《The Claimed Omega》 Chapter 1 - Prologue [Trigger warning] Nothing. That is all he can feel. The sharp excruciating pain he felt moments ago is gone now and all that is left is numbness. He couldn''t see anything clearly, is it because of his tears? But he isn''t crying¡­ There are red stains on his fingers¡­ He remembers scratching the asphalts when the man first took him. It is so painful he thought he could die. He should have bled to death by now. But he hasn''t. His body is still harshly rubbing against the pavement; he should be in pain. Why isn''t he feeling anything? All he can hear are ringing and the sound of the hard breaths of his attacker. And the sound of growling. And another howl. And another¡­ How many more are waiting? Is this how his life will end? While being taken mercilessly in some alley? Imagine what his friends will feel when they hear that? He failed them. They were trying really hard to protect him and he failed them. And this is his punishment. He deserves this. He should have stuck with the main road. He shouldn''t have tried to avoid the alphas and ran towards the alley. He should have tried to outrun the alphas. Now look at him. ????????????????????????????????. Wonho screams and shakes involuntarily as he feels a strong pair of hands trying to hold his shoulders in place, the weight of the alpha heavy. Breathing harshly, he closes his eyes as another sharp pain hits him when he feels the weight being lifted slightly before it returns, with more pressure pushing him further into the hard pavement. Almost crushing him. Another howl. He hates that sound. But aside from the constant ringing and shuffling noise, that is the only sound he can hear. Are the alphas getting excited again? When will this torture end? When will they stop? Wonho feels his himself choking from crying, not remembering how long he had been held here. Not recalling how many times he was broken in. Wanting to return to complete numbness. Stop it. Pathetic. They won''t care. Nobody cares. Wonho tries to curl himself into a ball once the pressure on top of him is gone. Unfortunately, as soon as it did, another one took it''s place. Tired, he closes his eyes as feels the alpha on top of him pushing his head towards the rough pavement. Another hand holds his upper arm, pulling it down. He shivers as cold air brushes against his skin, but that is quickly replaced by the hot breath of his attacker. He is whispering something but Wonho cannot make anything. He can only feel the heat getting closer¡­ No it can''t be. No..No¡­NOO!!! Chapter 2 - A Typical Student Life 1 Wonho stares at his computer screen again. His blueprint is completed but there is still something missing. Every line is there, every circle accurate, every length and dimension written down, but something feels wrong. He looks back down at his project - the old building near his hometown which used to be a fortress, turned storage, turned hotel. He received the interior description and the copy of the latest blueprint from the owner, but the original blueprint was gone with time. Of course, he can always just redraw the ones he got but that is not how Wonho does things. He takes it one step further and searches for the history of the building, retracing it back and imagining the original design, taking notes of the renewal process, and draws what remains. That is how he does things. And that was what earned him his scholarship and his lecturer''s support and love ¨C his passion. He feels something cold near his left cheeks and grabs it, putting it near his mouth. Eyes still glued to the screen, he takes a sip of the soda and puts it down, continuing to review his work. ''Hey, it''s late.'' He hears his friend calling him in a hoarse voice. Wonho only replies with a quiet ''yeah''. He is tired and unable focus, but he just cannot take his mind of this project just yet. ''Wono, you still have two weeks. Come and sleep.'' Junjie, his best friend since childhood coerces, he can hear the man shuffling on his bed. Even though they had broken up, they still remain close, so this has never been a problem for them. It had been their habit to sleep on the same bed whenever they spend time together since little, so they just continue doing it despite already being college students. ''I won''t be able to wake up if I sleep now¡­'' Wonho replies softly, sighing in the process. ''I''ll wake you up.'' Junjie states gently and pats the space beside him. Wonho rolls his eyes and rubs his face. He makes his way to the toilet to wash his face and proceeds to position himself beside Junjie, facing himself towards the wall. He feels the Chinese man''s hand on his waist but pays no attention. It does not mean anything anyways, Junjie just love to show affection towards his friends, and Wonho does not mind it either, having gotten used to having another person sleeping with him. Sighing, he closes his eyes, focusing on the heartbeat behind him which lullabies him to sleep. Feeling a gentle rub on his face, Wonho opens his eyes to the scorching summer sun. He squints his eyes to look at the clock - 45 minutes to his first class. He cursed inside, hoping for more so he can get another five minutes of sleep. ''Yaah, you won''t be able to wake up like that.'' The familiar voice calls. ''Shut up.'' ''Get up or I''ll carry you to the bathroom'' ''pffft¡­'' And he feels himself being lifted. Struggling to get himself free, Wonho''s eyes opens wide as he screamed, ''YAAAAH!'' ''Get up.'' Junjie lets him down after laughing his heart out, and walks himself towards the exit, stopping right before the door. Wonho is now opening the tap, ''Ryuu-hyung 1wants to grab lunch together. You free?'' ''Dunno yet. I''ll get to you later aight?'' He replies casually while trying to brush his teeth. He hears the door close and continues to get ready, minding the time as to not be late. Once done, he Wonho takes a sip from his bottled water before noticing a post-it on one of his reference book which he is sure was not there yesterday. He never leaves post-it notes in his books. Opening the page, he realizes what is missing from his blueprint - an entry from the diary of a merchant detailing the renovation done on the building 60 years ago. Junjie marked it along with a note. He remembers talking about this detail while they were eating some time ago, he wonders why he didn''t recall it. He must have been so tired last night. Wonho smiles from the thought of his best friend, always remembering the smallest details even though he never looks like he listens. He made a mental note to buy Junjie a beer later. Scratch that, the man loves soju. Dressing up in a simple polo shirt and shorts, the architecture student grabs his backpack and takes his bicycle to his department for his morning lecture. A few more weeks and he will be done with morning classes, finally able to spend his days sleeping in. Just a few more torturous weeks and it''s summer holidays! ##### ''Wono-hyung! Here!'' Chansol, his junior of a year, signals to the seat next to him. Giving the younger male a brief smile, Wonho grabs the seat and takes out his laptop to prepare for lecture while Chansol is already resting his head for a nap. ''You done your report?'' ''Unhh¡­ Just one more paragraph¡­'' Chansol mumbles, already drifting away. Not a minute later, he is awoken by Wonho when the lecturer comes in. For some reason, the lecture hall is almost empty today so unlike all the other days when they are able to sleep unnoticed, doing so today will be obvious, and rude. And that would be suicidal, not in Prof. Kim''s class. ''Well since we have so many students today, I''m feeling grateful.'' The professor states sarcastically, eyeing the empty seats. Wonho can tell the man is holding his irritation, ''I''ll be taking attendance, and to those present today, ten marks for you.'' Wonho stares at Chansol who does the same. Ten marks for Prof. Kim''s class is huge. Ten marks can be a fail or a pass, and most students fail this class. Giving a knuckle to his junior, he quickly signs his name and student ID on the piece of paper before passing it towards the latter. ''Owh and since I''m feeling generous, to those present, you can bring an A4 note during the exam. Only eight of you are allowed, so be honored.'' The professor continues, earning a cheer from his students. Wonho and Chansol bows three times, making it obvious which earns them a laugh from the old man. ##### After an hour and a half of detailed physical calculations, the two young students are finally relieved from the class. Already exhausted, they head towards the nearest cafeteria to join Sangcheol - an alpha senior who is a year older than Wonho, Junjie, and Mengyao, a freshman beta. Sangcheol was Wonho''s facilitator during orientation, as well as Junjie''s course senior which was why they became friends in the first place. Then came Mengyao whom Junjie took under his wings to help with translating and overall tutor as they are both engineering students despite being from different course. And Wonho found himself tutoring Chansol, a half-Caucasian alpha who has trouble concentrating. Though Wonho never fancies concept of a pack as he is a beta, and anything associated with the second gender seems stupid to him, he does not mind being with his own two alpha friends Because they are not like the typical proud, egoistic alphas who prioritize hierarchies like some outdated species. Chansol quickly finds himself a spot next to Sangcheol, the younger being fond of the older, while he takes a seat opposite Junjie, who is already munching on his fried rice. Wonho bought himself a piece of sausage bun and an instant ramen, which earns him a glare from Junjie; the man always asking Wonho to eat real food. Returning the glare with a sharper one, Wonho smirks and begins eating his lunch. ''When''re you guys finishing your exams?'' Sangcheol asks after finishing his food. Junjie and Mengyao immediately takes out their phones to check their schedule. ''In three weeks, last one''s on Tuesday.'' Wonho replies first without checking. He knows it by heart as he already has plan for that night - going out with Jinyoung, his adorable omega crush, for dinner at a nearby cafe. He has been looking forward for this day. ''Mine''s Thursday.'' Junjie replies followed by Mengyao, ''Same.'' ''Awww, mine''s on Tuesday the next week!!'' Chansol drops his head on the table, stressed. All of them cannot help but laugh at the youngest''s adorable gesture while the oldest pats his head. ''No worries! We''ll celebrate on Tuesday then!'' ''At Kingsmen?'' Wonho inquires. He always enjoys hanging out at the bar with the billiards, darts and other games but it is at the bad part of town, so they only go there when there are at least three of them, just in case. And the only reason why they even go there in the first place is because the bar belongs to Sangcheol''s cousin, and the man provides them with a special room - the VIP room whenever the students want to hang out there which is why they need to make plans earlier to ensure the room is available. ''We can go somewhere else if you wa-'' ''KINGSMEN!'' All four interject in unison. Chapter 3 - A Typical Student Life 2 Minwoo gives his last luggage to the courier. Now all that is left with him is a suitcase and another backpack with all his essentials. Signing the important documents and checking that everything is okay, he returns back to his hotel room. The young alpha lies on the bed. In a few weeks, he will be leaving here for good. Twelve years, and he is finally going to return to Korea. Sighing at the depressing thought, Minwoo takes out his phone to call one of his friends to hang out tonight. Since it will be the last time for a long while before he will meet them again, he plans to spend his last weeks in the Netherlands partying and hanging out with his friends. Especially since school is out and his parent are already in Korea, he has practically no responsibilities for three more weeks! Smirking, Minwoo checks for another phone number, one of his favourite omega, and proceeds to call her. He is really hoping to find her in her heat but since it will be the last time, this will do. He also checks for another one of his omega male ''friend'' for tonight, to keep him entertained after his hang out session. European omegas will probably be the one thing he will miss the most once he returns back to Korea, among all others. That is, unless he finds Korean omegas he really like, which then, he probably will not care about the ones here any longer. Although, he doubts that thought because he does not really like Asian omega''s scent. Not that he hates it, they are still omegas after all. But Asian omega''s scent are just not doing it for him. He tried a few, but none gave him the relief and satisfaction a European one can give from their mere pheromones. A reply comes from his favourite woman, and Minwoo grins widely. He grabs his car keys and makes his way to her neighbourhood, speeding as fast as he could without getting in trouble with the police. ##### ''Jun!'' Wonho rolls his eyes, slanting back on his chair. New friend requests from random strangers, obviously from Junjie''s one-night stands. Every single time that guy goes out, be it for club activities or partying, he will manage to catch some keen eyes. It would still be fine if he ignores them, but not Junjie. He loves the attention. He loves leading them on. And that would not matter if his friend cares to continue doing so or let them down clearly but no, Junjie gets tired of them the very next day and would always leave them hanging. What Wonho never gets is the reason why all of them still hope that Junjie would actually reconsider them, even going as far as finding about Wonho and adding him in various social media just to get close to Junjie; because the man does not own his own social media. ''I told you to stop! It''s annoying!'' Wonho stares at the man who only lifts his shoulders in ignorance. ''How did they know me anyway? You told them?'' ''Don''t flatter yourself Wono-yah. I don''t carry around your stupid picture.'' ''Urghhh¡­ You''re so ugly why would they even look at you.'' Wonho retorts, clicking the reject button to clear his notifications. Behind him, he can hear Junjie smirking, ''Same goes to you. You and your pale skin.'' The man replied, referring to Wonho''s usually weak appearance. ''Says the dude with huge eyes and dark skin.'' Again, Wonho counters, irritated. ''I''m the perfect human being.'' Junjie sits up and puts a hand on his brown hair, messing them. ''According to those who strangers who added you. Like 100, 200 people?'' ''Pfffttt!!'' Wonho blows. Yes, he admits he once found the man who looks exactly the opposite of himself to be the very definition of someone good-looking. Though he himself, with his cold, sharp eyes and pale white skin is also handsome, albeit not in the traditional way. Junjie used to call him his handsome vampire prince in Chinese when they were dating, he forgot the exact word now. The only reason he came to dislike Junjie''s attractive characteristics is due to his fans who kept on pestering Wonho, even went as far as calling him ugly during their school days. He knew that was not his best friend''s fault, but little by little he came to grow to hate the man''s dark skin and huge eyes. He still loves his friend dearly though. Which, is also the reason why his current taste in beauty differs from most people. Instead of the typical doe-eyed beauty, and tall, dark hunks, Wonho prefers those with smaller eyes. Just like Hwang Jinyoung. Wonho jumps on the bed to tackle his vain friend, not noticing the sleeping Mengyao beside him. Accidentally hitting the younger man who woke up abruptly when he felt himself falling out of bed, Wonho gulps. ''WHO PUSHED ME??'' Both seniors shuffle away from the bed and run out of the room as if their life depended on it. It does. Because nobody messes with Mengyao. After a long run outside, the two friends finally took a rest on a bench near the gym, breathing heavily. ''Wono you bring any coins?'' Junjie asks in between breaths. Wonho puts his hands in his pocket and takes out some coins, counting them before handing it to the other. Junjie gets up and heads towards a nearby vending machine. Waiting, lying back to stare at the summer sky, Wonho closes his eyes. ''Wonho? What''re you doing here?'' He hears the familiar high-pitched voice he always loves, and sits upright, a little too fast, which causes his hands to slip behind him and him falling back down. ''Owww¡­'' ''Ouch!'' He hears a faint laugh and feels the man sitting on the bench with him. ''Gosh you''re sweaty.'' ''You too!'' he replies as enthusiastically as he can, which is with a voice only slightly higher than his normal deep one. ''It''s kinda early for you right?'' ''Yeah, we had exams today. But I think I did good. I think.'' Jinyoung pouts as he recalls all the answers he wrote. Wonho cannot help but simper at the adorable sight. ''Which one?'' ''Classical dance, the written one.'' Jinyoung stretches his arms and lies against the table to support himself. Readjusting his posture, he mentions, ''Gosh I need a work-out.'' Wonho sees Junjie in the corner of his eyes already back with a bottle of water. However, once the man notices them together, he gives Wonho a thumbs up and makes himself disappear. Wonho smirks back and returns his attention towards the smaller omega sitting right next to him. ''You didn''t dance yet you still sweat this much. Ewww.'' ''Hey it''s hot today. You sweat just as much.'' ''No, I was running.'' ''In your slippers?'' Jinyoung points the obvious and stares back at him. ''Under certain circumstances, I had to go for a run in my slippers.'' ''Uh-uh.'' The omega glares at him, squinting his already small eyes, an act which Wonho always finds cute since his already small eyes would disappear completely. ''Anyway I''m thirsty. You got any water?'' He pinches the fluffy cheeks to change the subject. Jinyoung still keeps his glare while his hands search around in his gym bag and takes out a big bottle. Wonho takes a few gulps and passes it back to the owner, who also take a few sips himself. Feeling like teasing the smaller one, he states calmly. ''We just kissed indirectly.'' And as he expected, a flushed Jinyoung made his entrance. But what he isn''t expecting is a hand on his face pushing it back. ''I will freaking kiss you if you say that again. No more innocent relationship!'' ''Yaaah!'' Wonho exclaims. Though they have been seeing each other for more than a year now, they never made their relationship official, even among themselves. Wonho refuses to do so as he assumes it will pressure the omega to sleep with him, just because of the status of ''omega''. Of course, he would love to sleep with Jinyoung, just, not like this. Not because the man must do it. Being the only beta in his family besides his dad, he could only watch as his siblings being pressured into having sex earlier either because they didn''t want to go through their heat alone out of shame, or because they were ostracized by their classmates when they refused to sleep with interested alphas. Apparently having an alpha interested in an omega is a ''privilege''. Wonho will never understand that kind of thinking - that omegas are expected to lie with other people just because their roles in society had always been ''breeders''. And the fact that most of omegas think they should abide, some even love to do so, just because they feel like they have done their role in society once they do. Wonho hates it. Which is why he set the ground rule with Jinyoung - to keep it innocent until they are both ready to take it to another level. He is not implying that he is innocent though, because Wonho has a handful of experience; with Junjie especially, during their middle school days when both were happily experimenting with each other albeit never doing stuffs that involves penetration. It does come up to him sometimes, that maybe he is only holding himself back because Jinyoung is an omega. Because Wonho is confident that he would be sleeping with him if he is a beta or an alpha. There is just something about omegas that bothers him in ways he does not understand. He does not hate them, but he certainly does not like them either. With an exception for his ball of fluff that is. Chapter 4 - The Calm Before The Storm 1 ''Hyung, you need to check my Korean.'' Chansol passes the five-page report to Wonho who is leaning against the wire fence of the basketball court. The older male can only stare at it, sighing inwardly. Leave it to Chansol for great timing. ''Really? Now?'' ''Naah, later. But soon please.'' The younger alpha pleads, sitting beside his tutor who takes it anyway and puts it inside his bag. Really, the boy could just send him an email later instead of passing him the hard copy. Owh how he really wants to scold the younger, but decides it is no use. Seeing that action made Chansol beam happily, ''Thanks! I''ll buy you a drink!'' He exclaims and runs towards his bicycle, not forgetting to lose his footing and stumble forward a bit, per usual. Wonho shakes his head lightly. ''Chansol-ah! Pocari for me!'' Sangcheol screams from the basketball court, realizing where the youngest is heading. Alerted by his loud voice, the other two betas joins, ''SOJ-'' Mengyao was hit on the head by Junjie. ''What? I was just kidding!'' Junjie smirks at the answer, feeling satisfied as the younger ordered a normal orange juice. Once the game starts again, the men realize Chansol stopped playing without telling them beforehand, making the game unbalanced, ''Yaah, Wonho! I need a teammate!'' ''Don''t look at me.'' Wonho pretends to get busy and brings out Chansol''s report before a shoe is thrown at him, ''Yaah emo face! I said I need a teammate!'' ''COMING! Jeez!'' He gives in and runs towards his best friend, pushing him slightly as a revenge for the shoe. In turn, the other headlocks him lightly. ##### Minwoo rereads the message he got from his mother again. And again. And again. As if the content will change the more he reads it. The initial plan was to be back in about three weeks, but apparently the registration to his new university requires his presence earlier than planned. All the forms are already processed except for his medical check-up, which is required to be in Korean. There is not a single place here which can do that. And it is already way past the submission deadline. ''What the hell!!!!'' Minwoo screams to nobody. Granted, he should have confirmed about the registration and the forms himself instead of leaving it up to his parents, but they offered, and he trusted them. They know Korean better than him, he thought they would never miss any important information. And because of that trust, when his mother told him everything is settled and that he only has to be back a week before the semester stars, Minwoo made plans to travel with his friends around Europe for the last time in maybe years to come. Who would have thought his mom could make a small mistake like the fact that the medical check-up report should be in Korean?! Urgh, if he can throw away his phone right now he would. Eomma! You''re kidding right? I was planning to go Italy! Minhyuk-yah! Eomma''s sorry¡­ I never made a mistake like this. Must be my age¡­ - Her Majesty Aah¡­ the age card. Minwoo hates when the lady uses that excuse. It makes him feel like he is a bad son. And he is not. Even though they are not related by blood, that old omega lady, his stepmom, is his only weakness, besides his grandmother that is. Can''t I stay longer? I only need to be there a day earlier right? :( I already asked for two-week extension. I can''t ask for more. Besides, your grandma wants to have dinner with you. - Her Majesty But we can still have dinner that night right? :(( Or after the registration? You want to tell you grandma that yourself? - Her Majesty Minwoo cringes at the thought of that. Worst case scenario, the old lady will pretend to be bedridden or fake some illness to be hospitalized, like a classic villain in those Korean dramas his mother loves. He is not overimagining it when he thought of what might happen ¨C it happened once to his dad before. And his sisters. And him, once. Although he knows it is all a pretense, Minwoo will still have to pretend to take care of her until she is satisfied. He knew every trick in the book, yet he cannot do anything about it. That old hag. Sighing, Minwoo clenches his jaws as he accepts his fate. It only means he needs to party around as much as possible in the next two weeks. ##### ''So, you need to also consider wind direction and strength of a particular area,'' he paused, ''And also take note of the strongest wind in record¡­. to calculate the strength of a building? What''s that gotta do with designing a small building?'' Chansol asked softly, circling the passage he just read. Wonho takes the textbook from him and reads a few lines before, in case any simple explanation was already written that the half-Korean missed. Apparently not, so he just have to do it himself. ''If the building''s covered by other larger buildings, it should not be that important as the other ones will act like a shield against the oncoming wind,'' he draws on the page, ''but if it''s the tallest, or the only one around, the wind will hit it directly, and depending on how strong the foundation is, or whether you have holes to let the wind through, the strength of the wind might damage it.'' Wonho looks at his junior. Chansol has this face of confusion which turns into realization a few seconds later. Sometimes he finds it amazing how the guy managed to pass the entrance exam, seeing how long it took him to understand a chapter. Of course, considering he only started learning Korean four years ago, and it was also self-taught, the mere fact that he was able to take the test in the first place was interesting in itself. Especially since the younger have an attention span of a goldfish. ''Speaking of, when''re you going back home?'' He whispers. There he goes again. ''In three weeks.'' Wonho reluctantly replies. They are in a library and he will not tolerate small talks not relating to their studies. ''So you understand the chapter now?'' ''Yeah. Jun-hyung''s driving?'' He tries again. Obviously getting sick of studying. ''Yup.'' ''That''s nice¡­ I wish I can drive.'' Chansol comments before returning to read another chapter. The exam is next week so he had asked Wonho to help him study. And upon the older''s suggestion, they went to the library because his own room has so many ''distraction''. Chansol agreed. Because he always has trouble concentrating since he was a child, to a point where his study room used to be all white without anything else other than books, a piece of pencil, and a rubber. Yes, his parents made a special room for him to study because of his problems. That room got him through high school, and into the university. But the problem is now, he has no ''special'' room. Chansol tries focusing again. Everything seems so boring. He managed to read a ten-paged chapter so he deserves a break. ''Wono-hyung?'' ''Yeah?'' ''What perfume are you wearing?'' Wonho rolls his eyes. This kid, he was doing so well until five minutes ago¡­ He refuses to answer and lets his face talk. Getting the hint, the younger backs away and re-opens his notebook. ''Okay, okay¡­. I''m only asking because you smell nice.'' he mumbles incoherently. ''You know you need to pass this right? Or you''ll have to take Prof. Lee''s class next term, right? And you don''t want him because he''s satan, right? I told you, right?'' ''Gosh okay, I got it¡­ I''ll finish this chapter!'' Wonho nods in satisfaction. Threats always work with this guy because he''s so gullible he will believe anything Wonho says. And god, he always enjoys the horrified look on the alpha''s face when he tells him the so-called ''truth'' about the lecturers. It is just one of his guilty pleasures. Finally, he gets to read his book in silence. A mere 20 minutes of silence. ''Aww¡­ look at the couple! They''re so cute! I wish I had a girlfriend¡­'' That''s it. ''Jo Chansol, shut the fuck up.'' ''Owh shit. Sorry. Working on it.'' He looks back down, avoiding Wonho''s strong and cold gaze. But the older is not taking it. ''Wear your headphones.'' ''But you said I shouldn''t us-'' ''Wear it! Listen to the fucking music and shut up.'' That did it. Finally. He should''ve never asked the alpha to stop listening to music to avoid any distraction. Boy was he wrong to even think of that idea. Chapter 5 - The Calm Before The Storm 2 Minwoo searches the whole crowd for his driver. He got a picture from his mother and confirmed that the man has a very distinctive look, but it is really impossible to spot anyone in this crowd of people waiting for the arrivals of their clients or loved ones. Forget that. He already sees him; standing taller than the rest, with his sharp jaws and eyebrows. Had he known the man is as tall as a giant, he would not have scanned the crowd that thoroughly. He waves his hand towards the man and flashes him a quick smile but the man just stands there with no reaction. Only when he gets close enough that the man nods slightly as an acknowledgment. ''Young master. It''s a pleasure to meet you. I''m your new household''s butler, Chris.'' ''Just call me Minwoo.'' He replies. He notices the man is still bowing 90 degrees and feels really uncomfortable with all this formality. What should he do? ''Erm, nice to meet you too Mr. Chris. Please take care of me.'' He bows back. And the man bows lower. And so does he. And the man. And he. ''How long should we bow?'' The man cleares his throat and stands back up, clearing his throat once again, loudly to let his new master know to follow him. ''We''ll go straight to your grandmother''s house. Your parents are already there.'' ''Alright. But I need to take out some souvenirs from my bag first. Let''s go somewhere to sit.'' Minwoo is about to head towards the bench before, ''Young master, can''t you do it at home? Your grandmother expected you to be there in half an hour.'' Taken by surprise, Minwoo stares at the man. He is very rigid and uptight, not that surprising considering he has this face that looks constipated. Okay, maybe not that. But only a few minutes passed from their meeting and he already finds the man annoying. ''We''re gonna be late anyways so what''s 10 more minutes?'' he tries to bargain. ''If we keep on arguing, we might be late for another 20.'' Truly shocked by the reply, Minwoo glares up to the man, who still has his emotionless face on. Refusing to argue further, he sighs, ''Fine.'' ''This way, young master.'' ''It''s Minwoo.'' ''I realized.'' Minwoo rolls his eyes. They made it in time anyway. With the butler hitting every traffic light and racing with nobody. And almost killing Minwoo from shock in the process. Minwoo feels very light-headed once his feet touch the earth. The man finally stops somewhere near his house and Minwoo got out as fast as he could. And spills his gut. A box of tissue paper, and a bottled water is passed to him. ''We have another five minutes. Please calm yourself down. And here, breath freshener.'' Minwoo grabs the damned freshener and sprays it, eyes locking at the young butler. Why did his grandmother trusted him, her precious grandchild, with this crazy man? ''We should head home now.'' Chris states monotonously, not even caring about Minwoo who is still catching his breath, ''No I need a few more minute.'' ''We don''t have a few more minutes.'' The young alpha is about to fight for his time but decides against it when he sees the man''s face. He has this eerie vibe that made Minwoo thinks that he will die if he does not comply. And so, although ashamed of himself for chickening out, he gets back inside the car anyway. And fastens his seat belt, unconsciously gripping it hard. And they make their way home. In normal speed. To Minwoo''s relief. ##### ''Minwoo-yah!! You''re here!'' His mother welcomes him with a huge hug and a back rub. ''How was the ride from the airport?'' Minwoo looks back at the butler who still has his rigid face, and decides to keep his mouth shut. ''It was nice. I puked.'' A peek towards the man, and still no reaction. ''But it''s probably just jet-lag.'' His mom laughs at his ''joke'' and leads him inside where his grandmother is waiting. He gets another tight hug from the old woman, and another from his dad. And another from his two sisters. All the while, he just wants to put a shield up to prevent any more hugs. ''Aren''t you guys, like, in your husbands'' hometown or something?'''' ''Would we miss our lil brother''s homecoming?'' Seoyeon answers followed by a nod by Seolhyun. ''Awww I missed your ugly faces too!! Ahk!!'' Minwoo feels a knock on his head. He forgot his grandmother is there which meant no disrespecting the elders. Including his two annoying sisters. Even with playful intention. ''Anyway, lets get you introduced to our new staffs.'' The old lady parades him around, forcing the tired lad to greet and introduce himself to each and every staff of the household. Minwoo honestly does not understand the need to do so. They will be seeing him often, but it is not as if he will interact with them. Why does he need to learn their names? ''¡­and you met Chris. He''s going to be your personal butler until you settle down.'' Minwoo shivers at the statement. Just the thought of spending his time with the man is enough to irk him. ''I''m okay by myself,'' ''He''ll also be your bodyguard.'' Well he seems to suit that job more than a butler. People would probably get killed just by looking at that face. ''I might get killed by him though¡­'' Another hit on the head. ''He knows martial arts. Lots of them.'' His first sister whispers. ''And I heard that he''s also connected to the Chinese mafia.'' He gulps. Now he is really done for. There goes his plans to play around before school starts. ##### In the 15 minutes he spends in the shower, Wonho heard the door closing four times already. Either someone came in and left, or all four of his friends are already in his room. Just what is with his room that all of them love to just sleep and hang out here? Ignoring the feeling to rush out, he wraps a towel around his waist, and takes another one to dry his hair. ''Why''re you guys here?'' he asks the moment he steps out of the humid bathroom. The oldest man swiftly looks up at him, turns to his wristwatch and demands, ''Wono, hurry up and dress. We''re going out.'' ''I''m tired¡­'' Wonho mumbles, already dragging his feet while walking towards the closet. He is really positive they are going to some bar to play pool or something. And he really, really wants to just stay in his room and read the book he just borrowed from the library. He still needs to study for his exams, so he only has a few days to finish the book. ''Just a few hours then you can go back and read your book.'' Junjie states, rendering his excuse useless. Owh how he hates the man for being able to read his mind. ''You already half-way through, right? This won''t even take a day.'' ''Jun, shut up.'' ''Owh, just so you know, we''re heading to a bar. And someone just tweeted that they saw one of your favourite authors there.'' Sangcheol continues. If he has a tail and dog ears, Wonho''s would perk up in excitement just hearing that last statement. ''But that''s like 45 minutes ago so I dunno if he''s still there.'' ''Who??!'' He asks, almost too enthusiastically, while rushing to put on his T-shirt and jeans. There are no immediate answers though, and the silence is killing him. ''Ryuu-hyung, who??'' ''Wait I''m searching for the name.'' Wonho dries his hair with a towel roughly and starts to look frantically for his hair dryer. He usually prefers it to dry naturally but ain''t nobody got time for that now. ''Aww look at our excited Wono-hyung,'' he hears Mengyao teases. ''I can see his tail wagging.'' Junjie joins in and he can only roll his eyes. Where the hell is his hair dryer?? ''Chansol, give the poor man his dryer. Behind you.'' Sangcheol requests, pointing out towards the shelf and Chansol complies. Wonho wants to swear at how the man could have given him the thing earlier but holds his tongue. ''The name''s Yunho? You like him right?'' ''Yes! He''s my top 10!'' ''The fact that you know more than one author always amaze me,'' he can feel Junjie''s stare and decides to focus on drying his hair instead. Yes, the two things he is crazy about are books and hip-hop. Hence why he can only name rappers and authors instead of pop bands and idols. Which usually makes it hard for other people to communicate and relate to him, but then again, who cares? Wonho styles his fringe up and puts on his leather jacket that he reserves for special occasions. ''Aren''t you hot in that?'' ''Fashion requires sacrifice Chansol. Keep that in mind,'' he states naturally, staring at the mirror. He can feel his best friend''s smirk, feeling like he won. Because that is the exact thing Junjie always tells Wonho and the latter would always disagree, preferring comfort over fashion. But there is always an exception for everything. And tonight, is that. ''You good?'' Sangcheol stands and walks up to him towards the mirror to check on himself. Satisfied, he heads towards the door. ''Getting a little excited, aren''t we?'' Sangcheol asks and Wonho grins widely. ''But you need to be careful not to attract other alphas though,'' his senior continues, ''and you need to tell me what kind of perfume you use later. We have to go now if we''re gonna catch Yunho.'' Junjie looks at him innocently, and Wonho lifts his shoulders, not understanding what Sangcheol implied. The former walks behind him and takes a sniff, only to make a disgusted face all the way out the door. Mengyao does the same but is reluctant to do the distorted face because of Wonho''s cold stare. He sniffs himself and the smell of leather occupies his nose, making him crinkle. Leather really does not smell that good. But maybe alphas like it. Who knows? Chapter 6 - The Beginning 1 It is finally Tuesday evening and Chansol excitedly runs back towards the dorm, heading straight to the third floor and pushes the door forcefully, surprising the owner of the room. ''I''M FREE!!!!'' ''I guess you did well then?'' Junjie laughs at the whole situation, staring back and forth between the younger man and his best friend, who still has his shocked face. Chansol jumps on the bed in glee, earning him a distasteful stare from Wonho. He then proceeds to hug his tutor, ''I think I might pass every subject this term!'' ''Yaah! Calm down! I can''t breath'' Chansol grins at the stiffened man trying to push him away and lets go. ''You better make that bed or I won''t let you sleep here again.'' ''Fine! Later!'' He runs out, leaving Wonho to stare at the mess of a bed and sighs. Junjie who already started picking up the shirts Wonho laid out on the mattress a few minutes earlier, laughs again. ''Cheer up! Look at how excited he was! He even came straight here from his exams.'' ''He better relax and lose that energy first before coming here again.'' Wonho takes the shirt from Junjie and folds it, putting it into his backpack. ''I need to recheck my stuff.'' He looks on the floor for the things he prepared earlier for his short hiking trip with Junjie and their hiking club before returning to their hometown, Changwon in four days. He almost checked everything on the list before Chansol came and messed everything up. Now he has to start over. ''Everything''s here.'' He reports after finally done checking. ''Your presents and souvenirs?'' ''There.'' Wonho points at the paper bag under his study desk of the things he bought for his family back home, ''You?'' ''Everything''s already in the car. You wanna put yours in?'' He nods, taking two of the bags, ''Just these ones. There''s some food inside that bag.'' ''Alright. I''ll go put these in first. So, around 7 right?'' Junjie pulls Wonho''s duffle bag around his shoulder along with his handbag which contains a few holiday assignments. Wonho holds the door open and pats Junjie''s back in gratitude. ''Lemme confirm that. But I think it''s earlier.'' ''Got it.'' ##### After walking for almost an hour, the pack of five finally arrives at their destination - Kingsmen. Sangcheol enters first, giving a nod to his cousin who is mending the bar. He takes the keys and signals towards the others who are busy looking at a pool game nearby. Although it is still Tuesday night, there are surprisingly more people than he thought. They usually only come here Friday nights or during the weekends, so they were actually expecting only a few people. ''Is it always this many people?'' He asks his cousin lightly, earning him a smile. He used to help here during his first year but stopped due to some incident. He already forgot how things works here. ''Well people around here don''t really care what day of the week it is.'' His cousin reminds him and Sangcheol nods, flashing a smile which shows his dimple. Of course. Most of the alphas and betas around here do not have any working hours. Some do not even work and Sangcheol always used to wonder how they can afford going to places like this to hang out. Hurrying towards their room which is usually reserved for VIPs, he switches on the light while the other three find their seats on the sofa. Wonho stands in front of the old jukebox, inserting a coin and choosing some funky music. ''Hip hop! Yeaahhhh!!!'' Wonho walks towards the sofa while dancing and both the alphas start to rap along with the old school song. Just like that, they start the beginning of their summer holidays. Each of them orders something to drink, they have a simple darts competition with shots, and jam hard enough until everyone is drained. There are only five of them, so it is not the party-till-you-die kind of vibe. They are satisfied enough to just be in each other''s presence before the long break. ''Hey, anything to drink?'' Sangcheol asks and everyone give him theirs. Mengyao gets up, ''I''ll help.'' Once both of them steps out of the room, Sangcheol cannot help but feel a little bit unnerved. He notices someone - another alpha maybe, judging from the pheromone he is emitting, looking at his junior. Walking closer to them. He shrugs it off since he is confident nothing will happen, until he hears Mengyao''s shocked gasp. The alpha has his face near his junior, trying to take a sniff, and Sangcheol growls back as a warning. The man gives him a smirk and backs away, leaving them both puzzled. He turns to his junior, ''You get back inside.'' Mengyao only nods. That was very creepy, and he does not feel like waiting for their drinks because of that incident. Not looking back, he returns back inside and takes a seat next to Junjie, who is busily chatting with the other two. ''Where''s the drink?'' ''Ryuu-hyung got it. Everyone''s acting weird outside.'' ''How so?'' Junjie inquires and Mengyao only shakes his head. Most of the customers were staring at their door and just thinking about the scene makes him shiver. Junjie laughs at him and rubs his shoulders to calm the younger one down from whatever it was he saw outside. Meanwhile, Chansol already has his head on Wonho''s shoulder, looking high. ''Hyung. You really smell good¡­ you remind me of that tea¡­'' Wonho looks at him with a weird smile, finding the younger one cute, and knuckles his head weakly. Chansol laughs and hugs the other''s waist tightly instead, nuzzling his nose on the man''s shoulders. Although the alpha looks like the cool guy who hates skinships, the boy is usually the one who always initiate any form of touching among his five friends. Chansol particularly love burying his chin on someone''s shoulder while holding their hands so Wonho only accepted the gesture as is. Junjie and Mengyao looks at the sweet scene in front of them and laughs. ''Why aren''t you like that with me?'' He looks at the younger male, who waves his hand, completely brushing Junjie off. ''Not with you.'' This time it is Wonho''s turn to laugh. He really loves watching Junjie being rejected by Mengyao. At least he is not the only one who thinks his friend is too cheesy for his own good. Feeling his left shoulder getting heavy, he nudges on the alpha who is now obviously sleeping. With no answer, he tries talking, ''Yaah Chansol. You smell good too. Like cocoa.'' ''Cocoa? Really?'' Mengyao bursts out laughing from his nose. ''Cocoa?'' ''Hey¡­ my dad smells like cocoa¡­'' This time Junjie, who has been holding his laughter, lets go. This boy¡­ he always say the most random things. ''I guess I''m the same¡­'' They didn''t realize Sangcheol is putting the tray with all their drinks on the table beside the door. He already locked the door and is wondering why all the betas are laughing, and Chansol looking dazed. ''Yaah Wono! Out of all the things you can say, cocoa? Can''t you say something manlier to boost his confidence?'' He hears Junjie in between his laughter and frowned lightly. That is an interesting topic. ''Well don''t he? I guess he uses cocoa shampoo?'' Sangcheol remains silent listening to Wonho talk. He thought they were talking about some random thing, but it seemed, he is wrong. If so, something is really off. He can sense it. He could be wrong though, he needs to confirm. ''Wono-yah.'' He calls, in a serious tone that quiets the ruckus. The man stares at him, blinking his eyes a few times. ''How do I put this¡­ I''m only trying to confirm something but¡­ remember when I told you you smell nice? Did you change anything? Perfume?'' Junjie looks at him, and at Wonho again, blinking the same way Wonho did. ''Did you? I didn''t notice anything.'' ''I didn''t use anything¡­'' Wonho pauses. He then chuckles softly, feeling awkward. ''What''s this about? You and Chansol going around telling me I smell nice. Do you guys have a crush on me?'' He nudges on the boy who is still burying his face on his shoulder. Suddenly, they hear the door handle, as if someone is trying to get in. But only lightly, and it is gone as soon as it started. Probably someone mistaking the room for the toilet. Sangcheol remains composed, thinking hard. Everyone else is weirded out with the question enough to give the eldest the silence to think. ''Wono-yah¡­this may sound weird. But Chansol''s alpha scent is something like cocoa¡­'' He looks at the pale man straight in the eyes, ''Do you notice my scent?'' Wonho maintains his silence. He does not like where the conversation is heading and is hoping that someone might change the subject. Why in the world would Sangcheol suggest something like that? It is just plain absurd. He just said cocoa because Chansol reminded him of hot chocolate. Or something like that. ''What stupid scent¡­'' ''Wonho, I''m being serious right now. Do you notice my scent?'' ''Yah, Ryuu-hyung. You''re making Wono-hyung nervous. Stop joking around.'' Mengyao interrupts but is immediately hushed by Junjie. The latter is observing both the party, trying to make sense of something, ''Wonho?'' Sangcheol asks again. He is really pushing it, demanding answers and it annoys Wonho. ''Yeah fine! You smell like that essential oil thing. Cedarwood or something.'' Wonho tries laughing it off to lighten the atmosphere. And calming himself down. He does not want to make a scene after the good time they are having over a mere question, ''I-isn''t that the like a new shampoo brand or something? Right Jun?'' Junjie stands closer but does not get anything off of Sangcheol. He tries breathing in again, taking all the smell, but can only notice the cologne Sangcheol always has on him. And it is not cedarwood. Or any essential oil smell for that matter. Still tensed, Sangcheol suddenly notice the scent from Wonho getting stronger. Chansol is already showing signs of rutting behind Wonho and Sangcheol grabs the man towards his back. It is not intentional, but he knows it might damage their relationship if Wonho is to see Chansol reacting like that towards his scent. Although it is only natural for an alpha to act like that in the presence of an omega in heat. ¡­in heat? Yes, the scent is now really strong it is comparable to an omega in heat. But Wonho seems to not be affected by it so that is¡­ Knock! Knock! Chapter 7 - The Beginning 2 Knock! Knock! They hear the thumping near the door and again, see the door handle being moved, this time really aggressively. They can hear some commotion outside; someone is talking out loud and others seems really discontented about something. And Sangcheol can only guess what that is. ''Wono you need to calm down. Your scent is getting stronger.'' ''What are you talking about? My scent? You need to explain it in words I can comprehend.'' ''No time. We gotta to get out of here.'' Sangcheol gestures towards the other two betas to get ready to go back. Both of them comply without questions and take their coats. Mengyao is about to head towards the door before Sangcheol stops him. ''Not there¡­ Something''s not right. Wono, we need to get you back.'' Wonho, still on his ground, refuses to listen. This is really absurd. Shouldn''t he at least be given a proper explanation if he is going to be sent back during their fun time? He deserves at least that. ''Why?'' ''Can you please listen to me?!'' Sangcheol growls in whisper. He is growing impatient. He can really sense that he is starting to be overprotective. He knows it is wrong to do so, but he gets like that whenever he feels the person he cares about being in danger. ''Can you please explain?'' Wonho seems nervous, yet he is beginning to be overly defensive. He is scared. Junjie pulls him against his chest and tries to calm him down but Wonho just stands there, unmoved in the embrace, eyes still locking with Sangcheol''s. Meanwhile, Chansol is getting restless behind the eldest, his face getting sweaty as he keeps trying to get closer to Wonhoo. ''Chansol please. Control yourself. Wonho, calm down.'' Wonho notices the younger alpha''s strange actions and looks back at Sangcheol, trying to find the reason for the behaviour. ''Why''s he like that?'' ''Wono¡­ your smell¡­'' Wonho looks back at his best friend whose eyes widened. Behind him, Mengyao bares the same shocked look. He frowns, now confused. ''I can smell¡­'' Bump! Bump! They hear people knocking and bumping on the door, someone is moving the door handle up and down aggressively, trying to unlock it. ''Shit! Seo Wonho, please just listen to me. We need to leave, right now.'' Sangcheol whispers, his voice filled with authority. He points at the window and everyone starts tiptoe out, even Wonho who can feel his heart threatening to jump out. Sangcheol is the last one as he chooses a loud music on the jukebox before making his way out. They run towards the bigger road trying to catch a taxi as per Sangcheol''s instruction. Out of luck, the only one parked on the corner belongs to an alpha lady, who stares at their direction to the group''s dismay. She has the same look as Chansol. Realizing that, Sangcheol suddenly grabs Wonho''s hands and amplified his own. Beside him, Wonho''s starts to shudder as he feels the scent he thought was the older one''s perfume getting stronger, enveloping him. Both Chansol and the lady seems to calm down from the action, and taking that brief window of opportunity, the group back away slowly with Sangcheol leading them towards another road. ''Jun, Mengyao, make sure to take Wono to the main road. There''s more taxis there. Make sure to take the beta ones.'' He instructs, hand still gripping onto Wonho''s. Refusing to let go, afraid of the whole eerie situation which he does not understand, Wonho questions, ''You?'' ''I''m sorry. I thought I can handle it because I''m already mated but¡­ Wonho,'' He looks at the younger, ''your scent is just too strong¡­ I''m afraid I''ll lose control and hurt you.'' Wonho heart is beating really fast he cannot hear most of the things Sangcheol just said. His face is really pale now from fear and he feels really dizzy with all the new, strong and thick scents surrounding him. He recognizes Sangcheol''s, but there are other ones in the background as well. ''Protect him. Once you get back, head straight towards the omega dorm. Haneul will be waiting. I''ll take Chansol back with me.'' ''Please, stay safe.'' Junjie, still confused with the whole situation, replies in place of his friend whose body already went cold. He receives a nod back, ''You too.'' Junjie pulls Wonho and runs, Mengyao following behind. Just as they reach the backroad, the alphas are already eyeing them. When they start running, alphas start chasing. And howling. They spot three figures on the side of the road, just a few meters away from them. The strangers are doing some dirty business with one of them obviously had their hands on the backside of the other. Ignoring the shady action, they try to run pass the figures but as they get nearer, the man who had his hands on the other, suddenly stands upright and stares at Wonho. Junjie tightens his grip on Wonho''s but feels the hand suddenly disappeared, pulled backwards with a great force, shocking both of them. The alpha tries to sniff Wonho, who almost screams at the action, before Mengyao manages to break them apart and pushes the alpha back against the wall. Grabbing the chance, Junjie quickly pulls Wonho, who is frozen in his place, back towards him. They notice the beta or omega who is sitting nearby fleeing the scene, not wanting to be involved. The alpha ignores Mengyao and tries to go back to Wonho but Mengyao does a back kick and knocks the alpha down. Catching their breath, Junjie pulls Wonho again, urging him to continue running. But behind them, Mengyao stays. ''What''re you doing?'' ''You go first. I''ll stop them here.'' They can hear some commotions and noises along with footsteps getting closer. And once more, Wonho starts to feel the strange scent enveloping him, almost rendering him frozen if not for the pull from his friend. ''You can''t! They''re dangerous! What if-'' ''I know how to fight, despite my cute looks.'' The youngest of the three gives Wonho a confident and reassuring smile. ''I have black belt in a lot of martial arts. I can handle a few alpha bastards.'' ''I won''t let you. Jun!'' he frantically pulls his friend back, urging Junjie to stop trying to move. He is not going to allow that. No. ''He needs to come with us.'' ''You need to trust him. I know what he can do. He''ll be okay.'' Junjie reassures him, but Wonho is still not convinced. ''I''ll be okay! You need to go! They''re here.'' ''Jun¡­'' Wonho pleads. Everything feels wrong. He feels really bad. Junjie looks at him and nods, patting his shoulders a few times before proceeding to run again. This time, Wonho follows. If they stay any longer, none of them will be safe. ''Mengyao, be careful!'' He screams one last time. ##### They made it through a few blocks before a few alphas show up again, chasing them. They are getting more and more aggressive by the minute and it is getting harder for Junjie and Wonho to stay on track. One of them almost grabs Wonho again if not for Junjie hitting him with the cover of a trash bin he found nearby. Only running is no longer an option. ''Wono, hey.'' Junjie pulls Wonho towards him, causing the frightened man to stumble back a bit. ''Hey, listen to me.'' he searches for the latter''s line of sight and forces him to focus on himself. ''I''m gonna stop as many as I can.'' Wonho''s eyes widened upon hearing them. Not Junjie too... He will not be able to make it back alone. He can just hear their footsteps running towards them; their grunts, their howls. Their thick and dizzying scents¡­. ''Wono! Focus! We don''t have time!'' That is exactly what he needed to distract him from all the stimulus around him. He looks at his friend''s desperate face, trying to distract himself from the background, ''Promise me. Promise me that you go straight ahead. We''re almost there. Straight ahead. No matter what.'' Wonho nods. Straight ahead. No matter what. ''Beta taxi okay? The blue one.'' ''You can outrun them. Don''t stop. Okay?'' Another nod. ''Now go!'' As if that is the starting gun, he runs straight ahead towards the goal that is the main street. He can already see the bright light of the museum, the mark of the main road. And he runs. Leaving Junjie behind. Leaving his best friends to protect him. He runs. Everything is silent, as if he is the only one there. Maybe he is, but he does not want to feel safe just yet. He needs to be really sure, and there is only one place that can ensure that. As if on cue, the heavy scents start to surround Wonho yet again and he panics. He hears some rumbling and sounds of metal clashing somewhere around him, but he does not want to risk the chance of looking and slowing his pace. He can outrun them. No matter what. He can see something moving from the corner of his eyes. A few figures seem to be staring at him for a few minutes, not moving and Wonho almost fooled himself thinking that this nightmare is over. That his ''scent'' might have faded. That is, until they start to act crazy and howl before trailing him. He can feel his legs weakens beneath him from the suffocating atmosphere and maybe his own exhaustion, and Wonho prays. That he reaches somewhere with betas who would try to help him. Or a policeman to stop his pursuer. But who is he kidding? In this part of town? Distracting himself from his own chase, he fails to notice two figures already caught up to him and are waiting in the middle of the road. Or he notices them, but while in his own panic attack, tries to convince himself that they cannot run that fast. Almost stopping before them, he tries to shift a little to the left, but his right hand is pulls harshly towards one of them and he lost his footings, falling straight into the man''s tight and forceful arms. The scared male bites on the hand that tries to cover his mouth as hard as he can and successfully set himself free. Only to feel another weight pushing him down the floor, cracking his wrist. Still in shock from the impact, Wonho feels the man above him trying to grind his clothed bottom. Although he already guessed what they want to do to him, everything did not seem that real up to this moment, and he feels disgusted, not only towards what is happening to him, but towards himself for giving of that inviting scent. Nevertheless, he knows he does not deserve this. Refusing to accept this fate, Wonho tries to elbow the man but missed as he cannot see behind him. Feeling the weight disappeared, he takes his stand and runs away quickly, only managing to catch a glimpse of his attackers challenging each other for a fight. He sees a few more in front of him, just staring, and feels himself shrinking. All of them are eyeing him hungrily and he can swear a part of him wants to just give up and give in to them. That they probably will let him off easy if he behaves. And that thought scares him. He cannot. He made a promise. And he refuses to be the alpha''s plaything. Looking around for somewhere else to run, he notices a building with the door half opened. He runs towards it, tempted to really get inside and lock the doors, but remembers his promise to go straight to the main road and take a taxi. Unfortunately, as he tries to go back to his original path, the alphas are already blocking the way. And not wanting to waste time by trying to go through the pack, afraid to experience what he felt a few moments ago, he gets deeper into the alley. And he runs. He runs towards the flickering light ahead, hopefully getting far enough for him to try to get back on track. The atmosphere suddenly changed as he neared the lit up alley. Wonho feels hard to breathe. Looking frantically around him, hoping to find a way, maybe another passage back, his eyes caught on the figures on the buildings beside him, of what seemed to be an apartment complex. There are some figures near the windows. Some just stare at him while others switch off their light at once. It scares him because he can feel, no, he just know that those betas or omegas refuses to help. He is all alone. Despite having a lot of witness. He is on his own. And Wonho can guess why those people choose to ignore him. Because outside, already circling him, are the alphas - some staring him with scary grins on their faces, and some are slowly walking towards him. They are no longer running. It took Wonho a few seconds to figure out why. And when he did, his heart dropped. They are taking their sweet time because there are no more opening for him to run away from them. They know he is trapped. And they are waiting. For the first one to try and claim him. Feeling hard to breath, Wonho notices that they are no longer looking at him, but at each other. The alphas are giving each other challenging look. As hard as he tried, his legs stopped moving, and his begins hyperventilating, desperate for air. He can hear ringing in his ears and his head spinning, his nose already filled with these new, strange scents. Just as he is about to fall, someone pushes him towards the wall, causing Wonho to his head against the hard bricks. His brain buzzes, his eyes watered as he tries to push the hands pinning his shoulders but to no avail. The scared male closes his eyes tightly when the alpha leans in and sniffs him, appalled. He tries to focus his ears on something besides the disgusting sound of the breath, and but all he can hear is footsteps going back and forth restlessly. Curious, Wonho opens his eyes to see the other alphas pacing behind the man, as if waiting for their cue to do something. Then the alpha in front of him grins widely, baring his teeth. ''Hello beautiful.'' Chapter 8 - Aftermath 1 ''Come on!!! Pick up Wono-yah!!!'' Junjie stops his track and looks around, trying to keep calm so he can listen to other sounds than his own loud heartbeat. He finally manages to knock down the around five alphas before returning to campus. However, luck is not on their side as he found out Wonho had yet to reach the omega dorm, nor had he contacted any of their friends. Junjie dashes out again, head clouded by worries. Behind him, Mengyao follows suit while the other two alphas stay in their place. Both Sangcheol and Chansol wants to help, but at the same time, knowing how Wonho''s scent affects them, they will not be able to do anything either. They will only make things worse and risk hurting the frightened new omega. However, despite the different actions, everyone is worried. Junjie makes his way to the last street he separated with Wonho. The air calmed down so much it is hard to imagine what happened almost an hour earlier. He does not know where to start, whether his friend went inside any buildings to hide or whether he was taken, or if managed to get a taxi but chose to go somewhere else safer. He wants to believe the last option, wishing that Wonho is safe. Despite knowing that is almost impossible deep inside. After minutes of looking around aimlessly, distraught, Junjie is finally calm enough remember tracing Wonho''s phone. They are always together so it is only natural for them to allow the other to know other''s location in case of emergency. Which he never expected to come. Not like this. Once the two Chinese lads reaches their destination, he starts calling out but cannot find the man he is desperate for no matter how many times they run around the area. Mengyao decides to take another route, just in case the phone fell while their friend is running away. Staying in the are, Junjie dials the number, ''Pick up¡­.pick up¡­.!!'' He whispers while shaking his knees in impatience. Bzzz¡­ Bzzz¡­ Twenty minutes of continuous attempts, Junjie finally hears a faint vibration. In no time, he reaches the phone - screen shattered on the floor, but no owner in sight. ''Shit!! Shit!!!'' ''WONO-YAH!!!! WONO!!! SEO WONHO!!!'' Junjie screams all his might, running around, hoping that the man might come out from wherever he is hiding if he hears his voice. A soft voice can be heard and Junjie stopped his tracks to listen closely. ''urgh¡­'' He cannot see anyone but somehow his heart starts to palpitate violently. That did not sound good. He tries calling again, and the voice answers, with mere grunts. Breathing heavily, Junjie walks quickly towards the sound, hoping to find the man he is looking for. And indeed, Wonho is there, on the cold pavement near the brick wall. His head whole body curled in a fetal position hiding his head. He can hear his precious friend''s faint breathing - Wonho is struggling. Remembering the incident an hour ago, Junjie started to become aware of his surroundings, ready to fight but to his surprise, there are no alphas in sight. ''Wonho! Are you okay?'' He runs towards the figure, gulping as he sees the state Wonho is in. His jacket no where to be seen, he jeans¡­ pulled towards his ankles and- Junjie turns his head away, saddened by the pathetic state. It doesn''t take a genius to know what happened during his disappearance. Not letting the sight get to him, Junjie runs towards Wonho and shakes the man a little, to notify the man of his presence. Unfortunately, there is no answer. ''Hey¡­'' He feels Wonho vibrating as he gently pulls the man towards him. He can feel some sort of liquid on his hand and looks. It is dark, with only the street light lighting them but the stain on his hand is dark, almost brown. It is blood. His friend is bleeding. Junjie turns Wonho slightly to see the red liquid coming from his friend''s neck, not stopping even when he put pressure on it. ''Owh god¡­. No¡­'' ##### ''Sir, you''re going to have to wait outside please.'' One of the doctor demands, but he cannot let go of his grip on the rail. ''Nurse, please guide him!'' He feels two hands on his own, and another on his shoulders, gripping slightly to guide him. ''Sir, you need to calm down. We''re going to take care of your friend.'' Junjie nods and let go, standing there as he watch his friend being pushed to god-knows-where. His whole body is frozen in place; his mind empty. ''Mr¡­'' ''Junjie.'' He replies, still looking at the door where his friend was brought into. He still does not want to move. Not until he knows Wonho is okay. ''Mr. Junjie, I am going to ask you a few questions regarding your friend. I need you to cooperate as this is really important, okay?'' The nurse leads him to the nearest bench, Junjie allowing himself to move as he heard what was said. The lady takes a seat beside him and proceeds, ''Do you know what made him like this?'' Junjie closes his eyes. He knows what happened but not what caused the deep wound. It just, made no sense why anyone would hurt his friend that way. That is, unless, like Sangcheol stated, Wonho had just presented as an omega. Which meant the wound is a sign of being claimed. And he does not want to believe that. He does not want to believe such horrible thing happened in the few minutes he let Wonho escape alone. ''Mr. Junjie, okay, what about what he was doing when this happened?'' He can only manage another breath, not finding the strength to talk. ''I''m sorry Mr. Junjie, but we really need to know what happen in order to treat your friend so if there''s anything at all that you need to tell us, you need to tell us now. He''s not looking good right now.'' ''W-we were hanging o-out and uhmm¡­ Wonho suddenly¡­'' Junjie closes his eyes again, trying to recall the events. Trying to find his voice. ''He uhmm, we suddenly smell something coming from him and¡­'' ''Mr. Junjie, you smell something? Are you an alpha?'' Junjie shakes his head weakly, still trying to understand the situation himself. He is a beta, he should not be able to detect the alpha/omegas and yet, he did. Mengyao did too. But the thing is, he only notices Wonho''s, not Sangcheol''s nor Chansol''s. Everything is just so puzzling. ''I can smell him, and we freaked out and all the alphas went crazy and we tried to run away.'' He starts to spurt all the events, not caring to explain each and one of them. Not finding the time nor the peace to rearrange his thoughts for the nurse to understand. Because he cannot make sense of things either. ''Mr. Junjie, I need you to calm down.'' She stops him halfway, ''Can you tell me why he is unconscious? About his wound? Did anything happened that made him like that?'' ''I don''t¡­ I t-think s-someone marked h-him¡­.'' Breath Jun, Junjie tells himself, ''¡­against his w-will¡­'' He closes his eyes again and feels warm tears flowing. Owh god, this is all his fault¡­ ''Owh dear¡­ this is serious¡­'' he hears the nurse gets up and rushes somewhere, but keeps his face hidden in his hands. This is all his fault. He left Wonho alone despite knowing how bad the situation was. He left Wonho alone and now his best friend is violated and claimed in a dark alley. He felt pressure on the seat as new nurse sits beside him and tells him something, but his sobs are too loud for him to hear anything. ##### Sangcheol and the others arrive only to find Junjie, looking lifeless, sitting alone on the bench in front of the ICU. Mengyao takes a seat on his left, while Haneul sits on his knees in front of the broken man. ''Are you okay?'' Junjie shakes his head tiredly it breaks Sangcheol''s heart. The oldest kicks the wall and messes up his hair in frustration. ''GODDAMNIT!!!'' ''Hey, Cheol, calm down.'' He hears his mate''s voice and breathes heavily, trying to obey. He feels a tug on the hem of his shirt and turns around to see Chansol, eyes shining, tears threatening to fall. Then all of them sit there, calming each other, waiting for the doctor to deliver some sort of news. Not long after, they hear two distinct footsteps rushing towards them. All five students look up, hoping it to be the doctor, only to be greeted by two policemen. ''Are you Seo Wonho''s friends?'' All of them nod. ''Who is Mr. Junjie?'' The man raises his hand a little. ''Can we have a little talk?'' Junjie nods weakly and stands up. ''I was also present when it happened. I think I should talk to you too¡­'' Sangcheol offers. He is looked up and down by one of the officers, before receiving a yes. Both of them are led to a table at a lounge. Chapter 9 - Aftermath 2 ''So we heard that you friend was forcefully marked. Is that correct?'' The older officer asks, repeating what they reported earlier. Both of them answered and the officer immediately writes something down. ''How did that happen?'' ''What do you mean?'' Junjie wonders. How else can that happened? Wonho was bitten by someone without his consent. Sensing the confusion from the two, the investigator simplifies his question, ''Was he dragged from his dorm? Was he grabbed by the alpha on his way home?'' ''I don''t know. We were running away¡­'' Sangcheol answers, now understanding what was expected from them. But before he could continue, the younger officer interrupts, ''Running away from what? All of you were running away?'' Sangcheol clenches his jaw, not appreciating the interjection. However, relaying whatever information they can is more important than getting worked up over something so trivial and angering the impatient authority. ''Yes we were all running away fro-'' ''From whom?'' The younger one cuts him again. Sangcheol finds it hard to let this one go. Making a fist beneath the table, he firmly answers, ''From the alphas,'' and stops, expecting another question based on how the two were acting the past few minutes. This time, however, the two officers stay silent. Listening. It was obvious they are expecting a continuation of the story. Without any of that, the older officer encourages, ''Alphas? Plural?'' ''Yes. Alphas.'' Sangcheol observes as the man scribbles something in his notebook. His face is filled with doubt. ''Why were you running?'' ''Because the alphas were acting crazy¡­'' ''You''re an alpha right?'' The younger policemen interrupts Junjie''s answer, looking at Sangcheol. Glaring, feeling like they are taken for foolish students, he almost growled, ''Yes I am.'' ''Were you chasing them too?'' Now the questions are directed somewhere else. If they let this go on, Sangcheol knows they will never fully get to tell the whole story. ''No, Chansol and I were running back to our campus,'' Sangcheol glances at the officers'' faces, trying to read their mind. It is really stressful, trying to convey their memories and not knowing when they will be cut and have to answer random questions instead. It is really messing with their mind. Even now, he is more concerned on getting accused than telling the truth. ''Look, can''t you just listen to what we have to say? I mean it''s better if we tell our side of the story first without interruption, right?'' ''Owh yeah, sure, go ahead.'' He swears he can hear the sarcasm from the younger officer but choose to ignore it. Junjie man is trying to hold his anger too. Sangcheol worries he might explode soon. After all, he just sent his best friend, left for dead in an alley, to a hospital where the nurse told him to pray it is not too late to save Wonho. Being treated like this is too much for him to handle. Sangcheol feel relieved that he chose to come along to lessen the burden, ''So we were hanging out¡­'' ''Look, kid. We don''t have time to listen to your story. We just need you to answer our questions and we''ll be gone now. Understood?'' Now the older officer stops them, probably thinking they are a bunch of delinquents just based on the five words he just said. ''So now, what was your friend doing in the west district alone?'' Both Junjie and Sangcheol takes a deep breath. They cannot take the disrespect and this treatment any longer. However, they try to keep their calm for Wonho, as hard as it is. ''He wasn''t alone. As I said, we were hanging out.'' ''So why was he found alone?'' ''Again, as I said, we were all running away from the alphas.'' Sangcheol made sure to emphasize that he answered that question before. Honestly, are the men actually taking notes? Because they keep on asking the same thing over and over again. ''And can you tell me why you were running?'' Again, he told them this. Obviously they weren''t listening. ''Because they went crazy over Wonho''s scent.'' ''So he was in heat?'' ''No he wasn''t¡­ he wa¡­'' ''Are you sure he was forced? Can you give us an affirmation that this was not mutual?'' Sangcheol''s brows furrows at that question. How can it be mutual if his friend just presented a few hours ago? There is no way he can just decide he wants to bond with a stranger. No way. Wonho would not know how even if he wanted to. What an absurd question- ''What are you trying to say?'' Junjie finally speaks after keeping his silence, surprising his senior. He can take the disrespect towards him, towards Sangcheol, but not to Wonho. Nobody does that to Wonho. ''Look. Your friend clearly is not wearing a neck protector. To me, it seems that he was looking for a mate.'' Sangcheol was about to argue before Junjie slams the table in anger. His breathing is heavy, trying not to hit the two officers who are trying to refute their statements. ''Are you suggesting that he wanted this to happen???'' ''No, we are saying that this would not have happened if he had worn his neck protector. I''m just saying that the guy who claimed your friend is not the only one at fault here.'' The younger one states as-a-matter-of-fact-ly. Sangcheol can no longer let this slide- ''YAAAHH!!!! HE DIDN''T WEAR THEM CUS HE DIDN''T HAVE ONE!!!'' Junjie screams to everyone''s shock. Sangcheol holds his junior in place, glaring at the two officers. To his dismay, he sees both of them smirks, as if they are right in saying Wonho was asking to be raped. ''Well then, there''s nothing we can do about that. I think our job is done here.'' The officers are getting up from their seats but Sangcheol holds one of their hands, trying to prevent them from leaving. ''Young man, you need to let go or I''m going to¡­'' ''HE WAS A BETA! A BETA!!! HE DIDN''T NEED ONE!!'' Junjie screams again, not caring about the eyes staring at them. ''Now you''re not making any sense. Let go or I''m going to arrest¡­'' ''It''s true, please officer, you can check with the university. He was a beta.'' Sangcheol pleads. He wants to scream too, he wants to make a scene too. He wants to let the policemen know how stupid and useless they are, but that will not help anyone. Right now, he needs to stay calm and prove to the men his words are reliable. ''You mean he hid his identity as an omega. Sorry kids, that is against the law so¡­'' ''YOU DON''T UNDERSTAND!!! HE HAD BEEN A BETA ALL HIS LIFE! HE WAS ONE UNTIL A FEW HOURS AGO!!'' Junjie is desperate, he cannot let the so-called officers tarnish his friend''s image. Wonho is not a sex-hunger omega they are trying to paint him to be. He is a victim! ''Yaah Jun!! Cheol!! Let go of the officers!!'' Both of them are startled by Haneul''s voice. The beautiful omega forcefully pulls both his friend and lover back, bowing an apology to the policemen. ''I apologize on their behalf. Please do not charge them!'' Both the officers clear their throat, recognizing the infamous omega. Not wanting to make a scene as they knew it will not end well, they respond, ''We won''t do anything this time, but we won''t tolerate any kind of disrespect again. You hear me?'' Haneul nods and forces the other two to bow as well. They keep their heads down until the officers are out of sight. Once gone, Junjie stomps his way out of the hospital, followed by both his friends running after him in worry. ''ARRRRGHHH!!! MOTHERFUCKERS!!! GODDAMMIT!!!!'' Junjie kicks the rocks on the road and pulls his hair in frustration, angry at himself for allowing his friend to be painted in such horrible light. Disappointed in himself for letting Wonho down by losing control and angering the only people who can give his friend justice. ''YAH CALM DOWN!!!'' Sangcheol holds the broken man''s shoulders, guiding him to seat on the sidewalk. The man is sobbing so hard with curses in between. Sangcheol looks over his shoulders towards his lover; Haneul has a frown on his face. ''Why did you follow us?'' he asks calmly, softly. ''The doctor is finally out of the ward. She said Wonho''s out of danger, but he has to stay in the ICU for a few days.'' Junjie finally stops crying at the statement, his head perked up in hope, ''can we see him?'' ''Not yet. She told us to come back tomorrow to try again. We should go home and get some rest. Especially you, Jun. Get some sleep.'' Haneul advises, petting the younger one''s head gently. He understands the man''s frustration, having seen this kind of situation one too many times back at the shelter. But there is nothing more that they can do but to keep themselves sane and strong enough to support Wonho once the man wakes up from his coma. ''I¡­ I think I''ll be here for a few more hours.'' Jun refuses, wanting to stay just because. ''No¡­but¡­'' Haneul sighs as he sees his lover signaling him to stop talking. ''Okay, but make sure to go back home and rest. We need to visit him tomorrow.'' ''Yeah, sure¡­'' ##### Both the alpha and beta finally get back up to the bench in front of the entrance, towards the ICU to relax for a while. However, to their displeasure, they are greeted by the two officers whom they thought had gone back to the station. Sangcheol rolls his eyes, no longer able to hold his distaste while Junjie refused to acknowledge them altogether. They are already too tired for all this shit. If the cops are not willing to help his friend, he does not want to entertain them. ''Young men, can we have a word?'' ''If you are not going to trust us, I don''t think we have anything to say anymore.'' The older of the two responds truthfully. No longer holding back. ''We understand. We heard the whole situation from the doctor so we''re not going to interrupt right now. I apologise for our behavior a few hours ago.'' Sangcheol nods and tries to cooperate, but Junjie only glares at them in discontent. He cannot handle them right now, still very angry from the disrespect and accusation made against his friend. If he could, he wants to change the officer and sue them. ''We received many reports like this but not one of them actually involves non-consensual marking. Most of them are just some sort of a scam to get the government benefits for the victims, so forgive us if we doubted you story. We never heard of a beta turning into an omega at this age¡­'' The younger one admits, sensing the anger from the two. They are stationed at a district where drugs and prostitution are part of everyday occurrence. Unlike other places, crimes are so normal if they investigate each and every one of them, they will not have the manpower to handle the more serious cases. Not to mention, most of the reports they get are usually only done as a way the delinquents mess with each other''s business, which is why they filter their reports very firmly like they did. Wonho''s story is too absurd for them to believe. And so they thought the students were lying to cover their own mistakes. Obviously they were wrong. ''It''s okay, I understand.'' Sangcheol replies, trying to be the better half. He needs to stay calm for Wonho, ''I''ll tell you everything.'' Chapter 10 - World Crumbling 1 ...-????????-????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????? ???????????? ????????????????????-????????????????? Who? ...????????????????????. ???????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????. Urghh¡­ bright¡­ ????????''???? ???????????? ????????????????. ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???? ????????????. ##### Wonho furrows his eyebrow, feeling the bright light slipping in from his lid. He had woken up before but did not had the energy to open his eyes and fell asleep again a few times. He can feel a gentle but firm grip on his left hand, and another on his thigh, encouraging him to try again. Despite being so tired, Wonho makes fists and focus all his energy on lifting his lids. ''-no?'' He sees some colours. No, those are faces. Blurry faces, staring back at him. ''Unhh¡­'' The intrusive light is really hurting his eyes, his temple throbs as a respond. It feels like electric pulse just travelled straight to his brain, he feels like puking. Wanting the stimulus to stop, Wonho closes his eyes again and turns his head away. ''Wono? You okay? You need anything?'' The grip on his hand tightens. He recognizes the voice - Junjie. Nodding, still refusing to open his eyes, Wonho brings his free hand towards his mouth; hoping to suppress the urge to vomit. Unfortunately, the sudden movement only makes it worse and further induces his gag reflex.. ''Wono-yah, bucket.'' he hears a soft voice on the other end and turns his face towards the direction before finally spilling his gut out. He feels a hand rubbing his back, assisting him until he is done. Breathing heavily, Wonho manages to fully look around, no longer feeling nauseated. ''Clean your mouth¡­ don''t drink it¡­'' the gentle voice continues while handing him a glass of water. Wonho nods, now able to relax. Waiting a bit, until he is able to put something in his mouth without triggering anymore vomit, he finally does as told. ''Is he okay? Should I call the doctor.'' Junjie asks to the other person. Wonho glances over to the sight of a familiar pretty male ¨C Haneul, Sangcheol''s mate. He can''t help but wonder why the other is here instead of one of his other friends. ''No, he''s good. It''s just the drug effect¡­'' Haneul answers, very confidently. Gurgling the water handed to him, Wonho puts the glass away, ignoring the conversation he is not a part of. ''I''ll let them know you''re awake.'' Junjie thanks the eldest and both the friends sit quietly. Not knowing what to say to the other. ''Wono-yah¡­'' Junjie breaks the long silence, voice the softest he ever heard. Wonho flinches involuntarily at the sudden sound, surprising even himself. The action somehow saddened the other, ''Oh Wono¡­'' ''Shut up you''re being disgusting¡­'' he manages a reply, voice hoarse, trying to laugh. Trying to. He has no idea why he is in the hospital. The last thing he remembers is¡­ finishing his exams. And going out to celebrate. Did he get into an accident? Wonho looks at his hands, noticing the bandage on his left wrist, and a cast on his right. No wonder they felt weird and a bit heavy. There are two tubes coming out from his right forearm and other wires connected to his chest. Heart monitor? Something bad must have happened if that is required. But he is awake now, and everything feels normal so he thoughtlessly pulls it off, throwing it away. Annoyed actually. The mere sight of the wires suffocates him. A pair of hands suddenly pull his shoulders into a warm embrace, the owner''s face burying himself on his nape. ''I''m so, so sorry.'' He feels Junjie shaking and warm tears falling onto his skin. Why is he apologizing? What happened? It took him a few minutes of confusion before realizing the pain on his lower neck, connecting to his right shoulder. How did he get- Ahh¡­ That''s right. He was violated. And he is now an omega. A claimed one, if that is what the bite meant. And to top it all off, his friends know. That he took the alleyway and got himself in trouble. That he is a mess of a failure. That he doesn''t deserve their protection because he couldn''t even defend himself. He probably put everyone in danger. He is a failure. And he deserves what happened because he is not worth it. He is just a pathetic claimed omega now. ''Wono¡­'' Junjie calls, alerted by Wonho''s heavy breathing. But before he can proceed any longer, the broken man interrupts, not wanting to hear anything. Nothing can be said that can make him feel better. That can make everything go away. This is too much for him to swallow right now. He would rather sleep. And be left alone. ''It''s¡­ it''s not your fault.'' ''I can''t¡­'' ''Jun¡­'' again, he stops the man from talking and stares at the floor. The wound on his neck is throbbing and Wonho bites his lips to distract himself from the pain. From the bite that showcases his weakness for all to see. Wonho glares at his hands, so weak, covered in white bandages. He let the alphas do that to him. He did not fight for himself. He only begged. Like a pathetic human being he is. ''Wono¡­. I know what you''re thinking but you''re wrong. I let you go alone. I knew what they are capable of doing and I let you go.'' ''And I didn''t listen to you! I¡­ I took another road when I should just went straight ahead.'' He feels his tears falling and his voice is shaking. Shit. He doesn''t want to cry. Stop crying you don''t deserve to cry! ''I was so close to the main road yet I¡­'' Wonho cannot manage to finish his sentence, shaking so badly his voice got stuck in his throat. He feels Junjie shifting their positions so his shoulder is resting on Junjie''s chest, and face buried in between his neck. He wants to push the man away, because he does not deserve him, his kindness, but he couldn''t. He wants this. He wants this warmth. He remembers that cold pavement stones and the air blowing on his skin, and the cold stares and grins, and how he longed for the warmth and protection of his friends and family back then. And although he knows he doesn''t deserve this, he decides to be selfish this once and take it. Wonho feels the hug tightened and Junjie rocking them back and forth, making him cry louder until he falls asleep again. When he wakes up again, it is already dark outside. Feeling a light shift behind him, he realizes it is his friend. They are sleeping together like they always do. Despite wanting to be left alone out of shame, Wonho found himself really thankful for this gesture. For the hope that things might stay the same. Despite everything that happened. ''Hey, Jun. You should go clean yourself first.'' The tired male hears a whisper and pretends to still be asleep. The next thing he feels is the weight behind him gone and hears a door closing. Before he could open his eyes, he hears another creaking sound and opens his eyes slightly to see Haneul, taking his position on the bed opposite him with a book in his hand. The man has his glasses on and doesn''t seem to notice Wonho staring thanks to his small eyes. He doesn''t want to talk. Not yet. ''You sleeping here again?'' Haneul asks softly, and Wonho almost gave himself a shock thinking the man noticed him peeking. That is when he door closes again, telling him that Junjie is back from wherever he went. ''Yeah. You?'' Junjie replies back, voice half whispering. ''Already comfortable. You wanna sleep here?'' ''Do you think the nurse will mind me sleeping with Wono?'' Wonho feels the thumping of his heart, beating quickly from his nerve. He wants to sleep with Junjie. If only tonight. ''He''s already stable so I guess it''s okay as long as he don''t mind¡­ Did he show any sign of trauma?'' Wonho buries his head into the blanket. He hates listening to this. He doesn''t want to know. What if he did? Will the doctors keep him here and give him a bunch of medicines? Will he be asked to see a therapist? ''He¡­ he didn''t slap me or ran away when I touched him if that''s what you''re asking¡­'' ''And he seemed okay with you being near him?'' Haneul questions again and Wonho bites his lips. The only reason why the man would even ask that question in the first place is because he was assaulted by other males. Although he knows Haneul didn''t mean to remind him of it, it did. He hates this. He just wants Haneul to shut up. ''He¡­ he seemed comfortable. I hope.'' ''Then I''m sure they have no reason to say no.'' Wonho releases the breath he is holding, relieved. A weight is felt on the bed and a hand rested on his stomach, his back against Junjie''s warm chest. And like all those nights they sleep together in the bed at his house and back at the dorm, Junjie''s chin rests on his head. Completely enveloping him. Telling him it is okay to sleep. That nothing bad will happen even if he closes his eyes. Because he will be there protecting him. Chapter 11 - World Crumbling 2 ''Wono-yah¡­ time to wake up¡­'' he feels a soft pat on his shoulders and opens his eyes slightly, staring at the man in front of him. Haneul had already washed his face it seemed, his face looking healthy as ever. ''Breakfast is coming in 15 minutes. You should wash up.'' Standing up is a bit of a struggle, Haneul had to support him up, but the walking a mere distance to the washroom ruined his whole day. He cannot walk. He had to take small steps while being supported all the way to the sink and back. It does not hurt but he knows it is because of the pain killer. And the liquid food that came a few minutes later confirms his suspicion. He is broken so badly. His body used and trashed. Wonho eats the food in silence. He would rather eat alone but Haneul refuses to leave his side and he can guess why. Because Haneul had been through something similar. And wants to ''help'' him get through this. Wonho does not need all that. He does not need Haneul there to constantly remind him of his new reality. He already accepted it. He feels fine. Just a bit sick. Because of the bruises left from that night but other than that he is fine. He woke up, he even cried, and now he feels better. No suicidal thoughts or anything. ''Why are you here?'' ''Looking out for you.'' he looks at Wonho. They are not that close so it is only fair that the younger would wonder why. ''In place of Cheollie. He ordered me to be here and I''ll be dead if I got back when you''re still hospitalized.'' The older male laughs and Wonho smiles bitterly. Sangcheol. He remembers the man trying to tell him to leave the bar so many times, but he had to be so hardheaded and egoistic enough to ignore him. And this happened because he didn''t listen when he should have. Sangcheol probably hates him now. After all his efforts and warnings goes to waste. Chansol too¡­ his junior. They can no longer hang out together now that he is an omega. They can no longer hang out like they used to because of what he became. He broke their pack. Feeling himself getting depressed from the thoughts, Wonho decides not to continue the talk any further. He just wants to get better and go home now. Away from campus. Away from all of this. He looks around for anything fun to do and notices the few books on his bedside table. He takes one - his favourite, and starts to flip through the pages in hope that Haneul will leave him in peace. Which he does. ''Wono-yah, do you notice my scent?'' Haneul speaks after a while. He is eyeing Wonho curiously, but gently. ''Yeah. You smell nice.'' He answers simply, avoiding the subject. This is about him becoming an omega. He does not want to talk about this. ''What do I smell like?'' Haneul continues asking, not really pushing which Wonho appreciates. The older omega uses a citrus type of shampoo but only him and other betas can smell that. ''Like some flower. I don''t know flowers.'' Wonho replies and Haneul nods, satisfied. His omega scent is indeed lavendar-type. Although he knows Wonho had just became an omega, he really wants to confirm it again hence the question. Because it is still hard to process his transformation at 21 years old. Almost half a decade later than the average person. They talked to the doctors and it seems, although it is not the first unusual for someone to present as an omega later than others, even the experts never met someone who gave out so much scent on their first day. And they never actually met a real force-marked victim, in the sense that the omega is not able to handle the marking. Wonho''s body rejected the bonding process because he cannot control his own pheromones yet to exchange them, making him physically an actual victim. And that did a toll on his body, him almost dying if not for the barely fast medical aid. ''Do you want to try going out the room for a bit?'' there is a strain in his voice that Haneul wished Wonho didn''t hear. He realized it is still too early for him to walk but Haneul just want Wonho to get used to being an omega. And being stuck in the room with no exposure to other alphas/omegas will only make it harder for him later. Wonho looks up to Haneul. Thinking if this guy is actually serious in asking him that. He would really love to reject the idea but figures that maybe, just maybe, he actually needs a walk for his muscles; to compensate his time spent lying on the bed. If he can heal faster, maybe he can return home faster. He puts down the book in his hands and is ready to stand up before noticing Haneul bringing a wheelchair in. Fuck that shit. ''I can walk.'' ''Okay¡­'' Somehow that simple answer pisses him off. Wonho holds on to the wall and takes bigger step than the last. He already regained some of his energy and can balance himself better than the last time he stands up. He follows Haneul, who is already out the door waiting for him. He feels nervous. Scared to be exact. Because outside the door, there are strangers. Strangers who left him there in the alley, refusing to help him even when he begged them to. ''You sure you wanna do this? We can sto-'' Haneul''s concerned voice broke him from his thoughts. Shaking his head as a reply, he continues, ''No I can walk.'' He can do this. Fuck them all. He will walk and he will face them. He is not weak. Haneul calmly holds onto Wonho, leading him towards the common room at the floor. So far, Wonho showed no reaction to his surrounding, his face looks calm and determined. Another few more steps and he feels it - the younger stopping. The look of confusion washing over him. He is about to suggest returning but the man keeps on walking, his face frowning deeply along the way. Wonho finally stands still completely and his body starts to shake, ''I don''t feel good.'' ''Okay, let''s go back.'' Wonho takes bigger and rushed steps back to his room. The air is suffocating him. It is not as overwhelming as that night but there are lots of new and unusual smell surrounding him once he is near the common room. And those smell mixed together does not go well with his nose, making him sick to the gut. Wonho rushes towards his window once in the room. He hears Haneul saying something but he pays no attention. He needs some fresh air. Unlocking the window, the new omega opened it wide. And the same vicious and thick air, richer, rushed inside the room, enveloping him, making him nauseated. Wonho hurries towards the toilet and let out his breakfast, his stomach keeps on twisting, sending more liquid up his throat until he finally has nothing more to throw up. Then he stays there, body shaking in shock. ''What just happened¡­?'' ''You''re smelling all the other alphas and omegas.'' He hears Haneul reply and closes his eyes, trying to process the whole thing. Why is this happening to him? ''There are always there but betas can''t sense it¡­'' ''Do you have to go through this every time you walk out the door?'' ''No¡­'' the older answers gently, ''we can control it. I only really notice those I''m interested in, mostly to identify them.'' There is a pause and he feel Haneul sitting behind him, rubbing circles on his back, ''I''m gonna teach you how to. Once you can do it, I''ll let the doctors know and they''ll let you check out.'' ##### They are almost home. They already passed the rice field a few minutes ago. That means half an hour more until Wonho will be back in his room. In his house. With his family. He stares outside, not wanting to talk Beside him, Junjie is driving, also in silence. They usually sing along some songs from Wonho''s phone when they drive; Junjie in charge of driving, and Wonho entertainment, including the music and some silly games. But now, everything is just gone. He expected that much change but Junjie is not ready for it. He knows things would be awkward, but he never thought Wonho would stay quiet, just staring outside, for the whole six hours back. It would still be better if he had slept but he did not. He is just sitting there, not making any sound. Wonho even stayed inside the car when they reached a rest area. They usually buy their crab stick every time they stop there but Wonho seemed too reluctant to leave the car, even to go to the toilet. So Junjie bought a few sticks and they ate together in the car. And that is the only time they talked in the whole journey. Wonho does not mind the silence though. It gives him time to think about a lot of things. Like the time the officers came into his room, bringing a lawyer with him to talk about his case. About what he would go through if he decides to charge them. And the consequence he is going to face if he fails to identify his ''mate''. About how Junjie went berserk when he saw the officers. About how his mother is going to notice his change. About how she is going to realize he is claimed. How he will have to tell them. His father¡­ ''We''re here.'' Junjie''s voice disrupts his thoughts. Well they have reached home. ''You wanna go in first?'' Wonho sits still, just staring at his gate. What if, he doesn''t tell his parents and pretends nothing changed? Nobody needs to know¡­ ''You know she deserves to know what happened right? Your mother¡­'' he nods. Yes, he can lie to his father, but his omega mother will definitely notice his scent and his new ''mate''s''. And she at least deserves an explanation but¡­ ''Don''t worry. I got you.'' He hears Junjie whisper, his hand on his shoulder. And Wonho replies with a soft thanks. Some things are just easier said than done. Although he has replayed this in his mind many times before, it is still hard for him to open the gate and get inside. Wonho keeps on standing in front of the gate, hand already on the handle, but he does not have the courage to push it down. He knows Junjie is waiting for him in the car so running away is not an option. And he would really love to do so. Just go anywhere, as long as it is not here. Not his home. Closing his eyes and taking a long and deep breath, he finally enters his premise, and into his door. ''Our Wono!!! Eomma!! He''s back!!!'' He sees his father, with his big smile, coming straight at him and hugging him tightly, messing with his hair. He loveS this, his father''s manly hug every time he meets his son. No, every time he meets Wonho, his only beta child. His once beta child. Guilt quickly overcome him and Wonho lets go of the hug, feeling undeserved. His father keeps his hand on his shoulder as he calls his mother. And there she is. Eyes wide, shining. She knows. His mother quickly replaced her shocked face with a smile, the best she can afford and greets her son. But it is too late, Wonho already seen it. And the hug feels forced. He just wants to get it over with and go to his room. He does not want to face his mother. He does not want to have to explain to her why he had an alpha scent with him. He does not want to tell his father that the beta son he is proud of is now a filthy and claimed omega. Who cannot protect himself and is gang raped in an alley. He wants to dig a hole and just¡­ die. ''Jun-ie! You''re also here! Come in!'' He hears his father called out to his best friend and takes that as a cue to get away. It doesn''t matter if he is being rude. He just doesn''t want to be there when Junjie breaks the news. Wonho takes his bag and walks quickly to his room, ignoring his father who is calling him to stay. He locks the door and frantically searches for his headphones. His damned headphones. It is not there!! Where did he put his headphones??!! He needs his headph- ''Yaah!!! What are you talking about?!! Stop joking!!!'' Wonho''s heart drops when he heard his father raises his voice, and his mother sniffling her cries. He doesn''t want this. He doesn''t want to hear this. This isn''t supposed to happen. He made plans with his father to go hiking. And fishing. And help his mother with her job. This is not supposed to happen. ''Honey stop!!!'' His mother is crying now. He did it. He became a bad son who made his parents cry. Wonho finally found his headphones and blasts his music, muffling all the noise. Lying on his childhood bed, the broken man buries himself in his pillows, blocking everything out. Trying to sleep. Trying to forget. /Notes/ Wonho signed the agreement to not pursue his attacker because the defendant told him that his action will lead to something really serious involving the justice system itself. His attackers assaulted him due to their physical reaction to Wonho''s condition and because every alphas were affected including his own alpha friends (even Sangcheol who is mated and should be immune under normal circumstances), it can easily be ruled as ''natural phenomena'' or something similar to ''mass hysteria''. Korea has a law that lightens someone sentence if they break the law while intoxicated, due to them not being able to make a rational decision. The law the defendant brought up in this story is based on that, but stronger. On the other hand, they can still punish his mate because other alphas only assaulted him without claiming him so his ''mate'' can be trialed separately. Chapter 12 - Crashing Deeper 1 The heat from the noon sun finally put a frown on his face. Minwoo pulls his head to the left, hoping to find shade but his back now feels the burn. Frowning and still half asleep, he made his way to the window, wanting to pull his curtain. Instead he bumps into something which should not have been there. His feet is also on something fluffy. Opening his eyes, he jumps a little when he realizes he is in an unfamiliar room and backs his step until he reaches the bed. He stays there, holding his temple. ''You''re finally up¡­'' Minwoo finally hears a familiar voice. ''Urhh¡­'' ''Come, I''ve made you lunch.'' The butler calls but Minwoo is still confused. ''Where am I?'' ''Your new apartment. From you grandmother.'' The man replies monotonously. It answered his question, but that isn''t enough. Why is he in his apartment? And isn''t he supposed to live on campus? He is sure he got the key to his room- ''You should eat.'' Chris'' voice cuts him from his thoughts. Minwoo shakes his head, to clear his muffled thoughts. He then turn to look at the butler cum bodyguard, here for whatever reason. Why is he here again? ''Got it¡­What''s your name again?'' ''Just call me Chris.'' Again, the monotonous tone. His life must be boring. ''What time is it?'' Minwoo keeps his hold on his temple, his head is throbbing. Did he drink last night? This does feel like a hangover¡­ ''How long did I sleep?'' ''It''s a 12:30. Come, I''ll explain as you eat.'' ''Explain what?'' The door closes, leaving him hanging. Hearing his stomach growl as if on cue, the young alpha lazily gets out of bed and the room. He finds the dining table at once - a counter top, and takes a seat, looking around the medium-sized apartment. Surprised. He expected his grandmother to at least give him a larger one, not that he hates it. It just came as a surprise, knowing how she likes to spend money on him since she didn''t get to spend time with him due to his leave to Netherlands when he was little. Minwoo takes a deep breath, loving the smell of what is being prepared. He doesn''t feel very good, so he is thankful that lunch is chicken soup, rice and some side dishes. ''Explain what?'' He repeats the question again, lazily while munching, not bothering to look at the man standing in front of him. ''You''ve been asleep for more than a week.'' ''Wait what? Why?'' A week?! That is physically impossible! ''You had a really high fever,'' the man replies calmly, ''I didn''t tell your family, as requested.'' ''What request?'' Minwoo frowns. What happened to him? Why did he ask Chris to keep it a secret? Why did he have a high fever? Instead of answering his question, Chris continues sternly, ''And, I highly recommend you not going to the west district of the city. I will not be here to help you if anything happens again.'' Irking him. Minwoo stops eating and looks at the man in the eyes. He is getting annoyed. ''What request? And what happened? I need answers.'' ''You told me to keep what happened that night a secret from you grandmother.'' ''And what happened that night?'' ''You don''t remember?'' Chris inquires, his voice still void of any emotions. To the stupid question, Minwoo only closes his eyes. Of course he didn''t remember! Would he even ask if he did?? ''I remember hanging out at the bar after the registration. That''s about it.'' ''What else do you remember?'' ''Why is that important?'' Minwoo is trying his best not to snap. He needs answers, not more questions. Why is that so hard? Just answer his damn questions! The young master sighs and continues eating, trying to retrace his step and recall his memories. After lunch with his family, he headed to the new university with this new guy. Then, he filled in all his necessary details for his transfer, and headed towards the city, to find some place to hang out and find some good plaything. He remembers drinking by himself, not finding some sweet omegas to bring home. He dislikes their scent; Korean omegas are just not his taste. He doesn''t hate them, he just doesn''t find Korean scent appealing. It is just so different from what he is accustomed to. He likes the tulips and lavenders, the sweet minty smell of Netherlands'' omegas, the scents that makes him wild in bed. He remembers sitting at the counter, enjoying the view, releasing his pheromones, hoping to find one sweet omega with weaker scent to bed. And he remembers one sexy little thing strutting towards him, leaning his slender body on the counter, clearly thirsty for him. He remembers them talking, and then nothing. Blank. No matter how hard he tries, there was nothing. Maybe he got wasted. Is there something he should remember? ''What should I remember, Chris? I''m getting really annoyed here so you better spill it!'' He glares. Chris takes a deep breath, looking at his young master. He is trained in a lot of things but none of them involves having to explain something sensitive to someone. He is not trained to deal with human emotion. He is hoping that the man would lose his interest in the matter, to save him from the humiliation but instead, he manages to boost the man''s curiosity. ''I need to tell you that I took care of it, and you won''t meet them again.'' ''Who? Stop going around in circles and tell me. Everything. Goddammit!'' Minwoo rolls his eyes, ''Did I kill someone? Did I force myself onto someone? Just tell me!!'' ''No, sir¡­'' A pause, ''They slipped some drugs into your drink.'' Minwoo almost gasps. He cannot believe what he just heard. Drugs? ''What the hell¡­'' ''¡­and they were trying to take you somewhere.'' ''What kind of drug?'' It can''t be¡­ ''Nothing happened. I-'' ''WHAT KIND OF DRUG??!!'' Minwoo has enough of the man and knocks his fist on the marble counter. It cannot be¡­ He knows where this is going but he just¡­ he needed the man to tell him otherwise. ''It''s a kind of rape drug.'' ''Heh¡­'' Minwoo closes his eyes, swallowing hard. The damn omega used rape drug on him¡­ He can only laugh at how absurd that is. How dare that bitch drugged him?? They were going to fuck even if he didn''t use drug anyway. How fucking dare that bitch¡­ ''... and some other drugs like....'' Minwoo frowns deeper as Chris lists some other mixture of drugs found in his systems. Those are not party drugs. He was given the hard stuff that addicts take. And not only one type. Minwoo wants to know why. Why did the omega give him such things? With the amount of pheromones he released that night, people would know his intention right away. But still, the rape drug? And all the other drugs? Just, why?! ''I need to assure you that nothing happened. I was waiting outside for you and I managed to stop them from doing anything.'' ''Them?'' The young student is shaking now. A few days in Korea and this happened. Nothing like this ever happened to him back in Europe, even with his wild lifestyle. The fuck is wrong with this place? ''How¡­ How many are they?? HOW MANY??!!'' ''I took care of them. They''re already¡­'' ''ANSWER ME CHRIS!! HOW MANY???'' He growls, very, very agitated. ''Four. Three omegas and an alpha.'' His breath is heavy. His chest pumping so hard he feels suffocated. He still cannot remember anything, nothing Chris said jog his memory. What did they do to him? What did they do to him BEFORE Chris discovered them? Did they manage to do anything? Did they do anything to him??? What¡­ ''You are safe now. The doctor managed to pump out all the drugs out,'' He never thought he would hear that about himself. Drugs being pumped out of his body. Never in his whole life, has he touched drugs. He might drink regularly, and he might be sleeping with different partners every night, but he never ever dared to touch those powders. That is the one line he would never cross. And now, to hear that the doctor had to pump those damned stuff out of his system¡­ Everything seems laughable. Who would''ve thought¡­ who would¡­ ''Pathetic.'' Yeah, pathetic losers. They probably know he is a noble hence the drug. Like he would fuck them. Pathetic...pathetic¡­pathetic¡­ ''Minwoo-shi, you need to calm down.'' ''You know what?? Fuck you. FUCK YOU AND YOUR OMEGAS! LIKE I WOULD¡­'' Minwoo feels his chest narrowing. He cannot breathe. He needs air but he feels the need to let his thoughts out. To make it clear, ''¡­like, I w-would¡­even..!!'' He feels a hand on his left shoulder and flinches. Disgusting! How dare!!! ''Hey Minwoo-shi, it''s just me!! Here, breathe!'' Finally, there is some emotion in the young butler''s voice. Minwoo looks up at his companion, taking some desperate breaths into the paper bag. He feels himself calmed down after a while, a hand moving in circles at his back aiding him. ''The doctor prescribed some anti-anxiety pills. Just in case. And some anti-depressant¡­ Just in case.'' Minwoo closes his eyes and nods. ''They''re in the drawer. Please take them only if you need them.'' ''The apartment''s is on the east side, I checked the area. It''s the safest place around here.'' Another nod. ''There are four police boxes, and the apartment has CCTV and auto-lock. There are securities guarding the whole building.'' Minwoo finally releases the bag from his mouth, staring at the floor. His head empty. ''And don''t worry, I didn''t tell your family.'' Chapter 13 - Crashing Deeper 2 Wonho gasps desperately for air as he opens his eyes. His body is still shaking. He had that nightmare again. At the alley. The alphas circling him. He sees them every time he closes his eyes. Every single time. Up to the point where he is afraid to close his eyes to sleep and tries to stay awake for days. He searches frantically for his pills on the bedside table and finds it. With his hands still vibrating violently, he manages to open the lid and takes out two pills. He swallows them and leans back on his bedrest, trying to catch his breath and relax. He feels his heartbeat slows down and closes his eyes. After a while, he shakes the bottle of pills and looks inside. He is almost out. Which means he either has to see the doctor to get another one, or finally has to take his sleeping pills because he can no longer calm himself down if he wakes up like this again later. Wonho stares at the other bottle hidden in the drawers. He refuses to take this because it means he is too weak to even sleep. That he cannot do anything without any help. But it is either that, or going out to the hospital. And he would rather die than go outside. He thought he is getting better. He slept just fine at the hospital. The nightmares started the day he got back home. And it continues to hunt him every night, causing him to wake up crying and screaming for help. And his shaking won''t stop, even when he keeps staying awake. It drains him off his energy, making him sleepy again so he began to take those pills to calm his nerves. Gulping a few drops of water from the bottle, the tired omega looks out the window to see the dark sky, before turning to look at his watch. It is 3 a.m., he is sweaty from the nightmare and needs a bath. Everyone should be asleep so he should be able to go to the bathroom without bumping with anybody. He doesn''t have enough courage to see them yet. He needs more time. Slowly opening his bedroom door, Wonho tiptoes towards the bathroom. This has been his routine for the past few weeks. He manages to avoid both his parents and siblings, going out to the toilet early in the morning, and late at night when everyone is sleeping. And also, eating the food his mom leaves in front of his door once everyone is out of the house. It is hard to do so at first, he refused to get out of bed but after a few begging from his mother to eat, he finally decided that starving himself to death would not change anything. Wonho hears some voices from the first floor which stopped him from his track. They are not his parents''. It can''t be¡­ the alphas?! No, he isn''t giving off any scent anymore! They shouldn''t be able to find him! He''s at home! Did they break in? His body froze from the memory of that night. His whole body shaking again even though he had taken those pills. This can''t be happening. Not again. He won''t be able to handle it again. He would die. ''Wono-yah¡­ is that you?'' Wonho jumps at the voice. They are calling him. They know his name!! ''No!!! No more!!! Leave me alone!!!'' ''Wono-yah!!! What''s wron-'' ''STOPPP!!! GET AWAY FROM ME!!!'' He hears footsteps getting up the stairs, heading towards him. Realizing that he is out of his room and is vulnerable, he runs. Back into his room. Locking the door behind him and sitting with his back against it to block them from coming in, in case they manage to unlock the door. He sits down with his knees near his chest, covers both his ears and prays. That they will go away. ''Wono-yah¡­'' ''Stop!! Stop!!'' ''Won-'' ''SHUT UP!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!'' ''My son¡­'' Wonho freezes. That voice... ''It''s okay son¡­ it''s appa. I''m here. I won''t let them hurt you¡­'' His father is crying. He can hear it from the shaky voice. His mighty father is crying. Because of him. ''It''s okay Wonnie, you''re safe now. Appa will protect you. I will always be there for you. It''s okay now¡­'' He remembers that name. His father used to call him Wonnie when he is little, when he would run to his father to cry for every little thing. And his father would carry him and wipe his tears before comforting him with a hug. Wonho finds himself longing for that hug. ''Wonnie, appa loves you. Appa loves you no matter what. I will protect you until I die you hear me? Appa loves you¡­'' He can hear the man breaking down on the other side of the door. It breaks his heart it is getting harder to breathe. He feels hot tears flowing, wetting his sleeves and his chest tightens. He is sobbing hard enough he couldn''t stop himself even if he wanted to. That is all he wanted to hear. That they still love him even when he is dirtied. That they think nothing less of him even after everything that happened to him. He longs for that. For the love and safety of his parents. All he ever wanted is to be able to feel safe again. ##### ''Wono-yah, honey, breakfast is ready¡­'' Mrs. Seo knocks lightly to tell her son to eat. Last night must have been really hard for him. Everybody is awoken by the scream in the middle of the night. His younger sister even got out of bed to sleep with her because she is worried. And her husband, he fell asleep in front of Wonho''s room after crying his eyes out. Everyone is tired. Things are not going well in the house. Her other children kept asking what is wrong, and why they haven''t been able to meet Wonho even though he is already home. They kept on pushing; Byeongho, his younger brother even got mad for the lack of response and ran away from home for a few days thinking it was unfair to keep such heavy secret from them. Everyone needed a break, so she finally asked her husband to send their children to her parents. And now she is alone. With her oldest son. The mother takes a deep breath. She is really reluctant to leave her son at home alone to go to work. He needs her but he will probably not eat if he knows she is still at home. She tries the door. Although she knows it is going to be locked, she is hopeful that he would finally let her in. There is no response, so she tries opening the door anyway. To her surprise, it isn''t locked. Gently opening the door as to not make a loud sound to startle her boy, she stands at the door. There he is. Her precious son, all bundled up in his blanket while lying on the bed, facing away from her. ''Aren''t you hot, honey?'' She asks softly, not expecting an answer, rather, just to let him know of her presence. The room is humid, hot, yet her son is all covered up. She looks for the remote and switches on the air-conditioner, making sure to open the window a little to let the hot air out. She puts his breakfast on the table and stands there. Just watching her boy. ''Honey¡­'' she places her palm on his left shoulder and gently caresses it with her thumb. She sits down behind him and lays back, spooning him. Her precious baby boy. He has gotten so thin. She places a kiss on his head and just sits there with him, caressing his head lightly, just like she always did when he was little. She hears his soft breath and closes her eyes; he must be sleeping. Last night must have been terrifying for him too. Especially for him. Why did this have to happen to him? Her child? Wonho had always been a good boy growing up. Minus the constant naughty pranks he and Jun pulled when they were little, Wonho had always been the good son. He never throws tantrums, helped her out whenever he could, he never even gone through the rebel phase. The closest he ever got is dressing all emo, but he never did anything dangerous. Why did it have to happen to him? She remembers what she heard last night - Wonho was screaming about being dirty and disgusting. He had a hysteria maybe. Nobody knows what happened that triggered that reaction, but he was screaming all night while her husband calmed him down from the outside. ''Wono-yah¡­ Eomma just wants you to know that¡­ Eomma loves you. You''re not disgusting. You''re not tainted¡­'' she whispers. She hopes he can hear her even while sleeping. ''Everything will be okay. You''ll be okay. We''ll make it okay. I''m not giving up on you.'' She hears heavy breathing coming for her son. Is he having nightmare again? ''It''s okay. Eomma''s here. Shhh¡­'' she pats her son''s back lightly, hoping to ease the fear. ''I''m¡­ sorry.'' His breath is getting heavier. He is sleep-talking. He is apologizing in his sleep. Her poor son¡­ ''Shh¡­ it''s okay¡­'' ''Eomma¡­I''m sorry¡­ I''m so sorry¡­'' Wonho is not sleeping. He has been awake the whole time. Wonho is tired of his nightmares. He is tired of getting through all this alone. He wants help. He wants his parents. He doesn''t know how long he can handle it anymore. ''I''m not¡­'' Wonho struggles with his breath. He cannot speak clearly, ''I''m not¡­ I''m¡­'' ''I know¡­ it''s okay. It''s over¡­'' ''No¡­ I''m not¡­ a beta.'' ''I know¡­'' ''Eomma¡­ I''m omega¡­'' he is sobbing so hard he thought he could faint. He cannot breathe properly and has to take deeper ones because it feels stuck in his chest. ''I''m not¡­ beta¡­'' The mother can only nod in understanding. This is all her fault. She knows her womb is cursed, that her family is cursed. That she cannot give birth to betas, only to omegas, and with strong scents as well. Yet she and her husband wanted to believe. When Wonho''s eldest sister presented, they had expected it. But then, Wonho''s younger brother presented, yet Wonho still hadn''t, they were hopeful. That he might be able to live as a beta after all. And when he turned 17, and his youngest sister presented, both her husband and her was delighted that Wonho didn''t present. They were happy that he gets to live like a normal beta, be whatever he wants to be without anything to hold him back. That he will have all the opportunities his brother and sisters will never have. They thought she is not cursed after all. Or that maybe, Wonho escaped his ill-fate. They should have known that it is impossible. They should have known but they chose to ignore it. Now their son had to pay the price. ''I''m sorry honey¡­ Eomma''s sorry¡­'' ''I''m not beta... I''m sorry¡­'' she hugs him tightly. This is not his fault. He is the victim of their ignorance. If anything, Wonho should blame her, not himself. Her son did nothing wrong. It hurts to hear him blaming himself. She feels herself tearing up but tries to hold it in for her son. She has to be strong. ''I''m sorry eo-eomma¡­'' She rocks him gently while rubbing his back. She keeps on giving his son light kisses on his head to calm him down. He is shaking really violently, and there is nothing else she can do to ease the pain. ''I''m dirty.'' ''No honey, you''re not! Don''t say that¡­ never say that.'' She turns him towards her; his eyes are red and puffy, his cheek bones protruding. He is so skinny it hurts. ''You''re my beautiful son. The only dirty ones are those damned alphas. Okay? You''re not dirty.'' She holds his face in place and nods her head, asking him to do the same. He needs to nod. He needs to understand that. ''I''m claimed¡­ I''m his¡­'' ''That doesn''t mean anything! Look at me Wonho. We''ll break that bond. We can. And I will kill him. Or her. I will cut off his fucking dick, pull out all his teeth and blow his head off with a rifle.'' Wonho nods. He knows this is all talk but he feels safe, even just a bit. He finally feels safe. Letting his mother wipe off his tears, the son hugs her stomach, wanting to sleep in her embrace. In her warmth. He smiles to himself. What she said was serious, but it is also really funny. ''Eomma, you just cursed.'' ''Ommo¡­ I did? You didn''t hear anything.'' She hugs her son back. He is now smiling and making jokes again. That smile that she missed so much. A few more days and she might be able to convince him to finally get out of this room and walk around the house. ''You''re such a badass¡­'' ''Where did you think you got that trait from? Your whimpy father?'' Wonho manages to laugh at that one. She called his father whimpy. Wow. Chapter 14 - Picking Up Pieces 1 Minwoo looks around his new room at the alpha dormitory. Everything is in place. His desk all clean, his bed made, his wardrobe all neat. Perfect. He should walk around the campus now to explore. After that incident, he decided to live in campus where he is sure it won''t happen again. He still owns the apartment though, but he might use that for other stuff. Not to sleep with omegas, that''s for sure. Beta, maybe. But he might have to reconsider that. Considering he has no experience sleeping with betas. And courting them is said to be hard since they cannot detect pheromones so he would have to sweet talk to convince them. It is a lot of work for a mere one-night stand. And he has to prepare the males too. Not to mention some cannot handle alphas in bed so he will have to be extra gentle. He wonders if betas are worth all the extra work. Maybe, if he is that desperate. ''Urghhh so bored.'' He lies on the bed. He wants to explore but is not in the mood right now. He wants to party, like he always did. Unfortunately, he knows no one and doesn''t want to take the risk of encountering another creep while going out alone. The new term starts in a few days so he needs to find something to do to fill his time in the meanwhile. Meaning he needs to go out after all. Just as he is opening the door, his next-door neighbour does the same. Talk about good timing. ''Hey. Are you the new guy?'' The man asks, his voice gentle. ''I just moved in yesterday. Nice to meet you. Kim Minwoo, 1st year medic student.'' ''Owh, hi Minwoo! I''m Lee Jeongmin. Or Taeyang. Whichever''s better. I''m 2nd year medic. Haven''t seen you around campus though.'' ''I transferred here. Just registered this term.'' Minwoo stares at the guy. He has a very bright smile. It is too bright. And the name seems familiar but it could be a common name. He hasn''t been in Korea for a while, he doesn''t know what is popular. ''Hey, I knew a Kim Minwoo!'' Well, that is random. How should he react to that? ''Owh! It''s a common name. I think¡­'' Maybe his name is too. ''Is it?'' Jeongmin wonders and looks back at him, thinking about something. ''Owh, you need a tour or something? You know the place?'' ''Owh. Haven''t been around yet.'' ''Wanna join me for a jog?'' Minwoo considers for a bit. That may be a good idea since he hasn''t been exercising since he got here. And he needs a tour. And a friend. So yeah. ''Gimme a minute to change.'' So, there is a man-made lake near their dorm. Apparently, that is where every student go for a jog since it is surrounded by a mini park. And some other dormitories are located near the lake therefore a lot of people gather here for all sorts of activities. He sees some people on their dates, some playing their guitars while others paint... This is good. He should be able to meet some people here. ''There''s our department! And next to it is the university''s hospital.'' Jeongmin points out to the tall building located at the very end of the campus. They have been jogging for only 15 minutes so that means that their dormitory is not that far. He should be able to make it to class even if he wakes up ten minutes before, if he runs. ''Are you hanging in there?'' ''Owh yeah. This is nothing.'' ''Nice! How bout we go to other part of campus?'' ''Lead the way.'' Minwoo looks around, making sure to remember some places he found interesting. It would be nice if he can find somewhere isolated to make it his secret hiding place for when he needs to get away from everything. Back in his old university, he would go to the small wood near the campus to sleep. But the park here seems too busy to be his secret place. ''This is the Performance Arts Department!'' Minwoo stares at the unique looking building and wonders if Jeongmin skipped all the other departments. Because he saw a lot of buildings for the last half an hour but the older did not say anything. ''Owh nice building. Wait, are you going in?'' He tries to stop the other. Aren''t they supposed to tour the campus? ''I need to see someone for a bit. Wait here.'' Minwoo nods and waits outside, looking around the department. He thought he saw another beautiful building not far from here. They went passed it though. Maybe he will come back here if he has the chance. Minwoo has always been drawn to buildings. He appreciates good architecture, but he is not the kind who can draw those straight lines and mind the littlest details about a particular building. He is also, not creative. It is just not his strong point. Anatomy and the human body is. That is why he chose medicine over architecture. Nevertheless, he still enjoys learning about it. Just not taking exams and writing reports on it. ''Sorry to keep you waiting!'' Jeongmin returns with a really big smile on his face. ''Needed to recharge.'' ''Girlfriend?'' ''Boyfriend. I wish.'' ''Awww¡­.'' He pats the older''s back and gives him a big hug. Besides the one girl he dated in middle school, Minwoo never had any lovers so he will never understand the pain the older must be feeling. Committing oneself to one person is a stupid thing to do but apparently some people would go the extra mile and even hurt themselves to do so. That is why Minwoo is hugging the guy. Not because he feels bad for him not getting his dream guy, but because he finds him stupid. But Jeongmin doesn''t need to know that. ''So I guess we''re going back now? You only wanted to come here right?'' ''Aishh!! Who said¡­'' Jeongmin pushes his hand away and hits him lightly, his face although still has that smile, clearly gives away his embarrassment, ''You¡­'' Minwoo laughs at the man''s antics. He likes it. Somehow socializing with people in his own native language gives him some kind of warmth, sort of a welcoming feeling. He thought it is only his family who acts all touchy and familiar because the only other people he speaks to besides his maids is Chris and that man seriously needs to chill. Maybe, if all people here talk and acts like this senior, he would not mind staying here for a long time after all. Except for omegas though. He still has no interest in Korean omegas. No matter what language they speak or how they act. No way. ''Let''s go somewhere to eat first.'' ''Sure! Where?'' Minwoo is excited because, food! The most important thing in life besides sex is food and now that he might give up on the former, he only has food to rely on to survive his university life. He wonders how many canteens and cafes this whole campus has? And which one has the best coffee? Walking alongside Jeongmin, he gets more excited when he realizes they are heading towards the beautiful building nearby. That beautiful building. ''The Architectural Department has the best caf¨¦! Owh and there''s the Architectural and Engineering''s library.'' Jeongmin points towards a modern-looking glass building. He can see the inside filled with bookcases and people studying with their notebooks and headphones. They look so cool. He is now curious about how the medic''s one looks like. Not as grandeur, probably. ''Owh wow. You''re right. This is definitely good.'' He is awed by the interior of the caf¨¦. It is like a book cafe decorated with pictures of modern buildings, yet cozy like a cottage, with a twist of urban design. ''Wait till you taste their coffee. I''d like the simple Americano.'' ''I''ll have that too.'' He speaks to the waitress and leans back on the seat, eyes wandering to capture all the decorations. Maybe he can incorporate some of the ideas to his apartment since it is a bit too empty right now. Despite how he dress, Minwoo prefers his house to be homey. ''You know, you look really familiar.'' Jeongmin starts again, still not letting it go. ''Really? Like who?'' The other also reminds Minwoo of someone but he just cannot remember who. And that is weird because he doesn''t have many Asian friends back in the Netherlands so he should remember where he has seen this face. Unless¡­ ''Are you from Anyang?'' ''Owh!!! Right!!! That''s it! I used to live with my grandma in Anyang!!!'' Jeongmin''s eyes widens, Minwoo''s too, ''Good god! Lee Jeongmin from Sunflower class???'' ''I thought I knew you! Yaah Kim Minwoo! What the hell happened to you? You''re a giant now!'' Minwoo claps excitedly with Jeongmin. They were classmates back in kindergarten! Both of them were the underdog back then, not really standing out. He was small and Jeongmin was a game-freak. They were not close but didn''t have problems with each other either. He remembers the one time they had to act in a play, and he became the monkey while Jeongmin the sun. And that is the only time they had anything to do with each other. ''Aah! So that''s where you get the ''Taeyang'' name.'' Minwoo nods to himself as he recalls the history. Jeongmin only smiles, showing his famous bright expression. Seeing that, Minwoo laughs at how much the other changed yet still has that smile. ''Why are you my senior?'' Minwoo wonders. They are supposed to be in their first year since he is not held back in any way, and the system in Korea is pretty much the same with his old university so¡­ ''I skipped a year in high school! Cus I''m smart.'' The man gives him a satisfied smirk and Minwoo rolls his eyes playfully. Out of all the people, he met his old classmate first. Things are looking really good. He will not have to go through the awkward conversation phase since Jeongmin seems like a really friendly guy. And he will not have to try to impress the guy since they are technically, already friends. Time to let loose then. ''So Jeongmin-seonbae1.'' He playfully calls which earns him a light punch from the other, embarrassed. ''Where do I go to have fun?'' ''Like a park or something?'' ''Like a bar or something.'' ''Lemme guess. Omega-hunting?'' Jeongmin raises one of his eyebrows. That particular question reminds him of one of his close friends who just left the university. Minwoo shakes his head, ''More like beta-hunting.'' ''Beta??? Why???'' Jeongmin has this really shocked face that Minwoo half-expected. Alphas searching for betas, who wouldn''t be shocked? ''Personal interest.'' He smirks. Maybe he will not have to give up his sex-life after all. This can all work out. Chapter 15 - Picking Up Pieces 2 Wonho gets out of his room and heads downstairs towards the kitchen. He is a bit thirsty and wants something hot to drink. His mother just bought his favourite hot cocoa today, so he decides to make those. It is a few hours past midnight, he makes sure not to make any noise to disturb the others. He hears the noise again. The same voice he heard a few days earlier that triggered his trauma. Only this time, knowing what it is, he tries to calm himself down and peeks from the stairs. His mother told him it is just the late drama playing at night, and indeed, it is; the television staring at his sleeping father on the couch. Wonho continues to walk down the stairs quietly, not to wake his old man. He takes out his mug and his father''s grey one, and makes two cups of hot cocoa. He then brings them, one by one because his right hand is still in a cast, to the living room and places them on the coffee table gently before sitting on the sofa besides his snoring father. The sudden movement wakes the man who quickly looks around the house before noticing his son right next to him. ''Aigoo Wono-yah'' He laughs awkwardly. Wonho smiles at the man. This is their first meeting after Junjie told them about the incident. His other family members just returned home from his grandparent''s house and Wonho still hid in his room because he needs a little time to prepare himself mentally. His mother taught him how to hide his scent because he refuses to go out of the house as is. Because he doesn''t want the neighbourhood ahjummas to talk about him, the only beta of the omega family. It is enough that they talk about his siblings being all flirty when all they did is having stronger scent that attract more alphas then they should. He does not want them to start talking about him too. The first time he and his mother went out of the house is to see the therapist to get his medicine. They went to and back, not stopping anywhere in between. Then they gradually went out for groceries and for lunch or dinner but that was the just the two of them; His other family members stayed at his grandparents. Yesterday, his mother finally asked him to talk to his father to give him a peace of mind and Wonho promised to try. And today evening, everyone returned home. Apparently, ever since his old man learnt about what happened to him, the old man had been keeping watch of the house. He would try to stay up before ending up sleeping downstairs anyway. And wake up early in the morning to go to work, and repeat it again every night. Just so he could make sure no one would be able to break-in. And it affected his health, especially with his aging body. Wonho feels guilty, ''Appa, I made you hot cocoa.'' ''Aigoo...Our Wonnie... you''re so considerate¡­'' Wonho smiles at his old man and passes the drink to him. The man took a slurp and he sees tears dropping into the beverage. ''It''s so good.'' ''Appa, you''re spoiling it.'' He comments, pointing it out to not make thing awkward. ''Aigoo, sorry. Eheh. What am I doing¡­ I need a tissue.'' The man takes off his glasses and searches for the tissue box. Wonho grabs the one on the dining table and passes it to his father, ''You need to sleep.'' He says while gently massaging his father''s shoulders. Sleeping on the small sofa, in a very uncomfortable position every single night for more than a month, that must have been hard for him. ''Yes, yes. Don''t worry about me Wonnie. You should go to sleep, it''s late.'' ''I''m okay now. Eomma brought me to see a therapist. Sorry for worrying you¡­'' his father nods, the tears continuing to flow despite the man''s attempt to keep drying it. He holds Wonho''s head, kisses his forehead and pulls it down for a hug. ''Appa, my neck hurts. Not comfortable.'' ''Gimme a few more minutes.'' ''Then you go upstairs and sleep.'' ''Yes. Then I''ll go upstairs and sleep.'' ##### Wonho hears his younger sister gasps and pretends not to hear it, continuing to eat. She is running towards their mother and keeps pointing towards him before running to the back and opening another door forcefully. The oldest brother lets out a sigh when he hears another pair of footsteps following her to the dining table. ''Oppa1!!!'' ''Hyung!!!'' Both of them scream loudly and Wonho curses on the inside. He is hoping for a quiet ''first meeting'' but he should have known that was never an option. Not with his younger siblings. ''Oppa!!!'' ''HYUNGGG!!!'' they repeat again, as if he didn''t hear them the first time. They are not surprised by his scent, so he figures his parents told them that much. ''Be quiet and eat your breakfast. Don''t you need to go to school, Seunghee?'' His mother scolds them and Wonho clears his throat, smirking at his sister''s pouting face. His brother runs towards the table and sits right in front of him, his bed hair sticking out. Just staring. Again, Wonho clears his throat, now uncomfortable. ''Hyu-'' ''And you need to get ready for your part-time job.'' Again, his mother saved him. ''Eomma, come on!'' his brother complains but after a deadly stare from his mother, he gives up and makes his way towards the bathroom. ''You better not hide again or I''ll kill you.'' ''Seo Byeongho!'' ''FIIINEEEE!'' he rolls his eyes and walks behind Wonho''s chair towards his destination. Wonho, not wanting it to be awkward later, pushes his chair backwards to hit his brother, making him slip a bit. ''HYUNG!!!'' ''What did eomma said?'' His father finally speaks after reading his newspaper. ''He hit me!!!'' Wonho notices the playful death glare his brother is giving him and smirks in satisfaction. He is really glad they treat him like this instead of pitying him. His parents asked him if they could tell his siblings about what happened and Wonho agreed, minus the part of him being sexually assaulted. Although that should be a given since he is forcefully marked, the thought of it being conveyed to his brother and sister word-by-word is too much for him to bear. He would rather them imagining all sorts of scenarios than making it clear that he was violated. That being said, Wonho was actually very nervous about eating together today, afraid that his presence would make breakfast really awkward and silent, with all of them having to mind their words around him so he is really, really glad that they acted the way they did. ''Oppa, are you going to stay here for a while?'' His sister breaks the silence and Wonho feels relieved that she avoids asking about his situation. ''Yeah¡­ maybe for a few more months.'' He replies awkwardly. After a long time not talking, speaking to his bubbly younger sister proves to be hard work. Thankfully she is satisfied with the short answer and continues eating her breakfast in silence, something she rarely do. This term, he decided to take a time off to heal and the university allowed it. His scholarship, however, is a goner. Because he is now an omega, he no longer fulfill the qualifications of the scholarship which is only for betas. His father wanted to argue with the association but Wonho begged him not to. After all, the scholarship he was under was offered as a mean to support exceptional betas so they will be able to compete in fields usually monopolized by alphas. There was nothing to fight about, everything was in black and white. Nothing good will come out of it. With all the things happening, Wonho decided he would use this term to think about what he would do later in the near future. About other options available for him, now that he is¡­ an omega. ''So you should help me do my homework.'' Seunghee adds, earning her a scoff from the brother. ''You should do that yourself.'' His mother scolds her and she glares back at her. ''Fiineee! You should help me with my homework.'' She retaliates and hugs his hand to beg. He pats her head and hugs her back, just because he missed her and her bubbly self. Speaking of which, he forgot their gifts!! He even bought each of them something from Seoul and he forgets to bring them home¡­''Aah¡­ I forgot your shoes!'' ''You bought me shoes??? Really???'' ''Uh-uh. But I forgot to bring them¡­ Sorry¡­'' ''If you''re talking about that big green bag, I have it in my room. Jun gave it to me.'' His mother casually interrupts while putting fried eggs on his plate. Wonho closes his eyes to recall what the colour of the bag supposed to be. Yup. Green. ''That''s it!! Thank god!! I bought you and appa something too!'' ''What bout me?!'' He hears Byeongho scream from the bathroom, voice muffled by the walls. Feeling like bullying the younger brother, he answers, ''Nothing for you.'' ''YAAAHHH!!!'' Wonho laughs at the reaction and continues eating his breakfast. Junjie¡­ he didn''t reply any messages that his best friend sent him ever since he got back. He needs to tell him about his decision to take the term off to rest. And to thank him for the gifts. And also to ask him not to worry and give him some time because Wonho really wants to get better. And if he didn''t mail the guy, he is positive Junjie will go into panic mode and starts stalking him via his mother, just like he always did back when they were younger. Chapter 16 - Things Will Never Be The Same 1 Minwoo gets out of the shower room and dries himself off. Today is probably the worst one he had so far. After playing that hard to get, the guy dragged their make out session, pretending to be all innocent and stuff, and wanted to stop after the first round. And yes, Minwoo knows he was pretending because the guy is infamous for being the naughty one in the club he frequents. Unfortunately for him, even after the long flirting, trying to feed his ego, the sex ended up so bad. He wraps the towel around his waist and steps out of the bathroom, but to his annoyance, the man is still there, sleeping like he deserves it. Owh no, he doesn''t. And nobody sleeps in his bed, not even his buddies back in Europe. ''Hey, get up. You need to leave.'' ''Urmm¡­ just tonight¡­ I''m really tired.'' The man replies weakly and Minwoo rolls his eyes. What in the world made him that tired? Sitting still and screaming like a whore? ''Nope. I enjoyed our little fuck session but you need to leave.'' ''But it''s really late¡­ And you were really rough¡­'' Minwoo''s face twitched. No, he was not rough. Because the man kept begging him to slow down, he got so annoyed he actually stopped trying to enjoy himself and settled with letting the man came before taking care of himself in the shower. He moved the slowest he ever had, for a man who has slept with almost everyone in the club he frequents. So much for being ''wild''. He really feels like he was scammed. And to think he got excited to finally finding a nice plaything... Minwoo curses himself. Every fucking time. It is so hard to get them in bed, so hard to get rid of them. And they are not even worth it. For the past few months, he had been sleeping around with betas, but not once had he really got the satisfaction he craved so much. The after-sex too, instead of the sweet smell of the omegas lingering around, there is only the smell of sweat and cum. Very plain. Very bland. To think that he had to study a lot on how to hook up with their kind, like the cheesy pick-up lines, and even has to hide his scent so those annoying omegas won''t gather around him trying to get his attention while he work on getting the betas in bed... so burdensome. ''Get out.'' He repeats sternly. ''Seriously? Can''t I even take the couch?'' ''Nope. You''re a good fuck but I want to rest alone now. Leave.'' Minwoo picks up the shirt and pants on the floor and throws it at the guy who still refused to get up from the bed. He goes to the bedroom door and opens it wide, waiting for the guy to finish putting on his clothes. ''What are you waiting for?'' ''Jesus fine.'' The guy rolls his eyes and walks out of the room, ''asshole.'' ''If you need money for the cab, I''ll give them to you.'' He adds, just to provoke the smaller male. ''I don''t need your fucking money motherfucker!'' He hears the door slammed and pulls his sheets of the bed to replace them. This is tiring. So much work. Just for sex. It used to be his stress-reliever, now it is just¡­ Stress. Minwoo sighs. Maybe he should stop living like this and focus on his studies. If he can keep himself busy, then he will not have time to think about sex anymore. That''s right. Starting tomorrow, he will stop hunting. Starting tomorrow, he will throw this bad boy image of his and become a new person. Starting the next term, he will be so focused in his studies he will not even have time to sleep around. ##### Wonho started over. He is now a freshman omega taking literature. Why? Because although not written, no company would hire an omega architect. Just like none would hire omega engineers and doctors. It is just the way it is. Society deems omegas to be the lower class and Wonho would rather spend his time taking a degree he can actually use to work instead of a degree he likes but will be useless for his future. That is the only thing he does not want to risk - his future. Not after all his effort to get his life back together after the incident. He also had to move out of his old dorm because that is the beta/alpha dorm and he is now an omega. Living there meant spending everyday with alphas around him and just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine. Not that the university would allow it even if he wanted to. So that is why he had to do this. New course, new environment, new friends. But Wonho has never been the type who easily make friends. It was never a problem for him because Junjie was always there to do the job for him since they had always been a set since the first time they met each other. However, things had change now, and although he would prefer to spend the first week of the new term in his room, he wants to challenge himself to make new friends. They will be his new course mates and neighbours from now on so he should at least know one or two friends he can hang out with. He woke up all optimistic about the day but unfortunately, things did not go as well as he had hoped. Just like the one he had experienced two years ago in his old dorm, the morning of the first day of orientation saw the new residents divided into smaller groups to do ice breaking activities together. Wonho was optimistic at first seeing the members of his group of six - four female omegas and another male, just like him. Unlike the alpha/beta''s, omega dorms shelter both genders because sexual relationships between omegas are not allowed, by both the society and the law. They are also not physically attracted to each other just by their pheromones reacting to each other. Like two same polar of magnets repulsing each other. Everything was smooth at first, until one of them inquired about his ''mate''. They had caught the alpha''s scent on him and refused to let it rest, no matter how hard Wonho tried to avoid the topic. They were expecting some sweet love story between two young lovers and when Wonho lied and told them they ''broke up'', he is called a foolish omega for mating ''too early''. He let it slide because it was only one person in the group. But during the course of the day, he realized people were whispering between themselves around him and come nighttime, he realized rumors about him had spread like wildfire. And the story changed so much that he apparently had to ''mate'' because he got ''pregnant'' during high school and he now further his studies after ''abandoning his child''. Everyone knew the guy in the rumor is him because he is the only freshman with an alpha scent. Wonho decided to skip orientation altogether after that. He spent the rest of the week at the library, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night. He also realized it is better to hide his scent altogether until the rumor died down. Although not hopeful, he could always try again once the bond breaks completely. He is hopeful that things will only get better from here. Today is the last day of orientation and Wonho gets back earlier than usual. Although he likes to read, spending all day at the library for a week is too much for him. And since everyone would be out partying, the omega dorm will be empty of freshman omegas so he can get some rest. He enters his room and jumps on the bed, looking around his room. Everything is so quiet. Back in his old room, he can hear his next door neighbours talking, and people walking outside, there are always some sort of sound which he first found annoying. Now, he just misses those noises. He knows that the thick walls if the omegas dorms are for privacy especially during heats, and for security so their scent will not leak outside. Which is also why there are wall fence surrounding the territory and the strict rules of no alphas/betas allowed, even family members. But all those things also mean isolation from the outside world. And Wonho feels lonely. He looks at the ''presents'' left by his friends in his room. Haneul helped placed them when he moved Wonho''s stuffs from his old room. There is Chansol''s favourite headphones on his desk, Mengyao''s nunchucks on the bookshelf, Sangcheol''s leather jacket that Wonho sometimes borrowed, and a life-size cardboard cut-out of Junjie giving him the look and calling him lazy emo face. He misses them so much. Excluding Junjie, he hasn''t gotten in touch with anyone since the incident. The last he heard about them is from his best friend who messages him daily. Sangcheol just had his winter internship, Mengyao moved to an apartment outside of campus, and Chansol failed two subjects and barely passed another two. That boy always worries him. ???????????????????? ????????????????????. Wonho jumps a little and froze. Even though he knows the omega dorms are the most secured place in the whole campus, sudden noise like that always catches him off guard. ''Wono-yah, can I come in?'' It is Haneul, the only omega he can call a friend. Or something close. They only ever hang out together when Sangcheol brought Haneul for their hang-out sessions, and Wonho never really talked to the older privately. Their interactions only consist of them smiling at each other as an acknowledgment whenever they meet outside. The days he spent at the hospital trying to recover was the first time they were together without other people. Which made it even awkward for Wonho. Because whenever he sees Haneul, he will be reminded of how weak he was back then. ''All my old notes and books. Should come in handy. And¡­ this is uhm¡­ the omega handbook everyone got at omega school. Thought you could use it.'' Wonho tries to smile. Omega handbook, what a laugh. What is there to know? Their body changed and now they can have alpha babies. And they get into periodical heats and wait for someone to claim them. Why do people even need to go to a special school to learn all that? He says thanks anyway and put all the things on the shelf. Nobody knows what to talk about and Wonho is dreading the silence. ''You''re not going to the party?'' ''I''m thinking of skipping¡­ I''m kinda tired today.'' He answers softly and pretends to yawn. ''I''ll be going then. Let me know if you need anything.'' Wonho nods and gives the older a forced smile. Once the door closes, he stares at the handbook. He already skipped to the part of being claimed so this will be no use for him anyway. He hides it inside drawer and proceeds to take off his shirt to shower. Looking at the mirror, he runs his hand on the scar at his lower right neck. It stopped throbbing months ago and seems to heal well. Hopefully it will be gone by the time his bond breaks. According to his mom, as long as he and his mate stay away from each other, the bond will weaken and break completely. And it takes about about a year or three to four heats before it does. All he has to do now is wait. He hears the door opens again and pays no attention. Haneul must have left something- ''Wonho¡­?'' That voice¡­ Hwang Jinyoung. Chapter 17 - Things Will Never Be The Same 2 ''Wonho¡­?'' That voice¡­ Hwang Jinyoung. Wonho freezes. He totally forgot about his Jinyoung after the incident. A lot have been going on and he forgot the man lives here too. His heart is beating loudly he can hear the thumping. He gulps, too afraid to look back. ''Wonho you-'' Jinyoung knows. Of course he knows. Wonho may be able to hide his scent outside but the moment he gets back to his room, he always lets loose. So Jinyoung knows; That they are now the same kind. And that he is marked. Wonho lowers his head. He cannot muster the courage to look at the other he always adored so much. The one he once called his lover, ''I¡­'' ''Owh¡­'' he hears the soft whimper and feels his face burning in shame. He quickly covers his body and tries to run inside the bathroom, wanting to get away. He manages to get the doorknob before feeling a tight hug from behind him, the smaller one burying his face on his shoulders. ''I thought you hated me. I thought I did something wrong.'' ''I''m sorry¡­ I can''t¡­'' ''I saw you around but I thought I was wrong. That my mind was playing tricks on me.'' ''Stop. Jinyoung. I can''t¡­. we can''t¡­'' he wants the man to let him go. They are both omegas now, they can never be together. He realized he is being cruel when he cuts contact but he didn''t ask for this fate. He always pictured them both having kids, four kids, in a big house he designed in the suburbs - Jinyoung being the bubbly mother he is and him, the cool father. They would go on dates when the kids are sleeping and go for family picnics on the weekends. And they''ll spend the rest of their life teasing and making fun of each other until they grow old and wrinkly. But that is no longer possible. ''You found someone else... I''m glad¡­'' he hears the shaky tone and sighs deeply, trying to hold his tears. This is wrong. It isn''t like that. He didn''t find somebody else! There is always just him! ''No¡­ This is¡­'' he doesn''t want to say it. Anything but this. It doesn''t matter if Jinyoung hates him, but he would never let the man know about what happened. ''I''m sorry I shouldn''t do this¡­ You''re already someone''s¡­'' Jinyoung is trying to hold his tears while releasing his hug. Wonho shuts his eyes tightly. It isn''t like that. He didn''t throw the omega away for someone else. Jinyoung shouldn''t be crying. He wants to make his squish better. He wants to turn around and wipe those tears away. He wants to kiss it better. He hates when the omega cries. He wants to tell Jinyoung that he loves him, that he wishes they can still be together even after he presented. He wants to tell Jinyoung about his present but only after the bond is broken. Because although it is not possible, he wants their relationship to stay the same. It is wishful thinking, but it was what kept him going, ''This is not mutual¡­'' ''W-what?'' ''Forced¡­'' he swallows hard. His throat feels really dry after the words left him. He feels his whole world collapsed. He just lost Jinyoung. This is the end. Jinyoung will never look at him the same again. A violated omega who got marked. ''Wonho¡­'' ''Let me go¡­ please¡­'' Wonho drops his head in defeat and pulls Jinyoung''s weak grip away. He doesn''t want to try to explain. He just wants to be alone. ''Leave me alone¡­'' ''I didn''t kno-¡­ I thou-¡­ Wonho--'' ''Please¡­'' Wonho hears footsteps going back slowly and the door slams shut. And he just stands there, right in front of the bathroom door, trying to hold his tears. He promised himself not to cry anymore but this is, really hard. Jinyoung¡­ his Jinyoung¡­ Wonho drops on the floor the moment he feels his knees weakens. He shouldn''t feel like this anymore. He shouldn''t feel useless but it is hard. He remembers every word his therapist told him back in his hometown. That he is a survivor. That he shouldn''t feel weak. But his world is falling apart and he can just hear it crashing. And he cannot see anything. Everything is dark. Why is everything dark??? No. This is all in his head. None of this is real. But it is. He just lost his love. He already lost his passion. He already lost his friends¡­ He hates this. He hates all of this. His friends, his room at the old dorm, his days playing basketball, his tutor sessions with Chansol, sleeping with Junjie, going on dates with Jinyoung¡­. He misses them. He wants them back!!! He wants his old life back!!! He needs to calm down. His heart is palpitating, and his chest hurts so bad. He is gasping for air. He needs his medicine. Which one should he take? Is he having a panic attack? Anxiety attack?? Depression?? Which one??? There are too many pills!!! He grabs one with the blue cap and tries to read it but everything is blurry. Is he crying? He shouldn''t cry. He promised. Giving up, Wonho takes three pills and swallows it. If he took the wrong ones, then be it. Nothing can be worse than the reality he is facing. Wonho sits there silently, trying to distract himself. The drug is working, he can feel his heart slowing down¡­ too slow that he can no longer hear anything besides his own breath. The silence is suffocating. He gets up and enters the bathroom. He needs a cold shower to calm his head. Twisting the tap, he sits down, pulling his knees to his chest and stares at the wall. He hates this. He hates being an omega. ##### He doesn''t realize it is already late until he got out of the bathroom. It is dark outside and the clock shows a little past nine. He got back around four. Sighing, he takes out his phone. He changes his mind; he needs a distraction from what happened today. His therapist told him to talk to someone about these kinds of things, and that someone can only be Junjie. But today is the orientation party and his friends are probably either partying with the freshman, or hanging out in someone''s room. He looks at the last message he received - Junjie asking him whether he would come to the party at his old dorm and Wonho replied no. Maybe he would go anyway. He misses his friends and today is the only day omegas are allowed to be at the alpha/betas, even spending the night there today will not be a big deal. Today is his only chance to hang out like they used to. Grabbing his coat and locking his room, Wonho dashes out, not wanting to spend another minute there. He avoids looking at his surrounding so he will not risk seeing Jinyoung or Haneul on his way out. But that is not the only ones he should have avoided. Once he makes eye contact with some freshman omegas from his dorm, also on their way to some party, he sees the mocking in their face. Jealousy, mixed with disdain and disgust. ''Catching another alpha?'' One of them asks him and the others laugh. Wonho ignores them and hides his scent. They only know him because of the damn scent. He walks as fast as he can, taking the longer route through the park so he wouldn''t meet anymore annoying freshmen. He only stopped once he is around the dorm''s vicinity. The music is pumping, and he hears people laughing. Looking up to what was once his room''s window, he sees that the light is on. Someone had already replaced him. He shakes his head and takes a deep breath. It''s okay. Change is good. You guys partying tonight? He messages Junjie. Naahh¡­ Don''t feel like partying too. ¨C Junie Wonho almost jumps excitedly at the reply. That means that he can just hang out with them like old days tonight. He looks at Chansol''s room and saw the lights are off. Maybe they are in Junjie''s, or Sangcheol''s? Theirs are at the back so he cannot really see them from where he is standing. And he wants to surprise them, making a grand entry. But he would hate to just go inside and try each room because he might bump into someone he knows while wandering and he doesn''t want to have to explain his situation. What''re you doing? Hanging out at Mengyao''s. Wanna come? I''ll pick you up! :D ¨C Junie Owh. Mengyao''s. That is outside campus¡­ Wonho feels his heart starting to beat faster but quickly controls his breathing. It isn''t even in the same part of town, so he had no reason for the flashbacks but¡­ right now he just doesn''t trust anywhere outside campus. Anything can happen out there. Anything. Have fun! I''m going to sleep. Tiring day. With that he puts his phone inside his pocket and walks away. He has no business here now, might as well just walk around to clear his head. The park should be empty¡­ Chapter 18 - Things Will Never Be The Same 3 The music is so loud Minwoo gets out of bed. It is orientation night and had he been the same Minwoo he was last year, he would have been down there, dancing and making out with those desperate omegas. But he promised himself to change so he decides to stay in. Tonight will be his first challenge in rebranding himself as the hard-working, no-party Minwoo but unfortunately for him, the medical department throws the best orientation party in all of campus. And people are already getting drunk he can smell the sex pheromones slipping into his room - faint enough for him to not be affected yet strong enough for him to notice. Opening the door out of curiosity, he hears the music thumping and a few moments later, sees a couple making out against the wall. The alpha is trying hard to unlock his room and Minwoo can''t help but feeling like laughing at the pathetic attempt. He returns back to his room and sits on the bed. Everyone has something to do and he is, alone. He can just go back to his apartment and watch some TV shows. Or¡­ He can try to get through tonight and gain some sort of accomplishment. Deciding to go for the latter, he gets into his sportswear and jogging shoes. Exercising is not a bad idea. He will get to train his body and prepare for the basketball match next month. Heading out, he almost gag smelling all those pathetic omega''s pheromones. Pathetic. Really pathetic. Hiding his scent, Minwoo had refrain from shoving the flirty omegas away from him as he makes his way out the party house. They were not lying about it being one of the best, he wonders how the university even allows it in the first place. It is like a sex party down there. So weird. Well, not that things were any different back in Europe though¡­ Minwoo starts running but only manages to proceed a few meters before he has to start walking to avoid colliding with the drunkards. Looking around, he realizes that the main road is filled with those people, so he decides to take the park instead. There are a few more there too, but at least they are sitting around instead of walking and that makes it easier for him to go through. After a good hour or so, Minwoo stops to catch his breath. It is damn cold, and he hasn''t been exercising during the term break so he gets tired easily. The noble alpha looks around the park and notices that no one is there. It is also quiet, which is surprising considering every dormitory are organizing parties. Walking towards the lake, he notices some benches and takes a seat. It is still early so the party would still be going on. He should rest for a while before continuing his work out until around midnight before returning. Minwoo takes a long and deep breath, just enjoying the cold night air. The reflection of the light hitting the lake is really breathtaking and he can just imagine sharing the view with someone special. He may be a firm believer of staying single, but he does have romantic thoughts sometimes. And there is no denying the view is too beautiful to be enjoyed alone. ????????????????. He hears a dripping sound. It sounds like a pebble being dropped into the water. ????????????????. That is certainly a pebble or a stone dropping into the lake. Minwoo gets up to look for the source. It is ruining his special moment. And the person is not stopping either, judging from the periodical throw of the pebble. Irked, Minwoo feels like confronting the person. He is already in a bad mood, and the only peace he had is now ruined. He has been holding on his anger since an hour ago, releasing it to a stranger does not seem like a bad idea. The person will probably just cower anyway, because Minwoo is scary and intimidating when mad. He does not have to look for long though, as the person is just a few steps away from him. It is a man, crouching beside the lake, collecting pebbles. And surprisingly, seeing the man doing so quietly, and slowly, as if he is doing so to relax, makes Minwoo''s anger dissipate. It makes him feel somewhat relaxed as well. The alpha decides not to say anything and just watch. The man is really taking his time, Minwoo is curious as to what the man is doing. He can only see the back of the man. The man stands up again and starts to throw the pebbles. His body is angled weirdly and Minwoo wonders why before it hits him - the guy is trying to stone skip, but that is obviously not the way to do it. He is not doing it right. It is frustrating to watch, but funny at the same time. After a few more attempts, the man crouches back again and starts to recollect more pebbles. He then sits down completely and throws the pebbles he collected with full force, not even trying anymore. It seems he gave up. Minwoo smiles at himself and decides to join the man. Maybe teach him how to do it. He can make a new friend at the same time. The young alpha starts walking towards the figure before stopping; lake guy just stands up and turns back, his side facing Minwoo. And he is damn beautiful. No, beautiful is not enough to describe him. He is ethereal. His smooth and milky skin... Those cold, sharp eyes¡­ That nose¡­ That sharp jawline And gulp, the man just looked up. His neck is begging to be licked. No, Minwoo. Stop. Minwoo doesn''t realize he was staring until he sees the man looking around with panic on his face. He only manages to catch a glimpse of the stranger''s full face before the man starts to run away, leaving Minwoo to catch his breath he didn''t realize he was holding. What just happened? ##### Wonho runs as fast as he can towards the omega dorm, almost tripping a couple of times. He made a mistake. He should never have wandered around alone. He thought he was alone near the lake. Nobody was there so he decided to spend his time alone. But someone was watching him. An alpha was watching him. He couldn''t see the alpha but he knew he had to get away. Wonho dashes into his room and locks the door, pushing his bed towards entrance. Then he stands there, barely able to move from tremors, just staring at the door. He hears people shouting outside and turns, running towards the window and locks it making sure to pull down the curtain. Then he let himself fall down on the floor. Breathing heavily, trying to catch his breath. He should be safe now. He is already indoor. No alpha can come and get him now. Chapter 19 - Lake Guy 1 [M] Minwoo stares at the back of the man who is looking at the lake. He is so tall, looking elegant in his brown spring coat and black turtleneck shirt. He takes a step towards the man, two steps, three steps, until he is almost able to touch him with a lift of a hand. ''¡­'' The man turns towards him, staring at him with those cold eyes. His features very sharp, as sharp as his gaze which sends electrics to Minwoo''s whole vein, traveling down his spine. Towards his groin. Minwoo swallows hard, their eyes locking together. ''Minwoo-shi¡­'' His eyes widens at the mention of his name. ''You¡­ you know my name¡­?'' The man smirks and takes a step closer to him, and Minwoo retreats back. His heartbeat is wild, nervous at the intense stare. The tension between them so high, he wants to attack and bite the slim man right there and then. He gasps, now on the ground, the beautiful man on top of him, staring down at him. Minwoo feels warmth on his groin area but is too captivated by the pale beauty over him to do anything about it. ''Minwoo-shi...'' the man hums, sending shivers. Minwoo remains still, caught off-guard by such bold move. He wants to look away, his face hot all of a sudden but those eyes are too bewitching. Swallowing hard, the alpha breathes heavily as the man lowers his head, painfully slowly until his mouth touches Minwoo''s left ear, ''I know what you want¡­'' he purrs seductively, licking his lips. Minwoo feels the thin fingers rubbing his already hard crotch very slowly, almost torturous, making his eyes shut in frustration. But he dares not to say anything, afraid to scare the man away. He grips the earth beneath him and bite his lips, trying to hold his moans, trying to hold himself together. He wants release. He wants to fuck the guy. So badly. ''Touch me Minwoo-shi¡­'' the man begs and Minwoo lifts his hand carefully, enjoying the smooth feel of that white neck. Owh, so smooth he can imagine sinking his teeth and claiming the man. But the man wants his touch, and somehow Minwoo wants to obey his every wish. And so, as desperate as he is, he starts moving his hands up and down the man''s back, loving the curve of his spine. ''Lick me...'' the man whispers and like a hungry beast, he start sucking on that soft skin, hungrily leaving marks all over. ''I''m so wet¡­. Minwoo-shi¡­'' The man grinds on him, rubbing their hard-ons together desperately. He keeps on moaning, arching his back sexily while his hands continues exploring Minwoo''s back, ''Enter me...'' Minwoo pushes the man onto the ground, turns him on his stomach and pulls his hips up, making him stand on all fours. He tears the pants with one swift motion, revealing that sweet, sweet hole. So juicy and wet. So tight. I''ll make your wish come true baby. I''ll make you scream my name until you lose your voice. I''ll fuck you so hard you won''t be able to walk. He places his cock at the entrance, the hole twitching, ready for him. He closes his eyes and... Minwoo opens his eyes to his alarm clock. It is already 7 a.m. and he is back at his dorm room. It was all just a dream. A dream he has every night since that night. ''Damnit!! Just a bit more!!! Urghh!!!'' He notices his rock-hard erection and curses inside. Every single time he would wake just before he enters the man! It is so frustrating! He is so sexually frustrated he has to do it in his dreams and yet, he cannot even reach his climax there. Minwoo gets out of bed and goes straight to the bathroom to take care of his morning wood. He turns on the shower and start moving his hand back and forth, demanding orgasm quickly. He made a mistake of imagining the stone skipping man to reach his climax though, because now¡­ ''Goddamnit!!! Not again!!!'' ¡­he just knotted and he has to wait a few more minutes before it shrinks back. ##### Second week of lecture, still no friends. He hasn''t spoken to anyone in two weeks. At least, he hasn''t had a real conversation in which the other party actually replies to him, in two weeks. Wonho tried. He actually tried to look for some faces he never met before, hopefully someone who never heard of him, and talk to them, despite him being socially awkward himself. It took him all his courage to smile and introduce himself, but for now, nobody bothered to return it back to him. He only gets awkward smiles and then silence. Then a few more minutes with them before they decide to move somewhere else. He doesn''t know what went wrong. Does he look intimidating? Does he sound creepy? Granted his voice lower than most people but that never stopped him from making friends up until now. And even if it ???????? because of the rumor about him, everyone should be mature enough to know that rumors are not always true. Why isn''t anybody giving him a chance? And if that isn''t bad enough, he has to take a class from a lecturer who is not that fond of him. Which is his fault actually. Because two years ago, he took the Creative Writing 101 as an elective under Mrs. Jung, and for each assignment, he and Junjie kept writing about death just for fun. Because she hates it and Wonho loved to hear her sarcastic remarks about their works during the class. He passed the exam though, going 180 degrees and writing about kittens and the beauty of life, and got an A. He never saw her again. Until this year. Her class is compulsory. And she definitely remembers him; she called him during class hours to remind him to take things seriously, which exposed his name to the whole class. Which is why he is now sitting at the very front of the class, alone, hiding his scent from the other omegas. Not that it will change anything, they already hate him for no reason. But he just hates it. He hates how other omegas and alphas are free to judge him from his scent alone. It makes him sick. As if he is not a real person with stories to tell. Not that he would tell them even if they ask. They can all just go to hell. The bell rings and everyone has started to pack their bags. Wonho remains in his seat, still writing down what the professor is saying, taking his own time. He is in no rush. He always makes sure he would be the last one outside the door, and the earliest one in. So he won''t have to walk alongside the other omegas. Lunch time is always the hardest for him in the past weeks. This was the time he usually hang out with Chansol or Junjie, or in rare occasions, all four of them, but he had decided not to do that this year because he thought he would have made new friends and wanted to use the lunch hour to bond with them. And since he already said that to Junjie, suddenly asking them to eat lunch with him will let them know his situation right away which may worry them. So now, Wonho just buys something from the convenient store and eats alone at the park or anywhere nobody knows him. Sometimes he skips lunch altogether. The third lecture is cancelled today so he decides to go back since he is already done for today. What shall he do the rest of the day today? There are no assignments, and today is a good day so he really wants to spend his day outside. Maybe do some work out. But the park will surely be filled with people and he really doesn''t want to bump into his dormmates. It will only ruin the perfect day. On the other hand, he really doesn''t want to go out alone¡­ And he hasn''t met his old friends yet since the incident so it feels weird to just casually ask them to hang out¡­ Wonho sighs. Maybe he should just stay indoors and watch some movies, or animes. Or just watch some random stuff on Youtube. Or sleep. The sound of silence breaks him from his thoughts and Wonho realizes everyone is already gone. He puts all his belongings inside his bag, puts on his earphones and blasts the music. He switches off all the lights and goes out the door. Just as he is about to take the left turn towards the exit, he spots someone familiar. ''Thought you didn''t come today!'' ''Haneul-hyung? Why''re you here?'' Chapter 20 - Lake Guy 2 Haneul is leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. His hair is now short and pink. The sudden change of image from two weeks ago shocks Wonho whose eyes turns wide. ''Wono-yah! Let''s have lunch!'' Wonho looks around, thinking real hard whether to accept the offer or not. He never spends time with the older besides his days at the hospital so he doubts they will have anything to talk about. Just because he is Sangcheol''s mate doesn''t mean Wonho gets along well with him. But the past few weeks has been really hectic, mentally and emotionally, and Wonho really wants to talk to someone, or even listen to someone''s voice talking to him. The isolation from the people around him is really starting to wear him. ''Sure¡­ the canteen?'' Haneul is feeling fancy today and had the cream spaghetti set and Wonho decides to go for the fried chicken. Just having Haneul there talking non-stop about his favourite menus made Wonho hungrier than usual, and he finally bought the famous custard pudding to go with his main dish. He doesn''t even like sweet food that much. ''So how''s the new course? Hanging in there?'' Wonho takes a big bite off the drumstick before chewing it hastily. God he is so hungry! And the food tastes so good! ''Boring.'' He hears a loud laugh from the older and feels a bit guilty. He should have commented on each lecture or something to show that he is trying instead of speaking bad about the whole course. It is Haneul''s major after all, and he just said it is not interesting. ''I know that feeling. My favourite ones are only critical thinking and creative writing class. I hate all the others.'' ''You do?'' Haneul nods and Wonho feels relieved that he didn''t offend the only omega who is willing to keep him company. He hates to admit it, but he is really thankful for the lunch date. He never realized how much better the food taste when eaten with good company. ''I only like to write. I hate poems and stuff like that. Do you think the authors are actually talking about death when writing about a curtain? Just where the hell did that come from?'' Wonho just has to laugh at that. Although he has yet to learn about the curtain of death the older is talking about, he never really gets poems himself. He doesn''t realize how hard he is laughing until a tear flows out. ''Yaah! Are you mocking me? It''s not even that funny.'' ''I know. That''s not even funny.'' ''What?'' Wonho laughs again when he is hit by the older. How long has it been since the last time he laughed? He misses laughing. ''Owh wait, my friend is here! Seph!'' Wonho froze in his place. A foreigner? He is already bad with the locals, let alone having to speak to foreigners. Why did Haneul invite him over? He hears the footsteps coming closer and sits still, trying to act normal. The guy or lady is an omega, based on the scent. The guy sits beside Haneul and Wonho lets a relieved sigh. He is Korean after all! ''Hey Wonho! Nice to meet you! I''m Joseph Lim.'' Wonho smiles at him and introduces himself briefly. ''Joseph''s taking social science and is doing research on omegas working in alpha/betas'' field.'' This time Haneul is doing the introduction and Wonho just nods in admiration. That major seems complicated, but he should applaud the man for studying it. Social science is really something Wonho finds interesting, yet boring at the same time because there is never a definite conclusion towards the research topic. In the end, it only depends on how the researchers interpret the data and the conclusion is made based on his feelings and opinions. So as much as it is interesting to read about it, Wonho always wonders why the course is offered in the first place. It is not science per say, at least in his opinion, but it is still¡­ explorable. Wonho notices both of the omegas'' hairs, ''You both have pinks hairs! What''s the occasion?'' ''It''s a couple look! We''re making it official.'' Wonho almost choke on his drink hearing that from Haneul. Official? Couple? What about Sangcheol? And omega-omega couple? Haneul is laughing really hard at the reaction while Joseph smiles widely. The latter hits Haneul lightly, ''Yah, you shouldn''t bully the guy like that. He almost choked to death.'' Earning another set of laughter. Wonho calms himself down and takes hard and deep breaths to re-control his respiration. After a few minutes he is finally able to breathe easy, ''What did Ryuu-hyung say about that?'' ''Pfttt¡­ what can he say about it? A teardrop and he''s all panicky¡­'' Haneul states bemusedly, making Wonho wonders how the ???????????????????? is okay with treating his ???????????????????? like that. They seem really close, but Haneul does not show that much of respect towards Sangcheol like he thought all omegas do their alphas. Their relationship seems more casual, like best friends, albeit them being mates. ''Okay fine. He got all jealous and possessive so he also coloured his hair.'' ''Ryuu-hyung, in pink? ''No, grey. Cus he''s such an ahjusshi1.'' Haneul answers casually, face annoyed and Wonho laughs again at that. Sure, he always thinks Sangcheol has this fatherly aura about him, but ahjusshi? ''Okay, fine. Silver cus he thought it looks cooler than grey. It''s still grey to me though.'' ''I''d like to see that!'' Wonho says between chuckle. He would really love to! Grey-haired Sangcheol ahjusshi! ''Well you''re coming to the games next two weeks, right? I''ll make sure he sticks to the colour till then!'' If Wonho was reluctant to go see the basketball match then, he is looking forward for it now. Of course, he is still a bit skeptical about being stuck in a room with all the alphas but Haneul and other omegas will be there, and Junjie and Mengyao too¡­ so hopefully nothing bad will happen. Hopefully. Because he really wants to meet his friends. Although he has no clue how to act around them after that incident. But he is desperate, so he will worry about it when the time comes. ##### Minwoo looks around the lecture hall for a good seat. He still knew no one from this major and everyone seems to already be comfortable in their own clique. Some alphas are eyeing him curiously, challenging him to join their group while the beta-only groups do not pay attention to his presence. After a lot of consideration, he decides to sit with the guy who is staring at the window. He is sitting alone and Minwoo really cannot be bothered with making friends from this major since he will only be taking this lecture anyways. Since he is not that busy this term as he has already taken most of the classes he had to take back at his old university, he gets some free time. And since he decided to be the hard-working Minwoo, he wants to fill his time taking other classes. Just his luck, Advanced Architecture II is right when he is free. And the lecture only requires him to write his thoughts on each session for credits. It is perfect. He gets to learn about buildings on his free time. It is basically just free credit hours! Minwoo takes his seat and decides to say hi. The man waves at him and awkwardly stares at the blackboard with nothing written on it. ''Hey, aren''t you in the basketball team?'' The half-Korean looks at him and nods, before offering his hand to shake. Minwoo awkwardly accepts it, ''Jo Chansol. You are?'' ''Kim Minwoo. I''m in medic''s basketball team!'' ''Really? Cool! So urm¡­ you playing this time?'' ''Yup! Guess we''re rivals then!'' Minwoo grins excitedly and the other nods shyly before turning his head to face the window again, leaving Minwoo by himself. The taller one is bored waiting for the appearance of the professor and wants to talk but the other seems to be in his own world. No wonder he is sitting alone. ''So, Chansol, are you mixed?'' ''Yeah man. Half-Korean, half-Dutch.'' He replies lazily but turns himself to face Minwoo, who got excited at the word ''Dutch''. He starts to speak in the language, hoping to break the ice, but only gets a wide eyed Chansol staring back at him. ''What language is that?'' ''Hrmm? It''s Dutch! You''re half-Dutch right??'' Minwoo returns the stare. Did he just make a fool of himself? He is sure he is speaking that language though, he had been speaking it for the last twelve years and is really fluent. ''Dude, my mom is from America though. I can''t speak Dutch.'' Which leaves Minwoo flabbergasted. He did just look like an idiot. ''But that''s so cool! What other language can you speak? German? French?'' ''Nope. Well, a little bit of those too but¡­'' Minwoo rubs the back of his neck and avoids the twinkle on the other''s eyes. This conversation is not turning the way he had expected. ''Cool man. Owh hey! You have fangs! That''s so cool.'' Which made Minwoo close his mouth and smiles at the man. He is very¡­ unique. In a way. In a good way but it is kind of hard to keep up. Minwoo tries to find something more interesting to talk about. The professor seems really late and he is now stuck with this Chansol kid, who somehow manages to expertly change the conversation topic each time he speaks. He has never met anybody like this. Minwoo looks around, trying to find something to talk about. He then remembers something he has been very curious about. Something about one particularly beautiful man he had met around the place some nights ago. The man he met that night... they were near the Architectural and Engineering department. He didn''t look like an omega, and he is definitely not a Performing Arts student based on how stiff he was, so he should be one of the other two. He didn''t look like a freshman either so this Chansol kid may have seen him somewhere. He is someone that is hard to miss though. At least for Minwoo. ''So Chansol, have you ever seen a guy who''s like really slim and tall, and have this really pale white skin¡­'' ''Slenderman?'' Chansol interrupts Minwoo which caught him off-guard. ''Slender who? No! I mean, yeah he''s slender but his has these sharp eyes, like a fox, or something like that and very sharp jawline¡­'' ''Something like a vampire? Are we talking about supernatural stuff? I never met any ghosts.'' Minwoo gives up and almost face palm himself if not for the professor rushing inside the door and apologizing for being late. Looks like finding the guy will be harder than he imagined. Chapter 21 - The Game 1 ''Wonho, the office told me to remind you to register your heat.'' Haneul utters as he opens the door slightly. Wonho sits up from the bed, putting his novel away. ''You really need to answer their calls.'' Wonho nods lazily. He actually blocked the number, ever since they kept on bugging him to see the school''s therapist and counsellor. After that night, the police had to notify the university for their investigation which was why Wonho is allowed to take a sick leave for half a year without any additional fees and problems. They also provided him with free health care, which he really appreciates - academy responsibility and what not. The only downside is that they also want him to take care of his mental health which consist of him going for monthly check-ups. He is already fine, yet they insist for their own omega therapist to make that judgement, which annoys Wonho. ''I haven''t gotten mine yet¡­'' He notices the surprised face, ''You seem surprised¡­'' ''No¡­ it''s just¡­ It''s already been more than 6 months since then.'' Wonho frowns. Yes, a few months have passed since that night. He stares at the older man, trying to figure out where this conversation is going. ''Most omegas got theirs in their first three months so¡­ I think it''s probably best to have a check-up.'' He realizes the other is being cautious, as if he is trying not to pry that much, giving suggestion only lightly. He nods weakly and gives the man a smile before returning to his book. He hears the door closes and stares at the ceiling. To be honest, Wonho is secretly relieved about not getting his heat just yet. In fact, he would love to not have it at all. If the attack caused him to not be able to bear children, then he would actually be thankful to his mate and attackers for messing his body that bad. Because now, the only difference between him and a beta is his scent. And he can hide that too, unlike other omegas. The situation is perfect. He suddenly got a crazy idea. If it is true that he will never get his heat, and he wishes he wouldn''t, then the bond will only be like a protector against other alphas from approaching. Maybe, if he can find his attacker, lock him up, and visit him once a month, just enough to ''renew'' the bond, he will get his sweet revenge. The alpha won''t be able to mate, and he will have his security against other alphas, and can live like any normal betas without any problems. Wonho laughs just thinking about it. That really seems like a good idea. Except that it will never happen. He will never try to find the bastard. He will never even return to that damned place. If his attacker gets caught by the authority while the bond is still not broken, then maybe, he will consider doing that. ##### Wonho makes sure to wear a turtleneck and checks himself in the mirror a few more times. He keeps on pacing back and forth, arranging his hair so he won''t stand out, and rearranging it again so he won''t look like a mess. Haneul has been calling him, urging him to hurry up but he cannot find it in himself to calm down. He will be with so many alphas in the same place, in a closed hall with only a few doors. He won''t be able to run away if anything¡­ ''You okay? The game''s starting in 30 minutes.'' His heart skips a bit at the sudden voice. Haneul is finally peeking into his room. ''Yes. Let''s go.'' ''You''re sweating so much. You need anything?'' Wonho tries to rearrange his breathing. This suck. He is holding Haneul here. Maybe he should just stay in his room today. He will ask the other about the result later. ''Hey. It''s alright. I''ll be there. Other omegas will be there, even the betas. The campus guards will be close by. Nothing will happen.'' ''I know¡­ I just¡­'' ''You can stay if you want. I''m not forcing you to go.'' ''Can you give me a few more minutes? I''m sorry¡­'' Wonho searches for his cup to drink some water to calm his nerve. He then scans around to find his pills. ''It''s fine. All games are the same anyway. Bunch of people running for the ball and shooting it in hoops. Nothing interesting.'' Wonho swallows his pills quickly and laughs at Haneul''s description of basketball. He is not wrong. ##### The game is already starting when both the omegas arrives. They take a seat right behind the bench and looks at the score. The medic''s is leading so everyone has a tense expression on their faces - Sangcheol with a deep frown, Junjie and Mengyao all alert, and even Chansol, scanning around for any openings. Wonho starts to analyze the game, trying to figure out the opponent''s weaknesses and strengths. The players changed a lot from last year''s with many new faces he never met before. Junjie passes the ball after two guys tried to block him and Chansol was ready to catch before a blond, slightly chubby guy steals the pass from him, bringing it towards his goal and shoots it. That would usually be okay, but not now. Because Chansol remains frozen, his face in daze. Even as their opponent celebrates their points, his junior keeps on staring at the blond, as if in a trance. ''Yaah!! Jo Chansol!! Get your head together!!'' Sangcheol warns the younger alpha, breaking him from his daze. He knows what just happened. The blond is an omega and Chansol is attracted to the scent. That boy really needs to have a mate soon so he can focus. ''Yah, Jo Leo Chansol! You better focus or I''ll kill you!'' Wonho screams from his lungs and notices the scared face on his junior. The man searches the crowd for the familiar face and jumps in excitement when he spotted his beloved hyung, cheering for him from the audience. He is waving vigorously, running towards the bench, not realizing he is still playing. ''Wonho-hyung!'' Just then, a pass is made which bounces on Chansol''s back, right into the opponent''s hand, who shot a 2-pointer right before the buzzer for the first half. Wonho can only hide his face in second-hand embarrassment. On the other side, Minwoo looks at the direction of the guy who distracted Chansol enough for him to make that last shot. He must be someone important for the guy to act like an excited kid. Owh¡­ He ???????? someone important. He is the angel from the lake. ##### The game ended with the medical team''s lost, leaving Minwoo to be disappointed with himself. Nobody blamed him, even congratulating him for the MVP title, but it is not enough for him. If he had made that last shot, then they might have won the game by a point. ''Arghhh!'' ''Stop sulking and pack your stuff. We''re going to drink.'' Seungyun, their team''s one and only omega comments before going somewhere. Minwoo takes a deep breath and stands up, walking towards Jeongmin. He stops when sees the man. He is talking to the other team''s players and they are hugging him, acting all close with him. He wishes the man would hug him too, because he really needs a hug right now. ''Seo Wonho, 3rd year architecture student. Beta.'' Minwoo looks back at Jeongmin, who is standing beside him since god knows when. He keeps his gaze at Minwoo''s lake guy. ''So he''s your sexy fairy?'' Minwoo smirks at the comment. He never called the man a sexy fairy. Well, maybe. Seo Wonho. That is the man''s name. The sexy, sultry man who has been appearing in his dreams. Even though he is not familiar with Korean names, he thinks the name suits the man perfectly. ''Want me to introduce you?'' ''You know him?'' ''I know Ryuu-hyung. The team captain and the alpha of his pack.'' Minwoo stares at the man again. So, the other five people around him are a part of his pack, and there are at least two alphas. This is not going to be easy. Jeongmin raises one of his brows at the other. ''Are you gonna pounce him right there and then?'' ''Pounc-? What are you talking about? Pfftt¡­'' ''You''re emitting an awful lot of pheromones. I get that you''re excited but you need to calm down.'' ''He won''t notice it anyway. He''s a beta right?'' ''But his alpha friends will. Don''t you know the basic when introducing yourself to an accomplished pack? Lower your scent to appear non-threatening.'' Jeongmin lectures him and Minwoo just rolls his eyes. He never understands why he need to lower himself just to get to know someone, or join a pack with alphas. He is a noble so other alphas will naturally gather around with him as the leader. This is exactly the reason why he is, and always has been, either a lone wolf or a leader of his own pack. It is not him to be humble with his scent. ''Are you even getting what I''m telling you?'' ''Fine.'' He decides it is not worth it and hides his scent instead. In some cases, in some RARE cases, being a beta really have its perks. Not having to be humble being one of them. Jeongmin seems surprised though, judging from his mouth hanging wide, ''What did you do? Your scent disappeared.'' ''I hid it.'' ''You can do that?'' ''I''m a noble. I can do anything.'' he smirks in satisfaction. Chapter 22 - The Game 2 ''Ryuu-hyuuung!!'' Jeongmin calls loudly as they reach the group of friends and opens his arms wide, hugging the man who pats his back lightly. ''Tae-ah! Good game!'' Minwoo stands behind Jeongmin nervously, he must make a good impression since all the others are staring at both of them, even Seo Wonho. ''Minwoo, Ryuu-hyung, the team captain.'' ''Hey, you''re the MVP! Nice game!! I''m Ryuu, or Sangcheol.'' the man offers his hand and Minwoo shakes it, smiling widely. He expected a hesitant and challenging welcome, but the man is warm, and he likes it. The man and Jeongmin starts talking about something, and Minwoo starts to steal a few glances at Wonho. The latter is laughing with the others, hand pointing to an embarrassed Chansol, his nose scrunched. This is bad. Not only is the guy sexy as hell, he is also cute. And remembering how Wonho is collecting pebbles that night, he is also adorable. How the hell can someone be cute, sexy and adorable at the same time? Look at that cute nos- ''Minwoo?'' the dazed alpha feels a slight pat and turns towards the owner of the voice. Jeongmin is smiling at him, but has a slightly firm grip on his shoulder, telling him to snap out of his trance. He realized Sangcheol is looking at him expectantly, and bows slightly, showing respect as both a junior, and a new alpha, although he doubts the other knows about the latter. Jeongmin then casually introduces him to the others, and each of them greets him briefly, like it is natural of Jeongmin to do so. Maybe it is. Seeing the guy is famous for being overly friendly. ''Seo Wonho¡­'' He is quite surprised by the man''s deep voice, even more than his. From the beautiful face, one would expect a slightly higher tone, something like the omega with pink hair beside him. He is not expecting that bass. ''I''m Kim Minwoo from the medical department.'' The alpha feels slightly warm as he realizes he only introduced himself to the guy. And his voice was a bit shaky, very unlike the confident guy he is. Unfortunately for him, that didn''t go unnoticed based on Jeongmin''s and Sangcheol''s laughter. Seo Wonho... He feels another pat on his back and again, realizes he is staring. Jeongmin pulls him a few steps behind, forcing him to look at the main alpha of the pack. He doesn''t even realize he is heading towards Seo Wonho if not for the pull. Being around the man just makes him act unconsciously. They talk for a while, something Minwoo has no interest in, but still decides to focus on listening. A few minutes later, Chansol joins in the conversation, catching him off guard. If the kid talks about him being an alpha, things will turn out bad for him. He will have to explain why he is hiding his scent, and he doubts Sangcheol would appreciate it, as the older alpha seems like the overly protective kind, even more so when his mate is around. Thankfully Chansol doesn''t even notice him hiding it - whether he doesn''t realize Minwoo is an alpha in the first place, or he just doesn''t care. Minwoo releases a sigh of relief, turning around to see that Seo Wonho is no longer there. He looks around and sees the man heading towards the exit with the others. Shit, if he let this chance slip, he may not have another chance! ''I, urh¡­ I need to use the toilet.'' ##### Wonho tries to stay calm but he keeps feeling as if someone is watching him. He just wants to get out of the hall as soon as possible and get some fresh air to calm his head. ''Wait just a second, I have to give Cheollie something first.'' ''Owh yeah. I forgot my bag!'' Mengyao tells him before running back to the locker room. Wonho stiffens slightly, secretly wishing Junjie will not leave his side. He doesn''t want to make it obvious but there are so many people at the hall and he is still uncomfortable being in public alone. As if sensing his dread, ''Yaah! Mengyao! Get mine too!'' Wonho relaxes his muscle as soon as his best friend screamed. He feels a gentle caress on his back and flinches a bit, slightly shocking his friend who has concern written all over his face. ''You okay?'' ''Yeah¡­ yeah. No. I just feel like someone''s watching. It''s nothing.'' He gives a quick look around and notices his friend doing the same, only, Junjie is scanning the whole hall intensely. After making sure no one is watching, he pulls Wonho behind him slightly, his hand gripping the other''s rather firmly. There is then an awkward silence between them, both not really saying anything. Not knowing what to say. Wonho, thankful for the affirmation and the other, anxious for any incoming offense. It is like middle school all over again when they would protect each other from the school bullies. They had a peaceful high school life though, so it has been a while seeing this side of his friend. Funny even, considering his usual stupid demeanor. ''You trying to act tough right now?'' He teases, just to break the silence. ''I am stronger than you, emo face.'' ''You wanna fight me, brah?'' Wonho replies, earning him a headlock from the other. He retaliates back by pretending to elbow Junjie and like he always reacted, the man pretends to fall down from the non-existent force. Then they both laugh, breaking the tension as they make their way out of the hall. ##### Minwoo frowns at the sight. The two seems extra comfortable with each other. Are they dating? If Wonho is another omega, he would already be walking there, releasing his strong pheromones and the man will be all over him in an instant, leaving that Junjie guy behind. But he is still lacking in beta dating, and he doubts just standing there lingering around Wonho will make the man run into his arms like there is no tomorrow. He must do something. He must not let this opportunity go- Wait, why is he stressing about this anyway? Did he not promise himself to focus on studying and bettering himself? Did he not just swear to himself to stop playing around? A month ago? No, but this is different. This should be different. He never felt such a strong longing like this in his life. And he only knows the man''s name today. ''Hey, this is for you.'' Minwoo pushes the hand on his arm forcefully, staring at the omega girl who is holding a piece of paper, giving him a sultry gaze. He hides his scent right away and stares back, warning her to leave him alone. Unfortunately, she takes that as a challenge and walks closer. ''Piss off. I''m not in the mood.'' He growls, showing his teeth instinctively, making the omega stop her approach. He turns around and makes his way to the toilet, wanting to wash off the disgusting trace of the omega''s touch on him. Minwoo pumps the soap a few more time before washing his lower arm. He proceeds to scrub it with his nails vigorously before realizing what he is doing and washes the foam off, revealing a red forearm. ''Dammit.'' He laughs slowly at how pathetic he is and splashes himself with the cold water to calm down. A few more minutes of intense staring at the mirror and he gets out. Only to find someone he had been looking for. ''Seo Wonho?'' He is surprised, really hoping the man sitting on the rail tapping his fingers is the said man. Because the man is now alone and Minwoo wants to use this opportunity to approach him. Minwoo releases his breath when the other turned, revealing his sharp and refined jaws, intense gaze, and milky neck. That neck. That smooth, white neck. Wonho''s throat bobs as he swallows and Minwoo gulps as a response. ''Kim Minwoo, we met just now.'' ''Owh¡­ yeah Minwoo,'' the alpha simpers at his name being called in that deep voice, ''from the medical team.'' ''Yes, you remember. So, urm¡­ are you done for today? Not celebrating or anything?'' There is a silent pause and Minwoo feels himself sweating from the lack of response, ''We are¡­ later.'' The man returns his gaze to the ground and then there is another silence. ''Owh that''s great. You guys played really well! Didn''t expect that¡­'' Minwoo stops himself halfway. Even if he talks about the team that way, the man is only here as a supporter. The conversation will not continue- ''Yeah they''re great. They really improved a lot from last year. They are a bunch of wimps, especially Junjie and Chansol.'' Minwoo grins to himself. Wonho seems to like talking about basketball. He should try commenting on today''s game. ''So-'' ''YAAH! Who you calling a wimp?'' Minwoo hears another man laughing loudly and turns his head to glare at the newcomer. It is none other than Junjie, holding two cans of Pepsis in his hands, one for each of them. Instantly, he feels a pang of jealousy and disappointment at their close relationship, and at his and the man''s short conversation. Junjie gives him a nod and he replies with a smile, giving up for now. Feeling defeated, Minwoo returns back to Jeongmin, wanting to cry his heart out. That would be embarrassing though, so he will most likely only annoy his friend, asking him to buy him food to make him feel better. Chapter 23 - Panic Attack 1 After much begging and persuasion, Minwoo finally got some information on Seo Wonho. Chansol is really tougher than he thought. After finding about his new crush that is the annoying Bae Seungyun, Minwoo had the idea to exchange information. But still, Chansol seems to be really protective about his hyung, much to Minwoo''s displeasure. He also seems to be holding back some important details. But any information on the guy is important so he decides to let it go. Right now, he knows that Wonho loves to read, and can most likely be found in libraries at the novel section, or in his cubicle which Chansol refuses to tell where. And that there are two people he should watch out for ¨C Sangcheol, the main alpha who will most likely confront him if he messes with any of them, and Junjie, the silent guy who will apparently just go ahead and beat him lifeless if he dares to mess with Wonho. And the latter seems more dangerous, despite him being only a beta. Although he already does not like the beta, the one thing that he really hates about that Junjie guy is the fact that he dated Wonho back in middle school, and they are still as close even now. Despite being exes. And the fact that Chansol told him to not mind them acting weird together because they tend to be the only ones who get each other''s jokes. Irritating. On the other hand, Chansol also told him they are going hiking with the club in a few weeks. So that means, if he can only join that specific club and somehow manages to register for the trip before the deadline, he could be spending the three-day holiday with Seo Wonho. And Junjie. And the other members. And bugs, and other little crawly animals. But Wonho will be there so it will still be worth it. ##### Wonho peeks at his vibrating phone to see a message coming from none other than Chansol. The young alpha asked to meet him in front of the Literature building where he apparently found some benches. Wonho wonders where that actually is because the only benches here is everywhere but in front. After a whole lot of describing, he finally meets the man, still oblivious of his surroundings with his big headphones. ''Yah, Chansol. Why''re you here?'' ''Wono-hyung! Let''s go to the basketball court.'' ''O...kay then. That was random but lemme just put my stuff back at the dorm.'' ##### Nothing is ever expected with this boy, and after not spending time with him for months, Wonho cannot help but to ponder upon how he manages to stand the boy''s hyperactive antics. Like right now, when he wanted to follow Wonho inside the omega dorm, and the next moment when he had his big disappointed face after seeing the empty omega basketball court that he insisted on going. ''We''re here. Are you gonna tell me what''s up?'' He gives the younger a look, half scaring him. Something is definitely weird. ''Tell me or I''ll hit you.'' ''No! Okay. I thought my Bae is here and turns out he''s not.'' ''Your Bae?'' ''Seungyun. The omega?'' He gave Wonho the eyes, as if everyone should know the omega called Seungyun. Not satisfied with that answer, Wonho crosses his arms. ''The blond? With the orangey scent and hot ass?'' ''Okay now be less specific.'' ''We played together last match?'' ''Aahhh¡­ the medic team''s player! Yahh!'' He hits the back of Chansol''s head lightly. ''You dragged me out here to play cupid?? And Bae Seungyun should be in their court, not here!'' ''But he''s supposed to be practicing alone at the omega court!'' Chansol seems confused, but Wonho only rolls his eyes in annoyance. What did he do to deserve this? ''You think every omega in the whole campus comes here to play? Each part of campus has their own omega gym dumb-dumb! Didn''t they tell you that during orientation?'' Then again, they probably did tell him. Chansol just never listens. ##### Where is he? After bailing on Chansol and leaving him in the hands of a confused Seungyun, Wonho ran as fast as he could back. He did make sure to tell the other omega about Chansol''s lacking sense of direction and asked him to ensure his junior get back home safely so he should be fine. Except right now, Wonho is the one getting lost. This part of campus is not familiar to him in the first place, and it also changed a lot in the past two years. Wonho remembers going straight from the court and turning left. He should reach a convenient store right now, but he had been walking for a while and there is still not a sign of one. He saw a small stationary shop, and a caf¨¦, which was not there when he came. And the place is filled with those sickening and nauseous scent - the alphas. Where is he? Shouldn''t there be a map? A directory? He should turn back. Retrace his step. Shit. He needs to calm down. They are looking at him. They know he is scared. No, focus. They won''t notice him. He is hiding his scent. They won''t. They shouldn''t. ????????????????????????????????????????????????. Two alphas are coming towards him. Is his pheromone bursting out again? Like that night? Everyone else is also looking at him. This isn''t happening again. Not again. ''Wonho?'' He hears his name being called by an unfamiliar voice. He doesn''t know anybody from this part of campus. He needs to get away, fast. He needs to run. Why aren''t his legs moving??!! ''Seo Wonho.'' Wonho flinches when he feels someone pats him on his shoulders and pushes the hand away, backing a few steps. ''Hey, woah. It''s just me. Sorry if I scared you.'' Someone he knows? ''Kim Minwoo. We met a week ago.'' Kim Minwoo. He remembers the guy. The MVP. Owh god, this is humiliating. The man he just met saw him having one of his panic attacks. Minwoo is probably judging him right now, making assumptions. They always do. ''You don''t look too good. Do you wanna sit down?'' ''I-I''m fine. Thanks. Minwoo-sshi.'' ''You sure?'' Minwoo is staring at him longer than he should, and Wonho feels really vulnerable. As if he is completely naked while fully clothed. He can feel all the other alpha''s attention towards them both, staring, their eyes hungry for him, their hands just eager to touch. ''Seo Wonho-sshi?'' Wonho realizes he is starting to hallucinate and frowns. This is bad. He needs his medicine. He looks back at the taller man and Minwoo has a look of concern. Wonho hates that look - the look of pity. The one the doctors and nurses had back at the hospital every time they saw him, every time he walked pass them. ''Hey. Look at me.'' Look at me, pretty omega. No¡­. No!!! Wonho feels a pair of hand on each side of his face, locking it in place. Panicked, he grips each hand, trying to pry them away. ''Seo Wonho-sshi! Breathe! In and out.'' ''Let me go!!'' ''In and out. Breathe.'' Again, the voice breaks him away from his flashbacks and his eyes wanders around him, noticing the look everyone is giving him. This is really happening. ''Hey, just focus on me. Here. Come on. Breathe.'' It takes a while for Wonho to readjust his breathing, all the while Minwoo guides him, distracting him from his surrounding. Once he is relaxed enough, the hands on his face is disappears. ''I need to go back.'' ''Alright. You need to calm down first.'' Wonho nods and takes deep breaths, trying very hard to slow down his heartrate. ''You definitely need to sit down. I''ll get you some water okay? Or¡­ you want Coke instead?'' ''I''m fine. I just need direction back¡­'' ''You''re lost?'' Wonho nods frantically. He wants to go back so badly. Anywhere is fine as long as it is not here. Everyone just saw what happened and it is really humiliating. He just wants to go back, take his pills and sleep. And preferably never wake up again. Wonho looks back at the other. Minwoo is not convinced and still has the worried face. He has to give a good enough explanation about his situation so the man will show him the direction without trying to hold him here. ''I sometimes get panic attacks when I''m lost. Phobia. Just need a few moments to calm down and think.'' ''Owh? You get lost often?'' ''I''m bad with direction.'' He lies again. Anything is better than the truth. There is an uncomfortable silence before Minwoo finally laughs a bit. ''I''m not that good with directions either but I might be able to walk you back. If that''s okay.'' Wonho gives it a bit of thought. At least the he won''t be walking alone surrounded by all the other alphas. ''Okay¡­'' Chapter 24 - Panic Attack 2 ''Nice!!'' Minwoo notices he sounded too enthusiastic and clears his throat. To be honest, he was worried when Wonho pushed his hand away just now, thinking the guy hates him. But the man seemed out of focus and scared it just made him want to calm Wonho down. Who would''ve thought he would be that scared just by getting lost? They walk in silence. Wonho kept looking around restlessly until Minwoo finally spoke. He continues looking down since, only listening and nods when needed. Sometimes he also talks, but only to answer what was asked, nothing more. Wonho seems uncomfortable and that makes Minwoo nervous. He usually never needs to start a conversation with strangers, nor had he try to hold one longer than required. Among his old friends, they usually talk about omegas, and with the betas, about girls. Sometimes they also talk about cars and sports, but Wonho does not seem like he will be interested in that. Basketball, maybe, but Chansol said he only likes to play. Owh yeah, books. He should talk about books. ''So urmm¡­ do you have a girlfriend?'' What the fuck? That is not what he wanted to ask. Minwoo swallows hard and peeks at the slightly shorter man. Wonho is also taken aback by the question. ''No. I mean. Boyfriend? Or whatever. I''m not judging. Omegas maybe. Omegas can get pregnant. There''s nothing wrong with dating omegas. Or boys. Whichever. Okay.'' Minwoo licks his lips. He just made it worse. Why did he have to be such a chatterbox? Where did his cool go? Wonho''s jaws are clenched and Minwoo really thinks he is over. It would an overdramatic thought but Wonho can be a jerk who hits people he hates. He does have that cold, emotionless gaze. His heart almost dropped when the other suddenly replies, ''No. I don''t like omegas, and I hate alphas.'' He hates alphas. Minwoo feels his shoulders drop. Hate is a really strong word. On the other hand, that can just be the way he talks. Or maybe he just has a very depressing personality. Minwoo doubts that though, seeing how happy he is with his pack. On the bright side, as long as nobody tells the guy about him being an alpha, Wonho will never know about it, and he will still have a shot at this. And omegas¡­ just thinking about them makes him lose his temper. ''Looks like we have something in common! I don''t like them either.'' Wonho looks at him, eyes wide probably surprised by the answer. He is studying Minwoo and looks like he wants to ask something; but turns his gaze back to the front, much to the latter''s disappointment. He almost sighs before he notices the other walking beside him. Wonho had been behind Minwoo all this while and now, they are side by side. There are still silence but Wonho now has his face upwards, looking in front of them instead of on the ground, giving Minwoo a good display of his side profile, making him thirsty all of a sudden. ''Do you always like to stare at people?'' It is Wonho who breaks the silence, catching him off guard. Minwoo turns his head back to the front, feeling hot suddenly. ''I''m not good with words.'' He hears a soft chuckle and looks back at the other. The man has a really nice half smirk, and it stayed there until their eyes lock with each other. ''Wonho-sshi are you-'' ''Owh we''re here! Thanks, Minwoo-sshi!'' Wonho runs away from him, towards the main road. He waves at Minwoo, before disappearing completely less than a second later. ''-gay?'' Minwoo sighs and waves back. He doubts the guy will get himself lost again in medical department, and he might not be able to meet him at the architectural class either. His only chance will only be the hiking trip, which he has yet to know the details of. ##### Wonho runs back to his room as fast as his legs can carry and sits on his desk. What happened today should not happen again. No one should be able to see him in that pathetic state ever again. He needs be able to bring his meds wherever he goes. He pulls out all his medications, trying to fit the bottles in his pockets. It makes his pockets bulge, Wonho hits the table in frustration. Placing his head on the surface, he bites his lips, too tightly it almost bleed. ''Wono-yah?'' He jerks up when he hears the older omega''s voice. Standing up to face the man, all the medicine falls out of his pocket and Wonho quickly gets down on the floor to collect them before the older sees how many he has. ''Can we talk?'' Honestly, he wants to be alone. After everything that happened today, his mind is already in a mess. Talking is definitely NOT what he wants to do right now. ''I don''t feel like talking.'' ''It''s important.'' Before Wonho can reply, Haneul had already close the door and sits on the bed, signaling him to do the same. Wonho holds his annoyed breath and leaned against his desk, wanting to put a distance between them. He does not want to be touched, just like he does not want to be near anyone right now. ''Okay then. We''ll talk like this. Wonho, have you been taking suppressants?'' ''No.'' ''You don''t give off scents outside the dorm. And I''m not the only one who noticed it, everyone else does too.'' Wonho wants to argue about that but holds himself back. He wants the conversation to be over quickly because he has other things to concern himself with. ''You''re not going to say anything? Any explanation?'' ''I''m not taking it. And what I''m doing shouldn''t bother anyone. I can hide my scent if I want to, and all the other omegas should just shut the fuck up.'' He is referring to his damned classmates who are spreading rumors about him, ostracizing him. They are probably the one who keeps talking about his lack of scents too, which is why Haneul knows it in the first place - because he never has to hide it when with the older. Unfortunately, Haneul seems to think Wonho is asking him to mind his own business, judging from the brief tensed look he had a few moments before. ''Well, I''m only concerned about you. You said you haven''t had your first heat and yet you''re taking those pills. You''ll damage your body if you keep on-'' ''I''m not taking the damned pills!!! I told you that!'' ''Scents just don''t disappear, Wonho! And fine, even if you do have a prescription for it, you should not get more than a week''s.'' Haneul is accusing him of buying those stuff illegally. This is bullshit. He does not need this, today is already bad enough as it is. Wonho clenches his fists and heads towards the door. He almost reached it before Haneul pulls him back, making him to sit on the bed. Wonho winces at the sudden force, pulling his wrist as soon as the man lets go of his hand. ''I''m sorry Wono-yah,'' the man suddenly calls him with a gentle voice, completely opposite of his action just now, shuddering Wonho who is still shocked. ''You can''t keep acting like this. You''re not going to the therapist, you''re not getting your check-ups, and you''re taking suppressants. You''re going down a dangerous path.'' ''I did all of that. I spent half a year to heal. I''m fine!'' ''Then tell me why you''re not getting your heat yet.'' ''None of your concern.'' He replies coldly. All omegas are the same. Even Haneul. Always sticking out on people''s business. What does his heat got to do with the older anyway? Is him getting his heat means that the other can get pregnant? ''Wono-yah. I''m not your enemy. I''m only concerned, as a friend. As a guardian. I know how scary it is to get your first heat. Even more for you since yours will be in the absence of your mate. But you need to let your body experience the first heat. I bet the doctors also told you the same thing. First heats are important for an omega.'' ''I know.'' It is impossible not to know. That is the first thing the doctor told him when he was at the hospital, and that is also what the police officers and lawyer talked about when they interviewed him, and that is what his therapist taught him during one of their sessions. Everyone is only concerned about his first heat, as if he could die if he doesn''t experience it. ''And I''m not taking suppressants. Believe me or don''t believe me, I don''t care. My heat will come when it comes and if it doesn''t then, lucky me. Can I leave now?'' Wonho stares at Haneul, challenging him to try and hold him here. Fortunately for him, Haneul seems to already give up trying to talk to him. Grabbing the chance, he walks right out the door, not bothering to lock it. ''I''ll be here when you''re ready to talk.'' He hears the man offer before turning the corner and exits the damned place. Chapter 25 - Panic Attack 3 Wonho stares at the building - his old department''s library, his safe haven. The place where he can spend all day just reading, in the private cubicle at the top floor, without any worried in the world. He misses those days. Days when everything is secured and in place. His friends, his passion, his future, his love life. He wants that. He wants to experience, just a taste, of his old life. Taking a deep breath, he steps into the automatic door. The place is filled with alphas and betas - his old department''s students, but he should be able to conceal himself just fine. The first face that greets him is old lady Han, his favourite librarian. ''Would you look at that!! Seo Wonho! Omo, what happened to you?'' He flashes her a simple smile to ease her excitement. He misses that too. The days when he would fall asleep in his cubicle until closing hours, and Mrs. Han would wake him up and scold him for holding her at work longer than she should. Wonho enquires about his usual place and luckily, nobody ever goes up there to even be aware of the facilities so he can use them as he always does. Lying on the bean bag and looking out the window, he closes his eyes, taking in the familiar smell of old papers and leather covers. ''Seo Wonho. I told you not to make me do this again! You never listen!'' He is awoken by the voice he used to get annoyed with. He gives her the usual grin, bows his head for the customary apology, and heads towards the elevator for the first floor. As expected, nothing can beat sleeping in his cubicle. He uses the one at the furthest corner too often that even when he left his personal belongings there, it will still be there the next time he comes. In fact, the diary he hid in between the old books last year is still there, much to his amusement. Wonho looks around the empty street. It is very quiet, very peaceful, just the way he likes it. There are some joggers, and some students walking home from burning the night''s oil, but apart from that, he is in his own world. Everything seems really light, the air relaxing, the breeze calming. Wonho starts to hum his favourite song, walking ever so slowly back to reality. ''Won-Wonho¡­'' He quickens his pace. He knows that voice and doesn''t want to face the owner. ''Wonho! Wait!'' Quick footsteps follow until Jinyoung catches his left arm, grabbing it lightly. ''Wait, please.'' The man, his most cherished omega, has his victory smile on. He looks at the taller one, trying, obviously nervous to start spilling his heart. ''How do I say this? I know things had been hard. I don''t know what happened to you but I know, I think I know, that you''re having a hard time. Okay now I''m repeating myself. Wait, let me calm down. Damn you walk fast. I know you have long legs but¡­'' Wonho stares at him; he is as adorable as ever, but that only makes it harder for him to forget them. ''Okay. Straight to the point, I still like you and I hope we can stay the same.'' ''We can''t be together Jinyoung. You know that.'' The smaller flashes a quick smile - a sad one before taking another minute to calm his nerves. Meanwhile, Wonho has already begin his step back. ''But we can be friends, right? We can still hang out like we used to, right? I like spending time with you.'' ''¡­ I like being around you too.'' ''We don''t have to be lovers. We can be friends, or best friends.'' ''But I like you more than a friend. You should know that too.'' He looks at the red-haired omega. He made it really clear back when they were still together. ''It''s hard not to want you.'' ''I, feel the same way. But¡­ feelings change, right?'' There is that bitter feeling left by the word. He doubts that. He never like anybody the way he likes the man in front of him, and he doesn''t want them to change. ''If it doesn''t then¡­ we''ll figure something out.'' Wonho sighs softly. He wants this really badly. He still wants to touch that smooth skin, pinch that chubby cheeks and nuzzle on that soft-looking hair. This being in front of him still looks as beautiful as ever, as tempting to him. A forbidden fruit. Forbidden. ''My mom, my omega mom, she left me when I was little to be with her omega lover. She is already mated with my dad, yet she ran away and had my baby sister.'' Jinyoung continues hesitantly. He never likes to talk about it, especially to someone he cares about, afraid to lose them. The people back in his hometown shunned him for her mom''s actions, and he didn''t want that to happen here, not when he finally able to make friends despite his past. ''I didn''t know that Jinyoung. I''m sorry.'' ''It''s okay. I hated her back then but I kinda understand why she did it but that''s not the point. The point is, we can make this work. If you still want to.'' This is the first time he heard of such things. Two omegas having children together. He knows it is almost impossible for them to get married, and once people starts to find out about it, life will get harder. And children, children borne from two omega parents are usually defected, or stillborn. But to know that someone out there did it, and had a healthy child, gives him a bit of hope. ''I''m not forcing you to do it. No. It''s okay. It''s illegal. I''m just saying I want us to stay the same. As friends if not what we had. I, I missed you. Goodnight then.'' With that, Jinyoung starts to walk away, fast enough for Wonho to follow. The new omega stands still for a while, taking in what he just heard. He stares at the other''s back getting smaller as he gets further. There is no way he is letting Jinyoung disappear. If things can stay the same for them, then he will make sure it does. Chasing after the man, he finally breaks the silence, ''L-let me walk you home!'' One of his favourite things about coming back from the library early in the morning was stumbling upon Jinyoung, who would also be coming home from practice after being scolded by the security guard. He would walk the omega home, acting like the protective lover, and wish him goodnight before returning to his own. Now, things has changed but it will only mean that they can walk together, and there will be no goodbyes in front of the gate. ''I mean, let''s go back together.'' Chapter 26 - His Fear 1 ''You, Kim Minwoo, done with omegas? Is this the end of the world?'' Minwoo rolls his eyes at his blond friend sitting across him with two other alphas. His high school friends are visiting Korea for a while and they decided to meet up for coffee to catch up. As usual, their conversations lead back to omegas and his friends are curious about his new adventures with Korean omegas. Because Minwoo is famous about his distaste of Asian omegas. Since no one would understand their conversation spoken in a foreign language, the alphas do not bother to talk softly about such topic. ''What''s wrong with them? They smell nice and taste good¡­'' his other friend with jet-black hair exclaims while kissing the tips of his fingers. He probably already had a taste at the club or something, they always do, just like the past him would if not for that night. ''Even if you''re that picky, it''s still way better than boring betas.'' ''You haven''t fuck anyone since you got back?'' The blond asks, and all his friends gasp, ''No wonder you look so uptight!'' Minwoo chooses to ignore that comment. He might be uptight, but not because he isn''t sleeping around like he would. Because he despises the omegas now. Merely being around them makes him so mad he can just, shove them around. Yes, he is uptight because he has to control his emotions not to let himself lose. ''Dude¡­'' Again, the blond drags his word, as if he just realized something. ''No¡­ Don''t tell me. You found someone¡­'' ''Owh shit,'' the raven hits the table, looking at Minwoo for any reaction. He wanted to ignore it, but he couldn''t. The moment that statement was made, he was reminded of Seo Wonho, the pretty guy he met at the lake. It seemed it was evident on his face because his friend follows, ''he did. He''s hooked.'' ''Who that pretty omega? You have a pic?'' Minwoo smirks and drinks his coffee, trying to remain cool by not showing his enthusiasm. He does not plan to comment on anything though, because things are still not going as he planned and that really hurts his ego because he always gets what he wants. But at the same time, the boys need to see how beautiful Wonho is. Because he found something really rare. ''Don''t tell me¡­ rejected??'' The blond guesses, making all his other friends laugh at him. Minwoo chokes on his coffee. ''Someone rejected the noble alpha Minwoo. That''s the first! Damn Korean omegas are tough!'' He cannot bear hearing his pride being stomp like that. He was not rejected, yet. In fact, he hadn''t even made his move. Once he does, Wonho will be his in no time. ''First of all, I wasn''t rejected and second, he''s a beta so he''s harder.'' All of three of them stare as if he just said he believes in spaghetti monster. Granted, he is a little bit obsessed with the omegas, just like his friends, but he also enjoys betas once in a while. Once or twice. He might have been the craziest among his friends with the omegas in his last days in Europe though, but that was just because he thought it could''ve been his last time finding a good plaything. And he was not wrong. ''You''re caught by a proud beta?'' ''Minwoo, what happened to you?'' ''He a good fuck?'' ''What''s his name?'' The one in the leather jacket asks, already bringing out his laptop. He types in the said name, asking Minwoo for the spelling and Hangul, and searches for any social media. ''He privates them. It''s useless.'' Minwoo states, smiling proudly. Looks like Wonho will remain his secret. Although he is aching to show the man off, torturing his very curious friends is also very interesting. He might keep it this way for a while. ''You sure bout that? Let''s see, Sowon-'' ''Seo.Won.Ho'' He corrects them, but he doubts they will actually find him. Because he doesn''t own picture as default- ''He''s a third year? So, his DP''s a fucking book? What is he? A nerd?'' ''He''s a nerd.'' Minwoo answers monotonously. Okay, so maybe Wonho''s name is not so common. Or there are only a few Seo Wonho on campus. Even if they managed to find his profile, they won''t be able look at his pictures anyway because the man privates his profile. Minwoo has been waiting for his friend request to be approved just to do be granted the pleasure, and Wonho still hasn''t done that yet. ''Owh, he''s pale.'' Minwoo''s eyes widens. How the hell? ''Let''s see what we got here. He''s quite manly, sharp features. Nice. Not my type though, but nice.'' His friend continues, the other two joining him as well. They are probably just guessing. All Koreans can be considered pale. Also, Wonho is not ''nice'', he is fucking, jaw-dropping gorgeous. The epitome of beauty. ''Owh¡­ half naked pic!'' Minwoo gulps as the other two howls excitedly and remembers one important detail - his friend is a good hacker. Which means that they may not be lying about that picture. But Wonho wouldn''t upload a half-naked pic, right? He would never! He is supposed to be innocent! They are bullshitting him. ''So smooth. His body looks like an omega. Damn that tiny waist.'' The raven comments, making Minwoo extremely curious. ''Gimme that!'' Minwoo has enough and takes the laptop away, swallowing really hard at the said picture. It is a half-naked picture alright, but not the kind he was excited for. It is just a picture of him and his friends laughing at the camera, behind them a lake or a river of some sort. Wonho was playing in the water judging from the water droplets on his naked upper half. Wet hair, smooth skin, tiny waist¡­ Just like an omega¡­ Damn he is sexy! Shaking his head, breaking himself from the trance, the noble omega argues, ''That''s just him swimming you sick fuck.'' ''He''s still naked and you were still excited.'' Minwoo growls at that, even harder when his friends take the laptop away from him. ''He''s a bit skinny don''t you think? Can he even handle you with that waist?'' ''You might break him. Owh, wait. Did you give it to him? Is he tight? He looks tight.'' Those comments are expected from his friends as that is how they usually talk about omegas, but somehow it really triggers something inside of him. He doesn''t like them talking about Wonho like that. The man is not just another omega he wants to bang, he is Seo Wonho... Come to think of it, why was he attracted to Wonho? Yes, the man is beautiful, and his voice is heavenly, and his supposed innocence tempting, but why he is occupying Minwoo''s mind, even the alpha has no idea. All he knows is that he is not fond of how his friends are looking at Wonho''s naked photo. Minwoo grabs the laptop, snaps a picture, closes the window and shuts it down, glaring at them. ''He''s mine.'' ''Chill man. No interest.'' ''So, is he tight?'' The black-haired asks again, still pushing it. ''I don''t know.'' He takes another slurp of his coffee and stares at the raven, daring him to ask again. But they are his crazy friends, and he just successfully made them more excited with his stubbornness. ''YOU HAVEN''T HAD HIM?'' the man screams and the other two laugh along, much to Minwoo''s embarrassment. Other people may not understand what they are talking about, but they are staring due to the commotion, that''s for sure. ''Why? Is he a virgin?'' ''I don''t know assholes! Does he look like a virgin to you?'' ''Yup.'' ''Definitely.'' ''Alpha virgin. He looks like a top.'' Minwoo looks back at the picture he took. Wonho does look like a top. But Minwoo is a top himself. That is a big problem. ''But you can just corner him and use a bit of force right? They''ll give up when they realize you''re stronger. No worries. Always works for me.'' Minwoo has to agree to that. Based on his brief experience with betas, he knows that they always tend to be submissive once they realize he is the stronger one and refuses to bottom. But he can never imagine doing that to Wonho. Wonho is just, he just looks too fragile, especially after seeing him panicking. ''Hey man. I got you.'' The raven, the party animal of the group, pats him suddenly. ''He seems like the one who likes to play hard to get.'' He hands Minwoo something in a small plastic case. ''One of these babies and he''ll be like omegas in heat.'' ''The fuck are you giving me?'' Minwoo realizes what the pills were. Aphrodisiac. ''That''s rape.'' ''Yeah man. What the fuck?'' The blond backs him up; he too, was taken aback. ''No, no. Hang on. I got these from someone. They''ll still be conscious, they''ll just wanna be fucked. Just use it after you got him to bed. No rape, just him being submissive. Got it?'' ''That''s illegal. You should know that.'' His other friend scolds and Minwoo just stares at the raven, burning holes into that empty skull of his. That is so low, and desperate. His friend just asked him to rape someone and tried to justify it. There is this sickening feeling in his stomach, remembering how the same type of drugs was used on him that night. The alpha bastard who did that to him might well have been his own friend. ''You''re sick.'' Minwoo throws the case to the wall, shocking not only his friends, but also the caf¨¦ staffs and their customers. He stands up and was ready to go before, ''Wait man. What the hell? It''s only a stimulant! Why''re you overreacting?!'' Minwoo grabs the black-haired alpha by the collar, ''Don''t you fucking dare appear in front of me again. You got me? I''m leaving.'' He releases the other and walks away, the blond following him. What happened really made him wonder, if that night never happened, would he have agreed to the suggestion? The thought scares him. Chapter 27 - His Fear 2 Wonho stares at the red-haired fluff stuffing his face with ramen. Jinyoung''s already chubby cheeks is filled with food, reminding him of a hamster. Wonho always wonder if those cheeks will still be as squishy. He pokes just to make sure. ''What are you trying to do??'' Jinyoung screams in between munching and hits his shoulder, sending him bursting into laughter. This man never fails to amuse him, his every action adorable and funny. Not to mention, he still looks cute even while making that scary face. Wonho knows he is trying to scare him, but he is just so, squishy. ''Stop pinching my cheeks!'' ''Aigoo.. you''re so cute.'' Wonho continues his attacks even after a few more hits from the smaller male. Jinyoung even sprayed some food while screaming for him to stop, but the former refuses. A few more punches and he gives up. ''You''ll never win against me.'' ''One of these days¡­'' again with the useless threat. Jinyoung glares at him before shifting his attention towards Wonho''s unfinished ramen. ''Aren''t you gonna finish that? Your lecture''s in 15 minutes'' ''I''m skipping this one.'' ''Again? Aren''t you skipping a lot?'' Wonho flashes him a smile and brings his own bowl to eat while walking around the room. Jinyoung''s room is messy, his stuffs placed randomly all over the place. It is not dirty though, thank god for that because Wonho hates dirty people. Jinyoung is just too unbothered to arrange his stuff. ''Wono! You should take it more seriously! Jesus, why did you change your major if you hate literature so much¡­'' Jinyoung continues his complaints and Wonho turns a deaf ear as always. Nobody in the lecture will even care if he is absent anyways, and he only skips those without attendance. It doesn''t really matter but Jinyoung is a diligent person so he will never understand. Wonho continues to look around, occupying himself so he won''t have to answer the small squish. He opens the freezer and gasps at the amount of food inside. ''Why do you have so many of these?'' ''Wono, ten more minutes.'' ''Still not going.'' He takes out the instant fried rice and shows it to the other, raising an eyebrow to urge Jinyoung to answer. The said man rolls his eyes in annoyance and slurps the last of his food. ''Food stock during my heat.'' He mutters incoherently and Wonho had to ask the man to repeat again. He blushes when he finally gets it. Wonho had never been with Jinyoung during his heat; only sending food before and after the week is over to make sure his lover was healthy. He never thought about what happen during that time because he was not allowed to enter the vicinity and would always cut all contacts to give Jinyoung his privacy. They wouldn''t even talk about it because it was too personal. For him that is. Jinyoung tried to bring it up a couple of times in the beginning of the relationship but Wonho simply decided staying away from each other was the best for them. ''It''s¡­'' Wonho tries to change the subject again, as he always does upon hearing about the subject. ''It''s expired.'' ''I didn''t notice.'' There is silence and both of them try to think about something else to say. Jinyoung knoes the other isn''t'' comfortable talking about the matter but Wonho on the other hand, is in a dilemma. He had been trying to avoid thinking about it, but the subject is actually scaring him. He doesn''t want to admit it, not to anyone, but Jinyoung is not a stranger. ''Heat¡­ what, how¡­'' Wonho swallows his word, afraid and embarrassed at the same time. He wants to know, but it is too overwhelming to even say it. ''What does it feel like?'' Jinyoung looks at him, bewildered. He didn''t expect the man to not have it yet, but at the same time, he doesn''t even know when Wonho first presented as an omega so it can be possible. They never discussed it so he always thought of the subject to be a taboo in their relationship. Even now. Which is why he finds it even harder to explain something really private. ''Your body just gets hot and uhm¡­ wants to be touched.'' Wants to be touched¡­ Wonho distorts his face, already feeling disgusted by the thought of wanting to be touched. Moreover, because he is already claimed, it means that he will only want to be touched by his mate, his rapist. That bastard. Disgusting. ''C-can you hold it in?'' ''Not really. It''s¡­ kinda sensitive, emotional time and you can''t really think straight so¡­'' He will feel it during his heat. He will become that dirty omega who is desperate to be fucked by his rapist. Just imagining it makes him loath himself again; the food he just ate now threatening to come back out. ''I-I need to go.'' Wonho shoves the food back into the freezer and runs out of his lover''s room. He doesn''t feel good. His whole body feels so disgusting he just wants to shed his skin. And wash all his organs with bleach and scrub them with wires. Every sickening fluid flushed out of his body. He stumbles with the key to his room, hands shaking from the sudden cold. After a few attempts and some intense scratching on his exposed skin, he manages to open the door and runs towards the toilet, spilling his guts out. ''Wono, did I say somethi- Wono, what''s wrong??'' he hears Jinyoung''s voice and tries to close the bathroom door but before manages it, the man is already rubbing circles and patting his back, much to his dismay. ''Go away.'' ''Why are you crying?'' Jinyoung wipes his cheeks suddenly, making his tears flow even harder. ''Owh no, I said something?'' ''Go away! I don''t¡­'' his mouth is covered with Jinyoung''s arms surrounding his head, bringing it close to his chest. He hears the man''s heart thumping slowly, at a rhythmic pace and starts to choke. He doesn''t want anyone to see his pathetic state, but it is too late. Everything is always too late. ''Why are you crying? I need to know so I won''t do it again¡­'' Wonho hugs the man back and tries to calm down but he couldn''t. He ends up talking in between sobs, ''Heat... I don''t wanna be touched!'' Jinyoung remains silent, only gently caressing his head just like his mom did back at home. Protecting him. ''Jinyoung-ah! I don''t wanna be touched anymore! That man¡­ I''m scared¡­'' ''It''s gonna be okay.'' The hug tightens and he feels Jinyoung''s cheek pressed against his ears, the vibration of his voice directly calming. ''I''ll be there with you instead¡­ We''ll get through this together. Is that okay?'' Wonho nods and continues crying his heart out. He had been denying it for months now, refusing to think about it but the truth is, he is really afraid. Even more than anything he ever feared. He is terrified of his heat. Chapter 28 - Camping Trip 1 Minwoo stares at the scene displayed in front of him. Wonho asleep two rows front, head against the window and beside him, Junjie slowly bringing his head onto his right shoulder. This is annoying him so much he just wants to pull Junjie away from the seat. Wonho was comfortably sleeping, how dare that Chinese dude touched him like that. Wonho probably doesn''t want to sleep on his shoulder either. He suddenly feels a weight on his own and looks to see the guy beside him sleeping too. In fact, almost everyone is sleeping on the bus. Which is expected given that they had taken the bus at 4 a.m. Minwoo grumbles and tries to close his own eyes, shifting frequently to find a good position to sleep. If not for those two being late causing Minwoo to sit at the very back to spy on them, he would have chosen the seat at the aisle so he can stretch his legs. This is very annoying. ''We''re going to stop here for about half an hour. There won''t be another stop until we arrive so you should probably have your breakfast now.'' the club leader announces once they reach a rest stop and everyone gets up, rubbing their eyes while walking out the bus. Junjie waits for a while before gently waking Wonho who had his earphones on, but the man refuses to abide and continues sleeping, hiding his face from the light. ''Fine, sleep. I''ll buy you something to eat.'' Minwoo stands up on cue and runs out of the bus. He knows what that means. No Junjie and the others for at least fifteen minutes so this is his chance. To feed Seo Wonho, and change his seat. Arriving at the convenient store, he grabs some bread, some rice balls, some fried food, juices, coffee, and milk. Because Wonho needs fat. He almost jumps with excitement when he sees Junjie still waiting for his food with the others. Looking at his watch, he runs back as fast as he could. Wonho is still sleeping. His face is a bit distorted, maybe from the light. Minwoo wants to just look at that beautiful face but that will not do because the man really needs to eat. At the same time, Minwoo is also reluctant to be the one who wakes him up. ''Huh? What?'' Wonho jolts up when he felt something thrown onto his lap. It is a plastic bag filled with breads and other food. ''What? Ju- Minwoo-sshi? What''s this?'' ''Food. And drinks.'' He shoves another plastic bag at the confused man and takes a seat right beside him. ''This is a lot. I''m not that hungry.'' ''For later then.'' ''Urmm¡­ Did Jun ask-'' ''Just eat the food. Here. You like hot dogs?'' Minwoo shoves a piece towards Wonho and smiles as the man opens his mouth. Just then, he realizes how erotic that looks and turns towards the plastic to grab some other things inside. ''Milk? Coffee?'' ''What else is there?'' Wonho tries to peek but Minwoo already took out the milk and shoves it into his hand. ''Wait, this is too sudden. Let''s eat slowly.'' ''Owh. Okay. You want rice?'' He already passed the sleepy male the rice ball before the other could refuse. ''Stop shoving food at me! I''m still eating!'' ''Sorry. You look like you needed energy.'' ''I''m just sleepy.'' ''My point.'' Minwoo stares at him nervously and smiles when he sees that small smirk on Wonho. That is an achievement for him. He has made it his goal to make Wonho laugh with his nose crinkle during this hiking trip, so a small smirk is a steppingstone. ''I''m sleeping. Wake me up when we arrive.'' ''You should at least help me finish all of these.'' He hears Wonho complains and pretends to already be asleep. ''Yah, aren''t you gonna wake up?'' ''That''s all yours.'' He replies without opening his eyes. Wonho is saying something again but he refuses to listen. The sound of his voice though, he loves to hear. ''That''s not your seat. Jun''s gonna be here¡­'' ''It''s mine now. My legs hurt sitting back there.'' ''Yaah, Minwoo-sshi. This is Jun''s-'' ''Wono? I bought you somethi- Owh¡­'' Minwoo turns his face towards Wonho and continues his act. He hears Junjie talking to Wonho about something but since nobody wakes him up, he reckons they let him be. ##### Minwoo glares at the scene in front of him. Ever since they left the bus, Junjie had been sticking with Wonho like a glue and it pisses him off, even more than when they were on the bus. He is not even that funny yet Wonho is laughing at that lame jokes like there is no tomorrow. ''Minwoo-sshi, do you mind watching the end of the line? I need to give something to Bum-hyung.'' One of the seniors asks before he almost run up the steep slope. Minwoo sighs and hikes down, waiting for the last of the members to pass. He regrets telling them he is an experienced hiker to secure his place on the trip, because they made him one of the coordinators for the trip since they were short of hands. At least he is not as mad when he doesn''t see both the betas basically flirting with each other. The problem now is him getting uneasy instead because he cannot see what they are doing. And unfortunately for him, Kanghyun did not return to his spot until they reach the camp site, which is almost three hours later. ##### Wonho looks around the camp site, trying to choose the best place for their tent. He used to prefer the one nearest to the center, after the girls'' tent that is, but now he just wants the one furthest, from everyone if he can. Sleeping in a tent surrounded by alphas does not sound that tempting to him, albeit other people would think otherwise. If not for Junjie agreeing to stick with him 24/7, he would have been in his room back at the campus, just sleeping or reading away his holiday, avoiding being in the presence of any alphas. ''Wono, I''m going for patrol. See you in a bit.'' Junjie taps him and waves before disappearing with the others. They are separated in groups for different duties - Junjie surveying the area and finding small animals for food, while he is in charge of collecting firewoods, which he will do after finish setting up the tent. ''Mind if I set mine here?'' Wonho turns around to see Minwoo, with that stupid grin of his. This guy seems like the type to do whatever he likes regardless of the situation and that kind of irks him a bit. What more with the fact that he is still trying to make friends with Wonho even after seeing his pathetic state; it makes Wonho uncomfortable. ''Sure.'' At least he is another beta. ''What''re you in charge of?'' ''Firewood. You?'' ''Cooking.'' Wonho almost laughs. For some reason, his last two encounters with the guy had Minwoo offering him something. It is cola the first time, and lots of food this morning. Now, the guy will cook for the whole group. ''Why''re you laughing. Do I look like I can''t cook?'' ''No. You keep reminding me of food.'' Wonho secures the rope around the tent and checks around to see if he missed anything. ''That''s good. I''ll make sure you eat a lot.'' He looks at Minwoo curiously, but the man only winks at him, much to his amusement. ''You keep telling me to eat.'' ''You just look tiny.'' ''I''m taller than most people.'' ''Shorter than me though.'' Wonho smirks at that playful arrogance. Two can play that game. ''Tall, dark and handsome¡­'' He starts, and as he expected, Minwoo blushes as if he knows Wonho is talking about him, ''¡­ just the type I hate.'' Wonho smiles in triumph as he successfully wipes the smug of that face. His jokes are harsh but that is just how he play. And his close friends know it. Sensitive people are too tiring to be friends with, so this is basically his way of filtering people. ''Looks like we have another thing in common.'' Minwoo crouches beside him, too close for comfort. ''I prefer pale, beautiful people shorter than me too.'' Wonho only stares at the dark-haired man for a few moments before standing up and shoving his and Junjie''s bags inside the tent. ''You''re sharing a tent with someone?'' ''This is obviously too big for just one person, right?'' He smiles before closing the tent and taking his leave to do his duty. ##### Minwoo glowers at the scene in front of him. He is already in a bad mood because not only did Wonho not take a dip in the river with the others like he had hoped, he is now sitting together with Junjie, the latter kept staring at the other with that look, his hand crawling all over Wonho once in a while. Minwoo is already done with his job so he is free to eat wherever he wants. Taking a grilled fish with him, he makes his way towards both of them, eyes locking with Junjie''s before sitting beside Wonho, handing him the food. ''This¡­ I already ate¡­'' ''Have another.'' He insists before returning to Junjie. The man smirks as a response and leans back a bit, hands on the ground behind Wonho to support himself. Wonho turns to the man, offering the fish to Minwoo''s dismay. ''I don''t think Minwoo''s gonna like that¡­'' Junjie stares back, half smiling and Minwoo realizes he is being challenged. Wonho looks back at him, face confused with them both. ''You eat them Wono.'' ''Wono.'' Minwoo repeats softly, huffing in displeasure. ''What? You''re gonna give me something else?'' ''What are you talking about? Pffftt¡­'' Minwoo diverts his gaze and tries to look around. He does realize he is acting weird and out-of-character, and he can sense that he is in trouble, but he refuses to leave these two alone with each other. Not when Junjie is undressing Wonho with his eyes. Maybe. Because Minwoo is. ''They''re playing some games at the center. Let''s go.'' He grabs Wonho''s hand before another one pulls them back. ''We''re not joining.'' Minwoo shoots a piercing look back at Junjie before Wonho agrees with his friend. ''You go ahead. We''re skipping tonight.'' Since the man has said that himself, Minwoo can only comply. He sits with the others, looking back once in a while to make sure Junjie is behaving, until both the males disappears suddenly. Chapter 29 - Camping Trip 2 ''Finally! I''m so sweaty!'' Wonho takes off his shirt and pants before jumping in the water, a spot far enough from the others. Behind him, Junjie is laughing and does the same thing, jumping in with a splash. His friend rushes towards him and carries him on his shoulder before throwing him back in, making Wonho scream in frustration. ''YAAH MONKEY-FACE!'' They both decide to bath separately from the group because Wonho doesn''t want the others to see the disgusting scar on his neck despite it now being barely visible; and being naked in front of all the alphas is not an idea he appreciates. He is really thankful that Junjie agreed to accompany him because it is almost dark, and the wood is starting to look scary. Lying on the rocks and enjoying the flow of water against his skin, he feels Junjie tracing his hand over his scar. ''Stop. Don''t¡­'' Junjie sighs as a response and leans back onto the rocks, both of them staring at the sky. There is a silence that Wonho dreads because he knows where this is heading. ''I should''ve claimed you the moment you presented.'' ''Shut up. As if I would let you.'' There is another sigh and Wonho continues before the other would have the chance to, ''Besides, a beta claim wouldn''t change anything.'' ''I wish I am an alpha¡­'' ''Then I would hate you for life.'' Wonho punches Junjie lightly and the man smiles sadly back. He knows that his best friend still holds some feelings for him, but it is already over for them. They both want their own family with their own children and being betas, that can only be realized by marrying a woman or an omega. And Wonho had accepted that fact when he started seeing other people while Junjie sleeps around. His sudden present as an omega is unfortunate but it will not change his feelings about their current relationship. He is comfortable being Wonho, Junjie''s best friend. ''Wono-yah, just don''t forget your promise.'' Wonho nods weakly and splashes some water to lighten the mood. To which Junjie responds by lifting him for the umpteenth time. Once his bond is weak enough to the point of breaking, he will start to wear his neck protector. That, in exchange for Junjie allowing him to use suppressant during the trip, and for his best friend to start trying to move on for good. ##### Minwoo sighs for the tenth time this morning. He is in charge of the middle of the line but the other two decided they want to be one of the first few to reach the top and raced towards the front. And now Minwoo is stuck helping other people climb in between the steep rocks. So much for him wanting to spend the day with Wonho. ''Yay, we made it!!'' One of the girls screams and he looks over, smiling at the beautiful view of the top. He had to slow down his pace to accompany one of the members who hurt her leg, so he has yet to reach the summit, but the view from where he is, is mesmerizing enough. ''We''ll spend an hour here for pictures and lunch, then we''ll head back down.'' The leader announces and Minwoo walks around to find a good spot to lay down. The air is so refreshing he just wants to inhale everything, as weird as that sounds. ''Minwoo-sshi, food.'' He hears that sweet deep voice and glances up at the man staring down at him. With the sky right above, he looks like a real angel. A handsome angel. ''You want food?'' Minwoo asks and Wonho chuckles gleefully before shoving a packet to him. His smiling face is really adorable. ''For me?'' ''It''s yours. You bought them.'' ''Owh.'' Minwoo thanks him before taking a bite. ''I brought some more if you want. There''s also the tea you bought.'' Wonho was about to turn back to Junjie before Minwoo grabs his hand lightly. ''You wanna eat here? Over there''s too crowded. You can see the ocean from here.'' He points in front of him and Wonho looks over. ''Wow you''re right.'' The man leans back and takes a deep breath, smiling widely at the scene before him, just like Minwoo is enjoying staring at him. Right before the alpha could say anything though, Wonho gets up again. ''Lemme get my bag and Jun.'' Minwoo nods and sighs for the eleventh time. At least he will be having lunch with Wonho. ##### Minwoo cannot take it anymore and decides to be bolder in his attacks. Since they are already back at their camp, and Junjie is finally gone, leaving Wonho alone, this is basically his last chance to be with the man before their return to campus tomorrow morning. And fortunately for him, Wonho is heading inside the woods alone, probably to find few more woods for tonight. ''How far are you going?'' He finally speaks after stealthily following Wonho for a few minutes. He can no longer hear the voices of the other members, indicating just how far they are. He notices Wonho staring back at him, shocked at the fact that someone is actually following him, and Minwoo apologizes in return. ''Aren''t you here to collect more woods? Why are we this far?'' ''... I just wanna be alone¡­'' Wonho backs a few steps back and stares at Minwoo, face suspicious. ''Owh shit. Sorry. I thought you¡­ never mind. This is weird.'' Minwoo looks down, embarrassed for his bad timing, and looks back towards the direction of the camp, thinking hard of what to say to escape this awkward situation. ''It''s not good to walk this far alone though. What if you get lost?'' ''I''ll be fine. Just follow the river back¡­'' ''Owh¡­ yeah. Right. You sure know a lot about these stuffs.'' ''It''s basic knowledge¡­'' Minwoo nods weakly, his eyes wandering around. He messed up so he might as well just leave. ''I should leave you alone then.'' Wonho gives him a smile and nods but he keeps standing still. Minwoo takes that as a sign that he should leave and never return, and was about to do just that, ''But you might get mauled by a bear.'' He turns and faces Wonho again. ''There''s no bears here, Minwoo-sshi.'' ''Or other wild animals.'' ''I don''t think so¡­'' ''Rabbits attack people too.'' ''Minwoo-sshi¡­'' ''Minwoo. Just Minwoo.'' He dares to look at the other whose face seems tired. ''I don''t wanna leave you alone.'' He holds his breath as Wonho inhales deeply and sighs. ''Look, I''m not a very social person and I''m not good with strangers so¡­'' ''Are we strangers?'' ''No¡­'' ''Can''t I just be with you right now? You said you are bad with directions. What if you get lost and couldn''t find the river? I don''t like the idea of leaving you alone in this place. I''ll be quiet.'' He persists without taking any breath and keeps his eyes locked with Wonho, daring him to reject his offer again. Wonho shakes his head and groans, smiling at the ridiculousness of the situation. All he wanted was to take a quick dip in the water, but he should have waited for Junjie after all. Giving up, he replies, ''You said you are bad at directions too¡­'' He chuckles, ''and I doubt you''ll be quiet but okay¡­'' Minwoo grins and runs beside Wonho, ''So where were you going?'' Wonho thinks for a bit. He won''t be taking a bath, that is a given. He might as well explore the ground, since Minwoo is there with him. ''I am thinking of going to the other side of the river. There''s a shallow part right around here so we can cross.'' ''Nice.'' It was only nice for a few minutes. That was, until Wonho slipped and sprained his ankle while crossing the river. Minwoo went into full panic mode and jumped inside, drenching his pants while carrying Wonho out. He checked on the leg, tore a bit of his shirt, shocking the patient in the process, and proceeded with wrapping the injured ankle. Wonho can only laugh at the absurd situation. ''All that hiking, and I sprained myself trying to cross a shallow river.'' ''It''s cause you didn''t have any energy.'' ''Are you gonna feed me again?'' ''Aren''t you glad I''m here?'' Minwoo smirks and Wonho snorts at that confidence. If it wasn''t for him, Wonho wouldn''t be crossing the river in the first place. But since it had come to this, yes, he is glad the man is here to give him a first aid care. Even though he can just walk back to the camp while limping anyway. ''Welp, we should head back now.'' Minwoo crouches in front of him, offering his back but Wonho walks past him albeit with difficulty. They are still not close enough for him to be doing that and he doesn''t want to bother the other. ''Aren''t you getting on? You''re walking strange.'' ''I can walk just fine.'' ''Look, I have cooking duty so we don''t really have much time. So¡­'' ''You go ahead. I''ll meet you later.'' Wonho replies, still trying his best to walk with the wrapped leg. Junjie is going to be so pissed when he sees it and Wonho does not want to reveal that he tried to go swimming by himself. Telling the truth may send Junjie all berserk towards Minwoo too. Wonho needs time to think about a good excuse to avoid any possible conflict. ''Whoops. Not leaving you.'' Minwoo grabs the injured man and carries him bridal style, clenching his teeth at the pain he feels when Wonho punches him. The guy may look weak, but his punches are hard. It feels as if he is hit by bricks. But, no pain, no gain. And gain he did, seeing that shocked look on Junjie''s stupid face when they returned to camp. Chapter 30 - New Changes 1 ''Now Wonho-sshi. Would you have given up on architecture if that night never happened?'' Wonho is taken aback by the sudden question. Even if the attack never happened, he would still be an omega. He would still unable to be an architect no matter how hard he tries. It wouldn''t have changed anything. ''If you are the old Seo Wonho, who was, as I recalled, the architectural protege who had won many awards even from middle school, would you have given up on your major if you had only turned into an omega?'' ''I¡­'' He looks at the therapist''s face. She is expressionless, waiting patiently for his answer. He stirs on his seat; this is making him uncomfortable. He doesn''t know what she expects to hear from him. ''I think so¡­'' There is a long pause to which he assumes she waited for him to continue. Without answer, she inquires, ''You think? Are you confident that you would have?'' Wonho closes his eyes and tries to relax. Would he really have given up? He remembers being afraid of meeting his alpha classmates and professors after that incident, but that surely is not the reason why he gave up. He gave up because omegas are not allowed to be architects. Yes, that is the reason. ''Are you sure about that?'' She continues, still with a straight tone. She had been asking him the same questions over and over again and as he continues to answer each one, Wonho finds himself doubting everything he ever thought he knew. He¡­ No. Beta Wonho would have been frustrated to be asked to let go of his dreams without any solid reason. He might have put up a big fight, just like the time in high school when he was asked not to submit his work to a competition so his other peers would have a chance at winning. In fact, he might even rebel against the ridiculous rule and said fuck you while completing the course with flying colours just to prove everyone wrong and mess with them, like he did back then. ''I¡­ I don''t know.'' ''I think you do know the answer. Now I need you to tell me.'' Wonho swallows and looks away. Things are different now. He is no longer a beta. But he would still have fought for what he wanted, maybe. ''I would''ve stayed. I think.'' ''You would have stayed and complete your course.'' ''Yes.'' He hears a slight change in her tone and turns to watch her scribble something on her notes. Her face is relaxed as she finally puts down her pen. Wonho sits up and places his hand on his knees, ready to hear today''s conclusion. He knows it is going to be hard to digest, he can feel it. And he is right. His therapist explained about something he never thought is possible - aside from his confidence shattered to pieces, which is obvious, he apparently is also experiencing the direct effect of the bonding. As it happened, bonded omegas and alphas experience change physically, emotionally and mentally. Most of the problem he had been facing has been because he has been showing submissive behaviour, which should have been towards his mate. However, due to the absence of such mate, he apparently had placed that submission towards something else. He felt the need to submit to a non-existing society ruling ¨C a ''ruling'' that he created as an excuse to signify his choice of changing courses. Which is the result of his fear to face other alphas in his class. In all the complexity of his situation, he managed to make himself worse. ''W-What should I do now?'' ''Now that you know the reason for what is happening to you, you should be able to rethink your decisions. Whether or not it is the right choice.'' She smiles at him and puts her notes aside, indicating the end of the session. Wonho wipes his face and stares at the ground for a while, his therapist getting up to pour him some scented tea. She passes it to him and waits until he drank the last of it before checking in on him one last time. He thanks her and walks out the door, heading to the entrance to wait for his ride. His mind in a mess, still trying to process what he just heard. ''Wono-yah!'' He looks up to see Haneul, already arriving to pick him up. Giving him a weak smile, he pushes himself up and heads towards the small car. From Jinyoung''s constant pressure, and him being ashamed of frequently having attacks in front of his lover, he finally decided to see a therapist. And as he conveyed that to the older omega, Haneul engulfed him into a bear hug, too tight he swore he heard his ribs cracking. The latter recommended his own therapist who he still contacted once in a while, and Wonho has to admit, she is great. For the last two weeks and a couple of sessions, his anger subsided a lot. Now he is working on his anxiety, and rebuilding his confidence which apparently takes more time. ''How is today''s session?'' ''Complicated. Confusing¡­'' Wonho answers honestly. He looks out the window, staring at the water droplets flowing down. Resting his head on the seat, he asks, ''Can you give me Joseph-hyung''s contacts? I have something to ask him¡­'' Haneul smiles widely and agrees. He had hoped the younger would ask for it. After more than two months, he finally does. ##### Wonho stands still at the hallway, staring at the door. He can hear the familiar voice of his professor echoing; of contents he remembers from last year. He takes a deep breath, places one hand on the handle and pulls it open, just a little, and freezes. Those obnoxious scents. He quickly closes the door and turns around to walk away. He can''t do this. It is still too early for him. Nobody will accept an omega in his class. He should have never quitted literature. Wonho stops his steps and leans back. It is too late. He had already quit and basically begged the university to allow him to continue architecture, back from where he left off- the second semester of his second year. And they finally agreed. What will they think if Wonho return and tell them he takes back what he said? They will probably ask him to quit school completely. He has nowhere to return to. Nowhere else to go. If he wastes another year then he will be all alone, his friends would already graduate. At least now, he will be in the same class as Chansol. He looks back at the door and closes his eyes. Chansol is there. No matter how slow the boy may be, he is someone Wonho can trust with his life. He may not be the brightest, but his love for his hyungs is enough for him to take actions when needed. Without sparing any more time for self-doubt, Wonho enters the lecture hall as quietly as he can and scans the hall around quickly. As he expected, Chansol is sitting at the far corner, near the window. But he is not sleeping like what Wonho assumed, he is actually paying attention. Smiling brightly, he slowly makes his way to his junior, careful as to not disturb the class. ''Chansol-ah.'' He whispers and the boy almost jumps as he turns to face him. Wonho sneers as he is greeted by that bright beam. The young alpha replies softly as well, ''Hyung!'' ''Wonho?'' Wonho flinches a bit as his name is called and notices someone he would never have expected. Minwoo from the medical department is right beside Chansol, eyes wide in surprise. ''Hey.'' Wonho smiles back and turns his face towards the front, eager to listen to the professor. Beside him, Chansol continues to stare at him, his right hand on Wonho''s right shoulder, trying to hug. He still has his smile. And right beside him, Minwoo has the same expression, his fangs on display for everyone. Wonho wonders why he didn''t do this earlier. It is very comfortable being here, finally feeling like he belonged. Albeit the slight fear he still has from the surrounding alphas. Once the lecture concluded, Wonho heads to the very front to greet his professor. The middle-aged man still remembers him, to Wonho''s delight. While not knowing the full details, all his professors know about Wonho, the top student, changing courses due to some personal problem. Mr. Byun hugs him and pats his back to show his contentment of the young man''s return. Then they chat for a while to catch up. ##### Minwoo wanted very much to ask Wonho about his sudden decision to join the class but before he even had the chance, the older already made his way to the front. ''Leo, why''s your hyung here?'' He asks the junior instead as he collects his belongings to shove into his bag. ''I don''t know but I''m very, very happy. Damn.'' Chansol squeals and before Minwoo could ask further, has already skipped down to wait for Wonho, waiting right behind the two chatting figures. Minwoo grins as he pulls his bag over his shoulder. Somehow, he has a feeling that he will see Wonho more often, at least once a week from today. Looking back for the last time, he decides to leave them for today. He can catch Wonho later. Maybe, use the class as an excuse to exchange phone numbers. Just thinking about it makes him simper in excitement, all the way back to his room. Chapter 31 - New Changes 2 Minwoo had decided to use the architectural library to study ever since he stumbled upon the beautiful figure at the lake since the beginning of the semester. Aside from the obvious reason, he actually prefers the interior and the amenities of this particular library in comparison to the old, plain one of the medics where there are only vending machines instead of a cafe, nor do they have a comfortable study space. Of course, while he is not planning to use all those features and most of the time he will be staring at the books so the interior should not matter, the small chance that he may stumble upon that man is enough for him to commute for 20 minutes using the shuttle bus to this particular building every day. And he is not even that diligent of a student. And today too, with the hope of stumbling upon Seo Wonho, he walks around the library like he always does, on the first floor - the common study, the second floor - architectural section and the fifth floor - the hobbies section. Sure they share a class together, and gets to spend some time together after lecture but, there is always Chansol in the middle. And that boy really cannot read the room. It is as if the alpha is not aware of his interest in the beta. Seriously, is it not obvious that he gave the guy Seungyun''s information in exchange for Wonho''s for the same reason that Chansol wants it in the first place? Minwoo almost finishes his round, and yet again, feels a bit disappointed that he is unlucky. But, he is used to it. As the medic student about to make his way down the stairs, to his delightful surprise, he eyes catches on the man he had been looking for. At the furthest bookcase, on the carpet, lying with his back against the wall, sits Seo Wonho, flipping some book. He looks really comfortable in that position as if it is the most normal thing to do. ''Why''re you on the floor?'' Wonho winces before looking at him with his usual poker face. Minwoo always finds that adorable, the few milliseconds of shock turning expressionless every time he calls the man''s name for the first time. The said man lifts both his shoulders, hoping the other will take that as an answer, and continues reading the book in his hands. ''Is this comfortable?'' Minwoo sits beside him and closes their distance, sandwiching Wonho in between him and the wall, just so he too can lean against the pillar. He grabs some random book and opens the first page. ''It''s kinda hard.'' ''Uh-uh'' Wonho answers nonchalantly, to Minwoo''s despair. He moves his shoulders around, trying to find the best position to read. ''My back hurts.'' ''It''s getting stuffy.'' Wonho states, turning over to show his annoyance. And coincidentally, Minwoo has his face turned as well, delighted by the long answer. Their face are now just inches apart he can feel the other''s breath on him and he swear he can smell something sweet coming from the other man. ''Wow-'' Wonho pushed the alpha slightly as sits up from the wall to Minwoo''s disappointment and walks away. Not letting it bother him in his quest, Minwoo stands up as well. ''Where''re you going?'' ''Somewhere more comfortable.,'' is the answer and Minwoo follows behind, like a duckling. He flops down on the bean bag he never realized is there, right beside Wonho''s and turns to face him. ''Why are you following me?'' ''You''re comfortable.'' He replies and Wonho looks back at him in disbelief. ''I find your presence calming.'' To that Wonho laughs, sarcastically. Is that some kind of weird pick-up line? And also, that really didn''t answer his question. If only the other knows how messed up his emotional and mental state is, he would never even think of even saying that absurd thing. ''I like your laugh. Though I can feel the sarcasm from the lack of nose crinkle.'' ''What are you going on about? Shut up. This is a library.'' Wonho instinctively holds his nose at the comment. Suddenly feeling awkward at the remark, he scans to where he left off, trying hard to focus. He flips the page, thankful that the tan man is finally giving him peace, and continues reading. Something feels wrong though, because for as long as he knows Minwoo, during their meetings, the other is never really quiet. Wonho shifts his gaze from the book to peeks at the man. Of course he is silent. He is focused on something else. ''You''re staring again.'' ''Yes.'' Minwoo grins before realizing what he just said. He clears his throat and opens the book he has in his hand, positioning himself upwards out of embarrassment. ''I''m trying not to make any sound.'' ''Can you only do those two things? Staring or talking?'' The alpha pouts bemusedly. He never had to do anything actually. He just has to exist, and people would be flocking over him. How should he know what to do to get this silent, nerdy beta''s attention? ''I can also stalk.'' Referring to him following Wonho stealthily into the woods about a month ago. ''You''re creepy.'' No, I''d be a good alpha hunter if we still live in the jungle, Minwoo wants to add but chooses to shut his mouth. ''I''m strong too. By the way.'' I can protect you. ''Well I am too.'' Wonho replies and the alpha bursts out laughing. It is loud enough to earn glares from other students around them. The former gives him a sharp look as a warning and Minwoo bows his head apologetically, embarrassed. ''I''m sorry. No, I''m sure you''re strong.'' But no betas are ever as strong as a normal alpha, let alone a noble. ''You just lack energy.'' The other smirks at that remark, remembering how much the taller was feeding him during the hiking trip when all he wanted to do was sleep. Maybe he does need some energy. ''Maybe I am.'' ''Don''t worry. I''ll make sure you''ll never starve.'' I can take care of you. He is not sure why Minwoo is so set on feeding him. Is he really that thin? Wonho peeks down at his body covered in the oversized shirt. Everything looks oversized on his body even though they fit his shoulders perfectly. ''You''re perfect.'' He hears the soft murmur, so subtle that he thought he is hearing things and glances at the other yet again. Minwoo has his whole body turned to face him again, his book already gone. ''You talk too much.'' Wonho changes the subject as he feels something weird flowing from his stomach up to his cheeks. ''And you''re staring again. Stop it.'' ''Sorry. Some people love the attention so I thou-'' ''I''m not them.'' Minwoo agrees. Seo Wonho is something else. He is more complicated. ''You don''t like attention? I''m-'' ''I''ve been stared enough to last a lifetime.'' Wonho interrupts, suddenly recalling that night when all the alphas were staring at him while chasing them, like predators targeting their prey. And while watching him being taken mercilessly against his will, enjoying his screams of pain. Minwoo, on the other hand, smiles at that answer, thinking the other was telling him he is popular enough to not need another fan. But he is obviously not just another fan, and he does not care about other rivals either because he knows what he can offer that the others can''t. Protection, security, wealth, not to mention great sex. He is superior in all of those. Wait, something is wrong... Minwoo frowns when he realizes the other acting strange. Wonho''s sharp jaws are tightened and his eyes are starting to dilate. He looks as if he is trying to hold his pain. It is worrying the alpha, ''Hey, are you hurting somewhere?'' There is no reply hence the future doctor decides to look for the cause. He may still be lacking in knowledge, but he knows what he already learned. As he holds out his hands, Wonho''s eyes starts wandering around, his breathing disorganized. Minwoo stops. He knows this look. It is not physical. And he has no clue how to handle it without making a scene. He attempts to hold the man, to bring him back to reality from wherever place he is heading in his mind, but the other recoils and pushes him away, breathing getting heavier as tears starts forming in his eyes. Minwoo bite his lips, feeling sorry for whatever his action might have caused the other to re-experience. Out of reflex, he holds Wonho''s head against his chest, hoping his own heartbeat can calm the other. ''I''m sorry. I won''t stare. It''s okay.'' It takes a while and a bit of forcing before the struggling man relaxes in his arms. And when he finally did, Minwoo places his chin on Wonho''s hair, as his hand brings the other''s face to rest on the crook of his neck so he can breathe easily. And damn, Wonho''s hair smells so good. Chapter 32 - New Changes 3 Wonho cannot focus anymore and returns to his room as soon as he relaxed, leaving Minwoo behind. He jumps on the bed and hides his face between his pillows. That was the second time that medic student took care of him. Wonho puts a hand in his pocket and takes out the pills he had put in a small case. There was no need for him to even take it out this time. His attack passed before it even started. Which is weird. He would usually shed a few tears after feeling a bit suffocated, before even remembering to take his pills. None of that happened this time, or at least, he didn''t break down completely like he usually does. Is it because of his therapy sessions? He has been going there for a while but the attacks still happens randomly. And he doesn''t recall having anything significant happening during the latest session.... Could it be, it was because Minwoo was there? Come to think of it, he managed to calm down quickly back when he had an attack near the medical department... Nah. Why would that happen anyways? It is not like the man is a professional or anything. Even his therapist cannot fix him yet. ...Kim Minwoo. Lately he has been seeing a lot of that man. Why is he at their library anyways? Isn''t it so far out from the medical department? To see him? Because if he is not sane enough, he would have thought the other is showing interest in him. All those staring, and obvious hints in his speeches¡­ Or maybe Wonho is over-reading it. Handsome people overflowing with confidence like Junjie and Minwoo probably talk like that to everyone. Not to mention, no sane person will be able to like him, not after seeing him weeping like a pathetic child at random times. Wonho is certain that once they learn about how he was ravished by those alphas, nobody will ever even accept him. Just having someone like Jinyoung who stays by his side and keeps trying to support him even after his dreadful change is fortunate enough. Kim Minwoo is definitely only trying to make friends. Or maybe he is taking Wonho for a practice patient? Maybe Minwoo wants to be a psychologist or a therapist? That seems more logical than him showing interest. Wonho gets up from his bed and ruffles his own hair. That man is confusing. Why is he sticking around him so much? It shouldn''t be more than a coincidence the first few times but¡­. ''Urghhhh...'' Wonho drops back on the bed, burying his face on the pillow. Thinking of Minwoo only succeeds on giving him headache. And he doesn''t need any more headache. Pulling his phone out of his other pocket, he plays around, trying to distract himself. He is not in the mood for games, and there are no particular videos he wants watch. No reading for him, he did enough of that a few hours earlier. Randomly tapping on the applications, he accidentally opens his calendar. Today should be Jinyoung''s last day of heat. Maybe he finished yesterday. Wonho looks back at the messages he exchanged with the other omega, the latter usually contacts him when he is done, yet there is still none. Wonho stares at his bed sheets. He is still scared to be there with his lover during the other''s heat. He knows he has to, as a lover, or at least to learn about that particular phenomena that he too will experience, but he is not ready. In fact, he wonders if he will ever be ready for such intimate contact with another person. Getting up, Wonho heads towards Jinyoung''s room anyway, to hang out and get rid of his negative thoughts. The other omega has been helping him lot with his self acceptance and depression. Jinyoung''s bubbly personality and positive energy is always so overpowering Wonho that never feels the need to force himself to smile. He will automatically do so just from seeing those eyes disappearing every time the Jinyoung talks about his day. Even now, just wondering what random thing the man will talk about is enough to lighten his mood. Maybe that is why Wonho had the attack today. After not getting his positive vitamin for a week, he finally succumbed to darkness. Laughing at his own joke, Wonho climbs the stairs and looks for the red-head''s room. If Jinyoung is already done with his heat, then maybe they can spend some time together to shift his mood. Standing in front of the familiar door, Wonho slowly places his ear on the piece of wood. He is expecting some hints of what the owner is doing but hears nothing. Then it occurs to him, the rooms in the omega dorms are all sound-proof to begin with so there is no way he is going to hear anything in the first place. Feeling stupid, Wonho decides to turn the knob gently without knocking. His hypothesis is that, if Jinyoung is still in heat, the door will be locked so there is no need for him to interrupt the other by making unnecessary noise. To his joy, it is unlocked. Wonho excitedly opens the door slowly, making sure to greet the other. Jinyoung is putting his clothes away, perhaps for laundry. And as he predicted, the man is all smile to see him too, fully recharged after his tiring heat. ''Are you done with urm¡­ heat?'' He asks awkwardly. Despite his reluctance, he though he should do so as good gesture, he understands enough that heat is tiring emotionally and physically exhausting. The subject is still making him uncomfortable, but he is trying to open himself to the concept. And Jinyoung knows that too, as he too, is trying to openly talk about it. ''Just got ba- ¡­Yeah. I''m done¡­'' He notices the nervous shake in Jinyoung''s voice but chooses to ignore it. Maybe the other''s voice is drained, from¡­ doing ????????????????????. He looks a bit flushed too, his cheeks red and he seems uneasy. Maybe the subject is still too early from them after all. Not wanting to push it further, Wonho decides he should just leave for today. Before turning his body to leave, Wonho notices something ¨C there is an unfamiliar scent surrounding them. It piques his curiousity. Thinking it is probably nothing personal, and that it is something that will happen to him as an omega, he decides to ask about it, ''You smell a bit different. Is that normal after heat?'' Jinyoung''s eyes widens, caught off-guard by the question. Before Wonho manages to comment, the other omega flashes an awkward smile at the latter. He then bites his lower lip and avoids eye contact altogether. It made Wonho feel guilty for asking, maybe it is too personal after all. ''It''s-'' Jinyoung swallows his words and pauses, longer than what is comfortable. Wonho notices the tension he is giving, now feeling worse. He should go, ''Owh yeah. I''m sorry. You must be tired. Rest. We''ll talk later.'' He steps forward to give the other omega a gentle rub on the head but Jinyoung backs away, showing discomfort. Wonho takes that as the possibility that the smaller one still being a bit sensitive and steps away. He really has no idea what he should do and what he shouldn''t do. This whole heat concept is still very new to him, and he is still reluctant to do research on it. ''Good night Jinyoung, rest well.'' He turns back and exits after giving him an assuring smile. The smaller omega replies back but Wonho can sense the hesitance. Rubbing the back of his neck, Wonho wonders if it is possible for one''s scent to change temporarily during heat. His siblings all prefer to have their heats at the omega house, and his mom would send them away whenever she was experiencing it so he never noticed any significant change. And he never really took notice of other omegas'' scents to realize that either. It is really something interesting to him as a new omega. As he is making his way down to his room, the discomfort on his lower stomach causes Wonho to squeeze it lightly. It is not painful enough to cause concern but, it has been going on for quite some times since about a week ago. Wonho never really cared enough though, since he always has a weak stomach¡­ All that stress could have triggered his gastritis again. Getting his heat bag, he puts in the freshly boiled water and adds some cold one to adjust the temperature. Wonho slowly lies on his back and places the bag on his lower tummy. It does help with the pain, and the heat it feels good against his skin. Wonho closes his eyes and takes deep breaths, trying to sleep the soreness away. A week is really long. He should really go to the hospital for a check-up. Chapter 33 - One Closes Another Opens 1 Minwoo jogs around here for the second round today, hoping to see Wonho again outside the library. Although that is the only place they can be together without his friends, they cannot actually have a real conversation so there is not really any progress in their ''relationship''. But thanks to a certain young alpha, he knows that Wonho frequently hangs out around the park with his friends, be it for work-out sessions or even for other stuffs. Unfortunately, the timing depends on their mood and he cannot really depend on Chansol to update him every time, knowing fully well it will be asking too much. Also, given that the group does not hang out every single day, he will only stumble upon the man if he is lucky enough. And today, he is. The man is even alone, which is extremely rare. In fact, this is the first time he ever seen Wonho alone outside the library. ''Wonho!'' ''Hey, Minwoo! What''s up?'' Minwoo''s heart drops as hears another familiar voice. Turning around, he waves towards the pack''s main alpha who is coming back from wherever he was. The older alpha sits down at the table where Wonho is laying with his eyes closed, and invites Minwoo over. Sighing almost inaudibly, Minwoo complies. He can never say no to Sangcheol, afraid that angering him may cause him Wonho. Pack rule and stuff. In fact, he cannot act freely around all of Wonho''s friends. Unfortunately for him, they are always there with Wonho, be it around him, or further, but with the male still in their field of view. Of course, if they let him have a private conversation with the man, he wouldn''t have mind this much but they will never actually leave Wonho alone with him for too long. Every single time, when the conversation is getting good, one of them will join in and the dynamic will change. Mengyao though, he doesn''t mind as the guy can probably sense his interest and will tease them if he tries to play around but Junjie and Sangcheol are completely different stories. Junjie will try to snatch Wonho away and silently threatens him with his sharp gaze whenever Wonho is distracted enough to notice while the main alpha is just, always making him nervous. By just being there, Minwoo will constantly be on guard and works extra hard so that his cover as a beta won''t be blown. He will also try not to be as obvious in his pursuit because again, pack rule and stuff. The alpha, unlike Junjie, is more interested in conversing with him instead of letting him talk to the other, adding to his anxiety. Finally, there is Chansol. Although he is confident the man will not try to do anything to jeopardize his efforts, he is also too unstable and distractive for Minwoo to trust not telling anyone about their little ''pact''. To him, Chansol is the most dangerous one. ''What''s wrong with him?'' Minwoo asks as he takes a seat beside the older alpha. He is referring to Wonho''s pale complex, more than normal, and his frowning face. He looks really sick. ''His tummy''s been bothering him.'' Sangcheol replies casually, offering him a drink he probably bought for the sleeping man. ''Is he okay?'' Minwoo is getting concerned. A mere stomachache would not cause anybody to look like this. This is something else. Also, why is he outside instead of resting in his room?? ''Probably just gastric. He had it frequently during his first year from stress.'' Minwoo frowns deeper. Having gastritis and still walking around? And what the hell is Sangcheol doing just letting him sleep here? Can he scold the man right now?? ''Is he stressed now?'' ''Maybe. A lot''ve been happening¡­'' Minwoo notices the other''s sad stare, wondering why. Chansol didn''t say anything about Wonho being sick, but he can never fully trust the younger alpha to update him on Wonho''s latest situation. On the other hand, he did notice the same sad expression the Chansol bore when he first started talking about Wonho, as if something bad happened. Come to think of it, even the two Chinese have the same look whenever they see Wonho sleeping calmly, though both of them are quick to change them. ''Did he go to the doctor?'' ''Yahh. You''re acting like his mom.'' Sangcheol taps him and laughs a bit, eating his snacks and slurping his drink. Irking Minwoo. ''He''s old enough to make that decision. We did ask him to go.'' ''Well, did he?'' Minwoo almost raised his voice but remembers not to be rude. ''He did. Calm down. You medic students.'' Sangcheol chuckles again and changes his seating position to face the other. ''By the way, how''s Taeyang doing? You meet him lately?'' ''He''s busy with clinical rotations¡­'' Minwoo answers casually, now wanting to get away. Wonho is sleeping and he can never have any special time with him anyway whenever Sangcheol is present. Not to mention, he is really mad at the older due to his ignorance on keeping Wonho healthy. Minwoo just wants to go back to his room and do something else to clear his mind. But who is he kidding? Nobody escapes Sangcheol. Except for Jeongmin. ##### Wonho eyes Jinyoung who keeps avoiding his gaze since he got here at the caf¨¦. He can sense the tensed atmosphere. After a few days of silence, they are finally sitting down to talk about something, and Wonho places his bet on the other''s strange behaviour since his heat. ''I can''t do this.'' Wonho looks up at the now dark blue-haired omega who is playing with the hem of his shirt, seemingly nervous. He knows this was coming, he expected it to come sooner, but it is still shocking to hear it being spoken out loud. And though he is prepared for it, he can still feel a pang in his heart, telling him that a chapter in his life is finally over. Wonho gives him a smile, a forced one as he is in fact, truly saddened by it. He really like Jinyoung, but he knows that they are in a complicated relationship to begin with. And on top of that, the man has to deal with his disorders. It is too much. He realizes that. ''You don''t have anything to say?'' jinyoung laughs, clearly trying to hold on his tears. It shocks Wonho who is not expecting that question. Of course he has nothing to say, he didn''t expect a break-up when he came here. He needs time to think. ''That''s right¡­ it''s my choice. You won''t try to tell me otherwise¡­'' He continues, his voice soft, trying to cover his loneliness. ''I''ve been seeing someone else. An alpha. Since the very beginning.'' ''You''ve been¡­'' Wonho swallows. He knows something was wrong with them, but he never expected this. Being cheated on? ''Cheating?'' ''I guess you can call that cheating. I mean, let''s be honest. We are not really dating. You refused to help me when I needed you the most¡­ he was there to take your place. And you never really want to be involved in what I do, afraid to leave your mark in my decision-making. You don''t want to talk about our relationship. You kept on leaving me hanging. You cut contacts for half a year. Were we really dating, Wonho?'' Wonho gazes at the table, trying to process what had been thrown at him. That is true, with the intention of respecting Jinyoung''s privacy, he failed to notice the man''s necessity as an omega. He made decisions for them both, thinking he was doing the omega a favour, regardless of what the other wanted. Thinking he knew omegas better based on his observations and experience, he never asked, nor take the time to understand the omega''s biological needs. And that alpha did. That alpha filled the void left by him, taking care of his lover physically and emotionally. Wonho can only blame himself for this situation. This time, it is not his present to be blamed. ''I know you''re having a rough time right now. But I can''t keep this up anymore. I can''t lie to you. I tried to hold on to you, but I can''t be with an omega. I wanted to but I just¡­ can''t. I''m sorry.'' ''Jinyoung-ah¡­ I''m sorry.'' ''Let''s not meet again. At least, for a while. I still like you as a friend. We are always¡­ just friends.'' ''It''s impossible to fix right?'' He tries, but he knows deep down, he doesn''t want it to be fixed. He, too, wants this to be over. Truth be told, he is not prepared to have a forbidden relationship either, but he was afraid to say no, afraid to lose his precious ''friend''. Jinyoung nods and stands up, ready to leave before turning back at him. ''Not all alphas are like your attackers. I hope you realize that.'' Wonho looks away, not wanting to accept that last piece of advice. All alphas are bastards who only want to fuck omegas. Nobody cares whether he didn''t want it. They only care about what satisfy themselves. Chapter 34 - One Closes Another Opens 2 Wonho stares at the calm water. He can see everything inside it, the fish, the pebbles, the random turtles¡­ Sometimes even the ducks come close enough for Wonho to step away from the lake, afraid to be bitten before realizing they are just as scared as he is. The one and only time he was here alone is the orientation night when he was stalked by an alpha, hence why he didn''t come back since. But he needs to clear his mind right now, and the only place he can think of is here. And it is mid-day, if anything are to happen, there will be people nearby to help. Hopefully. Sitting down on the ground, Wonho leans back, supporting his weight with both his hands, and takes a deep breath. He never realizes how calmingly lively this place is during the day. Away from other people, this place is very quiet with only the sound of nature which makes it really tranquil. All his worries don''t seem to matter anymore. At least, for now. Throwing a piece of pebble into the lake, Wonho sighs. Jinyoung, he deserves to be with the alpha. Despite what happened, Wonho is somehow not as disappointed, as angry, or as surprised as he thought he should have. In fact, he is actually a bit relieved. After calmly rearranging his thoughts and feelings, he realized deep down, what they had was never really love. Yes, he enjoyed the smaller one''s presence, but that is merely adoration. Jinyoung is the first omega he ever met besides his family who has that shameless, in-your-face personality, who knows what he wants and is adamant about it. And yet he is adorable, lovable, awkward, and somewhat lonely, which made Wonho feel protective over him. He feels the same way about his family, he realized that now. That could be why he rejected anything physical with the omega, it just never felt right. The fact that he easily cut off contacts after the incident, almost forgetting about the other, is proof enough of his real feelings. And yet, when the omega came to him, telling him his life could stay the same, Wonho held on to it. Now he realized it was not because he loved Jinyoung. It was because Jinyoung is his past. The past that he was still not willing to let go. Looking up at the bright sky, Wonho closes his eyes. His stomach still feels a bit bloated but nothing the painkiller cannot fix. He knows he has to go to the doctors, he went there 3 times, but every time they told him to prepare for ultrasound, he gets cold feet and runs away. The word ''ultrasound'' usually associated with pregnancy doesn''t not mix well with his traumatized brain, his body goes into automatic flight mode. He wonders if the doctors and nurses will still take him seriously if he goes there the fourth time. Or maybe he should go to another hospital.... But that is the only hospital on campus though... God, why did he have to run away? Ignoring the slight pain, still trying to convince himself he is going to be fine without any medication, Wonho reaches out for his soda. Only to find it gone. ''Don''t drink cola when you have stomachache.'' He hears Minwoo calls as the man takes a big gulp from his bottle. Wonho looks at that smug face and turns back to face the lake, ignoring the wink. He is not in the mood to listen to his weird nonsense. On the other hand, Minwoo grins to himself. He is extremely excited to finally find Wonho alone. He checked around, his friends are not there. The man is finally by himself, at the lake. Where he first saw the man. The first place he saw the lake guy. ''Nice view.'' Minwoo comments after a few moments of silence. He glances over at the other, eyeing all his features, the ones he has come to adore so much. Wonho does not mind his staring anymore, maybe even enjoying the bit of attention, thanks to the constant teasing from his friends when they would catch Minwoo''s stares. At least one good thing came from their interruptions. ''My face?'' ''The lake.'' He turns his head quickly when he realizes Wonho is looking at him. That caused the other to laugh slightly, albeit very softly. Minwoo too, laughs awkwardly, slightly embarassed, but also enjoying himself. He then moves in closer, wanting to make sure his shoulder touches with the other. At this distance, he can really enjoy the smell of the other''s flowery shampoo, the scent he has been addicted to as of lately. ''Why are you here alone?'' He tries to start a conversation. It is so quiet, it feels like a waste. After all, it is not everyday he gets to be alone with the man. This is his chance to get closer. ''To be alone.'' Minwoo pouts at the answer as he realizes how stupid his question was. He shifts his position a bit, hitting Wonho as he did, earning him a push from the other. ''You''re making so much noise!'' ''I didn''t do anything!'' ''Your existence is noisy.'' Minwoo is baffled and pouts again, giving him the puppy eyes. Wonho rolls his eyes and pushes his face away, ''I hate dogs.'' He never knew when he started understanding Wonho''s harsh jokes, but he did. Maybe it is all thanks to him laughing along awkwardly with Junjie whenever the two betas made lame jokes together. As a result, his own sense of humor too, is reduced to dry ones. But none of that matters because now, Wonho seems to have already accepted him. He is comfortable enough to act playful, though he does so in a weird way, making Minwoo all giddy inside. All his effort for the past few weeks, months maybe, was not for nothing. ''Did I interrupt something?'' He asks, to make sure he is actually welcomed. He would hate to be here if Wonho wants him gone because that would not benefit their relationship at all. The man has a tendency to say the opposite of things, and Minwoo sometimes finds it hard to read in between the sarcasm. Wonho stares at him longer than usual before a smile decorated his handsome face. He shakes his head and lies down on the rocks before getting up again as he feels the sharp edges hurting the back of his head. Minwoo takes that chance and does the same thing, cushioning his own head with his right hand, and stretching his left arm to make a pillow. ''Come and lay here.'' ''What''re are you doing?'' Wonho looks at him weirdly but Minwoo swears he sees some red on those cheeks. ''Arm pillow.'' ''I have my own arms'' ''Mine are more cushiony. Yours are just bones.'' Wonho again, rolls his eyes and puts his own left hand behind his head anyway and lies down, ''This is not comfortable.'' He then gets up and decides to just sit. ''Told you so.'' Minwoo stands up from the painful position and starts to collect some pebbles, throwing it into the lake to show off his stone-skipping skills. He knows the other cannot do it and is creating an opportunity for him to teach the other, if only Wonho would bite the bait. Taking more, he does it again and again, looking back at Wonho with a proud grin. And the man is envious, he can tell. Wonho is pretending to ignore the alpha but cannot quite take his eyes off the moving stones - his curious pupils betraying his stoic expression. Wonho slowly stands up, grabs one of the rocks without minding the shape and starts to mimic Minwoo''s action with his body bending awkwardly. As expected, the stone drops with a loud blop, making the better one laugh. ''That was intentional.'' ''Yeah. Sure.'' Minwoo throws another one slowly, making sure every movement is slow enough for Wonho to ''study''. ''Ahhh¡­. Should''ve thrown lower¡­'' he murmurs loudly. As predicted, there is another blop. ''Which one should I choose?'' He continues talking to himself while looking for the best pebble to throw. He grabs one, complains loudly about it and throws it away, doing the same thing a few times until he finds a flat one. In the corner of his eyes, he sees Wonho doing the same thing, collecting flat pebbles after Minwoo''s comments. Adorable. He smiles widely after seeing Wonho failing, yet again. ''Yahh, why don''t you just admit you can''t do it.'' ''The wind is strong.'' ''Woah! Look at that pride!'' He pretends to look up and receives a punch to the shoulder. ''Lemme teach you.'' ''No thanks.'' ''Whatever.'' He replies and proceeds to comment on the shorter male''s every movement, lecturing him on the art of stone-skipping. And although the latter pretends to be annoyed, he is listening attentively and in mere moments, both of them are betting on who can throw the furthest. The best part of the whole situation is Wonho''s scrunching nose the whole time, delighting Minwoo even more. They start to collect more pebbles to throw before both accidentally grabbed the same one. Bzzz! He feels it, the jolt. Something like static electricity flowing from his finger and fading around his elbow. Minwoo is stunned, staring at the man in front of him, ''Woah.'' Chapter 35 - One Closes Another Opens 3 Wonho is surprised at the sudden shock on his fingers. He knows what it is, what it could be, but that is not possible. They are just getting to know each other, it was impossible. The only other explanation will be static electricity, but it is almost summer so that is even less convincing. If Kim Minwoo just kept his mouth shut, they could have ignored it. Or if he reacted like any normal person would, by laughing instead of making it obvious he is flustered, both of them can pretend it never happened and continue their little game. But who is he kidding? This guy never cares to hide his excitement.. Now they have to address it. Nope. He can also choose to run away. That is also an option. Yes, that is probably the best option. Wonho is about to turn away to excuse himself before, ''Don''t you dare leave.'' Wonho is stunned light yet authoritative command, staying still like deer caught in a headlight. He gulps, his heartbeat getting faster as the pause gets longer. He knows he can leave if he wants to, Minwoo won''t do anything to force him to stay, but he remains here, for whatever reason. As if knowing his thoughts and wanting to torture him, Minwoo crouches in front, their position facing each other. Caught off-guard, Wonho falls on his butt, backing away just a little for distance. ''You''re avoiding me again.'' ''You should get used to it.'' Minwoo smirks, loving the subtle rebellion from the other. He likes that, having to chase this beautiful man in front of him. Because although very slowly, he knows Wonho is warming up to him. He used to get weird looks but now he is rewarded by the short stares and sweet smiles of approval every now and then. And funny enough, he feels very accomplished, more than he ever did before in his life. And the best part? The fact that Wonho is too proud to admit his attraction is the first place, and yet, his expression always betrays him making all of this even more interesting. The only problem he has is Wonho''s over-protective friends who refuses to leave him alone, which is getting a bit tiring to be honest. ''What if you just stay right there¡­'' he searches for the other''s line of sight, locking them together. ''¡­just like this.'' He looks down on those luscious lips and back to that mesmerizing eyes. He can smell that sweet scent, and senses the nervousness of the other, making him somewhat excited. Wonho cannot shift his gaze away from those dark pupils and gulps. The body heat of the other and his hot breath, Wonho holds his as he feels Minwoo''s lips on his own. Soft and gentle... Closing his eyes, he can feel his heart thumping violently, but it is not from fear. For the first time in a very long time, his heart is beating furiously out of excitement. ''Min-'' Minwoo places his palms on Wonho''s cheeks, lips still locking, wanting access. It is clear that the man is confused by the action, and that thought excites him. Because it shows that he probably never used his tongue before. The eager alpha bites lightly on the lower lip, bringing it when he moves further before releasing and attacking them again, wetting those plump lips. Wonho closes his eyes and hesitantly opens his lips apart, first nervous at the sudden intrusion of the tongue exploring his cavern. He did this before, but it felt different. Maybe he feels this way because it had been a while since he last kiss someone like this. A few more moments, the flustered male is finally able to enjoy the sensation of the other in his mouth. And as a response, he locks both their tongues, twisting, dancing together. And soon enough, Wonho too wants access to the other''s mouth. But Minwoo is just too intense he couldn''t do so. In fact, the taller man''s attack is too intense, Wonho almost passed out before realizing he is holding his breath and has to break their kiss for air. A short inhale is only what he can manage as Minwoo crashes their lips together again, and Wonho has to push him away, panting as he gasps. He is struggling; not remembering how to make out. Not remembering the last time he was this intimate someone. Willingly. ''Shall I teach you how to kiss too?'' Minwoo teases, enjoying the flushed look of the other before grabbing the back of Wonho''s neck with his left hand, bringing them together and supporting his own weight with his right, as he leans forward to deepen their kiss. Wonho closes his eyes at the sudden force and rests his hands on the other''s neck, preparing to push to take a breath. He is not hating it, he just needs air like every other human. Seriously, is this guy an alien or something? How the hell can he do it so long without taking a break? Owh shit, he is starting to lose control of his conscience as he feels their mixed saliva dripping from his mouth. It is dirty, and it turns him on. So much so that he starts to moan. ''Nghhh¡­'' Minwoo takes that as a green light to take things further. This is everything he ever dreamed of. This scene, right here, right now at this exact spot, has been replayed so many times in his sleep, making him wake up with morning wood almost every day for the last months - Wonho begging him to take him, to break him, to bring him to the highest ecstasy, taking his breath away. This can be it. When he finally manage to get what he couldn''t. Grabbing this chance, Minwoo moves towards those sharp jaws, outlining them with his tongue, back to his mouth again, and further down toward that smooth, white neck. Wonho tastes good. Even better that in his dreams. Owh god, he wants this man so bad. Sucking on the neck hard, teasing the enchanted male, he stars biting lightly and leaving trails as he takes Wonho''s apple in his mouth, not allowing any space for rejection. On the other hand, Wonho tries pushing the man away from the sudden aggressive attacks. It was getting good, but he is not ready for where this is going. ''No¡­ s-stop¡­ ahhh.'' Minwoo is still attacking him, ''M-Minwoo¡­ stop!'' The man takes hold of both Wonho''s hands instead, effortlessly pinning those thin wrists together with one of his big hand and moves up to play with his ear. Wonho can no longer handle the intensity, feeling the harsh kisses to be triggering and wants them to stop coming. The few moments of pleasure is starting to remind him of his trauma and he struggles to free himself. He is starting to feel scared. ''Minwoo¡­ please¡­'' he begs, more softly now, as the man finally returns to his gentle kisses. The nibble on his ear brings him back to pleasure, Wonho struggles to breathe. ''Uhmm¡­'' Minwoo''s is turned on; Wonho realizes the strong scent coming from the man. Enveloping him, encouraging him to give in¡­ His powerful scent¡­ his strong, dominating scent... ¡­scent? Minwoo''s¡­ an alpha? Alpha. He is letting an alpha dominate him again. He is letting an alpha ravish him again, taking him, dirtying him again. The alphas who destroyed his life, violate him again. And he is doing it willingly. Like a whore. Wonho pushes Minwoo away from him. He tries to push the man away, to distance themselves. But the alpha is not giving in, and is getting more aggressive the more Wonho struggles to break free. ''Stop!! Minwoo!!! GET AWAY!'' He is scared. Minwoo is not hearing him. He is not stopping. He is turning into those alphas. Focusing all his strength to the palm of his hands, he pushes Minwoo''s face away from his neck, scratching it as he did. And after what feels like eternity of desperation, the alpha is finally forced back onto his butt, his face shocked at the sudden push. ''Wonho?'' ''You''re an alpha¡­'' ''Yes¡­'' he goes in to continue where he left off but Wonho struggles away, placing his hand on the man''s face as an attempt to avoid those tormenting touch. ''No¡­'' another forceful assault, another desperate push. ''NO!!! GET AWAY FROM ME!!'' He finally throws the alpha back and stands up quickly, backing away as far as he can, not taking his eyes off his attacker. ''Get away from me you alpha bastard.'' ''What the hell? Wonho wha-?'' Minwoo tries closing their distance and before the other could run away, he grabs his wrist. ''Was I-'' ????????????????!! Minwoo touches his face pained from the sudden force, shocking him. He looks at the other whose face is difficult to read - anger, fear, sadness¡­ ''Don''t ever touch me again.'' Wonho warns before running away, leaving Minwoo stunned and in shock. What the hell did he do? Chapter 36 - Running Away 1 Minwoo throws his pencil and tears of the note, crumpling it. He pushes the books aside, messing his own desk. ''What the hell is wrong with him? Tsk.'' Sitting down on the floor with his legs straight, he brings one knee up to rest his elbow. He rests head on the bed, and rubs his temple to relax himself. He needs to calm down or he may have another anger burst, something he has frequently after knowing about his attempted kidnap. Bringing his forearm to rest on top of his closed eyes, the agitated alpha inhales deeply before letting his limbs fall to his sides. He knows he went too fast that day, but to his defense, that was the longest he had to wait for someone to finally give him attention. To this day, he still cannot comprehend his obsession towards the man. Why he is so captivated by those smooth skin and thick lower lip, and that deep voice. Why he couldn''t forget the man after meeting him just once. Why he tried so hard to get his attention. Why he didn''t mind not sleeping with the man when that is the only thing he ever wanted from another person all this while. Why he felt excited whenever he got close enough for their skin to touch even though he had touched so many people before. And that static electricity he felt when their hands touched that day. That is a sign something is going on between them, right? The chemical reaction between their bodies caused by love hormones. Or whatever the reason. It is definitely not one-sided. Wonho seems to like him too, the man responded to his kisses, even tried to dominate it and yet, why the hell did he ran away after all that making out? What was with the man calling him an alpha bastard? What the hell did he ever do to Wonho? If anything, Minwoo is definitely far from being an alpha bastard. He is a noble for god sake. The best of the best. ''ARGHH! SEO WONHO WHAT THE FUCK?!'' He screams as he messes his hair violently. This is really stressing him up. The skinny guy has been avoiding him since that day, and it has been more than a week. More than a week of him trying to find the man, trying to explain himself. Eleven days of the man running away from him and stopped coming to his usual hang out places. ##### Minwoo leans against the seat of the shuttle bus, sighing as he thinks about how he is going to confront Wonho today after class. This is getting ridiculous, both of them are adults, there is no need for a long fight when misunderstandings can be cleared by talking. Though, he has no idea how to ''talk''. Entering the lecture hall, he looks around to see both Wonho and Chansol still not present, which is not surprising considering how Wonho had been trying to avoid sitting with him by coming in right before the lecture started. Taking the seat near the aisle on the row nearest to the doors, and right in the middle, he takes out his notes and starts to play with his phone while waiting. If only they had exchanged numbers when they were still in good terms, Minwoo wouldn''t have to try so hard to merely talk to Wonho. The class starts and Minwoo avoids looking around too soon, not wanting his target to realize his intention. Right when the professor is in the middle of explaining something important, he swiftly turns around and spots Wonho, looking paler than usual, three rows from the back, at the row near the windows. That is ideal, since he will be able to block Wonho from exiting the classroom without talking to him first. Satisfied with his plan, he returns his focus back to the lecture. ''Wonho, wait.'' He calls when the said man tries to go pass him through the door. Blocking Wonho''s path with his hand, he steps in and the latter inches back, wanting space. Luckily for him, the dazed Wonho dropped his notes and asked Chansol to leave before him. So now there are only the two of them, minus their classmates who are disappearing from the room. ''You can''t keep avoiding me.'' ''I''m busy right now.'' Wonho tries getting away, only to be blocked again. He steps backwards, returning to his spot. ''We should talk. You owe me an explanation.'' Minwoo frowns when the other scoffed at his statement, as if he just said something stupid. Not letting that get to him, he continues, ''You slapped me.'' ''You''re an alpha.'' ''How did you know?'' Minwoo asks just because. He knows the only way Wonho would know is because Chansol told him. With no answer, he looks at the beta in front of him who is making his way slowly towards the door to exit. He shifts his position to disturb his attempt before continuing, ''So what if I''m an alpha?'' ''I hate alphas.'' Is the reply which doesn''t answer his question. ''You slapped me because I''m an alpha¡­?'' He rephrases that, making sure Wonho knows how stupid it sounded but to his disappointment, the man shows no emotion. As if that is a given. And that makes Minwoo angry. ''You knew I am an alpha yet you were laughing with me the whole time we were at the lake and now you''re telling me you hate alphas? Why did you let me kiss you then, huh?'' Minwoo scoffs at the man. Hearing no reply, he eyes the other intensely, suddenly pissed with the lack of response. Wonho keeps looking away, he notices the nervousness from the other but refuses to give in. The absurd answer is not enough. ''Did you suddenly remember I am an alpha and decided to fucking slap me?'' ''Yaah, Seo Wonho, answer me.'' He is getting impatient with the man. Patience is never his strong point. The only reason why he could wait for Wonho all this time is because he thought he had a chance with the man, but it seemed that the reason is almost nonexistent right now, like his own composure. ''Cat got your tongue?'' Wonho scorns at the alpha, hating the way the man is speaking to him. He finally notices the whole class is gone, leaving them alone in the empty room. Feeling cornered, his heart starts to palpitate quickly, begging his body to escape but every time he tries to, Minwoo would move in front of him, making him retreat back in slight fear. Gaining his courage, he pushes through the man not caring if he is grabbed by the wrist. ''You''re not running away again. Not today.'' Minwoo holds Wonho''s wrist as the man tries to escape him. They need to settle this here because this has been dragging for way too long. Wonho needs to tell him clearly what he wants because Minwoo refuses to accept ''hating alphas'' as the reason for his rejection. He did not waste half a year chasing the man only to be turned down cold for being someone he is born as. Not when he knows that the other has feelings for him too, if only a bit. Wonho pulls his wrist forcefully and dashes away, leaving Minwoo calling his name in frustration. The alpha wants to run after the male, but he still has his stuff on the table; he left them there when he rushed towards the door to stop Wonho from leaving earlier. Grabbing his bag, he makes sure to switch off the lights before searching for the other. After minutes of running around the department, Minwoo finally spots the man, sitting around a table with his friends, minus Chansol. He is actually relieved about it because who knows what he will do to the other alpha if he is there. On the other hand, Sangcheol and Junjie is, making it harder for him to talk without causing some commotion. But they need to settle this once and for all. Because Minwoo needs to know. Not caring anymore, he walks towards the group, stopping right beside Wonho''s seat. All three of his friends look up at him, confused at the sudden appearance while Wonho keeps looking towards the others, completely ignoring him. Sangcheol, as expected, does not seemed pleased. ''Seo Wonho. We are not done.'' He locks his sight with Wonho, not minding his friends'' uncomfortable reactions. There is a long silence where the only sound is some murmurs from their surroundings, but none from where he wants it to come from. ''I said, we are not done.'' ''What are you trying to do, Kim Minwoo?.'' He is interrupted by the older alpha who eyes him threateningly. That was not a question, it was a warning not to use that authoritative tone with his pack members though it shouldn''t matter since none of his betas will be affected. But Minwoo is not there looking for trouble, he just wants to talk so he calms himself down. ''I answered your question. We''re done.'' ''That wasn''t an answer. That''s an excuse.'' He fires back, not satisfied. He can feel the eyes staring at him, especially the angry gaze of Jun. Sangcheol already turned his body to face him, his left hand placed on the table, his right behind Wonho. Minwoo can sense the tensed atmosphere surrounding him. ''Well then maybe I did it because I''m a jerk.'' ''Seo Wonho!'' ''Kim, leave!'' He is shoved backwards a few steps by the man''s best friend who now stands between them. Realizing how he just screamed the Wonho''s name, he looks back at the man. Wonho is slightly hidden by Sangcheol who has his right arm straightened in front of him in a protective manner. To top it off, the older alpha is now giving off his own pheromones, challenging Minwoo for a fight, to which Minwoo automatically responds by amplifying his own. ''Minwoo, you should leave.'' Their silent duel is broken by Mengyao''s soft yet firm command. Looking around, he sees everyone looking at them, as if they are in a play. He turns back to the group with all three members, except Wonho, staring at him seriously. Outnumbered and feeling ridiculed, he laughs lightly, backing away. This whole thing is outrageous. He finally understands what is happening. He should''ve known Wonho is only enjoying the attention he is giving like a desperate puppy with no intention to take it further. Minwoo is toyed with and thrown away. By a fucking beta. ''Fine. I''ll leave. Don''t come running to me when you realize what you missed. Fucking dickheads.'' Chapter 37 - Running Away 2 Wonho is stunned motionless at what just happened. The strong pheromones of the two alphas threatening each other, so intense he almost shook in fear. For the first time in his life, he finally understands why alphas stare at each other before using their fist, unlike betas who just get to it right away. They are measuring each others'' strengths. And seeing how unaffected the two betas are while his heart was beating violently, he finally understands why the omegas turned away from him that night; they were as scared as he was. But the one thing that scared him the most about what just happened is how much stronger and dominating Minwoo''s pheromones are compared to Sangcheol''s. It was heavy and suffocating, he felt weak and helpless just being there. It is clear that the alpha could do anything to him if he wanted to and he would be powerless to stop it. And to think that he had been near the alpha alone, just the thought of it sends shivers down his spine. ''What the hell happened with you two?'' Junjie asks, his face still red with anger. He is looking directly at Wonho, demanding answer. The few seconds of tension is eased by Mengyao''s voice, apologizing to the people around them for the ruckus before sitting back down. Junjie still keeps his gaze, not giving up, and Mengyao asks the same question, only, gentler. ''N-nothing happened.'' ''Bullshit. You did something to him.'' Junjie calls out and Wonho sighs inwardly, wondering why Junjie defended him if he knew Wonho was the offender. It never ceases to amaze him though, how the man always knows when to trust his words, and when not to, making him all the more thankful for the biased support. That being said, sometimes Wonho just wish Junjie would let him go with the obvious lie, if only to comfort him. ''I¡­ slapped him.'' ''That bastard! The fuck did he do to you?! Did he tried t-'' ''Yaah! Calm down. Everyone can hear you.'' Mengyao hushes the aggravated man for which Wonho is thankful for. He doesn''t want people around them to get the wrong idea. ''Nothing. I just¡­ he didn''t¡­'' ''Wono.'' Sangcheol interrupts, wanting him to tell the truth. Wonho looks down and bites his lower lip, ashamed to admit it. ''Tell us.'' ''He''s an alpha. I¡­ just noticed.'' Wonho complies hesitantly. It wasn''t the forceful, hungry kisses that scared him. Well, that too. But the real reason was because he realized he was kissed by an alpha. The very kind that destroyed him that night. The kind that he hates the most. He let another alpha take him, willingly, making him feel disgusted with himself. The thing is, he never wants to admit it to his friends because two of them are alphas. And though he hates the alphas, he loves his friends dearly. He keeps his eyes locked at the table, too ashamed to cross eyes with his senior, ''I''m sorry Ryuu-hyung. I''m trying but I''m... still afraid¡­'' He feels the familiar strong hand placed behind his neck, the thumb rubbing his skin like a father would a son. Sangcheol shakes him lightly before moving firmly grip around his shoulder. ''I know. It takes time. At least you know Chansol and I won''t hurt you. That''s enough. Other alphas can wait.'' Wonho nods and sighs. It shouldn''t matter if he will never be able to accept alphas. Nothing will change. He will still be able to have a normal life, a normal family with another beta. But, he doesn''t want to keep avoiding them forever either. ''If he ever come close to you again, I''ll kill him.'' Junjie is still irritated with Minwoo''s rude behaviour. The man looks at Wonho, silently telling him not to have anything to do with the alpha which makes the latter feel a bit guilty. Aside from the sudden aggressive kissing, which he initially enjoyed before his normal panic attack, the only thing Minwoo did wrong was being an alpha. And though he knows there is nothing the man could''ve done to change what he is, Wonho still couldn''t help being scared, angry and acting defensive towards him. ''Wono, let''s get something to eat.'' Sangcheol drags him up and he follows, knowing his senior wants to talk privately. After asking what the other two want, they make their way towards the convenient store but stop right at the corner and enter a quite road. Wonho plays with the hem of his shirt, still feeling slightly uncomfortable after saying that he hates alphas. He knows they are going to talk about it. ''Wono.'' ''Hrm?'' ''Did you sense it? When Minwoo asked you to explain?'' ''What?'' Wonho wonders what he should notice. How persistent Minwoo was? ''Did you feel like you have to comply?'' Now that he think about it, he did feel like something is going to happen if he didn''t but that was because he was feeling guilty. ''That''s the tone alphas use to control omegas. Remember that tone, the low voice with slight growl. You should know what is happening so you won''t be manipulated easily.'' ''What¡­?'' Sangcheol sighs. There are so much more to their world that a simple beta would not understand. Omegas learned it at the omega schools but Wonho has no one to guide him and that worries the older. Of course he can trust Haneul to teach his junior, but important things might be forgotten unless they are experienced first hand, such as the commanding tone used against Wonho just now. Though he knows Minwoo didn''t do it on purpose, it is still important to tell the new omega. ''You are not affected because of you have a mate. But your bond''s getting weaker and once that''s broken, you may be exposed to these things. Keep that in mind and be careful.'' Wonho gulps and nods weakly. For the past few months, he realized how much his bond had been keeping him away from other alphas. And though he hates the fact that he was forcefully claimed, he has to admit in the absence of his ''mate'', the bond has only been keeping him safe. Truthfully speaking, he used to be excited for it to break but now, as it grows weaker, he is getting more and more nervous. Because that means he will be a free omega for other alphas to claim. ##### Everything went back to normal a few days later, besides Minwoo avoiding him that is. Whenever they happen to be in the same vicinity, the alpha will ignore him completely before moving away like during his jogging sessions or lecture. Wonho knows he should be relieved but he feels a sudden loneliness enveloping him. Just like how his omega classmates showed their hatred towards him, Minwoo even goes as far as to change seats to get as far away as possible from him during their first class together after that incident. And at that moment, Wonho felt a pang in his heart. ''You okay, hyung?'' Chansol''s voice interrupts his daze. His stomachache is gone but he started to feel slightly light-headed for the past few days. And no, sleep does not help at all. Today, he felt his body burning a bit as he rose from the bed this morning but it is not so much that he had to take a rest. His body temperature is normal too. Wonho looks at the younger''s concerned face and gives a weak smile. He already has his head on the table, his whole body feeling heavy and needing support. ''You sure? You don''t look so good.'' ''I''m fine.'' ''Your gastric again?'' ''No¡­ it''s okay. Don''t mind me.'' He assures his junior again, wanting him to focus. The exam is next week, and unlike Chansol who needs to pass it, he is only attending the class for revision. He would hate to be the reason why Chansol can''t focus. Chansol nods and turns back to the lecturer, but makes sure to check on his senior once in a while. He is taking notes when he hears the heavy breathing beside him, as if Wonho is having difficulty to breathe. Indeed, the man is sweating. He is even too distracted to hide his scent like he usually would during class hour. Worried, he tries again. ''You need to rest.'' ''It''ll pass.'' ''No, hyung. Go back.'' Not wanting to fight, and feeling a bit sick, Wonho agrees to that suggestion and gets up to leave. He has to hold on to the walls for support once in a while so he knows it is getting worse. Grabbing his bike, he starts to push it home as he is too out of it to even balance himself. ''You okay?'' Some guy suddenly walks beside him and holds his upper arm to stop his track. And without realizing it, Wonho lets out a gasp, more like a short moan, as his sensitive skin made contact with another. His unexpected reaction shocked him and he pushes the man away in embarrassment before loosing his footings and falls to the ground. ''Hey, where are you going? Let me help.'' The shorter male tries again as he crouches near the omega, too close Wonho can feel his breath on his skin. And the scent. He is an alpha. Wonho refuses the hand held out to him and tries prying the grab on his shoulder but it is useless. He is in no condition to do anything. ''Leave me alone.'' ''Why don''t we go somewhere I can help you.'' Low voice with a slight growl. How alphas control omegas. ''No!'' ''You''re not looking good. Let me help.'' He is supported back up but the pressure keeps coming, the alpha''s pheromones are getting intense Wonho starts to shake involuntarily. ''Let go of me.'' He tries again weakly. He has no energy to fight and he just wants to go back to his room. ''He said he''s fine, man. Let him go.'' Wonho finally notices another man standing there all this time. He tries to push the alpha away and this time, the other guy helps by pulling him away. ''Jesus. What''s wrong with you?'' ''He needs help.'' The alpha tries touching him again and Wonho flinches away. Looking at the beta male holding his pursuer, he silently begs for the other to be taken away from him. ''He don''t need it. He''ll be fine. Let''s go, man.'' The beta drags his friend away, not understanding the persistence. Wonho takes a second to regain his composure. He doesn''t know why he is feeling really helpless and pathetic right now but tears are falling down his face, making everything blurry and he just wants to lay down somewhere safe. He keeps looking on the ground, trying to hide his face and avoid making eye contact with the people around him. A few more people stopped him before Wonho decides it is best to lose the bike and run back, albeit his weak knees. And he keeps moving. He doesn''t recognize the place anymore. He lost track while trying to avoid all the alphas but he couldn''t stop walking. And now he is in an unfamiliar place, trying to get back home. This place is quiet, and Wonho contemplates whether he should take a rest here to regain his strength and clear his mind. Something caught his attention here. Something about this place feels warm and safe. Without thinking, his legs start to move; into a building, towards the isolated staircase. He continues climbing, supporting his weight on the rail as his legs almost give away from the exhaustion. He wonders how much longer he has to climb but he doesn''t know where he is heading in the first place. He finally reaches the top floor and stands in front of a door. Pushing it, he walks straight towards the familiar scent. ''Wonho? What the fuck are you doing here?'' Chapter 38 - First Heat 1 Minwoo lies on the ground of the rooftop where he has chosen to be his secret place to be alone. He really needs some place where he can get fresh air to let himself free without controlling his pheromones so he can relax and calm down. What happened recently is really stressing him up and it is really hard for him to focus on his lectures. Thank god most of the exams are over. He only needs to sit for one more and submit one report before the term ends. He closes his eyes and almost fell asleep before realizing a strong scent getting closer. Ignoring it to focus on meditating, he hears the door slams open and looks over. It is Wonho. Almost immediately, every single thing that happened comes flooding in, and Minwoo finds himself holding back his anger. ''Wonho? What the fuck are you doing here?'' ''Minwoo¡­'' He replies weakly and Minwoo rolls his eyes, getting up to leave. He doesn''t want to be in the same place as the proud beta. To think that he had been chasing the guy makes him feel pathetic. ''Minwoo¡­ I don''t feel good¡­'' Wonho speaks between breaths. He is really heating up and feels very light-headed. Grabbing the nearest wall, the pale man slowly sits down and leans against it, letting his legs rest. Minwoo is about to pass by him but slows his pace before stopping completely. The strong scent he sensed a few minutes ago is definitely coming from Wonho¡­ Putting two and two together, he realizes what he thought was impossible. Seo Wonho is an omega, and Minwoo is addicted to his scent. The alpha just stares, wide-eyed at the man who is not moving anymore. Suddenly a lot of questions pop up. ''Seo Wonho¡­'' he tries. This is all really sudden. ''Yah, Seo Wonho!'' He calls again, afraid to close their distance. This much pheromones released can only mean one thing and he does not plan on getting tangled in this mess. Not after what happened between them. Not caring to wait for a response anymore, he proceeds to ask his question, ''A-are you an o-omega?'' He needs to hear it from the man himself because this is really hard to digest, and he hopes he is wrong. All his senses might have gone haywire due to extreme stress. Yes, that could be it. Wonho does not seemed pleased with the question but his expression confirms the alpha''s suspicion. That really bothers him because the former did not had any scent on him before this day. And yet, here he is, releasing them generously, enough to entice Minwoo. Minwoo scratches his neck in annoyance at the lack of answer. What was he expecting? This is Wonho, the man with few words. Of course he wouldn''t say anything. Minwoo decides to ignore him. The man made it clear about not wanting to be in his presence, and Minwoo is no longer the persistent, desperate puppy he once was. He already made his choice so Minwoo has no business with him anymore. He starts to walk away, down the staircase. ¡­ What was Wonho doing there anyway? He seems comfortable enough to stay there so does that mean¡­ Is Wonho nesting there? Out there in the open? Where other alphas can freely grab him and do anything they want to him? Minwoo looks back up the stairs, he cannot see Wonho but the scent is strong enough to be noticed even from where he is. The thing is, judging from his appearance and self-control, Wonho is obviously on his first day but this strong scent will usually by emitted during the peak of the heat. What in the world is happening? ''Tsk. Whatever.'' He continues his steps downwards. Then he stops again, not feeling that great about leaving a weak omega in the open. If anything were to happen, he will be partially responsible. No matter how much he hates Korean omegas, they will still be the one who will carry his future child since his parents won''t let him marry foreigners. And he knows really well how stupid omegas in heat will act - his first sexual experience was with a young omega in heat, wandering outside, clearly out of it, begging him for release. And being a young teenager raging with hormones, he acted without thinking. But he is no longer a careless teenager, he is now an adult with self-control and sense of responsibility, who knows better than to let an intoxicated omega gets himself in trouble. ''Jesus. Hurh.'' Minwoo gets back up again. As expected, Wonho is at the same position, against the wall, hiding his face between his knees. Exhaling softly, half-annoyed, he calls out, ''Wonho¡­ what are you doing here?'' ''I can''t move¡­ it hurts¡­'' ''Where does it hurts?'' He sits in front of the omega, noticing the intense pheromones that will make any alpha crazy. He, too, despite his usual ability to control himself, finds himself getting excited. It is just a matter of time before the others detect him and start to swarm this place. Wonho struggles with his words, but Minwoo can make up the word ''stomach''. Though he knows that is not where it is supposed to hurt, he plays along. ''You wanna go to the doctor''s?'' Wonho shakes his head. ''Home? Your room? I can bring you to your room.'' ''No¡­ I don''t know¡­'' Wonho pulls his legs nearer to his chest and hugs them tightly. He doesn''t want to see the doctor because he knows this has something to do with the changes in his body to an omega, and he hates it. He refuses to listen to anything that reminds him of his change. But he is really dizzy right now, the air around him sends shivers every time they hit his skin and his stomach tightened so much he almost cannot feel his legs. He just wants to stay here, unmoving. Just here. ''Hey¡­ we can''t stay here. It''s dangerous¡­'' Minwoo tries to sit closer once he hears a soft whimper coming from Wonho. What is it with this guy that makes Minwoo so overly concern about his wellbeing? He usually finds this kind of people annoying and would usually just ignore them. ''Let''s get you to your room, okay?'' ''No! I don''t wanna go back there¡­'' ''What do you wanna do then?'' He accidentally raises his voice and notices the other shrinking even more as a result. There is a long pause and Minwoo feels really nervous. This is stupid. Wonho is acting really stupid. Doesn''t he know the risk of an omega in heat being out in the open like this? What if he had stumbled upon another alpha instead of him? ''I just¡­ wanna stay here¡­'' Chapter 39 - First Heat 2 ''You can''t Wonho!!!'' Minwoo sighs and inhales deeply. This is getting ridiculous. He should just leave him be. It is not as if they were in good terms anyway. He should not care. ''Fine. Whatever. You know what you''re getting yourself into right? Suit yourself.'' He is about to take his leave again when he hears a muffled cry in between Wonho''s knees. The man is really crying and is trying his best to hold it in. ''What''s happening to me? I don''t¡­ I don''t know¡­'' ''You fucking serious? Are you kidding me?'' Minwoo almost screams but settles with raising his voice again instead. ''You''re in fucking heat Wonho! Are you that stupid or what?'' He pauses at a sudden realization, ''Is this one of your desperate act to sleep with me?'' Minwoo stands there waiting for an answer. He might have hit the bullseye. Wonho might have figured out who he is and is now desperate to take him back, like all the other pathetic omegas trying to get him as their mate. What he did not expect is Wonho standing up on his weak legs and stumbles away, trying to go down the stairs in spite being all wobbly. ''Yahh, where are you going?'' No answer. ''Yaah!! Seo Wonho!'' He pushes the man towards the wall, placing both his hands on each side of Wonho''s head, making a barrier in case the man falls down. He notices the tears flowing down the man''s flushed face before a look of pure horror replaced it. Wonho starts to scream and pushes Minwoo''s face away from him with his other hand on his shoulder doing the same, although it didn''t make any difference because he is too weak. It did, however, startled Minwoo, who pushes himself and steps backwards a few steps away from the horrified man. ''I''m sorry¡­ I wasn''t trying to¡­'' Minwoo notices the scent getting stronger, more than he thought was possible, and realizes it is because it is mixed with fear. Unfortunately, his own body is starting to betray himself by reacting to it despite him feeling sorry for what he did. He hears omegas do that when they feel threatened to attract their mates or other alphas to help them, but he thought it is merely old wives'' tale. Because no omegas are able to do that. Maybe, if they are scared to the extreme, but he never met one who has. And even if it is possible, doing it during their heat would be suicide considering how the alphas will want to mate with them instead. ''Yaah¡­ c-calm down.'' He tries to assure the other but he, himself is a bit shaken with that experience. On the other hand, Wonho already made himself down the stairs without looking back. ''Where are you going?'' ''Somewhere...'' ''You can''t¡­ Jesus! You need to be indoors you hear me?'' Minwoo stares at the back of Wonho. The man really seems like he believes it is only a severe case of a stomachache and Minwoo is worried that he may attract the wrong attention while being out in the open. Furthermore, it doesn''t seem like he is going to his room from the looks of it, he may try to go to the lake. Minwoo is sure he will get himself lost again though. Because Seo Wonho is just a complicated person who is a bit oblivious to his surroundings. Without thinking, Minwoo grabs Wonho and carried him bridal style down the stairs. He was expecting a fight but is surprised when the man just rests his head on his chest instead, nuzzling it. ''Where are we going?'' ''Somewhere safe.'' ##### Shit. He brought Wonho back to his apartment. What the hell was he thinking? And now Wonho is in his bedroom. All alone while Minwoo is outside pacing back and forth in front of his television. Wonho''s scent got weaker compared to half an hour ago but that was because he had calmed down a bit. But what about tomorrow? And the day after? What about during his peak? What should Minwoo do? Just sit in in front of the television waiting for it to pass? He isn''t sure he is that strong. This is the first time he ever felt tempted towards an omega since his return, in fact, this is the first time he ever felt like losing control just by being in the presence of an omega in heat and that puzzles him. Nobody ever has that effect over him, at least not after he learned how to control himself. But Seo Wonho... He was already attracted to him when he was supposed to be a beta, and now that he is an omega, Minwoo realizes he is loving the man''s scent as well. And above all of that, he is now in heat, in Minwoo''s room. His alluring scent just begging Minwoo to hold him, the sweat droplets on his skin urging the alpha to lick them clean... Minwoo wants to just give in to his carnal desire and fill the man with his seeds. But he won''t do that. He won''t waste his energy on that fine human being. He is still mad. Maybe. He can just lend the house to Wonho for a few days until this is over since he sleeps at the dorm anyways. Yes, that is a good idea. He knocks a few times to make sure the male on the other side is ready for his presence before calling in, ''Wonho, I''m gonna go now. You can use the house freely. There''s food in the fridge. Just eat that when you''re hungry.'' HeHe waits for an answer, but none is heard. Not even a movement. Has he already fallen asleep? ''Wonho? Seo?'' He tries again. He should really not enter right now but he is really curious. No, not because he wants to take a peek at the omega taking care of his needs. Well that too. Mostly that. But also, because he wants to make sure the other got his message. With no answer yet again, he decides to open the door anyway, slowly as to not startle the man. ''Yah! What are you doing on the floor?'' Chapter 40 - First Heat 3 Minwoo almost pissed himself looking at the figure sitting in the corner of the wall, rocking back and forth. Wonho has cocooned himself with Minwoo''s black blanket, and is just sitting there, breathing heavily. He doesn''t seem to realize the other''s presence, or he is completely ignoring it. And this confuses Minwoo so much he just stands there staring. ''W-what are you doing?'' There is a shake of what Minwoo assumes is his head and Minwoo frowns. This is really weird. It is as if Wonho really has no idea what is happening to him even though Minwoo has told him a few times already. Most omegas would already start to masturbate once they reach somewhere safe, or they would already make a move on any alpha available to help them get through the heat. This is the first time Minwoo encounter someone who covers themselves in a blanket and just sits there doing nothing. Is that even possible? ''Wonho¡­ let me ask you again. Do you know what''s happening to you?'' Another shake and Minwoo closes his eyes in disbelief. This is preposterous. ''You gotta be kidding me¡­ are you fucking serious? I told you a few times already! Why didn''t it register in that brain of yours?'' He lets his head fall down front and closes his eyes, breathing in deeply to gain his cool. ''Is this seriously your first time? What are you? A new omega or something? Like for real?'' He asks, half sarcastically because he is convinced this is all some sort of plan to get Minwoo to sleep with him so he can ask for something back. Nobles are wealthy people after all, and everybody knows that. A shy nod and Minwoo lets out his breath. ''What? A new omega? Seriously?'' The alpha rubs his face and pushes his hair back to think. It is possible, because Wonho had no scent before today. In fact, Minwoo only started to smell what he initially thought was the omega''s ''shampoo'' a few months back but that too, was only sometimes. He has no clue how omega presents so that could be it; their scents showing bit by bit before the day they fully become complete omega. He cannot be sure about that hypothesis but decides to give Wonho the benefit of the doubt. That being said, he has another problem at hand now. How the hell does one tell someone to keep touching themselves for about a week without sounding like a creep? How does one even explain about heat to someone? Minwoo gets out of the room to escape the suffocating sex pheromones and walks around the living room in circles to think clearly. What do all omegas do during their first heat? He never asked anybody that question because everyone seems to know what they are doing and he just assumes they knew it from the start. But apparently, he is wrong. He needs to consult someone. An omega. Maybe asks the omega to talk to Wonho and guide him. That should be for the best. He scrolls his phone book for any omega numbers. All he has is Seungyeun''s, his mother and grandmothers''. Minwoo laughs. Who would have thought the great Kim Minwoo has no local omega''s number when his phone in Europe was filled with it. Sighing, he considers calling Seungyun before remembering the chatter mouth. He decides he is too tired to listen to Seungyun''s blabber and settles with calling his mother. ''Eomma¡­ this might sound weird but what did you do when you first had your heat?'' ''Ommo Minwoo-yah¡­ that''s a bit¡­ Why''re you asking?'' ''I kinda stumble upon a new omega¡­ I think¡­ in heat-'' ''You can''t touch a minor!! I know you have this thing with omega but-'' ''Eomma no!!! It''s not like that! Look, he''s not a minor and he looked confused! He covered himself in a blanket and just sat in the corner doing nothing! But he looks so sick, his veins were showing and I''m worried.'' Worried. He is worried. ''Alright...'' Upon his mother''s suggestion, Minwoo decides to pass the phone to Wonho and let his mom do all the explanation. Omega to omega. Which he is thankful for because he doesn''t want to imagine his own mother during heat. But to his displeasure, the stubborn man refuses to take out his hands from the blanket to hold the phone. And he also refuses to bring out his face from his knees, making it hard for Minwoo to hold the phone to his ear. After trying for almost half an hour, Minwoo gives up and throws the phone on the sofa, grunting in annoyance. His mother suggested buying toys for the omega but what kind? Minwoo never possessed any toys since he prefers using his own member to pleasure his partner but apparently most omegas use toys to get through their heat in the absence of their partners. So is Wonho a vibrator kind of guy? Or a dildo kind of guy? Or maybe the one with electricity flowing on demand? Maybe he likes pumps? What size should he buy? Minwoo ends up going to the nearest adult toys shop and buying one of each. Never in his life would he have thought he would actually buy one. Or many. It is also his first time going to such shop, so everything is very shocking to him, like the abnormally large dildos or the really violent vibrator, who the hell thought about this kind of unrealistic stuffs anyway? Not to mention the chains and whips his eyes caught at the fetish section. Thinking about it sends shivers down his spine. Putting one of each type of toys at the register, he notices the lady at the counter giving him this weird look which he is quick to ignore. He shoves everything in a black bag and returns to his apartment in regrets. Now¡­ How should he pass them to Wonho? Maybe he overdid it with the toys. Wonho would think he is just a perverted sick alpha like all the others. Maybe he should have bought just one. Which one though? ''Arghhh! The things I''m going through for that guy¡­!!'' Minwoo gives up and decides to call his last resort ¨C Seungyun. Because he cannot ask his mother again about this. It is just too embarrassing. ''Minwoo you better have something important to call me at night.'' Gosh, not even a hello. And it is only 7. It isn''t even dark yet. ''Seungyun. I''m just gonna say it straight because it''s been more than 2 hours and Wonho is still not doing anything. What do you do on your first heat?'' Chapter 41 - First Heat 4 ''Heol¡­'' ''Shut up Seungyun. Wonho''s having a hard time and¡­'' ''Don''t you dare touch him. Send him to the nearest omega school or omega house. They''ll take care of him.'' ''They?'' Minwoo does not like the idea of other people touching Wonho. He despises the idea of more than one people doing so. ''Professionals, Minwoo. Teachers, certified doctors. Leave it to them.'' That answer did nothing to satisfy him either. Are those people allowed to touch new omegas just because of their profession? What rights do they have? A lot of thing is bothering him, but he has no other choice. Wonho needs help because he is clueless about taking care of himself. ''Wonho. We''re going to the omega house.'' He opens the bedroom door again only to be greeted by the strong, seductive scent which has accumulated during his absence. Minwoo feels himself reacting to it and grits his teeth to control himself. ''No. Stay.'' He lets out a long sigh. He is in no condition to be fighting about it. With one swift lift, he holds the cocoon on his shoulders and rushes down towards the car. He notices some alphas lingering around them and realizes that they were there since he first went out to the store to buy Wonho''s toys. That is when it hit him - they are not residents of the apartment, they are there for Wonho. ''DAMMIT WONHO! STAY IN THE CAR!'' He explodes as Wonho got out and starts walking away hastily back inside the building which is secured from the inside due to the auto-lock. Loosening his safety belt, he gets out as quickly as he could when he sees one of the alphas grabbed Wonho and started to drag him away. Minwoo unconsciously punches the stranger and growls at the others before gripping Wonho''s wrist to bring him back into the vehicle. ''GET AWAY FROM ME!! NO!!'' Wonho is struggling like his life depended on it and Minwoo can sense the tension behind him. He snarls at the other alphas who have been moving closer towards both of them. Wonho panicking and being under this much stress is releasing more pheromones that even Minwoo is having a hard time calming himself. The others are starting to lose their minds as well, judging from them not even feeling threatened by Minwoo''s noble presence. He intensifies it few folds and tightens his hold on the omega, only opening the lock when the other backed away from them. ''Shit Wonho. Shh¡­ It''s okay. We''ll go back to my room, okay?'' He coos as he carries the new omega back and as soon as they reaches his room, Wonho scurries back towards the corner, hiding his face in his knees and refusing to move. Mentally exhausted and wanting to get away from Wonho, he commands, ''You need to relief yourself. Use the bathroom if you want. Are you listening to me?'' Wonho still shakes at the corner, ignoring him. ''Yah, calm down. You need to calm down Wonho! You''re attracting a lot of alphas! Dammit!'' Minwoo rushes from the room, out of the house and crouches down with his back against the door. He never felt this drunk from an omega''s pheromones before. His erection is already rock-hard and it is becoming harder for him to be in a room with Wonho without lifting a finger. ''What''s with you Seo Wonho?'' Minwoo inhales deeply, trying to get some fresh air to clear his system. He searches for the number of any omega house and calls, hoping someone there will come here instead. Unfortunately for him, that is impossible since it is illegal to do so outside the facilities. ''What the hell should I do then?'' ''Pass him the phone so I can guide him.'' ''I already tried that. He refused to move. He seemed really frightened.'' ''Bring him he-'' ''DIDN''T YOU HEAR ME? HE REFUSED TO MOVE!'' Minwoo closes his eyes and takes deep breaths to calm himself, ''I''m sorry. We''re not in a good situation now. It''s impossible to get him there. It''s been almost three hours. Please¡­'' ''Then maybe you can try to educate him, persuade him to come. Tell him how his action might affect his ability to conceive. We''re sorry. The law does not allow us to do more than that.'' Hanging up out of frustration, Minwoo almost throw his phone away. This cannot be it. Did he hear the operator right? Ability to conceive? He may have plenty of experience handling omegas in heat, but he still has no idea how heat affects an omega''s physical condition. He has yet to learn about it too. But one thing is for sure, he refuses to let Wonho suffer and ruin his body like this. Especially since it means he will not be able to carry a child later. He should check on Wonho. The omega does not seem sane enough to be left alone that long. ''Urghh¡­'' Minwoo stops right in front of the closed room. The scent is already filling his whole house, the intensity increasing tenth-fold from before he stormed out. ''Why the hell are you this scared...?'' He thinks out loud as he senses the fear. His mind is almost clouded with lust, his sanity threatening to leave and Minwoo opens the window as his last attempt to gain control of himself. He notices some lowly alphas standing below his window and realizes how serious the situation is. Closing the window and locking it despite them being on the 6th floor, he rubs his face roughly. He need to take care of it himself. That is the only way. Minwoo enters the room and grabs the shaken omega by his legs. He hears the shocked whimper but decides to ignore it. Throwing Wonho on the bed, he climbs on top and pulls the man upwards, so his body is completely on the king-sized bed. ''STOP! STOP!!'' Wonho pushes his face away, another hand grabs his own to free himself from his trapped position. ''GET OFF ME!!'' Minwoo turns Wonho on his stomach with much struggle and holds his hands in place, right above his head. The omega obviously has no energy left, every attempt to free himself too weak it is not even a problem for Minwoo. While his right hand pins the other, his left works on the button of the omega''s pants. ''NO! STOP! HELP!!!'' With one forceful pull, he manages to bring the jeans towards the knees. Wonho keeps his legs shut tight to stop himself from being stripped, but Minwoo turns him around on his back instead. Bringing both his legs up, the alpha pulls the jeans off completely. ''I don''t want to¡­ No¡­'' Wonho sobs, hiding his face with his arms. He is shaking violently. Minwoo stares down at the man. He has already made his mind. He is going to take care of Wonho''s heat. He will force the man if he has to. Chapter 42 - Hurricane Seo 1 Droplets of sweats start to fall down his temple as Wonho takes deep breaths trying to hold in his pain, rocking his body back and forth just to distract himself. His lower stomach contracted so much he can no longer feel anything around that area, only immense agony. It is too painful he wants to just pass out and wake up again when it''s over. This is definitely not how heats should feel like. Heats shouldn''t hurt like this. Everyone seems like they enjoy theirs. This is not enjoyable at all. This is torturous. He shouldn''t feel like this if he is ready to mate. He should be attracted to the alphas. He should be desperate for other people''s touch, that is what Jinyoung said. He would have already touched himself if this is the case. No. This is not heat. He shouldn''t be in heat. He is already long pass the normal timing for his first heat. He should be a broken omega. He should be infertile. He should be a normal beta male with scent. This is not heat. Minwoo doesn''t know what he is talking about. This is not heat. Not heat... Wonho gasps in surprise when he feels his leg grabbed and his whole body thrown onto the bed. He manages to catch a glimpse of the place and realizes he doesn''t recognize the room. Trying to sit up, he finally catches the strong scent that had been surrounding him for the last minutes - it is an alpha, and the pheromones is invasive and intense, trying to control him, trying to stir him motionless. Wonho widens his eyes in realization. He is indoors. He is indoors like they told him to be and yet an alpha managed to get him. They said he would be safe behind closed doors, but he was thrown on the bed instead. They said he was attacked because he was at the alley filled with alphas, but he is now alone behind four walls and yet someone managed to get inside to do the same thing to him. They blamed him for what happened that night because of his own carelessness and yet... He did everything right and yet¡­ They lied. They said he would be safe here. He thought he is finally safe here. He thought he can finally try to relax and focus on holding the pain in his stomach until it disappears. But he is obviously wrong. Nowhere is safe. Already drained from trying to bear the pain in his lower stomach and the incident a few minutes ago, he cannot even push the hands away from his body as he is flipped over on the bed. As much as he tries to grip the other''s hands to push it, he only manages to pull a finger away. That is not enough. Wonho almost choke on his own saliva as he is flipped yet again, only this time, his jeans are gone before he could stop it. Looking at the entranced alpha above him who had his eyes all over his body, Wonho hides his face in shame as he feels his knees spread apart, baring his private parts to his attacker. ''I don''t want to¡­.'' No. This cannot happen again. This shouldn''t happen again! Not after all the progress he made in recovering after the first time! He is almost fixed back to normal!! He doesn''t think he can forgive himself if he lets the man has his way with him without a fight. Just like that night. ''NOOO!! DON''T WANT!!'' Wonho screams as he struggles to push himself away from the alpha above him. Still trying to close his knees to hide himself, he screams his refusal, hoping the man will actually listen but to no avail. He knows it is useless. Just like that night, they will never listen to him. He desperately gasps for air, trying to hold the tears that are filling his duct, making them vibrate as the liquid are threatening to flow down. He doesn''t want to cry. He bites his lips as hard as he can to hold in the whimpers as the alpha touches his sensitive skin and is thankful it hurt so bad it distracts him from what is happening, even for a slight moment. The moment he feels the grip on his hands loosens, he reaches for the side table, blindly hoping to grab for something hard to swing. The man had secured his knees on each side of the sheets and Wonho realizes he cannot close them anymore, not when the man had already placed himself in between. It is too late. He will be torn into inhumanly again. Feeling his chest tightens as his panic returns, he takes short and deep breaths while twisting his upper body painfully as a final attempt to distance himself from the alpha. Somehow succeeding in closing his thighs slightly, he can finally look at the bed side table. There are only a few things within reach. He grabs the brown alarm clock ¨C the only thing big enough to cause harm, and when the alpha pulls his shoulder back to turn him onto his back again, Wonho swings the clock towards his attacker. He hears a loud thud before feeling his whole body pushed back onto the bed aggressively. Wonho shrinks a little hearing the painful yet foreign scream of the man. He continues to pant heavily, attempting to push the heavy weight above him. The alpha seems to be injured by his attack so now is his chance to get away from here. Except, he cannot lift the man enough to free himself from the pinned situation. He needs to knock the alpha out cold to buy himself some time to gain a bit of energy to pull himself while the man is unconscious. No. He can just kill the man so he can finally relax. Nobody can blame him. This will be self-defense. Yes. He should kill him. Kill the alpha bastard. Chapter 43 - Hurricane Seo 2 ''FUCK!'' Minwoo is caught by surprise at the weak, yet forceful swing of the alarm clock against his left forehead. His brain buzzes a bit which is enough to break him from his drunken state. ''Shit¡­ Wonho¡­'' ''Get away from me¡­ Bastard¡­'' The omega is crying as he hits Minwoo over and over with the clock, his grip shaky, such as his whole body. His hits are desperate yet powerless and Minwoo can just feel that helplessness of the broken man beneath him. ''Die!! Die!!!'' ''Oh my god¡­Wonho¡­I''m sorry¡­I didn''t¡­ shit.'' Minwoo stares at Wonho who has already hid his face with his forearm while continuing to hit him with the clock, mumbling words of despair. He feels something tightening around his waist and looks down to see Wonho''s pale legs, trying to shut himself. Shocked at his own position above the man, he brings Wonho''s knees together and pushes it upwards so he can move away from his spot. And as he did that, Wonho turns to his side in a fetal position, still gripping the device in his hands as if it is his lifesaver. The broken man''s knuckles had turned white from clenching the clock, yet the grip is too weak Minwoo has no problem prying the clock away before throwing it on the floor. Wonho''s pheromones are still as strong and Minwoo is afraid that he might be reduced to the state earlier any time soon. He needs to act fast. But he cannot bear forcing the fragile figure that is shaking violently beneath him. ''Wonho¡­ It''s me. Minwoo.'' He tries talking hesitantly, wanting to get Wonho''s attention. The man continues muttering curse words and other desperations, as if he isn''t aware of Minwoo''s presence anymore. As if he had shut himself off. Shaking his head violently to distract himself from his instinct, Minwoo turns Wonho towards him and searches for his eyes - they are almost empty. ''It''s Kim Minwoo from the medic team. Remember? Hey, focus. It''s me.'' ''Don''t touch me¡­Die!! Bastard!!!!'' ''Wonh-'' ''LEAVE ME ALONE!!!! GET AW-'' ''WONHO, LOOK AT ME!!!'' Minwoo growls loudly as he grips Wonho''s cheeks with his right hand and forces him to look at him. The latter''s eyes shaky and out of focus, Wonho whimpers and becomes silent, responding to the command obediently. Shocked at his own action, Minwoo catches his breath when the omega finally stops struggling. ''Let me go¡­.'' He begs weakly, his voice trembling. ''I can''t. It''s dangerous¡­ Owh Won-, I''m¡­'' he wipes the tears from the pale cheeks, ''It''s going to be okay¡­'' ''Please don''t¡­'' Wonho shuts his eyes again, trying to stop the flowing liquid. He feels pathetic, begging like this, crying like this. Weak. ''No more. Not again. Please. Not again¡­.'' ''Open your eyes Wonho.'' Minwoo asks softly before shutting his own and resting their forehead together to distract himself from his own selfish needs. He clenches his teeth and feels a light shake from the man pinned beneath him. ''Hey, look at me. It''s me. Minwoo. You''re safe.'' The oppressed man suddenly starts to sob hard, hugging Minwoo as tight as he can, trying to bring the man as close as possible. Minwoo bites his inner mouth as their distance shortens, the omega''s scent challenging him to take action while the owner begging him to control his demons. ''Minwoo¡­'' ''Yes. That''s right¡­'' He brings his chin above Wonho''s head instead, trying to breathe in different air, hoping it will lessen his lust. ''Minwoo¡­.'' The alpha breathes hard. This is impossible. ''Minwoo¡­ don''t let them take me again¡­ please..'' ''They won''t come near you as long as I''m here okay?'' Minwoo licks his lips as he sees the other nods. ''Now, let me take care of you.'' ''Please don''t hurt me¡­ I don''t want¡­.'' Minwoo pecks those lips lightly, shortly, not breaking eyes contact. He places more kisses, hoping to calm the omega down. ''It''ll be fine. Hushh now¡­'' He continues comforting the man. His erection is still raging, and he doesn''t know how long he will be conscious anymore. And it scares him just as much. ''I don''t wanna hurt you. I just wanna make you feel better¡­ you''re in pain right? Hurm?'' ''It hurts so much¡­'' Wonho replies between his heavy pants. He is almost at the verge of unconsciousness from exhaustion. ''I can make it go away. You want that?'' A nod of assurance and Minwoo claims those lips hungrily before placing himself back to his favourite position ¨C between an omega''s legs. ''I''ll be gentle.'' He hisses before positioning the head in front of Wonho''s entrance, only to be clamped as the man, yet again, attempts to close his knees. ''What''re yo-?'' ''Minwoo¡­ I don''t want it. I don''t want it inside. Please don''t force me¡­.'' His tears flow like a river as he mutters those words. It breaks alpha, he can just hear the desperation in that shaky voice. As annoyed and desperate as he is, he doesn''t want to do it like this. But he doesn''t want to leave Wonho alone either. The man wants to be helped, and Minwoo wants to be inside him. So badly. So, fucking badly. ''I won''t put it in. Shh¡­.'' He bites his lips so hard it bled while cursing his situation. His throbbing erection is already hurting him. There is only one other way he can do this. ''You need to be entered. I''ll-'' ''NO!! NOTHING! NO-umphhh!'' Minwoo kisses the frightened man, pushing his lips hard, wanting access. He needs distraction from his own body and that is the only way he can do so - by busying himself in the paradise that is Wonho''s soft, wet and sweet mouth. He licks the tightened jaws, pecks that twitching nose, hoping to relax his nerve but to no avail. Finally feeling hopeless, Minwoo sucks on those smooth neck he always wanted to bite, making slurping sound as he kisses and licks, leaving trails all over. ''nnAAAhhh!'' He hears those heavenly moans and quickly places his tongue inside, clashing their lips together. Wonho tries to push him away but finds himself getting intoxicated by the taste of the alpha''s mouth instead. Wanting more, his own tongue fights to explore the other''s. Minwoo reluctantly breaks their passionate kiss, staring at the omega''s befuddled state. ''I need to be inside you.'' Wonho shakes his head again, his eyes wide. ''It won''t hurt. I promise.'' Minwoo goes down for another peck, gritting his teeth as he feels his hard-on hitting Wonho''s bottom. He moves to his side, allowing the other to finally close his shaky legs. ''Trust me.'' Chapter 44 - Hurricane Seo 3 [M] Minwoo pulls the other closer to him, spooning Wonho as he connects their lips once more. Without warning, he lifts the man''s left leg, spreading him as wide as he can before his right hand moves towards the groin area. Shocked, Wonho tries to move away but Minwoo pusheS their body closer as a response, biting his own lips hard to distract him. ''Minwoo no¡­.'' ''It''ll be okay. Trust me.'' He inhales deeply on Wonho''s neck, sending shivers to the omega, ''I got you.'' ''No!'' He tries to escape again but Minwoo locks their waist together. ''Alright! Okay¡­ I won''t do it¡­ relax'' ''Don''t put it in¡­ I can''t tak-'' ''Only fingers. Okay?'' He stares at Wonho''s glassy eyes, pecking his lips until the omega nods hesitantly. After getting the signal, he pushes one finger in immediately, earning a soft grunt as the man tries to get used to the raw intrusion. Minwoo, on the other hand, is shocked. ''Wonho¡­ you''re¡­ you''re dry.'' He pushes his finger deeper, to confirm it and pulls it out quickly, earning a whine. Wonho is dry. Minwoo gathers his breath from the shock. Wonho is an omega so he should be able to self-lubricate. And yet, he is dry, just like a beta. Gulping, quickly thinking of a way to proceed, he lies on his back and opens his bedside drawer to look for the lube. Although the situation is very confusing, Minwoo knows he won''t be able to hold himself back anymore if he doesn''t do it now. Right now, Wonho needs to be relieved. And since he cannot lubricate, Minwoo needed this liquid which he never thought he needed anymore. He sighs a relief, thankful that he didn''t throw it away after those many disappointing nights with the betas. ''Cold¡­'' ''It''s lube. It won''t hurt like this.'' ''Nnhh¡­'' Wonho pulls the alpha''s head closer when he feels the first digit entering his sphincter. It is a foreign feeling, and his body is struggling to accept it, his muscles clamping the finger in order to force it out instead. ''Don''t push me.'' Minwoo whispers as he sucks on Wonho''s earlobe, distracting himself from losing control, and the omega from the pain. He feels the pressure loosens and starts to move around that warm orifice, bending his finger to loosen the entrance. He puts in a second one and starts to spread them inside, twisting his hand, folding his fingers and pulls it out slowly before pushing it in again. Should be around here¡­ A lovely gasp is heard and Minwoo bites Wonho''s earlobe in satisfaction. He found it. ''aaAAHHH! Minwoo!!'' Wonho shriekes louder as the foreign pleasure continues to hit him, sending electrics to the back of his neck, giving no space to breathe. He cannot handle it, but he wants it so badly, and it shows; through his hands that are confused whether to push the alpha''s hand out or to pull the man close. ''Min- unnHh!'' Minwoo stares at the breathtaking view right in front of him. Wonho''s head stretched back making his neck arched beautifully, his apple protruding right in the middle on display. He can bite the man and this fine specimen will be his forever. Nobody will ever dare to touch him again. Wonho will only long for him. He will beg Minwoo to fuck him. Minwoo will be able to give it to him, fill him up real good¡­ Just a few inches away... Minwoo peeks through the polo shirt still buttoned to the top. Wonho is not wearing any protection. He can do it. The omega will be his in less than a second. He won''t even know what hit him. Just a bite¡­ A strong and swift bite¡­ ''Stop! Too much¡­. Hfff¡­'' Wonho''s begging freed him from his thoughts just in time. Minwoo shakes his head roughly and gets up from the bed, pulling his fingers as he gets to the edge of the bed. He hears the other''s shocked whine from the sudden loss before pulling the man to the corner roughly. He cannot do it in that position. He might do something he will regret. This position, in which he is standing over the omega whose legs spread eagled, is all he can manage as he tries to hold on to his last bit of sanity. Without a word, he continues where he left, pushing in three fingers at the same time and violently hitting that sweet spot while he brings Wonho''s shirt up and attacks his smooth chest. Heavy breaths turn to moans as the man beneath him turns mellow from the new sensual touch, leaving him crazy in ecstasy. Wonho holds his tummy in when Minwoo starts to draw circles around his nub with his tongue, finding it hard to bear with only his grip on the sheets. He is losing his mind from the constant hits to his sweet spot, sending him somewhere he never thought he would go. He is so high it is starting to scare him. Everything is starting to blur. He is seeing stars. This is bad. He can''t do this. He will explode. ''Minwoo sto- I can''t! NnaaHH!!!'' The pleasure is too much for him to handle. Minwoo is going too fast! He cannot take it anymore. ''MINWOO! TOO FAST!'' ''Cum baby¡­'' Minwoo pushes their lips together, muffling the moans and cries of the omega. Wonho is almost there. His hands are raging behind him, scratching and squeezing everything from the sheets to his back, to his shoulders, anywhere he can hold for support. Just a little more¡­ ''HhAaaakk!!! Haaa¡­'' Minwoo releases their lips and rests their heads together, enjoying the vibration coming from the finally relaxed man. His whole body is shaking in pleasure after his much needed ejaculation, his neglected member still shooting his load, even after Minwoo had retreated his fingers. Rising up, Minwoo glances at the dazed omega for one last time before leaving him be. His own cock is enraged. If he was to stay a second longer, he might have stuck it in while Wonho is out of it. ##### ''Dammit!'' Minwoo hits the tile and lets the cold water flows down. Of course he knotted. He was in a room, with Seo Wonho, who was in heat for a good four hours before he finally got his release. Of course his cock would knot that big. This will take a while. Chapter 45 - Hurricane Seo 4 20 minutes. His knot took almost half an hour before finally calming down. If he was inside Wonho, the man would definitely be impregnated by his seeds. 20 whole minutes of him knotting in thin air. It fucking hurt. Feeling annoyed, Minwoo wraps the towel around his waist and stops at the mirror to look at his body. There are scratch marks everywhere, thank god they aren''t deep. The omega''s weak fingers cannot do any real damage to start with anyway. If only his nails are short¡­ ''What the hell?'' He stares at the bruise that is starting to blue at his left forehead. That alarm clock. ''Tsk.'' He hisses. It can be hidden with his bangs, but it will definitely hurt when he sleeps later. Why the hell did Wonho hit him like a madman when he could just submit to him earlier? He ended up liking it anyway. The man is so complicated it frustrates him. He calms himself down before getting out of the shower towards the bedroom to take a new pair of clothing. The sex pheromones has softened dramatically, it is barely even detectable if he chose to ignore it. To think that he was almost influenced by it to actually assault the owner feels unbelievable. In fact, it was weird. Do all new omegas release this much scents during their first heat? Is that why they need to be separated from the alphas the moment they presented? If that is the case, Minwoo could just be an unlucky guy to stumble across one. No, he would have been a lucky one had it not been Seo Wonho, the ridiculously stubborn guy. If it was any other omegas, he would probably have the time of his life. Sighing, he enters the bedroom, not sparing a look at the omega on his bed. He would be sleeping anyway, judging from the lack of sound and movement. Putting on a simple shirt and boxers, he gets out to make himself some food. All that struggling has him drained and hungry. He looks back one last time at the bed before closing the door. It surprises him that instead of sleeping, Wonho is sitting up while staring at the window, unmoving. Worried, but somewhat angry at the same time, Minwoo chooses to ignore the man. If he wants to talk, he will talk. If he wants to leave, then it is none of his business. ##### He is an omega. He thought he is broken but he wasn''t. He is just a late bloomer. He is an omega¡­ He just had his first heat. That is his first heat. Like they said, it calmed down once he is entered and had his release. He just had his fucking heat. And that means that he now has a fully functional, disgusting baby-making organ inside of him. His life will now be of him running away all his life from the alphas whenever the season comes. And that means once every two to three months. How can he live a normal life again? How can he return to his class filled with alphas when he knows they will try to mate with him if he gets his heat during class hour? How can he walk the street alone whenever he wants if the alphas will be chasing him when they catches his scent? The man in that alley that night¡­ he was here. Wonho saw him outside from inside the car. The man tried to take him away again. He was out there. He knew where Wonho was. He will never be safe outside the campus. What should he do once he graduates? He wouldn''t be able to leave the house! Wonho starts to hyperventilate as his chest tightens from the stress. Panting deeply, he looks around for his bag. His medicine should be inside. He gets out of the bed, looking around the floor for his bag without success. He needs that pills or he will go mad! Shit!! Where are his pills???!! Turning the bed upside down, he searches every corner of the room - beneath the bed, under the pillows, inside the pillows, behind the curtains, inside the bedside drawers¡­ there is an anti-anxiety bottle inside the drawer. He shakes it and hears the pills hitting the bottle before pouring himself two pieces and swallows it dry. He looks back inside, there is another bottle, similar to his own medicine. This is good. He can take those too. Maybe he took too much. Owh well¡­ who cares anyway¡­. ##### Minwoo looks up from the boiling sauce when he hears the bedroom door opens. Wonho gets out of the room, still in his old, tainted shirt and his messy hair. The man has his black blanket folded up and is heading straight towards the door without even glancing at the owner. ''Where are you going like that?'' ''Huh?'' ''That.'' Minwoo points at the omega with his wooden spatula to notify him of his tasteless appearance. There are obvious semen stains, still uncleaned on the shirt. Only a crazy man will go out like that. ''Owh. This. I''m just bringing this home to clean it. I''ll give it back¡­'' ''Your shirt. At least change or clean that first. What are you thinking? Jesus.'' ''Owh. Shirt. I''ll clean my shirt too. Okay¡­'' Minwoo narrows his eyes at the other. He is acting strange, he is too calm and careless. ''I''ll go now.'' ''What th-? Yah. At least change into my shirt or something. Are you intentionally trying to attract attention with that?'' ''Your shirt¡­ okay.'' Minwoo rolls his eyes and continues putting in ingredients for his spaghetti. What the hell is wrong with the omega? Is he always a cuckoo? Why is he so silent? With no sound made, Minwoo peeks up again to be greeted with Wonho, just standing in front of the door, staring at the handle. ''What the hell are you doing right now? Do I need to get it for you? It''s in the fucking closet!'' ''I''m leaving.'' ''Fine! Leave! See if I care.'' ''Okay.'' Is the reply but the man does not move from his position. He keeps staring at the door instead. ''What are you doing now? Jesus. Make up your mind.'' ''I''m leaving¡­'' Minwoo frowns at that answer. He is repeating himself. Does he want Minwoo to stop him from leaving? Is he expecting Minwoo to beg him to stay or something? Sure, it would be lovely if Wonho would stay but they are not in good terms anyway. He did his part and if Wonho, who should be aware of his condition, decides to go out and get himself attacked by someone else, that will be on him. Not to mention, how he will get to wherever he wants without any money on him. Does he think he can just walk home in his condition safely? Does he think that just wrapping himself in that black blanket is enough? ''Yah, is your head okay?'' Chapter 46 - Hurricane Seo 5 ''I''m okay. I''m fine. Okay.'' ''How are you gonna get home?'' ''Huh? Owh. Taxi.'' ''Which one? You have any money?'' ''Money? I have. Here- I have. Wait.'' Wonho puts his hand into every pocket frantically, searching for his wallet while the alpha just stares, confused with the situation. In between the vain attempt in searching, the man''s stomach starts to growl, reacting to the simmering meat sauce, but he is completely unaware of it. ''I left it inside. I''ll go get my money.'' Minwoo brings his palm to his eyes and squeezes his temple. Wonho is obviously not in his right mind. There was no wallet nor handphones nor bags on him when he found Minwoo at the rooftop. Turning off the heat of the stove, he follows the deranged man back to his room. ''What the fuck happened in here?'' He stares back at the messy room, as if someone had broken in. He faces back at Wonho who, without even caring about the mess, walks around while looking at the floor to find his wallet. Walking towards the bed, his eyes widens at the spilled content of his anti-anxiety pills. ''Wonho, did you take these pills?'' ''Pills? Yeah, I need my pills too¡­'' he heads towards the bed and attempts to grab the bottle before Minwoo secures it first. The latter grabs the omega''s face and looks straight into his eyes - they are dilated. ''What did you do? Owh god¡­ These are strong meds! How much did you take??!'' ''I need my pills¡­'' ''Jesus. Wonho. What is wrong with you?!'' Minwoo pulls the man out and sits him at the kitchen counter where he can watch out for him. Obviously he is not going to allow the man to go home now. He would be responsible if anything is to happen since he was the one who left the crazy man in the room with his prescriptions. The drugs will wear out by tomorrow so he will have Wonho stay the night. That being said, he should feed the starving man. ''You hungry?'' He asks as he takes a paper towel to wipe off the stain on the man''s shirt. ''Yes.'' Minwoo smiles at the simple and honest answer. So unlike the normal Wonho he knows who would reply with a nod or a grunt. ''You like pasta?'' ''Yes. I need to eat¡­'' ''Okay Seo.'' He jokes to himself, knowing that the other will probably not react to anything. Putting both their portions into plates, he serves one and puts his behind the counter. ''Enjoy.'' Wonho digs right in, although very slowly. And Minwoo enjoys his while staring at the adorable creature in front of him. If he is always this obedient, how perfect would he be. Although Minwoo enjoys the hard-headed side of the man, this cute side is good for a change. The man always has his wall high up and it is hard for Minwoo to have to break it every time to make even a small progress, only to be rejected for one small mistake. This, right here, this is a good motivation for him. He sees the fork dropped on the plate and realizes that Wonho has fallen asleep without finishing his food. His head hangs down, and before long, Minwoo can hear light wheezes from the tired omega. The alpha puts his utensil down and carries Wonho to the sofa, wondering if he should help him brush his teeth or not. Tomato sauce is not something one want to leave in one''s mouth when one''s asleep. Although, how would he brush someone''s teeth in the first place? Sighing, Minwoo returns to the counter and finishes his and Wonho''s meal. Things are finally really calm, the alphas outside are gone, and the man who caused all the commotion up until a few minutes ago is finally asleep. Just when he thought he can rest, he remembers the dump that is his bedroom and sighs. Wonho really made a mess in there. He gets up to clean the room, changing the sheets while he is at it. At least, after studying, he will want to go straight to bed so doing it right now is only logical. He takes a pair of pajamas and brings it out to the living room, changing the sleeping man into them and putting the old ones in the washing machine. Returning to Wonho with his textbook in hand, he flips open the pages for tomorrow''s final examination. What the hell was he thinking, tending to the omega when he is busy with school? He looks back at the sleeping figure. Though Wonho always has this stoic expression when he is awake, his sleeping face is different. There is a slight curve at the edge of his lips that makes it look like he is smiling in his sleep. Minwoo would love to see that smile everyday. To see Wonho laugh at him just like he always does with his friends. Come to think about it, why did he need those pills in the first place? He doesn''t look like someone who has those kinds of problems. Even though Minwoo had stumbled upon a panic Wonho one too many times, he still cannot figure out what triggers it. Wonho begged him not to ''let them get him again'', did ''they'' do something bad that he gets attacks at random times? He clears his throat as he thought of some horrible situations that could have happened. It was only his imagination, but he doesn''t like it. Trying to erase those images, he returns to his book, reading through each chapter once to refresh his memories. He already revised the subject long before today, so he doesn''t really need to focus that much. It is just that, after the mess he got himself in today, he might have forgotten a lot. ##### A few more lines and he is done. It is already midnight. Wonho didn''t really move nor show any signs of another wave so the future doctor could finish his task smoothly. Standing up, he carries the other to his bed, enjoying the smell of the other as he nuzzles closer to the alpha. Putting him on the bed, he tucks the man in, making sure he is comfortable. He didn''t fail to notice the bruises around his wrists and upper arms, from the forceful pulls of the other alphas out there, and from him attacking the man a few hours ago. Marks after sex always excites him knowing that he is the one who left them, but not this time. This time it hurts. Minwoo washes his face and brushes his teeth before returning to the bed. Taking the position behind the other, he pulls the man as close as possible and wraps his hand around that tiny waist. This is relaxing¡­ he will probably have a really good night sleep today. Chapter 47 - Aftermath 1 The sound of shuffling from the kitchen awakens Minwoo from his deep slumber. Still feeling groggy and a bit reluctant to leave the warm bed to check on the noise, he turns to the side table to search for his phone but there is none. Turning to his side, he feels around on the carpet without succeeding in grabbing anything close to the device. Finally feeling annoyed, he sits up and peeks to his right to the omega. Wonho is gone but his scent is still lingering. Another wave. ''Urghh... Seo Wonho...'' He stands up and makes his way towards the sound. As he predicted, the man is in the kitchen, frantically opening the drawers to look for something, with the alpha''s phone near his ear. How the hell did he even unlock the thing? ''Wha-?'' Wonho is talking to someone while panicking, but it is too muffled for Minwoo to process. The omega then grabs a beer bottle, wraps his hands around it before putting it back. Minwoo doesn''t know what to make of the whole situation, his mind still not fully awake yet and cannot find a word to say. He walks slowly towards the other before Wonho proceeds open his freezer. ''It won''t stop!! No! It''s not- no! You don''t understand!'' ''Wonho, what are you doing? Who-'' ''NO! I''M NOT LYING! YAH!'' The omega doesn''t seem to notice his presence and is making a mess, looking for something in the freezer. ''IT WON''T STO-'' Minwoo cannot bear looking at the absurd situation any longer, still annoyed with the way he is woken up, and takes the phone away from the omega. His heart almost stops when Wonho screams in shock before backing away, only stopping when he hits the counter. ''Why are you acting like this?? What''s wrong with you?!'' There is no reply but Wonho is not looking at him. His eyes are traveling back and forth from his body to the living room while his left hand grips on a few ice cubes. ''What''re you gonna do with that?'' Wonho dashes pass him, to the living room. ''Wonho! What-'' He suddenly maneuvers to the bathroom. ''Fucking hell. WONHO!'' Minwoo chases after the male and pushes the door open, right before the other manages to lock it from the inside. Feeling trapped, Wonho backs quickly and sits down on the floor, right at the corner of the shower room. ''What now?? What''s with the ice?'' There is no answer; Wonho keeps gazing at his toes, gripping the melting ice in his hand. ''Wonho...'' Minwoo growls. ''It won''t stop coming out¡­'' He mutters shakily, confusing the alpha. ''I was bleeding but it''s not red but it kept coming out I need to stop it I-'' ''What are you saying? I don''t understa- bleeding? Where?'' ''It won''t stop coming out!! I need to go to the hospital! '' ''Where?!'' The man goes silent again, hiding his face between his knees. Minwoo frowns at the action. As far as he can see, there is no blood anywhere. His back maybe? Did he trip and hurt himself? He really needs to make sure so he can take safety measures. Walking slowly towards the vibrating man, he notices the grip on the ice turning red from the cold. His hand? ''Wonho.... let go of the ice first.'' ''No... It won''t stop flowing...'' ''Let me check.'' He holds the hand and rubs it gently, taking the cubes away before hugging the sobbing omega. ''Minwoo...'' Wonho finally utters, ''What''s wrong with me?? I dunno what''s happening¡­I''m scared¡­'' ''Tell me what''s wrong¡­ What won''t stop?'' ''My¡­'' he swallows, ''something keeps coming from my¡­ from my a-but¡­ from down there. It won''t stop. I tried to close it, I washed it but it still-!'' Minwoo frowns deeper. Something? Down there? Fluid? ''Can I take a look?'' Wonho pushes him away and moves further into the wall even though it is impossible. ''No! We need to go see a doc-'' ''Let me just feel it.'' ''No!!'' ''Wonho, please! Can''t you just listen to me?! I''m a medic student! I might know about these stuffs!'' Wonho is not making a sound but he is trying to stop his tears. Holding Minwoo''s shoulder to hide his face, he nods and the slightly larger male instantly lets his hand down, into the boxers. As his finger grazes the tight entrance, he feels the hug on his neck tightens from the nervousness. Thick, wet substance is all over the man''s opening; it is slippery. This is definitely natural lube. Wonho has been self-lubricating, something he couldn''t do last night. He is in another wave, and he is self-lubricating like any normal omega would. ''Wonho, this¡­'' ''I''m scared¡­ they said it''s normal but I¡­ what''s wrong with me?'' ''You''re in heat. It''s normal for you to lubricate.'' ''What the fuck are you saying??!'' Wonho forces the alpha away from him, stands up and grabs the sink to support himself, the other hand grabbing a fist of hair. ''My heat is over!! You took care of it! And I don''t lubricate! That''s disgusting! DISGUSTING!! STOP SAYING THAT! STOP!'' Minwoo can only stare at the distressed man. He is screaming and cursing at the alpha, as if he had just said something really absurd when the fact is, it is a common knowledge that everybody knows. ''Are you kidding me? Heats last for days. You know that right? They come in waves.'' Wonho glares at him with a look that can kill, provoking Minwoo who is ready to explode. What is there to deny? He is releasing his pheromones, he is lubricating, any omegas would know what to do. ''Is this funny to you? Do I look like I would sleep with you just because you tell me that? NEVER! YOU''RE SICK! PERVERTED ALPHAS! GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME'' Pervert? Him? He is just telling the man the facts. That is just how omegas'' body work. Pervert? ''Fine. You wanna go to the doctors? Go! Go get yourself out there in the middle of your heat to the hospital. Even if you manage to go there without getting yourself attacked, they''ll probably just laugh at you and send you home right away. Go.'' ''Shut up.'' ''Feel free to leave whenever you want. Don''t expect to return once you walk out.'' ''Leave me alone!!'' Wonho glares at him angrily but Minwoo only smirk in response. He doesn''t plan on staying either. He has more important things to do than arguing with a stupid, egoistic and troublesome omega. Grabbing his toothbrush, he gives the man what he wanted ¨C time alone to be crazy. Chapter 48 - Aftermath 2 [M] Minwoo looks at the time while gurgling the last bit of his toothpaste. There is still some time before he should get to the campus. This is really a bad morning. Not only does his head hurt from the bruise, his mouth too is filled with cuts from his attempts to calm himself last night. Not to mention how he has to deal with the man who is locking himself in the bathroom the moment he woke up, now he cannot even take a shower. Sighing softly, he washes his face lightly and changes into a new set of clothes. He should get away from this place before Wonho starts to go crazy with his pheromones. He doesn''t want to get caught in the mess again. Seriously, the guy really needs to take a chill pill. Why is he freaking out about every little thing? As an omega, shouldn''t he be aware about his own body? Everybody knows that heats last for a week. Everybody knows that omegas self-lubricate to prepare for penetration. Everybody knows omegas needs to relieve themselves before they can finally relax. That''s just basic human anatomy. Every omegas and alphas are taught about it at school. Heck, they even have to sit for an exam on the subject. Stupid. ¡­Wait. If Wonho is a new omega, that means he didn''t go to omega school. Which means he is a beta when they are taught about the subject. And since betas didn''t have to sit for the class¡­ Shit. Maybe he is actually clueless about it. But, shouldn''t someone at least teach him about the basics when he first presented?? His parents maybe? When did he present? Last week? Last month? Is he staying at an omega dorm? Shouldn''t someone there teach him about these things? Scratching his head, he heads towards the bathroom again. The man is sitting down at the corner, not moving. His face is tensed but his eyes are glassy. Minwoo argues with himself whether he should do something about it or not. It can take a while, and he has about an hour before he needs to go¡­ but he is partially at fault for bringing the man to his apartment in the first place when he could just return him to his own room despite his reluctance. Deciding to be the bigger guy, he gets through the door and stands against the sink, trying to think of a way to start the conversation. Wonho ignores him at first but then turns his face away, avoiding to even look at the alpha. ''Wonho. I''ll send you home later but lets take care of your heat first.'' ''Don''t fucking touch me.'' ''Or you want other alphas to do it to you instead?'' He replies without thinking and regrets it as soon as the words left him. He notices how small the omega became at the sarcastic question, as if he is genuinely terrified, and curses his own mouth. ''Look, we don''t have to have sex, but you still need to be fu- you still need to be penetrated.'' ''Just leave me alone.'' His voice is cracking. If he continues speaking, he might break down, ''I wanna be alone¡­'' ''Will you be able to do by yourself then?'' Minwoo isn''t expecting any answers to that question. He doubts Wonho will even dare to touch himself, let alone find release. But if he let that continue for the few hours he would be gone for the exam, the incident last night may happen again. Other alphas will start to flock his apartment. One of them may finally try to break in. ''Hurh¡­ we''ll use toys. Like other normal omegas. Okay?'' Grabbing the small vibrator he bought last night, he crouches down in front of the distraught omega and shows it to him, ''It''s smaller than my pinky.'' He keeps the device in that position, hoping the other will take notice but to no avail. ''It won''t hurt.'' Wonho finally looks at the black thing in his hand, looking a bit convinced, but there are still some signs of reluctance. ''It''ll be over in minutes. Just shove it in. You don''t even have to touch yourself. Simple right?'' Wonho frowns and Minwoo closes his eyes while pressing his lips, feeling stupid at the last statement. ''I''ll help you. Okay?'' There are a few moments of silence before the desperate omega slowly nods, to Minwoo''s relief. He is still not emitting that much pheromones yet, so the alpha still has his control. Thankfully, despite his own humiliation which is clearly written on his face, Wonho cooperates by taking off his boxers and spreading his legs without being told so. Caressing the man''s thighs gently to calm the nervous shake, Minwoo slowly puts the toy in, enjoying the warm and soft wall of the other swallowing his finger as he pushes it in further. A low whimper and he knows it is at the right position. ''Don''t push it out okay? It''ll be over quickly.'' He whispers near Wonho''s ear, enjoying the shocked gasp and light struggles as he sets the speed to high right away, smirking in satisfaction at his subtle revenge for the bad morning. The latter keeps trying to hide his face but the alpha locks it in his hand by the neck, wanting to look at the flushed and messy expression the omega wore as he tries to control himself from screaming. ''Breathe Wonho¡­'' The short and hard pants followed by a few soft moans tease the alpha as he finds himself getting carried away by the scents and seductive sound. As he is about to close their distance to have a sniff of that sweet aroma, Wonho starts to struggle, desperately grabbing the alpha''s hand and shoulder, trying to find his orgasm. ''Take it out!'' He grits when he feels Minwoo''s finger inside, preventing him from pushing the vibrator out of his rectum. He can no longer handle the attack on his prostate. ''MINWOO! PLEASE!!'' ''A little bit more...'' Wonho ignores the excited look on the other and focuses on his breathing instead. He tries to wiggle himself from his locked position but there is no where he can run to. Wanting this whole ordeal to end quickly, he moves his hand towards his member, attempting to pump it to fasten his ejaculation. Unfortunately for him, the sadistic alpha doesn''t allow him. ''Why?!'' he almost screamed in frustration before his vision starts to blur. In a few moments¡­ ''Just a litt- ahh¡­ there.'' Minwoo bares his teeth to the tired omega before turning on the shower. ''That''s not so bad right?'' He asked as he brings the head towards Wonho''s private parts, briefly cleaning it before the other could catch his breath enough to react. Satisfied his work, he returns the shower back and helps Wonho up to his feet before passing him a new toothbrush. He pushes the man out gently, ''It stopped flowing right?'' Wonho, still a bit disoriented, nods and walks out the door directed. He looks back at the alpha, wondering what he should do, still not comfortable being at the other''s place. ''Brush your teeth. You stink.'' ''What''re you gonna do now?'' he questions the man who is now closing the bathroom door. ''I have needs.'' He points to his erection and laughs when Wonho blushes and looks away. Chapter 49 - Aftermath 3 Wonho sits silently at the counter, taking a bit from the cold toast Minwoo made. He is so famished since he didn''t eat anything since yesterday morning. Anything is good now, even the hard toast. Still hungry, he grabs the ones on the other''s plate without thinking twice. ''You alright now? No more crazy attacks?'' Wonho flinches at the sudden voice and turns towards the owner. Noticing the curious expression, he looks down in guilt and embarrassment before turning back to his plate. He really made a mess in the house - the living room, the kitchen, the bedroom, every single drawers and cupboard opened, every cushions and books on the floor ¨C the result of his frantic search for his pills and phone. This morning, he freaked out when he realized he is not in his room and feeling the cold and wet sensation around his bottom half made him recall that night when he was broken so badly blood kept oozing out from his hole. He knew he was having his attack and despite him desperately wanting to calm himself down, he ended up calling 119 1but the operator kept telling him things he didn''t want to hear. That was when he sensed an alpha''s presence and ran into the bathroom for shelter. ''You still hungry?'' ''I''m¡­ no. Thanks for the meal. And that thing¡­'' Minwoo nods as a response while still keeping his gaze. Remembering the thing about staring that the omega doesn''t like, he pours himself some coffee instead and breaks open a few eggs to scramble them so he won''t be distracted by the other male. Since the last of his toast just got eaten, he opts for a simple cereal. The milk he bought last time have not yet expired, thankfully. ''Eggs?'' ''I''m good.'' Minwoo puts some on his plate anyway, wanting the man to at least look at him but the latter only mutters a soft thanks and stuffs his face with it right away. He looks so gloomy, but that is expected. Wonho always has his poker face when with strangers. And they are no longer on a friendly term so in a way, Minwoo''s status is no more than a stranger, or a mere acquaintance. ''Do you wanna go to the omega house? They can teach you about your kind¡­'' he tries to convince the man to go but stops when he notices the scared look Wonho tries to hide. ''Something wrong?'' ''They? Who?'' ''I dunno. Professionals.'' ''What''re they gonna do to me? I don''t wanna be touched!!!'' ''Hey. Calm down¡­'' Minwoo places his palm on the other''s fist and rubs his knuckles with his thumb. ''I don''t know how but they can help you. Better than me. I''m an alpha. I react to omegas in heat.'' Wonho bites his lips and retreats his hand from the counter. He doesn''t trust anywhere else. He doesn''t trust anybody besides his therapist and friends. Deep in thoughts, he finally realizes the other already finished cleaning up and is preparing to leave. ''Where are you going? Are you leaving me??'' ''Campus. I have exam.'' ''NO!! Don''t leave me here!!'' ''Won-'' ''They''ll get me!!! MINWOO!'' ''SEO WONHO!'' Wonho feels himself shrink from the tone and holds himself back. He doesn''t dare to look at the man in front of him. ''You said they won''t get me if you''re here¡­ why are you leaving me¡­?'' He almost cried but tries to breathe deeply to control his tears. ''You said- they''ll hurt-'' ''It''s only for a few hours. You won''t have another wave that quickly.'' ''I''ll go with you.'' ''I have exam. You have to wait outside for me. You want that?'' Wonho doesn''t have his student card, he won''t be able to get into his dorm. He doesn''t have his phone to call his friends either, and Minwoo won''t have time to wait with him even if he calls Chansol for the man. Noticing the look of despair, he pats Wonho''s back. ''I''ll look for your stuff before coming back. Where did you lose them?'' ''I don''t remember¡­'' ''Around where you found me?'' Wonho nods. He threw his bike away before walking quite a distance. But he was hurt, and his pace was somewhat slow so it shouldn''t be that far. ''I''ll ask around. I''ll be back around noon.'' ''Minwoo.'' Wonho grabs Minwoo''s shirt and rests his forehead on the latter''s shoulder. ''You need anything else?'' he shakes his head. He doesn''t want to be left alone in the empty apartment. The alphas outside cannot get him but what about his neighbours? The guards? They are already inside the building, the only thing separating them is the door. What if they manage to unlock it? ''Wonho?'' ''Don''t leave me please¡­'' he begs incoherently, knowing fully well the other will ignore his plea. Letting go of the shirt, he turns around and enters the bedroom, covering himself in the black blanket as he hears the front door closed. ##### Minwoo lies on the grass after his last paper of the term. Only one report left and he''s free to go. Taking in all the fresh air he can manage before he needs to return to his apartment, he almost fell asleep if not for the familiar voice going pass him. ''Seungyun!'' The nurse-in-training stares back at him, his face not amused, and crosses his arms. Minwoo ignores his defensive action and runs up to him anyway. ''Let''s go back to my place.'' ''Ew no. Oh my god.'' Minwoo rolls his eyes at the overdramatic rejection. He isn''t even inviting the chubby man for that kind of thing, no need to be all disgusted. ''Come on! Wonho kinda need some crash course for the whole being an omega thing. He went all crazy yesterday-'' ''Yah. First of all, who is this Wonho? Second, if he''s the new omega, I told you to take him to the house.'' ''Seo Wonho! The tall, white guy-'' he hears a scoff and holds his breath, ''Chansol''s hyung. He''s an omega.'' ''Omo. That Wonho! Of course he''s an omega.'' Seungyun states as-a-matter-of-factly. His first thought it was the man, but Minwoo said something about being a ''new omega'' and Seungyun knows that Wonho is definitely not a new one. Hence, he thought the man his friend was referring to is another guy with the same name. He is about to say something else before noticing the big blue bruise on the alpha''s forehead and laughs. ''He gave you that?'' ''Damn alarm clock.'' Minwoo gets more and more annoyed at the laughing male clapping his hands like his injury is so funny. ''The noble alpha got attacked by a weak omega!'' ''Shut up Seungyun.'' He hisses and the other tries to hold in his laughter. ''Look, he don''t know anything about omegas and he refused to get out of my apartment so I-'' ''Why''s he at your apartment anyway?'' Chapter 50 - Aftermath 4 ''Why''s he at your apartment anyway?'' Minwoo licks his lips at the question. He brought the man home secretly wishing he could get a little something but regretted it at once. However, it was too late since the omega already made the place his nest. How should he tell the other that without sounding like a pervert? ''Anyway,'' avoiding to answer, ''he woke up this morning thinking he is bleeding and went all crazy. He fucking called 119! Something''s wrong with his head and-'' ''Rude¡­'' Seungyun rolled his eyes and sneered at the alpha. ''What now?'' ''Why don''t you try eating and sleeping with lube in your ass.'' The omega retorts and Minwoo cringes at the mere thought. His distaste is evident and the other rolls his eyes in annoyance, ''we are beta men before we are omegas, it''s not like we have periods or something we can relate to.'' ''Well you guys don''t go kooky every heat so how should I know that?'' Seungyun lets out a sigh and pokes the blue bruise, ''We get used to it, duh! That''s why I told you to bring him to the house! Someone''s there to help him!'' ''He didn''t want to go!!'' ''What happened to your ''noble dominating tone'' you''re so proud of?'' He did ask the omega to follow him, but Wonho is either that strong, or he didn''t hear the order so he couldn''t comply. Either way, last night was a chaos. He is about to insist the other omega to help him but Seungyun seems busy with his own matter, so the alpha reluctantly lets him leave. Remembering the promise he made to the omega, he heads straight to the office to enquire about the bicycle. To his luck, they found it with the bag, the wallet and phone still inside. Only retrieving the bag, he tries to go through the phone, but it is locked. He did saw some notifications though - lots of messages from Junjie, and a few missed calls. There are some from Chansol too. He is about to put the phone back into the bag before the phone vibrates - another call from Junjie. Pouting from annoyance, he rejects it and turns the power off. He really dreads having to return to the apartment, back to the mess, back to the hysteric omega in heat, back to having to control himself, back to being hurt. He just wants to relax and focus on writing his last report in peace. Driving ever so slowly back, Minwoo stops by the adult toy store again. He remembers seeing some books for new omegas. He should buy that for the man. Since Wonho doesn''t know anything about himself. Eyeing around, his eyes catches on some neck protector. Wonho really needs one. With his beautiful face and that perfect body, not to mention his alluring scent, he will be the perfect target to be claimed. Any alpha will want to bite him. Minwoo wanted to mark him the first time he saw Wonho. Even more now that he saw the man''s sexy face whimpering in bed. Wonho needs a neck protector. Minwoo is buying him one. ##### The moment he opens the door, those seducing scent invades his nose straight to his groin. It has only been less than five hours; how did it get this intense? Minwoo closes the door again and returns to his car. He cannot do it. That is too much stimulus for him. He never met someone with this strong scent. Heck, even other omegas'' peaks aren''t as strong as this guy''s and it is just his second day. Minwoo should get away from there before he loses control again. If only Wonho will let him touch him. Why isn''t he attracted to Minwoo''s noble scent in the first place? No omega can resist him and his family, instead, they will beg to be held. Why isn''t Wonho reacting the same way? Unless¡­ No, he didn''t sense other alpha on him so the man is a free omega. Then why? Minwoo refuses to get out of the car only to be greeted by that tempting pheromones which excites him. The fact that he needs to control himself is too much of a torture. Mentally and physically. It is not as if he owes the man something, all he did is provide him with a place to spend his heat. He has no responsibility to help Wonho get through it. Just as he is about to start his engine, a mail comes in. Wono-hyung''s with you? Is he okay? ¨C Leonie Dammit Bae Seungyun! He totally forgot about this. Replying a simple yes and assuring the man not to worry, he gets another reply a few seconds later. Gimme your address! I''ll go pick him up! ¨C Leonie Minwoo scratches his head reading the message. Is the guy seriously coming to pick his omega hyung who is in heat? Does he really think it is okay for an unmated alpha like him to be close to someone like Wonho during this time? What the fuck is their relationship?? Sending an accidental angry reply, he hits his head on the headrest a few times out of regret. He should be happy that someone is willing to take the burden away from him, why is he getting mad? After pushing Chansol away, he automatically becomes someone who is accountable for the other. Sighing, he walks heavily back to his apartment. Now, his only salvation is the protector he bought in case he wants to claim the man, and the hope that Wonho will be attracted to him. Wait. Something might work. He can try to release as much pheromones as he can near the door without entering! If Wonho wants him, he will come closer and if he doesn''t, Minwoo can just throw the omega''s bag and the neck protector inside before returning to campus. ThatThat might actually work! Standing close to the door, he is about to focus on amplifying his scent before the door opens, revealing a drenched omega. A desperate omega clouded by his heat, pulling Minwoo close for a hug. Embracing him. Caressing him. Nuzzling him. Inhaling his scent hungrily. ''Wonho¡­'' ''Minwoo please¡­'' ''Y-you need to stop.'' He tries to push the man, feeling himself getting rock hard from the action. Wonho didn''t hear him though and continues his teasing to excite the alpha. ''Wonho stop! Thi-this is bad!'' ''Wonho!!'' He growls and the omega finally stops, looking at him with those dark orbs, tempting him to go in for a kiss. ''I won''t hold back if you keep provoking me like this.'' Wonho brings his face close, touching their nose together before enclosing their forehead. ''Don''t hold back.'' He whispers. ''Won-'' ''Touch me, Minwoo. Please¡­'' To hell with self-restraint. Wonho''s his. Chapter 51 - Acceptance 1 The cicadas stopped chirping a while ago. Staring at the floor wrapped in the black blanket, it took Wonho a while before finally realizing how silent the room is. It is really calm. There is nobody else besides himself. No alphas trying to get him, no anxiety-provoking thoughts that stressed him. He is alone, alas. Looking around, he finally notices the disastrous interior of the room courtesy of himself. He should clean up. He is safe enough to move around the house anyway. Minwoo said he won''t have another wave that quickly. Making the bed, he places the brown digital clock back on the bedside table, right below the lamp. No numbers are displayed much to his horror. The alpha will most likely throw a tantrum if he finds out that Wonho broke it! Hitting the clock as hard as he can a few times, Wonho can finally breathe easy once he sees some numbers on the screen. Whether the time is right, he doesn''t know and cannot care less. Scanning the room, he grins to himself. The room is almost in perfect condition, so he decides to clean elsewhere. He did went all crazy this morning¡­ Stepping out of the room, his eyes almost jumped out of the sockets; besides the kitchen which the owner probably cleaned lightly while they were eating, everywhere else are of course, hit by hurricane Seo. No wonder Minwoo was in such a bad mood this morning. Wonho sighs. Making the mess is simple, cleaning it is another thing. He doesn''t even remember where the alpha placed each of his stuff. Should he just randomly rearrange them and tell Minwoo later? That is the best option right now. Deciding just to go with it, he starts by putting the books in place first before moving to the couch. At least, with the living room clean, the whole apartment looks better. Next, kitchen. The place he rarely goes to. Where should he place all these spices? There are so many spices¡­ In the cupboard? Cupboard seems logical. He spilled some stuff on the floor too. He should clean those. Sitting down to pick up a few big bits of unknown ingredients, he stiffens at the cold sensation at his bottom. The boxers are wet and it feels uncomfortable, disgusting to say the least. He stands back up, ignoring the spill, but that doesn''t help either. The coldness is still there. The fabric is stuck to his skin causing discomfort, but he is too repulsed to even pull it. This is bad, he feels sick to the stomach from the thought of the fluid flowing out from him. Goosebumps are all over his body, his skin is starting to itch. Itchy. His neck, his arms, his chest, everywhere is itchy. This cannot happen now. Not yet. It is still too early. Wonho looks at the wall clock, ignoring the urge to scratch himself. It is already past noon. Minwoo will be back by noon so he could well be on his way home. He needs to take care of this heat before the alpha arrives. His jaws are tensed from the sudden emotional breakdown he is about to have but Wonho refuses to give in. Running to the room to look for the black bag Minwoo left him last night, he spills out the contents before leaning against the wall in devastation, his knees suddenly too weak to support himself. This is his new reality, having to stuff these things inside himself so he can free himself from the heat. It is either this, or have another person touch him. He doesn''t want any of that. He doesn''t want to have his heat. He doesn''t want the fucking uterus. He doesn''t want to wet himself like a child and cry for help like a pathetic human being. He was fine being a beta! Frowning deeply, he stands up and makes his way to the bathroom. There is a bathtub he can use to calm himself down. Submerging himself in water always work, he will feel clean and he won''t feel the fluid to mind it. This is great. ##### Wonho''s body is starting to shrivel indicating just how long he has been in the water. Too long and yet, the alpha still hasn''t appeared yet. Is he really been left alone? Until his heat is over? Does he really have to touch himself? No. He will never do that. Never. Minwoo said he will take him to the omega house where there are people to help him. He doesn''t know how and is uncomfortable just thinking about it, but anything is better that having to do that to himself. That is¡­ downgrading. Shit. He is starting to tear up. He needs to lean his head upwards. Minwoo is really late. Did he leave him? Is Minwoo that angry he finally gave up on him and leave? No, he wouldn''t. But¡­ ¡­Minwoo promised he would be back but it already so late. Did Minwoo leave him because he refused to sleep with him? But he allowed the man to use his fingers¡­ He doesn''t know why he is thinking all these stuffs. He doesn''t know why he is so scared being left alone when that is what he always wanted - to be free from any alpha''s presence. He doesn''t know why he is okay with Minwoo being here with him. No, he wants the alpha to be here with him. He just knows that Minwoo listens to him. Minwoo didn''t force him to do anything he didn''t want. Minwoo protected him from all the other alphas. He is safe with Minwoo. But the man left him. It is his fault. He hit the alpha and called him names. He messed up his home and used his phone without permission. He was being an emotional egoistic mess. Minwoo hates him. ''Don''t leave me¡­'' He mutters between his breaths. He is sobbing really hard right now and there is nothing he can do to stop it. He couldn''t find the pills which was in the drawers last night. Submerging himself in the water does nothing to help either. It is suffocating. Everything is suffocating him. He wants someone to be there with him. To say everything is going to be alright. He misses Junjie. He misses Haneul. He misses Jinyoung. His mother. Black dots are starting to blind him. He has to inhale through his mouth, but the air won''t enter his lungs. He needs to stay conscious¡­ ????????????????????. Chapter 52 - Acceptance 2 Wonho perks up from his position. Is that the door? It is! Minwoo is finally back! But it is so quiet. Why isn''t he hearing any footsteps? Intruder? No. This house is secured. The only person who knows the password is the owner. But why? Wonho carefully rises from his position and takes slow and quiet steps towards the door. He swears he heard the door, he can smell the alpha''s slowly fading scent and yet¡­ Minwoo abandoned him. He probably decided Wonho is not worth the trouble and left. What should he do? He doesn''t want to be left alone. He wants Minwoo to be with him. How does he get him to stay? Does he really need to give the alpha what he wanted? Is that the only way he will remain beside Wonwoo? If Minwoo leaves, who will protect him? Minwoo is strong. He is stronger than most alphas. Even Wonho felt himself rendered motionless from that dominating pheromones. If he keeps the alpha close, even without a mate, he will survive. It is Minwoo, other alphas or touching himself and he wants the first. He wants Minwoo to keep him safe. He wants Minwoo to take care of him. He cannot handle this alone. It is too unbearable. It should be fine. It isn''t as if he is a virgin anyway. There is nothing left to protect. He is already broken by few alphas, what''s another one? At least, this time, he will get protection and security. And he has a choice. He really has nothing to lose. He should be okay. He went through it once. He already experienced the worst. Sleeping with the alpha should be no problem. He won''t act violently like the others. Minwoo will be gentle. It won''t hurt as much. He won''t end up in the hospital this time. What is he thinking all this time? He is an omega. This is going to happen sooner or later. Why suffer when he can just accept this reality earlier? He needs Minwoo. He wants Minwoo. He needs to find the man. If he runs, he can catch the man somewhere around the building. Turning the knob slightly, Wonho freezes. The alpha is close, he can smell him. It''s okay Wonho. Don''t be too nervous¡­. ##### ''Touch me, Minwoo. Please¡­'' Minwoo pulls the omega''s waist closer and claims those lips hungrily. His heart is beating violently, fearing another rejection but to his relief, Wonho didn''t push him nor did he made any attempt to run away. He is obedient, pulling the alpha closer, replying to his kisses, touching his back desperately. This is finally happening. His dreams coming true. ''You sure bout this?'' ''Don''t¡­ ask me.'' Minwoo complies and continues his attack on the lips, moving straight down to the wet jaws, licking the water droplets from the upper neck, enjoying the vibration as the sweet man unconsciously moans. He tastes so, so sweet Minwoo wants more and more with every lick. ''hHK!'' He hears a gasp and realizes they are lying on the couch now, Wonho tripping backwards from his aggressive assault. He is about to continue where he left off before noticing the heavy breathing of the male beneath him, his gaze is towards the ceiling instead of him. ''Wonho?'' ''Don''t stop.'' Minwoo sighs. He is too hasty. It is Wonho''s first time as an omega, of course they shouldn''t do it on a couch. Kissing those cheeks lightly, he pulls the man up and guides him to the bedroom. They are going to do it anyway, there is not need to be in such a hurry. He might as well enjoy every moment of it and make sure Wonho will remember their time together all his life. Wonho is nervous, he can tell. It is his first time. Minwoo is his first time. Smiling in satisfaction, he takes off his shirt and pulls the omega towards him before the other had the chance to look away. ''I''ll be really slow.'' ''No¡­'' Minwoo lift his eyebrows, ''Just take me.'' Laughing through his nose at the false pretense, he pulls of the other''s wet shirt and pushes him on his back, teasing him, giving him a taste of what''s to come. Wonho is probably clueless about the pleasure he is going to experience too, hence the rush. Owh, Seo Wonwoo. He has no idea how good Kim Minwoo can make him feel. The alpha continues licking the ears, wondering where else would turn Wonho on. The neck? Yes, the shiver showed him it is. Slowly making his way down, Wonho starts to gasp as soon as Minwoo sucked on his clavicle, ''Hrmm?'' Owh, the strong scent intensified. Smirking, enjoying the slight squirm of the omega, Minwoo hummed as he continues pleasuring the man. His body is so smooth at all the right places, so pale, so fragrant. His protruding collarbone so¡­ ''aaAh!'' Wonho starts to try to push him away as he arches his back from the continuous attack on his sensitive spot. Minwoo pins the hands to his side, not letting the man has his release just yet. Panting, Wonho curls his toes, arching even further to free himself. ''You''re so sensitive-'' ''Just do it! Minwoo!'' ''Not ye-'' ''Just fucking enter me!! I can''t stand¡­'' The voice is shaky, he is in ecstasy. But Minwoo won''t give up that easily, he just loves the feeling of Wonho''s erection rubbing against his own. There are lots of ways he can make the man cum before finally releasing him from his heat. Both of them will enjo- ''Why are you cryi-?'' ''Just put it in.'' Wonho turns to his stomach and buries his face into the pillow. He positions his entrance right in front of Minwoo''s hard on but the alpha can only frown. He wasn''t like this in the morning. He was nervous and kept on refusing his touch but why is he rushing it now when he was adamant on not being penetrated earlier? Shouldn''t he be a bit scared? He changed so much from this morning. This is not normal. Something is off. This is not how he wants to do it, no matter how desperate he is right now. Minwoo doesn''t feel good about this at all. ''I''m all lubed up. No need to tease me. I''m not a fucking beta.'' ''Won-'' ''Please Minwoo. Don''t hold back. I can handle it.'' Wonho pushes back and the alpha backs away, not falling into whatever trap he set. Getting up, he was about to make his way to the bathroom to relief himself before the omega stops him. ''Where are you going? Why aren''t you doing it?'' ''What the hell is wrong with you? What are you planning?'' Chapter 53 - Acceptance 3 [M] ''Minwoo!'' ''I''m not raping you. You don''t want this.'' He pulls his arm away from the omega''s grip. ''I don''t understand you.'' ''It''s just a fuck right? It''s my job to-'' Wonho almost choked from his own word. No, it was his sob. He is crying. Dammit. He shouldn''t cry! Not right now! ''my job to- sleep-'' ''Job? Heh. What do you take me for? A stupid sex-craze alpha? Fucking omegas¡­'' ''No¡­'' Wonho''s voice is barely audible even to himself let alone to the leaving alpha. He has to do this. He needs to do this. This is the only way. ''Minwoo!'' There is no answer. He is probably in the bathroom. ''Minwoo please!'' ''What the hell? Can''t you take a hint??!'' ''I need to- I need-'' ''You need to what? Sleep with alphas? It doesn''t have to be me, right? There''s a lot outside waiting for you. Why don''t you just leave with them? You''ll get more than one. Isn''t that great?'' Minwoo answers without looking over. There is a long silence to which he thought the omega finally gave up and returned to the bedroom. He didn''t expect the man to have another panic attack right there and then. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, he moves closer to close the door on the liar, ''You''re really good at acting. A+.'' Is all this an elaborate plan to sleep with him? To mate with him? Did he know Minwoo is not into omegas anymore hence the long pretense? Is he even a new omega? Is Chansol into this as well? Are all his friends in this too?? This is sickening. He feels stupid. ''Dammit.'' He can sense the fear in the man''s pheromones again. Wonho really is something else. Even goes as far as to intensify his own scent and control it to make this whole thing more realistic. He really deserves an award. He should have taken an acting course instead of architecture. Minwoo hits his fist on the tile wall. His own heart is palpitating from the fear, he is really affected by this whole situation. But if he doesn''t do something about it, he might actually fall into the trap. He needs to get rid of Wonho. Who the hell cares what happens outside? He doesn''t deserve Minwoo''s concern anymore. He is another bastard, like those guys. Stepping outside, he is surprised to find the omega gone. Even more surprised at himself for getting worried. '' Wonho? Where are you?'' There is no answer and Minwoo dreads the thought that he might actually left the apartment and get himself attacked outside. He did seem desperate. ''WONHO!'' He needs to find the man before anything bad happens. Running to his room for a new shirt, he almost screamed seeing Wonho curling inside his closet. ''What are¡­'' ''Don''t let them take me¡­ Minwoo please¡­'' ''You''re crazy.'' ''They''ll hurt me. I don''t want them¡­'' He starts to hiccup but is still hiding his face. ''They hurt me. It hurt so bad¡­ I don''t want them¡­ please¡­'' ''You won''t hurt me. You said- You said you''ll be- be gentle.'' Minwoo doesn''t know what to do. He is so confused, his mind telling him to leave, his heart telling him to stay and comfort this scared being. His body, wants the other so badly. ''It''s okay if it''s you¡­ Minwoo. I want it to be you¡­'' Exhaling loudly as his own logic leaves him, Minwoo pulls the other out of the closet, onto the bed. There is no stopping now. ''Ride me.'' ''Wha-?'' ''Ride me. I don''t wanna feel like some shit forcing you. I won''t be able to control myself at this rate.'' ''I don''t know.'' ''I know.'' Minwoo backs up until he reaches the headboard and leans against it, signaling Wonho to come close. Fear is written all over his face but Wonho grabs the other for a kiss instead. Minwoo''s mouth always calms and excites him. That is enough distraction for him. He has to do this. Taking his position with both his knees besides the other''s waist, he holds the shaft before proceeding to lower himself. Minwoo pulls him to the front instead, failing him. ''What''re you doing?'' ''Putting it in.'' ''It''ll hurt if you put it directly. You need to stretch first.'' Minwoo sighs and Wonho frowns. He has to stretch himself? ''At least,'' Minwoo closes his eyes trying to control himself from moving his hips to claim the man, ''don''t force it.'' Wonho doesn''t know what got into him but he grabs the alpha''s hand and guides them towards his hole instead. ''Stretch me. Wide enough to take your dick.'' He sees the throat bobbing and takes the apple into his mouth, earning a whine from the alpha. Almost immediately, he feels two fingers inserted into his body, scissoring him desperately, moving around, bending at the nerve clump. He gasps, moving his body back but the sensation is already gone, replaced by a third digit. Grabbing the alpha''s wide shoulders as support, he begins moving his hips forth and back, earning a grunt of pleasure. Wonho was about to go for a kiss but the man already moved to his chest, biting strong enough for a scream, but soft enough to not leave a mark. It feels so good when the man then licks it better, Wonho feels safe. ''Aah!'' He opens his eyes as he is supported upwards by the man beneath him, the fingers gone, replaced by a thicker organ just shy of slipping into him. Wonho stares at the Minwoo for reassurance, too afraid to look at the man''s erection. ''Minwoo¡­'' ''Slowly¡­'' Minwoo places a peck on his nose and he tightens his hold on the other, biting his lips and shutting his eyes as he feels the tip making its way pass his sphincter muscle. Taking a deep breath, he forces himself downward before feeling the other''s grip on his waist hardens. ''Hey. Slow¡­ It''s okay¡­'' He can see the vessels protruding from Minwoo''s neck and temple, his scent is raging but the man still smiles tenderly. Wonho goes in for the lips to calm the alpha, feeling sorry for what he has to go through. He feels the hold on his back tightens and he is pulled down towards the chest, ''Move whenever you''re okay.'' ''I''ll never be okay.'' Wonho buries his head on the crook of the alpha''s neck, resting his head, inhaling the warm scent for comfort. This could be the only thing he likes about his change, how he can feel protected from other people''s pheromones. Just like Minwoo''s. ''I can take it¡­ Just be¡­ gentle.'' ''Wonho, I might lose control.'' ''I trust you¡­Aah!'' Wonho heaves a sharp gasp as he is thrown on the soft bed with the alpha above him, eyeing him hungrily. His waist is mid-air, attached to Minwoo''s by his grip and Wonho braces himself for the pain which is soon to come. He feels the familiar force on his forehead and stares at the brown orbs looking back at his own, ''It''ll hurt a bit. It''ll get better. Relax for me.'' Chapter 54 - Acceptance 4 [M] Wonho nods before his mouth is intruded by a hungry kiss. ''Mpphh!!'' He tightens his hold as he feels the sudden painful thrust invading his hole followed by a few more forceful pushes before Minwoo finally stops moving. ''You''re so warm¡­'' Wonho opens his lids and feels a light peck on his temple, ''Don''t clench me too tight.'' ''You''re not moving¡­'' Minwoo kisses his nose again, and cheeks, and forehead, everywhere until Wonho finally moves his hands to hold on to those cheeks and guides them towards his mouth, his body feeling warm from the scents and the skin close to his own, and the man''s member in his entrance. It is weird, he feels like pushing it out, but it doesn''t hurt anymore. ''Can I?'' Wonho nods. ''Hnhh...'' He bites his lips at the lewd sound coming from himself as the alpha starts to move deeper, slightly touching somewhere... heavenly. Hugging Minwoo tighter, wanting to hide from the embarrassment, he pushes himself to take the man deeper. To that spot. Again. Wonho quickly regrets that decision. ''Ahhk!'' ''Fu-, Wonh-'' Minwoo bumps their head together, staring deep into his eyes, ''Hhh, I can''t- I''m moving.'' ''Wai-'' Wonho closes his eyes as the man on top of him starts to thrust inside quickly, filling him. It is so warm, so wet, so intense. He starts to clench tight, taking the brief moment to relax before the man touches him again. Owh no. Minwoo is a bit too fast. Ah, he missed the timing again! Owh god! He is too fast!! ''Min- too fast!! I can''t-'' There is no reply, the alpha chooses to attack his collar bone instead, and Wonho cannot help but moan as he feels electrics up his neck. ''Nnnhh!'' His whole body shivering from the wet kisses, Wonho found himself swallowing the thick member in rhythm with the thrusts in response. Minwoo is guiding him. ''Just like that.'' Panting heavily, the omega grabs his partner in short bliss, hungry for the man''s warmth. As soon as he does so, the hard member hitting his forbidden spot starts slowing down. Agonizingly slow. ''Minwoo, faster,'' he whines and almost regrets it as the change of pace is too much for him to adapt. However, the attacks on his nerve are too much of a pleasure for him to mind the pain anymore. It is too much for him to notice the sound of their skin hitting each other, the bed knocking the wall. It is too much for him to bear alone. ''aaaAAhh!'' He hears a high-pitched scream and covers his mouth in shame. He made that sound. ''Wonho.'' ''Too fast! Minwoo!'' He grabs on the pillow, the sheets, his legs closing into the alpha, locking their body together, his back arching from the sore caused by the vigorous thrusts, his breath heavy in rhythm with their movements. Then, the alpha pounces harder. So hard he cannot catch his breath. So intense he is pushed backward until his head hits the headboard. His eyes turning back into his head in pure euphoria. ''Too much!!'' ''Not yet¡­'' ''I can''t!'' ''Hold it in!'' A grunt and the alpha slows down his pace, grabbing Wonho whose whole body contracted from his own ejaculation before turning their position with the omega on top. He thrusts a few more times, spilling all his seeds and both of them catches their breaths, lying with the other on top of him. ''You did great¡­'' Minwoo kisses the omega''s forehead, grinning to himself, enjoying the warmth from the other; their scents mixing in harmony, as if they are meant for each other. Everything is perfect. At least, before Wonho suddenly starts to hyperventilate in his arms. ''Hey.'' ''Get it out!! GET IT OUT!'' Minwoo takes a second to digest the comment before his eyes widens. He is knotting inside of Wonho. His big knot is hurting his omega. What the hell should he do?? This is his first time ever knotting in someone! Wonho trying to force himself away is not helping them both; Minwoo feeling the pain of the tight clench on his expending member, Wonho feeling the pain from the big knot inside his contracted crevice, forcing it out through the small entrance. ''GET OUT OF ME!'' ''Wonho it''s just a knot!!'' He doesn''t know why he knots whenever he is with Wonho, be it only in his thoughts, or in his physical presence, but he does. And he forgot about it. But what bothers him more is how the man is reacting to it when other omegas seem to love it. Every omegas Minwoo ever been with would always hope to feel his knot inside of them, saying it is another kind of pleasure, something he will never be able to understand. He definitely wasn''t expecting this traumatized look of horror. Minwoo grabs Wonho who continues to pull himself apart from the alpha despite his own contracted hole, making Minwoo cringe just looking at the painful action. He locks the omega in his arms, placing his head on his heart and caresses the man gently, trying to calm him down. He never thought his knot hurts, he feels really sorry for Wonho. But there is nothing he can do about it. They just have to wait it out. ''Shh¡­ it''s just a knot¡­'' ''Take it out¡­ please¡­.'' ''Sorry...'' Minwoo kisses the head lightly, holding it in place as Wonho starts to sob into his chest. ''Relax¡­'' ''Minwoo¡­'' The alpha nods his head and continues trying to relax and slow his heartbeat. Wonho keeps repeating his name over and over again, as in trying to confirm that the man beneath him is Minwoo. Whispering softly, he reassures the man ''It''s me. Minwoo.'' ##### It took a while, but things are finally calm enough. Wonho has his eyes closed, his tensed body now fully relaxed in his arms. He slowly shifts their position so they would be side by side, careful not to make big movements. He doesn''t want to trigger any more trauma, whatever it is. Well, though he is not really sure about it, it is obvious it had something to do with knots. And if so, there is only one thing that involves such a thing ¨C se- Minwoo let out a long, heavy breath, not wanting to pay anymore thoughts about it. Because now that he really analyzes it, he realizes there is a pattern to Wonho''s panic attacks ¨C the stares, the flinches from mere touch, the extreme fear and hatred towards alphas¡­ His nonsensical mutterings and refusal to go out yesterday¡­ Minwoo turns at the omega in his arms, feeling sudden the urge to explode. How could anyone do such a thing to such a delicate man? Sure, he can be annoying sometimes but¡­ who the fuck- Feeling the smaller male''s tight hug on his body, Minwoo shakes his head a few times. Wonho probably senses him getting agitated, even in his slumber. Trying to calm himself down, he intensifies his pheromones and hugs the man. Letting him know he is safe now. Chapter 55 - Getting Better 1 Both the two males are laying on the bed, their breaths the only sound heard. Minwoo stares at the mop of hair, tracing his fingers, moving the wet fringes away to reveal the wide forehead and the thick, black eyebrows. Wonho has his head on the other''s chest, enjoying the movement which almost lullaby him to sleep. There is a soft growl which the omega ignores. Not Minwoo though. ''You hungry?'' Wonho lazily nods and Minwoo moves a bit so he can sit up. ''I''ll make us something to eat. Want anything in particular? ''Ramen.'' Minwoo shakes his head, of all the things he can think of, Wonho chooses the one that is unhealthy. Rubbing the latter''s head, Minwoo gets out of bed. He will just have to think of something later. ''I''ll shower first. Stay right here ''kay? Don''t throw stuff around.'' He teases, but Wonho seems to still be in a daze. Another nod and Minwoo makes himself out of the room. On the bed, lying on his stomach unmoving, Wonho stares into space. He just slept with Minwoo. An alpha. It wasn''t as painful as he remembered. He didn''t feel any tear, he didn''t have any flashbacks. It hurt a bit and he still felt uncomfortable with his wet lower half, but he is okay. Everything is calm. He no longer had those disturbing thoughts. No more emotional turmoil. He thought he had finally gone mad, that his mental had broken down because he couldn''t take his medicine but that was not it. He realized it was the heat. He remembered Jinyoung saying that omegas feel extra emotional and want to be touched during their heat. Guess his description is perfect. Wonho just experienced it first-hand. His mental health wasn''t helping him though, it only amplified the effect, much to his dismay. Now that he thought about it, when they first started dating, Jinyoung called him a few times during his heat crying. The smaller omega used to ask to be with him but Wonho basically told him to suck it up and get through it himself, in a gentle way though. And Jinyoung did that. Because Wonho is such an ignorant jerk of a boyfriend. He couldn''t even survive his first three waves alone, he had no right to tell the other to do so. More so when he just slept with an alpha because he is too ashamed to touch himself. He remembered thinking it is his job to do so. He just proved to himself that he is now those omegas that he used to hated so much. He had no dignity. How pathetic of him. ''Wonho. You okay?'' Minwoo''s voice woke him from his dark thoughts. ''Uhm.'' ''Go take a shower and meet me in the kitchen later. Shirts and pants are in the closet. Towel''s on the desk.'' Wonho gets out of bed and starts his way to the closet before stopping as he felt fluids down his thighs. Looking around for tissues, he grabs a few and starts to wipe himself, completely oblivious of the alpha staring back at him. He hears what seems like a curse but ignores it to focus on his task. Suddenly being lifted, Wonho gasps in shock as he is carried to the bathroom. ''Shit. Sorry. I''ll be back. Make sure to clean yourself as much as you can okay? Shit.'' Minwoo hands him the shower before taking off the shower head. ''Here. Use this if you need. Sorry.'' Wonho doesn''t really grasp the whole situation but he knows the alpha is preparing to leave again. He is putting on his jeans. ''Are you leaving??!'' They already did it. Minwoo shouldn''t leave him! ''Just for a bit.'' ''Why? What bout food? You said-'' ''Pharmacy. I need to get some pills for you. I messed up. I didn''t know what I was thinking.'' ''What pills?'' Wonho stares at the alpha, holding his hand to stop him from going out the door. He doesn''t want to be left alone again, even for a bit. Minwoo stares back at him in confusion. ''Wonho¡­ You''re an omega¡­'' Minwoo holds his tongue, not sure whether to continue. Before he could choose though, the omega finally understood. He is now an omega. He just wiped off the alpha''s cum flowing from inside of him. No. Noticing the scared look, Minwoo tries to hold the man but Wonho recoils from his touch. Mind still in distress, Minwoo decides it is better for him to leave and buy the morning-after pills as quickly as possible. He will deal with Wonho later. Moving to the living room, Minwoo grabs the bag on the floor and returns to the room to pass it to its owner. Grabbing it, Wonho brings out his phone, but more than that, he needs something else. The yellow plastic case with his medicine. ''You¡­ have the pills?'' Wonho ignores the man and takes two of each but before he could place them into his mouth, Minwoo stops him. ''What are these?'' ''My meds.'' ''Meds? Contra-'' Minwoo looks at those familiar looking pills. ''Wonho¡­ you shouldn''t take these pills this much.'' It isn''t the pills he thought it was. They are anti-anxiety and anti-depression pills. Knowing they weren''t contraceptive pills makes him a bit relieved but worried at the same time. Wonho refuses to let go of them though. ''You can''t take them in an empty stomach. You''ll have side-effects.'' Minwoo takes them away, along with the plastic case. Wonho is not fighting him but he keeps looking at the floor, as if sulking. Sighing, the alpha caresses the other''s head, ''I''ll come back and make your food as quickly as possible okay? Call me if anything''s wrong.'' The omega nods and Minwoo walks towards the front door. Realizing one important thing, he turns around. ''Take my phone number.'' Wonho takes his phone up and switches it on. Waiting awkwardly in silence, getting impatient, Minwoo speaks, ''Forget it. Gimme yours.'' Finally closing the door behind him, Minwoo hits his head lightly. He forgot that he was the one who switched Wonho''s phone off that morning out of his jealousy. Chapter 56 - Getting Better 2 Minwoo stares at the two rows of the same pills from different brands, contemplating which one to buy. There are various products ranging from weak to strong ones. He really cannot comprehend the need for the weak ones. Are they for people who cannot make up their mind? He looks to his right and left, feeling awkward as the only alpha in the aisle. Everyone else are either omegas or beta females. Ignoring the strong urge to leave, he takes all three strength and reads the labels, studying them. Wonho is in heat so weak is out. He is an alpha so medium it is. Nodding, satisfied with his new-found knowledge, he eyes almost jumped out of the socket. One whole box for a tablet? Just put it in a smaller case or something! Sighing, he takes three boxes - for emergency, before walking towards the cashier. Wait, then again, he is a noble and considering their fertility rate, there is no need for him to go up to medium. Not to mention, Wonho is also a new omega on his first heat. Taking a stronger dose may have some affect on his own fertility. ¡­but he is in heat? Minwoo clicked his tongue in confusion. Why is buying contraceptive pills so complicated? Deciding not to crack his brain on something trivial, he sticks to his initial conclusion and heads towards the cashier. He can just ask the pharmacist for her opinion. It is not as busy so his turn comes sooner than he anticipated. Looking around, suddenly embarrassed by what he is about to ask, he learns and whispers to the pharmacist, ''Does this pill have any effect on new omegas? I mean, can they take this during their first heat?'' He looks back at the pharmacist, only to notice her swift shocked and disgusted face. Ah, shit. He just realized the implication of his question, and how serious it is. Thankfully for him, she quickly changes it back to her professional ones, saving him from the embarrassment that was yet to come. Minwoo forces himself to laugh awkwardly. ''It''s for my sister. Hormonal teenagers.'' He lies and catches the relief on the middle-aged woman. ''I suggest you lower the strength.'' Minwoo wants to argue about the ''heat'' part, he really doesn''t want to be a young father. However, as the advice literally came from a professional, he decides against it. After all, he came to the same initial conclusion as well. Also, it is only Wonho''s second day so¡­ Guess he can only pray that Wonho is not the fertile type. ##### Wonho sits on the floor, leaning against the sofa staring outside while charging his phone. This is his third attempt to call Jinyoung but to no avail. That should be expected though considering they only broke up less than a month ago and Jinyoung was really emotional about it. He knows the man needs space. It''s just, Wonho really wants to apologize to the other omega. Now that he felt what being an omega in heat is like, he feels really guilty of his actions when they were together. Feeling a bit down, he decides to call one of his friends to cheer him up and distract him from his current situation. Not Junjie. The man has gone into his stalker mode and has been calling Wonho more than 50 times. The tanned monkey is probably the reason why his battery is so low. Wonho decides to torture him a few more minutes as a revenge. He should call Chansol first. ''Hyung! You okay? You wanna go home? I''ll come get you!'' ''Hi Chansol.'' Wonho laughs at the panicked alpha. Guess he is really worried. Chansol doesn''t seem that worried though based on his texts. Briefly updating the younger man on his situation to free him from his worries, Wonho decides to tease him a bit. ''Yah. How are you gonna come here anyway?'' ''Taxi.'' ''I might as well go home by myself.'' ''Owh¡­'' Wonho can only laugh at that answer. Forget the fact that he didn''t think that far, Chansol also seems to forget that he is an alpha and Wonho, an omega in heat. Whether it is from his forgetfulness or his ignorance which the omega sometimes finds annoying, Wonho finds that that particular personality is what he needed to get through his rough time. He knows everyone around him is trying to act normal by not mentioning his change in front of him, but he always feels as if he is being a burden. He knows they don''t think of it that way though. But Chansol, the boy just completely ignores his change like just now. As if he doesn''t really mind it. As if nothing changed between them. As if the night that dent their relationship never happened. And that is what Wonho needs the most right now. Chansol is the one that makes him feel normal which is why he loves the boy so much. Smiling to himself as he hang up, Wonho looks at the time. He should probably call the crazy stalker now. ''Wono! Where have you been? Chansol said you''re sick!! I called you hundred times.'' ''I know. Can''t even sleep with all that buzzing.'' He lies as the other laughs and apologizes. ''You can''t sleep? I knew it! let''s be honest, you miss me.'' Well, Junjie. He doesn''t even try to make Wonho feel normal, he makes the whole omega thing a joke, which makes the whole thing seems less serious than it is. He sometimes tries to take advantage by using Wonho to get into the omega dorms and stuffs. It does get annoying, but when is the guy never annoying? Even before his change, there has always been something Junjie will choose about him to make fun of. Because he knows Wonho will try to prove him wrong. Despite all that, Wonho always feels better when Junjie mentions how they cannot no longer do any of the things they usually do together because Wonho has to live separately, which is what he thought himself, only, he didn''t voice it out. He feels better because he knows that he is not the only one that feels things to be unfair. Sure, he knows he needs to accept his new reality, but that doesn''t mean he needs to accept the subtle and obvious discrimination as well. Having someone express his thoughts makes his messed-up mind somehow less complicated. ''You need anything? Food? Medicine? Blanket? Me?'' ''Stop panicking you ugly monkey! I just need to sleep.'' Junjie pretends to be mad but cannot hold it and laughs again followed by a sigh of relief. This guy, always the one who gets overly concerned on things regarding Wonho. He wonders how Junjie''s going to get married in the future. His partner will probably feel like the third wheel in their relationship. Enjoying their talk, completely forgetting his initial guilt and worry, he realizes how lucky he is to have them in his life. His friends are the best. Chapter 57 - Getting Better 3 Minwoo unlocks the door to the omega''s laughing voice. He is on the floor with his phone, his voice the loudest he has heard, yet. That makes him relieved. From the way Wonho was acting when he left, he would have thought the man would lock himself in the bathroom or the bedroom, not sit in the open having the time of his life. Not wanting to disturb the other, Minwoo takes out on of the pills and put it on a small plate on the counter. He grabs all the groceries he just bought and gets to work. He notices Wonho looking over while he is chopping the onions, but the man quickly looks away. It is obvious that he is curious but is too stubborn to ask about it. Too cute. Having the potatoes soft enough, he takes it out and starts to work on the patties. As he slaps the chunk of meat left and right, he notices the blob of hair turning around again, this time, the head stays that way for a while before returning to its original position, again, without any word. Minwoo can only laugh inside. Once all the preparation is done, the alpha starts to fry the patty. The loud sound finally piques the omega''s interest and he hangs up before making his way to the kitchen. ''That''s not ramen'' ''Yup. It''s cheeseburger. With salad side-dish.'' ''I wanted ramen.'' ''And I made you cheeseburger.'' Minwoo messes with Wonho''s hair and skillfully flips the patties. ''Are you a chef or something? It''s so fancy.'' ''I''m an alpha.'' Minwoo winks at the other but is greeted with the usual poker face. Smirking at the unenthusiastic reaction, he smiles when he sees the glimmer in Wonho''s eyes as he looks over the food on the table. His stomach grumbles angrily but the omega chooses to ignores it. Trying to distract the alpha from that humiliating sound, he mutters, a bit loudly, ''That''s not even an answer.'' ''Owh? Every alpha should be able to cook though.'' Minwoo places his chin on his hands, looking at Wonho, ''Balanced meal for our omegas.'' He grins at the flushed face and continues what is left for the burgers. He can still remember the hell he had to go through remembering the thick nutrition book; what is good for omegas during their heat, what is good when they are pregnant, what is good for males, for females. Thanks to that, he road to studying medicine is easier compared to betas so he doesn''t really mind it alas. ''Being an alpha is hard too, you know.'' Wonho clears his throat, feeling slightly attacked by that statement. He never said it was easy. Turning to his side, he notices the pill left on the counter with a glass of water and takes it, figuring it is his. Alphas should know how to cook? That is the first he ever heard of it. He always thought omegas are the ones who is expected to do so. He expects Haneul to take care of Sangcheol, not the other way around. Come to think of it, Jinyoung doesn''t know how to cook anything besides ramen and fried stuffs. So does he. They both would make really bad parents. Thank god it didn''t work out. ''Why do alphas need to know how to cook though?'' ''Cause you need to eat healthy during your heat and other stuffs. I dunno.'' Minwoo shrugs. He never gives it any thoughts. The system is like that, so he just followed it. To be fair, alphas who are born as one, already know that their other half would be an omega, unlike their counterparts who are first born betas. Unlike omegas who can have a family with both alphas and betas, besides the gender of their partner, alphas really have no choice. Also, some omegas only present shy of being adults so they probably cannot incorporate that many syllabuses in that short while. In the end, his acquired skills helped him a lot in life too, so there''s really nothing to complain about. Wonho nods lightly, impressed to know that they are expected to learn so many skills from such young age. No wonder all alphas seem that confident with themselves. Except Chansol. Chansol doesn''t know how to cook though. ##### Both the males are in the living room - Minwoo working on his report on the sofa, Wonho leaning against the couch, seated on the floor while watching some random show on the television. The alpha is surprised as he feels a weight on his knees, Wonho just casually resting his head there. The alpha doesn''t fail to notice the scent too, it is starting again. Minwoo looks on the wall clock, it is still eight o''clock; his waves are getting more frequent. His peak should be tomorrow or the day after. This is bad. This is really bad. Recalling the last few times where he almost lost his mind, Minwoo doesn''t know how to feel about Wonho''s heat anymore. ''It''s more comfortable to lie here.'' He pats on the empty space beside him and Wonho gets up, sitting exactly a few inches away from him, their hands almost touching. Minwoo pulls him lightly so his head is on his shoulder and starts to intensify his pheromones to calm the omega''s heat down a bit. ''Wonho.'' The man looks at him, ''Hurm?'' ''Why did you come to me yesterday? Is it because I''m a noble?'' Minwoo doesn''t like that, that people just casually want him because of his ancestral aura. Even if that person''s Wonho. ''Noble?'' ''My scent. Stronger than others.'' ''Owh.'' Wonho nods slowly, recalling that fact back when Minwoo confronted him in front of his friends. Minwoo''s pheromones is stronger than Sangcheol''s. It kind of make sense that he is a noble, whatever that is supposed to mean. Obviously the man is not from a royal family. Wait, is he? ''I dunno. Your scent just seemed¡­ familiar.'' ''Familiar? Heh.'' Minwoo smirks to himself. That is a new excuse - people coming to him because he is familiar. ''You''d go to Leo or Ryuu too if they''re around?'' Wonho frowns at the tone. Pushing himself away from the alpha, ''I''d never. What the fuck.'' ''Owh. Right. Maybe Jun? Shit. I forgot. Jun''s not an alpha.'' Wonho''s face twitches, disgusted by that comment on his friends. He knows what Minwoo is trying to imply and he will not take this kind of treatment. He is not that kind of person. He made a mistake. Minwoo is a mistake. He should leave. Standing up, Wonho goes straight to the bedroom to get his bag and before the alpha could respond, he closes the door behind him. Minwoo stares at his front door, still trying to process the whole situation. ''Shit.'' Chapter 58 - Getting Better 4 The alpha hastily chases behind, quickening his steps as he sees the Wonho in front of the elevator with the phone near his ear. He seems to be calling a taxi. ''You''re crazy? Your wave''s starting!'' Wonho only gives him a cold stare before pressing the button a few times in hope that it will arrive faster. ''Wonho-'' the elevator door opens and Wonho gets inside without a word. Not wanting to let him go, Minwoo pulls the man out again, blocking the entrance before noticing how violently Wonho is trying to free his hand. As he lets go, Wonho recoils back and starts to move to get back inside. Unfortunately for him, the elevator is long gone. ''You sure you wanna go out there?'' The paler man completely ignores him and starts to press the button quickly again. Minwoo notices the bruises on the wrist from last night that still hasn''t faded and shudders. Wonho will literally be in physical danger outside. Rutting alphas can be dangerous when faced with competitions and Wonho''s scent is strong enough he gathered a few, even when he is protected by thick walls. The man couldn''t even fight off one of them let alone a few. He might get killed. It scares Minwoo just thinking about it. Both of them hear footsteps and go silent. As it gets closer, they can sense it is another alpha. Minwoo instinctively looks over at Wonho and notices the tightened jaw and widened eyes but the man refuses to budge from his position. ''Let''s go back inside.'' ''Go back yourself.'' The female alpha stops beside them, waiting for the elevator. Minwoo tensed up in her presence and starts to amplify his own, trying to cover Wonho''s heat. All the while, Wonho keeps his eyes on the floor. He notices how the woman keeps looking at both of them but she doesn''t say a word. Thankfully the elevator comes, and she gets inside. But to Minwoo''s shock, Wonho follows suit after drawing a large breath. Without any thoughts, Minwoo joins them and places himself in between the two. He notices Wonho looking at him weird but Minwoo tries to focus on his own job before finally realizing that the lady is already mated. No wonder she shows no interest in Wonho. Once they reach their destination, the alpha female gets out and before the omega could step out, Minwoo presses the 6th button and blocks the entrance. ''Let''s go back.'' ''No.'' Minwoo sighs. They already arrived but indeed, Wonho refuses to exit the small space. Reentering the elevator, Minwoo tries to talk the man out. ''Wonho, you know what''ll happen if you go out.'' ''Nothing new. I''ll get to taste other alphas.'' ''That''s not¡­'' Minwoo curses himself. He said that to Wonho. Him and his big mouth. ''That''s not what I meant.'' ''Then maybe you should''ve shut up.'' ''I''m sorry! Okay? I know I''ve been a jerk but to be fair, you weren''t that good to me either. You confuse me! We are kissing and the next, you slapped me. Then you find me during your heat and you told me it''s only because I smell familiar. How do you expect me to take that? I''m crazy about you! I almost bit you! I almost made you mine! Did you even realize that?'' Minwoo looks back up to the man and sees him putting his palm on his lower right neck, obviously scared to learn about it. Exhaling deeply, ''I''m scared too you know. You made me lose my mind a few times. I could never control myself. I never lost control. It''s not even your peak.'' He pauses, staring straight at the omega, ''What if I hurt you tomorrow? During your peak? I never forget the condoms. What if you get pregnant? We were fighting until yesterday, do you really want to carry my pups? I like you but I''m not ready to be a parent with someone who only wants me out of convenience.'' There is a long silence that Minwoo dreads. He already voiced his thoughts, but he isn''t ready to hear what the other think about the whole situation. What is with this guy? They didn''t even have many interactions but Minwoo just cannot stop thinking about the little things that they shared together. Wonho doesn''t speak much either but he always feels like jumping when he does. Seo Wonho scares him. ''Aren''t you gonna say anything?'' ''I''m¡­okay with you.'' ''Okay? How am I gonna take ''okay?'''' ''Just¡­ I hate your mouth. I don''t hate you.'' Minwoo stands up straight and holds Wonho''s shoulders. ''Is that good?'' ''I hate alphas. You''re okay.'' Resting his head on Wonho''s shoulders, Minwoo chuckles. He can accept that. ''Am I the same level as the Chinese guy?'' ''Don''t push it.'' ''Okay.'' He pouts and turns around to face the door. ''Sometimes you speak in language I don''t understand. Stop it. I can''t understand it no matter how loud you scream at me.'' ''Sorry.'' He must''ve spoken in Dutch sometimes when he is stressed. It cannot be helped; it is basically his native language, frankly speaking. He still keeps his silly grin, lifting his hand to press on the open button but before he could do so, the door opens and a few people including some alphas enters. They had been in there for a while. Feeling a bit challenged, Minwoo holds on to Wonho''s hand tightly. ''Let''s go back.'' ''Uhm.'' Is the reply as he pushes the button. Once inside the security of his house, Minwoo searches for another forgotten plastic bag. He takes out the black choker-like protector and shows it to the omega. Wonho only stares at it, not sure how to react. ''It''s a neck protector.'' He notices the distaste expression but puts it on the other anyway. Wonho doesn''t seem to like it. ''I won''t be able to do it even if I lose my mind. Please? You owe me a peace of mind.'' Wonho doesn''t say anything, but he stops trying to take it off. Not that he can do anything about it anyway. The device cannot be taken off during heat. He did, however, make a cringed face before pulling on the fabric of his pants. ''Minwoo¡­'' ''Ermm?'' The alpha looks at him, just seated at the sofa. He pats the space beside him, signaling the other to join him but that is the last thing Wonho wants to do right now. He wants new pair of boxers and pants to change into. ''Come here. We''ll take care of you later.'' ''It feels disgusting.'' Minwoo just smiles and pats on his lap instead. And somehow, the omega doesn''t want to argue any further. Lying on his side, he stares at the television before feeling a movement from the other. ''I just remembered I bought a book on omegas for you. It looks like it''s for kids though.'' Laughing a little, ''well, you''re basically a baby omega.'' ''Shut up.'' ''Since I know you won''t open it yourself, I''ll just have to read them to you.'' ''I can read by myself.'' ''Yeah. As if. So, first chapter. What''s an omega?...'' Chapter 59 - Getting Better 5 Wonho flips the pages over and over again, looking at the bathroom once in a while to see if the alpha is done with the shower. They finished reading the guide yesterday, but Wonho found something interesting that he was curious about. He wanted to ask, but the timing just wasn''t right. And also, he thought he heard wrong because, well, he didn''t actually read it rather had the book read to him. Hence why he had to reconfirm it. The sound of the door perks the omega from his seat on the sofa and Wonho gets to the edge of the sofa to peek. Shit. He quickly sits back, pretending not to just see Minwoo walking out half-naked towards the bedroom. Because he is sure the man will make some comments about how hot his body is or what not. So very typical of Minwoo. Biting his inner wall, Wonho pulls his own shirt and looks at his tummy ¨C he has abs, but why isn''t his as defined as the alpha''s? Also, why is Minwoo''s pecks so big? What has he been eating to grow like that? Wonho opens the book in his hand again and looks for any information on the alphas. Of course, aside from the relationship between omegas and alphas, none is written. After all, this is a guide for omegas. He wonders if being an alpha comes with the ability to build muscle easily. Sangcheol is muscular, but that is because he had been building his muscles from his school days. Chansol¡­ can he even be a considered an average alpha in the first place? Curious, Wonho opens his phone and types in his question. There are a few results but right now he is really not interested on the science behind it. He just wants the simple answer - yes or no. And it seems, the answer is yes. Suddenly feeling his pride being challenged Wonho clicks on one of the sites which seems to have some picture of ''alpha abs''. Just to see how ''amazing'' they are supposed to be. Because he was not satisfied with just a yes. They are both males, and yet, they are so different? ''Urgh'' he regrets his decision. He just clicked on a site that worships alpha abs. It is just so creepy. Now he feels like throwing u- ''You have abs fetish?'' ''Fu-!'' Wonho almost throws his phone as the familiar voice questions him right beside his ears. Eyes wide, the shocked omega struggles to breathe as he watches Minwoo laughing, making his way behind the counter; probably to make himself something to eat. Not wanting to show his embarrassment, Wonho sits back up, putting his phone away as if Minwoo did not just see what he was looking at. ''I didn''t think you have such a hobby.'' Minwoo comments again, not letting it go which earns him a soft curse from Wonho. He just knows the alpha will not let it rest. Glaring at the man, he scoffs as the alpha winks. ''I can giv-'' ''It''s for a research.'' He blurts out, not wanting the other male to finish his sentence. Looking to his left, trying to avoid the sight of Minwoo, he continues, ''I''m thinking of building my muscles.'' ''Owh? Really?'' Wonho nods, just because. But again, the alpha laughs which irks him, ''then you need to first gain some weight you know? Proteins?'' Owh god, now Minwoo will probably go on about all the healthy stuff he should eat and what not. Why did he have to look at that picture?? Wonho looks over at Minwoo who is now cutting the vegetable to make dinner. Jokes aside, it always amazes him how domestic the alpha is, how different he is in the comfort of his own house compared to when he is out and about, flexing about his attractive traits. Well, not that he talks about it a lot, since, Minwoo is really attractive even without trying hard to appeal himself. Just like Junjie. Even now, with a messy hair and in slacks, the man looks really handsome. ''You hungry?'' Wonho hurriedly turns his face away and nods, feeling warmth on his cheeks. Seriously, the past few days spent with the alpha makes him feel all weird and stuff. No matter how hard he tries, he just can''t keep his eyes away from the man, and feels the need to constantly be around him. He knows it is the heat doing these stuffs so he won''t stray away from the best alpha partner or something, but he does not know how to take this. He likes it, but also hates it? Because he knows he won''t usually act like this around other people. Heck, he has always been the confident one in all his relationship. Why is he blushing like a virgin around this guy? And it is not as if they are keeping things innocent either, since they will have sex when his waves come. Like a few hours ago. ''Aish.'' Wonho rubs his hair, not wanting to overthink it and takes the guidebook on his side, trying to distract himself from his thoughts. Just a few more days and everything will turn back to normal. A few more days. ''Find anything interesting?'' the omega again looks at Minwoo who is not leaning slightly on the counter, waiting for the soup to boil over. The latter gestures towards the book, which causes Wonho to remember his initial question. Like a child, he gets up and brings the guide to the alpha who smiles at him, his face sweet. ''Alpha voice?'' ''Uh-uh?'' ''To control omegas? Why?'' Wonho frowns as he points to the sentence. He heard it from Sangcheol, and other people here and there but this fact always bothers him. Why do the alphas need to control the omegas? And why do they need to teach these things? Wouldn''t it be better if nobody knows about it so nobody can use it? Because he would hate to be forced to do something he doesn''t want to. It just seems unfair. Minwoo tilts his head slightly, not knowing how to explain. The only thing written in the book is that the omegas should be aware of it, and have better control of themselves. Now that he read it again, alphas seem like a villain in that one sentence. ''Ermm¡­ remember how you acted a bit crazy your first two waves?'' Wonho shoots deadly stares at the alpha, feeling attacked. Smirking as a response, Minwoo continues, ''Cus omegas tend to act emotionally sometimes without thinking. I guess we developed this thing to counteract that? During evolution and stuff. Not really sure. But it''s not like we use it all the times. I don''t use it intentionally.'' ''Intentionally?'' Wonho enquires again, and Minwoo nods, ''It''s not like they teach us about it. It''s instinctual, just like you coming to me to take care of your heat...'' The alpha looks at Wonho, now pretending to frown, ''What? You thought they teach us that in school? Yah, why do I feel like you always have an anti-alpha agenda planned?'' Chapter 60 - Getting Better 6 Minwoo asked that as a joke but the look on the omega tells him that the topic is sensitive. Suddenly remember his theory about Wonho''s attacks, the younger male clears his throat and moves back towards his cooking. Pretending he is busy. He can tell the other appreciates the gesture as he too, takes a seat at the counter and start turning the pages again and again, pretending to be bored. ''Why don''t you guys have heat?'' Minwoo sprays the soup he was trying to taste. Coughing violently, finding himself struggling to breathe, Wonho hands him a glass of water. He just imagined himself going through heat like the omegas and the thought itself makes him shiver all over. He will never be able to forgive himself if he ever acts like that willingly. A noble alpha like hi- Owh. That was probably what Wonho was thinking all this time. Now that he thought about it, no wonder Seungyun was so angry when he called new omegas cuckoo for acting crazy during their first heat. But then again, he did not choose to be an alpha either. Yes, he is proud to be a noble but to be honest, to concept of not having the other gender affects him so much like betas still seems appealing to him, at least, once in a while. However, things will be boring as well. ''I dunno if you noticed but we react to omegas just like your heat.'' He moves in closer to Wonho, ''so imagine if there are two omegas who have their heat on different weeks around me, who do you think will have a harder time. You, or me?'' ''Smarty pants. You think you''ll have two omegas around you all the time?'' ''Owh no. I have plenty.'' He pretends to be tired of the attention, earning him an eye roll from the omega. He grins stupidly at the other, and in turn Wonho gives him a soft smirk. This feels really natural, just like the playful talks they would have before the kissing incident. Come to think of it, this is the first time Wonho is playing around with him since he got here. Things had been really serious, and tensed the past few days. Granted, since it was the days leading to Wonho''s heat, which was probably yesterday, they had been spending most of their time having sex, eat and sleep. When they have free time, Minwoo would read the book, determined to teach his omega, and Wonho paid attention too, despited looking uncomfortable most of the time. It seems, despite not having a real conversation that does not revolves around food, their relationship has improved a bit. Minwoo places his finger on the omega''s nose, loving the confused look of the other. This is a good chance to talk, he really wants to get closer to Wonho before school starts again since they may not have many chance to hang out then. Placing the tofu soup and the fried fish in front of the omega, Minwoo takes his place beside the man. Wonho hands him a bowl filled with rice, and says his gratitude before starting to eat, not forgetting to let out a loud sound of enjoyment. Just the little thing Wonho does that Minwoo doubts he realizes. ''Wonho?'' He starts after a while, still wanting to continue where they left, ''Why did you leave Architecture? I heard from Chansol.'' ''I''m an omega.'' Is the answer, but that still confuses the alpha. What does that have to do with his course? ''You ever heard of omega architect?'' Minwoo shakes his head. He never, but then again, he does not know a lot of architects as well, and even the ones he knows, he never bothered to check if they are omegas or not. Does it really matter? ''That''s why.'' He wants to explain that he never heard of any alphas either since he is ignorant, but decided against it. It is probably the kind of concern he will never have to experience. He doubts anything he says will make any difference. And Wonho is already back anyway. Also, from the current atmosphere, continuing on this topic will probably darken the mood so he may as well just talk about something else. ''Th-'' ''What else irks you?'' Minwoo almost curses himself as he realized he interrupted Wonho. How he wants to let the man continue, but it is too late. He already said it. Had he waited a few more second, things would probably have gone somewhere better. At least, better than the topic he just gave. God, he really needs to learn to stay silent once in a while. With no answer, Minwoo looks at Wonho who is scratching the back of his head. His face looks red, as if he is embarrassed by the question. And the alpha knows why ¨C he thought Minwoo was implying he get agitated easily. Which, might be true, but was not the intention of his question. Not even the slightest. ''I mean,'' He puts down his spoon, ''besides staring, and knotting¡­ Anything else I need to know? That triggers, you know¡­'' ''Ahh,'' the alpha nods aggressively, trying to make up for the misunderstanding, ''I''m not sure¡­ I don''t drink?'' ''Alcohol?'' Wonho nods, but his face shows that he is not confident either, ''¡­maybe the smell of alcohol breath.'' He really has no clue what else will trigger his trauma. Because he has been avoiding a lot of things since he came back to college. Heck, this is the first time he ever step foot out of the security of his school, who knows what else will cause him to panic outside these walls? On the other hand, the answer irritated Minwoo instead. Because that is enough to connect the dots of what happened to Wonho. Assault by a drunken alpha. Fucking lowlifes not knowing how to control themselves when intoxicated always irritates him, now even more than ever. ''I won''t drink then.'' Minwoo smiles at the man besides him whose face seems to redden. ''You don''t have to do that. Well, I mean, just don''t get drunk.'' Wonho avoids him and stares at the soup in front of him. Minwoo smirks. He can do that. He never gets drunk. Chapter 61 - Beginning Of Summer 1 Minwoo leans against the door frame, staring at the frail back before Wonho puts on his shirt. The bruises on his wrists and arms are almost completely gone and Minwoo is careful not to leave any marks on that milky neck. His hair is still a bit wet from the shower, so the alpha takes a towel and places them on the other''s head, drying them lightly while sighing inwardly. Wonho turns his whole body around suddenly, shocking the alpha and looks up a bit, smirking triumphantly, satisfied with the surprised gasp. Minwoo cannot do anything at the sweet face and smiles back. Wonho is being mischievous and it is cute. Everything about the man when he is in his right mind is just adorable to him. Caressing his bangs a few times, Minwoo returns to the kitchen to make the omega''s final meal before leaving his apartment. His heat is over. There is nothing left to hold him here. Although he was almost driven crazy a few times, in the past few days, Minwoo learned so many things about the pale man, be it good or bad. His favourite thing would be how Wonho likes to play with his decorations whenever he is bored, which would be every time Minwoo reads the omega guidebook to him, and how he likes to lay down on the floor whenever he gets the chance. The worst would be how Wonho would wake up in the middle of the night crying while looking for his pills when Minwoo left him to write his report in the living room a few times. The alpha would have to hold him in a tight hug to calm him down. He hates when the omega begged and screamed in his nightmare because he now knows what messed him up so badly. He knows someone forced himself on Wonho. And he is sure the reason why Wonho would lose his mind when Minwoo accidentally knots inside is because of that bastard. Which is why he now finds it really hard to let the omega go back. Because he will have to wake up alone in the room without anyone by his side. Minwoo never asked Wonho about it though, he doubts the other has a clue he knows about it either. ''Why?'' ''Nothing¡­'' Minwoo brushes it off and watches as Wonho continues to munch on his sandwich. Noticing the stare, Wonho pushes a piece towards the alpha who beams happily at the offer and takes a bite. ''You sure you don''t want me to send you?'' ''Yeah. You''ve done enough. You still need to finish your report.'' ''I wanna send you. Can''t I drive you back?'' Wonho only gives him a small smile and a shake. Minwoo rolls his eyes when he remembers, ''Owh yeah. Your friends might kill me.'' ''They won''t¡­ I think.'' He doesn''t seem to be convinced by his own words because his friends were really mad at their argument a few days ago and are still worked up over it. He doubts they would let Minwoo near him without causing a commotion. And though Wonho thinks he need not answer to anybody regarding his personal matters, he knows they feel responsible and overprotective over him out of guilt of letting that night happen. The least he can do is not worry them. And telling them about this week will. This is a big deal. He just spent his first heat with Minwoo. He just slept with an alpha for the first time after his attack. Haneul will understand him, Sangcheol may or may not, Junjie will flip out completely. ''I''ll tell them.'' ''About us? Wonho, what are we?'' Wonho sighs, putting the sandwich down. ''I¡­ I just broke up few weeks ago. It''s still too early for me.'' That is not it. Jinyoung and him ended way before. The only reason why he rejected Minwoo''s offer to be lovers is because he feels that the reason why he stayed with the alpha is, in Minwoo''s words, out of convenience. He needed someone to be with him and Minwoo just happened to be there. Even if he had met some other alpha who could make him feel safe, Wonho couldn''t be completely sure he wouldn''t sleep with that alpha either. In fact, he can actually think of a few other reasons why he didn''t mind being around Minwoo such as him actually already recovering from his trauma and is not afraid of the other kind anymore, or him already making peace with his change to an omega and all his responsibility as an alpha''s mate. Whatever the reason, Wonho is not ready for other commitments. He still needs medicine to cope with his daily life. He is not in the position to be someone''s lover. Nodding in understanding, Minwoo holds up his hand to touch the other but before he could do so, Wonho got up from his seat and moves to the sink to wash his plate. ''I guess uh¡­ I''ll see you after the break? We can hang out if you want¡­'' ''Can I call you during the break? Let''s keep in touch.'' Minwoo pleads, to his embarrassment. ''Sure! Yeah¡­ you''re not that boring so why not¡­'' Wonho laughs and the tanned male pouts. ''You can make me more food if you want. A packed lunch everyday would be nice.'' ''Make you food? Owh¡­ okay.'' Minwoo rolls his eyes playfully. ''Sure. I always have time to make you food.'' Wonho laughs at the sarcastic remark accompanied by a failed over-reactive facial expression. The taller of the two simpers at the nose scrunch and hits Wonho lightly, suddenly embarrassed with himself. ''What''re you doing during the break?'' ''It''s Ryuu-hyung''s last year, so we''re gonna go for a graduation trip!'' The excited grin delights the alpha who is thinking about dragging Wonho''s time here longer. Making sure to bring his tension level to similar level to encourage the other to talk, he asks, ''Sounds good. Where to?'' Unfortunately for him, Wonho only shrugs and starts walking towards the door, ready to leave. ''Okay buhby-'' ''Wonho?'' Minwoo tries calling just because. The omega turns back towards him and tilts his head, and Minwoo is now stuck trying to think of anything to say. ''Make sure to eat.'' He almost slaps himself at the weird reminder. Naturally, the other male only gives him a weird look and chuckles while waving his goodbye. Wonho is now wearing his shoes, so this is his last chance to get the man to stay a while more. Yes, there is that thing. Wonho may agree to stay for another day¡­ ''Wonho?'' ''What now, Minwoo-sshi?'' Chapter 62 - Beginning Of Summer 2 ''Wonho¡­ Remember not to see any of your alpha or omegas friends fo-'' ''-at least two days or they''ll know we were together and they''ll kill you. Okay.'' Wonho finishes his sentence, staring bemusedly at Minwoo. The latter has been repeating the same thing over and over again since yesterday, making sure he remembers so their time together won''t be exposed, as per Wonho''s own request. According to the guidebook, since they slept together, their scents linger around each other for a while. Most alphas'' scents only last for a day but Minwoo''s a noble so his lasts longer. ''Minwoo?'' ''Yeah?'' ''Is our scent lingering the same as bonding?'' Minwoo almost bursts out laughing before noticing the genuine confused look on the other. ''Nope. Urm, how do I explain this¡­ for bonding, you''ll feel like the other''s mate is always nearby but our scents mixing after sex is just like¡­ hrmm¡­ you wearing my shirt?'' Minwoo stares at Wonho, who shakes his head, ''It''s like saying you have boyfriend, so back off.'' ''Your shirt on me would look like my own shirt.'' ''You don''t get the poin-'' ''Your metaphor sucks. You suck.'' ''Yah! I never have to explain something like that to someone!'' ''Buh-bye.'' Ignoring the excited alpha, Wonho waves to the other, grabbing the knob to exit but is pulled into a hug. ''Hey. I''ve been mentally exhausted these pass few days.'' ''And?'' ''You should take responsibility for my deteriorating mental health.'' Freeing himself from the bear hug, Wonho knocks the giant''s head lightly. ''I thought you liked me redecorating your house. Okay then, don''t miss me too much. I''m going now.'' He notices the smirk and again, waves at the alpha. Making his way towards the elevator, Wonho glances back one last time to see Minwoo still waiting in front of the door. He truly enjoyed his time with Minwoo. The man didn''t hold anything back at all. Though he hates being screamed at, it is somewhat a breath of fresh air when Minwoo scolded him to snap him out of his hysteric attacks. Wonho might went crazy here a few times, but around the alpha, he somehow feels a sense of security. He feels safe knowing someone would pull him back from his nightmare by any means possible, including forcing him to think logically. Except for Haneul who stopped halfway when Wonho fought back, everyone else only try to talk to calm him whenever he feels like losing his mind. Though that sometimes does help, he would always end up feeling like a burden when it is over. He doesn''t want to compare them, nor blame them though, because he knows they don''t want to risk hurting him. Because they still feel guilty for the night, for leaving him alone. On the other hand, Minwoo plainly showed how agitated he was about his random outbursts, but he never left not treat Wonho any different. Obviously he only did that because he has no responsibility to care for him or his feelings, but weirdly that made Wonho comfortable; knowing that someone would always be there beside him, even when he couldn''t hold everything together, even when he clearly drove the other crazy. Despite not having to. Minwoo really is a great guy. He is really thankful he stumbled upon Minwoo that day. ##### Humming his favourite song while resting his head on the headrest, looking out at the street, Wonho closes his eyes. It has been a while since he last rides the bus back to campus. Since that night, he never ventures out of his university alone. In fact, the only reason he would go out to the city is to see his therapist, and even then, Haneul would drive him to and from. Taking advantage of being under the protection of Minwoo''s lingering scent, Wonho decides to challenge himself by riding the bus instead of the more expensive taxi. It can be another step to building his self-confidence. And he has to admit, the long ride back really gives him some kind of tranquility. Since there are very few people inside, that is. Wonho looks around him, observing other passengers, something he liked to do back then. There is a really old lady with her big hat, a rebellious-looking teenager who keeps singing some unknown song while headbanging lightly, a sweet little kid with huge glasses looking back at him with a grumpy look¡­ This view too, has been a while. Almost a year to be exact. He has been too bitter and scared to lift his head up in public places, afraid that they know what happened just by looking despite it being impossible. Which is all the more reason he feels really accomplished today. Wonho smiles at the kid, waving to her despite her deep frown as she is dragged out by her mother. He tries to close his eyes but sits back up when he realizes something. This scent. He smelled this before. Turning around quickly, Wonho almost lost his mind when he sees a familiar alpha. The man was there that night. He didn''t remember what the man did, whether he is one of those who attacked him, beat him or the ones watching but he was there. In fact, he had been close enough for Wonho to recognize his scent. Owh no. The man is staring back at him. There is a look of recognition. Feeling sick to his stomach and trying hard not to throw up, Wonho presses the stop button as quickly as he can. He needs to get out. He doesn''t want to be in the bus anymore. He needs to get away. Away from the alphas. Why isn''t the bus stopping?? ''Kid, stop pressing the button!'' Wonho flinches at the command, afraid to look at the owner of the voice. He can feel his whole body shaking as his breaths get shorter. He doesn''t want to have a breakdown now. Not in front of his attacker. Closing his eyes to try to distract himself, he hears the door opens and rushes out the bus, almost forgetting to pay. He runs a few steps towards the nearest traffic light before stopping to catch his breath. Shit. The scent is still there. The man''s scent is getting stronger! He cannot cross the street. There are too many cars. He should go straight ahead. Shit. He cannot move his legs anymore! They are shaking violently. The man is right behind him. Wonho holds his breath, waiting for the pain to come but it never did. The scent becomes weaker, moreover at a pace quicker than it was stronger. Daring to lift his head, he sees the man holding groceries, rushing somewhere. Running away from him. Waiting anxiously until the alpha is out of sight, plus a few more minutes until his legs would cooperate, Wonho stops a blue taxi. To hell with building confidence. He just wants to lock himself in his room and wrap himself in the blanket. He should never have taken the bus. Chapter 63 - Beginning Of Summer 3 Wonho lies on the floor, fully cocooned inside his blanket, staring at the legs of his desk. He doesn''t want to take his pills, Minwoo said he is becoming too dependent on them. But it is hard. His mind is a mess and his heart won''t calm down. His chest hurts so bad, so is his throat from his desperate gasps for air. He thought he would never bump into his attackers outside the west district, but he is clearly wrong. Just like him, apparently not everyone is native to the place. In just a week, he has stumbled upon two of them. It is also possible that he has met a few more which he didn''t remember. To make things worse, the man in the bus clearly recognized him. He was obviously running away from him. He remembered and pretended he did nothing that deserves punishment. He dares to live his life as if nothing happened while Wonho suffers every single day since that night. He wonders if every alpha from that night remembers what they did to him like he did them. Just like the guy, does every single one of them even remember his face? Do they have nightmares about him too? This is too much. He cannot deal with this alone. His mind feels like exploding. He needs to share this with someone. Not Haneul. Jiny- He is no longer in good terms with Jinyoung. Not caring anymore, Wonho gulps on his pills. He needs relief. He will deal with addiction or whatever later. ##### Finally feeling sane enough to breathe but still feeling like shit, Wonho looks around his silent room. He doesn''t want to be alone. His dark thoughts will eat him whenever he is left alone. He needs distraction. He hates his anxiety. He cannot be with Haneul if he wants to honour his promise with Minwoo, but he cannot be with Junjie either because he is not allowed in the alpha/beta''s dorm. Should he go back to Minwoo''s? Owh. Mengyao''s place is outside campus! He can ask Junjie to drive him there so they can hang out together. Since they will go for the trip in a few days, he might as well bring all his stuffs with him. Hopefully Mengyao won''t mind it. ##### Junjie stares at the overly excited raven-haired man, playing video games with Mengyao. His sudden invitation to their junior''s house is a bit out-of-character for Wonwoo. Though this is the only way they can hang out, this is also the first time Wonho ever been here. He had been refusing to step out of campus since his return, so this is really weird. Still, this is also one of the rare times Wonho would laugh like this. He should let him be. ''Wono?'' Junjie whispers at the man lying beside him with his back towards him. Mengyao is already asleep so he can finally ask about what has been bothering him all day. A soft hum is heard, indicating Wonho heard it. ''You okay?'' ''No. Jun-ie.'' Wonho takes a deep breath to prepare his own emotion. He really wants to vent out, because he needs to tell someone. So he can forget about it. ''I saw them. The alphas who attacked me.'' Junjie didn''t say anything but he can hear the other''s angry breath. ''One of them recognized me.'' ''Did those fuckers do anything?'' the darker man almost screams but repeats himself softly, calmly when they hear Mengyao grunting in his sleep, afraid to wake the younger male. ''We should lock those son-of-bitches.'' Wonho shakes his head softly. He is tired. ''Not like we can do anything bout them. Even if I recall each and every one of them, they won''t lock them.'' Yes, that is what the police and attorney told him. That the alphas cannot be blamed for what happened because they were acting under the influence of his ''call to breed''. That the alphas naturally lost control of their minds so they shouldn''t and wouldn''t be accounted for his assaults. Even with enough physical evidence and eyewitness, his case is too complicated. They asked him to drop the case because it could backfire on him instead, and Wonho is too weak and traumatized to argue for his own justice. The only one they can lock up is his ''mate'' that they have yet to identify. So now, even if he sees them on the streets, he should just suffer alone. That is the agreement, in exchange for his free health care. Junjie lays on his back, not knowing what to say. He feels responsible for what happened. He left Wonho alone for lunch that day, only to return to find his best friend signing a contract he was coerced to agree. ''You¡­ you wanna leave here? '' ''To where? They''ll always be around as long as I''m still here.'' ''I mean, just for now. We can leave earlier than Ryuu-hyung. That''s two months away from those fuckheads.'' Wonho gives that a little thought, ''Let''s just ask them to go early then.'' ''Owh hell no. Haneul-hyung''s in heat.'' Junjie laughs and Wonho blushes a bit, remembering that his heat literally just ended today. ''In fact, I think we''ll have to push it a day or two later.'' ''Isn''t his heat a bit early?'' Haneul''s last heat was only about two months prior. ''I dunno. Ryuu-hyung said it''s a bit haywire these days. They couldn''t really keep track. Doctor said it''s cus of stress since Ryuu-hyung''s graduating and all.'' Wonho was just about to ask how Junjie knows about all this thing before remembering the fact that Sangcheol never really hides it. He would sometimes mention it like it is no big deal, and them being betas, never really cared since they would never understand it anyways. Now that he mentioned it, Wonho realizes after his change, Sangcheol has been really careful not to bring the subject up but he never really thought about the reason why. ''So? How ''bout this? We go somewhere else first then meet up with them later?'' ''Chansol?'' ''Last test''s on Monday so if we leave tomorrow, he''ll have to go with the couple.'' ''Tomorrow??'' Wonho turns to face his friend. He wants to get out of town as quickly as possible too but tomorrow is too¡­ sudden. ''Whenever''s fine though. I''m free, Mengyao''s free, you''re already all packed.'' ''Hotels and stuff?'' ''Never been on a road trip before?'' Junjie gives him the look and Wonho rolls his eyes. Of course he has been on random road trips before. With the stupid guy in front of him who would kidnap him for the weekends. They always ended up sleeping in his small car. That was back when they were high school students. ''By the way, what''s that?'' Wonho looks at the direction he is pointing - down his neck, ''This? Neck protector.'' ''Looks good on you. Except you need spikes or chain to look badass.'' ''It''s not a collar dumbass.'' ''Or a bell with your name on i-'' Wonho muffles that big mouth with his pillow. Chapter 64 - Beginning Of Summer 4 Wonho yawns as he stretches himself on the mattress. The house is so silent, he feels absolutely no motivation to get up. Turning around a few times, he finally brings his hand out of the blanket and grabs his phone to look at the time. ''Owh?'' There is a message from the alpha. Got home safely? Ate breakfast?'' - Min-ie Wonho cringes at the contact name. That is not how he saved Minwoo''s name. That alpha must have changed it when he was not looking. Shivering to himself, he proceeds to change it back to ''Kim Minwoo'' as a subtle revenge. It is only 10 o''clock, Minwoo wakes up really early judging by the time of the message which is two hours earlier. He wants to ignore the man but remembering the alpha''s ugly irritated face, he gets up and makes himself a piece of toast before washing up. Grabbing the now cold toast, he spreads strawberry jam he found in Mengyao''s fridge and takes a picture to sends to the alpha as proof he had eaten his breakfast. ''Wow! You made an instaworthy piece of toast.'' Wonho hears Junjie clapping his hands, accompanied by Mengyao laughing beside him. Munching on his bread, completely ignoring the two, he sits down on the cold floor right between his friends and the television. He is about to continue his nap before another message comes in. Where''s the veggies? Protein? Sausage or eggs at least?? - Kim Minwoo Wonho scoffs at the nag. Even without him here, he can hear that whiny voice, ''Gosh.'' Opening the fridge, he searches around for something that can be passed as ''protein''. There are eggs, but he has to cook that and he is too lazy to do so. He then opens the freezer, and grins. Taking the frozen hotdog out, he pries one piece from the group and put the unthawed processed meat on his toast. Then he takes a picture. And sends it. The hell is that?? Is that frozen sausage?? - Kim Minwoo Yah, you better not. - Kim Minwoo He takes a bit out of his toast and puts it back down. Then he breaks a part of the meat, and places it back on his bread. Seo Wonho! Are you serious?? - Kim Minwoo ''What?'' Mengyao asks, curious about why his friend is laughing at himself. ''Nothing.'' Wonho puts his phone down, satisfied with his daily teasing. He then looks back at the pair on the sofa. They are obviously fresh from sweating out, still in their shorts and shirts. ''Did you guys run?'' He stares at both of them, slightly irritated. He needs a workout too! How could they leave him behind? ''Without me??'' ''We tried to wake you up five times. Junjie kicked you twice.'' Mengyao answers before he is playfully kicked by the older beta. Not wanting to entertain his two friends who are clearly trying to start a bicker, Junjie changes the subject, ''Let''s get ready. We''ll depart in an hour.'' ##### Minwoo stares at his phone with a deep frown and a long pout. He is not happy. Laughing at the big baby, Jeongmin just has to ask the reason. ''Wono''s eating strange.'' ''And why''re you getting mad?'' He raises an eyebrow, wondering why the proud alpha is so concerned about the architectural student. ''Cus he''s so tiny and he needs to look after himself! Jesus Wono!'' Minwoo throws his phone to his side and lies on the bed, hiding his face in between his pillows before sitting back up and patting them back into shape. He hears Jeongmin laughing, commenting how Wonho is bigger than him, only thinner. The man is obviously deceived by his broad shoulders and large clothes. ''Have you seen his waist? How can he carry pups like that? It''s not ideal.'' ''Pups? Wono can''t have babies. He''s a male beta.'' ''He''s an omega.'' There is a long silence and Minwoo looks back at his partner. Jeongmin looks paler than usual. Clearing his throat, feeling like he just exposed Wonho''s biggest secret, he continues, ''He''s uhm¡­ new omega.'' ''Owh.'' Jeongmin gives him a smile but there is still the look of disbelief carved on his face. The man is never an expert at hiding his emotion to begin with so that is a given. The only thing Minwoo finds weird is why he is so shocked on learning about Wonho. It is not as if they are close or anything. ''So he''s the one I smelled on you back then.'' ''Yeah. He smells so good.'' Minwoo wishes he can smell it too but just like bonding, mixed scents can only be detected by people around them, not by themselves. ''Yeah. Sure. Jasmine type. That''s a first¡­'' He pauses to think, ''And you have no problem with his scent? I thought you hate Korean omegas.'' ''I don''t¡­ hate them. I just don''t like them.'' Minwoo tries defending himself. Of course he doesn''t hate them. His grandmother and stepmother as well as in-laws are all omegas, and they are Koreans, and he has no problem with them. He just finds other omegas annoying, that''s it. ''And yet¡­'' ''He''s¡­'' Minwoo has no idea why he doesn''t mind Wonho. The man should be the most annoying one with his overly stubborn and proud personality, but Minwoo can tolerate him. Which is very confusing. ''Uh-uh.'' Jeongmin''s cheesy grin cringes him, shuddering him. He knows why the man has that stupid smile on his face - he thought he just won their bet. What nonsense. Utterly ridiculous. Absurd. No, he is not in love. ''He''s crazy. I almost lose my sanity.'' ''Uh-uh.'' ''No. You don''t understand. I lost my ''sanity''. I almost had a mental breakdown. Not the ''love'' crazy thing. Mentally crazy.'' ''Okay then. Good luck feeding him.'' It is useless. None of Minwoo''s excuse is good enough to convince the man who is beaming happily, imagining what he can do with the bet money. Owh, a lot. Jeongmin can even buy his fox his favourite steak¡­ ''Why would I feed him? Pfft.'' ''Cus you said he''s too tiny he wouldn''t be able to carry your babies.'' Jeongmin repeats what was said, teasing his proud noble friend. Minwoo is blushing so hard. This is his first time seeing this side of his friend. ''I didn''t say that!'' ''Whoops. You said pups. Sorry.'' ''Yah!'' Minwoo almost throws his pillow on the man who is making some crazy sounds and weird dance moves before heading out to return to his room. Sighing, he turns to his laptop to look at his half-written report. Jeongmin has been especially happy these few weeks it annoys him. Obviously he has been with an omega, their scents always sticking together. Good for him, getting it almost every day. No wonder he has been returning to his apartment every chance he gets instead of sleeping at the dormitory. Annoying. Utterly annoying. Chapter 65 - The Brief Happiness 1 Wonho stares at the cooked rice on the stove. There is no used cloth so he cannot check the inside of the pot but he smells something burning and is kind of worried. He is in charge of rice since that is the simplest cooking task. Mengyao and Junjie is making some side-dish to go with his rice while waiting for the other three to arrive. Running around to look for a stick, he grabs a stern looking one and gets back. There is a handle on the cover so he sticks the piece of wood and takes the lid off. ''Wono! Did you burn the rice??'' ''No! It''s fine!'' He unmistakably burnt it. How the hell should he turn the stove off? How the hell did old folks cook using this ancient-looking stove? Why the hell did Sangcheol chose to live in this kind of place for his graduation trip? Is he insane? ''Mengyao! A little help!'' ''Yah!'' He hears Junjie screams back but ignores it. The youngest simply removes the pot with some thick cloth he found somewhere, laughs at Wonho and returns to his post. Dumbfounded by how stupid he is, Wonho takes a rice paddle and mixes the rice quickly so the base won''t burn. ''Don''t mix it!'' ''Owh.'' He just mixed the burnt part with the good ones. Now they have to eat the bitter rice. Whelp. No use crying over burnt rice. They just have to man up and eat it. Thank god it is only for two days before they move to a normal hotel instead of this shabby looking house in the middle of nowhere. Wonho loves camping, he hates this. ''I smell something burning!'' He hears the VIP''s voice and heads out, noting the other two behind him, wearing the same unreadable expression. Well, Haneul''s soon turned into shock but Chansol is still processing the whole situation. The only happy guy is Sangcheol, and Junjie, who is immersing himself into cooking to distract himself from the horrid beginning of their summer vacation. Wonho notices the same bandaged lower neck of both Haneul and Chansol which confuses him. First, Haneul and Sangcheol are already mated so why does he have that new mark and two, why the hell does an alpha like Chansol have it too? What did the boy do? Running quickly to the new members, he notices the citrusy scent around Chansol and laughs, alerting the others who doesn''t realize his stealth movement. ''Hyung.'' Chansol stares at him wide-eyed. ''What happened?'' ''Don''t you owe us some explanation? This? Bae Seungyun?'' He points the obvious to both the betas, announcing the news since he is sure the alpha/omega couple already knows about it. ''Why''s the mark on you?'' ''Wono-'' Both Haneul and Sangcheol looks concerned, so is Chansol. Did he just say something he shouldn''t? Is there something he doesn''t know about new bonds? Because he doesn''t remember coming across anything close to not announcing bonds too early to betas in the guidebook. ''Wow! Jo Chansol! Seriously?'' Junjie''s voice breaks the tensed silence, backing him up in his plan to tease the youngest of the pack. ''You''re a man now!!'' ''But why are you bitten?'' Mengyao asks, puzzled, and the other two nod, curious. Chansol doesn''t seem to hear the question though, he keeps looking weirdly at Wonho before Haneul pulls him over. Laughing at the normal dazed face, he was about to help them unload the trunk before suddenly being pulled by Sangcheol. ''You''re okay?'' ''Owh, yeah! It is just uh, my gastritis.'' He lies awkwardly, trying to avoid the suspicious gaze the oldest is giving him. A nudge from his mate and Sangcheol lets his hand go. ''No, hyung-'' Haneul stops Chansol and forces a smile to Wonho, which he finds unsettling. ''It''s good you''re okay.'' ''Guys. I know you''re tired after the long journey, but can someone please help us cook?'' Junjie''s commanding voice fills the space and everybody finally moves away to their respective position. Wonho cannot help but feel a bit uneasy from the way the two alphas acted. It feels like d¨¦j¨¤ vu. ##### After more than an hour of hustle and bustle to finally make the small hut at least livable, all six male finally sat down for their dinner. Besides the battery-powered lantern, it is as dark as the abyss. As all of them are already tired, none of them really said anything and just focus on eating. Which in turn, allow the sound of the wood to take over. And it creeps some of them out. Noticing the inactivity of his friends, Junjie starts, ''So Chansol. What happened there? Bae Seungyun?'' He turns his gaze towards his closest friend who stares at him as a signal that he is doing good. Everyone turns their attention to the embarrassed alpha who tries to ignore them by eating as fast as he can. But of course, being him, he manages to choke a bit and ends up with severe coughing. Laughing their butts off, Mengyao helps the poor boy out while the other makes fun of him further. ''Isn''t it too early? It''s only been three months? Four? Even our golden couple took a year before they bonded¡­'' The older Chinese expresses his concern and Wonho cannot help but nod in agreement. ''It was an accident.'' Everyone looks at each other, wondering if they heard right. Sangcheol breaks the silence by snorting, infecting the others. ''Accidental bonding??'' ''It''s true! I swear! We were wrestling and-'' ''Woah. Wait. Wrestling?'' Mengyao interrupts while the his two seniors slap each other''s back to stop themselves from suffocating. ''You shouldn''t wrestle yet! You''re only 20 years old!'' Sangcheol takes deep breaths, his face distorted too much from excitement, ''Yah, that''s not the best part. Ask him why he got the bandage on.'' And so Mengyao does. ''We were playing around and-'' ''Playing. Pfft¡­'' Junjie whispers to his partner, but loud enough for everyone to hear. They don''t even bother to hide their giggles. Realizing the other meaning of his statement, Chansol gets defensive and almost screams, ''I swear! We were playing basketball!! And I got too aggressive so we ended up wrestling!!'' ''Okay, okay. And then?'' Wonho tries to calm the youngest down. ''And then I bit his neck but ONLY cus I know we couldn''t bond since he had the protector thing like Wono-hyung has.'' He tries to close the subject at that but the looks on his hyungs clearly suggest that they won''t let it rest until Chansol spills everything. ''Seungyun got annoyed and bit me back.'' Chapter 66 - The Brief Happiness 2 ''Seungyun got annoyed and bit me back.'' All three friend stares at each other, speechless at the absurd story. It is so stupid to be the truth, but too stupid to be fiction either. It is just, a stupid story. That can only happen to Chansol. ''But you guys bonded though?'' Mengyao asks what the other two is dying to know. ''Apparently omegas can mark alphas too.'' All three of them form an ''O'' with their mouths, trying to digest the new knowledge. It somehow makes sense since it would be weirder if alphas are the only ones able to do it. Wonho cannot help but wonder how hard he has to bite to mark someone. Considering the strength of alphas in comparison to the other two kinds, it should be fairly easy for them. Seungyun must have really meant it when he bit Chansol. Poor guy didn''t even see what was coming. Naturally playing with protector on his neck, his scar suddenly feeling itchy at the mention of ''marking'', Wonho realizes another interesting thing he is curious about, ''But why aren''t you guys required to wear a neck-protector?'' ''Cus no omega is strong enough to force-mark an alpha!'' Sangcheol mindlessly answers, looking at the younger alpha with a bemused look. ''Chansol''s probably the first marked alpha in history.'' He claps at his own joke, unaware of the sudden silence. As his eyes catch his mate''s, Sangcheol quickly stops. Noting the tensed atmosphere. ''Shit. Wono-yah¡­'' ''Why¡­? It''s funny.'' Wonho tries to ease the tension by laughing awkwardly. This is the very thing he doesn''t want to happen - them being too cautious around him. He is fine with those kinds of innocent jokes, it doesn''t trigger anything. Especially since it comes from his friends who he trusts won''t have any malicious intent in their words, being simple-minded guys they are. He really doesn''t want to spoil the mood by just being there. He notices Haneul worriedly looking at his direction and gives the older a forced smile. He needs to do something before the night end with them feeling sorry for him, ''Sometimes I wonder if our Chansol is really an alpha too!'' Earning laughter from the two betas, Wonho thanks them inside. Although the others is still tensed, he can feel it easing. Wonho can see Junjie is trying to lighten the mood as well, they are communicating by glancing at each other. Junjie signals to his neck protector and Wonho nods slightly. And as soon as he does, Junjie announces, ''By the way, we should congratulate Wono! His bond is broken!!'' Junjie claps alone while the others glare at Wonho. ''See this lame collar? Wono promised to wear it once it''s broken!'' Again, nobody makes any sound. Mengyao tilts his head at the person in question, wanting him to explain further. ''I, uh¡­ it''s already been more than a year.'' His bond should already be broken. There were many signs to support that. First, a year without meeting his mate. Second, other alphas were attracted to his scent during heat. Then there is the fact that he could sleep with Minwoo instead of longing for his mate during heat. According to what he learnt, that means he is already a free omega. ''I just want to forget about it and move on¡­ Let''s just forget about what happened and have fun this trip!'' ''But hyu-'' Chansol finally speaks after a while but he is quickly silenced by the older omega. ''Okay. We''ll try not to talk about it. Let''s try to have fun in this shabby place.'' Haneul glares at his mate, a few seconds too long until the alpha becomes restless at his seat. Clearing his throat to pretend he was not affected by the sharp and deadly look, Sangcheol starts to collect the plastic dishes and pots before standing up. ''Since you three cooked, we''ll do the dishes.'' Chansol keeps his stare at Wonho, there is a look of confusion and concern. Wonho gives him a brief smile, feels a bit uneasy. ##### Minwoo plays with his phone, checking his mailbox once in a while although no notifications came. Wonho is out of reach and he is bored. Not that, messaging the troublesome omega is any fun. He is already packed for home, not really needing much since his home is just more than an hour drive away. Somehow, he doesn''t want to go back without meeting his friends since it is his first summer break in Korea but obviously, he doesn''t have a pack like he did back in Europe who would invite him to travel even on short breaks. Sighing, Minwoo decides to disturb his next-door neighbour. Jeongmin is packing his stuffs in a small bag, probably for a short trip. ''Going somewhere?'' Looking up at the taller man, Jeongmin gives him a brief smile. ''Yeah. We''re going for a barbecue trip then I''ll send Hoshi back to his hometown.'' ''Hoshi? That''s the omega''s name? That''s a weird name.'' ''It''s Jinyoung. I just like to call him Hoshi.'' Minwoo pouts, not understanding where that nickname came from. Though he notices the confused look, Jeongmin decides to ignore it to focus on what he is doing. ''Long story. You? Any plans?'' Minwoo leans against the door frame to think. For now, he will go back and¡­ damn. It would be fun if his family would go for trips like they did when he was little, but his sisters are all bonded with their omegas, and both his parents are busy with their jobs so that idea is out. And he was too busy chasing Wonho to even make any friends this semester. The only close friend he has is planning a trip with his boyfriend. God. This will be the worst summer break ever. Thank god it is only two months. Owh, maybe he can ask Wonho to go somewhere with him? Or he can offer to send the omega back to his hometown and ask him to show around the area since he doesn''t know Korea that well. That is a nice idea. Smiling, he looks back at his friend who is staring at him weird. ''I''ll send Wonho back.'' ''Owh? I thought he''ll go back with Jun? Both of them are from the same district so they always go back together.'' He comments, and Minwoo''s face fall. Damnit Gu Junjie. Chapter 67 - The Brief Happiness 3 Wonho hugs himself and Junjie hugs him from behind, followed by another hug from Haneul the moment they step out of the car. ''Finally! Civilization!!!'' ''Yaah! Aren''t you guys being overdramatic?'' The oldest scolds but is quickly silenced by the death glare from his mate. ''It wasn''t that bad¡­'' he mutters almost inaudibly. Wonho brings out his phone high up in the air and cries tears of joy to provoke the alpha further. ''Signal!! Jjirit jjirit!'' ''Wono, stop.'' He giggles at the demanding voice, not minding the threat because the alpha will never misbehave in front of Haneul, and Haneul is on his side. This will definitely be the last time they were going to ask Sangcheol for his idea of a good summer trip. The man is lucky this is his graduation trip. Thank god he is sane enough to stay in that stupid hut in the middle of nowhere for only two nights before moving to a normal hotel because Wonho is sure he would go crazy if he has to take another trip to the river for water and sleep on the straw mat with mosquitoes and other creepy crawlies for another night. Unsurprisingly, the only one who truly enjoyed the trip was the main alpha himself, who kept showing off his survival skills to his disinterested mate. Haneul was clearly pissed with the accommodation choice and chose to ignore the alpha who was desperate for his attention the whole two days. With the two acting like that, the other four had to find other ways besides laughing at Sangcheol to entertain themselves, which is hard considering there was no electricity and phone service. Wonho sits on the hot sand using a plastic he found lying around. After confirming that all his friends are gone, he finally opens the mail from Minwoo which dated back yesterday. It is a picture of him holding a small white dog. This is Bobo. He reminds me of you. ¨C Minwoo Wonho stares at the stupid looking white thing. Just what in the world would make the alpha be reminded of him? It''s white fur? Minwoo always emphasize how pale Wonho looks compared to his own tanned skin¡­ You calling me a dog? No. Both of you like to run away from me ~( >w< )~ ¨C Minwoo Damn he feels some burn. Is this guy flirting with him or dissing him? And what is with that overly excited smiley? He wants to do smileys? Wonho can do smileys. t ( OwO t ) Laughing in triumph, Wonho almost threw his phone when Junjie suddenly sneaks up from behind of him to take a peek. His heart is beating violently he feels like punching the stupid face. Luckily the man is more interested in scaring him rather than reading the content of the mail, so his secret is safe. ##### It was already late when they arrived at the hotel after dinner at a local seafood restaurant. Now, all six of them are in front of the elevator playing rock paper scissors to choose their roommates, which was initially confusing to the four since they thought it is obvious the couple should be roomed together. Instead, Sangcheol suddenly revealed that they want to enjoy the trip as friends and asked the others not to mind themselves in front of Haneul. Wonho can somehow understand that reasoning because Haneul is only with them as Sangcheol''s mate instead of a member of their group of friends, so it makes sense that he would somehow feel left out. However, he doubts suddenly rooming the older omega with any of his friends is the best plan. And surprise, surprise. Haneul ends up being with Wonho. While the latter doesn''t mind it, the pairing would serve no use in strengthening the older''s relationship with the rest of the members considering both of them are already quite close from Haneul helping him adapt with his new life as an omega. As soon as they both got into the room and shower, almost instantly the duo jump on their respective beds and switches the television on to watch some random show. Not long after, there is a call from Chansol, asking if they want to join the others for late night snacking in one of the rooms but Wonho, as well as Haneul, already very comforted by the warmth of their beds, refuses to get up. After all, the softness of the mattress is such a nice contrast to yesterday''s hard floor. Already feeling sleepy in mere twenty minutes, the lights are now off, and both the omegas are ready for bed. At least, the plan is to doze off. Wonho cannot sleep no matter how much he tries staying still. The room is cool enough, quiet enough, the bed is comfortable enough and yet his brain is wide awake. Peeking slightly at the other male who is also lying down, he tries calling his name. ''What?'' Haneul replies, his voice is still clear, implying that he too, is having a hard time sleeping. Taking that as a green light to converse, he starts off with something he had been wondering since they first met two days ago. ''That¡­ why do you have that bandage? Did you renew your bond or something?'' Haneul chuckles softly, repeating the word ''renewing bond'', and Wonho blushes in the dark, feeling a bit stupid. Of course he had read the guidebook and there was none of such thing written. But if merely reading a 50-page textbook would suffice, why the need for all the other omegas to go to a special school? Surely there are some other knowledge that Wonho didn''t get from the simple book that the others learnt at the facility, at least, he would like to think so. And if so, he wouldn''t know that unless someone tells him. There is a long pause, but not without some sighs. Wonho can sense the other is uncomfortable and is about to change the subject, ''I asked him to mark me again because I had severe anxiety of him leaving.'' Wonho is confused by the answer. Firstly, how is that related? And secondly, his senior is not going anywhere. Sangcheol will still be in Seoul working in a mobile company and Haneul will still be in their university continuing his Master''s degree. They are planning to rent a place together between the campus and Sangcheol''s new workplace. Why would Haneul need another affirmation? Their relationship is stronger than ever. ''Separation anxiety. Apparently I have that.'' Haneul''s weak voice interrupts his train of thought and Wonho squirms a bit, not enjoying the bitter laugh. ''I''m messed up. I know.'' Wonho lies stiff, not knowing how to respond. He thought Haneul is already well enough since he would only see the therapist once in a while, but he would never have imagined a new diagnosis. The man had been seeing experts for almost a decade! That should result in something, right? If Haneul is still like this, what will happen to him? Will he really be able to get fixed and return to normal? Chapter 68 - The Brief Happiness 4 Probably sensing the already dark ambience, Haneul continues, ''I always had trust issues, you know. It''s just a matter of time before the doctor gave that condition a fancy name. And since it had been affecting my cycle lately, the doctor suggested doing things like this to reassure me about his loyalty or whatever it is that caused it.'' Haneul places his hand on the brown bandage and smiles to himself, thankful that his own mate would always comply with his ridiculous requests, despite knowing his extreme anxiety. On the other side, Wonho continues not making a sound. Everything is so hard to process, what more with him being new to this world. He knows that trust comes with the bond ¨C bonded person will automatically trust their lives with their mates, and he knows that the feeling is even stronger than love. A bond is stronger than love; which is why the authorities need to help separate mates once they decide to break their bond. Those are the words of both his therapists. Which is why it is confusing for him, to learn that Haneul has trust issues with his own bonded mate. No, it scares him to learn that Haneul''s mental issues are stronger than the trust between mates. That it is a problem that even exceeds the guaranteed secured feeling and blind trust which comes with having a mate. The mate that he chose, the mate that he fell in love with. And here, Wonho thought his life will get back to normal as long as his unwanted bond is broken. When he should really be afraid of his own psychological condition. ''What about you? Anything you want to tell me?'' The older omega attempts to change the subject, reading the tensed atmosphere. Wonho is, however, caught off-guard by the sudden question and jumps a bit. Something he wants to tell the older? What can that be? Wonho can only assume it is about his heat. Haneul probably caught on his ''gastritis'' being his uterus development and his absence last week as his actual heat. Haneul would know the signs since he is, a male omega himself. ''I uh¡­ had my first heat.'' There is no respond so Wonho presumes Haneul wants him to elaborate. ''I uhh¡­'' he hesitates. He doesn''t know what he should say. He doesn''t want to tell Haneul about Minwoo but then, how else is he supposed to explain how he got through the week? ''You don''t have to tell me if you don''t want to¡­'' ''No, I¡­'' Wonho catches his breath. He doesn''t have to say anything but he wants to. Because there are a lot of questions he wants to ask but doesn''t know where to start, ''You were right. It was hard and confusing, I felt so weak and-'' ''Wono¡­'' ''-desperate and-'' ''Hey.'' Haneul interrupts him and Wonho realizes he is actually recalling the night of his attack instead of his first heat. Because the feeling he felt was so, so similar; the hopelessness and fear he felt before understanding what was happening to him, before Minwoo stepped in. Wiping his wet cheeks, not sure when he started to tear, he turns to his side to look at the older alpha, the light outside the window bright enough for him to see the man''s face. Haneul is already facing him. ''Do you also feel like that? Every time you get your heat?'' ''No¡­ It''s different for me because of what happened but I know you''re not supposed to feel like that.'' Wonho nods and turns back towards the ceiling. He knows that is not how he should feel because other people never mentioned fear in the forums he accessed. But, he doesn''t want to be the only one feeling like this. He wants the comfort of knowing someone out there understands him but of course, that is too much to ask. His condition is a curse he never wish to befall others. ''It gets better with time¡­ Other emotions will replace the bad ones. I was the same but I met someone good, and you''ll do to. You''ll get through this.'' Wonho nods again, wishing that day will come sooner. At least, he can already see the light at the end of the tunnel. He was fine being with Minwoo so that means he is already halfway down his road to recovery. He went from scared motionless around alphas to spending his heat with one. ''I''m fine now. Really.'' He states, hoping it will lessen the worry he sensed in the older. ''You don''t have to pretend you''re okay¡­'' ''I know.'' Wonho smiles and places his hand on the neck-protector he received from the giant alpha. ''At least the bond''s broken. I can focus solely on accepting my change from now.'' That is a huge step because he will no longer feel the emptiness and desperation for someone anymore. The nights of supposed intense longing for the stranger whom is his attacker, gone. Most of all, his body will no longer feel the need to search for his mate by emitting stronger scents. He will no longer feel the need to submit to something, the need to be obedient, the need for approval in every decision he make. Those feelings which came with the bond will now be gone. He is now a free omega. ''Wono-yah¡­ you-'' Wonho sees Haneul sitting up from the corner of his eyes and turns his face back to the latter. That sudden action really worries him. ''What?'' Haneul doesn''t answer him right away. Instead, he takes his time rearranging his words, trying to find the best way to convey his thoughts. He looks really serious and again, Wonho feels uneasy. Somehow, he has been feeling so the moment he met the alphas and Haneul two days ago. The glances which they are quick to hide and the worried tone they used to check up on him when they did¡­ It was as if they wanted to ask him something but somehow could not. After what feels like hours, Haneul finally starts, ''I don''t know if you did this on purpose or-'' Wonho suddenly tenses up. ''Are you-? Did you meet any familiar alpha lately?'' Now the latter is really uncomfortable. He recognizes this tone. It is the exact same tone Sangcheol used that night when he asked Wonho if he could smell both the alphas. He doesn''t have fond memories of it. He already hates the question. This situation. ''Familiar?'' ''From that night¡­'' That surprises him and Wonho sits up to match the older. Did Junjie told him about his encounters? Or was Haneul only shooting in the dark? ''Why did you ask?'' ''You¡­'' ''Haneul-hyung. Just tell me. I don''t like you beating around the bush.'' ''Wono¡­'' Haneul takes a really deep breath, exhales, and Wonho mirrors him. He knows it is not going to be good. ''Your bond is not broken.'' Chapter 69 - The Brief Happiness 5 ''Wha¡­?'' Wonho stared at Haneul who now has a deep frown, before averting his gaze left and right, trying to recall what he just heard. Not broken? It can''t be¡­ He was with Minw- The alphas were around- ¡­owh. Wonho bursts out laughing at a realization. This is a joke. A prank. The three of them are playing with him to celebrate his bond breaking. Nice one. They got him. This is funny. Haneul is a really good actor. Chansol too! ''No, Wono.'' Haneul moves to the hysterical man''s bed and brings his hands up to touch the other but Wonho recoils. He doesn''t like this situation. This is enough. They got him. There is no need to keep on acting or he might actually have a breakdown. ''Wono, it''s back to normal. I thought you kn-'' ''You should stop. That''s enough playing around.'' ''Wono-yah. Your bond-'' ''I SAID STOP! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!'' The loud voice stuns both the omegas that they froze, not uttering a word. The only sound that can be heard is Wonho''s agitated breaths. A few seconds passed before Haneul moves closer to the younger in another attempt to cool him down but again, is pushed away harshly. Holding onto his protector tightly, Wonho gets up from his bed in a hurry. ''Wono, calm down.'' ''CALM DOWN?'' Wonho turns his front to face Haneul but backs away slowly until he hits the wall. ''It''s broken. I know it is. I slep-'' His knees go limp suddenly and his legs give out. Wonho hits the floor, leaning against the wall, holding both sides of his head to stop his brain from pulsing so hard. Everything hurts. ''The fuck you know? What the fuc-'' The air is tensed. It is heavy. ''Is that why the three of you kept looking at me weird? What the hell?'' He doesn''t know how to take this. After all this time? After one whole year of him locking himself in his room, avoiding the people in fear of stumbling upon his mate? He had been taking every precaution there is and more! He changed his course! He stopped his part-time job! He did everything!! It is weak enough for him to attract other alphas just a week ago! Back to normal? BACK TO NORMALL???! ''Wono. I''m sorry. I thought you are trying to hide it from Jun and Mengyao. We thought¡­'' Haneul tries to hug his distressed junior but before he can get close enough, the man manages to get up and lock himself in the bathroom. The former barely made it to the door before hearing the clicking sound. Shit. This is worrisome. He is afraid Wonho may lose it and do something bad to himself. Haneul places his ear against the door to analyze the current situation. He hears the exasperated breaths which sounded close enough, so he knows Wonho has his back against the door. Haneul closes his eyes, trying to remember if there is anything inside that Wonho can use to hurt himself. It is not looking good. There are shavers. ''Wono-yah¡­ don''t do anything stupid!'' He screams and leans back against the door, trying to figure out what to do. He hears the shower and bites his thumb, nervous. That does not sound good. Pacing back and forth, Haneul keeps on biting his nail. He is too afraid to do anything hastily, scared that it may cause Wonho his life. If Wonho is filling the tub with water, it will take a while before he starts cutting himself; if he is planning to. Haneul thinks hard on whether he should tell Sangcheol about it. He cannot break the door by himself, he knows that much. But what if Wonho does anything stupid while he is out to get his mate? He needs to be here to persuade Wonho to come out. ''Arghh! Stupid!'' he hisses at himself when he notices the phone. Why didn''t he think of it sooner?? Click. Haneul looks up from the dial, at the shuddering figure who is out of the bathroom. Wonho is drenching wet and is heading straight to his bed. Panicking, Haneul grabs a towel and bathrobe, and pulls the shivering omega close to him in a tight hug. ''Who?'' ''I don''t know. I never smell this scent before¡­'' He rubs the towel around, trying to dry the other. ''I met someone¡­ from that night. He was there waiting outside during my heat and tried to take me away¡­'' ''It could be¡­'' ''And another was riding in the same bus as me¡­ He ran away when he saw me.'' Wonho turns his head towards Haneul, his eyes pleading for answers. The latter drops his gaze, feeling guilty because he cannot give the man the answer that he is seeking. ''How? Am I not even allowed to go out anymoreanymore??'' ''No. Wono¡­'' ''ONCE! IT''S ONCE IN SIX MONTHS!! What should I do now¡­'' Wonho falls back on his knees, supporting his front weight with his palms. He is in extreme distress, Haneul notices. His pheromones are all over the place, strong but with fear. An attribute unique to his junior. ''It''s not that¡­ Wono, you need to be exposed to his scent -'' Haneul bites his lips, deciding he should stop. He doesn''t know why he even bothered trying to explain. Wonho doesn''t want to know how, he probably doesn''t care. It is already too late. It already happened and none of them were there with him when it did. None of them were there to warn him. To look after him. The older male rubs Wonho''s upper arms, showing his support. He wants to say things are going to be fine, or that he understands him, but he cannot because he doesn''t know. They went through similar nightmares but his is very different. He was never marked, and when he finally did bond, it was mutual with someone he really trusts. He knows things will get worse now that Wonho finally had his first heat and yet he cannot offer any support. ''Who? Since when??'' Wonho is trying hard to speak in between his broken sobs. It is painful to watch the man desperately gasping for air. He wants so badly to calm the poor man, but nothing seems to work. Wonho needs to relax. He needs to rest, or he may go mental. They will discuss about this later, with the other two, including the betas if Wonho let them but not now. ##### It took a few hours of intense crying but Wonho finally calmed down. No, he was finally tired enough he passed out. Leaning Wonho against the wall, Haneul grabs his phone to call Sangcheol to his room. The alpha helps carry Wonho to bed after Haneul dried his hair and changed him into new pajamas. Now, both the couple sit on the floor, leaning against Wonho''s bed. ''You know who his mate is?'' ''I think I do¡­'' Sangcheol sighs and kisses the top of Haneul''s head. He recognizes the base of the scent, but it is too soon to make conclusions. He needs to make sure. Chapter 70 - Wake Up Call 1 ''Hey, Jun.'' Wonho leans against the rail where his friend is on, looking around the beach. Unwrapping one of the ice creams he just bought, he offers one to the tanned man who quickly bites it and brings it to his own hand. ''''Sup.'' ''You''re so burnt.'' ''Still handsome though.'' Wonho laughs through his nose at that confidence. Typical Junjie. ''So¡­ about this Thursday¡­'' ''Uh-uh.'' ''I-uh¡­ Haneul''s uhm¡­'' He is at loss at how to start the conversation. He is supposed to go back home to his parents with Junjie in three days, but he cannot do that anymore. Not right now. Because everyone will notice his unbroken bond and it will break their hearts; again. He doesn''t want that to happen again. ''Haneul said anything?'' Junjie asks, encouraging him to continue. His droopy eyes staring right into his own, making him nervous. Wonho smiles weakly to show he is listening but returns to stare at the melting ice cream in his hand. Since the night he was notified about his bond, Wonho couldn''t even get himself out of the bed. He didn''t know how to get himself out of the situation alone, but he didn''t want to let the people around him know because he would let them down the second time. It was stressing him so badly he had random attacks as a result. For the last two days, Haneul told the others he caught a cold when in truth, Wonho was busy crying. It was clear he needed help but suddenly disappearing would alert the two betas, and the mere thought of that worsened his conditions. Feeling pity for the younger, Haneul offered a short-term solution until they can figure out how to move forward. And that plan, is what he is going to convey to his best friend. ''He told me about this uh, this vol-volunteer program at uh, a shelter. For people like me. And I want to join.'' ''Owh. Okay, when''s that? In Changwon?'' Junjie seems interested, even proud of his friend for taking such initiative. ''No. It''s in Seoul. For the summer.'' He pauses, waiting for an answer. Junjie is looking ahead towards the horizon, his face unreadable which makes Wonho nervous. ''The whole summer, so I won''t be back this time¡­'' There is a disturbing silent as Junjie sits, biting his ice cream cone and chewing it slowly. He is thinking hard, ''Do they need more people? I can volunteer too¡­'' ''No¡­ it''s for omegas only.'' Which is a lie. Yes, he is volunteering at an omega house and the only ones not allowed are alphas but, he doesn''t want Junjie there. He knows his friend wants to show his support but he needs his time alone to calm down and think. ''Really? Alright then¡­'' Junjie wraps one of his hand around Wonho''s neck and pulls him in for a headlock. Shocked, Wonho almost dropped his own ice cream on the ground. Thankfully his reflex is good, and he catches the cone by his fist, crushing it in his hands. ''WHAT THE HELL?'' ''That''s for getting sick during the break, you pale monkey! You don''t deserve that ice cream!'' ''DIE!!!'' Wonho throws what is left in his grip towards the darker male and jumps on the rail to the other side, ready to tackle and beat the man to his death. ##### Looking around the gated and fully secured building, Wonho bows at who seems to be the head of the facility. The man with grey hair, probably in his late sixties bows back to them and proceeds to hug the older omega, a look of familiarity evident on his face. Haneul responds with a tighter hug which causes the elder to cough a little as they both release each other with laughter. Wonho shows the old man an awkward smile when he is finally acknowledged, unsure of how to react. ''You must be Seo.'' ''Yes. Seo Wonho. I uh¡­'' He didn''t prepare any self-introduction; he thought they are going straight to doing volunteer jobs. ''Your first time volunteering?'' he nods. ''Thank you. So wha-?'' ''It''s uh¡­ big.'' Wonho mutters randomly, nervous. In turn, the old man looks at him bemusedly before laughing and patting the confused omega''s back to which Wonho responds by looking at his brown-haired senior for help. How does one communicate with an elder? Should he laugh? He is so lost right now. Did he say anything wrong? Why is the man laughing? ''Ahjusshi, he''s a bit tired. He didn''t get any sleep last night.'' ''Really? We can''t have you stand up so long then. Come, let''s have some rest in my office.'' With that, the man guides both of them to a simple office with a desk and a few chairs. Haneul takes a seat without being asked, leaving Wonho standing, not knowing whether he should ask for permission to sit or follows his senior. In a formal occasion, he would do the latter, so he waits. Until the two other men laugh at him. ''Yah, don''t be so stiff. I''m not that strict on manners.'' ''Wono-yah. Come on.'' Haneul pats beside him and Wonho does as he was told. A teacup is placed in front of each of them, but the younger is internally disappointed it isn''t coffee. As it turns out, the old man cannot drink the bitter beverage because it makes him stomach ''twisty''. Wonho doesn''t like tea, and he is really tired from lack of sleep. He wants coffee. He really cannot concentrate on anything the man is saying. All he hears is something about helping with the cleaning and cooking, both of which Wonho is not very good at, and sometimes look after the smaller ones, which Wonho sucks at. ''Are all omega houses this big?'' He accidentally asks out loud while the other two are updating each other about their lives. Wonho never been to one, so he is a bit curious. From the word ''house'', he imagined one to be just that, a house, but this place is as big as a school! ''This place is also a shelter so it''s bigger than other houses.'' The man replies with a warm smile, not bothered by his accidental rudeness, ''We have our own therapists and consultants, and dorms for the victims and volunteers. Normal houses only have a few rooms for emergencies. You want to go around?'' Honestly he is not sure he is ready. Because there are people like him here. And he is not sure he is ready to accept the fact that he is one of them. Chapter 71 - Wake Up Call 2 Wonho looks back at Haneul who smiles back at him to encourage the younger. He has no idea what to do in the room since the other two are busy talking among themselves about memories they share that Wonho is not a part of. Since he already finished staring at all the decorations and cannot drink the tea to distract himself longer, he is already bored. Too bored he is trying really hard not to yawn and stretch right there and then. ''Ahjusshi, can we go to our room first? Wonho had a long day so he is a bit tired.'' It was a simple statement but Wonho is so thankful to Haneul for noticing. He manages to catch the momentary sad look on the elder''s face as he nods to Haneul. ''Sure. Of course. Go to your room now. Come down whenever you want. The schedule''s on the board as usual. You know the drill.'' The man pats Wonho''s shoulder, squeezing them lightly and shows them the door. Wonho looks around building - the main building opposite them is where all activities are held every day, and the smaller building they are in is the accommodations for those who needs help. Just like their dormitory back in campus, the place is really quiet minus the sounds of children playing in the garden. He also cannot help but notice all the security cameras placed in almost every corner. As expected from an omega house. Too busy turning his head around, Wonho bumps onto the older omega who is now unlocking an old-looking door. As soon as he enters the small room with a single bed, he notices the pictures of young Haneul in a few frames placed on the small desk. ''Well. This is my room. Wait here, I''ll go get a mattress from the store.'' ''Okay'' Wonho puts his bag on the floor and takes a seat on a wooden chair. The room is really small, even smaller than their dorm rooms. There is the bed, a small cupboard, mini desk, the chair he is sitting on, and side table. Even his own room back at home is bigger than this. To think that Haneul spent almost six years in the room before entering university is just¡­ impressive, in a way. The door opens and Haneul sets the mattress down with the covers. ''They still have a few empty rooms you know. You sure you wanna sleep here?'' ''I won''t be able to get out of bed if I go to another room. Are you okay with me here though?'' ''Sure.'' Haneul pats his shoulders and proceeds to unpack his stuff into his cupboard. It is still filled and decorated, as if he never left the room in the first place. ''You¡­ still come here often?'' Wonho asks, curious. ''It''s the only place I have to return to¡­'' The older male sits on the bed and takes out a book from beneath his bed, flipping it and laughing once in a while. ''I''ll move out completely next year once we find a good place. Finally. After ten years in this small room¡­ our dorms feel like a luxury!'' He laughs lightly, not expecting the other to do the same. There is a hint of sadness in it, from the thought of leaving his safe haven for good. ''By the way, like ahjusshi said, the therapists and consultants also live here. They work in shifts so you can go meet them anytime you want¡­ If you want.'' ''I''ll think about it.'' Already beneath the cover, lying on the slightly hard surface, Wonho turns to his side to face the wall. ''Hyung? Did you tell him?'' ''No. Why?'' ''Nothing.'' Wonho hears Haneul hums, and some shuffling as he continues to unpack some stuffs from plastic bags. ''Ahjusshi''s been here a long time you know. He''s seen and heard a lot of things. He can know things just by observing.'' He just knows¡­That is somewhat unsettling to hear. What about the staffs here? Can they read people like a book too? How many people here that they passed through today knows about him? Do they only know about his marking? Or about his violators too? Tucking himself further into the blanket, Wonho tries to close his eyes. Suddenly, he doesn''t want to be here anymore. ''You okay?'' Wonho refuses to answer. He wants to sleep and run away. Hearing a sigh from behind, he decides it is okay to put down his defenses and tries to rest for real. He couldn''t sleep at all these past few nights, his nightmares had started to haunt him again, this time worse than before. The sleeping pills helped him the first few hours but the effect didn''t last as long as they did when he first took them a year ago, and he would still end up waking in sweat and tears. ''And Wonho¡­?'' He waits for a reply which never came. Haneul notices the lack of movement. But, considering it is still too fast for the man to be fully asleep, it is obvious Wonho can still hear him. He just doesn''t want to respond. ''There are lots of programs for people like us. You are free to join if you want. You''re not alone here.'' Wonho lets out a long breath. Opening his eyes and staring at the white wall, he suddenly feels sick to his stomach. People like them¡­ This place is filled with people like them. He thought he would be relieved to hear that, but he isn''t. It is disturbing. Because he saw people of all ages here. He saw children. There are many children. Haneul grew up here too. No, it didn''t bring him any comfort at all. It is messed up. Being here really messes with his head. He just suddenly got this crazy thought that he is lucky. Because he didn''t end up here after that night. Because he is able to return back home to his parents. Because he wasn''t left alone and helpless. It never occurred to him how lucky he was. And he doesn''t want to think of himself like that. He was good with thinking that he got the worst of them all. He was good with being the poor victim gang-raped, claimed and left for dead. He was okay with hating himself. He is not okay with thinking that he was lucky. Because those things don''t happen to lucky people. Lucky people get to live their lives as beta. Lucky people get to hang out with their friends whenever they want. Lucky people get sleep at night. They get to go wherever they want without fearing for their lives. Without fearing that their mates might find them. He is not lucky. But he feels he is. And that is messed up. Because he feels as if he is better than the people here when he should not. Being here is messing with his mind. He feels sick. Chapter 72 - Wake Up Call 3 ''Phew¡­. you can do this. It''s only Ryuu-hyung.'' Minwoo walks around in circles in front of his car, nodding his head as he tries to calm his nerves. Wonho stopped replying to his messages about a week ago, but Minwoo is not surprised at that. The omega seems like someone who likes to be alone, so he just assumed the man is tired of socializing and is currently enjoying his personal time. Wonho will reply him back when he recovers his social battery. The thing that bothers him though, is the fact that a few days ago, he got a weird message from Chansol which he ignored. And yesterday, Sangcheol suddenly called him out for coffee and he is sure it is not because the alpha wants to get closer to him. He is sure it is because Wonho''s friends already know about them and as their main alpha, the strongly built man wants to confront him. Maybe. Heck, even Chansol warned him to stay away. The Jo Chansol who never cares about what is happening around him, told him that. They really don''t seem to like him. What should he do? ''Urgh. What the hell?'' He scratches his head and walks towards the shopping street. Who cares what they think? Their relationship of whatever should be decided by them both, Minwoo and Wonho, not by other people so he shouldn''t care. Minwoo stands in front of the cafe entrance, contemplating whether he should hide his scent or just let them loose. Weaken them at least? Just so he doesn''t seem so intimidating? Since that is the rule when trying to join an established pack and all. But then again, Sangcheol already knows about him when he had that fight with Wonho back then, so basically, there is no use for him to hide himself. Still¡­ maybe he called Minwoo out today to reconsider him as Wonho''s partner so, he should show a little respect. Tsk. What is he doing? He just told himself to not care about the older alpha''s thoughts about them and yet he is still scared to face the man. Shit. He is 5 minutes late. Pushing the door, Minwoo scans the whole vicinity as quickly as he can. Right at the back is the man he is looking for, his thick brows slanted in a frown and his lips sucked in. Sangcheol hasn''t noticed him, yet he already does not look pleased. Gulping, exhaling deeply, Minwoo puts on a forced smile before heading towards the older alpha. ''Sorry. Did you wait long?'' Sangcheol just stares at him for the first few seconds, his eyes following Minwoo''s every movement before he finally releases his strained facial expression and replaces it with a lighter, friendlier one. The tension is still there though, Minwoo can sense it. The waiter comes right on time to save him from the awkward greeting. Minwoo tries to drag his order as long as he can because he is not ready for whatever the older is going to say. Unfortunately, the longer he has to wait, the tighter Sangcheol''s jaws are and that chills the noble. ''So¡­ Ryuu-hyung¡­'' ''Kim Minwoo.'' Wow, he just called his full name. Are they back to square one? This is not a good sign. ''Your scent is¡­ unique.'' ''Yeah, well, aren''t we all?'' Shit. Does he really know about him and Wonho? Wonho said he didn''t meet his alpha friends for almost a week so that is not possible. Unless the omega lied to him¡­ He hears a low laugh which breaks him from his running thoughts. ''I guess that''s true.'' Their drinks came faster than expected so both of them take a sip. It helps ease the tension between them which Minwoo is thankful for. ''You¡­ do all of your family smell like this?'' The question just makes him become self-aware. He knows Sangcheol is asking about his family''s scent but the way he inquired about it is as if Minwoo has some kind of body odour that cannot pass as a scent hence why he had to ask. ''Of course¡­ you ever heard of an alpha who has a different scent from his family?'' ''I guess that''s true too¡­'' Sangcheol eyes his own drink intensely, his face serious as if he is thinking hard. Seeing that makes the younger alpha anxious as he has no clue the reason behind it. If it is concerning him and Wonho, there is no need for such questions right? ''You have siblings right?'' What''s this now? Is his background that important? ''Yeah. Two sisters.'' ''Both mated?'' ''Yeah¡­'' Minwoo frowns. This is getting weird. ''Any cousins?'' ''Yeah. A few.'' Before the other even gets the chance to open his mouth, Minwoo grabs his chance, ''Why are you asking me these questions?'' This is not normal. People usually stop at siblings. Cousins? ''Nothing. Just, your scent is just uncommon...'' ''Heh.'' He smirks out of habit, ''Of course. We''re nobles.'' He glances at the other alpha who does not seem a wee bit impressed by his statement. Realizing he is showing off again, and that the man is expecting another explanation, Minwoo clears his throat to wash away the embarrassment he just felt. ''It''s rare for us to have more than two children so our family''s not that big.'' Unlike normal alphas who can produce all three kinds of offspring with their omegas, noble alphas can only produce another alpha child which is the reason why they are called nobles in the first place. Back when alphas are of higher social status, this particular attribute placed their family on top of the social hierarchy, being generals and rulers. Of course, their other superior traits also played a part in strengthening the title, though that really doesn''t matter anymore nowadays. In saying that, not all omegas are strong enough to carry noble alphas. Their bodies get weaker with every pregnancy and some might even lead to death, such as what happened with Minwoo''s biological mother during his birth. That is why once the pregnancy of their mates is confirmed, their family takes great precaution because they might lose the baby, and the alphas get extremely protective over their mates, even more than normal alphas. That is also why it is important that noble alphas choose an almost perfect and healthy omegas as mates. ''Everyone mated?'' Chapter 73 - Wake Up Call 4 ''Everyone mated?'' ''I don''t know all of them.'' Minwoo rolls his eyes. They do have a family tree to record all the family members, but nobody really cares to read and remember everyone, not to mention keeping up-to-date with all of them. Slurping his coffee loudly to express his annoyance, Minwoo keeps his eyes on Sangcheol. He still has his puzzled face on which Minwoo is not fond of. What is there to think? Everything is as it is. If the man just asked him what he needs to know instead of all these weird questions about his family, he might actually be happy to help. But this, this he doesn''t like. It feels like an interrogation, as if his private life is violated. ''Anyone else living around here?'' The fuck now? ''Look, you asking me all these questions about my family is not appropriate. I dunno if that''s how you Koreans do stuff here, but that''s private information and I don''t feel like telling you.'' Minwoo locks his eyes with the older alpha, slightly threatening him. He thought the man wanted to talk about him and Wonho but it doesn''t seem that way, so he doesn''t find the need to show respect towards him. ''Hurhh¡­'' Sangcheol exhales slowly, closing his eyes and turns his face upwards, thinking of what to say or how to say it. He thought it is Minwoo. He couldn''t be completely sure because he was only exposed to Minwoo''s scent briefly last time, and Wonho also started to hide his scent again since he was notified about the bond. Sangcheol''s memory was a bit blurry, but he was almost hundred percent sure it was Minwoo''s scent on his junior. But the thing is, after seeing him face-to-face, Sangcheol realizes Wonho''s scent is not on the younger alpha, which means he was wrong. The next logical explanation is another family member who has a similar scent but of course, Minwoo just said that he doesn''t know about it and couldn''t be of any help. ''I''m sorry. Your scent is just rare.'' He licks his lips and lets out another sigh. ''Something happened to a friend so I had to ask.'' ''What''s that got to do with my family''s scent? That''s just ridiculous.'' The taller of the two sneers in annoyance. Is Sangcheol accusing him or his family for something? For something involving scents? What can that be? ''I guess I was wrong. That was rude of me.'' ''Yeah. Guess you were wrong.'' Minwoo sips the last of his coffee and was about to leave before the older alpha calls him back. Turning around, he feels a hand on his shoulder. ''Don''t come near Wonho again.'' Minwoo mouth twitches at the warning. Who the hell does he think he is telling people to stay away from each other? Does he even know that they made up? What is with Sangcheol asking him out to ask about his family, and randomly skipping straight to warning him to stay away without even mentioning Wonho even once in their conversation? ''Why is that?'' ''He can''t handle anymore stress right now.'' ''Did he say I''m stressing him? Or are you just assuming things?'' ''No. Your scent might. So just do us all a favour and stay away.'' ''Or what?'' ''Or I''ll break your fucking bones.'' Sangcheol keeps his gaze on the younger alpha and feels the other intimidating him with his pheromones in response. He only felt it once, back when Minwoo argued with Wonho a few weeks ago, but his pheromones are heavy. How befitting their titles. Nobles. ''Customers¡­ may we please ask you to stop fighting here?'' A beta waitress asks them gently which breaks their silent duel. Looking around, Sangcheol notices the omega staffs clumping together behind the counter in fear, just like other omega customers are holding onto their alpha halves in search for protection. Bowing slightly as an apology, he grabs his bag and heads out, Minwoo already gone from sight. ##### Wonho, you''re busy? - Minwoo Your precious senior just told me to stay away. Sorry to say this bout your friend but fuck him. - Minwoo Did you say you wanted me to stay away? - Minwoo Wonho, just reply this once and you can keep ignoring me. Come on, it''s really bothering me. - Minwoo Are you gonna act like this? Don''t tell me you didn''t look at your phone at all yesterday. Seriously? - Minwoo 7 missed calls from Minwoo. Wonho stares at his phone, hesitant to touch the screen in fear that he might accidentally answer when Minwoo calls. He didn''t even dare to unlock his phone because he might touch the message and the other would get the notification that he read it. Since yesterday, he only read the incoming mail through the notifications without replying. It is not Minwoo. He wants to believe that. He didn''t see Minwoo that night. He didn''t remember smelling him at all, and Minwoo''s scent is hard to miss. His tall figure is hard to miss. His handsome face would be hard to forget. No, Minwoo was not there. He is sure of it. But Sangcheol said it is his scent, Chansol said the same thing. This frustrates him so much because he has no way to confirm it by himself. The fact that they cannot smell their mate''s scents on themselves is really infuriating him. He had no idea about his bond being back to normal because of that. And now, he can only hold on to other people''s words on who his mate is because he cannot even smell him. And it sucks because he wants to believe in Minwoo, in himself, in his memories but with other people telling him otherwise, he finds himself caught in a dilemma. He really doesn''t want to believe it is Minwoo. But he just came back from a class for the new omegas right now, and the teacher said it is impossible to sleep with other alphas if an omega is still in a bond. It should have been impossible for him to sleep with Minwoo because it is obvious now that he is still bonded. Still, he doesn''t want to believe it. It could be that he is able to do it because Minwoo is a noble. Maybe the alpha''s pheromone is too strong it caused his body to react even when bonded. Maybe he is attracted to Minwoo because his scent is similar to his mate''s? Yes. That makes sense. Of course. That is the only explanation. Nobles are strong enough to do that to omegas. Right. Because Minwoo didn''t forced him even once during his heat. Not even once. No. Minwoo didn''t attack him that night. No. Minwoo didn''t. Minwoo didn''t claim him. He wasn''t even there. No¡­ No. No! NO! NO!! IT''S NOT HIM!!! IT''S NOT MINWOO!!! Gripping his chest tightly, Wonho tries to take deep breaths. His chest hurt so badly he is starting to see white, his mouth dry and his brain is going in circles. Closing his eyes, still trying to focus in his breathing, Wonho finally allows the tears to flow while biting his lower lips as tightly as possible to stop himself from making any sound to alert other people. It is not Minwoo. It can''t be Minwoo. Because that would mean he is the reason why his bond is back to normal. He was the one who insisted on sleeping with Minwoo when the man kept on rejecting him. He was the one who wanted to stay. It was his fault. No. It can''t be Minwoo. No¡­ Chapter 74 - Showdown 1 ''Tsk.'' Minwoo throws his phone on the bed and crashes his body down. Wonho is acting up again during the break and wouldn''t answer his call nor reply to his messages. There is really no use of them exchanging phone numbers in the first place when all Wonho does is replying his messages for the first week they were apart then ignores him the rest of the summer. He has to admit, the omega has a knack of leaving him hanging. And he is not even mad. Not anymore. He was, at first, then it just turned into longing. Now he is back to being the desperate puppy he was. No, he is not mad. He is frustrated. He got so desperate he checked his phone every other minute that he couldn''t focus on doing anything the last month. It gets worse when he sees other couples out there, he becomes sexually frustrated because he cannot touch Wonho nor hear his voice. Then he ends up waking with a hard-on every morning. And knotting. He is back to the first time he met Wonho at the lake. How the hell did he go backwards? He really has no idea. Heck, why the hell is he so obsessed with the guy anyway? Minwoo gets up and takes out the matching band shirts he got from a friend. Wonho told him about his favourite artist who Minwoo also happened to like back when they were spending time together at his apartment. And, as one of his attempts to get the pale guy to pay attention to him was spamming him with the shirts he bought with no success. Sighing, he places the shirts back into his bag and takes out the matching sunglasses he got just because. No, he is not one of the cheesy guys who likes to wear matching outfits with their significant other. Hell no. And Wonho is obviously not his ''significant other''. He just, had so much free time during the break that he went on a shopping spree. And buying stuff for other people is way more fun than buying things for himself. Fortunately, his grandmother found about his expenditures early or Minwoo would have gone crazy and bought them airplane tickets to Greece. Wonho drives him crazy. He is damn good at it. ????????????''???? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????. ''ARGHH!'' Minwoo throws his shirts on the floor before he got worked up enough to tear them apart. Seriously. Somehow, he cannot help but think that the reason why Wonho would ignore him is because of his friends. The pack is just too influential over his life they are becoming a burden. If Minwoo can just pull Wonho away from them and kept him in his pocket, that would be really great. Getting up to shower and cooling his head off, he hears a knock on his door. Definitely not Jeongmin because the man never knocks. Reluctant to open it, Minwoo drags his feet as the knocks got louder and angrier. ''Kim Minwoo. I know you''re inside. Yah.'' The fuck? That is Junjie''s voice. He sounds really angry and Minwoo just doesn''t want to deal with his shit right now. He really doesn''t want to see any of the omega''s friends before he meets the man himself, because right now, they are the guys who are keeping Wonho away from him and the mere thought of that really pisses him off. He already got warnings from two alphas, he doesn''t need another one. Heck, he is already keeping his distance as told, albeit only because he couldn''t get in touch with the other. ''Yah. Open up before I kick the damn door open.'' Tsk. Rude shit. Just like the rest of his friends. But then again, birds of a feather flock together. Not wanting to make a scene, Minwoo decides to give the man what he wants. ''What the hell yo-'' Thud!! Minwoo moves his jaw around, trying to fix it back after the powerful punch. ''The fuck?'' Junjie grips hard on his collar and pushes him inside the room, crashing him towards the wall, knocking a few books down from the shelf. Provoked and already irritated enough, Minwoo knuckles the beta''s left cheeks, forcing him back a few steps as blood flows down his nose and broken lips. He wants to continue so fucking badly but he knows the guy won''t be able to take it. He doesn''t want to send someone to the hospital, especially not one of Wonho''s friends not matter how much he hates them. ''What the hell you want?!'' He asks between hard breaths. Without a word, Junjie punches him in the gut. Minwoo has to admit, it is one of the worst punches he ever received. Where the hell did that power came from? Hearing the door shut closed, Minwoo holds his stomach, coughing from the impact. He is elbowed on the back, sending him on his knees. Grabbing the leg launched towards him, he pulls the angry man down on the floor, not giving any fuck anymore. Shit just got real. A broken rib or two won''t do it anymore. He wants to disfigure the beta''s face. Why the hell is Junjie this worked up?? The alphas already warned him. No, even the alphas only warned him. Why did Junjie went all this way to beat him? Didn''t they exchange information or something? Owh. He gets it. Junjie didn''t came here to ask Minwoo to stay away. No. He came here because Minwoo fucked Wonho. He fucked Seo Wonho, the man''s ex. ''What? Are you mad he chose me? Huh? That he''s mine??'' He climbs on top of the Chinese and lift his head up before crashing it to the floor. Owh, that feels good. ''Shut up!'' A punch is thrown and it hits Minwoo''s nose. It hurts like hell, but he still has the upper hand. Returning the favour twice, he tries to calm himself down after seeing the bloodied face. ''You know what? You guys are crazy!! You, and your fucking friends are a bunch of crazy shitheads.'' He feels something hard hits his head and pushes himself backward to lean on the bed. Junjie does the same as he gets up to catch his breath and leans against the desk. He is holding the wooden chair. No wonder his head feels like breaking, his brain is buzzing from the force. Laughing through his nose, Minwoo takes deep breaths and closes his eyes to focus on exterminating the pain. Something similar happened to him a few months back, just with something smaller, by someone weaker. ''Yah. You guys always treat people outside your clique like shit?'' Junjie doesn''t reply right away. He, too, is trying to recover. ''No. Only rapists.'' Chapter 75 - Showdown 2 Minwoo smirks, taken aback. Just because the crazy bastard cannot get into Wonho''s pants doesn''t mean he had to use force just to get it. ''Rape? Yah, I didn''t have to rape him! He is the one who came onto me.'' Yeah. That''s right. He didn''t even have to do anything. Wonho was the one who begged him for it. He is rewarded by Junjie''s enraged face; as if the face couldn''t get any uglier than it already is. The man''s eyes are big, his frown deep, his nostrils large. Horrid. Utter disgusting. Minwoo is pleased to say the least. He won. ''DON''T FUCKING TALK BOUT HIM LIKE THAT YOU MOTHE-'' ''WHAT THE HELL??!'' Junjie''s advance is halted by Jeongmin who somehow managed to ran between them and pushed the beta away to a seating position. Both the fighters are stunned by the alpha who looks at both of them back and forth, his face filled with horror. ''You okay?'' He asks Minwoo first since he seems like the worse of the two, and the victim, based on the whole situation. Earning a nod, he turns towards the other. ''What happened?'' ''He''s mad I banged Wonho.'' ''Try saying that again!!'' Junjie attempted to continue where he left but again, is stopped by Jeongmin who holds his shoulders a bit too tightly, making him hiss in pain. ''Yah, stop! Both of you!!'' ''It was mutual. He told you that? How he begged me not to leave him during heat?'' Minwoo laughs, provoking the beta further. He is really enjoying the irritated and desperate look on that face. It is ridiculously stupid-looking. Jeongmin turns to him and Minwoo froze. It is the first time he ever saw him that furious. ''Minwoo, shut you-.'' ''That''s cus you marked him you bast-aAkhh!!'' Junjie hisses again when he is shoved back by the other alpha. For a few minutes, nobody says a word. Junjie, starting to feel the result of the alpha''s strong hits, Jeongmin, monitoring both the crazy guys and Minwoo, trying to process what was thrown at him. Things are still tensed, both alphas shocked at the accusation; one obviously more than the other. But at least, they are calm enough not to throw punches anymore. ''What are you going about now? I didn''t mark him.'' Minwoo finally breaks the silence, his voice shaking out of disbelief. Following his friend, Jeongmin adds, ''Junjie. He''s not mated.'' He knows the beta is not convinced, his annoyed eyes and smirk revealing his thoughts - that Minwoo is making excuses. Someone needs to tell him the truth so the whole fight can end, and that someone is Jeongmin. ''Hey. You don''t know cus you''re a beta but Minwoo''s not mated. He''s not carrying Wonho''s scent.'' Again, Junjie sneers, confusing both the alphas, ''That''s cus this bastard marked him when he just turned! Wono couldn''t handle the bond!'' ''Now you''re not making sense.'' ''That''s not possible.'' Both the alphas reply at the same time. ''Well then, why don''t you ask him if he smelled Wonho''s mate? Cus he''s bonded, since last year. And he still is.'' Minwoo eyes widens at the reveal, unable to hide his shock and obviously, the beta notices. Jeongmin turns back to look at him, he too, startled. ''Didn''t you-?'' ''You didn''t know right? This guy forced himself on Wono and left him to die.'' Junjie supports himself up to a standing position and glares down to Minwoo who couldn''t find any comeback. The latter is too baffled. That is too gruesome of an accuse for it to be a mere fiction. He shouldn''t make that kind of story about his best friend. ''Try touching him again and I''ll make sure he''s the last person you''ll ever get to touch.'' Minwoo locks his eyes on the outsider as he limps slowly towards the exit. Even after he is long gone, he keeps staring at the door, his mind is too shocked to accept reality, if what Junjie said is true. Not of the accusation, but of the fact that Wonho is mated. That Seo Wonho belongs to another alpha. And that that alpha left him to die last year. ''Tsk!'' He hisses as he feels pressure on his nose and bares his teeth to Jeongmin, pushing his hand away from his face. ''Yah. Just lemme check your face real quick.'' ''Urghh...'' Minwoo drags himself up on the bed, his stomach hurting from the whack''s punch. He feels woozy right now. Junjie didn''t make any sense but it is messing with his mind. Glancing at the door, fully alert at the littlest sound, Minwoo groans at Jeongmin who is back with a first aid kit in his hand. Clenching his teeth to endure the pain as the other cleans his wounds, Minwoo closes his eyes. ''He''s mated? Did you bite him?'' Jeongmin finally asks. ''I fucking bought him a protector cus I''m afraid I''ll bite him. You think I''d do that to him? Really?'' Jeongmin half-smiles at his pathetic-looking friend. The so-called noble beaten to a pulp by a weak beta. ''Well, they said he is.'' ''Yeah. I heard.'' ''But you slept with him.'' Minwoo gulps and exhales deeply. Yes, he did. And yes, he didn''t notice the bond because if he had, he would have stayed away. No, he didn''t even have to stay away because he wouldn''t find the omega appealing in the first place. Even if he is that crazy about Wonho, he would never sleep with someone else''s mate, even if he could. He is not that despicable. ''Well one of us is lying then.'' ''I believe you.'' He hears his friend reply without giving it a thought and Minwoo feels relieved. ''You were so careful approaching him. You''d never do that.'' Minwoo smiles back at his one and only buddy, thankful for his support, ''Besides, I don''t believe in one-sided bond thing. Too crazy for me.'' If it is too crazy for Jeongmin, then it is too crazy to be true. Because the man reads. And he reads a lot of crazy things. And he believes most of the crazy things he read. And if he said it is impossible, then it probably is. Chapter 76 - Showdown 3 Wonho waits on one of the benches in the park for the other three to arrive. He just got back to campus today, and tomorrow will be the first day of the new term, so he just wanted to meet up with his friends before each of them get busy. And he is sure all of them are already here because, obviously, classes start tomorrow. He wanted to get back earlier but his mind was still a bit messy and he didn''t want to put too much pressure on himself on trying to recover that quickly. The shelter really helped him a lot so he decided to push his stay as long as he could. It was the best choice he made for himself in a while. Sensing the familiar scent, Wonho turns back at his senior who has a few cans of beer in his hands. ''Are we getting drunk?'' ''Tomorrow''s your first class. Are you crazy?'' Sangcheol scolds him, making him laugh lightly. From the plastic he has on the bench, right below the table, Wonho takes out the snacks he bought earlier to go with the beer. ''I knew you''re gonna bring that.'' Sangcheol points at him in disbelief and screams, his face bright. As he places the plastic on the table, he looks around for the other three. ''Did you ask Junjie?'' ''He''s banging someone tonight.'' Wonho answers monotonously, not even surprised anymore. ''Damn that kid.'' Sangcheol comments like an old guy. Handing a soda to his junior, the alpha suddenly states, ''Listen, when Chansol''s here, don''t mention bond, couple, don''t even mention orange or any kinds of fruit, okay?'' ''What happened?'' Wonho munches on the peanuts slowly, more curious about the new gossip. Sangcheol closes their distance and starts to lower his voice for some reason. ''Both of them had problem with their parents because of the accidental bond thing.'' ''Shit.'' ''And the Bae kid''s heat is coming and they don''t know what to do. He''s been asking me bout it but it''s so weird! You know? I don''t wanna imagine anything!'' Wonho is about to ask about the ''don''t know what to do'' part before realizing how innocent both of them are. They were playing basketball when they mated for god''s sake! Nobody bond while arguing over basketball game! At least, based on his research on the internet, everyone mates during sex. ''They never did it. Don''t bring it up or he''ll ask you for advice.'' Of course. As if on cue, both Mengyao and Chansol comes and quickly takes their seats around the table. The beta grabs a can and sips it while the younger alpha lays his head on the table, his dark circles obvious on his white skin. Wonho looks at Sangcheol who shakes his head vigorously. Grabbing a beer, he passes them to the depressed alpha, ''Cheer up.'' Sangcheol widens his eyes in anger, to which Wonho only tilts his head and lifts his shoulders. He notices Mengyao looking at them, so they try to laugh it off. If he asks about it, they will have to mention it, and Chansol will ask for advice, which they do not want to give. ''What happened to your protector?'' Wonho unconsciously puts a hand on his lower right neck, on the barely visible scar, forcing a small smile at his friends. He threw it away. Because he doesn''t need it after all. He is still bonded, and the protector was from Minwoo¡­ ''It''s hot so I took it off.'' Hearing the obvious lie, both the alphas chug on their beers, nervous on behalf of the omega. Wonho realizes the strange reactions and tries to convince Mengyao about it, ''it''s okay. We don''t have to wear it all the time.'' Sangcheol and Chansol''s faces are so tensed at this point, they will give anything away. And it is obvious Mengyao is finding it hard to believe him. ''Are you sure?'' ''Yeah. It''s only dangerous during heat.'' Sangcheol adds to help him out but the second the words got out of his mouth, Chansol''s expression changes back into depression. Wonho glares at the oldest as he hits his own head. Now they will have to tell him about heat. Great. ''Junjie-hyung''s at my house right now.'' The beta interrupts randomly, saving them from Chansol''s desperation. Wonho looks back at his junior, thankful but confused at the same time. He is sure his best friend told him he will be with someone tonight. The horny guy must be borrowing Mengyao''s place for his ''sleepover''. Feeling sorry for his junior, Wonho is about to suggest kicking his friend out before realizing the other male is still staring at all three of them, as if waiting for another reaction. He has a sad smile none of them ever saw before today. ''You guys gonna keep this from us? I thought friends tell each other everything. I guess betas are different kind of friends.'' ''What are you talking about?'' Wonho can only lower his head, sensing what Mengyao is talking about. It is about him, obviously. ''Why didn''t you tell us? We congratulated you. You made us feel like fools.'' Nobody says anything. The two alphas realize the tensed atmosphere but understand that it is not theirs to break. This is between Wonho and the betas. And Wonho has no clue how to explain himself either. It was never his intention to hide it from both the betas. It wasn''t even his intention to tell anyone in the first place. Had the other three been betas, he would have kept it a secret from everyone. ''Just so you know, Jun went to see Minwoo yesterday.'' They hear a shocked, muffled gasp and turn towards Chansol who has his eyes closed in frustration. ''Chansol you-?'' ''It slipped! Okay? I didn''t mean to.'' Chansol pleads to Wonho, ''Hyung, I-'' ''No. I should be sorry. I, just didn''t want to worry you guys.'' ''But they knew.'' Mengyao whines, accusingly. ''Cus we can sense it. Mengyao, Wono didn''t know about it till we told him either.'' Everyone sighs at the awkward tension yet again. Recently, all their outings had been filled with silence, but it is not something that can be helped. Things just happen to be bad right now. ''I know we don''t have sixth sense or whatever you guys have but don''t push us away like this again. Or I''ll go back to China.'' Wonho looks at the young Chinese who finally relaxes as he opens the wrapper in front of him. It took them a few second to notice the childish threat at the end due to the man''s weird Korean but they finally did, and it is even funnier because of the lagged reaction. Laughing loudly, Wonho sends a death glare towards their youngest who takes a big gulp of the beer in fear. ''And you might wanna check on Jun. He got beat up pretty badly. Minwoo''s no joke.'' ''What happened?'' ''What you think happened.'' Wonho sighs. This is probably the main reason, amongst all others, why he didn''t want to tell Junjie. Because Junjie thinks with his fist and that always gets him in trouble. Chapter 77 - Showdown 4 Minwoo sits on one of the benches in front of the architectural department''s building, hiding his scent like he always does. He has no idea if he will be able to meet Wonho since he doesn''t know the other''s new schedule. But he is determined, nonetheless. Playing with his phone, Minwoo refreshes his twitter account before detecting his target coming out of the building; finally, after a few weeks of trying. Chansol is with him but Minwoo knows the other will leave him eventually since their dormitories are on the opposite sides. And just his luck, he doesn''t even have to wait long for the alpha to leave his omega alone. Chansol seems to be rushing somewhere, leaving Wonho who has a silly smile on his face. Shit that smile is cute. This is the first time he met Wonho after the break. He is still as handsome as he remembered. Frowning and shaking his head to free himself from the spell, Minwoo prepares himself for another confrontation. Somehow, he already knows what will play out - Wonho tries to avoid him and runs away, he chases Wonho and holds him in place, Wonho ignores him, he gets angry, Wonho either speaks or escapes. At least, that happened once or twice before, so he wouldn''t be surprised if it happens again. Looking around once in a while to ensure the gang is nowhere near, trailing Wonho silently until they are somewhere he can corner the man. He is sure people thinks he is a stalker. He is acting creepy, he realizes that. But desperate times calls for desperate measures. And he is desperate. Getting close enough for a whiff, Minwoo stopped his steps. Something is wrong. Wonho doesn''t have any scents on him. Unless he can hide them like Minwoo, which is impossible for an omega, his sweet Jasmine should be filling the alpha''s head already. Along with it, Minwoo would have been able to confirm whether Junjie''s claim about him being mated is true without going through all this trouble. He would be able to detect Wonho''s mate and kill the damn alpha for claiming someone who is supposed to be his. Damn he is getting all worked up again. All these accusations thrown against him is really stressing him up. Especially because they are claiming him of violating Wonho, a year ago, when he only met the man for the first time on orientation night. That, he is sure. Because he was attracted to Wonho the moment he laid his eyes on him, so he would probably remember if he met the omega a few months prior. People just don''t change their taste quickly like that. Unless Wonho was an ugly duckling the year before, he is pretty confident about his memory. ''Wonho! Let''s talk.'' Minwoo finally calls out once they reach the park with only a few people. This is as private as he can get. He notices the wince but instead of stopping, Wonho speeds up, just as he expected. What he didn''t expect though, is Wonho starting to run, and that he is so fast Minwoo almost lost him. ''Seo Wonho! Stop right there!'' The omega stops as instructed, surprising Minwoo who thought he would have to dash full speed. However, the former doesn''t even turn around nor move his head from looking at the ground. Grabbing the chance, the alpha closes their distance and stops in front of the stunned male who still refuses to look up. He wants to ask a lot of questions but first things first, ''Yah. What happened? Did you tell your friends I raped you?'' Yeah, he just asked the man straight to the point because he is pissed and if he drags his time here, Wonho will escape. Bowing a little to intimidate the shorter male, searching for his line of sight, Minwoo snaps his fingers to get his attention. ''Yah, look at me. Hey.'' He is acting like a thug, he realized that but he is already one in their minds so who cares. ''Do you see these? You best friend went all crazy and punched me because you told them I raped you. You don''t think you owe me an apology? An explanation maybe? This is not a simple slap. What next? The alpha''s gonna kill me?'' ''Yah. I''m talking to you.'' Minwoo grabs Wonho''s hand but the man pulls it away immediately, pulling it close to his chest, his whole body shaking in fear. And jasmine¡­ Minwoo frowns. Wonho''s hands are in tight fists, his knuckles white, just like his lips¡­ Shit. ''Wonho, hey¡­ sorry. I wasn''t gonna hurt you¡­ I just wanna know what''s going on.'' Minwoo brings his hand up to caress Wonho''s fringe, wet from his cold sweat. The latter doesn''t move away but he is vibrating violently, it makes the alpha feel really guilty. He forgot about what happened to the man. Maybe he was too aggressive just now and unintentionally triggered Wonho''s trauma. ''Are you okay? Junjie said-'' Minwoo gulps. He knows this is not the time, but this is the only chance. ''He said someone force-marked¡­'' Wonho whimpers at the word, backing away slowly as his whole body shrunk. Minwoo curses himself, he forgot it was supposed to happen last year. That is obviously what caused Wonho''s trauma in the first place. Seriously. What is he doing right now? Wonho is scared, and he doesn''t want to make it worse, but he wants answers and cannot stop himself from asking all these questions. He doesn''t even know what he wants to do right now. ''Ryuu-hyung asked me¡­ Someone I know?'' He throws another one anyway, preparing himself for a complete breakdown or the man running away but none of that happens. Instead, Wonho just glares coldly at him, his mouth curves sarcastically. That is when he notices the fact that he can smell the omega right now¡­ Only him. Perplexed, Minwoo walks closer, hoping to take in as much scent as he can. Wonho''s strong scent might cover his mate''s, if that is even possible. If what they claimed about him is even true. He doesn''t smell any alpha right now! Is all this a prank or something? Because this is just taking it too far. ''Wonho¡­'' He licks his dry lips, suddenly feeling light-headed, ''What are you doing? Why are they- Wonho, tell me what''s going on. Just, fucking talk to me okay?'' He pleads. ''You, don''t sense any alpha on me¡­. right?'' The low bass can finally be heard, the voice as weak as his own, ''You can smell other people''s mate, right? Including your own families''?'' Minwoo swallows again, out of words to say. He doesn''t want to answer that. This is not happening. Everyone is playing a trick on him to test him. To test his worth. ''I''m bonded with someone. I didn''t know who¡­ I do now.'' ''Wonho¡­'' ''Don''t come near me again.'' This is not happening. He didn''t do it. They never- He would never- Pulling Wonho close and pinning his shoulder on the nearest tree, Minwoo takes deep breaths to calm himself down. ''I never bit you. I wanted to but I never did it. You know that right? I even bought you the protector!'' ''Stop your bullshit, bastard!!'' Wonho shoves him away and Minwoo just, freezes. ''Just disappear.'' ''Wonho I didn''t-!'' ''KIM MINWOO!'' The noble feels himself pulled forcefully, sending him hitting another bark. With his eyebrows furrowed, Minwoo looks up to the newcomer, still trying hard to calm himself. It is Sangcheol, behind him, his mate holding onto Wonho who still keeps his eyes locked on him. The alpha is pissed but Minwoo is just¡­ tired. ''He did anything to you?'' ''He is just leaving.'' The oldest of the four pulls the weakened alpha up, bringing them eye-to-eye, ''I''m not playing around when I told you to stay away.'' Minwoo only stares at him, not finding the will in him to fight anymore. Pushing the hands away from his collar, he walks away, leaving the trio. He didn''t do it. He would never do it. He is not that kind of person. ¡­.but he didn''t sense another alpha''s presence with Wonho. He didn''t do it. Chapter 78 - Dreadful Curiousity 1 ''Urghh¡­'' Opening his eyes, Minwoo throws the pillow away and rubs his eyes with his right hand, his head hurt from over-thinking. He tried to distract himself the only way he knows how - study, but how the hell should he learn when he couldn''t get enough sleep to concentrate in class, and enough focus to revise back in his room? Why does this have to happen to him? Why did something this complicated had to be thrown on top of all those things? Assault? Forced-mating? He really feels like hitting something right now. Anything would be great. If he can just break a glass or two, kick the desk to pieces, he might feel better. For god''s sake, he thought he finally had a break! After chasing Wonho for for months, he thought things were going to move forward smoothly for them! He even made Wonho promise to hang out with him more after the break! Just, why?? Sighing, the young alpha gets up and opens the fridge, drinking the cold water to calm himself. Reducing his body temperature will do that, because he cannot seem to convince himself to do it naturally. He really needs to see his therapist, or he will start hurting himself again. A few minutes passed with him just closing his eyes, leaning against the fridge and focusing on the soft vibration of the machine, the sound so close to a purr it helps him relax. Releasing a long breath, Minwoo gets up and moves to his desk to stare at the sky. His head is in a mess he needs an escape. ¡­Fuck. This is almost impossible. The memory of them hiking suddenly pops up in his head - Wonho offering him that piece of bread, the blue sky above him, looking like an angel. ''Dammit!!!'' Hitting his fists on the desk, Minwoo bumps his head a few times before grabbing a fistful of hair. Now he remembers how scared the omega was when he followed him to the woods, how he was taking steady steps backwards, ready to run with every step Minwoo took towards him minutes before he asked to tag along. Wonho was already claimed back then! He was claimed a year ago. ''I''m bonded with someone. I didn''t know who... I do now.'' ''They hurt me. It hurt so bad... I don''t want them... please...'' ''It''s okay if it''s you... Minwoo. I want it to be you...'' ''I hate alphas. You''re okay.'' ''You''re okay.'' ''Shut up. Shut up!! FUCK!!!'' Realizing he is screaming to no one, Minwoo grabs his bag and takes out something he never thought he would have to take again ¨C anti-anxiety pills. He really doesn''t want to, but he is desperate. Too desperate. He feels like running amok right now. Settling with half a pill, Minwoo closes his eyes and rests his forehead on the desk, taking slow, rhythmic breath to aid the effect. One year ago¡­ He was drugged and blacked out a year ago¡­ But he didn''t bond with anyone. Chris assured him nothing happened. His family didn''t notice anything different with him except for the random aggression which they thought was caused by him trying to adapt to his new life. He would have already been killed by his grandmother if he mated without her approval. Which can only means... Minwoo lets out a soft laugh. He knows what this is. What he had thought earlier during Wonho''s heat - the pack''s amateur plan to extort money from him. They are probably planning to threaten him later with police reports to blackmail him. Which is stupid it is almost funny. The only ones accusing him with marking Wonho are his friends, without any proof nonetheless. They even gave him a stupid excuse as to why Minwoo didn''t carry Wonho''s scent with him. One-sided bonding? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Wonho couldn''t control his scent? He was a new omega when they spent their heat together. It is not possible for him to be an omega a year ago and have his first heat a few weeks ago. Seriously, are they making a school play? The one done without research that is so bad, they have to fill loopholes with stupid explanations. So, so stupid Minwoo''s stomach almost hurt from laughing. To think that he fell into it like a fool¡­ Shit. This is so funny he cannot breathe. He needs to relax. Taking deep breaths, coughing harshly from trying to force himself to shut his mouth, Minwoo finally lies silent on the floor, his cheeks wet from tears. So funny¡­ It is funny because nothing like that would ever happen in real life. That would never happen. It is too stupid. ¡­too stupid to be a mere excuse¡­ Frowning, he sits back up and supports his back against the bed, bringing a knee up to hold his head. Maybe he should consider the extremely low possibility of his involvement in any of the bullshit they are sputtering. Not liking that idea himself, Minwoo clicks his tongue and forces himself to try to remember. It is almost impossible, that night is supposed to be forgotten. He had already tuck it away deep inside, it should stay that way. Nothing happened that isn''t taken care of, that he is made aware by Chris. At least up to the point where he stopped the man from informing him about that incident because it reminded him of the one time he messed up. But now, he needs to know what happened that night. He needs to be sure. Not just assurance, he needs to know the truth. Chris should know. If anyone can prove his innocence, it is that Chinese man who is as cold as ice. Licking his lips, Minwoo contemplates whether he should consult the other or not for two reasons - one being the fact that he might hear something he would regret, and two, his grandmother might catch him because who knows what is happening in that house right now? Why his grandmother needed to hire a bodyguard for him in the first place is weird enough as it is. Hiding his face between his arms, Minwoo lifts his head back up and touches the phone icon besides the name. It takes four rings before he hears the low voice he hasn''t heard in a while. Getting straight to the point as he knows the other doesn''t have time to entertain him either, he proceeds, ''You said everything is taken care of that night?'' ''Yes.'' ''What did you do to them?'' Chapter 79 - Dreadful Curiousity 2 ''They''re locked up.'' That''s it? Minwoo sighs at the simple answer given by the stern man. Should he tell the man to elaborate? Unless, that night happened as he is informed, and nothing more, which makes him innocent. That is goo- ''They''re a part of a syndicate. I took care of everyone in the group. Rest assured.'' Shit. And he thought Chris is just a normal bodyguard. Bringing down a whole syndicate? The man is one crazy fucker. The story about him having friends in the Chinese mafia must be true. Minwoo shivers just thinking about it. Hanging up, he stares at the windowpane. This cannot be it. It still doesn''t make any sense. He is still accused of biting Wonho last year. If nothing happened to him, how the hell did Wonho managed to get his scent stuck on him? Unless¡­ they are not amateur after all. Maybe they are a part of the syndicate Chris is talking about, and what happened to him, and to Wonho, is carefully planned from the start. If he did actually mark Wonho like they said, then it is possible the omega is another victim of the syndicate, just like him. Doping him with rape drug, and somehow placing Wonho in front of him, like putting a piece of meat in front of a hungry predator. Then they waited for the right time to get settlement fee by suing him or something. He can really imagine Sangcheol or Junjie doing that because they had already begin threatening him. Maybe they wanted to go with Minwoo violating their friend but as it involves the police, and their group had already fallen, they went with forced-marking instead? This makes much more sense. If this was the plan, then maybe they are not amateur after all, just desperate conmen. If that is the plan from the start, he is the dumb one for trying so hard to get Wonho''s attention all these times. If he knew they would push the omega towards him anyway, he would have just waited silently instead of chasing the man around like a madman. And¡­ since they already accused him of claiming Wonho anyway, he will not be blamed if he takes what is his, right? He can just bite Wonho again, just to be sure, and they won''t be able to do anything to him. He can make the man his, finally. Fuck. That is so messed up. Why did he even consider doing that?? And Wonho¡­ he shouldn''t be a part of the fucked-up scheme. The man''s trauma is real. His panic attacks, his crazy eyes, his tears¡­ Heck, nobody can pretend to have nightmares for a week straight. No omega''s strong enough to control his pheromones and increase it like Wonho does when he is in tremendous fear. That is not something one have control over. Wonho could also be a victim. Someone might have done the same thing to him too. He might have been drugged as well that night. And Minwoo could have assaulted him like they said¡­ Panicking by his own thoughts, the alpha redials the first number in his call history. The other did not answer it the first time, and the second, but after the third try, Minwoo finally lost his temper and coincidentally screamed curses the moment Chris answered. Not bothering to hide his anger anymore, Minwoo continues, ''Tell me the exact thing the happened the moment you found me. What the fuck happened? Did I do anything to anyone?'' He hears a sigh which is very unsettling to hear, ''They took you out from the club and I was waiting outside. I told you to run while I dealt with them. I found you on the street a few blocks away, throwing up, so I took you home and called the doctor.'' ''That''s it?'' ''You were shaking, you told me not to tell.'' ''Did I hurt anyone?'' ''No one else was with you. I''m positive nothing happened.'' Minwoo bites his lips, wanting to trust the butler of his. Wanting to trust his innocence. But he needs to know how he is related to Wonho too¡­ ''Hey Chris. Find out what happened to Seo Wonho last year.'' ''Young Master, I''m not a detec-'' ''You brought down an entire underground gang. Don''t tell me you can''t find something on a college student, Chris.'' He emphasizes on the man''s name, showing how serious he is. He knows this is illegal, but if his butler cannot do it, he will hire a private detective to do it for him anyway. He is desperate. He wants to claim his memory back. He wants to prove to Wonho he didn''t do it. And he wants proof that Wonho is not a part of the messed up scheme he is thinking about. ##### Basketball practice didn''t do it for him right now. He thought sweating out would help release some of the stress, and since jogging around campus is out of the question, he had been looking forward to bouncing balls and hitting his seniors head on. Thinking if he was lucky, he would get to bicker with Seungyun and annoy the shit out of the omega but none of that happened. He sweated, got a bit too aggressive, and almost broke one of the senior''s wrist. So much for stress-relieving¡­ ''You okay?'' He feels a hand squeezing his shoulders and turns to look at Jeongmin, their captain. Ignoring the question, he leans back towards the rail, trying so, so hard not to scream and throw tantrum right now. He feels a cold sensation on the cheek and quickly grabs the canned soda. ''Someone in the team would always crack a wrist, it happens once a year. Club curse.'' Lifting an eyebrow to give a weird look at the other, he is greeted with the familiar bright smile where the man''s eyes disappear completely. ''I cracked mine first year. Still working.'' And Jeongmin slaps him a few times, ''See? Still usable.'' ''Yah!'' A can is shoved onto his forehead. ''Calm the hell down. So noisy.'' He hears a scoff and turns towards Seungyun who only made an appearance after all the chaos is gone. Sighing, he accepts the other drink and puts it in his pocket for later. Who would''ve thought he would be comforted by the two fools who he wouldn''t even look at had he been back in Europe. Now, the overly-positive nerd and the obnoxious diva are the only two he can turn for support. How his life has changed¡­ Feeling slight goosebumps on the back of his neck, Minwoo turns to see Seungyun avoiding his gaze, ''What?'' Hearing that, Jeongmin also looks towards the omega, wondering the same thing. ''I heard what happened.'' Chapter 80 - Dreadful Curiousity 3 ''Of course.'' He feels a pat from the omega and decides to just accept it without making a scene. Of course he did, Chansol would already shared it with him seeing as they are now bonded pairs. ''I feel like I owe you an apology.'' Looking at the slightly chubby male, he notices the face of true regret. ''I thought the same thing when I met him few days ago. But you can''t hide your mate''s scent right? Even if you''re a noble¡­'' ''You smelled him on Won-?'' Jeongmin suddenly closes his mouth with both his hands, afraid that it would trigger something. Minwoo pretends he didn''t see it, trying to focus on what Seungyun was about to say. This is the first time he heard about it from someone outside the pack. Moreover, coming from Seungyun who spends a lot of time with him, if he says he senses Minwoo on Wonho, it is probably true. And that, he doesn''t want to hear. ''But yeah. You''re obviously still a single, narcissistic noble so that''s weird.'' Laughing it off awkwardly, the trio continues chatting until nothing is left in their cans. They will never say it, but all three are very much confused with the whole situation the noble managed to catch himself into. ##### Four days. It took four days until Chris finally called him back. And in that four days, Minwoo had taken a few pills, skipped a few classes, and spent his time punching bags at the gym until his knuckles and elbow bruised, only to put bandages over them and start again. At least, the pain and fatigue took his mind away from Wonho and he could finally have a good sleep. Taking a few moments to catch his breath, Minwoo answers the phone and walks towards the vending machine to lean against the nearby wall without bothering anyone. He hears pieces of paper being flipped in the background, documents Chris got on the omega, he assumes. There is a sigh, to which Minwoo rolls his eyes in annoyance. After a few moments of silence, Chris finally asks, ''What do you wanna know?'' Everything, he wants to say. Everything on Seo Wonho. He knows the man has the info in his hands right now. He should just ask him to send it to his address. ¡­But that is private information. He realizes that. He knows what he is doing is wrong. Thinking for the best question to ask to bring himself a peace of mind, he finally inquires, ''Is he a part of the group you took out?'' The answer is negative. That is a relief to hear¡­ That is all he needed. With just a word from the Chinese, he feels as if half the weight on his shoulders is gone. He hears the documents being put down, and there is an eerie silence that he dreads. Not because it is peaceful, but because he can somehow hear the butler rubbing his face, inhaling deeply, as if preparing himself to deliver a bad news. ''Young Master, he was in the west district that night. If that is what you wanted to know.'' That, is not what he expected. Why? What is¡­? What? Did Wonho just happens to be in the club? ''He was involved in another case.'' So, he is a part of another crime? Maybe he is right about them being conmen. Or maybe they are street gangsters. He can imagine them mugging people on the street because, they are actually not as innocent as they initially seemed. He thought they were, but he was beaten by that beta and almost got another from their main alpha. And Wonho? The man can really make someone shake in fear just by staring at them coldly. Or maybe they are involved in drugs? Because that Chansol kid seems like someone who is high all the time¡­ ''No. He was the victim.'' Owh. That makes sense too. Wonho may look like that but based on their short time together, Minwoo decides the omega is more of a house cat. Always looking uninterested and act aggressive when deep down, he wants to be petted and taken care of. He will never actually hurt anyone. Not Wonho. ''Of what?'' ''Group sexual assault.'' ''What?'' Standing back up on his two feet, Minwoo closes his free ear to dilute the noise and quickly walks out of the gym, running towards the back, trying to find someplace quiet where he can be alone. People back there were too loud he thought he misheard something, ''Group sexual assault? ''Yes.'' ''Group? More than one?'' He asks again, conveniently assuming the man mistook the word because, he is not a native Korean speaker. And also, because he didn''t want to believe that. ''Six. They found six different samples. And he was marked.'' His knees almost give in and Minwoo leans against the rough wall. He can literally feel the blood disappearing from his lips, and the eye area because he is starting to see white. His heart is beating violently, threatening to jump out of his ribcage, and he hears buzzing in his ears. He knows something like that happened to Wonho which caused him to act all crazy, he can accept that. But¡­ Never in his dreams, would he thought¡­ six¡­ Shit¡­No wonder¡­ Swallowing hard to wet his sore throat, Minwoo clears it a few times before he can find his voice, though still hoarse, ''Who?'' ''They only identified two.'' ''WHO??'' He will to find those fuckers and kill them!! He will rip them apart and throw the human trash into the sewer to be fucking feasted on by rats. How dare they? To Wonho?? ''There''s no information on that. All of them are alphas, based on the reports.'' Alphas? Fuck¡­ No wonder¡­ All his crazy words and actions during his heat makes sense now. It finally makes sense. The slap he received at the lake, his curses at Minwoo for being an alpha¡­ He would hate his kind too if he is- He would run away from himself too if it happened to him¡­ Shit. A teardrop can be felt, tracing down towards his lips. What is happening to him? Is he crying? For what? It isn''t as if it happened to him. Shit. Why can''t he stop crying? What the fuck? ''-ster? Minwoo-sshi?'' Owh god. They only found two out of the six¡­ ''Did I-?'' Chapter 81 - Dreadful Curiousity 4 ''No. I can guarantee that much. It is bloody, but you didn''t have any stains on your private parts.'' Minwoo cringes in disgust hearing the statement with no emotion whatsoever but what was he expecting, the man really lacks empathy. It is already bad enough for Wonho to endure that ordeal¡­ bloody? Minwoo frowns deeply, anger again, already replacing his momentary sadness. ''Did they catch the two?'' ''No. They stopped the investigation.'' What the fuck? Let go? Stopped the investigation?? WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?? Minwoo feels himself hyperventilating in anger. Is this how the police system works here? They freaking identified the attackers!! ''Seo Wonho signed an agreement to not pursue them any longer.'' What in the world? Why would he do that?? He is obviously greatly affected by that incident, why won''t he want justice? Vengeance? That really doesn''t make any sense!! Moreover, when they are making a big deal about it after a year, even going as far as accusing him of having a hand on what happened¡­ Why did they stop the investigation if they are going to act like this? What are they thinking?? What is Wonho thinking? Why?? Wait. So they said Minwoo claimed Wonho, which doesn''t make sense to start with. Maybe something about it is written in the documents that can put an end on all of this. ''Who marked him?'' ''They couldn''t identify him. The sample is lost during first aid.'' Fucking convenient. Now, how the hell is he going to prove his innocence? Deciding he heard enough, he casually thanks the other and walks back inside to gather his stuff. He needs to get away from campus, from this place. He needs an escape to clear his mind. ##### After another session with his doctor, Wonho pulls his hood up and walks towards the bus stop, getting on as soon as it arrived. As usual, the bus is almost empty. Getting a seat near the window, he closes his eyes and stuffs his ears with his earphones. Somehow, just knowing who his mate is makes recovering much easier than he expected. All this while, he was afraid of the outside, of course due to fear of stumbling upon his attackers, but more than that, he was afraid of meeting his mate who could be anybody. He was afraid that the alpha he is bounded to would turn out to be a violent alpha who refuses to let their bond break, and he would be forced to be with his mate. He was afraid that the alpha would want to claim him physically. Which was why he was always anxious. Because it could be anyone. And he wouldn''t recognize them until it is too late. But now, he knows who to avoid. He has the power to refuse the man. He knows he has the upper hand because as far as he is concerned, his mate is still liable to prosecution. If Minwoo wants to do something to him, he will throw the noble into prison. Owh, he will. Getting off the bus, Wonho walks ever so slowly towards his dormitory. Everything seems peaceful¡­ He no longer feels the need to rush indoors whenever he is alone. Sure, he still has nightmares, and problems with alphas in general, but it is better. He feels much better. He doesn''t need the pills as much as he did. Wonho jumps slightly. He senses someone familiar nearby. Kim Minwoo. Quickly turning around to face the alpha, he warns, ''Stay right there or you''re dead.'' ''Wonho. Let''s talk.'' ''Fuck talking. You''re not coming near me.'' He frowns at the scoff and the arrogant smirk from the alpha. Still so egoistic. ''What? Fuck talking you said? When the hell did you ever ''talk''? All you ever did was avoiding me.'' Wonho can feel his face twitch at the insult. Does the man think he is in the position to talk bad about him right now? And why in the world would he expect Wonho to just sit and listen to his excuse after all he did to him? No sane person will agree to that. ''Well you don''t have the right to get my attention in the first place.'' ''Don''t you dare.'' He hisses at another step, calculating how fast the noble can get to him if he was to turn and just dash back to safety. It is not looking good. ''Hurh¡­'' Minwoo finally sighs and gives up. After spending more than a week somewhere in the mountains, his head is finally clear enough to think of a way to prove himself. All he needs is a witness and he will be in the clear. And the witness needs to be the omega in front of him. Because he is the only one that matters. He wants Wonho to acknowledge him. ''Fine. Is here alright?'' ''The further the better.'' ''If you try to get away, I''ll chase you. You know I can catch you.'' He threatens the male; he can see the slight fear in the latter which he is quick to hide. Though it bothers him how much his simple words scares the man, he is determined to get his point across as quickly as possible, so he pays no mind. ''I didn''t do it.'' Before Wonho can say anything, he cuts, ''I can prove it to you.'' ''I don''t want any proof. Just stay away from me.'' ''Why?'' ''Because it doesn''t matter! Okay? Don''t appear in front on me again and we''re good! Easy!'' ''I don''t wanna do that!'' Before he knew it, he feels a vibration on his grip. He is now holding Wonho''s wrists, locking them as he pulls the man closer. Both the males are frozen, shocked by the sudden change in position, and too stunned to move. Minwoo holds his breath at the proximity, finding himself mesmerized at the omega''s beautiful face once again, the face he is so desperate to see for the last few weeks. Too entranced, he releases one of his hands as Wonho finally struggles to break away from him, almost punching him had it not been for his quick reflex to push the incoming hand away. ''FINE! I''LL DO IT!'' He shouts, hoping to calm the distressed man down, ''I''ll do a DNA test. I wasn''t not there. I didn''t do it.'' ''Let me go or I''ll break your face!!'' Wonho pulls on his firm grip on the other hand in vain. ''I SAID I''LL DO IT!'' ''AND I TOLD YOU THAT IT DOESN''T MATTER! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!'' ''IT MATTERS TO ME!'' He shoves Wonho''s hand away, releasing it at once. Instantaneously, Wonho holds the wrist with his left hand, rubbing it, as if it would bruise if he doesn''t. Maybe it would, Minwoo didn''t really care to hold in his strength. ''It matters to me. Wonho. I told you I didn''t do it.'' Wonho furrows his eyebrows, refusing to look at the noble who is in anguish. Catching his breath, trying to relax, Minwoo stares at the other, gripping his hand hard, trying not to touch. ''I didn''t do it. I would never do that to you. Never.'' ''Or we could just not meet again and continue with our lives. Forget we ever met.'' ''Wonho¡­'' Minwoo lets out a desperate breath. Why won''t the man try to understand him? What he is trying to do? Why can''t he just agree to it? ''I don''t want to! I want to be with you! I li- I like you! I told you that!'' ''And I told you I don''t want to see you again.'' ''Let''s see if you still think that during your next heat.'' Minwoo doesn''t know where that came from but he can see the horror in Wonho''s wide eyes. He too, shocked himself saying that and he bet the other never thought about the whole situation that far. He fucked up. He needs to leave for now. He will come back with the result and show it later. For now, he needs to disappear because Wonho is turning white, and he is starting to hyperventilate. He just sent the omega back into his nightmare. Fuck. Chapter 82 - That Night (Flashback) 1 /You''re now sitting on a table counter, ordering something from the bartender¡­/ The music is thumping in the background, of some sound unfamiliar to him, but something he can move his body along, nonetheless. The place is so strange, to put it in a way. Everyone is overly dressed for a small, unknown club, as if this place is one of the high-end ones. Minwoo is sure of it because, considering how small the bar is and the absence of a quality DJ, he doubts celebrities frequent here. Looking around, he realizes almost everyone is trying to mingle with each other, and groups of friends dancing without grinding on each other are almost non-existent. Maybe clubs here are different from clubs in Europe where people just go to dance. Good. Because he is looking for a good fuck tonight too. If everyone here has the same thoughts as him, it will make things easier. Sipping a bit of the beer he has just received from the bartender, Minwoo turns his body slightly towards the dance floor, scanning the whole place for any good-looking omegas, someone who would stand out from the rest. He intensifies his pheromones, calling out to them to cut his hunt short. He is not in the mood for dancing. /An omega is coming towards you¡­/ ''Hey alpha.'' Minwoo glances at the sultry male omega who is leaning against the counter, his body turned towards him, bent in an arch, perfectly showing off his flexible body. ''You''re a strong one, aren''t you?'' The omega touches his upper arm, looking at him, desperate for a taste. Smirking at the boldness, Minwoo glares at the male, looking at him up and down. He is not bad-looking, his ass small, but round. He should be able to handle him¡­ Turning around to look for another potential partner, the alpha spots a few female omegas making their way towards him, looking flushed. The one in white looks so pretty, Minwoo can imagine having her scream beneath him, her long straight hair in a mess. If she has a good scent, Minwoo would like to bring him home for tonight. ''Alpha. Look at me.'' The male omega besides him pulls his face and kisses him, needy. The man guy doesn''t smell bad either¡­ at least, his scent is not as strong, so he may actually work. If the white lady turns out to be an annoying one, Minwoo may just give the male what he wants. But right now, he is more interested in the sexy female. ''Handsome alpha~'' The man insists on his attention, starting to annoy him. Pulling the man away from him, glaring sharply to warn him to behave, Minwoo takes another sip of his drink before giving his attention to the female omegas who are now seated on his right. They are really not playing, everyone bending a bit to show their cleavages, hands on his shoulders and face, teasing him¡­ Damn. Horny omegas are the best! /The male omega is telling you something¡­/ ''Alpha. Fuck me tonight.'' The male omega, sensing his defeat, pulls Minwoo towards him again and places the latter''s free hand on his own butt, squeezing over it while straddling the noble as a last attempt to get his attention. He is tempted, but the female in white has a really good berry scent, which reminds him of the omegas back in Europe, though a bit different. Reaching his hand out to the female omega, the hand is pulled by the male above him who is really persistent. It is getting a bit tiring, having to reject him. Minwoo is about to push the man away before he whispers, ''I can do a threesome.'' Threesome? That, he is interested in. He never had a threesome before, but he is not against it. And Minwoo is an adventurous alpha so he would love to try it at least once. Now gaining his full attention, the man starts to sniff him, grinding on top of him, already too hungry to be filled. ''You have someone in mind?'' Minwoo puts the man back on his seat, locking his hips in place so he won''t be able to climb onto him again. ''You like another omega, or alpha?'' Minwoo doesn''t even bother to give it a thought. Obviously, another omega. Why would he want another alpha on his bed? They will only end up killing each other. Telling the man his desire, Minwoo finishes his beer as he waits for the omega to call up his friend. /What did he do after that?/ He is unsure of how many minutes passed, but he is already feeling a bit tipsy, which is weird considering he only drank a glass. He notices the female omegas are already gone, probably turned off by the male omega shouting profanities at them earlier. Now the man is playing with his hair, and Minwoo finds that a bit funny. ''You wanna try this?'' ''What''s this?'' Minwoo looks at the small bottle but before he can process what is happening, the man brings the bottle near his nose, causing him to inhale it in. Coughing automatically, he laughs at the weird sensation he just felt as the substance made its way down his nostril. ''It''ll make you feel so good.'' ''You''re so sexy.'' He grabs the omega''s head and crashes their lips together. He cannot wait for the friend to come any longer. The man alone will do just fine tonight. He is already so turned on right now he can just bend the omega over the counter and fuck him raw. /Did he give you anything else?/ ''Alpha¡­'' The omega pushes him away to take a breath, staring at the intoxicated alpha in front of him. ''You''re a noble?'' ''Yes.'' Minwoo pulls the man again, wanting another taste. This is so weird. He never likes doing this kind of stuff in public. He usually flirt around and bring them back, only playing with them once they are in a private place, but he cannot help himself right no. No, he can control himself, he just doesn''t care to do so. It is as if there are nobody else around them, the voices completely dissolved into the background as if he is underwater. The surrounding blurry he cannot make up anything. Just weird, muffled voice and moving splashes of unclear colours¡­. ''AHCK!'' Minwoo hisses at the pain on his thighs. Chapter 83 - That Night (Flashback) 2 Minwoo looks down at his thigh. He just felt something like a pinch, no, like something is injected. It hurts. Pushing the omega away out of reflex, he almost slams the man towards the wall if not for the buzzing in his ears causing him to lose balance and falls back down on his seat. ''The hell...?'' ''It''ll feel better, alpha.'' /His friend finally came. They are taking you somewhere./ Minwoo feels a hand on his shoulder and looks at the owner. It is another omega male who is a bit taller than the one infront of him. Unconsciously, he pulls the man onto his lap and starts to sniff him, taking his scent, like a hungry predator. He realizes this is out-of-character for him, his brain is telling him to behave but his body feels so good, almost to the point of euphoria, he doesn''t care anymore. The omegas'' scents are heavenly. He just wants to be inside them, filling them until he is dry. ''Not yet.'' The new male punches him teasingly, and Minwoo laughs softly onto his neck. He cannot wait to take them back. ''Let''s go to a hotel.'' He whispers to the taller one, kissing the neck, teasing him so the omegas will not waste time any longer. He hears them whispering, but he is too busy sucking on the man''s neck to care. The omega brings out a piece of paper, opens it and places it in front of him, and before he could wonder what it is, he feels the powder flows into his system. ''What di-'' ''Let''s go to our place¡­'' Minwoo looks at the shorter of the two who is now talking to someone on the phone. He is about to pull him closer but the taller one leans over and clings onto him. Somehow, Minwoo cannot help but do the same, continuing his attack on the new omega. This is so strange. They both seem so calm while he is the one desperate for the omegas. It is usually the other way around. He knows something is wrong but he cannot find it in himself to mind it. ''Who are you calling? Let''s go.'' ''Another friend.'' The taller answers and Minwoo giggles. Foursome. Shit. This is awesome. The two omegas have to support him to the exit because Minwoo keeps on stopping so he can have a taste at one of the two. He just cannot keep his hands off them, as if he is addicted to them. This is exciting. Two omegas on his bed, three omegas on his bed, and they are not fighting for him. He would never have dreamed about this. Korean omegas are the best!! Before he realized it, they are outside, heading towards a car. He senses an alpha. Dammit. The new alpha will try to take his omegas away! He cannot let that happen! Glaring at the male inside the car up front, Minwoo lets go of the two smaller males and is ready to fight before one of the omegas caresses his chest, ''He''s our friend. He''ll drive us to the hotel.'' ''I don''t want him near you.'' He hisses but is quickly calmed down by a kiss. ''We''ll have fun all night long¡­'' ''All night¡­?'' ''All four of us.'' The omega whispers, and Minwoo beams happily. His brain keeps telling him to reject the idea, that having sex in a room with another alpha is not going to end well but he just accepts it. ''Everyone''s gonna like you¡­ noble¡­'' Everyone''s going to like him.? That sounds so good. Owh¡­ everyone is going to love him! Minwoo chuckles blissfully as he feels the two guiding him towards the car again. /You can hear a familiar voice calling you¡­/ ''Minwoo-sshi!'' Minwoo turns around to see his bodyguard. It has been a while since he last saw him. The last time is¡­ Owh. A few hours ago. He ran away from the man. Haha. Why did he run away again? Who cares. Since they are going to have a foursome anyway, he should invite Chris to join him. ''Hey grim-face! Meet my new friends!!'' Woah. Chris just flew towards him. He didn''t know the man can do that! So cool! Owh. Why is he pulling the other alpha out of the car? Are they already starting? Here? In the open? He shakes his head to make sure he isn''t seeing wrong. Shit, his omegas are running towards the two alphas. Whoops, he just fell on his butt. Owh wow¡­ he just saw some lights flashing when he hit the ground¡­ ''Hey.'' Minwoo feels someone touched him and looks back to see another omega male he never met before. Is he joining them too? Wow. This is turning into an orgy! ''Where are we going?'' Hey! Chris just pulled the new omega away from him! The butler should at least leave one for him! Making his way towards the overly muscular Chinese man, who looks a bit different - his body looking as big as Hulk which he never noticed, Minwoo decides he cannot fight his bodyguard and turns back to sit. He wonders when Chris grew so much. He looks like a giant. ''Owh hi!!'' He beams when he is pulled back up by someone, and again, falls down on his butt as the person is pulled away from him. ''Run!'' That is Chris'' voice! The man really has a deep voice. It sounds so funny Minwoo chuckles by himself. Other people are making too much noise though, he feels really dizzy right now. He can only focus on the butler''s silly voice to block away all the others. ''Minwoo-sshi! RUN!'' ''Okay! I get it! I''m running!'' /Where are you going?/ He doesn''t know where he is heading but his legs are moving non-stop. He doesn''t know why he has to run but the air feels so good, as if they are hugging him tight. He should find an omega right now. Maybe he can make love to the wind instead since they feel so good. How should he fuck air? Chapter 84 - That Night (Flashback) 3 Finally slowing his pace when he notices the grim silence, Minwoo starts to walk into the dark alley. It is so quiet he can hear his own heartbeat. Or is that someone else''s heartbeat? Is he hearing someone''s heartbeat? Is he being followed? Laughing at his silly thoughts, Minwoo grabs an empty trashcan and drags it behind him to make some noise. He never knew the sound of trash can hitting the bumpy road could make such beautiful music¡­ he should do this more often. He should buy a steel trash can to put in his bedroom. But the smell¡­ Owh god. It smelled so bad. What is this smell? He needs to get away from here! Why is the smell following him?? Shit. He almost fell. Phew. That was close. Owh no, his trash can is gone! He must get back to save the musical instrument from heaven. But it is so dark.. And the pungent demon must be waiting for him back there¡­ Damn. Owh well. He can just get a new trash can. Getting back on his feet to run further, Minwoo''s nose catches a soft scent. It is an omega. There is an omega nearby! He should head there. The omega is calling him. Sweet, sweet omega. He can have the omega all to himself. Quickening his pace from excitement, Minwoo frowns as the scent gets stronger. There are alphas around as well. Owh heck. An orgy? But he wants the omega alone! Koreans sure love their orgies! So weird¡­ Should he just go and join them? His hard-on is hurting for quite a while now. It is strange because he forgot all about fucking but it is still hard as a rock. Maybe his dick is a bigger pervert than he is. Dicks must act based on their master''s wishes, his dick is broken. He should change it with a new one later. Fuck! Who the hell is howling?? Why were other people answering the howl?? It fucking hurts his ears! Must be some lowly alphas! He should teach them a lesson! Owh? The lowly alphas are near his sweet omega¡­ the omega''s scent is still so distinct even with this many alphas around. Minwoo''s jaw drops. He never saw this many alphas acting crazy, looking straight at the center. It looks like a fucking cult movie! /What are they doing?/ Walking towards the suspicious group, Minwoo suddenly feels heavy, his heat palpitating quickly, as if it isn''t quick enough with all the running. This is not excitement, this is fear¡­ But he is not afraid, he is curious. Why is he feeling cold? Why are goosebumps forming all over his body? The omega''s scent is so strong, shouldn''t he be turned on? What is happening? Finally reaching the end on the circle, Minwoo pushes the other alphas away, making his way towards the inner circle. None of them bother to fight him, which is a given since he is a noble, but that is not what is bothering him. All of them have their eyes in the middle of the circle, and a few are pacing back and forth in the inner circle, restless, as if they are waiting for something. What the fuck. Minwoo glares intensely at the two figures in the middle, thinking he is seeing something wrong. No, he isn''t. The omega is shaking under the alpha, and there is blood. The omega is scared. He is scared! That is what he is feeling! This isn''t a mating call! FUCK! THIS IS A CALL FOR HELP! WHAT THE HELL?? Looking around, Minwoo notices that nobody cares about what is happening in front of them. They are waiting for their turns! Why aren''t they doing anything?? WHY DON''T THEY NOTICE THE FEAR IN HIS PHEROMONES?? IS THIS FUCKING HAPPENING??! ''Hey! HEY!'' Minwoo pushes the male alpha who is closing his distance to the pair in the middle while rubbing his member. His blood boils just looking at the other filthy alphas. ''HEY!! HE''S SCARED!!'' He looks back at the omega who is frozen in place, unmoving as if he is already gone. That isn''t the look of an omega enjoying what is done to him. He is not in heat!! Why can''t anybody notice that??! /What? What is he saying?/ /It''s Dutch. The omega''s scared./ /I see. Minwoo-sshi, what did you do to the omega?/ ''GET OFF HIM!!'' Minwoo cannot stand it anymore and attempts on pulling the alpha who is attacking the omega but a few alphas stop him, growling at him, challenging him. ''FUCK!! YOU BASTARDS!! GET THE FUCK OFF HIM!!'' Minwoo intensifies his own scent, and again, until the alphas around him backs up in defeat. They are too intoxicated their instinct completely took over and Minwoo is thankful for that because some of them are larger than him and can beat him up good. The fact that he is in the middle, emitting his noble pheromones to challenge them without anyone fighting back is something he would never dare do had they been conscious, at least, not when he is surrounded by tens of alphas. Why is he doing it anyway? He should run. He should. Minwoo scans the place quickly, figuring of some way to stop this sickening situation. Nobody dares to make any move, giving him some space to think, but they are getting restless as the alpha above the omega finally calms down. And Minwoo is terrified, completely affected by the omega''s pheromones. He is panicking, even more than the omega himself! What is happening?? Owh no. Things are not looking good. If Minwoo doesn''t something, the other alphas will continue to ravish the omega unless he either somehow manages to calm down and lower his scent, pass out, or die. He cannot let that happen. No one should die like this! Again, Minwoo attempts to pull the alpha away from the omega seeing he is already laying still. ¡­wha-? What the fucking hell? The bastard is choke-holding the omega! Chapter 85 - That Night (Flashback) 4 The sweet omega whimpers in pain when Minwoo tries to pry the alpha away from him, which is impossible because of the strong hold on the omega''s neck. Sitting on the pavement, not knowing how to stop what is happening, Minwoo looks at the pale omega. He is starting to sob again. The sweet omega is crying. He is finally conscious, and he is fucking scared! And Minwoo can feel everything the omega is feeling! Fucking stop!! STOP CRYING!!! He cannot stand looking at the shaking omega who is too weak to do anything. He sees the helplessness in those eyes, the omega wants to escape but it is impossible. He can feel helplessness! He hates that! He cannot leave the man here! But he doesn''t know what to do! He cannot fight off this many aroused, aggressive alphas! ''STOP CRYING!!! JESUS!'' Minwoo gets up and pulls the dazed alpha''s hand away from the omega, throwing the man to the side when the omega is free. Maybe he can carry the omega away with him. ¡­Fucking hell. What the hell is wrong with these alphas?! They are already closing in again! They don''t even care about his presence! CALM DOWN! WHY WON''T THE OMEGA CALM DOWN??! HE CANNOT THINK RIGHT NOW! ''GET AWAY FROM HIM!'' He growls loudly at the crowd which renders them motionless for a while, before a few starts growling back. DAMNIT!! STOP CRYING! STOP PANICKING! WHAT THE FUCK?!! Pushing the other alphas away, Minwoo punches one who tries to pull the omega''s leg towards him. Shit. This is impossible. He cannot do this. They are acting like animals!! Why aren''t anyone doing anything to help?? ''Urghh!!!'' His ears hurt from the howling! Why are they howling?? Shit, another guy''s already on the omega! ''Get away from him!!'' He pulls the alpha off. This is useless. He cannot do anything. He should get away from here. But he doesn''t want to leave the omega alone. The omega looks so weak, so fragile. Minwoo needs to protect him. He needs to protect this omega. He needs to protect this omega. Protect. Getting on top of the omega, Minwoo pulls on his right shoulder, and another pushes the head away, revealing his bruised neck. This is the only way. He doesn''t have time to waste. ''Shh¡­ pretty omega. It''ll be okay.'' He whispers hastily. ''I''ll protect you.'' Closing his eyes, Minwoo bites the neck, so hard he can feel blood flowing out. He hears another wave of howls behind him but the sound is quickly diluted by the long beeping in his ears. His head turns blank, and as if his whole senses are broken, he can no longer feel anything¡­. The whole world seems like a dream¡­ ''AARGHHH!'' His brain is suddenly shocked by waves of electrics, travelling through his whole body, causing him to jump away from the omega who is starting to spasm. Fuck. What did he do? Minwoo feels his body being hit and turns back to see the alphas around him starting to regain their conscience, running away from the scene. It is a total chaos - everyone steps on each other, pushing so they can escape. Few of them collide with him and fall down but get up despite their injuries, never looking back. Staring at the omega in front of him, Minwoo backs away. He is not moving anymore; blood is oozing from his bite and other crevices. What did he do? Owh god. He- he killed the omega. Shit. His head hurts. He is starting to see stars. He needs to get away from here. He needs to get far away from here. Fuck. He killed the omega. Fuck. Minwoo doesn''t know how far he ran but he finally stops when his legs give in, throwing up the moment his knees reach the cold pavement. He- He just killed someone. He is a killer. He is the worst of all the alphas there. He is a piece of trash. ''Blearghhh!!!'' He vomits again as the image of the bloodied omega flashes in his mind. /You hear someone calling you¡­/ ''Minwoo-sshi! Are you okay?'' Minwoo feels someone holding his shaky shoulders, rubbing circles on his back to help him clear out his gut. He recognizes this voice. ''Don''t tell anybody¡­'' ##### ''Welcome back.'' Minwoo opens his eyes to the face of the woman in her late forties. She hands him some tissue and he realizes his is crying so badly his nose is stuffed. Chris is nowhere to be seen though, Minwoo finds himself searching for his companion. He feels grateful towards the man. Yes, he never thought he would think so himself, but he does. He realized the man saved him. Twice. Maybe thrice. Chris saved him from his own recklessness. After going through his memories with the hypnotherapist, Minwoo finally thanks her for her expertise. He never believed in this kind of thing, thinking it is bogus, but experiencing it firsthand, he has to admit it really helps him. He really hopes what he saw is the truth. That it is not something he just subconsciously created to run away from reality. Getting inside the car, Minwoo leans back against the backrest, lowering himself so he is almost in a laying position. Bringing a hand up, he rests his forearm above his eyes, covering them so his vision is completely dark, trying to relax, trying to find peace. ''What''s your decision?'' Sighing, Minwoo opens his eyes to look out the window, ''I''ll do the test.'' That shouldn''t be a question anymore. He should do it. Not because he needs to prove himself to Wonho. Not anymore. He might have come here to confirm what happened so he wouldn''t get himself in trouble when the result of the DNA test is out, but now, that is the least of his concern. Wonho is right, it doesn''t matter what the result is, the abuse still happened, he is still a victim, his attackers are all still free. One person proving his innocence won''t make things better. But he should still do it. He should do it because Wonho deserves to know. He needs to know the truth, not because Minwoo wants to be free of the accusation but because Wonho deserves to be at peace, at least inside the campus walls. He couldn''t help Wonho that night, but he can do this much¡­. ¡­but the real question is, how should he explain it to the omega? Chapter 86 - Mending Things 1 The phone buzzes again but one look at the sender and Wonho ignores it. It is already dark so it can only be Minwoo telling him he is going back for the day, along with his usual goodnight wish. Still finishing his project with the free software he installed a few weeks prior, the architectural student stretches a bit, satisfied when he hears the crack, and continues inserting the few details for the 3D model of the apartment he needs to submit the following week. Deciding to take a break after two hours, Wonho finally gets up to pour himself a glass of juice to quench his thirst. Another buzz is heard and again, although still very much reluctant, he takes another look at the sender. It is Chansol, asking him about his progress on the task he is doing. They may be in the same year due to his break last year, but Wonho still considers it his responsibility to ensure this junior of his graduate on time. Unlocking his phone, Wonho curses as he mistakenly clicked on Minwoo''s mail instead of his junior''s due to his wet thumb. ''Tsk.'' Now the alpha is going to see a small ''seen'' notification beneath his messages. After all his efforts to ignore the hundreds of messages from the man¡­ Quickly pressing the home button, Wonho opens the mail he intended to read in the first place. Wait. He thought he just saw the word ducks in Minwoo''s message. What about ducks? ¡­Since he technically already ''read'' the messages, it would not make any difference he actually does read it anyway¡­ so¡­ I think the ducks migrated :( Now there''s only swans. Anyways, I''m going back now. Goodnight. - Minwoo Owh, well, it''s already autumn so that is a given right? Wondering about that random message, Wonho scrolls back up to read all the other messages, curious to see if there is anything else the man wrote. He never noticed because, he never opened even one of them. He just read them from the notification just to see who it was from, and the moment he sees the name, he would put his phone down. It''s raining. Today sucks. I''ll be here as usual. - Minwoo I made friends with the swan. I think it''s the male one. I''m going back now. Goodnight. - Minwoo Some cat just showed up and slept beside me :3 She''s pregnant! Btw, I''m going back. Goodnight. - Minwoo Cat? He never saw any cat around campus before. And just based on the texts, he never knew there are that many animals at the lake. He only ever saw ducks and frogs. Pregnant cat? That, he would like to see. But since the alpha will be there every day until nighttime, there is no way he will go anywhere near that place. Maybe, if he is lucky, he can see the cat around the cafes or restaurants? She needs to eat right? Which means, someone must be feeding her. And his best bet is the ladies working there. God he is curious. ##### ''Aigoo!'' Wonho feels someone threw a back hug over him, warming him up from the cold weather. He doesn''t need to turn around to know it is Junjie, who has been complaining about his jacket not being warm enough. They argued about it, and Wonho chose to wear it every day to prove his point but Junjie is right, the jacket looks badass, but it is useless. But, there is no way he is going to admit that, because then, his friend will be right and will keep on mentioning it forever. Feeling something being inserted into his pockets, Wonho realizes it is hot packets. ''Just admit the jacket sucks.'' ''It''s warm.'' ''Yeah. I thought you''re a corpse.'' And right after Junjie said that, Wonho receives three more heat packs - two from Chansol and another from Mengyao. All three of them suddenly comment on the jacket, attacking him mercilessly until he has to admit he made the wrong choice. Glaring at Junjie who gives him his silly grin, Wonho feels his phone buzzed and quickly looks at it. I''m already here. It''s cold so wear warm clothes :) - Minwoo ''He''s still going there?'' He lifts his head at Mengyao, nodding slightly, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. Everybody knows about Minwoo waiting for him every single day at the exact spot even without Wonho having to tell them because they stumbled upon him a few times. But it seems, after he told them about what the alpha is doing, his friends decided to avoid going to the place, in case they would end up making things more complicated. ''It''s been 2 months?'' ''Yeah.'' ''You should ask him to stop.'' Mengyao continues. Though he hates what Minwoo did to his friends, he made it clear that he cannot stand how Wonho lets the alpha continue doing that without the intention of seeing the male either. Among his friends, the younger beta is the most emphatic towards other, no matter who, and he is not afraid to voice it out. ''I did.'' Wonho did, the first time he got the message, the second time, the next week; he gave up after that. He thought ignoring the alpha would make him stop but apparently not. It is already December, and he thought the cold weather would break his spirit but again, he is wrong. So obviously, he is not the bad one here. ''He''ll give up eventually. Come on.'' Junjie places his arm over his junior''s shoulder and gestures for them to keep walking. They are on the way to Mengyao''s place for a gaming session. Looking back towards the campus gate, Wonho stops, ''Guys. I think I''ll get some rest. I don''t feel so good.'' He is not lying; he doesn''t feel great. His stomach has been acting weird since noon and there is nothing he can do to make it feel better. Bidding his goodbyes, Wonho jogs back inside, waiting for the campus bus to take him near his dormitory. Once inside the safety of his room, he takes off the jacket and quickly turns himself into a human burrito, sleeping a few moments later. When he wakes up again, two hours has already passed but he isn''t feeling any better. Chapter 87 - Mending Things 2 Flipping his notebook, Minwoo stops as he sees the keyword he is looking for. Although the name would suggest otherwise, Endocrine and Reproductive System is not an interesting class for him. Currently, his favourite would be neurology, which is mentioned frequently in the subject he is revising, but for the most part, the only thing that keeps him in the class is the fact that he needs a pass to graduate and become a doctor. That''s it. Turning onto his stomach on the yoga mat he brought, Minwoo starts scribbling as he tries to remember everything he learned today. Since it is already December, night comes rather quickly so he only has two hours left of sunlight before he will have to go back to his room. Not to mention, it gets really cold at night, and today is colder than usual so he doesn''t want to be here longer than he needed. He has been waiting here, everyday ever since he got the DNA result back. Every single weekdays, from the time he gets off from class until it gets dark, for the past two months, maybe three. He asks Wonho to meet him every time, but the man never did. He won''t blame him, though. Minwoo did, almost killed him. If his memory of that night is correct, it is a miracle Wonho is even alive and running around. Away from him. Still focusing on the textbook, Minwoo sits up, sensing something familiar. This scent¡­ ...Wonho? Minwoo lifts up his head and looks around for the omega but there is still nobody around. Pulling out his headphones and putting his notes into the bag, Minwoo sits still, facing the lake, trying not to get excited. He can hear slow footsteps making its way towards him and holds his breath. He peeks to the left at the source of the sound until he sees his omega, seemingly reluctant to take another step forward. Seeing that hesitation, Minwoo sighs and hides his scent, trying to calm the man enough so he can at least get closer to the lake so they can talk without having to shout at each other. And it works as a few minutes later, Wonho gets further from the slope, and closer towards him, though only a few steps. ''You came.'' He finally starts, and he knows the other heard him because his hold on his own arm got tighter. He didn''t even say anything threatening and yet, that was Wonho''s reaction. It doesn''t feel good at all. ''Are you cold?'' There is no answer. Thought so. ''Why are you here?'' Still nothing. Licking his lips and taking a deep breath so he won''t burst, he gives up on the useless attempt to chitchat. ''I got the result.'' ''I told you I don''t need it.'' Finally. ''I know. But I did it anyway.'' Minwoo takes the envelope out of his bag and stands up to give it to the omega but before he can even make it a few inches, he sees the panic in the latter''s eyes, his legs in a stance indicating his readiness to escape. That is almost similar to the face he was making that night¡­ Frowning, Minwoo suggests, ''I''ll just put it right in the middle and come back here. I won''t come near you.'' Thank god he watches enough action movies to think about that negotiation technique. Getting back to his mat, he notices Wonho eyeing his every movement, just like a scared puppy. How it bothers him. ''Go on.'' He signals ''I don''t need it.'' ''And yet, you''re here.'' He knows it is inappropriate, but he really enjoys the slight shame in that beautiful face as the omega cannot find a word to counter that attack. Hey, he is frustrated too. He had been coming here, every day, sunshine or rain, until nighttime, surrounded by animals and insects, for the past two months, waiting for the man to come. He deserves to enjoy at least this much triumph. ''Are you gonna keep on standing?'' ''The rocks hurt.'' Minwoo smiles at that answer. He cannot recall the man ever saying that when he sat here last time they were together. That is cute. Getting up again, he lets out a loud sigh when again, Wonho goes full alert. ''Relax. I''m just putting this here.'' He leaves another yoga mat and gets back to his own. ''It''s more comfortable to sit on this.'' ''I''m not staying.'' ''Anything you say.'' Minwoo turns towards the lake, pretending not to care. And sure enough, Wonho is still there, just standing, staring at the envelope. ''Aren''t you going to at least take a look? Since you''re already here¡­'' He sees Wonho flinches a bit at his sudden voice and laughs a bit inside. Still so stubborn. ''You already know what''s written.'' ''I''m not telling. Read it yourself.'' He looks at the omega who has a worried frown. He doesn''t know how to take that expression. To be honest, he doesn''t know how to react to Wonho''s presence in the first place. What made him come here? If he wants to know the truth, why is he hesitating? ''I haven''t read it. I don''t know the result but I know I didn''t do it. The envelope''s still sealed.'' Again, Minwoo pretends to look away, and slowly, Wonho begins to make his move. Yes, he knows how to deal with the omega now. He had practiced with the feral cat last time and her reaction was exactly the same as Wonho''s - any sudden movement and she ran, any steps taken before she was ready and she hissed, and most importantly, if Minwoo placed some food, stepped away and pretended to look the other direction, she would come closer. Which is why he is convinced that Wonho is actually, a cat. Glancing at the omega a few moments after he hears the envelope being ripped off, he notes the change in the man''s expression, although very subtle. He knows it is negative from the softened look, but Wonho still has his poker face on. ''I know it won''t change anything. I, just feel that you need to know that. It''s fine if you don''t wanna meet me anymore.'' It is still silent, so very silent that Minwoo can hear his heart beating violently. He said what he said but he didn''t really mean it. He didn''t actually want Wonho to stop meeting him. He still wants the man, no matter how fucked up their situation are. Minwoo almost jumped in joy as Wonho places the yoga mat, still in the bag in its rolled-up condition, and sits on it as if it is a log. And there he is, just gazing towards the lake, his pretty white nose red from the cold. Every time the wind blows, he will close his small eyes, and Minwoo will just stare, feeling all giddy from the adorableness. Seeing how Wonho doesn''t bother saying anything, Minwoo reckons he is waiting for him to speak, maybe to clear things up. He has no idea where to start, ''I remembered. What happened that night.'' Chapter 88 - Mending Things 3 He notices the widened eyes, ''I saw what happened. I don''t blame you for acting like this. I would too...'' ''You saw what happened but you didn''t do anything.'' Shit. Did he say anything wrong? ''No, I wasn''t-'' ''Save it. Thanks for this.'' Wonho places the envelope on the ground and is halfway on standing up, ''I did something didn''t I? I claimed you!'' Fuck. ''AM I SUPPOSED TO BE THANKFUL FOR THAT? HUH? YOU LET THEM TAKE ME AND CLAIMED ME FOR YOURSELF! You''re no saint, fucker!'' He utters the last sentence, too softly to be taken as a murmur. ''That wasn''t what happened!'' ''That''s exactly what happened! I read the damn result so just leave me alone so I can break this suffocating bond.'' ''Wono! Stay!'' He growls unconsciously and as the result, Wonho sits back down, his face pissed and his hands in fists. Minwoo can see how his jaws tightens and tears are forming in his eyes as his body betrays his conscience. And he feels guilty for doing that. ''I wasn''t there when they ra- when they did that to you. I came later.'' ''Yeah right. Like anyone would believe that.'' ''It''s true. I saw what they were doing. There was nothing I could do so I-'' The words are stuck in his throat, literally choking him momentarily. And he knows Wonho already knows what he is going to say because he has a hand on his lower right neck, as if trying to hide it even though he is already wearing a turtleneck. ''I thought claiming you would stop another one from doing it. I''m sorry.'' ''Okay. I get it.'' Minwoo looks back at Wonho, surprised at the calm response, but what he sees isn''t the least assuring - the latter''s cheeks are already wet as he keeps wiping them off. ''So we''re done right? We just need to break the bond, and everything will be back to normal.'' ''Wonho, I''m sorry.'' ''I don''t care! I just want to break the bond! I don- I don''t want it!'' He wants to say something to defend himself but holds his tongue as Wonho hides his face between his knees and hugs them tight. It is a hard scene to see, and it makes him felt even more guilty. It is just like how he was reacting when they were at his place during his first heat - how stressful he was, how desperate he was to cry like this in front of Minwoo albeit him always trying to put up a strong fa?ade. ''Leave me alone... please. Just leave me alone.'' Shit. Did his command affected Wonho that much? He never thought about it that far. He should have never used it. ''I- no. Alright. I''ll leave. You won''t see me again.'' He did what he needed to, and this is what Wonho wants. He has no right to convince him otherwise. Not since he left Wonho on the cold pavement that night to save himself. Getting up, he gathers all his stuff before heading towards the man, trying to reach the only route away from the lake behind him. And as he gets closer, Wonho starts to scramble on his feet. ''Don''t worry, I won''t do anything. Just...take your time.'' Reaching the nearest bench, he sits down and looks back at the omega. Sure he told the man he would leave, but he is worried. Wonho didn''t bring his backpack with him. What if he has another panic attack and cannot take his pills on time? He may faint at the lake, and today is very cold he may freeze to death. He knew telling Wonho about this would lead to anything but a positive reaction, but still, it seemed too much for the omega to handle. Minwoo thought telling him what happened would help reduce his burden but based on the reaction, it didn''t. In fact, he might have added more to Wonho''s plate. This was a mistake. Rubbing his face in exhaustion, Minwoo tenses up as he detects Wonho''s strong scent. It abruptly intensified. It just occurred to him that Wonho had been trying to unsuccessfully hide his scent while they were together, and it doesn''t take a genius to figure out why he couldn''t do it when he had been doing it for more than a year. Wonho is in heat. ''Shit.'' Minwoo curses under his breath. He thought Wonho came here to meet him because he was ready to hear him out. Turns out he was wrong. Wonho didn''t come here to talk, he came here because he couldn''t resist the urge to be with his mate during heat. Just like the last time when Wonho found him in the isolated building. ''Shit!'' He grits his teeth. Obviously he cannot leave Wonho out here to take care of himself. He cannot trust the omega. Based on his current observation, with the man''s breathing loud and heavy, and his shoulders tensed, Wonho is clearly trying to hold it in, as if it is in his control. And based on him suddenly stopped crying, it looks like he didn''t realize his first wave is starting when he came here. Jesus. How in the world can he leave Wonho alone when the man cannot take care of himself? Releasing his scent a little, he is amazed at how quickly Wonho''s tensed shoulders relaxed a bit. He still cannot believe his eyes - Wonho is really his mate. If he had any doubt about it back then, this is proof enough. Waiting a few more minutes for the omega to calm down enough to stand up, Minwoo gets more and more concerned when he realizes that it will never happen. It is getting dark, and Wonho, obviously still oblivious of his omega nature, decided this place is safe enough to be his nest, just like what he wanted to do at the rooftop. Clearly, he only feels safe because Minwoo is there. He just never realized that. ''Wonho?'' He asks gently and the man jumps a bit, caught off-guard after he thought the alpha had left. ''What are you still doing here? I told you to stay indoors during your heat.'' Chapter 89 - Mending Things 4 ''I''m not in heat.'' As if Minwoo still didn''t know about it, Wonho tries to hide his scent again. It is apparently too much for him to do so, his veins already popping from his neck. ''Wonho. Stop acting stupid and go back to your room.'' ''I''ll leave when you''re gone.'' ''WONHO!'' ''I''M NOT IN HEAT! IT''S IMPOSSIBLE!'' Minwoo glares at the omega, trying to hold in his anger. This is the time where he should use his authority over his mate, but he saw how it affected Wonho a few minutes ago. He doesn''t want that to happen again. Clenching his jaws, he inhales deeply, closing his eyes as he asks about the reasoning for the ridiculous statement. Glaring back at him with his glassy eyes, Wonho responds, as calmly as he can manage, ''I took suppressant. I won''t get my heat.'' ''When?'' ''Three weeks ago. My heat''s over.'' Minwoo almost scoffed at the omega but tries to maintain his cool. He has to remind himself that most people taking suppressants are clueless about how it works either, that they just take it because that is the only choice they have. He has to remind himself that Wonho is not dumb, he is just desperate, because Minwoo tried use his heat against him the last time they were together. ''Do you even know how suppressant work? They don''t skip your heat, they delay it. Wonho.'' He pauses, trying to arrange his words to not appear too offensive. ''Please don''t take something you don''t know how it works. Just stop with all these pills already. God.'' He didn''t mean for the last part to be spoken out loud but it did, and the man heard it loud and clear. He is waiting for another fight which surprisingly, didn''t come. Wonho just stares at the rocks as he starts to tear again. ''I''m not...'' ''It''s already started right?'' Self-lubrication. He knows Wonho hates it. He gets grumpy when his pants start to wet. ''Let''s go. I''ll walk you back.'' He notices the slight discomfort on the man''s face, ''Behind you. As far as I can.'' Wonho nods obediently, which is again, a surprise. Smiling inwardly, he waits as Wonho takes little steps forward, trying his best to understand the man''s uncomfortable situation. He had been lectured greatly about it by Seungyun, so there is that, but he is also trying his hard not to scream again because he knows Wonho is finally trying to accept the situation for now. One wrong word and the omega may just hurt himself. ''We need to walk faster. You know how your heat affects me...'' Minwoo isn''t trying to threaten Wonho but he has to make it clear. Just as much as it pains Wonho to hold it in, it also hurts him to pretend his groin isn''t starting to get aroused. He isn''t expecting any response, in fact, he is hoping for Wonho to dash back out of fear but, the last thing he would expect is Wonho to stop walking and just stands there, biting his lips and clenching his fists. ''Wonho?'' ''Make it go away...'' ''What?'' ''MAKE IT GO AWAY!! MINWOO!!'' It took him a second to process what he just heard, but that is all the time the omega needed to fall on his knees and cry, like a child. Not understanding anything, Minwoo stoops down in front of him, hands awkwardly in the air, trying to figure out where to place them. ''I don''t want to do it...'' ''Urm, it''s not hard!'' Minwoo moves his eyes frantically around, trying to think of something to get Wonho back up again so they can reach his room as soon as possible. ''Just put the vibrator in and wait. Remember? Simp-'' ''I don''t have vibrators... I don''t want to do it myself! Minwoo...'' Owh damn. That deep voice crying his name, his body is reacting to it. And did Wonho just suggested for Minwoo to take care of it for him? Because...''I can''t. I''m sorry. You need to do it yourself...'' ''I don''t want to! '' Still panicking with his omega bawling his eyes on the ground, the young alpha grabs both sides of his own head, scratching it to find an any idea to stop this. To his shock, he feels Wonho''s hands on his shoulder and a few moments later, the man buries his face on his chest. ''I can''t do it. Minwoo!'' ''This is... Wonho. Stop, you don''t want this.'' ''Minwoo.'' He repeats again, as if merely calling his name calms his heat even the slightest, ''I don''t wanna be alone...'' ''Won, it''s the heat talking. We need to get you ba-'' ''No!!'' He feels the hug on his neck tightens, bringing him down on his knees, right in front of the omega. ''I don''t wanna go. I wanna stay.'' ''We can''t stay here!'' He tries to stand up with the omega, but the latter is holding onto him so hard, pulling him even closer, as if afraid that he might disappear. Which wouldn''t be far from the truth. He will, disappear. After he makes sure Wonho is safe in his room, he will return to his own and never come back here again. ''I wanna be with you! Please let me stay...'' The exasperated man whines on his chest, voice unclear from all his sobs. Gritting his teeth, trying to control himself and his body, the alpha finds that his resolution is too weak against Wonho''s begs. ''Don''t leave me. Minwoo! Minwoo!!'' Frowning, Minwoo returns the hug, knowing fully well what he is getting himself into. After this is all over, Wonho is going to regret it and will hate him for it. And there is no way that they can be fixed. But he doesn''t care. Because they are already over the moment he claimed Wonho that night. Wonho is never planning to meet him had it not been for the heat. So, he will do it. He will do it because this is the last time. Chapter 90 - Second Chance 1 [M] The slight bump irritates the alpha who keeps on pulling his omega''s head closer to his neck, trying to hide him from the rest of the passengers. Wonho is already an hour into his heat, his strong pheromones calling out to Minwoo, his desperation clearly shown as he tries to muffle his moans by clinging onto the younger one. Anxiously tapping his legs, Minwoo continues looking at the monitor for their stop, trying hard to ignore the others who keeps stealing glances towards them both. Had he been alone, he would have already made a scene, but he maintains his cool for the man in his embrace. Ten dreadful minutes later, they finally arrive in front of one of the welfare centers in their campus. He can tell the bus driver tried his best to reach here faster, Minwoo didn''t forget to give him a sincere nod. ''Wonie, we''re almost there.'' he kisses the omega''s forehead, hoping it will help him relax. Wonho''s heat is hurting him; Minwoo can see all the veins on his clenched fists, his neck, even his forehead. Hugging the man tightly, he makes his way to the registration counter, not giving any mind to the surrounding. Before he could say a word, the lady at the counter holds out her hand, ''I''ll just need one of your student IDs.'' She knows. She has a concerned face while she is working the registration. Few clicks later, a key card is passed towards the alpha, ''Protection''s inside the drawers. Other needs can be bought from the vending machine. Manual''s on the table.'' She makes sure to tell him before letting go of the card, to which Minwoo replies with a swift smile. ''Second floor!'' Pulling the omega inside and closing the door behind, Minwoo wasted no time in pulling their coats off, undressing Wonho from the peach sweater as quickly as he can. The soft, white skin glistening with droplets of sweat, Minwoo will never get enough of that view. It turns him on so badly he starts to breathe heavily to stop himself from jumping on Wonho. He can, but he doesn''t want to. Wonho got thinner from the last time they were together - his collarbones are protruding. It is concerning. It makes him sad. It makes him angry. ''Minwoo.'' The alpha, glancing up in response to his name being called, is greeted by the deepest kiss he ever had from the omega. Fuck conscience. Wonho wants this as much as he does. If he wants to hate him after this, he will gladly accept the beating. But right now, they both, want this. Sucking on the shoulder, Minwoo continues his way to the collarbone before he is pushed back. Wonho is trying to undress him as well but his hands are clumsy and too shaky to even pull it above the man''s head. Taking his own sweater off, Minwoo proceeds on unbuckling his belt. Wonho doesn''t appreciate the distance as he pulls Minwoo closer and traces his jaw with his tongue, not even trying to hide his desire as his hands rub the alpha''s biceps. The man really knows how to turn him on¡­ Minwoo pulls that tiny waist close and carries Wonho towards the bed, throwing him forcefully. Positioning the omega beneath him, he locks those delicate wrists on each side, not entertaining even the slightest attempt of domination. ''nnhH¡­AAhH!'' That sweet voice, that high note coming for Wonho. That captivating voice calling out the beast inside him. Shit. He doesn''t want to hurt Wonho. He needs to control himself. ''-woo! Ahhkk!'' ''Shut up¡­'' Minwoo hisses, clashing their lips together to silence the entranced omega. He loves this. He loves Wonho''s voice. He loves it so much he wants to make Wonho his. He wants to thrust into him so badly. He wants to taste every part of him, he wants to hear Wonho calling for him in desperation. He wants to be the only reason for him to cry. He wants to make Wonho cry in pleasure. He wants to make Wonho cry because he feels so good. Fuck. He wants to break this man. He loves seeing the stubborn Wonho begging for him. He loves seeing Wonho lose control of himself. He fucking loves everything about this omega! Throwing desperate kisses on the Wonho''s neck, Minwoo continues to ravish his chest as his hand moves lower, enjoying the shrunken stomach before resting his palm on the hard shaft. Squeezing it, Minwoo returns to the omega''s lips to muffle the moans, continuing to torture his member, rubbing it quickly until Wonho can only squirm madly to get away. ''Minwoo¡­ unh... inside¡­'' Wonho spreads his legs apart and pulls the alpha''s neck towards him, whispering in his ear, ''Please¡­ inside me¡­'' ##### Pulling Wonho''s left thigh towards his chest to make more space for his hard thrusts, Minwoo leans down, touching his chest to the man''s back, kissing the red earlobe. Wonho is left whimpering, no longer having the energy to respond to the sensual stimulus. He already came a few times, but unlike his first heat, he couldn''t get the release he so desperately needed with a mere ejaculation. And that made him confused and scared at the same time. Every chance he gets, Wonho will try to hold onto Minwoo for support. Not able to see his alpha makes him nervous, as if the man will disappear if he looks away. Feeling the fragile hand around his neck, Minwoo shifts his attention towards the omega who is trying to change his position. His body is twisted almost completely while Minwoo is still slapping their body together. Concerned, he finally pulls out, locking the tired male on his back before pushing his knees up to continue where he left. Wonho is clumsily moving along, hoping to chase his own climax. Minwoo notices his agony. He should, because it is his doing. He intentionally refused to grant Wonho the pleasure he much needed. He is unwilling to break his heat just yet. He knows how, he just doesn''t want to. He isn''t hurting Wonho, in fact the man is drunk in pleasure. Because of him. He makes Wonho feel good. Wonho needs him, Kim Minwoo, to feel good. And he will gladly do it for as long as he can. He wants to feel needed as long as he can. ''Please¡­ I can''t¡­'' Wonho tries to beg but only whispers can be heard. He is too exhausted to voice anything, even moans are draining him. ''-woo¡­ cum¡­ I want to cu-'' Claiming those swollen red lips, Minwoo stops moving as he feels periodical jerk coming from thinner male. Wonho is sobbing. He is sobbing hard. He looks so broken. ''Won¡­'' ''Too much¡­ Minwoo¡­'' Maybe he overdid it. Shit. ''Wonie, baby, it''s okay¡­'' Feeling the weak pull from the man beneath him, Minwoo takes him into his embrace, throwing kisses on his face to comfort him. He admits, he went too far. Wonho is only here to be taken care of, not taken advantage of. And he did the latter. Dammit. He is really a bad mate. He is a useless mate. Slowly, but gently, he starts the rhythm again, whispering soothing words to Wonho. The older has no self-control anymore, with no strength to hold himself back, nor the energy to push his orgasm faster. He can only hold onto the Minwoo, letting him take control fully. One final thrust and Minwoo feels the spurt on his abs. Completely aware of what is to come, the alpha pulls out before he would knot again, letting himself fall beside Wonho. The drained omega has already gotten into a fetal position as his shakes involuntarily out of intense pleasure. Heaving, Minwoo pulls Wonho close, letting his body fully cover the other''s smaller one. Having Wonho in his arms like this makes him feel complete. He realizes, this is the reason why he had been feeling empty all this while. And he could have had this a long time ago¡­ ¡­had he not run away to save himself. ''Forgive me, Wonho. Love you.'' Chapter 91 - Second Chance 2 The squirming figure beside him moves closer, and as the soft hairs poke into his nostrils, Minwoo moves his nose around to stop himself from sneezing. He tries to rub the hairy thing away from him but his hand feels very heavy. Wha¡­ Owh. Between his eyelids, Minwoo sees a bundle of hair belonging to the beautiful omega. And at this distance, he can really enjoy his alluring scent, as sweet as its owner. Wonho is fast asleep, facing away from him, but he is holding onto Minwoo''s hand over his chest while his head is resting on his other arm. No wonder he cannot move them. The room is really bright it hurt his eyes. Minwoo has to narrow his eyelids so he can focus on something without getting a headache. There should be a clock somewhere¡­ Urgh. His neck hurts. He cannot move much in this position without letting go of Wonho. But he doesn''t want to let go¡­ Can he just pull Wonho on top of him and carry him around? No. Wonho needs the rest and he is tired too. Sighing, Minwoo places a soft peck on top of the unconscious one''s head, sniffing deeply, as if he would gain something from doing so. Motivation to get up, maybe. Slowly liberating his arms, Minwoo leans against the headboard. It is only 9 o''clock. Looking back at the sound asleep omega, he deduces that the man won''t be waking up until early morning, or at least for another hour or so. The probability of them spending the night together here is really high. Of course, he can always just leave Wonho alone but, no way. Not again. ##### The fact that the facility has a fully functional hot shower is beyond him. He was expecting a cheaper shower set because - university facilities, but that is not the case. Maybe he underestimated Korean university too much. Or maybe, this is because this building is the one closer to the arts department. He doubts it would be as good if they were at the one near the medical department, just like all the other worn out buildings there. Putting his shirt back on with his boxer, Minwoo brings out a damp towel to start cleaning his omega. He can imagine how grumpy Wonho will be if he wakes up with his bottom wet. It is his fault the bed was soaked anyway, he should at least do this much. He did, drained the man off his energy. He shouldn''t expect Wonho to be able to stay awake to clean himself after that long session. ¡­fuck. Not again. Goddammit. He forgot the condom. Again. And surprise - there is a bunch inside the drawer, just like what the receptionist told him. Owh well, not like he can turn back time¡­ ¡­fuck. What the hell was he thinking?? Looking at the digital clock, he gets up on his feet. It is already 9:30. He should go down to see if the pharmacy is still open. ##### The room feels really comfortable. The smell¡­ this is not his room. There is warmth beneath his body¡­ Frowning, Wonho tries to open his eyes slowly but decides it is too comfortable to break his half-asleep state. He can still save himself as long as he keeps his eyes close. Then, his brain won''t notice he is awake¡­ ¡­but this is Minwoo''s¡­ Forcing his small lids open, Wonho is stunned as he is greeted by the noble staring back at him. Awkwardly looking around with his body still frozen inside the man''s embrace, Wonho takes note of the arm around his back, locking their bodies together. ''Hey.'' He opens his mouth to answer but no sound comes out, only whistle-like noise. Flustered, he attempts on clearing his throat in vain; the vibration only succeeds on hurting him. There is a gentle rub on his shoulder; he doesn''t know how to feel about it. He likes it, he wants to enjoy the soft feeling it gives him, but his brain is screaming for him to get away. There is a voice on the back of his head telling him to push this alpha away from him. Because this alpha hurt him once, and he will do it again. This alpha shouldn''t be trusted. But he doesn''t want to. He feels really safe right now. The safest he ever felt since he got back to campus. And that, is what bonds do. He read the books; he knows this much. ''Here, water.'' Wonho didn''t notice Minwoo had gone to pour him a glass of water which he readily accepts. The man also, passes him a familiar looking pill, ''I did it again. Sorry.'' Shit. Panicking, Wonho shifts his body as he looks around for a tissue box or a towel. He needs to clean it as quick as- ''I cleaned you up. You were asleep for a while.'' He releases a sigh of relief, touching the black shirt on his body. This is not his¡­ and boxers¡­ ''Your, clothes. It was dirty so I washed them. The store downstairs sells cheap shirt and undies for,'' Minwoo pretends a cough, ''I guess for stuff like this¡­'' Noting a similar looking one on the other, Wonho nods as he puts the pill in his mouth and proceeds to wet his throat. That feels so, so good¡­ ''Want anything to eat?'' Wonho avoids looking at the younger male, eyes wandering around to search for the time instead. This doesn''t feel right. He should not be here. But he doesn''t want to leave either. He is still very exhausted. But he needs to get away. Break the bond. ''It''s late so the restaurants downstairs closed. We need delivery.'' The soft voice breaks him from his thoughts again. This is suffocating. This dilemma he is feeling, this is too much. He wants this to stop. He wanted this to st- ''Wonho? Are you okay?'' ''Min...'' Wonho stares at the concerned pupils gazing back at him, trying to hold the urge to cry. He doesn''t want to feel like this. He wants to be able to accept, or reject the man clearly. He cannot deal with this ambiguity. This, this confusion. The constant war in his head. The tiri- Owh. What just happened? Grabbing the hands on his cheeks, Wonho studies the alpha in front of him who has just placed a kiss on his forehead. He doesn''t know what Minwoo did, but it stopped. Did he suck the bad thoughts away? Can nobles do that? Like some kind of magic shit? ''You hungry?'' Wonho nods. He is really hungry. No, he is famished. He hasn''t eaten from lunch¡­ The sudden movement from the alpha triggers something in him and Wonho reacts by grabbing his hand and pulling the alpha back, just enough to stop him from leaving. That seems like a surprise to the latter, which is expected. Wonho even surprised himself. ''There''s a few pamphlets on the table. I''ll just bring them here.'' Minwoo caresses his cheeks softly, and Wonho feels himself blush. Why did he do that? God, so embarassing¡­ ''Jajangmyeon looks good. Hrmm¡­'' Minwoo sits back on the bed and spreads the pamphlet for easier comparison. He already has something a few hours earlier so he can survive, but he is really sure that Wonho will refuse to eat if left alone. And that man, needs food. Lots of food. He needs fats. ''Cheeseburger.'' ''Hrm?'' Minwoo tries to search for any burger flyers to no avail. Maybe he heard wrong? ''I want cheeseburger. Give me cheeseburger.'' Chapter 92 - Second Chance 3 It was a hard task trying to find the healthiest cheeseburger for his mate who wouldn''t settle for anything else, but he did, and Wonho thoroughly enjoyed it. And now he is on the carpeted floor, lying down as if the bed is not only a few steps away from them. That is unhealthy. He wants to complain about it but choose not to. He doesn''t want their last moment together to end with him scolding the pretty thing. ''Where are you going?'' Minwoo stops buttoning his coat halfway at the sudden question. He thought Wonho is trying to get back to sleep. ''Are you leaving?'' ''You don''t want me here.'' ''I don''t.'' That short, sure answer feels like a stab. He knows this was coming but that doesn''t make it any less painful. ''I''ll leave you alone.'' ''Now?'' ''Before your next wave comes.'' ''Why?'' Confused, Minwoo turns to the omega who is now sitting up. He is expecting something, Minwoo doesn''t know what. ''Because¡­ you don''t want me touching you¡­?'' ''But you touched me. We had sex.'' ''That was different. You needed help.'' ''And fucking me was the only way.'' How should he react to that? Now that they are both calm, he realized that, yes, he had other choices. But he chose to sleep with Wonho. He had no excuse for that. ''I''m sorry. I wasn''t thinking straight. I am now. You want me to leave you alone. I''ll do that.'' ''I didn''t want the bond either but you never cared. You looked for me and made sure the bond stayed strong when I tried hard to break it. What changed?'' So that was it. What Wonho wanted to say to him. The ''talk'' he always pushed the omega of having. It is finally happening. ''Wonho, that wasn''t¡­ I didn''t know we were mates¡­'' Both of them were clueless of the other, there wasn''t any obvious signs. Even the people around them didn''t know. He wasn''t guilty of that. If anything, since Wonho remembered some of his attackers, shouldn''t he remember Minwoo too? Not that he is blaming the omega or anything¡­ ''That might be true last year, but you know about it now. You knew about it and you still wanted to meet me at the lake. Why? I clearly didn''t want this, you knew what meeting me means. And yet you¡­'' Their meeting was not his fault. ''You came to me yourself.'' ''Because you fucking told me to!'' He knows he should be patient with the omega since the latter would be agitated due to his heat, but he feels like he is being bullied. ''You didn''t come to me the first time I asked you to. Not last month. Not last week. I didn''t threaten you. You came to me, because you wanted to.'' ''Because of my heat! Shouldn''t you know that? Being the omega-expert you are? What did you expect me to do?'' Minwoo clenches his jaws at the question. He wanted Wonho to meet him, that was true. ''I only wanted to give you the result¡­'' ''And what?'' And what? He isn''t sure what he wanted. He wanted Wonho to be free from his trauma? He wanted Wonho to be able to relax? No, that was the lie he told himself; he actually wanted to be with Wonho. He is hoping for a second chance. ''Were you actually thinking about me? About what I wanted when you waited there everyday? I wanted out. You, didn''t let me.'' ''Wonho¡­ I''m sorry. I forgot¡­'' He messed up again. Again and again. He knows Wonho is bound to him. He knows how bonds work. But those are always two different things for him. It just never clicked¡­ ''Good for you. I guess claiming someone against their will and almost killing them is a forgettable thing for you. I want that kind of memory too.'' Fuck. FUCK! He knows he deserve the beating but this is too much for him to accept. This, and that, are completely different things! He had his reasons for forgetting the night! ''WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THEN?'' ''I DON''T KNOW WHAT I WANT!'' Wonho stands up as he screams his confusion. Feeling all his muscles tensed at the perplexing confession, Minwoo moves his eyes left and right, his mind in disarray. Should he get mad? Should he leave? Wonho clearly conveyed his displeasure towards him. Maybe that is why he stopped Minwoo from leaving? So he can spat on his face for the last time? ''I don''t want you to leave¡­'' God. He really cannot understand this man. ''You hate me.'' ''I hate you. So much. Fucking hate you.'' Minwoo bites the wall of his mouth to stop himself from reacting. He never feels so little of himself until right now. People have only ever loved him or hate him out of jealousy, and in some occasion, annoyed by him but they never affect him even the slightest. ''You bit me and left me there. I thought¡­'' He hears a hiccup. Finally finding the courage to face Wonho, his heart breaks into pieces. His omega is crying again, but now, he can feel the misery. It is all around them, sprinkled in his distressed pheromones. ''-One of the alphas¡­ disgusting alphas¡­'' ''Wonho.'' ''It was so hard for me to¡­ you¡­ I thought he''ll find me and, and do it again, I- everyday I-'' Shit. He cannot let the man speak anymore. Running towards him, Minwoo pulls Wonho into his arms tightly, pushing his head into his shoulder. ''I''m sorry I left you back then. I shouldn''t have left you.'' ''I hate you.'' He fels the weak push on his chest. Squeezing him firmly, Minwoo plants a kiss on the top of his head, his forehead, rubbing his cheek onto his head. ''I''m sorry. I won''t leave you. I''ll never leave you again. Let me stay with you.'' ''Don''t leave me.'' ''Never again. I''ll take responsibility. Give me another chance.'' Minwoo feels a hand enveloping over his waist. ''I''ll protect you. I promise.'' Chapter 93 - Second Chance 4 Minwoo doesn''t know how he get from being the ultimate playboy to the alpha overly obsessed over his omega in less than a year. Less, because he had been obsessed with Wonho the moment he laid his eyes over the pale stranger at the lake that orientation night. And that night, he completely forgot about other omegas and betas. His whole world revolved around finding this man, trying to make himself known. Trying to become a part of his world. Maybe it was because of his unconscious guilt of leaving him that night at the alley, or maybe he is just attracted to Wonho because of his charms. He doesn''t care. Wonho is now in front of him, playing his video games and laughing his heart out. He would never imagine this to happen last week. ''Wonie, kimchi fried rice. Like you ordered.'' ''I said kimchi ramen.'' ''And I made you fried rice. Eat.'' ''Why you gotta hate on ramen?'' Wonho mumbles as he walks towards the table counter, at his usual spot. Smiling to himself, Minwoo moves to the other side and sits beside him. ''I''ll make you ramen if you put on more weight.'' Wonho scoffs at him, ''Everyone can make ramen. I don''t need you.'' ''You don''t want to eat the one I make?'' Minwoo teases, enjoying the small pout on the other. He knows Wonho love his cooking. It is always evident on his face whenever he eats. And Wonho always finishes his meals when with Minwoo. He seldom does so with his friends. ''Wonie, do you want to live here? Aishh!'' Minwoo quickly grabs a tissue as the bits of rice flew all over the table straight from the omega''s mouth. As their glass are also victims of flying rice, he has to grab another one to fill them with water and hands it to Wonho who is coughing. ''What do you mean?'' ''We''re mates. If you''re not familiar with that term, it''s the equivalent of marriage in beta world. We should live together.'' Noticing the frown and the lack of hand movement, Minwoo knits his own. ''You don''t want to¡­'' ''We just made up. I haven''t sort out my feelings yet. I still have a lot in my mind. And I''m messed up. It''ll take more time for me.'' ''We''re bonded. It''s only natural.'' ''I didn''t agree to the bond.'' Wonho takes big gulps of the plain water before looking up at the alpha, ''That''s just the fact. A fact that I''m trying to accept. I, still have a lot I want to achieve in life. I''m not ready to settle down.'' It takes a while for Minwoo to finally agree to that. He acknowledges the fact that the bond was forced onto Wonho, he admits it was his mistake, no matter the intention. He also realizes how Wonho is trying to pick up the pieces of his life and heal his wounds. He knows he is asking for a lot. ''I still need to work on my feelings for you. I mean, even YOU have to admit the thing about being drugged and blacking out is hard to buy. I mean, come on. Right before? And even then, you just happen to be the only one not affected? Are you a super-alpha or something.'' Minwoo puts his bowl down, not pleased with what he just heard. ''You don''t believe me.'' ''I mean, I trust you but we both know that''s the bond. I want to, believe you. I need time. It''s not easy.'' He feels a hand on his left and watches as Wonho caresses the back of his palm, to reassure him about his feeling. Though he hates it, he already promised himself to try and understand Wonho. So he will. ''I, also have a lot of explaining to do¡­ to the guys and¡­'' Owh god. His friends. Why can''t their relationship only involve just the two of them? ''Why should they care?'' ''Because they were there for me when you weren''t. You might''ve helped stop the attack, but they helped me survive it.'' ''Fine. But you don''t ignore me like you did everytime we part ways.'' It is difficult for him to let Wonho out of his sight because every time they get intimate, something bad would happen and Wonho would avoid him again. It happened twice; he isn''t sure he can take the third. ''And you need to apologize to Jun.'' ''The bastard started it.'' ''And you fucking deserve it.'' ''The hell?'' ''You remember how you left me that night?'' Every fucking night since he regained his memory. How can he forget the horror displayed in front of him? ''That was how he found me. And you know what? He called the police. He didn''t leave me.'' ''Won-'' ''-And if he was late for a few minutes, I could''ve died and you wouldn''t even remember what you did to me. He dealt with the police and lawyers for me. He told my parents about what happened for me. He fucking help me stay in the university. So you deserve that beating because I would''ve done the same thing to you for him.'' Minwoo wants to argue that Junjie messed up by asking him to let go of the case, but he knows it will only backfire back at him. Pouting, feeling neglected by his own mate, Minwoo continues to eat his rice without any more questions. ''Sorry.'' ''Tell that to him. You broke his nose and ribcage.'' ''Yeah I did.'' He almost grinned triumphantly before noticing the scary look Wonho is giving him. Fuck Gu Junjie. ''If you keep putting him before me, I might break his face.'' ''And I''ll break yours.'' ''Tsk.'' Minwoo grits his teeth as he takes a piece of chicken and places it into Wonho''s bowl. He hates the Chinese beta. ''But I get to be with you everyday.'' ''I dunno¡­'' ''Everyday.'' Minwoo glares at the omega, daring him to challenge his request. ''Even weekends.'' ''But I need my privacy¡­'' ''Every-'' ''Okay. Fine. It doesn''t have to be long right?'' Wonho rolls his eyes, wondering what kind of mess he just got himself into. ''And finish your food.'' ''Tsk.'' Wonho gives the alpha a dirty look as he stuffs everything into his mouth. He notices the man smirking in satisfaction, which is enough for him to feel relieved. At least, they have come up with some sort of agreement over their status. No more confusion there. Owh yeah. He forgot something important. Probably the most important. ''Minwoo?'' ''Hrmm?'' ''I want to go back to my parents.'' Minwoo seems surprised, but smiled at him nonetheless. ''I''ll let you go. But call me everyday.'' ''What are you talking about? You need to go with me.'' This was unexpected. After all the things about sorting out his feelings, Wonho wants Minwoo to meet his parents. They are already at that stage of their relationship? Fighting his urge to smile widely, Minwoo pretends to act cool and nods. This is exciting. They will love him. Chapter 94 - Confrontation 1 If he can say anything about this situation right now, it will be d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Like before, just a few weeks after he first made up with Wonho, Sangcheol called him out for coffee. That meeting didn''t end so well. So now, only a few days after Wonho agreed to give them a shot, he can only assume the same thing will happen. They will end up arguing, and this time, it may not end up with a mere silent duel. This time Minwoo is prepared to fight. Because this time, Wonho said he would try. And if anyone tries to get in between them, he won''t hesitate to beat the shit out of them. Because they have no right. Unless, of course, that someone happens to be his omega''s parents, in which case, he will probably beg for mercy. Even with all those crazy thoughts running through his head, Minwoo still finds it hard to leave the comfort of his car into the cafe. So, like before, he walks around in circles, contemplating whether he should just leave. These things need strategizing, and his initial plan was to start with the two mellowest members of the pack - Chansol and Mengyao, not the big boss. He didn''t even tell Wonho about this, not wanting to worry the man, but now he wished he did; because then, at least, someone would keep them both in check if one of them starts to threaten the other. ''Fuck it.'' Minwoo pushes through the entrance straight to the counter. This time, the cafe is not as packed so he can spot the older alpha at once. Sangcheol is flipping the menu, looking relaxed with his small smile and his fallen shoulder. It is as if his defense is all down. Which is a surprise. Minwoo doesn''t know how he should approach the man. He thought aggressively, but now that will not be appropriate. Walking forward anyway, Sangcheol calls to him cheerfully which further confuses him. He knows the man hates him for what he did, they all do, so him being kind like this is a shock. It frightens him a bit if he is being honest. It is like the calm before a storm. And he doesn''t want to experience the storm. Not a few days into his new start. His and Wonho''s relationship is still too brittle to pressure. They might break. As manners require, they each order their coffees and remain friendly until the first sip. And by friendly, they stay silent. Their last meeting wasn''t pleasant so both cannot even try to start small talks. And this, is the longest 5 minutes Minwoo has ever experienced in his life. ''I heard what happened.'' Finally, Minwoo thought. Truth be told, he wants this to end as quickly as possible. But since he wasn''t the one inviting, he has been wondering when Sangcheol would finally get to the point. ''Yeah we''re together. It''s none of your business. ''Shit. He doesn''t mean to sound offended. He just wanted to put it out there. ''I mean, that night. What you did to Wono.'' ''Owh. Yeah. And Wonho decided to be with me. So lemme just tell you, mind your own.'' He decides to go with the threatening tone anyway because right now, he really doesn''t care. Wonho already made up his mind. And the fact that Sangcheol came to talk to him alone only suggests that the man cannot put his stupid idea into Wonho''s head, so he chose to confront him instead. So really. He shouldn''t and won''t care. ''I heard you didn''t do anything to him when he was in heat.'' Minwoo almost laughed. Wonho told them that much? He knows they are close, but he didn''t expect Wonho to tell them about his heat because, privacy. Of course, what the omega told them is a lie anyway, so it doesn''t count. They both did something during his heat. MORE than something. ''Wono told you that?'' ''Seungyun.'' On second thought, of course it wasn''t Wonho. His man would never. He is too private of a person to spread such a thing around. ''He was with Chansol when you called to ask about the omega house.'' Rolling his eyes, Minwoo sighs. No wonder his friend was so cranky when he called - he interrupted their date. Slowly nodding his head, Minwoo taps his fingers on the table while looking around the cafe. He thought he knew where this meeting was going, but he was wrong and now, he is clueless and anxious to be back in his room. ''And I heard about what you did the night Wono was¡­ that night.'' Minwoo finally drinks his coffee; it is bitter. He really doesn''t like to be reminded of that night. It has been haunting him for months since he recalled the events, and he finally had his first good night sleep since then when Wonho was with him. And now, he reckons Sangcheol will try to undo everything and force him to feel guilty. This meeting will not be pretty. ''For what it''s worth, I believe you.'' ¡­maybe he misheard that. Though he has been back for a while, he still tend to misinterpret some Korean words- ''As a fellow alpha who knows how hard it is to resist being near omegas in heat,'' there is a pause where Minwoo figures the older is trying to find the right word - Sangcheol''s stiff shoulders and formal choice of words is evidence. Maybe it is the frown on Minwoo''s face, or his frozen fingers that gave out his confusion, but he is secretly glad it did. ''I admire you trying to send Wono away. Not many can. Especially not with Wono.'' A loud exhale, ''So I believe you''re capable of helping him that night without doing anything more.'' Wait. All he could hear from that long sentence was how hard it is to resist Wonho. What the fuck? Did this alpha just said he''s barely able to control himself around Wonho? And the fucker hangs out with him every single day. ''What did you say about Wonho?'' ''I''m bonded. Chill boy.'' Sangcheol laughs through his nose, ''I just said something good to you. That''s the only thing that got through your head?'' ''Try me.'' Minwoo continues to provoke the older. He is not used to this. This can be his way of trying to lessen the blow which will come. He knows it is coming. Because in this situation, there is always a but. ''You know the thing about claiming him without doing anything else sounds too good to be true right? Nobody''s that virtuous.'' Minwoo smirks at that accusation. Just as he expected. He was about to open his mouth before the other adds, ''Had it been anyone else, I would''ve called bullshit. It''s weird, I know, but I believe you.'' ''Because I didn''t touch him? Heol. That''s easy. Thought it would take more convincing.'' ''Do you know why those alphas did that to him?'' Chapter 95 - Confrontation 2 Minwoo frowns, puzzled at the question. He never thought of the reason. Because after all, the why doesn''t matter; what mattered is that it happened, and Wonho was hurt. But he has to admit, that night was weird - how the alphas were circling him without a bit of conscience. Heck, they even howled like some uncivilized barbarians. ''He had a burst of pheromones which the alphas mistook as heat. Every alpha around him tried to mate with him.'' Minwoo shifts in his seat. Just hearing this makes him uncomfortable. He knows how scared Wonho felt that night because he felt it too. The horror, the confusion. The hopelessness. The desperation. The darkness. He felt it too. ''The doctor said it would be stronger during his actual heat. That''s why he''s terrified of it. But when it happened, you weren''t affected by it. That''s proof enough for me.'' ''If only everyone else are as trusting as you.'' Minwoo tries to mock the other. He cannot trust anything coming out of Sangcheol''s mouth right now. It is too different from how he imagined things would go. Sangcheol should be the hardest to please, not the easiest. There must be a catch. ''They don''t know how hard it is to be an alpha. They think resisting an omega is as easy as resisting food.'' So that was it. The catch. Who would have thought the reason why they would never get along became the one reason Sangcheol is now on his side? Feeling relieved, his own wall breaking just a little, Minwoo scoffs, ''That''s not even comparable.'' ''It''s not.'' Both the alphas sigh simultaneously, remembering how hard it was the first time they were near a free omega in heat - Sangcheol, during the time he was a free alpha, and Minwoo, before he had to learn to control himself. And both are thankful of their current situations with the former being bound to his mate, and the latter being a noble with excellent self-restraint in his DNA. Feeling relaxed enough for a small smile, Minwoo finally looks at the older alpha. He is not showing any sign of hate or aggression at all. He is really, laid-back. Seeing the younger''s expression, Sangcheol gives him a big assuring grin. And out-of-the-blue, Minwoo''s face drops again. ''I left him there.'' Sangcheol drops his too, but quickly picks it back up, forcing himself to smile a bittersweet smile. ''Isn''t it ironic? I left him too. We almost lost control of ourselves so Chansol and I left. We were afraid we would hurt him, and ran away. The only ones who knew what the alphas were capable of doing, ran away to save themselves, and left Wonho with the two clueless betas.'' Minwoo cannot believe his ears. All this time this alpha in front of him was acting all high and mighty, as if Wonho is his when the fact is, this was all his fault. That night might not have happened if Sangcheol was brave enough to protect Wonho until the end. ''Yeah. To tell you the whole story, we were all with him. And to be honest, we didn''t leave because we were afraid of hurting him. I left him because I was afraid of him. I am mated, and he still affected me. Chansol was already as drunk as the others. So I admit, I had no right to treat you like shit. I''m sorry.'' This is unfair. Minwoo knows he should hate this apologetic, pathetic alpha in front of him but he cannot. He just can''t. All he can feel is frustration, but there is no outlet. He needs to let go. He wants to scream or curse at the man. But this is not the situation to do so. ''I almost killed him.'' ''You did what you had to. His circumstance is just special.'' Fuck. Why isn''t Sangcheol triggered by that? Why does he have to be so supportive?? Feeling his face warming up, Minwoo pulls his cup near his lips and gulps. ''I didn''t know he''d react like that to a bonding.'' ''Yeah. I know. Nobody would. Heck, those cops threatened to throw us to prison cus they didn''t believe us.'' Sangcheol laughs bitterly at the memory, surprising Minwoo who is still in the process of blaming himself. ''Fucking cops.'' The noble is shocked to hear that. He knows about the cops coercing Wonho to sign the stupid agreement, but he never heard about his friends being threatened to be put into jails. Hearing that, he finally realizes how chaotic that night was, after he left. Not the apocalyptic sight he saw, but the aftermath. Like Wonho said, Minwoo stopped the attack, but the ones who had to clean up after him were his friends. The cops, the doctors, the parents, the university; what they had to go through, he didn''t. ''Wono, that night, he just presented.'' Minwoo remembers Junjie saying something close to that when they beat each other up, ''I think that was less than two hours after his sudden present. Other omega''s would''ve been fine with the bond. Wono is just, not capable of accepting it yet. It wasn''t your fault.'' Sangcheol looks up to him, catching him off-guard and Minwoo shifts his gaze. ''I, for one, am thankful for what you did. You did great.'' His face feels numb. No, to be exact, the muscles of his cheeks, right below the eyes are vibrating, and that is all he can feel. Minwoo doesn''t know what to say to that. Biting the inner walls of his mouth as he moves them around, Minwoo purses his lips. ''Minwoo, let''s be friends.'' He wants to leave. He needs to leave. Suddenly standing up, Minwoo hastily brings out his wallet to take out some bills. ''It''s on me.'' Sangcheol tries to reject it but Minwoo doesn''t want to argue so he walks away. ''Sangcheol, thanks for the talk. I- see you around.'' Pulling out his car keys, Minwoo starts the engine and drives away. Anywhere. He doesn''t really have any place in mind. He just needs to get away. Chapter 96 - Confrontation 3 Minwoo doesn''t know where he is but there is a river along the road. He didn''t drive far enough so this must be Han river, on the less popular end. As he has to stop due to his shaky hands, Minwoo maneuvers left and parks. Shit. Shit. Shit. There are tears falling down his cheeks. He is crying. What the hell is wrong with him? Turning his head up to stop the annoying warm liquid from falling, Minwoo chuckles at the absurd situation. ''What the fuck is wrong with you?'' He whispers to himself as he wipes them off. God dammit! It won''t stop!! Knocking his head on the steering wheel a few times, he decides to distract his body by breathing heavily. It is working, his mouth is dry, his heart slows down, his mind feels really light, he can even hear buzzing in his ears¡­ but the tears don''t stop. ''Jesus.'' Minwoo cannot take it anymore and bursts out laughing. This is pathetic. He must be looking like a fool crying in his car like a heartbroken man. Maybe he should turn the radio on to add the dramatic effect. Doing just that, Minwoo finally allows himself to bawl. Just how desperate is he to be acting like this?? ##### Waiting outside the omega dorm, Minwoo lays his back against the wall, playing with the dirt. It is mid-December; the air is chilly, so he has his hands in his pocket as he waits for his omega to go out of his room. He had the talk with the other two members of Wonho''s pack today. Chansol surprised him by apologizing instead, something about not realizing Minwoo''s scent on Wonho earlier, but he didn''t expect anything more from the younger alpha either. After all, his mind is never in the right place. As for Mengyao, he thought the bubbly looking Chinese would be more forgiving but instead, he got an okay. With a condition that he should make peace with Junjie. Which he is yet to do. For now, he is satisfied knowing that most of Wonho''s pack is okay with him. Though not enough for him to hang out with them, he is fine with them not having problem with Wonho being with him without making a scene. So now, he wants to celebrate. Because he feels accomplished and is really proud of himself. And of Wonho for keeping his promise of telling them and not running away anymore. There are times when Wonho will seem unhappy about having to meet him, but he will at least make an effort, for about ten minutes before wanting to return to his little cocoon. Sensing his omega coming near him, Minwoo grins to himself. Wonho stops trying to hide his scent too, which the alpha appreciates as he really adores that soft scent. ''Where are we going?'' Wonho wears a long brown coat with his usual turtleneck sweater underneath, looking beautiful, just like a model. He also has his round glasses hanging above his small nose, adding to his cuteness. Offering his hand to hold, Minwoo scoffs as Wonho rejects the gesture and pushes him away. Typical. ''Ramen.'' ''Owh?'' ''The ahjumma''s stall near the north exit.'' ''Heol.'' Wonho drags his word and Minwoo smirks at that. ''I told you, I won''t make you ramen till you gain weight.'' ''I gained a kilo.'' ''No, you don''t.'' ''It''s a kilo if you round it off.'' Look at this thing trying to outsmart him. ##### After about half an hour walking in the campus, with Wonho holding on to Minwoo''s shirt once in a while - especially when they are going through a darker road - they finally reach the stall covered in a tent. There are only a few customers, so they are able to secure a seat for themselves. Rubbing his hands together as he sits down, Minwoo calls the owner. ''What do you want?'' He asks Wonho first. ''Cola.'' ''I''ll have soju. And two spicy ramen.'' Minwoo adds to the order. Of course he would have loved for Wonho to drink soju with him as it is one way they can bond together, not to mention how it will keep them warm in this chill, but he also knows how Wonho is afraid of losing his consciousness. He always wants to be in a state where he can make the right choice, in case he needs to run away again. And Minwoo agreed - he too, was drugged because he was not in his right mind. But a bottle off soju won''t hurt him. He has a high alcohol-tolerance. Each of their drinks is placed on the table and Wonho quickly pours his into the glass and is ready to drink. But before he could, Minwoo holds it in place, confusing the omega. ''Ahjumma, can we have a straw?'' The lady comes back with one, but not before she gives Minwoo a one-through. Like he is weird or something. ''What? You''re afraid I''ll put the germs on the glass in my mouth?'' Wonho remarks sarcastically, receiving a pout from the alpha. He knows he has been too strict on taking care of the former''s health but he cannot help it. Wonho looks unhealthy to him with his pale complex and his tiny frame. Ignoring the small eyes looking back at him, Minwoo takes the menu out and pretends to read through it. And Wonho brings out his phone to scroll through. ''Look at this. So cute'' ''We won''t have a cat.'' ''Tsk.'' Minwoo rolls his eyes at that reaction. They talked about Wonho wanting a cat at the apartment as a condition for him to consider staying there, but that is not possible. Both of them are in a course that requires them to spend their whole day at school. Maybe not now, but next year, and their last year, they may not even get to sleep on their own bed. It is a stupid request, which he knows Wonho is aware of. The man just wants to use it to act cute around him, pouting and all. Pulling out his own phone, Minwoo shows it to the man opposite him, ''My sister have two. Look at this fatty.'' ''Waaa¡­'' He can see the sparkle in Wonho''s eyes as he promptly takes the phone out of Minwoo''s hand and swipes around. Minwoo has been collecting those kinds of pictures, and made a folder in his phone, just to show it to his mate. He loves to see that sweet smile on his face. Especially when he sips on his cola. He looks so sweet. Resting his chin on his palms, Minwoo takes a mental picture of the scene. ''You''re staring again.'' ''Have anybody told you how pretty you look drinking through a straw?'' Chapter 97 - Confrontation 4 ''Huh?'' Minwoo just realizes how wrong that sounds the moment Wonho stares back at him like he is a creep. Not only that, he even looks around to their surroundings, as if trying to see if they heard what Minwoo just told him. Slapping his mouth, Minwoo claims, ''No. I didn''t mean.. Won, no.'' He really didn''t mean it like that. He just finds Wonho''s sucking on the straw a beautiful scene. Very delicate. He just like how that small mouth would pout and the cheeks would be sucked in just enough as his takes a sip. He just looks soft. ''No. Come on. The straw''s not even as big- No. I''m not that per-'' Dammit. He really never thought of it like that. Besides, his mouth wouldn''t be pouting if the straw is as big as his cock. He wouldn''t look as angelic. His small mouth would be stretched wide. There is no way he would look as pure. He would look so fucking sexy taking a mou- No. No. He shouldn''t start imagining it or he''ll reach a point of no return. Sensing the sudden discomfort of his mate, Wonho takes out the straw from his glass and put it down on the table, awkwardly giving him a deadly glare. Minwoo can feel himself sweating from this mess. Thankfully, the ahjumma comes in just in time with their orders to save him. ''I didn''t mean it like that.'' ''I''ll pretend I didn''t hear that.'' ''Please just forget about it.'' He begs as he looks at his ramen, swallowing, nervous. ''Let''s eat.'' Minwoo nods vigorously at the suggestion and quickly digs in, taking a mouthful of the noodle. Him and stupid mouth- ''And don''t even try to comment on me sucking on the ramen.'' Minwoo chokes. ##### He has dragged this for way too long. Minwoo has been dreading the time he would have to confront Junjie about what he did, like he did with the other three, but it is hard for him to even ask Wonho for his number. And when he did, he could see the smile one the omega''s face which is all the more reason why he cannot back away from the plan. To make things worse, he had actually forgotten that he had the beta''s number. He saved it under a weird name which is why he had to ask Wonho in the first place. And now, Wonho knows he is coming here, and he must go on with it. He was lucky with Sangcheol but he doubts it will be the same for this one. They have nothing in common. In fact, they are the complete opposite of each other. They hate each other. The moment they knew about the other''s existence. Hearing slow footsteps which stopped right behind him, Minwoo turns. This is annoying, how he must look at the beta to confirm if it is him because Junjie doesn''t have a scent. He doesn''t want to look at that stupid face, it makes him want to punch the smug face in. Also, he can read the man in front of him like a book. Junjie is also being obvious about his feeling, not even showing the least bit interest in what he is trying to say. And Minwoo doesn''t want to say it either; because the one who should be saying it is the beta. It hurts his ego. ''You''re here to say you''re sorry?'' Junjie crosses his arms as he leans back on the bench. ''Wonho asked you?'' ''Like I would do it out of my own will.'' ''No.'' Junjie replies without him having to say it. Then he scoffs, as if finding the whole damn situation bemusing. ''Can''t believe this is happening.'' ''Just so you know, I''m not the one who should be saying it.'' Junjie was the one who came knocking on his door looking for trouble. He got what he deserved. ''I''m not saying it either.'' Junjie insists, irking Minwoo. ''I''m still gonna be with Wono.'' He maintains, just to make it clear that what the other thinks doesn''t matter. ''You don''t fucking deserve him.'' Minwoo scoffs at that retort. He knows what is coming, Junjie will bring out the fact that he left him. And he is prepared for it. And he will let this son of a bitch know it. ''You know what? If I wasn''t there to stop it, you would''ve seen what I saw and you wouldn''t be able to do anything to stop it. Cus you''re a fucking beta. And while you''re calling the cops to save him after being beat up, who knew how many more would violate him. So, don''t act like you''re better than me. You''re nothing.'' Junjie breathes heavily at the remark. He knows he wouldn''t have been able to do anything. Because he is not an alpha. And he has always wished he is, because then, Wonho wouldn''t have had to endure those humiliation. Because he would''ve been able to claim him first, before that incident even start to take place. He would do it not because he is in love with Wonho; they were over. Junjie would still do it as a friend. A best friend. Which he couldn''t because he wasn''t. He didn''t even know what was happening. All he knew was that they were chasing his friend but for what? He had no clue. Which is why he thought leaving him was the right choice. And he was wrong. He wouldn''t have done that if he could sense it. It is unfair. It is unfair that there is a whole other world that the omegas and alphas live in, that the betas have no idea of. It is unfair. ''You know what? Fine. Thanks. Is that what you wanna hear? Thanks for not killing him and leaving him for me to find.'' Minwoo''s face twitches, not loving this at all. He got his thanks, he said his arguments, but it doesn''t feel good at all. ''And since Wonho asked me to, I''ll try to be friends with you. But not because I like you, damned alphas.'' ''I''m fine with us not killing each other.'' Minwoo doubt they will be friends. That is just pushing things too far. And it is not like he wants to see the beta''s face often either. ''Owh yeah. I still don''t think you''re good enough for Wono but,'' Minwoo smirks, as if he has a say on all of this. ''If Wono''s parents are okay with you, then I''ll have nothing more to say.'' Of all the things he thought the man would say, he pulled the parents card? Challenge accepted. Chapter 98 - Meeting The Parents 1 ''Is this really your favourite food here?'' Minwoo stares at the greasy crab stick they just bought from the stall with big ''#1'' signs written all over. He wonders why anybody would line up to buy this junk which doesn''t even look appetizing to begin with. Looking back at his omega who seems to ignore him while enjoying his own with a blissful look, Minwoo takes a bite. Nope. Meh. Number 1 his ass. He doesn''t know what has gotten into Wonho, but the older has been in a good mood ever since they got out of Seoul. Right now, Wonho is screaming along with the songs playing in the radio, annoying Minwoo once in a while by changing the lyrics to insult him. Nothing too severe, just the occasional ''Minwoo is an idiot'' and ''Minwoo got no jams''. God knows what the second one means. He wants to do the same to the omega but unfortunately, he doesn''t know enough Korean songs playing on the radio to do so. Minwoo prefers English songs over his native ones since he grew up with it. The only Korean songs he knows are the old ones from his parent''s collection, which he doubts will be playing unless they tune to the oldies. So now, Minwoo just accepts the playful joke his partner is doing to him. At least it keeps Wonho entertained, and that is enough to make him feel good as well. ''Yah. Aren''t you going to stop?'' He pretends to be annoyed as Wonho keeps headbanging along the rock song while repeating some stupid words over and over, just like the lyrics. Except, Wonho is screaming ''slave''. Sometime Minwoo wonders whether his mate is actually a sadist. ''Aren''t you supposed to love me? Aigoo, is the bond broken?'' Minwoo turns towards the man and tries to look at the scar from their bonding before feeling his head being pushed away. Pouting, Minwoo clicks his tongue while turning his attention back towards the road. He hears Wonho laughing beside him and smiles to himself. As long as Wonho''s having fun. ##### ''Let''s stop somewhere first¡­'' Minwoo suggests as they finally reach Wonho''s hometown. The latter had calmed down since he first noticed the places he grew up in and started to point it out to his mate. And a few minutes before, Wonho suddenly suggested they take a detour so he could guide Minwoo around town. Not failing to notice the change in his tone, Minwoo realizes that Wonho is anxious, just like him, and he keeps dragging the time outside as a result. Unfortunately, they will have to go back sooner or later, and Minwoo prefers soon. Parking the car near a shopping street, Minwoo pulls his mate towards the nearest restaurant. They aren''t going to eat anything; they just need to relax and there are just no cafes in sight. Ordering their drinks, both the males sit down silently, each with his own thoughts. Wonho told Minwoo the reason why he wanted the alpha to come back with him, and it is not because he wants to officially introduce Minwoo as his mate. It is because his bond is still not broken, and he cannot face his parents alone. Though Minwoo is disappointed to learn about that, he realized that he is partially at fault. First, for claiming Wonho, and second, for keeping the bond intact. Twice. Even though he didn''t do it on purpose. He is scared, owh he is. But he knows Wonho is even more nervous than he is. He knows how much Wonho loves his parents, and how weak he gets in front of them. When Wonho told him that Junjie had to be the one who spilled what happened that night in his place, Minwoo realized how much this visit meant for him. Which is why he couldn''t refuse it despite his own fear. Not saying a word, Minwoo feels a hand on his own, and puts his other one on Wonho''s. His mate''s hands are really cold. He tugs on that hand a bit towards him, and reading his mind, Wonho gets up and moves to sit beside him, allowing Minwoo to drape his arm around his shoulder. ''It''ll be alright.'' ##### Wonho stands in front of the door, regretting his decision to come back. He still has his hands in his pockets, he cannot find the courage to twist the knob to get inside. And funnily, he even hides his scent, to his own family. What if they don''t like Minwoo? Or worse, what if they blame Wonho for not being strong enough to reject him? The thoughts scare him. Turning back to look at the alpha who is waiting a few steps away, he suggests, ''Let''s go back.'' ''To where?'' ''Campus.'' He answers as he makes his way towards the gate. But before he could go past his alpha, the man stops him. Wonho sighs. Wonho pushes the doorbell and bites his lips, waiting for someone to open it. Deep inside, he wishes that nobody is home so they can call it a day and blame it on luck. Seeing his anxious condition, Minwoo finally asks, ''Don''t you have a key?'' ''I have.'' With that, Minwoo nods and keeps his silence, understanding the omega''s intention. Before long, both males hear footsteps from inside and cross their hearts. Minwoo literally feels his heart threatening to jump out, seeing the knob turns and automatically, he recites the introduction he has been practicing in his head. Even then, he manages to mess it up. Now, he wishes he had taken Wonho''s offer earlier to run away. ''Oppa!'' Wonho releases his breath at the sight of his sister, accepting her bear hug. She is heavy. Getting a well-deserved hit for his comment, Wonho releases the hug. ''Omo.'' She comments when she finally notices Minwoo''s presence, looking at both of them in confusion. It is obvious that she recognizes the stranger''s scent, based on the horror in her face and that only adds to Wonho''s worry. ''Can you call eomma and appa?'' ''Sure.'' She gives the alpha one last look before turning to her brother, concerned, and runs back inside to call the two owners. Glancing back at his mate, Wonho invites him inside and shows him the living room. He takes a seat beside Minwoo with their backs facing the door so they can see his parents the moment they come out from wherever they are. Wonho wants to offer his partner some water, but decides against it, afraid that his parents might show up while he is in the kitchen. So, they both just sit, looking around the house Wonho grew up in. Before long, they see Seunghee again, but she is heading out. ''I''m going to the gym.'' Wonho forces a smile towards Minwoo, hiding his anxiety. The only time Seunghee ''goes to the gym'' is when she wants to get out of the house, for whatever reason besides working out. And he can guess why. ''Won, is this your new mate?'' Chapter 99 - Meeting The Parents 2 His father is the first to break the silence after they both sat down opposite the young couple. Mr. Seo is smiling, but he can sense the tension. Mrs. Seo, on the other hand keeps her eyes on Minwoo, not even trying to hide her distaste. Based on this situation, Wonho can only conclude that his mother hasn''t told his father about this yet. And god, he wishes she did. No, he wishes that both of them are betas so he can just lie his way through this. But he couldn''t. ''He''s th-'' ''I''m-'' ''He''s the old one.'' Wonho answers quickly to avoid Minwoo taking the lead. He knows how badly Minwoo wants to prove himself, but this is not the time. He sees the anger in his father as the man looks at his wife for confirmation, which she gives him. And to both the younger men''s shock, the old beta stands up and goes to the back, almost stomping his legs. His father looks greatly agitated, and Wonho bites his already dry lips as he glances at Minwoo, looking for assurance which the latter cannot give because he too, is scared. ''Alpha, you should leave.'' ''Eomma, he''s not-'' ''Eommo-nim-'' ''Didn''t you hear me? Leave.'' Minwoo swallows hard at the threat, quickly noticing the anger around him. It shocks him how he can sense it, he thought he can with Wonho''s because they are mates, but apparently his mother can do it too. Wonho holds his hand tightly while he asks her to calm down, stating things such as the fact that they just got here, and Minwoo doesn''t have anywhere to go, but somehow that angers her more. ''You have the balls to bite my son but you''re afraid of going out for a few minutes without him? What kinda messed up alpha are you?'' ''A-a few minutes?'' ''Until the old man calms down. Now leave.'' Looking at his omega one last time to see Wonho half-begging him not to, Minwoo walks out as quickly as possible after caressing his cheek, no longer than needed because the mother is watching. ''I''ll be back soon.'' He feels guilty for leaving Wonho when he promised to protect him, but he is with his parents. This is the safest place he can ever be. Starting the car, Minwoo drives towards the nearest park which Wonho showed him a few minutes prior. Finally feeling safe enough, he lays on his back and closes his eyes, taking deep breaths to relax. That was intense. He thought they would at least give him the chance to introduce himself, but he couldn''t even say anything. Heck, he didn''t even get to say his name! Damn, who knew an old beta and an omega could be that threatening, enough to make a noble like him shake in fear. What the hell? He almost wet his pants! ##### Wonho keeps looking at the coffee table, playing with the fabric of his sweater, waiting for his father to return from the back. He hears shuffling and clinking of metals so he knows the man is still in the house, but he doesn''t want to think of what the sound meant. Then he hears his mother''s voice, muffled by the walls, his father replying in an agitated manner, and so on so forth until only the woman''s voice can be heard. A creaking sound of the door and Wonho takes a deep breath, preparing himself. ''Wono, is that boy really the one that did that to you?'' Wonho instinctively put a hand over his scar before looking back at his father - he is still angry. As the man closes his eyes in disappointment, his wife guides him to sit in front of their son while she takes the one beside him. ''Why is he here? You''re still bonded?'' ''Minwoo did this to save me.'' He states quickly, straight to the point, fearing the interrogation. ''Is he threatening you to say that?'' It takes Wonho a second to understand the reasoning behind that question. He completely forgot about the incident still being a police matter which can be the why his father came up with that speculation. ''What happened? Is this why you didn''t want to come home?'' His mother askes after he shakes his head to deny the first question. Unfortunately, they don''t seem convinced. ''Honey, he''s not here. You can tell us. He can''t hurt you.'' ''He didn''t-'' Wonho exhales deeply, trying to gain enough courage to speak about what happened. But he can''t. He cannot mention what happened to him. He cannot speak the cursed word. Closing his eyes to find other words to replace the nightmare, he frowns as he forces himself, ''-attack me.'' ''Where is Junjie?'' Mr. Seo inquires, ignoring what his son just said. Being a beta with four omega children, he knows about how bond affects an omega''s behaviour. He knows that omegas put their trust in their alphas blindly. Which is why he cannot believe Wonho right now. And not having Junjie, his best friend with him seems too strange. For all he know, that alpha might be threatening his son right now. Or this can be a case of Stockholm syndrome. ''He''s not with me.'' ''Does he know about that alpha?'' ''Appa, please. He''s not one of them.'' Wonho looks at his mother who he can tell, also finds it hard to believe him. Wonho knows they are asking questions because they are concerned about him, but he cannot help but feel surrounded. He is starting to get depressed. He really wants to be with Minwoo right now. ''Eomma¡­'' He begs. ''He saved you?'' She questions, finally giving him the opening he needs to convince them about his mate. However, though he wants to answer it confidently, he can only manage a weak nod. He can feel the muscles in his face starting to contract, signaling the arrival of tears. Thinking about that incident always affects him this way, he is still not strong enough to react differently. Frowning as deeply as he can to distract himself, Wonho tries opening his mouth to speak but nothing comes out. ''How?'' She encourages him to tell them. She still cannot understand how claiming her son can be considered as saving him. ''He bit me to stop them fro-'' Wonho feels himself choke on his own word. He cannot say it. He doesn''t want to say what they did to him. But he has to, he needs to explain what happened to his parents. It is hard. He wants Minwoo to be with him right now. Minwoo would know what to do. Minwoo would tell them for him. He wants Mi- ''Shh¡­ it''s alright.'' Wonho feels a warm embrace enveloping him and another pair of hands wiping his tears. He feels a bump on the seat next to him and looks to see his father patting his head. ''Aigoo, my baby.'' ''You don''t have to say it. It''s okay.'' His father gives him and assuring smile, but he can see the little hint of sadness in his eyes. ''Aigo, uri Wonie. You look so pale. Eomma, he''s probably hungry.'' Chapter 100 - Meeting The Parents 3 Completely trying to forget the bad welcome, the old Seos decided to start it all over again. Serving Wonho''s favourite cocoa as their beverage of choice, the family took their time to catch up with Wonho''s life on campus and how he is doing, trying not to touch on the important matter just yet. It took a while, but when Wonho was finally relaxed enough to speak normally without distress almost an hour later, he could finally tell them what happened, based on what Minwoo told him. He even showed them the test result he bought with him just in case. His old folks'' anger and suspicion subsided a lot seeing the piece of paper, but there were still some distrust in their expression which Wonho doesn''t really mind. He knows it will take a while, even he himself needed time to accept it. ''I still don''t like him.'' His father comments, and Wonho sighs. They only met for a few seconds before the old man made a scene, that is not enough time to judge someone. ''You don''t know him yet. He''s nice.'' ''And you know this Minwoo kid?'' That question comes as a shock to Wonho. Of course he knows Minwoo, they came here together for god''s sake. He also knows that Minwoo''s a noble, and a medic student who can cook, and¡­ he is nice. ''Honey, do you know Minwoo?'' ''I am¡­ getting to know him.'' He realizes he doesn''t know much about Minwoo after all, especially about his family and his past. He only knows about the alpha''s two sisters and their cats, his stepmother and what Minwoo likes to do in his past time. He knows this is not enough information to even consider someone to be their mates, but he is not in the position where he is free to choose anyway. But at least Minwoo is willing to come with him today despite knowing what might happen to him, and he even tried to made peace with his friend despite how unfair he thought they treated him. Wonho wants to believe this is prove enough of his sincerity. He needs to believe it. Because it is all he has. ''And you like him?'' ''I don''t dislike him.'' That is an awkward question. To admit that he likes someone in front of his parents when they are sitting very close to him. Gosh, can''t they just accept Minwoo so he can escape this embarrassing situation?? ''Is that the bond talking, or is that you?'' Wonho frowns. Again, he is not expecting that question. Him liking Minwoo shouldn''t be related to the bond. Trust and like are two different things, he should be able to tell the difference¡­ Right? ''Are you sure you wanna be with him?'' ''I''m bonded to him¡­'' That is the only reason he can think of right now of why he wants to try being with Minwoo. He cannot say that he is sure of it, but right now, he knows he wants to give them a chance. Minwoo promised to take care of him, and he likes being with Minwoo, that should be enough. ''Wono, you know he''s a free alpha, right? You''re the only one bound to him.'' This time, Mr. Seo stares at his wife in confusion. Wonho, on the other hand, starts to pale. Yes, everyone had been talking about Minwoo not having his scent on him, but he always thought that is because the bond was not done correctly. He has his questions, but he never doubts the fact that they are mates. But what his mother just said - Minwoo being a free alpha - that is the first time someone ever told him straight to his face. That is impossible, right? Mates are called mates because they involve two individuals, right? ''Wono, is that true? What eomma just said?'' He doesn''t know. He is not confident anymore. ''What bout you and appa? You guys don''t bond and yet you stay together¡­'' He tries to change the subject. He doesn''t want to think about it. It is getting suffocating. ''We love each other before we decided for marriage. You and that alpha, you didn''t like each other when the bond happened. And only now you''re getting to know each other. That might not be love, Wono-yah. You can''t confuse yourself.'' ''What if it''s not? As long as we''re bonded, feelings don''t matter right?'' Wonho starts to get defensive over it. He cannot take the questions anymore. He wants them to stop and just leave him alone. Just let him be. Minwoo promised to be with him. They are mates. He wants to believe that. He needs to believe that. Wonho furrows his eyebrows as he hears his father sighs. Clenching his jaws, Wonho remains quiet, ''Wonie, your feelings always matter.'' ''Wono, honey. You''re bonded. He''s free. If anything goes wrong, you''ll be the only one getting hurt¡­'' She rubs her thumb on her son''s hand, ''Breaking the bond first is not a bad idea right? Then you can be sure of your real feelings-'' She stops as she hears heavy breathing coming from her son. ''Wono? Are you okay?'' ''I don''t wanna break it¡­'' Wonho tries his best to speak between his sharp breaths, ''Eomma, I don''t wanna be free! They''ll co-, the alphas- eomma-'' ''Owh no. Wono¡­ breathe.'' His mother cups his face, locking his head towards her while guiding his respiration as his father brings him a glass of water. Closing his eyes, Wonho tries to relax himself, his right hand blindly reaching all over to find his bag. He brought his pills with him just in case. ''I''m not asking you to stop seeing him. No. Wono¡­ I just want you to be really sure about this.'' Wonho nods at her, knowing fully well her intention. He didn''t mean to have a panic attack, it is just the thought of him being free, and the probability of the night repeating itself is too much to handle. ''Minwoo''s a good alpha. He''s good¡­'' ''I know. It''s okay. If he treats you well, we''ll give him a chance.'' ##### Minwoo taps his legs vigorously, anxiously waiting for Wonho to call him back, or at least reply his messages. He told the omega he will go back there if he doesn''t hear from him in two hours, afraid that something bad might happen, though he doubts that. At first. But now, only fifteen more minutes to two hours, there is still no reply so Minwoo cannot help but to worry. Already starting the engine, Minwoo tries to distract himself, at least for another few minutes. He doesn''t want to make a scene in case Wonho is trying his best to convince his parents, but he doesn''t want to leave Wonho there without him. The look on his omega''s face when he walked out the door bothered him. Bzzz. Minwoo quickly looks at his phone and let a sigh of relief. Wonho just called him back. He wanted to reply but decides to leave right away. Typing would only waste his time. Chapter 101 - Meeting The Parents 4 ''So, Minwoo.'' The alpha looks at the lady of the house who seems to mild down a lot from when they first met. Wonho was asked to leave them alone to talk but fortunately, he somehow managed to persuade his parents to try and listen to Minwoo. So now, after accomplishing the whole story, and some light self-introduction which was very nerve-wrecking, Minwoo waits for the verdict. He doesn''t know what to expect. Nothing happened the way he imagined it to be. He is nervous. ''Yes?'' ''Your bond with Wono, you realized it is an accident, right?'' Minwoo nods. They had already established that, he wonders why Mrs. Seo brought it up again. ''Wono''s still young. He''s ambitious.'' ''He is¡­'' ''Since neither of you agreed to the bond in the first place, I assume you agree with me that if he ever wants to break the bond, you''ll let him.'' Minwoo has a hard time processing the request. He asks her to repeat herself just to make sure he heard right. ''I''m telling you to let him go when the time comes.'' ''I thought you said you''re okay with me as long as I treat him well.'' He knows he sounded like a kid whining, but he doesn''t want to agree to that. Wonho is his mate, of course he will hold on to him if he can. ''This, and that is different. You seem like a nice young man, but no matter what the reason, you bit my son, and now he''ll treasure your opinion more than his own.'' ''I''ll never force him-'' ''You''ll never force him to stay. Because if you do, I''ll make sure you end up in a cell. Are we clear?'' Minwoo swallows hard before nodding his head weakly. He doesn''t want to do it. He feels as if he just betrayed Wonho with the simple nod because he promised the man he will never leave him. Probably noticing his upset and hopeless look and starting to feel a bit sympathetic, Mr. Seo stands up, startling the young alpha before giving him a hug. ''Welcome to the family. Let''s get to know each other.'' Minwoo forces himself a smile. Still stiff in the manly hug, Minwoo feels himself being pat in the back before Mr. Seo lets go of him. ''Wono said you like hiking? We''re planning to go for a trip nearby.'' ''Great.'' Though he said so, Minwoo cannot help but wonder how, and why they are planning for a hike during winter. It sounds a bit stupid to him. But there is no way he is going to say no after getting an invitation from Wonho''s father. That will be suicide. ''You wanna get Wono and Seunghee back? Dinner''s in an hour.'' For the second time today, his heart almost dropped. Mrs. Seo is really scary. That question sounded more like a command than a request. And Minwoo doesn''t know why a noble like him feels the need to abide. Aren''t omegas supposed to be the one who submit to the alphas? Owh wait, now that he thought about it, his grandmother is the highest rank in his house. She is an omega too. ''I-I''ll get going then.'' ''By the way, Minwoo?'' He stops his step at Mr. Seo''s call, ''You''ll be sleeping in the living room. I don''t want any stupid stuffs going on in my house.'' He sighs inwardly. After the rough day, he longs to hold Wonho in his arms tonight. Guess he will have to take what he can before dinnertime. Maybe they can- Argh. He forgot he has to bring Seunghee together with them. ''Don''t worry. We have comfortable mattress.'' Mr. Seo adds while laughing, thinking the frown on the alpha was the result of not wanting to sleep on the couch. Minwoo laughs awkwardly. ##### ''-woo? Are you asleep?'' Slowly opening his eyes, Minwoo groans a bit while turning his body. He cannot see clearly due to the dark, but he knows Wonho is sitting on the floor beside him, hugging his knees. ''Did I wake you?'' ''No, I was- what are you doing here? It''s late, what time is it?'' He mumbles as he lifts his head up slightly, trying to find a watch. ''I dunno.'' Wonho replies. ''Can''t sleep.'' ''Nightmares?'' ''Uhn.'' Minwoo sighs. He wanted to be with Wonho but since the man''s father made it clear he doesn''t want them to sleep in the same room, he had no choice but to spend the night here, in the living room. They were very hospitable though; as the old beta said, the mattress is very warm. They even rearranged the coffee table so he would be sleeping on the hot carpet instead of the floor. He figured the guests of this house are all treated the same seeing the lack of guestrooms. This is as welcoming as they can get. ''Minwoo, sleep with me.'' Wonho puts his hands onto Minwoo''s left arm and the latter draws a breath of regret. This is the first time Wonho is being this needy while not in heat, and yet, he cannot do anything about it. He wants to see Wonho''s face so bad, he must look so cute right now. Minwoo can imagine a pout and puppy eyes, or maybe just his normal poker face. Minwoo prefers the first one so he will just imagine that. ''You appa''ll kill me if he finds me in your room.'' ''Minuuu~'' the omega whines while shaking him, ''I can''t sleep¡­'' Owh god. He cannot take this. This is too adorable. Why the hell is Wonho acting like this now?? Why didn''t he do this back at his apartment where they are free to do whatever they want? God dammit Seo Wonho. Seriously, this guy really drives him crazy! What the fuck? Shit. He really wants to hold Wonho now. Maybe if he gets up early, nobody will realize he is even in Wonho''s room in the first place. No, if that plan fails, it will be the end of him. Owh. He just thought of something brilliant. Mr. Seo only told him to sleep in the living room, which he is. He said nothing about Wonho not being allowed here as well. And the man can do whatever he wants since this is his house too so¡­ ''Come here.'' Minwoo pushes his blanket open and offers his arm as a pillow which the omega happily accepted. He was about to pull Wonho close before the man starts to shuffle inside the blanket. ''Wonie, leave your pants on!'' He hisses, almost having a heart attack with that habit of Wonho. Jesus, this guy will be the death of him! Having Wonho to sleep beside him is risky enough, if his father finds his son without pants tomorrow morning¡­ Minwoo shivers just thinking about it. Locking the omega''s hands in place so he will not do anything foolish, Wonho grumbles, ''Tsk. Fine.'' Shifting their position excitedly, Minwoo pushes their body together so Wonho''s head would be near his face. Taking in Wonho''s scent, enjoying the lovely jasmine, Minwoo places a soft kiss and closes his eyes. Feeling an arm around his waist, Minwoo simpers to himself. Maybe being here isn''t so bad after all. Chapter 102 - The Trauma Remains 1 The movement of the couch touching his back, along with the slight screeching sound between furniture and the floor shocks the alpha from his slumber. The sudden realization that his mate is still asleep in his arms, and the fact that somebody is on the couch, watching them stiffens him who is currently wishing for death. Shit. There is no sound other than some munching which bothers him. Minwoo still cannot let go of Wonho, wanting to pretend to still be asleep, at least, until the person behind them is gone but that person is eating so that will be a few more minute to an hour, depending on what their intention is. ''I thought appa told you to not touch Wono-hyung.'' Fuck. This guy knows he is awake. And who is he anyway? Hyung? So that means Wonho''s brother? Turning around slowly, he almost flinches when he sees the disinterested poker face which looks a lot like his omega, only a bit wider with a slight difference in some places. The man is still chomping on his cereal as he stares at Minwoo, not even care that he is basically interrupting their private time. ''Who are you?'' ''I''m his brother. Duh.'' ''Owh.'' Minwoo doesn''t know what more to say. Until yesterday night, there is only Seunghee. When the hell did this guy came here? And what the hell is his name? ''Byeongho.'' He answers and Minwoo nods awkwardly, a bit creeped out that the man read his mind. Not to mention, he is still sitting on the sofa, not caring about them, and continues to eat his breakfast. ''By the way, appa and eomma just went out for their morning stroll.'' Minwoo''s eyes widens. ''You''re so dead.'' Byeongho states, smirking. ##### ''I didn''t know there''s so many people here in the morning.'' Wonho finally stops being bitter about being dragged out of the house so early in the morning with the excuse of exercising in the middle of winter, followed by breakfast when they can eat at home. Minwoo only nods as he hungrily takes a bit out of his American-style breakfast, almost spitting out some to his mate if not for that sharp eyes warning him not to open his mouth while eating. Swallowing whole and drinking his coffee, he utters, ''Aren''t you glad I forced you out?'' Well, he only did it because he was afraid of what the parents might do to him once they are back, so he hoped that doing this might give them some time to cool off, and really, really wish that Byeongho or Seunghee might do something wrong to distract them from what happened this morning. And he is betting for it to happen real soon, before they have to go back home. Staring at Wonho biting on his eggs really elegantly with his mouth closed, his slim fingers gracefully cutting through, again Minwoo has to hold back his tongue to not comment on how pretty the omega looks while eating. Because, even though it is sunny-side, Eggs. ''I''ll go pay first.'' Minwoo gets up, earning a nod from his partner. Heading towards the cashier, he almost cursed at the line, mostly because of the scents of the omegas queuing before him. He still doesn''t like them. He realized Wonho is an exception, which he initially thought was because the man is his mate. It came as a quite a shock to him the moment he noticed he didn''t actually mind the omega''s family as well. So now, he concluded that what happened to him all this while was actually the bond changing him. By causing this kind of reaction towards other omegas except family. Granted, he was never fond of Asian omegas to begin with, but that is another story. He bet he will now feel as disgusted with the European omegas too. He is sure of it. ##### ''Yah, Wono! Is that you?'' Wonho almost jumps as he hears a voice calling him from behind when he is finishing up at the urinal. Realizing it is an alpha, he instinctively hides his scent and pulls up his pants, almost running away before remembering he is already mated. Turning his head towards the man, Wonho lets out a sigh when he identifies the man - his ex-classmate, one of his close friends in high school. It is weird, how he never noticed this scent before, this strong and dominating scent of an alpha when they were always together all three years of high school. It makes him realize how much his world has changed. Back when he was a beta, everyone was the same to him, be it alphas or omegas. They were just people. Now, as he is standing here, as an omega, he feels a bit intimidated just being in a room with his friend who he used to joke around with. ''Kimbum!'' He pretends to be delighted, his palms already starting to sweat. There is this contradicting feeling, happiness of meeting his close friend, and fear of being in the presence of a strong alpha. He wants to hug the man like they always do, their fond memories together too precious to be thrown, but at the same time his legs want to run away, terrified of the fact that he is trapped with the kind that violated him. Forcing an awkward smile, he shows his hands and said, ''I''d hug you if I could but¡­'' ''Eww. No thanks man.'' Thank god. Laughing it off, he is at loss, wishing Kimbum will just go away. He wants to talk more, also missing his friend but more than that, he is fighting off his panic attack which is getting harder to control as Kimbum keeps getting closer out of excitement. ''How long are you here? Is Junjie here too?'' The alpha asks, enthusiastically. ''Hwangho''s back too! We should hang out together!'' Owh shit. Another alpha. Not that he mentioned it, Wonho''s high school group was made of three alphas and two betas - him and Junjie. With his hands trying hard not to squeeze on his sweater, still dirty, he realizes his mouth starting to vibrate and his head starting to feel light. He knows if he stays here, stuttering and giving out his fear is the least of his concern. Walking straight towards the sink, he washes his hands and casually splashes himself with water, shocking his friend from the loud gasp. Realizing what he just did, Wonho turns towards Kimbum, trying to act cool. ''I, uh, have things to do at the university. Won''t be here, uh, that l-long.'' ''You okay?'' Wonho flinches as Kimbum''s hand touches his shoulder. ''Wono, you''re pale¡­'' ''G-gastric.'' He lies and thanks god his friend is aware of his old condition enough to believe it to leave him alone. Pretending to walk towards the cubicle, he waves a weak goodbye to his friend who promised to contact him to hang out. Locking the door, Wonho sits on the floor, not caring that it is dirty, and starts to breathe slowly. It doesn''t work; his chest tightens, so does his esophagus and before he realizes it, he throws up. Chapter 103 - The Trauma Remains 2 ''Hey, are you waiting for someone?'' Minwoo tries to ignore the two female omegas - obviously here after their wild night - who thought it is a nice idea to surround him. Wonho still hasn''t got out of the toilet, and he is getting really annoyed with the attention he is getting. Other omegas staring at him with interest are irking him enough as it is, for these two bold ones to have the guts to talk to him in their state is just, pissing him off. He doesn''t want to get angry or throw tantrums, afraid that it may spoil his image in front of his mate, but more than that, he is trying to let go of his hatred but things are easier said and thought than done. ''I have a mate.'' He replies coldly, still eyeing the entrance to the toilet. He hears them laughing, as if he just told a really good joke. Trying hard not to shove the girl who has her hand on his shoulder, trying to flirt, he clenches his jaws. ''Are you playing hard to get? I kinda like mated alphas.'' Urgh. There is really nothing sexy about that at all. Disgusting, even. As a noble, this kind of bold attempt to sleep with him is normal but usually, people know better than to do it in front of a family restaurant or even out in the open. There is a time and place for this kind of things and now is not it. That being said, there is something else that has been bothering him - the fact that he is not protected against these filthy omegas. This is his first time letting his guard down with his pheromones, wanting to enjoy his time with his omega, so this really came as a shock to him. His sisters are no longer pursued once they bonded but that didn''t happen to him, apparently. Yes, he is well aware that Wonho''s scent is not lingering on him, but isn''t his body supposed to change or something to keep others away too? Since he feels the change - the distaste towards their kind, they should feel the same towards him too. Right? ''Your partner a beta?'' Another asks, interrupting his thought. Minwoo clicks his tongue and pushes the hand trying to play with his hair. He really wants to scare these worthless pieces of shits who have no sense of privacy. He can do it. ''¡­but you don''t have a ring¡­ Omo.'' ''I like playing catch.'' The one on his left whispers which pushes Minwoo off the edge. He said he had a mate, that should be the end of it. What the fuck is wrong with them??! ''Fucking leave me alone!'' He growls at them, intensifying his pheromones to intimidate them. Glaring at the two who cowered and shrunk at his command, he almost brought up his hand to hit them before sensing his mate getting closer. Shocking himself at his own action, Minwoo makes a fist. He is a bit taken aback when Wonho suddenly comes straight towards him, bumping hard with the girls, and hugs him, ignoring the others. Minwoo is expecting a drama starting; the females omegas seems like the bitchy kind but none of that happened. In fact, the look on their faces is as if they are just broken out of a trance; they no longer find him attractive. Though he is relieved that happened, it is a bit unnerving, how it did. Somehow, his instinct tells him it is not because of his earlier burst. ''What''s wrong?'' Feeling the hug getting tighter, Minwoo finally looks down at Wonho. The man who never wants to show their affection in public is holding him tight, it is confusing. ''I wanna go home.'' ##### Minwoo squeezes Wonho''s hand as they enter the door, praying that the old folks already forgot about this morning. It is already noon since Minwoo dragged their time outside for a while. Although Wonho didn''t look good, he didn''t want to go back at once either. He requested to be alone somewhere, just holding Minwoo''s hands as he closed his eyes. Wonho was not sleeping, Minwoo could tell, and his grip was shaky and desperate. He wanted to ask but the former didn''t want to talk about it and so, he let it go. They only headed home after Wonho looked much better, and after Minwoo was ready to face the parents'' wrath. Thankfully, the mother is busy cooking, preparing the ingredients for tomorrow - the New Year celebration, but the father is disturbingly calm as well. It makes him feel uneasy. As they both sit down in the living room, still refusing to shower, Minwoo springs up as Mr. Seo suddenly speaks, ''I cleared the storeroom for you. It''s more comfortable than the living room.'' ''Store?'' Owh god. This is it. ''Don''t worry. It''s actually a guestroom, right behind Byeongho''s room. We have heater and stuffs. Since you''ll be here for a while.'' Minwoo curses inside. He knows the Seos will not treat him like shit so he is confident the room is furnished as said and he will be comfortable there, but he also knows that that means it is harder for Wonho to go to him since he knows they already planned something. Pouting to himself, he hears another surprise. ''I don''t like it there.'' Wonho just blurts that out loud. And the young omega looks really fed up. Not wanting to turn to face the old beta, he keeps his eyes on the television. ''Wono-'' ''The room creeps me out.'' His omega murmurs, ''I can''t sleep in there.'' Gulping, Minwoo tries to glance at Mr. Seo. He can tell Mrs. Seo also doesn''t like what she just heard, based on the pause of the cuttings, while the old man is breathing heavily through his nose. The man glances back at his wife. Minwoo doesn''t know her exact expression but it seems, his father gives in. ''Fine, your sister''s coming today anyway. I thought it''s easier for them to sleep here since they have a baby.'' ''All the more reason why they need to be in the guest room.'' Wonho again retorts and the old man clears his throat, obviously not up for an argument. ''Minwoo can just sleep with me-'' ''He sleeps here.'' Mr. Seo insists, denying his son. Minwoo doesn''t know why he is so happy, but he has to stop himself from laughing out loud. Who would''ve thought he would actually be relieved to be placed here instead of the storage room? Feeling a hand on his upper arm, Minwoo turns around, expecting to see a pout from his omega but instead is welcomed by the back of his head. He is sure Wonho is shooting death glares at his mother who is chopping the onions extra loudly. For the second time today, Wonho is freely showing his affection. He has no idea what had gotten into his mate, but he likes it. Chapter 104 - The Trauma Remains 3 After what happened this morning, Minwoo didn''t expect Mr. Seo to actually invite him to their hiking trip as planned. Though they already told him about it, he just assumed it was canceled because of their bad introduction. Or at least, that the father and son duo would ditch him. And with that thought, he had been in the kitchen since after dinner, trying to make peace with the lady of the house by helping her cook. At least there is something he can do to get one of the parent''s approval. Everything was going well with the woman teaching him her recipe, until his eyes caught on the old man walking slowly towards the door. As soon as their eyes met, Mr. Seo looks at him with a look of disbelief and gestures him to sneak out. He didn''t know that unlike normal people who goes through the front door after telling their family, the father-son duo prefers to sneak out in the middle of the night just for the thrill. Being pressured, only now able to understand the whole situation, Minwoo makes an excuse to stop cutting the chicken. And as he makes his way towards the toilet, he maneuvers out to find Wonho already has his belongings ready. He can swear Mrs. Seo knows about it and curses himself. After all that effort¡­. ''Why are you guys sneaking out? I thought she knew?'' He whispers to Wonho as they drive towards the mountain. He is really puzzled about what is going on, but he is sure he just got a minus point from Mrs. Seo. ''My sister''s coming back tonight. It''ll be chaotic. She won''t let us leave then.'' ''You''re running away??'' ''What''s wrong with running away?'' Mr. Seo comments and Minwoo shoves himself to the backrest in disbelief, pitying his situation right now. Apparently, Wonho and his father does this every year despite his mother''s warnings; they are the only ones capable of doing so because they aren''t affected by his mother''s pheromones when she gets angry. They used to do it with Byeongho but since he presented, he got too nervous to join them. As he expected, Wonho''s whole family is able to do it - expressing their strong emotions through their scents. Well, right now it is just a working hypothesis, but it would make more sense to him if all Wonho''s siblings are able to do so instead of just his mother and him. After a two-hour break at a nearby rest-stop, the trio finally head towards the mountain area. Minwoo realizes he needs an energy booster because unlike the two who slept before the trip, he wasn''t aware of the silly plan and chose to work in the kitchen instead. And now, he is starting to get tired, yet they still haven''t started to climb. In fact, he is so dazed he already spilled some drinks and called a ''pabo'' by Wonho a few times while Mr. Seo laughed at him. How embarrassing. ##### It is interesting, how there are actually a few more people with them also ready to hike. Even now, he still cannot grasp the idea of hiking in the middle of the winter, at night. It is weird. Fortunately, the place is well lit, not so much so that the stars are barely seen, only enough that they would know where to go without getting lost. Clearly people do this all the time. And also, the route is not hard, the only challenge is not to slip and fall on their bums and embarrass themselves. That being said, Minwoo still cannot help but worry over his skinny omega. He knows Wonho is stronger than he looks but he look so, so weak. As if he can be blown by the wind any second, or tumble down and get lost in the woods. Though, there are not many trees to be called a wood to begin with, but still¡­ ''Half an hour left. Alright!'' Wonho exclaims as they reach the peak and high-fives his father before signaling Minwoo to sit beside him. Bringing out a few cans of beer from his bag, Mr. Seo hands it to the alpha. All three men then cheer among themselves and sip, trying to relax. How long has it been, since he feels so relaxed? This serene? Since he got back to Korea, nothing really worked the way he wanted. After what happened, he can never truly feel like himself. But then he made up with Wonho, and with his omega constantly by his side, no omegas actually bother him, and he himself never feels the need to hunt for a mate. Everything feels so much better he no longer feel suffocated. And with his mate this carefree, enveloping him in his wondrous scent, Minwoo finds himself letting loose. Everything feels wonderful. ''Wono, Minwoo, it''s starting.'' The old man points out towards the horizon. Looking at the position he is pointing, Minwoo''s jaw drops open. Now he knows why they are doing this. ''The first sunrise of the year. Brings good luck.'' Wonho explains. ''Wonie, this is beautiful.'' First sunrise. Such a Korean thing to do, believing in this kind of stuff. Minwoo never cared about these things. He grew up in a country where the people do not celebrate his own tradition, and he doesn''t celebrate theirs, like most immigrants. Besides the short video calls during Korean holidays, his parents would bring him out to eat in a Korean restaurant, and that was it. So for Minwoo, traditions are nothing but a waste of time. He still thinks some are but this, this is worth it. Even if he doesn''t believe in good lucks, going all the way here just to see this scenery in front of him makes him feel something inside. The sort of calm that came from a feeling of accomplishment rather than belief. He can get used to this. ''Wonie?'' He hears Mr. Seo asks, and looks at his mate, just because. He then noticed that the old man is not looking at Wonho, but at him. And he does not look please. Minwoo glances back towards his mate who is now slightly blushing. That is when it hits him - he just called Wonho with his pet name, in front of his father. Owh shit. ''The name stuck,'' Wonho replies, trying to brush it off but before Minwoo can avoid it, his eyes happen to meet with Mr. Seo''s who narrows his eyes, discontented. Minwoo gulps. ''Appa, let''s just watch the sunrise.'' Wonho pushes his father lightly with his body, easing the tension. Minwoo swears the Seos are the scariest bunch he has ever met. Chapter 105 - The Trauma Remains 4 Minwoo really comes to hate the sight of the Seo''s door. Every single time he has to go through it, he will fear for his life. It hurts his pride - an alpha who is afraid of the omegas; but that is just how things turns out. It is just his luck Wonho''s mother is scary. Being challenged by Mr. Seo to be the one knocking though he knows the old man did it because he too is afraid, he jumps back at the sight of another unfamiliar looking omega. This time, the lady looks really different from the rest of the pack. Maybe just some similarities here and there. However, that Seo poker face, he would recognize anywhere. ''Noona!'' He hears Wonho exclaims excitedly and turns back to see a little thing screaming behind her on the carpet. His mate has already rushed inside before his sister shoves the baby towards him, forcing him to hold the small alpha. Wasting no time, Minwoo joins his mate, half worried that the big girl in his embrace would fall out because, the kid is huge and Wonho is tiny. ''You''re finally back. Good. Thought you finally died up there.'' Minwoo''s heart is beating violently, afraid to turn to his back to face Mrs. Seo but before he can react, he hears an awkward laugh from the old man and draws a long breath. It is just an old lovers'' quarrel. Thank god. Peeking a bit towards the kitchen, he sees Mrs. Seo preparing the food for the table, her facial features soft with no sign of anger. ''Minwoo, honey. Go and shower so we can eat. You too, Wono.'' ##### ????????????????????. ????????????????. ????????????????. ????????????????????. ????????????????????. ????????????????????? ????????????????. ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???? ????????????????¡­ Wonho stares at his yearbook, looking at the picture of his ex-classmates, trying to recall what they are, reading their wishes to him. He knows it is just his trauma acting out but it is disturbing how much the innocent messages now affect him. He doesn''t feel anything reading those from the betas, but all of those from the alphas feels really sinister. Even the simple ''Saranghae'' from his best friends trigger something. Closing the thick book, he puts them to the side and wipes his face. Fuck. All this time he is worried about his life on campus when the real problem is the ones he already know. All his high school friends, they are either alphas or betas. He doesn''t mind the alpha strangers as he knows it is normal for him to feel afraid of them. The therapist asked him to take it slow and said it is okay for him to avoid being in their presence until he is okay. He thought that was it; his biggest challenge. But meeting Kimbum yesterday proved that that was nothing. His hardest one is not those he doesn''t know, it is the alphas who was close to him before his present, before his attack. His relationship with them would be affected by it. It is not the question of waiting until he is ready, it is the question of breaking it or enduring his pain for it. And the latter is impossible, so his only option is cutting off his relationship with them. After all those years of friendship¡­ He wishes he won''t have to. He wishes his bond with them are stronger than his nightmare but they aren''t. He doesn''t like this. The fact that from now on, every time he stumbles upon an alpha acquaintance or friend, he would get his panic attacks and he would have to pretend he is sick when in fact, he would be suffocating inside, trying to run away, just so they will not find him weird. The other only option is for them to know about his condition so they would respect his situation but how should he do that? Tell everyone on Facebook that he is gang-raped and is currently living in a trauma? That is too much for him. This, everything is too much for him. And as if things couldn''t get any worse, this new revelation made him question why Minwoo is okay. Chansol and Sangcheol, he knows he is fine with them because his mind can accept that they are not involved with his attack. But for others, that is not the case. And.... If even his deep bond with his old friends is not enough for him to be comfortable around them, after all they have been through together. It would only be logical that he would not be able to accept Minwoo, a complete stranger so easily. At least, he should feel what he feels with Kimbum, the mixed feeling of fear and longing, the suffocation and dilemma, with Minwoo as well. But he didn''t. He should. But he didn''t. Why? If trust is the issue, he also trusts his close friends, but he still felt trapped. If it is love, he knows he is only in the process of liking Minwoo before his first heat so it shouldn''t be a strong enough emotion to overcome his fear. So, what was it? Why was he fine with Minwoo? Because they are mates? Does that mean that what he has with Minwoo, what he thinks he has with Minwoo, is nothing but the bond? Because without it, Kimbum would happen. If that is true, then¡­ ''Wonie? What''re you doing inside?'' Wonho stands up from his bed abruptly and sits back down when he notices this calming scent. Staring back at Minwoo, he draws a long breath, frustrated with himself. Maybe he is starting to become like Haneul, maybe he is developing a new kind of mental problem. ''Your mom''s calling. Come on, we''re watching a movie.'' ''Stay here.'' Wonho pats his bed, wanting Minwoo to sit so they can touch. Without his alpha around, all his anxiety and depression takes over, affecting him worse than before because he is not prepared for it. ''You wanna kill me?'' Minwoo smiles at him and gestures him out, waiting at the top of the stairs so they can go down together. Looking back at his yearbook before exiting his room, Wonho curses it for making him think all those thoughts. Now it will haunt him whenever he will be left alone with his thoughts. Ridiculous thoughts¡­ Chapter 106 - Bonus: Winter Trip Minwoo holds his left shoulder and moves it around circular motion, stretching his head to ease his muscle pain from his fall a few hours ago. It had been a while since he last played snowboard, and unfortunately for him, the snow in Korea is not as soft as back in Europe. But that is not the reason why he fell a few times enough to hurt his body. No. The reason is his two idiotic friends who cannot play as good but are determined to follow him and Wonho to the top. Jinyoung, Jeongmin''s lover was still okay since he is good enough to hold onto them when in need and slide slowly but not Jeongmin. His overly-confident and positive friend slid down as quick as the wind. And he does that without knowing how to break and maneuver. And also somehow, always do so right in front of Minwoo, making him fall from the sudden force before having to force himself back up to chase his stupid friend and stop him from hitting anyone else. Minwoo suspects that he intends to bring him together. After all, Jeongmin probably looks like a fool compared to him who can be considered a pro in the winter sport. He won''t complain though. It had been a while since he enjoyed his holiday doing fun activities instead of wasting away at home watching television. Not to mention, the two are the ones who planned the whole trip, finding this lovely cottage and preparing the food. They always go on trips together unlike him it seems. Of course he found it awkward, to be invited to a winter trip with Jinyoung who is Wonho''s ex-lover. It seemed, the two made up during the new year after a long call, and the other omega invited them then. The excitement in Wonho''s face was evident, and since Jeongmin was going too, Minwoo managed to convince himself that the trip is not bad for both of them. As they would be going as a couple, like the other two. And knowing Jeongmin and his fox''s relationship, he was also confident nothing bad was going to happen that will affect his relationship with Wonho. Closing the door behind him, the noble looks at the living room with the television on. The show seems interesting, so he decides to join whoever is on the couch after getting a glass of water to quench his thirst. Okay. Looks like that is impossible. On the 3-seater, Jeongmin is laying still watching television and above him, his omega is obviously minding his own business, not watching the show together. Jinyoung really looks comfortable right now, sticking on his alpha like a koala it would be awkward if Minwoo is to join them. ''Yahh. Your fingers are cold.'' He hears his friend comments as he softly makes his way behind the sofa, trying to enjoy the show by leaning against the wall. Sure things will be awkward, but there is nothing to do in the room since Wonho is asleep. Might as well enjoy the show than disturb his omega. He doubts the other two will do the nasty right in the middle of the lodge. ''Your nose is warm.'' Minwoo makes a disgusted face as he finally realized what is happening. Trying to hold his laughter, he turned his face down as he notice Jinyoung is still trying shove his finger into the alpha''s nose while the latter swats it away. Biting his lips, finding himself rather bemused at the disgusting game, his eyes widen. Jeongmin just bit those fingers. Which were in his nose a few seconds ago. And Jinyoung is laughing at the action. What the hell is wrong with them? Is his friend always this disgusting?? Shivering at the sight of the weird play, Minwoo turns around and grabs the knob. Not wanting to spare any moment with the idiots longer, he opens the door to his room and closes it shut, wanting to forget. Eww. That was so unhygienic. Eww. Hearing the omega''s high-pitched laughter, Minwoo wonders what is so funny about the whole thing. Why is he friends with them in the first place? Walking towards the bed, he looks at his own omega, asleep. Calm. Mesmerizing. Clean. Just the right one for him. ''Ewww! Stop!'' The stupid giggles and scream breaks Minwoo from his trance. Shaking his head, the alpha places himself right beside his lover, ready to rest for the night. ''Your nose is so big!'' Again, Jinyoung''s excited voice disturbs his relaxing time. How the hell is the man still energetic? Where did all the energy come from? He wonders how Wonho handled the omega back when they were lovers. Did Wonho react like Jeongmin did? Did he laugh as loud and cheekily? Come to think of it, Wonho never laughs like that. But then again, can he even laugh like that in the first place? Wonho can''t giggle in high-pitch. His voice is too low, it will probably sound creepy than cute. Or will it? ''Hrmm¡­'' Minwoo finds himself thinking of a really stupid idea right now. A really disgusting idea. It might work. Maybe everyone actually enjoys that kind of game. He might enjoy it himself even. Though he doubts it. Pointing a finger towards his unconscious omega, Minwoo hesitantly tries to touch his nose. With no reaction, the alpha finds himself breathing a sigh of relief. He didn''t realize how fast his heart is beating. How does Jinyoung do this like it is natural? That kid must be a really disgusting kid growing up. Anyways, from the lack of response, it looks like Wonho is already fast asleep. This is his chance¡­ Minwoo tries to remember what Jinyoung did. He didn''t just placed the finger in the hole, he softly bring it near. Mimicking the smaller omega, the giant alpha puts his little finger near, so close he can swear Wonho is already having hard time breathing. Then he enter the ho- ''Wha- what are you doing?'' Fuck. Wonho is now staring straight at him, his gaze deadly rendering Minwoo frozen in place. ''Are you picking my nose??'' Fuck. His finger is inside Wonho''s nostril. ''Yah, Kim Minwoo, you''re disgusting!!!'' Fuck. Fuck. Chapter 107 - Figuring Things Out 1 ''Why don''t you give it some thought?'' Wonho nods his head, looking over the form that was passed to him. ''You''re not cheating. Think of it as, leveling the playing field. Cus-'' Prof. Lee stops, rethinking his choice of words. He really wants to help his best student succeed in this field, but he knows this offer may come of as the opposite of his intention. ''Getting internship here will help your career greatly.'' ''I''ll think about it.'' Wonho gives his professor a big smile, not trying to show his real feeling. After saying his thanks with the promise to let the old man know about his choice, the 3rd year architectural student makes his way to the bus stop. Sigh. He knows the intention of the offer, and he was truly thankful of it. But it hurt him to be told by his own professor that despite his accomplishment, getting into a good company without any help will be hard. Just because he is an omega. It shouldn''t come as a surprise, he knows that, but¡­ it just, hurts. The vibration in his pocket cut him off his thoughts. ''You on your way?'' Wonho looks at his watch, and at the time schedule. The bus is late. It was supposed to be here 15 minutes ago while he was deep in his thought. Cursing inside, he sighs as he told his alpha about the delay. ''The game''ll start in 10 minutes. See you there?'' ''I''ll be there,'' Wonho ensures his mate before the other hang up. He told Minwoo he would be there watching his basketball match with another university, but he had an important test today hence why they didn''t go there together. According to his plan, he was supposed to be there half an hour ago, but he was called for by Prof. Lee right after he was done. And now, with the bus delay, he would probably be late for half an hour. Eyeing the taxi parked on the opposite side of the road, Wonho contemplates crossing and getting inside. Thirty minutes means almost half of the competition will be over by the time he gets there. After another minute of looking at the clock and back on the road, Wonho is about to start walking before the people around him starts to stand. The bus is just around the corner. Finally. ##### The cheers can be heard as Wonho makes his way inside the hall. It took him a while to find the gymnasium since he is not familiar with the place. He cautiously makes his way inside, not wanting to make any sound to disrupt the game. Wonho immediately notices his man chasing another player, completely unaware of his presence. Scanning the seats, he sees a friendly face and hurriedly makes his way towards the fellow omega. ''Best view right here.'' Jinyoung grins and Wonho smiles, thankful that he saved a seat as promised. He is not sure about the front row having the best view though, since he has to turn his head quite a distance to keep up with the flow, but since he was late, he has no say in it. ''GANBARE TAE-YAHH!!!'' Wonho almost jumped at how loud his friend is screaming, shocked that Jinyoung can be this bold. When they were together, the smaller male always seemed cute and adorable. He never knew the man can be this bright. Eyeing Jeongmin who just scored a 2-pointer, he notices the man smiling brightly at his boyfriend before breaking into a dance, and Jinyoung just giggling like a crazy kid beside him. As he expected, Jinyoung is better off with someone who appreciates him. They both look really happy right now. ''Yah, you should cheer too.'' The smaller male elbows him, gesturing towards Minwoo who is eyeing him for a few second before focusing back on the game. Wonho stares at Jinyoung, his face suddenly warm from just the thought of screaming the alpha''s name in public. It feels weird, since they never really made their relationship public, or show their affections freely. Granted, they are bonded, but Wonho only gets comfortable with Minwoo in their private time. This, right here, in a room filled with strangers, is definitely not private. Swallowing hard, just because, he turns to face the game. Should he scream? But he has a deep voice, will Minwoo even hear him? It would be so embarrassing if he shouts with all his might only to be heard by people around him¡­ He should wait until the game is getting good. Yeah, that''s it. A practice round. If he tries doing it with everyone else, he''ll get- ''Go! Kim Minwoo! You can do it!'' Wonho glances at the two cheerleaders in front of them. As soon as they squealed his name, they giggle and punch the other lightly, looking embarrassed. ''KIM MINWOO YOU''RE SO COOL!!!'' Another set of shy laughter. Wonho bites his lower lip, taken aback by it. They look so happy supporting his alpha, they must be one of his fans. ''KYAAAHH! MINWOO!'' ''YAAH MINWOO!'' Jinyoung''s loud voice brought him out of his trance and Wonho looks at the scoreboard to see the points increasing for their team. He quickly locates his mate to see him smiling and blowing a kiss towards him. But before he can react to it, the girls in front of him squeals louder, ruining the moment. Thank god for that though, because he has no idea how to react to it. Smiling and giving Minwoo a thumb up, he continues clapping. ''The heck is that?'' Jinyoung''s annoyed voice breaks the awkward exchange and Wonho turns towards his friend, ''What?'' ''He just threw you a kiss.'' ''Really? I didn''t notice.'' The smaller omega shakes his head, ''throw it back!'' ''Yeah¡­ no.'' Wonho forces and awkward smile and is about to look away, ''Heol, you''re still no fun. KIM MINWOO, I LOVE YOU!!!'' Wonho''s eyes widen when he hears that. Why did Jiny- in public?? In front of these people?? ''WE LOVE YOU MINWOO-OPPA!!!!'' The girls shout, And Wonho can just feel his face red from second-hand embarrassment. Why are they worshipping Minwoo? God, this is so awkward¡­ ''KIM MINW-'' ''Shut up!'' Wonho places his hand on Jinyoung''s mouth to stop his friend from screaming again. Not only has the game started which means the moment has passed, he cannot understand why Jinyoung wants to play around like this and encourages the cheerleader fans. Unfortunately for him, the man only laughs gleefully, as if saying that it is not over yet. God, how he wishes the match will end soon. Chapter 108 - Figuring Things Out 2 ''Gotta go real quick!'' Wonho makes way for his friend to move, staring as Jinyoung rushes in between the crowd towards the exit. The match just ended with the opponent''s win, but his team was not too far behind. It was a close win. Now waiting patiently in his seat, finding the time to greet his mate who is still talking with his teammate, Wonho cannot help but frown as the two cheerleaders make their way towards the team. Well, seeing that they are technically a part of the team, that should not be a huge deal. But, he just doesn''t like seeing them near Minwoo. Wonho scoffs to himself, watching as the girl taps on Minwoo''s back, getting his attention. She is saying something to him, but the alpha cannot hear her well judging from his expression. Leaning closer towards her, the cheerleader whispers something to him which makes Wonho annoyed. It is obvious what she is trying to do. Had she talked louder, Minwoo could have heard her the first time. Wonho quickly turns his head towards the other end of the court when he realizes Minwoo is glancing at him. Not wanting to make things awkward, he looks down at the floor, taking out his phone to pretend to be busy. Of course. Minwoo is an attractive guy, it makes sense that he has a lot of fans. Wonho just never realized that when they were courting each other because he never paid attention to the alpha in the first place, nor feel the need to be aware of any rivals. This is probably everyday life for Minwoo. He just has to get used to this. ##### Getting out of the bus near the north gate, the couple walk their usual route towards their dormitories. They skipped the after-party and went to have early-dinner instead. Now, all filled and content they decided to end the day. ''Lemme get that.'' Wonho offers to carry Minwoo''s bag for him, sensing that the man is tired. However, instead of handing him what he asked for, the alpha laughs at the offer. That feels somewhat offensive because it feels like Minwoo is mocking him. ''What?'' ''It''s heavy.'' Wonho automatically pouts at that statement. It is just a bag with his damned shoes and uniform. Is this guy looking down on him or what? ''I can''t let you carry this.'' ''The hell? Gimme that!'' Wonho grabs the navy bag from the alpha and walks in front, not enjoying how he was treated. He is not a fragile person to not be able to handle a measly task such as carrying a bag. He is not that weak, despite being an omega. He is definitely not the ''woman'' in the relationship. ''Tsk.'' He curses inwardly. Is he angry at what happened during the match? Because this feels unreasonable. Why is he ticked off with Minwoo''s usual playfulness? And why is he stomping his feet? Owh god, he is jealous. Stopping his steps, Wonho turns back to look at Minwoo who is smiling at himself, as if he is enjoying the whole display of tantrums. Which is weird. He is acting childish, why is this acceptable? Minwoo always seems to hate such a thing, from his annoyed looks whenever people attempt that to get his attention like some of his suitors. And yet, why is he smiling so widely? Did he hit his head while playing? ''You''re weird... why are you smiling like that'' He asks, waiting for the guy to catch up. Staring at his face, Wonho places one hand on his forehead. ''Are you okay?'' ''I think I''m a bit drunk¡­'' Wonho frowns. Drunk? They didn''t drink alcohol today, he was sure Minwoo only had a pineapple juice just now. Unless¡­ someone tried to drug him? Again? Owh god, what should he do- ''I got drunk from love~'' Minwoo moves closer but before he manages to steal a kiss, Wonho pushes his head away. Fucking pick-up lines! He should have known! ''Yah, get away from me!'' He runs as quickly as he can towards the alpha''s dormitory. ''KIM MINWOO YOU SUCKK!'' When Minwoo gets cheesy, he gets real cringy. And Wonho can never handle him. He always wonders where the alpha gets all these stupid pick-up lines, or if they ever work. Because Wonho always shivers when he hears any of them. There is no way he is letting Minwoo send him to his room tonight. ##### ''Thanks for the help,'' Sangcheol utters while cutting the scallion on the counter. Minwoo grins at the older, making sure to stir the sundubu-jjigae lightly to not break the tofu. He can hear his mate muffled voice from one of the rooms, probably helping Haneul finish the bedroom. In the living room, the two betas are busy plugging in the television. The two oldest members of Wonho''s pack finally found their new house ¨C a nice apartment about half an hour away from campus, and Sangcheol decided to include Minwoo in the moving process. Although he thought it would be weird since this would be his first official outing with the members since he got back together with Wonho, and the fact that Junjie was invited too, he accepted the request anyway. He doubted they would fight in the presence of Wonho. Or Sangcheol. And he was right. They made sure Minwoo and Junjie doesn''t have the same task. And amazingly, they survived the day without any incidents. Putting the foods on the small dining table, the two alphas call out to the others to have dinner together. Junjie and Mengyao comes in with stools in hand, with the former making sure to seat the furthest away from Minwoo. Not that the younger alpha minded, in fact, he appreciates it. The sight of the man still irks him, even after all this time. ''This is a really nice house.'' Mengyao comments once all the members are gathered at the table, the bowls of rice passed around. Minwoo nods, looking around the big 2LDK apartment. To be honest, he was surprised when he first entered the apartment building - the place has great security, and once again, when he entered the house. Certainly an expensive house for a fresh-graduate, more so for a graduating student. Sangcheol doesn''t look like he is from a rich family, and if he is not mistaken, Haneul is an orphan. He wonders how they can afford this house. Of course, he didn''t ask. That would be rude. ''Yah, how can you afford this? Eomma appa?'' Wonho asks, catching him by surprise. ''Or did you do some night jobs?'' Minwoo almost face-palm himself from second-hand embarrassment. Chapter 109 - Figuring Things Out 3 ''Selling that hot barreh?'' Wonho adds, moving his body in excitement to provoke any reaction from Sangcheol. Minwoo can only manage to pretend to eat, not wanting to comment. He thought Wonho is the mature one, why is he making that kind of jokes, or even ask that question? Looking at the silly grin of the omega though, and the two owners brushing it off like it was nothing, Minwoo finally breathed easy. He forgot about Wonho''s weird jokes. His friends probably are already used to it. ''You think Ryuu-hyung can get any customers?'' Junjie adds which earns him a whiny scolding from the oldest male. Beside him, Haneul only laughs while agreeing with Junjie. Minwoo seriously doesn''t know what to do right now. He is not close enough with the older ones to laugh along with such jokes. Nor does he understand why everyone is laughing. ''Yah, you''re my mate. Why are you agreeing with them?'' ''You can''t flirt for your life!'' Haneul points at his alpha, clapping his hands as he recalls their dating days. Looking at the older omega, Minwoo smiles, just imagining the possible scenario of their courting phase. Sangcheol probably the awkward one, and Haneul the flirtatious one. Because Haneul really knows how to get people''s attention; his gaze alone is tempting enough. ''Yah, share the good stuff with us.'' Mengyao changes the subject, still munching on his rice. ''I wanna buy the new Nintendo.'' ''Heol, you guys are unbelievable.'' Sangcheol shakes his head, closing the subject. The others still laugh as they mock him but soon, they focus on eating again. Minwoo steals a glance at his omega beside him ¨C Wonho is still grinning. Now noticing the alpha''s stare, Wonho puts a piece of kimchi on his spoon, softly murmuring, ''stop staring.'' ''Seriously though, this place is really cool. Is this on a rent?'' ''We bought it.'' Junjie coughs at Haneul''s answer, quickly searching for water as he gasps for air. Sangcheol hands him a cup before adding, truthfully, ''Haneul bought it. I''m obviously poor.'' Everyone''s eyes are now focused on the older omega, curious. However, they soon realize that it is not impossible, Haneul wrote a few infamous books. He also did a lot of events when he was younger, he must have received some money from that as well. At least, everyone on the table knows about it except Minwoo, the outsider. The foreigner. ''Yeah. The books. But it''s our house.'' The beautiful man insists, emphasizing that they own the house equally while looking at his alpha. ''I just don''t wanna give him the choice because I don''t wanna live in a hut in the middle of nowhere. He won''t have a say if I use my money.'' ''Yah, I''m gonna make more money and buy a hut!'' Sangcheol playfully retorts. The two betas snort at the joke, recalling the summer trip of horror. Sangcheol''s action back then must have gotten something to do with their house choice. This time, Minwoo can smile along, because Wonho told him about that event. The one where his omega burnt the rice. Looking to his side to see Wonho''s reaction, Minwoo is slightly taken aback as he noticed a bitter smile instead. Not wanting to address it right there, he turns back towards the group, enjoying the meal. He must be imagining things. Why would Wonho react like that so suddenly? ##### ''Die bastard!'' Minwoo swings the sword at Junjie''s character, screaming angrily as the blue monster hammers his warrior to almost less than 5% or his health. Finally manages to escape the constant hammering, he rushes back and drinks a potion. And soon as he returns, he sees Junjie''s monster using a seal which lasts half a minute. ''YOU COWARD!! STOP HIDING AND FIGHT! YAH!'' Wonho only laughs at how childish the two men are right now. Junjie is clearly bullying Minwoo who is an amateur at the game, not holding back while Minwoo, he keeps getting worked up and rushes into trying to beat Junjie''s character without any planning whatsoever. Well, at least they brought their fight into a virtual game instead of real life. He can still see them not fond of being around each other. Hopefully this will be the first step into being friends. ''YAAH!'' Minwoo screams again, almost stomping the controller on the floor. Seeing that, Wonho turns to his senior who is drinking tea right beside him, ''If he breaks your controller, I''ll have him buy a new one.'' ##### Getting on the bed, Wonho takes one pillow and hugs it tightly his whole body vibrates, just because. He looks at the clock which shows almost 4 a.m., and automatically yawns. Thankfully tomorrow is Sunday and he has no plan so he can sleep in. Just as he is about to enter his dreamland, he feels pressure on the other side of the bed. ''Night.'' He mutters, turning his body to face the alpha. Minwoo answers him but unlike usual, where he will feel the man''s hand over him, the man is not moving from his spot. Curious, Wonho opens his eyes to see Minwoo still sitting against the headboard, scrolling through his phone. His face is serious. ''Why do you have that frown?'' Thinking that Wonho is asleep, the voice surprised Minwoo. He quickly puts his phone but as soon as he does so, he realizes how suspicious that is. Sighing, he answers, ''searching for Haneul''s book. Was a bit curious.'' ''You found it?'' Wonho asks, just because. The frown clearly meant he did. And indeed, Minwoo nods before wiping his face. ''I didn''t know.'' ''You''re a foreigner. You wouldn''t know.'' Minwoo lies further into the blanket, staring at the ceiling. Reading about the older omega, he now understands why Haneul treats Wonho like he does, despite knowing what Sangcheol did that night, and why. Turns out the older alpha has more things in common with him than he cares to admit. No wonder, Sangcheol treats him kindly once he learns the truth. Because he understands. ''Did the talk about the book trigger you?'' He asks his omega who seems to be in his own world as well, just staring blankly at his chest. ''Huh?'' Wonho tilts his head in confusion. Did he unconsciously do something? Must be his poker face. ''You didn''t look like you were enjoying the conversation.'' Wonho stares blankly at the wall, trying to remember when he did what Minwoo told him. He clearly remembered actively engaging in the conversation though¡­ Owh. Yeah. Now that he thought about it, there was a moment when he felt discouraged ¨C when Haneul admitted that he was the one who bought the house. It was in no way directed to him but somehow it made him feel bad about himself. Because a fellow omega with almost the same trauma can manage to buy a house at his age, but Wonho''s own career looks bleak. It reminded him about the internship offer, that he needs help to even get an opportunity for a fair fight. Despite his achievements. It made him regret his choice of career, because if things don''t work out, he will be left with nothing. Yes, he made his choice after careful consideration, but that was because he thought the discrimination was all in his mind. But when his professor, an expert in the field himself showed how worried he is, Wonho found himself scared of the future. Sighing in his place, Wonho closes his eyes. This does not concern the alpha, he shouldn''t worry Minwoo. ''It''s my bitch face.'' ''Owh yeah. Forgot you have that.'' Minwoo chuckles, turning around to hug his lover. Chapter 110 - Figuring Things Out 4 Minwoo keeps pouting as they make their way to the family restaurant for dinner. This is not where he wants to go for a date on such a rare day when his omega is up to it. These kinds of days deserve a 5-star restaurant, or somewhere with nice ambience, not a cheap place with crying babies and teenagers hanging out. This is not a date! This is just them hanging out!!! Sitting down, Wonho passes him the menu where Minwoo flips over quickly, showing his discontent. He can sense the other getting annoyed, and that is exactly what he wants. At least, if he can irritate Wonho enough, the man may consider changing place. Because Wonho hates him acting like a ''kid''. ''The steak here is good.'' ''But the ones at the French restaurant is better.'' He adds, putting the menu down and staring at his mate. Wonho ignores him and turns the page. Pulling his lips the neglected alpha is about to push the menu aside before feeling shivers. The omega is shooting daggers at him. ''Urgh fine.'' ''It tastes the same when you''re hungry.'' ''Good quality, healthier.'' Minwoo answers, finally deciding on his order. In front of him, he sees Wonho making a face, repeating the last words. Noticing his mate''s glare, the omega immediately stops and puts down his own menu, pretending he did not just mock the larger, younger alpha. ''We students eat what makes us full.'' Ah, the student card. What follows will be how they can''t afford to eat fancy stuff just yet. Minwoo always argues that he can, since his allowance is more than enough to support them both and then some. But Wonho will always counter that with the fact that Minwoo cannot afford them, his parents can. Well, Seo Wonho. He earned the money by being a good boy. So it is his money. Not that, the argument ever worked with the older man. Wonho is hard guy to convince. So much for the omegas being submissive to their alphas; Wonho never listens to his requests. Or maybe he is doing it wrong? He wonders if Haneul complies to Sangcheol''s silly requests. He did, join their trip to the wilderness for the guy. Will Wonho do it if he ask something hard? He should try that. Using his alpha voice. Just subtly so the man won''t notice. What should he ask? Owh he can think of a lot of things like trying new positions or- Wait. Too risky. Wonho will not want to do it with him ever again. What should he do- ''Minwoo? You''re steak''s gonna get cold.'' Wonho''s voice brings him to reality. Looking back at the male in front of him, Minwoo smirks. He has a brilliant idea to test his theory. One which will not hurt anyone whether Wonho accepts, or rejects. ''Wonie, you wanna meet my parents?'' Shit. Wonho''s choking! Passing the water towards the man, Minwoo moves to sit beside him and pats his back to ease his cough. Gosh, now he feels bad. After asking the waiter to refill their drinks, he passes it to Wonho and makes sure the latter can breathe. ''What''s so shocking?'' Wonho stares at him, his face red from the brief suffocation. Minwoo senses that it is better for him to be on the other side of the table, so he gets up and returns to his seat. Then he looks back at his mate, still expecting answer. ''I met your parents, you don''t wanna meet mine?'' ''It''s not tha-,'' the omega stops midway, trying to explain his worry. Minwoo meeting his parents is for a different reason. Him meeting Minwoo''s means another. Honestly, although he just accepted the fact that he has a mate, their relationship still feels fresh. He is still figuring out a lot of things with the alpha. He is not ready to meet the Kims and be interrogated. God knows, they may be the proud aristocrats he sees in the dramas who do not like their son to be with a normal omega. Thinking his way out, Wonho continues, ''how do we explain our situation? How we meet?'' ''Owh¡­'' Minwoo drags his words. He didn''t think that far. They should make up a story or something. ''We''ll tell them I saw you at the lake. I mean, it''s the truth.'' ''And we bonded in less than a year without telling them?'' ''Kids these days do that.'' ''I don''t think so.'' ''Well they do in Europe. Some people get married without telling their parents.'' ''And you think they''ll think it''s okay?'' Minwoo lifts both his shoulders. He really doesn''t see what the big deal is. Sure, his grandmother will be upset and give him the cold shoulders but they will make up eventually. Unless, she cuts off his allowance. Then he is screwed. Knowing her, she will definitely do that. Owh shit. ''And what bout you not having my scent?'' Wonho is still trying to convince the alpha not to proceed with the idea, not knowing that Minwoo is now having second thoughts. The younger male looks back at his lover, trying to think of what to say to get them out of this situation. Then he thought of something. Minwoo leans closer, and whispers, ''We have sex.'' ''Yah!'' Wonho''s eyes widens at the suggestion, his face flushed. It is so fun to watch the alpha has to try hard not laugh. ''That''s not a solution, pabo! What bout if you have family events?'' ''Sex every day?'' Wonho starts to breathe heavily, his face shocked at the brazen suggestion. Minwoo can tell he is speechless, his eyes now the widest he ever seen on that pretty face. Not long after, the ears start to red and Minwoo gives up on holding his laughter. Lifting his hand for the bill, he can see Wonho anxious in his seat, wanting to get up to pay and run away from here. The waitress hands him the piece of paper and Minwoo quickly grabs it. Then he feels a slight tap on his shoulder. He turns to see the waitress giving him a seductive smile. Sighing inwardly, he is about to play around with the bill before realizing what the smile meant ¨C she gave him her phone number, written on the bill. Biting his inner lips, distracted by the slight anger, Minwoo didn''t realize his mate was quick to grab the piece of paper away from his hand. ''Won-'' ''I''ll go and pay.'' Minwoo curses inwardly, noting the change in atmosphere the moment Wonho saw the obvious handwriting. Fucking desperate omegas. Always ruining the moment. Chapter 111 - A Step Forward 1 ''You wanna go back?'' Minwoo sits beside Wonho who is playing with his phone on the sofa with both his legs up, without a care in the world. The man looks at the wall clock and shakes his head. Smiling, Minwoo turns the television on, trying to find something to do in the living room. Since coming back from Wonho''s hometown, his mate has been spending quite a lot of time in the apartment, despite what he said earlier about not being ready to move in. Most of the time, they will return to their dorms at night after hours together, but in rare cases, Wonho will want to spend the night. ''What?'' He looks at the omega who is staring at him from behind his phone, ''Finally admitting I''m hot?'' ''You look stupid.'' Minwoo smirks at that comment. Stupid means handsome in Wonho''s dictionary. Well, at least that is what he assigned the word to be. Whenever the smaller male says something bad about him, he means the opposite, or something good so Minwoo just interprets it however he wants it to be. Right now, he likes to be called handsome and since Wonho likes to call him stupid, that will be the meaning. Resting on his back, Minwoo turns to his left, at his omega. His pajamas that is too big for Wonho perfectly reveals his alluring collarbone and his soft neck. He is not sure about it at first but recently, the older has been giving him some hints. Maybe. He is never good at reading subtle hints. And Wonho''s subtle is really subtle. The man had been requesting to wear his clothes but when Minwoo gets excited that he was doing something a couple would do, Wonho would retort back saying it is too much work to bring his here. Then, the stares started. That was really hard to catch because the omega was quick to change his gaze but after a while, he stopped trying to hide it. And now this. This is really obvious. Wonho knows Minwoo loves his clavicles and still he chose to wear the button-down pajamas, purposely leaving the two uppermost ones unbuttoned. Wonho wants it. Minwoo stares at that soft skin, afraid to make his move. This is not Wonho''s heat so he may be more susceptible to flashbacks and his trauma, but it has really been a while and Minwoo really wants to touch the man. Not just touching, he wants to hold him, lick him all over. Really, really badly. He is sex deprived. And Wonho is a tease. Slowly, Minwoo places his hand on Wonho''s knee, testing if the man wants the same thing. With no rejection yet, he gently makes his way down the loose pants, tracing the skin gently while placing short kisses on his right knee. Hearing the soft moan, Minwoo makes his way ever so slowly, caressing the omega''s inner thighs. Glaring at Wonho whose phone already forgotten on the floor, Minwoo claims those lips hungrily, until Wonho pushes him away for air. Resting their forehead together, he stares at that dark orb, pecking those sexy lips in between, ''Seriously?'' Wonho nods shyly but before the alpha gets too excited, ''Not too hard. I can''t-'' he gulps, ''I''m a bit nervous.'' ''You don''t want it?'' Minwoo frowns. Though Wonho is the one inviting, he just said he is nervous, which means he is scared. Why would he want to proceed with it? But god, he is so turned on right now, he doesn''t know if he can hold back. Fuck, his hand is on Wonho''s crotch for god''s! Maybe he can just give the man a blowjob or some- ''Not like this. I, uh on top¡­'' ''Top?'' Hell no. No way. Alphas never bottom. No fucki- ''Lemme ride¡­'' Wonho muffles the last word, too embarrassed to say it out loud. He is not comfortable being on his back, he feels too vulnerable like this. This was how they took him. He didn''t feel anything when he is clouded by lust so he initially thought it is fine, but his heart is pounding vigorously just now. He might be okay taking the lead, or at least, be on top instead, just like their first time. Maybe. ''You? Really? You don''t know how.'' Wonho pulls his man closer, not wanting him to see his red face. This is really the first time he initiates such intimate things. It had always been Minwoo, which he will normally rejects. ''But you do. You guide me.'' ''Fuck Wonie. You''re so fucking sexy.'' Wonho felt his face getting hot. That compliment, and Minwoo''s entranced face looking at him, and his sex pheromones surrounding them turned him on so bad he doesn''t think he will be able to stop even if he wants to. Almost screaming as he is suddenly lifted, he braces himself for their first night together with him entirely in control of his body. ##### Finally able to catch their breaths, Wonho backs himself until he feels the warmth of the alpha, automatically lifting his head so Minwoo''s left arm can be placed beneath his head. Feeling the latter''s other hand on his waist, Wonho raises his own to touch Minwoo''s cheek, slightly turning his face to see his partner''s. ''How''s your first time?'' ''Not the first.'' Wonho rolls his eyes, pretending to be annoyed as he moves the hand on his waist away, but the hold tightened instead, and Minwoo starts to shake behind him, whining, not wanting him to leave. On the other side, Minwoo is grinning happily. Wonho''s first heat was with him, and now, his first time awake is also with him. Ignoring that horrible incident, Minwoo would love to think that Wonho''s virginity is his. ''You were really into it.'' He teases. ''It is good¡­'' he hears Wonho whispers, not playfully denying it like he usually would. And that somehow makes Minwoo feel proud of his performance. ''Good? That is fucking amazing!'' Minwoo pulls Wonho towards him and pecks his head a few times. Damn, he really loves this omega. He thought needy Wonho was the best but confident Wonho, he is out of this world. His unique pheromones reflected his feelings which Minwoo could sense too, making it even better. It made him want to pleasure the male more. He didn''t have to assume what Wonho likes, he just knew. That was the first time his own pleasure doubled in intensity. With the inexperienced omega, nonetheless. Imagine with training, how addictive he will be. If only Wonho is up to another round¡­ But this is okay too. He is satisfied with the after-sex as well, ''Well, I guess I''m great at sex so¡­'' ''That confident. Did they teach you how to have sex at school too?'' Wonho turns to him, cracking an innocent joke. He really has no idea know what they teach alphas. Since omegas learn how to pleasure themselves to prepare for their heats, maybe alphas learn how to pleasure omegas instead. Who the hell knows? Minwoo can only laugh awkwardly. Yes, he learned most of his skills during high school, but not in the classroom, ''I watch enough porn.'' Which is a lie. He didn''t even watch porn since he already got enough action. Seeing the man in his arms chuckling and holding him back, Minwoo lets out a soft sigh of relief. Fuck. That was close. Chapter 112 - A Step Forward 2 ''Being in a bond with an omega don''t make you hate other omegas, Minwoo-sshi. It makes you stop looking for a partner. You feel towards them how you feel towards mated omegas.'' ''Nothing?'' ''Yes, nothing. You hating them is a problem we need to fix.'' Minwoo puckers his lips, crossing his arms as he leans back against the chair and flops his head down to the side. He just got back from his long overdue visit to the therapist and since Wonho went somewhere with his friends, he decides to spend the rest of the day at the dorm. This session really bothers him. He thought he was making progress because he could tolerate Wonho, too well, which was why he reckoned there is no need for him to return. When it was later revealed that he had claimed Wonho, his focus was no longer on himself; instead, he became obsessed with fixing their broken relationship. Then, as things progressed, completely ignoring his own problem and without further discussion with his doctor, Minwoo simply decided that his distaste towards the others are the result of the bond. In fact, had it not been because of his almost hitting the omegas a few months ago and again just last week, Minwoo would never even considered making an appointment with a professional. He had been too caught up with bliss, thrilled that he is mated with Wonho and things are going smoothly. As it turns out, he is really unaffected by the bond at all. Not physically nor emotionally. ¡­does this mean he actually likes Wonho? Minwoo scoffs at his thought, amazed at himself. Just a few years back, being madly in love with a messed-up omega would never cross his mind. He was the hottest alpha who, due to the attention he is constantly receiving from the omegas, never felt the need to start a family. He only dreamt about being the best surgeon who owns a mansion and a yacht, travelling the world and sleeping with models until he gets old. It was not an impossible dream, he already has the family background to support it. But how things changed. Seo Wonho is really something. To think that during orientation night he actually fell in love at first sight... ¡­and how lucky he is that that scared omega was already his even then¡­ He is not even that beautiful. Wait. No. Wonho''s face is the best. ''Arghhhh¡­'' Minwoo closes his eyes, chuckling to himself. He is doing it again. Dammit, now is not the time to go crazy over his lover. He is avoiding his problems again. The therapist asked him to try and open up to other omegas, to slowly scrape off the unconscious thought that all omegas want something from him - a thought which apparently, has been engraved deep in his mind since the night of his attack. The only problem with that suggestion is the fact that the only omegas he know are all mated - his omega, Seungyun, and Sangcheol''s mate as well as his in-laws. All the others keeps showing interest in him which is obviously not good because they may get the wrong idea if he tries to talk to them. It would be great if Wonho is with him all the time since it will keep all the other omegas indifferent towards him, but the man has his own classes to attend. He sighs. If only Wonho claimed him as well that night, it would make things much more easier. It is stressful for him as well, hiding his scents even while going out on dates. Because if he doesn''t the will always be that one omega who will try to get his attention, in front of his own mate. At least, the few moments before they realize the man with him is bonded to him. Just last week a cashier passed him her phone number on the receipt which Wonho noticed. Despite his effort to hide those receipts, some of them will always make its way to Wonho accidentally. And few months earlier, Wonho told him about the cheerleaders screaming his name during the basketball match. Although the omega''s tone was cheery, he can sense the annoyance as the words left him. Lately, despite Wonho not saying a thing about it, Minwoo noticed the change in attitude. He knows the unwanted attention is affecting Wonho which in turn, irks him. If things keep going on like this, Minwoo may end up actually hitting someone, literally hitting someone; an omega most probably from his own frustration. In fact, he is scared that he may accidentally become violent with Wonho out of rage. He is scared of his own temper. Dropping his head on the desk, Minwoo again, releases a long breath. He really wants to be bound to Wonho as well so his mind can rest. ##### Minwoo clicks his tongue at the receipt with the phone number and throws it away, right in front of the omega behind the counter. Bringing the coffees he just bought to the arcade, Minwoo puts them on the seat beside him and inserts the coins in the arcade machine. Today, he will challenge Junjie''s high score for the Mario race. ''Go!!!'' ''Yaaah!!'' He screams, glaring at the beta seated next to Wonho. Junjie is purposely aiming for him, letting his other friends pass and throwing the bomb at him. Fucking Gu Junjie. ''You suck!'' Wonho laughs, looking at their rankings. Minwoo is the fourth out of five, leaded by Junjie, followed by the omega and Chansol. Breathing heavily through his mouth, Minwoo throws the tissue in his pocket towards Junjie, interrupting his concentration, making his car sways out of track. ''Yah, Kim Minwoo! That''s cheating!'' ''There''s no such rule.'' He smirks, before a piece of paper hits his head, and another. After a few more rounds, the group of friends finally decided to end their fun and head back to their own. Entering his car together are the older couple. The only reason why Minwoo joined their outing today is because they wanted to celebrate Sangcheol''s graduation, and with the other alpha''s car broken, they needed a ride. And since Junjie was bringing the other two with him, the only option was Minwoo. Not that he minded, on the contrary, he is glad he was invited. It gave him the opportunity to be closer to Wonho''s pack. ''How much is it? The coffees.'' The older alpha asks as they arrived at their destination. Wonho holds out his hand to take the receipt which Minwoo ignores. ''My treat.'' ''No, come on. I said I''ll pay today.'' Sangcheol insists and again, Minwoo rejects the offer. He remembers the total but there is no way Wonho will let him say it without proof. Beside, it will be too weird to do it anyway, as if he is expecting to be paid. Managing to convince the couple to leave it as it is, he is alas left alone with Wonho. ''You have anything to do?'' Wonho shakes his head. Nothing to do means spending their time together so Minwoo knows where to head to. He already bought everything to make dinner today, so they do not have to stop for groceries. Slowly driving, enjoying the song on the radio, Minwoo hums along. ''You threw the receipt again?'' Wonho questions, breaking the peace. Chapter 113 - A Step Forward 3 As expected, Wonho walks quickly. He is pissed. Normally he would walk beside Minwoo and holds his arm when they are inside the building since other residences are barely seen. Right now, not even sparing him a glance, Wonho unlocks the door and enters their apartment, heading straight to the bathroom. ''Wonie,'' he calls at the omega when the man gets out with a new change of clothes. The latter answers him but still refuses to look at him, playing with the remote instead. ''Are you mad? Cus I threw it?'' ''It''s just piece of paper. Whatever.'' Putting down the knife, Minwoo washes his hand and turns the tap off, ''Yeah. It is.'' He continues to cut the carrots before stopping again, not feeling good about it. ''You know why I did it right? I have a mate.'' ''Mated alphas don''t have omegas flocking around.'' Wonho mumbles so softly it is almost inaudible but Minwoo managed to catch it. That stirred something inside him. Trying to light up the tension, he replies, ''That''s cus I''m too hot.'' ''Good for you. Lots of options.'' Wonho gets up and moves towards the television, taking his earphone. ''I''m not hungry.'' ''Wonie, I told you I''m not interested in them.'' He tries to speak before the omega could cancel all the noise through his earphone and completely ignore him. This is always a sensitive issue between them because it is related to the bond. For some reason Wonho is convinced Minwoo may someday leave him for another because he is free, and truthfully, though he is sure that wouldn''t happen, he doesn''t know how to convince the man otherwise because, he really doesn''t know if he would. There is also the fact that he is only made aware about the older man''s feeling through Sangcheol, who was informed by Haneul. Wonho never talk about his feelings. Just sensing his stronger emotions is useless if he has no clue what caused it. ''Wonie, yah!'' Minwoo doesn''t like being ignored like this. This is a serious issue they need to work out. They have been ignoring it for way too long, he wants a solution. He is tired too. Tired of the other suitors. Tired of Wonho being cold towards him. It is not his fault. ''Hey, I''m talking to you.'' He snaps and pulls the man''s earphones out, shocking him. Wonho is finally angered and glares back at him, trying to take the earphones back without success. ''What the hell you wanna talk about? The other omegas around you? You''re hot? I get it! Just leave it!'' ''I told you I don''t like them! I have you.'' ''We''re not even mates. Do whatever you want.'' Minwoo twitches at that statement. He knows they aren''t mates because it wasn''t done right but that is something he had hoped the other would never say. Never. He hates to be reminded of it - his mess, his failure to claim someone completely. ''What did you say?'' ''You''re a free alpha aren''t you? Isn''t that why they''re all over you?'' ''Does it matter?? You''re mine and I like you! I''m fucking taking care of you right now! You know how annoying you can be to other people??'' Minwoo throws the earphones on the floor and stands up. Noticing the shocked look on the omega, he rubs his temple, taking a deep breath to relax. ''What I''m trying to say is, I hate the omegas too. More than you do.'' ''That''s cus of your trauma.'' Wonho mumbles, avoiding looking at the alpha. He is not prepared for a confrontation. He know this is not Minwoo''s fault. He is aware that this is another type of anxiety which is why he had hoped for the alpha to leave him alone so he can calm himself down, like always. But it has come to this and he feels cornered. And he knows he gets defensive when he is trapped. This is really stressing him out. ''Fine!'' Wonho winces at the loud voice. Minwoo is angry. ''Let''s say I''m not bound to you! But I don''t like other omegas.'' Minwoo clenches his fists, sensing the insecurity from his omega. Trying really hard to calm himself, he continues, ''Wonie, I like you. I hate other omegas but I love you. That''s something right?'' Wonho shakes his head, ''That''s the bond! You don''t like me!'' ''Fucking hell Wonho! Are you even listening to yourself? You''re not making sense! First you said I''m a free alpha and now you''re telling me my feelings for you is not real. What the fuck do you want? Make up your mind for god''s sake!'' Minwoo bangs the kitchen counter, hurting his hand in the process. Wonho''s eyes widen in shock and he is left speechless. Sensing the fear from the omega, Minwoo curses at the situation and goes to the sink to cool himself. Drenching his face in cold water, he stays there, trying not to do anything stupid. He knows the older is stressed out because of the flirting from others and finally had enough, anyone would. And with his own disorder, Minwoo is aware that something like this is bound to happen. He knows he needs to be patient, but he cannot. Unlike Sangcheol, he cannot keep collected. He has unresolved anger issues. He cannot help Wonho at all. He only managed to make it worse. He is useless. He failed his one and only job as an alpha. He failed to make Wonho feel safe. After a few minutes in the kitchen, not even looking at the other in the living room, Minwoo finally comes up with a solution. As he walks back towards Wonho, he notices the man''s arm already red from scratching. It hurts him. ''Let''s redo the bond.'' Minwoo suggests sternly. He heard about Sangcheol doing it with Haneul because of the same concern the omega had and thought this is the best idea for their situation. There is nothing bad about it at all - he gets to be bonded, Wonho gets reassurance. It will be a win-win situation. ¡­or so he thought. Though Minwoo is excited over that plan, the frown on Wonho suggests the man is thinking otherwise. Minwoo tries to stay calm, holding Wonho''s hand to comfort him, to convince him. ''If that''s what''s bothering you, let''s do it again.'' ''I don''t think I-'' Wonho places his hand over the scar on his right neck. ''Why?'' ''I just don''t feel like it.'' ''Don''t feel like it?? Is this a simple problem we can solve by ''feeling like it''? You''re paranoid Wonho! You''re acting out. We need to do something!'' ''Something don''t have to be THAT, right?'' Wonho looks at him, begging to be spared. Minwoo truly cannot comprehend the rejection. Why is he so adamant about not wanting it? ''It won''t hurt.'' ''It''s not that¡­'' the man tries to get away from his grips, trying to run away but Minwoo holds him in place. Still pushing him to accept the suggestion, Minwoo gets more agitated as Wonho starts to show discomfort. ''You can close your eyes.'' ''No, I can''t do it.'' He is struggling to break free. ''Stop it. Minwoo, please.'' ''What do you wanna do then?? We can''t keep doing this! Are you gonna ignore me every time someone show interest in me? I''m a noble, Wonho! They won''t stop!'' Wonho doesn''t stay anything else, he just keeps trying to free himself from Minwoo. The alpha isn''t actually exerting any force, this is clearly a difference in strength. Seeing the watery eyes, Minwoo decides to be an alpha in the relationship and get with it. Wonho is too unstable to make a decision right now. ''I know you''re scared. It''ll be over quickly.'' Slap! Chapter 114 - A Step Forward 4 Minwoo stares at Wonho, taken aback as he feels the familiar pain on his cheek. It shocked him enough to break himself from Wonho''s distressed pheromones. He didn''t even realize he is affected by it. Unfortunately for the pair, it brings him back to his own temper. Wonho shudders at the glare, feeling himself shrink. He didn''t mean to do it, he just wanted to get away. The intense pheromone around him felt heavy Wonho almost forgot to breath. Minwoo is angry, he is really angry. Wonho is scared. It is his first time seeing Minwoo this frightening. He needs to run away. Minwoo is furious at him. He can get really dangerous. Pushing the alpha back, Wonho tries to jump away from the couch towards the kitchen, hoping to make it to the bedroom to lock himself in but before he can do so, his hand is pulled back and he falls back on the soft cushion, straight toward the alpha. Bringing his free hand up to protect his face, Wonho closes his eyes the moment he sees the other''s hand hovering above him, praying he will survive the hit. ¡­which never came. Still stiff in the tight embrace, Wonho''s breaths stutters as his head is pushed toward Minwoo''s chest, hearing the really fast, and strong heartbeats. Minwoo is breathing heavily as well, probably trying hard to stay calm. ''Minwoo, I-'' ''Don''t you slap me again. You fucking know I hate that.'' He hears the larger man growls and nods hastily, bringing his own hand to hug the man back. His tears stuck in his eyes are now freely flowing as Wonho starts to speak. ''I''m sorry.'' ''You''re not the only one with problems here. I''m trying too.'' Minwoo hisses between his teeth, obviously still pissed. Nodding weakly, Wonho stays in his position, trying to relax along with his alpha. He doesn''t want to move, feeling safe inside the embrace despite the other is still in a worked-up condition. He knows he is safe now. He doesn''t know how long they stayed there, maybe minutes, maybe hours, but they are both finally sane enough to talk. Still holding on to each other, they move their positions to the couch, leaning against the soft back cushion. ''Why don''t you wanna do it?'' Wonho shakes his head at first, refusing to answer but as he looks at the tensed face on his partner, he gathers the courage, ''I- I''m scared.'' He locks his eyes with his alpha, ''What if I die?'' Minwoo frowns at that answer. If omegas die during bonding, it would already be considered a crime. That is the stupidest reason he could ever think of. Unless, of course he was concerned due to what happened that night, but that was a special case. ''You won''t'' ''You don''t know that.'' Minwoo sighs a loud sigh. He is still irritated from what happened minutes ago. Though he is trying his best not to get physical and run amok, he really cannot handle any more of this shit. He is so tired of explaining these things to Wonho over and over again. His doctors already told him about it, his friends know it, even the betas remember it. Why can''t Wonho get it inside his head?? ''You can control your pheromones now. You''ll be okay.'' ''You don''t know that¡­.'' Wonho sits up, getting excited suddenly, ''I don''t wanna die. I don''t wanna-'' ''You''re still free¡­ what if you try to claim me again and I won''t be able to take another bonding because I''m already bon-'' Wonho chokes on his own words, not even knowing what he is thinking about anymore. His mind is a mess. He had thought about why he didn''t want to do it again; he had a good reason why, but now the reason doesn''t make sense anymore. The more he has to explain, the more confused he becomes. All he knows is that he shouldn''t do it. It is dangerous. To Minwoo, all he hears is absurdities. He cannot comprehend anything Wonho just said as it doesn''t make any sense. All he can hear is excuses. Unreasonable excuses. Why won''t Wonho want to do it if he is so bothered about other omegas chasing Minwoo and him doing the same? That alone should be enough reason to want to claim him for himself. It just doesn''t make any sense. ''Let''s just do it at the hospital in front of the doctors! Is that enough for you?! Or we can do it in front of your therapist that you trust so much. If anything happens, they can give you instant medical attention. Huh? What bout that?'' He raised his voice, almost at the edge. ''I don''t want to¡­ please don''t make me¡­'' ''You know what? Fuck this shit. Fuck all of this!'' Standing up and taking his jacket and car key, Minwoo shoves the door open and stomps down to the car park, wanting to escape that suffocating atmosphere. He cannot stand it anymore. He cannot stand being in the same room with Wonho and his stressed-out pheromones. It agitates him so much he wants to knock his head on the wall to break away from it. Driving a few miles from home to a playground, he finally stops and gets out, taking in the fresh air. It is already dark so there is no one in sight. Minwoo screams his heart out, kicking the tires buried in the park a few times until his leg hurts. Why the hell is it so hard for Wonho to be claimed again? The one who did it the first time was Minwoo anyway, so he doesn''t understand why Wonho is acting like this, as if he was recalling his assaults. Why is this such a big deal?? They are already bonded, there is no need for overreactions! He only suggested it because Wonho brought it up in the first place. Sure, he wants it too, but Wonho needed reassurance and this was the only way he could think of. It was for his own good, why the irrelevant extreme panic?? Sitting on the nearby bench, breathing heavily out of anger, Minwoo curses himself. He needs to control his temper; he is losing it. Clicking his tongue in annoyance and tapping his legs on the ground to lose all the extra energy, Minwoo screams again and again until he finally gets tired of it. A few more minutes of just sitting, staring at the dark sky, Minwoo moves back up to his car. The pills he got from his therapist are in the glove compartment. He hid it there after Wonho took a handful of it almost a year ago. He is drained now, but he is still angry. He is sure he will feel this way the rest of the day, maybe even tomorrow, until they resolve this issue so, as much as he wants to avoid it, he needs it today. Minwoo is about to take one for himself before remembering about the omega at home. Wonho has his own pills, and he is addicted to it to say the least. ...Wonho was really stressed when Minwoo left. What if he overdosed on those? Owh god, he was not ready to lose Wonho. Minwoo closes the door and starts the engine, accelerating back full speed. Chapter 115 - New Lifestyle 1 Running back up to his apartment, he looks around, anxious to find his mate. To his relief, as he opens the bedroom door, there Wonho sits, on the bed, hugging the pillows. His pheromones calmed down a lot, almost unnoticed. There is only a slight sadness which he can barely sense, but he is fine. Still breathing, and reacting to his presence. Minwoo takes a seat beside the omega. ''Hey.'' ''You came back.'' Wonho pulls the pillow closer to himself, hiding his face, ''This smell just like you¡­'' he takes a light sniff from the pillow, an action Minwoo finds a bit touching, ''I thought you finally left for good.'' ''I shouldn''t have left you like that¡­'' ''No, I was too much. I know it''s hard to have a broken mate like me. I''m sorry I''m like this.'' Minwoo gently pats Wonho''s back, massaging his neck while shaking him. He is expecting Wonho to cry again, already preparing himself to comfort his partner but instead, the man turns towards him, studying him. Minwoo doesn''t know how to react, what face to make. He is nervous and stiffens, afraid that Wonho might read his thoughts, whatever it is and realizes how messed up he is. However, contrary to his prediction, Wonho''s face softens a bit and he gives the alpha a small smile which the latter returns, relieved. Minwoo places his hand onto Wonho''s, rubbing them softly, ''I just realized you finally said sorry for slapping me.'' He grins at Wonho, ''Thought you''ll never do it.'' Seeing Wonho puls his face away in shame, Minwoo closes their distance and lies on his side, facing his partner. With one of his hand playing with the other''s feet, the alpha suggests, ''We should set the rule for our ''talk''. Not to get too emotional and worked up.'' ''Agreed. We never talk calmly.'' Wonho stares at the alpha, his mouth pursed, thinking. ''I don''t wanna have to slap you again.'' ''I don''t wanna leave you like this again. I kinda feel bad.'' He replies, noting the calm expression on Wonho. ''And by the way, you slapping me was your fault.'' ''You kinda pushed me.'' Wonho retorts to which Minwoo scoffs. ''You need to control your hand too. Your slap fucking hurts.'' ''Rule number two, no physical violence. There.'' Wonho interrupts before the alpha can continue his whining, feeling guilty. Minwoo gives a look at the older and nods. Though he knows Wonho was talking about his own prior outburst, he cannot help but think it was directed at him and his possible future violence. Because he knows he has a tendency to act with his hands. Hopefully it will not come to that. He will make sure of it. Caressing Wonho''s cheek, Minwoo gets up and moves towards his drawer beneath the desk. He remembers buying something special when Wonho left him hanging after their first heat together. It meant nothing then, but it finally found its use now. Getting up with the small white box in his hand, Minwoo returns to his sit on the bed. ''I bought this last year. When I was crazy about you.'' He glances at Wonho, half teasing, smirking as he sees the omega roll his eyes playfully, ''They''re supposed to be couple rings, but I guess we can wear them as wedding rings now.'' At least there will be proof that he is taken despite not carrying his mate''s scent. He hopes this will keep other suitors away and ease his hatred even just a bit. ''Why would you buy a couple ring when we weren''t talking?'' Wonho rests his head on Minwoo''s shoulder, staring at the simple rings inside the box. By simple, he means really simple. The only pattern is the MW sign carved on the surface, and the indent on the edge of the ring, barely seen at first glance. It is actually really pretty, he just realized both their initials can be turned upside down to be the other''s. ''You didn''t actually reject me then. You even asked me to hang out on campus.'' ''Owh, yeah.'' Wonho takes one of the ring and inserts his middle finger in it, changing to his index and repeats with his right hand, finding the ring too big. ''But you''re a bit creepy.'' ''That''s mine.'' Minwoo takes the ring from Wonho and puts it on his left ring finger, grinning happily at the perfect fit. He then passes the other to his partner who again, tries to fit it on the same finger without success. ''It fits on my index.'' ''That won''t do.'' ''Is this really mine?'' Wonho glares at Minwoo accusingly. ''Yaah! It''s even creepier if I knew your exact finger size, don''t you think?'' ''Well then I guess I''ll just wear it like this then.'' Wonho waves his hand in front of the alpha''s face, beaming happily at the ring on his finger. It is a weird feeling, to be on the receiving end. Growing up as a male beta, he always thought he would be the one giving it to someone. But he doesn''t hate the feeling either. Guess he is getting used to being pampered instead. On the other hand, Minwoo is staring at the misplaced ring in discontent. He bought it specifically for it to be worn on the ring finger. Quickly pulling it off, he states, ''We''re changing the size. This thing''s expensive.'' To that, Wonho just stares at him in shock, ''The fuck you buy an expensive couple ring for a guy you just met for?'' ''Cus I''m rich and I''m crazy about that guy.'' Minwoo answers honestly. He was crazy about Wonho then, when he first met the man at the lake. And he is still crazy about him now, despite all their differences. Minwoo bumps their foreheads together, ignoring the dumbfounded expression on the other. Then, he places a small kiss on those luscious lips, signifying the end of their first serious fight as an official couple. Their situation is special, and their traumas makes it even harder for them to pursue this relationship, but Minwoo doesn''t want to give up just because it is hard. And he knows Wonho is thinking of the same thing, which was why he was anxious about the suitors instead of choosing to break the bond by force. Wonho can if he wants to, the law is on his side, but he doesn''t. Even in his desperate state, he chooses to endure it to be with Minwoo. And Minwoo too, wants to be with him. They just need to figure out a way to get over this together. So they can grow stronger and remain together until they are both old and wrinkly. Just adoring each other and driving each other crazy. Chapter 116 - New Lifestyle 2 ''Why do I have to wear it too?'' The omega rests his head on the table, already tired after the long day. Minwoo insists on him wearing it on his ring finger, but honestly Wonho doesn''t see why he should. Minwoo is the one who needs marking, not him. He has the bond. ''It''s not a couple ring if I''m the only one who wears it.'' ''It''s not a couple ring. Period.'' Wonho refutes, turning his head to look at the taller man who is now searching for something on the internet. He can see the alpha giving him a side-eye, probably annoyed at how much he resists on wearing the ring, but it is not his fault it doesn''t fit. ''People only need to know you''re taken. I have your scent.'' ''Betas can''t sense the bond.'' ''Yah, I''m not that attractive to get some random beta''s attention. Also, betas flirt. And I''m not that friendly to entertain that. You should know.'' The alpha smirks at that statement. Now that he thinks about it, it is true. He needed months before Wonho actually gave him any attention, and that, also happened because he insisted on being around the omega. He is 100% sure Wonho will not allow anyone else to do the same. So yes, despite how attractive Wonho is, which he doesn''t realize, he doesn''t need the ring. But then again, where is the fun in that? ''Not taking risks. I don''t want another Gu Junjie.'' ''Yah-'' ''Or we do couple things like wear couple shirt. I actually have other stuffs-'' Minwoo is about to get up from the sofa before Wonho stops him. The latter already knows here the alpha is heading ¨C to the closet to get his suitcase where he stores all the cringy things he bought. Yes, Wonho already know about it because he accidentally opened it when it fell down while he was making space for his stuffs in the closet. The guy didn''t bother to zip the bag before placing it on the top shelf. Honestly, so dumb. ''Urgh fine'' Wonho reluctantly agrees. He sees the younger male now sitting beside him at the kitchen counter and automatically gives his left hand for him to do whatever he is planning to do. And as he expected, Minwoo takes it and puts his little finger right beside his ring one. The sleepy omega sighs for the umpteenth time looking at Minwoo trying to figure out his finger size by comparing it to his own. He already tried a lot of things - looking at it visually, using a thread, he even went out of his way to calculate the circumference. Honestly, they can just go to some random shop together and ask for his ring size. Or try a few that fits. But Wonho decides to let the alpha continue what he is doing for a while longer. So, he can mention this silly episode whenever Minwoo tries to act smart with him. Sometimes he wonders why this guy is even in a university taking medicine. Constantly being around him, the thought of having his mate as his doctor scares him. ''Yah, yah.'' Wonho stops the man, slightly disappointed that the cute, frustrated pout is now gone. He should have taken a picture. ''Let''s just go to the shop together.'' Minwoo looks at him, the look of sudden realization evident on his handsome face. Owh well, he just needs to remember to take the picture next time. Because knowing Minwoo, there will always be next time. ##### Wonho stares at the perfectly fitted piece of metal on his finger ¨C a sign of his commitment to his partner. He laughs through his nose. He always imagined how he would be the one who opens the box to ask for his partner''s hand in marriage. After giving it a long thought, Wonho knows that he is not the romantic type so he planned to just be cool about it and put it in his pocket instead so he can bring it out and put it on his partner''s finger when the mood is right. Guess, despite all the chaos, things partially happened as he planned. There was no proposal, and he ended up with a ring anyway. The young student brings out the piece of paper he got from his professor ¨C the application for the summer internship. He doesn''t know why he suddenly thought about it, but seeing the ring on his finger made him want to consider accepting the offer. He had a thought that, if things are meant to be, maybe it will happen despite how badly it started, or how far things strayed along the way. He just has to try his best to make sure not to lose track of the end goal. Not that, his end goal was ever to end up with a certain Kim Minwoo. But, that is another story. ''What''re you doing?'' The hoarse voice calls out to him and Wonho turn around to see the giant with his messy bed hair walking slowly towards the sofa where he is seated. Making room for the man, the omega glances at the clock. It is 4 a.m., why is Minwoo up? ''Internship?'' Wonho nods, telling the man that he made up his mind. He is expecting the man to ask questions but hearing no answer, he turns his head to see Minwoo already asleep, his heavy head hanging. ''Pabo, you should''ve stayed in bed.'' Getting up to secure the important piece of paper safely in his bag, the architectural student places his hand on his mate''s legs but before he shakes it lightly to wake the man, Wonho stops. They might as well just sleep on the couch rather than move to the bed. Agreeing with himself, he grabs the blanket and his favourite pillow. Then he positions himself right beside the sleeping alpha. ''Unhh, why''re you so big.'' He mutters to himself, realizing he can''t sleep facing the ceiling or he will fall. Already tired and sleepy, Wonho groggily gets up and pulls the back pillows before throwing them on the floor. He then pushes the unconscious alpha towards the very back of the couch. ''Argh.'' Wonho complains again because his pillow cannot fit on the couch. Frowning deeply, not wanting to give up the idea of sleeping outside the bedroom, he pulls Minwoo''s right hand and places his head on it. There. Perfect. ''I guess you miss my hand pillow.'' ''Shut up.'' Wonho punches the alpha lightly. He knows that much movement would wake Minwoo up. He is too tired to play along right now so he will give this one to his mate. ''Good night, pabo.'' Chapter 117 - New Lifestyle 3 Finally returning back to the studio with his drink and snacks, Wonho cracks his hands and sits back down to start his concept drawing. He looks over, noting how quiet it is with no one in sight. Everyone is already gone which is what he is counting on. Obviously he doesn''t want to be stuck in a room with a strange alpha alone. Unless that alpha is his, of course. Not to mention, starting this late at night means he will get the whole place for himself to focus and do whatever he wants, including stretching his body as loud as he can. Which he loves to do. And talking to his alpha while working. Humming along the new ballad song he downloaded, the young student starts to draft a few ideas for the indoor garden, comparing them with his other interiors before erasing a few parts and drawing new ones. Now long after, his stomach starts to growl. Peeking very quickly towards the clock, he notes the hour and starts eating the chips. Bzz. Bzz. Wonho smiles at the name of the caller ¨C Dumb Himbo. He will need to change the name back to normal. Minwoo would have probably learnt his lesson. ''Wonie~ What are you doing?'' Minwoo''s face greets him and Wonho puts the phone on the drafting table, placing it close to the center so he can see his alpha without having to turn his face so much. They do this so frequently he realizes how the position of Minwoo''s will affect the quality of his work. Yes, weird, but it does. He focuses more when he can see the other''s face right in the corner of his eyes. ''Are you done with the design?'' Minwoo asks. He can see the colours put on his paper from his angle, but not the overall design. ''I''m doing the garden right now. Wanna see?'' He is almost done with the project, opting to complete it months before submission so he can focus on his internship and other materials for job-hunting. They are already 3rd year students, starting next year, they will have to find a job. Wonho wants to settle his academic stuffs early because he knows his will take time. ''Show me!'' Minwoo looks excited which delights the omega. Wonho then carries his phone over to show his work. He flips the pieces of paper he has and enthusiastically explains the image he had in his head. And as he answers his mate''s curious questions, Wonho starts to jot down a few new things he thought. He loves this. The late nights in the studio, with only his mate as his companion. Though rare, having Minwoo showing interest in what he does, and his eagerness to learn, not to mention his amazing ideas makes his homework much more interesting. Rare, because most of the time, the alpha''s questions are just dumb questions. In saying that, Wonho actually finds himself in love with architecture all over again. He never thought he would love architecture more than he already did. ''Are you done with the main hall?'' ''Yeah.'' ''Did you choose marble pillars?'' ''No, Minwoo. The theme is futuristic.'' See? Dumb question. Wonho turns the camera towards himself, making a weird face to his alpha. They had a debate on the pillars last Saturday. Wonho wanted a rectangular, cement pillar but Minwoo kept trying to convince him that cylindrical marble ones are better. Minwoo really has some eccentric taste, he is glad the guy sticks with medical instead of trying his hands on architecture, or even interior design. ''Aww.'' Again, Wonho rolls his eyes. ''Why are you calling? Are you free?'' He looks at the time again. On the other end, Minwoo has been going to clinical rotations while Wonho is busy with his designs. In the beginning, he didn''t think the man would be this busy because Minwoo would be able to get home early but lately, he has been very busy. Especially in the new department which Wonho already forgot the name the moment it was mentioned. At this hour the medic student would be around the hospital, learning or writing reports, which is also one of the reason why Wonho choose to do his work now - nobody will be home. On weekdays, most of their interaction will be during their dinner, and whenever possible, breakfasts. Calls in between are always short, but at least they can talk. It has been more than ten minutes yet Minwoo is still there. Very unusual. ''Yeah. They asked us to wait here for a while. Something came up.'' Wonho nods, continuing with his work. He hears his alpha hums and smiles to himself. ''You ate?'' He asks, just because. The man is busy, his eating schedule is all over the place. Wonho looks behind his mate to try to figure out where the man is. His best guess is the student lounge based on how many people are there. ''A bit.'' Wonho grins, thinking of some way to tease the man. Suddenly shows his mate the bread he bought, he takes a bit. As he expected, Minwoo laughs at his mischief. Having his daily dose of teasing, the omega returns phone back in front of him and continues scribbling his work. On the other side, Minwoo does the same; positioning his own phone somewhere on the table and reading his notes. Once in a while, they tell each other what they are doing or something they found interesting but most of the time, they mind their own business. And yet, both do not want to hang up. Although not talking, just seeing and hearing the other''s movement is enough. Wonho lifts his head to the screen when he hears a muffled voice coming from the other side followed by dissatisfied ''aww'' by a few. Minwoo says something to someone but his head is turned away so he couldn''t be heard clearly either. Waiting until his partner returns his attention, the omega tilts his head as a sign he is curious. ''We''re done for today¡­'' ''Really?'' ''Yeah. I guess something important came up. They told us to come around 10 tomorrow¡­'' Again, Wonho looks at the clock. It is almost eleven. ''You''re going back now? '' ''Hrmm¡­ I think Imma go back home tonight. Been a while¡­'' Minwoo stretches his body and rests his head on his palm. ''Wonie-yah¡­ you''re staying there tonight?'' Minwoo wants to confirm. Since he starts so late, Wonho will usually stay at the studio, or return to his room after he is done for the day. ''Uh-uh¡­'' he drags his words, suddenly having second thoughts. Chapter 118 - New Lifestyle 4 Wonho nods to himself. He just started on his final draft. If he stops now, it will interrupt his design process which is not ideal. Not to mention, he will have to clean up everything he had just spread out on the floor. If he is to continue tomorrow, he may lose some stuff. ''Lemme guess, until morning?'' Minwoo sounds disappointed. ''Yup.'' Until morning. Because come morning, some of his classmates will start using the studio. He doesn''t want to be there with them because one, he likes to work alone in a calm environment and two, being panicked in a room filled with alphas is not an ideal environment for him to focus. And since tomorrow''s lecture starts in the afternoon, he plans to sleep once he returns to his room. ''You should really get some sleep. And eat.'' ''I just ate.'' He retorts back, bringing up his half-bitten piece of bread. ''Real food.'' Wonho chuckles softly as he thought about Minwoo trying hard not to nag again. He has to admit, though he pretends to hate it, Minwoo''s pout is really cute. Not wanting to hold his mate at the hospital any longer, Wonho bids his goodbye and goodnight and hang up. He then return his focus on the piece of paper in front of him. ¡­ Wonho pushes himself against the backrest, letting his head fall back down as he sighed. He couldn''t focus. He knows he has to finish his work but¡­ ''Hrmm¡­'' Wonho shakes his head and turns back to his incomplete draft. It is not satisfactory. There are a lot of things wrong with it. He looks at the clock. More than an hour had passed since he hang up and still no progress. Damnit. He really cannot focus. Minwoo is now at the apartment. Which means he can see Minwoo tonight and¡­ ¡­snuggle¡­ ''Aish¡­'' Wonho sighs a long sigh. He never has this kind of problem before. Even while dating Junjie and Jinyoung, they never disrupted his thoughts this badly. Could this be¡­ the bond? Yeah, it must be the bond. Telling him to recharge and be close with his alpha¡­ Owh well, not that he can fight the bond. He should give in. Quickly putting everything away and shoving his drafts inside the holder, Wonho makes way to the door before stopping halfway, cursing at himself. He already missed the last bus to the apartment. Why did he decided to stay? He should have gone back with Minwoo. Riding his bicycle there will take too long, and it won''t be safe to ride alone at night. But he really wants to sleep beside Minwoo tonight¡­ ##### Turning the key and slowly opening the door as to not make much noise to disturb his sleeping mate, Wonho is surprised to see the kitchen light still on. And standing there, looking straight at him is his alpha, face shocked to see him. The former scans the place real quick, noticing the chicken in a bowl. ''You''re not sleeping? It''s 1 a.m¡­'' ''You''re here¡­'' Minwoo states, half-asking. A lot of questions are in his mind right now. Is he done with his work? So early? Did he stop because he is tired? If the omega is tired for the night, he will normally go back to his dorm room. Wonho never come to the apartment alone because he said it feels weird to be in a house without the owner. Obviously, seeing him here right now is a surprise. Also how the heck did he come here? ''I was tired... You''re cooking?'' Wonho walks toward the counter, putting his stuff on the floor. ''For tomorrow.'' ''Chicken for breakfast?'' He stares at the whole chicken in front of him. Something is weird. ''For lunch, babe.'' Minwoo signals the other to come closer and the latter does, looking curiously at the piece of cooked chicken, in water. No, in ice. ''It''s in ice.'' He points to the obvious, thinking that the alpha must have been really tired that he is doing random things. ''To stop it from overcooking. I''m making ginseng chicken.'' Minwoo answers while chuckling at the other''s confused face. He then pushes the chicken further inside the ice water before pulling it out of the bowl, onto a plate. Wonho is now beside him, touching their shoulders together while eyeing his actions. ''So fancy.'' ''Well, my picky mate only eats expensive food so¡­'' He feels a soft punch followed by a hug which caught him off-guard. Wonho''s heat is definitely next month so him being mellow is extremely unusual. ''Well, you''re not there so¡­'' ''Yah, so it''s my fault you don''t eat?'' Minwoo pretends a scold but feeling a nod on his back makes him smile to himself. Wonho is being tame. He wanted to tease the man tonight, deprived of his fun reaction but soft Wonho is fine too. Although, this is probably because he is tired. He does look really sleepy¡­ ''Let''s sleep.'' He turns his body around after he finished packing the chicken. Wonho nods, leaning against the fridge with his eyes already closed. The voice woke him up and the omega quickly stands up straight. Loving how adorable the man is, Minwoo kissed the forehead of his omega who is already nodding, half-way to his dreamland. ''Minwoo?'' ''Hrm¡­?'' ''We need a drafting table.'' Minwoo smiles softly, liking the suggestion. Because that means that his omega will spend the night here, working on his assignments instead of the studio. Wait. Wonho wants a drafting table. In the house. Which means¡­ is he suggesting moving in together? ''Wonho, Yo-'' he stops his question halfway, seeing that the other is dragging his legs towards the bedroom, already so tired. It is fine though, he can always just confirm with him tomorrow morning, since they will have breakfast together. After a while. Turning his head towards the living room, he starts to imagine the new interior. The furniture would need to be rearranged and he may have to throw away some things, but it can work. In fact, it can look really nice. ''Yeah, we do.'' Chapter 119 - New Challenges 1 ''Shit!'' Wonho clicks his tongue, his hand shaking as he squeezes the phone in his hand. It can''t be. Why does it have a week after his start? This is frustrating. How come he didn''t realize the date when he first applied for the internship? Not that, he can do anything even if he noticed anyway, it is not as if he can change the period of the internship, or his heat. But still, getting his heat and being absent from work just a week after is just too, humiliating. And rude. What will they think if THE omega intern takes a week-long leave right after he started? That will not leave a good impression at all. He is supposed to prove that omegas can work in a busy environment and handle pressure well too. Having his heat this early is not helping the cause. This is a huge disadvantage. He is frustrated. Fuck. What should he do? Why does this have to happen to him? The internship is just two weeks away. There is no way he can quicken his heat before that. Can he? ''Everything okay?'' The knock on the door surprised the omega who almost drop his phone. Panicking, not wanting to tell Minwoo about this, Wonho turns on the shower and wet his head, pretending to take a shower. He then dries it lightly before hanging the towel on his shoulder before opening the door. ''Won-'' ''Hrmm? Why did you knock?'' ''You were taking a while.'' Wonho nods, pretending not to care. He wants to be alone with his thoughts so he can figure out what to do. That is, after losing all these pent-up frustrations elsewhere. He should go out. ''Wonie, you sure everything''s fine?'' ''Yeah.'' Wonho avoids it again but this time, the younger male holds his hand in place. Confused with the action, the omega tilts his head a little after turning to face the other. ''You''re not worried bout the heat?'' ''Heat?'' Again, a pretend. Minwoo shows Wonho his own phone with something like a calendar application, ''I set the notice for a month, two weeks and a few days before,'' in order to fix his schedule, prepare his stamina and his emotion, obviously. Minwoo looks at his omega, ''your internship,'' Wonho shakes his head, still not wanting to talk about it. Because, there is nothing to talk about. He will only end up complaining about it, and that is not something he wants to do right now. He wants to prepare himself mentally to tell his yet-to-be-met supervisors about this. On his first day. Knowing fully well this will affect his overall performance evaluation. ''So you''re okay with having your heat this early?'' Minwoo asks again and this time, Wonho looks away, biting his inner wall. He is not okay. And Minwoo obviously knows this hence the question. He just wants the alpha to leave him be right now. ''Wonie?'' ''No I''m not.'' Wonho almost snaps, not appreciating the push from the other. Is he trying to make him angry? Because this can turn into an argument. Wonho wants to scream at his face right now. Taking a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, he turns towards Minwoo who is still keeping his stare. His face calm as if it is not a big deal. This is, a fucking big deal. ''So? What do I do?'' Minwoo scoffs at his question, irking him. Really, this guy is looking down on him. Probably sensing his incoming anger burst, the alpha quickly denies he was making fun of the situation and holds Wonho''s hand. ''No. I mean, there''s a simple solution. It''s not like you never have to do this before.'' ''What is it?'' Wonho frowns deeper, still annoyed. Honestly, if he has a solution, he should tell him. Fucking tease. Urgh, just URGH! ''Come on, Wonie. Suppressant? Your best friend?'' Okay, that is, a simple solution. Wonho stares at his mate, blinking a few times, wondering why he didn''t think of that. Now that it was mentioned, he remembered taking them a few times back before getting together with Minwoo. He forgot about it because he had no use for it anymore. Owh, and also, didn''t Minwoo told him not to take it because of the side-effects? ''It won''t skip it. You told me that.'' ''Hey, asking for a leave a month later is better than the first week, right?'' That is, true too. Wonho nods, smiling to himself. Minwoo is right, it is still not the most ideal situation, but it is better than doing nothing. Feeling like a huge burden has just been lifted, he bunts his head together with the alpha, ''it is. Thanks.'' Hearing that, Minwoo lifts one of his eyebrows, smirking in satisfaction. ''Now you have to admit I''m smart.'' ''Heol'' Wonho scoffs, refusing to grant him that. ''I gave you that idea so, nah.'' Well, technically he did give Minwoo the idea. Just that, he forgot about it. The first time he thought about using suppressant for his heat, he spent three whole days going through his anxiety and depression. But, he eventually got to that conclusion. This time too, if he is given time to think, he would have come up with the same solution. But yeah, guess having a calmer partner around does help come to the solution faster, and it does spare him all the mental torture. So for that, he is thankful. ##### Minwoo wakes up to the smell of coffee. Looking at the brown alarm clock, he turns around to hide his face before realizing the other male is already up. He then sighs, not wanting to start the day just yet. Because today he will be rotated to the cardiology department, and he is not excited. How he wanted to extend his sleep right now so he can have less time to be bitter about it. Why is Wonho up so early anyway? Aah, his first day. Getting up from the bed, the young medic student makes his way to the bathroom to wash his face before meeting his mate. All refreshed, he made sure everything is dry so he gets to have some skinship without ruining the omega''s clothes. Because god know what will happen if he does; Wonho had been making sure his clothes are fully ironed and perfect the whole day yesterday. ''So early! Wow!'' Minwoo exclaims playfully, noting the silly grin Wonho has. The man is having his coffee, sitting at the counter looking very professional. Very, very hot. His hair combed back, his fitted white shirt, his crooked tie- His tie is crooked. Can it be, Seo Wonho can''t do a proper knot? Because that looks like a 5-year-old''s work. Not wanting to ruin the mood, Minwoo chuckles to himself, shaking his head before making his way towards the closet. He has one instant tie, for when he is too lazy to tie it properly. Thankfully, it is navy-coloured so it goes with most outfits. ''Here. No one''s gonna notice.'' Wonho''s face turns red for a second but instead of giving him a pout, the omega grins widely at the help. He must be really excited to not start bickering this early. So adorable. And so hot. Minwoo decided. He is going to ask the man to have sex with him tonight without changing first as a thank you for the tie. Chapter 120 - New Challenges 2 ''I''m Seo Wonho, third year architectural student. I''ll be in your care.'' Wonho bows lightly to the crowd following his new colleagues who are also here as interns. There were a total of ten people including two omegas when he first came into the waiting room. No doubt he was excited to know that but when they were introducing themselves to each other, he found out that the other two are interning as HR staffs which caused Wonho to feel even nervous. Because he had his hope high only for it to be destroyed. On the bright side, the two architectural students also with him are betas, and one of them is a woman which can also be considered rare. They both seem very friendly too, so he figures there is nothing much to worry about. ''So you guys can have a seat first while we set up the meeting room for your briefing. Like Ms. Lee explained, your assigned seat is next to your mentor so you can go and introduce yourself for the time being. I''ll call you when we''re ready. Mr. Seo,'' the staff calls out to him and walks a few steps before stopping right beside the bookshelves. There is a group of four desks placed facing each other,se ''Yours is here right beside Mr. Hu.'' Wonho nods and takes his seat, looking around to see the others busy on their computer. There is no one around him so he cannot really talk to anyone just randomly. Well, he can just walk to the next table¡­ But, will that be considered rude? Because he will be interrupting their work. But, if he doesn''t do anything and just wait here without greeting the other, wouldn''t that be even more rude?? Looking around to see the other two interns introducing themselves to their mentors, Wonho cannot help but feel a bit lonely. And nervous. And a bit isolated. Of course, this is just his anxiety acting up, but Wonho starts to feel as if he was purposely positioned at the very end of the room, where there are no people around. Because they do not approve of him trying to be an architect. But that is a ridiculous thought, Wonho has to reminds himself. Convincing himself that he has to make an extra effort today which is his first day, he forces himself to get up and walk towards the closest person ¨C an alpha currently at the photocopy machine. ''N-nice to meet you. I''m the new intern. Seo Wonho.'' ''Aah, yeah. I heard there''s gonna be an omega intern. Kinda looking forward to that.'' The middle-aged man gives him a bright smile and offers his hand which Wonho takes. When the word ''omega'' reached his ears, Wonho swears his heart almost dropped. Because, why would they let other people know about him being an omega unless it is to talk about him specifically? But the following welcoming words and wide smile gives him hope. Smiling sincerely, relieved, he shakes the hand that is offered. ''I-'' ''Seo Wonho? You''re gonna be under me, right?'' The sudden call of his name catches him off-guard and Wonho turns his head to look at the stranger who just appeared. He doesn''t recognize the man, but then again, he doesn''t know anybody here just yet. Quickly looking for a name only to see the ID card tuck in the pocket, he gives up on that and just bowed. ''Mr. Hu? Seo Wonho.'' ''Cool. Junghoon, by the way. There''s two Hus here, senior Hu is Mr. Hu.'' The beta in his 30s gestures towards a group of people currently in the middle of a meeting, with one standing in front of a board. Wonho cannot help but feel at awe with the view, already imagining himself presenting his idea of his own in the future. Being a part of such an amazing firm like this is truly like a dream come true for him. ''The one wearing the glasses, facing us. Project Manager. I''m an architect.'' The voice breaks Wonho from his thoughts. Now confused of what he should do, Wonho just stands there, nodding while looking around at his other two new friends. The other interns are still talking to their mentors in their seats so he should do the same, but they are currently standing in the middle of the pathway. Should he continue talking here? Owh, Junghoon is walking back. Should he follow? Because he was in the middle of a conversation with the other man- ''Come on now.'' The decision is made for him and Wonho hurriedly turn to get back to his seat. He stopped halfway, and glances back towards the alpha. ''I-'' ''Later. Junghoon''s a busy guy.'' The man waves him to go away and like an obedient child, Wonho does as he is told. The older man is now already seating at his own desk, right beside Wonho''s and he is now putting on his glasses to read something from a file. ''So, third year student?'' Junghoon asks while he flips over the document in his hand. ''Yes.'' Wonho continues to nod, really nervous. He thought the senior will be more polite since this is their first meeting, but the man in front of him seems really laid back, and disinterested. And busy, based on the volume of papers on his table and stuck randomly. God, now he is glad he took Minwoo''s advice on the suppressant because this man will probably not appreciate the sudden leave. Maybe. ''Know how to use CAD? Cus I have a few stuffs need fixing.'' ''Yes.'' Again, he nods. Though he is not familiar with the professional software, he did experience using a freely available version of a similar software, so he knows how to use it, if only a little. A few command functions may be different but he is confident he will learn how to use it in no time. Already excited for his first task, the young intern flips open the laptop in front of him and switches it on. Only to be met with the lock screen. He doesn''t know the password. Maybe it is written in one of the documents they gave him? Quickly bringing his bag up to find the necessary piece of paper, Wonho is surprised by the laughter coming from his right. From Junghoon. ''Wow you''re an eager guy.'' Junghoon pats his shoulder twice, ''Relax bud, I won''t get you to work just yet. We''ll have to show you around first.'' Wonho smiles, relieved that the senior assigned to look after him turns out to be so cool. To be honest, he was a bit overwhelmed by Junghoon just now, thinking that he was assigned to a strict mentor just to mess with him but he was wrong. They did not treat him unfairly. What a stupid thought to have. Now he is excited again. Chapter 121 - New Challenges 3 ''Wonho, come on. They''re waiting.'' Jiwoo, the female intern with whom he became close to called out. She already has her bag with her, signifying that she is ready to log out. Wonho looks around to see a few other seniors also starting to pack up their things and shut down the computer. He turns his head to his right ¨C Junghoon is still working. ''I can''t join you today. The deadline''s next Thursday.'' ''Owh.'' Wonho looks over at his own work, not knowing what to do. On one hand, he is working on the same project which means his dateline is the same, but on the other hand, the dinner party is held to welcome the new interns, and he is one of the three interns. He should at least show his face and leave early. But how can he ditch his own mentor? ''Go ahead. It''s another project.'' Junghoon urges, and Wonho shakes his head, suddenly realizing how dumb he is. Obviously if his project is due next week, he would know. Making sure to save all his progress, he quickly shuts off his computer and pack up all the important items. Before leaving, he makes sure his desk is clean. Just for good measures. Then he rushes towards Jiwoo who is waiting in front of the elevator. ##### Shit. They are going to a barbecue place which means, they are drinking. Shit, what should he do? This is his first time drinking with strangers or people he barely knew since the incident; he is starting to have panic attack just thinking about it. The three of them will be the center of attention so it is not as if he can escape his anxiety by talking to the other interns, and the only person he is slightly close to ¨C his mentor ¨C is not here. He should sit with the secretaries. They are omegas and betas. They scare him the least. Wonho waits outside with the others, waiting for one of his seniors to tell them they can come. They were a few minutes early and the staffs are still in the midst of cleaning the tables. Looking around, realizing the ratio of females to males, as well as the omegas to betas and alphas, Wonho starts to sweat. This is real. He will have to spend a few hours, drinking with alpha strangers. He doesn''t know if he can handle this. Working with them is different, they are in a safe environment. Drinking with them in this kind of place, a lot of things can go wrong. Feeling himself starting to hyperventilate from panic, Wonho takes out his phone and starts to dial Minwoo out of habit. It took a few rings before the hoarse voice can be heard. ''Wonie-yah, you''re there?'' Wonho takes a long, deep breath and walks a few feet away from the group, turning slightly away from them before whispering, ''I don''t think I can do this.'' ''Can''t you tell them you''re sick or something?'' despite that stupid idea, Minwoo genuinely sounds concerned so Wonho considers the plan for a moment before deciding that will not work. Because he is already here, and he looks fine until right now. It is too late to use that excuse to run away. ''Urmm¡­ want me to come? I''m free now.'' Wonho shakes his head to no one, not agreeing to that idea as well. Everyone is alone right now, it will be weird for him to bring his mate at a workplace party to welcome him. ''Wonho-yah, come!'' Jiwoo gestures towards him, pointing at the door. Everyone is now walking inside. It is too late, he has no choice but to join them. With his heart pounding aggressively, almost hurting him, Wonho begs, ''Can you come, please?'' ''I''ll be there. I''ll sit somewhere nearby.'' ##### Everyone pours each other beers, including the two interns who pours for the seniors around them. Wonho does the same, just copying what other people are doing. He never pours people drinks before, even his parents. Because, he never drinks with them in the first place. Even in his group of friends, they prefer drinking straight from the can, so this is new to him. Done with everyone''s glass, a senior places Wonho''s in his hand before pouring. ''I- I don''t drink.'' ''Heol? Really?'' Wonho nods, ''Why?'' Wonho gulps, frozen like a deer trapped in headlights. Why? Because he doesn''t want to. Because he is scared. But obviously he will not say that. Because he will have to explain his situation. What should he say to convince them that he can''t drink? ''Allergy.'' Shit. He didn''t not just sputter a nonsensical excuse. ''Pffttt!! Aigoo, just tell us you have low tolerance!! This boy.'' The whole room laughs at that statement. He didn''t realize everyone else was listening too. Feeling his face warm, Wonho pretends a laugh, now feeling very uncomfortable. He really wants to go home. ##### Wonho finally manages to get himself seated with Jiwoo while they were moving around introducing themselves to all the people here briefly. Apparently, they do that. Wonho did not know since he was, and is not active in club activities so he is not familiar with the custom when drinking with seniors. He just mimicked the other two''s action, and carefully plans his route so he would end up with one of the interns. Just as one of the ladies are talking, their attention shift at the loud sound of the sliding door opening. Wonho keep trying to listen, wanting to comment on things to seem active in the conversation. A familiar voice can be heard apologizing, and Wonho turns towards the door to be greeted by a familiar face ¨C his alpha. When their eyes meet, Minwoo is halfway bowing lightly, before closing the door. But that few seconds was enough for Wonho to start feeling relaxed and comfortable. ##### Wonho looks at the time. They have been here for almost two hours, and there is still no sign that they are stopping. He is already at his limits; the alphas are getting drunk and bolder in their words. Some of the female workers are already gone because they have families to tend to. Now Wonho is left here with less sane people to talk to and feeling very uncomfortable. There are talks about going somewhere for a second party, but honestly, he is just desperate to go home. The other two interns seem to be enjoying themselves though, so he does not know if it is acceptable for him to excuse himself this ''early''. ''Hi, Wonho.'' He flinches unconsciously at the sudden call of his name, sensing an alpha nearby. Preparing his heart, the young intern forces a smile at the female alpha, ''Have we met?'' ''I-I don''t remember. I guess not?'' he answers truthfully, not in the right set of mind to pretend they have. Even if they have, he does not remember her. The lady only smiles at him, adding, ''Good. I mean, thank god. Cus I don''t remember you too so that''d be awkward.'' ''Heh.'' Wonho chuckles softly at the weird introduction. If this was supposed to make him feel better, it did. Because he feels awkward but not uncomfortable. Wonho notices she is still staring at him, so he turns to look at her, slightly tilting his head. ''Owh yeah, Heiran. Civil engineer. I''m not in your department if you''re wondering. Just came here to crash the party.'' Chapter 122 - New Challenges 4 ''Civil Engineer. Wow.'' The people responsible in making their design comes to life. Lots more physics and scientific knowledge than him. And a woman. An alpha, but a woman nonetheless. Now Wonho is interested in talking to her. Because one, he wants to learn as much as he can about the people related to his field and two, he can probably talk to her without having a panic attack threatening him every second. ''Yeah. I can''t deal with those interior designs. Prefer functional designs better.'' Wonho laughs at that, knowing how true it is. Of course, he also considers the functionality but how boring will things be if that is all that matters. All buildings will be in blocks and looks the same. Just as he is about to reply, he sees Jiwoo getting up from the corner of his eyes, bowing to the people around her. He turns to her, ''It''s almost pass curfew. My eomma''s gonna get mad.'' ''Aigoo our Jiwoo still lives with her parents. It''s fine, just go back first.'' One of the seniors gives her permission and as if on cue, Dongchan, the other intern got up as well, ''I''ll send her back!'' ''Wai-'' Wonho tries to stand up, wanting to follow the two. This is his only chance to escape because if not, he will be the only intern left and all the attention will be on him. Unfortunately for him, in the midst of them trying to send the other two off, nobody heard him. Except for Heiran. ''You wanna go back too?'' She asks and Wonho pretends a shake. He does not know her well, he didn''t want to appear to be a wet blanket. Especially since they were just starting to talk, it would seem like he is trying to run away from her. But deep inside, Wonho really wants to just run away with the two interns. Sighing softly, Wonho sits back down, drinking his cola. ''You don''t drink?'' Wonho nods. He thought they all know about it since they made fun of him just now. She must have joined them later. ''Owh. Religious purpose?'' ''No, I-'' Wonho tries to think of another excuse. Because, obviously the last one did not help his situation at all. And he also want to move on from the topic. Giving it a few thoughts, Wonho decides it is better to just tell the truth. ''Something happened. I stopped drinking after that.'' ''Bad experience?'' Wonho frowns, now feeling weird at the question. Obviously something bad happened hence why he stopped drinking. Why would he stop if it was a good experience? ''Recently?'' ''Huh?'' Wonho asks, thinking he heard wrong. But before he gets to continue, another person joins their table, sitting right in front of him besides Heiran. The man, another alpha is clearly drunk, his face bright red. He is holding a glass of beer. Heiran pushes him further but the man just laughs before leaning towards Wonho, ''You''re an omega, huh?'' ''Yeah.'' He forces a laugh, now positive that he is no longer comfortable being here and is in a brink of having an attack. Getting up to clear his mind, Wonho excuses himself to the toilet, with a promise to return. As soon as he got out of the room, Wonho quickly scans around the restaurant for his alpha. Minwoo is seated right at the bar, just drinking alone while playing with his phone. As soon as their eyes met, he signals his mate to the men''s room. ''I wanna go home.'' Wonho pleads softly as soon as the door closes. One of the cubicles is closed, he didn''t want to take a chance by talking loudly in case it is one of his co-workers. ''I can''t be there anymore. I just-'' ''Bad crowd, huh?'' Minwoo asks and Wonho nods aggressively, hugging the alpha to calm himself down. They are really drunk and starting to talk nonsense in there. Some of it may not be their real thoughts but Wonho knows he is sensitive about these stuffs. He doesn''t want to take it to heart, but it will be difficult for him to brush everything off and pretend it does not bother him. He is better off being at home. ''Can''t you just walk away?'' ''No. It''ll be rude. I-'' Wonho looks at his mate and sighs. Of course Minwoo will not understand. The traditional senior-junior relationship in Korea is much more complicated than the alpha is used to. ''I don''t wanna be disrespectful. I just wanna go home.'' He can hear Minwoo taking a deep breath, probably thinking of some ways to get him out of the situation. Wonho just remains still in his arms, not wanting to move. He cannot think straight right now, he just want to trust his alpha. ''Okay. So, here''s the plan.'' Minwoo pulls Wonho away so they are seeing eye to eye. ''I''ll spam you, so you make sure to look worried, kay?'' ''Why?'' ''They''ll think your mate is controlling.'' He nods. So far, he gets the plan. ''Then I''ll call you a few minutes later. And when I call you, I''m gonna get mad. You go out okay?'' ''Okay.'' Wonho murmurs slowly, hating the fact that he has to return to the room instead of just going back home with his mate right now. Sensing his stress and wanting to comfort him, Minwoo bunts their heads together, slightly putting force so it hurts a bit. As Wonho whines from the pain, the alpha laughs, pushing his omega out. ''By the way, I think the guy''s passed out.'' Minwoo points at the closed cubicle. They can see a person seated on the floor, unmoving since a while ago. Wonho''s mouth widens before offering, ''I''ll tell the staff.'' ##### ''Wonie!'' Minwoo whispers as loud as he can the moment he sees a familiar figure making his way out the barbeque place. Wonho turns around to bow, and then once more signifying his colleagues are near, so instead of moving towards the omega, Minwoo stays in his place near the wall. A woman comes out towards Wonho, but his mate brings his hands out and waves, rejecting her offer. Blowing through his mouth, trying not to misunderstand that random action that can easily be an act of kindness, the alpha plays with the dirt instead to pass the time. ''Yah, Wonie!'' He tries again, and this time Wonho notices him. The face of relief mixed with pure happiness on the omega''s face somehow bemused him because Wonho always either pretend to be annoyed or just, give him a lovely smirk with his poker face. To think that having grilled meat and drinking with strangers is the one which makes him act like this, Wonho must be an extreme introvert. Wonho shifts his head slightly back to confirms one last time that no one is out, and then quickly runs towards Minwoo. God, how thankful he is for tonight. Guess his mate can be useful other than cooking him meals after all. Freely grabbing the hand that was offered to him despite being in public, Wonho leans towards the alpha slightly just so he can push the other with his shoulder. ''Thanks Minu~ I can get used to this.'' ''What? Me being a controlling alpha?'' ''No, us breaking the rules.'' Wonho grins happily, like a kid. This is not his first prank, but this is the certainly first time he did it to get out of official events. And by far, the most complicated one which requires him to not break his act. Because the stakes are high. To be honest, it was a bit thrilling. He can still feel his heart pulsating violently in his chest and his hand sweaty. And Minwoo was really convincing, practically screaming for him to come home. Had he not know this was a pretense, he would really have been terrified of his own alpha. Thankfully that was all a show, so he is now left with a feeling of euphoria. That was a fun experience. But god know he never wants to do this again. Chapter 123 - Unsolved Issues 1 Minwoo sighs a long sigh when he sees the nurses hanging out at the registration counter. Things are not so busy lately so he always finds himself having to come back here to check if he has anything to do or if any of the doctors requests any help which he isn''t aware of. And whenever they tell him there is nothing to do, some of them will start drilling him, trying to get to know him. He hates this. At first, he planned to hide his scent to attract less attention but Jeongmin advised him not to, because it will seem rude to his seniors and other staffs. Because apparently, they would already know about him being an alpha just from the information sheet they received. Not that, he ever had that choice anyway because somehow words about him being a noble, which also translates to coming from a wealthy family, got out and the staffs became interested in his love life. And this is frustrating because as much as he wants to lie about already being married, he has no clue if any of his family or family friends come to this hospital for their check-up. What if, for some reason, the rumour spreads to his family? His grandmother will kill him. And Wonho. Or just kill Wonho and let him live in agony. There is really no telling what that crazy old woman will do. And that crazy Chinese mafia butler of hers. Although he doubts things will get to that because according to his mate, there is an average chance that he is not as popular as he thinks, Minwoo does not want to take the chance. Before the ring, he had to repeat the same thing each time someone asked him about his love life. Once, he got so fed up, he showed Wonho''s face to them to let them know they do not stand a chance, hoping that the story will spread but it didn''t. He even had an idea to print their couple picture and turn it into his phone cover, but that idea was quickly rejected by Wonho through his death glares. Which is why he is thankful that they are now wearing their couple rings. Because now, whenever someone shows even the slightest interest, Minwoo will make sure to raise his left hand in their line of sight to stop them from doing or saying whatever they are planning. Granted, he could have just worn the ring without Wonho doing the same but¡­ he just didn''t think of that idea. Because, obviously couple rings should be worn by couples. Which brings him to the current situation ¨C they are now more interested in his mysterious lover. And is determined to know who Wonho is. ''Your boyfriend is a student too, right?'' Minwoo pretends a smile, now nervous. The nurses are really good at finding things out. Because they do it professionally. And Minwoo, on the other hand, is not good at keeping secrets. Especially one that he is proud of and really wants to show off. He slipped about Wonho''s gender, and that they live together. If they find out he is going to the same university, it will only be a matter of time before they know his identity. ''Owh, I just got a beep.'' Minwoo turns around, fully aware that he said ''beep'' instead of ''message''. Before the other can react, he quickly rushes towards the other end, hoping to bump into a doctor to whom he can offer his assistance to. ##### ''Yah, Wonho! Welcome back!'' Jiwoo pats his back a few times, happy to see him after his week-long break for his heat. It was weird, and obviously embarrassing to have to tell his team members that he had to take a week leave, especially to Junghoon who never seems to be able to catch a break from work. To lessen his own concern and anxiety of being looked down upon, Wonho made an effort to offer to work from home during his heat. It initially earned him some frowns due to them not being comfortable with such new idea; they asked him to just take a break. But Wonho did it anyway, working on the project in between heats and late at nights to make himself feel better. He even made an extra effort to do some overtime leading to his leave. And the result? No delay in schedule. Other than the slight hiccup because he had no reference in the middle of the night and had to wait for a reply from his teammates the next day, he did everything perfectly. There was no doubt his teammates are happy. Even the project manager, Mr. Kim, made time to compliment him this morning, during the progress meeting. Guess his stubbornness is his strength after all. Also, this is a good arrangement for his heat. He can work with this. Wonho makes his way down with the two interns to the canteen where they usually have their lunch break. They never buy anything though, as they do not get the staff discount being interns. Instead, they brought their own lunches. And today, for some reason, Jiwoo keeps eyeing his. ''What?'' ''Ginseng chicken?'' She chuckles, moving her eyebrows up and down excitedly. Beside her, Dongchan shakes his head, already starting to eat his own food. Wonho pretends not to understand what she is implying and opens his packed rice, earning him a clicked tongue. ''I''m just happy you have someone to love you.'' ''Don''t your eomma love you enough to pack your lunch everyday?'' Dongchan retorts, already trying to start a fight with her. Honestly, if Wonho doesn''t know better, he would have thought the alpha has a crush on their female co-worker. But Dongchan is obsessed with omegas, like a typical alpha, and Jiwoo is nothing like an omega. She is not even close to a stereotypical lady. ''You should make your own. Give your mom a break.'' Wonho adds, just to change the topic. Because Jiwoo once saw Minwoo with him outside of work, and has since becomes obsessed with them. She calls herself a fujoshi, whatever that is. If they stay on this topic, she will probably ask him how his break was, knowing fully well why he had to take the leave. Chapter 124 - Unsolved Issues 2 ''You think I have time to make food after all this?'' She gestures towards her face and hair, ''This takes hours.'' ''Then do a simple make-up.'' Dongchan comments, only to be met with a sigh from the girl. ''This is a simple make-up.'' Wonho laughs, recalling the time Jiwoo confessed to him that she never wore make-up and only does it for the internship to leave a good impression. She literally wakes up at five in the morning everyday just to seem ''decent''. Honestly, being a woman seems to be hard work. All that said, Wonho finds Jiwoo to be very relatable. After all, the only difference between them is their physical appearance, and him having his heats. Jiwoo has a lot to prove too. Among the hundred architects in their departments, only around 20 of them are women. Half of that are alphas, and eight of them chose to be part-timers after having their kids. Because of that, they no longer handle their own projects due to the hectic schedule and instead is assigned as project support team. Only two beta women work as full-time architects in their firm. So yes, Jiwoo has a lot to prove too. Just like him. She wants to leave a good impression too. Just like him. ''Frozen food is-'' ''Can we sit here?'' Dongchan was interrupted by a female staff. All three interns looked to the new group of people who are waiting at the edge of the table. Bowing their heads, they continue to eat in silence, not wanting to mind the other group and make things awkward. This never happened to them. The canteen must be really crowded today. ¡­Not really. Wonho''s eyes caught the empty table right behind them. This is weird. ''Seo Wonho!'' He gazes towards his left, to the female alpha seated on the opposite side. She seems familiar¡­ ''Heiran-shi.'' The civil engineer he met at the party. He didn''t recognize her immediately, having only met her once. So, are they sitting with him because they want to get to know them? Because despite them being acquaintance, their brief conversation and the time passed after that party does not warrant this random overly friendly greeting. ''You guys are interns too?'' She asks his friends and they nod, introducing themselves. The atmosphere then turns silent, the three young ones not knowing what to do in the situation. They want to eat, but then notice that the seniors do not have any food with them. Which means they are here to talk. ''Your friends¡­?'' Wonho mentions, just so they will talk and move on from the uncomfortable situation. Heiran looks at the two male alphas with him and chuckles softly, pointing to one of them, ''This guy''s Sangmo from IT development.'' The three greet the man, not comfortable with calling him by his name. Heiran then points to the other one, seated right beside Wonho, ''This guy''s in marketing. Juwon.'' So, none of them are from his department. No wonder they both seem unfamiliar. Heiran must have a large network to be friends with people from different fields. But then again, she is really friendly so it is not surprising either. He wonders if sitting with random people and talking to them is her way of making friends, because she did that once, during the party. And once again, right now. ''Wonho, right?'' The marketing guy, Juwon asks and Wonho nods, not forgetting to look at his friends for help. They have nothing to say though, also finding this whole situation very strange. ''You''re bonded.'' ''Wh-'' ''Yah, that''s inappropriate.'' Heiran interjects, lightly hitting his friend on his shoulder. Wonho feels his face getting warm from the sudden mention of his bond. Heiran is right, that was not appropriate. Not when it came from a stranger. ''What? I''m just saying that cus he looks young! You''re still a student, right?'' ''Un-'' ''We all are. 3rd year students. Architectural.'' Jiwoo answers, her voice higher than normal. She gives Juwon a smile, a wide one where her eyes disappear. It looks sweet, but Wonho knows that is her annoyed grin. And despite her lovely smile, the man stares at her coldly. Noticing the tensed atmosphere, Heiran looks at her watch and gets up, gesturing his friends to do the same. ''Looks like it''s almost time. We''ll leave you guys to eat. Sorry for interrupting.'' She winks at them and push the two males away. Before leaving, she makes sure to wave them a good-bye, her face bright and still very friendly. Now left alone, the three friends just stare at their food. ''That was¡­ weird.'' Dongchan breaks the silence, and the other two nods a few times. Tilting his head slightly the alpha slowly brings his chopstick to his mouth, his frown obvious as he keeps his stare on the table. ''When DID you bond anyway?'' ''Yah, that''s inappropriate.'' Jiwoo lightly hits Dongchan, an action Wonho finds bemusing because it feels like d¨¦j¨¤ vu. It is supposed to be so, because Jiwoo was imitating Heiran''s actions to lighten the mood. Laughing the awkwardness off, the group of third year students exploring working life continues to fill their empty tummies. ''Around last year.'' Wonho suddenly answers, surprising the two who thought they were over the topic. Wonho gives them his famous poker face, making sure to look at them in the eyes before turning back to look at his chicken soup. ''Yah, you can''t just give us that answer and stop mid-way.'' Jiwoo whines and the other nods. Dongchan keeps looking at him, his face discontent. ''Childhood friend.'' Wonho lifts both his shoulder. ''Coursemate?'' Again, he lifts his shoulders. ''Club senior?'' Wonho smirks, he is not in any club. And Minwoo is not his senior. A big no. ''He''s smiling! Getting warmer!'' Dongchan exclaims before adding, ''Course senior??'' ''High school lovers?'' Jiwoo guesses randomly, earning him a scold from the alpha. Done playing and wanting to finish his lunch since they don''t have much time left, Wonho nods, just because. Minwoo is his college junior, but explaining how they first met officially and their relationship back then will be complicated. Not to mention, the story about Minwoo chasing him around will seem a bit narcissistic on his part. So Wonho decides to just agree with Jiwoo''s guess anyway. Because, it is the simplest one with the most straightforward storyline. Not that, they will never know the true story anyways so basically, he can make up stories as he wants. Besides, the excited expression on Jiwoo right now really amuses him. Chapter 125 - Unsolved Issues 3 Minwoo looks at his watch - he has another 30 minutes of break left. Cracking his head, his body sore from last night''s action, the young medical student makes his way towards the northern staircase. For some reason, not many people use it, so he found it to be the perfect place to be alone ¨C his secret place. Stretching his body, calculation how long he can have his nap before having to rush back to the ward, Minwoo is about to push the door open before, ''Minwoo-sshi!'' The alpha closes his eyes in annoyance, cursing under his breath. An omega nurse is now standing making her way towards him. Minwoo recognizes her ¨C one of the nurses from his past department who always showed an interest towards him. Even after telling her he had a lover, she was relentless. Of course he had no ring back then, but that shouldn''t have mattered. While waiting for her to reach him, the alpha scans their surroundings, noticing that there are only a few patients walking and a few nurses helping some of them. He just has to wonder what she is doing in this floor, it is not her department. If she is here to pursue him, Minwoo swears he will throw a huge fit. ''Ahh, thank god you''re here.'' Yujin folds her body, her hands on her knees to support herself. Minwoo just waits, not wanting to say anything. He doesn''t want to enter the stairway either, not wanting to expose his sacred place. ''Minwoo-sshi.'' She repeats in between her breaths, and Minwoo only replies with a sigh. He then looks back at the watch, trying to recalculated the time it will take for him to take the elevator to the floor above and make his way back to enter the stairway. He will lose ten minutes, including trying to get away from here. Tsk, this is annoying. ''That, a kid. Help me find a kid.'' ''A patient?'' Yujin nods aggressively, still gasping for air. How far had she run to be this exhausted? ''Brain surgery.'' Minwoo takes a deep breath and sighs. Just his luck. ##### Rushing through the halls, trying not to run and startle the patients, Minwoo scans around quickly trying to find a male teenager with a bandage wrapped around his head. There is really not much to go with, because his face has no prominent features. In other words, he looks like every other patient in the hospital. Having swiped three floors and is now on the 10th floor, Minwoo stops right at the door towards the sealed section of the hospital. It is under renovation in preparation for a new department. The whole section is sealed off by a wooden wall, with only one door to go in and out. And the door is unlocked. ''Fuck.'' He curses for the umpteenth time today. The place is so dark. And creepy. And where are the workers? Aren''t they supposed to complete this place? Or are they playing hookey? Owh shit, this place feel like the setting of a horror movie. Which means he is the dumb guy who will get killed by the fucking crazy ghost. ''AishhH!'' Minwoo shakes his head, reminded of the horror movie about the haunted asylum that he watched with Wonho not so long ago. Just why the hell did he agree to that knowing that he works in a fucking hospital?? ''AAAhh!!!'' He whispers, frustrated with himself. He just smelled something aromatic, something flowery. Isn''t that supposed to mean some ghost lady is near? Damn, he feels cold right now. Why the hell did he come in here in the first place? He should get out. Before he dies being strangled by crazy ghost lady. He should run!! ''Alphaa¡­'' Minwoo breathes heavily when he heard the whisper. He hears sounds of footsteps, slowly making it''s way towards him. For a moment, he was really convinced that a ghost was chasing him. But when he focused towards the sound, it sounds desperate. And weak. And the smell¡­ this is an omega''s scent. A fucking omega in heat. Feeling a hand on his arms, Minwoo pushes the omega away, irritated at the situation. Disgusted. He just walked into an omega in heat and now that person wants to have sex with him. Minwoo makes his way towards the door, completely ignoring the call of the omega. It is a male, based on the hoarse voice. A young male. Closing the door behind him, Minwoo is about to continue with his task of finding the missing patient before a thought disrupts his steps. That omega only went into the place because he thought it is safe, because nobody is inside. But the construction workers will be back to do their job. If not today, then tomorrow. Or at least, Minwoo is sure they won''t leave this place for a week. Which means that omega will be in huge trouble because, god knows how many of those workers are alphas. ''Goddammit. Fucking omegas.'' The noble curses out loud, suddenly reminded of an equally frustrating omega of his. No, his omega was even dumber than this guy, at least this omega cared enough to find an isolated space unlike Wonho who wanted to spend his heat on a rooftop and at the lake. ''Hey, come here.'' Minwoo calls out, strengthening his pheromones to lure the omega out. He swears if the guy turns out to be an ugly old man, he will have to shower and scrub all over, and have sex with Wonho multiple times tonight to get the image out of his system. If it turns out to be an okay man, he will have sex with Wonho multiple times, minus one. ''Alpha.'' He hears the heavy footsteps and remains in his place, holding the door open. And slowly, the figure steps out towards the light. ''The heck.'' He found the patient. ##### Minwoo sits at the bench, looking at his watch. He should get back to his current department. He forgot to tell anyone where he went after his lunch break. He doesn''t want this to affect his evaluation, if there is any. Before he can even get one step away from the bench, a familiar voice calls him. ''Thanks for bringing him here.'' Minwoo nods, not really think it is a big deal. He just didn''t want to leave a vulnerable omega out in the open. And a patient who need medical care, alone. He is a doctor, or doctor-in-training, it is the right thing to do. ''You didn''t tell me he is an omega.'' ''It didn''t matter.'' Yujin answers, her smile sweet. But Minwoo disregards that, he does not want to be in her presence. The sight of her always angers him. ''Could''ve help me identify him.'' ''You want me to describe his scent? I don''t know what he smells like.'' Yujin laughs softly and Minwoo sighs, realizing how stupid it is. How stupid HE is, to suggest that. Because he has no clue either. ''Fair enough. I won''t know what most flowers smells like.'' He replies. ''Owh, I think his scent is a type of fruit.'' She states, and Minwoo only nods, leaving her alone. He cannot wait to get home and wash today''s incident away from his memory. Chapter 126 - Unsolved Issues 4 ''My computer''s frozen.'' Wonho taps on the escape button a few times before pushing his laptop away, frustrated. He restarted his computer a few times. It works well, right until he opens the CAD software and the whole device freezes. Over and over again. Not knowing what to do in this situation, he looks around, trying to find the closest people for help. Miran, one of the support team who sits in the group in front of him came to his aide. ''Call IT support. Number ''9''.'' She shows him the list of internal phone numbers. Doing as told, Wonho stutters a bit, asking the lady on the other side of the line to come and check on his laptop. Despite knowing it is her job, he cannot help but feel sorry for making her walk all the way here. Now done and waiting for the staff, Wonho found himself at loss yet again. He cannot do his job right now. So, looking straight at the messy desk of his mentor, Wonho gathers his courage to ask, ''can I do anything else to help?'' ''Owh. I can''t think of any right now¡­ let me see.'' Junghoon looks around his own desk, his hand grabbing some files. Then he stops, taking out the green file filled with papers. ''Minutes of meetings. And the current layout. Can you check if there''s anything missing?'' Wonho''s eyes widen at all the papers placed on his desk. Honestly, why does Junghoon insists on printing everything when all of these can be stored in the computer, as digital data? As if knowing what he is thinking, the man answers, ''so I can still work when the computer''s frozen.'' ''Ah.'' Wonho feels his face warm up, embarrassed. He is not wrong though; he can easily just find the related keyword had he received the files in its native file. Instead, now he must read through everything. Accepting his fate as he was the one who offered, Wonho starts on his new task. ''Yah, what''re you doing here?'' A ruckus can be heard but Wonho ignores it. Few people are excitedly chatting, but it is none of his concern. ''Someone needed an assistance.'' ''You''re not in support anymore!'' The word got the omega''s attention, and he lifts his head to welcome the support lady. To his surprise, it is not a lady. It is someone he just met, a few days ago during lunch. ''Seo Wonho.'' The man, Heiran''s IT guy is here. Frowning, weirded by the situation, since he is sure the man is a developer instead of support, Wonho bows to the man and the latter pulls a chair to sit beside him. ''What''s wrong?'' ''The computer freezes when I open the software.'' He tells the man straightforwardly. Honestly, Heiran''s group makes him feel uncomfortable. Even now. He can feel the man staring at him while waiting for the computer scan to be done. ''Are you sure we haven''t met before?'' Wonho frowns, looking at him. His stare is cold, and the omega unconsciously starts to shiver, nervous. He swallows and turns his attention towards the screen, praying that it will be done soon. ''Yeah, lunch last time, right? With Heiran.'' ''Before that.'' ''Yah!'' A light thud can be heard and Wonho realizes Junghoon just hit the man''s head with his papers, based on the current view in front of him. ''Stop trying to distract my intern. He''s busy.'' ''I''m just tryna have a conversation. Geez.'' The guy whines and continues working, while Wonho takes the chance to focus on his current work, internally thankful for the interruption. After almost half an hour of peaceful silence, with the man constantly staring at Wonho whenever he could, he finally came up with a solution. ''Try reinstalling the software. If there''s still problem, call the support again. Maybe you need a new computer.'' ''Okay. Thanks.'' ''Yah, Han Sangmo. Why are you here anyway?'' Junghoon suddenly asks, saving him from the need for longer thanks. Or the need to send the alpha, Sangmo, away. The latter only smiles, looking at Wonho, ''I heard a cute omega needed help so I came.'' ''He''s married, you horny alpha. You should also get married-'' Sangmo already made his way towards the exit, clearly not wanting to hear Junghoon''s nag. They seem close though, based on the interaction. ''-and stop getting into troubles!'' Junghoon continues to scream, getting his point across. ''Whatever old man!'' they hear Sangmo''s answer, now almost inaudible. To that, his mentor only chuckles to himself, murmuring how they are the same age. Wonho sighs a long sigh of relief, before doing what was told and uninstalls the software. ##### ''Yah, Wono!!'' Wonho turns around, excited to see Junjie after two months. During the summer break, his friend decided to spend his last break as a student at his home country with his grandparents. Because he got a job in Korea, which means he will no longer be able to visit them for long periods of time like he would when he is still a student. This also meant, Wonho had to spend his first summer break without his best friend. Although, he really didn''t notice the difference, being busy as an intern. Now sitting at the ramen shop with Mengyao, who also went back to his family during the break, Wonho gladly accepts all the snacks his two friends brought from China. Some of them he is familiar with, some he isn''t. ''Nai nai says hi. Showed her your picture. She said you''re getting more handsome than me.'' ''She loves me.'' Wonho grins, just happy to be with his old friends after a while. Though he loves his working environment, and his new friends, nothing can beat being with Junjie. And sassy Mengyao. He hangs out with Sangcheol and Haneul occasionally too, but since the alpha is now working, their topic of conversation changes a lot. It will take a while for him to get used to the new Sangcheol. For now, he just wants to enjoy being with his friends, just like old times. ''Anything interesting at work?'' Junjie asks, slurping his noodles. Although they are apart, Wonho always calls Junjie whenever he has time, and vice versa, to update on his life. Despite a certain noble alpha''s complaints. Wonho shakes his head, not recalling anything right away. But then, he remembered what happened a few days earlier. ''Guys, have we ever met some guy called Sangmo?'' ''Sangmo? A celebrity?'' Mengyao enquires, drinking his cola. Now that he thinks about it, there is a celebrity called Sangmo. But that is not who he is referring to. ''He''s a staff at the firm. Keeps asking me if I remember him.'' ''Your old course mate?'' Junjie suggest, making the omega chuckles a bit. Sangmo most definitely not a student. He is old enough to be an assistant professor. Sighing, now confident that he never seen the guy before since none of his friends recall the guy, Wonho shrug it off. Maybe Sangmo is the one mistaken. After all, Wonho must admit, his face can be considered a typical Korean face after all. At least, according to Minwoo. Chapter 127 - Hard Truth 1 ''Seoksu Station'' Wonho takes a deep breath, slowly eyeing around his carriage, making sure it is not obvious. As usual, a few people enter the already full train, but there is no sign of Juwon. Letting a long sigh of relief, Wonho lets his guard down and relax. He only has a few more station before he needs to get off. Then he will have to be aware of that alpha again. Since the day Heiran introduced them, Wonho has been seeing that man a few times. And in that few times, that alpha always gives him a weird look, as if he is discontent about something. Which is weird because Sangmo treats him normally, that is, as normal as mere acquaintance can be, while Heiran is as friendly as she probably always is. But that alpha from marketing, he scares Wonho. And unfortunately for him, he discovered that the man lives around Seoksu station, which is coincidentally on the line that he has to take to go to work. The first time he realizes this fact, he was on his way back home. Their eyes met and Juwon kept staring at him the whole time, as if threatening him, before getting off at his station. Needless to say, Wonho makes sure to get on the train back home after making sure the man is nowhere in sight since then. Only, the commute to his work is a different story. There is no way to know if they are going to take the same train because the man''s station is after his. He has no way to avoid it, except going to work earlier. Which is not worth it because he is usually exhausted after a day''s work to get up early. So Wonho just bears it, the torturous 45-minute commute to his company, for almost a month. He only has to endure this a while longer ¨C the internship will end in two weeks. Already arriving at his station, Wonho quickly gets off to the platform, and heads straight to the elevator, making sure not to look at his surrounding. He doesn''t have to suffer if he cannot see the man. Turning the volume of his earpiece up, Wonho jumps as he feels a hand on his shoulder. ''Dongchan!'' Thank god. ##### Wonho just cannot keep himself awake right now as his keeps dozing off, even while working on his drawing. The project he is working on will be concluded this week so there is a lot he has to do, hence why he does not get more than a few hours of sleep every day. It seems the exhaustion finally caught on to him. ''Hey, go get some coffee.'' Kimoon, one of the senior architects seated in front of him suggests. Shaking his head a few times to hopefully activate his brain by hurting it, Wonho rubs his eyes softly. He then brings up the canned coffee he just drank, to show to the man. ''Go get some espresso.'' Wonho turns his head, to look at the mini lounge they have on the floor. As far as he knows, there are no espresso machine, or even instant espresso. Or did Kimoon mean making a really saturated instant coffee? ''Here, go get me one too.'' The older man hands Wonho his card, to which Wonho only stares at him, confused. It is still working time, he is not allowed to go out. Right? ''Nobody cares. You worked till late every day. Just go take a nap.'' ''Lunch''s over¡­'' Wonho reminds the man, still very much reluctant. He is afraid this will ruin his reputation which will affect his performance evaluation. And he does not want that to happen, because he really wants to work here. He can''t screw up right now, not at the end. ''It''s better to take a nap and be more efficient than working like this. Go. But half an hour.'' Not knowing how to argue with Kimoon since the man is speaking the truth, Wonho says his thanks and accepts the card. He then makes his way to the elevator, constantly looking left and right while waiting to see if anybody is eyeing him suspiciously or talking about him. But indeed, nobody cares. Guess everyone is used to the situation. Feeling relieved, the tired intern walks towards the staff caf¨¦ and orders himself a double shot espresso. If he is going to do this despite his anxious state, he needs to return with a clear mind and ready to work. Once the hot drink is in his hand, Wonho finds a good spot right at the back of the cafe and sets his phone to vibrate in 10 minutes. Then, Wonho closes his eyes. ##### The omega wakes up at the vibration, still tired but feeling refreshed nonetheless. Wiping his face, Wonho squeezes some eyedrops for his dry eyes, making sure his contact lenses stay in place. Then, he drinks the miracle liquid that is the espresso. Very bitter. But powerful. Architecture is going to turn him into caffeine addict. He swears it- Shit. Juwon. The man is seated a few tables away from him, with another male in a business suit. They are busy talking, having a business discussion from the looks of it. And yet, even without the man facing him like he usually would, Wonho can tell the alpha is not pleased with the sight of him. Because he will constantly steal a glance at Wonho, with the same cold expression. Not wanting to show how nervous he is, Wonho quietly gets up after pretending to look at his watch. Unfortunately, just as he about to leave, he remembers that he still has to buy coffee for the senior who lent him his credit card. It will be really rude to return empty-handed, especially because he actually already used the card to pay for his own espresso earlier. Ordering the coffee, trying his hard not to tap his shoes on the floor, Wonho keeps his eyes on the barista''s every move. He swears she can work faster. What is taking so long?? ''Hey kid.'' Wonho flinches at the voice. Even without turning around, he already know who the voice belongs to. ''We need to talk. You better stay here.'' Chapter 128 - Hard Truth 2 ''Ah, sorry I have a meeting.'' Wonho almost stutters. The barista hands over his drink right at that time, to his relief. Without even turning to bid his goodbye, despite knowing how rude it may seem considering the alpha is also a senior staff, the young intern rushes to the security gate. He almost spills the coffee from the vibration of his hands. Once he is on the other side of the gate, he looks over briefly towards the caf¨¦ ¨C Juwon is still in his seat, now talking to his companion. Wonho waits until he is in the safety of the elevator, out of sight, before letting his guard down. He leans against the wall and moves down to seat, breathing heavily. ''Ahh!'' He places the paper cup in his hand on the floor, only now realizing how hot it is. He forgot to ask for the sleeve. Shaking his hand a few times, taking note how red it is, Wonho notices the elevator is not moving. He immediately clicks on his floor. Repeatedly. ##### ''Are you okay?'' Minwoo asks Wonho who is following him around since he got back. Well, not in the sense that the omega keeps touching him or anything, just that, the older man makes sure to be in the same room as him. Just like right now, when he got out to make himself some warm milk while the omega was getting ready to sleep, Wonho dragged his feet outside as well, lying on the couch, making sure he can see Minwoo behind the counter. ''I''m fine.'' The tired male answers, but Minwoo knows him well enough to know that is the exact opposite of it. Because Wonho always either answers it with a grunt or asks him why with a confused face if he truly is, fine. ''Tough day?'' Wonho shakes his head and gets up to repositions himself so he is closer to his mate, ''Didn''t have to see someone die.'' He adds, and Minwoo smiles to himself. He saw a patient die today, but it was not as bad as it sounds. Because the lady was old, and had severe heart problems. Despite seeing her last moments, Minwoo just thought it was time. Of course he didn''t tell that to Wonho though, because he knows it will make him seem heartless. Maybe he is, or maybe he is just good at not getting attached to the patient and getting emotional. Either way, he is touched that Wonho decides not to tell him about his obviously bad day because of that. ''Wanna talk?'' He tries again and again, the omega shakes his head. He looks burnt out, so Minwoo just lets it go. Wonho will probably appreciates getting his sleep more than listening to his story. If he thought he has no time to sleep, lately Wonho has even less. Because he had been working on his drawing until early in the mornings. Minwoo did tell his mate to take it easy, since he is not getting paid for his job, but Wonho insists on doing it. To prove his ''worth''. Honestly, Minwoo disagrees that he has to go to such lengths to do so but there is no point in arguing with the omega because he will never win. Since Wonho uses the same argument against him, for his clinical rotation. Really, he can never win against architecture. Period. ##### ''Here.'' Wonho looks up to his mentor, wondering why the paper bag is placed on his desk. ''Sorry I didn''t come to the farewell party last week. Here''s my gift.'' Junghoon ruffles his hair which earns him a soft ''tsk'' from his junior. Throughout the year, he had seen many interns come and go, some doing it for experience, and some for the opportunity to work at the firm. He met a lot of young, and passionate young ones, but he has to admit, Wonho is really different from the rest. Not only is his junior talented and innovative, he is also persistent. Wonho''s future is really bright, he can tell. And he really hopes he will be able to see the kid bloom. ''Thank you.'' Wonho grins brightly at his mentor. Despite being really busy, Junghoon made sure to help him understand what it is like to be an architect in such a large firm. His teaching method may seem harsh - he always pushes Wonho to give out his ideas and opinion, in spite of him being a mere intern, but it helps build his confidence a lot. ''I won''t be here on your last day so, let''s have lunch together Wednesday.'' The intern nods, accepting the invitation. Only four more days, and this amazing experience will end. He is going to miss working. ##### Wonho stares blankly in front of him, slowly making his way towards the exit. In less than a week, he won''t be able to walk freely into the building anymore. The rushed train, and days filled with meetings and constant editing, using the professional software, the lounge. Jiwoo and Dongchan. Everything will end. It makes him feel somewhat lonely. Only three more days left. Sighing, Wonho almost manages to get to the rotating glass door before a familiar voice calls him. ''Seo Wonho.'' He closes his eyes and curses to himself for being in a total daze that he didn''t notice the scent. Taking a deep breath, he prepares himself run out. He thought he can manage to get through the rest of his internship without any confrontation, but Juwon is really insistent. Seriously, what is wrong with him? As Wonho is about to take another step, a grip is felt on his left hand and he is pulled back. His heartbeat instantly fastens, face to face with the alpha he had been avoiding. Behind Juwon, Heiran and Sangmoo stands, their faces unreadable. ''Let go my hand!'' He hisses, pulling it but the grip tightens, hurting him. He knew something is fishy about these three! ''Come with us quietly.'' Juwon growls, trying to control him but Wonho only scoffs. He is mated, he is immune to his alpha voice. Besides, there is no way in hell he will comply to that request and subject himself to danger. ''Like hell I-'' ''Or let''s talk here and let everyone here knows what happened that night.'' Wonho''s face turns pale. Chapter 129 - Hard Truth 3 Wonho pulls his hand away from the alpha as soon as they make their way into the elevator. There are still people in the office, he is hoping that someone he knows will enter this one. So he can have the opportunity to get away. Unfortunately for him, none of his co-workers entered, and when other people did, Juwon grabbed his wrist again, just tight enough so it hurt a bit. ''Where are we going?'' Wonho leans against the wall, trying not to get out from the elevator despite the pull. They are on the top floor, a lot of things can go wrong. If he irks them, they can push him from the building. And of course, the top floor is the event hell, and there is no event right now. It is dark except for the automatic light in front of the elevator. ''Yah-'' ''Just fucking follow me!'' Juwon growls as he pulls the omega out, causing him to fall to his knees on the carpeted floor. Momentarily shaken by the violence, Wonho hears Heiran scolding the alpha. He cannot hear whatever they are saying, the two alphas'' pheromones are too strong it scares him in place. The next thing he knows, his hand is free. ''Wonho, you okay?'' The omega stares at the hand offered to him, and looks at the owner. Sangmo is leaning down towards him. As if he is going to believe that the man really wants to help him. Because if he does, he wouldn''t have just watch as his own friend forced Wonho to such a secluded place. What a fucking hypocrite, pretending to be better than his friends. Smirking, Wonho turns his face away, wanting to stay down until whatever is happening is over. The two alphas are having a fight, he won''t be able to stand without his legs shaking, his heart is already palpitating violently. Waiting silently, trying to calm himself by making fists, he closes his eyes. Just trying to gather the courage to run away. ''-onho,'' Heiran''s voice calls him, and the omega opens his eyes, still shaken. Her voice is calm, which is why Wonho dares to look at the alpha. Deep inside, he wishes she would tell him he can go now. That Heiran is actually by his side, and is really trying to help him. But she doesn''t. Instead, she moves towards the wall after helping Wonho up, and leans against it, looking down towards her crossed hands as if saying ''I give up, he can do whatever he wants with you.'' ''What the hell do you want?'' Wonho screams at the alpha, not wanting to hold back. Because he knows there is no way out of this; Juwon is determined to do whatever he intends to do. Might as well get it over with. So he can go back home. To his anger, Juwon only chuckles at him, as if he just said something funny. The alpha then looks at his friends who refuses to look at any of them, smirks, then returns his glare to Wonho, ''yah, Seo Wonho. You really think we won''t know what you''re planning?'' The hell is he talking about? They are the one who always act suspicious. They are the ones who is holding him hostage, and threatening him. They are the ones with the plan. Wonho cannot help but frown at the bizarre statement, not knowing how to react. Now he is really scared that the three are crazy. ''You think we won''t know you''re the omega that night?'' ''What''re you ta-'' Wonho tries to inquire more. He knows what night they are talking about, since they threaten him with it. He is also aware that it means, they were there too. But he just wants to ask, because he might be mistaken. That they had mistaken him for someone, and something else happened to them on a different night. Because if not, it means he is facing his attackers. Or worse, the ones who violated him that night. And he doesn''t know what to do if that is true. ''YOU''RE THE FUCKING OMEGA WHO POISONED US!'' ''YAH, JUWON!'' Heiran warns the agitated alpha as the man makes his fists but not before Wonho notices it. The omega instinctively jumps backward, desperate to get away. Afraid to get beaten. By an alpha. Again. ''What? Just cus you''re bonded with a Kim, you think you can go after us?'' ''I dunno what you''re talking about.'' Wonho almost pleads, terrified of the bizarre accusation. This guy is obviously nuts. And his friends are not doing anything to stop him, so they clearly believe him. ''So you just happened to apply here, where we work? You expect us to believe this is all a coincidence?'' ''I don''t even know-'' ''You don''t know?'' Juwon starts to breathe heavily, laughing to himself. The alpha then moves in a circle, very much like an insane person, who is thinking of murdering him. Seeing that, scared for his life, Wonho too, starts to gasp for air. With a hand on his chest, he looks at the other two alphas, in hope that they will try to do something. And Sangmo does, he goes up to Juwon to calm him down. ''He said he doesn''t know. Heh.'' ''Hey, he doesn''t.'' Sangmo tries to convince him but Juwon brushes him off, as if he had heard enough. On the other side, Wonho bites his lips, just hoping that his legs will cooperate and brings him down a few floors, to get away from this craziness. ''THEN ASK HIM WHY HE''S FOLLOWING ME HOME?! Yah, you know where I live now, right?'' Juwon takes a step towards Wonho but is quickly held by Sangmo. Unfortunately, that brief action horrified Wonho who fell down on the ground, his body starting to shake from fear. ''What are you planning to do? Huh? You wanna kill me?'' ''No, I-'' ''I''M GONNA FUCKING SUE YOU, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!'' ''Hey, stop!'' Heiran holds the omega who automatically flinches her hand away. Wonho''s face has started to pale, and his body is shaking violently. Worried, she again demands her friend to stop screaming but it is not working; he is still screaming profanities. ''HAN JUWON, STOP TALKING!'' ''SHUT UP!'' Both Sangmo and Heiran growls at the same time, which succeeded in breaking their friend from his frenzied state. Forcing Sangmo to drag Juwon away, Heiran places herself between them, making sure to hide the terrified omega away from the man''s view. Once the scent of the angry alpha can no longer be felt, Heiran turns to focus on Wonho, who is now starting to lose his consciousness. ''Hey, it''s okay. He''s gone.'' Wonho''s eyes closes. Chapter 130 - Hard Truth 4 ''Hey, you okay?'' The familiar voice brings Wonho to his consciousness and the man quickly sits up, scanning his surroundings for any danger, his whole body on high alert. He is still on the top floor. And an alpha is nearby- ''It''s just me.'' Heiran. Pushing her hand away from his shoulder, Wonho turns his body around, not convinced that her friends are not present. Because they are a bunch of fucking paranoids. They are psychos. There is no way they will just leave him like this. ''You''re safe-'' ''Don''t fucking touch me!'' Wonho hisses, not appreciating the alpha''s touch. Did she forget the fact that her friend just tried to hurt him and she just watched him do it? Or the fact that she also hurt him that night? Or does she actually think he is too stupid to connect her with the night? Juwon clearly said they were there. He obviously meant the three of them. It is not hard to make that connection. ''I didn''t know he was gonna be like that.'' She starts, but Wonho only moves his head slightly way, already annoyed. This is an excuse, because Juwon''s intention is clear from the moment he grabbed Wonho. Only a fool cannot see that. Seeing the omega''s reaction, Heiran sighs before placing her butt on the carpet, taking a seat beside him. And Wonho moves away. She doesn''t blame him for that, she deserves it. ''He promised us he only wants to talk.'' ''Dragging me and threatening me is a good sign he forgot his promise, don''t you think?'' Wonho''s face twitches, just talking to her. He just wants to get back home. The elevator is right in front of him. He can push that button. But he doesn''t want to, not when there is a chance that she will follow. It is weird, but he rather be in this huge place where he can run, and hide, than getting stuck in the small space with her. Heiran doesn''t say anything, just breathing softly. But he can tell she has something to say. And as expected, she starts, ''He thought you were gonna get revenge on us.'' Wonho scoffs. Remembering the absurd accusation the man screamed at him a while ago. The irony is, he had no clue who they were. To him, they were his seniors, nothing more, nothing less. Even if he did recognize them, it was not as if he can do anything about it. He might have a hard time during his internship, but he knows fully well he just have to suffer alone. Like the lawyer made clear to him. And now the fucking alpha went berserk over him, who did nothing but live his life. Heck, they were the ones who approached him in the first place. They are really, a bunch of psychos. ''You approached me. I did nothing. YOU attacked ME! I was the one who almost died! You think you have the right to demand me to stay away from you? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE??!!'' Wonho tries to control his breathing, not wanting to faint again. At the same time, he feels like screaming and punching the alpha in front of him, not even caring that she has the appearance of a woman. She is an alpha, and she hurt him that night. And she told her friend about him, urging them to hurt him again tonight. She deserves it. ''Juwon ended up with stitches because of you.'' Heiran fumes, ''We were hanging out, and the next thing we know, he was down on the pavement, bleeding. Because of you.'' Wonho furrows his brows, not liking where this is heading. She is accusing him of hurting his friend. As if he is strong enough to do so. No, the alphas did that. Because they are a bunch of barbarians who hurts each other, and other people. Just like her precious friend planned to hurt him tonight. A bunch of mindless, violent creatures. ''What the hell are you doing here, Heiran?'' Wonho shots, no longer wanting to entertain her. She clearly isn''t here for him, because despite what her friend just did, she still defended him. She wants something. ''Let''s just move on from this.'' The hell did she just said? Move on? Well he did, and they didn''t let him. And now, after telling him that they were the ones who attacked him, reminding him of that night, she dares to tell him to just forget about it and close this chapter? Forget about his friend''s violence towards him, that night and tonight? Pretend that a crazy alpha with a tendency to hurt him on sight, is just like any normal staff working here? Like hell he will. ''He hurt me.'' He refuses to give up. He did once, he gave each one of them a chance by hurting himself, and suffering from it, until this day. Juwon doesn''t deserve another chance. And so does Heiran. ''And you''re a bystander.'' ''He thinks you''re stalking him.'' Another excuse. Frustrated, and tired, Wonho gives up. This is too much for him to bear. He cannot listen to this bullshit any longer or he will get another attack. He just wants to get away from here, and go home. Just, away from here. He just wants all of this to stop. He just wants to forget. ''What the hell do you want from me?'' Wonho asks, almost sneering. Disgusted at them. ''Leave us alone.'' Heiran demands, very clearly to which Wonho only chuckles, because he did, from the very beginning. He signed the fucking agreement. And he tried to move on. ''I mean, don''t come back here.'' Wonho clenches his jaw, understanding what she is asking him to do. And he refuses. Because he does not owe them anything. He deserves whatever he is going to get, because he worked hard for it, despite his suffering. They cannot take this away from him! ''We have a career here. You''re still starting. You can go anywhere you want.'' He glares at her, angry at the suggestion, ''I hear you''re an amazing intern. You''ll get to work at some great companies.'' ''But not here.'' He adds, jabbing at her. No longer able to control his anger. He can tell, she feels it too, her face worried. But she quickly controls her emotion, and insists, ''Not here. Or we''ll continue where we left tonight. That, I promise.'' ##### Wonho throws the paper bag he received from Junghoon on the couch, not wanting to look at it. Trying so hard to control his emotion, he quickly makes his way to the bathroom to take a shower, right as he hear Minwoo calling out to him from the bed. He doesn''t want to alpha to see him like this. ''Wonie? Hey!'' Minwoo''s concerned voice disrupts his focus and Wonho falls down on his butt, pulling on his knees to hide his face. Despite his effort to avoid his mate tonight, he forgot to lock the bathroom door, so Minwoo easily came in. ''Who the hell hurt you?!'' Chapter 131 - Fighting Back 1 Three more days. Then he will get his break. ''Where''s that alpha?'' Junjie''s voice interrupts his mantra. Wonho looks over to his best friend, seated on the driver''s side. He is scanning their surroundings, his face distorted. Trying to control his anger. ''You promised not to do anything.'' He reminds the agitated man of their agreement and Junjie sighs. Last night, after crying to his mate who was equally angered by the whole situation, Wonho made him promise to do the same thing. To leave the matter alone, at least until his internship ends. Because he wants this to end peacefully. At least as peacefully as it can. Whatever action he will take, he will take it afterwards, when he never has to think about his safety being around them. Yes, their threat worked. He was, and still is shaken over what happened to him last night. He couldn''t even get a good night sleep without waking up every other hour - the thought of having to ride the train to go to work, and stumbling onto Juwon today was enough to give him anxiety attack. Minwoo offered him a ride, but that was not plausible, because his alpha has to go to rotation even earlier than him. Which was why they asked Junjie to drive him instead. And thankfully for him, his friend picked up the phone, despite the early hour. And after explaining what happened briefly, Junjie agreed to meet with Minwoo so the alpha can pass him the key to his car. ''Let me just walk you inside.'' His friend suggests, not comfortable letting him go by himself. Because he was forced to follow the group even though they were inside the building, with securities guarding the gate. Wonho is not worried about that though, there weren''t many people last night unlike right now when people are heading to their departments to clock in. There is a very high probability that his own co-workers are here. ''You gotta move. Other people''s coming in.'' Junjie sighs, and nods. ''I can stay around for a while. Lecture''s only at 2.'' ''Nope, it''s good. Minwoo''s coming to get me.'' Wonho reassures his friend and unlocks the car, before turning back, ''don''t forget to give him the key. And no driving around.'' Junjie only smirks at the warning. ''That''s a pity. This car''s gonna drive the ladies crazy.'' ''You horny monkey. See ya.'' Wonho bids his friends goodbye, ''Thanks, Junie!'' ##### Minwoo presses his lips together, looking around the building. He is currently seating at the caf¨¦, on the seat nearest to the gate. As soon as Wonho walks out of the elevator, he will be able to see the omega. I''m coming! ¨C Wonie Minwoo reads the message again, noting that it was sent five minutes ago. If Wonho is still not here in the next five minutes, he will call the man to make sure his mate is fine. While waiting, the noble alpha cannot help but look around in displeasure, especially at the alphas walking in groups. His is sure one of the attackers is a female, so each time a female alpha comes close, Minwoo strengthen his already prominent pheromones. Needless to say, they avoid coming near him. ''Wonie!'' Minwoo stands up immediately as he sees his lover coming out from the elevator. Wonho instantly spots him and gives him a bright smile and a wave, not the slightest concern on his face. Very different from how he left this morning, and how he returned last night. This makes Minwoo happy inside, because it means his omega trusts him and feels safe just with his presence. Despite being in a place where he was taken and surrounded just last night. ''Who¡­?'' the alpha asks as soon as his mate comes closer to him. Behind Wonho, two other people ¨C a female beta and an alpha follows. Like duckling. Their faces excited. ''Ah, this is Jiwoo and Dongchan. The other interns.'' Wonho introduces them, and Minwoo gives them a sincere smile. He heard a lot about them from his mate, they help Wonho feel comfortable and adjusted. Minwoo likes them. ''Hi!'' The female''s voice is just a bit high, and her excitement is really evident. She is literally smiling from ear to ear. ''Dongchan. So, you''re the mate.'' The alpha gives out his hand and Minwoo shakes it, a bit awkward from the last statement. ''Sorry. First time meeting a noble.'' ''Ah.'' He only nods. Guess Wonho also talks about him at work. That is cut- ''I didn''t tell him. He can smell you.'' His omega quickly adds, ruining the momentary precious moment. Smirking, still finding the fact that Wonho brought his friends with him to introduce them, adorable. Letting his guard down completely, Minwoo holds the older male''s hand, despite his red cheeks. ''Omo,'' he hears Jiwoo exclaims but ignores her. Waving the two goodbyes, Minwoo keeps his grip on Wonho''s hand tight, not letting go. He can feel the omega shooting daggers at him but ignores the man, only letting the man free once they reach the car. ''They seem like nice people. No wonder you like them.'' Minwoo tries to converse, now feeling very light. Wonho too, he can tell. The man is still smiling, and humming along the radio, as if he has no worries in the world. Such a good feeling to see his partner like this, especially after last night when Wonho cried so desperately he almost passed out a few times. ''I''m gonna miss them.'' Wonho answers, ''But I''m ready to return to our normal lives.'' The alpha smiles. He too, wants that. He wants Wonho to have enough sleep, and free from stress. Turning his face towards his omega, Minwoo places his hand on the omega''s face, slightly touching it before turning his attention towards the road. ''They asked bout those swollen eyes?'' ''Ramen.'' ''Heol. You said that?'' Wonho nods, laughing. ''They asked me how much I ate.'' Now, Minwoo bursts out laughing, wondering if they really are that gullible, or were just playing along. Either way, he is glad they didn''t pry further even if they did find the reason absurd, because that would only hurt Wonho more. ''Minwoo?'' ''Yeah?'' ''Jiwoo wants to have dinner with the interns this Thursday. The last day.'' Minwoo nods, thinking of how he can arrange things so that he will be able to be near his omega that day. Maybe he can do what he did during the welcome party, and just follow them to the restaurant from the company, to make sure the alpha bastards do not come near Wonho. ''You wanna join?'' Minwoo smiles. That is also possible. Of course he will join them. Chapter 132 - Fighting Back 2 Wonho look at the bruise on his wrists which are fading, and the pictures Minwoo took that night as well as the day after. He also tries to recall the events of the night - Juwon dragging him with force, threatening him with his pheromones enough that he felt afraid for his life, Heiran threatening him to not apply for a job at the firm or they will hurt him. He is not sure if anyone made a threat to kill him, but he felt like they did. To be honest, he is not sure of what kind of action the police can take based on what happened to him. And he is not confident he can go through with it without help. Which is why he is waiting for Minwoo to finish with his shift so they can go for a police report together. Knowing his alpha, he knows the man will get agitated and angry, but at least he knows he will have backup. Because Wonho becomes weak when it comes to finding justice for himself. ##### ''Lemme get this straight. This Juwon guy, brought you to a secluded place.'' ''Dragged him with force.'' Minwoo interrupts, his face stern. Wonho had been repeating his story a few times, and yet, the officer still does not look convinced. Experiencing first-hand this humiliation and frustration of having to beg the police to believe that he was a victim of a crime, Wonho comes to appreciate Sangcheol and Junjie more for fighting for him the night of the attack. Because having his own story being repeated to him by the officer makes him less confident about his own experience. As if it was not as big of a deal. ''This guy dragged you to a secluded place. And then he talked.'' ''He threatened Wonho. Get your fact straight.'' Minwoo again, interrupts. His alpha is not fazed even the slightest at the fact that he is speaking to an authority. Or the fact that his tone and interruption can be considered rude. Well, not that it is surprising. After all, Minwoo is normally a rude guy. And he does not have the overly respectful personality other Koreans have. ''He threatened to what, hurt you? He said that?'' ''Wonho could barely stand from his pheromones. Is using words the only way alphas can threaten an omega?'' ''I''m talking to Wonho-shi.'' ''You''re trying to dismiss him. I''m not letting you do that like you did for his attack. Those bastards that you forced him to let go, came back and threatened my omega. You caused that. They bruised his hands and knees, we gave you pictures for evidence. They scared Wonho enough that he blacked out. Wonho has trouble breathing from his trauma, he needs his meds during an attack or he can die from seizure. We can give you the diagnosis from the doctor for Wonho''s condition. What else do you want? We can''t give you the CCTV, that is your job.'' Wonho can tell Minwoo is trying hard not to flip out, because of pitch of his voice. It is threatening, but Minwoo is careful not to say anything stupid and only mention the facts. If it isn''t because the man in front of them is a policeman, he swears Minwoo would already have cursed the shit out of him. ''From what I hear, this is just a normal threat. Unless the-'' ''Hey. You let his rapists get free. And now you''re letting his rapists threaten his life. Is your job to defend criminals?'' ''YAH!'' The officer slams his table, the sound so loud Wonho jumps in his seat. At the same time, everyone in the small station becomes silent; not because of the sound, but because Minwoo is strengthening his pheromones so intensely the omega staffs start to shake from fear. Even the alphas are turning towards him, not daring to do anything. ''W-what are you trying to do?'' ''Proving a point. You''re scared of my scent. Did I say I was going to hurt you?'' Now everyone, the other officers and visitors alike, are eyeing them. Honestly, even Wonho is scared of his mate, and grips his hand tightly to seek comfort. Feeling the pressure, the alpha officer brings out a piece of paper and hands it over to his mate; his face twitching in anger all the while. ''Don''t you have to type his statement? Why''s the paper blank?'' ''We do everything manually. He has to write them down.'' The officer admits, clearly uncomfortable in his seat. Satisfied with his response the noble alpha calms his scent down, causing the people around them to relax and return back to what they were doing. Although, Wonho can still hear the whispers. Ignoring it, the omega starts writing his story down. ''You''re not letting them go again, are you? Like the rapists you identified?'' Minwoo asks the man, attacking him, wanting to push him further. Wonho really wants the alpha to shut up, feeling humiliated by the mention of his attack in front of this many people. But at the same time, he knows Minwoo is guilt-shaming the officer to do his job properly. So, he will let the man do it. He trusts Minwoo. ##### ''Hey.'' Minwoo gently calls to Wonho, who refuses to look at him from the moment they got out of the station. It is obvious his mate is upset, and he knows why ¨C because he literally just announced that his mate was sexually assaulted by a group of people, to the whole station. Including strangers. He didn''t think that far when he said it, he was just too frustrated at the treatment they gave Wonho. Now that he thought about it, there is a possibility that someone from the university could be there back then. After all, it is the west district''s police station; they purposely chose to report it here for a better chance of getting it investigated, since they were the one who investigated his attack. If someone who knows Wonho from campus was present today and decides to talk, a lot of people on campus will know about it soon. ''I''m sorry. I-'' ''I get it.'' Wonho cuts him, his voice still cold. ''Won- I didn''t mean to let everyone know about-'' Wonho sighs, and the alpha does the same. Minwoo is confident he made sure the case will be investigated, but he knows he could have handled it better. He could have done it without exposing Wonho''s darkest secret to the world. For that, he is regretful. ''Minwoo, I-,'' Wonho turns to face his alpha, tired from everything that happened today. And he knows Minwoo is too, they came straight to the station from the hospital, without having dinner, and he was drilled for almost two hours. Minwoo did his best to back him up. He did his best to not act out. And he did what he promised. Sure, Wonho wished things could have gone differently, but his alpha did his best. And that is a fact. ''Thanks. I-,'' the omega grabs his lover''s hand in his own, caressing it softly, ''I''m glad you were there with me.'' Chapter 133 - Fighting Back 3 ''These are all the evidence that we have.'' Mr. Lim, the Kim''s family lawyer states, looking at the two young males seated in front of him. The omega - Minwoo''s mate takes a look at the list, and at the thumb drive before turning his attention back to the lawyer, ''is this the CCTV?'' ''Ah, yes. Last time Minwoo came, he refused to watch it alone. Here,'' the man inserts it into his computer and turns on the screen in front of them. ''We have the scene with the three alphas forcing you, and it''s clear that you didn''t want to be in there with them so they can''t say you went there willingly and changed your mind later,'' Wonho stares at the recording, reminded of that memory. He did struggle to free himself, and as a result, the grip on his wrist tightened to the point where it bruised. ''And here, you refused to get out, and Juwon pulled you out. You fell down, dragged out. Everything is caught on the recording. This, and the pictures you took is enough to charge him for physical violence'' Wonho swallows, finding it hard to watch himself being treated like that, despite having gone through the ordeal himself. And it seems, he is not the only one affected by the video - Minwoo has his hands in fists, his face tight and pheromones strong. ''I''m gonna kill that son of a bitches.'' ''You can''t.'' Wonho begs, pulling him close. He needs to make sure his mate and friends do not do anything to the other two who are still free. Juwon was caught and is currently in lock-up, but Heiran and Sangmo aren''t. Apparently, they did not do anything that warrant an arrest. All his friends are aware of that fact, hence why Wonho has to warn them not to do anything. Because if they hurt the two, Wonho may lose his case. He needs this to come through. He needs to feel like he can still get his justice, even if it is not for that night. ''You need to be clear that we''re charging him for this particular attack, not the one that happened last two years. The punishment he''ll get is going to be lighter.'' Wonho nods, understanding the situation. Whatever he says to the juries, he will need to prove that he has moved on and has no intention of seeking revenge. Because apparently, Juwon''s defence is playing the paranoia card. They even plan to call in Juwon''s therapist, as well as other people close to him to build his case. ''You sure you have no one to call to the stand? To prove that they were the one who approached you?'' Wonho shakes his head. Jiwoo and Dongchan were there when Heiran introduced them to him, they would know. But he doesn''t want to drag them into this. Because then, he will have to tell them why this incident happened in the first place and he rather not. Besides, even without him able to prove that he didn''t know about the three, the fact that they attacked him will not change. ''Okay then, let''s go through the whole case again.'' ##### ''Are you ready?'' Minwoo asks, bringing Wonho his hot chocolate and places it on the table next to the book the omega was reading. The latter was just on the phone with his parents, explaining what is happening tomorrow. Shaking his head, the omega sighs, already tired. They just have to do well tomorrow, and he will finally get his well deserved rest. Honestly, the past few weeks had been hectic. He thought the moment he made that report, everything will be settled. But instead, even with enough evidence, they still have to bring the matter to court. Because Juwon refuse to admit he was wrong. And thus began the ordeal of finding a lawyer, meeting Juwon''s lawyer, presenting his case and what not. It is mentally and physically exhausting. And somehow, it made him feel lucky that he didn''t have to do it the first time. God knows how that would have affected his mental health. He might have end up so broken he wouldn''t be able to pick himself up again. Thankfully for him, Minwoo''s family lawyer is a very renowned attorney who wins almost all of his cases. Although, despite their connection and the noble alpha''s offer, Wonho''s parents insists on paying for Mr. Lim themselves. They want to be a part of his son''s fight for his justice, and Wonho wants to do this himself, without Minwoo''s help too. This is his fight. Besides, Minwoo wouldn''t be the one paying had he accepted the offer anyways. His family will, which means there is a high chance that they will want to know what the lawyer fee is spent for. Wonho is not going to take the chance. Taking the document Mr. Lim gave him a few days before, Wonho reads through it again. Just because. A bunch of possible questions the defence attorney will ask him is listed along with how Wonho should answer it. Giving the papers to his mate, Wonho requests, ''Ask me the questions.'' ''We did this a few times already. You need to rest.'' Minwoo points at the clock which shows a little past 12. Their jury trial will start in the afternoon so there are plenty of time to practise tomorrow. It is better to do so, instead of sleeping late and risk waking up late as well. ''I''d rather you attack me tonight than tomorrow,'' ''Owh I''d love to atta-mphh'' a pillow is thrown onto the alpha''s face, and the man pretends to be hurt. On the couch, Wonho only rolls his eyes at the overreaction. ''Come on,'' Minwoo calls to his mate, ''I''ll help you tomorrow. We''ll wake up early.'' Wonho let a loud sigh to show his annoyance and take the forgotten cup of hot cocoa let on the table, ''shouldn''t have made me hot chocolate if we''re gonna sleep this early.'' Wonho hears Minwoo''s chuckle from the bedroom. Chapter 134 - Fighting Back 4 Wonho sits silently, gripping the fabric of his trousers as tight as he can while hearing the defence lawyer''s argument. Though he knows everything is bullshit, the look on the juries'' faces tells him that they are buying on to the ridiculous excuse of Juwon acting out due to his PTSD. That bastard does not have PTSD. What he has is a rotten personality and anger management issue. And psychopath friends. Now the man, a young and apparently unknown lawyer, is calling someone to the stand. Wonho leans against the backrest, annoyed and wanting to be near his alpha who is sitting right behind him. As soon as the person enters, Wonho''s heart drops. The person they called is one of his seniors, a project manager who sat two rows in front of him back at the company. ''No.'' Wonho turns around, scared that other people from the architectural department is here as well. There are none. While looking over, his eyes caught on to the two alphas - Heiran and Sangmo. They are staring at him, and Heiran has a wicked smile on her face. She planned this. She purposely asked someone from the architectural department to testify for Juwon, just to let them know about their history. ''Do you notice any changes in his personality for the last few years?'' The questioning has started, and Wonho quickly turns towards the stand, his palms sweaty. Chohee, who entered the company almost at the same time as the three is apparently one of their close friends. But it is obvious she is not aware of what happened, since she only said that Juwon had an accident which changed him. Owh god. ''Are you aware that the accident has something to do with Seo Wonho?'' ''Objection!'' Mr. Lim stops the questioning, as it has nothing to do with the case at all. The judge agrees and orders another question to be asked. But it is already too late. Chohee''s confused look says it all. She is suspecting Wonho. And the omega can just tell what expression is on Heiran right now - an evil smirk. ##### ''The jury is thanked and excused. Court is adjourned.'' Wonho gets up from his seat and hugs Mr. Lim for his effort. Juwon gets the punishment he deserves, but because the opposing lawyer manages to gain the juries'' sympathy, his sentence is reduced. Wonho does not care though, this one win is enough for him to feel like a huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders. Already he feels like nothing in the world can stop him right now. ''Hope this will help you get better,'' the old beta utters as he gives Wonho his bright smile, proud of himself to be able to help the poor guy. Minwoo comes to the front as well, patting his shoulder and saying his thanks before moving closer to the smaller male to hug him. ''And uh-'' ''I won''t tell your grandma. Aigo, kids these days,'' the lawyer playfully complains, shaking his head as he makes his way out of the court. Grinning foolishly, Minwoo lays a kiss on Wonho''s head before sensing another alpha coming near. ''Seo Wonho.'' The noble turns to see the two alphas Wonho had been worrying about. The female alpha has a smug look on her face, as if her friend getting locked up for a few months does not bother her at all. And how dare she comes close to his omega? He can just punch her right now. Except he won''t. Because there are still a lot of people right now, making their way out. They should too. ''Wonho, let''s go.'' ''Hey-'' Heiran calls his omega and Minwoo moves in between the two, strengthening his pheromone to challenge the shameless alphas. She must be crazy if she thinks she can talk to Wonho in his presence. As expected, the two choose to lower theirs, not looking for a fight. ''Wonho, come on.'' Minwoo pulls the other gently to guide him out but Wonho refuses to budge. Glancing at his omega, he notices that Wonho has a confused face. He is thinking. Then Wonho turns around to talk, but not before holding Minwoo''s hand tightly, making sure his alpha stays with him. ''What do you want?'' ''I just wanna say, we''re sorry.'' Wonho scoffs, not believing the female alpha. She obviously doesn''t mean it. And Heiran too, hearing the laugh, gives up on pretending. She smiles instead, her head falling down to her side slowly. ''I told you to leave us alone.'' ''Yo-'' Minwoo is about to start a fight, provoked by the menacing tone of the lady, but is quickly stopped by his mate. Wonho still keeps his stare, unmoving from his place, but the grip on his hand is tighter than before. Which means his omega is scared, or unstable. ''Is that why you called Chohee?'' ''You disturb our workplace. I only kept my promise.'' ''Sirs, lady, you need to move so we can to close the room.'' The new voice of the security breaks the tension and the groups moves as instructed. Minwoo eyes the other two''s movement, ready to attack if they dare to do anything to his mate. Fortunately, they don''t. Instead, they wave them goodbye and starts walking towards the exit. As soon as they did, Wonho grips his own hand tightly, feeling frustrated by the turn of situation. Just as Minwoo about to say something though, ''Owh one more thing,'' Heiran stops her steps and turns around to face the couple, ''If you''re wondering why we hired an inexperienced lawyer for Juwon, it''s because he was one of the alphas there. You seem to forget that there were lots of alphas that night.'' Wonho''s eyes widens at the realization. He quickly turns to his alpha, wanting instant security. His whole body shaking involuntarily. ''You better be careful or there''s gonna be lotsa court days for you~'' The female alpha hums as she left the court, laughing. No longer able to hold his anger, Minwoo starts to chase her, really wanting to hurt that bitch. ''Minwoo!!'' Wonho screams, begging for his mate to return, scared to be left alone in the hallway. There are a lot of alphas, he doesn''t know if any of them were one of his attackers. What if the trial trigger them and they decide to take action against him before he does? Owh god. What had he done? He shouldn''t have started this- ''Wonie! Hey,'' the familiar scent envelopes him, and Wonho starts to tear, holding on to his alpha tightly, ''It''s okay. We''ll get through this.'' Chapter 135 - Fighting Back 5 Wonho gasps, opening his eyes quickly to scan his surroundings. He is at home, asleep on the couch. Bringing his hand to his chest, pained by his harsh breathing, the omega sits up and leans against the back rest. He had the nightmare again. The one that stopped haunting him for a while now. That was, until the trial. Slowly breathing in and out, Wonho waits for his heart rate to slow down, enough that he can walk without shaking or falling. He takes note of the time, there is an hour left before he has to go to his lecture. One last sigh and he gets up, heading towards the bedroom. To take Minwoo''s shirt. And wear it. So he can feel like his alpha is near. Wonho needs it, not because he misses Minwoo in his absence, but because it gives him the confidence to walk among the alphas and live his daily life without constantly being on the verge of breaking down. Despite how hard he tried to not let what Heiran said affect him, his body just does not cooperate. After the trial, he returned to his situation right after the attack on the night of his present - automatic flight reaction in the presence of unknown alphas. He just cannot function normally. Not without Minwoo nearby. But his mate is a busy medic student too, they cannot be together 24/7. Which is why they came up with this solution. Well, Mengyao did when he updated his friends about the situation. Being a beta, not fully grasping the concept of pheromones, his junior managed to associate their scents with body odour hence the suggestion. As bad as it sounds, Minwoo''s scent sticks to his shirts, just like it sticks to his pillow. And discovering that, Wonho makes sure to wear his shirt when is left alone to attend to his own stuff. It is a great idea. This can be their long-term solution as well. He can live with this. ##### ''Wono-yah!'' Haneul calls, surprised to see his junior at the shelter by himself. The sight of him did the same to the other too, Wonho''s usually small eyes becomes slightly bigger before he waves. Making his way to the man who is walking somewhere with a book in hand, the older male catches up to him, ''What''re you doing here?'' Wonho shows him the book which Haneul recognizes immediately. ''Therapy?'' The younger nods his head, the exhaustion evident on his face. Sighing, the older omega pulls Wonho close for a light hug. He knows the feeling, having made a huge progress only to slip and fall back down, then left thinking that there is no hope. He went through it for years himself, and even now, find himself feeling that way sometimes. ''Wanna grab a coffee?'' ''Outside?'' ''Yup. Come on,'' He takes Wonho''s reluctant hand into his, ''it''ll be fine. If someone tries to do something, I''ll protect you.'' That put a smile on the other''s face. ''What? Cheol never told you about the time I stabbed that old man? I can fight.'' ''What?'' ''Coffee? Outside?'' Haneul persuades. Wonho looks around, thinking hard before agreeing, ''Your treat.'' ##### The older omega smiles, being reminded of the first time Wonho came to the university after the attack. Just like right now, he keeps checking around him, fully wary of other people especially the alphas. It is sad though, because just a few months ago, they were all going out to restaurants and parks for fun, even Wonho. Now the guy seems like he cannot wait to get home for safety. ''Don''t you think they''d already react if they recognize you?'' Haneul''s voice surprised Wonho who flinches a bit in his seat. Laughing awkwardly, ashamed, the latter looks down at his hands. Just wondering if he should say something about his situation. He told his therapist, obviously, and his friends are aware of what happened from Minwoo''s outburst that one time. But Wonho had been pretending he is not that affected by everything, because his alpha gets agitated as well. And unlike him, Minwoo is determined to do something about it. Wonho heard Minwoo talking to his butler one night, asking him to find something about Heiran. And that worries him. Because he knows the Kims are not like any other family. He doesn''t want this incident to turn into something so big there is not turning back. He does not want Minwoo to do something he will regret. Hence why he finds it hard to talk about this and instead, pretends that he is recovering well. When he isn''t. ''How do you do it?'' Wonho finally asks, already tired of pretending in front of his loved ones. If he should tell anyone, he knows it should be to Haneul. Because of their similar situation. Before the incident with Heiran, he never find Haneul''s situation so relatable. It had always been just a story in a book, one that is forgotten once he move on to the next. Because Haneul had always focus on his ''stepdad'' in his writing, Wonho forgot about the other alphas that did the same thing to him as well. Like his attackers, Haneul''s are still at large too. But unlike him, Haneul recognizes them. ''How do you live your life, knowing that they are free?'' Haneul smiles, taking a sip of his latte. ''I hurt myself.'' Wonho frowns, not feeling good at learning about it as it means, there is nothing he can do to make himself feel better. ''I tried everything to numb the feeling. I thought it worked, but I only ended up in this black hole. You know.'' ''So it doesn''t get better.'' Wonho states, just because. Depressed. ''Nope. It doesn''t.'' Haneul answers as honestly as he can, ''But, I accepted that. That things sucks and there is nothing I can do about it. Then I just get used to it.'' Wonho takes a long breath, feeling sick. He doesn''t want to get used to it. He wants it to be over. He wants to return to normal, to his ignorant state. ''Hey, the best thing you can do is not let them hold you back. Show them that you can live your life even after what they did to you.'' Haneul leans towards him, rubbing his hand gently. ''Like you shamelessly flaunting your money in their faces?'' Wonho states, smirking as Haneul laughs. ''I sold their story, and they got nothing. And if they hurt me, people will know who they truly are. They can''t win.'' Wonho leans his head against the window beside them, thinking it through. Haneul is right, they cannot hurt him if he doesn''t allow them. He will live his own life, and be someone they cannot hurt. He will make sure of it. Chapter 136 - Life-Changing Decision 1 ''Are you really gonna accept that job?'' Jinyoung asks him the moment their orders arrived. ''I dunno.'' Wonho sighs, staring at the ramen in front of him. After a year of trying to find a job, he was finally offered one, but he doesn''t feel the least bit happy about it. He should be. In fact, rejection isn''t even supposed to be an option for him. While other people found theirs around June, the latest September, Wonho had no luck despite having the best resume in comparison to his classmates. He even got excellent letters of recommendation from his professors, plural, and from Junghoon who offered to write him one at the beginning of his job hunt. But no matter how impressive he was, most of the time, he was rejected due to the omega status written on the piece of paper. Now, with only two months left before graduation, he was desperate. He didn''t want to believe it at first. He thought there was something lacking in his resume, because the firm he interned at was very welcoming to him. But the discrimination became really clear to him when he sent his resume to a company, together with his classmates who were barely able to pass every semester, only to find out most of them were called in, yet he wasn''t. In fact, not to make comparison but among the companies who finally called him for interviews, they ended up hiring one of his classmates. They did the interview together. The man was really nervous he stuttered terribly, unable to answer most of the questions unlike Wonho. And yet, he got the job and again, Wonho didn''t. Even then, Wonho refused to give up. Though he wanted to stay in Seoul, he tried applying to companies all over Korea, big and small. If not for his alpha paying all his travel expenses, he would''ve been broke just going across the country for interviews. In small companies own privately, he was welcomed so his therapist wasn''t lying. Omegas can be architects; only in small villages, taking small housing projects with no career growth. The only place he was welcomed are where ambitions die. So, how he managed to get this one job at a good company in Seoul? He hid his scent. There were no box for second gender in the application form, and he was desperate so he did it as his last resort. Lo and behold, he was treated really differently compared to when he came in as an omega. They loved him. Which made it even harder for him to stop doing so. Until the final interview, he kept pretending to be a beta. He thought about revealing his real self so he tried asking about omega architects. But he was laughed at. Though not straight to his face, they looked bemused. And he knew right then that he would have to live his life in fear of being found out if he accepts the job. But this is his only choice. He couldn''t find it in himself to apply to the firm where he interned where chances of him getting hired an omega is comparatively higher. Because he heard from someone there that the whole company is aware about the incident between him and Juwon. Someone spread the rumour. And he can only guess who. His two choices are either pretending to be a beta, or mentally and emotionally torture himself everyday. The latter cannot even be considered a possible choice. So yes, pretending to be a beta his whole life is his only choice. ''Wono, I know how you feel but what if you have an emergency? What bout heat? Pregnancy? You can''t lie to them forever. It''ll be stressful for you.'' ''Can''t I just take the job for experience? 4 years at least?'' ''You know hiding your identity is a crime¡­'' Wonho puts his chopstick down and rests his face in his palms. Sighing, rubbing his face roughly to relief his stress, he is about to pour the soda into his cup but changes his mind. He needs alcohol. He wants to forget his problems. ''Hosh, Imma chug this straight.'' He shows the soju bottle to his friend who is still stuffing his face with ramen. ''Tae''s gonna send me back right?'' ''Yah, he''s not your driver.'' Jinyoung complains but is completely ignored as Wonho starts to drink anyway. He doesn''t mind it given the situation Wonho is in, he needs a break. Jeongmin wouldn''t mind too, his mate knows about his friend''s situation. But his mate is doing his rotation and is as busy as Minwoo. Guess he will have to call Junjie instead. ##### As usual, the apartment is still dark when Wonho comes back. It is already so late but Minwoo has yet to come back from his hospital duty. Washing his face and brushing his teeth, ready to sleep, Wonho takes the pillow on Minwoo''s side of the bed and holds it close as he tries to rest, enjoying the scent of his alpha which lullabies him to sleep. Minwoo returns home a few hours later, unintentionally waking him up by his pecks on the head before cleaning up. Wonho wants so badly to cry to the man but holds it in. his mate is already physically tired from his day at the hospital. He needs sleep. They both need sleep. ##### Wonho looks at the message from Joseph. It has been a while since he last saw the pretty man. Around two years? The man has been all over the place for his journal. Every time he updates his Instagram, he would be somewhere in the Western countries. Sometimes Wonho wonders if the guy is really doing his research or is just travelling. ''Seo Wonho!'' He hears the gentle voice and waves at the owner who is sitting outside, looking like a model. Grabbing his place opposite the guy, Wonho eyes quickly catches on the few pieces of paper, like a flyer of some sort, and a few documents in Korean. ''Still not done?'' He asks the doctorate student. Joseph shakes his head, ''This is for you.'' Wonho keeps staring at the documents held out to him, trying to process what is being explained. Right now, Joseph is talking about this renowned omega architect respected in his field whom he interviewed for his journal. The Korean documents in his hands were translated by the older, explaining the architect''s biography and achievements. It took Wonho a while to realize that he knows this man - Enzo Pisano, he is a fan of the man''s work. He never knew the man is an omega. There is no information about it so, he just assumed Mr. Pisano is a beta. ''It was irrelevant.'' Still reading the other papers on the table, Wonho stops halfway. ''Wait, is there a reason you called me?'' Joseph gives him a really sweet smile before passing him another piece of paper. Wonho looks at it, puzzled. ''You said you haven''t found a job?'' Wonho nods. Technically, he still hasn''t accepted the offer yet, so he is still jobless. ''He wants to train you.'' Chapter 137 - Life-Changing Decision 2 ''Who? Thi- What? How?'' He stutters at the sudden reveal. This is not what he expected to come from that sweet mouth. He was thinking something along the line of helping the older with his journal, which Wonho planned to reject due to his own hectic schedule. Not this. ''Well I mentioned about you when I met him a few months ago, and he kinda searched about your works. He was impressed.'' Wonho cannot believe his ears. Mr. Pisano, impressed by his works? But how did he even know about his works? Wonho never did anything. He is still a student! ''What do you mean work? I don''t have any result to show¡­'' ''He mentioned something about you winning some rookie architecture competition? Your submission is still displayed on the page you know.'' Wonho drops his jaws, feeling overwhelmed. That was when he was in middle school and high school. That was a very long time ago. That was when he was still a beta. ''And he happened to know one of your professors. Apparently Prof. Lee gave you a great recommendation.'' Wonho looks at the papers in his hand. Some of them are in English, and though his English isn''t the best, he knows this is the company''s brochure. Which means¡­ ''You said he wants to train me? As in, lecture?'' Joseph only laughs at him, thinking his innocence is cute. ''No, silly.'' He leans his body in, his face full of encouragement, ''Wonho, he''s offering you an apprenticeship. A job. That is, if you''re still available.'' ''A job? I-,'' This is too sudden. He is speechless. He never even sent a resume or anything. ''I-uh. It''s great but¡­ why me?'' ''You know there''s not many omega architects out there. Not in Korea, not anywhere. You''re special Wonho, and it''s hard for you to survive out there. Mr. Pisano knows it very well, he went through it. He wants to help.'' ''... in Korea¡­?'' ''In France.'' Wonho swallows hard. That is very far. ##### The strong smell of coffee awoken the alpha who habitually turns to his side for a kiss. Feeling no warmth, Minwoo opens his eyes and groans. It is already morning. Wait, it is already morning! Fuck, he didn''t hear the alarm! Swinging his body back to his left, Minwoo grabs the brown alarm clock and narrows his eyes, trying to focus on the numbers. It is still 5:30 am. Lying back down, he stares at the ceiling, already too tired to get up. These past few months he can do nothing on weekdays. Waking up early in the morning, he would go to the hospital for training until late at night, come back home too tired, sleep and repeat the whole process. Sometimes when he is drained out of energy, he will end up sleeping at the dorm, no energy and focus to drive back but he will make sure to return home whenever he can. The same goes to his mate - Wonho too has been busy with his final year project and would spend some nights at the studio. And with him still trying to find a job, Minwoo barely gets to spend any time with him. Which is all the more reason why he tries to come back to the apartment - so they can at least sleep and have breakfast together. Minwoo tries to close his eyes but the fresh coffee is too tempting. Usually, he will be the one to prepare the coffee and breakfast since he needs to be at the hospital early. Only about half an hour after he wakes up and done cooking would Wonho open his eyes so they can have breakfast together. And judging from the clinking sound, he is sure Wonho is making something right now. This is rare. Getting up, he washes his face and heads towards the counter. ''Hey.'' He stares at the omega who is making sunny-side up and simple sausage, one of the few dishes Minwoo taught him to do. Not that it is hard to make, Minwoo just likes it to be perfect. Getting beside the man, he kisses the back of the male''s head and takes his mug before heading back to his seat. ''You''re up early.'' ''Bad hangover.'' Minwoo smiles at that. Wonho is the type who cannot get drunk, but he will still have a bad hangover. Just two glasses and he will start vomiting before he then sleeps. ''That''s a complicated food for a hangover.'' He comments. ''I dunno how to make soup. We''re out of cereal.'' He laughs at that. They don''t have any instant food here, Minwoo doesn''t like it. But even so, scrambled eggs is easier than sunny side. He is about to comment before Wonho puts the food on his plate, placing it in front of Minwoo, and then, takes out another bowl filled with scrambled eggs. He simpers; Wonho made this for him. Waiting for his mate to sit beside him, Minwoo slurps on the coffee, stretching his body. This is not enough recharge. ''Wonie,'' He stands up while looking at the omega beside him. He keeps his stare until Wonho has enough and glowers at him. ''The hell you want?'' ''Urgh.'' Wonho scowls at the sudden tight hug from the giant who is shaking him, vibrating his throbbing brain. God, he feels like puking right now. ''Yah, stupid! Stop!'' Laughing at the reaction, Minwoo places another kiss and sits back to continue his breakfast, enjoying the pissed face beside him. Although they are both really busy with their studies, he never felt happier with their relationship. He thought having to handle Wonho''s trauma, especially during this time of stress would soon affect him negatively but his omega is strong. Although Wonho makes some doubtful decisions, he always stand by it instead of running away when things get tough. Which is really inspirational. It makes Minwoo motivated to chase his own dream of becoming a surgeon. ''What''s wrong?'' He asks as he cleans the dishes. Wonho has been staring at him weirdly, as if concerned about something. The few moments of silence made him brush it off and continues with what he was doing. ''Minwoo, are you coming back tonight?'' He turns to face his mate, tilting his head a little ''I don''t know.'' Usually he would be able to come home on Fridays but the hospital has been very busy this month so he might be held up. ''Owh. Tomorrow''s good too.'' Wonho puts down his mug, ''I need to talk.'' Chapter 138 - Life-Changing Decision 3 The older of the two pats the sofa and looks back at the brochures and documents in his bag, making sure everything is perfect. Minwoo is preparing their drinks - hot chocolate for the omega and cafe latte for himself. This has been their ritual before any of their ''talk'' to discuss important issues that may cause an argument. There had been some in the last few years they were together, and each time, someone would do something and the other would react negatively. So they started adding rules, to make sure they can manage through the talk calmly. And after lots of talking, the couple realizes that holding hands throughout the discussion is the one thing that work. If one of them is triggered or felt strongly about something, they will naturally twitch their fists or squeeze it slightly which will alert their partner. It took a lot of practice, which was not as hard as the years go by since they hold hands very often compared to when they first started going out, but they managed to perfect their hand-holding technique. ''What do we have here?'' Minwoo places their drinks on the coffee table and sits on the floor, right beside Wonho, leaning against the sofa. The latter holds out his hand and clamps Minwoo''s tightly in his, bringing his forehead up front to bunt with the other. He likes to do it, preferring their headbutts over kisses which Minwoo likes. After a few minutes of preparing the talk to be brought to their main topic, Wonho finally asks, ''What do you think about France?'' Minwoo smiles at the question. It has been a while since he last thought about that country, or any European countries for that matter, minus his hometown that is. His priority changed, and so did his dreams for the future. Now that the omega mentioned it, he always loved going to Alsace, a village in France. ''You wanna go to France?'' For some reason, the omega jerks at that question, Minwoo can feel his hand pulsating momentarily in his. Maybe he is disappointed because they have no time? He always feels bad about that but they are both still students so there is still a lot of time for them. ''We can go if you want¡­ I have summer holiday-'' ''No, Minwoo it''s not¡­I, got an offer.'' The alpha''s face lights up. He feels over the moon. Wonho reporting the offer like this only means he is ready to take the job, unlike those few others he rejected. So, Wonho wants to celebrate? Is that why he mentioned France? They can always go there right after graduation, Minwoo has a week off before starting his residency. Hugging the smaller man beside him, telling him words of encouragement and congratulations, he releases it and looks back at Wonho''s face. The latter is not showing any signs of being happy. ''Is it far?'' Wonho nods and Minwoo''s face falls. It seems, his mate decided to take the ones in the suburbs after all. Forcing himself a smile, he caresses the omega''s face. ''It''ll be fine. I can try to apply the hospital nearby. Where is it?'' There is another squeeze in his hand. ''Really far. I dunno if you can go there.'' Minwoo almost makes a fist before noticing the hand in his. He sighs. Though he doesn''t like the situation, he understands. ''It''s only for two years. I can open a clinic then-'' ''It''s in France.'' Wonho cuts him off. Minwoo eyes widens. He must have misheard. It must be some unknown place in Korea. He is still not familiar with the names. ''France?'' He reconfirms, half jokingly. Wonho does not seem bemused, and instead nods his head. Feeling his mouth dry at the action, Minwoo looks at the ceiling, trying to find a word to say. ''How? Did you just randomly applied for a job in another country? For fun?? Why France?!'' Minwoo breathes heavily, trying to control his anger. He still cannot accept this. If this is a joke, it is too much. On the other side, Wonho pushes his bag behind him, no longer having the enthusiasm to show the pamphlets he received after seeing the agitated reaction. Unfortunately, his action caught Minwoo''s attention who lets go of his hand. Swiftly, the alpha gets hold of those papers. And as expected, he isn''t pleased. ''Yah, Wonie, this is a prank right? Tell me it is.'' He looks back at the paper, noting that some of it is written in Korean. ''You went to an agent? You can''t trust an agent. This can be a scam!'' ''No. It''s-'' He doesn''t know if he should expose Joseph but Minwoo doesn''t know him personally, and if mentioning him would ease the worry, he thought he should. ''It''s Joseph-hyung. He knows the CEO.'' ''Goddamit!'' Minwoo mutters to himself. He whispers it, but he doesn''t care if omega heard him either. In his anger, he accidentally crumples the brochure. Seeing that, Wonho rushes to grab them from him but before he returns to his place, he gives a sharp look at the alpha. Minwoo, realizing his reaction, takes a deep breath. ''I need some air.'' ''I need to be alone.'' Wonho responds. ##### Sangcheol looks over at his mate who looks back at him with the same expression. Minwoo''s sudden visit is weird enough as it is. Now, sitting at their dining table, facing them both, he just asked the hardest question both of them have no answer to. It is not a simple question with right and wrong answer. They can understand where both males came from. They know really well how important architecture is for Wonho, it was the one thing that helped him gain his confident after the attack, and after Heiran. But at the same time, they can also empathize with the alpha in front of them. Minwoo has been trying his best to be Wonho''s support, despite his own problems. They saw how much Minwoo suffered, they saw how much Wonho opened up to Minwoo and allow himself to depend on his alpha, and they saw how, after a lot of obstacles, the two males finally become accustomed and comfortable with each other. If the same option is given to them, both Sangcheol and Haneul would choose each other. But this is not about them. This is about Minwoo and Wonho. Haneul breaks the silence first by patting the younger alpha, thinking that if Minwoo wants to blame someone, it should be him. Because, despite his intention, he was the one who introduced Joseph to Wonho, in hope to bring architecture back into his life. Wonho gave up on his dreams and talent based on the mere fact that he is an omega, and Haneul didn''t agree with that. And since Joseph knows a lot of omegas working in alpha/beta monopolized field, he hoped his friend would inspire Wonho to change his mind. Which he did. This wouldn''t have happened had Wonho stayed in literature. He wouldn''t be pushed this far, and became desperate enough that working overseas becomes his only option. So yes, Haneul feels that he is the one at fault. But at the same time, that does not mean he regrets his decision. ''I think¡­ Wonho needs to be free.'' Chapter 139 - Life-Changing Decision 4 Sangcheol and Minwoo looks at him, shocked. Before Minwoo can say anything, he continues, ''Architecture is the only thing that is holding him together. I know that, you know that. We all can see that. What''ll happen if you take that away from him?'' ''I''m not taking anything away. He can stay here, there are places that want him! It doesn''t have to be a big firm!'' ''He''s not going to be happy.'' Haneul finally confesses what he had been feeling for the last year, having watched the younger omega struggling. Being an omega in his field is hard enough, but having his one opportunity taken away and taunted by it for the past year really changed Wonho. Right now, he is only surviving. ''I can make him happy.'' Minwoo growls unintentionally, feeling like the two are trying to take Wonho away from him. ''He needs me.'' ''No, he needs to work on his issues. On his own.'' Haneul insists, not liking how Minwoo is adamant about holding Wonho back. The younger omega has a lot of potential; if not for Minwoo claiming him, Wonho would have learnt how to depend on himself earlier instead of looking for his mate for comfort and security every single time. ''So you want me to break the bond because of that? Make his nightmare come true?'' Minwoo frowns at the omega, speaking as calmly as he can. If anything, Wonho is afraid of Minwoo leaving him the most. Now Haneul is suggesting he leave his mate. Well, technically let his mate leave him, but in the end, they will still both be apart. ''He can''t handle it. I won''t let it.'' ''You know this will continue to haunt him.'' Haneul responds, speaking the hard truth. ''I don''t think that''s healthy for your relationship.'' Minwoo rubs his face roughly, not liking what he is hearing. Seeing the distress on the younger, Sangcheol decides to give it a shot. He is aware that Haneul was trying his best to explain his thoughts, but he was speaking through Wonho''s point of view. Minwoo will never comprehend it. He knows the man cannot. Because if the same thing was said to him, Sangcheol knows he too wouldn''t be able to accept having mental issues as a reason he needs to break their bond either. Especially for Minwoo who has a successful exhibit A sitting in front of him, it would be even harder to agree with. ''Minwoo, I agree with Haneul. Hear me out.'' He warns the other to listen, ''You can make him happy, I''m confident bout that, but,'' He continues carefully, looking at the younger alpha''s face for any reaction - Minwoo seems to be listening. ''If he let this chance pass and regrets it later, he will blame it on the bond. He will blame you for claiming him, and making him attached. I know you think so too. Isn''t that why you''re here?'' Minwoo exhales deeply, not able to deny what was said. That is exactly what is happening, their biggest obstacle - the fact that Wonho doesn''t know the difference between his personality change due to being an omega, his trauma or the bond. From him showing affection to his own alpha, to him needing to be near Minwoo for security, Wonho tends to attribute everything to him being bonded. It is cute, but it is also frustrating, because Wonho does not believe that he is in love, or that he is still traumatized. To Wonho, every change that happens to him, good or bad, will always be because of the bond. And as much as Minwoo adores him, and would do anything for his omega, sometimes he cannot help but feel used. He is not sure he will be able to take the blame for ruining Wonho''s dreams. That will be too much for him handle, no matter how much he loves Wonho. ''You should let him experience what being a free omega feels like. Let him recover by himself. Then he''ll know the difference a bond makes.'' Sangcheol adds, his voice low. He does not like what he just said either. ''And I think, with time, he''ll be comfortable enough to want to be with someone again¡­ By choice.'' ''But what if that someone''s not me anymore?'' Minwoo turns to look at the couple seated opposite him. They are only together because he saved Wonho that night. Wonho would never have been with him if not for the bond. ''What if he choose another?'' Sangcheol''s shoulder drops. That is another question he doesn''t have answers to. He looks up to search for his mate''s eyes. Again, Haneul bear the same expression as his. ##### Wonho locks himself in his room at the omega house. He doesn''t want to see Minwoo and the only place available for him to stay for a while is here. He gave up his dorm room last year when he decided to move in with his mate. Jinyoung already graduated, and Haneul moved out with Sangcheol so he cannot stay at theirs either. Not that, he wants to bother them either since he doesn''t want to let them know about his problems. The volunteers here were very happy to see him, welcoming him with open arms. They already know him from his frequent visits for volunteer works or for omega classes so they didn''t hesitate to give him a room. He never thought he would come to appreciate this place as much as he does. Wonho goes through all the pictures his mother spammed him of France. Of the buildings, of the nature, of the foods. Everything looks so different from here. European countries have always been his favourite places because of the architecture. Of course, who wouldn''t think so. In fact, most of his works were inspired by the ones here. Suddenly curious, he searches his name on the web. Behind it, he adds ''architect''. To his delight, the foundation of which he received the awards for pops up. And upon clicking on it, true to Joseph''s words, his old works are displayed, further exciting him. On another tab, he searches for the company he is going to. Everything is in English so it takes a while for him to navigate through, but he finally realizes what he was offered, is not written on the recruitment page. But Joseph insisted that he will be recruited as an architect protege. Which means, he is special. Pisano offered to groom him himself. Pisano believes in his talent. Smiling to himself, Wonho takes the brochure and lies on the bed, looking over it for the umpteenth time. This chance that is offered to him, is not something that will come again. It isn''t like one door close, another one open type of shit. No one would even look at his resume after the word ''omega''. If he refuses this, his road in this field will end. Unless, he accepts the ones in the rural areas. This not something he can afford to let go. He doesn''t have the privilege. Chapter 140 - Life-Changing Decision 5 Finally able to take a break, Minwoo brings out his phone. His heart skips a bit seeing the two missed calls from Wonho. He hasn''t been home for almost three weeks now, because he is too busy. And getting home to face his problems while he is too stressed out from his rotations will do no good for both of them. He still needs time alone; he still hasn''t sort out his feeling on the situation, and is still mad at Wonho for not thinking about him when deciding to try for jobs outside Korea. Clicking on the notification, Minwoo somehow feels a bit disappointed looking at the big gap in between calls. And the number of calls of course. Wonho isn''t desperate enough to call him more. Which means that he is set on his decision to take the offer. Irked by his own thought, Minwoo is about to put the phone back inside his coat before it starts to vibrate again. Missing the smiling man displayed on his screen, the young alpha gives up and answers. ##### Minwoo curses as he clicks the up button repeatedly, hoping it will come faster. He almost used the stairs had the elevator not open right before he turns for the staircase. Biting his lips, he rushes straight to their apartment door, taking note of the intense pheromones leaking outside at the hallway, inviting him to breed. Minwoo pushes open the door and runs straight to the bedroom. ''Wonie,'' he embraces the man crying at the corner, hugging the pillows tightly as he pulls on his hair. ''I''m here.'' ''I can''t do this,'' Wonho pulls him close, desperate for his touch. ''Minwoo, I don''t want to go anymore!'' ''It''s fine. It''s all good.'' Minwoo strengthens his pheromones to calm his mate, but it is no use. Wonho has been holding it in for two days. Since he and Minwoo were not talking, Wonho didn''t want to call his mate. But at the same time, he wanted his mate so badly he refused to break his heat alone. That caused his condition to take turn for the worse until he finally collapsed. As soon as he regained consciousness, he called Minwoo without avail. He is desperate. ''I don''t wanna leave you!'' Wonho wails, pulling Minwoo''s shirt, crumpling it. ''I can''t do this alone!!'' ''Shh.. it''ll be alright. Let''s take care of you now.'' Wonho feels a kiss on his forehead and nods. ##### Writing a mail to his superior about his emergency leave, Minwoo sighs at the now sleeping omega. Red patches are on his neck, his stomach and a few other places - the result of his capillaries bursting from the neglected heat. Thankfully nothing serious happened but the fact that it could, worries him. He should be relieved when Wonho told him he didn''t want to go to France anymore but somehow he felt disappointed. After all they went through because of it, Wonho broke because he couldn''t take care of his needs. It was the Minwoo''s fault after all, he never lets his mate do it on his own nor did he ever thought about teaching Wonho either, despite knowing it is important. They threw all the toys he bought when Wonho refused to use it. He thought he will always be around to take care of his omega. Now that it came to this, he realized he should have been sterner on educating his omega about their kinds despite Wonho constant reluctance. Grabbing a cup of coffee, Minwoo sits on the couch, leaning against it as he takes a deep breath. It has been a while since he is at home. And with nothing to do. Wonho''s last heat was four months ago, he was too stressed at finding a job it messed his cycle. They were both caught off guard and the omega missed one of his interviews because of it. Which was why he didn''t expect it to happen now, completely forgotten about it because the tracker was no longer accurate. If only Wonho told him the first day, this could have been avoided. But then again, the same can be said of him; Minwoo would know had he bothered to call his mate instead of sulking and playing mind games. The mess on the coffee table catches his attention and Minwoo takes a closer look - Wonho''s journal is opened, there are lots of circles marked on the calendar. Also left opened are some architectural magazines and English textbooks, as well as other reference documents filled with scribbles. Then there is his drawing for his final project. Again, Minwoo sighs. In his outrage, he somehow forgot the fact that the omega is graduating in a month and has so much work to catch up due to his absences while looking for a job. Now that he thought about it, Wonho had it really rough. He knows what the omega had been through, but it never clicked to him how hard it was because Wonho was always hopeful. He is good at controlling his emotion. Sure, Wonho would cry sometimes but he always gets back up the next day. And Minwoo mistook it as a sign that things are not as bad as he thought. That Wonho only overreacted because he was tired. Now, looking at the mess in front of him, Minwoo finally understands how bad the situation is. How much Wonho had sacrificed for his dreams, only to be rejected because of his gender. And yet, as his mate, instead of supporting his one and only opportunity, Minwoo only added to Wonho''s burden by acting out. What a great mate he is. Opening his laptop back, Minwoo searches for the company Wonho will be working for. Even without his presence, he should at least make sure his man can adapt to his new life smoothly. ##### ''If we''re gonna do this, we''re doing it right.'' Wonho nods, holding on to Minwoo''s arm, hiding his face on the crook of his neck. He misses Minwoo, and he is only barely done with his heat. He still has the clingy part left in him. ''I won''t accept half-ass attempts.'' Another nod. ''Wonie,'' Minwoo pulls Wonho in front of him, so they can face each other. ''We''re breaking the bond.'' After a long, hard thinking by himself, he came to a realization that they need this. In order for both of them to move on from the paranoia and anxiety that is still haunting them - the bond, they have to break it. They are only in this situation because of it in the first place. If not for this, Wonho would have already accepted the offer, and Minwoo wouldn''t have to force himself to come home and instead, focus on his study and taking care of his own health. Though he loves them and their current situation, he couldn''t deny that it did, come from a bad place. And it is, affecting their lives even now. ''I won''t go then.'' Wonho inches closer, ''I''ll stay here and do whatever I can. I don''t, I don''t wanna leave you. I can''t.'' ''And you''ll hate me for holding you here. We need to do this. We will break it. You will try to date other people. I won''t wait for you. Wonie, it''s over.'' ''I''m sorry!! I don''t wanna go anymore!!'' Minwoo pulls his mate closer, comforting the hysteric male. He didn''t mean to sound angry. He is not punishing Wonho, he is not trying to discipline him or any of that sort. He is not that kind of alpha. He just wants to make it clear how important this decision is for both of them. ''Hey, we need to give it a try. If we don''t like it, we start over from zero. We need this.'' Wonho shakes his head over and over again, refusing to accept it. He knows he is being too emotional and that it is because of the remaining heat but he still feels as if Minwoo is finally throwing him away. That Minwoo decided he is not worth his time after all. Only after a few minutes of comforting words from his alpha did Wonho force himself a nod. ''I can still come back for my heats¡­'' ''That''ll make you suffer more. It''s also risky.'' What if he gets his heat on the way back? The flight from France to Korea is not short. And on Minwoo''s side, he will be busy with residency to be able to take a few weeks leave, ''I can''t go there either. We have to.'' Wonho looks down, trying to wrap his head around the suggestion. He understands the logic, he agrees with it. But he still cannot help but feel sad over it. ''I''m sor-'' ''No, I don''t wanna hear it.'' Minwoo interrupts his apology. Wonho starts to feel small again but the look Minwoo gives him, the small smile, relaxes him. ''Right now I''m not gonna lie and say I''m happy for you. I''m not. I''m disappointed.'' He inhales deeply. ''But it''s your life. And I made a promise.'' ''I''m still your mate. I''ll take care of you until we''re broken.'' Minwoo places a deep kiss on Wonho''s forehead. ''I''ll get over it.'' Chapter 141 - Moving On 1 It is finally September. In the past five months, Wonho had been preparing himself to migrate to a new country and start his new life. He took English classes, some beginner French, learned how to cook, how to use software related to his work, and even bought new clothes more suitable for the weather. His visa application went smoothly. He even took the time to get to know his new colleagues through emails and Facebooks. All the while, Minwoo was with him every step of the way. It is time to leave. Everyone surrounds Wonho who just checked in, hugging him goodbyes and giving him words of encouragement. His mother keeps asking if everything is ready for him in Paris and for the umpteenth time, he has to assure her it is. Minwoo had already found him a small apartment in a safe neighbourhood, fully furnished. The alpha already paid a year''s rent as a farewell gift as well. He promised to take care of Wonho until their bond break, and so he insisted on paying for everything for Wonho''s first year there, the time needed for them to be free again. And though he felt bad for it, Wonho is thankful because it would give him enough time to adapt to his new life without any concern. Not to mention, the alpha''s beta friend will also be welcoming him at the airport and show him around town, so basically, he has nothing to worry about. All he has to do now is get on his own two feet as soon as possible. And, surviving his heat without his alpha. Wonho looks around the group of people, trying to find the man. Thinking about his heat always scare him so he usually tries to distract himself, but the thought just came up, and with the fact that he is hours away from leaving his mate, Wonho wanted to see Minwoo. So he can be comforted for the last time. But there is still no sign of the alpha. Wonho smiles to himself, trying not to show his disappointment. He looks at the clock, noting that he still has some time before leaving. It will be alright, Minwoo will get here. Choosing to ignore the disappointment in him, Wonho focuses on his friends and family instead. He will miss them too, and he knows they will him. He may regret not bidding a proper goodbye. ''Oppa¡­'' A sob is heard coming from his left and Wonho glances over to see his little sister starting to bawl. There is a short silence before everyone bursts into laughter. And then the laugh starts to get mixed with tears and sobs. Finding it absurd, they laugh louder again, chuckling at their pathetic state. ''Yah, you guys! Stop it! Are you tryna make me cry?'' Wonho pushes his friends, hitting them. ''I can''t cry now. You wanna make me stay?'' As if knowing that he may tear up soon, both his parents and Junjie, as well as his siblings hug him tightly, so tightly they start to suffocate him. Wonho distorts his face, trying so hard not to break down. Because he will. He is weak for them. He is only putting up a strong front. But the longer they do this to him, the more he feels like giving up on leaving and stay, where he belongs. ''I think we need to leave¡­'' Junjie breaks the silence as he lets go of his hold. He softly pats on both the old folks'' back to signal them to do the same. Grateful, Wonho flashes him a smile, thanking him for it. Will he be able to find someone as understanding as his best friend in France? How will he survive everyday without hearing the man''s voice? How will he survive his days without his friends? Without Minwoo? ''Good luck Wono! Don''t forget to call!'' ''We love you!'' ''Owh~ I love you guys too!!'' The voices breaks him down from his devastating thoughts. Wonho waves them goodbye, forcing himself to grin happily until he cannot see them anymore. Then he sighs, not knowing what else to do. He doesn''t want to go in just yet. Not before he sees Minwoo. He knows that is why his friends and family left early ¨C so he can spend one last time with his mate. But his mate is not here. Kicking the floor a few times, Wonho checks his watch and scans around him briefly, somehow still hoping for Minwoo''s arrival. There is still two hours before his flight, but he needs to be inside at least an hour prior. Now anxious, he takes out his phone and clicks on the messages from the alpha. No matter how much he read their messages, it always shows the same thing - Minwoo promised to be here. And yet, he isn''t. Maybe, after all this time, he decided he doesn''t want to see Wonho after all? He did say he was disappointed in this decision, albeit that was said a long time ago¡­ Biting his lips, Wonho stares lifelessly at his suitcase. Maybe going to France is a bad idea after all. No one will be there for him. Neither his family, nor his friends, nor his mate. He cannot speak English or French. He can only cook basic dishes. He probably won''t get any mental help there due to the language barrier. Things are better off if he stays here. Why would he even consider exposing himself to such a challenge? Did he really think he can overcome it? He should just go home. He should head back to Minwoo''s right now, sleep and pretend this is all a dream too good to be true. ''Is that tears?'' Wonho jumps a bit at the voice right beside his left ear, caught off-guard. Staring straight at the beautiful brown orbs, he quickly rubs underneath his eyes for tears, before realizing it is dry. He then hears a laugh and stares at the alpha who looks messy, as if he just ran here. Minwoo probably did, judging from his sweat. ''Sorry Wonie. I wanted to come earlier.'' Chapter 142 - Moving On 2 ''It''s okay. You''re here now.'' Wonho shakes his head softly and shifts closer, hugging the man. Rather than feeling angry, he is actually grateful that the man kept his promise and came just at the right time to get him out of his dark place. For the last time. As if everything is normal, both males snuggle close to each other, enjoying their last time as a couple. On the other hand, Minwoo feels slightly regretful; if not for the small problem he encountered at the fragrance shop, he would have at least half an hour more with his omega. Of course he could just desert the idea in exchange for the time, but he couldn''t. Because this is more important to Wonho than their mere minutes together. ''Wonie, here.'' He hands a box to the confused omega. Wonho looks at the box, shakes it a little then opens it. ''Perfume?'' Wonho looks back at him, head tilted in more confusion. Of all the things the alpha can give, he wonders why the man chose to give him a mere perfume. Even taking a long while to come here for it. ''I order-made it based on my scent.'' Wonho''s heart beats faster, ''Not sure if it''s similar but that''s the closest they could get. Never thought I smell this good.'' He cannot help but chuckle at that boastful joke, loving that confidence as always. Just as he was about to tear up from being touched. Yeah, Minwoo always smells so good. In fact, he always wonders what kind of scent the alpha possesses because it is so unfamiliar. He can never pinpoint it, no matter how hard he tries. Well, not that he is an expert in the first place, he barely even wear perfumes. ''The percentage''s written inside. Complicated mixture of all sorts but mostly oakmoss if you''re wondering.'' Wonho takes out the white paper, curious. ''And look. There''s a little jasmine inside. I guess I always had a bit of you with me after all.'' Minwoo cracks a joke, feeling a bit lonely the moment the words came out of his mouth. The same expression can be seen on the omega. Before they would both cry from the loneliness, Minwoo quickly tries to close the subject. ''For whenever you need me around. Especially during your heat. Maybe you can spray a bit on the pillow and hug it like you always do.'' Wonho forces a smile, feeling a bit flushed at the mention of his habits. ''I can''t bring this on the flight.'' ''Owh please. This much liquid?'' Minwoo looks at Wonho, raising an eyebrow ''Have you ever been on a flight?'' ''Duh.'' ''Ever brought liquid?'' The look on Wonho suggests he never. Minwoo smirks in satisfaction. He knows Wonho will be the type who puts every kind of liquid in his trunk, too afraid of breaking the rule. ''Thought so.'' ''Tsk.'' Wonho feels his cheek being pinched and bites the big hand. Looking at the perfume for the last time before putting it in his bag, he feels a bit disappointed with himself. He should have done something for Minwoo one last time. It had always been the alpha taking care of him, even until the end. He wishes he had at least cooked a meal, or draw a painting of the man. Whatever he could. Though they promised not to do anything special, Minwoo decided to break the deal and presented him with this important gift of his scent anyway. Even until the very end, Minwoo thought about his wellbeing. ''Hey, your phone.'' Minwoo holds out his hand to get the smartphone from the omega. He searches his name, but none is found. He also tries other pet names but again, nothing comes up. Slightly disappointed, the alpha forces himself a smile. Wonho already did what he wanted to do. Feeling a bit hurt, he tries the call history, wanting to reconfirm, for the last time, that his contacts are completely deleted. Clicking on the phone icon, Minwoo bites his lips. No wonder he couldn''t find his name. Wonho registered him as ''My Alpha''. The last time he teasingly changed the contact name, the latter retaliated by changing it to ''Kim Minwoo''. It makes him curious as to when the title is bestowed upon him. Smiling to himself, glancing at Wonho who is playing with his bag, Minwoo clicks on his name and another surprise awaits him. The icon is them both laughing at each other while hugging, taken during one of their trips with the pack to the beach. They were having playful fights and Minwoo broke it by cracking a joke. He doesn''t remember what he said, but Wonho burst out laughing loudly, clapping his hands as his nose scrunched. He started punching Minwoo to make him stop, the alpha stopping his attacks by pulling him for a hug. Someone must have taken their picture then at that moment. He wishes he knew about this photo sooner. It would have been a good addition to their framed pictures at home. Fighting the urge to cry, he scrolls down until he sees the red button, and before he can change his mind, clicks ''Delete Contact''. ''There.'' He hands the phone to Wonho who puts it back in his pocket without a word. Turning his head around to look at the clock, the latter faces Minwoo, ''I need to go now.'' ''Do you want me to send you to the gate?'' the alpha hastily asks, still reluctant to let go. This is it. This is their end. Wonho gives him a weak shake of the head and he mouths a silent ''Owh.'' ''Ca-can I kiss you?'' Minwoo shocks himself at his shaky voice, feeling himself getting red. Weird tingles can be felt on his cheeks, he doesn''t know whether it is due to embarrassment or tears threatening to fall. To his delight, Wonho nods, ''I''m still your mate.'' Pulling the omega close, he gives the man a long, deep kiss. Their last kiss. Before his feelings take over, Minwoo pulls away, resting their heads together. ''I love you, Seo Wonho.'' ''I love you too, Kim Minwoo.'' He pecks the taller man''s nose. ''You''re the best.'' -End- (This is random but listen to the song ''Us, Again'' by Seventeen and enjoy the feels. The lyrics and the music really fits the chapter :3) Chapter 143 - Epilogue: Starting Over 1 ''Dr. Minwoo, the patient''s inside.'' Minwoo nods at the nurse, pouting to her as she pats his back, trying to hold her laughter. He lost a bet with one of his colleagues, so he has to handle this one particular patient who apparently, has a huge crush on him and has been bothering the staffs for his information. He is lucky she isn''t his department''s patient, but today, she is his patient. Because of the stupid bet he made with one Lee Jeongmin. ''She''s touchy.'' The omega nurse warns and Minwoo just wants to run away if not for Jeongmin and his other colleagues waiting outside with huge grins on their stupid faces. He holds on to the nurse, begging her to go in with him but is rejected. Sighing, he puts on his professional face, preparing himself mentally for the torture to come. In the past few years, he finally made peace with the omegas; all thanks to the very professional omegas working alongside him, caring for his well-being just like they do with others. It was the first time he actually developed real, healthy relationships with them other than sexual ones. He realized the reason why it was hard for him to accept them before is because that is how he had always seen them ¨C as nothing more than mere sex partners, or potential mates. Never once had he seen them as friends, or family, besides his real ones that is. And weirdly enough, Seungyun was an exception. This unhealthy way of thinking made him doubt each and every one of those approaching him as having ill intentions - wanting his money or status, especially after the incident because, why else? Only after accepting this fact did he started to notice that for one omega who is desperate for his attention, there are tens who would only admire him from afar, or never show interest at all, just like how alphas or betas would react to attractive people in general. Omegas are just like them. Exactly like them. He just happens to be the attractive ones. Besides, his desperation for one particularly attractive omega in the past is somehow very similar to those omegas'' for him. Which kind of made him ashamed of his non-existence flirting skills which consisted of stalking, and irking the other. Minwoo sits behind the desk, pretending to be busy on the computer typing whatever while hearing the patient excitedly telling him redundant trivia about herself. He cannot wait for the result of his examinations to be announced so he can ditch this kind of jobs and start his training to become a neurological surgeon. Thanks to luck, and his superior skills and focus, in just a few years, he is quickly acknowledged as a genius and is granted the very rare opportunity to be trained as a surgeon this early in his career. He just needs a pass as a formality. Then he will be a step closer to achieving his dream. A step closer to working as a specialist. A step closer to working any hospital he likes. A step closer to working in any country he likes. ##### Minwoo sits on the chair of his new apartment as he turns on some good Standing Egg songs to de-stress. The sky is already dark as usual, it has always been that way ever since he graduated. He rarely gets back home when the sun is still up. The same nightscape greets him who turns his back to pay attention to the new novel he just bought last weekend. He is glad his grandmother still supports him by buying him a new, better apartment after he finished medical school because his current earnings can only afford him a small one. He wonders how much money his family has that they don''t mind spending it on him, considering his extreme spending habits when he was younger. Although, he will never mention it, Minwoo secretly knows where he got that bad habit from - the old lady herself. Heck, she even bought new furniture for the apartment despite him having the ones in his old one because they ''suit'' the place better. Even his kitchenware and cutlery were brand new! That is evidence enough of her bad expenditure. That being said, he is also grateful that the old woman knows his preference to find one secluded from other places. He wouldn''t want to stumble upon his colleagues and patients outside working hours. The slight distance never bothered him at all, isolation is his first priority. The place is perfect. Bzz! Bzz! Minwoo glances at his phone to see a familiar name. Smirking, he quickly answers and places the phone in front of him, finding the stand to secure it. ''Minu appa!!'' ''Aigoo! SooA-yah!'' He chuckles when another pair of hands appears as the newcomer tries to push his sister''s face to get in the screen. Now the only part he can see are the squished cheeks. As usual, the two start to argue, and as usual, he hears their mother screaming nearby. ''SooA-yah, let Seunggie join too¡­'' He gently requests as Seungyun finally appears to break the two apart. Not long after, Chansol appears with some food in his hand, palming his face at the commotion. By this time, the phone with Minwoo''s face is already placed near the television so both the kids can see him, and he them. Laughing at their cute antics, getting slightly tired at hearing them blabbering nonsense about their favourite toys, the alpha finally decides to speak with the parents who is now seated at the dining table, enjoying their night snacks. ''Seungyun, why are you getting skinnier? Shouldn''t you be bloated with all that food?'' He saw Chansol getting triggered by the comment and laughs loudly at that victory. Chansol never react to anything strongly unless it involves Seungyun so Minwoo loves to do just that. The pregnant omega is already immune to him, so it is no fun teasing without the younger alpha around. ''I''m joking! Geez. By the way, why are the kids still up?'' ''The kindergarten closed today so they slept all day.'' Seungyun answers, looking tired with his dark under eyes. Minwoo sympathizes with him, having to deal with the two naughty kids while being pregnant with another must be tough on him. Though he misses having the sassy omega around the hospital to entertain him, he understood the man''s decision to stay at home. The two small beans are really handful. Minwoo will come by once in a while to help around whenever he can just to lessen the burden. Not that it bothers him, the kids loves him, and they are so precious. ''Wono-hyu-'' Minwoo''s heart jumps at the familiar name. Wonho¡­? Chapter 144 - Epilogue: Starting Over 2 It can''t be¡­ The movement at the upper right corner of his screen catches his attention - Chansol gets up while covering his mouth as he speaks on the phone, making his way into his room and closes it. He swears he sees Seungyun''s slightly guilt-ridden face which he is quick to cover. He pretends he didn''t hear it so things won''t get awkward but he cannot help but be a little affected by it. He knows there are a lot of ways Wonho can call Chansol but there is only one reason why Seungyun would react like that. His ex-mate is in Korea. ##### Wonho throws his suitcase on the bed and loosen his tie as he jumps on the bed to roll around. Again, he sighs at the sight of the apartment. The fully furnished studio was pretty when he first came here, but now it is just filled with crumpled papers and books lying around. This is going to be his home for at least another two years, and it is already not looking good. Though he is over the moon the first time he got the project to design an office complex in Seoul, it soon turned out to be one of the worse projects for him, yet. In addition to him having to work alone without his colleague''s immediate support, Korean customers are really hard to deal with. He needs a lot of time to adapt with the unfamiliar business etiquette, which is a bit troublesome compared to back in France with all the bows and seniority systems. He is still learning the corporate culture. That alone is exhausting. He knows he should be thankful because the company specifically asked for him, since for an architect still in his 20s, to handle his own project is almost impossible. At the same time, he also knows this is one of the promotional tactics the company wants to use for their new building - ''Designed by a young Korean omega architect'' will make a very attractive tag-line. Which is why he had mixed feeling on accepting the job. If not for Pisano encouraging him to take the leap, he wouldn''t even want to leave the comfort of being around his colleagues who are now like his own family. Well, at least now he is closer to his real family. And old friends. Looking at his phone, Wonho searches around his contact list for someone to invite out for a quick drink. Junjie is out of the country for a job. Mengyao, now a model, just got back from his hectic schedule so Wonho doesn''t want to bother him, seeing how the man didn''t get to sleep last night. Jinyoung¡­ is probably at home. But the omega just had a baby so there is no way he will leave his son, especially for a drink. Should he just go to Haneul''s? The man works at home writing his books so he is his best choice. ¡­ He forgot the man has his book signing event in Busan. Shit. That leaves Chansol who has two kids at home, the most unlikely choice. But then again, Seungyun is home too so maybe he can borrow his junior for a few hours. Happy with his decision, he looks at his wristwatch and after confirming that it isn''t too late, calls the half-Korean man. To his delight, Chansol doesn''t reject him, but asks him to wait as he asks his mate to excuse himself first. They probably have some guests over. Smiling to himself, he frowns a bit as another buzzing is felt on his cheeks. Looking at the screen, his heart falls. It is his office in France. Damnit. He forgot that today is their monthly meeting. He wants to ignore it but since his colleagues moved the meeting from evening to early in the morning just so Wonho can still join due to the time difference, it will be too rude to do so. Moreover, considering how he himself hates having meetings first thing in the morning, as much as he wants to skip it for a good drink and chat-up sessions with his Korean friends, he can''t. Accepting his fate, Wonho reluctantly apologizes to his junior for the sudden change of situation. With a promise of an official visit to the young family''s house later, Wonho hangs up and accepts the second call from the company, setting his computer up to take notes. This is going to be a long, tiring night. ##### ''Wono! Look!'' The little girl runs towards him with her doll, trying to steal his attention from her parents. Seungyun glares at her, strictly teaching her to call him ''uncle'' but is completely ignored, frustrating him further. Wonho can only laugh as Chansol calms his whiny mate. It is obvious the other omega is being extra sensitive because he needs rest, but he refuses to do so as it has been a long while since he last saw Wonho - five years, almost six. ''Nono! Uhk!'' He sees another chubby baby, running towards him in his tiny shirt and diapers, bringing his toy truck as he makes his way behind his sister hastily. He heard Seungyun whines again at Chansol, about how SooA is teaching SeungGi stuffs but both of them are babies, it shouldn''t matter yet. Assuring Seungyun to let it go, Wonho decides to give the two kids his full attention. Every time SooA tells him about her unique-looking white plushie, the small alpha behind her will try to imitate her enthusiasm and brings up his own truck, which is amusing. In the corner of his eyes, he can see Seungyun smiling at his children''s antics while resting his chin on his hands, and next to him, Chansol adoring his mate. Seeing the two males who are younger than him already having this beautiful family makes him feel weird inside. There is a sense of admiration but mixed with jealousy? Or maybe he just feels a bit overwhelmed. Everyone changed so much since he left. They all went their separate ways, lived their own different lives, and the fact that he wasn''t there with them to see that change makes it harder to swallow. He feels as if it is too sudden. As if he just time-slipped into the future where everything feels out-of place, and yet, very familiar. He still needs some time to readjust with his new life in Korea. But all things said, he is thankful that one thing remains the same. The bonds he developed with them from college never changed. The babbling in front of him breaks his trail of thoughts. Wonho chuckles softly as he realizes how similar SooA is with Seungyun. She is already a very confident talker despite her limited vocabulary. And SeungGi, the boy is really trying his best behind his sister. Adorably, with her taller built, only his truck can be seen. Finding himself no longer able to resist that chubby alpha, Wonho carries SeungGi on his lap, so he can see both of the children, not forgetting to finally squeeze those cheeks. However, very quickly, Chansol grabs SooA and sat the girl on his own lap, facing her towards Wonho, ''They get jealous with each other.'' Chapter 145 - Epilogue: Starting Over 3 That swift motion catches him by surprise, he cannot help but be amazed at how attentive the man is with his children even though he doesn''t seem like he is paying any. Maybe being a father really changed him. Or maybe it is Seungyun. He doesn''t know. When both of them started going out, Wonho had been too busy trying to get his life straight to notice any change. Taking the young parent''s advice to heart, he tries his best to alternate his attention and responses to both the kids. SeungGi doesn''t actually care, he just like being held by Wonho, already innocently attracted to his scent. But little SooA will talk louder whenever he plays with SeungGi, so Wonho quickly learns how to handle them - by ''talking'' to the girl while playing with the boy. It is harder than it seems. No wonder Seungyun is so tired. ''Minu appa make me!'' SooA pushes the plushie she named ''Bong'' towards him. Wonho hears a soft gasp, looking over at Seungyun to see his shocked and annoyed face. He takes a quick peek at Chansol - the man is now covering his daughter''s mouth. Suddenly, everything becomes very awkward. It isn''t silent though. Oblivious SooA still tries to talk over her father''s hands while SeungGi keeps bouncing in his arms, excitedly screaming ''Nu! Nu!'' ''I guess they really love their Minu appa.'' He tried to break the silence and quickly, the couple release their held breaths. Chansol pulls his hand from his daughter''s mouth and caresses SooA''s head as an apology. Not that the girl minded. ''We''re really sorry. They didn''t know¡­'' ''It''s fine. You guys are close. And it''s not like we hate each other.'' Wonho responds, not wanting the small family to feel guilty towards him. He isn''t forcing a lie, they separated in good terms. They never held grudges. At least, he never did. He is not sure about Minwoo. Chansol nods at him, giving him a sweet, understanding smile. His junior really looks mature, unlike the boy he was always worried for back in college. But Seungyun, on the other hand, is obviously still the same omega despite his change in appearance. He is still the curious boy who won''t rest until he gets his answers. ''You¡­ don''t wanna see him?'' Hugging the small alpha in his arms, he honestly replies, ''I do.'' ##### Walking slowly to the registration desk to express his exhaustion to his friends while making his way towards a patient''s room, Minwoo stops his tracks. His heart beats violently at the sight of the man seated at the waiting place, so violent that he reverses his steps and hides his scent out of instinct. Patting one of the nurses on duty, he gestures towards Wonho with his head. He wants to know what is wrong with the omega to be in his department. Obviously not to meet him because if he wanted to, they would have met months ago, when Wonho first return to Korea. The only other explanation for him being here is, he is really sick. Somehow, just thinking about that makes him very afraid, so much so that he has to hide his hands in his pocket because they are sweating so much. ''Omo, he''s still here.'' Yewon, the nurse answers as she looks over. She then pulls Minwoo closer to speak in a soft whisper, ''Another one of your fan. He''s been waiting from morning. I told him you''re busy.'' And signals him to walk quickly to his destination, probably planning to cover him. His colleagues already know what to do whenever his fans ask for him. It happens so frequently that they sometimes play with the persistent ones for amusement. Though he feels sorry, and embarrassed at first, he quickly learns to let them be. At least it lightens up the mood of the normally solemn workplace. Almost laughing at her effort, Minwoo stands in his place, staring at the omega who is currently playing with his phone. Wonho has his hair back, revealing his wide forehead, and is wearing a casual white shirt with the sleeves folded halfway, and chinos, looking like a true professional, unlike the normal T-shirt and jeans student Wonho always worn back then. He looks like a true adult. And very tired one at that. Yewon notices the smile he has and nudges him, giving him a teasing smile. ''Wuu, do we have a winner?'' Smiling at that playful question, still keeping his eyes on Wonho, he replies, ''He was my mate...'' ''Wha-?! Omo-'' She is not the only one who gasped at the reveal. The other staffs also stopped whatever they were doing in shock. Smirking bemusedly, he continues, ''I''ll take care of him.'' Still hiding his scent, Minwoo walks slowly towards the oblivious omega and stops right in front of him, ''Seo?'' Wonho flinches at the sudden call of his name but is quick to relax as he sees the alpha. That action makes the latter want to smile as sudden nostalgia hit, but held it in. ''What are you doing here?'' ''Minwoo!'' Wonho clears his throat, trying to cover his excitement. He wanted to act like the meeting is coincidental as he didn''t know if Minwoo would be pleased to see him, and doing so would avoid any potential awkwardness. That plan, however, seems to be impossible right now. And since it has come to this, he figures it would be better to just be honest. ''I wanted to ask you out for lunch,'' he finally peeks at his watch. It is already 3 o''clock, ''I guess you''re busy.'' That slightly disappointed voice makes Minwoo feel guilty all of a sudden. Normally he would be able to eat lunch on Tuesdays, but he had an emergency today, out of all days. Had he known Wonho would be here, he would have done his work quickly but he didn''t, and he made Wonho wait for him here from morning. He knows it isn''t his fault since he wasn''t aware of it, but he still feels really, really bad. ''I didn''t know¡­'' ''Yeah. That was the point¡­'' Wonho gives him a smile, regretting his failed surprise. Knowing how busy the alpha is, he decides his stay is long overdue. ''Nice seeing you again. I, guess I''ll see you later?'' Chapter 146 - Epilogue: Starting Over 4 ''Later?'' ''Seungyun told me you work till late so¡­'' Fuck. Now Minwoo really regrets skipping lunch! Thinking on his feet, afraid to let Wonho leave in fear of not getting another chance from the omega, he holds onto the hand as he quickly texts his friend to help with his next patient. He really needs this. ''I might be able to finish in four hours. Dinner?'' ''Are you sure?'' ''Yeah.'' Minwoo keeps his hold on Wonho''s left arm, another hand clumsily exchanging texts. To the omega, that action demonstrates how busy he is so he doesn''t want to be in the way. ''Okay. I''ll see you in four-'' ''You''re sleepy?'' Minwoo pulls on the hand lightly, to stop his track and get his attention. Wonho tilts his head slightly at the sudden question, confused. In his momentary glance towards the hallway, his eyes catches on their surroundings. Wonho realizes the hospital staffs are looking at them, as if watching a play, whispering among themselves. He doesn''t like this kind of attention. Deciding he doesn''t want to be in the spotlight any longer, Wonho nods, though still very much confused. ''Ermm, let''s go then.'' ''Where to?'' Minwoo doesn''t answer as he leads the omega to a staff-restricted area. Wonho just follows behind. Though he is reluctant to break the rule, he doubts Minwoo will put him in danger or gets him in trouble. Before he knows it, they are already inside a room with two beds and a simple desk. It is the on-call room. ''You can sleep here first. Sorry you had to wait that long. I''ll see you later!'' ''Mi-'' Before he can finish his sentence, the door closes and he hears rushed footsteps away from the room. Awkwardly sitting on the bed, Wonho looks around. There is literally nothing here besides the two beds and the desk with medical textbooks, suggesting how busy the residents are to even have a hobby here. He notices a familiar looking plushie, the one SooA called ''Bong'' on the bed opposite him. Realizing he is on the wrong bed, Wonho hastily stands up and lightly makes the bed before a crash of the door hitting the wall causes his heart to fall out of his chest. ''I''ll lock the door and tell the other doctors to leave you alone.'' Again, before he can manage a response, Minwoo leaves, locking the door. Smiling to himself, he lies on the alpha''s bed. It smells like Minwoo. Half running to his next patient, Minwoo rolls his eyes at the voicemail notification. He usually won''t bother to leave one, but this is really important. He needs to make sure his colleague sharing the room won''t come in when his omega is asleep. ''Don''t you fucking dare go back to the room. I''ll kill you.'' ##### He didn''t mean for their reunion to be in a fancy restaurant, he wanted it to be casual, somewhere they can talk but Minwoo had already booked the steakhouse of a five-star hotel when he finally came back to the room for Wonho. Secretly crying over the price he would have to pay for a mere steak, the omega distracts himself by reading the reviews. It looks good, and has great review so besides the price, he is actually looking forward to it. Minwoo said he wanted something luxurious as it is rare for him to eat outside food due to his busy schedule and Wonho too, will never come here alone. And the alpha is so excited right now he cannot actually say no. May as well enjoy this night fully. ''You look different.'' Minwoo comments, finally breaking the silence after they made their orders. The omega sitting opposite him, besides his clothing, looks really sure of himself. Which is refreshing. Back then, Wonho always looked nervous and reserved, obviously the result of that nightmare, but now, he looks confident, maybe even a little bit intimidating. Minwoo loves this change, because it tells him that the omega already recovered, or at least, made a lot of progress during the few years they are apart. That they didn''t separate for nothing. On the other side, Wonho smiles at the comment, contemplating whether he should tell what happened back in France. He has a lot he wants to share, like his company, his new friends, the places he travelled to, and the ones he skipped. Most of all, he wants to tell the man about the exciting discovery of his own ancestry, of which he learned that his family is also called nobles, the ''extinct noble omegas''. He was visiting one of the museums when coincidentally, a professor studying about noble omegas was there and caught his scent. They exchanged phone numbers and the man taught him a lot about his bloodline not available to public. That lucky meeting is the best thing that had ever happened to him as he now knows why the alphas are attracted to him and his family so much. He is genetically a very attractive omega, a free one at that, so the alphas instinctively, couldn''t resist him. Though he wanted to laugh at that, feeling sick as he was reminded of the incident back at home, he was quickly reminded of Minwoo having to undergo the same ordeal with the omegas. And also, of his own tendency to act out due to his jealousy. It made him feel bad about his actions back then, but somehow also made him feel a bit better, knowing that despite all that, Minwoo got through it and remained with him. Because it made him admire the noble alpha. It made him feel like he could get used to the attention too. Maybe he can tell Minwoo about the few alphas who became obsessed with him to the point of stalking him? It will make him look brave and strong. And it will make Minwoo jealous and worry. A little drama wouldn''t hurt. On another hand, maybe not. The subject is too heavy for a happy reunion, Wonho decides to save it for later, hoping there will be, a ''later''. A few more seconds of thinking, and minutes of awkward silence later, he finally settles on commenting the same thing about the other, already out of ideas. ''You look confident as ever.'' Minwoo smirks at that, a bit disappointed for the common compliment people always gave him. ''Apparently Seungyun said I''m becoming more narcissistic.'' Chapter 147 - Epilogue: Starting Over 5 ''I can imagine that.'' Wonho laughs, imagining the other omega''s whiny face, scoffing that insult after being annoyed by the giant alpha. And then, he pictures Chansol, standing behind them both, looking clueless. Infected by the omega, Minwoo too joins in, making up random scenarios where Chansol would act lost. In between their laughter, their orders came and soon, the two males start to eat, making small talks in between, trying to outdo each other in the things they achieved the past years. ''I sew a plushie.'' ''I know. Bong looks stupid, just like you.'' ''Yah! He''s called Bongbong.'' Minwoo argues, secretly enjoying the idea that Wonho actually paid attention to his masterpiece. Wonho shows him a picture he took of SooA''s Bong and starts to comment of the colour design choices, then the alpha retorts by challenging him to sew his own plushie. Wonho quickly changes the subject, ''I learned Dutch.'' Minwoo chuckles, amused at the cute slip-of-the-tongue. ''You mean French?'' ''Ik ben Wonho. Aangenaam kennis te maken.'' Okay so Wonho actually meant Dutch. Slightly pouting his lips, curving it downward while nodding as he pretends to be impressed, he pulls out his phone, Googled the meaning and re-translates it to Dutch. It is the exact same thing Wonho just said. Showing the result to the omega, Minwoo gestures him to show his own phone. He is sure Wonho just Googled it just now. ''A for effort. Nice pronunciation though.'' ''I really did learn Dutch!'' Wonho glares at him but it didn''t affect the alpha even the slightest. In fact, he enjoys the discontented look on that face, a look he has been missing so much. Taking the wine glass close to his lips, he again, challenges, ''Convince me,'' and starts to sip, adoring Wonho''s thinking face. Now the man cannot cheat anymore with his phone on the table. He wonders how the man will try to go around it. This should be interesting¡­ ''Laten we puppy maken.'' Minwoo chokes on that sour wine so badly he has to cough it out. After the waiter came and gone to take care of the mess, he is finally able to calm himself enough to look at the omega in front of him. Wonho has an adorable sheepish smile of victory. ''I think someone taught you wrong.'' He is finally able to comment, enjoying the squinting look of doubt the other is giving him. ''You know what you just said right?'' ''Shit. My bad.'' After a few seconds, Wonho finally realizes his mistake, causing Minwoo to laugh awkwardly. That is a cute, shocking mistake. He''d have to thank the person who thought his omega that for giving him this amusing memory. ''Kim Minwoo, laten we baby maken.'' Minwoo almost choke again as the words came out of Wonho''s mouth. He looks over at the confident face, now completely sure that Wonho knows exactly what he is talking about. He turns his head to look around them. He still cannot believe Wonho would say such bold thing in the first place, let alone doing it in public. Nobody paid attention to them though, to his relief. But then again, nobody understood them. Gulping, Minwoo nervously looks back at Wonho, half-hoping that he isn''t mistaken, and that the man actually meant what he just said, not just for the sake of making jokes. ''A-are you serious?'' ''I really miss you.'' The man confirms. ##### Staring at the ceiling, enjoying Wonho''s squirm in his arm, Minwoo laughs as he is reminded of what happened a few hours before. Just as things are getting good, he realized he had no condoms, so they had to stop halfway. And after mentioning that he would be out for at least half an hour due to the distance to the closest convenient store, Wonho desperately suggested they do it bareback. But with the condition that he release outside that is. It was funny hearing such words coming from Wonho because the man never suggested something like that himself; he would always imply it ambiguously and let Minwoo do the talking. And the fact that he had no condoms was also amusing to both of them because Minwoo would always have it around back then. He used to buy them in bulks, suggesting how sexually active he was then, and how inactive he is now. But despite how much both of them changed, they still feel familiar to each other. The omega is still moving, not able to calm down just yet so Minwoo locks the man by tightening his hold and turning their position around, just because. He is happy, he doesn''t want to lay still either. Wonho pushes his head away in an attempt to break free, but the alpha repeats the same thing so he cannot do anything but scream in frustration. ''Yaahh!!'' Minwoo chuckles at that voice. He misses this man. He misses the rare times he was able to agitate Wonho enough to get this kind of reaction. He always thought the omega looks really attractive when he tries to act tough, which is why he loved to tease him so much. It seems, over the years, Wonho learned not to hold back. This meants Minwoo won''t be able to hold back his hands either. This should be fun. After a few more minutes of bickering on the bed which ended up in another make up session, both the males finally calm down. The sky is already dark, and looking at the omega, Minwoo knows he won''t be going home tonight. ''Wonie.'' Wonho stares back at him, granting him a sweet smile. He has one hand over Minwoo''s broad chest as he sniffs in the alpha''s scent that he longed for. Minwoo does the same thing, taking in the sweet Jasmine he missed all these years they are apart. He did try to move on and forget this omega, but besides one beta lady he dated for a few months, none of the other omegas nor betas were even close to be compared to Wonho. To this day, he still had no idea what attracted him to the man in the first place, but he knows, it is meant to be. ''What?'' Wonho finally asks him in a hoarse voice. His eyelids are half close, probably tired, or maybe he just feels sleepy because he is comfortable. Either way, the voice is sexy. Changing his position to face the tired omega, Minwoo touches their forehead together and smiles as Wonho does the same. The latter still loves doing it. ''Why did you wait this long to find me?'' He finally asks the question that has been bothering him. He didn''t mind it when the omega is France all this while, but it bothers him why he didn''t contact him sooner, when Wonho has been here for at least more than a month. Is five years of separation still not enough for him to figure out his feelings? ''I¡­'' Minwoo holds his breath as the man starts to answer his question. Indeed, seeing how he is trying to find his words made his concern very likely. Wonho still isn''t sure about them. ''I had to wait for my heat to end.'' ''What?'' That isn''t the answer he was expecting. ''Heat?'' ''Meeting you after a while somehow always trigger my heat so I had to take precautions, right?'' Wonho lifts his head to look at the alpha, ''Or you''re going to go on about how I should stay indoors and stuff. Besides, things wouldn''t be fun with me clinging onto you crying for you to take me back.'' ''Fun?'' he lifts one of his eyebrows, smirking at that bold statement. ''So, this is fun?'' ''Not as I expected it to be.'' ''Yah!!'' He pushes Wonho away from him as he sits up and leans against the headboard, pretending a pout. He couldn''t act too long as Wonho laughs excitedly at his reaction, ''Now it''s fun.'' Grinning stupidly, finding himself still very much in love with this mischievous little thing, he grabs the man and again, pulls him into a hug. Wonho put on some weight and he feels really good in his arms, no longer feeling like he would break with a little force. He even gained some muscles, making his already beautiful body look even better. ''By the way, did you only learn those horrible pick-up lines in Dutch?'' Wonho hums teasingly at the question. ''Omo, how many people had you tried that on? Yah!'' ''Please, who needs pick-up line when you''re swarmed by alphas?'' ''Swarmed by alphas?'' Minwoo squeezes Wonho as tightly as he can, wanting to suffocate the man. ''Andwae!! You''re mine!!!'' ''Let go stupid! God, you''re so annoying! Why did I like you?'' The older lightly slaps on the alpha, wishing it will annoy him enough to loosen his hold. Once succeeded, he takes deep breaths to readjust his respiration. Wonho has to hold his laugh when he looks back at Minwoo to find the man crossing his arms while acting cute with yet another pout. This man sure still acts like a child. But he knows exactly how to handle it. Wonho climbs over the alpha, rendering him motionless in shock as he sits on his stomach, leaning over him. Bringing his face close, Wonho stares at the big brown eyes, slowly considering whether he should tell him. He smirks as Minwoo gulps, enjoying his dominance. ''Mooie alpha.'' he whispers, ''Het komt in orde. Ik zal je beschermen.'' ''Wonie¡­'' Minwoo''s eyes widens, his smile disappears completely. He thinks he misheard it. ''That''s¡­'' ''I remembered.'' Wonho pecks those beautiful lips. ''Everything.'' ''Yo-'' ''I never thanked you.'' He interrupts the alpha, knowing fully well Minwoo has nothing to say. That he just wanted to speak because he is shocked. Smiling widely at the alpha to reassure him, Wonho places a deep kiss, secretly taking pleasure for making the alpha silent. He keeps his eyes locked at the man beneath him and takes a deep breath. ''Kim Minwoo, you claiming me is the best thing that ever happened to me.'' He feels the hug around his waist tightened and looks back at the alpha who is clenching his jaws, seemingly nervous. Maybe. Or he may just be too overwhelmed with emotion. Before he can give in and dive into those protective embrace, Wonho holds himself back. He needs to say it. ''Thank you for claiming me.'' Chapter 148 - Meeting The Kims 1 ''I''m gonna have to skip dinner-'' Wonho looks over at the alpha who is speaking on the phone, finding an excuse as to why he cannot make it to their monthly family dinner. He can hear the voice from the other end of the line nagging Minwoo as his alpha holds the back of his neck while leaning against the kitchen counter, oblivious of his presence. Taking a seat on the couch, and grabbing the magazine, Wonho sighs. Before deciding to come back and find Minwoo, he did a lot of thinking whether the noble would be the most suitable alpha for him, be it his personality, his lifestyle or his family. He already knows about the first two, at least, the Minwoo before their break, but he never know about the Kim. Because he never thought they would matter. Besides the fact the the nobles would be rich and well-known, he knows almost nothing. Based on his research, the noble Kims own a lot of large companies but Minwoo''s family in particular are owners of the largest pharmaceutical company in Korea. Which does not surprised him as much considering Minwoo is very interested in medicine and has a lot of knowledge on different types of drugs, even when he was a student. But frankly speaking, had Minwoo be the one to inherit the company, Wonho would have stopped himself from coming back, because he does not want to deal with the attention and drama that will come. Like in the Korean dramas. But apparently his two sisters are the next in-line, so Wonho figured that he will be okay. Because based on his experience being Minwoo''s mate for the three years they were together, except for the allowance and family meals, the family is not really involved in Minwoo''s life Feeling the pressure on the sofa, Wonho turns to look at Minwoo who is now leaning against the back pillow. ''You could''ve said yes, you know.'' ''It''s orientation night. We''re celebrating.'' Wonho smirks at the answer. Minwoo insists on doing something that night as their anniversary or whatnot. Despite the night only meaning something to the alpha since it was the first time he met Wonho, and Wonho still had no idea about his existence then, that was the only day the man could think of that is not tied to any bad memories. The night of the bond was also the night of Wonho''s attack, and the day they were together officially, Wonho only accepted because he had to. They never had any anniversary to celebrate. ''We can celebrate next year. The day I came to see you.'' ''Nope. Then it''ll be the first one. We''re together for longer.'' ''Whatever.'' Wonho smiles. Flipping the pages of the magazine, the omega stops for a while. If they are celebrating, he should at least make sure the night is special for the both of them. It is the least that he can do, to celebrate the memory of their past. Maybe¡­ he should do it. Meet the Kims. ''Is your¡­ family uh, friendly?'' Wonho asks, pretending to still be interested in the magazine. He doesn''t want Minwoo to get excited, just in case he decides not to do it. ''Yup. Halmeoni can be a bit dramatic but she''s a really sweet old lady. My mom and dad are, cool.'' Minwoo answers casually, his hand randomly playing with Wonho''s hair, ''My sis are annoying. I mean, you know.'' Wonho hums, he already knows about the sisters. Minwoo talks about them a lot back then. ''And the kids are really cute. They can run now so they''re really naughty.'' ''Sounds fun.'' Minwoo stops playing with the omega''s hair and sits up properly, now curious. Wonho never asked him about his family, unless it was for the cats and dogs they own. Staring at the other who now looks nervous, Minwoo bites his lips. The timing for the question - right after he was on the phone about family dinner¡­ could it be? ''Do you¡­ wanna try meeting them?'' Silence. Minwoo can literally hear them breathing. ''Is¡­ the food gonna be good?'' He lets out a sigh of relief. ''Better than mine'' ##### Wonho can hear his own heartbeat, standing in front of the gate of the Kim''s household. Sure he knows they are rich, but he didn''t expect an estate. In Seoul. Damn, he really underestimated Minwoo. God, he regrets everything. He should go back now. No, he can''t. He needs to do this. Minwoo did it for him back then, despite knowing how bad it could get, he should do the same for the alpha too. What is the worst the can happen anyway? Not water splashing, hopefully. ''You have maids.'' Wonho mutters to himself, just to relax. He knows the man has a butler, so it is obvious he should have maids as well. But it just seems, too luxurious. Gosh, what is he getting himself into? ''Minwoo-yah!'' ''Eomma!'' Minwoo goes straight to the lady, hugging her tight before turning around and introduces her to Wonho. The latter can tell she had no idea about him based on her surprised expression. Holding himself from frowning, Wonho bows slightly, giving her the best smile he can give. ''Minu-samchon!'' A few small, excited voices can be heard followed by footsteps before his alpha kneels down and opens his hands. And in a few seconds, three tiny alphas comes running straight into the hug. Minwoo then brings up one kid in each hands, enjoying their love for him. ''Who dat?'' The tiniest one comments, pointing at Wonho. Minwoo looks at the omega, and proudly smiles, ''that''s my boyfriend.'' ''Omo, Wonho-yah, come on in!'' Mrs. Kim finally invites, now noticing how they are just standing in front of the door. She guides them to the living room, and Wonho follows, slightly behind Minwoo. He can tell the alpha wants to be beside him, but the kids are not done with his attention just yet so Wonho lets them be. Sitting on the large sofa, trying his best not to show his amazement, Wonho suddenly feels someone holding his knees. It is the smallest alpha. She wants a hug. Instinctively, he brings her onto his lap. ''Omo, I''m so sorry.'' Wonho sees a new female omega, probably one of Minwoo''s sister''s mate come inside and grabs her daughter off him, apologizing. But unfortunately, the young baby starts to cry, reaching out to Wonho, causing the lady to panic. ''Urm, it''s okay.'' Wonho gives her a sincere smile. He is not bothered at all. At least, playing with the kids will allow him to relax a bit. And avoid being interviewed. Chapter 149 - Meeting The Kims 2 Minwoo knocks on the door, loud enough that it can be heard, but softly enough that it won''t shock his grandmother. About half an hour is left before dinner, and Minwoo suddenly decides to let his grandmother know about Wonho, well, at least, about him being a male omega. Sure he thought about surprising the whole family with Wonho''s introduction today, and but after seeing how his mother reacts to seeing his omega for the first time, he knows he should at least give the old woman a heads up. Because his grandmother is the strictest member of the family, and is not afraid to show her wrath. And Minwoo does want his omega''s first introduction to the family to be traumatizing. ''Ah, Minwoo-yah. What are you doing so early?'' Minwoo smiles sheepishly at the sight of the lady. Yes, he may be annoyed by her, but there is no denying how sweet she is. Taking a seat right in front of her, he clears his throat. Gosh, he is thirsty all of a sudden. ''Halmeoni,'' the youngest grandson starts, nervous. Honestly, he should have asked his sisters for tips. They did this with her when they introduced their mates, they could have given him good advice. But no, he just had to jump in like he usually does. Urgh, the regret. ''I-uh, brought someone special today.'' ''Owh?'' The grandmother puts down her book, now interested. She is giving him her full attention, but that only adds to Minwoo''s anxiety. Because she had been bugging him about finding a mate, being almost in his 30s and single which is late for a noble. He gave her a lot of excuses, and even rejected the few invitation for blind dates by the woman, forcing her to increase her standards while looking for his potential mates. He is afraid that she won''t be satisfied with Wonho, seeing that he comes from a normal household, and is a career-man instead of a family-type - the exact opposite of the omegas in their families. ''An omega, right? Not the beta girl you were dating?'' ''How di-'' Minwoo stops, not surprised that she knows about his old fling. She probably did her research, because he dated the beta when his grandmother was the busiest with finding him a suitable mate. Thank god she is not doing that anymore, or she would have found out about Wonho. ''No, an omega.'' ''Female?'' ''Male.'' He answers, and sees her expression changes into confusion before she quickly hides it. Come to think of it, they never had any male omegas in the family, as far as he knows. Obviously, since males are prone to having complications during childbirth, the family just does not want to take a chance. But hey, he is free of the obligations of continuing the bloodline. Both his sisters who inherit the company have children now. Minwoo can just choose whoever he wants. And he wants the male omega waiting in living room, downstairs. ''Eomma''s interrogating him downstairs.'' His grandmother nods her head, and pretends a smile. And truthfully, Minwoo is now happy he had this little talk with her to ease the introduction. God knows how she would have reacted if she realized her grandson is dating a male omega right before dinner, that would be awkward. ''Colleague?'' The lady starts, making him nervous. He already rehearse the story with Wonho a couple of times - they will stop their story at being college mates and if his family enquire more, just tell them they have similar friend groups. Because it has been so long, the family will not bother about details anymore. That being said, he is still nervous about telling it to his grandmother. One wrong word, or one suspicious detail, and she will become curious. ''College senior. He just returned from France.'' Minwoo answers, saying whatever he thinks will appeal Wonho the most. To show that he is suited for the family. He doesn''t want the woman to look into Wonho''s background, though he knows she does not do that unless she really feels the need to. Because if she does, all their past will be revealed and that would not be good for the both of them. ''He can speak Dutch.'' Okay, now he is just sputtering nonsense. ''And French. And English.'' ''O¡­kay.'' ''Yeah. So, uhm. Guess we''ll talk later at dinner.'' Minwoo cuts the session short. He needs to go or he will start saying things he shouldn''t. ''Yes we should.'' His grandmother replies softly, and Minwoo gets up, ready to run away. Bowing slightly, he goes out the door and heads straight to the living room. ##### Dinner was as expected with the family asking a lot about Wonho. His parents are mostly interested in his job, and kept asking about his experience in France since they can relate to it, having worked in European countries. His sisters, about their relationship, not missing the chance to talk bad about their brother. His grandmother, on the other hand, is more interested in his family - where they live, how many cousins he has. It was almost weird. Thankfully, nothing bad happened as depicted in the dramas. The Kims seems really nice. ''How you like the food?'' Grandma Kim asks and Wonho nods at her, giving her a big smile. It tastes really good, just like Minwoo said. But of course, it does not taste as good at his alpha''s. Because Minwoo knows what he likes, and makes the food just the right taste. But he is not telling her that, obviously. They shouldn''t even let her know they are living together. Because to them, they have only officially been a couple for a month, after their reunion when Wonho got back from France. Minwoo thinks that is the safest story, and Wonho agrees. ''Better than in the restaurants.'' ''Mrs. Jang''s been cooking for the family for years. She-'' Wonho''s attention goes to the maids who are now taking their dishes away. Instinctively he gets up as well to help but the family only laugh at him, telling him to sit back down and let the maids to their job. Feeling sorry, he does as he was told. ''So, Wonho-'' Now the maids are bringing them cut fruits and hot tea. There are even slices of cakes. They really are the typical wealthy family he see- ''Wonie,'' Minwoo''s voice breaks him from his thoughts and Wonho turns to the alpha. ''Sorry, but halmeoni''s calling me. You''ll be okay, right?'' ''Yeah. Sure.'' He answers, not really minding it since the Kims are friendly. Minwoo, however, does not look good. He looks nervous. Chapter 150 - Meeting The Kims 3 ''Kim Minwoo.'' ''Halmeoni.'' Minwoo answers, anxious. His grandmother does not sound happy. And indeed, she is showing her anger by sighing loudly, before signaling him to take a sit. Minwoo does as asked and sits down, his eyes lurking around the family library - a place he hadn''t been to in ages. His grandmother is moving around, looking for a book so the young alpha starts to tap his legs. Nervous. ''Seo Wonho.'' She finally starts, bringing a book with her before sitting down. Minwoo sits up straight, alarmed and ready to defend their relationship. If his grandmother is going to say anything bad about his omega, Minwoo will make sure she regrets it. Well, hopefully it will not come to that but, he will do anything to tell her that he wants Wonho and nobody else. ''Do you know who he is? Who his family is?'' The question begins, and Minwoo answers, honestly baffled by the simplicity of the question. But at the same time, he is aware that he cannot say he met the Seos a few years back, because that would reveal how long they have been together. And so he made up a story where he met them when they visited Wonho at the college once. But his grandmother does not seem impressed. And now Minwoo is confused. ''His scent. Do you know who he is?'' ''Jasmine. Omega¡­?'' ''Yah, Kim Minwoo!'' The old lady slams the table, and Minwoo flinches before cursing under his breathe. Gosh, she is still as dramatic. Just tell him that straightforwardly what she wants to, instead of asking those weird questions. Of course he knows who Wonho is, duh. Better than his gradm- Owh. His scent. Minwoo slaps himself in his mind. How could he forget? Wonho told him about it, about what he heard. Although, he doubts it is true though, considering they are supposedly extinct. But that is probably the answer that the old woman is looking for. Grinning, he answers, ''Wonho''s a noble omega.'' ''That''s right.'' Minwoo smirks, proud of himself and his omega. Gosh, Wonho really is a one-of-a-kind. He- ''Ouch!'' Minwoo whines as the lady hit him lightly on his shoulder, her face angry. The young alpha puts his own hand on top to stop the incoming attack but she walks over to him instead and continues hitting him a few times, before Minwoo finally begs, still puzzled. ''Kim Minwoo, you found an endangered bloodline and the first thing you did is mark one of them!'' Minwoo nods, unhappy about the question. He didn''t know Wonho was a noble, but he wants him. Who the hell cares about what his family is? ''Didn''t you know they''re extinct?'' ''They''re not! Wonie''s family''s alive.'' Minwoo almost screams as his grandmother brought out her hand up again to hit him. That seems to pique her interest, as she adds, ''Is he an only child?'' ''No! he has a brother and two sisters.'' He answers softly, paying attention to his grandmother''s expression. She seems calm now, ''All mated? Alphas?'' ''One. Ahk!'' Minwoo again, puts his hands up in a defensive mode, ''Why''re you hitting me?'' ''Aigoo, this kid.'' The old lady sighs, shaking his head in disappointment before moving back to her seat and take a deep breath. Minwoo pouts at the reaction, discontented at her attack. They were light hits, sure, but it hurts nonetheless. ''You''re not supposed to mate with noble omegas! Especially since we know that they''re back from extinction!'' His pout gets longer, and now he furrows his brows. ''Wonho''s mine!'' ''Aigoo,'' the old lady punches her chest lightly, pretending to have a heartache. Such a drama queen. After a few minutes of sighs and overreactions, she finally opens the book she took and demands her grandchild to read over. ''If you ever cared to read our family book, you''ll know their family used to be under the protection of the palace before they went extinct.'' ''So¡­?'' Minwoo asks, not seeing how this earns him his scolding. The book said they went extinct during the Joseon era. That was almost 500 years ago. And apparently, the book is wrong, since, Wonho is here. ''They are a national treasure now! That''s what! Which means we need to protect them!'' ''And¡­?'' He continues, still not making the connection. ''Aigoo, this kid! We need to make sure the bloodline continues!'' Minwoo clicks his tongue, not liking her tone. He then reads the passage she is pointing to, not fail to notice how detailed the book is on the noble omegas. There is a phrase that mentions that, noble omegas gives birth to pure alphas when mated with alphas, and pure omegas when mated with betas. Ah, so this is why his grandmother is agitated. Too bad, he refuses to give up on Wonho. Done reading the phrase, Minwoo cross his hands and turns to look at his grandmother. ''What''re you suggesting? Breed them? Ahk!'' This old hag! Thank god she is his grandmother and he loves her. ##### The alpha focuses on the road as they make their way back home. His parents offered the couple to sleep over, but he refuses, worried that his grandmother will try to pair Wonho up with a beta. He managed to escape her rage when he told her he will introduce the Seos to her, but whatever happens then, he doesn''t care. As long as she leaves Wonho alone. With him. ''The kids really not leaving you alone, right?'' Minwoo asks to fill in the silence, remembering how attached the kids were to Wonho and kept fighting for his attention to the point that their mothers became somewhat irritated. On the other side, Wonho only laughs through his nose thinking how the young alphas are already so innocently attracted to his scents. But at the same time, compared to SeungGi who does not care that Wonho shares his attention with his sister, the Kim kids actually starts to fight and argue. They must be a real handful to deal with. ''They''re cute so they get a pass.'' Wonho adds, just because, ''But they are really naughty.'' ''What? The fight?'' Minwoo asks, as if that is normal. Wonho doesn''t know if it is. His does fight with his own siblings but not that aggressively. One of the kids starts pushing that one time and even the youngest ones starts to join in the fight, that was, until the adults intervened. ''We kinda have that in our blood.'' ''Love to fight?'' ''Territorial. And yeah, a little bit aggressive and protective. I mean, more than other alphas.'' Minwoo chuckles, reminded of his cute nephews. He was like that with his two sisters too, and they continued to fight and argue until their teens, until right before they were separated into different countries. It got violent sometimes, but they are used to it. Now, they only argue for fun. Noticing the frown on Wonho''s face though, he can tell his omega is not impressed by that answer. Before the man can misunderstand his family though, he adds, ''We can control it. We''re nobles after all.'' Wonho only chuckles. He knows that, he just thought, noble alpha kids must be hard to handle. No wonder his sisters choose to live near the family house; so they can get the whole family to watch over the offspring. ''They must really like me.'' ''You''re good with them.'' Minwoo smiles, looking at his omega. Aside from Wonho''s niece which they only met a few times during new years back then, he never really saw the omega with children. Back then, Wonho did not seem to like babies. He really changed over the years. ''Besides, if you''re anything like your mom, they''ll be scared to make you mad.'' Minwoo refers to the family''s pheromones. When Wonho''s really mad, even Minwoo can sense it and decides not to interfere. He can handle those alpha babies. The alpha smiles as Wonho hums along the song on the radio, seemingly in a good mood. Today went really well, and he gets to see the family side of his omega. Minwoo can''t wait to start their own family. - Meeting the Kims: End - Chapter 151 - Marking Him 1 ''Are you free third week next month?'' Wonho lifts his head to look at his partner who is now looking at him, somewhat hopeful. Stopping his stir of the soup he is making, the young architect takes out his phone to reconfirm his schedule. Currently, with the exception of his report to his company, he has nothing planned. ''Do you wanna go with me to Busan?'' ''Busan?'' ''There''s a doctors'' conference for three days¡­'' Wonho nods, considering it. They never been somewhere far away from home, just the two of them. It would always be in groups be it with his friends or with Jeongmin and Jinyoung so this is somewhat exciting. ''What¡­ will I do?'' ''I have to attend the conference until evening so¡­ I guess, whatever you wanna do?'' ''Okay¡­'' So he would be stuck in Busan alone anyway. He likes travelling but he does not like exploring new places by himself. If he is to be stuck in the hotel room the whole day, he would rather stay at home. ''There''s dinner party the second day. You can be my plus one. Third day''s free and easy. So?'' ''You''ll be gone the whole day?'' The omega asks his partner. He no longer feel the excitement he felt a few minutes ago but feels rather upset since this will be their first time travelling together after their reconciliation five months ago. And yet, he will be left alone in a hotel room. ''Ermm, only the first day.'' Minwoo can see the disappointed look on his omega. He feels bad. Wonho doesn''t sulk much right now. He used to, a lot back then especially when he is jealous but not any longer. He matured enough to understand the things that used to upset him six years ago. ''I''ll call you in between? Or you can look around the hotel for things we can do together the third day?'' He places his chin on his hand, looking at the soup Wonho puts on the dining table along with his bowl of rice. Lifting his eyebrows a few times to convince his lover, Minwoo cheers loudly as his omega finally nods his head. ##### Wonho stares at his phone, tapping his fingers on the bed. Minwoo should be back by now. He spent the whole day walking around the hotel trying to find something fun to do but nothing really caught his attention hence the boredom. He watched a few documentaries on animals and is already at his limit. He needed to play. Rushing to his feet the moment he hears the door unlock, Wonho searches for the plastic bag he put on the bedside table. He takes the black swim trunks and runs into the bathroom to change. ''Wonie?'' ''Let''s go swimming!'' Wonho grins, throwing another pair to the tired alpha who stares back at him, taken aback. ##### ''Yah!'' The alpha splashes the water as he swims awkwardly to catch his mischievous lover. This is his first time swimming with the man. Wonho used to hate playing in the water, he hated how the water reveal the shape his body because it made him feel naked and exposed. It was his trauma talking which is why Minwoo is happy to learn that the omega no longer feel that way. Of course, hearing Wonho telling him he feels safe because Minwoo is around made him more than delighted to accompany his omega tonight despite his exhaustion. ''Ahh, Dr. Kim!'' Both the couple stare at the two young males who had just entered the pool vicinity. It is already nighttime so they are not expecting any other guests. Bowing to the newcomers as an acknowledgment, Minwoo swims to his omega who is waiting for him at the edge of the pool. ''You know them?'' ''Doctors.'' He replies, instinctively standing between his omega and the two alphas. He forgot their names already, not that he bothered trying to recall them. The two men, one with thick eyebrows and the other always smiling, are not mated. And they are younger which challenged Minwoo who unconsciously feels the need to protect his omega. Because, despite them being together and knowing Wonho''s feeling, they are still not bonded as they have yet to find the right timing to do so. They didn''t have sex lately so his scent is not imprinted on Wonho either. He can sense the two alphas are interested in his omega, they are looking his way one too many times. Minwoo feels threatened. ''Wanna go there?'' He points towards another part of the pool, hoping to get his lover away from the alphas'' sight. But unfortunately for him, Wonho wants to stay. They are in a mini pool with bubbles coming out from the bottom. The omega likes the massage-like sensation. Not wanting to interrupt his fun time, Minwoo sadly complies, sitting close to send the other two a clear message. Wonho is his. What the hell? Both of them decided to join him and Wonho despite his glare. Did they just ignored his warning? And why the hell are they acting all embarrassed while trying to converse with his Won- Ah¡­ shit. That''s right. He didn''t sense it as much because they are always together but Wonho''s pheromone is appealing enough to gather alphas around him. If not for Minwoo''s noble scent, Wonho won''t be able to get anywhere without being pestered by interested alphas. And to make thing worse, the omega is getting excited his pheromones becomes stronger than usual. Now, if he can just tell Wonho to control his scent, that would be great. But Minwoo just didn''t have the heart to do so, seeing how much his lover is enjoying himself right now. Asking him to stay alert will probably ruin the mood. Amplifying his own pheromones to cover his omega''s and challenge the two alphas at the same time, Minwoo pulls Wonho towards him. Eyebrow guy is really trying, he even moved to sit closer to his lover and, damn it, he is strengthening his own pheromone to get Wonho''s attention. Owh no, you don''t. Joining the conversation albeit uninvited, Minwoo rests his hand on his omega''s shoulder, rubbing his thumb as a display of affection and dominance. Eyebrow guy got the message and stops his advance though he still bare the longing look but Smiley guy¡­ that guy is just rude. Smiley is eyeing Wonho so much Minwoo had to calm himself down so he won''t hit the damned alpha. ''Minwoo?'' The call of his name breaks his one-sided duel with the oblivious alpha. Minwoo turns to his side to Wonho, looking back at him worriedly. ¡­Wonho just hid his scent. Minwoo lets a sigh of relief and lowers his own, finally able to breathe. He didn''t realize his whole body is tensed. The action left the other two alphas in confusion as they too, broke from their trance, trying to figure out what happened to the delicious scent calling them a few minutes before. ''Huh?'' Minwoo''s eyes widens. Wonho''s scent suddenly filled the whole area, stronger than before as if he is nearing his heat and the two men react by increasing their own. At loss for words, Minwoo again amplifies his, and this time, he keeps his hand on Wonho while eyeing Eyebrow and Smiley back to back. He can see the desperation in their eyes, wanting a taste but not wanting to start a fight. Obviously because they know who will win ¨C Minwoo of course. ''What the-?'' Okay now Wonho''s scent is gone again. Was he mistaken? Impossible! Unless¡­ ¡­Wonho is looking at him with a stupid grin. Chapter 152 - Marking Him 2 He knows that grin. That is his evil grin. This naughty omega! ''Yah Seo Wonho!'' Water is splashed at him and Minwoo coughs a bit as he swallows some. Finally able to breathe again, he found the omega gone with his shirt and towel, and the hotel key. A slight turn of the head and he sees that smaller male running quickly back inside the hotel towards the elevator. How the hell can he run so fast without slipping??! And that loud giggle!! ''Yaah! Stop!'' Almost slipping a few times himself, Minwoo finally reaches in front of the elevator to see his lover pushing the button quickly, as if it would make the lift come faster. Wonho is still laughing mischievously and Minwoo cannot help but laugh along at the absurd situation. A 30-year-old omega just played a trick on him and he fell for it. Leave it to his boyfriend to make that kind of weird joke. ''YAAH!!! I almost had a heart attack pabo!'' He scolds as he pokes the other who almost cannot breathe from his own laughter. Once the elevator comes, both males enter, still stuck on each other. Minwoo now hugging Wonho from behind, breathing heavily when the latter finally manages a reply, ''I call that the pheromone fart.'' ''Heol.'' Minwoo is speechless. First, that sadistic play, then that weird name. This guy is really something else. He really upped his game in France. ''You''re hard.'' Wonho comments, feeling the man''s crotch against his butt. To tease the alpha more, he starts to struggle to get away, knowing well he will rub against it while doing so. ''What did you think would happen?'' Minwoo asks his lover back, tightening his hug trying to smother Wonho as his revenge. ''You probably left the two guys with hard-ons too! Hey, don''t laugh! Imagine how awkward that is!!'' Of course. Wonho just did another ''fart'' as a reply. ''Stop it. YAAAHH!!'' Minwoo whines, not letting Wonho, who is struggling in his arm, go. As they reach their floor, the former rolls his eyes when yet another strong ''fart'' is released, now longer than normal while Wonho rushes ahead to their room. ''Stop it or I''ll eat you.'' ''Come and get it, pabo!'' ''Heh.'' The alpha grins to himself, feeling excited at the sultry look his man just gave him. What a tease. ''Don''t mind if I do.'' Running as fast as he can, not caring if his steps bother their neighbours, Minwoo tries to push the omega on the bed. But before he can, he is pulled another way instead, ''Shower!'' ''Omo, are we trying something new??'' Minwoo excitedly asks, pushing Wonho against the sink as he slams the door closed. ''We are.'' Wonho replies before hungrily catching the alpha''s mouth for a kiss. ##### Wonho looks back at his reflection, fixing his tie which he finally perfected. He is never good at wearing ties. His office wear back in France is smart casual, and even when going to their client''s place, the furthest he would go is wearing a suit, minus the tie. He went down at the conference this afternoon and saw everyone wearing formal wears. Even Minwoo wore his tie yesterday and this morning. Tonight''s dinner won''t be any different which means he has to wear at least a bow or a tie and he brought neither. He bought one at the hotel shop a few hours ago and watched the tutorial online. He looks good. Wonho is proud of himself. ''I''m back. Wonie?'' ''Here!'' The omega answers from the bathroom before searching for his hair gel. He wants his hair back because fringe makes his face look younger than he should. Looking at the clock and minding the time, he decides it is too early to work on the hair. He got dressed too early but that is because of the tie so there is nothing he can do. ''How do I look?'' Minwoo, who is now in his dress shirt, seated against headboard only stares at him. A smile curves on his face before he gets up to come closer. ''I did my tie¡­'' ''You look perfect.'' A kiss is placed on his lips before Minwoo takes a step back to admire the view in front of him further. Wonho''s shirt is tailored well enough to fit his broad shoulders while displaying his slim waist. The sight is so rare, so beautiful it makes him thirsty for a taste. ''You''re so beautiful.'' Minwoo goes for another kiss, this time he has something else in mind. They have time to spare. He wants more. Right now. Wonho can feel his alpha''s intention from the alluring scent surrounding him. Closing his eyes and letting the man work his magic, the smaller male starts to play along with his tongue, enjoying the attention he is getting. His hug is broken and Wonho opens his eyes as he realizes the alpha is not playing around. He thought they are just making out, it turns out Minwoo wants the full course. ''Shit, no!'' ''But we have an hour¡­'' the omega pulls the hand in his pants away but the attack continues on his mouth. Struggling to stop the horny alpha''s offence, Wonho finally has enough and pushes Minwoo as hard as he can. Before the other manages to react, he quickly makes his way into the bathroom and locks himself in. ''Wonie! Hey! What about my dick?'' Wonho takes a towel and throws it out, glaring at Minwoo before returning to the bathroom to calm himself down. His fucking pants are wet now no thanks to that stupid alpha. Thank god his tie is only loosened, not undone or he would lose his shit. Moving as far away from the door as he can, the hot omega takes off his pants and starts to think of disgusting things to recompose himself. After what felt like ages, he finally washed his undergarment and spent the next half an hour drying it with the hairdryer. Kim Minwoo is so dead to him. Chapter 153 - Marking Him 3 ''My precious bed!!'' Minwoo watches as his omega throws his suit and tie before jumping face down on the bed, enjoying the cool linen on his face. Doing the same, flopping himself right beside his lover, the doctor rests one hand on the male''s back. They are so full and content, and tired. After dessert, both already wanted to retire but more than that, they really wanted to try their luck on the lucky draw so they stuck until the end. With no luck. Coming back empty handed, the two males'' only desire now is to sleep. ''You''re not mad anymore?'' Minwoo asks the omega which earns him a flick on the forehead. Granted, Wonho laughed and conversed with him throughout dinner but that might not be because he is forgiven. His omega could only be saving his face by not displaying their fight to the whole world. Unlike Minwoo who tends to show his feelings in public, Wonho has better control of his. He was like that back when they were students, and still is now that they are full adults. ''Why''re you so horny?'' the alpha pouts at that question. He is always horny, he just give up on days he is exhausted, and days when Wonho looks tired because he doesn''t want to overwork his omega nor left him unsatisfied. And today is neither. He wanted Wonho, and Wonho looked like he could take it. So he tried. ''I need to imprint you. There''re many single doctors who wants you.'' And that too. Eyebrow guy asked him about Wonho today, pretending not to know about their obvious relationship. It pissed him off, and worried him at the same time. More alphas would see his omega during dinner, Minwoo didn''t want to take the chance. ''Pabo. We did it yesterday.'' Wonho''s mouth curves upwards hearing that innocent concern. Opening the two topmost buttons of his shirt, he squints his eyes at the alpha who is now staring hungrily at his clavicles. ''Your scent should still be on me right? Two days, remember?'' He reminds the noble about his own scent. ''On normal omegas. Your strong scent would cover mine the next day.'' ''Normal omegas?'' Minwoo gulps at the question. Is Wonho asking him about his sex history? Because that will kill the mood. Thinking as quickly as possible, he replies, ''We cancel each other. Apparently. Yours stay with me a day too¡­'' ''Normal omegas''?'' Wonho asks again, with the same tone as before. Minwoo pretends a cough. He needs to get out of this mess. ''Half a day.'' He looks back at Wonho who still has his curious look, ''Common knowledge. Read your books.'' ''Tsk.'' Wonho turns his head the opposite direction, not loving how his attempt to tease the alpha failed. Minwoo pretends to laugh at the action but deep down inside, he is trying real hard to calm himself down. His heart is palpitating vigorously. That conversation could really turn bad. ''You need to wear your ring. Eyebrow keeps asking about you.'' He quickly changes the subject, bringing Wonho''s left hand towards their head level. The action makes the latter move his head back towards his partner. ''You''re mine.'' ''Then maybe you should claim me.'' Wonho suggests nonchalantly, but he keeps his stare at the alpha. ''Huh¡­?'' Minwoo''s eyes widens. He thought he just heard Wonho suggest them to bond. He should reconfirm that just in case. He might be wrong¡­ ''You''ll¡­ let me do it? Are you¡­ are you sure?'' Wonho nods. ''You''re not scared?'' The omega supports his body with his elbow before sitting up, staring down at his lover. Of course he is scared, the first time didn''t go well but that was a long time ago. He is prepared to give it another chance. To give them another chance. ''I am. But I have my talented doctor with me. He''ll know what to do¡­'' He looks back at Minwoo who still had a concerned look on his face, ''¡­ and I guess, if anything happens, we have a hotel filled with doctors so¡­ now''s the best tim- umph!'' Minwoo pushes him back on the bed, ravishing his beloved''s mouth like a hungry wolf he is. ##### So this is what it feels to be bound to someone¡­ Minwoo knows how it should feel like, but he thought it is a progressive feeling. He is wrong. The moment he felt electric flowing through his body, and the very few moment of him floating in tranquility, his whole world felt right. He felt complete. He doesnn''t know how to describe it. It is not just a feeling, he just knows it. The anxiety he felt since they got back together, gone. And what replaced it is trust, and admiration, and more love. It is just like that time Wonho promised to hang out with him that first time they separated ways that summer, only everything is doubled, tripled. He definitely does not feel the need to control Wonho though he knows his mate will be more submissive, which will help because his omega is one stubborn, uncontrollable omega. And mischievous at times. ''Minwoo?'' Wonho calls out to him from the bathroom, already done showering their body fluids away, and washing the blood caused by marking. Bringing the first-aid kit he borrowed from the reception, the doctor smiles inwardly, looking at that mark he left on his mate''s lower right neck. ''Does it hurt?'' ''Weirdly, no¡­'' Wonho shows the wound, allowing the alpha to treat it. ''But tomorrow''s gonna hurt. It hurt last time¡­'' He glances at his focused mate, trying to brighten the mood he thought he ruined by mentioning about that incident. ''You bit me at the same place.'' ''I''m replacing it.'' Minwoo is finally done putting bandage over the bite mark after careful sterilization. He doesn''t want it to leave an ugly mark. Bunting his head on his omega, he continues, ''Now you don''t have anything on you from that day.'' ''Wonie?'' He places a soft kiss on those luscious lips, ''Hrmm?'' ''Thank you.'' -Marking Him: End- Chapter 154 - Knotting Problem 1 Wonho pushes his alpha off of him, turning around to grab the tissue to clean himself. He is not in the mood to wait minutes for another round. Not tonight. ''Hey, Won-'' ''I''m hungry.'' He interrupts, not wanting to comment on the situation. It has always been like this. He didn''t mind it back when they were younger because they were drunk with each other and had nothing else to do, but having to wait for Minwoo''s knot to calm down every single time just to go for another round is getting tiring. And no, it is not his alpha''s fault either. Unlike most stories he heard about the man or alpha finishing earlier than their other half, Minwoo is always kind enough to finish together with him, knowing fully well his own condition. It is just, tonight, Wonho wants to be able to go for another one right away, while he is still in the mood. And that is not possible because of that big knot. It freaking hurts. Putting on his sweatpants and big shirt, Wonho makes his way to the kitchen. From the corner of his eyes, he can see Minwoo flipping his body around to lay on his stomach. He feels bad, but he just couldn''t care. The sex wasn''t bad, the waiting is. Minwoo wasn''t bad. His big ass knot is. ''Wonie,'' Minwoo finally comes out of the bedroom, sitting beside the omega who is about to eat his cereal. Wonho looks at the clock, ''seven minutes.'' ''That''s an improvement,'' Minwoo tries to laugh it off, awkwardly. They had been avoiding talking about it since they made up. The only time he didn''t knot, ever, was their first time together after their break. After that, it was one knot after another. One time they tried doing it with it still pumped up, reading somewhere that they might enjoy it as a couple, they ended up hurting Wonho. Needless to say, the couple decided to stop talking about it and let it go. Obviously, it has come to the point where Wonho no longer wants to have sex with him out of passion and instead, just do it for the ''couple quota''. Because passion leaves him wanting more, and that means having to wait for the knot to calm down, which sometimes takes tens of minutes by when, Wonho would already be doing something else. Honestly Minwoo has no idea why he takes a long time to calm down or vice versa. He tried to think of disgusting things to relax a few times, but thinking of those things obviously affects his own libido. Not to mention, it didn''t work. Also, not much information about knotting is available because, apparently, it''s not common and nobody even thought about studying it. Minwoo realizes he only has this problem with Wonho. During their cooling off period, he slept with a few omegas and he never knotted. He thought it was because of his feelings but even when he was with his ex-girlfriend, who, granted was a beta, he didn''t have the problem either. Which was why he never bothered to check it out. ''Wonie, sorry¡­'' he apologizes, feeling bad. Wonho was really feeling it tonight, they were really building it. And he just had to knot. ''It''s fine. Can''t be helped.'' Wonho gives him a quick smile and turns around to watch the television. Minwoo can tell the man is sulking. ''I, think I might need some help.'' ''Not toni-'' ''No, a professional help.'' Wonho turns to look at him, eyes in disbelief. ''I asked around, mated alphas don''t have this problem. So I guess, it''s just me. There''s something wrong with me.'' There is silence, a really long one. Minwoo swears he can hear his own heartbeat. Wonho takes a deep breath, and offers, ''you¡­ want me to go with you?'' ''Nah. It''s fine.'' Minwoo pulls his omega in a hug, kissing his head. They will just have to settle with cuddling again. Not that it is the worse choice, they actually enjoy it. ''I''ll get myself fixed and we''ll have ten round-'' Wonho just pushes his head hard enough he knocks it on the wall. ##### ''Mr. Kim?'' Both the males lift their heads and stand up, entering the examination room; Minwoo leading the couple. Despite his reluctance, Wonho insisted on coming, for moral support. Yeah, right. It makes him more nervous than he should. Sitting behind the table is an alpha lady, scribbling something real quick the moment the couple enter the room. Minwoo scans the room quickly, noting the degree she had from his university which means she is his senior, and the books on psychology - something he really, really hates. For a moment, she shocked him when she recognized him right away, but he had to remind himself that knotting is an alpha''s problem, and it is obvious who the alpha among the two of them is. ''So, I heard from Dongho. Knotting?'' The doctor mentions, getting straight to the point. ''Yeah.'' Minwoo nods, not really comfortable talking about it. He had his physical examination done by a senior at the hospital but as it turns out, there is nothing wrong with his body. Everything is perfectly normal. Heck, he didn''t even knot back there. At least, the first time he came. Then they tested this weird theory where Dongho asked Minwoo to think about his mate and BAM - knot. Which brought them to where they are now. A psychologist. ''It''s been going for a while?'' Again, another nod. He can see from the corner of his eyes, Wonho playing with his own fingers, obviously not comfortable talking about their sex life to a stranger. Minwoo offers his hand to calm the man down, which Wonho takes. ''So, what''s wrong with me?'' he asks, just to fill in the silence. He knows it is too early to give him a diagnosis because, he didn''t give her any information just yet. The doctor, also a Kim, puts her pen down. ''There''s not much for me to work on but, from my experience, alphas knot when they have a really strong urge to inseminate their partner.'' Minwoo can feel Wonho squeezing his hand and looks at his mate. The omega is giving him a look of confusion. He can only gulp. Chapter 155 - Knotting Problem 2 Sure, Minwoo wants babies, but really strong urge? Every single time? Nope. Not possible. She must be mistaken. Probably thinking the omega didn''t understand what she is implying, afraid that she might have used some technical terms, the Dr. Kimr tries to repeat herself, looking at Wonho. ''Most of the time, when an alpha starts to knot, it means he really wants to have a baby with you. That he''s ready to be a daddy.'' Minwoo can tell Wonho is embarrassed at that statement. He avoids her stare right away and focuses on his alpha who is now starting to sweat. That action makes the psychologist turn her attention to the latter instead. ''When did the problem start?'' Owh hell no, he doesn''t want to say. That is embarrassing. Minwoo does not want to share that. On the other side, thinking the alpha didn''t remember, Wonho decides to answer for him despite not being too sure either, ''Our first time together? I think¡­'' Owh, how wrong is he, Minwoo says inwardly. ''After bonding?'' The doctor asks and Wonho frowns, not sure about the answer. Technically, yes because he was bonded to Minwoo. But also, no, because Minwoo was still a free alpha. Confused and not wanting to explain, the omega enquires, ''What has that gotta do¡­?'' ''Knots are actually more of an emotional thing instead of a physical problem. See, when an alpha really has the urge to have a family with you, and that feeling increases tenfold for example like during heat AFTER bonding, you know they''re ready. Not, saying that alphas who don''t knot do not want it. Every person''s different.'' ''But even when I''m not in he-'' ''Maybe cus you want it too?'' Minwoo cuts the omega softly, suddenly panicking. This is not going well. He is afraid it would come to this. He doesn''t want Wonho to know. ''You know¡­? I can feel what you feel? And cus we want the same thing¡­ or something, I knot?'' ''But I-'' before Wonho can make anything from it, Minwoo quickly changes the subject, ''Wonie¡­ c-can I talk to the doctor, alone?'' Wonho stares at him, now curious. But despite wanting to stay and listen, he knows Minwoo might be embarrassed to talk about some things in front of him. And so, granting the man his privacy, Wonho walks out. Thankful that he can escape the embarrassing questions from the doctor. ''Did you just try to put things into his head?'' Dr. Kim suggests as soon as the door closed behind the omega, staring at the alpha in front of him. Minwoo lets out a long sigh of relief, now that his mate is gone, he is free to confess some really embarrassing things. ''Something tells me you''re hiding something,'' Again, the lady stated the obvious. ''I think I need some help. It''s weird but I knot even when I jerk off, when thinking about him.'' ''I can''t say that''s unusual. You are mates¡­'' ''When I first met him.'' Minwoo feels his face getting warm. This is really humiliating. Back when he didn''t know who Wonho was, he masturbated a lot thinking about him. He knotted a lot. God, he was such a pervert back then! ''I didn''t know he was an omega.'' He adds, not knowing how to explain their situation to the doctor. Obviously he couldn''t have wanted a family with Wonho back when they first met. Back then he thought Wonho was a beta! Well, a beautiful beta. Of course, technically, since he already claimed Wonho even before orientation night, it meant they were already mates when he imagined the omega all those times he dreamt about him. But, he forgot about it, and he was also ''not mated'' so where does that leave them? Was him knotting a side effect of an incomplete bond? How should he explain that to the doctor? ''O¡­kay.'' Dr. Kim scribbles something on the paper. Minwoo knows that look too well. He himself always has that look when he is trying to make sense of something. Which means she has no clue what is happening to him. ''Is this the first time you ever heard of it? Am I the only one?'' ''I''m sure there''s a reasonable explanation for this...'' She tries to reassure him, which is useless. Minwoo can only smile his humiliation away. He knows what she might be feeling right now as a fellow doctor, he doesn''t really want to torture her anymore. ''Is it my mate? He''s a noble omega.'' He suggests, really wanting an answer, but not wanting to push it. Maybe, providing her with the information is important. ''His pheromone is really strong. Wh-'' ''Minwoo-sshi, I don''t think it''s your omega. You just said you knot just thinking about him.'' She counters it right away. ''Right¡­'' Minwoo mutters, So something IS wrong with him. When he is with Wonho. ''Are you sure it''s not him? Cus I only-'' ''From the looks of it, it''s more likely you knot because you like him so much.'' ''Huh?'' Minwoo lifta his head to look at the doctor in her eyes. That is not what he expected. ''Either that, or you are worried that someone might take him away from you. I never met someone like that but alphas knot often hundreds of yeara ago. During wartime. It''s a survival thing.'' ''I don''t get it?'' Minwoo frowna, weirdly staring at her. They are not in a war, Wonho is definitely his as they already bonded so¡­ Wait. Now that he thought about it, the first time they slept together, he was still worried about the alphas waiting outside the apartment to take Wonho away. Then, there was this constant worry that his pack wouldn''t let them be together. And Wonho''s mental issues¡­ That, does make sense. In a way. But why is he still knotting? They are now happily bonded, both families and friends cannot be more supportive, and they have already established that they want a child in the future. He has nothing to worry about, and he is most definitely not desperate for a child. Or, is he? ''So¡­what do you usually recommend your patients who have this kind of problem?'' ''This¡­ kind of problem¡­'' She is dragging her words. Now it is obvious she is uncomfortable. Which means she never met one and can''t really offer him any advice right now. ''I''ll try to diagnose your problem further and get back to you later. In the meantime, urmm, I guess I could only say that alphas knot to ensure their mates carry their offspring. Hopefully your problem will go away once there''s a child in your family.'' ''Really?'' Minwoo''s head perks up. He loves the sound of that. ''Well, all of my patients with knotting problems guarantee that. And I can see you want a child of your own.'' She smiles, weirdly widely. ''You wanna call your mate back in so I can tell him instead of you?'' ''Sure.'' Minwoo simpers happily. Babies. That is the solution. Babies. Chapter 156 - Knotting Problem 3 Minwoo feels his heart beating furiously, a sudden rush of panic takes over his body. His eyes open abruptly, still feeling the violent thump; his mind fully aware of his surroundings. He was already in offence mode before realizing that there is no real threat. It must be Wonho again. Lately his omega has been having nightmares which is worrisome but thankfully, the man is strong enough not to act crazy like he used to back when they first met. Bringing his hand back to search for his mate''s, Minwoo turns back to the omega''s side to find it empty. The latter''s pheromones also calmed down abruptly, despite the traces. Wonho is getting really good at controlling his emotions and scent. ''Wonie?'' He calls as he feels the man getting out of bed. ''I''m fine.'' Wonho speaks weakly, voice still a bit shaky. ''Go back to sleep.'' ##### The unfamiliar absence of warmth on his left makes Minwoo open his eyes completely. It is only 5 a.m. but Wonho is gone. Getting out of bed, the alpha slowly makes his way towards the living room. There, seated on the dining table with his knees up to his chest is the missing male. ''What are you doing this early?'' ''Can''t sleep,'' Minwoo takes a seat beside Wonho, somehow a bit concerned. He smells coffee - Wonho is trying to stay awake. Something is not right. ''Come on,'' He pulls the other back to the bedroom and releases his pheromones to embrace his omega to sleep. ##### ''Wonho? What''s wrong?'' Minwoo throws his bag on the floor the moment he enters the door and rushes towards his cocooned omega. Wonho hasn''t been sleeping for a while and now he is on the floor having a breakdown. Since Wonho came back from France, this is Minwoo''s first time seeing his mate like this. Grabbing a hand which causes the man to go berserk, the alpha intensifies his pheromones and hugs the distressed male. It has been a while since he had to do this. Though he should be thankful he didn''t have to do it, he can''t help but feel a bit nostalgic. ''You okay now?'' Wonho''s tight hug on his waist tells him he needs more time. ''You had those nightmares again?'' A nod. ''Every night?'' ''Since we left the doctor''s¡­'' Minwoo frowns. Why? ''Minwoo? The doctor, she really said I made you knot? C-cus I want babies?'' Wonho asks between his sobs and the other sighs inwardly. So, Dr. Kim didn''t say that. But Minwoo lied in hope to influence Wonho into believing that he wants babies too. Right now. Because the alpha didn''t want to be the only one who does. Besides, every omegas he knows are the ones who want children first in their respective relationships. Why is his omega so different from everyone? Why does Wonho want to wait for a child? Also, that was a white lie. How is that related to his nightmares? ''I-'' ''I didn''t, I-I¡­ that night, I didn''t,'' Minwoo frowns at the stutter. He can feel something really bad is about to happen. Wonho stopped talking about that night a long time ago. ''They knotted.'' Minwoo curses to himself. He forgot. ''I didn''t want babies! I swear!! Minwoo!'' Fuck he just got goosebumps on the back of his neck. That is a really messed up thought. ''It''s not my fault, right?'' ''Hey,'' He tries to calm him omega with no avail. ''Owh no¡­ Something''s wrong with me!!! I made the-'' ''Wonho!'' Minwoo bumps their heads together, holding the omega close. He doesn''t want to hear anymore of that twisted thought. He can imagine how traumatizing it is for his omega. No wonder he can''t sleep, heck, just hearing about it made his heart beat violently out of anger. How the hell did he manage to forget about the knots when he pulled one out of his omega right before he claimed Wonho the first time?? ''I didn''t call them to breed!!!'' ''Shut up!'' He growls, finally exerting his authority. He knows Wonho hates it, but he has to stop the man from thinking about it any further. Because that is not what happened. He fucking lied about it without thinking about how his words can affect Wonho. Him and his careless mouth, screwing things up again. ''Shit. Wonie, I''m sorry. I lied. Okay? The doctor never said you wanted it.'' ''Wh-what?'' Wonho stares at him, puzzled. ''I want you to want it too.'' The alpha looks into those eyes - a look of relief mixed with betrayal, ''I lied because I''m kinda embarrassed. I have a problem. I know.'' ''W-why?'' ''Cus she said I knot because I''m desperate.'' He finally releases his hold when he realizes Wonho stopped shaking. His eyes are still watery but Minwoo can see him light up a bit. Maybe Wonho is quick to accept the idea that he was not responsible for his own attack and feels at ease, or maybe he is just reacting to the word ''desperate''. Because Wonho secretly loves it when people call Minwoo silly names. It was one of his guilty pleasures, one that Minwoo finds adorable as he only enjoys it alone in secret. His bet is on the latter as he knows Wonho too well to know that the man needs time to digest the new fact. In fact, he may need to see a therapist to get rid of the traumatizing thoughts. For now, Minwoo will have to distract the man away from his concern. ''I think her exact words were ''you like him too much'' but I''m sure she''s just being polite. She basically said I knot ''cus I''m obsessed with you.'' ''So¡­ it''s not me¡­?'' Wonho is finally calm enough to ask after a few minutes of silence. His voice is higher than a few moments ago; hopeful. The alpha gives him an apologetic smile and bobs his head in agreement. ''You just knot ''cus you''re a creepy alpha?'' ''Creepy?'' ''A pervert.'' ''Hey-'' ''I hate you!'' The push on his chest triggers Minwoo who responds by a playful shake of his body, pushing the smaller omega down until they are both on the carpet; Wonho struggling to break free. Continuing his attack with a light tickle to make sure his beautiful lover no longer feels depressed and blames himself for the attack, the alpha utters, ''Those jerks are creepy perverts. I, am an obsessive lover. Who promised to protect you from those desperate alphas. You''re safe with me.'' No answer. Wonho is still upset. ''¡­or, if you have a problem with that, you can give me something else to obsess over.'' He winks at his annoyed omega. Having a mini Wonho around will be so adorable he bet his kid can steal most of his attention from this being in front of him. ''Or I should run away right now.'' Wonho responds. ''Is that a threat? That''s a threat. I''m threatened. I should knot more and make babies.'' ''As if you can knot more you freak! Why the hell am I still with you? You''re a bad mate. You made me remember those jerks.'' Wonho murmurs. Minwoo knows he is genuinely mad about it, no doubt he feels guilty. He made Wonho recall his attack after god knows how long. He needs to take responsibility for what will happen in the next few days until Wonho''s mental trauma calms down. ''Asshole.'' Wonho curses again, showing his agitation. ''But I''m hot.'' Minwoo smirked at the frowny face. He knows Wonho hates it when he says narcissistic things, which is why he said it. ''Also, I like you too much to hurt you so...'' ''I hate you.'' Wonho huffs, ready to push the alpha back. ''I know.'' He totally deserves the hate. Pecking those soft lips, he whispers, ''I''m sorry.'' ''Unh.'' The omega grunts, still angry. ''...but if we make babies we can go fo-Ahkk!!'' Minwoo''s head is pushed away as far as possible. Chapter 157 - Knotting Problem 4 [M] ''NnnAh!'' Minwoo grits his teeth, supporting Wonho who is arching his back as he moves his body up and down, just taking the large member inside. The omega''s warm hole is clenching his cock rhythmically, so tight, so slippery, so fucking slow. Trying to distract himself, not giving in to his need to just pound Wonho and get his release, Minwoo looks at the ceiling. Fuck. Wonho moans and his fingers just exploring Minwoo''s chest, teasing him.... Minwoo brings himself up, his body bouncing on the bed with his omega just riding his heat away. The sight of his perky nipples, neglected, look so tempting. Sitting up straight, the hungry alpha quickly pulls Wonho towards him and takes the nub in his mouth, wetting it, sucking it, biting it¡­ ''Minw- Ahk!'' Wonho tries to push him away but Minwoo quickly moves to his neck, running his tongue towards the man''s jaw, catching his mouth in a deep kiss. That seems to annoy Wonho as he is now locked in the alpha''s embrace, not able to move his hips to find his release. ''Minwoo,'' the omega breathes in between moans, his whole body hot as his mate pushes him down on the bed, turning their position around. Owh his body, so defined¡­ that pecs is just begging to be licked. Wonho sits up, trying to get a taste of his alpha before he is locked in place, unable to move. ''Please, Minwoo-'' ''It''s my turn.'' Minwoo growls, sloppily sucking on the omega''s chest, not caring that Wonho is almost near his edge. Wonho in heat is so sensitive anything can cause him toe-clenching, back arching euphoria which excites Minwoo further. Not wanting to wait any longer, he pulls Wonho''s right leg up and rests it on his shoulder. He can see his omega excited for his thrust, he is already biting his lower lip hungrily, looking at his so seductively. Smirking, Minwoo leans and pushes in three fingers instead. ''Aah!'' Minwoo starts opening his digits, spreading them as wide as he can while moving it up and down, so very slowly. Agonizingly slowly. Just as a revenge. But as soon as Wonho starts moving his hips, he thrusts them faster, bending them inwardly, making sure it hits Wonho''s special spot every single time. ''No, noAh!! Too fast!'' ''Too fast?'' ''Faster!!'' Owh he knows Wonho can take it. He knows his omega loves it. Just as Wonho looks like is about to cum, Minwoo takes his fingers out, enjoying the slurping sound Wonho''s hole makes as they exit. He takes a look at that puckered hole, just pulsating, waiting for his cock. And so, before Wonho can whine, Minwoo pushes himself in, making the man beneath him grunts in pleasure. His omega is excited, he is desperately clenching and loosening his muscles, just wanting to swallow Minwoo''s large member. ''Fuck me.'' ''Yeah I will.'' He starts moving his hips, pushing both Wonho''s knees up to his chest to make space for him to thrust in further. ##### ''Wonie, I wanna cum inside¡­'' he begs, continuing his attack on the omega who is so entranced he doubts Wonho can even hear him. Still pounding, Minwoo slows down his rhythm which causes the other to whine as he was about to cum. This slow pace is not enough! ''Wonie, cum. Inside.'' Minwoo repeats, breathing into Wonho''s ears before burying his nose into the man''s neck. He wants it, he wants to test the doctor''s theory about him knotting because of the desire to have children. Maybe he''ll be satisfied with releasing his seed inside Wonho once, and won''t be bothered by it again. And what better time to test this theory except from when his omega is the most desperate for him he would do anything? Besides, Wonho''s on the pill. Even if he fills the man with his seed until it overflows, the man will still not become pregnant. This is perfect. ''Wonie-'' ''But the plan-'' Wonho tries moving his hips again, not appreciating the sudden change of pace. He just wants to be filled with Minwoo''s cock, with the thing moving inside of him. ''Just once¡­ please?'' Again Minwoo begs, continuing to move but very slowly, disrupting Wonho''s rhythm. At this point, he can see that this is making the omega crazy, Wonho starts sucking on his shoulder just to distract himself. ''Inside¡­'' ''Okay¡­ just fuck me!!'' Wonho screams, agitated by the lack of movement. As soon as the words left him though, the attack on his hole becomes so intense he cannot even think straight. Jolts of electricity travel along his spine, reaching his brain and Wonho starts grabbing anything he can reach from the overwhelming pleasure. Is so good¡­. ''AAH!! CUMMING!!!'' Wonho screams before his liquid shoots out from his member, with pressure so high some lands on his chin. Still feeling the attack on his prostate, Wonho starts squeezing Minwoo''s cock, pushing it out of him. He cannot take anymore stimulus right now. He needs- ''Ahk! Haa¡­'' Minwoo gasps, thrusting a few more times and Wonho''s eyes turns to the back of his head. The hot liquid flowing in his cavity feels so comfortable he clenches his sphincter muscle shut before pulsating, moving his hip upward to swallow all the juice. This feels so right¡­ Minwoo''s semen, in him¡­ Feels so fucking good... ''Ah, heh.'' Minwoo whispers in his ear Wonho opens his eyes, still heaving heavily from the intense workout. He instinctively pulls his alpha close, just wanting them to touch. ''I still knot.'' ''Urm¡­'' He mutters, just because. Minwoo''s voice is so calming. He wants this man so bad. ''But I guess we just have to try one more time to test the theory? I think I won''t knot this time.'' Minwoo suggests and Wonho just nods, not caring about anything he just said. His alpha just looks so delicious right now. So fucking manly. He just wants to be with his alpha. ''Let''s try another round.'' His alpha whispers and Wonho nods. Anything for his alpha. ##### Minwoo grins happily at his sleeping omega, already tired from all the sex. They had sex non-stop until his next wave, releasing all the frustration he felt all these time not able to fuck his mate without knotting. It was heavenly. And exhausting. But it was the best sex session ever! He wonders how long he will be able to keep this performance¡­ Will he no longer knot now? Because that would be great. Damn he loves Wonho''s heat! -Knotting Problem: End- Chapter 158 - Family Addition 1 Minwoo opens the fridge to see the packed meals he received from home all gone. Frowning in disappointment and confusion, turning his head to look at the counter to see it as clean as he left it, then searching around the fridge to find any indication of packed food, the young doctor finally gives up and closes the door. Sighing, he starts to think of something to cook instead, still pondering about the fate of his home meal. Did Wonho finish all the food? There was still a lot left when they had dinner yesterday, and his mate does not have that big of an appetite either. ''Wonie, did you finish all the kimchis?'' He asks as his omega makes his way out the bedroom, probably just awaken from his nap. Wonho does not answer, instead he walks around the counter towards Minwoo and pulls him in for a hug; the alpha naturally lifting his arm to make space. ''I threw them away.'' ''What? Why? I-'' ''It smelled really bad-'' Wonho cuts him, almost whining in his embrace. ''It''s pickled food!'' Minwoo cannot believe his mate would do something like this! They just ate the food last night! ''There''s still a lot-'' ''I threw up this morning.'' Wonho cuts his complaint short and stares at him, leaving Minwoo speechless. He still wants to argue but knowing fully well how sensitive Wonho''s stomach is, and his tendency to get gastritis, not to mention, Minwoo''s own strong tummy which can devour moldy bread without getting sick, he can only sigh in surrender. Maybe Wonho is right, maybe the food had gone bad and he didn''t realize it. Placing both his hands on the omega''s shoulders, looking into his eyes to see that tired face, he questions, ''Still wanna throw up?'' ''Nope. I think I''m good.'' Wonho takes a deep breath before enveloping his arms around his alpha, pulling himself closer for another embrace. Today was long, he didn''t feel good at all and yet, he had to continue working from home despite his condition. Days like this makes him long for his mate the most but Minwoo had another surgery today so he cannot even call the man whenever he wants. Having his mate by his side alas, getting to take in his scent just makes the day all better. ''I pooped the nasties out.'' ''Yaah.'' Minwoo pushes the laughing man away, pretending a disgust while shaking his head. Once the omega calms down enough to listen, and both their stomachs growl in hunger, he announces his leave for grocery; warning the omega not to throw anything good away or he will be starved which earns him a cute pout. ##### ''You okay?'' Minwoo knocks on the bathroom door, concerned for his omega. It doesn''t happen every day but once in a few days, Wonho will wake up running to the toilet to throw up, returning with pale face and cold hands. He suspects gastritis again, and the sick one agrees but despite the hypothesis, Wonho refuses to go see a doctor. According to him, he has been through the ordeal so much he knows how to treat himself without medicine. Hah. As if. Wonho is obviously not having mere acute gastritis, avoiding spicy food will not do it. But of course, every time he says that, the man will retort back by saying how doctors like to prescribe unnecessary medicine to their patients, shutting Minwoo up for good. Because, sometimes he will do that when he is not sure about which medicine would work but hey, not every disease has a definite cure, and everyone reacts differently to the same medicine so¡­ Sighing, getting angry at himself for not being able to convince the person he cares the most to seek medical help despite being a doctor himself, Minwoo makes way to the kitchen to pour the omega a glass of water. It is not as if he hadn''t tried, they almost got into a huge fight when he had enough of Wonho''s stubbornness and used his alpha voice. Obviously it didn''t go well, and they stopped talking for a few days afterwards, that is, until the man threw up again. Despite being an omega which technically renders his ''male'' gender useless, Wonho had grown up being the only male beta in his family of omegas so he is a proud man. And being a rising professional in an alpha/beta-dominated profession, it makes him even more confident with himself. So yes, despite Minwoo being his alpha, and a noble, using his authority over Wonho can never solve anything. Of course, it is not as if he didn''t know what he was getting himself into when he decided to get back together with the man. Even when they were students and Wonho was at his weakest point, he never lost his stubbornness and pride, and that was probably the reason why Minwoo found himself still captivated by Wonho even after seeing his initial breakdown. And despite that very same reason gets them into arguments every now and then, they are still the reason why he never regrets his decision to bond with his omega. He just hopes, like all the other time his mate figured out he is right, Wonho will eventually listen to his advice. Real soon. ''Wonie,'' Minwoo starts again as Wonho drops back on the bed, tired from throwing his guts out. He can see the man vibrating, seeking comfort of the warmth under the blanket. Placing a kiss on his lover''s head, gently caressing it to calm him down, Minwoo advises, ''See a doctor please? Sungmin''s a really good one, she won''t give you a lot of pills.'' ''Okay.'' After a few moments of silence, Wonho finally agrees, his voice weak. It just breaks the alpha''s heart. ''I''ll tell her you''re coming today. Let me know when-'' ''I''ll go. You don''t have to come.'' Wonho turns to face him, his eyes wet. ''You''re busy right?'' Minwoo nods, smiling at the understanding. He would have agreed had Wonho asked him to, but the omega knows well not to be selfish for these kinds of things. Rubbing Wonho''s back to ease his pain, Minwoo looks at the clock and gets back to bed, hugging the older male, trying to get a few more minutes of sleep before having to get ready for work. Chapter 159 - Family Addition 2 ''When was the last time you had sex?'' Wonho feels his heart jump from the sudden question. He doesn''t know whether to answer it or not because, this has nothing to do with his nausea. All the questions he answered so far had been about his diet and his symptoms. How the hell is his sex life related to this? Is this some kind of sexual harassment? ''What?'' He asks only to be greeted by the doctor staring back at him, expecting an answer, her face that of a professional. But that can be her trick, because no doctors who checked on him for gastritis ever asked him that question before. ''Why do you need to know?'' ''Owh, Wonho-sshi,'' she smiles as if she just realized something important which Wonho doesn''t find comforting at all, ''It''s a routine question we ask all omegas. You left the boxes unchecked, but you''re mated.'' ''Owh. Uhh,'' He closes his eyes, trying to remember. He never take note on how often they have sex or when, they just do it when they feel like it. Obviously his heat was a while ago, and they did it a few times even outside his heat¡­ ''A few days ago? Maybe last week?'' ''And when was your last heat?'' Wonho sighs, not enjoying the personal question. He doesn''t know being an omega means he needs to reveal every aspect of his intimate relationship with the doctor. This sucks. Opening his phone to look for his tracker, he answers, ''Two months ago.'' ##### Wonho taps his legs, looking at the people, mostly pregnant women, sitting around him. Having directed to the gynecology department for a ''routine check'' is frightening enough as he doesn''t have a good memory of the place, not having any male omegas around waiting makes him all the more nervous than he probably should. Looking at his number written on the piece of paper, and the ones displayed on the screen, Wonho decides he has enough time to walk around and calm his mind. Finally finding a seat at the corner of the caf¨¦, the omega male puts down his coffee and sits down, facing the wall so he can feel like he is the only one there. He takes out his earphones and plays some relaxing songs to calm his nerves, desperately trying to find some more reason other than the impossible pregnancy to explain why he has to see another doctor. It is impossible. Because, they always used protection. He takes his contraceptive pills daily. Minwoo always use condoms. Then, why? Wait, maybe it isn''t because of that. Maybe there is something inside his womb? A tumor? Shit, a tumor?? No, maybe it is not that serious, or Dr. Sungmin would have him go to the oncology department instead. Maybe¡­ he got some infection instead? Yeah, that could be it, there are many ways he could get infection like¡­ The only way he can think of is a cut in his rectum and the only way he would get a cut is from Minwoo being a little rough during sex, which is, almost always but he never feels pain afterwards so¡­ maybe not? Then why the hell was he asked to go to the gynecologist????? ##### ''It''s cold.'' Wonho closes his eyes once the probe hits his belly, sighing to slow his nervous heartbeat. He really hopes the doctor won''t find anything bad inside because, he won''t want to spend his last year in Korea in the hospital, or having to take a lot of medicine for whatever disease they may find. Owh god, why is the doctor so silent? It had been a while, she had been touching him with the probe on a few places already. What is wrong with him? ''Wonho-sshi,'' she calls, causing the said man to flinch and close his eyes even tighter, ''Look at the screen.'' Wonho opens one eye, and another when he realizes he cannot make anything out of the black and grey display. There is something like a huge hole in the middle and, what the hell is that? A tumor? Owh hell no. That''s a- ''Congratulations. That''s a baby!'' #### Finally done with the four-hour long surgery, Minwoo stretches his body a bit before changing into his coat. Patting his right pocket to find his phone, he takes out the device and checks for any message from his mate regarding his diagnosis. There is none so he can only conclude that there is nothing serious, although, he still feels a bit saddened by the fact that Wonho didn''t tell him anything about it. Even something simple like ''I''m done,'' would have sufficed. Cracking his neck to get rid of the stiffness, Minwoo decides to give his omega a call, just to hear his low voice. It went straight to voicemail. Maybe he is taking a nap? It is still three in the evening, but Wonho sometimes has to deal with his headquarters in France causing him to work until early in the morning so there is really no way to tell. Well then, since he has some time to spare before his next surgery, and he is really hungry, he should really be heading towards the cafeteria and eat. Bzzz. Minwoo quickly brings the phone to his face, smiling bitterly at the name of the sender, disappointed that it is not from his man. Where u? - Taeyangie Replying quickly, Minwoo makes his way through the hallway, greeting the nurses and patients on the way. Wait, why are they looking at him strange? They are smiling at him as usual, but there is something more to that just now. It is as if they are excited to tell him something, but hold their tongues. Even the patients who usually look solemn seem to smile from ear-to-ear just now¡­ Brushing it off as a mere imagination due to exhaustion, he proceeds to buy himself some well-deserved meal to feed himself. Not long after, a familiar voice calls for him in an overly excited manner. ''Hello Minwoo-appa!'' Chapter 160 - Family Addition 3 Minwoo smiles at that title, something his friends'' children call him with. Recently he has been teaching Jeongmin''s 19-month-old boy to call him that which proves to be difficult. Little Minki kept calling him Upa, and his mate Nono, which doesn''t sound Korean at all. ''Here.'' Minwoo takes the envelope handed to him, still munching on his spaghetti. He turns the piece of paper around to figure out the content but nothing can be seen which means he has to open the envelope. A bit reluctant to put down his utensils, he looks back at his friend for some clue. The only reaction he got is Jeongmin''s eager face. Sighing, he takes out the harder piece of paper from the inside of the envelope. It is a coupon for¡­ baby stuffs? ''What''s this? Another obvious hint?'' He smiles at his friend, no longer feeling anything from his constant teasing. Jeongmin has been telling him to try for a baby, even before Wonho got back. It used to be just words, and then Jeongmin showing his newborn''s picture and poking around, to push him to look for a mate. And when he finally bonded, Jeongmin started to step-up his game to recruit Minwoo to the dad club. He is guessing the coupon is one of them. Smirking, bemused, he adds, ''yah, we''re not gonna try until Wonho''s back from France.'' ''Eyh?'' Jeongmin''s smile suddenly disappears momentarily and his face turns pale. That, and the lack of sound causes Minwoo to frown in confusion. Then, a sudden look of realization followed by Jeongmin closing his mouth and instantly taking the envelope back shocks the larger male, ''Wait- huh?'' ''Omo, I''m so sorry.'' Jeongmin pretends a smile which is obvious to the noble who has known him since they were students. ''What?'' Minwoo askes, confused at the reaction. Maybe his friend handed him someone else''s gift? ''Just pretend I didn''t just do that and act surprised when Wono tell you ''kay?'' Jeongmin quickly tries to run away. Not letting his friend escape, Minwoo grabs him and pulls him back down. ''Yah! What''re you talking bout?'' Jeongmin tried to apologize his way out but there is no way a curious Minwoo would let that happen. ''The whole hospital''s talking about it¡­'' Minwoo''s face becomes pale at the murmur. He didn''t hear anything from his omega, and he thought it was only a simple gastritis. He never thought¡­ a baby, ''Didn''t you know? Really? I mean, I know the moment Jinyoung started feeling drowsy in the morning.'' ''We¡­ didn''t expect it.'' Minwoo almost wants to retort back saying how his friend had been suspecting pregnancy every day since he first slept with his fox but decides against it. Swallowing hard to wet his throat, he turns towards Jeongmin, whispering, ''We didn''t plan it. I always use condoms.'' ''Hhhhk!'' Jeongmin gasps, and both alpha remains silent - Jeongmin finally realizing the situation his friend is in, and Minwoo trying to calm his extremely violent heartbeat. A few seconds passed before the latter finally dares to ask, ''Did¡­ how did Wono react?'' ''I dunno man, I only heard the rumor,'' Minwoo lets out a sigh, relief at the possibility of it being just that - a mere rumor. He knows the doctors and nurses won''t give out patient details easily but they can never stop patients from doing so. So, there might be a possibility one of his fans saw his mate at the wrong place and started the rumor¡­ Which means, Wonho might not actually be pregnant. Thank god. ''¡­urm, yeah. Sure. Maybe he''s not.'' Minwoo stares at his friend. He knows that tone, and that look. Jeongmin is never good at lying. Narrowing his eyes, he forces his friend to reveal what he is hiding. ''I kinda asked Seeun and she confirmed it so¡­'' Fuck. ##### Minwoo sits in the car, staring at the wall, refusing to leave the safety of the small space. He can just imagine how Wonho is going to kill him for this. There are only a few more months before his omega''s scheduled return to France, something he has been looking forward to as he will be participating in his mentor''s mega project which is the talk of the country. It was all Wonho could talk about since he came back which is why Minwoo agreed to plan for a family once Wonho is done with the project. To make things worse, Minwoo is supposed to join him in France later for their postponed honeymoon! They already have everything planned out, going to his favourite town in France and visiting the country he grew up in, and lots and lots of sex. They even already bought the ticket and booked the hotels. But now, a baby¡­ Damn, he really wants a child but, Wonho... God, he has no idea how to face his mate. They made a deal, everything is going smoothly, heck, he even agreed to wear those stupid condoms every single time and endure the fucking knots for god''s sake! How can that one time, just that one time when he wanted to test his ''knot'' theory¡­ Now that he thought about it, he is probably the reason why this happened. Damnit! Why couldn''t he wait until their honeymoon to do it? Him and his horny dick! Although, to his defense, technically he is not wrong about his seeds not sticking well to the uterus because noble alphas can be a pain in the neck even before being conceived. Heck, his in-laws took years before conceiving their first children! His parents took almost the same time before getting his first sister, and then his second which explained their huge age gaps. Not to mention, noble omegas are thought to be extinct which technically, proved Wonho''s family fertility rate, so it is not his fault he thought the probability of his seed being planted safely inside his mate that one time to be close to zero. Also, Wonho takes his contraceptive pills. It wouldn''t be called contraceptive if it doesn''t work without condoms. He shouldn''t be blamed for this. Finally satisfied with his arguments and strategy, Minwoo nods few times and takes a deep breath, releasing it loudly. Exiting his car and ensuring it is locked, the alpha makes his way up to his apartment, looking confident but dying inside. He stops his steps. Fuck. He just remembered Wonho has four siblings even though his mother married late, and his older sister just gave birth to her third child, in the span of five years so Wonho''s side of the family could be really fertile¡­ Nope. He still has the contraceptive pill theory. He should be fine. He should be. Fuck. Chapter 161 - Family Addition 4 Minwoo touches the lock before pausing, then turns back around. He takes out his phone and looks over to the message one last time, just to make sure that Wonho didn''t message him. Because, he might have missed something and Wonho might have told him about it- Nope, he didn''t. Okay. This is fine. He will just have to go inside and face the music. Maybe Wonho wants to surprise him. He should pretend he didn''t know anything and confirms his omega''s reaction first before panicking and risk saying something stupid. Yes. Okay. Here goes nothing. Taking another deep breath before putting in the passcode to his house, the alpha finds himself relieved that the whole house is dark. It means his mate is already asleep so he won''t have to explain himself tonight. Although, something feels very wrong. He cannot smell his mate, which can only mean two things ¨C Wonho is not home, or he is hiding his scent to attack Minho. He much prefers the former as he does not want to be confronted by a really angry Wonho. Just thinking about it sends chills down his spine. Almost tiptoeing towards the bedroom, Minho turns the knob slowly, afraid to make a sound. Seeing that there is indeed no sign of his omega, he switches on the light and looks at the clock. It is already ten o''clock, Wonho still being out is really worrying especially with a baby inside. Although he understands that his mate may need time to process the whole thing, he prefers the man doing it at home instead of out in the open. At this late at night. Or maybe he is with his friends? If he is with Jinyoung, Jeongmin would have let him know so maybe not. One of his packs maybe? Junjie. Dialing Wonho''s best friend, torn between wanting him to be there with the man, and not at the same time due to their past relationship and the fact that Junjie is still single, Minwoo jumps a bit as he hears the familiar voice greeting him from the other side. ''I''m in China. Why?'' ''Oh, it''s nothing.'' ''Need me to try calling him?'' Junjie asks, reading into his concern and fully grasping the situation. Minwoo doesn''t feel taken aback by the offer, instead he appreciates it. In the last few years apart, and together with Wonho, he has finally made peace with the guy despite having some friendly fights when they meet, just for the nostalgia of it. ''It''s really nothing. Thanks.'' Hanging up, Minwoo closes his eyes, considering if he should call Sangcheol or Seungyun first. Both are with a few children at home, and he can''t imagine Wonho wanting to be there right now. Looking back at the clock, deciding to give his mate a few more minutes before going berserk with enquiries to his friends, the alpha changes into a fresh set of clothes to distract himself from worry. Minwoo''s heart drops as he opens their closet. Wonho''s suitcase is gone. Along with a few of his clothes. Running to the side of the bed to find the absence of the man''s charger, and to the guest bedroom to find Wonho''s working space cleared, Minho falls on the bed, feeling light-headed. This is worse than he thought. Wonho just left him, and he has no idea where his omega may be. ##### This little bean is a baby. Wonho stares at the sonogram, biting his thumbnail as he taps his legs. He still can''t believe what is happening to him, but he has to. The picture is proof enough. A few more weeks and little limbs will come out of this bean. In about less than a year, this little thing will come out of him. In less than a year. ''Shit.'' Wonho grits his teeth while resting his forehead on his palm. He can barely even take care of himself, how the heck is he supposed to take care of this thing? He almost died on the street, violated for god sake! He couldn''t even protect himself! How is he supposed to take care of a child?! This is too much for him. Just, too much. Damnit. Why is this happening to him? Why now? He is not mentally prepared for this. He should have a few more years to cut all the loose ends and prepare for a baby, that was the plan. He doesn''t have time right now, he has so many things to do, deadlines to chase, a baby is just- Why? This year is supposed to be his year! He is finally getting the chance to work with his mentor, he is finally able to promote his work internationally¡­ His plan to convince Minwoo to move to Europe¡­ Wonho shuts his eyes tight, holding the urge to cry. He already planned everything! Minwoo is supposed to reminisce about his childhood there, he is supposed to see how good and confident Wonho is in France, unlike here in Seoul where he still thinks twice whenever he is to go out alone, afraid to run into his attackers despite it being years ago. His mate is supposed to go to a conference there, and get job offers! But now, that is not possible. Even if he can still complete his current project on time and join the team, Minwoo will never risk any huge change in their lives once the baby is born. Their family is too careful with a child, considering their history. All his plans will never happen now. Everything is ruined. He will be stuck here, raising his child among his attackers. ''Fuck!'' Letting go of the picture, Wonho falls on the bed, covering his eyes with his arm. He is crying, which is stupid because¡­ nothing is going to change the fact that his dream is gone now. And the baby is growing inside of him which he will have to get out of him somehow. And that thing would get bigger and starts to move around inside of him like- Shit. He just got chills. He can imagine how it would feel to have something moving inside of his stomach. And him having to push it out of him. All the blood... Oh god, he is really not prepared for this. Chapter 162 - Family Addition 5 ''How''s Minwoo?'' Wonho stares at his father lifelessly, not really wanting to answer. He couldn''t sleep last night, and when he finally did, he ended up waking up just hours later feeling nauseous. He still has a lot to do, he would rather immerse himself in work rather than thinking about the little bean inside of him. And that includes thinking about that stupid alpha, the main culprit. Trying hard to control his posture, Wonho replies, ''Good. Busy.'' ''Something happened?'' Mr. Seo asks, stirring his instant coffee as he looks at his son working on the computer. Seeing Wonho emerged from his childhood bedroom this morning is surprising for the old couple since they didn''t hear anything about the visit beforehand, which is a first. Furthermore, it is weird that his son came alone; since the two bonded, this is the first time his son came back without the giant alpha, and based on his luggage, it is clear Wonho is planning to stay for a while. It is worrisome. ''Nope. I jus-'' ''Omo! Omo, Wono-yah!'' Both the males turn their heads towards the voice - Mrs. Seo hurriedly makes her way out of his son''s room, straight towards her husband. Wonho''s eyes turns wide as he notices what she is holding, ''Eomma, tha-'' ''What-'' his father takes the picture, looking at his wife and back at the picture again, finally recognizing it. It had been 2 decades since he last saw one, it took him a while to register what is happening. ''Are you pregnant?'' ''No!'' Wonho shuts his eyes tightly, feeling stupid at his attempt to lie when it is so obvious. ''Yes. A few weeks.'' ''Why are you here then?'' his mother asks, taking a seat beside his son. That action causes Wonho to get defensive. He still hasn''t sorted out his thoughts on the matter, he doesn''t want to tell anyone just yet because he doesn''t like the situation at all. Not one bit. In fact, he hates it and wishes this never happened in the first place, which is bad. Because he also knows he should not feel this way. He really wants to love the bean. But at the same time, he wants this to be a nightmare which will disappear when he wakes up, preferably right now. He doesn''t know what to feel. And talking about it will make him look bad. It will make him feel worse. He just wants some time think this through, and hopefully accepts it. Alone. Which is the reason why he chose to come here in the first place. And he doesn''t know how to explain that to his parents. ''I¡­ I have work to do. Let''s talk later.'' Giving her husband a worried look, recognizing the face on her son, the mother holds Wonho''s shoulder lightly, stopping him from leaving the dining table. Reading the situation, Mr. Seo gets up to give the other two some privacy, knowing well enough he is not equipped to help. He will be the only one clueless once the omegas start to communicate with their scents. Now alone, the lady finally speaks, ''Your plans¡­'' ''I don''t wanna talk bout it.'' ''I''m sorry-'' ''Eomma!'' Wonho warns, tears already flow down his cheeks, hitting the keyboard. He really doesn''t want to cry, because this is not worth crying over. He should be happy, and he is, deep inside. But he just can''t get excited over it. How messed up is he? ''It''s gonna be okay¡­'' she brings Wonho''s head towards her stomach, holding him tight, ''You''ll figure things out. Both of you.'' ##### Bzz. Bzz. Minwoo smiles at his recovering patient before checking his phone. Noting the caller, he politely excuses himself before running towards the staircase. The moment he makes his way through the door, he answers, hoping he didn''t anger the other from the long wait. ''Abeonim.'' Minwoo bites his lips, his heart beating furiously, worried about the reason for the call. He still haven''t gotten any news from Wonho yet, he swears he almost went crazy last night. There were a lot of places he thought his omega might be, but it was late at night so calling them one by one just to check if Wonho was there would be too rude. And today too, he called his omega a few times before work but the other didn''t answer. The whole day, he had been working through the extreme concern, trying not to kill any of his patients. If only he could take a day off or two just to look for his pregnant Wonho¡­ ''Minwoo, wh-'' ''Is Wonie there? Please tell me he''s there.'' The alpha cuts the conversation, not able to control his manners towards his father-in-law. He had a tough day today, he just wants to know his mate is safe because he is so close to losing his mind. ''He''s her-'' ''Is he safe? Is he okay? He''s weak, I-'' ''Yeah, we know. He''s fine. Just had lunch and right now,'' Minwoo lets out a sigh of relief, crashing his back towards the wall and letting himself fall to the ground. Breathing heavily, finally realizing how intense his heartbeat is, the alpha smiles at himself. He knows Wonho would not do anything stupid. He knows his mate would go to the safest place he can think of, especially with a child. He just doesn''t know why he didn''t think about it earlier. ''He didn''t tell you?'' Mr. Seo asks, and Minwoo shakes his head to nobody. Sensing the situation, he hears the old man sighing at the other end of the phone. ''He seems confused.'' ''He''s carrying our baby.'' ''I heard.'' Mr. Seo replies, and that sends another huge smile to the alpha. The fact that his omega told his parents about it, just reconfirms the news he feels is too good to be true. His mate is pregnant, they are going to have a baby. He is finally going to be a father. ''Why aren''t you here with him?'' Minwoo swallows hard, trying to explain this situation. He can lie and say he is busy and would join them later, but it would be too stupid of him to let his pregnant mate travel alone, long distance. But telling the truth would be a bit complicated, and embarrassing for both of them. On the other hand, Wonho could have already told them about the situation so there is no use in lying. ''Wonie''s angry at me cus uh-'' He starts, trying to think of an excuse to lessen the blow, ''we didn''t plan it. He just, took off. He wouldn''t answer my call, nobody knew where he went. I just-, can I talk to him?'' ''He''s having a meltdown a-'' ''A meltdown? Is he okay?'' Minwoo asks, concerned. Now that he thought about it, it does explains his mate''s behaviour, seeing he has history with emotional breakdowns. The news of the unplanned pregnancy must have been really shocking to him. But then again, he just wished Wonho would at least let him know about it instead of leaving him in the dark. He can hear the old man lets out a long breath on the other side of the line, ''He''s okay. I don''t think he wants to be in Seoul for a while. Minwoo-yah, I know you''re busy but... just, come here and talk?'' Chapter 163 - Family Addition 6 Minwoo sits on the nearest bench, tired. Yes, he is busy and to be honest, despite knowing his current situation, he is really disappointed in Wonho for doing this to him. For running away like this. They are mates, they are adults, if Wonho doesn''t like this situation, they could have talked it over. ''Look, Minwoo. They all get a bit erratic during pregnancy. I dunno if that''s an omega thing or just our family, but Wono''s eomma did something similar when she was with Mirae. She suddenly felt like our neighbourhood wasn''t good enough and did all sorts of crazy stuff. I had to find another house before she settled. I heard Mirae also did something like that with her alpha.'' Minwoo only listens to the experienced father, appreciating the man''s attempt to make him feel better. But he is confident what happened to them is different from his situation, because Minwoo and Wonho didn''t plan for the baby. Him being overwhelmed would have explained him running away, but only one thing can explain why he chose to do so without telling Minwoo - Wonho probably blames his alpha for manipulating him into letting him cum inside during his heat, which is obviously the reason that caused the pregnancy. ''These things happen. Which is why I think you should be here with Wono. Cus you bonded people have this effect on each other or something. Don''t you have that calming thing or whatever?'' Minwoo cannot help by get puzzled by the way Mr. Seo talks about it. As if he is not like the- Oh yeah, Mr. Seo is a beta. He forgot. The man did such a great job looking over his omega children that he naturally thought his father-in-law is an alpha. Taking the advice to heart, Minwoo says his thanks and bids his goodbye, with a promise to go there during the weekend. No matter how desperate he is, he has responsibility at the hospital. He cannot just leave his patient for trivial personal matters. At least he knows Wonho is safe. Walking to his office, Minwoo takes the time to digest the new information about the Seos. About the apparent omega''s reaction during pregnancy. His friends didn''t seem to have such problems during their omegas'' pregnancies, but then again, it is not something people tell non-family members. He knows about the emotional turmoil which tends to happen during this time but¡­ Shit. He just recalled another important information ¨C Wonho and his family are noble omegas, which means, everything that would happen to a normal omega, would intensify with them. Fertility and scent is obvious, since he experienced it. It does make sense that their emotional reactions would intensify as well. Owh god. Does this mean Wonho really hates him now? ##### ''Wono-yah.'' Wonho turns around to look at his father, now taking a seat in front of him. The old man looks restless, which worries the young omega. What happened a few moments ago that caused that look? Because his father never shows this kind of face to him. ''Appa? What''s wrong?'' He pushes his laptop to the side and turns to his old man, giving his full attention. ''Wono-yah, appa knows you''re having a hard time right now but,'' the old man sighs, ''you shouldn''t do this. Why didn''t you tell Minwoo you''re here?'' Wonho frowns, taken aback by the statement. He never said anything about that. Minwoo knows he is here. Why would his father think so? Unless¡­ ''Did you talk to Minwoo?'' Wonho asks, and the nod confirms it. Which means, ''Minwoo said he didn''t know I''m here? Did you tell him bout the baby?'' Now it is the father''s turn to look at his son with a puzzled look. He remembers that Minwoo clearly said he didn''t know about Wonho''s whereabouts, even sounding very distressed. And the man already knows about the baby, before he even told the alpha about it. What is going on? ''Appa? Does he know?'' the old man nods again. Seeing that reaction, Wonho feels tears brimming in his eyes again, already not able to control his emotion. Minwoo was not supposed to know about this, he wanted to tell his alpha by himself, when he finally comes to term with the news. Because he doesn''t want to break the news only to destroy the mood with his depression. He only told his alpha that he needs time to clear his mind about something, and asked Minwoo to give him time and space. He clearly wrote, in his two-page long letter, that he was going to his parent''s house to think. He even went as far as to ask Minwoo not to contact him for a while, so the man will not know about his turmoil. But Minwoo said he didn''t know about his whereabouts. Which means¡­ he didn''t read the letter and thought Wonho left him. Panicked, Wonho gets up and walks into the bedroom, searching for his phone which he turned off for privacy. And as soon as he did, dozens of notifications came in, most of them from his alpha. Owh god. Why did it get so complicated? And Minwoo knows he is pregnant? How did he know?? He must seem like a monster to Minwoo now. Owh god. ##### Minwoo looks at his vibrating phone; a message from his father-in-law came. Curious, the alpha puts down the bottle of soju from his hand and unlocks his phone, wondering what the man wants this late at night. Wono said he left you a letter - Abeonim He thought you knew - Abeonim Don''t blame him please - Abeonim Minwoo furrows his brows, confused by the message. What letter? There was no letter. Unless Wonho hides it, he would have found it a fucking letter. Also, why the hell did he write a letter? A fucking message is enough. Or he could have answer the fucking phone and tell that to him himself. Just, what the hell! Opening his chat with Wonho, he notices that the messages were read, and yet, there is still no reply. It''s obvious his omega clearly wants to leave him hanging, just to punish him. Clicking his tongue, agitated, Minwoo takes another sip of the soju before sighing. Wonho is really too much. Taking a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, he tries calling his omega''s phone. If Wonho really didn''t mean it, he will answer. The lack of the operator''s voice gives Minwoo a bit of hope, knowing that the man finally turned on his mobile. However, after a few rings without an answer, Minwoo gives up. So much for not intending to make him feel bad. He''s not answering his phone. He replies, waiting for the old beta to reply. It comes a few seconds later. He''s asleep. - Abeonim Another meltdown - Abeonim He''s afraid to look at his phone right now - Abeonim He thinks you''re angry - Abeonim Minwoo rubs his face roughly, not denying to himself that he is. Really angry. And frankly, he is thankful that Wonho didn''t answer, because the alcohol really amps up the nasty feeling. Had his omega picked up, who knows what hurtful things he could have said to Wonho that would affect their relationship. Distracting himself, Minwoo puts the soju back into the fridge and washes his face. Just as he makes his way out of the bathroom, he decides to look for the alleged letter. There is none on the bedside tables, obviously, and none on the dining table nor the kitchen counter. The only place left is the living room. None. Wonho didn''t leave him any lette- When the hell did that get there? Minwoo walks towards Wonho''s drafting table, which is now clean due to the lack of papers. He did notice how organized it was since the architect brought most of his work documents with him, but he didn''t think to look at that one piece of rectangular paper, clearly out of place, its white colour obvious in contrast with the brown of the table. It has his name written on it. Damnit. Chapter 164 - Family Addition 7 The silence really amplifies the sound of the vibration, Minwoo thought. Normally if he doesn''t have the phone nearby, he won''t even notice it. Come to think of it, where is his phone? He threw it somewhere after reading Wonho''s letter, trying hard not to try and call his mate again. As Mr. Seo suggested, it is better for him to just visit them on Saturday so they can talk. Since, well, Wonho seems to think he is really mad right now. It is partially his fault, he did send some messages saying how he is disappointed. That, and getting all panicky without realizing Wonho left him an obvious letter. Wonho said he was going to be with his parents to think something through. He wrote about wanting to make some plans, and that he needs time. But he also told Minwoo to wait for him, and trust him. And Minwoo did just the opposite and spammed him with messages and missed calls. Minwoo sighs again, remembering their stupid situation. Had he not known about the pregnancy, he wouldn''t have gotten so worked up. Such a messy, messy situation. Already up and walking around to find his phone, he realizes the ringing has stopped. Minwoo closes his eyes again, walking back to the couch to continue sleeping. It is probably nothing important. Nothing is right now. Bzzz! There it is again. Minwoo wants to ignore it but the buzzing is long. Someone is calling him. Sighing, still not seeing his phone and not wanting to search for it either, he looks at the clock instead to justify not answering the call. Outside is still dark, he should probably still be sleeping instead of minding about the call. The vibration finally stops when the lonely alpha takes a good look at the clock. It is 3 a.m. Who the hell calls him this early in the morning?? ''Urghh!!'' Minwoo grunts as the vibration starts again, really agitated. With his knees on the floor, he finally peeks beneath the couch. And there it is, the screen bright as the phone moves around. Grabbing the device, he slides the icon angrily and puts it to his ear, sighing his annoyance instead of the normal greeting. ''Minwoo! Finally!'' The other person almost screams in his ear and Minwoo again, grunts with his eyes closed, not fully awakened. Clicking his tongue from the loud voice, he finally decides to look at the name of the caller. Fuck. Mr. Seo. ''Listen, we''re at the hospital right now. Wonho had so-'' ''H-Hospital??'' Minwoo stutters and bites his lower lip, already imagining horrible things that might have happened to his omega. Because, obviously his family has never had a normal first pregnancy. The omegas always lose their first child, and for some, their first few pregnancies. Also, why else would his father-in-law call him? This early in the morning?? They must be in the ER. Shit. Shitshitshit. On the other end, he can hear Mrs. Seo talking, and his father-in-law replying, his voice distance. He cannot make up what they are saying, so he just sits there, silently, trying to process everything just based on the tone of the two people. He finally feels relieved as the old beta''s tone calms down. Minwoo holds his breath when the man finally replies, ''It''s nothing serious. Thank god.'' ''I-is he okay?'' He asks, wanting reassurance. And he can hear the father sighs a few times, calming himself down. He must have been really scared as well, for whatever that he saw. ''Wono''s okay. The kid''s okay. Aigoo, he''s going to stay here tonight so they can check up on him.'' ''What happened?'' He continues asking, now alert. It bothers him that he is not there to look after his own mate. Not that he can help with the man''s health since it is not his expertise, but he wants to be there. Even if bad things were to happen, he wants to be with Wonho when it does. ''He was bleeding, but it''s nothing serious. Aigoo, I almost had a heart attack.'' Mr. Seo complains, still breathing loudly. But Minwoo can tell he is smiling, happy that his son is fine. The alpha wants to enquire more, because bleeding is not a good sign, considering his family history but since the doctor told them it is nothing to worry about, Minwoo decides to trust the doctor. Because, what else can he do? ''Doctor said it''s most probably the stress but the kid''s heartbeat is normal.'' Heartbeat¡­ Minwoo cannot help but smile. This is really happening. ''So, you still coming, right? In two days?'' the old man asks, breaking the silence. Minwoo can feel the excitement, his whole body jumping from the thought of seeing his mate again, ''Of course! I''ll be there around noon!'' ''So, uh¡­ I don''t know if talking about you will cause him more stress so, uh, I''ll let him know when you''re here.'' Minwoo agrees. Wonho was probably stressed from thinking he is angry. He should leave his omega alone until they can finally meet. ##### The fucking door. He hate this fucking door right now. The Seos'' door. Somehow this dreading feeling feels like d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Taking a deep breath, Minwoo pushes the door bell, deep down hoping that nobody is home. Sure, he is excited to see his mate, but he has no clue what Wonho''s reaction will be when he sees him. What if he gets all crazy and wants Minwoo to leave? Because, obviously, him being here means he did not do as Wonho asked, as if he didn''t respect his wishes. But on the other hand, what kind of stupid alpha will leave his pregnant omega alone?? Gosh, it has been a few minutes. Should he ring again, or should he just go? Because he really, really wants to go. But if he gives up right now, who knows when he will even see his omega again? From what Mr. Seo said, Wonho obviously doesn''t feel safe in Seoul. What if he wants to stay here for the rest of the pregnancy? The door opens, causing his heart to skip a bit before a familiar face of his father-in-law greets him, ''Minwoo? Come in.'' The alpha enters the house, surprised that he doesn''t smell his mate at first. Wonho is there alright, but his scent is weak. Disturbingly weak. Or maybe, he is mistaken and the scent is just Mrs. Seo''s. Wonho might be somewhere else. He doesn''t know what to think right now. Mr. Seo looks at him and sighs, patting his shoulder. That gesture too, is disturbing. Did Wonho react negatively when the man told him about his visit? ''We''re just having lunch.'' ''I can come again-'' Minwoo tries, confused by the atmosphere of the house. Of course it won''t be lively considering what happened this morning, but he does not expect this dead silence. ''No. Stay and talk. We''ll leave you alone.'' Chapter 165 - Family Addition 8 Minwoo nods and waits in the living room, nervous. He is not hiding his scent, just letting his omega prepare himself for their talk. The alpha immediately gets up from his seat when he sees the old couple making their way towards the door. Mrs. Seo bows slightly as an acknowledgement, and he does the same. The man of the house stops in his tracks and the alpha moves closer, giving him one last advice. ''Don''t stress him okay? The doctor said he needs to relax.'' Minwoo nods. The soft squeeze on his shoulder is the sign that he is finally seeing his omega in the dining room. ''Owh and whatever you do, don''t eat his food.'' ''What?'' Before he can get the answer, he hears the door closed. Turning his body towards the dining room, Minwoo closed his eyes, squeezing them in frustration. Here goes nothing. Clenching his jaw and fists as tight as he can to release all his energy and tension, Minwoo take deep breaths to calm himself down. His mate is just a few steps away from him, expecting his appearance any second now. He needs to do this, no matter how hard it is. Softening his scent to match with his mate''s to not appear threatening, he slowly makes his way towards the dining where his soulmate is. Minwoo''s mouth curves upwards slightly at the sight of his omega who is staring at his food. And just like that, all his worries, all his anger disappears. Wonho notices his presence, but he still refuses to look at him and chooses to focus on his food instead. His omega shows no sign of fear, or aggression either, and that is enough to tell Minwoo that he wants to talk too. ''Wonie.'' He starts, still standing at the entrance, figuring out where to sit, and what he should do. Wonho glares at him for a second before turning back to his food, ''Minwoo.'' Forcing a smile at that reaction, Minwoo decides to make himself a drink. A hot drink. Just like what they usually do back at home. He would make Wonho one too, but there is already a glass of orange juice near him which is rare, considering Wonho doesn''t like them. Placing his coffee near his omega, he sits down to his right. And stares at the man, just appreciating his presence. Wonho looks so pale and weak, it breaks his heart. He knows Wonho can''t handle this, his mate has always been physically weak. Which is why he regrets not coming sooner or forcing him to come home, since he can do that if he wants too. Wonho would have listened. Minwoo sighs for the umpteenth time since he got here. He doesn''t know where to start, or what to say. This have all been a stupid misunderstanding, which is not the first time for them. Placing his hand on the table, turning it upwards to offer them to the omega, he speaks, ''I''m not mad. At all.'' Wonho gazes at the hand offered to him, puts his chopsticks down and slowly holds it, finally looking at his alpha, ''I didn''t run away.'' ''I know.'' The moment he says it, his omega breaks into tears. Minwoo pushes his chair closer so he can embrace the sobbing mess who is now squeezing his hand tightly. God, it hurts. ''I don''t want it. We ha- we had plans!'' Wonho stutters in between his deep breaths, struggling to just say anything that has been bothering him for the past few days. Minwoo wants to ask about his first statement, but holds himself, knowing that his omega will not be able to hear him until he calms down. ''I wan- I want the b-b-baby in, hhh, in France,'' Minwoo just holds the man tight, patting his back once in a while when Wonho is really struggling to breathe. Mr. Seo was really telling the truth when he said their family''s omega is a mess during pregnancy. He saw Wonho crying one too many times already but this is the first time he really puts his heart out like this. All other times, he cried because he was scared. Why is he crying now? Sadness? ''You stupid alpha!!!'' Wonho suddenly starts to push him, which shocks Minwoo. Okay, so now Wonho''s angry. Should he be angry? Is this stressful? He needs to calm his mate. ''Won-'' ''Why can''t you just stick to the fucking plan?!'' the omega cuts him off, just not caring about what he has to say. Minwoo stays silent, already knowing that he should not provoke the omega during this situation. A tip he received from his sisters. He needs to just agree and admits he is wrong, then speak his mind, when Wonho is over his meltdown. Okay, so, the plan. What plan again? Owh right, having kids after their honeymoon. ''What''s the big deal anyway?'' Minwoo slaps his mouth, shocked that he said it out loud. Wonho only stares at him, his eyes filled with tears. He doesn''t look pleased. Shit. He just dug his own grave. He needs to explain himself. ''You can still work from home, and we''ll go to France once you give birth! Or you can have the baby there if the timing isn''t right and I''ll take our kid home and take care of him so you can continue doing whatever mega project you want. See? No biggie.'' ''That''s not the point.'' Minwoo''s smile drops. Wonho really sounds pissed. He thought he just gave the man the most brilliant solution ever. Isn''t that the reason Wonho wants to be alone? To re-plan his career path? ''Then what is the point?'' Minho asks, confused, but really wants to understand. Wonho is now silent, wiping his tears. He really seems like he is ready to give up. Which is bad because he needs to know what is bothering his omega. They are mates, they should not have personal problems. They need to share everything. ''Wonie? What''s the point?'' ''Nothing.'' ''Wonie!'' he growls, pushing his omega to talk. Because if this issue is not solved, Wonho will only be stressed out again. And what happened yesterday may happen again, and next time, they may not be so lucky. ''I don''t want my kid to grow up where I was raped! Okay? The point is we''re supposed to start a family anywhere but that fucking city! It''s not saf-'' Wonho stops talking halfway and takes deep breaths to calm himself. The answer is enough to paralyze Minwoo who thought his mate is over his trauma. Because why else would Wonho come back from France when he could just stay there if he still feels strongly towards the place of his nightmare? Wonho came back and told him he is ready to settle down. Why? Chapter 166 - Family Addition 9 The room is now solemn, both parties trying to calm themselves and rearrange their thoughts. Minwoo is overwhelmed by the sudden reveal. He did notice small indicators of the trauma, but he thought it was just the traces of it, because Wonho never talked about it anymore except that one time when he lied about the knot. Wonho had been pretending he was happy and strong since his return, and Minwoo suspects that his omega does it to not burden him with his problems anymore. Come to think about it, of course his mate will never truly get over it. And now with a baby, it does make sense that he does not feel safe to be in the place of his attack. It is just a natural omega instinct, and Wonho''s is just stronger than others. All this time, everything he did from the moment he got back, his plan to return to France to take on a huge project which Minwoo gives a second thought about, all of it is to protect the baby. Their baby. And ignorant Minwoo just wanted to start a family as soon as he could. Because he couldn''t understand his omega. Because Wonho''s trauma does not affect him the way it did when they were younger. And he just forgot about it. Feeling sorry for not taking Wonho''s plan seriously despite his omega''s insistence, Minwoo releases a sigh of regret. They could have avoided all this drama had they talk about their feelings more. Had Minwoo take the signs seriously and asked Wonho about it. It is no use regretting it now. So they will talk instead. And resolve this issue, before their baby is born. ''Wonie, are you okay?'' ''I''m not fucking okay!! I told you I don''t want to raise my kid here!! Those bastards are still out there and- Why couldn''t you wait? Just-'' ''Hey,'' Minwoo stops him and Wonho freezes, feeling the alpha''s scent covering him. His alpha''s secure, warm scent, telling him everything will be alright. That he can finally let his guard down. Staring at the hand on the table, Wonho slowly brings his own and entangles his fingers with the other, letting Minwoo hold him tight. This is the safest he ever felt in the last few days. This, right now, is the most relaxed feeling he has since he knows about his pregnancy. He should have told Minwoo earlier. Why was he so stupid, thinking he can figure this out on his own? Enjoying Minwoo''s warmth, finally able to rearrange his thoughts, Wonho takes a deep breath and leans against his alpha. ''You''re supposed to fall in love with France and move there with me.'' ''You never told me that part of the plan.'' Minwoo points out, not really blaming his omega. He understands how hard it is for the man to ask him to give up his career here in order to follow him to a new country, just because Wonho does not feel safe in Seoul because of his personal trauma. Because when Minwoo decided to chase Wonho after their break, he did the same thing - he decided to work his way to Wonho instead of forcing the man to come back. ''I would''ve taken it more seriously.'' He adds, sincerely though he knows how bad that makes him sound. Because he thought the man''s plan was only to grow his career a little more before finally settling down in Korea. Because he thought the plan was only for him to go to France for their honeymoon. And that was not a big enough issue for him to care. ''Why didn''t you tell me?'' ''''Cus it''s been almost ten years, Minwoo. Ten freaking years and I''m still not over it when I should. How can I ask you to change your life because of my fucking problem? It''s selfish an-'' ''Selfish?'' Minwoo interjects his distressed omega, not wanting the man to belittle himself. Ten years might seem like a long time, and had he not known Wonho, he would think his omega is just trying to gain sympathy by using his trauma as an excuse for everything. But he was there when it happened, he was there when Wonho was recovering, and he was there when Heiran made her threat about Wonho''s wellbeing. So no, Wonho is not selfish. His worry is justified. ''Is that why you wanted to go so bad?'' He already knows the answer but he asks, just because.Wonho nods and Minwoo lets out a long breath. ''If you had told me sooner, I would''ve tried to find a job there. Just so you know, I''ve been trying to do so ever since you left for France. You''re not forcing me to change anything because I already decided to go.'' Wonho looks back at him, his face shocked. ''What?'' ''I applied for a position in a few hospitals to get to you. But then you came back and I thought you wanted to stay. So I changed my plans.'' He continues explaining, finding it curious that they never talked about this matter. The subject just never came up. Had they talk about it, this problem would never even happen in the first place. Well, that is just life. Always filled with twists and turns. And some drama. Wonho opens his mouth but nothing comes out. He doesn''t know what to say. He didn''t know Minwoo did that for him. The only reason why he came back was because he wanted to be with his alpha. Had he known Minwoo was trying his best to get to him, he would have settled with a long-distance relationship for a while instead of forcing himself to return. ''Wonie, you should''ve told me you''re scared. You know I won''t let anything happen to you.'' Minwoo reassures his omega more, just for the sake of it. He really wants Wonho to not be scared anymore. ''Just so you know, I took care of Heiran.'' ''You what?'' Wonho looks at him, his face shocked. Minwoo only laughs through his nose, knowing exactly what his omega is thinking - he did something bad to her. Well, technically he did, but only because she deserved it. ''Chris dug some dirt on her. And now she''s locked up.'' ''You did what?'' The omega still stares at him in disbelief, thinking he accused her of something she didn''t do. Which is actually the opposite. Minwoo just brought her dirty deeds to light. ''Well, had she not taken some bribe, she wouldn''t be in jail so¡­ a very deserving revenge.'' Minwoo grins, satisfied at his achievement. Technically, he only did it because he was frustrated that she cost him Wonho, but it does help his situation right now. At least, Wonho can feel a bit safer now that the one who taunted him away from his own country is now gone. Wonho keeps his stares, still trying to digest the information. Minwoo never told him about it because, well, it is petty. But she is not a good person either, and he had the power to do something. So he did. ''You¡­ feel better now?'' Minwoo asks. Chapter 167 - Family Addition 10 Wonho nods, hiding his face in between his alpha''s neck. He does feel better. Not because Heiran is not in the picture anymore, but because he knows his alpha will not let any harm come to him and their family. That it is okay for him to have his child here for a while because Minwoo will protect them. ''I''m sorry¡­'' Wonho finally allows himself to apologize. He pushed his alpha away thinking he is the only one who cares enough about the child''s safety, but it is obvious he is wrong. Minwoo is confident enough to let those things bother him because he knows he can protect them. And his alpha trusts him enough to not ask questions about his plans. Wonho just did a bad job explaining it. He really made the right decision to come back and claim Minwoo as his alpha because it is obvious now that they want the same thing. They want each other. And a family. They are perfect for each other. They just need to work on communicating more. Apparently, not only about their feelings, but also their past plans, and long-term future plans. Because they are no longer running a one-man show. They are in this together. Enjoying the now calm environment, Minwoo decides to use this moment to apologize for his own panicked rampage and cause his omega enough stress that he had to be hospitalized. Though he knows he is not to be fully blamed, he does think it is necessary. Wonho only smiles at the apology, his face relaxed. Laughing about how stupid and dramatic he was the last couple of days, he finally takes Minwoo''s hand. And places it on his stomach, looking at him hopefully. The action confuses Minwoo. ''What?'' ''The bump. There''s a bump. See?'' the smaller male lifts his large shirt and points at his stomach. It is indeed, a bit bigger than usual considering how skinny his mate is. But tha- Owh. OWH! ''Our baby! Owh god, Wonie-yah! You''re pregnant!'' Minwoo squeals, his tension high. They were having such a rough time that he couldn''t even be happy for their little alpha in Wonho''s tummy. Now that everything is over, his mind clear, Wonho finally officially tells his alpha about the news, sincerely able to feel excited for it. ''He''s going to be so cute! Omo, maybe just-'' the omega shushes the noisy male by placing a finger on his lips, asking him to shut up. Breathing heavily, trying to control himself, Minwoo watches as Wonho gets up from his seat and takes something from his bag on the kitchen table. His mate brings out something rectangular. Baby picture. Owh god!!! ''Is this? He''s so tiny! Owh, oh my. Wonie this-'' ''11 weeks. You wanna mark his conception day?'' Wonho teases the restless alpha who is smiling from ear to ear. Sitting back down, he only laughes as Minwoo starts to comment on every little thing about the black and white picture and dreaming about how he will teach their child to do ''alpha stuffs''. Happily listening to the raspy voice of his, Wonho''s stomach grumbles the moment he notices his untouched food. Not able to resist temptation, he brings up his forgotten chopstick and starts to eat again. ''What are you eating?'' His mate excitedly asks, curious. The brief inspection causes the man to gasp. ''Fish? Why are you eating fish?? Aren''t you allergic?'' To which Wonho only lifts his shoulder as a response. The surprised look however, is quickly changed to that of excitement, yet again. ''Omo, you''re having food-craving!'' ''Yah, shut up!'' Wonho finally decides to stop his mate from talking any longer. He is becoming really, really noisy right now. Owh no he didn''t. Minwoo just took a bite, ''Yah! This is my food!'' ''Blearghh!'' Minwoo sprays the extremely sour soup the moment it touches his tongue. Reaching for his drink, he gulpes everything in one shot, coughing the lingering taste from his mouth. ''What the hell is this? You squeezed lemon? Why?'' Wonho lifts his shoulders in response, yet again. ##### Hearing the door close, Wonho turns his position around to look at the alpha who just entered the bedroom. Minwoo had been talking with his father since after dinner, the two enjoying their time together for whatever reason. He wanted to join them but the medicine the doctor gave him made him sleepy, so he got inside earlier to rest. Reading the clock, he calls out to his mate. ''You''re still awake?'' ''Urm.'' He replies, making space for Minwoo to sit beside him. The man takes the sonogram from the table, stares at it and chuckles, finding the little bean with tiny legs protruding cute. Wonho wants to comment on how weird the bean actually looks with small hands but decides against it. Just enjoying the glistening look on his mate''s face. So handsome. Okay. The moment passed. ''There''s no ears.'' ''What?'' The alpha looks at Wonho, and Wonho repeats again, ''He has no ears. Just a ball with nose.'' ''Oh my god.'' Minwoo bursts out laughing, hitting his mate''s shoulder lightly which sends the other smiling his largest as well. ''Well thank god for that because we used a lot of bad words today.'' ''We really need to stop cursing.'' Wonho replies as he lies back down to rest after teasing his alpha. After the whole ordeal he put the man through, he just wants to make sure Minwoo is happy right now. His man deserves it. Listening to his laugh, and the hum he is making right now is enough proof. ''What''s that?'' Minwoo suddenly points at the book lying on the table causing Wonho to lift his head a bit to see the said thing. Lying back down, he answers, ''Guidebook. I bought it that day.'' ''Guidebook?'' ''Uh-uh. Cus I have no idea how to take care of that big-head.'' He points at the picture in Minwoo''s hand, enjoying the soft smile on the alpha at the name-call. He is not lying, he has no clue what he had gotten himself into. Since he thought it would take a while before he would actually carry one, Wonho had never even searched about it let alone read and study it. He knows he has so much to learn which is why he bought a complete guide. But it is clear now that he does not have to do it alone. His mate is a medical practitioner who knows the basics, and his family also have experience with pregnancies. All he has to do is ask. Minwoo lets go of his omega and sits up, making his way to the edge of the bed so he can grab the thick book. ''Male pregnancy.'' He reads as he turns the pages, inspecting the content. ''A lot of pictures too.'' ''Really?'' Wonho turns towards the alpha, grabbing his shoulder to pull him back to bed. It has been a while since he slept with his alpha, he craves for the warmth of Minwoo''s body and his protective scent. Forcing the man''s hand away from the book, he places his head on his bicep, putting his head on the crook of his neck to inhale as much scent as he can - that mossy smell that he loves. ''Lemme guess, you haven''t touched this.'' Minwoo comments. ''Nope. Let''s sleep.'' ''No. Let''s study. I need to learn too.'' He places a kiss on Wonho''s forehead and chuckles as he hears the annoyed grunt he missed so much. ''So, male pregnancy¡­'' -Family Addition: End- Chapter 168 - Forever Home 1 Wonho looks at the time and does a mental calculation for the umpteenth time this morning. They will need an hour to get to the airport so they still have about two hours to waste. He will wake his little alpha in a few more minutes. Walking upstairs, Wonho moves to his room and makes sure everything is tidy, even the toilet. He also changed the bedsheet to Minwoo''s favourite colour just because. Next, he opens the closet and once again, makes sure that his alpha''s clothes are already ironed and hanged. Just for the final satisfaction. ''Eomma¡­'' the whiny voice of his baby calls out, just awoken by his alarm clock. Just as he is about to go to his tiny alpha, the boy embraces him like a mummy''s boy he is. Smiling, Wonho sits down and brushes the messy hair back, gently placing a kiss to his precious child, ''Minho-yah, go and brush your teeth. We''re gonna see your appa and sisters!'' ##### Wonho holds the four-year-old in his arms, making sure the alpha will not get lost in the crowd. He looks at the screen, to confirm the arrival gate of his mate and slowly makes his way there. ''Are you excited?'' Little Minho nods, looking around in awe at the large interior of the airport. He always love the airport, especially the planes, having been here a few times to greet his father whenever his alpha comes to visit. He has also been in one, behaving so well that Wonho doesn''t mind bringing him back to Korea once a year. ''Big plane!'' Minho points towards the large window and Wonho nods, walking towards where his baby is pointing. His family just landed so there is really no rush in getting to the arrival gate. Might as well play around until Minho is satisfied. ''You''re hungry?'' the omega asks his child who is now literally pushing himself against the glass, wanting to be as close to the airplane as possible. Minho tries to shake his head but his head is stuck towards the left direction because of the glass so he only ends up vibrating. Laughing at the cute antics, Wonho moves slightly back and takes a picture. Then he sends it to his alpha. Minnie is so cute!! Appa''s coming!!! (//O3O//)~ - Minwoo ''Minho-yah, appa''s coming!'' He mentions and shows his phone to his boy. The kid grabs it and tries reading. He still has a long way to go, but he can read a few words. ''Come on! Let''s go wait for appa and your sisters!'' Wonho offers his hand. ##### Minho starts singing some random French song that he learnt from the TV shows while moving his body left and right, just to kill time. He saw a few Koreans already making their way out of the gate but there is still no sight of his family. Then more and more Asians come out, so Wonho stands up and moves closer to the rail. ''I can''t see!'' ''Up you go!'' Wonho grabs his kid and rests the boy on his shoulders, securing his tiny legs in his hand to make sure he won''t fall. ''You see appa?'' ''Nope.'' Wonho hums, his heart rate increasing by the second, too excited to finally greet his whole family. Then he smells something really familiar, his kid too. The boy screams, ''APPA!'' and begs to be let down. ''Not yet! He-'' ''APPPPAAAAA!!'' Minho quickly runs inside the rail and through the gate, Wonho''s heart dropped. One second, just one second he lets his guard down and the little alpha already makes a scene. Owh god. Wonho makes his way towards the guard, telling her about the situation so she will let him in. Just before he gets inside the door, he hears the voice of his children crying out to him. ''EOOMMMAAA!'' Honestly, he can see why the three are siblings. Despite not growing up together, they act the same. Noticing Minho already in Minwoo''s arm, Wonho waves excitedly, grinning as wide as he can and bows to his mother-in-law who is holding his twin girls in each of her hands. Now sure that his boy is safe, Wonho apologizes to the guard and moves back behind the rail, making way for the passengers to move. ''EOMMAA!'' His two girls run toward him, their tiny steps unstable. It is so cute to watch. Kneeling to catch them in his arms, he brings the twins up with him, moving his body around to play with them. They giggle happily and both just grab him tighter until it hurts a bit. ''Wonie!'' Wonho walks closer to his alpha, bunting their head lightly to show their affection without being inappropriate in front of their kids and his mother-in-law. Mrs. Kim brings her hand towards him and Wonho moves to get into her embrace. ''Haewon-ah, Sowon-ah, mummy''s tired. Get off him now.'' ''NOOOO!'' The two alphas screams, their high pitch voices hurt Wonho''s ears. Closing his eyes tightly, the omega looks at his mate who only laughs at their daughters, his face bemused but indifferent, as if telling him, ''They''re your problem now.'' Wonho only pouts and rolls his eyes. ''Do you wanna eat first?'' He asks his family, wondering if they are hungry after their 20-hour flight. The twins are clearly very active, he can imagine them just waking up and already ate. Minwoo shakes his head, ''I just wanna get home and rest.'' ''Me too. Jet-lag really takes a toll when you''re old.'' Mrs. Kim adds and Wonho laughs, shaking his head. Yes, he used to recover from jet-lag quickly when he first got here but over the years, he takes days to finally adjust to the new time-zone to be able to enjoy the stay to the fullest. Wonho puts down his two two-year-olds and starts pushing the trolley filled with luggage. Most of their stuff already arrived a few days earlier so only the essentials are in the suitcases. But even then, there are a lot. Well, most of them are clearly his mother-in-law''s. Wonho puts everything in the boot of the four-wheeler before securing all his kids in their seat-belts. He then sets the navigation and starts driving. After four years, his whole family will finally be together in their house. Transferring to the new hospital took longer than expected because Minwoo was completing his research while polishing his skills to build his CV. Then he learnt French to increase his chance of getting a job in one of the best hospitals in France since the native language is not English, not that his mate speaks English well either. Wonho didn''t mind though. Here, he was tasked with finding a nice house and researching how to raise kids here. Minho came to stay with him once the twins were born, and the Kims will visit once in a while, especially during his heat to take care of the boy. Wonho also already experienced going through his heat alone, so he can do it by himself just fine now, whenever the timing of his heat changes suddenly. But most of the time, he flew back to Korea a week before and worked remotely instead. And after all that hardship, his family is finally together. Heading towards their forever home. Everything is worth it. Chapter 169 - Forever Home 2 ''Eoommmmaaaa!!'' Wonho grunts in bed, having to wake with his children already fighting. True to noble alpha''s traits, his three children already start fighting, especially over his attention. Things were so peaceful when they were apart - Minho getting his attention and the twins having lots of omegas around to give them theirs. Now that he is the only omega in the household, they tiny alphas really try their best to make their marks. And the only one who can stop them is mate, the highest alpha in the hierarchy. One word, one look and the kids whimpers like puppies. Honestly, so cute. So cute. ''Minwoo¡­'' Wonho turns to his alpha who reacts the same as he did. It is Saturday, both the working parents do not want to get up early. He always wonders why they sleep soundly on the weekdays when they need to go to the nursery but wake up so freaking early on the weekend. It is as if they purposely do it to torture them. ''MinWOOO!'' He whines again, really wanting his alpha to do something as he hears the footsteps rushing towards their room. The man only grunts again before the door to their room is opened and his boy hops on to the bed and gets in between the two. Then the two girls follow. Wonho sighs inwardly, opening his eyes to pretend to be concerned. ''What''s wrong with my babies?'' ''Minnie-oppa don''t want to share!'' The two girls complain, crossing their tiny hands sounding really angry. But honestly, they sound like chipmunks to the two adult males who both have deep voices, it is hard to take them seriously. Wonho turns to look at his oldest son and see him with a long pout and a deep frown on his face. Very much like Minwoo''s. ''Why not?'' He asks before his hand travels to his mate to pinch him. How dare his alpha sleep and leave the kids to him. Minwoo only reacts by increasing his pheromones, giving the opportunity for Wonho to escape. ''Look, appa is mad!'' Both the girls open their mouths dramatically and put their hands on their mouths, as if to show how shocked they are. Wonho quickly gestures for them to go out quietly before their dad wakes up and they do as they are told, tiptoeing very slowly Wonho has a hard time holding in his laughter. Once they are out, closing the door behind them, Wonho falls back down on the bed and scoots over to his mate for a cuddle. Taking a deep breath, wanting to continue sleeping, Minwoo suddenly turns around. ''The twins bullying Minho again?'' ''Uh-uh.'' Wonho answers. Since the girls grow up together, they already formed a pack along with their cousins before coming to France. So for them, their brother is an outsider. On the other hand, Minho thinks his mother is a part of his pack, so to him, the twins are the outsiders. Even at such a young age, their alpha traits are already so strong. Well, to be exact, their traits are strong because they are still young but still, having alpha kids sucks. Thank god their dad is an alpha too. And a noble at that. ''Minho needs a friend.'' Wonho mutters nonchalantly, worrying about his only son. At least with another new child, there is a possibility for the two to form a bond since he is sure the twins will not be happy with a new addition. It will be perfect if they have another son too, so Minho can quickly associate himself with the kid just based on their physical appearance. ''No!'' Minwoo''s voice surprised Wonho who was about to enter his dreamland. He opens his eyes to see a pout on that pretty face, very much what his son had just a few moments ago. Making a weird face to the alpha, Wonho closes his eyes again when Minwoo insists, ''No more kids.'' ''Okay.'' Wonho laughs through his nose. The last pregnancy with the twins was very dramatic and stressful for his alpha. His biological mother died giving birth to a third child, a very rare in the noble alpha family. From experience, omegas carrying noble alpha children only manage to have two kids, with the birth of the next ones causing more and more difficulty and health issues to the mother. Then Wonho carried twins. And the whole noble family went wild. Because one, that never happened in history - twin noble alphas, and two - he was carrying his second and third child at once, which means there was a high possibility of him not making it. Minwoo got so depressed at the latter that he even thought about aborting one just for the sake of his omega. But at the same time, he didn''t want to. Thankfully, the twins were born healthy with Wonho having no more complications than his first pregnancy, and the duo quickly became Grandma Kim''s favourite. A fourth child is obviously out of the question. In fact, it is obvious Minwoo no longer wants another child because, he stopped knotting. And Wonho is really enjoying the ride. He also stopped asking to cum inside during his heat just for good measures. Instead, they enjoy that kind of stuff outside his heat, when he is not fertile. Who knows they finally experienced their honeymoon phase after the birth of their third child? ##### ''You two, stop bothering your mom.'' Grandma Kim warns the mischievous duo who is planning on scaring their mother. Wonho just got back from shopping with Minho since his boy is getting big so fast. Saying thanks to the old woman, Wonho puts the plastic bags on the table before greeting Minwoo who just appears from the kitchen. ''When are you going?'' Grandma Kim asks, wondering when the mates will spend their time together at the hotel. The woman comes here every three months to look after her great-grandchildren while the mates spend their heat together. Looking at the date, and the tracker, Wonho shakes his head. He is late. For a month. And he is not stressed, so this is weird. Had they have sex without protection last heat, Wonho would assume he is pregnant again considering his sudden increase in appetite but since that was not the case, he just assumes he had been happy-eating. The old omega, on the other hand, thinks otherwise. Despite not liking it, concerned about Wonho''s health, the signs are obvious. Wonho is definitely carrying again. Bringing out the boxed device she bought yesterday, she passes it to the younger omega. ''Haha, so funny halmeoni.'' Minwoo rolls his eyes before grabbing it from his grandmother. Wonho laughs together, enjoying the weird attempt at a joke by the old woman. Just as he is about to go to the kitchen to grab something to bite, Grandma Kim holds his arm, ''Just do it.'' ''O...kay?'' Wonho agrees, not comfortable with the serious tone. He looks over at his mate who shakes his head and brings his shoulders up to gesture that he has no idea what is going on either. Doing as told, Wonho pees on the stick and leaves it on the sink for a while. While waiting for the result, he goes out and grabs his sandwich that Minwoo prepared, not really caring since they are confident the result will be negative. Laughing to themselves about how absurd the request was, they both jump when the old woman screams from the bathroom. ''It''s positive!'' Wonho and Minwoo swallow hard. Owh hell no. -Forever Home: End-