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Taehyung only ended up in one of Jimin’s business classes because he didn’t have enough credits. He hadn’t wanted to join the cubism module for his art history degree because he’d been warned by nearly every single sunbae that Professor Lee’s exams were always way too difficult to pass, but that left him short 10 credits. So he had to pick from something that was left with spaces that fit the bill, settling on a small business management course, that was essentially just one semester long group project that ended in a presentation.
When Jimin had watched him sit beside him, he’d suddenly been hit with the strong whiff of alpha that had mades his eyes water. He blinked, following the smell to see the blonde pulling out his pens and notebook. He knew that he wasn’t a regular from his course, feels he certainly would’ve remembered someone alpha stinking up the place on previous modules.
When it came time to organise themselves in groups the alpha had turned around and made immediate eye contact with Jimin, making the beta’s eyes widen.
“Hi I’m Taehyung!” He beamed and Jimin found himself smiling despite himself. He shuffled closer in his seat, the scent suddenly getting stronger and Jimin swallows down his reaction. It’s not that the scent is bad, in fact it’s quiet nice. It smells mainly of sandalwood and something fresh, maybe even floral, definitely a hint of vanilla. If he was a candle Jimin perhaps would purchase it, but it’s so strongly alpha coded, it makes the wolf inside him react negatively, so he doesn’t smell bad but he is stinky, lets say.
He doesn’t let it get to him though, because after just five minutes of talking to him, Jimin’s fairly certain Taehyung might be his soulmate (platonically, of course).
The next time Jimin sees Taehyung is when their group meets in the library in one of the study rooms. Through the glass walls he sees Taehyung approach, looking like a runway model, with his fierce eyes and broad shoulders. He’s so intimidating like this, carries himself in a way that makes it so obvious he’s an alpha and Jimin shakes his head, when the serious look on his face breaks into such a wide boxy smile upon seeing him inside the room.
Once again as he sits beside Jimin, he gets yet another overpowering wave of the smell of alpha, it seems to practically hang around Taehyung like a cologne, but this time underneath it he can smell another scent, it’s very faint, completely overpowered by alpha, but something sweeter, strawberries maybe? Definitely omega. Jimin finally looks at him then, pen pausing as he’s about to put it in his mouth.
Taehyung sees him staring, and blinks at him in confusion. “What?”
“Did you cut your lip?” He asks and Taehyung has the decency to look flustered, hand coming to brush the fluffy blond hair out of his eyes as he reaches for his phone to use the camera as a mirror. He huffs taking in the sore mark on the right of his lower lip, touching it gently and clicking his tongue in annoyance.
“Ah my boyfriend’s lip ring must’ve scratched me.” He says with a pout. It’s a very big pout, makes his cheeks soft, and his eyes rounder and Jimin blinks at how un-alpha like it is.
“Gross, were you making out before you came here?” He asks, realising this is why he can smell omega on him too. Taehyung nods shyly, breaking out into a little giggle when his shy eyes meet Jimin’s own. How cute.
They’re interrupted from talking details as another member of their group finally arrives.
When Jimin meets Taehyung’s boyfriend for the first time, it’s actually by accident. They’re walking to the library, him and Tae, when a group of guys are walking the other way, most likely heading from one class to another. He can tell just from the boisterous laughter that most if not all of the boys are alphas and so he’s very shocked when they all seem to have a look of recognition for the alpha beside him, even if they don’t stop walking.
“Hi Tae..” Most of them say in unison, teasing lilt to their tone and Taehyung’s ears go red. He slows his pace a little as they get closer and it’s then Jimin sees one of them hanging back too, lip ring barely visible from the way he’s chewing on his lip. His eyes are big and round as he’s reaching his hand out for Taehyung’s own, they stop just as they pass each other, hands holding them together. Jimin halts too, shivers when the breeze brings Taehyung’s alpha scent over even stronger now. He really should speak to him about that, it’s so strong he cannot even smell his omega boyfriend from here.
“See you at five?” Taehyung says, and his boyfriend nods, looking at him with those cute wide doe eyes, his black hair parted neatly, he’s wearing a green sweater and denim jacket, if it wasn’t for the numerous piercings up his ears, and the one on his lip, he’d look far too soft.
It’s a brief peck, Taehyung gestures for it, and his omega gives it so willingly, ears tipped pink as his friends all coo behind him. Jimin looks away, startled when Taehyung is beside him again, and the two carry on walking.
“You guys are really cute.” Jimin says teasingly, can still hear the teasing in the distance from the group of boys.
“Oh please, Jeonggukkie is only being cute because he wants to go out on his motorbike later.” He says, flicking hair out of his eyes. Jimin tries not to think into that too much, they have an interesting dynamic it seems. Jimin is wondering if Taehyung as the alpha, likes to be controlling and overbearing, especially if the way his scent is so dominating is anything to go by, but it doesn’t really fit the rest of the personality Jimin associates with him, especially now they’re getting closer every day.
The first time Jimin goes over to Taehyung’s dorm room, it’s actually to meet up before the Spring festival. The door is open when he finds it, sees the way Taehyung is holding one of Jeongguk’s hands between both of his and pulling, even though the omega isn’t going anywhere, which is honestly baffling to Jimin.
“Ahh come on Kookie pleaseeee.” He’s whining, pulling on him again, trying to get him to move even an inch closer to the door, and well Jeongguk seems to be watching him with such a fond look, fighting back laughter.
Jimin makes eye contact with them both just as Taehyung wraps his whole body around Jeongguk’s in another attempt to pull him in the direction of the door. They’re both wearing their blue university shirts, and with the sleeves rolled up to reveal not just Taehyung’s toned arms, but Jeongguk’s too, which are dare he say are bigger, than Tae’s? They’re flexing, practically bulging as Taehyung basically hangs his entire body off it in his attempts to make him move.
The three of them all blink at one another as though caught.
“Jiminie!” Taehyung pouts, huffing fluffy blond curls off his forehead in annoyance. “Make Jeonggukkie stop teasing me!”
Jimin just blinks, the window is open to let through the breeze and once again he fights against eye-watering alpha scent. God, how can Jeongguk be standing so still when surrounded by his scent like that, how is he not practically falling to his knees in submission as Taehyung pulls on him, their dynamic is so… strange. He shakes his head.
“What’s going on?” He finally asks, wanting to look away when Jeongguk only pulls Taehyung back into himself and locks his arms around Taehyung’s waist.
“He’s being a big meanie!” Taehyung pouts again, hands trying to push his boyfriend’s arms away and failing. He huffs again.
Jeongguk can only chuckle, finally releasing him, hands quickly catching the blond’s hip to stop him falling over at the sudden freedom. He huffs again, standing up and glaring cutely at Jeongguk. Making the omega’s nose scrunch at the cuteness, Jimin fights off a giggle himself.
“Come on lovebirds, let’s go. I want to get good seats so I can see the stage!” The beta rolls his eyes, moving away from the door and gesturing for them to follow.
“You’re so clingy!” Taehyung whines again, as he tries to walk out of the room, only to find Jeongguk has wrapped himself around Taehyung’s back again, with arms around his waist as they practically waddle their way out of the room behind Jimin. He snorts at the sight, now that was stereotypical omega clinginess at least.
As the end of the semester approaches, bringing exams with it, Jimin finds his study routine getting worse and worse. To the point where he’s leaving the library at 10pm on a Thursday and he sighs, patting his tummy as it grumbles loudly in protest. He doesn’t have any mental capacity left to cook, so he decides convenience store it is, and heads over there.
Someone is coming out of the 7-eleven as he gets there, headphones in, eyes down and Jimin almost wouldn’t have noticed him in his all black outfit if it wasn’t for that smell.
“Oh, Jeonggukkie?” He says, eyebrows crinkled. Taehyung’s scent was all over him, to the point he couldn’t smell any other scent on him, in fact it’s crazy how strong it is.
“Oh hi Jimin-ssi!” Jeongguk teases back, making the older roll his eyes.
“Have you just been with Tae?” He asks, but Jeongguk’s brow furrows in confusion.
“No I went to the gym.” He explains, “why?”
“Oh nothing, I just thought I could smell him on you..” He says casually, waving a hand in dismissal. Ignoring the way Jeongguk’s eyebrows shoot up. He’s quick to say bye, and head inside for some dinner, completely oblivious to the way Jeongguk pulls his hoodie to his nose and sniffs, eyebrows furrowing in even deeper confusion at the result.
A week before exams are due to start, they have one final group meeting to go over the presentation before they have to present it in three days time. Taehyung stalks in early once again but the intimidating serious look on his face doesn’t break into a smile this time, instead the corners of his mouth pull down into something sad.
“Jiminie.” Taehyung pouts, bottom lip jutting out.
“Taetae.” He pouts back, opens his arms to give the alpha a hug, except he doesn’t smell of alpha at all. Jimin freezes, mid hug, sniffs as subtly as he can and pulls away like nothing’s wrong. Except he cannot smell Sandalwood and something fresh with a hint of vanilla, no it’s sweet. Strawberries, and honey and brown sugar even. Taehyung is also, not stinky, not at all, in fact if Jimin hadn’t had his nose shoved into Taehyung’s shoulder for the hug, he would not have even smelt it at all.
He feels confusion make his head swim, what the hell was going on?
“Jiminie, are you even listening to me?” Taehyung asks, waving a hand in front of his face and he snaps out of his thoughts.
“Sorry what?”
“I was saying, Jeonggukkie’s been in Busan visiting his mom all week and I miss him.” He pouts again and Jimin genuinely feels his brain lag. He knows he’s been a bit strung out from all the late study sessions but the pieces are not adding up right now.
Three of their group mates all arrive at once, and he is thankful for the interruption.
Once the group is over and everyone is feeling confident to present, they begin packing up their notes.
“Do you want to go get ice cream?” Taehyung asks, head tilting as he leans on the table to make eye contact. He blinks his puppy eyes rapidly at him, in a way he’s sure works on Jeongguk very well.
“Sure, actually I was wondering if I could ask you something?” He says finally, and Taehyung raises his eyebrows in curiosity.
He takes a deep breath as they are heading out of the library building and into the midday sun.
“You’re not an alpha are you?” He says and Taehyung stops in his tracks, a look of pure shock all over his face.
“What?!”
“Well, are you?” He presses and Taehyung’s hand comes to play with the hair at the back of his head.
“No.” He says, but his eyebrows may be stuck in his hairline at this point.
Jimin wants to laugh really, wants to run and hide mostly, he’s so embarrassed.
“You’re an omega, aren’t you?” He asks, and Taehyung nods slowly, still baffled. “And Jeongguk’s an alpha?” He asks because he’s starting to add it up now. Why Jeongguk smelt of sandalwood so strongly after the gym, why he so often never smelt the omega scent at all when the two were together.
Taehyung nods again, brows knitting together.
“Do you know you walk around stinking of him?” He asks, and he laughs now, because honestly it is a little funny.
Taehyung has the decency to look horrified.
“Stinking?”
“Oh yeah, it makes my eyes water.” Jimin shakes his head.
Taehyung puts a hand to his mouth in embarrassment.
“I thought only I could smell it. He’s a such a pain in the ass!” He says, immediately launching into a rant about how clingy his boyfriend was and how he always goes a little possessive on the scenting but Taehyung loves his scent, and never thought he was literally radiating it everywhere and making other people uncomfortable. “I’m going to have to tell him to tone it down.” He grumbles and Jimin laughs.
“You know, I thought your dynamic was strange,” Jimin says, shoulder bumping teasingly into the omega’s shoulder, “makes a lot more sense now.” He adds.
“I can’t believe you thought Jeonggukkie was an omega, oh he’s going to lose it.” He beams, an excited noise escaping his throat.
Oh, Jimin thinks, he’s never living this down…