Nu ABO: A Memoir by Park Jimin - decompositionbooks
Summary:
The world didn't think it was necessary to give him a guide when it shoved all of these omega hormones at him, so here it is, Park Jimin's handbook on dealing with heats, unrequited love, and Jeon Jungkook.
Link:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/8024368/chapters/18372532
===================================
He must have done something bad in his past life—maybe he was a thief or an Alpha supremacist or something—because sixteen-year-old, brushes-his-teeth-with-two-toothbrushes Jungkook presents as an alpha. He returns from his vacation taller, broader, and surrounded by a thick cloud of alpha pheromones and the hyungs slap him on the back, grinning and cooing, "our cute little Jungkookie grew up." Jimin forces himself to join them, pulls himself off of the couch in order to congratulate Jungkook but it's a slap in the face to Jimin who has only ever seen Jungkook as his "little Jungkookie," when Jimin has turned eighteen and still didn't pop his knot yet. He's seen the speculations all over the fancafe—Armys threw their money in the cash pool betting on the outcome, some even going as far as to dig up the genetic tree and draw outrageously inaccurate Punnett squares that clearly confirm that Jimin was indeed homozygous recessive for the Alpha trait. They really only got the "homo" part right.
Everything changes after Jungkook becomes an alpha. He starts doing weird, supposedly-alpha things like puffing his chest out all the time and collecting definitely-not-unisex scents. He gets bigger too, goes to the gym everyday to put on some size. Worst of all, he refuses to call Jimin "hyung". Like he doesn't take Jimin seriously anymore. Jimin just laughs and mutters, "you brat," ignoring the way his chest falls. It's different now. It's not just Jungkook's height that changes, or his muscles that grow; he gets bolder, a little more aggressive. He also gets too attractive for his own damn good. Jimin realizes that he can't see Jungkook as a maknae anymore, but as a man.
His crush only grows from there.
When Jimin turns twenty, the cash pool empties out and Armys and Jimin both resign themselves to the fact that Jimin is, unfortunately, a beta. If Jimin were to be honest, he's okay with it because he'd rather not be one of the lust-driven, hypermasculine Alphas he reads about in the "trashy omega harlequin novels" (as Yoongi calls them). Somehow the beta-ness and his hyung status evens out, makes him not above, but equal to Jungkook. That's good enough for him.
But no, the ever-loving cosmos decides that Jimin deserves more than being a dime-a-dozen beta. In fact, the world thinks he's so damn special, it decides to have Jimin, at the young, young age of twenty, present as one of the 6% of omega males in the population of South Korea. Fucking fantastic. The least the world could do is to give him some how-to guide or self-help book, something like "A Guide to Being an Omega Male" or "What to Do When You Present as an Omega and End Up Lusting After Your Band-mate" but all the world gives him is a headache, a heartache, and too many damn hormones.
-
It happens about two months after his birthday. A day like any other. They're drilling the choreography again; they're about four hours into practice and the room gets stuffy and unbearably hot, but it's nothing out of the ordinary, even when it's December and less than five degrees outside. About two hours in, Jimin starts getting a little lightheaded. It normally wouldn't be a big deal, but his body heats up more than usual and he doesn't think it's possible to feel so suffocated in a flimsy cotton T-shirt. And then he feels it—there's a distinct feeling of slick coming from his lower half. He almost brushes it off as the typical sweat pouring from a grueling practice, but everyone's heads whip towards him—he hears a choked "hyung" from the corner and Yoongi's staring at him like he's sprouted two heads. Beside him, Namjoon whispers with incredulity, "Jimin, y-you're—" and he doesn't need to finish because everything comes crashing to a halt and it dawns on him.
I'm an omega.
Then it's like a switch is turned on and his senses are magnified a thousandfold, like he's a blind person who's regained his sight. He smells everything in the room: the sweat on their skin, the makeup on the noonas watching, Yoongi's campfire smoke, Namjoon's soft pine, and then something so, so good it makes his head reel. Before he could figure out where the scent is coming from, the room fades to black and the last thing he sees is Jungkook's wide eyes. In the background, Sungdeuk-hyung calls for one of the omega noonas.
-
When Jimin comes to, he's surrounded by mounds of blankets and pillows saturated with Hoseok's scent and he blearily looks up to see the rungs of what appears to be the bottom of his bunk. The room's bright; not from any lamps but from the gray winter light. He must have been out for a few hours at least.
Across the room, Jimin sees Taehyung's familiar lump on the bed with an arm and a head sticking out from where he's cocooned in his blanket. A thumb lazily scrolls through the phone he holds overhead.
"Tae?" Jimin rasps, the sleep not clearing from his throat.
Taehyung looks over at him, the surprise on his face lit up in blue light.
"You're awake!"
Taehyung plops down from his bed, wraps his comforter around his shoulders and wears it like a turtle shell. He shuffles over and squeezes himself in the little space left on the twin bed, wiggling as he makes himself comfortable.
"Tae, it's hot."
Jimin whines but makes no move to push Taehyung off.
Taehyung ignores Jimin's complaints anyway, pulls Jimin into his body and crushes him to his chest.
As talkative as Taehyung tends to be, he never really talks about his feelings. It drives Jimin nuts sometimes, makes him think that Taehyung's just gonna burst one day, like there's going to be one breath too many and it's going to pop the balloon. Jimin's realized though, that Taehyung shows it through other ways, through a not-quite joke, through a soft touch or a small sigh.
Jimin relaxes into the hug, thankful for Taehyung's quiet comfort.
Taehyung pulls away just as fast though, eyes drooping into something more serious, the way they do when Taehyung finds out Jimin hasn't eaten all day or practiced with no break in between. Jimin wants to tickle him to get rid of it; he hates seeing that worried expression, hates the coddling that comes after it. It makes him feel weak—makes him feel like he's not cut out for this industry. His grandma told him back then, that the entertainment industry was an Alpha-dominated world (as though the rest of the world isn't). Maybe she knew he'd end up an omega, the only one in an all-Alpha family.
"You okay?" Taehyung whispers.
"Yeah, it just—caught me by surprise."
Taehyung snorts. Understatement of the century.
"Yeah, we were all pretty shocked. I mean, Namjoon-hyung was blabbing on and on about how he should've seen it coming, like, 'no wonder everyone's so charmed by him' and 'no wonder he's so small'—" Jimin lets out an affronted noise and Taehyung hurries, "—no offense, Jiminie. Anyway, it really came out of nowhere."
The fan hums lowly in the background while Jimin lets all of the information sink in. Maybe it did explain some things—a lot of the older Alpha hyungs and noonas always seemed to dote on him, cooing about his charm, his "natural aegyo," and at that time, Jimin didn't think much of the attention. Namjoon had said that Jimin had some sort of je ne sais quois—Jimin had no clue what the hell that meant, shrugging it off as another one of Namjoon's big, foreign words that he throws out in order to win arguments. It turns out that the je ne sais quois was his latent omega hormones. Super.
"Earth to Jiminie—"
Taehyung pinches his nose and Jimin splutters, smacking Taehyung on the shoulder.
"What the hell was that for?!"
Taehyung retreats into his blanket cocoon but frees a hand in order to rub Jimin's forehead and Jimin relaxes, eases into his touch.
"Stop thinking so much," he murmurs, his thumb moving in small circles between Jimin's brows, "—you're going to end up like Yoongi-hyung at this rate, all bitter and pessimistic with life."
Jimin laughs, shoulders shaking, and Taehyung grins mischievously.
"Better to think too much than not at all," Jimin shoots back.
"Are you insulting me?" Taehyung gasps.
The big hand that was on Jimin's forehead flies to his chest and Taehyung clutches it in mock pain.
"I came to comfort him and this is what I get," he laments.
Jimin rolls his eyes at Taehyung's dramatics but Taehyung just giggles, cheeks smushed up where he's burying his face into the pillow.
They settle into a comfortable silence and Taehyung scoots closer, nuzzling into Jimin's side like a child. Jimin's thankful that biology hasn't pitted them against each other. He'd miss this too much.
But does that mean that things will change between him and Namjoon? Him and Yoongi? Him and Jungkook?
The living room door slams open then, and Jimin feels it before he smells it. The minute the door opens, the pheromones roll in like a heat wave and he breaks into a sweat. His body burns up like a fever, skin flushing, heat pooling in his gut. Jimin whines somewhere in the back of his throat and kicks at the sheets in distress. Fuck, he's burning up. It's so hot he wants to peel off his skin.
Taehyung notices the abrupt change and shoots up, droopy eyes gone, hands hovering in the air like he's not sure whether or not to reach out to Jimin.
"Jimin—what's going on? What's up with you?"
Jimin grunts, tearing off his shirt in a daze.
"H-hot."
"Hot? What are you talking about—it's like less than 10 degrees in here—"
Taehyung's voice is drowned out by the pounding in his ears, but dully, Jimin hears him mutter, "shit- shit, shit, shit" before the bed dips and rises.
"OUT. Get OUT."
Taehyung bellows so ferociously, it slices through the heat-fuddled haze in Jimin's head and idly, Jimin wonders who he's talking to, but he can't think for long because the heat feels so thick and heavy that Jimin feels the weight of it on his body. There's a shuffle of noise on the other side of the wall and then a deafening slam that reverberates through the whole bed.
Slowly, the heat dulls to a low simmer.
The bedroom door clicks and Taehyung sighs and shuffles over, flopping down onto Jimin's bed in exasperation, muttering something about "stupid Alphas" and "put him on a goddamn leash" but Jimin's too tired to push further. He closes his eyes and sidles closer to Taehyung despite the heat, tucking his nose into Taehyung's side in order to drown out the scent that just settled in. Something sweet and warm. Like hot cocoa.
After a bit of silence, Taehyung clears his throat.
"Uh, did you... want some alone time or something?"
"Hm?"
"I can leave if you want."
Jimin opens an eye. Taehyung's staring up at the rungs, pointedly avoiding Jimin's gaze.
"What are you even talking about?"
Taehyung clears his throat again.
"Aren't you supposed to be like, crazy horny right now? Because if you are, I'm gonna go."
"...Tae... what are you even— the fuck?"
"—I don't know, isn't that what happens during a heat? That's like the basic premise of 70% of the porn that Namjoon watches—" and damned if Jimin didn't know what he was talking about, because he knows for a fact (i.e. accidentally walking in on Namjoon with his hands down his pants) that Namjoon's favorite videos involve sex-crazed female omegas begging for Alpha cock.
"Taehyung, I really don't want to talk about this right now," he groans, planting his face into the pillow. "And besides, I don't even know if that was a heat."
He doesn't think it is. He's heard about heats—the way they can drive omegas insane, how they can turn them into nymphomaniacs, into incubi hungry and desperate for sex. Maybe those were just rumors spread by the old Alpha and beta population as a way to scare their children away from "seductive" omegas, to promote Alpha-Alpha, Alpha-beta, beta-beta monogamy or whatever, but Jimin's sure that a heat—if it does exist—would be more than just a kick to the thermostat. If only the world would give him a damn reference manual so he can confirm it.
"Jimin-ah, I have a right to know what's going on with your body at all time because if—god forbid—we both end up single, I'm the one that's gonna have to deal with you."
Jimin groans.
"Dear lord, not again."
Taehyung sits up suddenly, posture comically straight, and he eeks out a high-pitched voice that's supposed to be an imitation of Jimin.
"I, Park Jimin," he says, palm by his face like he's taking an oath, "promise to marry Kim Taehyung if we both don't find someone by the time we're forty."
Jimin's head throbs painfully and he's not sure if it's an aftereffect of the heat or whatever it was, or if it's just because Taehyung's an annoying piece of shit. Probably the latter.
"Tae," he intones. "I was drunk. And besides, that's if gay marriage is even allowed by then."
Taehyung shrugs, "so we'll just marry in the U.S. or something," as though he's thought about this a million times before, and honestly, nothing ever seems to faze Taehyung. Even back when Jimin drunkenly confessed that he was gay, all Taehyung did was say "okay" before he went on to talk about his dog again. Jimin was so dumbfounded he repeated it again, louder (much to the other diners' chagrin), clarified that "Taehyung, that means I like boys," and Taehyung shot back, "I know, I know, I heard you the first time, you have a crush on me, I get it." (It took a few months for Taehyung to get in his head that Jimin really, really does not have a crush on him, and even then, Jimin's not too sure.)
Taehyung reaches for him, large hand patting tap, tap, tap against his cheek.
"It's not the end of the world, Jiminie. So you're an omega now, so what—?"
Jimin sighs.
"People are gonna treat me differently. Because I'm an omega."
Taehyung hums to himself.
"Well, I think you can count on us to treat you the same."
Taehyung's a goddamn liar.
---
Case Study #1:
In the middle of the night, Jimin peels himself from Taehyung and stumbles to the kitchen. The cold is finally starting to settle in but the night sweats had left him dehydrated, waking him up with a parched mouth and a fog in his head. He tiptoes past Namjoon who's snoring on the couch, long limbs sprawled out on the cushions, and Jimin's chest tightens a little to see their leader exiled by night owl-Jungkook who stays up too late watching anime and listening to music.
With a light touch, Jimin flips on the lowest of the kitchen lights and begins searching through the cupboards for a clean mug.
Then he smells it again, thick and cloyingly sweet. It smells like home, like his mother's hot cocoa with a splash of whiskey, and it makes his head spin.
When he turns around, Jungkook is standing by the counter with his hair sticking up in all directions, staring at Jimin with a crazed look.
"Jungkook?" he whispers, careful to not wake Namjoon up.
Jungkook's expression is wooden, words not reaching him, and he steps closer and closer with dazed eyes, pupils blown wide like he's stuck in a trance.
Jimin's heart picks up speed.
"Jungkook, cut it out—this isn't funny," he hisses, eyes flitting over to Namjoon who shifts, disturbed but still asleep.
Jungkook takes a few more steps, backing Jimin into the sink until the edge of the counter digs into Jimin's back.
"Jungkook, what the hell—"
And then Jungkook descends like a vulture swooping in for prey, neck bent, nose tracing the skin behind his ear, inhaling Jimin as though he's been underwater all his life and Jimin's his first breath of air. Jungkook makes a ragged, needy sound in the back of his throat, burying his nose into Jimin's neck and Jimin's so sensitive he shivers at the touch, grips the counter so hard his knuckles turn white. Jungkook's nose travels lower, so gently that Jimin has to close his eyes in order to feel it, but it's there tracing his vein like a map all the way down to his collarbones, a live-wire he feels from his spine down to his fingertips. Jungkook's smell is so overwhelming that Jimin has to breathe through his mouth. It makes his skin heat up, sends all of the blood rushing to his brain.
"Jungkook," he breathes.
Jungkook continues unflinchingly, arms caging Jimin in, warm body pressed up against him from head to toe, thigh pressing close, so awfully close to him that Jimin could probably grind against it if he just—
He shoves at Jungkook, who shakes out of his stupor.
Jungkook blinks, light coming back into his eyes as he sobers up. Expressions play across his face—confusion, realization, distress.
"Jimin, I—" and then he stops himself, mumbles an apology, and flees to his room.
Jimin is left in the kitchen, disoriented, struggling to get his heart rate back to normal.
Namjoon mumbles something and turns on the couch.
After a moment, Jimin crawls back into his own bed, water forgotten, hands shaking as he grabs at his sheets.
Jungkook had looked at him like he was a piece of meat; had wanted to devour him. A sick part of Jimin liked it, wanted Jungkook to claim him and eat him up (god, what the hell was wrong with him?). But then Jimin remembers the way Jungkook had looked when Jimin shoved him and brought him back to reality, remembers the panic and the distress on his face like Jungkook couldn't believe what he had done. Couldn't believe it was Jimin.
Jimin can't get Jungkook's horrified expression out of his head.
It makes his chest ache.
-
He can't go back to sleep after that, and when he finally does manage to knock out from exhaustion, he has vivid dreams of large hands rubbing his body, gripping him everywhere, his waist, his thighs, his ass. When he wakes up, he's hard and his boxers are wet like he's thirteen and experiencing puberty all over again. He peels them off and buries them under the other clothes in his hamper, hoping to god that everyone else's nose isn't strong enough to pick up on the scent.
He swallows down his shame and cleans himself off in the shower.
The milky sweet smell of cacao doesn't seem to disappear no matter how hard he scrubs.
-
In the morning, the hyungs don't greet him with pats on the back or coos of "our Jiminie grew up" but with some shoulder squeezes (from the alphas) and tight hugs (from the betas) that are meant to be reassuring but feel more condescending than anything.
When they gather for breakfast, Namjoon says with good intention, "you know this doesn't change anything right? You're still the same Jiminie to us."
Jimin grunts around a spoonful of cereal because really, that would have been believable if Jungkook didn't refuse to look at him all morning. Even from where he's sitting he can smell Jungkook's warm sweet smell, so distinct from everyone else's, and it makes him remember the hot vivid dreams with callused hands running up and down his skin. The thought makes him flush red-hot but his stomach turns.
Jimin hates that he's been reduced to some hormonal, lovesick mess because his omega hormones decided to focus on Jungkook (Jungkook, for christ's sake) when Jungkook can just munch on his toast like his smell doesn't make Jimin's belly ache. Maybe last night was all a dream—maybe Jungkook didn't corner him in the kitchen, didn't lose himself in Jimin's scent like he imagined, because Jungkook looks entirely unaffected.
Like Jimin didn't even exist.
"Still the same Jiminie," his ass.
---
Case Study #2
For as much muscle control and bodily awareness that Jimin has from years of dance, he still manages to trip on goddamn everything.
Usually he trips over his own feet, falls flat on his ass and just laughs at himself while the rest of the members groan and roll their eyes at him lovingly. But this time, when he so gracefully stumbles over the cables and falls to his knees, everybody comes rushing over like he's royalty or something and it's fucking weird.
"Oh my god, I'm fine."
"Jimin, take the ice-pack."
"Namjoon-hyung, I just tripped. I do it all the time."
"Just put it on your damn bruise so it stops the swelling," Yoongi says, tossing the pack in his lap.
Jimin throws his hands up in exasperation.
"You guys are ridiculous."
They all crowd around him, pulling him up by an arm and sitting him down in the corner. It's just Jungkook that stands off to the side, staring at him, but not coddling him like the rest of the members. It kind of hurts, actually—he doesn't know why. Maybe it's the omega in him wanting the Alpha's attention or some twisted sick thing like that. He tries not to think about it.
Jimin ends up having to ice his knees while the others practice the choreography. He gets antsy just watching them and he tosses the pack to the side (he needs to practice and get better, can't get left behind), but Yoongi just tells him to sit his ass back down. He does so only after he's made his voice heard, because he really is okay, goddammit, but he can't win against the members who lord their hyung status all over him (Taehyung is another story).
When Taehyung asks if he needs some aspirin for the pain, Jimin nearly throws the ice-pack at him.
---
Case Study #3
Jimin always watches what he eats a few weeks before their comeback. He wants to look good on camera so he eases up the carbs and eats a little less.
This time though, it's nearly impossible because the members keep on shoveling extra food onto his plate when he's not looking. Seokjin even pretends to be filming some Eat Jin episodes in order to get Jimin to join in when come on hyung, the red light isn't even on.
After Jimin catches Hoseok spooning some more rice into his bowl, he's decided he's had enough.
"Hoseok-hyung. I'm trying to diet."
"Don't do that, I like you with some meat on your bones," he says over a mouthful of rice.
"Hyung, I'm serious."
"But you're so much cuter with some fat in your cheeks!"
He coos and pinches Jimin's cheeks with one hand but Jimin bats it away in annoyance.
"Are you trying to fatten me up so you can eat me?!"
The laughter he gets in return is a tiny bit alarming, but Yoongi cuts in for Hoseok's sake and says in that half-scolding tone of his, "you need to eat in order to get energy to practice."
The others nod in agreement and put some more meat into his bowl. As much as Jimin tries, he can't find any way to argue against them because they guilt trip him by saying how hard Seokjin worked to make dinner and god, wouldn't it be a complete waste if Jimin didn't eat his share?
Jimin grumbles and shovels more of the pork belly into his mouth. Namjoon pats him on the head and praises him with a "good boy" and Jimin kind of hates the way he preens at that.
Jungkook just eats in silence.
---
Case Study #4
Being one of the 6% of omega males in South Korea means you get attention. A lot of attention.
When Jungkook presented, his name was printed in the newspaper the next day, third line down in a tiny box in the entertainment section.
Jimin gets an entire page.
Hoseok points it out to him during breakfast, a blown-up photo of his grinning face printed in grayscale. Above it, big block letters read "Bangtan's Park Jimin presents as an omega." Hoseok reads the article aloud but Jimin has to tune out his voice halfway through because the clear invasion of privacy makes him nauseous. He doesn't want to know about the reporters that probably lurked around the entertainment studios, sniffing at the hormones in the air. Jimin remembers bumping into one last year as he was leaving Big Hit, a round-faced, messy-haired man who sniffed at him and then walked away, seeing (or smelling, to be more accurate) that Jimin wasn't worth his time.
Hoseok skims through the rest of the article and then clicks his tongue.
"Be careful Jimin-ah, you're gonna have a line of suitors."
Seokjin chimes in, "more like an army," and cracks up at his own joke.
They weren't kidding.
After the article was published, gifts came flooding in: clothes mainly, but there were also a lot of questionable presents that slipped through the first security screening.
Taehyung never lets Jimin forget about the time he shrieked and threw one of the packages into the air. In Jimin's defense, he wasn't expecting to see a 10-inch dildo in the box.
Big Hit stepped up their screening process after that.
Yoongi and Namjoon always eye the gifts warily, especially the clothes, a few of which have already been worn and drenched in another Alpha's scent. Jimin is just amazed at how differently they all smell, like he's inside a perfume shop and his nose is being bombarded with different notes and oils and essences. It makes him a little lightheaded. Some smelled amazing, like fresh cut grass or spring dew or some other scent he'd probably find in a Yankee Candle store. Some of them made his gag reflex kick in.
None of them compare to the smell of hot cocoa.
Jimin hates that it's the first thought that pops into his head.
---
Case Study #5
During his grandma's time, entertainment industries scoped out Alphas only—maybe it's because the omega population was larger back then (about ten times the size than it is now) and supply and demand and all. But there's also the stereotype that only Alphas could survive in a cruel industry like that. It's complete bullshit, but the effects of it are long-lasting since there's still a disproportionate number of Alpha idols.
This means there are more eyes on him than usual—he might be delusional, but he feels them all watching him during the rehearsal, their gaze a hot weight on his body. Maybe it's the suit, maybe it's the new orange hair, maybe it's his stage presence. Still, Jimin can't help but to think that his biology's the correct answer. It leaves a bad taste in Jimin's mouth. He wants attention because he's good at what he does—because he earned it. Not because his omega pheromones make people horny.
Before they go onstage, one of the newer idols sidle a little too close to him—Jimin doesn't remember his name (or even his face to be honest), but he does remember the way he caged Jimin in with his body, giving Jimin no room to escape while he waxed on about how much money he has and how beautiful Jimin was and how they were meant to be. Jimin bristles, uncomfortable, not knowing if he should call him out and cause a scene or just grin and bear it until the guy leaves. Before Jimin could respond, Namjoon's already by Jimin's side, glaring the guy down. The guy rises to the challenge, cracks his neck and meets Namjoon's glare, but Namjoon grips Jimin tight and bares his teeth. After a few moments, the guy skulks away, tail between his legs.
Jimin thanks Namjoon by smacking him on the arm.
"Hyung, I'm not some damsel in distress, I can take care of myself."
Namjoon rubs at the spot where Jimin hit him, whines like a hurt puppy.
"I was just looking out for you," he says. "You have to be careful around them."
"Why? Because I'm an omega?" Jimin spits.
Namjoon sighs. He rubs his neck with one hand, embarrassed.
"Jimin, it's not like that."
"Then what? Did you think I was seducing him?"
He knows Namjoon means well, but the words spill out before he can bite them back. He's bitter; he sees the way the betas grip their Alphas more tightly when he walks by, he hears some of the lewd comments Alphas mutter when they don't think Jimin's listening. Everyone seems to think he's some siren, luring sailors to their death.
Namjoon flinches at Jimin's harsh tone and Jimin apologizes quickly.
"Everyone's treating me differently and I don't like it," he confesses quietly. "I want to be liked for me."
"Jimin."
Jimin excuses himself and leaves before Namjoon can stop him, making his way onstage.
He gets a few glances as he heads up; he challenges all of the leers with a polite bow, greets them sweetly. They shamefully avert their gaze.
After the performance is over, they bump into Got7 on the way down.
Namjoon laughs loudly, bickers with Jackson while Mark and Taehyung chat happily on the side. Jimin sees Jungkook shoving at Yugyeom, doing some weird Alpha posturing where he juts out his chin and squares his shoulders. He acts like an Alpha to everybody except Jimin, like Jimin isn't even worth his time. He doesn't growl low in his belly at how cute Jimin is, the way Yoongi and Namjoon do from time to time. He doesn't initiate skinship anymore. Ever since the kitchen encounter, there's been nothing.
What the hell are omega pheromones good for if the one alpha you liked wasn't even affected by them?
-
"Oh, it's Jimin."
Jaebum greets him with a smile; his smudged eye makeup makes his eyes look more striking than usual. He doesn't know if Jaebum's wearing any cologne or not, but he smells good—like a forest right after a spring rain. Some faint woodsy scent. Jimin can't help but smile back.
"Good job on your performance today. You looked really good up there," Jaebum says with his low voice.
"Oh, were you watching?" Jimin grins cheekily.
"It was kind of hard not to."
Jaebum chuckles deep in his chest and some part of Jimin curls up a little, gets all shy and embarrassed.
He looks at Jimin with his sharp eyes, his teasing grin almost wolfish.
"You're a bit... different somehow," he continues.
Jimin tilts his head.
"What do you mean exactly?"
Jaebum takes a step back, surveys him. His gaze trails up Jimin's body, so slow it makes Jimin flush.
"I can't really put my finger on it," he says.
The lights casts a shadow on his jawline, makes it look sharper, more defined than Jimin remembers. Jimin can't help but to sneak a glance when Jaebum folds his arms across his chest and rolls his shoulders back, looking so broad in his black suit.
"...you just have a different aura," Jaebum says, low in his throat.
"Do I really?"
"Yeah."
-
Then there's a hand on Jimin's upper back, pushing him slightly. Jungkook looks down at him.
"We have to go," he says.
Jungkook bows to acknowledge Jaebum's presence but doesn't stay to make conversation. He makes his way over to Namjoon who's still talking to Jackson. Namjoon's eyes keep flitting over to Jimin even while he's talking. Yoongi stands beside them, less abashed about his gaze. Maybe being an omega also means you're a teenage girl with two dads who chaperon every interaction, who knows.
"I'll see you later?"
Jimin refocuses his attention to Jaebum who offers a disarming smile.
"Hit me up sometime," he adds.
He pulls Jimin in for a hug, his muscles firm and warm against Jimin's body. It might just be Jimin's imagination but he swears Jaebum sniffs him a little.
"Jimin-hyung."
Jungkook hasn't called him that in so long, it catches him off guard. Jaebum nods at them both and leaves with the other Got7 members.
When Jaebum's out of sight, Jungkook says, "you should be careful."
Jimin bristles. It sounds more condescending from Jungkook than it did from Namjoon. Like Jungkook can't take him seriously, treating him like a child despite the fact that Jungkook's younger.
"Because I'm an omega?" Jimin bites.
Jungkook's jaw stiffens and he stares Jimin down. Jimin refuses to give in, meets Jungkook with his own steady gaze.
"Yeah," Jungkook says lowly.
Without another word, Jungkook heads to the van.
Fuck it, omega pheromones or not, Jimin's going to show him just how much of an Alpha he can be.