Kyungsoo halts his last spoon of dubu jjigae from entering his mouth as he stares at his mom in disbelief. There are four people in the dining table now; him, Jongdae, Baekhyun and his mom, yet, judging from that equal surprise on both of the older boys’ face, he is sure that they have no idea on what had the lady in the house said too.

Oh they better be… or else he will chokes them to death first before dealing with his mom here.

He calmly puts his spoon down into the soup bowl and laughs, rather forcefully. “W-what did you say, mom? Me… arranged marriage? Wow seriously… a-are you okay?”

“I am perfectly fine, Soo”, his mom says as she wipes with a napkin, earning a subtle grunt from Kyungsoo to see her this calm. As if she didn’t just dropped a bombshell on him.

“And yes, arranged marriage. He is my friend’s only son. I met her again at the mall last week. She said she really wanted her son to settle down quickly so I thought why not match the boy with you instead—“

“Mom, I am back for hyung’s wedding. Not mine!”, Kyungsoo cuts in as he tries his best to stay sane there. His craving for his mom’s tofu dish is long gone as well.

“Why is it, Soo? Am I wrong for even thinking to marry off both of my sons in the same year?”

“YES!”, Kyungsoo retorts almost immediately, and if there isn’t Baekhyun who tugs his sleeves next, he doesn’t know what else he is going to say then. F word maybe. He is beyond upset. His mom has always been like this. Acts as she likes and sometimes she didn’t even discuss anything with him beforehand. And now what? A husband for him out of the sudden. Heck. There is no way for him to get married that soon.

He is only 20 for heaven sake!

“Soo, it is okay if you don’t want to marry this boy now. At least, get to know each other first, hurm? I am sure you would love him then”, his mom asks again after a while.

“Love, my ”, Kyungsoo mumbles quietly, before looking up to his mom, whose face clearly written a bit discomfort over his choice of words just now. “I want to get married to the person I choose, not someone that YOU chose. So please, mom… just call it off with your friend. I refuse to be a part of your fantasy”

“What are you talking, Soo? You do know I only meant good, right? Look, even your dad and I got tied by an arranged marriage”

“And then, what? Get divorced after several years?”

Kyungsoo really feels like to slap his own mouth at the last words. No doubt. But it seems his ego take over him so well at the moment that he just keep looking at everywhere but his mom.

“Well I am sorry that you had to see my own failure”, his mom says in somewhat disappointed tone and he knew he can’t be anymore guilty than he is now. He didn’t mean to bring that thing up. He thought he had buried the past and left it as it is.

Apparently, he is still couldn’t… perhaps he is the real loser, isn’t he?

Not being able to stand the unfavourable state any longer, Kyungsoo stomps off to his room and slams the door shut. It is that awkward for the rest of the boys until Jongdae has it enough and hastily gets up from his seat. “I am going to check on Kyungie”, he says, receiving a nod from Baekhyun along the way.

Baekhyun, on the other hand, can’t hide his guiltiness too. If only his umma loved a different person. If only his dad isn’t Kyungsoo’s. If only…

“Please don’t show me that face, Hyunnie. It wasn’t your fault nor your umma, alright. She and my husband had always loved each other. I am the one who was too late to acknowledge it that at the end, it is you and Soo who have to live this miserable”

Baekhyun smiles at the woman next to him before taking her hand into his. “Mom, it is not your fault either. I am fine now and I bet Kyung is getting there. We are glad to have you with us too. It is just… d-don’t push Kyung too much, can you? He actually had it harder than me”

The single mother let out a sigh as she looks at his son’s room upstairs. She wonders why she could gave in to her friend’s proposal that easy. It must be because she was told that that kid is much older than her son and so she thought he would be more than capable to take care of him.

…she should have knew that Kyungsoo got his stubbornness from her

“What is the boy’s name though, mom. Who knows if Chanyeollie is familiar with him”, Baekhyun asks as the curiosity get him suddenly. Like Kyungsoo once mentioned to him before, his mom is indeed full of surprises.

His mom ponders for a while, before shaking his head slowly. “I don’t think Park seobang would know him. He works in Airline. Urm his name is Jongin I guess? Yes yeah I remember. It is…”

“…Kim Jongin”

“Shut up, Taemin”, Jongin groans as he narrows his eyes to the pretty male before him. It is his rare off day and he really wanted to read his comic in peace, but then, if a certain Lee Taemin can’t stop calling his name like those crazy fangirls of his, he won’t be sorry to his aunt anymore for rupturing his son’s face.

Yes, Lee Taemin is his cousin… unfortunately

“Well my room, my rule, Kim Jongin”, Taemin says in a sing-song voice, irritating his tan skinned cousin even more. “Why did you come to my house then? Oh my God did you miss me?”, he continues as he fakes a gasp, much to the other’s annoyment.

“In your dream, stupid”, Jongin replies as his eyes still on hi