It haunts Minho for days. Damn, Jihoon, he curses mentally, making him all anxious and jumpy like this. The questions even keep disrupting his attention from finishing the current commission. He often catches himself staring at the colourful canvas, the brush poised over it, before letting out a sigh.

What if Seungyoon has another mate? What if Hana's father is still around in their lives? What if...

Too many 'what if's. Unable to deal with this anxiety, Minho ambushes Jinwoo at the long table. "Hyung, help me!!!"

Getting used to this, Jinwoo dodges Minho's colourful fingers, without even tearing his gaze away from the iPad in his hands. "What is it now?" The final account is more important anyway—oh, they haven't received the settlement. It's been weeks but that's cool. He'll phone the bank first thing tomorrow.

"Seungyoon."

What else, Jinwoo sighs. He expected to hear that name on a daily basis now. "What about him?"

That tone—Minho understands he's being a clingy Alpha right now, but he can't help himself. He looks down on his indoor slippers, trying to rearrange his words so he won't sound so petty. Yet his brain fails him, "Seungyoon, does he, uh..."

"Yes?"

 "I was wondering if, uh," Minho brings his gaze away, fingers fiddling with the hem of his sleeves. "If Seungyoon has a mate," his words sort of die at the end, uncertain.

"And why is this information essential to you?" Jinwoo questions back, recalculating the account. Apart from the settlement, nothing seems out of place. Good, it means the sales team is doing a phenomenal job. Jinwoo hums out his acknowledgement.

Minho sits down next to Jinwoo, though he chooses to face the opposite direction. He could come clean about his uneasiness at the thought of Seungyoon claimed by another, but it sounds too pathetic. 

Instead, he says, "A proposal."

Jinwoo raises a brow. Minho understands that much and grimaces.

"No, I mean, I have this proposal," Minho corrects, "Remember Hana? Talented little Hana? So yeah, I was thinking about guiding her so she can learn more about the arts."

"A noble intention," Jinwoo remarks coolly. Minho is relieved to hear a positive response from his manager. Good news, then. Jinwoo continues, "Do you think Kang Seungyoon will agree to this, considering the past you two shared?"

Well, yeah, that. Minho hasn't thought of that. But hey, everything starts with a dream. "I'll... talk to him? I mean, the next meeting?"

A snort escapes Jinwoo. "Last time I checked, you couldn't even meet his eyes. Never mind starting a formal discussion. You at talking."

"Hyung!!!" Minho whines, turning red because , it's the truth there.

"Okay, okay," Jinwoo sighs. He clicks the iPad shut and slaps closed the keyboard. Jinwoo turns to Minho. "Let's say you manage to talk to him about your plan—I should've used 'if' there, but okay—why does it have anything to do with Seungyoon having a mate or not?"

Minho hesitates. "I mean, uhm, I would hate to impose on his mate's life, uhm, because I'm an Alpha, and I uhm. Seungyoon and I, uhm—like,  I don't know, if I were Hana's father, I'd hate it if someone who had a history with Seungyoon getting close to her?"

Jinwoo stares. Then nods. "That's legit concern. But let's be honest here, you just want to be sure if Seungyoon really moves on or not, right?"

Well, okay. No bull. Fine. Still, it doesn't make it less embarrassing. Minho buries his face in his palms. "For once, hyung, can you just pretend that you don't know ? Spare me this embarrassment."

"My bad, my bad," Jinwoo laughs. "As much as I want to help you, Minho, I have no access to his private details. Sure, he still keeps his surname, but most Omegas these days choose to keep their surname after the mating ritual."

"You can't ask around?" Minho is nothing but persistent.

"He's not a celebrity, Minho. You won't get his private details lying around on the net."

Okay, point. Hunched over with the elbows on the knees, Minho toys with the piercing under his bottom lip, thinking hard. His eyes roam around for an idea before his gaze falls on a fashion magazine beneath Jinwoo's iPad.

High Cut. The current issue features two male models, which one of them looks rather familiar. Pink hair, lean built underneath the sleeveless shirt, small metallic collar, long legs wrapped in tight jeans and boots—it's oh.

The Omega Jinwoo-hyung fancies. The one who collected Hana before.

"Him," Minho points at the magazine cover.

"Who."

"That Omega."

"Which Omega—Seunghoon? You mean Seunghoon?"

"That's his name? Well, yeah, Seunghoon. I remember Seungyoon called him 'hyung' before," Minho recalls. "Right, him. Could you ask him?"

Jinwoo stares at him, feeling ridiculous. " no."

"What do you mean 'no'?" Minho pouts.

"Don't involve us in your complicated issues with Kang Seungyoon," Jinwoo warns.

"Hyung, hyung, it isn't that complicated," Minho tries, "Just one question, does Seungyoon have a mate? That's all."

"One thing leads to another."

"Please, hyung."

"Look, Minho, I like Seunghoon so much. Even my Alpha agrees. Don't rope us into your ."

"Hyung, please, just this one time," Minho begs even if it hurts his pride as an Alpha. He goes as far as clutching Jinwoo's hands, considering kneeling on the floor. "I just—please, hyung."

Jinwoo stares. Swallows the lump in his throat. Then looks away, unable to clash with Minho's pleading eyes. "Just this one time," he reminds. "And if Seunghoon decides not to answer, don't push him."

"Yes, yes, of course, no pushing," Minho quickly agrees.

"Geez, things I'd do for you," Jinwoo half whispers, freeing his hands from Minho's clutch to get to his phone.

Feeling grateful and guilty, Minho watches from the side as Jinwoo sends a Line text to Seunghoon's number—oh wow, since when he got his phone number? Damn, Jinwoo has better luck in relationships than him. That's depressing.

"He's not replying," Jinwoo says, snapping Minho out of his thoughts.

"What."

"Seunghoon isn't reading my text. He's probably working." Jinwoo checks the time; it's twelve minutes past eight. Yep, Seunghoon is still working. Most likely, he will reply to the text at midnight.

Like Seunghoon usually does.

It's like a small part of him getting out that Minho deflates right away. Disappointed even though it's no one's fault. "Yeah, right. Okay. Thanks, hyung," and drags his feet back to his painting corner, losing his muse.

Minho pretends not to hear Jinwoo's sigh behind him.

...

It's almost midnight when Jinwoo finally gets a reply from Seunghoon. Jinwoo pulls his headphones down to his neck after putting his computer game on pause. It's a slow night, anyway, no one hangs out in Overwatch. He reclines on the gaming chair, reading the text.

Seunghoon: hey

He types back a reply, just got back home?

Seunghoon: about an hour ago.

Hey, wanna Facetime? I miss your handsome face.

That gets a laugh out of Jinwoo. So straightforward. He likes Seunghoon's guts. He replies back, sure

Facetime with Seunghoon—that's new, but it's cool. Bare face, no filter on. Jinwoo, for a fact, is very confident with his look even without any cream applied on his face. He'd been called 'shounen guy' back during high school days for a reason, after all.

He wonders if Seunghoon's bare face looks as good as in magazines.

His iPhone vibrates on the table; an incoming Facetime. Jinwoo answers it, running his fingers through his hair to fix his look. He smiles, "Hey there—"

Oh, . 

Oh , oh , oh .

That pink hair is dripping wet, matted on the forehead. The damp skin glistens in the light, sharp lines accentuated by the shadow playing across the profile. The towel around the neck hints at the recent activity. Since Seunghoon has his iPhone on a stand, he folds his arms and tucks his chin in them, which then makes his bulging muscles more prominent. The close distance gives Jinwoo a good look at his piercing gaze; dark chocolate pupils, bordering on black.

Beautiful. Jinwoo stares transfixed by Seunghoon's beauty. The Alpha inside him coos.

"Hey there," Seunghoon grins, and damn, isn't that grin so beautiful? His Alpha wants to keep that smile in a jar, and , Jinwoo thinks that's stupid and cute at the same time.

Jinwoo swallows, with difficulty. "Just showered?"

"Yea," Seunghoon pulls at a strand of wet pink hair down his forehead to prove it. "The photoshoot finished late."

"Busy day?"

"Nah, an okay day. Stupid management, that's all."

"Always happens like t