For the past two days, Sehun had been visiting the inn in the town at least twice a day, but always returned home fuming with rage, just to release his stress by chopping firewood or rather smashing the wood into smallest possible pieces with the axe. Jongin said that he just had a drink every time he went there, and sat glaring at Yingyun for a while before he finally standing up and leaving the inn. It was like a routine to Sehun. According to Jongin, he didn’t even wait when Ying called after him, begging him to listen to her. Chanyeol and Baekhyun questioned the youngest, asking why did he even go there every day if he didn’t have any plans on talking to her, but he was determined to stay silent, the most stubborn traits of him showing up.

After Sehun had left the house to meet the girl again that morning as well, Chanyeol and Baekhyun were busy making straw sandals, a fascinating craft they had learnt from Kyungsoo last night, which was not at new all to rural people, but quite unusual and fascinating to them aristocrats. Chanyeol rolled the straw ropes between his palms, and watched how the totally distracted friend of his was entangling his fingers between two strands of straw unconsciously, eyeing the girl who was treating a small wound on a child’s knee.

“I always tell you to be careful!” she nagged, carefully wiping away the blood from the little boy’s wounded knee as the two sat on their veranda. “It wasn’t me noona! Haeji lost her pet cat and we had to run everywhere looking for it! And I slipped over a slippery rock...” he pouted.

Jungsoo shook her head and continued wiping the wound. Chanyeol was still watching Baekhyun, who was tracing every movement of the girl and all the changes in her expressions. He unintentionally smiled when she smiled, pouted when she pouted focusing on the treatment, and even heaved sighs when she giggled and tickled the little one.

“Just kiss her already.”

Baekhyun snapped out of his daze and turned to his friend. “Huh?”

“I said just go kiss her already.” Chanyeol repeated, loud enough only for them to hear.

“Who?” Baekhyun pretended not to know, and started untangling his fingers from the knot he had created with straw.

“Your baby doctor. Who else?”

Baekhyun scoffed. “Since when did the King’s Hunter start using such cliché vocabulary?”

Chanyeol smirked in reply. “Since when did Byun Baekhyun start hesitating to approach a girl he likes?”

Baekhyun finally gave in and sighed. “It’s serious this time isn’t it Baek?” Chanyeol asked. “You really like her don’t you?”

And his friend threw the remaining straw in his hand on to the bench, and left the place without a single word in reply.

“About Baekhyun...” Chanyeol began, as he stepped out of the physician’s house with his wife for a walk after breakfast. “The guy likes Jungsoo. It’s more than obvious... but he’s hesitating I think.”

Seora blinked, looking puzzled. “I thought the two were already having something going on. Why is he hesitating?”

Chanyeol shrugged. “I’m not quite sure... but I kind of get it. Given the way he was living, it’s natural for him to act like that. He was never the one who was actually planning to have feelings for anyone, to settle down with one person...”

“Just stay away from my sister, Captain Byun.”

Do Kyungsoo was brutally straightforward when he spoke to Baekhyun personally the previous night. Baekhyun replied with a smile, his calm and carefree demeanour taking over. “Look here Kyungsoo, I’m not playing around with your sister. I haven’t begun anything in the first place...and even if I do, I’m not playing with her. I’m being honest here Kyungsoo.”

“I’ll be honest with you as well Captain.” Kyungsoo said. “My sister is someone who has never been in a relationship with a man before. And that naive kid will get butterflies just by holding hands with you.”

He glared at Baekhyun for a moment before continuing.

“And how about you? Do you even remember when was your first time with a woman?”

Baekhyun had never been that helpless in front of a question before.

“I’m not saying that I’m looking for a man who was never been involved with women for my sister. I’m not narrow minded to that extent. But I’m talking about you people. Wealth is all you have and do I have to point you out your ways of ‘enjoying life’?”

Baekhyun listened in silence.

“Do you think such an innocent girl like Jungsoo have the strength to live such a life? What if she gets married to a wealthy household and gets cornered like a concubine while her husband will marry several other women or start bringing home gisaengs? Isn’t that how things work in the city?”

Baekhyun sighed in the end. “I get it.”

And he put a stop to the conversation and walked away.

“There’s some kind of ritual in the town today. Shall we go watch it?” Seora suggested after breakfast. “Jungsoo said she’ll take us.”

Chanyeol was the first to agree. “Let’s go. I’m in.” he replied, as he had previously planned with his wife. “Sehunnie and Jongin are already in the town so...” Seora looked at Baekhyun. “You too should join us Baekhyun.” She said with a grin.

Baekhyun shook his head with the slightest possible smile. “It’s fine Seora. You guys can head down town without me. I’ll stay and help Kyungsoo with his paper work.”

Chanyeol saw Jungsoo’s face visibly darken. “Come on man... let’s just go... it’s not like we’ll be doing this kind of stuff every day.”

Baekhyun shook his head yet again. “I’m not quite in the mood Chanyeol.”

“What if Chanyeol suddenly need someone’s help?” Seora suddenly asked. “Do you think Jungsoo and I can manage alone Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun stayed silent for a while, and finally gave in with a sigh. “Fine. I’ll come.” He answered Seora, but glared at his friend because he knew this was mainly Chanyeol’s plan.

* * * * * * * *

“Happy now? Since I’m coming to ‘help you’?” Baekhyun asked through gritted teeth, as the two guys followed the girls whom were walking ahead of them, chattering away happily. Chanyeol nodded in reply. “You took action in finding the right girl for me, so I should return that favour to you!”

Baekhyun heaved a hopeless sigh. “Chanyeol you know why I’m like this more than anyone else don’t you?” he asked. “Does she look like she deserves to live the life my omma lived? Do you think I’m any different from my abhuji?”

“You are definitely different.” Chanyeol replied, his voice full of confidence. “All your playboy acts were just your way of getting rid of the heartbreaks you were having because of your parents. That was not you Byun Baekhyun...that was all the agony and pent up stress in you.” he continued to talk as they walked along the road. “I know you didn’t set a foot at any gisaeng house ever since your mother fell ill. Does that look similar to your father’s behaviour?”

“I’ll take care of my own business. You can focus on getting recovered.” With that Baekhyun put an end to their argument and remained silent for the rest of their walk.

An open area in the market was crowded with people, and they saw a row of young people standing within the crowd.

“Aren’t those couples?” Chanyeol asked as they approached the crowded area. “Yes General.” Jungsoo answered with a grin. “This is the reason I wanted to bring you to the market.”

“What’s happening here Jungsoo?”

Jungsoo took Seora’s hand. “Take the General and join them my lady. This is an annual ritual people do in order to get blessings for young couples in the village. They imitate the ancient wedding rituals from hundreds of years ago, and couples who are to be married and who are recently wedded join this.”

Seora turned to her husband. “Shall we go and join them?” she asked eagerly. And Chanyeol smiled with a shrug. “If you want.”

And she dragged him in through the crowd, towards the centre of people where all the couples were standing. “Oh! We have another couple!” the woman who was arranging the ritual items shouted.

“Such a beautiful couple!”

“They look like a prince and a princess in ordinary clothing!”

Baekhyun and Jungsoo watched from a side of the circle of people until they heard a yell from a familiar voice. “Hey! Take our Jungsoo too! She’s here with her man so she should also participate!”

Both Jungsoo and Baekhyun turned towards the voice and saw the textile shop keeper from earlier, waving merrily at them from the doorstep of his store. “Ahjussi!” Jungsoo yelled back, both embarrassed and annoyed. The man ignored Jungsoo and waved at Baekhyun. “Good luck young man!” he finished his words with a playful wink.

Within seconds, two middle aged women came and caught the two by their arms. “Ahjumma, we’re not-” Baekhyun was not allowed to finish his words, as his friend’s voice interrupted from the centre of the circle. “Ahjumma bring them here! He’s my friend and she’s my wife’s friend!”

And the two helpless young people were dragged into the line of couples, Baekhyun to stand next to a giggling Seora and Jungsoo was dragged to stand on his other side. He leaned his head behind Seora and glared at his friend, who just ingored his glare with a smirk and stared ahead.

“Let’s begin this now! All the couples stand straight in a line!”

There were nearly a dozen couples, and the first part of the ritual started. “Brides, put the flower garland on your groom!”

A bunch of little children came and served the young women each a garland of flowers, and they took it and put over their grooms’ necks. Jungsoo was hesitant at first, but Baekhyun heaved a heavy sigh and bent his head, with a low “Put it on. It’s alright.”

He absolutely hated this uncomfortable situation. He was planning to turn away from her, and every single thing around them were dragging him back to her.

Chanyeol had to bend down significantly, given the height difference between him and Seora. Seora chuckled and put the garland on him, and he gave her a surprising kiss on the cheek before straightening again. “Omo...! This prince-like groom over here is really impatient!” a shout from behind them made the whole crowd laugh and caused Seora to turn red in embarrassment.

“Now the grooms put these flower crowns on your brides!”

Each of the grooms took the flower crowns given to them and placed them on their partner’s head. Baekhyun placed the crown on Jungsoo’s head and rearranged the stray strands of hair on each side of her face. “It looks good on you.”

And she didn’t understand why she saw hurt in his smile just then.

“Now... it’s the time for the wedding vows!”

“Vows? Isn’t that a bit too much?” Jungsoo mumbled. “Stop talking like you have never seen a wedding before girl!” an old woman snapped at her, making the girl purse her lips.

“Now the brides, repeat after me!”

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