Chapter Text
"Jihoon-ah, where have you been?" Yeongjae asked with a sigh, "I have been looking for you, we start scrims in 15 minutes."
Jihoon waved at their coach at the greeting. He closed the door and walked to his chair, putting his phone on the table before sitting down. "Well, I'm here aren't I?" there was a grin on his face, "Don't worry, I am not even late, right? I was just out earlier."
"He must have been seeing Sanghyeokie-hyung again~" Siwoo said with a sing-song voice, eyes still trained on his screen as he continued his game, "Are you guys finally dating now?"
"Jihoon-hyung is dating Sanghyeok-hyung?" Suhwan whipped his head to look at Jihoon and asked in surprise, "Since when?"
"Oh well, about time," Giin supplied unamused.
"No one is dating anyone," Jihoon said exasperatedly. "I told you guys. We're just friends."
"Oh come on Jihoonie, don't be shy! You can tell us what's actually between you two."
"There's nothing between us," Jihoon replied simply. He didn't lie, they were just hanging out, talking over canned drinks from a vending machine nearby the Gen.G headquarters. Sanghyeok just messaged him earlier that he was around the building because of the team's schedule just before, and Jihoon just asked if he wanted to meet up before he left—he had 30 minutes before scrim, a 10-minute chat wouldn't hurt, right?
"Meeting up every other week to hang out despite your respective busy schedules does not seem like nothing," Siwoo said, "You're like, the only Alpha outside of their organization that Sanghyeok-hyung has a good relationship with, don't you realize that?"
Jihoon shrugged, "I know, but we just vibe, I guess. Why can't I be close with him? Because I'm an Alpha?"
"The question is not why can't you be close with him, Jihoon-ah. But why aren't you CLOSER," Siwoo emphasized that last word, "I really thought that you were flirting with each other since last year when you guys were on the same team for Asian Games."
Jihoon rolled his eyes, "Please, not all Alpha get close to an Omega to get into their pants."
"I am not saying that, it's just... oh, I don't know, maybe because Faker is a highly sought Omega in the industry? Like there's this very eligible Omega, that you are close with, and is pretty, and has godly skills in League of Legends... Maybe there's something between him and the Alpha counterpart of that. By the Alpha counterpart, I mean you."
"And I told you that there is none."
"Boys, scrims in 5!" Yeongjae interrupted Siwoo and Jihoon from conversing further.
Siwoo shut himself up after but not before he made eye contact with Jihoon and grinned at him.
Jihoon only let out an amused huff and prepared for the games. The draft that they wanted to try was new, so he was quite excited with the match-up.
The conversation did not linger until the games were over and they were done for the day.
Jihoon sat down on the edge of his bed, drying his hair with a towel when the conversation came back to mind again. Honestly, that was not the first time that the team was questioning their relationship. When he came back from the Asian Games camp, there was that teasing from Wangho and Hyeonjun. When he hung out with Sanghyeok in the offseason before the LCK awards, Siwoo asked when did he become chummy with him. The most recent was when Jihoon became Sanghyeok's first pick for the Season 2024 Opening, the team cheered and teased him for being Sanghyeok's favorite midlaner.
But that's all there is. It was true that spending a lot of time with him on their Asian Games days was the gate to their current relationship. He gets to know the actual Faker, talking to him, joking and bantering with him, spending late nights together reviewing VODs together, hearing him about the books that he read—getting to read some of the books that he read too—getting a glimpse of brilliance Sanghyeok is known for.
In that period, his detached respect towards Faker transformed into fondness and genuine care for the other.
But they became friends then, and they are still friends now. Sanghyeok was different than other Omega that he knew: he didn't act coy or cute, didn't ask for his attention with a placating scent or soft voices. Not that those are a bad thing—Wangho and Minseok were notoriously famous for the way they dominated the scene with these common Omega traits, and Jihoon liked them the way they were. But Sanghyeok, he's just something else. And that something else was probably just another reason why Jihoon was comfortable in being friendly with him more than others.
The main reason was, well, Sanghyeok is just a cool person to be with. He's mature, kind, he's very smart and Jihoon thought that actually, he's a really sweet guy? He paid attention to little things, perhaps not just to Jihoon, but he listened well and would always step up to take care of the people around him when it was necessary. He did not coddle but never left anyone behind.
Anyway. Lee Sanghyeok. Jihoon's friend. A friend who is conveniently also the Greatest of All Time in League of Legends, the rival in midlane, and an Omega.
There are a lot of reasons why it's fun to hang out with Sanghyeok, and being an Omega was not the reason, Jihoon reasoned. They were just friends, and he liked that.
'Does Sanghyeok-hyung get asked for things like this too?' Jihoon wondered. If he got asked about him all the time, perhaps the same thing happened on Sanghyeok's end as well. But thinking of the idea that the Great Lee Sanghyeok was dating someone—or being somebody's mate—felt so surreal. To imagine that there's an Alpha that Lee Sanghyeok is vulnerable with, a person that Lee Sanghyeok favors and loves... what kind of person would he be? It's hard to picture someone is deserving of him. Sanghyeok is just a figure who feels out of everyone's league.
Jihoon yawned and stretched, throwing the towel he used for his hair to the chair next to the bed, and plopped down his bed ungracefully. It's been a long day and he had another practice game tomorrow.
He checked his alarms and got his blanket before falling asleep.
"Jihoon-ah,"
Jihoon looked up from his phone, waving back at the figure walking closer to him. He opened his arm for a brief hug and leaned down for a quick scent of Sanghyeok glands—a friendly gesture that indicates familiarity. Sanghyeok was used to it, receiving it with a smile and letting out a content scent.
"Sanghyeok-hyung, how's the shoot?"
"Ah, it went well. Sorry, I made you wait, it's a bit late now,"
"No worries, hyung. I am not busy anyway," Jihoon said, plastering a reassuring smile. He had been waiting for Sanghyeok in the T1 dorms, they planned to have dinner together after Sanghyeok finished one of his individual shoots of a commercial. It's not an offseason, but there's not much schedule so he proposed to catch up over dinner with Sanghyeok—they haven't seen each other outside a match in the past 2 months after all.
Sanghyeok welcomed the idea warmly, letting him know the time most convenient from his side.
They agreed to have dinner in a restaurant in the area, Jihoon was a regular there and Sanghyeok was open to it. They walked to the shop, talking about their days and some of the random things Jihoon found online as he waited, Sanghyeok quipping his comments on it here and there.
By the time they arrived at the shop, there were not a lot of people there. They sat at a table for two and once finished ordering their food, they conversed like usual, talking about everything and nothing, and having fun over food and drinks.
"—And when he passes by he was like, "How do I look?" Giin-hyung really had the nerve to say, it's cute. Arrrrggh, I just can't sometimes," Jihoon retold the story with exaggerated frustration, earning a small chuckle from Sanghyeok. "I know it's all fun and play but I swear that the cheesiness could kill me."
"Jihoon-ah, just be grateful that you don't live with actual pair of Alpha-Omega couples at the dorms..."
"Yah," Jihoon shuddered, "I don't think I'll survive that dorm."
Sanghyeok continued with a laugh, "You'll get used to them after a while,"
"That's hard to believe,"
They had fun talking about their respective dorm lives when Jihoon remembered a question he had in mind as they were on the topic.
"Speaking of which, Sanghyeok-hyung, do you like anyone?"
Sanghyeok blinked at the question, and for once, Jihoon wondered if he caught him off guard. His lips were parted in surprise, but he soon schooled his expression to a more amused one. He asked, "Why the sudden question?"
"Just curious." Jihoon shrugged, "You know, hyung. I get teased about you all the time and I just keep telling them we're just friends, but it got me thinking if there's actually somebody who you like."
"Oh," Sanghyeok said, pursing his lips. He broke his gaze from Jihoon and instead looked at the cup in his hands. He didn't drink—so it was just Coke Zero, but he made a circling motion to the cup and more bubbles were popped to the surface. He didn't answer immediately, looking thoughtful. Jihoon wondered if he had stepped out of line.
Before Jihoon could rectify it, Sanghyeok spoke.
"...There is someone I like for some time."
That answer surprised Jihoon. He gaped, "What? Really?"
Sanghyeok's smile was small, a little embarrassed, "Yeah... But I don't think he feels the same way. In any case, we are friends and I am happy with the way things are. So there's nothing much I can say about it."
Jihoon stared at his hyung in disbelief. There's a lot of information here that he needed to process. First, there was really somebody that Sanghyeok liked. And second... this person does not like him back?
What?!
The first statement was already hard to believe, but the second was even unthinkable. A person who knew Lee Sanghyeok and was not head over heels for him? Was this a real person?
"Do I know this Alpha?" Jihoon paused, "...It's an Alpha, right?"
Sanghyeok still hadn't made another eye contact with him, the smile still persisted on his face and his tone easy, "Mmn. He's an Alpha. As for whether Jihoon knew him... well. It's a secret."
"Wha—Why... I'm so curious." Jihoon whined childishly, putting his cup down. "Who is this Alpha? I really want to know, why is it a secret?"
"Why are you so curious?" Sanghyeok chuckled, "I might like him... but there's nothing between us."
"Yeah but." Jihoon wondered if he could phrase this eloquently, but a person like Sanghyeok who does not even understand his own charm, would this even make sense? "I want to know who is this Alpha who gets your attention. What's so great about him? It's a bit hard to imagine if anyone deserves... your favor,"
For the first time after Jihoon asked the question, Sanghyeok finally turned to see Jihoon in the eye again. There was amusement in his eyes, but his tone was a little self-deprecating, "You think too highly of me, Jihoon-ah. I am just a guy."
Jihoon frowned in response, a bit unhappy with the way Sanghyeok phrased his humility. "No way, why wouldn't anyone want you, hyung? There's nothing about you that isn't perfect. Did this Alpha know you like him?"
"...I didn't tell him, there's no reason to," Sanghyeok said without a hitch, "I know him quite well, you see. I think telling him my real feelings would only become a burden to him... And I don't think that we would be able to keep the relationship that we have now. But it's alright. As I told you, I'm glad that we are good friends."
Jihoon looked at Sanghyeok in the eyes.
Sanghyeok looked at him back evenly.
They stared at each other for a while, before Sanghyeok finally let it go, and went back nursing his cup with a small smile, "It's alright, Jihoon-ah."
He said that... but...
Jihoon couldn't shake the feeling that it was not really the case.
Jihoon sighed. He took the soju bottle on the table and refilled his glass, drinking it in one gulp.
"Arrgh. " Jihoon groaned in frustration. He put down his head on the table, turning to look at Sanghyeok again so his right cheek was touching the table surface, "This Alpha is so stupid."
Sanghyeok laughed, patting Jihoon's head softly, "He's not stupid, it's... well. I am probably not the kind of person he considers attractive."
"Is this Alpha blind? That's the only plausible explanation, I fear."
Sanghyeok continued to laugh at that, making Jihoon feel a bit better. Truth be told... whilst Sanghyeok masked it well, he could still smell the hint of sadness in the air. He has dominant Alpha genes—unlike the recessive ones, he had his Alpha characteristic manifested since birth instead of puberty. Alpha and Omega already have a unique constitution, even for those who realized their secondary gender in puberty. But those traits were stronger and more potent for those with dominant genes.
As such, deciphering the air for pheromones like this was easy for him. Even though Sanghyeok wore scent blockers, he could still tell. Scent blockers mute scents—not erasing it completely.
So he knew that this conversation made Sanghyeok upset, even if it was just a little bit.
It was a bit odd when he realized that it made him upset too. He felt something akin to resentment to this Alpha. What kind of friend would allow somebody so close to them to hurt because of them? He knew that it was a bit unfair to think it that way, knowing that this Alpha was probably oblivious to what Sanghyeok felt about him, but still.
An upset Sanghyeok was upsetting to Jihoon.
"Sanghyeok-hyung," Jihoon mumbled, "You are better off without this guy."
Sanghyeok didn't reply immediately but glanced at him with a curious glint in his eyes. When Jihoon didn't offer further explanation, he asked, "Why is that?"
Jihoon slurred—he was still sober, but having one of your cheeks on the table did that to one's voice, "He's stupid and blind. You should be with an Alpha who celebrates you and makes you feel loved and treasured. You liked him but he does not even realize... does not reciprocate it. What a waste."
"Hmm... I see,"
"Do you see him often?"
Sanghyeok tilted his head in question, "From my perspective? Or his?"
"...Is it different?"
"Well... I think so." Sanghyeok looked thoughtful, he released the grip he had on his cup and folded his hands together on his chest, each hand nursing his elbow. He relaxed and leaned on the chair. His voice was soft when he continued. "From my perspective... I don't see him enough. I see him from time to time, and we hang out from time to time, but I wish we could spend more time together. But it's an unreasonable thing to desire... since he and I are both very busy," Sanghyeok explained, "But from his side... I don't think he minded that much. I'm glad that he seems to be happy to see me every time we meet, though. That's enough for me."
"..." Jihoon was speechless.
It was the first time he heard Sanghyeok talk about somebody like this. Jihoon was Sanghyeok's friend, and he was no stranger to how Sanghyeok can always express his fondness towards people who are close to him—his teammates, ex-teammates and coaches, his family... That was not new.
But none of them were like this. None of them are laced with longing. With an acknowledgment of one-sided feelings, with a controlled expectation and contentment for something that clearly was not enough for him.
'Sanghyeok-hyung, you really like this guy, huh?'
Jihoon felt an ache in his chest at the realization.
"Jihoon-ah, are you okay?"
Jihoon blinked from his stupor when Sanghyeok leaned towards him, a concerned expression on his face. Sanghyeok put a gentle finger on the skin above his gland and continued, "You smell a little agitated. I am sorry, did my story upset you?"
Jihoon moved to sit up straight, detaching the table that had become a makeshift pillow for his cheek. He looked at Sanghyeok when he explained, "No, hyung. I mean, it's not because you telling me the story—you can tell me anything you want. I love listening to you. I just. I don't like this guy. He's making you sad."
Sanghyeok oh'd, but his expression quickly turned to a smile. His lips curled cutely, "He's making me happy too."
"Yeah, but..."
"He didn't make me sad," Sanghyeok continued, "It's my feelings for him to blame. But that's my responsibility, he was not at fault for the anguish I caused myself." He finished with a laugh.
"..."
Jihoon didn't offer more comment, so Sanghyeok placated him with a pat on his head—an adorable feat since Jihoon was taller than him, "Maybe Jihoon will understand better when he has someone he likes."
"Why do you think I don't have someone I like?" Jihoon frowned, he didn't say anything about that, did he?
"Well, do you?" Sanghyeok smiled knowingly.
"...You're right. There's no one." Jihoon finally admitted begrudgingly, feeling a little petty that Sanghyeok had seen right through him. Isn't it a bit unfair that Sanghyeok seemed to know more about him than he about Sanghyeok? Maybe he should do something about that...
"Anyway, enough about that topic." Sanghyeok waved to the waiter, and before the waiter arrived at their table, he turned to Jihoon and asked, "Do you want to order something else? I am getting more coke,"
"...I want fries."
With a nod, Sanghyeok proceeded to add the order, and then when he turned back to Jihoon he asked, "So you're getting a new car?"
"It's for my hyung," Jihoon replied, he moved the empty plates to the side as the waiter took it, "His old one was still okay, but that thing is ancient, so I am buying him a new one."
"Jihoon is such a good little brother."
"You bet I am," Jihoon grinned, "Easy to be a good one when you have money to buy everything you need."
The conversation easily stirred to other topics, flowing like the river, just like how their conversation had always been going.
When it got late, they wrapped up the dinner—Jihoon put his foot on the bill saying that he was the one who invited Sanghyeok, and then Jihoon walked Sanghyeok back to the dorm again.
They parted with a short hug and Sanghyeok waved at him as he walked to the door. Jihoon lingered just a little while to wave back.
Jihoon walked back to his dorm, a 5-minute walk from where T1's was. In retrospect, there was not that much distance between them—their HQ was close by, their dorms were a few blocks away from each other, and they would see one another on the rift and the Arena.
Jihoon looked up to the sky, with a soft content sigh. Spending time with Sanghyeok was fun, it had been a good night. He was glad he asked to meet.
The thought regarding their previous conversation was still fresh on his mind, as well as the feelings he had for that conversation.
It turned out that there was somebody that Sanghyeok liked, after all.
Something that seemed impossible to imagine for Jihoon, apparently was not so fictional. A person like Sanghyeok apparently can yearn for someone and even come to terms with one-sided feelings. Still unbelievable, but that was the truth.
'That person is really stupid,' Jihoon thought, 'If it were me... I would never let Sanghyeok-hyung feel like he was unwanted, or that he was not attractive, or that he was—'
Jihoon stopped that thought.
The alcohol must have gotten into his system. Did he just compare this Alpha to him? Why would he suddenly add himself to the equation?! It was as if he was competing for Sanghyeok's affection.
...Wait a minute.
Oh.
Jihoon covered his face with his hands and groaned, "Am I dumb or what? Since when did I even... ARGH,"
That night Jihoon discovered Sanghyeok liked someone...
...was the same night Jihoon discovered that he liked Sanghyeok.