn't accept you. No matter how hard you tried, being ignored by your own mate was a painful experience that seemed unending.

"Are you going out?"

"Yes."

"With Minseok?"

"None of your business. Go to sleep; you have class tomorrow."

He stood up and kissed your forehead before disappearing behind the closed door. A heavy sigh escaped your lips as you watched the door, feeling the weight of his indifference.

"Am I really that unbearable to you?"

In a dimly lit club filled with alcohol, sweat, loud music, and smoke, three guys sat in a private corner. Women tried to catch their attention as they walked by, but their efforts were in vain.

"Again?"

"Shut up, Minseok."

"What?! What did you say, Oh Sehun?"

"Minseok, calm down. I don't have the mood to listen to both of you fighting like old ladies."

"Tsk, you're saying that, Kai."

They spent the night at the club and returned home in the morning. Sehun went to Minseok's house to sleep over, at least until the effects of the drinks wore off.

"How much longer are you going to treat her like this?"

"I don't know, Minseok. I really don't know."

"You need to try. She's been suffering because of your behavior."

Sehun didn't respond and simply went to sleep. Minseok sighed heavily at his friends' situation and dragged Sehun to the guest room before heading to his own.

"Sehun again?"

"You're still awake?"

"Answer me."

With a sigh, Minseok approached his bed and lay down beside his mate. He simply nodded in response. His mate scoffed in disbelief.

"Is he an idiot or something?"

"Love, calm down. Let them handle their own lives."

"But she's your sister!"

"Yes, she is. But she's also his mate. Besides, she wouldn't appreciate us interfering in her life."

"Geez, fine!"

"Let's hope that idiot comes to his senses soon."

"Yeah, he better."

***

 

In the morning, you woke up and glanced at the other side of the bed. He had left his phone behind. Letting out a sigh, you reached for your own phone and dialed a number.

"Minah?"

"Oh hi! What do you need?"

"Is he there?"

"Oh, yeah. That idiot is here."

"Okay, let him know I'll leave his breakfast and that I'll be coming home late today."

"Is that all? Are you okay?"

"Yes, that's all. I'm fine. Don't worry. Bye!"

You proceeded to cook breakfast for him, though lately, you hadn't had much of an appetite. After breakfast, you took a shower and prepared yourself for college. Coincidentally, Sehun returned home around the same time you were leaving.

"Be careful."

"Yeah."

With those few words, he entered the house. You were on the verge of tears, but you refused to let it ruin your morning. Instead, you took a deep breath and encouraged yourself to stay positive.

***

 

"Hey! Wait!"

You turned your head towards the voice and smiled as you stopped, waiting for them to catch up.

"So, are we going tonight?"

"Yes."

"Does he know?"

Your smile faded, replaced by a frown.

"Ya! Dummy!"

"It's alright, Kai. No, he doesn't know, Baekhyun." you replied.

Their expressions mirrored your frown. They were well aware of the reason behind his hyung's distant behavior towards you, and they disliked it just as much as you did. They had tried to talk to him about it, but their efforts had been in vain.

"Come on, guys, don't bring my mood down," you pouted.

"Okay, okay, okay," Baekhyun said, ruffling your hair.

"Let's head to class before Mrs. Han scolds us," Kai suggested.

The three of you walked to the classroom. You sat beside Nari, Baekhyun's mate. Kai's mate, Yoora, didn't attend the same college as you, but you were close to them as well. At times, you wished Sehun could be as understanding as Baekhyun and Kai.

"We'll take care of her!"

"Why?"

"Because she needs a makeover, idiot," Nari rolled her eyes at Baekhyun.

"But it's still five hours away," Kai pointed out.

"Girls need time, Mr. Kim Kai," Yoora chimed in.

"Guys, can you please stop? Everyone is looking at us," you said, feeling embarrassed by their behavior.

"Let's go," Nari and Yoora said as they dragged you away.

"But they—"

"Forget those idiots," Nari shrugged.

Baekhyun and Kai were powerless against the determination of the girls; they always seemed to get their way, no matter what. You let out a whine as you eyed the dress and heels they had picked out for you.

"Do I really have to?" you complained, eyeing the outfit with reluctance.

"Yes!!" they said in unison, grinning widely.

"Ugh, sometimes I wish I were going with Baekhyun and Kai instead of the two of you."

Tonight was a party you'd been invited to, attended by Baekhyun, Kai, and the girls. You wished you could bring Sehun along, but that wasn't possible. Currently, you were at Nari's house.

"Ya! Stop doing that!" Yoora hissed at you.

"What!?" you shot back.

"Don't blink your eyes!" Yoora retorted.

"How can I?! You keep poking my eyes!" you hissed in return.

"Guys! Stop it. I'll take care of her since I'm done with mine," Nari intervened, swapping places with Yoora.

"Okay, okay. Good luck with her!" Yoora teased you before leaving.

"Ya!!" you yelled after her.

"Now, you better be quiet and stay still, or else I'm going to freeze you," Nari threatened, causing you to gulp and nod in fear.

"Good girl," Nari smiled at you.

Nari possessed the same power as your brother, and being frozen wasn't something you wanted to experience. So, you chose to obey her instructions. Baekhyun and Kai were scheduled to pick you and the girls up at 7.

"Done!" Nari said happily.

"Young lady, get your over here and put on the dress," Yoora yelled from the closet room.

You rolled your eyes and dragged your feet towards the closet.

"These two, oh God."

As the clock neared 7, Baekhyun and Kai arrived at Nari's house. They exchanged pleasantries with Nari's parents before excusing themselves to their room, leaving the guys in the living room.

"What's taking them so long?!" Kai hissed in impatience.

"Tsk, you should ask your mate that," Baekhyun chuckled.

"Yours too," Kai retorted, sharing the laughter.

"Baekhyun, do you think we should tell him?" Kai abruptly changed the topic. Baekhyun sighed.

"I don't know, should we?" Baekhyun responded.

"Sehun is being too much. I can see her getting skinnier every time I see her. She's always trying to be strong, but we all know how painful it is to be ignored by our mates," Kai said, massaging his temples.

"Yeah, we have to help her. We need to talk to the others. I can't stand seeing my cousin married to that heartless guy, even if he's close to me," Kai declared.

"What can we do? He married her because he knew he couldn't do the blood bond or mark her. It was his way of claiming her," Baekhyun explained.

"But it's nonsense! The other males can still have her if he doesn't at least mark her," Kai hissed in frustration.

"We can't do anything, Kai. It's their problem. You know that idiot has his reasons, even if his approach is extreme," Baekhyun muttered.

"Ugh, that—"

Kai was about to continue when he heard his mate clearing . Both Baekhyun and Kai turned their heads towards the stairs, their jaws dropping. The girls giggled, but you focused on your steps, still getting used to the high heels.

"We better keep them close to us," Baekhyun whispered to Kai.

"Definitely, there's no way I'm going to let those girls walk around freely later," Kai replied.

"Let's go~"

They exchanged determined glances and then headed towards you and the girls to ensure everyone's safety and have a fun night at the party.

 

***

 

Sehun entered the house with a lazy demeanor, accompanied by Minseok, Chanyeol, and Suho. He had no desire to be in this place, but due to business matters, he had to be there. It was a birthday party for his client's younger daughter, hosted by Mr. Lee, a man with two daughters. The elder daughter was particularly bothersome for Sehun, and he was relieved that you weren't as clingy as she was.

"Don't even think about leaving me alone with that girl," Sehun warned the others right from the start.

"Well, no promises, I don't want to be stuck with her either," Chanyeol responded.

"Come on, guys, let's behave. We don't want anyone overhearing us," Suho hushed.

"Fine, let's find a spot, stay there, and then head home," Minseok suggested.

As they aimlessly wandered, seeking a quiet corner away from the crowd, Jungsoo, the older sister of the birthday girl, spotted them and immediately attached herself to them. Sehun let out an internal groan, silently thanking his stars that you weren't as clingy as she was.

"Sehun~" she chimed.

"What do you want!?" Sehun hissed.

"Let's dance!" she pleaded, but the guys found the idea repulsive.

"Not in the mood," Sehun brushed her off and took a sip of his drink.

"Jungsoo, help me, come here!" the birthday girl, Eunsoo, called out to her sister.

"Finally," the four men muttered collectively after Jungsoo left.

"So, how is she?" Suho asked. Sehun tensed up at the question.

"She's doing well," Sehun replied curtly, though Minseok and Chanyeol exchanged knowing glances.

They engaged in conversation until a familiar scent caught Sehun's attention. He turned his head swiftly, trying to locate the source.

"What's going on?" Minseok inquired.

"She's here," Sehun replied, still scanning the room.

"Who are you talking about?!" Chanyeol demanded.

"Who else but my wife, damn it," Sehun said, standing up.

"Where are you going?" Suho questioned.

Sehun looked at the others, sighed, and then decided to sit back down. What could he do if he found you? It wasn't like he could just approach and talk to you, let alone hold you.

"Nothing," Sehun sighed.

"Sehun, you should talk to her, resolve the issues between you two," Suho suggested.

"Yeah, Suho's right. How long will you keep avoiding her? Both of you are suffering, especially her," Chanyeol added.

"I don't know... I don't know if I can control myself around her," Sehun admitted, burying his head in his hands.

"Sehun, I trust you. I know you love her, and I believe you won't hurt her. You should try to work things out. We're here to help. I remember rejecting the idea of you marrying her because she was young, but now if you don't make a move, someone else might take her. At the very least, you should stake your claim. Marriage doesn't guarantee anything," Minseok advised.

Sehun remained silent, taking another sip from his drink and exhaling a puff of smoke. He undid the buttons on his black long-sleeve shirt, drawing the attention of passing girls who couldn't help but glance his way.

"Guys!!" The call of the familiar voice caught their attention. They turned to see the other guys approaching them, and they joined forces while the girls dispersed to another area.

"Ah, so you're here for Mr. Lee," Kai commented.

"Yes," Suho replied succinctly.

"Is she with you?" Sehun inquired, directing his question at Baekhyun.

"Yes, she's hanging out with Nari and Yoora over there," Baekhyun answered, pointing in your direction.

"Oh, goodness! Is that really her?!" Minseok exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah, Yoora and Nari did that to her," Kai rolled his eyes in response.

"Sehun, you should keep an eye on her. I can already see other guys starting to take notice," Chanyeol advised.

The table in front of them shook briefly due to Sehun's sudden tension, but it quickly ceased. Sehun leaned back on the couch and took another sip of his drink.

"Does she know I'm here?" Sehun questioned.

"No, but I think she might figure it out soon, given that she can probably smell your scent," Baekhyun explained.

Sehun's gaze remained fixed on you, while the others sighed in resignation. They couldn't force Sehun to take action; he had his own life to live. The effects of the alcohol were starting to show, his body growing warm. The sight of you in that short black strapless dress wasn't helping either. He had always tried to avoid you because every time he saw you, an overwhelming urge to throw himself at you surged within him.

"Sehun~"

Sehun didn't bother to look; he knew it was Jungsoo. He chose to ignore her. Baekhyun and Kai went to their mate, Chanyeol and Suho got more drinks, and Minseok headed to the restroom. It was a perfect opportunity for Jungsoo.

"Get lost," Sehun said, feeling the effects of the alcohol.

"Let me stay with you," Jungsoo whispered, trying to get closer to him. He scoffed and looked at her.

"You'd better leave, or you'll regret it," Sehun whispered back. Jungsoo smirked.

"Try me."

"Stop, and I'll let you go safely," Sehun threatened.

She trailed her hand to his exposed chest, smirking all the while. He closed his eyes briefly to calm himself down. He couldn't use his power on her, but Jungsoo had crossed a line. Suddenly, she moved onto his lap, and that's when Sehun's eyes snapped open in anger.

"Se- Sehun?"

The anger he felt vanished when he heard your voice. He looked up to see you with teary eyes, his own widening. Even though he hadn't marked you, he could feel the pain that you were experiencing.

"Wai--." Sehun stammered, too shocked to even remember that Jungsoo was still on his lap.

"You know, maybe we should've listened to Minseok oppa back then. Do whatever you want, I'm tired of you," you said to him, your voice quivering as you tried to hold back tears.

You walked away from him. Sehun returned to his senses, looking at Jungsoo with anger before shoving her off his lap. She fell onto her backside, but fortunately, the dim lighting concealed the scene.

"Sehun!!"

"I've told you! Are you deaf or what?!" Sehun yelled at Jungsoo before leaving her and hurrying to catch up with you.

Once outside the house, you had already removed your heels and called a taxi. Sehun was too late; you were already gone. He cursed loudly, fumbling to find his car key in his pocket, only to discover it missing. He stormed back inside.

"Sehun, where—"

"Where's my key?!" Sehun hissed, searching frantically for the key.

"This is it. But—" Minseok handed him the key.

"I'm going home."

With that, Sehun stormed out of the party, driving as fast as he could to his house. Upon entering, he found the house in disarray, his wedding photo shattered on the floor.

"Damn it!"

He rushed into the bedroom, only to find it empty except for the open