Archive of Our Own

As the season starts to make way for Spring, birds are chirping merrily; a clear sign that families are returning from their homes away from home, in lieu of the grand balls and lavish parties that are yet to be announced. 

Families are out and about, greeting one another having been away for the winter season.

Young faces have matured, ladies flock inside paths in their lovely dresses, batting their eyelashes on the next handsome face that graces their view. One can definitely tell that anticipation, and expectations are on the rise as the new season looms over Mayfaire. With new faces making their debut into society. 

The trees are greener than they could ever be as the sun shines down on Mayfaire, mothers and their daughters are busily making their way to the modiste. Rolls of fabrics are a usual sight, and so are papers with various designs, held by the bunch in excitement. 

There are high hopes that the Marrymart will produce new couples.

Tongues are wagging, eyebrows are furrowing in innocent curiosity, as people from all over town and even neighboring ones are said to have taken quite an interest in Mayfaire's flock of ladies and gentlemen this season.

One such gentleman, currently the talk of the town, is the Park family's most eligible gentleman, Chanyeol; dashing, tall physique and not lacking for fortune or manners, the ladies and their mothers would swoon at the mere mention of his name. Park Chanyeol is indeed one of the most sought after this season, what with his friends, and their mothers asking him albeit indirectly when he intends to settle down.

Leading a household of 9 is rough after taking over as the head of their family at the young age of 15. Though barely eligible to make most of their family's major decisions, overlook and manage the family's fortune and accounts, the young lad learned how things worked from the ground up. He had his grandparents to thank, who made trips to their home every once in a while, to ensure that he learned well, and once he got ahold of things, he assured them that they needed not make such tough trips anymore.

He had to rein in the household, while their ailing mother was suffering from heartbreak by her lonesome.

Young and struggling to make sure their family didn't collapse; Park Chanyeol became their home's very foundation and pillar. Mayfaire was witness to all his life’s major milestones, which is why their family name has gained more respect as the years went by. One for the fact that their parents were good, respectable people; two for the fact that though their parents married through the Marrymart themselves, they were known as best friends that were destined to wed one another one day. 

Even their parents’ love story unfolded in front of Mayfaire’s people, and everyone supported them. Ever the pair that most young couples admired in town, it came as a shock even to the Queen’s court to learn of his father’s passing. 

It was when things abruptly changed. 

Their once bright home, full of life, was rained on for what felt like eternity. Gloomy days felt like they were never ending. There was no light at the end of the dark halls. It was filled with sobs echoing through the walls. His younger siblings hadn’t realized what had happened, and he knew he would have to be the one to break their hearts to tell them that their father was never coming back. Their mother, on the verge of giving birth to their youngest sibling, was in mourning. It didn’t take long before the stress of the events that happened caused her complications. 

From that day on, Chanyeol realized the gravity of the situation. The responsibilities that were left for him to shoulder far too early on; his mother or his sibling, they asked him. Young Park Chanyeol was taken aback– 10 and 5 years young– and he was being made to choose between two most important family members in his life.

That’s when it hit him: who he was has vanished within a fortnight. 

It’s been 16 years since the day his life changed. Chanyeol, now officially known as the head of their family– and has been extremely good at doing so, has learned to enjoy life on the side while he takes the stresses it brought head-on. 

In his tracks are various love affairs that marred its ugly head from time to time, regrets that passed and heartbreaks where ladies he imagined a future with would end up with another gentleman. He’s practically experienced everything at this point, if he would say so himself, and now that marriage questions are once again popping up from thin air, he’s starting to think that it may be time to have a Lady in the house. 

With their mother’s passing a little after the birth of their youngest sibling, Aeri, it has been tough on the family, half of them being rowdy gents with no gentleness left in their abode… Chanyeol could only be glad that his younger siblings listened to him well and they all got along, but the fact that only one of them had gone to wed has been slowly getting to him. 

Yoora, the eldest sister in their home, had recently left after being wedded to the duke of the neighboring town, 3 nights away from Mayfaire. She is now living as a Duchess, busy preparing for a new life, new responsibilities and duty. Frequently, she visits home with her husband to catch up and see how things are going in her absence. Chanyeol is always thankful for that, as she has stood as a role model after their mother’s passing.

She always urged him to find stability in his life, always disapproving of his one-night stays under the sheets. With their mother gone, their younger siblings needed a motherly figure to look up to, and what’s more, managing their household has become more and more taxing, what with him taking it all on his own up to this day.

His younger brothers have only just started to take an interest in learning how to govern for their own, all while the younger ladies are yet to be of age. Aeri has gradually been curious of what happens outside of their home, but still, she has her nose stuck in a book just like Jungah; surely enough, they have both decided that marriage and housekeeping is not to their standards. Jungah’s constant whines and complaints about women’s standing in society is probably rubbing off on their youngest, hence why Chanyeol thinks it’s just about time to wed himself to a fair young lady. 

As the days pass, invitations start pouring in for various balls that will be held a few days after the other. Chanyeol of course was too busy to give the invitations the time of day, one day after another, more paperwork came in for him to look into.

Junmyeon has been occupied by friends to give him a hand, on the off chance that he does, there is paperwork just enough for the siblings to work on. 

Jongdae has been away from home. After his failed engagement, he set his eyes on traveling, bidding them his farewell last season. Chanyeol had to give it to his brother. He quickly picked himself up and found something else to do and focus on as he let his heart rest. 

Though he can’t imagine what he went through, he only hopes that one day, his brother finds himself someone that would match with him just like their parents were a match to one another. 

Whereas Chanyeol only hopes he can find a lady to wed, carry on the family line and become his companion for the rest of his years. For someone who carried so many responsibilities, he knew it to himself that time was not on his side to find a love match.

“Let your heart lead you.” his mother used to always say when she would tell him stories about how she and their father decided to wed. He used to wish to experience the same, but with the years wearing him down, the most he could wish for is some peace and stability. 

By the time Chanyeol decided to grace one of Mayfaire’s balls, some of his friends had grown tired of asking him when he would make his appearance. 

The ladies can’t get their eyes off him as he steps out of the carriage, his hair pushed back to reveal a frown, his eyebrows meeting each other with a serious expression marring his face. He has a hand on one pocket, clutched onto a pocket watch.

“Chanyeol.” Yunho, a gentleman he often meets at the Gentlemen’s club, bowed his head slightly, acknowledging his entry.

Chanyeol bowed back, “good evening” he muttered. 

Letting out a sigh, the gentleman makes his way towards the entry hall. Ladies giggle amongst one another, all standing with their own circles. 

As he looks around for familiar faces, he catches glimpses of the ladies eyeing him, some of them giving him a curtsy, ever more bravely making their interests obvious. This causes Chanyeol to smirk, and the ladies, watching him like hawks all giggle more audibly, waving their fans over their noses.

It was cue for Chanyeol to approach, as they give them their signals, but this only makes him chuckle, opting to smile at them. 

“Ah, there he is,” Chanyeol hears from behind him. 

He hears the footsteps approach closer, and Chanyeol turns just in time to find the lady standing just beside him. 

The eldest Park offers his hand in wait, “Lady Kwon,” he greets, “I hope you’re having a lovely evening.” 

“Now I am,” she smiles, taking his arm to hold onto him. Simple yet elegant, she stands just a head shorter than Chanyeol, her head high and her posture straight. Her black hair is tied to a beautifully crafted bun. The simple jeweled headband atop her head exudes nothing but extravagance, making her stand out among the ladies and gentlemen that gather in the dance hall.

Kwon Boah is one of the most respected ladies in the Ton. She belongs in the Queen’s court and has been the Queen’s long-time confidant. She and Chanyeol’s mother, Yeongmi go way back, and though he had only been introduced to her when he became man of the house, she has been like a second mother to him, guiding him and making sure that he knew he had someone else to look to in times of trouble. 

“Walk with me, Chanyeol,” she says, giving his hand an intimate tap. Lady Kwon is always all smiles whenever they chance upon one another during nights like these. Often, she hosts balls of her own, but she never dares to miss one.

With a love for gossip, just like the rest of the Ton, Lady Kwon stands by to watch in idle, observing one lady to one gentleman after the other. She would often smile at what she sees, sometimes tilting her head as if to see more of someone she had her eyes on… Yet this time, she chooses to walk with him. 

They exit through the back door, out to the garden where fairy lights are wrapped onto arc ways like vines. Out to the garden where people loiter around, quietly discussing matters under their breath. 

“I heard you have intentions to find a wife this season?” She begins, as though he saw his mother in her for a brief moment, Chanyeol nods almost too fast, “yes, I am,” he affirms.

She still has her arm on his, and they walk slowly. 

Nodding as though she was having a conversation with herself, the lady sighs before speaking once more, “Following the heart?” 

It was a question that only the Parks knew of. After all, it is their mother’s one and only advice when seeking a spouse. 

It makes Chanyeol smile, feeling as though his mother is still wherever Mayfaire balls are. 

“I would love it if I could,” he utters. 

Chances like these are rare. Where Chanyeol can let loose and not be the man of the house. While Lady Kwon was the Queen’s confidant, she too has been a vital role model to Chanyeol and has made a huge impact on him growing up.

With Lady Kwon, Chanyeol could be honest and let her know his doubts. Her motherly advice is very interesting, not straight to the point but always gives room for him to make mistakes, learn and grow from. “But you and I know that that’s not suitable for me. From where I stand, I need someone who can support me as the head of the family.”

“I agree.” She says, “But I hope, when you look at the people you encounter from this night forward, you don’t just look at their potential to support your role.” 

“Your mother’s advice is still the best, in my opinion.” She continues, “That doesn’t mean I will not introduce my own pick of ladies I think would be suitable for you. After all, your mother would have done this herself.” 

Chanyeol chuckles at that fact and mentally agrees. “Just think of it as your godmother running an errand. I’m going to be bothering you often this season. Do not run away from me.” 

“I won’t.” He assures her. 

True to her words, the evening goes on with Chanyeol bowing to one new face after another. Lady Kwon gets to work as soon as she decides that it is time to go back inside the dance hall.

Gold and white, Chanyeol only notices how extravagant tonight’s theme is as he looks up to find beautifully placed decorations on the walls, drapes of velvet curtains are hung, with everyone filling the space. 

Even the attendees tonight wore different shades of white, with gold colors being a minor accessory to the look. 

As he walks to greet friends, and get himself a drink, he would get stopped by one beautiful lady after another. He scans the area; unfortunately, he doesn’t see anyone that piques his interest. Music begins to fill the hall as couples start heading to the dance floor, and Chanyeol watches in delight, standing at the corner admiring the moment.

There are pairs of friends dancing, some albeit making it obvious that they’d just met at tonight’s ball, were laughing. Quiet giggles between them or awkward smiles as their hands would touch. Then there are couples who just can’t get enough of joining the dances, focused on no one else but each other as they sway to the tune.

Just before the music ends, the Queen is announced, and she makes her appearance shortly after. The music stopped immediately, and everyone in the dance hall bows in her presence, and she walks slowly towards the seat upfront. Behind her are her ladies-in-waiting holding her puppies, and her loyal attendant, who stands all 5 steps away behind her. 

“Queen Victoria,” they all muttered.

Her dress marred in velvety cream color and sharp gold hues; the queen is the star of the night as she parades towards her seat. 

Before she takes her seat, she raises her hands to acknowledge her subjects. “Carry on,” she says, her voice resounding through the hall. 

The queen plops herself slowly onto her seat to watch the fare, and as she does so, the music starts once again, and everyone carries on with the eventful night. Everyone is focused on the pairs dancing, moving their bodies to the beat and conversing with their eyes. 

By the time the music ends once more, applause fills the air, and everyone goes off to their own devices. Some ladies begin gathering around, while the gentlemen try their own luck approaching the beauties that catch their eyes. 

During this time, the dance floor is open for friends, families and lovers alike. Up front, the queen patiently entertains her subjects, mothers introducing their daughters to her majesty, hoping to win her favor and gain the title of the Diamond of the Season. 

Though all smiles, the queen eyes them sharply, dismissing them one after another. Her attendant, Zhou Mi, stands just a few feet beside her, wordlessly conversing with the royalty as the night goes on.

By the time the moon reaches its highest, Chanyeol is exhausted having been socially active for the remainder of the evening. He has bid his friends farewell, ready to turn in for the day. 

Outside, the young gentleman stands among his peers as he waits for his carriage to come around. Yunho approaches him once more and puts an arm around him. One could tell he’s had too much to drink by the way he reeks, and Yunho, known for having a loose mouth when he is out of it, begins teasing Chanyeol about his quest to wed this season. 

A few of the gentlemen Chanyeol finds familiar from the Gentlemen’s Club slowly gather around, and they freely speak about their intentions this season.

As he joins in on the discussion, easily shrugging it off as men’s talk, Chanyeol chuckles at the topic, “found your Diamond this season, eh Park?” another man chimed. Junsu is all smiles, his eyes twinkling at this. 

“No, not yet,” he admits, “I haven’t found my ideal this evening.” 

Suffice to say, he hadn’t really told anyone the qualities he is looking for in a spouse, because frankly speaking, Chanyeol had none in mind. He just needed a companion, a partner to govern their home while he’s away on business. At this moment, feelings aren’t exactly his priority. 

Reaching home, Chanyeol is assisted back to his chambers. He hasn’t realized how much he drank that night, at least not until he woke up with a severe headache, confirming that he indeed drunk himself into a stupor.

That morning, Junmyeon, his younger brother, was put to the test, as he had to take over governing duties in his stead. It is that same day, when the younger proves himself to be ready; as from what Chanyeol had seen, his younger brother was observant of how things were done from top to bottom. 

All the paperwork he purposely left for the younger to work on was cleared by the end of the day, and not one problem was left behind by sundown.

Chanyeol decided that Junmyeon will be frequently taking over his duties while he attends Mayfaire’s events in his search for a suitable spouse. 

If he wanted to settle down for the sake of family, not only he needed to make sacrifices. Junmyeon will have to lessen his visits to the Gentlemen’s Club himself and play less of the Piano. 

The moon had risen to its highest by the time the crowd had quieted down. All the dancing was over, and now the floor is made free for couples, and their families. 

The queen herself had gotten out of her seat, opting to find a more secluded room to spend the rest of the night with her trusted companions. 

Much to the delight of the young ladies that attended the ball a few nights ago, Chanyeol has once again made his presence known. 

For some reason, not only were there more eyes on him than the last time. 

Chanyeol’s every move was being followed by both ladies and gentlemen that evening.

As Chanyeol walked, mind wandering, he allowed his eyes to roam and scan the hall. He’s exchanged a few words with the ladies that approached him tonight, and though he hasn’t really signed his name on anyone’s dance card, more and more ladies have been eager to get into a conversation with him. That of course hasn’t really piqued his interest just yet. None of them have grabbed his attention in a way that would make him stop at his tracks and want to go directly to her.

"The most sought-after bachelor has finally settled down for tonight?" someone quipped just beside him.

There stood all in his own beaut, Lord Zhang. 

Blonde hair, light-skinned and slanted eyes. The small dimple that would make its rare appearance when he smiles is definitely a great addition to his charms.

New to the Gentlemen's Club, Chanyeol has seen the male hanging out with his younger brother frequently. Oftentimes, they are by each other's side, drinks at each other's hands, or simply playing the piano by each other's side.

Chanyeol offers a gentle smile at this, "Lord Zhang," acknowledging the young gentleman.

"Call me Yixing, please. My lord if anything, I should be the one to act more formal towards you." The male is respectful as he says this.

"Any friend of my brother is a friend of mine as well," he returns, "let us speak comfortably with one another."

Alas, the evening is well-spent with Yixing. 

Sharing drinks and walking around some more to greet ladies, friends and pay respects to the elderly.

The hall is filled with life as everyone continues to enjoy the evening, never ceasing to socialize.

It turns out that Lady Kwon, who was in attendance earlier this evening, has handpicked a few ladies to introduce to him.

As he expected, word has gone around that Chanyeol intends to take a wife, causing an uproar among the ladies of the Ton.

No wonder more and more men have been coming up to him to ask if anyone's caught his eye.

It was obvious that his friends and acquaintances are trying to let him have his pick before they approach the ladies, but not that they needed to. Chanyeol was not afraid of approaching anyone he desires. Rather, he would happily go to them and let them know their intent to court and propose, should someone grab his interest.

Unfortunately, that is not happening tonight.

Once again, Chanyeol heads home with no partner in mind.

It isn’t until a few nights later, when Lady Kwon invites Chanyeol’s family for dinner in her Manor that they meet again. 

Arriving outside, he and his family are greeted by a lavish display. The trees and shrubs are well-kept, fairy lights are strung up the entrance, and a few maids are standing in wait. 

Behind him, his brothers and sisters follow along. Whispers exchanged between them complimenting the manor and its intricacies. They make a beeline as they follow the eldest son towards the entrance, and the door slowly opens to reveal the head maid waiting for their arrival.

“Lord Park,” she bows along with two other maids just behind her. 

Chanyeol smiles to acknowledge her, and greets, “Good evening, Mrs Lim.” 

“Lady Kwon is expecting you.” the lady kindly says. She has her hair tied to a bun and her maroon dress is hard to miss just behind her white apron.

“Mrs Lim!” Aeri greets from behind him, the young lady is all smiles as it is far few and between when she is included to functions like these. 

Although they weren’t exactly informed what event Lady Kwon is hosting, she insisted that all siblings join in for dinner. 

The youngest Park is called over by the elderly lady, and they head in, the rest of the siblings following along. 

Walking from the entrance, towards the small hall that leads them into the living room, the fireplace crackling. Lady Kwon is seated on the far left, and her eyes brighten up, noticing their arrival. 

“Lady Kwon,” Aeri, always the most observant, does a small curtsy in front of her.

It’s then that Chanyeol noticed that they aren’t the only ones invited for dinner, because across her sat another lady, and two other people by the lounge seat.

“Lord Park,” Lady Kwon started, an eyebrow raising to signal him of other people’s presence.

“Lady Kwon, good evening,” Chanyeol picks up on the hint, “it’s a lovely evening and I thank you for inviting me and my siblings for dinner.”

“This is Lady Aera of the Byun household. I am hosting them in my home at the moment.” she says.

At this, Lady Aera looks up to him with a smile, and Chanyeol bows in respect. 

The other two figures stand up and they turn around to greet him. One a curtsy, the other a bow. “Good evening, Lord Park,” both said in unison. 

Brown locks flow down her neck, the simple gown, cream and white in perfect unity as they brighten her skin more. The fireplace gives her a dramatic overall look, highlighting the small, shy smile on her face.

Beside her, just half a head taller, is a young man. 

It would almost be too exaggerated to say, but he was the male version of the young lady just beside him. Mirroring each other in every way, except for the almost-scowl across his face, it would probably be the first time for Chanyeol to think that a man could look so… beautiful. 

Just like the lady beside him.

“These are Byul and Baekhyun, children of the late Lord Byun Iheon.” The two of them remain standing as Lady Kwon continued, “They’ll be staying here in my Manor this season, and I will be sponsoring them.”

“I see.” Chanyeol said. “I’m pleased to make your acquaintance,” turning towards them, he bows and says to the siblings, “please, sit.” gesturing towards the two, he continues, “Lady Kwon and my family have known one another for years. Lady Kwon and our late mother ‘go way back’.” He says. "Any friend of Lady Kwon is a friend to us, if you see any of us in the functions, please don’t hesitate to approach us if you need company."

At this, Chanyeol proceeds to introduce each one of his siblings, by order of age. 

The evening proceeds at a comfortable phase. Over dinner Chanyeol learns that the Byun family arrived the same day that they returned to Mayfaire.

It turns out that they had to get a lot of things ready in order for Miss Byul, the only daughter of the Byun family, to properly make her debut into society.

Lady Kwon had to have her visit the modiste to have dresses tailored for her, and get her and her brother well-acquainted with things in Mayfaire.

To say Lady Byul was elegant yet adorable would be an understatement. The way she speaks her mind and the way she conducts herself in front of others makes one want to keep looking.

Her beauty is refreshing, not too aggressive looking, nor too soft. 

Chanyeol would find himself looking her way a little more frequently than he should, and though he tries not to do it, he cannot help but be drawn to her.

"How are you enjoying Mayfaire so far, Miss Byul?" Chanyeol cannot help but interject.

"Very enjoyable," she says softly, but with a clear voice. She dabs the napkin on the side of her lips as she looks around under her lashes, giving a small smile at that. "My dear brother has been accompanying me around Mayfaire, as he is more available to go around. He takes me to places he's been to and they have all been wonderful places. Mayfaire sure is a lovely town." She looks over to her brother, holding his hand on the table, who in turn, gives her a gentle squeeze as he smiles at her words.

"I don't believe you've been to the Gentlemen's Club, Lord Byun?" Chanyeol then asks, looming over to the other.

"Not sure I have, I believe people who aren't from Mayfaire require a personal invitation from a regular goer." Baekhyun mutters as he continues eating.

"In that case, allow me to extend an invitation to you." the eldest Park says.

The other male’s eyes are downcast, focused on his meal as he slices through and proceeds with his meal. 

The awkward silence is cut through when their mother clears her throat.

“We have high hopes that Byul will find herself a suitor or two at this coming ball. Mayfaire is a lovely place, and I am sure she would be happy to settle here if there is a chance.” Her eyes are twinkling as she says this, looking back and forth from Lady Kwon to Chanyeol, the elder lady’s smile is hopeful and excited– maybe even more so than her children.

“Mother,” Baekhyun attempts to interject, but she continues, “It’s a lovely gesture that Lady Kwon introduced us to your family, Lord Park,” her voice, still maintaining the same excitement, continues, “It should definitely help my lovely children at the upcoming functions that there will be more familiar faces to see and encounter.”

There is a long sigh drawn out from the male Byun across the table. He doesn’t add to the conversation, except he wipes his lips and excuses himself from the dining table. 

The young Park could not put a finger to it, but by his expression, it was obvious that there was something bothering the young man. Chanyeol could not help but want to know, in hopes that he could help and dispel whatever doubt or trouble the male had in his mind.

Following soon after, Chanyeol gets up from his seat and expresses his apologies for excusing himself. 

He finds Baekhyun back at the living area, seated on the floor just in front of the fireplace. The fire crackles as the room continues in silence as the rest of their families continue to converse in the dining area. Laughter and voices vividly resound from a distance as Chanyeol walks over and sits himself just beside the latter. 

“Penny for your thoughts, Lord Byun?” He utters.

There is a frown marring the other’s face, just as he looks up. His eyebrows are furrowed, and Chanyeol could not miss the small pout on the young man’s lips. He can’t help but wonder if this frustration is directed at him after all.

“Lord Park,” Baekhyun starts, voice slightly deeper than before. “If I could speak ever so casually with you to get my point across,” he murmurs, albeit trying to lower his voice, so as not to arouse any suspicions from their family. 

“Please do,” Chanyeol doesn’t really know what to expect, except for the obvious distaste towards him, he isn’t exactly aware where he went wrong when he was trying to get to know the siblings and their family.

“My younger sister has yet to make her debut into society.” Baekhyun says as a matter-of-factly. 

Chanyeol blinks at this, not exactly getting the point.

“I would appreciate it if you avoid making heart eyes at her!” Baekhyun hisses, “I can see through you, and your intentions.” 

Taken aback by the latter’s statements, Chanyeol couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh.

“This is not a laughing matter, Lord Park!” Baekhyun all the more hisses. There is more frustration than anger in his eyes this time as the taller male does nothing but. 

It takes a few minutes before the Lord stops laughing. Wiping the tears on the corner of his eyes with the back of his hand, Chanyeol clears his throat and finally finds it in him to respond to the other, “I believe we were invited here to welcome you to Mayfaire. As a family very close to Lady Kwon, I dare not to disrespect the family she is hosting in her own home, Lord Byun.” Chanyeol explains.

Baekhyun is silent at this, looking at his hands as he fumbles with them. 

“I agree, it is no laughing matter. It is unwise that I have been looking at your sister a little too much over dinner, and for that I apologize sincerely.” Chanyeol says, “Please do not worry, I intend to get to know your sister properly during the upcoming events.” Chanyeol smiles at the other male, who remains silent but is nodding along to his words, “If I do end up wanting to call upon her, you will be the first person she mentions it to.”

The next time they meet indeed ends up being at the next ball. Hosted by the well-known family of Lord Kim, a regular at the Gentlemen’s Club, Chanyeol did not feel the usual pressure of making his appearance at the function. Being a person that Chanyeol considers his friend and role model growing up, Lord Kim is a man with great reputation and high honor. 

Having been a close friend to his father in their younger years, Chanyeol had seen a lot of Lord Kim Raewon when he was a young child. Not many knew, but Lord Kim Raewon had been keeping in touch through correspondence, and had been very supportive of him. He is another person that Chanyeol considers as a great pillar in his life, and now a friend. The respect he has for him is one akin to a second father. 

The theme for the evening was royal blue, as per the invitation that came in a few days earlier, Chanyeol’s footman was happy to inform him that the Byun family was indeed to make their attendance for that night.

He wasn’t going to admit it, but he was looking forward to seeing the siblings. One to actually get to know Miss Byun Byul, and the other to ensure that Baekhyun, her sibling, would see him in a good light– and possibly a good match for the lady. 

The evening they met was all too pleasant for the young man, and being a family that Lady Kwon herself held to a high regard was indeed something that made Chanyeol all the more interested in them. Not to mention, their youngest siblings, Sehun and Aeri had taken quite a liking to Lord Byun, who seemed very good at handling youngsters. The rest of the evening was filled with light-hearted stories exchanged with one another and laughter at the corner of the room as the Byun family’s young Lord took reins on entertaining the kids. Although it was brief, the time they spent with them made the young Lord look forward to their next encounter.

The way to the Manor was not too distant, watching the trees as they passed by, from luscious greens and well-kept shrubbery, donning small orbs of light to keep the road lit and safe, Chanyeol basked in the breeze that welcomed him into the property. 

Tonight he has the pleasure of taking his time at the event, knowing Lady Kwon and a few other familiar faces will be in attendance. 

Arriving at the entryway, Chanyeol’s footman gives him a nod and moves on. The Lord makes his way into the Manor, admiring the beautiful decorations, placed in uniform. There are lamps hanging overhead the arc that leads to the main hall, blue flowers, unique and breath-taking from up-close. 

Voices and murmurs fill the hall, as Chanyeol walks in. The door to the great hall has just opened it seems, as families are yet to slowly be announced, a few of them lined up to make their way in. 

From where they stand, the young man could sight the extravagant chandelier hanging overhead, and the hues of royal blue curtains towering over them. The dance floor at the center is as spacious as he remembers, and the seat waiting for the crown is the most elegant out of it all. A royal blue velvet chair just for the queen, towering above everyone. There is a small space dedicated for the queen and her court, and magnificently so.

Breath-takingly, the rows of food on both sides of the hall are a variety known to most people in Mayfaire. There are servants bringing in cold drinks and wine, as people pour in one by one. As expected, the ball has not yet started, yet everyone is already having a wonderful evening.

Lord Kim has outdone himself once again.

By the time Chanyeol was announced, the number of people in the great hall had multiplied. There is laughter in the air and yet again, the familiar sight of ladies gathering is as evident as usual. 

There are greetings exchanged, compliments made and questions about any particular person catching his eyes. Chanyeol had his usual answer, as it is the truth in the matter. 

But then, Chanyeol’s eyes darted across the hall, finding a familiar face. Soft brown chocolate hair, tousled in a messy look. Byun Baekhyun’s eyes are trained at someone else while he holds a glass of wine close to his lips. He has a white dress-shirt on, around his neck is a black ribbon with a stone brooch, in royal blue. His slick black pants hug his frame, his posture straight and disciplined. Adorning himself with minimal accessories that compliments the ball, Lord Byun stands out like a sore thumb. Unbeknownst to his own charms, ladies swooning left and right, and it makes Chanyeol chuckle inwardly at this. 

Approaching the male, Chanyeol crosses the hall and heads over to the young man, smiling at him in familiarity. “Lord Byun,” he starts.

Baekhyun has an eyebrow raised as he looks his way, before letting out a playful scoff, nodding at him in respect albeit still slightly hostile towards him, “Lord Park. Good evening.” the other says. 

Chanyeol notices the way he straightens his back, clears his throat, and then there is a bright smile being directed at him, as though to keep appearances. 

“How are you doing this lovely evening, Lord Byun?” Chanyeol continues. It seems he hasn’t dispelled his doubts just yet. He won’t say, but the young lord would really like to make friends with the other, seeing how close their age is to one another.

However, there is barely any reaction from the other. Looking at him, Baekhyun’s eyes are casted elsewhere, deaf to the world around him. 

Looking at him closely, Chanyeol studies the male’s face in silence. He has very fine skin, light and smooth. He could tell just by looking, Lord Byun is well-kept and very mindful of his health. Just as he was about to tear his gaze from the male, having noticed that he’s been looking at him a little too long now, he lands his eyes on a small mole just at the upper corner of his lips. One wouldn’t really notice it if they haven’t been this close to the male, and… Chanyeol’s train of thought wanders. 

Clearing his throat, he looks up to see that the male still hasn’t said a word. 

He wonders what has the young Lord’s attention so completely, that he doesn’t bother to look around. Looking at him, there is concern and curiosity in his eyes as he keeps his focus on one spot. Following his gaze, Chanyeol draws a breath he didn’t realize he was holding onto.

There, Miss Byun was standing, chattering with other ladies in a light-hearted manner. Her hair, light brown compared to her older brother, flows beautifully on one side of her face; just like the other Byun, her dress for the evening has minimal colors of royal blue, and more of silver. Overall, she looked majestic, as though a princess that came out of a story book. 

Chanyeol could not help but blink a few times as he took in the sight of her. 

Could this be? He asks himself, is she the one he’s looking for? 

The eldest Park does not waste time and heads over to her direction. As she notices his presence, they lock eyes and Chanyeol albeit a little nervous– for some reason– approaches her. The other ladies with her stand aside as they watch them converse with their eyes first, and then Chanyeol bravely asks, “would you care to dance, Miss Byun?” 

No formalities, no greetings. Chanyeol has just thrown his manners out the window at the very sight of this lady. 

The other ladies giggle at this, knowing very well how taken he is by her.

Miss Byun smiles an adorable smile, making Chanyeol even more smitten, “a pleasure,” she offers her hand just as they hear the music start playing, and they make their way to the dance floor. 

It is a short light-hearted waltz, innocent and flowery in tune. “Good evening, Lord Park,” she starts as she does a curtsy. The dance is starting, and it seems that with it, she wants to start a conversation as well. Smiling at this, Chanyeol grins and returns the greeting, “I hope you’ve had a lovely evening, Miss Byun.” There is a knowing humor to the greeting, as they both knew the young Lord skipped doing so when he asked her to dance. As they find their rhythm, Chanyeol is all smiles as they sway to the beat. Every turn and every time their hands come in contact with each other makes Chanyeol giddy. 

Coming to a halt with another curtsy and a bow, Chanyeol accompanies her out of the dance floor. “You have good feet, Lord Park,” she says, complimenting the way he leads her to the dance. This makes the male crack another smile, his heart light at the words. 

“Thank you, you dance very well yourself, Miss Byun.” 

He notices that her dance card has remained empty through the night and wishes to ask her to dance once more.

The two of them end up talking for a few more minutes before Miss Byun tears herself away from him. 

“Brother!” she exclaims. She is smiling as she latches on his arm, and the both of them come to face him.

Clearing his throat, Chanyeol greets the Lord before him. Baekhyun greets him back in return, giving him a smile that does not reach his eyes. He is as suspecting of him as he was, he realizes. 

By the next time they meet, it is in another ball, this time hosted by the wonderful family of Lady Jang. One of the most prestigious balls he has the pleasure of being part of, Chanyeol made sure to look his best, adorning himself with a small flower by his chest pocket, as was required by Lady Jang Nara, who loves flowers, her theme consisted of the language of flowers. 

This is because he has knowledge that the Byun siblings will once again be gracing the event, and he has high hopes that he will once again have the chance to ask for Miss Byun’s hand for a dance– at least that was what he hoped for. Unfortunately, things don't always go one’s way, for Chanyeol ends up arriving late due to a very busy road on his way to the manor. 

What he comes to, is Miss Byun happily dancing with one gentleman after another, swooping in to invite her to the dance floor. 

Deflated as he watched her laugh and interact with them, unable to cut in, he felt a presence by his side. None other being the older brother of the young lady he is pining for. “Late to the event, I see?” Baekhyun mutters, “do not take it to heart, I encouraged her to dance. You cannot expect me to put a fence around her just because you were the only person she danced with last time.” 

“I am not,” Chanyeol answers. He straightens up and looks at the other male, “I see you’re willing to speak to me tonight?”

Baekhyun looks his way, eyebrows raised and cheeks puffed with a small smile.

“Good evening, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol nods, albeit teasingly.

Baekhyun nods back, “I apologize for my… Hostile behavior.” He finally says, “I believe I have to explain myself for behaving in such a way when I have yet to actually know who you are.” 

The two men then relax in one another’s presence. 

While the whole of Mayfaire is merrily enjoying the evening in laughter, compliments and wonder, both Lords decide to step away and walk back to the garden where there is little to no one in sight.

“I would like to believe we got off on the wrong foot, Lord Byun.” Chanyeol starts as they finally find a space to talk to… Air out their misunderstandings. 

The breeze is comfortable, and the evening sky is glittered with stars.

“It was entirely my fault, Lord Park.” Baekhyun returns, “I judged you far too early. Before I even learned about you, I had already created a persona of you in my mind.”

“Did I do that bad for a first impression?” He asks, slightly feeling bad about what the other said. 

“Indeed you did.” The brown-haired responded. 

There is silence between them, as though reading each other quietly– him and Baekhyun. Exchanging glances with one another, as if mentally urging the other to continue speaking. The silence is welcomed, however. Not awkward in the slightest. At least that’s what it felt like to Chanyeol.

“I see now that I’m wrong. I’d like to believe that someone who can make my younger sister smile like she did would not be a bad person.” Baekhyun said softly. There is a pleasant smile on his face as he says this, and he looks down once again, fumbling with his thumbs. 

A warm feeling surges through the young Lord’s chest as he hears this, heart swelling at the thought that the other male has come to accept him. 

It doesn’t take long before Chanyeol finally manages to ask Miss Byun if he could call on her. She happily accepts, and he soon finds himself just outside Lady Kwon’s manor. The first to greet him was Lady Kwon. She is all smiles as he approaches, flowers in hand. Although the elderly Lady mentions that the young miss may be in lower spirits as she has been called upon by a few gentlemen since morning, the young Lord is determined to lift her up with his visit. 

Miss Byun was wearing a light blue dress, while her long white sleeves were glittered with small flowers and layered with white mesh. Her hair is in braids, pulled back into a puffy bun. Her overall aura is light and refreshing. Seeing her is like basking in the perfect time of Spring. 

With a smile upon his face, the young Lord makes his entrance after the head maid announces his arrival. 

Her eyes sparkle at the sight of him, and she stands up all too quickly, exclaiming his name, “Lord Park! You’re here.”

“Good afternoon. I heard you were busy all morning, so I thought I could cheer you up,” he says, holding out the flowers that were hidden behind him, “with some flowers.” 

There’s a grin on his face, and she is infected by it, her smile growing bigger as she holds out her hands to accept them.

Taking a small whiff off the flowers, she smiles and looks up at him under hooded eyelids.

“They’re very beautiful.” She says, “Thank you.”

The both of them head over to the receiving area where coffee and biscuits are served. In a separate room, Lady Byun Aera is seated by herself, her hands busy with the daily news. Chanyeol had taken the time to greet her and handed her a small bouquet of flowers as well, to which she excitedly accepted. 

Sitting just beside the young Miss, Chanyeol admired her gentle beauty and grace. By the way she spoke of her day and conducted herself, it was hard to believe that she is in low spirits. 

He can’t help but this, mentally complimenting her energy and her eagerness to hold a conversation with him, though the topics are quite simple and easy to breeze through. Most out of the conversation, Chanyeol loved hearing her speak about the modiste and how intricate the dresses in Mayfaire are compared to their small town. 

She tells him she’s had an interest in tailoring and learning how dresses were made when she was younger, but was never actually able to put any actual learning with how difficult things became after their father’s passing. 

Though a topic he sensed that was still too early to discuss, Chanyeol did not choose to ask for more details in respect to her and her family. Instead, the male chose to speak his turn and talk about himself, his achievements and his family whom he is very close with. 

Chanyeol learns from the young Miss that there are only the three of them in their home. Aside from their head maid who is to retire in a couple of years and a handful of workers, it is mostly their mother, Lady Aera who saw to it that things were running smoothly. 

Lord Byun mostly stood by their mother’s side and watched over her. Living in a matriarchal household, the Byun family have run things far too differently than they used to when the Lord was still present. 

It doesn’t show, but Lady Aera is a strict woman who made sure that things were followed to a T, and that’s how things have been going ever since. 

The both of them went on for an hour or more, exchanging stories and pleasantries along the way. By the time Chanyeol was set to leave, the young Lord did not waste any time and asked if he could invite her to promenade at the Lython Lake and Park. He didn’t need to wait for her to send her a letter to respond, because in mere seconds, the young Miss was making a beeline towards the separate room where her mother was sitting.

She cutely popped her face by the doorframe to give him an eager nod, followed by a “we’ll see you there!” 

With that, he’s secured another meeting with the young lady, in hopes that their next meeting would be just as pleasant.

Chanyeol says his farewells with a light heart, looking forward to the next week. Finding his way to the main hall and out the door, the young Lord gets on his carriage and instructs the footman to go at a comfortable phase.

It is a lovely day today; the sun is out and the skies are blue. The breeze is perfect for a ride out, if he may say so himself. 

As he looks out the window, riding out of the property, Chanyeol couldn’t help but notice the familiar figure out in the distance. 

There are two horses surrounding the figure, closely interacting with them as he pats one horse, while the other grazes on the grass.

It’s none other than Lord Byun, Chanyeol notices. He has his riding gloves and hat on, making it obvious that he’s just gone for a ride himself. 

He watches as the young man cares for the animals, not noticing the smile on his face as he does so. 

He hasn’t exactly seen the male interact with anyone else outside of the functions, and then he recalls that he did extend an invitation to the young man to join him at the gentlemen’s club. 

Chanyeol makes a mental note to re-invite the other, now that they’re friendlier with each other. It would be a good chance to get to know the young Lord of the Byun household and bond better.

The days that follow have Chanyeol swamped with paperwork. There are papers to look after, ones that his younger brother, Junmyeon overlooked, claiming that they are matters out of his hands. 

As the days roll by, Chanyeol has himself stuck inside his home office, only opting for a break a few times in the day. The piles are thinning, thankfully, as he does not want to leave any work for when the day he has to see Miss Byun arrives. Stress now than stress later.

By the fourth night, the young Lord has signed the last document, and has allocated the budget required to run their household for the next two months. The staff have all been paid their wages, and their kitchen stock is in place. Paperwork to run the household sure is more difficult than paperwork to issue instructions and running land. It nudges Chanyeol mentally to see how Miss Byun fares in those matters.

Time in his hands means there is time to relax.

By dinnertime, Chanyeol excuses himself a little earlier. He has time to unwind as Yoora and her family are home, and she is willing to look after the house while they are away. The Duke is taking time away from home with her, opting to look after the young ones. 

There is no other place to unwind than the Gentlemen’s Club. In there, Chanyeol can drink in his own comfort, having a place that’s practically marked as their own room. The entrance alone requires a recommendation letter. If not from the owner, a regular goer has to have an invitation out for you at the door. That’s how exclusive this Club has become. 

As a young child, Chanyeol had seen his father excuse himself a few times at night only to go to this Club. Says it’s been passed down from one owner to another. He’s always wondered what it was like and even expressed his eagerness to be part of this Club as a young boy. Their father had hoped he didn’t, because being part of it obviously meant the heavy responsibility he carries on his shoulders. Not that he knew what it entailed as a young boy, but now that he does, he thinks it really isn’t that bad.

As time went by, Chanyeol naturally did end up being part of the Club. He’d gone once, and then twice, and then the following visits ceased to be counted. It was lucky that his own friend, the Baron, Do Kyungsoo ended up being named as the next owner of the Club. After a relative of his that was named as the next owner, died of natural causes, it was passed on to him as next of kin. By the time he’s made his own brother, Junmyeon and Jongdae part of the club, Chanyeol’s visits have been far too frequent to be counted with both hands, and his own brothers have become his drinking buddies. Being part of the Club has had its own advantages, in it he’s met a few couple of gentlemen he never would have spoken to had they not met there. There are many people in the club, some who prefer to sit by the barkeeper to share their life’s woes, and there are those who prefer to sit in solace, others in a private room with friends or family members like he does. 

He’s probably been around for a while that he’s familiar with what goes on in the Gentlemen’s Club, the unspoken rule that whatever you see or hear in the club remains inside its doors, or the fights that have broken because of one issue or another. 

As much as the ladies love to gossip about life’s stories and life issues, the same does not escape the men. The difference is, they don’t speak about it out in public the way the ladies do. Not about the affairs, not about an illegitimate child, and not about taboo relationships that are formed within the Club. It is the unspoken rule. It’s not one’s story to tell, and they keep it that way. That’s how the Club has been operating for ages, and everyone abides by it. One word to a soul that does not belong, and you are out in the streets.

He is alone for the night, as Junmyeon has opted to sit by the piano once again. He is learning from the looks of it, and he’s been improving as the weeks pass. Whom he takes lessons from, Chanyeol does not know, but he’d surely hand it to his teacher, the improvement is very noticeable with each piece he plays at an evening’s visit. 

The young Lord has decided to sit by the barkeep this time, watching as Baron Do pours his usual drink. He is silent but is always open to lending an ear. After all, it is part of the job, as he puts it. 

“Rough day?” the barkeep asks. He has an eyebrow raised, white dress shirt tucked in, behind a black apron that reaches his knee. He reaches for a glass and starts wiping, glimpsing towards the Lord’s way to get him to start talking. 

“Another piled day, Kyungsoo,” he utters. Chanyeol takes a swig at his drink, feeling the burning sensation line down his throat. Clearing his throat, he lets out a sigh and gets comfortable in his seat.

“Can’t relate,” the Baron chuckles, “Lord knows how crazy I’d get if I suddenly have papers to look after while running the Club. I’ll probably have to choose between the two in time.” he says, taking another glass to wipe, “But that time isn’t coming soon.” he chuckles under his breath, “I’m just thankful I don’t have to attend those balls and functions you all do. It’s hard keeping up appearances.” 

That indeed, he mentally agrees. 

Pushing his glass for another pour, Chanyeol notices the door on his left open. There’s laughter resounding from inside the private room, and to his surprise, a familiar figure walks out. 

Shining under the lights, his chocolate hair bounces in every step he takes. Chanyeol doesn’t know if it’s the drink he had, but Lord Byun did not look like he usually did in the last few nights he’s seen him. Not especially in the last three days, when he looked just as refreshing as his younger sister. 

This time, seeing his side profile with his jawline most provident, Chanyeol takes extra notice of his plump pink lips, and the mole at the corner. There is a fierce look in his eyes, as though he wasn’t just laughing and having the time of his life inside that room. Following his movements with his eyes, Chanyeol notices the young man head straight over to where his younger brother is sitting. Junmyeon is taken aback when he approaches, and they speak briefly. He doesn’t exactly hear them as they are out of earshot, but Junmyeon gives him a nod in a friendly manner, and he moves away from the piano, heading towards whom Chanyeol notices is Lord Zhang. 

Tearing his eyes away from his brother, Chanyeol watches as Baekhyun plops himself down. It takes him a while, looking from one end of the piano to the other, and pressing down on one key at random. He fixes himself and straightens his back before he starts playing a tune. 

It’s unfamiliar in the ears, but Chanyeol feels the heaviness of each key as the song goes on, yearning and calling out. 

He takes another drink as he keeps watch. Baekhyun’s eyes are closed as he plays, opening them from time to time as he changes keys… As he goes on, Chanyeol is mesmerized at the sight. Focused and uncaring of the world. His passion pours out into the music, capturing Chanyeol in a stupor. 

Reaching the height of the music, Chanyeol’s senses blank out as the music suddenly halts. 

Baekhyun’s looking up, pursing his lower lip back, mind wandering. It doesn’t take long but he heaves a sigh and then he stands, as if giving up. 

The young Lord watches as the other sit there for a few more minutes, tracing his hands on the piano keys, as if considering playing another song. Just then, a stranger walks up to him and offers him a drink. Lord Byun says something in response and the male nods. Smiling, the young Lord downs the drink at once. Chanyeol watches as the male gets out of the chair and sees him waving towards his brother as if to concede the piano to him once again, and then he is led back to the private room where he came from, not even noticing that Chanyeol had been there all along. 

Chanyeol ends up drinking only three glasses compared to his usual five. He’s still sober and clear-headed, by the time he’s out the door, and it’s dark out. Junmyeon had taken the carriage back home, so the young Lord opted to walk it off instead. Not that the Club was far from home, it would only take him a couple of hours before he reached, so it was fine. At least that’s what he thought before he found himself running. Noticing the same figure he so curiously kept his eyes on and thought about that evening, Chanyeol is quick on his feet to catch the wobbling male. 

“Lord Byun?” Chanyeol grunts as he latches onto the male, holding him steady.

Baekhyun’s eyes are smiling as he looks at him, and his cheeks are as red as his lips. “Huh?” the male mutters. He blinks rapidly towards him before attempting to recall who he is, “Lord Park?” the male slurs, “Lord Park Chanyeol!” he exclaims, and Chanyeol tries to keep him steady as they walk faster.

There are no stars tonight and the skies are rumbling. Pretty sure that it would start pouring soon.

“What brings you here?” Baekhyun chirps out. 

Chanyeol is trying to get him to walk faster despite how dead drunk he was. Judging by how far Lady Kwon’s manor was, it would be better to have him sleep over at their home. There should be one guest room available just beside his room. Farthest from the others’ bedrooms, it should be safe to have the young lord over despite the lack of notice to his siblings. 

“What brings you here?” He asks back. Chanyeol is sober when he asks, but Baekhyun is beyond any reasonable conversation at this point. Despite the disheveled look of him, the young man looks as dashing as ever. It’s no wonder that the ladies are swooning at the mere sight of him, because Chanyeol had to admit, his beauty precedes him.

The Byun Siblings isn’t merely a title Chanyeol made up; they were known as The Byun Siblings before he ever heard of them. The two beautiful children of the Byun couple. Though it’s said that the late Lord Byun Iheon remarried after the passing of his first wife, the daughter that was borne between him and his new wife, Lady Byun Aera possessed a beauty that could make men kneel on their feet. 

Many men would complement her beauty before they ever saw her in person, but the thing was that her beauty did deserve its reputation. The young Miss Byun Byul is youthful, innocent and refreshing to look at. Even more so when one learns of her bubbly personality and upbringing. It is said that Lady Byun had been very thorough when they were taught of their duties, and both siblings had learned well through her. 

Though Chanyeol has barely heard much about Baekhyun, there are still conversations that he overhears among his younger sisters. Jungah had recently made her debut in society, and though she prefers only to hang out with a handful of ladies and keeps to herself, she too had spoken about Baekhyun. 

Very outspoken and loves making conversation with both the gentlemen and ladies of the Ton, Baekhyun has a lot of personality to bring into the conversations he joins. He is as bubbly as his sister, but in a more controlled manner, being the older of the two, and is perceived to head the family. 

Perhaps one thing that Chanyeol is recently aware of, is that they run their household in a matriarch. In appearance, it may be that way, but by the way he has a read on things, it is Lady Byun who makes the decisions. Baekhyun is merely a front.

“Drinking my woes away. Got no one to tell them to, so I’m flushing ‘em down!” Baekhyun chuckles as he says this, legs still jelly as Chanyeol leads him into the gate of their home.

He tries to be very quiet, assuming that his family members had all gone to bed. 

The main door opens with the help of their head maid, who waited for Chanyeol’s arrival. Much like she does every time he is out at the Club, the elderly ensure that he is comfortable and ready for bed, only this time, she and Chanyeol have their hands full with the young Lord Byun. Chanyeol instructs her to call on the butler to help him get Baekhyun to bed and asks her to prepare a pitcher by the male’s bedside for when he wakes up. 

Just as soon as they help the young man to bed, the rain starts pouring outside. Their head maid and butler bid them good night as soon as they’re done preparing everything Chanyeol asks for. With their unexpected guest tucked in for the night, the helpers head off and turn in for the day. It’s raining lightly, and Chanyeol expects to fall deep asleep tonight. 

That expectation falls short the moment Chanyeol stumbles awake. There are heavy footsteps on the floorboards, and he looks to the side to find the rain harsher than earlier. Reaching for the light on his bedside, the young Lord catches a glimpse at his pocket watch. Time is ticking and it’s 3:02 at dawn. He gathers his thoughts, looking at the time, recalling past events just before he slipped into bed, and then he remembers that he didn’t come home alone. 

Flinging the blankets off him, the young man heads out to find the door to the guest room open. Walking over, Chanyeol finds no one inside, so he heads down to the farthest room in the hall. There, with the door slightly ajar, Chanyeol finds himself in his home office. Though he doesn’t find anyone inside, he does find a lamp on the floor, just beside his chair which has been pushed back. 

Chanyeol doesn’t say anything. He merely walks over and plops himself down on the floor, placing his own lamp just beside the other’s. 

The wooden desk separates them from one another, one hiding just under the work desk, and the other leaning on it from the side. 

He doesn’t talk, waiting for the other to do so instead. 

Right on queue as the thunder roars, the individual behind him lets out a small, frightened squeak. He tries to muffle his voice, by the sound of it, the other hand plopping down on the floor, just beside their lamps. Chanyeol turns to his side as he listens in, looking down at the male’s balled fist. 

With his breaths heaving, the young Lord tries to sense what’s troubling the other. Was it perhaps the Club last night?

“I apologize,” the male whispers albeit barely audible for him to completely make out. “I’m sorry you had to see me like this,” Chanyeol hears again, this time clearer. It is obvious that the young man is trying to control his breathing. 

Chanyeol lets him take his time, and he watches from the way he clenches his fist. He feels bad seeing him suffer, and as the minutes go by that the rain doesn’t let up, the heavier his heart feels for the other. 

Baekhyun would groan from time to time and mutter something under his breath, as though consoling himself, and despite wanting to help him through his ordeal, he knows nothing about it that he can’t even begin to try… The more he watches, the more he hopes he could do something to make him feel better and he comes up with just one thing; reaching for the clenched fist on the floor, Chanyeol covers the young man’s hand with his own. He can remain silent all he wants, but the least he could do was remind him that he wasn’t alone. 

It didn’t really matter to Chanyeol if it helped or not, but for the next 30 minutes that passed with the rain raging on, he held onto the latter’s hand and stayed by his side. By the time the rain had grown weaker, and the thunder went away, Baekhyun had crawled out from under the desk, eyes slightly swollen and red.

He hadn’t noticed when Baekhyun’s clenched fist had unclasped to hold onto him instead, but if that brought any comfort to the other, then it really didn’t matter.

There’s a small smile from the younger man, his slightly red nose tells he had some inner battles to fight, but just like how there’s always the sun after the rain, Baekhyun’s expression doesn’t dare tell that of the victories he’s won by his lonesome. 

Chanyeol returns the smile curtly, and he helps the younger one up and leads him to the lounging chair and sits beside him. He hasn’t let go of his hand, but Chanyeol doesn’t point it out. He doesn’t speak to make light of the situation, nor does he pry. 

Baekhyun sniffles, coming down from the fright he just had. Chanyeol notices him looking his way and back, as if wondering why Chanyeol hasn’t asked about what just happened. Feeling his hand on the other, there is nothing but the familiar pounding in the young Lord Park’s heart.

“My mother died on a night like this,” Chanyeol hears him say over his hoarse voice. He has his legs up, one hand holding onto his own, and the other hand wrapped on his knees as he leans the side of his face on his legs, facing his way. “It brings back memories to me, and always; I feel this strong dread that someone I care about is going to be taken away again.” 

“As you may know,” Baekhyun continues. He clears his voice before speaking again, “My mother, Lady Aera, is my stepmother. She married my father when I turned 6, just a year after my mother passed, and they had Byul soon after. Byul was born very weak, so we took great care of her…” There was a long pause before he continued on.

“They told me I had to be strong, because I’ve become an older brother.” He shrugs, “but I guess I never learned to move on from it.”

Chanyeol could see a tear trickle down his face as he said this.

It broke the male’s heart to hear the loneliness. He seemed so… Small then, as if trying to keep himself whole. It reminded him of when he had to hide himself away and grieve his father’s loss. Away from prying elders who wanted nothing but to see him take his father’s place, away from his innocent siblings and away from his mother who never got back to herself, as though she had long passed when he did. 

Chanyeol never felt like he was enough, because their mother hadn’t seen them as enough reason to try to live. Every waking day, she cried out their father’s name, and every day, she reminded him that he had a responsibility to their household. 

He was bound by duty and kinship. Chanyeol had no time to grieve either parent’s passing, the bills were piling and no one else was going to do them.

Only he had come out of it strong. He faced it all head on, with anger, frustration and determination. He had seven siblings to live for, and all of them were a reminder of their parents, and as they all grew into a unit, he learned along the way that should he fall back, they were ready to catch him. Without their parents, their bond was stronger than ever, and he could only be thankful for that fact.

It doesn’t take a few minutes before Baekhyun takes a deep breath and fixes himself. Letting his hand go, the brown-haired male quickly fixes his posture, wiping tear tracks with the back of his hands. 

He takes a deep breath, and Chanyeol only notices that the rain has subsided. The sun is almost rising, with the sky in a mix of orange and pink…

“Thank you.” The male says, causing him to whip his head back to look at him. 

“What for?” Chanyeol utters, speaking for the first time in what felt like hours. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Exactly.” Baekhyun says, smiling at him. 

As though something has shifted between the two, Chanyeol finds himself staring at the other. Baekhyun’s features are softer this time, his eyes sincere as he looks back at him. For the first time since setting eyes on the other male, it was as though the young Lord was actually getting to know him.

Bidding one another a pleasant evening, Chanyeol heads back to his own bedroom. He shuts the door behind him and leans back on it. 

His eyes adjust to the dimness of his own room, the sunrise well on its way. He takes a moment, realizing that his heart is once again pounding. He thinks it’s because of what just happened. Taking in the young Lord Byun home on a whim, and incidentally seeing him in his vulnerability, it’s as if he has just uncovered a well-kept secret… Stumbling towards his bed, the young man decides to sleep on it. 

He hides under the covers, ignoring the loud thumps he hears from inside his ears. Thankfully, it doesn’t take long before sleep takes over him.

The eldest of the Park household reveals himself at noontime. His siblings are busying themselves when he finally shows his face, Junmyeon is having a cup of tea while Jungah is dedicating herself to her piano lessons. 

Haneul on the other hand, has her nose stuck on a book. 

“Good morning.”

“Good morning?” Junmyeon pipes up as he takes a sip of his drink, “it’s already noon!” shaking his head, his younger brother eyes him knowingly. It causes Chanyeol to frown, not forgetting to look back behind him, expecting to see a certain person. He’d gone and checked the guest room beside his own, but it had long been vacated. The drapes have been parted, the bed has been made and everything is tidy.

“He left early this morning,” Quick on the uptake, his brother doesn’t miss a beat, letting him know the whereabouts of his unexpected guest. “I was the only one who saw him off. Asked me to extend his gratitude for your hospitality.” 

Nodding slowly, Chanyeol pours himself a cup of tea. “I see.” 

With nothing else to add, he catches his brother’s expectant eyes, as though waiting for him to say more. 

“Rough night?” Junmyeon asks, raising his eyebrows in a teasing manner. It catches Chanyeol off-guard that he chokes on his drink, coughing aloud. “Brother!” 

Shaking his head as the younger laughs at his misery, Chanyeol ignores the inquiry for more and leaves the conversation at that. 

“I’ve cleared the paperwork that came in this morning,” the male across from him mentions in passing, “so go have your meal, take a walk or go back to sleep for all I care.” 

“You?” Chanyeol exclaims, albeit teasingly, “Brother, you and paperwork are rarely said in one sentence. What happened?”

“Do not pry now,” Junmyeon retorts, “as I did the same. A simple thank you is more than enough.”

Pursing his lips back and fighting a smile from forming, he nods at his brother’s snarky comeback. “Thank you,” he says. 

Doing as he was told, the young man takes his time having his meal. There is no paperwork, his mind is clear– except for the small buzzing at the back of his head– and his heart… Chanyeol’s thoughts halt, mind reliving what had happened at dawn. 

Sitting at the dining area by himself, he can’t help but put down his fork to look at the hand that held Baekhyun’s own. Again, his mind wonders. Last night did happen. It felt like a dream, and with the young Lord Byun departing without him knowing, Chanyeol is not sure how he should act around him the next time they meet. 

Again, his heart pounds. 

Chucking it down to his excitement towards his upcoming promenade with Miss Byun, the young Lord wipes his lips with a napkin and finishes up with his meal. He has to get himself ready for the day, look his best and pick out the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. 

The last two days pass by in a blink of an eye. With his younger brother Junmyeon trailing just behind him along with Lord Zhang, whom they met along the way and decided to tag along; the young Lord is beside himself, slightly eager to improve his image unto the young Miss, and hopeful that her heart had been taken by him.

A few distance away are Lady Byun and Lady Kwon, enjoying the sights of the Park themselves. 

Chanyeol hadn’t mentioned it, but he had not seen the young Lord Byun with them. It is curious as he is the only male in the family. Surely his presence is required as a chaperone? Dismissing the thought, he brings back his attention to the young lady.

They are walking closely to one another, and he could tell that she enjoys his company just by the way she keeps the conversation going, “Look, that over there is nothing like I’ve ever seen!” she exclaims, “the parks in our home were too far for us to frequently visit! And the people of Mayfaire only have to cross their homes to get here?” 

Her excitement was infectious to say the least, and Chanyeol took it upon himself to guide her through the whole place. “There’s lots more to see later down the lake, if you’re up for it, I’ll guide you to each and everyone of them.” 

With sparkles in her eyes, she looks up at him. Nodding at his every word, the young Miss is taken by his offer. 

Without so much of a plan, Chanyeol and Byun dive right into it.

From where the arc stood, the young Lord decided to start from there, pointing to it from where they stood. “The park’s arc has been around the longest out of everything you see here. My great grandfather’s grandfather watched it be erected in place, far back when there were a mere handful of people in town.”

Down the lake are rows of shops, some owned by townspeople and others from neighboring towns. He explains that these shops are maintained by the town, part of the taxes they pay is used for it, in order to give business-minded people a space to showcase their crafts and trinkets.

“Very sustainable.” She says in full interest, “it’s quite a cost-effective approach, if I do say so myself. Whoever thought of this idea is brilliant!” 

Chanyeol can’t help but agree. Aside from it being part of Mayfaire’s history, the people’s market has been one of the many ways for people to interact and connect by way of personal interests and business.

This was the reason why the young Lord has chosen the Lython Lake and Park for their promenade, not only did it allow the young Lady to get to know more of Mayfaire in a relaxed manner, it was also a way to pick at her thought process– and if he were being honest, he loved what he was hearing from her. 

Not many women had interests in businesses like she did, not many of them exposed to such studies as the people of Mayfaire still stuck to gender roles like the olden days, so it wasn’t exactly anyone’s fault. Ladies were not sent to schools still, most of them taught how to govern the home and its affairs. 

By the way she speaks and delivers her thoughts, young Miss Byun seems equipped with both knowledge, and Chanyeol could not be happier noticing this.

Initially, he wanted a wife that could be like a partner to him. One who could be his support in life and business, while he provides the same support. He was not seeking a love match, but with how well he and Miss Byun have gotten lately, he might as well consider it. Feelings may not be involved just yet, but he could tell it would be easy. 

As they wrap up the promenade which took a little longer than they expected, Chanyeol is satisfied with how the day had gone. She obviously felt the same, judging by how she looked up at him with magic in her eyes. Her smile hadn’t wavered since,  and her energy had been bursting throughout their walk. 

“So the next time we meet is at the next ball…?” She asks this time. 

Chanyeol nods in agreement. The next ball being a fortnight away. At that time, he should have made a decision on where he wants this courtship to go. 

“May I tell you something, my Lord?” She asks, gently batting her eyelids as she looks up to him. She has her hand up as though motioning to whisper into his ear, and Chanyeol leans in to listen.

Except she doesn’t say anything– instead, she plants a chaste kiss on his cheek. Blinking a few times to process whether it actually did happen, he doesn’t move an inch. He watches as she pulls back with a huge grin on her face and lets out an innocent giggle, and then she’s trailing back from where they came from, heading to where Lady Byun and Lady Kwon were.

Curious. The pounding on his heart when he first saw her seemed… Absent. Paying no mind to it, the young man seemed to have come to a decision. A kiss on the cheek? He and Miss Byun had not even held hands, but she’d gone and skipped a step to kiss him on the cheek. If that was not an indication of her strong interest towards him, he didn’t know what else would be. 

From their various meetings and interactions, young Miss Byun had fully satisfied him in all aspects. A good lady of a humble background, conducts herself well and is knowledgeable on household governing and has interest in business. She ticked all the boxes in Chanyeol’s mind, and to him she was perfect. Perhaps in the years that will pass, she would grow to become like her mother, kind yet strict and someone who could lead their children well.

As they rode home, Chanyeol did not waste any time. Across him, Junmyeon sat quietly, watching his expressions change a few times as minutes went by. When he ends up looking back at his brother, the latter smiles. “Is this it?” Junmyeon pipes. Without missing a beat, Chanyeol gave him a nod in finality. This was it. He intended to call for a family meeting and hear their siblings’ thoughts before he told them his decision to propose. 

Everyone was home, save for Jongdae who was still away travelling. The moment he arrived with Junmyeon in tow, Jungah, Haneul, Sehun and Aeri were quick to welcome him home. They all knew of the promenade, and were eager to hear how it went.

“Gather ‘round,” he said, leading them all towards the dining area. He had them all seated while he went to the kitchen to speak to their cook to bring out the treats. Their maids shortly come out with a variety of desserts. Rice cakes, sweet breads and cakes pour out of the kitchen and his siblings all exclaim in surprise at the sight of it.

“Are you getting married?” Aeri, their youngest, pipes up. Her hair is in a bouncy pair of pigtails today, and her round eyes are staring up at him as she says this.

“Not yet,” Chanyeol shares, “But I do plan to propose.” 

“We’re celebrating it?” She continues. In the background, their other siblings rejoice and help themselves to the treats. 

“We were going to celebrate with treats if things went well and have them either way if things didn’t.” He shrugs, “Treats are for celebration and comfort, little one.” 

Around the table, his siblings start talking all by themselves without so much of a prompt. 

“Are you proposing to Miss Byun, brother?” Jungah asks this time. “She is a very pleasant lady.”

“Miss Byun? The adorable young Miss that Lady Kwon is sponsoring?” Haneul asks, her voice loud enough for the whole of the kitchen to hear. “Expected and not surprised! With how much you asked her to dance the first night they attended the ball, you were practically telling everyone that you fancy her!” Laughter erupts as she says this, and the rest of them agree. 

Junmyeon, who was seated just to his side, reached out and gave him a pat on the shoulder, as though congratulating him for the upcoming proposal, “The Byun siblings are very wonderful people, brother. I am quite pleased that they will be part of our family.” 

Chanyeol nods to this. Smiling, a bubble of anxiety popping inside him, jitters, maybe.

Yes, the Byun siblings. 

For a moment, he forgets. 

His last interaction with Lord Byun. 

Was he supposed to forget…?

Jolted away from his thoughts, the siblings spent the rest of their day bonding with one another. Soon Chanyeol will have his hands full with wedding preparations, and everything that follows it will have his attention divided between his brothers, sisters and… Starting his own family. 

The days roll by with work as usual, only this time, Chanyeol finds himself trailing off a few times in a day. While his mind would wander to his upcoming proposal, he can’t help but stop and look at his left hand. 

He could almost feel the warmth of the hand that held onto it.

Drawing in a sharp breath, the young Lord sits back and thinks back to the young Lord Byun. He had not heard from the young man, nor had Miss Byul addressed his absence the day before. Had he gone off for business? Was he sick? 

Having witnessed him at his weakest, he could not help but worry about the man. Outgoing and bubbly– snarky at best, the young Lord had seen him in ways he probably would not have shown to anyone if given the option. 

Hearing what he had to say that night, Chanyeol finally understood why Baekhyun had been so hostile with him from the moment they met. Miss Byul is his precious little sister, and he had been watching out for her throughout their whole lives. It made sense that he filtered out the bastards who approached her with ill intentions. This was the rest of her life they were talking about, and making sure that she had someone who treated her right took priority.

If Chanyeol would put himself in his shoes, he would most likely do the same for his young sisters. He was practically their father, raising them all on his own after their parents had passed. 

It’s amusing that the more he thinks about Baekhyun, the more he realizes how similar their life had been; losing a parent at a young age and going through rigorous studies to take over family household and business duties at that age was taxing on a developing mind. Having siblings who relied on you was tough. Chanyeol did not know where to go from there. It was like being given a puzzle with no instructions…

With a sigh, Chanyeol dismisses his thoughts. He makes a mental note to visit Lady Kwon’s manor in a few days. If he’s lucky, he might chance upon Baekhyun, and he may be able to let him know of his intentions beforehand. He’s sure the young man would be happy for them. 

According to the head maid, Lady Kwon had gone out to see the Queen. Meanwhile, Lady Byun had taken Miss Byul to the modiste to prepare for the upcoming events. The ball’s theme had been decided, and the invitations were delivered just the night before. By next week, Chanyeol’s life will have changed, and he wanted his new friend to bear witness to it. Not that he won’t– he’ll be family as well– he’s required to attend the ceremony! 

With a grin on his face, Chanyeol decided to take a walk around the garden while the head maid checked on Lord Byun’s whereabouts. 

He goes around to the back, where the stables are. There is a small garden path as he walks over, the overgrowth making the walk a challenge. He treks his way over, hearing a humming sound as he reaches, and then he sees him. 

Baekhyun is hard at work, while cats loiter in the garden, the birds that nest overhead chirp merrily as he busies himself. He’s feeding the horses, while making faces as he speaks to them, “thanks for the ride earlier today, Ellie,” he offers the horse a carrot. 

This causes Chanyeol to let out a laugh, and Baekhyun jumps at this, his expression shocked as he whips his head towards the sound.

“L-lord Park…” Baekhyun stutters. 

He doesn’t miss the unsteadiness in his voice. Their first meeting in a while felt foreign to Chanyeol, but still, seeing another side to the male made him happy. 

“Good day, Baekhyun.” He says, brushing off a leaf on his own shoulder, he readjusts himself as he stands in front of the other.

The flowers surrounding them in the small clearing made everything feel like a dream.

Baekhyun stood there, in all his disheveled form, yet all Chanyeol could see was him. The flowers and the overgrowth have blurred from his sight, the chirping of the birds and nature’s music has muted in the background.

In his mind, he recalls this same man’s crying face, now marred with dirt and sweat. 

For a moment, Chanyeol only saw Baekhyun and–

“I’ve…” He trails. 

He almost forgot why he came in the first place. 

He stops mid-way, catching himself, and then he looks back up to see that the other has put away his tools, and is wiping both hands on the back of his pants. 

“To what do I owe you the pleasure?” Baekhyun’s voice is steady this time, his expression relaxed, as though he’s taken a moment to iron himself out. 

He’s taking slow steps towards Chanyeol when he says this, head slightly tilted in wonder. 

Chanyeol is stuck on his feet, his mind processing and shutting down whatever it is that it’s trying to figure out. He is blinking rapidly as he tries not to overthink his thoughts earlier and doesn’t miss Baekhyun approaching him slowly. 

Frowning in frustration, Chanyeol is beside himself. 

“Are you alright?” Baekhyun asks when he reaches him. 

Blinking a few more times, “yes, I’m alright.” He gathers himself. He attempts to smile at the other as he says this, and he clears his throat before he notices a bee swirling around them. 

Attention locking in on it, Chanyeol follows its movement before he sees it land just by Baekhyun’s neck, and he latches onto the young man.

Again, he is lost in thought and he’s caught in the moment. He doesn’t hear a word that Baekhyun says, when he focuses on the bee, demanding that the latter stay still. “Wait, do not move!” 

“Lord Park, I’m alright.” Baekhyun, albeit caught off-guard, tried to reason with him, but he was not hearing it. 

Chanyeol’s heartbeat sped as he noticed the brown-haired flinch, the bee stinging him just as easily as his father was. 

“It’s a bee sting, my Lord.” Baekhyun uttered, holding onto him.

The young man felt all the blood rush to his head, and he pulled Baekhyun closer. “No, no, no…!” Cupping the latter’s neck that was stung, and seeing the red rash it had left, Chanyeol’s heart crashed into a million pieces as the memories came flooding back to him. 

All of a sudden, he felt it. In his heart. The pounding in his chest is back and he’s staring at Baekhyun’s eyes, lost and scared.

It was just like the day he’d lost his father. 

“My Lord,” Baekhyun tries again but he’s barely audible to him, “I’m fine, I’m alright.” Baekhyun repeats, but Chanyeol is shaking his head to this, inwardly wishing that nothing bad happened.

Baekhyun holds on to his left hand, encasing it with both his own as he attempts to make Chanyeol feel the warmth of his hand, “Y-you’ve no allergy…” He mutters under his breath.

Slowly, the young Lord shakes his head, and this brings Chanyeol’s anxiety back down.

The breaths he takes are shaky at this point, and he doesn’t know how to explain himself to the latter. His heart is still beating fast before he lets out one more time, “Are you sure you’re alright?” 

“Yes, my Lord.” Baekhyun says.

Their faces are close to one another at this point, almost breathing each other in. Without noticing it, Chanyeol was drowning in Baekhyun’s eyes, making sure that he was alive. When he finally pulls back, he notices that the other male’s expression is knowing as he assures him one last time, and then he finally has the heart to let go.

The atmosphere around them grows awkward as they tear away from each other after being in such close proximity, and Baekhyun walks back to his buckets clumsily. Clearing his throat, the young male clarifies that his sister had gone out, so he will have to make his visit another day. 

Chanyeol gives into this, nodding silently.

Baekhyun wishes him a good day and swiftly disappears through the kitchen’s backdoor. 

The intention of his visit goes down the drain as he finds himself trekking back to the way he came, heart still pounding in his chest as he tries to make sense of what had just occurred. 

For a moment, something in him did not want to lose Baekhyun.

Lady Kwon is the second person to congratulate him on his engagement to Miss Byul, the first being Lady Byun who was supportive of their courtship in every way. 

Before he officially asked her in person, he sought after Lord Byun who seemed to have been absent once again. Lady Byun was dismissive of this, and offered to see him in Baekhyun’s stead, and that’s when he finally let her know that he intends to propose to the young lady. 

She had given him her blessings in a heartbeat and welcomed him into the family with wide open arms. 

As though everything had fallen in place, they soon began wedding preparations. 

Not a day went by where Miss Byun was not by his side. Together, the both of them became involved in every aspect of their wedding’s preparations. There were dresses to consider, flowers and food for the guests. 

Normally, Chanyeol would let their head maid decide these, but as it is one of his life’s milestones, he cooperated well and made sure that he knew what was happening. 

Miss Byun proved herself to becoming a good wife to him, as not only did she ensure that they did things as a team, but she also even sought his permission to be involved in paperwork, displaying her full knowledge and eagerness to help ease the workload from his shoulders.

“We’re going to be a team from now on, you and I,” she says, “I would like you to expect that I am capable of discussing work matters with you as I am capable of delegating tasks around the house.”

Hearing this reassures him that he’s made the right choice. Taking her left hand with his right, Chanyeol clasps onto her fingers before he brings the back of her hand to his face and plants a chaste kiss on it. 

Finally, he puts on an engagement ring on her, and she gasps in happiness.

He stands by her side as the priest announces them husband and wife. As he looks to his side, he realizes that Miss Byul has no mole on the corner of her lips– but then he caught himself mid-thought.

Eliciting a smile, Chanyeol breathes out and looks at their guests.

Beside him, is his now-wife, Miss Byun Byul, the only daughter of Lady Byun Aeri and late Lord Iheon, and finally the precious sister of Lord Byun Baekhyun.

EPILOGUE

Baekhyun was merely passing by when he heard laughter out at the front. There are gentlemen he has not had the opportunity to introduce himself to, but so far it would seem to him that the people of Mayfaire are quite welcoming. 

“Found your Diamond this season, eh Park?” The young male could barely hear from where he stood.

Approaching the entrance where the men gathered, there was only one person that stood out to him like a sore thumb.

Black hair pushed back, with his posture straight and confident, the young man was exploding with charm from where he stood. Baekhyun could barely see his face, but with how deep his voice was, he could very well imagine how he looked. “No, not yet,” he catches, “I haven’t found my ideal this evening.”

As the male turned to speak more with his peers, only then did Baekhyun finally make out the male’s face, and then his breath catches, the world around him stops, and his heart skips a beat.

They say love at first sight rarely happens to anyone… But why did it have to happen to him?

Watching the person he harbored feelings for from a distance was already difficult enough, what’s worse was that he had to see it all happen right under his nose. 

Byul had taken a liking to him almost as instantly as he did. She was over the moon that she grabbed his attention, and in all honesty, he would have fought tooth and nail for it if he had the opportunity.

In the short moment that they met, Chanyeol had been nothing but kind and welcoming to them. Hearing how they practically brought up the rest of their siblings alone gained his respect, as he had to go through the same thing– except that he had only one younger sister, and their mother had taken most of the reins at home.

Now that Byul was of marrying age, Baekhyun wanted to make sure that he was sending her off to a good family, to a loyal husband who would treat her no less than the way she has been brought up. Byul is a very brilliant lady, so the young Lord expected his little sister to be very picky when it comes to matching with someone.

However, it seems that she has set her heart on Chanyeol, and though frankly it broke Baekhyun’s heart, he knew that she was following her heart well.

“You’ve done your part, Baekhyun.” their mother says. Dinner has well passed, and Byul has excused herself to head to the study room, while the young Lord had been instructed to stay, “Let Byul handle her own matters from here on out. I’m sure you have better things to do than watch your sister’s affair with her suitor.” Soft-spoken but said like a threat. 

Lady Byun Aera was feisty in that manner. He picked it up from her. 

Since young, Baekhyun has been weak-willed. That’s why their home was governed by a matriarchy. From before, Baekhyun was raised in soft-heartedness and kindness, all traits that his late mother possessed.

He was born with a weak heart, so his mother allowed him all his wants. He was allowed to feel his emotions and soak in them, he was allowed to like things differently from other boys, being all he knew until the day Byul was born. All of a sudden, his things were handed to her without much consideration for him, his study room, his piano lessons, and even trinkets that were once owned by his mother, now belonged in Byul’s room. “They are accessories for young girls,” Lady Aera would say to dismiss him. 

With Lord Byun Iheon’s passing, Baekhyun was forced to grow up into a man overnight.

Perhaps that’s why he has maintained such… Femininity, as Lady Aera would say. The more Baekhyun matured, the more he looked like his late mother.

While Lord Iheon had a thing for beauties, his late wife had a face that could start a war between men. 

As a man who inherited such features, Baekhyun was aware of the heads that he’s turned just by being in the same room.

The cost? The taboo relationship that he so secretly desires. 

Long ago, Baekhyun resigned himself to solace. After sending his sister off to wed, he’s made it his goal to return home by his lonesome to finally govern the household the way he saw fit. 

He’s thankful for their mother, though strict as she was, but it was time for Baekhyun to pick up the pieces that his father left and face the life he chose to walk on.

That vision almost crumbled with Chanyeol’s appearance. 

Their coincidental meetings, and the distance between them that slowly kept on closing in.

Baekhyun could see that Chanyeol struggled, and though sometimes he hoped he had the courage to define his feelings for him, he knew that the male had more to lose than he did. 

In Mayfaire he had a reputation to uphold, siblings to look after and people that worked for him. 

Baekhyun may be younger, but he was not a stranger to that confusion. To those feelings he should not harbor for a man.

That is a path he’d rather not make Chanyeol take. So, before things get worse, and before he puts a name to what he's struggling with, Baekhyun decides to depart for home. 

Like this, he will remain in Byul’s shadow.

Chanyeol will forget.

He has to.