Chapter Text
대한민국, 2025년 9월
Today was September 14, 2025: Han Jisung’s birthday.
Jisung woke up with the sun on his face. Maybe he had forgotten to close the curtain properly. He turned away from the light, grumbling loudly, and buried his face in the pillow. He didn’t want to get up. He wanted to be lazy. He wanted his seven boyfriends to appear in the room and spoil him rotten—after all, it was his birthday. But no one came through the door.
He huffed, grumbled, and kicked off the sheets. He sat up on the bed and patted his clothes: dry. No pain, no fever. He sniffed his own wrist. Nothing. He still smelled the same childish, silly scent of diaper cream. He was still on the same page as always. Only now it was official:
Jisung was twenty-five years old and still hadn’t presented.
Oddly enough, it was a relief. Maybe he wasn’t ready to change his routine. He hated change.
He had already gotten used to this life. He shouldn’t have, but he had. After years of crying in secret because he felt left out, like a mistake, something broken—even with his almost-pack calming him down and including him in everything within their reach—even after the doctors kept saying that if he continued therapy and medication, the presentation would come… he had simply accepted it. He would never have a secondary gender. He was broken. And even though his boyfriends loved him more than anything in the world…
No bond. No real pack. Jisung was just a big comma in the middle of everything.
He left the room in comfortable pajamas, messy hair and a sleep-creased face. He wanted breakfast. He bumped into Hyunjin, who had already showered and was fully dressed. Jisung pouted.
“Ah!” Hyunjin smiled when he saw him. The alpha walked over and squished his cheeks until the creases smoothed out. “Happy birthday, baby.”
“Thank you.” Jisung hugged him, resting his head on his shoulder. “Tell me my present isn’t a new doctor…”
In the last few years (maybe until 2022) the boys had constantly taken Jisung to doctors and therapists. They stopped when they saw that Han got more and more upset with the lack of answers.
Hyunjin laughed, a little guilty. He knew everyone loved Jisung even without a presentation. It had been more than ten years of relationship. But he felt that the rest of the pack wanted it more than Jisung himself. Actually, Hyunjin suspected his boyfriend only pretended not to expect it anymore so he wouldn’t hurt anyone.
He remembered that after a few years, September 14 had become hard for the boy who used to love birthdays. Jisung hadn’t really accepted it. He had just stopped creating expectations—or tried to. His eyes still looked hurt every time he woke up on that day (or the days after) and nothing had changed.
There came a point when the pack also stopped showing their own expectations.
Jisung always got stressed, sulky and hurt when the subject came up, but it was inevitable. They liked to dream: imagining his scent, where each bonding mark would go, what it would be like if he were an alpha, beta or omega. It was nice to imagine. But ten years of relationship had taught them to read Jisung’s feelings as well as he did himself. So they tried to talk about it less often.
“We’re not going to, silly.” Hyunjin rubbed the tip of his nose against Jisung’s cheek, making him purr. He was so clingy. “Seungmin’s and Felix’s heats are coming up… It’s hard to go out with the two of them like that. How about we spend your birthday in the den? We’ll bring cake, strawberries…”
“You’re going to end up having sex and leave me out! On my birthday!” Jisung made an adorable pout.
Hyunjin laughed and kissed him lightly.
“That’s a lie. We always suck you off really well.” He agreed, though. “Tell me what you want to do and we’ll do it.”
Jisung thought about it. He was a homebody. Seungmin’s heat was expected around the 16th or 22nd; the omega would be sulky and teary. Not that Jisung minded—he actually found it kind of cute. And when Felix’s heat arrived (probably the next day), it was really hard to deal with. In the weeks before, the omega got a bit obsessive with everyone… except Jisung, which hurt a little, even though Felix tried not to leave him out. Jisung thought the bossy side was cute, but going out like that was complicated.
Going out wasn’t a good option. Spending the birthday in the den, however, also felt depressing. He pressed his lips together, took Hyunjin’s hands and smiled.
“Movie night!”
“Studio Ghibli,” they said in unison, while Jisung grinned excitedly.
“Pizza and lots of cake, okay?!” Jisung almost said the phrase, with a smile from ear to ear, nuzzling his boyfriend’s cheek, who just smiled as he watched him leave.
Jisung spent the day peacefully: made breakfast, took care of the plants, lay on the couch. He talked to the other hyungs. Minho gave him kisses in the kitchen and asked about his night’s sleep. Felix smothered him in scent and affection while planning the movie night. Changbin spun him around in the air and carried him to the couch, where he kept scenting him.
“Hyuuung!” Jisung stomped his feet, whining, then let out a weak laugh. He wasn’t a fan of his own scent.
“Sorry. Your scent is so cute…” Changbin’s voice came out a little rougher. The alpha scraped his teeth along Jisung’s jaw, biting gently. “When you present, you’ll have a sweet scent. I’m sure of it.”
Jisung rolled his eyes.
“Drop the presentation talk already!” he grumbled, pouting.
Changbin’s eyes lowered. The older man sighed and sat on the couch.
“Sorry, sweetheart.” He kissed his cheek. “You know I don’t mind…”
“But you all really wanted it a lot.”
Jisung stood up, stressed. He wanted it too. He had just learned not to want it.
Changbin tried to grab his wrist, but Jisung let out a fragile growl—too sweet, yet effective. The alpha stepped back. Jisung didn’t have a developed wolf and knew the growl wasn’t scary, but it was still a warning. Everyone respected it.
Sulky, with a pout bigger than a bridge, he went to Seungmin, who was reading a book. No internet. Seungmin never spent his free time on screens; Jisung had always found that amazing. That detail made the omega the calm of the pack. Never rushed, never stressed by notifications. He was a sea of calm (apart from his chaotic personality, of course).
Jisung liked that calm. Seungmin always knew what to say and how to soothe—not just him, but everyone. He was a poet in person. Sensitive to the world, to others and to himself. Everyone turned to Seungmin.
Jisung laid his head on the omega’s thigh. Soft, comfortable. He felt warm fingers in his dark hair, stroking. He hiccupped softly, without meaning to. Maybe wanting to. He wanted to vent. He wanted to feel safe. And Seungmin was perfect for that.
Seungmin closed the book. He didn’t like hearing those hiccups.
“Nuh-uh!” He pulled him into a hug. Jisung fit between his legs and nestled his face against his neck, letting the sobs escape. “It’s your birthday and you’re crying? I’m the one who’s sensitive.”
Jisung let out a little puff of air through his nose, finding a bit of humor amid the bitterness. He clutched the boyfriend’s shirt tightly. He glanced sideways at the bonding mark. So pretty. His nose brushed it by instinct and Seungmin sighed. It was a sensitive area; if it had been anyone else, the omega would have gotten angry.
“Is that what’s making you sad?” he asked quietly, near his ear.
“I always say I don’t care, but today I woke up looking for anything different in myself…” Jisung took a breath, trying to organize his thoughts. “Changbin commented on my scent. And I know you guys are looking for something too…” His voice cracked. “I’m sorry for being a failure.”
Failure. That was the feeling. Jisung wasn’t okay with himself. He remembered every presentation of his boyfriends and how happy everyone had been to find out who would be alpha, beta or omega. He also remembered the looks they tried to hide, but the sadness was almost tangible. They looked at him as if he had failed over and over.
It hurt when they looked at each other and Jisung didn’t understand why (bond, scent). It hurt at the beginning of heats, when he couldn’t enter the den because he lacked scent, mark, pack. He had to wait for the heat to calm down and ask for permission. It was humiliating.
His heart was in pieces. He had heard so many beautiful things about presentation—and bad things too—but it didn’t matter much. They said it improved self-esteem, the skin, so many things. And he wouldn’t get to enjoy any of them. Maybe only at thirty, when his boyfriends enlisted and he couldn’t… because apparently he wouldn’t have a secondary gender until he was forty.
“No…” Seungmin cradled him. He knew his pheromones would be less effective, but he released them anyway. He let Jisung scent his neck and nestle in his lap. “You’re not a failure, pumpkin. You’re amazing. You’re wonderful. I love you. We love you.”
He stayed silent for a while, holding him tightly. They really were watching for any change in Jisung—not because they wanted the presentation right now, but out of worry. Jisung probably knew that. The truth was they had never stopped waiting. Every day they paid attention to fever, to any hormonal sign. It’s just that on his birthday Jisung became more sensitive.
Seungmin knew that.
“It’s normal to expect changes when they should already have come…” he said thoughtfully, searching for the right words. “No one is pressuring you. You’re not pressuring yourself either. They’re just changes you thought were going to happen and didn’t. So it frustrates you.” He brushed his nose across the boy’s face, seeing him calmer.
Silence hung for a second. Seungmin still saw the sad pout, the dejected little face. He hated that. Jisung’s laugh was a thousand times more beautiful.
“Remember when we were trainees and we kept measuring our dicks to see how much they’d grown, and we got sad when they didn’t grow? It’s the same!”
“Ya! Seungmin! What a tacky comparison!”
They both laughed.
“The point is: they grew, okay? Even if it took a little while.” The laughter didn’t stop. “They’re not like the alphas’, but they’re nice dicks!”
“You’re weird. I think that’s why I fell in love with you.” Jisung almost whispered it, rubbing their noses together and then sealing their lips in a sweet kiss.
He didn’t want to let go of Seungmin after that. Change of plans: he would stay there, reading, feeling the omega’s calm. Whoever wanted to wish him happy birthday could come to him. He wouldn’t leave his protector.
And they really came. Jeongin cuddled there for a while and gave him his present: a gold bracelet with a little wolf pendant. After begging for a few kisses, he had to go to the company, promising to come back at night.
Chan was the last one.
He knew Jisung better than anyone. He had fallen in love with him since the first time they saw each other—the slightly argumentative and bratty way had caught his attention. He knew all of Jisung’s needs.
“Hi, birthday boy.” Chan’s voice was cheerful. He lay down behind Jisung on the bed. The alpha’s heat made the younger one grumble and turn around.
“I can’t believe you’re the last one.” He pointed accusingly, but playfully. Seungmin laughed.
“Sorry, love. I went to bed late.” Chan buried his face in Jisung’s neck and squeezed his waist with a force that screamed “mine.” Jisung sighed in agreement.
“You’re so perfect.” The alpha whispered, voice muffled by the skin. He was suffering because he couldn’t fully enjoy his boy. His fingers climbed up the abdomen to the small nipples. Jisung bit his lip. “Where’s the bite going to be? Have you decided yet?”
“I… I think I have plenty of time to think.” He buried his face in Chan’s hair, whimpering.
Chan shook his head and lifted his face to his.
“Tell hyung.” He opened Jisung’s legs and ran his nose along the thigh. “Your dream is for it to be on the thigh. You’ve already told me…”
He gently bit the skin. Jisung shivered and pouted. Chan laughed, recognized the pout and kissed it, letting the tips of their noses touch. He drew soft, clingy sighs from the younger one.
“It’s going to look beautiful on the thigh…” he murmured sweetly, not caring if it took a long time.
“It’ll match Minho hyung’s,” Seungmin chuckled.
Jisung purred. He loved matching with Minho.
The day passed. Night arrived. There was lots of food that both Jisung and Felix had ordered; the two smiled, satisfied to have such amazing boyfriends. They chose *Spirited Away*. The whole pack tangled together.
Jisung was in Jeongin’s lap, between his legs, back against the alpha’s chest. Jeongin’s fingers slipped under his hoodie, stroking his stomach. Comfortable. He felt countless eyes on him—maybe he’d been ignoring them for a while. He preferred to ignore them. Jeongin’s eyes and everyone else’s were searching for any sign of pain or fever. There was nothing. At some point in the movie they all relaxed and accepted:
Not today.
The night passed and Jisung didn’t present. He was clearly upset. How could he not be? He tried hard to hide it behind smiles and jokes, but the anguish was crushing his chest, the knot in his stomach was terrible. He wanted to hide in his room, away from the almost-pack. Besides the failure, he felt shame.
While they tidied the living room, Minho watched his boy with attentive eyes. He knew him. Everyone knew him. Even if Jisung wanted a moment alone, maybe this wasn’t the time.
“How about we sleep in the den?” he murmured, drawing everyone’s attention. Jisung felt a strong wave of nausea. The den again. “Just sleep.” He looked at Jisung.
Don’t take it the wrong way. Jisung loved being a voyeur; his boyfriends’ oral sex was amazing. But they seemed to enjoy the other part of sex much more, and he got jealous. He wanted to try too. Maybe he wouldn’t like it. Maybe he would. He wanted to try. It sucked having spent more than ten years just watching.
“Just sleep?” he asked quietly.
Minho nodded, confidence and affection in his gaze. Jisung sighed loudly.
“It’s a good idea…” he whispered. Everyone’s eyes lit up.
After cleaning the living room and brushing their teeth, Jisung spent a while looking in the mirror. His hair was long and curly, his face rounder—he had definitely gained weight. He sighed and picked up the odor-blocker box. He didn’t want to leave his scent in the den; he felt it was rude.
“Where are you going with that?” Jeongin hugged him from behind. He had grown so much, his face more mature and defined. He really looked like an alpha. Jisung met his eyes in the mirror.
“I don’t want to leave my scent…” his voice trembled, insecure.
Jeongin smiled and guided one large hand to Jisung’s, lowering the patch.
“Babe… we like your scent.” He rubbed his nose against the gland on his neck. “Let me tell you a secret? Seungmin always gets a bit sad at the beginning of his heat because you don’t let him take your clothes. He feels the nest is incomplete. And honestly… so do we.” His nose climbed behind the ear and gently bit the tip. Jisung sighed. “He calls for you at least five times. And he always fucks a pillow imagining it’s you.”
“Jeongin-ah!” Jisung scolded him for the language. Jeongin laughed softly.
“And I suffer too, okay? I want my Jisung hyung there, his little scent, his heat. But it’s for your safety.” He looked at the mirror, seeing the older one’s flushed cheeks. A satisfied sigh escaped. “You’re not an intruder, jagi. If at any moment we made you feel that way, I’m sorry. But you, your heat, your kiss, your scent… are not intruders.”
Jisung shivered. They had never made him feel like an intruder. It was he who put himself in that position—because of the traditional upbringing he had received, because of the podcasts he had listened to. He had made himself the intruder.
He knew, he had always known, that everything his boyfriends did was more for him than for themselves. They understood the frustration. Maybe they were tired of seeing his dejected little face every birthday. They just wanted to see him well.
He turned to Jeongin with a teary pout and hugged the alpha, resting his head on his chest. Jeongin rocked his body, smiling briefly.
“I love you, hyung,” he whispered. “September 14 is my favorite day.”
Jisung huffed, laughing, amid that suffocating feeling in his chest. He didn’t know if it was anguish or just gratitude for having such amazing boyfriends. He rested his chin on Jeongin’s shoulder and bit the corner of his jaw, smiling.
“I love you too, aegi.”
They walked hand in hand to the den. Everyone was already waiting. Hearts were beating hard. They intensified their pheromones as much as they could so Jisung could feel them, so he would feel protected and cared for.
At the door, Jisung took a little while to go in. No one rushed him. His body leaned against the doorframe, breathing tense, eyes closed, shoulders tight, a huge urge to run. Jeongin squeezed his hand gently. It lasted minutes.
“Want me to hold your hand too?” Minho, clinging to Chan on the bed, asked.
Jisung agreed and held out the other hand.
He always held Minho’s hand when the alpha needed it. Minho would do the same for him.
They squeezed the boy’s hands and slowly brought him into the den. Jisung stood still for a while, eyes closed. Jeongin crawled onto the mattress. Minho hugged him from behind and guided him.
“There’s no nest. It’s okay,” he whispered near his ear, bringing safety.
Jisung’s weight slowly dragged across the bed. He tried not to feel the panic. The touch of Hyunjin and Felix on his hands, arms, waist eventually calmed him and gave him a sense of belonging. He nestled into that pile of bodies.
“Jisung-ah! See? You’re not being burned alive.” Changbin teased and got a pillow thrown at him. He laughed and leaned in to kiss the younger one’s cheek. “It’s your birthday. Being stressed is bad for you.”
“Then get out of here. You’re the main reason for my stress,” he grumbled sulkily while Changbin kissed his lips, still laughing.
Sleep fell over each of them like a feather. Whether it was the tangle of bodies or the pheromones, they all fell asleep very quickly. The first to sleep was Jisung—besides being a heavy sleeper, he felt so protected in Minho’s arms, with Hyunjin’s kisses, Chan’s head pats… He knew that the next morning he might have to leave, but Jisung didn’t care about the following days.
브라질, 2026년 9월
Now it is 2026. Some day in September. Stray Kids was bigger than ever. They had released the new album and were on tour, far from Korea, from the den, from home. They had brought supplies for those who would probably go into heat during the trip.
There were only a few days left until his birthday and Jisung felt no worry. The pack didn’t either. At least they seemed a little too calm. Jisung couldn’t tell if they had simply accepted it or if they just didn’t want to show him anything.
He didn’t care that much. He was happy! Stray Kids was going to be a headliner at Rock in Rio, which meant: fuck everything, they were fucking amazing.
So yes, Jisung didn’t have time to put himself down or worry about his almost-pack. He just wanted to do what he knew he was good at, what he wouldn’t fail at: sing.
On the day of the show, Jisung didn’t know if it was the euphoria, the heat of Rio de Janeiro, or his boyfriends’ wolves. They were exploding with lust. All of them. He was too. During the show he had the feeling that his lower abdomen was starting to burn, like butterflies in his stomach. He could also smell some scents more intensely—his boyfriends’, as if they were wearing perfume (which they rarely did). The point was: his boyfriends smelled delicious and nothing else mattered!
Chan, besides the sculpted body on display, had that beautiful smile and dazzling charisma;
Minho wouldn’t stop jumping on stage, and whether it was the Brazilian air or not, his skin looked shinier;
Changbin… Ah… Jisung wanted to avoid him! He didn’t know who had put him in such tight clothes that you could see every muscle and detail;
Hyunjin needed no comments. He didn’t know what had gotten into the alpha, but he was possessed by something and constantly seducing any of the boyfriends on stage;
Seungmin was pure sweetness, looked like a prince. When Jisung looked at him his eyes sparkled;
Felix… He was the vision of an ethereal being, an angel. Felix’s beauty took over the whole stage and many times distracted Jisung;
And finally, Jeongin. Their youngest was a tease, a slut, a hunk. The smile, the body, the expression.
Jisung couldn’t wait to have sex with them.
When they arrived at the hotel, the tiredness didn’t hit them. Far from it. In fact, Jisung wasn’t the only one burning with lust—they all were.
The seven also had the privileged view of Jisung, with more tanned skin, chest almost bursting out of the tank top and nipples rubbing against the fabric. Not to mention his smile, his fun, how happy he seemed there.
They all wanted to have sex with Jisung.
So the entrance to the room wasn’t calm. It was chaotic.
Minho pulled Jisung by the waist from behind, kissing and sucking the lightly tanned skin, while Chan pulled him against himself by the waist and kissed him hungrily; Jisung’s fingers scratched Chan’s arm and pulled Minho’s hair. Felix entered the room kissing Jeongin, pushing him into an armchair before climbing onto his lap. And finally Changbin entered kissing Seungmin while Hyunjin kissed his neck and collarbone, scenting him.
When Minho lay on the bed with Jisung’s back against his chest, Chan bit his lip, staring at Jisung’s beauty. Between us, the man performed beauty. Big flushed cheeks, lips so swollen and red from kissing, body sweating, seeming hot, chest marking the white tank top with nipples so hard they rubbed against the fabric, thin and so well-defined waist that completely took Bang Chan’s breath away.
The alpha was going crazy.
Chan was truly euphoric; he wanted Jisung more than anyone else in that pack. The oldest settled between the younger one’s legs, gripping his waist with a force, a possessiveness he almost never used—not with Jisung.
Bang Chan kissed Jisung’s lips greedily, pulling a clingy moan from him. Minho, for his part, slid his hands under the tank top the younger one was wearing. The older one felt Jisung’s irregular breathing, the heart beating hard; Minho smiled, played with the younger one’s nipples, hearing the moan choke between the kiss. The alphas’ cocks were hard as rocks, dripping; Chan was desperate to fuck Jisung and Minho even more so to fuck his mouth.
But suddenly a scent took over that room. Not completely, but the two alphas smelled it very clearly. A childish scent, despite some slightly sweet notes. The scent was weak, but it was more than present, hard to ignore. Jisung still wasn’t ready. They couldn’t.
Chan slowly pulled away from Jisung’s lips, loosening his grip on his waist, with a pain that made the butterflies in his stomach dance up to his chest. He didn’t want to do this. The lead alpha lifted his head, looking at Minho, who had the same expression, the same pain, the same feeling. It was horrible having to reject Han Jisung.
Looking at the situation made his wolf howl, and consequently everyone howled, and the hot air in that room became more tense. Jisung didn’t take long to notice, because honestly, it wouldn’t be the first time.
“Hyung…” The younger one’s voice failed when he noticed Chan pulling away. “Don’t do this…” Jisung asked, almost like a plea, the pout slowly forming on his lips while his fingers pulled Chan by the shirt, wanting to bring him back. He wanted to cry so badly.
“Honey, it’s the right thing…” That wasn’t what Chan wanted to say, but it was what he knew he had to say. His voice almost failed as he spoke; he hated seeing Jisung like that, hated being the cause of that feeling. “I’m sorry…”
He leaned over Jisung, softly kissing the pout. Then a sob, and right after a strong one.
Jisung was going to cry. He had already been in this position before, maybe several times since he started dating them. Somehow he already knew this was going to happen, that Chan would pull away, that Minho would hold him, that they would apologize for it, and he would still forgive them because he knew they were right. That was the worst part—they were right.
But Jisung couldn’t help feeling rejected. It was a pain that rose in his chest and made his heart beat hard, as hard as before; his stomach seemed to hurt, almost as if he were going to throw up. Jisung wanted to throw up, wanted to push his boyfriends away and yell at them. But he also wanted to cry, wanted to hug any of them and cry against their chest while hearing only a “shhh… it’s okay,” because he wanted to feel that everything was okay. Chan always made it seem like everything was okay.
But it was clear in his tears, in his sobs, in the red little face, in the pout—you could clearly see his frustration, sadness and even shame.
But his pack understood that. Chan looked at him, Minho surrounded him and they understood. Because the two of them felt the same way. And worse, because they were the ones who had made their little boy cry.
“Shh… it’s okay, aegi.” Chan whispered with his voice dropping into a sweetness that no one in the pack would hear—only Jisung. He lay on the double bed, with Minho lying right behind the younger one while his body trembled and sobbed. He felt like an idiot for crying over this.
“Oh… jagiya…” Minho sighed, wiping his tears. The alphas released their pheromones, which again they knew weren’t that effective, but Jisung was slowly calming down.
“Fuck, the beds here are small,” Changbin almost growled. He wanted to lie there and take care of his little one.
“You can go.” Chan reassured them. “He’ll be fine. We're going to keep him.”
It was reluctance.
They wouldn’t leave anyone with a bond crying—even with the lead alpha and the pack’s sub-alpha saying everything was fine, their wolves would want to throw themselves off a cliff.
But with Jisung it was different.
Not that they were insensitive. They felt it, and they felt it strongly. They wanted to pour all their love onto the little one, protect him, take care of him, because they loved him more than anything. It’s just that without the bond, the pain was a little less dramatic. The wolves didn’t panic the same way. That filled them with a bit of guilt.
“We’ll stay. Until he calms down…” Seungmin said, dragging himself onto the bed and sitting on the edge. He touched Jisung’s feet, pressing from the ball of the foot to the big toe. The omega smiled, caressing him.
The room felt a bit suffocating for all of them, especially hearing Jisung cry like that. They hated hearing Jisung cry; maybe it was the worst Beethoven symphony. His laugh was beautiful, it was perfect, with a contagious laugh.
But his crying?! Just cut their heads off already! They hated hearing his trembling, needy sobs. Seeing how his hand tightly gripped Minho’s shirt and his face hid there.
Seungmin bit his lip, trying to change the subject a little and shift the focus of his dear “hyung.”
“Ji. Tell me something… Have you prepared yourself for the alphas?”
Jisung was still sobbing, but no longer crying; he looked at him confused. He bit his lower lip. Of course, they had a good idea that the chance of Jisung being an alpha existed, at least a 33.3% chance. But honestly, even in those cases, Jisung would be so passive, so submissive, that there was no doubt for anyone, not even for Han himself, that he would have to prepare himself to handle the alphas.
“Yeah, baby.” Seungmin laughed weakly, just letting out a little puff of air. “You know, the knot hurts a bit, and remember what I said. Their cocks are no joke.”
Jisung blushed; he felt Minho’s chest tremble with a laugh, the alpha’s breath close to his cheek. His eyes fixed on the so beautiful alpha and, with clinginess, he rubbed his nose against his cheek, hiding his face.
“Seungmin, you’re going to scare him,” Minho said, still laughing. But Jisung didn’t understand why Minho’s laugh was so hot, so sexy to him. Seungmin laughed, looking at the younger one.
“But it’s just so we know, come on!” Seungmin defended himself in an amused tone, and his eyes narrowed when he noticed something different in Jisung.
Jisung’s cheeks were flushed way too much; you could see beads of sweat escaping down the boy’s face. That alerted Seungmin. Jisung’s scent was still the same, a little sweeter maybe, but still childish, so Seungmin wasn’t sure if it was just a fever or finally the presentation.
“Ji… Are you okay?”
Jisung didn’t answer. He didn’t answer because he was too busy feeling hypnotized by something.
Why was Minho smelling so much?!
I mean, Jisung occasionally smelled his boyfriends’ scents as thin threads, memories of that scent. But now, maybe since morning, he was smelling them so clearly. As if it were a spray of perfume. Jasmine tea with cloves. So that was Minho’s scent?! It was comfortable, it was nice, it was calming. He felt Minho squeeze his waist when the tip of his nose rubbed vigorously against the gland.
Were his boyfriends saying something? It didn’t matter much; he was too busy drowning in that fragrance.
His head tilted a little forward and he got drunk on Bang Chan’s scent. Fuck, that was his leader’s scent? People always said it was something burnt, something ashy, like an alpha should be. But Bang Chan smelled of coffee with caramel. It was warm, like the drink, comfortable and perfect for a cold day.
From the pack’s perspective it was something more… weird. Not that Jisung didn’t rub against them—he did, constantly. He tried vehemently to smell them. But this time it was different. Jisung rubbed and whimpered; the sweat was as present on his face as the blush.
“Jisung?” Minho called him right after Seungmin, but he didn’t seem to respond. He just wanted to breathe deeply against his neck.
“Hey, Han Jisung!” Changbin’s voice was more urgent. The alpha shook the younger one’s body, who gave him a light tap with his hand, as if Changbin were really getting in the way. “What’s wrong with him?!”
When his face went to Chan’s, the oldest alpha grabbed him by the hair firmly, worried. He observed more carefully and felt his breath catch in his throat.
“Shit, he’s getting high,” Chan huffed so nervously, pulling Jisung’s hair. Hot cheeks, glazed eyes, mouth slightly open. “Baby, breathe, slowly.”
Chan held Jisung’s gland, caressing it slowly while blowing on his face. Felix ran to the bathroom, wetting a towel to put on his face, trying to bring Jisung back. Slowly, so as not to cause any shock.
“Is he presenting?” Hyunjin asked, worried; he had his hand on his waist. Everyone was controlling their scent in that room. Chan looked confused, not knowing what to say.
Usually presentation came with something wet, heat and pain, a new scent. But Jisung still wasn’t wet; he was just a bit feverish, and his scent… Shit. Everyone looked at each other for a few seconds, as if they had understood something.
“He’s been a bit sweet for a while now,” Felix grumbled, biting his lip, guilt rising in him. “But, but! Sometimes it’s nothing.”
Had they ignored such an important part like that? In the end, maybe they had accepted that Jisung wasn’t going to present…?
“I’m going to talk to his doctor.” Changbin volunteered, trying to be useful beyond his guilt. He picked up his phone and sent a message to the doctor.
Chan and Minho stared at Jisung, watching him come back little by little, breathing regular; Minho slowly ran the towel over the younger one’s face while Chan massaged Jisung’s gland.
“That’s it… Come back to us, baby,” Chan whispered and Minho sighed in relief. He rested his head on the back of Jisung’s neck while Chan stroked his cheek. “Hi… Was this trip good?”
“You smell good…” Jisung whispered in a weak voice, drawing a laugh from the two older ones.
“You think so, baby?” Minho smiled, trying to ease the feeling of despair in his chest, then settled him on his lap, ready to get up. “You’re a bit feverish, huh? How about we take a shower together? I’m still all sweaty from the show.”
Jisung didn’t have much strength to answer; his hug was the only affirmation Minho had. They walked to the suite bathroom, Minho holding him like a precious jewel.
“Shit, if he presents here during the tour…” Jeongin grumbled, sitting on the bed, a bit desperate. Chan hugged him, kissing his shoulder. “I’m happy for him, it’s just that it would be better at home!”
“We don’t know if he’s presenting…” Chan murmured in an uncertain tone, trying to calm the maknae.
“He is.” Changbin huffed almost desperately, handing the phone to Chan.
The messages from Jisung’s doctor were clear: he was presenting! Maybe the scent would take a little longer, the wetness too, but fever and getting high like that, seeking his alphas?! It was obvious.
“It’s okay…!” Chan took a deep breath, as if calm came through the air he pulled in. Then he stood up. “I’m going to see if the hotel can arrange a bigger room for us. Let’s take it easy; I don’t think he even noticed anything.”
“He definitely didn’t notice,” Hyunjin concluded restlessly, running his hands through his hair.
Chan left the room, going to the hotel reception. Minho should have talked to the manager, but since he was in the shower with Jisung, Changbin was the one who took responsibility for that.
“Now?! Come on, he took so long, it had to be today?!” the older man exclaimed. Changbin looked at him with a challenging gaze, even a little scary. He didn’t want anyone talking about his partner like that. The growl rose from the back of his throat.
Of course it was terrible timing, but Jisung didn’t control it; if he controlled it, he wouldn’t have delayed it so much. Changbin was relieved that it was finally coming, that his boy could finally be who he was.
“Sorry.” The man hurried to say, fear coming into his voice. “I’ll see what we can do.”
“See to it.” Changbin turned his back, too tired to talk to an alpha like that. He liked the Stray Kids staff; they were wonderful people, but they were still from the company, so many times they didn’t even care about the guys’ feelings, especially regarding Jisung.
When Changbin returned, Jisung was on the bed with a huge pout. Hyunjin and Seungmin were in the shower; Minho, Jeongin and Felix were holding back laughter.
“Love, come on.” Felix sat on the edge of the bed. “Your scent will come; be patient.”
“I can’t believe you guys keep scenting me with so much passion! I don’t smell like anything special and you have such cooler scents!” he continued sulking, pointing at his boyfriends. Changbin smiled when he understood the reason for the pout. Jisung grumbled at the new scent—hot chocolate with hazelnuts—but when he smelled it better, he sighed. “Look at that! He’s an alpha who smells like chocolate and you want to smell diaper cream!”
The laughter burst out; no one could hold it in anymore. Jisung writhed on the bed with a huge pout while grumbling loudly—as was typical. Jisung was a major sulker.
The point was that it wasn’t as if they were in love with the scent itself. They weren’t. But if the scent was Jisung’s, then they were completely in love.
“Hi to you too, love.” Changbin smiled, a playful and confident tone taking over the room as he sat next to the younger one. “You have a cute scent; we’ve already talked about this.”
“Cute?! Cute is Jeongin’s!” Jisung huffed and pointed at the maknae. “Sponge cake with blackberry filling. Ah, go fuck yourselves! Your alphas with sweet scents!”
The alphas laughed, shaking their heads. Changbin pulled Jisung’s hand to himself, slowly kissing it, rubbing his nose against the palm while looking at him.
“I’m sure that no matter what your secondary gender is, you’ll have a much sweeter scent than ours.” Changbin smiled and laughed at Han’s expression. He had an even bigger pout and was all flushed.
Soon everyone took a shower; they were all way too sweaty from the show. Jisung stayed lying on the bed, receiving affection from whoever wanted to give it. But no one let him scent them. The incident from a few minutes ago had already been enough.
When Chan returned, he returned with a smile. He sighed softly and nestled on the bed near Jisung.
“You still haven’t showered…” Jisung complained in a grumble, and Chan laughed.
“I’ll do it as soon as we go to a bigger room.” Chan pointed, pinching the younger one’s nose. “But I need you to go up first and wait for us, because we’re going to take the things.”
“I don’t want to be alone…” His voice came out in a bratty tone, but with real pain. Chan’s smile became more tender. It was common to happen, regardless of heat.
“But the hyungs will be right behind you.” Chan made an adorable pout and Jisung hated it because he didn’t know how to fight against it, so he kissed him softly. “The alphas will carry the heavy part; Seungmin and Felix want to prepare a kit in case you feel pain or something… They’ll join you soon.”
“Hyung…” Jisung bit his lower lip. They were whispering, even though everyone could hear; Chan liked having an intimate conversation like that. “Do you think I’m an omega?”
“I don’t know.” Chan shrugged. “Are you feeling any pain, anything specific?”
Jisung shook his head up, thinking. Apart from the heat in his lower abdomen, nothing else. Alphas could also feel that tingling. He just shook his head and Chan smiled.
“You’re going to be perfect, because you already are perfect.” Chan whispered with confidence, holding Jisung’s face. The two sighed; Jisung felt his heart skip a beat, the rhythm, the melody. They joined their lips in an intense and calm kiss; Jisung smiled against Chan’s lips and hugged him. “I love you, Jisung.”
“I love you too, hyung,” Han whispered against the alpha’s lips.
Jisung went ahead. The new room was enormous, with an even bigger bed and other beds that could be pushed together. Jisung even thought about pushing each one to get the job done faster, but he only had one desire: to throw himself onto that huge, warm mattress.
Jisung hid his face in the pillow; there was no scent at all, no heat from his boyfriends. He tried to calm down because he knew they would be back soon.
Maybe the feeling of loneliness was clear, but there was also another one. Jisung was at the beginning of his presentation. The signs were clear: fever, pain, smelling scents. It was really happening, and he didn’t know if he felt happy. Actually, he was a bit anguished and couldn’t even explain that to his boyfriends, who seemed way too happy.
The first tears soon wet the fabric of the pillow; his body trembled hard while he choked on his own tears. Jisung didn’t want to cry; he didn’t need to. He pulled in air, but it seemed not to come; he gripped the sheets of the mattress until his fingers turned white, but it didn’t seem to bring him back.
He felt someone hug him. A very soft lavender scent mixing with field roses took over the room. Jisung curled up as if seeking comfort; he didn’t really know whose scent it was, but he also didn’t care—it was one of his. He buried his face in the neck, feeling thin fingers slowly stroking his hair.
“I’m here, I’m here,” the voice he recognized. Seungmin said in a calm tone. He squeezed Jisung in his arms and kissed the top of his head. “Lix is coming too…”
Jisung still hadn’t stopped crying; he still seemed to be in panic, and Seungmin understood. He used what little strength he had to apply pressure on Jisung, wrapping them better in the sheets, bringing the feeling of protection and comfort, and finally rested his fingers on Jisung’s neck, slowly pulling him back to reality.
“That’s it, breathe for me, love. Slowly.” Seungmin smiled; he rubbed the tip of his nose, seeing Jisung come back little by little, swimming to the surface.“I’m with you…”
“Don’t go…” Jisung grumbled, still trying to scent Seungmin’s neck, and Seungmin laughed weakly. He wouldn’t leave that room again even if Han kicked him out.
“Hey, don’t scent me.” Seungmin grumbled, adjusting Jisung’s head against his chest. “If you pass out here, what am I supposed to do?!”
“Juliet killed herself to stay with Romeo.” Jisung shrugged, receiving a light tap on the head. The two ended up laughing, the heavy atmosphere slowly dissipating.
Felix soon arrived in the room as well. He smiled weakly when he saw Jisung in Seungmin’s arms, then lay on the bed, slowly pulling him into a soft kiss at the corner of the lips.
“Hey. Were you crying?” Felix’s voice was warm, and so was his scent. Jisung smiled.
“Peach cake with sandalwood.” The oldest of the three murmured with his voice still choked. The older omega looked at him confused, drawing such a fragile and sweet little laugh from him. “Your scent, Bokkie.”
“Oh! You like it?” he asked, letting his fingers slowly pass over his cheeks, going up to the ear. Jisung nodded. “Try to rest, love…”
The omegas hugged Jisung tightly; the pressure of the hug brought comfort, and now Jisung could feel their scents and pheromones very easily, helping him relax.
Soon the alphas arrived; Chan took his deserved shower, and everyone nestled on that bed. Jisung shivered; he took a long time to fall asleep with an imminent anxiety in his chest, after all, he was presenting, and he wanted that so much.
Somehow he had created many expectations about this moment, and looking at the dark ceiling of the room, feeling his lower abdomen vibrate and the fever slowly burn, Jisung noticed that he had forgotten all those expectations for his own good.
They were in Pandora’s box. And now Han questioned himself if it was a good idea to open it.
“You want to receive the mark soon, don’t you?” Chan’s voice pulled Jisung out of that moment; he was a bit far away, but he could see his little Han with wide-open eyes while everyone slept.
Han ended up smiling, a restless smile. There was one expectation he maybe hadn’t forgotten. The pack mark. He wanted it more than anything.
“Promise me.” Jisung turned to Chan, holding out his pinky to the boyfriend a little far away. “On the first heat wave, hyung. Please, put that mark on me.”
Chan smiled, because he was also with that expectation bubbling in his fingers. He held out his hand to Jisung, interlocking their pinkies.
“You didn’t even need to ask, my love.”