Sometimes Sweetly, Sometimes Achingly

Chapter 1: One, Two, Three, Four...

The first time Taeyong saw Jaehyun, it was when he was just drunk enough to stare but not drunk enough to go up and say something.

As per usual Donghae style, his wedding was a little cliché and cheesy, but still romantic and cute. Red and pink rose petals decorated every inch of the hotel venue. The cake was stacked high with mini figurines of the grooms on top. Donghae had even nagged enough to get Hyukjae to wear a matching pure white suit—but it wasn’t like he had to try very hard, because Hyukjae always caved when it came to Donghae.

Donghae had wanted a flower girl and ring bearer, but unfortunately, he wasn’t close to anyone young enough to fit the bill. So instead, he made Taeyong and Jeno, his oh so dear younger brothers, take on the roles.

And really, Taeyong would never complain about anything regarding Donghae’s big day, but did he honestly have to be the flower boy?

“I’m older than Jeno,” Taeyong had grumbled with no actual anger. “He would look so much cuter throwing flowers at people.”

Donghae had merely laughed and pinched Taeyong’s (practically nonexistent) cheek. “You’re already a flower boy, Taeyongie, so you may as well lean all the way in.”

So Taeyong found himself tossing flowers (petals, as Donghae would always correct him) with a genuine smile, because again, he would do anything Donghae asked him to. His brother deserved at the very least that much.

When Siwon, the officiator, asked them to recite their vows, Hyukjae went first. “I’m not very good with coming up with speeches, and this idiot here,” he poked Donghae in the waist with a soft smile, “is definitely going to come up with some perfectly romantic stuff, so I’ll be quick.”

“Donghae, you make life exciting. Partly because you’re dumb and never stop bothering me, but mostly because you’re bright and help me see things differently. When I see you, I feel like I’m looking into a mirror, because you show me the best parts of us. And I love you, of course, you idiot.”

Taeyong stifled a laugh behind his hand. He’d expected just as much from the straightforward Hyukjae, but with the way Donghae was staring at him, it was as if Hyukjae had just spouted the most beautiful vows in the world.

Then, Donghae took in a deep breath and smiled, the tears already forming in his eyes (damn, that meant Taeyong lost his bet with Jeno). “Lee Hyukjae, it’s you. I’ve known it’s you since we were fourteen. Every day I think of how lucky it was for me to miss the train, because then you never would have stayed behind to help my brother and I never would have met you. I thought you would’ve forgotten about me in no time, but when you came up to me in school two days later and asked how my little brother was doing, that’s when I knew it was you.”

“Oh my god,” Donghae laughed, covering his face with his hands. “I’m probably being so cheesy right now. I’m sorry. Um. I swear I had this whole romantic monologue planned out, but I don’t even know anymore.”

Now the tears were really coming, streaking down his cheeks and dropped onto his pristine white suit. And yet Taeyong had never seen him happier.

“I love you, okay? I’ve loved you for twenty years already, and I know I’ll love you in another twenty, forty, sixty, however much longer we’ll live. You’re my light and my forever, Hyukkie, and that’s the only thing I know for sure.”

Before Siwon can say anything, Donghae has already lurched forward and kissed Hyukjae, his hands fisting into his husband’s blazer. The crowd laughed as Siwon raised his hands up as if to say, what can you do, and just started clapping.

In that moment, Taeyong had witnessed the purity of the happiest moment of his brother’s life. But now, a few hours and two glasses of wine later, he’s considerably more somber. He watched as the newlyweds spun in slow circles together, whispering to each other with adoring smiles. Jeno held his boyfriend at a respectable distance—enough room for Jesus, as Taeyong liked to say—as they slow danced.