Jongin stopped in his tracks, blinking at the wedding planner.

The beautiful omega smiled warmly—adorable, deep dimples digging on each smooth, dewy cheek—coming right up to them.

Holy saint of angels.

Jongin had to take a step back, his breath coming in short puffs.

“Is this the groom?” The wedding planner asked, an innate effervescence oozing out of him. “You’re a gorgeous couple!”

“Aniya, aniya, aniya, aniya!” Jongin instantly disentangled his arms from Kyungsoo’s and Luhan’s, and then smiling apologetically at the two omegas for protesting rather quickly. “I’m just one of the groomsmen.”

The flustered alpha wiped his suddenly clammy right hand on his pants, hoping that it was reasonably dry now, and extended it to the wedding planner. “My name is Jongin.”

“Yixing,” the wedding planner told him, indulging him in a handshake.

Jongin held on to his hand longer than necessary that Yixing laughed. The wedding planner took his hand from the obviously younger alpha’s firm grip politely and gave him his calling card instead. “For when you get married.”

Jongin glanced at the perfumed card excitedly. YES! It had Yixing’s cell phone number. “To you, hyung?”

Kyungsoo and Luhan looked at each other and suppressed their laughter.

“I’m sorry?” Yixing seemed surprised but was clearly amused by the way his eyes were twinkling.

Jongin’s cheeks unexpectedly reddened, keeping the calling card in the pocket of his coat and then patting it to make sure that he really did secure it there. He couldn’t believe he was acting like an untried adolescent in front of this incredibly attractive omega.

Yixing’s eyes were still on him, though. “You know, you greatly remind me of a boyfriend I had once.” He cupped Jongin’s chiseled chin and leisurely skimmed his handsome features.

Jongin giggled like a little toddler.

Yixing smiled wistfully, realizing that he was mistaking him for someone else. “But he lives far away, so the relationship didn’t work out.”

“I live near here,” Jongin piped in eagerly.

“Yes, he does,” Luhan and Kyungsoo reiterated at the same time.

Yixing just laughed. “Um, so we’re just waiting for the groom?” He turned to Kyungsoo, before he got too tickled pink from Jongin’s excessive aegyo.

“He’ll be here shortly,” Kyungsoo confirmed, a bit chagrined. “I’m so sorry we’ve taken so much of your time.”

“Don’t worry, Kyungsoo-ssi,” Yixing assured good-naturedly. “Luhan-ssi and I were able to discuss some of the details of his wedding so I am kind of saving time. I had refreshments prepared, as I’m sure you and your guests are hungry.” He motioned with his hand, and grinned at the grown flower alpha who was still fixated on him, to lead them back inside. “Shall we?”

Jongin ran to the door and held it open for all three omegas.

Kyungsoo and Luhan were handing out drinks when Chanyeol finally arrived. The first thing the taller one did was hug his mother, and then his dongseang and his uncle.

Kyungsoo blinked in surprise, setting down the glasses back to the table.

Had Chanyeol even seen him?

“Gwaenchanah?” His alpha asked his family as Kyungsoo quietly approached. “At the house, has anyone come by and—”

“Chanyeol-ah?”

It was the first time his omega called him by name, not nampyeon or even hyung.

He turned around slowly, and met Kyungsoo’s disconcerted, glassy brown eyes.

Chanyeol closed the two steps that was keeping them apart and wrapped the smaller one in his arms tightly. “I have no excuse,” he whispered in his ear. “Mian-hae, mian-hae…”

Kyungsoo only clung to him, burying his face in his chest.

“I received all of your messages but only saw them minutes ago. You have every right to be mad. I have been an inconsiderate fool, but I am usually not as absentminded or break appointments as easily as this.” Chanyeol framed his face in his hands and made Kyungsoo look at him.

He flinched inwardly at the pained expression on the smaller one’s pretty face. If Sehun hadn’t noticed that it was already half-past five, and then remembered Chanyeol’s appointment at the wedding planner that they both should attend, Chanyeol would have to expect the outbreak of World War III when he came home that evening.

He had gotten over ten missed calls from Kyungsoo throughout the day and even more messages as he was driving over to the wedding planner. Then Jongin’s voicemail that was concluded by Kyungsoo’s worried, cracked voice. “I hope you’re safe. Sa—”

And then the recording ended.

“About the voicemail, why would you say sorry, huh?” Chanyeol asked, completely perturbed. “I should be the one groveling on my knees.”

“I  thought...” Kyungsoo could only stare at him, indecisive whether he should be appeased or dejected that Chanyeol didn’t, once again, hear. “I thought something happened to you.”

“Aniya,” Chanyeol replied, pressing his lips on his forehead. “Nothing happened to me.”

Nothing yet.

“It’s just work.” He squeezed his omega’s hand as he smiled apologetically at their guests already settling in their chairs at a round table with some cakes and pastries. He pulled a chair for Kyungsoo to sit on, and then took the seat next to it, grinning, as Jongin, sitting on his right, patted him on the shoulder.

Yixing introduced himself to Chanyeol and began with the preliminaries such as the wedding reception, the church, the number of guests, which Kyungsoo and Chanyeol should decide on as early as possible, th