FLASHBACK 3.0

“Dae! Where is my velvet blazer? I told you that I'm gonna wear that today yet it's still nowhere to be found.”

“That one? I had seen some kind of candy stain on that so I've sent that for drycleaning. Though, I've bought this pair for you and I won't ask if you like it or not because you gotta wear them no matter what.” Said Jongdae as he placed a grey suit with a thin white shirt to wear underneath.

There was nothing to dislike at all. The attire looked pretty fine.

“Also, stop being dramatic, Baek. It's not as if we're going to meet your fiance. I already happened to be locked with you. Or… Are you having someone in touch with you behind my back? Byun

Baekhyun I swear if you-”

The younger couldn't complete his rant as the elder pulled him into a gentle kiss. At first Jongdae protested but melted in the kiss afterwards.

After a few moments they pulled away and Jongdae raised his eyebrow doubtfully while the latter just chuckled. “I may agree that I'm overreacting but no in this life I could ever fall for a person which is not you, Jongdae. It's just, I just can't help but over exaggerate my actions. This is about our son's marriage after all!” Baekhyun explained. “Besides, I'm so excited to meet our soon to be son in law.” He concluded.

It was Jongdae's turn to chuckle. “And I just wish that everything will go fine.”

“Why are you worried about that Dae? Taeil has finally found his man and I am sure the kid will sure be the best for our son. He has to be the best for our son. And things will definitely go perfect.” The elder exclaimed.

“And that's what I'm actually worried about.” Jongdae muttered and the latter frowned in confusion.

The younger man sighed and continued speaking. “Look Baekhyun, it may be possible that the kid we're going to meet would be different. Have a different background or image from what we are used to. It is also possible that he may not reach your expectations or would not be what you consider 'perfect'...” Jongdae stopped for a second as he took a long breath. “So what I request you is that, just try accepting whoever our baby has chosen without making things complicated. Taeil is a grown man now and understands what's wrong and what's right for him. We should actually be glad that our grown child is still looking forward to our approval for his life decision unlike nowadays' teens.”

“I know Jongdae and you still don't need to think much about that. I sure will support Taeil's decision. But at least I can hope right? I just don't want him to make a decision now and then regret in the future. He doesn't deserve to go through what we-”

“I know Baek. I know.” Jongdae said, interrupting the latter. “Let us just hope for the good and support our baby no matter what. After all, it's about his marriage.” Jongdae said while smiling and cupped his husband's cheeks as he linked their lips in a chaste kiss.

They both smiled fondly at each other after pulling away to catch their breaths. “Now let's not make our boy wait anymore. We're actually taking pretty much time as if we are ones who are going to get married.” The younger joked and they started laughing but started getting ready nonetheless.

______

The shorter fluffy man couldn't help but check the time in his watch again and again impatiently.

“Stop getting worried babe. They must be stuck with traffic or something. And I'm not running somewhere. We're here waiting patiently.”

“Yeah I understand but still Woo-ah. It's been quite a few minutes already and they haven't appeared yet. I'm going to call them.” The man said as he started unlocking his phone.

“Taeil, it hasn't been even an hour. Let's just wait. Constant pings may irritate them you know. Let's not ruin the mood.” Jungwoo reasoned to which the elder nodded while sighing and placing his phone on the table.

Soon a couple appeared and both Jungwoo and Taeil stood to greet them. Taeil expected them to exchange 'hi' or 'hello' just like a normal greeting. But the first verbal statement that was made after the other couple's arrival was, “Wait, aren't you that punk who ruined my car months ago?” Said one of the newly entered men while glaring at Jungwoo.

“Dad? You have met Jungwoo? You guys… Already know each other?” Taeil asked Baekhyun and then looked at his boyfriend to see his reaction. Unfortunately, the taller had a concerning expression and it was just enough to know that their date wasn't going to be easy and especially not in the way they had planned.

“Know him? Remember that obvious pattern on my car the other day? He was the one who created that. And not only that, this kid even had burnt my eyes with some of his chemical X and now I know the reason for my vision getting blurry day by day.” Baekhyun spat slightly enraged. He turned his head to Taeil and continued, “And what in the world are you even doing with him? Don't tell me that he is your boyfriend.”

Taeil might understand if there were some tensions between his father and boyfriend but he didn't appreciate that behavior of Baekhyun towards his boyfriend. He was about to retort to his dad but

Jungwoo cut him.

“I admit my wrongdoings, Mr. Byun and I sincerely apologize for that. It was back then and I could assure you that I have now changed. I really regret that and I would have not done it if I knew-”

“If you knew that I was your boyfriend's dad? Hahh! That's why you should keep your acts together kid.”

“Sorry Mr. Byun but what I meant to say was I didn't know that I was on the wrong track. And I sure know how to keep my act straight.” The youngest stated as a matter of fact which made Baekhyun furious thinking that the latter was mocking him.

It took only a blink of eye for him to pull the taller by the collar roughly as he started yelling in rage. “It seems you really lack mannerisms huh? The fuck did you get to have my son fall for you?”

Both Jongdae and Taeil got off guard as they processed the scene and went into action themselves as well.

“Dad stop! You're hurting Jungwoo!” Taeil yelled at the eldest while trying to undo the grip Baekhyun had on the tallest.

Baekhyun somehow released the youngest but only to give a look to Taeil. He clenched his fists as he started speaking. “See! He's already yelling at me. Yelling at his dad just because of this standard less moron.”

“Baekhyun, stop. Let the kid at least explain properly and let's not make a scene please. We are for something way more important than that all the past events, honey.” Jongdae chimed in trying to calm his husband down.

“Yes Dad. Maybe you guys did meet in very unfortunate ways but that was just past. At least get to know Jungwoo first.” Taeil said as he looked to his lover fondly. Jungwoo smiled in response.

Baekhyun just grunted in annoyance though he didn't say anything after that and just sat next to Jongdae in front of his son and his son's giant boyfriend.

No ounce of human sound was made after that as all the four just sat in silence. Taeil just fiddled on his fingers while Baekhyun never stopped shooting daggers at Jungwoo and Jongdae couldn't do anything but to just smile apologetically and the situation just kept getting awkward.

Noticing the broadening awkwardness, Jongdae cleared his throat taking the attention of the other three. “So Jungwoo… How did you and Taeil meet?” Yes. Jongdae knew it was one of the lamest questions but at least he tried to lift up a conversation in such a tensed up environment unlike the other three men around him.

“Kim. Jungwoo Kim is my full name and I met him during the freshman years and it might sound obvious but I myself didn't expect to be this deep for him when I had seen him for the first time.” The youngest answered and glanced at Taeil to notice the latter was blushing.

Jongdae cooed at the two while Baekhyun just rolled his eyes. Jongdae was about to continue but his husband butted in interrupting him. “So are you still studying or even doing a job which pays you, Kim?” Mr. Byun got words to utter only when I started up a convo. Jongdae thought in his mind.

“I'm still aiming to entirely complete the honors which may take only one or two months more and

I'm for sure doing a job already as a graphic artist which pays me well.”

“Understandable.” Baekhyun muttered while nodding to himself. “And your parents? Do they know about it? We must meet your parents first before confirming anything you should know.”

The statement took Jungwoo aback and Taeil sensed the occurrence of nervousness and just hoped that the younger would just answer somehow. “They don't know about it…”

Baekhyun hit the table surface suddenly, preventing him from completing his sentence as well as making the trio flinch. “What do you mean they don't know? Are you going to do such a big thing without even asking them? How can I expect you to respect us when you don't even respect your own parents? Would you even let Taeil meet us after marriage or snatch him right away?”

“Dad…” Taeil tried stopping Baekhyun from getting deeper with the certain question but Jungwoo tapped his shoulder in an assuring way and started answering the eldest. “Yes Mr. Byun, they don't know but not because I didn't choose to tell them but because they're just not with me so that I could tell them. My parents disowned me when I was a kid and since then, I'm just living by myself.”

“So you're not just unmannered but you're disowned as well.”

“Baek, stop. It was his parents who did wrong now just stop this already.” Jongdae spoke trying to stop Baekhyun's enraged rant.

“Okay. I won't ask about your parents. So, you've been an orphan basically. Do you know anything about family responsibilities? I mean, you have been living alone all this time then if my son will be at your home, will you be able to carry all the expenses and needs of him? Will you be able to treat him the same and even better than he's always been? Will you be able to raise children properly because no in this life I'm gonna die without seeing my grandchildren. To be honest, I personally doubt if you even have kids or even if by chance you'll get, you'll probably kill my grandchild before it even comes into this world.”

“Dad! Just stop with this already, it's enough!” Taeil yelled at Baekhyun as he stood and glared directly at the latter.

“Stop with what? All I'm doing is just confirming whether this kid deserves you or not. Why are you even interrupting in between Taeil? Let the man speak for himself.”

“How can you expect him to speak when you're clearly humiliating him!”

Jongdae and Jungwoo wanted to stop them before the situation would worsen but they both were terrified after seeing their lovers in such a furious state as if there was no tomorrow.

“Humiliating? So just asking him a few questions to check if he's right for my son or not is humiliating? Thinking about your good future is humiliating?”

Taeil shook his in frustration before speaking, “Well yes. He already told you everything and even apologized for whatever you guys had in the past. But you are still being salty, it's just too much.”

Baekhyun started laughing humorlessly at his son's acts. “Really Taeil? You're really yelling at your father just because of this standard less bug? Great. Just great!”

“Dad I don't want to but you're forcing me to. Yes. Call him standard less or bug or whatever you want but he's still a human unlike those heartless creeps who happen to be your good friends.”

“You know what? Cut the crap! I'm not accepting this boyfriend of yours as my son in law and that's final!”

“Then you should also know that I love Jungwoo and will marry him even if you disown me and

that's final!”

Jongdae and Jungwoo gasped after Taeil's threat while Baekhyun was just stunned in shock. He sure was so furious at his son that he could hit him for not obeying him but he wasn't a toddler anymore. He was now grown and Baekhyun could either just accept him or refuse by refusing his son's existence and no way in his life he could cut ties with his only son.

“Okay. Okay! Do whatever you want. But I'm telling you, you will regret your decision. If I'm saying no then that's only because I can sense something which is not right but if you think it is, then do it. But mark my words, you yourself will witness things getting wrong, Byun Taeil. Or may I say, Kim Taeil.” With that, the eldest left.

The three just stayed still for a moment before Jongdae apologized to Jungwoo and smiled at Taeil sadly and followed his husband leaving the couple alone.

Taeil turned to the younger and sighed. “Woo-ah I'm really sorry-”

“No. I'm sorry, Taeil. This is actually what I deserve. I should have been careful with my doings which I was not. I disrespected your parents and I couldn't even convince them. I'm such a fucked up freak.”

“Hey, we all make mistakes in our lives but what matters is that we change. And you have changed for the good. Changed for me, Jungwoo. Dad may doubt but I'm sure that you're just right for me, we're just right for each other. Nothing can go wrong when we're together.”

Jungwoo looked at Taeil in the eyes and they both smiled at each other and leaned for a kiss.

“Yes. Nothing will never go wrong.”