Chapter Text
The bathroom tiles were sticky — maybe from spilled whiskey, maybe from someone’s sugary perfume.
Shared bathroom or not, none of the four alphas gave a damn.
Somewhere beyond the wall, bass shook the concrete in a steady boom-boom rhythm. Some rich family had flown off to Phuket, leaving their son the apartment, soundproof walls, and a fully stocked bar. Outside the bathroom window was nothing but black night. Inside — heat, smoke, and the smell of alcohol.
The guys passed around a weak joint. Jungkook took two drags before handing it off with a grimace.
«God, this shit’s trash.»
«Yeah, but it chills you out», Derek smirked.
Regular cigarettes were enough for Jungkook. He tried not to get hooked on anything heavier — unlike Derek, who always had connections capable of making any party “more interesting.”
Jungkook sat inside the dry bathtub with his legs hanging over the edge. Uncomfortable position, but he didn’t care. A cigarette smoldered between his fingers while he stared at the ceiling, thoughts drifting like flies across cracked plaster.
His hoodie hung open low on his chest, exposing sharp collarbones and fresh ink curling over his skin. He’d gotten the tattoo a week ago. Smoke spiraled upward while his heavy gaze stayed fixed somewhere far away.
Across from him, squatting by the wall, Hoseok grinned like he owned the night. His teeth flashed in the dim light while he waved around a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, splashing whiskey onto somebody’s bathrobe hanging from the locked door.
«Did you guys see Minjin tonight?», Hoseok practically sang. «That omega’s insane. Looks all innocent, but apparently the second he sees you, Guk, his brain short-circuits.»
The third alpha, Sonu, barely looked up from his phone.
«Minjin thirsts after everybody», Derek drawled from the closed toilet seat. «But Jungkook? Zero reaction. You’re weird, man. Or sick in the head».
A crooked smirk tugged at Jungkook’s lips as he tapped ash into an empty energy drink can.
«Taste issue.»
«Right», Hoseok snorted. «We’re a pack, aren’t we? And packs are supposed to hook up with the hottest omegas at every party. Meanwhile you’re living like a monk».
«Monks don’t smoke in strangers’ bathrooms», Sonu muttered with a laugh.
Derek exhaled a smoke ring toward Jungkook.
«So whose place even is this?», Sonu asked. «Who’s throwing the party?»
«Minho from the other class», Hoseok answered lazily. «His parents ditched town again. Left him the apartment. Classic rich-kid setup. We can trash this place till morning».
The room erupted in laughter — loud, rough alpha laughter from deep in the chest.
Then Hoseok suddenly snapped his fingers.
«Oh right. Guk… where’s your twin? Jimin».
Silence thickened instantly.
Jungkook froze for half a second.
«He’s home», he said flatly. «He doesn’t belong here».
«Seriously?», Derek arched a brow. «You keeping him locked up or something?»
«You guarding your brother’s ass that hard?», Hoseok laughed, nudging Sonu with his foot. «Careful, mother-hen alpha. Science might discover a new species.»
Everybody laughed again.
Everybody except Jungkook.
His eyes stayed fixed on the white grout between the tiles.
Jimin’s home.
The thought should’ve settled him. Instead, his mind drifted somewhere dangerous.
An hour earlier, before Jungkook left, Jimin had been standing in the hallway wearing an oversized T-shirt slipping off one shoulder.
«Are you coming back tonight?», Jimin had asked quietly.
«You want me not to?», Jungkook shot back before he could stop himself.
Jimin hadn’t answered. Just lowered his eyes. And God — that sweet scent of his always twisted something low in Jungkook’s stomach.
They shared the same natural scent: grapes. But Jimin smelled like fresh fruit. Jungkook smelled like aged wine. Like the family vineyards.
And now, sitting in this overheated bathroom full of smoke and profanity, Jungkook swore he could still smell him.
Maybe memory had a scent too.
Fifteen minutes later, the whiskey bottle had ended up in Sonu’s hands.
Hoseok had already ditched his hoodie and was passionately rambling about the tattoo he planned to get once “his dad finally realized he was an adult.” Derek was struggling to light one cigarette off another because his fingers had stopped cooperating.
Three out of the four alphas had already reached that dangerous level of drunk where you either wanted to fight somebody or love everybody.
Jungkook stayed separate. He always did.
Still sitting in the bathtub with his Jordans hanging over the edge, one leg bent against the enamel, he stared somewhere inward instead of outward. The cigarette had already burned down to the filter, but he didn’t notice.
Then someone knocked on the door. Not the way an alpha would knock.
Two short, hesitant taps. Almost shy.
Like claws scratching softly against wood.
«Occupied!», Hoseok shouted drunkenly.
«Is the bathroom shared…?», a voice came through the music.
High. Soft. Omega.
Derek jumped up first and yanked the door open with theatrical flair.
Two omegas stood there.
Hyunjun — ginger-haired, freckled, eyes wide like a startled deer.
And Nael — tall, black-haired, wearing a red crop top matching the beer pong cups scattered around the apartment.
The atmosphere in the bathroom changed instantly.
Lavender from Nael.
Something citrusy from Hyunjun.
Meanwhile the alphas smelled like nicotine, sweat, whiskey, and bad decisions.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Hotter. More dangerous.
«Well, look who wandered in», Hoseok grinned immediately, eyes already sliding toward Hyunjun. «You boys lost? Or looking for trouble?»
«Bathroom», Hyunjun mumbled awkwardly. «Everywhere else has a line».
«Lucky for you, we’re very welcoming hosts», Derek said, stepping aside. «We’ve got whiskey, a free bar, cramped personal space, and four bored alphas».
Nael walked into the bathroom slowly, looking each alpha over one by one. Hoseok — warm and playful. Sonu — drunk off his ass. Derek — pushy.
And then Jungkook. Jungkook didn’t even look at them. Still leaned back against the tiled wall with a cigarette between his lips, hood pulled low enough to shadow most of his face.
Every inch of his posture screamed: Leave me alone.
And somehow, that only dragged Nael in harder. Like a magnet buried under skin.
«And him?», Nael nodded toward Jungkook, licking his lower lip. «Is he actually with you guys?»
«Jungkook», Hoseok smirked. «Local sociopath. Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite».
Pause.
«Usually».
Meanwhile Derek had already drifted too close to Hyunjun, hand settling against the omega’s lower back. Hyunjun flinched but didn’t pull away. Their conversation melted into quiet whispers almost instantly.
Sonu extended the whiskey bottle toward Nael.
«Want a drink? Or do omegas only survive on juice boxes nowadays?»
«Not all of us», Nael replied.
But he didn’t take the bottle. Still staring at Jungkook. And finally — Jungkook looked up.
Nael immediately understood one thing: That gaze could slit someone’s throat open.
Cold. Sharp. Completely empty of warmth. And for some reason, it made heat explode inside his chest. Because coldness from someone that beautiful felt like a challenge. And Nael had always liked dangerous things.
He stepped closer without meaning to.
«Hey», his voice dropped lower now. «You look like the darkest one here».
Jungkook stayed silent for two seconds before exhaling smoke directly into Nael’s face. Nael inhaled deeper instead of backing away. Tobacco. Testosterone. That heavy wine-like alpha scent. Omegas always reacted to it. And Jungkook wasn’t even releasing pheromones yet.
«You like playing with fire?», Jungkook finally asked.
Low voice. Rough around the edges. Like he’d either just woken up or spent the last hour thinking about filthy things. Not really a question. More like a statement.
Nael swallowed. His instincts screamed at him to look away. Omega instincts. But he couldn’t. Jungkook’s stare held him there on an invisible leash made entirely out of desire.
«Maybe», Nael answered quietly. «Can you actually burn something?»
Someone behind them whistled. Probably Hoseok. Jungkook ignored it completely. He took one last drag before crushing the cigarette against the edge of the tub. The skin on his finger burned, but he didn’t even flinch.
«Leave», he said softly.
No anger. No request. Just fact.
Nael froze. Embarrassment and excitement tangled together painfully under his ribs because “leave” somehow sounded like: Stay, or I’ll devour you alive.
At least inside Nael’s head.
«Nobody asked you, actually», Hyunjun cut in from where he was practically sprawled across Derek. «We came here for a reason».
«Exactly», Nael recovered instantly, pretending he hadn’t just been rejected.
He deliberately sat down on the edge of the sink across from Jungkook. One meter apart. Nael crossed his legs slowly, exposing one bare ankle.
Jungkook’s eyes flicked down to it for exactly one second before returning to Nael’s face.
«Why are you looking at me like that?», he asked calmly.
«Like what?»
Nael was drunk enough from earlier cocktails to mistake recklessness for confidence.
«Like you’ve already had me».
Silence shattered immediately with laughter exploding around the room.
«Oh shit, Guk’s alive again!», Hoseok nearly wheezed.
Derek whispered something filthy into Hyunjun’s ear, making him blush violently. Sonu stood up to kill his cigarette in the sink.
Nael blushed too. But he refused to back down.
«Maybe», he whispered. «In your head».
Jungkook smirked. Then stood up. Slowly. The entire bathroom seemed to shrink around them. Jungkook stepped closer than necessary, pinning Nael against the sink without even touching him. Then leaned down beside his ear.
«Thoughts are dangerous things», he murmured quietly enough for only Nael to hear. «I have way too many of them. And every single one is wrong».
Nael inhaled that wine scent again and wanted more. But Jungkook stepped away first.
«Anyway», Jungkook patted the omega lightly on the shoulder. Friendly. Almost brotherly. «There’s another bathroom upstairs at the end of the hall. This room’s occupied by the seniors».
Hoseok grinned. Nael stayed frozen in place. Hyunjun had already forgotten why they came here in the first place. Jungkook sat back down in the bathtub. He flicked his lighter open and closed without lighting another cigarette, eyes fixed on the wall while his thoughts spiraled somewhere darker. The feelings he had for Jimin weren’t warm.
They weren’t soft. They were cold. Violent. Endless. A bottomless pit swallowing him whole. And yeah — part of him liked the fact Nael had gotten turned on by his indifference. Liked knowing the omega would probably spend the next three days replaying this moment over and over in his head. Because cold Jungkook was still fire. The kind that only burned whoever he personally chose. But deep down, his wolf had already chosen someone else. Someone waiting for him at home in an oversized T-shirt, curled up on the family couch.
«Jungkook».
Hoseok’s voice dragged him back to reality.
«You spaced out again».
«Not spacing out», Jungkook muttered, snapping the lighter shut. «More like roasting alive in hell».
Later, they finally spilled out of the bathroom like survivors escaping another dimension. The hallway greeted them with pounding bass. Somewhere in the living room, The Neighbourhood was blasting through giant speakers while Sonu sang along completely off-key.
Derek wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Nael and Hyunjun had already disappeared into the crowd. Jungkook shoved both hands into the pockets of his hoodie, face blank again. He didn’t have many close friends. Didn’t need them. He had enough admirers already. Beautiful. Rich. Mysterious. The son of vineyard owners who practically drowned in money and expensive wine.
«I’m heading out», Jungkook muttered suddenly without looking back.
«The hell you are», Hoseok caught him around the neck in three quick steps. «Another hour and this place is gonna turn insane. Somebody brought an apple hookah».
«I don’t give a shit about your damn hookah».
«Exactly. That’s why you’re staying».
The crowd in the living room instinctively parted for them. Their pack had that effect on people. Minho’s living room looked wrecked already — couches shoved aside, alcohol bottles everywhere, snacks crushed into the carpet. Minho himself was whining because somebody had thrown up on an expensive rug, while not a single unopened bottle remained on the kitchen counter.
Some guy in the corner was making origami out of napkins. Two omegas were making out beside a speaker mostly for attention.
«Oho, fresh victims!», Sanghyun shouted from the center of the room.
Long hair. Cocky grin. Absolute menace.
«Perfect timing. We’re playing Never Have I Ever. If you’ve never played before, honestly, your life’s already over».
Jungkook was about to refuse. Too late. Hoseok had already dragged him into the circle by his sleeve. Sonu and Derek dropped down beside them moments later, and suddenly all four alphas became the center of attention again.
Jungkook slumped against the edge of a couch beside some nervous omega who kept sneaking glances at him like he was both terrifying and beautiful.
«Rules are easy», Sanghyun announced dramatically. «I say “Never have I ever…” and whoever did the thing drinks. Simple. Don’t lie though. I’ll know».
Laughter rolled through the room. The first round stayed harmless.
«Never have I ever stolen money from my parents».
Three people drank. Including Hoseok.
Jungkook simply tapped his red plastic cup against his knee. Some dangerously strong punch sloshed inside it, but alcohol barely affected him tonight.
«Never have I ever gotten high during chemistry class».
Four people drank.
Hoseok again.
«Hoseok, you’re literally going to hell», Sonu wheezed.
Hoseok only spread his arms proudly. Second round. Dirtier now.
«Never have I ever hooked up with an omega older than me».
Half the room drank. Derek winked at somebody across the circle. Jungkook stayed silent.
«Never have I ever had sex in public».
Even more cups lifted. Sonu nearly choked while drinking. Jungkook finally took his first sip. Sanghyun noticed immediately.
«Oh damn. Details?»
«Mind your business», Jungkook cut him off coldly.
The laughter this time came out more nervous. One omega with a chain necklace whispered to his friend:
«God, he’s so hot».
And still couldn’t stop staring at Jungkook. Third round. Hoseok became the main target.
«Never have I ever cried over ruined sneakers», Minho declared.
Hoseok slowly reached for his cup. The entire room exploded.
«What the fuck?!», Derek screamed laughing. «You cried over shoes?!»
«They were limited edition Jordans!», Hoseok yelled defensively while laughing himself. «I was fourteen! That’s emotionally devastating!»
«Embarrassment to your bloodline», Sonu snorted.
One corner of Jungkook’s mouth twitched upward. Almost a smile.
«Never have I ever donated money to an omega cam boy», somebody added from the left side of the circle.
Hoseok drank again instantly. The room lost its mind.
«Hoseok, you’re crazy!».
«He read my username out loud!»
«You need psychiatric help».
The game only got worse from there. Never have I ever lost my phone in a club toilet. Hoseok drank. Never have I ever texted my ex at three in the morning. Three people drank. Never have I ever smoked pineapple hookah. Derek drank and immediately gagged because apparently it tasted awful. Everybody laughed so hard tears started forming. Meanwhile Jungkook’s thoughts drifted miles away. To home. To the couch. To pale shoulders slipping out from beneath oversized fabric.
Then Sanghyun wiped tears from his eyes and read the next one:
«Alright, alright… Never have I ever hooked up with my cousin».
The room instantly quieted. Two people drank suspiciously fast without making eye contact. Everybody else looked horrified. Then came the next one.
«Never have I ever thought about one person while had sex with somebody else».
Jungkook froze. The sentence hung in the air like shattered glass. Too close. Way too close. His fingers tightened around the cup while memories flashed violently through his head: Jimin brushing his hair back. Jimin biting his lip while concentrating. Jimin accidentally touching Jungkook’s thigh once while walking past him — and Jungkook squeezing his eyes shut hard enough to see stars.
Thought about one person while sleeping with another.
Yeah.
Too many times.
Kissing bruises into somebody else’s neck while trying not to moan his twin brother’s name. His twin. His other half. The person who had always been closest to him from the very beginning. Slowly — painfully slowly — Jungkook raised the cup to his lips and drank. One swallow. Then another. Then the rest of it. Straight to the bottom. Silence swallowed the room.
Everybody stared at him differently now. Because Jungkook had never looked this tense before.
«Wow», Sanghyun breathed out. «Our dark prince has secrets».
«Tell us», Derek grinned sharply. «Who is it?»
Jungkook set the empty cup down on his knee. His expression went completely blank. Cold enough to freeze blood.
«Drop it»
«Oh come on, Guk», Sonu pushed. «We’re friends. Who were you fantasizing about?»
Jungkook looked up sharply. Something in his eyes made Sonu shut up instantly. Even the omega sitting beside Jungkook physically leaned away.
«I said», Jungkook spoke slowly, every word edged like a blade. «Drop it».
And then silence again. Only music plays somewhere in the distance, the bass from the speakers like a heartbeat.
Everyone looks away. The game continues, but with less enthusiasm. Someone jokes about "a hurricane in bed." Someone drinks to something innocuous. Jungkook no longer participates, just sits, staring into the shadows under the table. His jaw is clenched, and something huge and heavy is pounding in his chest. Something that won't be easily torn away.
And sitting next to him is Hoseok, who hasn't laughed in a long time. He glances sideways at his friend, squinting. He sees how tense Jungkook's shoulders are. How he's clutching his glass, turning it into a ball. How he doesn't look at a single omega in the room, even though they're already making eyes at him, biting their lips, licking the straws in their glasses.
Hoseok is smart, despite all his cheerfulness and occasional recklessness. He doesn't ask out loud. But when Jungkook finally turns his gaze to him, Hoseok reads something in his friend's eyes that makes him twitch internally. Not disgust. Not anger. More like thirst mixed with fear.
"What's wrong with you, Kook?" Hoseok doesn't say out loud.
Instead, he simply hands Jungkook a cigarette from his pack.
"Light it," he says quietly. "You need it."
Jungkook takes it. But doesn't light it. He looks at the filter, twirls it in his fingers. And thinks that if Jimin were to somehow walk into this room right now, Jungkook wouldn't let him go. He'd grab him and...
Never. He would never do that. He's older by a mere ten damn minutes, but that's what makes Jungkook feel responsible for his twin.
"I'm a monster," he thinks to himself and sighs.
The smoke mixes with the tequila and the music, and no one but Hoseok notices how his hand is shaking.
***
The taxi pulls up at the wrought-iron gates at two in the morning. Jungkook paid online through the app when he ordered the car. The driver, an elderly alpha male with bags under his eyes, glances at his passenger through the mirror and mutters something about "have a nice evening." Jungkook doesn't listen. He gets out of the car and walks to the gate. He takes out his keys more slowly, careful not to drop them or knock himself down. He sways from side to side, the alcohol making itself felt. He loses control again when Jimin enters his thoughts. Although his twin never leaves them. He's always there. Where there's a lot of introspection and unfulfilled desires.
The mansion is asleep. A huge house, illuminated by the moon. There's no light in the second-floor windows, only a nightlight on the first floor. Nolan, the housekeeper, usually goes to bed late, but he can't always wait for Jungkook to return from his latest party, so he leaves the nightlight on in the living room to prevent Jungkook from knocking over anything on his way to his bedroom. Parker, the butler, like the rest of the mansion's staff, is not supposed to be on duty at night, except for security, unless they're notified in advance. And Jungkook doesn't warn anyone; he doesn't want everyone to know he's out wandering God knows where at night.
Jungkook knows this house like the back of his hand: where a floorboard creaks, where a lock sticks, how to get to the back door without setting off the alarm. He walks along the gravel path, passing two patrolling security guards, breathing in the fresh night air. Their city is especially beautiful at night, the lights of the skyscrapers and streetlights creating a special atmosphere. But their house is in an elite community, where the fences are so high that even an army cannot pass.
Alpha opens the door and enters the house. Silence. He sighs heavily and trudges to the kitchen to get a bottle of water. His mouth is mercilessly dry. In the fridge, he sees a container of food. Taped to it is a note: "Jimin ate dinner. Warm this up when you get back." Jungkook stares at the note for a second. "Jimin." Just a name. Five letters. It fits on a sticky note and takes up all the space in his head.
"Still having fun?" a voice from the darkness of the living room cuts like a knife.
Jungkook flinches almost imperceptibly, but his father notices. Namjoon stands in the hallway to the kitchen, looking like a statue in the dim light. Tall, muscular, capable of striking harder with his gaze than his fists.
"You're not sleeping," Jungkook says, already pulling himself together. His voice is even, but hoarse from the whiskey.
"Did you think I'd sleep while my eighteen-year-old son is hanging out at other people's parties and taking who knows what?"
"I didn't take it."
"You'll tell your dad. You smell like shit from a mile away," Namjoon doesn't raise his voice. It's worse than yelling. "You're on your feet."
"I'm standing," Jungkook snaps, but doesn't move. He slams the refrigerator door shut and clutches a cold bottle of water in his hand.
There's a pause. The clock on the wall ticks. The refrigerator hums nearby. Jungkook feels his father scanning him: the smell of alcohol, the red eyes, the swaying figure. A typical evening for an alpha who doesn't care about the rules. But Namjoon stares longer than necessary. It seems he's trying to discern something else beneath the bad boy mask.
"Tomorrow is the first day of school," he finally says. "Start of the semester. Senior year, Jungkook."
"I remember."
"Do you remember what responsibility is?" Or did you decide that just because you're eighteen, you can forget the rules of this house and disregard the opinions of those who gave birth to and raised you and your brother?
Brother.
His heart skips a beat, and Jungkook clenches his teeth so hard his cheekbones ache. "Brother." His father doesn't even know how that word burns inside. How every time Namjoon says "you and Jimin," Jungkook's insides twist—not with brotherly tenderness. But with something sticky. Dirty. So forbidden that he prayed, even though he never believed in God, for it to go away.
"I'm doing fine in school," Jungkook snaps, looking away.
"Fine? At the end of last year, wasn't that you the principal was talking about, worried about your grades? They dropped so sharply, and you went from the very top to the bottom of the rankings. What the hell, Jungkook?! Do you care about your future?
"None of us will become president anyway," Jungkook snaps with a chuckle.
"It's not about the president," Namjoon steps closer to his son. So much so that Jungkook can smell his father's cedar scent. There's no aggression in it. Only a heavy disappointment. "Your brother's sitting at home, studying for exams. He doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, doesn't disappear at night. And you're talented, Jungkook. But you're ruining yourself."
"Jimin's a different matter," Jungkook's voice croaks at his name. And he hopes no one notices this pattern.
"Jimin's your twin brother. He's not cut from a different cloth. He just chooses the light, and you choose the darkness."
Jungkook smiles bitterly. He leans his head back against the refrigerator and closes his eyes for a moment.
"You have no idea what darkness I'm truly choosing, Father. And it's good you don't know," he wants to say to his face, but Jungkook says something else:
"Can I go to bed now?"
Namjoon pauses for a long moment. He sighs. He steps back.
"Go. But tomorrow at eight o'clock at the table. No tardies. And no smell of alcohol."
Jungkook leaves without a goodnight. He climbs the stairs almost silently, passing his and Jimin's bathroom, where their toothbrushes stand side by side: a black one and a purple one. They've long since gotten used to sharing a bathroom, and besides, Jimin usually gets up earlier and showers while Jungkook's eyes are still open, then spends another twenty minutes staring at his phone.
Their rooms are adjacent. On his brother's bedroom door are stickers he put on when he was ten and never took off. Phases of the moon, moving vertically downwards.
There's no sound behind the moonlit door, but the alpha knows Jimin is there. He's asleep on his back, legs stretched out.
He doesn't touch the door. He doesn't even bring his hand to it. But he can smell it. Soft. Sweet as juice in a box. Jungkook closes his eyes. He clenches his jaw and goes to his room.
Jungkook enters his lair, which has absorbed his natural scent. The wine pheromone isn't easy to hide. And sometimes it seems like Jungkook is drunk. But his parents have learned to distinguish real intoxication from the heightened concentration of Jungkook's pheromone.
He doesn't turn on the light, gropes his way to the bed, and collapses fully clothed. He lazily tosses his sneakers onto the floor. The bed smells of fabric softener, the kind Nolan buys. There are no other smells. And that sweet aroma Jungkook longs to inhale every day is gone, too. Jimin isn't here. Jimin is behind the wall.
Jungkook is just one damn wall away from madness. A layer of drywall and insulation prevents him from hearing his breath, from smelling his scent. But tomorrow they'll meet for breakfast, and it will all happen again. Over and over again, Jungkook will be put through the grinder.
Alpha sighs heavily, looking at the ceiling. The shadows of branches dance there outside the window. His hand automatically reaches for his chest, touches his ribs. The place where the big, forbidden thing that has no name beats.
Soon his eyes close, and on the threshold of sleep, Jungkook hears his own voice saying:
"Tomorrow I'll sit at the table with him. I'll drink coffee. I'll look at his short, delicate fingers. I can handle it. I always can."
***
A morning hangover is not a pleasant thing. And no matter how terrible it is, people will still continue drinking, telling themselves that this is definitely the last time. Not the last. Jungkook has stopped lying to himself about this, at least. He drinks alcohol, knowing full well how he will feel in the morning. A special kind of self-masochism.
His fingers swipe across the alarm clock on his phone. His head splits like a coconut. Alpha fell asleep fully clothed, not even bothering to undress.
He takes off his sweatshirt and grabs a clean towel from the dresser. Thanks to Nolan for updating them and patiently cleaning his room every day, otherwise it would be a jumbled mess of clothes and pizza boxes.
Jungkook leaves the room, hearing voices downstairs and faintly smelling the aroma of pancakes being cooked. Looks like Dad has decided to delight everyone with his masterpieces again today.
The door with the moons is closed. His gaze has become accustomed to catching it first, and then the bathroom door. Alpha is taking a contrast shower to at least perk up a little. He didn't get any sleep, but his father said to be at breakfast at eight, and Guk won't be late.
Jungkook immediately changes into a clean school uniform, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt and jacket to his elbows, revealing his tattoos. He has a couple of necklaces and hoop earrings. He lightly gels his hair to create a creative chaos on his head. And voila—the cool guy look is complete. Jungkook developed this formula back in middle school, when he'd gained a bit of muscle mass. And then all the Omega girls started hanging around his neck. Over time, he started hitting the gym and working out. But over the past six months, he's been going less and less, preferring parties with friends to sports.
He enters the kitchen and sees everyone already seated at the table.
"Almost on time," Namjoon says, checking his watch. His son is a minute late, but his father isn't as prude as he might seem.
Jungkook walks over, takes his seat next to Jimin, and pretends not to care. Almost there. Almost.
"Good morning, son. I made you some soup." No one here deserved Seokjin. He was too kind, caring, and loving, even if his children were really naughty.
Jungkook nodded when his dad poured a bowl of hangover soup for him.
Seokjin had taken pity on his son. No matter how frustrated he might get, he could never ignore his children’s well-being.
"Thank you, Dad," says the alpha, taking a spoon and scooping up the hot liquid.
He almost hums with pleasure, because there's nothing better than Dad's soup. Even Nolan can't cook like Seokjin.
"Today is your first day of school as a senior," Namjoon admonishes. "Please be responsible about your studies. Don't neglect your grades. You should get into university based on your knowledge, not my connections."
Jungkook laughs. It's clear that their father will still get them into a good university, even if he and Jimin completely screw up their studies. However, the knowledge in his head is more important to the eldest, so he insists on his own way, so he can later boast to his friends that his children can achieve everything on their own, without his help.
"This concerns you first and foremost, Jungkook," their father continues. "You should think about the future and look after your brother." "I'm watching," Kook snaps, continuing to spoon soup.
"I don't need a nanny," Jimin protests.
Finally, our little prince speaks. Jungkook looks up at him, turning his head toward the sound. He sees that blond hair, those moonlit eyes, those full lips, pressed together in indignation. A sweet scent escapes involuntarily. Jimin doesn't particularly control his pheromones, doesn't hide his emotions the way Jungkook does day after day.
But it wasn't always like this. Their childhood was normal. They played ball in the yard, made sandcastles by the bay, fought over toys, and got upset with each other. Then, of course, Dad would drag them into corners and punish them, and then force them to make peace and apologize. Jungkook has a lot to apologize for, but he has no choice but to push the omega away with rudeness.
They finish breakfast. Jimin kisses each parent on the cheek. Seokjin only manages to peck Jungkook on the cheekbone, because the kids need to hurry.
Kook puts on dark glasses to hide his state at school after yesterday. They don't stop him from getting behind the wheel. Namjoon argued that his son wasn't fit to drive, but he still took the keys and ordered Jimin to jump in.
The red, four-seater Ferrari GTC4Lusso always sparkled, whether in the sun or at night. Jungkook had begged his father for the model when he bought it for the kids' school rides. Jungkook had long ago passed his driving test and could easily drive him and Jimin to school. He'd always been a quick study, and his parents were very proud of him, but lately, the golden boy had begun to turn into a troublemaker. Jimin, however, was in no hurry to get his license; he was quite content with having someone to drive him.
Jungkook had slept for four and a half hours. It was enough to make his eyes red and his temper worse than usual. He was behind the wheel, driving, occasionally passing cars that had missed him.
Jimin sat in the right passenger seat. Today, he was wearing a blue jacket with the school logo, hip-hugging pants, and the white sneakers his dad had recently bought him for the new school year. He wore chain earrings, which swayed slightly as the car drove. Jungkook didn't want to admit it, but he looked at his brother. Always. Sometimes longer than he should have. Under the pretext of checking the right side of the road, but still.
They attend a good school, with students from both middle and upper classes. Jimin and Jungkook fell into the latter category. Their father was a sponsor of the school. It's customary to wear a school uniform, but you can accessorize it with various accessories of any color.
They drive in silence as cars, pedestrians, and large buildings, illuminated by the sun, rush past.
"Where were you yesterday?" — Jimin's voice is heard. The same, slightly hoarse, when he's worried about something. — At Minho's party?
"Yeah," Jungkook answers, keeping his eyes on the road.
His brother has already heard about the back-to-school party yesterday. News travels fast, especially through school chats and social media, because Sanghyun loves posting everything on his stories.
"I don't understand why you're throwing parties when everyone has to go to school in the morning," Jimin says, smoothing his hair back, brushing his bangs out of his eyes.
"Not everyone's as good as you," the alpha grins, gradually turning into the school grounds and looking for their personal parking spot.
"So, should I drink like you?"
"That's none of your business."
Jimin isn't offended in the usual sense. The omega is already starting to get used to his brother's barbs. And the difference between them is that Jungkook is aggressive, while Jimin is a gentle wind. An omega who doesn't fully realize he's handsome, but who knows how to win anyone over. He only needs to breathe—and the alphas snap their necks. However, with Jungkook, it's impossible to avoid swearing.
Jungkook pulls into the parking lot, standing with a graceful, graceful posture. The engine turns off. They sit and watch the students arriving through the tinted windows. Some teachers stand at the school entrance, greeting them with smiles.
"You know they don't just drink and smoke at those parties, they also snort?"
These words make the alpha laugh.
"How would you know that?"
"Am I wrong?" Jimin stares at him.
Even through his glasses, Jungkook hovers in his gaze. It's good that his glasses hide his true nature.
"I don't use, if that's what you're asking," Jungkook answers. "But my business is none of your business anyway."
"I'm just worried about you."
"I'm fine," he mutters through clenched teeth. "You better take care of yourself."
Jimin clutches his notebook bag to his stomach.
"I'm preparing for the new semester. Unlike some people, I have plans for my life."
"Plans. Funny."
"What's funny?"
"That you think your plans mean anything," Jungkook smirks, but inside he's seething. "The alphas will come, they'll see you—and all your plans will go to hell. Because you're... kind. Naive. Do you think everyone around you is that good?"
Jimin is silent for a second. He looks out the window at his classmates arriving. Then back at his brother. Then his gaze from under his eyelashes—long, searching. His chest heaves with deep breaths. A mole is visible on his collarbone. Jungkook lingers on it for a moment. He knows every mole on his brother's body. Almost every one. And he hates himself for it.
"You speak as if you've already written yourself off as bad," the omega says quietly.
Jungkook's heart skips a beat. Again.
"What's gotten into you today? Are you trying to play parent and lecture me about the dangers of alcohol?"
"What does that have to do with it? Let's be honest – I'm upset that you didn't take me with you."
Jungkook is surprised by this news. He even takes off his glasses to see that it's his brother speaking. His twin, the one who would rather read a sappy romance book than go shopping.
"You're different."
"What do you mean?" the blond doesn't understand.
"Literally. You're an omega. I'm an alpha. We have different company, different interests. You shouldn't be in places like this. That's all."
"But we used to play together."
"We used to be kids."
"And now?"
Jimin says it so calmly, so openly, that Jungkook feels like something inside him snaps. He wants to scream, "Now I want you so much that I'm afraid to be in the same car with you, because I could grab you and never let you go." Jungkook can't breathe. He wants to get out. He wants to stay. He wants to forbid the world from looking at Jimin the way he does—greedily, hungrily, without the right to live. But only when they're alone or when their parents aren't looking.
Jimin rolls down the window. There's a crowd outside. He catches glimpses of school uniforms, backpacks, and laughter. And several alphas are already turning around. They've already caught the omega's scent from the open window. Jungkook sees Sanghyun from a parallel class freeze, cigarette in hand, staring at Jimin. He sees Theodore, the basketball team captain, raise an eyebrow and lick his lips. He sees dozens of eyes scanning his brother's appearance.
Jungkook's wolf growls discontentedly.
"Come out," he snaps, leaving the omega unanswered.
"And you?"
"I said, come out."
Jimin snorts and climbs outside. The sun hits his hair, turning it golden. Someone whistles. Someone whispers, "Jimin's here." An omega, wearing the same school uniform, waves and runs up to Jimin. His omega friend, Minseok. He's also short, but with dark streaks in his hair. Jungkook never liked his style of clothing—too bright scarves around his neck over his school attire.
Jungkook watches his brother for a few seconds. He walks toward the entrance, while several alphas turn their heads and start discussing his ass.
The alpha puts on his glasses, gets out of the car, and lights a cigarette, wanting a few more minutes of silence before the new school year, but the students are still chattering, discussing where everyone went during summer break.
Jungkook sits on the hood, putting on his mask: cold eyes, no emotion. A local bully, Kai, passes by.
"Guk, your brother looks especially handsome today. Tell him."
"Fuck you," Jungkook replies, continuing to smoke.
Kai laughs, walking on. Apparently, where he was sent. Jungkook would love that. How did the coach even get that idiot on the team? He'll recruit all sorts of riffraff and then wonder why the match was ruined.
Alpha clutches the filter of his cigarette. There's only one thought in his head, throbbing like an open wound:
"If anyone touches him, I'll kill them. If they let me, I'll kill the person who touched them, and then myself."
He hates himself for thinking this. But he can't stop thinking, watching the twin's figure disappear from view.
For a moment, Jungkook finds himself in a state of zen, when suddenly Nael appears before his eyes.
"Hi," says the omega, clutching his bag.
"Hi," Jungkook answers calmly, continuing to smoke. Smoking is generally prohibited on school grounds, but no one cares. Especially those who are the children of a PTA member.
"We didn't finish very well yesterday."
"We didn't even start."
"Well... I'd like..."
The alpha grins. This cheerleader in tight pants and a printed shirt is so shy that it doesn't match his brashness from yesterday. He must have had a lot to drink.
"Speak frankly," Jungkook's head was already pounding; the last thing he needed was to read other people's thoughts. He needed to figure out his own.
"I like you," the omega said matter-of-factly. "Let's go out."
Nael was visibly shaking with excitement. It seemed this was the first time he'd approached the alpha with such a proposal. Nael was a handsome omega, and he, too, had plenty of admirers who wouldn't mind having fun with him, but it seemed he'd chosen the classic—the captain of the football team. The omega had transferred to them near the end of last semester, so he hadn't had a chance to observe Jungkook long enough to get to know him. And after yesterday's conversation, he decided to go all-in. Quite typical of an oil worker's son, judging by his Forbes list.
"I'm not looking for relationships right now," Jungkook glanced at him through his dark glasses. Hoseok and Derek stood at a distance, about to approach their friend but stopped, noticing him busy with a cute little girl. They decided to wait by the door, where Teacher Lee was ready to drag everyone into class by their hair because the bell was about to ring.
"But we can try," he suddenly said, unsuspectingly.
Jungkook suddenly had a thought: "What if I switch my attention to another omega?" He'd had short relationships, and in recent months, only one-time encounters. But what if the handsome Nael, with his energy, distracted him from his dirty thoughts with someone who shouldn't be there at all.
"Great," Nael smiled with relief. His face glowed. Whether from joy or from the highlighter. Jungkook didn't bother trying to figure it out.
The alpha had just stubbed out his cigarette, grabbed his backpack from the car, set the alarm, and then slung his arm over Nael's shoulder and walked with him to class.
Hoseok and Derek whistled after them in surprise. Everyone made way for Hoseok and Nael in the hallways. They walked through the crowd, and people made way for the school's handsome omega and the alpha who smelled of wine and danger.
Jimin noticed this scene. He watched his brother's smug smile for a few seconds as he saluted one of his friends, and then the omega pushed Minseok into the classroom.
Jungkook and Nael sat down together in the second-to-last desk. Jimin watched them out of the corner of his eye from his desk in front, but continued to pretend to be engrossed in his conversation with Minseok.
Soon, the teacher entered the classroom. The bell rang. All the students take their seats, put away their notebooks and textbooks, and stop chattering. Jungkook has to take off his glasses because the teacher's disapproving squeal will only make his headache worse.
Hoseok sits at the back of the class and drinks a bottle of aspirin for his hangover.
"Fuck, I'm never drinking again!"
"You say that every time," Derek laughs at his friend. Then he taps Jungkook on the back with a ruler. "Che, Guk, can I congratulate you?"
"No, he'll get engaged first without telling any of his friends," Hoseok mutters, laughing along with Derek through the pain in his head.
Sunwoo is in the same class, so he hasn't seen the show yet.
"Both of you can go to hell!" Jungkook hisses good-naturedly, rubbing his red eyes.
The teacher starts talking, and then Principal Hwang walks into the classroom.
"Guys, sorry to interrupt, but we have news," the chubby omega in glasses straightens his jacket and slightly opens the door to the corridor. "Come in!"
A tall alpha with mismatched eyes and full lips enters the classroom. He smiles slightly, holding his backpack over his shoulder with one hand.
"You have a new addition to your class. A new student. Please introduce him. Kim Taehyung. He will be studying with you. Please take good care of him."
"Good morning, everyone," the new student nods.
Jungkook wouldn't have cared less about the new alpha if not for the teacher's voice:
"Taehyung, welcome! Sit next to the class representative for now. He will tell you all about our school and the schedule. Jimin, please take good care of him."
"Of course, Teacher Morris," Jimin nods. His friend Minseok moves to the second desk, and Kim Taehyung sits next to Jimin.
"Well, that's excellent. Contact has been established," the principal claps. "Please, Teacher Morris, continue the lesson!"
"Thank you, Principal Hwang." The principal glances briefly at his son, Hoseok, about to scold him for his disheveled appearance that evening, having yet to give him a dressing-down for last night's drinking. The alpha had quickly slipped away from his dad to go to school, but even there he was under his parent's supervision. They had different last names, but they were the same duo. The omega raised Hoseok alone, as his ne'er-do-well father, Ho, left behind only his last name for his son.
Hwan leaves, and Teacher Morris continues to talk about the new lesson topic and the benefits of observing nature. However, Jungkook isn't listening. His full attention is now focused on the new student, who is beginning to get to know Jimin. He shakes the omega's hand, and for the first time, Jungkook feels the urge to chop off someone's limb. With just one touch to Jimin and that damn square smile, the alpha is blacklisted. This Kim, shamelessly whispering something to Jimin, makes him smile. The blonde puts a finger to his lips to draw the new student's attention to the teacher. He nods, but still frequently glances at the omega on his right.
Never in his life had Jungkook gripped the edge of a desk so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He'd never felt gutted and thrown off a cliff by a single smile from a twin that wasn't directed at him. It's unbearable. It's terrifying. And Jungkook doesn't know what to do about it.