Chapter Text
The cloth tied around his face is pulled away with a harsh tug. Bright light assaults his vision and Yoojin blinks rapidly to rid himself of the dark spots.
As the world comes back into focus, he’s greeted by the sight of six mean-faced men surrounding him. A quick glance reveals that they are in an abandoned warehouse of some sort.
Sigh. Here we go again.
As a seasoned kidnapee, harnessing his honeyed voice and customer service smile are both tricks Yoojin is well trained to use at this point. “Gentlemen, there’s no need to use excessive force. I’m sure we can come to an agreement.”
“Heh, an agreement? We’ve made one with a buyer who’s willing to fork out a pretty penny for you. As we speak, the ship that will transport you to them is docking.”
Another one points a finger decorated by a big ring toward him. “Strip him of everything.”
The other men obey without delay, restraining Yoojin with a force that makes him wince before removing every ranked item from his body.
A finger pokes curiously at a white patch plastered on the side of his throat. “What’s this? A scent patch? Why is he wearing such an odd thing–” The words stutter to a halt once the patch is discarded and a thick plume of pheromones wafts off the liberated skin.
Everyone freezes in place.
“Wait a damn minute…”
“Is he…”
“...an Omega?” The colour drains from one of the kidnapper’s faces once he mumbles out his guess, a guess that solidifies into truth as the others unravel into a flurry of panic.
“Shit this isn’t part of the plan!”
“That’s it, I’m out. I told all of you fuckers it wasn’t a smart idea but nobody’s fucking listening! There’s also that insane brother of his. Who knows what Han Yoohyun will do once he finds out that it’s us who treated his precious hyung roughly!”
“But wait, think about it. Him being an Omega, doesn’t that mean we’ve hit double the jackpot?”
“Idiot! You can’t treat an Omega like that!” the one beside him barks out indignantly, “This shit goes way beyond breaking the law! I don’t even believe in a higher power, but we might just anger the gods themselves if we dare mess even a strand of an Omega’s hair.”
Yoojin, who is busy orchestrating a grand escape in his mind, is left dumbfounded as he is ushered back into the white van, the same car that brought him here mere minutes ago.
The windowless van’s door slides open, and Yoojin is pushed (gently) out onto the ground. He finds himself deposited on a soft fur throw, which spares his backside from the cold, dirty concrete, right in front of the Association building. Propped up beside him is a large sign on a placard that reads ‘We’re sorry!’
His wrists and ankles are still bound by cuffs made of soft pink fur. They resemble sex toys far more than they do legitimate kidnapping props.
…What?
Thus, his latest kidnapping attempt ends prematurely in the most non-dramatic way… if the fact that a ton of everyday strangers have now stopped to gawk at him is discounted.
Thankfully, the universe seems to still take pity on him. Not long after, Song Taewon arrives, looking worried and rightfully confused. “Han Yoojin-ssi, is that you?”
With both ears burning, Yoojin holds out both of his bound hands in his direction. “Get this off me, please.”
Bless Officer Song and his heart of gold for not demanding an explanation before moving to free him. Yoojin should really treat the Alpha with some fried chicken and beer one of these days. Massaging his wrists that hardly even hurt, Yoojin lifts his head up in attention at Song Taewon’s question.
“Do they hurt?”
“No,” says Yoojin as he shakes his head, then more gratefully, “Thanks for the help, Officer Song.”
Around them, the noises grow. The accumulated years of his past life’s experience make Yoojin become hyper aware of the growing crowd, and with it, the beginning of unease.
“Should we go inside? I think we’re attracting too much attention.”
Song Taewon is about to acquiesce to the request but pauses, and ultimately shakes his head. “That won’t be quite necessary.”
There’s a disturbance up front in the crowd. The many dark-haired heads part in the middle, giving way to an unbridled force that is heading towards their direction. It doesn’t take long for the source to reveal itself, an elite force from Haeyeon led by their young S-rank guildmaster. The aggressive aura being discharged by the hunters causes the crowd to cower and whimper, especially the one coming off Han Yoohyun whose face is twisted so darkly that it resembles a void that devours all.
Isn’t that a bit excessive, Yoohyun-ah?
Nonetheless, a deep instinctual relief emanates from within Yoojin’s body at the familiar sight of his blood family, his one and only.
Yoohyun’s long, purposeful strides carry him to his brother’s side in no time. With the gentlest touch that starkly contrasts his frightening aura, Yoohyun cups his cheek and tilts his head left and right. His eyes roam over every detail, until they land on the faint bruise at the corner of Yoojin’s lip. In that instant, his gaze turns darker still, a storm barely held in check.
“Where are they?” Yoohyun growls out.
It wasn’t the kidnappers’ direct fault though, Yoojin had simply banged his face when the van jostled while carrying him, but a scary image of the future is somehow generated in his mind and Yoojin feels unjust pity for the bunch of criminals. At his peripheral sight, Kim Sunghan is hovering, sporting a concerned look that looks odd on his usually imposing disposition.
Despite receiving the full brunt of such hostile pheromones to this quality, being the closest one to this Alpha whose power spans hundreds of times above his own, it curiously generates quite the opposite effect on Yoojin. The sense of being protected and safe makes him weirdly drowsy.
The next thing Yoohyun does is to feed him a healing potion. There’s hardly any need to down the entire bottle but of course his suggestion goes unheard. The insignificant wound on his lip leaves no trace of ever being there.
Yoohyun is already naturally a worrywart, but his overprotective tendencies are even more amplified upon his revelation to be an Omega. The triple effects of their close sibling bond, his ‘My Brat Is The Best’ skill, and now an Omega with an F-rank weak constitution are very potent, indeed.
In the car that is taking them back to Haeyeon, Kim Sunghan is sitting in front next to their driver.
“I overheard some of those people talking. Haeyeon’s PR team is still working on the best method to publicly announce Han Yoojin-ssi’s presentation as an Omega but I suppose now the cat’s out of the bag. How would you like to proceed, guildmaster?”
“Tell them to stop all those articles from being published.”
Yoojin is leaning bonelessly into Yoohyun’s side. It’s not a conscious decision, they just end up naturally assuming this position. His nose is nestled against the long column of his brother’s throat. In this blissful state, Yoojin notes how familiar and intriguing Yoohyun’s scent is to him. A rustic and woodsy aroma, fresh timber commingled with the distinct scent of charred wilderness after a blaze.
Did Yoohyun ever smell this good before? Yoojin is unable to get drunk or affected by any alcoholic beverage or drugs, but this scent quickly becomes addicting to him at an almost alarming rate.
The low conversation fades into the background as Yoojin becomes lost in the Alpha’s scent. This is something he still hasn’t got used to, just how sensitive an Omega’s nose could be.
When Yoojin’s senses return, the car is completely still, its engines cut off. The darkness hints to the fact that they are in Haeyeon’s underground parking and he finds his face is still nestled in the crook of Yoohyun’s neck.
He peels himself off the comforting patch of warm skin. A thin strip of light illuminates the side of Yoohyun’s face, leaving the side closest to Yoojin in shadows. Yoohyun is staring at him with no discernible emotion for a while before slowly breaking into a smile. “Sleep some more.”
He’s more or less draped half on top of Yoohyun’s lap with Yoohyun’s arm keeping their bodies flush together.
A faint blush spreads across his cheeks, knowing that Kim Sunghan and their driver must have left them in this embarrassing position. His newly developed Omega instincts are confusing and overwhelming at times, almost to the point as if he’s a wobbling toddler learning to walk for the first time.
“Why didn‘t you wake me up?” Despite the protest conveyed in his low whine, Yoojin doesn’t move away.
Yoohyun brings a thumb to trace the underside of his eyes, leaving a tingling sensation in its wake. Yoojin’s eyelids flutter to a close in reflex.
“Didn’t I tell you to sleep properly every night? You should listen to me more, hyung.”
In this low light, it’s hard to take his attention away from the black eyes belonging to his little brother. The hypnotic quality of his croon doesn’t let up.
“It’s better to stay inside until the media calms down. Don’t you agree?”
Yoojin’s head tips itself down into a nod before a coherent thought can be formed.
Thus, that’s how the news of his designation gets leaked to the public. Despite Haeyeon’s best efforts, the photo of him sitting on a fluffy white rug on the pavement while wearing an equally fluffy pair of pink cuffs is still being shared everywhere. Every media giant seems eager to milk this information for all its worth like a golden goose. Yoojin’s phone is constantly being blasted by notifications and incoming phone calls that he decides to turn it off altogether and leaves it inside his drawer for now.
Being not glared at wherever he goes, as if his very presence is stinking up the place, is honestly a welcomed change. However, the way they treat Omegas around here is something Yoojin still struggles to get used to. People whispering behind his back, their voices hushed with awe.
Three days have passed and yet the novelty of his new designation hasn’t worn off the public mind. Time to retreat into the rearing facility and busy himself with playing with his cute beasts until all the unnecessary buzzing dies down.
Comet and Blue are fighting over a chew toy. Comet is losing badly, not an unexpected outcome due to their size difference, but Yoojin appreciates its spirit nonetheless. He’s content to supervise, only interfering if it gets too out of hand.
The beasts’ squabbling quietens all of a sudden, like a shy plant’s leaves being touched by a ghostly hand, when a tall shadow falls over him.
“Hyung.”
Yoojin cranes his head back to put Yoohyun in his line of sight. The woodsy scent is muted, signaling his current good mood.
“Did you skip lunch? You should eat more, hyung.”
Ah, I forgot.
Yoojin makes sure his face doesn’t give anything away, lest it give Yoohyun reason to whisk him away from keeping an eye on Comet and Blue’s playfight. Compared to being here, fulfilling his duty and doing what he’s good at, eating doesn’t excite him as much. Old habits don’t disappear overnight, after all. Earning his keep is his topmost priority, and just because there’s an abundance of food now doesn’t mean it’ll always be like that.
“I had a big breakfast.”
Upon Yoohyun’s appearance, the staff that Yoojin has recruited to help out in the rearing facility don’t waste any time making themselves scarce. Yoojin finds them helpful and yet Yoohyun still retains some unexplained animosity towards them, which he’s sure they’re very well aware of as often shown by their openly scared expression whenever Yoohyun is present.
Even before his latest failed kidnapping, Yoohyun has perfected his act as a sticky glue by Yoojin’s side. Despite his packed schedule as Haeyeon’s guildmaster, Yoohyun somehow manages to appear everywhere Yoojin is at, much to the disapproval of the others who either require his presence elsewhere or simply find it uneasy being around him.
Silently demanding to monopolise his hyung’s company, Yoohyun isn’t ashamed to act out his part as a spoiled Alpha with a severe case of separation anxiety.
This kind of scene isn’t rare, with Yoohyun bear hugging Yoojin from behind as if he’s a human-sized plush toy and Yerim whining and complaining at the side.
“Guildmaster, you’ve got him for a whole hour already! When will it be my turn?”
Over the crown of Yoojin’s head, Yoohyun coldly answers, “Never.”
Yerim resorts to hissing while Yoojin tries to make a hand gesture to vaguely signal that she can have him later when Yoohyun isn’t here so they won’t get caught by his jealous Alpha of a brother. His plan however backfires when it’s Yoohyun who gets the secret message instead while Yerim completely misses it.
Poor Myeongwoo, banished to an area farther away, can never go near when Yoohyun is in this mood. Noah is lurking, having mastered the art of scavenging for crumbs of affection whenever Yoohyun isn’t around.
Yoojin hasn’t set foot outside in nearly a week, following Haeyeon’s PR team’s advice. He’d once assumed that being confined indoors for this long would drive him restless, yet, to his surprise, it’s proven to be a pleasant experience so far. Even though he does miss the usual whirlwind of activities he’s always buried under, Yoojin has vowed to savour this mini vacation for as long as it lasts.
Slow mornings like this are becoming a more common occurrence.
Lying next to him is his baby brother, still fast asleep. Lately, Yoohyun has spent many nights here rather than his own living quarters in Haeyeon.
Yoohyun looks soft, the harsh mask of authority shed off in this private bubble of theirs. His nose, the strong lines of his jaws, and all his other features are pleasant to look at. This little brother of his truly deserves his title as one of the nation’s Alpha heartthrobs.
In this position, the right side of Yoohyun’s throat is visible to him. Plum blossom branches surrounded by black fire are embedded on the skin of his neck, almost like a tattoo. The entire thing is black, except for a single flower in full bloom and the unopened buds that are deep pink in colour. The secondary gender specialist they have consulted with said the mark might develop, particularly with the buds blossoming one by one. There’s not a set timing for it to occur, it may be even years before it could happen in the first place.
Caught in his reverie, Yoojin belatedly notices that Yoohyun is awake, watching him. With the side of his handsome face swathed by a golden sheen from the rising sun, his curls swept tastefully to frame his face without even needing to be brushed, Yoohyun looks more like he’s filming an ad rather than someone who has just woken up.
They stare at each other for long minutes without exchanging a single word.
“Don’t you have an early meeting?” Yoojin reminds, feeling guilty for breaking the moment but the need to be a responsible older brother overrides the selfish desire to keep all of Yoohyun to himself, at least for a while longer.
All while speaking, Yoojin doesn’t let up with a low vibration purr released from deep within his chest that conveys contentment. He isn’t even consciously doing it.
“I still have time,” Yoohyun replies, voice still rough with sleep.
Yoohyun is mirroring his primal vocalisation. A low-timbered rumble of his own that Yoojin not only can keenly hear, but feel through the mattress as well. Vaguely, Yoojin recalls that an Alpha’s purr is deeper than any other designation due to their specialised laryngeal muscles, amplified by a fully ossified hyoid at the base of their tongue.
Yoojin leafs through his schedule for the day in his brain. Taking care of Peace, Chirpie and the other beasts in his care, checking the arrival of a new beast to the facility, eating, showering and a meeting with his rearing facility team. Compared to Yoohyun’s jam-packed schedule, his own is very relaxed. Is it okay to relax this much?
Yoohyun’s ensuing sentence takes Yoojin out of his musing.
“Hyung, can you lie down on your stomach?”
“Mm?”
Despite the ‘why’ popping out, the threads of his mind that form the beginning of thoughts are mostly loose and uninhibited. There’s not an important enough reason to deny this easy request.
Yoojin shimmies to lie on his front and make himself comfortable, hugging the pillow to his bare chest.
The blanket that is covering his body is pulled down to expose the rest of him, the edge stopping just before the swell of his ass. Despite his vision being confined to his pillow and headboard, Yoojin can almost feel Yoohyun’s prying gaze exploring every inch of his skin.
Yoohyun’s hand gently brushes against the curve of his spine, a clear clue as to where his attention is mostly concentrated at.
The mark nestled on the dip of his back, between his thoracic and lumbar spine, is an exact copy of the one displayed on Yoohyun’s neck.
The day it first appeared, Yoojin didn’t even notice it himself. He was in the middle of changing into his pajamas when Yoohyun let out a shocked noise, the kind he rarely produced. It triggered the alarm inside his head but before Yoojin could get a single word out, Yoohyun had already caught him and refused to let go. They stayed holed up inside for an entire day until Yoohyun stopped growling at everyone who would so much as look at his hyung.
Their marks didn’t appear at the same time. It started as a smudge on Yoohyun’s neck which the Alpha brushed off and the public stayed none the wiser due to his usual choice of high-neck top. Over the course of the next few days, its shape became clearer, and Yoohyun didn’t waste time consulting a specialist.
The specialist said that since Yoohyun hadn’t mated with anyone, there was a great possibility that the bondmark would appear on his closest kin, in this case his older brother. Since then, Yoojin would take the time to check his body whenever he took a shower. Yoohyun, too, took it upon himself to make his personal thorough inspection in case Yoojin missed anything.
Whenever they sleep, Yoohyun always insists on Yoojin to not wear anything. Citing the reason that clothes are a pesky barrier that hinders his pheromones from flowing out freely when Yoohyun wants access to all of it. The blunt and shameless way Yoohyun has said it effectively silences any more protests from Yoojin who writes it off as a lost cause.
This pushy, unreasonable little brother of his. If Yoohyun was any other Alpha, his demand would have landed him in serious trouble with the authorities due to the fact that this country upholds the laws of Omega protection to the utmost importance. Considering Yoohyunie is not any other Alpha and his beloved dongsaeng instead, Yoojin lets this behaviour slide. Besides, the cute pout Yoohyun wore in his little speech to get his way sealed the fate of his sleepwear situation. Yoojin considers it a win that he could haggle his way of putting on briefs that cover his privates at the very least.
Micro dominance display is a healthy pack bonding activity for an Alpha and encouraged by the professionals to be performed on a regular basis. It doesn't need to be intentionally scheduled since it often happens naturally amongst happy and healthy pack members.
Putting him in a position where he has minimal bearing is one way to do it. Yoohyun’s hands and mouth roam against his bare skin, exploring vulnerable places of which access is barred to anyone else.
It’s not like it’s a hardship to fall into this kind of headspace, letting himself be vulnerable at the hands of a trusted Alpha that is his own flesh and blood. The lengthened fangs scrape harmlessly against the nape of his neck, breath fanning against skin. Soft and floaty, the edges of a stiff mind that are constantly running to tick off his many responsibilities unravel into a pliant, soft-limbed Omega. It's nice.
Forced claiming has been banned a long time ago and no Alpha in their right mind would attempt to commit such a morally reprehensible crime. It won’t take even a second for those fangs to bury themselves in the soft flesh, softer than butter, the flimsy barrier of an F rank’s skin won’t even offer a sliver of a resistance. Despite the knowledge, there's no hint of anxiousness, only the sensation of being safe and right where he's meant to be.
Ever since his presentation, Yoohyun has grown even more handsy, touching him every opportunity he gets. It’s like all of the Alpha’s reservations of putting a modicum of polite distance between their already affectionate selves, even in front of the public, have dissolved into nothingness. At this point, Yoojin has mostly given up on his half-hearted efforts to fend off his Alpha brother’s aggressively grabby paws and has resigned himself to whatever his instincts lead him to do.
After having satisfied himself with the thorough scent marking, Yoohyun pulls himself upright, though his hand continues to stroke skin and cup his hyung’s bondmark possessively.
Yoojin asks in a teasing manner, “Do you like it that much?”
“I love it.”
Humming thoughtfully, Yoojin’s eyelids drift to a close. “It’s good that you know to take good care of things that you love.”
Teaching his brother to be a responsible adult is part of his duty as the older sibling. It’s not good to buy a young child a pet to play with but fail to instill the responsibility of keeping it healthy and well-fed after all.
“I take good care of the rest of you too, hyung.”
Yoojin chuckles at the petulant tone.
“Yes, you do. My dongsaeng is very reliable,” he remarks indulgently, then adds the last bit, “A good Alpha.”
The purr grows even louder at the praise, so much so that Yoojin worries Yoohyun might end up with a sore chest and throat at this rate. It’s a common issue that mostly happens to new mothers whose instincts are still strongly hard-wired to dote on their babies. Often used like a lullaby, this is widely considered a natural way of using their vocal tool to calm a fussy baby.
To his surprise, it also works on adults. His consciousness is swept off in the waves of the simple animal pleasure of having his brother so close. Is this how an Omega grows to be spoiled? Delicious meals each day, a roofed and cosy house, being doted on by his Alpha packmate that constantly showers him with loving attention, what more can an Omega possibly want?
It’s a bit weird that their roles are flipped like this. Not a complete flip, Yoojin supposes, but a sharing of responsibility that Yoohyun can now undertake as a grown adult, no longer a helpless pup whose parents have left him in the care of his big brother not much older than him. It pleases him to acknowledge that Yoohyun is capable now, perhaps more than Yoojin himself has ever managed to be.
Throughout Yoohyun’s entire ministrations, Yoojin is still purring. At this rate, he’ll transform into a purring engine that doubles as a lazy, spoiled-rotten Omega.
Two hours later and both brothers scramble out of bed in a hurry. Yoojin is distinctly more panicked compared to his brother who appears as if he couldn’t care less attending the important meeting that Suk Simyeong has painstakingly set up for him.
Even so, their phones remain silent, no sense of urgency from other people who might have felt the need to remind them. Yoojin has double checked—no malfunction, and his phone isn’t set to silent mode, the incoming notifications do make a sound. He decides to temporarily shelf the oddity to the back of his mind in favour of addressing his first urgent task of the day: making sure Yoohyun does make it to his meeting.
According to the history books, there was a time when Omegas faced severe discrimination as the minority among the three designations.
Valued as little more than property of their parents, they were quickly married off to a suitable Alpha once they came of age, their lives reduced to that of homemakers and breeders who barely were allowed to step foot outside the house. Many endured abuse, their dignity as human beings systematically trampled and their voices left unheard.
Too horrid the mistreatment had become that it was said that gods deemed it fit to make an intervention themselves. The official records had blurred the specifics of what exactly occurred, likely because what ensued must have been as world-altering as the appearance of dungeons that defined the current era, but it incurred devastation to the scale none had seen before.
Even with the government enlisting the most brilliant of minds, all efforts to reverse the changes were of to no avail.
The fruit of their own haughtiness was neither sweet nor filling. Instead, it left behind a bitter longing and a sense of incompleteness that no amount of food, entertainment, or luxury could satisfy. Not even the richest, who managed to hoard supplies and eat their fill amidst the unprecedented chaos that befell the lands, could escape the gnawing emptiness.
Years passed until the gods finally took pity and decided to end the suffering that was slowly ending humankind.
Once the divine curse was lifted, only then that the land and people could finally breathe again. The country found its footing and, many painstaking years later, managed to stabilise once again. With the secrets wrapped so tightly until not even a whisper was heard, those in power, those who knew, made the necessary changes, instilling laws that punish discriminatory actions and updating the education system to radically change the following generations’ way of thinking.
All for the sake of making the world fair and liveable for all. Alpha, Beta, and Omega living side by side, fitting into the fabric of society with each of their unique respective roles.
“Hyung, I’d like to show you something. It’s in the main meeting room.”
Yoojin stops rifling through his letters. Yoohyun is standing by the door of his personal study.
With his curiosity effectively piqued, Yoojin follows after Yoohyun. He isn’t in any hurry so it can’t be a very pressing matter.
On his way out, Yoojin sticks his nose into a jacket on a hanger by the entrance, the action impulsive and instinctual. His brother’s smell wafts into his olfactory senses and his inner self flutters with bliss.
Unlike the rigid formality of a typical meeting room with its long table, chairs and a screen, this space breathes ease. In the middle sits a plush sofa set arranged around a low coffee table, leaving generous room to move around. Warm-toned walls and wooden floors soften the atmosphere, while the tasteful and minimal decor keeps the eye uncluttered. This place feels more like a living room than a place for business.
Taking a seat on one of the sofas, Yoojin’s attention swivels to the other door that he didn’t enter from. He can sense the presence of people just out of sight. Are these the people Yoohyun wants him to meet?
Taking a seat at a ninety-degree angle from him, Yoohyun calls out, “You can come in.”
The sound of many wheels being pushed further fans his curiosity. The door opens and then shelves upon shelves are being wheeled in. Yoojin’s mouth slacks open in shock. They are unending, and after the eight one Yoojin stops mentally counting in order to discern what exactly it contains. They resemble mobile book shelves with multiple levels, except each level is tilted at an angle to display the objects they contain.
With astonishment, Yoojin works out that they are collars, specifically collars for Omegas.
He can spot three Betas and an Alpha carrying the display shelves in, each dressed in traditional attire befitting their respective designations.
In the past, a collar was a way to degrade an Omega. Nothing more than property and pet of an Alpha, Omegas were forced to wear a collar that they weren’t allowed to take off their whole lives.
The years-long effort to undo the symbol of slavery and utmost degradation to one’s status that a collar embodies is successful. The collar is no longer treated as a mark of ownership of an Omega to a certain Alpha or Beta.
With Omegas now able to make their own decisions and no longer regarded as a mere accessory or diminished extension of an Alpha, the collar becomes a popular accessory and even a luxury symbol to the most affluent Omegas. Many Omegas now wear them proudly in public as fashion pieces, or a staple symbol akin to a wedding ring.
The purchases of this type of collars are mostly attributed to Alpha-Omega couples, but many young unmated Omegas enjoy being gifted a collar by their parents or packmates too. Receiving it during graduation or when reaching a milestone as a gift has become a custom.
The staff disappear after having finished wheeling in the display shelves, giving them a sense of privacy. A courtesy in case the Omega refuses to choose a collar to protect the gifter’s dignity.
Yoojin rises from his seat to inspect the vast selection of collars more closely.
It never occurs to him that Omega collars come in so many different materials, sizes, and colours. As thin as a chopstick and even ones that would cover most of one’s neck. Every colour of the rainbow, even glittery violet, gold and silver. Most of them are made of leather crafted by the finest artisans’ hands.
There are even some that look like they are made of some type of metal. Yoojin bends down to examine the curious sight. That can’t be comfortable, right?
“You can take a closer look if you want, hyung.”
Yoohyun carries an impassive air, but there’s no fooling Yoojin’s senses when it comes to his little brother. Beneath the calm, perfectly unruffled exterior, there’s a hint of unease, giving away his true emotion.
Yoojin hides his smile on the pretense of looking at another shelf. Does Yoohyun think he’ll refuse the gift?
After more browsing, Yoojin’s attention is caught on a particular one.
The collar is made of all-black leather. Four red petals that are shaped into a flower, made of rubies, in the middle. The red is a similar shade to the flower and unopened buds adorning their matching bondmarks. The collar is about two fingers wide, with a snap lock clasp at the back for easy self-fastening.
Yoojin has made his choice.
As soon as the thought passes through his mind, the space is flooded by pleased Alpha pheromones.
Yoojin is happy to make his little brother this happy. “Is this something to be this excited about?”
“Of course. Thank you for agreeing to accept one from me, hyung.” The earnest way Yoohyun says it warms Yoojin’s heart.
“If not from you, who else?” he teases.
Probably a wrong thing to say, since a subtle darkness awashes Yoohyun’s features. It dawns on Yoojin that faces of certain Alphas are running through Yoohyun’s mind upon his offhanded remark.
As if on cue, the four people reenter the room. The Beta who seems to be their leader, bows courteously.
“Han Yoojin-ssi, that is a marvellous collar you’ve picked out from the options. You have a great eye.”
“Thank you, you have so many choices that it almost makes me dizzy. But it was fun choosing one!”
“We pride ourselves on having the widest and finest selection of Omega collars in the country. The one that you are holding is made of Eiderbuck deerskin, it is the softest and most durable leather produced from a magic beast, a truly exquisite and rare material. You do not even have to take it off during showering since it’s imbued by a self-cleaning attribute.”
Yoojin makes a non-committal hum, thinking that the idea sounds a bit unhygienic to him and he probably will still take the collar off during showering.
“Have you made your final choice?”
Yoojin nods. “Yes.”
“Would you care for any additional accessories? Perhaps some gems to complement your selection?”
As if they aren’t already drowning in options, the staff bring out several rectangular-shaped glass containers, each housing all kinds of gem resting on black velvet to make the sparkles pop. Yoojin almost goes blind at seeing the sizes and sheer intensity of sparkles.
Yoojin is about to refuse but Yoohyun beats him to it. “This, this, this, that, and the entire row over there.” The elegant finger dances in the air like a conductor’s wand that is playing out a song that sounds more like thunder in Yoojin’s ears.
Quickly walking right up to Yoohyun, Yoojin makes his complaint loudly known.
“What irresponsible things are coming out of your mouth, Yoohyun-ah? Anyway, will all of those even fit in the collar?” Then with a more hushed voice to keep his verbal fit out of the sellers’ earshot, “Do you even know how much they cost?”
The scolding seems to go right over the Alpha’s head when all he does is take advantage of how Yoojin has gotten closer to him by winding his arms around his back.
“No price is greater than its worth if it gets to be worn by my hyung,”
No Yoohyun-ah…
How can Yoojin just stand by and watch his innocent brother falling right into the palm of the upsell tactic commonly used in the luxury goods industry?
Inside the cage of arms and brawny chest belonging to his Alpha not-so-little brother, Yoojin turns his disapproving glare to the people who are patiently waiting by one of the collar racks.
What a cunning business model. This must be a way to make Alphas splurge on their hard-earned money by tapping on the instinctual need to pamper and please their Omegas! It’s not like this isn’t making Yoojin happy, of course he is happy to wear a collar given by his dearest Alpha dongsaeng, and it’s not as if money is an issue for Yoohyun. Regardless, as his older brother, Yoojin is still dead set on making sure Yoohyun is using his money responsibly!
“Let’s keep things reasonable. The collar is only so big and we don’t want something that is too flashy that it attracts the wrong attention, do we? Besides, I’d feel too stuffy if my collar gets too heavy.”
“I’ll make anyone who dares covet the collar that you’re wearing as if they have never existed in the first place.”
The chill of that ruthless promise seeps into the spines of everyone present. Delivered by a quintessential Alpha standing on the pinnacle of human existence, its fangs are real and flesh-rendingly sharp.
They are in the presence of essentially strangers but Yoohyun is becoming clingy, the spoiled kind of clingy puppy that he usually reserves when it’s just the two of them.
Yoohyun starts scenting him, worrying his neck glands with gentle strokes until sweet Omega pheromones are coaxed out of the skin. Very much aware of these strangers’ attention, doused in a polite yet prying kind of curiosity, Yoojin can’t quite help the blush that forms.
“Han Yoohyun-ssi and Han Yoojin-ssi, you can leave a word on any customisation requests with your staff. Thank you for your patronage. We will take our leave now.”
The sellers seem to have picked up the shift in energy and give the two of them a small polite bow. Yoojin flashes an apologetic, awkward smile at them. Yoohyun is too busy to care.