Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Minho prepared himself that morning as if it was his first day of school. Flashbacks of when he had to wake up two hours earlier to shower, go through his skincare, prepare breakfast, iron his uniform, and ensure he had all his books and utilities in check before going out. It was an extended routine, but he loved the house's morning silence and arriving twenty minutes earlier just in case.

Now, it was a bit different. Now, it was the first day of work. An odd job, that’s for sure. Maybe it was a job he couldn’t brag about in front of his family members, but it would pay the bills, Minho thought. He felt confident in himself, at least a little bit more.

He put on the clothes he had chosen the night before. He checked the pencil case, the different Post-it notes and the big agenda he had bought with Chan’s money. He had made sure to neatly set apart all the tickets and give them to the alpha that same morning.

As usual, Chan had arranged a car to pick him up that morning so he could go early to his office. They’d all meet there and have a quick breakfast before they dispersed to their daily tasks.

He was excited, and it bothered him that he couldn’t entirely hide the excitement.

The car was waiting for him. He said thank you, and then they took off. Judging by the time, they should be at Chan’s office three minutes earlier (Minho made sure to study the map the night before and also memorize the route by car, foot, and public transport in case of a setback). Then, after a deep breath, he let his shoulder relax.

Unintentionally, he kept questioning whether the relationships with the other alphas would improve. He wasn’t keen on it, not yet at least, but he felt it was essential for his role to develop entirely within the confines of the pack he was to take care of. He thought of how Jisung and Hyunjin had responded. They were so different, he thought, but at the same time, so similar.

Minho felt as if Hyunjin had faked his disgust towards the idea of Minho and his presence. He had said words filled with annoyance and tried to be mean. Well, he hurt Minho more because he didn’t even give him a chance. And— why did that bother him so much? It’s not like he was looking for validation from the alpha. Still, it bothered him that Hyunjin hadn’t even given him a chance to show him that he could help, somehow… anyhow. He could be there for him, as well.

On the other hand, Jisung would be a problem. The alpha was not saying empty words. He had clearly attacked him. He had made sure to let Minho know, without using his voice, that he wasn’t welcome from his side. And that would be much more difficult to mend Minho’s trust.

It wasn't easy. The whole situation was complicated. He didn’t know of any other packs out there that had an outsider to help them out, being more bonded, more in tune with themselves, more in synch overall. The first thought that would come to mind if he thought about it would be that it is weird. Of course, it is— that’s what head alphas and omegas are for: to care, protect, give, and let them know everything would be okay…

The car suddenly slowed down, and Minho realized they were entering the parking of the building. He did his best to move aside the kind of thoughts that were slowly making him spiral and focus on the present. He now had three omegas under his care and a muscle man of a beta that seemed to portray someone very independent but needed the same attention in the end.

He slowly made his way towards the elevator, and the chauffeur also accompanied him, pressing the button to the main floor. Minho was met with a grand entrance, oversized windows and shiny floors. Everyone was dressed to impress, and suddenly, he felt tiny and incompetent by being surrounded by such extravagant people.

“Mr. Lee,” his thoughts interrupted, “you can go to the main information desk. They will guide you from there.” He turned around at the chauffeur’s words and bowed, whispering a soft thank you in return. His feet reluctantly made their way towards the front desk, where three people quickly typed on their computers, their attire ideally in synch as if they had planned them out the night before. He didn’t know to which of them to talk, so he stood quietly in the middle, his hands interlaced, his eyes dancing from one person to another.

He knew it might seem weird from the outside, but he didn’t want to interrupt any of them in case they had something urgent going on, and judging by the pace of their typing, it seemed like it.

“What can I help you with?” Finally, one of them spoke, the boy who was on the right side, his eyes still glued to the screen in front of him. Minho didn’t appreciate his manners but still had to remind himself that people from the city were widely different from those he had grown up with.

“I uh— I’m Lee Minho—”

“HR is not taking applications right now,” he quickly answered without giving him a chance to talk properly.

“I’m sorry, I’m not here to speak with HR.” Minho tried to keep his voice steady, but their mean manners made him want to run away from that place. He reminded himself to breathe. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to deal with these people ever again. “I’m actually here to see Mr Bang.”

All of their fingers stopped at once. The other two girls, who seemed not to be paying attention to their conversation, quickly snapped their necks toward Minho, and so did the boy who was attending to him. His eyes scanned his body, from his hair to his feet. He felt under the radar.

“Excuse me?” the boy repeated.

“I’m Lee Minho; I’m here to meet with Mr. Bang.”

The boy was holding in a scoff. Minho just knew. He quickly glanced back to the other two girls, who also kept their smiles to themselves. He tried to ignore them the best he could, keeping his body still and gaze fixed on the boy before him.

“Let me check,” he whispered, but his fingers didn’t type on the keyboard. After three seconds, he turned to look back at Minho. “I don’t think he has a meeting scheduled with Lee Minho. I’m sorry.” And he wasn’t sorry.

“But you didn’t check,” Minho spoke back.

“I did,” the boy tried to reassure him, his eyebrows high on his forehead, “I can’t seem to find your name anywhere. I’m sorry.”

His face suddenly morphed, and the three of them quickly stood up and bowed. Minho’s eyebrows furrowed at their actions, but his confusion didn’t last long. “Good morning, everyone,” a soft voice came behind him.

“Mr Seo;” the boy’s smugness had been completely wiped off his face, “good morning.” The three of them whispered.

Minho turned around to find Changbin, a kind smile on his face. He relaxed and simultaneously questioned himself what type of authority Changbin had for the three young staff members to react that way.

“Minho,” his sweet voice directed at him, “come with me; Chan is waiting.”

Minho could only nod at his words, quickly glancing back at the boy who had been rude to him to find him furrowing his brows, both fists closed tightly beside him.

He knew he had fucked up. But Minho didn’t comment on it. Instead, he bowed towards the staff members quickly before following Chanbin, his backpack steady on his back and his hands tightly wrapped around the straps.

“I’m sorry if they were rude, but uh…” Changbin started to talk, his eyes still fixed on the long hallway, “We’ve had a lot of situations in which outsiders enter pretending to be either producers or upcoming artists just to have a chance to talk with Chan, so— they’ve been told to be strict.” It was a lame excuse. Minho knew.

“Mr Bang could’ve warned them.”

Changbin stopped in front of another elevator and nodded. “He should’ve. You’re right.”

Minho felt awkward. His comment may be out of place. Maybe he was too rude. He should’ve thought his words before letting them out. Changbin seemed upset. Was it with him? Or with Chan? Or maybe with the staff. The doors of the elevator opened and closed while his mind ran around. What would the solution be in this situation? His eyes focused on the numbers in front of him. He didn’t even know to which floor they were going.

How was he supposed to work with these people if he couldn’t even speak without making it awkward for everybody?

The doors opened, and he was again met with the shiny tiles on the floor. The hallway was silent.

“This way,” Changbin said quietly, turning right.

The doors were closed, and Minho felt like entering a prison. There was a little electronic device beside each door with a small keyboard. His eyes trailed behind each one, eyebrows furrowed.

“Here are the recording studios. They are individual, and usually, each producer has his own. That’s why they’re locked— Chan knows what it’s like to be interrupted mid-session.” Changbin explained when he realized Minho’s curiosity.

“Does Chan have his own?” He asked back.

“He does— that’s where he spends most of his time whenever he’s not at home or his other job.” He explained.

“And do you know the password of his… his studio?”

Changbin glanced at him for a second before a small smile appeared. “We do— although he keeps changing it every month because somehow it gets leaked…”

Minho wanted to ask. Would he be welcome to know it as well? Would it be part of his job to visit the alpha during his studio work hours? He shook his head. Why would he visit him? Minho’s job would only revolve around the young omegas— why would he even think about that? The mini-scolding session in his head was interrupted when Changbin stopped at the end of the hall. It was yet another black door, identical to the rest.

Changbin smiled at him before whispering, “Now it’s two zero zero one,” his mischievous face almost made Minho giggle, “don’t tell him I told you, although I’m sure he’ll let you know in private today”.

The door opened swiftly, and Changbin entered. Minho made sure to sniff the air before entering. He knew the head alpha would be considerate enough to wear his scent blockers, even more at his workplace, but still, something inside of him told him to double-check, to not believe in people so easily: just like last time. What happened when you were so stupid to go and enter a pack’s home, thinking they would all be considerate enough with an outsider to wear scent blockers?

He knew it was an intrusive thought, but Jisung’s actions had really taken a toll on him.

“Hyung! Good morning!” Changbin exclaimed. The alpha turned around in his seat. Minho took in his surroundings. Multiple screens and monitors are in front of him. A small piano, two or three guitars. It was almost identical to the office he had set up in his home.

Chan’s face seemed more tired than he had seen him before. The last time he had spoken with him was the night before, scheduling today’s appointment, but he seemed like he had not gone home to sleep. “Hi guys,” he forced a smile, but it only confirmed what Minho thought.

“Felix and Jeongin should be here soon,” Changbin spoke while taking a seat on one of the couches. “But Seungmin said he wouldn’t come because he has to read something for his classes… I don’t understand. Aren’t they on vacation right now?”

“Degrees like law require a lot of time investment, even when they’re off”, Chan answered him quickly, “either way— I think he’s pressuring himself too much lately; it kind of worries me.” His voice trailed off before his attention was set on Minho again. He felt the alpha’s eyes on him, his face, his every move. It made him want to flee and, simultaneously bask in the attention.

Minho kept his posture straight as he listened to Chan's words. The morning sun cast a warm, golden glow over the city skyline, creating an atmosphere of tranquillity that contrasted with the restlessness within him. He had always been an observer, attuned to the subtleties of human interaction, and now his focus was solely on Chan.

"Yeah, I've noticed," Changbin replied, his voice carrying a gentle concern. "Minnie has been pushing himself to excel in his studies, taking on extra projects and spending late nights at the library ever since the beginning of the student year. It's like he's trying to prove something to himself." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I get it, you know? We're all under pressure to succeed, especially with the kind of careers we're pursuing. But there's a point where it becomes too much."

Chan nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "Exactly. I mean, I've seen the bags under his eyes, and he's been distant lately. I wish he'd talk to me about it." His fingers unconsciously tapped against the balcony railing, a nervous habit he had developed over the years.

“But aren’t you doing the same?” Minho interrupted, both men now looking at him. He only wished he could take back the words that had escaped his mouth. “I’m sorry,” he quickly added when he realized the mistake, talking back to a head alpha. He must be out of his mind.

“No— you’re kind of right,” Chan sighed.

Changbin kept silent. He knew he was on Minho’s side, but adding more tension would do no good to anyone in the room. Instead, he stood up to his feet, clapping his hands. “I’ll go get us some coffee while we wait for the rest; how do you like it, Minho?”

Minho blinked twice before recollecting his thoughts.

“I uh… Americano, please.” His voice was small. He wasn’t used to people offering things to him.

Changbin’s answer was a smile before he exited the studio. He felt guilty for pointing his finger at Chan. It felt like every time they were together in the same room, he ended up scolding him, but through Minho’s perspective, the head alpha had yet a lot to learn if he wanted to build a healthy bond and relationship with his pack, even if he, himself, hadn’t had a healthy relationship with his own family back home.

It hurt to think about it, but he would love to be part of Chan’s journey while creating the home that everyone dreamt about.

“How are you, Minho?” his voice took him out of his thoughts. “Felix filled me in on what happened— about the hibernation situation. I mean… I should’ve seen it coming, but uh…”

“I’m good. I’m doing fine now; as I said, it was a one-time thing, and I hope it doesn’t repeat.” He stopped to take a deep breath, “I hope you talked about this with Jisung. How dangerous it is to do… what he did.”

"I have talked to Jisung," he replied, his tone measured. "I made it clear that what he did was incredibly risky and not something we should ever take lightly. The pack's safety comes first.”

Minho’s breath hitched.

“And yours, too, of course”, Chan added, sensing Minho’s nervous eyes dancing around the room.

"Thank you, Mr Bang—," Minho replied, his voice softer now.

“Chan,” he corrected him, “please call me Chan or hyung— if that’s not too much to ask for.”

Minho kept looking at him as if staring at an alien. Gaze distant for a moment as he processed his own thoughts. He knew Chan was still looking at him, his tired eyes, his soft smile, and inside himself, his heart swelled. It would be so much easier for him to do his job if Chan wasn’t so unbelievably pretty—

“I uh— I was thinking on how we could organize this…” his voice came back to life, trying to distract himself from yet again another wave of intrusiveness that made it so complicated for him to focus. He opened his backpack and took out the big planner along with the pencil case. He positioned them on the table in front of him as straighter as possible, and for a brief moment, he saw how Chan’s smile twitched at this action. “Since I’ll be focusing my energy on the three omegas and Changbin as well, I’ll need to know their schedules for school and work, part-time jobs or extracurricular activities they do—”

He had been hovering over the planner with a pen in his right hand, his hands leaning on the table, Chan sitting still on his chair, face looking up at Minho. He suddenly felt him too close. Minho's breath caught as he met Chan's eyes, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them. His mind was screaming to please take a step back. This was too much. It was too much for his poor brain to process.

Then, a beeping sound appeared to save them both. Voices were heard from the outside. They were muffled, but it still sounded like they were arguing. Then, another beeping sound. By then, Minho had taken two, three, four steps back, bringing the distance he needed between them both. He was scolding himself for being so naive. His gaze was everywhere except Chan. Chan’s gaze was only focused on Minho as if all of the light inside the studio had pointed towards his body.

Chan's eyes remained locked on Minho, his expression a mixture of surprise and understanding. He could feel the shift in the atmosphere, the sudden withdrawal that Minho was enacting. It was as if a door had closed between them. Chan finally tore his gaze away from Minho and turned his attention to the studio's windows. His brows furrowed as he listened to the voices outside, his mind piecing together the fragments of their argument.

"I think we should go check on that," Chan said, his voice breaking the quiet tension that had settled in the room. Minho could only nod in acceptance.

-X-

It would be best to let them be. Let them have time to think and re-think and come up with the best explanation for why they were acting like such babies, and Felix knew. That’s why the topic of Minho wasn’t brought up again until the morning when they would officially start having him in their lives. 

He tried avoiding Jisung and Hyunjin the night before. He knew the alphas had sensed his distant words and how his body quickly moved away from where they were, but still, he couldn’t feel guilty. He felt more guilty of how they had treated Minho. Poor Minho, nervous and stiff Minho. Minho, who, with one glance, could make them all feel comfortable (not sure how, not sure why). And still, they had put him into an uncomfortable position. Jisung had even risked putting him in danger. And Felix had felt rage— he had felt furious. 

Chan had told him. He had left Innie and Minnie in the dark about the situation. They only thought Minho had gone into that hibernation state because of Jisung’s words, which could’ve also happened. But Jisung had crossed the line. And Felix wanted to make sure the alpha knew how disappointed he felt. 

“Are you going to the studio today?” He had asked Jisung that morning. Surprisingly, he had woken up earlier than usual. Working with, and for, Chan brought him a lot of advantages, such as attending to his workplace at whatever hour he felt like (as long as he got the job done, of course). And he had never woken up so early. Felix had to check his watch twice. Jisung paced around the kitchen mindlessly, his head covered with a beanie, his whole body engulfed into big pants and sweater, making him seem smaller.

He only received a hum in response. 

“Innie and I are going too. Can we tag along? Changbin hyung already left…” 

He didn’t want to make it more awkward, but Jisung made it challenging to speak with him if he didn't even turn around to look at his face. 

“Sure. Are you meeting with your new head omega?” Sarcasm drifted down his words, a giggle followed by. And at that moment, Felix could’ve sworn he hated him for a bit. Even a tiny bit, his heart reacted like he never thought he could respond towards Jisung. He still had his back toward Felix, and Felix knew he was embarrassed to even look at him. 

“Stop it,” he just whispered back at him. He didn’t want to argue; he didn’t want to feel this way towards his mate. Because he knew he was wrong, he knew he loved him, and he didn’t mean whatever mean thing that escaped through his poisonous tongue. He just made it so difficult. 

“What? Isn’t it like that?” Jisung tried to carry the conversation, pushing his nerves. 

“And what if it was?” 

Silence settled between them both. Suddenly, the kitchen, once a place of warmth and shared meals, now felt like a battleground of conflicting emotions. He had never intended for his words to escalate into this, but Jisung's nonchalant attitude had pushed him to the point of uncharacteristic anger. 

“I see you’ve thought about it.” Jisung’s words were a mere whisper at this point. 

“It’s hard not to think about it when you’re being such a jerk.”

Felix's chest tightened, torn between his love for Jisung and his hurt over the situation. He clenched his fists at his sides, fighting against the vulnerability that threatened to overtake him.

"I didn't mean it that way," Felix muttered, his voice low and tinged with regret. He could see the tension in Jisung's shoulders and how he seemed to grapple with his own emotions.

Silence settled like a heavy blanket, suffocating any remnants of the warmth that used to reside in the room. The dishes on the countertop seemed to echo the discord between them, each piece symbolizing the fragments of their relationship that were at risk of shattering irreparably. 

Jisung slowly turned around, and his stare was cold. Empty and dark.

But he kept silent. Looking at Felix as if he was a stranger in his own home, as if he had never spoken with him before, as if he had never held him between his arms, kissed him, and kept him safe.  

Felix knew neither of them would apologize for their behaviour. 

And the tension that had built between them was shattered by Jeongin’s footsteps, entering the kitchen with a big yawn, utterly unaware of the silent war that was being held between the two of them. “Morning, everyone,” It was more of a grumble than a state, his eyes half closed while he reached for the already made and cold coffee on the countertop. 

“Hyung, are you taking us to the company today?” he seamlessly asked while pouring milk into his cup. 

Jisung didn’t take his eyes off of Felix while he answered. “Sure, I will. I’ll be out in five.” Then he exited the kitchen. 

“Damn it, I won’t be able to have breakfast,” Jeongin muttered by his side, and Felix could only answer with a faint smile, his heart still pounding hard against his chest, afraid of everything that could go wrong in this situation. 

The ride was silent. It was too early to have a conversation, too early to think about what to say to fill in the air inside the car. It was too early for Jisung to be awake and driving, and it was too early to deal with such complex emotions. Felix could feel his skin itch; the only place he would rather be was in his nest. But today, it wasn’t an option. He has to stick by Jeongin, he had promised him. 

When they had parked and exited the car, they took the elevator to the floor on which Chan and Jisung’s respective studios were. Also, silently, each one of them looking in a different direction. 

Felix really wanted to slap out the silliness that had taken over Jisung. This was not the Jisung he loved— no, this was the Jisung that frightened him; the Jisung that once had been a stray dog, looking for his place in the world while protecting Hyunjin. This Jisung was almost a monster— and he once had sworn this side of him would never see the light again. And yet. Here they were, walking side by side down the shiny hallway, darkness and fury emanating from his persona. 

“I guess I’ll see you tonight,” he muttered before stopping at the door before Chan’s, quickly tapping the code, the door unlocking for him, his body disappearing in the darkness. 

Jeongin’s confused eyes turned towards Felix. 

“What happened?” he asked. 

“Nothing,” Felix said back, again forcing a smile down his face. 

The youngest didn’t believe him. Hell— he couldn’t even devise a good excuse; how could he believe him? 

“Will you tell me later?” he asked quietly, turning around to walk towards Chan’s door. He tapped in the code, but it didn’t open. 

“It’s nothing, really Innie—, you know, alpha bullshit—“ he spoke while Jeongin tried yet again with another code, the door remaining closed and locked. His eyes followed the fingers of the youngest, who was trying again. 

“I know it’s nothing when you couldn’t even look at each other, hyung… you’re both the epitome of skinship—“ he got interrupted by Felix moving him from the way. 

“That’s not— the code, it’s different.”

“What? Again?” Jeongin’s voice was coated with frustration. 

Felix tapped into a set of numbers, but yet again, it showed the red light. “And— look, you shouldn’t worry about Jisung and me; I promise we’re okay,” but his fingers were trembling while trying another combination. Before he could press the OK button, the door opened widely. 

Their eyes landed on their head alpha. 

And Chan seemed tired.

Felix’s heart broke inside a little. He remembers the first time he saw him, how he seemed hopeless but still full of energy to help Felix out. How he was ready to leave everything, abandon everyone, to have Felix by his side. 

“You changed the code again?” Jeongin’s frustrated voice came through; he quickly sneaked inside. “Minho hyung!” Felix heard him squeak. 

Chan sighed, opening his arms for Felix to dive into. And he did. He closed the space between them and let his head fall on the alpha’s shoulder, his nose quickly finding the place where comfort turned into a scent, where the word home felt like a tangible thing. He closed his eyes while breathing in deeply, afraid to exhale what he believed was all the love he felt for Chan. Afraid to let it go. That day would leave him exhausted. He just knew. 

“Are you feeling alright?” Chan whispered right to his ear, his breath tingling and sending goosebumps around his body. His hands held Chan as if he were the last person on earth. 

“I’m alright,” his words got lost between his lips and Chan’s neck. 

His alpha kissed his forehead while still holding him tight. And Felix wanted to melt then and there. “I’ve missed you.” He whispered for him, only for him to hear. Felix missed him too— he missed him like crazy. Every night, when he chose to spend working. Every morning, when he woke up before the sun rose. Every evening, while all of them were safely tucked in their nest, Felix missed him like crazy. But he tried to understand. 

Chan was sacrificing all of this for their life. Their life together, as a family, as a pack. Their future. And Felix couldn't hold a grudge against him— he had tried, and still, his heart always won over what his brain told him. 

With time, he had learned to constantly live with the feeling of missing Chan. It hurt, sure. And now, an almost silent voice inside his head reminded him that Chan wouldn't come that night either. 

He had learned. He had taught himself before his heart broke completely. 

“How are you, Innie? Are you ready for today?” He heard Minho’s voice in the background. Both of them had sat down on the studio’s couches. Jeongin was currently examining all of the pencils and the big agenda Minho had brought with him, his eyes wide. 

“I’ve never had this many stationary items, even for school,” he muttered, but still he and Chan heard it, giggling in response. 

“And whose fault is that?” Chan said back with a smile. Oh, how Felix loved that smile. He knew that if he were in Chan’s position, he would sacrifice everything if it meant to see that smile spread on Chan’s face.

“Well— not mine,” the young boy tried to fight back.

Felix’s eyes finally landed on Minho. He was sitting as straight as usual, both hands on his lap, his eyes following Innie’s every movement before looking directly at him. “Good morning, hyung,” he said quietly to Minho. His mouth twitched in half a smile, and that small feature made his heart explode. 

“Good morning, Felix. How are you?” 

“Good,” he quietly answered. He could be better— he would be better. “Good— still sleepy, though.” 

“We came with Jisung hyung— isn’t it weird how early he woke up today?” Jeogin told Chan, “When I woke up, he was ready to go; I didn’t even have time to eat properly.”

Chan’s eyes were surprised, but Minho’s suddenly were filled in with worry.

“Maybe he has a lot of work to catch up on. I know he has a few songs that should’ve been submitted last week.”

“Oh, so he’s slacking?” Jeongin’s amused voice came through.

“He’s not, don’t be mean.”

Minho’s eyes curiously looked at both men, their interaction filling in missing information. And while he silently tried to catch up on what was really going on with the missing alpha, Felix couldn’t help but let his eyes roam on the boy’s face. He really was pretty. 

His feline eyes, always open and attentive. His skin, flawless and shiny. His perfectly combed hair and neatly styled clothes. His lips— stop it! 

Felix’s daydream bubble was busted with Changbin’s entrance. He had brought coffee and a bag filled with pastries. Chan and Jeongin quickly stood up to help and choose whatever they wanted first. Minho still looked at them, amused. It made Felix smile. 

“When it comes to food, these two are unstoppable.” He whispered to Minho, his face leaning in a bit, sharing the secret. Felix sniffed the air and hoped to catch something, anything, a small trail even, from Minho’s scent, but there was nothing to be found. The patch on his neck safely covers the glands of his neck. He had never hated scent blockers more than now. 

“I see— I should take note of that,” Minho said back, his tone serious. Felix couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Don’t worry; they will ensure you remember how much they love food.”

“I’m good at cooking,” Minho said, but it seemed like that phrase didn’t go through his mental filter because his hand quickly flew to his mouth. His eyes glancing down— “I mean… if someday is needed, of course. Emergencies come up easily—”

Felix pitied how nervous he seemed. He tried to relieve him with his best smile. “I’m sure we will need it someday.”

“Okay! Okay! Leave something for the rest, for the love of God!” Changbin spoke loudly, trying to escape the hungry hands that were still roaming through the bag he carried. “Here, take this,” he handed the holder of coffee with two americanos toward Felix. He silently questioned Minho before handing one to him.

They had their breakfast. Jeongin and Changbin didn’t stop talking. Chan laughed at everything they said, and Minho kept an attentive eye and ear on their conversations, silently without interrupting. 

“What do you have planned for today, hyung?” Felix finally redirected the conversation towards Minho. He sighed and opened the planner. 

“First of all, I need all of your information.” He said with sparkling eyes, and although that made Felix recall the moment they had called Minho a control freak, at that moment, Felix thought it was endearing how passionate he seemed for something so casual and mundane.

-X-

Jisung stood silently at the entrance of his studio, the door closed behind him. He heard the faint footsteps of both his mates leaving to keep walking down the hallway. He felt helpless inside the little studio, all the lights turned off, the only visible coming from the display of his phone, which kept shining with notifications from Hyunjin and Changbin. Messages kept flowing, but he had no energy even to read them. 

He hadn’t slept that night. 

He had heard them planning that morning’s meeting with Minho at the company. They had tried to keep a secret, leaving him and Hyunjin behind, but why did it hurt so much to be left aside when they had been the ones declaring that they didn’t want to form part of this crazy situation? He was a complete stranger, damn it!

With a sigh, he let his body fall down on the couch. His eyes stung hard, and he knew they were probably bloodshot by now. Unfortunately, he didn’t have Chan’s courage to keep up with the day even if he hadn’t slept for a single hour.

But last night had been difficult. He couldn’t remember the last time he had such a ginormous lump in his throat that made it hard to breathe, the last time his hands shook so much he couldn't even pick up his phone. Last night had been horrible, and he had decided to spend it alone, not to let anyone see how bad it could get. 

“Jisung,” Hyunjin had stopped him mid-hallway just when he had turned away from the little meeting the omegas were having in Felix’s room. He had eavesdropped, yes, sue him for caring for them! They had sounded so energetic, so excited. Seungmin had debated with them if he could either go or not— he finally settled for going with them in the afternoon, when they had planned to accompany Jeongin to the college campuses to attend the informative meetings for each grade. Jisung didn’t even know these were held! And he wasn’t invited to accompany his own mate to make such a grand decision! 

Both hurt and anger filled his chest while he listened to their words. If only they could understand how hurt he actually was— to be left aside, to be left alone, yet again. He and Hyunjin. In a house full of people, feeling alone again. 

“Sungie— look at me. Is everything okay?” the alpha had spoken softly, holding his face between his hands while he looked down at him. It had always been funny to Jisung how Hyunjin was taller, yet the little one was the one protecting. He tried nodding his head. 

“Yeah. I’m okay, I was just uh… I need to lie down— and I need to sleep. I’m tired.” 

He let the lies flow through his teeth. 

“Do you want to sleep with me tonight? Or maybe we could ask Minnie—”

“No!”

He didn’t shout, but his voice broke. It's such a small word, such a considerable effort to say it out loud. “I want… I must be alone, Hyunnie— Sorry, I must go.” He escaped through the older’s hold, his hands falling down on his sides while he followed Jisung’s movements down the hallway. The door was closed behind him. Locked and away from the people he thought he loved the most. 

He had spent the night pacing in his room. He had sneaked down the kitchen at midnight for ice to hold. He had let his hands burn with the ice tightly inside his fists. It hurt— but it distracted him enough to keep his breathing under control. He had returned silently. He had locked himself yet again. But it had been the worst night in a long time. 

Before he could even realize it, the sun was greeting him again. His muscles hurt, and his head was pounding like crazy. He felt like shit, honestly. Not sleeping took an enormous toll on him, and he knew he couldn’t handle a whole day of productivity, not even drinking a gallon of coffee. Still, he did his best to shower and seem an average person. 

He heard Changbin pacing around the house. He heard him talking with Seungmin— they laughed together before leaving the house silently. Jisung listened to the car leaving. 

When he exited his room, finally, he knew the first stop would be to check on Hyunjin. His door was open ajar; he couldn’t sleep with closed doors, let alone locked ones. Jisung quietly peeked inside to find him quietly and peacefully sleeping with Jeongin between his arms. The younger’s head was tucked into Hyunjin’s neck, his arms protecting him, almost invisible to the world if it wasn’t for the crazy black hair strands that Jeongin had each morning. 

That sight made him relax a bit. But before he knew it, there was Felix to push his nerves. He didn’t want to argue— he knew he didn’t, but he felt betrayed. He didn’t want to be left behind. He had been abandoned a lot of times; why were they doing the same then? They knew! They knew! 

“It’s hard not to think about it when you’re being such a jerk.”

Jisung’s heart broke inside. He slowly turned around. Felix’s eyes softened, but he held his head high. He wasn’t scared of him. He wasn’t afraid to lose him either, for what it seemed. 

Those words followed and ran around Jisung’s mind the whole morning. The studio lights were still off. He couldn’t force his body to stand up, but still, he couldn’t force his mind to shut up and fall asleep. He wanted to throw up, and he wanted to cry— there were too many emotions in his chest, and it felt tight, tight, tight. 

How many hours had passed ever since he entered the darkness of that tiny room? His phone was forgotten somewhere in the room, a faint light shining every now and then. If only he could move his body to stand up, leave, and have some fresh air. But he couldn’t. He was too tired.

A sudden beeping sound took him out of his self-absorption. Then, the light from the hallway sneaked inside the studio, and even though his eyes were closed, it burned his eyelids. He frowned and moved his body to burrow his head on the couch pillow, trying to escape that disgusting feeling. A groan escaped from his chest. 

The person who entered quickly closed the door, and the painful light finally came out. He heard footsteps, and then someone kneeling by his head. 

“Sungie?” he heard. A soft hand tried to move his head away from the pillow. “Sung— Jisung, are you okay? Look at me.” 

He tried to open his eyes. He truly did. But he wanted to sleep. He needed to sleep so badly, yet he couldn’t turn off his mind! He couldn’t stop thinking! 

“Jisung, shh— don’t cry, come here.” He heard the voice. Was he crying? When did he start crying? “Baby, please,” the voice, the voice was Chan. He recognized Chan. What was Chan doing here? Why was he calming him down? When did he start crying? He wanted to sleep. He only wanted to sleep. 

His body was moved around. His muscles felt on fire. His head was almost killing him. 

Then he felt arms around him. He was being held, and suddenly, Chan. 

He could only feel, think, and smell: Chan. There was nothing else. His mind was fuzzy, his whole body relaxed. Nothing hurt now. Everything stopped. Chan had stopped the time for him. Chan had made his pain go away. He was there. He was holding him. He was there with him. Like he needed, when he needed, he appeared. He finally appeared, he thought. 

He held tight onto his alpha, his head buried in the crook of his neck. Tears were still sliding down his face, but he couldn’t stop them; somehow, they were on their own, running and running away from him.  He heard Chan’s faint voice, and he was trying to calm him down. Only if he knew how much he had helped him just now— the tears were not from pain. They were happy tears! How could Jisung explain he was crying because he was finally reunited with Chan? How could he explain he needed him so much? His whole body betrayed him until his alpha came back!?

Chan’s lips kept pressing single pecks on the side of Jisung’s head, but he didn’t dare to move. 

“Jisung… please, I need to know what happened.” He tried again, but Jisung didn’t answer.

Words were no longer available for him to mutter. His head was finally shutting down. He could feel the sleepiness coming from somewhere, engulfing him, carrying him away. He was grateful; he couldn’t handle it anymore. His hands had stopped shaking, and his heart was slowing down. Jisung loved this moment, and he hoped it never ended. 

He hoped Chan could stop the time just then and there, for both of their bodies to remain inseparable, glued one to another, blanketed under their scents combined. He needed Chan to remind him that he was loved, and that they wouldn’t leave him behind. Not again. Not again. 

“Jisung…” he heard his voice for the last time before he couldn’t handle it anymore, giving into his tiredness. Finally falling asleep between Chan’s safe arms.

-X-

Minho walked with Jeongin and Felix by his side, both of the boys talking excitedly. Felix had not stopped explaining the “uni-life” to the younger one, hyping the situation more than Minho thought necessary. Still, he kept listening, comparing how his experience had nothing similar to what Minho had had a few years ago.

“And you’ll meet many people who are obviously interested in the same things as you, and so many people who have these like— like big brains, and they speak with big words, but then some of them are the sweetest people on earth. You will also cross paths with those annoying i-know-it-all people, but you must understand that if they do that, it’s because of how they have been brought up, you know?”

His voice and words were quick, and Jeongin only nodded in acceptance, not interrupting him. Felix was passionate, and Minho thought that was cute. 

“How about you, hyung?” Felix asked, now directing his attention to Minho. “Did you meet a lot of people? I bet you did.”

Minho looked at him for a second before focusing his gaze on the big building in front of him. They were entering the college campus, and now people had started to gather, walking towards the entrance just as they were doing. “I uh—” he began, but first thought about the right words to choose. His experience shouldn’t be the one Jeongin should have. “I actually missed out on a lot of things you explained,” he kept his voice calm and steady, “I really focused only on my studies because of the financial situation my family was in. I couldn’t… I felt like I couldn’t invest my time in anything that wasn’t books and lectures.”

“Oh— so you were like Minnie then,” Jeongin giggled. 

Minho took a second to think. “Maybe. But— it’s different. You should really have the experience of meeting new people, finding my hobbies, experimenting.”

Jeongin’s eyebrows furrowed, but he refrained from commenting. 

They entered the building and were faced with many, many people. As they walked around, Minho kept a close eye on Felix and Jeongin, walking behind them, always under his radar. Felix stopped a few times to greet some of his friends and acquaintances, which Minho examined closely in case they were a threat (which they weren’t, obviously, but still, Minho’s anxiety spiked whenever a stranger approached them out of nowhere); Jeongin’s eyes scanned all of the booths, and read a lot of pamphlets, and spoke with many supervisors from different degrees. 

He wasn’t a shy boy, and Minho knew that would work in his favour in the future. He wanted to learn; he looked incredibly interested in anything the supervisors would tell them about. Minho also paid attention to the speeches, taking in the information and nodding, noticing what were apparent lies and what could actually be beneficial for the younger one. 

The lined booths felt endless, but still, the three of them stopped at the ones that caught Jeongin’s eye. When they were approaching the end, there was the sports science booth. They also stopped there, following the same routine they had had until then. Jeongin’s eyes roamed through the pamphlets, and Felix read to him out loud some of the bullet points that were standing out on the posters and signs. 

“Hi!” A voice surprised them three, and they turned around to find a young boy who seemed to be older than Felix, “Could I inform you about the degree, maybe?” his eyes shined, and the smile on his face was big and bright. Minho realized he was bigger than him, even being younger, and he was obviously an alpha. For some reason, the alarms in his head went off when he noticed the look directed at Jeongin. 

“Uh yes, we’re actually just looking around, but if you’d like to fill us in with the basics, that would be great,” Felix was the one to answer, and his words were nervous, another reason why Minho’s attention increased on the situation. 

“Sure, this is directed to people concerned about health and healthy habits, people with an active character,” the boy spoke while he moved around the booth, a worrying smirk on his face. Minho didn’t like him— instantly. He didn’t want him near him or his omegas— wait. 

“It is efficient, so that you will be able to perfect the different job orientations of the degree, and multidisciplinary, integrating synergies with the areas of health and education.”

Minho noticed how, unlike the rest of the booths and people Felix talked with, he was very reserved with this one particular boy. He didn’t interrupt or ask questions; he even stepped back from the booth and quietly took Jeongin’s hand from behind. Seems like he didn’t like it either.  

“I think we got enough information,” Minho started to interrupt, taking the shoulders of Jeongin and Felix, “Thank you for your time.” His words were simple and direct. No cordial smile for him. 

“Wait!” The boy behind stopped them before they could turn around. Three confused faces looked at him, but his eyes were set on Jeongin. And Minho didn’t like it one bit, his hold now tighter on the younger’s shoulder. “I didn’t catch your name, in case you’re interested and all that?” he asked with that smirk on his face again. 

“I uh—” his eyes first travelled to Felix and Minho before answering, as if unsure if he should keep talking, “Jeongin, my name’s Jeongin.” 

“Should we exchange contact details, Jeongin? I could mentor you through the inscription and all the bureaucracy.”

“Oh, that won’t be needed, thank you very much!” Minho stepped in with a forced smile. He was trying his best to keep his composure. Who did he think he was? Playing lover boy with Jeoning. “We should get going—”

“Why not? C’mon, I could lend him a helping hand, even if it’s not with this degree,” the stranger dared to talk back to Minho. Felix and Jeongin’s eyes were wide at his words, now looking back at Minho. 

“I’ll give you a helping hand finding your place; how does that sound?” he quietly said back. His face showed no emotion, and his hold on the younger boys was now tighter than before. 

The alpha in front of them kept smirking, now holding his hands up at them defensively. “Don’t be so dramatic mama bear, and I won’t bite.”

He finished the sentences, but Minho had already turned them around, walking fast by all the booths again to exit the building. To say his blood was boiling would be an understatement. They walked silently until they exited the building, Minho still holding them by their shoulders. If he were alone, all kinds of profanities would have left his mouth at the audacity of that man— no, boy!

“Are all young people that disrespectful?!” he finally asked when they exited. The fresh air hit his face, filling his lungs. 

“I uh—” Felix wanted to speak, “I knew he had some kind of reputation, and rumours have been spread about him around campus, that’s why I kind of…” he nervously spoke, not looking at Minho, “I wanted to leave as soon as possible.”

He saw Jeongin’s preoccupied face as well. His hands were now twitching, playing with his fingers and looking down. 

“It’s not our fault,” Minho spoke, “for other people’s words, but he surely needs someone to put him into place.”

Jeongin forced a smile on his face. “Don’t worry, hyung, he didn’t do anything—”

“Not this time.” Minho interrupted without thinking. The younger’s face paled, and he knew he should’ve thought his words before speaking. “I mean— an alpha shouldn’t walk around speaking as such to strangers. Even less if they’re accompanied.”

He nodded his head before looking down again. 

Felix took his face between his hands, looking him in the eyes. “It’s not your fault. And… you should really avoid those kinds of alphas around campus. I know it’s awkward and uncomfortable, but unfortunately… those exist as well.”

The younger nodded and forced a smile again. Minho’s poor heart almost burst because of the exchange between them. He also wanted to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault; he also wanted to make sure the younger was okay, maybe calm him down. But he kept his hands to himself, hanging by his torso, unable to move. 

“Let’s go eat something; how does that sound huh?” he tried to redirect the conversation, leave behind that situation, and hopefully never talk about it again. 

And so they did. The rest of their day went by quietly. They ate at a local restaurant and spoke about the degrees that had caught Jeongin’s attention. They made a list of pros and cons, just as Minho had suggested. They joked about it at first and kindly mocked Minho. It was difficult for him to understand that they did it with good faith and that it was all a joke, but his brain finally caught up, a smile appearing on his face at last. 

Still, Jeongin said he had to think about it—a lot. There were a lot of things he felt interested in, and he needed to sit down alone and measure which one was indeed the one he wanted. 

Minho spent the rest of their day by their side, thinking about how he had reacted toward that young alpha still dancing around his head. He knew it wasn’t his place to be so protective over them— hell! He didn’t even know what kind of dynamic they really had in their pack. Maybe they were allowed to meet other people, outsiders. Perhaps they went on dates consistently, and maybe they had lovers. He had no idea, and it truly wasn’t his place to interfere. But still, the gut feeling of having them under his arm and not letting strangers make moves on them won over his conscious mind. 

It wasn’t jealousy. He wouldn’t interpret that feeling as jealousy. It was pure instinct. Pure territorial protectiveness. And he didn’t like it. He didn’t like it one bit. 

That’s what he kept saying to himself while they walked around the mall buying things Felix needed, and what he kept saying to himself while they stopped for a coffee or while they waited for their car to take them back home. He kept repeating to himself that he shouldn’t interfere in their personal matters, but simultaneously, he had signed to keep them safe! That alpha wasn’t safe! 

His mind returned to that scene in the hallways over and over again while they were in the car. Felix and Jeonin were in the back, both looking at something on Jeongin’s phone. Minho was sitting at the front, but his eyes travelled to them repeatedly through the mirror. For some reason, he felt alert the whole time ever since that exchange. He couldn’t let go of that feeling. 

His thoughts were interrupted by his phone. Chan’s name appeared in big, bold letters, and his hand trembled before picking up, quietly answering. 

“Hello?”

“Hi! Minho? How are you? How’s everything going?” he asked hurriedly. Traffic noise could be heard in the back, and Minho knew he was walking out of the company. 

“Good, great— I’m actually taking them back home now.” He informed. 

“Is that so? How did it go for Jeongin? Did he find his passion?” he heard the alpha joke. 

“Not yet; we made a list. He has to think about it calmly. He shouldn’t rush.” 

“No, I know, you’re right,” Chan admitted. It went quiet for a bit, and if it weren’t for the background noise, Minho would’ve thought he had accidentally hung up. “Anyway— Im, I’m heading home. Could you tell them? I’ll see you three there.”

Minho thought about his words. He didn’t plan to leave the car when arriving at their house. He thought the two young omegas would say their goodbyes and the chauffeur would take him to his apartment. It seemed like he was wrong. 

“Sure, but uh… is everything okay?” he asked worriedly. Of course, he would worry! But Chan’s nervous laugh interrupted. 

“No! No.. I just wanted to talk privately with you about something. Don’t worry; everyone is safe and sound.” He confirmed finally, as if he knew that Minho's omega needed to be reassured about everyone’s safety. And he silently thanked him for that, his heartbeat slowing down. 

“Okay then. I’ll see you in a bit, Mr— uh… Chan.” 

He could almost hear Chan’s smile through the phone. 

“See you.”

He hung up and felt eyes on the back of his head. If it weren’t because he was wearing scent blockers, he would be sure that Jeongin and Felix would have been able to catch on his embarrassed scent. It made no sense how Chan affected him! 

“Was that hyung?” Jeongin asked. 

“Yeah,” Minho answered, not looking at them but focusing his stare on the phone, “he said he was going home for the day.”

“He’s coming home?” Felix’s surprised tone of voice interrupted. “What happened? Is he okay?” 

“Yeah! He’s okay,” his voice now louder, “everyone’s okay. I don’t know— he surely wanted to spend more time with you. Talk about Jeongin’s studies and all that. You know…” 

Both of the omegas in the back nodded, but neither of them believed Minho. Minho didn’t even believe himself.

Something was wrong. And he had to find out what.