Chanyeol looks down, the mixture of sadness and ultimate relief fighting on his face for the better. It’s not that he didn’t love his father, but he wasn’t exactly fond of him either. In fact, before the news of his death reached him, Chanyeol hadn’t properly spoken to the man in over 4 years.

His father was a peculiar individual, who was so set in his ways, that once he decided that he disapproved of something, nobody could change his mind if their lives depended on it. Unfortunately for Chanyeol, his father despised homouality. And more than anything, he despised Chanyeol’s boyfriend Baekhyun. Although they’d met only once, the meeting being Chanyeol’s last desperate attempt to reconcile with his only immediate family, it was a total disaster. Everything that Chanyeol loves in Baekhyun – his mischievousness, his silly bravado, his tempting hips – Park senior simply couldn’t stand.

Forced to choose between his lover and his father, Chanyeol didn’t need any further encouragement and left his family house. It hurt at first, but Baekhyun certainly made it all better and gave him so much more love than his father ever would.

Speaking of Baekhyun…. Chanyeol discreetly checks his mobile for any sign from him. He’s supposed to arrive today before noon, to participate in the final rituals as Chanyeol’s partner. The taller man is tired of always avoiding the topic of his relationship when with his extended family and has chosen this occasion to make a proper statement. Let the chips fall where they may.

He’s also secretly amused at the thought of shocking a good amount of his conservative aunts.

But there is no message, or missed call, or anything. A bit dejected, Chanyeol turns his attention to the guests entering the house. The rituals will take place in the big living room of his family house.

Finally, the funeral house’s employees arrive in a black car, which Chanyeol only registers properly when both men come into the room, in search of the owner. Chanyeol shakes each man’s hand.

‘What should we do now?’

‘Bring the coffin in. Let’s not delay this any longer, there is no point. ‘ They nod and walk away in the direction of the vehicle. Chanyeol sighs. He hopes that Baekhyun makes it to the post-ceremonial gathering, at least. Despite having accepted his family shortcomings a lot time ago, the taller man still needs all the moral support that he can get.

As the coffin is being carried in, Chanyeol ushers the family members to the living room. The sooner they start, the sooner he can get rid of them all. He grimaces inwardly at the amount of insincere smile he has given out today.

The priest takes his place behind the coffin and clears his throat in order to start the prayers. That’s when they all hear it, loud and clear. A shy knock.

Chanyeol stills, looking around for the source of the noise. Just as he’s about to nod to the priest to resume, thinking he must have imagined something, there is another knock, this time more forceful.

It comes from inside the coffin.

Chanyeol’s, and probably not only his, eyes widen to impossible size. He gingerly approaches the coffin when the knocking becomes a steady sound, as if somebody wanted to get out. Chanyeol hears his elderly aunt Min Jung gasp somewhere behind him. Taking a deep breath, he pushes the lid open.

And then there is, his missing boyfriend, smiling up at him.

‘You’ve found me. God, I thought I’d suffocate in here….’ He sits up, stretching, but immediately stops at the sight of about 50 pairs of eyes looking at him, various degree of disbelief and indignation clearly visible. ‘Oh…’

‘Baek-Baekhyun.’ Chanyeol says weakly, shocked beyond words. ‘What the heck are you doing in my father’s coffin?! And-‘ He looks inside the box ‘where the actual hell is my father?’

‘I’m afraid that’s the question I have no answer to.’ Baekhyun smiles sheepishly, stretching his hand in Chanyeol’s direction. ‘Help me out?’

Chanyeol automatically reaches for his lover’s hand, still stupefied. There is shuffle behind him.

‘You..!’ He hears aunt Min Jung gasp, pointing at Baekhyun accusingly.

‘Me.’ Baekhyun agrees easily, before looking around the room. ‘Hi.’ He amicably greets another woman, who just happens to be Chanyeol’s aunt Minah. Aunt Minah faints.

‘What is happening? Baekhyun, what have you done?’ Chanyeol hisses, his face totally red. Baekhyun turns to him.

‘I miscalculated… I didn’t want to walk through the main door, because I heard your family saying some not so nice things about me as I approached the main gate. So when I spotted an empty coffin in the backyard, I decided to be let myself carried into the room. You said that the ceremony won’t start until 11am and I was sure you’d want to see your father first anyway, so… you’d find me. Why’d you move the ceremony up?’ Baekhyun tsks, as if it’s all Chanyeol’s fault to begin with.

‘Baekhyun, oh my ing God.’ Chanyeol cannot help, but feel exasperated.

‘Language, young man.’ Aunt Min Jung warns him, but he just turns to her in disbelief.

‘My father is not in his coffin, my boyfriend just arrived as the corpse’s substitute and you worry about my language..?!’

‘…But if Park Chunsoo is not here, then what has happened to him?’ The priest wonders out loud. One of the funeral employees pales.

‘There must have been a mishap. The empty coffin was supposed to… was supposed to fly to Japan today. It was a special order.’

Chanyeol’s jaw drops. His father’s body is currently headed for Japan?!

Baekhyun snickers.

‘And who said you can’t have some fun even post mortem.’