Yunho and San take the opportunity of a commercial to come out in multiple ways during pride month.
1.4K words, Content note: all ages, gender neutral reader, polyamory, coming out, outing is brought up but does not occur, nervousness and anxiety, mention of possible future parenting
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Mingi had often said he would like to be chosen for commercial work promoting beds since it spoke to his love of resting. When a Swedish furniture company approached KQ Entertainment looking for just such a partnership, Mingi jumped at the chance. Though he could perform in character on stage well enough, unfortunately, his offstage acting skills were still in development. Dressed in cozy pajamas, snuggling into the bed on set came naturally enough. He was even praised for his realism until it was discovered he had actually fallen asleep, but line delivery in the waking up scene left something to be desired.
Having discussed the problem with his best friend Yunho, it was decided to ask the company if they would accept a change in actors and make use of the idol far more at ease with scripted lines. Stepping into the role without delay, the commercial was successfully shot in one day. Yunho also ably modeled for promotional posters and a catalog spread which proved very popular with ATINY. His charming looks also won him fans far beyond K-pop.
After such a well-received ad campaign, the next year brought another request for Yunho's services. With a planned air date for June, a follow-up commercial was in the works, this time continuing the story of Yunho in his flat-pack furniture filled home. His character was to be given a partner to woo over affordable yet attractive tableware in this update. Since the actress had yet to be cast, Yunho was consulted to see if he had any suggestions, perhaps some idol friend he'd like to work with.
After clearing it with both the highest levels of KQ Entertainment and his partner, Yunho came back with an answer. Holding the hand of his lover, he introduced San to the commercial development staff. “I know you picked June for a Father's Day theme, but would you consider making it a Pride commercial as well? With our managers' full approval, we are both ready to come out as bisexual.”
San had seen the furniture company run ads with same-sex couples before so he had figured they would be accepting of that angle. Yet, there was more to open up about. With a squeeze of Yunho's hand, San admitted, “There is something else you should know before choosing us.” When he was finished speaking, San saw grins of approval rather than a less welcoming atmosphere he had known was a very real possibility.
The two cuddled closely in their large bed the night before filming the revised commercial. Yunho traced the line of San's shoulder before frowning and pulling back nervously. Propping himself up on one elbow, he looked at San seriously. “You ready for this? People will talk, and there is no going back. You've seen the lack of support Holland gets in our industry as an out gay man. I don't imagine bisexuals are treated any better, and all the rest of our situation on top of that.”
San's dimpled smile was a reassuring sign. “There will be screenshots on Twitter within minutes, reactions on TikTok, and fanfic on Tumblr and AO3 soon after. KQ and the rest of our team are cautiously excited for the global publicity this will bring. Hongjoong thinks we can help a lot of queer ATINY feel less alone.”
“True,” Yunho agreed, “but for us, are you truly okay going public, and in this way?”
The weary sigh San let out revealed his frustration. “I am tired of hiding. Our families already know and approve of who we love so there is no need to hesitate for their sake. Honestly, with the way amoral reporters compete to unmask celebrities I would much rather this be our decision. Even the anxiety over our reveal and how people will take the news is an improvement over the constant fear of being outed without consent. Besides, we already have interviews with multiple queer websites lined up for the morning the commercial begins to air. That means the media we care about gets the story, in part because we know they will get it right.”
Consoled it was the right decision at the right time, Yunho nestled back into San's warm arms. Sleep came quickly over them both. The pair were so worn out by their emotions that they did not wake when you slipped into the bed of your polyamorous boyfriends.
Filming took far less time than expected, even working with a child actor. The ease with which they could be themselves before the filming crew confirmed their readiness to be public about their loving relationship. Post-production at the hands of a team sworn to absolute secrecy swiftly completed the commercial soon to be aired worldwide.
By the day of the premiere, San and Yunho had shaken off their fears, but you were feeling slight jitters. While your guys were out for interviews, the remaining members of ATEEZ were gathered to watch the commercial first air during the most popular morning show on Korean television. Seated among the boys you had come to see as family since becoming romantically involved with San and Yunho, you watched eagerly for their reactions. Sensing your nerves, Yeosang lightly stroked one of your hands while Wooyoung held the other tightly to his chest making you wonder who was consoling who in the situation.
Jongho grabbed the remote to turn the television louder as the morning show hosts paused for the commercial break at the top of the hour.
“This is it!” Wooyoung shrieked with anticipation only to be confused by a dog food commercial followed by one for laundry detergent. Finally the furniture ad came on and he dropped your lightly crushed hand to immerse himself completely in the scene.
Under the fluffiest white duvet, Yunho slept in a simple but stylish wooden bed in the soft morning light. The sound of small bare feet approached. Clutching a large stuffed shark, a toddler clad in festive character pajamas also conveniently available from the furniture company ran up to Yunho. They squealed, “Papa!” He opened his eyes and ruffled their hair as he gazed lovingly. The covers then peeled back and San was revealed to be in bed with Yunho, arms out, ready to pull their child in for a snuggle.
The cheers that went up from the watch party, including KQ staff filming for a reaction video, were silenced by Hongjoong. “I don't want to miss any of this,” he hissed as attention returned to the screen.
Denying San's offer, the toddler exclaimed, “No, daddy, I want the other one!” Again the covers were pushed down further and now a third partner was visible coming to a sitting position in the comfy bed. You. Clambering over your boyfriends, your television commercial offspring ended in your lap while your arms went out to San and Yunho. There were warm smiles all around. The ad ended with the progress pride flag and the tagline “We sell beds big enough for all families.”
It took far longer for the excited noises to die down this time. Everybody had leapt up to jump around or congratulate you. Mingi was dancing with a staffer and Hongjoong attempted an unsteady handstand which Jongho knowingly sidestepped as the leader came crashing down. It was clear they were very happy for two beloved members to finally be open about their romance, but also as part of a trio who were very smitten with each other.
A commercial wasn't the most conventional way to announce being in a relationship, but then neither was your polyamorous life. Not parents in real life, the child was your young cousin in their first acting role, but you and your partners were still mulling over the possibility of adding children to your family one day.
Seonghwa sought you out and offered a gentle hug. “I am so proud of all three of you, and your little cousin. You will have to bring them over again soon so I can compliment them in person.”
Once things had calmed down somewhat, Yeosang replayed the commercial several times. Everyone had something to say about how positively this representation could impact ATEEZ fans and beyond. While nobody in the room thought there would not be pushback, in this moment they savored the victory of very visible corporate support. It certainly was not the end goal for queer acceptance, but it was a notable step along the way.
Your life as a princess means many choices are out of your control. When your beloved brother Mingi suggests you accept the offer of marriage from Prince San it comes as a shock considering Mingi himself is already in love with San. And yet, this ends up being a perfect solution for all involved.
4.3K words, Content note: suitable for all Tumblr using ages, asexual reader not drawn to sex but willing for the sake of having children, reader is AFAB and publicly gendered as princess throughout but it is open to interpretation that the reader could be trans, no gendered pronouns for reader, sexism present in the differing expectations of princesses versus princes, plentiful mentions of marriage, pregnancy, and children, sex is referenced in the story but not actively present
This work was inspired by some of the themes in the mature story 'Of Princes and Princesses' by @sorikkung found on Tumblr and AO3.
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While you had always been open to the idea of falling in love, you wanted nothing more than a partner to chastely snuggle and adore. Born into the life of a princess, neither of those ever seemed possible for you when the expectation was to produce heirs for whoever you would be bargained off to. You saw in your own family life how that worked out. While your own widowed mother had married the king as her second husband, it was a practical arrangement instead of an affair of the heart. She had sought a secure life to raise her son Mingi after her first husband had died in a tournament. The new marriage that raised her from wife of a knight to queen of the land was more business deal than romantic, but so most royal partnerships were.
The king had fallen for the knight's widow of suitable noble parentage, but the attraction was not mutual. A widower himself, the king had no children by his first marriage and it was no accident he chose a woman known to be fecund as his next bride. Mingi was not your only sibling, however. Having several illegitimate children, the king knew fertility was not in doubt on his side, so it was no surprise your birth from the recent marriage was followed closely by that of the long-awaited Prince Jongho to carry on the dynasty.
Your family was a complicated one. Hongjoong, Yunho, and Wooyoung were your half brothers by three different paramours the king had used and discarded during his first marriage and subsequent period of bereavement.
Separated from their mothers, the boys were reared within the castle walls, never to be raised to royal status except in the dire circumstance of no licit heirs. With your arrival, then Jongho's, your older brothers by the king were set to live simple lives as long as you and your full brother drew breath. Eventual offspring by Jongho or yourself would further protect them from serving as a future king, something Hongjoong as the eldest was extremely grateful for.
Their lives were to be comfortable ones other than the lack of a caregiving parent. With an allowance paid from the king's purse covering a small household and staff, their positions were conditional on making no attempt to gain higher status than their father chose to bestow. Still, acknowledged or not, being children of the ruling monarch they would always be a risk to your father's throne should someone wish to use them so the boys were kept under a watchful eye. As they aged however, it was clear to all that the three kind young men were far more interested in the arts and a quiet life than lusting for power.
Even from a tender age, Hongjoong had developed a skill for musical composition. With the accompaniment of Yunho and Wooyoung, the siblings would perform to great applause at royal functions. In addition to an angelic voice matching his brothers, Yunho too had a special talent. He was very easy to love and among the king's older sons he was the one you felt closest to.
Perhaps it was growing up in the castle without his own mother that led Yunho to be almost needy for acceptance. Although you were still young yourself, sympathy for his position came easily, and you hoped he would one day feel confident that he was enough just being himself. It helped that your own mother set a welcoming tone, even over the king's objection, as she treated Yunho and her other two stepchildren as her own both before and after you and Jongho were born to her.
Then there was Wooyoung, your boisterous and overzealously demonstrative half brother. Like the others, he showed no interest in abusing his status as an illegitimate child of the king, but was content to learn all he could from the cooks in the vast kitchens serving the castle. Wooyoung showed great aptitude and he hoped to one day hold a position among the staff there.
So your mother had Mingi and your father three prior sons. By the time of your birth to the king and queen, you joined the castle as the first officially recognized heir. Without any say in the matter, you were declared a princess at birth and due to the laws of primogeniture not destined to hold a kingdom in your own right should a legitimate son be born afterward. Like the king's older children, you too had no desire for a ruling position so it was with great relief you grew up with a younger full brother, Prince Jongho. Barely a year old when he came along, you had never known life without him and you doted on your youngest sibling as much as the shared bevy of half siblings did.
A little territorial, Mingi had taken the longest to warm up to the king's children by his mother, but as you and Jongho aged into people with personalities of your own, he became your biggest defender and favorite playmate. You saw your other half brothers a little less frequently than Mingi due to their lower status, but all the children got along surprisingly warmly in this situation not of their own making.
Your childhood passed happily singing with your brothers, playing in the castle gardens, and taking turns reading to each other when you met in the library after tutoring sessions. Mingi was getting the education expected of a knight's son and your other half brothers Hongjoong, Yunho, and Wooyoung were permitted to sit in on those lessons. Later Mingi went on to finish his mathematics education in the university of a neighboring country. You missed him terribly in the years he was away, but he sounded happy in his letters, including hinting at a romance.
With a tutor all his own, Jongho was being raised to succeed your father as king, while your studies of languages and poetry rather than tactics and history meant you were being set up as a marriage prospect. While you understood you would be of great use to your country sealing a treaty by being married off one day, and the tie of kinship would make your country safer, you would have much preferred to do that work as a diplomat than spouse. Being labeled a girl meant your brain was not considered as valuable, and you chafed at the limitations despite all the other things made easier in your life due to the privileges of being a princess.
Having heard the history of other kingdoms where monarchs sometimes chose unsuitable partners for their lineage or beauty alone, you and Jongho would talk about your hopes for the future as the time of your own marriages neared. As a noble, and now home from his studies, Mingi was considered suitable for marriage too, and would be sought after for his close family tie to the king and Prince Jongho. As a threat to a stable crown, your illegitimate half brothers of course would be expected never to marry or procreate. Like you, they too had limitations placed on their life due to parentage.
For years your brothers had known you were what in another day and age would be called asexual; the lust other people experienced was not something that ever happened to you and by now you were certain it was not due to never having met the right person. Content with your difference from the average experience, it probably would serve you well when asked to partner with a prince not of your own choosing. Holding out for someone to catch your eye with their sex appeal was not going to happen. Yet, you wondered if you could feel romantic attraction. The affection held for your brothers had added so much to your life, but the way people talked of true love had you longing for that feeling too.
Jongho also recognized he was different from other princes, at least as far as he knew. After swearing all the siblings to secrecy, he disclosed crushes on people of any gender since his adolescence. The open conversation proved to be a reassuring one as Jongho discovered he was not alone in the family. His half brother Mingi admitted to finding romantic attractions among all people too.
Yunho was next to share a secret of his own. “Hongjoong and I bonded swooning over the same stablehand. When my brother he told me he had no interest in women either, I didn't feel alone anymore. You don't have to feel that way either, Jongho.” Sweeping his youngest half brother into a giant hug, Jongho warmly welcomed the affection and acceptance from his sibling.
It was with a great laugh that Wooyoung joined this round of revelations. “Our father the king never needs to worry about us producing children to challenge the legitimate line.” You shot him a look knowing not everyone capable of pregnancy was a woman, but that was an educational discussion for another time.
Hongjoong had been listening to the conversation quietly but finally interjected. “You truly aren't alone, Jongho. Princes have fallen for princes before. I have heard about that in other kingdoms.” Browsing a nearby shelf, Hongjoong quickly located what he was after. Passing the slim volume titled 'Of Princes and Princesses' to Jongho, he then shepherded the rest of you out leaving the prince to read the historical account.
At dinner that night Jongho gave you and Mingi a glowing account of the book while your royal parents dined at the other end of the long table. Jongho slipped it to you with the recommendation that it held reassurances for your own situation as well. He was right, which you learned while devouring the entire volume before bed. The prince at the center of the story who lived the life that suited him gave you a strong sense of kinship despite living in a bygone era.
Such was the affection among the three partners in the story that their names had become synonymous with love and fell into popular use down through the ages. In fact, two of your own brothers bore names of the historic Princess Mingi and his Prince Yunho. So taken with the story of royals living their own life on their own terms, you would later name your own firstborn after the other beloved prince in the story.
Time passed and you worried about your brothers being able to find happiness in their situations. Mingi in particular seemed to be mooning over his university romance and as much as you tried to get information out of him, he would not reveal why it ended. You gathered he had fallen for a man, but there had to be more than that keeping them apart if there was affection on both sides as he had indicated. Unable to console Mingi, soon enough your mind was taken over by your own problems as you reached an age deemed appropriate for marriage brokering.
A poorer kingdom would have been bankrupted by the month of festivities leading up to a contract. Hosting the royal families of three carefully selected kingdoms led to feasting, dances, and a tournament. It was also a time for your father to renew his friendships and non-aggression pacts with these few monarchs he was not already related to through the women in his line.
Each of the ruling families brought their heir apparent son of the appropriate age and this is how you came to know the princes Seonghwa, Yeosang, and San. While a wedding was demanded of you by your father the king, you appreciated the small freedom of the chance to pick among the young men.
Prince Seonghwa was the first one you had met. At first put off by his handsomeness, you had falsely judged him to be arrogant or cold but it only took one conversation with the prince to be swayed by his quick wit and elegant manners. However, as wonderful as he was, you could not picture a life as his spouse. Admitting that to Seonghwa led him to mention his own attraction to another in your castle. The honesty between you cleared the air and Seonghwa ended up being the first friend you made during that time.
Prince Yeosang arrived with his mother, the ruling Queen of the land he would inherit one day. He too was beautiful and his radiant aura left you calm in his presence. Taking some time to warm up over the month of activities, by the time your selection neared you and Yeosang were fast friends easily able to elicit laughter from each other.
You had grown more comfortable with each other after Prince Yeosang tactfully disclosed he did not want to be considered as your future husband. It was nothing to do with any lack on your part, but a preexisting mutual attachment to one of the ladies in his mother's court. Pleased at this news, you were genuinely happy for Yeosang and accepted an invitation to his wedding one day if all went as he hoped.
Then there was Prince San. The first meeting with him could have gone better. It started off well as you introduced him to the legitimate members in your family. “You know of my brother Crown Prince Jongho of course, and this is my half brother Mingi, the king's stepson,” you offered at the latter's approach.
Looking up at the mention of his name, Mingi flinched and excused himself after the briefest of socially acceptable chatter about nothing. San watched stone-faced until Mingi was out of sight then made his own hasty apologies before leaving you and Jongho alone to send each other quizzical glances.
Despite the awkward brevity of the first meeting, San ended up being the suitor you felt warmest toward. His looks and charm were equal to the others, but those were not the things which had swayed your heart. One teary night you learned from Mingi that Prince San had been his lover at school. That was why they could not be together when San was destined for a princess he could sire a line with. While the two men had attempted to remain cordial but distant in their interactions for the duration of San's visit, they had quickly resumed their caring and passionate relationship. So there it was, each of your prospects had their sights on others, either long or short term.
From previously revealed description alone, you already liked the mystery man who had been Mingi's university boyfriend. To have now met San in person confirmed all the reasons Mingi had fallen for him. By the end of the visit Prince San showed himself to be incredibly loving and thoughtful, you even felt a pull toward him yourself despite San already being spoken for by Mingi.
Over the weeks, San, Seonghwa, and Yeosang often took tea with you, Jongho, and all the kings and queens. The formality of those sessions chafed you as much as the other young people. Luckily, this was supplemented by far more casual and comfortable picnic lunches with your brothers. It was far easier to get to know the suitors away from the watchful eyes of all the parents involved.
Things were going well, and everyone seemed to get along. It became a time to relax and not worry so much about the point of the princes' journeys. Jongho certainly made good use of the chance to befriend his fellow future monarchs.
As you watched everyone eat, you were touched San and Mingi appeared to still be close, as were the newly made friends Seonghwa and Hongjoong. Wooyoung seemed to hit it off well with Yeosang too, to the point of learning the prince's secret attraction and gleefully listing all the foods he would cook for a wedding feast if given the chance. Yunho was present as well, easily making friends with the visiting princes and was offered as many invitations to hunt or game as his bothers. Still, as fun as the time together was, the looming threat of marriage cast a shadow over fully enjoying time with your siblings and new companions.
You understood how this was supposed to work, marry a prince and bear him many children to ensure a stable line of succession. Your firstborn son the crown prince would be loyal to both his country and also favorably view the one you had grown up in due to ties of kinship. Any daughters of your match would be left in the same position you had grown up in, valued more for marriage prospects than as a person in your own right. It was not what you had ever wanted, especially when none of the princes seemed to desire you either. And yet, as Mingi pled, “Please, hear me out,” before he made a case to choose San, you could not help but like the plan that was hatched in the library that night.
“San is going to ask for your hand in marriage and I think it would be good to accept.” Mingi looked tired but resigned as he discussed the painful situation of giving up his recently reunited boyfriend.
“What? You know I don't want a husband, have no need of one really other than someone to dote upon and I have you and the other brothers for that, right? Won't you help me fight the demand I wed?” If anyone was on your side, you would have expected it to be Mingi with his motivation to keep San for himself.
“No,” Mingi argued, and his reason was a compelling one. “I love San, and he feels the same way about me though we have not known each other long. Of course being together is not possible with his need for heirs so I would rather lose him to you than someone else. We talked a little about your situation and he is willing to marry you for the tie to our kingdom alone. You would remain untouched if that is what you wanted.”
Taking his hand, you tried to reassure your brother there was hope. Certainly he could have regular visits to your new home and his boyfriend, but there had to be a better solution that that. After some quick thinking, you asked, “San wishes it were possible to be with you too?”
Mingi's face relaxed at the thought of his love. “Yes. He said so, and I believe him.”
“Let's talk to San tomorrow. Perhaps we can all be happy.” With a substantial hug and that slender offer of hope for your brother, you parted for the night.
Sleep was elusive as you turned the problem over in your head. Mingi adored Prince San, and San loved him back unreservedly. Having seen them together over the prince's visit and knowing their history went back farther, the devoted connection was not as surprising as it might have otherwise been. Knowing it was your lot in life to marry, willingly or not, you figured a marriage of convenience was the best outcome you could hope for given the situation. You already liked San as a friend, and if you were being truthful, even found yourself romantically attracted to him a little. You could imagine a good life supporting your brother Mingi and his partner San in your role as the official spouse.
So this is what you decided, pending approval of both the men you cared about. Rather than tragically giving up on their relationship, under the guise of serving as your personal secretary, Mingi would move with you to San's kingdom upon your marriage to the prince. While outwardly your brother would be there as a beloved sibling for company, his real reason was to be able to live under the same roof as his true love. San as future monarch would join a long line of princes and kings before him to have both a marriage for the possibility of legitimate heirs and a romantic partner outside the marriage. It was nothing unusual for a monarch to have lovers as your father had done, San would just be going about it in a very atypical way through honesty and your approval of the arrangement from the start.
In a lengthy discussion with San the next day the details were ironed out among the three of you. Prince San explained that he felt romantically drawn to both yourself and your brother Mingi. Fully accepting that you were not driven by sex, he was willing to name his sister's children as his heirs if none should come from your royal union. The tie of marriage was enough to satisfy bonds between his father's kingdom and yours. Most importantly, your life was to be your own, including separate chambers which was customary for most royal couples anyway. Your position as princess of the new land and future queen consort would come with some obligations, but those were things you were already used to performing for your own country.
Having seen how competent Yeosang's mother was as the ruler of her own kingdom, San agreed to your only stipulation for marriage made on behalf of any future children you might bear. Wanting to see his son happy, San's father agreed to change the order of succession. The king knew times were changing and he wanted to be remembered as a modern monarch, forward thinking in his leadership. So it was declared. Going forward, any child born to the ruling line through marriage would be destined for the throne in age order. Gender would no longer be a factor. While San's sister was older, she was not interested in inheriting her father's kingdom since she was already queen of another at the side of her husband King Maddox. She gave her blessing to the change and did not regret missing out on the chance at her father's throne.
So it came to pass, to the great joy of both kingdoms, your engagement to Prince San was announced. Wooyoung took charge of drafting the menu for the wedding day and feasts surrounding the event. As thanks for going through with the political arrangement, your father the king had permitted a noticeable break from tradition. Instead of ladies of the court as your attendants, you had Prince Jongho at your side along with Mingi. Hongjoong, Yunho, and Wooyoung too were alongside in an unofficial acknowledgment of their status as your brothers and you were grateful your father had permitted that trusting gesture. To have all five of your siblings stand with you was the greatest gift that day.
Though, you must admit the presents bestowed by Prince Yeosang and his fiancée in attendance were thoughtfully chosen to match your taste and San's. Prince Seonghwa had also joined the festivities as representative for his parents. Seeing the way he now laughed with Hongjoong further down the table, you smiled to yourself recognizing the wedding had not been his only reason to return. Happy in love yourself, you found it easy to be charitable and hoped things would go well for them. In time Hongjoong did indeed move into Seonghwa's palace as an advisor but you suspected they were closer than that.
It looked like changes might be afoot for Wooyoung as well as you heard Yeosang make the offer for Wooyoung to join his household as head chef beginning with supervising Yeosang's own wedding. Wooyoung was thrilled at the prospect if his quick agreement and copious hugs of the prince and future princess were any indication.
While it seemed like there was less going on in Yunho's life, he was content to remain close to home. He had family nominally in the form of the king, but more so in his little half brother Jongho he was devoted to. In time you also heard Yunho had the love of the newly elevated stablemaster. They were an excellent match and you looked forward to their regular visits at your home with Prince San. Jongho would often join them and while you had not heard of someone in his life romantically, there was always a copy of 'Of Princes and Princesses' left on the guest suite's bedside table to remind him that he too had options.
As San had hinted at the time of his proposal, there was love in his heart for both you and your brother, just expressed in different ways. Your bedroom was yours alone, but San knew he was just as welcome in your bed for a cuddle as Mingi was in his own bed for something more. With time you were even willing to try for children in the usual way, other than without lust for your husband. Instead the act was accompanied by plenty of giggling as friends rather than steamy lovers. When your bore him two infants, Prince San was thrilled his children were related to both his loves through the mother you and Mingi had in common.
You hoped in the distant future when San took over from his father as king that Mingi could be acknowledged publicly as San's partner and raised to king consort. If that meant stepping away from the throne yourself, all the better. While you had always been called princess and had grown accustomed to the usage no matter how uneasily it sat on your head, queen was never a title you had sought for various reasons. When the time came, you did opt out of that label with the full support of the newly crowned King San. That freedom to be yourself led to a life that was best summed up the following way- You lived happily ever after, as did your beloved brother Mingi and his caring husband San.
