𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝 22 | chensung

38

Donghyuck remembered thinking, does he know I'm an omega? The conclusion, after detailed observations the following few days, was no; Mark would have walked him home even if he had been a beta. That was the source of his feelings, but he supposed they didn't grow wings strong enough to take off until Jisung came along to put Chenle right. That was most likely the point at which Donghyuck began to notice his emotions more vividly. They had always been there but his concern for his rapidly-sinking friend was much stronger.

"You're here?"

He looked up from the glistening water, a hue of orange tinting the sky. Mark was right there. "Hey. I'm trying to flush out my emotions at the moment."

The alpha took a hesitant moment to crouch down beside him. "That sounds pretty harsh. Is it that you're worried about getting the job at the café?"

"...Yes. Absolutely. That's it, you're a mind reader."

Mark chuckled happily and pressed at the water too, watching the way the pond skaters took off in the opposite direction. This really was the nicest place in the entire area. "When the manager took up your resumés, she looked at you both up and down, and she released satisfactory pheromones. I think you're worrying for no reason."

"People change their mind all the time."

"..."

Donghyuck's hand shook the water off and he wiped it on his knees. Sandalwood. At this proximity, he could smell it. Mark didn't have a very obnoxious scent. Well, the scent itself was quite dominant, but the degree at which the alpha released it was lovely and mild. Jisung, on the other hand, he shook his head, I can smell him from a mile away. This was an exaggeration. He turned to Mark, arms wrapping around his knees for balance while he crouched. "What do you think of Jisung?"

"...Jisung? He's nice. Friendly, too, and I feel a solidarity between us. Why?"

Coming from another alpha, it meant that he must really believe so. Donghyuck liked Jisung too. "I'll be handing Chenle off to him soon. Could be any day now."

Mark blinked. "Hand him off? As in, they'll start dating? Hold on, hold on, they like each other? I've heard rumours about them but I thought they were only rumours. They never even told me... I thought we were in on this together..." 'This' being Jisung's and Chenle's help in playing cupid, but if he had known, then Mark would've offered to do something in return. After all, Mark considered Chenle to be his closest friend — of course he could've given Jisung some pointers.

Donghyuck wanted to shake the alpha's shoulders. How could he be so dense?! Poor Mark was so focused on his relationship with Donghyuck and how to boost it, that he barely noticed the other relationship forming in front of his eyes.

"Would you look at that," the omega mentioned and cast his gaze down at the pond, fingers touching at the water again.

Mark followed with his eyes, still confused over Jisung and Chenle, and noticed the boy's reflection. He was so soft and fluffy and the alpha wanted badly to give him the tightest hug he could. His eyes were a shifting sea of deep colours, a tint of orange from the sky passing over his sun-kissed skin. It was a breath-taking reflection. "Beautiful."

Donghyuck flicked his disbelieving gaze towards Mark. "Not really, but whatever floats your boat."

"No, you really are. I promise."

"...Mark, I was talking about the carp..." Donghyuck's face was a heated blush. He never blushed. He just didn't. Yet here he was.

"Oh, um, carp are beautiful too. I mean, look at that face." Flustered and heart rate spiked, he pointed to the fish that had become oh so clear to him now, it's body a shimmering mass of browns and silvers, mouth coming up to kiss Donghyuck's fingers in a ticklish way. It wasn't very big compared to its full potential and the habitat it lived in. "So beautiful."