“Isn’t this amazing?”

 

The dark-haired male keeps his gaze fixated out the glass windows that overlooks the city’s night skyline.

 

The blend of green, red, blue and violet aurora lights lighting up the dark sky is a pretty sight that is an indication of the ceremony that is about to take place. Every year, around Christmas, the aurora lights would make its grand entrance in the sky when the sun sets and the Bonding ceremony between Exovians and their respective Bearers would commence.  It was just one of the traditions of El Dorado’s ancestors for them to carry out the ceremony during the display of the aurora lights, somewhat like a blessing.

 

This year, Jongin who has just turned 18 in the beginning of the same year, is finally being bonded with a Bearer chosen by their parents. To him, the whole experience was something new and exciting. All his life, he had been told wonderful stories of the process of Bonding and the life after where you would start your own little family. He would sit on his mother’s lap and listen with perked ears as his mother told him of how nothing compares to having that special bond with a Bearer and a few children to call your own.

 

Chanyeol, on the other hand, had different perceptions of the whole need to be Bonded with Bearers. He was a dreamer; he believed in fairy tales and happily ever afters. He didn’t want to be match made. He wanted to wait till his soul mate came to him. He didn’t want to be with someone he didn’t love.

 

“The lights? Yes, they’re spectacular.”

 

 

Chanyeol sees his younger brother shaking his head in the reflection on the windows as he adjusts his tie, “Not the lights, hyung. We see it every year. Me, bonding with my Bearer!”

 

Since they were kids, they have always sat on mats laid out on the grass in their backyard to watch the magnificent display of lights but were never allowed to watch the Bonding ceremony because they were still not of age. Chanyeol has seen the ceremony twice before this since he turned 18 two years ago. But because he had refused to bond with his chosen Bearer, he has yet to undergo the ceremony. Jongin was a different case. He was going to undergo his first bonding ceremony in less than a few hours and he was more than thrilled.

 

Chanyeol lets out a sigh and turns around on his heels to face Jongin. He smiles when he notices the exultant wide grin that’s gracing the tanner male’s lips, “My baby brother’s all grown up.”

 

The older of the two strides over to the younger and reaches out a hand to ruffle his hair, earning himself a groan from the latter as he tries to duck away from the burdening hand.

 

“Yah, hyung, you’re messing up my hair. Do you know how long it took me to get it to sit nicely?”

 

“Yeah, forty-five minutes. Insane,” Chanyeol rolls his eyes, “I was here the whole time, remember?”

 

Jongin chuckles as he pats down the hair on his head with a hand. The both of them shoot each other knowing looks when a loud chiming in the form of a melodious tune sounded through the house.

 

It was time.

 

 

The ceremony was going to commence in approximately half an hour’s time and the party is in full swing.

 

Guests litter the vicinity of the President’s house party deck, most with a glass of champagne in their hand as they chit chat about politics and the government’s new plans of a better life for Exovians.

 

Chanyeol can’t help but scoff at this. All he has ever heard his whole life was of a “better life” for Exovians. What about Bearers? Didn’t they matter? They had it a lot worse than Exovians and yet nobody gives a damn about them. It wasn’t that Chanyeol hated his father. He loved him as a father, but hated his ways as a President, a ruler to lead their people.

 

He made a promise to himself. One day when he finally takes over his father as President, he was going to abolish all unfair rules imposed on Bearers and make sure they were seen as equals with Exovians. But that day was going to come later, because he has yet to meet his soul mate and if he didn’t find him (or her) before his father steps down from his position, Jongin was going to beat him to it since he would already have a Bearer by his side.

 

Chanyeol is tugged out of his reverie when he feels a light tap on his shoulder and he turns a little to his right to face a very familiar face he had wished to avoid.

 

“Chanyeol,” the petite boy greets with a slight bow of his head.

 

“Hello,” Chanyeol returns his greetings and holds a hand out to him like the gentleman he is. The boy accepts it gracefully and Chanyeol pulls him such that they were now standing opposite each other.

 

“Are you having a good time?”

 

“My baby brother’s going to bond. The party is the same old drag even if Father has outdone himself this time but I think it’s a pretty special night. Don’t you think so?” Chanyeol flashes a smile that comes out a little less genuine than it should have.

 

“I guess,” his chosen Bearer returns a smile.
 

Chanyeol can feel the awkwardness set in between them as they both refuse to meet each other’s gazes, letting their eyes roam just about anywhere else. Well, Chanyeol could not really blame him. It was the first time they were meeting face to face since he called off the Bonding ceremony for this year for the third time.

 

“I don’t know how much longer you can put off our bonding.”

 

Chanyeol finally meets his chosen Bearer’s eyes.

 

“As long as I can,” Chanyeol answers in the same quiet tone.

 

The Bearer sighs, “I don’t want this any more than you do, but you can’t deny it’s bound to happen sooner or later. Can’t we just get this done and over with? I’m really tired of having to listen to my parents nag at me to pester you to proceed with it. Because I know you’ll hate me for it, and I don’t wish to be someone you will hate if I would be carrying your children.”

 

Chanyeol bites his lip guiltily at the boy’s words laced with exasperation,“Just one more year. Your parents and mine promised me one more year to find him before I give in.”

 

“Your soul mate?” He asks.

 

“Yes…”

 

“Okay,” the boy gives a small smile after a pause, “I guess it’s next year, then.”

 

“Thank you, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol clasps his hand appreciatively, although he doesn’t go as far as lacing their fingers together. Even that small gesture seems a little too intimate for the both of them.

 

For two years he has successfully managed to weasel his way out of the Bonding ceremony with said male. This is going to be the third year, but he knows his luck is wearing thin. He won’t be so lucky next year. His parents were bound to find a way to force him into bonding with Baekhyun. Chanyeol knows that the only reason why his parents chose Baekhyun as his Bearer was because he was the son of his father’s best friend. They had been nothing less than thrilled when they found out that Baekhyun was a Bearer, which meant that he could be paired up with Chanyeol.

 

Chanyeol spends the rest of the remaining time just wandering through the crowds on his own, dodging out of pesky relatives’ sight to avoid the bombardment of questions on why he has yet to undergo the Bonding ceremony when his younger brother is going to before him. After all, it’s Jongin’s day today.

 

Instead of listening in on Exovian’s conversations, though, he was more interested in watching the Bearers who had been tasked with the duty of being waiters and chaperones in the event. Chanyeol knew they had probably been forced against their will. After all, most of them were older and past the age of Bonding, so they were going to be subjected to be doing this for the rest of their lives.

 

Chanyeol follows the pebbled path that leads to the quiet lake, away from the hubbub of the party. He figures he needs a short break before he would have to return for the inauguration of Jongin and his Bearer, along with the other Exovians who would be undergoing the ceremony.

 

“Sir, your father requests for your presence by the bonfire. The ceremony is about to commence.”

 

Chanyeol turns his head to see a girl no older than he was dressed like those other waiters with her vest and necktie and blonde hair pulled into a low ponytail. She bowed her head out of respect.

 

It wasn’t very common to see women in El Dorado, and it was an even rarer sight to see one working in lower class jobs such as the tending to Exovians. Most of such jobs were only held by that of Bearers past their bonding age when they would be forced to serve Exovians for the rest of their lives.

 

Chanyeol brings a finger to the girl’s chin and slowly lifts it up to make her face him. Although her face is now inclined towards him, she still has her eyes casted down at the earthy ground.

 

“Look at me,” Chanyeol demands authoritatively.

 

Hesitantly, the waitress lifts her eyes up to meet Chanyeol’s dark ones. Chanyeol feels electricity surging through his veins and he’s completely drawn to the story those eyes hold. Chanyeol has never fallen in love, but he figures that this right now, whatever he’s experiencing, is as close as it gets.

 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

 

Chanyeol’s soft tone surprises the girl and his expression changes from one of fear to that of wonder.

 

“It’s okay, sir,” the girl lowers his gaze once more, just because she wasn’t used to making eye contact with Exovians especially since she was in a lower class, “You should get going. Your father expects you to be on time.”

 

The waitress bows one last time in a request to leave and turns on her heels, only to be stopped by the arm.

 

“Hold on. I want to know your name.”

 

“But sir—”

 

“—You dare refuse the President’s son’s request?”

 

“Dara, sir,” the waitress replies promptly, lowering her head further because she was ashamed of having called out for it.

 

“Pretty name,” Chanyeol comments with a smile.

 

“You will meet me here when the night is done.”

 

Chanyeol leaves the girl behind as he makes his way towards the bonfire where the rest of the guests have already gathered. He takes his place by his father’s side on the raised platform where he immediately spots his handsomely nervous brother holding hands with his Bearer.

 

“Let the Bonding commence,” Junmyeon, the President, announces as he raises a hand to signal the start of the ceremony.

 

Bonding ceremonies never lasts more than a few minutes. The process was simple.

 

Exovians and their chosen Bearers will stand side by side as they say their vows to save El Dorado’s mankind and create as many children as possible to keep their race. After the vows are said, the end of the steel rod that has been specially made for each respective Exovian will be dipped in the fire. Since the evolution of Bearers, every Bearer was born with a birthmark that was of their own unique shape. To be successfully bonded, Exovians would have to be imprinted with the shape of their respective Bearer’s birthmark to show that they belonged with each other. It was a painful process but it was just a small price to pay.

 

Chanyeol remembers how Baekhyun had explained to him of how the process was similar to that of marriage, a sacred ceremony of the uniting of two people in love. Baekhyun had mentioned of how such a thing doesn’t exist in their city anymore ever since the war since people were mostly just match made with each other so instead, the Bonding ceremony replaced weddings.

 

Chanyeol watches as all the Exovian-Bearer couples did their deed. This year there was a record of close to 200 couples joining the Bonding ceremony.

 

His eyes wandered over to Jongin. They had just finished imprinting Jongin and his face was scrunched up in pain, struggling to hold his tears that was a result of the burn in his inner wrist. Chanyeol enviously watches as Kyungsoo, Jongin’s Bearer, grips tighter onto Jongin’s hand to help soothe the pain, leaning in to whisper what Chanyeol believes to be sweet nothings.

 

Even though their parents had also been the one to choose Kyungsoo for Jongin, they seemed pretty happy for people who have been match made. This only made Chanyeol yearn even more for that soul mate he’s been waiting for.

 

At the thought of his soul mate, the image of a certain glowing face appears in his mind.

 

Maybe this time he would be lucky.

 

 

That night, once the guests had left and the place had been cleaned up, Chanyeol snuck out the house to the lake where he was hoping a certain blonde girl would be waiting for him.

 

When he arrives, he is disappointed to see that Dara isn’t there like he had hoped. He waits patiently, kicking a few pebbles into the lake.

 

“I didn’t think you’d be waiting for this long,” a sultry voice breaks the night silence when the waiting reaches its second hour.

 

Chanyeol’s head snaps around so fast he could feel the crack in his neck.

 

“You’re here.”

 

The look of disbelief on Chanyeol’s face makes Dara giggle like a school girl. What luck for her to have such an effect on someone that was of the highest rank.

 

“I am.”

 

Chanyeol closes the gap between them and looks down into Dara’s huge eyes.

 

“You feel this too, don’t you?”

 

Dara hesitantly brings a finger up to Chanyeol’s chest and runs it along.

 

“I do but…we… can’t,” Dara whispers.

 

“Why not?”

 

“You know very well why not.”

 

“You are not to refuse the son of the President.”

 

“But…”

 

Chanyeol silences Dara with his finger, “No buts, Dara. Everything will be fine.”

 

He takes Dara’s silence as a sign of agreement and captures her lips in a soft kiss.

 

“You want me as much as I want you, don’t you?” Dara shivers in delight at Chanyeol’s low voice.

 

It doesn’t take long for them to be in Chanyeol’s room, lips meshed together, struggling to breathe in the same air, actions that of desperation and more importantly lust.

 

Chanyeol is hardly ever reckless but tonight he loses himself.

 

 

Months pass, and Chanyeol is unable to forget that night no matter what he does. He had woken up to an empty bed and the only thing she had left behind was the memory of their affair in the night and the scent of her in his sheets. Of course that had been temporary because he had had to wash them out.

 

His parents had been even more insistent on his bonding with Baekhyun in the year after Jongin and Kyungsoo’s bonding. They made him visit the Byun’s on a monthly basis, even going to the extent of picking him up from the office when he gave the excuse of being busy with work and driving him to the Byun’s residence.

 

The Byun’s weren’t very lax on their attempts at trying to get the both of them closer to each other either. They were constantly forcing Baekhyun to drop by the President’s house for a visit every Sunday during family time and the Park’s would be more than happy to have him for tea time, and to join them in a game of scrabble or just talk about work and such.

 

Their efforts were somewhat working, because in the next few months, both Baekhyun and Chanyeol were spending so much time together that a friendship had been forged. When before they were just acquaintances forced to be civil with each other for the sake of their parent’s match making, now they were close friends who would sometimes tell each other of some minor problems they were facing or to just seek some advice from the other.

 

Jongin and Kyungsoo had officially announced to the Park family over dinner one night that they were expecting their first child. There had been a chorus of congratulations and squealing from Mrs. Park. Baekhyun, who had also been there, had offered them his congratulations.

 

After dinner, they went to the front porch to chat and enjoy the night air. Kyungsoo had excused himself to go to the bathroom and Baekhyun had so kindly offered to tag along to make sure he was okay, but that was just really an excuse to talk to him in private.

 

Once they were inside, Baekhyun waited till Kyungsoo was done using the bathroom before he whisked Kyungsoo away by the arm to one of the sitting rooms upstairs, seating him down on the sofa.

 

“Okay, Baekhyun, spill. What’s going on?” Kyungsoo asks as he watches Baekhyun pout his lips to the side.

 

The two had been spending more time together since Baekhyun was always over at the Park’s, and in that few months they had also grown to treat each other as close friends.

 

Baekhyun’s pout deepens, wondering how he should go about putting his thoughts into words.

 

“You and Jongin were match made, but you seem so perfect for each other. You guys only met a year before you were bonded. And now here you are, expecting your first child together with him. Chanyeol and I, on the other hand… we’ve known each other longer than you and Jongin have and we’ve hardly made progress…” Baekhyun’s voice grows with every word.

 

Kyungsoo stands up to stop Baekhyun who is already pacing up and down the room.

 

“Baek… stop.”

 

Baekhyun does as told and looks to Kyungsoo with expecting eyes. Kyungsoo places a comforting hand on his shoulder.

 

“Jongin and I just knew we’d make it work. We didn’t love each other in the beginning, you know?”

 

“You didn’t?” Baekhyun was surprised at this revelation. The two had always acted so in love with each other even before their bonding.

 

Kyungsoo shakes his head, “Nope. But I trusted him. I trusted he could make me happy in the future and that was enough for me. I know he will take care of me and our children. That is why, Baekhyun, you have to stop fretting over this and just take that leap of faith. It’s good enough the both of you like each other. So why not give it a chance?”

 

Baekhyun is left pondering over Kyungsoo’s advice for the rest of the week.

 

 

Time flew so quickly neither Chanyeol nor Baekhyun had the time to wrap their minds over the fact that they were officially going to be bonded in a month’s time. There were not many preparations to be done physically, just that they needed to get Baekhyun’s birth mark shape molded into the steel rod for Chanyeol and for them to memorise their vows. Emotionally, though, Chanyeol wasn’t prepared. He knew he had to let go of the past, it was almost a year ago since Dara left, but somehow he can’t. He can’t believe he just let his soul mate go.

 

Soon the eve of the night of the Bonding ceremony arrived. Baekhyun was given the guest room in the Park’s house so he wouldn’t have to travel all the way from his house the next day. After all, he had often been given the room whenever he stayed over. It was so often that it became his second room.

 

Baekhyun couldn’t sleep. He didn’t know exactly what to expect. There were just so many possibilities coming out from his bonding with Chanyeol. One was that the latter would hate him for life because he wasn’t able to be with his soul mate. But he knew he couldn’t live with that, so he was praying Chanyeol wouldn’t hate him that much for this.

 

Baekhyun pulled out his iPod and plugged in his earphones, turning on the song he always listened to whenever he was troubled. He leaned over the railings of the balcony of his room, taking in the scenery of the city before him.

 

“What are you listening to?”

 

Since the volume hadn’t been turned up that loud, Baekhyun had heard the familiar deep drawl of the man he was going to be bonded to.

 

Baekhyun pulls out an earpiece and wordlessly hands it over to Chanyeol who takes it in his hand and pushes it into his left ear.

 

“I love this song.”

 

“Me too,” Baekhyun shoots Chanyeol an eye smile.

 

“Do you always listen to music with this device?”

 

“Do you always ask a lot of questions?” Baekhyun wittily throws one back at Chanyeol who smiles dryly. Baekhyun chuckles as Chanyeol playfully smacks his arm.

 

This was a good sign, right? Chanyeol was still talking to him which means that he still didn’t hate him despite the fact that they were going to be bonded tomorrow.

 

“This device,” Baekhyun waves his iPod in his front of Chanyeol’s inquisitive eyes, “is an iPod. It plays recorded music. It was popular back then, 1000 years ago. But it was destroyed in the war when the Opposition burned all music players in case they were used as devices to spy on their activities. Didn’t you pay attention to your classes on the History of El Dorado?”

 

“I did!” Chanyeol cries defensively. “I just don’t remember learning about this.”

 

“It’s in the topic of Civil War of the 21st cen—“

 

“-- Why listen to recorded music when you can listen to it live?”

 

Baekhyun arches a questioning eyebrow at Chanyeol who just tugs on Baekhyun’s arm.

 

“Come on, I’ll show you something.”

 

Chanyeol leads Baekhhyun to a room he has never been to before. It was Chanyeol’s room. Obviously, it was bigger than the guest room he was sleeping in. It was also a lot more… homelier. The walls were painted a deep burgundy colour and the bed was king sized with cream-white pinstriped duvet and covers. He also had his own bathroom.

 

“This will be your room from tomorrow onwards so I thought you should get accustomed to it first. The walls used to be blue but Mother thought red would be more appropriate since it’s an auspicious colour. I told her absolutely no red, so she had to compromise and settle for burgundy.”

 

Baekhyun takes in everything. What attracted Baekhyun to the room was the mini lounge area in a corner, furnished with a couple of black bean bags and a few instruments that consisted of a guitar, a keyboard and a drum set.

 

“You play?” Baekhyun gasps with widened eyes.

 

Chanyeol only smiles as he walks over to his guitar and sits down on one of the bean bags, motioning for Baekhyun to do the same although the latter seemed to be frozen to the ground.

 

Chanyeol begins to strum a few chords and eases into a tune. Baekhyun watches in fascination and listens in delight as Chanyeol plays the same song he loves.

 

“Are you drooling?” Chanyeol teases, pretending to wipe a non-existent drool on the side of Baekhyun’s chin. Baekhyun snaps out of his mesmerized daze and gives a sheepish shrug of the shoulders as he pouts.

 

For a moment, Chanyeol’s problems are forgotten. No one except Baekhyun is on his mind.

 

“As long as you don’t drool when you see me in my suit tomorrow,” Chanyeol teases once again and grins satisfactorily when he sees Baekhyun’s eye smile. Exactly what he’d intended to do.

 

Chanyeol decides that he likes Baekhyun when he smiles.

 

They banter for a while, keeping the nerves of tomorrow night at bay.

 

When their laughter subsides, Chanyeol picks up on Baekhyun’s sudden change in mood. He leans in closer to take a better look of the smaller boy’s face.

 

“Is there something wrong?”

 

“Uhm…” Baekhyun hesitates.

 

“You can tell me. We’re going to spend the rest of our lives together and I think it’ll be good if you were honest with me. We could start with this.”

 

Chanyeol looks to Baekhyun with such gentle eyes that makes Baekhyun feel even more comforted of what he’s about to say.

 

“I just… I want you to know that I’m really afraid but I’m going to put my trust in you. That’s the only way I’ll be able to go through this.”

 

Baekhyun feels his hands he had placed on his lap being enveloped by larger, rougher ones that were nice and warm.

 

“Baekhyun, there’s nothing to worry about. I promise I’ll try to give you my best. You’ll learn to love me, and I’ll learn to love you.”

 

 

The ceremony went smoothly without a hitch. Chanyeol wasn’t expecting much except pain when he was imprinted with Baekhyun’s birth mark shape that happened to be that of somewhat of a sun to represent light. What he hadn’t expected was for Baekhyun to reach out for his hand and squeeze it reassuringly as he nuzzled his cheek into his shoulder when he was struggling to keep his shouts of pain in.

 

When it was over, Chanyeol was sweating buckets from having held it all in, despite the cold weather. He couldn’t help but smile when he remembers Baekhyun holding his hand and nuzzling him. For once, he truly felt like the bonding with Baekhyun wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

 

On their way up to their room, Chanyeol had told Baekhyun of how excited he was to have finally gone through with the ceremony, and Baekhyun had responded with a, “Yes, well, now you’re my husband.” Chanyeol wouldn’t have been able to understand it if Baekhyun had not explained to him about the concept of marriage.

 

Baekhyun was waiting on Chanyeol’s – now his as well – bed, waiting till the latter was done showering. He had called dibs on the bathroom but Chanyeol had pleaded for him with an adorable puppy look to let him shower first since he was all sticky from perspiration. Baekhyun couldn’t have possibly said no to that face.

 

When Chanyeol exited from his shower, he stopped in his tracks when he saw his newly bonded partner sprawled on the bed with his legs hanging off the side. His head has lolled to the side and his eyes were half-lidded. Soft snores can be heard from the boy when Chanyeol stepped closer. He chuckles lightly, taking in the adorable scene before him.

 

Chanyeol puts an arm under Baekhyun’s neck and the other under the back of his knees to gently lift him up a little so he can shift the boy onto his side of the bed. He tucks him in and holds his breath when Baekhyun stirs. When the latter falls stills once more, Chanyeol leans in, hesitating for a while. He decides to just go for it and place a small kiss to his cheek.

 

He needs to get used to this, anyway.

 

 

The week following the inauguration, Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel like something was off. Something was definitely going on with Baekhyun. Not wanting it to drag on any further, Chanyeol seizes the opportunity to confront his Bearer the second he made it home from work on Friday.

 

“Baekhyun?” Chanyeol calls out from the foot of the stairs.

 

“Baekhyun, I’m home!”

 

Chanyeol knows Baekhyun is home since he was a teacher and schools closed early on Fridays and for whatever reason he wasn’t responding to his calls.

 

Chanyeol climbs up the steps and enters their room to see Baekhyun gingerly picking at a string on his guitar.

 

“Baekhyun, what are you doing? Didn’t you hear me calling for you?” Chanyeol asks with his hands folded across his chest. Baekhyun jumps to his feet at his husband’s loud voice.

 

“Oh, C-Chanyeol… you’re back. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you calling.”

 

“That’s fine, this house is too big sometimes. What are you doing with my guitar?” Chanyeol’s expression softens and his posture relaxes as his hands drop to his sides.

 

“I’m sorry, I was just looking…” Baekhyun bows his head and clasps his hands together in front of him.

 

Chanyeol is by his side in a few long steps and cups his chin, tilting it up.

 

“Baekhyun,” Chan