Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Jimin was a romantic.

When he was still a little pup, he would always listen to the ahjummas telling old folk tales. Great stories of magic, ingenuity and most importantly, the power of love. Brothers and sisters helping each other get out of tricky situations, parents wanting the best for their kids, lovers wanting to be together against all odds.

He learned, and he believed, that love was the greatest power in the universe.

Maybe this belief was at least partially founded on the love that Jimin received on the daily. As the eldest son of the pack leader, he was cherished by the whole pack, even though he was an omega. All his imos spoiled him with rice cakes or other sweets whenever it was possible. His parents always made sure he was lacking nothing: from clothes, to toys to his favorite foods served at dinner, he was always well taken care of.

Truth be told, it was easy to love and adore Jimin. He was always cheerful, his smile bunching up his cute cheeks and making his eyes sparkle. He was a sweet kid, always curious of his surroundings and easily delighted. The maids were hopelessly enamoured with him and wondered, not without some scorn, how such cold and severe people like the Parks could have a son like that.

Jimin’s parents were proud, traditional people. Their marriage, as rumoured by the servants and evident in the respectful but emotionally detached way they acted together, had been formed of convenience and political strategy. Jimin’s father Park Dongmin had just passed the entrance exam for civil service and already got a prestigious position at the local noble’s court when his family decided he needed to get married. So, a matchmaker was hired and soon found a proper bride: Kang Sooyun, a stunning but adequately demure omega girl coming from a newly-rich merchant family. The wedding was an elegant affair, and a year later Jimin was born.

Jimin was their first child, and the excitement was big. His mother only had a beta sister and the family needed an alpha heir. So when Jimin was born and it became apparent that he was an omega, the disappointment was obvious.

Still, he was the eldest son, and he shouldn’t be lacking anything. His mother, weak from childbirth and burdened with the expectation to give birth to a proper heir, mostly left Jimin at the hands of maids and his aunts. His imo Hyunae, Park Dongmin’s youngest sister, especially took to him. She spent the most time with him and basically raised him in her sister-in-laws-stead. She was a stoutly, loving woman who was without a doubt the main offender in Jimin’s spoilment. She always carried around some sort of candy or sweet in the depths of her jeogori, could tell the greatest stories and most adventurous tales and came up with the best games to occupy little Jimin with.

Needless to say, Jimin adored her with his whole heart. His imo was his whole world, always hanging on to the end of her chima and following her around the several courtyards and gardens in his grandparents’ estate. She encouraged his naturally curious nature and taught him everything about the plants and animals in the gardens she knew.

His mother was a distant presence in his early childhood. Later, his imo would tell him that his mother lost a baby when he was around two years old; of course, he couldn’t remember that. But he recalled her looking worn and exhausted, seemingly detached from the world. When he tried to cuddle with her or scent her, she either held herself stock still and didn’t even embrace him, or she outright refused to do so and pushed him away. His father wasn’t any better. Most of the time, he was at the noble’s court, and when he was home he was in his study and didn’t want to be disturbed.

Regardless, Jimin prospered. Soon, he had all the maids wrapped around his little finger. But still, he was lonely. All the people surrounding him were grown ups, and even though his imo was great, she didn’t let him play with the kids of the servants also living in the estate.

So, there was only one option: he had to sneak away.

You see, Jimin was a very clever kid. His curious nature and his imo’s seemingly endless knowledge of all things in the world only contributed to his intelligence. And he knew, albeit innocently, how to use his knowledge to his advantage. He wanted another sweet? Pout slightly at his imo or at a maid, and he always got it. He wanted to get out of the hanok and visit the little lake at the back of the estate? Ask sweetly and make puppy eyes, and his imo would put him in his outside clothes and explore with him.

It wasn’t all that hard to think of something that would send his imo away. He claimed he wanted to play a game of Baduk, a strategic board game his imo taught him and played with great passion, and she excitedly went to get the board and stones. Jimin knew she’d be gone for a good five minutes because they were stored in another part of the house, so he had plenty of time to slide open the window of his playroom, check to see if any of the maids were around, and get out and cross the garden into the next courtyard.

The estate consisted of several connected courtyards surrounded by hanoks for the pack and the servants. Jimin and his imo only ever went through their own parts of the estate, mainly to get to the lake; otherwise, they didn’t really leave their courtyard all that much. So, Jimin was eager to see what the rest of the compound had to offer. Instead of turning left, like he usually did with his imo, he found a small passageway on the right side of the garden and snuck through it.

It was like he entered a whole new world. Maids and several other servants were buzzing around, often carrying large packages and produce of all kinds. They seemed to know each other, banter and laughter and curses were thrown around everywhere. Most of the servants seemed to go left, where steam was rising out of the house. Apparently, that’s where the kitchen was, the chefs already preparing the dinner for the pack.

But Jimin didn’t care for all the boring grown-ups carrying out their duties. He’d immediately caught sight of a small gaggle of kids on the other side of the new courtyard, huddled around each other and seemingly playing some sort of game.

As inconspicuous as he could, he crossed the busy space, dodging several people and keeping his gaze low. He was wearing his simplest hanbok, and hoped the servants wouldn’t recognize him. Fortunately, he wasn’t stopped and found himself close to the other children in no time. He realised most of them were younger than him with his five years, but even the older ones played together with all of them as if the age difference was of no significance. Fascinated, he watched how they threw small pebbles in the air and tried to catch them while also picking up new pebbles from the ground. Everytime someone couldn’t catch the flying pebble, they groaned in annoyance while the other children cheered and the next player got ready.

Jimin watched for several long moments, intrigued by the bright atmosphere and friendly competitiveness. He’d never thought that playing with pebbles could be so much fun! Clearly, he’d missed out.

“Didn’t you ever play Gonggi before?”

Jimin jumped and whirled around to see a boy standing next to him, looking at him curiously. He had big brown eyes that he’d scrunched together in thought and obvious consternation, and his long brown hair was all tousled. Distantly, Jimin thought that his imo would never let him out of the house with his hair like that.

“No, I haven’t”, he admitted after a moment, blushing a bit in mortification. What if the other boy immediately realised he didn’t belong here and sent him back to his boring courtyard with his boring maids? He didn’t want that - he wanted to play with the other kids and have fun!

But luckily, the other boy didn’t seem all that alarmed. “Oh, we have to teach you, then!”, he exclaimed excitedly, and smiled widely, all his teeth on display and his mouth shaping a little rectangle. Jimin all of a sudden felt like he was standing too close to the sun, even though he was also shocked that anyone would smile like that - his mother had taught him that a smile was always to be hidden behind a hand. The boy’s smile was so radiant, however, that Jimin actually was glad he didn’t hide it, for it would be a crime to cover such a beautiful sight.

“Don’t worry, you’ll catch up in no time. Gonggi is the easiest game in the world! It’s all about how fast your hands can be! Are your hands fast?”, he asked, before suddenly grabbing onto Jimin’s hanbok and tugging him closer to the group of kids sitting around. Dumbfounded, Jimin just shrugged and sat down next to the boy.

“That’s alright, you’ll find out soon enough!”, the boy exclaimed happily (as he seemed to do anything, Jimin soon learned) and put some pebbles in his hand. “I’m Taehyung, by the way. Kim Taehyung!”, he added, and sent Jimin another brilliant smile, mouth crooking.

And well, Jimin was a romantic. He immediately knew that this boy, Taehyung, was very special and someone he’d come to love easily.

“I’m Park Jimin”, he answered.

And that, as they say, was that.

It turned out that Jimin was a prodigy at Gonggi. He played with Taehyung and the other kids for a long time, and after a short while he was just as good, if not better, as most of them. The kids chatted animatedly when it wasn’t their turn, and he learned that they all were the children of either a maid or one of the servants working in the kitchen that was located in this courtyard. Apparently, Taehyung's father was the head chef and his mother was a maid to one of Jimin’s imos. He was glad that he could evade the questions about his family with questions about the game, since he didn’t know if the other kids would still play with him when they learned he was the son of the pack leader.

He couldn’t keep the secret for long, either way.

In the middle of an especially heated round - Jimin, Taehyung and a younger girl whose mother was a kitchen servant were competing for first place - Jimin’s imo and a handful of frazzled maids showed up in the courtyard. In hindsight, he wondered why they took so long to find him in the first place.

The lively chatter of the servants immediately ceased, and the girl stopped throwing the pebbles in consternation. Jimin’s heart sank and a lump rose in his throat. They’d take him away from his new friends and forbid him from ever coming again!

His imo came running up and picked Jimin up from the ground unceremoniously. She hugged him close to her chest, obviously relieved. “We finally found you! I was so worried about you!”, she exclaimed. After putting him down again, she fixed him with a stern glare that made goosebumps raise on his skin. He definitely was in trouble.

When they exited the courtyard, Jimin looked back and searched for Taehyung. The smile had fallen off the boy’s face and he was looking at them in confusion, mouth hanging open.

Needless to say, when they were back in the hanok and in Jimin’s playroom, his imo scolded him heavily for scaring her like that. But surprisingly, she didn’t berate him for playing with the servant’s kids. “I knew, sooner or later, that you’d have to play with some kids your age. You can’t just play board games with me all the time. And soon, your little brother or sister will be born, and I won’t have as much time for you anymore”, she sighed and hugged him close.

After that, he was allowed to play with the other kids most days. He’d feared that they didn’t want to play with him anymore, but when he came over to the courtyard two days later, nobody batted an eye. Taehyung looked him up and down and simply said: “If you haven’t heard of Gonggi, what’s the chances you know about Gonu?”

As his imo mentioned, his mother gave birth to another child a few weeks later and this time, it was an alpha boy, a proper heir. His imo didn’t get to spend as much time with him anymore since the new baby took priority.

For Jimin, that was just as well. He wasn’t stuck playing boring and confusing board games anymore, but could explore the estate together with the other kids. It was mainly Taehyung that he spent time with. The other boy was adventurous and didn’t seem to fear anything, qualities that went along with Jimin’s curiosity wonderfully. Together, they visited every courtyard that was available to them: one where the laundry was cleaned in in vast steaming tubs (they got caught in a play-fight with the bubbles there), one which was almost exclusively a big, meticulous garden with rows of cabbages, different vegetables and salads growing in neat rows, and many more. They spent the whole summer outside, playing around and inventing games.

Jimin learned that Taehyung was not only adventurous and cheerful, he also had a vivid imagination and could invent the greatest, most suspenseful stories. His smile had also not only enchanted Jimin, but also a great many of the servants, so he could get away with almost everything, even when his more mischievous side came through.

Most of all, though, Taehyung was gentle. In games, he was loud, but with younger kids he was patient and sweet, and he literally couldn’t hurt a fly. Jimin witnessed him talking to various small animals and insects several times. And even though their social standing was certainly different, Taehyung never treated Jimin differently from the other kids. Instead, they became best friends in no time and seemed to stick together every single hour of every day, playing and laughing and getting into trouble.

One day, after they had listened to one of the older maids telling a heartbreaking tale about two star-crossed lovers that had to fight for their love and swore they’d find each other in a new life, Taehyung turned around to Jimin. They were eight years old by then, having been friends for three.

“That’s what I will do as well, Jiminie”, he swore, his big brown eyes wide open, earnest and solemn. “I will find you in every life that we live. ‘cause we’re also soulmates.”

And Jimin never felt anything to be more true in this world.

Part of why Jimin’s pack allowed him to spend so much time with Taehyung was that he also was an omega. An omega and an alpha playing together? Intolerable! But with two omegas, what should happen?

So, when Jimin turned twelve and was considered old enough to be allowed a personal attendant, Jimin asked if Taehyung could do it. His parents and imo agreed without any arguments. He was an omega, and Jimin was already comfortable with him - the perfect characteristics for a servant he’d spend a lot of time with.

Taehyung was moved into Jimin’s personal quarters, and even though they technically didn’t share a room, they slept together on Jimin’s futon most nights, cuddling close and scenting each other for comfort. Taehyung would help Jimin with his morning routine, most importantly getting him in his elaborate hanbok.

“You’re supposed to wear all this?”, Taehyung asked incredulously, looking at the different pieces of the hanbok presented to him. “There are so many layers! Where do we even start?”

Jimin snickered and sidled up next to Taehyung. “Well, first you’re supposed to help me undress, and then we’ll start with the chima and the different undercoats.”
Having Taehyung help him undress was awkward at first. On instinct, he tried to support him, but that only ended with him helplessly entangled in the fabric of his sleep shirt. Somehow, his arm got stuck in the hole for the head, the garment completely covering his face. A laugh was rising in Jimin’s throat, and when Taehyung made an overwhelmed sound and started to tug at his arm frantically, Jimin lost it. Giggling, he bent over and hoped he didn’t make the situation worse.

“I can’t believe- how-”, he gasped through peals of laughter. The whole ordeal was so ridiculous! Undressing himself should’ve been the easy part and now this! He was fully laughing now, tears gathering in his eyes and belly hurting. Finally, he could hear Taehyung join as well, his recently deepened voice turning high again as he laughed and laughed and laughed.

They couldn’t stop for several minutes, and they both ended up sitting on the floor.

“Uhm, so my arm is actually hurting really bad now”, Jimin admitted with a slight grimace.

“Wait, let me”, Taehyung gently said and after a few long moments in which Jimin was sure his arm was going to fall off, he managed to free Jimin from his predicament and pull the sleep garment over his head. Jimin could only imagine what he looked like: cheeks blotchy from laughing uncontrollably and shedding a few tears in the process and hair a fluffy mess, his long strands entangled. He winced at the thought of brushing them out, that sure was going to hurt. Embarrassed, he raised his hands to at least cover his face a bit, but Taehyung interjected him.

“You don’t have to hide from me”, he said urgently. “I love your face when you laugh.”

Jimin was stunned into silence. A warm feeling rose in his belly, something dangerously close to sweet affection, and he glanced away shyly. Clearing his throat, he tried to pat down his hair and got up from the floor. “We, uhm, we have to hurry up, my imo surely is wondering where I am.”

While they both did their best to get Jimin into his hanbok in a timely manner, Jimin snuck short glances at Taehyung. Laughter was still shining in his eyes, making them sparkle a wonderful, lively brown. His face had sharpened in the last few months, and the maids and ahjummas had started to call him a handsome boy teasingly. Now, as Jimin observed Taehyung struggling with the different layers he had to get Jimin in, biting his lip in concentration, Jimin had to admit that he agreed, and the warmth in his chest blossomed.

He knew that feeling this way about his best friend, and an omega at that, should scare him. But Jimin could never be scared of anything related to Taehyung.

They still spent a lot of time together, but now that he was getting older, Jimin’s mother and imo started preparing him for running his own household one day. He was made to join them in their daily duties and even had to learn needleworks like stitching and fixing clothes. At first, he rebelled: didn’t they have maids for such a thing? But he couldn’t escape, and after a few bloody fingers he actually came to enjoy the activity. Working with needle and thread quieted his thoughts and he was quite proud of the intricate results.

In the evenings, Taehyung and Jimin would get comfortable in Jimin’s small room and talk about their respective days. Often, Jimin would stitch something, or on occasion fix up Taehyung’s clothes (the boy had a talent for ripping everything he owned), and Taehyung either painted or read for them. When Taehyung moved in, he brought a small package of books with him. Jimin was fascinated. His father saw it unfit for an omega to know how to read, so books were a novelty for him.

“What’s this about?”, he asked and pointed to a small volume. Someone had drawn a beautiful scenery on the plain yellow book cover: a large tree full of cherry blossoms surrounded by rolling hills. Taehyung picked it up and gave it to him, and as he opened it he saw short passages of text next to small paintings.

“It’s a poetry book. My father gave it to me for my last birthday.” Taehyung smiled brightly. “I never even read poetry before, but this made me fall in love with it.”

“My imo knows a few poems, but she can’t read either, so I never got to learn any new ones”, Jimin sighed sadly and pouted. “Can you read one for me?”

Taehyung looked taken aback for a second and Jimin could swear that a small blush was rising on his cheeks, but it was hard to be sure in the low light of the oil lamp.

“S-sure”, Taehyung stuttered and took the book from Jimin’s hands. Then, he shuffled closer to get more light, which resulted in his whole side being pressed to Jimin’s. He suddenly felt very warm, as if a thousand little candles burned everywhere they touched. Then, Taehyung started to read.

Moonlight filling the yard
is a smokeless candle.
Mountain shade obtruding
is an unexpected guest.
The pine komungo plays
an unnotated melody.
All this with prudence, please,
lest others find out.

His deep voice sounded like it was made for reciting poetry. He enunciated every word carefully, almost gently, filling every vowel with meaning and emotion. Jimin got lost in his voice as he read on, sinking into Taehyung’s side and watching the light flicker in the oil lamp. He felt utterly content and complete, letting himself fall into the feelings Taehyung procured from the poems. I could stay like this forever, he thought, and hesitantly put his head down on Taehyung’s shoulder. The other’s breathing hitched, but he carried on reading, and soon Jimin simply closed his eyes and got lost in the warmth of the moment.

The next evening, Taehyung brought a spelling book with him.

“I know your father forbid that you’d ever learn how to read”, he said as Jimin opened his mouth in confusion. “But I for one think that’s mighty stupid. You’re so smart, Jiminie, I know you can learn it in no time.”

Jimin’s mouth snapped shut audibly, and once again he was stunned into silence. Taehyung seemed to have that effect on him repeatedly. At the same time, the well-known warmth was rising in him again, and he silently felt pleased that Taehyung believed in him.

Sensing Jimin’s hesitancy, Taehyung placed an encouraging hand on his arm. “I know it seems daunting, but I swear it isn’t hard to learn at all. Hangul, as our Korean alphabet is called, is actually rather simple! And you don’t have to worry, because I’m an excellent teacher”, Taehyung boasted jokingly and grinned. Jimin rolled his eyes and punched him lightly, but agreed to be taught by his friend.

They started with simple things like writing names Jimin was familiar with and then proceeded to everyday words so that Jimin learned how to put the letters together.
He progressed slowly, but he was stubborn and determined to master the skill.

He practiced even when Taehyung wasn’t there, but still covertly, as he didn’t want his parents to find out. Even so, it was frustrating.

“I will never learn it!”, he complained one evening, when he confused two letters yet again. Defeated, he put down the writing utensil and pushed the scroll aside. He should have mastered this by now!

“Nonsense, Jiminie”, Taehyung soothed him and smiled encouragingly. Jimin pouted and leaned into him, putting his head on Taehyung’s shoulder and breathing in his calming scent. Both their scents had started to develop in the recent months and to Jimin, his best friend’s was especially sweet. It reminded him of the cherry blossoms that turned the orchard a beautiful pink each year. Taehyung’s hand came up and stroked through Jimin’s brown hair soothingly. “You can do anything, Jimin”, he assured and pressed his cheek to Jimin’s hair. “Anything.”

Jimin blushed, the heat traveling through his body and rising to his face, but he covertly revelled in the contact. Taehyung’s cheek felt wonderfully soft on him, and being embraced by him like this, Jimin felt like nothing could ever hurt him. Even though his heart was pounding like crazy, blood rushing through his veins and roaring in his ears from the close proximity to the other boy, he felt safe. Cared for.

Taehyung, as usual, proved to be correct. Jimin’s writing improved steadily, with Taehyung encouraging him every step of the way. The mistakes he made seemed less severe with Taehyung by his side, cheering him on and celebrating his successes with him. He gave Jimin little sentences to write and they huddled together in front of the oil lamp, pressed together to get most of the light, and practiced. Not unlike the flame, a warmth spread through Jimin’s body and stomach in times like these, and his heart fluttered delightedly whenever Taehyung smiled at him proudly.

His reading skills developed faster. Even though he still wasn’t nearly as fluent a reader as Taehyung, he could get through several passages of poems or small stories with no problem after a short while. Sometimes, they made themselves comfortable on the futon, the blankets and an abundance of pillows forming a nest around them, and curled up with their respective books to read. Jimin cherished these moments of closeness greatly, and if he spent a good amount of time staring at Taehyung over the top of his own book, admiring his beauty, well that was nobody's business but his own.

Once Jimin was fairly confident in his skills, he decided he needed to show Taehyung his gratitude, and he already had an idea as to how. After a few days of careful work, hiding his little project as soon Taehyung came in sight, he told his best friend that he’d like to go for a walk after dinner.

Spring was slowly turning into summer, and the night was clear and not too cold. They both set out on the path leading to the lake in the far corner of the estate. Shyly, Jimin took Taehyung's hand to tug him along, and when the other boy didn’t take back his hand when they walked together, he smiled, pleased and delighted.

“Do you see those two stars that shine brightly next to each other?”, Taehyung asked, and raised his unoccupied hand to the sky to point them out. Thanks to the clear night, they could make out a myriad of stars.

“What about them?”, Jimin wanted to know, and looked at them a little closer. They really sparkled especially pretty.

“Well, my eomma told me a great story about them. Do you want to hear?”

Jimin nodded eagerly, and while they made their way to the lake, Taehyung started with his tale.

“There once were two boys, one an omega and one an alpha. The omega was gentle and kind, and had the greatest laugh you could ever imagine. The alpha was loving and just, and he loved to make the omega boy laugh. They were the greatest of friends, and their love blossomed naturally.” Taehyung sighed dreamily and Jimin caught a glimpse of the rectangle smile he adored so much.

Taehyung cleared his throat, and his voice took on a heavy tone. “But their families disapproved of their love. You see, the omega was from a wealthy yangbang family and was already promised to a friend in another prosperous pack. But the alpha pack was sangmin, so he was a commoner that shouldn’t even be near the yangban except for servant duties. Still, the lovers continued to meet in secret, and swore they would find a way to be together against their pack’s interdict. Their love was so true and bright that the Goddess of the Sky took notice of them and went down to earth to propose something to them. Even if they couldn’t be together in this life, she will make them two stars in the sky, shining out their love into the world for all eternity.”

Jimin already knew where this was going, but he was enraptured nonetheless. Taehyung’s deep, calming voice was perfect for any sort of storytelling and he always managed to draw Jimin in completely. “And?”, he asked breathlessly.

“After much deliberation, they agreed. They knew that a life together would be impossible. But what are a few years they can’t spend together on earth, if they can be forever together in the beautiful sky? And so, when they died, their souls went up to the heavens and found a place exactly next to each other, where they continue to sparkle together to this day. The Goddess had held her promise.”

Jimin sighed wistfully and smiled. “That’s a beautiful story. Thank you for telling me, Tae.”

I wish I had a love like that one day, he thought silently. By then, they’d reached the lake and the moon made the water sparkle magnificently. When he looked at Taehyung's profile in the white light, he couldn’t help but think, maybe I already do.

He silently shook himself out of his thoughts and turned to Taehyung properly. He looked stunning standing in the moonlight. The ends of his disheveled hair sparkled silver on his back, and the light caught the threads in his simple sagyusam. His face was turned towards the lake and he smiled the slightest bit. To Jimin it seemed as if his whole being was glowing.

Slowly, he took the handkerchief he’d painstakingly stitched Taehyung’s name into, embellished by a cherry blossom branch, out of his hanbok. His hand shook slightly as he put the folded cloth into it and offered it to his best friend and soulmate.

“This is for you, Taehyungie”, he said gently.

“You made this … for me?,” Taehyung asked, his eyes opened wide and expressing pleasant shock. Delicately, he took the handkerchief out of Jimin’s small hand and looked at it reverently. “Jimin, it’s so beautiful! Thank you so much!”

Jimin nervously wrung his hands. “I wanted to show my gratitude. You were so gentle with me and taught me how to write and read so patiently. Truly, I’m so grateful for everything you did and do for me. You’re the best friend anyone could wish for, you’re always by my side and encourage me. My soulmate.” He looked up at Taehyung - the other boy had hit a growth spurt recently, and Jimin actually had to lean his head back a bit to look at his eyes - and beamed lovingly, his cheeks bunching up. For once, he didn’t feel self-conscious about it.

Taehyung looked down at the handkerchief in his hand and then at Jimin, clearly overwhelmed. When he spoke, his voice was rough and his eyes sparkled with unspoken feelings. “You’ll always be my soulmate, my person, Jiminie. You are the best part of my day and I can not imagine life without you”, he admitted. A tear slid down his cheek and Jimin immediately reached up to cradle his face and wipe the tear away, heart pounding fondly.

“You mean the world to me, too, my Taehyungie”, he whispered. His fingers stroked Taehyung’s cheeks softly, reverently, and his eyes scanned his face, the small mole on the tip of nose, the way his eyes shone with tears and adoration, and stopped on his lips. Right now, they were pressed together to stop sobs from coming out, but Jimin knew their shape in all possible forms: when they were laughing, when they were pursed in thought, when they grinned cheekily, and when they pressed little kisses in Jimin’s hair to soothe him. With a sudden need, he not only wanted to see all of their shapes, he wanted to feel their forms, wanted to explore all their secrets with his own lips.

“You don’t have to imagine a life without me, because I’ll always be right there with you”, he promised, and slowly slid his arms around Taehyung's shoulders, pressing close to the other boy and breathing in his calming, sweet scent. “You’ll never get rid of me”, he added cheekily, but his voice was hoarse with emotion.

To Jimin, a life without Taehyung by his side was inconceivable. They had been best friends, soulmates, for more than eight years. They often knew what the other was thinking before he even said it out loud. He knew every single detail about Taehyung, his distaste for bitter flavors but his love for sweets, his passion for poetry and the arts, his devotion to his family and dongsaengs, the way he had a gentle smile for everyone and always offered his help, but also the way he was a ruthless cheater in all the games they ever played together, and that he knew how talk himself out of every mess he created without taking the blame.

But all of these aspects made Taehyung who he was, and Jimin would never want to change a single thing about him. Taehyung was so many things all at once, but he was never too much, he was always exactly right for Jimin. Hadn’t he known, back when they first met as little pups, that this boy would become important to him?

Oh, how he underestimated Taehyung. How he underestimated his own feelings.

Hugging intimately under the moonlight, Taehyung’s face buried in his neck and holding onto him tightly, Jimin realised how deep his emotions actually ran. He wondered how he could’ve missed it until now: all the lingering stares, the warmth that threatened to consume him whenever he so much as touched the other boy, how he so desperately wanted to please him and make him smile, even making a handkerchief for him. This was not how it should feel between two friends, should it?

All at once, with startling clarity, Jimin realized what the fluttering in his chest, the weakness in his knees were a sign of. Breathing in Taehyung's cherry blossom scent, he admitted to himself: he was in love.

Once he realised how deep his feelings for Taehyung truly ran, Jimin wondered how he could have ever missed them. Every time his best friend was near him, his heart started beating slightly faster and off-rhythm in excitement. He naturally smiled more. His gaze followed Taehyung wherever he went, and even when he wasn’t there, Jimin wondered what he was doing and where he was.

Having Taehyung help him clothe himself began to feel like a sweet form of torture. All of Taehyung's concentration was focused on him, and his innocent touches added fuel to the fire that was constantly burning with love, hope and bashfulness inside of Jimin. In one way, it was his favorite time of the day; in another way, it couldn’t be over fast enough because Jimin’s feelings were threatening to overwhelm him any minute. He knew, one day he wouldn’t be able to control himself anymore, and he feared the consequences. Not only what his parents and his imo would think, but most importantly how Taehyung would react. Would their friendship survive such a thing?

If Jimin wouldn’t spend so much time inside his head, worrying over what-ifs and keeping himself in check, he would’ve probably noticed the lingering besotted glances Taehyung fixed him with; the gentle smile he had when talking with or about him; and the hope in his eyes whenever Jimin cuddled close and touched him affectionately.

In fact, Taehyung had been aware of his feelings, of his love, for Jimin, for quite some time. He must’ve been no older than nine years, still a pup by a lot of means, when he came home from his day spent exploring with his best friend, only to announce to his stunned and bemused family that he’d marry Jimin one day.

When his mother cooed and his father laughed, he pouted, put out. “No, for real”, he said seriously, face set in determined frown. “I love him.”

His eomma hugged him tightly. “You have such a big heart, my boy”, she said warmly. “I’m not surprised it also embraced your friend. He’s quite a wonderful boy.”

Maybe his parents thought it was a passing affection; a childish thing that would go away naturally with time. Instead, his feelings for Jimin seemed to deepen with every minute they spent together. Since Jimin gave him the handmade handkerchief, the effort he put in it obvious in every stitch, his feelings had been close to bubbling over several times. Even simple things like an especially lovely laugh or short look thrown his way made his heart nearly burst. It slowly became agony, to have this secret that he couldn’t share with his best friend.

On one of his visits to his family, his younger sister noticed something was off. After some gentle prodding, he spilled his heart out to her.

“Oh, brother”, she said, shaking her head with a small smile. “You always manage to get yourself into tricky situations, don’t you?”

He smiled cynically and nodded, looking up into the crown of the tree they were sitting under. The leaves were creating beautiful patterns in the sunlight.

“Still, it hurts to keep a secret from him. We tell each other everything.”, he whispered sadly.

“Tell me, do you think Jimin is a cruel man?”, his sister demanded, raising her eyebrows at him. They were thick, exactly like his, so she looked rather menacing for a moment.

“No!” Taehyung cried. Surprised by his volume, he cleared his throat and tried again. “No. Definitely not. Jimin is the sweetest, gentlest and most caring person I know. I have never seen him being cruel.”

“Exactly”, his dongsaeng said proudly. “Even if he doesn’t share your feelings, he would never be cruel about it, or shun you for feeling this way. Rather the opposite, actually. From what I’ve seen, this boy is absolutely smitten with you, as well.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s rather disgusting to be honest.”

Taehyung blushed something fierce. He also had noticed how Jimin behaved towards him, gently teasing but so so affectionate, and wondered, always wondered-

But no. He couldn’t get his hopes up. They might be friends, but they were still from different social standings. Even if Jimin reciprocated his feelings, they could never be together. It simply wasn’t done.

“I can feel you overthinking from over here, brother”, his sister’s voice cut through his thoughts. “I think you should tell him. It’s killing you, keeping this secret. You need to clear the air, before he notices something is off and confronts you about it. And what would you say then? You’d have to keep lying to him, and that’s surely not what you want, is it?”

Sighing heavily, Taehyung let his head fall back against the tree trunk. He wondered how many love woes this sturdy tree had seen over the years it’s been standing in this courtyard. How many unrequited loves, first kisses, broken hearts and passionate love affairs it’s seen. Surely, his love troubles were just the latest in decades of heartache. The world would continue turning, regardless of his actions. He just had to decide what kind of world he wanted it to be. A world where he was lying to his best friend, his soulmate, out of fear? Or a world where he was confident and proud of his feelings, like his parents taught him, even though he might not know the outcome?

In the end, the answer was rather simple after all.

It had been an especially tiring day for Jimin. His imos taught him the right procedure for a tea ceremony, and he still had trouble remembering all the steps. He felt like he had held a teapot for hours, and his nose was clogged with the scent of jasmine tea. He couldn’t wait to get washed, and curl up with Taehyung, to breathe in his fresh cherry scent. Lately, a wonderful undercurrent of wet earth had joined his friend’s scent, making it richer and - in Jimin’s biased opinion - even more calming and attractive.

When he reached his quarters, he smelled Taehyung before he saw him. Automatically, his shoulders lost some tension. He eagerly slid open the door, his gaze falling on Taehyung sitting close to the window, seemingly deep in thought. He rushed over and kneeled down behind him, put his head on his shoulder and cuddled close. Taehyung startled, but immediately melted back into his embrace.

“I missed you, Taehyungie”, Jimin pouted exaggeratedly, but he meant it. The scent of cherry, mixed with soothing earth, washed over him and calmed all the stress he’d felt this afternoon. “My imos basically tortured me today with their tea ceremony.”

Taehyung snorted, but put a hand over Jimin’s reassuringly. “Do you still not know from which side to serve?”, he teased.

“It’s just so confusing!”, Jimin complained. “Also, it all seems pointless to me. Why is it relevant from which side I serve tea? Isn’t the most important thing that all the tea makes it inside the cup?” He huffed and pouted more. “Also, I can’t see jasmine tea anymore. The smell alone puts me off now. I need a bath.”

Taehyung’s shoulders shook as he laughed. “I think that can be arranged.”

After the bath and a light dinner, they put the futon up in front of the window and made use of the light that still trickled in. The days were getting longer, and the sun hadn’t completed her descent yet. They sat side by side, leaning against each other, Jimin’s hand resting lightly on Taehyung’s leg as he read. Lately, a book with different fairy tales and fables had taken his interest, and he was so deep in the story that he didn’t realise Taehyung had stopped painting a while ago. After some time, he became aware of the eyes on him and looked up, surprised, his cheeks coloring.

“Is something the matter?”, he asked. “Do I have something on my face? Oh no, did I not clean up well enough after dinner?” Embarrassed, he dropped his book and raised his hands to wipe at his face. Taehyung caught them half-way and held them gently.

“No, there’s nothing on your face”, he said, his voice thick with an emotion Jimin couldn’t identify. “It’s just, I just-” Taehyung’s eyes darted from Jimin to the window, averting his questioning gaze.

“I have something to, to tell you”, he admitted, still not looking at him. Silently, he cleared his throat.

“You know you can tell me anything, Tae”, Jimin assured him, giving their intertwined hands an encouraging squeeze. Taehyung seemed oddly uncomfortable, a look Jimin hadn’t seen often on him. Whatever it was, it must weigh heavily on him, and putting it into words obviously troubled him.

Suddenly, Jimin’s stomach swooped uncomfortably. What if Taehyung had noticed his feelings for him? What if Jimin’s affections brought him discomfort? What if he was disgusted by the way Jimin treated him so intimately sometimes? He swallowed uneasily, but before Jimin could say anything, Taehyung talked again.

“I talked to my dongsaeng some days ago. She definitely sat my head straight regarding a few things. She definitely is not afraid to confront me.” He chuckled fondly, his love for his sister shining through for a moment. Jimin wondered where this was going. Had Taehyung complained to his sister about his clinginess? Did she encourage him to tell Jimin outright, to confront him? A tight feeling spread in his chest, and he started chewing his lip in worry.

Taehyung still wasn’t looking at him.

“In any case, I’m thankful to her because without her encouragement I couldn’t do this right now. Jimin, I’m so sorry. But I’ve been keeping something from you, and it’s killing me every day that I’m too afraid to tell you. I know this will change things between us, and I care about you and our friendship too much to want that. But I can’t keep on doing this any longer.”

Jimin’s heart was pounding a mile a minute. There it was. Taehyung didn’t want to have anything to do with him any longer, he was tired of Jimin’s neediness or just him, in general. He probably wouldn’t say, because he was sweet that way. But, still. The tight feeling in his chest became worse, and the blood rushing through his ears sounded like a storm.

“What I want to say, Jimin-” Taehyung took a deep breath and fixed Jimin’s eyes in a stare. Jimin could barely look back, certain his heart would get crushed in a few moments. “What I want to say is rather simple. I love you, Jimin. I’ve been in love with you for a long time, but I didn’t find the courage to tell you until now. Please, forgive me.”

Jimin felt his heart miss several beats.

“What”, he said. What?, he thought.

“What?”, he repeated, and felt his eyes blow wide, in consternation, hope, elation, shock. So many emotions were swirling inside of him, it was hard to differentiate between them. He was overwhelmed.

Taehyung’s face turned red, but he held eye contact steadily. “I’m in love with you, Park Jimin. Everything you do, I adore. The way you laugh so hard your eyes close. How you purse your lips when you read, how you sound out words you don’t get immediately. I love to hear you complain about your day, and I love your elation when you eat something spicy. I have yet to find a thing about you that I don’t love.” His gaze dropped. “I’m so sorry.”

Jimin still couldn’t think properly, his thoughts and feelings a mess inside of him. But, still, “Don’t apologize”, he choked out, voice desperate. His grip on Taehyung’s fingers tightened.

“Please, don’t apologize for that. For, for loving me. Because-”

His eyes closed, heart pounding in his chest, a nervous jitter starting in his body, his love and affection bubbling up inside of him with an urgency that couldn’t be contained, not anymore.

“Because, Tae, Taehyung, I love you. I’m so in love with you, it hurts sometimes. But it’s alright, because it’s you. I love you so, so much.” He freed his hand from Taehyung’s grip and put it on his cheek, cradling it softly. “So much.”

To his horror, he felt himself getting choked up, tears rising in his eyes and threatening to fall.

“I-- Really?” Taehyung asked, his own eyes blown wide in wonder, sparkling with unshed tears like the stars he pointed out all those weeks ago. Jimin nodded silently, smiling lovingly. When the tears spilled, Jimin used both hands to wipe them away softly.

“Please, don’t cry”, he begged. “You’re going to make me cry, too.” It was too late, though, and Taehyung only laughed.

“I’m just so relieved”, he cried, retreating from Jimin’s touch to wipe at his face himself.

“Can I kiss you?”, Taehyung asked, his red-rimmed eyes tender. Jimin’s breath hitched as he took him in, with his dishevelled hair and red face, and thought beautiful.

“Of course, Taehyungie”, he whispered.

When their lips met, it was a wet, clumsy affair. They had never kissed anyone before, but their inexperience didn’t stop them. Jimin scooted closer, putting his arms around Taehyung’s shoulders, and tilted his head ever so slightly. Even though it certainly wasn’t perfect, he felt blissful. Even though they still had a lot to talk about, this moment, their breaths mingling, their lips touching, felt to Jimin like it could last forever.

For them, shortly, the world stopped, and jubilated a blossoming love.

Once they started kissing, it seemed like they couldn’t stop.

Jimin actively looked for small pockets of time in their busy days to steal a kiss or two (or three) from Taehyung. He loved the evenings the most, because then they were alone together. Both of them were very tactile - a very omegan trait, some would claim -, so they cuddled up together after every dinner, reading, painting, talking, laughing and kissing. Jimin could feel all his daily worries melt away when he was in Taehyung’s arms, feeling caged in and safe. His sweet cherry scent definitely helped, and Jimin couldn’t get enough of it.

Sometimes he wondered if his young heart was equipped to handle all these emotions. He was barely fourteen years old, and still his heart stopped, stumbled and beat like crazy on several occasions, all curiously related to Taehyung. But why did the other have to have such a sweet, mind blowing smile that crooked the corner of his mouth and showed his teeth? Why did his beautiful hair have to fall in his face in such an attractive way, tousled locks and all, framing his eyes in a way that should be forbidden? And his laugh, oh heavens. Truly, Jimin’s heart stood no chance.

It should worry him, how besotted he was, but Taehyung’s presence made all worries disappear. The time they spent together was like little pockets of sunshine in Jimin’s days.

Sadly, his duties kept him busy most of the time. His imo and mother kept on increasing his lessons so that he could learn to lead a household one day. After stitching, he learned knitting and, surprisingly, simple math. That was by far his favorite subject, even if the problems were limited to calculating grocery and staff costs. Jimin mostly sat through these boring lessons with the motivation of getting to see Taehyung later.

But there was still the risk of his imo or parents finding out about their courtship. While it was certainly thrilling to have to sneak around, the adrenaline of being caught pumping through them, people around them were starting to notice their change of behaviour.

One day, several weeks after their first kiss, Jimin’s imo took him aside after their daily lesson. Today they had gone over the proper way to dress to different important occasions, a mind numbingly boring affair as far as Jimin was concerned. Thus, he was eager to get away and see Taehyung - they had promised to meet in one of the gardens, the warm summer weather making evenings outside a wonderful possibility. Maybe they’d even get to see fireflies!

But, just as Jimin wanted to exit the room, his imo called him back.

“What can I do for you, imo?”, he asked, anxious to get this over with and away.

His imo eyed him intently for a few agonising seconds in which Jimin tried hard not to fidget.

“I wanted to ask if there’s something you want to tell me. I couldn’t help but notice how...distracted you have been recently”, she stated, examining his face closely.
“Distracted?”, he asked.

“During our afternoons together, it seems like you can’t get away soon enough. It also seems like you’re deep in thought a lot. I can’t count the times I had to repeat a question these past few weeks.”

Jimin’s heart sank a bit. Was he really that bad at hiding his thoughts that strayed to Taehyung far too often?

He made up some excuse about the summer heat getting to him lately before hurrying out of the small lesson room, feeling his imo’s gaze burn a hole into his back.

Jimin couldn’t bring himself to talk to Taehyung, at first. There were too many thoughts swirling around his head that he had to sort through. He managed to ban some of them to the back of his brain to enjoy their little date that evening. Maybe Taehyung noticed that he was quieter than usual, but perhaps he thought Jimin was exhausted from his day, because he didn’t ask about it. He seemed to be especially gentle with his touches that night, holding Jimin’s hand and placing delicate kisses on his head. Jimin felt comforted, if only for a little bit.

But after they curled up in their nest on the futon for the night, Taehyung laying on his chest and snoring loudly, Jimin couldn’t stop the thoughts from running rampant in his head.

First and foremost, there was indignation. His love was so true and all-encompassing. Why did he have to hide it? Purely because of their difference in social standing? It wasn’t even that frowned upon for young omegas to form a close emotional bond, surely a reason why nobody had objected to Jimin and Taehyung’s friendship. Often it was even encouraged for young omegas to help each other through their first several heats until they got married, their involvement with each other deemed innocent.

And that was the crux, wasn’t it?

Omegas were allowed to form strong, meaningful relationships, even witness each other at their most vulnerable, but their feelings for each other couldn’t ever rival that of an alpha-omega or even beta-omega connection. Marriage and the claiming bond that came with it, between two omegas? Unheard of, frowned upon.

Jimin pressed his cheek to Taehyung’s fluffy head, his heart practically bursting with love and affection for the omega, and could not help but feel both enraged and a deep resolution.

Maybe others wouldn’t be able to perceive the strength of their bond, but wasn’t that also the perfect hiding strategy? Jimin could simply claim that he and Taehyung had the typical omegan friendship. This way, they could get away with almost everything and maybe even spend their first heats together. Jimin flushed a bit with the thought, even though it was certainly not the first time his traitorous mind wandered in that particular direction.

It wasn’t the perfect solution, but it was better than going around pretending and having to hide. It had been thrilling at the beginning, but now, several months later, Jimin began to grow tired of it. He wanted to be out in the estate with Taehyung without constantly having to turn his head, wondering if someone saw them holding hands.

The next morning over breakfast, a sleep-rumpled Taehyung sitting opposite of him, Jimin took heart and spoke up.

“My imo basically interrogated me yesterday”, he said delicately, snatching up a piece of gimbap with his chopsticks and raising it to his lips. “Apparently, I’ve changed recently”

Taehyung hummed, continued to chew on his food, then abruptly froze. Jimin could barely hold in a small chuckle. Taehyung was always slow to wake up and it was certainly adorable to witness.

“Wait, do you think she noticed something?”, he asked, eyes suddenly blown wide and more alert. “About us?”

Jimin hummed uncertainly. “I’m not sure. But she did notice something. Apparently I’ve been... distracted lately.”

Taehyung smirked mischievously, obviously pleased with himself.

“Oh, shut it." Jimin shoved some rice into his mouth. His stupid cheeks were burning, betraying his embarrassment. Taehyung raised his arms in surrender, but his shoulders shook with laughter.

“Anyway. That made me think. About us, our...relationship”

“That’s why you’ve been so quiet yesterday”, Taehyung observed. He sat up straighter and looked at Jimin head on. “What did you have to think about in particular?”

Jimin chewed on his lip, wondering how to phrase it. It was hard for him to talk about his emotions. “I don’t want to hide any longer”, he blurted out, and immediately cringed.

“I mean, it’s not that I really hate sneaking around that much”, he hurried to explain, searching for Taehyung’s gaze. The other boy was simply watching him, following his words attentively.

“In the beginning, it was even thrilling. But I don’t think it’s something I can do all the time. It’s so tiring to constantly be on the lookout for other people when we’re out. It’s like I can never fully relax, and I don’t like it.”

Taehyung’s brows furrowed. “What’s your solution, then?”, he asked. “Do you want to end this?” His eyes were starting to cloud over.

Jimin gasped and immediately scooted over to the other boy, sitting down next to him. “No! Taehyung, I would never! I promise you. Please, look at me.” Jimin took Taehyung’s hands and squeezed them reassuringly. “You’re the most important person in my life. I don’t want to ever lose you, you understand? You’re way too dear to me. I want to spend every minute of every day with you. I would never want to ruin the beautiful thing we have.” He emphasized his point with a little kiss he pressed on Taehyung’s lips. “Alright?”

“Alright”, Taehyung whispered, and nodded. “I believe you, Jimin”

“I know I’m not always the best at saying what I feel. I’d rather show it” Jimin fidgeted, and now it was Taehyung’s turn to squeeze his hands. “I understand”, he said softly and smiled. “So, what was your solution?”

“I thought about how omegan friendships are something quite common, right? Young, unmarried omegas are even encouraged to form close bonds for...certain causes. I thought we could use that to our advantage.”

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, a skill that Jimin hadn’t mastered yet which silently frustrated him to no end. “Our advantage?”

“Yes. We can tell everyone that we’re simply very close. We could get away with a lot that way. Omegas are supposed to be very tactile, remember? Nobody would bat an eye.”

Taehyung nodded silently. “I suppose it’s very clever to deceive everyone with their own expectations. But what about the other thing?”

Now it was Jimin’s turn to be confused. “What other thing?”

“I think you called them ‘certain causes’”, Taehyung smiled slyly. Jimin could feel his head turn a very vivid shade of red. Before he could say anything, though, Taehyung continued.

“You want to spend your heat with me?” He sounded oddly shy and vulnerable.

Jimin choked on his saliva. He certainly didn’t see this turn of conversation coming. But here it was, and he had to deal with it.

“Of- of course, Taehyungie”, he said, although he couldn’t meet the other’s eye. “Who else should I spend it with?”

Taehyung’s eyes were wide, and he seemed almost frozen, until he suddenly came forward and took Jimin’s lips in a passionate, almost feverish kiss. His hands came up to cradle Jimin’s head, his own tilting to the side to deepen the kiss. Jimin gripped his sides, absolutely swept up, helpless to the eager way Taehyung sucked his lips in his mouth. When they parted several long moments later, they were both breathing hard. “I love you so much”, Taehyung panted, eyes big and slightly wild. “Of course I’ll spend your heats with you. It would be an honor.” He swooped down once again to press his mouth against Jimin’s eagerly.

Jimin laughed breathlessly, flustered. “Well, it will still be quite some time until then”, he reasoned. Normally, omegas experienced their first heats after roughly sixteen years of living, after all. Taehyung just smiled and kissed him again, much softer this time. Some part of Jimin couldn’t wait until those two years were over.

The next day, Jimin told his imo. He said exactly what they agreed upon: that he felt a deep bond with Taehyung from omega to omega, he truly cherished their time together and that yes, he was already thinking about spending his future heats with him. His imo seemed not surprised, but felt compelled to reprimand him.

“I expect that you pay full attention during our lessons. You may be wishing to be somewhere else, but I expect you to not show that during the time we’re here together. This….thing will be fleeting, but you will have responsibilities your whole life. Responsibilities we’re preparing you for. Am I understood?”

Jimin nodded meekly and vowed to do his best. He couldn’t quite believe how easy his aunt accepted his and Taehyung's omegan bond. A little voice in the back of his head worried it was all for show and she would intervene soon.

But nothing happened. In the next months, word about their omega bond spread through the estate, and there were few who were surprised at the news. People just carried on like nothing happened. The only thing that changed was that now Jimin’s little brother teased him about it during their weekly dinners together, that little brat.

Days turned into weeks, turned into months, into years. When Jimin looked back on all the time that had passed since their first kiss, he fondly recalled their most important moments together. Late night picnics spent kissing under the stars, building nests together and curling up inside them, shyly touching and learning each other in new, exhilarating ways. His first heat had been an almost explosive, passionate, messy affair - at least as much as he could remember. It lasted several days he spent mostly in a haze, but with Taehyung always near, soothing him, tending to him, loving him. There had been a couple more after that, they came twice a year after all, and he also spent some of Taehyung’s heats with him. They were cherished, intimate times they spent together, and Jimin didn’t take it lightly that Taehyung trusted him to see him in such a vulnerable, wanton state. Only his mother and Jimin were allowed to help him when the fever burned him up and the hormones made him delirious with need. Jimin felt both humbled and honored to be in such a position.

It was all thanks to the love they shared. The love that grew with the years, took new shapes and forms and settled into their bones like it belonged there. It was like breathing for Jimin, loving Taehyung. It was natural, a part of him, but nevertheless breathtaking and ever-changing.

This did not mean there weren’t moments of doubt and worry. They had several heated discussions about their future, especially when Jimin’s mother began talking about how now that Jimin had gone through heat, he was in the right age to marry. But, seeing as he wasn’t the heir since he wasn’t an alpha, it wasn't a priority. His younger brother had it worse in that regard, seeing as their parents already found a match when he had barely even gone through rut and thus presented.

That didn’t mean Jimin didn’t agonise over how his future would turn out, though. He knew he had very little to say in that matter. His best hope was that he could be like his imo: stay with his brother and help him raise his children. That way, he and Taehyung could stay on the estate. If his parents ever decided to marry him to a strange alpha or beta, his biggest fear was to be separated from his love.

Most days, they simply didn’t think about the future that was ever looming. They were young, and in love, and they had all the time in the world.

Or so they thought.

Just a few months after Jimin celebrated his nineteenth birthday, Jimin and Taehyung began to notice tension rising in the estate. One evening, as they snuggled up together in front of the lantern with a thick duvet to ward off the cold, Taehyung told him about some rumours the servants had brought in from town.

“Apparently, the secretary of the military bureau is under scrutiny”, he explained. “There’s been some strong allegations of corruption, and that he lost a considerable amount of tax money in gambling.”

An uneasy feeling grew in Jimin’s gut. “Abeonim works in that bureau. I wonder what’s gonna happen to him now”, he whispered. “Do you think-?” He couldn’t get himself to finish the sentence. While he never was especially close with his father, he still respected and looked up to him. He always made sure Jimin never lacked anything.

“That he was involved?”, Taehyung finished his sentence. Jimin just nodded mutely, a lump growing in his throat. “I don’t know, jagiya. It’s hard to say how much he knew about what was happening. I mean, he must have noticed something, right?”

“I don’t know”, Jimin sighed, leaning closer to Taehyung and breathing in his scent to calm himself down a bit. Instantly, some tension in his stomach easened. “I don’t know.”

As it turns out, the fact that Jimin’s father had worked for the secretary alone was enough to discredit him in the eyes of the superiors, no matter how deep he was involved. He was suspended and had to come in for interrogations regularly. The whole ordeal left an impression on the entire estate: albeit Jimin’s family was well off, they couldn’t afford to keep all the servants around any longer. It became noticeably quieter in the courtyards, and Jimin was expected to help with even more household duties than before. Luckily, since Taehyung was his personal attendant, he and his family had been kept on.

Even though that was a small mercy, Jimin couldn’t help but worry. His lively imo had begun to withdraw, her face seemingly permanently in a frown these days. Whenever she and his mother were together, they were holding hushed conversations that stopped immediately when Jimin made himself known. That’s how he knew they were talking about him, and it alarmed him. Taehyung kept trying to soothe him with calming words and encouraging smiles, and when that didn’t work, distract him with kissing sessions that soon turned heated. But afterwards, Jimin’s thoughts couldn’t help but circle back to the pondering, wistful stares his mother was sending him lately.

“It will all turn out fine, jagi”, Taehyung said one morning while they were having breakfast. It was a quieter affair than usual, because Jimin’s mother and imo had requested he met them later that morning. Though it wasn’t an unusual invitation, Jimin couldn’t shake the feeling that this meeting would be anything else but usual.

“Even if it doesn’t turn out fine, I will still be here. Right next to you. I promise. Alright?”

Jimin could feel a sweet smile growing on his lips. Taehyung seemed to know exactly what to say to make him feel assured. “Alright”, he agreed, and leaned over to place a thankful kiss on his lips. With Taehyung by his side, he could overcome anything.

The atmosphere in the tea room was tense.

After Jimin had prepared the tea for his eomoni and imo, serving them in the right order and from the right side, finally filling his own cup, he sat down across from them. For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of delicate sipping, but the otherwise quiet room sounded loud in Jimin’s ears.

“What did you want to talk to me about?”, he finally asked when he couldn’t bear the silence any longer.

His mother put down her tea cup and elegantly crossed her hands in her lap.

“There is no easy way to say this, so I will be straightforward. You deserve that much.” She paused, her lips pursing the slightest amount. “You are to be wed. We picked a respectable alpha from a well prestigious pack on the other side of town, and made an agreement. The ceremony will take place in a few weeks' time.” Seemingly unperturbed, she picked up her tea cup again and took another sip.

Meanwhile, Jimin was in shock. He couldn’t believe what he just heard. Overwhelmed, he looked over to his imo, but she avoided his eyes.

“I- what? Why now? Why so fast?”, he demanded, trying his hardest to control his voice. Next to the shock and confusion, anger was quickly bubbling inside of him. He felt utterly helpless, and he hated it.

“They made a reasonable offer”, his mother explained. “I’m sure you know that we are not in good graces with the administration right now. Your fiance's pack has strong ties with the state secretary. They need a healthy omega who can help them continue on the bloodline. It’s beneficial for both sides.”

“And it didn’t even occur to you to ask me if I wanted to be married off to some stranger?”, Jimin asked, some venom leaking into his tone. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Taehyung’s face flashed before his inner eye, his gentle love evident in every look towards Jimin. What would happen to them now? Jimin felt sick. How would he even tell Taehyung about this without breaking his heart?

“Honestly, your opinion on this doesn’t matter, Jimin”, his imo spoke up. She looked at him, her eyes oddly empty. “It’s already been decided. The wedding preparations are underway. You will get married to this alpha, for our pack’s sake.”

For our pack’s sake.

Jimin couldn’t help but feel like a good, sold off at the most viable bidder. It made him feel nauseous, but he forced the feeling down. He knew his aunt was right, he couldn’t change anything. From his early youth, he had been prepared for a moment like this, he just always repressed the thought of it actually becoming a reality. To one day become the perfect omega for his spouse. His mother and imo didn’t have to know that he definitely didn’t intend to behave like a demure, submissive omega.

He swallowed down the emotions bubbling up inside him before speaking up again. “What’s the alpha’s name? I at least ought to know what my future spouse is called. Is there anything I need to know about them?”

“His name is Jeon Jeongguk”, his mother answered. “He just came off age last summer, this is his eighteenth winter. He’s heavily involved in his father’s business, who is, as far as I know, a trading merchant.”

Jimin clenched his teeth. This alpha he was supposed to marry was younger than him? He felt ashamed, for himself and his family, that they stooped that low. It truly showed how desperate the search for a candidate had been. Has this Jeon Jeongguk been their last resort? A trading merchant pack, Jimin scoffed internally. A few generations ago, it would have been disgraceful for a distinguished pack like the Parks to form alliances with a merchant pack. Times had changed, though, and merchant families had gained influence with their connections and money. Still, Jimin couldn’t help but feel disgraced at the fact that he was to be married to someone of a lower social standing, miniscule as the difference might be. And worse, someone considerably younger than him! It wasn’t unheard of for omegas to be married to much older alphas or betas, but this being the other way around - Jimin was sure that would raise some eyebrows.

He felt humiliated.

But he had to make a good face to it, and appear as if it didn’t phase him. Not for his, but for his pack’s sake. He just hoped he would be able to keep up the facade through it all.

The rest of the discussion - probably regarding wedding preparations and details as to what the Jeon pack offered in return for Jimin’s hand in marriage - passed by in a blur. A heavy feeling had settled on Jimin’s chest, making it hard to breathe. While he sat there, pretending to pay attention, his thoughts were in turmoil. His whole world turned upside down in a matter of minutes, and he was grappling to take in this new reality.

After he was dismissed, he decided to go for a walk around the estate. Maybe the cold would clear his mind a bit, or at least, help him order his thoughts. Also, he would be able to avoid talking to Taehyung for a while longer. He couldn’t stop thinking about him, about their relationship. When they talked about the future, they always dismissed the possibility of Jimin getting married off. It hadn’t seemed likely for a long time, after all. Sure, there had been discussions with his imo and mother a few times, but even then it had only been considered rather idly. The pack was well off and had a solid social standing, so they didn’t need to marry off one of the children to gain influence. It was only important to carry on the bloodline, and that was Jimin’s brother’s duty.

Rather naively, Jimin and Taehyung had thought that wouldn’t change. But now, with Jimin’s father under scrutiny, faith in the Park pack had to be restored. Jimin’s marriage was a purely political move, aimed to regain some of the prestige the pack had, his mother made that rather clear.

When Jimin reached the lake at the back of the estate, now frozen over in parts due to the winter season, he came to a stop. His shoulders felt heavy with a new weight on them. He knew it was his responsibility as the eldest child to help the pack in any way he could. But his heart ached when he thought of Taehyung. Sweet, beautiful, lovely Taehyung, his true love, his soul mate. He was the world to Jimin, and he ached with the knowledge that he would have to break his heart. Not to mention his own. He couldn’t stomach the thought that he would be wed to some young, strange alpha. Worse, this alpha would mate him, claim him, something that would literally bind them together for life, a connection he would never be allowed to share with Taehyung. Despair washed over him, choking him, as he stood there staring out at the lake.

He felt bleak, just like the scenery before him. Utterly small and helpless.

By evening, however, a new kind of resolve had risen in Jimin. He refused to be brought down by this unexpected turn. He knew he didn’t have much leverage in the terms of his marriage, and he couldn’t stop the wedding from happening in the first place. But he was sure there was a way he could still be with Taehyung. He already had an idea, but it was entirely up to Taehyung. Jimin was nervous, afraid of Taehyung’s reaction. Jimin only wanted what was best for him, and he surely didn’t want to hurt him. To know that he couldn’t avoid it this time had him in agony.

Still, he felt confident in their love. He loved Taehyung, and he knew the other loved him. Jimin would fight for it, for them.

When he brought over dinner to their room, there was already a light burning inside. Taehyung was waiting for him when he entered. He sat by the lantern, scribbling on a piece of paper and smiled at Jimin as he put down the tray.

“There you are”, he said softly. “I missed you.” He pressed a light kiss to Jimin’s cheek in greeting. Jimin’s heart stumbled in his chest and he instantly felt better.

“Missed you, too”, Jimin murmured, taking the art supplies out of Taehyung’s hands and settling on his lap. Taehyung chuckled, caught off guard, but put his arms around Jimin willingly when he snuggled closer. His calming cherry scent mixed with Jimin’s own peach, enveloping him from all sides. Jimin finally relaxed. Here, in Taehyung’s arms, he felt secure, tucked away from the cruel ways of the world. “I had the worst day”, he sighed, rubbing his cheek against Taehyung’s sternum. “But being with you makes me feel better, my love.”

Taehyung hummed and stroked his hair carefully. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Jimin took a deep breath and nodded against Tae’s throat. “But let’s eat first, alright?”

“Alright”, Taehyung agreed and removed his hands from Jimin’s waist to reach for the food. Jimin whined petulantly, and Taehyung laughed. “You know, you need to get off my lap if you want to eat”, he said teasingly.

“Don’t want to”, Jimin pouted. After all this emotional turmoil today he didn’t want to leave this peaceful spot. “Feed me”, he demanded, looking up to Taehyung with wide eyes and his lower lip jutting out.

“You’re not being fair, you know I can’t resist that face!”, Taehyung grumbled, but a smile was forming on his lips. “Oh, fine, but you still need to give me some space, or you will get an elbow to the face, jagiya”

Jimin wiggled happily in victory, and Taehyung choked. Jimin couldn’t help but giggle mischievously, but raised his hands in surrender when Taehyung looked at him scoldingly. “Alright, I’ll behave, I’ll behave”, he laughed. He was hungry after all.

Dinner was a slightly messy but cheerful affair, and Jimin was once again reminded why he loved Taehyung so much. In his presence, he could always be himself, and Taehyung wouldn’t judge him for it. He embraced all his sides, even the weird ones, and even better, went along with them. He always managed to cheer Jimin up, even when he didn’t know what was wrong in the first place. But it wasn’t a one-way-street; after all these years together, Jimin was also able to read Taehyung’s moods. They always were there for each other, in as many ways as possible.

When their stomachs were filled, they dressed in their nightwear, rolled out the futon and settled on it facing each other. Jimin reached for Taehyung’s hands and held them tightly. He needed something to ground himself. His nervosity that had dimmed throughout dinner returned tenfold and he bit his lip, pondering on how to start.

Suddenly, there was a finger at his mouth, pulling the lip away from his teeth. “Stop that. I swear, one day you’re gonna bite right through it”, Taehyung scolded him lightly.

Jimin rolled his eyes a bit before he took a deep breath, bracing himself.

“As you know, imo and eomoni asked to see me today”, he started, his voice breaking by the end of the sentence. He cleared his throat and pushed on. “But it wasn’t for a lesson, or a scolding, or frankly anything I imagined. They told me-”, he broke off and collected himself. His palms were starting to sweat and his stomach felt uneasy.

“There’s no easy way to say this. Taehyungie, my love, they...They told me that I am to be married. In only a few weeks time, no less. They found an alpha from a prestigious pack with strong ties to the state secretary that’s agreed to marry me. You know how our pack’s reputation has suffered recently due to my father, and this is my parents’ way to fix it.” Jimin had been staring at their hands, intertwined between them, the entire time he spoke. Now he hesitantly raised his gaze to Taehyung’s face. He looked shocked, and Jimin’s heart broke. He made sure to hold eye contact with him as he went on, even as his chest felt like it was torn open, his insides shown for the world to see.

“Taehyungie, I love you. You know I do, with all my heart and my soul. This...this isn’t ideal, but I think I found a way-”

“Not ideal?”, Taehyung interrupted him, sounding incredulous. He withdrew his hands from Jimin’s abruptly and wrapped them around his torso defensively, recoiling. Jimin felt like he’d been slapped.

“Not ideal? Jimin, you’re going to be mated to someone else. Some alpha we don’t even know.”

“I- yes, I know! You think I don’t know that? It’s what’s been on my mind all day!”, Jimin hissed. “It’s not like I chose this, or want it even! My imo and my parents just decided it for me, and I have to go along with it for the packs’ sake. They made it quite clear that I don’t have a say in the matter.” Jimin searched for Taehyung’s gaze, but he was stubbornly avoiding him.

“There’s nothing I can do about it, my dear. But I refuse to let their decision ruin this, ruin us. I think there is a way we can still be together even after I’m mated.”

Taehyung shook his head and scoffed lightly. “And how will that work? You’re going to live with that alpha’s pack and I doubt that you’d be able to just visit me whenever you want to.”

“I agree, that’s not going to be possible”, Jimin said and Taehyung’s gaze snapped to him, finally. He looked incredulous and was opening his mouth for an answer already, but Jimin beat him to it.

“But I think there’s another possibility. A rather simple solution, if you think about it. It’s entirely up to you, though”, he began. He wrung his hands in nervosity. “You could just come with me. As my personal attendant. I’m confident I could convince my imo. We couldn’t be together as much as we are right now, probably, but we wouldn’t be seperated, at least.”

Looking up at Taehyung hesitantly, he continued. “But I know how much your family means to you. If you go with me, you will have to leave them behind. And I know it’s a selfish offer, maybe even cruel, but it’s the only solution I have.”

Taehyung’s face was carefully blank. Jimin knew that this meant he was trying to appear less vulnerable, that he was trying to disguise his feelings while he thought about everything. It hurt that he felt the need to hide while he was with Jimin, but he understood it. This was quite a lot to process, after all.

Jimin had vowed to himself to be patient with Taehyung, but as the seconds ticked on without a response from him, the tension in him grew until he couldn’t bear it anymore.

“Please say something, dear”, he pleaded softly.

Taehyung breathed in sharply and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what to say, honestly”, he said. Jimin could tell how distressed he was, not only from his body language, but also from the pheromones he was exuding. His scent had turned sharper, the earthier undertones more pronounced.

“This is so sudden. I’m not- I simply don’t know, Jimin. I love you, so much, to the end of the earth and back but- I can’t help but think of my family, of the life I have here. And how would we even be able to be together in the new pack? We would have to sneak around and you’d have to lie to your mate and your new family members constantly. And what happens if your mate finds out? We know nothing about them, Jimin. They would banish me from the pack, at least, probably a lot worse.” Taehyung gulped. He curled in on himself, and Jimin’s chest ached at the sight.

Usually, Taehyung was larger than life, a pillar of support, full of mischief and laughter and copious amounts of love and affection. To see him so small and vulnerable now made Jimin hurt in ways he never imagined. The pain and desperation were all-encompassing, making his stomach feel like lead and crawling up his throat.

“Please”, he begged wetly. Tears were forming in his eyes and he let them fall. “Tae, my dear, you promised - you promised me to always stay by my side, remember? I love you so much, I can’t imagine my life without you. I know I’m always going to love you, even when I’m mated, you’re the one for me. Please. I’m sure we will find a way to be together in the new pack. This alpha he, he’s a trading merchant and he’ll probably be gone for long stretches of time. We can make it work, Taehyungie, I promise!”

The tears were falling faster now and a sob escaped from Jimin’s throat when he looked at his lover, who had turned his head to the side. Jimin could make out tear tracks on his cheeks, too. The knowledge that he himself was the one who inflicted that pain on Taehyung made him ache even worse.

“I want to believe you, Jimin”, Taehyung said in a broken tone. “I desperately want to. But this is all too much right now. I don’t know what to think, my mind is a mess and-” He sniffled and wiped at his eyes. “- I’m sorry, but I have to think about all of this. I can’t form a proper thought and I can’t take this decision lightly. I’m so so sorry, jagiya. I truly love you, but this is not something I can decide on a whim.” He put his hand on Jimin’s knee, the other coming up to wipe some of Jimin’s tears aways and cup his cheek.

“I just need some time for consideration. I assure you, I want to find a solution as much as you do. I just need some time for that, alright?”

Jimin closed his eyes and nodded weakly. Truly, he understood Taehyung. He was in a dilemma, and different to Jimin, he actually had a choice. As much as it hurt Jimin, he would never force Taehyung to do something against his will. He wanted what’s best for him, even if that meant that Jimin hurt because of it.

“I understand”, he whispered and leaned back from Taehyung’s hand to wipe the tears from his eyes.

“Good”, Taehyung said. He looked uncertain for a moment, then he stood up. Jimin looked up at him, confused.

“I’m going to stay with my family tonight”, Taehyung explained haltingly. He sucked his lower lip between his teeth to chew on it, a sign of his agitation. “I need to get a clear head and think everything through and I don’t think I can do that here. I need to get away for a bit. Will you be alright?”

Jimin’s heart broke all over again. In truth, he couldn’t imagine a night without Taehyung by his side, but he knew that the other needed the time to process everything that had been thrown at him. It would be rather heartless to not grant him that. He brought himself to nod, but couldn’t bear to look at Taehyung any longer. Taehyung stood there for a few more moments, before he whispered a quiet “Sleep well”. His clothes rustled, the door slid open and closed again, and then he was gone.

Jimin curled up on the futon and cried himself to sleep.

Waking up without Taehyung was hard, going through the day without him was harder, going to bed without him was the hardest. Looking back later, Jimin wasn’t sure how he even got through the days after their argument. His imos and mother were too busy with wedding preparations to pay much attention to him. The first part of the ceremony was to be held at the estate, and with just a few weeks time to get everything ready, everyone was buzzing with activity. Jimin mostly stayed in his room, or at the front porch, only the cold air and his thoughts for company. The result was that he worried constantly: about how Taehyung was doing, what his decision was gonna be, what kind of future awaited them.

But he couldn’t help but think about his designated mate, as well, as much as it annoyed him. He wondered what kind of alpha Jeon Jeongguk was. How would he treat him? Would he be cruel, or cold, or a heavy drinker? Even though he didn’t know anything about this alpha, he couldn’t help but imagine the life he would lead. Not knowing what awaited him bothered him greatly, and without Taehyung there to distract him he had way too much time on his hands to worry himself sick. Not even his books were a suitable distraction, the pages were blurring in front of him and the simplest sentences were hard to understand all of a sudden.

On midday on the third day after the wedding announcement, however, he was forced out his funk by a maid bringing a carefully wrapped package to his room. Jimin was confused at first, but then he remembered: it was a tradition that the alpha sent his promised omega or beta a piece of his scented clothing, so that the designated mate could get used to their scent and recognize them in the wedding ceremony. Jimin knew that he was supposed to send one of his own garments back. The decision was rather easy: he gave the maid the hanbok he’d been wearing on his last dinner with Taehyung. It seemed unbelievable it had only been a few days ago, it felt like a whole lifetime had passed since then. Looking at it hurt too much and it hadn’t been one of his finer ones anyway. He figured it was good riddance.

After the maid left, he put the package down in a corner where he didn’t have to look at it and tried to distract himself. But even though he couldn’t see it, the sheer presence of the cloth was enough to niggle at the back of his brain. Eventually, he gave up trying to occupy himself with something else, seeing as nothing worked anyway, and brought the package over to the window where he put up his nest.

The garment inside was wrapped in a neat, rectangular package with a midnight blue cloth. When he untied the ribbon holding it together, he could feel how finely woven and high-quality the fabric was. The simple hanbok inside the package was of similar quality, though the fabric was a stunning silvery blue with a subtle embroidered pattern.

Hesitantly, Jimin raised the cloth up to his nose to get a whiff of the alpha’s scent. He knew that usually, an alpha’s scent was richer than that of an omega’s, who often had pretty sweet scents, much like Jimin himself. His younger alpha brother smelled of sandalwood, and Jimin’s father had a strong, comforting cedar smell. Jeongguk’s was no different in that regard, also quite strong and deep, but there was a sweeter undercurrent to it. Maybe honey? Something about it sparked Jimin’s curiosity, and he buried his nose deeper into the hanbok to get all the nuances. Yes, definitely honey, but what was the overlaying smell? Jimin was reminded of the trees growing by the lake. What were they called again? Pine trees? He sniffed again, and grew certain: pine with honey. What a peculiar scent. Annoyingly, Jimin found he liked it. Sure, it had nothing on Taehyung’s calming scent, but it was...nice. Not too overwhelming, which was probably due to the honey. Jimin felt annoyance at the fact that there was something about this strange alpha that he might even like.

At that moment, the door to his room slid open. Flustered, Jimin shoved the hanbok down on his lap, and snapped his head around to the intruder.

“Don’t you know to knock-'' It was Taehyung, standing in the doorway uncertainly. “- first”, Jimin finished lamely.

“Can I come in?”, Taehyung asked, sounding hesitant. Jimin nodded immediately. He took Taehyung in as he stepped inside, closed the door and sat down in front of Jimin. He looked exhausted, dark rings under his eyes revealed he didn’t get much sleep. His hair looked even more ruffled than usual, as if he’d been pulling at it repeatedly. In short, he looked about as bad as Jimin felt. Jimin wished he could pull him into an embrace, soothe his worries and hold him until he felt better, but he was the reason Taehyung felt this way in the first place. The pain of that fact still throbbed in his chest, hadn't lessened at all in the last days, in fact. He knew he would forever feel guilty for inflicting that kind of pain on his soulmate.

“What’s that?”, Taehyung asked and nodded at the package in Jimin’s lap when he only looked at him in confusion.

“Oh, that”, Jimin said, feeling conflicted. “It’s one of Jeongguk’s hanboks, you know, for the wedding tradition.”

“Ah.” Taehyung nodded understandingly, but he was eyeing the garment weirdly, still. “Is that their name? Jeongguk? Sounds like he’s a male alpha, then.”

With a start, Jimin realized that Taehyung didn’t even know the name of the alpha Jimin would soon be mated to. Thinking back on their argument, he realised that he truly never got around to mentioning it.

“Yes, that’s his name”, he clarified softly. “Jeon Jeongguk, in full. And yes, he’s male.” He stopped himself from fidgeting with the cloth in his lap and clasped his hands together to stop them from shivering. He felt strung-tight and nervous beyond comparison. This was it, the moment of truth. Taehyung had made a decision, and now he was here to tell Jimin whether they’d be together in the future or not. He was ready to skip the pleasantries and get right to it, but he knew that it was up to Taehyung to bring up the topic. But for now the other just hummed lightly and looked Jimin up and down. He must’ve reached some sort of conclusion, although Jimin couldn’t say which kind, because he finally spoke up again.

“First, I want to apologise. When I said I needed some time to think about the … situation, I honestly expected it wouldn’t take longer than a day. But this decision took longer than I’d anticipated, and I’m sorry for that, jagiya.”

Jimin’s heart skipped a beat at the pet name. That must be a good sign, right? A clump had formed in his throat, preventing him from speaking, so he simply nodded once.

“I had a lot to consider. First and foremost, of course, how I would feel about leaving my family here. But that was actually the easiest decision to make, especially after I talked to my dongsaeng and eomma. While I love them very, very much, I know they’d be completely fine without me, and they’re not my home, anyway. My home is wherever you are, because you have my heart.”

Jimin couldn’t breathe. He could only look at Taehyung, his desperation clearly showing on his face, his heart beating away frantically in his chest.

“I realised several other things, as well. I realised that spending my days without you by my side is pure agony.”

Jimin chuckled humorlessly. “Yeah, I noticed that as well”, he said quietly. Taehyung sent him a small smile, even though it was tense around the edges.

“Right. I also realised that I don’t care if you’re mated to someone else. Of course, it bothers me to some extent, don’t be mistaken. But even though I am not sure of many things, I am sure of your love, and I know that while you might be bonded to someone else, your heart will always belong to me. I’m truly sorry I doubted that for even a second.”

“So?”, Jimin whispered, his heart beating so fast and loud that he was sure it was going to fall out of his chest any moment. He surely felt like his life was on the line.

“So”, Taehyung said, and held out his hands to Jimin, who immediately grabbed them. He felt like from their point of contact, a warmth was spreading through him. It was a reassuring feeling.

“I came to the conclusion that I can’t stay behind. I can’t leave you. You said that you can’t live without me, and the same is the truth for me: I can’t live without you by my side. I know it won’t be easy, and that there’ll be many obstacles that we can’t even imagine at the moment, but I want to be there for you every step of the way. I want to fight for us. So, if you can convince your imo, I will come with you to your, no, our new pack. I promise you, and truly this time, without hesitation and hold-ups, that I’ll always be there for you, Park Jimin.”

Jimin couldn’t hold back a relieved sob and threw himself at Taehyung, who easily caught him and wrapped him up in a tight embrace. “I’m here, I’m here”, he murmured when Jimin cried against his chest. It felt like all the tension of the last few days drained out of him, all the concerns and worries replaced with comfort and strength. “Thank you, I love you, thank you so much”, he gasped out between sobs, causing Taehyung to hold him even tighter. After all the uncertainty of the last days, it was relieving to be held again. It was like Taehyung was silently saying “I got you, for better or for worse”, and that was exactly what Jimin needed right now.

It felt like an eternity until Jimin calmed down. When he finally pulled back, he saw that Taehyung had shed some tears as well.

“My love”, he said tenderly and wiped them away. “I love you. Please, don’t forget that. I can’t say what’s going to happen, I’m certain a lot will change, but please never forget that you have my whole heart, and I’m not planning on taking it back.”

Taehyung laughed, his wonderful boxy smile lighting up his face. Jimin once again realised with a pang how much he had missed him. “I will hold on to it and protect it with my life. As long as you do the same with mine”, he assured him.

“You have yourself a deal”, Jimin winked.

“Deal”, Taehyung agreed, and like all good deals should be, they sealed it with a kiss.

The wedding preparations passed in a blur. Jimin wasn’t present for a lot of it, anyway, as his imos took charge of the planning. For him, it was a time of parting: sorting through his belongings, deciding what to take to his new pack and what to leave behind. It was a time of last walks through the estate, of uncertainty.

Surprisingly, and to Jimin and Taehyung’s great relief, it was no struggle at all to convince his mother that Taehyung should come with him. She agreed that it was beneficial for Jimin to have someone familiar in the new surroundings. While that was certainly relieving, they couldn’t help but worry how their life in the new pack would look like, how they could be together. They just had to wait and see, which was surely frustrating.

The wedding day came faster than Jimin had expected. Jimin woke up, entangled with Taehyung in their nest, and felt a pang in his heart. This would be the last time in a long time they could spend the night like this. All pressed up together, two hearts beating as one, revelling in the warmth of each other. His heart hurt like it was bleeding, and he couldn’t help but feel nostalgic when looking around his room. For a moment it felt like all the memories he tied to this place awoke at once. This room had been the center of his life for as long as he could remember. Leaving it behind hurt in a silent, sad way.

He was numb all through the preparations, as various maids put on several different powders to the point they obscured his facial expressions. Taehyung was always around, helping with last minute tasks and helping him in his elaborate wedding hanbok. Jimin could only catch a glimpse of it before a maid put the adhesive over his eyes, effectively shutting his eyes and blinding him to his surroundings.

The wedding in itself was a short affair. The wedding party had gathered in one of the courtyards, and Jimin’s father led him to his fiancee. He immediately recognized him from his honey-pine scent that somehow stood out even with the large number of people present. Nudged by his father, he bowed two times and soon after, he heard the rustling of clothes that signaled his husband had bowed the required four times. Like that, they were wed.

The following banquet was a boring, long affair. Jimin was expected to stay silent so as to not bring shame over his family, a feat he didn’t find difficult at all since he still couldn’t see. He couldn’t imagine the humiliation if he spoke in the wrong direction. So, he sat next to Jeongguk, hands folded in his lap, and simply listened to the congratulations of the wedding guests. Jeongguk’s voice was pleasant, a deep timbre, and he was thoroughly polite and pleasant. Still, Jimin couldn’t help but feel wary. Many alphas put up a benign front and were cruel behind closed doors. The only consolation was Taehyung’s scent that was always around, assuring him that he was near.

Once the stream of congratulants died down and the food was served, Jeongguk shifted the attention to Jimin. He didn’t try to make him speak, which he was grateful for, but he kept offering small spoons of food. First, Jimin considered refusing to eat, but he honestly was starving.

“Do you want some soup?”, Jeongguk asked quietly, his tone sweet. Jimin simply inclined his head once in a nod, and opened his mouth slightly. Humiliation burned through him as he was fed like a small child, but his stomach thanked him. Once his hunger was quelled, the rest of the celebration was easier to endure. After he bowed to his mother and father-in-law four times, he could finally retreat. He was eager to get rid of the itching powder on his face, and to finally see again.

A maid washed his face and carefully removed the adhesive from his eyes. The light stung at first, but after a few blinks his sight had adjusted. There was a knock at the door, and Jimin was surprised to see Taehyung enter. The maid bowed and excused himself, and they were alone.

“I’m here to help you dress”, Taehyung explained and held up the fabric in his hands. It was very sheer, and Jimin’s stomach turned when he thought about wearing that for Jeongguk - his husband. And soon, mate. Honestly, Jimin worried about the mating and the bond that would ensue. It was, in part, a mental link, even though a very diffuse one. Mates sharing a bond could make out the most prominent emotions the other was feeling, and Jimin wasn’t sure how well he’d be able to hide his love for Taehyung.

Undressing his wedding hanbok and putting on the garment for the wedding night took a shorter time than expected. Nervously, Jimin fiddled with his hair, pulling the long strands over his shoulders and back. He wished he was far from here, not about to consummate his marriage with a perfect stranger. This kind of intimacy only belonged to him and Taehyung, and it felt wrong to share that with someone else, an alpha at that.

Sensing Jimin’s distress, Taehyung pulled him close, hooking his chin on his head and stroking his back soothingly. “It’s all right”, he said. “I am not mad at you, even for this. I love you, regardless. Don’t forget that, jagiya. This won’t come between us. I promise”

Jimin nodded silently and took a deep breath to steel himself. Taehyung’s cherry scent calmed down his churning stomach a bit. He leaned back and looked up at Tae’s bright, brown eyes. They were reassuring and calm, and they gave Jimin strength. With a small smile, he kissed Taehyung softly, wanting a final taste.

“Thank you, my love”, he whispered. “See you tomorrow? At the new estate?”

Taehyung nodded and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Until then”, he said. Then he left, leaving Jimin to his own devices.

He decided to sit down at the foot of the bed while waiting for his husband. The material of the nightgown he wore was practically sheer, and he felt naked and exposed in the silent room. Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long until the screen door slid open again and Jeongguk entered.

He was tall, definitively taller than Jimin. His hair was a bit shorter than Jimin’s, but it looked well taken care of, part of it in a well-tied bun that showed his now married status. Jimin would have to wear his hair in a similar fashion from now on. After he slid the door shut and turned around, he hesitated, his eyes taking in Jimin sitting on the bed. They were big, and such a deep brown that it was hard to discern the iris, but perhaps that was also due to the lightning. They grew even bigger when he saw the sheer nightgown he was wearing, and Jimin could swear he could see a blush rising on the alpha’s cheeks. His scent definitively grew stronger, the sweet honey undertone overtaking the pine.

“Uhm”, the alpha started. “Hello.”

Jimin nearly snorted, but he could hold it back. Heavens, this boy was awkward. “Hello”, he drawled, unimpressed, and raised his eyebrows. Jeongguk still didn’t move, it was like he was frozen in place. Hardly suppressing an eyeroll, Jimin stood and walked around the bed to lay down on it.

“Well”, he said as he had settled on the pillows, hands crossed on his lap. “Let’s do this, shall we?”

Jeongguk shook his head as if to clear it, then nodded resolutely. He stepped closer, hesitantly ridding himself of his hanbok until only his undergarments remained. He settled over Jimin’s knees and raised his hands to stroke down his arms.

“You’re beautiful”, he murmured, and Jimin huffed. Could he get it over with already? There was no point in elongating this awkward experience. Thankfully, Jeongguk seemed to catch onto his detachment, and didn’t waste their time with untoward pleasantries. He pushed the nightgown out of the way, being careful not to rip it, and searched for Jimin’s entrance. Jimin was surprised when he leaned over to the night stand and retrieved a bottle of oil, making things smoother. The act in and of itself was not passionate, but rather perfunctory; far away from anything that he and Taehyung shared. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but still Jimin couldn’t wait until it was over. He recognized Jeongguk was close to his release when his motions became faster and his breathing heavier and made sure to tilt his head slightly so Jeongguk could place the mating bite on the side of his neck.

After a few more moments, Jeongguk groaned slightly and stilled. Then, in a tender move that caught Jimin off guard, he placed a slightly sweaty hand on his cheek and leaned forward to place a kiss on his lips. He tasted like sweat and a bit like the honey he also smelled like. While Jimin was still trying to process the sudden kiss, the alpha tilted his head slightly more to the side and searched for the place where the mating bite should go. Jimin could swear he whispered a “You can do this'' to himself, but then a searing pain shot through his neck and he couldn’t hold back a whimpery groan.

“I’m sorry, sorry”, Jeongguk whispered against his neck and immediately started licking over the wound, the saliva helping seal it. Jimin grimaced at the throbbing pain and could hardly stop himself from touching it, which only would make it worse. Slightly dazed, he barely registered how Jeongguk slid out of him and cleaned them up. Embarrassment flooded him, and it took him a few moments to realise that it wasn’t his own. He looked over to Jeongguk, who had settled next to him, avoiding his gaze.

Jimin felt cold all of a sudden, the flimsy nightgown not doing much in terms of keeping him warm. In a burst of fervent longing, he wished Taehyung was here with him, pulling him into his embrace. Tae always ran warm, Jimin’s personal furnace as they liked to joke sometimes, and he could always make him feel better. Jimin had never felt like this after one of their sexual encounters, this lonely and bitter. Taehyung always made him feel loved and cherished, and he knew it was irrational, but he wished that it were him here with Jimin instead of Jeongguk.

He was startled out of his thoughts when Jeongguk gasped next to him. “What are you thinking about?”, he wanted to know, his big brown eyes fixed on Jimin in bewilderment. His throat went dry.

“Nothing of importance”, he lied and averted his gaze to the ceiling. “Why?”

Jeongguk huffed, then cleared his throat. “I can feel- I mean, the bond makes me feel your strongest emotions, yes? Obviously it’s especially strong because we’re close together now but - I felt some kind of, warmth, I would say. Affection. So, I wondered what it is that made you feel that way.”

Jimin felt appalled that Jeongguk spoke so candidly about Jimin’s innermost feelings. Anger was starting to rise in his throat, and he sat up to fix Jeongguk with a glare.

“Listen, we might be bonded now, but in my opinion, that doesn’t mean anything”, he said derisively. “This marriage was purely political. I will not interfere in your life’s personal belongings, and I expect the same from you. Surely, with time we can grow to tolerate each other despite the fact that neither of us are in this bond willingly.”

He didn’t wait for Jeongguk’s answer, merely took in the barely concealed shock on his face, before he turned around and pulled the duvet over him. “Let’s just sleep”, he said, and settled on his side. After a moment, Jeongguk rustled behind him, and Jimin could feel a sliver of resignation from the bond. He ignored it and closed his eyes.

“Good night”, Jeongguk called after a few moments, but Jimin didn’t react to that either. He tried to not think of anything of importance and hoped that sleep would take him speedily, making this day finally end.