Chapter Text
On a dim and murky night, neon bathes Taehyung all over. He is in between bodies and Taehyung is drunk, sad, and sloshed by the smell of the one in front of him. Their torsos are pressed together and their groin grinds each other. He is faceless, but Taehyung can make a mold by how he's run his hands all over him, "alpha…"
"You're so deep Jungkookah. Ahhh."
Taehyung wakes up hearing those words. He reshuffles trying his best to get back to slumber by pressing his eyes together really hard, until…
"You're the best Jungkookshi. You fuck me really good. "
Taehyung chortles because this was her exact words when she fucked Josh three days ago. But then Taehyung understands that it is part and parcel of fucking egotistical alphas, lie . It's self preservation that everyone learned through experience and hearsay, for Taehyung it can quicken a laborious sex or a means to actually be fucked the right away.
He rubs his eyes, it'll be like the last time wherein Taehyung would have no choice but to listen.
Taehyung sighs, recalling a conversation Taehyung had with his best friend Jimin.
Jimin describes Aera as an empty well that needs to be filled to be wet again. The thing is the soil around her is warm so the moisture doesn't stay long.
"But what are we?" Taehyung asks in a whisper.
"My soil is lukewarm so the water doesn't run out easily, but it doesn't mean I don't need to be filled up once in a while, you on the other hand… you just let your well dry. It's bad to do that, Kim Taehyung. It causes dryness, cracks and the soil around it just will look really… ugly "
He smiles before he sleeps again.
Taehyung stretches on his bed. He hears laughter, and smells cooking. Meaning Jungkook once again stayed over to have breakfast. He'd been doing that everytime they fuck, which Taehyung find too domestic for FWBs, but then… it could potentially mean that they have transitioned to more. Except that Aera have been fucking too many guys it will exhaust her saying her goodbyes. Taehyung counts the months he'd have to deal with the budding couple until he'd leave. But he silently groaned realizing it will still be… a long time.
Quite honestly Jungkook is Taehyung's favorite out of the four or maybe five guys that Aera fucks on a regular, not considering the one offs. Anyway, out of the four /or five/ Jungkook is the most silent lover and yet Aera seemed to be noisiest with him. But Taehyung is equally creeped out by this alpha, not in a predatory kind of way, just in a confusing and weird air around him, because they've seen each other outside of their dorm and he goes out of his way to come speak with him.
Taehyung can't figure him out.
Well he's sweet, he's a gentleman to Aera /whenever they catch them together/. Plus he doesn't do a vanishing act and even cooks for her. But something's off about him, so Taehyung avoids him like a plague everywhere.
Jungkook became another one of Aera's fixtures at the end of December last year, and being that it's March, they've been at this for three months.
He hears Aera’s annoying giggle, and involuntarily Taehyung rolls his eyes. It's 9AM so Taehyung walks to his table to do some light reading and gauge which of his assignments he should at least start. His first appointment is at 11AM, at least two hours before it's mandatory that he comes to their living room. He takes his loot to grab a biscuit to at least fill his stomach, after a few bites he suddenly gets the urge to pee, which is not a problem, so he takes an empty bottle of Gatorade and does his business.
At around 10AM it quiets, but the television seems on and Taehyung wonders if the couple is cuddling now in their living room. But he gives it more time until he decides to come out so he can wash his face before his first client that Saturday arrives.
The thing is, Taehyung wanted to be assigned another room the moment he saw the succession of guys and unwanted noises coming from his roommate's area. Dorms seems to only have a fiber-like divider that Taehyung can hear even Aera's fights with her parents, and is already familiar with their melodramatic family moments. He listens to it like it's his KDrama some nights well because he can't tune them out and Taehyung is a natural gossip and meddler. But then Aera is cool to let Taehyung's clients come in as they please. When Taehyung brought up his business, she only shrugged, which was why he was so excited about this arrangement /initially/ because his roommate during his freshman year did not allow visitors. All of this happened at the beginning of the semester, before he learned how the alphas enter their omega exclusive premises successively making Taehyung feel unsafe. Of course no one really checks anyway, but decorum must be followed, and after the first two alphas she fucked in their dorm, Taehyung emailed and requested from the admin's office that they install him a double bolt lock in his bedroom. Because he might be a moral zealot but he's no snitch.
Back to today.
He peeks and sees the living room quiet, except for the murmur from the television, which has the volume so low he wondered if someone's really watching. But as he crosses to go to their bathroom, Jungkook's head perks up, and not only that — he's alone, Taehyung frowns, "Aera in the bedroom?"
"Nope. She says it's cool that I stay here."
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why? We left you food for breakfast."
"Thanks. But I ate already. Let me remind you that you're an alpha in an omega dorm."
"Hmmm. Most of my alpha friends stay behind after their hookups."
"You mean there's many of you?"
"What does that mean?"
"What does it mean? Oh.My.God!” Taehyung rolls his eyes as he enters the bathroom to freshen up and avoid any further interaction with Jungkook.
Lyn comes smiling but frowns while scrunching her nose, "is there an alpha?"
Taehyung who's at the door nods, "Aera's. Come in"
"Of course." Lyn walks in and holds her face to obscure the smell until she sees who the alpha is and her smile becomes too wide that she resembles a joker. Taehyung hears their greetings to each other as he settles on his spot.
Lyn also settles on the chair across from him, her gaze to Jungkook is unwavering. This is Taehyung’s second eye roll, yet it is becoming funny.
"Do you want art today or just the usual gel?" Taehyung asks.
"Art please. Kindly do Sakura."
"OK." And Taehyung starts his work.
They are now seated by the window beside the living room. Between him and Lyn is a thin table with study light. It is a small little nook where he does nails for fellow omega students. He'd been trained since he was 12 from his Eomma, who owns a nail salon in Samcheongdong which has been their bread and butter. His Eomma got pregnant at 17 and was thrown out by her family thereafter. She fought hard in her life, working odd jobs to feed Taehyung. And when he turned 7 she was employed in a salon where she learned to do nails and nail art. She was so good and in demand that she opened her own humble shop. When she had more clients she couldn't handle, the then very young Taehyung was trained very abruptly to be her assistant.
In truth, Taehyung's Eomma is his best friend, and because doing nails is very intimate, the regulars became their friends. They'd listen to family dramas through them and be their source of entertainment, because there's literally nothing going for them outside of their shop. But at the end of the day it will be just him and her, talking as his Eomma trained Taehyung fervently to do nail art.
For people like them, both omega and poor, college was never an option. They were content until Taehyung got a call in the middle of the summer that he's now been accepted at SNU after being on waitlist for months. It was a sunny day, and Taehyung was curled doing nails for a client when he got the call, and he was… confused. It just was the weirdest shit that the best school in the country was the only call after he applied to most of the universities in the entire Korea. He thought it was a prank and that his bullies will come out in hiding once he appears in SNU. But they said they sent emails and so Taehyung excused himself to open the email congratulating him on his acceptance. When he opened it was so elaborate, if he was pranked, his bullies really worked very hard in constructing the sentences which were using big words and were grammatically correct. He showed his Eomma the email and she jumped and kissed him for everyone to see then proceeded to give all the clients a 20% discount.
What happened next were a series of moments to process his upcoming college life. As days went by, it became real that he's really going to college, but what's more real is that it will be hell expensive because Taehyung didn't get into any scholarship with his subpar essay and portfolio. So they applied for loans and assistance which they had some additional premium since his mother is a single mom.
But it was only on the day when he entered the dorm that it became really, really real. His mom was teary eyed depositing his almost 19 year old son, her failure supposedly, a kid who's supposed to derail her from achieving her goals but instead became her purpose and is really her pride and joy. It was like they both made it when it all happened because college isn't supposedly for people like them. Especially not in SNU.
Taehyung was assigned with a student who traveled from Busan, the OC roommate who didn't allow visitors in their dorm room especially Alphas. And Taehyung can't contest because the rules and regulations did say so.
At first Taehyung worked in a fast food joint, but the job was really tough with all the cleaning, and also the shift ended very late, giving Taehyung little time for his readings and projects.
So when he thoroughly assessed it, he'd have to earn a living through what he knew best. He started with omegas who frequented somewhere to have their nails done, telling them he can do their nails at half the price of the salon. He compiled his past work, created a social media account while meticulously sifting through doable designs with his limited colors. The stock of nail polish on hold were supposed to be for personal use, some extra his mom allowed him to have. Even the paraphernalia were all from him scavenging at the salon. It started very small, they'd do it in the rooms of his clients. Generally it is unsafe, but he was desperate to quit his part time job and traveling to unfamiliar grounds was better than holding a mop or pressing garbage and throwing it away.
Soon he would be buying more and more stuff and his clientele grew. He'd exclusively do fingers, because soaking and cleaning feet is hazardous and tedious for Taehyung (except for special people like Jimin and even Aera). He'd meet up with customers wherever there is an outlet he can plug his UV lamp and can grant them a private time for at least an hour.
Again, back to present.
Of course Lyn and Jungkook had some small talks which Taehyung mostly tuned out, while the alpha hovered above them as Taehyung continued his work. Taehyung can't understand why he's lingering at their place when his fuck is long gone, and most likely flirting somewhere, when he hears, "Taehyung do you want to order lunch?"
Taehyung didn't think he heard him right, clearly he misheard, "lunch?"
Jungkook was looking at his phone, when he answered, "Yup." popping the 'p' at the end bringing his dimple out.
"I have somewhere to be." Tae says curtly.
"Is Taehyungie finally dating?"
Both Jungkook and him shift their gaze at Lyn, "what?"
"I mean, you said you have lunch plans. You always have a full weekend, Taehyung. I had to wait weeks for this schedule and I heard you're not taking any appointments after me and until next week. I always just assumed that a boy would be the only reason that you wouldn't take the chance to earn, you're always yapping about wanting to be in your own apartment next year."
"You're moving?" Jungkook butts in.
Taehyung glares at Jungkook, "We always have to move anyway because…" He says. "I don't need to explain to you. And can you please go eat at your own place. Anyway—" he goes back facing Lyn. "I am going out because I have to meet my supplier at Gwangjang market and get new stuff. Then later we have this meeting with our RAs because Alphas have been spotted in our residence." And snaps his eyes on Jungkook /again./
Jungkook pockets his phone. "Okay fine. I need to work anyway." He faces the door, "Goodbye Taehyung. "
Taehyung waves without looking and focuses on Lyn's nails.
"For a second, I thought he was your hookup." Lyn whispers when Jungkook was out the door.
"No. I told you I don't do hookups."
"Why not? I mean I don't either, but I am willing to make an exception for the likes of Jungkook."
"Of course. We always have the exception. —" Taehyung answers crisply and wants Lyn to instead tell him the latest gossip but she just won't let this go.
"Tell me why you don't do hookups, again."
"After my first heartbreak, I slept with a cousin of a friend of a friend (Lyn’s brow shoot up) as a way to get over my first love. Then we fell to bed too many times until I started making him breakfasts, so yeah he was my second heartbreak. I was only 17 and had a back to back heartache." Taehyung tells her, eyes moistened, that he wiped it dramatically.
"Is this Hansung? The one you told me about?"
"Lyn, you don't pay attention, Hansung was the guy who broke my heart in Senior year."
"Ah yeah. The prankster. The one who slept with you on a dare."
"Yup. Now tell me what's been happening here!"
...
"So Jessi had an abortion last week."
"What? Who's the father?"
"Well she doesn't know, Lyn told me that she slept with whoever, you know. Many suspects that she’s a service omega."
"That's the risk when you do that. But Taehyungie, you can't stop sleeping with anyone just because of these stories you keep hearing from your customers. Don't you feel the need to release with a person on top of you? the weight of a body, the breathing to your ears…."
Taehyung rolls his eyes, "I know you have a fucking boyfriend Jiminie. Why are you so concerned about my lack of sex life? It doesn't mean that…"
"I'm starting to think that your stories from your past are just —"
"Don't say I'm lying. I'm not a Virgin."
"Who's a Virgin?" Aera is suddenly beside them.
Jimin points at Taehyung, "No!"
"That explains a lot." Aera says mockingly.
"Ahem." The RA distracts them, after all, the admin is talking in front of everyone informing them that they will be imposing penalties to those who let alphas in. Which is a baloney because as per his client last week, the same Admin had let a few alphas in, 'So no change will happen.'
"One time, in this same dorm, an omega was raped by an alpha because she let him in." The lady in front of them whispers to the person beside her. And Aera's eyes rolled massively. Jimin and Taehyung giggles.
...
Taehyung had already pre-packed his stuff, confirmed his room number and then immediately ordered food for pick up, because there's an additional discount when it's picked up personally. He double checks all his apparatus, he's got all his fave buddies (sex toys) secured at the bottom of the bag. He will have around three days when he'd be like a zombie and crazy, then on the fourth he'd be fine, he thinks. But time is ticking and he's starting to reek. So he walks, bringing his duffel bag on the way to his selected Chinese restaurant.
He left after the meeting, so unfortunately he's standing in the restaurant during prime dinner time, which is why it's so crowded. One advantage when you pre-order is you don't need to queue, but the unfortunate thing is that there are too many idiots in this world who'd still want a seat in a crowded restaurant, so while waiting for his take out, he had to smile and say hello to so many people, clients, classmates and just random people who find him cute.
But, Taehyung's body is feverish, and had already gotten attention from some alpha because of his smell. After this, he'd have to walk 20 minutes to reach the school hotel for omega where he can spend his time alone, privately and securely, all in the confines of his school. This is the disadvantage when you are housed with a promiscuous omega, the risk of being defiled is high when they are bringing around an alpha who won't be able to control himself. He'd never had to worry about this last year when his roommate was Jimin. Oh! But the tides have shifted, because now the omega had been in relationships and had already illegally welcomed the company of outsiders since discovering the wondrous world of sex. Which brings him to another point, people who deprive themselves will want them in bulk, and Taehyung who started strong in the carnal world, realized that he can moderate it, not abate himself actually, just waiting for the right alpha whomever he will share a connection with. Because Taehyung had fallen for an FWB, all because his heart is tender and the people he have sex with are generally his type.
Which once again brings him to another point, his third in this chain of thoughts, he is secretly envious of the people like Aera and Jungkook, they're able to separate their hearts from sex, because Taehyung in the two years he was active, had only proven that being intimate and sex have a severely thin line between them that it’s like a thread.
"Well, well. Kim Taehyung I see you again."
"Jungkookshi."
"I work here. Oh wow. I didn't know you liked this place."
"I don't. I just saw the ratings and it being near the school, so yeah. —" Taehyung grins.
Jungkook had this blank look while staring at his face until, "Tell me if you love it. I can always swing by and give some to you, employee discount."
Taehyung narrows his eyes, because that's just stupid. "Careful Alpha, I might get the wrong idea."
Jungkook furrows his brows but then… hops on his heels, "Uhm. Ahh. Yeah. Hahaha. Anyway, isn't this too much for one person?" and hands him the boxes.
"All for me. Heat loot."
"Ahhh… so heat ha?"
"Yup. Have to go through it, to get this world going, under-population is a real problem."
"Sure. Sure. But like anyone helping you with that?"
"Sure." Taehyung answers curtly, just to shut Jungkook up. Promiscuous people or those who have too many beck and call, could never understand why he chooses to have heats alone. It's tedious and painful, but so what? At least he can look people in the eye when he walks in corridors because he didn't grind his body anywhere on weekends, bumping into liaisons is close to zero.
"Great then. But heard from Aera, you normally spend it alone." Jungkook smirks. "Well, you do understand heats become shorter and less intense when you have a buddy."
"Aera… I don't know your impression of me, but I have had partners before and let me educate you, because it seems the omegas you've been (quotes) helping were lying to you. Yes it helps, but it doesn't reduce the length of your heat, nor make it less intense. Just that pleasuring yourself is tiring, so it's more (quotes) less tiring when someone is doing it for you. I mean massages are better done by someone else than when you do it yourself, correct? — But an hour is an hour. Just saying…" Taehyung utters smugly.
"I understand that massage chairs have advanced in terms of technology, but nothing beats when there's a real masseur doing it for you."
"Hmm. Some people are hard to instruct though, medium and hard are subjective, depending on the person's strength, whereas these machines have presets we can use and are guaranteed to perform accordingly and consistently. So—" Taehyung shifts his bag strap, "all I'm saying is you are not as useful as you think you are. If an omega is asking for help, he or she just wants to be fucked by you."
"Do I come with raving reviews Kim?"
"No need. I hear it on a regular basis."
"You do have to go. You're smelling…"
Taehyung smirks and bows.
"Kim!"
Taehyung looks back, "You do have my number in case you change your mind."
"Jungkook, you are more needed at the restaurant than by me." And Taehyung walks briskly and when he is away he utters, "and I don't have your number." He tells this to the moon, “bless me with the best and reliable alpha my Luna.”
At the end of April, Taehyung finds himself across a guy Jimin adamantly tried to set him up with and was quite impressed with their commonality.
Now May has rolled, and he has a constant companion, but the dorm has become strict indeed, imposing the rules of having no alpha in their premises, guards really check the visitors. Taehyung can't quite understand the game the universe is playing against him, because for almost two years of having no one, alphas roamed the whole place as if they can live in it, and now, he can't even bring his boyfriend upstairs just so he can give him a… manicure.
It's been getting very filthy and Taehyung wants something to be shoved inside him other than his very reliable dildo.
"We can stay in a motel for just a few hours." His boyfriend whispers to his ear.
Taehyung squirms away from his hold, "Eww."
"But I am desperate."
"I know. Me too. I can't keep blowing you at the school toilets."
"Where do you fuck now?"
Aera tilts her head to stare at him. They were in their living room watching something, "motels, the park, the toilets." Then she smiles wickedly. "You've not done it with your boyfriend?"
"Nope. He suggested a motel." He answers sadly. "Actually, I told him ewww, but I just don't want to pay extra cash. I'm so close to my goal, I can live off campus next term"
"Bring him to your childhood room Taehyungah. You said your Eomma is always away, right?"
"You're glowing. Told you that's what you need." Jimin tells him the Monday after the sex.
"Shut up!"
They walk towards a table that's occupied by Jimin's new crush. He's the Engineering emo guy that Taehyung just couldn't understand why someone would choose as an object of attraction. The guy is extremely introverted, and indifferent to his surroundings and most importantly hangs out with the likes of Jungkook. So there they were at the end of this long rectangular table while Jimin throws love eyes to the guy, but Jungkook and a guy run to sit with them.
"Kim Taehyung. "
"Oh hi. Haven't seen you around." He greets as Jungkook brings his tray, and these small metal pieces, that Taehyung paid a little attention to. The handsome alpha nods at Jimin.
The scenario was supposed to be that Jimin will get a good look at his crush, and then Taehyung will read his Manga on his phone, but instead Jungkook’s gang is suddenly with them.
"Hi Taehyung, my name is Jisung." The guy beside Jungkook introduces himself, "I don't know if you remember me, actually Wooshik introduced us two weeks ago."
"I do."
"Who's Wooshik?" Jungkook asks as he arranges everything around him, trays, backpack, knick-knack.
"Taehyung's boyfriend." Jimin answers and goes rigid seeing that Yoongi sat beside him.
"Oh. The famous omega Kim Taehyung is dating." Jungkook says, looking at his food instead of him, and Taehyung notices the spike of his odor that he can't quite decipher what about.
"Yup! Yey for me. Less competition." Jimin utters while side-eyeing his crush.
Taehyung raises an eyebrow. "Jungkookshi, haven't seen you around."
"Miss me?"
"Nah. Just that you know how it's when you see people too many times, you notice their absence. And Aera said you two don't (quotes) hang out anymore."
"Ahh. Yeah. Since your dorm got stricter and I couldn't go there. It started to not be worth it you know."
"Taehyungshi, Woshik, was saying you're looking for a place to move into next term. I know a couple of people graduating and 1 studio will be free in my building…" Jisung mutters interrupting him and Jungkook.
Jungkook had this worried look, "Taehyungshi, it's not safe there for you."
Jisung pats Jungkook, "what are you saying? We have CCTV everywhere."
"CCTV is good when investigating your murder, but there's just too many people going in and out of that place. You said, there had been reports of stealing, burglary..."
"Sounds like the same as our dorm." Taehyung cuts them. “Uhm. Can I take a look?"
"Yup. I'll text my friends. But you have to move during summer, because they are vacating it in a month after graduation."
"I'll look around our building too Taehyung. " Jungkook injects himself.
"Don't you live in Bayfront?" Jimin asks, as he digs in his Bibimbap. "The dance troupe held their party their last year."
Jungkook scowls, but Jisung starts laughing and surprisingly Yoongi too.
"Don't remind me, I was a naïve freshman, now I don't just let anyone get in there."
"Yeah, that's Jungkook, he likes anal and also anal." Jisung says with a grin, which causes Taehyung to grin back at the alpha, noticing that the guy is handsome too.
"Anyway, I don't think I can afford to live in a place with a luxurious name. I'm on a budget. But I'd have to be at a place safe for omegas because of my business."
"Hey Taehyungah, do you want me to come with you when you're apartment hunting?" Jungkook queries as he munches his food.
"Guk, Taehyung has a boyfriend. "
"Ahh. Yeah."
"Taehyung, remember your class." Jimin suddenly yells.
"Ohh shit." Taehyung scrambles, after he does successive bites.
"Hey Kim Taehyung. " Jungkook hands over his weird looking metal piece. “We worked on it in metallurgy class. I saw you looking at it, you can have it."
Taehyung scans Jungkook's face if he’s being funny but seeing as the alpha looked sincere, "Oh no. No. I was just amazed. Give it to someone deserving."
Taehyung sprints, not wanting to see the reaction of the people around them.
...
Taehyung is exceptionally happy that night, he aced one essay about Woman Walking in the Garden by Van Gogh , whom people think is too mainstream but being that he's so obsessed with him, he was able to give so much love and details to idol’s lesser known artwork.
Anyway he'd done the robot in front of his boyfriend, and this is something he'd been able to do since very young, Wooshik was so tickled by it and later they were goofily doing it in the middle of the dance floor. Taehyung loves that they have the same wavelength, their talks can vary so much from being trivial to deep, having been both brought up by single mothers. It is their common ground and why they connected from the very first date. Tonight, his A+ plate is his first reason for being happy, but seeing his boyfriend laughing so hard is the second.
After their short stint as the most outrageous couple in the dance floor, refusing to cave in to the societal expectations to grind their bodies, Taehyung once again impressed his other half by volunteering to pay for their drinks. This is something he hardly does, and despite being such a leech, he doesn't care, he is working hard for a purpose of living alone and absolute freedom soon. Deposit and 1 month advance isn't cheap for people like Taehyung, so why be guilty when he prefers to be spoiled by his boyfriend. It's not because he is entitled shit, it's just that he's poor. Plus, nights like these don't come often, because partying isn't his scene simply because it’s costly.
He'd been trying to get the bartender's attention when someone appeared beside him causing him to jolt, "Hey, Kim Taehyung. "
"Oh, HI! Jeon Jungkook!"
"Never thought I'd see you here again." Jungkook smiles wickedly causing Taehyung to roll his eyes.
"Didn't peg you as someone to remind me of my bad decisions. "
"No way! If anything, I wanted to remind you how fun it can be to just be inebriated. You know, let your body do the things it's supposed to do." Jungkook says in his lowest tone while roaming his eyes up and down.
The waiter comes, 'thankfully!' and Taehyung orders vodka soda, so he'd be reunited with his boyfriend asap, "Wooshik huh?"
"Yes. Smiley eyes, Choi Wooshik." Taehyung answers while mimicking his boyfriend's signature beam.
Jungkook laughs, "lucky guy Wooshik."
Taehyung takes the drinks, gives Jungkook a quick glance and goes.