Novel [BL/18+] Between an Alpha and Omega

AN: This story isn't NSFW at the moment but will be later so I'm just putting it out there now. Things of note: the story is MxMxM and takes place in the omegaverse so expect mpreg. Note, this is my first try at writing Omegaverse so I kind of made things up as I went along.

You can also read the chapters on Scribblehub under the same name.

Synopsis: Jun Yibai is a beta, a near faceless man in a crowd of exceptional people. From the successful and powerful Alphas to the beautiful and refined Omegas, he is so far from their reach, he's practically underground. Knowing this, he tries his best to remain anonymous, just a mob character.

Yet for some reason, exceptional people don't want to leave him to his life as a side character. Was it too much just to live his life without some Alpha pinning him to walls or some omega begging to have his babies? He was a beta, for fucks sake!

Table of contents:​

C: Childhood arc
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6

M: Middle School Arc
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11

H: High School Arc
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20

U: University Arc
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35


A: Adulthood Arc

 

Spoiler: Prologue: Beginning of the end

Jun Yibai was born into a world where there were six sexes. They were simple. Male and female of various categories. Alpha, betas and omegas.

Alphas were generally at the top of society, found to have greater strength and intelligence than the other two genders. Place an Alpha anywhere and they'd succeed and prosper. There was no need for meritocracy in a world where alphas existed. There was no need to waste anyone's time bothering.

After them, were the omegas. While considerably weaker than betas and alphas, they made up for this with charm and wisdom. If there was something you wanted to know, an omega was the best person to ask. Their elegance and poise made them the ideal choice for celebrities and politicians, seducing people out of their money and votes with an easy smile.

Then there were the betas. There was nothing to say about them. They were what most people were, making up almost 70% of society yet having no great traits.

Betas weren't smart, strong, or elegant.

They were barely average.

What does average mean in a world with superstars and powerful CEO's? Even when placed in a normal job, they were outshined by any alpha or omega that showed up.

This made most betas fairly bitter, derisively whispering about the exceptional minority that had unfairly made their lives harder.

Was it their fault that alphas were naturally smart and strong? Was it their fault that omegas were charming and beautiful? If not, then why did they have to suffer? Why force them to live alongside those who ruled because of genetics?

It wasn't fair.

Life wasn't fair.

This was the kind of world Jun Yibai grew up in. A world filled with beautiful and strong people who were despised because of those traits. A world where beta families spoke the words like 'alpha' or 'omega' like they were speaking out a curse.

Jun Yibai, having grown up in a pure beta family, was taught the basics of life as a beta.

Keep your head down.

Make a lot of money.

Have a family.

Don't associate with alphas or omegas.

Four simple steps and his life would be simple. Four steps that every member of his family had stuck to and lived by.

Yet years down the line, he found himself struggling to fulfill those goals. All because of a pair of bastards that refused to let him remain just another face in the crowd.

A pair that didn't want to stay in their neat boxes and follow the agreed upon path. A pair of idiots who dared say they were his mates somehow.

 

Spoiler: C: Li Suren

The day Jun Yibai's life changed was uneventful for the most part. He went to school and walked home. Nothing new or special.

Yet on his way home, he heard some noise.

"Ew, look at how pale he is!" A voice sneered. "Is he a ghost?"

"That would explain how quiet he is."

"Come on, make some noise, ghost!"

"Yeah, or else how will you anyone notice you when you start haunting us?" The trio of voice laughed as if ghosts weren't scary enough to make them piss themselves. Like they were tough for ganging up on a single kid.

It was at this moment, Jun Yibai's life changed, the turning point. He could have walked on, ignoring the bullies as he had many times before. If he got involved, they'd only turn their attention onto him. That's how it always went.

Yet his feet remained rooted to the floor, his hands clenched around the straps of his backpack as he stared down at the concrete below. The voices were echoing through him and something spurred him into action. He couldn't stay still.

There was no fight. Due to his family's profession, all the men in his family were fairly big despite being betas. Compared to an Alpha, they were small but to most, they were huge. Jun Yibai was no exception.

As such, the bullies took one look at the towering child standing behind them and ran, fearful he might do something. Not that Yibai would. It wasn't his way.

He turned to the bullied child, wanting to help him up and go on his way but stopped short when hed realized what had drawn the trio's attention.

This child was way too pretty, resembling a fairy that had come to earth. With skin like porcelain and near silver hair flowing down his shoulders with a pair of black eyes staring up at him. Putting it all together, this person looked way too much like a rabbit, shivering under Jun Yibai's indifferent gaze.

Now Jun Yibai didn't know much about what an Omega or an Alpha was. His secondary gender was still unknown and as a child, he couldn't smell the telltale scent of either gender. To him, Alpha and Omega were just words, something whispered and dismissed with derision.

Perhaps a normal person would have been charmed by the sight, feeling happy to have such a lovely face stare up at him. Yet staring down at this child, whose pale skin glowed under the sun and wide eyes filled with tears, he could feel what his parents had warned him about.

His instincts screamed: this person was trouble.

"I don't want to associate with you." He said, turning away. "Please forget this happened."

Those were the first words he spoke to Li Suren, a child a pretty and soft as a rabbit.

As the child ran away, his mind was on other matters. He'd go home, do his homework and forget about that pretty boy who made his skin tingle. His family edicts were law after all. He would just make sure to avoid that kid from now on.

Li Suren, watching his savior run away, felt a rush of longing in his heart. His own instincts reaching out to that retreating back. His expression dropped, looking less bunny-like by the second.

This person dared to take one look at him and say such things? Did he think this prince was someone who followed other people's orders? Was he this prince's master?!

He smiled, feeling a sudden determination to become close to that person, no matter what.

 

Spoiler: C: Self proclaimed Friendship

The next day, Jun Yibai woke up in a cold sweat.

He had run home, scared he was being followed by the pretty boy. Even though he didn't see anyone, the fear wouldn't fade until he'd hidden under his blankets. His mother had called out to him but after minutes of silence, she accepted that he didn't want to talk.

It was just him and his mother in the house, which meant things were quiet and he could think.

That person... was probably going to be an omega.

Jun Yibai knew from what his father said. Omegas were super pretty and that boy was the prettiest person he had ever seen. He looked soft and helpless, like a stray.

They absolutely couldn't meet again.

Yet when he tried to go to sleep, his dreams were filled with the pretty child reaching out to him. His words were muffled as Jun Yibai tried to escape. Yet at every turn, he'd appear once more, saying something to him.

Curiously, he thought there might have been two people there but surely not. Why would he be chased by two scary shadows?

In the end, he got caught by them and woke up with a gasp. The night was quiet and cool, his mother having come in at some point to crack the window.

Jun Yibai stared out the window, his eyes looking over what little of the city he could see from his bedroom. Far away, tall buildings rose high into the sky, the lights as distant as stars in his eyes.

The notion that there were people in those lights, doing stuff he couldn't even imagine, was strange. His father worked far away but nowhere near that far.

He wondered briefly if he'd ever get to see from those stars. To look over the city, not from the ground up but from the sky down.

No, that would never happen. He chuckled to himself as he yawned. He was a pebble, like his father and grandfather before him.

That's what his father had said and who else knew more about the world than his father?

Seeing as how he wasn't going to go back to sleep anytime soon, Jun Yibai jumped out of bed and left his room. As his small feet padded across the floor, he spotted his mother asleep on the couch. Without a word, he placed a blanket over her.

After getting himself a snack, the child returned to his room and began to study.

He heard when his father returned home from work an hour later and the brief argument that his parents had. He didn't bother to listen in. It was none of his business.

Just keep your head down.

So Jun Yibai went back to his studies, drowning out the world as his little hand went through the textbook.

***​

The next morning, his mother was smiling as she served breakfast. The redness around her eyes was clear as day but Jun Yibai said nothing about it.

They both knew there was no point bringing up things neither wished to talk about.

Their conversation was light and casual, if not a bit bland. It was nothing new. That was until he asked the question.

"Where is dad?"

"Ah!" Xiulan flinched, nearly dropping her cup. She hadn't expected the question but quickly recovered. "Your father is still asleep. He worked late last night."

"Okay." Jun Yibai continued to eat, not really wanting to know any more than that. It was rare for his dad to still be home in the morning. He worked a lot so he'd gotten used to almost never seeing the man.

After making sure he was set for school, Xiulan saw her son off as he walked to school. The neighborhood was filled with betas that all knew each other so no one worried about their children walking to and from school on their own.

Jun Yibai, despite being surrounded by others, chose to remain isolated. Dozens of children his own age ran passed him, calling out to their friends and greeting them. A few even tried to greet him.

They were all met with a cold blank stare.

It quickly spread that Jun Yibai was a living statue. You couldn't greet him or talk to him as he would never respond. Yet you couldn't bully him either, as he was bigger than most kids and nigh immovable.

This was how Jun Yibai liked to spend his days. Going to school and not being bothered. He stayed silent in class and took notes, diligently doing his best to excel. When the test came by and kids grouped together, only he alone remained isolated.

Children whispered among themselves like they were bound to do.

Was he alive?

Did he eat?

Why was he so weird?

As time went on, the children stopped asking such questions. They stopped greeting him in the morning or trying to get a rise out of him. They treated him like a statue. Something to be ignored and passed without even a look.

It was only then that Jun Yibai started to enjoy going to school.

Yet all that changed a few days after his nightmare, when someone spoke to him for the first time in months.

"Hey!"

Jun Yibai felt his skin tingle, not having to look up to know what was standing in front of his desk. His nightmare had come to life.

Somehow, this troublesome person had found him.

Li Suren sat down at the desk in front of Jun Yibai, resting his chin on his arms. A cool smile graced his pretty face, making the few students around them stare. Such a pretty child, why was he talking to that nobody?

"How did you find me?" Jun Yibai spat, feeling frustrated that this troublesome person was now here. "I know you don't go here."

The smile grew wider, nearly predatory. "I do now. "

Li Suren had been searching for this person for over a week now, lurking by the area they'd met every day in hopes of spotting him. Yet this person was so rude, avoiding the area and running away.

Why? Wasn't Li Suren the cutest? Why run away?

The child refused to let this go. There were so few interesting people around Li Suren. So many people fawned over him, wanting to give him nice things and make him smile. Even those bullies were the same, liking him but wanting to get his attention exclusively.

Yet this person, he was the first person to see him and reject him.

Perhaps he should have let it go, having to beg his mama to find this person. He demanded that his mother, who claimed to love him and want his happiness above all else, to find his favorite person.

Sure he had no clue what his name was, where he lived or anything other than vague description but his mother wasn't a big shot in the police force for nothing.

Yet on such short notice, he only managed to get into the same school. They were still separated by class. Too bad.

Jun Yibai had no clue how much trouble Li Suren had gone through just to get here, having to beg and promise things to his parents that would never happen otherwise.

"Of course, you do." The child sighed, feeling a headache coming on. He should have known this person was a weirdo too.

Li Suren stared at the boy, curious about him. He really wasn't anything to look at. When placed side by side, clearly this prince was the one who would get all the looks. He was pretty, cute, and completely humble.

Yet Li Suren felt a deep longing to stay close to this person.

"Do you want to be friends?" He offered, showing off his most charming smile. It was the first time he'd ever asked anyone this and was confident this dumpy-looking guy would say yes.

It was Li Suren asking after all.

And yet...

"No."

"Eh?" It took the child a second to catch up. Had... had he been rejected again? So quickly?! "You didn't even think about it."

"I don't have to." Jun Yibai could tell what kind of person this preening kitten was. He was not about to get involved with a showoff.

He'd rather just continue to be unnoticed.

The kitten in question bristled, feeling aggrieved. He'd offered this person friendship and was rejected!? There was no way he'd give up with just that.

"Well, I'm Li Suren." He continued, continuing to stare. "It's nice to meet you."

The boy said nothing, turning back to the book he'd been reading before he was interrupted. If he didn't study, how was he going to get through the quiz later? Within moments, Jun Yibai had forgotten there was a kitty vying for his attention.

"You won't talk to me?" Li Suren hissed, living up to his nickname.

"Will it make you go away?" He shot back, not looking up once.

"No."

"Then no."

Li Suren pouted, not wanting to leave and give up but also feeling sad. He'd never been rejected this much. Perhaps it was pride keeping him here but he really did want to befriend this person.

There was no envy or admiration in his eyes when he looked at Li Suren. No, it was pure indifference, like he wasn't anyone special at all. Like he was just another person rather than a pretty face. He thought it might be nice to just be another face in the crowd if it was this person doing so.

Unaware of his contribution to Li Suren's worldview, Jun Yibai continued to study, quietly ignoring the boy in front of him. Li Suren, while determined, knew better than to push too much and just remained nearby, using any opportunity to enter his soon-to-be friend's line of sight.

Watching the two, it was easy to imagine a lonesome cat watching their owner, trying to get their attention but failing to do so. It was adorable but lasted only five minutes.

The bell rang and the students started to return to their classes.

Still, Li Suren remained, waiting to put himself in this person's eye. No one had bothered to get close before now, earning a glare from Li Suren whenever they drew near.

"H-hey, Li Suren?" One brave ventured forth, just wanting her seat back.

"What do you want?" He grumbled, glaring at the poor girl.

"Class will be starting soon." She pointed to the teacher who had just walked in.

"Oh?" He turned back to Jun Yibai, seeing that he still had yet to put down his book. How stingy. "Then I'll come here later, okay?"

Despite him not looking up, Jun Yibai knew this troublesome person was talking to him. Li Suren was just passing the boy when he responded.

"Don't bother."

The kitty perked up, finally acknowledged by its owner. With glee, Li Suren wrapped his arms around Jun Yibai, hugging his tightly.

"Aw, don't be so quick to reject me." He purred, his smile widening as Jun Yibai let himself be hugged. He was sure the boy did so just cause it would be too troublesome to push him away but how could Li Suren not be happy?

***​

Much to his chagrin, Li Suren kept his promise, showing up at his classroom mere moments after the lunch bell rang.

"Sweetie!?" He called out, his eyes darting about the room. Everyone's head shot up, amazed by the sight of the pretty boy.

All but one.

Jun Yibai clenched his fists, trying not to be noticed by that person as he attempted to sneak out the room.

He had better not be talking about-

"There you are, sweetie!" A hand slammed onto the door, trapping Jun Yibai in the corner. "Do you want to have lunch together?"

"Who are you calling sweetie?!" He snapped back, unable to hold it in anymore.

"You, of course." He replied smoothly. He was so happy his sweetie had finally responded to him. His papa was right about using pet names to soothe people over. "What else am I supposed to call you?"

"My name."

"Oh?" His smile grew. "Are you sharing?"

Jun Yibai clenched his teeth, refusing to be tricked by this troublesome person. It's not like there was much that could stop him from calling the child whatever he liked.

"Do what you want." He pushed Li Suren's arm away, slipping past the silver-haired boy.

"Eh?" Li Suren rushed to follow after Jun Yibai, calling out to him. "Sweetie, come back I-"

A girl stepped between them her face mildly flushed as she spoke. "Li Suren?"

Li Suren jumped, his eyes darting toward Jun Yibai impatiently. If he didn't stop him, Li Suren would miss his chance to have lunch with him. Yet he couldn't be rude.

Stupid papa and his ultimatums.

So he smiled, which was clearly forced but went unnoticed by the girls who began to swarm him.

"Li Suren? Are you going to lunch?"

"Yeah." He grumbled.

How about we share? My mama makes really good lunches.

"Sure." He sighed, his eyes drifting back up. To his surprise, his target was still nearby, watching the exchange. Li Suren beamed, waving his arm to catch the boy's eye. "Sweetie, do you-"

"Go by yourself." He snapped, turning away. He didn't have to look to know the girls were glaring at him. They didn't want him with them any more than he wanted to be there.

Why not respect the mutual feelings, eh?

"Fine." Li Suren pouted, feeling defeated for a moment. His sweetie was a stubborn guy but so was he! "Then I'll eat with you tomorrow."

Jun Yibai flinched, hoping against hope the annoying guy would get the hint. Why was he so fixated on him?

"No, leave me alone!"

"I'll see you!" He called out, his arm being pulled by the girls who fawned over him. "Wait for me, okay?"

Jun Yibai watched as he was dragged away, feeling a sense of relief that that weird guy was gone. But he was then left standing in the hallway with over a dozen other children staring at him.

Flushed, Jun Yibai ran to a dark corner and ate in peace, scolding himself for getting like that. He was trying not to be noticed so why did he let that guy rile him up? He was just an annoying guy. If he just ignored him, he would go away.

Yet life had a way of ruining one's assumptions in the worst way.

Not only did Li Suren continue to show up whenever possible, but he also began proclaiming their friendship to anyone who was willing to listen. While he never managed to get a name out of Jun Yibai, he did manage to make everyone in the school pair the two as friends.

This pretty and cool guy was friends with the statue? Surely that was just a rumor, right? How could they be friends?

The children were wildly curious, wanting to know who had started the friendship and how close they were. This left Jun Yibai in a bind, not wanting to talk to anybody yet being forced to.

No matter how much he denied it, no one believed him. Why would they? Other than his name, Li Suren seemed to know everything about him. Where he lived, his favorite food even his secret hobby of knitting.

"What don't you know about me?!" He snapped one day, having dragged the devious boy into a secret corner. Jun Yibai knew all the secret places in the school, having bundled himself in them for months.

Li Suren grinned, all teeth like a fox. "Everything but Sweetie's name."

"You know where I live." He still didn't know how he did that but the letters he'd found in his mailbox were causing problems at home. "Of course you know my name."

"Sure, but I want you to tell me."

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Seeing that look, Li Suren flinched, feeling unsure for the first time in his life. Was he... disliked by this person? But why?

"Because I want to be your friend." He said earnestly, wanting to convince Jun Yibai. He truly only wanted to be this person's friend.

"You've already convinced everyone that we are." He snapped back. The endless nagging he received from Li Suren's fans was annoying. No one believed him even when he stated they weren't friends.

It was either that Jun Yibai was lying or Li Suren was lying and in their minds, the amazing Li Suren couldn't lie.

"Yeah," Li Suren sighed, looking away. "but you don't bend under peer pressure."

"So you admit that that was what you were doing?!"

To say he wasn't would be a lie. He'd hoped his sweetie would just relent and let them be friends. Li Suren was sure they'd get along. Outside the name conflict, they could get along well enough.

So why was he making this an issue?

"If I tell you my name, will you leave me alone?

"No!" Li Suren snapped, suppressing the urge to cry. Why did it have to be like that? Couldn't they be friends?

Jun Yibai saw that Li Suren was near tears and felt himself soften a bit. He didn't want to make this person cry but it was getting way too troublesome.

"What do I have to do to make you go away?" He breathed, taking a step back. Yet Li Suren grabbed his sleeve, pulling him back.

"Why do you want me to go away?"

Jun Yibai snapped his mouth shut, not wanting to say. It was for the best they did not get close. Li Suren was different from him. It was obvious.

Li Suren was cute, smart, and charming. He had the school wrapped around his finger within only a few days of attending. Girls liked him and boys yearned to be around him.

He was nothing like Jun Yibai.

"I don't need someone whose going to cause me trouble." He snapped, turning his back. Silence fell between the two. Before Jun Yibai could call up the courage to apologize, Li Suren had left.

Much to his surprise, his request was acknowledged. The boy kept his distance and didn't bother him afterward.

But that was not the end of it.

 

Spoiler: C: Rivalry

Despite Li Suren's promise to not bother him, his reputation kept following Jun Yibai everywhere he went. If Li Suren did something, somehow, Yibai was supposed to know something about it. Due to the child's insistence that they were friends, many students assumed he knew a lot about him.

He didn't. He knew just as much about the popular boy as everyone else but somehow that never stuck. It almost made him want to skip school for a couple of days.

Almost.

But the end of the month was getting closer and seeing the grades of the bi-monthly exams was his favorite part of school. He refused to let that troublesome boy get in the way of his one joy at school.

***​

In the teacher's office, the men and women sat in the room were all talking among themselves. They had so little time to themselves, how could they not take advantage? One such teacher, the homeroom instructed for class 3C, was slouching over his desk.

"Ah, having such a pretty student..." He grumbled, his eyes filled with envy as he spoke the Class 3A's teacher. Not only was he handsome but he had an adorable student too. "you are so lucky~"

3A rolled his eyes.

"Surely you have some cute students as well?" He stated, unsure why 3C was so bothered by this. Weren't all kids a bit cute and ugly at the same time?

"All my students are brats!" The other man snapped, looking annoyed. "So loud and annoying."

"Why'd you become a teacher if you don't like kids?"

"I love kids!" 3C snapped back, lowering his voice when he saw his coworkers turn in his direction. He ducked his head as he continued. "It's just that my class doesn't have anyone adorable for me to admire."

3A snorted, finding his co-worker to be quite amusing. He was so fixated on appearances, even his students were subjected to his words. Had he not been happily married with children of his own, 3A might have felt some concern.

But no, 3C was just someone who liked pretty faces as opposed to much else. He was an idiot that way.

"What about academics?" He tried, wanting 3C is find something to complement his students on. "Any smart kids?"

The man grumbled, looking put out. "I guess but he's just-"

"Teacher." Both teachers jumped from their seats, surprised by the sudden appearance of the child. Neither had heard him enter.

"Holy Sh-" 3C bit his tongue, knowing it wouldn't be good to curse in front of a child. Regardless of the fact that said child had just suddenly appeared from the ether like a freak ghost. "J-Jun Yibai, where did- How long- Why?!

"I came from the classroom, I've been here for a few minutes and you called me here." He answered, his gaze steady in the way a normal child would never have. It was these moments that made most people feel uncomfortable around him.

He was way too quiet, like he wasn't even there. This is what most people thought of Jun Yibai, especially the teachers.

3C, his homeroom teacher, however, just thought of the child as his super-smart yet not cute student. In that way, 3C was the kindest of all his teachers.

"Cheeky little thing." The man huffed, swiveling his chair over to his desk. "Well, I just wanted to let you know about your grade on the last test. You know how it is."

In their school, most of the children were average and barely managed to exceed expectations. They weren't the worse and there was no drive to push the students any more than necessary. Yet the principal had some pride and chose to reward those who did well despite not being pushed to.

To do well without being told at that age was admirable.

As such, a system had been put into place in which those who did well were rewarded by their teachers. To keep the children from feeling demoralized, the names of those who did well were a secret to everyone but the teachers. The scores went like so:

First Place: Student JYB

Second place: Student WRM

Every month, the scores would be posted with the children's initial, and the child would be personally rewarded in the teacher's office.

To be called to the office was Jun Yibai's favorite part of school. Since he was barely noticed, no one knew he was in first place. It was a fun secret, his covert pride as he slipped his gold star covered certificate into his bag.

Perhaps it was silly to be so proud of something no one knew about but knowing he was doing well made him so happy. Even if his face didn't show it.

Yet upon receiving his certificate this time, he didn't find any gold stars on it. It was all silver.

"Where are my gold stars?"

"Huh?" 3C looked up from his coffee. Looking over the certificate, he nodded. "Oh, right. You won second place this month. Good job though. No one else even got close to third so you are still doing well."

3C was legitimately trying to congratulate the child. While he wasn't cute or pretty, he at least was smart. That was definitely a plus when you lacked looks.

Yet Jun Yibai didn't feel the same.

"Who got first then?!" He demanded, his pride not allowing him to let the matter go.

"You know I can't tell you-"

"Li Suren, I'm shocked by how smart you are." 3A said from the other side of the desk. "I thought you were just a pretty face but you're smart too!?"

From the other side, Li Suren's little head only barely peeked over the desk. His pale as snow hair glimmered in the sunlight, drawing many eyes even as the child gave a bemused look to his teacher.

"Is... Is that a compliment or an insult?" He honestly couldn't tell.

"No no, don't listen to me. Go on and be both." 3A insisted, patting the small child's shoulder with enough enthusiasm to choke someone. His smile was practically consuming his face. "We need more smart and pretty people in the world. Finally, someone in my class beat-" He stopped, his eyes darting to 3C who was watching him. "O-oh, Teacher San, you are-"

Whatever excuse 3A was going to say was left unheard as Jun Yibai circled the desk to grab hold of Li Suren's arm.

"Li Suren!" Jun Yibai snapped, earning three pairs of confused stares. Li Suren was the only one to speak.

"S-sweetie?" The pale-haired child flushed, having not expected to see his favorite person so soon. Especially not in the teacher's office.

"Come with me." He said, dragging Li Suren from the room as their respective teachers supposedly made their feelings known. Either way, neither child truly cared.

They were both only thinking about the present and what would come of their upcoming conversation.

Li Suren was taking this as well as to be expected. Pure confusion.

"S-sweetie, what is all this?" He asked as he was dragged back to the empty stairway. While he was overjoyed that his favorite person was talking to him, he was very confused as to why. "I thought you didn't-"

"How much did you get on the last test?"

"Eh?" Li Suren blinked, lost for a second. Was this about the tests? "Uh, well... I was falling a bit behind so about a 92 I think."

"A 92!" He echoed, pouting as he thought about it. "So I must have made a mistake on question #7."

"#7? You mean the math problem?"

"Yeah, it wasn't covered very well in class." Jun Yibai grumbled with some resentment. While his teacher was good at most subjects, math was not one of them and he relied way too much on the textbook.

Li Suren nodded with understanding. "If your teacher was that guy, that's no wonder."

"Right?! It's not fair." He whined, stomping his foot. While it usually wouldn't bother him to get a couple of questions wrong, losing his first place spot hurt a lot.

His gold stars had been taken by this troublesome person.

Li Suren watched the boy as he seemed to grumble to himself about 'gold stars' and 'dumb variables complicating everything' and came to a conclusion. His sweetie seemed to be upset about his grades for some reason.

"If you want, you can have my certificate." He said with a shrug. "Honestly, I don't really want it."

"Don't want it? Don't insult my pride!" The child snapped back, yet again surprising Li Suren. "I don't need your charity."

"Is it that important?"

"Obviously." He had worked hard to get good grades. He doubted he'd ever get a perfect score but first place was still a win in his eyes.

"But no one else knows who gets first place."

"And?"

"So then what's the point?"

At this, Jun Yibai could only frown, truly confused.

"Why do I need everyone to know to be proud of something I earned?" He retorted, surprising Li Suren into silence.

Li Suren was a very eye-catching child, with his pretty face and pale hair. Everything he did, he did with the purpose of gaining attention and showing off. It was because of this that upon learning about how the first place winners were required to stay quiet about it, he felt underwhelmed.

It was annoying that he couldn't show off when he'd earned those gold stars.

Yet Jun Yibai felt the exact opposite. Regardless of whether everyone knew or no one, his feelings didn't change.

It was quite an interesting contrast that Li Suren wished to explore more. Yet Jun Yibai had already moved past that point, stepping up to Li Suren like an opponent.

"But don't get any ideas about getting first place again." He warned, narrowing his eyes. "I'm gonna beat you next time."

"Next time?..." The child stared at Jun Yibai for a moment before an idea formed. This could be his chance. "Well, then how about we make things more interesting. A bet."

"A bet?" He echoed, frowning. "What are the terms?"

"Whoever scores first place gets a boon." He explained with a sly smile. "Since I won this time, I want your name."

Ugh, this again. He rolled his eyes. "Why not wait until next time?"

"Oh? You're that confident?" He teased, his smile growing wide. "Well, think of it as just a sample, eh?"

Jun Yibai considered the conditions. It wasn't bad and he was sure he could beat Li Suren now that he knew there was a rival to watch out for. While he might not want to openly challenge him, he didn't mind finally having someone to match wits with.

"...Fine." He grumbled, hiding his mild excitement. "But I get something from you when I beat you."

"Oh, I like how confident you are. You're nothing like the sweetie that pretends to be a statue." Li Suren retorted, loving that his sweetie had agreed to his terms. It gave him a chance to get closer. "Now, your name."

"...Jun Yibai." He grumbled, feeling even more upset that he had to concede after weeks of work. Li Suren, on the other hand, beamed.

"Bai... " He breathed, feeling a deep sense of joy at finally being told the name of his favorite. While he already knew it, to be told was truly special. "Good, now that we have an agreement, let's get ready for it."

Li Suren truly didn't care too much about his grades. Whether he was in first or last place, his intention was to be friends with his sweetie. But if he cared that much about it, how could he not use this?

***​

Over the next few months, their secret competition went on. As the children fought to get first place, they grew somewhat closer. Whenever one was having trouble, the other would seek them out.

Eventually, during the winter, the two boys found themselves huddled in the library, exchanging notes. Jun Yibai was focused solely on his textbook, determined to figure out how he'd messed up on one question. All the while, Li Suren watched him with a smile.

"Did you figure it out yet?" The pretty boy asked, his gaze never leaving Jun Yibai's furrowed brow. He must have been truly concentrating to have such a look.

"No." The child grumbled through clenched teeth. It was the same response as before when he was asked. Yet Li Suren was relentless.

"Do you want me to help you?" He offered, though he already knew the answer beforehand. It turned out that Li Suren had gotten the question right and was lording it over the frustrated child.

"I don't need your help!"

"Ah, but you won this time so you could totally just ask me for help as your reward." He said with a pout. At this point, they were tied but only one of them really cared about the rivalry.

Li Suren just enjoyed spending time with Jun Yibai. Every day, he learned just a bit more about the boy and he was having a great time doing so.

If only his companion wasn't so stubborn and just let them be friends.

Jun Yibai slammed his textbook and as if to prove Li Suren right, repeated himself. "I don't need your help!"

"Fine." His companion grumbled with a pout. "Well, then what do you want? You haven't told me yet."

Over the last few months, Jun Yibai's 'rewards' had been strange. It was almost always focused on school work. Lending him notes and suggestions on textbooks.

It was sad that he'd never asked Li Suren about himself.

Meanwhile, Jun Yibai shook his head, uninterested. He'd already told his rival that he had no interest in getting a 'reward' this time around. There was nothing he really needed from him.

This left Li Suren wilted as he watched his so-called rival ignore him for the rest of their study time.

***​

The sun was starting to go down when the two boys finally left school. Jun Yibai was pretty tall for his age so there was no concern with letting him walk home alone. Li Suren, on the other hand, was picked up by a chauffeur, sleek black car, and everything.

Of course, he was rich on top of everything else. Jun Yibai huffed, moving to walk around the vehicle.

Li Suren offered to give Yibai a ride but was refused outright. How was he going to explain a fancy black car driving him home if anyone saw him? It would be a disaster!

On his way home, Jun Yibai passed by some adults he sort of knew. They were friends of his father and always smiled at him and gave him treats.

There were no smiles or treats this time, just blank stares and murky eyes.

He tried to greet them but they basically ignored him. He briefly wondered if their meeting hadn't gone well today. If so, that might mean his father was in a mood.

When he arrived home, he didn't need to wait long to figure out what had happened. His father, ever the outspoken man, was screaming in rage.

"Again!" He shouted, a loud bang echoing through the house. "Those fuckers did it again and now my guys are-"

"Honey, please." His mother pleaded, her tone making clear this hadn't been the first time she had sought to calm the man down. "The neighbors will hear you."

"Let them hear me." He snapped back. "It'll be them next on the chopping block and then we won't have to keep our voices down."

Listening in, Jun Yibai quickly found out why his father was in a rage. He and his friends had lost their job to a couple of Alphas. It was a common story, one he'd heard his father rage about for many years.

He couldn't blame his father for his rage. Having his job taken from him like this was stressful. But it truly wasn't the alphas fault either.

Ever since the discovery of true mates, the union of an Alpha and Omega that were destined by some kind of pheromone thing, there had been a sudden surge in the population of the two sub-genders. Betas were still the majority but with the business world being only so big, a lot of alphas had to settle for the normal jobs.

The jobs that betas had secured for themselves for generations.

It was hard for those pushed out. What could they do? They weren't like alphas, who could settle into any job or like omegas who could comfortably be taken care of.

No one cared about the betas. They were background characters, the mob that is looked over and ignored. Never mind that they sweep down the streets and fill the shelves in stores. They were all faceless people in the crowd.

His father and every male in their family shared this fate and accepted it with a weary heart. His father was just more blunt about how he felt about the matter.

His father had eventually turned on the TV, probably to distract himself as his mother slipped from the room. As soon as she saw him, she gently pushed him to another room, sitting him down and asking him about his day.

Even as his father's voice grew angrier as he watched the news, his mother's gentle smile didn't falter. It was this that he admired about his mother. Her ability to stay calm despite it all.

But being calm wasn't what he wanted at the moment.

"Is dad going to be alright?" He asked, knowing the answer already. He just needed clarification.

"Your father is... going through some things." His mother said, careful not to be too loud. "It might be best to stay at a friend's house tonight."

Ah, it was one of those kinds of fits. Jun Yibai sighed, knowing his father was not going to be in a good place in a few hours. His mother usually tried to hide this from him but all the adults in his life knew how his father felt about non-betas. He was very very vocal about it.

"Okay. I'll call when I get there." He said with his overnight bag slung over his shoulder. His mother saw him out as he walked some distance. Her mind was set at ease, knowing her son would be safe at a friend's house.

The problem was that Jun Yibai had no friends. He had made sure not to make any. Friends went to each other's houses and he didn't want anyone to see his father. Worse, what if one of his friends later presented as an alpha or omega?

He'd be forced to cut ties with them anyway so why bother risk it? It was easier to be alone.

But now he was stuck outside with no place to go. On days like this, he would usually sleepover at his father's friend's house but considering the circumstances, he doubted they'd appreciate him knocking on their door.

But who else could he call to sleepover at?

His mind briefly thought of Li Suren and his annoying smirk.

No, he couldn't! It would be bad news if his parents found out who he had spent the night with. He was sure his father would lose his mind.

Yet despite his better judgment, he had already begun dialing that number. He'd been given the number by Li Suren as one of his rewards. He had to keep the number on his phone as per their deal.

It had never come up before and honestly, it was the last thing he wanted to do but there were no other options. His neighbors weren't on good terms with his father due to his views of their marriage and he doubted he could convince them to let him stay without answering some difficult questions.

Questions he had no answers for.

His cell phone rang for a while, leaving Jun Yibai to shivering outside for a while as he waited. It clicked and a sleepy yet familiar voice spoke.

"Yes?"

"Li Suren."

"Sweetie?" He gasped, clearly shocked he was being called at all. "Why are you-"

"No time for that. I know what I want as my reward this time."

"Okay."

"Let me stay the night at your house."

*****​

AN: Jun Yibai's neighbors are a recently divorced beta and their newly wedded omega spouse. Jun Yulan used to be on good terms with them before the divorce but when they got remarried, things turned sour.

 

Spoiler: C: Presenting

Jun Yibai chose to wait for Li Suren in his local park, B-city park. It probably wasn’t the best place for a child to wait but better than being on the road. If he stood there, a police officer could spot him, and then there would be issues.

Being at the park when it was dark was a surreal experience. During the day, it was bright and gave off a positive feeling of joy and laughter. At night, it was quiet and made one wonder what monsters might be lurking in the dark.

Jun Yibai was scared but remained where he was. There was no point in panicking. If there was a monster, he probably couldn’t outrun it, and being scared wouldn’t help him.

Even though he knew this, he felt jittery and jumped when he heard something come from the bushes.

Some distance from the bench he sat on, the child saw three figures emerge from the trees. He had wanted to hide but was quickly noticed by the trio. He looked away as they approached.

“Eh?” One man said as he stared down at the child. “What’s this kid doing here?”

“Does it matter?” Another one snapped, grabbing the first man’s arm. “Let’s just go before someone notices us.”

Jun Yibai, at that moment, realized he might have made a mistake waiting here. These guys might have been doing something suspicious if they worried about being noticed.

He clenched his fists, hoping they would just leave.

“What about the kid?”

“What about him?” The second guy retorted. “He has nothing to do with us.”

“But…”

“Dude, leave it! Look, he isn’t even looking at us.” The man leaned in, the smell of alcohol heavy on his breath. Jun Yibai didn’t flinch, remain as still as possible. “He’s smart and knows what to see and not see. So there’s no point bothering the kid.”

“Fine.” The first man grumbled, moving away.

Watching the feet disappear, Jun Yibai let out a breath, relieved he hadn’t gotten involved in something strange. While he did wonder what they had been doing, he knew better than to look into it any further.

He’d read way too many books that had characters act on such impulses only to end up dead.

Thinking the men had left, he lifted his head to look around. The park was still the same. Dark, quiet, and creepy. Yet his heart leaped into his chest when he saw that the trio had only reached the park entrance. He still could make them out but when he saw that one man was staring back at him, he froze.

All he recalled was a pair of bright blue eyes staring back at him before he looked away, slamming his eyes closed.

He saw nothing! There was no one there. He chanted this mantra in his head, too scared to open his eyes again even when the park grew quiet again.

***​

He wasn’t sure how long he’d kept his eyes closed but he found himself being shaken awake, a soft but familiar voice calling out to him.

“Bai!? Bai, wake up!” Li Suren sobbed, nearly tugging the other child off the bench.

Jun Yibai was a pretty light sleeper so if it wasn’t the sobbing that woke him up, it would have certainly been the tugging. He quickly woke up but was pulled from the bench just as quickly. The two boys fell back, one cushioning the others fall.

As the cushion, in this case, Jun Yibai felt the desire to snap at Li Suren but stopped when the boy wrapped his arms around him.

“Bai, I was so worried about you~” He sobbed.

It was a little surprising to learn that Li Suren was not a pretty crier. Despite how lovely an appearance he held, he cried with all his heart, with gasps, and snot running down his face.

While gross, Jun Yibai felt a bit happy to see such a side of him. To know Li Suren wasn’t perfect.

“Are you really crying?” He huffed, petting the sniffling child. While his words were mocking, the gesture was gentle and eased the boy’s tension.

“You weren’t moving~” Li Suren insisted, pressing his face against Jun Yibai’s chest. He liked being petted but it was doing nothing to help his tears.

Don’t be so gentle if you don't want me to cry~ He thought, even as his hands clung to Jun Yibai.

“I fell asleep.”

“Outside?!”

“Uh…” Jun Yibai couldn’t really argue that. Sleeping outside was dumb but… he really couldn’t risk opening his eyes and seeing that the trio was still around. Peeking around, he saw that he and Li Suren were alone in the park.

He sighed with relief.

His thoughts were elsewhere when he felt a warm hand touch his cheek.

“Sweetie, are you okay?” He asked, his face mostly clean but still red. “Did something happen before?”

The taller boy flinched, wondering if Li Suren had seen the trio from before.

“Why does something have to have happened?” He snapped, jumping to his feet. Li Suren frowned, blinking at him with confusion.

“Because you called me.” He said slowly, his mind racing as he saw the other boy's shoulders relax somewhat.

Had something else happened before he arrived?

Jun Yibai, on the other hand, felt no concern, happy that his thoughts were hidden from the other boy. He didn’t want Li Suren to get involved with anything like that.

“I thought that would make you happy.”

“Of course, I was excited!” The pale-haired child said, jumping to his feet. He took Jun Yibai’s hands and beamed like a star, nearly blinding the child. “Bai called me for the first time and even wants to spend the night. I couldn’t be more happy!”

He had truly not expected such a thing and had rushed out the door in his pajamas. It was only halfway out the door before his parents stopped to interrogate his sudden desire to take their car and driver.

He was sure he sounded like a crazy person just then, as he struggled to voice how much he needed to see Bai, as he was sure there was something wrong. Not only had he called him but asked to spend the night despite them being supposedly rivals.

How could he not worry!?

“But then on the way here, I started thinking about it.” He continued, his voice tinged with a quiet resignation. “Bai… you don’t really like me all that much.”

Jun Yibai wanted to respond but couldn’t. It would be bad to tell him that he was right but saying that to the person whose house he wanted to sleep at would be worse. They would both know he was lying.

In truth, Li Suren wasn’t a bad person. Sure, he was clingy and annoying but Jun Yibai liked how smart and determined he was when trying for something. It was admirable if not a bit annoying when it was directed at him.

He knew they could never be friends but he couldn't say he disliked the boy as much as he said he did.

Li Suren glanced at Jun Yibai, hoping for a refutation even though they both knew the truth. He sighed, feeling a bit hurt but letting it pass. He had never been disliked by anyone before and to have it be his favorite person was painful.

Yet despite how much it hurt, something in him didn’t want to give up on this person. He wanted to be close to this person no matter what.

“Bai.” He clenched his hand, staring into Jun Yibai’s dark eyes. “What happened?”

“Nothing.”

A moment of silence fell between them as Jun Yibai pulled his hand away.

“You won’t tell me?”

“Do I need to in order to stay over?” Jun Yibai asked, fully ready to walk away. If he needed to talk about his circumstances, he might as well go to the police right then and there. There’d be no difference.

“...No.” He sighed. As if sensing the tension, Li Suren let the matter go, not wanting to press any further. “If Bai needs me, you can take whatever you want from me.”

I’ll wait for the day you feel you can trust me with your secrets. He thought, his hand squeezing Bai’s. The boy’s hand was cold from sitting out in the open.

Whichever ones you feel like hiding now.

***​

As they rode, Jun Yibai couldn’t help but wonder what kind of person Li Suren truly was. He didn’t understand why he was being so nice to him. Especially after knowing how Jun Yibai felt about him.

He really didn’t understand him and part of him really didn’t want to. It was bad enough that he was going to his house but if they got any closer and his dad found out…

No, he couldn’t get any closer than he was now.

“Bai?”

“Eh?” Jun Yibai jumped, blinking as he realized he'd been called, probably multiple times.

“We’re here.” Li Suren opened the door, holding out a hand to help his companion from the limousine. Yet the child was awestruck, staring up at the massive structure in front of him. Surely houses weren’t supposed to be this big!!

“Y-you live here!?” He cried, his mouth agape as he looked around. It was like an entire block had been used to house such a place. It was amazing.

Li Suren preened as he saw Jun Yibai’s awestruck expression. He’d never seen the child so animated.

“Sometimes.” He answered, taking the child's hand as he led them to the door. “Grandfather gave it to her as a gift, I think, so we only stay here when she’s nearby.”

“Oh” What more could he say. He had suspected Li Suren was rich but to see it presented in front of him like this was something else.

The trio, Li Suren, Jun Yibai, and the driver, walked to the door, only to be met by two more adults. The first was a tall red-headed woman wearing a short blue robe revealing her legs. She was very lovely and looked a bit scary as she glared down at the two children.

“Is this the reason why you tried to sneak out, A-Ren?” She snapped, leaning down to stare down intensely. Li Suren flinched, his hands tightening around JunYibai’.

“Uh…” Li Suren wilted, too scared to speak a word. Before he could even mumble an apology, Jun Yibai stepped forward, slipping between the two.

“I’m sorry, ma'am. It’s my fault for calling him so late.” He said, staring into the eyes of the woman. He noticed she and Li Suren had the same color eyes.

This must be his mother.

Li Suren’s mother cocked a brow, mildly surprised by the child’s gesture. Standing in front of her son as if to protect him. How cute.

The second woman, Liao Na, placed a hand on the redhead’s shoulder.

“Darling, don’t tease him anymore.” She gently chided, her voice low and soft. “Look at him. He finally made a friend.”

“I have friends!”

“Yet this boy is the first you invite over?”

“Sweetie didn’t want to before.”

“Sweetie?” The redhead echoed, her gaze falling back onto Jun Yibai. “Is this the kid you’ve been gushing over all semester?”

Li Suren’s eyes darted over the Jun Yibai, his face flushed as he mumbled, “Yes.”

The redhead, Su Dai, let out a loud laugh as she welcomed the two boys in. Her smile was soft and carefree, easing the tension in both boys.

“He’s not what I expected from what you told me.” She whispered to her son, peeking at the plain boy looking around the room.

“Papa, don’t be mean!” Li Suren cried, pushing his mother away. “Bai is super cool and smart!”

“Okay, Okay~:” Liao Na cut in, smiling. The gentle woman tapped her wife’s shoulder, shaking her head to make Su Dai stop. While she was all for teasing their son, it was late. She turned to her guest. “Xiao Bai, are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?”

“No thank you.” He mumbled, clenching his hands around his backpack. He was already intruding in their home. Asking for food would just be troublesome.

***​

Despite Li Suren’s efforts, Jun Yibai didn’t talk to him. In fact, after his polite decline of food, the boy didn’t say a word, falling asleep as soon as his head hit a pillow.

Li Suren watched as the boy curled up and snuggled into the soft mattress. His brows, usually furrowed like deep rivers, had relaxed. It was a welcome sight.

Li Suren laid beside him, his eyes drifting close as he watched his sweetie sleep peacefully.

He could only hope he could give this to Jun Yibai forever.

***​

The next morning, as one might expect from children who stayed up late, the two overslept. They were tossed in the bath together and swiftly dressed as the two women rushed them to school. It was only about halfway there that even one of them realized what had occurred.

Li Suren was still napping as they were driven to school, his head leaning against the window. Jun Yibai remained awake, his eyes darting about as he observed the car.

This was how Li Suren traveled every day? How luxurious could one be?

He sighed, closing his own eyes.

As soon as the two boys arrived, they were separated. Being huddled about as the nurse collected a student one at a time. It was only then that Jun Yibai notices how excited everyone else around him seemed to be.

There were whispers and the like that made Jun Yibai wonder if he had forgotten something. Something important.

Then it was his turn to enter the nurse’s office. The room was empty save for a few beds, a desk, and a tired-looking woman. She gave him a quick check-up before handing him some papers.

“Be sure to give this to your parents later, alright?” She said as she called in the next child.

This left Jun Yibai confused, wondering what was going on. Then he opened the letter and everything became clear.

There were a lot of grown-up terms but he knew how to read enough to figure out what was being spoken about.

He had presented as a beta.

He had forgotten that he and his classmates would be presenting as their sub-gender soon. It was actually what he’d been wanting to tell his dad the day before.

Staring at the paper, Jun Yibai felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

He had presented as a beta.

He had expected it since his family was purely betas for generations. The chances of him being anything else was next to impossible. While it did happen, it was too rare to even mention.

His teachers, when they saw his results, didn't share his relief. They had seen how smart Jun Yibai was and had assumed he'd present as an Alpha, despite how plain he was appearance-wise. Being a beta, they wrote him off as having reached his pinnacle.

Jun Yibai didn't mind these low expectations. He wasn't planning on living up to the expectations of those so willing to toss him aside. He never wished for much out of life. He'd always assumed it was his own will but it turned out that it was just his nature as a beta that made him like this.

How fitting.

***​

Jun Yibai spent the day with his head down, his mind in jumbles as he came to terms with everything that had happened in the last 24 hours.

Father lost his job, he stayed at Li Suren’s house and he presented as a Beta.

It was an eventful day.

Everyone else in his class was filled with excitement, being the first of the half dozen classes to get their results. Those who were obviously Alpha and Omega’s hadn’t gotten their results yet but were assured they were one or the other.

Curiously, Beta’s were easy to identify when they presented but Alpha’s and Omega’s took more time so those without results knew they’d present as one or the other.

It made the unpresented more smug as they flaunted themselves in front of the newly presented Beta’s. Jun Yibai tried to ignore them but they inevitably came to hassle him.

“Hey, statue!” One of two boys called out, standing nearby. “Did you get your results?”

“…”

The boy's expression darkened as he shouted. “Hey?!”

The class grew quiet but Jun Yibai showed no concern for the boys, ignoring them as he kept his head down. After a moment, the noise in the class grew as the second boy continued.

“He must have.” He jeered. “There's no way a guy like him didn’t come out as a beta.”

The two shared a laugh, amused by their own words. Jun Yibai, getting annoyed by the noise sat up, about to speak up before a familiar voice rang out.

“Do you even know what a beta is?” All three pairs of eyes darted toward the door, blinking as Li Suren moved between the two boys and Jun Yibai.

“Eh?”

“You don't, right?” He snapped, glaring at them. “So don’t ask things you know nothing about.”

“You-”

“Bai!” Li Suren turned to Jun Yibai, effectively dismissing them as he addressed his sweetie. “Bai, did you get your results?”

Jun Yibai wasn’t sure how to respond but chose to follow Li Suren’s lead and nod.

“Did you?” He asked as the two boys walked away sulkily. Li Suren paid this no mind, collapsing into the chair nearby with a dramatic flair.

“No.” He said after a minute, pouting sadly. He knew what longer tests meant. “I want to be a beta too!”

Jun Yibai looked up, frowning.

“You… want to be?” He couldn’t help but ask this. Never had he heard of someone wanting to be a beta. Most kids want to be great, be superheroes. What was closer to a superhero than an Alpha or Omega?

Even he had once thought what it would be like to be something other than a beta.

“Of course! If we are both beta’s, we’ll get to go to middle school together. It’d be great~”

Ah, he should have known it would be a shallow reason like that.

“Great for who?”

Li Suren, used to Jun Yibai’s dismissal, took the jab in stride, presenting his best aggrieved look.

“Doesn’t Bai want to spend time with me?” He pouted, hoping to soften his sweetie’s heart.

It didn’t work.

“You are still troublesome.” He grumbled, rolling his eyes at the boy’s antics. Didn’t he have any shame, showing such a face?

“Yeah, but if you ever need to spend the night somewhere, we can sleepover and-” Li Suren started, clearly excited by the notion before a hand was slapped over his mouth.

“We don’t talk about that.”

“No?”

“No.” Jun Yibai snapped with finality, relieved when the boy nodded. Li Suren knew his preferences pretty well so he didn’t argue the point.

***​

The rest of the day went fairly normal, if not shortened due to the tests. Because there would soon be presented Alpha’s and Omega’s, the school was now focused on graduation. The final exams would be divided by sub-genders it seemed.

Jun Yibai didn’t get it completely but apparently it was bad for newly presented children to be mixed together.

As usual, he went home alone, though this time he made an effort to avoid the park as he feared those three adults would be there. Honestly, he just wanted to go home and tell his family the news.

He was so relieved to be confirmed as a beta. Sure, his lineage was pure beta but genetics had a strange way of complicating things. It was rare but sometimes beta’s produced alpha or omega children despite no intermarriages happening.

While most parents were happy with whatever sub-gender their child ended up with, the people in Jun Yibai’s life didn’t feel the same. He recalled a story his mother had once told him, about a beta family that had a child present as omega.

He was never told how it ended but the look on his mother's face made it clear it would be good for him if he presented as a Beta.

Upon arrival, he made sure to show his parents his results. His mother looked somewhat relieved while his father looked proud.

“Of course my son would be a Beta.” He said with overwhelming pride. “Our son isn’t weak or arrogant like those other people.”

“Honey!” His mother chastised, her eyes darting to Jun Yibai with concern.

“What? Am I wrong?” He shot back, folding his burly arms. “Our son is a humble and filial boy, knowing what is best for himself. He’s a smart kid.”

In other words, he knew who his father disliked and knew to avoid them. Both he and his mother knew what his father meant but neither said it out loud.

“By the way,” His father called out as Jun Yibai stood to leave. “where did you go last night, Yibai?”

The child suppressed a flinch, schooling his features so he revealed nothing. “A friend's house.”

“Whose?”

“A friend from school.”

“A beta?” The man’s eyes narrowed, looking suspicious as he pressed harder.

“...Only my class’s results came in so…” Jun Yibai lied, looking away.

“Well be careful.” He warned, stroking his son's head gently. “I don’t want you to get hurt if you ended up stuck with some Omega or Alpha as a friend. They’ll only tear you down.”

“Right.” He mumbled, looking away. Thinking about Li Suren, he really couldn’t imagine such a thing. The boy was annoying, sure, but he wasn’t as bad as he thought.

Perhaps if he wasn’t so clingy, they could actually be friends.

***​

The news report that night was fairly normal. Local sports and the like filled the air, settling the child's nerves as he ate with his family. Perhaps it was fate's way of easing the blow when it happened but nothing could prepare him for what happened next.

[In other news, a recent assault was reported near B-city park last evening at 8 PM. The victim, an Omega Male named --- was found unconscious in the woods surrounding the park. Witnesses claim there was a minimum of 3 suspects but no clear descriptions have been found. If you or anyone you know has any information on the incident, please call the tip hotline and-]

The channel was changed, his father grumbling about weak men and the like. His mother turned to Jun Yibai, warning him to be careful since he walked past that park often. The thought of an assault happening so close by was terrifying.

Yet Jun Yibai heard none of it, his eyes rooted to the table as the new caster’s voice echoed in his ear.

Three suspects in B-city park the night before. It had to be them. He knew what had happened. He knew who had done it. But he also knew what should and shouldn’t be said. Betas were background characters, never meant to be noticed.

Yet he had been noticed that night. In the worst possible way.

So he said nothing, rushing to his room to hide from the world. In the darkness, he thought about calling Li Suren, his phone digging into his palm as he squeezed it. Yet after what felt like hours, he just closed his eyes.

*****​

AN: Li Suren's parents are a true mated pair, with Liao Na (Omega) being the one to carry their son. Because of that, Su Dai (Alpha) prefers to be called papa as she feels great pride for having helped create a child. It draws strange looks at times but Li Suren sees nothing weird about having a father who is a woman.

 

Spoiler: C: Fork in the Road

It was a few days later when the thoughts of that night faded from memory. Yibai didn't really forget but like many things, that incident got buried under everything else. Upcoming exams, his father's new job, and his primary school graduation made it easy to forget the three pairs of shoes and bright blue eyes.

Much to his surprise, despite never telling Suren about his dilemma, the boy managed to keep Yibai's spirits up. He still clung to him and acted like they were friends, making it easy to forget his worries.

Yibai was careful though.

His father had been watching him closely as of late and didn't want the man to learn about his interactions with Suren. Even if he told the man how 'not bad' Suren was, he knew his father would disapprove.

Just one look at the charming and adorable boy and it would be obvious what he'd present as.

As such, despite his many attempts to bribe Yibai, the beta accepted any of Suren's invitations to his house again. He'd gotten lucky that his father hadn't noticed the scent of adult pheromones on him after staying the night with Suren's parents but he couldn't risk it.

While he and Suren might not be friends, he didn't dislike him either and wanted to enjoy the little time they had left together.

***​

The day Suren presented as an Omega, the only one shocked by the news was him.

Suren stared down at the paper, near tears as he sat beside Yibai. The latter had wanted to eat alone but was followed around by Suren until he gave up and sat down. They had spent the last few minutes in silence.

Until, at long last, Suren broke the silence. As usual.

"B-but... I thought I'd be a beta~"

"Why?" Yibai retorted, peeking over. "You're pretty, charismatic, and well-spoken. What about any of those traits made you think you'd be a beta?"

Suren turned to Yibai, his eyes glowing with indignation. "Bai is well-spoken!"

"I noticed the first two traits mysteriously vanished." He deadpanned.

"Well..." The newly presented Omega faltered a bit, looking nervous. "Bai isn't pretty but even with your plain face, you look nice."

"That really doesn't sound like a compliment."

"It's not an insult though!" He proclaimed, clinging to Yibai's arm. As he knew the omega was a stubborn guy, Yibai let him. After a minute, Suren continued to whine. "B-but I wanted to be a beta, like you!"

"And I wanted to be left alone and yet here we are."

Suren was used to being rejected by Yibai, so none of his words really hurt him. Yibai was like a hedgehog in the omega's mind. Cute but prickly.

He never cared before this what he presented as. It was just another mark that would define him without his consent. Just another to add to the list. But now that he'd found Bai, he didn't want that mark to keep them apart.

He really liked his prickly sweetheart.

"Is there any way it might be a mistake?" He pondered, giving Yibai his best pitiful look. But his hedgehog had a heart made of stone that didn't even budge.

"Doubt it."

"Sweetie, why aren't you upset?!" He cried, looking near tears. If he was an omega and his sweetie wasn't, wasn't this the worst possible news?

Yibai, to his credit, noticed his rival's expression and earnestly responded with, "Should I be?"

He really didn't understand why Suren was so upset about this. This was how things were bound to be from the beginning. While he too was a bit disappointed that they'd have to keep their distance from now on, it was just the way things had to be.

There was no reason for a Beta and an Omega to be around each other.

"Yes!" Suren snapped, clutching his sweetie's arm. "If I'm an omega and you're a beta, that means we won't get to go to middle school together."

"Huh." He hummed, having forgotten that. "Is that so?"

It was well known to even unpresented children that there was a difference between Alphas, Omegas, and betas. As such, it had been an established law that after a child presented their sub-gender, they would attend a school made up entirely of that sub-gender. All three types would teach the same basic knowledge but focus on educating the students about their sub-gender's traits and difficulties.

The Alpha middle school would teach the students how to control their superior strength and ready themselves for properly interacting with others. Education on ruts and other things exclusive to them.

The Omega middle school taught their students etiquette and manners, as they were naturally charming. They would also be taught about their heats and how to properly manage them to ensure they can go through life with little to no interference from their biology.

The Beta middle school... nothing could really be said about it. It taught basic skills and trades. Beta's were lucky, as they had no biological traits that should get in the way of their daily lives. The only thing exclusive to them was just how normal they were compared to the extraordinary Omega and Alpha population.

In this way, those youthful and innocent children would grow up in a safe environment and be taught how to live with their sub-gender. It was good for them.

Suren, however, didn't feel the same.

"Bai?!" He cried, his large dark eyes glimmering in a way that would have swayed the heart of any who saw it. Even Yibai, with his stubbornness, felt a mild crack in his defenses when faced with such a look.

He sighed, putting his lunch aside. It was not like he was going to get to eat with this person around.

"It'll be fine." He assured the omega, patting him on the head. "You'll forget all about me and we'll get on with our lives."

"I won't forget you!" Suren snapped back, staring into his sweetie's murky gray eyes. "I swore I'd be with you forever."

Suren didn't think he'd like Yibai this much. At first, he just wanted the boy's attention but the more he spent time with him, the more he came to like this abrasive statue.

Surely, this had to be what his parents called 'liking someone'!

Yibai, however, looked unconvinced. His mind was on his father and how much trouble he'd be in if he was seen with an Omega.

It wouldn't be good.

"Yeah, sure you will." He said doubtfully, pushing Suren away. "Trust me, you'll forget about me soon enough."

Three years was a long time for kids. He was sure his troublesome person would find something or someone else to focus on soon enough. Why focus on some beta he knew in primary school when he was surrounded by capable and amazing Omegas'. Moreover, once he was mated, Yibai would just be another name in the yearbook.

It was the way of things.

Suren wilted, seeing his friend's dismissive expression.

"Bai, you-" He reached out, stopping when he saw his friend's unwillingness to be touched. He clenched his fist and showed a determined expression. "I won't. I swear, I'll be your mate in the future."

At that, Yibai almost choked.

An omega, mating with a beta? That was just a fantasy. If it was as simple as saying so, would there be any strife between the genders at all?

"Oi, are you ignoring my genuine feelings for you, Bai?" Suren grumbled, seeing Yibai's thoughts on his face.

Of course, he was. Why put any mind into the silly thoughts of this person. He was irrational, saying such dumb things when he knew that there was an alpha out there that was destined for him.

Who was dumb enough to give their heart to just anyone in a world like this?

***​

For the rest of the day, Yibai did his best to avoid Suren. It wasn’t that he disliked the boy's presence but it would be best if he kept his distance from now on. While a beta’s nose wasn’t as good as Alpha’s or Omega’s, they could smell a newly presented Omega fairly easily.

Because of that, Yibai tried to wash off the scent Suren had left on him in the local park. It wasn’t the same park that the assault happened but there were still a couple of cops around, so Yibai felt safe.

Again, he felt the desire to tell someone about what had happened that night. It was scary to think he’d been so close to people who hurt someone. His dad had waved the matter off, saying that the omega should have known better but what about Yibai?

Should he too have known better?

There was no one to talk to. Not his dad. Not his mom. He couldn’t even tell Suren, though he was sure the omega would say something to get his mind off the distressing matter.

Yet he couldn’t even talk to the boy anymore.

He sat in the park for a while, watching the sunset. It was as quiet as ever and it helped ease his concerns. Sitting alone like this, he could pretend there was nothing else in the world but him.

No blue eyes that stared at him from the darkness.

No pairs of shoes that echoed in his ears.

Just him.

He sighed, about to leave when he heard someone call out to him. Looking over, he saw his dad standing with some unfamiliar men. Jun Yulan separated from his group, waving goodbye as they departed.

Seeing his dad with friends made Yibai happy. His dad was actually pretty nice when he was working. It was only when Alpha’s or Omega’s were mentioned that he got mean.

As such, Yibai rushed over to him with a smile, somewhat relieved to have a comforting presence to lean on.

Jun Yulan caught his son in his arm, frowning at the action.

“What's going on with you?” He asked, his gruff tone mildly tinged with concern. His son was usually pretty distant. “I don’t usually get hugs from you.”

“You don’t like hugs.”

“That's true.” He conceded with a nod. He glanced back at the boy. “So why now?”

“I…” Yibai stared up at his father, his desire to tell the man about those grown-ups he saw in the park burning a hole in his gut. It wouldn’t take much. If he could get one word out, the rest would quickly follow but…

This was his father.

“I got scared cause those men who attacked that guy are still around.” He said instead, too fearful to speak the truth.

“Ah.” His father relaxed, smiling down at his son as he stroked his head. “Well, they seem to be targeting Omega’s exclusively so you should be fine.”

“What about the omega’s then?” He couldn’t help but ask.

Yulan blinked in confusion. “What about them?”

Yibai sighed, realizing his father wasn’t understanding him. The man didn’t like omega’s so it was obvious what his answer would be. But how could Yibai explain his worries? He was sure his dad would tell him to keep quiet.

Beta’s don’t draw attention to themselves. He’d say, lecturing Yibai about minding his own business. It never did anyone any good to put yourself out unnecessarily.

It was best to stay quiet.

***​

Yibai walked home with his father, listening as the man told him about his day. While he didn’t understand what he was talking about, Yibai found himself enjoying the conversation. Outside his father's dislikes, the man was very passionate and kind. He did what he could to help others.

Yibai liked this about his dad.

When they reached their house, Yulan cursed under his breath, realizing he’d forgotten his keys.

“And your mother is probably still out with her friends.” He grumbled, scratching his head helplessly. Seeing his father's frustration, Yibai offered his keys.

With a smile, it was accepted. In another world, that might have been the end of it. But it wasn’t.

The keys had barely moved before the man's smile fell. With a questioning gaze, brought them close to smell it. His frown deepened as he looked back at his son.

“What is that on your hand?”

“Uh…” Yibai didn’t get a chance to argue as his father grabbed his wrist and brought it close.

“Why do I smell an Omega on you?” His father asked, his tone calm. Yibai, on the other hand, was anything but. While his hands had been washed, his clothes hadn’t been. Some of Suren’s pheromone had brushed onto his hand from his clothes and Jun Yulan could smell it.

“M-my classmates presented recently and-”

“And you knowingly associated with them?” He growled, making Yibai shiver.

“They’re my classmates!” The boy argued, his eyes darting about the yard. “I can’t avoid them completely.”

Jun Yulan stared at his son for a long time before letting out a weary sigh.

“That's true.” He huffed, looking only mildly annoyed. “It's a shame we can’t enroll you in an exclusively beta school. At least then I wouldn’t have to worry about you being around those Alom’s.”

[AN: Alom: a term used by betas to address alphas and omegas as a group. Can be used derogatorily, depending on the context.]

His father said nothing after that, surprising Yibai in that he didn’t seem to get angry or annoyed about the subject. They went home and things were normal.

Homework was done. Mom came home and made dinner. Then the three of them watched some TV before heading to bed.

Curiously, when Yibai left his room for some water, he heard his parents talking about something but he was too tired to understand what it was. Something about taking care of Yibai and what was best for him.

He didn’t think much of it.

***​

Three days later, he learned what his father meant when he said those words. Without any warning, the Jun’s were moving. To where, his father wouldn’t say. He just claimed it would be good for Yibai to get away from any of the Omega’s around him.

The child felt mortified at the thought.

It was graduation soon, he tried to argue. The test he’d taken recently still hadn’t released the results. Yibai had to see what he got as a grade.

But his father shot all his excuses down. Technically, he had already graduated after the last exam. The graduation was only a formality and he wasn’t required to actually attend.

Seeing all his attempts fail, Yibai could only concede to his father's wishes. While his mother comforted him about missing out on graduation, she too was happy to move.

A new place is a new adventure. She argued, though only she seemed excited about it. Dad looked like he was just doing a job. The move was most likely connected to his new job.

This left Yibai distressed as he stared at his already packed bags.

His mind drifted to Suren, whom he’d been ignoring for days now. He felt a bit guilty to leave without telling him. Knowing him, he’d cry and whine about it.

But it was for the best.

They were a beta and omega. Sure, he enjoyed their rivalry but it was just a childish game. A game Suren chose to play along with. Even before he’d presented, it was clear Suren was the smarter one between them.

When Suren ultimately found true rivals in middle school, he was bound to forget all about Yibai.

Unbidden, tears started forming in his eyes, though he tried to fight them off. Whether the tears were because he would never get to break the tie between him and Suren or because of the omega himself, he chose not to think too hard about it.

*****​

AN: And thus ends the childhood arc. Off to the middle school arc where we meet more characters.

 

Spoiler: M: That which Came After

Jun Yibai thought things would change when he entered middle school but very little did. At most, his dad had more meetings and chose to drag him along sometimes. The teen had very little interest in the talks and used the time to study.

He might never be as great as an Alpha but he took pride in what little he managed to do despite people's expectations of him.

Upon entering middle school, he felt less nervous than before. Here, he didn't have to worry about his father's disapproving of his choice in friends. Everyone in the school, from the faculty to students, were betas.

This meant that Yibai could bring his dad to school without him glaring at his teachers because they were mated to an omega or something.

Yet for the first few days, he was sullen.

Despite being so far from B city, Yibai couldn't help but think about Suren. He told himself he shouldn't, that the boy was bound to forget him soon enough anyway. It was only a matter of time.

They were different after all. Being friends was just a silly thought.

I swear, I'll be your mate in the future.

Those words echoed in his mind, amusing him with how silly it was. Yibai knew what his life would become. It would be the same life as most people in his position.

Uneventful.

His time as Li Suren's rival was nothing but a brief wave in his life of still water. Something to remember but nothing to dwell on.

***​

His first year of middle school passed by in a flash. As expected, Yibai couldn't change himself so far into his life.

He was a general loner.

While others made friends easily, Yibai couldn't get himself to talk to others. There never seemed to be a common point of interest and even if there was, he couldn't make himself talk.

His words would get stuck in his throat and his expression would unconsciously dampen the mood.

In the end, he was friendless and classified as a gloomy guy.

He had thought... no, he had hoped things would be different in middle school. Everyone had presented so he knew who to associate and who to avoid yet...

He couldn't bring himself to open up to anyone.

Perhaps his rejection of others had become a habit but he couldn't make himself be friendly. Even when some nice beta came to help him, he couldn't smile warmly at him or even reply back.

It was distressing, to say the least.

Still, his first year at his school was nice. After rejecting enough invites, his classmates quickly learned not to bother with him.

It was peaceful.

It was quiet.

It was boring.

For a while, he found himself peeking over at the door as if expecting something to burst through them. Yet every time the door opened to reveal just another beta, Yibai felt angry at himself.

He shouldn't be thinking about that person.

It had been over a year and he still couldn't stop thinking about Suren. How was it that when they were together, he wanted nothing more than to get rid of him but now that he was gone, it was all he could think of?

Worse yet, he knew it was a one-sided feeling. Considering how flighty Suren was, he knew that the omega had long since forgotten him, probably finding some other person to pester.

The thought annoyed him a bit, though he chose not to ponder why. Instead, he chose to focus his mind on his studies. While there weren't any high achieving students he had to contend with, Yibai refused to lower his standards.

Perhaps it was a bit uncharacteristic for a beta but Yibai liked to rise above what was expected of him.

It was because of this that he found himself sitting in the school library studying after school. Very few students chose to stay at school longer than they needed and rushed through the gates as soon as the bell rang.

Yibai had nowhere else he could study in peace. Home was nice but his dad had been a lot more bothersome since he grew into his body more fully. Gone was the short child who barely reached his father's chest. In his place was a young man who was only a head shorter than his dad.

Jun Yulan was ecstatic, wanting to show off how strong his son was despite being only 13. Suddenly, the man wanted to hang out more and train his son to be like him. To take him to his job and introduce the boy to his possible future co-workers.

Yibai didn't want to do that.

He loved his dad and admired his work ethic but Yibai could only deal with the man so much. He already attended his father's community meetings despite how boring they were yet the man wanted to intrude on his studying time too?

Wasn't that just too much?

So Yibai found refuge in the library. While his father might want his son to follow in his footsteps, he wouldn't complain if he knew his son was studying rather than being irresponsible somewhere 'like those wayward delinquents'.

"Did the book do something to you?"

"Eh?" Looking up, he suddenly noticed a girl sitting across from him. How long she had been sitting there, it was hard to say. He feared she had been there for a while.

She laughed, seemingly aware of Yibai's thoughts.

"The book." She replied, pointing down at the notebook. "If you press down any harder, it might burst into flames from the friction."

Thinking about how many missed opportunities to study was lost before Yibai found a place his father couldn't bother him had him pressing down on his notebook hard. Had he not been using a pen, he was sure the point would have broken.

He hadn't even noticed.

"It'll be fine."

"Will it? How daring~"

Looking this girl over, he found himself staring. How could he not? She was a pretty face with a cat-like smile that stretched across her face, making her look devious.

Like a Cheshire cat.

“What?” She pressed, her smile growing. “You think I'm pretty?”

“I've seen prettier.”

“Ack!” She clutched her chest, looking wounded. “You are pretty ruthless for a delinquent.”

“What makes you think I'm a delinquent?”

“Clearly you are. Look how sour-faced you look, sitting in the corner like a loner.” She stated, though she didn’t look too bothered as she stared Yibai down. “Who knows what goes through your head.”

“Mostly just studying.”

“And someone prettier than me.”

“There are a lot of prettier people. Omega's for example.”

“Oi, that's not fair!” She cried, pouting. It was cute and the desire to pet her rose within Yibai. She continued to complain. “That's like comparing a casual jogger to an Olympic athlete. Clearly, omega's are a standard of their own. Don't be so cruel as to compare a beta and an Omega.”

It certainly was a cruel comparison. In a school without Alpha’s or Omega’s, it was easy to forget about them. Perhaps in a world without them, the world would be a bit more fair.

***​

After that day, Jun Yibai was then haunted by that girl, who introduced herself as Min Yang Ru. She was like a ghost, appearing whenever one let their guard down. Much to his surprise, she was a fairly low key person in the school.

She was notorious for outing some bullies who tried to mess with her on her first day. Somehow, within a few hours, she had those once haughty and arrogant girls begging for forgiveness.

No one knew what she had said or did to get such a response but they quickly learned not to touch her bottom line.

Despite her reputation, Yang Ru was a very friendly girl, making friends easily and being admired for her tenacity. Those who would be targets for bullies stuck close to her, seeking her protection as if just being close would protect them.

In a way, that was true.

What placed her name on everyone's lips this time, however, was how the notoriously clever cat had become close to the silent bear residing in class 2-B.

Jun Yibai paid no mind to the rumors, allowing Yang Ru to occupy his space.

She was nothing like Suren, who would pester him regardless of how often he told the boy to go away. If he said nothing, she would talk around him, seemingly content to make commentary without needing his input. If he told her to leave, she’d smile and leave, going off to talk to someone else.

She’d always eventually drift back over to Yibai and the cycle would continue. It was a comfortable dynamic.

He eventually stopped telling her to leave.

“Are you waiting for someone?” She asked one day, sharing a desk with him. Yibai frowned.

“No. What makes you think that?”

“You keep peeking at the door. I notice you do it a lot.” She pointed out, smiling in her usual cat-like way. “At first, I thought you were checking me out.”

“Humble as ever, I see.”

“What can I say? In a school full of 4's, a 5.5 is queen.”

It was true that Yang Ru was very lovely. If not for her counterattack on her bullies, he was sure many would be clinging to her with their hearts in hand. Yet most were too scared of offending the girl and chose to stay a safe distance.

Cowards.

“By the way,” She continued, laying her head down on his desk. Yibai could almost imagine the pair of cat ears atop her fluffy haired head. “you said you were looking to get a part-time job, right? Well, my parents just happen to be hiring.”

“Your parents?” This was the first time she had ever mentioned anything about her personal life. They both chose not to talk about it after he resolutely told her he didn’t want her at his house.

Beta or not, he was sure his dad would make things awkward.

“En.” Yang Ru nodded, her gaze drifting elsewhere as she explained. “They own a gym in the city. It's pretty small but I think you’d fit in really well.

“Really? I’m not into fitness.”

Most people assumed he was someone suited for sports. His body had grown strong and fit, mostly because of his father's insistence on making him help out at his site. He chose to maintain his figure just because he disliked the thought of losing his hard-earned muscles.

Despite all that, Yibai was a very studious person, wanting to keep out of those kinds of things. Had it not been for his fit build, one would classify him as a nerd.

“I know!” she conceded, pouting. She sighed. “But my folks really want to meet you.”

“Why? They aren’t my in-laws.”

“Right? But they heard me talk about you and they wanted to meet you.” She grumbled, sounding like a scolded child. It was clear she was reluctant to ask but had to.

Yet none of that curbed his mild annoyance.

“What did you say about me?”

The beta quickly recovered her charm, blinking cutely at her friend. “Nothing bad, I promise~”

She was smiling that cat-like smile.

He didn’t trust her words.

Yet despite all that, he chose to take her up on her offer. Mostly because he really did need a job and working at a gym would allow him to more easily maintain his figure. That and the notion of gaining a paycheck was very appealing to him. Better to work somewhere you know the owners than somewhere you don’t.

Yet no one told him there would be such a troublesome guy there to make his job so much more complicated.

 

Been waiting since March for updates. I'm so hooked with this story that I keep coming back.

 

Spoiler: M: Chen Guiren

AN: This chapter is unedited cause I'm tired and I've got school work to do so... yeah~

*****​

The day he met Chen Guiren, he punched the boy in the face.

It wasn't the best way to introduce themselves but Yibai would never regret his decision to do this. When else, when time passed and this annoying person pestered him endlessly, would he ever get another chance like this?

Besides, he deserved it.

***​

It was the weekend by the time Yibai found the time to go to the gym that Yangru had suggested. The trip there was uneventful, despite all the energy of those around him. The people around him were excited about something or another but Yibai just found it annoying and drowned them out with his headphones.

Upon arrival, the beta looked around, quickly finding the gym nearby one of the heavily crowded streets. He wasn't sure how to feel about that, both dreading the notion of having to talk to people often and mildly hopeful that he wouldn't have to deal with anyone annoying.

As expected, the now hiring sign was out front but to his surprise, there was no one else there. When he saw how close they were to the main street, he was thinking he'd have to deal with a bunch of other interviewee's yet the place was dead quiet.

If not for the signs up front, he might have assumed the place was closed.

Yet when he stepped inside, he quickly realized why the place was empty.

"What do you mean he's not here yet!? He said 11:30 am and yet he dares to be late?!"

From within, a young man could be seen with his back to the down. Hair as black as night shook as he shouted, his voice echoing through the gym.

"How dare he make so many demands from me and yet brazenly chose not to show up?" He snapped, slamming his hand on the receptionist's desk. The person behind the desk, a smaller teen, shivered as he pressed in close. "Give me his number."

"S-sir, I can't give out privat-"

The desk was swept clean as the hooligan's arm dashed away all the items. The receptionist flinched, looking terrified.

Yibai, who had been standing silently, scowled.

"Are you going to continue standing there like a yapping dog all day or will you move?" He snapped, gaining the attention of the young man. Yibai really didn't want to get involved but he couldn't stand people like this. Making trouble just because they were the consumer.

Bright red eyes glared at him, his handsome features marred by his scowl.

To be stared down so intensely by a stranger, one would think they were enemies. Yet Yibai didn't even flinch, instead rolling his eyes at the teen.

"Troublesome." He muttered, moving past him to talk to the receptionist. Seeing her shiver, he came to realize why they were looking for a replacement. This girl looked seconds away from quitting right then and there.

Yibai opened his mouth to speak, only to find the troublesome young man closing in on him. Red to grey, they stared at each other.

"What did you call me?" He snarled. Yibai thought he caught a whiff of something but wrote it off as nothing.

"Did I stutter?" He snapped back, his tone drawl and uninterested. "Do you wish for me to define the words I used?"

"Who are you calling a dog?!"

"What else would you call something that yaps about incessantly and indiscriminately?"

"I'm the wronged party here!" The young man argued, huffing indignantly. "Do you know how busy I am? You think I have time for abrupt cancelations with no notice?"

"So you make trouble for the clerk? You really are immature."

While Yibai could sympathize with the man's annoyance, he couldn't stand the fact that he chose to take it out on the clerk, who could only stand there and take it.

Hearing such reasoning, the young man could say nothing. He'd been angry before because he'd had to cancel a lot of plans to make this appointment. Learning that his trainer had just chosen not to show up pissed him off a lot more than anticipated.

Still, he had too much pride to admit he was wrong.

Peeking over, he watched as Yibai spoke to the clerk, his intentions made clear. The young man smirked.

"Oh?" He mused, leaning in. "So you are planning on working here?"

Yibai glowered at him. "You're still here?"

"Are you telling me to get out?"

"Shouldn't you? You made enough trouble, haven't you?"

A lesser man might have denied such a claim, slinking away in shame. Yet this man was completely shameless, choosing the linger about like a ghost.

"I've got nothing better to do." He stated, shrugging. On a whim, he looked over to the young man who chewed him out.

Yibai, despite being a beta, was built well. His stature wasn't much but he took up enough space to be intimidating. On this day, Yibai wore casual clothes that showed off his muscles and drew eyes. If not for his plain face, he might have drawn a few more eyes.

Today, he drew a troublesome person's eyes.

"Whoa, you are quite a sight!" The troublesome person mused, openly admiring the young man beside him. Despite being thinner than Yibai, the young man looked fit, being only a little taller.

With a predatory grin that made the clerk shiver, the young man grabbed Yibai by the shoulder.

"Maybe you want to play with me?"

Looking him over, it was clear the young man had a desire to fight. He looked very excited, his age showing through as he tried to pull Yibai over.

Yibai, unamused, shook him off. "Don't touch me."

The young man laughed, his previous sour mood having evaporated. He'd been itching for a fight and ended up being stood up. This guy had to compensate.

"Oh? How about you make me?" He pressed, smirking. He had expected that his taunt would egg him on but this guy's face remained static.

Boo.

He was starting to think this guy must be an elder. How could someone so young be so uptight?

Said uptight youth felt very tempted to take him up on his offer. While Yibai wasn't usually the violent type, he found people like this way too annoying. It was clear that talking wasn't getting through to him.

Yet he couldn't get into a fight like some kind of delinquent.

Then a thought occurred to him.

The young man was about to try again to egg the shorter man on when he felt his collar being tugged, Before he could blink, he was dragged through the gym and dumped onto the fighting mats.

Yibai loomed over him, his cold glaze, bearing down on the young man as he cracked his knuckles.

"I haven't gone in for my interview yet so I'm still just a customer right now." He proclaimed, grabbing the young man by his collar. "That means we can settle your punishment right here and now."

The young man paled, even as his heart raced with excitement.

It was on this day that he met Chen Guiren for the first time. It was also the beginning of his most annoying part-time job.

***​

Much to his surprise, Yibai ended up getting hired. He'd been worried that his punishment of that guy would make his would-be employers unwilling but...

It turned out that the guy he'd beat up was well known for causing trouble.

That was in no way surprising.

The young man, Chen Guiren, was a frequent client, sent in by his parents. It was unclear why, as the youth was clearly strong already but the amount of money his family had given them made it hard to deal with their troublesome son.

Yibai yet again felt great pride for having decked the guy quite a few times.

While the punishment wasn't as one-sided as he'd liked, it was good to have gotten the upper hand early on. Sure, he ended up taking an interview with a black eye but the win under his belt made it well worth it.

Yet despite his excitement, he felt a bit worried. If this Guiren was such a valuable client, would his actions have offended him enough to cause trouble?

Yibai really didn’t want to bring any trouble to his life.

Yet even after a week, there were no strange knocks on his doors or mysterious vans around to make him think he might have to deal with any retaliation.

It was a relief.

So imagine his surprise when he was abruptly called into work by a nervous sounding manager only to find that same troublesome person standing by the door with that same predatory smile.

“Yo!” Guiren looked overjoyed, his fangs glinting in the sun.

Yibai’s expression soured, bringing forth a burst of laughter from the young man.

“Is that any way to greet a client? Shouldn’t you smile and say ‘welcome’?”

“You're not the one paying us so why should I bother?”

“Ack, it's that kind of scathing tongue that I was starting to miss.” He muttered, following Yibai as he walked in. “It’s so cool how you just tear into people so ruthlessly.”

“That’s only with annoying people like you.”

“Oh, so I’m special then?”

“What do you want?!” He snapped, glaring at Guiren. The man grinned, feeling happy he’d gotten this guy’s attention.

“Didn’t anyone tell you?” He said with a wink. “I requested you as my sparring partner.”

It turned out that for the last few days, Chen Guiren had been making a fuss. For some reason, he didn’t want to fight with anyone other than Yibai, saying some strange nonsense about ‘he smells like a good partner’ or something.

After days of nagging, the manager relented and asked Yibai to come in just to shut him up.

How annoying.

Yibai couldn’t help but state, “I’m a receptionist.”

“A receptionist that fist fought with me.”

“That was before I even had my interview so I was just as much a client as you.”

“You nearly broke my nose!” He cried, touching his sharp nose like a wounded puppy.

“Yet here you are, with an unbroken nose. It’s a miracle.”

The sarcasm in his words was heavy and pricked at Guiren’s pride.

“You!” He wanted to say more but the teen behind the desk steadied him with a glare. He’d hoped that the teen would get the hint and leave so he could work yet this clingy ghost refused to move even an inch away.

“Look, if you’re not making an appointment or becoming a member, get out.” Yibai grumbled, resting his chin on his fist. He could feel Guiren’s heat radiating off him yet paid it no mind. This hotblooded guy had to be guided on the right path. “Its way too noisy with you around and you are keeping other customers from coming in.”

Guiren leaned in close, liking Yibai’s smell. “So?”

“It’s troublesome.”

“Ah, you sure do like that word, don’t you?” He grumbled, pouting. He folded his hands, trying to look contrite despite his ferocious looks. “Look, if you face me just one more time, I swear I’ll be good. I’ll even call you master.”

“I’d rather you just leave.”

“Ah, it's very rude to kick out paying customers.”

“It’s not illegal if they are causing a disturbance.”

“Just give me this, won’t you? Please~”

Something told him that this guy didn’t use the word ‘please’ often. Actually, everything about him screamed that he was a person who expected compliance the first time he spoke. Why else would he so brazenly cause trouble with no remorse.

Actually, that might be a good thing.

“If I spar with you and win, you have to promise to not cause any trouble here.” He proclaimed, staring the teen down with crossed arms. “I don’t need any servants but if you stop being troublesome, it’d be preferred.”

“Really?!” Guiren beamed, looking like a child being promised candy. “You’ll fight me again? Like before?”

Something about those words made Yibai consider rescinding his offer. Why act so excited over a fight?

Yet Guiren looked like he was about to scream, his predatory grin growing as they came close to the arena.

It was a normal gym with a closed-off area for those who wanted to box or spar. As most people in the gym were beta’s there was no set rule about how a sparing match could go. Whether the fighters wore protection or not was up to them.

Like the first time, they chose to go without protection. Yibai really wanted to make this annoying person feel his punches

Guiren agreed, saying that those kinds of protections were for those who disliked pain. He wasn’t afraid of pain.

Hearing this declaration, Yibai had to wonder if the guy in front of his was really a beta or not. He’d peeked at Guiren’s record briefly and he was listed as a beta, which confused him.

What about this guy was like a beta?!

While there was no set look for beta’s there were a number of traits not generally found in betas. Being tall, good looking and aggressive were high on the list.

That and he kept going on about smells.

Beta’s didn’t have as good a sense of smell as Alpha’s or Omegas. It made sense, as they didn’t need them. Most beta’s identified sub genders by looks hence Yibai’s confusion.

Yet what could he say? There was no reason to lie about being a beta. There was no reward for saying so.

“Oi, why are you spacing out?” The beta called out, looking miffed. “Am I boring you?”

“There are a dozen other things I’d rather be doing.” He shot back. He was lucky that there weren’t any clients in yet or he would have never agreed to this farce.

“Then I’d better make it worth your oh so precious time then, love.” Before Yibai could voice his complaint about being called love, Guiren ran up to him with his fist raised.

(AN: Let it be known that this apple is absolute shit at writing action scenes)

Yibai ducked, moving to strike from below. Unexpectedly, Guiren took the hit, his grunt of pain being the only indication that he felt it.

Guiren reached down to grab hold of Yibai but he rolled out of reach, sweeping his foot across the mat. Again, rather than moving away, Guiren jumped toward Yibai, tackling him.

Yibai had expected to have a fistfight, not a wrestling match but he refused to give in to this troublesome person. God knows what kind of annoying thing he’d pull if Yibai lost.

While Yibai’s focus was on the match, Guiren’s mind had drifted slightly. His instincts were focused on the fight but he couldn’t help but wonder why he felt antsy.

He’d felt it when he first saw Yibai and felt a familiar itch to fight, wanting to test this guy.

He was strong, which he liked.

Now that he was closer, he could take in Yibai’s scent as they tumbled and grappled. Sweat glistened off his muscles, making Guiren’s mouth water as he imagined how firm they were.

A wayward hand squeezed the beta’s bicep, making Guiren’s fang tingle as he imagined…

He fantasized about-

No, it wasn’t a fantasy. Those large hands were digging into his hand, tugging him away from firm skin as he licked his lips.

He could taste Yibai on his tongue.

Yibai tossed Guiren away, clutching his arm defensively. No skin was broken but the bite left a tingly feeling.

“D-did you just bite me?!” He cried, unable to believe it, even as he spoke the words aloud.

Guiren at least had the decency to look ashamed and he mumbled. “I-I…”

Yibai stormed over, looming over the young man.

“Chen Guiren, don’t act improperly.” He chastised. “This is a gym for betas. There's no need to act like something you’re not.”

To bite someone was not an act beta’s did. The only ones who did such a thing were alphas or even the rare omega. To bite someone was to mark them, proclaiming to the world that the other party was their bondmate.

Beta’s had no such thing, lacking the fangs to mark anyone. Even children didn’t do it, instinctively knowing it wasn’t proper for them to do such a thing.

Yet this beta dared trespass such an ingrained rule just to win a match?

Despite all the rallying calls of equality, reality was cruel. Alphas, Betas, and Omegas were different and had to be separated in certain fields. One of those being physical facilities. If an Alpha were to face an Omega or even a beta in a fight, it was clear who would win.

It would be like pitting a child against a professional athlete.

As such, there were very very few coed facilities that catered to all sub genders as it was bound to face difficulties. If too many people got hurt, it was inevitably going to be an issue.

Yet, despite the odds, the gym they resided in now was one of those mythical co-ed facilities.

Guiren stared up at Yibai, feeling mildly embarrassed.

He was an alpha but was instructed to pretend to be a beta. The scent blockers on him made it easy, making him scentless to everyone around him. He could have gone as an alpha, as they allowed such a thing but his parents were adamant about him learning to control himself.

Yet he bit this guy…

He’d never bit anyone, finding the thought disgusting. He didn’t want anyone’s skin that close to his mouth. Even kisses felt gross. Yet when he smelled Yibai, a haze came over him.

This strong person was so close, he could feel his breath on his skin.

He smelled wonderful, like something earthy and wild.

He really wanted to bite him.

He wanted to mark him.

For the first time since he presented, Guiren felt Alpha-like urges well up in him. Yet it was for a beta. A plain-faced, sharp-tongued beta.

A tongue ran over his fangs.

He felt mildly disappointed he hadn’t broken skin.

Seeing that his opponent looked unrepentant, Yibai could hold back his anger. Without a word, he punched Guiren in the face, knocking him to the floor. While he didn’t go down, he looked up at Yibai with a sour look on his face.

“Shouldn’t you have waited for the match to resume?” He grumbled, wiping the blood from his nose.

“Did it ever pause?”

At that, Guiren laughed, amused by this guy’s words. Was there anyone else who dared speak to him so

Yibai grabbed the young alpha by the collar, pulling him in close to glare into his blood-red eyes. Guiren stared back, briefly enchanted by those pale grey eyes to the point he almost missed the beta’s words.

“If you have time to bitch about me beating you, how about you do something about that attitude of yours?” He growled, scowling as he pointed at his arm. “Don’t go biting people so recklessly.

While an Alpha was all for biting others, if someone bit them it was sure to be seen as a challenge to their authority. Yibai felt he should try and guide this thick-headed young master before he did something stupid.

Like pick a fight and bite the wrong person.

Despite these good intentions, Guiren was no longer listening, feeling his heart race as Yibai tore into him with his words.

It would be many years down the line when this moment would be brought as the day Yibai gained an annoying person. Jun Yibai would never know just how much those words had enticed this young man.

What kind of weirdo fell in love with someone's sharp words?

*****​

AN: And thus, 14 year old Jun Yibai has earned himself a clingy ghost.

 

Spoiler: M: Master

AN: This chapter was a bit of a hassle, mostly cause I was trying to decide between making a long chapter and making things flow well. Can't say I did either but here ya go~

*****​

For the next few weeks, a strange cycle seemed to have formed without Yibai noticing.

At least twice a week, Chen Guiren would show up at the gym with bruises on his face and a savage smile, declaring his intention to defeat Yibai. Sometimes the latter would comment on the wounds but he stopped when the man teased him about 'caring about other people's marks on him' and 'not getting too jealous over him'.

Yibai punched him extra hard that time.

They would fight and Yibai would win. Guiren, throughout the entire fight, would be grinning like a maniac. Even when he lost with blood coming from his nose, his smile was still there. He even laughed.

It was weird!

"Don't be so mean, Master." He'd whine when Yibai complained about the creepy laughter.

Another thing he'd grown used to was Guiren's way of addressing him. Ever since the second fight, the young man had kept his promise, continuing to call Yibai "Master". It was definitely strange but he couldn't get the stubborn guy to stop.

So he used it to make his job easier.

While his job was simple enough, there were times when troublesome people would come by. People fighting over equipment, tension due to proximity, or even just the usual inane stuff, like bumping into someone.

The gym was small so there was no security. Only a few trainers and him, the receptionist. For obvious reasons, that meant when something happened, there needed to be someone to handle it before police were called. But Yibai couldn't always leave his desk to handle things.

That's where Guiren came in.

The first time there was an incident, Guiren had been standing by his desk, begging for a match. The young man was insisting that he'd gotten much better and wanted someone to try it out on. Yibai roundly ignored him, watching as the incident began.

He didn't want to get involved if things settled on their own but he had to make sure.

Seeing that he was being ignored, Guiren turned to watch as well. Just as the offending party was getting physical, Guiren rushed over before Yibai could even twitch. Within seconds, the person's raised arm was pulled behind their back and they fell to the floor.

Yibai was shocked.

For the first time, he saw how strong Guiren was, pinning the offending party on the ground with ease. Guiren was only a little younger than him yet he managed to pin a much larger opponent with technique as opposed to strength.

He was impressed.

Guiren preened under Yibai's gaze, seeing the beta's thoughts as clear as day.

He definitely liked having this guy's eyes on him.

After the police were called to take the offending party away, Guiren went right back to begging for a fight. He boasted about what other 'cool tricks' he could show Yibai.

Somehow, Yibai felt that Guiren wasn't talking about fighting techniques and promptly refused.

"But if you refuse, how can I ever beat you, Master!?" He complained. His pout would have swayed weaker hearts but Yibai didn't even blink.

He knew this guy would just take advantage of any weakness he saw.

Still, sparring with him was kind of fun and it kept the fight-aholic quiet during his appointments. Yibai could only feel pity for his trainer on the days he wasn't on shift if he had to deal with this guy by himself.

Presently, however, this person was Yibai's problem. Their match had ended moments before but his opponent refused to sit up from where he'd fallen. If not for the manic grin on his face, Yibai might have been worried he'd killed his job's richest client.

"That was... awesome, Master~" He chuckled, staring up at Yibai with a hungry look. Even with his nose bleeding, he looked overjoyed despite his loss. "Let's go again. I'll definitely win this time."

Yibai, as usual, ignored the look. Instead, he couldn't help but voice his thoughts on his attitude.

"How can you be so confident after losing so much?"

"How can I not be?" Guiren sat up, blood flowing down his chin as he smiled. "If it's you beating me, then I'm still winning in the end, right?"

"..."

This guy was crazy, wasn't he? But he was a crazy guy with a lot of money so he couldn't let his bosses lose out on such a golden goose.

He handed the younger boy a towel, worried about how much blood was flowing from his nose. At his gesture, Guiren grinned.

Once again, Yibai took notice of his fangs and couldn't help but ask.

"Are your parents Alphas?"

Guiren blinked, confused. "Eh?"

"Your parents?" He repeated, pushing Guiren's head back to help with his nose bleed. This also meant that the beta was staring up at Yibai. "Are they an alpha/beta pair?"

It was rare but sometimes Alpha's produced a beta when their partner was also a beta. Most just produced other Alphas.

As if to further confuse Yibai, he heard a faint rumbling growl from below. Glancing down, he saw Guiren staring up at him intensely.

"Could you do that again?"

Yibai frowned. "Do what?"

"Your hand..."

What was he...? Oh, he'd grabbed hold of Guiren's hair when he pushed his head back. Did he want to be patted on the head or have his hair tugged?

Both felt a bit weird to him.

"I have to get back to wo-" He tried to pull back but was interrupted by Guirens' impassioned plea.

"I'll answer your questions or whatever." He offered, crawling closer. "Come on, Master!"

"..."

There was something appealing about having a guy on his knees and calling you master. Yibai, having spent a lot of time around troublesome people, felt slightly excited about the notion but pressed it down.

Guiren was a troublesome person!

"You're really not helping my confusion." He complained, giving in and patting the man on the head. The fact he practically purred at the touch made Yibai consider rethinking his worldview.

This guy was a beta, right?

His record stated that much. Heck, even his features could be explained away as just a trait he gained from some Alpha ancestor. It wasn't uncommon for people to have traits that don't match their sub-gender.

Alphas with scent glands, Omega's with knots, and even the odd Beta with fangs.

Genetics was weird sometimes.

Still, Yibai couldn't help but wonder if that was the case with this guy.

So he chose to be upfront about it.

"Are you a beta?"

"What does my record say?" Guiren retorted, holding Yibai's wrist so he couldn't pull away. The beta didn't fight his grip, instead staring down at his captor.

His eyes narrowed. "It says you're a beta."

Guiren smiled up at him, cheekily asking. "Would you prefer it if I was an alpha?"

There was no hesitation in his response.

"If you were an alpha, I'd cut ties with you immediately."

Guiren flinched, his purrs ending abruptly. The young men remained in place, the air around them tense. Yibai waited for a reply, expecting a witty retort or a chastisement over his blunt words.

Yet all he got was silence and an abrupt exit. He almost missed when the younger boy had gotten to his feet.

Guiren was fast too, it seemed.

Still, Yibai said nothing as he watched the client leave for the day.

The next day, Chen Guiren didn't show up. Nor did he come the day after.

Without him around, the gym was deafeningly quiet, though there were still dozens of customers milling about. Yibai had just gotten used to how shamelessly Guiren would beg him for a match so the lack of it was weighing on him.

His mind unconsciously started thinking about Guiren. He thought he might have said too much that time.

Whether or not Guiren was a beta, his family had to have some alphas in it. His words were too careless.

Would he have to apologize? He'd rather not but...

His silence was noticed by the regular patrons and they all took turns trying to get a reaction from the mild-mannered clerk. All of them failed, however, as his responses were so mechanical, they feared any more pushing would blow a circuit in him.

Some wanted to try and challenge him to a match but recalling that their humble clerk was able to best Chen Guiren, who could take them all on despite being so young, they shot down that idea quickly.

A fight was better from the sidelines than from the arena.

All of this only came to Yibai's attention when Yang Ru came by and noticed the crowd. Walking over to the desk, the beta leaned back on the counter to take a look around the gym.

"So," She started, her tone tinged with curiosity. "where's your punching bag today?"

She had seen them fight before and could only watch in amazement as her mild-mannered friend pummeled one of her parents' best customers. She was impressed by her friend's abilities.

Had it not been that Yibai was not her type, she'd consider trying her luck with him. Though she knew she'd be rejected anyway, even if Yibai was her type.

"He's not here, as you can see." Yibai grumbled, staring past her.

"Yeah, I can see that." She cattily shot back. "Do you usually beat the shit out of customers?"

"Only when they ask."

"Ah, I didn't know my buddy was so kinky! Does that mean you have those kinds of interests?"

"What kind of thoughts are you having?"

"What kind do you think?"

Yibai couldn't imagine what kind of thoughts were running through her mind. Yang Ru was the kind of girl who knew things that would have his face burning red in seconds. It was... kind of terrifying sometimes.

He feared the poor soul who dared go through her search history.

Yang Ru continued to tease him, easily getting a rise out of the straight-laced teen. After a bit of back and forth, he interrupted her mid dirty joke.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, covering her mouth lest his pure soul be corrupted by her words. "I thought you didn't like coming here."

Yang Ru, like most teens, wasn't into being around her parents. When possible, she would call to say hi but never truly show up in person.

Yibai thought this was strange as, ever since he started working at the gym, he hadn't even seen the owners. So really, what was she avoiding?

"Well, if you must know... My parents want to meet you." She blurted out, turning to face Yibai.

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"I dunno."

"Seriously, what are you telling your parents about me?" He said with a frown. "First the job and now meeting them for dinner? If they try to set us up, I'm ending our friendship here."

"Oi, don't blame me! My folks are just curious about you, that's all. "She snapped back. "I don't have many friends-"

"You have no friends." He pointed out, though Yang Ru continued on as if he'd said nothing.

"-aside from you, so they want to meet you." She explained, peeking up at her friend. "It's what normal people do."

Yibai snorted, not responding to her jab.

He knew that was a dig at him for refusing to introduce her to his parents. At this point, the only people at his school to have even seen his parents were the faculty and that was only at his orientation.

Yibai intended to keep it that way. Even if the school was entirely populated by betas, he feared what his mother or worse, his father would say to his classmates.

Yibai might not be the most popular guy in school but he much preferred having a reputation based on his own actions as opposed to one based on his parent's actions.

***​

Despite his reluctance to meet his friends' parents, Yibai agreed to Yang Ru's invitation. Regardless of the weirdness, they were his bosses, so he should at least thank them for hiring him.

As such, after handing off his duties to the next clerk, Yibai went to the locker room to change, It didn't take him long to change though he did remember to greet his co-worker who was also getting dressed.

When he exited the locker room, he spotted Yang Ru leaning against the wall while on the phone. As he drew closer, her conversion could be heard.

"How is he then?... Yeah, I was going to bring him over today but if dad isn't feeling well, there's no point..." She grimaced in disgust. "Mom, I don't need the play by play of dad's heat, okay? That's not something I ever want to think abo-... M-mom! Please!" She pleaded as her mother apparently ignored her pleas.

After a minute, she covered her face, looking as if she was seconds from dying from embarrassment. Whatever her mother was saying, was troubling to the usually chipper girl.

It's all fun until one's parents shared just a bit too much, it seemed.

"Look, I'll pick up some congee from that place you like later for dad but please don't let me walk in on something gross~" She begged, covering her eyes as if to shield them from what her mother was saying. "Okay?"

There was a moment of silence before Yang Ru sighed with relief.

"Kay! Love you too, mom. Give dad my regards." Without another word, she hung up. She immediately let out a breath, sounding every part of the distressed teen.

Yibai stepped closer. "Something happened?"

Yang Ru jumped, having not noticed Yibai's approach.

"Eek!" She clutched the wall, glaring at him. "Damn it, Jun Yibai, are you trying to kill me!?"

"You wouldn't die that simply." He retorted, cocking a brow.

If it was her, her death would be with fireworks and fanfare. To die from being caught by surprise was too dull a death for her. She'd never accept it.

Yang Ru snickered, though she quickly coughed to hide it as Yibai's grey eyes drifted to her. His serious face when saying something so silly was too much. How could she not laugh?

To his question, she responded. "My dad isn't feeling good so my mom is taking care of him." She explained, sighing. "So I guess you'll have to wait to meet your in-laws."

"Don't joke about that." He grumbled, though something she said tickled his curiosity. "Your dad is going through heat?"

Heat was a phenomenon that afflicted omega on a semi-regular basis. There was no standard for their timing. Some had them a couple of times a year and others had them monthly.

As a beta, Yibai only knew that during an omega's heat, they were primed to be bred and attracted all kinds of attention due to their pheromones. It seemed incredibly troublesome to him, as it meant the omega was bedridden for days to at most a month without suppressants.

As their daughter, Yang Ru obviously knew this but also knew her mom would be 'comforting' her dad, so she planned on staying as far from their bedroom as possible while still staying in the same house. Considering they were both Omega's, it was going to be a long week.

When she explained that, claiming she'd probably have to stay with her uncle for a while, Yibai frowned at the new information.

"Your parents... are omega's?"

Yang Ru's eyes narrowed mildly.

"Is that a problem?" Yang Ru's tone was cold. Gone was the friendly and open attitude he's grown used to.

Yibai, after all this time, had found her bottom line.

He shook his head though he felt a bit nervous about the situation. He really didn't have an issue with Omega's. He just couldn't help but feel nervous like a child sneaking in to take some cookies without permission.

His father, if he learned that Yang Ru was the child of an Omega pair, would surely demand Yibai cut ties with her. He absolutely didn't want that.

She was the first friend he'd felt safe getting close to. He didn't want to risk it if he could help it. Yet another reason he was thankful their meeting fell through. He could now plan accordingly.

Yang Ru visibly relaxed as she saw her friend's sincere expression. At once, her usual cheeky smile returned.

"Cool!" She grabbed his arm, dragging him out the door. "Then let's go. I have to go on an errand but we should hang out for a bit."

***​

A few days later, within a large estate that could easily house quite a few dozen families, a homeowner dragged himself through the door and let out a heavy sigh.

Jingyao walked into his home, exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to collapse into his nice expensive couch and fall asleep until his husband came home and gave him a much-needed massage. Maybe they could fit in a cuddle if they didn't pass out immediately. Who knows, the night was young.

Yet to his surprise, his spot on the couch on which he had placed all his hopes of relaxation on, was occupied.

By his son, who should have been somewhere else.

"Guiren, what are you doing here?" He growled, glaring down at the young man who shared his and his husband's genes. It was the only thing that saved the boy from a swift kick off his rightful resting place.

Guiren grinned, his tone light as he spoke. "What? Am I no longer welcome, dad?"

"You know the answer to that." Jingyao shot back, grabbing the back of the couch. "I'm more curious about why you are here instead of that gym you like so much?"

Honestly, he hadn't expected Guiren to take to that place so readily. He and his husband had chosen to enroll their son at a gym as a means to expel all the excess energy he had and teach him how to hold back his strength. Guiren was strong, even for an alpha, so they couldn't be careless with his more predatory urges.

Yet, while the gym was a good place to expel energy, Guiren refused to hold back and ended up hurting quite a few trainers despite his age. God forbid he gets any stronger. The trouble he'd cause would be way too excessive.

"I'm playing the long game, dad." He proclaimed, smiling with confidence. "Didn't you say distance makes the heart grow fonder?"

Jingyao's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you harassing this time?"

"Why does it have to be harassment?!"

"Because that's how you are?" He stated, crossing his arms. "So tell me who you're bothering now?"

Jingyao could only hope his son wasn't causing trouble for the owners. It had taken a lot of money to get them to accept his battle-hungry son into their small gym. With how much trouble he'd caused his previous gyms, the money was surely going to be needed later. Still, he hadn't heard any complaints, so he assumed his son had finally matured a little and learned how to control himself.

Yet his words made him worry that his son had gotten himself in some situation.

"I'm not bothering anyone!" Guiren insisted, jumping to his feet. "I'm just having a good time with a cool guy!"

"Did this 'cool guy' agree to this 'good time' or was it you who insisted?"

"..."

As he thought. Jingyao sighed, feeling pity for the poor soul who had gained his son's attention like this. There wouldn't be a single moment of peace for them.

Elsewhere, Yibai sneezed, wondering if someone was talking about him.

"He isn't weak, dad!" Guiren insisted, staring up at his father. "Mas-that guy isn't going to break. I've just been sparring with him."

"Sparring?" He echoed, frowning. "Didn't the owners say it was mostly beta's who attended that gym? Where didn't you find an alpha that could keep up with you?"

"That's just it! He isn't an alpha! He's a full-blooded beta."

The Alpha blinked in surprise. "A beta?"

"En, we've been having matches every time I go. It's great!" He cried, grinning savagely. "Really, it's just... Dad, there are times I don't hold back and he can still take every strike! Even better, I bet he will get even stronger later on. I'm super excited!!!"

Jingyao could see that. He had never seen his son so enthusiastic about a fight. While he definitely was a fight nut, his desire to do so was more out of anger or frustration than actual enjoyment. Yet Guiren's eyes glowed with glee just thinking about this beta guy.

But it did beg the question,

"Why are you here instead of the gym then?"

"Like I said, I want him to miss me, like that saying implies." He proclaimed shamelessly.

Ah, so this was all one-sided then.

"I don't want you harassing someone like this, Guiren." He chastised, looming over his son. Despite how strong the boy was, Jingyao was an adult alpha. Even if he didn't want to, he'd have to back down. "Think about the future, your future true mate."

Every Alpha dreamed of finding their other half just as much as Omega's did. Though in Guiren's case, he needed his omega more than other Alphas.

It wasn't common knowledge but an Alpha's true mate tended to help curb an Alpha's more base nature. Most alphas could live without such a buffer but Guiren was more in tune with his nature than others, possibly due to having two alphas as parents.

His omega would be nothing but good for the boy.

Guiren grimaced, hating the thought. If there was anything he disliked, it was being tied down.

"I don't want a true mate! I like Mas- that beta." He argued. "You and father didn't wait for your true mates."

"We didn't need them but you are getting out of control, Guiren!" Jingyao's voice was deepening, a subtle growl flowing forth that made most of the servants nearby lower their head in submission.

Out of sheer stubbornness, Guiren kept his gaze on his father. With a clenched fist, the staredown only lasted a few seconds more before the victor was decided.

"Would you allow an omega to get between you and father?" He shot back, his eyes darting away as he felt his father suppress him.

Jingyao's eyes narrowed at the thought.

If that idiot husband of his dared try and leave him, he'd definitely tie him down like he did in high school. There wouldn't be an unmarked spot for that floozy Omega to even get close to, let alone bite.

He knew what Guiren was doing but it was for his own good. He had to find this child's mate or else they'd never get him to be fit as an heir. The traits he had were only useful in controlled states. The way he was now, he'd only make trouble in the future.

Guiren could see that his father was not letting the matter go, the elder man being just as, if not more stubborn than his son.

"I'm not letting this go, dad! I like that guy."

Jingyao stared down at his son before sighing. He knew that look well. He'd had the same expression back when he started to pursue his husband.

Men with those kinds of looks rarely failed to get what they wanted.

Ah, that determination would be so much more useful if you weren't so much of a hassle to raise. He thought with a sigh. Still, there was another matter to discuss.

"If you aren't going to that gym, you can make yourself useful and attend a get-together with your Aunt Li and her daughter."

The get-together was quite important to Jinyao, as his company was in the middle of a very profitable deal with another company. Unfortunately, the other side wanted certain conditions that Jingyao was unable to provide at the moment, so he'd sent his elder sister to smooth things over first.

Perhaps if Guiren saw how normal people acted, he'd learn a few things about when and where to show one's aggressive side. A punch to the face did, indeed, solve quite a few problems but the shitstorm that usually followed was never worth it.

Gurirne, as expected, grimaced at the order. "Why do I have to go?"

"Because you are my heir and you need to earn that title." He pointed out with a serious expression. "Go there, make connections, and maybe find yourself a proper mate."

"Dad!"

"You have nothing better to do, do you?" The elder challenged, cocking a brow. When the young man said nothing, Jingyao nodded with satisfaction. "As I thought. Now get dressed."

Guiren, with a deep scowl, stormed to his room, his door slamming as he disappeared from sight. Jingyao sighed, feeling a bit guilty.

He truly did want his son to be happy and marry the one he loves but... The amount of damage that boy had brought forth was starting to worry both his parents. They knew it was just a matter of having too much energy and no good means to channel it.

Their son really liked fighting, so they could do nothing else but sign him up for a gym.

And now, somehow, he'd fallen for some Beta there.

God, he was too exhausted to deal with all this~

Just then, the front door slammed open and a familiar scent filled the room as his mate walked in. He looked almost twice as tired as him. Even his husband, a strong and capable Alpha, looked ready for a nice five-hour coma.

But first...

"Hubby, come over here." Jingyao called out, crooking his finger toward the man. Like a siren's call, he followed Jingyao's call.

What followed was to be expected, though Guiren very nearly walked in on his parents 'reestablishing their bonds'. Luck was on his side as he heard their love-filled cries and ran in the opposite direction.

He'd considered asking his dad for a ride to the venue but nothing would make him get any closer.

Besides, the hotel wasn't that far. How much trouble could he possibly get into in such little time?

*** ​

Yibai stared up at the hotel, a bit in awe.

How could he not be? A 4 star hotel that housed celebrities and politicians on a regular basis. An establishment whose nightly rate had so many zeros, it boggled the mind to think the guest was just renting a room and not buying a villa. To think that he, a regular guy, was even allowed to step into the lobby was shocking.

Not for the first time tonight, Yibai wondered how his father had managed to get a conference hall here.

He knew he and his dad's co-works pooled their resources often but to be able to afford this was... impressive.

Then again, they were renting the room for only two hours so it was probably all they could afford.

Still, despite Yibai's desire to be a background character, he felt a bit excited. Who wouldn't be when stepping into an entirely different world? How could a single threshold be as magical as a portal? Separating the world of the everyday citizen from the world of riches and fame.

Perhaps had he been born an Alpha or even an Omega, he might have yearned to join this world but he was just a beta. He was content with his small income and simple life.

There was no need to complicate things.

Yet like all things in Yibai's life, things were rarely simple.

 

Spoiler: M: Stroke of midnight

AN: Super very sorry for the long wait but thank you for sticking with me~

*****​

"Hey hey, Yibai!" Yang Ru smiled down at her best friend, not bothering to ask about why he looked so tired. "Have heard the rumor?"

"Rumor?" He echoed, blinking tiredly as he looked up from his folded arms. "Why should I care?"

"Why?! Why indeed!" She cried, looking aghast. "Who doesn't want to know besides you? It's about the Cinderella at Hualin hotel?"

Unseen by her, Jun Yibai flinched.

"Cinder...ella?"

Yang Ru shrugged. "Well, it's a guy but the story is still the same, right?"

"I think it would be quite different." He tried interjecting but was soundly ignored by the girl.

"Anyway, turns out some 'plebeian' had managed to draw the eye of not one but two princes." She grinned, looking like a hungry cat seeking a meal. "It's very juicy gossip."

Yibai choked. "T-Two princes?"

"En, I can't say what their identities are but they are definitely high up there."

...Shit.

Had he made another mistake?

***​

Had Yibai known how the evening would pan out, he would have made an excuse to get out of going to his father's meeting. It would have been worth the hour-long lecture.

Unfortunately for him and fortunately for a certain duo, he did indeed go to the Hualin hotel.

***​

The first hurdle of the evening happened to be the most mundane.

Getting in.

Before his eyes, Yibai stared up at the guard that was twice his size and oozed intimidation, making the young man reluctant to look at him. But look at him he did, because they were holding quite the conversation.

"I told you. I'm attending a meeting hosted here."

"Yeah? So where is your pass?"

He flinched, peeking around the lobby in which they stood in. Just outside, there were limos and expensive cars. Flashing lights of cameras illuminated the night, showing off just how sought after the people around were. It was clear that some kind of event was going on. They couldn't just let in anyone who came off the streets when there were so many important people around.

He'd even heard whispers of a royal showing up tonight.

Yet he forgot his pass at home, like an idiot.

With reluctance, he replied. "I... I don't have one."

"Then I can't let you in." The guard shot back, his gaze intensifying. "Now leave."

"But-"

His words were cut off as the guard spun him around and pushed him toward the side exit. The push was probably gentle but it still knocked the breath out of Yibai.

He was big for his age, so perhaps the man thought he'd be fine.

He only half was.

As he tried to catch his breath, the guard looked down at him with a questioning look.

"If you want to get into a place like this, be more mindful of your appearance." He said, shaking his head. "Even with a pass, I feel bad for those who see you."

At that, Yibai couldn't help but scowl.

Here he was, in his humble hoodie and jeans, looking shabby in comparison to those with clothes that cost more than most homes. He could spot the glimmer of jewelry and watches that screamed wealth and let out a breath.

While it was annoying, he couldn't argue.

This couldn't be helped. Hualin hotel was a high-end hotel that hosted celebrities and executives on a regular basis. The least one was expected to be wearing was a nice shirt.

Yibai, on the other hand, was wearing a worn hoodie and faded jeans.

If he looked like anything, it was not someone who 'belonged' in such a place.

He sighed, wondering what he should do. He was sure his dad and his friends wouldn't like it if he was late. Worse, if he told him that he was held up at the door.

He was just considering how to sneak in when the guard's radio clicked to life.

[This is section 12. We have a situation, Over]

"What kind of situation?" The guard responded, turning away so others couldn't hear him. Yibai happened to still be close by, so he heard everything.

[Looks to be a fight. One of the guests and- O-oh shit!]

A clamor erupted from the radio, startling the guard into action. Without another look at Yibai, he called for backup and rushed away. As if an afterthought, the intimidating guard directed another colleague his way.

In that split second, he came to a decision.

He was not going to have his father tear into him for being held up. So he ran.

As expected, he was chased but to his surprise, the chase was short.

Apparently, that situation was requiring more back up and his pursuers prioritized their guests over some random teen.

Lucky him.

Still, he slipped into the first open door he spotted, which turned out to be a bathroom. Without thought, he entered one of the stalls, locking it as he leaned against the pristine walls.

His ragged breath echoed through the room, making his attempt to hide pointless. Yet what else could he do? He'd run around for a while. The fact he lost them was almost primarily because they had something else going on.

Without that distraction, he'd have been caught and arrested for sure.

Thinking about that, he wondered if it was worth it. Was his father getting mad at him worth a possible arrest?

In his mind, he could see a pair of intense gray eyes that matched his own glaring down at him, his gruff voice tearing at him for holding things up. For being so irresponsible for forgetting to bring his pass when he was usually so organized.

A tendril of fear slithered through him as he couldn't determine how his father would respond.

He came to the conclusion he'd rather suffer the assured arrest than face the uncertainty of his father's reaction.

He let out a breath, relaxing as he waited for things to die down before he went out. He still had time before the meeting started.

The door opened, bringing with it two voices.

Neither of which made him feel good.

"When will you stop following me?" A soft, clearly young voice snapped. If not for the tone, Yibai imagined it would resemble bells. "I'm not interested in anything you have to offer."

"Don't be so quick to refuse? An older voice replied, clearly trying to coax their companion. "All I said was that you were very well suited for show business. If you let me, I can introduce you to some very influential people."

One could feel the filth dripping off his words. There was an underlying layer of cajoling that made Yibai uncomfortable. Something made him think that these 'very nice people' were folks that shouldn't be met.

The other person clearly agreed.

"Do you think me naïve just because of my age?" The young person snapped back, a subtle click echoing as they stomped their foot. "Who doesn't know what kind of things goes on behind closed doors in entertainment? I'm not interested in you, entertainment, or your friends."

Yibai nodded with approval, feeling a strange sense of pride for this person. The man making the sleazy offer was clearly older and seemed to be trying to corner their junior. Most young people would feel pressured when cornered by an elder.

Yet this person showed no hesitation in refusing when it was clear that this person had ill intentions.

Yibai wanted to cheer this person on.

His admiration had distracted him for a little while, as he came back to reality when he heard a mild scuffle that ended with a loud clap. The silence that followed made Yibai think that someone had been slapped.

A thread of concern shot through his heart at the thought that the person he had exalted had been wronged. Yet, much to his satisfaction, the soft voice spoke in a clear and haughty tone that radiated pride.

"Do not try and touch me again." He ordered, his soft voice still tickling Yibai's ear like a feather. The young man snorted, his haughty tone returning. "I'm sorry but your taste is too heavy and I can't match it. A man your age, pursuing someone who hasn't even graduated middle school... Isn't this too disgusting?"

M-middle school!?

This elder- no this bastard was trying to pressure someone who might not even be as old as (YB)him?!

While Yibai wasn't the heroic type or one to get involved in other people's business, he absolutely wasn't a heartless person. How could he sit still when some junior was being harassed in a bathroom alone?

Without thought, Yibai exited the stall casually and walked over to the sink. Both men stopped to stare as he washed his hands. He only spotted a head of silver hair before he draped an arm over the young man.

"I'm hearing a lot of disgusting things." He breathed, his demeanor matching that annoying Guiren somewhat. That bravado was something he needed just then. "This might be a bathroom but please save such filth for lower class places, mister. Perhaps you should go to one of those nightclubs nearby if it's not too high brow for you."

While the hotel was on the higher end, the area was often frequented by rich second generations. They had much lower standards and sought after less approved entertainment so the nightclubs nearby weren't a place one wanted to be seen at. The diseases one could catch there were varied and might have very well been native to that venue.

"E-eh?" The older man stepped back, still surprised at the sudden appearance of another person. "Who are you?!"

Yibai was still thinking clearly enough to pull up his hoodie to cover his face. All that could be seen was his mouth and nose.

"Me? Isn't it obvious?" He pressed, pulling the silver-haired young man closer to his side, eliciting a surprised gasp from him. "How can I relax when my partner is in trouble?"

"Partner?!" The old man looked between them, trying to discern the truth. To his credit, the young man didn't fight him. If anything, he came closer, as if taking comfort in someone else's presence.

Had he been scared before, even with all his bravado.

The old man, upset that his solicitation had been interrupted, couldn't help but shout.

"How dare you?!" He snapped, stomping forward. "Touching him so casually, despite being so much older. Have you no shame?!"

Yibai was tall for his age. Not taller enough to be mistaken for an adult but tall enough to be seen as an older teen. As such, his behavior was a bit questionable.

Still.

"Is that something you of all people should be saying?" He shot back, glaring at the man.

The elder seethed, wanting to say more but didn't want to draw any attention. Even if he called his guards, it would cause a ruckus, and if anyone found out what he'd attempted...

There wouldn't be a safe place in all of the city to hide.

With gritted teeth, he spat a curse and stormed out the door. As soon as the door closed, a group of men in black grabbed the older man, expertly smothering his cries as they dragged him away. Between one moment and the next, the hallway was cleared and looked as if it had been empty the entire time.

Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, Yibai let out a breath. He'd been terrified that the man would try to overpower him. His skills were good but if he faced someone with formal skills, Yibai would be in trouble.

The young man, still leaning on the beta's arm, turned to him with a smile.

"Were you scared?

"No." He immediately denied. He worried that this person would think he was a coward. The why was simple.

Beta or not, he had his pride.

As if sensing this, the young man giggled, his voice tickling Yibai's chest in ways he was coming to resent.

"Well, I suppose I should thank my knight in shining armor right?" He pressed, moving closer with a sly smile. He opened his mouth to ask how much his savior wanted before he took notice of the scent emanating from the beta.

This subtle earthy scent he had missed.

Yibai was about to tell the young man that he had no interest in rewards when his hood was pulled back, revealing his dark brown hair and shocked gray eyes.

Eyes like coal stared back, a small smile blooming on the silver-haired boy's face.

"Sweetie?"

Shit.

***​

Yibai briskly walked down the hallway, feeling his shadow lurking behind as he spoke rapidly.

"Sweet, I can't believe it! I've missed you so much!" Suren cried, grinning from ear to ear. "When you didn't show up to graduation, I was so worried about you. Then I found out you moved without saying anything. I know we weren't friends in the traditional sense but did you have to be so mean? I almost cried."

"You don't cry." Yibai pointed out.

Suren was very dramatic but he never cried. The only time he'd cried was when they had first met and that was because he had hit his nose at the time. Outside that moment of involuntary tears, Suren was too prideful to let anyone make him cry.

Hearing his response, Suren beamed.

"So you do remember. I'm glad."

Yibai stopped to look at him, taking him in for the first time. Suren had certainly grown up a bit since they last met. He was still a beauty, his features making women pale in comparison though there was a masculine edge that complimented his looks well. His hair was still pale silver, making the moon in its luster and his coal-black eyes glimmered with a sly glimmer that spoke of mischief.

All in all, they did not match.

Even now, there were people around them whispering about the odd pair they were.

"What a lovely young man."

"He must be an omega. Someone that beautiful has to be."

"But why is that guy with him?"

"Maybe he's a bodyguard?"

"That makes sense. Why else with such a bland guy be around such an exceptional young man?"

All these comments didn't really bother Yibai. He knew himself well and wasn't one to compare himself to others. His problem was all the attention he was getting.

He was still technically being pursued by the guards.

Yibai sighed.

"Li Suren, go away." He said, turning to the omega. "Just think of this incident as a crossing of paths and nothing more."

Suren's happy mood dampened.

"But it's been so long~"

"Yes. But I have things to do and so do you."

"Bu~" Suren puffed up his cheeks with indignation. Looking up at Yibai, he noticed the beta's gaze scanning the room.

"Are you avoiding someone?" He asked, following his friend's gaze. He was staring at the guards scattered about the room. "You aren't supposed to be here, are you?"

To call it a guess would be an insult to Suren's intelligence. Yibai nodded, shifting subtly behind a potted plant.

It was amusing to see someone with such a wide body trying to hide behind a plant. If not for the situation being serious, Suren might have found the sight amusing. Unfortunately, if Yibai was caught by hotel security, he would definitely be arrested. Sneaking into a place like this was not a simple trespassing issue.

With so many important guests, the hotelier couldn't afford to allow such mistakes.

Suren took Yibai's hand, pulling him down the hallway. He opened his mouth to explain his motives, wanting to help his friend so he wouldn't get caught but Yibai refused to budge. A silent tug of war ensued as they both tried to be as quiet as possible.

Yet, like all things in Yibai's life, it got complicated.

A waiter that was standing by to serve was an unfortunate victim of their tug of war, his tray being knocked out of his hand and unleashing the contents onto Yibai.

"Ah! I-I'm so sorry, Ma'am- I-I mean, sir." The waiter quickly corrected himself as he bowed to Suren. "Please forgive me."

"It's fine just..." His eyes darted around, trying to see if they had been noticed. They had. He gritted his teeth. "Just show us to a changing room."

"Right away, sir." With a look of relief, the waiter quickly showed them to a dressing room. Yibai said nothing, removing his hoodie on the way before any of the wine got on it. Luckily, it only messed up the shirt he was wearing underneath and his pants.

Inside the dressing room, Suren let out a sigh, feeling mildly frustrated.

"Why did you fight me?" He snapped, glaring up at Yibai. The beta didn't falter, crossing his arms.

"You expect me to follow you just because you pull me?"

"I was trying to help!"

"How am I to know that?"

"You don't trust me?"

"I..." He didn't know how to answer that. Suren was a secret of his, something he had hid from his father because of how that man would react.

As such, having Suren around was like holding a live bomb with no set timer. He was constantly on edge, wondering if his father would one day find out about this secret he'd kept from him.

It wasn't Suren's fault but...

"I don't dislike you but... It's best if we don't get too close."

His reply was met with a frown, as Suren wasn't asking about like or dislike. Then it hit him. This wasn't a matter of trust either. It was about whether or not Yibai was willing to be seen with Suren.

He'd rather risk being caught than be seen with Suren.

The first part was him trying to be reassuring to the omega, despite his words.

How very like you. Suren thought, turning away.

They stood in silence, an awkward tension filling the air. It had only been a year or so but they felt miles apart now.

They both sighed.

peeking over, Yibai took a solid look at his past rival for the first time tonight.

As expected, Suren was still very handsome with features that made one swallow and think they had seen a fairy. To add to that, his dress was a pale blue, complimenting his silver hair and pale skin. His image made one thing of an ethereal being that would fade away into the mist in seconds.

Thinking about it, it was a bit strange for him to be wearing a dress, to begin with. He even wore heels to match. Yibai hadn't said anything before, as it wasn't his business what Suren wore but considering the awkward silence, he felt comfortable talking about it now.

"Your dress..." He started, turning to the omega.

"Hm?"

"It got stained."

"Oh?" Suren looked down at his chest, taking note of the stain left by the wine. He shrugged. "That isn't an issue. I didn't want to wear this anyway."

"Then why did you?" He asked. From what he could remember, Suren wasn't the type to do anything he didn't want to.

"It was my grandfather's idea." Suren grumbled, scowling. "He is a huge traditionalist. I'm supposed to be looking for my mate at this party so I have to wear this."

"Ah."

Yibai had heard about these kinds of traditions, from long ago when the sub-genders were more in tune with their base nature. Not much was known about that time, as most stories were told orally at the time but one of the few that survived the test of time was the traditional garb of Omegas.

Bright red to attract their mate.

Some old clans still practiced this tradition but the most antiquated part was the fact that the garb worn was always a dress. Apparently, so that their mate had easy access to... parts.

Male or female, an omega was to wear a dress to make things easy for their mate. It was frowned upon in the modern age, as Omegas were no longer seen as just members of a harem. It was also demeaning to all involved, as many found the practice humiliating.

Suren, it turns out, was one of those people.

Still, Yibai couldn’t help but comment on the dress.

“You look nice in that.”

There was no judgement or interest in his words. If anything, it was like he was stating a fact. Something about that deadpan delivery made Suren feel less self conscious about the dress, eliciting a smile from the young man.

“Thanks.”

Before he could say anything more, the door to their dressing room opened as several employees walked in with clothes racks. This was followed up by a rack of shoes and other accessories.

"What is-"

"Ah! Just in time." Suren exclaimed, grinning. He looked down at his phone absently. "Sweetie, take off your clothes."

He blinked. "What?"

"Your clothes."

"I heard you. Why am I stripping?

"If you don't wash them soon, they'll stain."

"And what will I wear in the meantime?"

Suren's smile grew. "Leave that to me~"

***​

Suren sat in the dressing room, playing with his phone as he waited for Yibai to emerge. He'd taken forever to choose an outfit and Suren was getting impatient.

Didn't he have a thing to go to?

Just then, the doors to the dressing room opened, revealing the young man in his new suit. The only ones in the room were them so only Yibai saw the astonished look on Suren's face. No, he would be the only one for many years to saw such an expression on the young man's face.

That other person might as well not be mentioned at all.

This just left Suren to stare at Yibai in a daze.

"Is... is that what you are going to wear?"

Yibai, with no shame, crossed his arms over his chest.

"What's wrong with it?"

Hadn't Suren said he could choose whatever he wanted? He thought gazing down at his outfit. Why was he changing his tune now?

"Well..." He wanted to say more but seeing the subdued glee in his sweetie's eyes, he couldn't bear to comment. "You know what? Never mind. I said choose whatever you like so we'll take it."

"It's just for an evening anyway." He mumbled back, feeling a bit self-conscious. Yibai had a thick face but even he could tell his choice had stunned Suren. "Just until my clothes are done."

Much to his surprise, Suren had actually wanted to launder his clothes since they got messed up before. While the phrasing was questionable, he couldn't fault the teen for his intentions.

Even if he so blatantly leered at Yibai when he changed.

He'd forgotten how easy it was to be around Suren. He was annoying when speaking but not something he disliked outright. Part of his was tempted to ask him about the past year.

He refrained, as this was a mere coincidence and shouldn't be encouraged.

"Absolutely. You look stunning by the way." Suren brought him out of his thoughts, holding out an item. "Shall we go?"

A bear mask.

Yibai sighed. "Do I really have to?"

"It's only for a little while." Suren assured, reaching up to secure his mask. "Just think of it as a new experience! Something fun~"

"There is nothing fun about this."

"That just because you haven't tried it yet. I promise, No one will know you were even there!"

Yibai was unconvinced.

***​

The hotel was hosting a high-profile gathering in one of the main halls. Famous names and faces could be seen littering every corner. Those lower on the social ladder sought to use this opportunity to gain connections and make friends. Even the most obscure actress or down on their luck entrepreneur could fly to the skies if they found the right backer at this party.

It was because of this that when an unfamiliar pair of youths walked in with one of them wearing a mask, people noticed. In this gathering where even the most fearsome groups openly showed themselves yet, there was a masked person.

Even more eye-catching was the person by his side.

Li Suren was the most sought after omega at this gathering. Dozens of parents were itching to toss their sons and daughters at him, wanting that connection to his name and lineage.

Yet he came with some strange young man with a bear mask and weirdly colored suit.

How could they not stop and stare?

Listening to the muttering going on, it didn't take long to realize Suren was an object of many people's attention. Yibai resisted the urged to run out of the room.

"You are a damn liar, Li Suren." He growled at his partner, who just smiled, clinging to his arms.

"Oops"

Suren wanted to say it wasn't entirely his fault, as Yibai suit was bound to get attention due to his color choice but he refrained from doing so. The beta clearly liked the suit despite... everything about it, so he was happy to take the blame for this.

He just didn't think his very low-key Sweetheart would like such a style of dress. Was he not concerned he might be mistaken for a pimp?

Yibai wore a light purple suit that contrasted heavily with everyone else neutral colors. Luckily, Suren's dress was a similar shade so they didn't contrast too much but who could anyone miss this guy? He might as well have worn a neon sign that screamed 'NOTICE ME!'

(AN: Think of a Pimp Named Slickback's suit minus the cane and hat.)

Had Suren not known how much Yibai hated attention drawn to him, he might have thought this was on purpose.

Much to his surprise, however, Yibai showed no outward reaction to the attention. His back was straight and he kept his gaze steady. If not for the slightly trembling hand gripping his own, Suren would have thought Yibai didn't mind.

"I'm sorry about this." Suren muttered, drawing them away from the crowd. "I really just didn't want to come in alone."

While Suren was a very confident guy, after what occurred in the bathroom, he felt nervous about being alone. It was fine before because the guy was too cowardly to dare touch Suren for fear of what his family would do but...

That could have just as easily not been the case.

At least at the party, he was less likely to be cornered but he couldn't make himself travel back by himself. Hence he had asked Yibai to accompany him.

Much to his surprise, the beta agreed.

The only drawback was that he was very noticeable as he was the only one wearing a mask and was dressed like a pimp. Suren found him adorable but he knew others might stop and stare.

Yibai, while upset, didn't complain any further. He knew why he was invited, even if Suren didn't say it out loud.

"I'm just glad I kept you from embarrassing yourself." He retorted, escorting Suren through the ballroom.

"Embarrass myself?" The omega scoffed, looking offended. "How would I have-"

"The hoodie?"

Suren grinned. "You mean your hoodie?"

"Yes, that one." He deadpanned, thinking back to the abject horror his servants showed when they saw him wearing that worn thing. "How could you think it would be okay to wear that over your dress that cost god knows how much?"

Had he not insisted, he was sure this idiot would have sashayed through the ball room in that old hoodie and showed it off for whatever reason. He was definitely the type.

As if to prove this, Suren raised his chin confidently.

"Please! I would look good even if I was in a garbage bag." He proclaimed, clinging to Yibai's arm. "How others get to see me in such casual clothes... Hah, it's too much to think about. They should be grateful."

Yibai rolled his eyes.

"As long as you're being humble."

Suren chuckled, amused by his Sweetie's words.

Still, he felt a bit guilty, knowing Yibai wasn't the type to put himself out in front of a crowd. His sweetie really was trying to be a background character.

Yet here he was, sticking with Suren just because of his silly concerns.

Suren tightened his grip on Yibai's arm, laying his cheek on the teen's shoulder.

"Sweetie?"

"Mn?"

"Thank you."

The beta glanced at his companion before looking away, not bothering to ask why he was being thanked. It didn't need to be said.

"Just think of it as me paying you back."

"For the suit?"

"Mn."

Yibai didn't clarify. Perhaps Suren didn't recall when Yibai had spent the night at his house. Of the scared child who had, for the first time, sought comfort from another person that wasn't his family.

No, it was better said that Suren, even to this day, didn't know why his friend was so quiet that night.

Despite the strangeness of that night, Suren never asked why he was so unlike himself. Even when the beta had held Suren's hand as they slept in the same bed, Suren remained quiet.

There are times when people want to talk. To speak the words buried in their chest lest they tear them apart from the inside out.

There are times when words can't do what a simple hug can. When just being near someone else can bring comfort to a restless heart.

The truest of friends know when to offer the latter rather than the former.

Suren didn't know he had done anything special at the time. Yibai didn't plan on letting him know. It was enough that Yibai was able to pay him back for that time.

***​

Luckily for him, Yibai, despite being the center of attention, didn't have to speak at all.

"Young master, your date is quite mysterious." One guest brazenly spoke, curious eyes falling on Yibai for the nth time since the conversation started. "Is he someone who wishes to remain anonymous?"

"Am I so dull to converse with that you wish to talk about him?" He countered, pouting cutely. "You came to me to talk yet you lost interest so fast. Isn't that a bit disrespectful?"

"Is it?"

"Is this man beside me more important than I?" He challenged, cocking his hip. "What does that say about me? That any new shiny thing is more worthy of your attention than me or my family. Oh dear, I wonder what Mr. Han would say to know that his prospective business partner doesn't know how to discern the iron from the mud."

"M-Mr. Han spoke about me?"

"Hm?" Suren blinked innocently. "I don't know... He seemed a bit interested before but if he learns how much you like to use innocent youths like me to entertain your curiosities, he might misunderstand and come to strange conclusions."

The man started to sweat, glancing around as if searching for someone. He quickly excused himself, rushing off to a far-off corner to speak to someone else. Probably the 'Mr Han' he was so concerned about.

This left the beta/omega pair alone once more, casually walking on the edge of the party. Suren was all smiles.

"Wasn't that a bit much?" Yibai asked, a little horrified as this was the 5th person he'd driven away with veiled threats and implications. It was kind of scary how smoothly he did this.

"Is it my fault that people have such impure thoughts?" Suren countered, slipping his hand into Yibai's. "I was just stating facts."

Facts that could be easily misunderstood. Yibai thought, scratching his head. Suren, as it turned out, was a bit evil. He always seemed to know how to deflect attention and implicate others with a few words. It kept people on their guard around him, not daring to say too much.

This included asking about the young omega's date.

For this, Yibai was thankful. While the mask protected his identity, it also made him the center of attention. Without Suren, he was sure he would have been mobbed by the curious guests, probably even taken away when it was realized he wasn't invited.

Sighing, Yibai wondered how long he'd been accompanying Suren. He hadn't been allowed to take his cell phone out, as the party was high-end and it would be considered rude. But surely his clothes had to done by now, right?

"Sweetie?" Suren called out, tugging him. "Let's dance."

"Don't wanna."

Suren puffed out his cheeks. "Don't be so quick to reject me."

"I'm not dancing in front of all these people."

"So if we're alone, we can dance?"

Yibai considered it for a minute. A dance wasn't too time-consuming and Suren had been kind enough to block off curious people for him. A dance wasn't too much.

"Fine. But only if we're alone."

Suren beamed, excited. He didn't think his sweetie would agree but he wasn't going to let the beta change his mind. With practiced ease, Suren led them out of the ballroom until they reached the outer garden. While it was a lovely area that was open to the guests, most of them were there to network. Why isolate themselves when they could just bounce from one big name to the next within moments?

As such, Suren and Yibai found themselves alone surrounded by foliage. It was a scene right out of a romantic movie. All that was missing was bokeh lights and a bit of mus-

"Ah, they started!" Suren cheered, hearing the ballroom fill with music. The sound was muffled but still clear. "Shall we?"

Staring at the offered hand, Yibai could only nod.

After a minute of silence, Suren chuckled. "You don't know how to?"

"There's no reason for me to-"

"It's fine." He assured the beta, taking his hand. "That just means I can lead as opposed to following."

"Haven't I been following you this entire time?"

"...Sweetie, you really need to be careful with that mouth of yours. You keep saying such perfect things."

Yibai didn't understand Suren's words but nodded anyway, letting the omega guide him until they were appropriately positioned. Yibai's hand on Suren's shoulder and their fingers intertwined intimately.

A waltz.

Suren led the waltz, suffering from his bear-like friend stepping on his toes over a dozen times before he got the hang of it. Each flinch elicited an apology and look of concentration that made Suren's heart race.

Sweetie was too cute~

After a whole minute of following the omega's lead, Yibai relaxed, pleased with himself. Suren too was relieved. Cute or not, his toes could only endure so much abuse.

"Sweetie?"

"Hm?" Yibai's gaze was still on their feet, not wanting to mess up again.

"I really missed you. Did you miss me?"

"...I"

If asked, he would definitely deny it. Suren was annoying for the most part. He was stubborn and shameless, chasing after Yibai like a vengeful spirit

He didn't hate Suren. If not for him being an Omega, they might even be friends. Him being so popular was a bit of a hassle but that wasn't something that could be helped. Suren was handsome, charming, and smart. How could he not be popular?

Yibai, on the other hand, was only a bit smarter than others. His personality was abrasive and cold, making him generally unpleasant to be around. Only Yang Ru could tolerate his dismissive attitude and that was just because she was stubborn.

"I'm first in my class." He declared

"Eh?"

"Most of my classmates are average, so they don't try very hard."

"...Oh? So my sweetie is undefeated?"

"Mn."

"Must be dull."

"...En."

Suren chuckled, wanting to lean up and kiss Yibai just then. He couldn't see the beta's face but he was sure his silly friend was blushing.

You might not want to be honest but I want to. He thought, wrapping his arms around Yibai's neck. He moved closer, feeling like this was the best time. They were alone, close, and relaxed.

He might not get another chance to make his feelings clear.

"Sweetie, I-"

His heartfelt confession was cut short as the quiet air between them was interrupted by movement. Yibai stepped between Suren and the bushes, ready to fight off some attacker.

It would just be the topper to his shit day.

Yet to his surprise, the person who came out of the bushes was a familiar face. One Yibai hadn't seen for quite a while.

Red eyes blinked in confusion from behind jet black bangs as Chen Guiren took in the scene in front of him.

"Master? What are you doing here?"

*****​

AN: Y'all will never know the hardship I went through to complete this chapter. For clarity, I had other plans for this chapter bit they had to be scrapped in favor of this. As such, I needed time to figure out what was going to happen and in what order.

 

Spoiler: M: Cinderella

AN: This chapter came out a lot longer than anticipated.

*****​

The night air was cool but what was colder still were the gazes of an Omega and Alpha as they looked each other over derisively.

It was the universal look of 'Who the fuck is this bitch?'

Suren was pissed off that his moment with Yibai had been interrupted when he was about to get a bit closer. He could have even gotten a kiss if not for this disheveled bastard!

Guiren was pissed at the sight of his favorite person being embraced by some weirdo in a dress. How dare some stranger do all the stuff he wasn't allowed to do?

Yibai just sighed, knowing things were going to get complicated now.

As expected, Guiren acted first, pulling Suren's arms from around Yibai, standing between them.

"Shouldn't you ask before getting so close to someone?" He snapped, glaring at the omega. "He doesn't like being touched so casually."

At this, Suren frowned. It was true that Yibai didn't like being touched but how did this barbarian know that?

Ever the picture of grace, Suren brushed his hair back, peeking past the alpha to address Yibai. "Sweetie, who is this thug?"

"Thug?!" He growled, sending a shiver through Suren. This went unnoticed as the alpha continued. "You have quite the brazen tongue for a traditionalist. Aren't you worried you might dishonor your family name by speaking out?"

"Speaking out?" Suren snapped back, taking offense to the young man's words. "How can that be? To defend my family's Sweetie against someone like you is the most honorable thing."

"Sweetie sweetie! Stop being so gross." He said with a disgusted grimace. "Master doesn't like being called by some intimate terms."

"Gross!? Who are you calling gross? Sweetie is sweetie! Moreover, who are you claiming to be your 'master'? Sweetie isn't into those kinds of things so don't sully him!"

"Sweetie is gross and demeaning." Guiren argued, his pride being pricked. "Master is respectable."

"Master is what deviants call their partners! Sweetie is affectionate and caring."

"Bullshit it is!"

"Don't use such vulgar terms."

"This coming from the one insinuating that I am some kind of masochist?"

"Aren't you? Daring to touch my sweetie's bottom line and drag him into your kink?"

"At least I'm not faking a relationship with him."

"Faking?! Sweetie and I are best friends!"

"I'm his best friend!"

"No, neither of you are my best friend!" Yibai cut in, finally getting tired of this back and forth. He didn't mind dealing with just one of them at a time but having them both around?

Argh, he could already feel the headache coming on.

While his face was covered with a mask, both youths could tell their favorite person was getting annoyed. They glared at each other, blaming the other for ruining his mood.

"Master?"

"Sweetie?"

They spoke in unison but were silenced by a single raised hand. Like disciplined pets, they fell silent, not wanting the upset Yibai any further.

After a moment of silence, Yibai's headache faded and he could finally deal with all this. He had a solution.

"I'm leaving."

Both boys jumped, blocking Yibai's path.

"W-wait, Sweetie! You don't have to go yet!"

The beta cocked a brow.

"I have a thing to go to." He pointed out, staring them down. "I escorted you so you don't need me anymore."

"But I'll be all alone!" Suren whined, grabbing Yibai's arm.

"I doubt it."

Suren was a social butterfly. If not for the confrontation in the bathroom, he would have waltzed into this party like he owned the place and felt no less confident. Moreover, he was surrounded by beautiful people so he wouldn't stand out like Yibai did.

Guiren, pissed that this omega was being so brazen, took hold of Yibai's free arm. His smile was radiating joy as he realized that he wasn't being pushed away like usual.

"Exactly!" He jeered, sticking his tongue out at Suren. "Me and master can spend some time together since-"

"No, you're staying here with Suren." He cut in, giving Guiren a scolding look. "I can't deal with you both."

Guiren wilted, wounded by the rejection. He had missed this guy yet he was already trying to get rid of him?

Master was so mean~

Suren stepped forward, looking reluctant.

"Then choose who you prefer to spend time with!" Suren insisted, wanting to spend more time with Yibai.

"I have. I don't want to deal with this tonight, so I'm leaving."

"I haven't seen you in so long though! Just a bit longer? Please?"

"I've missed you too, master." Guiren jumped in, trying to crowd Suren out. "Don't leave me here all alone. I hate gatherings like this!"

He was willing to go along with it for his family but he'd much rather do things than mingle and gossip. Let his cousin do all that. She was a master at it after all.

Thinking about it, Yibai couldn't help but wonder. Guiren, from what he knew, wasn't the type to attend parties like this. He seemed the type more at home loitering in front of a convenience store with a six-pack. Parties like this were Suren's playground.

That then begged the question.

"Now that I think about it, what are you even doing here?" Yibai asked, just now realizing he hadn't asked. His surprise at seeing Guiren again had distracted him from actually asking why he was here.

"I'm just a plus one." He answered casually. "My aunt and cousin asked me to come."

"So shouldn't you?" Suren pressed, cocking a brow.

"I was," He answered before turning to Yibai with an excited look. "but then I saw you were here so I changed my mind."

Somewhere in the city, a man who was cuddling with his husband in bed shivered. His parental senses were telling him that something had happened and that he should take refuge in this moment of peace. Without a word, he rolled atop his tired husband and once again enticed his spouse.

They wouldn't be attending the party and witnessing the hell their son would bring about.

Meanwhile, the center point of the conflict could only sigh as he came to accept that there was no getting out of this.

Might as well go along with it.

Suren squeezed Yibai's hand, regaining the beta's attention.

"Do you really have to leave, sweetie?" Suren pleaded, trying to look vulnerable."What if that creepy guy comes back?"

Yibai, having faced such a foe long ago, was unfazed.

"Did you plan on letting yourself be alone with him again?"

"N-no." The first time wasn't even his fault. That bastard had followed him all on his own.

"As long as you don't do that and stay in public, you should be fine." He stated with a nod. "The security in this room alone is enough to keep you safe."

As long as Suren was safe, he wouldn't have to worry about much else.

The omega fumed, seeing his chance to spend more time with his favorite person slipping away. He turned to Guiren, who looked impatient and dirty.

Like a stray that had snuck in.

"He got in!" The omega cried.

"I was invited." The alpha proclaimed, smirking. "I just came in this way to avoid the crowd."

While he didn't mind coming to the party, if he walked in through the front door in his condition, he wouldn't be making it back home. His aunt and cousin would break his legs, at best.

At worst? Well, such things should never be contemplated in a polite society.

"I just need a change of clothes and I'll be golden."

Guiren, much like Suren's impression of him, looked every part like a stray. His hair was messy and his dress shirt was a mess. Luckily, a bit of water could help with most of the issues but his shirt couldn't be ignored.

Yibai said nothing, his eyes being drawn to the red splatter on Guiren's shirt.

"Is that blood?" The words slipped out before he thought better of it.

"Don't worry, it's not mine." Guiren assured, smiling like a puppy being praised. While he might not win fights against Yibai, he could beat up just about anyone else his age.

Yibai saw the gleam of pride in the alphas eyes and sighed. This was the guy who made all that trouble back at the gym and started fights out of nowhere. But it turned out that he was more troublesome than he had thought. Yibai was starting to see why his parents were concerned. This guy had too much energy!

While Yibai was contemplating his life and how he had gotten involved with such a troublesome pair, Guiren peeked at Suren. The latter was glaring at him.

What are you looking at me for? Guiren thought, cocking a brow at the omega. I don't want you here either.

If not for master being here, he'd have slipped away already. He had to get changed or else he might actually die tonight.

Just as he was lamenting having to leave to change, Guiren felt something being draped over his shoulders. A purple suit jacket that screamed 'pimp' was hanging off him.

Guiren's heart jumped in his chest as he glanced at the beta. "This..."

"Why are you giving him your coat?" Suren complained, pouting. He had gifted that suit to Yibai. Why was he loaning it to others?

"Cause he'll look like an axe murderer otherwise."

"So? Let him suffer for his actions. Don't let his filthy blood stain your new clothes."

Guiren was pissed and stuck his tongue out from behind Yibai, pissing off the omega even more. If not for where he was, he'd unman this oaf!

Sensing the tension, Yibai stomped on Guiren's foot without even looking back. He knew that this guy was doing something. He wouldn't miss such a chance.

The 'how did you see me!?' that followed proved him right.

"I'm not walking through a room full of rich people and their armed guards with a guy who looks like he just buried a body." Yibai explained, straightening the jacket. While it didn't match, he looked better than before.

Suren's mood plummeted, hating that he was being excluded. "But-"

"Are you going to help me?"

"H-help?!"

"I need to get out of here. I can't do that alone." Yibai explained, scratching his head. He really wished he could just leave but he was stuck. With a reluctant look, he glanced at Suren. "Will you help me?"

Suren's face burned red, loving the pout he saw on his sweetie's face. Even with his face half covered, Yibai was cute!

And he was asking him for help~

"I..." Suren tried to regain his composure. "Absolut-"

"I can help too!" Guiren interjected, destroying the 'moment' Suren and Yibai were having. The omega glared daggers at the alpha as Yibai frowned.

"Can you?"

"Definitely." Guiren replied, showing himself off. He gave Suren a dismissive glance "I can help master too, just as much as this guy."

"Who are you calling 'this guy'?" Suren snapped, stomping his foot. "This prince is more than enough for Sweetie! What are you going to do? Elbow drop a waiter?"

"I can elbow drop you if you keep getting on my nerves." Guiren retorted, cracking his knuckles. Most who saw such a gesture would feel a bit wary.

Suren, however, was fearless. He stepped forward until they were nose to nose.

"Bring it! This prince can have you arrested and locked away before you can even get your feet off the ground."

"Oh? What makes you think I couldn't do damage before that?"

Yibai, while entertained by the banter, couldn't help but glance at his watch. As expected, he was late.

He sighed, knowing his dad was going to be pissed.

That lone sigh was heard by both boys. Seeing that frown, they both inwardly blamed the other for being a bother and extended a hand.

"Shall I escort you, Master/Sweetie?"

Yibai jumped, not expecting such a thing. The image was attractive as both boys were handsome in their own right. They were even more so since he knew them. Suren, smart and capable. Guiren, strong and quick-witted.

To say he wasn't dazed when he took both their hands would be a lie he'd take to his grave. With their fingers intertwined, he was guided back into the ballroom, reality finally setting in as he saw dozens of eyes fall upon them.

Aish, had he made a mistake?

***​

"I'm so glad we got to meet today, Madam Chen." A kiss was placed on her hand, hot breath brings goosebumps to the surface.

The woman in question didn't even flinch.

"Likewise, Mr Hu." Chen Jingli replied, smiling amiable despite her impatience. Years of dealing with her brothers made her practically a saint when it came to dealing with annoying people. "I just hope next time we can discuss business with your wife since she and I are business partners."

The man flinched, reading between the lines. It was a double-pronged attack, informing him that his 'subtle' flirtation had been noticed as well as making his status clear. He was the husband of a CEO and shouldn't try to talk business with his wife's business partner.

After skulking away, Jinli was left in a sour mood, though she hid it well. All these Alphas in one room, it was bound to be suffocating. Male or female, Alphas were an egotistical bunch to deal with.

There was a reason she and her younger brother took turns attending these events. She just happened to lose this time around.

She sighed, forlorn. Then, as if by magic, she heard her phone chime. She grimaced, thinking it was someone texting her to annoy her but-

Hubby:

Wife, I hope things are going well. Me and Xiao-ru are

holding down the fort but he misses his mommy. So

here's some encouragement.
​

Attached below the text was a picture of a man and child blowing a kiss. The man was handsome and the child was cute as can be. They were clearly father and son, as their features matched almost perfectly. The child didn't look to know what was going on but mimicked his father the best he could, making him even more adorable.

Hubby:

Love ya [winky face]​

Ah, this was so unfair! Jinli thought, clenching her fist. Had she not had responsibilities at this damn party, she could be home cuddling with her hubby and son!

It was all that brat Guiren's fault! Had he just come on time, she could have introduced him to a few attractive omega's and hopefully had him engaged by the end of the night. Yet as expected, he was late.

She clenched her fist. "When I get my hands on him, I'll-"

"Mother?"

Standing next to her was her eldest daughter, Jiang Mi. Unlike her baby brother, she resembled her mother more, save for her light colored hair that brushed past her neck like water.

Seeing her brightened Jinli's sour mood.

She had sent her daughter out to find her wayward nephew. While Guiren was a bit more troublesome, her daughter was an alpha too.

"Did you find him?"

Her daughter blinked, her gaze darting away for a second before returning. "Yes... but um..."

"But?"

"He's with some... strange characters."

Not used to her daughter being so vague, she pressed her until the young woman finally pointed toward the middle of the ballroom. There, she spotted her nephew walking with two boys his age.

One in a bear mask and the other-

"Oh, please don't tell me he got involved with those guys?!"

***​

Guiren: "Well?"

Suren: "Well, what?"

"What should we do?" Guiren whispered fiercely, seeing all the couples encircling them. They had come in at the wrong time. Music flowed throughout the room, inviting couples to dance.

The three teens were now trapped in the middle of it all.

Suren groaned, knowing they had messed up. When Yibai had taken their hands, he'd been so happy he didn't think about where they were going and just walked forward.

Now they are here.

They both peeked at Yibai, wondering how the beta was taking the attention. Perhaps he hadn't noticed?

Yibai, from behind his mask, was scowling.

Aish, he's mad~ Guiren and Suren thought, wanting to hide. Yet they couldn't so they had to act. Just as they were beginning to draw confused glances, Suren and Guiren nodded at each other.

For Master! Guiren scowled, though he was a little happy.

For Sweetie! Suren sighed, wishing Guiren wasn't there.

They turned in unison and matched the posture of everyone else. A waltz.

They, however, had a trio as opposed to everyone else's pair.

Yibai glanced at the two of them. "What are you-?"

"This is the best we can do right now." Guiren interjected, fixing their stance.

"Besides, Sweetie can't dance so isn't it better to have a partner?"

"We're the only ones like this!" Yibai cried, wanting to hide as he saw the other couples questioning glances.

"I'm not giving up my spot to some brutish thug."

"I ain't letting this pompous brat take my chance!"

The fact they said this in unison was quite amusing, even if it was a bit embarrassing.

Yibai didn't understand how two guys could match each other so well but be so at odds. Still, it was good that they could at least find a solution that satisfied them. Had Yibai just left them behind, it would look bad.

And while having a three-person waltz was weird in every sense of the word, it was also kind of interesting. And a bit fun.

This messy jumble of a dance continued as the song played.

Whenever Yibai would mess up, Guiren would help him by pulling back, thus lifting Suren off his feet. The omega would cry out, drawing the attention of others but by then, none of the boys even noticed.

Despite this, all three boys were smiling.

The song ended with them all panting, strangely exhausted from the exercise. They were pressed together like a football circle, holding each other up.

"That was so much fun!" Guiren chuckled.

Suren, on the other hand, was grimacing.

"Was it?" He retorted. "Perhaps that was only you?"

"You were smiling too." Guiren argued. "Don't act like you weren't."

"It was scary!"

At this, Yibai chimed in, curious. "Was it?"

"Yes!" Suren cried, jabbing a finger at Guiren. "This brute kept spinning me around like a doll and-"

"Like this?" Guiren gripped Suren's waist, lifting him off his feet. Having gotten used to it, Yibai followed Guiren's lead, holding Suren from his other side.

As expected, Suren panicked, not expecting to be lifted up. To keep the boy from falling, his partners adjusted their grip, leading to Suren being hoisted up by his legs.

A very manly sound came from the omega. "Eek!"

Yibai chuckled, amused by the sight of the ever-composed Suren clinging to their arms.

"You guys are jerks!"

"Oh? Weren't you enjoying yourself?" Guiren teased, jostling the omega in their arms. "You looked really into it. You were holding on so tight."

"That's cause you might have flung me across the room if I hadn't."

The image of Suren flying through the air flashed through the boy's minds and nearly had them bent over with laughter. Guiren didn't hold back but Yibai made an attempt, if only to preserve his friend's dignity.

Still, seeing his indignant expression, the beta couldn't hold back his laughter.

Seeing his partners laughing at him, Suren pouted for a moment before joining them. Despite the inclusion of this annoying guy, he had fun dancing with them.

There, in the middle of the ballroom, were three young teens laughing and smiling, their arms still wrapped around one another. It was quite the image and one that was immortalized in a single photo that would spread like wildfire.

***​

After a moment, the trio noticed how much attention that had gained from their little display and prompted rushed to the side. While a few were amused by the banter, most were either confused or annoyed by the noise.

Needless to say, a bunch of teens playing around at a public gathering wasn't appropriate.

Yibai felt self-conscious and dragged his partners to the side.

"I can't believe I let you two drag me into that!" He cried, feeling embarrassed at his display. They must have made quite the scene. "We were supposed to just sneak out. How did we-"

He stopped when he saw Suren and Guiren slumped in a chair, panting. They leaned on one another, making an appealing image if not for the sweat pouring off them.

Surely just a single dance wasn't that tiring, right?

Yibai stepped forward, frowning. "Are you guys okay?"

Suren answered first, licking his suddenly dry lips. "I feel hot..."

"Me too." Guiren groaned, clenching his fist.

Hot? Yibai frowned, wondering what they were talking about. He felt just fine, if not a bit sweaty. Perhaps it was just something else?

Seeing their flushed faces, Yibai felt a bit worried. Even touching their cheek had him pulling back in a panic.

They were really hot!

But they didn't look feverish the same way he was used to. Were they overheated?

"I'll go and get you guys some water." He said, squeezing their hands. "Just wait for me here, okay?"

They whined and pleaded for him not to go but he knew there was nothing he could do for them just standing there. Some water would definitely help a lot more than just holding their hands.

He put them in a separate room, just so they wouldn't be seen by others. It would be bad if someone found them and tried something while they were weak.

Yibai made his way through the ballroom, trying not to run lest he be noticed and called out. Without Suren, he doubted he could talk his way out of being caught.

He had only been gone a few minutes when he saw people scrambling about. Worried some emergency had occurred, he followed after the crowd. He grabbed the sleeve of one of the guests and asked them what was happening.

Was it a fire? No, the people looked worried but not panicked, which was strange.

"You can't smell it?" The person questioned with a frown. "A young omega went into heat. With how strong it is, it might be their first. I want to see who it is!"

The man ran off, looking as though he was about to watch some strangers fight in the street.

Heat? Yibai thought, frowning. Could it be Suren?

Had all the activity made Suren go into heat? Was that even how it worked? He was confused but more worried. This place was crawling with Alpha's so he could be in danger.

Yibai ran, dumping the glasses he was carrying and he rushed over.

Yet as he ran, something occurred to him.

Where was Guiren?

As a beta, he should be fine with Suren, even if he went into heat. If anyone could restrain a frantic omega, Guiren should be more than capable. Yet why was Suren by himself now?

Yibai ran, trying to find his friends when he heard it.

A roar.

It sent shivers through his spine and he wanted to run. Beta's didn't have a lot of instincts but they all knew that sound with having ever heard it before.

An Alpha's Roar.

It wasn't something one would usually hear in this modern age, as it was a relic of a more traditional age. A sound that both called to subjects and warned off enemies. The closest one could hear to it would be a growl.

Yibai wanted to keep going, to find Suren but his feet were rooted to the floor. His desire to find his friend was at war with his instinctual fear of that roar.

Worse, even without that, he didn't want to get any closer. No, he couldn't.

Even with how strained the roar sounded, he knew that voice very well.

As if to confirm his suspicions, he heard an older female call out.

"Guiren, calm down! It's me."

There were sounds of a struggle.

"Someone get some restraints before he hurts himself or anyone else!" The woman called out, her own roar, echoing through the room as he pinned the teen to the ground.

Yibai could just barely see him, struggling like a rabid beast, his fangs extended to the point where he barely looked human. His eyes gleamed with frantic energy, seemingly searching for something.

When those frantic, red eyes met Yibai's, there was a second of silence.

Then, despite all his struggles, Guiren smiled and reached out to him.

Before anyone could even think to look at what this rut-induced teen was looking at, Yibai turned and ran away. Not once looking back.

***​

About a week later, Yibai was in his classroom, trying to study when Yang Ru came up to him with the gossip about the Hualin hotel cinderella.

He saw the photo of the three of them dancing together, looking like a welcoming Christmas card as opposed to a candid shot in a gossip article.

They sure chose the nicest picture. He thought, scowling as he looked through it.

The article was short, as this wasn't many people's priority. In fact, it was just a prelude to the major story about how two second-generation prospects went into Heat and a Rut seemingly at the same time.

Were they destined mates?

Would the Li Clan and Chen conglomerate be tied together in marriage?

Yibai knew that both of those guys were rich but it turned out they were more high ranking than he thought.

Chen Conglomerate had stock in just about every industry. If it could be sold, they sold it. Despite being mildly monopolistic, their products were of such a high quality, no one could complain. Not to mention how affordable it all was, so their products were the preferred brand.

It certainly explained why Guiren seemed interested when he saw Yibai using Chen brand products before.

As for the Li Clan, not much could be said. They mostly kept to themselves. They were more politically involved so Yibai couldn't begin to understand just how powerful they were. He just knew they were.

And he was caught in a candid photo dancing with their heirs!

If not for the mask he wore, he'd be known throughout the city as the Hualin hotel cinderella. If he didn't die of embarrassment, he was certain his dad would kill him.

"This is so troublesome." He groaned, banging his head against his desk. Many jumped at the sound but didn't dare look back. The statue, as they called him, had been in a bad mood for days and they didn't want to be the first to see his breaking point.

Yibai was in a worse mood after reading the article. Not because of the first few photos per se. Of course, it'd be there. They were mostly just the three of them interacting positively.

It was the last photo that pissed him off.

It was a low-angle shot, taken from around a corner. In it, one could see a young teen sneaking out of a room and running down the hall. It was him when he left to get water just before things got crazy.

Yet it was framed as if he had done something and was fleeing the scene of the crime.

It was because of this that he was being called the Hualin hotel Cinderella.

[AN: The original cinderella chase scene, if removed from its context, makes it seem like Cinderella was in a high-speed chase after committing a crime. Hence why the nickname is used derogatorily in this story]

As expected, Yibai was being torn apart in the comment section of the article.

[USER 4814J]: Look at this dog, taking advantage of these two guys. Doesn't he have any shame?

[USER 7419F]: What's worse is that mask! Clearly, he had bad intentions from the start. Why else would he hide his identity?

[USER 6243E]: It's probably because he knows justice would find him otherwise!

[USER 1876O]: Or that he's ugly and doesn't want to be rejected by these princes.

[USER 7454A]: Ah, you're right, commenter above~ That omega was so cute~ He definitely wouldn't want to be partnered up with some ugo.

[USER 1245P]: Right!? Plus that alpha with him is a lot better than that bastard.

[USER 4397L]: Wouldn't it be better if that masked bastard was cut from the picture?

[USER 3587K]: Ah~ don't say such things! My heart couldn't take such a sight~

[USER 7649M]: Alphas and Omegas always look good together! That bastard is probably just some bitter beta who wanted to get between them.

[USER 0571H]: Bastard!

[USER 3047C]: He's the worst~

[USER 5079W]: Ah, those princes were so handsome~

The fight between drooling over the two 'princes' and deriding the 'princess' went on for pages, leaking into social media as the day went on. These discussions bled into the real world, with his classmates also voicing their curiosity and derision.

"Do you think that Cindy was a beta?"

"He'd have to be, right? Those guys were in heat so there's no way he could get out of there.

"So it's true that beta's can resist an Omega's pheromones?"

"I don't know. I've never seen an omega in heat but apparently, it's a smell only non-beta's can smell."

"So Cindy would need to be a beta to get out of there, right?"

"Or he could be a gold digger trying to mark the Li prince."

"Or an omega trying to be marked."

"Or a beta who thought he could get both."

"How dumb would that be? Just because they danced doesn't mean anything."

"Right? Even if they did seem to have fun, Alphas and omegas aren't meant to be with betas. Did he think he could be like a phoenix and climb those high-up branches?"

"Worse since he obviously did something to them and-"

A loud noise broke through the gossip, silencing those talking as they turned to the source.

Yang Ru was staring down at them with a cat-like smile.

"Are you a bunch of old housewives?" She mocked, cocking a brow. "I thought you had a bit more dignity yet here you are chirping away like hens."

"You're the one who brought this up!" One boy pointed out, feeling wronged.

"And now it has become bothersome!" She shamelessly snapped back. "This is a classroom, not a marketplace. If you want to gossip, do it elsewhere!"

They opened their mouths to argue but stopped short when one of the boys shook his head. He knew Yang Ru's reputation. It was best not to make her mad lest whatever information she had on them leak.

Seeing the boys skulk away, she turned to Yibai and grinned. "Did I do well?"

He grumbled. "You didn't need to-"

"It was clearly bothering you so of course, I had to." She interjected, tossing herself on the chair beside him. "That's what friends are for~"

Friends...

He had considered Suren and Guiren as friends as well. But he couldn't be around either of them now. Just being seen with them had made this difficult for him. He'd even had to quit his job in order to properly avoid Guiren in the future.

Yang Ru was confused about it but didn't question him too hard.

It was... disappointing to say the least. Yibai enjoyed that job and even liked sparring with Guiren but they couldn't keep interacting.

Just like with Suren, Alphas were a different breed. Eventually, they would settle into their roles and take their proper places.

Yibai would never be their equal. He'd eventually get frustrated at the unfairness and that frustration would breed resentment toward those he once called his friends.

That's how it was with all betas.

He didn't want that. He didn't want to become his father.

So it was just best for everyone if they went their separate ways.

It didn't matter anyway. Even if his so-called princes found him, there was no glass slipper to bring him to them. As a middle school student, what could they do? They couldn't change the law.

There was no amount of forgery that could get an Omega into a beta school. The segregation was for a reason, after all. To ensure the safety of young and hormonal children at their most tender age. Even though betas had no drive to claim an omega, there was still a danger in letting them intermingle when they were at their most vulnerable. Same with an Alpha.

He'd just have to be careful later down the line.

***​

Elsewhere, in a high rise overlooking the city, a pair of adults watched as their son paced the floor. He radiated a violent aura but didn't dare act on it. The men were not only strong enough to overpower him, but he knew attacking his fathers would be bad later down the line.

"Pacing the floor like a caged animal isn't going to help, Guiren." Zhuan Mu, his second father stated, watching as his husband pressed the teen back into bed.

"They refused to give me the information I wanted!" He shouted, his body tensed with the desire to fight back against his father.

"Good!" Jinyao snapped, finally shoving his son back on the bed. "What kind of employers would?"

The few days prior, Guiren had rushed over to the gym to find Yibai only to be told the young man had quit days prior. Since Guiren was still being treated for Rut, his temper snapped and he had caused a lot of damage before he was found by his parents.

Jinyao continued, glaring down at his son. "Would it be better to know that your friend's personal information can be manhandled from his employers by a mere 15-year-old? Is that a comforting thought?"

"..." The teen scowled, wanting to argue. He wanted to scream and break things. The claws that had grown during his rut tore through the bedding yet he still felt unsatisfied.

He wanted to see Yibai.

He said he'd be back soon yet he just cut any ties between them so easily.

Jinyao and Zhuan Mu exchanged a glance as their son let out a pitiful growl. It was a sound they knew well. He always made it when he was in a gloomy mood.

Guiren was really bothered by this.

"Xiao Ren, this has to stop." Jinyao sighed, glancing at all the damage his son had caused when they weren't around. Broken furniture and torn walls that just barely hid the foundation. "Your temper is getting worse."

"Only because Master is-" He started to argue but Zhuan Mu cut him off.

"You need your mate."

Guiren scowled. "Again with that?! I told you, I don't want nor need a mate."

"So I didn't just bail you out for the 3rd time this week?"

"I..." Guiren grimaced, looking ashamed. While he did like to fight, he usually knew when to stop. Yet since finding out that Yibai had quit, his temper had gotten worse and he'd been arrested a few times. If not for his dads, he'd still be there or worse.

Zhuan Mu placed a hand on his husband's shoulder, silently asking him to step back. Jinyao scowled but moved away, leaving it to his husband.

"We heard about what happened at the party." He stated, sitting beside Guiren. "About who you met."

This sudden shift in topic threw Guiren for a loop.

"What are you-?" Seeing the look in his father's eyes, he realized what was being implied. "No!"

Zhuan Mu continued on as if Guiren hadn't said a thing. "I think it'd be good for you to-"

"Dad, I'm not doing it."

"I recall asking you." Zhuan Mu snapped back, his gaze firm and unshaken. "You are meeting with him."

"But-"

"No buts. We've allowed for this nonsense for long enough. Clearly, time isn't doing you any favors."

Guiren bit his lip to keep from snapping at his father. He wouldn't win in any sense. Zhuan Mu might be the quieter of the two but he was also the most resolute. If a decision was made by him, it was final.

From outside the room, his cousin was leaning against the wall, holding a bear mask. She'd been holding it for over a week now and was considering whether or not to give it over to Guiren.

The person who dropped it, was it his cinderella? If so, was it cruel or kind to tell him that the person had run away? That perhaps this one didn't want to be found?

Aish, it was hard to deal with such drama.

***​

Around the same time, Suren was sitting in the living room of the Li clan main house. Only his grandfather and his children lived there. All except his mothers. Only they lived outside the main house.

He'd been invited to meet with his grandfather about the 'incident' and what plans they should hold in the future.

In reality, it was just a lecture and his grandfather making decisions for Suren.

It was because of this that Suren hated being in his family home.

Now he was stuck listening to this old man blather about how lucky he was to finally be able to contribute to the family legacy. That as an Omega, it was his duty to give rise to the next generation and help solidify their position in society.

Despite this apparent 'honor', he was chewed out for daring to go into his first heat in public as he'd done.

As if he somehow had any control over that!

It's not like he'd done it to get a rise out of the old man. Heck, even if he could, he wouldn't dare to. An Omega's first heat was always the worst. From one moment to the next, one's body goes from 'capable of giving birth' to 'We're totally going to be giving birth to something right this second' between one breath and the next.

He'd been bedridden for days, trying to get through it without clawing his skin off.

Yet despite being aware of all this, his grandfather still lectured him about decorum and the dignity of the clan?

Like he was some wilting flower that had dared make a scene.

It was infuriating! Just because he could give birth didn't mean he wasn't male. Shouldn't they stop viewing him like some delicate maiden in need of guidance?

His Alpha cousins were free to choose whatever they like but him? Oh, he had to be protected! What if he dared form his own opinion or worse, say something that wasn't in his grandfather's script.

Oh, the horror.

It was just for a few days though, then he could go back home to his mother's and lounge about like the lazy teen he was as opposed to acting like a doll in his grandfather's house.

All while his elders spoke about him like he wasn't there.

"I didn't think it'd take so long for his first heat to arrive."

"I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Worry not, grandfather." One uncle assured him. "I made sure to stifle any news about it. Only the bare minimum is known about the incident."

"Good. It would be bad for his future prospects if this got out."

Look at them. Talking like he was a piece of meat to be sold off. Like his child was nothing more than a chess piece.

God, he really hated coming here.

His mind drifted back to the 'offending incident'. The night air he and his sweetie shared. Even the dance that left him with sore toes brought a smile to his face.

He missed Yibai

"Now that he has had his heat, we should start looking for possible matches for him." His Grandfather said casually, as if it were nothing.

This gained Suren's attention.

"Grandfather!" He cried out in protest but the loud thud of the elder's cane silenced his words.

"Quiet! I won't have you disgracing our name by acting out like a child." He snapped, giving Suren a heavy look. "You are of the Li family and will act like it properly."

"I..." He bit his tongue, knowing it was pointless to argue. He sighed. "Yes, grandfather."

"Good, now I've found a few candidates that might be good for you." the old man happily continued on, stroking his beard. "They are a bit older but not so much so as to be improper. Age comes with experience but also some drawbacks."

"Drawbacks?" He echoed, mildly concerned about his words.

"If they are too old, how can you conceive a proper heir? I worry that your spouse will put too much blame on you."

Oh, now you care about my wellbeing. He thought, derisively. He could only hope his grandfather's definition of 'a bit older' was at least someone of Suren's own generation and not the old mans.

All this because he went into heat!? What about that other guy? All Suren wanted to do was dance with his sweetie and that guy ruined it! If not for him, why would he have gone into-

Then a thought came to him.

A person of his own generation.

One who knew his sweetie and disliked Suren.

A sly smile graced Suren's lips, momentarily dazzling his family members as they glanced at him.

"Grandfather, may I propose a candidate?"

***​

That night, Guiren received a call from an unfamiliar number. Because of his sour mood, he ignored it.

That is, until the 8th time his phone rang.

Growling, he snatched up the phone to curse this annoying spam caller. Yet a familiar voice spoke from the other end.

One that Guiren came to despise.

"You?! What do you-"

"Shut up." Suren snapped, not wanting to talk long. "I wouldn't have called you if I didn't have to but you're my best bet and I'm yours."

Curious, Gr didn't hang up as he originally intended. "How do you figure that?"

"We want the same thing, right? We both have complicated circumstances and need time to get that 'thing'."

"..."

"So how about we make a deal?"

*****​

Thus ends the middle School arc~

 

Spoiler: H: How it always starts

Jun Yibai stood by his front door, trying to leave but being blocked by his mother. She hovered about, a delicate frown on her face.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” She asked for the nth time that morning.

“I’m fine, mom.” Jun Yibai sighed, letting her fuss over his uniform once again. “It’s not the first time I’m going to school.”

“But this is…”

“It’ll be fine.” He assured, gently taking her hands off his shoulders. “I’m too old to have my mother walk me to school. You don’t want me to be mocked, right?

His mother looked reluctant but nodded. “Right.”

Jun Yibai understood her concern. While she knew him to be responsible and courteous, Jun Yibai tended to get into trouble without meaning to.

He stumbled onto muggings and intervened.

He walked in on robberies and called the cops.

He bumped into women being harassed and got involved.

Somehow, despite wanting to be a normal guy, Jun Yibai seemed to get dragged into all kinds of crazy things. Even Jun Yibai himself wondered if he’d done something wrong to constantly find himself in such situations.

While a walk to school seemed mundane, with his luck, he was bound to have something happen.

He left the house, feeling his mother's gaze on his back until he turned a corner. He let out a breath, relieved.

He was just happy his dad had left for work already or else he would not have been able to leave by himself. That man would insist on driving him to school and once again advising him on who to be wary of. To keep his head down.

Perhaps it was a little silly but it was his own little rebellion.

He could feel the path his father was trying to lead him down forming under his feet. He wasn’t sure he could keep off of it completely but he’d try his best to do what he wished.

And his one wish was to be normal.

That's why he was looking forward to his new school. Originally, he was supposed to attend a different school but due to some scandal that occurred, he had to transfer to another school. Luckily, not much time had passed since the semester started so it shouldn’t be too awkward.

Even better, Yang Ru also attended the same school, so he wouldn’t be alone.

Just as he thought so, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

Speak of the devil. He thought, checking the text he’d received.

Yang Ru:
Be Careful at the front gate​

Jun Yibai frowned, confused. Has something happened? He hadn’t even gotten there yet though.

Me:
Did something happen?

Yang Ru:
The crazy guy got into a fight with some rascals from another school.​

This early?! How could such a thing happen so early in the day? Also, she had mentioned a ‘crazy guy’ attending the school before so this must be a regular thing.

He definitely wasn’t getting involved with that.

Me:
Thanks for the warning.

Yang Ru:

[smiley face] No prob~​

By the time he got close to the school gate, he felt confident that he would remain uninvolved with the fight.. Yang Ru assured him that the crazy guy had won and fled from the scene.

So far so good.

“Excuse me!”

“Hm?” Jun Yibai stopped, spotting a man leaning out a car window. He waved the teen over but Jun Yibai didn’t move.

“H-hey,” The man called out, grimacing. “Can you come a bit closer? I can’t talk to you like this.”

“No.”

“Eh?”

“Why would I come closer?” Jun Yibai said, frowning as he took a step back. “I don’t know you.”

Jun Yibai had seen enough TV shows to know that walking up to a stranger's car when they come up to you was how a lot of kidnapping stories started. He did not want that to be the start of his morning.

The man in the car at least had the decency to look ashamed.

“...Fair enough.” He finally sighed, looking a bit awkward. He turned back to the driver’s seat and started talking. The driver was unseen but both men could be clearly heard.

“Jingyao, we don’t need to ask this kid anything.” The driver insisted, his deep exasperated voice making it clear this was just the continuation of a previous conversation. A long one. “I know where we are.”

“We are lost!” The passenger, apparently called Jingyao, insisted. He looked frustrated as he gestured around them. “If you would just ask for directions, we could-”

“I’m not lost!”

“Then where the hell are we?” The passenger countered, scowling at the driver. The driver said nothing, seemingly conceding to the passenger.

Jun Yibai was starting to consider walking away at this point. This sounded very troublesome and he didn’t want to deal with this so early in the morning. Unfortunately, the man turned back to Jun Yibai, pinning the teen to the spot with a look. Said passenger smiled at Jun Yibai, stepping from the car and approaching the teen.

Jun Yibai unconsciously took a step back, mildly intimidated by the adult in front of him. While he didn’t have the senses to confirm this, this man was definitely not a beta.

“I’m sorry to bother you while on your way to school but do you mind helping me out with something.” He asked, holding his hands up to show he wasn’t planning on touching him. “My husband and I are trying to get somewhere but since we’re not familiar with this area, we can’t find our way.”

“Why not use GPS?” Jun Yibai asked, his frown deepening.

“I tried but it keeps sending us in circles.” The man grumbled, looking frustrated.

Circles? If it kept doing that, it would mean that they-

“Are you trying to get to Yunli Highschool?”

“Oh?” Jingyao beamed, looking relieved. “You know it!?”

Ah, so it was that.

“It's around the corner.” He stated, pointing toward the building nearby.

The only way that they could be sent in circles so many times would be if they kept missing their destination and circled the block.

“E-eh!?” The man looked aghast, as if he’d seen something horrifying. ”It's really this place?!”

“I told you!” The driver shouted from the car, his voice full of righteous indignation.

“How was I supposed to know this was the place?” The man grumbled, looking like he’d eaten something bitter. “This place is so small, why enroll here?”

He looked past Jun Yibai, his expression resigned as if he knew this was bound to be his fate.

“Anyway, thank you.” The Alpha said, smiling at Jun Yibai. “I hope I didn’t keep you up.”

“It’s fine.” Jun Yibai didn’t smile back, though he was amused by the situation. He couldn’t help but say more. “Though I suggest just trusting your husband next time.”

“…” The man looked at him with a grimace, as if mildly wounded.

The two men drove off, leaving Jun Yibai to watch their car drive away from the school. Were they not going to the school? Perhaps they were just checking the school out? Either way, it wasn’t his problem.

***​

“Yo!” Jun Yibai looked up from his phone, spotting Yang Ru waving him over. It was still early so there were a few students hanging around the gate. Mostly girls.

Weird.

Yang Ru grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the entrance.

“We should get going quick.” She said, directing him through the crowd of girls. A few gave them annoyed looks but quickly returned their gaze to the school gate. “The tyrant is coming and we’ll never get to class if we bump into him.”

“Tyrant?” He echoed, looking around. The girls looked excited, their gazes darting about as if anticipating something.

Why would anyone look so excited when awaiting the arrival of someone referred to as a ‘tyrant’?

As if seeing the question in her friend’s eyes, Yang Ru shook her head.

“I’ll explain when we are a safe distance away.” She said, pulling him into the school building. They passed by many students, all wearing the same uniform with only a few variations.

The most notable thing was the collars on some students' necks, marking them as Omega’s. Most of the omegas Jun Yibai had met were mated, so they didn’t wear collars. It was the first time Jun Yibai had seen so many omega’s in one place.

It was sort of amazing, if not a bit worrisome.

Jun Yibai had grown to be a huge block of a teen, not really towering over anyone but intimidating others with his broad shoulders. If not for his plain facial features, he’d have been mistaken for an Alpha.

Whether that was a good or bad thing was hard to say.

“And there he is.” Yang Ru muttered, grimacing as she stared out the window. Jun Yibai wanted to ask what she meant but was cut off by screams.

A loud, mildly unified outcry of voices rang through the air. Jun Yibai could swear he felt the ground shake as dozens of students cried out with excitement. Down below, the pair spotted a person coming through the gate, the crowds of students parting in order to let them pass.

Like a king entering his kingdom.

“Is that…”

“Yep, that's him.” Yang Ru replied, sighing as she rubbed her ears. While the crowd had quieted down, her ears were still ringing. “The Tyrant king of the Omega’s.”

“That's an omega?!” Jun Yibai frowned, trying to spot the supposed king of Omega’s. He could just barely see a head of white hair as the ‘king’ turned away from him. He looked like he was talking to someone.

“That's what I heard.” She shrugged, turning away from the window. “Though you should probably steer clear of them.”

Jun Yibai gave her a ‘who do you think you're talking to?’ look.

“Right, it's you we’re talking about.” She chuckled. “Most people are drawn to them so I’m used to warning others away. There are so many people who see bright lights and get burned.”

“I see.” He muttered, taking one last look at the person below before following Yang Ru. She was right. He’d already been burned by getting too close to Suren and Guiren. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

***​

His class was normal, if not a bit stuffy. As a new student joining in midway through a semester, he was the talk of the class. They were disappointed he was just a beta but marveled at his size.

He wasn’t tall like an Alpha or slim like an Omega but was a solid block that towered over most of his fellow classmates.

This drew the eye of… annoying individuals.

“Oi, new kid!” One of his classmates, a sly-looking boy, called out to him. He leaned on his desk as if they were friends yet his eyes were clearly dissecting him. “Are you really a beta?”

“…” Jun Yibai turned the page in his book, not even looking up.

“Hey, are you ignoring me?” He snapped, glaring at Jun Yibai. “I’m trying to be friendly and you dare ignore me?”

He said this but his tone was accusatory, as if Jun Yibai had some reason to lie about being a beta. Who would bother with such a thing?

Other than Guiren.

Jun Yibai briefly wondered what had happened to those two. They were from the most prominent families in the city, so they must be in an elite high school now. Guiren would probably be raising hell for everyone and Suren would definitely be running the school.

Suren might look sweet but he was a devious guy. He was sure if given the time, he could take control of a student body.

Unbidden, he recalled the brief glimpse of the tyrant king from that morning. A white haired Omega...

“...No way.” Jun Yibai muttered, shaking his head. What would be the chances of such a thing

“What do you mean ’no way’!?”

Jun Yibai blinked, having forgotten he wasn’t alone just then. He had no idea what the guy in front of him was talking about as he thought about other matters but his response of ‘no way’ seemed to set him off in ways Jun Yibai could not anticipate.

He was fairly easy to ignore at first but over the course of a month, it became worse. Everywhere he went, this guy Song Yang would show up, offering Jun Yibai friendship. He’d talk about how rich his family was and how Jun Yibai would only benefit from associating with him.

It was clear he wanted something from Jun Yibai but he had no clue what it could be.

“That guy is bothering you again?” Yang Ru peeked over her shoulder, spotting Song Yang watching them from afar. While the two lived far apart, Yang Ru always made an effort to walk to school with Jun Yibai. Because of this, she had long since noticed the guy following her friend. “He doesn’t have a crush on you, does he?”

“Doubt it.” Jun Yibai didn’t pay it much mind. Outside class, Song Yang just watched him. It was creepy but ultimately harmless. “He claims he's the boss of the beta’s in our grade and wants me to join his group or something.”

Such a dull way to recruit people, Jun Yibai wasn’t interested.

“Boss? In his first year?” Yang Ru snorted, unable to hold back her amusement. She openly stared at the interloper, smirking at the now ‘hidden’ figure. ”How daring of him to act like an alpha with such little to offer? Does he think he’s like the actual kings just because he has a little money?”

Her tone was arrogant, as if bragging about her own people. It was strange considering how much she bad-mouthed the duo. From the day she enrolled, she complained to Yibai about the ‘kings’ of her high school. How she lamented having to deal with either of them. She even mocked them by calling them tyrants and crazy behind their backs.

Yet surprisingly, despite Yang Ru’s mockery she still acknowledged those guys as king-like authorities. When pressed about it, she explained.

“The tyrant is annoying because all the class monitors have to defer to him so we don’t get along. He just gives out orders and we have to follow them, like we're his damn vassals! ” She explained, seething as she recalled that guy. “Unfortunately, he’s also damn good at his job so I can’t complain too much.”

Yang Ru took pride in her role as class monitor. She was friendly, hard-working, and firm, which made her an excellent pick for the job. She also knew a lot of gossips so very few people dared to mess with her.

Everyone but the tyrant king which apparently was her own nickname for the guy. When Jun Yibai asked what his actual name was, Yang Ru shook her head and replied:

“That guy's name is unsuited for him.” She proclaimed, waving her hand dismissively. “He’s better off by the nickname I gave him. The other monitors agree.”

Jun Yibai could only imagine how much those guys had to deal with to so ruthlessly unname a person like this but he decided it wasn’t any of his business.

“The other king, the crazy guy is less a tyrant and more a warlord.” She continued, wanting to get off the subject. “He just kind of… brute forces his way through stuff.”

Jun Yibai had no doubt about that. He’d once found a hole in the outside wall and inquired about it. Apparently, a fight had broken out and a single student had punched the wall to ‘quell tensions’. He had no doubt that the person was Yang Ru’s crazy guy.

Yet he hadn’t heard about any incidents since he enrolled.

“He got suspended for a while because of the fight he had the day you came in.” Yang Ru explained when asked. “Though it turns out that the guys he fought were trying to extort some of our classmates. As such, while he’s still a rascal, he’s not too bad.

“I see.” So he was one of those ‘hero’ types? “Then why call him crazy at all?”

“Because he is way too wild!” She stated, shuddering at the thought. “People our age shouldn’t be so eager to fight. I know he's an alpha and they tend to be competitive yet all the while, one can hear him laughing as he plowed through those guys.”

Ah, he’s one of those guys. Jun Yibai thought, recalling how Guiren would have a similar reaction when the two of them sparred together. Guiren seemed to always have too much energy and loved fighting.

Afterward, Jun Yibai would help treat his wounds and he looked no less happy despite being bruised and beat up. It was one of the few quiet moments between them that he missed...

“Hey! Earth to Jun Yibai!” Yang Ru called out, waving a hand in Jun Yibai’s face. They had finally reached the school gate yet her friend was just staring into space. “What were you thinking about?”

“...An old friend I guess.”

“You guess you were thinking about them or you guess you were friends?”

“Hm.”

With such a noncommittal answer, Yang Ru felt no joy, as she wanted to tease this stoic friend of hers.

“You’re no fun!” She complained with a pout. Unlike others who felt the need to comfort her when she pouted, Jun Yibai had known her long enough to see through her attempt. He patted her shoulder indulgently, like a parent amused at their child’s antics.

Yang Ru shrugged in defeat, only then recalling why she had stopped him so early in the morning.

“Anyway, try to keep your head down.” She warned as they split up for class. “The crazy guy will be back soon and with your luck, you might be dragged into something troublesome.”

He thanked Yang Ru for the heads up. He’d managed to avoid anything major because Yang Ru had her finger on the pulse of the school. If anything was coming to a boiling point, she was either involved or aware of it.

As usual, Song Yang nagged him throughout the day, wanting to be friends. Rumor had it that he was trying to build up a group to establish power within the school. Jun Yibai, being a fairly fit guy, was his newest target.

But Jun Yibai wasn’t interested in anything he had to offer.

“If you want, I can get you whatever you want.” He tried once again, cornering Jun Yibai in the staircase. By his side, an Omega stood nearby, his head down. Song Yang placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, seemingly unaware of the slight twitch from the teen. “I even have a few Omega’s willing to sleep with my guys.”

Ah, that's how he got people to follow him. The promise of sex to a hormonal teen was tempting to most.

Jun Yibai wasn’t most.

“Don’t insult me.” He snapped, glaring at the beta. “I don’t take ‘offers’ on unless they come from the person themselves.”

The Omega boy looked up, a bit shaken by his words. He looked unsure but remained by Song Yang's side.

It wasn’t his business anyway.

Without another word, he turned to leave

“S-so you won’t join up with me?” Song Yang stammered, looking upset. “Then you plan on aligning yourself with the enemy?”

Jun Yibai really wanted to scream just then. Is this a school or a warzone? Why were these teens so fixated on affiliation? He just came to learn damn it!

“I don’t plan on aligning myself with anyone so leave me alone.”

“Oh? You think you can do such a thing?”

Jun Yibai cocked a brow at this. “What makes you think I can’t?”

He’d managed to go an entire month without anyone making a fuss. There were distinct cliques but mixed in terms of gender. Only Jun Yibai refused to join any, as he didn’t want to associate with anyone other than Yang Ru.

He was fine being the wallflower at the edge of the crowd.

“You’ll have to pick a side sooner or later.” Song Yang warned, stepping past Jun Yibai. “Neutrality is not an option since he and that crazy guy run things. The Tyrant King and the Mad king.”

What kind of dramatic names were those?! They were in high school, not a fantasy story.

Or is this just what happens when Alpha’s and Omega’s are placed together? They vie for power and just have the beta’s be the citizens. Even this supposed leader is kowtowing to this farce.

This was ridiculous.

“You know this is just high school, right?”

“Just?!” Song Yang looked at Jun Yibai like he was crazy. “Is it just high school when a student who is only the student council president has the means to influence the dean with a mere word? Or when a delinquent uses his family influence to remodel an entire wing after a disaster just so he can get out of a suspension?”

It was clear that the students being referenced were the supposed kings. Who else could it be? Heck, the fact that they had garnered so much strength in so little time was impressive in itself. It was their first year yet one was in charge of the student council and the other was well known to fight hoards of thugs. Hearing about their pedigree on top of all that, Yibai only had one thought running through his mind.

What the fuck were these extraordinary people doing attending a public school?!

Wasn’t it already unfair for them to use their influence to gain stuff but to do so in a smallish high school like this? Wasn’t it just overkill?

Why was it that he could never just go someplace normal?

Jun Yibai sighed, no longer wanting to bother with this. Song Yang called out to him but Jun Yibai didn’t want to deal with this anymore.

As was to be expected, it didn’t end there.

A week later, he saw a familiarish face exiting his classroom. It was the omega who had come with Song Yang before. He was wearing glasses now, which made him look all the smaller but it was definitely him.

Jun Yibai wouldn’t have even noticed if not for the way he seemed nervous and ran away upon spotting him.

“Did you bully that guy?” Yang Ru, who was walking with him to class, asked. “I’ve never seen a rabbit run away like that?”

“Eh? Whose a rabbit? That is clearly a guy.”

“Yeah but look how he ran as soon as our eyes met. Isn’t that rabbit-like?”

Is that something any guy could back up? Rabbit-like or not, a guy was a guy.

“He’s Song Yang’s subordinate.” He pointed out. “Are you sure you want to call him a rabbit?”

“Ah, that cute guy is associated with that weirdo?!” Yang Ru glared at Song Yang, who flinched at his desk when he noticed the girl's gaze. “How gross. My poor bunny~”

Ah darn, she’s already claimed him. Jun Yibai thought, shaking his head. He felt a bit of pity for that omega, as he was sure Yang Ru was going to continue calling him a rabbit.

Yet it was a bit weird to see him all of a sudden. He hadn’t seen the two together before that time in the staircase but now they openly met up before class? How strange.

He decided not to think too much of it until he came to his desk and noticed a note on top of it.

“Ah, my Jun Yibai is already so popular!” Yang Ru cooed, hanging off his shoulder so she could take a peek at the envelope. Unfortunately, he moved it out of view before she could read a single word. “He’s already getting love letters on his desk. How cute~”

“Love letters aren’t usually filled with such provocative words.” Jun Yibai said after reading the very short letter.

“Oh?” Yang Ru’s eyes gleamed with curiosity. She couldn’t help but tease her friend as she sat on his desk. “Is this person a bit more daring? Offering their necks or something?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Jun Yibai grimaced, giving her a bewildered look. “What could I do even if such a thing was offered?”

“Sometimes the gesture is enough.” She replied, thinking of her own parents. While he father couldn’t be marked due to circumstances, they always made an effort to mark each other. It was embarrassing but Yang Ru was happy her parents were affectionate toward each other.

She had even dreamed she could have a relationship that loving.

“It is a waste of time for a beta.” Jun Yibai stated, knowing her thoughts. While a beta could supposedly be marked, it was one-sided. The other party would only be disappointed so why bother?

“It's romantic.” She argued, having had this discussion before. It was one of the things they disagreed about.

Jun Yibai didn’t feel like arguing though.

“I didn’t think you were the romantic type.” He joked, though his tone was only slightly different from his regular cadence.

Still, for Yang Ru who had known him since middle school, it was obvious he was trying to change the subject. Who was she to deny him such a thing?

“A girl will always have a bit of a liking for such things.” She stated, smiling devilishly. “Like that cute bunny from before…”

Her expression was a bit mischievous, making Jun Yibai worry about that guy. He might have a troublesome girl chasing him now.

“Right.” Jun Yibai glanced at the letter, his expression darkening a bit. He couldn’t help but mutter to himself. “But this letter…”

“Hm?” Yang Ru blinked, noticing her friend's strange expression. “Something wrong?”

Jun Yibai shook his head. ”Nothing. I’ll deal with it.”

Yang Ru didn’t look convinced but the alarm on her phone went off, alerting her that class was about to begin. As much as she wanted to question Jun Yibai, she couldn’t afford to be late. She’d just have to interrogate him later.

Jun Yibai went through the rest of class mildly distracted. His mind was on the letter he got. On the contents of the short message within. He wanted to just toss it aside but he couldn't afford to.

While the teacher was going through their lesson, Jun Yibai peeked at the note once more, his expression nervous.

Has Cinderella returned to retrieve his glass slipper? Come to the rooftop at lunch before the magic runs out.

*****​

 

Spoiler: H: Warm Welcome

Yibai spent most of class waiting for lunch. That letter was burning a hole in his pocket and he had to nip this problem in the bud now rather than later.

While he wasn’t worried too much about being spoken about, the ‘cinderella’ matter was a sore subject he didn’t want spreading. Even though those two weren't here, it was bound to draw their attention.

He had chosen not to interact with them anymore for a reason.

As if the universe was granting him a reprieve, Song Yang wasn’t nagging him today. Usually, his class time would be spent ignoring his discreetly passed notes and eager stares.

Today, however, he seemed distracted by something else. His eyes kept darting to the piece of paper inside his desk. Yibai didn't really care, as it just meant he would be free to think about his next plan of action.

As soon as lunch came around, Song Yang jumped from his seat and fled the classroom as if chased by wild dogs. A few students whispered with confusion but most wrote it off as him being dramatic.

This was, after all, the guy who openly declared himself the leader of the classroom.

Yibai was about to leave as well when the doors of the classroom slammed open.

“Where is that no good bastard!?”

Three teens burst into the room, the rest of the class falling silent as they surveyed the room. The teens were definitely delinquents, their swagger and arrogance indicative of their disregard for what is proper.

In essence, troublesome people.

Without a word, Yibai packed up his things and walked to the back entrance. He was quickly spotted however and stopped at the door.

“Where do you think you're going?” One of the boys, possibly the leader, walked over to block his path.

“Lunch.”

He wasn’t about to deal with something possibly troublesome without something to eat first. To endure annoying things was bad enough but to do so on an empty stomach was just abuse.

“We are looking for the leader of the class here. Do you know where he is?”

Ah, so they wanted Song Yang? That guy must have known he’d poked the sleeping tiger just a bit too much, considering he ran away so quickly. Yibai briefly considered telling them he had run away but chose not to. It wasn’t his business and he wasn’t about to get involved with such a thing.

Simple things like this had a way of coming back to bite you in the ass.

Yibai shook his head, trying to move past the two at the door but still finding his path blocked.

“Do you think you can just leave before we find him?” The leader pressed. “He caused us a lot of problems.

“And how is that my problem? Am I supposed to wait for you to let me leave?”

The teen, clearly an alpha, seemed put off by Yibai’s dismissive answer. He had become used to students either cowering or meekly staying quiet. Yet this beta, despite being shorter than him, showed no fear.

No, instead, he looked bored.

Like he was staring at a child’s game.

“You-” The teen was about to snap at Yibai but a tone rang from his pocket. It was a simple melody but one that froze his blood. Without hesitation, he answered the call and spoke in whispered tones.

“Hello?... N-no, we haven’t found him yet but we’re in his class asking the people here…” He flinched, glancing around the room nervously. “N-no but there aren't any teachers around so it shouldn't be a- … Yes… Yes.”

He responded in the affirmative a few more times, his demeanor wilting with each answer. He was clearly being scolded.

But Yibai didn't care, walking past them as they spoke. He didn’t even bother asking why those guys had cell phones despite them not being allowed on campus.

If they were the crazy guy, it was no wonder they could disregard such rules.

They were delinquents after all.

***​

On the way to the rooftop, Yibai saw a worn-down sign telling students they weren't allowed there. It looked like it had been pried off the door dozens of times and hung loosely on some strings.

Clearly, this was a loosely enforced rule considering the principal couldn’t even be bothered to bolt it back to the door.

Moreover, unless he was caught, what was there to be worried about?

So like many others before him, he disregarded the sign and stepped out onto the rooftop. The air was chilly and made Yibai regret not grabbing his jacket before leaving class.

As he looked around, he was surprised to see he was alone.

While he was here to confront his would-be blackmailer, surely such a spot would be filled with other students too. It wasn’t so cold that eating up here would be uncomfortable yet there was nothing besides the wind accompanying him.

Strange.

Still, after all this time of dodging Song Yang and his ‘friendly offers’, it was nice to have a nice, quiet lunch period. If that bastard wasn’t here yet, why not enjoy this small moment of peace.

Moving out of sight of the entrance, Yibai relaxed against the wall, opening his lunch. For a moment, he considered inviting Yang Ru but decided to leave it for another day. She was busy with some student council things.

Out of nowhere, he saw a pair of feet suddenly appear before him as someone jumped down from above. Attached to those feet were legs that very quickly encircled Yibai as that person slammed his foot into the wall beside his head.

“I could have sworn there was a sign outside that said no one was allowed up here.”

This deep voice sent shivers through Yibai, though he wished he could suppress it. He had heard some alphas could influence others just by talking but this was a first for him.

It was hatefully attractive.

But Yibai was not one to take the matter sitting down.

He jumped to his feet, meeting this alpha face to face. Or at least he tried to as this guy was taller than him.

Damn these guys and their abnormally long legs!

“Yet here you are.” He shot back, glaring back.

The alpha looked unconcerned, as if Yibai was a mere child before him.

It was annoying and the urge to punch this guy grew.

All the while, the teen with the punchable face stared back at Yibai intensely, his brows furrowing as the silence fell between them. He seemed to be pondering something but this was of no concern to Yibai.

Chances are, this was the guy who sent the note.

He wasn’t sure how he planned on handling the matter but he needed to make sure this guy didn’t say anything.

Punching him would be a solution and totally wouldn’t be just because this guy was being annoying. Absolutely not.

But first, he had to be sure.

“Why are you up here?” Yibai asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Me? I should be asking you that.” He shot back, folding his arms. “Everyone knows this is my spot.”

This arrogant-! “You can’t claim an entire rooftop as yours alone.”

“Who says it's mine alone?”

“Then-”

“It belongs to both kings, not just me.”

K-kings?! Was this guy…

No, he wasn’t the Tyrant since his hair was black so he must be-

“The Mad King.” The beta muttered, his desire to leave growing within him.

At that, the guy snickered, his lips parting slightly to show a pair of fangs. Perhaps it was just human instinct but the gesture felt mildly threatening.

“Is that what they call me?” He sneered, looking mildly bemused. Perhaps he’d never known before this what his nickname was.

Then Yibai had best keep Yang Ru’s nickname a secret.

The king continued. “Then shouldn’t you be running?”

“Why should I?”

“Hm?”

“Just because you call yourself a king,” He snapped, staring back at the taller boy. “doesn’t mean I’m going to let you boss me around.”

“Oh?” The alpha looked amused. “Then punch me.”

...

“...What?”

“Punch me.” He repeated, as if the statement was perfectly normal. “Preferably in the face but then again that annoying guy will get all pissy if he sees it.” After a moment of consideration, he shook his head regretfully. “Damn, maybe not in the face then.”

...

Maybe Yang Ru was right about this guy. He was crazy.

Yibai might want to punch him but being asked to is suspicious and weird!

Yibai grimaced, stepping to the side. “Don’t involve me in your weird interests.”

This seemed to break through the alpha’s thick skin.

“Eh?” He cried, looking flustered. “Why does everyone accuse me like that?! I’m not into that kind of weird stuff!”

So this was a regular thing!? If so many people say that, the common factor is you!

“If you don’t want to be accused unjustly,” Yibai snapped back. “then don't say misleading things!”

“This is this and that is that.” He shot back, blocking Yibai’s escape route with his arm. “I just want to know how it feels to be punched by you.”

How does that not sound like someone’s kink?!

Ah, this mad king really lives up to his name!

Regardless, Yibai didn't want to participate in whatever this guy wanted from him.

“Move!” He growled, though it probably didn’t sound as intimidating as alpha. In fact, the one before him just cocked a brow.

“So...” He continued, looking curious. “Is that a yes or no on the punching thing?”

This fucking guy!

Pissed off, Yibai threw a punch his way, wanting to just hit this guy once. It might not do much damage but there was only so much his pride could take.

Yet his fist was caught just before it would have landed on his face.

“Hey now, I know I asked for it but a bruised face would really be too much trouble this week.” The alpha complained, pouting. “Maybe later~”

“Don’t be weird! I hate dealing with troublesome people like you.”

At that, the alpha froze, his hand clenching just a bit on Yibai’s fist

“That…”

Whatever the alpha was trying to say was none of Yibai’s concern. He just wanted to leave yet when he tried to pull away, he found himself stuck between the wall and his captor.

Worse yet, even when he managed to free his fist, the bastard grabbed it again, intertwining their fingers.

Yibai tried to pull his hand away but the alpha’s grip was too strong. If anything, it was hurting him just trying to escape. Much to his annoyance, this bastard didn’t look to even notice his struggle.

If not for how close they were now, Yibai would have kneed him in the balls.

All the while, the Mad King stared down at him with a strange look.

“Do...Do I know you?”

“Know me?”

Would knowing me mean you can just pin people to walls like this?!

“You…” He leaned in close, seeming to relax despite his grip being strong. “You smell familiar.”

“Do you usually go around smelling people?” Yibai snapped back, glaring at him. “Cause that's really gross.”

Despite his attempt to provoke him, the alpha seemed unbothered. He even pressed their intertwined finger to the wall as he closed in on Yibai.

“And that harsh way of talking too.” He whispered, his breath hitting his ears in ways he hated himself for reacting to.

“Oi, don’t ignore me, you bastard! If you forgot me, that's your problem.”

The alpha stared at Yibai with wide eyes, gray to red. He frowned as something seemed to occur to him.

“...Master?”

“Eh?”

Master? The only one who would ever call him that so brazenly was Guiren but… Could this really be him?

The Guiren he remembered but strong but his body was still lanky from youth. There was none of the bulk this guy had yet the red eyes that gleamed whenever he saw Yibai was the same.

This annoying guy was that guy, it seemed.

Guiren saw the recognition in Yibai’s eyes and rejoiced, his bored expression falling away to reveal pure joy.

“You are! Master, it is you!” Guiren beamed, wrapping his arms around Yibai. This overbearing attitude and casual touching could only be that Guiren.

Though if he was here then…

That other troublesome person could possibly be here too.

All the while, Guiren was happily nuzzling Yibai. This scent that had been tickling his nose since the beta had come up here was now engulfing his senses. This was the scent he felt missing whenever he and that annoying guy had to spend time together.

Ah, this was the best~

Yibai, throughout, said nothing, letting Guiren hug him to his heart's content. It's not like he could escape from his grip from his position.

All of this was fine and good for Guiren but just like their first meeting, it would end the same way.

“Agh!”

Guiren cried out, falling to the ground as he clutched at his groin.

The first time Yibai met Guiren after 2 years, he kneed the crowned king in the balls.

It was only right for him to receive such a welcome.

*****​

AN: This chapter was originally going to be longer but I chose to split it cause this worked better narratively. Good news is that since it's a split, the next update won't take nearly as long. Huzzah!

 

Spoiler: H: Lunch Date

*****

*Four hours prior*​

From the window of the office, students could be seen entering the school building. From high above, a pale-haired youth watched them as he waited.

"That hooligan better not be late this time." Suren seethed, tapping his foot impatiently. He'd been calling Guiren to his office for days now and he kept slipping away.

But not this time.

As if on cue, his office door slammed open, revealing a handsome young alpha glaring at him. Suren suppressed a shiver as his instincts screamed to submit.

But he'd be damned if he ever submitted to this thug.

"Look who finally showed up." He mocked, leaning back against his desk. "Did you get lost?"

"I'm not here at your beck and call, you know." He snapped, slamming the door closed. With an ease that spoke of familiarity, Guiren threw himself onto the couch and rested his feet on the table.

"Yet you always track mud in."

"What? Those guys from Shen Lao high?" He countered, shrugging his shoulders. He'd just gotten off his suspension a few days ago yet looked so ambivalent. "They wouldn't dare make trouble for the school now."

"And you ended up getting another suspension! Do you think I can cover your ass forever?"

Suren had a lot of control over student affairs due to his position and the trust given to him by the principal. As long as the school's reputation wasn't at risk, he could do as he liked without either of their parents being called.

This was the best possible deal for Suren and Guiren as their parents only approved of their attending this school on the condition they behaved.

Yet Guiren's violent tendencies put his perfect scenario at risk!

"You're the one who asked me to take care of those guys harassing our guys." Guiren argued, angrily ripping open his hastily bought breakfast. "Is it my fault that they came back for revenge? At least no one but them got hurt."

"That and you got suspended, or did you forget!?" He snapped back, snatching the snack from his hands. Without thought, he handed Guiren a milk tea he'd bought before. They happened to like the same flavor so it wasn't an issue to share.

They were engaged after all so what was an indirect kiss or two?

Guiren took a sip, enjoying the cool drink along with the taste of Suren's lips. Neither would ever admit they like this casual act. It never failed to cool their tempers and make conversations easier.

Even though the act still felt like it was missing something.

After a minute of silence, the two sat across from one another, contemplating their next words. Suren had managed to keep Guiren's parents from finding out about his suspension as it was only a few days but keeping it out of his records was even harder.

It had caused him quite a bit of stress over the last few days and he had to promise some 'generous anonymous donor' would give a donation in order to get it done.

All in all, he was pissed.

Seeing this, Guiren at least had the decency to look slightly guilty.

"No," He continued, staring back at Suren. "but the safety of our guys is more important, right?"

Shen Lao High School had been a major antagonist to Yunli high school since long before Suren and Guiren enrolled. It was a private school, attended exclusively by alphas with lots of money.

It was also the school Guiren was originally supposed to attend before joining Suren at Yunli.

For years, the high-end school looked down on Yunli as it was a public co-ed school. It wasn't as aesthetically pleasing or attended by students with the highest pedigree but it somehow became something to be compared to.

In spite of, or perhaps because of the wealth of the students, the academic performance of those attending Shen Lao high school was always inferior. Perhaps if Yunli high school wasn't so close nearby, the comparison would be moot but the two schools were so close by, the students could easily intermingle if they wanted to.

But who would want to? Their parents had made their feelings quite clear.

How dare a public school do as well as a privately funded establishment?!

Was the money being poured in just used to pay for the shined seats and ritzy meals?!

Parents were outraged, constantly berating their children for somehow ending up compared to a cheaper school. For doing worse.

This ended up making the students there resent students of Yunli high, constantly harassing and bullying those wearing their uniform. For years, it went on. Even with students who had no resentment toward them, the tradition continued on.

That is, until Suren and Guiren came.

For reasons unknown, two well-known youths chose to attend Yunli high school as opposed to Shen Lao high school, like what was expected. The fact they could easily say that they wished to act properly as students and get good grades pissed off the arrogant alphas.

So rather than their initially passive taunts, the students at Shen Lao have begun bullying their schoolmates, trying to get them to not attend school. If not for Guiren and his subordinates keeping the school safe, many more students would be harassed.

But that was only seen by those acting under Guiren. The betas only saw their alpha classmates standing by the gates as a pressure tactic, to scare those who aren't under them into compliance.

Despite being co-ed, most betas were afraid of their bigger and stranger schoolmates, preferring to hang out with Omegas.

This is where Suren came in, acting as the bridge between the two. It was also why he was the student council president, despite only being a first year.

Who better to contact the mad king on behalf of the betas than the Tyrant king himself?

Yet this partnership was beginning to be more trouble than it's worth.

"You are my fiance!" Suren seethed, again tapping his heel impatiently. "If you keep making trouble, Grandfather will-"

"Your grandfather couldn't care less about my character flaws as long as I'm still a Chen and you can have my child."

"Do you think that's my only concern!?" Suren shouted, slamming a hand down. "We made a deal!"

"And I'm keeping my end!"

"Are you?" The omega stood up, crossing his arms. He even leaned over just to get in this guy's face. "Cause I don't see much difference between you and any other knot-headed alpha I'd have to babysit."

"Babysit!?" He snapped, jumping to his feet. "I've had to deal with your high and mighty ass for 2 damn years now and I'm the one who needs babysitting? Do you know how many alphas I have to fend off just because you can't be bothered to take the right dosage of suppressant?"

Suren leaned in closer, glaring at his partner. "I lock my doors just fine, thank you very much."

How was it Suren's fault that suppressants took so damn long to work?!

"If lock doors were enough, what would be the need for scent suppressants?"

Why was it Guiren's job to protect this annoying bastard!?

They glared at each other for a full minute, each wanting to punch the one in front of them for being so damn troublesome. Being so damn annoying!

Yet, out of all the things that could have been done, they instead kissed.

Neither was sure which initiated it but both were fighting for dominance. Guiren pulled Suren close, burying his fingers in his pale hair. Even with the table between them, Suren knelt atop it, wrapping his arms over those broad shoulders.

Their fight for dominance went on until they naturally wished to lie down and realized gravity was still a thing.

Perhaps it was instinct or just caution but Guiren rolled under Suren, taking the brunt of the fall. It didn't hurt but it broke off their kiss just as abruptly as it started.

They were young and in society's eyes, children but their bodies spoke otherwise.

They were an Alpha and Omega, at a ripe age for reproduction, in such a position. Their instincts saw nothing of society or norms, only nature. To have such a position, there must be only one reason.

Mating.

Yet the two just stare at each other, their most base instincts screaming at them to get closer. To press against one another until not an inch of flesh wasn't pressed against the other.

They were already partway there, as both had managed to partially remove the other's shirt in the few minutes they were kissing.

Yet the desire to continue had faded as reality set in.

They were both missing something and could go any further.

Suren sighed, sitting up to straddle Guiren. He could feel the Alpha's erection pressing on his butt but he wanted it nowhere near his ass. He might be attracted to him but his womb was for another.

He knew Guiren felt the same so there was very little awkwardness as they rearranged themselves to look like proper students.

This wasn't the first time they'd fallen together like this yet it seemed to be happening more often now.

But why? What was different now?

Neither was able to come to a conclusion as the school bell rang. Guiren was usually late for class so there was no rush for him but Suren was quick to hurry him along.

"Meet me on the rooftop for lunch." He commanded, watching his alpha grumble about 'bossy omegas'. "We need to talk."

Suren was tired of almost getting screwed in his office by this hooligan. They were going to figure out why things were so hectic all of a sudden if he had anything to say about it.

Hopefully, nothing got in the way of that.

***​

Hours later, it was only Guiren on the rooftop, diligently waiting for his omega to pull his ass out here so he could eat. He might not like that annoying control freak but as someone he claimed, even if it was just conditionally, Guiren was going to act accordingly.

So he waited, all the way until he heard the door below him open and a mildly familiar scent hit his nose.

It couldn't be...

He jumped down, ready to beat up the intruder. This was his and Suren's spot. The only one other than the omega allowed out here was somewhere else, far from his side.

He always hated that. That he and Suren weren't allowed to be with Yibai as their parents made sure they never were in the same place.

In other words, they couldn't follow Yibai.

This public school was their best bet at bumping into the beta but they had yet to see him at all. Suren had mentioned he thought he could smell Yibai on one of the class monitors but an omega's sense of smell was nothing to rely on.

Yet this guy looked and smelled similar to Yibai.

Even the way he challenged Guiren despite their size difference was like him.

But he had to be sure.

"Punch me." He demanded, staring the beta straight in the eyes. His eyes were the same dull grey he'd dreamed about for months but he had to be sure.

Then he said those words, 'troublesome', and he was absolutely sure it was his Yibai. He felt such a sense of joy he thought he'd cry.

What were the chances of their beloved Yibai coming to them as opposed to them chasing him? This was the best news ever and Guiren felt overwhelmed by his happiness.

Then he got kicked in the balls and then felt a different kind of overwhelming sensation.

***​

Thus bring them to the present, in which Yibai stared down at him with that adorable grimace that screamed 'I want to be anywhere but here'.

"You're a lot more overbearing than the last time I saw you." He said, frowning as he stared down at the curled-up alpha. While his strike was weak due to lack of force, the place he hit was a man's weakest point.

Even if he wasn't in pain, he wasn't getting up anytime soon.

Yet despite that, Guiren laughed.

"If I'm not, will you listen to a word I say?"

Probably not but Yibai wasn't going to admit that.

"Then don't blame me for defending myself." The beta retorted, crossing his arms. "I don't appreciate being grabbed by people like that."

Guiren said nothing, showing neither guilt nor shame at his previous actions.

An alpha is dominant by nature. Even if the man before him is master, how could he not wish to bind him? This person, so scathing and stubborn, was the most desirable person in Guiren's eyes. To hold his attention, even for a moment, was rewarding enough to ignore the pain that followed.

Yibai had no clue what he was thinking but felt that it was probably super annoying somehow. Still, now that they had met, there were some things he felt he needed to get off his chest.

"About before, at the gym." He started, crocheting down beside Guiren. "Turns out your identity was a lot more troublesome than you implied before.

At the sudden change of subject, Guiren could help but frown. "About me being an Alpha?"

"No, that's my fault for not seeing through your obvious lies."

Upon further reflection, Yibai realized it was kind of obvious Guiren wasn't a beta. While he wasn't as strong as an adult, he was definitely stronger than a normal beta. That and his looks were exceptional. As Yibai wasn't interested in him, it didn't matter at the time but betas were known to have average faces.

Guiren was by no means average in terms of looks.

Sharp eyes that made one think of a predator and a smile that set hearts racing. How could such a good-looking guy be a beta?

So really, it was Yibai's fault for missing the obvious.

"So..."

"I mean about your family."

"Oh, that..." The alpha, for the first time, looked nervous.

"Yes, being tied to the heir of Chen corp is incredibly troublesome." He continued, a slight smile spreading as he spoke jokingly. "Our picture was blasted all over the internet. If not for my mask, I'd have been mobbed!"

The bitter tone in the beta's voice made it clear his 'joke' was not a joke.

"I didn't think you were the type to watch the news."

"Even if I wasn't, I'd have to be dead to not hear all about the 'Cinderella' story from other people's mouths."

At this, full-blown shame filled Guiren's chest. While he liked the picture of the three of them, though he'd definitely cut out that annoying omega, he knew how much trouble such a picture could cause.

"I-I'm sorry. I should have mentioned it so you wouldn't get troubled."

Though truthful, he wished he could hide it forever.

People think being the child of a rich family was great just because they were the center of attention. Those people misunderstood the order of events, as if the child wanted that attention to begin with.

Suren and Guiren were used to constant attention but Yibai was nothing like them.

To suddenly go from a face in the crowd to a face on everyone's screen was terrifying. People were vultures, picking at anything that they could. From the simplicity of a slight bit of powder on someone's sleeve to reading their intentions from their posture, so many things could be inferred.

And it was always the worst possible interpretation.

Yibai was a tough person, confident enough in himself to not let others pull him down but even then, to have so many people insult and degrade him for the 'sin' of being around one of his 'betters' was hard.

Even his father talked about it, telling him that he should be wary of Alphas and Omegas for just this reason. That just being around them made trouble for betas.

And he was right. He hadn't even done anything yet he was the villain of the story.

Being called 'Cinderella' was more an insult than a cute nickname.

While he knew Suren and Guiren had no ill intentions that night, he still felt a bit resentful.

Guiren could tell Yibai was mad and sincerely apologized, despite his desire to tell him he had worked to downplay things. The reason the story had only lasted a few days as opposed to the weeks it would have lasted was because of his interference.

While he liked being paired up with Yibai, he hated how people were so toxic to make Yibai the bad guy for no reason. He had made sure to punish those who dared to say such things. It was just little things, blocking discounts for purchases of his family's products and the like. It was petty but it made him feel better knowing they were suffering in a way that wouldn't be noticed by others.

It was the one time he did things subtly as opposed to recklessly breaking noses.

His parents would be proud to see him handling things less violently if they hadn't also received complaints about such strange matters.

Guiren, however, told Yibai none of this. He hadn't done those things to be thanked or noticed. He'd done it because he felt it was his duty to avenge his beta.

Yibai stared him down, trying to read the alpha in front of him. He was kneeling, looking guilty as he stared up at Yibai. It was a look that made him think of a scolded puppy yearning for forgiveness.

It was only right to respond in kind.

"As long as you don't trouble me again, I'll forgive you." He said, stroking his head as if it was a normal thing for them. "Got it?"

Guiren shivered under his touch, surprised by how much he liked it. Very few people would dare try and pet him. Not only was he very tall, but most were intimidated by his size and strength.

Yet this guy, with ease, did so without thought.

"I can't do that, master~" He sighed, grabbing hold of Yibai's hand to nuzzle it. "You might feel troubled by my presence so how can I promise such a thing?"

"Eh? Why would your presence-" He then realized Guiren's implication. "No! Don't you dare think of lurking around me!"

"Hm? Would Master dislike it?" He cooed, trying to look innocent.

It did not work.

"Absolutely." He growled, gripping Guiren's collar. "I already have that troublesome guy on my ass. I don't need some larping alpha on me too."

"Eh?! Is someone harassing you?!" Guiren looked him over, as if expecting to see some kind of gremlin hanging off him. "H-he even got to see your ass when I haven't?! I'll kill him!"

"...Are you an idiot?"

"How could you say something so mean, Master?" Though it was exactly what he predicted this prickly guy would say. "It's my duty as your alpha to protect you."

There he goes saying weird things again. Yibai thought, rolling his eyes. Nothing changed then.

"Bullshit. I'm not your anything, Guiren."

"Not yet."

"Not ever."

"Must you be so stubborn, Master?" He whined, embracing Yibai from behind.

Ah, that yappy fox is rubbing off on me. Guiren thought, mildly bitter about the revelation.

Still, holding master like this is so nice~

"About this?" Yibai gestured at Guiren's arms, which he didn't bother to try and escape. "Yes, now let me go."

With visible reluctance, the alpha did as he was asked. While he liked hugging Master, he was sure this guy would get legitimately mad if he continued.

Later then.

The ever shameless Guiren followed after Yibai as he exited the rooftop. "Let me walk you to class."

"No."

"Come on, it's been so long since we last saw each other and-"

"I'm not letting myself be seen with someone as notorious as you! I want to have a normal high school experience." He already had that annoying Song Yang guy bothering him about factions and the like. If he was seen with the so-called king of the alpha's, he'd never hear the end of it.

Just imagining it made him want to push him down the steps.

"And I want to spend more time with Master. Regardless of our parting, weren't we friends?"

"...You really won't let this go, will you?"

Guiren smiled. "Not at all."

How could he dare to? The fate that brought them together was possibly a fluke. Who knew if this stubborn beta would end up moving to another city or something ridiculous like that. He couldn't risk it if he could help it.

"How about this?" He offered instead, draping an arm over Yibai's shoulder. "After school, you accompany me and I won't bother you at school."

"How is that any different? Being seen with you is the troublesome part."

"No one will see us if we go somewhere private." He argued, already planning out their destination. "Besides, I really want to hang out with you. Do you really not want to?"

When asked upfront, he couldn't really say no. He never disliked Guiren after they became 'friends'. He was annoying and loud but not unpleasant.

It's just his identity really did cause a lot of problems for him. Especially now.

The beta looked away, his signature scowl deepening.

"...It will be private, as in no one will see us together?"

"Absolutely!"

"...Fine." He grumbled, accepting his fate. He knew that regardless of his protests, he could avoid this. If he said no, he was sure Guiren would follow him around for the rest of the day trying to convince him.

He was that kind of guy after all.

Still, Yibai had his pride so he brushed off the alphas arm and moved ahead, heading to class. As he moved through the hall, he could hear whispers behind him.

- Is that him?

- It is. I guess he's back now.

- That's great! Those alphas were getting uptight since he left.

- Still, isn't he so cool?

- That crazy guy? How can-

- But look at him!

Ah, so Guiren was following him now? Great!

Because this guy was apparently much more popular than Yibai thought, as all the students who were previously trying to get to their class now flooded the hallway.

Recalling the hoard of fans that waited for the Tyrant king on his first day, Yibai realized that the other king was just as popular, it seems.

He wouldn't really care if these bastards weren't blocking the way!

How troublesome!

"Don't you all have somewhere to be?"

These words, spoken with such authority, rippled through the crowd. Silence fell, with only Yibai still moving through the crowd. The betas had no clue how much was happening due to their lack of awareness when it came to pheromones but the rest of the student body knew very well.

His words, while softly spoken, were a growl that rumbled through them like a wave. The message was very clear.

Move out of the way.

The hierarchy of their school was clear and they knew better than to disobey.

The crowd dispersed quickly, so much so that Yibai was left mildly flustered as he suddenly able to move freely. Frowning, he glanced at Guiren, who looked to be being scolded by a teacher. The collar around her neck indicated that she was an Omega.

He couldn't hear her words over the noisy students but he heard something about 'being reckless' and 'stop causing trouble for the students.'

Ah, had he been caught for using the rooftop?

As if sensing his gaze, Guiren glanced over.

Nothing was said.

Nothing needed to be said.

They'd already agreed, right?

Not wanting to draw attention, Yibai inclined his head, just to show he noticed the Alpha's gaze. It wasn't much more than just acknowledgment yet Guiren grinned, looking like a cat that got the cream.

This, in turn, pissed off the teacher even more, her scolding getting more verbose.

Aish, she wasn't the literature teacher for nothing! She was using words that even Yibai wasn't sure of.

Was she speaking Latin!?

Not wanting to be drawn into that, Yibai hurried to class, relieved to see none of the hooligans from before were there anymore.

And look at that, Song Yang was there too. What a coincidence.

It was only when he arrived back to his class that he realized he hadn't asked about Suren. While he had no proof, he was sure he was here too.

That head of pale hair he saw his first day was still fresh in his mind.

But the fact that he hadn't seen Suren with Guiren made him wonder what he was doing?

***​

Elsewhere, an omega was slouched in his office chair, glaring at the ceiling as he tried to regain his composure. He'd had a long meeting with the other class monitors and his mood was sour.

Li Suren was often called a tyrant but that is only because everyone else is a goddamn idiot!

"How?!" He grumbled, clenching his teeth with frustration. "How does someone fuck up this badly with so little to work with!?"

The meeting had been called to go over the final confirmation on a school trip they'd be having in a few months. The venue had to be booked in advance and cancelations were rare, so Suren wasn't taking any chances.

Suren had even managed to get a discount on account of the size of their group so the principal was willing to hand over the technicalities to him. It was a huge responsibility that the omega felt happy to carry.

Until someone managed to fuck it up.

Suren had made sure to take parents' financial capabilities into account when calculating permission slips and fees. It wasn't so high as to be tossing money to the wind nor was it low enough to insult a parent. Moreover, what parent wouldn't want their child to enjoy a nice resort for so little.

All the monitors had to do was give out the permission slips and collect them back.

Despite how it was just a simple task of printing up a PDF file he'd sent to all the monitors, someone had the bright idea to edit it and change the price for their class to something considerably less. Now they were short and had to send additional letters to parents and guardians to make up the difference.

And shocker to the world, they were pissed about it.

Is this discrimination?

No, it's a simple fuck up that isn't his fault.

Why only us?

Because one of the monitors was chosen because his classmates thought a pretty face meant he was competent.

Why not use funding from the school?

If I could just do that, would I bother taking this troublesome path?!

Suren wanted to scream, hating that he now had to fix the problem this one guy had created for him. Sure, he could make the monitor who messed up fix it but considering the current situation, he'd probably screw it up even more.

That and the deadline was looming ever closer so he couldn't risk it. It wouldn't be fair to that class to ruin their first trip of the semester just because one guy was an idiot.

Suren let out a forlorn breath, laying his head on his desk.

The tyrant king, respected and despised in equal measures, was tired and wanted a break~

He reached under his office desk, opening up his mini-fridge. It took a lot of paperwork and some mild bribery to get the dean to agree to let him have the thing but it was so worth the headache! Because within its confines was his salvation from the daily drudgeries of work.

[Crunch]

He munched down on a celery stick, taking joy in the crunch under his teeth. It was cool, crisp and so satisfying. Whenever he was stressed, the echoing crunch of a root vegetable was like a spa day to him.

That and it was a pretty nice snack when his work overshadowed his lunch break.

Speaking of lunch, he was supposed to meet up with that thick-headed idiot, Guiren for lunch today. Was it too late now?

Just as he thought about him, his phone let him know he received a text message.

Dumb dog

I'm busy with something today so I'll be going home
by myself.​

Busy? Had he been held up by the teacher?

Me

If it's not too long, I can wait for you. Our parents want to
have dinner together tonight.​

It was because of this that Suren was so pissed off about his suspension. As Guiren's fiancee and future mate, he had to keep this crazed dog of a partner in check. If either of their parents saw he wasn't doing that, they'd break them up in a heartbeat.

Neither of them wanted that.

Dumb dog

No need. I won't be late~​

All the emojis that followed were intense and made Suren chuckle at the sight.

It didn't, however, reassure him.

Guiren was often late, making him have to cover for him often. It was annoying and he wasn't planning on letting that happen this time around.

*****​

AN: Sorry for the wait. It took me a while to decide where to end the chapter. Part of me wishes I could do short chapters so I can update faster but I hate that kind of format.

Really, this wasn't the ending I was intending but I really wanted Suren to have his chance to show up. He'll do more next chapter. I promise~

 

Spoiler: H: Keep Away

AN: Thank you for sticking with me despite my inconsistent updates. I've had a monster of a writer's block~

*****​

After school came fast as Guiren was very excited. His friends had no idea why their usually laid-back boss was fidgeting in his seat after returning from lunch.

Worse, he was smiling from ear to ear, which was creepy.

None of them, however, dared press the matter as such questions usually resulted in a kick or punch.

This left Guiren to revel in his giddiness for the rest of the day. Getting scolded by the teacher in the hall was nothing compared to his joy.

He was going out with his master!

Sure, it wasn't a date, as he was sure that beta would outright refuse but it was a start. First, they would hang out and get close, as was proper courting procedure. Then, something would happen, maybe them being pressed up against the door of the train. They'd breathe each other's air and Master would realize that Guiren wasn't just a guy.

He was his guy.

While his instincts wanted the fantasy to lead into a kiss he knew that wouldn't happen. Cramped space or not, Guiren knew Yibai would punch him in the nose for trying.

No, it would just be the beginning!

Guiren was well and truly settled in his fantasy when he walked out of the classroom and spotted the worst person he could.

Li Suren.

“Shit!”

His curse must have echoed far, as the omega turned to him. His usual scowl forming, the pale-haired teen strolled over.

“There you are.” Suren looked up from his phone, crossing his arms. “I was wondering when you were coming out.”

“What are you doing here?” Guiren asked, glancing around. There weren't many students around as they rushed to go home but they weren't alone. When they had become engaged, they both agreed to keep it a secret.

Showing up at his class was not something one did for a vague acquaintance.

“Don't get all pissy with me.” He snapped back, cocking his hip. “I'm just here to confirm what you told me.”

“Told you?” Had he said anything like that to this annoying guy? His mind was so filled with thoughts of hanging out with Yibai, Guiren couldn’t pay anything else any mind. “Did we talk before this?”

Suren smacked the alpha's arm, unable to hold back at his inconsiderate response.

“Did you forget about the dinner!?” He snapped, blocking Guiren’s path. His gaze was stern and accusing. “You said you had a thing but I doubt it'll go on so long we'll miss the meeting.”

A look of pure confusion flitted across the alpha’s face, showing he legitimately forgot about their monthly dinner. Or was it the text he forgot? The dinner made sense since neither of them wanted to attend but how could he forget about their conversation?

Suren crossed his arms and frowned. “Did you not see my text?”

“Text?”

Guiren checked his phone. Usually, he never missed text messages since he was always on his phone. It was not allowed in class but Guiren wasn’t one to let such petty things like rules get in the way of catching up with his favorite comics

Yet today, he was in a happy daze because he got a chance to spend time with master alone so he didn’t check his phone after texting Suren. As such, for the first time ever, he unlocked his phone to find a certain notification.

Several unread messages.

All of them stated that Suren would come by and make sure they made it to their meeting.

“Oh…”

Oh right, there was a thing like that, wasn’t there?

Aish~

Guiren hadn’t been thinking too much when he made the excuse. He just wanted to keep Suren from looking for him after school. He didn’t think the stubborn omega would follow him anyway.

Suren said nothing, watching the look of realization flash on the teen's face. It turned out he actually forgot.

He sighed, shaking his head.

“I was wondering why they went unread despite you always responding.”

While Guiren would sometimes ignore or not respond to Suren’s messages, he always read them at least. Probably just to screw with him.

“Anyway, let go and get whatever this is done with.” Suren continued, moving aside to let Guiren lead the way. “The quicker your task is done, the faster we can get ready.”

Guiren scowled but walked forward, feeling the white-haired teen follow close behind.

This was not how he thought things would go.

Damn, he’d been planning on bailing on the meeting to hang out with Master instead. Heck, he’d have done it anyway, even if he hadn’t bumped into the beta. While being with Suren was a good cover, he really disliked his grandfather.

Every Time they met, he felt like an object being inspected by a buyer.

Suren’s parents were cool but they were rarely invited to their ‘family get togethers’. This just left the pair to have an awkward dinner with Suren’s grandfather and his friends.

It was horribly uncomfortable.

He knew Suren didn’t like either. Neither of them had a choice in the matter unless they used an excuse, like school.

Today was supposed to be his best day ever so he wasn’t about to let that old bastard mess it up. That meant he’d have to throw Suren under the bus.

He apologized to his partner in his heart.

“Ah, since you are coming with me, how about you support me?”

Suren’s frown deepened. “What foolishness are you talking about now?”

“I’ll be late if I don’t get going soon but I forgot to get myself some snacks.” He gave the omega a helpless look. “Could you buy some for me? I’ll pay you back.”

“Can’t you wait until dinner?”

“It's just a few snacks. It’s not much but something to tide me over.”

“Ah right. You have a voracious appetite.”

It can't be said to be a common trait but Guiren ate a lot for an alpha. If not for his constant exercise (getting into fights), he’d probably be a blob. Snacks were his only means of getting through the day as he was only allowed to have 3 full meals a day. Any more than that and he’d probably develop some kind of disorder.

As such, his request wasn’t out of the ordinary. It was just the first time he’d asked Suren to buy them.

“What do you want and where are we meeting up at?

Guiren listed out his request, making sure they were only found at separate stores. Such a trick wouldn’t have worked on someone who knew the area but Suren rarely ate outside food, so it was a simple thing.

He promised himself that he’d send Suren a text telling him not to wait up for him as soon as he got Yibai and left campus.

He wasn’t cruel enough to leave his partner waiting like a fool.

Suren, earnest in his desire to get the matter done, nodded. He turned on his heel to get the snacks for Guiren. As soon as he turned the corner, Guiren ran to find his beloved beta.

***​

Said beta was packing his things, trying to remember if he and Guiren had agreed on a meeting spot.

Damn, he hadn’t so that idiot would definitely come by his classroom.

The classroom with a bunch of other people.

If they saw him with the infamous Guiren, things would get even more bothersome.

“Damn it.”

He couldn’t clear the room so the next best thing would be to intercept him.

With that in mind, Yibai swiftly walked out of the classroom, ignoring Song Yang, who had been trying to talk to him all day. He’d hidden himself well during lunch but wanted to know what happened from everyone.

Everyone including Yibai.

“Won’t you help a guy out?” The beta pressed, leaning over Yibai’s desk. “Just tell me who to look out for?”

“You’ve made so many enemies you need specifics?”

“I can’t just avoid every Alpha in school.”

Yet he wanted to gain control from Guiren? With this kind of attitude, Yibai couldn’t fault his caution but wondered how far he’d get.

As a kind gesture, he chose to give the man some advice.

“You could try not being a jerk and then you wouldn’t have to avoid anyone.”

“This from the guy who won’t pick sides?”

“I’m also the one who doesn’t have to hide from people.”

Except that is what Yibai sort of wanted to do just then.

Song Yang was annoying now but if he saw Guiren waiting for him, he’d absolutely come to some strange conclusions. Yibai himself wasn’t sure about the two of them but he was sure whatever this guy came up with would be incredibly troublesome.

Ah, Song Yang was being troublesome! He kept on his ass, trying to get something out of him despite being told he wouldn’t say. He could only guess that the other students in the class gave him bad or no info.

Leaving only him.

“Ugh…” Yibai groaned as he slipped from the classroom. His eyes darted around, trying to see if Guiren had shown up like an idiot.

To his surprise, there was an alpha in the hall but it wasn’t the one he was expecting.

“Ah, there you are!”

From his spot crouched on the floor, the teen unfolded himself to his full height. In terms of build, he was definitely an alpha. He was taller than both him and Song Yang. That and he was way too good-looking to be a beta.

But he was a stranger.

Just as Yibai was pondering who this guy was looking for, he heard Song Yang shout.

“Xingxing, I told you not to wait outside my classroom like this.” Song Yang scolded, smacking the taller me in the chest. “It’s annoying.”

…Xingxing? Yibai watched as the larger teen was scolded by Song Yang. Was that the kind of name one would give to this behemoth?

The cutely nicknamed alpha smiled despite being chewed out. In fact, he tried to get closer and was only prevented due to Yibai standing between them.

Was this shameless guy trying to use him as a shield?!

While he could sympathize with him, having his own clingy alpha, he wasn't willing to get involved in the people's business.

He moved aside, leaving Song Yang to deal with the grinning teen.

“Didn't I tell you not to do this?” Song Yang snapped, suddenly cornered by the looming teen.

“Yes!”

“…Don't just say yes! Show some remorse!”

“I don't wanna.”

“You-!”

This went on for a while, giving Yibai a chance to slip away. He needed to find his own Alpha so they could leave unseen.

Hed only just reached the corner when Song Yang noticed his departure and called out to him. At the same time, he spotted Guiren running toward him, mouth agape to call out to him.

Shit!

Without a word, Yibai rushed forward and grabbed Guiren’s wrist, pulling him down the hallway into another corridor. He could hear Song Yang calling out to him but Yibai was not about to be caught so easily. Spotting a semi-closed door, he shoved Guiren inside, quickly shutting the door after following him in.

“M-master, what is-”

“Shh!”

Just as his voice faded in the cramped closet they'd hidden themselves in, he heard Song Yang walk past the closet door. He looked around, his image blurry in the fogged window of the closet door. The fact he couldn't see Yibai and Guiren from outside made their escape seamless but…

Why is he not leaving?!

Rather than leaving like he wanted, Song Yang lingered about befuddled.

“I can't hear his footsteps anymore.” Song Yang pondered aloud, confused. “Was he always this fast?”

Yibai, while average, was a heavy-set guy so it wouldn't be surprising that his footsteps would be loud. It wasn't an issue to Yibai but Guiren was never one to let any implied insults slide when it came to his beta.

“Just because he's dumb doesn't mean can call you fat.” He grumbled. “Master is perfectly light. Like a grumpy panda or-”

“Shut up.”

“Y-yes~”

Ah, master was being all cool again~ Guiren blushed, feeling his body heat up at their proximity. Yibai was a little shorter, so his hair brushed Guiren’s nose enough to make him smile. Ah, he has that clean soapy smell. Just like before.

Guiren was basking in their closeness, yearning to wrap his arms around the beta. In the darkness, Yibai didn’t notice them reaching out to him. His attention was solely on those outside, waiting for the sounds to move away.

Once the moment came, Yibai escaped the humid closet. He took a breath of fresh air and jumped when he heard a bang from the closet.

“What are you doing?” Yibai asked, staring at Guiren who had fallen in a strange way. Why were his arms angled like that? Had he tried to grab onto something on the way down?

“N-nothing.” Guiren grumbled, blushing for an entirely different reason now.

He’d missed his chance, damn it! He lamented, wanting to cry.

Yibai had no idea how close he’d come to being embraced so he chalked it up to Guiren’s standard weirdness.

“Let's get going now that the coast is clear.”

“They left?” Guiren was in his own world for a little bit so he didn't notice their departure at all. Why did they leave?

He didn't bother to ask, as it wasn't important. He only had a little more time before Suren realized what he did. While the omega was unaware of some things, he wasn't an idiot so they had to move fast.

This led to Guiren leading away from the front gate and toward one of the far walls. The school was enclosed to prevent students from ditching class but such barriers were nothing to Guiren. Even if a regular alpha balked at the height, it was a mere skip and a jump to Guiren.

Is this your method of getting in and out without getting caught? Yibai could guess this guy's intentions.

“A true artist never reveals his tricks.”

“An escape artist you mean.”

“Yeah but now we can leave without being seen and-”

He stopped, faintly hearing something behind him. Something familiar.

“Fuck my life!”

Not expecting the sudden expletive, Yibai wanted to ask what his issue was now. He opened his mouth to ask but found Guiren circling behind him and grabbing him around the waist.

“W-wait, what are you-”

“Get moving, Master!” The alpha snapped, lifting the bulky beta like a kitten to the edge of the wall. “We have places to be.”

Realizing his intentions, Yibai followed his orders, though his pride stung a bit at being lifted so easily. Was he light or was Guiren just that strong.

Either way, he was now having to deal with the aftermath of that strength.

Namely being Guiren, who chose to lift him higher with his hands a little more than he was expecting.

“Are you groping my ass!?” He snapped, feeling a pair of hands squeezing his butt when he knew for a fact that there was no need for it.

“Yes, and it's amazing but please get moving already! We don’t have time!”

That shameless bastard enjoyed that moment of bliss before pushing Yibai over the edge. He waited a moment, listening out for the telltale thud of feet hitting the pavement.

“I’ll meet you at the bus stop!” He called out, letting the other teen know before setting off. He had some matters to deal with first.

Moments later, he heard the voices he’d noticed before.

“-telling you, I heard it from over here.”

“So why are we going toward the weird sounds?”

“Maybe he’s hoping to catch a couple in the middle of-”

The trio stopped, seeing Guiren leaning against the wall and glaring at them. While they’d been curious about who would be here after school, Guiren was the last person they expected.

“Boss!” They cried out, grinning through his glower made them falter a bit.

The trio were Guiren’s subordinates, affectionately referred to as the Jii triplets. They looked nothing alike nor were they related but they were always together which made them easy to match up. Guiren liked them since their names were easy to remember.

“Zhou Ji, Zhou Jin, Zhou Zhi.” Guiren glowered at them, looking pissed. “Where do you think this is that you can just walk as you please?”

E-eh?! Wasn’t this their school? Since when could they not walk around after class? Moreover, why was their boss acting like they’d cockblocked him?

Zhou Jii looked around but couldn’t find any evidence that anyone else was here. It was just the 4 of them. Before he could ask what they’d done wrong, Guiren cut them off.

“You're not allowed to bother me today. I’m going home.

Again, the aggrieved trio felt some doubt. If he was just going home, there was no need to look so pissed that they had walked by.

It was clear he was hiding something.

As if sensing their thoughts, Guiren stepped forward, making the trio step back and huddle together. The alpha’s expression was cold and sharp like a winter wind, cutting them deep. They shivered unconsciously.

“You didn’t see me but you know I went home.” He stated slowly, looming over them. “Right?”

Three heads rapidly nodded, not daring to disagree. Even if they were held over the flames of hell, they would not refute his statement.

Those who saw him fight called him a mad king but those who knew him knew that his frenzies were never out of rage, but boredom. If Guiren was truly mad, he lost his smile.

Before today, they hadn’t seen the alpha this serious about anything.

What was so special that he intimidated them into silence?

This question would never be answered as Guiren moved away. He frowned, his heavy mood shifting into a lighter one that the trio was used to. With a nod, Guiren departed over the edge of the wall, leaving the trio to meekly huddle together with their cigarettes.

The mood was dour as they tried to guess what the hell just happened for them to be threatened by their boss.

They were innocent!

***​

Yibai, in the meantime, was waiting at the bus stop for Guiren. Luckily, the schedule was very accurate and spaced apart enough that he wouldn’t have to worry about missing the bus.

Still, he felt a bit mad about the ass grab from before.

I’ll properly punch him for that later. He thought as he saw the bus nearing. He glanced around, not seeing Guiren anywhere.

For a moment, he wondered if he should get on or wait. He’d promised to hang out with him and waiting was the courteous thing to do.

But on the other hand, he’d have to wait another 20 minutes for the next bus, which was a hassle.

He grimaced at the thought.

Courtesy or not, he wasn’t about to do something troublesome like that so when the bus arrived, he stepped on it.

Whether or not he walked a bit slower than usual was completely unrelated to anyone, especially a certain alpha.

Yibai watched every passenger come on, absolutely not looking for anyone in particular. When the crowd thinned, someone asked to sit next to him but he refused, saying he was saving the seat.

He absolutely wasn’t though. It was just that he wanted somewhere to place his bag, is all. It wasn’t for anyone in particular.

Just as the doors were shutting and Yibai felt a rush of disappointment, he heard someone shout.

“W-wait, don’t close the door yet!”

An arm slipped through the door, halting it. The driver stared for a moment before sighing, opening the door once more. A familiar face stepped on, casually flipping off the driver. The driver, used to such antics, didn’t even look at Guiren, moving along his route.

The alpha glanced around and beamed when he spotted Yibai.

“Was that necessary?”

“He was gonna leave me behind.” He explained, wordlessly slipping into the seat Yibai absolutely wasn’t saving for him.

“Whose fault is that? You came late.”

“Master is so mean. Can’t you just be glad I made it?”

“Who would be glad? You embarrassed me.”

“I worked up quite the sweat to get here.” He grunted, taking Yibai’s hand and placing it on his chest. “Can’t you let it go for my poor heart?

Guiren’s shirt was slightly moist and his heart was racing. He’d clearly run as hard as he could. It was only because of his excellent athletic skills that he was panting for breath. Even Yibai was a bit out of breath when he ran to the bus stop.

Yibai considered his options for a moment before wordlessly nodding and taking his hand away.

Having been forgiven, Guiren grinned like a child beside Yibai. He opened his mouth to talk to Yibai just as the bus arrived at another stop.

“Actually, I-”

“Yibai?” A deep voice called out, making the beta flinch. “Ah, it is you!.”

Shit! It just had to be one of his father's friends!

“I didn’t know you took this bus.” The man said conversationally, smiling a bit as he stepped close. “How come I’ve never seen you before this?”

“This is my first time.”

“Oh?” The man glanced at Guiren with a raised brow. “Hanging out with friends?”

His tone was casual but he kept glancing between Yibai and Guiren. It was clear he was suspecting them, what with them having matching uniforms and being so close.

This was bad. If this guy learned Yibai hung out with an Alpha, he’d absolutely tell his father.

So he lied.

“Yes, I’m meeting them there.”

He felt Guiren’s subtle gaze but the teen wisely showed no outward sign of being interested in the conversation. As if they were truly strangers on a bus.

At this, the man relaxed.

“Ah, alright. Be careful though.” He warned, patting Yibai on the shoulder. “You have really bad luck so the guys worry about you.”

Absolutely he had bad luck. Why was it that he just so happened to bump into his dad’s coworker if not because of his horrendous luck?!

“Thank you.”

The man left but Yibai didn’t relax, knowing the man was behind him. What the hell was taking this bus so damn long to move!?!?

Damn, this was stressful!

Just then, he felt Guiren tap his thigh, making him flinch. Glancing down, he saw the alpha’s phone out with the notepad open.

[You good?]​

Yibai turned to him but Guiren still acted like they were strangers.

Yibai sighed, typing out a message.

{I’m fine. It's a personal thing. Sorry.}

[It's fine. You looked nervous so I was worried.]

{Sorry.}​

Guiren gave him a look, flicking Yibai on the arm.

[I said it's fine. But if you want me to forgive you, give me your phone number XD]​

This time, Yibai gave him a scolding look, to which the alpha grinned as he stared out the window like it had nothing to do with him.

This guy…

Yibai sighed, typing out his phone number. Moments later, he got a text.

Unknown number

I’m really not mad, Master. I get you
have your reasons and I won’t press you on them​

For a moment, Yibai didn’t know what to say. Being ignored like that had to be hurtful but Guiren didn’t even complain.

It made Yibai feel bad for treating him like that.

As such, he chose to name Guiren in his contacts as something tame as opposed to something indicating his troublesome nature.

Chimney, cause Yibai could faintly smell cigarette smoke on his clothes.

***​

After a few stops, both teens exited the bus. The man from before had left a few stops prior, making Yibai finally relax.

Guiren didn’t understand why he was acting like this but he felt it had something to do with the beta’s desire not to be seen together with him. He couldn't begin to guess why but chose not to press the matter.

If Yibai didn’t want to tell, it was fine.

In the meantime, they had a new dilemma.

“You want to go where?” The two of them were standing face to face in an alleyway. It wasn’t ideal but there were very few places that would allow students.

Especially in this part of town.

“A karaoke club.” He replied, pointing to a place down the block. “It's private and it’ll be fun. I even booked us a room.”

“But this place isn’t meant for high schoolers.”

The place they ended up in was a known hang-out for college students and adults. There was not a single student uniform to be seen. It made sense too, as there were plenty of bars and hotels which were very inappropriate for students to be in.

The straight-laced Yibai was mortified! If he got caught here…

“That's why we won't be high schoolers.” Guiren proclaimed, holding up a tote bag. It had been tied to his book bag since before but this was the first time he’d brought it up. “I’ve got us covered.”

“You have spare clothes?”

“So we won't be outed as students.” He assured with a grin.

“…Just how often do you cut classes?”

“…Anyway, wanna try them on?”

They stared at one another in silence, neither giving any indication of backing down.

“We-” Yibai snatched the tote from Guiren, pointing at him firmly. “Are gonna have to talk about your attendance later.”

Guiren grinned at the implication of future interactions. He watched Yibai slip into a bathroom stall as he waited beside the sink. He was practically shaking with excitement.

He really didn’t like school cause it was boring and the assignments were way too easy. It was the same with Suren but he had to attend because his grandfather was a tight ass.

Guiren, on the other hand, attended because his dads threatened to beat his ass if he tried to skip grades. For whatever reason, they felt that skipping would be unhealthy for his ‘emotional development or something. He didn’t get it but he’d do as he was told if it meant his dads were happy.

Prior to this, it was a chore but with the knowledge that Yibai was here, school finally seemed to be worth the hassle!

Yibai stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in casual clothes and looking awesome! Anyone else seeing him would think he looked mundane but Guiren couldn’t help but stare in awe.

Ah, Master looks so cool! Guiren resisted the urge to growl with approval, instead smiling casually as he looked him over.

“With that grumpy look on your face, you look more like an adult than I do.”

Yibai’s frown deepened.

“My face is just like this.”

“I’m not complaining.” He assured, draping an arm over Yibai’s shoulder. “I just think it's funny. I wonder if people will mistake us for a professor and student.”

“That’d be even more inappropriate!” Moreover, the way he said made it sound like they were on a date or something. That’d be annoying.

Guiren blinked innocently. “You think?”

This guy…

“Moreover,” Yibai continued, brushing off Guiren’s arm. “I doubt anyone would pay attention to me.”

How could they? Guiren in casual clothes was very eye-catching. Not only was he handsome, but he was tall and muscular. If anything, Yibai would probably be mistaken for a lackey than anyone important.

It wasn’t anything the beta really minded. It was just a fact of life.

Guiren wanted to argue but held his tongue. Talking in the bathroom like this wasn’t good.

“Let's get going!”

Guiren leads Yibai inside, casually greeting the clerk. The omega with pierced ears and earphones only briefly glances at them.

“Room 4G.” He muttered before going back to his phone.

Guiren showed the same amount of concern, walking past the clerk with a nod. Yibai, on the other hand, was a bit more nervous as hed never done anything like this before. He glanced around, curious. He could feel the thump of music through the floors, though all the windows were opaque.

It was a nice place, clean and private. It wasn’t a high-end place but also not a dive.

“Does this place sell liquor?” He asked, noting the faint smell that lingered in the hall.

“Yeah but don’t worry. I won't let a drop enter our room.”

“I don’t know if I trust you.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you.” He assured Yibai, patting him on the shoulder.

If anyone was to try such a thing, it’d probably be that sly fox of an omega. He’d definitely try some underhanded shit like that.

As they walked down the hall to their assigned room, Guiren wondered what Suren was doing. He’d sent him on a wild goose chase. He had intended to let the omega know once they got far enough away but he only just now remembered.

He's probably back at school by now. Guiren thought with a sense of guilt.

That guy is an arrogant jerk but it was wrong to abandon him like that. Guiren wondered how he’d explain himself later when he opened the door.

“I must say, I like the variety of songs they have here. There are trashy songs fit only for the most inebriated college girl and some actually good songs.”

Sitting inside their reserved room, munching on some chips as he flipped through the catalog, was the source of Guiren’s guilt himself.

Suren turned to the shocked alpha with a smile. “Your taste really is to my standards sometimes, you lying mutt.”

“H-ho-how… You…”

Guiren was struggling to come to terms with the reality looking him in the face. Meanwhile, Yibai was only mildly surprised.

“Ah, it's Suren.”

The omega beamed, setting aside his snack to lounge on the couch.

“Hello, sweetie~”

*****​

AN: Yes, I am a Doctor Who fan. How could you tell?

 

Spoiler: H: Three’s a party

AN: Thank you for being so patient with me. I'll be honest, I was stuck for a while on how this chapter would go. I had, like, 3 ideas for how things were gonna go. This was the least dramatic but most productive outcome.

This is the downside of making shit up as you go. You get bogged down by several ideas at once.

*****​

A grumbling alpha sat on the bed, watching his husband get dressed. The thing he wanted most was to rip those clothes off and go back to bed for the evening. Their son, the troublemaker he was, should be with his fiance so there was no reason to worry about him getting into trouble.

Unfortunately, they had to go to dinner with the family of their son's fiancee.

"Can't we just not go?" He tried for the nth time to convince his husband, hoping he might get his way.

"You skipped out last time so no." Zhuanmu gave his husband a glare.

Having their dinner dates was fine when it was just them and Li Suren's mothers but when it was his grandfather, however?

It was hell.

It was because of this that Jinyao had skipped the meeting last time, feigning a company emergency.

Zhuanmu had to bear with the elders talking about bloodlines and tradition for most of the dinner. He'd never said anything improper but it was hard to get a word in with that man.

As such, he refused to go alone this time around. If one of them had to suffer, it was better that they both do so.

Knowing he wronged his mate, Jinyao sighed with resignation.

He could only hope that Li Suren's parents would be there to make the evening tolerable.

An hour later, his hopes were dashed as he only spotted a serene-looking old man sitting at their reserved table.

"Shit." The curse slipped out quietly, making Zhuanmu elbow him.

"Behave."

Zhuanmu greeted the elder courteously, inquiring carefully about the two women they were expecting this evening.

"Ah, right." The old omega, Li Suzhen, sighed regretfully. "Please excuse them. A matter came up so they couldn't attend this evening."

Zhuanmu and Jinyao gave each other a quick look. They both wondered if his words were true or if he just hadn't wanted them both to attend. It was clear the old man had a dislike for his daughter-in-law but neither could say anything on the matter. It wasn't their business so what could they say but acceptance of his explanation.

They exchanged pleasantries and sat down but the one who spoke the most was the elder. He would ask questions like they were at an interview, asking about future prospects and current trends.

All in all, it was dull but not intolerable.

After a while, Jinyao noticed that the main stars of the dinner hadn't arrived yet. Upon mentioning it, the elder finally stopped his interrogation and nodded.

"Ugh, that child is late." He huffed, gesturing to the servant nearby. The man, ever the mind reader, stepped forward with a phone in hand. "I'll call him."

The phone rang, and the elder put the call on speaker phone for convenience. As soon as it connected, the room was filled with the faint sound of music. There was some rustling sound before the voice of Li Suren spoke.

"G-grandfather?"

"Where are you? Did you forget about our meeting?"

"N-no, no I, uh..." The young man seemed flustered, like he hadn't expected the call at all.

Jinyao recognized the tone. It was a 'shit, I got caught with my pants down' kind of tone. Which made him wonder what this golden child could be doing. Surely he wouldn't skip out on their meeting for no reason, right? Moreover, the sounds in the background made it clear he wasn't at school or tutoring.

As if reading his mind, the elder shouted. "Where are you? Why can I hear music in the background?"

"I'm at a karaoke bar but don't worry! They don't serve anything alcoholic here." He was quick to assure. "I-"

A loud bang came forth, shocking the trio. Despite the sound, Li Suren just sighed.

"One moment, please." He seemed to have covered the receiver, as the next few words came out muffled. "Will you turn the music down!? I'm on the phone."

A familiar voice responded glibly.

"Then get off the phone. We're trying to have fun, remember?"

Eh, Guiren was there too? They were spending time together... on their own? This was shocking to everyone in the room, even as the two continued to bicker.

"It's your fault I have to deal with- Hey, give that back!"

"Hey, Lord Li," Chen Guiren greeted, his tone casual but respectful. "this is Chen Guiren"

At this, the old man seemed to puff up. Very few people referred to the elder by 'lord', as it was considered old-fashioned. Most referred to him as 'Old Li' or 'elder Li' despite his official title being lord.

This fact was only known by those close to the Li clan and those who wanted to coax the old omega would use that term.

So it became clear to both of Chen Guiren's dads that their son was trying to coax Li Suzhen into compliance.

"Ah, so it's because of you that our Xiao Ren isn't here?"

The elder, sufficiently placated, spoke with a softer tone, forgetting about the slight against him. The fact the teens had skipped their meeting without a word should have made the elder furious but a few words were all it took to soothe him.

Again, the two alphas exchanged a look that spoke volumes.

Their son was learning how to manipulate people it seemed. Jinyao wondered if such a skill was good for a reckless kid like Guiren to learn.

"Yeah, sorry." Chen Guiren continued, his tone light. He spoke like a teenager making a frivolous promise, which was right for his age but made his words seem insincere. "I know we usually have dinner but I thought it'd be more productive to have dates with only the two of us. I promise, nothing inappropriate is happening."

Not that it would matter if anything did. In fact, Li Suzhen would probably prefer it if something did occur. It might make things awkward but it would further bind the two families together. It would only be beneficial.

But he still had to make the effort to seem proper.

"No, it's fine." Li Suzhen assured, possibly thinking about how to handle things if a teen pregnancy occurred. "Young people tend to be a bit more reckless so it's to be expected."

"Of course."

"Then I won't disturb you."

The call ended peacefully, very much to the mild annoyance of Chen Guiren's fathers. They had wanted to speak to their son as well but the call had been made by the elder so they couldn't interrupt. Him putting it on speaker was a courtesy.

But the thought of their son spending time with Li Suren like this left them confused. While Chen Guiren didn't oppose the engagement, he wasn't happy either. So why would he willingly go on a date?

Was it like that? A supposed mutual hate that turned...

Perhaps one of them would have to have the safe sex talk with him soon.

***​

Meanwhile, the undiscovered third wheel on this 'one on one' date sat back as he munched on some snacks he'd ordered. He could hear Li Suren and Chen Guiren outside the door, once again arguing.

"See?" Chen Guiren huffed arrogantly. "Was that so hard?"

"You lied to him!"

"No, I just told him that it'd be more productive to have 1 on 1 date. I never said that was what we were doing."

A moment of silence.

Li Suren snorted, clearly amused. "Look at you, using your brain."

"Look at you, somehow unable to lie all of a sudden."

By this time, Jun Yibai had reached the door, cracking it so he could peek. He was curious and couldn't help but listen in. The two were facing off with determination.

"I'm tired! Someone," Li Suren gave the alpha a hard look, that was simply ignored with a shrug. "tried to send me on a wild goose chase after my already long day. Unlike you, I have responsibilities."

"Then let them go for a bit. Live a little."

"With you? Never."

The alpha's smile grew into a smirk, which confused both Li Suren and Jun Yibai.

"How about if we had a partner?"

"Partner? What are you-"

Chen Guiren, with no warning, turned to Jun Yibai with a smirk.

"Master, are you planning on eavesdropping forever?" He called out, pulling the door open completely. "You're the VIP here, remember?"

Having been caught, Jun Yibai should have felt embarrassed but he didn't. For some reason, he felt it was not an issue to listen in. As if it was only right for him to know.

What a strange thought.

"Yet you left me behind to argue about something?" He shot back, cocking a brow. "What great hosts."

"It's all this guy's fault." Li Suren complained, moving in close to Jun Yibai. He glared at Chen Guiren hatefully. "I had to settle something he left for me."

"Yet I'm the one who resolved it anyway."

"You-"

"Hey, no fighting!" Jun Yibai interjected, knowing if he let a single other word go, they'd be fighting in no time. "I'm not going to be kicked out because of you making noise in the hallway."

He'd seen how they had glared hatefully at one another upon his arrival so he knew they were a powder keg waiting to blow.

Chen Guiren, however, only heard a pleasant thing from Jun Yibai's words.

"So we're your responsibility?" He pressed, smirking. "In other words, we're yours?"

Of course, he of all people would come to such a conclusion at his words.

"Don't be gross. I don't want a troublesome pair like you."

While he enjoyed their company, there was a lot he would have to deal with if others found them together. It was hard enough to hide Yang Ru's parents from his dad. He could at least avoid that. If he got too close to Chen Guiren and Li Suren, he was bound to get caught one day.

Hell, he'd almost gotten caught already.

Seeing the expression on the beta's face, Li Suren led them back into their room, shutting out the world. He knew his sweetie wanted nothing more than to stay out of the limelight.

So they absolutely needed to clear the air sooner rather than later. But most definitely behind closed doors.

Inside, the table was covered in food and snacks. Chen Guiren had chosen to handle the bill so it wasn't a matter of how much they could spend but how much they were going to spend.

To keep the peace (and mildly indulge himself), Jun Yibai had ordered the entire menu. He'd done this in hopes that the staff would bring it one by one so these two wouldn't have the time to argue. Yet he hadn't anticipated that everything would be brought all at once.

So much for that plan.

Luckily, Li Suren had left to take a call before it actually started.

But now Li Suren and Chen Guiren were back at each other's throats.

Ever the stubborn one, Jun Yibai tried to cool tensions by offering some food. "Shouldn't we-"

"One moment, sweetie~" Li Suren cooed, before glaring at Chen Guiren. "We have something we need to settle, you fucking asshole! Sweetie is mine yet you dared keep him from me!?"

"Don't start that shit!" Chen Guiren snapped back, snatching some chicken wings from Li Suren's plate. Ever the petty guy, he even ate it in front of the omega. "Master belongs to me. I found him first!"

"We've discussed this! No monopolizing him." Li Suren, not to be beaten, snapped up whatever Chen Guiren hadn't taken for himself. Most of the food had been taken by either of them, like two armies about to do battle. Li Suren's eyes narrowed. "If one finds him, the other has to be informed. You remember the penalty for breaking this rule?"

At this, Chen Guiren grimaced. "...Yes."

"Bastard."

"Slut."

Clearly, they got along as well now as they did before. Apparently, they had even become partners of a sort. It wasn't a surprise, since they were both 'kings' at school.

Jun Yibai could only watch as the two glared hatefully at one another. If this was how things were going to go, he might as well have gone home.

"Are we gonna sing or am I heading back home?"

"What?!"

"No, don't go!"

They cried in unison, once again glaring at each other. Before they could descend into another round of scathing remarks about each other, they sat down on either side of Jun Yibai, caging him in.

"We came here to hang out and have fun, Master." Chen Guiren reminded, draping his arm behind Jun Yibai's seat. "I won't let this nosy jerk ruin it."

"Exactly!" Li Suren moved in close, almost cuddling him. "After all this time, we've reunited. We can't let some annoying mutt ruin things, right, Sweetie?"

Again, Jun Yibai could feel the tension between the two but at least they were making the effort not to fight while he was literally between them.

After that, things settled down. When they weren't trying to one-up each other, Li Suren and Chen Guiren were actually a lot of fun. Chen Guiren would challenge Li Suren and the latter would mock him even as he took him up on the bet.

The prize? Jun Yibai himself.

When Li Suren won, the two sang a duet together.

When Chen Guiren won, they shared a plate of snacks.

Initially, Jun Yibai didn't want to get involved but found it amusing to watch the two try and out sing each other. Trashy pop songs or death metal, they sang and acted like fools.

It was fun!

More than once, Jun Yibai caught himself chuckling at their random arguments.

"God, will you stop!" Li Suren complained, snatching the mic from Chen Guiren. "Your voice makes my ears hurt. Are you gargling nails on the side or something?"

"Compared to what?" He snapped back with a mocking grin. "Are you trying to attract some dogs with that voice? If your voice got any higher, I'd have to hold the door to keep you from being mauled."

"In all honesty," The beta interjected, scrolling through the song catalog. "you both suck equally."

Jun Yibai had learned quickly that as long as he interrupted their flow, things would be settled all the quicker.

That and they really did suck at singing.

"Ack, Sweetie must you be so blunt?"

"It's Master's infamous caustic tongue!" Chen Guiren clutched his chest, falling back so he was leaning on Jun Yibai's shoulder. "How can we mere mortals withstand such abuse?"

"Oh?" Jun Yibai felt nothing was strange about the proximity so he responded in turn. "You want abuse? I can be meaner."

He promised, reaching over to grab hold of Chen Guiren's nape. It was a strong, controlling grip but nothing an alpha couldn't break free of. If it were anyone else, such an act would have infuriated him.

To grab an alpha by the nape was an act of challenging his dominance. To yield to such a thing was unheard of, as instinctually it was considered insulting.

But to yield to this person that was so casually referred to as his master was anything but insulting.

"Oh? You wanna brawl then?" The alpha purred, his eyes taking on a strange glint. He leaned in close until their breaths could intermingle. "I'm all for it if Master is fine with being marked by me."

Jun Yibai: ...

Something about that sounded a lot less like he'd be leaving with a black eye and more like something else.

Jun Yibai felt his skin tingle at the thought but pushed it out of his mind. What was he thinking? This was Chen Guiren, the fight junkie with a weird interest in marks. Black eyes, split skin, and scars were his definitions of marking. Alpha or no, Jun Yibai was a beta so that was as far as he was getting.

Moreover, it was him that was being weird, getting so close as if there was no awkwardness between them.

Perhaps he was getting too comfortable because he soon found himself sandwiched between the pair.

"Cut it out with the pheromones, idiot." The omega scolded, burying his nose in Jun Yibai's shirt. "It stinks."

The flushed look of his skin spoke volumes about what he meant. But Jun Yibai, as a beta, couldn't smell anything. The air just felt a bit heavier now.

But if that was the case, it would be bad if he stuck around. He didn't want to go home smelling like an alpha. Beta or not, he was such his dad would notice something amiss.

So excused himself.

The pair was upset to have their favorite person move away but were very obedient when given a hard look from him. Li Suren, as if sensing Jun Yibai's desire to escape, kept his jacket hostage. Though, the way he was burying his head into it, perhaps it was just to keep himself focused as Chen Guiren worked through... whatever he was going through.

It was none of Jun Yibai's concern anyway.

He locked himself in the bathroom, trying to figure out what was going on.

He'd become comfortable around the two so quick, even he was surprised. It was as if no time had passed at all.

But things were different from before.

He was different.

He stared at himself in the mirror, wondering how he would explain things to his parents if he was caught smelling like he'd bathed in an alpha's pheromones. How he'd get looks from people on the bus. How he'd have to explain himself if one of his dad's co-workers or worse, his father himself realized the reason for the looks.

He felt his heart clench at the thought just as his phone buzzed.

It was a familiar tone but the sound came twice.

It was strange to see the messages one after the other though they came from different people.

One was from Chen Guiren.

Chimney:

Master, don't be mad. I'm sorry for causing trouble again~

(crying emoji)​

The other, more pressing, was from his mother.

Mom:

Your father is having a meeting so it might be best to stay at​

A friend's house tonight.​

The fact they came at the same time was interesting but caused a problem.

"Damn it." He hissed, running a hand through his hair as he leaned on the wall.

What was he supposed to do now? It's not like he couldn't stay at a friend's house. He'd done it countless times before but that was mostly with Yang Ru. Sure, he'd have to sleep in the same room as her dad but it was better than renting a room from a cheap hotel.

He had money but he didn't want to spend it like that.

But he couldn't do that tonight! Not when he was covered in an alpha's scent. Young or not, coming into an omega's home smelling like an alpha was bound to inspire many questions he was not prepared to answer.

Worse if he smelled like an omega as well.

But he couldn't afford a hotel! Any place nearby was bound to be expensive.

He could camp out but the last time he did that...

Unbidden, he recalled the three pairs of shoes he saw years ago stepping from the bushes. The cackling laughter as they complimented him on knowing not to look up. To learn the faces of those who had hurt someone mere moments before.

While he hadn't thought about it in years, he still felt fear at the thought of being caught in such a situation again.

Even after years of bodybuilding and self-defense training, he still felt his heart shudder at the thought of spotting those ratty sneakers.

But where else could he go for the night?

He briefly recalled that Chen Guiren said he'd cover the cost for this hang-out.

A sour taste spread through his mouth at the thought. They'd just met and he was about to ask for money? Treating a meal was one thing but to do this was...

Agh, it was gross.

He didn't want them to think of him as a freeloader.

He stood there, staring at the mirror before making a decision.

***​

Jun Yibai returned after a while, much to the relief of Li Suren and Chen Guiren. Despite silently blaming the other for their beta leaving, they remained quiet. Neither wanted Jun Yibai to return to them arguing.

"Master, about before, I-"

"Sweetie, we can-"

Jun Yibai held up a hand, not wanting to waste time with their words. He had to get his words out quickly before he lost his nerve.

He couldn't ask for money but...

"Do you guys know any cheap hotels nearby?" He said through gritted teeth.

He'd tried to search online but most places were ridiculously expensive. Cheaper places were far from here and well... from the looks of it, these places were cheap for a reason. It might only be for a night but he didn't want to sleep next door to questionable people and activities.

Since Chen Guiren had suggested the place, he figured the alpha knew the area well enough to point in the right direction.

But considering the cost of traveling this late into the evening, he might have to bite the bullet and ask for money.

It boiled his blood that he'd have to if he wanted to save up money for his future endeavors.

"Hotel?" Chen Guiren echoed, confused by the sudden shift. "Why do you need-"

"Getting a hotel at this time of night on such short notice might not be easy." Li Suren interjected, tapping his chin. "While it is a weekday, hotels tend to get more expensive the closer to the weekend you book. Moreover, if it is just for tonight, you'd have to hope for a vacancy which makes things complicated."

Jun Yibai sighed, his thoughts from minutes before being echoed once again. It was the reason why his father's random meetings made life hard. If he got a heads up sooner, he could plan ahead but it was always at the last minute.

While Yang Ru's parents liked Jun Yibai, if he kept this up, they'd start asking why he wasn't at home so often.

Explaining that would be... well, it would be as bad as introducing them to his omega-hating dad.

His only alternative was getting a hotel and paying the expense of a last-minute room.

He absolutely hated how his savings kept being drained that way.

At the sour look on Jun Yibai, Li Suren and Chen Guiren shared a concerned look. Neither really understood why this had come up but they knew it was something important. They were rich so the expense was nothing to them but Jun Yibai was a regular teen who earned minimum wage. There was no way he could afford that price.

They also knew he wouldn't take a handout.

Just asking them for help was probably stinging his pride.

So there was only one solution.

"How about we split the bill?" Li Suren chimed in, grabbing Jun Yibai's sleeve.

"Eh?"

"If we split the bill, it won't be an issue of owing anything since we all pitched in." Li Suren continued, pulling out his cell phone to look up a place. As if of the same mind, he received a text from Chen Guiren about a place of a decent cost that was close by.

While Chen Guiren was rich, he also got a limited allowance so he was pretty good at finding places that wouldn't break someone financially. Chen Guiren was an idiot but on things like this, Li Suren trusted his judgment.

Jun Yibai, however, was unconvinced.

"But your parents, won't they be concerned?"

Chen Guiren pulled Jun Yibai close with a friendly half hug.

"My dads are having dinner with an elder," He assured the beta with a grin. "so they probably won't be home by the time I arrive anyway."

"That and our parents don't expect us back anytime soon." Li Suren was quick to back him up, like a well-oiled machine. "At least not tonight."

Jun Yibai had a lot of questions about that line of reasoning. It was clear they were hiding things from him. Yet how could he dare pry into that? He had kept secrets from them too.

Even though Chen Guiren had some inkling, it was only the surface of the clusterfuck that was Jun Yibai's home life.

Still...

"This isn't some convoluted scheme to get into my pants, is it?" Jun Yibai couldn't help but ask, his expression so deadpan, that it shocked them both into a brief silence.

At the abrupt statement, the trio couldn't help but laugh. Chen Guiren and Li Suren definitely did want that but to hear it said so bluntly, how could they not choke back laughter.

They assured the beta that his chastity would be safe as they were all friends. He needed help and they were willing to pitch in as friends were known to do.

What happened further down the line, well, that was for another night.

*****​

AN: Things gonna get fun~ Also, I'm thinking of making a proper cover for this story.

Any ideas would be appreciated since I'm not good at couple stuff~

 

Spoiler: H: Calm Night

*****​

The trip to the hotel was uneventful though they definitely got looks from the clerk. While Jun Yibai and Chen Guiren were in casual clothes, Li Suren still had on his uniform.

Had it not been for the illustrious name on Chen Guiren's debit card, they might have not gotten in at all.

"I'm shocked we were not stopped by security."

Chen Guiren was quick to reassure him. "Most hotels know my face so it's fine."

"True but I'm pretty sure there are some legal issues..."

Whenever Jun Yibai tried to book a room himself, it was a hassle since it required ID and most people were wary of teens on their own. As someone who worked as well, he knew it was a valid concern but it was annoying at times.

This time, with nothing but a name on a card, they were let in with a complimentary bottle of wine. The fact they were underage was apparently not an issue.

"Do you usually get wine when you come in?" Jun Yibai couldn't help but ask as they rode the elevator up.

Chen Guiren froze, unsure if he should respond honestly. While wine wasn't his preference, he had drunk alcohol before. Most teens had at some point! If it wasn't a sip from their parent's stash, it was smuggled out of stores when no one was looking.

Li Suren had too, often being left to his lonesome at parties. He was expected to be able to hold his own but still show a convincing front if need be.

They waited, wanting to get a feel for their partner's thoughts on it. Jun Yibai, not paying the two any mind, checked out the bottle. It was a fancy one but Jun Yibai knew nothing beyond that.

"I've never had wine before." He continued as they exited the elevator. "Mind sharing with me?"

Li Suren and Chen Guiren beamed, happy to hear his words.

"Wine isn't as satisfying as whisky but it's light so it'll be a good start."

"This brand is famous for its sweet scent so it's pleasant to share with a partner."

Jun Yibai had expected a little more pushback but considering how stressed he was before, he couldn't help but grin at their casual words.

"So we're getting drunk on a school night?"

"We're already getting a bit wild, breaking rules, so why stop now?"

At that, Jun Yibai recalled why they were here at all.

He couldn't go home.

His father's meetings were sometimes very... rough. He'd gotten many bruises from the time he was young and attended with his dad. It wasn't something on purpose but a small body among a bunch of drunk adults. It was bound to occur.

As such, as he grew older, he felt less and less willing to attend. That and his father's friends were toxic when drunk. It was uncomfortable to be around them.

"You don't mind spending money like this?" Jun Yibai asked as he looked around. The place was definitely high-class. It was fine since the bill was split three ways but it felt wrong to ask people whom he'd only met up with again a few hours ago for a favor like this.

The anticipation of drinking made his guilt feel a little better.

"As I said, our parents want us to get freaky tonight so no one expects us home." Li Suren reassured him, leading the trio to their room. "If we didn't make a charge, they would probably try something."

Try something? Jun Yibai wondered briefly what that could be. Yet the two continued on, as if he was not even there.

"Hey, my dads wouldn't." Chen Guiren was quick to argue, defending the men's honor. "They are not that underhanded."

"Says the one who called me in a rage after being tricked into signing a contract by said fathers?"

"A contract, proposed by you, you sneaky fuck!"

Ever the sassy type, Li Suren showed no shame as he replied. "How else could I get you to work with me?"

"Working with you never works out in my favor."

Again, Jun Yibai had a lot of questions but first things first.

"Who gets the shower first?" He asked, pointing to the lone bathroom. It was big with a huge bath and showerhead.

Seeing its size, Chen Guiren gave Jun Yibai a deep look.

"We could shower together." He suggested, pinching the collar of the betas shirt. With a slight tug, his throat was revealed, making the alpha swallow unconsciously. "It'd save time, right?"

Li Suren, having been surrounded by alphas for a long time, could sense the seduction play this oaf was trying to do. He was releasing pheromones again!

Yet Jun Yibai, as a beta, sensed none of the seduction, just grimacing at the proximity.

"I'm not gonna battle for the body wash while standing between a pair of testicles." He grumbled, pushing the alpha away. "Today has been long enough and we haven't even had a sip of wine yet."

Ever the optimist, Chen Guiren didn't give up. "So with wine, it's a possibility?"

Li Suren, however, was getting a headache and stepped between them, glaring at the alpha.

"How about the oaf who is releasing pheromones like crazy goes first." He argued, pushing the larger teen to the doors. "Take a cold shower and give it a rest. It's giving me a headache!"

At that, Chen Guiren stopped, feeling a bit embarrassed. While it was unconscious, to do that twice in one night was rude. And dangerous for the omega nearby. Had Li Suren not had his heat prior, Chen Guiren might have set it off again.

And there is nothing more troublesome than an omega in heat.

Nodding with understanding, Chen Guiren conceded, taking the first turn.

This left Li Suren and Jun Yibai alone to explore the room. It was fairly big, with a humble fridge and stove. It was the kind of place one could live in if they had the money to burn. For a single night, it felt like too much.

"Was this really the cheapest option?" Jun Yibai asked, his grimace deepening.

"This area is near the financial district, so a lot of well-off office workers come by to relax and rest. The price range is mixed but for a place to take teens and ask no questions, we had to go a bit above board."

"Your families don't have hotels?

"The mutt's family does but there are way too many eyes there." He explained. "Last thing we want is a candid picture of us making it on the news."

Meaning a picture of me. Jun Yibai thought, recalling the incident from before. He remembered that night very well.

While there were many things he wanted to ask, Li Suren put it off, saying it'd be better for the three of them to talk. Something about a contract between him and Chen Guiren.

Jun Yibai didn't understand but let it be, exploring the room. As expected, there was a single king-size bed rather than a pair of queens.

The beta absolutely knew it had been on purpose but it was hard to say which of his roommates did it.

Yet he was too tired to question it, falling back and staring up at the ceiling.

Moments later, he felt the bed depress beside him.

"Come to keep me company?"

"Ah, now master is trying to seduce me?"

Jun Yibai jumped, the sudden scent of steam brushing his nose as he turned to the alpha lying beside him. Chen Guiren was grinning, his cheek resting casually on his palm.

Unconsciously, Jun Yibai's eyes drifted downward, noticing that Chen Guiren was only wearing boxers, letting the rest of his body be on display.

And boy was it a display.

Chen Guiren was an alpha and it showed. His body was fit and muscular, skinny with youth but strong. As a person who was active, it was a bit strange to see such a body when he was sure it came naturally as opposed to being worked on.

"Enjoying the view?"

"A bit envious, actually." He grumbled. Surely getting into fights didn't result in abs like that, right?

The alpha was quick to respond. "You can touch it too."

"A guy's chest is outside my interest."

Though the nipples that slightly pebbled due to the air conditioner were a bit interesting. This, however, was pushed aside as he felt it was inappropriate.

Chen Guiren didn't give up, however, rolling close so they were side by side. He grabbed Jun Yibai's chin, turning it to face him.

"How about mine?"

"Are you not male?"

"I'm just any male." He shot back, his tone taking on a mild growl. "I'm an alpha."

"Oh?" The beta's tone was light, mainly because he was tired but was misunderstood by his bed partner.

Chen Guiren grimaced, feeling that he wasn't being taken seriously. With an elegance that proclaimed the existence of perfection in this world, Chen Guiren rolled over, trapping the beta beneath him. While no part of them was touching, Jun Yibai could feel the alpha's body heat radiate and warm his skin.

He unconsciously swallowed as Chen Guiren leaned down toward him.

"Master." He growled, his elbows the only means of keeping his lips from touching Jun Yibai's ear.

"Y-yes?"

"Do you know why I call you that?"

Out of everything he was expecting, this was not one of the options. Why?

Noting the mild confusion, Chen Guiren chuckled and nuzzled Jun Yibai's neck. The shiver that followed filled him with a perverse sense of joy.

His 'master' was aware of him~

"It's only proper I serve my master, even when he doesn't ask, right?" He continued, moving closer. Only his face was touching Jun Yibai but he yearned to do more.

He wanted to touch more of his skin. To make marks. To be marked.

He wanted to see his no-nonsense beta flushed and begging beneath him. To own his master fully and be owned back.

He was willing to submit to a Beta as long as it was Jun Yibai. As long as he would then belong to him and-

"Get off him, you oaf!"

Chen Guiren was kicked off of Jun Yibai, surprising both teens. While Li Suren was nowhere near as strong as Chen Guiren, it didn't take much to shove an off-balance and distracted male.

Horniness was the most distracting state a man can be in.

Chen Guiren glared at Li Suren but the Omega was used to his looks.

"Don't give me that look." He shot back. "We had a deal. Let Sweetie shower before you start harassing him."

Jun Yibai, dragged back to the present by the mention of his name, shot up from the bed and ran to the bathroom. It was clear that he was flustered but whether or not it was due to being caught in such a situation or his reaction to it was only known to him.

Left alone, Chen Guiren and Li Suren stared at the door until the telltale sound of water erupted from behind the door.

"So," Chen Guiren started, walking to get some clean clothes from his bag. "You wanna tell me what is going on?"

"Me? I'm not the one who looked to be seconds from mating Sweetie." Li Suren scolded, glaring at the alpha. "I thought we had a deal, Chen Guiren."

"We do and I'll keep my end of the bargain." He promised. "What I want to know is why we're here."

"Here?"

"At a hotel." He snapped, getting annoyed. He knew this wily fox wasn't dumb so why pretend not to know what he was getting at? "You took to this really casually, as if it wasn't a strange thing to ask. And it is, by the way. Most people our age don't stay away from home for no reason."

And the incident on the bus made Chen Guiren worry about Jun Yibai.

Li Suren, despite his general dislike for the male, had known Jun Yibai longer than him so he had to ask the Omega.

Li Suren, for his credit, was honest with him.

"I'm not completely sure why but I know Sweetie stays away from home sometimes." He admitted with a sigh. He patted the bed, offering a seat. Chen Guiren took the offer, letting the omega blow dry his hair. "It didn't happen often but sometimes he'd get a call from his parents and ask me to drop him by his neighbor's house."

It wouldn't have bothered him at the time, since Li Suren loved spending time with the beta. It's just that he came to notice that since the time Li Suren picked him up from the park, Jun Yibai seemed reluctant to walk by himself. For such a self-reliant child, it was strange.

"You think that's what happened today?" Chen Guiren asked, pulling the omega from his thoughts.

"Probably. It's best not to pry."

They both knew Jun Yibai wasn't the type to open up about himself or his problems. He just barely allowed them to be by his side.

Hell, if it wasn't for the fact he couldn't afford a hotel by himself, they'd have parted ways long before this.

This thought was clear and circling about in the heads of both teens.

***​

Meanwhile, the subject of their thoughts was in the shower, trying to wash away his shame.

Jun Yibai stared at the tiled floor, watching the water flow down the drain, as he tried to come to terms with what had happened.

He'd gotten excited... with Chen Guiren of all people.

That arrogant and reckless fight junkie had made his heart actually beat faster!

Worse... he might have even gotten a bit aroused by the nuzzling!!

Jun Yibai wanted to die just thinking about it but the next best thing was blasting the temperature handle straight to blue. The stinging cold water erased all lewd thoughts from his mind, leaving behind only the embarrassment.

He shivered, waiting for his body to calm down enough to actually get clean. He'd be damned if he actually jerked off to his friend like a creep.

Still, he wasn't sure how he should act when he got out. Chen Guiren was probably interested in him. It was a total mystery why but he was.

Li Suren was... a bit unclear but it was possible he was the same. Really, who else but him was the omega clingy with?

So maybe they both liked him?

Jun Yibai, having never been the target of anyone's romantic interest, was left adrift in a sea of confusion. What was he supposed to do?

Should he... ask someone?

Just then, he heard his phone beep. An alert?

Ah, he could ask Yang Ru! She was usually a good source of advice.

Me:
Hey, what do you do when a friend likes another friend?

YangYang:
Is this a confession? Cause I'm still trying for that cute bunny boy~

Me:
I'm not into people who gossip.

Yangyang:
Don't worry, bro~
As long as you stay on my side, no secret of yours will pass my lips~​

Jun Yibai wanted to ask what secrets she could possibly know but knew it was better not to. God only knew what she had dug up after years of hanging out. A man's internet history was something to take to their grave and he was sure she knew some of the things in his.

Me:
How about if, hypothetically, it was an alpha who was
Into a beta? So much so, that they pretended to be a Beta to hang out?

Yangyang:
It's this late and you are bringing up fantasies? What's next, a billionaire in a private hotel room who pinned you down and said you belong to them? Do you think you're some protagonist with such golden luck!?​

He briefly considered whether to tell her it wasn't one but two future billionaires in a private room with him but refrained. It was best if he just remained vague.

Me:
Seriously, what should be done?

Yangyang:
Do you like them back?

Me:
Not really...​

His answer was the truth. He liked Chen Guiren and Li Suren but only as friends. His life was too messy to let them be anything more.

If they confessed it would be troublesome.

He chose to ignore the slightly unsteady beat of his heart at the thought.

Yangyang:
Then ignore it. If they confess, reject them but don't bring it up first.

Me:
How come?

Yangyang:
It's awkward if you bring it up and it's actually a misunderstanding.
Best to let things flow naturally and respond accordingly.
That made sense. How bad would it be if his thoughts were wrong?

Me:
I see. Thanks
​

After bidding her goodnight, Jun Yibai felt a bit calmer. He felt flattered to be liked but didn't want to complicate his relationship any more than it was. A pair of rich heirs, the tops of society in both biology and economics.

They were not his equals but it was enough to be friends.

As such, Jun Yibai left the bathroom with a slightly lighter heart. He was prepared for whatever came next, awkwardness or confessions.

Yet, much to his surprise, there was neither.

The two in the room were dressed and lounging on the bed as they watched a commercial. They offered a spot between them and a paper cup of wine.

It was as if nothing had happened before.

Jun Yibai unconsciously let out a sigh of relief, relaxing as he took up the spot. The trio relaxed and watched some dumb show on a streaming network. As the drinks flowed, so did their commentary.

"I'm telling you!" Chen Guiren exclaimed, throwing a potato chip at the screen. He leaned back against the headboard with a grumbling. "If Scott just punched that asshole in the dick, he'd know better than to try and make moves on his girl!"

"That wouldn't help considering the issue isn't him but Scott's refusal, to be honest." Li Suren interjected, sipping his wine clumsily.

"I'm still concerned why your solution to most problems is a punch in the dick specifically." Jun Yibai muttered, his head lazily resting on Chen Guiren's shoulder. They had watched at least 3 different shows and his response was always the same. "What would you do if it was a girl?"

The alpha considered this for a moment. "Punch them in the tit?"

Jun Yibai chuckled, his face mildly flushed from the wine. "That would get them to stop, I guess."

"And you arrested for assault and possibly sexual harassment." Li Suren reminded them both, staring up from his spot on Jun Yibai's lap. His pale hair was spread out casually as he rolled onto his back.

"Ah, but then the conflict would stop so all's good."

"Only you would think getting arrested is 'all good'." Li Suren mocked, swatting the alpha's leg playfully with his foot. Chen Guiren grabbed the naughty leg, holding it hostage as he turned to the sleepy-eyed beta between them.

"Would you visit me, Master?"

"Of course! How else can I laugh at you for being dumb?"

In spite of his shameless flirting, Jun Yibai felt strangely calm. Yes, his heart was a bit unsteady but he felt no desire to push him away.

In fact, he felt very relaxed just then, sitting back and watching teen dramas and adding commentary.

The trio fell asleep, one by one. While Li Suren and Chen Guiren kept a distance from one another, by the time the sun was peeking over the horizon, they had a leg over one's waist and an arm being used as a pillow.

It was a comforting and wholesome sight if there was anyone to see it.

*****​

 

Spoiler: H: Right Fit

The following morning was lovely. The birds sang a gentle tune and the morning air was fresh.

For the three hungover teens, however, the morning was horrible.

The birds' cries echoed through their ears like a jackhammer in an enclosed room. It was high-pitched and made their ears ring. The sun was merciless as the trio hadn’t thought to close the curtains before falling asleep. It cut through the thin veil of blissful darkness their eyelids provided.

And the air? What fresh air? This is a city!

“Ugh~” Chen Guiren, as the one facing the window, was hit first by the cruel reality of the morning light. “Fuucckkkk!”

He tried to turn away but the beta clinging to his back kept him in place. Such a pleasant surprise and it was tormenting him in this way!

“Master, move and you can cling to my chest.” He tried persuading, sleep getting further and further away by the second.

“Don’t want it.” He grumbled back, burying his face in the teen's spine. The alpha’s body was shielding him from the sun and he didn’t want to give it up. Let him make the noble sacrifice for his bed partner.

He who was being offered to the unforgiving sun was not happy as sleep was cruelly ripped from him. Unwillingly, he opened his eyes, groaning in dismay.

If there was an upside, it was the warm mass clinging to his back. With the assurance that he wouldn’t be bothered by the sun, Jun Yibai wrapped his arms around Chen Guiren’s waist freely. This warm pillow was nice and he wanted to hold it a bit longer.

The alpha was enjoying the moment too, wishing he could return the gesture but that damnable sun was still blinding him. With a heavy sigh, he carefully slipped from the beta’s embrace.

The fact he was quickly replaced by a pillow was upsetting if not a bit cute.

As he trudged over to close the curtains, he couldn’t help but notice that there was someone missing. While he generally disliked that person, it felt wrong for him to be missing. A thread of concern raced through him as he searched the moderately sized hotel room to find…

Li Suren unpacking some breakfast at the table.

“You…”

“I come bearing Starbucks.” The omega announced with a grin. “You may revere me as your god now.”

The promise of caffeine in the morning was something worthy of praise but Chen Guiren was more hungover than tired. That and seeing such a chipper face when you felt miserable was annoying.

“You look energized.” He grumbled, grabbing breakfast and bringing it to the bedroom. Li Suren followed behind, grinning at the alpha’s haggard appearance.

“Of course. One of us had to be the responsible one and get a change of clothes.”

“For three?”

“My driver knows better than to question my orders.”

Ah, it was mysterious and mildly scary sentences like that that made the fathers of Chen Guiren like this seemingly delicate omega. He looked harmless but those who knew him knew how scary he could be.

God only knows what he had done to get the driver working for that nagging dinosaur to keep quiet about anything, let alone his omega grandson.

Inside, Jun Yibai had reluctantly awoken, his usually grumpy expression having coalesced into the embodiment of ‘I am not a morning person’. Even with the blinds closed and the pair keeping their voices down, the beta had awoken mere minutes after their conversation started.

As such, he hated them with a burning passion right that second.

Without a word, Li Suren handed the grumpy teen his coffee.

A single sip was all it took for Jun Yibai to stop hating the omega for daring to wake him up when his head was pounding. He leaned back, closing his eyes as he let the warmth of the cup travel up his arms and wake him up little by little.

“So,” Chen Guiren continued, seeing as the crisis had been averted. “Master and I are in no condition to go to school today.”

It didn’t need to be said that Li Suren was fine. While an alpha had a good metabolism, it couldn’t be compared to a person like Li Suren who’d ingested liquor for a much longer time than Chen Guiren. To be a socialite like everyone else in his family, Li Suren had been trained to keep a steady head in all situations, including while ‘socially drinking’.

“Sweetie definitely isn’t fit for human contact.” Li Suren nodded, glancing at the scowling beta on the bed. He sighed. “You’d probably just pick a fight. Should we skip then?”

“Hell yeah, we should! Look at Master. He’s half dead!”

As if to prove his point, Jun Yibai spoke up, his sour expression having not lessened at all.

“I hate you all~” He grumbled, nursing his cup of overpriced sugar milk. He knew he’d have to move and it was all because of the two in the room with him.

Li Suren paid this no mind, sending a series of texts. Chen Guiren was aware of Li Suren’s network of information to a small extent. It wasn’t something he was interested in prior.

Had he known how much this omega could find out with a single text, he wouldn’t have bothered to try and trick him the day before. The fact he got as far as he did was a simple courtesy.

Still, he couldn’t help but ask. “You have us covered?”

“Please! I’ve managed to cover up your delinquency for months now.” Li Suren countered, looking mildly offended at being asked at all. “Do you think I lack the blackmail to get an absence overlooked?”

If not for Li Suren’s interference, all of the incidents with Chen Guiren would have been relayed to his dads. While they assumed Li Suren was keeping their son out of trouble, it was more like he was keeping them from learning about all the trouble their son got into.

So in a way, he was doing as he said.

“Do I want to know what you have on the principal?” Chen Guiren grimaced as he recalled just how many times his partner needed to get favors from that man. That blackmail had to be heavy.

“No.” The omega grumbled, recalling what his driver had uncovered. It was just a simple affair but the fact it was managed between so many was mildly horrifying considering how dumb the man was. How he kept it all straight was a mystery and Li Suren just wanted to wait to see when that house of cards collapsed. “Just trust in me and we’ll be fine.”

Chen Guiren nodded, feeling relieved. He didn’t like Li Suren but he trusted him enough to know that all would be well.

***​

By the time Jun Yibai was fit to converse with the others, the trio was being driven through town in Li Suren’s car. The driver was one who didn’t work for his grandfather, so it was the safest bet.

Dressed casually, they looked nothing like high schoolers skipping class. Li Suren and Chen Guiren were completely comfortable while Jun Yibai still had a sour look on his face.

“Master, relax!” The alpha assured, alighting from the car. “A day off ain’t gonna kill you.”

“No, but my parents will.”

“Which will bother them more? You coming in hung over or skipping altogether?”

“Both.”

“Well then, it's a good thing you won’t have to deal with either.” Li Suren assured, joining the duo. “I don’t want you to be troubled by us.”

Jun Yibai sighed, feeling a bit bad. He hadn’t been forced to drink so he could only blame himself for getting to this point. Moreover, if he came in as he was, he’d be expelled for underage drinking at the very least.

But if he was caught skipping, his parents would kill him.

So the choices were expulsion or parental punishment. The two were equally unpleasant.

“We won’t get caught?” He pressed, glancing around as the trio walked down the sidewalk.

“As long as master lifts his head out of his chest, we’ll be fine.” The taller teen reassured. “Best way to get away with things is to look like you haven’t done anything wrong.”

A smirk graced the pale-haired teen's lips. “Talking from experience?”

“Fuck off.”

“Behave yourselves.” Jun Yibai relaxed a bit, and let the cool air brush past him. The day was nice and it was the first time he’d walked around during the week. The streets during school hours were much more calm than he expected.

At least it was until Chen Guiren spoke up.

“Wanna grab a bite and head to the park?” He suggested, pointing at the nearby park. The weather was a bit cool but not enough to make eating outdoors unpleasant.

“Didn’t we eat already?” Li Suren asked, cocking a brow.

“What, that? That was a breakfast sandwich and sugar milk.” He complained, looking aggrieved. “How is that a proper breakfast for growing boys? We need meat!”

“Idiot.”

“Am I wrong?”

“No, but it sounds so dumb when you say it.”

“You-”

“I’ll treat us then.” Jun Yibai interjected, looking around for a place to eat. There were plenty of places to choose from and all looked nice.

The silence that met his declaration drew his eye. The alpha and omega were staring at him like he grew a second head.

“What?”

“I just didn’t expect such kindness from Master.” The alpha snickered, looming over him. “We usually have to drag you to get you to cooperate but now you’re treating us?”

“You treated me yesterday.” He argued. “Why wouldn’t I do the same?”

“Because that isn’t like you at all.” They said in unison, shocking the beta.

“What, being nice?!”

“Since when did my sweetie care about that?”

“It's true! Master punched me, a client, in the face at our first meeting minutes before his interview.” Chen Guiren pointed out with a shrug. "How could such a person even think about other people’s opinions or actions?”

“Right?” Li Suren nodded, smiling. “Sweetie is a guy who does what he likes and never considers how other people feel.”

Their expressions made it seem like they were reminiscing on fond memories but all Jun Yibai heard were condemnations.

There was only one explanation.

“Are… are these supposed to be complements?”

The two seemed surprised when they saw his bewilderment.

“They aren’t insults.” Li Suren was quick to assure him, seemingly unaware of how their words sounded.

“How is all that not insulting? You’re calling me inconsiderate and violent.”

Chen Guiren blinked, looking innocently confused as he spoke. “Aren’t you?”

This was the guy who, upon reuniting with his friend after years apart, kicked him in the balls. Regardless of whether or not he deserved it, the fact this had happened twice now had left a firm impression on the alpha.

He didn’t dislike it. It was like having a stray cat. Sometimes it lets you pet it, other times it hissed and scratched you for daring to cross its path.

Was there anything more adorable?!

On the other hand, Li Suren recalled his first meeting with Jun Yibai when he fought off those bullies to save him and then abandoned him immediately afterward. It was shocking to the child that had been held in everyone's hand prior. It was novel and Li Suren liked how he wasn’t special in the beta’s eyes.

He wasn’t Li Suren, grandchild of the Li clan but just Suren the omega.

His inconsiderate beta was still his favorite!

All the while, Jun Yibai was coming to grips with these revelations. Was this how they thought of him?!

Oi oi, weren’t these guys his friends? Why were they being so rude now?

“You know what? Fine, screw you guys. I’m going home.” He snapped, turning on his heels. His escape was thwarted, however, as the pair grabbed his arms and dragged him into the cafe.

“Don’t get all pissy~” The alpha chuckled from his right. “I’m also violent so we match. Don’t leave yet.”

“Right!” The omega said with a catlike grin. “We can’t spend time like this at school so why let the opportunity go?”

“Why should I stick with you guys if I’m inconsiderate?” He argued, though he didn’t fight their grip.

“Simple! You already said you’d treat us so now you have to.”

Chen Guiren’s words might have been meaningless for anyone else but Jun Yibai was someone who kept his word. He agreed to hang out despite the trouble he could get into. He allowed himself to be seen and photographed with the two most desired heirs in the city. He spent the night with them despite his mild misgivings.

All this because he said he would.

“I hate you guys.” He grumbled as he realized he was stuck.

“You’ve been saying that all day. How about you say something cooler?” The alpha’s expression became excited, like he was waiting for a treat. “Like grabbing me by the collar and giving me orders? Something cool like ‘don’t make me have to repeat myself, punk.’”

Jun Yibai and Li Suren looked at him with undisguised disgust.

“Gross.”

Chen Guiren had the balls to look wounded at the beta’s whisper.

“Then stop trying to drag him into your kinks.” Li Suren cut in, waving him away. “You want to be dominated? Go to a S&M club.”

“I’m underage.”

“So are we, yet here we are, hungover and playing hooky.”

Sensing another argument forming, Jun Yibai cut in.

“You want orders? Fine. Find us a table.” He ordered, crossing his arms.

“A table?”

“Did I stutter? Go.”

Chen Guiren, for reasons only known to him, grinned manically. He gave the beta a mildly predatory look before slowly nodding.

“Yes, master~”

The alpha turned to grab a table, the half-aware patrons moving out his way despite him saying nothing to them. He was young but still an alpha. They might not know him but they knew to stay clear.

He was on a mission after all.

Jun Yibai, however, failed to notice the change in atmosphere. To him, it was just that Chen Guiren was a fairly tall guy so was noticed quickly. Li Suren, on the other hand, wondered if things would be okay. To rile an alpha up like that and set him loose was a bit-

“You coming?” Jun Yibai called out, nodding to the register so they could order.

“Absolutely!” The omega replied, tossing aside his concerns. So what if that blockhead was a bit excited? His sweetie would be spending time with him exclusively!

Let the mutt cause trouble and irritate sweetie. More for him~

***​

An hour later, however, Li Suren regretted his previous thoughts.

He’d been naive.

Foolish!

How could he have assumed that anything would be simple or only affect that dumb alpha?!

“Have they left the area yet?”

“Of course not.” Li Suren grumbled. “Hooligans like this always lurk about like fleas. Would they leave so easily?”

“If you let me take them out, we’d be in the clear.”

“Thoughts like that are why we are in this situation, to begin with!”

In truth, it was only half true.

The fight that began was instigated by the man several yards away clutching his bloody nose as he searched for them. It was unclear how things had gone awry. Chen Guiren insisted that he had been minding his business when some chick came to talk to him.

She was older, pretty, and apparently taken as the teen was soon cornered by her boyfriend. Somehow, he came to the conclusion that the teen had been flirting with his girlfriend and wanted to intimidate him.

His choice of target, however, was a little shit named Chen Guiren.

What was said was unheard but by the flushed face of the girl and the look of anger on the man’s face, it was clear the words weren’t very polite.

The first punch was thrown by the boyfriend and as an alpha trained by professionals, Chen Guiren chose to refrain from fighting. He dodged and parried until the man had tripped and knocked over a table, covering himself in half-eaten food.

Then all hell broke loose when the girlfriend giggled at the sight.

A man’s pride had been wounded in front of his partner. It could no longer be ignored.

He summoned his backup and tried to jump Chen Guiren.

By this time, Li Suren and Jun Yibai had heard the ruckus and arrived to pry the eager teen from the fight he was clearly looking forward to. People were already filming so the police would be soon behind.

The last hour had been spent trying to keep out of this crazy guy's sight.

“Should we go to my house?” Chen Guiren offered, checking the time. It was halfway through their school day so he was sure his parents would be well into their workday.

“Why yours?”

“Auntie Na is gonna be at home, right? My dads both work so we just have to avoid the servants.”

Li Suren grimaced, feeling aggrieved.

“True but I wanted Sweetie to come to my house.”

“Right now, we just need to get off the street.” Jun Yibai interjected, watching their pursuers move down the street. “Let's go.”

They arrived at the house pretty quick, sneaking through a back gate that looked both abandoned and well-used.

“I found this a few years back when I was grounded and needed a way out without being seen.” He explained, showing them how to sneak through without disturbing the foliage. “This is the best way in. We just need to sneak in through my bedroom window

“How often do you need to sneak out of your house?”

“Not often but I need a way to sneak back in without being seen by my dads.” He said, leading them to a rolled-up rope hidden in the bushes. The hook at the end had paint chips on it and the rope was well-worn.

The wear on the tools and its ease of collection told a very different story than the one Chen Guiren was trying to tell.

Just how much of a delinquent was he? Jun Yibai briefly wondered just what kind of trouble this guy caused his parents.

As if to solidify this notion, Chen Guiren tossed the rope up with practiced ease onto a nearby ledge and hooked it onto something. The rope had a few foot holds tied into it so it was just a bit short. Help would be needed to get to the first notch. Without a word, he offered the rope to Jun Yibai.

“Last time I did this, you grabbed my ass.” The beta pointed out, seeing where this was going clearly.

The alpha grinned, nodding at the fond memory. “I don’t regret a thing.”

“Yeah, well I’m not letting you get another chance. You go first.” He declared, shocking the teen. “Unless you think I can open your bedroom window?”

Chen Guiren scowled, looking like he was missing out while Li Suren beamed.

“Then I’ll go next! Sweetie, you’ll help me up, right?”

“Hm?” He blinked, surprised by the omega’s sudden enthusiasm. “Uh, sure?”

The alpha, however, knew why he was so enthusiastic. As the weakest of the three, he was definitely planning on climbing the beta like a tree. A few fumbles and they’d be in each other's embrace.

Shameless bastard! He thought spitefully, wishing he could do the same.

That is exactly what happened and all the while, Chen Guiren glared at the shameless Omega as he was assisted up the rope. Once up the rope, he had wanted to say something but Jun Yibai had followed soon after.

Helping Li Suren up the rope as well as climbing up almost two stories worth of rope was tiring. Add the workout of running from goons and his mild hangover, Jun Yibai felt like death warmed over.

He groaned, unthinkingly laying on Chen Guiren’s bed face down. Li Suren sat beside him, stroking his back in comfort. It didn’t help but it was nice.

“Oh dear!”

The omega’s gasp was noted by Chen Guiren, who had been undressing as if no one else was in his private space.

“What’s up?”

“My vice just sent me a text.” He explained, typing away. “We might have just dodged a bullet by skipping out today.”

“What do you-”

The door to his room rattled, stopping the conversation in its tracks. Not wanting his friends to be caught in his room, Chen Guiren rushed to intercept the door just before it opened.

On the other side was Jinyao.

“D-dad!? What are you-”

“Ah, there you are!” The elder alpha let out a breath, looking relieved. “We were about to call to ask if you needed a ride home.”

“Oh?”

“I heard about what happened at school so I was worried but it's good you got in okay.”

“Y-yeah, right that.” He coughed, trying to cover up his nervousness. Luckily, he’d taken off his casual clothes already. “It was a bit crazy so we tried to get out quick.”

Having been worried out of his mind about the incident, Jinyao didn’t notice the strangeness in his son’s actions.

“Good. Really, a school like that is so not what I want for you.” He sighed, shaking his head. “Are you sure you want to go there?”

Chen Guiren glanced behind him at the panting beta lying on his bed. His face flushed and relaxed. The omega was lying beside him, chuckling to himself as he read something on his phone.

He smiled. “Yeah, I think it's a good fit for me.”

*****​

AN: I'm almost done with the High school arc now so yay.