Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

pinky promise?

pt. 1

Choi Seunghyun had always been the golden child, the prodigy alpha, the pride of his entire family and the teachers who had the privilege of teaching such an exceptional mind like his. He didn't have a photographic memory or an IQ higher than Albert Einstein's, and yet he was simply brilliant, always excelling at each and every thing he attempted.

For thirteen long years no one came close to what he was, for God’s sake, none of his peers would dare even hint at the existence of another alpha on his level.

And at thirty-seven he wasn't sure if there was one, but he could still perfectly remember the morning of August 19th of the year two thousand, when his biggest nightmare, his karma from some past life, walked into his middle school classroom wearing a pair of dirty sneakers, taking the shape of a tiny omega with an angel face.

“My name is Kwon Jiyong.” The boy wrinkled his little nose to rearrange the thick-framed glasses over his hazel eyes, and Seunghyun’s mouth corners couldn’t help but turn up at the cute gesture. “I was transferred from the seventh grade.”

The teacher also looked at him with a huge smile on her face, there was something about him that felt charming and cute at the same time. Maybe it was the way his backpack seemed too big for his body, or the way he touched his forehead and cheeks with the back of his hand as if he was checking his temperature.

Seunghyun's lips pursed into a straight line, feeling somehow threatened when the teacher spoke again, he wasn't used to that feeling.

“Jiyong is joining the 8th grade after successfully taking a relocation test, he’s a very smart boy.” The beta woman’s hand brushed his brown hair and Jiyong shrugged his shoulders, looking like a kitten being petted. “Please take care of your dongsaeng.”

The omega confidently walked forward  and without asking to the first free chair in the room, the one next to Seunghyun.

“Ahem..” He tried to get his attention when he dropped his SpongeBob notebooks on the table. “I don’t share a seat.”

Jiyong, who had his gaze fixed on the inside of his backpack, raised his eyes to face him, then took a quick look around. “But it’s the only available spot.”

Seunghyun shook his head, pointing to the back of the room, where there were a couple of free seats. “You can go to the storage room to get a chair and sit over there.”

“That’s nonsense.” He frowned, leaving his backpack on the chair as he placed his small hands around his waist, trying to show some authority in front of the alpha. “Anyway, I could take this chair.”

“No, you can’t.” Seunghyun didn’t know why he was acting like that, but he pushed Jiyong’s backpack to place his own there. “This is my place.”

Jiyong raised his eyebrows and formed a perfect ‘O’ with his lips, his pencils and markers scattered all over the floor. The alpha held back a small smile and chuckle of satisfaction, unable to tell what he was feeling for the boy, but if he thought he would help him just because he was younger and an omega, he was wrong.

The teacher was too distracted writing something on the board to notice the altercation, but the rest of the class had their eyes fixed on them and the way it seemed like, at any given moment, Seunghyun would start growling like a dog and Jiyong would swipe at him like a cat with his multi-colored painted nails.

“You can sit over here.” They both turned around upon hearing a brittle voice, so typical of puberty, and saw how another boy gathered his things to leave his space free for Jiyong at a table at the front of the room. Then he approached to help him carry his backpack to his new place while the omega murmured a low ‘thank you’ with blushed cheeks. “You’re welcome, students with glasses have the right to sit in the front.”

Soohyuk smiled back at Jiyong, then walked to the back of the room. Seunghyun rolled his eyes, going back to his notes as everyone looked at him like he was the biggest jerk ever.

Ha, that was just the beginning.

One evening that same week, his mother casually mentioned over dinner that a new family had moved into the neighborhood, and the rest of the neighbors couldn't stop talking about the delicious food the omega of the house was selling. His father agreed to order a couple of dishes to try out that weekend.

On Saturday afternoon, Seunghyun went with his mother to the house where there was a small crowd forming outside, waiting like them for their orders.

A girl who looked to be a couple of years older than him would occasionally come out to hand out orders, wearing short denim shorts that forced Seunghyun to let go of his mother’s hand and act disinterested when she was in his field of vision.

“I’m sorry for the wait, you’re Mrs. Choi, right?” The teenager smiled kindly at them, and Seunghyun’s mother nodded. “I’ll bring you your order in a second.”

They both watched as the family of three packed up box after box of food, and small talked about how maybe they should actually open up a restaurant. “Smells good, doesn’t it?” Seunghyun gave up on being cool when boredom got the better of him and ended up leaning down far enough to place his head on his mother’s shoulder.

“Thanks for waiting, there were more orders than we expected to receive.” The kind lady came out of the house to hand them a couple of bags, and her daughter a few more, the young alpha regaining his composure at that moment. “Are you sure you can carry it all?”

“Sure, my Seunghyun is very strong.” The alpha frowned when his mother pulled on his chubby cheek, shaking his head to get het to let go.

“I bet he is, and very handsome.” The other lady winked at her mother, both holding back their laughter when his face turned bright red. “We added tea to your order, on our behalf, for the wait… Do you live far away?”

Her expression betrayed her concern, thinking of some way to help them. The Choi Family had ordered more than anyone else. “We live a couple of blocks away from here, we can come back for the rest when we get this over with.”

“No, that won’t be necessary.” She shook her head, peeking back into the house. “Jiyongie? Son, come here, help mom.” Seunghyun tensed, what were the chances? But the boy peeked out, holding a notebook to his chest, and his face twisted at the sight of his class’ annoying alpha. “Can you help them carry the food on your bike to their house?”

“Ji.”

“Hyung.”

If looks could kill, they would have both fallen to the floor right there and then.

“Oh, you two know each other?”

Jiyong narrowed his eyes a little more before relaxing his expression and turning to look at Mrs. Choi with his sweetest, most innocent gaze. “Yes, hyung and I are in the same class.”

Their mothers exclaimed happily, speaking more comfortably and with less formality to each other as the omega went to get his bike, hooking a red wagon to the back of it. He silently pointed out the space to the alpha, who placed the bags of food there.

They continued to look at the floor and around them, ignoring each other while the ladies did the opposite, chatting non-stop.

“I would be so grateful if you did that for us, Joungwhun.”

“Gladly, Gilan… Seunghyunnie?” He turned to look at his mother, as the younger one got on his bike. “From Monday on you will walk Jiyong back to his house every day, okay?”

“What?” The first to speak was the omega.

Seunghyun raised his eyebrows, pointing at himself. “Me? Why?”

“Jiyong doesn’t know how to use the bus yet.” His own mother explained. “And since you’ll already be at the neighborhood stop, what better than to walk him to make sure he gets home safely?”

“No, I mean… I can walk here.” Jiyong shrugged, his parents had been arguing lately about not having enough time to go pick him up from school, so he wouldn’t refuse to let the grumpy alpha teach him how to use the bus, but, walk him home? That didn’t seem necessary.

“Don’t be rude, Jiyong. Seunghyun would be doing us a big favor by bringing you here. It’s a safe neighborhood, but there are more and more crazy people on the streets nowadays.”

Jiyong didn’t say anything else, placing his feet on the pedals of his bike, and Seunghyun nodded, stifling a sigh as they sealed their fate for the next two years.

It was strange, their interactions inside the classroom were limited to stealing each other’s turn to speak, answering the questions the teacher threw at them or interrupting their presentations with sharp remarks to try to make the other stumble. And after class, Seunghyun would wait for him on the corner of the school street because, well, no one should see them together because the alpha had a reputation to maintain.

“Come on..” Seunghyun checked the time on his wrist watch, Jiyong was five minutes late. He crossed his arms over his chest, getting more annoyed with each passing second. “That little scoundrel.”

When five minutes turned into ten and another bus he couldn’t get on passed by, he grabbed his backpack and headed back into the school to find out what was taking him so long. Most of the kids had already left, so it wasn’t hard for Seunghyun to identify Jiyong’s laughter coming from the basketball court.

He walked over until he had a clearer view, and for some reason his stomach sank at the sight before him.

Jiyong’s backpack was on one of the benches as he sat on Soohyuk’s shoulders, trying to keep his balance amidst the laughter as he aimed the ball at the basket. He threw it, and even though it was less than two feet away, it bounced back, hitting the alpha in the face.

“Hyuk! I’m sorry, are you okay?” Despite the hard slam, Soohyuk held Jiyong by the waist to help him down from his shoulders before holding his nose with one hand. “Sorry, sorry, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t worry, Ji, I’m fine.” He smiled at him through the pain, using his free hand to lift his sports shirt a little as he felt something wet running over his upper lip. “It’s just a little..”

Jiyong covered his lips at the sight of the red stain, then running to his backpack to get something to help him clean his face, but Choi Seunghyun’s presence froze him, being aware of the time until then as the alpha pointed to his watch before turning around and heading out the school.

The omega searched for his washcloth in his backpack, soaking it with cold water before passing it to Soohyuk. “I have to go, Hyuk, but… Go to the nurse, okay?”

He didn’t get to hear what she said, running as fast as his legs would allow him with the heavy backpack hanging from his shoulders and his glasses bouncing on the bridge of his nose.

Seunghyun stopped walking for a moment so he could catch up, taking deep breaths of air. The alpha rolled his eyes and took the backpack off Jiyong’s shoulders to hang it on himself and move faster, before another bus passed them by. “Next time, tell your boyfriend to walk you home, I’m not waiting for you every day.”

“Soohyuk is not my boyfriend!” Jiyong frowned, having to take four steps for every step the alpha took. Seunghyun glanced at him in disinterest and shrugged.

“You looked so happy all over him.”

“I wasn’t all over him! Not like that!” His little face reflected all the concern he felt upon hearing the accusation, shaking his head several times. “He was just helping me shoot, but he’s definitely not my boyfriend.”

Seunghyun laughed bitterly, like every time he managed to get the omega mad or flustered. “So what if he was?”

“Dad doesn’t allow me to have a boyfriend, at least not until I finish college.” He bit his tongue as he said it, making puppy eyes when Seunghyun turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. “Please don’t tell him about Soohyuk..”

“What about Soohyuk?” Seunghyun handed him his backpack back to get on the bus when it stopped in front of them, turning a blind eye to anything that had to do with the other alpha.

“Hyung..” Jiyong followed him with a flushed face, searching through his backpack for loose change to pay for his fare, his wallet lost among the books and notebooks. Seunghyun gave him another disapproving look before handing the driver a couple more coins to get him on already.

“You owe me one.”

The omega sighed and gave the driver a small smile before walking behind Seunghyun. They didn’t really used to sit together on the bus either, but Jiyong had to make sure he wasn’t going to say anything.

“Hyung.” He called him again, sitting down next to him as the older boy continued to ignore him. “Hyung, please don’t say anything to my parents.”

“Why would I say anything to your parents?” He glanced over his shoulder at him, then returned his gaze to the street. “I don’t care about you, and I don’t care what you do.”

“Because you hate me.” Jiyong’s lips pushed into a sort of pout, poking his arm to get him to look at him again, he was genuinely scared. “Hyung, please, I..”

“I don’t hate you, Jiyong.” Seunghyun waved his arm away, looking at him with a frown. “I just.. I don’t like you, okay? But I don’t hate you.”

“It seems like it.” Okay, he had finally gotten that out of his mind, though it was no surprise to either of them. “Hyung, I’m serious, my parents can’t know about this.”

“Know what, Jiyong? You said it yourself, Soohyuk is not your boyfriend.” Jiyong looked away, nervously running his hand down his neck, and Seunghyun raised his eyebrows. “Oh, but you like him.”

Jiyong didn’t say a word, and that silence felt like another punch to Seunghyun’s stomach. The omega's eyes watered, wiping the tears from his cheeks as they spilled.

“It's not like I can do anything, anyway.” The alpha would have teased him at any other given moment, but now Jiyong seemed too vulnerable, like a kitten left alone under the cold rain. “Just promise me you won't tell them anything, I don't want them to take me to another school.”

Seunghyun cleared his throat, looking away. “It's okay, I don't care anyway.”

He could feel the eyes still on him, and finally turned to look at him annoyed when Jiyong poked his arm again. The omega looked at him with a shy look, holding a small finger in front of his face. “Pinky promise?”

Seunghyun sighed, nodding before hooking his finger with the omega’s.

“Pinky promise.”

He thought that his way of keeping his promise would be to forget what he had learned, but instead he became very aware of every approach that Jiyong had with the other alpha. It was a matter of weeks before it was Soohyuk who carried Jiyong’s backpack to the bus stop, where they said goodbye every single day in front of him with an increasingly long hug.

He was wrong once again to think that their love would last a couple of months but, before he knew it, they were seventeen Seunghyun was no longer walking Jiyong to his house.

Of course, they were still in the same classroom, among so many schools in Seoul, they met year after year, competing for first place. It took Jiyong three semesters to finally beat Seunghyun for the first time, and when he did, the real competition began.

“I’m going to get into KAIST.” Sixteen-year-old Jiyong said to his group of friends as Soohyuk stroked his hair. For not dating, they were too close together and had their hands on each other all the time. “I’m going to become a mechanical engineer.”

Seunghyun, a couple of tables away, heard him and couldn’t hold back a laugh that sounded as sarcastic as the rest of his comments. Of course Jiyong wanted to enroll in the same school and program as him, but he wished him good luck with that.

He had his eyes fixed on a book, but he looked up when the group of friends fell silent, feeling their eyes on him. Soohyuk stood up, walking over to where he was.

“What are you laughing at, piggy?” The taller one pushed his study material away from him, and Seunghyun leaned back against his chair, looking right back at Soohyuk.

“At your little boyfriend.” He spat, then looking at Jiyong, who was still sitting in his place. “KAIST doesn’t accept omega students, they’re not making and exception for him.”

He saw the little face deform as he reminded him of that tiny detail, and Seunghyun turned his gaze back to Soohyuk as he punched his table to get his attention, threatening him. “Well, that’ll be his problem, don’t you think?”

Seunghyun shrugged, disinterested, and took his things to go study in the library, leaving the other alpha enraged and the omega with a bunch of broken illusions.

The summer before starting his last year of high school, many things changed. Jiyong didn't see Seunghyun around the neighborhood while he was working as a waiter at his parents' restaurant, but he heard from the ever-kind Mrs. Choi that he had gone to stay with his grandmother in California for a couple of months.

When they went back to school at the end of August, a completely different alpha than the Seunghyun he knew walked through the halls, stealing all the glances and a few sighs. He had grown taller, and had definitely lost the weight that he carried throughout his childhood.

Jiyong felt a tightness in his chest as he realized his chubby cheeks were forever gone, giving way to a pair of gorgeous dimples that sunk in on the rare occasions he smiled. As awful as the alpha could be to him, Jiyong didn’t hate him, in fact he even…

“Choi looks great, doesn’t he?” One of his friends sat down next to him, dispelling his thoughts. “I heard he went to take a summer course at NASA, universities in Korea and America are fighting over him.”

“Omegas too.” Jiyong sighed, kicking his legs up onto his chair. “But he didn’t go to NASA, he went to California to spend summer with his grandma.”

The girl raised her eyebrows upon hearing him. “How do you know? I thought you hated him.”

“Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.” She laughed at his words, then Jiyong shook his own head. “We are neighbors, her mom is a friend of mine, she and her sister come to the restaurant all the time.”

Jiyong wondered if the alpha started taking his dates to his parents’ restaurant just to piss him off, though he really had no reason to be upset by these cute omegas, a different one every week. They always clung to Seunghyun’s arm and laughed at anything he said.

From his own experience, Jiyong doubted he was that funny.

“Seunghyun became quite the heartbreaker, didn’t he?” His mother asked as she watched him chatting with a new date.

He just shrugged, taking the tray of food to bring it to their table. Seunghyun looked at him with a half smile, while the omega with huge doe eyes and black hair watched him with interest.

“Mushroom soup?” He asked out of politeness, Seunghyun always ordered the same thing. He placed the steaming bowl down as he raised his hand, passing the other plate to the boy. “Enjoy.”

“Jiyong.” He stopped his walk back to the kitchen when the alpha called out to him, putting an arm around the other’s shoulders. “Can you get me some mint tea? Hyunseung’s throat hurts.”

The young omega looked at the alpha with dreamy eyes and flushed cheeks, and Jiyong just nodded. Hyunseung became a regular customer, surviving for a second and a third date.

They looked good together, if he really thought about it. He learned from a couple of mutual friends that Hyunseung was a year younger than him, that he was enrolled in an omegas only school, and that he wanted to become a pediatrician when he grew up. A match made in heaven, that was what Seunghyun and Hyunseung looked like. They went everywhere together, and suddenly he would see him in the hallways of his own school still wearing his school uniform, always holding to the alpha’s arm.

“Did you convince your parents to let you go out today?” Soohyuk appeared out of nowhere in front of him, taking his hands in his and leaving a kiss on the back of them. Jiyong smiled at him, he wasn’t so bad either.

“Sorry, I have to cover for Dami.” He apologized to him, the alpha’s expression changing in that instant. That was an excuse, he would be locked in his room all afternoon, but his father would never let him go out alone with an alpha.

Much less with Soohyuk, who had long since fallen on his radar. Jiyong felt the sudden change in atmosphere, and Soohyuk’s pheromones made him close his eyes and throw his head back, feeling dizzy. “Fine, I’ll see who can come with me.”

Ouch, that ‘who’ sounded like another omega.

At times like these he wondered how true Soohyuk's promise was that he would wait for him until he finished college or his parents stopped being so strict, whichever came first. He watched him walk away and Jiyong sighed, picking up his backpack to walk out of the school. 

Soohyuk's scent was still around him, stinging his nose uncomfortably with every breath he took. His head suddenly felt light, and he brought the back of his hand to his face, opening his eyes in disbelief at the feeling of his hot skin. 

No, it couldn't be that. 

He looked around in panic, wondering what to do or where to go. Almost everyone had already gone home, some alphas still playing sports on the back courts, and Jiyong ran to the first door he saw as a wave of slick washed over his thighs.

His heat wasn’t due for another three days, always punctual as clockwork. Jiyong locked himself in the janitor’s closet, searching for his phone to call his sister or one of his friends, someone to help him get home safely. 

“Come on, pick up..” He bit his lip, letting the phone ring as he searched for suppressants in his backpack, wondering why they weren’t there. He always carried a pillbox everywhere with him. The limited space heated up in a matter of seconds, and Jiyong threw his head back, undoing a couple of buttons on his uniform shirt.

He curled up into a ball when he heard footsteps outside the closet, squeezing his eyes shut when someone stopped behind the door. He couldn’t think clearly about many things at the moment, but he could smell from his needy state that it was an alpha.

The door slowly opened, and he only managed to cover his face, tears forming in his eyes as he accepted his fate. Ji knew what happened to omegas in heat in situations like this.

“Jiyong?” He shuddered at the familiar voice, wishing the earth would swallow him up at that moment. He spread his fingers over his eyes, feeling terrible, but somehow grateful that it was him and not some teacher or someone much older.

“Hyung..”

He just hoped Seunghyun wouldn’t be rough.

“Oh my god, you’re.. You’re...”

He pulled his legs back to his body, covering his face once more. “Hyung, please don’t...”

Seunghyun closed the door behind him and Jiyong sobbed, terrified. “Come here.” He felt the other’s hands on his shoulders and choked back a pitiful cry, unwilling to look at him. “Stop crying, the soccer team is outside.”

Jiyong looked terrified when he placed a hand over his mouth to silence him. Seunghyun’s eyes were naturally very dark, but Jiyong could tell that his pupils had dilated almost to the point of completely covering his irises. He remained silent, aware of his breathing, the footsteps, and the conversations outside the closet. Seunghyun stared intently at the door for several seconds, stopping it with one foot so that no one would open it.

When they heard nothing else outside, Seunghyun took his hands off of him to take off his sports uniform jacket, and Jiyong cried again, guessing what was next.

“No, hyung, please.”

“Shut up.” He warned him, and to the omega’s surprise, he tied the jacket around his waist, covering his wet pants. “Give me your backpack, I’m going to take you to the nurse.”

Jiyong looked at him with teary eyes. Was he being serious? He pointed at his backpack and Seunghyun took it upon himself to pack it, hanging it on his back and then putting one of the omega's arms around his shoulders.

Seunghyun walked quickly, practically dragging him through the school hallways, and even carried Jiyong the last couple of steps to the nurses’ office. The betas who greeted them looked at Seunghyun in disbelief, an alpha with that strength of will was not common, always making excuses for their instincts and violent nature.

Jiyong was aware of being laid down on a stretcher, and while they administered him emergency suppressants, he watched with sleepy eyes as Seunghyun locked himself in the bathroom to vomit due to the shock of hormones he had been exposed to for helping him.

No one at school knew what had happened, and Jiyong's parents thought he had arrived at the infirmary on his own. Seunghyun didn’t go to the restaurant that week, and he didn’t see Hyunseung in the school hallways again either.

The alpha had been avoiding him more than usual, and he couldn’t blame him, but Jiyong couldn’t just not say anything to him. When the calendar marked a week since the incident, Jiyong waited for him at the bus stop, letting several pass until the alpha left the school with his gym bag hanging over one shoulder.

When their eyes met, Seunghyun sighed and turned around, deciding he could just walk home, but Jiyong had other plans.

“Hyung.” The older boy ignored him, heading in the opposite direction. Jiyong frowned and grabbed the straps of his backpack, running after him. “Seunghyun hyung!”

The alpha stopped dead in his tracks, turning to look at him. Jiyong was stubborn, Seunghyun knew he wouldn’t leave him alone until he got what he wanted. “What is it now, Ji?”

His feet nearly slipped as he stopped short, the alpha having to hold him back with a shoulder so he wouldn’t end up slammed into the ground. When Jiyong regained his composure, he turned to look at him, his face suddenly turning red. 

“I..” Seunghyun nodded in his direction, waiting for the omega to speak. Jiyong swallowed hard, looking away. “I, I wanted to apologize, and thank you. So, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” His answer was short, trying to continue his journey, but Jiyong stopped him again. The older man saw him rummage through his backpack, pulling out the jacket he had lent him to cover himself. 

“I washed it.” Seunghyun took it, putting it in his suitcase with the rest of his dirty clothes. He gave it a quick glance, asking with his black eyes if that was all. “...I..I, next time you and Hyunseung go to the restaurant, it’s on me.”

The alpha just shook his head. “I broke up with him.”

Jiyong raised his eyebrows, feeling worse for having mentioned the younger boy. “Oh, sorry.”

“I meed to focus on the entrance exams anyway.” He shrugged, dismissing it. “So, you were saying that the next two times I go out to dinner, you’re paying?”

Jiyong smiled shyly and nodded, turning to the left when the bus going to their neighborhood stopped beside them. They shared a quick glance, then ran in its direction.

This time the omega paid for both of their fares, silently settling the debt from almost three years ago, something neither of them remembered until that moment. They sat together at the back of the packed bus, catching their breaths in silence before sharing a smile.

Winter went away, and by the time spring rolled around, all the seniors were going through the same stress crisis of college admissions. Seunghyun seemed to be the exception to that, having spent his entire life preparing for that moment, as had Jiyong.

But as Seunghyun walked through the KAIST parking lot, Jiyong held up a poster, protesting alongside a small group of omegas for their right to take the exam to the institute. 

A couple of alphas in the entrance line were mocking them, and probably at another point in life Seunghyun would have done the same, but the gap between him and Jiyong felt unfair. Why did he have the right to go to his dream program and the omega didn’t? Jiyong was the only real competition he’d ever encountered in life. 

“Choi Seunghyun?” A teacher called his name, and he looked ahead, pondering for a moment before stepping out of line. He looked at the pair of alphas behind him, who were watching him with confusion in their eyes. 

“I don’t know about you, but I’m not taking the exam if you don’t let them do the same.” He nodded at the group, glancing back at the teachers. “Why not them? Are you afraid that a couple of omegas will take up your spots? Really?”

He challenged them with a twisted smile, a teacher approaching the unruly alpha who was striding confidently towards the omegas who had suddenly started making more noise. Jiyong gave him an incredulous look that eventually turned into a smile, passing him his own sign to hold in his hands. 

“Mr. Choi.” The female alpha challenged him, narrowing her eyes. “If you don’t stop this nonsense, you will lose your right to take the exam.”

“Alright, then I’ll go to MIT in America.” He answered without much interest, letting out a loud scream that stood out among the high-pitched voices of the omegas around him. “And I will take them all with me.”

A couple more alphas and betas stepped out of the line, joining the protesting group, taking the signs offered to them.

The woman turned red with anger, opening her mouth to say something, when another figure appeared behind her, forcing her to remain silent. Jiyong and the rest of the protesters fell silent when they saw him there, but Seunghyun did not lower his arms, watching the short man from above.

Lee Kwanghyung looked at them with a calming smile on his face, the beta was the most awarded teacher and had best career at the university, with a profile that pointed him to become director of the engineering faculty and, perhaps one day, the president of the institute.

“I was part of the first generation of betas that KAIST admitted.” He began to speak, and then Seunghyun allowed himself to relax, paying attention. “I cannot promise any of you’d be able to take the exam today, but like these brave kids, I will join your cause. I will speak with the director to arrange a date, because it would be a waste for our faculty to waste a group of young people as passionate as you.”

Seunghyun looked to his side as a huge smile spread across Jiyong’s face, who ran to hug his other friends, celebrating the achievement. By the fall, the 2005 - 2009 generation of KAIST students arrived at the institute with a couple of omegas on their lists.

Kwon Jiyong had achieved the second highest score on the entrance exam, only after Seunghyun. 

The omega walked into the auditorium where they would have their first lecture, stopping a couple of steps in front of the door to take in the magnitude of the place. He wanted to be in front of that room one day, like the teacher who was connecting his computer to the projector. 

“Move, princess.” A pair of alphas passed him, pushing him with their shoulders to get him out of the way even though he wasn’t really in their way.

Jiyong grimaced when he heard their laughter, but forced himself to relax, not to fall for their provocations. If he wanted to survive here for the next five years, he couldn’t start a fight the first day… Or could he?

He looked at the seats, looking for the best spot. He knew there was another omega in the class, but he decided on the space next to the only familiar face.

“What are you doing?” Seunghyun looked up from his notebook as Jiyong dropped his stuff beside him. “No. Sit somewhere else.”

“Why? We’re not in middle school anymore, if I want to sit here, I can sit here.” He defended himself without turning to look at the alpha.

It was true that Seunghyun had mellowed over the years, but that didn’t mean they would become best friends now that they were in college. The alpha grabbed his bag and moved him to the row in front of him, as far away as his arm would allow. “Go, now. Soohyuk isn’t going to come out of the sewer to trade you places.”

Jiyong sighed, pulling out the bookmark in the book Seunghyun had in front of him to flip through the pages and Seunghyun just laughed at the childish action, watching from his spot with the rest of the class. The omega used glitter pens and pastel colored highlighters for his notes, looking as cute and silly as ever. Seunghyun shook his head, looking back ahead. 

The dynamic of the last five years extended over the next four, always competing for first place, to be the best, even if it meant sabotaging each other from time to time. 

It all started when Jiyong decided to act too nice with a couple of guys from the collage of computer sciences, batting his eyelashes at them until they taught him how to hack Seunghyun's drive, replacing a couple of pictures in one of his final presentations with photos of him as a kid, all chubby and smiling while wearing a jacket too big for his body. 

He still remembered the murderous look Seunghyun gave him from the front of the class when he laughed with the rest of his classmates. Jiyong was his mother's friend on SNS, and she used to upload those pictures all the time, it wasn't hard for him to put two and two together.

But Seunghyun did it back to him when he paid the university barista to put laxatives in the chocolate milk that Jiyong ordered every morning, on the day of an important exam. Jiyong looked at him with a sweaty pale face when he returned from the bathroom, with five minutes to finish more than twenty math exercises.

The jokes were getting more serious, the rest of the students paying more attention to what was happening between the most popular public enemies of the school than in the classes themselves. Both acted cautiously, distrusting everything and everyone around them, going as far as walking with their backs to the wall.

“Just a second, professor.” Jiyong excused himself, giving his presentation one last look before nodding to himself when he found nothing out of what he had put in there, and plugged his laptop into the projector. He saw the first slide projecting on the big screen, but pulled the cord when Seunghyun started laughing. “What did you do to him now!?”

Jiyong pointed at him in front of everyone, and Seunghyun raised both hands, laughing and shaking his head. “I didn’t do anything!”

“Then why are you laughing?” He put his hands around his waist, demanding answers. But Seunghyun just shook his head, a half-smile on his face. “Psychological torture, really?”

He looked at him with narrowed eyes, and the teacher had enough, slamming his desk with both hands to stop the laughter from everyone else. But just then, the sound of an 80s synthesizer rang out from the auditorium speakers. Seunghyun burst into loud laughter along with the rest of the class, pointing at the omega back.

“You’ve been Rickrolled!”

“I’m gonna kill you!” Jiyong shouted angrily, running from the front of the class to the alpha’s seat, as Rick Astley’s voice played in the background.

“Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you.” The omega skipped a couple rows to try and catch up to Seunghyun, who had started singing and dancing as he ran away from him. “Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye, never gonna tell a lie and…”

The omega jumped on his back, causing them both to end up on the floor as Seunghyun lost his balance, rolling halfway down the auditorium stairs.

“Enough!” The teacher shouted as they finally reached the ground, with several of his classmates using their phone cameras to record them. “Everyone but Choi and Kwon, get out.”

Jiyong was the first to sit on the floor, smoothing his shirt while Seunghyun opened his flip phone to turn off the bluetooth and stop the music. The beta watched them with his arms crossed at chest level, waiting for everyone to leave before stepping down from the small stage to approach them.

The omega looked at Professor Lee and raised his hands. “I didn’t do anything, he started it all.”

“Don’t believe him, Professor, he started it.” He tried to defend himself, standing up. Meanwhile, Kwanghyung sighed and gave the omega a hand to get him up as well.

“I have heard about these pranks of yours from other teachers and staff at the university, but I thought you limited them to outside of school hours, or at least not during classes.” The small man returned to his desk, and Jiyong and Seunghyun shared a quick glance before following him. “I don’t care who started it, this would be a case of bullying if the other one hadn’t followed.”

“But…”

The beta’s glare was enough to silence them, listening instead.

“I don’t think this has to go as far as a suspension.” He warned them, seeing the terror on the young faces. “I’ll have to think of an appropriate punishment that will force you to resolve whatever the problem is between you.”

Seunghyun tried to smile, shaking his head as the teacher thought. “There’s no problem between us, we’re actually friends. We were just playing.”

“Are we?” Jiyong asked sarcastically, raising his eyebrows in his direction and Seunghyun patted him on the shoulder to make him react. “Oh! Yes, we are, since middle school.”

Kwanghyung shook his head at their fake expressions, pointing at the pair with a pen. “If that’s the case, then you two won’t have a problem working on my class project together, right?”

The smiles vanished at that moment, looking at each other in horror before Jiyong laughed nervously. “But, your project is part of the graduation thesis.”

The professor nodded at them, asking with his eyes if there was a problem with that. “Most of you work individually, but you can also work in pairs. At the end of the semester, one of you takes the progress.”

“I’m going to start a masters as soon as I finish the last semester, I can’t lose your class’s progress.” Jiyong looked at him with puppy eyes, putting his palms together as he pleaded.

Seunghyun looked back with narrowed eyes before looking at the professor. “My plans are similar, I’ll go to America after I graduate.”

“It’s that, or suspend the both of you for bad your behavior. In that case you’d have to repeat the class next year.” Kwanghyun leaned back in his chair, looking at them with an amused smile on his face. “Come on, you’re the smartest kids I know. I bet you’ll manage to work something out together.” Jiyong pressed his lips into a straight line before nodding, his hands turning into small fists before looking at Seunghyun, who only sighed, also agreeing to the unfair deal. “In that case, I’m looking forward to your progress next week.”

The man took his own computer, waving goodbye to them with a final warning gesture. Seunghyun and Jiyong stood quietly in place, until the professor stepped out of their field of vision, and then the omega gave Seunghyun a small kick. “Hey!”

“See what you did? Jackass.”

Seunghyun pushed him back. “Me? You started it when you hacked my computer.”

“No. You started it all when you decided to act like a complete jerk to me since middle school.”

“I don’t remember being a jerk when I protested for you to be allowed here.” He reminded him, and Jiyong wrinkled his nose in displeasure. “If I hadn't, maybe I'd be avoiding all this trouble.”

“Fuck you.” Jiyong muttered under his breath again, trying to clear his mind. “Whatever, I’ll see you at my house. Thursday at four.”

“Huhh?” He looked at him as if he had spoken to him in another language. “Why at your house?”

“Because they don’t let me go out, genius.” He started packing up his stuff, throwing everything into his backpack.

“Fuck me, then.” He saw the omega shrug his shoulders in response, accepting his own condemnation if it meant making things harder for Seunghyun too.

He knew Jiyong’s parents since they moved into the neighborhood, and despite the constant fights with their youngest son, he liked them. They used to give him extra cookies whenever his mother sent him over to pick up dinner, and he had earned their trust and affection by bringing the omega home every day for two years.

But he always left Jiyong at the door, so the sight of the omega opening the door for him was something new, like the unexplored secret passage inside a video game.

“If dad says anything, just ignore it. Mom promised to take care of him.” Jiyong warned him as Seunghyun kicked off his shoes, seeing a pile of books and markers on the dining table.

He entered cautiously, raising his eyebrows at the sight of the doors leading to the restaurant. Seunghyun had sat on the other side of the glass hundreds of times, so this view was interesting, too.

“Seunghyun?” Mrs. Kwon peeked in when she heard a noise, setting down a tray of iced tea for them in the center of the table, though her attention soon returned to her own son. “Why didn’t you tell me Seunghyun was the boy coming? You worried us for nothing.”

“Whatever..” Jiyong wrinkled his nose and picked up his glass of tea, taking a long sip as he pointed to the chair on the other side of the table. Gilan seemed to relax when he saw it was him, leaving as soon as she had arrived.

The alpha set his backpack aside, pulling out his computer to get to work. The faster they started, the faster they would be done with this torture. The first few minutes as a team passed slowly, they just pointed out titles in the textbooks or sent passive aggressive emails to avoid exchanging words despite being face to face.

The sounds coming from the kitchen didn't help either, overstimulating Seunghyun's senses, who half an hour later had his fingers pulling at his hair. “How can you concentrate with all that noise?”

“I'm used to it.” Jiyong mocked him, taking his eyes off his keyboard for a second. “I study in my room.”

“And why are we here? The sound of silverware clashing..” Seunghyun flinched at the metallic sound that filled the hallway again, causing Jiyong to laugh.

“They won't let me out, do you think they're going to allow an alpha up to my room?”

“Have you given them that much reason to distrust you?” He knew the Kwons had always been strict with the omega, but he wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to give him a red face.

“Put some headphones on if it bothers you so much.” Jiyong tossed him a pair of white wired headphones, and Seunghyun studied them for a couple of seconds before deciding there had to be an easier way to do that.

“Is that your dad?” He stood up, and the omega nodded, looking at him with his arms crossed. “I’m going to talk to him. I can’t concentrate here.”

“Good luck with that.”

Seunghyun smiled with confidence and walked to the part of the restaurant where they could see the man behind the cash register. Jiyong pressed his back against the chair, following his movements with his eyes.

His own smile faded when his father warmly greeted Seunghyun, squeezing his shoulder after a tight hug. He was acting like he hadn’t seen him in years, pointing at how tall he was and asking a couple more questions that the alpha answered just as cheerfully.

Eventually Seunghyun pointed to where they were studying, gesturing over his ears and making a disappointed face that made Jiyong squint. The next thing he saw was his father standing up to walk in his direction.

“Jiyong.” He called out, pointing up the stairs. “Go study in your room, it’s too noisy here.”

“Sure.” Seunghyun looked at him with a cocky expression on his face. “I’ll keep the door open.”

“As you wish.” Younghwan brushed it off, returning to where he had been sitting before. Jiyong stared at the alpha with his mouth open, eliciting a laugh from him.

“You’re welcome.” He grabbed his things, expecting the omega to follow. “Where’s your room?”

Jiyong did the same, passing him so he could walk behind him as he climbed the stairs. “I hate you.”

Seunghyun was briefly distracted by the sight of his athletic shorts, but shook his head before he realized what he had said. “You should thank me.”

“Thank you for exactly what? You put us in this situation.” They walked down another hallway until they reached the last door. Seunghyun had seen the balcony a couple of times when passing by, but he never knew it led to Jiyong’s room.

When he turned on the light, the alpha looked around. He had never thought about what his room looked like, but the trail of many hobbies made him smile. “You paint?”

Jiyong was placing his stuff down on his desk, turning bright red as the alpha walked over to look at the canvas he hadn’t taken down from the easel. He had tried to paint a puppy that ended up looking more like a bear, and a bunch of flowers around it.

“I need to get the stress out somehow.” He took the canvas to throw it inside his closet, and saw Seunghyun approaching his bookshelf. “Don’t you dare touch anything.”

“You like Wu Tang? You’re fucking kidding me” Ignoring him, the alpha searched through the pile of records and cassettes of his favorite group. “I thought you listened to S.E.S or Britney.”

“I do.” He snatched the records from his hands, putting them back in their place, methodically arranged in a specific way. “I got to know ODB through the Fantasy remix, I liked him, I searched more and found Wu Tang.” He explained, then pointed to a free space on his desk. “Now, the thesis.”

“Come on..” Seunghyun had a stupid grin on his face, watching everything with bright eyes. “Can we listen to something while we work? I’ve never met anyone who also likes hip-hop.”

Jiyong sighed and opened one of the doors at the bottom of the bookcase to hand him a baby pink tape deck. “Then you must not have a lot of friends, it’s not as rare as you think.”

“You hang out with gang members?” Seunghyun continued to tease him, turning on the device and playing a tape. Music filled the room, and the alpha couldn’t hide his excitement.

Jiyong glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, pressing his back against the chair. “Gang members here don’t listen to the Wu Tang Clan, only rich kids who spend their summers in America do.”

“Hey..” He tried to complain, but something in the expression he put on when he managed to annoy him stopped him. “Well, where do we start?”

Jiyong pointed for the bean bag beside him to sit down and start working, ideas flowing with the music, which seemed to do the work of the Gods to keep them from wanting to kill each other.

The next week the omega's parents relaxed enough to let him go to the Choi's house, and he spent more time looking at all the art hanging on the walls of the hallways than working on the project. Of course, the urge to annoy each other was still as strong as the first day they met, and if the opportunity presented itself, they didn't let it pass.

“I'm going to the bathroom..” Jiyong announced, getting up from his desk, stretching in an almost feline way that made the older boy smirk. The omega left the room, and Seunghyun continued reading an article until he heard the sound of an incoming Skype call.

He first checked his own laptop, until he realized the notification came from Jiyong's unlocked computer.

Soohyuk was calling him.

The corners of his lips lifted at the thought of the prank, knowing he would probably be furious to see another alpha in Jiyong's room, but Seunghyun had waited years for a chance of revenge like this.

He reached long enough to press a key and answer, immediately returning to his spot, pretending to read again. The headphones were plugged in, so he didn’t hear any of the things Soohyuk was probably yelling at him.

Seunghyun turned to the door when it opened again, acting all innocent. “You back already?” Jiyong looked confused at him before nodding with the intention of going straight to his chair, but Seunghyun pulled him by the arm. “Take a look at this.”

“Hyung..” He grumbled, finally leaning down to read the papers the alpha was offering him. Seunghyun slid over to give him space on the edge of the bed where he was sitting, and the younger sat down next to him. “We’ve already talked about this, right? This is what we’re going to close the hypothesis with..” Jiyong handed the article back to him and stood up to go to his chair, his eyes widening at the sight of his laptop screen. “Hyuk?”

Seunghyun turned to him, holding back his laughter as the younger put his headphones in, trying to explain and make sense of it.

“Is that Soohyuk? The same Lee Soohyuk from middle school?” He walked over, feigning curiosity. Seunghyun acted like he hadn’t seen him in years, when in reality he was more aware of his ex-bully than he was comfortable admitting. “It’s me, Seunghyun.” He stood behind Jiyong and waved his hand in greeting, until Jiyong placed a hand on his face to push him away while closing the laptop with the other.

“Are you an idiot? He’ll be furious.” Despite the anger the omega himself might be feeling, concern eclipsed his face. “I’m screwed…”

Seunghyun frowned. “Come on, it’s not that big of a deal.”

“You don’t know him.” His eyes filled with tears as he turned to look at him, running his hands through his hair in an attempt to release the frustration he was feeling. Then, Seunghyun’s haughty expression faded, and Jiyong stared at him for several seconds. “You… You answered the call, right?”

“What? No, I didn’t…” He laughed nervously, immediately shaking his head. Maybe in another universe he could have been a great actor, but not in this one. “It was your stupid computer!”

“It was you!” He pointed at him with his index finger, his mouth falling open. Seunghyun might know a lot of things, but he didn’t know how to lie. “Why would you do it!?”

“I didn’t do anything!” He tried to defend himself, but his nervous laughter gave him away, continuously covering his lips with his hand, and Jiyong kept looking at him with the same expression somewhere between annoyed and incredulous. “Well, what if I did it?”

“Why did you do it?” He asked again, and Seunghyun gulped.

“Well, I..” He stared at him for several seconds, while the omega tried to figure him out. “I don’t like him, okay? I said it, Soohyuk is an idiot, and I don’t think it’s good for you to be with someone like him either.”

“And who do you think you are to decide what’s best for me? As far as I remember, the one who’s always been an asshole to me has been you.”

“I didn’t act like an idiot when I took you out of the janitor’s closet.”

Jiyong relaxed his angry expression but his eyes teared up more, shaking his head, then pointing to the door. “Go.”

They had never talked about it, a silent pact keeping the memory of that moment buried where only they knew. Seunghyun took his books and computer, throwing everything into his backpack to get out of there.

Jiyong dried his tears and silently followed the alpha to open the door for him. Seunghyun had crossed the line, and he would rather repeat the school year than continue to work with the grumpy alpha.

Meanwhile, Seunghyun was biting his tongue to say no more. He wasn't complaining to Jiyong, he would never use such a vulnerable moment against him, but what he hadn't said was gnawing at his conscience, and when he set foot on the sidewalk, he closed his eyes, breathing in the smell of rain in the air to gather his courage and turn around before Jiyong closed the door again.

He put his hand on the omega's, and looked at the floor, his heart pounding in his throat at what he was about to say. "Be careful with him."

"What?" Jiyong looked at him, Seunghyun was avoiding his glance, but he could still see the redness in his eyes.

"With Soohyuk." He murmured, looking up. "That time, your suppressants were in his backpack. He showed them to the entire basketball team the day before, he said that you gave them to him.” Jiyong’s mouth dropped open and kept his gaze on him. “Look, I know we all make mistakes, and I know we’ve changed since then but… Can you be careful? I wouldn’t want him to… If you don’t want to, then no…”

“Are you serious?” He cut him off, closing the door behind them so that his parents wouldn’t hear any of it. “Seunghyun, is this true?”

The alpha gulped, but nodded, it was the first time the omega had gotten so close to him on his own. “I wouldn’t lie to you about something like that.”

Jiyong continued to watch him, looking for any trace that would give away a lie, but then he remembered his pathetic attempt to hide what had happened a couple of minutes before, and his world fell apart, his knees suddenly feeling weak. “I think I’m going to throw up..”

Seunghyun placed a hand on his back, guiding him to one of the steps that separated his house from the street. At least until a car turned the corner of the block, parking carelessly in front of them.

“Can you explain to me what this idiot is doing here?” Soohyuk slammed the door of his parents’ car, causing a noise that made Jiyong jump in place. “Why can he be in your room, and I can’t!? Huhh? I can’t even go step into the living room.”

“Soohyuk, I don’t think that..” Seunghyun tried to intervene when Jiyong continued to shake, unsteady from the amount of pheromones he was emitting.

“You shut up.” He pushed him away from the omega to grab him by the neck himself. Jiyong’s eyes glistened with more tears when the tall alpha lifted him up, pressing his throat into his massive hand, but Seunghyun stood up straight to force him to let go. “Holy shit, Choi, this is between me and Jiyong.. Go away before I...”

Seunghyun’s fist on his mouth shut him up first, and Jiyong screamed into the air when he saw the first drops of blood running down the older’s forearm.

“Don’t you dare do that to him again.” He threatened as Soohyuk wiped the blood from his mouth with a couple of loose teeth. “Go away, now.”

“Hyung, no.” Jiyong called out, his gaze interspersed between the two alphas. Soohyuk wiped his mouth on the shoulder of his shirt, throwing another blind punch in his direction.

Seunghyun wasn't a violent person, he didn't really know how to fight nor was he interested in learning, but when he saw the handprint around Jiyong's neck something in his chest ignited with anger. Still, he wasn't very agile, and the fist easily impacted against his cheekbone.

Soohyuk might have better reflexes than him and more experience in all of that from the amount of sports he played, but Seunghyun was stronger, and he didn't succumb easily. He looked at him for a moment, before deciding that breaking his nose would be the easiest way to knock him out.

Jiyong watched in horror as the both of them threw punches at each other, dodging some but taking most. Soohyuk busted Seunghyun’s lip before he threw him to the ground when he managed to crack the bone on the bridge of his nose.

“You better not lay your hands on him again.” Seunghyun repeated, spitting the blood from his mouth near his face. “Now, get out of here.”

The alpha nodded for Jiyong to go back inside his house, but Jiyong grabbed his arm before he could leave. He exchanged glances between the two alphas, but eventually pulled Seunghyun in, closer to him.

He pushed him inside his house, motioning with a finger to his lips for him to keep quiet as he locked the door. “Go up to my room and hide in my closet, I’ll be there in a moment.”

Usually, Seunghyun would have protested, but he just nodded and did as he was told. He tiptoed up the stairs to avoid the squeaky wood under his feet to give him away as Jiyong went to the restaurant with his parents.

He locked himself in the room, giving himself a quick glance in the full-length mirror on one of the walls before crawling into the closet as Jiyong had asked him to do. He put a hand over his sore lip, grimacing in a way that made every nerve in his body ache.

“Where is Seunghyun?” That was Mrs. Kwon’s voice, walking into the room.

“A friend of his stopped by to pick him up.” Jiyong answered his mother’s question. “Please don’t tell Mrs. Choi, he was just defending himself.” She let out a long sigh that was followed by a moment of silence before she spoke again.

“Go to bed, you better not come down for dinner.”

He heard a couple of footsteps, the door closing, and Jiyong finally opened the door to the closet where Seunghyun was sitting. He looked down at him for several seconds before searching through his drawers, pulling out a small first aid kit.

“I’m sorry about all this.” He muttered, leaning over to his side to pull out a couple of cotton pads and disinfectant. “This might hurt a little..”

Seunghyun nodded, acting brave, but still couldn’t help but hiss when he passed the wet cotton over his upper lip, where the worst wound was.

“What happened downstairs?” Seunghyun spoke just as quietly as he did, while Jiyong wiped the blood off of him.

The omega sighed, shaking his head softly as he sat down next to him, holding back the tears in his eyes. “Dad will take care of Hyuk, but he… I won’t be able to see him anymore. Definitely.”

Seunghyun looked away, feeling his stomach heavy from his reaction. “I’m sorry.”

The omega wiped his eyes and shook his head, taking another cotton pad to clean his reddened cheekbone. “No, I don’t want to see him ever again if he really did that.”

He didn’t specify, but Seunghyun noticed the doubt in his gaze, and nodded in response. Jiyong dropped the cotton pad to bring his hands to his face, covering it as the tears finally broke him.

The alpha remained silent for several seconds, unsure of what to say. Nothing would probably help him at that moment. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.”

“Remember when you asked me in high school if I liked him?” Seunghyun nodded, and the omega gave him a look so deep that it made his heart race again. “I didn’t really like him.”

“You didn’t?”

Jiyong wiped away his tears, and his lips swelled into a pout as he looked at him with shining eyes. “I liked you.”

His mouth felt dry, as if his ten-year-old feelings were a current declaration of love, a possibility that had never crossed his mind. “What?”

“You acted like an idiot, and yet..” He shrugged, bringing his shaking hands back to the medicine cabinet to grab a couple of bandages for his injured knuckles. “I think there’s something really wrong with me since then.”

“We were kids.” It was the first thing that crossed his mind, letting him wipe his hands as he tried to remember some hint of Jiyong’s feelings back then, smiling inevitably as he remembered his little face and his huge glasses.

“You said it, I was a child, so don’t make fun of me.” He asked, rolling the bandage around Seunghyun’s fingers. “Anyway, I think this is all my fault for using Soohyuk to keep you from noticing, I took everything too far.”

“I’m not making fun of you.” Jiyong narrowed his eyes and he wiped the smile off his face. “So, you never liked Soohyuk?”

“I eventually grew fond of him, but not in that way.. And he stopped being sweet a very, very long time ago.” He looked away, hugging his knees to his chest. “But I couldn’t just tell him.”

“And what did you expect? For him to be on one knee in front of you to finally reject him?” Jiyong remained silent, still not meeting his gaze. “Come on, that doesn’t sound like something Kwon Jiyong would do.”

“Well, I don’t understand love the way I understand math.” Seunghyun understood the feeling more than he was comfortable admitting. “Honestly, I don’t think I’m capable of feeling something for someone, I’m ruined.”

He parted his lips a few times, thinking of what he could say to that, but Jiyong looked comfortable in his own melancholy. He had never noticed, but maybe they were alike in that way too.

“I don’t think you are.” He reached out his bandaged hand to take one of his. “I mean, if you’ve fallen for someone handsome and amazing once, you can surely do it again.”

“You’re too funny.”

“That sounds better than asshole.” He smiled back at him, aware at that moment that their hands were still linked, neither of them making an effort to let go of the other. “Hey..” He called out as he saw his eyes shining with the tears he was trying to hold back, his fingers tightening almost imperceptibly around his own. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

Jiyong’s gaze lifted in his direction, as a single tear ran down his left cheek, which Seunghyun wiped away with his free hand. “You can’t know.”

“I know everything.” He managed to stop his tears, and it felt like a small victory when they both chuckled after that. “But seriously, everything will be okay, I promise.”

Jiyong finished wiping his eyes and nodded when Seunghyun released his hand to raise a finger in front of his face, winning another smile from the omega. “What are you doing?”

“I’m promising it to you.” He took his hand for him to imitate, interlacing their fingers together. “And it’s a pinky promise, it’s an unbreakable pact.”

“I could break your pinky.” In an unexpected move for the alpha, Jiyong released his finger, moving closer to give him a small hug that he didn’t hesitate to reciprocate. “Don’t make me do it.”

Seunghyun closed his arms around Jiyong, the omega sheltering on his chest, and his face grew hot as he realized that this way he could feel just how hard his heart was beating.

“I won’t.” He swallowed hard after saying that, working up the courage to look down, and when he did, right there, between his arms and against his body, Jiyong was looking right back at him with bright eyes and lips, waiting for something neither of them would ask for with words.

He was so beautiful, and Seunghyun couldn’t help but brush the hair away from his gorgeous face to get a better look, tracing his features before cupping his blushing cheek in his hand, all the energy concentrated on the tips of his fingers that had just graced his skin. Jiyong’s eyes opened and closed a couple of times, always focusing on the alpha again, both of them immersed in the magical and intimate atmosphere.

Seunghyun chuckled softly as he watched those beautiful lips trembling in an effort not to rise, and ran his thumb over his bottom lip, separating it from the top so that Jiyong would stop biting himself, and Seunghyun could finally kiss him.

His lips felt like a warm cotton ball against his, moving so softly that the touch felt in slow motion, and in that tiny closet only the beating of their hearts could be heard, forming a melody that sounded as beautiful as a lullaby.

Jiyong smiled against his mouth as they separated to catch the air they had forgotten to breathe, immediately going for a deeper contact that barely lasted two or three seconds before Seunghyun pulled away with a moan, closing his eyes and covering the wound on his lip. Even so, they both shared a quick glance and a nervous laugh at what had just happened, what they had just found out.

Maybe, after all, they didn’t actually hate each other.

They didn't share words, and that night, in the midst of silence, something changed between them. Seunghyun said goodbye to Jiyong with a kiss on his forehead and another one on his pretty nose before leaving his room through the balcony, the omega watching him until he disappeared around the corner of the street.

They didn't argue again in the classes they shared, that tension that had always existed between them could wait for the afternoons when it was just the two of them together, shoulder to shoulder, reading the same article or discussing the direction of the thesis with huge smiles on their faces.

But their favorite part was definitely lying in the middle of the bed, holding hands and interlacing their pinkies while sharing the same pair of headphones, talking about everything, and nothing.

“Are you really going to go to America when you finish school?” Jiyong asked in a low voice, using his free hand to trace the veins on the other's arm, distracting himself enough to not see his face and get nervous.

Seunghyun sighed, looking at the ceiling filled with fluorescent star decorations. “That’s the plan, but… I don’t know, it’s too far from home.”

“You didn’t seem to care about that before.” The alpha turned to look at him, with the same smile he was trying to contain at that moment. Jiyong reached his gaze while biting the inside of his cheeks, thinking, getting lost in the alpha’s black eyes and long eyelashes. “I want to go to Tokyo.”

The smile grew bigger when he heard him. “TiTech? What would you study there?”

“Not everything in life is studying, I want to go spend a year or two there… See new places, travel, party, live. What I could never do being locked up here.” He explained, squeezing his hand. “And if I get a master’s degree along the way, fine, if not, it’ll be next year.”

“Tokyo.” Seunghyun murmured, lost in the omega’s dreamy face. “I could go with you, if you need a roommate.”

“With the salary of a freshly graduated student, in a city like Tokyo? I’ll probably need it.”

They shared a knowing smile, and Jiyong let go of Seunghyun’s hand to rest on his forearms and kiss him. Their displays of affection were as sweet as they were innocent, soft kisses that ended up interrupted by their own smiles and strong hugs that made them roll to the ground.

They didn’t hang out much, but Jiyong found out that Seunghyun was a sucker for ice cream, so every now and then they would sneak away from Jiyong’s strict parents and go get a cone, eating as they walked through their neighborhood park.

“What do you think everyone would say if they saw us like this?” The younger asked, sitting down on a bench hidden between the trees.

Seunghyun smiled, using the sleeve of his sweatshirt to wipe Jiyong’s cheek, stained with strawberry ice cream. “Choi is one lucky bastard.”

Jiyong turned bright red at that, letting him sit next to him. “Seriously.”

“Well, they would probably say that.” He put an arm around Jiyong’s shoulders, concentrating for a long moment on the question as he ate his caramel ice cream. “Do you care what other people think?”

“You don’t?”

“No.” He laughed at his worried little face, tempted to wipe the ice cream off his lips with a kiss. “Look, why are you doing that?”

“Do what?”

“You’re all covered in ice cream, and you act like you don’t know.. You do this on purpose, right?” Jiyong wrinkled his nose at the accusation, bringing the back of his free hand to his lips to wipe it off, but Seunghyun didn’t let him do it. “Don’t be dirty, come here.”

He let go of his arm to cup his face by the chin with a couple of fingers, getting close enough to kiss him, wiping his lips, and Jiyong had to stifle a moan at the new sensation. The wet, cold muscle ran across the thin skin, sending a shiver down his spine when it inadvertently entered his mouth, letting him taste the caramel against his own tongue.

When they separated, Seunghyun only slightly scoffed at the omega's surprised expression and red cheeks as Jiyong squeezed his free hand between his thighs, praying that the sight on his face would be enough to distract the alpha from that, but Seunghyyun remained focused on the ice cream, ignoring the reactions he was causing in Jiyong when he used his mouth again to kiss away the strawberry-flavored cream that melted on his hand in those seconds.

“I.. I'm going home now.” He stood up, coughing immediately after saying that when he heard his higher pitched voice. Seunghyun looked at him innocently from his spot, about to protest. “Thanks for the ice cream.”

When Jiyong walked away far enough, Seunghyun felt his ears hot as he realized that the intense caramel smell wasn't coming from his dessert, and a silly smile crossed his face immediately after.

The omega asked him again a couple of days later if he really didn't care what others would think of him when they saw them together, and then he was aware of the glances he gave him throughout the classes they shared, shaking his feet and playing with his colored pens between his fingers to try to release some of the anxiety he felt from being so close but so far from him at the same time.

“The faculty is having a party.” Seunghyun told him, sitting next to him when most of the students left the classroom.

Jiyong glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, finishing putting his laptop in his backpack. “I heard about that.”

The alpha smiled sideways, taking a lock of his pretty brown hair, tangling it around one of his fingers. “Do you want to go with me? I can take dad's car to take you there and bring you back.”

“Us? Together?” He raised an eyebrow in his direction, trying to act serious but the corners of his lips gave him away by pointing upwards when the alpha nodded at him. “How am I supposed to convince my parents? Those parties last up until the next day.”

“It’s still a school event.” He agreed, brushing his hair behind his ears to stop Seunghyun from messing with it. “Tell them that, leave the rest to me.”

“There’s no way they’ll allow that.” He replied with a small smile, challenging him, and Seunghyun just winked an eye in response.

The alpha had a way with people that Jiyong had never seen before, his charisma and manners working like a charm even with people as harsh as his parents. He started mentioning the party in front of them a couple of days ago when he greeted them.

“And what will be at this party? Is it some kind of dance?” Mrs. Kwon asked with interest, stopping what she was doing.

Seunghyun tilted his head, pretending to think while Jiyong bit his tongue to keep from telling them that this was actually a beach party that everyone was using as an excuse to drink until they would throw up.

“It’s this kind of student’s meeting from all grades, I don’t really like going but… This is how you form relationships for the future.” Then, Younghwan turned to look at him with interest. “They are really boring, but you never know who can end up with a good position in a big company, right? I guess it’s important to go to at least one or two and get to know them.”

“Jiyong should go with you.” The man said immediately after, pointing at his son who raised both eyebrows, surprised at how easy it had been. “Don’t make that face, you already heard Seunghyun, it’s for the sake of your future.”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Kwon.” The alpha smiled at him, convincing him with his white teeth and deep dimples. “I’ll have him back home early.”

Younghwan nodded, giving the omega a quick glance. “No alcohol, and no alphas.”

Jiyong raised his thumb in his direction, feigning disinterest until he was in his room alone with Seunghyun, immediately jumping into his arms.

“You did it.” He whispered against his lips before placing a kiss on them, the alpha reciprocating the contact while tightening his hands around his legs to keep him from falling.

They separated when the omega bit his lower lip, both of them catching their breath really close to each other’s faces. “I told you, they trust me.” Jiyong took his face in his hands, kissing him once more, long and deep, until he took his breath away again. “…And I don’t know if they should.”

He heard the new laugh against his face and slowly opened his eyes to see that beautiful little face again. “I think I’m in good hands.”

Seunghyun arrived on time the following Saturday at seven in the evening, trying to extend his date as much as possible, making the most of the very rare opportunity. Jiyong ran out of his house, wearing baggy sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

“It’s like a million degrees.” He raised an eyebrow as the omega looked over his shoulder again and again, in the direction of his house. “I don’t think it’ll get too cold, unless it rains.”

“Just drive.” Jiyong prompted, and Seunghyun took his foot off the brake. As the Kwon residence moved out of their field of vision, the omega began to strip off his clothes.

Seunghyun glanced sideways as he pushed his pants away from his legs, leaving him in black denim shorts and a white tank top. “Whoa..”

“Eyes on the road.” Jiyong laughed at his expression, turning Seunghyun’s face back to the front with one hand before fastening his seatbelt. “They think the party is at school.”

“I’m not questioning your methods anymore.” Seunghyun took advantage of every stoplight to look at him, smiling as he lowered the visor to line his eyes in the mirror. “So pretty, like a deer.”

Jiyong had stopped blushing since he had Seunghyun telling him those things all the time. The alpha gave him one last long look before entering the highway that would take them to Incheon, carelessly dropping his hand over Jiyong’s leg. The hour-long drive to the beach went by quickly between R. Kelly and Wu Tang Clan songs, silly questions, and small talk that Seunghyun started to keep the omega’s nerves under control.

“Are we there yet?” Jiyong asked when they finally got off the highway, moving forward through the sand to where there were a couple of parked cars and several guys his age, some around a bonfire and a few others dancing.

“They’re the same losers we’ve known for four years.” He reminded Jiyong, giving his leg one last squeeze before getting off to open the door for him. “Come on..”

Jiyong took a long breath before taking the hand he was extending, leaning on him to get off the tall vehicle. Seunghyun set him down on the sand, and he slowly looked up.

He looked at a pair of open mouths as the alpha put an arm around his shoulders, both of them moving through the crowd as Seunghyun bumped his free fist with some of his friends who watched them with a much more relaxed expression than the rest.

“Choi and Kwon? I’ll be damned..” For being a bunch of nerds, the future engineers and scientists acted like cool guys, passing beers around like they were bottles of water. “Whatever, cheers to you!” The poor drunken bastard had been class president since they started school, a nice guy, but way too loud.

“Cheers!” A bunch of other kids shouted in unison, raising their cans in their direction.

Jiyong bit his bottom lip, looking up at Seunghyun who looked back at him, heart pounding in his throat as he thought Seunghyun could lean in to kiss him in front of everyone, but he just took the beer from his hand. “Hey..”

“Your dad said no alcohol.” He scoffed at his expression, and the omega wrinkled his nose before taking the two cans from him.

“He also said no alphas.” Jiyong opened one to take a small sip before speaking again. “Besides, you’re the one driving.”

Seunghyun couldn’t help but laugh, closing an arm around him as he shook his head. With a little alcohol in his blood, Jiyong felt lighter in his head and allowed himself to talk the way everyone around him did without being betrayed by the nerves of having Seunghyun hugging him in public.

As the sun went down, the music rose, and the alpha felt Jiyong trying to pull him to where several others were dancing. “No, I can’t. I’m terrible.” He tried to excuse himself. “Save yourself the embarrassment.”

“You haven’t even tried.” He held his hands as his feet moved, following the rhythm that slowly rose to his hips. Jiyong had only had a beer and a half, but it was enough to make his face red and inhibit him. “Come on, dance with me.”

“I don’t know..”

Jiyong didn’t give him time to protest again, pulling him to where he was to turn around and dance like that, pressing his back to his chest while moving his waist, taking his hands so that he could place them on it, letting him control the rhythm. Seunghyun tried to look around, worried about the curious glances, but he simply couldn’t take his eyes off the omega who moved in a way he had never seen in anyone else. No one had the magic Jiyong possessed, at least not over him.

His fingers curled into his lower back as Jiyong turned around again, facing each other again, and he kept up with him as best he could as he wrapped his arms around his neck and their eyes met.

They continued to dance, hips swaying back and forth, his hands roaming over each other’s bodies whenever they got the chance. Thank goodness most of his classmates were intoxicated enough to not remember any of that by next Monday.

Jiyong laced their fingers together, pulling him further, running to where the sand turned to water beneath their feet. He jumped into his arms and Seunghyun reached out to grab him by the thighs before they both ended up under a wave. “Why are you so handsome?” The omega muttered, pressing his face into his hands, frowning slightly. “It makes me angry, because there’s no way you’ll ever look ugly.”

“You think so?” Jiyong nodded, completely lost in her eyes. “I didn’t know you were so shallow.”

“You’re not? You don’t think I’m pretty?” Jiyong asked back as he fought himself not to give himself away with a laugh, finding it all the more amusing for how little he’d drink. “You called me pretty earlier..”

“Well, that’s not the only thing I like about you.” When he stopped pinching his cheeks, Seunghyun let him caress the rest of his face. “As hard as it is to admit, I like your know-it-all attitude, and I like how you wrinkle your nose or grimace when you don’t like something.. And I like your lips, a lot.”

Jiyong laughed softly, bringing their faces closer again. “I like your lips too, and your eyes when they look at me, and your eyebrows, and your dimples, and.. And your huge ears.”

They were about to kiss, but that last comment made Seunghyun look almost offended. “What? Huge ears? They’re not that big.”

“Yes they are.” Jiyong laughed again as he pulled one of his ears between his fingers. “But it works for me, if you had small ears I wouldn’t be able to yell at you, and I like to yell.”

A dark eyebrow rose as a perverse idea crossed Seunghyun mind, placing one hand on Jiyong’s ass and another one on his waist, taking advantage of the fact that the omega was no longer hugging his neck to throw his body backwards.

But Jiyong didn’t scream, he just let out a laugh as the longest strands of his hair got wet with the salt water of the sea and his legs wrapped around his waist. Seunghyun swallowed hard seeing him like that, a good part of the skin on his abdomen being uncovered as his shirt also fell back.

He tightened his grip on his waist to lift him back up, Jiyong quickly bringing his hands back to his face to guide him into a needy kiss, pressing their lips together hard, so hard as if they could fuse and become one in that instant.

They parted with labored breaths, and the omega smiled again, shaking his head to splash him. “Hey!” Seunghyun laughed and set him down, using both hands to wipe his face.

But Jiyong pulled him back again, forcing him to lean in for another kiss, this time slower so it would last a little longer, just a moment longer. He hungrily bit down on his bottom lip, pulling it as far as he could before letting go, something warming in his stomach when he saw the look the alpha was giving him.

His mouth suddenly felt dry, his heart racing in a way it hadn’t until now, and his lips trembled as he worked up the courage to say the next thing. “Let’s get out of here..”

His words sent a shiver down Seunghyun’s spine, and he nodded in agreement. He held his hand and they practically ran away, hastily bidding farewell to anyone who got in their way. Seunghyun helped Jiyong back into the SUV before getting in himself and starting the vehicle, backing out with less care than he was proud to admit.

“Where are we going?” When there were no more cars around them, the alpha turned to look at him. Jiyong hadn’t even put on his seatbelt, with both legs up on the seat as he kept his hands between his thighs, his lips bright red from the way he bit them as he looked back at him.

“Where you and I can be alone.” Seunghyun looked at him for long seconds before nodding, hastily pulling away from the place. He could feel the omega’s gaze on him, and he stifled a moan as Jiyong slid down the seat until he wrapped both arms around his neck to place a couple of kisses on his cheeks.

“Jiyong.” He called out, his hands shaking on the steering wheel. They still had a long road ahead of them. “Jiyong, wait..”

“Sorry.” He muttered under his breath, holding his head and returning to his spot.

Seunghyun swallowed hard, moving into the slow lane to turn to look at him when a sweet smell filled the truck's cabin. “Are you okay?”

Jiyong nodded immediately. “I just... I think I like you, like, a lot.”

“It’s a good thing I like you too.” Jiyong covered his face with his free hand upon hearing this, holding back his nerves as he sensed what would happen that nigt, but he trusted Seunghyun, he knew that no matter what they did, he would take care of him and make him feel good every step of the way. He bit his lower lip when the alpha parked in front of the first convenience store they saw open when they were back on the streets of Seoul, giving it a quick look. “I'll be right back, it'll just be a moment.”

Seunghyun smirked, reaching out a hand to take the other's as Jiyong nodded nervously. “Okay.”

He placed a kiss on the back of his hand before getting off, and Jiyong melted against the seat, feeling all sorts of emotions in his stomach at that moment as he watched him go into the store and get lost in the aisles. He felt like a child about to do something wrong, something wrong that he hoped no one would ever find out about.

Still, Jiyong figured there was no way it could be wrong if it felt this good and he would have Seunghyun by his side, holding his hand through the pleasure and the possible moral hangover. Either way, he intended to keep him by his side for the rest of his life.

He turned to the left as the door opened again, and Seunghyun came up with a bag in one hand, rummaging through it before pulling something out. “You like Oreos, don’t you? I also brought some with chocolate chips..”

Jiyong blinked as he saw Seunghyun hand him a package of cookies and a carton of chocolate milk which he took with endless confusion on his face. “What?”

Seunghyun pulled out an ice cream bungeoppang from the bag, looking back at him as he tore the packaging open with his teeth. “What what?”

“I.. I thought you were going to buy… You know..” He tilted his head, his cheeks turning red as Seunghyun choked on a bite of the fish-shaped dessert as he understood what he meant. “I’m sorry hyung, I didn’t.. God! You’re going to think I..”

“No!” He managed to say as he continued to cough, Jiyong dropping his cookies to pat him on the back a couple of times. “No, I.. I mean, do you want to?”

The omega looked at him with wide eyes, of course he wanted to, but he just shrugged his shoulders. “You don’t?”

“Yeah, I mean.. As long as it is something you also want.” He replied, still coughing from time to time, his ears red and hot from embarrassment. “Of course I want to, but you.. You drank, so...” He pointed at the candy he had passed him, and Jiyong wiped the back of his hand first across his forehead, then across his cheek.

His chest felt warm, he wasn’t drunk, but Seunghyun had still brought him a bunch of candy to bring him down from his supposed drunken state before taking him home. “Oh, hyung.”

“Sorry, I’m a fool.” He covered his face in embarrassment, he definitely had a long way to go when it came to omegas. “When you said being alone, I thought you wanted to eat candy.”

Jiyong’s recent embarrassment disappeared to make way for a much more tender feeling, opening his package of cookies. “Why would we have to hide to eat candy?” He asked, and Seunghyun peeked his eyes out from between his fingers.

“I ate candy on the sly from my parents.” He confessed with such seriousness, that soon they were both laughing, the tension of the moment going away with it. Jiyong moved over to place a kiss on his cheek, then returning to his spot to uncap his milk and drink it.

“Thank you.” He replied with a milk mustache on his bottom lip, taking a cookie. “If daddy asks me to blow in his face, I’m covered.”

Seunghyun smiled back at him, finishing his own ice cream in a couple of bites before putting his hands back on the wheel. “So, to your place?” Jiyong nodded, putting on his seatbelt before passing him a cookie to eat as well.

That was fine too, they would have plenty of time to explore in the future.

For the moment, soft kisses and tight hugs seemed to be enough, or at least they were once again when Seunghyun pulled up on the street of his house, and they tasted the sweet treat in their mouths once more, saying goodbye when the clock struck midnight.

“Thanks for this, I had a lot of fun today.” He whispered when they managed to break away, their lips seeming like magnets whenever they were alone in each other’s presence.

Seunghyun continued to smile over his face, cupping his cheek to keep him from moving away, begging for a few more seconds by his side. “See you.” Despite his words, he didn’t let go until he gave him one last kiss that distracted him enough to slip out of the car.

Jiyong felt his eyes on him as he opened the door to his house, and when he closed it, he heard the vehicle driving away. He covered his face with both hands, going over the memories of that night in his head. Seunghyun was so gentle and sweet that at times it seemed too good to be true, but it was.

He felt butterflies in his stomach as he dragged his legs up the stairs, trying to make as little noise as possible, although he knew he should let them know of his arrival. He cracked open the door to his parents’ room, his mother raising her head when the light from the hallway hit her face.

“I’m home.” He mumbled, and the lady nodded a few times, lying back down. “Good night, ma.”

“Good night, Jiyongie.”

He closed the door again, turning off the lights behind him as he walked to his own room. Once inside, he unbuttoned his shorts and pulled off his tank top, looking for something more comfortable to sleep in.

He put the dirty clothes in a hamper and managed to put on a long shirt before turning to the balcony when something knocked on the window, cautiously moving forward to investigate what it was. He covered his legs with the curtains when he saw Seunghyun, throwing M&M’s to get his attention.

“Hyung..” He looked at him surprised, opening the crystal door. “What are you doing here?”

He put the rest of the candy in his pants pocket, and held up something in his hands that made Jiyong laugh. “Your clothes, you left them in the car.”

He tilted his head, letting go of the curtain to get a better look. “I could have gone tomorrow for it.”

Seunghyun shook his head, tucking the clothes under one arm to prop a foot on the brick wall, pushing himself up enough to grab onto the railing that bordered the balcony, and jump over it. “Actually, I also came for my goodnight kiss.”

Jiyong laughed at this, walking back to his room, placing a finger on his own lips to silence him. “I remember giving you a couple of those a few minutes ago.”

“Mmm, no. Those were goodbye kisses.” He clarified, taking a second to look at the omega who returned to his bed, hugging his legs against his body. “I… I want a goodnight kiss.”

“And what difference does it make?” He questioned, pointing with his eyes to the spot beside him.

Seunghyun swallowed hard, moving closer as he tried his hardest not to look at Jiyong’s gorgeous naked legs again. “I.. The goodnight kiss is given in bed.”

“Oh, that’s convenient.” Jiyong nodded, playing along as he slowly laid back against the mattress. “Come and get it.”

Despite his nerves, Seunghyun crawled up the bed just enough to reach his face. Jiyong lowered his legs, placing his arms around Seunghyun’s neck instead.

“Goodnight.” Seunghyun murmured against Jiyong’s lips, before leaning down enough to bring them together.

It was a sweet kiss at first, his lips moving against Seunghyun’s calmly, but when Jiyong pulled Seunghyun in he had to place his forearms on either side of his head, sinking his knees into the bed, between his soft thighs.

Seunghyun had to pull away to see that, to see with his own eyes that he was actually between Jiyong’s legs, between his bare legs. The omega was wearing striped boxers, and besides the sweet smell that surrounded him again, the sight of something pushing the fabric in front of him stole his breath.

Despite the simplicity, that was probably the most erotic moment of his short life.

He looked up at the omega again, who was looking at him from below with a red face, wet lips and bright eyes. “Hyung..”

“I’m sorry.” He reacted when he called out to him, shaking his head to snap out of his reverie and get up to leave the room, but one of Jiyong’s small hands stopped him, pulling him back against him.

He turned to look at him when he felt the warmth of the other’s skin against his hand that the omega had guided to his hip. “Touch me, please.”

“Jiyong.” He murmured with the last of the air in his lungs, returning to where he had been seconds before, but now with a different mission. He closed his fingers over his skin, holding back a moan of surprise at how good it felt, completely different from anything else he had ever experienced before.

Jiyong threw himself at his lips, spreading his legs wider to give him enough room, placing them shyly on either side of the alpha's waist. The large hands continued down, exploring with suppressed excitement every inch of exposed skin.

He found that the backs of his thighs felt particularly good, too shy to go any higher if the omega didn't directly ask him to. Thankfully, Jiyong was burning for the feel of it, and the moan that escaped from between his lips when they parted for air was enough indication.

Seunghyun swallowed hard before bringing his left hand up, the fabric of his underwear feeling so thin that he figured if he didn't mind being touched over it, there would be no problem if he touched him underneath it. He smiled as he watched the omega throw his head back and arch his back out of pure instinct, writhing in pleasure.

With his free hand he lifted the omega's shirt up enough to uncover his abdomen, leaning in to place a couple of kisses on it. His teeth had been itching to bite the omega's entire torso a couple of hours earlier, and not even in his wildest fantasies would he have imagined that he would have the opportunity to do so that very night. In reality he didn't have much of an idea of ​​what he was doing, going by what felt good and the reactions he was provoking in the omega.

He ran his tongue from the omega's navel to the end of his sternum, stopping at the shirt rolled up below his chest. Jiyong chuckled softly at the tickling sensation that Seunghyun nose sniffing his skin caused, tangling his fingers in his shiny hair.

"Please." Seunghyun looked up at him, asking for permission to do more. “Please, hyung, I… I wanna feel you.” He confessed in a whisper, tears of pleasure gathering in his eyes.

The alpha took a deep breath at the sight of him like that, and moved the hand he was holding in his underwear a little further, to the spot that was soaking the fabric. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You’re not gonna hurt me.” He assured him, his chest rising and falling as he tried to control his breathing and pounding heart. “Please, hyung… I really, really want it.”

“I want it too.” He moved his fingers over the slit between his cheeks, panting when he found him so wet and ready. “Ah, Jiyong.”

The omega closed his eyes and covered his mouth with his forearm, biting it so no one would hear his muffled moans. Seunghyun lifted his shirt up a little higher to reveal his nipples, a sigh escaping his mouth as he wondered if there was a part of Jiyong that wasn't exceptionally pretty.

He ran his tongue over one of them, tasting the salt on his skin before closing his lips around it, feeling his heartbeat. Meanwhile, his thumb moved in circles over his wet entrance, using the rest of his hand to keep his ass cheeks apart. 

“Take it off.” The omega begged, using his own hands to push the underwear down his legs and away from his body. He bit down softly on his chest before pulling away to look at him like that, his throat feeling dry. Jiyong took the moment to take off his shirt, too, showing himself completely naked. His cheeks heated up at his gaze, and Seunghyun sat up, looking all goofy as he watched him with a half smile. “Yah, take this expression off.”

“You’re beautiful.” It was all he needed to say to shut him up, and Jiyong laughed shyly, crawling up onto his lap to straddle him. He watched as he took his hand again, leaving a kiss on the palm of it before bringing it back to his ass. “Why are you so hot?”

“I should ask you that.” He replied, undoing the button of Seunghyun’s jeans with quick fingers, pulling them down enough to sit comfortably on the bulge still covered by underwear. “Hyung, I need you.”

Seunghyun frowned at how good it felt to have him there, Jiyong rocking gently and he raised his hips to simulate a thrust that elicited a moan from both of them, forcing himself to stop after that.

The omega questioned him with his eyes, but Seunghyun only shook his head, his conscience stopping him.

“I don’t have protection.” He replied with uneven breathing, and Jiyong placed the back of his hand on his forehead, thinking. “And you... You deserve something special.”

“It’s special if I have you with me.” He placed a kiss on his cheek before leaning in close to his ear to place a couple more kisses there. “You can pull it out, or… Or I can take something tomorrow, or both.”

Seunghyun smiled at that, too lost in the haze of intimacy to think about the risks involved. Damn it, if having a baby with Jiyong was the price to pay for that night, he would happily pay it.

He kissed him hungrily again as his fingers got lost in the dripping intimacy, exerting a gentle pressure that stole Jiyong’s breath. “Does it hurt?”

Jiyong immediately shook his head, opening his eyes to look at him as he pushed his middle finger inside him too. “It feels good, but… It’s weird.”

“You didn’t do it?” Jiyong laughed, his face flushed before nodding shyly.

“It’s different.” He replied before rocking his hips on his lap again, drawing a deep growl from him. “Isn’t it?”

“I can’t just do that to myself.” He smiled against his lips, moving his finger deeper into him, making room for a second. “You smell so good.”

Jiyong frowned at the stretching, getting used to the sensation as he wrapped both arms around his neck, bringing their foreheads together. “Don’t say that..”

“It’s the truth.” He replied, placing a small kiss on his lips before moving down to his chest, licking and biting once more to distract him from any discomfort he might be feeling. “Relax, you’re so tight.”

“Mhmm...” Jiyong nodded, his lips pressed into a straight line as his ring finger pressed inside him, going in just as deep as the first. “Oh my God.”

Seunghyun smiled as he felt a small knot of nerves beneath his fingertips that made Jiyong grip his shoulders tighter as he rolled his eyes. “It’s there, right?”

He didn’t need an answer from his lips when there were strands of slick running down his forearm, but pumping up his ego a little wouldn’t hurt. He watched his chest rise and fall, his ribs protruding from how hard he was breathing to hold back his cries of pleasure, and Seunghyun’s hips rose again almost involuntarily from the desire to be inside him.

“Hyu..Hyung, Seunghyun hyung.” He murmured under his breath, biting his lip as he moved against his fingers and over his erection. One of his arms left his shoulder to take hold of his own member. “Hyung, it feels so good.”

He breathed against his skin, slowly moving his fingers inside him as he enjoyed the other’s hips on his own member. “You look so sexy, touching yourself..”

“Mhmn, if you don’t touch me, someone has to.” He replied, looking at him with dilated pupils, accelerating the rhythm of his hips. “Hyung, I’m so close.”

He left his nipples alone to go back to his lips, kissing him hungrily before going to whisper in his ear with a deep voice. “Come, Jiyong, let me see you.”

Jiyong laughed in the midst of the pleasure, Seunghyun’s large hand replacing his own on his member, making it easier to continue moving on him, nails digging into his shoulders. “Hyung.. Hyung! Mhmn, mm..”

He kissed him to muffle his moans, moving his hands in rhythm until Jiyong tensed hard, letting go a couple seconds later. He trembled through the ecstasy, and Seunghyun pulled away to watch the divine sight.

The omega shot his orgasm into the Seunghyun shirt as his insides contracted tightly around his fingers, and he felt light-headed at the thought of how good those contractions would feel around his knot. Just the thought was enough to send him over the edge, embarrassingly wetting his underwear with his own hot cum.

He placed a kiss on his cheek and slowly removed his fingers, both of them catching their breath as they shared a shy look and smile, leaning against each other.

At least, until they heard the doorknob turn, locking itself in place.

“Jiyong?” His father called out to him, and they both looked at each other with horror on their faces before jumping out the bed. “Jiyong, open the door.”

“To the closet.” The omega urged, and he ran as quietly as possible as he adjusted his pants while Jiyong grabbed the clothes Seunghyun had brought him to dress himself as well.

“Jiyong, open the door now!” He heard the scream along with loud knocks on the door, and when he made sure Seunghyun was hidden, he went to open it.

“I was changing, jeez.” He scolded, acting sleepy so his nerves wouldn’t give him away. Younghwan stared at him for several seconds before putting a hand on his shoulder, moving him from the threshold of the door to enter. 

“It smells like alpha in here.”

Jiyong felt his heart in his stomach as his father looked around his room. “What? Dad, that’s not..”

“What did you do, Jiyong?” He growled angrily, his mother also peeking into the room after hearing the screams coming from there. 

“Mom, tell him something.” He ran his fingers through his hair as he approached the wall where the closet door was, seeking support from the woman who looked just as distraught as her husband. “Dad, you have any idea how humiliating this is?”

“It smells like alpha.” He repeated in the same angry one, a growl held back in the back of his throat as he continued to look around. The room wasn’t very big, so Jiyong knew it was only a matter of time before he started opening doors. 

He swallowed hard, and for a moment he imagined what his father would do to Seunghyun if he found out there, with his scent all over him. 

“I went to a school party, do I have to remind you again where I study?” He leaned closer to him when he realized his mother wasn’t going to intervene for his sake. “There are eight omegas in the entire school, of course I’m going to smell like an alpha! I smell like that every damn day.”

“Watch your language.” He pointed a finger near his face, but his words seemed to have an effect on the other’s reasoning. Still, Jiyong felt a chill run down his spine as he watched his father’s eyes dart to the closet before he approached with heavy steps. 

“Dad!” He yelled at him, the adrenaline lending him enough courage to do so. “If you open that door, you’re going to humiliate yourself.” He frowned at him as the man turned the handle, small tears filling his eyes that his parents understood were from anger. “It hurts me that you don’t believe me, that you don’t trust me when… When I’ve never let you down.”

Younghwan shared a look with his wife before sighing and closing the closet door behind him that he had barely opened a couple of inches. He rubbed his face with both hands, before moving closer to wrap his arms around his son.

“I’m sorry, Yongie.” Despite the new softness in his tone, Jiyong noticed the way he wrinkled his nose as be hugged him. “You’re right, but you have to understand.. Your sister and you are the most precious thing we have.”

His mother joined in the hug, stroking the hair away from his forehead and wiping the tears from his cheeks. “The world is cruel, we don’t want you to end up hurt.”

“I know, but I also know how to take care of myself.” He looked down, murmuring his response. “I wish you could see that.”

He heard a tired sigh before feeling a kiss on the center of his head. “Take a bath before bed, I don’t want you to get sick.”

Her mother kissed his cheek as well, ignoring his words the same way his father had. Jiyong nodded in response, looking over his shoulder as they left the room wishing him goodnight.

He waited a couple of seconds to lock the door again and turn off the light in the room before going to the closet. There, curled up in a corner and covering himself with a couple of coats, he caught a glimpse of Seunghyun looking back at him with worried eyes. 

Jiyong smiled before leaning over to his side, removing the winter clothes from him. “I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about.” He replied just as quietly, opening his arms for him. “It was close, wasn’t it?”

The younger boy looked up when he perceived a recognizable smell, adding to the strange way he had said that. “Are you eating M&M’s?”

Seunghyun looked back at him for several seconds before nodding embarrassedly, offering him the bag of candy. “I thought your dad would find me and that this would be my last chance to eat chocolate before I died.”

Jiyong covered his lips to keep from laughing out loud. “You’re an idiot.”

The alpha agreed. Academically he might be a genius, but when it came to Jiyong he wasn’t much more than a lovesick fool.

Seunghyun held the omega in his arms for a couple more minutes before deciding it was too risky to stay there, promising he’d call him in a couple minutes when he got home, and with that Jiyong watched him climb down the balcony and walk away until he disappeared around the corner of the street.

The couple of days that followed felt like a dream in both of their memories, they soon got used to the looks their classmates gave them when they walked through the halls of the university holding hands and the endless jokes about it.

Professor Kwanghyung was no exception either, they noticed the expression on his face as they presented the progress of their project, receiving the comments he gave them without blaming each other for the mistakes as they would have done a couple of months before.

“I’m glad your relationship has improved.” The older man said as he closed the last folder he had looked through, both of their cheeks turning red at his words. “You guys are a really good team, you should continue working on the project together when you graduate.”

The suggestion made them look at each other quickly, they hadn’t discussed who would keep the progress to continue it in a postgraduate degree.

“I think Jiyong has written and checked most of it, I… I’ve been doing the reading and research, I think he should keep the project.” Seunghyun offered, either way he would have enough time to work on another thesis during the year they would spend in Tokyo.

“No, hyung, we both have…”

“Actually.” Kwanghyung interrupted, offering them a smile to reassure them. “We can make an exception, given the complexity of the work you’re doing, and graduate you both with the same project. I could also recommend you as a team to some masters program. I know several professors who would take a project like this here or in Japan. I know Seunghyun wanted to go to America, but..”

“I’ll go to TiTech after I graduate. MIT is too far from home.”

“Well, I know one or two people there.” He nodded, then looking at the omega. “What about you, Jiyong? Do you want to go to Tokyo too?”

His head moved faster than his mouth, his bright eyes giving away the obvious answer. That sounded like a perfect plan. “Yes, it’s been my plan for years now.”

“So, there you have it.” The man seemed proud of them and him, for having managed to get two of the most brilliant minds he had ever met to work together after spending their entire lives tormenting each other. “I’ll make some calls  and keep you posted.”

They said goodbye with a thank you and a bow before heading out into the hallway, Jiyong jumping up and down in excitement as soon as he set foot outside the office.

“We’re going to Tokyo! You and me!” He hugged him tightly around the neck, and Seunghyun put an arm around his waist so he wouldn’t end up knocking him down with his jumps. But as quickly as he had started, he stopped to put his hands in his hair. “I… What am I gonna tell my parents? I need to start saving, if we get into a master’s degree that won’t allow us to work full time and..”

Seunghyun pulled him into a hug, pressing his head against his chest before kissing his forehead and murmuring to him. “My grandmother has an apartment in Tokyo, we can live there, she spends most of her time in California or New York anyway.”

Jiyong blinked a few times, looking at him for long seconds before speaking. “Why didn’t you say that before?”

“So you would call me a rich kid?” He mocked his cute expression, putting an arm around his shoulders to walk with him like this. “And just so you know, we’re not that rich. My dad works in the military, if it weren’t for mom’s trust fund we probably wouldn’t be living so well.”

“That’s exactly what a rich kid would say.” He laughed softly, letting himself be hugged as they walked towards the parking lot. “I thought trust funds only existed in movies.”

“Every time someone auctions a piece of work or rents it out for exhibitions, the money raised goes to investments so the fund never stops growing… Grandpa took care of a couple of generations of us.” He opened the door of the car for Jiyong, and he looked at him in surprise.

“So, do you have one too?”

Seunghyun nodded, downplaying the matter. “Yes, and our kids will too.”

Then, they both fell silent, Jiyong looking at him with a blank expression, much like his own. He had said that very naturally, he hadn’t thought about it before it came out of his mouth, but it was obvious.

“Our kids?” The omega asked him, a smile appearing on his face when Seunghyun began to cough nervously. He closed the door as Jiyong started laughing out loud, resuming the conversation once the alpha was on the driver’s side, buckling up. 

“I’m sorry, I… I didn’t think about it, I just said it.” He continued to cough as he started the engine, and Jiyong watched him from his seat. “I don’t know if you want kids, in fact, I don’t even know if I want to have kids, but if we do… They’ll have their lives figured out.”

Jiyong laughed at how nervous that had made him, his own cheeks turning pink as he imagined the future. He had never seen himself as an omega at home, but he pictures how starting a family could work alongside someone like Seunghyun. 

“I could have a baby with you.” He shrugged, looking for the reaction that would provoke in Seunghyun, but his heart skipped a beat as he saw the illusion forming on his face, showing his dimples through a smile. “Not now, but… Someday.”

“Someday.”

That afternoon Seunghyun started looking for flights to Japan, maybe they could go earlier to tour the country, visit museums, try a couple of restaurants and go out partying every night, everything Jiyong had told him he wanted to do when he wasn’t under the roof of his strict parents.

He made a mental list of everything they would do, anxiously waiting for the next day to tell each of his ideas to the omega but, when he arrived at their first class together, Jiyong wasn’t there.

The next ninety minutes passed slowly without a response to any of his text messages, had he fallen asleep? One of his feet began to tap the floor repeatedly, ignoring classes as a strange feeling suddenly overwhelmed him.

Jiyong hadn’t missed a single day of school in the last four years, even with a cold or fever, he was always there. The fact that he didn’t answer his calls only made him more anxious, and after a couple of hours he decided that going to look for him was more important than his last class.

He pulled up in front of the Kwon family restaurant, ants crawling under his skin with every step he took as he crossed the small, uncrowded street. Younghwan’s car wasn’t outside, but it was a relief when the door opened when he pushed it. 

For a second he felt reassured at the sight of Jiyong behind the counter, but when the person turned around, he realized it was his sister. Dami offered him a small smile that distracted him from her irritated eyes for a second. 

“Seunghyun, long time no see.” She greeted him in a raspy voice, holding up a small notebook. Dami had been married for a couple of months, her parents had gone to the wedding, so it didn’t make much sense for her to be serving at the restaurant. “What can I get you?”

“Hi, I.. Uh…” He shook his head, the horrible feeling in his chest settling even deeper. “Is Jiyong home? I wanted to check on him, on a homework we’re doing together.”

Technically he wasn’t lying, they had to go over some details that afternoon, but from the look on her face he knew that wouldn’t be possible. “I can deliver it to him.”

“Oh.. No, it’s okay, I’ll send an email.” He cleared his throat, looking away. “Is everything okay?”

Dami’s expression changed, trying unsuccessfully to look more cheerful as she nodded at him. “Yeah, don’t worry.”

“Thanks.” He replied in a murmur, studying her face for a couple of seconds before turning around, stopping his steps when the door swung open, the Kwons entering. He offered them a bow before looking for Jiyong behind them, but he wasn’t there either.

“Seunghyun.” Gilan greeted him, the expression on her face much like her daughter’s, and the alpha turned to look at Younghwan.

His eyes were also red, but he looked angry, his sparse eyebrows permanently furrowed and his thin lips pressed together in the same way Jiyong did when something bothered him.

“He came to leave something for Jiyong, what was it? A book?” Dami asked as the silence and tension seemed to increase in the small space.

“Oh, progress on the thesis.” He explained, the elders nodding. Seunghyun couldn’t help but scratch his forearms out of nerves.

Younghwan turned to look at him, his gaze freezing him in place. “We’ll give him your message.” His tone was much harsher than Dami’s, all three of them resenting his harsh way of speaking. The young alpha nodded, biting his tongue to keep from asking more, and almost ran out of the restaurant. 

From the car he could see how they locked the door and turned the Open sign around, closing the place for the rest of the day.

He drove with shaking hands to his house, the feeling of something horrible stalking him like it was his own shadow. Jiyong didn’t answer his calls or emails, and the next day he didn’t show up at school either.

Jiyong had many acquaintances, he was always surrounded by people, but these last few months he realized that he really didn’t have any friends, at least no one who was close enough to notice his sudden absence other than him.

Over the next few days he passed by the Kwon’s house again, but metal curtains covered the glass doors for the rest of the week.

They didn’t even seem to be home.

It didn’t take long for his mother to notice his behavior, so anxious and tense that even the slightest sound made him overreact. The dark circles under his eyes giving away how little sleep he was getting at night, and the untouched dishes also betrayed his lack of appetite.

“Seunghyunnie..” His mother opened the door to his room, and he turned to see her. He had been bouncing a ball against a wall, distracting himself with that. “Baby, you’re not going out? It’s Saturday..”

Seunghyun shook his head, regaining his composure. He had been wearing the same pajamas since Friday, a bath wouldn’t hurt him at all right now. His mom placed the tray of food aside, coming close enough to sit next to him on the bed.

“I’m not in the mood.”

“I see.” She brushed his black hair away from his face, keeping his eyes and forehead well out of sight. “You should go get a haircut tomorrow.”

“Mhmm..” He nodded, shaking his head as he removed her hand, covering his eyes again to try and hide his sadness.

He heard his mother sigh before handing him the tray with dinner. “Can you try and eat a little? It’s your favorite, I just went out to get it.. Have it while it’s still hot.”

“Soup? Mushroom soup?” He asked with interest, looking at the plate. “Mrs. Kwon’s? Are they open?”

“Yeah, they just took a few days to paint the place.” He pinched his nose before standing up, seeing the small mess in the room. “Can you pick that up?”

He nodded, standing up to go find some clean clothes among the clothes scattered on the floor. “I think I’ll go out for a walk, I need the fresh air.”

“Eat something first, okay?” Seunghyun gave her a thumbs up, tripping over the scattered things on the floor on his way to the bathroom. He would have liked to stay longer in the shower, but the need to see Jiyong was greater.

Seunghyun called him once more on his cell phone, but he didn’t pick up, and then he ran to the corner that separated their houses. The restaurant was open, and the light in Jiyong’s room was on.

“Come on..” He muttered to himself, grabbing the railing with both hands to push himself up and climb into the small space, pressing his body against a wall as he heard Mrs. Kwon’s voice coming from inside.

He peeked in quietly, his chest sinking at the sight of Jiyong in the middle of his bed. He thought he would feel better seeing him again, but he definitely wasn’t ready to see him like this.

He was wearing a knitted hat on his head despite it being the middle of July, and there were a bunch of bandages on his arms and a big one around his neck. There were several boxes of pills and medicine on his nightstand, and Seunghyun forced himself to hide again when Jiyong’s eyes found him as if he had known he was there.

His heart was pounding inside his chest, his eyes squeezing shut as he contemplated the best way to get out of there. The light in the room went out, and after a few seconds he heard footsteps heading to the window.

“Seunghyun?” He saw the omega when he opened the curtains, leaning behind the glass door. “I thought I had seen a ghost..” He tried to joke, nervously bringing a hand to his hair, but the alpha could see the tears forming in his pretty eyes. 

“Jiyong.” He called out, opening a palm against the glass, wanting to take him into his arms. “Are you okay? What happened?”

The omega looked back at him, looking too small as he hugged himself. His lips parted a few times, but he didn’t say anything else, while Seunghyun kept his eyes on him. 

“A cold..” He finally answered, wiping the tears from his cheeks afterwards. “It got a little complicated, but I’m okay now.”

“A cold? That’s all? That’s why you didn’t answer any of my calls?” He asked, hurt, but feeling a little better that it was just that. “God, Jiyong, I was so..” He fell silent when Jiyong put a finger on his own lips, closing the curtain before opening the door to let him into his dark room. “Ji..”

“I got sick at the same time I got my heat, that’s why..” He shrugged, looking away. “I was in the hospital, the meds blocked the inhibitors from working.” Despite the smile on his face, there was something that didn’t sit right with Seunghyun. “It’s embarrassing, okay?”

Jiyong’s face looked sad, his pretty eyes no longer sparkling and he could tell he was trying hard to keep his lips taut. “But, are you okay now? Really?”

“I’ll be going back to school on Monday.” He held his large hands in his smaller ones, and Seunghyun looked at the bandage around one of his arms. “They had to medicate me with a dropper.”

“Oh.” Seunghyun nodded, then his eyes went to the bandage around his neck. He decided it was best not to ask when Jiyong looked down. “But.. You...”

“It’s just the cold now.” He assured him, but even he didn’t look convinced. “You shouldn’t be here, I can still get you sick.”

“I don’t care.” He cupped one of his cheeks in his hand, caressing the reddened skin under his eyes with his thumb. “You scared me, for a second there I thought I’d never see you again.”

“Don’t talk nonsense, hyung.” Jiyong laughed through a small sob. “I’m fine, I promise.”

He didn’t believe him, but Seunghyun figured it would be best for the omega to pretend like he did. He took him in his arms, carrying him back to his bed, and Jiyong quietly asked him to stay there until he fell asleep, and the alpha did, holding his hand in his.

Jiyong went back to school the following Monday, but he didn’t seem to be the same. He had cut his long brown locks, shaving the sides and keeping his hair just a little longer at the crown.

He didn't kiss him or get closer than necessary, but he always tried to hold his hand and intertwine their fingers, even when they weren't saying anything to each other. From time to time he would see him shed tears that he would quickly wipe away, especially when there were people around them and he would tremble until Seunghyun placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Jiyong..” He called out in a soft voice, and the omega looked up from his laptop with a small jump, scared. “Calm down, it's just me.”

“Hyung..” He wispered, moving over to let him sit in the cafeteria table. Seunghyun left a chocolate milk in front of him, while he drank a black coffee. “Thanks.”

“You're welcome.” Seunghyun sat next to him, opening his own laptop to show him the final version of the project, although there was something more important he wanted to talk to him about. “I talked to Kwanghyung. He finally got a reply from Tokyo.” He couldn’t help but smile when Jiyong’s eyes sparkled for a moment again. “We’re in, officially.”

The smile on Jiyong’s face dazzled him, even more so when he leaned his head on his shoulder and took a particularly loud sigh, as if a weight was lifting from his shoulders. “That’s good..”

“Are you surprised?” He asked, taking his right hand.

Jiyong shook his head, keeping his pretty eyes closed. “No, but it’s good to know that we’re actually leaving this place.”

Seunghyun squeezed his fingers together, staying silent as he heard the tone in which he said that, as if he wanted to escape Seoul. He placed a kiss on his short hair, surrounding him in a soft hug, recalling how he had shifted uncomfortably the last time he had squeezed him.

“I was thinking..” He continued speaking, Jiyong nodding without turning to look at him. “We can leave sooner, you know, so we can see around before school.”

“The last exam is next week.” He heard the response in a murmur, which sounded more like an internal dialogue that he said out loud. The omega raised his head, searching his eyes. “Can we go then?”

Seunghyun nodded immediately, he too was happy that this short nightmare, or whatever it was, was about to be over. “I’ll buy the tickets.. Should I talk to your parents?”

Jiyong shook his head, straightening his back when he felt his classmates’ gaze on him. It was still strange for everyone that they suddenly decided to be together after their long rivalry. “I’ll take care of them, but I think it would be better if they don’t find out that we’re going together.”

“Are you sure? They looked worried when you got sick, I can’t imagine how they’ll react if you just disappear.” He tried to work some reason into him, but ultimately Jiyong knew them infinitely better than Seunghyun did. “I’m just saying, I could talk to them.”

“They like you too much, don’t ruin it by telling them that we’re in love.” He said that in a joking tone, but Seunghyun couldn’t help but smile at hearing it. Did Jiyong love him too? “I.. I’ll call them when we get there, either way I don’t think they’ll be surprised that I want to leave Seoul.”

He stood up, and Seunghyun followed him with his gaze. “Where are you going?”

“To the doctor, I have a follow-up checkup.”

“I can take you.” He insisted, starting to pack his things, but Jiyong shook his head.

“Don’t worry, dad is coming for me.” He smirked at him, taking the chocolate milk he had brought him. “Thanks, hyung.”

The alpha smiled like an idiot when Jiyong winked at him and walked out of the cafeteria, leaving him with a warm feeling in his chest that made him rush to log on to the Korean Air website and book the flights, with no way back.

Seunghyun spent the next few days too busy signing them both up as interns at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, where they would work alongside some of the most important scientists and engineers in the entire continent. Jiyong looked just as excited as he did, the glow slowly returning to his face and the laughter to his voice.

He plopped down in the middle of his bed with the phone to his ear, listening to the omega’s voice on the other end of the line as he looked at the calendar on his wall. August 18, 2009, they would be leaving for Tokyo on Jiyong’s twenty-first birthday.

“Have you thought about what you want for a birthday gift?” He asked when Jiyong stopped talking about algorithms and how they would become something terribly important in the not-too-distant future.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a couple of seconds. “I think you’re doing enough already, you didn’t let me pay for my flight.”

“I told you, I paid for them with airline miles, they were practically free.”

“Mhmn.” He had to hold back his laughter as he imagined the little face he had made when he heard him. “I don’t know, I think this is all I’ve ever wanted.”

“Come on, there must be something else.” He insisted, and heard a sigh on the other end of the line.

“A fish? I don’t know, I’ve always wanted a pet.” Seunghyun looked to his left, where his own dog was lying there doing nothing, and smiled as he remembered how Jiyong used to play with him when they were working in his room. “But I don’t think we’ll have the time to take care of a dog.”

“What about a cat? They basically take care of themselves.”

“Sure, an Abyssinian.” Jiyong laughed, and heard more voices on the other end of the line. “I have to go, I’ll call you later.”

He pressed a couple of kisses into the phone that made Seunghyun laugh and blush, covering his face with both hands as he waited for Tuesday to arrive soon.

The last time he spoke to Jiyong, the morning of his birthday, he said goodbye with a ‘See you at the airport.’

Seunghyun packed his bags and his parents drove him to Incheon airport, from where he called Jiyong again, but he didn’t answer his phone. His hands started to sweat when the speakers announced the upcoming closing of his flight’s doors, and he dialed his number once more.

He listened to the phone ringing for long seconds, until the answering machine took the call.

“Jiyong, I’m waiting for you, the flight is about to leave.” He said against the speaker, finally getting in line for the boarding line. “I’ll get on but, if you fell asleep or anything, tell me and I’ll send you another ticket.”

He handed his ticket to the airline employee, looking around in hopes that Jiyong would show up at the last second. He left another text before turning off his phone, the empty seat beside him working as a reminder to overthink for the next two hours.

He arrived in Tokyo at dusk, no texts or calls pending other than the one from his father, asking if he had arrived safely.

A taxi took him to his grandmother’s apartment, and the first thing Seunghyun saw when he opened the door was a pair of amber eyes, staring back at him. He dropped his bags and kicked off his shoes before going to the crate, leaning down next to the kitten.

“Hey, kid..” He smiled when the little animal reached for his touch, undoing the crate’s lock to take it into his arms. The kitten looked like Jiyong somehow. “Have you been there for a long time? I asked them to bring you here later.” It meowed back, rubbing its little face against his open palm. “Don’t get too attached to me though, or your owner will be upset when he gets here.”

He stood up with the kitten in one hand, calling Jiyong once more, but the omega hadn’t even texted back.

That night Seunghyun slept with the phone in one hand and the kitten on the other pillow, which was supposed to be the Jiyong’s, and the next morning he had black coffee with the chocolate cake he’d ordered for Jiyong for breakfast.

The next few days melted into each other, Seunghyun doing little else but sleeping, calling, and checking SNS every couple of minutes in hopes of getting an update on Jiyong, anything.

But the next thing he heard from him came from the person he least expected when Professor Kwanghyung sent him an email to notify him that Jiyong had paused the last semester of college until the next year and had given up on his internship and his part of the thesis. The beta was just as confused as Seunghyun was with his decision, but neither of them could get in touch with the omega who seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth. 

He spent the weeks he thought he would spend with Jiyong getting to know Japan alone and crying, his only motivation to get out of bed was the kitten that bit and scratched him until he served him food. 

“You have a lot of attitude in you for being so little, kid.” His voice sounded raspy and brittle, after all, he only talked to the cat. He opened the can of food and poured the contents into the little ceramic plate. “I should name you soon.” The kitten didn’t turn to look at him, eating his breakfast desperately while Seunghyun continued to caress his ears, watching him closely while thinking. He had always called him that, kid, and it didn’t seem to bother him. “Iye? Do you like the sound of it, Iye?”

The cat shook his head to get him to let go, and the alpha laughed again, taking that as a yes as long as he stopped annoying him.

Up until a couple months ago he would have been grateful to not have to see Jiyong ever again, but now walking through the halls of TiTech and knowing he wasn’t there got to his bones the same way the cold did that winter he spent alone, resigned to the silence on the other end of the line, losing himself in his books and studies as he had done his entire life.

Seunghyun didn’t set foot in Seoul until two years later, with his master’s degree finished and enrolled in a PhD in America, and he didn’t return willingly, but after looking for a way out of it for several months, he realized that no excuse was good enough to miss his sister’s wedding.

“It’s good to be home, isn’t it?” His mom asked excitedly, and Seunghyun nodded, moving through the airport parking lot, careful not to shake Iye’s carrier too much.

His father, on the other hand, gave him an amused look. “Charlie won’t be happy that you smell like a cat. He’s missed you so much.”

“I couldn’t leave Iye in Tokyo.” He replied, remembering how bad the kitty had been that one time he left him at a daycare to go spend Christmas with his grandmother in New York. Since then, they have traveled together. “He has anxious attachment issues.”

“He’s a cat.” The older man said, still laughing at the situation, and Seunghyun just shrugged, climbing into the car with the cage on his lap. “He wasn’t the date I expected to come with you.”

He sank into the backseat, opening the cage to let him out and stretch. “You can’t deny he’s a charming grandson.”

“He’s adorable, Seunghyun.” His mother played along as her husband drove. “But you know who actually has the cutest grandson? The Kwons, Gilan shows him off all the time.”

“Mhmn.” Seunghyun nodded, looking out the window. He didn’t really know, after a few months he unfollowed Dami on SNS, she didn’t post anything about Jiyong either. “You should have this conversation with Hyeyoun, she’s the one getting married.”

“You’re not a child either.” And they reminded him of that every chance they got. “I know twenty-four is still a little early to be talking about starting a family, but you haven’t dated anyone after this kid… What was his name?”

“Hyunseung.” His mother added.

“Hyunseung.” His father nodded in agreement, turning to look at him in the rearview mirror to continue his sermon. “Have you thought about calling him? Weddings aren’t fun when you’re alone.”

“Weddings are never fun.” He took Iye more firmly in his arms so he wouldn’t slip off a speed bump. “I can take him.”

He tried to joke with his parents, but they were right, and maybe the idea of ​​calling Hyunseung wasn’t so bad either. He was one of the few people from his past he hadn’t comoletly cut off, and he already knew he was still single.

Seunghyun didn’t remember why he had ended things with him until they were face to face after so many years and his slender arms wrapped around his shoulders, the closeness allowing him to smell his neck. Seunghyun had become obsessed with his sweet scent when they were young, but the sugar over his skin seemed repulsive to him after taking in the intense praline scent of Jiyong’s heat.

At the time he couldn’t take it, but now it had become tolerable again.

“It’s good to see you.” He replied with a half smile on his face, releasing the hug, and Seunghyun moved the chair so that he could sit in front of him. “I heard you live in Tokyo.”

“I was studying, but I’m moving to Massachusetts next year.” Despite his bright smile, he could see the disappointment in his eyes when he heard him say that. “What about you?”

“I’m still in school, I still have..” He watched him count on his fingers and laughed softly, holding out his glass when the waiter came over to refill it, offering one to the omega. “I still have three years left.”

“Pediatrics?” He asked, and Hyunseung nodded, glad that he remembered it. “Has it been what you imagined?”

“God, no.” He answered so quickly that he choked a little on his wine, causing them both to laugh. “But the feeling of helping makes up for it, especially with the kids.”

“I bet it does..” Seunghyun smiled at him one last time before looking down at the menu.

In the end, Hyunseung had decided on a trendy French restaurant, and that was good, because Seunghyun had no idea about Seoul’s current food scene, and he wasn’t ready to go back to his safe place.

“Don’t you miss Korean food? We could have gone to that place in your neighborhood, we used to go there all the time.” Hyunseung reminded him, though he didn’t need to. “Actually, the other day this boy went to the hospital, the waiter.. Was he the son of the owners?”

Seunghyun looked up, feeling a lump in his throat when he mentioned him. “Jiyong?”

“Oh, yes, Jiyong.. He brought his baby in for a checkup.”

The next few seconds passed in slow motion for Seunghyun, his head feeling light and the glass in his hand feeling so heavy that it unintentionally slipped away from his fingers. Ouch, Jiyong had a baby?

“I’m sorry.” He apologized, taking a napkin to try and clean up the mess he made on the glass table, splashing the younger who repeated a couple of times that he had nothing to worry about. He remained silent once the waiter came to finish the cleaning. “I didn’t know he had a baby, we… We went to college together.”

Hyunseung nodded, resting an arm on the table and his face in one of his hands. “Yeah, I thought he looked familiar… The baby’s father reminded me who they were.” He took a small sip of his drink before turning to look at him. “I don’t remember his name either, but they were in high school together, a tall guy.”

Seunghyun felt a thorn in his heart. That didn’t make sense. “Soohyuk?” He asked before he could think about it, and the younger shrugged.

“I don’t know, I just remember seeing him play basketball at your school, and Ji cheering him on from the stands.” That definitely sounded like them.

“Oh..” The alpha nodded, watching the younger take another sip.

The rest of the night passed quietly, Hyunseung laughing at all his jokes while Seunghyun listened attentively to every story he told, and the omega seemed to like that enough to invite him to his apartment after dinner. With the recent insult to his injury, he had no problem following him to bed, losing himself in between his legs and sinking into him for the rest of the night.

Hyunseung also didn't refuse to be his plus one to his sister's wedding, clinging tightly to his arm at all times. Something good, because he was the one that kept him standing when he finally saw him.

After two years and thousands of tears, his eyes found Kwon Jiyong again.

Sitting at a table with his parents, he looked as beautiful as ever. His heart fluttered at the sight of him, but forced himself to look away when he noticed the cute, little bundle wrapped in blue blankets between his arms.

His brow furrowed and an uneasy feeling lodged in his stomach, making his throat sour until Hyunseung tugged on his tie to get his attention and ask him to dance. Usually he would have declined, having two left feet, but something inside him wanted Jiyong to see him too, and for his heart to twist the way his had done.

Their eyes met at some point in the night, but neither of them did anything about it. They had truly become strangers, and while Jiyong returned home with his baby, Seunghyun did so with Hyunseung.

In January 2012, Seunghyun moved to America to pursue a PhD, with eminent professors from various parts of the world showing deep interest in his project, and thus, before he reached thirty, his name had already acquired a reference stature within the scientific and academic community.

Nine years later, he returned to Seoul, attracted by a job offer too good to refuse.

Having achieved most of his professional goals, and with no interest in taking charge of frivolous private projects to continue filling his pockets, sharing his knowledge felt like the next natural step in his successful career.

At thirty-four, Seunghyun had become the youngest professor to teach at KAIST, and it didn't take long for him to earn a fearsome reputation. He knew the importance of discipline and he wouldn't allow his youth to give his students the confidence to see him as a friend, because he wasn't.

He had stopped being kind when an omega with an angel face broke his heart.

“I expect your essays first thing tomorrow morning.” He sentenced his last group of the day, hearing complaints and sighs that made him raise his threatening gaze. “I remind you that you were the ones who signed up for my class. If you want to slack off, you should have taken Professor Park's course.”

This was his third year teaching, and he didn't know if he would ever get tired of it. It was fascinating to see how young minds developed before his eyes, and how despite his harsh methods they learned and came back for more every semester.

He packed his things in his leather briefcase and left the auditorium, walking through the halls full of students who offered him ninety-degree bows as soon as they saw him. He acknowledged a few with a quick nod, checking his phone when it vibrated with a new notification.

It was the stupid group of the Engineering faculty teachers, who insisted on sending good morning messages every morning and occasionally asked, in more polite words, who was the idiot who insisted on blocking everyone else's cars in the parking lot.

Park, the idiot was always Professor Park.

However, this time Seunghyun watched with interest as the contact of said professor had disappeared from the group, immediately adding a new number along with a message from Lee Kwanghyung, who had become the director of the faculty several years ago, asking them to go to the teachers' lounge to welcome the new member of the team.

He snorted and changed the direction of his steps, going in the opposite direction of most students who were already heading home.

He dropped into the first free chair he saw, ignoring as always the banal conversations that other teachers tried to start with him. If they were to talk about more interesting stuff, Seunghyun wouldn't turn them away.

Principal Lee was the exception, the short man had a way of seeing life that would never tire Seunghyun. He looked up when he saw him walk to the center of the room with a smile crossing his face.

“Colleagues, today is an important day for the history of our faculty and institute.” He began to speak, and everyone stopped their conversations to turn to look at him. “As I have shared with you on other occasions, I was part of the first generation of beta students to enter university. Before us, the acronym ‘A’ in KAIST stood for ‘Alpha’, today it stands for ‘Advanced’, and as our mission for the next decade is to contribute to the happiness and prosperity of humanity through innovation in science and technology, the inclusion of fresh minds and new ways of thinking has long been a latent necessity for our team.”

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms at chest level as he listened with interest to the director’s speech.

“It’s always a pride when a student of mine joins the team, but today is even more special.” His smile highlighted the wrinkles at the sides of his eyes as he took a half step back, seeing the half-open door to his own office. “It is my great pleasure to introduce to you today the first omega professor of the Faculty of Engineering of the Korea Advanced Institute of Technology, the professor in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Kwon Jiyong.”

Shit.

Seunghyun hadn't smiled, he didn't smile much anymore anyway, but he could feel his lips twisting into a grimace when he heard the name and saw the aforementioned walking quickly up to the director's open arms, sealing his welcome with a strong hug while the rest of the teachers applauded. 

"Thank you for this welcome, director." When they separated, Jiyong offered him a deep bow and another to the team, rising dazzling as only he could a couple of seconds later. 

Jiyong continued to thank him with words as touching as those with which Kwanghyung had greeted him, but Seunghyun couldn't understand anything, too lost in the divine sight before his eyes. Despite the years, he kept stealing his breath with his beauty, with his long, slightly wavy hair, and his pink lips. He felt sorry for himself when he remembered for a moment how they used to feel over his, hinting at the love they had for each other. 

Or, at least, the one he had for Jiyong.

Seunghyun reacted when his colleagues clapped again and stood up to shake the omega's hand. He looked so good, in his cream-colored suit and thick glasses, smiling at everyone.

He stood up too, slinging his briefcase over one shoulder to get out of there before he reached him, but Jiyong's smile widened when their eyes met. He heard him call his name as he approached him, opening his arms as if he were an angel spreading his wings.

But before he reached him, Seunghyun placed one hand behind his own back, extending the other in his direction without any expression on his face.

“I'm Doctor Choi Seunghyun.” He emphasized his rank, feeling satisfied with the bewilderment on the other's face. “Welcome.”

Jiyong stopped short and lowered his arms, staring at the hand extended to him for several seconds before returning the formal greeting, as if they didn't know each other, as if they hadn't been almost everything.

“Doctor Choi.” He repeated, and the tone of his beautiful voice sent a shiver through his body as the electricity he felt in his own hand when the other squeezed it for a second kept him from falling to his knees right in front of him. “Thank you.”

Seunghyun nodded and let go with a jerk, turning to leave while wiping his hand on his pants. He didn’t need to look back to know the expression Jiyong must have put on.

“Choi has always been like this.” He heard someone say behind him.

But no, Seunghyun hadn’t always been like this and Jiyong knew it, he knew how sweet he could be, and he didn’t have to be a fucking genius to know that he was the one to blame for him not being that way anymore.

Chapter Text

pinky promise?

pt. 2

He had been wishing for this moment for years, dreaming of how full his life would feel when the day came, and now that he had finally achieved it, his nerves were playing against him like they had when he was just a teenager.

He sank his face into the cold water of the sink one last time, and then looked at his reflection in the mirror in front of him.

Jiyong knew it, he knew that Seunghyun was the school’s prodigy teacher , and that they would have to see each other every day, and for a second he really thought he was ready for that, but he would’ve never been ready to face the attitude Seunghyun ended up giving him. Doctor Choi? How cocky.

“ Ma? ”

When he heard the brittle voice calling him from the other side of the door, Jiyong checked the watch on his wrist, cursing to himself in silence when he saw the hour. He dried his hands and face with a towel, finally leaving the bathroom.

“I'm sorry, baby, give me a second and we'll go.”

The boy nodded, slinging his backpack over his shoulders.

“I still need to brush my teeth..” Jiyong looked at his son as he grabbed his briefcase and the car keys, waiting next to the door, and opened an arm when he walked back in his direction two minutes later. “Are you okay?”

Jiyong smiled as he placed a kiss on his forehead when the boy hugged him back. “I am now.”

“Mmn..” He laughed softly as he watched him wrinkle his nose when he squeezed him once more before letting go, the two of them walking out of the apartment.

“I’m just nervous, remember your first day of school?” The boy nodded, calling the elevator. “Well, teachers feel the same way when it’s our first day teaching.”

“That doesn’t make sense, if we get nervous it’s because of the teachers.” He grumbled, shuffling his feet as the doors opened in front of them. “Just act tough, show them who’s boss.”

Jiyong laughed, putting an arm around his baby’s shoulders. It was inevitable to get sentimental at times like these, when his son showed him his maturity through actions or advice, realizing just how much he had grown.

“I remember how small you used to be, I could carry you in one arm.” The young alpha squirmed when Jiyong squeezed him again. “Why didn't you stay like that? My Mino, my baby, mini me .”

“I'm not a baby anymore!” He sobbed without tears, but stopped moving to let himself be hugged and kissed on the cheeks. If there was one thing he had learned well in his thirteen years of life, it was that it wasn't worth trying to escape from his mother’s displays of affection. “Now, 'ma ..”

“I love you.” He reminded him with a strong kiss on the forehead, keeping a hand on his shoulder when they were in the underground parking lot of the building.

Jiyong drove to school, bidding his son farewell with one last hug, who cheered with a low ‘ good luck ’ before speeding off the SUV , leaving the omega with a warm feeling in his chest. If he had managed to raise him this well, he could handle anything .

The drive to the college campus seemed shorter after that, searching around the parking lot for his assigned parking spot and walking to his first official class. He took one last deep breath as he turned the doorknob to the classroom, looking around at the almost empty interior.

Six students looked back at him for a few seconds before they saw each other. Jiyong smiled at them as he took a couple of steps up to the desk, leaving his briefcase there as a sign that he was their new teacher.

“Where’s Park?” A guy with thick glasses asked.

“I’m professor Kwon Jiyong, I’m a mechanical engineer, and I also have a master’s degree in machine learning and robotics.” He started to introduce himself, but his student’s expressions weren’t getting any better. “I’ll be your robotics dynamics teacher this semester, any questions or...”

“They traded Park for you? The guy was bad, but not that bad.” He heard the deep voice of an alpha at the end of the room mocking him as he stood up and packed his things. “I don’t know about you, but I’d rather put up with Choi than have an omega teacher.”

That was nothing new, but it never failed to hurt. A couple more kids stood up like the first one did, and Jiyong clenched his hands into small fists at his sides.

“You have the right to change classes, but just so you know…” He relaxed as much as he could when he felt the blood rush to his face from anger, giving them a neutral expression. “I’m no less than any of the teachers here, I’m just as prepared, or even more than them. You’ll see if you give my class a chance.”

The first guy who stood up didn’t even stop to listen to him, but a beta girl stopped, giving him a glance before sighing and sitting back down in her place.

“Just because Choi is a pain in the ass.” He heard her say, and the others nodded immediately, and Jiyong hid a smile before writing his contact information on the board, then starting the class.

The doubt in the young looks was soon transformed into interest that made him feel better. He was confident in himself and his knowledge, he had always been a natural leader and he was sure that if he had been born an alpha , he would have taken over the world a long time ago.

“Algorithms can both detect and analyze human emotions and generate responses or content that influence emotions.” He explained to the couple of students in front of him. “At the end of the course, we’ll program a robot capable of mimicking the empathic process of emotions, to show you how this intersection is crucial to the development of more humane and effective technologies.”

“A robot?” Someone else asked excitedly, mouth half open. “Like, a pet?”

Jiyong smiled widely and nodded, tilting his face slightly. “That’s one way of looking at it, of course design is important… A bunch of metal and wires won’t give the same impression as an adorable exterior, like a pet or a toy would.”

“That’s amazing.” The end of the class left him feeling calm and more confident in his abilities. He waved goodbye to the students who had given him the chance, then walked down the halls.

The school had changed a lot since his years as a student, but the atmosphere was still surprisingly similar, and Jiyong wondered how much he himself had changed as his mouth watered at the memory of the taste of chocolate milk from the cafeteria.

He guided himself to the place with the first map he saw on the open campus, the cold air conditioning and smell of coffee hitting him as soon as he set foot inside, walking up to the bar. Chocolate milk had never been on the menu, but if they had chocolate syrup for mocha lattes, they could surely do something close enough.

“Morning.” He smiled at the barista, leaning slightly over the bar to read the dessert menu on the wall. “May I have an iced mocha latte, no coffee?”

His smile widened as he saw the expression on the young man’s face who had just placed a steaming cup in front of him, trying to decipher the order.

“He wants chocolate milk.” A deep voice interrupted, and Jiyong suddenly felt someone behind him while a long arm reached out to grab the black coffee, preventing the omega from turning to look at him. “So many years and you still order it like that to sound smart, Kwon.”

“Seunghyun..” He sighed his name, turning over his shoulder as he walked a couple steps away, looking like a damn model in his perfect suit. The alpha shook his head at that, pointing at the shiny gold nameplate at chest height, making Jiyong roll his eyes. “Right, Doctor Choi.” He almost spat out the title before turning back to the front, where the barista was still looking at him in confusion. “So, a chocolate milk and a blueberry muffin?”

“Sure.” The beta boy smiled back, ignoring the intimidating alpha watching them. “That would be eleven thousand won, please.” Jiyong nodded immediately, reaching for his wallet before handing him a couple of bills. “Oh, sorry, we only accept the KAIST card, you can get it at any of the merch stores or at one of the machines around campus.”

The omega gave him a look full of confusion, only coming out of the trance because of Seunghyun’s deep laughter, who hadn’t moved an inch from there. Jiyong turned to look at him full of displeasure, but he didn’t stop laughing as he extended his own card to pay the total of his order.

“I knew that would happen.” He shook his head before taking a sip of his coffee, putting the card away again. Jiyong touched his forehead with the back of his hand before extending the bills in his direction.

“Thanks.”

Seunghyun looked at him with the same expression that seemed to never fade from his face every time he saw him, something between mockery and hatred. “Welcome, Professor Kwon.”

He left him there, with his hand extended and his emotions mixed up while waiting for his order. The rest of the day passed without much news, apart from the students from his second group who also left his class, they were missing out .

Up until then, Jiyong had worked on private projects and some companies that asked him to be there all day, another advantage of his new job were the working hours. He had an office at campus, but he could finish reviewing assignments or paperwork at home.

Mino was also excited about this new modality, tired of spending the afternoons in after school activities or at his grandparents' house, and although he adored them, he always ended up exhausted from waiting tables at their restaurant.

The omega smiled widely and opened his arms, leaning back on his car when his son ran in his direction after walking out of school and seeing him there. They melted into a tight hug, before Mino became aware of his classmates around him and pulled back, embarrassed.

"How did it go?" He asked quietly, and Jiyong messed up his hair before opening the door for him.

"Well, I took your advice." He pinched Mino’s nose before getting to the driver's side and turning on the engine. "What about you? What do you want to eat?”

“Same as always..” Mino looked over his shoulder and nodded with interest at his last question. “Burgers?”

“I was dying for you to say that.” He turned onto the next street to change course of his destination to their favorite burger place.

The Kwons’ talent for cooking had skipped an entire generation, coming back to Mino. Jiyong didn’t expect his son to cook or help him do it every day, and although he seemed happy to do so, like any boy he enjoyed junk food from time to time. Especially burgers.

Jiyong parked when he saw the ridiculously long line at the drive-thru, entering the place with an arm around Mino’s shoulders. Inside, the restaurant was almost empty, aside from the people who were ordering. The omega couldn’t believe his luck when he made out the silhouette of an alpha in front of them, making him sigh in annoyance, but listening to the conversation he was having with the cashier.

“It’s twenty twenty-three, who carries cash?” The grumpy man grumbled, unintentionally intimidating the employee in front of him.

“There was a system outage in this entire area of ​​the city, we can only take cash.” The young man explained in a nervous voice, and Jiyong pointed to the cashier that had just become available on the other side of the counter.

“Go order, okay?” Mino nodded, obedient as always, and the omega bit the inside of his cheeks to not give away his smile when he again extended a couple of bills that covered the amount shown on the screen. Seunghyun turned in his direction, freezing for half a second before he could speak again. “Here, for the morning coffee.”

“Ji..” He felt a hint of satisfaction when Seunghyun looked surprised, something that no longer seemed to be so common in him, and shook his head, now pointing to his own badge. The alpha laughed mockingly, placing his hands on his hips. “Professor Kwon.”

“ MS .” He corrected him, handing the money to the employee while they continued to fight with their gazes.

Finally, Seunghyun rolled his eyes before taking the paper bag with his lunch inside. “ MS in what? Diaper change?”

“Why? Do you need me to change yours, grandpa?” He gave him the same attitude he had been giving him, but in a much lower tone as he pointed at the gray patch of hair on the side of his head.

Seunghyun laughed, insolent, returning his eyes to the omega seconds later. “Just so you know, it’s because of stress. Of course, I don’t expect you to understand when you haven’t done anything important enough to..”

He stopped his lecture when a small, brittle voice interrupted him, and Jiyong turned around at that instant. “ Ma ..” The omega immediately went to the preteen, silently reminding Seunghyun of his place.

He was no longer important in his life, aside from those dumdb fights, his son had become Jiyong’s priority.

He shared a look with the boy, who in a second had placed himself at the side of the omega's body, protecting him , but Seunghyun could only think about how much they looked like each other. It was like seeing Jiyong as a child again, considerably taller, chubbier and alpha, but the cuteness he radiated was about the same.

Seunghyun sighed, putting his sunglasses back on to leave the establishment, feeling the little eyes following his back until he disappeared in the parking lot.

“Thank you..” Jiyong smiled kindly at the cashier, receiving his change to go wait for the food, Mino holding firmly on to his arm. “Are you okay?”

“Who was that man?” He answered with another question, sitting together at a table. “I don't like him.”

“Me neither.” He tried to joke with him, although he wasn't really lying. “He's.. An old friend, he used to live near your grandparents' house when we were kids.”

“I don't like the way he looks at you.” He muttered under his breath, raising his crossed arms to the table to rest his face between them. “…He works with you, doesn’t he?”

Jiyong didn't consider himself a bad liar, but Mino knew him so well that he didn't see the point in hiding something that sooner or later he would find out. “He does, but don’t worry, he’s harmless.”

“Mmm..” He growled softly, and his mood didn’t seem to improve until his lunch was brought to him.

Jiyong could tell he kept thinking about it when the answers to his questions continued to be mere mumbles, too distracted to put a sentence together. But at least the next few days were easier, the omega focusing on his work and  students instead of their old rivalry.

And Seunghyun seemed to be ignoring him, until one day in mid-September. He was just leaving his office when his eyes found Jiyong and his class taking measurements of the hallways, but his clothes were what made him stop and take a second look.

The omega had always had a particular taste when it came to his fashion, but ever since he had started teaching Seunghyun had seen him in tweed jackets and colorful sweaters with cute Peter Pan collars, but this was new, even for him.

Jiyong walked over and bent down to help his students hold the measuring tape while wearing a damn skirt. It was long, reaching down to his ankles, but the tank top and beaded necklace that reached below his chest dazzled Seunghyun enough to drag his gaze until it was too obvious.

When the gorgeous hazel eyes looked back at him, incriminating his gaze, Seunghyun nearly panicked at being caught admiring him. He cleared his throat, returning to his serious face. “Does the dress code allow that?” He asked Jiyong, skipping the greetings as the omega crossed his arms.

“Why wouldn’t it allow it?” He wrinkled his nose and raised an eyebrow, Seunghyun looking with interest at the visible tattoos on his arms and neck. “It’s hot as hell.”

“You’re wearing a skirt.” He pointed at him like he was a little kid, noting until then how childish he must have sounded. “Whatever..”

Jiyong laughed, looking over his shoulder as a couple of students watched with interest as the two engaged in a rare conversation. “I understand you’re speaking out of envy, because you must be dying inside that jacket and those pants.” He swept him with eyes, feeling butterflies in his stomach as the older man smiled and gave him a glimpse of his beautiful, deep dimples.

But there was something behind that kind expression, freezing him as he reached out a huge hand to his bare shoulder, removing a thread with a slowness that for a second felt like a caress. “Well, you should see that for yourself.”

The omega’s face turned red in a second, instantly removing the other’s hand, drawing a laugh from the alpha. “ Asshole , I could report you for harassment.”

“Do it then.”

He winked, pulling a cigarette from his jacket to place between his lips, walking outside the building so he could light it, leaving Jiyong stunned in place.

They didn’t speak again for several weeks, Seunghyun teasing the omega every time they saw each other in the hallways. It was adorable how easy it was to make him blush, but if he thought things would be like this forever, he was wrong.

Jiyong walked across the parking lot to his SUV one afternoon, taking a second look when he spotted Seunghyun leaning against his own car, smoking as he looked through paperwork in a folder.

“I talked to Barbie.” The alpha looked up at that, a twisted grin appearing on Jiyong’s pretty face. “She wants her car back.” He unlocked his own car, opening the driver’s side door.

“Just so you know, a Mini is a perfectly alpha, masculine, and sporty car.” Jiyong laughed at his attempt to defend the tiny red car, immediately shaking his head.

“It’s so testosterone-laden.” He got behind the wheel, closing the door but rolling down the window to tease him for a few more seconds. He felt like the winner when he saw Seunghyun clench his jaw, stubbing out the cigarette butt with his foot. “And of course, it’s got to be electric.”

Seunghyun closed the folder in his hands and left it on the car roof to approach Jiyong, who was looking at him with an exaggerated smile. "I understand you're speaking out of envy..." He repeated Jiyong's own words, placing his arms on the window and taking a look at the interior of the spacious SUV. "With how far the campus is, I'd envy an electric car too if I had a ' Milf Mobile '. Half your salary must go to gas."

Jiyong rolled his eyes, placed a hand on Seunghyun's face, and pushed him away. "Fuck you."

“When?”

"What for?" He tried to mock Seunghyun’s expression, and the roar of the engine made him take a hasty step back. The omega put on some sunglasses and placed both hands on the steering wheel. "Last time, you came in your underwear."

After that, he hit the gas and left campus, leaving Seunghyun with his mouth half-open and the smell of burning tires on the pavement.

He returned to his small but efficient car and threw his head back when he turned it on and the low battery message appeared on the dashboard.

Damn Jiyong.

Their next relevant interaction was on Halloween.

Seunghyun definitely wasn’t the friendliest teacher in the faculty, but he wasn't one to disrespect the tradition of teacher and student costumes. Every year he could name less and less of the characters everyone else dressed up as, but he always kept up with his vampire costume.

He walked into the auditorium and raised both eyebrows in surprise at seeing almost half of the seats empty. He left his things on the desk and looked ahead, putting his hands on his waist. "Is there a reason why the rest of your classmates aren't here?"

Seunghyun watched as everyone looked at each other until someone raised a hand and he nodded to let him speak. "They're in Little Red Riding Hood's class."

"What?"

He frowned as the boy dressed as a mummy nodded, and Seunghyun walked to the auditorium door to open it, listening to the commotion coming from the classroom at the end of the hallway. He peeked cautiously, seeing a large part of his class in the small space.

Jiyong was showing a couple of students how to control what seemed to be the prototype of a damn robot, generating an exaggerated reaction in everyone when it moved. Ha , he could build something like that even with his eyes closed, he didn't understand how something so simple could be so surprising to them.

He came out of his thoughts when he heard a growl and had to look down to find where it came from.

Jiyong's son saw him from behind his desk, with a Nintendo in his hands and his eyes half-closed before turning to the omega, pulling on his red cape to get his attention. It wasn't the first time he saw him at the school, usually in the afternoons when all the teachers had meetings. The boy didn't do much more than play or sit quietly, but from his costume and the full basket next to him, he assumed he had gone trick-or-treating with the rest of the students.

Jiyong first saw the boy, who soon pointed at him in the doorway. He crossed his arms, and Seunghyun held back a sigh at the sight of him dressed like that, understanding what his student had said to him earlier.

The omega was wearing a pair of shorts, nothing too short, but the glimpse of his smooth thighs covered by a pair of high socks was enough to almost make him forget why he was there. The bright scarlet cape and his son dressed as a dog was enough to make him guess that they were Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf .

“Doctor Choi.” Jiyong called out to him, forcing him to look up from his legs. “What do we owe your visit to?”

He shook his head, ignoring the omega to look around at the rest of the students there. “What are you doing here? You’ll all be late if you don’t..”

“Professor Kwon is teaching us how to program a robot!” One of his best students answered excitedly, pointing at the pile of metal and wires in the center of the room.

Seunghyun rolled his eyes and walked over to take a quick look at the project. “Do you guys think this is important? You all really think this will be useful to you in the future?” He nudged the robot with the toe of his boot, the mere contact causing it to glitch, beeping, and overheating in a second.

“Hey!” Jiyong moved him out of the way, quickly leaning over the side of the thing to properly shut it off, using his cape to dispel the smoke that began to billow out. “You could’ve caused an accident.”

He grumbled, looking up, and Seunghyun proudly stood before him. Jiyong turned the color of his cape as he realized he was kneeling in front of him, his hands balling into fists as he felt so humiliated.

“Me?” He asked cynically, then offering a hand to help him up which Jiyong ignored, wiping his hands on his clothes. “You should be more careful, Professor Kwon, you could have caused an accident with your nonsense.” He smiled, showing off the fangs attached to his teeth.

His despotic expression continued until he felt an actual pair of teeth on the side of his torso, drawing a hoarse cry from him in surprise at how hard they were biting him.

“Oh, my God! Mino, no!” Jiyong hurried to take his son away from the older man, who let him go, but left his shirt completely torn. “I'm sorry, I... Sorry.” He tried to apologize to Seunghyun while stroking his son's hair, hugging him to try to calm him down.

Seunghyun watched them speechless with wide open eyes, feeling the stinging wound of the boy's sharp teeth who continued to growl in his mother's arms before lowering his gaze to the real damage. His white shirt, in addition to being torn, was also beginning to stain red.

He didn’t have much tolerance to blood, and had to hold on to a chair when the smell hit his nose.

A couple of students offered to take him to the infirmary, and Seunghyun regained his consciousness when they placed a cotton ball with alcohol on his nose, though his eyes closed again when he felt the disinfectant cleaning the blood on the wound on his waist.

Few things were as sharp as an alpha’s teeth before puberty, they were that way so they could still defend themselves. Seunghyun had never used his, but when his father wasn’t home they tended to sting at the thought of having to protect his mother and sister, so he somehow understood Mino.

“Did you have breakfast this morning?” Seunghyun shook his head in response to the nurse, and she made a disapproving sound before handing him a carton of apple juice. “Drink this, then you can go.”

He nodded, immediately regretting it when he felt everything around him suddenly move. He pulled the fake teeth out of his mouth, putting them in a pocket on his coat to drink the juice without accidentally swallowing them.

It took him fifteen minutes to get out of there, and when he opened the door to the infirmary he saw Jiyong and his son sitting on a bench, waiting for him. His cold heart squeezed at the sight of the boy’s red face and tear-stained cheeks, but the omega was the first to stand up and approach him, handing him a paper bag from a university merch store.

“I'm really sorry, I'll pay for your shirt.” Seunghyun saw inside the bag a university sweatshirt, something he could wear for the rest of the day or until he got home. “I know what Mino did wasn't right, I'm going to punish him for it but... Can you let him apologize to you? He feels really bad.”

He looked at the kid over the omega's shoulder and nodded, but stopped Jiyong before he could move. “I’m sorry about earlier too, it wasn’t professional of me.”

Jiyong smiled and turned around to call his son over with his hand, who shyly approached them, rummaging through his candy basket to offer him a bag of M&M’s .

“I’m sorry, Mr. Doctor Choi .” He apologized in his own, cute way, offering him a full bow that made him smile at how cute he looked. “What I did wasn’t right, and I caused you a lot of pain.”

“Apology accepted.” He took the bag of candy from his hands and gave Jiyong a quick glance before bowing down to his height, leaving a soft caress on his black hair. “I was your age too, and I can imagine what you must have felt, I love my mom too.” Mino smiled shyly and looked up at the omega who nodded at him, while Seunghyun glanced at his costume. “Besides, legend has it that dogs attack vampires, right?”

“I’m not a dog !” Despite raising his voice, the boy smiled at him, taking the hat of his costume to put it back on. “I’m a wolf.”

“A baby wolf.” He helped him lift the ears of the costume, standing up again with a groan. “And thank you, they’re my favorite.”

He looked at the chocolates in his hand, and Mino nodded. “I know, mom told me.”

Seunghyun turned to look at the omega who avoided his gaze, but noticed how his ears turned red. Jiyong still remembered his favorite candy .

The silent truce between them lasted even when more students continued to leave his class, switching to Jiyong’s. Apparently, they were more interested in building little silly robots and studying with open-book tests than in Seunghyun’s readings and lectures, caring little about his international recognition.

But when winter break ended and they returned to school in January of twenty twenty-four, Seunghyun pushed open the door to his auditorium, only to find the omega arranging his belongings on the desk.

“What are you doing?” He asked, leaving his own briefcase where he always placed it, earning the younger one to turn to look at him, raising an eyebrow.

“Happy New Year to you too, Seunghyun.” He searched through his folders for a list that he placed near his face. “My class is full, university regulations say that the professor with the most students gets the auditorium.”

The older man abruptly took the list, reading with a frown the names of his students enrolled in the omega’s class. The smile on the other’s face made him furious, balling up the sheet of paper he had in his hand.

Jiyong sighed and took out another copy of the list, sitting in his place behind the desk.

“That’s my chair.” He growled, putting his other hand on the back of the chair to separate the omega from the luxurious wood. “I brought it from my house, it’s a Pierre Jeanneret .” He pulled it, and Jiyong covered his eyes, probably so he wouldn’t notice him rolling them. “Get your ass up, now.”

“You and your damn chairs.” He stood up abruptly, using every last millimeter of his toes to raise himself so he could face the alpha without looking ridiculously outshone by his height. “Take your fucking chair with you, Choi, and close the door when you leave.”

“Fine.” He replied in a mumble and took the chair without taking his eyes off the omega. “Keep the fucking auditorium.”

He slammed the door shut as he left, making his way to his new classroom, where no more than ten students were waiting for him. Seunghyun sighed, leaving his chair behind his new desk before running his fingers through his hair, a couple of white strands remaining on his hand.

The dermatologist had told him that despite his young age, the white strike that had appeared in his hair was completely normal after a stressful episode with his last private project. However, ever since Jiyong reappeared in his life, the white spot had spread across the rest of his head.

The cherry on top came two weeks later, when he heard a knock on the door in the middle of a class and opened it to find two pairs of huge eyes staring at him. He furrowed his eyebrows before leaning down to the tiny robots' height to read the tags on their clothes.

“ Mochi Mochi and Monaka ?” He said out loud, and couldn't help but laugh when the cute eyes searched for him and made noises that reminded him of a cat's meows as they waved their little paws around in mimicry of excitement.

“Guys, you really did it.” Seunghyun looked up at the familiar voice, finding Jiyong and his class watching him across the hall. “You made Dr. Choi smile, you officially passed the subject.” The omega cheered on the youngsters who celebrated the great achievement, and Seunghyun narrowed his eyes before taking a robot in each arm. “Hey, leave them!”

“No.” He shook his head as he watched the omega run up to stand in front of him. “They came to find me, they made me laugh.. They're mine now.”

“They're the kids’.” Jiyong tried to defend himself, stretching his arms out in Monaka’s direction. “Come on, they worked really hard to build them.”

“No.” He repeated, entering the classroom to place them on his desk. “They should’ve thought of that before humoring you with your stupid evaluation.” He patted Mochi Mochi’s little head, laughing again when it spun around a couple of times and jumped up. “They’re coming home with me.”

He gaped at him, listening to the mockery of the pair of alphas in that class. That classroom reeked of alpha, and the omega wrinkled his nose before taking half a step back. “Fine, keep them. I’ll build them new ones.”

Seunghyun took the little brown robot’s hand, waving it goodbye to the omega.

Jiyong didn’t like to break his promises, so he spent every night of the next few weeks assembling the insides of the new robots, even if it was hard for him to leave the bed in the mornings. He had always preferred chocolate milk over coffee, but when Kwanghyung called them into an urgent meeting at eight in the morning on a Saturday, he had to stop at a coffee shop for a strong americano.

When they arrived at the university’s parking lot, he glanced quickly at Mino, who had been looking away since he told him he would have to go with him.

“What will we do if dad comes to pick me up?” He asked one last time, and Jiyong sighed, looking at the roof of the car. “If we’re not there, he’ll think I don’t want to see him and… I miss him, like, a lot .”

Few things broke his heart like that. It hurt him that Mino insisted on spending Saturdays and Sundays sitting in the living room, anxiously watching the camera on the door of the building in case Soohyuk decided to show up, even though he never did .

“We’ll leave him a message, okay?” He tried to smile at him, although the boy didn’t seem entirely convinced. Jiyong took his phone out and dialed the alpha’s number, that attempt soon joining the rest of the missed calls, giving way to the answering machine. “Hey, Hyuk.. I wanted to let you know that we had to go out this morning, in case you knock and no one answers the door..”

“ Dad! ” Mino excitedly snatched the phone away from him, his little eyes shining at the mere thought of Soohyuk hearing his message. “We’re in… Where are we?” He turned to look at Jiyong, who smiled before mumbling ‘Daejeon’. “We’re in Daejeon, at KAIST, but mom promised he could take me back to Seoul if you have time to pick me up.” He explained quickly, stopping for a moment to catch his breath. “I wanna learn how to swim, like you promised me.”

Jiyong smiled at the boy and took the phone back to send the message. “I’m waiting for your call, Hyuk.. Bye.” He ended the recording and caressed his son’s cheek who suddenly seemed sad, just as fast as his excitement had grown. “Mino.”

“He doesn’t like me, does he?” He murmured without turning to look at him, and Jiyong immediately shook his head, taking his little face in between his hands.

“What are you talking about? He adores you, how could one not?” He wiped away his tears with his thumbs as he wondered the same thing. “He’s just really busy, but… He’ll take you to the beach, I’m sure he’s just waiting for the weather to get warmer.” He pinched his pretty nose, reddened by the cold outside, earning a smile from the younger. “Now come on, I’m running late.” They both came out of the car, and Jiyong held the younger’s hand. “You can wait for me in my office, do you have your Nintendo with you?”

He nodded, looking around when he heard another door close. He looked over his shoulder, finding Seunghyun walking in his direction.

“Kwon.” He nodded at him, and Mino noticed how the omega suddenly tensed up. “And mini Kwon.” The alpha blew the smoke from his lungs in the opposite direction, stubbing out the cigarette under his foot when he was close to them.

“Mr. Doctor Choi.” Mino wrinkled his nose at the smell of the cigarettes, not liking it when Jiyong did it either. “My last name isn’t Kwon, it’s Lee.”

“I know.” He shook his hair and glanced quickly at Jiyong, who put an arm around the boy’s shoulders. “And don’t call me sir.. Doctor is enough.”

Jiyong rolled his eyes and sighed, walking beside him against his will. “Good morning, Seunghyun.” The alpha nodded, moving quickly, barely leaving them behind.

“ ‘ma..” Mino tugged at his coat, drawing his attention. “Why is his hair white?” He tried to mumble, but his question reached Seunghyun’s ears.

“Mino.” He squeezed his little arm, shaking his head, but Seunghyun turned to look at them as he opened the door of the building they were going to.

“My hair turned white because of your mom.” He answered his question, seeing his chubby cheeks suddenly flushed. “He fights with me all the time, and he made my hair turn white.” Mino pressed his lips together to keep from laughing at the face he made, raising his gaze to the omega who was staring at the older man with his mouth open.

“That’s ain’t true, baby.” He came back to himself and looked at his son, smiling at him even though he wrinkled his nose at the nickname. “If that logic was true, I would be bald.”

“Like when you dyed your hair blonde and it all fell out?” Seunghyun laughed just imagining it, and Jiyong covered his face, embarrassed by his son’s loose mouth. “..What?”

“See you at the meeting, Kwon.” The older man finally said goodbye to them and Jiyong nodded, walking with Mino to his office.

He opened the door and left Mino’s backpack on his desk, leaning over slightly to squeeze his cheeks. “I’m going to the principal’s office, okay? You can play all you want in here.”

The younger boy nodded, taking out his Switch to sit on the chair behind the desk. Jiyong took one last look at him as he heard the Mario Car music before going to Kwanghyung’s office, stealthily opening the door.

It was impossible not to feel intimidated when he saw that inside there was only the principal, the faculty council board, and Seunghyun.

“Good morning.” He greeted, closing the door behind him as he checked his watch to make sure he wasn’t late. The beta pointed to the chair next to Seunghyun’s, sitting down silently.

“Thank you for coming to the meeting despite the day, I know you probably had plans.” He smiled at them, and they both shook their heads, dismissing it as irrelevant. “Yesterday afternoon I received news that left me with no choice but to call the council and the two best teachers in the faculty to a last-minute meeting.” Jiyong put his hand to his chest, his heart pounding at being called that. He knew he was good at his job, but Seunghyun had an obvious advantage, with his various studies, projects, and awards. “The university chancellor is retiring, and I’ve been chosen to take his place.”

“Professor Lee, congratulations.” Seunghyun smiled quietly, standing up to extend his hand as Jiyong jumped up excitedly to hug him, the difference in their reactions making the older man laugh as he reciprocated both gestures with equal gusto.

“Thank you.” He nodded in their direction, and they both returned to their seats. “The reason for the meeting, as you can imagine, is to choose the new director of the engineering faculty.” Then, they turned to look at each other. “I want it to be one of you.”

The world around them stopped momentarily, the news echoing in their heads as their eyes narrowed, challenging each other.

“This is ridiculous, Director Lee.” A teacher on the council interrupted their reactions, drawing everyone’s attention. “It’s a clear call for Doctor Choi, Kwon hasn’t even been teaching for a year and doesn’t have enough experience to take your position.”

“Actually, I think MS Kwon is perfectly qualified for the position.” Another member argued, standing up when the other did as well. “In a couple of months he emptied Choi’s classes, the students love him for his different way of teaching.. Think about how that energy and creative proposals could improve the faculty.”

“This is not a kindergarten to reward creativity.”

“Everyone.” The director raised his voice, looking at them until they sat back down in their seats. “I have my reasons for choosing MS Kwon and Doctor Choi, both are examples of excellence and I know that either would do a good job.” Then, he looked at them again. “The board and I will select the new director at the end of the course, we will rate you based on your performance as teachers and a project to improve the faculty, what do you say?”

Jiyong swallowed hard, but nodded immediately after while Seunghyun thought silently, staring at a fixed point on his lap. “I’m in.”

He stood up to shake the director’s hand, and felt Seunghyun’s shadow behind him. “Count on me, director.” He watched them shake hands, before turning with his hand extended in his direction. “Good luck, Kwon.”

He pursed his lips into a straight line and nodded, squeezing his hand. “Good luck, Choi.”

They said goodbye to everyone, and Jiyong took a sip of his coffee when he was back in the hallway, his head throbbing at the thought of what he had gotten himself into. He could feel Seunghyun walking behind him, but he really didn’t want to have a conversation right now.

“This is going to be interesting, don’t you think?” He heard the mockery in his question, but just held his head as he walked, trying to ignore it. “Come on… Or you’re scared I’ll beat you?”

The omega shook his head, taking another sip of his coffee. “No, I’m not.” He paused outside his office door, glancing at Seunghyun when he did too. “Are you intimidated that an omega with no major accolades would beat you?”

Seunghyun laughed and shook his head, moving closer to him, causing the younger to press his back against the wall behind him. “The one who looks intimidated is you.”

“Get out of the way.” Jiyong frowned and pushed him away from him with a hand to the center of his strong chest.

“You smell like coffee, were they out of chocolate milk?” He asked close to his face, not moving away despite the others’ efforts.

“Do you care?” Jiyong frowned and tried to slip away, not understanding why he was doing that. He slid away from him, tripping over his own feet, and would have landed on the floor if it weren’t for the strong arms holding him.

However, he wasn’t fast enough to stop the coffee in the omega’s hand from slipping and ending up all over his shirt.

“I’m sorry!” He helped him stand up again, and Jiyong winced at the hot liquid against his skin. “Ji, wait..” He tried to stop him, but the omega ran to the nearest bathroom, undoing the first few buttons to try and get the stain out.

“You’re an idiot.” He whined as he leaned his chest to the sink, rinsing away the dark liquid. Seunghyun watched from the doorway, grabbing a couple of napkins to help him scrub. “Stop touching me!”

“I’m sorry, I just want to help.” He handed him the paper towels and raised his hands. Jiyong stood up, trying to wipe the coffee away, but Seunghyun stared at him completely mesmerized. Most of the stain was gone, but the water had turned his shirt completely see-through, giving him an exquisite view of his chest and the tattoo beneath it on the right side. “ Mind control? ”

Jiyong looked at him through the mirror, and was then aware of how exposed he was. “Damn it, Seunghyun. Get out of here.” He complained, closing his jacket over the wet shirt, but very much against what he had asked, the omega bolted out of there, leaving him with a dry feeling on his mouth.

Any truce between them had disappeared, beyond the attempt at kindness they pretended when they were in public, every time they were alone the bad faces and insults arose again. The rumor of their competition for the direction of the faculty also spread like wildfire throughout the university.

Things looked even, while most of the students supported Jiyong, most of the teachers were on Seunghyun's side.

“I heard that Kwon is going to make a festival bigger than Akaraka on campus.” Seunghyun kept his gaze on his documents while he listened to the conversation of a couple of students who were arriving at the cafeteria, excited about the possibility. “If he becomes director, he will surely repeat it every year.”

“If he does, then I’ll get into a postgrad just to keep attending.” The group of boys laughed.

Seunghyun looked for the note where he had started jotting down proposals. He had thought of late night seminars, given by professionals on the other side of the world, not a damn concert. He closed his laptop to go find Jiyong, he must be playing if he thought something like that applied.

“Wait a minute..” He heard the voice on the other side of the door after knocking on it, along with a couple of footsteps. When their eyes met, Jiyong sighed and waved to him as he half-closed the door again to end the call. “I know, Hyuk, I understand, but I’m not asking you for anything impossible.” Seunghyun looked away when he heard that name, wondering if he should leave. “It’s not because of me, and you know it, but Mino asks me about you every day. You’re making me look like the bad guy in front of him, could you just call him?” Once a week, or once a month, but call him.” He heard him sigh again as he stopped talking, opening the door again when he ended the call after a few seconds and a rough ‘Goodbye’ . “What do you want, Choi?”

Seunghyun raised an eyebrow at his tone and the look on his face. “I think you’re misdirecting your hatred right now.” He could tell Jiyong was completely annoyed, but he still moved away from the door to let him in. “Trouble in paradise?”

“What? No.” He grimaced, closing the door behind him. “Soohyuk and I aren’t together.” He clarified, running his hands through his hair as he moved to his own chair. “What do you need?”

He cleared her throat, sitting across from him and glancing at the folders on his desk. Many of them had the logos of entertainment companies, and he reached out to grab one. “So the concert thing was true..”

“It won’t be a concert.” He reached out to snatch the folder from his hands. “It’ll be a student festival, there will be lectures during the day, and in the afternoon… Well, the kids deserve to have fun.”

“It’s not a priority, besides they always find other ways to have fun. There’s the science fair and...” Seunghyun snapped his fingers, thinking of something else in front of Jiyong’s gaze. “The beach party in Incheon!”

“It’s not an official event, and it’s horrible.”

“I remember you having a pretty good time.” He smiled at his suddenly red face. “It was after the party, but still...”

Jiyong reached out to put his hand over his mouth, shaking his head. “If you don’t like my proposal, then think of one. No one asked for your opinion.. Ouch!” He pulled his hand away when Seunghyun bit him.

“I’m watching the budget, I want to hire lectures from MIT professors, and I won’t be able to pay them if you hire..” He went back to rummaging through his folders, picking and opening one at random. “Taeyang.. How much will it cost us to bring Taeyang here? Do the kids even know him? The guy is our age.”

“Everyone knows Taeyang.” He took the folder from him again, pointing to the door behind them. “Now, go.”

“ Yeorobun ..” He imitated the idol’s famous meme, retreating between laughs from Jiyong’s office.

Seunghyun continued working on his proposals when he realized how much the students were talking about the supposed festival, not very interested in what he had to offer them.

He stood up from his chair with his hands on his head, feeling it throbbing against his palms as he looked at the dark sky through his office window. It wasn’t the first time he stayed late at university, but he didn’t usually leave without solving at least something.

He sighed in frustration, closing his computer to get out of there before his brain exploded, but he cursed at nothing when their eyes met as he closed the door behind him, sure that it must be a macabre joke of fate.

He saw the omega roll his eyes, hanging the briefcase on one shoulder to walk down the hall.

The alpha smirked, shaking his head, and followed the same path Jiyong was taking to exit the university's administrative building, and it didn't take him long to catch up with him, after all, one step of his was two or three of the omega’s.

Shoulder to shoulder, they both looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes without sharing a word and looked back ahead, Jiyong quickening his steps so that he wouldn't be left behind in a sort of race to be the first to reach the door. When it was evident that Seunghyun had quickened his pace as well, Jiyong frowned and put the strap of his briefcase over his head to use it as a shoulder bag, running.

“Hey!” He heard the deep voice behind him before the heavy footsteps following him, but that half second gave him enough of an advantage to reach the door before the alpha. When he pulled it open, Seunghyun grabbed him by the shoulders to stop him.

Jiyong struggled to get him off of him, spinning around in an attempt to push him away in an arm wrestle that bordered on childish to be the first to leave, but in one fierce move, they were face to face. The omega pressed himself closer to the wall to try to get away from his face, both feeling the other's labored breathing from the absurd altercation.

“Let me go.” Jiyong demanded with his eyebrows drawn together, and Seunghyun laughed in his face at how unintimidating he looked. Still, he raised his hands so he would realize there was no one stopping him.

But neither of them moved, the omega shooting flames from his almond eyes straight into that dark gaze that terrified anyone who looked at him for more than a couple of seconds. He felt his breath on his face, and was about to claim him again when he realized that it was he himself who had gotten closer to his mouth. He swallowed hard, relaxing his gaze as he looked down from his eyes to his slightly parted lips.

No, Jiyong definitely couldn’t do that. He looked to his left, searching for a way to sneak away from there before the situation got any more awkward.

“Fuck this.” He heard the alpha’s voice, and turned back just in time for him to grab his face under the chin, forcefully bringing their lips together.

Jiyong relaxed his shoulders and his brow furrowed again, wanting to pull away but not having the will to do so. Seunghyun’s lips felt hot against his, and after he bit him to get them to part, his tongue was everywhere.

Their teeth grazed at the sloppy way they were kissing, and their breaths sounded more and more like moans. Seunghyun closed his arms around Jiyong's waist, while Jiyong put his own around his neck, trying to pull him down so that he wouldn't have such an advantage due to their difference in height.

The omega could feel the fingers digging into his ribs and running between them before having a single one slide along his spine, eliciting a muffled moan from the electricity that shot through his body, that simple caress acting as a switch that finally turned him on.

His head fell back and, when he looked at Seunghyun again, he realized that there was no longer room for embarrassment between them due to the way he continued to look at him, with his thin lips swollen from how they had just kissed and trying to regulate his breathing. One of his hands pulled at his hair, the permanent superior smirk on the alpha infuriating him at the same time as it turned him on.

"It better be worth it." He warned before taking a quick look around. The closest place without cameras was the teachers' bathroom across the hall.

Hopefully, no one would review the hallway footage at that hour.

Jiyong gave him one last look before letting go of his hair and running his hands over his jacket, trying to get the wrinkles out of it before moving forward, nodding at him. Seunghyun got the message, following him, feeling like a champion with every step he took.

“ Baby , this is going to be the best night of your life.”

“Don’t call me baby .” He pointed at him just before entering, pressing his finger against his strong chest. “And don’t kiss me again, don’t leave marks on me, don’t mark me with your scent.”

“You can do whatever you want to me.” He murmured against his ear, his voice feeling like a velvety caress that made his knees weak. Seunghyun pushed open the door that separated them from the pristine bathroom, pushing them both inside before beginning to tear off their clothes.

The first to come out were their jackets, the sky blue fabric of Jiyong’s blazer contrasting against the navy blue of Seunghyun’s, reminding them once again how different they were, how they couldn’t agree on even the most basic things in order to make the other angry.

And yet, there they were .

Jiyong brought his agile fingers to the other’s shirt, undoing the tie in a second to go for the first button, opening it before Seunghyun’s hands stopped him to strip him of his white shirt. He didn’t really care about being the first one naked, so he let him take off his pants and shoes as well, leaving him in only his Spongebob socks and a black thong with sheer mesh on the sides.

His mouth watered at the sight, and Jiyong rolled his eyes before trying to take off his shirt again. “Come on, cooperate with me.”

“No.” He held both of his hands in one of his again, using the other to grab his pretty black hair, pulling at the curls that formed at the base of his neck. “If I can’t kiss you, then you should put that little mouth to something more useful than trying to boss me around all the time.”

Jiyong felt him try to pull him down onto his knees, but he refused. “I won’t suck your dick, Seunghyun.” He shook his head for him to let go, now grabbing his hair. “The one who should be putting his mouth to better use is you, instead of saying so many stupid..”

“Deal.” He pushed him with his body against the nearest wall, forcing his back against it before falling to his knees in front of him, going straight for his thighs. “Give me room here, spread your legs.”

The omega sighed in surprise, relaxing his muscles so Seunghyun could fit one of his legs over his shoulder, leaving a couple of bites before going to his groin, hot tongue almost burning on the increasingly soft skin. His teeth pulled at the elastic of his underwear, letting it go a couple of times to cause a snap that made Jiyong shudder in place.

The omega felt the tongue passing dangerously close to his dick before he decided to use his teeth to rip the thin fabric, tearing it with his hands and getting the garment off his body.

“Hey!” Jiyong complained, it was one of his favorite pairs, but the anger passed when he saw the alpha fisting the fabric before bringing it to his nose, inhaling on it. “Y..You… You are disgusting.”

“Even though you are a pain in the ass, you smell so sweet.” He watched him put the piece of cloth in his pants pocket, and was about to protest when he spoke again. “Let’s see if this tastes as good.”

“Ah..” Jiyong felt tears forming in his eyes as Seunghyun swallowed his sensible member, working a full erection into him. He hit his head as he threw it back, looking at the ceiling so as not to see his reflection in any of the mirrors.

He felt the other’s hands close on his hips, forcing him to bring them forward and thus take his ass off the wall, to grope it at will.

Meanwhile, Jiyong kept one hand in the other’s hair and the other over his mouth, unwilling to let him hear his moans. He knew that Seunghyun was probably watching him from below, and although he wanted to take a look at that, maybe it would be healthier for his mind to imagine anyone else in his place.

The huge hands spread the cheeks of his ass, and he arched his back as a pair of fingers trailed over his dripping entrance. Please, please , Jiyong didn’t want Seunghyun commenting on how wet he’d made him.

A finger slid inside him and Seunghyun pulled him out of his mouth, the omega’s member rising embarrassingly hard and red. “You’re so fucking tight.” Well, that wasn’t as humiliating. “If you weren’t this wet, nothing would fit in here. I’ll have to work you for a while”.

There it was.

“Shut up.” He whimpered in embarrassment, covering his mouth again.

Seunghyun didn’t seem satisfied with that, of course not. “Let me hear you, don’t make me do it the hard way.”

“Forget it.”

“Let me hear you.” He repeated, looking into his eyes, and Jiyong bit his hand, challenging him. “Fine, I warned you. Hold on tight.”

In one swift movement he pulled his finger out of him, fitting his other thigh into his shoulder and spreading his cheeks with both hands, bringing it forward to now eat his ass. Jiyong had to hold on to the wall with both hands, his eyes widening at how good the warm muscle felt inside him.

“Umhn, mmn.. Oh !” He tried to bite his lips, but even then moans escaped him with every breath. His entire body was so hot and sweaty that his hair was sticking to his forehead and neck, while his slick mixed with the sweat on the back of his thighs, the fabric of Seunghyun’s shirt soaking it all up. “No, stop.. A.. Ah..! No, no more .”

His toes curled with each thrust of his tongue, and Jiyong decided it wasn’t worth trying to act dignified and proud when he had the alpha sucking his ass like a hungry dog ​​anyway.

He felt a bite on one of his cheeks and Seunghyun raised his face to look at him, his chest rising and falling as he gained enough breath to say another stupid thing to embarrass him even more, and Jiyong wondered at that moment if he had a fetish for it.

“Your lovers don’t do this to you often, do they?”

He gritted his teeth and held himself up better with one hand to give him a small slap with the other. “I’m used to better manners.”

Seunghyun laughed and bit his thighs again, taking him by the waist to stand up with the omega in one of his arms. He saw him wipe his chin on the already ruined shoulder of his shirt, and Jiyong felt his lips itching to kiss him again, but he had to be strong.

“And you like good manners? I don’t see you having a bad time.” His mouth then approached his forgotten chest, smiling over one of his nipples before licking it to wet it and then blowing some cold air on it, earning a moan from Jiyong. “I always wanted to do this.”

The omega wrapped his legs around his waist and his arms around his neck, leaving his chest at the mercy of the alpha to do whatever he wanted with him, anyway he had realized that as long as he kept his mouth busy and didn't say anything, he could close his eyes, forget that it was Choi Seunghyun who was between his thighs and allow himself to feel good.

“Don't bite me, you idiot.” He complained for the sake of complaining, it hadn't even felt bad, he just didn't want it to get to his head.

The older man traced his pectorals and nipples with his tongue, leaving everything shiny with his saliva while he tasted the majestic salt of his sweaty skin. “You're a delicate, whiny princess .”

“Don't call me that.” He warned him again as Seunghyun put him back on his feet, having to lend him his strength for the way his legs trembled, betraying him.

Seunghyun smiled at the sight, trying to get close to his lips a couple of times, Jiyong avoiding him each time. “You don’t want me to call you princess or baby , and you don’t want to give me a fucking kiss, how are we supposed to continue this?”

Jiyong put an open hand on his face, pushing him away. He regained enough strength to turn his back on him, pressing his hands against the wall and arching his waist, lifting his ass in his direction. “You know what to do.”

“Oh, no, not that.” He picked him up without much effort to take him to the sink, leaving him in the same position but with the mirror in front of them. “I want to see you, and want you to see yourself while I fuck you.”

“That’s not going to happen.” He kicked him gently to get out of his grip and pull the alpha to the sink counter. “I can ride you, and I’m being generous.”

“If I sit there and you jump on me, we’re going to break the sink.” He turned him around again, sitting the omega on the counter. “And you call yourself an engineer.”

“Shut up.” He sighed, giving up when he saw him undoing his belt and the button on his pants. “Don’t try to kiss me.” Jiyong reminded him.

“I won’t.” He pulled down his underwear just enough, and laughed when he heard Jiyong sigh, impressed at the size of his dick. “Are you on birth control?”

“No.” A bit of reason lit up for half a second, but if they had gotten this far, that wouldn’t be enough to stop them now. “Don’t you have a condom with you?”

“Why would I bring a condom with me to school?”

“Because you’re an idiot with a huge dick.” He whined, running his hands through his hair as he thought, doing the math in a matter of seconds. “We’re good, I’ll take a pill tomorrow, just… Just don’t cum inside.”

“Are you sure?” He asked out of politeness, settling between his legs and lining himself up against his entrance.

“No, but do it.” He murmured against his lips when he got a little too close for his liking, leaning on the mirror behind him. “Don’t make me regret this.”

Seunghyun nodded, brushing his hair off his forehead to get a good look at how his cock slowly, painfully slow, got lost inside the omega. Jiyong rolled his eyes, Seunghyun had seen that expression of his a million times, but now it was different.

The heat inside him was too, so different from any other. Jiyong’s walls held him tightly and Seunghyun felt his arousal growing beyond what was possible when he saw the face in front of him, enjoying it.

His mouth felt dry for an instant as he saw how beautiful he was when he wasn’t insulting him, when he turned off his brain and used his little mouth only to moan. He had waited twenty years to have him like this and, although his lips burned to kiss him and his teeth itched to bite his neck to make him his for life, he couldn’t just turn into a beast with him when Jiyong was giving him the trust to join their bodies.

“Are you okay?” He asked, and although the answer was obvious, he wouldn’t take the liberty of assuming and ending up hurting him.

Jiyong opened his eyes, ready to answer him the way he always did, but seeing the serious expression and sincere look, he just bit his bottom lip and nodded. “You can move.”

“Fine, tell me if anything hurts.” He held his hips, trying a slow pace at first, testing the reactions each angle provoked before moving faster. Jiyong was biting his lips hard, and Seunghyun clicked his tongue, denying. “Don’t do that.”

For the first time the omega listened to him, looking up at the ceiling with flushed cheeks and eyes lost in pleasure, soft moans escaping from the back of his throat as he tried to move his hips against the alpha’s, wanting more, but being too proud to ask for it.

Luckily Seunghyun was a good observer, and he took one of Jiyong’s legs to raise it onto his shoulder, going deeper inside him. He thought things couldn’t get any hotter, until Jiyong’s eyes looked up at him from below, his lips parted and painted red from the way he’d been biting himself while fucking.

His head felt light at the realization, he was fucking Jiyong, and he had to enjoy every second of it, unsure of what would happen once they were done, of whether he’d ever have the privilege of being so close to him again.

“God, keep it up..”

“Thank you.” He smirked at him, bringing his face dangerously close to Jiyong’s. “But my name is Seunghyun.” He could see the annoyance on his face, his lips parting to say something, but he rammed into him the way he liked and all that came out of his throat was a long moan. “That’s it, you’re so pretty when I shut you up with my..”

“Don’t say it, don’t say it, please.” He placed his index finger on his lips, the only thing separating them from his, but he wasn’t pulling away anymore. “Just shut up and make me come.”

“Just because you said please.” He licked his finger and left a kiss on his cheek that felt so intimate it almost made Jiyong cry. The kisses continued down his jaw until they reached his ear. “So sweet, Jiyong.”

He arched his back in response, electricity running through his body from a simple pair of words. Seunghyun had many weapons he could use against him, from his eyes, to his hands, and the most lethal of all, his voice .

Jiyong’s legs shook as the alpha continued to growl in his ear, meaningless murmurs having the same reaction. The clash of skin and the wetness of their insides joined the atmosphere of obscene sounds, the mirrors around them clouding over from the heat their bodies emitted.

Jiyong dug his nails into his back, eyes closing again as a series of thrusts made him see stars and forget how to breathe for a moment. His lips moved but he couldn’t say anything, couldn’t form a complete sentence for how good it was feeling.

“Uhmn, ah.. Se..Seung…”

He felt a smile forming against his ear, and he forced his eyes open and focused when he had enough. “Come now, baby.”

“Don’t call me that.” He reminded him, licking his lips before launching himself furiously at the other’s.

Their mouths opened, trying to outdo each other, eating each other’s faces. Seunghyun caught his tongue between his teeth and swallowed Jiyong’s sharp moan as he finally came, staining his abdomen white and tightening his insides.

Seunghyun kissed him through the ecstasy, making his thrusts slower and deeper to extend his pleasure as much as possible, until the body in his arms relaxed completely, a couple of spasms here and there.

“Good boy.” He murmured as they parted, leaving one last short kiss on his pulsing lips.

Jiyong continued to stare blankly, and Seunghyun finally increased the pace of his hips, seeking his own pleasure once he had granted the omega his. The sight of Jiyong being fucked was enough to send him over the edge, so it didn’t take much longer for him to withdraw from inside him, masturbating to finish on his own hand, respecting the other’s wish not to mark him with his scent.

They both recovered in silence, and Seunghyun took advantage of the proximity of the sink to rinse himself off, Jiyong watching with red cheeks as he put his member back inside his pants, complete with the throbbing knot at the base of it.

He slowly sat down on the counter, looking for something to clean himself up a bit.

“I must admit.” He murmured as the alpha handed him a couple of wipes. “You are a considerate lover.”

He nodded at his sudden sincerity, handing him his clothes. “You’re not bad either.”

Jiyong rolled his eyes and began to get dressed, grimacing at the feeling of being naked under the fabric of his pants. “Can I have it back?”

“No.” He replied as he put on his jacket, shifting what was left of his underwear into the pocket of it. “I’ll get you a new one, but this is mine.”

“Whatever.” He splashed water on his face, looking around when it was all over. “Well, I…”

Seunghyun nodded, taking the air freshener spray to try and disperse the pheromones in the bathroom, even though no one should be in the building for the next couple of hours. “I’ll go out first and wait in the parking lot for you to get in your car.”

He pulled out a couple of cigarettes, offering one to him as he lit the one he put between his own lips. “You don’t have to do that.”

The alpha lit Jiyong’s cigarette, too, and put the lighter away as he opened the bathroom door. “I always do.”

Jiyong watched him leave the bathroom, giving him a couple of minutes so it wouldn’t be so obvious on the hallway cameras what they had done. He put the completely crumpled jacket in between his arms, leaving as well.

He walked to his car, glancing around for the alpha, until he sensed that he was probably joking about it too. After all, why would Seunghyun care about him?

He drove home in silence, only the sound of his own breath accompanying him, too many thoughts in his head to bear the music or any radio station. He entered the apartment trying not to make any noise, and his heart shuddered when he saw Mino asleep in an awkward position on the couch.

“ Baby .” He called out, leaning over to wake him up, the boy’s chubby hands rubbing his eyes as he woke up. “My love, let’s go to your room.”

Mino opened his pretty eyes and smiled when he finally saw his mom there, yawning before saying anything. Jiyong laughed tenderly and couldn’t help but kiss his forehead and one of his cheeks, earning a surly reaction from the preteen. “You smell… Weird .”

The smile faded from Jiyong’s face, but he didn’t stop stroking the hair away from his face. “I’ve been out all day, I’m going to take a bath before bed.” The little alpha seemed satisfied with that answer, sitting down on the couch. “But I'm home, so go to bed.”

Mino nodded, awkwardly standing up before turning to look at him. “Can I sleep with you?”

Jiyong smiled, remembering that he wouldn’t be his baby for much longer. “Sure, but go now.. You have school tomorrow.” He saw a pout on his face that brought back the spirit he had momentarily lost, following him a few steps away so he wouldn’t notice the foreign pheromones that had inevitably remained on him.

He covered his son with a couple of blankets before taking a clean pair of pajamas from his closet to go shower, scrubbing all of his skin clean, but especially where Seunghyun had left kisses.

That had felt so good, but the moral hangover was beginning to haunt him.

Things didn’t get much better the next morning, even with everything Jiyong had to do before leaving to take Mino to school, the memory of what had happened kept his mind busy.

“Mom..” He came back to the present when Mino saw him, questioning him with his eyes so he would unlock the car to get off at school. “Be careful, okay? Don’t use your phone while driving.” He warned him as he always did, trying to escape from the hands of the omega who had stretched out to say goodbye with a hug. “No! Leave me, let me go, mom..”

“I’ll tell you that when you crawl into my bed.” He pulled his cheek, to annoy him one last time. “Pay attention in class, see you later.”

“ Bye-bye .” The boy got out, waving a hand in his direction before running into school. Jiyong looked at him with a smile on his face until the car behind him honked, and he drove again, his heart accelerating like the rhythm of the engine.

How would he look at Seunghyun? Was he even going to say a word to him or act like nothing had happened? Maybe that was the healthiest thing to do, but at the same time it was the most painful. Jiyong wasn't sure he could handle it. If he didn't get the direction of the faculty, he would definitely quit, unable to imagine the alpha being his boss.

He arrived at the university half an hour before his first appointment, and he stifled a sigh when he saw Seunghyun's car already parked in its designated spot. He slung his briefcase over his shoulder, and started walking.

He wasn't aware of the alpha's schedule, but that morning he checked that Seunghyun was supposed to be in a meeting until noon, so he walked without fear of running into him in the hallways.

How wrong he was.

He stifled a scream when he opened the door to his own office and saw the alpha sitting there, waiting for him with a small black bag.

"Good morning, you’re glowing." The bastard wasn't saying it sincerely, he was mocking him. "Did you do anything different in your night routine?"

He raised his middle finger in his direction as he closed the door behind him. Choi was definitely not going to keep his mouth shut. “How did you get in? It had a password.”

“Eighteen, zero eight, eighty eight. You’re so predictable.”

“Mhmn..” Jiyong dropped his briefcase on the desk and sat down, putting his head between hands. “What do you want?”

“More like, what I don’t want.” Seunghyun stood up to go to his side, taking something out of his jacket. “And that’s to reproduce, specifically not with you. Stick your tongue out.”

The alpha leaned down to his height, pressing his cheeks between his middle and index fingers, and his thumb. Jiyong frowned, but opened his mouth to let him place the emergency contraceptive inside.

He gulped, showing him his tongue immediately after. “There, you can go now.”

“Not yet.” He shook his head, then taking the black bag that he only realized at that moment was from his favorite lingerie store. “I read the label, tried to find the same style but they told me it was out of stock.”

Jiyong looked at the bag with his mouth open, drawing another laugh from the alpha who then stood up and walked to the door. He only managed to cover his face as the alpha left, and stood up to lock it to check his gift .

The first pair was similar to the one the alpha had torn off with his teeth, but it wasn’t the only one. He continued to take out different panties, some lace and others silk, in different colors and smaller cuts.

Beneath the eight thongs was a perfectly folded pink baby doll , the impression of Seunghyun's impudence making the last thing at the bottom of the bag almost go unnoticed. His face turned red when he saw the huge amount of condoms, accompanied by a note.

'It's your decision if you want to use them, I'll be in my office all afternoon.'

Jiyong coughed as he forgot to breathe for several seconds, throwing everything back into the bag when there was a knock on his office door, and he put it in a drawer. He got up to go open it, smiling kindly at the pair of students who were going to check the progress of their final projects.

He would’ve liked to be more helpful to the students who came to resolve their questions, but the reality is that his attention was still focused on the other's audacity and the thousands of scenarios that it created in his mind. He had many things to say to him, because he couldn't allow him to continue taking up so much space in his mind.

“Thank you, Professor Kwon..” He heard the confusion still in the girl’s voice as she picked up the folder from his hands, looking at the notes.

Jiyong touched his cheek with the back of his hand before taking a sticky note and writing down his phone number and email. “You can write to me whenever you need if any other questions come up, I sleep late anyway.”

The omega smiled back at her, nodding as she left the office with her partner. Making himself available after hours seemed like the best solution, but he had to put an end to the real problem.

He threw the black bag into his briefcase and walked out into the hallway, walking with a determined step to the office across from his. He opened the door without knocking, frowning as Seunghyun held the phone to his ear.

“I understand.” He gave him an amused look, clearing his throat to end the conversation. “I’ll call you later, okay?” I’m a little busy right now.”

Jiyong rolled his eyes at that, locking the door behind him as Seunghyun placed the phone back on its base to give him his full attention. “You’re a shameless idiot.”

“Uh-huh, so?” The smile on his face grew bigger, shrugging his shoulders to dismiss his insults.

“I’m a respectable omega, not your whore on duty .” Jiyong’s face turned bright red with anger, rummaging through his briefcase to hand him the black shopping bag, taking a couple of heavy steps in his direction. “I have a son, for God’s sake .”

Seunghyun continued to look at him the same way, leaning back in his leather chair while keeping his hands in his lap.

“And I’ve got a thing for MILFs .” He winked, suddenly feeling hot as he watched Jiyong somehow manage to blush even more.

“You’re vulgar.” Again, he nodded. That really wasn’t the insult the omega thought it was. “Rude.” He added, moving even closer, finally throwing the bag on the desk. “Arrogant.”

“Tell me something I don’t know, cutie .”

Seunghyun turned to the floor when he heard the thud of the briefcase against it, before having Jiyong straddle him, pulling him by the tie to bring their faces together.

“I hate you.” He murmured against his lips as the older man closed his hands around his hips again, and then tried to bring their lips together, but Jiyong moved away every time he came closer, forcing him to limit himself to a battle of gazes.

“You’re adorable.”

The omega wrinkled his nose and closed his eyes when the huge hands slipped inside his pants, kneading the skin of his ass barely covered by a tiny thong. He threw his head back and held his hands on the other's knees, leaving his neck free for him to kiss there as much as he wanted.

Seunghyun ran his nose along the sensitive skin, thinking how stupid Jiyong must be to do that. Showing his neck to an alpha seemed infinitely more dangerous than a kiss on the lips, since he only needed to lose control for a second to bite him and make him his for the rest of their lives.

Of course, he would never do something like that. Jiyong could enjoy calling him an animal as much as he wanted, but if Seunghyun knew one thing, it was to separate desires from impulses.

He was only concerned about how much the omega made him lose his mind.

He ran his hot tongue over the spot where Jiyong's essence flowed, seducing him, and squeezed his hands, causing a small moan of pleasure, remembering at that moment that they were in his office during school hours, and that someone could knock on the door at any given second.

“I’m sorry.” Jiyong mumbled, covering his mouth with one hand.

Seunghyun laughed, his fingers slipping into the cleft of his cheeks. “I can put something in your mouth if you’re worried about the noise.”

He rolled his eyes, but not out of pleasure. “Keep dreaming.”

“One day you’re going to beg me to let you do it.” After saying that, he slammed two fingers inside him, forcing him to bite his own lips to keep from screaming. “That’s it.. You’re still so soft, one would think you had a frigid ass the way you act.”

“The only one acting like there’s a stake in their ass here is you.” He tried to defend himself, but it was hard to do so as the long fingers moved inside him. Jiyong sighed once more and unbuttoned his pants, giving the alpha more space to move and touch.

“I guess..” Seunghyun kissed his collarbone and thrust harder, making him shudder. “You’d probably like it though, wouldn’t you?”

He didn’t answer, but let the alpha got rid of Jiyong’s sweater to freely lick his chest, which was still marked from the night before, while his fingers made him flutter from within. He clung to his strong shoulders and arched his back when he hit his sweet spot.

He bit down hard on his bottom lip before opening his eyes and looking at him with eyes lost in pleasure, finally raising his hip. “Enough.”

“Were you going to cum so fast?” He tried to tease him, scraping one of his nipples between his teeth, pulling on it just enough to draw a cry from him that bordered on painful. “Fine, how do you want it?”

Jiyong’s chest rose and fell, placing a hand on his forehead as he tried to think. He didn’t want to be face to face with Seunghyun, but the idea of ​​riding him and regaining some control was tempting.

“Stay there.” He stood up to get rid of his pants and go get a condom from the bag he had so indignantly thrown on the desk.

Seunghyun pulled his pants down just enough to pull out his hard dick, touching himself as he leered at the other’s body.

“I think I got your tastes right, didn’t I?” Jiyong glanced down at himself, then remembered the underwear he was wearing. The flowery fabric barely covered anything, and the omega wished he had a piece of tape to cover Seunghyun’s mouth.

He walked back to his lap, opening the condom to roll it over the thick member and squeezing the knot at the base to make him squirm. “Shut up.”

“I’m not complaining.” He watched as Jiyong turned around to face him, moving the fabric covering his entrance to sit on him. “ Fuck , Jiyong.”

“ Mhmn .” Was his only response, bending one leg to lift it onto the leather chair while keeping one on the floor to bounce, riding Seunghyun. He felt one of the other’s hands on his hips while he used the other to grab the foot he had put on the chair and remove the Oxford shoe and the thin sock, pressing the soft sole with his thumb. “What..?”

“You’re elastic, aren’t you?” He managed to ask in the middle of the grunts he fought to keep from escaping his throat. He might be inside Jiyong, but it was the omega who was fucking him.

He bent the other’s leg until he had the small foot close enough to his face to lick it, eliciting a surprised cry from the younger who had moved forward, holding onto the desk. “What the fuck..?” He sighed again as his tongue licked and sucked his toes. “Choi, you’re a fucking freak.”

He felt the wet lips running over the sole of his foot and whimpered at how surprisingly good it felt. He didn’t have to look at Seunghyun to know he was grinning from ear to ear.

“I’m not the only one.” He repeated the action, giving the younger man goosebumps. “Stop acting like a prude and just enjoy it.” He let go of his foot to bring his huge hand to the omega’s neck, holding him by the throat.

“I’m not a.. Oh! ” Seunghyun brought his hand over his lips to keep in his moans, aware of how many people could be outside. Jiyong bucked his hips faster, sitting down harder each time.

It was worrying how good it felt, because fucking had never felt like this, and he didn’t want to become addicted to the sensation and rely on the alpha to achieve that kind of pleasure.

“Then stop acting like one.” The deep voice brought him back to the present, bringing his hand to the front of his body to pull the omega's dick out of the tight underwear. “And just so you know, I don't see you as my whore on duty. ”

“Mhmn..” Jiyong felt his hips go numb from the effort until his lack of strength became noticeable.

Seunghyun sighed and stood up without leaving his insides, pushing him forward so that he rested his chest and arms on his desk while he finished fucking him doggy style.

“The pleasure of doing this consciously is the most beautiful thing about being a human.” He growled on the skin of his neck, leaving a kiss between the angel wings he had tattooed. “It's the most natural thing for an omega, to want to have an alpha between his legs, making him feel good.”

“Shut up..” He whimpered with a shaky voice and legs, hiding his face in his arms, focusing on finishing.

“I can keep quiet about a lot of things, but not that, because it's an insult to me.” He scraped his teeth against his neck, drawing his attention. “For you to think I only see you as that.” He smiled as he felt the small member in his hand twitch, announcing his orgasm. “You have me so fucked up, since the first time I saw you, you haven't left my head for a second.. I'm sick of it, I'm sick of you, and yet here you have me.”

“Seunghyun.” He called out to him, wondering how he could put such coherent sentences together at a time like that.

He felt a small bite on his shoulder and, with a couple more thrusts, he spilled into his hand, his entire body shaking as if it were a strong shiver, but even then Seunghyun didn't stop fucking him and saying things that didn't make sense to him.

“Can I knot you?” It was the only thing he understood from everything he said, and it made him react, denying immediately.

“N..No… Don’t.” He breathed heavily, alert in case he had to force himself out of his hold. He still felt too good for Seunghyun to ruin it by painfully knotting him. He heard him grunt, fighting himself not to go against his will, and Jiyong closed his eyes when he sensed the alpha was done from the hardness and depth of that last thrust, pulling out a moment later. “Thank you.”

He heard the alpha slump back into his chair, and he rose from the desk with red cheeks when his mind was clear. He had arrived at Seunghyun’s office upset, though now he wondered if he had actually arrived horny.

“Why are you thanking me? For fucking you?” He heard the voice behind him and turned to look at him, blushing at the sight of the alpha tying the condom.

He cleared his throat and leaned down to get his pants, noticing the mess in his underwear, debating whether to spend the rest of the day uncomfortable or lose a little more of his pride by putting on a new pair of the ones Seunghyun had gifted him. “For not knotting me.”

“You told me you didn’t want to, so I didn’t. There’s nothing to be thankful for.” He replied as he adjusted his boxers and pants. “Your loss.”

The Seunghyun he knew was back.

“Oh, I’m sorry for wanting to walk and sit without pain.” He said sarcastically, picking up his sock from the floor to put it back on.

Seunghyun looked at him with a confused expression from his spot, passing him the shoe. “What are you talking about?”

“The knot, it’s painful.” He complained again as he felt the damp fabric against his skin, looking over his shoulder at the black bag, finally deciding. “I.. I’m only going to take one, you can keep the rest.”

“Why would I want them? I can’t fit anything in there.” Seunghyun shook his head and watched his every move, as he slid the ruined garment off his legs to replace it with a new pair. That had to be one of the most erotic sights of his life. “And as for the other thing, it shouldn’t hurt, especially with how wet you..”

“ Shh .” He placed a finger on his lips to silence him, and Seunghyun bit it, eliciting a small moan from him. “And just so you know, I’m sick of you too.”

The older man nodded, ignoring his comment to get a better look at him in the pretty black thong. That was definitely his best investment so far.

“So.” He called out to him when the omega pulled away again to finish dressing. “Should we continue this?”

“With what?” He turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow, finally putting on the shoe that Seunghyun had taken off of him. “ Fucking? ” The other nodded, and Jiyong put his hands on his head, shaking it slightly. “We’re screwed.”

“Think about it, your desire to kill me seems to diminish after doing so.” Jiyong picked up his briefcase from the floor. “I can come to your house whenever you need me.”

“Don’t even dream about it.” He warned him, but his voice didn’t come out half as angry as when he arrived. Well , maybe Seunghyun was right. “It’s not even because of me, but because of Mino. So, please be prudent.”

Seunghyun nodded in agreement. “Prudence, noted.” He saw him standing in front of him, all nice and disheveled, and stood up taking a pack of cigarettes. “I’ll go smoke outside the building, but just so you know..” He took out two cigarettes, placing one unlit between his lips, and the other in the omega’s ear. “There are no kids in my house, and the doors to my room will always be open for you.”

Jiyong looked up at him for several seconds, feeling small at the obvious difference in height when they were face to face. Seunghyun smiled at him one last time, holding the cigarette between his teeth before walking out the door, leaving him alone with his thoughts again.

He knew it was wrong, that it wasn’t the right way to do things, but facing feelings at a time like this didn’t seem to be an option. Besides, what did he feel for Seunghyun?

The question floated around in his head for the rest of the day, seeming absent and pensive during his next classes and tutoring sessions. The only thing that managed to snap him out of his trance was his son’s grumpy face when he came to pick him up from school.

“ Uh-oh.. ” He tried to cheer him up, but the boy just glanced at him from the corner of his eye, hugging his backpack to his chest as Jiyong drove back into traffic. “Well, what happened?”

Mino growled softly, sinking deeper into the passenger seat, as if he wanted to hide under it. “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Jiyong simply shook his head, trying to get to the bottom of the matter. “I don’t believe you.”

“Uhmn...” He growled again, avoiding the look the omega gave him when they stopped at a traffic light. “It's.. It’s a guy.”

His eyebrows rose in surprise, but he quickly controlled his expression to prevent his son from refusing to tell him more. “Okay, that's new.”

“It doesn't matter anyway.” Mino shrugged, looking out the window. “He would never notice me.”

“Why do you say that? You and I have talked about confidence and...”

“He has a boyfriend.” He turned to look at him shyly as Jiyong focused back on the street. “He’s older than me, okay? He’s in high school, and it’s so unfair, because I only spent a year with him in middle school and I never had the courage to talk to him, and by the time I get to high school, he’ll be leaving for college and.. And… He’s just so cute!”

The omega couldn’t help but laugh at the last thing he shouted, covering his mouth immediately afterward when he saw him squint. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.. Go on, I’ll listen to you.”

“That’s all.” He leaned his head against the glass, squeezing his chubby cheek against it.

“ Mm , okay.. You can start with…” He nodded, thinking of what he could possibly say to him when he himself wasn’t in a position to give relationship advice. “When I was your age, I liked flowers.”

“You still do.”

Jiyong nodded, agreeing with his son. “Well, but I had just discovered it back then, I was excited at the idea of ​​receiving them.”

“Did dad bring you a lot of flowers?” Mino asked, a huge smile forming on his face. Jiyong glanced at him and nodded, unable to break his illusion. “I’ll ask him what he thinks over the weekend.”

Over the weekend , Jiyong felt his stomach sink as he remembered the last conversation with the alpha. “About that..” He saw the light in his son’s eyes fade, disappointed without having to say anything more. “Sorry, baby, he said he was busy but that he’ll call you.”

“Okay.” He muttered, sinking back into his seat.

He drove home in silence, worried about Mino, but with his biggest problem on his mind, Seunghyun .

He grabbed his phone after lunch, while his son did his homework. Jiyong locked himself in the bathroom of his own room to call the alpha, a part of him hoping he wouldn't answer. The phone rang a few times, and then he heard static on the other end.

“ So soon you want to repeat? ” The husky voice made him shudder, and he pressed his back against the wall, closing his eyes.

“We can’t keep doing this.” He replied, a lump forming in his throat as he mentally scolded himself for allowing Seunghyun to make him feel so much. “Please don’t bring it up anymore.”

He knew he should hang up right then, but the alpha’s breathing on the other end of the line made his legs shake and he wanted to hear more.

“ Fine .” He sighed, opening his eyes to see himself in the huge bathroom mirror with the phone against his ear. “I ’m deeply sorry if I made you feel bad, I didn’t mean to. ”

“You didn’t make me feel bad, you idiot, it’s just..” He swallowed hard, the honesty in the alpha’s voice making him wonder why he was doing that. “It’s wrong, you and I are nothing, and you hate me.”

“ I don’t hate you, Jiyong, it’s not the first time we’ve talked about it. ” His tone was amused, and it would have offended him if he didn’t remember so well their conversation on the bus from almost twenty years ago. “ And honestly, I don’t see the problem with two adults enjoying their sexuality consensually. ”

Jiyong slid down the tiled wall until he reached the floor, hugging his knees to his chest. “It’s different for an omega.”

“ How is it, exactly? ” He heard him click his tongue. “ You have very ingrained, old way ideas for being who you are, I hope one day you can let go of them and allow yourself to feel good, whether with me or someone else. ”

That ‘someone else’ hurt him for reasons he couldn’t understand, bringing the back of his hand to his forehead. “I don’t have old way ideas.”

“ So what did you mean by ‘it’s different’? ” He didn’t answer, allowing several seconds of silence. “ I thought you were enjoying it by the way you sounded.. But I will respect your decision. ”

“Seunghyun.” He sighed his name as his voice dropped even lower.

“ Yes? ” He could only imagine his smile. “ Even now, you sound so sweet. ”

His heart pounded, mesmerized, reacting to the alpha like Pavlov’s dogs to the sound of the bell. “Hyung, please.”

“ Please what, Jiyongie? ” He breathed so hard that a sharp moan escaped his throat. “ You know you can hang up anytime, right? ”

Of course he knew, it was as simple as pulling the phone away from his ear and pressing the big red button on the screen, but he didn’t want to. Jiyong wanted to keep hearing his voice, like he used to when they were young and fell asleep talking on the phone.

Back then it used to be nonsense and sweet words, but now he felt like all he could get from him was physical pleasure. “I know, I’m sorry.” He barely managed to say, biting his bottom lip to keep from moaning again.

He heard a sigh and something that sounded like a giggle that should have made him feel humiliated, but it only made him hotter, forcing him to undo the first few buttons of his shirt as he felt suffocated.

“ Don’t feel sorry. ” Jiyong looked up at the ceiling, questioning himself once again about what he was doing. “ Instead, feel yourself.. ” He couldn’t hold back a gasp as his hand obediently lowered to his crotch. “ Are you still wearing the underwear I bought for you? They looked so good on you, how tight they were on your ass... ”

“Seunghyun.” He sighed quietly, undoing the button of his pants. “No.. Don’t say that.”

“ Answer me. ”

He reached into his privates, purring at how good it felt to follow his orders. “Y..Yes.”

“ How dirty, Professor Kwon. ” He heard a zipper click down on the other end of the line, and his lips parted as if he were in front of him. “ Your ass must still be so soft and hot and fucked open .”

He pulled his pants down to mid-thigh and spread his legs as wide as the garment would allow, bringing his hand lower, where he was getting wet again. Stupid, hot Seunghyun .

“You’re vulgar.” He whined, pulling the last of his bottoms down to his pants, feeling ashamed of the state he found himself in.

“ A hard one. ” He groaned, and when another sound added to his voice on the call, Jiyong blushed all the way to his ears. “Put some fingers in you, Ji, I know you need them.”

He bit his bottom lip and obediently lifted his hips, fitting two fingers inside him, and gasped against the phone. “Oh, hyung.”

“ That’s it, so good, Jiyong. ” The wet smacking sound from the other side increased and the omega squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on it, his voice, and the fingers he was thrusting in and out. “ I’ve been thinking a lot about you in that long skirt lately.. It would be so easy to just lift it up and eat you out. ”

“You pig.. ” He hissed as he touched that spot inside him that made him squirm in pleasure, his hand numb as he thought about how easily Seunghyun’s fingers reached that deep. “Is that what you thought when you saw me?”

“ God, yes .” He confessed without hesitation, remembering the look he gave him that day. “ Shit, Kwon, I want to fuck you so bad, I wish I was buried in you. ” He frowned, trying hard not to scream his name right then and there. “ You want it? ”

“Yes!” He whimpered, covering his mouth immediately after, pulling at his sweater to bite it and muffle the noises he made. “Mhmn.”

“ Then I’ll give it to you, Jiyong .” His voice felt like a soft caress, but awfully rough at the same time. He felt his stomach tighten, adjusting the phone between his shoulder and head to bring the hand holding it to his needy member. “ Oh, Jiyong.. ”

“Hyu..Hyung.”

“ Come, Jiyong, let me hear you. ” He growled out, finding himself in a similar state to the alpha’s. “ Say my name when you cum, who makes you feel this good? ”

He opened his mouth, letting go of his sweater as the delicious spasm assaulted him, staying tense as he spilled into his own hand. “Seung.. Seunghyun, oh…” His legs spread completely limp as his chest rose and fell, feeling the sweat on his forehead as he listened to the alpha call his name.

It took him a couple of seconds to see clearly again, wiping his hand on the fabric of his pants to grab his phone again. For several seconds he heard nothing but the heavy breathing on the other end.

“ So .” He closed his eyes as he spoke again, feeling embarrassed once the moment had worn off. “ Is this a goodbye? ”

“Mm..” He sighed, feeling terribly tired when another incoming call made him snap, eyes widening. He hung up the call with Seunghyun in an instant to take the new one, hastily standing up, clearing his throat. “Hyuk?”

“ Hey, I’m near your new apartment.. ” Jiyong touched his forehead, putting the call on speaker to wash his hands. “ Is Minho home? I’ll bring dinner. ”

The omega raised his eyebrows, surprised was an understatement at Soohyuk’s initiative. “Y..Yeah, he’s finishing his homework.”

“ Okay, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes .”

Jiyong smiled, his heart feeling warm at how happy that would make the boy. “Thanks, Hyuk.”

He hung up without saying goodbye, just like he had called him without saying hello, but that really didn’t matter. He finished cleaning up and changing clothes, going straight after to Mino’s room.

The boy glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, putting down his Nintendo. “I.. I finished a while ago.” He put the console aside to put his notebooks inside a red backpack.

Jiyong walked into the room, leaving a kiss on the center of his forehead before leaning down to the height of the desk chair.

“Guess what?” He smiled at him, holding his shoulders. Mino thought for several seconds before shaking his head. “Hyuk is on his way, he wants to have dinner with you.”

His little eyes widened and sparkled, and Jiyong prayed that it wasn’t another lie from the alpha. “Is he really coming?” The omega nodded, standing up to go get a nice change for the boy. “Dad’s coming!” He jumped up as well, running to the bathroom to fix his hair and brush his teeth.

Jiyong laughed, leaving his clothes on his bed.

Half an hour later, Jiyong was anxiously watching the access control screen, waiting for the alpha to arrive while Mino paced back and forth in the living room, sitting on the couch and peeking through the door's peephole. He put a hand to his chest when the notification for the underground parking lot came through, accepting it without saying a word to the boy.

When the doorbell rang, Mino gave him a wide-eyed look before rushing to open it, jumping in excitement when he saw Soohyuk standing in front of him.

“Minho.” Despite his clear detachment, he leaned in to hug him back.

“Dad.” He called out, wrapping his arms tightly around him. Jiyong watched them from behind the kitchen counter, smiling at his pup’s happiness. “Dad, I missed you so, so much.”

“I missed you, kid.” He stood up again, ruffling his hair before turning to look at the omega. “Jiyong.”

“Hyuk.” He nodded in their direction, heading with them into the living room. Mino looked at them both closely before taking Soohyuk’s free hand to get his attention.

“Can we play Mario Kart before dinner?” He asked with a huge smile and excited look. Soohyuk had gifted him the console, with the promise that they would play every weekend together , but like the rest of the things he promised him, he hadn't done it even once. “Please, I've gotten really good.”

“Oh, I'm sorry, Minho.” He smiled back. “I don't have much time, we should just have dinner.” Jiyong thought that would annoy the boy, but he just nodded, running to the kitchen to get the plates to set the table. “Ji..”

The omega took his gaze off the boy to turn in his direction. “Yeah?”

“Can we talk?” He asked quietly, and something in his tone let him know that he was going to ask him for something. That whole thing of appearing out of nowhere wasn't new to him. Jiyong placed an open hand over his own forehead, closing both eyes. “Come on, it's just that..”

He stopped his speech when Mino came back, innocently arranging three plates on the dining table. Jiyong walked over to him, while Soohyuk unpacked the dinner.

“Dad.” Mino called the alpha again, sitting down next to him to begin talking about school and everything he had done since he last saw him. The omega sat across the table, playing with his food while the other two ate dinner.

Jiyong couldn’t seem to have an appetite with Soohyuk around, trying hard to tolerate him for his son’s sake.

But Mino talked and smiled so much when he was there and they acted like a family, the three of them together. The boy had always loved to draw, and for as long as Jiyong remembered, he could recall the drawings he made of them together.

Maybe that was why he had tried so hard to keep the alpha in their lives, almost begging for some of his attention when he just walked away, completely uninterested in his son’s life. If it were up to Jiyong, he would’ve given Mino his own last name from day one.

“Well, but I didn’t come just to have dinner and listen to you talk, Mino.” The taller man smiled at the young alpha, and the omega wrinkled his nose for a moment upon hearing him. “I want you to come with me to Thailand.”

Jiyong’s chopsticks fell, catching Soohyuk’s attention, but not Mino’s who nodded immediately, excited. “Yes! When are we going..?”

“What?” Jiyong asked in a stern tone, trying to make sense of it. “Thailand, like, the country ?”

Soohyuk nodded, cleaning his lips with a napkin. “It’s a great place, there are lots of beaches, outdoor activities and...”

“Danger.” He raised his eyebrows as he looked at him, emphasizing the importance of his words. Soohyuk laughed nervously, shaking his head, about to call him exaggerated. “It’s one thing for you to go and come back safe, but taking Mino means taking care of everything, all the time.”

“ Ma , I’m not a baby anymore, I can take care of myself.” He insisted, putting his palms together. “Please?”

Jiyong put a hand on his head and shook his head, then looked at Soohyuk who parted his lips again to try to convince him.

“Besides, we wouldn’t go alone.” He smiled, glancing at the boy. “I want to introduce you to someone very special to me, Mino.”

The boy looked at him in confusion as Jiyong placed his head in his hands, incredulous of what he was hearing.

“No way, Hyuk. That’s not going to happen.”

“ Ma! ” Mino kicked his feet, and Jiyong sighed, accepting his role as the bad guy in order to keep his son safe and sound. He saw the little flushed face and the pursed lips in a straight line before he dropped his little hands against the table, his tears running freely down his full cheeks. “I hate you! You’re the worst!” He raised his voice before getting up to go lock himself in his room.

Both parents saw the door he slammed, and Jiyong sighed, sliding into his chair.

“Do you see what you're doing? You've always been selfish.”

“ Excuse me? ” The omega frowned at him, looking up at the alpha. “Forgive me for not letting you use my son as bait for your novelty of the month.”

“He's also my son, and he's not a ‘ novelty of the month ’.” He tried to defend himself, but his words only made Jiyong's face redder.

“Well, it doesn't seem like it.” He replied quietly, standing up to go open the door for him. “Please, don't insist on the trip.”

Soohyuk stood up, giving him a disapproving look. “Of course I'm going to insist.”

“Then, I'll call my lawyer.” The alpha mocked him, stepping into the hallway as he looked around.

“You've changed so much, Jiyong, with your lawyers and your fancy apartment overlooking the Han River.” He shook his head. “Where’s my Jiyong?” He touched his shoulder, and as simple as the gesture was, it made his stomach turn horribly, pulling away from him.

“I’ve never been yours.” He growled, and the taller man scoffed at him, taking a long look at the scarred skin on his neck.

“I have other memories.” Soohyuk laughed, turning around and leaving the omega with a heavy feeling in his stomach.

He closed the door firmly, putting a hand over his mouth to hold back the vomit as he made his way to the bathroom. He emptied the contents into the toilet, scratching his neck and arms with teary eyes as the memories made him nauseous and itchy all over his skin. Taking deep breaths of air, Jiyong stepped into the shower fully clothed, his tears getting lost in the water that fell over him.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there, crying and staring into nothing, thinking about how screwed he was. He knew Mino wasn’t serious, he couldn’t hate him, but it was painful to see him distance himself because of Soohyuk.

Jiyong regretted looking for his phone to check the time when he saw Seunghyun’s messages, too tired to read what he wanted. That couldn’t be right either, whatever he was doing with his enemy couldn’t be right.

The next morning came as silent as the night before, Mino avoiding his gaze and answering his questions in monosyllables during breakfast and on the way to school.

“Have a nice day.” He said goodbye to him when he tried to open the door without even looking back, but stopped, turning his body again in the leather seat.

Mino looked at his own feet and nervously played with his hands.

“I’m sorry, about last night.” Jiyong smiled, that was his baby . “I really, really, really would like to go with dad, but if it bothers you… Because of his new couple, I understand.” He turned to look at him shyly before throwing himself into a tight hug. “I’ll always be by your side, ‘ma .”

Jiyong smiled tenderly and returned his hug, kissing his dark hair. “I love you, Mino.”

“I love you too.” He smiled shyly, putting his backpack back on to enter the school, stopping at the door to shake his little hand.

It was cute that he thought like that, that his annoyance came from Soohyuk dating someone else. Despite everything, Mino had never noticed the alpha’s attitudes.

Jiyong sighed and placed both hands on the wheel, mentally preparing himself for what came next. The drive to the campus seemed short, holding his head when he turned into the parking lot and saw Seunghyun’s car there.

He quickly got out of his, walking quickly into the building before the alpha came out from somewhere and put his spell on him again. He stared at the door to his office for several seconds, but the thought of finding him inside like the day before made him change direction.

He would be more composed to talk later, or the next day, or maybe never. He still had an hour until his first class of the day, but with everything that had happened the day before he needed to catch up on his emails.

He pushed open the library door with his shoulder, scanning the place for a free table. He ducked through the aisles of books, stifling a cry when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Calm down, dammit .” Seunghyun removed his hand from him and took half step back, holding back his laughter as Jiyong held his chest, trying to calm down his racing heart. “You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“I wouldn’t have been so scared.” He sighed, looking around at the shelves, the library was almost empty. “Were you following me?”

Seunghyun shook his head, gesturing for him to move and grab a book behind him. “I came for this encyclopedia, I figured students don’t read enough.” He watched him for a couple of seconds. “Why? Were you hiding from me?”

“Do you blame me? You snuck into my office yesterday.” He touched his cheek with the back of his hand, wiping his forehead as his mouth felt dry. “I… Last night, I was serious.” Seunghyun continued to stare at him without saying anything. “It’s over, it can’t happen again.”

He heard the alpha sigh, nodding a few seconds later. “Fine, I said I would respect your decision.” Seunghyun took one last look at him before walking away.

Jiyong breathed calmly, the other’s scent lingering in the air making him hesitate, but he knew it was for the better. He closed his eyes for a few seconds before retracing his steps, leaving the library to go to his office, looking at the alpha’s over his shoulder.

Luckily, he was too busy planning his festival to think about Seunghyun, who kept his own project a total secret. Jiyong was nervous that the alpha would outdo him, that he would win and he would have to give up his dream of teaching, because there was no way he would allow himself to be his subordinate after what had happened between them.

He walked into the meeting room several weeks later, Seunghyun sitting at one end of the long table focused on his computer, while another pair of young teachers joined them.

“So, you and Choi again?” A poor bastard who had studied in the same generation as them sat down next to him when he decided on a spot across the table, and Jiyong turned to look at him in confusion like the rest of the teachers, Seunghyun included . “I mean, you guys were rivals since the first year, and now you’re competing for the faculty’s head.”

“It’s been a long time.” Jiyong smiled at him, trying to be nice as he opened his own laptop.

But the beta didn’t seem happy with that answer, nudging him with a stupid grin on his face. “It’s surprising, though I do remember that..” He snapped his fingers a couple of times, looking between the two of them. “You guys dated, right?”

Jiyong felt his face redden at his words, looking up at Seunghyun in alarm before looking at the rest of the teachers, all much older than them. The alpha covered his face before giving the beta who wouldn’t stop talking a murderous glare.

“Enough, Kim.” He asked, but that didn’t stop him, too distracted in his memories.

“But you broke up, because Kwon cheated on you.” He remembered the rumor , and Jiyong looked at him with wide eyes. “Even though, graduation was adorable , when you walked up on stage for your diploma with your baby in your arms, he was wearing a little cap and gown.”

“That’s not what happened.” He clarified, but Seunghyun raised an eyebrow at him, as if he was lying.

Everyone remained in an awkward silence until Kwanghyung entered the room, starting the monthly meeting while Jiyong felt nauseous again.

He was the first to stand up when the director left, leaving without saying goodbye as tears gathered in his eyes. Jiyong hurried to the parking lot, locking himself in his car to cry, throwing the seat back to raise his legs and hide his face in between his knees. He knew these things would happen, that working in an environment full of alphas and betas would be difficult, but he was tired of being humiliated over and over again.

He looked up at the sound of tapping on his window, holding his forehead when he saw Seunghyun on the other side. He hesitated, but finally rolled down the glass.

“Kim is an idiot.” Jiyong nodded, he knew it , and looked away when the older man kept his eyes on him, sighing. “I.. I talked to the rest of the teachers when he left, they also agree that it was totally out of line.”

“It was.” He nodded again, wiping his eyes with the sleeves of his jacket. “What do you want?”

The alpha didn’t answer, keeping his lips straight as he looked at his watery little eyes and red nose. “I wanted to see if you were okay.” He confessed sincerely, and Jiyong looked down. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything there.”

“Okay, Lee arrived.” He pressed the start button of the SUV as Seunghyun took a few steps away from him. He followed him with his eyes until he reached his car a couple of places away from his own. “Hyung.” He called out, the older man turning to look at him. “Thank you.” Seunghyun nodded with something resembling a smile on his face.

Mino surprised him that afternoon by asking to go to his grandparents’ house, to the restaurant. He only asked for that in two situations: The first was when Jiyong was trying to cook , and the second, when he wanted a new video game and waited tables to save.

He parked in front of his old house, unconsciously looking around the corner, at the Choi residence. He sighed, and took Mino’s hand to cross the street.

“ Grandpa! ” The boy ran as soon as he saw the older man behind the cash register, who in an instant changed his serious expression to the biggest smile he had. He even leaned over to hug him, and Jiyong chuckled softly, shaking his head before going to hug his own mother.

“Oh, Mino.” The older man ruffled his hair, giving him an amazed look. “You’re so big, come visit us more often.” The boy nodded, hugging his grandmother as well. “Have my boys eaten yet?”

Jiyong walked over to them as well, briefly hugging Younghwan. “I’m fine, but Mino’s been talking about your tofu stew a lot lately.” His cheeks turned a little red, and Gilan seemed glad to hear that, leading him inside the house to have lunch in the dining room. “Go with them, Dad, I’ll take care of this.”

The man smiled at him and went inside with his wife and grandson, and Jiyong sat down behind the counter.

There weren’t many people eating, and although they had a few takeout orders, he’d done that so many times that he was working on automatic at this point. He collected a couple of bills and passed orders to the kitchen before a name stood out on a delivery order.

What were the chances it was another Choi Seunghyun ordering mushroom soup? His stomach sank as he read the address, they were practically neighbors again. He passed the order over with shaky hands, watching over his shoulder as his parents and Mino returned, the boy wearing his old apron.

“Did he tell you what he wants to buy now?” He asked quietly as Mino hurriedly cleared empty plates from a table, but the elders shook their heads.

“We didn’t get a word out of him.” His mother squeezed his shoulder to get him to move from the spot, handing the register back to them. “Don’t you want to eat?”

Jiyong smiled at her and denied with his head, biting his nails to try to clear his mind. “I… I already ordered soup.” He cleared his throat, lying . “But I need to go get a folder from my apartment, to send in some reviews. I’ll eat over there.”

“Oh, we thought you were sleeping here, Mino said something like that.” He looked back at the boy, who looked busy explaining the dishes on the menu, and Jiyong smiled.

“He didn’t tell me, but I’ll be back.” He walked over to the counter as the bag with Seunghyun’s name on it came out, grabbing it before they could read it. “You might need an extra pair of hands later, it’s Friday.”

They nodded, and Jiyong said goodbye, leaving a kiss on Mino’s cheek before heading back to his car, wondering why he was doing that. He followed the direction the GPS screen gave him until he reached a fancy building.

He took a few deep breaths before getting off and heading to the elevator, straight to the top floor.

“ I’m coming. ” He flinched when he heard the voice on the other side of the door after knocking on it a few times.

He could still leave the bag there and leave, but if he had come this far...

The door opened, and their eyes met in an instant.

Jiyong cleared his throat and held out the paper bag. “Uhmn, here’s your... Order.” Seunghyun smirked, leaning his shoulder against the door frame as he looked him up and down.

“I didn’t know you still worked for your parents, much less as a delivery man.” He took the bag from his hand.

“I help them sometimes.” He looked in another direction, taking a half step back. “Anyway, thank...” The alpha interrupted him when he grabbed his arm and pulled him in, immediately holding him by the waist.

Jiyong felt his heart in his throat when they were face to face, placing both hands on the other’s chest, watching him with wide eyes. He saw Seunghyun swallow, before letting go.

“Sorry.” He moved his hands away from him, looking at the floor. “Thank you for bringing it to the door.”

But the omega continued to watch him, wanting more , but not sure of how to ask for it after he had told him to stop and Seunghyun tried so hard to respect his wish, while his own eyes were shining, giving him away, completely devoted.

“I..” He took a breath with an audible sigh, having forgotten how to breathe for several seconds. The older man looked back at him, reaching out to half-close the apartment door when he heard another neighbor leave, but still giving Jiyong the chance to leave if that was what he wanted.

He left the food on a coffee table, while Jiyong remained still in the same place.

“Do you want it?” He asked clearly, facing him. Jiyong raised his head, nodding shyly after several seconds. Seunghyun closed the door and gently removed the jacket that covered his shoulders, moving closer to his ear. “On your knees, now .” Jiyong groaned and dropped immediately, the alpha leaning behind him to remove his shoes and squeeze his feet between his hands. “Stay still.” He hissed when he felt a slap on the ass, following Seunghyun with his gaze until he disappeared into a room, returning a few minutes later with a chain in his hands. “Clothes off.”

He swallowed hard and began to get rid of his clothes desperately, taking off his shirt and pants, keeping only his underwear and the bracelets and earrings that jingled with each movement. “Se..Seung…”

“Socks too.” He pointed at him, and Jiyong closed his eyes before taking them off, settling back on his knees, covering his intimacy with both hands. “That’s it, now come..” The alpha sat down on one of his fancy chairs, patting his thighs. The omega looked at himself, his whole body shaking as he realized what he had to do. He put his hands on the ground and crawled over to where Seunghyun was, craning his neck as he brought the leather collar on one end of the chain closer. “I want to hear you, is it tight?”

Jiyong let him adjust it around his neck, drawing a sigh from him. “I’m fine.” He assured him under his dark gaze. “It feels good.”

“Okay.” Seunghyun lifted his face by the chin before taking the other end of the chain, which Jiyong had only just realized was another collar. Seunghyun put it on, much looser than his own, but quickly wrapped his hand around the cold metal, pulling it up. “What do you want, Ji?”

“ Mhmn .” It took him a moment to get used to the pressure, and how it made his lips sting and feel slightly cold. “You.”

He heard the husky laugh, and closed his eyes when he heard him unzip his pants. “Open your mouth.” He didn’t need to see to know what he was asking for, but Jiyong quickly denied it, wrapping his hand around the chain as well to pull him back.

Even though the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was his massive dick, the look on his face was a thousand times more interesting.

“No.” He dared him, as much as his mouth was watering to take him inside it, he wasn’t going to give him the pleasure that easily. Instead, he closed his free hand around his member, squeezing hard.

Seunghyun threw his head back, even as it put pressure on the side of his neck, and let out the most arousing growl Jiyong had ever heard in his life. He slowly went up and down until precum oozed from the head, allowing him to go faster.

“ Fuck , Ji.” His name was cut off when the omega pulled the chain again, forcing him to raise his head and look at him intently for several seconds. “Stop playing.” But he only shook his head, squeezing harder. “Enough.” In one swift movement, his head was over the alpha’s groin, held there by the collar and chain.

Seunghyun stood up with him in one arm, looking into his eyes again, accepting that those gorgeous pink lips were off limits. Jiyong watched him intently as well, eyes half-closed.

“ Crybaby .” He muttered under his breath, and Seunghyun moved him forcefully in an instant, settling him on his shoulder. “ Ugh! ” The alpha walked with him to the bedroom, tossing him onto the bed carefully because of the collar that bound them together. Jiyong looked up at him, lying with his legs closed over the mattress.

“I don’t like it.” Seunghyun growled, grabbing the elastic of the underwear he was wearing. “I like the way you look in something smaller, or nothing at all.” Jiyong shuddered, arching his back as he yanked the garment off his legs, grabbing one of his ankles in the process. “This is much better.”

He watched with wide eyes as he brought his foot closer to his mouth, licking all over his palm and toes in an obscene manner before bringing it to his dick. Jiyong wrinkled his nose, but he didn’t really dislike it. He sighed instead and lifted his other foot, pressing it next to the other one. “ Freak .” He felt a tug on the chain that reminded him that they were both equally sick .

“In my defense..” Seunghyun held his knees together for support, allowing him to keep his feet still so the alpha could fuck them . “I’ve never been as interested in any feet as I am in yours.”

“Thank you?” He bit his bottom lip at the sight of the alpha like this, making him shudder. He let go of the chain to bring his hand to his own member, touching himself in front of him. “Uhmn..” The alpha released his grip, letting his legs fall freely on the bed to get a better look at him.

He was looking back at him too, lips parted and chest rising and falling, too tempting to ignore. He leaned over him, moving the chain from the middle to give his nipples attention.

Jiyong moaned sharply at the feel of the heavy tongue on one of his nubs, falling silent when the pressure on the strap suffocated him just a little more. “You can take a bath here after this.” Seunghyun murmured when he managed to pull away, the taste of Jiyong’s skin feeling so addictive. “Because I want to get you dirty.”

The omega blushed even more but nodded, agreeing and fascinated with the idea. Seunghyun released the pressure of the chain a little, replacing it with soft kisses on his neck, where the leather had marked red.

“Seunghyun.” He called out, holding back embarrassed moans in his throat. “Hyung..” He felt sharp teeth scraping his sensitive skin, and he removed his hand from his member when he felt he was dangerously close. “Please…”

He felt one last bite on his ear and Seunghyun lowered his hand back down to his chest. Despite how exciting his tattoos were, he had never really gotten around to analyzing them.

“Why Mind Control ?” He asked in a deep voice, and Jiyong shrugged, his brain too muddled to give him a logical and detailed explanation. Seunghyun laughed at that, and saw the other side of his torso, where it said Forever Young , the little XXs above his belly button, and the bunch of figures on his arms that he kept hidden under his clothes. What caught his attention the most, however, was the ink that painted his soft thighs. “ Inhale, exhale ..” He read, going down his body until he was between his legs.

Jiyong smiled, turning to look at him.

“It’s a reminder.” He answered with that smile that challenged the sweetness and innocence of his face. “When I’m like this, I forget how to breathe.” Seunghyun groaned, feeling terribly jealous that Jiyong had been in that situation with anyone else, that it was someone else who was between his damn legs.

“Then, it’s time to put it into practice.”

He twisted the chain three times around his own wrist, forcing Jiyong to lift his waist off the bed and keep his back completely arched when he pulled again, much harder than before. Seunghyun slapped his thighs until they spread, showing him the wet mess between his legs.

He got rid of his own pants and shirt, reaching out with his free hand to grab a condom from the nightstand and slide it over his erection, taking it immediately into his hot entrance. Jiyong rolled his eyes in pleasure, gripping the spotless bed beneath him, letting the alpha pull his legs up onto his shoulders, going even deeper.

Seunghyun had been coming to terms with never being inside the omega again, so now he was willing to enjoy every second of this encounter. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t put into words how hot the moment was, the omega’s body contorted and his expression almost drowned by the pressure of the collar and the pleasure spreading throughout his body.

“Hyung..” He murmured, and Seunghyun took two more links, just to fuck with him .

“You’re gonna cum, aren’t you?” The omega nodded with teary eyes, trying to reach his member, but the alpha was faster, holding both of his hands in one of his. “I think you touched yourself enough, pretty.” He saw him furrow his eyebrows, completely dominated. Seunghyun leaned over his ear, still fucking hard into him. “But I know you can come handsfree.”

Jiyong closed his eyes and opened his lips, Seunghyun mesmerized for a moment by the idea of ​​​​diving into them and eating him like that too, but the omega had been clear with that rule. He stood up again, releasing a slap on his ass that made him gasp.

He studied his expressions, the way his legs shook and shivers ran down his spine, announcing his next orgasm. He squeezed just a little harder, playing with the limits of pain when his member jerked, exploding all over his stomach.

“ Uhmn! ”

At that moment, Seunghyun let go of the chain, and Jiyong took a long breath, his entire body shaking and tears of pleasure running down his cheeks as he rode out his ecstasy. He continued to fuck him slowly, pulling out a few seconds later.

Jiyong was an extremely hot, deeply sexual mess.

Seunghyun brushed his hair from his forehead as he continued to stare at him, sitting up on the bed. The omega turned in his direction, stretching in a catlike way in front of him before sliding with trembling thighs into his lap.

“You’re so damn beautiful.” The alpha confessed, and the omega’s grin grew larger, he knew it , and he was going to use it against him. “You’ll be the death of me.” He said under his breath, reaching out a hand to caress his face, using his thumb to outline his bottom lip.

He watched as he parted his legs once more, taking his dick to sit on, returning it to his wet passage, sliding easily inside him, and then he thought that knotting Jiyong would be fucking paradise.

“I thought, for a second there, that you were going to kill me.” Jiyong continued to look him straight in the eyes, jumping on his lap, riding him like an expert as he grabbed the chain on the side of Seunghyun’s collar, pulling. “But it felt so good..” He moaned his last words, looking down at where their bodies met. “I want to show you.”

“Fucking shit, Jiyong.” The alpha moaned as the omega wrapped the chain around his arm, pulling on it and leaving him breathless with each bounce. He didn’t let him take a full breath before choking him again, and Seunghyun fell back onto the bed as Jiyong pushed him.

He leaned both hands against the alpha’s strong chest, biting his lip as he felt his own pleasure building again, but his priority right now was Seunghyun. He wanted to make him beg and see stars like he had with him.

“Give it to me, hyung.” He called out with flames in his eyes, pulling at the collar to turn him around to look at him, his face red and his hair sticking to his forehead and neck from sweat. “Be good, and give it to me .” Seunghyun placed his hands on his hips, holding him still to thrust a few more times on his own, pulling out before knotting.

He heard the snap of latex and moaned as he felt the hot shot all over his back. Jiyong let go of the chain, too, and watched as the alpha composed himself again, staring at the ceiling of the room with his chest moving, heaving, regaining the air he had lost.

The omega felt sorry for his sheets, and decided to rest on his chest while he caught his breath and passed him something to wipe with.

And he observed him in detail, his face calm as he realized that it was over, and now the only thing that connected them was the chain around their necks. Seunghyun sighed before getting rid of the clasp on his neck, then helping the omega with his.

“Are you okay?” He asked as he removed the collar, throwing it to the floor, and Jiyong nodded. “ Wine or tea? ”

“Huhh?” He understood his question when he tried to speak and felt pain in his throat. “Water, please.”

Seunghyun sat on the bed with the omega still on top of him, giving a quick glance at the artwork on his back. He reached for the box of tissues on the nightstand to help clean him up, the caresses feeling too intimate on Jiyong’s limp body.

When he set him back down on the bed, he stared at the ceiling, trying to pinpoint what had brought him here, but there was no way to justify it.

“Here you go.” He sat up as Seunghyun handed him the ice-cold glass, sitting on the other side of the bed, Jiyong feeling his eyes on him as he drank. He set the empty glass aside, pulling a sheet to cover his body, unsure of what else to do. “So..”

He sighed, watching him place the ashtray between them, offering him a cigarette which he lit for him. “I guess I’m not as strong as I thought.”

Seunghyun looked at him curiously, letting go of the first cloud of smoke. “You mean, because of this?” He nodded, laying his head on a pillow. “You have strange ideas about sex.”

“They’re not about sex.” He waved the cigarette over the ashtray. “They’re about you.” The alpha watched him close his eyes, trying to figure out what he meant by that.

“About me?” Jiyong then realized he must have sounded like an idiot.

“I mean…” He took a deep breath, holding the cigarette between two of his fingers. “We have so many reasons to hate each other, and yet…” He shrugged, the confused expression on the alpha’s face changing into a warm smile.

“Still, we’re in my bed.” Seunghyun dragged the smoke all the way through, putting out the butt in the ashtray between them. “Whenever you want, I can visit yours to call it even.”

“Don’t even think about it, Mino would never forgive me.” He warned him, but Seunghyun just seemed confused. “He has his own room, but sometimes he has nightmares and sleeps with me.”

“He’s a little old to share a bed with mommy , isn’t he?” Jiyong let out the smoke from his lungs before putting out his cigarette and turning to look at him.

“We’ve shared a bed almost our whole lives, when he was born I never had the heart to put him in a crib.” He rested his head on the pillow, losing himself in the other’s gaze enough to trust him and tell him all about that. “When I moved to Tokyo to get my master’s degree, the apartment was so small that he had to sleep in my arms, it was the only way we could both fit in that bed.”

Without knowing why, Seunghyun smiled at the mental picture of a young Jiyong sleeping with his baby in his arms, not because of the sacrifice that those experiences entailed, but because of how far he had come. “Even then, he must have been a baby. Now he has no excuse.”

“I don’t expect a rich kid like you to understand, but..” Jiyong smiled again as he answered. “My financial situation wasn’t always this good, it’s the first time we have an apartment with more than one room and a car that doesn’t spend more time in the shop than with us.”

Seunghyun fell silent at his words, processing their meaning. He had never gone to bed hungry because he had nothing to eat, and the possibility of Jiyong going through something like that at some point hurt his heart.

Then, another doubt crossed his mind and he caressed Jiyong’s hair as he thought about how to formulate the question, the one that had been on his mind for almost fifteen years every time he thought about him.

“What happened?” It finally left his lips, and the younger man gave him a curious look, not knowing what he meant. “Back then, why did you lie to me?”

“Lie to you?” He answered with another question, clearly confused.

The alpha had always acted very confident, Jiyong would even say that it was an important part of his already impressive attractiveness, but the confidence that always accompanied him did not seem to be present at that moment. Seunghyun looked embarrassed to even be asking that.

“When we were in college.” He reminded him, and Jiyong put his head back on the pillow, face to face. Seunghyun opened and closed his lips a couple more times. “When we were going to Tokyo, and you… You went with him instead.”

With him , the words gave the omega a shiver, turning in bed to face the ceiling again. “Oh, that .”

“I waited for you, but you never showed up.” Seunghyun narrowed his eyes as the smile disappeared from Jiyong’s lips. “Why did you do that? I… I really thought you loved me, but I see that I wasn’t as important to you as you were to me.”

He heard a chuckle, finding the omega with eyes full of tears, trying to cover them with his hands.

“Of course I loved you, I… I really loved you, and I wanted to go with you.” He wiped his face, Seunghyun regretting at that moment having revived the subject.

But no , that had been his biggest insecurity for years. He wanted answers, even if they ended up breaking his heart. “So? Why did you choose Soohyuk?”

“I didn’t choose him.” He clarified as soon as Seunghyun asked him. “He had been insisting for weeks on talking about what had happened, after you broke his nose, and since I didn’t want any more trouble with dad, I told him I could meet him on campus.” The alpha listened attentively, his furrowed eyebrows relaxing with each word. “He insisted on going somewhere more private, and then… He got really upset, I guess his pheromones brought out my heat, and then…”

Jiyong looked at him through his tears, shrugging his shoulders, and Seunghyun felt his heart fall to his stomach as he understood what that ‘then’ meant.

“Ji..” He called out his name, but the omega kept talking.

“Those were the most horrible and painful days of my life, I felt like I was dying, part of me preferred to be dead when he dumped me in a hospital after he was done with me, my parents had been looking for me for two days.” Jiyong kept his hands close to his face, trying to cover it so he wouldn’t look so vulnerable in front of the alpha. “I had never seen my father cry, but the doctors… I was in a very bad shape, they even had to shave all of my hair because he bit me on the head, there was blood everywhere.”

Seunghyun kept a hand on his own forehead, understanding a lot of his attitudes at that moment. At that moment he just wanted to hold him and adore him, take care of him like an alpha was supposed to do.

“Did he mark you?” He asked when Jiyong managed to hold back his initial cry, but he saw him deny it.

“No, he only did it to hurt me, to show dominance.” He pointed to his neck, to the skin covered by a pair of angel wings. “I covered the worst with this.”

He had been really close to his neck many times, but he had never seen it in detail, usually distracted by other stuff , but then it was clear as day all the damage he had done to him. Despite the years, the teeth were all over his neck and nape, marking horrible scars where he had torn the skin.

Seunghyun carefully touched the scarred skin, perfectly camouflaged under the tattoo. “I’m so sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault, mine either.” He laid back after a few seconds, shrugging his shoulders. “After all, I really wanted to run away from here, I know you would have understood if I told you, but then the doctor told us about Mino and I… I had no choice, my parents would never have allowed it..”

“I could have taken care of the both of you, Jiyong.” The lump in his throat finally broke his voice, and he said that without hesitation. But the omega denied it, knowing beforehand that it wasn't the thirty-seven-year-old Seunghyun who was speaking, but the twenty-two-year-old college student who had loved him so much.

Still, he felt pain in his chest when he heard him say that. “I know, but you didn't deserve that.” Amidst the tears, the omega gave him a dazzling smile, reaching out to dry the alpha’s cheeks. “A baby is too much work, it would have slowed you down… You probably wouldn't even be the fearsome Doctor Choi.”

They both laughed at the way he said that, but Seunghyun closed his eyes and frowned, shaking his head as Jiyong cradled his face in his soft hand.

“I would have been your alpha, I would have made you my husband.” He replied in a voice that sent a shiver down his spine as he thought about the possibilities. “Nothing would have ever compared to that.” His fingers intertwined with the omega’s, pulling his hand to place a kiss on the back of it, as if that gesture could erase the pain of so many years. “I would’ve raised Mino.”

“Well, it’s too late for ‘ what if’s ’ now.” Jiyong sighed and let go of his hand, taking the edge of the sheet to cover the rest of his body. “I think the only thing I regret is having involved Soohyuk in his life, he used to visit him when he was a baby, but over time he stopped doing it.. And he still waits for him every weekend.”

Seunghyun recalled his short interactions with the young teen, how he was so sweet to Jiyong and grumpy to the rest of the world. He was just a kid, and he had taken on a role that didn’t belong to him in order to protect the omega. “He’s a good kid.” He laid back on the bed, not knowing what else to say, but he extended his arm to let Jiyong lay on his chest. “Do you want another cigarette?”

“Mhmn, it’s dangerous to smoke in bed.” He shook his head, as if what they were doing right now wasn’t any more dangerous, cuddling after sex. “But you mentioned something about wine earlier.”

Seunghyun smiled as his mood seemed to improve, and he leaned down to place a kiss on his forehead still beaded with sweat, standing up to go get his underwear and the bottle. Jiyong joined him in the kitchen, and he ended up cooking something other than soup for them to eat.

“Do you want to stay over?”

He asked as he served a couple of fish fillets with vegetables that had Jiyong salivating, aware until that moment of how hungry they actually were. Seunghyun sat down next to him, passing him some chopsticks.

Jiyong glanced at him out of the corner of his eye with a couple of spoonfuls of rice in his mouth, making him look like a chipmunk. “I have to go with Mino.”

“I understand..” He passed a napkin to the omega, eating as well.

Jiyong gulped. “He really doesn’t like sleeping away from me, he has this..”

“Anxious attachment?” He asked amused, glancing over his shoulder as Jiyong ended up nodding, searching for something. “It’s okay, Iye is like that too.”

“Iye?” He watched as the alpha set aside his cutlery to stand up, grabbing a can on a shelf and shaking it until a cat appeared out of nowhere, stretching out gracefully in front of them. “I didn’t know you had a cat.”

“He doesn’t make much noise.” He gave him a treat for coming to where he had called him, petting behind his little ears afterwards. “Technically it’s not my cat, it’s yours.”

“Huhh?” His dinner went to second place as his eyes met the cat’s as he curiously approached his legs. “Why mine?”

Seunghyun smiled and sat back down in front of his plate. “I got him for you, in Japan. You said you wanted a kitten for your birthday.”

Jiyong gaped at the cat staring back at him. “An.. Abyssinian…” He recalled out loud and Seunghyun nodded with a smile on his lips.

Iye meowed until he took him in his arms, and his heart broke again as he snuggled up to him, kneading on his stomach. The omega covered his eyes and began to cry, his shoulders rising and falling until he felt Seunghyun’s hand on one of them. “Jiyong.”

“I’m sorry.” He breathed heavily, hugging the cat and caressing his face and ears. “I’m sorry, it’s just that, all this… I thought about the life we ​​could have had.” He sobbed again, shaking his head when the alpha opened his mouth. “And I feel guilty, for thinking about it, because I wouldn’t change Mino for anything.” The alpha lowered his head, and Jiyong stood up, leaving the cat on the chair while he wiped his tears. “I have to go.”

Seunghyun remained still, looking at him long for a couple of seconds before nodding, standing up. “I’ll walk you to the door.” He wanted to take him back into his arms and keep making amends for the rudeness of their encounter with affection, but the omega didn’t seem ready to receive it.

Jiyong had opened up for a moment there with him, giving him answers that he didn’t owe him, but that he had been waiting for so long. Seunghyun took his coat from the rack, placing it back around his shoulders. “Thank you.” He gave him a quick glance as he closed the buttons around his waist. “For everything.”

Seunghyun nodded, taking him by the shoulder when he tried to reach the doorknob.

“Are you going far?” He shook his head, tucking a couple of strands of hair behind his ear. “I can follow you, it’s late.”

“I’ll go take a shower at the apartment, we’re almost neighbors, you know?” Seunghyun shook his head, but he actually knew it. He found out several months ago, when they left a meeting late and he followed the black SUV to a building in his own neighborhood, on the other side of the river. “Then I’ll go to my parents’ house, the road is safe.. But thanks.”

Jiyong thanked him one last time and Seunghyun opened the door for him, letting him go. He followed his silhouette until he disappeared into the elevator, feeling strangely alone and empty.

He returned to the dining room to clean up, barely smiling a little when he saw Iye finishing eating Jiyong’s fish. “Silly cat.” He scratched his little head, picking up the rest of the plates before going back to his room.

The place had never smelled so good, Jiyong’s scent floating through the air and forcing him to miss him even in his dreams. For many years Seunghyun had deprived himself of sleeping with omegas because they left their scent on him like sticky honey, disgusting him, as nothing resembled the smell of the one he had loved the most.

Sleeping with betas wasn’t the same either, and he even tried to do it with another alpha at one point, but all he got from that was a couple of ugly scratches and a repulsive smell on his clothes and hair that took weeks to fade.

But now that he had him back, he realized that sleeping with Jiyong wasn’t enough. He wanted more of the sweet omega, and he was tormented by the idea that it was too late to get it.

Over the next few weeks he felt hope every time he appeared on the other side of the door, throwing himself into his arms to be carried back to the bed, and as good as it all felt, the boundary Jiyong had set with his gorgeous lips was becoming harder to respect.

Seunghyun watched with blackened eyes as the omega sat on his lap, riding him desperately and moaning without fear or shame of being heard by his neighbors. He watched him throw his head back and part his lips seconds before cumming, staining the pretty sheer fabric of the pastel pink babydoll as he too reached his orgasm from the way he squeezed him.

He forced himself to keep his eyes open to watch the omega come down, lying face down on the king-sized bed in the middle of his room. He stroked the soft black hair away from his sweat-beaded forehead, handing him a couple of tissues and a glass of water.

“Thank you..” The little voice sounded like a purr and Seunghyun couldn’t help but caress his back, running along the indentation at his waist, making him laugh and shiver. “ Mmn ...”

The alpha ended his journey with a squeeze to his ass that drew another moan from him, finally standing up. “Shall I fill the tub?” He watched as one of his eyes opened lazily. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

He heard another giggle that brightened his mood even further. Jiyong was usually all laughs and gentle caresses after sex, and Seunghyun figured that if that was all he could get from him, he would protect it like the most precious thing on earth. He emptied bubbles into the tub and turned on the hot water.

If it were anyone else he would have lit a couple of candles, but he wanted to get drunk on Jiyong’s scent. He glanced over his shoulder as he saw him shuffle into the bathroom, sitting on the edge of the tub to get rid of the lingerie that barely covered his body.

“I was hesitant about this, but it was fun.” He commented while undoing the stockings from the garter belt around his waist.

“I could tell you enjoyed it.” Seunghyun teased him, earning a tap on the shoulder as he sat down beside him to help him slide the second stocking off his leg. “Next time, I’ll get you a cowboy hat.”

“Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it, it was your idea.” He played along, ignoring his last comment. “Shower first?”

“Definitely.” He helped the omega stand up, feeling proud to be the one responsible for his shaky legs.

Somehow they always ended up like this, as if they hadn’t had enough with what they did in the bedroom, Seunghyun cornered Jiyong against the shower glass and put his long fingers inside him, under the excuse of cleaning him, but he didn’t take them out until he managed to get him to finish for the third or fourth time that day. After that, he had to carry him to the bathtub, but he wasn’t complaining, he looked even more precious when he was in his arms.

He had his head against his chest while massaging the omega’s tense shoulders, silently wondering how much he could be carrying on them without telling anyone.

“Thank you.” Seunghyun heard his murmur, completely relaxed in the warm water, and he buried his face in the damp hair, breathing in his sweet scent. “I needed this.”

He lowered his hands from his shoulders to his back, pressing at waist level to make it crack, releasing some tension. “Your Kaistkaraka has anything to do with it?”

They didn’t talk about their competition’s projects, but every time he saw Jiyong in the halls of the school he seemed to have his phone permanently glued to his ear. He heard him laugh, but finally nodded.

“It won’t be like the Akaraka , it will be.. Uhmn .” He moaned again when Seunghyun squeezed his waist, making it crack and interrupting him. “..It’ll be better, good God .” He sighed, looking at him over the shoulder. “Where did you learn to do that?”

Seunghyun shrugged, he just knew how to do it. “Am I invited?”

Jiyong stared back at him for several seconds before nodding. “What are you doing? I mean, everyone knows about the festival, but you..” He turned around to face him, sitting on his lap.

“We have different ways of working, I enjoy doing it in silence.” The omega rolled his eyes, and Seughyun smiled like an idiot at how pretty he looked at that moment.

Seunghyun could smell the college spirit in the air when he arrived on campus several days later and saw plenty of food trucks and mascots cheering on the students lining up to register for lectures and workshops, though he knew most of them were on campus on a Saturday morning for the artists who would be performing on the stage that was being set up.

He slipped through the tents that tried to cover the concert area, the alpha looked around, where some groups of young people with brand clothes and dyed hair were stretching, rehearsing dances or warming up their voices. They were probably idols, but he couldn't name any for dear life.

When he looked ahead, at the main stage, he furrowed his eyebrows as he watched Jiyong talking animatedly with the only artist he could name. The man was short, even a little shorter than the omega, but he had an impressive pair of muscles for a beta, or at least that's what he remembered he was from the years he listened to his music in the clubs.

He made his way through the crowd, the university badge around his neck giving him enough authority to not be questioned by the bodyguards. He climbed the stairs to the side of the stage, moving unsure of why to where Jiyong was talking to Taeyang , laughing at his jokes and lightly punching his massive arms.

“Is that really Taeyang?” He acted surprised, as if he was seeing a divine entity in front of him. The short man turned in his direction, smiling brightly as Jiyong’s face fell, curious at his reaction. “Oh, I’ve been a fan of yours since… How old were we when we were still dating?” Something about the way he worded the question implied that they were more than that now, and the omega’s eye twitched. “Anyway, Ji used to sing ‘even if I cheat on you, don’t you cheat on me, baby.’ all the time.”

Seunghyun sang every syllable of the song's chorus, but the superstar didn't seem bothered by it, on the contrary, he laughed even when Jiyong choked on his own saliva and started coughing.

“So it's been a long time, uhm..” The beta squinted his eyes to read his name tag. “ Doctor Choi? ”

“Oh, right, how rude of me..” He smirked, extending a hand in his direction. “My name is Seunghyun, I teach here too.”

“Nice to meet you, professor.”

They shook hands, and when Jiyong caught his breath he took the alpha's arm, as if he wanted to get him away from there and shorten their interaction as much as possible before he did something else.

“We have a meeting.” He added, much less relaxed than when they were alone, and Seunghyun put his arm around his shoulders, tensing him even more. “If you need anything, just call me.”

“Or you can call any of the university staff, they’ll probably get here faster than professor Kwon.” Seunghyun interrupted him, smiling at the beta and showing his dimples. “He’s small, three steps from him is one of anyone around here.”

He could see how he was about to protest, so he pulled him away, both of them getting off the stage where the concert would take place in a couple of hours. When they had their feet on the concrete, Jiyong shook off the hug, facing him angrily.

“What’s wrong with you? I’m not small .” Despite his words, Seunghyun had to stifle a laugh when he reminded him again of Iye when he got upset. “You’re an idiot.”

“Well, sorry for not letting you talk to Mr. Biceps.. Doesn’t he own a shirt with sleeves?” He turned to where the man was rehearsing some choreography with the rest of his dancers, lifting up his shirt at that moment, using it to wipe his face before throwing it to the floor, showing the muscles of his abdomen. “Oh, come on , he can’t be serious.”

He complained, then looking at Jiyong, who looked at the man with stars in his eyes and a goofy smile. Seunghyun sighed and snapped his fingers in front of his face to make him react. “What?”

“Self-control, Kwon.” He placed a hand on the center of his back again to push him away from there. “You look like a hungry dog ​​looking at a piece of meat.” Or like himself, when he saw the omega, but he preferred not to compare himself.

“Of course not.” He shrugged, searching in the pockets of his jacket for a pack, placing a cigarette between his lips. “Besides, I feel like we would only be good friends, who knows? Maybe in another life we ​​were.” He kept searching, now for his lighter, but Seunghyun was quicker to offer him a light when he turned to look at him with puppy eyes.

“Sure, and what were you two talking about?”

Jiyong took a deep drag on the cigarette, letting the smoke out of his nose, looking like a little dragon . “Babies.” He nodded, seeing the confusion on the alpha’s face. “He’s married and has a baby, he was telling me about how he didn’t let them get any sleep last night.”

Seunghyun felt like a fool, but how was he supposed to know that? “So, you were advising him.”

“No, not really.. I mean, Mino is turning fourteen and he still sleeps with me.” He laughed at the alpha’s face, only now being aware of the hand on his waist when a couple of students looked at them with interest from across the parking lot. He shook it off and Seunghyun walked away. “I was just giving him a glimpse of his future, or at least a possibility.. I don’t think everyone is like that.”

The alpha looked away, deciding to skip all the times he snuck into his own mother’s bed. Maybe it was an alpha thing , he thought.

“Whatever.” He ignored the cigarette the omega offered him, taking one of his own from his jacket. “I don’t smoke menthols.” He smiled when he saw him roll his eyes. “See you later, I’ll be in my office if you want to, you know.. ”

Jiyong saw him raise his eyebrows and, after a quick glance around to make sure they were alone, raised the middle finger of one of his hands in his direction, eliciting a laugh from the alpha.

“Dream on.”

Seunghyun didn’t really have much to do beyond reviewing some tests, since most of his students were now taking the omega’s class. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t expect Jiyong to show up in his office, but when the sun went down and a couple of laser lights came through his window, he packed up all his things and headed back out onto campus.

He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen so many students there at the same time, united by the same cause. The university didn’t have a sports team or other activities besides the science fair, so there weren’t usually many occasions where they interacted like that, crowding around a main stage.

A group of girls too young to know them danced in the center of it, and Seunghyun stepped away from the crowd, sitting down in the dark and practically empty bleachers. He scanned the place, wondering where Jiyong could be right now.

He didn’t have to wonder for long, when he appeared with a beer in each hand.

“How did you know I was here?” The alpha asked, watching as the omega shrugged, opening one bottle with the other before passing it to him. “Who are they? 2NE1 ?”

Jiyong burst out laughing, using his lighter to open his own bottle, taking a long swig before relaxing back on the bleachers. They weren’t the most comfortable seats, but he looked exhausted enough that he could get it. “You’re almost right.”

Seunghyun looked back ahead, trying to figure out who the girls on stage were, but he hadn’t brought his glasses. He sighed, he was really getting older , but from the students' reaction he knew that getting them to perform there must not have been an easy task for the omega.

Eventually the lights dimmed as they left the stage, and the sound of an electric guitar filled the campus that had suddenly gone completely silent. He turned to look at Jiyong, who was watching the show with a smile on his face and the beer between his beautiful lips, making him envy the bottle.

His gaze returned to the stage when a silhouette shot out, jumping several meters until landing on his feet with his arms outstretched at his sides. After a few seconds of silence, the man turned a couple of times before facing the audience and bringing the microphone to his lips.

“I'm forgetting you little by little, burying your memories.” Jiyong couldn't contain his excitement like the rest of the audience, screaming and standing up, making Seunghyun smile. “Like it's a typical dream, it’s alright. ”

“God, I love this song.” He laughed in delight, starting to dance and sing with the beer in one hand as if he was alone. “I try to smile again, but when your thick scent passes through me, I die, it kills me inside .” Seunghyun gulped down the beer, staring straight ahead, trying to ignore how much the lyrics were affecting him. But each new verse made him think that the beta had written that song about them while the omega sang it animatedly. “I scream like I’m crazy, hands in the air! ” He raised his arms when he said the last, spilling the beer around him and on the alpha. “ Oops , sorry.”

Seunghyun shook his head, standing up as well, remembering some of the lyrics that used to be on every radio station almost ten years ago.

“I get drunk on the music, holding on to the end of the night as I dance.” He shouted along with the omega, who swayed his hips back and forth. “And when I think of you..” He sighed, bringing the beer to his mouth when he felt his throat dry. “It’s already one a.m..”

I think of you, my heart aches, I can’t stop thinking about you, can’t stop.

Before he knew it, the bottle was empty, and even though his head felt light he knew it wasn’t the alcohol that was having that effect on him. Jiyong was in a similar state, even as the songs changed and he spilled more beer on the floor with his sensual movements.

And Seunghyun smiled, feeling young again , younger than ever despite how old the halls of the school and its students made him feel.

“ For worse or for better, just stay with me forever. ” Jiyong shouted even when Taeyang didn’t, looking at Seunghyun. “What? It’s the fanchart .”

“I think you’re the only one who knows it here.” The alpha ended up sliding behind him, taking advantage of the lonely and remote space, and Jiyong let him place his huge hands on him. “ Your body is so beautiful. ” He sang as he moved on to the next song, Seunghyun didn’t know it, but it was repetitive enough to murmur the lyrics in the laughing omega’s ear. “I got that body, you got that body, now, you and me, let’s make somebody.”

“ My head, shoulders, knees, and feet it’s better than yours! ”

He laughed and rubbed himself against the alpha, stifling a moan when he felt a couple of kisses on his neck. Jiyong bit his lower lip, moving away again a few minutes later, only to dance freely to Ringa Linga , shaking his head and waist as Seunghyun returned to his seat, trying to hide the bulge in his pants after having had him so close.

Jiyong sat down beside him to catch his breath as the tune changed, much slower as the singer took a break and the time to say a few words.

“I feel like you hired him for yourself.” Seunghyun tried to tease him, lighting a cigarette.

“What are you talking about? They’re loving it too.” He pointed at the audience around the stage, glancing at them with a smile. “Plus, I brought them a bunch of new artists too.” Seunghyun nodded at him, lighting the cigarette the omega placed between his own lips. “God, I haven’t even had time for this.”

The alpha laughed, feeling a little less vicious, as his family and friends used to call him whenever he pulled out a cigarette. They both looked ahead as the beta started singing again. The dancers had left the stage, and now he was sitting on a high stool in front of a microphone.

“ I still love you .” He started, and Seunghyun turned embarrassingly quickly in the direction of the omega who remained still. “ I wanted to tell you, from the one who couldn’t take it anymore and finally gave up. I miss you more than I hate you, I want you more than I’m sad… Is this all? ” He let out the smoke in his lungs, surrounding the two of them in a tobacco-scented haze. “ If we ran into each other, what would happen? I think I would hide from you in the crowd, even if these are just insignificant feelings. ”

They couldn’t let themselves get carried away by the atmosphere that had suddenly formed between the two, not after so much, and definitely not after so many years.

“ I worry during the day, the medicine of time has passed, but this ain’t it. ” Jiyong followed the song almost silently, he knew it well because his first car didn’t have a Bluetooth player, and for a long time Rise was the only album he kept in there. “ I miss you more than I hate you. ” He repeated, aware of the intense gaze on him. “ It was so natural from the start, like a long-time couple, and now it’s nothing more than insignificant memories. ”

“But this ain’t it.”

Jiyong turned to the alpha, he hadn’t sung , he had said it . He felt his cheeks warm and stubbed out the cigarette under his foot, holding his gaze.

“ I tried to empty my heart that was full of you, hoping something movie-like would happen to me. ” Without really realizing it, they were getting closer to each other. “ Even I feel bad for myself, that I wanted to bury this love that has ended, but this ain’t it. ”

Seunghyun swallowed hard when Jiyong batted his eyelashes near his face, looking so damn beautiful. His lips itched to kiss him the way they had so many years ago, locked away from the world in the closet of Jiyong’s room at his parents’ house. Somehow , he ended up taking him in his arms, the omega looking up at him as Seunghyun caressed his face and brushed his hair away from his face, using his thumb to outline his lips that trembled in an effort not to kiss him.

At the end of the day, some things didn’t change.

“Hyung.” He called out, holding onto the lapels of his jacket. Seunghyun looked him in the eyes again so he knew he was listening, but the omega didn’t seem to have the courage to ask for what he wanted. “Hyung..”

“Tell me.” He replied, now holding his chin. His smile grew wider when he saw him swallow and part his lips on his own. “I won’t, unless you ask me to.. I swear I won’t.”

He thought he would complain and roll his eyes, but his gaze darkened as the small hands on his clothes pulled him forcefully in his direction, so they could kiss .

Seunghyun stifled a groan at how good that pair of velvety lips felt against his, transporting him back in time, and despite the noise around them, all he could hear was the other's heartbeat mixing with his own inside his head. The omega’s mischievous tongue licked his lips until he managed to part them, its sweet taste mixing with that of the beer and cigarettes.

Jiyong placed each of his hands on one side of the alpha’s face, holding on to them to move until he was straddling his lap, kissing him hungrily, wanting more. Seunghyun slid his hands down the small of his back, keeping one on his waist while the other went straight to his ass, squeezing one of his cheeks over his pants.

“Shit, hyung.” He moaned against lips, separating to catch his breath but keeping their foreheads together, with no time to think things over. “Let’s go, please .”

Seunghyun smiled against his lips, stealing another short but deep kiss, one of those that completely drained his oxygen. “But he hasn’t sung Eyes, Nose, Lips yet..”

“ Fuck that , I heard it so many times that..” He held his own head, yelping in surprise when Seunghyun stopped protesting and stood up, holding him by the ass before setting him down, but still holding his hand.

Jiyong looked at him with a red face and pulled him along, quickly advancing up the stairs to get off the bleachers, running across the grass field that was also empty, and only stopping when they reached the hallways that were created between the faculty buildings to kiss again, Seunghyun pinning him for long seconds against the wall, killing his breath.

When they finally reached the parking lot, they pushed each other into the alpha’s small car, the first one they found , and ate each other’s faces in a way they hadn’t done before. Jiyong was jealous with his lips and kisses, and Seunghyun’s blood pressure went up just thinking that something had changed for the better between them.

Despite the rush and how careless they were being, it felt more intimate than ever. The alpha sat on the passenger side with the omega on his lap, who was desperately searching for the lever to move the seat back.

“Over here..” Seunghyun murmured when they separated for air and he lifted Jiyong’s shirt, seeing his cute chest and soft abdomen. Jiyong moved the seat as much as he could to make enough room to kneel in front of him, desperately undoing the alpha’s leather belt. “What..?”

Jiyong looked up at him from where he was before pulling the hard dick out of his underwear, running his hot tongue along its length. He cursed under breath and brought a hand to his forehead, slipping the other through Jiyong’s long locks.

“ I like you. ” He murmured, licking the pink head before passing it over his lips, the precum shining and looking like the gloss he used to use. “I’m doing this because I really like you, Seunghyun.” He repeated his words before opening his mouth and swallowing as much of it as he could.

“ Fuck , Jiyong, ah.” Despite his thick voice, a moan that bordered on high-pitched escaped his throat as he fumbled to keep it in. He moved his hips back as Jiyong coughed with his member in his mouth, but didn’t let him pull it out completely before sucking on it, feeling a tongue swirl around the sensitive skin. “Ji…”

“ Mhmn ..” The murmur made him laugh as he felt his throat vibrate around him, as his head rose and fell along his length, his hands clenched into fists around the part he couldn’t fit in his mouth.

Seunghyun took a second to see him there, between his legs, as he had fantasized about for so long, and realized that things couldn’t have been any other way. Jiyong let him go to catch his breath, his saliva-wet dick sticking to his cheek as he breathed with his mouth open before taking it in again, sharing glances the whole time.

“Relax your jaw.” He instructed, brushing the hair from his forehead as he felt the omega do as he asked. “Now your throat, I’m going to fuck your mouth.” He warned him, and saw a flash in the other’s gaze, letting go of his member to rest his open hands on his thighs covered by dark pants. “ Good , you do it so well.”

He adjusted his grip on his hair and began to thrust his hips, going all the way to the knot in his mouth, forcing him to breathe exclusively through his nose as he pulled back for a couple of seconds before thrusting in again. He felt the other's nails digging into the fabric covering his legs, and he tightened his grip on his hair to keep his head still, fucking him until tears began to run down the omega's cheeks from the effort, but something in his gaze begged him to not stop.

Seunghyun dropped back into the seat after several seconds like that, thinking they would take a break, but Jiyong didn't let him go, burying his face between his legs until he had no choice but to move away for air. Jiyong threw his head back but kept his hand on his penis, his caresses becoming easier because of how wet his mouth had left it.

“Give me.. One second…” Jiyong mumbled, looking completely fucked, while his chest rose and fell as he tried to control his breathing. Seunghyun reached out his hand to wipe away the mess on his face.

“It’s okay.” He cupped his cheek, stopping him as he tried to go back to his crotch. “Jiyong, this is amazing, but if you want me to..”

“I want you to cum.” He cut him off, a mischievous grin crossing his face before he went back to licking him. “ I wanna taste you. ”

“You can’t say things like that while looking this pretty.” Seunghyun sighed and held his hair again, using his other hand to take his own member and point it at his face. “Open wide.”

Jiyong held himself in place, lips parted as Seunghyun jerked himself off, biting his lips to keep from letting out grunts that could sound all the way to the outside. The omega looked so cute , watching him from below as he waited patiently for him to finish.

The alpha dropped his head back against the backrest as long white threads shot out towards his mouth, landing on his tongue and splashing the rest of Jiyong’s face.

Seunghyun was breathing heavily, but he still pulled the handkerchief out of his jacket to wipe away what had dripped over one of his eyes, and the omega swallowed. “Mhmn, salty .”

He couldn’t help but laugh, taking him under the arms to lift him up and reach out to kiss him, tasting himself on Jiyong’s lips, separating seconds later. “You’re right.”

Jiyong joined in his laughter, looking down to see the member that remained raised again, the knot at the base throbbing when he touched it.

“Does it hurt?” He asked innocently, and Seunghyun shook his head without needing to turn around. “Does it really not hurt? ”

“It doesn’t, I’m just… a little sensitive.” He shrugged and searched his gaze, giving him full attention when he saw him tilt his head. “Oh, you mean..” Jiyong nodded with red cheeks, curiosity showing in the way he was touching him. “Are you wet?”

“Hyung.”

“Come on, you just sucked me off in a parking lot.” He laughed at his mortified expression, placing a kiss on his forehead as he pressed his hands around his waist. “Are you wet?” He repeated, and Jiyong nodded shyly, so different from the attitude he had a couple of minutes ago. “Then it won’t hurt, it’s logical.”

“It’s huge.” He sighed, hand still around his member, working another erection into him as he looked at him hesitantly. “I.. I think I want it, but if it hurts...”

“If it hurts, I can always stop.” He sighed as he felt him squeeze him, but kept their gazes. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

“But, I want to .” He insisted, releasing his member to open his own pants, until Seunghyun stopped him.

“Wait.” He held his hands and placed a kiss on them before pulling them away. “Let’s go somewhere else.” He could see the disagreement on his face, completely desperate for more . “What are we going to do if something happens, someone comes, and I’m stuck inside you?”

“Don’t be vulgar.” He placed a finger over his lips, but nodded in agreement. “But your apartment is far away.”

Seunghyun adjusted his pants and left Jiyong in the passenger seat to move in front of the wheel, start the car and leave the campus.

“Let’s go to a motel.”

Jiyong bit his lower lip, making the inside of the car smell sweet as he snuggled into the leather seat, placing his hands between his thighs.

“I’ve never been to a motel.” He confessed in a whisper, looking at him with adoration and red lips from his spot. Seunghyun smiled at him, reaching out to take his hand, going perhaps a little faster than he should have. “But I haven’t done.. That either, so…”

“ That ?” He asked, turning to look at him for a second, trying to figure it out until the realization dawned on him. “You’ve never..? Oh ...”

Jiyong laughed and nodded at him. “I liked it.”

“I noticed.” He squeezed his hand when the omega pulled him in for a touch, and Seunghyun tightened his grip on the wheel as he guided it to his chest. “It doesn’t always have to be like this, you know? I’m sorry if I was too.. Rough .”

He said that last bit as he pulled on one of his nipples, making him hiss at the force with which he did it.

“I think I like it rough.”

Seunghyun looked at him again for a millisecond before moving from the fast lane to the other side to get off the road, taking off his suit jacket to hand it to the omega. “Put this on, I’m going to roll down the window.”

Jiyong nodded and slid his arms into the wide sleeves, closing the buttons and then turning his face away when the alpha spoke to the person inside the booth, passing him some bills and his ID . Two minutes later, Seunghyun was pulling his car into the garage of one of the rooms.

“Why do I feel like you come here often?” He asked, his tone betraying the jealousy he was trying to contain.

“Here I summon the students who want to pass my class.” He said in a serious voice, until Jiyong’s expression made him burst out laughing. “I’m kidding you.. We’re two hours away from Seoul, it’s not good to drive while sleepy.”

“Fool.” Jiyong sighed, keeping a hand on his own chest but finally agreeing with him. He watched him get out of the car and walk to his side to open the door for him and grab him by the ass with a single hand.

He walked with him into the room, while Jiyong placed kisses along his neck and jaw, returning to his frantic and needy state in a second. Seunghyun threw him onto the bed and kicked off his shoes so he could pull his tight pants off his legs, looking down at him with a look that made the omega moan and arch his back.

“You look good in my clothes.” His voice sounded husky, unbuttoning his jacket before pulling away to give him another long, lascivious look. He could see his chest rapidly moving, his stomach contracting and his underwear tightening around his member.

“A picture will last you longer.” He dug his elbows into the mattress and spread his legs to give him a better view, and when their gazes met, an idea flashed in his eyes.

“You wouldn’t allow it..” Seunghyun murmured and Jiyong smiled mischievously, reaching into his pants to pull out his phone and aim the camera at the alpha while he pulled him by the tie to join their lips, feeling the next flash on their faces as they kissed.

Jiyong pulled his lower lip between his own for one last photo before passing him the device, settling back on the bed in just his underwear and the jacket falling from one of his shoulders. “Come on, hurry up, I want you to fuck me.”

“ God , Jiyong.” He called out to him as he saw him pose, and Seunghyun raised the phone with shaking hands to focus it on him and take a couple of photos, holding the omega gently by the neck to capture his pretty face and full lips. “Give me a kiss for the camera.”

The younger laughed and raised his lips, squeezing his eyes shut when the flash got that close. Seunghyun threw the phone onto the bedside table to throw himself at the omega, freeing him from the jacket before taking the lace covering his intimacy to slide it away from his body, his mouth watering at the smell of him completely ready for him.

Jiyong also undid his tie and the buttons on his shirt, feeling the warm skin of his chest against the omega’s as Seunghyun leaned in to kiss him again. It all felt so good , the closeness, filling him with a sense of belonging he had never experienced before.

He wrinkled his nose when they parted and felt a pair of fingers suddenly inside him, the alpha moving down to his chest to play with his nipples.

“Seunghyun, stop playing.” He whined between moans, clinging to the sheets under his body to control the spasms he was feeling. “ Please , I can’t wait any longer.” Seunghyun scraped the skin of his chest with his teeth, sending another shiver down his spine, and Jiyong dug his fingers into the white strands of his hair to push him away before he made him finish from that. “I want you, now .”

“Patience.” He smiled over his face and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket to search for a condom in it, but Jiyong’s patience ran out when he saw him make a scared face. “I.. I thought I had one in here, I must have taken it out.” He swallowed hard and quickly stood up, searching for his shirt. “There’s a vending machine in the hallway, I’ll be right back.”

“I’m gonna kill you.” The omega growled, covering his face before rolling over on the bed until he was face down, listening to the sound of the door opening, closing his eyes for a moment, trying not to overthink what was happening.

He had acted proud in front of Seunghyun for so long, and now all he wanted was to shout out how much he loved him and have the alpha say it back. His lips burned at the thought of Seunghyun’s lips, and his entire body pulsed with the desire to be taken into his strong arms.

Jiyong wanted to be his in the same way he hoped Seunghyun wanted to belong to him. Not only like this, lost in some motel, he also wanted to have him by his side on sunday mornings and Christmas.

He got so lost in his own thoughts that it was impossible not to feel a chill when the door opened again, hearing the sound of the alpha’s shoes being thrown somewhere in the room before he got back in bed with him.

“I’m back.” Jiyong smiled as he turned him around, the box of condoms falling to the side of his head, and he didn’t hesitate to take it and open one while Seunghyun unbuttoned his shirt and pants again. He took his dick in one hand when it became within reach and slid the latex off with effort, turning to look at the alpha when it didn’t quite fully cover it. “ Ugh , it’s tight.”

“Well, it’s better than nothing.” Jiyong sighed, pulling him close when Seunghyun seemed to hesitate. “Come on, inside. Now.”

The alpha chuckled and kissed his neck before going to his lips, settling between the legs that Jiyong closed around his hips again. He bit his lip when he pushed inside him, sliding in easily all the way.

He held onto his shoulders and sought out his lips again, small whimpers escaping the back of his throat at how good it made him feel just to be inside him. Jiyong wanted more of that, he wanted all of him.

“Just so you know, I like you too .” The unsteady, husky voice made him shudder, taking a second to understand what he was saying. Seunghyun was responding to what he had said when he knelt down in front of him in the car. “ A lot .” He continued, placing small kisses down his cheek until he reached his ear. “Maybe more than I should.”

The omega slid his hands from his shoulders to the strong biceps to hold on to them as Seunghyun began to thrust into him, drawing a series of high-pitched moans from him as he tried to think of a response to that.

But how much was too much?

“Seunghyun, I… Oh! ” He arched his back as he hit the spot he needed, making him roll his eyes and buck his hips against his will.

He felt lips over his ear, kissing it adoringly and letting him hear all the effort he was putting into making him feel good. Seunghyun was growling, and Jiyong showed his neck instinctively.

He heard the alpha’s soft laugh and felt a kiss on the teeth scars, covered by the ink that painted one of the wings on his neck. “Why are you trusting me with this?” He whispered, thrusting hard to steal his breath.

“ Because ..” He tried to answer, closing his eyes when he pushed back inside him. “I know you won't hurt me.” He let his weak legs fall, and Seunghyun didn't hesitate to take one to bring it to his shoulder, reaching even deeper inside him. Jiyong brought his hands to his cheeks, guiding him to his face. “Because you like me.”

He smiled against his lips, and the alpha nodded, looking awfully innocent for what they were doing before kissing him. Seunghyun caressed the skin of his legs and then raised himself enough to take the omega's forgotten member in his hand.

The way he moved and shook he knew it wouldn’t take him much longer to finish, only needing a couple more moves to make him spill over his belly, arching his back and squeezing Seunghyun inside him.

“ That’s it. .” He encouraged, slowing his pace to extend his pleasure as long as possible. Jiyong sobbed in pleasure in the midst of ecstasy, moaning with his mouth wide open for Seunghyun, trying to regain the air he’d lost when he forgot how to breathe for several seconds. “Can you give me one more?”

“W..What? Uhmn .” His mouth had turned to water, and his brain felt melted from the devastating orgasm that he barely understood what he was saying, but the strong hips slamming into his cheeks brought him back to the present, forcing him to cling to his arms again. “Seunghyun!”

“I want to see that face again.” He groaned, frowning at the closeness, but the urge to take all of Jiyong was greater. He saw the almond eyes staring back at him, lips parted and small moans escaping with each thrust. “Come on, let me see it.”

“Seunghyun..” His voice became small, soft, giving away how good it had felt and how overstimulated he was at that moment, like he was going to die from the pleasure. “Hyung, please, Oh! ”

The alpha slammed his open hand down onto his wet ass, causing an obscene smack sound throughout the room. “You drive me completely crazy..” He squeezed the skin he’d spanked, feeling it heat up under his touch. “And it’s always been that way, ever since I first saw your little angel face.” He kissed his jaw, scraping his teeth there as well, making sure to leave a mark of his love. “I never in my wildest dreams imagined you’d feel as good as you look.”

“Hyung..” He called out to him again, his back permanently arched by this point, and Seunghyun licking the sweaty skin of his chest. “Seunghyun, I… I feel like I’m going to die if you keep this up.”

“Oh, Jiyong.” He smiled, but his eyebrows furrowed as he felt him tighten around his dick. The omega smiled at him and brushed the hair away from his sweaty forehead, looking for his eyes.

“Give me your knot.” He murmured in a sensual voice, and those simple words pushed Seunghyun to his limit.

He wasn’t one to deny Jiyong anything, so he spread his legs further apart and brought a couple of fingers to where their bodies met, using them to open him up just enough to push his knot inside him.

“Does it hurt?” The younger hissed, but ultimately denied, enjoying the way Seunghyun stretched him far more than he thought was possible.

“No, it feels so good.. Keep going, please.” The alpha nodded and sighed before slamming into his warm passage, the worst lasting only a few seconds before Jiyong screamed his name again as he felt him deeper than ever.

His vision blurred and his head felt light as he reached his orgasm, but smiled to himself as he watched the omega writhe in his own pleasure as he finished between their bodies again.

“Ji..” He called out in the middle of a sigh, urgently seeking his lips. He kissed him and hugged him tightly before turning their bodies to lay back on the bed and place the omega on his chest. “ Mhmn .”

Jiyong pulled away with a sigh and dropped his head, smiling as he heard the alpha’s fluttering heart. He closed his eyes, enjoying the post-orgasmic pleasure until he felt it. “Uhh, why..? ” The omega lazily rose, wrinkling his nose as he felt strangely warm. “ Seung ..”

“Are you hurting?” He asked hoarsely, feeling uneasy at the sight of his expression. “What’s wrong?”

“The condom.” He said, alarmed. “I think it broke.”

Seunghyun held his forehead, concentrating on the sensation, and his own face fell as he felt it too. “Oh…” Jiyong buried his face in the other’s chest, and the alpha looked at him with worried eyes, feeling guilty for putting him in this situation until the omega’s giggle infected him, covering his eyes with a hand. “Well, what are we going to call him?”

He felt a soft slap on the shoulder and turned to look at Jiyong when he moved, raising his head. “ Postday .”

“Mhmm, I prefer one-syllable names.” Seunghyun hugged him tighter, stroking his hair. “I like Ara , if it’s a girl.”

Jiyong leaned back against his chest, closing his eyes as Seunghyun caressed his back. “What if it’s a boy?”

“I’ll let you choose.” He ignored him, drawing figures over his skin, distracting himself with that while he waited to get off his lap.

He liked those moments with Seunghyun, when everyone and everything around them stopped for a few minutes and it was just the two of them, no competitions in between. In that instant the sweet words he said to him were the only thing that kept him awake.

“Hyung..” Seunghyun murmured to let him know he was listening, and Jiyong’s lips trembled. “ You , I mean… We ..” The alpha nodded, turning in his direction. “ What are we doing? ”

The question took him by surprise, although he had asked himself that question many times before. He stroked the soft hair away from his face to catch a glimpse of his almond-colored eyes and the doubt that gnawed at them.

“If you don’t mind, and I can be honest with you..” Jiyong shook his head, not taking his eyes off him. “I didn’t want to tell you, but we’re acting like idiots and wasting our time. Both of us.”

He saw the pretty face worry, and knew that if they weren’t stuck , Jiyong would probably have gotten up and left. “But..”

“Let me finish.” He ran his thumb over his swollen bottom lip. “I told you, I like you, I really like you, and I want more than this from you.. But I don’t know if you want the same.” His finger traveled up to rest beneath one of his hazel eyes, wiping away the tear that threatened to run down his cheek.

“I like you too, and I definitely want more than this.” He confessed, feeling like an awkward teenager saying it, but if he thought about it, Seunghyun had always had that effect on him. His heart skipped a beat as he saw a smile forming on his thin lips. “..I just… I’d like to understand why.”

The alpha continued to watch him, cupping his cheek.

“I used to wonder the same thing, why? Why out of so many people, it was always you.” He murmured, as if anyone else in the lonely room could hear him. “I tried dating others, but omegas made me nauseous and betas were boring, I even tried sleeping with another alpha in my desperation to forget you… It didn’t end well.” He laughed when the omega did. “When you showed up again, I realized it was all because despite the years I could still smell you in my memories, I remembered your favorite songs and how you used to sing them at the top of your lungs while I was driving.” He saw his cheeks heating up in real time, but he had nowhere to hide, not when they were so close. “I remembered that gesture you make with your hand when you get nervous, how you touch your forehead and cheeks.” Jiyong stopped from wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, bursting into laughter when Seunghyun did. “Every little detail, I decided not to forget, because you are the one I have cherished the most. The one I loved the most… And I think it might be similar for you, because I gave you the chance to escape and end this so many times, but you always came back.” He shook his head when he tried to answer, he wasn't done yet . “And that doesn't make you weak or a reason to feel ashamed, I guess it was your way of fighting for us when I had given up.”

Jiyong looked at him for several seconds, processing his words as he wondered how such beautiful things could exist in the world, and yet Seunghyun provoked so much more in him with a simple glance.

“No matter how hard I tried to push you away from me, I just couldn't let you go.” He confessed back, reaching for one of his hands to intertwine their fingers. “I'm happy to have found you again, and I hope this time it's forever.”

Seunghyun smiled and raised his other hand, lifting his pinky finger to seal their promise , Jiyong reciprocating immediately. “ Forever .”

They both kissed again, slow, soft and tired, but never from each other . They separated with a moan when the knot went down enough so the member could slip out of his interior.

Seunghyun brought their lips together as he rolled him over, laying him back on his back before lazily pulling away from him. “Water?” He asked, aware of his dry throat, and Jiyong nodded in agreement.

He followed him with his gaze, biting his lower lip at the sight of his strong back and firm ass as he stood up to get his clothes, disposing of what was left of the condom at the base of his dick in the trash can. They had gotten so wrapped up in their feelings that for a second Jiyong had forgotten that Seunghyun had come inside him and knotted him up. He sighed, thinking that whatever happened, at least it would have been worth it.

Seunghyun left the room when he got dressed, Jiyong assumed to the vending machine, and stood up to check his phone and make sure everything was still in order at the festival. Thankfully he had no calls or messages that required him on campus, thanking his past self for having everything in order with plans A , B , and C in case something went wrong.

He jumped slightly when the alpha returned, quickly closing the door behind him when he saw him standing fully naked in the center of the room. Jiyong glanced at him over his shoulder, setting the phone back down on the small desk when he didn’t take his eyes off him. “What?”

He gulped hard, as Seunghyun opened the bottle, drinking a bit before passing it to him.

“Look at that..” Even though he had just taken a drink of water, his voice sounded deep and raspy. Jiyong tried to see what he saw, failing until he turned him around so his back was to a mirror. “ What a sight. ” The omega looked down at his ass and thighs, thick ropes of semen sliding from his inside. He turned red up to his ears, letting go of the bottle to hide his face in Seunghyun’s strong chest.

“Hyung.” He could feel one of the huge hands collecting the fluids, moaning when he pushed them with his fingers right back inside him. “ Mhmn ..”

With his free hand he took the omega’s face, kissing him softly while his fingers continued to fuck his soft and dilated entrance. “Ji..” He called under his breath, and sighed against his lips when the almond-colored eyes turned to look up at him. “Please, let me make love to you.”

Jiyong smiled between soft moans, letting the alpha take him in his arms again and throw him in the center of the bed, losing himself between his legs to join their bodies again for the rest of the night.

Chapter Text

pinky promise?

pt. 3

Jiyong read the instructions on the box several times, alternating his eyes between it and the test in his other hand. He sighed, now thinking with a cool head how reckless he could get when he was hot .

He uncovered the test and placed it between his legs, thinking about rivers and waterfalls to pee over the sponge, putting the plastic lid back on to wait the next five minutes. He stood up and buttoned his pants, leaving the test on the sink while washing his hands, looking back in the mirror and remembering in flashbacks the endless and exhausting nights with a newborn.

The relationship with Seunghyun was still too new to be sure he would stay by his side if something like that happened.

Although, thinking about it, he had made a pinky promise …

Jiyong took a quick glimpse at the watch on his wrist and sighed in distress when he realized that by now he should be on his way to his classroom, for the first lecture of the day. He took the test and opened the door of the teachers' bathroom, passing it to the alpha who was waiting for him with his back against one of the surrounding walls.

“Here, take it.” Seunghyun looked at it for a few seconds before putting it away when he heard footsteps nearby. “One line is negative, two lines is positive.” Jiyong moved his hair away from his forehead, looking at the alpha with worried eyes. “Don't tell me anything until the end of the day if it's positive, although if it's negative... Don't tell me either, I'd rather just wait to see it with you.”

“Fine.” Despite the state the omega was in, Seunghyun couldn't help but smile, taking a quick look around before taking Jiyong by the waist and leaving a short kiss on his lips. “But just so you know, I've already seen a couple of tutorials on how to change diapers.”

Jiyong looked at him terrified by what he had just said, while Seunghyun kept that silly expression on his face that completely melted his heart. The omega walked away regretfully, finally making his way to the classroom as his stomach stopped, thinking about the possibilities.

“Good morning guys, sorry I’m late.” Everyone looked just as excited as they had during their first class, and the omega couldn’t help but smile back, starting one of the longest classes he had ever taught.

The next few hours passed painfully slowly, and even as one group of young students left and the next came, the seconds seemed to tick by slower and slower on his smartwatch, fueling his anxiety.

As his last class began to put away their computers, Jiyong leaned his hips against the desk, and the notification with Seunghyun’s name too tempting to simply ignore. He pressed the tab that showed on the watch screen to read the message.

‘What did two lines mean?’

And then, he felt the cold sweat on the back of his neck and how everything around him was moving in slow motion as his heart pounded hard inside his chest. For God’s sake, was he really going to have a baby with Seunghyun?

A thousand things ran through his head at that second, the embarrassment of having to explain that to everyone at the university was so big that quitting sounded much easier. He grabbed onto the edge of the desk with his free hand in a grip slippery from the sweat caused by nerves when he remembered his parents, and Mino…

How would he explain it to Mino? He was only planning to formally introduce Seunghyun to his son that day.

He put his other hand back on the desk and the quick movement made him dizzy and nauseous, the same kind he had been feeling for the last week and that had encouraged him to take a pregnancy test in the first place. He covered his mouth with a hand, feeling mouth watering just before the instinct to run to the nearest bathroom hit him like a punch in the face.

Jiyong had to push a couple of people along the way, he would apologize to them later, but he was sure that anyone would prefer that over ending up bathed in puke. He pushed open the door to the bathroom he had been in a couple of hours earlier, dropping to his knees in front of the toilet to empty the contents of his stomach.

His cheeks felt wet from tears, too, he wasn't sure if from shock of the news or the effort his body was making by throwing up, most likely a combination of both.

“Profesor Kwon? Are you okay?” He had entered so fast that he didn't bother to close the door, and a student peeked in as he flushed the toilet, nodding weakly at her.

“I..I am, I'm fine.” He tried to smile at her to get the worried expression off her face and tried to stand up, but the sudden lack of strength on his legs made him turn to look at the girl, full of embarrassment. “Can you give me a hand?”

She nodded quickly, lending him her arms and strength to help him up, leaning against the wall to catch his breath.

“Ji..?” The omega tensed up at the familiar voice, then saw Seunghyun peeking in, clearing his throat at the sight of his company. “Kwon, are you okay?” He wanted to put his hands around his neck. They were having a baby and he was speaking to him formally . “Thank you, I’ll take him to the infirmary.”

The girl seemed hesitant, but finally offered them a bow before leaving to leave them alone there when Jiyong nodded at her, and as soon as Seunghyun put his hands on him, he burst into tears, holding onto his shoulders.

Being completely honest, he was terrified , perhaps more so than the first time he found out he was having a baby. That is to say, his physical, mental and financial state were infinitely better now, but things with the alpha were just starting to make sense to add something like that to the equation, and Jiyong didn't want to lose him again.

“I'm sorry, it's just that I..” He sobbed, wiping his tears and snot with the sleeves of his jacket. “Sorry, all this... I told you to wait to tell me!”

“To tell you what?” He asked, looking like an idiot, and by looking at the omega’s serious expression his whole face changed. “Oh, Ji, nonono .. I was playing.” He laughed nervously, searching in his pocket for the test, getting it close to his face. “One line, it's negative , I just wanted to tease you.. I was already on my way to the auditorium to...”

He couldn't say anything else when Jiyong placed a hand over his mouth, restraining himself from doing anything worse. “Are you serious?” The older man nodded, pointing at the wand again. “I almost threw up in front of the class.” He accused him, even growling a little, and Seunghyun relaxed his eyebrows. “And for a moment, for a millisecond, I imagined how pretty a baby boy with your eyes and my lips would be.”

He said that last part more calmly, releasing the older man to go rinse his mouth at the sink. “Well, you’re wrong about that.” Jiyong looked up, watching him curiously through the mirror. “Because if we have a baby someday, she’ll be a girl.”

Seunghyun finally managed to get a laugh out of him, and with that the alpha felt satisfied. First mission accomplished , although the hardest part had just begun.

“Come on, or we won’t get there in time to pick Mino up.”

Seunghyun loosened his tie a little, following the omega at a safe distance while he remembered step by step his plan to win the boy over. Although Jiyong reassured him that Mino was going to take it well, he had a weird feeling that was most likely born from their first interactions and the bite-attack from months before.

“I was thinking..” He caught Jiyong’s attention as he fastened his seatbelt in the passenger seat, watching the omega do the same in front of the wheel. “Shouldn’t we go to the doctor? You’ve been throwing up for a week.”

Jiyong clicked his tongue and shook his head, ignoring the reverse camera screen, placing an arm behind the seat where Seunghyun was sitting to turn around and get out of the parking space.

“They always tell me the same thing, cigarettes, stress, skipping meals.” He shrugged, remembering then that from the first moment he thought he might be expecting a baby he hadn’t smoked, and his mouth watered at the thought of the combined taste of a redbull and his second biggest vice, since the first one now seemed to be Seunghyun. “Oh my God, give me a cigarette, please.”

The alpha chuckled but couldn’t deny him, not when he himself was killing for one at that moment, and Jiyong rolled down the windows when he handed it to him. “How did you start smoking?” He asked, and the younger man glanced back before sighing.

“Because you used to smell like cigarettes, and I missed you.” He answered as he passed a couple of cars on the highway that separated Daejeon from Seoul. “Obviously it was some time later, when Mino was two or three years old... After..” He choked a little on the smoke as he pointed at his own chest, seeing a twisted smile appear on Seunghyun’s face. “Don't even think about it, and don't you dare mention it, I'm talking about how much I missed you.”

“Okay, sorry .” Despite the apology, he still laughed, earning a challenging look. “Shit, how could I miss that?”

“You missed fourteen years of my life and that's your biggest regret?” Seunghyun forced himself to deny, but Jiyong burst out laughing at the sight. “But seriously, I thought about talking to you at your sister’s wedding, but you showed up with Hyunseung and had your hands over him all night long.”

He felt Jiyong’s hand on his leg, keeping the cigarette in the one on the steering wheel, and looked at him again. The omega was driving confidently, so different from how anxious he got despite all the years he’d been doing it. “I’m sorry about that, too.”

Jiyong saw him smile, leaving lost time behind, and they had a calm conversation until the omega turned the corner of the boy’s school.

“Relax.” He tried to cheer the alpha up when he noticed how tense he was, looking anxiously out the window, looking for Mino. “I would tell you that he doesn't bite, but actually..”

Jiyong had to hold back his laughter, and although Seunghyun tried to do so too, he could only take a deep breath and nod, encouraging himself. “Okay, let's go, before I change my mind. Let's go .”

The omega unlocked the car’s doors and they both got out onto the sidewalk, waiting for the boy to get out of school. Jiyong was still trying to understand how introducing himself to Mino, who he already knew at least a little, made the alpha more nervous than the possibility of having a baby.

He sighed, after all it was Seunghyun, and it was better to just enjoy him than try to understand him.

Jiyong felt a squeeze on his hand and turned to where the alpha was watching Mino leave, carrying with effort a huge canvas in his small arms, covering most of his face. They didn't need to say anything to each other to rush in his direction and help him, returning his visibility when they moved the painting.

"What is this?" Jiyong looked at the beautiful deer he had painted. "You did it?"

"In art class, yes.." He nodded, turning to the left, noticing the other man there until then. "Mr. Doctor Choi?" He looked at him with doubt and returned his gaze to Jiyong. "What is he doing here, mommy?"

The omega smiled nervously and extended a hand that the younger hesitated to take while Seunghyun held his painting. "I thought he could join us for lunch, is that okay?"

Jiyong noticed the confusion on his little face, but finally nodded. "Sure.." He murmured, walking between the two. "Does he like hamburgers?" Because it’s Burger Monday .” They had started that tradition when he changed jobs, and Mino wouldn’t forgive anyone who got in the way of it.

Luckily for him, Seunghyun was a fan of the idea. “I don’t like Mondays, but I see how a burger could make them better.”

He could see him struggle not to laugh, but Seunghyun smiled at him anyway, just before the two of them reached for the passenger side handle.

“This is my seat, I always ride shotgun.” The younger boy claimed, and Seunghyun let go of it like it was made out of lava.

The omega watched them for a moment before an idea crossed his mind, taking the painting from Seunghyun’s hands and handing him the keys to the SUV . “Actually, I’m a little tired of driving…”

Mino followed him with his gaze as he put his painting in the trunk and climbed into the backseats, smiling at them from the window. “I..I want to go with you!” He protested immediately, letting go of the door he had fought for.

“And let Seunghyun be the driver? No, no, Mino, go in front.” He pinched his cheek and couldn’t help but laugh softly when he heard him grunt and furrow his eyebrows in defeat. “Come on, it’ll be fun. We’ll let you pick the music.”

“ Mhmn ..”

Mino complained again, but finally got into the passenger seat, leaving Seunghyun alone on the sidewalk with the keys in his hand and a terrified expression on his face. “Ji.. I seriously have no problem riding back here.” He muttered so the boy wouldn’t hear. “This is practically a school bus.”

“It’s not that big.” Jiyong teased him, spreading his arms in the spacious back seat. “Plus, it has a 360º camera in the rearview mirror and another one in the back, and if you get too close to another car it’s going to brake on its own.” He could repeat all the XM safety features the BMW salesman had surely used to sweeten his ear, but they didn’t work in the slightest to calm his own nerves.

“I’m getting hungry..”

Mino kicked his feet in place, and then Seunghyun reacted, feeling sorry for himself before confidently going to the driver’s door. He offered a smile that the boy didn’t return, too distracted by browsing for his playlist on the main screen, and then he pressed the start button, placing both shaking hands on the steering wheel to start driving.

“See? It’s not that bad.” Jiyong encouraged him from the middle seat as the older man pulled into traffic. “Plus, you learned to drive in your dad’s truck.”

“It wasn’t that big, and it was twenty years ago.” He sighed, unsure of whether he should rely on mirrors, windows, or the camera screen that only made him dizzy, hindered his skills, and caused other drivers to honk in his direction. “ God , no one has the patience anymore.”

Mino laughed, but not the kind of laugh Seunghyun expected to get out of him. The boy was just mocking without a hint of humor on his face. “It’s because you drive Barbie’s car .”

“Mino!” Jiyong called out, reaching forward so fast to cover his mouth that the seatbelt returned him to his seat in a second. “ Ouh ..”

“What? You were the one who said it first..” He muttered under his breath, then looked out the window, and Seunghyun took a breath, tightening his grip on the wheel until his knuckles turned white and he pressed the gas, making the engine roar as he weaved through traffic like he did in his little red can of a car.

Neither of them made fun of his driving anymore as he quickly reached the drive-thru and, from there, the underground parking lot of the apartment tower where they lived. Seunghyun had no problem carrying Mino’s painting and the food at the same time, following them a few steps behind.

When he placed the lunch bags on the table Jiyong mentioned something about changing clothes, leaving them alone for the first time. The boy avoided his gaze while unwrapping his delicious food and Seunghyun thought about how to start a conversation with him. “You... You're good at painting.” Mino nodded, still not turning in his direction. “Have you been taking classes for a long time?”

Then, the boy dropped his burger and after a quick glance around, he looked at him with narrowed eyes.

“I know guys like you .” He pointed at him with his index finger, and Seunghyun tried to stay calm, but the boy terrified him. “Don't pretend to be interested in me, because I'm not interested in getting to know you either, you're not the first one who tries..” He sentenced, finally taking a bite of his food.

“No, I..” The boy shook his head again, swallowing.

“Just be careful not to hurt my mommy , because I might be little now, but when I grow up..” He ran his thumb along his own neck in a clear threat before returning to his usual expression. “And no, I’m not calling you daddy either.” Seunghyun froze, eyes wide open and hands up, surprised as Mino continued eating calmly and Jiyong returned from his room, wearing a loose fitting t-shirt and sweatpants.

“This looks so good..” He sighed, sitting in front of the box containing his fries and chicken nuggets, nodding happily as he took the first bite, turning to look doubtfully at Seunghyun’s untouched burger. “Is it bad?” He asked, covering his full mouth.

Mino looked at him again with half-closed eyes for a millisecond, reminding him of his threat and forcing him to unwrap his food right then.

“He was waiting for you, mommy.” The younger replied in a soft voice, so different from the tone he had used with him. “I was really hungry, sorry.” Jiyong smiled at him, completely mesmerized by his cuteness to see his true persona .

The older alpha smiled at both of them, forcing himself to eat even though his stomach had turned when his biggest fear came true. He knew that Mino was Jiyong’s priority, and if he didn’t win him over, he definitely wouldn’t be able to compete against him and would end up losing Jiyong once again.

This time, maybe forever.

“Seunghyun likes video games too.” Jiyong intervened again in his favor, and he knew that the cheerful look he gave him was just another trick of his. “You guys could play while I finish grading some tests.”

“I’d like to play with Mr. Doctor Choi, but I have homework to do.” He sighed, wiping his little hands and lips with his last napkin. “I’m done with the practice, now I have to do a presentation on the history of art in Korea.” Seunghyun’s eyes lit up and a sincere smile crossed his face. If Mino was telling the truth, he could be of help.

“I know a thing or two about that.” Jiyong nodded at the boy, unable to speak because of the fries in his mouth.

“Didn’t you study the same thing mom did?” He asked unsurely, almost annoyed by the insistence on having them do anything together.

“I did, but I also like art, my entire maternal family is into it.” Then, he saw him raise an eyebrow in interest. “Kim Whanki was my grandfather.”

“That’s not true.” He laughed nervously, shaking his head and looking at Jiyong, who just nodded. “You’re messing with me.”

“He was, you can call your grandparents and ask them if you don’t believe us.” Jiyong challenged him, satisfied that he had finally gained his attention. “They have organized banquets for the Whanki foundation, Seunghyun’s mother is the one in charge.”

The boy kept his mouth open, finally jumping out of his chair to point with both arms at the deer painting he had made. “I wanted to make a realistic version of ‘Deer’ , that’s why the damn deer is blue!”

“Language.” Jiyong tried to get his attention, but Seunghyun had heard him say infinitely worse things, and couldn’t help but laugh, finally infecting the boy. “Well, if you both can laugh at me, you can do your homework together.”

“We weren’t laughing at you , mommy.” Mino argued when the omega stood up as well. “We were laughing with you .” He tried to stay serious, but laughter kept slipping through his teeth.

Jiyong rolled his eyes with a smile on his face and ruffled his hair. “Sure..” From there he walked to his office, leaving the two alphas alone to get to work.

Seunghyun could tell Mino was holding back, but he still asked him a ton of questions, some more necessary than others for the assignment, but by the end of the afternoon Mino had figured out that he and Jiyong had known each other since they were about his age, that they attended the same schools since middle school and had very similar interests. That seemed to put him at ease, but it was too early to say he approved.

When Jiyong returned an hour later, the three of them ended up on the couch in the living room watching a movie, and the boy forced them to keep a safe distance, sitting in between the two of them with a bowl of popcorn on his lap. Seunghyun was a little annoyed by being so close to the omega and not even being able to hold his hand, but it was the price to pay for getting off Mino’s bad guys list.

“Well, it’s getting kind of late..” The boy muttered when the first credit appeared on the screen, standing up to stretch, opening his little arms. “I’ll walk you to the door, Mr. Doctor Choi.” Seunghyun glanced at Jiyong, who just covered his lips so he wouldn’t notice his laughter as much. He stood up lazily, stretching as well, some bones cracking from the hours he spent sitting as he followed Mino. “Thanks for helping me with my homework..”

“Whenever you want.” He smiled at him, holding back the urge to pull one of his chubby cheeks. “I still owe you a tour of the foundation, what do you think if we go this weekend?” He offered, leaning down to his height, but the younger boy shook his head.

“No.. I spend the weekends with dad.” He answered, wrinkling his little nose just like Jiyong did. “...At least I’m supposed to, he’s really busy sometimes.”

Seunghyun looked up as Jiyong approached them, placing a hand on Mino’s shoulder when his face and tone of voice changed as soon as he mentioned Soohyuk. “It’s okay, we can still go during the week.” He tried to cheer him up, raising his fist for him to bump it in farewell.

The younger boy took a few seconds but he reciprocated, and the alpha dramatically pretended that the bump had been strong enough to knock him to the floor of the hallway, waving his hand as if it had hurt him, eliciting a couple of beautiful laughs from them that ended up infecting him, finally getting up.

“Go get ready for bed.” Jiyong asked Mino while caressing his cheek. “Come on, I’m it’ll be a second.”

“ Mm ..” He looked at both adults before sighing, nodding. “Five minutes, no more .” Jiyong laughed softly but nodded, patting him on the back to lead him back into the apartment. “See you later, Mr. Doctor Choi!”

Seunghyun waved his hand when the boy did, and Jiyong closed the door behind him, following him with his eyes until he heard him close the door to his room, returning to the alpha in front of him. “So, what do you think?”

“Well, he’s more diligent and effective than Younghwan about keeping my hands off you.” The omega burst out laughing and let Seunghyun wrap his hands around his waist, pulling him closer. “But he’s adorable, just like you.”

Jiyong wrapped his arms around his neck, standing on his tiptoes to reach his face and join their lips like he’d been wanting to do all damn afternoon. The contact stole a sigh from the alpha, who dropped his hands to Jiyong's ass, squeezing it lightly between them.

The omega chuckled and let Seunghyun bite his tongue, the kiss quickly escalating after that. Jiyong’s fingers dug into the other's broad back through the thick fabric of his suit jacket.

On the way to school he had promised himself to be more careful and start thinking with the right head after the scare that morning, but when he had Seunghyun on top of him all traces of judgment disappeared. In that instant he wouldn't care if he slammed him against the door and fucked him halfway down the hallway, but at the same time...

“ Mommy! ” They separated in fright when they heard the voice coming from inside the apartment, as well as the door shaking. “I said five minutes, and I can't see anything through the peephole..”

Jiyong laughed and shook his head, turning to see the little eye peeking out. “Sorry, Mino..” He looked back at Seunghyun who just shrugged, moving both of them away from the doorway so he could open it and peek in.

“At least Younghwan gave me time to put my fingers in you, dammit .” He mocked both of them and Jiyong covered his mouth for a moment before Mino peeked in, wearing his Lightning McQueen pajamas. “I was leaving, I promise.”

Mino didn’t say anything else, just pointed to the end of the hallway, where the elevator was, and Seunghyun nodded accepting his fate as he held Jiyong’s hand for just a couple more seconds. Despite the interruption and the lack of his daily dose of physical love he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face after spending the whole afternoon with the omega and his son, reminding him how much he loved challenges.

Or at least that's what he thought, until it came to the one against Jiyong.

It was hard to keep distance and feelings in public when they saw each other every day and hung out with the same people. It was even worse when he saw Jiyong walk into the faculty teacher’s room that morning wearing a skirt, again, and several eyes turned in his direction as he sat on the other side of the table. The garment reached down to his ankles, and yet it had half the alphas in the room drooling.

“Good morning, colleagues.” Kwanghyung greeted them as he left his office, taking the main seat with an even more positive attitude than usual. “I think the first topic to discuss is the success of the student festival that Professor Kwon organized a couple of weeks ago.” He smiled at the omega, and everyone clapped for him, making him blush. “We haven't had the chance to congratulate you and thank you, because as a result of your work many young students have shown interest in joining the university, and others in staying enrolled for their graduate programs.”

“Thank you, Director.. I’ll continue to work hard.” He bowed his head in reverence to everyone, thanking them that way.

Kwanghyung nodded, then turned to the alpha. “You have good competition, Doctor Choi.”

And then, all eyes were on Seunghyun, who just nodded and held up a folder, as if he had shit in it. He had always been one of few words, so no one questioned him about it beyond Jiyong’s curious and bright eyes.

Two hours later, after going over the plan for the next quarter, everyone got up and started packing up their things, talking about going for coffee, but Seunghyun had other plans of what he wanted to drink. He kept his eyes on the omega as he answered whatever they were asking him until he looked back, and gave a discreet nod.

Seunghyun was the first to leave, folder under one arm and both hands in his pants pockets, moving slowly enough for Jiyong to follow at a safe distance, all the way to the lab.

“What..?” The omega stifled a surprised moan when the older man closed the heavy metal door behind them, quickly placing his hands over him. “Hyung! Oh God, here? ” He asked, biting his lower lip when he felt a wet kiss over his neck.

“Here.” He nodded, moving up to his pretty little mouth to kiss him long, pulling the fabric of his skirt up to touch his legs. “Do you have any idea how everyone was looking at you? I wanted to.. You have no idea.” He murmured under his breath and Jiyong smiled, kissing the corner of his lip.

“Then show me.” He answered, and it didn't take more for Seunghyun to push him against one of the steel tables, bending his body over and leaving his hips at the alpha’s mercy as he leaned behind him, finishing to pull up his skirt and pull down his underwear.

Seunghyun parted his cheeks, his mouth watering and his dick getting hard when he found him wet, contracting around nothing with obvious desire to have something inside him. The desire to have the alpha inside. He buried his face in Jiyong’s ass, holding it open with both hands to allow his tongue to reach deeper and make him see stars.

Jiyong tasted so good, so sweet, that Seunghyun wasn't sure how he survived all that time without him. And even now that Jiyong was tearing his lips apart to keep from screaming, his muffled sighs sounded so hot that the alpha couldn't think of anything other than making him feel good to continue listening to that.

He bit one of his cheeks and pulled away to take a breath, watching him shudder. “I wish everyone knew you are mine.” He growled against the sensitive skin, his voice raspy with effort. “So they would take their disgusting looks off of you, because only I can look at you like this.” Jiyong nodded in agreement to his every demand, his legs shaking from keeping them spread. “So good, my Jiyong.”

“Oh, hyung..” His voice and moans came out in a small voice, low, discreet, and it seemed like they motivated Seunghyun to make him scream. “Please, hyung.”

He definitely didn’t want him to stop, but at the same time his legs were shaking from the pleasure and he felt like he was going to die from everything he was feeling at that moment. Seunghyun was eating him mercilessly, and when he pulled away he didn’t know whether to thank him or curse him.

“I wanna fuck you.” He turned him around to be face to face, kissing him and letting him taste himself. “Can I?”

Jiyong looked at him as if he was giving him the answer to eternal life, nodding his face in Seunghyun's hands before looking around for a comfortable place to do it, but even the lab tables looked cold. Seunghyun undid the button and zipper of his pants in a second and pulled down his underwear, searching in his wallet for a condom that he didn't take long to slide down his erection.

Then, he placed one of his hands on the omega's waist and the other on his ass, lifting his skirt until he wrapped his legs around his hips and Seunghyun buried himself in him.

“ Oh ..” The younger sighed, biting his lower lip and throwing his head back, showing him his neck. Seunghyun swallowed all the saliva that had gathered in his mouth in a matter of seconds because of how simply delicious Jiyong looked when he had him like this.

“Take off your shirt.” He asked in a low voice, but Jiyong was too lost in the sensations to pay attention to what he said. Seunghyun sighed, entering all the way before lifting the garment with his teeth, leaving his chest bare and forcing Jiyong to hold onto the fabric with his lips. “That's it, so you stay quiet too, right?” He murmured close to his face, thrusting into him once more to prove his theory when the omega swallowed the moan.

Seunghyun continued to fuck him, using his brute strength to hold him in the air and still be able to thrust into him without problem. He lowered his face to the omega’s chest, his tiny nipples fully raised. He had licked, sucked and bitten them to exhaustion the day before in a moment when they were alone, but it hadn't gone any further than that, and he had a suspicion that they had remained that way ever since.

When he moved they rubbed against the fabric of his shirt, giving him a sight that kept him hard for the whole fucking meeting. He closed his lips around his chest, growling at the sweetness of his skin against his tongue.

“ Uhg ..” He looked up when he heard the omega whimpering in pleasure, and that made him lose his mind. He felt his heartbeat against his lips, and his fangs stung with the desire to mark him.

One quick bite, and Jiyong would be his forever.

He saw the thick beads of sweat running down his neck and his eyes closed, certain that he could erase all that damage. He gave one last tug between his teeth to his nipple, moving closer to the side of his neck when the omega opened his mouth and let go of his shirt.

Seunghyun’s tongue slid obscenely down the side of his throat, preparing the area for what was next. He knew it was wrong, he knew he should talk about it with Jiyong first, but he didn’t know how he could deny him when he squirmed the way he did in his arms, finishing in between their bodies and, when his teeth scraped the skin, Jiyong brought him back to reality with a tug to his hair, bringing him to his own lips to kiss him through the orgasm and swallow his moans.

“I want your knot so bad.” Jiyong sobbed when he regained his voice, hugging his neck as Seunghyun focused on his own pleasure. “ Shit , I want you to open me up and take all of me, Seunghyun.”

“Ji..” He sighed his name with his last breath, furrowing his eyebrows, hesitating to give him what he asked for, and was about to push his hips forward to finish inside him when he heard someone trying to open the door. His erection went down painfully fast at that moment and Jiyong untangled his legs to try to stand up. Seunghyun adjusted his clothes and picked him up again to hide him inside the lab shower. “I'll take care of it, cover your nose and eyes.”

“Hyung..” The omega nodded completely terrified, doing what he asked as he heard a couple of jars breaking before a horrible smell filled the lab.

“I'm sorry, kids, I was passing by and smelled this, someone spilled hydrogen sulfide.” Jiyong heard the alpha explaining, lying through his teeth, and had to hold back his laughter. “Who remembers how to neutralize it?” After a few seconds of silence, Seunghyun sighed. “Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes it, geez , don’t you guys know how to decontaminate a lab?”

“We’re sorry, Dr. Choi, we’ve only been taught how to turn on the shower.” One of the first-semester students, who had run to get a bottle of hydrogen peroxide to hand it to him, responded, demonstrating his knowledge when he pulled the lever that dropped the load of ice-cold water.

“ Hey! ” He called out, trying to drown out the scream Jiyong had most likely let out. “Rule number one, don’t enter the lab without a lab coat.” He scolded, advancing in his direction. “Number two, don’t turn on the shower… The floor is wet now and can cause accidents.” He sighed, taking the bottle from his hand and pointing to the door. “Everyone evacuate, please. I’m going to oxidize the gas and call the janitor.”

The boy looked terrified, and only bowed before running out of the lab, wishing to never be in one of his classes. Seunghyun locked the door again and dumped the contents of the bottle on the floor, the rotten egg smell disappearing instantly before he went to turn off the shower.

“You know?” Wet from head to toe, Jiyong looked back at him as he shivered from the cold, his clothes sticking uncomfortably to his skin. “I could have gotten into a locker.”

“In my defense, that boy is in your class.” He laughed relaxed when the omega did too. “So technically it’s your fault for not teaching them not to turn on the shower.” Jiyong rolled his eyes and came out of hiding to kiss him, hugging him and getting him wet in the process.

“It’s your fault, for bringing me here and leaving me with shaky legs.” He murmured against his lips, shaking his head afterwards, splashing him.

Seunghyun sighed, looking down at his pants. “That’s good, I do have a case of blue balls tho.” Jiyong brushed his wet hair back with a half smile on his face.

“You’re lucky I know how to solve it..” He muttered in that tone that bordered on a purr before dropping to his knees in front of him.

Either way, the floor was already wet.

The alpha thought for the rest of the morning about how he would have ruined things between them by almost marking him, it wasn’t something they had talked about, but he knew that even if they did one day it was a long way off. He sighed, his attention shifting to the landline that began to ring on his desk.

“Doctor Choi, I have a kid on hold asking to speak to you.” The secretary informed him, surprise hidden in his voice. “Lee Minho, he said he would meet you as.. Baby wolf?”

Seunghyun relaxed his expression, why was Mino calling him?

“Sure, connect the call.. And thank you.” He cleared his throat, closing his computer as he heard the ringer. “Mino? Is that you?”

“ Mr. Doctor Choi.. ” His little voice sounded more broken than he remembered, but what worried him the most was the tone he was speaking in. He sounded scared . “ I.. I’m... ”

“Are you okay?” He placed the phone between his shoulder and ear, reaching for his cell phone to text Jiyong.

“ Can you come get me? ” He sobbed, and Seunghyun stopped what he was doing to give him his full attention. “ Dad isn’t picking up the phone.. I don’t want mom to find out. ”

He locked the screen of his phone before Jiyong replied to the message he had written asking where he was. Mino and him had been hanging out more and more the last few weeks, but he knew that if he was calling him to ask for something, it definitely had to be an emergency.

“I’m on my way, are you at school?” He heard him whine in something that sounded enough like an affirmation to grab his keys and stand up. “Okay, I’ll be there soon.”

He hung up the phone and hurried through the hallways until he reached the parking lot, driving faster than he would under any other circumstances to get there as soon as possible. Seunghyun regretted not asking the boy for his number so he could check on him on the way back to Seoul, but that only made him step on the gas.

He got out of the car and slammed the door behind him when he arrived, ready to enter the school when a whistle stopped him. He turned around and, hiding among the playground in the park next to the school, found him with a flushed and sweaty face.

Seunghyun walked over and extended his hands to help him down, but Mino continued to hug himself, barely raising his shy gaze. “You didn’t tell mom, did you?” He denied, and heard him sigh in relief before he climbed down the stairs from the playground, remaining seated at the bottom of it.

“I didn’t, but I hope you understand that sooner or later I’ll have to tell him.” He crept closer to the boy, still trying to understand what had happened. He saw his little eyes fill with tears and bent down to his height. “Mino, what’s going on?”

Seunghyun moved his hair away from his forehead and felt the boiling hot skin on his face. He heard Mino sob before covering his face with both hands and crying. “I’m becoming like him..”

It’s not that Seunghyun wasn’t an empath, he really was , but he had learned from a very young age that he couldn’t help everyone who was in a difficult situation because that would only get him into trouble. Still, the only person who had always doubled him over was Jiyong.

And now, his son.

He closed his arms around the small body and although he seemed to hesitate, the young teenager ended up returning the hug. Seunghyun placed his chin on the other’s head, trying to understand. “What happened?” He repeated, his voice calmer.

“I..” He murmured, just before breaking down again. “I..I didn’t want to, I don’t want to grow up.” He sighed, choking on his own tears. “I don’t want to become like him.”

“Who is ‘he’ ?”

Mino looked up at him, still leaning his chubby cheek against his body. “ Dad .” He looked away when the older man’s eyes continued to question him. “I’ve been taking suppressants for a year now, I didn’t want this moment to come.” His voice became smaller, and then Seunghyun understood.

“I suppose you took them without a prescription?” The younger boy closed his little eyes and nodded, and Seunghyun just sighed. He couldn’t imagine the pain and confusion he must have been feeling. “Let’s go to the doctor, because..”

“No!” Mino interrupted, moving away from him but holding onto the lapels of his suit. “Mom is going to be upset, I don’t want him to find out, please.” Seunghyun placed a hand over his own head, thinking of a solution that would work for everyone. “I just need stronger suppressants.”

He took out his phone to call the omega while the boy begged him with his eyes not to.

“Ji, hey..” Mino looked terrified upon hearing the omega’s name, but Seunghyun motioned for him to stay calm. “Everything’s okay, Mino called me.” He could hear the high-pitched voice on the other end of the line rising, and for a moment he tried to snatch the phone away from him. “Hey, you really don’t have to worry, just.. Alpha stuff , you know.”

Mino saw him nod a couple of times before saying goodbye, promising to keep him posted as he crossed his fingers in front of the boy, making him smile for the first time since he arrived.

“So?” He asked as Seunghyun put his phone away, offering a hand for him to go to the car.

“He fell for it.” He smiled back, crossing the street carefully before opening the passenger door for him. “We’re going to the doctor, okay? That’ll fix everything.”

“Not everything..” Mino looked down as the older man went to the other side of the car to start it and drive to the hospital. “I did something terrible, Mr. Doctor Choi.”

“You can call me Seunghyun, you know that, right?” He saw him shrug his shoulders. “I bet whatever it was, there’s a solution.”

Mino took a deep breath, shaking his head, and his tears started to flow again. “There’s this guy I like, and I… I almost attacked him.” His lips twisted into a pout and he curled up into a ball on the seat, pulling his legs up and hugging them. “I had finally worked up the courage to talk to him today, and I ended up ruining everything. He will never forgive me.”

Seunghyun listened to him in silence until he stopped at a red light and was able to turn to look at him, searching in the glove compartment for some tissues. “You can always apologize.”

“It won’t work, mom never forgave dad for...” He swallowed hard, trying to hold it in. “For me.” The older alpha felt a horrible weight settling in his stomach, driving again as he heard the cars behind him honking when the lights changed. He knew Jiyong would never have told him what had actually happened, but he had shared his concern that Mino would eventually find out. “I guess that’s why he hates me.”

He pulled into the first parking lot he found, stopping the car to face the boy who hadn’t stopped crying since he said what he thought out loud.

Seunghyun caressed his face, making him lift his head to see his completely shattered expression. “How could anyone hate you?” He tried to cheer the boy up, wiping away the tears that spilled down his chubby cheeks, reminding him too much of a young Jiyong. “Whatever happened is not your responsibility.”

Mino held his head in his little hands and Seunghyun made a mental note about suggesting therapy for him to Jiyong. “But what happened today with Jinu is, it’s almost the same.”

“You’re a child, Mino, and you didn’t do anything.” He reminded him, hoping his words would offer some comfort. “Soohyuk was an adult.”

“I don’t want to grow up and not be able to control myself, I don’t want to be this.” He confessed, closing his little eyes. “That’s why… That’s why I’ve chased away all the alphas who go after mommy, I don’t want them to hurt him again… I already did enough harm by being born.”

“Mino.” Seunghyun undid the seat belts to take him into his arms, letting him cry. Only God knew how long he had been holding those thoughts in. “Thank you for telling me this.” He murmured, getting no response. “But you should know that I have never seen Jiyong as happy as when I see him talking about you, when he looks at you.” He slowly let go, holding his little face in his hands. “I’m sure you came into his life when he needed you the most.”

Mino looked at him with a pout and nodded, not completely letting go of his arms. Seunghyun wiped his tears and drove again when he assured him that he was feeling better.

He was also grateful when the doctor who attended to them in the emergency room told him that the boy was fine despite the time he had been taking the medication without needing it. He held his hand when they gave him a fast-acting injection to keep him free of discomfort for the rest of his first rut and scheduled an appointment with a specialist for the following week.

He took Mino back to the apartment, carrying his backpack as he worked up the courage to knock on the door. Despite knowing that he was healthy and that Seunghyun had helped him keep everything a secret, Mino still felt nervous about seeing Jiyong again once his biggest fear had come true.

“What if he stops loving me?” He asked with his eyes on the door and his fist in the air, hesitating.

Seunghyun smirked at him, shaking his head before ringing the doorbell. “The world will end before that happens.” Mino leaned closer when he heard footsteps on the other side of the door, taking shelter behind him.

The older man smiled at Jiyong when he finally opened, sharing a quick glance before leaning down to the boy’s height. The omega’s eyes looked red as did his nose, but the expression on his face was pure nostalgia.

“Mino..” He called out, opening his arms, and with that simple gesture Mino finally let go to run to Jiyong, almost pushing him into the floor from the force with which he hugged him. Seunghyun saw him kiss Mino’s forehead and head, dispersing all his fears and doubts. “My baby is growing up, isn’t he?” The boy nodded, pulling away, too shy to speak.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call you.” He murmured softly, and the omega laughed under his breath, shaking his head before looking up at Seunghyun, thanking him with a smile. “I was embarrassed.”

“You have nothing to be ashamed of, it’s completely natural.” He stood up and held his hand, the three of them walking into the apartment to close the door. “I went to your grandparents’ house to pick up your favorite food, you must be hungry.”

The younger boy glanced at the bags in the dining room. “Can I take a shower first?” Jiyong nodded, ruffling his hair one last time before watching him run off to his room, leaving them alone.

He had a lot of questions for Seunghyun, but he looked too engrossed in the photo album he’d left on the living room table, flipping through it curiously. “I was looking through old photos, you know..” He shrugged, sitting down next to him.

“Is that why you were crying?” Seunghyun smiled at him, dimples and all , getting lost in the first few pages again. There were a bunch of pictures of Jiyong in the hospital with Mino as a baby in his arms, presumably from the day he was born, followed by when they returned to the Kwons’ house. “I missed it all.” He muttered regretfully, turning the page.

The omega pulled him to sit next to him on the couch, resting his head on his shoulder. “You were doing bigger things.”

“I don’t think there’s anything bigger than this.” His smile widened as he looked at the pictures of his first birthday, and the ones from Jiyong’s graduation day, Mino wearing a little cap and gown just like the one Jiyong was wearing. “This is adorable.”

“It was my idea, after all, he used to come with me to every class.” He heard Jiyong laugh as he nodded, losing himself in his own memories. Seunghyun imagined himself there, and then noticed the obvious absence in each of the photographs.

With each page he turned, he saw Mino and Jiyong growing up, traveling, moving, and celebrating, but always just the two of them, alone. Seunghyun could see how the boy lost his teeth and grew new ones while the omega's hair was constantly changing color, and his heart felt heavy for all the time he lost by their side.

“You went to London?” He pointed at a photo from when Jiyong could still hold Mino in his arms, his platinum blonde hair completely messy from the wind and his outfit of a white t-shirt and tight black jeans telling that a decade must have passed by since then.

Jiyong looked at the album, nodding. “Mino really liked Harry Potter back then, I worked day and night to afford the trip.” He looked at the alpha with dreamy eyes, biting his lower lip so his smile wouldn't get any bigger. “It was worth it.”

But Seunghyun loved to see him smile, and couldn't help but put the pictures aside to kiss him, forcing him to release his lip with his own teeth, letting them slide against his own, feeling as soft and warm as ever. The omega reciprocated the gesture, placing his arms around his neck as he opened his mouth, allowing him to go deeper.

He felt the alpha's huge hands on his thighs, and was grateful that he was eating his lips to stifle his moan of surprise against them, remembering just the pieces of lingerie he had bought for the next time they could be alone, because right now...

"I want your hands where I can see them." They separated upon hearing the voice of the teenager who looked completely horrified by what he had just witnessed while his hair dripped from the recent shower. Seunghyun raised his hands as if he were a policeman about to arrest him, and Mino seemed satisfied, walking to the kitchen to get silverware and set the table.

They both turned to look at each other before bursting into laughter, finally getting up.

Over the years, Seunghyun had felt a sense of relief about not having kids when he saw what his friends and family sacrificed for theirs. He couldn't imagine the love they must have for them. until he met Mino .

The domestic routine didn't bother him at all, he enjoyed helping him with his chores or playing together, and although he had a long way to go before he finished winning him over, as the days passed Seunghyun only finished rectifying that, without hesitation, he would rip out his heart and give it to him if he ever needed it.

That's why it wasn't easy for him to forgive himself for what happened that day at the beginning of April. If he had insisted more , things wouldn't have gone so far, because deep down he knew that Jiyong wasn't as strong as he insisted on making everyone believe.

In the middle of a class, he felt a chill run down the middle of his spine and his gaze immediately went to the closed door, rushing to open it even though there was no sign of anyone in the hallway.

“Doctor?” The girl who was consulting a question called out to him, and Seunghyun saw her over his shoulder before signaling. He needed a few seconds, he didn’t know why , but the instinct deep in his chest told him to stay alert.

He looked around carefully, and was about to go back inside the classroom when a couple of students ran out of Jiyong’s auditorium.

“Help!” One of them called out, and Seunghyun rushed in his direction. “Do..Doctor Choi, Professor Kwon!” He pointed back to the path they had taken, catching his breath. “He… He fainted, he threw up blood and..”

“Call the paramedics.” He ordered immediately, running to the auditorium, seeing the crowd of students closing in around the fragile body that had been placed on the desk. “Move!”

Despite the uproar, his voice rang out above all the others, and the students moved aside to make way for him to take Jiyong into his arms. When he saw him, half of his options went to hell as he noticed his lethargic state and the traces of blood on his lips.

“They’re on their way!” The first boy he’d found on the road shouted, holding his cell phone to his ear. “But the nearest ambulance is twenty minutes away.”

He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm before moving forward. “I’ll take him to the university clinic, they can catch up with us there.” Seunghyun ran with the omega to the parking lot, giving him quick glances hoping he’d open his eyes, but there was no more movement from him besides the erratic breathing.

Jiyong's car terrified him, but when he stood in front of it and compared it to his small car, he didn't hesitate to open the SUV , unlocking it as soon as they approached, probably because the omega would have the key in his pockets. He placed him in the passenger seat, adjusting the seat belt around his chest and waist to run to the other side.

When he had his hands on the wheel he hit the gas to the floor and drove off the KAIST campus, recklessly weaving to cut through traffic and get to the neighborhood medical center faster. The calls from his students seemed to do some good when he pulled into the driveway and there was already a team of doctors and nurses waiting for them.

He had no answer to any of the questions they were asking him, living everything in flashes until the paramedics in the ambulance arrived to transport him to a hospital in Seoul, and he followed them the whole way. Seunghyun didn't understand how things could change so quickly, if just the night before he was having dinner with the omega and his son, and now he was here, in a hospital room with his head in his hands as he waited for news.

“Seunghyun?” He looked up, taking a couple of seconds to recognize the woman in front of him. “Is that really you?”

“Dami.” He nodded, standing up to greet her properly. “Jiyong and I..” He swallowed hard at the confusion on her face, wondering much Jiyong had told her. “We work together.”

“Yeah, he told me.” She finally sighed, sitting down beside the seat he had been in, taking her bag off her shoulder to search for her phone inside it. “I’m surprised to see you here. He also let me know that he hated having to breathe the same air as you.”

Seunghyun stood in the hallway, not knowing what else to do or say as the woman continued to ignore him, as if his presence there was out of place. They both looked towards the end of the hallway when they heard footsteps coming quickly from there, and although Dami stood up to greet Mino, the boy threw himself into Seunghyun’s arms.

“Mr. Doctor Choi.” He called out, looking terrified as he looked around. “Where’s mommy? Is him okay?”

The alpha thought Dami's expression couldn't get any worse, but when he looked at her, he saw her eyes fill with hatred as she watched Soohyuk there, following in the footsteps of the boy who had run up to them.

“I'm busy, but Mino called me like crazy.” He complained to the omega, taking off his sunglasses as he took a breath, looking annoyed at having to be there. “What happened now? It's always a drama with Jiyong.” Seunghyun felt the boy grow smaller in his arms, and then Soohyuk turned in his direction.

Dami questioned him with her gaze, and then seemed to react, not letting go of the teenager's hand. “He felt sick in the middle of a class.” He answered, omitting details so as not to alarm Mino. “They checked him at the university clinic, they haven't let me see him since.” As he spoke, he looked directly at the omega, but was more than aware of Soohyuk's eyes on him.

“What I don’t understand…” Then, Seunghyun turned to look at him. “What are you doing here?”

His jaw tensed and his teeth clenched at the way he addressed him, both of them engaged in a battle of glances that, if someone didn’t stop soon, would end up the same or worse than the one fifteen years earlier.

And Seunghyun wasn’t sure if Soohyuk could withstand another nose job.

“Mr. Doctor Choi and mommy are dating.” Doing God’s work, Mino gave them away to Dami, who parted her lips in surprise. “When can I see him?”

Something in the omega’s eyes told Seunghyun that they would return to that subject. “We have to wait for the doctors, Mino.”

Hearing the word, he turned back to Seunghyun. “Can you go in and tell me? You’re a doctor.”

The alpha wanted to smile at the innocence, but he just leaned down to his height. “I’m not that kind of doctor, Mino.” He saw the disappointment appear on his little face. “But I’ll go ask, okay?” He nodded, letting go of his hand until then, taking refuge with Dami.

Mino also looked confused, at first as he tried to figure out how many types of doctors there were , and if it was something like Jiyong being a professor long before he started teaching.

But his biggest doubt made him look up, at Soohyuk.

The whole way to the hospital he had complained about the time, how busy he was, how he would just drop him off and leave, so he didn’t understand why he hadn’t done it. Quite the contrary, he didn’t seem to have any intentions of going anywhere, with his eyes on Seunghyun.

“Did they tell you anything?” Dami asked as he approached them again, and sighed as his first answer.

“They performed an endoscopy and found an ulcer on his stomach, they sent a sample to the lab to perform a biopsy.” Seunghyun crossed his arms over his chest. “He’ll be fine, but it will take a couple of days to recover. We’ll be able to see him when he wakes up.”

The woman sighed in relief, keeping a hand on her chest. “Do you think it’ll be long before that?”

Seunghyun looked between her and the boy, finally nodding. “They sedated him, it could be hours.”

“I have to go back for Eathan..” She muttered, checking her watch, turning to Mino. “Sorry, baby, we have to go, but we can come back tomorrow.”

The boy shook his head, quickly looking at Seunghyun. “Doc, can I stay with you? Please, please, I want to be here when mommy wakes up.” He pulled away from Soohyuk, clasping his palms together, begging.

He nodded, holding out his hand for him to take. “Yes, we can go eat and then..”

“I don’t think you should stay in the hospital, Minho.” Soohyuk interrupted them, his heavy hand falling on the small shoulder. “Come with me, I’ll take you here as soon as Jiyong wakes up.” He closed his fingers when he turned to look at him, and Seunghyun bit his tongue, feeling so helpless when Mino’s eyes sparkled.

“Really?” He asked incredulously, and Soohyuk nodded with a forced smile. The boy looked back at the hand Seunghyun kept offering him, thinking about his options, but the oddity of what his father was offering ended up winning him over, closing his arms around his waist while murmuring a low ‘yes’.

They were brief in their goodbyes, and although Dami looked unconvinced of his decision, in the end Soohyuk was Mino’s father, the next legal representative of the boy after Jiyong.

“I have to go get my son, but my parents will come later, so you can rest.” She patted Seunghyun’s shoulder, much more relaxed than when she first saw him there, understanding the nature of his relationship with her brother. “They’ll probably ask you what you’re doing here, too.”

The huge alpha seemed to shrink at her gesture, leaving him alone when she disappeared at the end of the hallway, and the emptiness in his chest didn’t go away until he felt the omega’s hand moving under his, gently squeezing him several hours later.

“Ji?” He called out softly, leaving gentle caresses on his arm. “Jiyong..”

“Mhmn..” He smiled at Jiyong’s mother upon hearing him as she also woke up, leaning forward to see him open his eyes. “Hy..Hyung?” His always sweet voice sounded raspy, and he quickly brought his hand to his throat, grimacing at the pain.

“I’ll ask the nurse for water.”

The woman stood up, and Jiyong turned to look at her with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, relaxing his expression when he felt Seunghyun's fingers tracing his face.

“You fainted in the middle of class, Ji.” He murmured, and then the omega seemed to remember. “You have an ulcer in your stomach, most likely from replacing meals with cigarettes.. They stuck a camera in your mouth, that's why it hurts to talk.” He moved his hair away from his face, leaving a kiss in the center of his forehead. “You scared the hell out of me.”

Something in his little eyes was apologizing, but his lips parted as another doubt came to his head, and Seunghyun didn't really need to hear it to know what Jiyong was going to ask him.

“Where's Mino?”

He scrunched up his face in pain again, and his mother returned with the nurse and a glass of water that she helped him drink, holding his head. He glanced at the lady who had barely managed to hear his question, and returned his eyes to him. “He went to rest, but will come first thing in the morning.”

Jiyong swallowed hard, but finally felt some relief, nodding at his words. “When can I leave?”

“They have to give us the results of your exams and see how you respond to the treatment.” His mother took his other hand. “You need to take better care of yourself, son.”

The night passed faster than Seunghyun thought, listening to Gilan's stories of Jiyong from when he was a child that made the omega all cute and red, and the three of them sleeping in fits and starts. When the morning came, Dami arrived so they could go to rest, although the alpha knew that he only needed to take a shower to recharge his energy and return to his side.

“Should I take you home?” He offered to the lady, taking her arm to walk down the hospital stairs. “I have Jiyong’s car with me, I could leave it at your place.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Younghwan is on his way.” She smiled kindly as she patted his arm, looking at him with a smile on her lips that made her eyes small. “You know? When I first met you, I thought that you and Jiyong could be a great couple someday.. You were always so kind, walking him home.” She sighed, reaching out a hand to reach his face. “I’m glad you finally made it.”

Seunghyun smiled back and took the smaller hand in his, squeezing it lovingly. “I promise I’ll take good care of Jiyong.”

She looked back at him with a small smile and nodded, saying goodbye just in time when Jiyong’s father arrived to pick her up, barely waving at him before going to get the truck to return to his apartment. At least, that was his plan until he got in the driver’s side and the screen showed several messages and missed calls from Mino.

He pulled down the notification to copy the number Mino had called him from to his own phone, sure that Jiyong’s cell phone was lying and out of battery somewhere in the truck. “Mino?”

“ Doc? ” He mumbled back to listen to him. “How’s mom? Can I see him?”

“He’s better, he’ll be home tonight.. How are you?” He asked, putting on his seatbelt, but the silence on the other end of the line stopped him from driving. “Mino?”

“I’m fine, it’s just..” He sighed, and Seunghyun closed his eyes for a moment. “Can you come get me? I don’t have any of my stuff with me.”

Seunghyun didn’t hesitate for a second, ignoring that he didn’t have access to Jiyong’s apartment either, but if Mino was asking him, he couldn’t be comfortable. He asked for the address and in less than half an hour he was inside the building, looking for the apartment down the long hallway, and when Soohyuk opened the door, their eyes met.

“Minho.” Soohyuk called out to the teenager who was already stepping outside. “You left your backpack, go get it.” He saw him nod, while Seunghyun finished closing the distance between them. The other looked annoyed to see him there, but Seunghyun didn’t care enough to worry about it, he was there for Mino. “Just so you know, he’s the one who wanted to leave.”

He looked over his shoulder, and caught a glimpse of the boy waving goodbye to a young omega sitting on the couch in the living room. “I know.”

That answer didn't seem to be enough for the man who ended up closing the door behind him, leaving them alone in the hallway.

“What's your problem? Huhh ?” Despite being the same height, Soohyuk looked ridiculous as he tried to look bigger, raising his chest in a futile attempt to intimidate Seunghyun. “I understand you going after Jiyong, but I won't let you go after my son.”

He was holding back so as not to lose his temper, but the way he looked at him wasn't helping at all. “I'm not running after him, but Mino wants and needs a father.”

“He has one, it's me.”

“And where were you when he needed you, huh?” A growl escaped his throat when the other closed the distance between them, but he didn't falter at his attempted threat.

Soohyuk didn't respond to that, but narrowed his eyes further. “You can try to take my place all you want, but that won't take away the fact that I was there before you.” His teeth were bared with every word that came out of his mouth, and Seunghyun could feel the blood rushing through the vein that stood out on his forehead. “That Mino is my son.” He added, and his lips curved cruelly upwards. “And that I was the first to make Jiyong mine .”

His vision went red and his fist rose in front of the Soohyuk’s face, ready to smash him against the wall and finish him off right there, but the door opening again stopped him, forcing himself to get down from his anger when the boy’s innocent eyes questioned them. “Shall we go?” He asked in a low voice, and Seunghyun nodded, Mino turning to Soohyuk as he opened his arms. “See you, dad.”

“See you, Minho.”

He answered without even turning to look at him, keeping his gaze on Seunghyun before returning inside the apartment and slamming the door, leaving Mino with his arms outstretched. “Oh..”

Seunghyun reacted and tried to smile at him, taking his chubby hand before he let it down dejectedly, walking together. “Did you have fun?”

“ Mhmn .” Was all his answer, shrugging his shoulders and entering the elevator. “My back hurts, dad turned my old room into an office.. I had to sleep on the couch.” Seunghyun closed his eyes for a moment, trying to imagine how he could have the heart to leave him there. “He said I was too big to sleep with him, and his boyfriend spent the night.” He wrinkled his little nose, shaking his head. “But I like Hoshi, he brought me blankets and stayed with me until I managed to fall asleep.”

“Was that the guy on the couch?” He asked curiously, and Mino nodded immediately. Seunghyun wondered what someone so young could be doing dating Soohyuk, but he wasn’t going to voice his doubt in front of the boy. He opened the passenger door to help him in, throwing his backpack in the trunk of the SUV before climbing behind the wheel. “Are you hungry?” He pressed the start button, turning in his direction when he received no response. “Did you have breakfast? Because I haven’t yet.”

“Uhmn, I kind of did.” He nodded as he rephrased his question, feeling his cheeks heat up as a rumble from his stomach gave him away. “Dad made me a juice with all these vegetables..” He grimaced at the memory, returning to the dejected expression he’d had since he saw him.

“Just that?”

“He said I need to lose weight.” He finally answered, placing his little hands on his tummy. “I guess he’s right.”

Seunghyun felt a lump in his throat, suddenly remembering all those years where he was the victim of those comments, often from Soohyuk himself. “You don’t, you’re a child.” He added, but it didn't seem to encourage him. “I bet that over the course of the year you'll grow, and you'll need that weight by then.”

“That doesn't make sense.”

“Of course it does, it happened to me.” Then, he turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. “Seriously, you can ask Ji... I went to America for three months and when I came back, not even my own mother recognized me.” Mino laughed at the way he told that. “And I went to spend the summer with my grandmother, she would never allow me to skip a meal.”

“My grandma is the same.” The younger ended up laughing with him. “So, do I still have hope?”

“Hope for what? You're fourteen, you're in time to do whatever you want with your life.”

“To be handsome, like you.” Seunghyun wanted to laugh again, glad that he dropped the formal language more than for the compliment.

“You think I'm handsome?” Mino nodded immediately, looking at him in a way he never had before, a light of admiration in his eyes that he had only seen when he talked about Jiyong. “You’re adorable, Mino. You don’t have a single ugly hair in you, you’re just like your mother.”

“I know my mommy wouldn’t date anyone ugly.” His smile grew bigger at the last thing he said, believing him blindly, and Seunghyun promised himself to never break that trust the boy had in him. “Where are we going?”

“I don’t have the access key to your house.” He saw him nod, fidgeting in place. “But I have pancakes in mine, and a cat.”

“A cat?” His eyes sparkled as soon as he said that, aware of his fondness for felines. “I’ve always wanted a cat!”

Seunghyun smiled, and when they finally arrived at his house, he realized that it was his first time taking care of a kid. If they were lucky, Jiyong would be out of the hospital tonight, but until then he didn’t want to risk returning to Mino with a single scratch.

“Uh, Mino?” He called out as Mino plopped down on one of the couches with Iye on his arms, petting him in fascination. The cat wasn’t as skittish as one would think, but he definitely had his limits. “Don’t you want to change?” The boy glanced at himself before nodding, uncomfortable in his day-old uniform, and Seunghyun went to find one of his many long-sleeved pajamas.

A couple minutes later Mino came out of the bathroom, kicking the air with every step he took to avoid tripping over the leftover fabric on each leg, drawing another laugh from Seunghyun before leaning over to help him fold it. “Thanks, Doc.”

Seunghyun ruffled his hair, and another intrusive thought came to mind. “Wait.” Mino followed him curiously as the older alpha searched for something in one of the closets in the apartment, victoriously lifting a helmet that he quickly placed on his head. “This is better.”

“ Huhh ? What is the helmet for?” He asked confused, looking at himself in one of the mirrors.

“The human head doesn’t finish developing until twenty-five.” Seunghyun replied confidently, sighing when Mino continued to question him with his gaze. “I have a lot of paintings and sculptures around the house, I don’t want to risk one of them falling on you and hurting you, okay? I’d never forgive myself.”

“I wasn’t planning on getting close to the walls.” He murmured softly, placing his hands behind his back while making puppy eyes. “I don’t want to damage anything.”

Seunghyun looked at him for long seconds before extending a hand, leading him in front of the paintings and explaining his way of interpreting each one of them. He never thought he would let anyone put their hands on his collection, but Mino’s excited eyes were enough to convince him to let him touch the glass bubbles of Kohei Nawa’s Deer with his maple syrup-covered fingers, or allow him to turn on the screens of Nam June Paik’s Fat Boi .

They ate pancakes and played with Iye before Seunghyun offered him his bed for for a well-deserved nap, watching over his sleep with a smile on his face. He had been wrong again in thinking that there would be no way to fall more in love with Jiyong, but there he was, asleep between a pile of pillows and covered with several blankets to keep him from feeling cold.

The omega created this life and raised that wonderful child despite adversity, as another facet of how incredible he actually was.

When the sun went down they returned to the hospital, Seunghyun waiting for the omega next to Mino. Jiyong's smile lit up the dark parking lot with each of his parents on his sides.

“I like this outfit, where did you get it?” He asked the boy, although he knew the answer. He had seen that turquoise sweater with a Goofy drawing hanging in Seunghyun's closet, and although he had intended to 'borrow' it, he kept hoping to see him wearing it one day.

Mino smiled back at him, hugging his waist and burying his face in his chest. “The doc gave it to me..” He murmured, pulling away to show him his new shorts and converse. “And he bought me these, I didn’t take any clothes home with me.”

Jiyong caressed his little face before turning to Seunghyun, who offered him a hand. “Hi..”

“Hi.” He replied quietly, smiling as he threw himself into his arms, resting his head in the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent. “I missed you.” He murmured just for him, leaving a small kiss on his cheek, discreet enough to not alarm Mino or Jiyong’s parents.

“I missed you too.”

To his surprise, both Younghwan and Gilan looked at them with good expressions, and after helping the omega into the car, he offered a bow to the elders. “I would have liked to introduce myself in a better situation.”

The elder laughed as soon as he said that, slinging an arm around his grandson’s shoulders. “We’ve known you since you were this big.” He teased Mino with his height, making him grumble about the day he would finally grow up. “Keep taking care of him, or being careful around him.. I know my son well.”

Seunghyun laughed as Jiyong looked for a way to get out of the SUV to give his father what he deserved, proving his point. “I’ll go home if you keep saying that.”

“I bet Seunghyun will do what we tell him, won’t you, boy?” Remembering his days of military training, the alpha nodded like a soldier. “I thought so, and the doctor said you’d need help for the next few days.. So from here, I want you all home.”

He pointed at the floor and the direction with his index finger, giving a quick glance to Seunghyun who raised his thumbs, watching them walk to their own car before turning to Jiyong. “He’s not being serious.”

The omega reached out to lightly punch him on the shoulder, laughing when Mino did so, climbing into the backseat.

Seunghyun was happy that Jiyong was finally out of the hospital and on his way home. Dinner with the omega’s parents and the boy was more enjoyable than he thought, feeling reassured that at least the Kwons liked him.

That reassurance made him realize how physically exhausted he was, having not slept in over twenty-four hours. Mino yawned, and Seunghyun saw him lean back on his grandmother’s shoulder.

“You should sleep in Dami’s room.” Younghwan suggested to the boy, and he opened his eyes quickly, shaking his head. “The bed in Jiyong’s room is too small for the both of you.”

“But we always sleep there!”

“Mino, you’re about to surpass him in height.”

“It’s okay, dad, we fit just well.” Jiyong assured him, but the older man shook his head again, and Mino looked like he was about to protest when Seunghyun intervened.

“You can sleep with me.” He suggested, and everyone turned to look at him. “I mean, if Jiyong agrees… My room has a bunk bed, they put it in there when my nephew was born.”

The omega turned to look at his son, who was anxiously awaiting his answer. “Do you want to?” He nodded immediately, his mood changing at that moment, standing up with a smile on his face to go and gather his things, causing laughter in the rest. “Are you sure about this?”

“I’ve always liked sleepovers.” Seunghyun kissed his forehead before getting up to help the younger boy with his backpack. “All set?” Mino nodded, taking the key of Jiyong’s car. “Oh, it’s close, we can walk.”

The younger boy saw him before looking at the others, who also nodded. “Well..” He put down the keys again, going to Jiyong to hug him, letting him kiss his entire face. “I’ll be back early.”

“Call me before you go to sleep, and behave yourself.” He fixed his hair, letting out a sigh before letting him go.

He hugged his grandparents goodbye, and Seunghyun couldn’t help but smile when they left the house and noticed him looking around as if he didn’t know the neighborhood from his whole life. “Is it really safe? It’s all very dark.”

He stopped when Mino turned back, looking from the corner at the balcony of Jiyong’s room. “Are you scared?” He asked, and the boy shook his head, but looked at his hand. Seunghyun offered it to him at that moment, and Mino acted disinterested before taking it, walking more confidently.

“How far are we going?” Seunghyun pointed at his house, mentally thanking the lights were still on because he hadn’t bothered to call his mom. “Woo, you really lived close by.”

“I walked Jiyong to his house every day when we were your age.” He recalled, smiling, as if that hadn’t made him curse every day from two thousand to two thousand and three. They walked up the steps that separated the house from the sidewalk, ringing the doorbell until the door opened. “Mom..”

“Seunghyun.” The lady smiled, hugging him before asking what he was doing there, but her eyes dropped to the boy. “Mino?”

The boy blinked a few times with his mouth open before returning to Seunghyun. “Your mom’s Mrs. Choi ? This Mrs. Choi?” He looked so confused, trying to understand how the worlds that were just colliding for him had been co-existing for longer than he thought. “She always came to my birthday parties! Why didn’t you ever come with her? I could’ve met you ...” He got a couple laughs out of them as he started counting on his fingers, finally shaking his head when he couldn’t do the math. “Many, many years ago!”

Seunghyun tilted his head, walking with him into his parents’ house. “I owe you an apology.”

“And presents.” He nodded, and something else seemed to click in his head. “Are you Yeonjun’s uncle?” The alpha nodded again, and his little eyes widened in shock at the sight of the other boy coming down the stairs. “Yeonjun!”

“Mino?”

They weren’t exactly the same age, but the two years between them didn’t seem to be a problem as they went into the living room to play video games, Seunghyun taking Mino’s backpack from his shoulders as he ran to his nephew who also didn’t stop to greet him out of excitement.

“Should I be worried that you kidnapped the Kwon’s grandson?” His mother asked, watching the two boys settle down on the couch. “Or is there another explanation for this?”

“Well..” He threw an arm around her shoulders, waving a hand in the direction of his father who was also coming down after hearing the fuss and his son’s voice. “I might be dating Jiyong.”

“Seunghyunnie!” His mother reacted as if he had discovered the cure for cancer, and his father also seemed relieved, permanently worried that he would spend the rest of his life alone. “Really? You have to tell us everything, where is he?”

He smiled nervously, letting them both guide him to the dining room, from where they could keep an eye on the boys.

“We met again at KAIST , he started teaching almost a year ago and..” He looked down, coughing as he decided it was best for everyone to skip that part of his story. “We’ve been dating for a couple of months, officially.”

They continued to talk about things that made Seunghyun nervous, and didn’t leave him alone until the boys seemed exhausted enough to go to sleep.

He left the bottom bunk to the two of them, who fell asleep as soon as they put their heads on the pillows, and Seunghyun went out to his own balcony to smoke while sending a picture of the sweet scene to the omega, answering his call when the phone rang in his hand.

“ Did he really fall asleep? I wanted to talk to him.. ” He heard the pout in his voice, and chuckled softly. “ I’ve never gone to sleep without wishing him goodnight, I guess he’s really growing up. ”

Seunghyun let the smoke out of his lungs, watching them through the glass and getting lost in his memories. “Remember when I used to go up to your room? I’d stay there until you fell asleep.”

He heard Jiyong’s beautiful laugh from the other side of the line and sighed, then turned to the sky above him, wishing he could get lost in bed next to the omega.

“ I bet you can't do it anymore. ” One of his eyebrows arched at the tone he used, challenging him, and Jiyong knew how much Seunghyun loved a challenge.

“I'm not in that bad of shape.” He replied, narrowing his eyes, and Jiyong laughed again.

“ I know, I know.. ” Again, he was using that tone that made him go completely stupid . “ But we're not twenty anymore. ”

Seunghyun stubbed out the cigarette under his foot, glancing at the street and then at the room. “Unlock your balcony, I'll see you there.”

He didn't let the omega say anything else before hanging up, putting his phone in his jeans’ pocket before taking the edge of the railing with shaking hands to jump over it, holding on as he calculated his fall before jumping. He felt the blow to his knees, holding them and holding back a few curses, to finally stand up, walking down the sidewalk until he turned onto the street, and realized that the pain was worth it when he saw Jiyong standing on his balcony, waiting for him.

He sighed, glancing at the walls, remembering how easy it used to be to climb, and regretting the passage of time as he jumped to reach the railing and pull himself up. A jerk in his back reminded him that he was no longer twenty years old when he managed to set foot on the balcony of Jiyong's room, but that same pain was the only thing that kept him from feeling like a clumsy college student again.

The omega watched him intently, shaking his head as a huge smile crossed his lips. “I can't believe you actually did it.”

Seunghyun sighed as he kept his hands on his hips, proudly analyzing his feat. “I'm not sure I can get down, but at least I'm up here with you.” He looked back at Jiyong, at his pretty face and his bare legs under the huge t-shirt he was wearing as PJ’s. It felt like an eternity since he was last alone with Jiyong.

The omega seemed to notice his gaze, and suddenly he felt a déjà vu of a night similar enough to that one when he returned to his bed, inviting him to climb in like he had fifteen years ago.

He dropped his jacket on the carpet of the room, taking a second to see how little had changed since the last time he was there. The bookshelf still held the records they used to listen together while studying, the fluorescent stars still shining on the ceiling above them, and aside from the small wooden crib filled with stuffed animals next to the twin bed, the furniture was still the same.

“Your mom knitted this blanket for Mino.” The soft voice brought him out of his reverie, and he saw him stretch enough to reach a pastel pink blanket, perfectly preserved despite the years. “She was so embarrassed when she found out Mino was a boy, she heard from some neighbors that I had a baby girl.” Jiyong chuckled as he remembered the moment and Seunghyun sat next to, feeling the cashmere threads under his fingers. “All I could think about was how much effort she must have put into making it. Sometimes I used it to wrap him up when he slept, but my parents never allowed me to take him out for walks with it. It was a shame, because it’s so pretty.”

Seunghyun listened to the story with pain in his cheeks from how much the memory made him smile, finally taking the blanket into his arms. It was so small compared to how big Mino was now, and he felt a couple of tears build up in his eyes as he imagined how different his life would have been if he had known .

He felt the omega’s small hand on his arm, and he shook his head, wiping his eyes. “I’m sorry.” He murmured, but the tears just wouldn’t stop running down his face. “I spent so many nights missing you, thinking that you were playing with me the whole time, but you were…” He held the soft blanket like he was holding a baby, and when he looked over his shoulder, Jiyong was staring at him with teary eyes. “I’m so sorry I ever doubted you.”

“I forgive you.” He smiled, and when his cheeks swelled, his own tears ran down, forcing Seunghyun to put aside the blanket that had started everything to take the omega’s face instead, kissing him full of adoration from his chin to his forehead before moving closer to his lips. “..If you forgive me for not telling you.”

“Never.” He shook his head, the tips of their noses touching and making them smile, lips against lips. “I never got to hold Mino as a baby, or see you with a baby bump.” His voice was barely a thread, as his hand ran from his back to his belly. “It must have been adorable.”

Jiyong finished joining their lips, moaning against them as he felt the caress, much more intimate than when he touched him lower down, and he forced himself to break contact when a magnificent idea crossed his mind, taking the alpha by the shoulders as he looked at him with fire in his eyes, drunk enough with love to not feel any shame. “I can change that .”

Seunghyun looked at him through his dark lashes, still dazed from the taste of his mouth to understand. “What’s ‘that’ ?” He asked before trying to kiss him again, but Jiyong lowered his head, lacing his fingers with his, pressing against his stomach, stealing Seunghyun’s breath as he understood . “Oh, Ji..”

“I swear I really want it.” He sought the warmth of his skin as he pulled off his shirt, revealing the rest of his skin, and Seunghyun felt his throat dry as he salivated at the sight. “A month ago the idea terrified me, but a part of me broke when I saw the test was negative.”

“Y..You… You still have to recover.” He reminded him, but he still didn’t deny him anything, trying to work some sense into the omega even though the idea drove him as crazy as it did.

“I’ll be fine.” He sounded confident, undoing the buttons on Seunghyun’s shirt, leaving small kisses on every inch of skin he uncovered. “I’ve been worse, and I’ve come through, so I know I’ll be okay.”

Seunghyun sighed as the omega reached his navel, pulling the rest of his shirt out of his pants before tackling his belt, undoing it along with his fly. He hissed at the feel of the hot, wet tongue on the cotton of his underwear, forcing himself to pull the omega away from his crotch before he could do more.

“The doctor said you should watch what you eat.”

And with that, he managed to stop Jiyong, who looked at him with wide eyes before bursting into laughter, flopping onto his back while holding his stomach. “So I can’t have dick, huhh ?”

He joined him in his fit of laughter, coming down in the best way from the reckless haze they had just been wrapped in. Seunghyun laid down on the bed and pulled Jiyong until he was lying on his chest, looking back at him, thinking.

“I want it too.” He cupped his cheek and Jiyong’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “But I don’t know if it’s the right time… There are a series of steps I feel we should follow before having a baby.”

“Maybe that applies to other omegas.” He desperately sought out the touch of his hands, taking one on his own. “But no one expects me to walk down the aisle wearing white anymore.”

Seunghyun shook his head, tracing his gorgeous features with his free fingers. “You’re wrong, I do. ” His sincerity made him smile, joining their lips for a moment that ended up becoming minutes, stealing each other’s air as Jiyong finished pushing the alpha’s clothes away from his body.

“What are the steps you’re thinking of?” He asked when he managed to put his hands on his strong, bare chest, feeling the warm skin against his touch.

The alpha wasn't far behind, caressing the curve of his waist until Jiyong shivered. “A ring, for starters.” The omega felt his face heat up at that. “Your parents' blessing, and a wedding.”

“Isn't that too old-fashioned?” Seunghyun shook his head, knowing beforehand that Jiyong was just acting shy, because he longed for each and every one of those things too. “What else, hyung?”

“We deserve a honeymoon.” He squeezed his butt with his hands, drawing a sigh from the omega. “And then, I could put a baby in you.”

The omega pushed him down onto the mattress, sitting completely naked on his lap, feeling the hard member right under his ass. “You know that when one subtracts or divides the numbers must have a coherence to obtain the desired result, Doctor .” Seunghyun bit his lip to stifle a moan as the younger bucked his hips, nodding at the basic concept, not understanding where he was going. “But you’re just adding to me, and I’m asking you to multiply me.” He squeezed his chest between his fingers, holding it still in place as he tried to lift himself up to change their positions. “And that doesn’t require an order, because..”

“Because the order of the factors doesn’t alter the product.” He smiled like an idiot when Jiyong nodded, taking his heavy intimacy in one of his soft hands, working it in it while he finished losing his mind. “Fuck all that then.”

Jiyong had to hold back a cry of surprise when Seunghyun stood up, switching places and leaving him face down on the bed, a hand on his waist immobilizing him in the hottest way possible. When he felt Seunghyun settling behind him he had the urge to spread his legs, but the alpha forced him to keep them together with a knee on either side of his thighs. “Hyung.”

“Shh…” He felt a kiss on his cheek when he managed to get his face out from in between the pillows as the member slid obscenely between his cheeks, teasing him a couple of times before burying himself inside. “That’s it, so tight .”

Jiyong squeezed his eyes shut and let the air out of his lungs, wondering how this could feel so good with all the added pressure from his legs, sure that with anyone else it would have hurt like hell, but his body fit perfectly with Seunghyun's despite how big he was.

“Oh, just like that..” He murmured with a grimace of pleasure on his face that drove Seunghyun crazy, feeling the thrusts becoming deeper and more accurate when he knew for sure that Jiyong was enjoying it.

He kissed as much skin as he could, leaving small marks and tasting the sweat against his lips, moving the hand he kept on his waist up to the hair that covered his tattoo to move it and sink a couple fingers into the nape of his neck while outlining the ink with his tongue. He wrinkled his nose and growled at the feel of the teeth ridges beneath it, wanting to sink his fangs in until they disappeared with new marks that would bind him for life to the precious omega beneath his body.

His hips took on a harder pace as he thought, but Jiyong didn't seem bothered by it, and he actually wondered how much it would upset him to share a bond if he had just been begging for a baby. He licked his neck once more, taking in the detail of the tattoo that covered it, and sighed.

He couldn't ruin that .

He slipped his arms under Jiyong's body, slipping a knee between his legs so that he would finally part them and he could continue fucking him when he pressed his back to his chest, bringing one hand to one of his nipples while lowering the other to the member that rose between his legs. As if he had planned it, across the room from them was the full-length mirror, and Seunghyun grinned like an idiot at the sweaty little face staring back at him, lips parted and eyebrows furrowed.

“You are all so precious, but your pleasure?” He murmured into his ear with his deepest voice, pulling at one of the buttons on his chest and going all the way inside him. “The way you look and sound, it’s perfect .” He moved his hand up to his face, turning him around to taste his lips again, kissing him as he continued to gently touch his member. “Oh, Ji..”

Jiyong wasn’t sure there could be anything hotter than that, turning his gaze back to the front. He had the alpha’s huge hands on him as he took each deep thrust inside him, almost pushing against his belly from how hard he moved.

That sight was enough to turn him on, sending him over the edge.

“Hyung..” He called out, cheeks flushed and pupils dilated. “I’m going to cum, please.” He begged, not really knowing if he preferred him to continue or give him a break to extend his pleasure. Although, knowing Seunghyun, he knew he was guaranteed at least two orgasms. “Seunghyun.”

Their lips met once more, the foreign tongue playing with his own and the hand holding his cheeks released him, moving back down his body, spreading over his belly, exerting a pressure that inevitably made him finish when he knew what he was implying, shaking in his arms for long seconds. He took a deep breath when he felt Seunghyun pull out, still too stunned to put up any resistance when the alpha set him back down on the bed, carefully resting his head on one of the pillows as he settled in between his open legs again.

Jiyong didn’t put up any resistance when Seunghyun entered again, but he didn’t move beyond the soft caresses on his legs, letting him come down from the pleasure so he could take him there again. Jiyong was trying to catch his breath and Seunghyun read his lips, a silent ‘I love you’ making him smile.

“ I love you, too.” Seunghyun replied, moving down enough to kiss the tip of his nose before he started moving again. “And I love having you like this so much, making those sweet noises even when you can’t talk.” He moved the hair out of his face to see his whole expression, every feel or bead of sweat on his forehead.

Jiyong clung to his arms, welcoming the impact of each thrust. “Seunghyun..” He called out his name again as he felt him tense, his thick eyebrows furrowing with each movement. “Hyung..” Their eyes met, and he felt the power returning to him as he realized that he was also responsible for his pleasure, and that the alpha would do whatever he asked for. “ Give it to me. ”

He watched as the vein across his forehead stood out and his black eyes darkened even further. “Ji, oh… Jiyong..”

“Come, love .” He asked in a voice too sweet for what they were doing, releasing one of his strong biceps to cup his face, leaning in to give him small kisses as his movements slowed, but they still tickled him all over. “Cum inside, fill me, knot me, make me yours the way only you know how.” His smile grew wider as he saw the effect his words had on the alpha, and how he instantly had his knot pushing inside him. “Like that, hyung, oh God .. Ma..Mark me.”

Seunghyun felt light-headed at the sound of that mesmerized by his scent and the pleasure as it spilled inside him, knotting him as Jiyong shot again between their bodies, lifting his belly and showing him his neck, and the decision was clear. He wasn’t going to bite him where he’d been bitten before, where Jiyong had tried so hard to erase and cover scars. Seunghyun didn’t want their bond to be lost in all the pain, and he didn’t need the whole world to see it for them to know they belonged to each other.

Shaking from the powerful orgasm, he leaned over the omega to kiss the skin of his chest, feeling the other’s heartbeat against his lips. “I.. Can I really do it?” Even though his teeth were aching to bite him, he stopped to ask, afraid of hurting him or messing things up.

But the look the omega gave him as he nodded desperately was all he needed to lick the skin around his nipple for a couple of seconds before sinking his fangs into the soft skin until he felt it .

He felt the light in the room go out and Jiyong was the only thing that remained illuminated, feeling his heart stop for a few seconds before beating again at the same rhythm as the omega's. He pulled his teeth out when he was able to feel the faint pain of Jiyong, licking and kissing the wound to clean it before looking at him.

“Hyung..” He called out, his lips curved into a relaxed smile as he kept his eyes half-closed, getting used to the changes the bite was causing in his mind and body.

Seunghyun looked at him with bright eyes, smiling as he realized that they truly shared a bond, and even though he had heard about it all his life, he never imagined how magical it would be, although he knew that a large part of that magic came from the adoration he felt for Jiyong, the same one he had felt since the first time they met eyes.

“Are you okay? Something hurts?” He asked when the feeling of pain didn’t disappear after a few seconds, and he saw the omega bring a hand to his chest, wrinkling his nose. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s tolerable.” He sighed, finally opening his eyes, and Seunghyun smiled at him, dimples appearing under his cheeks. “Why here?” He murmured curiously, feeling insecure at the thought that, perhaps, his neck disgusted him.

“Your heart’s there, I wanted to get to it as soon as possible.” He continued to smile, resting his face against his chest, distributing his weight between his arms so as not to suffocate him while they waited for the knot to go down. “ Mhmn , you smell so good.. Like you, and me.”

A smile spread across his face as he watched the way Seunghyun rested on top of him, tracing the mark on his chest with his index finger before lowering his hand, caressing the rest of his body with adoration before resting his hand on his belly, looking for his gaze at that moment.

Jiyong laughed shyly and wished he could hide his face in the pillows so that Seunghyun would stop looking at him with that expression on his face. “Enough..”

But the alpha wouldn’t let him have it that easy.

He reached out again until he could touch his face and kiss him all over while laughing, trying to push him away in vain.

“We’re going to have a baby.” He murmured close to his ear before joining their foreheads. “A baby, Ji.” The omega was all laughs as Seunghyun told him how much he loved him, until he was able to slide out of him, moving down to his belly which he did not stop filling with kisses, murmuring sweet words against his skin.

Seunghyun was just as excited about the idea of ​​starting a family with Jiyong, but nothing prepared him for what that would unleash in the omega who, from that day on, did not miss any opportunity to push him against the nearest surface and demanded the alpha to make him his.

A couple months later he found himself pressing his forehead against the omega’s sweaty back as he finished working another knot inside him, the second or third of the day, and Jiyong let himself be held in between his strong arms as he felt the cum fill him further than he thought possible.

“ God , that’s so good.” He breathed when he could catch his breath a little, smiling at the growls of the alpha, his alpha. “Hyung?”

“Mhmn..” He heard a sigh, and felt one of his hands let go of his hip to sneak inside his shirt until he reached the patch that covered his mark, tearing it off so he could feel that place where they were also joined. Jiyong moaned, the pain long gone to give way to a hypersensitivity in that area every time Seunghyun squeezed the skin between his hands or lips. “If I’m honest, I wasn’t sure I could cum again… But you feel so good.” He felt one more kiss on one of his shoulders, shaking his hips to thrust into Jiyong again, playing with the limits of pain as he pushed the knot. “So hot and wet.”

“Hyung.” He called out to him again, feeling a shiver run through his body at the tone he used when speaking to him. “Don’t say those things, or I will..” He heard Seunghyun’s hoarse laugh and bit his lips.

“You’ll get horny again?” Jiyong nodded, and contrary to what he thought, Seunghyun continued to leave kisses all over his skin, helping him come down from the intimate moment they had shared until the knot let him rise from his lap, the alpha stopping him by the hips. “Let me see it.”

“You’re disgusting.” Jiyong wanted to mock the alpha, but he allowed Seunghyun to push his torso against the desk, keeping a hand on his waist as he felt his semen slide out of him.

Seunghyun seemed to have a fascination with it, it was something completely primal and driven by instincts , seeing how he had claimed the omega from the inside, or at least that's what he told him when Jiyong asked about it. When he had enough he pulled up the omega’s underwear, giving him a slap that sounded in the office. “Keep it there.”

The omega laughed, letting him also adjust his pants, turning him around to leave a kiss on his belly before buttoning it up, smoothing the shirt over the button and zipper.

“You look so happy.” Jiyong caressed the face he kept against his chest while hugging him around the waist, looking completely sleepy like every time they finished making love. “You don't know what’s coming your way.”

A smile appeared on the alpha's face, looking up when he felt him playing with his hair, if Jiyong kept going like that he would really fall asleep. “A crying baby girl that looks like you?”

“How are you sure we’ll have a girl?” He couldn’t help but laugh every time Seunghyun talked about their baby, the one they hadn’t conceived yet, with such certainty.

“I just know, you’ll see.” He hid his face in his chest again, lasting there for barely a few seconds when a knock on the wooden door made them react. “ Shit , I’ll fail anyone who..”

“Doctor Choi?”

They looked at each other in horror when they heard Kwanghyung’s voice, and Jiyong straightened up, looking around for somewhere to hide. Seunghyun grabbed him by the shoulders before pushing him under his desk, standing up to open the door.

“Director Lee.”

The short man smiled at him, closing the door behind him to walk over to the chair in front of his desk.

“I’ve been meaning to stop by and say hi, it feels like forever since I last talked to you, kid.” Seunghyun felt his heart in his throat, thankful that the director was a beta who couldn’t detect the thick pheromones in the air. He cleared his throat, walking to his own chair, giving Jiyong a quick glance, who was fast to raise the middle fingers of both hands at him. “Are you free?”

“I.. I have a few minutes.” He nodded, forcing himself to smile as he felt Jiyong between his feet.

“I’m a little worried.” Kwanghyung was an admirable man, intelligent and with a patience that, as it calmed some, stressed others. He watched him search through his folders until he pulled out one with his name on it. “We haven’t received any progress on your project, the last update was an idea that wasn’t grounded enough to be called a proposal.”

“About that..” He scratched nervously behind his ear, holding his gaze. “I’m definitely making progress, but I haven’t gotten the right contacts… The holiday periods in America are different, with all these celebrations and time changes…” He stopped as he ran out of breath, opening his laptop to pretend to search through the emails. “…But I have everything under control.”

Kwanghyung just smiled, shaking his head in something resembling a nod. “I’m glad to hear that.” He heard him sigh, pressing his back against the chair. “Because professor Kwon told me he wants to retire from the competition, so..”

“What?” Seunghyun interrupted him, stopping himself from looking under the desk, but the man nodded again.

“He’s had a couple of medical complications, I guess he wants to focus on improving his health before taking on a responsibility like this.” He put his papers back into the folder, arranging it in his briefcase. “And we can’t deny how complicated it can be to manage this position with a kid, I didn’t want to take it myself until my kids were in college.”

Seunghyun nodded, still in disbelief. “I wasn’t expecting it.”

“Me neither.” The beta stood up. “But I’m really counting on you now, Seunghyun.”

He stood up to follow him to the door, saying goodbye, locking it again. He stared at the handle for a few seconds before turning around when he heard the omega trying to get up from his hiding spot.

“Ji, what is Kwanghyung talking about?” He called out from there, giving him a few seconds to come out of the hiding spot, looking like a scolded child. “Did you quit the competition?”

Jiyong continued to look up at him as he approached him again, biting his lower lip between his teeth. “I won’t be able to take that position if I have a baby.”

“And I can?” He took him by the shoulders, shaking his head. “Jiyong, we’ll both have our hands full. Whoever wins, the other will help a little more, I thought that was the deal.”

“But, there’s also Mino, and I’m..”

“The deal is still the same, I’ll take care of him, take him to school and go get him. I’ve already done that, and to be honest I love it.” He watched his expression relax, and sighed, taking him into his arms. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be having another baby with you.” Jiyong stayed like that for long seconds, feeling heartbeats in his throat, and if they didn’t share a bond Seunghyun probably wouldn’t have questioned him further. “That’s not all, right?”

The omega shook his head, letting go of him to walk to the desk, sitting on the edge of it. “It doesn’t make sense.” He began, and Seunghyun followed at a safe distance. “Everyone knows there’s no way I can beat you.. I’ll only humiliate myself if I get to election day competing against you.”

“You don’t know, Ji, everyone is delighted with your work.. Teachers, managers and students.” He tried to cheer him up, but the omega continued to look down, holding back his tears and keeping his eyes away from the alpha’s.

“Would it be so bad?” He muttered softly, and Seunghyun leaned closer to hear what he was saying better. “For me to take my place as your omega, wouldn’t you prefer that?”

“And do what? Stay home to cook and take care of kids?” He couldn’t help but let his face fall as he understood what he was implying. “That’s not your place, Ji, it never has been.”

The omega seemed to grow smaller as he raised his voice, and Seunghyun hated it. He hated that he looked so fragile, because he knew he wasn’t, and he hated himself for thinking that he had anything to do with it.

“You have no idea what it’s like..” Jiyong continued to look down, and his attempts to hold back his tears failed. “It’s so tiring, carrying a baby, giving birth, and taking care of them.”

“You already did it once.” He reminded him, but the omega only furrowed his eyebrows in response. “And now you won’t do it by yourself.”

He grabbed a couple of tissues from the desk to try and dry his cheeks and eyes, but Jiyong turned his face away, moving away from his touch.

“I don’t want to do it, I don’t feel ready.” He confessed, and Seunghyun felt a hollow in his chest when their gazes met. Jiyong seemed to notice, and sighed, crossing his arms at chest level. “I’m talking about the direction, I’m not ready, I know I won’t do it well. I want to enjoy us, and not be drowning in work and diapers for a change.”

Seunghyun engaged them in a staring match that, he knew, was making the omega in front of him uncomfortable.

“You don’t know that.” He shook his head when he managed to speak long seconds later. “You can have both, you’re capable of that and more.” Jiyong ended up lowering his head again, and Seunghyun sighed, taking him by the chin. “I wish you could see yourself through my eyes, and see all your potential.”

Jiyong’s pretty lips pursed into a pout, and when Seunghyun thought he would agree with him, he shook his head again. “I don’t want to.” He replied in that tone he always used to tease him with, putting distance between them. “And maybe it’s too late to find out.”

Seunghyun was trying hard to remain calm, but feeling the omega’s small hands on his chest, pushing him away and seeing his eyebrows furrowed as if he was hurting him with his attempts to help, his own patience ran out.

“To find out?” He shook his head as he understood what he meant, forcing an attempt at a half smile so as not to make his expression worse. “Jiyong, we’ve fucked every day for the past two months… Do you think I haven’t seen the pregnancy tests in the trash can every morning?” He sighed in exasperation, and although he hadn’t expressed it, the whole baby thing seemed to be putting unnecessary pressure on their relationship and bond. “Maybe it’s the universe’s way of telling us not to make a mistake.”

The last bit was barely a murmur, but Seunghyun instantly regretted it as he saw the repercussions on the omega’s face. “A mistake?”

“I didn’t mean..” He tried to speak, sorting out the thoughts in his head, but Jiyong shut him up, shaking his head. “Ji, come on.”

“No, you’re right.” He wiped his face desperately, turning around to gather his things. “Maybe having a baby with you would be a mistake, if he’s half as likely to be an idiot like you.” He grabbed his briefcase, slinging it over his shoulder. “I already got lucky once, I shouldn't challenge the odds.”

“Ji..” He tried to call out to him again, but the damage was already done. He watched him put on his sunglasses and slam the door to his office, walking out of there.

Seunghyun completely covered his face and stifled a cry of frustration, going back to his chair to collapse into it. Jiyong’s scent was still in the air, and he rummaged through his desk drawers for his car keys to go get the omega.

He hurried to the parking lot and from there to the bus stop. Jiyong had gone with him that morning, and Seunghyun knew him well enough to know that his pride wouldn’t let him return to Seoul together.

He stopped the little red car in front of the bench where the omega waited, ignoring him even when he rolled down the windows.

“I promise to not say a single word.” He spoke, but Jiyong didn’t look up from his phone, and Seunghyun looked around, thinking of some way to convince him. “Do you know how to use the bus? Do you have a card from this company with you?”

Jiyong continued with his eyes on the phone, but Seunghyun could tell that his question had forced him to stop reading and instead think about what he was saying. Of course he didn’t have a card, and it was late for the offices where they issued them to still be open.

The omega stood up and, still avoiding his gaze, climbed into the passenger seat, putting on his seatbelt in complete silence, but that was enough for Seunghyun.

At least he would make sure he got home safely.

The silence between them wasn’t usually this awkward, but they both knew it couldn't be any other way, and the bond they shared was tense. Seunghyun heard a sigh, and looked over his shoulder at the omega who had leaned his head against the glass of the door, closing his eyes.

It didn't take long for him to fall asleep, but even then there seemed to be pain on his face, and even though the situation had gotten out of control for both of them, the alpha felt responsible for having pushed Jiyong there.

When they entered Seoul he stopped at an ice cream shop, silently ordering not to wake the omega until he arrived to his parents' house, where Mino was waiting for them.

“Mhmn..” Jiyong sighed as Seunghyun shook his shoulder to wake him up, placing the cup of ice cream in front of his face. “… What? What’s that?”

“A truce.” He replied, trying to coax him while Jiyong fought to keep his eyes open. “I know we need to talk about it, but.. For now, I want you to know that I’m sorry.” The omega yawned long before looking at him, then at the cup. “It’s strawberry.”

“I’m not hungry, Seunghyun.” He sighed, putting a hand on the door handle. “I need time to think about.. Everything.”

He watched him get out and cross the street and enter his parents’ house through the restaurant door, barely stopping to greet Mino before heading to the stairs.

Seunghyun sighed, getting out with an ice cream in each hand when the boy set his sights on the car and walked out to the sidewalk. “Doc?”

“Hey, Mino.” He couldn't stop smiling when he saw him, and extended one of the cups in its direction. “You want ice cream?”

The younger boy peeked in to examine it, wrinkling his nose when he saw it was strawberry, then looking curiously at the other cup. “I prefer chocolate.”

Seunghyun’s smile grew even bigger despite having to give up his own ice cream, settling for Jiyong’s dubious taste in order to keep the boy by his side. “Here you go.” He handed him the small cup, and pointed him to the edge of the sidewalk where they both sat down to eat their ice cream.

Mino stirred the dessert with his spoon, tasting it before looking at Seunghyun.

“You and mom got in a fight, right?” He asked quietly, and Seunghyun grimaced before nodding, unable to lie to him, even when it caused the other’s face to fill with worry. “Are you going to..?” He swallowed hard, looking back at his ice cream. “Are you going to break up?”

His voice was barely a thread, and Seunghyun felt a cold reminder down his spine. Break up? They couldn’t break up even if they wanted to, at least not while they kept a bond.

“No, Mino, we’re not going to break up.” He set the strawberry ice cream aside, using his hands to stroke the younger's hair a few times. “He's just upset, that's all.”

“You made him upset.” He corrected him, raising an eyebrow in his direction, and Seunghyun nodded again. “It's good that you admit it, mommy is always right.”

“I think so..”

He sighed, looking down again as he thought of how to get out of this. Mino seemed to notice when he set his own cup aside and gave him a couple of smacks on the back.

“I like you, Doc .” He caught his attention, and Seunghyun turned to look at him. “Just for that, I'll tell you how to get him back.” The boy stood up, waiting for him to do the same.

“Get him back?” Mino nodded confidently, throwing the empty cups into the trash.

“But I'm afraid I have to ask you for something in return.”

The older alpha looked at him for several seconds before standing up and following him into the restaurant to hear his plan.

As for his part, Jiyong felt the days without news from Seunghyun go on forever , repeating in his head the hostile words they shared on Friday afternoon and spending most of the nights awake, too proud to call him.

But he felt so lonely, and Mino spending the whole weekend locked in his room working on a project for the exhibition for the last day of school didn't help either.

"Is the suitcase necessary?" He asked him when he parked at the KAIST campus, and the boy nodded, making him sigh. Despite it being only Monday morning, he felt completely exhausted, and the sight of Seunghyun's car made his stomach sink, realizing how much he really missed him and needed him.

"From here we'll go to school, I need to change." He shrugged, pushing the suitcase with wheels, and Jiyong just nodded, used to his ideas and how stubborn he could be at this point in their lives.

But he couldn't complain when he was the same.

“Do you want to stay in my office?” He asked as he entered the building, but Mino shook his head again. “Are you sure? It'll be a long class, baby.”

“It's okay.” He nodded, gaining the lead in the audience.

Jiyong raised his eyebrows, there was something strange about all of that but, again, maybe the sleepless nights and how tired he felt was making him imagine things where there weren't any. He followed his son, turning his head when he passed by the room where Seunghyun was supposed to be teaching.

“Hey guys..” He left his briefcase on the desk in front of the students, glancing at Mino who had sat down in his chair since he taught most of the class standing up anyway.

He plugged his computer into the projector, and began to explain the slides he had prepared for the day, trying to keep his attitude as positive as possible when a student interrupted him to ask him something. However, everyone’s attention was soon drawn to the door at the top of the auditorium when it swung open near the end of class, causing a loud noise as it crashed into the wall.

Jiyong swallowed hard at the sight of Seunghyun standing there, looking so serious that he couldn’t help but feel irritated by everything he had made him feel these days with his silence. “Doctor Choi?” Jiyong called out, his heart pounding. “What do we owe your visit to?”

Seunghyun walked down a couple steps, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at all the students who used to be in his class, shaking his head.

“It’s been a while since I last saw you all.” The omega glanced at Mino for a moment when he heard him unzip the suitcase, but his attention quickly returned to the alpha. “Including you, MS Kwon .” He felt mesmerized when his eyes returned to him, almost freezing him in place in front of the entire class. “You know, guys? I’ve known professor Kwon since we were eleven or twelve, and since the first day I saw him..” He sighed. “He turned my world upside down.”

“Seunghyun.”

“No, no… He always contradicted me, fought with me, did everything to make me angry, and I couldn’t stay behind.” Jiyong narrowed his eyes, recalling that he had, in fact, been the one to start that war over twenty years ago. “It was the same until college, then everyone went their own way and when I thought I had finally gotten rid of him for good, he shows up here again.”

The omega looked in another direction upon hearing a couple of laughs and chuckles, pursing his lips into a straight line without understanding what he was getting at with all that. “Doctor Choi, please leave, or I will..”

“See? He always does that, that expression and...” He brought the back of his hand to his forehead, imitating that gesture so typical of him, making everyone burst out laughing. Seunghyun continued to smile, looking around before looking in his direction again. “Isn’t he adorable?” He asked without taking his eyes off of him. “I guess what I mean is that…”

He saw him nod in Mino’s direction, and Jiyong turned around again, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion when he saw that the boy had pulled a speaker out of his suitcase, and opened his eyes when the forgotten sound of an eighties synthesizer filled the auditorium. “ Huhh? ”

Seunghyun began to move his shoulders and legs, dancing to the song that took Jiyong a couple of seconds to recognize, but when he did, he had to hold on to the edge of his desk so he wouldn’t end up on the floor.

“ We’ve known each other for so long, your heart has been aching but you’re too shy to say it.. ” At some point, the alpha had pulled a microphone out of his suit jacket, and was singing the same song that had teased him with so many years before. “ Inside, we both know what’s been going on, we know the game and we’re gonna play it. ” He was slurring every couple of lines because of his thick voice, but that didn't seem like a reason to stop. “ And if you ask me how I’m feeling, don't tell me you're too blind to see.. ”

By this time most of the students were recording him, and Seunghyun pushed himself up to jump the last couple of steps he needed to reach the floor, standing in front of Jiyong.

“ I'm never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down. ” He smiled when the omega finally did, covering his face and leaning over himself as he continued singing. “ Never gonna run around and desert you. ” He offered a hand that helped him stand up again, wrapping that arm around his waist to bring him closer to his body, causing all the students to scream in excitement at the show Seunghyun was giving them. “ Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say a lie. Never gonna tell a lie, and hurt you. ”

“Hyung..” He called mortified, glancing at the class before turning back to him. “W..What is all this?”

Seunghyun let go of him for a moment, looking towards Mino to help him lower the volume of the backing track, and approached them to pass to the alpha, also from inside the suitcase, a bouquet of daisies. Jiyong felt foolish for a moment, and finally understood why the boy had gone down to the lobby of the apartment building that morning.

“Professor Kwon Jiyong, master in robotics and artificial intelligence, with some specialization in algorithms that I can’t remember right now because of how nervous your beautiful eyes make me.” He confessed still over the microphone, approaching him again. “My Jiyongie , the one who turned my world upside down with his angel face since the first time I saw him.” The omega took the flowers when he handed them to him, but he didn’t bother to look at them, he couldn’t when he had Seunghyun showing him his dimples. “The only person I’ve ever loved in my entire life…” Jiyong let out a gasp as Seunghyun wrapped both arms around his body again. “With these brilliant minds as witnesses, would you grant me the honor and privilege of being my partner?”

He parted his lips, looking at him in shock as he lowered the microphone, raising his thick eyebrows a couple of times to persuade him.

As if he needed to.

Jiyong covered his mouth with one of his hands and nodded, his eyes filling with tears as everyone screamed in euphoria, and began to clap, Seunghyun taking advantage of the moment to tighten his grip around his body and spin him around in a quick movement, almost suspending him in his arms when one of his feet rose up, forcing the omega to grab onto his shoulders with his free arm to have some stability and, thus, be able to kiss him.

Jiyong couldn't help but smile as he listened to all the fuss, although the lips against his almost made him forget where he was because of how good they felt, and how much he had missed the alpha. Seunghyun pulled him back to his feet, but he continued to hold onto one of his shoulders to keep from falling, knowing in advance that his cheeks must be completely flushed.

“Well, I…” He cleared his throat, looking at his flowers before facing his class. “I..I think we should continue the topic next class and…”

“And homework is suspended for the rest of the week!” Seunghyun shouted, making everyone cheer for the last time, letting Jiyong take refuge in his arms again, hiding his face from his students who began to pack up their things when the clock marked the end of class.

Jiyong moved away from his hold a few seconds later, touching his face with the back of his hand, still too nervous to stop shaking. “I’m sure you were a singer in another life.”

The alpha shook his head, opening an arm for Mino who ran up to them. “I was a dancer.” He murmured, winking, and leaned down to the boy’s height to hug him.

“I told you it would work!” He jumped as he spoke, unable to hold back his excitement, and hugged Jiyong’s waist.

“So you’re behind this too?” He kissed his head, understanding the strange attitude of the last few days.

Mino nodded, full of pride. “I told him your favorite movie is ‘ Ten Things I Hate About You’ and I begged him to sing ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ ! But the doc insisted on that song.” He wrinkled his nose as he said it, not understanding why out of all the romantic repertoire he had offered him, he had chosen Never Gonna Give You Up .

“You’re too young to understand.” Seunghyun continued to smile dazzlingly, while Jiyong held onto his arm. They laughed when Mino rolled his eyes, shuffling his feet back to his suitcase, pulling out another bouquet of flowers before pointing out the watch on his wrist to the older alpha. “Oh, right , we have to hurry to Mino’s school.. Are you coming with us?”

“Did I miss something?” He raised an eyebrow, letting Seunghyun help him pack his things while Mino grabbed his suitcase again.

“You don’t think I helped him with all this for fun, do you?” He shook his head, lips slightly raised in a sort of pout. “I like the Doc, but sharing you has a price.”

Jiyong sighed with a smile, almost running after them as they began to walk quickly down the hallway, not knowing exactly what else they were up to. He could see the curious and surprised glances of other students and teachers on him, sure that Seunghyun’s grand gesture must be the main topic of conversation in the faculty at that moment.

“Why the rush?” He asked when they were in the parking lot, trying to understand why it was so important to get to school early. “The exhibition starts at one..”

“We don’t have time! High schoolers also leave at that time.” The boy urged, pointing at the SUV. “With all due respect, Doc, I prefer mommy to drive.. He’s not afraid of going fast.”

Jiyong laughed as the alpha helped the teenager get in with all the stuff he was carrying in the backseat. He still didn’t know what they were going to do, but if Mino was asking him to step on the pedal, he wasn’t going to question it after what he had done for them.

“Do you need help with your tie?” Seunghyun turned from the passenger side to the backseat, seeing the mess the boy was in as he changed from his casual clothes into a suit Jiyong had never seen before.

“Tie?” He asked curiously, watching the scene in the rearview mirror as he passed other cars on the highway. “Seriously, what are you doing?”

“You drive!” Mino looked anxious as Seunghyun adjusted his clothes, then grabbed a notebook to practice something. Jiyong questioned Seunghyun with his eyes, but he just shrugged.

“He made me promise to not tell you anything.”

The omega narrowed his eyes at his response, tightening his grip on the steering wheel before revving the engine, driving even faster to get to school as soon as possible.

Mino practically jumped out of the truck when Jiyong parked, and they had to walk faster to catch up with him inside, where a small exhibition of art and other science projects by the middle school students was set up.

“What did the high schoolers have to do with this?” Jiyong asked Seunghyun again, who at that moment put an arm around his shoulders.

“You’ll see..”

The omega wrinkled his nose before looking for his son, who was currently in the center of the court, hitting the microphone with his little hand. “ Oh my god … Is he going to sing too?”

“What?” No, he isn’t going to..” He looked in his direction as well, and when his eyes met the boy’s he seemed to react, letting go of the omega to take the speaker out of the suitcase again and turn it on, giving a thumbs up in response.

Mino nodded, bringing his lips closer to the microphone.

“ O..One, one, two? Can you hear me?” He asked, and his response was all heads turning in his direction. “Well, I…” The boy looked nervous, and Jiyong clung to Seunghyun’s arm when he saw him swallow. “I wanted, umm , this one!” He looked around before approaching a covered easel, taking the canvas over the painting. “I’m Minho, from the ninth grade, and I really like art, so much so that I won first place in my class with this.” In one quick movement, he uncovered the painting, drawing a couple of sighs and looks of amazement that made him blush. “When I grow up, I want to be an artist.. But there’s something I like even more than art.” He sighed into the microphone, moving it away from his lips to pull another painting that was also covered up, placing it to the side of the blue deer painting. “ Someone , actually.” He spoke again, looking around until his gaze landed on someone. “ My muse. ”

Jiyong turned his head to where his son was looking, and watched a really pretty boy point at himself in shock. “What is he doing?”

“He’s a very brave little boy.” Seunghyun replied with a smile on his face. “He reminds me of someone who had a crush in middle school, but was too dumb to admit it.”

“Me?” He raised an eyebrow, and Seunghyun shook his head.

“You were shy, I was the dumb one.” He kissed his cheek before pointing ahead, leaving him perhaps more stunned by the confession than the high school student his pup was dedicating all this to.

“Kim Jinwoo.” He finally spoke, uncovering the second painting, and much like the first, this one was wonderful. Jinwoo’s face followed the same aesthetics and colors that Mino had used for the deer, highlighting his beauty even more, both being part of the same collection. “I know I’m still very young and that’s why I make mistakes, but I didn’t want to wait any longer and lose the opportunity to let you know how much you inspire with your smile and kindness.” Mino seemed to get smaller with each word, while his little face turned redder. “I..I hope you like it.” He finished, immediately pointing at the painting, lowering his gaze.

While the people around him smiled or sighed tenderly, and a few others made fun of the little alpha, Jinwoo did not hesitate to approach him to see the work in better detail.

The boy gave a quick wave to Seunghyun, and he let go of Jiyong to hand him the second bouquet of flowers, which he then extended to the omega.

Seunghyun could see how Mino's heart skipped a beat when Jinu leaned down a little, just enough to look him straight in the eyes and brush his hair away from his forehead with his free hand, holding the bouquet of flowers in the other.

"You're adorable." He caressed his reddened cheek, leaving a kiss on it that almost made him lose his balance. "And you're really talented."

The young omega was gentle with his actions and words, appearing calm about the whole situation: It wasn't common for a fourteen-year-old boy to dedicate a work of art to you in front of the entire school, and Seunghyun was sure that many teenagers Jinwoo's age would have run away in order to avoid being teased by other classmates.

“I..I…” Mino was trying hard to speak, but it was difficult to do so with the omega so close. He shook his head for a moment, waking up, and looked at him again. “I wanted to apologize, f..for the day I growled at you, I didn’t mean to but…”

“I understand, don’t worry.” Jinu smiled at him, trying to reassure him as he adjusted his backpack around his shoulders.

“Thanks..” He muttered as shyly as he had been at the start, even when everyone around them seemed to have gone on with their day. “The painting is for you, in case you want to take it or, you know, whatever.” He shrugged, trying to feign a bit of disinterest after everything he had done.

But he seemed to melt again when Jinwoo smiled with his whole face. “I would love to.” Mino nodded in agreement, completely enraptured. “Why don’t you let me treat you to some ice cream as a thank you? There’s a shop right across the street..” He pointed at the place, then looked at Seunghyun. “Of course, if your dad agrees.”

“Dad?” The boy asked, confused until he saw him turn to Seunghyun, his expression relaxing. “Oh, yeah, can I?”

“I..”

“You can go.” Jiyong interrupted when he got close enough, smiling at both of them, and Jinwoo offered him a hand that the younger boy quickly took, walking together to the other side of the street. “He’s really growing up..” He murmured quietly, and turned to look at Seunghyun who couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. “What is that?”

He shrugged, but still felt butterflies at the fact that someone had seen him as Mino’s father, and that Mino didn’t deny it. Jiyong also smiled sideways, holding his hand in understanding, remembering the magic of the bond they shared.

Magic that wasn’t just there for the good, Seunghyun thought when he felt irritated a couple of days later, while he was reviewing some papers in the dining room of his own house. He raised his head to look for the omega with his eyes, seeing his silhouette coming and going on the terrace.

The alpha set his pen aside, scratching his arms and neck uncomfortably when Jiyong raised his voice, but it was like he couldn't reach what was itching him.

He sighed, there were some things he would never get used to.

Jiyong walked back into the apartment, slamming the door behind him, walking over to the couch where he had thrown his bag when he arrived, rummaging around for a cigarette.

“Are you okay?” He asked cautiously, watching him place the cigarette between his lips as he tried to flick the lighter. “Ji..”

“ Shit ..” He whined, throwing the lighter into the trash before approaching Seunghyun. “You have fire?”

The alpha crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head as he looked back with a raised eyebrow. “You made me throw them all away, along with my cigarettes.” He reminded him, as if the omega wasn't regretting that decision right now. He watched as Jiyong brought his hands to his hair and tugged at it, letting the alpha take the cigarette from his mouth, replacing it with his lips, and that seemed to relax him, his tense shoulders dropping as Seunghyun left soft caresses on his back. “What happened?”

Jiyong sighed, letting the alpha hug him and carry him to the nearest couch, settling the omega over his body. He was wearing Seunghyun’s shirt, his scent still thick on his body after what they had done earlier that afternoon.

“Soohyuk.” He replied with half-lidded eyes, his eyebrows furrowing as soon as he mentioned the other man. “He’s been so insistent on taking Mino to his beach house.. Can you believe it? He hasn’t paid child support for the past ten years, but he bought a damn house on the beach.” He almost growled at the memory, forcing himself to relax as he felt Seunghyun’s hand stroking his hair.

“I can buy you a house on the beach.” He smiled at him when he opened his eyes again. “Bigger and prettier.”

But Jiyong sighed, shaking his head.

“It’s not that, I don’t even like the beach… But it’s frustrating to hear what a great life he’s had when not long ago I had to decide between eating or buying shoes for Mino.” He complained again, his pretty eyes filling with tears as he remembered all the times he had to sacrifice himself for his son, and it still wasn’t enough to give him everything he deserved and wanted, starting with a stable family. “He told me we could come if I didn’t trust him, but I know he’s doing all this for you, and it doesn’t make sense.”

“For me?” He asked curiously, looking to his side when Iye jumped onto the couch next to them. “What do I have to do with that?”

“I guess he feels threatened by the way Mino talks about you, as if he ever made an effort to be present in his life..” He held his head, looking at the cat as well. “Shit, what was I thinking when I told you to throw away all the cigarettes?”

“Your health, probably.” He kissed his forehead, keeping his embrace around the omega’s body. “And the baby.”

“The baby..” He sighed, nodding and looking up at the ceiling above them.

That had been an awkward conversation, sitting down to talk about something that should have already happened and that had excited them like few things in life.

“Maybe it's not the time.” Seunghyun reminded him to push the bad thoughts away from the omega's mind, kissing his ear. “Your body is wise, it will happen when it has to.”

But Jiyong only sighed in response. “I guess..”

He felt a series of small kisses on his neck that didn't end until he started laughing, giving in to his arms. “And about the other thing, do you want to go? Go with Mino, make sure he's safe.. I can get a place for us to stay together, it wouldn't hurt to get away from the city for a weekend either.”

With each word Seunghyun traced the outline of his arms with his fingertips, making him shudder as he tried to hold back a smile, the change of plans encouraging him a little more.

“I guess that doesn't sound so bad.”

“I’ll make some calls.” He kissed the center of his forehead, setting him down on the couch next to Iye, who quickly settled into the omega’s lap.

It was nice to be able to sit back and relax while letting someone else take care of him for the first time in his life. Jiyong only had to pack his bags, and Seunghyun drove the rest of the way when the weekend came.

“Dad’s going to teach me how to swim.” Mino spoke excitedly from the backseat, repeating over and over everything he would do once they got to the beach. “I also want to collect seashells to make a necklace for Jinu.”

Jiyong smiled, looking over his shoulder at the boy. “Didn’t he have a boyfriend?”

“We’re just friends..” He justified himself, becoming serious for a moment before speaking again. “Also, did you know that eighty percent of couples break up during college? I need to get him something to remember me by if they ever break up.”

“I don’t think he could forget you even if he tried,” Seunghyun added, glancing at him for a second through the rearview mirror. “But I’m okay with the seashell hunt, anything to keep me out of the water.”

Seunghyun feared for Jiyong’s neck as he turned to look at him, raising his eyebrows. “Aren’t you going to swim with me?” The alpha made something like a grimace, shrugging his shoulders. “Don’t tell me you can’t swim.”

“Of course I can swim, I just… I don’t like it.” He shuddered as he remembered the feeling of the salt water stinging his skin, but Jiyong’s almond eyes made him sigh. “I guess I can make an exception.”

The omega’s face lit up again with a smile and that was all Seunghyun needed to finish driving the last few miles to the beach house complex.

“Dad!” Mino shouted excitedly from the backseat, opening the door as soon as the car stopped to run into his arms.

Still from inside the car, Jiyong raised an eyebrow at how Soohyuk greeted him with the same enthusiasm the boy was showing him. “That’s new..” He murmured, and something seemed to click in his head when they separated from the hug they shared, revealing another young man who greeted Mino just as excitedly.

“He was at his apartment when I went to get Mino.” They shared a quick glance before exiting the car. “He seems to be a good guy from what Mino said..”

“Of course, at his age no one knows hate.. Yet .” He snorted, brushing his hair away from his face before changing his expression to a smile, faking it for the sake of the children . “Hey...”

Seunghyun followed a couple of steps away, watching everything intently.

“Woah, Mino really does look like you.” The young omega’s eyes disappeared as he smiled, offering another full bow to Jiyong. “Kwon Soonyoung, but everyone calls me Hoshi, nice to meet you.”

“Kwon Jiyong.” He smiled back, shaking his hand as he nodded, looking over his shoulder at the alpha. “This is Choi Seunghyun, my partner.. Soohyuk already knows him.”

“Nice to meet you.” He greeted him as well, feeling himself drown in forced friendliness as he had to smile at the other alpha who didn’t look all that happy about him being there either.

Still, Soohyuk opened the door to the house and looked in his direction as Mino followed Hoshi inside. “Do you need help carrying your bags?”

“We’re staying at another apartment, it’s..” Jiyong looked around, smiling when Seunghyun pointed out the direction. “It’s close.”

“One and a half blocks.” Seunghyun nodded, moving to stand beside him as Soohyuk seemed to inch closer to the omega. “We’ll send you the location.”

He watched them intently, his expression worsening with every breath he took. “This isn’t a romantic getaway, you know?”

Jiyong raised his face to Seunghyun, and felt a tingle in his stomach when he smiled back in the most twisted way he’d ever seen, lips parting. He didn’t want to start another fight, and turned his gaze back to Soohyuk, who just seemed to be waiting for a bad tone to raise his fists.

“Actually..” He interjected, drawing the tension back to him. “We just came in case something happens.” The other’s eyebrows furrowed, and Jiyong held up his hand before he could protest. “You begged me to let you take Mino out of town for a weekend, here he is, I’ll only be three minutes away… It’ll be like we’re not even here.”

“I hope so..” Soohyuk groaned, looking over his shoulder as he heard the boy calling out to him, walking out the door now wearing a swimsuit.

“Come on! Let’s go swimming!” Mino shouted excitedly, carrying a float in each arm while Hoshi followed with a bottle of sunscreen. “What are you waiting for? Come on everyone!”

Jiyong smiled at seeing him so happy, reminding himself why he was doing this. He looked at Seunghyun for a moment before leaning down to look at his face.

“Be nice, I’ll go check some papers.” He caressed his chubby cheek, finishing spreading the sunscreen over his nose. “But we can meet up for dinner.”

“Okay.” Mino nodded in agreement and completely desperate to jump into the water, looking for Soohyuk to follow him. “Come on, dad! Come on..”

Meanwhile, they returned to the car to drive to the apartment a couple of blocks away, inside the same residential area, and upon arriving the alpha took a suitcase in each arm. Jiyong swallowed hard at the way the fabric of his shirt tightened around his biceps from the force he was exerting, concentrating again when Seunghyun dictated the access code he had been given.

“It’s nice, right?” He dropped the suitcases in the living room, looking at the beautiful place around them, keeping his hands on his hips. “Do you really have to work? I brought a bottle of wine.”

Jiyong opened the blinds to reveal the beautiful view of the sea, turning over his shoulder to see Seunghyun with a smile on his face before shaking his head.

“No, but I have in mind to make you work.” He winked, and Seunghyun stifled a moan in his throat as he felt his pants tighten around his crotch at the tone he used. Jiyong seemed to notice and chuckled softly, standing up to grab his suitcase before heading to the bedroom. “Go open that bottle.”

“S..Sure.” The alpha wanted to jump in excitement, but instead he hurriedly went to find a couple of wine glasses in the cupboard, pouring the dark liquid with shaking hands before undoing the first couple of buttons on his shirt. The weather was nice, the apartment was cool, but Seunghyun was still sweating.

He rolled up his sleeves to go to the sink, dunking his face in the ice-cold water for several seconds.

“It’s hot in here, isn’t it?” He felt a chill run down the middle of his back before he turned in the direction of that sweet voice, holding onto the kitchen counter to keep from falling to his knees when he saw it. “Oh, Hyunnie , are you okay?”

“Holy shit, Ji.” He sighed, not taking his eyes off his gorgeous body, covered by tiny black silk shorts, and a tank top short enough to show off his stomach and the tattoos around it. He heard him laugh again, and then he looked back at his face. “Do you think it’s funny? To get me like this?”

The omega didn’t hesitate to nod, walking over to the kitchen counter to grab a drink and sit on one of the stools. “Yes, it is.. You are.” Seunghyun laughed under his breath, closing the distance between them. “But seriously, it’s hot, ufff ..”

His legs looked so soft, he just wanted to bury his face between them, fuck the wine.

And he fucking loved wine.

He didn't know if Jiyong was teasing him, acting heated as he fanned air into his face with his free hand before setting the glass aside, getting on his knees on the stool to slide the shorts away from his hips, revealing a thong and garter that matched the rest of the outfit, squeezing the skin of his high thigh in the most delicious way possible.

Seunghyun watched the garment fall to the floor, and gulped down his wine before picking it up. Jiyong was definitely teasing him, but he knew how to test his patience too, he had dedicated the last twenty-five years of his life to it.

When the omega sat his butt back on the chair, Seunghyun cornered him between the bar behind them and his body, examining the soft fabric as he thought of what to do with it.

“Hands on your back.” He ordered, and Jiyong acted innocent, as if he were speaking to him in another language.

“What?”

He leaned down until he was at level with his face, tasting his lips in a wet kiss, drawing a moan from him that the alpha jealously kept between the two of them. “I’m really hot, I hate feeling hot, and your attitude isn’t helping.” He murmured, holding his face by the chin. “So, hands on your back.”

He repeated, and Jiyong obeyed instantly. Seunghyun smirked, kissing the tip of his nose before bringing his huge hands behind the other's body, wrapping the shorts around his wrists to immobilize them.

When he pulled away, the omega looked at him from below with those eyes that hindered him and swollen lips.

“I like it when you do that.”

“What?” His tone softened, and Jiyong immediately shook his head.

“Not that..” He bit his lips after saying it, wanting to bring his hands to the button of his pants to get rid of it, but the strength of the tie made him shudder. “This.” He gasped, looking back at him with an increasingly desperate expression as he squeezed his legs together. “You being rough with me, I bet you enjoy it.. Putting me in my place.”

Seunghyun gave him a long look before bringing one of his hands closer to his face, running his long fingers over his features. He outlined his lips before parting them with his thumb, sliding it into his hot mouth.

“It’s fascinating how you fall for me..” He teased him as he began to suck, furrowing his eyebrows at him. “Just a few seconds ago you were acting like a bitch, and now you look so small.” He pulled his finger out of the omega’s mouth, who let it go with a ‘pop’ and a gasp, keeping his lips parted in search of a replacement. “You’re lucky I had something prepared for you anyway.”

He patted his cheek gently, and Jiyong closed his eyes, wrinkling his nose as he pulled away from him to go look for something in his suitcase.

Jiyong had learned over the past few months that Seunghyun could be a real perverted bastard who always had something new to show him, and he was also beginning to suspect that he was just as sick because everything he did to him, he loved.

Still, he had never used anything like what he took in his huge hands at that moment.

“Hyung..” He murmured, looking at him with anguish and excitement. “That won’t fit .”

Seunghyun smiled, shaking his head at his words. “Give yourself credit, you’ve sat on bigger things.” He felt his face heat up, looking down to not give himself away, even when Seunghyun was right . The alpha put the toy aside, holding his face again. “Now, spread your legs.”

He felt a pat on his thighs and he separated them shyly, stifling a surprised cry when Seunghyun pulled him forward, bringing his free hand between his legs. He hissed when a pair of fingers slipped inside his small underwear, suddenly entering him. “Oh, Seunghyun!”

“Despite everything, I have to prepare you a little every time..” He answered in an even deeper voice, kissing his temple and cheek. “Or you won’t stop complaining about how much your ass hurts, you always say that.” Jiyong couldn’t keep his eyes open, but parted his lips instead, gasping for air with each stroke he gave inside him. “And then, you come to offer it to me once more.” He kissed his neck, curling his fingers inside until the gasps turned into small cries Jiyong couldn’t hold back.

“Hyung, please.” He begged, not quite sure what, but the way Seunghyun was talking to him was driving him crazy. “Please.”

He sobbed when a few seconds later the fingers left, and he followed with cloudy eyes the hand that stirred between his legs, splashing the excess slick from his fingers. He pressed his lips into a straight line and looked at him again.

Seunghyun grabbed him by the waist, giving him the strength to get up from the stool, taking the toy with his other hand and sticking it to the flat surface with the suction cup on the bottom.

“If you do what I say, I promise I’ll make you feel good.” He gave him a quick kiss, guiding him back to the seat. Jiyong wrinkled his nose as he felt the silicone slide between his cheeks a few times, until his hips were at the right angle for it to slide all the way. “That’s it.. A little more.”

Jiyong gulped, not because it hurt, Seunghyun was right about the sizes, but the plastic was hard in a way skin wasn’t, melting into the warmth of their bodies. He forced his eyes open when he felt a bump, denying Seunghyun. “I can’t.. I can’t take any more.”

“Oh, baby, of course you can.” He smiled at him, but his eyes looked darker than ever. He placed a kiss on his forehead and brought a hand to his ass, using it to spread his cheeks. “My knot is bigger than this, isn’t it? I’m just getting you ready.”

“Hyung..” He squealed as gravity made him give in, ending up sitting down on the stool, his eyes widening as he felt the pressure reaching his belly. “ Umhnn! ” He breathed desperately, searching for Seunghyun. “T..Take my clothes off, please.”

“No, those stay, or you’ll cum for sure.” There was a laugh hidden behind his voice, and Jiyong felt a shiver when he pulled a remote with a couple of buttons out of his shirt pocket. “And I don’t want you to do it yet.”

He opened his mouth but nothing else came out as the dildo began to move inside him, vibrating and hitting his insides while he sat there, hands tied behind his back and anchored to the chair. The only thing that made him react was the sound of Seunghyun's belt opening along with his fly, pulling his underwear down just enough to pull out his hard member. “I can’t take it, mhmn ..”

“You will.” He tangled his fingers in his soft hair, pulling it towards his member. “Open your mouth.” Jiyong looked up as he complied, letting the alpha enter the deepest part of his throat, holding him there. “So good, Jiyongie.”

He swallowed, and that caused Seunghyun to growl as he felt himself getting tighter, beginning to fuck his throat.

Jiyong felt ticklish all over his body, his insides contracting around the toy that gave him no respite, and his member held tight inside his tight underwear.

And when he thought he couldn't feel any more, Seunghyun snuck a hand to his chest, squeezing the skin where his mark rested. He always did that, pressing against the soft skin, feeling the strong throbbing before torturing the sensitive nipple, squeezing it between his fingers.

He whimpered as his hips went numb and breathing became harder, but the older man didn’t stop, murmuring hoarse praises that made his heart race. The hips abruptly moved away from his face and as he regained his breath, he looked longingly at the erection in front of him.

“Give it to me, hyung.” He begged with watery eyes and a brittle voice barely emerging from his exhausted throat. “I’m burning up.”

Seunghyun began to masturbate, and the sight only made him whimper louder and more desperate.

“You’re going to take it all, okay?” Jiyong nodded, willing to continue following his orders in order to reach his own release. “I want you to suck it like you did with my finger, to earn every last fucking drop.”

He said, but the omega was more than ready to follow his orders. As soon as he was back in his mouth he worked his tongue around it, closing his eyes as he tried to remember how the alpha did it to him when he made him see stars.

His mouth vibrated around the other member as the speed of the toy between his legs increased, and he had to hold back the urge to shake his hips to try and reach his orgasm, knowing he would be punished for it. His head went back and forth, licking and sucking as much as he could with each movement until Seunghyun stopped, holding his head again for a couple of seconds before letting out the deepest moan he had ever heard, shooting his orgasm into his mouth.

Jiyong thought he wouldn’t be able to take it all, but when the member came out, he looked up with bulging cheeks and pressed lips. “Mhmn.”

Seunghyun breathed, brushing his hair away from his sweaty forehead, seeing him trembling beneath him.

“Let me see it.” He asked, and the omega looked away, parting his lips to show him the mess he had made in his mouth. Long white threads slipped out as he did so, but most of it stayed on his tongue. “That’s it, now swallow it .”

And Jiyong did, so he could continue moaning without making more of a mess in his ruined place.

“Can I have it now?” He begged as Seunghyun got rid of his shirt and the rest of his clothes, throwing them somewhere in the living room before wrapping his arms around him, slowly lifting him up from his seat and the toy that had been buried deep in him. “Oh, uh.. Hyung…”

He called out in a sob as he used his fingers to free him from the plastic knot, returning them inside him as soon as he was free. “This is better, isn’t it? Now I can put it in as much as I want.”

Jiyong felt humiliated, but not the kind of humiliated like when he messed up in front of a lot of people, he felt so hot and overwhelmed that all he wanted to do was keep begging for Seunghyun’s cock with his legs spread wide until he got it. That was the humiliating thing.

But with Seunghyun there was no room for shame, he remembered when he undid the restraints on his hands and carried him to the room, showering his face with soft, hot and wet kisses.

He put him on the bed, and Jiyong didn't hesitate to crawl onto it, settling himself on his knees and arms, and raising his butt in the direction of the alpha. “I need it, hyung..” He sighed, looking over his shoulder as he approached him again. “I've been good, I followed your orders.”

“My omega was good.” He nodded, agreeing with him before placing his hands on him. “You deserve a reward.” He felt him move the completely soaked fabric that covered his dilated entrance. “Did you like it? Having that inside you.”

“ Mhmn ..” He nodded, arching his waist. “But not as much as you.”

“Are you sure? You looked so hot sitting there.” Jiyong hid his face again when he realized that Seunghyun was still looking at his butt. “Tell me, how is it different?” He squeezed his eyes shut, he could barely speak because of how hot he was, and he had Doctor Choi giving him an oral exam. “Come on, talk, or nothing else will go in you today.”

He opened his mouth a few times before shuddering as he felt a finger slide in and out of him easily, teasing him.

“It wasn’t hot like yours…” He began, and a murmur encouraged him to continue after taking a breath. “It didn’t go as deep.”

“Good, what else?”

He covered his eyes with his forearms, holding himself up only with his hips raised. “It didn’t pulse, it didn’t feel alive.” He replied quietly, and heard a laugh that made him shudder. “And it didn’t fill me up, like you do.”

“Good boy.” He felt a kiss on his back before he felt the bed dip around him as Seunghyun climbed onto it, settling against him. “You want it?”

“Yes!” He gasped desperately, biting his lip. “Please, please, or I’ll… Ah! ”

In one sharp movement, he had Seunghyun all the way, his hips slamming into his ass as he picked up a rhythm that made Jiyong burry his face into the mattress.

“You’re still so tight, baby.” He called out, slapping one of his cheeks hard, making him cry out like crazy. “No matter how much I fuck you, your ass still squeezes me like the first time I put it inside you.” He spanked him again, leaning into him to kiss and lick his neck on a path to his ear. “Or when I put my fingers inside you, you looked so lost as you bounced on them and asked me to make you mine.. But I didn’t need to put it in you for you to belong to me.”

“Seunghyun..” He called out in a broken voice, too lost to really understand what he was saying. He cried out with each spank, sure his ass would end up red with the marks of his huge hands, and Seunghyun seemed intent on turning his legs into jelly. “Touch me, please, it hurts.”

“It doesn’t hurt, Ji, we both know it doesn’t hurt.” He stamped his hand on his ass one last time before moving it to his underwear, grinding his erection against the wet fabric. “You’re going to finish when I tell you you can.”

Seunghyun pulled out of him, letting him fall completely spent onto the mattress to turn him around, slinging one of his legs over his strong shoulder and returning to his warm passage.

“ Uhmn! ” Jiyong raised his arms above his head and let the alpha lift up his tank top, who was quick to lean down and lick and kiss his mark. “Hyung, it feels so good.. So good.”

He felt the hot tongue wandering over his chest as he held his other nipple between a pair of fingers that pulled at it, as if he didn’t have enough stimulation from the cock that stretched him a little more with each stroke, preparing him for the knot.

“I’m gonna cum, Ji, and I’m gonna knot you.” He growled against his skin, finally moving up to his lips to kiss him desperately. “I’m so hot, Yongie , you got me so bad.. Maybe now I’ll fill you enough to knock you up.”

Jiyong nodded in agreement, moaning against his lips, looking him straight in the eyes. “Y..Yeah… Give it to me, hyung.” He held onto his strong arms, closing his eyes when Seunghyun finally moved the tight fabric of his thong, letting out his aching, wet erection.

The other's hips slammed into his a couple more times before spilling into him, thrusting hard to force the big knot inside. The warm sensation filling him made Jiyong gasp in the middle of another kiss, and he felt himself floating as his own member stirred, triggering his orgasm between their bodies.

After that, his vision became unclear and he felt himself floating as Seunghyun's arms and soft caresses were the only thing keeping him attached to the bed.

“I love you..” He heard from afar and smiled with closed eyes, blindly searching with both hands for Seunghyun's face to join in a warm kiss that brought him back to reality after several seconds.

“I love you, too.” He answered in a hoarse voice, losing himself in the other's gaze. “That was.. Intense.”

Seunghyun smiled before hiding his face in his neck, leaving a couple of kisses there. “I’m sorry if I was too rough.” Jiyong wanted to roll his eyes at that. “I think… I think my rut is close, I took a couple of pills to avoid an accident, but I guess you bring out the worst in me.”

The omega burst out laughing at that, continuing to caress his scalp, tangling his fingers through the white strands. “I accept the blame just because it felt so good.” He felt him come out of hiding, resting his head on his chest, over his mark. “Truth be told, I was a little hot too.”

“I’m sorry, I think it really was me.” He placed a kiss on his sternum, sliding his hips off of Jiyong’s body when the knot lowered enough to free them. “I almost hit Soohyuk a while ago.”

“I don’t blame you, I feel like killing him all the time too.” He sighed as he pulled back, stretching out on the mattress before completely getting rid of his ruined clothes. “Ugh, my ass hurts..”

“Sorry.” He apologized for the third time in the span of two minutes, sitting on the edge of the bed as he helped the omega turn around to see the damage he had done, his huge hands marked all over the sensitive skin of his ass. “Wait here..”

Jiyong followed him out of the room, allowing his eyes to close for a couple more seconds. The skin on his ass was on fire, but it had been a while since he felt this relaxed, as if Seunghyun had squeezed all the stress out of his body through that one orgasm.

“ Mhmn ..” He moaned as he felt a wet towel cleaning his privates, the coolness of the ice water making him sigh. Then, he heard the cap of a bottle being opened and threads of relief pouring over his skin. “..What is it?”

“After sun.” He explained, massaging the skin before blowing on it, making the omega moan at how good it felt. “You said you and Mino have sensitive skin after being in the sun, I didn’t think we’d end up putting it to this specific use.”

Jiyong looked at him over his shoulder, his eyelids feeling heavy. “It’s good you brought it..” His lips shot up into a smile as he placed a kiss on his tailbone.

“Come..” The omega lifted himself up slightly when he saw the glass of water Seunghyun helped him drink. “Do you want more wine?”

“No, or I won’t wake up until tomorrow.” He replied, holding back his laughter as Seunghyun downed the entire bottle, panting with pleasure when he drank enough, setting it back on the nightstand. “Gross.”

“Get some rest.” Seunghyun ignored his insult, covering him with a light blanket and placing a kiss on his forehead that ended up lulling him to sleep. “I’m going to clean up a bit.”

The omega mumbled something he couldn't understand, and Seunghyun lowered the blinds to let him sleep while he cleaned up the mess they'd made in the kitchen, opening the windows, dispelling the sex smell before going to take a shower.

With clean clothes and dripping hair, Seunghyun leaned out onto the balcony to watch the sunset with the last of the wine poured into a glass. Jiyong didn't look like he was going to wake up anytime soon, after all, he had actually spent Friday night getting ahead on work so he could go to the beach the next day.

He looked out at the shore in front of the apartment, squinting as he caught sight of Mino walking away from Soohyuk and Hoshi, sitting on his towel in the sand. Seunghyun sighed before reaching for one of the key cards, giving Jiyong a quick glance before heading down to the beach.

He hated the feeling of sand getting into his shoes, but the feeling lodged in his chest at the boy’s downcast expression was enough to make him walk over to where he stood, face buried between his knees.

“Oh, hey, doc ..” He glanced back at him for a moment as he approached, sitting next to him. “Where’s mommy?”

“He’s sleeping, you know he gets grumpy when he’s sleepy.” He stroked his hair, seeing the corners of his mouth lift, agreeing with him. “Are you okay? I peeked out of the balcony and thought I’d see you surfing on a shark or something.”

Mino laughed again, shaking his head.

“Turns out I suck at swimming.” He confessed, looking back ahead. “Even dad couldn’t teach me… I think he got mad at me for that.”

Seunghyun furrowed his eyebrows, turning to where Soohyuk was playing with Hoshi, throwing him into the water before going in for him. “But you were only here for like two hours.” He tried to cheer him up, but Mino looked far from that point. “It’s not enough time for you to know how to dive.”

The younger shrugged his shoulders, unconvinced of that as he followed the alpha with sad eyes.

“Doc, can I ask you something?” Seunghyun looked back at him, nodding immediately. “It’s… It’s a silly question, you may not have the answer but…”

“Tell me, Mino.” He encouraged him, and the boy turned to look at him for several seconds before speaking.

“Did your dad ever make you feel bad?”

Despite the warning Mino had given him, the question took him by surprise as he kept his eyes on his feet and a melancholic expression all over his face. And then, he forced himself to remember his childhood and adolescence, and his relationship with his father.

He was not a man of many words, but he had definitely never been a problem in his life. Seunghyun would even say that his worst years and when he required the most support from him and his mother were those last ones, as he wandered through life trying to make peace with the idea of ending alone.

At least, before he met Jiyong again.

He forced himself to collect his face when Mino turned to look at him, finally shaking his head. “No, he never did.. Although sometimes I got upset with him because he scolded me, or I got sad when he went away for a long time for work and left us alone.”

“Maybe that’s it.” He murmured, getting a little closer to Seunghyun as he looked at the sea, where Soohyuk was still swimming near Hoshi. “But, I feel this..” He placed a hand on his chest, and the older man felt like crying as he saw his little eyes filling up with tears. “Dad says he doesn’t have time to see me, but when he does, he seems to be upset or busy with other things.”

“Mino..” He wrapped his arms around his shoulders to pull him into a hug, letting him cry there.

“He tells me I’m too much like mom.” He sobbed, hiding his face in Seunghyun’s chest. “I think he hates me for that.”

“Well, I love you for that… Your grandparents do too, and everyone who knows you.” He placed a kiss on his hair, feeling his crying subside little by little. “Besides, this weekend is supposed to be for you to have a good time.” He took his face in his hands, wiping away his tears. “Don’t you want to go swimming? We can take a kayak before the sun goes down.”

Mino rubbed his eyes, taking a breath before turning back to the sea. “B..But… Didn’t you say you didn’t like the sea?”

“Oh come on, I only told Ji that because he sure made me paddle all by myself.” He managed to make him laugh as he stood up, extending a hand to him.

“I don’t know how to swim yet.” He replied with pouty lips, accepting his help to get up.

“Don’t worry, there are life jackets and I’ll be behind you the whole time.”

Mino nodded shyly, running beside him to the shore.

Seunghyun rented a kayak and the younger boy’s mood improved as soon as he was in the water, with him at his side showing him how to use the paddle to propel them.

Mino waved his hand from within the sea to Soohyuk as they turned in his direction. “This is amazing, doc!”

The alpha pulled out his phone to record him, knowing Jiyong couldn’t miss this moment of the boy. “You’re strong, Mino, I’m not even rowing..”

“Doc!” He called out in the midst of a laugh, straining to spin them around, wrinkling his nose and looking exactly like Jiyong. “Come on, row! You’re heavy!”

Seunghyun laughed, recording him for a couple more seconds before following his demand, rowing back to shore as the sky began to darken.

“Woah, I wanna do that too..” Hoshi greeted them with a smile, bumping his hand with the boy’s. “Hyuk, do you know how to row?”

“Of course I know..” He nodded, forcing a smile for the boy. “I thought you didn’t like sports, Minho.”

“I didn’t know that either!” He replied cheerfully, turning his face to look at Seunghyun. “The doc taught me, it was great, I thought it would be harder.”

As they talked, Hoshi looked at the kayak with interest, before turning to his boyfriend. “Can you teach me? We can play races.”

Soohyuk nodded, and was about to speak when the older alpha interrupted him. “The sun is going down.” Seunghyun warned, although that didn’t seem to sit well with him. “It’s not safe.”

“I think I can keep it safe.” He replied dryly, walking close enough to bump their shoulders, leaving Seunghyun with the annoyance of an increasingly palpable tension.

“’ma?” He snapped out of his violent thoughts when he heard Mino, turning to see Jiyong approaching the boy with a smile. “You won’t believe what the doc taught me to do!”

The omega walked closer to show them so Seunghyun could show him the photos and videos, and being so close, the alpha couldn't help but smile and feel sickly proud that his own scent lingered on the omega's skin, even over the smell of soap. “It looks fun... Didn't it tire you out?”

Mino shook his head, watching as Soohyuk came back dragging another kayak and a couple of life jackets. “Can we go for another ride with dad and Hoshi?”

Jiyong turned to look at Seunghyun, who sighed before nodding. “Just... Let's stay close to the shore, it won't be long before it gets really dark.” Mino jumped excitedly, running back to where they had left the small boat. “You can stay here, it'll be a quick ride.”

“And miss out on the fun?” The omega shook his head, giving him a half smile before squeezing one of his muscular arms over the sports shirt that clung like a second skin. “Let’s go..”

The alpha smiled dazedly, following him to the shore, helping Ji to settle into the middle seat, leaving the front seat to the boy while he took the last one. He was about to push them into the water, when the silhouette of Soohyuk approaching them stopped him.

“Minho..” The boy turned to look at him, his little hands gripping the paddle. “Wanna come with us? We’ll go a little further, maybe we’ll reach that island you can see from here.”

“I don’t think…” Seunghyun tried to intervene, again, but the annoyed expression stopped him, biting his tongue when Jiyong shook his head at him. He didn’t want to start a scene in front of Mino.

The omega stood up again, nodding to Soohyuk to follow him where the younger couldn’t hear them. “Seunghyun says it’s not safe, I’d rather we stayed here.”

“And I’d like Mino to come with us.” He replied, jaw clenching. “Those shorts are too short, I can see his hands on your..” Jiyong could almost see the veins pricking at his neck, but he just crossed his arms, looking at the alpha with a raised eyebrow. “On your skin.”

“And what were you doing staring at my ass?”

“That’s not the point.” Soohyuk looked away for a moment before shaking his head. “You reek of him, I don’t want to expose my son to his..”

“Hyuk, with all due respect.” He cut him off before the argument could escalate, glancing sideways at Mino who was also looking in their direction. “I have eyes, and unless I use a magnifying glass, he won’t see anything.. He doesn’t have those kinds of thoughts either.” Jiyong sighed in frustration, throwing his hands up. “If he agrees to go with you, I just hope you don’t take him too far in, I trust what Seunghyun says.”

“Well, I don’t.” Soohyuk replied, returning to the boat where Mino remained seated again. “So, what do you say? Are you coming with us?”

Mino blinked a few times before looking at Seunghyun and Jiyong, who shrugged his shoulders with a smile on his face, letting him decide.

“Well, I already went with the doc, so I guess I could go for a ride with you two.” Mino nodded, thinking it was only fair before accepting Soohyuk’s help to get up and go to the other boat.

“Tighten your vest.” Jiyong reminded him, breathing in frustration as Soohyuk rolled his eyes before walking away together.

The omega sat back down, looking at Seunghyun over his shoulder. “Are you okay with that?”

“No, but Mino seemed excited to go with him.. You know how he is.” He replied with a pout over his lips, and Seunghyun nodded, keeping the conversation he just had with the boy to himself.

“Look on the bright side.” He made him move forward, enough to lower the back of the seat and stand right behind him, leaving the second paddle on the sand to put his arms in front of his body, taking his own paddle. “That way you won’t have to paddle.”

Jiyong looked at what he had done with his lips parted before laughing, putting his head against the other’s shoulder. “You do this on purpose, don’t you?” He asked, and the alpha nodded, unwilling to deny the obvious as he took off his vest to put it on him. “What about you?”

“I only got two, the other one is on Mino.” The omega’s skin glowed and looked so warm that Seunghyun couldn’t help but want to feel it against his own, so in one quick movement, he got rid of his own shirt. “But I can swim, don’t worry.” He winked at him, watching again as he opened his mouth as he looked at his body. “What?”

“You’ve never let me see you like this in full light.” He teased him, and his habit of fucking with his clothes on.

Seunghyun felt his cheeks heat up but distracted him with a kiss on the forehead before pushing them into the water with his feet, starting to paddle.

Jiyong looked to his right, where he could see the second kayak. He couldn’t help but smile at seeing Mino so happy, as he seemed to explain to Hoshi how to use the paddle to move forward.

“Why aren’t they turning around?” Seunghyun asked when they hit the limit of what he considered safe. “Ji?”

“Uh, Soohyuk said they were going a little deeper..” He replied quietly, turning his head around to give him a look. “It’s not that unsafe, is it?”

Seunghyun just pursed his lips in response, following them. “They’ll just have to be careful, if a boat passes by or the wind picks up… The waves can get a little erratic.”

“Oh…” He nodded, and Seunghyun regretted having become so alert when he noticed how Jiyong had suddenly tensed up. He continued rowing, keeping a safe distance, from where they could hear the boy’s voice and laughter, while they chatted among themselves. “Though you must admit, the sunset is beautiful.”

“Not as much as you…” He murmured close to his ear, putting the paddle aside so he could wrap both arms around the omega, resting his chin over his shoulder. “Are you having a good time?”