Chapter Text
Soonyoung was not surprised when news of his wedding began to circulate around. Arriving at a ripe age of thirty three, he had went on to conquer his familial business, made his own mark and had created a remarkable difference; a good one at that.
So when his parents push an A3 envelope towards him at dinner, he refuses to un-tape and take a look at it. His father insisted, saying how he cannot change his mind after they finish sealing the deal and Soonyoung remains not bothered by the implications.
In this world of secondary genders, it is impossible to revert back once a bond has been created. Soonyoung knows he had given his parents a tough time by being picky with his preference. He always found men a little more appealing than the women and male omegas are a rarity.
He didn't stress much on the omega part but his family and him are in the need to have someone carry out the lineage and in that case, a heir is a must. He has no time to properly go on a date, impress someone, court and marry. Romance didn't interest him much than the figures of his multi corp did. So he resorted to trust his luck in marriage and began this risky journey of accepting whomever his parents choose.
It'd be a bonus if that person pleases his alpha side as well.
'Good then, Son. I'd talk to Mr.Lee and his son and get a word from them. They definitely won't say no to us, so you can prepare yourself to have a husband by your side in three months.'
'Very well, father.' He responds nonchalantly, showing much attention to the rice cakes in his plate.
His mother had caught his thoughts some how.
'Dear, if you are not interested in starting a life with a man, do not engage. Marriage means responsibility. It is not just about you anymore.' She says with a little reprimanding tone and Soonyoung bristles.
'I have acquiesced to your wishes, what more you need?'
'We need your full commitment.' His mother answers in a blink of an eye. 'We don't need you to push away the poor being and make him feel like an outcast. It's unacceptable in this household.'
Soonyoung gives her a look. He's not a complete douche or the alpha-asshole, akin to what the society generalizes his kind. There's a bit of humanity left and he's not some monster who'd go around disrespecting his omega.
'I give my word, Mother. I swear on you, that I would treat my mate with reverence. You both can proceed with the arrangements. Contact my assistant if you need to hear anything from me. Thanks for the dinner.'
Wiping the plate clean with one last scoop, he pushes the chair back and makes his way out of the huge mansion, feeling sick to the stomach on thinking of his helicopter parents.
He has to take care of someone in future, a kind of a man who is more dependent on his biology, a meek trembling character who'd nod to anything he says.
His car engine roars to life and he's on the road in record time. Soonyoung realizes that his time won't be his anymore. That personal space, that liberty, will all be gone.
'God-' He groans at a red light. This is not something adjacent to his expectations, at all.
The day of wedding comes faster than he had anticipated.
His father had excitedly announced the day two weeks after the dinner and Soonyoung hummed in acknowledgement, slightly bummed by the thought of having to give away his single status.
His assistant- Lee Chan- had taken upon everything to arrange for the marriage from his side, including the suit fitting. Soonyoung had jokingly told him that he should marry his betrothed in his place and the young male beta shook his head comically, utterly mortified by the prospect.
But that young bud also made an off-hand remark about it.
"I saw your husband to be, Mr.Kwon. To say that he's good looking is an understatement.'
Soonyoung refused to give it a thought. The standard of society, blinded by the impact of omegan traits, always paints the people of that kind with a pleasant appeal. If he's not wrong, this man will be some what his height, curves everywhere and will posses an alluring scent that is capable of driving everyone crazy.
'Soonyoung.' His best friend, Seokmin nudges him from the side to look at the entrance of the church.
The man he's about to marry is there, but Soonyoung couldn't make out much due to the brightness seeping in through the opened windows.
A partial silhouette of a small body is what he sees first and the crowd on both sides are on their feet. Some outright cooing at the arriving man.
Suddenly he sees a face and he could muster up only one thing:
Oh.
He is short in stature- not too much but his head would brush against his shoulder while standing side by side. His raven hair is fluffy, that gains a gleam from the sunshine sneaking in through the roof of the church. Staying true to his omegan kind are the traits of smooth pale honey skin, small pink lips and those eyes-
Are crescent like and icy.
The man before, is looking at him, straight in the eyes, seemingly not giving a rat-ass about etiquette.
Soonyoung won't agree if anyone tells him that they saw him let out a small smile at the sight of his soon to be husband.
He understands that his assistant was not entirely wrong. His betrothed seems like a fine man. More than fine, in fact. Suddenly Soonyoung feels a tad bit self conscious of his own attire. His silver blue-grey suit looks good on him. At least that's what Seokmin said.
He turns to steal a glance at the man and he deflates at the way the other looks absolutely ethereal in his white suit. He's just standing there, looking good in every way-
'Can we proceed?' The minister stresses out, most likely to gain his attention and he nods, sheepishly. The unknown scent of exotic floral reaches his nostrils and when he cranes his neck, he finds his husband to be staring right in to his soul.
Soonyoung learns that his husband's name is Lee Jihoon.
At altar, embarrassingly enough.
He should have taken the envelope from his father and had gone through Jihoon's history when he had a chance because, fuck, Soonyoung wants to know everything about him. The omega is oddly silent, giving him occasional nods and a "yes" whenever he feels like.
Their wedding ceremony now prolongs to what is called "after party" and they are in a car driving to the spot. The shield separating the driver's and passengers' compartment feels utterly useless with the way newly married couple act like nothing extra-ordinary has happened.
'What do you do, Jihoon?'
The omega smiles a little too tightly and Soonyoung instantly feels sorry for him. It's painful to act polite.
'I am a music producer. I also co-own Lee Entertainment label. It's surprising that you are not aware of my whole bio-data.'
Soonyoung manages to chuckle awkwardly. 'I'm not interested in music. I work all day and catching a break for lunch is a miracle.' He kind of expected to get a sympathetic look from Jihoon or a bit of appreciation for working hard but all he receives is a "are you for real?" look.
Jihoon resumes the one thing he'd been doing since they boarded the Audi : looking at the passing road through the window shield.
It kind of indirectly implicates that Jihoon finds empty roads more interesting than a full grown alpha beside him and it irks Soonyoung very much. He lamely tries to attempt further by relaxing his collar buttons, wondering if his musky scent will do any good garnering Jihoon's attention.
He kind of back pedals, however and wonders why he is acting out of character, out of nowhere. He had been imploring his fate to get him out of the wedding crisis less than twelve hours ago and now here he is, acting like a love sick puppy.
Sighing to himself, he focuses on the moving buildings, biting his lips at his own stupidity.
It's just the other's omega speaking to his dumb head alpha. Nothing else.
He doesn't know a Jihoon and he wishes to stray from the binding contacts of marriage to a possible amount of time. They are total strangers pushed to a wedlock, like in Victorian times and guess what, it is 21st century now.
Against his self restrain, he finds himself taking a curious glance at the man and finds Jihoon nodding off to the smooth mobility of the car. This time he admits to himself that he did smile.
Jihoon seems not to be the kind he was dreading and a semblance of peace washes over him.
It's too quick to gather up a conclusion but he's immensely pleased by his parents' choice, at the moment. They have found someone whom Soonyoung wouldn't mind saying a "Hello" and sit with, for a cup of coffee.
He feels like he can get used to it.
The after party was a somber affair that Soonyoung almost fell asleep while giving his great aunt a hug. Jihoon seems to be courteous enough to offer a graceful smile, but upon closer inspection anyone could tell that he is this close to ending it all.
They both are now in a expensive suite decorated well for them- to you know absolutely make a mess of it, but Soonyoung feels it would be a miracle if Jihoon go as far as shaking hands with him.
At the altar, they hadn't kissed each other on lips and Soonyoung is not in the place to complain about it.
Jihoon enters fresh from the bathroom in a blue striped pajamas and this simplicity paints the omega in a much different pleasant colors. From ethereal ravishing to humble prettiness.
'Would you mind if I take the bed? The omega's crystal clear voice sends a wave of heat down Soonyoung's spine and he solely nods, scooting over to the very end of the opposite side, despite sharing a king sized bed.
'You won't mind me staying here, do you?' Soonyoung asks, just to be on the safer side.
Jihoon gives him a look, in a muted threatening way before he shakes his head. 'No.'
Soonyoung gets to switch off the lights, the orange luminosity shedding the darkness away. He knows it is going to be awkward around having a stranger for a mate but this is positively suffocating.
It is impossible to function around having your husband being his ghost of self around you.
'Jihoon, are you asleep?'
The reply comes ten seconds later. 'I was about to. What do you want Soonyoung?'
The alpha turns on his side, facing his husband. Jihoon refuses to give him full attention as he chooses to stare at the ceiling. Soonyoung chuckles at that.
'You know, you can look at me. I believe I'm not that unsightly.' He says and it works like a magic when the omega tilts his head and graces him with a barest hint of smile. In the hindsight, it does distract Soonyoung from conducting a productive conversation.
'So?' Jihoon prompts and the alpha clears his throat.
'I know we have no idea about each other and I'm not asking you to have my kids at the earliest-' Soonyoung internally berates himself for the wrong choice of words but he continues without back pedaling. '-but for the sake of my sanity, can we please be on good terms. I am not a social butterfly and you are not too, I presume, but this tension in air is hard to deal with.'
'Okay.' Jihoon ends the conversation with a single syllable, closing his eyes shortly after and the alpha feels like a clown running the circus.
Soonyoung is a man someone who values his words and is not much of a talker but Jihoon here seems to be a prodigy at this.
He sighs and tosses over, a nagging thought ruining his peace.
Should I just camp in my office for the sake of both of us?
Jihoon might have given him a single word response but he had kept up the promise he made with his warm smile every morning and formality questions like "Have you had your coffee?".
It should be an improvement from Soonyoung's perspective but that's not how he feels.
It feels too rehearsed, more or like an obligation on Jihoon's part. But Soonyoung can't complain with what he's given.
They moved to a different condo, one that is in the center of the city, equally closer to both of their work destinations. Shifting things was quite a work and that all happened in absolute silence.
It went to the point that Soonyoung deliberately dropped a stack of his documents on the floor and Jihoon spared him a glance before meticulously arranging albums on his own self allocated shelf.
Soonyoung took the liberty to cancel on the honeymoon trip both of their parents have gifted them with, which Seokmin found it as an absolute douche move. His assistant Lee Chan too admits it.
'You just cannot cancel it on his behalf too, Soonyoung. This is exactly what your mom told you over dinner.'
Soonyoung ignores the reasoning in the favor of analyzing a new proposal from the marketing team. Those electronics are not gonna sell itself.
'Kwon, I'm talking to you.'
He sighs, flipping close the files with much exasperation. 'He's ignoring me, he won't even take a glance at me. It's paining him to ask if I had eaten or not. I'd rather not give him the trouble.'
Chan leaves the room with a shake of his head, knowing his boss is completely helpless which Soonyoung notices with a feel of irate.
'Soonyoung, omegas wish to get courted and married. That didn't happen in his case. He probably must be feeling bad about it because everyone deserves some appreciation.'
'Well, for starters he knows what he's signing up for. I'm known for paying shit about these romantic stuff and that we have our career goals forefront than building a home together.'
Seokmin gives him a sad smile, torso presented forward. 'You couldn't be more wrong, Soonyoung. What are you so tirelessly working for? Seeking validation from countless business magnates? No, we work to provide for our family. That's the primary reason! Excelling to stand out comes next.'
He knows his friend has a point but he couldn't bring himself to concede. 'I cannot be the only one wishing to work our marriage. Jihoon must be relenting too.'
'How will you know what's going on inside of his head if you don't talk to him?'
'He doesn't want to talk, Seokmin. That's my whole concern. He's visually appealing and I cannot just barge and make babies with him. I feel much bad about his discomfort than he probably feels for himself.'
Seokmin's usual pleasant smile vanishes. 'Fool, just talk to him. Don't judge and decide for him.'
Soonyoung is not the only workaholic in the new Kwon household. More often than not, the alpha gets a reminder of Jihoon's presence in the apartment in the form of residual flowery scent which he has taken a liking to. Sometimes he lingers around Jihoon's room just to get a whiff of it in its purity but his own act comes slapping his face when his conscience chides him for his peculiar, out of character behavior.
Abiding by Seokmin's advise, he seeks a conversation starter and it comes to him in the form their wedding album.
On a Saturday morning, he more or less corners Jihoon into the living room and settles the heavy weight of the album on his lap.
'Wanna see it together?'
Jihoon gives him a look of incredulity and Soonyoung wisely ignores it, knowing being forward and shameless will what bring both of them out of this predicament.
So he flips and cringes at some of their poses and Jihoon too, appears to be feeling the same. Those were nicely shot, very well in fact but Jihoon and himself were too rigid and awkward, smiling tightly.
'We really should have done this wedding at the Government registration office.' Jihoon speaks up and Soonyoung is almost pushed to tears by the length of the sentence. The omega has spoken!
'Then people wouldn't have known that we got married. That was the whole purpose behind the wedding, wasn't it?' He makes a comment by looking through the photos and quickly flips over the ones taken at the altars because in those, he's quite fondly gazing at Jihoon and he doesn't like that look on his face.
'True.' Jihoon breathes, feet on the floor, ready to get out of the place. Soonyoung senses the move from the push of couch cushions and he keeps the omega in place by grabbing his wrist. It's the second time he manages to have a direct contact with the omega, a sparse yet significant tingle spreads past his vein at the touch.
The omega serves him a look and Soonyoung retracts quickly. 'You can sit down and see this with me, you know? We rarely get to spend time with each other.'
Jihoon sits down, crossing his legs and hands folded. He's wearing a tight look and Soonyoung finds that adorable in an indescribable way.
'I really don't see the point of looking at this. As you said, this is just a formal way of announcing to people that Kwon Corp and Lee Management has joined hands to shake the industries of South Korea.'
If Soonyoung didn't know better, he would think that Jihoon is entirely bitter about the whole situation. But no. He is cognizant of the repercussions and is not willing to look past this as something more than a business arrangement. It is quite disappointing to know that Jihoon is not willing to cross the boundaries. So far from what he has observed, Lee Jihoon is a man anchored to formalities, responsibilities and obligations.
'We can shake hands too. As Soonyoung and Jihoon.' Soonyoung's impulsive self doesn't let him hold back. He figures that there is no harm in trying. 'Are we going to be like this till we get old?'
Jihoon lets out a low chuckle that should be insulting but Soonyoung couldn't bring himself to find it like that. His temper is oddly not short today.
'You don't do these things just because you have to do it. It should happen without being held by the shackles of obligations and responsibilities. It's nice of you to try giving it a chance but I can see you're kind of forcing yourself into doing this. Honestly, don't mind me. Be the way you used to be.'
Soonyoung wants to open his mouth and reply but he remains silent until Jihoon vacates the place.
The following week seems nothing more out of ordinary.
Except Jihoon one day starts a conversation, at their living room and Soonyoung's hands hover over the keyboard of his notebook, feeling absolutely thrilled. He's sure their home cook who's placing cups of tea before them is also shook by this strange demeanor.
'Are you free this Friday?'
Soonyoung honestly doesn't know. He'd have to ask Chan about his schedule. He doesn't say that to Jihoon, however.
'Is it something important?'
Jihoon nods, sipping his tea.The cook leaves the place and Soonyoung closes the notebook for better.
'I'm getting an award on Korean Music Festival this weekend and I think your presence is expected.'
Soonyoung is not going to lie, but with the way Jihoon phrases it in such a manner that he's not the one who is in need of his attendance there kind of stings in so many ways. He knows it's all just a business arrangement but a little bit of respect can be nice, at least once in a while.
'Has the event manager made it mandatory to bring in a plus one?' Soonyoung asks and he finds Jihoon sporting an unreadable expression at that.
'It would be nice if you come.'
That doesn't answer his question but he takes it anyways, for its worth. The floral scent douses the dining hall's air and Soonyoung breathes through his mouth to not get that enhancing odor to his head. It kind of renders him disabled whenever he takes a whiff of it.
'Are we going together?'
There's a wonderful shade of pink on Jihoon's cheeks and Soonyoung does not misses it. This man is adorable beyond limits and he would be surprised if none of the alphas had a go at Jihoon. In a way it won't be surprising, because his husband is a man who'd smack you off feet with an icy glare.
'Of-Of course. Besides it would be more easy.'
Soonyoung nodded and gave a small smile. 'Alrighty then. Send me the event details. I'll be prepared.'
Except on Friday, Soonyoung gets caught with an important meeting with clients, who are prolonging the appointment with unnecessary talks. He's exactly not in the position to tell them off in a subtle way as these people have been in contact with the Kwon Corp for almost twenty years. It is to be noted that they are personal acquaintances of his father and one of them wanted to marry his daughter into the Kwon's family.
The alpha is in the edge of his seat, secretively glancing at the digital clock and sighing to himself internally.
The event will start at 7.00. He's in his office and the time now is 7.30PM.
The apartment is empty when he returns back, save for the cook who is placing the dishes on the table robotically. It's itching in him to ask Jihoon's whereabouts but he restricts himself when he realizes that the omega would not bother leaving behind info for the sake of Soonyoung. The least he could do is watch the live broadcast, which he does, and he silently claps when Jihoon bags the "Best Producer Award 2019".
Soonyoung wonders how come a man who has no taste in music is married to a man who's career relies entirely on it. The conversation at the car after their wedding, comes to his mind and belatedly assumes that his answer should have been somewhat better, a little sympathetic. He could have asked about Jihoon's work life and how it is to produce songs- considering how he is celebrated among the singers and co-producers.
Jihoon gives his acceptance speech, a beautiful smile on his face and Soonyoung's lips part in awe.
He has never seen Jihoon smile this widely ever since they got married. Partially, his alpha is feeling a little incompetent and Soonyoung turns off that thought with a shake of his head.
His husband is doning a black tux, a little smudge of eye-liner and gloss over his small lips. His hair is styled, pushed back to reveal his forehead and-
Soonyoung snatches his phone and calls Jihoon's assistant. He makes the phone call quick, asking if Jihoon had anyone to accompany him to the ceremony and inquires about his mode of transport. When the young woman meekly replies him that the omega had been taken by a friend of his to the ceremony, Soonyoung ends the call with a swift tap on his phone and grabs his car key, his office attire on him not giving the need to change into a new pair.
When his audi drives past the intersection, to the back gates of the ceremony location, does Soonyoung's mind supplies him with the question of the century: What are you doing now?
He tries to focus on the road but ultimately grips on the steering wheel when he understands what he's doing now.
He is looking out for Jihoon? He is caring about Jihoon? He doesn't trusts Jihoon's welfare in someone else's company?
A bitter chuckle leaves his mouth. Jihoon would be much happy in someone else's presence. But for some reason, that doesn't sit well with him. This world is filled with bad, bad people and his husband, Lee Jihoon is a small unsuspecting soul who'd marry anyone his father pointed at. Well, Soonyoung kind of did the same thing but Jihoon and he are not same, in more than one ways.
He sure knows that the omega is no weakling but the alphas around are not to be trusted at all.
After parking at a good distance, Soonyoung calls the omega, all hesitant and anxious.
He was surprised when Jihoon picked it up in two rings. His mind blanked out, unable to coherently form a sentence as his eyes wander through the bright lights of the stadium entrance.
'Soonyoung?'
It comes as a breathy hushed tone and Soonyoung wonders if Jihoon is in some trouble or sorts. (He is very much worried that if someone has kidnapped his husband.)
'Jihoon, do you need someone to pick up from the ceremony?' He asks, voice a little high pitched and direct. He masks the offer with thoughtfulness, just in case if Jihoon has left already. He doesn't want to make a fool of himself by waiting for nobody.
'It won't be necessary, Soonyoung. My friend here is willing to drop me.'
He scoffs. 'Too bad I am at the back gates. I am waiting for you.'
There is a good amount of silence before he hears a watery "I'll be there"
Soonyoung angles his neck before the rear view mirror, styling his hair a little and folding the cuffs of his striped blue shirt up to his elbows. He knows the look will flatter him mostly and just for a good measure, he unclasps the first two buttons, exposing his throat and clavicle.
The security stands aligning the gate, ready- and soon, singers and entertainers come marching down wearing a tired look, all glittery clothed but none brighter. Shoulders slumped, they board cars and mini-vans of various models and amidst the chaotic scene, he smells Jihoon first before he spots him.
The floral scent intensifies when the omega's wandering eyes catches his, and Soonyoung likes to believe that there was a small smile involved in it. There's also someone standing beside Jihoon- whom he supposes as the friend his husband mentioned. Before he could take a closer up look, Jihoon nods his friend goodbye and walks down the path and oof-
The camera man who shot Jihoon didn't do justice to his ethereal looks at all.
'Sorry, did you wait long?' Jihoon asks and Soonyoung dumbly shakes his head, finding himself incapable of conjuring up a verbal answer.
'Cool, let's go.'
The night is blacker than usual and Soonyoung tries to concentrate on his breathing, as well as the road. His husband's scent is way too powerful these days and he wonders if the omega is doing it on purpose.
'Jihoon, I-' He clears his throat. 'I apologize for not making it to the ceremony. Got caught up by some responsibilities I cannot avoid.'
Jihoon hums and casts him a short look. 'It's okay, Soonyoung. I understand.'
Soonyoung feels even more bad after the easy acceptance. He wished he received an earful from the omega, or at least called names for being an ignorant ass. He knows it is technically not his fault but seeing your own husband attending the event all by himself doesn't sit well with him.
He drives in to the road leading to their penthouse and he continues further. 'I know I should have not made you wait. I should have informed you at least, but I couldn't move a muscle in a room full of people and I feel really bad about it.'
'Soonyoung....' There's a light sense of impatience in Jihoon's tone. 'You don't have to be so hard on yourself. It's just an award ceremony that nobody of your kind gives a fuck about it. I was surprised when you actually agreed to come with me.'
'My kind?'
'Yeah.' Jihoon affirms. 'You really don't look like someone who'd enjoy music or think it is necessary. It would have been hellish if you were to be there at the ceremony.'
Soonyoung shakes his head, driving into the building's car parking. 'I watched the show live, I liked their performances. They were not bad.'
You were outstanding and pretty like a blooming flower.
'I'm flattered that you are trying to accustom to my interests just because you failed to make it to the event. As I said, no worries, Soonyoung. There will be another ceremony to attend together.' Jihoon says. 'On the other hand, I'm sure paparazzi caught sight of us together. That'd give us more publicity than attending the event itself.'
Again, the business arrangement.
Growing irate, Soonyoung slams the break and gives a hard look. 'It's not about posing for the public always Jihoon!'
'Then what it is?' Jihoon levels him a calm expression, unbuckling his seat belt.
What it is?
He doesn't see Jihoon as his husband or a lover. They hardly know each other for three weeks. Jihoon had not given him a reason to be good with. Essentially, nothing supports their relationship.
Jihoon opens the car door. 'That's what I thought.'
Since that day on, Soonyoung had been in a foul mood, particularly mad at Jihoon.
It had greatly affected his office persona and embarrassingly enough, he had growled at his poor assistant when he started chatting up about his producer husband. Seokmin, of course has his own life and cannot run behind him all the time and the piling paper work on his desk influences him to throw a little tantrum, by smacking it across the hall.
The fact that he should pick it up next morning annoys him further.
Ride to home was a smooth affair but when he found the penthouse void of humans other than him, it pushed him to the end of his temper. The floral scent, as usual, turned out to be the remnants of Jihoon's existence and he marches to his room, slamming the door shut. He falls face first to the bed, groaning badly at the way he wants to hunt Jihoon down and smack some sense into him.
A bad part of him wonders what it would feel to nose Jihoon's column of neck and nibble the skin there. The omega is just pure temptation on legs, his pretty eyes and that gorgeous smile. He could almost imagine doing various sinful activities to his husband but he keeps himself in check. He just cannot imagine that with someone who purely wants the relationship to be a business arrangement.
Hell, Soonyoung did too in the past but he wants to see where this goes.
Living with Jihoon doesn't seem to be a bad decision after all. Except it would be more nice if his husband greets him when he comes up, leans on his tip toes to give him a welcome kiss and-
'Argh!' Soonyoung tosses the pillow away and kicks his legs in air, finding it difficult to stop thinking about the man. Eventually, exhaustion tampers his fight down and he gives into the beckoning pleasure of fitful sleep.
He feels someone nudging his shoulder and Soonyoung's ready to mutilate the hands of that someone except it dissolves into nothingness when he finds Jihoon, clad in a white tee and shorts. It's almost like a fever dream, too good to be true.
'Soonyoung.'
He hears the call like his head is under water, but he sits up straight anyway, only to fall back on to the bed with a heavy thud. His muddled mind wonders why is he being pulled down by his own mattress and Jihoon clears everything with a short sentence, sparing his brain, the effort.
'You are sick. You have high temperature.' Jihoon leans a little closer. 'Should we visit the hospital?'
Soonyoung at that state could very well mention that Jihoon doesn't have to act nice around him, but he's sick and his mind at the moment is not equipped to utter a coherent sentence.
So he only shakes his head, wanting to combat the fit his immune system is throwing at him. It's not like he had anything particularly new or food from outside. A hand presses against his forehead and he hisses at the coolness of it.
'You're burning up.' Jihoon says, concerned and Soonyoung tries to lie away from the omega, resisting the urge to lean into the touch and smell his wrist. What's wrong with him?
'Alright you stay here, I'll be back.'
Soonyoung thinks to himself that he can't move even if he wishes to and guesses that Jihoon is outside, calling his family doctor. Except it is not, because the omega returns after few minutes with a bowl of boiling water and towels.
'Jihoon you don't have to do this. You can call my mom's home helper or something.' Soonyoung weakly states but Jihoon pays no attention to it, simply dipping the towel in the bowl, wringing it so much force that the alpha gulps a little at it.
The omega sits beside him and flattens the moist towel on his forehead. Soonyoung couldn't help but sniff the floral scent and inclines a little closer to the source of it, hoping Jihoon doesn't catch him in the fact.
'Is your throat alright? Having a headache?' The voice is somber and caring, that Soonyoung preens under the concern, which is so uncharacteristic of him. Where had the indifferent, know it all, alpha boss has gone?
'Soonyoung?'
'I'm fine, Jihoon. No such symptoms.' This time around, he blatantly scoots towards Jihoon, almost pressing his nose to the omega's thigh on the bed. With his eyes closed, he kind of expected the other to drift away but Jihoon stays there which brings some odd sorts of comfort in him.
'Open your mouth'
Soonyoung creaks an eye open to find a thermometer pressed against his lips. He lets the instrument slip under his tongue and for some reason Jihoon holds on to it, as though the alpha would swallow if not for the grip on it. Soonyoung takes that opportunity to bring his nostril near Jihoon's wrist and before he could get a deep inhale-
'I00.8, not too bad but definitely a fever. I think the wet cloth will do. You should pay attention to your health as much as you work to secure a top position.'
'You have no rights to say that, Jihoon. You don't come home at all.' Soonyoung says with no heat in his words and Jihoon kind of gives him a muted bewildered look.
'You noticed?'
This boy is unbelievable. 'Of course! I would notice! The food is untouched, you are not there...it's hard to miss with just two of us living in this wide expanse.'
Jihoon gave a lopsided smile, a sincere one and it made Soonyoung want to rejoice at the development.
'I thought you won't give a fuck about what I do. Glad to know that you are paying attention.' Jihoon sobers up from what appeared to be the slip of his cold mask. 'Anyways, close your eyes and rest. If this is not a flu, the fever should go down by afternoon.'
I do care about you. I'd like to see where this goes.
But like what the omega advised, he closes his eyes and finds peace in the gently floral doused air of his room. His irate self disappears and he thinks he's officially going mad.
'He took care of you when you got mildly sick?' Seokmin puts forward his rhetorical question, a teasing smirk that ultimately triggers a shy smile on Soonyoung's face.
After waking up from a fitful sleep, he found Jihoon working near him, with papers spread out on his night table, wearing specs and hair pushed out by a black band. His face was bare, little pink in color but pale around the edges of his mouth. He was nibbling the tip of an yellow pencil and Soonyoung suddenly wanted to be that piece of wood.
'Yeah he did.' Soonyoung agrees, looking a little downcast. 'What I am worried more about is that he's suddenly looking like a god in my eyes. Everything he does seems to catch my attention and I-'
'Are you lusting after him?'
Soonyoung got a little flustered at that.
He's no stranger to bedding an unknown omega but with Jihoon, it's entirely a different affair. It's like almost, he's a young teenager who's timid personality is leaving him speechless before his crush.
'You can say so.' He says instead of admitting the truth. It's much more easy to agree to Seokmin's quip than reveal his complicated mess of a feeling.
'You never used to be this affected when your hormones hits your head. Maybe you should just ask him. You guys got married with no feelings involved, maybe take advantage of the privilege offered?'
Soonyoung can sense a bad idea when he hears one.
Jihoon seems to be that untouchable royalty that he couldn’t dream of having tea with. He appears to be a level above everyone and proposing him with a deal of such nature....
'That'd be an absolute mess of a wreck.' He says, fast typing down a report he needs to submit to the Board of Directors. 'He already despises me in a subtle way. The last thing I want is him to call me a "douche" whenever I pass by."
'Last time I checked you didn't give a damn about the guy you were about to marry.'
Soonyoung's hands pauses over the keyboard and he sneaks a glance at his best friend who's giving him this awfully "told you so" look. Conjuring up a lame excuse, he dismisses Seokmin with a wave of hand, who thankfully listened to him, probably knowing that the alpha needs to be left alone with his thoughts.
Sometimes, the fact that he is now married to Jihoon comes surprising. What is even more surprising and equally thrilling is that, he very much likes the idea of it.
Soonyoung scrubs his face at the damned realization.
The alpha, moments later finds himself browsing about his husband and he actually smiles at the mention of his name in Jihoon's biography.
Spouse: Kwon Soonyoung (2019 - )
On a Saturday morning, he finds Jihoon in the best of his domesticity.
A black tee, grey loose shorts and a spatula in his hands. Soonyoung marches to the open kitchen like a vodoo doll and quite dramatically gasps at the ingredients set to go in the flame.
'Where's the cook?'
Jihoon grunts a morning before proceeding to answer his question. 'I gave him a day off. He's sick, I don't want you to catch germs from him.'
Oh sweet Jesus.
'That's-That's very nice of you, Jihoon.'
The omega sends him a small smile before moving to the other side of the kitchen, picking out something from the cupboards. Soonyoung notices the hushed sound of song playing in the back ground and he inches quickly to Jihoon's phone kept on the stand, increasing the volume to a higher audible range.
It's some nice melody, lovely chorus and youthful overall. It reminds him of having crush on a sweet guy in hot summer.
Except he never had one, but that doesn't mean he is not cognizant of how it feels. From teen romance novels to rom-com movies, Soonyoung has gone through all.
'That's my song.' Jihoon supplies with his nose scrunched, when he finds Soonyoung focused on the music oozing out from the cute mini speaker.
Jihoon adds something to the warm oil in pan. 'My first song.... do you know that?'
Soonyoung nods. It's not that he's heard the song before but he has by-hearted whole of Jihoon's discography recently, including the number of nominations and awards it received.
Thanks to Wikipedia. It is more resourceful than his R&D team.
'Yeah, it's Love,& Letter. That was your first album which you got nominated in three award events for "Best Producer and song of the year" but you didn't receive it, neither the idols who promoted the song.
Jihoon stares at him with a strange look. 'Don't tell me you mugged up everything. I appreciate your brain power, but this-' A chuckle slips from his lips. '-is too much.'
'I just gave it a read.' The alpha ducks down, unconsciously searching for the floral scent he's come to like much. 'Not my fault that it stuck to my head.'
'You are impossible, Kwon.' Jihoon says with a shake of head and Soonyoung rubs his own nape in a sheepish manner. He finds the peeled onions sitting on the cutting board and he offers some help, which the omega agrees to with a nod.
It's safe to say that Soonyoung has never had a proper activity in kitchen except for grabbing snacks from pantry and drinking water, but hey, it's just cutting onions, right?
Well it doesn't go well and the knife slips royally from the slope of the vegetable, which elicits a shocked reaction from Jihoon. He grabs Soonyoung's hand, inspecting closer to check if the man has cut his fingers accidentally and again- the alpha is pushed to his reverie at the mere contact. He seriously thinks about Seokmin's advice and decides to go with the flow, as much as it sounds stupid to do so.
'I wanna sleep with you.'
I shouldn't have, I shouldn't have...ah, I'm stupid, I'm stupid! Jihoon is going to deck me.
Jihoon stares at him with this unreadable expression. Soonyoung waits for a slap that has to come to his face, a fuck you and divorce papers lined before his table but all hears is a breathy-
'What?'
Jihoon doesn't looks like he's mad at him, but there's this promising twitch of his lips and strictly struck eyebrows rooting up his forehead, which makes Soonyoung back pedal in the speed of a typhoon.
'I am getting these unusual dreams and I am scared at night.' Soonyoung rejoices internally at the not so bad excuse he comes up with. 'I thought it would be better if someone stays with me up to comfort me. Only if you want to-'
Soonyoung raises a placating arm. 'Only if you want to!'
The concern clouds Jihoon's face quickly and it makes Soonyoung feel bad all over. Is he not aware of the bad people in this world? Jihoon seems to trust people with whatever they say and the alpha is quite worried about letting the man all alone by himself.
'I thought you wanted to fuck me.'
Damn Damn Damn did he not buy it?!
'I actually-'
'Look, Soonyoung.' Jihoon's voice is dry and bored, his demeanor uptight. 'I understand you have....urges but I am not mentally ready to start anything with you. I won't be opposing to the idea of you seeking out someone else.'
'Nonsense.' Soonyoung gets surprised by his own outburst. 'I am not a man who thinks with his dick and even if I do, it's only with my husband. Disloyalty is out of question.'
Wow. That's even new to him.
Soonyoung is not a fan of two timing but the fact that he despises it just because he doesn't want to hurt Jihoon comes undone and bare to his brain like a piece of wrapper.
He doesn't look up to meet Jihoon's eyes but the overwhelming presence of floral scent in the air confirms that the omega is immensely pleased.
A heavy beat funky song plays in the background and Soonyoung grips the edge of the kitchen top, his left foot tapping to the song. Jihoon snaps him out of the reverie by dumping in the cut onion into the pan, sauteing it with a wooden spatula and Soonyoung stays there all the while, sparing no words but keeping his husband company.
The silence poses no discomfort.
Later that night he googles up the song by entering the phrases he got from the chorus and he finds Jihoon's instantly.
It's called Adore U and Soonyoung wholeheartedly agrees that the song fits his husband more than anyone else in the world.
The dinner at his parents' is awkward to say the least and he feels sorry for Jihoon who is nodding to everything without a complaint. From eleven weeks of sharing a house, Soonyoung has gathered some specifics on Jihoon's body language.
If he's sitting with both of his hands nestled between his legs means, the man is kind of comfortable and is not trying to maintain a posture. If he's sitting up straight with legs folded upon one another, it means he's calculative and full on professional mode.
This particular act of his now- leaning forward with hands supporting his face- simply implies that he'd fall asleep anytime at the moment.
'Jihoon looked really good on the stage, didn't he? It's a shame that Soonyoung got busy. Imagine seeing you both as couple in newspapers..' His mother dreamily says and Jihoon flat out supplies her with a polite smile.
'Mom.' The alpha tries to get her in control, but she continues further.
'Well, who cares. The next year around we'd be having a little Soonyoung or Jihoon in our hands.'
Jihoon chokes in a not so graceful manner and Soonyoung is rubbing his husband's back down- touch foreign and conscious, handing him his glass of water. The omega's eyes turn watery, cheeks ruddy from the irregularity and Soonyoung kept patting the area around his spine, soothing the jerk of his food pipe.
'You okay, Jihoon?' He asked privately and the omega nodded firmly.
'Look at them, they look so much in love. Our Soonyoungie is sure a gentleman.' Mrs.Kwon sings praises of the couple before her and the elder alpha seems to agree to whatever the woman says.
'Mom! It's a common courtesy.' He whines and Jihoon goes rigid under his touch. Soonyoung withdraws his hand hesitantly and before he could wonder if he had said something wrong, his mother began to rant on how she's just looking out for them, and the dinner wraps up all too quickly.
Much convincing from his parents' side, the couple decided to spend a night at their's, which entails that they will be sharing a room- Soonyoung's childhood room at that. He lived there up until he finished college, collecting un-thrown books and medals he gained from Taekwondo championships.
Soonyoung has a latest article on share markets opened up, but his eyes are on Jihoon who is closely examining every picture of his on the wall, with hands folded.
If they were to be a couple who married each other out of love, things would be totally different from the current scenario. Soonyoung could not help but imagine him and Jihoon in that kind of scene- himself hunching over his husband, hands secured around the omega's waist as he recounts the memories made, picture after picture, letting Jihoon know everything around him.
The idea thrills him but- they are not in that position to bond like that. Soonyoung doubts if there will be a chance at all.
'Did I say something wrong?' His own voice feels foreign to him, and Jihoon turns quickly, eyebrows raised at the question.
'What?'
'Earlier when I was patting your back, you went rigid all of a sudden.' Soonyoung states, closing the article and Jihoon smiles at that.
'No, everything was alright. The time spent was not as delightful as the food was, but it's manageable.' The omega said, his words sounding not so convincing. 'I guess you are overthinking.'
Soonyoung shook his head. 'No, I just thought I offended you somehow and I still think I did. Anyways-' He climbed out of the bed, marching up to the omega. 'Spotted me in group photos?'
He asks, with a casual smile, hands folded over his chest.
Jihoon meets his eyes, a look of something unreadable before he continues to voice out his words. 'It was not hard. You had nice chubby cheeks and your face cut gave it away. Why do you have no cheeks now?'
The idea of Jihoon looking at him like that gives Soonyoung some extraordinary ideas.
'Well.' He rubs his own cheeks, as if it would help him fish a reason. 'I don't know, I think it just disappeared after I presented.'
Jihoon turns his back to him, looking at each and every picture with a look that quite comes close to fondness. Soonyoung more or less follows Jihoon than the pictures and quickly takes a turn when the omega makes an eye contact with him.
'You did taekwondo?'
Soonyoung meekly nods. 'Up until high school, then I quit.'
'Why?'
'They asked me to trim my hair.' The alpha said, leaving Jihoon with a look of disbelief. He's staring back at Soonyoung with lips mildly parted and eyes a little enlarged.
'I know it's not believable, but yeah. My hair was less dense and if had cut what was remaining, then you'd be having a bald husband, now.'
Jihoon giggles, his eyes settling on the hair. Without much thought, the omega raises on tip toes to comb them with fingers and that proximity was enough for Soonyoung to take a deep inhale of the floral scent. Soonyoung couldn't name it specifically, but whenever Jihoon is around it feels like he's walking in a spring garden.
'You are right, it is less dense at the back.' Jihoon remarks slowly, with a cheeky grin.
'Yah'
They both chuckle at that, silence settling over them shortly after.
Soonyoung looks back at the largest furniture occupying their room and he turns to Jihoon in need for an affirmation.
'Jihoon, you okay with sharing the bed with me?' Soonyoung asks a tad too seriously for someone who asked if Jihoon wanted to get laid with him two weeks ago. 'I can take the guest room if you are feeling uncomfortable.'
'And let your parents know that we are not preparing for a child anytime soon? I wouldn't want that.' Jihoon shakes his head. 'Your mother is a wonderful woman, but damn she's hard to convince or fool- no offence.'
Soonyoung chortled. 'Don't worry. She's still stuck in 1960's. People don't marry to have children. People marry and have children. The "children" part comes when both the parties are in accordance.'
'Whatever you say sounds all business to me.' Jihoon said with a casual smile.
Soonyoung expressed his amusement coated with a hint of bitterness. 'Is this all not a business arrangement to you?'
'Is it not what you meant it to be?' The smile slips off Jihoon's face at his own question and they both stare at each other for a second, in that unheated manner. A simple sigh from Jihoon what snaps them out of it, the awkward air exhausted quickly.
'It's getting late. We have to start first thing in the morning. We have jobs to take care of, don't we?'
Jihoon nods indifferently, slipping into the attached bathroom for night routines. As soon as he disappears from his sight, Soonyoung ruffles his own hair, exhaling harshly.
How is he going to let Jihoon know that he wants the thing between them to be.....real?
Soonyoung stands adjacent to the plate glass shield of his top story building, thoughts else where even with the beautiful view of Seoul city displayed before his own eyes. As cliche as it sounds, having such a setting for a CEO office is not unheard of.
But Soonyoung has never paid enough attention to it. If he's not staring at his desktop monitor, he'd be busy signing away papers.
Even today, he's not much interested about the exotic top view of the busy city.
He at the moment, is indulging himself in some sinful thoughts about his omega husband, when his intention was to make a plan to get closer to Jihoon.
He was thrown a little when he admitted to himself that he's needing a romantic aspect to the current status with his legally wedded husband.
Soonyoung was busy chasing his goals and dreams that he never stopped or spared a second to give someone his attention. But Jihoon here just is running away from him after appealing to him like never someone before and the alpha's eyes have caught him as the target, forgetting the one he was after on.
That plan making somehow slipped into daydreaming about your husband- the petite omega against the glass shield, with his legs folded behind Soonyoung's back who is sending mild thrusts. Judging from Jihoon's voice, the moans will be little deep and hoarse, but Soonyoung also predicts that it will get high pitched from increased intensity of pleasure.
'God damn.' He curses, ruffling his hair in utter frustration.
His mind have become unruly with these kind of thoughts frequenting on a daily basis.
Shaking his head, he thinks of several ways to win Jihoon over. Maybe some good old flowers? Pendants? Dining at restaurants?
He doubts Jihoon will be excited about it. The man must have seen epitome of grandeur, given the nature of his profession. The words Jihoon uttered kept running in his mind and for a man who found several solutions for economic crisis, reading his husband became a bit of a hassle.
Soonyoung is in the dire need of proving to Jihoon that he's much interested in him than he thinks he is, and that he's willing to look past it as a mere arrangement.
What made him change his attitude?
He doesn't have an answer for that yet.
But he felt the change right from the first time he met Jihoon at the altar. Soonyoung is not shallow to just associate with someone for looks. Jihoon is pretty and handsome but that's not all about Jihoon.
He's just....Jihoon.
Soonyoung smiles uninhibitedly, rubbing his face with his palm.
This feeling, it is somehow beautiful in its own way.
Like a poet waiting for the right words to strike him.
His eyes fall on the small digital clock on the table and he thinks back to the time he cooked- or tried to cook with Jihoon. They had fun without booze or blockbuster movies. Tossing vegetables and swearing to him that he'd never look at another person with non platonic thoughts set a different kind of feel to the whole session they had in the kitchen.
Perhaps spending another Saturday at home with Jihoon will be fruitful.
Work can wait for a while.
The biggest obstacle to Soonyoung's plan is the cook.
That man is dedicated beyond the limit and pushing him to take a day off is going to be the biggest challenge. Second biggest to that will be casually informing his husband that the cook is not going to make it and that they have to make three meals for the day.
So, the conversation with the cook on the phone went like this.
'Sir, am I fired?'
'No.'
'Then why am I asked not to come today?'
'It's just for the day. You can cook your heart's content tomorrow.'
Luckily, the man was aware of Soonyoung's short temper and didn't question further. But Jihoon on the other hand, dumped the plan with a cold bucket of ice water with just one line.
'Oh, then we'll just take out food from nearby restaurants. I'm kind of busy today so I don't think I can cook.'
Soonyoung was facing the Jihoon's mahagony bedroom door before he could muster up a "I'll help you with that so you can do it quickly.". He's almost pushed to the thought of calling the cook again but he's not sure how Jihoon would react to it.
In the end he sends one of his helpers to pick up some food for both of them, grumbling about his plan as he revises contracts, the content of which he couldn't grasp at all due to his deviating attention.
Jihoon stays in his room till noon, and his lack of presence in his vicinity and the missing floral scent that he became too dependent on without realizing, irked him further. Restlessness settles in his vein and he simply crosses out the contract with his black pen, writing a short "redo" in bold letters. It's a seven thousand word contract and whoever wrote this going to meet the line of their frustration but that is none of Soonyoung's concern.
His meek helper leaves the parcels of food at the kitchen and moves without meeting his eyes, almost scurrying out of the turf and Soonyoung belatedly understood that he had let his instincts rule him more than he let on.
Ruffling his hair, and patting his cheeks with a litany of "calm down Kwon, why are you like this" he approaches his husband's door and gently knocks on it.
He surprisingly receives a "come in" and excitement sparks in his vein at that.
Thirty weeks of living together and not once Soonyoung had the chance to visit his omega's room. He twisted open the knob to find the room dark, with Jihoon hunched over a table, a keyboard and music sheets scattered all over.
Just like what he predicted, the air in his room is doused with floral scent, mildly and unsurprisingly, his lungs gets satiated at breathing in it.
'Soonyoung?'
The alpha jerks at the small call and soon, lights flood the room which gives him the full view of cream painted walls and photos of various themes hanging on the wall.
'Soonyoung.'
'Lunch is ready.'
Jihoon looks like he's about to give him a "no, I don't wanna" but Soonyoung looks straight at him, in eyes.
'You didn't even eat breakfast and starving yourself won't get your work done. You'll get weak instead. Come on have a bite and quickly get back to work.'
Soonyoung was lead by some force he can't put a finger on but it sent him standing like a tower before Jihoon, more or like relaying a command to the omega, cultivating a habit that he'd face the brunt of, when he gets it back from Jihoon in the same fashion.
Simply, he would lose control.
Jihoon stares at him like has been told something he's never heard of, and he mildly nods his head, very subtley done but it is noticed by Soonyoung, none the less.
Surprisingly, Soonyoung's mood recovers fast and his irate self has taken an uncalled vacation. Jihoon is fondling his phone, repeatedly listening to a musical piece in low volume and the alpha had to strain his ears to make out the melody.
'Struggling with the song?'
He meant to ask that in best interest but some how, it had hit Jihoon's nerve who cast him a glowering look.
Soonyoung backtracks, putting out his words carefully with a little bit of empathy. 'I struggle with my work too, occasionally, but I always vent it out with my assistant, so you can try talking about it to someone who can help you with this.'
From the looks of it, neither of them is concerned about the lunch before them, the dishes getting lukewarm from being exposed to air. Jihoon, makes his intentions clear by setting his plate aside, leaning towards Soonyoung.
'Songs don't have a problem. They should evoke a feel of "okay, this is nice. Can pass for something I would listen to twice a day" but no- this one sounds lacking and- I can't figure out how I should rectify what's not even there.'
'That's why you are listening to it, again and again?'
Jihoon nods with a pout, and Soonyoung's mind quietly retracts towards it.
'Maybe you should let someone like me- a commoner to listen to it. I can provide you with a different perception.'
Jihoon hands him the phone but with much skepticism. 'You were not much interested in music.'
The statement questions Soonyoung's credibility but the alpha just shrugs. 'The much I'm unaware, the more objective comments you will get.'
He plays the song before Jihoon could make another remark.
The song starts off with a beautiful melody- not just meaningless, yeah, kind of beautiful- beautiful- but like really really beautiful.
The song ascends to a soothing beat, with great vocals and a mix of chorus in the middle. There's only particular note in the middle that makes Soonyoung utterly fond of the song and he's much interested about the release date of the song, never like before.
'Is it any good?'
Soonyoung looks over at Jihoon, and finds his husband's eyes heavy with anticipation. Being a CEO for five years, he could pretty much figure out what's the deal with the omega.
'You can re-record the part around 2.30 time stamp. This person sounds too excited to sing a melancholic song. Perfectly kills the mood.'
Jihoon stares at him for a second before replaying the part. Just like what Soonyoung guessed, the omega agrees, looking at his husband with a smile.
'You are right, Soonyoung.' He says. 'Seungkwan was a little enthusiastic there. Seems like he is sounding happy to have unrequited feelings for someone.'
Soonyoung just continues to gaze at the man in front of him, trying not to grin. But he couldn't hold off his smile when Jihoon makes the next comment.
'But that's the part of the song, Kwon. This person is happy and patient with having feelings for his significant other. It kind of feels unique to leave it just as it is, don't you think?'
The alpha nods. 'That sheds a new light, Jihoon. People are going to love it.'
'But you said it kills the mood.'
'Yeah, I did. But I love it now that I understand it. I am a fool when it comes to music, Jihoon. Just make sure the public receives your message across.' Soonyoung says, feeling content.
It's a bit of reverse psychology. He knows Jihoon won't accept getting a meaningless critic over his work and that his reasoning against it would wipe off his own doubts.
'You are right....' Jihoon more or less says to himself. The concern vanishes all together when Soonyoung makes a poor imitation of the song. He scrunches his nose and pouts his lips for an extra measure, using the spoon as a micro phone.
The omega drops the phone and giggles, tapping the table and Soonyoung couldn't help but continue the charade. Amidst clowning himself in the best way possible, he admires the way the omega lets go of himself, smiling without inhibition. The floral scent intensifies and in a second, he finds himself drawing closer to the source, wanting to press his nose against Jihoon's neck and draw patterns there with his lips.
Jihoon shudders a little, his lungs heaving from the laugh, eyes getting glassy as the moment prolongs.
Tension builds in the air and neither of them make a move, just trying to control the urge to follow their instincts.
Soonyoung feels it's just too easy, too easy, just to grab hold of Jihoon and kiss him senseless. He knows he is making his intentions clear by spreading out his pheromones and with the way Jihoon fidgets in his seat and tries not to reciprocate, elicits a feel of victor in his chest.
Soon, the omega makes a lame excuse and stumbles out of the room, urgency evident. At that sight, Soonyoung feels a bucket of cold water dumped over his head.
Jeonghan:
hey..
Jeonghan:
How r u soonyoung?
Soonyoung glances at his phone and almost stumbles his way to get hold of the device in eager. It is almost like his senior Jeonghan is god-send, appearing out of air whenever there is an issue. After what he pulled three days ago, Jihoon is barely responding to him, almost on the verge of breaking out of the house and run away. He seriously considered apologizing to his husband about his lack of control and indecent act, but he swallowed and saved it, trying not to let the awkwardness consume them more than it does. Also on the other note, he really could not bring himself to apologize for something he is slightly not even sorry about.
His instincts are still gnawing away the wood of rationality and he tries not to succumb to it.
me
Ok i guess
Jeonghan
You got married
You must be sickly sweet to your mate now
me
Yeah, jihoon is good...
you know him right? Shall i send pics of him?
Jeonghan
what no. no need
I have seen him and i saw ur wedding pics ^.^
it was darn cute! You really love him don't u
He didn't have a response to that. In the end he merely snickered and typed a "you could say so" because, he can't be revealing to everyone what is happening with him and Jihoon. Seokmin and Chan know too much of what is going on that they could legit make a time line with series of events. But he wanted to seriously consult with Jeonghan about his uncontrollable urges around his husband. Jeonghan is no alpha but wise enough to address the issue with objective focus. He is his senior, after all.
me
I need an advice
Jeonghan
sure what it is?
me
Iam having urges around him
I mean jihoon
Jeonghan
It's a good thing ig
Soonyoung scowled, not knowing how to explain his problem without revealing too much. He must, at all cost not reveal to anyone that Jihoon and him are strangers living together.
me
no like too much
Jeonghan
again it's a good thing
ig we can see you be a parent by next yr ^.^
Yoon Jeonghan is officially of no use to him.
For some reason, the song Jihoon played to him the other day got stuck in his head. It was kind of funny, though. The itch never subsided and he sang so many inaccurate renditions of it under his breath.
Sometimes, he would forget a note and forced his mind to get it back to him.
While signing papers, he would miraculously get hit by the forgotten note and then he smiles victoriously to himself, which was caught by Chan more than one time.
Soonyoung had the house to himself more often than not, with Jihoon staying in the studio late up at night. While doing paper works at the living room, he had tried to test the range of his vocals and he kind of liked the way he sounded. It was nothing like the voice he heard from the audio file Jihoon played. That voice was sleek and smooth like silk but his hoarse and nasal voice was definitely granted a different take on the song.
He took the liberty to change the lyrics, at times some notes were dramatically adjusted and he felt so light at heart whenever he sang.
So he sang, eyes closed, pen in the air as he imagined himself as a top singer of the nation serving vocals to his fans.
'Wow, Soonyoung.'
It is beyond him how he failed to notice the tell tale sounds of door opening and closing. He had insisted the security system to be loud and clear as much as possible- but here he is, gaping his mouth, closing it only to part open at the way Jihoon is reacting to him.
A genius producer like him should laugh tumbling over while clutching his stomach, but Jihoon just stood there with crescent moon eyes and a beautiful curve of smiling lips.
Soonyoung could feel his neck heating up and for the first time the floral scent in the air didn't overwhelm him. In fact, he didn't mind about it at all. It is just Lee Jihoon...
or Kwon Jihoon?
That sounds nice. The back of his mind supplies.
'CEO is into singing, huh?' Jihoon approaches him like an interested cat, sitting next to him with a proximity, that by far is the closest one they have ever had- except for the time the omega had to take care of him when he was sick- but that can't be counted since it was done something out of obligation.
'I am not.' Soonyoung sounds small even to him, a shy smile creeping up his face.
'Yes, you are.' Jihoon says and drops the bomb right after. 'Sing to me, you know...you sounded so good and you stopped right after you spotted me.'
The alpha shakes his head crazily. 'It's almost like I'm proving a theorem before Einstein, you get the picture, right? I cannot sing to you.'
It is embarrassing on so many levels. You don't teach letters to your English teacher.
Jihoon gives him a dejected look. 'I have never begged anyone to sing to me. You are the only person I will ever request to sing. You should know how special is that.'
The omega warmly smiles at him and Soonyoung, for the lack of better word. is at peace. Not the chaotic turbulence of feelings or overwhelming urge to slam into him. Just serenely sitting next to his husband like they are meant to be.
It is wonderful.
Jihoon, one day, while chitchatting over take out dinner, casually reveals that he has loved someone in the past.
'What happened?' Soonyoung knows it is a bad decision. He doesn't want to get the mental picture of his husband being fond and flustered over another person, but curiosity is getting the better of him.
Jihoon sighs, a smile still sticking to the edge of his lips and Soonyoung completely dislikes it. He wished to see more of disinterested, indifferent or even angry look on his face. But the way he gloomily reminisces and clings on to the memories with a barest hint of smile-
'Why are you growling?'
Soonyoung's face gets ruddy at that and he mentally tackles down his alpha to get a grip. Why can't his biology give him a well deserved break?
'No, just these days I have been feeling a little off and I am unable to control my urges. I am ashamed to say so. We will talk about that later. You wanted to say something about your love. Are you still in love with him?'
He says in one breath, without holding back and he mentally face-palms when Jihoon looks taken aback by his over enthusiasm and interest. Jihoon shakes his head and resumes, nonetheless.
'I forgot him a long time ago. You know I used to write songs for him- like real songs. But he assumed me to be some creepy omega crawling after his trial. It was pretty humiliating. I moved forward and never found another alpha good enough to be my partner.'
Amidst the fiery rage and over burning jealousy (jealousy, really.) he grows sad for his husband. If Jihoon were to write a song for him, he would go all gooey and declare him as his best-est husband. (He at this point doesn't know what he is thinking) . That has got to be a greatest gesture from someone who is as glorious as Jihoon.
'He is a dumb ass.' Soonyoung declares. 'He doesn't know what is good.'
Jihoon gaped, a little mortified, before he snorts all too loudly. 'Wow, really?'
Soonyoung frowns at the way Jihoon asks him with so much of doubt.
'Why are you so doubtful about that? Should I spell it out for you? You look good, great even, can sing well, nation's well known producer and really a nice guy. What more does anyone would need?'
Jihoon snickered. 'Would you date me if I were to write songs to you and stick post it notes for you on your locker, everyday?'
Soonyoung instantly mutters an "yes" and Jihoon shakes his head in denial.
Fine, true. Soonyoung is someone who values self-respect and finds the idea of soul melting persuasion a little off-putting. He would rather be put forward with an invitation to a coffee shop or a high end restaurant and discuss prospects of relationship. It does sounds like talking a business deal but if it is Jihoon- he would totally accept everything the omega has to offer.
Like, who in their right mind would ignore a song solely written for them, by great fucking Lee Jihoon?
Jihoon vacates the place with his plate, while Soonyoung is still caught in his own thoughts and for some reason the floral scent didn't hit his head like it did when the omega caught him singing his song.
Soonyoung's car won't pick up and he's getting late to office on a fine Monday morning. He has got this meeting to address the issue about New Product Development and he can't be the talk amongst his staffs on how unpunctual he is. The engine stutters for good seconds before turning off like an impotent libido. The comparison is uncanny, but yeah, that is what it is.
He could get a cab and run out to his office but he spots Jihoon's Honda city parked opposite to his and he stumbles up to the penthouse, hesitant but ready to grovel for a ride.
Jihoon reaches home late-like very late-and sleeping till ten is his routine. The producer positively catches seven hours of sleep before mad dashing to his studio and waking him up seems to be merciless from Soonyoung's perspective. He pushes the door to his husband's room and finds Jihoon sprawled out on the bed, wildly messed up but graceful in a way that is beyond his capabilities of explaining it.
The comforter is up near his nape, allowing the omega only to poke his head out, mouth slightly parted and sleek black hair curtaining his forehead.
Soonyoung blames it on his lack of rest for his urge of wanting to climb up the bed and cuddle with him. The bed looks inviting and Soonyoung could very well imagine Jihoon in his arms, soundly sleeping and curling next to him.
He pokes Jihoon's shoulder once, twice before the producer swats the touch with displeasure clouding his face. Eyes unopened, a frown nestles in between his eyebrows and Soonyoung watches, absorbs everything as much as he could, learning every detail on the way.
Jihoon grunts and lies on his stomach, absolutely incapable of waking up immediately.
Soonyoung stared at his husband like he is a wonder himself, sleeping in his apartment before his eyes, wearing the gleaming platinum ring they exchanged five months ago.
The alpha leans down on one knee and secures the comforter around Jihoon's neck. His hand pauses over the omega's head before he fleetingly pets the soft hair once.
In the end, he decides to call a cab. The need to reach his office on time subsides drastically as he recalls the way Jihoon curled up like a cat in his bed. Boarding the car, he tries to mask his smile with his fingers, and feels this funny flutter in his stomach amplifying at the prospect of spending time with Jihoon, all cuddly and cozy.
'You are going into rut.'
Soonyoung almost spits out his drink as his best friend, Wonwoo states the fact and his mate Mingyu nudges him on the side for being too frank.
'Well what? Am I not supposed to tell him that?' Wonwoo questions his mate before turning back at Soonyoung. 'Yes, you are. Congratulations. You are about to have mind blowing sex with your mate.'
For starters, Jihoon is not his mate, yet.
(He internally screams at the "yet" part.)
They might be husbands before the world, but their secondary genders have not committed it selves to one another's, which marks highest level of intimacy. There is a way back to call off the marriage but the bond is irrevocable.
Mingyu is red all over and he knows Wonwoo is right when he told him that his alpha is all soft, shy and cute.
'Am I spreading my scent?'
'It is making me nauseous.' Wonwoo doesn't hold back. 'It feels like high school all over again.'
Soonyoung scowls at him. His best friend never compliments the way his scent smells. He is pretty sure it is nothing bad considering the way how few omegas in the past have gone crazy over his pheromone. He doesn't call out Wonwoo, however.
The thing is, Soonyoung couldn't believe that it completely slipped his mind. The growing urge around Jihoon, constantly thinking about him and finding his floral scent too alluring- it all makes sense now.
Wonwoo quirks his eyebrow at Soonyoung's lost in thought self. 'You didn't think this much even at our calculus final exam.'
Soonyoung shakes his head, too conscious of his scent and aura at the moment. He belatedly wonders how much of a wreck he had caused amongst his omega co-workers. It is really is inconvenient in the work atmosphere.
'I need to sign a deal this weekend and I'm too worried that it will get messed up if I hand it over to someone else.'
Wonwoo snickers. 'It will be a disaster if you were to be present there, unless it is an omega you are dealing with. Even so, your ass will get handled to you by your mate at the hint of someone else's scent merged with your skin.'
Mingyu for real this time, nudges Wonwoo harder and his omega shows his tongue at him.
Back in their school days and even now, Wonwoo is admitted to be the mature, rationale person who would think twice before making a move (not the part where he mated Mingyu right after getting his undergraduate degree) but also prone to exhibit childish gestures such as poking his tongue out.
He really could not tell anyone about how he is not spending his rut this time with anyone now. Soonyoung could grovel at Jihoon's feet for some good time but that'd be a plain douche move and he doesn't like Jihoon that much to not mind his ego.
(Lies, he would beg.)
Soonyoung awkwardly scratches his head when he tells Jihoon that he is going into rut and that-
'I can go somewhere else for my rut. Me staying in this household is not safe for you.'
Jihoon gulps and spares a look at him and Soonyoung presses his legs together, the brewing heat in his abdomen not sounding good at the moment. The floral scent beckons him to the available omega in his living room, but he restrains himself well before emitting a growl, calling for submission.
The hormones are getting to his head, the process amplifying with a suitable omega in a close proximity.
'I think I need to go, Jihoon.'
He more or less says to himself, almost on the edge when Jihoon quietly calls.
'You should stay. I can stay somewhere else.'
Soonyoung stares at him questioningly. He doesn't know what sparked the fire of exasperation, but it does and he more or less commands-
'You cannot.'
'What?'
The alpha catches him slipping a little, mind going woozy at a turn in his biological state. His rationale side is leaving him slowly, handing the control to his inner alpha, and finding the fact that his mate is willing to leave his territory absolutely infuriates him.
'It is not safe out there.' He says and Jihoon throws him a "what the fuck is he on?" look. Well, he is in rut.
'Soonyoung, Seoul is safe. I used to go out all the time without you by my side and I returned back in one piece.' Jihoon insists and Soonyoung's control is snapping a little by little, inching closer to his husband as he speaks. He doesn't realize the movement of his feet and before he knows, he is towering over Jihoon with a menacing glare.
'I won't be available to save your ass when you are in distress.'
Jihoon rolls his eyes, a little concerned by the lack of space between them. 'God, Soonyoung. I know alphas get too caught up in the head during ruts but you are outright insufferable. I mean there is no use reasoning with you at this stage. I'll stay in my company's building while you get... done'
Jihoon turns on his heels but the alpha holds him back. Soonyoung's mind addles up with pure lust, intoxicated by the scent of floral that forces him to dip down his head and take a deep inhale from Jihoon's neck.
His hands are itching to grab on to Jihoon's waist and hold him closer-
'Soonyoung, you should step back.' Jihoon rigidly says and Soonyoung, well he-
'I don't want to.' He more or less grunts, tongue too heavy to make out proper words.
His inner alpha rejoices in pride and victory when he senses arousal of his omega, entirely forgetting that it is a mere biological response. Holding Jihoon by his shoulder, he inches his face closer to Jihoon's, to the point their noses brush against one another's.
'Soonyoung...' Jihoon whispered, lips barely moving so as not to brush against Soonyoung's, but the alpha tuts, finding the effort unnecessary when he leans in just to defeat its purpose.
It is like a forest fire subdued by rain inside him, instantly getting calm and composed, but at the same time, there is a building thirst for more as he lets his hand slide down Jihoon's frame, casually. It should be just a touching plush of lips. It is a mere packed flesh, but no, it is Jihoon. He is kissing Jihoon.
Jihoon is not just everyone.
His hot producer husband, who has been taunting him with his beautiful self ever since the time they got married.
Soonyoung nibbles on the bottom lip and Jihoon parts in response to the invitation, which the former eats up gladly. His hand automatically cups the omega's nape for a better angle, playing with the sleek muscle and exploring the sweet mouth with poise which is heavily uncharacteristic of an alpha in rut.
This is better, much better- Soonyoung's mind chants as he tries to get impossibly closer with his husband. Jihoon goes from interacting to going lax for Soonyoung and it causes a rumble of satisfaction build up within the alpha.
Soonyoung jerks away when he feels hands on his shoulder, exhaling loudly against Jihoon's lips. The omega tilts his head to lean for a kiss but the elder pulls away all together, leaving the former confused.
Soonyoung feels utterly stupid for going at Jihoon like that.
It is his hormones acting up and he- shouldn't have taken advantage of his situation like that. Both his instincts and rationale sides are at a combat and surprisingly both of them want to have Jihoon in his arms. One is forcing him to take his husband down and knot him, mate him and bond with him, but the other wants to approach Jihoon like a snow flower.
His husband is no flower and can take down an army with eyes, but still, Soonyoung wants to treat him with mellow hands-
'I am sorry, Jihoon.'
Pungent. The flowery scent morphs into something that unshackles the control he has regained. Out of impulse,when he tries to reach out for Jihoon, his hand gets swatted away harshly, a look of pure disgust and hatred swarming in his husband's eyes.
'Go away, Kwon.'
He was asked to leave but Jihoon is the one who leaves the living room first, closing the bedroom door behind him with a thump.
Soonyoung knows he shouldn't have jumped on Jihoon like that. His husband responded to him biologically and once he was out of haze, he clearly understood how much of jerk Soonyoung was to him.
He ruffles his hair back in frustration, stranded in living room with an empty head.
What can he do to salvage the situation?
Talking to him now is out of question since he can't trust himself to act appropriate around Jihoon. The simmering heat in his abdomen and dissolving sense of clarity urges him to station in his own sanctuary, that is his bedroom, and he does it with half a heart.
Soonyoung had for most of the times undergone a rut with an omega partner.
The only time he socializes at a bar is a week before his rut for a potential partner for five days. His expectations aren't much, mostly. Just a clean, neat omega girl or boy who can take the edge off him. And so far his partners have never hovered around expecting more than for what they were brought into his old penthouse.
It was easy, actually.
He didn't become the animal he could have been, but around Jihoon, he broke it, stripped off his control and almost committed the greatest mistake of his life time.
It is not like the thought of bonding with Jihoon leaves him with distaste.
In fact, he wants to take Jihoon into his arms, bury his head in his neck, scent him and knot him till he could spot visible inflation on Jihoon's abdomen. Soonyoung groans as he makes quick work on his hardening length, body bare and perspiration settling over his skin like dew drops on flowers.
He never had the need to imagine someone while mastrubating. If he felt like taking the thought of the system, a casual hook up is all what he had to aim for, but now that he is left to deal with this on his own, he is suffering from inside to outside, body begging to take an omega.
And oh, not just any omega.
It calls specifically for Jihoon.
He couldn't pin point at what caused him to act like this. First, his rut is way too early and the symptoms have been overlooked by himself, thinking that it is some part of his that actually wanted to glower at things that annoyed him and bring Jihoon close to him, just at the sight of the man.
Like a touch starved man he finally turns around, all on his fours and hump the bed like he is copulating with a partner- again, and he could only see Jihoon in that position.
Just like previous other times, his imagination had taken him to the place where his husband wants him, needs him and loves him. Jihoon with his legs spread before him, inviting him silently with legs wound around his hips, urging Soonyoung to go on by pressing the sole of his foot against the small of the alpha's back, whimpering every time his sweet spot gets abused and hold on to Soonyoung like a life line when the knot gets a little too hard to be taken in-
And Soonyoung spills on to the bed, making the sheets a complete mess. His knot hangs heavily, calling out for attention and a part of him supplies with the information that Jihoon is still in the house.
He snakes his head around to peer at his own bedroom door but ultimately flattens on his bed, knowing he would rather cut his tongue than force Jihoon into something he doesn't want to.
It gets nasty as time progresses and he could feel himself getting tired. Weakness creeps his form and he stumbles out of the room, wearing knee length short pants and nothing other than that. The pheromones he is emitting is like a flame beckoning the moth of an omega, and he wouldn't be lying that if he said he wanted Jihoon come running into his arms.
His inner demon, also known as his rut induced mind wants to have Jihoon in the ways that would please him, at least for these five days even if it means he will be hated by his husband for life time. It almost sounded logical to him. The thoughts he had in his mind were far too sinful to recount it in sobered state and he became ashamed of himself, at one point. It almost went beyond the idea of taking Jihoon by force, impregnating him and bonding him against his will.
Soonyoung swallowed down the bottle of water from the kitchen cabinet, wishing he could forget and flush whatever that came to his mind.
He strongly suspects that Jihoon is out and their cook has left some food on the table. Usually workers don't take risks of visiting an alpha's territory during rut but this man- whoever he is- is valuing his professionalism more than his life.
Soonyoung shakes his head, making his way to pantry to pick few protein bars and snacks to keep his stomach filled for a day or two. He quickly darts to his room but then, he spots something in his living room couch that makes him stop on his tracks.
It is Jihoon's scarf, lying there without a purpose. A pretty color of pink spotted with light blue dots.
Well now, it can serve a purpose although this would have to go down without the owner knowing it. Going to be pretty impossible because Jihoon is a man who pays attention to detail. Not in Soonyoung's case of course. Or is he pretending not to see? He doesn't know anymore. It is not a big deal to deduce what Soonyoung is feeling for him.
Ideas flood his mind on what he could with the scarf.
Soonyoung is internally disgusted by his pathetic means of compensating Jihoon's absence but his other side is begging him to take what is available.
Either Jihoon's scarf or Jihoon himself.
He slams the door shut behind him with the article in his hands. Dejected but satiated.
The rut subsides in four days and Soonyoung is out of the room, tired from reaching peak all too many times. He does the prime duty of extinguishing his own roused pheromones from his room by opening the windows. He prays to lord that he doesn't get to see Jihoon for another ten days at least, completely contradicting to the way he felt during his rut.
The reason is simple.
His mind now is tainted with graphic and erotic images of Jihoon bouncing on his cock, sucking his girth and all those trashy scenarios that are frequently seen in third rated romance novels focusing on secondary genders. Well, he had to have an outlet and the key to it is Jihoon and his imagination.
Soonyoung says to himself that he shouldn't feel guilty but he just couldn't stop thinking about it and feel bad all at the same time.
The funny thing is that- he thought his urge around Jihoon, his need for Jihoon will get subdued because his hormones won't be influencing him anymore. But the truth is, the longing is still there- not just for his body, and it scares him a little.
This is very very new to him and at the same time he couldn't help but feel that it is not so new to him.
When he thinks about it....it has always been there.
The breakfast before him is his favorite- seafood pancake and he should be digging in now so that he could make it to office in time. His self was relaxed knowing Jihoon won't make an appearance around this time of the day, but surprisingly his omega husband is out, dressed in formals, hair gelled back- looking ethereal that the awe over-floods the building nervousness in the pit of his stomach that came in when the omega's bedroom door creaked open.
The floral scent is there, mildly dousing the air, but not overpowering like it used to before. It doesn't matter anyways.
Jihoon takes farthest seat away from him, not even sparing a glance and the cook quietly leaves the dining space after placing cups of juices beside their plates.
Soonyoung is hesitant to initiate the conversation, which is so unlike him. Well, he never jumped on an omega without consent before so, he pauses, opening his mouth only to close it shut, futilely.
Jihoon gives him not much time to come around, as he digs in and completes eating his breakfast in roughly ten spoonfuls. Little taken aback by Jihoon's enormous indifference, Soonyoung clears his throat and calls for his husband who is leaving the table not even bothering to finish the juice.
The alpha feels that he must immediately resolve whatever that is brewing between them.
Because he feels like, if he doesn't now, he can never in future.
'Jihoon, wait-'
Soonyoung pauses at the way the omega stands rooted, back still turned to him and shoulders raised like he's ready to fight some evil force.
The "on-guard" Jihoon saddens him a little.
'What, Kwon?'
He chuckles bitterly at the way he was called. 'Really Jihoon? One mistake from my side and you are referencing to me like I am a third person to you or something.'
Jihoon turns on his heels and shows his stoic face. 'Well, you are. You very well made it clear since the day one. Why are you getting confused with the barriers you set up by yourself?'
'Wha-No! Jihoon! I wish to erase this so called barrier, okay! I've been trying to tell you that but you don't pay attention to what I am-'
'Really, Kwon? Because no, it doesn't seem like that to me.' Jihoon simply says, looking at his wrist watch. 'I should be somewhere else. I need to leave. If you are trying to apologize, apology accepted. If you weren't intending to, that is fine by me as well.'
Jihoon walked away after that, polish implying that he- "Whatever, I don't care."
Soonyoung wants to pluck his hair out of his head in utter frustration.
A week passes without them interacting with one another and Soonyoung contemplates getting a divorce to free Jihoon from the shackle of this unwanted marriage.
But he wipes out the thought entirely, because he cannot let go of Jihoon and it has nothing to do with their standings in business. He couldn't care less about the contract built on the foundation of their marriage. All he now want is to Jihoon at least look at him without that tight indifferent look.
Work load takes his mind off from his breaking marriage and he feels ashamed to ask for help knowing how he had to reveal that he lost control over himself.
Drug stores these days don't sell suppressants much knowing that people have got the hang of commanding their instincts. Three decades ago, it wasn't the case but now, times have changed and so have human's capability. To say that Soonyoung failed to hold it in is humiliating on so many levels.
When Seokmin asked about Jihoon, he had dismissed the topic with a grunt, shoving an excuse that he is busy with the deals to focus on him properly. It is partially true, however.
But when Jeonghan one day announces himself with fanfare, courtesy to his mate (yeah, mate) Soonyoung is quite astonished, because he thought he wouldn't see Jeonghan for another three years at least.
He got married three summers ago and shifted to L.A with his husband come mate.
'Surprise?'
'You bet!' Soonyoung smiled, as he got away from his seat and raised his arms out to hug but stopped midway when he spotted the swell of his senior's stomach. His mate, Seungcheol, grinned from behind and Soonyoung cackled loudly clapping his hands.
'Don't tell me you took the risk of travelling all the way to Seoul for nothing.'
Jeonghan rolled his eyes, bringing Soonyoung close to give him a side hug. 'Actually we are planning to move here. Want the kids to grow up in South Korea. Daegu mostly.'
'I thought hyung loved his job there.' Soonyoung brought Jeonghan over to the couch in the side of his table and Seungcheol followed them after.
'His company is willing to give him an offer and Cheol chose the Daegu headquarters, pretty dope, right?'
Soonyoung gave Seungcheol a happy grin. 'That is some high level coincidence.'
Seungcheol agreed. 'Yeah, the place is good and Hannie didn't like L.A much. The last thing I wanted him to raise kids in an environment he is uncomfortable with.'
Something in Soonyoung tells him that Seungcheol is pulling an elaborate charade pertaining to his job just to satisfy his omega mate. It is romantic actually. Jeonghan writes for a publishing company so pretty much his work place is his bedroom and he is damn good at it. Few other times, Soonyoung had requested his senior to write a piece about his company, when rumors surrounded on about illegal transaction carried out by some of his board directors. It was taken care of silently behind the screens.
'So, welcome back, you two.' Soonyoung softly said. 'After sticking with you two at college for so long, I couldn't help but feel stranded in Seoul city.'
Seungcheol outright coos at him and Jeonghan goes to the point of pressing a kiss against Soonyoung's forehead. People from his college used to refer to Soonyoung as the couple's son (Yeah, the duo go way back from college) and they could not be more right.
'You are not stranded, you are a married man now! That too, Lee Jihoon! Who would have seen it coming.' Jeonghan squeals and Seungcheol agrees to that with a curt nod of head.
'Yeah, he is a big producer and all.' Soonyoung says, hoping that they drop the matter just at that point. Seungcheol however, comes as a snag to his smooth sail.
'I thought you would go on and on about your dear husband....'
Jeonghan gave him a mysterious smile and Soonyoung knows that he is busted already.
'How do you both even figure out what is up with me?!' He asks exasperated, and Jeonghan barks out a laugh, leaving a confused Seungcheol trying to catch up with things.
'From the way you expressed concerns over your excess libido through texts, I was sure that something is up.' The omega said, making a poor pun in a time of distress. Seungcheol looks baffled by the revealation.
'So Jihoon and you are not in good terms? He is the sweetest angel! I am calling right now, the fault is on you Soonyoung.'
Mortified, Soonyoung points his finger at Seungcheol. Aside from the fact that he is at wrong, shouldn't his long time friends must prioritize his side of story first?
'What do you mean? You speak like you have known him for years.'
The smiles dropped off from the couple's face at the statement. Soonyoung briefly wondered if he had disrespected his seniors in some way, but no, that was not it. These people are chill, in fact they love the small banters they share in between.
'Soonyoung.' Seungcheol said with much seriousness. 'I have known Jihoon as much as I have known you. Jihoon is my Junior as well.'
Soonyoung didn't buy it at first. It is not surprising that Seungcheol hyung is still into pranking him, after all these years.
'I'm not going to believe that, don't start with your antics. You have just reached Seoul.' He dismissed it with a wave of hand.
'Trust me, Jihoon went to the same college as we all did.' Jeonghan said, with much disbelief. With the way Soonyoung continued to stare at them with the blank look, Jeonghan turned to Seungcheol and gave a tired look. 'This idiot over here doesn't know who Jihoon is, at all.'
There is no way his seniors know Jihoon without him being aware of it. However, the emphasis at the end of the sentence scared Soonyoung more than anything else.