Even from behind his closed eyes, the flash from the blond omega’s polaroid camera seemed intrusive as Kyungsoo received a kiss from his alpha.

Chanyeol had now pulled back, smiling slightly. Kyungsoo glanced at him, uncertain whether that expression suggested regret or chagrin.

Kyungsoo supposed that Chanyeol initially kissing him on the forehead was a chaste attempt not to overstep his boundaries, knowing that the grounds they were marrying on weren’t exactly conventional.

And then, the taller one went in and kissed him as unabashedly as he had kissed him back in the suite to keep up appearances. Kyungsoo was beginning to become in awe of Chanyeol, how believable he could be as an alpha in love without Kyungsoo having to say so.

“Okay, one more pose, maybe hug your omega from behind?” the pastor’s omega instructed, aiming his camera at them.

Kyungsoo and Chanyeol looked at each other, somewhat exasperatedly. Kyungsoo thought he heard Chanyeol sigh as he circled his arms around his tiny waist and felt the taller one nuzzle his chin on the side of Kyungsoo’s head while murmuring, “Smile for the picture, jagiya.” (honey, sweetie or baby)

As a sudden emptiness washed over him, Kyungsoo covered Chanyeol’s hands with his own and upturned his lips. Now he realized this level of skinship* was going to be tiring, and he needed to be ready to give and receive it whenever the need to show up as Chanyeol’s doting omega arose. (*close relationship manifested through touch)

The blond omega and the pastor congratulated them again as they handed the newlyweds with the two freshly snapped polaroid photos. Chanyeol nodded at them and shook their hands, thanking them for all their help.

“Now, if you may please sign the marriage certificate?” The pastor queried, leading them to his small, cramped office.

It must have been prepared before the ceremony, when Chanyeol was registering for them. Kyungsoo swallowed, seeing his name adjacent to his alpha’s in print, only awaiting their signatures. The silver ring on his finger tightened for some reason, and the confined office space became suddenly suffocating, making him catch his breath and weakening his knees.

Chanyeol caught him by the arms, leaning Kyungsoo against him. “Gwaenchanah?” he whispered, the concern in his face apparent. (Are you all right?)

Kyungsoo would have to learn to gauge the times when Chanyeol was pretending, and to trust him when he was not. He shakily nodded as Chanyeol sat him on a plump cushion by the table and took the crisp piece of paper with his free hand.

Chanyeol gently ruffled the top of the smaller one’s head, as if in reassurance, and signed with undeterred conviction.

Then his heart stopped.

Signing this just entitled Kyungsoo to HALF of everything he ever worked hard for in the last thirteen years.

Kyungsoo noticed Chanyeol’s handsome face go pale. He reached for his hand to make the taller one look at him.

He did. The growing worry in Kyungsoo’s eyes forced him to calm himself down. A dreary image of a messy court dispute flashed into his mind at the end of six months, and he didn’t want to think about that yet.

Not on his wedding night.

Was there such a way to backdate a contract and have his lawyer, Sehun, draft a prenuptial agreement?

Then a strange, somewhat ominous suspicion came over him. He hadn’t investigated the matter, at all, which was uncharacteristic of him. Had he been so blinded by Kyungsoo’s beauty that the omega had him wrapped around his little finger with every tear, every kiss, every blink of those big eyes within the hour so Chanyeol just accepted every single thing Kyungsoo told him as the absolute truth?

Was Yifan several steps ahead of him? Had the notorious mogul targeted him all these years as well, learning of his business dealings, digging for dirt, inspecting his background, where he really came from? Was it Yifan’s plan all along to trap Chanyeol by using his child, masquerading as a beguiling omega in distress and impel him to a rushed wedding?

What the hell was going on here?

Just then, Kyungsoo took the pen from him and affixed his signature under his name. He stood up and looked into Chanyeol’s eyes. “I can’t thank you enough for doing this for me. Don’t worry, I’ll uphold what I promised you,” he whispered, only for his alpha to hear. “Sehun hyung owes me a big favor so he’ll provide any legal assistance I need at once. After returning to Seoul, there will be a contract for us to sign with regards to my trust fund.”

Chanyeol’s mind was reeling. Now, they were in equal footing. By law, he owned half of Kyungsoo’s estate and Kyungsoo owned half of his.

And his best friend, Sehun, was also Kyungsoo’s legal counsel?

Before he could respond, the pastor’s omega asked them if they had a place to stay. Chanyeol was still staring at Kyungsoo, who now looked even younger and more fragile before his eyes. A part of him, and on which basis he was unable to understand just yet, wan