Chapter Text
Dohwa pressed Su-ae's contact number with trembling fingers, the light from his phone illuminating the dark alleyway he was in. His blond strands clinging onto his forehead. He was slumped forward on the floor shaking as he waited with bated breath for a response.
Click “Hello” Su-ae said.
“I need help” he managed to slip out as his vision blurred and his head rang.
“Is something wrong? What happened?” Su-ae asked with worry clear in her voice.
She waited as the voice on the line sharply inhaled with no response except labored breathing.
“Ok, it doesn’t matter where you are? Send me your location.” Su-ae said.
Dohwa didn’t know how long it was until he heard footsteps approaching. He sighed in relief knowing Su-ae was near. Until he scented an unmistakable alpha scent instead of a comforting beta. Dohwa's heart sputtered with fear, his chest thudding loudly. His first instinct was to get on his feet and run. But he was stuck on the floor he had no energy and the heat coursing through him was an awful liability.
“Finally found you” Eunhyuk complained with irritation “Whatever address Su-ae sent me wasn’t matching up sorry for making you wait I guess ” he said as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head
He failed to realize how Dohwa was progressively backing up from the already too cramped alleyway. As Eunhyuk walked closer, his steps faltered, and he stopped abruptly. He caught the sweet scent in the air, confusion lingering for a moment before realization hit him.
He stared at Dohwa panting on the floor, his face an assortment of nasty red welts and pink bruises, his breath coming out haggard in short hasty puffs, a flush covering his face. Eunhyuk really tried not to make the shock apparent on his face even though his jaw slightly dropped in surprise, which gave him away.
Because seriously the guy who was always swarmed by girls with countless rumors flying about him was an omega himself?
“Literally anyone else would’ve been better than me to pick Dohwa up” Eunhyuk muttered as he rubbed his forehead.
Dohwa's lips pressed into a thin line, relaxing slightly when Eunhyuk didn’t try to pull any moves on him. Dohwa watched as Eunhyuk mentally sorted through the situation. Out of everyone, why did it have to be this guy? The last thing he wanted was for his love rival to see him so vulnerable, let alone stumble onto the secret he’d spent so much energy keeping under wraps.
He’s surprised Eunhyuk isn’t snickering at this situation knowing his claim to Su-aes affection is all but guaranteed now. But clearly all inhibitions are leaving him as he could feel himself get warmer desire taking over coherent thinking.
“Ok pills you need pills” Eunhyuk stated.
“I’ll take you home where do you live” he lightly crouched down his hand outstretched for Dohwa to grab.
The contact was near electric as Eunhyuk stepped back, keeping his distance. Dohwa lightly whined at the loss of contact. Eunhyuk pretended not to hear him,this situation was way out of his element.
Dohwa leaned on the wall, his arms wrapped around himself dizziness amplifying from standing upright.
This is bad, really bad. The longer I’m near him the worse I’m getting. At this rate, I’m going to do something stupid. Dohwa thought.
“Call a taxi I live far away ” Dohwa huffed out straining to keep his wits.
“Do you have suppressants at home?” Eunhyuk asked, his phone already out to call a cab.
“Yeah” Dohwa lied through clenched teeth he could barely afford groceries let alone suppressants.
Well, it wasn’t a complete lie he did have suppresents, they were just expired.
Eunhyuk spent a good ten minutes trying to find a cab this late at night before he gave up. He pressed his fingers through his hair, already regretting his new plan of action.
“Do you want to come to my place it’s closer and my parents are out of town” Eunhyuk begrudgingly said averting eye contact.
The annoyance on Dohwa's face was apparent as he muttered "I'd rather be anywhere else than with you right now.”
“Feelings mutual” Eunhyuk said irritation lacing his tone.
“I wish Su-ae were here instead” Dohwa said rolling his eyes as he vehemently tried to ignore the growing heat in his stomach.
Dohwa could see Eunhyuk's jaw clench at the mention of sooae and honestly, that really turned him on. Did he really just think that? Okay, he needs to go home like right now.
“I’ll just take the subway instead,” Dohwa mumbled out.
“No way” Eunhyuk replied firmly, shutting that idea down.
“Why not?” Dohwa questioned.
“I mean—look at you” Eunhyuk stated flatly “If we use the subway someone's going to call the cops.” gesturing pointedly at the state he was in.
“We? Who said we’re going together?” Dohwa said aggravated as he hugged himself tighter.
“There's no way I'm letting you walk home alone while you're like this. I told Su-ae I’d get you back safe, and I'm staying with you until we get there.” Eunhyuk said, sincerely tapping his foot awkwardly on the pavement.
“Okay whatever it doesn’t matter let’s just go to your house” Dohwa huffed out finally giving in his overly flushed face growing redder as he averted his gaze.
Eunhyuk and him in the same house alone there’s no way this ends well Dohwa thought.
Dohwa pushed himself off the wall following behind Eunhyuk. His breathing was getting more labored by the minute. And Eunhyuk smelled stupidly good. He just wanted to reach out and touch him, god, he needed contact. He stared down at his feet as another wave of need hit him, stopping momentarily. Eunhyuk glanced back a look of concern apparent on his face which quickly disappeared as Dohwa shot him a glare. The constant walk and stop was already grating on Eunhyuk's nerves, but watching Dohwa nearly trip over his own feet was the final straw.
Eunhyuk didn't say a word as he walked into Dohwa’s space. He unceremoniously slung Dohwa’s arm over his shoulder, his palm coming to rest heavy and warm against Dohwa’s waist. Dohwa had zero energy to protest and he would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy the contact.
“Can you carry me instead my feet hurt?” Dohwa said jokingly with a slight smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
“Can you shut up for me instead?”Eunhyuk gritted out.
At this proximity, Eunhyuk smelled even better but Dohwa should seriously still keep his guard up.
Eunhyuk being near Dohwa who smelled like straight honey and sex was taking its toll on him. He’s been restraining himself since they met in the alleyway. He was on edge the entire time. Thankfully they were nearly there.
This is for Su-ae Eunhyuk thought for the millionth time today.
***
Dohwa sat on the pristine couch in the overly large house, shifting uncomfortably as the eerie silence began to get under his skin. He waited as Eunhyuk came back with a first aid kit and a cold pack. Standing in front of Dohwa, Eunhyuk started to clean up the dried blood and started applying ointment to the small cuts on his face.
“Ouch!” Dohwas hissed out his face scrunching up in a grimace.
Eunhyuk gave him an impassive look before he got back to work. He grabbed Dohwa’s face, turning it to the side, applying more ointment, and pressing bandages on his wounds. And if someone asked if he heard the muffled moan coming from Dohwa because of the contact he didn’t.
From this distance, Eunhyuk could see every individual lash on Dohwa’s eyes, the delicate beauty mark under his eye. He noticed the warm shine of his hazel eyes and the persistent flush on his face. And of course how insanely good he smelled. Eunhyuk’s eyes flicked down towards Dohwa’s soft plush lips wondering how they’d feel on—okay what the hell was he thinking right now Dohwa’s scent was really making him lose it.
“I’m done. Put the cold pack on your bruises. I’ll wait for Su-ae outside” Eunhyuk said, quickly pulling back, his ears lightly flushed.
“Wait, Su-aes coming?” Dohwa questioned.
“Yeah her tutoring classes were holding her up. That's why she called me for help.” Eunhyuk replied, crossing his arms keeping a safe distance away from Dohwa.
Dohwa watched as Eunhyuk walked away, oddly disappointed that they weren’t alone. He blamed the slight pang in his chest on his heat. Speaking of his heat he was probably ruining Eunhyuk’s couch right now but that wasn’t his main concern as he could feel his cycle reaching the extreme level. He leaned his head back meeting soft cushions as he squeezed his eyes shut knowing he’s gonna lose his senses soon. He wanted to get up and go somewhere secluded but he was stuck rooted in the same spot his body twitching with want.
Leaning against the gates, Eunhyuk waited for Su-ae to show up. The cool breeze was a refreshing change to the overpowering scent of honey and caramel. He was about to send her a message until he saw a familiar head of purple-tinted hair dashing towards him stopping when she reached the gates. Eunhyuk couldn’t help the smile tugging at his lips.
Hunched over with her hands on her knees, Su-aes' breath fell short as sweat dripped down her forehead.
“Did you run all the way here?” Eunhyuk said, the smile evident in his voice.
“Y-yeah just give me a second,” Su-ae said breathlessly.
Eunhyuk waited patiently as Su-ae wiped the sweat from her forehead.
“Eunhyuk you don’t know how hard it was trying to leave that tutoring session she had me trapped doing math problems! I’m really sorry for bothering you with this but you were one of the only people responding!” Su-ae exclaimed, holding her head in her hands gripping the strands of hair.
“It was you asking so I don’t mind. I’m glad you decided to come.” Eunhyuk said.
“Of course! Where’s Dohwa?” Su-ae asked with a grin.
“Inside I need you to watch over him while I get his suppressants,” Eunhyuk replied, gesturing over his shoulder towards the door.
There was a beat of silence as Su-ae processed what she was hearing.
“Supppresents as in heat suppressants?" Su-ae choked out a bead of sweat on her cheek.
“Uh yeah,” Eunhyuk said.
“He was in heat the entire time. Oh my god, and I made you pick him up!” Su-ae groaned, putting both her palms to her face.
She paused again thinking for a second the reality of the situation dawning on her. She honestly didn’t know much about secondary gender dynamics but the one thing literally everyone knows is that alphas lose control when near an omega in heat.
She lifted her head from her hands tentatively asking “Nothing happened between you guys right?” with a look of badly concealed suspicion on her face.
“Nope” Eunhyuk replied.
“Okay ok good I didn’t think you’d do anything anyway I was just … concerned.” Su-ae said breathing out a sigh of relief.
“I get it. Some alphas use heat as a cover to do whatever they want, even when they’re fully in control of their own actions.” Eunhyuk scoffed in disgust.
Su-ae could recall the one time an omega suddenly went into an accidental heat causing an uproar in the school. She remembered walking down the hallway, a sweet floral scent filled the air, but the way every guy and alpha snapped their heads toward the omega was terrifying.
They stared at the poor girl with a sickening hunger, as if she were nothing more than a piece of meat to be torn apart. The situation was quickly diffused by the teachers. But to make matters worse, she was the one who got suspended for something she couldn't even control. Su-ae understood why so many omegas chose to keep their secondary gender a secret.
“I could’ve gotten pills on my way here you know” Su-ae said, guilt eating at her for putting Dohwa and Eunhyuk in such an unsavory predicament.
“I didn’t want you walking alone this late at night, not more than you needed to at least and the pharmacy is nearby anyway I won’t take long," Eunhyuk said rubbing his neck.
They said their final goodbyes before Eunhyuk departed and Su-ae entered the house. Immediately the overpowering scent of honey and caramel assaulted her nose. It was enough to make her head spin and she was only a beta. As the door closed behind her she noticed a tall figure curled up on the floor. She approached with caution, stopping to lower herself on the floor as she squatted. Dohwa looked even worse up close, his face was all banged up, but it looked like someone had patched him up. His eyes were shut as harsh pants filled the room.
“Dohwa come on let’s get you on the couch” Su-ae said.
Her hand reached out to grab Dohwa’s arm lifting him over her shoulder, her legs shaking before she unceremoniously dropped him on the couch.
“Do you need anything?” Su-ae asked.
Her question was met with silence as Dohwa’s trembling figure let out pained gasps. Su-ae placed her palm flat on Dohwa’s forehead.
God, he was burning up she thought.
A hand suddenly gripped her wrist, nearly sending her stumbling as Dohwa’s eyes blinked open, all glassy and wide.
“Water” Dohwa heaved out.
Su-ae wasted no time as she dashed towards the kitchen, grabbed a glass filling it with water before she dashed back to Dohwa. Dohwa’s hands trembled while holding the glass, and Su-ae guided his hand towards his mouth. He swallowed the water in heavy gulps, his throat working as a few stray droplets escaped and ran down his chin. His hand reached up to swipe at the strays. Su-ae placed the glass on the table nearby turning back to Dohwa she didn’t have a second's wait before arms wrapped around her waist pulling her forward.
“What the-!” Su-ae yelped out.
She went quiet, her face beet-red as Dohwa’s face dug into the side of her neck. She could see Dohwa getting more restless as he desperately tried to find relief without any avail, nuzzling deeper into her side. It wouldn’t work anyway Su-ae was practically scentless like all betas were. She brought her hands towards her waist trying to pull Dohwa’s hands away as he whimpered out complaints which made her even redder than before. He was really out of it huh.
She barely noticed the harsh slam of the door as she felt herself being pulled back by a firm grip on her wrist. Eunhyuk put himself in front of her, passing the plastic bag of medication towards her.
“Seriously? I'm gone for ten minutes and you're already all over Su-ae.” Eunyuk said clearly ticked off, with a strained, twitching smile fixed on his face.
He hauled him up, Dohwa's arm slung across his shoulder while his other hand rested at his waist as they dragged their way to the stairs.
“Come on Eunhyuk he’s out of it he didn’t mean anything by that” Su-ae said quickly scrambling to follow them the bag clutched to her chest.
Eunhyuk knew he was being a little irrational but he was so done with this whole situation. Seeing Dohwa all over Su-ae irked him badly. He made it to the guest room by opening the door with one hand. He was trying to put Dohwa on the bed but before he even got the chance out of nowhere Dohwa spun back slamming his hands near Eunhyuk’s head as the door closed behind. The shock was evident on Eunhyuk’s face because seriously, where did he get that sudden energy from?
Without any warning, Dohwa suddenly latched his arms onto Eunhyuk’s neck nudging his face near his scent glands. Yeah, just great Dohwa was gripping onto Su-ae literally ten seconds ago now he’s clinging onto him like a lifeline. Eunhyuk was so out of his depth.
“Mmh” Dohwa gasped out near Eunhyuk’s red ears finally getting a semblance of pain relief.
Eunhyuk could feel his face burning, glancing down at Dohwa his eyes were half lidded, his face overly flushed as his grip on Eunhyuk’s neck got tighter, his body pressing closer. Eunhyuk was snapped out of whatever daze he was in at the sound of Su-ae's voice.
“Oh my god what are you guys doing in there. Eunhyuk, why is the door locked!” Su-ae shouted banging on the door.
Confusion was the main thing in his head as Eunhyuk’s hand reached out to turn the door handle which didn’t open and he definitely did not remember locking it. Genuinely what the hell was going on today? Eunhyuk’s head hit the back of the door because of course the guest room he chose had a busted-up door that wouldn't open.
“The lock is broken. Su-ae try picking the lock from your end” Eunyuk said, sighing all while Dohwa is nuzzling into his neck making his head spin with how much pheromones he was pumping out.
“Got it!” Su-ae replied as she got to work.
Eunhyuk tried getting Dohwa’s hands off to keep distance between them in the stifling room scented with sweet honey and smoky caramel but Dohwa would not budge; he was clinging onto him like a drowning man.
“Dohwa can you let go for like two seconds” Eunhyuk gritted out.
“No stay please.” Dohwa cried out.
Eunhyuk paused those words hit much harder than they should have his face burned even deeper.
“Okay let’s move to the bed, how about that?” Eunhyuk said, rubbing his forehead.
“What am I hearing right now?” Su-ae said her eyebrows scrunched in concern evident in her tone as she continued to pick the lock.
“Whoa, hey not like that!” Euhyuk replied with a bead of sweat on his cheek “I’m trying to get him to the bed and off of me”.
Eunhyuk scooped Dohwa up in one quick motion, hooking his arms under his legs as Dohwa locked his own legs around Eunhyuk's waist. With his arms still cinched around Eunhyuk’s neck and his face hidden against his skin, Dohwa held on tight. Eunhyuk carried him over to the bed and lowered him gently onto the mattress. He tried to pull away again but was stopped by the immediate tightening on his neck.
“Ugh no” Dohwa protested.
So needy, Eunhyuk thought to himself.
“Su-ae is the door opening now?” Eunhyuk twisted his head, yelling behind him.
“No it’s not working!” Su-aes' worried voice rang out.
“Plan B, then there's a hammer in the- “
His words were cut short by hands on his face twisting his head forward “Bite me” Dohwa said all glassy-eyed his teeth worrying his bottom lip.
“Uh, what?” Eunhyuk said calmly, face flushing at the implication.
“It helps… with the heat” Dohwa said dazedly, panting out harsh breaths, their foreheads touching together this close they were damn near inches from kissing.
“Eunhyuk?” Su-ae called “You still there”.
He felt like someone shoved cotton in his ears Su-aes words barely registered as Dohwa’s overwhelming scent was taking up all his senses his words unlocked a side to him Eunhyuk didn’t even know existed. Stupid biology was making him go crazy.
“Yeah...” Eunhyuk replied before coming back to his senses “The hammer gets the hammer in the garage!” Eunhyuk shouted out. He could hear footsteps walking away.
Eunhyuk gave himself a second to process what he was going to do next. A marking isn't a light thing. His mind flickered back to the mandated health classes on secondary genders. Honestly, he only half paid attention in that class. He always assumed he'd end up settling down with a beta woman, he figured he’d never actually need to understand how alpha and omega biology worked.
But one thing he could distinctly remember was the lesson on markings. There were two types of markings, a temporary one and a permanent one. A mutual deep bite from both parties was permanent also known as a bond. A temporary one is when only one party marks the other. This one is uncommon but mainly used to quell the intense pain or pleasure in a heat cycle; it wouldn't end the cycle.
Eunhyuk rubbed at his temples; he really couldn’t believe he was doing this. “Turn your head to the side, Dohwa,” Eunhyuk said, sighing.
It was almost startling how quickly Dohwa moved his palms were flat on the bed he was leaning backwards slightly as he bared his neck. Eunhyuk leaned in cainines positioned on Dohwas scent glands one hand flat on the mattress the other on Dohwas waist. He bit down hard, feeling droplets of blood coming out.
“Ah-“ a sharp gasp escaped Dohwa’s lips before he finally slumped against Eunhyuk, his head falling onto his shoulder. His fingers clung loosely to Eunhyuk’s shirt as the searing heat and pain began to fade, replaced by a wave of relief as his body accepted the mark.
Eunhyuk pulled away, moving Dohwa towards the pillows with care covering him with a blanket. He could hear footsteps approaching the room as Su-aes’ voice rang out “I got the hammer!“.
Eunhyuk started walking towards the door but was stopped by a tug on his wrist.
“You’re staying right” Dohwa huffed, eyes half-lidded barely opened.
“Yeah.. I’ll be here in the morning” Eunhyuk responded.
He stopped as he reached the door debating the pros and cons of breaking the door down. God knows how he’d explain to his parents why there were holes in the guest room door.
“Wait, let me see if I can open the door from my end,” Eunhyuk said, picking at the lock in a last-ditch effort.
“Alright but I’m still here if you need me to swing,” Su-ae responded.
Eunhyuk couldn’t help the soft smile on his face imagining Su-ae breaking the door down with a comically large hammer. Time passed as he picked at the lock, almost giving up until he heard a faint click. He inhaled waiting with bated breath as he twisted the door open.
“Finally” Eunhyuk said, releasing the breath he was holding.
He came face to face with Su-ae who had a grin on her face, her right hand raised for a high-five, the other flat by her side the hammer gripped in her hand. He reciprocated, the sharp crack of their palms meeting echoing through the quiet room.
“Great job Eunhyuk! I don’t know why that took me forever when I was trying to pick the lock” Su-ae said with a thumbs up reaching for the bag of medication she left by the door.
“I’ll be right back” Su-ae said walking into the room as Eunhyuk moved to the side to give her room the door closed behind her with a sliver of space between being fully closed, just in case you know.
Standing by the door, Eunhyuk waited for Su-ae to come back. He could hear light footsteps as the door slowly creaked open. Su-ae turned her head to the side where Eunhyuk was standing by the door, arms crossed. She gave him a sharp look, index finger pointing at Dohwa. Eunhyuk immediately picked up on what she was concerned about explaining the events that went down while she was getting the hammer.
Her face shifted as the pieces clicked into place, and she nodded along, absorbing his explanation. With a heavy sigh, she pulled the door shut and fell into step with him as they started down the stairs.
“That was the longest night of my life” Su-ae groaned, hands across the back of her head.
“Agreed,” Eunhyuk replied.
Eunhyuk glanced over in Su-aes’ direction, curiosity getting the better of him.“How’d you know Dohwa was an omega?” Eunhyuk asked.
Su-ae stilled, avoided eye contact as she replied “ I-I don’t know what you mean”.
Eunhyuk gave her a knowing look while Su-ae turned her head avoiding his gaze.
“Okay! Okay! You're right.” Su-ae said, giving in "I might have accidentally found out after I stopped by his place to drop off some schoolwork," she said, fidgeting nervously. "That's when I realized he was in heat."
She could recall very clearly that embarrassing memory, filed away with the other many embarrassing memories in her head. The thought that Dohwa could be an omega didn’t even occur to her when she found him sick and injured similarly to today, but the scent was a dead giveaway; too bad that she only discovered that after she bought the useless cold medicine.
Su-ae damn near called the police because she didn’t know how to deal with the situation. From her knowledge omegas could die if the heat was unregulated and strong enough, but then again, she was falling asleep in those secondary gender classes, so her information was probably all wrong anyway.
She remembered panicking, ripping open every cabinet and drawer in hopes of suppressants. Accidentally slipping and falling on the floor in her rush she’s forever grateful nobody was there to see that. Thankfully he did have suppressants so that issue was diffused a little easier. She could also clearly remember Dohwa laughing in her face after he woke up when she voiced her worries about him dying from heat pains.
Su-ae snapped her attention back to the present checking the time on her phone.
Her jaw dropped when she saw the time nearly 1 a.m. And the long list of missed calls from her parents. Panicking, she dialed her mom putting her on speaker, giving a rushed, vague explanation of where she’d been and why.
Eunhyuk watched in amusement as Su-Ae's hands flung around in a panic trying to explain, pacing around in the same area.
“You can stay at my place overnight if you want,” Eunhyuk said.
“No way! How scandalous!," Su-ae gasped, feigning shock. "Just kidding, but my mom is on her way to pick me up. It might take her a bit, though." With a grin, she tapped the hang-up button, promptly ending the call.
They talked with comforting ease as Su-ae waited for her mom. It was familiar and stable being together as they aimlessly chatted away. Su-ae sat on the couch as Eunhyuk stepped away towards the cabinet, pulling out snacks, the cabinet door closing shut with a soft thud.
“Movie?” Eunhyuk asked.
Su-ae grinned remote already in hand “Already ahead of you”.
Thumb Flicking through the channels until she finally settled on a cheesy rom-com. She glanced over at Eunhyuk as he reached for the light switch, flicking it down and plunging the room into a shadowy dimness. The soft, blue glow of the TV screen replaced the overhead light, making the room feel cozy rather than unsettling. Eunhyuk walked back over, dropping the snacks on the table and placing himself on the cushion next to Su-ae.
The movie played on while Su-ae laughed at the amusing scenes and muttered out complaints at the multiple misunderstandings between the main couple. Eunhyuk remained silent watching the movie with feigned interest; his gaze kept flicking back to Su-ae, smiling a little as she stuffed her face with snacks.
Su-ae could feel her eyelids grow heavy as the movie neared the halfway point. She rubbed her eyes, trying to stay awake, but she couldn't stop a yawn from escaping. Her head eventually fell back against the couch as the weariness of the day finally caught up to her.
Eunhyuk stood up, gathered the empty wrappers, and clicked the TV off with the remote. After tossing the trash into the kitchen bin, with light footsteps he headed upstairs to the laundry room to grab some spare blankets and a stack of his folded clothes. He walked quietly back across the hallway, eventually stopping at the guest room door.
Eunhyuk quietly pushed the door open and stepped into the dim room, where Dohwa was curled up under the blankets. He set his spare clothes on the nightstand and softly closed the door behind him. When he made his way back downstairs, he found Su-ae still on the couch, though she had shifted, her head now rested on the armrest, and her body took up half the cushions.
He draped the blanket over her and knelt until they were eye level, the soft glow of the night light catching the features of her face. His hand moved to push a stray lock of hair back, carefully tucking it behind her ear.
It couldn’t have been more than ten minutes when Su-ae’s phone started buzzing and her mom's caller ID flashed on the screen. Eunhyuk set aside the pencil and assignment he’d been working on while he waited. Still sitting near Su-ae on the couch, he reached out and gave her a gentle shake to wake her up.
“Later….” Su-ae mumbled out.
“Your mom's here” Eunhyuk said.
That woke her up, and she started rubbing her eyes with her hands to shake off the sleep. She tossed the blanket aside, grabbed her phone, and headed for the door to retrieve her coat from the rack. Eunhyuk followed closely and held the door open for her. As she walked toward her mom’s waiting car, Su-ae turned back and gave him a soft, lingering wave.
“Thanks for everything Eunhyuk.” She said grinning before entering the car.
***
Sunlight filtered in through the cracks in the curtain illuminating the dark room with shards of light. A particularly harsh shard danced over Dohwa's eyes he shuffled around squeezing his eyes shut before giving in knowing sleep won’t come back to him again.
He blinked his eyes open, shielding them from the sunlight with his arm. After a quick yawn, he started to push himself up in bed, but then he suddenly froze. He felt the softness of the mattress and the expensive, velvety sheets beneath his hands. Confused, he rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. Okay now he was panicking because where was he?
Memories flashed in his head all at once, making him turn bright red. There was no way he’d actually done all that? It had to be some really embarrassing dream. Dohwa reached up to touch his neck, but he winced in pain at the contact. He dropped his hand back onto the mattress, realization sinking in. Okay, so it definitely wasn't a dream.
"There is no way I can ever face those two again," Dohwa muttered, his palms pressed tightly over his eyes as he winced at the memory.
Dohwa pulled his shirt up to his nose. It wasn't a bad scent. It smelled like sea salt caramel, a fragrance he knew wasn't his own, but the lingering smell of sweat was definitely less appealing. He kicked off the comforter and swung his legs off the bed, deciding his priority was a shower.
He felt hot and sticky, and his face was throbbing with a dull ache. Dohwa spotted the stack of folded clothes on the nightstand and grabbed them; as soon as they were in his hands, a strong scent of stormy sea salt hit him. It smelled exactly like Eunhyuk. Dohwa sighed making way for the bathroom because of course a guest room has its own private bathroom ugh rich people.
How am I even supposed to face him? Dohwa thought as he closed the bathroom door.
Dohwa stepped out of the bathroom with a towel in his hands as he rubbed at his wet hair. The t-shirt clung to his wet clammy skin. The zip-up hoodie was open as he lifted the hood. He made way towards the door, already stressing over what to say to Eunhyuk. Maybe he’d get lucky and slip out without running into him. He twisted the handle on the door walking along the hallway. Every footstep echoed in the silent house. Dohwa walked down the stairs freezing at the sight of Eunhyuk standing in the living room. Man, when was luck ever on his side?
“Morning,” Eunhyuk said.
“Hey,” Dohwa replied, averting his gaze as he shoved his hands in his pockets.
Dohwa started rocking on the soles of his feet staring at the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the world.“Listen about last night-“ he began.
“Don’t mention it” Eunhyuk said stiffly cutting him off.
Well looks like he’s not the only one trying to forget. They descended into awkward silence. It was odd not having Su-ae as a mediator or a buffer for their passive aggressiveness while trying to get her attention. They weren’t even friends. Su-ae was one of their only mutual links so without the familiar aggression because of the situation at hand they both didn’t know how to approach one another cordially. The tension was growing as they both waited for the other to speak.
“You want coffee?" Eunhyuk said breaking the silence thumb jutted out towards the kitchen “I made some.”
If Dohwa was being honest the last thing he wanted to do was stay in this house any longer than he needed to. He glanced at the clock ticking as the long pointer showed it was a quarter past 11. Dohwa sighed internally he already missed half his morning shift at Yeonam Pork so he might as well stay longer and who knows if his dad was still in his apartment?
“Sure” Dohwa replied taking his hands out of his pockets as he lifted his hood down.
They headed into the kitchen, where two mugs sat on the expensive marble counter, steam rising from them in soft waves. Dohwa watched as Eunhyuk reached for a bowl of creamers by the espresso machine. He picked up one of the mugs, feeling the pleasant warmth against his palms as he brought it toward his lips.
Eunhyuk turned around with a look of panic on his face ”Wait that one's min-“
He didn't even get to finish his sentence before Dohwa spat out his mouthful of coffee. He began to cough as the intense bitterness of the drink lingered in his mouth.
“How many espresso shots did you put in this?” Dohwa exclaimed.
“Only five today” Eunhyuk said rubbing his neck.
“Who the hell drinks that many shots?” Dohwa said, wiping at his mouth with his sleeve.
“I do” Eunhyuk said with light offense apparent on his face “It keeps me running”.
Eunhyuk strolled over with the bowl of creamers in hand placing it on the countertop with a light clink.
“Here add these to your cup,” Eunhyuk said, pulling the mug away from Dohwa’s hands.
Dohwa grabbed the other untouched mug walking to the other side of the dynamic Island pulling the chair out before sitting down. Eunhyuk was leaning against the counter sipping his coffee. There was a delicate silence before Dohwa spoke up.
“Hey, Eunhyuk, you're not going to tell anyone about this,” Dohwa said, gesturing at himself with concern, lacing his tone.
“Nope, I wasn't planning on it,” Eunhyuk replied.
“Does anyone else know?” He asked.
“No, only you and Su-ae” Dohwa responded, averting eye contact as he ripped open the creamers and dumped them in his cup.
Eunhyuk stared at Dohwa while drinking his coffee. He plainly couldn't care less about secondary genders; it didn't change the way he looked at others. However, his dad was always loud with his unwanted opinions, constantly complaining about the influx of omegas in the workforce holding onto narrow-minded values. It was a bizarre stance to take considering his own wife was a successful lawyer. Guess he couldn't quite trap her in his rigid beliefs. Still, he held onto a weird double standard, putting omegas on a pedestal while insisting they only belonged with an alpha.
Thank god for his non-bigoted mom He thought
“Do you want something to eat?” Eunhyuk asked making his way to the fridge.
“Yeah, but I’ll make something what do you want? Dohwa said getting up from his seat.
“No, I'll make something. You're a guest,” Eunhyuk said, hand on the handle of the fridge facing Dohwa who mirrored his position.
“I put you through too much bullshit last night so I’ll cook. Consider it an apology.” Dohwa said with a tight smile hand gripped right below Eunhyuk’s hand on the handle of the silver fridge.
“Cmon I insist,” Eunhyuk replied, flashing back a similar smile.
The blade of the knife hit the cutting board with a harsh thud slicing the green onions with precision.
“Can you hurry up and add the scallions?" Dohwa shouted as he stirred the thinly sliced beef ribeye in the pan.
“Focus on the meat instead. You're overcooking it!” Eunhyuk yelled, irritated.
“No I’m not” Dohwa said then taking a double take “Oh shit- I am” He said worried turning the heat on the stove down.
A couple of minutes ago they were both at a stalemate neither of them giving in to the other. Miraculously they compromised and agreed to cook something together. It was going really great. They bickered over every single step, from how to prep and slice the meat to the exact cooking temperature. Every little detail seemed to turn into another shouting match.
“Hey watch over the beef I’m going to get some oyster sauce!” Dohwa shouted.
Eunhyuk nodded as he walked over to the pan sliding the scallions off the cutting board onto the dish. Dohwa pulled open the ridiculously large fridge like who needs a fridge this large scanning over until he found the glass bottle of oyster sauce. He walked back over to Eunhyuk, stopping at the pan, dropping bits of sauce, stirring, and repeating.
“What are you doing?” Dohwa asked, glancing over at Eunhyuk with metal chopsticks in his hands.
“Taste test,” Eunhyuk replied, grabbing onto thin portions of the beef ribeye.
Eunhyuk nodded in approval for how much arguing they were doing the result wasn’t bad. After switching off the stove, Dohwa grabbed plates and utensils from the cabinet for both of them. After handing a plate to Eunhyuk, he began scooping steaming mounds of fresh white rice and a generous serving of ribeye onto his own. Eunhyuk followed suit, fixing a matching plate.
With a hollow thud, Dohwa pulled out a dining room chair and settled in, taking his first bite as Eunhyuk joined him.
“Whoa, this is pretty good,” Dohwa said chewing.
Dohwa lifted his head, his eyes locking onto Eunhyuk, who was sitting opposite him, his gaze fixed on Dohwa, a passive look on his face but the barest hint of troubled concern in his eyes. Eunhyuk couldn’t help but take a once-over at Dohwa’s face, the bruises from last night blossoming into purpling stains.
“Stay longer if you want,” Eunhyuk said.
There was a beat of silence, the offer hanging in the tension-filled air.
“Hah” Dohwa scoffed “I don’t want your handouts” he muttered a frown on his face as his gaze hardened.
The heavy weight in the room grew as they both ate in silence. The initial savory taste of the beef was replaced with a stinging bitterness every bite felt like ash in Dohwa's mouth. Of course, Eunhyuk who had everything could make him feel the stomach-turning sensation of insecurity.
The rumors and assumptions did all the heavy lifting for Dohwa. Call him a coward for never denying the rumors of his foretold wealth and secondary gender status, but he never wanted to feel the judgment in those prying eyes again. He wanted so badly to belong, never accepting or denying the assumptions and the lies brought him a needed sense of acceptance.
Even if it meant being surrounded by superficial people who only saw a shadow of himself. Dohwa just wanted someone who wouldn’t leave but they always leave when they find out. Su-ae with her clumsy kindness stayed but for how long? She’d move on. Eunhyuk was more stable and he was the ideal choice. Dohwa knew he was chasing a love he’d never actually win, but even if it was hopeless, he wasn't ready to give up yet.
“It was just an offer, Dohwa,” Eunhyuk said, breaking the silence, a cold sweat present on his cheek.
“I know” Dohwa said pulling the chair back as he got up
Eunhyuk had an odd way of making him feel small like a spec of dust passing by or maybe that was just his jealousy talking. Dohwa didn’t know how much Eunhyuk really knew, about the multiple part-time jobs or his alcoholic wreck of a father. But after being found battered on the street with his secondary gender exposed, well that secret was dead. Ultimately, he knew Eunhyuk didn’t mean anything ill-intended by his proposition. It was a casual offer of concern but it twisted something in him that made him feel so diminished.
“I’m leaving” Dohwa said making way for the door
Eunhyuk got up from his seat and looked conflicted like he wanted to say something but held himself back. He followed Dohwa wordlessly, opening the door as Dohwa put his shoes on.
“See you at school” Eunhyuk said
“Yeah see you,” Dohwa replied, not turning back as the door closed behind him.
***
Dohwa woke up irritated, his back was killing him. Between his night shift yesterday and a busy weekend, he’d made zero progress on his assignments. He was in no mood to go to school today. He contemplated skipping again, but glancing at the clock he decided against it. Dohwa climbed out of the stiff bed and headed to the bathroom. He flicked on the faucet, squeezed some toothpaste onto his brush, and gave it a quick rinse before brushing with practiced precision. He gathered the water in his hands, splashing it on his face to get the morning grime clinging to him to disperse.
He walked back over to the living room. The early golden rays of the sun began to rise, illuminating the room in a dull glow. Even with the sunlight the room had a damp chilly feeling. Dohwa couldn’t help but run his hand on the bare skin of his arm. The shirt he had on did nothing against the frigid weather. He began changing into his school uniform grabbing his bag and putting his shoes on as he made way towards the door.
Dohwa pulled his hood up and headed for the subway station. He stepped inside as the doors shut with a sharp hiss, immediately feeling the weight of people's eyes on him. He was used to getting stared at; today, the stares felt much more pointed and obvious than usual.
Without realizing it, his hand drifted to the scent patch on his neck, the light touch made his irritation flare up all over again. He and Eunhyuk really needed to talk. Dohwa could feel the onset of a bad headache start to form as he prepared himself for the day. The constant stares and murmurs from the people around him only made the throbbing worse.
Approaching the school Dohwa lifted his head up noticing a familiar head of short purple-tinted hair. Su-ae’s face was twisted with unease, her whole body stiffening as she spoke to the man. She looked completely on edge, her knuckles white from how hard she was clenching her backpack straps. A flash of recognition hit him as he looked at the man dressed in a sleek black suit, his hair slightly slicked back as he talked.
What would he be talking to Su-ae for? Dohwa felt an uneasy spark in his stomach as he walked towards them lifting his hood down.
He stepped up behind Su-ae and gave her backpack a little tug, pulling her close enough that her bag brushed against his chest.
“Hey, Su-ae,” Dohwa said, turning his head slightly to meet her eyes.
“Dohwa!” Su-ae exclaimed.
The man let out a quiet sigh watching the pair “Let’s talk about this another time Ms. Shim,” He said.
She turned her gaze back to the man “Sure” Su-ae said, nodding tensely.
The man pulled out his car keys, and a sharp beep echoed as he turned and walked away from the pair.
Dohwa and Su-ae walked towards the school gates side by side. He cast a side glance at Su-ae.“What was that about?” He asked.
“It’s really nothing,” Su-ae replied, waving her hands a bead of sweat on her cheek.
Dohwa didn’t press her any further; he could sense something simmering beneath the surface, but if Su-ae wasn't going to talk, he wasn't going to pry. He crossed his arms together getting nervous as he tried to figure out how to bring up the incident that occurred over the weekend.
“I’m sorry about what happened on Friday. I shouldn’t have pushed into your space like that” Dohwa paused for a minute then added with reluctance “Tell Eunhyuk I’m sorry as well.”
“What? You don’t need to apologize, you weren’t in the right state of mind!” Su-ae exclaimed patting Dohwa’s back aggressively as they reached the gates.
“But I'll relay that message for you!” Su-ae said, waving with a bright grin on her face as they headed to their respective classes.
***
Throughout the day the whispers followed Dohwa like a plague. The tension in the classroom was thick with low hums of discussion. Dohwa clenched his jaw, his face buried into the crook of his arm, the cool touch of the desk grounding him as he pretended not to hear his classmates.
“Doesn't Dohwa smell different than usual? He usually doesn't have a scent.” One girl whispered.
“He smells a lot like Eunhyuk,” another replied.
“Do you think they got into a fight?” One guy added.
“I mean look at Dohwa’s face, something definitely happened!” Another girl whispered aggressively.
Dohwa hated it; he hated the dozens of piercing stares weighing him down and the hushed conversation about him like he wasn’t even there. The heat of their curiosity was heavy, each glance making his skin crawl. His knuckles unknowingly turned white from how hard he was gripping the edge of his desk. He felt stuck, a lone island surrounded by a lapping sea of rot. He was sick of the artificial kindness and the oily charm of his peers. Vultures who’ll chirp sweet nothings into his ear. Flattery used only to gain something from him just biding their time until he finally tripped up on his false persona. All they really wanted was another juicy topic to discuss.
“Why don’t we just ask him?” One guy spoke up, detaching himself from the circle silently drifting towards Dohwa’s desk.
He leaned over, his body casting a shadow over the desk.
“Hey, man,” His voice dropping low “ heard you got into a fight”.
Dohwa lifted his head as a classmate he could barely remember the name of continued to rattle on.
“It's fine, you know, losing a fight happens. We were all just wondering how it went down. I didn’t know you and Eunhyuk had issues with each other.” He said.
“That’s really none of your business” Dohwa replied he was already aggravated this morning seeing Su-ae by the gates lightened his mood slightly, but the rest of the day was a real mess.
His mouth fell open forming an “O” of disbelief before he could say anything. The rhythmic click of heels against the floor stopped him as the teacher entered the classroom bringing a close to the short break period. The boy huffed as he stepped back rejoining the little circle in the front of the classroom.
“Told you, dumbass!” One of the girls exclaimed, face curled up in amusement “Seriously why would Dohwa tell you anything like you two are close” she said.
The teacher stepped towards the podium “Everyone settle down, go back to your seats!” She shouted, gaining the students’ attention.
The announcement was met with a wave of loud groans within the classroom. Students stumbled back towards their seats.
“Today we're going over….” The teacher began a shard of chalk in her hands.
Dohwa tapped his pencil on the desk, the teacher's words fading into a steady mumble as his mind raced.
In class, 2-3 Su-ae was leaning out of her chair, the legs of the chair dangerously unbalanced as she strained her ears to hear the conversation between Yujeong and another classmate. She only tuned in when mentions of a fight between the most talked about guys broke out through the school like a tidal wave.
“I heard Dohwa and Eunhyuk fought after school,” She said.
“But why? They barely talk to each other” Yujeong responded.
The other girl glanced back her eyes darting towards Su-ae catching her off guard as Su-ae quickly whipped her head down staring at the beige wood of her desk with focused intensity.
“Well …. those two have been getting close with someone else” Her voice dropped to a whisper “ You know what I think? I think Su-aes is the catalyst, both of them got into a fight because of her! A classic love triangle!” She said, particularly squealing.
Yujeong gave her a passive stare thinking for a moment before responding her voice barely audible as Su-ae back to eavesdropping, was inches from falling off her chair trying to overhear them.
“I don’t think Su-ae’s the catalyst.”
She paused quickly, turning her head to check if anyone was listening.
“Listen, a girl from Dohwa's class told me he smelled almost exactly like Eunhyuk, just with a subtle note of something else mixed in,” she murmured.
“So?” The other girl asked in confusion.
“Clearly they're in a secret relationship! Only couples scent each other like that! Dohwa obviously got into a fight with someone else and Eunhyuk helped him out which led to them getting closer. Why else would Eunhyuk barely have a scratch on his face?” She said confidently.
The other girl started nodding her head really considering her words like that theory actually made any sense?
What kind of conclusion…? Her classmates were seriously losing the plot here Su-ae thought.
If Su-ae wasn’t there when everything went down she would be concerned about some of these rumors. Her classmates' words got her thinking, the gears in her head turning as her mind flickered back to the morning. Dohwa had a faint scent to him but honestly, she assumed it was some kind of new cologne he was wearing. A light of clarity hit her as the scattered pieces of her memory were woven together.
Dohwa’s heavy silence when she asked him about his weekend. The slightest furrow of his eyebrows while he let out a quiet sigh. A tight smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes as he replied to her.
The echoes of his voice were quiet in the hallways telling a teacher he wouldn’t be able to make it to the class trip.
The barren apartment he stayed in had alcohol bottles strewn across the hallways. His fridge was nearly empty yet he still managed to make her a hearty meal while he was sick.
She could feel the beginnings of a plan forming in her mind.
“Real subtle there,” Ajin said, leaning over her desk.
Su-ae whipped her head around with excelled speed, the chair percutaneously swaying until the legs of the chair finally fell flat on the floor.
Perfect timing Su-ae thought.
“Ajin, I need to ask you something!” Su-ae said her palms slamming against the desk a sudden fire was lit in her.
“Your cousin is an omega right?” She began “Say…..if an omega got a temporary mark. How would that affect their scent?” She asked, blinking innocently.
“We had a whole unit lesson on that Su-ae” Ajin huffed out she paused for a second before explaining “ The scent sticks onto them like a second skin. It gets infused with the omega's own scent but it’s mostly a deterrent for other alphas. It’s like a bond without all the commitment.”
Ajin stopped for a minute, her eyes closed and her arms crossed as she tried to recall something. The information was in the back of her mind but just out of reach. The words blurred in her head before clarity struck her.
“Also during a heat, people use a temporary mark to make it less painful.” She said, snapping her fingers.
Su-ae tried as best as she could to keep a poker face, hearing Ajin's words made her mind flash back to Friday night because that was the exact context that led to the minefield of gossip this morning.
Unfortunately, it seemed she didn’t do the best job as Ajin narrowed her eyes, catching the quick flicker of worry in Su-aes eyes and the fraction of a second of her brows knitting together.
“Is that what happened between Dohwa and Eunhyuk?” Ajin said bluntly.
Su-ae made a choking noise before standing up abruptly covering Ajin's mouth with her palms “Shhh you can’t tell anyone!” She whispered aggressively turning her head to see if anyone was listening in.
In all honesty, Su-ae was pretty impressed at how quickly Ajin caught on.
“I won’t! I won’t!” Ajin said with her hands up in the air as a sign of surrender her words came out as a muffle between Su-aes palms.
Su-ae let go. Her mind was racing as she sat back down.
Two more people knew now god she could feel the start of a headache forming.
“Higher quality scent patches there's a brand for it,” Ajin said interrupting Su-aes inner turmoil “that’s what he needs” alluding to Dohwa
Su-ae provided a nod in response.
She watched in the corner of her eye as Ajin walked back over to her seat.
She knew Dohwa had higher priorities than buying pricey scent patches if her guess that he was living alone was right. Her mind centered back to her original plan with this new information she just needed to stop by the pharmacy to get him what he needed.
All at once she could feel her heart sink.
Would he even appreciate that? Would she be overstepping the boundaries of their friendship? Would he take it as pity or an insult instead of her wanting to lend a helping hand? The thoughts flickered back and forth in her head.
Su-ae shook the doubtful thoughts out of her head.
She was doing this for a friend she decided with finality.
The sudden silence in the room was loud after the incessant buzz of conversation dimmed. Su-ae lifted her head the reason standing by the entrance.
Eunhyuk arrived back just in time before the short break period ended with Gwangmin and U-Seong in tow. A bag of Poca chips in hand. Su-ae had to stifle a giggle back as Eunhyuk looked like he was resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the persistent stares.
He strolled over to her desk handing the bag of chips over to her.
Su-ae gave an appreciative smile back as Eunhyuk walked back over to his seat
Across the school, the sun reflected off his golden hair. As he turned, the light from the window lit up his amber eyes, giving them a warm, honey-like shimmer. His foot tapped lightly against the floor, eyes flickering to the clock. The textbook open in front of him was left abandoned. The teacher's words were a blurred muffle as he watched the clock ticking away with intensity.
Rrrinnggg
The room erupted into a frenzy, students chattering away as they closed their textbooks. The teacher tried in vain to gain their attention. Students walked out of the classroom side by side conversing on what to do after school. One student complained about the study academy he had to attend. His face scrunched up in annoyance while his friend nodded along with feigned interest. Two girls giggled along wondering what they should get for lunch.
Dohwa stood up from his seat.
He had someone to find.
He walked past the hallways barely registering the hushed whispers. His feet stopped at the door of class 2-3. He popped his head into the classroom scanning for a head of black hair.
“Is Eunhyuk in here?” He asked.
For a moment there was no response except for heads turning in his direction. There was one girl with short blonde hair loudly whispering something to her friend.
“I’m telling you they got something going on,” she said, gesturing towards Dohwa.
Finally, a girl with mousy brown hair spoke up looking up from the assignment she was working on.
“I think he’s at the vending machines,” Yeseo replied.
Dohwa gave an appreciative nod before heading out.
The windy breeze sent a chill over him as he zipped up his hoodie. He approached the vending machines in the school courtyard. The trees lightly rustled in the wind shaking the freshly bloomed leaves with fervor. The breeze blew strands of his hair in the air displacing his well-maintained hairstyle. He stopped short when he caught sight of Eunhyuk with a drink in his hands.
They locked eyes with each other and an odd electric tension passed between them.
Dohwa stepped forward with renewed passion.
“Hey, asshole!” He shouted with a scowl on his face.
Eunhyuk looked taken aback.
“Take responsibility,” Dohwa said.
The look of confusion descended into downright bewilderment evident on Enhyuk's face.“What are you even talking about?” He replied.
“You-” Dohwa said, finger pointing at him trembling with barely constrained rage.
Dohwa gritted his teeth before he started rattling off “ Ever since Friday night your stupid scent won't disappear. You know how many showers I took over the weekend and the scent still didn't wash off!” He scoffed.
Eunhyuk gave him a passive look before responding “You're not mad?” He asked.
“Now what the hell are you talking about? No shit I'm mad!” Dohwa responded.
“No—not Friday night” Eunhyuk began his voice fading down “Never mind,” he said, letting out a sigh.
Dohwa was pensive for a moment, the breeze blowing strands of blonde hair into his eyes. He reached up to fix his hair. The leaves on the floor made faint rustling noises as they were carried along by the wind.
“Do you mean that time we shared a meal?” Dohwa said “I already forgot about that” waving his hand aimlessly in indifference.
He ignored the way his heart raced. He didn't think he mattered enough in Eunhyuk's life for his own peace of mind to be a concern.
He shook the traitorous thought out of his head quickly, switching the topic back to his main focus.
“People won't shut up about this, the rumors are actually getting ridiculous,” Dohwa said.
“Okay…. What do you want me to do about it?” Eunhyuk questioned, raising an eyebrow, a hint of irritation in his tone.
Dohwa crossed his arms flicking his gaze to the ground “I don't know. How do I get my scent back to normal?” Dohwa replied.
He hummed in consideration “Use a scent patch”.
“I have one on. It doesn't do anything!” Dohwa exclaimed.
Eunhyuk gave him a look like he was dumb. Which to be fair wasn't that far off.
“Not the regular patches. They sell a specific brand at the pharmacy.” Eunhyuk said.
The price Eunhyuk mentioned barely sank in; it felt like the words just drifted from one ear straight to the other. Why did no one tell him being an omega was this expensive? It hit him then how little he actually knew about his own body. He's been repressing this side of him for so long. It's been nothing but a limitation for him. His mind flashed bitterly to his middle school days.
He forced on a stiff smile “Yeah, great talk! I'm heading back to class now.” Quickly turning around not waiting for a response, he spun on his heel and hurried away, leaving the courtyard behind him.
Eunhyuk’s gaze lingered on Dohwa's retreating back. He kept replaying that deflated look Dohwa had worn when they ate together, feeling like a total jerk. As the remnants of the conversation settled in, the urge to apologize suddenly withered away. Dohwa had an insanely annoying attitude. He couldn't believe he was losing sleep over that. But still, if he wasn't as upset as he let on, why did Dohwa act so dejected?
And more importantly, why did he care?
When Su-ae delivered Dohwa’s apology this morning, he actually thought they were making progress or, at the very least, moving past the hostility. He really believed they could close the gap between them and leave the animosity behind.
He raked his fingers through his hair and turned around to head back to class.
***
The classroom was filled with the bustling noise of students packing their bags. Some students didn't even wait for the final bell to ring before they zipped up their bags already lining up near the door. The moment the bell rang the hallway turned into a stampede of students eager to leave.
“Meet up with me at the arcade!” One guy shouted waving to his friend as he walked out of the classroom.
While a group of students bundled in the back lingered arguing over where they should go for their study session. Another in the group piped up claiming they should go to a restaurant so they could eat and study. Her suggestion was quickly shut down much to her visible annoyance.
Amidst the noise Su-ae hovered over Eunhyuk's desk, her hands both grasping the straps of her pink bag. She blinked a smile on her face innocently. The desire for a favor visible in her eyes.
“No,” Eunhyuk said, moving to stand, placing his textbook in his bag, zipping it, and swinging it over his shoulder.
“I haven't even said anything yet!” Su-ae exclaimed mouth ajar.
Eunhyuk glanced in her direction.
“If it's anything to do with Dohwa I'm not helping you” He stated.
A drop of sweat was present on her cheek.
“Whoa, are you a fortune teller? How'd you know that?” Su-ae said.
Eunhyuk huffed out a laugh “because I know you and I know you're too kind for your own good.”
Su-ae flashed back a mellow smile. Truthfully, it was more like she usually catered to people's whims, but not this time! This time, she was giving back to someone she cared about.
An unbidden image of Ajin's apologetic face suddenly flashed in her mind. She was planning on going to the pharmacy with her after-school, but Ajin had other plans. She sighed internally she didn't want to go to the pharmacy and accidentally buy the wrong things. This is why she needed someone else's expertise! And Su-ae knew that Eunhyuk's mom was an omega so surely he knows a thing or two.
“Eunhyuk, come on! Just this once, go to the pharmacy with me! Ajin’s too busy to go.” Su-ae pleaded lowering her chin, she peered up through her lashes, her face so full of helpless hope that it was impossible to say no.
Eunhyuk felt his resolve faltering a strangled noise caught in the back of his throat, his face twisting as if he were physically struggling to form the word no. He stared up at the ceiling, then back at her face, eyes shining with hope, and finally let out a heavy, defeated sigh.
“Fine” He muttered, already regretting his decision “I’ll go, but I'm only doing this for you.”
“Yes!” Su-ae exclaimed her hand moving to do a tiny triumphant fist pump.
They both made their way towards the door. Su-ae fell into step alongside Eunhyuk as they maneuvered through the busy hallway of students that were slowly thinning out. The buzz of the school faded into a blur behind them as they approached the exit.
The automatic doors to the extensive pharmacy hissed open, exhaling a gust of clinical air filled with the scent of medicine and fresh peppermint. Inside the pharmacy, the fluorescent lights and sterile white aisles were a blinding eyesore.
Su-ae moved with quickness, her sneakers squeaking against the polished tiles. Her hand reached out to snatch a red hand basket from the stack. She wandered towards one of the aisles, her eyes scanning the shelves with focus.
Eunhyuk trailed a half-step behind her “Do we know what we're looking for?” He questioned
“Yes! Suppressants first, I think they're in aisle two. No- wait, four!” She pivoted her body so fast her backpack smacked the side of her arm. She barely noticed already walking speedily towards the correct aisle. Eunhyuk followed a few paces behind her. Her eyes darted towards the racks inspecting them like a hawk grabbing two small bottles of suppressants, and throwing them in the basket.
“Okay now we need to get those scent patches” She said
They walked in between aisles before finally finding the scent patches. Su-aes’ face scrunched up in focus analyzing the nearly identical row of boxes. “I need whatever brand Ajin was talking about.”
“Found it,” Eunhyuk said, reaching over her head to snatch a box from the top shelf, tossing it into the basket with a quiet thud.
Su-ae gave him an appreciative smile before spinning around to the next aisle. She started flinging the miscellaneous items: band-aids, gauze, cold medicine, anything she deemed would be useful. The basket was steadily filling up with items. It was beginning to be a heavyweight straining in her arms.
Eunhyuk noticed her quiet dilemma, he reached forward, grabbing the basket out of her arms.
“Thanks,” she said, pausing for a minute.“Is there anything else we need?”
“I don't know if he really needs it but medicine for pre-heat cramps” He jutted his thumb behind him,they moved in a steady rhythm side by side towards the back.
“That's a thing?” Su-ae asked perplexed.
Approaching the aisle Eunhyuk reached up to grab at the bottle of liquid medicine “Yeah my mom uses this sometimes” shaking the bottle in his hands before gently throwing it into the basket.“helps with the pain.”
The momentum of their shopping slowed down as they walked towards the registers only to be stuck in an unmoving line of customers. An elderly couple in front of them were slowly counting the change between them. While a woman with brassy hair dressed in business casual attire was tapping her foot impatiently. The shuffling of feet and the muffled beep of the scanner were loud in the stillness.
The line moved in an unhurried shuffle slowly thinning out before they finally reached the counter, Eunhyuk reached for his pocket pulling out his wallet. “It's fine, I’ll pay—”
“No, I got this!” Su-ae quickly interrupted, snatching out her debit card before Eunhyuk even had a chance to pull out his card. She stepped forward as the last customer in front of her moved to the side plastic bag clutched in hand. She gave the cashier a bright grin. Tilting her head slightly to meet Eunhyuk's gaze “I asked you to come; it’s the least I could do.”
She glanced up at the price urk this was going to put a dent in her account, swiftly tapping her card on the reader reaching for the heavy plastic bag clutching it close to her. They both gave the cashier a small thank you as they headed out.
They stepped out into the chilly afternoon air, the sun turning into an assortment of fading orange hues. Su-ae was lightly swinging the bag in her hands. Eunhyuk was about to suggest walking her to the bus stop before he headed home. Then her phone suddenly buzzed with a sharp ping notification.
Su-ae stopped mid step seemingly turning into stone her movements rigid using her finger to scroll through the messages. Her eyes darted between the messages on her screen with increasing worry. Eunhyuk glanced over her shoulder just barely making out one of the texts: You're running out of time. Su-ae whipped her phone downwards, her playful energy disappearing.
She shoved the plastic bag into Eunhyuk's hands “Eunhyuk I’m so sorry! Something—something came up. I have to go. Could you take this to Dohwa's place?”
Eunhyuk blinked, looking down at the bag in his hands with confusion then up at her face contorted in genuine panic “Yeah, it’s okay I’ll do it.”
“Thank you! I’ll make it up to you! Promise!” Su-ae said.
He rubbed a hand over his neck “You don’t need to.”
Su-ae flashed him a beaming smile turning hastily, sprinting halfway across the block. She was a blur of swinging backpack straps, her short hair whipping in the breeze. Eunhyuk paused for a second watching her vanishing form as he realized something.
“Su-ae, wait!” He shouted at her retreating frame, “I don’t even know where he lives!”
She didn’t stop moving, Eunhyuk's words just barely reached her in the muffled wind and distance. She weaved through a small crowd of people, her eyes flickering at people’s faces almost like she was looking for someone. She turned slightly, throwing a hand up, her voice trailing back to him in a shout.
“Don’t worry! I’ll text you the address!” Her hair smacked the side of her face from the hasty turn she reached up to tuck strands of hair behind her ear. “It's an apartment complex! Just keep a watch out for my message! You're the best Eunhyuk, bye!”
She rounded the corner of a large building and disappeared from his view. Eunhyuk stood still in the streets for a moment while the bustling crowd of people slowly began dissipating. He watched the empty corner where Su-ae faded away from. A heavy, weary sigh escaped him as he began the trek towards the apartment.
The things I do for her Eunhyuk thought
***
The soles of his golden goose sneakers made a dull thud with each step echoing in the narrow open-air stairway. He dragged his feet up the flight of stairs, body aching with exhaustion. God, he didn't even want to think about that essay that was due today. His shoulders hurt under the weight of his bag. A dull, persistent throbbing settled into his soles during the endless hours on his feet at the restaurant where he worked.
Outside the horizon was a fading color of burnt oranges and dim purples with the shadows quickly swallowing the last remnants of light replacing it with dusky shadiness.
He rounded the corner of the stairway pulling out his keys from the side pocket of his backpack. As he approached his door the automatic light above his apartment door flickered with life cutting through the twilight with its artificial glow.
Dohwa stilled for a moment.
His eyes traveled down from a pair of familiar sneakers up to Eunhyuk, who was leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed one hand clutching a pharmacy bag. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here.
He momentarily forgot the weary exhaustion which was replaced by a spike of irritation. He was not in the mood for this. “Ugh, what are you doing here?” he muttered.
Eunhyuk pushed himself off the wall stiffly, thrusting the matte-white plastic bag in front of him.
Dohwa stared at the pharmacy bag then back up at Eunhyuk, the grip on his keys tightening “I didn't ask for your help.”
“Look, I've been waiting in this hallway for the past hour. Just take it.” Eunhyuk said in a clipped tone, his voice echoing in the quiet hall “Besides I didn't buy this. Su-ae did. I'm just delivering it.”
At the mention of her name Dohwa's demeanor changed “She did…” a small smile on his lips.
Eunhyuk pointedly ignored the odd tightening in his chest.
Dohwa sighed, reaching out to take the bag. His fingers brushed Eunhyuk's as he snatched it away. “Thanks. I guess.”
They stood there for a beat under the hum of the light, the bag dangling in Dohwa's hands. He turned towards the door fumbling with the keys until he found the right one. “Wait here for a minute,” he murmured.
Before Eunhyuk had the chance to respond the door was already swinging shut. He could hear the muffled sounds of Dohwa rummaging through a closet drifting through the thin walls. It couldn't have been more than a few minutes before the door clicked back open. Dohwa shoved a large bag towards him. Eunhyuk leaned over slightly observing the bundle of clothes inside.
“What is this?” he asked.
“Your clothes from last time,” Dohwa responded, shifting his weight from one foot to another. “I'm giving them back.”
Eunhyuk contemplated for a moment. From his knowledge, the lingering scent from his clothes could help ground Dohwa when the next heat hit, settling the initial fraying nerves. It was just basic biology that the stormy scent would provide comfort especially if it's a familiar one.
“Keep them,” Eunhyuk said awkwardly, crossing his arms. “They'll help during…. you know” He broke off, clearing his throat with a dry forced cough into the back of his hand. The concept of Dohwa being an omega was still so strange to him.
The chilly night air bit at Eunhyuk's neck, and the wind whistled softly in the open-air hallway of the apartment complex. Behind Dohwa the soft glow from his open door spilled out into the corridor. From afar the distant sounds of traffic could be heard, the muffled signs of vibrant life in the city.
If it were only him and Su-ae that knew about Dohwa's private issue he wanted Dohwa to have someone to rely on if a problem came up. Su-ae shouldn't have to worry about situations that were above her limit or if she was preoccupied he could help instead.
Eunhyuk broke the quiet silence, reaching his hand out forward “Can I see your phone for a second?”
The bag was back in Dohwa's space now dangling in his hands, his brows furrowed, his eyes narrowed with a flicker of confusion “Why do you need it for?”
He didn't really wait long for an explanation, already reaching for the back pocket of his jeans with a huffy, impatient breath. He pulled out his phone tapping on the screen to unlock it and handed it over with a stiff flick of his wrist.
Eunhyuk took it, his fingers gliding across the screen “I'm putting my number in.” He said.
He handed the phone back to Dohwa “Call me only if there's an emergency” He said in a serious tone.
Dohwa stared at him for a long beat, his gaze flickering down to the new contact on his phone, then back up to meet Euhyuk's gaze.
Dohwa gave him an annoyed look shoving the phone back in his pocket “Whatever, bye” he said before promptly slamming the door in his face.
The sound echoed in the quiet corridor, plunging it into a ringing silence. Leaving Eunhyuk standing there under the buzz of the light his fingers curled into a fist. A tight smile on his face. He turned on his heel descending the stairs. His usual calm demeanor was being replaced by the pulsing thrum in his ear. Reaching the bottom the cool night air was an anchoring presence.
Never mind, unless it was an emergency this was the last time he ever helped that guy out.