Chapter Text
I.
Suho woke with a jolt, his heart pounding like a drum.
He'd been pinned to the bed by a warm, solid weight, and instinctively, he'd snuggled closer, seeking the comforting softness of his pillow.
But something wasn't right. The pillow felt unusually firm, almost... human.
Confusion tugged at the edges of his sleep. With a grunt, he peeled open his eyes, blinking against the morning light. It wasn't his pink arm pillow he was clinging to. It was a man.
Suho found himself staring at a mop of dark hair nestled against the pillow, a face half-hidden in the sheets. Recognition hit him like a slap to the face.
"Sieun-ah?" He whispered the name, disbelief lacing his voice.
His best friend. In his bed.
Heat crept up Suho's neck, flooding his cheeks. What the hell? Had he gotten completely wasted last night with Sieun? He tried to recall the events of the previous evening, but his memory was a hazy blur.
Panic threatened to overwhelm him, but Sieun's peaceful face held him captive. He was about to make a run for it when Sieun stirred, a low groan rumbling in his chest. Suho froze, his eyes glued to his friend.
He couldn't deny the strange warmth that spread through his chest as he watched Sieun sleep. There was a certain vulnerability to his normally serious features, a softness that tugged at something deep within Suho.
He found himself inching closer, drawn in by an inexplicable pull. His fingers twitched with the urge to brush away a stray strand of hair that fell across Sieun's forehead.
A sudden wave of nausea hit him. This was wrong. So damn wrong. He was supposed to be the one protecting Sieun, not cuddling him in bed like some lovesick teenager.
Suho's mind raced, adrenaline still pumping through his veins. He couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.
Something was different. Sieun seemed older, his features more defined. Had he always had those faint freckles dusting his nose? Before Suho could dwell on it, Sieun's eyes fluttered open, locking with his.
Doe-like eyes, filled with a hazy warmth, met his own. Suho's breath hitched. For a split second, the world seemed to tilt on its axis.
He felt a strange tug in his chest, a flutter that had nothing to do with fear or panic. It was an unfamiliar sensation, warm and disorienting. His heart pounded in his ears as he stared back at Sieun, unable to look away.
"Morning," Sieun mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.
"Morning," Suho echoed, his own voice barely a whisper. What was happening to him? He'd never been into guys. Was this some weird side effect of waking up next to his best friend?
He forced himself to break eye contact, his gaze darting around the room as if seeking an escape route. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't ignore the magnetic pull that drew his attention back to Sieun.
"You okay?" Sieun asked, his brow furrowing in concern.
"Yeah," Suho croaked, his voice betraying him. "Just tired."
Suho found himself unable to look away, his gaze fixated on Sieun's face. That warmth in his chest bloomed again, a confusing mix of emotions he couldn't name. But it wasn't entirely new. It had been simmering beneath the surface for a while now.
He thought back to all the times Sieun had caught his attention. The time Suho accidentally knocked over his pencil case during a brawl with those jerks from the baseball team. Sieun had just stared at him, his expression cold and unreadable, but Suho had felt a jolt of… something. Excitement?
Or the time he'd stepped in to break up a fight between Sieun and a group of bullies. Sieun had been furious, nearly taking Suho's head off with a chair. But later, he'd surprised Suho by treating him to lunch.
They'd been inseparable ever since. Late nights studying, sparring sessions in the park, quiet afternoons sharing headphones. Suho had always chalked it up to friendship, but now… now he wasn't so sure.
Suddenly, Sieun shifted closer, snuggling into Suho's chest. Suho froze, caught off guard, but then he relaxed into the embrace.
It felt...right.
And then, Sieun's lips were on his. A soft, tentative kiss that sent a shockwave through Suho's entire body. His mind went blank.
"Did you and Sujin eat well last night?" Sieun's voice, still raspy with sleep, broke the silence. He cupped Suho's face in his hands, his expression serious but tender. "Sorry I got home late."
Suho blinked, his mind a blank slate. The name "Sujin" echoed in his head, a foreign word that held no meaning.
He stared at Sieun, his best friend, his eyes wide with confusion. Had he misheard? Was this some kind of cruel joke?
"Hey," Sieun's voice was laced with concern. "Are you alright?"
Suho remained silent, his brain short-circuiting. Sieun, sensing his distress, sat up and placed a hand on Suho's forehead, checking for a fever.
"You're not sick, but you're acting strange. Did something happen?"
Suho opened his mouth, but no words came out. His mind was a whirlwind of questions, and he couldn't form a coherent response.
"Yeobo, what's wrong?"
Yeobo?
The word struck Suho like a lightning bolt. It was an intimate term of endearment in Korean, used between married couples. Why was Sieun calling him that?
His gaze drifted to Sieun's hand, resting gently on his arm. A silver band gleamed on his ring finger…
A marriage ring? Suho's heart hammered against his ribs. Was Sieun married? To whom ?
A sudden weight on his own hand drew his attention. He lifted his fingers, his eyes widening in shock. A matching ring adorned his finger.
He shot up in bed, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
"Am I dreaming?" he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. "What is this? Am I...married to my best friend?"
A million questions swirled in his mind. Yeobo, a Korean term of endearment used between spouses. Matching rings. A shared bed. Suho felt like he was losing his grip on reality.
Suho's eyes darted around the room, his panic mounting with every passing second.
"No, this can't be real," he mumbled, his voice barely a whisper. "It's...it's some kind of joke, right?"
Sieun's face remained impassive. "Another one of your pranks, I guess," he sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I just got off a twelve-hour shift. Can we please not do this right now?"
"Prank?" Suho sputtered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why would I do that? I'm...I'm confused. Why are you in my bed in the first place?"
As he spoke, his gaze swept across the room once more. A sense of unease settled in the pit of his stomach. This wasn't his bedroom. The space was larger, more luxurious, with soft, warm tones and plush furniture that spoke of a cozy, domestic life. His martial arts posters were gone, replaced by a large, serene painting of a waterfall.
He looked back at Sieun, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and bewilderment.
"This isn't my room," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "What's going on, Sieun-ah? What's happening?"
Suho's gaze flickered back to Sieun, catching a glimpse of his friend biting his lower lip, a nervous habit he only displayed when deeply troubled. It was a fleeting gesture, but it sent a shiver of unease down Suho's spine.
"You don't remember marrying me?" Sieun's voice was barely a whisper, filled with a mixture of hurt and disbelief.
Suho swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "I mean, is it even legal to get married at seventeen?" he blurted out, grasping at straws. "Sieun-ah, what's going on here? I feel like I'm losing my mind."
A shadow passed over Sieun's face. "Ahn Suho," he said, his tone firm and unwavering, "what do you remember?"
Suho scratched the back of his head, his brow furrowed in confusion. "I...we're best friends, right? I'm confused as to how we ended up in the same bed. Did we sleep together last night or...?"
The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken implications.
Before Suho could finish his sentence, a small figure burst into the room. A little girl, no older than five, with bright eyes and a mop of unruly hair, came barreling towards them.
"Appa!" she squealed, launching herself into Suho's arms.
Suho instinctively caught her, his eyes wide with surprise. Appa? Father? The word echoed in his mind, sending a shiver down his spine.
"Appa, what's wrong?" the little girl asked, her voice filled with concern as she tilted her head to look at him.
Suho glanced at Sieun, who was watching the scene unfold with a pained expression. A wave of guilt washed over Suho. He didn't want to hurt Sieun, but he was so utterly confused.
His eyes darted to the mirror hanging on the wall opposite the bed. He caught a glimpse of his reflection and gasped.
His reflection stared back at him, older, more mature than he remembered. Stubble lined his jaw, and faint lines etched themselves around his eyes.
This wasn't a dream. This was real. And he had no idea how he'd gotten here.