Chapter Text
“It really is the end of an era, isn’t it?” Donghyuck said, stepping into his shoes at their front door. “I can’t believe he left us.”
“He moved out two weeks ago,” Renjun said. “Stop being so dramatic.”
Donghyuck wanted to respond by saying that he was definitely not being dramatic, but he knew that would only make Renjun list every time he had been dramatic before. He wasn’t in the mood for one of Renjun’s rants, so he folded his arms across his chest and kept his words to himself. It was a rare moment of self-control for him. He was proud of himself.
The moment was soon ruined because once he saw Renjun, he became instantly less proud. Renjun walked through their living room, turning off the lamp on the end table before padding over to join him at the front door. He was too dressed up for Jeno and Jaemin’s housewarming (or, to be more accurate, “apartment-warming”) party. He had been growing out his hair lately and it was dyed blond, making his tiny face look even more angelic than usual. His shirt was pastel blue and had a square neckline that showed off his neck and collarbones. The sleeves were puffy and it was tight around his waist and… and… He looked nice.
Donghyuck’s heart did not stop beating for a moment in his chest. He could breathe easily. This was fine. They were friends and that was it. Any lingering unrequited feelings had been pushed aside a year ago.
“You’re overdressed,” Donghyuck said.
“Really?” Renjun said. “Even now?” He slipped into a pair of mules that had heels so short that they would do nothing to prevent him from still being the shortest amongst their friends. “I put on jeans.”
“And I’m very proud of you for doing that,” Donghyuck said.
“Jaemin said to dress nicely,” Renjun said. “This is nice.”
“It is nice.”
“You’re the one who told me that a dress would be overkill.”
“I do have memories of telling you that.”
“This is still too much?” Renjun asked.
He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, a tiny little nervous tick that Donghyuck had memorized back in high school.
“No, you look fine,” Donghyuck said. “You’re just going to be the best dressed one there, but that’s nothing new.”
Renjun smiled softly, pleased with the compliment. He had always outshone Donghyuck, ever since high school. While Donghyuck and Jaemin had preferred pants when it came to their uniform, Renjun hadn’t hesitated to go for the uniform skirts instead. Not only had he been an interesting transfer student from China, he had been a pretty omega transfer student who shined under attention and praise. The alphas at their school had been obsessed with him. Renjun hadn’t given any of them the time of day though.
On their last day before graduation, Donghyuck had worked up the courage to finally tell him how he felt. They had stayed the night at Donghyuck’s house. Jaemin had disappeared after they turned the lights out since he was planning on meeting Jeno. Donghyuck had been so sure of himself that night. Renjun had to be like him. There had to be a reason he turned down every single alpha in their school. He had been so close to telling him, but then Renjun had confessed something to him instead. Renjun was saving himself for the perfect alpha. He didn’t want to settle for any of the immature boys they went to school with.
That had been three years ago. Donghyuck hadn’t confessed that night and he knew that he never would if he wanted to keep Renjun in his life. They weren’t the same at all. Renjun blossomed under attention from alphas. Donghyuck withered under it.
“How was your date the other night?” Renjun asked as they walked down the steps of their apartment building. “With the beta girl? What was her name again?”
“It was okay,” Donghyuck said. “She was nice, but we didn’t have much in common. I can’t remember her name.”
“You can’t remember it or you don’t want me to look her up on Instagram later?” Renjun asked.
“I really can’t remember,” Donghyuck said. “Does it even matter? I’m never going to see her again anyway.”
“I suppose it’s fine if you don’t remember,” Renjun said. “It’ll be awkward if you run into her though.”
“Seoul is a big city,” Donghyuck said. “I doubt I’ll ever see her again.”
He had never seen any of his dates for a second time. Donghyuck was bad at dating and he didn’t think he would get any better at it.
They made it to the street outside where Renjun flagged down a taxi, waving his arms in the air to get their attention. Usually they would take the bus or the train, but they were running short on time. Jaemin had been weirdly insistent that they showed up on time for the party. Usually he didn’t care if they were late.
A taxi stopped at the curb and they climbed into the back. Renjun gave the driver Jeno and Jaemin’s address before settling into his seat. His hands were folded on his lap and he looked nervous.
“Are you okay?” Donghyuck asked.
“Me?” Renjun asked. “Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I don’t know,” Donghyuck said. “I just wanted to check in.”
“Well, I appreciate the concern,” Renjun said, “but I’m fine.”
He looked at his hands and Donghyuck could tell that he was trying his best not to pick at his nails. They had recently been painted a pretty canary yellow that Donghyuck knew Renjun wouldn’t want to mess up. He reached over the seat, covering Renjun’s nails with one of his hands so that he wouldn’t be tempted.
Renjun looked up at him in surprise. That surprise soon turned into a sweet smile of gratitude and Donghyuck tried his best not to grin back at him like an absolute fool.
“Are you sure?” Donghyuck asked.
It didn’t take much for Renjun to fold. His lips parted and his eyes darted out of the window, like he was trying to find something interesting to comment on so that he could change the topic. There was nothing worth mentioning outside though. The same familiar blur of buildings was the only thing to look at.
“Doyoung-hyung is supposed to be there tonight,” Renjun said.
Donghyuck found it difficult to not appear affected. He knew all about Renjun’s feelings for Doyoung, Jeno’s cousin who always seemed to have a stick shoved up his ass. It was a little infuriating, constantly hearing about Renjun wanting to wait until he met the “Right Alpha” before having sex or dating or kissing or anything, and then seeing that the perfect alpha in his eyes was Kim Doyoung.
Doyoung was boring and pretentious and, as far as Donghyuck knew, often forgot that Renjun existed.
“Is that why you’re all dressed up?” Donghyuck asked.
He could understand Renjun’s outfit now. Even though he didn’t shy away from pretty, feminine clothes like Donghyuck did, Renjun still liked hoodies and baggy pants and beanies, especially when they spent time with friends. A housewarming party for Jeno and Jaemin was the perfect excuse for Renjun to put on his glasses instead of contacts and wear an oversized t-shirt with sweatpants, even if Jaemin had insisted that they “look nice” for this party. Instead, his contacts were in and he had blush on his cheeks and shimmery eyeshadow and tinted lip balm. His pants were high-waisted and tight around his hips and thighs and of course Donghyuck couldn’t stop staring at him. Renjun didn’t dress up for him though. He had gotten all dolled up for Kim Doyoung who wouldn’t even spare him a second glance.
“I like looking nice,” Renjun said. “I didn’t do this for anyone other than myself.” He took his hands out of Donghyuck’s grasp and then looked out the window again. “Jaemin said that a lot of people are going to be there. It’s not just the seven of us. I want… I wanted to make a good impression.”
Donghyuck wanted to tell him that he always made a good impression. Renjun was beautiful and warm and so easy to adore. He had adored him for almost six years now and it was the easiest thing he had ever done. Donghyuck couldn’t say that though.
“I’m sure you’ll get plenty of compliments,” Donghyuck said. He glanced at Renjun’s neckline, at the shirt that exposed his neck so obviously. It was meant to entice an alpha, he was sure. They would take one look at him and think about how nice a courting collar would look on his throat. Or, if they were feeling too ambitious, they would imagine a mating bite scarring his fair skin. “If Kim Doyoung doesn’t talk to you tonight, he’s an idiot.”
Renjun finally looked away from the window so that he could bring his attention to Donghyuck instead. His lips formed into a soft smile.
“Thanks, Hyuckie,” he said.
“No need to thank me,” Donghyuck said. “I’m just stating the obvious.”
☼ ･ ☽
Donghyuck knew that something wasn’t quite right as soon as Jaemin opened the door. He had a bright smile on his face, which usually wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, but the slight sinister nature of it made a chill go down Donghyuck’s spine.
“You two are right on time,” Jaemin said. He stepped to the side and ushered them into the apartment. “Chenle and Jisung are already here. We’re just waiting on Mark-hyung. I think Doyoung-hyung said he was going to show up early, too.”
“Early?” Donghyuck said. “Isn’t the party starting now?”
“It starts in an hour,” Jaemin said. “I wanted you all to come early to help set up.”
“Set up what?” Donghyuck said.
He had been to their new apartment a few times since they moved in. Donghyuck had helped move furniture and hang artwork and go grocery shopping so that they had all of the necessary staples in their pantry. Most of it was ramyeon, but Donghyuck didn’t think that was a bad thing.
There weren’t any cardboard boxes in the apartment anymore. It was clean and the couch and chairs in the living room had been placed into a single row, facing the mantle and fake fireplace. He looked at Jaemin again, taking in his carefully styled hair and the new courting collar he was wearing. Usually he wore a plain black one since it went with most outfits, but this new one was white and made of crushed velvet.
“Jaemin,” Donghyuck said slowly. “What’s going on here?”
“Well,” Jaemin said, clasping his hands together. “Jeno and I were talking about the party this morning. We decided to change it from a housewarming party to a–”
“An engagement party?” Renjun said. He had grabbed Jaemin’s left hand, bringing it to his face to examine a platinum band that definitely hadn’t been there the last time Donghyuck had seen him. Renjun didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around Jaemin’s neck and pull him down into a hug. “I’m so happy for you two! This is–”
“Oh, Junnie,” Jaemin said, “it’s not an engagement party. It’s our wedding.”
Donghyuck would have found the surprised look on Renjun’s face adorable if he wasn’t so mortified.
“You’re pregnant,” Donghyuck said.
“I am not,” Jaemin said. Renjun was still holding onto him like he was frozen in shock. “I don’t think I am. No, I’m definitely not.” He pursed his lips together. “Dammit, Donghyuck, now this is the only thing I’m going to be thinking of. I have an emergency test in my bathroom. I can throw that over my shoulder instead of a bouquet at the reception. That’ll definitely be a moment people will remember.”
“At the reception,” Donghyuck repeated. “Of your wedding. That you’re having tonight. In your apartment.”
“Yeah, that’s the plan,” Jaemin said. “We just moved in, so it’s still really clean. Jeno even cleaned the toilet this morning.”
“Do you have cancer?” Donghyuck said. “Are you dying? Is Jeno dying?”
“No,” Jaemin said, looking at Donghyuck like he had grown a second head, like he was the insane person. “We’re both fine. We just want to get married. I thought you two would be happy for us.”
This was the moment that Donghyuck knew he would have to make a decision. He could either try to talk Jaemin out of the wedding, or he could support him wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make his decision quickly enough. Renjun made it for the both of them.
“Of course we’re happy,” Renjun said. He had unfrozen. It was as if he had finally processed what was happening. “I’m so happy for you two. You’ve been together forever. You’re soulmates. This is wonderful.”
“Thank you,” Jaemin said, smiling down at him. It was the sanest smile Donghyuck had seen from him since they arrived. He had always had a soft spot for Renjun. They all did, really. “You can be with us in the middle for all of the group photos since you look so pretty.”
Renjun looked down at his outfit, his encouraging smile turning into a frown as he looked at his jeans. He slowly turned his head to look at Donghyuck, his eyes forming into slits. Donghyuck was in trouble.
“I wanted to wear a dress, but someone told me that I would be overdressed,” Renjun said.
“How was I supposed to know that this was going to turn into a wedding?” Donghyuck asked. “I thought we were going to order pizza and then have a Super Smash Bros tournament.”
“We could still do that,” Jaemin said. “That sounds fun.”
“Lee Donghyuck,” Renjun said, completely ignoring Jaemin’s statement. “I’m wearing jeans to my best friend’s wedding because of you.”
Before they could start one of their classic arguments that started with accusations, continued with the silent treatment, and then ended with Donghyuck groveling at Renjun’s feet, begging for forgiveness, Jaemin intervened. He put his arms around them, pulling them into a tight hug.
“Thank you for being here,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for two better bridesmaids.” He paused. “Is that the right word? Does being an omega make me a bride, or am I a groom because I’m a man?”
“I think it’s up to personal preference,” Renjun said just as Donghyuck said, “I don’t remember agreeing to be a bridesmaid.”
“I can just call you my assistants then,” Jaemin said. “I have two important tasks for you both.”
Donghyuck was still trying to accept that they were getting married. He didn’t know if he had it in him to complete an important “task.” Even though, knowing Jaemin, it most likely wasn’t anything that strenuous.
“Jisung is in the kitchen and he’s been acting weird since he got here,” Jaemin said. “Donghyuck, I need you to find out what’s wrong and convince him to take his ugly hat off. I don’t want him wearing it in the photos.” He turned to Renjun. “Did you bring all of your expensive makeup like I asked you to?”
“I don’t have expensive makeup,” Renjun said. “I just have my normal products.”
“Yeah, exactly,” Jaemin said. “You spend way too much money on that stuff. Did you bring it?”
“I did,” Renjun said. He had brought a tote bag with him. It was something he carried most days so Donghyuck hadn’t thought anything of it. “I thought you would need me to help you cover a pimple. I didn’t think you would want me to do your wedding makeup.”
“I trust you,” Jaemin said. “You’re an artist. You can do anything.” Renjun blushed, obviously pleased by the compliment. “So, I need you to do my makeup in a way that’ll convince my grandma that I’m still a virgin.”
It was impossible to stifle his laughter. Donghyuck didn’t even attempt to do so. He threw his head back, laughing loudly. Even Renjun looked like he was having a hard time keeping a neutral expression. His lips were pressed together and he kept making these weird little faces that made it clear he was trying his best not to laugh.
“I’m being serious,” Jaemin said. “Make me look like a virgin bride – or groom, whatever. And can you also do that thing where you put highlighter on my collarbones? So that I can trick Jeno into thinking that getting mated to him has made me naturally start to glow?”
“I can try my best,” Renjun said.
He had successfully managed to hold back his laughter. Renjun was smiling now, incredulous and not quite believing that Jaemin was a real person. It was a relatable smile. Donghyuck had made it himself countless of times before.
“We should head to the bedroom to get ready then,” Jaemin said, taking Renjun’s hand. “Hyuck, when Doyoung-hyung gets here, send him to the bedroom. I have a task for him, too.”
“Got it,” Donghyuck said and he gave him a little salute.
Jaemin dragged Renjun to the bedroom while Donghyuck walked further into the apartment to the kitchen. It was a big space, especially for Seoul. Jaemin’s photography business had been doing well though and Jeno’s parents were wealthy and sent him money every month for food and rent and tuition. Donghyuck imagined that they could comfortably afford it.
In the kitchen were Jeno, Chenle, Jisung, and Jisung’s ugly hat. It was a beanie with flaps over his ears despite it being September and not that cold outside. Chenle was pacing back and forth, speaking quickly in Mandarin to someone on the phone. Jeno looked up at him when he entered, his face breaking out into a wide grin. He brought Donghyuck into a hug and he easily returned it, patting Jeno’s back.
“Congratulations,” Donghyuck said. “I think you’re both insane.”
“I knew you would,” Jeno said.
“What’s up with Jisung’s hat?”
“I have no idea.”
“Who’s Chenle talking to?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then what do you know, Lee Jeno?”
Jeno pulled away from their hug. He put his hands on Donghyuck’s shoulders and his smile got even bigger. It was blinding.
“I’m marrying Na Jaemin tonight,” he said.
“Yeah,” Donghyuck said, sighing in defeat. There was no point in even attempting to talk them out of it. He really did have to just go along with it. “You are.”
He looked at Jisung who was still sulking at the table. There was only one reason why he was wearing a hat that completely covered his head. He must have gotten a bad haircut. Donghyuck went to the table, reaching out and grabbing the top of the beanie before Jisung could say anything. He took it off like ripping off a band aid and then instantly regretted it.
Jisung had definitely gotten a haircut, but it wasn’t a bad one. In fact, it looked nice on him, but it was a haircut that had a very specific meaning. One that both he and Jeno instantly understood.
“You’re enlisting?” Jeno said.
That put an end to the conversation Chenle was having over the phone. He stopped his pacing, starred at Jisung for a few seconds, and then said a short goodbye, ending the phone call.
“I wanted to do it right out of high school,” Jisung said. “That’s what you did. You always said that I shouldn’t put it off and I should do it right away.”
“Yeah, I know,” Jeno said. He reached out, placing a hand on top of Jisung’s head. “It’s still weird to see you like this though.”
“I can’t get used to it either,” Jisung said. “I wouldn’t have done it if I knew tonight was going to be your wedding. I would have waited a day. I can still wear the hat for photos.”
“No,” Jeno said. “Don’t wear the hat. The hair looks good.”
“Really?” Jisung said. He seemed relieved. “I’ve been so nervous this whole week. I already registered and everything.”
Out of the seven of them, Jeno and Jisung were the only two who had to enlist. Omegas weren’t banned from serving in the military, but it wasn’t mandatory, so Donghyuck and Jaemin had no problem turning it down. Mark and Chenle weren’t Korean, and Renjun was an omega and a foreigner, so he definitely didn’t have to go. Jeno had completed his service right out of high school, signing up the week after their graduation. Jisung was younger than them, so now it was his turn to go. Donghyuck was a little shocked though. He still looked at Jisung and saw a little kid most days. The new haircut made him seem older, more mature.
Chenle put his phone into his pocket and then stormed out of the room without a word to any of them. Jisung watched him go, his eyes wide in alarm.
“I’m guessing you didn’t get the chance to tell him yet?” Jeno said.
“I was going to tell all of us together,” Jisung said. “I really wouldn’t have done this if I knew about the wedding. I thought we were just going to order takeout and play video games.”
Was that really all they did when they hung out together? Were they boring?
“Go,” Jeno said, pointing in the direction Chenle had left. “Apologize. Explain things to him.”
Jisung went after Chenle before Jeno could finish speaking.
Jeno and Jaemin weren’t the only couple in their friend group that had been friends before they started dating. Chenle and Jisung had gone about it in a much more realistic way though. The love they shared was just as strong as the love between Jeno and Jaemin, but their circumstances were totally different. Jeno and Jaemin were an alpha and omega. People fawned over the two of them, giving endless compliments about how perfect they were together and how beautiful their future children would be.
Chenle and Jisung didn’t receive any compliments like that. Not only because most people didn’t know they were a couple, but also because two male betas together wasn’t something that was accepted in society. It wasn’t illegal in everyday life, but if anyone in the military found out that Jisung had a boyfriend while he was serving… Donghyuck didn’t want to think about what could happen then.
He looked at Jeno who looked as concerned as he felt. They were both worried, but there was nothing he could do about it now. It was a conversation for another day. A day that didn’t include a last minute wedding.
“Hey, we’re here!”
Donghyuck hadn’t even heard the front door open. He left the kitchen with Jeno to see Mark and Doyoung entering the apartment. Chenle and Jisung weren’t anywhere in sight.
“I ran into hyung outside the building,” Mark said, pointing to Doyoung. “We got here at the same time. Why are Chenle and Jisung out in the hall?”
“It’s a long story,” Jeno said. “I’ll tell you later. How’d you get into the apartment?”
“Doyoung-hyung knew the code,” Mark said.
“How did–”
“It’s Jaemin’s birthday,” Doyoung said. “You might want to change that. It’s easy to guess.”
It was Donghyuck’s turn to watch someone else learn the news of the impromptu wedding. Mark’s reactions were the most fun to watch. His face changed expression no less than ten times and he said, “Whoa, really?” in English, almost every time Jeno paused to breathe. He ended it with a classic, “That’s crazy, man!” which was also in English, before pulling Jeno into a tight hug.
Doyoung, on the other side of the spectrum, simply listened to Jeno with a pinched look on his face. He clearly didn’t approve.
“I’m glad you brought your guitar,” Jeno said, gesturing toward the case Mark was carrying. “I didn’t even ask you to bring it.”
“I thought I could play a few songs while we ate,” Mark said. “You know as soon as we start Smash Bros, I wouldn’t be able to get anyone’s attention.”
Oh no. They were boring.
“Maybe you can play some songs at the reception,” Jeno said. He looked at Donghyuck. “Could you sing?”
“Of course,” Donghyuck said. “I have to let you know that the only songs I’m willing to sing at a wedding are songs that Chen from EXO has also sung at weddings, or ‘Lucifer’ by SHINee.”
Jeno blinked a few times and then tilted his head to the side, contemplating.
“Jaemin likes ‘Best Luck,’” he said.
“Everyone likes ‘Best Luck,’ Jeno,” Donghyuck said. “I’ll do it for free. It’ll be my wedding gift.”
Mark volunteered to help Jeno set up the apartment so that there would be enough space for people to sit or stand to watch the ceremony. Before Doyoung could join them, Donghyuck grabbed his arm.
“Jaemin wants to see you,” Donghyuck said. “He told me to bring you to him when you got here.”
“Did he say why?” Doyoung asked.
“He didn’t tell me he was getting married,” Donghyuck said. “Do you really think he would tell me why he needed your help?”
Luckily, Doyoung didn’t ask him more questions. He was sure it was because Jeno and Jaemin’s bedroom was only a few steps away, so he would be finding out the answer soon enough. Donghyuck knocked on the door two times.
“Who is it?” Jaemin said from inside.
“Donghyuck and Doyoung,” he said. “Can we come in?”
“Go ahead,” Jaemin said.
He opened the door to see where most of their cardboard boxes had gone. The rest of the apartment was spotless, but the bedroom was a mess. Everything they had yet to unpack was crammed into the small room. The mattress was sitting in the middle of the floor, without a frame or box spring. It had sheets on it though, so that was better than nothing.
Jaemin and Renjun were sitting on the mattress, cross-legged and facing each other. Renjun’s back was to them so Donghyuck couldn’t see his face, but he imagined he was having a mini panic attack because of Doyoung’s presence.
“Look,” Jaemin said. He picked up a pregnancy test that was sitting on the bed next to him. “It’s negative. I knew I wasn’t pregnant.”
“You thought you were pregnant?” Doyoung said. “Is that why you two are doing this in the first place?”
“No,” Jaemin said. “It was the first thing Donghyuck asked me when I told him we were getting married though. He made me paranoid, so I took a test and, just as I suspected, I’m not pregnant.”
It was a relief. Donghyuck knew that Jeno and Jaemin were always careful when they had sex. When they were in high school, Jaemin had a pregnancy scare that showed Donghyuck a completely different side of him. The test had been negative back then as well, but Donghyuck knew that they would never make the same mistake twice. Those two would have children when they wanted to. There wouldn’t be any surprises.
“That’s good news,” Doyoung said. He had his hands on his hips and Donghyuck could tell that he was torn between starting a lecture that he had been holding in or, perhaps, fainting. “Donghyuck said that you wanted to see me.”
“Oh, right,” Jaemin said. He got up from the bed and went to his dresser. It had boxes piled on it as well, but Jaemin knew the right one to go for. He took out a camera and Donghyuck recognized it as one he used for work. “Can you be our wedding photographer? We trust you the most.”
“I can do it,” Doyoung said with a surprising amount of forced confidence. “I’ve never used a camera like this one before though, so you might have to explain it to me.”
“It’s easy,” Jaemin said. “Just point and shoot. I charged it this morning. I put a new SD card in it too, so don’t worry about space, take as many photos as you can. And don’t miss getting photos of Renjun and Jisung when they start crying.”
“I still don’t think–” Doyoung started.
“Renjun can show you how to use it,” Jaemin said. “I would, but I have other things to do to get ready.”
“I’m not a photographer, Jaemin,” Renjun said.
“Sure you are,” Jaemin said. “We took an Introduction to Photography class together during our first year at university. You can show hyung how to use the camera.”
Donghyuck knew a setup when he saw one. Jaemin was smiling lazily as Renjun, like everything in the world was going according to plan. Renjun got off of the bed, turning around slowly to face them. Donghyuck caught just a brief glimpse of dread before his face brightened into a sweet smile.
“I suppose I can show you a few things, hyung,” he said.
“Thank you, Renjun-ssi,” Doyoung said.
He wasn’t even looking at him. Doyoung was pressing every button on the camera as if that would reveal to him all of its secrets. Jaemin placed his hand on Doyoung’s elbow, squeezing tightly.
“I’m glad you’re here, hyung,” Jaemin said. “It means a lot to Jeno. You’ve been so busy lately that we weren’t sure you’d be able to come.”
“Well, you know that I’d do anything for Jeno,” Doyoung said. “He’s more like a little brother to me than he is a cousin.”
Doyoung left the room with the camera and Renjun trailing behind him. Before the door was closed, Renjun turned to glare at them and then flip Jaemin off. The gesture caused Jaemin to make a strange shout-laughing sound that made Donghyuck jump in surprise.
Renjun’s crush on Doyoung was one of the most obvious truths in their friend group. Everyone knew about it and they teased him for it endlessly. None of them had actually tried to get the two together though or, in this case, have Doyoung acknowledge Renjun’s existence. Donghyuck wasn’t sure what had made Jaemin be the one to finally nudge the two closer together.
“What else do you have to do to get ready?” Donghyuck asked.
Jaemin looked perfect. Most days, he wasn’t one to dress up. Jaemin had dropped out of university, but when he did attend he had shown up to class in sweatpants and t-shirts with stains on them. When he was working and photographing events, he was dressed in all black so that he didn’t stand out. Even if they went out somewhere, he rarely put in much effort.
Today was obviously different. Jaemin was dressed in all white, a Western tradition that had made its way to Korea as well. It made sense that a conservative country would latch onto a tradition that emphasized a bride’s purity. Donghyuck only knew that because of all of the Women, Omega, and Gender Studies classes he had taken with Renjun. That didn’t matter now though.
Jaemin looked beautiful. His trousers were fitted and made his long legs look even longer. He was wearing a satin white shirt, which looked like it belonged in Renjun’s closet, with a white blazer over it. Of course he had his wedding band and the last courting collar that Donghyuck would ever see him wear. That was the weirdest part of his ensemble. Donghyuck had seen Jaemin wear a collar every day since he was 12 years-old. It was going to be bizarre, seeing him without one.
“Nothing,” Jaemin said. “I just wanted an excuse to not help set up out there.”
“Do you mind if I hang out with you then?” Donghyuck said.
He joined him on the mattress, taking a closer look at his face. Jaemin had always been gorgeous without makeup, but Renjun had done a good job at emphasizing his features. His collarbones were highlighted as well, just like he wanted. Whenever he turned, the light would reflect a soft, shimmery powder.
“Didn’t Junnie do a good job?” Jaemin asked.
“He did.”
“Good enough to convince my grandma that I’ve never had sex?”
“Oh, Jaemin,” Donghyuck said, placing two heavy hands on his shoulders. “Nothing can do that.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Jaemin said. He looked up at the ceiling. “I’m sorry, Halmeoni.”
“Why are you looking to the sky?” Donghyuck said. “She’s not dead, is she?”
“No, of course not,” Jaemin said. “She might be after tonight though once she takes one look at me and realizes that I’ve sat on Jeno’s knot so many times that I’ve lost count. She’s a sharp lady. She’ll be able to tell.”
Jaemin mentioning both his grandmother and Jeno’s knot in the same sentence should not have made them laugh. It did though. They both burst out laughing. At the absurdity of the statement, or at the absurdity of the day itself? Donghyuck didn’t know for sure.
☼ ･ ☽
“Am I boring you?”
“What?”
Donghyuck took his eyes off of Doyoung and Renjun who were sitting in the corner of the room, talking and smiling and looking too comfortable with each other. He brought his attention back to Mark, the person he was dancing with, who had an eyebrow raised at him.
“I know I’m not your first choice when it comes to dance partners, but I’m not that bad,” Mark said.
“I’m not bored, hyung,” Donghyuck said. “And you are my first choice of dance partner. You always have been.”
He repositioned his hands on Mark’s shoulders as if to make a point. Mark’s hands were on his waist and there was a very respectful amount of space between them. They were swaying together to a slow song that was playing through the speakers of Jeno and Jaemin’s TV.
“I’m happy to hear that I haven’t been replaced,” Mark said. “You seem really out of it though. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Donghyuck said. “I didn’t know weddings could be so exhausting.”
Perhaps it was more accurate to say that receptions were exhausting. The wedding itself had been rather quick. Chenle had officiated since he won a coin toss against Mark. Donghyuck and Renjun had stood at Jaemin’s side while Jisung and Mark stood at Jeno’s. Doyoung tried his best to not draw attention to himself as he snapped pictures. Vows were exchanged. Chenle assured the guests that an actual legal wedding would take place at a government building the next day. Renjun would be able to wear a dress. He was ecstatic. Donghyuck wasn’t looking forward to waking up early to attend Jeno and Jaemin’s second wedding.
The reception had dragged on for hours though. Most of the guests had left, like their parents and Jaemin’s grandmother who, thankfully, didn’t die. She had given Jeno plenty of disapproving glances though, so maybe she had been able to tell that Jaemin wasn’t a beacon of purity. Donghyuck knew that once everyone was gone and just the seven of them and Doyoung were left, he would have to help clean up.
“Yeah, I’m definitely passing out as soon as my head hits my pillow tonight,” Mark said. “I still can’t believe they got married.”
“Well, they’re not married yet,” Donghyuck said. “Not legally.”
“They’ll be mated though,” Mark said. “That’s a lot more binding than marriage. I won’t be surprised if they ask us to leave soon. I’m sure they want their privacy.”
Mating was a concept that terrified him. Donghyuck liked the idea of marriage. He liked wearing matching rings and throwing a big party and having a fancy ceremony. It was romantic. He wanted to get married one day. Mating was permanent. Only an alpha and omega were capable of it. As soon as an alpha bit an omega’s neck, they were bonded together for life. It was a bond that could only be broken by death.
Donghyuck did his best not to shudder at the thought of it.
“You look really good tonight,” Mark said.
“I’m wearing a plaid flannel and ripped jeans,” Donghyuck said.
“Yeah, and you look great,” Mark said. He tightened his hands on Donghyuck’s waist. “Are you seeing anyone?”
“Hyung, don’t.”
Mark had done this before. In fact, he had done this too many times. They had grown up together. Mark was Canadian, but his grandparents still lived in Korea and had been Donghyuck’s next door neighbors when he was a child. Every summer, Mark would come to Korea to spend his break from school with his grandparents. They saw each other during the summer and wrote letters, which soon turned into emails which then turned into instant messages and then texts, when they were apart. Eventually, Mark attended high school in Korea and they saw each other almost every day, even if Mark was a year older than him.
Their parents wanted them to get mated. They wanted them to be like Jeno and Jaemin. Mark was an alpha, he was an omega. They would be perfect. Mark had asked him plenty of times as well, but Donghyuck had never accepted. He loved Mark. They were best friends, but that was all they would ever be.
Donghyuck didn’t like alphas. He didn’t want to be mated and knotted and kept. And, he simply wasn’t attracted to them. Betas and omegas were much more interesting to him.
“I’m just asking a normal question,” Mark said. “Are you dating anyone? That’s it. That’s all I’m asking.”
“Well, I’m not,” Donghyuck said. “What about you? Any pretty omegas catch your eye lately?”
“Not really,” Mark said. “I’ve been working on my music mostly. I’ve been in the studio a lot and, I mean, Kun-hyung is pretty, but he’s definitely an alpha and I’m not into that.”
“Isn’t he already mated to two omegas?” Donghyuck asked.
“He is,” Mark said. “They’re very intimidating and they scare me. A lot.”
When Mark managed to make him laugh it was usually because he fell over or did or said something that was equally embarrassing. It was rarely because he made a joke that made Donghyuck genuinely laugh. This was one of those rare moments though.
“I love it when I do that,” Mark said.
“Do what?”
“Make you laugh.”
They were entering dangerous territory again. Donghyuck gripped the back of Mark’s shirt and bit his bottom lip. Mark didn’t do this often. Most of the time, they were fine. They were friends and nothing more and that was exactly what he wanted. He knew that Mark didn’t actually have any romantic feelings for him.
What Mark did have was a strong sense of Alpha Responsibility.
“Hyung, please, I can’t–”
“Just one date, Hyuckie,” Mark said. “One date so that I can tell my parents that we’re a total mess together the next time they call. Let’s just get it over with. I want them to stop asking about when we’re getting married and how many kids we want. I know you’re tired of your parents asking the same thing. We can give it one fair try, let them know it won’t work, and then hopefully never hear them mention it ever again.”
“It doesn’t bother me,” Donghyuck said. “I don’t need to go on a failed date to prove anything to anyone.”
“I know you don’t,” Mark said. “Maybe I need it though. Maybe I need it to finally get rid of this idea of you I have in my head.”
He hadn’t expected them to have this heavy of a conversation at Jeno and Jaemin’s wedding reception. Donghyuck looked around the room, trying to escape Mark’s intense gaze. Doyoung was leading Renjun into the kitchen.
“We can do something you like,” Mark said. “I’ll pay for everything. A big, fancy dinner and a concert. What about SHINee? You love them.”
“They’re on hiatus.”
“A Taemin solo concert then.”
“SHINee is on hiatus because he’s pregnant,” Donghyuck said. “Don’t you read the texts I send you, updating you about this? I don’t want people to think you’re lame because you don’t pay attention to pop culture.”
“I don’t pay attention to idols,” Mark said. “I can keep up with all of the other trends just fine.”
Donghyuck wanted to tell him that he was the least trendy person he knew, even after Jeno, but he kept that thought to himself. Mark was being sweet and clearly this would mean a lot to him. Donghyuck didn’t agree with his way of thinking, but a night out with his best friend wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
“Fine,” Donghyuck said. “I’ll do it. Text me once you have everything planned.” He let go of Mark’s shirt and let his hands fall to his sides. “I’m going to the kitchen. I need something to drink.”
He left without another word. Not many people were left at the reception, so he didn’t have to push through a crowd of people to get to the kitchen. Once he entered the room, he saw Doyoung and Renjun standing at the counter, washing dishes together and talking softly. Donghyuck could still hear them though.
“Thanks for your help with the camera,” Doyoung said. “I really didn’t know what I was doing.”
“I barely helped,” Renjun said. “I just know the basic settings.”
“Well, I still found it helpful,” Doyoung said. “Are you into photography? I think I remember Jeno telling me that you’re an art student.”
“I like photography a bit, but it’s more of a hobby for Instagram,” Renjun said. He handed a plate that he had finished rinsing to Doyoung so that he could dry it. “I study painting. I’m a painter. Or, at least I’m trying to be. I haven’t sold anything and I’ll probably just end up being an art teacher once I graduate.”
“Being a teacher isn’t a bad thing,” Doyoung said. “I’m sure you’d be a great one.”
“You really think that?” Renjun asked.
“I do,” Doyoung said. “You’ll make it as a painter though.”
“You haven’t even seen my art.”
Renjun turned his head to look up at Doyoung and Donghyuck could see how flushed his cheeks were. He was nervous, but still managing to hold a conversation. Donghyuck would have been proud if Doyoung’s existence didn’t annoy him so much.
“I have a feeling that it’s good,” Doyoung said. “I can sense it.”
It was such a typical response from an alpha. His words felt so empty. Empty in a way that felt wrong to Donghyuck. Doyoung wasn’t trying to be nice because he didn’t want to hurt Jeno’s friend’s feelings. He was being nice because of another, even sleazier reason. Suddenly, Donghyuck knew what was going to happen before it did.
“Thank you, hyung,” Renjun said. “That’s nice of you to say.”
Doyoung placed the dish towel down on the counter. He brought his hand to Renjun’s waist, his thumb stroking gently over his shirt.
“Do you have any plans for tonight?” Doyoung asked. “After I help clean up, I’m going back to my apartment. Do you want to come with me?”
“To… To do what?” Renjun said. He had stopped washing the dishes. The faucet was still running and Renjun’s hands were under the water, frozen in place. “To talk?”
“We could talk,” Doyoung said, nodding. The hand that was holding on to Renjun’s waist slipped lower. His palm rested on his hip while his fingertips went to the top of Renjun’s ass. “I wouldn’t mind doing more than that though.”
Before Donghyuck could intervene, Renjun grabbed Doyoung’s wrist. He shoved his hand away and then turned off the faucet. His hands were shaking and he couldn’t look at Doyoung’s face.
“No,” Renjun said. “No, I don’t want that at all.”
He turned away, took one look at Donghyuck, and then made a shuddering, sob-like gasp that broke Donghyuck’s heart. Renjun pushed past him, his eyes full of tears. Donghyuck pointed a finger at Doyoung who was still standing at the counter, looking totally confused as if he couldn’t figure out what he had done wrong.
“Go fuck yourself,” Donghyuck said.
Then he followed Renjun. He saw him pass the living room, where everyone was now gathered around the TV as Jaemin turned on his Switch. Renjun went back to Jeno and Jaemin’s bedroom and Donghyuck made it just in time to stop Renjun from shutting the door. He pushed on it lightly, making Renjun let go so that he could enter.
Renjun sat down on the mattress, pulling his knees up to his chest. His eyes were watery and he was pushing his canary yellow fingernails into his palms.
“Stop that,” Donghyuck said. He joined him on the makeshift bed and took Renjun’s hands in his. His palms already had nail imprints. “He’s not worth it. He’s an asshole.”
“No, he’s not,” Renjun said. “He’s so nice. Jeno has always said that he’s the kindest alpha in the world. He’s perfect.”
“He isn’t,” Donghyuck said. “The version of him you’ve created in your head is perfect. The real thing is just a horny alpha who wants to get in your pants once and then never call you again.”
His words were harsh and they definitely didn’t help. The tears in Renjun’s eyes finally fell down his cheeks, messy and full like they were from a Ghibli movie. Donghyuck brought the sleeve of his flannel up to his cheek, soaking up the tears.
“You must think I’m an idiot,” Renjun said. “I’m pathetic.”
“What?” Donghyuck said. “Why would you say that?”
“Because I am,” Renjun said. “I’ve turned down every single alpha who’s shown interest in me because of him. And then he finally looks at me and I run away from him.”
“He was asking for something that you didn’t want,” Donghyuck said. “You made the right choice.”
“I know,” Renjun said. “I know I did, but it still feels awful.” He hiccupped and his face scrunched up in frustration, like he couldn’t believe his body was betraying him by making him hiccup. “I know that what I want is old-fashioned. I know that I’m waiting for someone who doesn’t exist but it’s… it’s important to me. I look at Jeno and Jaemin and I want–”
“Don’t,” Donghyuck said. “Don’t compare yourself to them. They met when they were 12 and then, the very next day, Jeno gave him a courting collar. Those two are freaks, Renjun-ah. Freaks. They shouldn’t exist. They make the rest of us feel bad.”
Renjun smiled at him like he wanted to laugh, but couldn’t, and that was enough for Donghyuck to consider it a small victory. He pulled Renjun into a hug, resting his chin on the top of his hair.
“You’ll find someone who’s perfect for you, Junnie,” Donghyuck said. “It might take some time, but they’re out there.”
“You too,” Renjun said. “You’ll find the perfect person, too.”
Those words, coming from Renjun, hurt more than he would like to admit. His feelings for him weren’t as strong as they used to be, but they were persistent and clingy and Donghyuck didn’t know if they would ever truly leave him. He hoped that they would though. Finding his very own perfect person didn’t sound too bad. Even if he didn’t believe that they actually existed.