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University is meant to be a nerve-wracking experience. Kai repeats this over and over again in his head; it’s a pitiful attempt to reassure himself that he’s not the odd one out. Unfortunately, with the way everyone else is chirping away without a care in the world, Kai knows that he’s probably just over-reacting. Again.
The hairs on the back of his neck are standing and goosebumps are appearing all over his skin. This is not good. People begin to flood into the hallway he’s currently positioned at and this causes his breathing to become erratic.
“Dude, are you alright?” Kai dashes through the crowd instead of answering. (He vaguely remembers accidentally pushing someone, but is barely able to mutter an apology due to his current state.)
Kai realizes a little too late that it’s not a good idea to leave the only hallway he really knows in the building because—although there’s not a person in sight for miles—well, there’s not a person in sight for miles.
“Fuck,” he groans, tightening his hands around the strap of his bag that crosses diagonally over his chest (which is home to a rowdy heart). He’s lost.
Peering left and right, Kai attempts to retrace his steps, but his memories are a blur. Besides, his brain still feels like goo from the aftershock of his near-panic-attack experience. With a sigh, Kai decides he’ll opt out of taking his first class for the day. There’s no way he’ll make it in time.
“Hey,” a voice sounds from the stairwell behind him and Kai finds himself freezing up again. “Face me when I talk to you.”
Hesitantly, Kai turns around. At the top of the staircase stands a male, posture too nonchalant to be in any year other than senior, and the look on his countenance seems almost predatory.
Kai feels his heartbeat start to pick up its pace again.
“What’re you doing out here all alone, pretty thing?” It takes less than a second for the older male to be within a hair’s breadth of Kai.
Kai freezes as the stranger dips down and takes a whiff of his scent, nose tickling the area right underneath his gland. “You smell delicious, baby.” Hands make themselves known on Kai’s waist and it takes a moment for him to register what’s happening before he raises his own and plants them weakly on the intruder’s chest.
“It’s dangerous for someone like you to be alone,” the hands travel more mischievously, now bunching up the hem of Kai’s shirt so fingertips can graze the newly exposed skin. Kai whispers, “Please stop,” but it’s to no avail.
“I don’t think I will.” Higher and higher, the fingers wander, and Kai squeezes his eyes shut. Then, there’s a cold breeze and a loud thud.
“Wanna know what I think?” That’s a new voice. Kai registers that he’s no longer in someone’s grasp and startles, looking around until he catches sight of a lean physique hovering over his attacker (who’s been knocked onto the floor). A new cinnamon odor overpowers the sickening charcoal and Kai stumbles backwards upon catching sight of his savior’s face. He’s breathtaking.
“I think you’re gonna get up, apologize, and leave him the fuck alone.” Oh, Kai’s definitely swooning now.
The male sprawled on the ground quickly abides by the rules, whispering a stammered apology to Kai and dashing out of sight before Kai can even accept it.
“Sorry about him,” the (handsome) stranger speaks up again and Kai wishes he would never stop talking. His voice is fresh and rich at the same time, reminding him of honey, and Kai forgets his previous jitters. He feels calmer, safer.
“Oh, that’s okay! It’s my fault for getting lost,” Kai replies after contemplating his word choice for a hefty minute. Now that they’re alone and facing each other, Kai’s free to marvel at the boy all he wants.
His hair is dyed purple, falling over his eyes in a messy but attractive way. He’s got round cheeks, a button nose, and pouty lips, but also a jawline that could cut. He’s tall, impressively even taller than Kai, and his shoulders are broad. However, his defining features are the dimples that appear with ease whenever the corners of his lips tug up.
Oh, he’s smiling at him.
“No, it’s not your fault. He’s just a dickwad. Besides, cut yourself some slack, it’s your first day, right?” Mr. Dimples draws closer and Kai finds himself feeling smaller than usual. “I’m Soobin, by the way.”
God, even his name is attractive.
“I’m Kai,” he returns, slipping his palm into the one that Soobin extends. Butterflies swarm inside of Kai’s stomach and he has to remind himself that it's just a handshake. Well, it is until Soobin brings their hands up and puckers those adorable plush lips of his to land a cordial kiss on the back of Kai’s hand. (Soobin’s going to be the death of him, Kai’s certain of it.)
“Where’s your first class? I’ll walk you there.” Soobin offers and Kai knows he’s only being courteous, given what had just happened moments ago, but his heart flutters nonetheless.
Somehow walking to class together becomes a daily thing. Or hourly, Kai should say, since Soobin never fails to pick him up and drop him off to not only one of his classrooms, but all of them.
Kai learns that Soobin’s on the student government team which means he should be patrolling the hallway instead of coddling the younger, but Kai doesn’t say anything. Just once in his life, he deserves to be a little selfish.
Besides, the envious looks he gets from the girls in his class makes his ego swell a little.
“Kai, I’ve got a meeting afterschool today,” Soobin mentions as they loiter outside of Kai’s journalism classroom, waiting for the professor to walk in first. “Yeonjun will escort you to the bus stop though, okay?”
Yeonjun. Kai had met him the day after he’d met Soobin. He was a senior with an intimidating amount of chains and piercings, donning an all black attire that contrasted his bright, two-toned blonde hair.
Looks are deceiving though, because Yeonjun ends up being a softie at heart who dotes on Kai almost as much as Soobin does.
“It’s alright, Soobin. I can manage walking to the bus stop alone,” Kai reassures with a laugh, but Soobin’s not amused. There’s a worried frown on his face and Kai reaches up to smooth his thumb over the creases on his forehead. “I’ll be okay. Don’t you trust me?”
“I do trust you,” Soobin groans, leaning into Kai’s touch somewhat subconsciously and Kai coos quietly at how much of a baby Soobin can be at times. “It’s everyone else that I don’t trust.”
“Even yourself?” Kai inquires playfully, prodding at Soobin’s cheek gently to get him to loosen up. However, Soobin reaches up to curl nimble fingers around Kai’s lithe wrist and catches the younger off guard with, “Especially myself.”
Before Kai has the chance to request an explanation, Soobin lets go of him and leans in to land a kiss on the top of Kai’s head. (It’s not new, but it makes Kai speechless each time Soobin does it.) “Don’t argue with me, ‘kay? Yeonjun will be here once you’re done with class.”
With that, he excuses himself and Kai watches him disappear into the crowd.
True to Soobin’s word, Yeonjun is standing outside of the door half an hour later with his arms spread. Kai rolls his eyes at the older’s childish demeanor and walks into Yeonjun’s embrace to appease him.
“Gross,” Yeonjun comments after giving Kai’s frame a gentle squeeze and pulling away. “You smell like Soobin.” Kai’s face flushes at that.
“It’s hard to differentiate which scent belongs to who,” Yeonjun continues, leading the way towards the bus stop with Kai following at his heels. “At this point, I’m sure everyone thinks you two are dating.”
“We aren’t,” Kai answers, hoping his disappointment doesn’t show, but Yeonjun knows him too well already. “He doesn’t like me like that.”
“Are you crazy?” Yeonjun asks, slinging an arm around Kai’s shoulders as they walk side by side. “That boy is infatuated with you. He’s checked off all the aspects of courting except the official, verbal proposal.”
Kai shakes his head dismissively, reiterating his last point with more emphasis. “He doesn’t like me like that.” Then, a bit quieter, “Why me anyways?”
“Don’t ask me. Ask him,” Yeonjun replies and reaches up to ruffle Kai’s dark locks in an affectionate manner. Kai pouts at that, muttering something about personal space (which is a lie because he loves skinship), but Yeonjun carries on unhindered. “He neglects his duties to make sure you’re safe in between classes and goes so far as bribing me out of my dance practice to walk you to the bus stop.”
“Whatever,” Kai says under his breath, hoping Yeonjun will stop talking before Kai starts getting hopeful. There’s no way Choi Soobin, vice president of the student government, top of the mathematics department, heartthrob of the junior class, was interested in Kai, a communications major that struggled in—well— communicating when around him. That’s alright, though. Kai will stick to doodling bunnies named ‘Soobin’ in his notebook and cuddling large plushies to sleep, pretending they’re Soobin. (Soobin cannot know of any of this.)
“I’m curious, though,” Yeonjun begins when they finally reach the bus stop and take a seat. “Why aren’t you in a pack yet?”
“I don’t think anybody wants me,” Kai scrunches his nose up at the confession. Sure, he’s never reached out, but if people wanted him in their pack, they would’ve asked by now, right?
“Everyone wants you,” Yeonjun says without a second thought, looking at Kai as if the younger is absurd. Which, he might as well be. “You’ve been the talk of the school since you’ve got here. They probably just don’t think they’re worthy of you and something tells me that’s always been the case.”
“You’re just saying that,” Kai says with a shrug. Yeonjun’s brotherly love has been overwhelming since their first encounter; in fact, it’s steadily grown and Kai’s pretty sure his blood-related siblings don’t fawn over him as much as Yeonjun does. “Nobody even looks at me, save for your fangirls and I doubt they do it out of admiration.”
“Nobody looks because they don’t dare to look,” Yeonjun scoffs, standing up once the bus starts to approach the stop. “And if you’re worried about that, you should talk to Soobin about it.”
The statement baffles Kai, but he has no time to pry into it because if he misses this bus, he’d have to wait another hour for the next. Yeonjun flashes him a cheeky grin and Kai can only wave from the window as the vehicle drives away.
Kai decides to take Yeonjun’s advice.
“Soobin,” he calls out softly one afternoon, when they’re seated on a bench in the quieter part of campus. The male in question shifts from beside him until he’s lying down, head promptly landing on Kai’s lap.
“What’s up?” Soobin responds, crystal blue irises seeking Kai's hazel pair. Kai rolls his tongue over his lips, finding himself at a loss for words (like always when Soobin stares at him). Absentmindedly, he reaches out to brush Soobin’s fringe away.
“Why do you think nobody has invited me into their pack yet?” He lets his insecurity shine a lot more than he means to, but something about Soobin is so comforting that it elicits everything Kai’s used to bottling up. “Do you think I’m not good enough?"
The silence that rests between them is deafening and Kai tries his best to hold back the tears that come from Soobin’s lack of response. He’s sure that his distress signals are heightening steadily and Soobin immediately jolts upwards because of it, nearly bumping heads with Kai. Firm arms come to rest around Kai’s waist and he doesn’t realize he’s shaking until Soobin smooths a palm down his back comfortingly.
“You are more than enough,” Soobin mumbles into Kai’s hair, leaving kisses onto the latter’s crown. His lips venture south, brushing over Kai’s ear, then his round cheeks, moving to his jawline, eventually halting by the start of Kai’s neck. “You’re everything anyone could ever want.”
Soobin’s voice sounds strained and Kai wants to look at him, the cause for his worry slowly shifting from self doubt to concern. He’s not allowed to though, Soobin makes sure of it by keeping his head buried in the crook of Kai’s neck.
“You’re beautiful,” to emphasize his point, Soobin traces Kai’s jawline with his lips once more, drowning a breathless chortle. “You’re sweet.” Kai gasps when Soobin’s teeth come out to nip at Kai’s neck. “And you smell amazing,” Soobin groans, inhaling deeply by Kai’s scent gland which causes the brunette to shudder and go putty in Soobin’s hands.
“Please,” Kai’s not even sure what exactly he’s pleading for, but Soobin knows—he always does—and responds by heaving a sigh.
Something breaks like a dam in Kai when Soobin pulls away from him with a bitter smile.
“I told you that you were wrong,” Kai wails into Yeonjun’s chest when they’re huddled up on the older’s sofa. Yeonjun’s den oozes four different scents, Yeonjun’s crispy mint, Soobin’s sweet cinnamon, Taehyun’s fresh pinewood, and Kai’s fleeting vanilla. Fleeting because he’s not a part of their pack, but spends most of his time there anyways. “He doesn’t want me.”
“What?” Yeonjun reels back just enough to shoot Kai an incredulous look, furrowing his eyebrows together. Kai looks up at him meekly, not wanting to repeat his words because it hurts more saying it aloud. “He doesn’t what? Can you say that again, I think I’m going crazy.”
“Hyung,” Kai huffs with a pout. Now was not the time for teasing. Now was the time for more cuddles and maybe some mint chocolate ice cream.
“Oh, so I am going crazy. Nice to know.” Kai doesn’t hesitate to smack his arm (it’s light, but it sends the message).
Yeonjun makes a move to sit up, making Kai whine in protest. “Kai,” the older boy says sternly, but Kai remains stuck to him stubbornly and Yeonjun eventually gives up. A hand lands on Kai’s head, fingers carding through his hair, which Kai accepts with a happy hum. “I think you’re misunderstanding him.”
“No, I’m not,” Kai states with a shake of his head, cheek brushing roughly against Yeonjun’s shirt. “He just stood up and left me there! Alone and humiliated.”
“Have you ever considered that,” Yeonjun begins, pinching Kai’s other cheek to get his attention. “Maybe he was scared? I mean, you kinda asked him to claim you in public. Which I’m sure he would’ve loved to do, had you not been all distressed.”
“What do you mean?” Kai questions, tilting his head to the side. Well? Why hadn’t Soobin done so, then?
“Kai, I could smell you from the fourth floor. You were practically calling for every alpha in a fifteen mile radius,” Yeonjun snorts. “I’m pretty sure everyone was seconds away from pouncing on you.”
“I didn’t see anyone,” Kai rebuttals. It’s true, even after Soobin had left, nobody bothered approaching him.
“Well, why would they want to when Soobin glares at them with murderous intent whenever they so much as look at you,” Yeonjun finishes. Then, with some afterthought and a shudder, “He even looks like he’ll rip me apart sometimes.”
“But you’re the,” leader Kai wants to finish, however he’s not able to because he hears the front door unlock and not a second after, he finds himself being abruptly ripped out of Yeonjun’s embrace.
When he’s able to make out his surroundings again, he sees Yeonjun pinned against the sofa with a hand around his throat that belongs to Soobin. Soobin’s got his teeth bared and the snarl that he emits has Kai wobbling and pressing up against the wall behind him.
“Speak of the devil,” Yeonjun manages to cough out, patting Soobin’s shoulder lightly as if to calm him down. Soobin only growls in retaliation and Yeonjun raises his hands in surrender. “Easy, mate. I didn’t do anything.”
“He reeks of you,” Soobin hisses, but sees reason and loosens his hold on Yeonjun. (Kai’s reminded of the first and only time Soobin has been this aggressive—which is when they’d first met—and God , it’s even hotter the second time.)
“Thank you, O’ merciful one,” Yeonjun breathes out, massaging the area of his neck that Soobin had gripped onto. There’s red marks signalling that Soobin really had applied force, though it’s not strong enough to last more than a few minutes. “I’ll make myself scarce then.”
With a lazy and mocking bow, Yeonjun walks out of the common room and towards his room, not bothering to glance back. Kai wants to apologize on behalf of Soobin, for some reason, but he’s sure the two will work it out considering how close they are.
Speaking of Soobin—Kai’s gaze searches for the male again, but he realizes then that he’s alone. Sliding down the wall, Kai slouches over and loops his arms over his knees, tugging them to his chest.
He’s more confused than ever.
Kai’s not sure who starts ignoring who. He wants to say it’s Soobin because Soobin has stopped escorting him to class (not without assigning Yeonjun to do it, though), but Kai’s also the one that goes out of his way to make sure Soobin and him never end up at the same place at the same time.
It’s reasonable, is it not? He’s doing what every 19 year old would do when facing an imminent problem, especially one that comes in the form of an attractive boy.
“That’s enough,” Taehyun says, stopping in his tracks abruptly which yanks Kai back as well since their arms are linked together. Kai has spent the last 15 minutes trying to find a place for them to eat their lunch where Soobin can’t see them. The said man in question is standing in the middle of the gigantic soccer field, so it’s no surprise Kai’s struggling with the task at hand.
“You two need to sort this shit out,” Taehyun doesn’t sugarcoat anything, as per usual, and Kai reprimands him with a look. Taehyun’s unphased, taking a seat on the bleachers and forcing Kai along with him. Is Taehyun out of his mind? This is the worst place to be sitting because—
“Taehyun! Kai!” Yeonjun’s also out there on the field and since he has a loud mouth, he doesn’t hesitate in drawing everyone’s attention to the two freshmen. Taehyun sends the older a curt nod of acknowledgement and Kai waves awkwardly.
“Are you seriously gonna go your entire life wiggling out of his sight,” Taehyun scoffs, popping a strawberry into his mouth. “I don’t know if you’ve realized, but you’re six feet tall, Kai.”
Kai rewards Taehyun’s smart mouth with a jab to the side and rolls his eyes when Taehyun grunts in pain. “Good. Suffer.”
Truth be told, Kai’s not sure. He could definitely try to do just that, but with the way his eyes zero in on Soobin and refuse to fixate on anything else, he knows he can’t.
“I don’t know what to do,” he admits right before the coach blows the whistle, signalling the end of practice. Taehyun’s about to offer advice, however Kai pleads for him to shut up with a smack to the older’s thigh when he catches Yeonjun and Soobin walking towards their direction.
“Hey,” Yeonjun greets enthusiastically, stealing a raspberry from Taehyun before the red-head can protest. “Why’re you two out here? Come to cheer on your favorite hyung?”
“Yeah,” Taehyun agrees and after Yeonjun dramatically places a hand on his chest to show that he’s touched, Taehyun finishes. “Soobin did great.” It earns him a ‘Yah, Brat!’ but it’s worth it.
In the midst of Taehyun and Yeonjun bickering, Soobin somehow finds his way to Kai’s side, sitting down beside him. “Hey.”
Kai’s determined to not give in, to just return the polite acknowledgement and then resume eating his sandwich, to—
“Missed you.” To cry, apparently. The sudden change in aura has everyone around them quietening down. Kai hates being like this. Being a crybaby.
“Everything okay?” That’s an unfamiliar voice. Kai wipes his tears hastily but the red tint on the tip of his nose is a dead give away of how he feels. He glances up, locating the owner of the shadow looming over him. “He’s not bothering you, is he?”
It’s another alpha. So perhaps Yeonjun was right. Maybe he did have an affect on people. Just not on the person he wants.
“In fact, he is,” Kai’s surprises himself with how affirmative he sounds, packing up his lunchbox and standing. He’s about to leave and seek comfort in the stranger’s embrace when he’s yanked down. A yelp evades him and he looks at Soobin expectantly, but the latter is busy glaring daggers at the male behind them.
“Get lost, Hyunjin,” Soobin’s arms tighten around Kai as he says that and Kai helplessly squirms in his lap. “Does Chan know you’re in our territory?”
Hyunjin presses his tongue against his inner cheek, rolling his eyes. “Your territory or not, Choi, that omega is unclaimed and fair game.”
“He’s mine.” Kai thinks he stops breathing after that. “Now are you gonna go scurrying back or am I gonna have to return you to Chan myself?”
“Is that a threat, Choi?”
“Wanna find out, Hwang?”
“Whatever,” with a scoff, Hyunjin leans back and folds his arms behind his head. He gives Soobin another unamused glare before ultimately retreating to where he came from.
Kai wants to ask what that whole fiasco was about, wants to yell at Soobin for acting the way he did after ignoring him for weeks, wants to get up and leave and just cry in isolation, but he can’t. He can’t because Soobin’s biting so hard on his lower lip that it draws blood and gripping onto Kai’s hips with enough strength to leave bruises. Soobin feels threatened, despite the intimidating demeanor he’s trying to keep up, and Kai instinctively reaches out to pet Soobin’s hair soothingly.
After a few seconds, Soobin calms down, no longer breathing heavily through his nose. He allows himself to nuzzle into Kai’s touch, head dropping against Kai’s shoulder and hands creeping towards Kai’s back so that he can push the smaller boy closer to him.
“Well,” Taehyun stands up and quietly tugs a wide-eyed Yeonjun with him. “We’ll just be going then.”
Kai looks up at them for help, but Taehyun and Yeonjun respond with facial expressions that read, “You’re on your own” and “I’m too stupid for this”, respectively. Well fuck you both, Kai thinks as they blow him unapologetic kisses and leave.
“Soobin,” he mumbles once deeming Soobin calm enough to talk to. The alpha simply grunts in response, making no move to free Kai. “What was that about?”
Kai feels Soobin tense up at the question and he leaves a kiss on Soobin’s temple to calm him—it’s out of habit and Kai grimaces once he realizes what he’s done, but it works in reassuring Soobin so he leaves his lips pressed against the warm skin.
“I’m sorry,” Soobin’s never sounded this vulnerable around him before. “I didn’t want you to leave me.”
“You’re the one that wants to leave me,” Kai mumbles and Soobin immediately snaps his head up, looking bewildered and scandalized. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s true. You left me alone when I—” Kai trails off with a blush at the memory.
“Kai,” Soobin begins, moving his hands to cup over Kai’s trembling ones. “You were calling out to every alpha around you, how was I supposed to know if you wanted me specifically?”
“Because,” Kai cuts in, but then realizes that he doesn’t really have an answer and pouts. “Because,” he repeats, this time as an answer and Soobin lets out a chortle at that. Warm palms cup Kai’s burning cheeks and Soobin’s forehead meets his gently.
“I’ve been yours since the start,” Soobin whispers, breath tickling Kai’s lips. “Why do you think nobody tries to touch you, despite how gorgeous you are?” Kai flushes again at that. “It’s because I won’t let them.”
It takes a while for Kai to let the knowledge that Soobin wants him—Soobin wants him, wants Kai—to sink in. (He looks away momentarily to fanboy and Soobin lets him.)
“This entire time, I thought nobody wanted me,” Kai whines, lightly punching Soobin’s chest with a small fist. “I was so sad!”
“I know, baby,” Soobin hums softly, thumb brushing over Kai’s cheek. “I’m sorry. I wanted to ask you to join our pack, but I kept pushing it back because I was shy.”
“You? Shy?” Kai inquires in disbelief and Soobin moves his free hand down to tug Kai’s right one up, placing it over his chest. Kai doesn’t need to feel the beating of Soobin’s heart to know how fast it’s racing; he can hear it, much like how he’s sure Soobin can hear his. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Can you blame me? You do things to me,” Soobin admits and then he’s leaning in and Kai holds his breath because this is the moment he’s been waiting for—he’s been longing for.
Their lips meet and Kai feels Soobin’s burning sincerity crash through him in waves; it courses in his veins, runs down his back, reaches the tips of his fingers. Kai leans in, arching his back so that his chest presses against Soobin’s, and angles his head to kiss back with just as much passion and fervor.
Soobin’s teeth tease Kai’s lower lip and Kai submits himself to Soobin’s exploratory tongue, allowing Soobin to claim every inch of his mouth. Kai pulls away to steady himself a few heated kisses later and that’s when his surroundings come back into view. It’s no longer as populated, but they’re still in public and Kai grows shy because of the fact. Soobin, however, has no shame and immediately latches his lips onto Kai’s neck.
“Soobin, stop,” Kai whispers but his own body betrays him and a needy whine escapes much to his horror. This encourages Soobin to continue, nipping away at the area he’s already left open-mouthed kisses on. Kai’s sure that shades of red and purple are blooming on his otherwise pale complexion, but he doesn’t have the heart to stop the—his—alpha; it feels too good.
Soobin’s tongue flattens against the newly formed bruises apologetically and then his lips trail higher and higher, until they’re right by Kai’s scent gland. There’s no way Soobin would try scenting him—claiming him—out here, would he? “Soobin,” Kai repeats, though the warning is weak. “We’re in public.”
“That didn’t stop you from begging for it last time,” comes Soobin’s snarky response and Kai squeaks when the former maneuvers them so that Kai’s pinned to the bleacher bench with Soobin hovering over him.
(It’s needless to say that the entire student body hears who Kai belongs to.)
(Taehyun also has to hold Yeonjun back from yelling at Soobin for ‘defiling’ Kai, despite them doing nothing past making out. “His innocence! How could you?!”)