Chapter Text
The chime of the bells that hung over the doors of the cafe could be heard as Wooyoung attempted to open the door, only to find it had already been opened by an alpha. Wooyoung mumbled a polite “thank you” as he walked through the door. Once he took a breath however, he could feel his heart stop as he inhaled the intoxicatingly irresistible smell of coffee and nutmeg. He turned to meet the stranger as his heart began to race, his omega knew he finally found the one.
But the alpha was already being tugged away from him, a harsh “San, let’s go,“ pulling him away. The hand around who Wooyoung now knew as San had a beautiful diamond ring wrapped perfectly around a pristine and manicured ring finger. The alpha's omega fiancé, who shot Wooyoung a glare when she noticed her fiancé looking at him. Wooyoung could feel his omega whine at the loss of his potential true mate, but Wooyoung knew better than to intervene in between a soon to be married couple, especially with the attitude the alpha’s fiancé is displaying.
San met him in the eyes regardless of the fact that he was currently being tugged by the person he was going to be bound with for life. Wooyoung could almost see a glimpse of understanding in the alpha’s eyes, an acknowledgment that the two strangers were probably more than strangers through the grace of Luna. But it did not last long. San’s focus soon returned to his fiancé, and then the pair was off.
Wooyoung sighed. He has a busy day ahead of him anyways. Wooyoung owns a bakery that specializes in wedding cakes for the affluent. The bakery was the omega's proudest accomplishment. Everyone in his life, with the exception of his best friend Yeosang, always thought that he was rather foolish for believing he could become the owner of his own business. But with his strong determination and some blood, sweat, and tears, Wooyoung was able to prove them all wrong. And now he was one of the best regarded bakers in all of Seoul, all at the age of 27.
Today he has some very special clients. Two heirs who are set to marry within the next few months, and they are trusting Wooyoung to make the most perfect cake for their special day. But before Wooyoung can do that, he needs some fuel.
Wooyoung’s favorite cafe to frequent (and the best cafe in all of Korea if you asked him) was a small little hip joint tucked away in one of the busiest streets in Gangnam-gu. The spot was a refreshing little burst of color amid the posh and elegant establishments that made up Gangnam. The cafe was owned by Wooyoung’s best and closest friend, Kang Yeosang. The two omegas met back in their freshman year of college where they both studied business management, a career that was typically tough on omegas, and were roommates. Much like Wooyoung’s bakery, Yeosang’s cafe was built on his fierce determination to prove to those around him that an omega is just as capable as an alpha.
Despite their own respective successes, Wooyoung and Yeosang choose to continue the tradition of being roommates post their college graduation. Since it was typically unsafe for unmated omegas to live alone due to how brute alphas could be, they figured it would be in their best interest if they continued to live together. Not to mention the pair got along well even after the introduction of Yeosang’s boyfriend, Jongho, into the living space.
Wooyoung hurriedly made his way to the counter where Yeosang was dispatching a customer, handing the beta a perfectly crafted latte. He could still feel his heart beating incredibly fast as his omega was whining and begging for him to go out and search for his mate. But Wooyoung knew he needed to stay calm if he wanted to accomplish anything. Yeosang enjoyed making small talk with his customers, so he probably knows something about the mysterious alpha that just left.
“Sangie, I think I just met my true mate.” Wooyoung blurred out once he reached Yeosang’s counter. Yeosang had his back to Wooyoung, preoccupied with cleaning off the machine he uses to steam milk for lattes. The omega snorted at his friend’s sudden outburst. It was so rare for people to find their true mates that the concept of true mates was often regarded as old folk tales. But occasionally, two bound souls did cross paths.
“Wooyoung, don't be ridiculous- oh my Luna! Wooyoung, your eyes are blue!” Yeosang explained once he faced his friend. Wooyoung’s normally chocolate brown eyes were shining a bright blue, his omega subconscious more in tune with his body than his human consciousness. It was uncommon for a person's wolf to come out like this in modern times as the progression of society has reduced the need for people to shift into their wolf forms. However, this did not stop people's instincts to take over their bodies from time to time.
“Sangie, who was that alpha that just left? The one that was walking out with a female omega?” Wooyoung asked, his eyes pleading for Yeosang to have an answer. Yeosang gave him a stern look. “Wooyoung, I serve so many people I don't even know who you're talking about.”
Wooyoung became disappointed at his friend’s answer. His omega whined once again at the prospect of not being able to meet its fated mate after their sudden meeting. Until Wooyoung remembered what the omega the alpha was with called him. “San, his name is San!” He explained, hoping Yeosang could help him out.
“San, hmm San...” Yeosang wondered out loud. He took a moment to think about it. He knew he did not have a regular by that name, as he tends to remember the names of most of the frequent visitors of the cafe. But he recognized the name San, it was the name he messily wrote on a to-go cup for an iced americano. Then it hit him. “Oh yes! A rather handsome alpha with a broad build?”
Wooyoung nods frantically, glad his friend found an answer. Yeosang gave Wooyoung a sad smile, he feels bad he can’t give his friends the information he’s looking for. “I'm sorry Woo, I'm pretty sure he was here with his fiance, they looked like they were having an intense conversation about what arrangements they wanted for their wedding.”
Wooyoung could feel disappointment wash over his body once Yeosang confirmed that the omega San was with was in fact his fiancé. His omega was whining even stronger and he could feel his heart break into two. “Oh, so it was his fiancé.”
“But hey! If you two are true mates, maybe he’ll come back to find you!” Yeosang chirped, trying his best to cheer his friend up.
Wooyoung sighed. He knew Yeosang meant well, but sometimes things are not meant to be, and he and his omega are going to have to accept that. “Sangie, this isn’t some fairytale. If they’re already planning the wedding then some strange omega isn’t gonna change that.” Wooyoung said with a frown.
Yeosang returned the frown with his own. “But tell me what did it feel like when you first saw him? I always tell Jongho he’s my true mate but we both know that’s not exactly true.” Yeosang said with a slight pout on his face. He has always been a hopeless romantic and always dreamed of meeting his true mate as a pup, but unfortunately that never happened. He did meet Jongho however, and the pair are as close as soulmates.
Wooyoung smiled at his best friend’s little outburst. If Wooyoung thought anyone deserved a perfect mate, it would be Yeosang, and Jongho is pretty damn close. “I’ll tell you at home okay? And there’s nothing wrong with not being true mates. Jongho is an amazing alpha who loves and respects you. For all I know, that guy could be an asshole.” Wooyoung said with a sigh before he remembered he has an important day ahead of him. “Is my latte done? I have some super important clients today and I can’t be late, we’re having a private testing.”
“Oh private.” Yeosang said suggestively while reaching for Wooyoung’s drink. “I wonder what elites you’re going to have to deal with today. But yes, here's your latte love. Don’t worry about dinner, Jonghoie said he wants to make dinner for us tonight.”
Wooyoung smiled at the beautiful cup that held the one thing that was going to get him through his day. “See, he’s an angel. See you later!”
“Bye!”
.
“ Mingi, please make sure all the flowers are correctly placed. It looks like those damn florists just threw everything together last minute.” Wooyoung said while frantically arranging some ribbon trim he had cut up to decorate the vases. Wooyoung knew he made some of the best tasting cakes in all of Seoul, so he was not worried about the clients tasting the cake. He was, however, worried about causing a good first impression.
Rich people don’t think much about the way an item is made, but rather how that item looks. Wooyoung credits a lot of his success to not only how good his cakes are but to how well he presents them. His bakery has a very chic and contemporary design that speaks to the palette of a lot of his affluent customers. He always tries to keep fresh flowers in his shop to bring some light into his space and help keep the air clean. The otherwise monochromatic black and white aesthetic of the bakery was broken up by the soft pastels of the flowers. Artfully decorated display cakes were perched perfectly on the window display, enticing potential customers to step foot in the bakery.
The bakery not only specialized in wedding cakes, but here patrons could enjoy cakes by the slice, cupcakes and other baked goods Wooyoung and his team created. Wooyoung and his team spent most of their afternoon the day before preparing some of their best selling recipes in preparation for the couple visiting them the next day. Now, only Wooyoung and Mingi, his main assistant, are in the bakery, nervously waiting for their customers to arrive.
“Sure thing Woo.” Mingi replies. Mingi is another one of Wooyoung’s closest friends, the two met fresh out of college at a terrible job they bonded over. When Wooyoung started making his plan to quit his job and start his bakery, Mingi was one of the first people to support him, and eagerly accepted Wooyoung’s offer to work for him. The pair worked well together and had a perfect dynamic that allowed the bakery to become what it is today.
The door of the bakery opened moments later, bell chime sounding all throughout the bakery. Wooyoung felt his body stiffen up once he caught a whiff of one of the bakery’s visitors. It couldn’t be. Wooyoung turned to Mingi, his face pale and heart rate accelerated, and mumbled a quick “Please greet our guests and take care of them.”
Wooyoung bolted towards his office, praying to Luna that his clients, especially the alpha, did not notice him. The last thing he needed in this moment was for his fated mate to be the alpha groom of the wedding he was going to work for. What could he do?
Meanwhile, Mingi was mentally cursing Wooyoung for leaving him unattended with the couple that just entered the bakery. The pair looked rather intimidating: the alpha looked cold and unbothered, like he couldn’t care less about the entire ordeal and had better places to be. The omega looked bothered, too bothered, and very irritated, with her eyes bolting all over the place in silent judgment. Wooyoung looked too pale and Luna knows when he’s going to come out of his office. Mingi could tell that this was going to be a very long day.
“Hello! Welcome to Aurora Pistrina! I'm Song Mingi, assistant baker, and I will be guiding you through your taste test.” Mingi greeted with the most charm he could muster up given the circumstances.
“Where's the head baker, we were told he would be helping us today?” The omega asked, looking Mingi up and down with slight discernment. Mingi could tell she was a spoiled and bratty person, a daddy’s omega that probably never had to lift a finger to get whatever she wanted. He knew the type so well, they tended to be some of the worst customers he had to deal with.
“Haewon calm down, I’m sure they have their reasons. Let’s just get this over with.” The alpha grumbled, clearly bothered by his fiancé’s reaction. Mingi could almost sense that the pair were not close to each other, and as much as he would love to pry, he knew getting in rich people’s business can be risky. The omega, Haewon, scoffed.
“No, unlike you San, I would like for this wedding to be as perfect as humanly possible. Where is your boss? Go get him!” She barked at Mingi. Mingi, wanting to get as far away from this cynical couple as possible, took this as his cue to go fetch Wooyoung.
“What a bitch.” He mumbled as he pushed open the door to Wooyoung’s office. Wooyoung was frantically fanning himself in order to dry the scent suppressor gel he had applied on his scent glands. There wasn’t much he could do to avoid San’s scent other than trying his best to suppress his omega, but he figured blocking his scent could make things easier in case it spiked around the alpha. Wooyoung’s eyes grew wide as he saw Mingi, surprised to see his assistant walk into his office so soon.
“Oh Mingi! Are the clients okay?” He asked, concerned. Rich people expect to be treated as royalty, the last thing Wooyoung would want is for something to go wrong and potentially have the bakery’s reputation be ruined.
Mingi eyed his boss up and down, not understanding why his fellow omega was acting so strange. “What’s going on Woo? I’ve never seen you this frantic.”
Wooyoung sighed. He knew that working for his true mate will only bring unwanted tension into the bakery, and Mingi being the drama connoisseur he is, is going to pick up on whatever is going on between the two. “The alpha that just walked in, I saw him at Yeo’s cafe and my omega had a reaction to him, I think he’s my true mate. So I took scent blockers to combat any scent spiking that could happen. Now I’m just waiting for them to take effect.”
Mingi’s eyes went wide. He couldn’t believe Wooyoung just found his fated mate and he was just going to cross his arms and let the alpha go. “True mate! Wooyoung! Why don’t you go out there and claim your man?” He exclaimed, scolding his friend. “The omega he’s with is a rude bitch and he clearly doesn’t like her!”
Wooyoung rolled his eyes. ”Mingi, I am not going to get in between an engagement, that would ruin our business for Luna's sake!” He explained while making his way towards the wine fridge he kept in his office. He took a moment to select a bottle, opting for one of the more expensive ones he had. “Now please go out there and tell them it’ll be a minute! And take this bottle of champagne with you.”
Mingi grabbed the bottle with a grunt, disappointed Wooyoung didn’t want to indulge him with some drama.
.
Mingi briskly walked back to where he left San and Haewon with two glasses and the champagne in hand. “I apologize for the wait, Wooyoung-ssi will join us shortly. Could I interest you two in a glass of champagne while you wait?”
Haewon eyed the bottle up and down, analyzing the quality of the champagne before accepting a glass. “Oh so he does have some class, I’ll take a glass please.” San rolled his eyes at his fiancée’s snarky response. “ I’ll take one too, and fill it to the top.”
Just as Mingi was pouring the glasses for the couple, Wooyoung steps out of his office towards the main common area of the bakery. He quickly put himself together before going to meet his clients, perfume now radiating from his skin instead of his natural scent. His brown hair was freshly brushed away from his face and a new layer of gloss coated his lips. San could almost feel his jaw drop.
Wooyoung caught a whiff of the alpha’s strong coffee and nutmeg scent. His omega whined immediately, wanting nothing more than to pounce on the alpha, but Wooyoung grounded himself. His eyes no longer turn blue as he had previously met the alpha before, so now all Wooyoung had to do was suppress his omega until the couple left. Easier said than done.
“My deepest apologies for keeping you two waiting. Hello, I’m Jung Wooyoung, owner of Aurora Bakery, and I will be guiding you two through your taste test today. I understand your wedding is nine months correct?” Wooyoung asked in his most professional manner, looking at Haewon the entire time to not meet his true mate in the eyes.
San just stared at Wooyoung, his body completely in shock. After bumping into him in the cafe, San did not expect for him to find his true mate that fast. However, something was off and his alpha did not like it, the scent that was coming off Wooyoung wasn’t the sweet lavender and honey scent he caught at the cafe, but rather a harsh and chemical scent that was supposed to mimic something floral.
Haewon grew irritated with the lack of response from her fiancé, and replied rather rudely to the other omega. “Yes, that’s correct. I’m Jeon Haewon and this is Choi San, my fiancé.”
Wooyoung continued to smile, trying his best not to think about the fact that his true mate was just a few steps away. Motioning for Mingi to fetch the first round of cake flavors, he turned back to Haewon, “Perfect, this gives us enough time for you two to decide on a favor and get to designing the cake. Any questions before we start?”