At 5.30 pm, the mid-exam is officially over. No more sharing notes. No more peeking into phone trying to read the tiny handwriting. No more dried coffees littered on the table. Nor Redbulls.

A temporary freedom till the excruciating final exam. Definitely deserves a celebration.

Well, Mino had finished his exam this morning, but Seungyoon still had his last paper, so Mino delayed his celebration for Seungyoon.

Like a good boyfriend he's supposed to be, according to some netizens. Amused, Mino snorts at the thought.

Students are spilling out of the exam hall like a flood. The entire 5th floor is buzzing with excited chatters. Mino cranes his neck, looking for Seungyoon. No sign of him. After sending a text to Seungyoon's number, Mino waits at their usual spot on the stairwell.

Mino is sending a simple report to his professor when there are a heavy creak of the door and a greeting, "Hey."

He perks up and looks up from his phone to glance over his shoulder at the door. A grin brights up his face when he sees Seungyoon smile back at him.

"Hey."

Instead of the boring sweater, Seungyoon dons a thick light blue cardigan over a white undershirt, paired with black jeans and sneakers. The outfit exudes innocent vibes despite the worn-out bag behind him and the black collar around his neck.

Wow, Seungyoon should wear something this more often. Mino suddenly has the urge to make over Seungyoon's wardrobe so he has other choices than sweaters.

"Have you been waiting long?" Seungyoon walks down the stairs to Mino. He adjusts the bag strap on one shoulder then stretches out a hand to Mino.

"Nah, not really." Mino takes Seungyoon's offered hand to spring to his feet. His eagerness has them almost toppling into each other, but with his Alpha reflexes, Mino is quick enough to regain his balance. "Oppsie daisy."

"Geez, stand properly," Seungyoon chides, with a trace of laughter, letting go of Mino's hand as to keep a safe distance between them.

Mino laughs. "My bad, my bad."

Seungyoon checks the time on his wristwatch. He whines out, "No wonder I'm feeling hungry. It's already late."

"You're always hungry," Mino notes, patting on Seungyoon's back to lead him away from the stairwell. Most students take the elevator, so Mino and Seungyoon pick the stairs instead.

"I used my brain a lot today. I deserve lots of foods." Seungyoon pouts.

Amusement escapes Mino's lips. He ruffles the back of Seungyoon's head. His pinky brushes against the collar. Mino represses the wish to growl in favour of keeping Seungyoon in a good mood.

"Poor boy. You certainly did your best. Can you hold on a little longer, though? We're having a barbeque tonight."

"Hungry..."

Those pouting lips. Geez. The temptation to tap those pouting lips is insane. Mino bites his inner cheek. The longer Mino watches Seungyoon pout, the stronger the urge grows. Temptation, temptation.

But hey, they're boyfriends, after all. He finds no reason to hold himself back, so Mino gives those pouting lips a little tap of his index finger.

Seungyoon recoils on reflex. "Yah!!!"

"Sorry, sorry, can't help myself," Mino chuckles. He escapes from Seungyoon's harmless swing onto the assembly point of the library, laughter trailing behind him.

(Some are shooting him odd looks but it, Mino doesn't give a about their thoughts. Seungyoon is happy. He is happy. That's good enough for him.)

Outside, the sun is disappearing from the horizon. The night breeze is picking up. Mino checks the time on his phone and sees Seunghoon's text.

From Seunghoon: go and get some meat. I'll set up the grill.

Mino quickly types back, okay.

"We gotta drop by Lotte Mart to buy the grocery," Mino calls out to Seungyoon, waiting for Seungyoon to catch up with him. "I'll treat you to meat bun on the way there."

Seungyoon stops. "Wait, what."

"Grocery. Meat. We gotta buy some meat for the barbeque."

"Together?"

"Yea. Together. Why? Got another plan for tonight?"

"No, no," Seungyoon shakes his head. "I mean, we both are..."

"Boyfriends?"

"No!" Seungyoon shouts a little too loud then winces as he realizes his slip-up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so harsh. It's just that—you're an Alpha, and I'm an Omega. We shouldn't—this isn't proper."

Mino frowns, unable to find logic in Seungyoon's words. "Not proper? How is shopping with my boyfriend not proper?"

"People are going to talk..." Seungyoon ducks his head at the tail of his sentence.

"Screw them," Mino hisses, annoyed by the fact that public opinions make Seungyoon uncomfortable. Screw those s.

Seungyoon should have the right to be comfortable wherever he is. They should have the right to hang out together without enduring shifty looks from the public. ing unfair. The Alpha residing inside him stirs restlessly.

He might have overreacted because Seungyoon is making an uncomfortable gesture; fingers are fiddling with the hem of his sleeves, while his gaze is on the ground. Regret settles in Mino's chest.

"Hey, hey," Mino tries. "I'm sorry if this is making you uncomfortable. You can bail out if this is too much. Seunghoon-hyung and Jinu-hyung will understand. But I want to have a barbeque with you. Talk about boring stuff with you. I mean—before we go separate ways."

Seungyoon stares. For a long time. As though Seungyoon is taking his time to digest Mino's words. Then a bark of a laugh as Seungyoon covers his mouth. The hyena one; Seungyoon's distinct laugh.

"It's just the semester break. A week. Don't be so dramatic."

"Still." Mino purses his lips.

"Geez, don't blame me if the rumours start anew. And—" Seungyoon emphasizes on 'and' with one finger, "Don't go flaunt your Alpha authority around at the first sign of Omega abuse. Be cool no matter what happens. I'll be alright."

"But—"

"I. Will. Be. Alright."

That tone and eye contact—Mino can't help but succumb to it. "Fine. I won't like it, though."

"Doesn't matter if you like it or not. It's just how it is," Seungyoon says, jaded by the society, burnt out by the unfair Omega treatments over his entire life. "Let's go. Buy me waffles. I'm craving chocolate."

"Chocolate. What are you, a 10-year-old?" Mino teases, in hopes to bring the shine back to Seungyoon's eyes.

"Yah!!! Do not question my palate!"

Well, it worked, much to Mino's delight.

Lotte Mart isn't too far. Only takes about 30 minutes on foot. As promised, on their way to the mart, Mino gets Seungyoon the thickest waffles, with chocolate sauce dripping over the sides. Seungyoon squeals like a kid. Even the cold gazes can't overcast Seungyoon's brightness.

Bellies filled with waffles and happiness, Mino and Seungyoon join the mother troop in quest of the cheapest meat.

"Should we go for the cheapest one?" Seungyoon wonders aloud, eyeing the frozen meat section.

"Aish, the fat. We'll break our teeth before we get to chew them all." Mino checks the price. "How about kalbi?"

"Expensive!" Seungyoon gasps in surprise. "Aha, marinated bulgogi! It's not that expensive. We could buy, I don't know, 5 kg of this?"

"5 kg—who are you trying to feed? The entire fleet? Yah, I know you love meat, but that's too much, don't you think?" Mino chides in disbelief.

Seungyoon shrugs. "How would I know? I don't cook."

Mino shakes his head out of ridiculousness. "Lemme text Seunghoon-hyung first to know how much we're gonna need."

With clear instructions and a grocery list provided by Seunghoon, the shopping ends without a fuss. They're waiting for their turn at the cashier when two young kids blink at Seungyoon owlishly.

"Yes?" Seungyoon smiles at them.

One of them, the curly-haired boy, blatantly points at Seungyoon's collar. "That black thing..."

Mino can feel himself bristling, but Seungyoon keeps smiling as he tugs at his own Omega collar. "You mean this? It's a collar."

"Why are you wearing that?" another snotty nose asks.

"You wanna hear a secret?" Seungyoon lowers his voice volume, crouching down to their level. Receiving eager nods from them, Seungyoon continues, "You see, this collar is meant to protect me from bad people."

"Bad people?" the kids whisper together as to match Seungyoon's hushed voice, fascinated.

"Yes, bad people. When they try to attack me, a shield will come out of this collar. Like this!!!" Seungyoon fakes holding a shield in his hand. "—YAHHH!!! DUSH, DUSH!!! YARGH!!"

Laughter bubbles up in Mino's chest listening to Seungyoon's ridiculous explanation. He ends up snorting his laugh in his fist instead.

As expected, the kids buy his ridiculous answer. A twinkle of star swims in their eyes. The curly boy asks, excited, "Are you a superhero? Like PJ Masks?!"

Seungyoon, damn him, accepts that proudly. "Yes, I am. I'm a good friend with Gekko too. But don't tell anyone. No one knows. Not even the hyung behind me."

The kids sneak a glance at Mino behind Seungyoon. Playing along, Mino pulls up a fake oblivious smile. They slap their hands over their mouths, shaking their heads. "No, no. Never! We promise!"

"Good. Now run along—go back to your mom," Seungyoon tells the kids, and the kids skitter away, their eagerness apparent in their light steps.

"A shield? A superhero? Gekko's friend?" Mino teases as soon as Seungyoon returns to his feet. "Geez. You are a 10-year-old kid."

"Hush. Kids like them no need to know the harsh truth." Seun