*

Baekhyun has a big problem.

"Oh my god.... Where did I put it....!?"

He has already rummaged through all of his stuff, looked through his car, searched throughout the laundry room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room, even under every furniture, basically flipping the whole mansion upside down, but to no avail.

"Shit."

He still can't find his wedding ring.

"Chanyeol sunbae's gonna kill me..."

Baekhyun slumps himself on the floor in complete devastation, burying his face into his palms. Leaning against the washing machine, he tries his best remembering when and where was the last time he took his wedding ring off and why. Was it yesterday at school when he was washing his hands? Or did he put it inside his pocket and drop it accidentally?

"Oh, no... I can't remember..."

Aside from the fact that he's clumsy, he's also forgetful about things but this one just clearly made him so disappointed in himself. He takes utmost care of his precious wedding ring, not taking it off unless necessary. So it's really maddening that he lost a very important thing that symbolizes his love for Chanyeol. The cost is another story; just by thinking about the price of the expensive 10-carat diamond plus the 18-carat gold is enough to make him faint (approximately 2.9 million USD).

"Argh! I'm such an idiot! Why did I even lose something so important!?"

Thinking about it again, Baekhyun just woke up this morning and found out that he wasn't already wearing his ring. He even thought he was dreaming though, not seeing the gold band that is supposed to be worn on his ring finger. The amount of panic and anxiety it brought him as soon as he realized his wedding ring was gone is massive. Good thing (or not) Chanyeol didn't notice it when they showered together. He definitely needs to find it as soon as possible before his husband finds out he has lost his ring.

So for now, he'll just settle with this.

"If I didn't find it today, I'd just have to tell him the truth," Baekhyun mutters to himself, taping a bandaid with strawberry design around his ring finger as a substitute, "I'm sorry, Chanyeol sunbae..."

With a frown on his mouth, he raises his left hand in the air and stares at it. It feels and looks totally different without his wedding ring on. It's as if his marriage is robbed away from him.

"Baekhyun?"

A soft knock on the door surprises Baekhyun, causing him to violently jump on his feet with exaggeration. Seriously, he needs to get his shit together and act normal no matter how guilty, frustrated, mad, and heartbroken he is.

"Are you done with the laundry?"

Baekhyun clears his throat before he answers:

"Y-yes, Chanyeol sunbae!"

"Why'd you lock the door? Come on, let me in."

Like a robot, Baekhyun marches towards the door and opens it with his right hand while hiding his left hand behind his back so obviously. Fidgeting nervously and not meeting his husband's eyes, he recites to himself like a mantra: Act normal, act normal, act normal, act normal.

Chanyeol lifts an eyebrow at him looking extremely suspicious.

"You did something wrong."

"Huh? I-I didn't!" Baekhyun strongly denies, stepping back until he hits the wall. "What are you talking about!?"

Chanyeol curiously looks at his husband protecting his hand like he's hiding it from him.

"Wait. Are you doing a prank on me again?"

"What? No, I'm not!"

"What are you hiding behind your back?"

"Nothing!"

"What is it?"

Baekhyun shoves his hand inside his underwear.

"I said it's nothing!"

Chanyeol effortlessly grabs Baekhyun's wrist that the male is trying to sink into his pants. He intently studies Baekhyun's hand, seeing his ring finger now with a cute band aid wrapped around it like a ring.

Baekhyun quickly takes his hand back and holds it himself.

"I-uh, th-there's a wound! Yes! I-I accidentally cut myself when I was doing the laundry! You know, Sehun's hoodie? Ha-ha-ha-ha! I was washing it!"

No. That's not it.

"I was being harsh! M-my nails! They're already too long and...!"

Stop lying. Don't tell him that.

"So I, when I was trying to scrub the dirt off the hoodie, my finger just went... whoop! And then it bled out! So I disinfected it and covered it with a band aid... That's why I... I had this.... on my finger.... and I..."

Silence falls for about ten seconds or so, with the two of them just blankly staring at each other. Baekhyun parts his lips to say something more, when his husband finally reacts with a soft worried look that internally surprises Baekhyun.

"Oh. Then you should be more careful."

Baekhyun blinks fast.

He... didn't notice?

"Better yet, throw away that hoodie. Let's just buy Sehun a new one to replace it."

"Uhm... O-okay..."

"By the way, lunch is ready so finish up here and don't forget to unplug the washing machine from its socket," Chanyeol reminds, heading to the door, "Turn off the lights when you leave."

The door in front of him clicking silently makes Baekhyun release the deep breath he doesn't know he's been holding. His knees seem like jelly, feeling all wobbly as though he has just lost his soul for a minute.

Whew.

"That... was close."

Shutting the door behind him, Chanyeol is this near from punching the wall, fighting the urge to maybe curse, laugh, and cry, all at the same time. He zones out with his face emotionless, yet he ends up sighing instead and holding his forehead.

Fuck.

"HE LOST THE WEDDING RING..."

*

"Babe, I think Baekhyun is acting a little strange today."

"You think so, too?"

"Mm. Don't you think he's getting fidgety ever since morning?"

"Yeah, I noticed that. Maybe he's looking for something he lost."

Jongin and Luhan silently watch from their comfortable position on the couch Baekhyun roaming around the house like he's a cat chasing for a mouse. It's the third time already that Baekhyun is going down the stairs to look underneath the furnitures in the living room. He is even searching inside the vases, shaking them upside down but not getting any. By the frown on his face, he looks like he's already close to sobbing. He must be so frustrated, not finding that something he's looking for.

"Baekhyun, do you need some help?"

Looking up upon hearing that concerned voice, Baekhyun sees Jongin and Luhan suddenly appearing in front of him. Since when did they get here?

"Are you looking for something important?"

"Uhm, I... Well... I just," Baekhyun fiddles with his fingers, sweating heavily as he avoids their stares. If he tells the guys he lost his wedding ring, they'd surely get worried, and soon enough Chanyeol would find out about it and that's the last thing he wants. "Yeah... I-uh, I lost the left pair of my airpods. I forgot where I dropped it..."

"Have you looked under the couch yet?" Luhan asks.

"No, not yet... I couldn't move it by myself."

"Then we'll help you find it," Jongin says, preparing to lift the other side of the couch, "Luhan, give me a hand."

Kneeling on the floor to peek underneath the couch Jongin and Luhan are holding for him, Baekhyun gets his phone to flash some light as he scans his eyes for something shiny and glinting. He can't spot any though, the floor is tidy as fuck, not even a speck of dust can be found. Kudos to Kyungsoo. Speaking of Kyungsoo, he must ask him if he happens to pick up his ring somewhere.

"No, it's not here..."

"Are you sure? Look at every nook and cranny."

"I... I can't find anything. It's too clean here."

Dusting their hands, Jongin and Luhan carefully drops the couch on the floor. Baekhyun looks like he's seriously gonna cry right now and that makes them worried.

"You could just buy a new one, Baekhyun. It's fine," Jongin says to console him, "Was it really that important?"

"Yeah, I mean, I could lend you a pair if you want?" Luhan offers, "Or you could just ask Chanyeol to buy you new airpods. I'm sure it's not gonna be a problem, right?"

"Thank you, but I can't just replace it. I need to find it no matter what," Baekhyun mumbles sadly, "I'll just look for it again under our bed. Maybe I missed a spot."

Jongin and Luhan can only let Baekhyun go as the male quickly runs upstairs like he has some deadline to meet.

"I didn't know a piece of airpod could be something so valuable to Baekhyun," Luhan sighs as he sits back on the couch beside his boyfriend.

Jongin grabs another bag of barbecue chips, opening it with his teeth before he grabs a mouthful.

"You just can't relate. You've lost a hundred of pairs yet you didn't even try finding a single one."

"Well, you buy them for me, so..."

"Sometimes, I think you only keep me as your sugar daddy..."

"Babe, you know that's not true..."

"Haha. I'm just kidding."

Chanyeol arrives a few minutes later, spotting Jongin and Luhan lazing together in the living room's couch just like how he left them this morning. Apparently, Sehun and Kyungsoo are not yet home because Jongin and Luhan won't make a huge mess of the junk foods they ate if those two are around.

"Where's Baekhyun?" Chanyeol asks. "Is he okay?"

"He's upstairs?" Jongin states the obvious,  "And yeah, he's all right, I guess."

"Okay, thanks. Bye."

Then Chanyeol comes running towards the stairs to get his husband.

"Are those two playing hide and seek?" Luhan gasps when he thinks of something bright, "Omg, a new kink, perhaps?"

"Maybe... Ah, I'm still hungry..."

"Wanna eat me?"

Jongin chuckles.

"Get on all fours."

"Yes, Daddy~"

*

Eighteen hours later and there's still no progress. Baekhyun is already considering on hiring a Private investigator or consulting a fortune teller in order to find his lost wedding ring. But he also realizes he has no money to do that and Chanyeol will surely suspect him if he did more unnecessary suspicious things.

So, instead of still desperately searching for his missing wedding band which seems to be hopeless, he's now planning on how he should tell his husband that he lost it. What possible ways could he use to confess the truth without causing too much emotional and mental (financial) trauma to Chanyeol?

Baekhyun honestly made a list.

First, he could confess it while they are having sex.

To reduce the probable anger and stress the lost ring may bring to his husband, Baekhyun could use his seducing technique and have Chanyeol fuck him however he wants. Shower sex, car sex, office sex, in every position they can get, it's fine. Then Baekhyun could scream out 'I lost my wedding ring!' instead of 'I'm coming!' during climax. Chanyeol might be too weak to even get mad because of his orgasm, and Baekhyun could just ask for round two or a kiss and a cuddle just in case his husband would feel betrayed.

Second, Baekhyun could tell Chanyeol about it through a formal and very heartfelt letter.

He actually already wrote an essay-like letter with all the appropriate punctuations, proper grammar, and correct spellings of every word and sentence being his husband is a very strict Professor. He doesn't want his apology letter to come back to him with an F full of many corrections. Of course, he didn't graduate college with flying colors for no reason, so now it's time for him to use his brain.

---

Dear Mr. Park Chanyeol:

Sir, I am writing this letter in hopes that my sincerest apology from the depths of my heart could reach your kindness. Due to an inevitable circumstance that I admit fell into my shortcomings, I accidentally misplaced the wedding ring that signifies our eternal love.

To atone for this heavy sin your naive husband has committed, I humbly offer you my body, my heart, and my soul, to your greatest use however you please.

Divorce is never an option; a punishment of sexual pleasure that the both of us can purely enjoy is greatly recommended. Cost is only a number and love is powerful. I strongly hope that my honesty will move your heart enough to forgive my mistake that will surely never happen again in the future.

Sir, I am truly sorry regarding the lost wedding ring. It may have been gone because of an unfortunate event, but your love will forever remain and stay in my heart.

I love you so much and thank you for your deepest understanding.

Respectfully yours,
Mr. Park Baekhyun

---

Third and the last way, Baekhyun could say that he lost his wedding ring through crying. He knows all too well that Chanyeol's weakness is seeing him in tears. How can Chanyeol even get mad at him witnessing him cry?

The exact situation could be like this.

The whole bedroom is dark and Baekhyun would be alone sitting on the bed, shoulders trembling with tears streaming down his face incessantly. The lights would switch on to illuminate their room, and Chanyeol would find him slumped in that pitiful state. His husband would step towards him and join his space, holding his arm and peeking at his sad face.

"Babe, what's wrong?" Chanyeol would ask him that question in pure concern, "Why are you crying?"

Then it would be the perfect opportunity for Baekhyun to hug his man and sob into his broad chest. He would cling on his husband's neck as he sobs so painfully, looking at Chanyeol with puffy eyes. He would sniff his snot and wipe his poor tears before screaming out:

"WAAHHHH!!! CHANYEOL SUNBAE! I LOST MY WEDDING RING!!! I'M REALLY SORRY! I FORGOT WHERE I PUT IT! I'M SUCH AN IDIOT, PLEASE DON'T GET MAD AT ME, PLEASE DON'T DIVORCE ME!"

After that, Chanyeol would lift up his face and wipe his petty tears with his thumb. He would look fondly at him and kiss his forehead, rubbing a soothing hand on his back to hush him down.

"Oh, Baekhyun. My dear, Baekhyun," Chanyeol would laugh at him heartily, "Don't cry anymore, all right? It's just a ring. What's important is that you're safe and we're together."

"Okay," Baekhyun would answer that, smiling so wide because his job is now done here, "I love you, Chanyeol sunbae."

"I love you too, baby."

"Thank you for understanding."

"No problem. Don't worry about it," Chanyeol would tell him with a smile so creepy and handsome at the same time, "You know. That ring just cost me almost 3 million dollars. It's not a big deal, right? I sold five cars and two properties just for that wedding ring, remember? We almost went homeless because of that expensive ring and now you fucking lost it!? Haha! What the fuck is your stupid brain thinking!? Should I just sell you to the mafia in exchange!? How about you work as my slave forever, you fucking slut!"

Baekhyun quickly swats away the bubble that formed above his head to make his wild imagination disappear. Shit. That just scared him. He better stop daydreaming and get back to reality.

To the reality that he's about to get busted any minute from now.

"You done showering?"

Because right now that they've already finished work, dinner, and shower, he and Chanyeol are gonna make love. It's now sexy time.

"Yes."

Both wearing bathrobes and fresh from the shower inside their spacious bedroom, Baekhyun refuses to engage eye contact with his husband. He flinches though, when Chanyeol speaks again enough to make him feel guilty of lying and hiding things.

"Come closer."

Baekhyun scoots closer.

"There."

Chanyeol just glares at him sitting on their bed ten feet away from him.

"I can't reach you. How is that even close?"

Baekhyun doesn't move as if he never hears something.

Sighing, Chanyeol decides to take action himself. He stands up, grabs Baekhyun by the armpits, makes him sit on the bed in between his legs, and embraces him from behind like he's hugging a teddy bear. He doesn't fail to miss the little squeak coming out of Baekhyun's mouth as soon as he swiftly unties the male's bathrobe only to strip him out of it.

"That's better."

Chanyeol smirks when Baekhyun curls underneath his touch as he freely roams his hand along Baekhyun's body. Sinking his mouth into Baekhyun's ticklish neck to kiss and lick it, he feels his husband gasping in his arms due to pleasure. With that, he doesn't hesitate anymore to bring his hand lower to reach Baekhyun's ass.

"Chanyeol sunbae..."

"What is it?"

"Your mouth... feels so warm..."

"Yeah?"

"Aaah.... It's making... my neck burn..."

Baekhyun finds himself leaning more comfortably against Chanyeol's chest, throwing his head back and arching his spine. Now he can't think clearly as though his mind is going hazy; his husband spooning him from behind and touching his body feels too intimate and erotic. Not to mention Chanyeol's teeth gently biting his earlobe while chuckling faintly towards his response.

Why does Chanyeol's deep soothing voice sound so sexy? It's very illegal. It's shaking up his whole sanity.

"Suck," Chanyeol commands, holding up his three fingers in front of Baekhyun's mouth. A proud smile makes its way into his face though, seeing his pretty husband gratefully slurp his thick fingers all the way down to his mouth. "Very good."

Baekhyun holds Chanyeol's wrist so that his husband's fingers are aligned to his mouth for him to properly coat them up with his own spit. Like Chanyeol's fingers are a lollipop, he bobs his mouth into them and sucks harder. He makes sure every inch of it is wet and slick because he knows what's gonna happen next.

"How does it feel?" Chanyeol asks in a whisper, pressing little kisses on Baekhyun's shoulder. He then slowly sinks his wet fingers inside Baekhyun's tight butt to stretch his entrance out, "Look, we didn't even use lube yet your hole's sucking my fingers pretty well."

"Hngh... Put them.... deeper in me, please..."

"They're already thrusting inside you. Why do you still want it deeper?"

"Because I... I want to....ah! Not there..."

Baekhyun is fidgeting like crazy as he wiggles his hips lower, fucking himself down into Chanyeol's fingers buried knuckles deep into his butt. His parted legs are even shuddering at the way Chanyeol is fingering his asshole this intensely. In this position, Chanyeol can see how his digits slide in and squelch out of Baekhyun in a very lewd way. It's too fascinating and hot.

"Because you want to what?" Chanyeol repeats, not forgetting to nudge that sweet tingling spot, "Tell me Baekhyun, so I'd know."

"I want to be.... mngh! Be filled up more by your fingers..."

"You want to be filled up more by my fingers?"

"Y-ye--oh--yes..."

"That's really naughty of you."

"W-wait... Stop... Don't... mnghh... move them like that, please..."

Chanyeol has to chuckle at the male desperately thrusting himself into his hand. Wasting no time, he withdraws his fingers out of Baekhyun's asshole and grabs Baekhyun's own fingers instead. "Here. Do it yourself, then." He holds his husband's wrist, aligning his fingers towards his own ass. "Finger your hole just like how you masturbate when you thought I wasn't aware."

Baekhyun's cheeks flush, furiously shaking his head. Chanyeol wrapping his hand around his erection to gently stroke him off is also making him blush.

"No. That was just! I'm not doing it..."

"You're not doing it?"

"No..."

"Really?"

"Maybe sometimes... when I'm alone and I'm horny...."

Chanyeol can't help smiling hearing that adorable confession.

"You still get horny by yourself even though you're already married to me?"

"I can't help it... I just miss my husband always..."

"You miss me always?"

"Yes...."

"So you do it always?"

"That's---no!!!"

"Do you think of me when you masturbate?"

"I don't know!"

"You don't know? Are you sure about that?"

"I told you, I don't know!"

Baekhyun hides his blushing face into his husband's chest, feeling so awkward he could die. Why is Chanyeol asking him such embarrassing questions anyway? It's making him feel shy and flustered.

"How many times do you do it in a month? Five times? Four times?"

"Stop asking me...!"

"But I wanna know the truth. Be honest and say it."

"Just... just two times..."

"Just two times a month?"

"No... Two times a year..."

"A year? See, you've been lying to me quite often now," Chanyeol clicks his tongue, reaching for the nearby lube and coating Baekhyun's slender fingers with it. After that, he guides Baekhyun's thinner fingers towards his own hole to tease his twitching entrance, "Do you do it like this, babe? Rubbing your fingers slightly on this spot?"

"No..."

"How? Show me."

The precum on the tip of Baekhyun's cock dribbles prettily as he pumps his own fingers in and out of his butthole. Like he's in heat, he tries to nudge his prostate with all his might but he's having trouble. He needs something bigger and longer. It won't work with just his fingers. He wants more.

"No. Don't look," Baekhyun mumbles as he tries to hide what he's doing from his husband, "Hngh... Don't stare at me... It's embarrassing..."

"You're so hot right now. How can I not watch you," Chanyeol says, spreading Baekhyun's ass cheeks wider, "My cock is getting harder because you're so sexy when you're this turned on."

Chanyeol jacking off his dick, teasing his nipples, and kissing his neck, all at the same time results Baekhyun to feel all tingly and sensitive. How can this foreplay make him feel amazing? The way his husband is hugging him so close while stimulating his good spots is causing him to lose control. It's like he is melting at each caress and touch on his body.

"It's not enough, Chanyeol sunbae... My fingers are too slim and short...." Baekhyun shakes his head, tears already brimming on the corners of his eyes because he's super hard and aching now, "I don't want this anymore... Please fuck me with your cock already..."

"No way. You must be enjoying yourself like this, though."

"That's not true...!"

"But you're already throbbing and I haven't even put my cock in. Did you just lie to me right now?"

"Ngh...!" Baekhyun instantly jolts when Chanyeol flicks the head of his cock so suddenly. It's like a spark awakens inside of him. "I would never.... mngh.... lie to you..."

"We hate liars," Chanyeol mutters as he spreads Baekhyun's legs wider like his butt would be ripped apart. Hearing Baekhyun sob hopelessly like this makes his heart break a little. But he must do this or else he won't hear the truth, "Now I wonder how many other things you're still hiding from me."

"I-I apologize... I'm not gonna---oh! Lie to you anymore..."

"You got mad when I lied to you about my tattoos, so of course I'd feel the same if you lied to me, right?"

"Yes... I know..."

"I'm sorry but we need to discipline you tonight, Baekhyun. You can't come unless I say so, understood?"

Baekhyun slowly nods.

"Use your words."

"...yes... I understand."

"Louder."

"YES, I UNDERSTAND."

"Good."

Baekhyun whimpers with his cheek shoved on the bed, as Chanyeol's hand pressed against his neck holds him down. He can't see his husband this way, but he can clearly feel the tip of Chanyeol's cock slowly pushing in behind him. Squeezing his eyes, he grips the bedsheets tightly when Chanyeol penetrates him, fucking his hole all the way through.

"Ah, wait---MHGH!"

Oh god. lt's too big. It's like his butt is gonna tear apart at this rate. His body feels like burning at each thrust enough to make his toes curl. What kind of sensation is this? It's taking his breath away.

"Please... Do it gently...! Haaah... You're being too rough!"

"Huh? What did you just say?"

"Slow down...!"

"No."

Chanyeol continues his pace, roughly fucking Baekhyun in this bareback position. Baekhyun's hot insides are so tight and slick around his length; there's no way he can be gentle this way. Not contented, he grabs both of Baekhyun's arms and holds them behind Baekhyun so that he can ram into his body deeper and stronger. Fuck. This is no good. His cock could explode, seeing Baekhyun shoved underneath him taking up his dick like a good boy.

"What are you doing?" Chanyeol clicks his tongue, watching his husband struggle with his erection dripping and aching in between his legs, "Just because you can't use your hands you thought you could grind your cock against the bed like that?"

"I-I wanna come," Baekhyun desperately begs, that the sheets are getting wet with his tears and sweat, "Please, Chanyeol sunbae... I can't take it anymore... I want a release so bad...."

"Didn't you hear that you can't come unless I say so?"

"Can't I see... your face at least?"

"No. Just stay like that."

"But I... I want to kiss you..."

"Shut your mouth and don't talk back to me."

Chanyeol harshly bites on his bottom lip it could draw blood, thrusting into Baekhyun so hard the bed creaks. He grips his husband's waist while ramming into him with great intensity. His face twinges in pleasure as he senses his orgasm approaching. Pulling out his dick and releasing Baekhyun's wrists, he kneels on the bed and strokes himself off.

"Get up and face here."

Hearing that, Baekhyun quickly turns around and faces his husband having his orgasm. He is surprised though, when Chanyeol suddenly clenches his jaw so that his mouth is situated just in front of Chanyeol's cock. Loads of cum explode right at his face that he allows to freely drip down his chin.

"Ah, fucking shit..." Chanyeol curses, putting the head of his dick into Baekhyun's mouth, "Suck."

Damn. Seeing his cum spurting all over Baekhyun's eyes, cheeks, nose, and jaw is too sinful and erotic. How much more now that Baekhyun is sucking him off? Baekhyun's swollen lips are even dripping with saliva, and it makes it much easier for Chanyeol to fuck his mouth.

"Go on and touch yourself. I know your hand's been itching to do that."

At the mention of that, Baekhyun jerks off his cock that's begging to be touched since earlier. It's not even a minute yet but he already feels like exploding. Having his husband's cock shoved into his mouth makes him more needy; he can't last this long anymore. He just needs permission and he'll climax right away.

"Come."

Chanyeol stares, watching Baekhyun spurt his release on his own hand until it messily flows onto the sheets. Withdrawing his spent cock out of Baekhyun's mouth, he looks down at the male collapsing on the bed while he catches his breath. Baekhyun must be too exhausted being held back from his release for so long.

Sighing tiredly, Chanyeol cards his fingers through his hair, contemplating whether to hug Baekhyun in his arms or not. He eventually feels guilty for lashing out his feeling of upset through sex. Was he a bit harsh? Did he overdo it?

"Are you all right?"

"Yes..."

"I shouldn't have been too rough. I'm sorry."

"No. It's okay, I'm not even hurt... If so, I deserved your anger because I hid something from you."

Baekhyun scoots Chanyeol's lap and hugs his husband's waist while reflecting on his wrongdoings.

"Recently, all I've been doing was make you mad... It's like, I couldn't do anything right anymore..."

Chanyeol's gaze softens.

"Baekhyun, don't say that."

"But I... I'm so frustrated in myself..."

"If you have something to tell me, say it now. I'm listening."

Baekhyun looks up to him.

"I lost my wedding ring..."

After cleaning themselves, dressing into their pajamas, and replacing the sheets, both of them sit on the bed facing each other. They can't go to sleep tonight unless they finish sorting this out. Baekhyun is aware that Chanyeol already knew that he lost the ring beforehand. His husband must be just waiting for him to confess it himself.

"I'm sorry that I lied to you about losing my wedding ring... I tried searching for it everywhere before you can even find out that I lost it but," Baekhyun anxiously starts, not looking at Chanyeol's face because of his guilt, "But I can't find it anywhere no matter where I look... It took me eighteen hours to--"

"Nineteen."

"Nineteen hours to tell you the truth. I'm really sorry, Chanyeol sunbae... For keeping it a secret and for being so forgetful of such important stuff... It's my wedding ring... not just anything. So I feel so troubled I don't know how I should tell you..."

A tired sigh is Chanyeol's response as he pinches the bridge of his nose. He admits he also feels burdened but what can he do? He can't just say 'don't worry it's okay it's just a ring', when clearly it's not. He can't always spoil Baekhyun and tell him it's always gonna be fine when it's not. That's not life.

"I was honestly mad and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. I already noticed you weren't wearing your wedding ring, and I was just waiting for you to tell me about it but you didn't."

"I was scared you'd get angry..."

"But it would upset me more if you kept things from me. You know I don't like it when we don't communicate."

"I... I didn't hide it from you on purpose..."

"Yeah. You told me your reasons and I completely understand that. But I feel disappointed in you for not being responsible enough for what I gave you. Do you admit to that?"

Baekhyun silently nods, using his arm to brush away the tears falling from his eyes. Chanyeol scolding him right now causes his heart to clench out of regret; it just pains him a lot being seriously lectured by his husband like this.

"I regret it so much... It's all my fault... You have the right to feel that way because of what I did..."

Chanyeol holds Baekhyun's hand and peeks at his face that Baekhyun keeps hiding from him.

"As your husband, I'm telling this to you not to make you feel bad. We must talk about important matters together, right? I hope next time it won't happen again."

"I understand," Baekhyun rubs his eyes soaked with tears, using his shirt to dry them while his husband only stares at him, "I know that it's my mistake for being so careless... I'm so sorry..."

"To be practical, that wedding ring cost us a lot of money, babe... I just..." Chanyeol breathes deeply and shakes his head. There's no need to dwell on it now. What happened already happened anyway, "Maybe it's also my fault for giving you something so expensive so it's also a lesson for me. You must've been pressured to wear it."

"No... It's not like that..." Baekhyun denies, shaking his head, "I apologize because you have to feel this way and I can't do something about it..."

"Fine. You can stop apologizing now," Chanyeol spreads his arms to welcome Baekhyun inside, "Come here and give me a hug."

As soon as Baekhyun embraces his husband, he can't help sobbing even more. Chanyeol has to kiss his eyes and rub his back to comfort him.

"We'll just figure it out, alright? I'm not mad at you... I didn't mean to make your cry..."

"I'm sor--huk--ry," Baekhyun cries in between broken voice while he allows Chanyeol to cradle him, "I-I will work hard--huk--to replace my wedding ring... I will save enough money... to buy the same ring," he grips Chanyeol's shirt as he wets it with his tears, "And I promise to be a better husband who won't upset you anymore... So please, d-don't divorce me, Chanyeol sunbae..."

"Babe.... Don't say that..."

"But, but I lost something so expensive... And I lied to you... You must hate me now..."

"Why would I hate you? And who says I'm leaving you over a ring?" Chanyeol says and cups Baekhyun's crying face, looking straight into his eyes, "I love you more than you could ever imagine, and a ring is worthless compared to what I feel about you. I'd rather lose everything than not have you by my side." He holds Baekhyun hand and touches the mark the wedding band left on Baekhyun's ring finger. "Don't think about that ring anymore. You're the most important to me and I will never break up with you. You know that, right?"

"Yes..."

"We just got married so don't say a word about getting divorced. It hurts my feelings."

"I'm... I'm so sorry," Baekhyun sniffs his runny nose."You'll stay with me even if I'm not wearing a ring anymore?"

"I'll stay with you until you get sick of me."

"That will never happen!"

"I know."

"You won't sell me to the mafia, right?"

Chanyeol pauses, a laugh almost slipping out of his mouth. What was that about all of a sudden? Baekhyun's just so random sometimes.

"Never. I'll beat the mafia myself."

Baekhyun wipes his tears, feeling honestly relieved.

"Thank you, Chanyeol sunbae..."

Chanyeol hugs him and kisses his forehead.

"Let's sleep now. You must be really tired finding that ring by yourself."

Baekhyun goes to bed embracing his man while still silently crying and blaming himself. Chanyeol might've forgiven him for the lost ring, but Baekhyun can't forgive himself just yet. It's as if he must do something to find it or replace it. How can he fall asleep with this matter bothering his mind?

So with that, he carefully sneaks out of bed in the middle of the night after making sure Chanyeol is fast asleep. He steps out of their bedroom on tippy toes and carries a flashlight. He can't turn on the lights around the mansion or else the other guys would find out that he's still awake.

"I should find it one last time before I finally give up."

Baekhyun just repeats what he did this morning. He rummages through all of his stuff, looks through his car, searches throughout the laundry room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room, even under every furniture, basically flipping the whole mansion upside down. Took him two hours but again, to no avail. He can't find it anywhere.

Just when he's about to give up and go back upstairs, he glimpses something moving and glimmering in the dark.

"What's that?"

He runs towards that glinting object at the corner of their spacious living room, feeling his heart thump like crazy. Could it be his wedding ring!?

"Oh my god!"

Baekhyun cries in all different emotions when Vivi furiously barks at him. He carries the dog up and inspects his white thick fur for that shining object he saw a while ago.

And there he finds his gold wedding ring stuck and tangled at the end of Vivi's tail.

"Ahhhh! Vivi! It's been with you all this time!" Baekhyun exclaims, half-sobbing and half-laughing while carefully removing his wedding ring out of Vivi's wiggling tail. "Why do you have it? You wanna get married already!?"

"Woof! Woof!"

"I'm so happy!"

Baekhyun tightly hugs Sehun's dog, feeling over the moon. He immediately wears the ring on his finger to where it belongs, smiling happily now that it's back to its place. Vivi must've picked up his ring from somewhere and put it to his bed. This dog moves around too much anyway and his fur is too fluffy so probably Sehun and the others didn't notice it.

Either way, Baekhyun is too busy celebrating that he didn't notice the lights turning on while everyone is now wide awake. Chanyeol who's still sleepy looks confused about what's happening.

"I thought someone already broke in because Vivi wouldn't stop barking. It was just you," Kyungsoo says in relief.

"I FOUND MY WEDDING RING!!!" Baekhyun announces, jumping so energetically this late midnight. He runs towards his husband and aggressively jumps at him. He clings around Chanyeol's neck while screaming, "Chanyeol sunbae, look! My ring! It's here!!! I found it on Vivi's tail! Look! Look!"

Sehun only shrugs, telling everyone he doesn't have a clue about that. Kyungsoo laughs and tells Luhan and Jongin to get back upstairs. It's nothing alarming, it's just Baekhyun finally finding his most precious treasure.

Chanyeol almost loses his balance at Baekhyun violently shaking him. Now he's completely awake. It puts a huge smile on his face though, as he carries Baekhyun piggyback style. Baekhyun won't stop kissing his cheek; he's too excited.

"My ring! Ahhh! I found it, Chanyeol sunbae! Mwah, mwah, mwah! I found it finally!"

"Yay. You found it. Good job."

Seriously, if Baekhyun's gonna be this adorable as always, Chanyeol won't mind losing another ring?

Wait. He shouldn't have said that.

"But... You don't look so happy!"

"Of course, I'm happy. But I'm also sleepy..." Chanyeol pets Baekhyun's hair, "I'm really glad that your ring wasn't lost after all."

"Yeah, me too."

"Let's go back to sleep?"

"Will you sing me a lullaby?"

"No."

"Please?"

"Okay... I'll do it."

Above all things, Chanyeol is glad not only because the lost ring is found, but also because Baekhyun is finally smiling again. That's the most precious treasure to him, definitely.

*

Quote of the day: "Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving." - James E. Faust

To be continued

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Next chapter preview!

"I'm telling you, I'm Baekhyun's girlfriend!"

"He's literally two decades older than you."

"Age doesn't matter!"

"And he's basically your teacher and your uncle."

"Uncle Channie is my only uncle and Baekhyun is my boyfriend!"

"Hey. Kids aren't allowed in this household so you're not supposed to be here."

"But Mommy said I'm gonna spend the whole weekend with Baekhyun!"

"Listen. This house is strictly for boys only, okay? So go home to your Mommy already."

"Waaaaaaahhhh! Why won't you believe me! Let me see Baekhyun!"

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"Now that our boys are in military hiatus, I hope this story will satisfy our longing for ChanBaek! Whenever you miss them, just reread chapters in this series~ ♡"

- ParkBaekkie