"What makes you think he isn't your mate?"
Jimin stretches his arms above his head, groaning, trying to loosen the knots on his back.
He's been hunched over his desk for the past 3 hours, working on assignments due the next day and trying to squeeze quick reviews for the upcoming exam week. Truth be told, he's cramming more than usual even on the weekends because he can't help but feel a little threatened when he saw the bulletin board the other day. Yes, he's keeping the rank 1 spot but Jeon was suddenly in the top 10 after transferring in their school and even landing rank 2 in no time. There's no way Jimin will hand over his rank to the alpha just like that. He's been good at maintaining his grades for years, he can't lose just like this.
The omega eyed the box of cookies and tupper of home made meal sitting at the side of his study desk. Taehyung dropped by his apartment earlier to deliver the food saying Seokjin made a lot for the two of them. Jimin doesn't have the heart to tell the alpha that he already knew the Kim brothers purposefully cooked extra serving for him just like the usual.
His stomach automatically made a rumbling noise when he thought about the meal; opening the box of cookies and chewing on a piece while he brought the rest to his kitchen. He's used to eating alone; he's been on his own since the day he presented. But these days, he's not sure why being alone makes him feel a little lonely. It's a foreign feeling, if he's being honest. The last time he felt like this was when his father looked down on him for being an omega; when his mother left him to the hands of the pack healer for not being the alpha they expected him to be; and when the other pups who he thought were his friends turned their backs on him in a snap.
It's a painful memory that he never wanted to relive anymore.
Maybe he's just getting used to eating meals with Seokjin and Taehyung on campus? They've been together for years. Or maybe because he's getting used to spending his free time in the coffee shop with Yoongi while he works? Just the presence of the beta in the same place as him made him feel occupied for some reason. Or maybe because he found an omega acquaintance with Hoseok? He's never had an omega friend simply because they don't like him for being different.
He may not have noticed it before but he's certainly painstakingly aware of it now -- of how his world had shifted with new people in his life.
Like also Jeon, for example.
Since the alpha came to their campus, he's always been aware of his mark's existence on his body. It has been in a deeper dark ink, always throbbing like a thousand needles pricking his torso everytime the alpha was near his proximity. How his omega has become annoyingly craving for the alpha's attention, how it'll preen inside his head with just the sound of Jeon's voice speaking directly to him. Of how his body and senses were suddenly familiar with the alpha's presence and scent.
It's all new to him. And he doesn't really know how to feel about it.
Jimin decided to take a long bath after filling his stomach. Maybe the warm water will calm his mind and loosen the tense in his body. He needs distraction. A new kind of distraction. A distraction that doesn't involve a certain alpha with raindrops and black coffee scent.
***
Taehyung immediately crosses the remaining distance between him and Jimin as soon as the alpha spots the omega on the hallway. He greeted Jimin with the usual boxy grin, snatching the heavy books and reviewers from the omega's hands and carrying it himself. They walked side by side down the stairs and outside the building, hoping to get an empty table in the cafeteria. It's been a few days since they've last seen each other properly since the exam week started.
"How was the exam?" Seokjin greeted them as soon as they sat down. Good thing the beta finished his own test a little early so he managed to reserve their group a table. Yoongi also joined them, who already busies himself with a spoonful of rice and meat.
"I almost cried when the professor said it was time's up. It's Integral Calculus. How did I end up with that subject?" Taehyung fake sobs, unwrapping the burger before giving it to Jimin silently.
"You literally picked that subject yourself because you wanted to be an Engineer?" Yoongi butts in, chewing. He earned a glare from the alpha that he quickly dismisses with a nonchalant shrug.
"How about you, Mini?" Seokjin redirects his question to the silent omega.
Jimin slows down with his food, looking up at the beta who smiles kindly at him. He's sure he's being asked because of the undeniable purple bags under his eyes. And yes, he might've pushed himself harder this time to make sure he's not falling a spot down his rank.
"It's alright," he answers simply. But Seokjin is still looking at him so he tries to wrack his brain some more for a proper answer. "I found Wolf History the most difficult this time because of the tons of names I needed to memorize. And it was also mostly essays. But it was fine. I got it."
"Oh. Soul-bonding?" Seokjin's eyes light up. Jimin hums an affirmative, focusing back on his food. "It's a lot difficult if you don't grow up in a pack which was mostly the case for half the students population here. Since a lot also grew up in the City and Abroad. But if you grew up in a pack until before schooling, the stories from the elders are very much helpful."
Jimin tenses just a little at the mention of the pack but he immediately recovers by shoving a mouthful of lettuce in his mouth, ignoring the eyes boring on the side of his skull.
His mark is suddenly itchy and he can already guess the certain alpha near him.
His omega howl in his head.
"Like me," Yoongi says in a drawl before yawning on the back of his hand, resting his cheek on his palm. "My family left the pack when I was just around 5 and moved to the city. I can't remember a single ancient story from the elders. I don't even have a single idea what the heck is soul-bonding when I first read it in the textbook."
It's new information. Jimin thought Yoongi had lived his whole life in their town.
"It's like a soulmate thing, I think," Taehyung murmurs, placing meat on Jimin's plate. "You're eating too little, Mini. Here, I'll make you wrap."
Jimin doesn't have the heart to protest even though he's getting full from the burger alone after seeing the alpha's eager expression, already holding lettuce in one hand. Maybe, it's his biology talking to provide. Or just because he's a kind friend. Jimin can't really differentiate the two when it comes to Taehyung -- especially because it has become the alpha's habit to be as much as support to Jimin as much as he can.
"Taehyung and I don't have a lot of chances to visit the pack since we started attending school," Seokjin starts, regarding his brother. Taehyung's not even listening, busy making wraps for Jimin. "And it's also not easy to travel back and forth since the ride will take us more than 12 hours to reach the first mountain in the South. But we grew up in our pack so we heard a lot of stories from elders and even from our parents."
"Is soul-bonding really a thing?" Yoongi asks, blinking slowly. He looks really sleepy.
"I think so? It's the bond between mates," Seokjin answers, shrugging.
"That's a very textbook answer but I won't really know since I'm a beta," Yoongi shrugs back, yawning again.
"That's right. And you asked a beta, too." Seokjin rolls his eyes, popping the last piece of meat from his plate to his mouth. "Only the alphas and omegas will know," he says, eyeing Jimin and Taehyung from the opposite side of the table who are already busy in their own world. "But whether it's a thing or not, it's the feelings for your mate that should matter. Why would you leave your destiny to the universe? I say it's a scam."
----- ---- --- -- -
Jungkook bit his lower lip when the mark on his pectoral throbs followed by a burning sensation as soon as they entered the cafeteria, trying his best to school his expression so Hoseok and Namjoon won't notice his sudden discomfort. The sensation is intenser than usual and it caught him off-guard. And for some reason, his body reacted first before he caught up on his action. He soon finds himself looking around the cafeteria, hoping to find a certain orange-haired omega who seems to be the only reason for this feeling.
"What do you want, Jungkook? My treat." He heard Namjoon's voice in front of him, reading today's menu.
"Wow. Did you aced your exam again, hmm?" Hoseok teased his mate, cheeks bunching up at how hard he's smiling. He looks so proud and very endeared.
Namjoon fixes his eyeglasses on the bridge of his nose, face a little pink from the compliment. Jungkook looks away; it feels like he's watching something very intimate exchange when it comes to his mated friends, even though it's just a normal conversation between two people.
He sees his friends whispering to each other and giggling to themselves from his peripheral vision. He quickly announces what he wanted to eat before turning away and observing the crowd instead. He's never been comfortable in a crowd but for a change, his friends wanted to eat at the cafeteria instead of in his dorm so he doesn't have a choice but to agree.
And there he spots the mop of orange hair at one of the tables in the center with three other people -- one of them being the alpha he doesn't know the name of.
Jungkook can't help but watch the two, curious of how Jimin's reaction is different from the alpha and him and everybody else. The omega nods his head at something the nameless alpha said before opening his mouth to the food he offered. He squints his eyes, a little bewildered. Jimin really acts differently around that alpha.
Are they... courting?
There's a loud growl in his head, his wolf protesting at the idea. Ever since he met Jimin, there are strange things that keep happening to him that shouldn't.
First, he's very sensitive to scents ever since so it comes as a huge shock to him when he finds himself immediately drawn to the omega's mocha and sandalwood scent the first time they meet when he saves him from the rogue that manages to breach their school ground. He immediately talked to his father about the incident -- who happens to be the owner of the school. He hopes they tighten the security now especially that their campus is technically smacked in the middle of the forest.
Secondly, the faint trace of a snowflake mark on his chest has become more and more lined in a dark ink. And it somehow always burns whenever the omega is around. The mark should only appear like that towards his mate -- which he doesn't have since they've run away from their pack years ago, as per his parents.
And lastly, the way his wolf always reacted at the mere sight of Jimin. Ever since the first encounter with the omega, his wolf wouldn't stop speaking to him in a certain manner that should only be allowed towards his mate. They've never talked until Jimin came to their lives. His wolf always wanted to show off to the omega, be it physically or attributes.
Everything's strange. Jungkook might need help in understanding what's happening to him. It'll be the first time he'll open up about it to his friends. He needs to find time to talk about his situation with Hoseok and Namjoon one of these days when they're all free from school work.
Hoseok calls for his attention, asking him to bring the remaining tray of food. They both walk around the cafeteria looking for a vacant table while Namjoon is left to pay for their meal. And coincidentally, his omega friend chose the seat right behind Jimin's table.
"Jimin?" Hoseok calls as soon as he spots the younger omega who immediately turns around at the mention of his name. Jimin looks up, tilting his head a little at Hoseok in greetings, cheeks puffy with food. Jungkook's wolf yips at the sight, thinking the action was adorable. Shit. "Oh, Yoongi! Wow, you didn't spend your time in the coffee shop this time huh," Hoseok teased their friend, earning a playful scoff from the beta.
"It's exam season, I'm exempted to work," Yoongi answers sleepily. The older boy must've pulled an all nighter too just like everyone else.
"Whatever," Hoseok dismisses before looking back at the orange haired boy, smiling that heart-shaped smile. "Hi, Jimin. Nice to meet you again."
"Hi." Jimin waves his hand at being directly addressed before his eyes travel to Jungkook's direction who's still standing beside their table. The alpha immediately moves on his feet, flustered at the sudden attention from the omega, successfully avoiding eye contact and rounding the table so his back is facing Jimin.
"Who's he?" It's one of Jimin's friends, unfortunately Jungkook can't tell who because of his position. But if Jungkook's memory serves him right, the voice doesn't sound like it belongs to the nameless alpha.
"Oh. This is Hoseok, a higher year from me. I met him at Yoongi's coffee shop some weeks ago. They're friends," Jimin explains. The voice who asked Hoseok's name teases Yoongi for having friends that Hoseok laughed out loud. "This is Seokjin and Taehyung."
So who's the alpha between Seokjin and Taehyung?
Jungkook is very curious but he decided to not give in to his wolf's demand right now and picks on his food instead. The fries are starting to get cold and soggy.
"Baby, why have you not eaten yet?" Namjoon finally comes back, putting his arm over Hoseok. Jungkook secretly glares at the couple from his seat. Why don't they finish this long overdue introduction already so they can all eat and go their separate ways like usual.
"I think I found more friends, babe. Here's Seokjin and Taehyung, they're Yoongi and Jimin's friends," Hoseok introduces this time. Namjoon greets them with a dimpled smile. "He's Namjoon, my mate."
"Wow," a low voice reacts behind Jungkook. It's the nameless alpha. "Aren't you two too young to be..." he hesitates but Hoseok and Namjoon only smile at that.
"We get that a lot," Namjoon says, kissing Hoseok's head. Jungkook hears someone gag behind him that he guessed was Yoongi. "But we found each other too young too so we had a solid relationship foundation, I guess. And also, we fell in love with each other first before we knew we're mates."
"Are you seriously going to tell them your love story here? Can we reschedule this? You all act as if we don't have afternoon exams," Yoongi complains. Hoseok rolls his eyes while Namjoon only laughs politely.
"Right. We should go to Yoongi's Cafe sometime and annoy him while he's working," Namjoon concludes and everyone from the other table agrees. "Are you enjoying your food, Jungkook?" It's purposeful -- the way Namjoon addressed him. Now, Jungkook doesn't have a choice but to announce his presence. He glares at the older alpha.
"Yes," he answers curtly, dipping fries on the ketchup just so he has something to do.
"His name is Jungkook, our friend. We came from the same pack! And I think he's in the same class with Jimin, right?" Jungkook tenses at the mention of the other omega. Hoseok was annoyingly oblivious of the sudden tension in the air. Jungkook can feel eyes behind him that he chose to ignore like usual. "Sorry! He's a little shy around new people," Hoseok continues, beaming. Jungkook hears Jimin snort behind him.
"Go back to your seat couple and eat. Lunch's almost over." It's Yoongi who puts an end to the introduction. Hoseok pouts but obeys the older beta, sitting in front of Jungkook.
"Yoongi's always no fun," he murmurs before digging on his food.
Jungkook ignores Namjoon's curious gazes on him and the burning eyes behind him.
----- ----- --- -- -
"This seat still available?"
Jungkook jerks a little at the voice from his right; didn't even realize he's been spacing out. He also didn't expect any company, especially this late afternoon. When he looks up, he sees Namjoon, holding a book and gesturing to the vacant seat beside him. It's funny how his friend is still asking questions with a very obvious answer but he still nods nonetheless, if only to humor the older alpha before going back to his own book.
He decided to stay back campus after his last exam, reading a book on the soccer field bleachers. Students are usually rushing home as soon as they're finished taking their tests -- some craving for rest and sleep, while others are getting ready to cram for the next exam day -- so the area has been pretty empty since he got there.
The silence between them as they started reading their books was comfortable. Or at least that's what Jungkook likes to think. He's never a talker, for a start, so his friends don't really expect him to always fill the silence with random stories and comments. It's nice; having friends who understand him even without a word.
But Jungkook doesn't think Namjoon came up to him just to read a book beside him. Firstly, the soccer field was at the opposite side of the older boy's building so he needs to walk for over 10 minutes to get here. He also usually reads books and studies in the library instead of in the open. And secondly, Jungkook is sure Namjoon would rather spend time with his mate than sit in silence with him.
He sighs, closing his book. At the way his mind won't stop thinking about everything and nothing at all, he's sure he wouldn't be able to understand and absorb what's written in the book anyway.
"What is it?" he starts in a low voice. Namjoon hums at him but doesn't take his eyes off his book. Jungkook leans back on his arms, looking ahead instead, watching the tired students rush out of the school buildings. At least Namjoon is acknowledging him and is listening. So he continues. "I don't think you came here to spend time with me, do you?" he snorts.
"No, I don't," Namjoon's quick answer, flipping the next leaf of the book carefully. He mindlessly pushed his eyeglasses with his index finger up the bridge of his nose when it slid down a little. "Actually, Hoseok told me to come look for you. He sent me because he thinks you'll be uncomfortable to voice your concern around an omega."
At that, Jungkook turns to the older, raising a confused brow. Hoseok has been his friend ever since -- he knows almost everything about him, Jungkook doubts he'll be uncomfortable around Hoseok. That's the last thing that'll ever happen.
"He's an omega, Jungkook. He senses when an alpha near him is disturbed. You might not notice but your scent slightly changed. It's not really an obvious change but it's still there." Namjoon explains, finally looking at him before offering a kind smile.
Jungkook exhales slowly from his mouth, clenching his jaw. He's been so occupied the past few days that he didn't even notice the changes in himself. He likes to think that it's just because of the exam season that made him so out of it, but he knows it's a lie. It's a lame excuse, but he needs one if he wants to ignore the true reason.
"What are you thinking? You can talk to me." Namjoon closes his book, leaning back on his arms too, mimicking the younger alpha's position.
"Not sure if Hoseok already told you about the weird things I've been experiencing around Jimin," he starts after a long stretch of silence. Namjoon acknowledges it with a grunt. "But I think I shouldn't feel it towards someone that isn't my mate."
Namjoon actually takes his time to answer, pondering his words. Jungkook kicks his feet in the air, waiting. They watch as the sun sets, casting shadow down the huge school buildings. It's getting colder.
"What makes you think he isn't your mate?"
Jungkook's breath hitch, eyes widening just a fraction. His skin tingles at the words alone, mark burning against his chest, his wolf roars loudly in his head it's almost deafening. His mind repeats the words over and over like a broken record and it almost made him laugh. How can Namjoon come up with such idea. Funny.
He sniggers. "You know my mate was a runaway, right?" Namjoon purses his lip, considering the thought. Jungkook's thankful for the older boy for trying to help, but his ideas are a little...
"Do you know his family's background? I don't think neither Hoseok nor Yoongi had said anything about it. But anyway, he's still almost basically a stranger to us so it's fair we don't know. But Jimin being your soul-bond was the only plausible explanation I can think of for the strange things happening to you."
"Is that so?" Jungkook really doesn't want to entertain the idea of Jimin being his mate. Especially not with their kind of relationship and not with the kind of relationship Jimin has with the nameless alpha. It doesn't makes sense.
"I haven't heard or read," Namjoon shows the book he's reading earlier. Jungkook didn't even notice but it's about the history of soul-bonding. "anything about sensing soul-bond towards someone that isn't their mate."
Jungkook stays silent, inhaling a lungful of air as he chooses to entertain himself with watching the empty school ground as the dusk settles in.
Since he started crossing paths with Jimin, his life has turned upside-down.
__________ _____ ___ _
Sorry for the typos and grammatical errors. I'm too sleepy and tired to double check :(
Hope you like this tho! :)