Chapter Text
"Mr Park Chanyeol, what do you have to say about your father becoming the president of South Korea?" one of the reporters bombarded the young man as soon as he was spotted in the Arrivals section of Incheon Airport, the other passengers parting to allow the influential figure to pass through.
The said young male's bodyguards pushed at the onslaught of reporters, helping to make way for the young politician.
"Sir, why did you decide to help your father in his political campaign this year? Are you, too, thinking of taking the presidential seat in the future?" A high-pitched female reporter asked, shoving her huge microphone in Chanyeol's face.
Frowning beneath his face mask, the young Park realised that he had to say something to get the reporters off his back. He ripped his mask off, the cameras starting to flash like there was no tomorrow, nearly blinding him as he addressed the huge crowd of reporters and cameramen.
"I have come back to South Korea after completing my studies," He said, bowing down slightly into the nearest microphone, his large brown eyes staring intensely into the nearest camera lens. "It had always been a dream of mine to work in my father's political party and help lead the campaigns someday. That's all, thank you."
He signalled the bodyguards to resume their walk towards his car that had been provided by his father. It seemed that South Korea's President had foreseen the commotion the arrival of his son would bring after completing his studies abroad in England and had placed high-security measures beforehand.
~~~
When Baekhyun first found out that his parents had found a compatible match for him, he wasn’t too bothered by the proposal. He was nearing his mid-twenties and had had enough flings and casual relationships to finally want to settle down.
Coming from an upper-class family, Baekhyun had known since he was young that he would either be married off to some rich heir or an influential political figure. He hadn't minded it much, as he had seen from his very own eyes that such marriages always became successful in their part of society. His older brother, Baekbeom was a perfect example. He’d married a rich business tycoon's only daughter, subsequently inheriting that large empire when his father-in-law had passed away.
Baekhyun's sister-in-law was sweet and very accommodating to their family's conduct, and Baekhyun himself had hoped that his parents would find him a match like that, too.
Except for the fact that he was very much gay, and this was well known by the Byuns, if the raging media articles about his nightly escapades to gay clubs hadn't said enough already.
Sighing, Baekhyun plopped himself onto the large white leather couch, removing his dress shoes and socks to rest his aching feet on the living room table. He knew that his mother would hear about his arrival and would scold him for impudent behaviour.
"Baekhyun, what did I say about putting your feet on tables?" came the soft, familiar voice.
The young Byun smiled cheekily at his mother, refusing to remove his feet and said, "Mother, I came home from a long day of work, no greeting or ‘how are you, my son?’ for me?"
His mother shook her head in despair, as she settled beside her youngest son, ruffling his silky brown hair, "You will never change, will you?"
"Why should I, mother?" Baekhyun asked casually as he turned the TV on to his favourite channel, but kept the volume lowered so that they could still converse comfortably. "I am the CEO of Byun Enterprises, surely you don't expect me to change myself for anyone."
His mother just sighed in response, instead of chuckling and dismissing him with an "Of course, my dear," as she usually would
The change in his mother's behaviour had Baekhyun's back straightening as he looked at his mother with a probing gaze, "What's the matter, mother?"
Mrs Byun bit her bottom lip before she grabbed hold of his hand and softly said, "Your father wanted to be in the country to talk to you about this, but I am thinking I should let you know as soon as possible."
Baekhyun's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "What is it?"
"You have a marriage proposal, a very good one." His mother spoke, sudden happiness radiating from her.
Baekhyun couldn't help but smirk, "What's different about this proposal compared to many others I've had in the past few years?"
"Your father was the one who actively sought it." Was the mere reply.
This had Baekhyun's smile freezing. It was a perfectly normal routine for his mother to notify him of proposals that they had received from both prestigious elites and important figures alike. But never had his father tried to ask anyone for his proposal. The Byuns were far too above them to do that. Who was this proposal even from? They must be pretty influential if my father had to work so hard to get it, Baekhyun couldn’t help but think.
"I know, it's a bit of a shock for you. Your father was willing to wait until you had reached your thirties, just so that it would guarantee you a nice spouse. But the moment he met this young man, he insisted that he had to be his son-in-law." His mother went on to explain. "He made sure to bring your name up whenever they met, and it seems like that young man's father is also very much interested in you."
Baekhyun shrugged, a smug expression adorning his face, "Of course, who wouldn’t be?"
Mrs Byun thwacked her son's shoulder lightly, earning a snicker from him. "The reason why I am telling you beforehand is so that you can start mentally preparing yourself. There is no room for rejection, your father wants this alliance to be made soon and for it to succeed."
"I have no objections if that's what Father wishes," Baekhyun said without hesitation. His parents had never been too strict with him, spoiling him rotten with love and complying with his every wish and demand the moment he was born. The only way he could pay back all their love and hard work was by marrying the person they chose for him; knowing fully well that they wouldn't choose anyone that he wouldn't like.
His mother got teary-eyed, but she quickly wiped her tears away before she pulled him into a hug, "My baby boy is all grown up!"
Baekhyun hugged her back, nuzzling into his mother's shoulder and breathing in the comforting fragrance that he had always associated with home. "I am turning 25 next year, mother."
"Oh hush, you will always be my little boy, even when you are 50." His mother replied, her voice breaking slightly near the end.
Baekhyun hugged her more tightly, his hands patting her back before he pulled back.
"I have one question though, who is the proposal from?" Baekhyun finally got to ask the question that had been floating around his mind the moment his mother had brought the topic up.
"Well..." The fact that his mother was hesitating to say made Baekhyun's stomach drop in apprehension.
"Well?" He prodded, his eyes begging his mother to finish her sentence.
Mrs Byun lowered her gaze to her hands, fiddling with a ring on her finger. "It came from the Parks."
Baekhyun stared at her for what seemed like five whole minutes. "Parks? As in the Parks?"
Oh, shit. No, this can't be happening to me right now. Please, God, you can't be this cruel. This surely must be a joke.
His mother nodded slowly, before saying, "I know that it's a pretty big deal. Having the President himself ask for you is such a high honour in itself. I am worried about your possible marriage though. Will you be able to handle it?"
Baekhyun was speechless. His mind suddenly overfilled with a billion thoughts at once. Being married into the President's family was indeed a huge honour, and he could see where his mother was coming from. The Parks had strict principles, their way of living and etiquette matched the manners of some Royal families. He wouldn't be like his older brother in his marriage, who continued to live and behave the way he did as a bachelor, instead, he would be the one confined to their values and expectations. Baekhyun would have to adapt himself completely in order to fit in.
Now he understood why his mother had brought the topic up in the first place.
But that wasn't the biggest worry on his mind right now.
"Honey, don't worry. I am sure it seems a lot more daunting than it probably is. The President is enamoured by you, and his son has agreed to this marriage, too." Mrs Byun went on to say after she saw her son's dazed expression, his face blank as he stared off into nothing.
The President's son had agreed? Baekhyun was sceptical about that. Surely, he wasn't the only one between the two of them to remember their relationship back in high school.
Yes, Park Chanyeol, the son of the current President of South Korea had attended the same high school as Byun Baekhyun.
This marriage can't happen, it just cannot, Baekhyun thought helplessly.
They never got on well in high school, they had proclaimed each other as sworn enemies. That very same Park Chanyeol had agreed to marry him? That's absolute rubbish.
If they couldn't get on well seven years ago, they surely would not get on well now, least of all be able to lead a successful marriage.
~~~
"Oi! Watch it, Byun!" The taller teen spouted after the small brunet who had just purposefully jammed his sharp shoulder into his chest whilst walking past in the busy school corridor.
Baekhyun rolled his eyes in annoyance before he twirled around to face his arch-nemesis, Park Chanyeol. "What?" He spat out, as he chewed his gum aggressively, his kohl-lined eyes glaring at the taller male.
"Apologise," Chanyeol growled, as he slowly reduced the distance between them.
Both sophomores glowered at each other, with their respective friends on their sides sending each other looks of 'here we go again'.
If anyone asked the students of the Seoul City High School how Byun Baekhyun and Park Chanyeol had come to be enemies, nobody would be able to pinpoint a certain event.
The feud between the two boys had been going on since forever, some said that it had started in kindergarten whilst others said that it was because they both had fallen for the same girl and had fought over her.
But their best friends knew the latter wasn't true, the two idiots were definitely gay, one being too confident, while the other being too shy.
No guess as to which one was the confident one, Jongdae had said one lunchtime as he glanced at his best friend, the Byun Industries Heir, whose eyes were always adorned with various beautiful eyeshadow looks and elaborate eyeliner.
"As I would ever apologise to you, Park," Baekhyun seethed, refusing to back down from the intimidating glare the taller was sending him.
Baekhyun straightened his spine to lessen the height difference, but despite his high-top sneakers with insoles (he will never admit he had them), Chanyeol always seemed to tower over him.
"Who do you think you are, huh?" Baekhyun proceeded to taunt, cocking his head to the side as he dragged his eyes up and down Chanyeol's form, before scoffing, "Just because your dad has joined the current leading political party, doesn't mean you are the next big hotshot."
Chanyeol chuckled at that, turning to meet his friend's amused gazes before directing his hard gaze back towards him, "Since when do you keep such close tabs on me, Byun?"
"I frankly don't give a fuck about you, I just couldn't help but hear the news, thanks to your minions," Baekhyun rolled his eyes.
"You are just jealous that my 'fan club' is nearly as big as yours."
"As if!" Baekhyun shouted the comment had hit a nerve. "You can never join us, Park, even if your dad becomes the fucking president. You will always be the dorky poor kid with huge ass ugly ears and a twig-like figure."
And with that the Byun Empire heir stormed off, his friends sending exasperated glances to Chanyeol's friends before following him.
“Who does he think he is?” Baekhyun yelled, his face red with anger as he stomped away from the confrontation, his friends tagging along after him.
Jongdae merely shook his head in exasperation, as his best friend carried on talking about the lanky, big-eared teenager.
“Just because his father is participating in the presidential elections it does not mean he is now the King and should have everyone bow down to him,” the brunet growled. “I am sick and tired of seeing that arrogant expression on that ugly ass face of his!”
Before Jongdae could say anything to calm down the diva, they were met with their beloved two freshmen.
“Hyungdeul!” Jongin and Sehun greeted boisterously before they crashed into Baekhyun and Jongdae, effectively pulling the sophomores into a big group hug.
“How’s your day going so far?” Sehun asked as he clung to Baekhyun, his chin resting on his senior's shoulder as he looked at Jongdae and then at the frown on Baekhyun’s face. “Did something happen?”
“What do you think could have happened?” Jongdae rolled his eyes in despair.
“Oh,” Sehun merely replied, looking at Jongin with a look that translated to ‘When will our Hyungs grow up’.
Jongin merely chuckled nervously. As he was the closest out of all of their friendship group to Park Chanyeol, he occasionally found it hard to take sides.
Sehun and Jongdae were also fairly neutral but their love for Baekhyun transcended everything else, and hence always ended up supporting the young fashionista in such confrontations.
“Chanyeol Hyung, again huh?” Jongin merely muttered under his breath, but the harsh glare he got from Baekhyun had him nearly choking on his spit.
He felt the comforting pat from Jongdae on his back but it wasn’t enough to deal with Baekhyun’s wrath. “Chanyeol Hyung? What the fuck, Jongin? Since when did you start calling him that?”
Jongin gulped, as his eyes screamed for help at Sehun and Jongdae. He had just realised he had accidentally slipped up.
“Er... you see, I am on the same basketball team... so we have to... talk... for teamwork, you know,” Jongin blabbered out, pouting with puppy eyes.
“But you call me Hyung too! Don’t you dare use the same title for me that you do for that lanky-ass Yoda! If he asks to be called Hyung, you can call me sunbaenim!” Baekhyun erupted before he walked away, Sehun continuing to cling on to his back, who merely waved his hand in goodbye at his frozen and frightened friend.
“You know how he always is after his encounters with Chanyeol. Don’t take it to heart,“ Jongdae soothed the younger male.
“When will they grow up? Chanyeol Hyung is a nice guy. No matter how hard I try to see from Baekhyun Hyung’s mindset, I can’t see where all of this hate is coming from,” Jongin pondered out loud.
Jongdae sighed, “Same here, dude. I have spent the past few years thinking the same. The funny thing is that this hatred is mutual, if only one of them could be mature enough to end this dispute, Seoul High would be a much calmer place.”
Jongin nodded, “If only.”
“Enough of the pouting, let Hyung treat you to some pudding,” Jongdae tried to cheer his friend up, pulling him towards the cafeteria.
However, later on that day, when they had all accompanied Baekhyun to his locker so that he could retrieve his things once the last bell for the day had rung, they ended up soothing a distraught Baekhyun. The spoilt Heir's belongings were reeking horribly thanks to the vinegar bomb that could have only been placed by one person.
~~~
Baekhyun was, to say the least, distraught by the current events taking place. His home was now filled with a large team of wedding planners so that the engagement party that was to be held in a week, could be as perfect and grand as his parents and the President wanted.
Baekhyun huffed and puffed as he sat on the barstool, nursing a drink far too early in the day. But he had to calm down his jittery nerves before he exploded on someone from the engagement party staff.
His mother gave him a disapproving look but didn't say anything as he sat, slowly sipping his drink. She knew perfectly well that he wasn’t fully happy with this marriage, but nothing much could be done about that.
His father was dining with the President close to daily, his mother joining too sometimes and as he had seen from the latest gossip magazines; their glossy pages were filled with the First Lady's recent tea party that showed his mother in nearly every picture.
Baekhyun huffed out a deep breath as he responded to the dozen texts his secretary was sending him. His mother had called him home urgently from his office, apparently, his future in-laws would be coming with their son to discuss some things regarding the engagement party.
Baekhyun didn't feel excited at all to see Park Chanyeol. The latter had spent the past few years studying abroad, according to one of many articles he had read that declared their upcoming engagement.
It explained why the young Park didn't have an active image in Korean media. Unfortunately, Baekhyun would be seeing more of him as his husband in the future. Probably for the rest of his life, if the marriage went the way their parents wanted.
"Baekhyun-ah," His mother's soft call of his name had him hopping off the barstool and pocketing his phone.
Let's get this out of the way, he thought as he downed what was left of his drink and made his way towards the entrance foyer.
A large Rolls Royce had just rolled to a stop when he walked to stand beside his mother.
The driveway was congested with security, making it obvious to everyone that the President had just entered their property.
Baekhyun suddenly felt nervous, he had forgotten how influential Chanyeol's family was for the past few years. When they were in high school, Mr. Park had been a mere politician trying to survive in politics by running countless campaigns.
But now he was the President of their nation, and his only son was his soon-to-be fiance.
Baekhyun was pulled out of his thoughts again when he saw the smartly dressed presidential bodyguards open the doors for the President and his wife.
The young CEO's mouth dropped in shock as he saw his long-sworn enemy get out of the car behind his parents.
Park Chanyeol had changed a lot.
Baekhyun struggled to keep his shock in control as his family descended a few steps to greet his future in-laws. Baekhyun stood rigid as he met Chanyeol's gaze, the latter smirking at him before he bowed to his parents and greeted them warmly.
This propelled Baekhyun to rush down the steps and greet the President and his wife. From the tight hug he got from Mrs Park, it seemed like they were already smitten with him.
"So this is your youngest son, Baekhyun?" The President asked Mr. Byun just as he clapped Baekhyun's back with fondness after the common pleasantries had been exchanged.
Mr. Byun laughed, "Yes, indeed. I think it's the first time you've met him?"
"I regret not having met him sooner. But no worries, we have a lifetime ahead to get to know each other better. Right, son?" The President said good-naturedly, his greying hair slicked back as he sent an eye-crinkling warm smile to Baekhyun, the wide teeth-rich smile being too similar to Chanyeol's.
Feeling awkward with the overly friendly behaviour of his in-laws-to-be, all Baekhyun could do was smile back as they entered the grand living room, all set up for the guests.
As their parents settled down, Baekhyun met his mother's gaze, who spoke up, "Why don't we chat over tea while we leave Baekhyun to show Chanyeol around?"
Chanyeol, who had just settled beside his mother froze when he heard Mrs. Byun's suggestion.
"Oh, of course! That's a lovely idea," Chanyeol's mother patted her son to join Baekhyun, who was now discretely sending silent daggers to his mother.
Baekhyun twirled around to exit the living room, not waiting to see if the President's son was following him. The intimidating presence started to loom behind him after a few seconds, Baekhyun walked as far away as possible from the living room, making sure to take them somewhere isolated.
"It's been a while, Byun." Chanyeol's deep voice chuckled as Baekhyun led him into a large, open veranda, closing the glass doors behind him so that they wouldn’t be disturbed by staff.
"I wish I could say the same, Park," Baekhyun spoke his name with the same scorn that he had used so many years ago.
Chanyeol couldn't help but chuckle at the shorter male trying to contain his displeasure, but it was plainly obvious.
"Still hate my guts?" Chanyeol asked patronisingly, his warm, brown eyes staring into Baekhyun's.
Baekhyun stared back at him with defiance, "More than ever, Park."
"I am not the same Park Chanyeol you knew in high school," Chanyeol drawled out, as he pocketed his hands in his suit trousers and slowly walked towards Baekhyun, making the young CEO walk backwards apprehensively.
"Obviously you have changed, it’s been seven years, you idiot." Baekhyun rolled his eyes, refusing to give the respect that Chanyeol's status deserved. He had hoped that he wouldn't be forced to act all courteously in front of Chanyeol by his parents.
Luckily, he was able to get Chanyeol on his own and could get his point across. "I don't want to marry you," Baekhyun said before Chanyeol could respond to his earlier statement.
Chanyeol merely laughed in response, walking even closer, pushing Baekhyun's back into the wooden railing of the veranda. "I thought you would have matured over the years, CEO Byun."
Baekhyun noticed then how much taller Chanyeol had gotten since the last time they had had such a close confrontation. What did this idiot eat to grow this tall?
"I have a healthy obsession with milk, maybe that's why."
The CEO blushed in embarrassment as he realised that he had just asked that out loud. Baekhyun cleared his throat to calm down his nerves and said to him pointedly, "Let's put an end to this, neither of us wants this-"
"What makes you think that?" Chanyeol cut him off, as he stepped even closer, his arms reaching out to hold onto the railing on either side of Baekhyun, caging his waist in between his bulging arms.
"W-what?" Baekhyun's eyes turned wide. Did Chanyeol like him? Since when?
Baekhyun's mouth dropped open before he narrowed his gaze in suspicion. "You had a crush on me?"
Chanyeol's sardonic chuckle made Baekhyun tremble with rage. "You mean in high school? You wish, Byun."
Baekhyun refused to understand Chanyeol's cryptic statement of not wanting to cancel the wedding. "Then why? Do you like me now, then? I know I am considered one of the hottest bachelors and I am raking in significant money thanks to my excellent skills in securing major business deals and-"
Chanyeol placed his finger on Baekhyun's lips mid-sentence, "Still love to talk people's ears off, don't you?"
Before Baekhyun had the urge to bite that finger hard, Chanyeol pulled back. "No, none of that. I just don't want to disappoint my parents and I am sure you don't want that either."
Baekhyun's shoulder drooping in defeat.
"I was hoping you would rebel against your parents..." He mumbled out, but it seemed like Chanyeol wasn't so bothered with this marriage for god knows what reason.
"You can try doing that yourself," Chanyeol said indifferently as he looked behind him at the long stretch of land owned by the Byuns. "I have to say though, I never thought we would be meeting again like this."
Baekhyun sighed as he turned to look at the same landscape that Chanyeol was looking out at. The Byun's Mansion was located outside of Seoul, his parents preferred to come here on weekends; they hated the congested, polluted air of the capital city.
Baekhyun had his condo near the Byun Enterprise's headquarters in the city but he always missed the home he had grown up in and so occasionally visited his parents.
"I can't go against my parent's wishes either," Baekhyun eventually said, his voice low and filled with worry.
He saw the taller male look his way before returning to the landscape before them.
"And neither can I, Byun."
~~~
Pre-wedding preparations were underway now that both Baekhyun and Chanyeol had agreed to marry each other by giving each other a set of rings at a small engagement party.
Baekhyun couldn’t believe how suddenly his life had taken a sharp turn. Was it for good or worse, only God knew.
He had decided to meet with his closest friends the following week, who hadn’t been able to attend the spontaneous engagement party.
The President had insisted for the party to be as small as possible, he had said that they could go all out for the wedding, but the engagement should be only for selected family members.
Yet, the media had managed to get the wing of it and were now broadcasting it as breaking news worldwide.
Apparently, both Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhyun were considered heartthrobs and their supposed fans were disheartened to hear the news of their engagement.
So now here was Baekhyun, sitting in one of his favourite coffee shops, which was known for having aesthetic cakes that his two favourite dongsaengs shared the love for.
"You are getting married to the Park Chanyeol?" Sehun asked, his usually monotonous voice gone as he stared at his best friend, flabbergasted, before looking at the expensive ring adorning Baekhyun’s ring finger. "The Park? As in the President's son, Park Chanyeol?"
"Yes, for the hundredth time, Sehun!" Baekhyun bellowed out, his hands raised in frustration as his group of friends stared back at him, as well as the other cafe patrons. "How many times do I have to say it's the same dumbo-eared idiot we all hated in high school?"
"I am not so sure about the 'we all hated' part," Jongin corrected with a sly grin, "We all got on well with him, it was just you who had a hissy fit whenever he entered your field of vision."
Sehun clapped his hands in affirmation, "You're right! My ears have never been the same after having to witness countless of their arguments back then."
Baekhyun rolled his eyes, "Guys, I called you here so that you could help me with this dilemma."
Jongin pouted, "I thought it was because you were missing us."
Since Jongin started working for his family’s business empire, it was hard to catch up with him. If he did have any free time, he was seen modelling alongside Sehun, who had become an international supermodel to no one’s surprise.
Sehun sipped on his bubble tea with the straw, "I had really thought Hyung was giving us a treat for all the difficult times we’ve been there for him."
"Oh, please! You’ve caused nothing but annoyance and trouble since the forsaken day our parents introduced us to each other, merely dressed in nappies," Baekhyun palmed his forehead, feeling as if his head would burst anytime soon with the topic of his upcoming marriage. "My parents are so excited about this marriage, I can see no hope in cancelling it."
Jongin dropped his jesting mood to look at Baekhyun with a serious face, known as the "Kai model" look as said by the latest issue of the VOGUE magazine.
"Who says that you have to cancel it?" Jongin asked, lifting up his hand to silence Baekhyun's rebuttal. "Just go ahead with it for now, and divorce whenever it suits the both of you."
"Sounds good to me," Sehun nodded slowly, as he rubbed his chin with his fingers in deep thought. "Chanyeol must be just as bothered by this as you are, I am sure you two can reach an agreement on how to settle the divorce."
Baekhyun merely pouted in response, "I don't think he’d agree with that."
"Why not?" Sehun prompted, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. As far as he knew, Chanyeol hated Baekhyun's guts as much as the latter did. It was a mutual dislike that had been the source of entertainment for their whole batch back then.
"He said he wants to follow his parent's wishes," Baekhyun murmured as he lazily played with his sugar sachets, his coffee abandoned, cold and barely drunk. "Maybe he was talking about the marriage itself? I think he wants to be serious about it."
"Chanyeol and serious have never gone together," Jongin pondered out loud.
"He's changed, Jongin-ah. I don't know if that's because of his father reaching such a high status, but he isn't the same goofy Park kid that we knew back then. He will do everything to make our marriage successful if it is his parent's wish." Baekhyun explained. "The last thing he would want to do is ruin his father's reputation in any way."
Sehun contemplated Baekhyun's words before saying, "Go into this marriage with an open mind then, Hyung. You don't know how much Chanyeol has changed, maybe even for the best. Maybe you two didn't get on well in the past, but many years have gone by since then."
"I agree with Sehun," Jongin added, "Instead of thinking of cancelling the marriage or divorce, focus on building and strengthening your relationship instead."
"Geez, guys, when I told you to grow up I didn't mean for you two to turn into my mother," Baekhyun rolled his eyes jokingly, touched to hear such mature advice from his younger friends.
Sehun pointed his finger at him in annoyance, "See, this is how you react every time we give sensible advice, can you blame us for not taking you seriously then?"
"But I am honestly sick of hearing my mother going on about these marriage tips! It's really doing my head in!" Baekhyun cried as his head flopped down on his folded arms on top of the table.
"Damn..." Jongin exclaimed softly, causing Baekhyun to raise his head from his brooding position to see the Kim CEO on his phone, mouth agape.
"What?" Baekhyun asked curiously.
"Oh, wow," Sehun tilted his head in awe, eyes wide as he looked at Jongin's phone. "Chanyeol sure as hell grew up fine. That lanky slim body is gone... just look at those abs...and those bulging biceps...wow!"
Baekhyun controlled the urge to reach over and snatch the phone from his drooling friends. Instead, he cleared his throat, "Could you please stop fawning over my fiance?"
Hearing his friend’s possessive tone made Jongin snicker, "What? Already getting possessive, Hyung?"
"What? No!" Baekhyun protested loudly, not caring about the weird looks they were getting from the people sitting nearby. It was a miracle that they hadn’t been told yet to leave the cafe, considering the ruckus they always created with their meetups. The fact that they belonged to wealthy families and were considered VIP guests may have had something to do with this.
"You better get used to people fawning over that hot specimen you are about to be wedded to," Sehun spoke, his eyes refusing to look away from Jongin's phone.
Baekhyun didn't know what to say in response to that. He had seen for himself how much Chanyeol had changed. But he wasn't that hot, at least not as his friends were saying he was, right? It seemed like their brains hadn’t grown with their heights and age.
Baekhyun stood up and threw some cash on the table, "I have to get back to the office. You two can act like thirsty teenage boys, whereas I have much better things to do."
Both youngsters jolted up, heads tilting upwards to see the elder prepare to leave so suddenly.
"You know that I am the CEO of my father’s company too, right?" Jongin stated, still sitting in his chair, finally depositing his phone in his blazer's inside pocket.
"I still wonder what went through your parents' minds when they decided that," Baekhyun ranted. "You can barely wake up for lunch in time, let alone be handling your family’s business."
"Well...you were the same when you started out!" Jongin protested.
Well, that was true. Byun Baekhyun had been nowhere close to the respectable businessman he was now. Before the young Heir had taken responsibility for his family business, he had always been seen clubbing, different conquests by his side every other night.
The gossip magazines had said that he would be the fall of the Byun empire, but Baekhyun’s promiscuous behaviour changed the night his father had a heart attack.
It had happened three years ago, but Baekhyun was still deeply affected by the event. His father had always been a strong, prominent figure in his life, and he had never even thought that that pillar of love and support could be taken from him within a few seconds.
He had promised his parents that he would start taking their business seriously so that less burden would be put on their shoulders.
To this day the media proudly boasted about the young CEO’s miraculous character development. Nobody had ever thought that Byun Baekhyun would end up advancing the Byun Empire, instead of going in and out of rehab as many gossip magazines had predicted.
Baekhyun knew that he would never forgive himself if he disappointed his parents ever again. He had agreed to marry whomever they thought was most suitable for him. He had had enough of causing trouble and messing around.
But he had never thought that the President’s son, Park Chanyeol, would be his future spouse.
~~~
The wedding was everything that the media had assumed it would be: grand, splendid and magnificent.
Baekhyun smiled at the reporters as he exited the hall where the wedding reception had been held before he was led to the car by his bodyguards.
His husband was escorted by his own set of guards. It wasn’t until they had both settled inside the limousine, with the doors and windows closed, that both of them collectively sighed in relief.
They had to keep up the front of being a happy couple the whole day. Baekhyun was surprised that everyone had fallen for their acting.
“I hate weddings,” Baekhyun groaned out as he closed his eyes and slumped across the long black leather seat. "And having your own is by far the worst."
Chanyeol couldn’t help but chuckle at the sprawled-out position his husband had now settled in. It was nowhere near the etiquette one would expect from the President's son-in-law.
“Well, it’s all over now,” Chanyeol replied, as he whipped out his smartphone and started to respond to important texts.
Baekhyun’s tired, kohl-lined eyes observed the stoic male before him. He wondered what their married life would be like. They had barely uttered any words to each other tonight, it had mostly been them acknowledging each other whilst conversing with influential guests.
Baekhyun was glad that they wouldn’t be going on a honeymoon any time soon. Since the wedding had been relatively spontaneous, Chanyeol had had no time to spare for a holiday, especially when the elections were looming ahead.
The young CEO was sure that his father-in-law would keep his presidential seat, as the whole country adored the man, including his very own father.
Baekhyun himself had supported the President’s political party once he had been elected. He refused to admit that he would probably have supported the party more blatantly in the past if it hadn’t been for a certain Park Chanyeol.
“What are you thinking about?” the deep voice pulled Baekhyun out of his thoughts. The brunet slowly sat up on the leather seat, meeting Chanyeol’s warm brown eyes.
The limousine's interior blue and purple lighting highlighted Chanyeol’s handsome features even more. Yes, Baekhyun was starting to admit that his husband was a fairly good-looking man. After all, the gorgeous Byun Baekhyun wouldn’t marry just anyone.
Park Baekhyun, his mind corrected him, spreading a dark blush on his soft cheeks.
Chanyeol noticed this and couldn’t help but stare fondly, before slowly muttering, “We are to spend our first night at our new home gifted by our parents. They insisted on giving us a house tour, but I managed to persuade them to come tomorrow instead.”
Baekhyun nodded, his slender finger tracing the expensive wedding band on his ring finger. The diamond shone brightly, despite the dim lighting. It rested atop his engagement ring, which was much simpler.
“We...we don’t have to sleep on the same bed,” Chanyeol continued, his eyes now looking down at his phone, playing it with his hands. “I mean, please don’t feel uncomfortable. Just because we are married now it doesn’t mean we have to act like husbands from the get-go.”
Baekhyun suddenly looked up at him with a confused look, unsure why Chanyeol was having this conversation. Had Chanyeol thought he was worried about this? As if, Baekhyun humphed internally.
“I don’t care,” Baekhyun said unfazed, his eyes challenging the latter to disagree. “Unless you are the one feeling uncomfortable…”
Chanyeol furrowed his eyebrows at the sudden confident stance Baekhyun had, he could feel the silent challenge in the air, and he wasn’t the one to back down. “I am also fine with it.”
The world could be ending, but neither of the two young men would show themselves as the weaker one.
“Good,” Baekhyun smirked before he directed his gaze outside the tinted windows to see the buildings flick past.
~~~
Nothing significant had happened on their first night together. Both men had been so exhausted that they had both been knocked out as soon as they hit the bed after changing and washing themselves up.
It had been a month since Baekhyun had worn the wedding ring on his finger, a month since he stood beside Chanyeol, read out the marriage vows and shared a seemingly brief kiss with him.
The Korean Media had raged non-stop about the hottest bachelors of the year tying the knot and how they were now officially off the market.
Apart from doing some classy formal spreads for fashion magazines in designer suits, Baekhyun hadn't participated in any other public activity with Chanyeol.
The young politician was very busy organising and attending campaigns, sometimes going on Presidential trips, leaving Baekhyun all alone in their lavish villa once he was done with his office work.
On the rare days, Chanyeol was at home, both of them would carefully toe around each other. Having awkward conversations was new for them, at least from Baekhyun's side, as he could only ever remember being hostile with Park Chanyeol before.
“Have you had breakfast?” Chanyeol asked a still sleepy Baekhyun. The taller had just returned from his morning run, the headphones hung on his slender neck still blasting music.
Baekhyun merely stared at him and shook his head, wiping his droopy eyes.
Sighing, Chanyeol made sure to inform their maid to prepare a late breakfast quickly.
Baekhyun had noticed that Park Chanyeol had changed a lot, the latter wasn't as arrogant as he had been back in high school. He was trying his best to maintain his role as his husband and Baekhyun couldn’t help but do the same, as he took everything as a form of competition when it came to Chanyeol.
“Have you eaten breakfast too, Chanyeol-ah?” Baekhyun asked back in a playful, sweet voice, despite it being obvious that it was well over noon and lunch would be served soon.
Chanyeol smiled, “Yes, I did.” He saw right through Baekhyun’s act, knowing that the young CEO only did some things out of the one-sided rivalry between them. He just hoped that his caring actions would become more honest with time.
Despite their marriage having been an arranged one, Chanyeol truly wanted it to work. Not only because his parents’ image was on the line, but also because he genuinely thought that they could make it work.
Baekhyun was a clever, well-rounded individual. He may seem a bit immature sometimes, but considering how he had been spoiled a lot by his parents, Chanyeol had started to find it amusing and endearing.
Seeing the smaller male pout at him whenever he managed to get the upper hand in their conversations was a hilarious sight for Chanyeol.
Whenever Chanyeol had to leave on his long trips he would occasionally text Baekhyun, asking about how his day had gone and trying his best to arrange lunch or dinner dates whenever possible.
The young married couple would then send couple selfies to each of their parents, convincing them that they were working on their relationship and making some ‘progress’.
Chanyeol always had something to talk about, and Baekhyun couldn't help but sometimes drown himself in that deep voice talking about politics.
The CEO of the Byun Empire didn't find politics boring, in fact, he had always had a huge interest in that subject.
To suddenly have the President as his father-in-law and then to have his husband in such a high position within the leading political party, Baekhyun was suddenly overwhelmed with all the political talk that went around him.
“So, preparations for the elections are going well?” Baekhyun asked conversationally, as he cut his steak and then chewed on it.
Chanyeol nodded, smiling unconsciously at the sight of his spouse happily eating. “All the campaigns have gone successfully, I am sure that my father will bring in the majority of the votes.”
“That he will, I am sure. Let’s toast to that,” Baekhyun picked up his wine glass, clinking it with Chanyeol’s before taking a sip.
The waitress came again to ask them if they needed anything else, but Baekhyun shook his head and told her that if they needed anything they would call for her.
He sent a stink eye to her retreating slim back, knowing full well why she kept coming to their table.
The young politician had come straight from a meeting to their dinner date tonight, his blazer was off, the top buttons of his white dress shirt were open, and his sleeves were rolled up to show the toned forearms and the infamous gold Rolex adorning his wrist.
Baekhyun couldn’t help but drool at the effortlessly hot sight in front of him. He had to admit he was gutted that the latter hadn’t made any move on him despite them having hit their first month of marriage already.
The young CEO knew for a fact that he was a sexy specimen that no man could reject having a taste of. Yet, here was Park Chanyeol, who still hesitated in holding his hand for longer than a minute in public.
Chanyeol noticed that the brunet had stopped eating and was staring at him, looking spaced out.
“Is everything alright, Baekhyun?” Chanyeol prodded, his large hand reaching out to touch Baekhyun’s across the table.
Baekhyun was suddenly startled, causing Chanyeol to pull his hand back.
The young CEO couldn’t help but frown at the sudden loss of the warm touch. Was he the only one wondering about this aspect of their relationship? Baekhyun understood that sex wasn’t everything, but they had shared enough conversations to know each other well enough by now.
The only thing their relationship needed more of was physical attraction, which they definitely had, as Baekhyun had caught his husband checking him out many times.
“Nothing,” Baekhyun gave a small smile before returning to his dinner.
Chanyeol noted that there was something on Baekhyun’s mind and decided that he would ask again at a better opportunity.
The last thing he wanted was Baekhyun to be hiding things from him.
“You are happy, right?” Chanyeol couldn’t help but ask. Guilt filled him as he thought of the countless days he had spent helping with the upcoming elections and not spending time with Baekhyun.
“Yes, of course! Why wouldn’t I be?” Baekhyun gave him a puzzled look before smiling brightly, “This is my favourite restaurant, to be honest, I am surprised you managed to book a table despite being so busy yourself.”
“I promise you that I will be less busy from now on,” Chanyeol assured, thinking maybe it was his hectic workload that was bothering his husband. “I will be home far more often once the elections are out of the way.”
Baekhyun didn’t know why his husband was insisting on this topic of conversation, but bobbed his head, “That’s great to hear, Chanyeol.”
And believe it or not, Baekhyun had actually meant it this time.