Archive of Our Own

Being an idol was Yushi's biggest dream.

Though, not always. When he was younger, he wanted to become a soccer player. Back then, he spent his days chasing a ball across the field, convinced that nothing could ever replace that dream. But everything changed the day he saw his senior, Kai, performing on stage.

The memory remained vivid even years later. The bright lights, the deafening cheers, and most of all, the way Kai moved with effortless confidence as if the entire stage belonged to him. Yushi had never seen anything so captivating.

From that moment on, all he could think about was becoming someone like him.

Of course, the road toward that dream was far from easy. Yushi even almost gave up when he presented as an omega.

Even at ten years old, he understood what that meant. Omegas were often underestimated, treated differently, and forced to work twice as hard just to be taken seriously. People rarely saw beyond that label. Once you became an omega, it seemed to become the only thing others noticed about you.

But Yushi had always been stubborn in the best possible way.

He wasn't the type to talk big or make grand declarations. Instead, he quietly set a goal and chased after it with everything he had. Once he decided on something, no amount of doubt, criticism, or impossible odds could make him back down.

So he kept going.

And eventually, his efforts paid off. Because two years later after he presented, he was accepted as a trainee under SM Entertainment. The same agency as his biggest role model, Kai.

The years that followed were some of the hardest in his life. Endless practices, exhausting evaluations, homesickness, and the pressure of constantly proving himself—it was enough to break many people.

Yet somehow, Yushi endured it all.

He rarely complained. He never made a fuss. Not once did he allow anyone to see how overwhelming things could become. No tears, no regrets, no thoughts of turning back. He simply kept moving forward, one step at a time, toward the dream he had chosen for himself.

Maybe that was one of the reasons people grew fond of him.

Yushi could feel it, even if no one said it outright. The staff members who checked if he had eaten. The older trainees who looked after him. The people who always seemed willing to help whenever he struggled.

At first, he assumed it was because he was an omega. After all, that was how the world worked, wasn't it? People saw the label before they saw the person.

But as time passed, Yushi began to think otherwise. Maybe people weren't fond of him because he was an omega.

Maybe they simply saw a kid who had left everything behind to pursue an impossible dream in a foreign country. A kid who was trying his best despite being far away from home, family, and everything familiar.

Maybe they cared because they genuinely wanted to.

And among all those people, there was one person who stood out the most.

Oh Sion.

The very same person who was now the leader of their group.

Yushi first met Sion when he was fourteen.

They had just moved into a new dorm, which meant new roommates, new routines, and new people to get used to. Fortunately, Yushi ended up sharing the dorm with Sion.

At the time, Yushi remembered thinking that Sion looked exactly like the kind of person who would be popular wherever he went.

Of course, appearance wasn't the only thing Yushi noticed. Along with it came the faint scent lingering around him.

It wasn't overwhelming, nor was it strong enough to be considered rude, but it was noticeable enough for Yushi's instincts to immediately recognize what it meant. It belonged to an alpha.

Back then, his Korean was still far from fluent. He could hold simple conversations, but whenever he needed to express something specific, he often found himself struggling for words.

One day, he was desperately craving cheeseballs.

Normally, that wouldn't have been a problem. The hyung he used to room with would always help him place an order whenever he wanted something. But now he was in a new dorm, surrounded by people he barely knew, and he had no idea how to order it himself.

To make matters worse, he was in the middle of his heat cycle.

Thanks to the company's suppressants, he wasn't experiencing a full heat, but some symptoms still slipped through the cracks. He found himself craving random foods, becoming more emotional than usual, and wanting comfort from the people around him.

So, after several minutes of gathering his courage and typing frantically into Papago, Yushi approached Sion—a person he had never spoken to before—and awkwardly held out his phone.

The translated message was simple.

Hyung, could you help me order cheeseballs?

Even years later, Yushi could still remember the expression on Sion's face. The older trainee looked completely dumbfounded.

For a few seconds, he simply stared at Yushi and then at the screen, as if trying to process why the younger had suddenly appeared in front of him with such a serious request. Then Sion burst out laughing.

Not in a mocking way—never that. It was the kind of laugh that slipped out unexpectedly, warm and bright enough to make Yushi feel embarrassed and relieved at the same time. After that, Sion simply nodded and did exactly what the translator had asked.

It was such a small moment. Something so ordinary that most people would have forgotten about it within a week. But somehow, neither of them did.

Years later, when Yushi looked back on their trainee days, that awkward interaction over a box of cheeseballs remained one of the memories that came to mind first.

"What's so funny, Ushi-ya?" The soft voice pulled Yushi out of his thoughts. He blinked and looked up, only to find both Sion and Sakuya staring at him.

Right.

They were in the dorm, gathered around to play the PlayStation in the living room. The two alphas were in the middle of a match while Yushi waited for his turn. He hadn't even realized he'd been zoning out until Sion's voice brought him back to reality.

"Nothing," Yushi replied quietly. Then an idea suddenly popped into his head. A familiar one at that.

"Hyung," he called, turning toward Sion beside him, "Could you order some cheeseballs?"

"You can order them yourself!" Sakuya quickly said in disbelief.

Technically though, Sakuya was right.

Yushi could order cheeseballs perfectly fine now. His Korean was fluent, food delivery apps were easy to use, and he no longer needed translators to ask for simple things. But that wasn't the point. He didn't want to order them himself. He wanted Sion to do it.

Just like he had all those years ago when Yushi was fourteen, homesick, struggling with Korean, and craving cheeseballs during a half-suppressed heat. The memory still made him smile.

Fortunately, Yushi didn't even have to argue his case.

The moment he glanced at Sion, he found the older already chuckling to himself. As if he had figured out exactly what Yushi was thinking, Sion reached for his phone without a single complaint.

"Which one?" he asked.

Yushi immediately scooted closer to look over Sion's shoulder, "The cheese seasoning one."

Sion hummed and started placing the order.

Right beside Sion who sat in the middle of them, Sakuya groaned dramatically as the game was paused.

"Oh, come on!"

His complaint only made Yushi feel more satisfied. Grinning, he stuck his tongue out at the younger member.

Sakuya looked utterly offended. "Spoiled cat," he hissed.

Yushi only grinned wider. Maybe he was. But if Sion kept indulging him every single time, then whose fault was that?

It was just another day filled with endless practice. Nothing unusual. Nothing special.

With another Japanese comeback approaching, everyone was working harder than ever. As a group based in Japan, they carried a certain level of responsibility when it comes to their Japanese comeback. Their fans always gave them endless support, and the members wanted to return that love with performances that were nothing short of perfect. Perfection had always been the goal.

For most of the members, it was just an ordinary day in the practice room.

For Yushi, however, something felt off.

At first, he thought he was imagining it. Practice was exhausting, after all. Maybe he was simply overthinking. But as the hours passed, the feeling only grew stronger.

Sion was acting strange.

Not enough for anyone else to notice, perhaps. He was still dancing flawlessly, still singing with steady vocals, still keeping up with every part of the choreography as if nothing was wrong.

To an outsider, Sion looked exactly the same.

But Yushi knew better. He had spent years beside him. He knew the little habits most people overlooked. And right now, Sion was far quieter than usual.

Normally, both of them took the lead when it came to dance practice. While Yushi often focused on helping members polish their movements, Sion was the stricter one. He paid attention to every tiny detail and never let mistakes slide.

If someone's angle was wrong, Sion noticed.

If the timing was off by half a beat, Sion noticed.

If a formation looked even slightly awkward, Sion definitely noticed.

Which was why today's silence felt so strange.

Earlier, Jaehee had made a mistake during one of the formations. Usually, Sion would've stopped the practice immediately to point it out. This time, he said nothing. In the end, Yushi had been the one to correct it. That alone was enough to make him suspicious.

Something was definitely wrong.

Several times, Yushi considered asking him about it. But they were still practicing, and the atmosphere was focused and productive. He didn't want to interrupt everyone over a feeling he couldn't even explain.

So he decided he'd ask later, after practice. When things were calmer.

Unfortunately for him, later never came.

The second their coach announced a short break, Sion disappeared. One moment he was standing beside them. The next, he was gone.

Yushi frowned as he looked around the practice room.

That was unusual too.

Normally, Sion spent breaks bothering the members, stealing snacks, teasing someone, or simply lounging around nearby. He was rarely the type to disappear without a word.

"Is he not in a good mood?" Yushi hadn't intended to say it out loud. But apparently he had, because both Riku and Ryo looked up from where they were sitting.

"Sion hyung, I mean," Yushi clarified.

Ryo simply shrugged. "Why don't you ask him?"

Yushi almost replied that he had planned to. That was exactly what he had been trying to do. The problem was that Sion had vanished before he got the chance.

But explaining all of that felt unnecessary, so he merely shrugged back and grabbed his water bottle instead.

The cool water had barely reached his throat when someone suddenly appeared beside him.

"Yushi hyung."

He turned his head. Jaehee was standing there, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Hm?"

Jaehee scratched the back of his neck.

"About the part I got wrong earlier..." he began. "Can you teach me again?"

The concern about Sion lingered in the back of Yushi's mind. But for now, he pushed it aside. There would be time to find Sion later. Because right now, Yushi had more important things to focus on than his own worries.

With a small nod, he gestured for Jaehee to follow him back toward the center of the practice room. The music had long stopped, leaving behind the familiar sounds of tired breathing, sneakers against polished floors, and the low hum of the air conditioner fighting against the heat generated by all of them dancing for hours.

They had been repeating the same section over and over again, yet Jaehee still looked unsatisfied with himself, his brows slightly furrowed as he prepared to try again.

If Yushi was being honest, he had always had a soft spot for Jaehee.

Part of it was because Jaehee was younger, but there was more to it than that. Among all of them, Jaehee was the only one who hadn't spent years being molded into an idol. While the others had survived countless evaluations, monthly rankings, and exhausting trainee schedules for years, Jaehee had only been training for a few months before suddenly finding himself preparing for debut. The gap between him and the others wasn't small, and everyone knew it. Jaehee knew it most of all.

Yushi understood that feeling better than most.

He remembered what it was like to constantly compare himself to others, to feel like everyone around him was moving ahead while he was desperately trying to catch up. He remembered staying awake at night worrying whether he was good enough, whether he deserved to stand beside people who seemed naturally talented. Looking at Jaehee now, Yushi could almost see traces of that younger version of himself.

"No, Jaehee."

Stepping closer, Yushi gently adjusted the younger's arm position before shaking his head. "It's not the angle. You're too stiff."

The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted how blunt they sounded. Jaehee's entire body visibly tensed, his shoulders pulling tight as if he had been caught making a terrible mistake.

The younger immediately tried the move again, but that only proved Yushi's point. The choreography wasn't wrong. The technique wasn't wrong. Jaehee simply looked like someone carrying an invisible weight on his shoulders.

Jaehee wasn't a bad dancer. Far from it. He learned quickly, worked harder than anyone else, and rarely complained no matter how exhausted he was. The problem was that he thought too much. Every movement felt calculated, restrained by the fear of making mistakes. Instead of flowing naturally with the music, his body seemed locked in a constant battle against his own anxiety.

Yushi was about to explain that when a faint scent suddenly reached him.

His eyes widened immediately.

It was sour. Not overwhelmingly strong, but it was there, Jaehee's pheromones, that is.

Oh no.

The realization came almost instantly. Jaehee was so nervous that he had unconsciously started leaking pheromones. Normally it wouldn't have been a huge problem, but there were two omegas in the room. Him and Ryo.

Before anyone else could react, Yushi reached forward and grabbed Jaehee's wrist. The younger startled at the contact, his eyes snapping toward him in confusion.

"Jaehee," Yushi called softly.

The panic in the younger's expression only became more obvious now that he was paying attention. Yushi tightened his hold slightly, grounding him before things could spiral further.

"Look at me. Take a deep breath."

Jaehee obeyed immediately. One breath. Then another. Then a third.

Slowly, the sour scent began to fade.

Yushi waited patiently until the younger's shoulders loosened and the tension in his face softened. Only when he was sure the pheromones had been completely reined in did he finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"What are you so scared of?" he asked, keeping his voice gentle. "You're doing great."

Jaehee blinked, looking almost startled by the compliment.

"It's not like we're performing tomorrow."

He left the rest unsaid. They still had time. They could keep practicing. They could keep improving. There was no need for Jaehee to carry the pressure of perfection on his own shoulders. The younger was already burdening himself enough without Yushi adding to it.

Jaehee lowered his gaze before nodding quietly. A guilty expression crossed his face as he reached for Yushi's hand with both of his.

"Sorry, Yushi hyung. I didn't—"

The apology never reached its end.

One moment Yushi was standing in front of Jaehee. The next, his entire body was violently pulled backward.

A surprised sound escaped him as he stumbled into something solid. Strong arms immediately wrapped around him, locking around his waist with enough force to make him lose his balance completely. His forehead bumped against a firm chest, and for a second his mind simply stopped processing what was happening.

Then a low growl echoed throughout the room. The sound was deep enough to send chills down his spine.

"Don't touch him."

The words came out a little too possessive, and undeniably angry.

Chaos erupted almost immediately.

Someone screamed. Someone cursed. Someone panicked.

The coach shouted something that was quickly drowned out by the sudden commotion.

Yushi barely heard any of it. He was too busy trying to understand why he was being held so tightly that he could hardly move.

Not that he needed to look up to know who it was.

The ocean mixed with pepperwood scent surrounding him was already enough to explain. Sion.

Of course it was Sion.

"Sion, let him go!" their coach shouted, sounding halfway between furious and panicked.

The alpha didn't move. If anything, the arms around Yushi seemed to tighten further.

"Hyung, what's wrong with you?" Riku suddenly demanded from somewhere nearby. "You know Jaehee isn't competition!"

Competition? Yushi frowned in tje middle of the chaos. What was that supposed to mean?

Fortunately, before he could think about it any longer, Sion finally loosened his grip. The second he did, Riku practically appeared out of nowhere and pulled Yushi several steps away.

Only then did Yushi get a chance to properly look around the room.

Jaehee was standing exactly where he'd been left, completely frozen in shock. The maknae lingered nervously near the corner, clearly too afraid to approach. Their coach was currently dragging Sion toward the exit with what looked like the strength of a man desperately trying to prevent a disaster.

And Sion?

Sion looked entirely unconcerned about being dragged away. As if there was only one thing in the room worth paying attention to.

"Practice ends here!" the coach finally barked.

Nobody argued. Nobody was brave enough to.

And then, when Yushi finally had the courage, he looked up. And immediately, his gaze collided with Sion's.

The alpha wasn't looking at the coach who was still trying his best dragging him. Wasn't looking at Jaehee or at anyone else either. Instead he was staring directly at Yushi.

Yushi's heart suddenly dropped. Though he doesn't get what that meant.

Luckily, the situation ended up being far less catastrophic than it had initially seemed.

Their coach and manager stepped in almost immediately, handling the incident with the efficiency of people who had dealt with far stranger idol-related emergencies before. By the time everyone had calmed down and gathered in their dorm, the explanation finally came out.

Apparently, one of the staff members had unexpectedly gone into rut while working. It had been an unfortunate accident, and even more unfortunate that Sion happened to be nearby when it happened. The exposure to another alpha's pheromones had thrown his instincts completely out of balance, making him unusually aggressive and territorial throughout the day.

The explanation was enough to ease most of the tension in the room.

After getting himself under control, Sion apologized immediately.

Not the casual kind of apology people threw around just to smooth things over, but a genuine one. He looked embarrassed as he stood in front of everyone, shoulders slightly stiff and eyes refusing to stay in one place for too long. It was rare to see Sion looking so visibly remorseful. He apologized to everyone.

And then he sought out Jaehee and Yushi personally.

"I'm sorry," Sion said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I really wasn't thinking straight."

The guilt in his voice sounded genuine enough that even Yushi felt a little awkward watching him.

Jaehee, however, recovered much faster than anyone else. The younger alpha immediately waved both hands in dismissal, looking more concerned about Sion's feelings than his own.

"It's really okay, hyung," he assured him. "Things like that happen sometimes. I get it."

A sheepish smile appeared on Jaehee's face. "I'm an alpha too, remember?"

The tension visibly left Sion's shoulders at those words. Yushi couldn't help smiling faintly at the sight. Jaehee really was too kind for his own good.

As for himself, Yushi never felt like Sion owed him an apology in the first place.

Sure, being suddenly dragged into someone's arms in the middle of practice had been surprising. More than surprising, honestly. His shoulder had hurt for an hour afterward.

But once the shock faded, the incident didn't feel nearly as serious as everyone else seemed to think it was.

Because the truth was, Sion had always been clingy with him. Especially around his rut.

Whenever Sion's instincts became unstable, he tended to seek Yushi out without even realizing it. Sometimes it was sitting unusually close beside him during breaks. Sometimes it was casually leaning against him while they watched movies. Other times it was simply hovering nearby like an oversized guard dog who refused to leave his post.

It had been happening for so long that Yushi barely noticed it anymore.

To him, it was normal.

Maybe it was because they had known each other for years. Maybe it was because they had spent so much time growing up together that they naturally gravitated toward one another during their most vulnerable moments.

Yushi had never questioned it. In his mind, it was simply trust.

A bond built through years of friendship, shared memories, and countless experiences no one else could fully understand. There was comfort in that familiarity, a quiet certainty that neither of them would ever intentionally hurt the other.

That was why the incident in the practice room didn't linger in Yushi's mind the way it seemed to linger in everyone else's.

After the incident was officially put behind them, everyone gradually returned to their usual activities.

The atmosphere inside the dorm quickly settled back into normalcy, as if the chaos from earlier had never happened in the first place. 

Yushi, meanwhile, had claimed his usual spot on the couch and was peacefully scrolling through his phone.

Or at least he had been.

The moment he noticed movement in his peripheral vision, he already knew trouble was coming.

Sure enough, Riku suddenly turned his entire body toward him, legs folded underneath him as he stared at Yushi with the expression of someone who was about to say something incredibly annoying.

"You know, Yuu-chan," Riku began casually. "You're way too trusting." He added. And before Yushi could even react, the beta reached out and poked his cheek.

Yushi slapped his hand away with a frown, "What does that even mean?"

Riku only shrugged, looking entirely too pleased with himself, "I mean, hyung is still an alpha, after all."

The statement was so random that Yushi simply stared at him.

An alpha? What did that have to do with anything?

Apparently noticing his confusion, Riku gasped dramatically before leaning even closer.

"Wait," his eyes widened. "Don't tell me you don't see him as an alpha at all?"

That earned him an immediate snort. Without even bothering to spare Riku another glance, Yushi returned his attention to his phone.

"Hyung is a hyung."

The silence that followed lasted approximately two seconds. Then Riku let out the loudest, most offended gasp imaginable, "Oh my God!"

He grabbed his chest as if physically wounded, "Poor hyung, imagine being hopelessly devoted to someone for years only to be demoted to hyung."

At that point, Yushi had already learned that engaging with Riku would only encourage him, so he wisely chose silence.

It didn't stop his thoughts from wandering, though. Because honestly, what was he even supposed to say to that?

Of course he knew Sion was an alpha. Anyone with functioning eyes could tell. Sion practically radiated alpha instincts whenever Yushi was involved.

The older boy was constantly hovering nearby whenever Yushi looked tired, stressed, or overwhelmed. Whenever anxiety started creeping up on him, Sion somehow always noticed before anyone else did. Sometimes it was a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Sometimes it was a quiet check-in. Other times it was a subtle release of calming pheromones that wrapped around Yushi before he even realized he needed them.

Sion had been taking care of him for so long that Yushi barely thought about it anymore.

It was simply... Sion.

The same Sion who made sure he ate, who nagged him to sleep early, who somehow always knew when he was upset even before Yushi said anything.

Maybe other people saw an alpha. Yushi just saw Sion. Besides, it wasn't like Sion only treated him that way.

He was their leader. Looking after the members was literally part of his job. Surely Sion did the same things for Ryo too.

Maybe not exactly the same, but close enough.

And it wasn't as if there was some hidden meaning behind any of it.

Sion was simply protective, caring, and responsible. That was all.

At least, that was what Yushi kept telling himself.

Weeks passed since the incident. And as expected, everything gradually returned to normal.

The members went back to their usual routines, busy with practices, schedules, and everything else that came with preparing for their comeback. The practice room incident slowly became something that belonged in the past, no longer discussed as frequently as it had been during the first few days. Even Yushi found himself thinking about it less and less as time went on.

It was on one particular evening that Yushi was making his way back to his room, exhaustion weighing pleasantly on his body after another long day. All he wanted was to get some rest before tomorrow's schedule.

"Yushi hyung." The sudden call made him stop in his tracks.

Turning around, he found Sakuya standing a few steps away from him. Before Yushi could even ask what the younger alpha wanted, Sakuya was already holding out a paper bag toward him.

Instinctively, Yushi accepted it.

"Sion hyung said this one's for you," Sakuya explained. "He asked me to give it to you before he went out with the others."

Yushi blinked.

For a moment, he simply stared at the paper bag in his hands before looking back at Sakuya. A small frown appeared on his face, more out of confusion than anything else.

Still, he didn't question it further. Rather he muttered a small,  "Thank you."

Sakuya nodded once in acknowledgment. Then, with the task completed, he turned around and began heading toward his own room.

Yushi was about to continue on his way as well when he caught the younger's voice again.

"Sion hyung clearly has a favorite."

The words were muttered quietly, almost as if Sakuya had spoken to himself rather than anyone else.

Yushi rolled his eyes immediately.

Ever since that practice room incident, it felt like everyone around him had suddenly become convinced that there was something to tease him about whenever Sion was involved.

He couldn't understand where they were even getting these ideas from.

With a quiet sigh, Yushi adjusted his grip on the paper bag and resumed walking toward his room. He chose not to entertain Sakuya's comment any further. There was no point.

The younger was clearly determined to misunderstand things anyway.

And if Yushi had learned anything from dealing with people like Riku, it was that responding would only encourage them.

So instead, he simply shook his head to himself and continued down the hallway, leaving Sakuya's words behind.

After arriving at his room, Yushi placed the paper bag on top of his bed without giving it much thought. Whatever Sion had asked Sakuya to deliver could wait. Right now, all he wanted was a shower. So he grabbed his clothes and headed straight to the bathroom.

The paper bag was quickly forgotten.

It remained untouched on his bed while Yushi showered, changed into comfortable clothes, and washed away the exhaustion of the day. It wasn't until he emerged from the bathroom with damp hair and a towel draped around his neck that he remembered it again.

Still drying his hair absentmindedly, Yushi sat down on the edge of his bed and reached for the paper bag.

The moment he picked it up, a familiar scent brushed against his senses. Ocean, mixed with pepperwood. The scent itself wasn't particularly strong anymore, but it lingered faintly on the paper.

Yushi paused.

His eyes lowered to the bag in his hands.

If Sion's scent was still clinging to it, then it probably hadn't been bought today. The paper bag must have been sitting in Sion's room for at least a couple of days before finally being handed over to him.

The realization made something flutter strangely inside his chest. Yushi immediately ignored it.

Instead, he opened the bag and carefully looked inside. His brows instantly shot upward when he finally saw what was inside.

"...Scent blocker?"

The words slipped out before he could stop them. For a moment, he simply stared at the item in his hands.

Then, almost immediately, a memory resurfaced.

"Stop that. What are you doing?" Sion's voice had sounded both amused and concerned as he reached over to catch Yushi's hand.

At the time, Yushi had been scratching at the back of his neck for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"Your scent gland is all red and swollen now, Ushi-ya."

"It's itchy!" Yushi had complained immediately."The scent blocker isn't really friendly with me, apparently!"

"You know you can use patches when practicing, right? Have you tried that?"

"I have!" Yushi remembered pouting as he answered. "But it's uncomfortable. I feel like I can't move my neck freely when dancing!"

The memory ended there.

Yet the conversation replayed itself so vividly in his head that it almost felt like it had happened yesterday rather than a week ago.

Slowly, Yushi looked back down at the scent blocker resting in his hands.

His cheeks grew warm. Then warmer.

Sion had remembered. Not only remembered, but apparently taken the time to look for another one after hearing Yushi complain about it.

The realization settled heavily in his chest.

It wasn't even something important. Yushi himself had nearly forgotten about that conversation. It had been nothing more than a brief complaint made during practice.

Yet somehow Sion had remembered every detail. And apparently decided to solve the problem himself.

Yushi turned the box over in his hands and immediately recognized the brand.

His eyes widened because this wasn't even a local one. It was imported. The kind that was known for being much gentler on sensitive skin. The kind that definitely wasn't cheap.

For a long moment, Yushi could only stare at it.

His fingertips brushed against the packaging carefully, almost as if he was afraid of damaging it.

A strange warmth spread through his chest, making it difficult to look away.

"...Must have cost a lot," he murmured quietly.

The room remained quiet after that.

Yushi continued staring at the scent blocker in his hands for a few moments before curiosity eventually got the better of him. Carefully, he peeled away the packaging and opened the tube.

The moment he did, a scent drifted into the air.

Yushi quietly gasped because he knew that scent, pepperwood.

His eyes widened slightly as he lowered the tube and sniffed again, just to make sure he wasn't imagining things. Sure enough, the scent was still there. Though as he took another cautious sniff, he noticed something else mixed beneath it.

Jasmine.

A subtle sweetness hidden underneath the stronger scent of pepperwood. Still, the dominant scent remained the same.

Yushi lowered the tube slightly, his brows furrowing as he stared at it.

Why would Sion give him a scent blocker with his own scent?

The question immediately appeared in his mind. But then again, this was Sion.

Yushi wasn't sure if there was even a reason behind it. Sion probably didn't mean anything by it. He had always been the type to do things without overthinking them, especially when it came to taking care of the people around him.

So perhaps there wasn't anything to think about. Perhaps Sion had simply chosen this one and handed it to him without any deeper intention behind it.

Yet despite that thought, Yushi could feel the warmth spreading across his cheeks.

His grip on the tube tightened slightly.

For some reason, his face felt hotter than it had a few minutes ago. And no matter how much he tried to dismiss it as nothing, the warmth refused to go away.

Yushi was doomed.

No, seriously.

He was absolutely, completely doomed.

The realization struck him so suddenly that he nearly groaned out loud in the middle of the waiting room. For a few seconds, he simply sat there staring blankly ahead, hoping he had somehow miscalculated the dates.

He hadn't.

Over the past few weeks, he had been so occupied with practices, recordings, meetings, fittings, and endless preparations that he had completely lost track of his own cycle. Normally, he was careful about these things. He always kept track of the dates and made sure to take his suppressant at least a week before his heat arrived.

Except this time.

This time, it had completely slipped his mind. And by the time he remembered, it was already too late. His heat was due in three days. Three fucking days.

Yushi felt like crying.

Sure, he had immediately taken his suppressant the moment he realized his mistake, but there was no guarantee it would actually work now. He was already far past the recommended timing. Even now, sitting among the members while everyone prepared for today's schedule, he could feel a faint restlessness lingering beneath his skin.

It wasn't enough to alarm anyone yet.

But Yushi knew his own body. And his inner omega knew it too.

The uncomfortable awareness sat heavily in the back of his mind, making it impossible to relax.

As if the situation wasn't bad enough already, today's schedule happened to be a fansign. A goddamn fansign out of every possible schedule they could have had.

Yushi resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands.

A fansign meant hours of interacting with people face-to-face. Dozens upon dozens of conversations. Smiling, talking, sitting in close proximity to strangers the entire time.

There was no way he could afford to have his heat acting up in the middle of that. He couldn't let his own carelessness become a problem for everyone else.

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Yushi pushed himself out of his seat and began scanning the room.

"Have you seen Ryo?"

Jaehee, who was currently sitting in front of a mirror while his hair was being styled, glanced at him through the reflection.

"I think he went outside to film a reel?"

Yushi nodded quickly.

"Thank you."

Not wanting to waste another second, he left the fitting room almost immediately.

The hallway outside was considerably quieter than the chaos inside. Yushi walked quickly, occasionally peeking into nearby spaces as he searched.

Fortunately, it didn't take long.

Ryo was exactly where Jaehee said he would be.

The younger omega stood in a quiet corner with his phone set up in front of him, clearly in the middle of filming something. More importantly, he was alone. Hardly anyone seemed to pass through this area, making it one of the few peaceful spots in the venue.

Perfect.

"Ryo." Yushi interrupted without hesitation.

The younger immediately stopped recording and turned around.

"Yes?" he asked, reaching for his phone. "Are we starting already?"

Yushi shook his head as he approached, "No."

Ryo blinked, waiting for Yushi to continue. And now that he had the younger's full attention, Yushi suddenly found himself feeling strangely awkward.

"You know..." Yushi cleared his throat. "Remember when you forgot to take your suppressant when we had that packed schedule?"

The effect of his words was immediate. Ryo's entire face turned red upon hearing that.

"I'm getting better at remembering my cycle now!" he protested instantly. There was genuine offense in his voice, though the pout forming on his face ruined any intimidating effect.

Yushi couldn't help but to smile at that, "I know." He reassured. "But that's not why I'm bringing it up."

The younger crossed his arms suspiciously, still not convinced.

"I wanted to ask what you did back then? Because I remember we clearly didn't postpone any schedules."

Understanding immediately flashed across Ryo's face, "Oh, that." His embarrassment didn't disappear, but at least he stopped pouting.

"Sion hyung helped me." He said. And when Ryo saw Yushi's frown, he explained casually, "Scenting me, I mean. It helps for a while. Alpha scent usually works."

The moment those words left Ryo's mouth, Yushi felt all the blood drain from his face. That meant he would have to ask Sion to scent him.

Before he could fully process the horrifying realization, Ryo suddenly narrowed his eyes.

"Why are you asking—" his expression changed instantly. "Wait, did you forget your pills too?!

Ashamed, Yushi slowly nodded. And in return, Ryo gasped so loudly that Yushi almost regretted coming here.

"I can't believe you forgot yours!"

"It slipped my mind!" Yushi immediately defended himself. "What am I supposed to do now? I already took my pills an hour ago, but I don't think it'll help!"

The frustration in his voice was impossible to hide.

Ryo, meanwhile, seemed far less concerned.

"You should ask one of the hyungs to scent you!" he said matter-of-factly. "It's the only way to prevent disaster as for now."

Yushi frowned, "Hyungs?"

Ryo nodded.

"Last year when I forgot my pills, Jaehee hyung helped me since Sion hyung stopped doing that to be more considerate of—"

"Then, should I ask Jaehee?" The interruption came so quickly that even Yushi realized how eager he sounded. At this point, anything was better and less embarrassing than asking Sion.

"Ask Jaehee what?"

Unfortunately for him, fate apparently disagreed.

The familiar voice sent a jolt through Yushi's entire body. He froze in an instant. Sure enough, Sion was already walking toward them.

"Talk about the devil and he shall appear!" Ryo joked.

Yushi immediately prayed to every God existed that Ryo would keep his mouth shut just this once. Just for a few seconds, at least.

Unfortunately, luck was clearly not on his side today because the next thing Yushi knew, Ryo had already said,

"Yushi hyung forgot his suppressant!"

Yushi closed his eyes painfully upon hearing that. And when he opened them again, Sion was already standing in front of him.

Not long after that Yushi felt a gentle hand settle on his shoulder, "Is that true, Ushi-ya?" There was no annoyance in Sion's voice. Just pure concern toward him.

At this point, Yushi clearly had no other choice, so he just nodded weakly.

"And you were about to ask Daeyoung to help scent you?"

Another nod.

For a moment, Sion simply looked at him. Then he smiled slightly.

"Am I out of options?" he asked jokingly. "I'm an alpha too, after all."

The comment was clearly meant to lighten the mood. But it didn't make Yushi feel any better. If anything, he would have prefer to floor to swallow him more.

"It's not like that," Yushi muttered quietly. The words barely left his mouth before an idea suddenly appeared.

"Ryo said you stopped doing that," he added quickly, latching onto the younger omega's earlier words without even fully remembering the rest of the explanation.

For a moment, Yushi felt relieved to finally have something to say.

Sion, however, didn't look affected at all. Instead, the alpha simply let out a thoughtful hum before turning his attention toward Ryo.

"Did I, Ryo?"

Immediately, Ryo looked like a deer caught in headlights.

The younger omega blinked several times before awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. His gaze darted between Yushi and Sion, clearly realizing he had somehow gotten caught in the middle of something he wanted absolutely no part in.

"Eh... did I say that?" he asked with a nervous laugh.

Neither of his hyungs looked convinced.

"I don't remember!" The smile on his face became increasingly strained. Then, before either of them could say another word, Ryo abruptly took a step backward.

"This seems like adult talk, so I'm gonna leave you hyungs to talk! Bye!"

And just like that, the little maltese disappeared.

Fast. Far too fast to Yushi's liking.

"Ryo—" Yushi's attempt to stop him was completely ignored. Within seconds, the younger omega was gone.

Yushi internally cursed. Great. Now there was no one left to hide behind. His only option was facing Sion directly.

Not that he hated the idea of being scented by Sion. If anything, the problem was the exact opposite. He liked the idea far more than he should. Far more than he was comfortable admitting.

And that was exactly what scared him.

Yushi didn't quite understand where those feelings came from or why they kept appearing whenever Sion was involved, but the confusion alone was enough to make him nervous.

"Let hyung help, okay?" Sion's voice was gentle enough to pull him from his thoughts.

When Yushi looked up, he found the alpha holding out a hand toward him. Patiently waiting for Yushi to decide.

For a brief moment, Yushi hesitated. All while his inner omega seemed to have absolutely no hesitation whatsoever.

The restless feeling that had been bothering him all day immediately surged forward, practically begging him to stop overthinking and just accept the help being offered by the alpha.

The reaction alone made Yushi feel embarrassed.

Still, what other choice did he have? After a few seconds, he finally nodded. Slowly, he extended his wrist.

The moment he did, Sion's expression softened. Carefully, the alpha reached forward and wrapped his fingers around Yushi's wrist gently. Then Sion slowly rubbed their wrists together. Scenting him.

Almost immediately, Yushi could smell their pheromones mixing together. The faint sweetness of milk. The familiar scent of ocean and pepperwood.

The combination made his breath catch slightly, and warmth spread through him far quicker than he expected.

The restless feeling that had been lingering beneath his skin since this morning gradually eased as Sion's scent settled around him. It wrapped around him gently, like a blanket being draped over his shoulders, soothing both his nerves and his increasingly anxious omega in a matter of moments.

When Sion reached for his other wrist and repeated the process, the feeling only intensified.

Yushi tried very hard not to think about it.

Unfortunately, his omega was being far less cooperative.

The instinctive part of him seemed entirely content with the situation, basking in his alpha's scent as though it had been waiting for this exact moment.

The thought made Yushi's face grow warm.

His alpha? Yushi froze.The mere idea sent a thousand butterflies loose inside his stomach.

But Sion wasn't his.

The realization crashed into him like a bucket of ice water. Unfortunately, that didn't make things any easier. Not when Sion was still standing so close. Not when the scent of ocean and pepperwood surrounded him from every direction. Not when Sion was making sure Yushi was thoroughly covered in his pheromones.

Every attempt to calm himself only seemed to make his thoughts spiral further.

"Hyung." The word slipped out before he could stop it.

"There you go," Sion said after a moment, finally releasing his wrists. "You should be fine for a day now, Ushi-ya."

Yushi nearly combusted on the spot. Because the problem was that Sion was right. He would be fine. The restless feeling had disappeared completely. His omega had calmed down. Everything was solved.

And yet, all Yushi could think about was the fact that he now smelled exactly like Sion.

The absolute worst part is that he totally liked it. Smelling like Sion, that is.

Fortunately, the fansign went smoothly.

No accidents happened. No one noticed anything unusual. The members were able to greet fans, answer questions, and move through the schedule exactly as planned.

At least, that was how it looked from the outside.

On Yushi's side, however, things were considerably more difficult. The entire time, he had to resist the urge to squirm in his seat.

Being completely engulfed in Sion's scent was doing strange things to him. Every time he caught a whiff of ocean and pepperwood, his thoughts would scatter for a moment before he had to force himself to focus on the fan sitting in front of him again.

It didn't help that Sion was seated right beside him.

The alpha's scent was already wrapped around him from head to toe, and having the source sitting only a few feet away certainly wasn't helping Yushi's situation.

Several fans ended up commenting on it throughout the event.

"Yushi, you smell really good today."

"What perfume are you wearing?"

"It smells expensive."

One fan even confidently told him that his perfume must be from a luxury brand. Yushi nearly choked at that.

Meanwhile, the so-called luxury brand was sitting right beside him.

Every time a fan complimented Yushi's scent, Sion would glance over with a suspiciously pleased smile on his face. Not enough for anyone else to notice anything strange, but more than enough for Yushi to catch.

The sight only made his ears feel warmer.

Thankfully, none of the fans had any idea what they were actually smelling.

Pheromones and second genders were among the entertainment industry's most carefully guarded secrets. For reasons Yushi had never fully understood, information regarding those things was kept strictly confidential from the public.

Today, however, he found himself feeling genuinely grateful for that.

Because if fans knew what was actually happening, Yushi was fairly certain his life would be over.

He was already close enough to his heat as it was.

If news somehow got out that he had forgotten his suppressants and spent an entire fansign covered in an alpha's scent, he would undoubtedly become the biggest headline overnight.

Just imagining it was enough to make him want to bury his face in his hands.

So instead, Yushi simply smiled whenever fans complimented his "perfume," thanked them politely, and prayed for the fansign to end before he completely lost his mind.

It felt like years before the fansign finally came to an end.

By the time the last fan had left and the staff officially announced that the schedule was over, Yushi felt mentally exhausted from having to constantly keep himself under control.

Fortunately, everything had gone smoothly.

And as was tradition after finishing a schedule, a feast was practically mandatory.

Normally, they would all go out together, find a restaurant, and spend the evening eating until their manager started complaining about their food expenses. This time, however, things were a little different.

Because Yushi "wasn't feeling well." So, rather than dragging him outside after a long day, the members collectively decided it would be better to order food and eat at the hotel instead.

Not long after arriving at the hotel, the others volunteered to go pick up their orders and buy desserts while they were at it.

Yushi doesn't feel like being alone right now, so Jaehee volunteered to accompany him. Which led Yushi alone in the room with Jaehee.

Jaehee had occupied the bathroom almost immediately after they arrived. Meanwhile, Yushi had claimed one of the beds and was currently lying on top of the blankets, scrolling through his phone in an attempt to pass the time.

The room was quiet except for the occasional sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

A few minutes later, the door finally opened.

Jaehee stepped out, fresh from his shower, a towel draped around his shoulders as he rubbed at his damp hair.

"Hyung."

Yushi hummed without looking up from his phone.

"I'm done," Jaehee said. "You can shower now."

For a brief moment, Yushi considered it. Then he lazily rolled onto his side.

"Later." The answer came out so casually that Yushi didn't think much of it.

Jaehee, however, immediately chuckle. A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. The kind that never led to anything good.

"You don't want Sion hyung's scent to fade, huh?"

Yushi immediately jolted. His face turned bright red before he could stop it. Without even thinking, he grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it directly at Jaehee.

The younger burst into loud laughter as the pillow smacked him in the face.

"Yah!"

Jaehee only laughed harder at that.

Meanwhile, Yushi buried half of his face into the blanket in a desperate attempt to hide his embarrassment.

A small part of him knew Jaehee was right. The thought of Sion's scent disappearing made something inside him oddly reluctant. Unfortunately, admitting that out loud would probably kill him on the spot.

So instead, he settled for glaring at Jaehee.

The younger remained completely unrepentant.

"You know, hyung," Jaehee said after finally calming down from his laugh. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed nearby.

"It's actually really funny watching you two."

Yushi rolled his eyes, "What's funny?"

Jaehee looked genuinely baffled that he even had to explain.

"Because it's so obvious," he gestured vaguely between them. "And yet you guys are still stuck in the middle of nowhere."

Yushi blinked. His brows slowly furrowed.

"...Obvious?" The confusion in his voice was completely genuine. He honestly had no idea what Jaehee was talking about.

The moment the word left his mouth, Jaehee stopped smiling. The younger stared at him. Once. Twice.Thrice. As if waiting for Yushi to suddenly reveal he was joking.

When that didn't happen, Jaehee's eyes gradually widened. Then widened some more.

"Yushi hyung," Jaehee gasped dramatically. "You cannot be serious!"

Yushi stared back. Now he was even more confused.

Seeing that expression only made Jaehee look more horrified.

The younger immediately covered his mouth with both hands, staring at Yushi as though he had just witnessed something unbelievable.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Jaehee finally lowered his hands.

"Yushi hyung," he said carefully. His voice was unusually serious now.

"Isn't Sion hyung..." He paused. "...hasn't Sion hyung been courting you this whole time?"

Yushi's brain stopped working the moment the words left Jaehee's mouth.

For a second, he simply stared at the younger as if he had just spoken an entirely different language. Then, before he could stop himself, he burst out laughing.

The kind that made his shoulders shake and forced him to sit upright on the bed. The idea was just too ridiculous. Too absurd. Out of all the explanations Jaehee could have possibly come up with, this was perhaps the most unbelievable one.

Sion? Courting him?

The very thought sounded so impossible that Yushi couldn't help laughing harder.

Unfortunately, Jaehee wasn't laughing.

The younger simply sat there, watching him with an expression so serious that Yushi's amusement gradually began to fade. His laughter slowly died in his throat as the silence stretched between them.

Jaehee wasn't joking and Yushi's smile disappeared slowly.

"That can't be..." he whispered.

The denial came instinctively, almost desperately. Because if Jaehee was serious, then that meant all the strange comments people had been throwing at him for months suddenly carried a very different meaning.

"Hyung," Jaehee's voice cut through his thoughts. "Think about it."

And think, Yushi did.

The moment he allowed himself to entertain the possibility, his mind immediately flooded with memories.

Things Sion had done. Things Sion had said. Things Yushi had never paid much attention to before because, well, it was Sion.

His mind wandered back to the practice room incident, to Riku's exasperated voice ringing through the chaos.

"You know Jaehee isn't competition!"

Then another memory surfaced.

"You don't see him as an alpha at all?"

And another.

"Sion hyung clearly has a favorite."

One by one, comments that had never made sense before began fitting together like pieces of a puzzle.

The scent blocker.

The way Sion always seemed to remember every little complaint Yushi made, no matter how insignificant.

The way everyone else seemed to understand something that Yushi himself had somehow missed.

Yushi suddenly groaned and buried his face in both hands, "Oh my God..." His voice sounded muffled against his palms.

Now that someone had pointed it out, it felt painfully obvious.

As if the universe had decided that Yushi wasn't suffering enough, Jaehee chose that exact moment to speak again.

"Last year, when Ryo forgot to take his pills again, Sion hyung personally asked me to help scent him."

Yushi immediately lifted his head upon hearing that.

Jaehee looked far too calm while delivering information that might capable of destroying Yushi's entire worldview.

"He told me he couldn't do it anymore," Jaehee continued. "He said he wanted to be more considerate of you and your feelings."

The younger paused briefly before tilting his head, "but it seems like you, yourself, didn't even realize it."

Yushi felt his face getting hotter with every passing second. And judging from the look Jaehee was giving him now, everyone seemed to know that except him.

Yushi let out another frustrated groan and collapsed backward onto the mattress.

This was horrible. Because the more he replayed the past few months in his head, the more impossible it became to deny.

All those thoughtful gestures. All those moments where Sion seemed to put Yushi above everyone else. All those times Yushi had dismissed it as Sion simply being caring.

Maybe it wasn't just that. Maybe it had never been just that.

Slowly, Yushi dragged his hands down his face before staring up at the ceiling.

"He really is courting me, isn't he?" The question came out sounding more defeated than anything else.

Across the room, Jaehee let out a low whistle. The sound was so smug that Yushi immediately regretted asking.

"Sure he is!" There wasn't even a hint of hesitation in Jaehee's answer.

He groaned loudly before pulling a pillow over his face. Because if Sion had truly been courting him all this time, then that meant every single person around them had figured it out long before he did.

Every person except Yushi himself.

The thought of Sion courting him was doing strange things to Yushi.

Ever since Jaehee brought it up, he found himself noticing things he had never paid attention to before. Things that used to seem normal suddenly felt significant. Things he would have brushed off without a second thought now lingered in his mind far longer than they should.

Which was exactly why Yushi currently found himself staring at Sion instead of eating.

All of them had gathered in Sion's room for dinner. Various takeout containers were spread across the floor, and the room was filled with the usual noise that came whenever all the members ate together. Riku was talking loudly about something no one else seemed to understand, Jaehee was laughing at his own joke, and the maknaes were busy fighting over the last piece of fried chicken.

In the middle of all that chaos, Yushi's attention remained fixed on one person.

Sion.

The alpha was sitting in front of Yushi, quietly eating his food. Or at least, that was what Yushi thought he was doing at first.

A slight frown appeared on his face as he watched more carefully, because apparently Sion wasn't eating. Instead, he was meticulously picking broccoli out of the sweet and sour chicken dish.

One piece. Then another. Then another.

Yushi blinked. He didn't like broccoli. Everyone knew that.

But as far as he remembered, Sion never had any issues with eating it. He wasn't particularly fond of it, but he certainly wasn't the type to sit there separating every single piece either. So why was he doing that?

Curiosity eventually won.

"Sion hyung." He called, voice came out softer than intended.

Sion hummed in response without looking up. His attention remained entirely focused on what he was doing.

Yushi watched as the alpha placed the last piece of broccoli onto a separate plate. Only after making sure there wasn't a single green vegetable left did Sion finally lift the container.

Then, without a word, he set the broccoli-free sweet and sour chicken directly in front of Yushi. As naturally as breathing. As if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Oh.

Oh.

His heartbeat immediately sped up. The room around him seemed to blur for a moment. And then, completely uninvited, Jaehee's voice echoed inside his head.

"Hasn't Sion hyung been courting you this whole time?"

Now that the evidence was sitting right in front of him, it was becoming increasingly difficult to deny.

Because Yushi was so sure this wasn't a one-time thing. This was simply one example among hundreds. Hundreds of little things Sion had been doing for him all this time.

And yet, part of Yushi still couldn't fully believe it. Because why would Sion be interested in him? Why would someone like Sion spend his time courting him?

The thought felt so absurd that Yushi's brain almost rejected it automatically.

Unfortunately, Yushi was Yushi. And sometimes even he couldn't predict what would come out of his own mouth. Which was why he ended up shocking himself with the next question.

"Are you courting me?" The words slipped out before he could even stop them himself 

The moment they did, the entire room went silent instantly. The lively conversation disappeared. The laughter stopped. Even the sounds of people eating vanished.

Yushi could hear Riku making a strangled noise somewhere beside him. A high-pitched squeal followed immediately after. Across from them, someone—probably Ryo—choked on his food.

Meanwhile, Yushi remained frozen. Because apparently, he had just asked that out loud. In front of everyone at that.

Wonderful.

Slowly, his gaze lifted toward Sion. Unlike everyone else, the alpha didn't look particularly surprised.

He simply blinked once, then twice.

And then, to Yushi's horror, a grin slowly spread across his face. A very pleased grin, if Yushi may added.

"I've been doing that for the past year," Sion answered easily. The alpha leaned back slightly, looking far too amused by this entire situation.

"But thank you for finally noticing, Ushi-ya."

Yushi vaguely registered another choking sound somewhere in the room, but he was far too preoccupied with Sion's words to figure out who it had been this time. His mind had completely stalled the moment the alpha admitted it so casually, as though confessing he had been courting Yushi for an entire year was the most obvious thing in the world.

Meanwhile, Yushi's face felt like it was on fire. Heat crawled all the way from his neck to the tips of his ears, and he was painfully aware of every pair of eyes directed at him.

Before he could gather enough brain cells to respond, movement from across the room caught his attention. Riku abruptly pushed himself to his feet and clapped his hands together with far too much enthusiasm.

"Alright, kids," he announced, sounding suspiciously pleased with himself. "Let's eat in my room and leave them here to talk."

The suggestion was met with immediate approval.

In fact, it was approved a little too quickly.

Within seconds, everyone began grabbing food containers and drinks from the floor. The room erupted into movement as the members hurried to gather their belongings, each one looking far too excited about abandoning Yushi to his fate. It was honestly impressive how little hesitation they showed.

Meanwhile, Yushi was experiencing the beginning stages of a crisis.

As he watched everyone prepare to leave, a powerful urge to follow them immediately rose within him. He could simply stand up, grab a random container of food, and slip out alongside the others.

Unfortunately, that option disappeared the moment he remembered that this entire situation had been created by his own mouth.

He was the one who had asked. Nobody had forced him. He had looked Sion directly in the eye and asked if the alpha was courting him. Running away now would be humiliating.

That didn't stop him from wanting to do it, though.

As the members filed toward the door, Jaehee paused beside him. The younger patted his shoulder with the confidence of someone who wasn't about to be trapped in the room and then leaned down just enough to whisper, "Good luck, Ushi hyung."

Yushi immediately considered throwing a cushion at the back of his head. Before he could act on the impulse, however, Jaehee had already slipped out the door.

The room that had been overflowing with noise only moments ago emptied astonishingly quickly. The laughter, conversations, and constant bickering disappeared alongside the departing members until the only sound left was the faint hum of the hotel's air conditioning.

The sudden silence felt almost overwhelming. Yushi swallowed hard. And when he finally lifted his head, he found himself alone with Sion.

For some reason, the realization felt far more intimidating than he thought it would.

The tension must have shown on his face because Sion's expression softened almost immediately. The alpha let out a quiet chuckle, not mocking or amused, but warm in a way that somehow made Yushi even more aware of his own embarrassment.

"Are you uncomfortable?" Sion asked gently. "Should we just talk about it later?"

The offer was so tempting that Yushi nearly accepted it on the spot.

Yes, later sounded wonderful. Tomorrow sounded even better. Maybe next week. Maybe next month. Maybe never.

The thought flashed through his mind with startling speed, but just as quickly, guilt followed behind it.

Sion had spent an entire year courting him. And Yushi had somehow managed to remain completely oblivious the entire time.

As overwhelmed as he felt, asking Sion to wait any longer felt unfair.

Taking a slow breath, Yushi shook his head.

"No, hyung. It's just..." He paused, chewing nervously on his lower lip while trying to gather his thoughts. "Why didn't you just tell me directly?"

The question had been bothering him ever since Sion admitted everything. Looking back now, there were countless things that suddenly made sense, but none of them explained why Sion had chosen to quietly court him for an entire year instead of simply saying something.

Across from him, Sion hummed thoughtfully before leaning back slightly.

"If I asked for your permission to court you myself," he said, his voice carrying the unmistakable tone of someone who already knew the answer, "are you sure you wouldn't avoid me afterward?"

Yushi immediately wanted to sink into the floor.

Because the worst part was that Sion was absolutely right.

The scenario appeared in his head so clearly that it was almost embarrassing. If Sion had approached him a year ago and directly confessed his intentions, Yushi would have panicked. He would have overthought every interaction. Every conversation would have become awkward. Every schedule would have felt strange.

And knowing himself, he probably would have started avoiding Sion without even meaning to.

The fact that Sion had predicted that outcome with such terrifying accuracy only made the guilt sitting in Yushi's chest grow heavier.

Slowly lowering his gaze, he stared at his hands resting in his lap.

"I'm sorry," he murmured quietly.

The apology escaped before he could stop it.

He wasn't entirely sure what he was apologizing for. Maybe for not noticing. Maybe for being so oblivious. Maybe for making Sion spend an entire year dropping hints that had apparently been obvious to everyone except him.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Yushi heard the faint rustle of fabric as Sion shifted closer.

"Ushi-ya," the softness in the alpha's voice made him look up instinctively. Sion was already watching him, his expression was impossibly gentle when he added,

"Can I hold your hand?"

As if he had been hypnotized, Yushi found himself nodding before he could even think about it.

One second he was staring at Sion, still trying to process everything that had happened in the past hour, and the next, his hand was being gently enclosed within the alpha's larger one.

Sion's grip was warm and somehow comforting.

Yushi immediately became painfully aware of the contact.

His gaze instinctively dropped to where their hands were joined, watching as Sion's fingers settled around his own. It was such a simple gesture, yet it made his heart beat far faster than it should have. The warmth of Sion's palm seeped into his skin, and to Yushi's embarrassment, he realized he liked it. He liked being held by Sion.

"I didn't tell you that because I wanted you to feel guilty, Ushi-ya," Sion said softly.

His thumb slowly brushed against the back of Yushi's hand as he spoke, the motion gentle and absentminded, as though he wasn't even aware he was doing it.

The gesture only made Yushi's chest tighten.

"But..." His voice came out smaller than intended. "I made you wait for so long..."

The guilt still lingered stubbornly inside him. Whenever he thought about it, the number felt impossibly large. An entire year of Sion quietly courting him while Yushi remained completely oblivious.

Instead of answering immediately, Sion simply looked at him. Then, without warning, he lifted their joined hands.

His eyes widened as Sion brought his hand closer to his face before pressing a soft kiss against the back of it. The gestures were brief and gentle, yet they felt devastatingly intimate.

Yushi let out a small, pathetic sound before he could stop himself.

His entire face burned. Heat rushed all the way to his ears as his heart threatened to beat itself out of his chest.

The butterflies that had been living inside his stomach ever since Jaehee's revelation suddenly seemed to multiply by the thousands.

It was ridiculous. All Sion had done was kiss the back of his hand. And yet Yushi felt as though he had completely forgotten how to function.

"I could wait forever when it comes to you." Sion then said, ever so casually.

As though those words weren't capable of turning Yushi's brain into mush.

Before Yushi could even recover from that, Sion's lips curved into an amused smile.

"But honestly," he continued, a hint of laughter slipping into his voice, "I think it's funny."

Yushi looked up and Sion was already grinning.

"You never noticed when I did something extreme," The alpha gently squeezed his hand. "But somehow you noticed when I took the broccoli out of your chicken."

"Hyuuung..."

The whine left Yushi's mouth before he could stop it. His lips immediately jutted into a pout, and judging by the way Sion's smile widened, the reaction only made the alpha more amused.

A laugh escaped Sion as he finally released their intertwined hands. Before Yushi could mourn the loss of the warmth, Sion reached over and gently pinched his cheek instead.

The gesture made Yushi pout even harder.

Unfortunately, it only seemed to entertain Sion more.

"Ushi-ya," Sion's voice was warm when he called his name again.

Yushi responded with a quiet hum, still refusing to look directly at him.

Then he saw Sion pat his own lap, "Would you like to sit here?"

For a moment, Yushi genuinely forgot how to breathe. His eyes widened as he stared at Sion, certain he must have heard wrong.

He hadn't.

The blush that had finally begun fading from Yushi's face returned with a vengeance, spreading all the way to the tips of his ears. He could practically feel the heat radiating from his skin.

Meanwhile, his inner omega was absolutely no help. If anything, it was making the situation worse.

The voice in the back of his head practically screamed at him to do exactly as Sion said. To stop overthinking, stop hesitating, and simply crawl into the alpha's lap where he obviously wanted to be.

The fact that he was already dealing with a suppressed heat wasn't helping either.

When several seconds passed without an answer, Sion tilted his head slightly.

"No?" he asked, clearly teasing. "You don't want to?"

The question made Yushi want to bury himself underground.

Because it's clear that Sion knew the answer. He knew Yushi wanted to. He was just too embarrassed to admit it.

Yushi bit down on his lower lip. Then, before he could lose his nerve, he slowly shifted closer. Every movement felt painfully awkward even for him.

Yet somehow Sion remained patient throughout all of it, watching him with that same gentle smile.

Eventually, Yushi gathered enough courage to climb onto his lap.

The moment he did, Sion's arms immediately settled around him. As though he had been waiting to do exactly that.

Before Yushi could even think about where to place his hands, Sion carefully adjusted their position, making sure Yushi was sitting comfortably on his lap instead of awkwardly half-perched on his knees.

"There you go," the approval in Sion's voice only made Yushi's face burn hotter.

"You fit perfectly on my lap, Ushi-ya."

The tease was absolutely unnecessary. Yushi immediately let out another mortified whine. At this point, his face probably could have been mistaken for a tomato.

His heart was beating so hard that he was genuinely concerned it might burst straight out of his chest.

Everything felt too much.

The fact that he was currently sitting in Sion's lap while the alpha looked entirely too pleased about it.

Unable to endure the embarrassment any longer, Yushi gave up. With a frustrated sound, he wrapped his arms around Sion and buried his face into the crook of the alpha's neck, hiding himself the only way he could think of.

The action earned him a soft chuckle.

Which, unfortunately, only made him want to hide even deeper.

"Now then, do I have permission to court you properly?"

Yushi's breath caught in his throat.

The question itself wasn't surprising. After everything they had talked about tonight, after Sion had openly admitted that he had been courting him for an entire year, it should have been expected. Yet hearing it said out loud still made his heart stumble. His fingers tightened unconsciously against Sion's shirt as he tried to steady himself. 

After gathering what little courage he had left, Yushi finally lifted his head from Sion's shoulder and looked directly at him. His face was still burning from embarrassment, but he forced himself not to look away.

"All this time, you've been doing that properly, though," he admitted quietly. The words came out softer than he intended, accompanied by a small pout that he couldn't quite suppress. "It's just me who's been too oblivious to notice."

The confession felt humiliating.

Now that everything had been laid out in front of him, all the signs seemed painfully obvious. Looking back, Yushi genuinely couldn't believe it had taken him this long to realize.

A low chuckle escaped Sion.

The alpha's hand immediately found its way into his hair, gently patting his head as if Yushi were the cutest thing in the world rather than an oblivious omega who had completely missed a year-long courtship.

"Don't pout like that," Sion said with obvious amusement. "You're making it harder for me to hold back the urge to kiss you."

Under normal circumstances, a comment like that probably would have sent him spiraling into another round of panic. Tonight, however, he felt strangely bold.

Maybe it was because too many things had happened already. Maybe it was because he was tired of overthinking every interaction. Or maybe it was because he was finally beginning to understand that Sion genuinely liked him.

Whatever the reason, instead of hiding his face again, Yushi found himself holding Sion's gaze.

"Hyung can kiss me," he said. His cheeks immediately grew even warmer, but he stubbornly continued anyway. "If you wanted to."

For the first time that night, Sion looked genuinely caught off guard.

The reaction filled Yushi with an unreasonable amount of satisfaction. After being the only flustered one for the past hour, it felt nice to finally have the upper hand for once.

Unfortunately, the victory lasted only a few seconds.

Sion quickly regained his composure, though his expression had softened considerably. There was something careful in his eyes as he studied Yushi's face.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

The question was gentle, spoken with enough patience that Yushi knew Sion would accept whatever answer he gave.

Feeling suddenly shy again, Yushi nodded.

The movement was small, but it was enough.

Sion's hand slowly rose to his face, his fingers brushing against Yushi's cheek with such tenderness that it made his stomach twist. The touch lingered there for a moment before Sion leaned closer. The distance between them disappeared little by little, giving Yushi more than enough time to pull away if he wanted to.

He didn't.

Instead, Yushi's eyes drifted shut the moment he felt Sion's lips press softly against his own.

It was only a brief kiss, barely more than a gentle peck, yet it managed to leave him completely breathless. His heart was pounding so loudly that he was convinced Sion could hear it. When he finally opened his eyes again, he found the alpha already looking at him, his expression warm and impossibly fond.

"Was that okay?" Sion asked.

Yushi could only nod in return.

The concern in Sion's voice made his chest ache in the best possible way. Even now, after waiting an entire year, Sion was still making sure he was comfortable. Still making sure he felt safe.

A smile tugged at Sion's lips before he leaned forward again. This time, the nervousness between them felt noticeably lighter, replaced by something warmer and more natural. Sion's hand remained against his cheek, his thumb gently brushing over warm skin while Yushi sat frozen in his lap, overwhelmed by the realization that this was real.

The kiss itself was gentle and soft. There was no rush to it, no urgency, only the quiet affection that Sion had apparently been carrying around for the past year. Somehow, that made it even more overwhelming. Yushi could feel his heart racing wildly in his chest, while thousands of butterflies seemed determined to take flight all at once.

For a long time, Yushi had thought the strange warmth he felt around Sion was simply comfort. Or trust. Or familiarity born from years of knowing each other.

Now, sitting safely in the alpha's arms while Sion looked at him as though he was something precious, Yushi finally understood that it had always been something much more than that.

"That kiss was definitely worth the wait."

The teasing remark immediately undid whatever composure Yushi had managed to gather.

With a mortified sound, he buried his face right back into the crook of Sion's neck, unable to bring himself to look at the alpha after that. And judging by the way Sion's shoulders were shaking, the older man was thoroughly enjoying his reaction.

A warm laugh rumbled through Sion's chest before he tightened his arms around Yushi slightly, holding him a little closer. Not long after, Yushi felt a series of soft kisses being pressed against his head.

One. Then another. And another.

As though Sion simply couldn't help himself.

"God," Sion murmured between those affectionate pecks, his voice filled with a fondness that made Yushi's chest ache, "I like you so much. You have no idea."

The confession was so sincere that it instantly melted away the embarrassment.

A small smile tugged at Yushi's lips.

Nestled comfortably in Sion's embrace, surrounded by the familiar scent that had always made him feel safe, he felt something warm bloom inside his chest. His omega practically purred in satisfaction, and honestly, Yushi wasn't doing much better.

He could have said it back. The words were right there, resting on the tip of his tongue. But somehow, blurting them out now didn't feel right. Not because they weren't true. Quite the opposite.

Sion had spent an entire year courting him. He had been patient, gentle, and devoted despite Yushi missing every single hint thrown his way. After all that, Sion deserved more than a flustered confession muttered into his shoulder.

He deserved a proper one.

So instead, Yushi tilted his head slightly and pressed a quick kiss against Sion's jaw.

The action earned him an immediate reaction.

Then, before he could lose his nerve, he added quietly, "I'll sleep in hyung's room tonight."

Yushi felt Sion go completely still beneath him.

When Yushi finally dared to look up, he found Sion staring at him with an expression that made his heart skip.

"Ushi-ya..." Sion sighed. The way he said his name sounded almost helpless.

"God knows what I'd do if we were left alone together for an entire night."

It sounded less like a threat and more like a warning. A warning that Sion was trying very hard to remain patient despite everything.

Under normal circumstances, Yushi probably would have combusted on the spot.

Tonight, however, something had shifted.

The uncertainty and denial was gone.

And perhaps for the first time, Yushi felt brave enough to let Sion see exactly how much he affected him.

A small smile appeared on his face.

"God knows I wouldn't mind," he replied softly.

The words had barely left his mouth before he felt Sion freeze again. The reaction was so satisfying that Yushi couldn't resist.

Leaning back slightly, he looked up at the alpha with an expression that was far more innocent than the thoughts running through his head.

Then he delivered the final blow.

"Also," he added, trying—and failing—to hide his amusement, "we don't have any schedule tomorrow."

For a moment, absolute silence filled the room.

Then Sion closed his eyes and let out a long, suffering sigh, while Yushi struggled not to laugh at the expression on his face.

And it felt pretty nice, being completely loved by Sion, that is.