The next day passed in a blur. Out of exhaustion, both Daniel and Seongwu had spent the entire time on the bed, slipping in and out of consciousness countless of times.

Daniel, being the responsible one for the time being, had to wake up from long naps and cook edible food to ensure he and Seongwu were both well fed since the elder didn’t look like he could make a proper meal himself. To say that Seongwu was tired would be a total understatement. It took Daniel hard effort to coax the omega to wake up for a moment, spoon-fed the elder half the meal he made before Seongwu returned back to sleep.





So day 5 were spent rather unproductively with Seongwu trying to cope with his body’s sudden change and recharge his energies with needed rest while Daniel made sure that no harm was done around the apartment and did some needed laundry.







Daniel was on his phone, watching the latest comeback shows from his favorite singers on youtube when Seongwu slowly blinked his eyes open, still deep in fatigue but mustered enough power to stretch his body like a cat.



“How are you feeling?” Daniel asked softly as he carded Seongwu’s messy brown hairs away from the elder’s eyes.





“Wishing I could die right now…” Seongwu pouted and sighed. “Aside from that, I just really need a good warm bath. I feel dirty. Anyway, what time is it?”



Seongwu looked around Daniel’s room, spotted the dim orange glow coming from the closed windows. He frowned.



“Did I faint or did I die?”





The younger chuckled. “Both. It’s around six I guess. And congrats, we’re now on day 6 which means your heat cycle is almost over and no more excruciating pain as much as your first time.”



Both of them were sitting on the bed now, leaning against the stacks of pillows by the headrest as Seongwu cuddled closer to Daniel’s arms. “Well I never thought I could pass out for a day and half but thank goodness all of this is done! I thought it would never end… but why is the room so cold now? Are you sure it’s still summer?”







Daniel frowned. The air conditioner was being a so the coldest thing they can get was room temperature of 25 degree celcius. Also the elder was still wearing Daniel’s thick- sweater so why is Seongwu complaining about the cold room when they’re in the middle of South Korea’s worst summer heat in 50 years?

The younger immediately pressed his palm on Seongwu’s forehead to check the elder’s temperature. He frowned even more. No sign of fever.



Seongwu snorts. “I’m alright, but looking at the scowl on your face you don’t think I am fine so I suppose the room is not cold for you?”





“Yes, I was considering going since it’s that hot even indoors. I suppose your body had gone through the shock so they’re trying to adapt.”





The elder nodded with another sigh. Exactly like how the articles had explained, his body was having weird symptoms just like the time Kuanlin underwent his beta phase.

Daniel suddenly got out of the bed and made a beeline towards the bathroom before Seongwu could stop to question his sudden behavior and get more needed cuddles.







Seongwu spent the next few minutes sitting idly on the bed without a companion, playing on Daniel’s phone to kill boredom. After zonking on every game possible, killing each of Daniel's pro game characters, Seongwu finally gave up and stopped his game spree. He found himself staring at the home screen wallpaper with a small smile, getting nostalgic and a bit too sentimental while looking at the photo. It was a picture of the squad during the youngster’s high school graduation and the hyung line had come to congratulate them together. To commemorate the important occasion, they took a group photo together just outside the school gates. Daniel was still a bit chubby back then and was still wearing glasses everywhere he went. What a nerd, Seongwu chuckled as he reminisced the past.
 

“Hyung, the water is ready.”
 

Seongwu almost jumped out of his seat and threw the phone in his hands across the room out of shock. He huffed in relief when the phone landed on the messy pile of clothes and turned his head towards the source of voice.
 

“What water?” Seongwu scowled.

The boy shrugged.
Daniel was leaning against the doorframe, hands crossed and looking exhausted than ever.

Guilt was painfully digging Seongwu's heart as he stared at the younger's form by the door, looking like someone had just the soul out of him. But another feeling of contempt and pride soon filtered in when instead of showing the tiredness, the younger smiled cheerfully until both his eyes turned into two slits just like pucca and bunny teeth appearing behind his lips. Kang Daniel, the short timid kid who always stuck to him like gum and had zero confidence in himself has now grown up into a walking Adonis, a total college heartthrob who had people tailing his back like he was their lord and source of happiness.

Back then, between the transition from being a reckless high schooler to a young adult who was about to enter university, Seongwu was confused and had zero idea why the younger started behaving quaintly as he kept refusing to eat out with Seongwu along the rest of the gang, going as far as skipping meals, locking himself in the room and going out of the apartment at ungodly hours in the middle of the night. Seongwu had suspected that the younger was secretly going out with someone but he didn’t look like the type of person who would do backstreet, so out of worry and pure curiosity, he followed Daniel out after a few months of the bizarre habit occuring. He didn't find anything weird and only finding out that the kid was going to the 24 hour gym all those times. After that he realized that his cute little fluffy dongsaeng had turned into every school population's ideal type and dreamboat.

Seongwu remembered clearly that time, when he asked Daniel why he was torturing himself with grueling diets and exercise, the younger was blushing madly.

“So that you won’t feel embarrassed when we hang out together, so that people won’t mock you for befriending me.”

With that memory alone, Seongwu was already smiling softly at the image of cute little Daniel avoiding his eyes and would shy away when the topic was brought up.

“Why are you smiling to yourself? Don’t scare me, hyung.” Daniel spoke with concern lacing his deep voice, sporting a worried frown on his face. “Come, the water will get cold if you don’t use it now.”

Seeing that Seongwu wasn't moving an inch on his own, the younger approached the bed and offered a hand right in front of Seongwu’s face. Without any complaint, Seongwu took the hand to support himself up although not knowing where the younger would take him. He would have fallen face first the moment he finally stood up if it wasn't for Daniel holding his hand and wrapping an arm almost automatically around his waist. Thank God for his amazing reflexes and wow, since when did Daniel get this buff? The hard bicep muscles were pressing against Seongwu‘s back and unknowingly, he gulped.

Seongwu’s legs were wobbling unsteadily and there's still the remaining dull pain along his spine and arse that made it extremely hard to even stand straight, not to mention walking around freely. Seongwu's free hand had reached for Daniel's shoulder in fear of flopping to the ground so he decided to cling to the younger for dear life although it was eating his pride but what can he do now?

“It’s alright, it happens to every male omega after their , even the strongest ones would collapse. Some even had it worse and couldn't even lay in bed without sleeping pills and bottles of pain relievers.” The words were actually comforting to the ears so Seongwu only nodded in reluctance, sighing as Daniel laughed lightly after that.

They walked together, or more like Daniel semi-dragging his hyung, out of the bedroom and into the bathroom just a few steps away from their respective rooms.

For someone who had always been quite sentimental and easily moved, Seongwu was trying his best not to sniffle and burst out crying when he reached the bathroom. They both had been living together in this apartment for roughly 3 years now but never had the chance or time to really use the bathtub since its time-consuming and they had to save water (save earth!). But now that he's seeing it with his own eyes that the tub was filled with hot water, place filled with the calming aroma of rose and lavender, Seongwu can feel himself tearing up.

Daniel cleared his throat. “Now chop chop! You said something about being dirty and wanting a long bath so what are you still standing there for? Strip!”

“Y-you made a bath? For me?”

“Who else lives with us anyway? Besides, you deserve a little relaxation after what happened last night.” the younger replied sincerely.

Seongwu blinked his eyes as he tilted his head to face the younger. “What happened last night?”

Daniel didn't answer right away as he helped his hyung sit at the edge of the tub carefully since the elder couldn't stand for long period of time.

“I'll tell you when the time is right.”

The younger boy left the bathroom for a while as Seongwu took off his clothes excitedly and finally submerging himself in the comforting waters, splashing around like a child and soon filling up the tub with bubbles from all the soap he pumped into the bathtub.

He sure is a child at heart.

When the younger returned, Seongwu was deep in his own little world and didn't notice Daniel approaching with a tiny smile gracing his tired face. For someone who had gone through hell and back last night, suffering immensely for the past 6 days, Seongwu was sure quick to mentally recover.

Being the considerate friend he is, Daniel slowly sat on the cold tiles directly facing the elder's back and placed both hands on Seongwu's shoulders. At first, the other flinched at the sudden touch out of surprise but soon relaxed when he saw the younger’s reflection on the mirror. He leaned against the tub as Daniel kneaded the stiff muscles carefully, massaging the tired bones with gentle care.

“You know, Niel ah. I kept on wondering since we were still in middle school up until now. Why did you want to be my friend?” Seongwu asked, hugging his knees close to his chest.

It didn't take Daniel much time to answer. “Cause we matched. Honestly I look up to you a lot. You're nice, likeable, funny, charming, talented, energetic, always in high spirit, although not a genius but you're smart enough to get away from detentions every single time, good loo-”

“Stop stop stop!” Seongwu hurriedly turned his body around, splashing the water everywhere and pressed his palm on Daniel’s mouth. He was obviously flustered because he wasn't expecting a full speech of compliments.

The younger laughed loudly and pried the hand off his lips. “Aw hyung, you're blushing.”

At the teasing and unstoppable cooing, Seongwu turned around again and hid his face in his hands.

“But really hyung, if it weren't for you, I'll still be that castaway who everyone would avoid since I am weird and all.” Daniel replied truthfully. “And you're just so lovable hyung, who wouldn't want to be your friend? I lucked out on having someone like you around.”

Seongwu sighed. Daniel's insecurity is coming back again. Seongwu doesn't even need to see any expression, just hearing that little strain in the younger's voice is enough to tell him. “Puppy, you're just amazing as you are and everyone loves you for being true to yourself. You lucked out? Isn't that supposed to be my catchphrase?”

Daniel chuckled airily and continued massaging the elder’s shoulders wordlessly. If he were to say something now, with all his feeling already splayed out in the open like this, it’ll be over. All the newfound affections and feelings will be spilled out without him even knowing and a confession might be spewed out by the spurr of the moment. The words and all those unsaid feeling that he had kept hidden, casted away in the deepest pit of his heart,  would eventually be discovered and Seongwu would hate him. Because even if he mustered enough courage to confess, Ong Seongwu still sees him as a child, a young boy, a lost puppy.

Their friendship will end up in the pedestals if he made the wrong move and he can’t afford to lose that precious friendship, to lose someone as important as Seongwu.

“Why are you so silent?” Seongwu asked as he laughed. “Is it because I’m too cheesy for you?”

With a practised smile, Daniel stared right at the elder’s eyes through the mirror. “You’re always cheesy so I’m used to it.”

Seongwu shook his head while hiding an embarrassed smile, rubbing his legs and hands under the water. If Daniel keeps doing something like this, surprising and making his heart beats a little beat faster, then it’ll be complicated for both of them.

“Niel-ah, do you still remember the song that I drunk-danced to at Minhyun’s party?”

The other spent a few seconds chuckling at the memory of Seongwu getting up the dining table and began swaying left and right with Jaehwan as his partner. He nodded with a grin.

“Can you sing it for me?”

“But I don't know the whole lyrics, only up to the reff.” Daniel refuted but Seongwu was giving him the puppy eyes, yet again, and he knew he lost.

With a resigned sigh, Daniel begins humming to a quite familiar tune. He continued the melodies up until the lyrics he memorised.

“...And you come to me on a summer breeze

Keep me warm in your love then you softly leave

And its me you need to show

How deep is your love.”

Surprisingly Seongwu sang along to the next few lines, quite enjoying himself as he sung his heart out.

“How deep is your love,

How deep is your love

I really mean to learn

'Cause we're living in a world of fools

Breaking us down

When they all should let us be

We belong to you and me...”
 

As Seongwu continued singing to himself and started getting lost in his own little world again, Daniel grew silent. The younger was frozen in motion as the words to the song made him feel something weirdly painful in his chest. Why? Possibly because he couldn’t relate to it at all. We belong to you and me? Songwriters sure can give false hopes.

“Puppy,” the elder’s voice finally registered to his ears. It seems that while Daniel had zoned out and dwelled in his session of self pity, Seongwu had finished the song by himself.

"Yeah?"

“I've been thinking for quite some time now. If I’m an omega, that means I gotta bear a child at one point in my life right? Do you think I’ll ever find a true mate who’ll love and respect me?”

An overwhelming sense of sadness washed over the younger’s soul. He chuckled bitterly as he stood up and made himself comfortable by sitting on the edge of the tub. Seongwu was making it extremely complicated for him. 

“You’ll find someone, hyung. But before chasing aimlessly for a person, try to open your eyes and see the people closest to you.”

The brunette looked dead serious for a few moments as if he was really pondering about it but then Seongwu suddenly laughed like a maniac and wriggled around the water. “Oh my, when you asked me to see the people closest to me, I just had one of the weirdest imagination possible. What if… I marry Minki?! Damn, our child would be so terrible and satanic!"

That was certainly not what Daniel was implying by his words. Seongwu continued to giggle endlessly he snapped his fingers as if he found an epiphany. "Wait wait wait, I have someone better in mind! Dongho! Then, the kid would take after his temper and my annoying talkative I can’t wait to make such a demon spawn!”

As the elder laughed aloud while imagining to himself, Daniel couldn’t stop feeling a little jealous as he faked a smile. He grabbed Seongwu’s pink body sponge and asked the elder to lift his arms up which he automatically did. While scrubbing the brunet’s hand, Daniel let Seongwu babble away with his theories.

“Hm, if I were to have Minhyun’s child, that kid would be a total garrulous blabbermouth since both dads are too chattery. Maybe mine and Jaehwan’s product wouldn’t be so bad. Just a little loud and sneaky but at least talented enough with music. With Kuanlin…. No….. Kuanlin is my son, that is too improper. Not to mention Daehwi and Seonho...they're literal babies. Should I take Hyunbin into consideration? Maybe Jonghyun? But Minhyun would kill me first.”

“Then what about me?”

Seongwu straightened his back and look up to meet Daniel’s eyes midway. The eye contact was too intense so Daniel looked away and began occupying himself by rubbing Seongwu's hand diligently. The elder doesn’t look the least bit shocked or surprised when Daniel asked. He even managed to smirk. With his other free hand, Seongwu held his chin as if he was in a deep thought.

“Of course, our child will be a disaster. A perfect disaster.”

For a few moments, Daniel was too baffled by the fact that Seongwu even had put some thought on answering his question. And what’s with the answer?

Seongwu continued afterwards while leaning back against the tub. “That child will be a walking catastrophe, I can even imagine a little Daniel running around and breaking dishes. A 100% catastrophic monster in-the-making but also a super good-looking one. With both dads looking like greek gods, we’ll make one of the greatest heartbreaker in the world. Also, we’ll make one hell of a troublemaker and of course it’s from your genes since I’m a good boy. That’s for sure. Wow can you imagine the ruckus happening cause I definitely can, it’s a havoc. I can't wait for the kid to enslave Jisung just like you did.”

Just minutes ago, Daniel thought that his love life was pretty much nonexistent and was ready to quietly watch over his hyung from the sides until the elder has found someone right and possibly, very sadly, move on when the right time comes but now, wow, what a stark difference. Seongwu even imagined what their child would be like. Their child. Just thinking about it makes him giddy. Although it’s basically just for fun and entertainment, but it makes the boy extremely happy and thankful that he hadn’t given up just yet. Maybe there’s hope.

There’s a slight