"You're back early," Wonshik said when he heard the door open, his roommate walking in.

"Yeah... It was a complete flop," Hongbin announced as he entered his apartment, kicking off his shoes before sitting down in a chair, the couch being currently occupied at the moment.

"Really? I thought you and Hyuna could hit it off," Hakyeon said, pouting a little as he cuddled his boyfriend, Wonshik.

"It did at first... until she imprinted on this guy at the restaurant," the beta explained, groaning as he remembered his dinner date with the alpha female.

At the beginning everything was going smoothly. When he picked up the other, noticed that Hyuna had this wonderful rich crisp apple and caramel scent that surrounded her that Hongbin could see himself growing addicted too. They went out to eat at a small indie restaurant of her choice. While she was an  alpha, she had a cute personality and had adorable moments that he enjoyed. During the meal, Hyuna was y, cute, flirty and he played along having a good time. The couple had plan on going to a karaoke bar afterwards and they were just about to finish eating when a guy walked in with a group of his friends. Hongbin really didn't pay them much attention but when Hyuna caught the scent of one of the males there, she instantly imprinted on the other. The chemistry that had happened between Hongbin and Hyuna had fizzled out from that point onwards. While the alpha was sweet and sincerely apologetic and Hongbin didn't dislike her or the imprinted male,  he understood everything, after all it was imprinting, the beta just couldn't help but to feel slightly bitter about the situation. The tone of the meal changed from playful and flirty to just friendly and polite. In the end, Hongbin paid for the meal and parted with a handshake before leaving while Hyuna stayed behind to introduce herself to the male she imprinted on.  

"Aaah I see, note to self, Hyuna is taken," Hakyeon muttered, going through his phone to note down the change the status of the female.

At least pretend to care that the date didn't work out. Hongbin thought slightly annoyed, rolling his eyes.

"Ok then, what do you think about this cute omega I know?  Kyung-"

"I think I've had enough of your blind dates hyung," Hongbin interrupted, thinking about the numerous blind dates he's gone on thanks to Hakyeon. Most never led to anything after a date or two, a handful lasted a few months but it usually led to Hongbin and the other agreeing they weren't right for each other.

"Come on Hongbinnie. Kyungsoo is great! Wonshikkie, make Binnie go out, at least one more time, please?" the omega whined to his boyfriend.

"I think he needs a break from dating, you can't force love after all. I mean, think of you and me. Us meeting was an accident after all, an amazing magical chance encounter with a beautiful stranger," Wonshik said, trailing off into nonsensical words of love.

Hongbin was all but gagging at his roommate's words. "Wonshik, he ran into your bike and you cursed at him for fifteen minutes straight, making him cry."

"Yah, you're making me look bad!"

"Oh hush, it's all in the past!" Hakyeon dismissed, waving a hand in the air as if to disperse an unpleasant odor in the room. "All that matters is that we're together."

"That's right babe," the alpha cooed, kissing the other.

Hongbin rolled his eyes before getting up, unable to stand the two anymore. "I'm going to bed, so be quite you two," he requested although he doubt the two would comply. Separately the two were loud and together they could be insufferable.

Deciding to forego a shower and simply wash his face, Hongbin quickly dressed for bed and slipped under the sheets. He let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes, as his mind wondered, from the failed dinner date to love to feeling like nothing would ever work out for him because he was a beta.

For the most part, Hongbin didn't mind being a beta. There was no pressure to be one thing or another, he was allowed to be himself. Whenever his heat came around, he was never in a state of panic like alphas or omegas as the burning waves of primal need would practically consume them. It came as an itch Hongbin could easily scratch. His scent wasn't overpowering, it never drew attention to himself or alert others around on his current state. There weren't any pressure on Hongbin from society to behave one way or another since betas were the grey between alphas and omegas. There was the freedom of choice. It was because of these reasons and more that Hongbin had considered himself lucky to be born a beta.

Despite the positives, recently Hongbin noticed something he and other betas lacked or couldn't seem to obtain, passion. The burning passion that a relationship between an imprinted alpha and omega had. The way omegas would cling upon every word their alpha would say and how alphas would dote lovingly onto their omegas. The bond between the two were always acclaimed to be the strongest, purest and true. Romanticized in the books, movies, and music. Even without the media, Hongbin could see how true it was just by witnessing his alpha roommate and his omega lover. The intensity between the two, how well they complimented each other. Even relationships between an alpha and alpha or omega and omega seemed to be far more passionate than ones where a beta was involved. It was that zealous love he witness in others that Hongbin wanted, but in the back of his mind he knew it was impossible.

After all, even his parents didn't share that type of love. Both betas, Hongbin's parents married on the fact that the other was a comforting companion and it was simply convenient. They were in their mid 30s and both simply wanted the same thing, fanatical stability, a family and company. Sure, there was love story of sorts there, but it wasn't the kind Hongbin wished for himself.  

Hongbin knew that, while there were many benefits of being a beta, the down side was that they seemed to be lacking emotionally.