[BL] Between an Alpha and Omega

U: Nothing Gained

Chen Guiren was wiping sweat off his neck, the crowd losing their collective shit at the display. How could they not? It was a shirts vs skins game and that guy chose skins.

Even Jun Yibai, much to his chagrin, couldn't help but admire him. Muscles that were hardened from brawls and the like. Tiny scars that spoke of fights won and lost. Wild hair that begged for someone to sweep it back so they could fully appreciate his handsome face.

"Ugh, this is why I hate it when he shows up." The beta grumbled to himself, annoyed. Chen Guiren was very different from Li Suren in a lot of ways but more so in his appeal.

People admired Li Suren, treating him like a piece of art. They stared and admired but rarely dared draw any closer, fearful that they would sully him.

Chen Guiren, on the other hand, was like a delicious meal set forth on a welcoming platter. Even those who had no desire to eat would look and think 'maybe just one bite'?

The crowd below them who were only barely keeping themselves from charging the court was proof enough of this. They treated the alpha as if he were some kind of idol or star. Sure, he was a rich guy but this was a prestigious school, so there were plenty of second-generation heirs to fawn over.

But Chen Guiren was Chen Guiren, not just any rich kid.

Just a few hours ago, he was threatening to break some poor guy's kneecaps and now he's on the court, playing basketball as if he was just another student.

It was kind of scary how seamlessly he pulled off this ruse.

Still, Jun Yibai couldn't help but watch him play. Sports can be generally boring but when it's someone you are invested in, it's quite the show.

And a show it was. Even on a team of alphas, Chen Guiren stuck out among them. He was taller than his teammates, making himself look to be the leader despite him clearly being in a support role this time around. Somehow, he took over as the game went on.

Like a king of old, he led his team with nothing but a mere glance. They moved like they were extensions of him, following his unspoken will.

This was a dominant Alpha.

Jun Yibai had always suspected as much. Even without the physical indications blaring in his face, the fact he was born from an alpha pair made it obvious.

Rich, athletic, cool, and handsome.

How could anyone look away when presented with such a thing? Even Jun Yibai, who was used to seeing his friend, couldn't help but watch him. He'd never seen this cool side of Chen Guiren. That serious and kind of scary expression as if he were envisioning his opponent's corpses falling at his feet.

Yet he calls me 'master'. He thought, feeling a trickle of excitement at the thought. He covered his mouth, feeling embarrassed at the thought. He shouldn't think that way about his friend. Chen Guiren was just the clingy sort so there was no reason to think too much about such things, right?

"Ah?"

Jun Yibai turned to Hanyu, who was staring at the court with a weird expression. Curious, he turned too and saw...

Ah, shit, he spotted me!

***

He felt someone's gaze on his back.

That was a familiar feeling for Chen Guiren. Being watched. Whether it was his parents, the media, or even people his own age, he was always being watched.

He never really minded, having accepted it as a given. Since the day his parents introduced him to the public as their one-in-a-million lovechild, he'd learned to accept the gazes of others.