| CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO |

Better or Worse

“What do you mean you saw her proposing? Why didn’t I know about it?”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes at Kyungsoo before proceeding to write on his ‘Operation: Win Proposal’ List. Tomorrow, they are set to drive to Daegu with the twins to officially meet Baekhyun’s family, most especially his father. So, today, he asked Kyungsoo to meet up to help him come up with ideas for his grand gesture. “In my head, you dimwit. When I could see a person doing , it means they could possibly do it. She’s the type of gal.” He answered as a matter of fact. “But I ain’t going to let her win this time. So make sure you don’t say a ing word to Hara because those two women are always together. I need to win this.”

It was true, Kim Jiwon technically won real hard on their first head-to-head three years ago.

Kyungsoo tapped his fingers around the mug he was holding with both hands. He looked around the café and sighed. “You mean, you’re competing even to this? Byun Baekhyun, I don’t think that’s necessary.”

Baekhyun stopped halfway from finishing a sentence and put his pen down. “Kyungsoo, you don’t understand. I want to propose to her, I want to see her say yes—right in front of me. I want to experience that.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Call me ist, I don’t care. I need to do the proposing.”

His friend eventually gave up and moved closer beside him to peek at the list he was writing. “Grocery-bought cake—wait, what? Why’d you buy her a grocery-bought cake? That’s very cheap, you own a business.” Baekhyun groaned and nudged his friend. “It’s just one of my ideas and also, it’s meaningful for us. I got her a grocery-bought cake on her birthday when she just got here three years ago.” He explained. “But anyway—don’t judge, nothing is final here yet.”

Kyungsoo continued to read on the list. “Propose at the cemetery—what?!” He reacted on the last proposal idea on the paper.

Baekhyun sniggered and kept silent for a moment before looking back at his friend. “In front of my mother.” Silence filled the small gap between the two friends, solemn smiles exchanged. “But Baekhyun, you still haven’t gone there. It’s been years and how are you—” Kyungsoo paused, not knowing exactly how to finish his question. He received a simple nod. Baekhyun looked down to the paper and chuckled. “Exactly. I want to show Jiwon that I’m ready to be a man. That … as hard as it is to say right now, I’ve forgi—I have—I will forgive my mother.” He stammered through the sentence but managed to finish it.

Instead of talking, Kyungsoo moved even closer and rubbed his back, even leaning his head closer against him. Baekhyun rolled his eyes but ended up chuckling. Their short friendly moment was interrupted when a flash caught their eyes from another end of the café. Some school girls were all sniggering and taking a picture of them. Baekhyun immediately pushed Kyungsoo and glared at the girls. “I swear to god if I see us on TikTok with the hashtag BL, I’m going to sue to you, girls.” He managed to make a threat which didn’t really get any response from the girls who immediately looked down and back to their food.

Kyungsoo blinked. “What is BL?”

Baekhyun looked back and cleared his throat. “Uhm, not that I know a lot about it. I just heard it from one of my clients who asked for a marriage proposal for him and his husband. And I just remembered—it’s like a—I’m so not interested at all—it’s just, I think, it means Boy Love? Some kind of gay —I’m not homophobic, I swear.” He answered. Kyungsoo only shrugged his shoulders and looked at the girls with a shy smile. Baekhyun grabbed him to lean on his chair more comfortably. “Yah, can you not give them anymore ideas? Just leave them alone. I know you don’t have a toxic masculinity as I have—according to literally everyone—but please, before I leave you here.” He threatened.

Kyungsoo nodded and Baekhyun proceeded to speak. “Anyway, should we start looking up the wedding venues too? I kind of want it outdoor but with a fairytale vibe, don’t you think it’ll be pretty? Cause I’m planning for a Fall wedding. Does that sound like a romantic time for a wedding date?” He asked excitedly.

—little little too loudly, I’d say.

The girls from the other table started giggling together again making Baekhyun completely stop. Kyungsoo awkwardly glanced at them before looking at his friend. “I think … uhm … I think they think we’re thinking about our wedding venue and wedding date? I think?” He muffled earning a quick hiss from the man. Baekhyun eventually gave up caring and just proceeded to telling all his ideas to Kyungsoo. “I’ve also booked a couple of one-on-one appointments with jewelry stores so I could personally pick up the right ring. Yes, you heard that, one-on-one session cause I want to take my time here to get the most beautiful ring.” He nodded eagerly.

Again, giggles come from that table.

Baekyun have had it. He slammed the table with both hands before looking their way, clapping back lightly. “Okay, do you do this to every gay couple you see? Just make fun of them? Because you girls, must have ed up parents who raised you to be like this, it’s 2020 for heaven’s sake. We are not a gay couple but if we were, we’d beat the out of your unblended contoured and blushed prepubescent faces and probably make out right in front of you so your narrow minds will puke butterflies until y’all turn gay too. You want that?” He asked with a sassed passion, making the other costumers in the café watch in awe. Kyungsoo’s eyes bulged out as he held onto Baekhyun’s arms. “Uhm—everyone’s looking, can you not come at them like that, please? Uhm, yes? No?” He asked nervously.

Baekhyun let out a heavy sigh before calming back down to his chair. “Oh my god, what came to me? I feel like I got possessed by Kim Jiwon.” He rubbed his throbbing chest, he felt so angry. “Or Jihwan, more likely” He corrected himself. The two of them looked at each other before bursting out of laughter. “I’m so happy for you, Baekhyun. You’ve changed a lot since—I’d say since Kim Jiwon came back and introduced you the twins but I think it’s more like … you’ve changed since she came into your life three years ago. You’d be a good husband.” They shared a manl