Solutions

The first couple of days had been easy to ignore the unresolved questions. Instead, Yixing and Junmyeon had been engrossed with the happiness of being in love, kissing here and there, or hugging and cuddling after work. Yet the wedding was just around the corner and avoiding these issues couldn’t last forever. It couldn’t be so simple, not when he was together with someone like Yixing, Junmyeon knew. Therefore, it wasn’t weird that Yixing was the one who brought up the topic first.

They were sitting in the dining room that Saturday morning. Breakfast was long finished. And after speaking about tonight’s benefit gala (their first public event as a real couple), Yixing went ahead.

“Junmyeon, we’re getting married by the end of the month.”

“Yes.” That seemed to be this month’s exciting topic, based on all the discussions about the couple, their outfits, the guest list, the rings, and other insignificant details circulating around the internet and the media. Just yesterday had Minseok informed him it’d be good if they could broadcast it, some TV-networks were eagerly negotiating with them to get the rights.

“Have you managed to find… Qian? Or something about her?” Yixing asked, his fingers tapped the table while his eyes looked expectant at him.

But Junmyeon hadn’t. Tao was still secretive about his quest on how to find her, and Junmyeon couldn’t get more details than a simple: ‘Just wait a little longer.’ Why it took such long time, Tao didn’t explain either. So, Junmyeon was empty-handed. Had he and Yixing not fallen in love, Junmyeon was sure Yixing would have left on the same day as the wedding. That would have been a terrible outcome. But what would Yixing say now? Junmyeon gulped. “No. My connections say they need more time.”

Yixing raised an eyebrow. “How much time?”

“I don’t know. They couldn’t tell with certainty.”

Nervously, Junmyeon waited for what Yixing would say. He couldn’t read Yixing’s look. Was it anger? Disappointment? Regret? Whatever it was Junmyeon felt a bit frightened at knowing Yixing maybe thought of ending things. However, that couldn’t be, everything had just begun.

Yixing sighed and buried his face in his hands. “This is so confusing,” he said. He looked up and reached a hand across the table to grab Junmyeon’s hand. With a smile, Yixing explained, “Look, I’m glad we’re together, Junmyeon, and I want us to continue being it, I really do. But I’m not sure I wanna marry you just yet. It’s too soon. And something we should do when we’re both truly sure we want it. But I know you don’t think the same, and you agree with the System’s matchmaking methods. I also sound like a hypocrite because of what I said at first. And now I have feelings for you, and it’s gotten confusing. I guess things were clearer when I knew I was doing it for my sister’s sake. But now…” Yixing sighed again. He leaned back in his chair, his hand letting go of Junmyeon.

And Junmyeon finally knew what the look was: Yixing was feeling troubled. They stayed silent, Yixing waiting for Junmyeon’s reply, and Junmyeon trying to figure out what to say.

With all the knowledge about Yixing Junmyeon had gathered over time, he could understand Yixing’s hesitation. While for Junmyeon marriage was just another duty to fulfill, for Yixing it had always meant something more, it was the union of the one he loved. But the missing sister had made Yixing go against that idea initially. Now, though, the decision wasn’t as easy anymore. Sure, Yixing said he was in love with Junmyeon, but that didn’t necessarily mean he loved him. It was a distinction unfamiliar to Junmyeon. He knew what being in love felt like, but he wasn’t quite sure he understood what loving someone truly meant. Either way, he got Yixing’s point. However, there was more he needed to know before suggesting a solution.

“So, you don’t want to get married?”

“Not right now. I mean, in the future, if things continue to go well between us, then, of course, I’d love that. But we also had this deal, and it meant I could set Qian free. And I’d do anything for her, I would. I also know you want us to get married soon because of your political image and stuff but… I just don’t know anymore.” Yixing sighed yet again.

Perhaps it was because of his affection for Yixing, or something else, but Junmyeon couldn’t manage to convince Yixing that getting married was indeed the only way to ‘release’ Qian. He could have used that card and secured both the union with Yixing and the benefit for his political campaign. Something hindered him, though. An ugly, upsetting feeling… Guilt. That awful guilt that at first didn’t matter to Junmyeon, but now, it prevented him from trying to manipulate Yixing again. All this time he had lied to Yixing, and he was still going to follow the System’s law and not set free a potential criminal (although he would help the siblings to see each other again). Telling the truth right now could spare them both trouble in the future. Yet Junmyeon couldn’t do it. He couldn’t come clean. What if Yixing decided he didn’t want to be together with a lying schemer? He didn’t dare to find out. Yixing still didn’t see what Junmyeon saw in himself… For now, he wanted it to remain that way. It was selfish, but it was for the better. Also, what if once Yixing and Qian reunited, Junmyeon could show him why it wouldn’t be right to set her free? Qian must still be dangerous if she hadn’t been released. Obviously, he wouldn’t say that, but it was for her own good to continue getting help. Yixing would understand that. And so, Junmyeon wouldn’t have to say he had technically been lying the whole time. A win-win conclusion.

When all things were put into consideration, Junmyeon knew what to do. There were still three years until the elections, it was possible that before that time, Yixing did agree for them to marry and all that. Minseok would get angry with him for doing this, but it was the best solution to not trouble Yixing anymore.

“Then let’s postpone the wedding.”

“What?”

“Yes. You said you’d considered it in the future, it can wait. Right now you’re not sure about it, and well, I respect that. I’d rather not pressure you into anything.”

“But… The deal?”

“Perhaps we shouldn’t have any deals. That was decided when neither of us was content with this relationship. But now it’s another story, isn’t it?”

Yixing nodded. Junmyeon saw a momentary worry on his face, and he had a good guess of why.

“I will still help find your sister. You’ll still be able to… See her.”

Yixing widened his eyes. His mouth fell open. When he managed to talk again, he said, “Really? Even if we don’t get married afterward, you will bring Qian back? Why?”

He felt how a slight pinch of guilt hit him. He averted his gaze from Yixing and looked at the table when he said, “Ye-yeah. I’d do it for you, of course.”

Junmyeon hadn’t expected that Yixing’s reaction would be to stand up and go sit on his lap, surrounding his arm around his neck and hugging him. He didn’t complain, though. He loved having Yixing so near. Just like he loved when Yixing kissed him.

“Thank you, Junmyeon. You’re really kind, did you know that?” Yixing said, resting his head against Junmyeon.

“It’s nothing.”

Then, Yixing looked at him worried. “But what about your political campaign? And the wedding? The guests? The wedding venue? The food? And everything else? Wouldn’t it be troublesome to you?”

Yes, there were a lot of factors to take into consideration. It wasn’t polite to cancel things at the last minute, of course, but it wasn’t as something like that hadn’t happened before. “People will talk about it, but we’ll still be seen together. So, any rumors about us breaking up wouldn’t be true. Besides, those people saying we’re marrying for publicity will finally shut up. And canceling the wedding, it’s really no problem… I’d still be paying them so.” Junmyeon shrugged his shoulders. It wouldn’t cause much damage, hopefully.

Yixing nodded, looking a bit less anxious. He closed his eyes and leaned closer to Junmyeon’s body, making himself more comfortable in Junmyeon’s lap.

At least one problem had been cleared up.

Just like Junmyeon had thought, Minseok hadn’t agreed with his idea and was surprised to know Junmyeon had been the one to come up with it. But given that no wedding was going to take place, whether they announced it or not, Minseok saw no other choice than to say yes.

To get to know each other better, that was the official reason for calling off the wedding until further notice, had Yixing and Junmyeon said in their announcement. It was a valid reason. Although most people got assigned to their perfect matches at a relatively young age, most of them didn’t marry months after meeting. It also took them some years.

Junmyeon’s parents had been a bit worried at first, thinking that there were problems between them. But after Yixing and Junmyeon explained that wasn’t the case, and it didn’t seem to be, they supported their decision. Junmyeon’s grandparents, on the other hand, were a bit irritated because of the embarrassment Junmyeon had brought the family name by his hasty, inconsiderate choice. And Junmyeon took notice that they appeared to blame Yixing for it and looked down on him. That bothered him, but he couldn’t fight his own family. What Junmyeon did was to assure Yixing that his grandparents’ opinion of him didn’t matter, not one bit. Yixing had smiled at him and given him a kiss on the cheek. So, perhaps his words had help.

Meanwhile, Tao and Yifan couldn’t understand Junmyeon’s reason for canceling the wedding. The whole plan had been to get married for the benefit of his political campaign. They thought it was counterproductive for Junmyeon to postpone it. Besides, now that they both felt the same, it would have been easier to accomplish the original goal. Junmyeon still thought it was the best choice. And the three friends didn’t discuss it anymore after that. But when it was only him and Tao, Junmyeon had to ask Tao to continue helping him anyway. At first, Junmyeon had thought Tao would refuse, given that he didn’t say anything for minutes. But in the end, Tao had agreed to it, thankfully. He wouldn’t lie anymore to Yixing, and if Tao had refused, that might have happened.

For the public, the news had been shocking and slightly disappointing. Apparently, it had been an event some had looked forward to. People had gotten fond of them after all. But it seemed they could understand their reasons because after it was announced it didn’t cause any significant drops in Junmyeon’s ratings. If anything, some praised them for taking that choice and being honest about it. There were still those who made up theories and rumors about why the wedding had gotten canceled, that they hated each other being the number one. It seemed nobody could get pleased no matter what. But Junmyeon and Yixing counterattacked those claims by being seen together, with the main difference that now they were seen together outside even more. They were actually dating this time, so there was more proof of their time together, mainly because of the dating rule they had established.

The rule wasn’t anything severe, just a compromise they had decided the same day they discussed the wedding. While Junmyeon had said they should go to eat dinner in Paris for their first official date (one that wasn’t a social gathering), and Yixing did appreciate Junmyeon’s generous outlandish offer, Yixing still wanted to feel like an average person. Therefore, he wanted to have normal dates too, not only what Junmyeon considered to be ‘casual and regular,’ in other words too fancy, luxurious, maybe even extravagant. So, there had to be some form of balance, one in which both could be parts of their own worlds. The suggestion had sounded ridiculous to Junmyeon, but he couldn’t say no. It was something that would make Yixing happy, and he wanted Yixing to be happy with him.

Consequently, Junmyeon’s first date, their official first date, had been them going to the cinema. And no, they hadn’t walked down the red carpet, and it hadn’t been VIP-seats for the premiere of a highly anticipated movie. A regular date meant dressing casually (no suits had Yixing said). Jeans were quite uncomfortable, but Junmyeon had to agree, they combined with the white t-shirt and the leather jacket did look good on him. A regular date also meant standing in line for their turn because no, Yixing didn’t let people allow them to go first, and it didn’t help that some took pictures of them too or began having a conversation. It involved some uncomfortable seats with a terrible view, and some people laughing way too loud for Junmyeon’s liking. Yet he had enjoyed it, even laughed while they ate at the food court afterward. Despite being twenty-seven-years-old, it was a memory he and his teenager self appreciated: a date at the movies with someone he liked.

The next date, it was Junmyeon turn to organize. It had been his idea too, sort of. Well, it was a remake of that night he had proposed to Yixing when they had made their previous deal. Junmyeon had opted for the yacht because when he was with Yixing, he preferred not having prying eyes around. So eating there, with the beautiful scenery of the skyline and the water surrounding them, that had been picture-perfect. The main difference this time was that had Yixing voluntarily got on the yacht, a man was playing the cello while they ate, and Junmyeon could hold and kiss his Yixing whenever he wanted.

And so, they managed to find a way to date each other, one in which they could be their own selves.

They had also talked a little about their past relationships. Junmyeon had been curious to know. For him, this was his first relationship ever. How about Yixing? To Junmyeon’s surprise (and a bit of jealousy) Yixing had two ex-lovers before. Neither of those relationships lasted because both men had chosen to be with their perfect matches once the time had come (thank heavens). Before falling in love with Junmyeon, Yixing hadn’t seen anyone for almost two years. Junmyeon, on the contrary, as said before, had never been romantically involved with anyone. He had had some flings here and there, and he admitted it had never been more than, quite frankly, ual. Yixing didn’t seem surprised about that, he had suspected Junmyeon wasn’t of the being in a relationship type of person.

But their differences in experience didn’t bring many issues, at least not during the initial weeks. Things had progressed fine. Nothing much had changed either. They still did what they used to do together before. Except that being with Yixing now, apart from going on dates, also meant holding hands while walking, hugging him, kissing him, and hearing a term of endearment from time to time. Junmyeon did blush a little whenever he heard Yixing say: my love, my prince, my baby and what else. It sounded rather juvenile, and yet it still made him giddy. He felt loved. He felt happy. He felt treasured. But he couldn’t find himself saying it back. He liked saying Yixing’s name, and would often call him that, or ‘boyfriend, or fiancée’ sometimes. Maybe over time, he’ll change his ways. Thankfully, Yixing didn’t seem to mind that.

The only thing lacking in their relationship was, well, the . Neither of them had made further advances than kissing. At first, Junmyeon had thought Yixing didn’t find him as ually appealing as he did… Then he recalled that night at the resort and Yixing on top of him while grinding against him, and that erased those doubts. Then, he thought that maybe it was normal to wait. Junmyeon didn’t know how long they would wait, not that he would pressure Yixing into doing anything. He would be pleased if it happened, but he could also wait until the time was right. The last time he had called one of his ‘friends’ had been almost a year ago, too much work and the political campaign had only left him with his hands. He could still wait. But he would like to have a guide regarding relationship intimacy. He didn’t want to discuss that with Yixing, because, again, he didn’t want to come across as impatient. Neither did he want to ask anyone else, because, come on, that would be weird. The internet did help him understand a little. It seemed some people preferred to form a bond, a stronger emotional connection before getting involved ually. Yixing could qualify as that kind of person. So, maybe he just had to wait some more.

And before Junmyeon knew it, three weeks had passed since that stormy day in which they became boyfriends. Their first month anniversary would take place soon. He knew that had to be significant for both, it was a celebration. Due to work commitments (his part mostly) on that day, it would have to be dinner at home. Not that Yixing would mind, or Junmyeon. But for the next weekend, Junmyeon had planned a little getaway over the weekend. Something that would surprise Yixing and make him happy. He just hoped Yixing would say yes.

And so Junmyeon had decided to bring his boyfriend lunch today and break the news. Whenever their timing worked, they’d also eat lunch together. Rather than eating at the office, Junmyeon didn’t mind having to visit the flower shop and eat somewhere near. Yixing had canceled their lunch date earlier, though, the flower shop was busy with customers, and he wouldn’t have much time other than to catch a quick bite. Still, Junmyeon decided to bring him lunch.

He walked into the flower shop, and yes, it was flooding with people. That same young woman as that first time he walked in, whose name Junmyeon learned was Sooyoung, greeted him and told him where Yixing was. A couple of old ladies said hello to him as he walked to the craft table in which he had helped Yixing that day.

Yixing was meticulously arranging a centerpiece. He was biting his lower lip while his hand quickly put the flowers together. Junmyeon enjoyed seeing Yixing work like that, wearing that flower crown on his head, focusing on the flowers and nothing else, it made him smile. When Yixing looked up, he finally noticed Junmyeon standing there. He smiled.

“Babe! What are you doing here?”

Damn his cheeks still blushed at that. Junmyeon held up the paper bag he was holding. “I figured we could catch a quick bite together? Can you now?”

Yixing was about to say something, probably decline, when Sooyoung said, “Oh come on, Boss, you’re the only who hasn’t eaten yet. We can take care of it while you give yourself a little break with your fiancée.” She sent him a wink.

At that Yixing looked around before grinning and nodding. He took off his apron and let another employee take over his work. Then, he guided Junmyeon to the office.

“So, you get concerned when I don’t eat dinner, but here you are skipping lunch,” Junmyeon said, putting the paper bag on the desk. He turned around. “You-” His words got cut off when Yixing held his cheeks and caught his lips in a kiss. Junmyeon instantly put his hands around Yixing’s waist. He could never get tired of kissing Yixing.

“You’re the sweetest,” Yixing said once they broke the kiss. He gave him a peck on the cheek before going to sit on the desk chair, and Junmyeon sat in front of him.

Junmyeon hadn’t been in that office since all those months ago in which they had met for the first time. It was a bit funny how things had changed now.

They took out the food containers from the bag and started eating. Junmyeon had bought sushi for them. It was from that Japanese restaurant Yixing had taken them to dine one day, and Junmyeon had ended up loving the food.

A small conversation about today’s work took place before Junmyeon said it.

“Yixing, I was thinking… You know for our one-month anniversary, how about we go somewhere?”

“Didn’t we say it’ll just be dinner at home? I remember you saying that you had an important meeting.”

Junmyeon swallowed the futomaki roll in his mouth while he nodded. “Yeah, that’s still taking place. But I was thinking more of a little get-away over the weekend?”

Yixing raised an eyebrow while he squinted his eyes. “Where? What do you have in mind?”

Junmyeon smirked. “That’s a surprise, but it’s here, not overseas, I promise.”

Yixing chuckled. “I’m guessing you already have everything figured out, don’t you?”

Of course, he did. That had to be perfect. “Yes.”

“Well…” Yixing nodded, smiling the way his dimples sank into place. “Why not? I wouldn’t mind a late summer break.”

Junmyeon smiled back, feeling relieved, and a little silly for having doubted. “Oh, you’re going to love it. You’ll see.”