Chapter Text
White fabric obscuring the shape of his body rested loosely around the softly-breathing Omega. Curled in his nest like a sleepy cat, Yoojin’s cheeks were flushed a beautiful, rosy-red colour. There was no resistance at all when they arranged his body to a more comfortable position. So small and vulnerable, it felt like the slightest touch would break him into tiny pieces.
This deep in heat, it was more than apparent that his primary senses were significantly inhibited, especially his sight. Glazed eyes framed by long fluttering lashes were half-open, suspended halfway in the state between full consciousness and slumber.
His pack, gathered at the edge of the bed, were watching over the sleepy Omega in silence. Omega in-heat pheromones suffused the air in unfiltered abundance. After his body was scrubbed clean and lathered with the most luxurious scentless oil the previous night, as per tradition, Yoojin went into the sacred event without wearing any scent blockers. Even under the dim lighting, the skin uncovered by the airy, cloud-soft fabric glowed a beautiful and healthy honey-golden shade.
Such a defenseless state induced the protective instincts in Yoohyun, Yerim, Myeongwoo and Noah to rise up to their full capacity, their more primal nature stoked by this rare, precious moment of watching over an Omega in peak heat. Being trusted to such a capacity made them want to be worthy of it.
The state of timeless peace was then disturbed when the formerly lax lines on Yoojin’s face scrunched up, and his scent hinted at the fact that he was getting restless. When Yoojin’s hand, weakly moving as it was, failed to take purchase of a warm body part, a high-pitched whine that arose jolted the previously still time into motion.
Catching on to what Yoojin wordlessly demanded of them, Yoohyun was the first to climb into the nest. Being careful as to not disturb the nest formation which his hyung had poured significant effort building, he rested his long frame next to his sleepy hyung’s body and proceeded to take hold of Yoojin’s lower jaw with tender pressure, angling Yoojin’s head to face him. Even with the directional aid, Yoojin’s gaze still remained unfocused, there was no recognition whatsoever in those black irises.
It was Myeongwoo who next grabbed the Omega’s right hand and kept it warm between his larger ones. Worried as he was in this foreign state he never saw Yoojin in, Myeongwoo chose to trust his instincts which told him that he was fine.
The space around the drowsy Omega was already crowded, but Yerim wriggled her way in anyway—squeezing beneath Myeongwoo’s larger frame until she could pillow her head against Yoojin’s chest. She took his free hand, guiding it to rest atop her hair. With each deep inhale, the soothing scent of her guardian wrapped around her, and the rhythmic thump of his heartbeat gentled her mind into quietude.
Undeterred by the tight fit, Noah chose to claim his place on Yoojin's thighs, his long fingers absent-mindedly gliding and smoothing the material of his traditional Omega clothing. His ministrations seemed to earn the approval of Yoojin based on the deepening purr of a thoroughly pleased Omega.
Time slipped by, unmeasured and unheeded, as they lost themselves in the physical intimacy that surprisingly came so easily—something that, by all rights, should have felt unfamiliar. Their histories were marked by scars, their pasts woven with threads of solitude, yet here they were, drawn together and intertwined with the Omega. Every tender brush of fingers, every shared breath, spoke of a devotion so fierce it bordered on reverence. Yoojin, drunk on their affection, melted into the warmth, his mind too hazy to grasp even the simplest thought like remembering his own name.
Guided by wordless instincts, they traded places and adjusted their positions without any verbal prompting. Their pack bonds were getting stronger the more they indulged themselves with catering to whatever their Omega in heat desired of them.
At one time, Noah found himself cuddling up to Yoohyun’s back. The back was much bigger than his own, as expected of an Alpha the caliber of Haeyeon’s guildmaster. Except for his hyung, Noah was delighted with the fact that he was the second person who was ever allowed in this position by the famously prickly Haeyeon’s young master. There was no question that they were brothers. Their combined scent put Noah in a not so familiar yet not unwelcome state of fluttery bliss, his brain pleasantly blank of even the slightest anxiety that normally was a constant presence in the back of his mind in every waking moment.
The docile Omega, who was on the verge of falling asleep, released a small whimper and clawed weakly at his clothes.
Ever so eager to please, Myeongwoo took a hold of the soft fabric without waiting for another beat. “You want to take it off?”
“Let us help you,” Noah murmured while releasing a wave of pheromones meant to appeal to Yoojin’s request in a way that was best understood by the barely conscious Omega.
Layer by delicate layer, the fabric was peeled away from his heat-addled body. With every inch of smooth, flushed skin revealed, the cloying sweetness in the air grew thicker, rich Omega pheromones now unobstructed by any barrier, saturating the enclosed private space with their intoxicating scent.
The heightened alertness that had thrummed through their bodies began to melt away, muscles unwinding as gentle pheromones worked their way through their senses. Pleased Omega scent induced them into a tranquil haze–not quite sleep, but a serene stillness untouched by even a single worried or uneasy thought. Yet beneath this calm, a latent aggression simmered, poised to erupt should any threat dare disrupt the nesting Omega’s rest.
At the center of it all, encircled by these slumbering beasts, lay the Omega.
There was nothing softer in this world than a contented Omega.
He must be lying on clouds. That was the first thought that filtered through his sluggish mind. Yoojin honestly couldn’t remember the last time he had ever felt this good.
Aside from the sleep-warm sheets that were wrapped loosely around him, he noticed there was something else touching him. There was a warm weight slung over his back and extending past his midriff. When he felt puffs of warm air tickling the back of his head—someone’s steady breathing, an acute awareness that he wasn’t alone washed over him.
Then, like the opening of a dam, several facts filtered into his mind at a rapid pace which banished the last trace of fog taking hold of his brain. First of all, Yoojin was wholly naked underneath the sheets and it was Yoohyun’s arm that was draped over his waist. Secondly, Yoohyun wasn’t the only other person that occupied this bed.
Don’t panic, let’s try to trace back everything in order.
Right, Yoojin remembered the Omega’s Day Festival. The vast field that brought forth a sense of nostalgia from mysterious origins, a light that overturned reality as he knew it, and the Omegas who welcomed him in the special place that belonged to their own.
He remembered his unusually heavy limbs weighing him down as he staggered his way back to his dongsaeng who was patiently waiting for him at the edge of the field, and his pack who then escorted him home.
His pack. The thought itself was still surreal. Warmth spread throughout his chest and he took a deep inhale, still getting used to the blending of multiple scents that made up the word ‘pack’.
His memory became gradually hazier after that. Filled with blurry shapes of moving limbs and the sensations of being touched, the scent was his strongest memory while everything else remained vague. Despite the state of helplessness and a nearly blank recollection of what happened the previous night, Yoojin recalled that he wasn’t afraid at the knowledge that he would be deprived of agency, utterly left at the mercy of those surrounding him. He simply knew without a shred of doubt that these people would never hurt even a strand of his hair.
Right in front of him, Yerim was sleeping soundly. The soft earth-toned blanket was pulled up high although it still revealed the bare skin of her shoulders. With a jolt that warmed his cheeks, Yoojin presumed that the rest of his pack were also in the same state of undress as him.
Myeongwoo was there behind Yerim with his face tucked into her nape. The slow rise and fall of his bulk under the blanket indicated that he, too, was still sleeping.
Yoojin craned his neck back to meet Yoohyun’s intense black eyes, already open and staring at him unblinkingly. The Alpha was lying close enough that their heads were resting on the same pillow.
“What is it, hyung?”
Had Yoohyun always sounded that soft before when speaking to him? A familiar feeling of pride washed over him, over the realisation of what a truly handsome and capable dongsaeng he had. No wonder everyone was so crazy about him, having the most devoted fans in the country was not without reason.
Roasted marshmallow and candy apples that triggered the salivary glands in his mouth filled the air, a mouth that felt strangely empty, wanting to attach and suck on something. Yoojin swallowed, willing the urge to settle.
Something stirred underneath the blanket, then a warm touch brushed against the bare skin of his abdomen. Startled, Yoojin looked down to inspect the cause. From underneath the rim of the blanket, clear light gray gazed back at him, the doe-like eyes framed by blond fringe were shrouded in darkness but it was enough for Yoojin to recognise him.
Before he could call out Noah’s name, the Alpha who was also in his naked glory was clinging to his body, intensifying the heat that was already trapped inside the excessive layers of blanket, something nuzzled the back of his neck with an insistent force that demanded his attention.
Pheromones that were distinctively Alpha flooded his immediate surroundings in a thick haze. Equally protective and possessive in nature, it quickly dismantled any lingering feelings of doubt and anxiety and replaced it with unconcerned bliss that didn’t require him to even think a single thought.
The next time Yoojin was cognizant, he found himself still tucked in his nest. Sunlight streamed in through the blinds and painted everything with a subtle glow. Blinking blearily and willing his clumsy fawn legs of a mind to work through thick viscous mud, Yoojin realised he was now in a new position lying on his back as opposed to being spooned by Yoohyun from behind.
The question of where Yoohyun was quickly answered when a head of black curls popped up in his immediate vision… kneeling between his spread legs which were held firmly by Yoohyun’s big hands. There was only a thin blanket that barely covered his bare cock and balls and prevented them from being exposed to his little brother as a front seat audience to an indecent show. A show that Yoojin didn’t wish to partake in, or even knew previously that he could potentially be in!
Heat crept up his face so fast that Yoojin became dizzy. “Wh-wha—”
A fact that most of the public mass didn’t know if they weren’t closely acquainted to or related to Omegas was that Omegas had extra scent glands on their inner thighs which the other designations didn’t have. Right now, Yoohyun was currently alternating between both of his thighs to nuzzle those glands with affectionate, careful force that was fully mindful of how sensitive those glands were.
“Missed a spot here.” Yoohyun met Yoojin's shell-shocked gaze and delivered that explanation with the same nonchalance as telling his hyung what he just had for breakfast. And as if the entire thing wasn’t already bizarre enough, his long tongue then glided a stripe across the entire thigh gland, leaving a glistening trail of saliva in its wake.
Of course Yoojin reacted accordingly to this utterly insane scenario. His foot smacked Yoohyun squarely on his lower jaw in his haste to fling himself over tangled body parts, various limbs, and an absurd amount of blankets and out of the bed in a surprising burst of strength. As soon as his foot made contact with the chilly floor, he immediately made a mad dash towards the door.
The gentle flavour of pheromones that was previously occupying his breathing space thickened and adopted a sharp fiery tang, like the crisp aroma of pinewood engulfed in wildfire. It was precisely at that moment that Yoojin’s legs gave out. It was as if something had drained the energy out of his every muscle, severing his strings like a puppet, leaving him to slump weakly against the wooden frame.
“Where are you going, hyung?” The honeyed voice coming from his little brother sent a shiver rolling down his spine.
Placing his palm on the door, Yoojin tried to lift his strangely heavy body to no avail. “Wh-what did you just do?” asked Yoojin in lieu of a reply, his voice edging on a whimper.
His escape attempt was cut short before it could even begin. The fact that it was Yoohyun who let him get this far was never more apparent.
Small breathy whines were vocalised from his throat. The scent pouring out his glands took on a more sour note. All of the others perked up and were quick to glare in disapproval at the unperturbed guildmaster whose attention was solely trained on his Omega hyung.
Yoohyun rose up with all the grace of a panther on the hunt, the blanket falling off his body. Yerim grimaced at the sight of bare buttocks presented to her which expelled the last traces of drowsiness out of her.
Slowly as to not spook a cornered animal, his Alpha little brother approached him with a leisurely gait. That only worked to rile up the strong emotion telling him to flee as Yoojin clawed feebly at the door, trying to reach its handle with a jelly-like limb. Yoohyun’s chest rumbled with a soothing vibration and the heavy, dominating Alpha pheromones adopted a more protective note.
“You’re scaring him, guildmaster,” Yerim tutted with a chastising voice, “I know that you’re still on cloud nine after gorging on your hyung’s pheromones all night long, but still, you gotta use the scent thing sparingly.”
“Don’t be scared,” Yoohyun crooned. His large hand landed on the bare skin of Yoojin’s back. Ignoring the flinch that contact generated, Yoohyun bent down to gather Yoojin’s limp form in his arms. “It isn’t safe out there. Let me take you back to your nest instead, okay?”
There was nothing Yoojin could do to retaliate and he stewed in his helplessness in the brief trip back to bed. Placed back in his nest, Yoojin instinctively buried his nose into the nearest garment available, which he deduced to be one of Myeongwoo’s shirts. Metal laced with notes of bergamot made quite a unique scent combination which surprisingly left his olfactory senses with warm fuzzies.
‘What happened last night? Why are we not wearing any clothes?’ Was what Yoojin attempted to verbalise but all that came out was a weak: “Wh…?”
Fortunately, that was enough to make them understand his meaning and it was Myeongwoo who answered his question.
“You mean why are we all naked? Last night you were the one who demanded us to take off our clothes, Yoojin. All of them,” murmured Myeongwoo as the Beta took Yoojin’s hand and kissed the back of it, “And who are we to deny our Omega’s request?”
That was said so casually that it was even a wonder that Yoojin managed to keep his lower jaw from dropping down in mortified incredulity. What was he even hearing? There was no way he could have done something so outrageous like asking everyone to strip off and cuddle him naked, right? Right??
Yerim rose to an upright position and it took everything inside of Yoojin to keep himself from shrieking when the blanket covering Yerim’s body started to slip down. Thankfully, Myeongwoo was swift enough to catch the fabric and pull it to cover her right shoulder and overall front part.
This isn’t real.
“What? You think I’m scared of showing a little bit of skin?” growled Yerim, casting a pointed glare at Myeongwoo’s own exposed torso.
The Beta chuckled. “That’s not it. We should take care to get Yoojin used to this little by little and not overwhelm him too much. You would prefer that right, Yoojin?”
Used to what??
Yerim was pouting but held back from retorting.
Noah fidgeted, a bashful look crossing his face. Although his body was the most exposed among the three, he made no attempt to cover himself up.
Still dazed and more than overwhelmed, a helpless whine escaped from Yoojin’s throat unbidden. Before he knew it, his sense of gravity shifted and he was suddenly straddling Yoohyun’s lap with their chests pressed against each other. Another flush of heat struck him when their mutual state of nakedness was made that more apparent, especially from the warmth of Yoohyun’s skin against his crotch area where his legs had to spread wide to accommodate Yoohyun’s width.
However, what alarmed him more was the way his nose brushed against Yoohyun's neck scent gland–dangerously close. For a fleeting moment, Yoojin tried to pull away, his hands weakly pushing against Yoohyun’s unyielding grip on the back of his neck but his struggles proved to be futile. Alpha pheromones flooded his senses, seeping into his lungs and all the way up his brain, ensnaring his mind in an inescapable haze. His struggles gradually weakened, leaving only the faint tremors of his body as he sagged against Yoohyun’s rigid frame.
“You should wipe that expression off your face before ahjussi sees it.” A snide remark was fired from Yerim’s direction which of course went ignored by the Alpha who was positively gloating. That little smirk was infuriating. He was behaving as if he just successfully crushed his opponents and secured an overwhelming victory in a highly-regarded tournament.
Myeongwoo chuckled good-naturedly but his next words were laced with deceptive gentleness, “Let him have this moment. Yoojin-ssi has promised to visit my forge and when he does the guildmaster won’t be able to see him then.”
Yoohyun shot him a withering glare, and for a greater measure, a show of bared teeth. This time, instead of cowering like he normally would, Myeongwoo simply gave him a cheeky grin. Being acknowledged by the Omega currently cradled possessively inside Han Yoohyun’s arms granted him that much power, power that even a being standing at the pinnacle of the Hunter’s world couldn’t easily contest.
Amidst the growing pressure and loud bickering of much-powerful beings congregating in the same room, Yoojin didn’t hear anything. Too busy placing little kitteny licks on his Alpha brother’s neck, too preoccupied with taking the powerful Alpha pheromones inside himself with greedy gulps, his eyes were wavering with the same glassy quality of yesterday’s night. In this state, instead of acrid burst of anxiety, his scent was back to that of warm, milky sweetness of a thoroughly satisfied Omega.
Moving his attention towards the windows, Myeongwoo murmured in contemplation, “Are they still out there?”
“Geez, can’t an Omega in heat have some rest and privacy around here?” said Yerim, her peevish expression was emphasised by a threatening fist waving in the air, “Wait until I teach all those nosy perverts a lesson!”
Myeongwoo gave the fuming Alpha an indulgent smile, briefly shaking his head. “If our ice princess takes it upon herself to ‘warn’ those people, then I’m afraid it might generate too loud noises which will inadvertently disturb our Omega’s rest.”
Yoohyun perked up. “Then I–”
“We might not have a building left.” The smile didn’t leave Myeongwoo’s face as he delivered that decisive sentence. Silence apprehended the space for a few seconds before Yoohyun clenched his jaws and directed his attention back at the sleepy Omega, nuzzling his temple.
Yerim couldn’t help but become awed at the once timid uncle that was dragged by Yoojin here one day who used to fidget and avoid looking at people’s eyes directly. Truly a hidden gem that was polished to perfection by Yoojin’s guidance, or was it all thanks to his own efforts? Nonetheless, Yerim was grateful to have a reliable ally—one whose motivation was firmly rooted in protecting Yoojin’s wellbeing, both physically and emotionally.
“I’ll handle them. Meanwhile, let’s make sure that we aren’t neglecting Yoojin, give him everything that he wants.”
Noah stayed silent throughout the exchange. Myeongwoo was the perfect mediator between the newly formed pack, who was fiercely protective over their Omega in heat, and the media desperate to feed the hungry, almost frenzied public for even the tiniest crumbs of information regarding said Omega. In a way, Noah understood the craze. The bombshell revelation of Han Yoojin’s status, the world-renowned beast tamer and the brother of Han Yoohyun, to be that of an Omega, the most sought-after designations of all, the sweetest honeypot found amongst a wilted field of weeds? This wasn’t just news; it was a sensation more electrifying than even the juiciest of scandals!
At first, Noah did have his reservations about the Han brothers’ relationship. When one sibling starkly outranked the other, it was inevitable that the weaker one would be oppressed in the name of misguided love. Yet unlike his own older sister, Yoohyun never pressured Yoojin to conform to conventional Hunter standards of strength. Instead, he recognised and valued his brother's unique talents in different arenas.
Enticing wafts of Omega’s pheromones drew him closer, his hands settling around Yoojin’s slender waist as he marveled at the perfect fit. Noah traced his lips along the smooth plane of Yoojin’s back, pausing to nibble and suck at the tender skin until faint pink marks bloomed under his lips. Every kiss and lick brought sweet Omega pheromones popping on his tongue, entering his nose and up to his brain in a heady, euphoric rush. Aside from a warning growl, Yoohyun graciously allowed him to lavish his hyung’s back with loving attention.
Tutting, Yerim made a face at the glowering guildmaster of Haeyeon that was behaving in a way akin to a child that had his favourite toy ’borrowed’ by his mischievous peer. “Learn to share. Ahjussi won’t like an authoritarian head Alpha who denies his poor packmates their Omega. Right, oppa?” The term of endearment was stretched out in a mocking lilt.
“Don’t step out of line.” Was the curt response that arose underneath a dark growl.
“Me? You should find a mirror and look carefully at the person who has crossed so many of those so-called lines. My poor ahjussi.” Yerim traced soothing circles against Yoojin's spine, being mindful to not collide against Noah's face as he continued his worshipful trail of kisses. The blond Alpha looked almost hypnotised as he moved, driven solely by instinct.
At the same time, Myeongwoo’s hands worked in slow, comforting strokes along Yoojin’s thigh and calf, kneading the unclothed limb with tender care. “Congratulations guildmaster. Once this gets revealed to the public, you’ll be the most envied man alive.”
When Yoojin’s head shifted, it became visible–a vivid plum blossom etched in bold-black and muted-pink hues across Yoohyun's neck, the petals almost alive against his skin.
A mirror image, though smaller and more subtle, graced the delicate dip of Yoojin's back. The matching blossom seemed to bloom from his very spine, its faint lines reaching outwards. Noah pressed a reverent kiss on the flower, breath brushing against the coloured skin like a sacred vow.
Behind Yoohyun, Myeongwoo moved closer. His hand, anchored at Yoohyun's hip, enabled him to press himself flush against that broad back–burying his nose into the scent gland, right against the mark branded on Yoohyun’s throat. That Yoohyun permitted this, responding with only a token, half-hearted growl, felt nothing short of miraculous.
Somewhere outside of this nest, far beyond the walls, past the labyrinth of corridors that made up Haeyeon’s guild building and inside an unassuming office room, a certain man was seated in front of a mountain of documents. Suk Simyeong chuckled, lips curling into a knowing smirk.
In the wake of the first Omega presentations after The Purging, to prevent history from repeating itself, South Korea implemented strict laws and measures to ensure the protection of Omegas in South Korea. These included compulsory registration for newly presented Omegas at designated Omega Association centers–a measure designed to avoid Omega trafficking by ensuring regular welfare monitoring of the Omegas. The government also guaranteed full coverage for essential Omega healthcare, including suppressants, heat relief supplies, and regular medical examinations.
Yoojin’s heat only lasted two days (thank god the heavens–) in which his packmates barely let him step a foot outside his nest except for the sparse bathroom breaks. Still, their protective tendencies persisted as a pack opinion spearheaded by Yoohyun, no surprise there, urged him to delay any public appearance and to instead remain confined in his nest for an undetermined period of time until his heat ‘really’ passed.
Obviously that was shot down right away by a flustered Yoojin who proceeded to use the convenient excuse of doing his part as a nation-loving, law-abiding citizen by registering himself as an Omega in the Omega Association center to flee temporarily leave Haeyeon. Missing the feeling of wearing clothes was something he never thought he'd experience.
Regardless, it would take him a while to get used to the reverent way people addressed him, especially from the older populace. How they tiptoed around his presence, how they talked to him with carefully thought out words in a soft voice, overly conscious to not offend him in any way. To this day, Yoojin still had no slightest clue as to why many of them wanted him to pet their heads.
The situation was no different for the man seated across from him. As a ‘high-profile Omega’, based on the conclusion made by the Omega Association according to whatever evaluation criteria they had in place, his papers were to be handled by a senior Association member who apparently was high on the hierarchical ladder himself, Park Gyumin.
After a thorough medical check-up that took half a day, a hearty lunch was served and now Yoojin sat with a full stomach in front of Park Gyumin. His body still hummed with the aftereffects of heat, yet unlike the significant dulling of his senses during his peak heat, his senses were now sharper than normal–allowing him to parse through scents more easily and seeing things in more vivid colours and details.
Even one day post-heat his scent still carried the sweet remnants of heat. The nurses looked absolutely stricken when Yoojin, out of consideration of public decency, put forward the idea of wearing scent blockers. They were adamant that people were happy to detect an obvious sign that an Omega was going through their heat cycle, that it signaled robust health and they were being properly cared for during vulnerable days. "It’s a privilege most Korean citizens never experience!" one nurse exclaimed in full conviction, her eyes shining like stars that begged him to reconsider.
Although it was of no direct fault of his, Park Gyumin consistently spoke with a reproaching underlying note towards both himself and the general population in regard to the abysmal state of the Omega population in the current South Korea. Though at least a decade older than Yoojin, he addressed him with the honorific speech one usually reserved for respected elders.
“It’s a shame, but we have no one to blame but ourselves.” There the officer said again with a sigh. It was rare for Alphas to get assigned to tasks involving Omegas, considering the stigma of the past.
However, that fact obviously didn’t deter Park Gyumin from pursuing this line of career. His passion in this field was apparent from the shelves behind his desk stock full with books about Omegas from the titles he managed to glimpse.
So far the questions didn’t prod too much into his privacy, mainly addressing concerns about his physical health, until it came to the topic of packs.
“While it’s not an absolute necessity, an Omega thrives best living within a devoted pack, just as the pack thrives with them. They balance group dynamics and temper Alpha aggression, which is why multi-Alpha packs rarely endure without one," Park Gyumin paused, then looked deeply into his eyes, “I am sure that you have selected your packmates wisely but I must ask for my own reassurance… Are your packmates treating you well?”
That came out of the blue. Yoojin was briefly tempted to take offense for the sake of his lovely, pure-hearted packmates when the memory of his failed escape during his heat crossed through his mind. A blush crept up his face and Yoojin tilted his head downwards in an attempt to hide it.
That’s an exception…
Although that affection… could be borderline intense at times, he couldn’t say exactly that he was opposed to being the subject of such devotion. Han Yoojin… would just work hard to navigate the intricacies in a way that still preserved his and hormone-crazed Alphas’ (and one Beta’s) dignity.
No one hated being loved to such an extent.
Yoojin beamed brightly. “Of course! I’m lucky to be in such a pack and will greatly treasure our bonds.”
Yes. Absolutely nothing to worry about…
Other than books about omega, it appeared Pak Gyumin had a special interest towards plants as well based on other separate shelves filled with botanical books and jars of plant samples. Just like the current state of Omega demographic, the efforts to recover South Korea’s lost plant species were progressing steadily, yet slowly.
There was a board behind Park Gyumin nailed to the wall similar to the one he saw during The Omega’s Day festival. It displayed a list of plant names alongside images, each paired with the name and photo of a person.
“Who are they?” Curious, Yoojin gestured towards the board.
The Alpha immediately replied, “Ah, those are Omegas who have successfully revived plant species lost after that terrible day. I got the lovely opportunity to meet with three of them. Their names will be recorded in history and they will be bestowed with the title ‘Saint of Nature.”
His friendly expression faltered slightly, as if realising his words might be misconstrued. “P-please don’t be mistaken! I don’t mean to imply that an Omega’s worth lies only in their ability to revive extinct plants! You see, I’m actually part of the team in charge of documenting these rediscovered flora species, all thanks to Omegas across the country.”
“Perhaps it’s because of an Omega’s natural disposition, but most of them seem to have a green thumb,” he added with such tender affection that Yoojin couldn’t help but be moved. It was clear Park Gyumin held deep respect for Omegas and took great pride in his work supporting them.
The comment stirred a memory, prompting Yoojin to pull out his phone and scroll through his gallery.
“Since you’re knowledgeable about plants, maybe you can tell me what kind of a plant this is? It appeared suddenly in my garden.”
Park Gyumin took the phone from Yoojin’s offered hand. “Please allow me to take a look.”
On the screen was a white, fluffy bulb, about the size of a child’s fist, with a texture resembling an avian’s downy feathers and attached to a slender green stem.
After flipping through a red encyclopedia with a thick spine, his eyes grew rounder and rounder and he finally sputtered aloud with great urgency which alarmed Yoojin, “T-This! Please wait here and don’t go anywhere! Wait I-I mean— not that I would ever dare holding you anywhere against your will, such a crime is unforgivable, and o-of course, b-but—”
Yoojin went to quickly reassure him before he spiraled further. “Please calm down Park Gyumin-ssi! There’s no need to worry, I’ll stay here and wait for you.”
That seemed enough to stop the train heading towards full-blown hyperventilation. Park Gyumin looked relieved by his reply as he excused himself and rushed out of the room. Barely two minutes later, he returned, arms laden with a towering stack of books which he unceremoniously dumped onto his desk.
The Alpha was making such a mess of his office that Yoojin felt increasingly guilty and wanted to call his question off–he wasn’t that curious about the mysterious plant–when Park Gyumin turned to him, beaming with excitement.
“Congratulations! This is the 9th known rediscovery of an extinct plant species thriving due to the blessed presence of an Omega. On behalf of this institute, let me express our deepest gratitude for your remarkable fertility, which made such an exciting miracle possible!”
Yoojin’s eyes nearly popped out.
Di-did he just say ferti–
A pop cut through the air. Yoojin blinked rapidly as mini colourful pieces of paper–a confetti, rained down on him. Stunned, he could only stay silent amidst Park Gyumin’s booming laughter–the sort of an uninhibited laughter when someone was truly happy. There were even tears glistening at the edge of his eyes.
His initial bewilderment softened into a quiet smile as he basked in Park Gyumin’s infectious joy. If such a discovery brought someone that much happiness, then Yoojin supposed his decision to keep Blue and Peace out of the garden had been the right one.
After scheduling a date for the Omega Association’s team to collect the plant samples from his private garden in the rearing facility, Yoojin slipped out the building’s back exit. Having caught wind of his visit to the Omega Association, many reporters had already swarmed the front. Thankfully, his unremarkable features were easily hidden beneath a hat and mask. Though Yoojin couldn’t spot him, he was sure his ever-vigilant bodyguard, Kim Sunghan, lurked nearby and was following him.
The trees provided cool shade against the afternoon sun. The sweltering heat of summer hadn’t yet arrived, but Yoojin dreaded the thought of enduring such temperatures during his heat—it would be like being roasted from the inside and out.
Up on a giant screen placed overlooking a busy four-way street, Suk Simyeong was shown to be speaking in an interview. There was a picture of Yoohyun wearing his neutral, disinterested expression displayed next to the moving video, the plum blossom mark stark against his pale neck. Next to that, a photo of Yoojin himself, smiling widely while hugging Peace.
Although not an absolute rule, the marks often appeared on the bodies of the primary Alpha and Omega belonging in a pack. No one knew what specifically triggered their manifestation, but they were widely believed to be correlated to deep trust and harmony—a physical testament to a profound connection.
The media would have a field day if they ever captured proof of the matching mark present on Yoojin’s back. There was already rife speculation that Yoojin possessed the same mark on his back due to the fact that the mark on an Alpha’s neck was often a pair with an Omega they were closest to. Of course, no one dared to demand him to reveal it. The mere idea of coercing an Omega to expose their body beyond what was already voluntarily revealed to the public would be the most heinous kind of social crime in this current era!
They could only stew in their curiosity until that part of Yoojin’s body got revealed, either purely by accident or if he chose to publicly confirm it himself. When that day came, it would be the irrefutable confirmation of Han Yoojin's ties to Haeyeon-as the Omega sharing the same bond mark with the Alpha guildmaster, Han Yoohyun.
Staring at Suk Simyeong’s professional demeanour while being interviewed, Yoojin couldn’t help but give a fond smile at the Alpha whose eyes were quietly shining with ecstatic glee.
“This time, it’s your win,” whispered Yoojin, a fond look crossing his features.
“Who are you talking to, ahjussi? Who’s winning?” Yerim’s head popped up from around his side. Her wide inquisitive eyes studied his face intently.
Sunghan appeared on Yoojin’s left side. There was no one nearby, that must be why he decided to reveal himself. While Yerim and Sunghan had no qualms of drawing the public’s attention, their presence around an individual trying to mask his identity with only some choice clothing articles would be the equivalent of a loudspeaker blaring out his name on repeat.
A gust of wind blew and Yoojin shivered, more out of principle rather than actually being cold.
“It’s nothing. Are you hungry? Let’s go have something before we head home. I’ll make a call ahead to a restaurant where we can avoid crowds.”
He hoped the novelty of his Omega status would wear off in the near future and he could dine without the fear of being mobbed by overly-curious strangers who would stare at him unblinkingly as if seeing a living and breathing miracle.
“Whaaat? You can’t mumble something out of the blue and then refuse to elaborate! Who’s winning and in what? Is there a competition? Don’t leave me out, I want to join this competition too!” Yerim exclaimed with a wheedling tone that never failed to tug at his parental instincts. “I swear I’ll win it and make you proud, ahjussi!”
Yoojin couldn't help but laugh out loud at this sort of chaotic peace that had become his life.
Yerim’s cheeks puffed out at his reaction as she continued to whine and fuss. “Why are you laughing? Don’t you believe me?”
The wobbling of her lips finally got Yoojin to stop his uncontrollable laughter. Patting her head, Yoojin went to reassure her, “What competition can’t my Yerim win? Of course I believe that you’ll be the winner.” His voice unwittingly turned soft with his next sentence. “Besides, even without any competitions, you are already a winner in my eyes.”
The disappointed pout turned into sparkling pride in an instant. Yerim practically bounced on her feet as she eagerly followed Yoojin who walked with a lightness in his steps. Arching over them was spring in its prettiest form: plum blossoms in blushing pink-petal dresses dancing along the whimsical rhythm of wind on sky blue floors.
How peaceful. He hoped that these sorts of days would last for years to come.
BONUS 一
How did it come to this?
The three-tier desserts embellished in shining gold, the likes that fitted in a posh afternoon tea setting that took place in a fictitious distant kingdom, was making his head pound in a growing headache. Perhaps it was the blinding sun instead, or the fault of an equally blinding blond before him who radiated the aura of a perfect prince emerging from a fairytale.
A rip-off tour guide wasn’t enough, he also wanted to be a rip-off prince who made all the girls in the kingdom swoon. How shameless.
The only saving grace to this questionable situation was the pleasant scent of flowers wafting in the air. Yoojin used to not care about flowers at all, but there was something about the pretty pink petals of this particular species that drew him in.
From his seat on a soft picnic mat, Yoojin glared at the Alpha across of him.
“Are we done? Can I go now?”
Those golden eyes stared back at him, a frown furrowing the fine shape of his eyebrows. “Is there something that my item is unsatisfied with? Perhaps the desserts aren’t to your taste?’
The desserts are perfect, it’s your ugly face that’s the problem.
Ugh. Yoojin knew that if he were to say that out loud, his lie would be even more obvious than the sight of a massive ginkgo tree looming in their background. How Sung Hyunjae even managed to relocate this tree that must have been over a hundred years old to this rooftop garden remained a mystery.
Perfect bastards should keep away and not bother him. It should be an absolute rule written in the manual book governing life and fate.
Yoojin was nodding to himself, satisfied with that internal assessment, when Hyunjae spoke again.
“Here.”
The blond prince impersonator seemed to be showing him something. Upon closer inspection, it was a pink plushie in the shape of a mouse wearing a bright-red ribbon necklace.
Beyond annoyed, Yoojin sneered at the childish offering. “What–”
Once a whiff originating from that plushie brushed past his nose, Yoojin’s brain came to a screeching halt. Pupils dilating into vast, black pools of pure fascination, he proceeded to pounce on the plushie, unceremoniously and rudely shoving Sung Hyunjae out of the way.
Chuffing delightedly into the soft material, Yoojin’s body collapsed and then he became a whirlwind of floppy-limbed Omega, wildly twisting and rolling with blissful delirium on the picnic mat. Every few seconds, Yoojin would pause—nose pressed deep into the pink plushie—before launching into another ecstatic frenzy, kicking his legs like a rabbit in midair.
“I received a tip that Omegas take a great liking to gaebagha herbs, but I didn’t think it is to this extent,” Sung Hyunjae mused, eyes twinkling with interest, “An Omega catnip, indeed.”
Just when Yoojin was ready to abandon all rationalities and do the craziest, most reckless thing like nesting right then and there, on a picnic blanket in the middle of Jupiter guild’s rooftop garden, of all places, a huge explosion shattered the calm. It sent tremors through the ground, violently disturbing the tranquil scene.
The loud noise was enough to snap him out of the herb’s spell.
“Whu– Wha…?”
The bursts of little stars peppering his vision began to clear out and Yoojin slowly blinked himself back to full awareness.
“My, what a temperamental puppy the young master has become,” said Sung Hyunjae, utterly unbothered even as said young master was currently, with vigor and the greatest of determination, forcing his way through the guild’s defenses. Violent tongues of black fire surged above the canopy, bringing the smell of ash and destruction in their direction. Just how much mana had Yoohyun poured into generating such devastating flames?
Then Sung Hyunjae’s words registered in his brain.
Whose little brother are you calling a dog??
Chuckling, Sung Hyunjae was wearing that deceptively polite smile as he peered down at Yoojin, the sun over his head casting a shadow on his face.
“I’ll never get tired of that cute pout.”
Yoojin twisted his mouth further to make it look uglier but it seemed to only amuse Sung Hyunjae more.
I’m not trying to be cute though??
As Yoojin rose to his feet, taking the black flames as cue to his curfew imposed by an overprotective Alpha little brother, Sung Hyunjae made a move to stop him.
“Yoojin-gun. Before you go, I’d like to give you something.”
Yoojin’s brow twitched.
I swear if it’s something as nonsensical, borderline criminal like a drugged plushie–
The bright twinkles when the light hit the object just right stopped his murderous thoughts in their tracks. It was a ring with a big transparent stone in the middle surrounded by smaller ones.
Were those real diamonds? Aside from soft material, Omegas were very partial towards shiny things. Yoojin found that he couldn’t take his eyes off the diamond ring.
“Do you like it?”
Still wearing a (hopefully) ugly pout, Yoojin snatched it out of Sung Hyunjae’s hand as the Alpha chuckled. Just in time after Yoojin pocketed the precious jewellery that must have cost billions of won, the enforcer of his curfew arrived with another resounding explosion that blasted open the door to the rooftop garden and reduced it to smithereens.
Han Yoohyun arrived like the harbinger of death and destruction, black flames coating his form that cut a dark, ominous shape against the blue sky.
“You must have been itching for death, daring to lay your hands on what’s mine.” The growl was so guttural that it was almost inaudible.
Sung Hyunjae’s lips curved into a smile. “Oh my, what accusations. I merely picked up a poor, stray item wandering around the streets and fed it some food since it looked hungry.”
“My hyung is not an ‘it’ nor a stray."
His grotesque, almost inhuman distortion of his expression and the oppressive aura choking the atmosphere made one thing abundantly clear–Yoohyun was on the edge of going full-blown feral.
That was when Yoojin decided to make a tactical intervention. Despite his unsteady footing, Yoojin determinedly made his way towards the swirling maelstrom of black flames where his little brother stood engulfed. Without hesitation, he threw his arms around the heated form of the Alpha, flames licking at his skin harmlessly.
“There, there, calm down, Yoohyun-ie.” Peering into live, scarlet embers, Yoojin used his most soothing voice and pumped out calming pheromones, “Sung Hyunjae didn’t do anything to me. I’m here, safe and sound. So calm down, hm?”
Aggression churned and grew in the air. Sung Hyunjae even started responding in kind, if not, Yoohyun’s pheromones would force him to submit.
“I will, after I put a hole through this bastard once at least.”
Truly, Yoojin didn’t want to resort to this. However, it seemed like he was left without a choice.
“Being in a foreign guild makes me so anxious, Yoohyun-ah,” Yoojin whimpered, his whiny voice dripping with honeyed distress as he amped up his most devastating omega charms. “Everything looks so scary out here and… I just really, really wanna go home. You’ll bring your hyung home, hm?” With calculated precision and a dose of sweet, coaxing pheromones, Yoojin fully unleashed his mastered art of vulnerability on the impenetrable walls of Alpha fury.
The fire was doused in an instant—leaving a star-eyed, star-struck Alpha who was ready to drop everything to fulfill the whims of the precious Omega before him.
“Okay, hyung!
Sacrificing a little pride was nothing if everything could remain unscathed. This poor building and that ginkgo tree were innocent, after all.
It was simply out of his great benevolence that Sung Hyunjae was allowed to live another day. Yoojin tightened his grip on his little brother who insisted on carrying him home in his arms. Yoojin peeked over Yoohyun's shoulder and showed a gloating expression that would surely grate on anyone’s nerves without fail.
Hmph. Lucky bastard.
Sung Hyunjae was waving him goodbye with that unconcerned smile still pasted on his face. Meanwhile in the background, his guild members were busy scrambling and shouting in panic to quell the seemingly inextinguishable fire and to keep the crumbling structure from collapsing further.