10-The Alpha
2008, 24. November
"My god, they think they are so cool", Yoongi groaned.
He bit into his sandwich when some Alpha from the upper-year had a younger guy in a headlock and laughed with his friends while the poor boy begged for him to let him go.
Yoongi and Namjoon were sitting on the heaters in the hallway.
Their high school consisted of two buildings, connected by a glass tunnel.
Yoongi and Namjoon loved spending their time there, judging others down in the schoolyard.
Some other students also lingered around that tunnel sometimes.
In the past month, Yoongi and Namjoon observed everyone's behavior.
Maybe so Yoongi would feel a bit better than he wasn't as hormone-driven as other boys his age.
He still felt insecure but he didn't catch himself thinking that he wanted to be part of the whole courtship behavior.
He didn't envy the Omegas or wanted to be part of the Alphas.
He also didn't feel like joining a pack.
There were many packs at their school at the moment.
Many Omegas thought it was necessary to be part of one. That they were something special when an Alpha picked them.
Same applied to Betas who were trying to be part of something - anything really. No matter how pathetic the pack.
And Alphas were just trying to find a reason to hit each other.
Yoongi was convinced there was no need for them to measure their strength with each other so often.
They just wanted to assert dominance.
Sometimes Alphas just spat silly insults and then fought each other in the hallway until one of them gave up.
Sometimes they expected the loser to say, "Yes. You are the better Alpha.", while the ring of people around them praised the winner.
Yoongi got headaches every time he heard a testosterone monster yell something offensive.
The whole school was a war zone and Yoongi was lucky he wasn't part of it.
"Did you know some guy got suspended last week?", Namjoon mumbled beside him, trying to get the fruit pulp out of his kiwi.
Yoongi shook his head and kept watching the group of Alphas bullying a lonely wolf.
"Someone from 10th grade tried to fight someone from 12th grade."
Yoongi scoffed. Young Alphas only did stupid shit.
"I don't know what happened exactly but they tricked him into hurting an Omega and therefore he got suspended."
Yoongi chuckled. Young Alphas were stupid as fuck.
When Yoongi let his eyes wander over the schoolyard, he spotted Seokjin.
He and Bogum were standing with a lot of people. They seemed to have gathered with students from higher grades as well and around them were also familiar faces.
Yoongi had been surprised when he saw Jihye in their school, who stuck to Seokjin's side.
Obviously Seokjin's favorite Omega.
"What do you think about traveling after school?", Namjoon suddenly asked and Yoongi looked over to him with wonder in his eyes.
"What do you mean, traveling?"
"I mean, what if we travel around a bit after we graduate. You know, work and travel is a thing."
Yoongi hummed and took another bite of his sandwich.
"You know we will be underaged when we graduate. There is no way in hell someone will let us work for them. Especially you."
Namjoon sighed.
"Then maybe we can work here, somewhere in the neighborhood where they are not as strict and then make a trip or two. In the end, we are Betas. Someone will take us."
Yoongi looked over to his younger friend.
Namjoon was so clever, sometimes he couldn't believe they were in the same class.
Hopefully, his friend wouldn't face difficulties regarding his education later. People were picky when it came to age.
In the end, they'd be of age once they turned 18. Then they could do whatever they wanted.
"We will see about that when we are about to graduate.", Yoongi suggested and smiled at Namjoon warmly.
Yoongi would also like to travel, but currently, he was already struggling with trigonometry and didn't want to think about how to get some money into his hands.
Over the past month, Yoongi noticed some things that were easier for them though.
He felt like, as a Beta, he could be himself.
He didn't need to wait for recognition from other sub genders.
Most of the time, Yoongi had his own expectations and tried to meet them.
Nobody expected him to be a certain way and most of the time he knew that Alphas weren't allowed to show weakness or Omegas shouldn't be loners. They were supposed to look for Alphas. For support.
And Yoongi felt comfortable doing none of this.
He was his own boss. His parents told him he could do whatever he wanted as long as he was safe.
He didn't need to take care of someone else or needed to impress anyone.
Yoongi could focus on himself.
And maybe that was the reason why Betas were known to have a clear head.
They had time to think about themselves and to find themselves while other sub genders were just confused by their feelings most of the time.
Yoongi couldn't relate.
He was glad he could take some time to find the right person. And not because his Alpha was attracted to someone.
"What are you guys looking at today?"
Yoongi and Namjoon looked up from the misery down in the schoolyard up to Jiyoo.
He was a handsome Alpha, curious, and adventurous.
Yoongi met him when he was looking at the clubs. He was part of the cinema club where they produced their own movies and planned big projects for the school function by the end of the year.
In the end, Yoongi decided to join the cooking club.
Mostly because they were cooking all the time and he didn't need to bring lunch sometimes then.
When he told Namjoon about the club, he was quickly persuaded to join.
Still, Jiyoo and Yoongi talked a lot about movies and whenever they saw each other now, they exchanged some words. A lot sometimes.
He was in 11th grade and Yoongi thought he was cool.
Jiyoo had longer, black hair which he always pulled back into a bun.
It was unusual but Yoongi thought that made him unique in between all the other Alphas.
"Looking at people again?", he asked and squatted down in between them.
Namjoon offered him some peanuts which he took with a smile.
"We are just enjoying today's program.", Yoongi said and Jiyoo hummed while he snacked on peanuts and looked outside as well.
He expected Yoongi to tell him.
Yoongi pointed over to the group of Alphas from before.
"They just bullied a lonely Alpha and made themselves feel better."
Then Yoongi pointed over to a group of Omegas.
"I think this blonde girl and her friend with the ponytail have a weird on-off-friendship. In the past weeks, they argued with each other a lot. And today everything is fine. We are waiting for them to hit each other or something."
And then Yoongi looked over to Seokjin's group.
"And the usual."
Jiyoo nodded, interested. He knew most of the people down there. He never talked badly about them but he never snitched as well.
Yoongi was sure Jiyoo hated all of them also a tiny bit.
"Wait for the first snow. Alphas go nuts then. They play in the snow like little puppies.", he said and made Namjoon and Yoongi smile.
"Actually do you guys know Seokjin?", Jiyoo suddenly asked.
Yoongi and Namjoon frowned at each other.
They didn't mention anything like this to Jiyoo before.
"Uh. Yeah. Why?", Namjoon asked and Jiyoo threw the last three peanuts into his mouth.
"I was at his house last weekend. And his mother asked about Yoongi and Namjoon. I thought it couldn't be a coincidence. But I was confused when he told her you two were doing good. You don't talk, do you?"
Namjoon and Yoongi looked at each other in confusion.
Why was Seokjin still talking about them at home?
"No. We don't talk anymore.", Namjoon said simply but Jiyoo looked at Namjoon with raised eyebrows.
His brown eyes sparkled interested.
"Not anymore ?", he asked and then looked at Yoongi.
"We...", Yoongi started but then saw Namjoon's gaze.
He was looking outside with depth in his eyes. He was thinking about something.
Even Jiyoo noticed it and sniffed the air. If Namjoon's scent changed, Yoongi couldn't smell it.
"Yeah. We don't talk anymore.", Yoongi changed his answer, repeating Namjoon's words again.
If Seokjin wasn't talking about them to others, then they should neither.
"Okay.", Jiyoo said and smiled softly.
He seemed to understand that this was a difficult topic.
"Jiyoo! There you are. We were searching for you."
Two Omegas were walking towards them. They giggled and Yoongi hoped they'd leave soon.
Yoongi eyed them while they were making heart eyes at Jiyoo.
Usually, when Jiyoo and Yoongi met, he didn't smell him.
The first couple of times he thought Jiyoo didn't even have a scent.
But then he understood he was doing it out of respect.
He didn't want them to stand in a cloud of his scent.
Most Alphas tried to strengthen their scent besides Betas to show them again that their scent was weaker and therefore they were less than Alphas.
Yoongi thought it was nice of Jiyoo.
And whenever Omegas came around, Jiyoo's scent slipped out again.
In the end, he was still a young Alpha and liked the attention of Omegas.
"Searching? For me? Girls, you are wasting your time.", he said and stood up.
He patted Yoongi's and Namjoon's back before he walked towards the Omegas whose sweet and flowery scent was already filling up the whole hallway.
Although Yoongi barely noticed it. He could only imagine how it would smell to Jiyoo.
The girls giggled and started to touch Jiyoo's arms and looked up at him as if he was the only Alpha around.
Jiyoo was probably famous in his class.
Yoongi looked after them, taking a deep breath of Jiyoo's lingering scent which reminded him of leather.
2009, 9. March
"Happy Birthday!"
Yoongi almost jumped up from his chair when Jiyoo jumped him from behind.
He didn't expect him to show up in his classroom.
They just finished a test and Yoongi felt like sleeping for the rest of the day.
Jiyoo walked around the table and pulled back the chair from the table in front of him.
He then sat down and grinned at Yoongi.
"You're 16 now. How are you feeling?", Jiyoo asked and greeted Namjoon when he also walked over to Yoongi and sat down on his own chair.
Yoongi snorted.
"Dunno. How did you feel?", Yoongi asked back, knowing that Jiyoo was still 16 but would turn 17 soon.
Jiyoo hummed.
He looked up the ceiling, pretending to think.
Yoongi noticed the others in his class staring.
It wasn't common that someone from a higher class came to talk to a Beta in their class.
Especially Alphas.
"Well, I remember that I had a huge party. What about you? Will you celebrate?"
Yoongi thought about how he didn't know if anyone would show up. Even when he'd invite his 'friends'.
He didn't talk to Seunghee, Sunghyun or Chungah for a while.
Yeri and Youngjae didn't talk to him at all anymore since they also didn't see each other during middle school.
Well, and Bogum and Seokjin- Yoongi wouldn't even think about them.
"Namjoon and I will later hang out in the city.", Yoongi mumbled and looked over to Namjoon who nodded.
Yoongi usually only went to the same bubble tea store they always went to and then hung out at the Han River.
Jiyoo raised his eyebrows.
"That's all?"
Yoongi felt dumb and lowered his gaze.
He never talked with Jiyoo about the stuff he did outside of school.
So this was unusual and maybe a bit embarrasing.
"Okay. Well, can I join you guys?", Jiyoo asked suddenly and Yoongi looked up at him with a confused gaze.
Was he serious?
Yoongi glared at Jiyoo for a moment. Maybe he was teasing him.
Yoongi wouldn't let his guard down.
"I mean it. I want to buy you something for your birthday. You are my favorite Beta, you know.", Jiyoo said and beamed at him.
He looked seriously excited.
"No offense.", he said towards Namjoon who only waved him off.
Contrary to Yoongi, Namjoon had a couple more friends in their class and also from higher classes.
Yoongi figured he wouldn't mind if he'd accept someone else joining them on his birthday.
Yoongi felt something weird in his belly.
Maybe happiness because Jiyoo just said he was his favorite Beta.
A silly thing to get happy about.
"I mean If you want to, you can come with us. It's going to be uneventful though.", Yoongi said and shrugged.
Jiyoo grinned at him.
Bigger than he should, in Yoongi's opinion.
"Cool! When will we meet up?"
Yoongi and Namjoon looked at each other.
They haven't decided on a time yet.
"After...school. I guess.", Yoongi said and looked away from Namjoon when the girl that was usually sitting in front of him came through the door.
Jiyoo stood up right away when she walked towards him with confusion on her face.
"Sorry, I lend your chair for a minute.", Jiyoo said and Yoongi noticed his scent right away again.
The girl smiled again suddenly, obviously a bit shy but then she laughed.
Yoongi thought it was stupid, Jiyoo didn't even say something funny.
"No problem. You're welcome.", she said before she sat down, her cheeks a little pink.
"Okay. When's your last lesson?", Jiyoo asked, gripping the backrest of Yoongi's chair.
"4:15.", Namjoon said before Yoongi. He already prepared his notebooks for the next class.
"Okay. I'll be on the hallway.", Jiyoo said and smiled at Yoongi before he turned around and walked off.
Yoongi looked after him before he turned to the front again.
Everyone seemed to whisper about Jiyoo the moment he left the room.
Or they talked about Yoongi. He wasn't sure.
Yoongi looked over to Namjoon. He was still looking through his notes.
"Is that alright with you? I can still tell him that we are going alone.", Yoongi mentioned and Namjoon looked up with raised eyebrows.
"Of course it's alright. I don't mind. We both know him. It's going to be okay", Namjoon simply said and then they smiled at each other.
Yoongi was excited for later.
Jiyoo bought Yoongi's drink and some snacks.
Namjoon gave him his present earlier.
A keychain with a cute kitten on it.
Yoongi liked small things.
Fridge magnets, cute photo frames, keychains, buttons and notebooks.
Those were his favorites.
He had too many notebooks, but there was still room in his cupboard.
Besides, Yoongi used them to write his diary.
Since he wasn't going to therapy anymore, he tried to write everything down and go through it when he was struggling with something.
And it worked.
Most of the time.
"Next time I'm going to buy you something decent.", Jiyoo said while he sipped on his drink.
They sat on a tiny table, they couldn't even place anything besides their drinks on it.
"You don't need to.", Yoongi mumbled.
He didn't really want to get many gifts.
He liked it best when the people spent time with him on his birthday.
And with Jiyoo, there was one more person he didn't expect.
Namjoon looked through the menu and chewed his pearls.
He was very quiet this past hour.
Jiyoo looked at him sometimes but then he looked away a bit nervous again.
"Sorry. I bet you don't hang out with younger people often.", Yoongi said and scratched his neck.
His hair was getting a bit longer. Maybe he should cut it soon.
Jiyoo chuckled and shook his head.
"Don't act as if I'm 10 years older. I was wondering if we could hang out sometimes.", he said and smiled at Namjoon then.
"How did you two actually meet?"
Namjoon looked up from the menu and blinked at Jiyoo.
"Uh. Kindergarten.", Namjoon mumbled and looked at Yoongi then.
"Well, not exactly. We met at a birthday party and then we stuck together."
Yoongi couldn't help himself but to smile at Namjoon with his shoulders raised.
He liked it when Namjoon talked about them.
Yoongi was so happy that Namjoon stuck with him until today.
Maybe he should tell him later.
"Some kids from kindergarten bullied Yoongi back then and before we went to school, he was at my place all the time."
Yoongi sipped on his drink.
He didn't like talking about it really, because he didn't want others to think weird of him.
But at least he didn't feel deeply uncomfortable anymore.
He hasn't seen Hoseok these past years.
He wasn't in the same middle school as him.
Sometimes Yoongi still wondered if Hoseok changed.
And as what he had presented.
Yoongi shook this thought off.
He shouldn't think about this.
"Who bullied you?", Jiyoo suddenly asked very seriously, his brows furrowed.
His eyes looked fierce like this and Yoongi didn't know why but it was doing something to him.
Maybe it was his Beta that couldn't stand the Alpha's stare.
Yoongi gulped and looked down at his drink.
He didn't want to say it.
It would bring back more memories than Yoongi intended for today.
"Jung Hoseok.", Namjoon suddenly said.
Yoongi looked up to his friend just when Jiyoo's eyes also flickered over to him.
Yoongi didn't understand why Namjoon was telling Jiyoo this.
"Jung Hoseok?", Jiyoo asked again and pulled out his phone.
He scrolled through his gallery and pulled up a group photo.
He then turned the screen towards Namjoon.
Yoongi leaned over and tried to get a glimpse at the picture.
He didn't know anyone but he recognized Hoseok right away.
The boy still looked like before. Perfect nose and graceful lips.
He looked put together and around him, there was a tense aura.
Hoseok didn't smile on the picture, his lips in a straight line and he looked at the camera with bored eyes, even though everyone around him was smiling or at least trying to look cool.
A girl was standing next to him and Yoongi gasped when he recognized Jiae.
Yoongi pulled back and didn't look for Minjun.
If they were still hanging out, Hoseok couldn't have changed much.
And Yoongi's stomach felt dull when he wondered why Jiyoo had a picture of him.
He looked at the Alpha who looked at Namjoon with raised eyebrows.
Namjoon's eyes were still fixed on the picture, probably looking at every single person before he looked past it and at Jiyoo.
"Yeah. That's him."
Jiyoo put his phone back in his pocket and huffed a laugh.
"He just turned 15 and is already acting like a big Alpha. At least he isn't trying to throw hands. He'd probably always ends up losing."
Jiyoo chuckled and swirled his drink.
"He wants to play with the big ones but he's too small."
Now Jiyoo sounded as if he was bragging.
Yoongi didn't know him like this.
"He also talks a lot of shit with his friends. But if you ask me, he's not the dumb one, his friends are, for tagging along."
Jiyoo took a sip from his drink.
"How come you have a picture?", Namjoon asked right away.
"We know each other because Bogum invited me over to Jung's house once."
Jiyoo looked at Yoongi. A reassuring smile on his lips.
"I don't like him."
Yoongi's heart skipped a beat.
He swallowed a weird sound that was about to come up from his throat.
"Good.", Namjoon said before he lifted the menu again.
Just then Yoongi realized that Namjoon was being protective of him.
Maybe Namjoon didn't like Jiyoo that much in the end.
But sometimes Yoongi also didn't like some of Namjoon's friends.
So it was alright.
Yoongi tried to smile it away.
"I don't understand why someone would bully you. You are cute.", Jiyoo said and smiled at Yoongi again.
"ah-- uhm... I wouldn't say I'm cute.", Yoongi stuttered and Jiyoo laughed, showing his pretty teeth.
Alphas' canine teeth were still a bit pronounced and pointier.
And Yoongi saw them for the first time on someone else than his father.
At least up close.
"You are bad at taking compliments.", Jiyoo pointed out and Yoongi only smiled shyly.
Maybe he was.
They sat together for a bit longer until Yoongi's mother asked him to come home so they could eat his cake.
Apparently his grandma was also there and wanted to give him another knitted pullover for his birthday.
Namjoon and Yoongi walked back together. They could take the bus a couple of stations together.
Jiyoo lived in another part of Seoul and needed to take another bus.
Namjoon and he talked about Yoongi's cake and he invited Namjoon over as well.
His friend tried to act as if he wasn't in for the cake right away, but after a while he gave in.
Sighing dramatically.
Yoongi giggled at Namjoon's acting.
But once they walked the last block, Yoongi had something he wanted to ask.
"Don't you trust Jiyoo?", Yoongi asked, eying Namjoon's reaction but Namjoon didn't show any strong emotion.
He only took a deep breath and looked over to Yoongi.
"We don't know many Alphas, you know. But I think he's acting too normal for one. I'm waiting for him to break his character."
Yoongi was shocked when he heard Namjoon say that and stopped in his tracks.
Yoongi looked down at his feet, thinking about Namjoon's words.
"You are right.", Yoongi mumbled.
Why didn't he realize this earlier?
Namjoon seemed to sense Yoongi stressing about it.
"I'm not telling you he's acting. But I think you shouldn't fall for kind words. I don't need to tell you that you are cute, Yoongi. You know that."
Yoongi frowned at Namjoon and tilted his head slightly.
"No. I don't?", Yoongi asked and wondered if Namjoon meant it.
He never thought of himself as cute. Maybe grim or judgmental. But never cute.
Today was the first time someone mentioned it to him.
Namjoon looked at him as if he was joking and then he sighed.
"Well, now you know. And don't get all shy when an Alpha tells you that. That's not my Yoongi.", Namjoon said and walked back to grab Yoongi by the arm to drag him the last meters towards his house.
"Your Yoongi?", Yoongi asked with a giggle while he stumbled beside Namjoon.
"My Yoongi is a bad bitch that doesn't take shit from Alphas or Omegas. Come back.", Namjoon said and Yoongi didn't know if Namjoon knew how funny he sounded.
Yoongi was just happy to be with Namjoon and to see that he was worrying about Yoongi.
"Namjoon?"
Said boy hummed when they walked up the stairs of the house, waiting for Yoongi to pull out his keys.
"Thank you for being my friend. I'm really lucky.", Yoongi said and Namjoon stared at him with a surprised expression before he laughed nervously.
"Of course. I wouldn't want any other best friend.", Namjoon answered and Yoongi felt like jumping around.
Sometimes Yoongi would like to wear a sign with 'Namjoon is my best friend' on it for everybody to see.
"Now open the door. I want cake.", Namjoon added and made Yoongi laugh while he fumbled for his keys.
Yoongi thought about Namjoon's words a lot.
He wrote them down and sometimes soliloquized about it.
Sometimes he imagined how Jiyoo could be mean to him but then he shook it off again.
He shouldn't daydream about such stuff.
So when Jiyoo asked Yoongi for his phone number weeks later, Yoongi couldn't help but exchange numbers.
Later that day Jiyoo asked Yoongi if he wanted to come over for the weekend and that he could also bring Namjoon.
Yoongi stared at the message for a while and only wrote back when he laid in his bed in the evening.
He doubted that Namjoon wanted to hang out with them. So Yoongi was worried that maybe other people were there as well.
Of course, he wanted to spend time with Jiyoo but he didn't know if he wanted to get to know his other friends.
So he asked if there were more people, but once Jiyoo wrote him back that it would only be the two of them, Yoongi needed to calm down a bit.
He didn't know why he was so nervous. Maybe because this was the first Alpha that showed interest in hanging out with him.
Yoongi hasn't been to Jiyoo's house before. He was scared for some reason.
Maybe Namjoon made him paranoid but he asked Jiyoo if they could meet in the city and the Alpha easily agreed.
The moment Yoongi saw Jiyoo at the arcade, he was stuck.
He didn't know what to do.
Jiyoo was making him nervous. In the best way possible.
Probably.
He was funny. Teased Yoongi and praised him when he did something well like scoring points during the baseball game or when he won a game on the flipper.
Yoongi was confused.
Jiyoo was acting like a really good friend.
Almost like an older brother.
But at the same time, Yoongi felt his chest swell with all the praising and nice words.
Yoongi wouldn't admit it out loud, but his Beta felt good having so much attention from an Alpha.
Jiyoo paid for the games, bought Yoongi drinks, and he even gave Yoongi the plushie he was able to exchange for the tickets he had won.
Since they spent the whole day inside, Yoongi was baffled when they stepped outside and it was dark already.
His phone churned with all the messages he didn't get while he was in the building.
Yoongi pulled out his phone and hissed at his 6 unanswered calls from his mother.
"Oh shit.", Yoongi said and checked his messages.
Mom- 12:29pm Yoongi, when are you coming home?
Mom- 01:46pm Honey?
Mom- 02:37pm Baby, please answer me soon.
Mom- 04:22pm Can you call me back?
Mom- 06:19pm Yoongi, please.
Your dad and I are worried.
Yoongi immediately texted back that he was alright and that he was coming home now.
"You okay?", Jiyoo asked, pushing back a few strands that fell out of his bun.
"Yeah. My mom is just worried. She couldn't reach me."
Jiyoo chuckled and smiled at Yoongi.
"Then you better call her as well. Should I walk you home?"
Yoongi frowned up at Jiyoo. Why would he want to walk him home?
"I mean 'cause it's dark, you know.", Jiyoo added when he saw Yoongi's confusion.
His smile wavered a little though.
Jiyoo would walk him home? Because it was dark?
Yoongi was not an Omega.
He didn't need that kind of protection...
"You really don't need to. It's alright. I can take the bus and my way home won't be far.", Yoongi explained.
His phone started ringing and he answered the call with his mother.
She sounded so worried, it broke Yoongi's heart.
He apologized several times and promised her to come home quickly.
Jiyoo stood next to him the whole time.
His hands in the pockets of his jacket.
He looked at other people around them.
Yoongi wondered what he was observing.
Once Yoongi ended the call, he looked up at Jiyoo.
"Really, there is no need to walk me home. I can manage."
Jiyoo eyed him for a while before he sighed.
"Okay. But text me when you get home."
Yoongi nodded and waved with his phone a little.
Jiyoo smiled at the gesture.
"Uhm...Thanks for inviting me.", Yoongi thanked Jiyoo.
He didn't know how to make up for today.
"Today was fun."
Jiyoo beamed at him, so bright, Yoongi thought he'd go blind.
"Really!? That's so great! I was wondering if you enjoyed today."
Yoongi tilted his head slightly.
He didn't understand.
"Didn't I seem like I enjoyed it?"
Jiyoo's lips curled into a sweet smile before he looked away a bit awkwardly.
"You are hard to read sometimes."
Yoongi opened his mouth but only a small 'ah' left his mouth.
He didn't know that.
"Sorry. I promise I liked today."
Jiyoo nodded and they smiled at each other.
"Maybe we can do that more often? I really like hanging out with you."
Yoongi's heart did a stupid little jump when Jiyoo said that.
"Me too. I would like that.", Yoongi answered and smiled when Jiyoo's eyes glistened a little with pride.
"Okay cool. Well... be careful on your way home.", Jiyoo said when he saw Yoongi's bus approach.
"You too, big Alpha.", Yoongi joked and smirked when Jiyoo laughed a bit embarrassed.
He then turned and walked up to his bus.
Yoongi smiled on his way back home.
His stomach felt funny and he was happy.
The plushie in his arms smelled like Jiyoo.
2009, 4. July
Today was their last day of school before summer holidays would approach.
Every club prepared something for their stand.
Clubs like Jiyoo's, which worked on their movie project the whole year or prepared a performance, presented their stuff at the auditorium.
The cooking club had a stand in the hallway somewhere in the higher classes.
Yoongi was curious about which class Namjoon and he would soon be transferred to.
The classes up here were light-flooded and had newer equipment.
The hallway was packed with people that would go to their school next year and other students that were much younger.
Yoongi was currently preparing tiny samples of tteokbokki.
Many people just stopped because they wanted to snack something.
Others were honestly curious about their cooking club.
Namjoon was currently at the toilet.
Hopefully, they could take a break soon and look at other stands too.
Yoongi was curious about what the others prepared.
Besides, he was a bit upset he wasn't able to look at Jiyoo's movie.
Nobody was willing to switch places with him.
And he didn't want to leave Namjoon alone.
So when he saw Jiyoo approach him, he already smiled apologizing.
"How was it?", Yoongi asked even though Jiyoo was still good 4 meters away from him.
Jiyoo seemed happy.
His cheeks were red and his hair wild as if he ran all the way over.
"It was awesome! Everyone loved the movie."
Yoongi didn't expect Jiyoo to hug him in the hallway.
He couldn't hug Jiyoo back properly, his hands were a bit dirty and wet.
But he pressed his face into Jiyoo's shoulders.
Yoongi would like to smell Jiyoo's scent gland, but sadly he wasn't tall enough for that.
And it was probably inappropriate.
But Yoongi felt the need more often these days-- especially his Beta urged him to press his nose against the Alphas neck. Even though it was useless.
Yoongi couldn't smell Jiyoo better either way.
These couple months, Jiyoo was around Yoongi a lot more.
Sometimes he was at Jiyoo's house and he felt very comfortable there as well, especially because it was a nice and clean home.
He was amazed that both of Jiyoo's parents were Alphas.
At first, Yoongi was a bit scared when he stepped into a household with three Alphas.
He was missing some Omega energy.
But he quickly understood that Jiyoo's mom was just as gentle as any other mother.
She just wasn't as soft and challenged her mate all the time.
Both of them were cocky but Yoongi thought it was cute.
They were a perfect match and were very curious about Yoongi.
Jiyoo showed Yoongi their garden where they grew their own vegetables.
They had a pool and Jiyoo promised to invite him during the summer break to swim with him.
Yoongi was longing for the invitation.
Sometimes Yoongi and Jiyoo hung out in the living room.
They were playing games on his PlayStation.
And one evening, Yoongi even ate dinner at his place.
Yoongi felt nice.
He felt safe whenever he was with the Alpha.
So whenever they weren't able to hang out at Jiyoo's , they went into the city.
For Yoongi, Namjoon was still his top priority.
But Namjoon started playing chess and sometimes he was at his club and didn't have time for him.
Then, Yoongi met with Jiyoo. And almost every time Yoongi asked if he had time, he was up for it.
Yoongi wouldn't say they were especially close.
He still was careful about personal information towards Jiyoo. Maybe because he was also scared Namjoon might be right and Jiyoo would turn out to be a bad person in the end.
But he also noticed that he let his guard down more often than not.
Jiyoo was just too sweet towards him, always praising him and making him laugh.
Yoongi couldn't help himself but to be nice to him.
Especially when Jiyoo opened up a lot already.
He told him about his closest friends, his plans for the future, and sometimes even about the things he feared.
There was just one thing Jiyoo never talked about. His rut partner.
Alphas and Omegas would get ruts and heats during spring and autumn one after another.
Jiyoo's rut had lasted longer than usual in April.
Yoongi once texted Jiyoo how he was feeling, but he only sent back a text that they'd talk the week after.
When they saw each other for the first time again, Jiyoo smelled like oranges.
So strongly, Yoongi felt a bit upset that even he noticed it.
Jiyoo also barely looked at him. As if he felt guilty.
It took them weeks to speak normally again.
Even if Yoongi wanted to sulk a little longer, Jiyoo always came to him with his favorite drink in his hands. Asking to spend time with him.
Yoongi was helpless when it came to Jiyoo.
So he also didn't want Jiyoo to let go of him when he hugged him in the hallway.
But the Alpha laid one arm around Yoongi's shoulders and looked at the food.
"And you are busy cooking?"
Just when Jiyoo mentioned cooking, Yoongi looked over to his pot which was boiling.
"Oh."
He hurried to stir the food and lowered the heat.
Jiyoo giggled. These days he laughed about more things that happened to Yoongi, probably because Yoongi got a lot more clumsy once Jiyoo was around.
Sometimes, Jiyoo also forgot to hide his scent, but Yoongi wasn't offended by it.
Two Omegas stopped at the stand and giggled when Jiyoo smiled at them.
"Did you cook this yourself?", one of them asked, looking at Jiyoo.
"Yoongi did it. He's very good at it.", he said even though he had not tried the tteokbokki first.
Yoongi smiled at it.
Yoongi offered both girls the bowls with food before he went back to stirring the dish in his pot.
Both Omega girls looked at each other before one of them picked up a sample and the other followed suit.
They praised Yoongi's cooking skills and he thanked them.
They talked briefly, apparently, they were new students, and once Yoongi and Jiyoo told them that they were excited to meet them again after the summer break, they left for other stands again.
Yoongi was satisfied.
He talked to a couple of nice new students today.
"When are you free?", Jiyoo asked once the Omegas were gone.
He moved up to Yoongi's side before he took the last sample.
"Namjoon and my shift will end around 2pm. Others will clean up then."
Jiyoo hummed when he tasted the food.
He pushed around the rice cakes and smacked his lips.
Yoongi looked at him with big eyes.
Didn't he like it?
He was terribly nervous when he looked up at Jiyoo.
Suddenly, the Alpha looked at him, his eyes growing big.
"It's really good.", he praised him, covering his mouth.
Yoongi pulled his shoulders to his ears, he was so happy when Jiyoo liked it.
"I'm glad.", Yoongi said and turned around to put new samples into bowls.
He placed them at the edge of the stand and started to prepare more ingredients.
He wondered where Namjoon was.
"I was wondering if I could invite you over. My offer for the pool still stands.", Jiyoo suddenly said.
Yoongi considered it.
But he didn't want to give in so quickly.
"I don't know if Namjoon had any plans. I-- I'm sorry, I would ask him first."
Jiyoo smiled fondly at him and then nodded.
"Of course. We have many more hot days."
And Yoongi smiled shyly. He was glad Jiyoo wasn't pushing him.
He didn't want to look for too long at Jiyoo, knowing he'd start staring obviously then.
So instead Yoongi looked along the hallway.
He was searching for Namjoon.
Maybe he got lost again? Or maybe he was talking to others.
Namjoon often got caught up in conversations.
Yoongi would've liked to go to the toilet too.
Suddenly, Yoongi's blood froze.
He dropped the ladle in his hand with a loud clang against the pot.
Even though it was hot today, Yoongi felt the chills.
He got goosebumps and Yoongi's legs got weak.
This couldn't be.
Jung Hoseok was standing at a stand not far from his.
He was looking at pictures of the photography club and seemed unfazed.
Jiae, Minjun, and a couple of other new students stood behind him.
They were looking at their phones or talking to people behind the stand.
This couldn't be.
Yoongi had spent the past years gaining confidence and strength while Hoseok was gone.
He could only imagine what would happen once Hoseok would recognize him.
Maybe his walls would crumble down again and Yoongi wanted to avoid that at any cost.
So if only his body moved, Yoongi could've tried to run away.
But his legs were stuck to the floor.
"Yoongi, are you okay?", Jiyoo asked, stroking over Yoongi's shoulders - he didn't even feel the touch.
Yoongi felt as if he couldn't breathe.
His eyes were stuck to Hoseok.
He wondered when he'd turn.
When would Hoseok see him?
When Yoongi would break.
But the moment never came.
Suddenly Jiyoo was in his sight, cupped Yoongi's face, and looked into his eyes.
It took Yoongi a moment to focus on him.
"Breathe, Yoongi. Breathe."
Yoongi gasped when Jiyoo's scent enveloped him. Even he noticed it.
He ripped him out of the moment before the panic inside of him could break out.
Yoongi was looking at Jiyoo with big eyes.
Trying to sort out his thoughts while his heart slowly calmed down.
Jiyoo had this kind of calming effect on him.
This Alpha.
"It's okay. Let me handle that.", Jiyoo said and ran his thumb over Yoongi's cheeks before he turned around and walked towards Hoseok.
Yoongi took a couple of steps back, pressing his back to the wall.
Something fluttered in his chest. His senses were still a bit numbed by Jiyoo's warm scent.
He wondered how strong Jiyoo's scent must be right now for Yoongi's Beta to notice it.
At least people close to their stand were now staring at Yoongi.
Yoongi was covering his mouth when Jiyoo talked to Hoseok.
He pointed to the other side of the hallway, away from Yoongi, and it didn't take long for Hoseok and his friends to walk into that direction.
Jiyoo didn't look back, maybe so he wouldn't be too obvious.
Yoongi sighed loudly when Hoseok was out of sight.
He leaned back against the wall, then he closed his eyes and fumbled with his fingers.
Yoongi wasn't this nervous since forever.
He almost forgot about Hoseok every now and then. Middle school gave Yoongi time to recover and he had hoped that high school would be just the same.
But he knew an Alpha like Hoseok would pick on a Beta like Yoongi. He wouldn't let him live. Yoongi knew it.
"Yoongi?"
Yoongi opened his eyes when Namjoon stood at the stand.
He looked concerned.
His eyes dark and eyebrows furrowed.
Yoongi noticed right away that Namjoon came out of the direction Hoseok was before.
"I think Hoseok is here.", Namjoon simply said.
"Did he see you?", Yoongi asked, his voice thin.
Namjoon nodded resigned.
Yoongi laid his head back again. He couldn't believe how unlucky he was.
"I'm fucked."
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