Chapter Text
There was a man Yeosang had never seen before walking into Wooyoung’s apartment. A friend of one of Yeosang’s friends, it seemed. This new man bowed politely to the room and introduced himself as “Jeong Yunho, an alpha.”
It’s not unusual for people to include their secondary gender when introducing themselves. Alphas especially liked to do that, but Yunho didn’t have that proud smirk on his face like most other alphas. Instead, Yunho seemed to have a perpetual sweet smile curled onto his lips. It was contagious, and Yeosang involuntarily smiled at the new man. This caught the attention of Yunho, who saw Yeosang smiling at him and smiled even brighter.
Yeosang was sitting comfortably on one end of the couch, his legs folded up against him. There was room for another person on the couch, as Hongjoong and Seonghwa monopolized the other end. Yunho moved to take the left open spot beside Yeosang but was cut off by Wooyoung. “Nuh, uh uh uh,” he scolded the alpha. “You sit over there.” Wooyoung pointed across the room to an empty chair.
Uh oh, Yeosang thought, preparing to cover his ears. Alphas did not like being told what to do, especially if it had to do with being in the presence of an omega.
Yeosang didn’t need to worry, however, nor did he need to cover his ears. Instead of getting angry and yelling, Yunho’s smile turned sheepish, and he held his hands up in defense. He flashed Yeosang a small smile before walking around the coffee table and past the couch to sit in the chair Wooyoung told him to. Yeosang followed him with his eyes.
Satisfied, Wooyoung plopped down on the couch next to Yeosang. “Alright, what movie are we watching?” he asked.
All the other men in the room spoke up, but Yeosang wasn’t participating in the discussion. Truly, he did not care what movie they watched, and his mind was preoccupied with the new alpha sitting just a few feet away. Perhaps Yeosang had an unfair prejudice against alphas he didn’t know, but this Yunho seemed different. Sure, he was tall—the tallest in the room—and he seemed to have some solid and muscular arms under his sweater, but his presence wasn’t frightening like most unknown alphas’ were. His face was soft, round, and boyish, and his brown hair was fluffy. When he smiled, the apples of his cheeks were more pronounced, puffing up cutely. This alpha had a warm and friendly presence that Yeosang found dangerously inviting. He wondered what the alpha smelled like. He thought maybe he had briefly gotten a whiff of it when Yunho had walked past him, something masculine and undeniably alpha, but it was too faint and quick for Yeosang to identify it properly.
Then, Yeosang became aware of the opening credits of a movie playing, so he cast aside any thoughts of this new alpha and focused solely on the movie for the rest of the evening.
Yeosang was the first to leave, as he had to get up early tomorrow for class. Wooyoung volunteered to escort him to his car, but once they were only a couple of meters down the hall, Yunho called from behind them.
The pair turned around as the alpha ran up to them. “Hey, sorry,” he said.
“What do you want?” Wooyoung asked suspiciously.
Yeosang nudged his best friend on the arm and muttered, “Be nice.”
Yunho caught his eye. “Your name is Yeosang, right?” After Yeosang nodded, he continued, “You were the only omega there I hadn’t met before, so I thought I would introduce myself properly to you.” He eyed Wooyoung out of the corner of his eye. “And let you know I’m not a threat.”
Yeosang was taken aback. No alpha had ever done this before. It seemed . . . quite responsible, actually. And he would be lying if he said this man wasn’t charming him with every little thing he did. Yeosang was struggling to find what to say, feeling shy under the attention of this kind alpha, and he looked at Wooyoung, who was staring down the alpha with his arms crossed, seemingly unconvinced.
When he looked back at Yunho, he saw the man’s smile faltering a bit at the lack of response. Yeosang spoke up, feeling upset at causing him to lose his smile for the first time since he met him, and bowed. “Thank you.” His voice was small, his words barely more than a squeak, but the alpha seemed to appreciate it regardless.
“There’s no reason to thank me,” Yunho said, that sheepish smile back on his face. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. Mingi said I could come to the next movie night, and I would like to. So, um, just let me know if I ever do anything that you don’t like—for whatever reason.” Yunho was sincere; that much was obvious enough that Wooyoung backed off on his intimidation tactics. “Like, um, if you don’t want me to sit next to you.” He seemed a little embarrassed now and rubbed the back of his neck, no longer looking at Yeosang.
Yeosang blinked, momentarily confused. “Oh, no, that wasn’t—” He paused, gathering his thoughts. “No, earlier—that was just Wooyoung being overly protective of me,” he explained. “I’m sorry about him. I have nothing against you.”
Wooyoung was silent, not denying the claim of being overprotective.
Yunho seemed relieved. “Oh, okay then,” he said, smiling. “Well, um, that’s good!” He started walking backward, awkwardly bowing as he went. “See you at the next movie night!” he called over his shoulder after he turned around and ran back into the apartment.
Yeosang was smiling brightly, completely charmed by Yunho. “He seems nice,” he says.
“Hmm,” was all Wooyoung said.
Their little group, which now included Yunho, met two more times during the next few weeks to watch movies. Today, they were at Seonghwa’s, who made a fancy cheese board and bought three different types of wine. Wooyoung still brought popcorn.
Halfway through the movie, Jongho had to get up to use the bathroom, causing the movie to be paused. Everyone used this opportunity to stretch their legs, chat, or refill their drinks and pop more popcorn. Yeosang was perfectly content staying right where he was until he saw that the spot next to Yunho on the loveseat was open. And it didn’t look like the alpha planned on getting up.
With a small smile, Yeosang grabbed his popcorn bowl and slinked over to the open spot. “Hi,” he said once he was close enough to Yunho.
“Hi,” the alpha responded.
“Can I sit with you?”
“Of course,” Yunho spoke soft and low, the sound pleasant to Yeosang’s ears.
He gingerly sank into the loveseat and immediately was hit with the alpha's scent: a delicate fruity aroma mixed with the woody undertone of cedarwood and the distinct musk of an alpha. It was intoxicating. Yeosang felt his head spin, and he had to take a moment to collect himself. When he finally met the eyes of the man who did that to him, he was sure he must have looked ridiculous, slightly drunk off of red wine and the scent of an alpha. But Yunho just beamed at him, charming and sweet.
Feeling the need to do something, Yeosang held out his bowl of popcorn, offering it to the alpha. “Like some?” he asked.
Yunho shook his head slightly. “No thanks, I already have some,” he gestured to the table, but Yeosang didn’t look away from his face.
“Yeah, but . . .” Yeosang trailed off, flustered. “Mine’s better,” he concluded.
Yunho laughed, the sound rumbling in Yeosang’s chest. “How so?” the alpha asked, leaning in a little.
Yeosang found himself leaning in, too, breathing in Yunho’s scent. “I made it,” he said quietly, like he was telling a secret.
Yunho leaned back and hummed, the sound once again creating that rumbly sensation in Yeosang’s chest, making his stomach flutter. “Guess I should have some then,” the alpha decided, his smile crooked.
Yeosang, still leaning forward, nodded and held up the bowl. Yunho grabbed a couple of pieces of popcorn and tossed them in his mouth. When he swallowed, Yeosang watched his throat as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. “You’re right,” Yunho said. “It is better.”
Yeosang knew the man was just humoring him. All he had to do to make the popcorn was put the bag in the microwave and press a few buttons, but he liked that Yunho was willing to play along.
Just then, Yeosang felt a shift in the environment. His friends had all settled back down on the couch and chairs, Jongho was back from the bathroom, and Seonghwa was searching for the remote. Yeosang pulled away from Yunho, flushing from embarrassment when he realized how close he had leaned into the alpha’s personal space. Yunho, however, hadn’t seemed bothered by it in the slightest, and Yeosang wondered briefly what the alpha would do if he moved even closer. He didn’t dare try and find out, though, especially with that suspicious, quizzical look Wooyoung was sending him.
The movie started back up again, and Yeosang watched as Yunho reached over and picked up his bowl of popcorn with his long fingers. Even in the low light, Yeosang could see the pronounced veins on the alpha’s hand and arm. It was distracting, and Yeosang had to tear his eyes away. He felt his face burning and his heart racing, and he folded his legs up against his chest as a physical barrier between him and Yunho. But that did nothing to stop the alpha’s scent. Somehow, in his meager attempts to force himself not to notice it, Yeosang could have sworn the smell had gotten stronger. He swallowed hard and tried to put his sweater paw over his nose discreetly. It helped a little, but he had a feeling it wasn’t very subtle, so he stopped. But suddenly, his eyes were drifting away from the TV screen and tracing the lines of Yunho’s face. He watched as the alpha’s eyes shifted back and forth, following the movement on the screen. He paid special attention to the long eyelashes that curled up from his eyelids, illuminated by the light of the TV. It was at that moment Yeosang became aware of something that his body knew from the moment he saw Yunho. This alpha was sweet, considerate, and attractive. And Yeosang was a lonely, shy omega with a secret love of romance and traditional courting rituals.
He was crushing on Yunho.
Abruptly, he stood and said loudly, “I have to pee.” He sat his bowl down on the table and marched past his friends, who were complaining and grumbling as they reached to pause the movie. “Don’t pause it!” Yeosang added over his shoulder.
Yeosang stared himself in the eye through the mirror. This isn’t good, he thought. Every single alpha he had tried to be with in the past had only ever wanted him for his body, for sex. And sometimes, they were so adamant about the “no relationship” rule that they refused to acknowledge him outside in public. Yeosang wanted to be romanced . He wanted pretty flowers and cute date nights, and an alpha that was all his. But no alpha he had been interested in seemed to want that. The farthest he had ever gotten with another person was with a beta man, and all they had done was make out while the man touched him through his pants. Yeosang had no interest in a sexual relationship if it wasn’t built on a foundation of emotional connection. That mattered so much more to him than anything physical.
There was a knock on the door. “Yeosang?” Wooyoung called.
Yeosang slowly opened the door and peeked at his friend through the crack. “Yes?”
“It’s been a while. Are you okay?” Wooyoung’s forehead creased in worry.
“Sorry,” Yeosang mumbled. “I’m fine.”
Wooyoung raised an eyebrow, then pushed open the door. He closed the door behind him and said. “Is it Yunho?”
Yeosang tensed. “Why do you assume that?”
“Because he’s an alpha you met like two weeks ago, and you were fine until you started sitting next to him,” Wooyoung said. “Did he do something? Say something?” He got a dark look in his eyes, and Yeosang knew if he said the wrong thing, his friend would unleash hell on the undeserving alpha.
“He didn’t do or say anything wrong,” Yeosang said, and Wooyoung’s shoulders relaxed. “It was . . . his scent.” Yeosang turned away from his friend’s eyes, awaiting his reaction. “It was distracting.”
“Bad distracting or good distracting?” Wooyoung said, deathly serious.
“Good distracting,” Yeosang squeaked, his voice tiny, as he shrank in on himself.
For a moment, Wooyoung was completely still, not moving or speaking or reacting. Then, he started nodding his head. “Okay,” Wooyoung said. He seemed to be still processing the information. “Okay.”
“Wooyoung—”
“No, Yeosang,” Wooyoung cut him off. “Look—” He sighed. “I’m not going to tell you how to think or feel about him, but please just . . . be careful.” Yeosang met his eyes and felt the sincerity of his friend’s words. “I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
Yeosang nodded. He didn’t want to get hurt either, but he knew Wooyoung knew that.
“I can, well, I can try to subtly drop hints?” Wooyoung suggested. “Like, about how you like romance and stuff.”
Yeosang blushed a little. “You don’t have to do that.”
“But maybe I can get a read on the guy,” his friend said. “Like, I can figure out what he’s looking for in a relationship. I’ll be like a spy or something.” He, admittedly, seemed a little excited at the idea of playing the role of a spy.
Yeosang smiled. “Sure. That would be great. Thanks, Wooyoung.”
Wooyoung waved his hand through the air as if to dismiss his gratitude. “Don’t worry about it.” He opened the door, only to find a tall alpha perched just outside, his fist raised to knock.
“Yunho?” Yeosang squeaked and swallowed hard. How much did he hear?
“Hey, sorry,” Yunho said, lowering his hand. “I just came to check on you. Is everything alright?”
“Yep,” Wooyoung spoke up. “Alcohol makes Yeosang a little queasy, but he’s okay now.”
Yeosang fidgeted a little at the lie, something he would probably have to keep up next time he drank with Yunho nearby, but he supposed it was better than the alternative.
Besides, Yunho was looking at him with his big brown eyes. Evident concern was written on his furrowed brows and unsmiling lips. “Oh, that sucks. I’m sorry, Yeosang.”
Yeosang nearly smiled; he liked how his name sounded on the alpha’s tongue. “It’s okay,” he said gently. “I was just a little nauseous and lightheaded, but it’s passing.” Not completely a lie—Yeosang comforted himself—he had been a little lightheaded because of Yunho’s scent. Something which was coming back now that he was once again able to smell that fruity cedarwood musk.
“Oh, okay,” Yunho said. He paused, his face scrunching up in thought. Then, he brightened and smiled at Yeosang. “I heard that peppermint can help with nausea. I might have one in my jacket if you want it?” He gestured with his thumb over his shoulder.
Yeosang nodded. “Sure, thank you.”
Yunho smiled. “Okay! It’s hung up by the front door.”
With a knowing smile, Wooyoung parted ways with Yeosang as he followed Yunho to the apartment’s entry hall. The alpha began rooting around in the pockets of a large black leather jacket that Yeosang didn’t see him come in with. “Aha!” Yunho exclaimed and produced from one of the pockets a peppermint candy. “Here you go, my lovely omega,” the man said playfully with a flourish of his hand and a dramatic bow, the candy looking tiny on the palm of his large hand.
Yeosang knew Yunho was joking, but he couldn’t help it when his heartbeat picked up, and his cheeks flushed with warm color. Holding one hand close to his chest, he curtsied and took the peppermint from the alpha’s hand. “Thank you, my daring alpha.” He felt his stomach flutter, and he was sure his voice didn’t sound as playful as Yunho’s.
The alpha didn’t move from his bowed position but raised his head to make eye contact with Yeosang. Yunho’s eyes were nearly level with Yeosang, and he saw with clear detail the delight in the man’s dark honey eyes. Yeosang felt his face grow warmer, and he shifted a little on his feet. Yunho straightened his back, brows furrowing. “You’re a little red. Are you too warm, ome—Yeosang? The heat won’t help your nausea.” He glanced around. “I can ask Seonghwa to lower the temperature.”
“No, thank you,” Yeosang said, looking down at his feet. “I’m just a little embarrassed.”
“Hey, it’s okay,” Yunho said. “I embarrass myself every time I get drunk.”
“Really?” A smile curled on Yeosang’s lips as he tried to imagine Yunho drunk.
“Mm-hmm. One time I—”
Before Yunho could finish his sentence, a voice called from down the hall. “Hurry up! We’ll start the movie without you!”
“We should probably go.” Yunho flashed an apologetic look to Yeosang. “I owe you an embarrassing story,” he said and strode past Yeosang.
Before following after the alpha, Yeosang looked at the candy in his hand, contemplating what to do with it, then shoved it into his pocket and returned to the loveseat.
The rest of the night went by relatively smoothly. Yeosang was a little more used to the scent of Yunho but still managed to miss entire scenes and important dialogue because he was much more focused on the alpha next to him.
After the movie ended, everyone started to clean up. Yunho took his bowl and reached for Yeosang’s but stopped when he noticed it was still full. “You didn’t eat any more?” he asked, eyes finding the omega’s. “Do you still not feel good?”
Yeosang smiled gently at the alpha’s concern. “No, I’m okay. Just wasn’t hungry.”
Yunho nodded and left for the kitchen with the bowls. Yeosang felt that he immediately missed the alpha's scent and presence after getting used to it and basking in it for so long. Wooyoung suddenly appeared next to him on the loveseat. “Hey,” he said before interrupting himself after seeing that Yeosang’s attention was directed towards someone else. “It’s rude to stare.”
Yeosang blushed and looked down at his hands in his lap, embarrassed.
“So, how was it?” Wooyoung asked. “Sitting so close to an alpha for so long?”
“It was nice,” Yeosang admitted, smiling. “But, I mean, all we did was sit there. Not many opportunities to talk during a movie.”
“Then next time, we won’t watch a movie,” Wooyoung decided. “I’ll go suggest it.” Before Yeosang could do anything to stop him, Wooyoung had leaped up from the loveseat and was walking over to the group of men in the kitchen.
Yeosang sighed quietly to himself, watching his friend talk to the others. He felt a little nervous when Yunho and Wooyoung began talking, so he decided to join everyone. San was the first to notice him. “Hey, Yeosang. Wooyoung said you are getting sick of watching movies?” he asked.
“I didn’t say that,” Yeosang said.
“Yeah, figured you probably didn’t,” San said, chuckling. “You’re so much more polite than he is.” San smiled fondly.
As if on cue, Wooyoung collided full force into San, who barely swayed. “Yeosangie!” Wooyoung exclaimed, draping himself like a koala over San’s shoulders. “Yunho is going to walk you to your car tonight.”
Yeosang must have had a strange look on his face because both Wooyoung and San frowned at him in concern.
“He asked me if he could do it,” Wooyoung explained.
“And you said yes?” Yeosang squeaked.
“You’re welcome,” Wooyoung grumbled dramatically. Then he forced San into giving him a piggyback ride out of the kitchen.
Yeosang stood on the room's threshold, trying to process the information. Lost in thought, he smelled Yunho before seeing him.
“Hey,” the alpha greeted him. “Um, I was wondering if I could walk you to your car tonight? Instead of Wooyoung, that is.”
Yeosang gazed up at the alpha with wide eyes. His heart started to pick up speed, but he tried to ignore it. “Yeah,” Yeosang said, the word coming out as more of a squeak than anything. “Um, Wooyoung already told me that you asked him.”
“Oh!” Yunho seemed flustered, his eyes suddenly looking everywhere but Yeosang. “Um, yeah, sorry. I was making sure that he was aware of what I wanted to ask you. I wasn’t asking for his permission or anything.” He then found Yeosang’s eyes and looked into them. “It’s your choice.”
Yeosang’s heart fluttered in his chest. He nodded. “I’d like it to be you.”
Yunho beamed brightly, the apples of his cheeks pink. “Alright, well, I’ll be over by the door. Just let me know when you’re ready to go.”
Yeosang watched as the alpha walked away and suddenly felt a wave of nerves pass over him. He was going to be alone with Yunho for the first time.
When Yeosang met up with Yunho at the door, his eyes grazed over the alpha’s broad shoulders, now covered by the black leather jacket. “Hey,” Yunho greeted him. He turned to look over the remaining jackets hung up on the wall. “Did you not bring a jacket? None of these smell like you . . .”
Something in Yeosang was thrilled at the idea of Yunho knowing what he smelled like, despite logically knowing it wasn’t anything special. “Well, I’m wearing a sweater,” Yeosang said, pulling his sleeves over his knuckles and lifting his hands to show Yunho.
The alpha just smiled, his eyes crinkling. “Alright, but if you get cold, just let me know.”
Yeosang’s stomach flipped. Would he let me wear his jacket?
“Are you ready to go?” Yunho asked.
Yeosang nodded, so Yunho reached over and opened the door. The pair walked down the hallway to the elevator, riding it down to the ground floor. Yunho held the front door of the building open as Yeosang walked outside. And immediately, a gust of chilly wind blew into his face, lifting his hair and making his eyes water. He shivered and hugged himself.
Behind him, Yunho chuckled. “Here.” The alpha’s scent was enclosed around Yeosang, and a new weight was placed on his shoulders. He lifted his hands and grabbed Yunho’s leather jacket, securing it around his body.
“But Yunho—” Yeosang started to protest, turning to the alpha.
Yeosang couldn’t help feeling a little relieved when Yunho insisted he keep it on, as he was sure whatever argument he would come up with would be weak. The warmth and smell of the alpha were alluring, and it wasn’t even coming from the actual man himself. Yeosang felt a little silly, getting so worked up over an article of clothing. Shyly, he smiled and looked up at Yunho through his lashes. The man was wearing a t-shirt, and he had shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Despite his lack of reaction to the cold, Yeosang knew the poor man had to be uncomfortable. His heart fluttered, and he felt himself blushing. “Thanks,” he said.
“Looks good on you,” Yunho said, smiling brightly. Without waiting for a response, he began walking out into the parking lot.
Yeosang’s heart skipped a beat, and he stumbled to catch up with Yunho. Yeosang had questions for the alpha burning in the back of his head, but every time he tried to speak, he felt his stomach contort painfully. All he wanted was to speak freely with Yunho, but his nerves were getting the better of him. So the pair walked in silence until they reached Yeosang’s car.
Yeosang approached the driver's side door and turned to face Yunho. “Thank you for walking me to my car,” he forced himself to say.
“Thank you for letting me,” Yunho said, chuckling.
Yeosang shifted his weight, trying to work up the courage to ask the one question that was nagging at him the most. “Why—Why did you want to?” he managed to stammer out.
“Why?” Yunho’s eyebrows shot up into his bangs, seemingly unprepared for the question. Then, his face softened, and he smiled down at Yeosang. “Why wouldn’t I?”
Yeosang’s stomach fluttered, heat prickling on his cheeks. Flustered, he glanced down and was reminded of the jacket he did not own around his shoulders. “Oh,” he muttered, shrugging off the jacket. “Here.” He held it out for the alpha to take.
Yunho took the jacket, but he draped it over his arm instead of putting it on. Then he reached over to open the car door for Yeosang. “Goodnight, Yeosang,” he said. “Drive safe.”
“Thank you, Yunho. Goodnight,” Yeosang said, bowing, and then got into the car. Yunho closed the door behind him, and Yeosang twisted the key in the ignition and started the car. Just as he was moving to put the car in reverse, he heard a tap on the glass of his window. Yunho was peeking at him through the window, an apologetic smile on his lips. Yeosang rolled down the window and gave him a quizzical look.
“Sorry, I forgot to ask,” Yunho said. “Could I give you my number?”
Yeosang felt himself blush furiously, and he fumbled to grab his phone. Yunho’s fingers brushed against his as they exchanged the phone. After a few moments of tapping on the screen, Yunho returned the phone, smiling widely. Yeosang took the phone and rolled the window back up as the alpha took a few large steps back away from the car. When he didn’t move any further away, Yeosang figured he was waiting for him to drive away before heading inside, so Yeosang put his phone away and reversed out of the parking spot.
It wasn’t a very long drive to his apartment, and he was kicking off his shoes in his doorway within the next ten minutes. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and was surprised when something small hit the floor. It was the peppermint that Yunho had given him. He reached down to pick it up while absentmindedly unlocking his phone. The contact Yunho had just made was still pulled up, and Yeosang’s breath hitched when he saw the little symbol next to Yunho’s name: an emoji of a pink flower.
Yeosang’s head was a mess of thoughts as he wandered into his bedroom. He placed the peppermint on top of his dresser where he would see it. It was a nice reminder of the alpha, so Yeosang intended to keep it rather than eat it. It felt a little silly, but after everything that just transpired between him and Yunho, Yeosang felt like he was a little justified to act a little lovesick. Next, Yeosang changed into pajamas, which tonight, because of the cold, were sweatpants, socks, and an oversized long-sleeve shirt. He added another blanket to the nest he had made on his queen-sized bed and crawled under the covers. Warm and cozy, surrounded by pillows, blankets, cushions, and a couple of special plushies, Yeosang fell asleep with thoughts of a tall, kind alpha.