Law School Year 1

“Luhan, breathe.”

“There's no time to breathe!” came Luhan's immediate reply as he ran around dusting every surface of their new apartment. It was his third time doing so since this morning, and Sehun was pretty positive that their place was never terribly dusty to begin with.

“Babe, it's going to be okay. Our parents are not going to judge us if our place isn't spotless.” Sehun grabbed Luhan by his shoulder before he could start dusting the fireplace mantle again. “Come here,” he said as he pulled Luhan into a tight hug. “Let's hug it out because hugging makes everything better.”

Luhan slowly wrapped his arms around Sehun's waist and asks, “Is that why I woke up to you sticking to me like a koala this morning?”

“I figured you would enjoy having your own personal koala,” Sehun replied with a cheeky grin.

“Mhm,” Luhan hummed as he rested his head on Sehun's shoulder. “Thanks, Sehun.”

“For?”

Luhan didn't reply as he inhaled deeply. Sehun knew that Luhan likes to breathe in his scent whenever he's nervous about something because, according to Luhan, Sehun smells comforting. Sehun once asked Luhan to describe his scent, and his boyfriend replied with something along the lines of “You smell like my favorite dessert mixed with vanilla cream, lazy Sunday mornings, rainy nights, and everything else in my dreams.” Suffice it to say, Sehun couldn't keep his hands off of Luhan after that sweet confession.

“For being understanding,” Luhan finally answered as he looked up at Sehun. “For saying the right things.”

Sehun smiled. “I deserve a 'Boyfriend of the Year' mug, don't I?”

“Maybe,” Luhan teased, pinching Sehun's side. “We'll have to see how you do tonight.”

“Right. I'll make sure to rock your world, baby,” Sehun proclaimed before kissing Luhan's forehead. “Try not to wake up our neighbors.”

“That's not what I meant, Sehun.”

Sehun laughed. “I know,” he said mischievously before giving Luhan another kiss on the lips. “Relax, babe. It's going to be fine.”

“I hope so...” Luhan whispered, still looking apprehensive.

But before Sehun could say something else reassuring, the door bell rang. Luhan gave his hand a firm squeeze before he left to get the door. Sehun was right behind him when he opened the door to reveal both their parents.

“Luhan!” Sehun's mother squealed as she pulled Luhan into a tight hug, seemingly more excited to see Luhan than her own son. Thankfully, Luhan's mother noticed the frown on Sehun's face and instead of waiting to hug her son, she hugged Sehun instead.

“How have you been, sweetheart?” she asked, patting him on the back.

“I've been great. Mainly thanks to Luhan,” replied Sehun. He turned to give Luhan's father a polite bow, and Mr. Lu responded with a striking smile, similar to his son's.

Mrs. Lu grinned, her beautiful eyes twinkling exactly like those of her only son. “That's nice, dear.” She looked over to Sehun's mother, who was still gushing over Luhan, asking him how he keeps getting more and more handsome each day. She cleared , catching Sehun's mother's attention. “I'm sure Sehun wants a hug from you too, Areum.”

Mrs. Oh's eyes wandered over to Sehun, who had his arms outstretched. She looked a bit hesitant for some reason until Sehun's father nudged her arm. “You've been talking about him nonstop during the car ride here. Why aren't you hugging your precious baby?”

“Because he's too big to be treated like a baby,” Mrs. Oh retorted, nudging her husband back.

“Aw, Mom. Don't say that. I'll always be your baby.” Sehun rushed over to give his mother a bear hug, easily towering over her petite body. He smiled when she immediately puts one hand on his back and the other hand on his bottom. She gave him a few taps on the .

“You're so embarrassing,” she muttered as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I don't know how Luhan can live with you.”

Sehun pretended to roll his eyes at his mother. “Love you too, Mom.” She gave him a tiny smile, letting him know that she loves him.

After greeting both sets of parents and setting aside the housewarming gifts their parents brought with them, Luhan and Sehun began their little apartment tour. Unfortunately, only their mothers were interested in seeing the place. Their fathers insisted on watching the soccer game that was airing today instead.

They showed their mothers around the bright kitchen, the spacious balcony, the living room, the small laundry room, and finally the master bedroom. The tour would have ended without a hitch if Luhan's mother hadn't asked, “Why is there only one bed?” when she spotted the single king size bed in the middle of the room.

Luhan's eyes widened as he looked over to Sehun, hoping that he would answer the awkward question. Sehun, being unprepared in answering such an uncomfortable question from his boyfriend's mother, chose the easy route. “What's that, Dad? You need me in the living room?”

Luhan looked at him with horror in his eyes when he realized what Sehun was doing.

“Okay. I'm coming,” Sehun said before he turned to leave. He could almost hear Luhan badmouthing him in his head, and he mentally apologized to his helpless boyfriend.

Right before he turned the corner though, he heard his own mother replying to the ridiculous question. “I'm sure it's because they don't have much space for another bed.”

Sehun couldn't help but smile at that response. He knew that she was aware as to why there was only one bed, and he was thankful that she didn't explain the reasoning behind their sleeping arrangement to Luhan's clueless mother. That would have been such an unpleasant conversation.

After the tour, they sat around the new dining table and had dinner together. Sehun could see Luhan glancing around every now and then, trying to gauge everyone's reactions to his cooking. Everyone had only positive things to say about his recipes, and Sehun could almost feel Luhan's confidence rising with each praise. It was a pity that Luhan was still unsure of his skills. Being his number one supporter, Sehun could say without a doubt that Luhan has what it takes to run a successful restaurant. For now, the only thing in Luhan's way was his confidence, but Sehun wasn't too worried for him. All Luhan needed was one opportunity, one golden chance, to prove that he had what it takes, and the rest would simply fall into place. And Sehun looked forward to being by his side when that happens...

It was close to midnight by the time their parents left, and Sehun couldn't have been more relieved. He enjoyed spending time with his parents after so long and catching up over dinner was definitely great, but he was glad to be alone with Luhan again. After washing the dishes together, Sehun decided to take a shower – to allow himself time to think about his next plan. He knew he was in trouble with Luhan for ditching him earlier. He could see it in his boyfriend's eyes. Though he probably understood why Sehun did what he did, Luhan definitely did not appreciate him taking the cowardly way out.

When Sehun entered the bedroom, Luhan was sitting on their bed, wearing Sehun's Spider-man t-shirt and a slight frown on his lips. He had his arms crossed, looking ready to reject whatever nonsense Sehun had in store for him.

Thinking that it would work better in his favor if he didn't have a shirt on, Sehun quickly took off his shirt before climbing into bed. He noticed Luhan's eyes wandering to his abs for just a millisecond before coming back up to his face. Sehun frowned. Maybe Luhan was becoming immune to his body? He may have used it so often that now his abs no longer affect Luhan's judgment like they used to. Actually, he remembered just last Wednesday, he avoided receiving a lecture from Luhan for constantly leaving his clothes on the bathroom floor by stripping in front of him in order to take an impromptu shower. Luhan's words got caught in his throat as soon as Sehun's pants hit the floor.

“Sehun...” Luhan began, voice abnormally stern.

Sehun held up his hand. “Before you start, allow me to say a few things. Firstly, I want you to know that I love you very much.” He leaned in to give Luhan a quick peck on the lips before he laid down, keeping his lean abs exposed. “And secondly, you are free to do whatever you want with my body. I will humbly accept any punishment you may have for me. For what I did, I deserve it.”

Luhan stared at him for a few seconds before sighing in resignation. He uncrossed his arms and laid down next to Sehun. “Do you even know what you did wrong?”

“I do,” Sehun answered, trying his hardest not to smile when he felt one of Luhan's arms wrapping around his torso. He turned to face his boyfriend. “I abandoned you.”

Luhan gave him a tiny pout. “I wouldn't say that...Abandon is such a harsh word.”

“Well, I didn't help you answer that rather awkward question from your mother.”

“Yeah..I can't believe you just left.” Luhan poked Sehun's stomach. “We're supposed to be a team, Sehun.”

“I know, but in my defense, there was nothing I could say that would be appropriate for your mother. I mean I can't just tell her that there's only one bed because I'm sleeping with her son every night.”

“Sehun!”

Sehun laughed at the sight of Luhan's ears turning slightly red. “It's the truth.”

“I know....but.” Luhan buried his face in between the crook of Sehun's neck. “You didn't have to say it out loud,” whispered his apparently shy boyfriend.

Sehun held Luhan a little closer. “Why would your mother ask that question anyway? Does she think you're still her innocent baby?”

“I am still her innocent baby,” Luhan argued.

Sehun raised one of his eyebrows. “Are you really? Should I remind you of what happened in the shower two days ago when you –”

Luhan's hand immediately covered Sehun's mouth. “Not another word, Sehun.”

“Mhmmhm.”

“If you say anything else about that night, there won't be a repeat,” Luhan threatened. “Is that clear?” he asked as he relaxed his hand. The blush on his cheeks was still prominent, and Sehun found it adorable as always.

Sehun grinned, mind reminiscing about that memorable night in which Luhan made all his ual fantasies come true. “Crystal clear.”

“And stop thinking about it,” Luhan ordered as he rested his head on Sehun's shoulders, lips twisted in a tiny smile.

“I can't,” Sehun pretended to whine as he nuzzled the top of Luhan's head. “I'm a guy with needs, Luhan.”

“I'm well aware of that.”

“Can I schedule a shower for two tomorrow?” Sehun playfully asked.

“Good night, Sehun.”

“You don't have to reply,” said Sehun. “Just hug me tighter for yes and push me away for no.” He's honestly not giving his boyfriend difficult options to choose from because he knows very well that Luhan would opt for the first option. As history shows, Luhan loves sleeping nestled in his arms. He even woke up in the middle of the night a few times after Sehun had somehow moved away from him in his sleep.

It took a few seconds, but eventually, Luhan hugged Sehun a little tighter, and that caused him to smile. “Should we go to the ice cream shop down the street after your shift is over?”

“Yes, I was hoping you would ask,” Luhan half-mumbled, sounding incredibly sleepy. Usually by now, he's already asleep, but since today was special, Luhan somehow found the energy to stay awake a little later than usual. Sehun had to admit that he was quite proud of his boyfriend, who woke up early to prepare everything for their parents' visit.

Sehun looked down and saw Luhan's ultra long lashes fluttering closed. “Hey, Lu.”

“Mhm?”

“Did I ever tell you that one of my favorite things about us living together is us sharing a bed every night?”

“No,” Luhan whispered, his voice drifting away.

“Well, it is. And I think I want to share a bed with you until we're both old and frail,” Sehun confessed despite the fact that Luhan had already fallen asleep. Maybe it was better that way. Since moving in together, there were quite a number of things that made Sehun fall deeper in love with Luhan, and he had never actually spoken about it.

He loved how Luhan wakes him up with a soft, innocent kiss on the lips every morning. He loved how Luhan has his toast covered in grape jelly before he could even finish pouring his morning coffee. He loved how his favorite chocolate milk is always in the fridge. He loved how his boyfriend would always have his favorite shirts washed before he could even realize that he had already worn them earlier in the week. He loved how Luhan would come running into the bedroom, screaming for Sehun to kill the monstrous spider in the living room. He loved how Luhan would quietly read a book in bed while he was studying for an exam and occasionally, he would get Sehun snacks from the kitchen. He loved the proud look on Luhan's face whenever he asks him about school, and even when Sehun's results were not that great, Luhan would still look at him as if he saved the world. And Sehun could go on forever explaining why he loved living with his boyfriend, best friend, and love of his life, but that wouldn't be necessary. Everyone around them could tell that Sehun was happy living with Luhan.

He kept these observations to himself and occasionally recalled them whenever he wasn't with Luhan. Maybe he found them embarrassing to admit out loud, but he had absolutely no problems loving Luhan even more day by day because of it.

Sehun was finishing his latest legal writing assignment in his usual spot at the library when he suddenly felt a light tap on his right shoulder. He looked up. “Lu –? Oh! Babe, I'm so sorry!” He immediately closed the ginormous book he spent hours searching through and reached out to close his laptop, but Luhan stopped him.

“You don't have to pack up,” he said, smiling as he sat down next to Sehun. “We can stay here until you finish your assignment.”

“Babe, I'm sorry I forgot to pick you up,” Sehun apologized. “I was too focused on this horrible paper and didn't look at the time.”

“It's okay, Sehun,” said Luhan as he looked around at all the opened books scattered across the table. “You were clearly super busy.”

“Yeah, but I still could have gotten you.”

“Yeah, that's true,” Luhan said with a teasing grin. He leaned over and gave Sehun a peck on the cheek. “Don't worry about it. I'm here now.”

“Did you ride your bike here?” Sehun asked because ever since Luhan got the job at the upscale restaurant a few blocks from their apartment building, he's been riding a bike to work. Sometimes Sehun would pick him up if he got out of class early to save Luhan the trouble of biking home (though Luhan didn't mind doing that because he claimed that he needed the exercise). And Sehun always made sure to pick Luhan up if the weather was terrible, and if he can't make it himself, he would get Baekhyun, who lived with Chanyeol in the apartment complex next to theirs, to do it. Baekhyun would give him attitude about how he doesn't deserve his new Boyfriend of the Year mug from Luhan, but he would do it anyway for Luhan's sake.

During one of their Friday night dinners (a new tradition that Luhan and Baekhyun had came up with), Sehun found out from Chanyeol that whenever Baekhyun was sent to pick up Luhan during rainy days, he would always drive aggressively (or more so than usual). Sehun had an easy time imagining Baekhyun speeding through the streets while honking at all the slow drivers because he was in a hurry to “rescue a distressed Luhan” – Baekhyun's words exactly.

Another reason why Sehun asked was because he wanted to know whether Luhan got a ride from Minseok.

The last time Luhan got a ride from his co-worker, a fact Sehun was (and still is) none too happy about, Sehun nearly had a meltdown. He was parking his car when he saw Luhan step out of an unfamiliar red sports car, and if that wasn't shocking enough, a grinning Minseok also stepped out of the car. A million things went through Sehun's head at that moment, and looking back on it, he felt disappointed in himself. He was thinking about why they would be in a car together and what they could have been doing. He wasn't afraid to admit that he was jealous – of what, he wasn't exactly sure. He just knew that he didn't like what he saw.

Later, after he got over the shock, he entered their apartment, and his boyfriend immediately greeted him and told him that he got a ride from Minseok because his bike got a flat tire. Sehun didn't mention that he had saw him coming out of Minseok's car. Instead, he just rushed over and pulled Luhan into a tight embrace. Fortunately, Luhan didn't find his action strange because sometimes when Sehun had a long day at school, he just quietly hugs Luhan real tight for a minute or two. It usually made him feel better that despite the hardships he continuously face going through his first year of law school, he could always count on Luhan to be there for him.

But that night, Sehun hugged Luhan for an entirely different reason. A rather selfish reason.

When they were in bed, Sehun had been a bit rough with Luhan without necessarily meaning to. He woke up the next morning and immediately felt like a despicable piece of trash when he caught sight of the reddish purple marks where his hands had fiercely gripped Luhan's hips. He held Luhan flush against his chest and woke him up to apologize for his actions. Luhan, who was still dazed, told him it was fine before he fell back to sleep. And all Sehun could do was stare at the fresh hickeys on Luhan's collar bone and those awful marks on his hip bones. They were physical proof of Sehun's selfishness. A testament of his primal instinct. His possessiveness.

When he was on top of Luhan, all he wanted to do was to claim. To leave his mark. To let Luhan and everyone else know that he's taken. Off limits. It's completely animalistic, and Sehun felt ashamed of himself but there was no way for him to undo the damage. He spent the next few days making it up to Luhan any way he could, and he constantly checked to see if the marks on Luhan's hips were healing properly. He didn't want to constantly see his moment of weakness on Luhan's body. Of course his boyfriend had no idea that all of this was going on inside his head, and Sehun thought it was best that Luhan didn't.

“I did,” Luhan finally answered, sounding a tad bit hesitant.

“Without a helmet again?”

Luhan made sure to avoid eye contact with Sehun. “Um. I forgot it this morning, so...”

“Luhan.”

“Promise I'll wear it next time,” said Luhan as he gave Sehun another peck on the cheek. “Now, don't let me distract you from your work. Continue what you were doing.”

“And what will you be doing?” Sehun asked as he re-opened the library book he hastily closed upon Luhan's arrival.

Luhan pulled out his cell phone and a set of earbuds. “I'm going to be watching Star Chef,” he replied with a giant grin on his face.

Sehun should have known that Luhan would be watching his current favorite reality show because his boyfriend had been talking to him about it for the past few weeks. Though he's always sitting next to Luhan when he watches the show, Sehun had absolutely no idea what was going on. There were too many contestants, far too many challenges, and he can't even recall the names of the dishes. Luhan had insisted that they watch the show together every Wednesday night after dinner, but fortunately, he didn't force Sehun to actually pay attention to the TV screen, so Sehun was able to finish his reading for class. Simply put, he was mainly there to be Luhan's leg rest or his comfy pillow – a job he didn't mind at all.

While Luhan watched his show, Sehun went back to his paper, his mind slowly zoning everything out as he began to type. It wasn't until two hours later when Sehun finally looked away from his laptop screen, his paper finished and submitted. Next to him, Luhan was fast asleep, earbuds still in his ear though the video had long since stopped playing. Sehun couldn't help but stare at him because Luhan has always looked ethereal sleeping. He looked so beautiful and fragile, so exquisitely pure, and after many years, Sehun realized that he could never look away. And when simply staring was no longer enough, Sehun's hand reached out to touch Luhan's cheek.

“This is what happens when you wake up early,” Sehun scolded, not really expecting a reply because he knew why Luhan had woken up extra early today. His sweet boyfriend thought it was absolutely necessary for him to eat a warm home-cooked breakfast before his 7 AM exam, and though Sehun begged him to go back to sleep, Luhan had his way in the end.

“Should listen to me more often,” Sehun mumbled as his index finger traced random lines on Luhan's cheek. A group of students could be heard passing by their table, and though it may have looked strange to them that Sehun had his hand on Luhan's face, he didn't care. High school Sehun may have quickly retracted his hand as soon as he heard people approaching. High school Sehun may have gotten embarrassed at being caught while caressing his boyfriend's face.

But that was no longer the case. Sehun didn't even bother to look up at the people who would undoubtedly be staring at him, probably mentally labeling him as some sort of creep.

“You're always causing trouble for me,” Sehun whispered as he leaned in to kiss Luhan's cheek.

As soon as the elevator door opened, two sets of eyes were immediately on Sehun – or rather on Luhan, who was sleeping on Sehun's back. Earlier, he woke up his boyfriend so that they could go home, but once they pulled into the parking lot of their apartment complex, Luhan had fallen asleep again. And now Sehun had to resort to carrying his adult-sized boyfriend on his back, a feat that wasn't easy in any way.

“Hello,” Sehun greeted as he stepped inside. The ladies in the elevator nodded but their eyes were still glued to Luhan.

Ever since they moved into their apartment, they've been the main topic of discussion. A lot of the residents were uncomfortable with the fact that two adult males were soon to be sharing an apartment together, but any feeling of animosity quickly dissipated when they actually met Luhan.

On the very first day, Luhan had made a ridiculous amount of kimchi, and he spent almost two hours delivering it to the other residents as a sort of “Hi, please look after us” gift. If that was Luhan's plan to get people on their side, it worked. The ladies, young and old, were especially fond of Luhan. They found him extremely charming and irresistibly adorable. Oftentimes, Sehun found the grandmas coddling Luhan whenever they run into him.

On the other hand, a few of them were wary of Sehun. Luhan told him that he heard the ladies whispering about how they thought Sehun always looked too serious for someone his age, and they questioned whether or not he could actually smile. Sehun had laughed it off but he later realized that everything Luhan told him was true. The residents would stare at him whenever he was within their vicinity, but hardly any of them would speak to him, not unless he said something first. He figured that he should be thankful they just refer to him as the SNU kid instead of something worse.

But none of this changed the fact that some of their neighbors didn't approve of their relationship. They don't ever say anything upfront, but Sehun could see it in their eyes. Whenever they held hands in the elevator, a few of them would quietly scoff and give Sehun that look of pure disapproval. It never bothered Sehun though. He wasn't there to please them, and there was no way in hell he was going to change how he interacted with Luhan to accommodate their views.

Sehun pressed the button for the 11th floor and stared straight ahead, his hands firmly holding onto Luhan's thighs. He could hear Luhan breathing near his left ear, and he briefly wondered what he could be dreaming about.

“Is Luhan okay?” a soft voice asked from behind him. Sehun turned around to look at one of the ladies. He recognized her as the mother of three who lived in the apartment directly beneath theirs.

“He's fine. Just sleeping,” Sehun told her, flashing her a small smile for reassurance. She didn't notice because she was still staring at Luhan like a worried mother would.

After getting out the elevator, Sehun readjusted Luhan on his back because he was slipping further down. Luhan mumbled something as he was jostled around on Sehun's back, but Sehun couldn't make sense of it. “You're probably not even asleep,” Sehun grumbled.

Sehun turned the corner, and once he caught sight of someone standing near their apartment door, he stopped in his tracks. His grip on Luhan tightened.

“Why are you here?” Sehun asked.

“Oh! Hi there, Sehun!” Minseok greeted, wide smile in place. It made Sehun uncomfortable.

Sehun took another step closer, eyes on Minseok as the latter's eyes wandered to Luhan. “Is something wrong with Luhan?” Minseok asked, genuine concern cutting through his question.

“He's just asleep,” Sehun answered. “Is there something you –”

“Right! Luhan forgot,” Minseok took a black leather wallet out of his pockets, “his wallet at the restaurant. He was in such a rush to leave, he left it behind.”

“Oh. Thanks,” Sehun said as he took it from Minseok.

“No problem.” Minseok looked at Luhan again before turning his attention back to Sehun. “Can you tell Luhan that he can come in later in the morning tomorrow? Like at 10 instead of 9?”

“Will do.”

“Great. I'll see you around,” Minseok said before he left. Sehun watched as he turned the corner, and he can't help but frown.

Sehun doesn't hate Minseok – the guy hasn't done anything that warrants hate – but he can't say that he's comfortable around him either.

With a certain uneasy feeling, Sehun opened the door to their apartment and got inside. He immediately placed Luhan on the bed, pulling the covers up to his chin. He sat down next to Luhan, his hand clutching Luhan's wallet. Sehun was well aware of the photos Luhan kept in his wallet – photos of them. He doesn't ever question Luhan's love for him.

But lately it's been so hard for him to not let his thoughts linger in dark places – places that shouldn't be there.

“You have so much in common,” Sehun whispered as he tucked Luhan's hair behind his ear. He closed his eyes and sighed. It was undeniably true. It pained him to admit it out loud, but Sehun didn't want to spend the night alone with those thoughts again.

Law School Year 2

Baekhyun looked around the balcony. There were a few other guests enjoying their dinner, but honestly, they might as well not have been there because Baekhyun felt as though this place was meant for Chanyeol and him. He just couldn't believe that Chanyeol got reservations to this restaurant, which he heard was almost impossible without some sort of inside connection. He turned to look at Chanyeol, who had been jittery during the whole car ride here, and Baekhyun wondered why. What could possibly go wrong?

The hostess led them to their table and before leaving, she handed them four menus. Baekhyun sat down across from Chanyeol. He looked at the two chairs adjacent to his. “Are we having dinner with Luhan and Sehun?” he asked, mind going back to his conversation with Luhan this morning. His best friend didn't mention anything about dinner together.

“No, not Luhan and Sehun,” Chanyeol answered, voice soft, almost cautious.

“Your parents?” Baekhyun asked as he realized that it would only be appropriate to have a formal dinner with his soon to be in-laws. Their wedding was in three weeks, and since they've been so busy with planning, they haven't found the time to have dinner with Chanyeol's parents like they promised. Tonight would be perfect.

“No, not them.”

“Then who?” Baekhyun asked, his curiosity slowly getting the better of him.

“Baek, promise me something.” Chanyeol looked straight at him, face almost solemn.

“What is it?”

“Promise me you'll hear me out once I tell you who's coming.”

“Okay...I promise I'll hear you out.”

“Good. Here's the thing, Baek, I know you don't exactly want them to be a part of the wedding, but you know I've always been a traditional type of guy. I just –”

Baekhyun didn't hear the rest of what Chanyeol said because something caught his eye – or rather someone. His eyes widened, and he gasped. “Chanyeol...” he whispered, heart beating furiously. “No.”

Noticing the terror in Baekhyun's eyes, Chanyeol turned around and when he caught sight of the couple, he turned back to look at Baekhyun.

“Please don't freak out,” he begged, panic written all over his face as he saw how white Baekhyun's knuckles had become, his face horrendously pale.

“Why would I freak out?” Baekhyun began, each word slow and deliberate. “What could possibly lead me to freak out? The fact that we're going to have dinner with two of the worst human beings I have ever encountered and unfortunately am a product of?”

“Baek...”

Baekhyun clenched his hands into fists. He could almost hear his mother telling his father how exclusive the restaurant was. He closed his eyes for a second, mentally reminding himself to breathe. He avoided eye contact with Chanyeol because he doesn't want his fiancé to see him like this. His heart was beating so fast, and he felt his stomach churning. Even if they were outside in the open air, Baekhyun felt as though an invisible wall was starting to close in on him. As his parents got closer to their table, Baekhyun could feel himself once again losing to those wretched anxiety attacks he had since he was child.

“Baek, are you okay?” Chanyeol asked, his voice teetering between concern and fear. He reached across the table to grab ahold of Baekhyun's hand, but Baekhyun wouldn't allow it. He pulled back his hands and sat there, stiff as a board and as rigid as that day he came out to his parents.

“Hello,” Mr. Byun greeted, his right hand held out for Chanyeol, who immediately stood up to shake it. “You must be Park Chanyeol.”

“Hi, sir,” Chanyeol said with a polite bow. Baekhyun's parents looked over at him briefly. He could almost sense the disappointment in their eyes, but he couldn't care less. There was no way he was going to stand up and greet them. They didn't deserve his attention and certainly not his respect.

“Nice to see you,” his mother stated as she sat down to his right.

“Is it really?” Baekhyun responded with an icy tone.

“It's been years since you've last seen your mother, the least you can do is be civil with her,” his father chided.

“It has been years, and yet, you're still spouting bull, father,” Baekhyun replied.

Chanyeol's eyes widened immediately. “Baek!” Never in a million years would Chanyeol speak to his own parents like that, so he definitely didn't understand why Baekhyun does with his.

“It's fine,” said Baekhyun's father. “We're used to it.”

“So Chanyeol, tell us why we're here,” his mother stated, always straight to the point. Baekhyun hated the fact that he inherited that trait from her.

“Well, I just wanted to properly introduce myself since you probably never heard about me given the...circumstances.”

Baekhyun looked over at Chanyeol. He knew what was going to happen, and he so badly wanted to warn Chanyeol – to protect him from the impending damage. He never wanted to put Chanyeol in this position. He spent years avoiding his parents for reasons Chanyeol may never understand, but it was all he could do to protect Chanyeol and himself from the pain and disappointment. This was going to be an absolute disaster. A collision of epic proportions.

“There's no need,” Baekhyun's father said as he held up his hand to stop Chanyeol from continuing. “After you called us, I took the liberty to find out more about who you were.”

Chanyeol's eyes widened at that revelation, but all Baekhyun could do was roll his eyes. “Oh...”

“And you have an impressive background, young man. An SNU grad currently pursuing law. That's amazing for your age.”

“And your family background is also stellar,” Baekhyun's mother added. She had always been obsessed with class and social standing – all that crap Baekhyun despised.

“Oh. Um – uh – thank you,” Chanyeol stuttered, not really knowing how to respond.

“It's just a pity that you are the way you are,” Baekhyun's father stated.

There it was. The first warning sign of disaster.

Baekhyun clenched his teeth.

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol asked, not quite recognizing the tone with which Baekhyun's father had used. That condescending, disgusted tone.

“Well, you being with our son is a clear indication of what you are,” Baekhyun's mother replied.

What. She used the term what, and it took everything for Baekhyun to stop himself from screaming and flipping the table over in anger.

However, the late understanding in Chanyeol's eyes was what upset him more. Could he sit here and watch this play out? Could he watch his own parents drag his fiancé in front of him?

The answer was a resounding no. No, Baekhyun couldn't watch them hurt Chanyeol like that. He refused to let it happen.

“Who he is a fantastic human being who shouldn't be the victim of your homophobia,” Baekhyun stated, voice calm though his hands were shaking.

“Baek, it's fine,” Chanyeol quickly said.

“No, Chanyeol, it's not!” Baekhyun stood up and slammed his fists on the table. Everyone turned around to look at their table, but Baekhyun paid them no attention. He glared at his mother and told her, “You have absolutely no right to talk to him like that.”

“Don't cause a scene,” his father warned, but Baekhyun just barked out a mirthless laugh.

“Why not? You don't want the world to know how despicable you are? How rude and vile you are to someone you just met?” he spat.

“We never said anything rude to him,” his father retorted.

“You don't have to. I can see it in the way you look at him. You see him as someone beneath you – second class.”

“Don't go assuming things,” his mother cut through. “You've always been dramatic.”

“And regardless of how we see him, you're not helping the situation by acting up,” his father stated. “We didn't decide to come to hear you call us out in front of everyone.”

“Then why did you come?!”

“We thought we owe it to Chanyeol to tell him that he's making a terrible decision with his life,” his father said, and Baekhyun could feel the impact of the collision hitting him face first. The pain is unimaginable, and he couldn't bear to look at Chanyeol.

Baekhyun's father turned to Chanyeol. “You wanted to meet us to get our blessings before you got married, and as much as I commend you for reaching out to us despite our estrangement with our son, I'm afraid I can't give you what you want. I, well we, think that you're making a mistake. You're throwing your life away for something unnatural. You may think you're in love with Baekhyun now, but in time you will realize that what you need is a wife, someone who can carry your children, someone your parents can be proud of. This is simply a –”

“If the word phase come out of your mouth, father, I swear I will cause that scene you wanted to avoid,” Baekhyun said with gritted teeth.

“Is it not the truth? No one is born gay,” his father responded. There was obvious distaste in the way he pronounced the word. “Chanyeol, you might be confused about your feelings for Baekhyun, but in time it will be clear. You should do yourself and your parents a favor now and get on the right path. Counseling is available for those with this issue.”

Baekhyun scoffed. “It's not some sort of illness that can be fixed with counseling. How many times have I told you that? Do you not hear the absurdity in what you just said?”

“Regardless,” his father raised his voice, “it is something that shouldn't be flaunted. It is a flaw.” He turned to look at Baekhyun. “My son may have refused to seek help for his problem, but, Chanyeol, a smart man like yourself can surely fix the problem.”

“It's not a problem, Mr. Byun,” Chanyeol replied, voice steady. “I've never considered my ual orientation as one, and it's certainly not a flaw.”

Baekhyun's mother gasped. “But your parents –”

“My parents have no issue with my uality,” Chanyeol pointed out. “They were quite supportive of me when I told them, and I have to say that I'm really disappointed that you're not giving us your blessings due to your close-mindedness.”

“It is not us being close-minded,” Mr. Byun argued. “It is you willingly entering a relationship of sin! A man shouldn't be with another man. It is not how the world was meant to run. As impressive as your background is, we can't see past the fact that you're sick, Chanyeol. Being a homoual –”

“Don't you dare finish that sentence,” Baekhyun warned, his hands clenched into fists. “You can say whatever you want with me, but you will NOT say anything like that to Chanyeol. I won't tolerate it.”

“He deserves to know,” Mrs. Byun said. “We're just trying to set him straight again.”

Now Baekhyun has had enough. This entire situation was so laughable, he couldn't believe he was still here. “Well then, I don't think we should be here to listen to your homophobic nonsense. Let's go, Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun turned around and walked away from his parents. He didn't look back that year he left his house, and it was the same now. There was no point. Not with them.

As he got outside the restaurant and onto the street, his vision started to blur, and he mentally congratulated himself for holding out for so long. He swiped at his wet cheeks and whispered, “You won so don't cry.”

“Baek!”

Baekhyun stopped at the sound of Chanyeol's voice. He couldn't find it in himself to turn around, to face Chanyeol.

Chanyeol decided to save him the trouble by stepping right in front of him. “Baek, I'm sorry!” His eyes widened when he caught the tears running down Baekhyun's face.

“No, Yeol, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you had to see that. I'm sorry they were like that to you. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from..that.”

“Oh, Baek, don't apologize!” Chanyeol cupped Baekhyun's cheeks. “It's not your fault. It's not!” He moved to give Baekhyun a hug, but Baekhyun took a step back. He saw the surprise in Chanyeol's eyes and everything hurts.

“Yeol, don't.”

“What's wrong?”

Baekhyun took another step back. “I don't think I can face you right now,” Baekhyun whispered with a sad smile. “I need to get away. To be alone. I'm sorry, Yeol.”

He made his way to the curb and held out his hand for a taxi. Chanyeol's eyes were on him as he shouted, “Where are you going?!”

Baekhyun didn't get the chance to answer him as a taxi pulled up in front of him. He got in and told the driver to go to that one place he can find comfort. Solace.

He looked in the rearview mirror. Chanyeol was still standing there, his eyes on the taxi as Baekhyun got farther and farther away. Baekhyun leaned his head on the window and sighed. The painful aftermath of the disaster.

Sehun's eyes glanced at the clock on the wall for what seemed to be the hundredth time tonight. He was supposed to be reading about subpoenas and warrants, but he couldn't keep his mind from wondering when Luhan would be home.

Just when he decided to give up on his studies, the doorbell rang, and Sehun almost ran to the door. When he opened it, Luhan wasn't on the other side. No. Instead, it was Baekhyun with bloodshot eyes and tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Is Luhan home?” Baekhyun half-sobbed.

“No – no, he's still at work,” Sehun stammered, taken aback by Baekhyun's tears. He had never seen Baekhyun in such a state, and he wasn't sure he knew how to handle a distressed Baekhyun.

Baekhyun doesn't wait for an invitation as he stepped inside and sat down on the couch. He quickly buried his face in his hands as Sehun watched him from afar. Sehun could hear weird little noises from his unexpected guest, and it made him more uncomfortable that he was stuck with a crying Baekhyun. Normally, if Luhan cried, Sehun would just cheer him up by hugging him and giving him kisses, but that was Luhan. This was Baekhyun. There was no way he could comfort him the same way he comforts Luhan. And he wasn't even sure that Baekhyun wanted comforting from him.

“Uh....” Sehun coughed. “Are you okay?”

“Do I look okay?” Baekhyun responded, voice muffled behind his hands.

Sehun rolled his eyes. Even when he was sad about something, Baekhyun was still as sassy as ever. Sehun didn't even know why he expected something different.

He sat down on the loveseat next to where Baekhyun sat. He contemplated what he should do next since it looked like Baekhyun wasn't going to stop crying any time soon. He could go back inside his bedroom and let Baekhyun cry it out till Luhan came home, but he had a feeling Luhan would scold him for leaving a vulnerable Baekhyun alone. Also, he was pretty sure Chanyeol would give him a hard time for being so unsupportive.

“Uh..Do you need anything?” he asked. “Like a pat on the back or something?”

Baekhyun removed his hands from his face and glared at him. “I'm upset. Not dying.”

“Sorry, I was just trying to – well, I don't know what I was trying to do.” Sehun looked towards the door and again wondered what was taking Luhan so long to get home.

“You're not Luhan,” Baekhyun told him, a scowl on his face.

“Clearly,” Sehun responded. “Look, Baek, I don't know what I'm supposed to do here. If you need someone to talk to, I can maybe help you out if you promise not to be so you.”

Baekhyun wiped his tears away. “I will not promise such a thing.”

Sehun sighed. “Just tell me what happened. Did you get in a fight with Chanyeol?”

Baekhyun shook his head. “Not with Chanyeol.”

“With who then?”

“My parents,” Baekhyun answered, his face contorted in disgust at the mention of them.

Sehun was well aware of Baekhyun's strained relationship – if he can even call it a relationship – with his parents, but he had no idea that they were still talking. “You saw your parents today?”

“Yeol thought it would be nice to have dinner with my parents.” Baekhyun sniffed. “Bless that idiot.”

“I'm guessing it didn't end well.”

“It didn't start well either.”

“Since you're here and not with Chanyeol, I'm assuming you needed a time out.”

“I didn't want him to see me like this,” Baekhyun confessed. “I'm such a mess. He's probably second guessing his decision to marry me.”

“I highly doubt that,” Sehun stated. “If anything, I'll bet that Chanyeol is even more determined to marry you.”

Baekhyun looked at him. “Why do you say that?” he asked, uncertainty in his voice.

“Because he just witnessed first hand what happens between you and your parents, and judging by your reaction, it wasn't anything good. And knowing Chanyeol, which I do because I happen to be his best friend, I'm pretty sure he would want to give you what you never had. A loving family.” Sehun flashed Baekhyun a tiny smile. “He's going to do his best to make sure you don't feel as though you're lacking anything. He loves you too much to see you cry over something you can't control.”

“It's not easy loving me,” said Baekhyun. “I come from a messed up place.”

“And Chanyeol knew that, yet he's still with you. That alone should tell you something about him.”

“Does he ever mention it whenever he's alone with you? Does he ever wish I had normal parents that he can proudly call his in-laws?”

Sehun can almost see the insecurity in Baekhyun's eyes when he asked this. It struck him by surprise. He never thought he would see the day in which Baekhyun wasn't the annoyingly confident friend he managed to put up with. This Baekhyun in front of him was far more vulnerable, more raw, than anything Sehun has ever encountered before.

“He does but not for his sake. He wishes you had better parents because you deserve better – not because he needs perfect in-laws. Listen, Baek, I know you feel bad –”

“Bad is an understatement. I feel like .”

Sehun couldn't help but smile at Baekhyun's honesty. “Yes, I know you feel like whenever the topic of your parents come up, but I want you to know that Chanyeol's mind is made up. He's going to marry you. Anything your parents said or did will not change this fact. He's committed to you.”

Baekhyun sniffed. “It's also kind of late since we already booked the place.”

Sehun chuckled. “The invitations have already been sent out. Park Chanyeol is going to marry you in a few weeks.”

“Bless his soul,” Baekhyun whispered, a twinkle in