"Hmm."

"Hmm." Jihoon hums.

Soonyoung sharply looks at Jihoon. "Are you sure about this?"

Jihoon nods. "Never been so sure before."

"But- but...." Soonyoung stutters. "This is a matter of your hair, Jihoon! Hair is the best part of male omegas, don't you know that? And and now what! You want to dye them... and in PINK?"

Jihoon rolls his eyes. Soonyoung is a beta but sometimes he sounds more like an omega than Jihoon, who is a born omega. "Look Soonyoung, it doesn't really matter. Nobody care about one male omega who is going to dye his hair. And besides, I have given up on finding my mates."

Soonyoung shuts up.

Mates have been a sensitive topic for Jihoon. In reality of the whole mate thing, there is no such thing as being in love with a complete stranger or calling someone because of their special smell "mates". In the world Jihoon lives in, mating is a choice. It's like a relatioship between human; it goes along the whole dating process. If you are attracted to one person and that person is attracted to you back, then you may end up mating. The holy thing about mating is that it's ethereal whereas marriage between human is still breakable. Mating is when you are very sure about the person you want to be with and you mark them so they become your mate.

Now coming back to Jihoon's problem, Jihoon doesn't have a mate (as if that's not obvious enough). He has a lot of friends; lots of alphas friends to be honest. The only problem, it is either he friend-zone them or they do that to him. So in return, he doesn't have anyone he's interested with to mate. And that's totally okay in this world cause mating is a choice. The thing is, he wish he has a mate. Now now, this is not necessarily a very important thing (oh yeah, not like it makes him cry almost every night - especially during his damn heat) but Jihoon has a goal that he wants to fulfill.

He doesn't want to be lonely this year's Valentine.

Yep. It's exactly that. Because this year's Valentine happens concurrently with his heat also and he just doesn't want to feel so helpless on a day he should feel loved. But seeing how Valentine's Day is two weeks away, Jihoon's about to give up. He's not into the whole mating after a few weeks thing cause that's just totally not Jihoon's style. So yeah, goal is just a goal. He has to deal with that freaking goal this year and hopes that it will be fulfilled the next year.

Coming back to reality, Jihoon walks in to the saloon and smiles at the lady. "I want to dye my hair please."

-

Jihoon is in awe looking at himself in the mirror. That cute looking fluff ball is totally not him. How could that be him? That is freaking cute! I mean, he is freaking cute! Jihoon turns to look at the lady who did his hair and said thank you for the thousand times. The lady laughs and swats him away, saying he should go now to show off his new hair. Jihoon thanks her once more before paying and leaving the saloon. He feels like a different person. Totally. Like how do changing hair color do that right? But it does!

So he walks out from the mall with head held up and shoulders straight as he goes to the meeting point to Soonyoung. When he reaches the fountain where he is supposed to meet Soonyoung, the beta male is of course, not there. Jihoon rolls his eyes again and scoffs, what does he expect from Soonyoung? Knowing how to be punctual? Jihoon scoffs again. So he sits on the bench, watching people pass by him here and there. He grows bored soon when most the people who pass by him are couples, who totally not touching each other (pssh).

Playing with his phone, Jihoon doesn't notice someone stops in front of him. When his phone is taken away from his hands, he shouts "hey" and looks up angrily. However, he finds Seungcheol in front of him. So he and Seungcheol go way back; they were best friends until Seungcheol left to the Alpha school and when he came back; it was no longer the same between them. They don't touch each other as freely as before anymore and they don't talk as much anymore. However, they are still in the same group of friends so that makes them sort of friends.

Seungcheol is grinning at him. "Nice color." He says.

Jihoon scowls. He doesn't want Seungcheol to praise him. Although it still warms his stomach.

The thing about Jihoon is that he never shows thankfulness when praise; it's a part of his personality where he shy away from all those praises because they are embarrassing. People take him as being cold but he is actually just shy.

"What are you doing here?" Jihoon asks, taking his phone back.

"Soonyoung calls me to fetch you. He is meeting Seokmin."

I should have known. That betrayer. Jihoon thinks of ways to kill Kwon Soonyoung because it's what the bastard deserves. "He can just tell me, you know. I can go back alone. It's not the first time," Jihoon mumbles the last part.

Seungcheol notices his crestfallen expression although he tries to hide it. Screw it. Seungcheol thinks. He wraps an arm around Jihoon's shoulder. "Let's go have fun!"

Jihoon is bewildered. "What?"

"Have fun! The two of us!" Seungcheol grins. "We can go to arcade right now!"

Before Jihoon can give consent, Seungcheol has dragged them away.

-

Jihoon and Seungcheol go around the area, from the arcade to a dessert shop and Jihoon has totally let go of his aloofness which he always sharpens unconsciously around Seungcheol. He thinks about how considerate Seungcheol is to do this for him though it isn't necessary.

As Jihoon continues scooping the vanilla ice cream into his mouth, Seungcheol is content watching the smaller male eats. He keeps smiling like a creep when the spoon disappears into Jihoon's mouth and his lips will has noticeable whiteness which sends shivers down Seungcheol's spine. Jihoon notices Seungcheol isn't eating so he scoops some and pushes it into Seungcheol's lips. Taken aback, Seungcheol opens his mouth and and eats the ice cream. He the remaining on his lips.

Jihoon blinks when he sees the motion and feels his cheeks warming up as his whole body shivers in excitement (WHAT!?). He looks down and avoids looking at Seungcheol's face. Seungcheol notices Jihoon's change in demeanour and feels a slight jump in his heart. Is Jihoon feeling something? Like nervousness? Well Seungcheol will take a chance if he can make the smaller boy to feel anything for him.

It has been years since Seungcheol found out about his feelings for his childhoold omega friend. They were practically together everywhere when they were young and when Seungcheol had to leave the town for school, he was practically heartbroken. For weeks he weep and cried his heart out; getting humiliation for being a weak alpha and all sorts until he got back into his feet and punched one of the boys who was provoking him again. From the weakest, sissiest alpha he became the strongest and fearest alpha throughout the school. He was basically worshipped and envied but nobody knew how fragile his heart was.

Soon after he finished school and got back, he was excited to see Jihoon again. However, his personality had changed. He's no longer the young kid who Jihoon could always bully and made fun of. He's a strong and masculine alpha now. Without his knowing he had changed his way around Jihoon. Even after finding out about his feelings for Jihoon was more than friends and yet to be lover, he did nothing.

Until he saw the small male in the bench at the fountain, looking down at his phone looking like a pink fluffy ball.

Those hairs... Seungcheol thinks. The pink hair gives him courage. There's no absolute reason. It's just that Seungcheol thinks the pink suits Jihoon so much that if he delays his feelings any longer he's gonna burst. And he just love the pink on Jihoon. He's gonna give Jihoon lots of pink once they mate.

"So Jihoon..." Seungcheol starts. "Say, do you have plan tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Nope."

"Wanna go out tomorrow? Just lunch and dessert," Seungcheol smiles. "Then maybe dinner after work?"

"Uh..." Jihoon is sure now that his cheeks have blushed crazily. Is this hitting on? Or is this just a casual friend going out thing? Urgh... when you don't have any experience to learn from!

"Well, we can just chill if you want." Seungcheol hesitantly says. He seems to know that Jihoon not sure of his ways. "We can just grab dinner tomorrow for starters. I miss you Ji. I miss my childhood friend."

And Jihoon's face cools down. "Yeah, I miss my childhood friend too."

-

One dinner turns into two, two turns into three and soon the whole week they have dined out every single night. While Seungcheol always brings himself as a dashing gentleman, Jihoon acts very casually. Jihoon has lost hope in mating once again and decides that all he will do with Seungcheol is to restore the friendship that have long gone. He finds that he likes spending dinners with Seungcheol because Seungcheol hasn't changed much in all honesty, despite maybe, now Seungcheol actually makes him feel hot and bothered by the night ends.

Which of course, isn't supposed to happen when you are just friends; or that the end goal is honestly... just a friendship.

But really, can someone tell Jihoon that when your dining partner paid for most of the foods and always fetch and bring you home, it's actually a date? But of coure dense Jihoon denies that possibility and thinks Seungcheol is trying to make up lost time. Since Seungcheol is the richer between the two, that's why Seungcheol pays for mostly everything.

So one Sunday night, two days before Valentine's day, Seungcheol decides to step up his game.

"Shall we start our luncheon tomorrow?" He drops out of nowhere and Jihoon chokes on his juice. Seungcheol kindly pats his back. "You know, we mentioned it before. I was thinking we might go out for lunch tomorrow. I can fetch you from your workplace."

"Uh, but my lunchtime is restricted... it's quite short."

"I can bring lunch to your place! We can just eat and chill." Seungcheol smiles again.

Scratching his cheek, Jihoon thinks for a while. "I mean sure, we can chill."

"Good! Then do expect me for tomorrow."

-

"That's a rare smile," Soonyoung mentions.

"Shut the up." Jihoon smiles.

"You know you're the only one who can say that while smiling and be let off by the police."

"Thanks."

"Well, anything to share, Jihoonie?"

Jihoon scowls. "I'm trying to finish my work before lunchtime Soonyoung so can you shut the up?"

Soonyoung huffs. "Just because you're the producer..."

"Just go and find something to do will you?" Jihoon groans.

"Will do." Soonyoung leaves the studio.

Not long after, there is another knock. Thinking it was Soonyoung, Jihoon jumps up to open the door and get ready to swear. However, the face that he expected to see was not the same and that face definitely not the childish Soonyoung but an overpowering, handsome male called Seungcheol. He has his hair gelled up and he definitely look ravishing today. Jihoon swallows hard as his eyes dropped down to Seungcheol's ed shirt (only two buttons at the top).

"Uh... is it time already?"

Seungcheol laughs. "Still very focused, aren't you? Well, come and eat before continuing. I don't want you to fall sick."

Jihoon lets himself being pulled by Seungcheol to the common room outside his studio. 

"I bring you some rice bulgogi which I know you love." Seungcheol smiles.

Jihoon stares at Seungcheol for some time before breaking into a smile. "Thanks Cheollie, I need it."

Seungcheol stops taking out the food from the brown paper when he hears the nickname from Jihoon's lips. Jihoon is unaware of the slip and begins to take the chopsticks.

"Say it once again," Seungcheol breaks out of his reverie and says.

"Hmm? What?"

"The nickname."

It takes Jihoon a while before he blinks and gasps. "Uh... I... I didn't..."

Seungcheol snaps his head toward Jihoon and Jihoon finds it hard to breathe. Seungcheol is looking at him with such an intense look that he can't help but shivers. The tension is high and Seungcheol finds himself stop breathing. A second later, Seungcheol moves forward and pushes Jihoon down on the sofa and captures Jihoon's soft lips.

Jihoon gasps and Seungcheol takes the opportunity to push his tongue inside Jihoon's wet cavern. He begins to kiss the Jihoon who never once been kissed before. He doesn't know what to do but soon with Seungcheol's gentle yet passionate tongue movement Jihoon follows suit and the only sound they can hear is the wet, lip-locking sound.

Seungcheol pulls away to kiss Jihoon's face; he peppers every spot he can kiss and then moves down to Jihoon's pale neck. Jihoon is gasping, breathing hard as Seungcheol continues to ravish him. Jihoon closes his eyes as Seungcheol bites softly on his neck, which will probably leave some marks but not painful and long-lasting ones. Seungcheol hasn't marked him because Seungcheol wants to do it after talking about it. The kisses has been on impulse and while Seungcheol enjoys it, he isn't sure about Jihoon.

With much willpower, Seungcheol pulls away. "Jihoon, Jihoon."

Jihoon looks up in dazed. "Cheol?

"Jihoonie," Seungcheol pulls Jihoon into an embrace, sniffing the omega's citrus scent. "I... I love you,"

Jihoon freezes. Seungcheol just confesses to him.

"I--" Jihoon chokes. "I..."

Seungcheol pulls away. "You don't feel the same way?"

"No! I mean yes! I mean, this is too fast!"

Seungcheol laughs. "Are you serious? I have loved you since we were young Jihoon. I just never realize it. Not until I was shipped off into Alpha school." He pulls Jihoon again and rests his head on top of Jihoon's. Jihoon's soft body feels so nice against his and Seungcheol is glad to have done this.

"What?"

"Remember how close we were when we were young? I realized how smitten I was when I looked back and saw how I basically let you walk all over me when were small. You were an omega, I was an alpha. But I let you choked me, slapped me, hit me, and did almost nothing to you. I have loved you since we were young, I was just too dumb to notice it. Say... Jihoon, will you be my boyfriend?"

Jihoon doesn't reply verbally. Instead, he cluthes onto Seungcheol's broad shoulder, head in the crook of Seungcheol's neck and cries messily while hiccupping once in a while. Seungcheol laughs, making his chest rumbles.

"I'll take that as a yes."

-

Jihoon curls against his boyfriend's body, pulling him closer as he feels the familiar shivers down his spine. His forehead begins to sweat, his body heats up and he moans against any friction. Seungcheol wakes up dizzily and soon is hit by the smell of his boyfriend's scent, which doubles - makes it tripled the usual scent power.

"Oh," Seungcheol blinks as he realizes his boyfriend is in heat. In a snap, Seungcheol has pulled Jihoon under him and he kissed the sweet lips that have been asking for his. As Seungcheol Jihoon's neck and nips here and there, Jihoon pulls on his hair.

"M-Mark me..." he whines softly.

Seungcheol almost doesn't hear him.

"Cheollie... mark me... please..." Jihoon moans again, turning his head so Seungcheol can have wider access.

Seungcheol growls and without waiting, he bites on the sweetest spot in Jihoon's neck and the smaller man moans out loud in bliss.

"I... I love you Cheollie," Jihoon cries out.

"Me too... me too, Jihoonie," Seungcheol says and continues his exploration.

That night, indeed was Jihoon's best Valentine's Day.