A/N: Merry Christmas, everyone. ^^ 

To say that his alpha was civilized and polite was an understatement. Kyuhyun could be a total charmer, if he wanted to, just like how he was while talking to the director sitting across the table. Kyuhyun carried himself well as an alpha of high social status and Sungmin couldn’t deny how attractive this side of Kyuhyun was to him, although he would never witness it if they were alone.

They had signed the adoption papers and were now having a casual chat, which Sungmin had no idea what it was about. Once the signatures were penned down and his identification papers handed over to his alpha, his mind could no longer process anything else.

He was now officially Kyuhyun’s.

A part of him wanted to leap for joy, a part wanted to tremble in fear, a part wanted to sweat under anxiety, and the very last part of him wanted to defy and insist in staying in the orphanage.

But Sungmin did nothing, absently sitting through the exchanges between his alpha and the director, occasionally observing Kyuhyun’s actions as distraction when he caught his thoughts falling too deep.

“Sungmin, we’re done here. You should go pack your things.” The director said, pulling him out of his daze.

Sungmin looked up at his director hesitantly. He wanted to talk, but not with his alpha around.

“Kyuhyun-ssi, is it fine with you for me to talk to Sungmin for a few minutes in private?” The director asked, reading Sungmin’s expression.

“Of course, Director Kim. I will take the liberty to give myself a self-tour around the orphanage. I’m sure we will be coming back here often if Sungmin misses his friends too much.” Kyuhyun replied, standing up and extending his hand for a handshake. “Thank you, Director Kim.”

“No, thank you, Kyuhyun-ssi. Please take good care of our Sungmin.”

“I will.” Kyuhyun smiled and took his leave.

The pinch of happiness from his alpha agreeing to take good care of him vanished as the director took the adjacent seat that Kyuhyun had just vacated, giving him a knowing smile. When his director opened his arms wide for a hug, Sungmin couldn’t hold his emotions in anymore.

He collapsed into his director’s embrace, tears trickling down his cheeks.

“Good boy, it must have been hard for you.” The director rubbed his back, pulling him closer. “It’s okay, cry as much as you want.”

Sungmin’s sobs got louder and he grasped the director’s shirt tightly, as though he was grabbing on to his lifeline. The first time he had cried like this in his director’s embrace was when the director first brought him back to the orphanage, on the day his parents abandoned him. Since then, Sungmin had never broken down before the director. He promised that he would be brave and he wanted to make his director proud of him.

But this time, he couldn’t handle being brave anymore. Kyuhyun, the bond, the submissive nature – everything pushed him to his limits, to the point that death appealed as a sweet escape.

He hated his identity, he hated the bond, he hated himself for being so weak. But what he hated the most was how he was unable to hate Kyuhyun despite everything. The bond made him desperate for love, to the point that every little action that resembled care from his alpha could make his heart swell with happiness. And after the happiness dissipated, all Sungmin could register was how pathetic he was.

A pathetic, needy, weak and submissive omega – that was what he was reduced to, exactly like how society wanted him to be.

“I-I’m s-so—rry…” Sungmin uttered between his sobs, feeling guilty for going back on his promise to be brave regardless of circumstances.

“It’s okay, Sungmin. You’re such a brave boy, you have always been.”

Sungmin shook his head, pushing against his director’s chest. “N-noo… I’m not b-brave.”

“You are brave. I’ve heard everything from Zhoumi and I’m proud of you for being so brave to go through everything.”

Sungmin shook his head, taking in deep breaths to stop his sobbing. He pulled away from his director gently, looking up at him with slightly swollen eyes.

The director wiped the tears off gently. “You know, this reminds me of the first time I brought you back.” The director chuckled.

“I’m s-sorry, I must be worrying you.” Sungmin bit on his lower lip.

“Yes, I’m worried. Which parent doesn’t worry for their child?”

Sungmin could feel the tears coming again and he blinked them away quickly.

“If only you can stay here forever so that I can protect you, Sungmin. But now, you have someone else much stronger who can truly protect you. After all, I’m also an omega. Without my alpha, I wouldn’t have been able to do so much for all of you.”

“You two have done more than enough…” Sungmin looked down at his hands. “Hyung?”

“Mmh?”

Sungmin clutched his hands tightly together. “Do you really think he will protect me—I mean, when he finally knows that I’m a black omega, he’s going to—”

“When are you planning to tell him, Sungmin?” The director held his hands, preventing him from digging his nails into his palms.

“I don’t know how to tell him. I…”

“Be honest with him. I can see Kyuhyun-ssi is a nice person; he will accept you for who you are.”

Sungmin shook his head. “He… he’s not as nice to me as to everyone.”

“Not at all?”

“Only that time… after the punishment…” Sungmin’s voice trailed off. “But he became so cold after that. I—I don’t know which is the real him, or-or how I should respond or act around him!”

“You have to give him some time, Sungmin. This is not only the first time for you, but also the first time for him. He may be confused about how to handle things as well. Understand?” The director lifted his chin, establishing eye contact.