Little Wonders
Luhan/Sehun, 5292
Luhan has one more chance to get it right.
A/N: written for yoake_no_sora in selubration.
He looks perfect. His hair is coiffed, the suit is tight in all the right places, and his shoes shine like he was up all night polishing them-he was.
“He’ll love it,” one of the groomsmen, an old friend, promises with a soft smile from behind.
Luhan frowns, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. “You really think so? They measured my legs wrong; the pants end way too high on my ankle.”
The man laughs. “It’s fine! Besides, you’ll only be wearing this for today. How’s your speech?”
“Absolutely flawless,” Luhan states with a slight smirk, tugging a folded rectangle out of his sleeve.
“Here he comes!” The boy guarding the door stage-whispers, hair practically glued to his head and collar almost choking him thanks to the noose of a tie given by his mother. Luhan pities him, but stands straight, slipping the paper back into his suit.
A blond man marches inside. His neatly styled hair and wrinkle-free suit give the appearance of complete calmness, but the deep creases in his forehead betray him. Luhan snorts and instantly receives a glare.
“Sorry, sorry, I just-” he covers his mouth and disguises a bout of laughter with an authentic-sounding cough. He beckons the man closer and reaches up, stopping when the taller flinches. Luhan raises an eyebrow but continues onward, flicking a stray piece of hair out of his forehead and then undoing the meticulously done bowtie. The wrinkles are still there. “Here, match my breathing,” Luhan instructs.
“It’ll help you calm down, Sehun,” the other man in the room offers when the tallest makes no move.
“Fine,” Sehun grunts, relaxing his shoulders and closing his eyes whilst Luhan carefully ties the satin cloth.
“There,” Luhan smiles, patting the too-tall man on the shoulders. “Now you look perfect.”
Sehun’s eyes shift to him, and Luhan smiles when he sees the unhidden turmoil in the deep brown. “You really think so?”
“I know so,” he counters, flicking a tiny dust ball off of Sehun’s shoulder. “Just, don’t pass out, yeah?”
“If I do, can I count on you to catch me?” Sehun asks with a crooked smile. Luhan wants to slap it off his face but, before he can do so, there’s a knock on the door and a woman with her hair pulled in a tight bun and a headset perched on her head makes a frantic motion. Sehun draws in a quick breath. “That’s my cue. I’ll see you on the altar, don’t be late!”
Luhan laughs at the forced joke, and watches as Sehun runs out of the room. “What’d you think, Baekhyun?”
“I think he’s still a kid,” the brunet in the corner sighs, eyes flicking down to his watch. “Chanyeol and Jongin said they’d be here soon. I’m gonna go wait outside for them.” He stands, but looks to Luhan in question.
“I’ll be out in a sec,” he promises, watching as Baekhyun leaves the room. As soon as he’s alone, Luhan drops his head into his hands, and looks at himself in the mirror. Now it’s a more accurate reflection: his eyebrows are pinched together, the corners of his lips are downturned, and his eyes look just a bit bloodshot. He resists the urge to run a hand through his styled hair and instead thinks about what he’s about to do.
He’s been putting off this particular task for quite a while, almost completely ignoring the upcoming event because, how is he even supposed to go about watching the love of his life marry someone else?
*
If he just puts one foot in front of the other, he can focus on the technicalities and pretend it’s all some horrible dream.
“Luhan.”
His head snaps up. Sehun’s staring at him, and the murmuring has stopped. The minister isn’t droning. Luhan blanches and watches as Sehun holds out his hand. Oh. Right. The rings. He digs into his pocket and pulls out the two metallic bands he’d helped Sehun pick after weeks of careful searching. He sets them into Sehun’s open palm, and looks up just in time to see a grateful smile. Were he in any other situation, he would return it.
The rings go on, the vows are spoken, and then a kiss is shared. Luhan doesn’t see any of it, too preoccupied with tracing the lines on the ground with the toe of his shoe.
“I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Oh.”
Deafening applause fills the room as the groom and bride race down the aisle, hand in hand and laughing. Luhan feels the phantom energy that was keeping him upright drain out of him, and he grabs the front pew to stay upright. The wedding party follows the newlyweds, dashing down the aisle and out the front two doors. Luhan watches as everyone clears out to watch the happy couple pile into the limousine waiting for them outside, then he collapses onto one of the benches, placing his head on the cool wood. It does little to help, but it’s better than staring at Sehun dressed in a tux, smiling giddily at his blushing bride.
“Luhan?”
He sucks in a breath and blinks a couple times before turning his head to look at a worried Chanyeol. His tux is a bit tight; he promised that the one he had left over from his high school prom would fit. Baekhyun and Jongin had to hold in their laughter as he shimmied into pants that were made to fit much thinner legs. “Hey, Chanyeol. What’s up?”
“They’re waiting for you outside,” the black-haired man explains, tilting his head so that he’s looking right at Luhan. “Can’t take pictures without the best man, you know?”
At this point, Luhan doesn’t know if he can force a smile. “Tell them to go ahead. I’m not feeling so great.”
“Oh my god, are you okay?” Chanyeol sidles up next to him, slaps his palm on Luhan’s forehead, and positions his ear right on Luhan’s chest. “You’re feeling a little warm.”
Luhan smacks him away. “No, no, I’m fine. I just need a minute. Still trying to process everything.”
Chanyeol nods slowly, and Luhan hopes he’ll believe the lie and just go away. As much as he appreciates the man, he really just wants a few seconds to himself. To think. “Alright,” Chanyeol says finally, “I’ll just tell them that you can’t make it. They’ll skin you alive at the reception, though!” He chuckles for a bit, but stops when Luhan doesn’t join in. “I guess I’ll go, then.” He turns and Luhan keeps his head down as heavy footsteps echo through the empty building. “Last chance!” Luhan doesn’t look up, just waves him away, sighing when the double doors slam shut behind the man.
He slumps forward, head connecting with the pew in front. He allows himself to go limp and focuses on his heartbeat instead of the commotion outside. His arms dangle at his sides and a rectangular piece of paper flutters to the ground. Luhan groans, squeezing his eyes shut before reaching down to pick it up. The neatly folded speech reminds him of what he still has to go through and he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I hate weddings."
Luhan jumps so suddenly that he hits his head on the seatback in front. Wincing, he glances to the side to see a man sitting not two feet away, dressed in a frilly suit and bowtie. Luhan hadn’t even noticed him walk in. Casually slipping the paper back into his sleeve, he looks around the church. It’s completely empty, save for him and the mystery man.
The oddly dressed man turns to look at Luhan and smiles. “They’re always so sad.”
Nodding absentmindedly, Luhan checks his watch and curses. He’s going to be late to the reception if he waits any longer. He jumps out of his chair and moves to head down the aisle, but the man is in his way. He searches for another exit.
“So, are you going to tell my why you’re so upset or are you going to keep wasting my time?”
Luhan stops at that, turning his gaze on the man, who looks at least a little apologetic. “Excuse me.” Luhan narrows his eyes. “Do you… work here?”
“Kind of.” The man sighs and slouches, head lolling on the wood. It’s only now that Luhan notices how tall he is, even sitting down. “Sorry for the attitude, kid. This week’s just been a little rough for me. Too many unsatisfied customers.”
Luhan blinks. “Um. Sorry?”
“I’ll cut to the chase,” the man starts, folding his hands together. Luhan blinks, noting that they’re almost as big as his face. “You really don’t want to go to that reception, and you really don’t want to live a life in regret. That’s where I come in.”
“Okay. And who did you say you were?” Luhan eyes the exit, which seems to be just out of reach.
“I didn’t,” he snaps. “Look, do you want another chance or not?”
“Another… what?”
The man lets loose a long-suffering sigh. “My associate and I are in the business of happily ever afters. We look for sadness, we find out the cause, and we rectify it. No charge, just the joy of making sure everything is right with the world.”
“Look,” Luhan starts, exasperated, “I’m late for the reception. If I don’t leave now, the groom’s going to kill me.”
“Do you really want to sit in a cramped room and watch someone you love with someone else? I knew you were a sad man, Luhan, but not a masochist.”
Luhan bristles. Tight-lipped, he mutters, “you know my name.”
“Yes. Your name, age, depressing work life, even more depressing sex life, and the huge crush-can I even call it that?-that you’ve been harboring for your dear friend Sehun for far too long to be healthy.” He grins.
Now Luhan’s angry. “Look here-”
“Kris,” the man interrupts. “My name is Kris. And before you say anything you’re going to regret, at least consider having a second chance.”
“A second chance,” Luhan repeats, patience wearing thin.
“Yeah. I did mention I was in the happily ever after business, right? So it’s my job to make sure that you go back and at least try and fix what’s going to happen. Or, really, what has happened.”
“If I do that,” Luhan says slowly, not sure what the man is trying to say, “will you move?”
Kris blinks. Then lets out a roar of laughter. “Sure. So, you game?”
Luhan frowns. “I guess?”
“Great,” Kris says with an air of finality, reaching into his pocket. He removes a silver pocket watch and grabs Luhan’s hand, dropping the device into his palm. Luhan can’t feel or hear a ticking. When he looks down, none of the hands are moving. “So. There are rules. Your time is limited, so make sure that you make the most of every single second I give you. Next, remember where you are. That one is important. Oh, and also, keep in mind that your every action will affect the present day. So, are you ready and have you heard and understood the terms of this agreement?”
Luhan blinks, dumbfounded. “What.”
Kris rolls his eyes. “This is where you say ‘yes, I agree.’”
“Yes, I agree,” Luhan parrots.
Nothing happens. Kris sighs, his fringe wilting in agreement. “A little more enthusiasm wouldn’t hurt.”
“Yes, I agree!” Luhan practically shouts, knowing that he’s impossibly late to the reception and Sehun will have his head without even hearing about Luhan’s story of the crazy man at the church. Unexpectedly, the device in his palm whirrs to life, giving a decisive tick. Luhan glances up and sees the makings of a smile on Kris’ features before he doesn’t see anything at all.
*
“Luhan, pass it here!”
He looks down. There’s tended grass under his beat-up cleats and he can see his bruised, grass-stained legs. He’s wearing shorts. Why is he wearing shorts?
A body pushes him aside and claims the ball he hadn’t even seen in front of him. A round of groan fills the field. The soccer field. Luhan is playing soccer. He hasn’t played soccer for five years. What is going on.
“We had four players open, Luhan! What the hell was that?” An angry face is shoved in front of his own. “Open your eyes! These are the semi-finals!”
“Minseok, get back!” The coach shouts, and the boy leaves Luhan, grumbling.
Minseok. Luhan hasn’t seen Minseok in years. Not since they both graduated college and the older moved to China to pursue a very successful career in a developing banking firm. He looks just like he did back in college. Only angrier.
“Luhan!”
He looks up just in time to see someone aim a kick toward him. He stops it with the inside of his foot on reflex, but freezes after that. What is he supposed to do now?
Minseok prompts him into action with a shove from the side. “You were fine just a few minutes ago. What happened?” Luhan frowns at that. A few minutes ago, he was in church talking to that weird- he’s wearing his old jersey. A cursory glance proves that he’s in his college’s field. What on earth is going on? “Hey. Follow me down, then I’ll pass it to you right in front of the goal.” Luhan nods and takes off running as Minseok fends off an attacker.
Luhan’s relying on muscle memory, his body more toned than it has been in years. He slows right in front of the rival team’s goal and locks his gaze on Minseok who gives him a short nod before kicking the ball over. A defender tries to intercept, but Luhan gets to it first, takes a breath, then sends the ball towards the goal.
The net swishes with the impact. The goalie is on the ground, slamming his fist on the uprooted grass. Luhan is tackled from the side.
“That was it!” Minseok screams into his ear. “We’ve won!”
People in matching uniforms swarm Luhan and he remembers. The semi-finals during his junior year, when he had finally made it off of the alternate list and gained a permanent spot on the team. The other semi-finalist had great attackers, but their defense was heavily flawed. Luhan’s team won by one point. His point. They went on to finals, but didn’t win. Not that year.
The losing team troops off the field and Luhan’s teammates celebrate, tackling each other onto the field and laughing. Luhan watches with a fond smile before he is pulled away with a small tap on the shoulder. He turns to see Minseok beside him, staring at something behind him.
“That freshman who has the hots for you is waiting again.”
Luhan frowns, about to ask who his friend is talking about when he turns and sees a six foot-tall awkward, gangly teen standing at the sidelines, averting his gaze when he sees that he’s been caught. Luhan can’t help the smile that takes over his features. He forgot how utterly adorable Sehun was. He starts walking over before he realizes, then slows to remind himself that this Sehun doesn’t really know him. Yet.
“You like the game?”
“Yeah,” is the quiet reply. “You were really good.”
“I think the team is going out for dinner after they stop messing around. You wanna come?”
Sehun blanches. “Me?”
“Yes, you.” Luhan can’t hold back the chuckle or the warmth that fills his chest when Sehun smiles. But then the smile falls. Luhan blinks. What’s going on?
“Watch out!”
Luhan feels something hit the back of his head and then he’s falling.
*
Everything is black and his head is pounding.
“Is he asleep?”
The sound is murky and Luhan feels like he’s drowning, fighting to break the surface. He claws his way towards consciousness and regrets it when he breaks the surface and everything is so bright. He groans.
“No. Just drunk.”
“He’s only had three.”
“Doesn’t matter. He’s such a lightweight.”
Sehun. That’s Sehun. Luhan searches for him amidst the blinding lights and discovers a bony hand. He lifts it triumphantly and laughs to himself, curling around the arm.
“Right. Who’s going to bring him home?”
“Wait. Does he even have a key?”
Luhan giggles as a hand worms into his pocket. “Tickles,” he murmurs, words slurred and stinking of alcohol.
“No keys. And Minseok’s out for the weekend.”
“Well, what do we do now?”
Luhan frowns as the arm is pulled away from him. He reaches for it, becoming frantic when he can’t find it. Where is the arm? “Sehun,” he whines, drawing the name out. The arm is given back and he yells triumphantly.
“That decides it.”
“What?”
“You’re taking him home, Sehun. Good luck. If he pukes anywhere, make sure you take pictures.”
“Wha-you guys! I can’t bring him home alone. And what, you’re just going to leave me here? Jongin, come with me.”
"Um. I was going to go to Baekhyun's."
"You suck. You can't just go and leave me with him!"
“You’re right. That would be cruel. Here, we’ll pay the bill. Now, off with you! Oh, and be gentle. I think he has a game this week. If the star player is injured, we’ll tell them it was your fault.”
“I hate both of you,” Sehun grumbles before wrenching his arm free from a barely-conscious Luhan. “Hey, Mr. Give-Me-Another-Round, let’s go.”
Luhan whines as he is pulled upright and his arm is thrown over sloped shoulders, a warm hand on his waist. He leans onto his crutch, sighing happily. He remains slightly aware for the rest of the trip, watching with interest as Sehun drags him down streets and across roads until they come to a stop in front of a beige door. Sehun tries to stand Luhan up against the wall, but the older repeatedly refuses, finally curling around Sehun so that the younger will stop. Sehun gives in with an exasperated sigh, opening the door and dumping Luhan onto an unmade twin.
“You can have my bed, I guess. I’ll go get a bucket in case you throw up.”
Luhan snuggles into the sheets and inhales, smiling when he catches traces of Sehun. He hears footsteps, the dropping of something metal onto linoleum, and then Sehun is walking away.
“No,” Luhan complains, grinning to himself when the footsteps return. He reaches out and grasps a sinewy limb, pulling it closer. “Stay.”
Luhan hums happily as Sehun settles himself on the edge of the bed, grumbling. He closes his eyes and gets comfy, ready to sleep. Sehun appears in his mind, but not this childish, still not quite comfortable in his own body version of Sehun. He sees a well-groomed, learned Sehun dressed neatly in a tuxedo, running down an aisle hand-in-hand with a woman bathed in white silk and lace. He doesn’t realize he has a death grip on Sehun’s hand until he can hear the younger complain. “Sehun.”
“Just go to sleep, Luhan.”
“I need to to promise me something,” Luhan starts, throat constricting. “Promise me you’ll never get married.”
Sehun laughs. “What kind of promise is that? I’m nineteen!”
“Do it,” Luhan demands, pulling Sehun closer.
“You’re being so serious,” Sehun tsks, pulling his arm back a bit. “Fine, Luhan. I solemnly swear to never get married. Ever.”
Luhan hums happily.
“Okay? Now go to sleep.”
Luhan presses his face into the mattress. Sleep comes easy.
*
There is rustling. Luhan groans, rolling over. The rustling continues, only louder. Luhan has had enough. He picks his face up and the first thing he sees is a half-naked Sehun, torso and above on display for the world to see.
Sehun notices him and smiles. “Thanks for letting me stay over again. I just hate being around when my roommate brings his girlfriend over.” He pauses in the task of taming his disheveled hair and Luhan wants to scream. “Did you really mean it when you said I could spend the night whenever?”
“Definitely,” Luhan murmurs, trying to keep his eyes off of Sehun’s undefined but flat tummy.
“Crap.” Sehun throws on a shirt and Luhan lets out a sigh. “I’m going to be late for my class. Thanks again! I’ll take you out for coffee sometime!”
Luhan waits until the front door slams shut, then he drops his head onto his pillow with a groan. Everything is happening so fast and he feels as if time is actually slipping through his fingers. But this is also the happiest he’s felt in years. Luhan and Sehun haven’t been this close since… well, since college.
“Luhan, we need to talk.”
He jumps and directs his attention downwards. There is a neatly-dressed man sitting at the end of his bed looking mildly disappointed. Luhan is reminded of his dad.
“I’m Joonmyun,” the man says slowly. “Kris did tell you about me, right?”
“He said something about an associate?”
“He’s horrible at explanations. Whoever put him in charge has obviously never heard him try to convince a toddler it’s a good time to go to sleep. So many tears.” Joonmyun sighs, then resumes his upright posture. “You were told that you’d be limited in time, correct?” Luhan nods. “That it is important to be aware of your present whereabouts?” He nods once more. “Then why aren’t you doing anything?”
Luhan blinks. “What do you mean?”
Joonmyun groans. “This is it. This is your one chance to get Sehun before he is pulled away from you. After this, there are no more chances. You can never even hope of revisiting these days. So stop dawdling and do something.”
Luhan frowns. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Make a difference!” Joonmyun practically shouts, mumbling something about Kris picking the dumb ones. “Do something! Anything! Look, Luhan… you have a chance to change the future. Don’t waste it.”
Luhan looks away. There is no further lecturing, and when he looks back, there is no one there. Sighing, Luhan pulls himself up and drags himself into the bathroom. When he regards himself in the mirror, he notices his eyes are bloodshot and there’s stubble on his chin. He groans and starts a hot shower, disrobing on the way. He steps under the spray and feels his worries slowly melt away. He tilts his head back and opens his eyes.
*
The sky is dark. All he can see are little specks of stars in the abyss high above him. Little drops of water hit his face, but he can’t see any signs of clouds.
“Congratulations. You’ll be out of here in just a couple months.”
Luhan’s blood runs cold and he shivers. He remembers this. Even if he forgot everything else, this particular moment would stay ingrained in his mind. He’s lived this moment so many times in dreams and nightmares he even knows what Sehun’s about to say next.
“Luhan, I met someone.”
Even though he was expecting it, Luhan sucks in a breath and clenches his hands into fists, looking at Sehun out of the corner of his eye, who has his hands stuffed in the pockets of a fraying hoodie. Next, the sophomore will tell Luhan about how he met her in a club, and he accidentally spilled his drink on her and instead of being upset she was actually really cool about it. Then they talked the night away, and next thing Sehun knew, the sun was rising and she was pushing a number into his hands. Then they will meet up for coffee, dinner, and everything in between. Four years pass and then Luhan gets the call from Sehun that he needs help picking out a ring.
The brunet opens his mouth.
“Sehun,” Luhan interrupts, unable to go through this again, real or not. He doesn’t know why he’s going to to this. It’s not going to make a difference. “I like you.” He looks up. Sehun’s staring at him, the sound of the rain a steady rhythm around him. “I mean, I have liked you for a while. So if you want to tell me you’ve fallen in love with someone else, just please. Give me a day. Don’t tell me now.”
Sehun lowers his head. “Luhan,” he begins, and the other flexes his jaw, preparing for the inevitable rejection, “I thought you were never going to say anything.”
Luhan starts, looking at Sehun who is now only a foot away. “What?”
“I mean, I didn’t think I was being subtle,” Sehun shrugs, not meeting Luhan’s eyes. “But then I figured that you just didn’t see me that way. So I convinced myself to move on.” He laughs, cupping Luhan’s cheeks in his palms. “What took you so long?”
“I have no idea,” he mumbles, and then reaches out, pulling Sehun towards him. His jacket is soaked through, but Luhan could care less. He’s too busy staring at the tiny imperfections on Sehun’s face. He’s never seen them from this close, and they really only succeed in making Sehun seem just that much more handsome.
“Hurry up, will you?” Sehun grumbles with the traces of a smile playing with his lips.
Then he fists Luhan’s coat and pulls him close.
*
He looks perfect. His hair is coiffed, the suit is tight in all the right places, and his shoes shine like he was up all night polishing them-he was.
“He’ll love it,” one of the groomsmen, an old friend, promises with a soft smile from behind.
Luhan frowns. Was he daydreaming? Did any of that actually happen? He surveys himself in the mirror and sighs in resignation. It is nice to dream, but now it’s back to the harsh reality. He plays along. “You really think so?”
The man laughs. “It’s fine! Besides, you’ll only be wearing this for today. And you know that he’d love you in anything.”
Luhan freezes at that, turning to look at Baekhyun, who gives him a thumbs up and a smile. That’s weird. He’s sure Baekhyun said something different. He reaches inside his sleeve for the folded speech and finds nothing. Panicking, he pats himself down. Baekhyun notices and frowns.
“What are you looking for?” The man frowns, legs swinging a few inches over the ground. “Are you looking for the rings again? You know Jongin has those, and he actually got here early. The planets have aligned in your favor, just for today.”
Luhan squints, trying to make sense of Baekhyun’s words. Why on earth would Jongin be carrying the rings, though?
“Here he comes!” The boy guarding the door stage whispers, hair practically glued to his head and collar almost choking him thanks to the noose of a tie given by his mother. Luhan pities him, but the feeling is nothing in comparison to the overwhelming sense of confusion.
A blond man marches inside. His hair is neatly styled and his suit is pressed. He stands tall, and beams happily around the room, perky as the white rose in his breast pocket.
“Get out,” Baekhyun snaps, looking displeased. “You know it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.”
Sehun laughs him off. “I know, I know. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. Are you fine, Lu?”
Luhan suddenly feels faint. “I think I need to sit down.” Sehun is there in a second flat, lowering Luhan into a chair and asking Baekhyun to fetch a glass of water.
“Are you okay, Luhan? Here, match my breathing,” Sehun instructs, taking deep, audible breaths so that Luhan can follow. “Better?”
“I think so.” He frowns. “Could you, um, just explain to me what exactly is going on?”
“Well, we went through the rehearsal last night, but sure. If it’ll help.” Sehun takes a seat beside him, covering one of Luhan’s hands with his own. “You meet me at the altar, and then we go to the reception, stuff our faces, and live a ending Disney princesses could only dream of.”
“Wait.” Luhan takes a breath. “You’re marrying… me?”
“Of course,” Sehun laughs. “Who else?”
He looks up into Sehun’s brown eyes and his heart almost breaks. “This is all wrong.”
This time when Sehun laughs, it’s a little hollow. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve ruined it,” Luhan murmurs as the realization hits him. By seeking out his own happiness, he’s completely destroyed Sehun’s chances at his own happiness. How selfish. Why he couldn’t have just sucked it up and let things be is beyond him. “You’re not supposed to be with me.”
“Now you listen to me.” Sehun cups Luhan’s cheeks in his palms and Luhan starts. “Whoever told you that is a liar. I love you more than anyone else in the world, and I know you feel the same. So, don’t let the pomp and circumstance scare you, because at the end of the day, it’s just you and me up there, saying 'I love you's.”
“Alright, loverboy, time is up.” Baekhyun is standing in the doorway, looking unimpressed and holding a glass of water. Sehun groans but stands, pausing to give Luhan a chaste kiss before heading towards the door.
“Oh, and don’t forget! Minseok’s got a plane to catch this afternoon so we need to move up the speeches during the reception,” Sehun states before Baekhyun slams the door in his face.
“That boy is just as obsessed with you as he was freshman year of college.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes, offering up the water. After it is taken, he goes back to his seat and there are a few minutes for Luhan to think. He smiles to himself and touches his cheek. Luhan takes a few sips before the sound of an organ permeates through the walls. “There’s our cue. Let’s not keep them waiting.”
Luhan nods, leaving the glass on a nearby table and standing. Baekhyun leaves the room first, and Luhan goes to follow, but something grabs his shoulder and pulls him back. He turns to see a neatly dressed man holding a ribbon-adorned rose.
“I think you’re forgetting something important,” he says with a smile.
Luhan grins, stepping back into the room so that the man can pin the rose to his tux. Behind the man, he can see a taller man dressed in a frilly suit and bowtie. “How can I ever thank you two?”
Kris scoffs. “Look, Kid, it’s like I said. We’re in the business of happily ever afters. We look for sadness, we find out the cause, and we rectify it. No charge, just the joy of making sure everything is right with the world,” he sing-songs, legs kicked up on the sofa in the back of the room.
Joonmyun taps him on the shoulder. “There. Now you’re perfect.” He gives Luhan a little shove. “Now get out there and don’t come back!”
Luhan laughs, heading out into the hallway. He turns back and peeks his head back into the room. Just to check. It’s empty. He smiles to himself, heading down the long passage, passing room after room. Eventually an assistant grabs him and pulls him over to where he’s supposed to be.
The entire day is a blur, and passes much too quickly than Luhan would like. He’s saying his vows and then the next thing he knows, he’s hugging Minseok goodbye, who can’t stop congratulating him and Sehun. They eat cake and they dance until their feet hurt and it’s past midnight. Luhan knows he may forget the particulars, but he also knows something else.
He will never forget the expression on Sehun’s face as he stood beside him, hand in hand, and promised forever.
Luhan has one more chance to get it right.
A/N: written for yoake_no_sora in selubration.
He looks perfect. His hair is coiffed, the suit is tight in all the right places, and his shoes shine like he was up all night polishing them-he was.
“He’ll love it,” one of the groomsmen, an old friend, promises with a soft smile from behind.
Luhan frowns, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. “You really think so? They measured my legs wrong; the pants end way too high on my ankle.”
The man laughs. “It’s fine! Besides, you’ll only be wearing this for today. How’s your speech?”
“Absolutely flawless,” Luhan states with a slight smirk, tugging a folded rectangle out of his sleeve.
“Here he comes!” The boy guarding the door stage-whispers, hair practically glued to his head and collar almost choking him thanks to the noose of a tie given by his mother. Luhan pities him, but stands straight, slipping the paper back into his suit.
A blond man marches inside. His neatly styled hair and wrinkle-free suit give the appearance of complete calmness, but the deep creases in his forehead betray him. Luhan snorts and instantly receives a glare.
“Sorry, sorry, I just-” he covers his mouth and disguises a bout of laughter with an authentic-sounding cough. He beckons the man closer and reaches up, stopping when the taller flinches. Luhan raises an eyebrow but continues onward, flicking a stray piece of hair out of his forehead and then undoing the meticulously done bowtie. The wrinkles are still there. “Here, match my breathing,” Luhan instructs.
“It’ll help you calm down, Sehun,” the other man in the room offers when the tallest makes no move.
“Fine,” Sehun grunts, relaxing his shoulders and closing his eyes whilst Luhan carefully ties the satin cloth.
“There,” Luhan smiles, patting the too-tall man on the shoulders. “Now you look perfect.”
Sehun’s eyes shift to him, and Luhan smiles when he sees the unhidden turmoil in the deep brown. “You really think so?”
“I know so,” he counters, flicking a tiny dust ball off of Sehun’s shoulder. “Just, don’t pass out, yeah?”
“If I do, can I count on you to catch me?” Sehun asks with a crooked smile. Luhan wants to slap it off his face but, before he can do so, there’s a knock on the door and a woman with her hair pulled in a tight bun and a headset perched on her head makes a frantic motion. Sehun draws in a quick breath. “That’s my cue. I’ll see you on the altar, don’t be late!”
Luhan laughs at the forced joke, and watches as Sehun runs out of the room. “What’d you think, Baekhyun?”
“I think he’s still a kid,” the brunet in the corner sighs, eyes flicking down to his watch. “Chanyeol and Jongin said they’d be here soon. I’m gonna go wait outside for them.” He stands, but looks to Luhan in question.
“I’ll be out in a sec,” he promises, watching as Baekhyun leaves the room. As soon as he’s alone, Luhan drops his head into his hands, and looks at himself in the mirror. Now it’s a more accurate reflection: his eyebrows are pinched together, the corners of his lips are downturned, and his eyes look just a bit bloodshot. He resists the urge to run a hand through his styled hair and instead thinks about what he’s about to do.
He’s been putting off this particular task for quite a while, almost completely ignoring the upcoming event because, how is he even supposed to go about watching the love of his life marry someone else?
*
If he just puts one foot in front of the other, he can focus on the technicalities and pretend it’s all some horrible dream.
“Luhan.”
His head snaps up. Sehun’s staring at him, and the murmuring has stopped. The minister isn’t droning. Luhan blanches and watches as Sehun holds out his hand. Oh. Right. The rings. He digs into his pocket and pulls out the two metallic bands he’d helped Sehun pick after weeks of careful searching. He sets them into Sehun’s open palm, and looks up just in time to see a grateful smile. Were he in any other situation, he would return it.
The rings go on, the vows are spoken, and then a kiss is shared. Luhan doesn’t see any of it, too preoccupied with tracing the lines on the ground with the toe of his shoe.
“I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Oh.”
Deafening applause fills the room as the groom and bride race down the aisle, hand in hand and laughing. Luhan feels the phantom energy that was keeping him upright drain out of him, and he grabs the front pew to stay upright. The wedding party follows the newlyweds, dashing down the aisle and out the front two doors. Luhan watches as everyone clears out to watch the happy couple pile into the limousine waiting for them outside, then he collapses onto one of the benches, placing his head on the cool wood. It does little to help, but it’s better than staring at Sehun dressed in a tux, smiling giddily at his blushing bride.
“Luhan?”
He sucks in a breath and blinks a couple times before turning his head to look at a worried Chanyeol. His tux is a bit tight; he promised that the one he had left over from his high school prom would fit. Baekhyun and Jongin had to hold in their laughter as he shimmied into pants that were made to fit much thinner legs. “Hey, Chanyeol. What’s up?”
“They’re waiting for you outside,” the black-haired man explains, tilting his head so that he’s looking right at Luhan. “Can’t take pictures without the best man, you know?”
At this point, Luhan doesn’t know if he can force a smile. “Tell them to go ahead. I’m not feeling so great.”
“Oh my god, are you okay?” Chanyeol sidles up next to him, slaps his palm on Luhan’s forehead, and positions his ear right on Luhan’s chest. “You’re feeling a little warm.”
Luhan smacks him away. “No, no, I’m fine. I just need a minute. Still trying to process everything.”
Chanyeol nods slowly, and Luhan hopes he’ll believe the lie and just go away. As much as he appreciates the man, he really just wants a few seconds to himself. To think. “Alright,” Chanyeol says finally, “I’ll just tell them that you can’t make it. They’ll skin you alive at the reception, though!” He chuckles for a bit, but stops when Luhan doesn’t join in. “I guess I’ll go, then.” He turns and Luhan keeps his head down as heavy footsteps echo through the empty building. “Last chance!” Luhan doesn’t look up, just waves him away, sighing when the double doors slam shut behind the man.
He slumps forward, head connecting with the pew in front. He allows himself to go limp and focuses on his heartbeat instead of the commotion outside. His arms dangle at his sides and a rectangular piece of paper flutters to the ground. Luhan groans, squeezing his eyes shut before reaching down to pick it up. The neatly folded speech reminds him of what he still has to go through and he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I hate weddings."
Luhan jumps so suddenly that he hits his head on the seatback in front. Wincing, he glances to the side to see a man sitting not two feet away, dressed in a frilly suit and bowtie. Luhan hadn’t even noticed him walk in. Casually slipping the paper back into his sleeve, he looks around the church. It’s completely empty, save for him and the mystery man.
The oddly dressed man turns to look at Luhan and smiles. “They’re always so sad.”
Nodding absentmindedly, Luhan checks his watch and curses. He’s going to be late to the reception if he waits any longer. He jumps out of his chair and moves to head down the aisle, but the man is in his way. He searches for another exit.
“So, are you going to tell my why you’re so upset or are you going to keep wasting my time?”
Luhan stops at that, turning his gaze on the man, who looks at least a little apologetic. “Excuse me.” Luhan narrows his eyes. “Do you… work here?”
“Kind of.” The man sighs and slouches, head lolling on the wood. It’s only now that Luhan notices how tall he is, even sitting down. “Sorry for the attitude, kid. This week’s just been a little rough for me. Too many unsatisfied customers.”
Luhan blinks. “Um. Sorry?”
“I’ll cut to the chase,” the man starts, folding his hands together. Luhan blinks, noting that they’re almost as big as his face. “You really don’t want to go to that reception, and you really don’t want to live a life in regret. That’s where I come in.”
“Okay. And who did you say you were?” Luhan eyes the exit, which seems to be just out of reach.
“I didn’t,” he snaps. “Look, do you want another chance or not?”
“Another… what?”
The man lets loose a long-suffering sigh. “My associate and I are in the business of happily ever afters. We look for sadness, we find out the cause, and we rectify it. No charge, just the joy of making sure everything is right with the world.”
“Look,” Luhan starts, exasperated, “I’m late for the reception. If I don’t leave now, the groom’s going to kill me.”
“Do you really want to sit in a cramped room and watch someone you love with someone else? I knew you were a sad man, Luhan, but not a masochist.”
Luhan bristles. Tight-lipped, he mutters, “you know my name.”
“Yes. Your name, age, depressing work life, even more depressing sex life, and the huge crush-can I even call it that?-that you’ve been harboring for your dear friend Sehun for far too long to be healthy.” He grins.
Now Luhan’s angry. “Look here-”
“Kris,” the man interrupts. “My name is Kris. And before you say anything you’re going to regret, at least consider having a second chance.”
“A second chance,” Luhan repeats, patience wearing thin.
“Yeah. I did mention I was in the happily ever after business, right? So it’s my job to make sure that you go back and at least try and fix what’s going to happen. Or, really, what has happened.”
“If I do that,” Luhan says slowly, not sure what the man is trying to say, “will you move?”
Kris blinks. Then lets out a roar of laughter. “Sure. So, you game?”
Luhan frowns. “I guess?”
“Great,” Kris says with an air of finality, reaching into his pocket. He removes a silver pocket watch and grabs Luhan’s hand, dropping the device into his palm. Luhan can’t feel or hear a ticking. When he looks down, none of the hands are moving. “So. There are rules. Your time is limited, so make sure that you make the most of every single second I give you. Next, remember where you are. That one is important. Oh, and also, keep in mind that your every action will affect the present day. So, are you ready and have you heard and understood the terms of this agreement?”
Luhan blinks, dumbfounded. “What.”
Kris rolls his eyes. “This is where you say ‘yes, I agree.’”
“Yes, I agree,” Luhan parrots.
Nothing happens. Kris sighs, his fringe wilting in agreement. “A little more enthusiasm wouldn’t hurt.”
“Yes, I agree!” Luhan practically shouts, knowing that he’s impossibly late to the reception and Sehun will have his head without even hearing about Luhan’s story of the crazy man at the church. Unexpectedly, the device in his palm whirrs to life, giving a decisive tick. Luhan glances up and sees the makings of a smile on Kris’ features before he doesn’t see anything at all.
*
“Luhan, pass it here!”
He looks down. There’s tended grass under his beat-up cleats and he can see his bruised, grass-stained legs. He’s wearing shorts. Why is he wearing shorts?
A body pushes him aside and claims the ball he hadn’t even seen in front of him. A round of groan fills the field. The soccer field. Luhan is playing soccer. He hasn’t played soccer for five years. What is going on.
“We had four players open, Luhan! What the hell was that?” An angry face is shoved in front of his own. “Open your eyes! These are the semi-finals!”
“Minseok, get back!” The coach shouts, and the boy leaves Luhan, grumbling.
Minseok. Luhan hasn’t seen Minseok in years. Not since they both graduated college and the older moved to China to pursue a very successful career in a developing banking firm. He looks just like he did back in college. Only angrier.
“Luhan!”
He looks up just in time to see someone aim a kick toward him. He stops it with the inside of his foot on reflex, but freezes after that. What is he supposed to do now?
Minseok prompts him into action with a shove from the side. “You were fine just a few minutes ago. What happened?” Luhan frowns at that. A few minutes ago, he was in church talking to that weird- he’s wearing his old jersey. A cursory glance proves that he’s in his college’s field. What on earth is going on? “Hey. Follow me down, then I’ll pass it to you right in front of the goal.” Luhan nods and takes off running as Minseok fends off an attacker.
Luhan’s relying on muscle memory, his body more toned than it has been in years. He slows right in front of the rival team’s goal and locks his gaze on Minseok who gives him a short nod before kicking the ball over. A defender tries to intercept, but Luhan gets to it first, takes a breath, then sends the ball towards the goal.
The net swishes with the impact. The goalie is on the ground, slamming his fist on the uprooted grass. Luhan is tackled from the side.
“That was it!” Minseok screams into his ear. “We’ve won!”
People in matching uniforms swarm Luhan and he remembers. The semi-finals during his junior year, when he had finally made it off of the alternate list and gained a permanent spot on the team. The other semi-finalist had great attackers, but their defense was heavily flawed. Luhan’s team won by one point. His point. They went on to finals, but didn’t win. Not that year.
The losing team troops off the field and Luhan’s teammates celebrate, tackling each other onto the field and laughing. Luhan watches with a fond smile before he is pulled away with a small tap on the shoulder. He turns to see Minseok beside him, staring at something behind him.
“That freshman who has the hots for you is waiting again.”
Luhan frowns, about to ask who his friend is talking about when he turns and sees a six foot-tall awkward, gangly teen standing at the sidelines, averting his gaze when he sees that he’s been caught. Luhan can’t help the smile that takes over his features. He forgot how utterly adorable Sehun was. He starts walking over before he realizes, then slows to remind himself that this Sehun doesn’t really know him. Yet.
“You like the game?”
“Yeah,” is the quiet reply. “You were really good.”
“I think the team is going out for dinner after they stop messing around. You wanna come?”
Sehun blanches. “Me?”
“Yes, you.” Luhan can’t hold back the chuckle or the warmth that fills his chest when Sehun smiles. But then the smile falls. Luhan blinks. What’s going on?
“Watch out!”
Luhan feels something hit the back of his head and then he’s falling.
*
Everything is black and his head is pounding.
“Is he asleep?”
The sound is murky and Luhan feels like he’s drowning, fighting to break the surface. He claws his way towards consciousness and regrets it when he breaks the surface and everything is so bright. He groans.
“No. Just drunk.”
“He’s only had three.”
“Doesn’t matter. He’s such a lightweight.”
Sehun. That’s Sehun. Luhan searches for him amidst the blinding lights and discovers a bony hand. He lifts it triumphantly and laughs to himself, curling around the arm.
“Right. Who’s going to bring him home?”
“Wait. Does he even have a key?”
Luhan giggles as a hand worms into his pocket. “Tickles,” he murmurs, words slurred and stinking of alcohol.
“No keys. And Minseok’s out for the weekend.”
“Well, what do we do now?”
Luhan frowns as the arm is pulled away from him. He reaches for it, becoming frantic when he can’t find it. Where is the arm? “Sehun,” he whines, drawing the name out. The arm is given back and he yells triumphantly.
“That decides it.”
“What?”
“You’re taking him home, Sehun. Good luck. If he pukes anywhere, make sure you take pictures.”
“Wha-you guys! I can’t bring him home alone. And what, you’re just going to leave me here? Jongin, come with me.”
"Um. I was going to go to Baekhyun's."
"You suck. You can't just go and leave me with him!"
“You’re right. That would be cruel. Here, we’ll pay the bill. Now, off with you! Oh, and be gentle. I think he has a game this week. If the star player is injured, we’ll tell them it was your fault.”
“I hate both of you,” Sehun grumbles before wrenching his arm free from a barely-conscious Luhan. “Hey, Mr. Give-Me-Another-Round, let’s go.”
Luhan whines as he is pulled upright and his arm is thrown over sloped shoulders, a warm hand on his waist. He leans onto his crutch, sighing happily. He remains slightly aware for the rest of the trip, watching with interest as Sehun drags him down streets and across roads until they come to a stop in front of a beige door. Sehun tries to stand Luhan up against the wall, but the older repeatedly refuses, finally curling around Sehun so that the younger will stop. Sehun gives in with an exasperated sigh, opening the door and dumping Luhan onto an unmade twin.
“You can have my bed, I guess. I’ll go get a bucket in case you throw up.”
Luhan snuggles into the sheets and inhales, smiling when he catches traces of Sehun. He hears footsteps, the dropping of something metal onto linoleum, and then Sehun is walking away.
“No,” Luhan complains, grinning to himself when the footsteps return. He reaches out and grasps a sinewy limb, pulling it closer. “Stay.”
Luhan hums happily as Sehun settles himself on the edge of the bed, grumbling. He closes his eyes and gets comfy, ready to sleep. Sehun appears in his mind, but not this childish, still not quite comfortable in his own body version of Sehun. He sees a well-groomed, learned Sehun dressed neatly in a tuxedo, running down an aisle hand-in-hand with a woman bathed in white silk and lace. He doesn’t realize he has a death grip on Sehun’s hand until he can hear the younger complain. “Sehun.”
“Just go to sleep, Luhan.”
“I need to to promise me something,” Luhan starts, throat constricting. “Promise me you’ll never get married.”
Sehun laughs. “What kind of promise is that? I’m nineteen!”
“Do it,” Luhan demands, pulling Sehun closer.
“You’re being so serious,” Sehun tsks, pulling his arm back a bit. “Fine, Luhan. I solemnly swear to never get married. Ever.”
Luhan hums happily.
“Okay? Now go to sleep.”
Luhan presses his face into the mattress. Sleep comes easy.
*
There is rustling. Luhan groans, rolling over. The rustling continues, only louder. Luhan has had enough. He picks his face up and the first thing he sees is a half-naked Sehun, torso and above on display for the world to see.
Sehun notices him and smiles. “Thanks for letting me stay over again. I just hate being around when my roommate brings his girlfriend over.” He pauses in the task of taming his disheveled hair and Luhan wants to scream. “Did you really mean it when you said I could spend the night whenever?”
“Definitely,” Luhan murmurs, trying to keep his eyes off of Sehun’s undefined but flat tummy.
“Crap.” Sehun throws on a shirt and Luhan lets out a sigh. “I’m going to be late for my class. Thanks again! I’ll take you out for coffee sometime!”
Luhan waits until the front door slams shut, then he drops his head onto his pillow with a groan. Everything is happening so fast and he feels as if time is actually slipping through his fingers. But this is also the happiest he’s felt in years. Luhan and Sehun haven’t been this close since… well, since college.
“Luhan, we need to talk.”
He jumps and directs his attention downwards. There is a neatly-dressed man sitting at the end of his bed looking mildly disappointed. Luhan is reminded of his dad.
“I’m Joonmyun,” the man says slowly. “Kris did tell you about me, right?”
“He said something about an associate?”
“He’s horrible at explanations. Whoever put him in charge has obviously never heard him try to convince a toddler it’s a good time to go to sleep. So many tears.” Joonmyun sighs, then resumes his upright posture. “You were told that you’d be limited in time, correct?” Luhan nods. “That it is important to be aware of your present whereabouts?” He nods once more. “Then why aren’t you doing anything?”
Luhan blinks. “What do you mean?”
Joonmyun groans. “This is it. This is your one chance to get Sehun before he is pulled away from you. After this, there are no more chances. You can never even hope of revisiting these days. So stop dawdling and do something.”
Luhan frowns. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Make a difference!” Joonmyun practically shouts, mumbling something about Kris picking the dumb ones. “Do something! Anything! Look, Luhan… you have a chance to change the future. Don’t waste it.”
Luhan looks away. There is no further lecturing, and when he looks back, there is no one there. Sighing, Luhan pulls himself up and drags himself into the bathroom. When he regards himself in the mirror, he notices his eyes are bloodshot and there’s stubble on his chin. He groans and starts a hot shower, disrobing on the way. He steps under the spray and feels his worries slowly melt away. He tilts his head back and opens his eyes.
*
The sky is dark. All he can see are little specks of stars in the abyss high above him. Little drops of water hit his face, but he can’t see any signs of clouds.
“Congratulations. You’ll be out of here in just a couple months.”
Luhan’s blood runs cold and he shivers. He remembers this. Even if he forgot everything else, this particular moment would stay ingrained in his mind. He’s lived this moment so many times in dreams and nightmares he even knows what Sehun’s about to say next.
“Luhan, I met someone.”
Even though he was expecting it, Luhan sucks in a breath and clenches his hands into fists, looking at Sehun out of the corner of his eye, who has his hands stuffed in the pockets of a fraying hoodie. Next, the sophomore will tell Luhan about how he met her in a club, and he accidentally spilled his drink on her and instead of being upset she was actually really cool about it. Then they talked the night away, and next thing Sehun knew, the sun was rising and she was pushing a number into his hands. Then they will meet up for coffee, dinner, and everything in between. Four years pass and then Luhan gets the call from Sehun that he needs help picking out a ring.
The brunet opens his mouth.
“Sehun,” Luhan interrupts, unable to go through this again, real or not. He doesn’t know why he’s going to to this. It’s not going to make a difference. “I like you.” He looks up. Sehun’s staring at him, the sound of the rain a steady rhythm around him. “I mean, I have liked you for a while. So if you want to tell me you’ve fallen in love with someone else, just please. Give me a day. Don’t tell me now.”
Sehun lowers his head. “Luhan,” he begins, and the other flexes his jaw, preparing for the inevitable rejection, “I thought you were never going to say anything.”
Luhan starts, looking at Sehun who is now only a foot away. “What?”
“I mean, I didn’t think I was being subtle,” Sehun shrugs, not meeting Luhan’s eyes. “But then I figured that you just didn’t see me that way. So I convinced myself to move on.” He laughs, cupping Luhan’s cheeks in his palms. “What took you so long?”
“I have no idea,” he mumbles, and then reaches out, pulling Sehun towards him. His jacket is soaked through, but Luhan could care less. He’s too busy staring at the tiny imperfections on Sehun’s face. He’s never seen them from this close, and they really only succeed in making Sehun seem just that much more handsome.
“Hurry up, will you?” Sehun grumbles with the traces of a smile playing with his lips.
Then he fists Luhan’s coat and pulls him close.
*
He looks perfect. His hair is coiffed, the suit is tight in all the right places, and his shoes shine like he was up all night polishing them-he was.
“He’ll love it,” one of the groomsmen, an old friend, promises with a soft smile from behind.
Luhan frowns. Was he daydreaming? Did any of that actually happen? He surveys himself in the mirror and sighs in resignation. It is nice to dream, but now it’s back to the harsh reality. He plays along. “You really think so?”
The man laughs. “It’s fine! Besides, you’ll only be wearing this for today. And you know that he’d love you in anything.”
Luhan freezes at that, turning to look at Baekhyun, who gives him a thumbs up and a smile. That’s weird. He’s sure Baekhyun said something different. He reaches inside his sleeve for the folded speech and finds nothing. Panicking, he pats himself down. Baekhyun notices and frowns.
“What are you looking for?” The man frowns, legs swinging a few inches over the ground. “Are you looking for the rings again? You know Jongin has those, and he actually got here early. The planets have aligned in your favor, just for today.”
Luhan squints, trying to make sense of Baekhyun’s words. Why on earth would Jongin be carrying the rings, though?
“Here he comes!” The boy guarding the door stage whispers, hair practically glued to his head and collar almost choking him thanks to the noose of a tie given by his mother. Luhan pities him, but the feeling is nothing in comparison to the overwhelming sense of confusion.
A blond man marches inside. His hair is neatly styled and his suit is pressed. He stands tall, and beams happily around the room, perky as the white rose in his breast pocket.
“Get out,” Baekhyun snaps, looking displeased. “You know it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.”
Sehun laughs him off. “I know, I know. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. Are you fine, Lu?”
Luhan suddenly feels faint. “I think I need to sit down.” Sehun is there in a second flat, lowering Luhan into a chair and asking Baekhyun to fetch a glass of water.
“Are you okay, Luhan? Here, match my breathing,” Sehun instructs, taking deep, audible breaths so that Luhan can follow. “Better?”
“I think so.” He frowns. “Could you, um, just explain to me what exactly is going on?”
“Well, we went through the rehearsal last night, but sure. If it’ll help.” Sehun takes a seat beside him, covering one of Luhan’s hands with his own. “You meet me at the altar, and then we go to the reception, stuff our faces, and live a ending Disney princesses could only dream of.”
“Wait.” Luhan takes a breath. “You’re marrying… me?”
“Of course,” Sehun laughs. “Who else?”
He looks up into Sehun’s brown eyes and his heart almost breaks. “This is all wrong.”
This time when Sehun laughs, it’s a little hollow. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve ruined it,” Luhan murmurs as the realization hits him. By seeking out his own happiness, he’s completely destroyed Sehun’s chances at his own happiness. How selfish. Why he couldn’t have just sucked it up and let things be is beyond him. “You’re not supposed to be with me.”
“Now you listen to me.” Sehun cups Luhan’s cheeks in his palms and Luhan starts. “Whoever told you that is a liar. I love you more than anyone else in the world, and I know you feel the same. So, don’t let the pomp and circumstance scare you, because at the end of the day, it’s just you and me up there, saying 'I love you's.”
“Alright, loverboy, time is up.” Baekhyun is standing in the doorway, looking unimpressed and holding a glass of water. Sehun groans but stands, pausing to give Luhan a chaste kiss before heading towards the door.
“Oh, and don’t forget! Minseok’s got a plane to catch this afternoon so we need to move up the speeches during the reception,” Sehun states before Baekhyun slams the door in his face.
“That boy is just as obsessed with you as he was freshman year of college.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes, offering up the water. After it is taken, he goes back to his seat and there are a few minutes for Luhan to think. He smiles to himself and touches his cheek. Luhan takes a few sips before the sound of an organ permeates through the walls. “There’s our cue. Let’s not keep them waiting.”
Luhan nods, leaving the glass on a nearby table and standing. Baekhyun leaves the room first, and Luhan goes to follow, but something grabs his shoulder and pulls him back. He turns to see a neatly dressed man holding a ribbon-adorned rose.
“I think you’re forgetting something important,” he says with a smile.
Luhan grins, stepping back into the room so that the man can pin the rose to his tux. Behind the man, he can see a taller man dressed in a frilly suit and bowtie. “How can I ever thank you two?”
Kris scoffs. “Look, Kid, it’s like I said. We’re in the business of happily ever afters. We look for sadness, we find out the cause, and we rectify it. No charge, just the joy of making sure everything is right with the world,” he sing-songs, legs kicked up on the sofa in the back of the room.
Joonmyun taps him on the shoulder. “There. Now you’re perfect.” He gives Luhan a little shove. “Now get out there and don’t come back!”
Luhan laughs, heading out into the hallway. He turns back and peeks his head back into the room. Just to check. It’s empty. He smiles to himself, heading down the long passage, passing room after room. Eventually an assistant grabs him and pulls him over to where he’s supposed to be.
The entire day is a blur, and passes much too quickly than Luhan would like. He’s saying his vows and then the next thing he knows, he’s hugging Minseok goodbye, who can’t stop congratulating him and Sehun. They eat cake and they dance until their feet hurt and it’s past midnight. Luhan knows he may forget the particulars, but he also knows something else.
He will never forget the expression on Sehun’s face as he stood beside him, hand in hand, and promised forever.