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The cafeteria buzzed with the usual lunchtime chaos, trays clattering, conversations overlapping, the occasional burst of laughter from the popular tables. The smell of various lunches mingled with the underlying scents of different designations, the sharp, confident alpha pheromones, the sweeter omega notes, the neutral beta presence. It was overwhelming sometimes, especially for someone like Jake whose omega senses were particularly attuned to the social dynamics playing out around him.
Jake sat among his teammates, his letterman jacket draped over the back of his chair, listening to them debate the upcoming basketball tournament with half his attention. The other half kept drifting toward the corner table by the window, where the social ecosystem seemed to have a blind spot.
Heeseung sat there alone, as always. His dark hoodie was pulled up despite the cafeteria's warmth, earbuds firmly in place, eyes glued to his phone screen. A cup of instant ramyeon sat cooling beside him, occasionally grabbed for a distracted bite between whatever he was doing. Gaming, probably. The alpha didn't even look up when a group of students passed by his table, didn't acknowledge the giggling omega girls who stole glances his way, didn't participate in the constant social positioning that dominated their high school.
It was like he existed in a completely different world, and Jake couldn't figure out why that fascinated him so much.
"Earth to Jake?" Sunghoon waved a hand in front of his face. "You good, man?"
Jake blinked, refocusing on his friend. "Yeah, sorry. What were you saying?"
"I was asking if you're coming to Yeonjun's party Friday night." Sunghoon followed Jake's previous line of sight and raised an eyebrow. "Dude, why do you keep staring at Lee Heeseung?"
"I'm not staring," Jake protested, but he could feel heat creeping up his neck. As an omega, he was supposed to be more in tune with his instincts, but lately those instincts had been doing weird things around Heeseung. The alpha never even looked his way.
"You totally are," Jungwon chimed in, grinning. "What's up with that? Planning to recruit him for the team or something?"
Jake scoffed. "Could you imagine? Guy probably hasn't touched a basketball in his life."
But that wasn't why Jake kept looking. He couldn't explain it, not to his friends, not even to himself. There was something about Heeseung's complete indifference to the social hierarchy that fascinated him. While everyone else at their school seemed to care desperately about status, presentation, and designation dynamics, Heeseung just... existed. He didn't posture like other alphas. Didn't seem to notice or care that Jake was considered one of the most desirable omegas in school.
It was infuriating. And intriguing.
"Anyway," Jake said, pulling his attention back to his friends, "yeah, I'll be at the party."
The thing about being popular was that privacy became a luxury. Jake's Instagram was full of candid shots from other people, his schedule somehow public knowledge, his weekend plans the subject of groupchat speculation. Being an omega only amplified it, everyone seemed to think they had a right to know where he was, who he was with, whether he was seeing anyone. The constant attention was exhausting sometimes, even though he never admitted it out loud.
So when he wanted to actually be alone, he had to get creative.
Which was how he found himself in the library's computer lab on a Tuesday evening, well after most students had gone home. He told his friends he had a family thing. In reality, he just wanted some quiet time to work on his college applications without everyone asking about his choices, offering their opinions, or trying to influence his decisions based on where they were applying.
The lab was nearly empty, just him and one other person.
Of course it was Heeseung.
The alpha sat at a computer in the far corner, headphones on, completely absorbed in whatever was on his screen. The glow of the monitor illuminated his face in the dimming evening light, and Jake found himself staring again. From this angle, without the cafeteria's chaos and crowds, he could actually see Heeseung's features properly, long lashes that cast shadows on his cheeks, lips slightly parted in concentration. There was something almost artistic about the image, the lone figure silhouetted against the blue-white light of the screen.
Jake shook his head and opened his laptop. He was here to work, not to moon over some antisocial alpha who barely knew he existed.
Except twenty minutes later, he still hadn't written a single word of his personal statement. His eyes kept drifting toward Heeseung, watching the way his fingers flew across the keyboard, the occasional satisfied smirk when something went right in his game, the way he lean back and stretch his arms above his head,
The hoodie rode up slightly, revealing a strip of skin and the distinct line of abs.
Jake's breath caught. He quickly looked away, heart hammering. That was... unexpected.
When he risked another glance, Heeseung was standing, gathering his things. As he slung his backpack over one shoulder, his hoodie shifted again, and Jake caught another glimpse of a toned physique that absolutely did not match the nerdy gamer aesthetic.
Their eyes met for just a second as Heeseung turned to leave. The alpha's expression didn't change, no recognition, no interest, nothing. He simply walked out, leaving Jake sitting there with his pulse racing and his concentration completely shattered.
Jake started paying more attention after that. Not obviously, he had a reputation to maintain, after all, but he noticed things he overlooked before. Small details that painted a different picture than the one everyone else seemed to see.
The way Heeseung's jeans actually fit really well when he wasn't drowning in an oversized hoodie. The glimpses of a silver chain around his neck, catching the light when he moved a certain way. The surprising breadth of his shoulders that suggested someone who was more than just skin and bones. The long, elegant fingers that were equally skilled at gaming and Jake discovered when he happened to pass the art room one afternoon, drawing.
It was pure chance that he walked by at all, the art room was in a part of the building Jake rarely frequented. But there was Heeseung, sitting alone at one of the tables, completely absorbed in his sketchbook.
"Since when do you take art?" Jake had asked, surprising both of them by actually speaking. He hadn't planned to stop, hadn't really thought about what he was doing, but suddenly there he was, standing in the doorway of the art room like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Heeseung had looked up from his sketchbook, one earbud dangling, and for a moment just stared at Jake as if trying to figure out if this was real or some weird glitch in the matrix. "I don't," he finally said. "I just like to draw sometimes. The art teacher lets me use the space."
"Can I see?" Jake moved closer, drawn by genuine curiosity now.
For a long moment, Heeseung just stared at him, dark eyes unreadable and assessing. Jake could almost see him trying to figure out the angle, wondering if this was some kind of joke or bet. Then he shrugged, that casual, unbothered gesture that seemed to be his default, and turned the sketchbook around.
It was a character design, some champion from League of Legends, probably, rendered in incredible detail. The linework was clean and confident, the shading giving the figure real depth and dimension. Jake didn't know much about art beyond the basics from required classes, but even he could tell it was good. Really good.
"Wow," he said, genuinely impressed. "That's really cool. How long have you been drawing?"
"A while." Another shrug. Heeseung closed the sketchbook and started packing up his things.
"Wait," Jake said, then immediately felt stupid. Wait for what? He scrambled for something to say. "Do you... do you only draw game characters?"
Heeseung paused, looking at him with what might have been the first genuine interest he ever showed. "Mostly. Why?"
"Just curious." Jake fidgeted with his phone. "I've never really gotten into gaming, but everyone says you're really good at League."
"I'm alright." The corner of Heeseung's mouth twitched, not quite a smile, but close. "You probably couldn't sit still long enough to learn. Seems like you're always moving."
It wasn't an insult, just an observation, but Jake felt weirdly exposed by it. So Heeseung had noticed him, at least enough to form an opinion.
"I could learn," Jake said before his brain could catch up with his mouth. "If someone taught me."
Heeseung's eyebrow rose slightly. "You want me to teach you League of Legends?"
"Sure. Why not?"
"Because you're Jake Sim." Heeseung said it matter-of-factly, with no judgment in his tone. "You have actual friends and a social life. Why would you want to spend hours grinding games with me?"
Jake should have had an answer ready. Should have laughed it off, made an excuse, retreated to his own social sphere. Instead, he met Heeseung's eyes and said honestly, "Maybe I want to know what's so interesting about it."
Something flickered in Heeseung's expression, surprise, maybe, or curiosity. He studied Jake for a long moment, then reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
"Give me your number," he said. "I'll send you the download link. Fair warning though, you're going to be terrible at first."
Jake grinned, entering his number into Heeseung's phone. "We'll see about that."
Jake was, in fact, terrible at first.
"No, no, don't go in there alone, and you're dead." Heeseung's voice came through Jake's headphones, resigned but not unkind. There was a patience in his tone that Jake hadn't expected, a willingness to teach that contradicted the lone wolf image. "What did I just say about overextending?"
"I thought I could take them," Jake protested, watching his champion's death animation play out on the screen for what felt like the hundredth time.
"You thought wrong. Again." But there was amusement in Heeseung's voice now, the hint of a smile that Jake was learning to recognize even through voice chat.
They were on their fourth session in two weeks, and Jake was starting to understand the appeal. Not just of the game, though it was more strategic and engaging than he expected, requiring actual thought and planning, but of this. Sitting in Heeseung's room, surrounded by LED lights that cycled through different colors, watching Heeseung's focused expression as he explained mechanics and strategy with the same intensity he probably brought to his own games.
Heeseung was different from the closed-off person at school. He talked more, explaining not just what to do but why, the strategic thinking behind different choices. He smiled occasionally, usually when Jake made a particularly spectacular mistake. And he had completely abandoned the oversized hoodies that were his school uniform in favor of fitted t-shirts that showed off a physique Jake definitely hadn't expected.
The first time Jake had seen him like that, he actually froze for a second. Lean muscle definition, the kind of build that was usually associated with athletes, not gamers.
"How are you this built when you spend all your time gaming?" Jake had blurted out during their second session, immediately regretting the lack of filter as soon as the words left his mouth.
Heeseung had glanced down at himself, then back at Jake with amusement dancing in his eyes. "I work out at home. It gets boring sitting all day, and I don't like gyms." he smirked then, actually smirked, an expression that transformed his face entirely, and added, "Why, Jaeyun? Distracted?"
The use of his Korean name, the teasing tone, the way Heeseung's eyes had lingered on him with knowing awareness, it had sent Jake's omega instincts into overdrive. He managed to play it cool, or at least he thought he had, but the way Heeseung kept smiling suggested otherwise.
Now, as they wrapped up another session, one where Jake had actually managed not to die as many times, he found himself reluctant to leave. The evening had settled in fully outside Heeseung's window, the world beyond reduced to streetlights and the distant glow of the city. Here, in this small space filled with soft lighting and the lingering warmth of their gaming session, Jake felt more relaxed than he had in weeks.
"Want some ramyeon?" Heeseung offered, already standing and stretching in that way, that Jake had learned to both anticipate and dread for what it did to his concentration and his omega hormones.
"Sure," Jake said, following him to the small kitchen area that was more of a kitchenette attached to Heeseung's room.
Heeseung moved around the space with easy confidence, pulling out pots and packages with practiced efficiency. There was a ritual to it, Jake noticed, the way he filled the pot with exact amounts of water, the order in which he added ingredients, the timing he kept track of without even looking at a clock. Jake perched on a stool at the small counter, watching and feeling oddly domestic about the whole thing.
"You really eat this stuff every day?" he asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Pretty much." Heeseung glanced back at him, and the smile he wore was softer than his usual smirks. "Don't tell me you're one of those people who's weird about instant food."
"No, I just... I don't know. Didn't expect it to be this good." Jake had tried Heeseung's cooking before, tried it several times now, actually, and the alpha had a way of doctoring instant ramyeon with extra ingredients and perfect timing that made it actually delicious. Better than the expensive restaurant meals Jake's friends dragged him to for birthdays and celebrations.
"It's all about the technique," Heeseung said seriously, and Jake couldn't help but laugh at the grave expression on his face.
"You're such a nerd."
"Says the guy who just spent three hours learning League of Legends and actually getting excited about reaching level 30." But Heeseung was smiling, a real smile, the kind that crinkled his eyes and made Jake's heart do stupid things that he was trying very hard not to analyze too closely.
They ate in comfortable silence for a while, the kind of quiet that felt natural rather than awkward. Jake found himself studying Heeseung in the soft kitchen light, the way his hair fell into his eyes when he leaned forward, the elegant line of his neck, the casual grace in even simple movements like lifting chopsticks to his mouth.
Then Heeseung set down his bowl and asked, "Why did you really want to learn this game, Jaeyun?" His voice was quieter now, more serious, and his dark eyes were fixed on Jake with an intensity that made it hard to breathe.
Jake considered deflecting, making a joke, keeping things light and safe. But something about the quiet intimacy of the moment made him honest. "I wanted to understand you better."
Heeseung's chopsticks paused halfway to his mouth. "Why?" The question was simple, but there was genuine curiosity behind it, maybe even vulnerability.
"Because you're interesting," Jake said simply, meeting those dark eyes even though his heart was hammering. "Everyone at school follows the same patterns, alphas posturing and competing, omegas playing social games and politics, betas trying to navigate it all without getting caught in the crossfire. But you just... don't care. You do your own thing, completely unbothered by all of it. I wanted to know what that thing was."
"And?" Heeseung set down his chopsticks completely, shifting to give Jake his full attention in a way that made Jake feel both exposed and valued. "Now that you know?"
"Now I know you're more than just the quiet gamer who sits alone at lunch." Jake's voice was softer now, almost wondering. "You're talented, really talented, not just at games but at art too. You're funny when you want to be, in this dry way that catches me off guard. You're patient when you teach, even when I'm being stupid. And you're…"
He cut himself off, suddenly aware of how much he was revealing, how vulnerable he was making himself.
But Heeseung leaned forward, closing some of the distance between them. "I'm what?" His voice had dropped lower, taken on a quality that made Jake's omega instincts sit up and take notice.
The air between them felt charged suddenly, heavy with possibility and unspoken things. Jake was acutely aware of how close they were sitting, of the scent of Heeseung's alpha pheromones underlying the smell of spices and broth. It was different from other alphas Jake had been around, less aggressive, more subtle, but somehow more compelling for it.
"You're kind of amazing," Jake finished quietly, the words barely above a whisper.
Heeseung's eyes darkened, pupils dilating slightly in a way that Jake's omega instincts recognized and responded to. "You know what I think, Jaeyun?"
"What?" Jake's voice came out breathier than he intended.
"I think you're used to people falling all over themselves for your attention. And I think it bothered you that I didn't." Heeseung stood, moving around the counter until he was close enough that Jake had to tilt his head back to maintain eye contact, close enough that Jake could feel the warmth radiating from his body. "Am I wrong?"
"Maybe at first," Jake admitted, heart racing as Heeseung's presence filled his senses. "But it's different now."
"How different?" One of Heeseung's hands came to rest on the counter beside Jake, not quite caging him in but making him very aware of the alpha's proximity.
Jake could have pulled back. Should have, probably, this was moving into territory he hadn't fully thought through, territory that would complicate things in ways he couldn't predict. But he spent weeks thinking about Heeseung, wondering about him, wanting to break through that careful indifference and see what lay underneath.
"Different enough that I think about you more than I probably should," he said, meeting Heeseung's gaze directly. "Different enough that I notice things like how you bite your lip when you're concentrating on a difficult play, or the way you smile when you think no one's watching, or how your whole face changes when you talk about something you actually care about."
Heeseung's hand came up to cup his jaw, thumb brushing over Jake's cheek in a touch that was gentle despite the calluses Jake could feel there. "And what do you think about it?" The question was barely more than a murmur, but Jake felt it resonate through his whole body.
"This," Jake breathed, and then Heeseung was kissing him.
It wasn't tentative or exploratory, Heeseung kissed like he gamed, with focus and intent and the confidence of someone who knew exactly what he was doing and wasn't afraid to go after it. His lips were firm against Jake's, one hand still cradling his jaw while the other moved to Jake's waist, pulling him closer. Jake made a small sound in the back of his throat, hands coming up to grip Heeseung's shirt, and the alpha smiled against his lips before deepening the kiss.
Jake's omega instincts were singing, responding to the alpha's scent and touch and presence in a way that felt both overwhelming and exactly right. Every point of contact between them felt electric, Heeseung's hand on his jaw, fingers threading into his hair, the solid warmth of his chest where Jake's hands had moved to press against it.
"Still think I'm just a nerdy gamer?" Heeseung murmured when they broke apart for air, moving to trace kisses along Jake's jaw with a precision that suggested he was thinking about this, planning it maybe.
"I think," Jake managed, tilting his head to give him better access and feeling the scrape of teeth against his pulse point, "that you've been hiding a lot more than I thought."
Heeseung pulled back just enough to meet his eyes, and there was something intense in his gaze, something that made Jake's breath catch. "Maybe I just needed the right reason to show it."
They ended up on Heeseung's bed, just kissing at first, touching, exploring this new dynamic between them. But there was an intensity to it that went beyond simple making out, a chemistry that had been building through all those gaming sessions and conversations. Jake discovered that Heeseung was as intense and focused in this as he was in everything else, and that being the subject of that attention was overwhelming in the best possible way.
Heeseung mapped Jake's reactions like he was learning a new game, cataloging what made him gasp, what made him arch into the touch, what drew those small needy sounds from his throat. His hands were skilled and sure, moving under Jake's shirt to trace patterns on skin that made Jake shiver.
"You're beautiful," Heeseung murmured against his collarbone, and Jake wanted to protest, guys weren't beautiful, alphas didn't say things like that, but the sincerity in Heeseung's voice stopped him.
"You can't just say things like that," Jake protested weakly, even as he tangled his fingers in Heeseung's hair.
"Why not? It's true." Heeseung looked up at him, eyes dark and serious. "You think I haven't noticed? Even before this, I noticed."
That surprised Jake enough that he pulled back slightly. "You noticed me?"
"Jaeyun." Heeseung's laugh was soft, almost self-deprecating. "Everyone notices you. You're the star player, the popular omega everyone wants to be around. I just chose not to join the crowd."
"But you said..."
"I said I needed the right reason to show interest. Not that I wasn't interested." Heeseung's thumb traced Jake's lower lip, and Jake couldn't help the way his breath hitched. "You want to know the truth? I've been watching you too. Noticed how you're different when you think no one's looking, quieter, more thoughtful. Noticed how you're kind to people even when it doesn't benefit your social status. Noticed that your laugh is different when it's real versus when you're just being polite."
Jake felt exposed in a way that had nothing to do with the physical intimacy. "So all this time…"
"All this time I was waiting to see if you'd actually mean it. If you'd stick around after the initial curiosity wore off." Heeseung's smile was soft now, vulnerable. "Seems like you did."
Later, lying tangled together with Heeseung's fingers tracing lazy patterns on his arm, Jake felt more settled than he had in weeks. The lights had shifted to a soft purple, casting everything in a dreamy glow. Outside, he could hear distant traffic, the sounds of the city continuing on, but here it felt like they were in their own world.
"Your friends are going to be so confused," Heeseung said, amusement in his voice.
"Probably," Jake agreed. Then, more seriously, "Does that bother you?"
Heeseung was quiet for a moment. "People already think they know everything about me based on how I dress and what I do at lunch. Let them think what they want." He turned to look at Jake. "What about you? Does it bother you? That I'm not the typical alpha who's going to show up to your games and post couple photos and all that?"
Jake thought about it honestly. "I don't need typical. I just need something real."
"I can do real," Heeseung said, and kissed him again.