As scheduled, after Changmin’s wedding, Siwon’s was coming. Doyoung actually offered you to go with him. But ever since Taeyong caught you with Doyoung, you intended to tone it down. Since you were not officially a thing, you just had to reject his offer, saying you would go with Sooyoung. Fortunately he was very cool about it. Even though several weeks had passed, never had he asked you about your response to his ‘proposal’. And that was what you liked about him. You didn’t feel rushed and that was a good thing already.

Doyoung and Jaehyun were the first one you met at Siwon’s wedding venue. After saying hi, you parted ways with the boys before the bride and the groom would summon all of you for a group photo. Until then, your best decision was to keep Sooyoung and Yerim by your side, just in case Doyoung would sneak in to get close to you. You didn’t think you would be ready to be the center of attention, especially when the gossip girls boys like Ten and Sehun were there with their eyes and ears wide open. That day you also noticed Taeyong and his hawk eyes seem to be more in its alert mode. He kept eyeing you or Doyoung. Especially when Doyoung was caught looking at your direction.

Siwon’s wedding party ended pretty early since he held it in the morning until noon. Unusually, all of your friends that day had their own agenda for the rest of the day and they all left way earlier than usual, which eventually it was only you and Doyoung.

“Where are you going after this?” he suddenly asked.

You shrugged. “Home?” Where would you go when you still wore a dress and killer heels?

“Come with me. I’m visiting Mark and the kids. They just arrived from their vacation in the Philippines.”

Hearing Mark’s name instantly made you feel delighted. He was your favorite younger buddy, and it had been a while since you saw him. “Is it okay if I tag along?”

“You sound weird. You’re close with the kids.”

He was right. But that was when you were still close with Taeyong. He was the one who brought you close to the kids.

“Okay, then.”

You had been close with Doyoung since elementary school, yet you had to admit that it was your first time to go somewhere with him only. You spent your entire time on the road being very quiet unless he asked you something. Because usually there was Sooyoung, the mood maker, or Ten, the attention seeker. When it was the two of you alone, surprisingly the overall mood was awkward. Or probably it felt awkward because he asked you to be together with him for another decade and counting but with different label. Frankly it really never crossed your mind and you never imagined that.

“Okay, we’re here.” Doyoung’s words just snapped you to come back to your senses. You immediately followed him hopping off his car and walked towards Mark’s apartment.

“Noona, what a suprise to see you here with Doyoung hyung.” Mark welcomed you with a big hug. The other boys smiled wide too when they saw you coming. You had no idea that these guys missed you lots.

“Yeah. It’s been a while,” you said as you hugged tight one baby after one baby. And yes by baby, it means Hyuckie, Jaemin, Jeno, Renjun, Chenle, and Jisung. From their expression and from Mark’s words, you could tell they were wondering why you came there with Doyoung instead of Taeyong. “Taeyong is pretty busy lately,” you told them even without them asking.

“Taeyong hyung now rarely comes, ever since he’s dating Hyemi noona,” Donghyuk slightly mumbled. You noticed he was making a face, which quickly disappeared when Doyoung eyed him.

You let out a groggy chuckle. “Is that so?” The boys were probably aware how you and Taeyong were not the same anymore.

“Noona can visit us anytime, by the way. We’ll visit you too when we have time,” said Jaemin.

Jeno, the samoyed-like guy whom Doyoung favored a lot, added, “Yeah, come with Doyoung hyung.”

“Or would you like to come with me tomorrow? I’m meeting Taeyong hyung,” Mark bluntly said. Sometimes you were not sure if Mark really slow about your current condition with Taeyong, or he was just too naive.

You quickly shook your head. “Oh, no. I’m..”

“No can do, kid.” Doyoung cut off. “She and I will go to Sooyoung’s. We have some stuff to do.”

You turned to Doyoung and gave him a glare with a big question mark in your eyes. But he kinda ignored you and left you with the clingy Donghyuk while he collected the others. “Who wants to be with Hyung anyway,” Hyuckie dramatically scoffed and became a human magnet sticking on you when Doyoung excluded him to play with the other '00 line.

After spending hours listening to the chaotic youngsters either playing games or unpacking their luggages, finally Doyoung offered to take you home at 10 PM sharp. This guy really took the advantage of being your friend since you were little. He knew your parents would be fine with you going anywhere as long as you go with someone they trust. Someone like Kim Doyoung. Compared to him, your parents were actually not very close to Taeyong. They didn’t know Taeyong as well as they knew Doyoung. Basically you had been with Doyoung since you were 7. While Taeyong came to your life in the final year of elementary school, yet you developed deeper relationship with him.

“Doyoung?” you called as soon as you sat on the passenger seat beside him. “Sooyoung is leaving to Paris tomorrow,” you said, squinting your eyes at Doyoung.

“Yeah, tell Mark that and Mark will insist you to come with him. You know seeing Taeyong means seeing Hyemi too. That girl really hates you, you know that.”

You could see a smirk when he talked as he his car. “Thank you for the reminder.” You rolled your eyes.

Again, you were silent during the trip to your house. You were either too tired, or just too overwhelmed with Doyoung’s move.

“Jooyeon. I don’t mean to rush, but would you think about it? About what I said about us,” he said without looking at you. Before you reacted, he added himself, “Don’t get me wrong. I’m fully aware that both of us don’t want to get settled in the near future.”

You took a quite long pause. He had been a good friend of yours. And you found it odd for him to ‘push’ you like this. It was not like his usual self. Or maybe you were the one who thought you knew him well. But that was not something you were concerned the most. “About us… have you ever told anyone? Did you think of telling Taeyong?”

He knew sooner or later you will mention the dear friend of yours. It had been on his mind as well actually. “I will talk to him, if only you say okay.”

Good point, you thought. Taeyong would be anxious even more than he already was.

“If I don’t, will it affect our friendship?” The only reason you wanted to say no was simply because you wanted to stay true to your own words: not dating your close friends. You were aware how people always admire the Kim Doyoung for not only his looks, but also his kindness, his wits, his intellectual sides, his speaking skill, and even his way of nagging people. All in all, you often heard that he is a good catch. Only crazy women who would reject this guy. So, again, you couldn’t really find any objective reason why you should say no him. But when it comes to relationship and friendship, you would always reflect to your current condition with Taeyong. “If I don’t, will you and I …become like Taeyong and me?”

He turned to you for a second and flashed you a smile. “I promise you won’t lose me as a friend.”

That was one thing. You would be very grateful if he kept his words no matter what your answer would be. But the issue with Taeyong was still lingering in your thoughts. “If I do, do you think Taeyong will understand?” you asked with concerned expression.

“I’m not sure about that. But he’s a big boy. He will eventually.”

“If I do, are you sure we can work this out? What if we can’t? Maybe it’s better to stay like this, as friends,” you argued, looking straight to his side profile as he was fully concentrated driving. This had been what you feared the most. You never believed a love story that started from friends to lovers. When things don’t go well, usually those couples will be no longer friends. Why risk the beautiful friendship?

Doyoung didn’t answer you directly until you arrived at your residence. He had parked the car, yet hadn’t turned the engine off. He lowered the music volume before he switched into a more mellow playlist. He slightly twisted his upper body to face you. “That’s why what I’d like to offer to you—if you say yes in the first place, is you get to live your life the way it is.”

You blinked twice, clearly showing that you didn’t get him.

“If you move in with me, just think that I’m a roommate you share a house with. Just think of living with a friend. I will mind my own business too. The only thing that would be different is our status. Husband and wife will only be a title.”

What you understood from his words was he some sort of proposing a 'fake’ relationship, but with legal marriage documents and everything. How this all makes any sense to him was still a mystery for you. “Doyoung, are you sure you want to do this? You know we don’t have to sacrifice ourselves to that extent for the sake of our parents. They only urged us. They will understand our decisions in life,” you stated.

“I’ve made my points, Jooyeon. And yes, I am very certain of what I’ve said. I am completely sober.”

“Are you sure husband and wife will only be a title? Don’t you want a sincere and genuine love life with your 'Mrs. Kim’? Don’t you have, like, something that you expect to do together with your 'wife’ in the future?” You stared at him who locked his gaze at your eyes. “Doyoung, it doesn’t have to be me and you.”

“Is this rejection?”

“No. It’s just…” It was just you were not sure of your feelings. You were not sure if continuing this would be a right thing to do. Overall you mostly agreed with the points he made. But still, everyhing felt kind of rushed. The only thing that made all of this a tiny bit better was because it is Doyoung. He had been one of those you could depend on.

“So, does that mean I get a yes from you?”

You sighed. This boy was persistent. Sometimes you admired him for that strong spirit. While at the other times you would find yourself a bit distressed and overwhelmed because or his strong determination. And you know he wouldn’t lose. “You go talk to my father. If he approves, my mother will too. Once they do, I’ll think about it.”

Doyoung grinned wide. “Got it.”

You rolled your eyes. You could see his overflowing confidence, knowing that your father would have no objection when it is Kim Doyoung who proposes. “Just be sure to talk with Taeyong. I don’t want him to be shocked hearing this from anyone else.”

“See, that’s definitely a yes from you, right?”

“Just let’s not do anything extra until everything is set.”