At twenty-four years old, Yeonjun celebrates his second wedding anniversary. Three days later, he meets Soobin.
Original source- published by overflow on ao3
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Yeonjun puts a good deal of effort into Juwon's lunch boxes. He knows there are plenty of omegas who send their alphas to work with kimbap or nothing at all, and Yeonjun's proud to be better than that. He's taken his mother's lessons and added to them. He molds the rice balls into the shape of teddy bear heads, cuts the seaweed into hearts and stars. It's fun for Yeonjun, and Juwon loves it.
Juwon doesn't admit it to anyone but Yeonjun, but he loves cute things in a way that alphas shouldn't. Plushies, stickers, fluffy animals. He'll buy a teddy bear ostensibly as a gift for Yeonjun, only to spend the entire evening with it on his lap as he watches a movie.
Out of everything, he loves the lunch boxes the most, because they're lunch made by Yeonjun.
The topic comes up when Juwon's supervisor, Daehyun, invites Juwon and Yeonjun out for an omakase dinner at his favorite restaurant. His pregnant omega-wife, Jinae, picks the rice out of the sushi. Pregnant omegas shouldn't eat raw fish. Daehyun also invited the company's wide-eyed rookie, Jungkook. He's an unmated alpha and a few years older than Yeonjun, but he still pours everyone's drinks.
The five of them sit in a private room behind sliding doors, quiet piano music playing through unseen speakers. Juwon doesn't particularly like Japanese food, but he'll pretend for his supervisor. Yeonjun loves it, but since he usually eats with Juwon, he doesn't eat it much. He relishes this rare opportunity, and eats bites of raw fish from Jinae's plate.
"You're the lunch box master," Jungkook says, filling up Yeonjun's fourth glass of sake. Jungkook began the night reserved, but he's grown more talkative as his cheeks have reddened.
Yeonjun smiles, confused. "What?"
"Juwon always has the best lunches! One time, I asked to try a bite, and he looked like he was going to kill me. And when we all go out to lunch, he stays in the office to eat what you made him."
"Really?" Yeonjun asks, grinning as he turns to Juwon. "I didn't know that."
Juwon shrugs. "Why should I waste your hard work? Besides, they're delicious."
"And cute," Jungkook adds. "Ah, I'm so jealous."
Juwon pulls out his phone. "Look." He opens his instagram profile and pulls up a highlight dedicated to Yeonjun's lunch boxes. One after another, every day for the past year. I'm so lucky, one is captioned. Another: my cute husband who makes me cute lunches. Yeonjun rarely uses instagram — he didn't even know this highlight existed. He beams and squeezes Juwon's leg under the table.
"Wow," Jinae says. "I need to step it up."
"No, I'm sure yours are great. And you have less energy when you're pregnant right?" Yeonjun says.
"Besides," Daehyun says. "I don't think I'd want a lunch like that. A grown man eating a Hello Kitty-themed lunch is a little ridiculous, right?"
"Oh," Juwon says. "Yeonjun likes Sanrio, and these are fun for him to make..."
Yeonjun twists his fingers under the table. He doesn't give a shit about Sanrio, he prefers Kakao Friends. Juwon is the one with eight Pompompurin plushies.
"I think it's nice," Jungkook says, turning to Yeonjun. "You put in the effort because you love him, right?"
Yeonjun nods.
"I get that. I'm just telling you, as your senior. Some of the guys at work think it's a little..." Daehyun trails off. "Odd."
"Oh."
Daehyun looks at Yeonjun. "I'm sure they taste fantastic, though."
"They do," Juwon says.
"But, you probably should come along to lunch when everyone else is going. It wouldn't hurt to build a rapport with the higher-ups, you know. You're shooting for that promotion, right?"
Juwon nods. "Right."
"Anyway!" Jungkook says. "When is your baby due?"
The conversation drifts towards baby names and nurseries. Jinae's pretty and pregnant and perfect, but she can't eat sashimi or drink sake with them. Her feet are swollen, and her back hurts, and she has to go home early because she's exhausted. Juwon, Yeonjun and Jungkook head towards an overpriced cocktail bar for a night cap.
"Is it just me," Jungkook says, sipping his old-fashioned, "Or is Daehyun kind of..."
"An asshole?" Juwon asks. "He is. That doesn't make him wrong. Do people really talk about my lunch boxes?"
Jungkook hesitates. "I think they're just jealous."
Juwon grimaces, nods. "You're a good kid, Jungkook."
"Do you have any single omega friends?" Jungkook asks Yeonjun, smiling. "I really want to get married soon. I'm so tired of making my own lunch boxes!"
***
Juwon doesn't say anything to Yeonjun, but he deletes the instagram highlight with the lunch boxes. Yeonjun puts away the teddy bear, star, and heart molds.
