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For the last few days, Baekhyun had been the happiest he had ever been. There is the delightful memory of the Christmas Party; when he was immensely embraced by the warmth of the friendship all throughout the night – a mark of a deeper bonding between all. The first ever date he had experienced, all the more at the fact that it was with Chanyeol – a little wish come true. There is the wonderful reminder of the Christmas Eve mass he attended in, greeting Christmas that very night with a large smile for the first time in years and spending it in Chanyeol’s hometown no less. There is the fresh memory of yesterday’s events; the overwhelming happiness he felt just the day before – an incredibly amazing Christmas celebration to date. And more importantly, he and Chanyeol were finally officially together. They are now no longer simply a couple who spends time with each other but is now in a committed relationship – a fact that always brought on a swirl of giddiness to his chest, fluttering and thumping his heart over its seeming dreamlike-ness. Everything was still too fresh.

And despite the few unfortunate events, all of it was overshadowed by the immense joy he felt and was surrounded in. Up until now, everything felt like a dream.

But that is exactly it; it had all been too good to be true. And like all dreams, one must wake up to reality.

They had been lounging in the kitchen tidying up while Chanyeol disappeared to who knows where. Baekhyun was not able to question his whereabouts for he was distracted and preoccupied by both Junmyeon and Kyungsoo the whole time. Both he and Kyungsoo were finishing up washing the dishes. While Junmyeon was tidying up the leftovers, keeping them to their respective places and filling Chanyeol’s fridge at the same time; his motherly instincts coming to light as always.

Things go smoothly at first, they talk light and the kitchen was filled up with their laughter. But then everything takes a turn when Kyungsoo brings upon a topic that will snap Baekhyun back to his heavy reality too soon than wanted.

“Say hyung?” Kyungsoo begins as he hands over a dish to Baekhyun for drying.

“Yes Kyungsoo?” Junmyeon answers absently as he continued tidying.

“When you got together with Minho hyung, did you care about his status?”

Beside Kyungsoo Baekhyun was caught off guard by the question, looking to his friend in wonder.

“Status? You mean if he was poor or not?”

“Yea. Did you? I mean…” He continues now a bit hesitant. “You’re elite; you’re not just simple rich people. Isn’t status very important for you?”

“Well…now that you ask.. I’ve never really thought about it.” Junmyeon slices the cake he had given Baekhyun at the party for the three of them to share; still mindless of Kyungsoo’s questioning. “Minho was just Minho to me.”

“Oh, so-- so you wouldn’t care if…if he’s not…not elite in status?”

The hesitance in Kyungsoo’s voice Junmyeon finally notices. He takes at seat on a stool by the kitchen island across the two boys, sensing that the question was not thrown out of mere curiosity.

“I don’t think I would have cared. For as long as he treats me well and loves me past my name then what is there to care about.”

“Shouldn’t it be more important if you’re happy or not in the relationship?”

Kyungsoo nods agreeing. Then he bites his lips as he proceeds to ask another, concerning Junmyeon even more for the odd uncharacteristic behavior.

 “…how about.. your parents then, did they care about his status?”

An answer was not given right away, the older only absently played with the cake on his plate, the long silence catching both their attentions. After Kyungsoo gives Baekhyun the last plate to wipe, he turns around to face the other, leaning against the counter as he waited. On the other hand, the sigh Junmyeon lets out before he answers sends Baekhyun a pinch of fear.

“I’m not very sure with mine as I have never encountered such, but I know for Minho's parents it is.” Junmyeon answers somberly. “If you must know, it is because of our parents that we are together.”

His smile turns fond at the confused looks he received from Kyungsoo and Baekhyun and continues to elaborate – telling their story that is rarely, if not ever, disclosed and only within their group knowledgeable of the truth.

“As you know, both Minho's parents are doctors. They expected Minho to follow their footsteps but he refused to obey, taking law instead of what they wanted. So to say, they were angry and disappointed.”

“…but what does that have to do with you?” Kyungsoo asks perplexed.

“That’s where I come in.” Junmyeon’s voice that hinted sadness had Kyungsoo and Baekhyun looking at each other – wondering where this is all going. “I major in medicine, right? So if they can’t have their son following their footsteps, then at least they have their son-in-law to do so.”

“Son-in-law?” Baekhyun whips his head towards him and receives a nod in reply.

“You mean.. something like an arranged marriage?” Kyungsoo adds in, surprised.

“Yes.”

For a moment it was silent, only the sounds of Junmyeon’s fork hitting the plate can be heard. Baekhyun continuously wipes the plate still in his hold but now in an absentminded manner. Meanwhile, Kyungsoo is left more confused.

“So you two were….” Kyungsoo trails off and pouts trying to understand. “But hyung, what does that have to do with status?”

Chuckling, Junmyeon first offers him a bit of cake who does not refuse and lets the older feed him—a short distraction to the slowly turning heavy conversation.

“Aside from the fact that I will take on the footsteps of Minho's parents that he is unable to do – with status comes educational background, Kyungsoo. Which then makes things more complicated, but also a sad reality we both had to face.” He answers.

“It may not be important to others but it is seen otherwise to some. And to these people, it is unfortunately a part of their high standards.

Like you and I, we go to Éileeit University—a school of prestige and prominence with no hint of sign of the lower class. There may be a few but they are, for the most part, not acknowledged and are part of a very small minority. Going to the school alone already shows how well-off a person is in terms of background capability.”

Junmyeon gives the boys a gentle smile who were looking at him dazed at a sad but not surprising reality he just revealed.  “That is how I was chosen for Minho. I was able to fulfill all the standards Mr. and Mrs. Choi had wanted—name, status, and prestigious background in both education and lifestyle.”

“Come to think of it…” he continuous as looked back down on his plate, slicing another piece for Kyungsoo. “You can say my parents do care about background matters. They were not hesitant into agreeing to marry me off with a son of a Choi.”

“Oh…” is all Kyungsoo could say, absently letting Junmyeon feed him again as another little distraction.

On the other hand, Baekhyun remains quiet continuously wiping the same plate absentmindedly facing away from them. But now with a heavy heart slowly rising in pain of the reality Junmyeon just said – for Baekhyun was part of that very small minority that is barely, to not even ever acknowledge.

When Baekhyun thought the questioning had ended, it has not. The indirect continuous jab of reality had much more in store.

Kyungsoo was now seated across Junmyeon with his hands fidgeting above the table. This concerned the older once more for he can tell that there was indeed much more to the question just asked.

“Kyungsoo? Is something wrong?”

When Kyungsoo gives no response he tries again, patting his hand to encourage him. “Did Jongin’s parents say something?”

“No!...n-no.. no of course not.” In abrupt denial, Kyungsoo answers with a vigorous shake of head. “They have been very kind to me and were very accepting.”

“Then what is it? I can tell there’s something wrong, Kyungsoo.”

Sighing, Kyungsoo takes a moment to compose himself for the next question – something that had been in his mind for days since it was revealed.

“It’s.. it’s about my brother.”

“What about your brother?”

“There’s this…this girl.. he likes. And.. and my mom is…she’s--” He stutters everything in hesitance.

“She’s opposed to it?” Junmyeon completes and receives a nod. “Why so?”

Breathing in and out heavily, Kyungsoo finally lets out what has been bothering him.

“She’s a childhood friend of ours. We all used to play together when her mother brings her to the house. She’s a very nice girl.” He said in fondness, but falters as he continues. “I knew my brother liked her before but I didn’t think it was serious, more like a shallow crush or some sort. But then two weeks ago I learned they were actually together. That they’ve been going out for almost a year now and just never said anything. I was surprised but I never saw any problem with it but…”

“..but then…then my mother found out too and..” He sighs and rubs his temples – a headache starting to brew.

“She’s opposed to it.” Junmyeon finishes his sentence – sure and no longer in wonder.

“She is.”

“Why?”

Still standing quietly by the sink, Baekhyun momentarily pauses his wiping of the same plate – not once letting go of it as a hope to keep him preoccupied of other things than pay attention to their conversation. But unfortunately, he could not; more so now that he can already tell where this is going. The little pain he felt earlier increases by the minute as the conversation continues.

“She thinks she’s not worth it. She doesn’t say it out loud or to her face, but the moment her back is turned or away, she voices out how disgusted she is.”

“For what reason is this? Because she doesn’t live up to her standards?”

“She’s our maid’s daughter.”

“Oh, I see…” Junmyeon trails off, now in full understanding.

“She’s saying things like how ugly it is. How embarrassing it is if she were to introduce her son’s girlfriend to her friends and tell them she’s just our maid’s daughter. That people would surely say how absurdly cheap my brother is to simply go with.. someone like her.” Kyungsoo elaborates with a frown in disgust of his own mother’s words. “She’s not even bothered of the fact they hid it for months but more because of her background.”

“They fought this morning before I left. Brother was fed up of mother’s indirect insults towards her.”

“How ‘bout your father? Is he opposed too?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so?” Kyungsoo shakes his head uncertain. “Dad has never said anything directly…but he does ‘joke’ on him to get more girls and not settle with one.”

“Mother is the one greatly opposed.”

“I see.” Junmyeon holds out to take Kyungsoo’s hands in his who looked obviously distressed over the whole ordeal. “What about her mother then, is she affected in any way with this? She’s her daughter after all and works under your family.”

For the nth time, Kyungsoo sighs. “I can tell she is she’s just not saying anything.”

“Even if mother voices out her opinions behind their backs, I’m sure auntie can hear it all. But she can’t really say anything either ‘cause.. as my mother says – ‘they’re just staff’ nothing more – that she can always look for a new one.”

“But auntie has been working under you guys for years--” Baekhyun butts in in disbelief. How could she?

“I know but.. to her apparently, it all means nothing.”

Junmyeon is left speechless towards the whole issue that all he does is rub soothing circles on Kyungsoo’s hands in order to relieve at least a bit of the evident stress. He knew such problems existed, but he has never directly experienced it, and now to have a friend directly confronted by it, he is not so sure how to deal.

Meanwhile, Baekhyun too is left speechless but for a whole different reason – floored by disbelief over Mrs. Do’s condescending attitude. He knew she held social class to great importance. It was obvious the first time they met and became more apparent the night Jongin was questioned by Kyungsoo’s parents. But he did not think she would get to the point of completely disregarding the hard work auntie gave over the years for the mere fact that her daughter is dating her son. Relieved of the lie he had told her of his own background – what would have happened if she knew – he shudders at the thought. But all of it brought on great pain, because this is exactly the truth he is so scared to face.

“Hyu