During all his years of living here in the village, he has only interacted with a handful of people, as far as he could remember. His parents, some officials who would come every now and then, and then Yifan, but that was about it. When Junmyeon went to the council meeting, that had been his first time interacting with the other villagers, not that he did much – he clung onto Jeonghan’s side the entire time while his omega mother defended him from the others. 

He had not expected that his second time would be an engagement party, much less his own.

Since Yifan was the chief’s son, it was pretty much open to everyone, even if Junmyeon only knew like three people. His father Seungcheol at least recognized some people, but his mother Jeonghan didn’t know anyone either. 

Just great. 

It was awfully nice for Yifan to fake their relationship so that Junmyeon doesn’t get married off. But when it ends, what would they do to Junmyeon? Would they try again to pair him off with someone? 

Hopefully it won’t get too graphic as when his parents left their home city all those years ago, of his grandparents trying to marry off a pregnant Jeonghan while warrants were out for Seungcheol, dead or alive. 

Yeah, pretty graphic. 

But at least his parents were safe, with nothing hopefully happening to them, together here with him. 

Junmyeon was sitting at the kitchen table, with Jeonghan brushing his hair. They had to go soon, so his mother was helping him get ready while he tried to calm down his nerves. 

“You’re going to do just fine,” Jeonghan reassured him, running the comb over and over Junmyeon’s hair. It was already knot-free, but it was almost therapeutic to Junmyeon, so he didn’t stop.

“Easy for you to say,” Junmyeon argued. “You would speak in front of a lot of people all the time.”

“Pfft, I’ve probably said like ten words in total to the people,” Jeonghan reminded him. “That was usually my father.”

It had been weird, being the prince back then. In a few years it’ll be two decades since he and Seungcheol ran away, but his memories were still as clear as day. All he really missed, though, was his friend Minghao. He wondered how Minghao was doing , whether his relationship with Junhui was still going strong, how their child was fairing. Oh, baby Luhan had been so small when Jeonghan left, but the latter was around a few months older than Junmyeon, he must be grown by now. 

As the prince, Jeonghan had taken many classes and tutoring sessions throughout his whole life in the palace, and one course that he had been able to take was drawing. His father and stepmother often praised him, for his drawings looked realistic, almost as if you had a photograph. Jeonghan had brought his sketchbook with him when they ran away, which included drawings of Minghao, Junhui and Seungcheol, as well as Seungcheol’s friends Soonyoung, Joshua, Jihoon, and Mingyu. Those were the only things he had to remind him of them, as well as some jewelry. Everything else was clothes, food, first aid or weapons. 

Jeonghan never found the need to hide his past from Junmyeon, always telling him stories of himself and Minghao, of Jeonghan’s mother before she passed away, where he came from. What he did hide, though, was, well-

“Where’s dad?” Junmyeon said, interrupting Jeonghan’s train of thought. “He said he was upstairs looking for something but wouldn’t tell me.”

Jeonghan set down the comb that he had been using. “If he won’t tell you, what makes you think I will?”

His mother had a point, but it was rare for his parents to give him surprises. “It better not be a gift, you know that Yifan and I are pretending.”

Right in that moment, Seungcheol came down the stairs, a tiny, wrapped box in his palms. “Jeonghan, I found it,” he exclaimed, waving it in the air. “I told you I didn’t misplace it!”

Junmyeon turned around in his seat to look at Jeonghan. “Really.”

Jeonghan raised his hands in defense. “I’m your mother, I can gift you whatever I want. Besides,” Jeonghan got up from his chair and grabbed a much bigger (but still small) box on top of the fridge. “This is your present, not that.” 

Seungcheol put his box on the table. “We figured we have to give Yifan a present, too.” He wrapped his hand around Jeonghan’s shoulder, who extended the box to Junmyeon. “Open it.”

Junmyeon took the box from his parents. “You guys really didn’t have to give me anything.”

“It honestly has nothing to do with the engagement, I’ve been planning to give it to you for when you become an adult,” Jeonghan said. “Now open it.”

Sighing at his parent’s resistance, Junmyeon took off the lid of the box his mother had handed to him, gasping when he saw the inside. “You didn’t.”

Inside the box was a small, translucent scarf, all white with lace decorating the edges. Out of all the clothes that Jeonghan had brought with him all those years, this was the only one which-

“This belonged to your mom,” Junmyeon stuttered out.
 

“Who happens to be your grandmother, in case you forgot,” Jeonghan reminded him. “I thought you should have it.”

Junmyeon had seen the scarf before, had known about its existence. Jeonghan never wore it, always having it locked away in his closet, afraid of it getting damaged, only taking it out now and then to reminiscent over it, and now-

It was his. 

Junmyeon hastily set the box on the table before rushing towards his parents to give them a hug, the two of them enveloping him in their arms. 

The village can set him up a grand party all they want, but this is what matters most to Junmyeon. 

---

When the three arrived to the event, it’s hard not to notice everyone give them eyes, especially when Yifan came over to say hello. 

“Hey, how’s everything?” Yifan asked him, looking, well-

It was a bit awkward to admit it, but Yifan did look… handsome in his attire. 

Junmyeon could feel his cheeks getting warm. 

“…good,” was what he managed to stutter out. “Oh, uh, we got you a, uhm, gift.”

Seungcheol handed Yifan the gift that they prepared for him. “It's to our future son-in-law." Even though they were just pretending, Junmyeon's parents played the part real well.

"Oh, thank you so much," Yifan said, taking the gift before bowing down to a 90 degree angle."You didn't have to get me anyth-"

"Oh, God, not you too."Jeonghan covered his hands with his face. "You two are more alike than anything."

Seungcheol pulled Junmyeon aside, whispering something in his ear before wrapping his arm around his mate. "Well, we'll leave you two alone for awhile, so, uh-" he gestured everything around them with his free hand. "We'll be around. I think."

Seungcheol and Jeonghan turned to walk away, and now the "couple" was alone.

"Um, okay, soooooo.." Yifan ran his hand through his hair in a last-desperate attempt to fix it. "Is there anything you want to do?"

Junmyeon shrugged. "What are you supposed to do in an engagement party?"

"That is a good question. I have no clue." Yifan looked around, trying to find someone. "Let's get you talking to someone before the elders and officials come- hey, Chanyeol, come here, man!"

Chanyeol ran over to where Yifan and Junmyeon were, swallowing the chicken that he had been chewing from his chicken drumsticks before speaking. "Nice party, man, I'm glad to be one of your 'best man'" he said, using air quotes. 

"Yeah, anyways, this is Kim Junmyeon," Yifan said, pointing to his 'fiance'. "Junmyeon, this is one of my best friends, Chanyeol."

"Correction: the best friend-"

"No you're not," Yifan argued. "You guys are all tied." "Looking at Junmyeon, he said "Don't worry, they know about the situation."

"Yeah, Yifan doesn't have guts to ask someone for courting-" Chanyeol was interrupted by Yifan jabbing into his side. 

"Clearly, the alphas here are stupid, you should meet other omegas." Yifan grabbed Junmyeon's shoulders and turned him around, leading him away from Chanyeol. "See you later bu-"

""Wait, wait, wait, you didn't even let me talk to Junmyeon for a good two seconds." Chanyeol put himself in front of Junmyeon, stopping Yifan. "Besides, you don't know a single omega, Junmyeon here doesn't count."

"Says the dude who almost wets himself trying to say hi to Baekhyun-wait a second." Yifan took off his hands from Junmyeon. Later he would realize that this was the first time he actually touches the latter, but that thought will come soon enough. "Take me to Baekhyun. He has omega friends, right?"

Chanyeol's face went pale. "Uh, I don't know where he is."

"Fine, I'll ask Seung-"

"Wait, give me a second." Chanyeol took a deep breath. "Don't embarrass me, okay?" 

Junmyeon really wanted to laugh but he couldn't. Is this how Yifan was with all his friends? They all seemed harmless.

"Lead the way, Chanyeol before I expose you to Junmyeon here," Yifan said. 

---

The engagement party was actually pretty good, the five of them agreed. 

Well, four. Yoongi had his head on Jimin's shoulders, taking a nap, while the four omegas continued talking and eating. They were all the way back in the clearing where the organization was taking place, right next to the small forest in the center of the village, thus giving them privacy. 

"You know, Chen Le, you are really lucky that Jisung gave you cherries," Mark (Tuan, obviously) said, taking another bite of his second pork belly serving, swallowing before continuing. "Literally one of the best baking ingredients to ever exist."

"I haven't eaten them yet," Chen Le said, taking a sip of his rice drink. "Isn't the center, like, poisonous or something?"

Jimin spit out the rice he had been eating. "Poison? I ate a cherry this morning that Yoongi gave me!!"

"It's not poisonous, calm down," Mark said. "Wait, Jimin, how did you manage to eat the pit, that's like really hard."

Jimin frowned, still refusing to continue eating his food. "Mine didn't have the pit."

"Pitless cherries, evolution sure is wonderful." Mark stuffed some more rice in his mouth but paused midway, staring at something behind Chen Le's head. "Uhhhh-"

"Not another snake again," Chen Le said, visibly shaking as he turned around to see what Mark was talking about. "Oh, it's just Yifan and- WAIT A DAMN MINUTE-"

That made quiet and stoic Baekhyun stiffle a laugh. Chen Le never cuss, that was Mark's job. He stopped, however, when he noticed Chanyeol with the other two.

"Hey, Baekhyun." Chanyeol did finger guns at the whole group. "How's, uh, life?"

Not this alpha again. "Uhhh… It's going?"

The whole group remained in silence for about five seconds until Yifan spoke up. 

"So, uh, I just wanted to show Junmyeon around and let him meet people," he said, putting his hands on the latter's shoulders again out of habit. "Junmyeon, these are Baekhyun, Jimin, Chen Le and…. Mark Lee right?"

Mark Tuan crossed his arms. "Do I look like the goody two shoes alpha?"

"That's Tuan," Chanyeol whispered to Yifan.

"Oh, the one Jackson likes!" Yifan shouted in realization.

"EWW, hell no, he flirts with everyone!"

"Uh, nice to meet you guys," Junmyeon interrupted. "Um… yeah…"

Yifan turned around to see that his father Xuheng and Hyunsuk talking far away and looking at his direction. 

"Do you guys want to talk to him for a bit, I have to meet someone." Yifan grabbed Chanyeol's hand to pull him away. "Jun, will you be okay?"

Jim, he called him Jun. His parents called him that nickname too, but how did he figure it out? "As ready as I'll ever be."

---

Despite having five kids, it was pretty easy taking care of them when in large groups.

Usually, when Jaehyun and Taeyong separate, one of them takes the twins and the other is in charge of the eldest three. The boys were always on their best behavior and sticked together, so watching them wasn’t a hard task. 

Right now, Taeyong was watching the twins; Gongchan was pulling strands of grass and throwing them at Gunwoo who merely laughed in response. 

Taeyong took another bite of the portion of rice that Jaehyun had given him, his husband claiming that he needed the extra energy for their future little one. Even though it hasn’t even been three days Jaehyun was acting like this, although Taeyong couldn’t say that he minded; Jaehyun had always been like that. 

As he continued to watch his two sons to play with the grass, he almost didn’t noticed the omega male walking towards him. 

“Hey, you’re Taeyong, right?” Taeyong looked up to see a lanky omega cowering, playing with his fingers and struggling to maintain eye contact with him.

“Yeah, I’m Taeyong, and you are?”

The omega hid his hands behind his back. “Jinyoung.”

Taeyong looked over to where Gongchan and Gunwoo were playing. “Nice to meet you, Jinyoung, how are you?”

“Oh, fine, it’s just, uh-” Jinyoung took two steps forwards, rubbing his palms vigorously. “I just wanted to ask you a question, just curious.”

Taeyong nodded. “Go ahead.”

“It’s kind of personal, though,” Jinyoung admitted. “I understand if you don’t want to answer.”

In the distance, Taeyong could see how Gongchan walks up to an omega and handed him a dandelion that he had found. The omega had long hair, really blond, and Taeyong had never seen him before. “It’s fine.”

Jinyoung stayed quiet for a few more seconds. “Does it hurt when people call you names?”

Taeyong flinched. 

He had not been expecting that comment for the most part. Although, to be fair, he was already surprised that someone wanted to talk to him, especially a teen like Jinyoung. 

Outcasts in this village were not loved, not cared for. There were a few of them, some teens, some alphas and omegas, most of the Chinese population. Taeyong was considered to be one, although many people admired and respected Jaehyun, even though they didn't like his parenting. What matters to alphas is that they have kids, right? That they have a pretty omegas to whenever they want and to give them their children, cause that's all an omega is for. 

So why was Jinyoung asking him about his feelings?

Taeyong didn't talk to the omegas as much as he should as he took care of his children all day and Jaehyun was busy doing work and tasks in the village. Both omegas and alphas would make comments about him, both the young and old population, both male and female.

"The names are never going to stop," Taeyong admitted. "It doesn't matter what I think of it, it's not my right to decide."

"So you're okay with it?" Jinyoung continued. "You're okay with them saying stuff to you?"

No, he wasn't. He didn't marry Jaehyun because he was expecting  He didn't marry the latter so that they could have without being punished. He didn't even planned on having after the union ceremony, although he did because he felt comfortable with Jaehyun during the moment  Did the villagers know this? Who knows, but they loved to run their mouths and gossip without even wanting to know the truth.

"Why do you think we finally mated?" Taeyong asked, curious of the latter's answer.

"Because you love each other, right?"

…

"I do love him," Taeyong confirmed, "and he loves me, and no rumors and hate comments is going to change that."

Jinyoung nodded his head, accepting the answer. "Thanks, Taeyong, I appreciate it."

Jinyoung turned away and left, giving a wave before heading off. Taeyong saw how he catched up to an alpha the same age as him, the alpha running his hand over Jinyoung's hair as the latter talked  to him.

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw his son Gongchan walk towards him, holding onto the unfamiliar omega's hand with Gunwoo trailing behind him. "Eomma, eomma, eomma-" he babbles, muttering a few nonsense words.

"Hey, Gongchannie, who do you got there?" Taeyong asked in a high pitch voice, reaching out to pat his son's head. 

"Hannie, Hannie," Gongchan spitted out, letting go of this "Hannie's" hands before moving his hands everywhere, obviously telling a story of whatever him and this omega were doing. 

"Jeonghan," the omega clarified. "He's really into grass but doesn't like pulling them from the roots."

Gunwoo started talking to Gongchan in their baby language, making exaggerated movements with their hands, the two already ignoring the adults. 

"I hope they weren't much trouble," Taeyong said to Jeonghan, seeing as the two could get pretty persuasive when they wanted to play with someone. 

""Oh, no, they were fine, I like playing with kids," Jeonghan reassured him. "They're really well-behaved."

"Oh, do you have any kids?" Taeyong asked, curious.

"Just one," the omega said, smiling sadly. "I was only able to have one, but he's grown now."

That surprised Taeyong. The omega looked younger than his age. "How old is he?"

"Sixteen," Jeonghan clarified. "Almost seventeen. His name is Junmyeon, an omega. Doesn't look like me or his dad, though."

The name sounded familiar to Taeyong, he is sure he has heard the name before, most likely of Jaehyun mentioning it. 

Then it clicked. "The one getting married?"

"That's the one," Jeonghan laughed. "To Yifan. Yifan's a nice alpha, correct?"

Taeyong nodded. "Yeah, he's really respectful to everyone and his friends, too. Everyone here knows them-"

"Eomma, pwetty flower." Taeyong saw Gongchan hand him a crushed weed in his hand. "Pwetty!!"

"I wanna grab!!" Gunwoo said, fighting his twin for the weed. 

Taeyong and Jeonghan laughed in unison at the twin's antics, each thinking of their own antics. 

***

He couldn't take it anymore, it was hurting him. 

His feet were on the verge of giving up, his head not able to maintain coherent thoughts. Yet Jeonghan had to keep going, had to run for Seungcheol, for his baby, for Minghao, for his mother-

He pressed his hand harder to the gaping wound on the side of his abdomen, trying to stop the bleeding. His bump wasn't that big yet, only four months along, but the baby, the baby-

It was really hot around him, he was sweating so bad, he needed to head to his room in the palace, he needed to get away from here, runaway, they wanted to hurt his Seungcheol, the one he's loved for so long-

The palace was coming into view. He had no idea what had happened to Seungcheol, he had yelled for Jeonghan to run while he fought the attackers, Jeonghan could only hope that Seungcheol was all right, please, please let him be all right-

He slowed down, not wanting to rouse suspicions, and entered through one of the secret doors near the side of the palace, only two flights and he would be close to his bedroom-

Luckily there was no staff, but when he opened the door to his room, almost passing out, there was Minghao sitting on his bed, scowling for a second before taking in the scene. 

"Why did you take so long- Jeonghan is that-?!?"

"Please, Minghao, not now." Jeonghan threw himself into his bed, pressing his hand tighter to the wound. "I can't, it hurts-"

Minghao opened Jeonghan's nightstand drawers, pulling out random shirts, rolling them into a ball before giving it to Jeonghan. "Press this onto it, I'll be right back, should I call someone-"

"No, please, they'll know," Jeonghan whined, pressing the clothing onto the wound. They immediately became stained with red. "Minghao, my baby, my baby, I'm going to lose them-"

"You won't, Jeonghan, hold on-" Minghao rushed to the bathroom and grabbed as much medical supplies as he could. "I don't know- Jeonghan, I need to call someone, I can't-"

Jeonghan could feel his head getting hotter. "Someone who knows, just someone who knows, please-"

Minghao opened the bottle of alcohol and hastily poured it on the balled up shirts, pressing it towards the injured skin as Jeonghan let out a scream. "I'll be right back, Jeonghan, I'll be right back!!!"

***

"Why did Si Cheng say he was gone again?" Takuya asked Yuta again, the two of them playing a game in Si Cheng's room. 

"Some important person is engaged, whatever." Yuta reached for more carrots that Si Cheng had prepared for them before he left. "Whatever."

"Oof, that ." Takuya wrote an x in one of the boxes, making a diagonal line. "I win!!!"

"Man, you!!" Yuta threw the pencil at Takuya, the other yelping in surprise. "This is all your fault."

"Shut up, I bet you were thinking about Si Cheng again," Takuya argued, sticking his tongue out to the other alpha. 

"Says the one who literally left this hellhole to go see, I'm sorry, what was the dude's name again, didn't quite catch it."

"Not gonna throw it," Takuya said, creating a new game on the papers "I want to be X again."

"I don't want to play anymore."

"That's your problem."

---

Hakyeon set down the big bowl of rice he had smuggled on his countertop. "Finally, free food."

"The only reason why we went," Taehyung confirmed, grabbing a fork from Hakyeon's kitchen and scooping up a bite, munching on it a few seconds before swallowing. "Pretty good."

"Leo, do you want some?" Hakyeon asked, the latter sitting quietly at the kitchen table. The three of them have left the gathering despite Hakyeon's parent's wishes, but since they were too busy talking with other parents about some omega with too much children, the three were able to escape unscathed. Although maybe his parents probably didn't want to say anything bad to Taekwoon. 

Said Taekwoon shook his head. "I'm good, thanks."

Taehyung picked up another bite. "This is some really good rice." 

"Tae, we should save some for later," Hakyeon yelled, pulling the bowl away from Taehyung, who pouted. "You know my parents say we eat too much."

"Since when do you care?" Taehyung reminded him, leaning over for more. "It's not like your fat or anything, and even if, so what? You're healthy."

His parents had told him otherwise. "We just ate, we should save it for later."

Taehyung shrugged. "Okay, whatever you say."

---

"MARK!!!"

Mark ignored the person who was calling, they probably meant Mark-

"LEE!!"

Or not. 

Mark Lee sighed, looking over to see Jackson run up to him. "What's wrong, man?" He said in English, not wanting anyone to overhear them. Their families were one of the few who knew the rare English language, so they used it whenever possible.

"I need your help," Jackson said, who Mark now noticed was carrying flowers in his hand. "Do you think Mark - not you, the other one - would like these?? What flowers do omegas like?"

Mark rolled his eyes. "Jackson, not all omegas have the same preferences, they're not the same entity, you know," he said. 

"I know, but my mom says that they have a preference, so are these cool or not?"

Mark shrugged. "I don't know, I don't really care about flowers that much, neither does Donghyuck."

"Does he have friends who like them?" Jackson asked. "Weren't there two omegas he hangs out with?"

"Renjun is allergic," Mark said, "and Doyoung has a really strong biased preference towards tulips."

Jackson sighed, anxiously running his hands through his hair. "This is hard."

"Don't worry, man, you'll discover it along the way," Mark suggested. "Everything in life takes trial and error. Even if he doesn't like it, he should know it's in your best intention."

"It's just I've only flirted with other omegas before," Jackson admitted. "Never courting. And Mark - not yo-"

"I get it Jackson."

"Yeah, he doesn't like me, it's hard."

"You just got to try your best," Mark said, "and at the end of the day, if he doesn't like you back, you can't force him."

"True, true." Jackson stared at the flowers in his hands for one last time before tossing them to the ground. "I'm going to get him some pork bellies, his friend Jimin told me that."

"Hey, give me some pork bellies, too, Donghyuck got mad at me last time for burning them," Mark reminded him. "You promised."

"Sorry, Mark, but there's only one Mark who made a mark in my heart."

" you ."