The restaurant was a lot nicer than what Minseok was accustomed to. He was more of the street food cart kind of guy, but since he had started seeing Luhan he had his fair share of being put in situations that were outside of his comfort zone. Minseok shifted in his seat, stealing a glance at his mate. Luhan looked at ease, holding a wine glass gingerly in his hand.

“Is he usually on time?’ Minseok asked.

Luhan, for reasons good or bad, knew Minseok’s father better than Minseok did.

“More or less.” Luhan checked his wrist watch and took another sip of wine. Putting the expensive crystal glass down, his hand found Minseok’s hand under the table.

While he tried to look calm, Luhan was internally a ball of nerves. He knew Minseok was nervous too. After all this was act one of their plan – convince Sung Woo that they would, reasonably, give up their pups.

Even the thought of giving up his young made Luhan’s blood boil; having to sit down and tell someone he was totally fine with it would be a hard act to pull off. But for the sake of those same pups he had to buy them some time – right now this was their best option.

“Minseok, Luhan” Sung Woo found his way to the table, offering his greetings to the two younger wolves as he took a seat.

Minseok and Luhan stood and gave a small bow to the man. He was their elder after all.

As Minseok returned to his seat he surveyed his father. The man was dressed in a suit that just oozed money, a far cry from what he had seen the man wear on previous occasions. In a way it did not really surprise Minseok that his Father could go from street style to upper class chic – this man had a lot of secrets after all.

After a few minutes of masked pleasantries – how are you, were you stuck in traffic, what about the weather today – it is warming up – the topic was finally brought up.

“Um…Luhan and I talked about what you had asked.” When Luhan and Minseok had discussed how this would go down it was Luhan who was supposed to speak up – Minseok had just changed the plan. Luhan tried not to look surprised.

“Is that so?” Sung Woo took a drink of wine.

“Yeah, I mean…um, I mean yes.” Minseok was flustered and it annoyed him. Maybe he should have let Luhan speak first after all, “You made a good point. Maybe we can just end all of this if I …we….”

“I think that is the right decision. “ Sung Woo smiled, “Did you tell So Ra?”

“Yes, and she agrees. “ Luhan managed to get a word in, “But you know that means Minseok needs to be safe until he can deliver the pups. And after he delivers them, of course.”

“Of course.” Sung Woo smiled again, it made a shiver run down Luhan’s spine. How could he sit and smile after making a deal that would essentially see the murder of his grandchildren?

“His due date is August 28^th.  I need you to tell us what will happen between now and then.” Luhan was sure he looked pissed, even if he was trying really hard not to.

“I have some contacts, I’ll let them know when we get closer to the date. In the meantime I will do everything possible to make sure you are safe.”

“How?” Luhan really wanted - no – needed to know.

“There have been government agents snooping close enough to your house. I know their superior’s superior, I’ll have them taken off that assignment.” Sung Woo explained it all simply like it was something he did every day of the week.

“Will I get to see the pups after they are born?” Minseok asked, feeling tears coming forth. His emotional state was part acting and part real emotion – the thought of never seeing his pups was heartbreaking. So Ra had advised him to show some of that emotion to Sung Woo or the man would never be fooled.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea.” Sung Woo answered, staring his son down.

Minseok reacted meekly, muttering a yes and letting a tear escape.

Before long dinner was brought out – and the conversation turned to more mundane things. After about an hour of wining and dining (and Minseok feeling like he was shoveling food in his mouth like a pig- his appetite was insane any more), Sung Woo excused himself.

“Thank you son. Thank you Luhan. I knew you would make the right choice.”  He hugged both men without an invitation, taking them off guard. “Please, call me now and then. I want to spend time with both of you.”

Before they could even say goodbye he was stalking out of the restaurant.

“Do you think he bought it?” Minseok asked after his father was long gone.

“Yeah, I do.” Luhan smiled weakly at his mate. He was almost one hundred percent sure that Sung Woo had fallen into their lies, but of course he could not be completely sure. Especially with a wolf like Sung Woo.

“I certainly hope you are right.” Minseok sighed heavily, his mind full of what –ifs, of eminent disaster. Unconsciously his hand found his abdomen, patting it gently he internally promised his pups that he would never see them come to harm. As long as he was alive he would protect them with everything he had.

***

“It is boooring!” Tao’s face was scrunched into his best pout.

“Of course it’s boring. What did you think it would be?” Minseok asked the maknae.

“I don’t know!” Tao plopped into the overstuffed chair with a whoosh.

It had been a few days since Tao had volunteered his services in a game of cat and mouse - or wolf and wolf to be more accurate. He was busy tailing Sung Woo around town, staying far enough away to not be noticed but close enough to understand Sung Woo’s routine.

“The guy doesn’t even do anything exciting! He lives in that little flat, eats at roadside food carts, goes to the movies, and that is about it!”

Minseok figured as much. Sung Woo was not going to be an easy person to watch, his secrets would not be given up easily.

“Did he do anything out of the ordinary? Anything you thought was strange?”

Tao shook his head vehemently. The old wolf didn’t really do anything at all, much less anything that could be deemed strange.

“What about the movie theater, what did he go see?”

“I don’t know, I was too busy trying not to be caught up in that group.”

“What group?” Tao’s words had definitely piqued his interest.

“Some guys that showed up at the theater and went in the side entrance. They must have been important, people were bowing. I was hiding along the side of the building near where they went in. almost got caught because of them! If I didn’t have such excellent reflexes I would have been pushed into the theater by the crowd.” Tao looked very proud of himself. He looked less proud of himself as Minseok continued questioning him – like he should have known that these men were people to pay attention to.

“They were in black cars, um…maybe five or six main people. I think the rest were their assistants or something…”

“Did my father go into the theater first?”

“Yeah, a few minutes before.” The light bulb went off above Tao’s head, “You don’t think they were there to meet your Dad?”

“Actually I do. It seems odd that a group of wealthy men, who probably haven’t gone to a movie theater outside of their home theaters for years, would show up at a run of the mill movie house in the middle of the day- and enter through a side exit. Don’t you find that odd?”

“Well now that you say it…” Tao could be so thick sometimes.

“Do you remember anything else about them? Anything that would give away who they are?”

Tao rested his chin on his knuckles, trying to recall any detail.

“One of them had a briefcase with a logo!” Tao jumped up as he recalled the logo.

Minseok fetched him a piece of paper. Tao tried his best to draw out what he remembered. It was the words Club with an M intertwined in scrolling script.

When Tao handed him the drawing Minseok’s heart fell a little. He didn’t recognize it.

“Club..M?” Minseok enunciated the words, “Looks like we need to figure out where this place is and go from there. Thanks Tao.”

“Does that mean I can stop following Sung Woo?” Tao’s face lit up.

“No. You are doing a great job Tao!” Minseok flashed Tao a cheesy thumbs up as he took the drawing and went to find Luhan.

Tao mumbled under his breath as his pack leader scurried off. Some days it was hard being the youngest member of the pack. Most days in fact. At least Sehun understood how he felt.

***

The University was not very far from where the pack lived. It was a few neighborhoods over from the Eastern Dawn estate but a few neighborhoods in a sprawling metropolis was considered relatively close.

As they set out that morning half of the group wanted to walk (spring was beginning to show its face in Seoul) while half of the group wanted to drive. In the end they listened to Luhan, who had in no uncertain terms told the younger wolves that they were walking – because his Minseokkie needed some fresh air. They could take a taxi home. While said Minseokkie rolled his eyes at Luhan’s order, deep down he was happy they chose to walk, even if it was a little far.

The exercise cheered him up and took an edge off of his anxiety. Today was the day to purchase textbooks for the coming semester – the first time Minseok would attend any kind of formal school in his life. He had learned to read and write at an early age through a mixture of his Mother’s help and then self-study once he was on his own but he had no experience of what a real school was like.

Kyungsoo and Suho, who were also making the trek, had embarked on similar routes of self-study. Chanyeol, tagging along to pick up his books for his marketing class, was a little less than diligent when it came to self-study. To be honest Chanyeol was the one who worried Minseok the most. Chanyeol always had charisma going for him, Minseok hoped that was enough. Because if he had a lot of homework he doubted Chanyeol would be attending more than one semester.

Rounding out the group was Jongin, going to pick up books for his electives. The six of them would be starting school in a couple of weeks, Luhan and Jongin returning while the other four would be entering the university for the first time.

Luhan grabbed onto Minseok’s hand, swinging it playfully as they walked.

“I wish we had a class together…” He mused.

Minseok smiled, “I don’t think history and dance have many classes in common. Plus you are already done with your electives.”

“True, still.” Luhan squeezed his hand, “We could study together then.”

“I have a feeling studying with you would not end up with a pile of completed homework.”

“I am offended! I am very diligent in my studies!” Luhan faked being hurt by Minseok’s words, but he knew it was very true. He doubted he would pay much attention to a textbook if Minseok was next to him.

“Right.” Minseok smiled.

 “Kyungsoo –ah!” Chanyeol screeched.

Minseok, Luhan, and Suho turned around to see Chanyeol grabbing his arm, giving the small omega an affronted look.

“You didn’t need to hit me that hard!” Chanyeol glared.

“You didn’t need to be stupid, either.” Kyungsoo smirked, leaning into Jongin, who had thrown an arm over his mate’s shoulder as they continued their walk.  

“This semester should be interesting.” Minseok remarked, going back to ignoring the younger wolves and their childish arguments.

“Hmm. So remember what I said yesterday?”

“Yeah” After Tao had given Minseok that very important clue, Minseok had handed it over to So Ra and Luhan. It was fortunate that Luhan recognized the logo right away. It was for a club, members only, in Gangnam. It was well known as a place that drew movers and shakers – and apparently someone who had been meeting Sung Woo.

“Once school starts up I have someone you need to meet, someone who can help us piece together the connection to that place “

“He works at the school?”

“Yeah, he won’t be back until the semester starts, I don’t know how to contact him until then.”

Minseok wanted to ask more questions but he decided now was not the time. He just nodded, enjoying the remaining walk to the school bookstore.

***

Chanyeol had managed to knock a row of books over. That was after he had tipped over a rack of pencils into a tub of erasers, which had fallen all over the floor.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Chanyeol threw his hands up, his eyes pleading with the bookstore clerk (who looked about two seconds away from kicking him out).

“What are you looking for sir?” The clerk asked, patience apparently being one of his virtues.

“Oh, um” Chanyeol shoved his study list in the clerk’s hand, his face a bright red.

Minseok, who was watching from across the store, felt for him. Chanyeol had bad luck when it came to certain things, purchasing text books was apparently one of them.

“Found it!” Minseok turned his attention to Luhan, who was holding up a very thick history text book.

“Wow” Minseok knew textbooks, especially secondary school textbooks, were not small volumes to be consumed quickly, but the size of this book was kind of outrageous.

Sensing Minseok’s anxiety Luhan tried to comfort him, “Don’t worry, Min. They won’t cover everything in the book. Professors just like to force students to spend too much on material that they only cover half of.”

Before Minseok could make a snarky comment back – along the lines of how could teachers ethically be okay with poor college students spending money on stuff they didn’t even need – a voice called out Luhan’s name from across the store. A girl’s voice.

It was a flash of long black hair and the overwhelming scent of jasmine; a girl came practically bouncing up to where Luhan and Minseok were standing.

“What a coincidence to see you here!” She smiled at Luhan, completely ignoring Minseok, which annoyed him. He didn’t like this girl and he didn’t even know her name.

“Oh, um. Yeah. “Luhan gave the girl a small smile.

“I missed you during break!” The girl smiled again. Minseok thought it was a pretty fake smile. Went right along with all of that perfume she must pour on herself, not to mention her heavy makeup, “Are we taking any classes together?”

The girl rudely grabbed at Luhan’s study list, taking a peek at what he would be taking during the semester. What made Minseok more annoyed is that Luhan let her.

“Looks like we have two classes together!” Another fake smile. Then she acted like Minseok had just arrived, suddenly turning to him, “Who is this?”

What a polite girl.

“Oh, this is Minseok. Minseok this is Ahn Sohee. She is a dance major.” Luhan could feel the sudden tension and honestly he wasn’t sure what to do.

“Hi Minsoak. Luhan and I go waaaayyyy back. It is nice to see he made a new friend.”

This girl, Sohi or whatever her godforsaken name was, liked to emphasize the words that would piss Minseok off. Plus she had his name wrong. The little...

“Hyungs, are you about ready?” Chanyeol came to the rescue, his arms full of books. Jongin and Kyungsoo peeping out from behind his tall frame, carrying their own educational burdens.

“Yes. Let’s go” Minseok answered for Luhan, quickly pulling him with him towards the cash register.

“Bye Luhan…” Sohee called after Luhan, not bothering to even give a “nice to meet you” to Minseok. He really didn’t like that girl.

***

After the group had completed their purchases they strolled through the campus, making their way to where they could hail a taxi. Before the younger wolves could protest who rode with who, Luhan and Minseok jumped into a taxi and took off.

“I can explain.” It was kind of hard to not notice how much Minseok was scowling at him since they had happened to run into Sohee, “She isn’t even a friend. I have had a few classes with her over the last few years, and she just kind of…”

“Kind of what?”

“Attached herself to me. Decided we were friends. She even asked me out once, I turned her down.”

“She was pretty rude to me.”

“Sorry Min, I should have said something to her.”

“Yeah you probably should have, but I forgive you. “ Minseok would let it go, he had more things to worry about than a female college student, a human no less, lusting after his mate.

“But…come to think of it-“ a eating grin lit up Luhan’s face.

“What?”

“You guys kind of look alike. I mean you both have those chubby cheeks and your eyes-“

“Luhan so help me god- if you speak one more word of how that rude little overdone girl is anything like me I will hit you.”

Luhan laughed a little, “Promise, no more words. After all, you are far better looking.”

“Of course I am. And I wear a hell of a lot less makeup too.”

Luhan leaned over and gave Minseok a peck on the cheek, “You are cute when you are jealous.”

Minseok didn’t feel like arguing, so he turned his head and gave Luhan a kiss. On the mouth. Luhan didn’t expect it so he tensed, but only for a second. He eased into the kiss then, capturing Minseok’s mouth in his own.

The only thing that pulled them apart was a very loud and deliberate clearing of the throat from the taxi driver. The two men jumped apart, their faces red. Sometimes it was hard to remember they were public.

***

a/n- Thank you for the subs! I really appreciate it! I hope you are enjoying the story thus far.

It took me ridiculously long to write this, I just kept getting distracted by other things.

So, how do you like a little Sohee / Minseok tension? She won’t be a viable love interest for Luhan, but she does have a part to play in this story so stay tuned. And I still find it hilarious how much she looks like Minseok.

Next up will be a mini chapter on Kyungsoo and Jongin. Thanks again for reading!

Oh, and if you are on tumblr and want to harass me you can find me madly blogging Exo (I'm Admin L) at Exo: Masters of the Noonaverse. Cheers!