Chapter Text
Moodboard made by Sakura
Mood: Serenade for String Orchestra, Op.48, moderato by P. I. Tchaikovsky
A gentle breeze sweeps across the playground on this sunny day in Seoul, tenderly ruffling the purple blossoms of the hydrangea bushes that serve as the playground's border before it continues its journey through the chains of a swing that squeak with each push.
Right beside the swing, a trio of playful pups joyfully chase each other around the sturdy supports. One of them, the chaser, is bigger and probably older than the other two, but he lets them win anyway just to keep the game going.
It’s like a breath of fresh air, light and peaceful, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Speaking of air, the cheeky wind has found the playing pups too and is plucking their ringing giggles right from their lips to spread the joy into every direction. The sound carries over the playground, reaching even the smaller sandpit at the far end where a male omega sits alone on a weathered bench. He chuckles softly as the wind delivers the wafting tones of the pups' innocent play to his ears.
It’s Jimin, a man in his thirties. His arms are draped over the bench’s back, fingers playing with the green paint that peels in places, bearing witness to its better days. Despite the rich neighbourhood, the bench tells a tale of time and use. Jimin always sits on this particular bench when he takes his pup, Hayoon, to the playground. He likes the spot where it's installed, because it’s more quiet here, far away from the raucous groups of chattering adults crowding the main sandpit at the playground's centre.
However, sometimes this peace gets disturbed by a loud yell.
“Look at my sandcastle!”
One of the pups at the sandpit screams at another, disrupting the quiet moment. It’s a young boy, not older than five, who seems to be pretty enthusiastic about his little creation. So enthusiastic that he had to scream it into the world.
Jimin shakes his head in amusement and scrunches his nose when he sees the sparkling eyes of the proud boy, who is now in the middle of a heap of curious puppies following his call. It’s endearing to watch, and it shows Jimin once again why he loves pups: even though they can be loud and a bit too honest sometimes, they are still curious about the world around them—and not about the other people living in it. They are different from their hypocritical parents who preach to be humble and nice to others when they stab your back without batting an eyelash.
Jimin knows that most adults are quite the opposite of innocent. He has taken more than one glimpse at the world's darkest secrets. It’s his job. By night, he battles the bad guys as a secret agent, and by day, he embraces the role of a mother, guiding his pup through the brighter facets of life.
But even under broad daylight, danger is hiding everywhere, be it in bustling crowds like the playground or quiet corners. It’s the reason why Jimin’s vigilance never wavers—and because his pup shows him that despite all the darkness, there’s still some good in this world. So even if the people on this damn playground aren't his favourites, he endures it all for the sake of his beloved daughter.
Like today.
Discreet and focused, Jimin observes the scene through his black-tinted sunglasses. On his shoulders is a thin cotton cardigan, shielding him from the strong sun rays reflected off the sleek surface of his polished Chelsea boots. With legs crossed, he signals to everyone that he wants no part in this circus; he's merely here to savour the last days of summer and to spend time with his daughter.
Despite his closed-off and detached demeanour, or perhaps because of it, many eyes are drawn to him, stealing glances at the lonely figure who consistently occupies that very weathered bench. Some looks are admiring, some judgmental, for the omega is not only stunning but also enigmatic—a rare beauty with freckles on his button nose, silvery strands of hair, and sharp brown eyes that encapsulate the mystery of autumn itself.
He remains the anomaly in a sea of predictable interactions, and no one likes anomalies. Simply recalling school days, there was always the puppy that was perhaps dressed differently or was particularly quiet. School was often hell for them because they were deemed 'different'.
Yet, Jimin doesn’t care. As usual, he finds complete peace within himself and the world when he closes his eyes, embracing the riotous melody of the playground’s noises. It’s enough to make him happy. His trained ears recognise every single element on the playground and arrange them into a mighty orchestra playing a beautiful musical piece that only he seems to fully appreciate. Each laughter, every footstep, and the joyful chatter merge seamlessly, creating a symphony that dances through the air.
Life becomes the composer of this intricate piece, conducting a masterpiece that captures the essence of the playful moments unfolding. Usually, the weather acts as the conductor's baton, setting the key and mood. On this particular day, it’s the sun’s turn, which orchestrates an innocently happy C major, a musical key free from the burdens and complexities of life.
Meanwhile, typical playground chaos assumes the role of an unhinged conductor, bewildering newcomers while expertly guiding the movements of the ever-returning visitors. The giant sign displaying the playground rules serves as the concertmaster, maintaining the delicate balance between order and disorder, orchestrating the ebb and flow of the lively composition.
In his mind, Jimin gives every single soul on this playground a role in this orchestra. The parents with their soothing voices are the melodic string instruments, their puppies and their high-pitched screams the sharp woodwinds, the chattering grandparents the sonorous brass instruments, and last but not least, the numerous toys, buckets, and shovels, which remind him of a thundering percussion section.
Whistling a soft tune to the corresponding chords, Jimin taps his foot on the ground, following the rhythm. He's enjoying himself to the fullest and chuckles when one pup hits a particularly high note while sliding. It's perfect in its imperfections.
And yet, one tone stands out above all: it's the sound of Jimin's favourite soloist, Hayoon.
"Look, Mommy!" Hayoon squeaks, proudly showing a mud cake to Jimin.
The six-year-old pup is everything to Jimin, as he couldn't care less about anything or anyone else.
"Good job, pup!" He waves and smiles at his daughter, signalling that he sees her masterpiece and wholeheartedly approves. How could he not when she looks like she climbed the highest mountain or found a unicorn.
It’s surprising that such a small being can have such a huge impact on his life. Normally he avoids such places. Too many pretentious adults wherever he looks. His job made him into a recluse, but Hayoon changed everything.
"I love you, Hayoon-ah!" Jimin says, leaning back to fall into his introvert self again.
Of course, he wasn’t always like this, sitting alone on a bench at the playground like this. No, in the past—the long-forgotten past—he used to be interested in other things and other wolves, making friends left and right at daycare or at music school. He was the life of every party, a textbook extrovert.
But that stopped many years ago. It’s not that he quit trying to have fun or make friends, but there was always someone who ended up disappointing him, and that sentiment stuck. And soon, the song of his life slowly turned into a heartbreaking ballad in D♯minor, the saddest musical key.
The only other person who stayed and still owns a place in his heart is his best friend, Taehyung. The alpha accompanied Jimin most of his life, which has now reached thirty-four years, as he was so poignantly reminded on his birthday cake made by the very same Taehyung last month. Taehyung is a very handsome alpha with brown eyes, dark hair and the cutest smile. He has known Jimin and put up with him for better or worse since they were five.
They met at the local music school as they were the tiniest pups in the group. Both started to play the piano at first and grew closer and closer the more time they spent together in the small and cramped practice rooms. Later, they also played around with other instruments, like the violin or the flute, until they presented and no longer just played around with instruments but mostly with the wolves behind those.
They went through thick and thin, always being each other's safe place when everything seemed to crush down on them.
Taehyung was there when Jimin lost his dear grandmother at seventeen, the only person in his entire family that was close to him.
When she took her last breath, Jimin fell into a sort of limbo, utterly lost without the warmhearted woman. His parents couldn't comfort their little pup. Maybe because they really couldn't or, more likely, because they simply weren't interested in doing so. Him presenting as a male omega at sixteen wasn’t what they wanted and they didn’t even hide it.
In truth, Jimin's parents are a significant reason for the darkness in his life. They hated that he was a lively but also soft, kind-hearted and caring pup, possibly the first indicator for every one in this pure alpha family that he was a bit different from them.
He had to endure their hatred for years.
Until it was enough.
Until it wasn't just about him anymore.
He cut all ties with them after they told him to his face that it wasn't acceptable for them that he was pregnant without being mated. He remembers the conversation like it was yesterday. It was right on Christmas Eve, shortly after he found out.
"Eomeoni, Abeoji, I have something important to tell you," he said, fidgeting with the rings on his fingers.
"Oh? And what could possibly be so important that you couldn't wait until after dinner?" Jimin’s mother replied, coldly as usual.
"I'm pregnant."
"Pregnant? You're not even mated yet, Jimin!" Jimin’s father barked back, clenching his hands into fists as if he wanted to crush the cutlery. "You bring shame upon this family, Jimin! You know better than this!"
He was visibly angry, but his mother surprised Jimin more.
She looked almost mocking. “Will you get rid of it?”
Jimin instantly protected his belly with his hands, growling at her words. “No. I’ll keep my pup.”
"I can't believe this..." Jimin’s father said while jumping up and leaving the table.
Jimin and his mother were left alone, quietly glaring at each other. The dinner in front of them which would surely turn cold now that everyone’s appetite was gone. After a few minutes, his mother broke the silence.
“I never understood those omegas and their constant need to get bred.”
Jimin wanted to shout at her, scream at her, asking her how she could dare to say this, but she beat him to it, simply silencing him with red-glowing eyes and her alpha voice.
“The moment you presented as a…male omega,” she spit the words with disgust, “I knew you would turn into this. I also knew what you and your little friend did during the lessons at music school that we paid so much for, and it was not practising Sibelius’ violin concerto. So, it doesn’t surprise me much that you are knocked up while being unmated. You always were reckless, Jimin. Always chasing after your own desires without thinking about the consequences. Now look at you, a disgrace to our family, flaunting your pregnancy like it's something to be proud of. Your appa is right. You've brought shame upon us all.”
That was it. Nothing more.
Afterwards, it was just Taeyhung, Hayoon and Jimin. Jimin never visited his parents again. They never saw Hayoon because Jimin refused.
But they never asked for it anyway.
So, Jimin erased their entire existence from his mind, which made it easier to continue with the happier aspects in his life, focusing on the good things: the little pup in his belly and the best friend on his side.
When Jimin showed Taehyung the positive pregnancy test and confessed his little encore with Daehyun, the pup's father, his best friend didn't judge but took care of Jimin pre- and post-pregnancy.
Taehyung knew Daehyun already, and he didn't like him at all.
Both he and Jimin met Daehyun at the age of twenty-one in the neighbouring town's conservatory. Sometimes, Taehyung wished he had not witnessed this particular fiasco with Jimin and the flamboyant cellist. The odd couple had been dating for a little bit over a year when they broke up, if the breaks in between are not counted in their on-off relationship.
But when Jimin and Daehyun met again years later at one night when Jimin was booked as the guest soloist by the very same conservatory, where Daehyun still had a permanent spot in the orchestra, they rekindled that old flame.
After the performance, Jimin was so high on adrenaline that he made the mistake of letting Daehyun pluck his strings within the sheets for one last time.
The whole three minutes were nothing what he expected. Despite all the promised crescendo on the alpha's part, everything remained very flat and off-key for Jimin, leaving an unsatisfied omega hanging on an underwhelming knot.
And yet, Daehyun must have stroked the right chords because their dull night ended in the bright light of Hayoon.
Daehyun was never interested in their daughter and didn't want to see her, and Jimin honestly preferred it this way. It was definitely for the best. So, he let Daehyun walk away another time, the last time.
Taehyung was also at Jimin's side when his water broke. Sure, he fainted, but the sudden surprise distracted Jimin from the pain for a bit. When everything was over after many hours, Taehyung had regained his strength and held Hayoon in his arms while Jimin rested a little.
It is one of the many things Jimin likes the most about Taehyung; he is loved and supported by the alpha no matter what. Taehyung would never judge him, not his life, not his decisions, not his job.
His job.
Of course, Taehyung is also the only person in Jimin's private life who roughly knows about his actual job as a secret agent. And that only happened by coincidence when Jimin was tending to two bullet wounds on his body the moment Taehyung tried to surprise him at home on his twenty-fifth birthday. He saw the omega in his nest with blood-soaked gauze pads and roller bandages that had been attached to his freshly stitched wounds just moments before.
This incident was one of the countless times Taehyung surprised Jimin with how he handled things in stress situations because, contrary to his expectations—namely for Taehyung to scream and point fingers—the alpha simply walked straight up to him and helped him change the bandages without a word. Jimin still remembers the relief he felt for the first time in years since he started working at the agency. He could finally share this part of his life with someone else.
Jimin was twenty-one when his former music teacher introduced him to some acquaintances. The old beta explained to them that Jimin had an extraordinary talent for processing complex information with speed and accuracy and for recognising contexts and correlations, which makes him both an outstanding musician and a fantastic analyst.
The acquaintances were dubious wolves clad in black suits who suggested Jimin to work for the government instead of being a struggling violin soloist. Strangely enough, these people made such an impression on Jimin that he accepted the job offer without a second thought.
At the beginning, he only worked in a tiny office which he had to share with multiple other wolves, but after a few years of training, he was allowed to leave the dusty office and was sent to the front. Finally, he could investigate and expose high-level underground organisations face-to-face.
And Jimin was good at his job, so good that he has kept climbing the ranks over the years, which in turn knocked him down the popularity scale. No team wanted to work with him for a long time because they suffered under his alleged authoritarian leadership, or simply because he was an omega.
Jimin knew it was the latter, but many people tried to convince him that it wasn't.
It wasn't easy in an alpha-dominated field. All the more, it felt as though Jimin could finally breathe when he told Taheyung at least vaguely what he does for a living when the alpha changed his bandages.
After everything poured from his lips, he wasn't alone anymore. Of course, he could not go into details, but he could talk about his feelings, and Taehyung just nodded briefly without asking further.
It shouldn't really have been one of Jimin's worries.
Taehyung will always be Taehyung. If the world around them changes, Taehyung will adapt and overcome them.
Like he does with Hayoon. Next to Jimin, it’s Taehyung who raises Hayoon. She might not be his pup, but he deemed her his favourite niece the moment she opened her eyes for the first time at the hospital.
He changed the diapers, taught her how to hold chopsticks, and now, he often watches her. Especially at night when Jimin is on his way to kick some evil guys' butts.
Luckily, Hayoon is too young to really care for Jimin's actual job and was happy once they explained that mommy goes to the symphony every night to tune all the instruments because no one uses them at that time. It was and is a stupid explanation, and they certainly need a better one in the future, but somehow Hayoon accepted it without further questions, despite the fact that she usually asks ten thousand questions a day about everything and everyone.
Jimin knows that even if he doesn't find another explanation for his absence, Taehyung will certainly wing it and come up with something. And Hayoon will definitely eat it up like a chocolate dessert.
Like now, when Hayoon is not eating a chocolate dessert but a mud cake.
"Hey Chimchim, how's it going?" A voice is coming up from behind the bench.
Jimin instantly knows who that could be, but that doesn't mean he didn't flinch and switched directly to defence mode.
“Taehyung! Are you out of your mind?!" he growls, upper lip curled into a scowl, revealing sharp and shiny fangs.
Taehyung ignores the threatening glance and grins brightly. He even slings his arm over Jimin's shoulder and pinches the omega's cheek. "Thought you were an agent? You're pretty jumpy for that, aren't you. Couldn't hear me? Couldn't smell me? What a shame." He makes a clicking noise with his tongue, expressing his mock disapproval. "Slowly getting too old for that, aren't you, Chimchim?"
Jimin has to admit that, indeed, he didn't notice Taehyung at all. He was far too caught up in his head. Only now that he knows of Tahyung's presence, he can detect the alpha's cinnamon scent, which he should have noticed much earlier.
"You can't just talk about it in public like that," he scolds his friend with a hiss.
"Rubbish. You chose to sit far away from other people. Nobody can hear us." Taehyung broadly gestures around to prove his point that no one is in their proximity.
He is basically right. They are alone. Jimin always prefers to sit at the end of the playground where nobody else wants to sit. He doesn't want to entertain their hunt for secrets. But even at this remote spot, he has to be careful.
"Don't underestimate a playground's eager eyes and ears." Jimin tucks twice on Taehyung's earlobe. It's a habit. Jimin already did that when they were pups.
"True. Because since I'm here, everyone's been eyeing us," Taehyung says with too much confidence for Jimin's taste.
"Only because you're so weird."
"Says you, the wolf who sits on a lonely bench on a playground, stares into nothingness, and moves his lips without even talking to anybody."
Jimin opens his mouth to defend himself, but Taehyung is faster and takes his chin in his hand, pulling him closer. "Even if you're weird, I still love you, and that has been the case for what… thirty years?"
"Twenty-nine," Jimin answers. "You would know if you really loved me."
"It was a close call, you little smart ass." Taehyung pokes him in the side, but it does nothing to Jimin. Years of combat training left the omega desensitised to such attacks.
Taehyung huffs. "Anyway, I've known you long enough–"
"Twenty-nine years."
"I know, Jimin!" Taehyung pinches the bridge of his nose to focus again. "I wanted to say I've known you long enough to appreciate your little quirks."
"Can't say the same."
Both playfully glare at each other until Hayoon jumps at Taehyung, and thus, ends their little quarrel. "Uncle Taetae!" she squeals.
"Hey, my little piccolo flute!"
"Uncle Taetae, what are you doing here? Do you want to play with me?"
"Later, baby. Later," Taehyung answers and tickles her chin. "First, I want to talk to your mommy. Could you give us a moment, please?"
Hayoon accepts it with a half-shrug and shuffles back to the sandpit. Taehyung chuckles when he sees her enthusiastically digging a gigantic hole with the big green shovel he gifted the pup on her last birthday until someone pinches his thigh.
"Ouch, what the f…freckle, Jimin?"
"You know, that was actually a good question from her. What exactly do you want here other than getting on my nerves?" Jimin gives him a pointed look, suspicion clearly written on his face.
"I wanted to see you," Taehyung answers casually.
"As if." Jimin crosses his arms in front of his chest. He sniffs the air around the alpha provocatively. "I can smell your dirty lies."
He notices something in Taehyung's immaculate appearance that makes him even more suspicious. Usually, Taehyung avoids playgrounds. So, Jimin guesses the other must have some selfish intentions that have nothing to do with him or his daughter. But today, Taehyung's brunette hair looks styled. There is a hint of makeup around his eyes, accentuating their unique form. He is clean-shaven and smells intense, like Christmas cookies. His clothes, some green slacks and a white shirt, are nothing for a playground but scream money and I pick the expensive ten-course dinner menu with gold flakes on the dessert. On top of the shirt is a green silk vest. Jimin has to look twice at it. It's a vest. Nobody wears a silk vest around the playground, in the middle of sand and snot. There has to be a specific reason for the alpha to look like that.
"Oh my..." It hits Jimin when he catches a very brief and secret glimpse Taehyung throws at another parent, a tall and handsome omega. It was shorter than a millisecond, but Jimin saw it nevertheless. Being trained as an agent has its advantages in such situations. "You are hunting for prey."
"I do not!"
"Of course. You're here to look for a fling, considering the fact that you hate playing with other children but love to play with their parents."
"What? How can you believe that?! I wanted to see my dearest niece and my best friend!" Taehyung defends himself.
"Nonsense." Jimin tucks on Taehyung's earlobe again.
"Ouch! What do you think of me? You mean omega!"
Jimin snorts and shoves Taehyung from the bench. The alpha lands on his butt with a loud thud.
"Excuse me?!" Taehyung rubs his hurting backside while looking accusingly at his best friend. "Why?"
"Because you are a liar and a coward. Besides, you're annoying," Jimin answers with a dismissive hand gesture. "You know I'm an expert at analysing people, and I already noticed you secretly ogling that particular single omega. You know, the pretty one that looks like a prince with his thick lips and the flowy haircut." He points at a nearby omega that sits in the sandpit close to two arguing pups. Taehyung's eyes follow Jimin's finger until they land at said omega.
Jimin can't hide the evil smirk when Taehyung's breathing stops the moment the other parent has noticed their intense stares and winks back at them. Quickly, the alpha turns his head back to Jimin, blushing from head to toe.
"Stop analysing me! I'm not one of your targets. I just want some fun," Taehyung warns.
"So, am I correct that you were lying to me?"
"And what if I did?"
"Then, I won't give you information on that fine fella over there. You know I can tell you some captivating stories about at least half of the people here—along with their dirty secrets. I memorised them all." Jimin taps his finger against his temple.
Taehyung makes a face, a mixture between confused, weirded out, and pitiful. "You definitely need some knot."
Jimin gasps, taking offence rather quickly. "What has that got to do with it?"
"You seem to be very bored or you wouldn't remember all that shit."
"I get knots. All the time." Jimin says it louder than intended. Some of the other parents are turning their heads in their direction.
"I mean the real ones. Not your toys," Taehyung whispers and wiggles his eyebrows with a maliciously playful grin.
Jimin slaps Taehyung's arm. "You…?! Shut up! No information for you then!"
"I don't want your information. Don't need them. I mean, look at me," Taehyung says as he runs his fingertips over his body. "Look at that lean alpha body. I could have them all if I wanted."
"Your looks don't matter if they aren't single, Taehyung. Believe me, you will be the hot topic for the next few weeks if you woo a mated wolf. Imagine the headlines in their group chats: 'Beware! Creepy Alpha Seduces Taken Omegas' or 'Hide Your Spouses'.
That was a low blow from Jimin's part, but it was effective because now, he has his best friend exactly where he wants him—on the cusp of breaking.
A grunt comes from the alpha, signalling his defeat. Jimin mentally raises his fist in success.
"See?! I am your only chance to NOT be the talk of the playground," Jimin says.
"Grrrrrrr…"
"What? Yes or no?"
"Grrrrr…"
"Use words, Taehyung-ah!"
Taehyung sighs. "Only the basics, please."
"I knew it."
"Cut it and start." Taehyung groans.
"That's not a very kind way to ask for something," Jimin scolds him with an annoyingly high-pitched voice.
"Just tell me, Jimin."
"You seriously need to work on that attitude of yours. But I'll let it slip because I love you and I think you should get that sexy omega." Jimin rubs his palms together and cracks his neck. He prepares for his monologue. "The basics: The tall and slender omega's name is Kim Seokjin, thirty-six years old, born in Gwacheon, formerly mated but left that dirty bastard two years ago, got sole custody, divorce was a nightmare, was very close to rip that guy's dick off. Kim always shows up at the playground at the same time, 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with his two pups, Byeongho and Byeongcheol. They stay at least for one or two hours. They live just around the corner on the top floor in that yellow apartment building with the fancy roof garden. He's some hot milfy MILF but also seems to be kind and funny, perhaps a bit stressed lately, considering how often he desperately struggles to stop his extremely excited pups from feeding each other their dirty sand cakes. He works at–"
Taehyung presses his hand on top of Jimin's mouth in order to interrupt the endless flow of information. "Okay, that was more than enough," he says.
Jimin only shrugs his shoulders and stops, even if he could go on for hours. He's a whole database of secrets. Over the years, he collected more than he could ever spill.
Taehyung slowly shakes his head. "Oh boy, did you conduct a full background check? Is that what you do at work? Stalking other parents?"
Jimin chuckles. "Nope."
"No?" Taehyung looks questioningly at his friend. "But how do you know all that?"
"Oh, my poor, unaware Taetae. That omega over there is wealthy, hot, and single—a spicy mixture—and this is a playground." Jimin gestures around himself. "It's the perfect place for bored and bitter adults where they can spend too much time pretending to be the best. You have no idea how willingly all those parents, legal guardians, grandparents, and babysitters tell you all the latest gossip just to denounce potential opponents in the crazy war called child raising. They rat you out the moment you turn your back on them, and they are the last to help you when your pup is choking on their home-baked gluten-free broccoli bars."
Taehyung snorts and shakes his head.
For a moment, Jimin thinks about the issue of people spreading secrets. "From an analyst's perspective, I must admit that they are amazing at getting all those saucy secrets. I don't understand why the agency doesn't recruit their agents at playgrounds? Those selfish fuckers are the best."
"Probably because they are also the first to spill them."
Both have to laugh at that.
"At least it never gets boring," Taehyung says. "Now, give me more of that playground gossip. Entertain me while I gain the confidence to approach the omega of my dreams. What do you know about that other guy next to the monkey bars? The one with the light-brown hair and the heart-shaped lips. He looks very handsome."
"Aaahhh, an easy one." Jimin clears his throat. "Jung Hoseok, beta, thirty-five, born and raised in Gwangju until he was two. Afterwards, his family moved to Busan when his baby brother was born. The whole family moved to Seoul five years ago where he found the love of his life. He's a baker in his own bakery called Hobilicious. He's mated, has a brother, likes sweets and seafood. That pup on the monkey bars is not his own offspring, but his mate's from a previous relationship, yet he raises the little girl called Danbi as if she were his own because, he's one of the enlightened wolves who actually get that blood doesn't make a family but love. He's a good guy, smiles all day, laughs a lot, and worships his pup and mate."
Taehyung whistles. "Whoa, you are really something. You know more gossip than my magazines."
"I take that as a compliment," Jimin answers and winks at his friend.
"Okay, Chimchim. That's cool and all, but do you also know the interesting stuff? The dirty stuff?"
Jimin's eyes glisten with mischief. "Oh, I do, Taebaby. I do. Actually, Jung Hoseok knows not only how to knead the dough but also how to knead ass. His fingers seem to be quite talented. Furthermore, he has not only a long face but also… well, you know, and he supposedly knows how to use it. Some of the single omegas secretly swoon over him because his mate revealed after too many Martinis that Hoseok is some wild stud in the bedroom who likes to bend his mate into every angle and takes them in every position with his horse dick. And there was something about whips and ropes and cowboy hats which I kindly ignored."
Taehyung gives a big, wild roar of a laugh, causing the whole playground to watch them both. Regardless, Jimin joins the other's wild laughter and soon both clutch at their stomachs which already hurt from laughing. It takes them a couple of minutes and a judgmental look from Hayoon to lower their loud screeches into silent and breathy giggles.
"That was fun." Taehyung wipes a tear from his eye.
"It was."
"So, is he single or dating? That tall omega?" Taehyung nods at Kim Seokjin, who currently wipes the sand off his pups' hands.
"No one really knows but there's this rumour that he's single, not dating but open for anything."
"Do you think I have a chance?"
"Didn't you tell me earlier how stunning you were?" Jimin mocks his best friend.
"Yah! You're–"
Suddenly, they are both interrupted when a little pup falls to the ground right in front of their feet and starts to cry miserably. The poor boy turns around on his back and holds his knee with both hands.
It is almost comical how Jimin, driven by maternal instinct, dives forward to the boy and Taehyung, quite uncle-like, leaps backwards straight over the back of the bench to put as much distance as possible between himself and the wailing pup.
"Oh, poor pup. Don't cry." Without giving it a thought, Jimin quickly lifts the boy onto his lap and tries to calm him down, releasing his soothing bergamot scent that covers them from the surrounding turmoil like a thick curtain. Meanwhile, he inspects the wound on the pup's knee. It's not deep and more like a scrape, but he also knows how much they can sting due to the missing layers of skin.
"Owww!" the boy wails.
Jimin presses the pup to his chest, and the little boy wraps his short arms around the omega as best as he can. With tiny fingers, he tightly clutches at Jimin's cotton shirt.
Jimin's spiking scent also attracts his curious daughter, who comes closer to see why her mommy smells like a citrus grove. After seeing something in Jimin's embrace, she is very much interested in who exactly is the dark-haired boy. Carefully, she also takes a seat on Jimin's legs, watching the other pup with hawk eyes. To Jimin's delight, Hayoon relaxes when she notices that the boy is injured. The other's pain outweighs any kind of jealousy. She even pats the boy's back in comfort.
"There, there," Hayoon says in a soft tone. After hesitating for a second, she even sticks her little nose in the boy's nape, trying to scent the crying pup with her thick milky scent like Jimin or Taehyung do when she's upset.
It is a sweet picture.
Happily, Jimin bends down to kiss Hayoon's cheek as a praise for her kindness and understanding. He rocks the injured pup back and forth, humming a simple melody until he stops crying.
"Hey baby, you're alright now?" Jimin asks.
The boy's lower lip is still wobbling, yet, with big, blinking eyes, he nods.
"What's your name, puppy?"
"H-hyunwoo," the boy stutters.
"Hey, Hyunwoo. I'm Jimin, and this is Hayoon," Jimin introduces them both and Hayoon waves at the little boy once her name is mentioned.
"And this is uncle Taetae," Hayoon adds, pointing over her shoulder at the alpha, who still cautiously stands behind the bench and observes the whole thing with scepticism. But even if Taehyung's still reluctant, he waves back.
The little boy bows to them, and Jimin compliments his good manners. "Such a good puppy." He runs his fingers through the pup's midnight-black hair, and the boy leans forward and sticks his nose into Jimin's neck. He draws the calming scent into his lungs and starts to purr.
Hayoon's eyes widen comically as she is definitely not used to sharing her mommy with another pup this intimately, but Jimin quickly grabs her chubby fingers and scents her wrist to show her that she is still loved. Jimin knows that the boy just needs some closeness and comfort, but he also knows that this is a delicate situation for his own pup, and he doesn't want to upset any of them. which is why he is relieved that Hayoon seems to understand the exceptional situation. She even blows gently at the wound as an attempt to soothe the pain.
"Don't worry, Hyunwoo. Mommy is good at watching pups," Hayoon says.
"Are you alone, pumpkin?" Jimin asks the little boy, needing to get some answers.
The boy is still rubbing his nose against Jimin's scent glands but shakes his head during a short break.
"Where are they?" Jimin asks himself, while looking around to see if anybody looks like they are missing a pup.
And speaking of the devil, a broad and tall male with midnight-black hair shoots across the playground and seems to be searching for someone. "Woo!"
Jimin straightens his posture, and even Hyunwoo withdraws from the omega's neck when he hears his name booming across the playground.
"Hyunwoo! Where are you?!" The man seems desperate, pacing back and forth, screaming the pup's name without a break.
The boy suddenly starts crying again. Luckily, this time out of pure relief. Too many emotions are difficult for such a tiny pup and his brain shows it by sending large amounts of tears and snot out of his face. His cries are loud and desperate, gaining attention. One by one, the other visitors look in the crying pup's direction until, finally, the sound also reaches the screaming man.
"Hyunwoo!" The man shouts even louder when he hears the familiar cries of his missing pup. He tosses his head from side to side to pinpoint the boy's exact location. When he sees them, he fastens his steps and runs in their direction. "Woo!! I'm coming!"
The alpha comes closer, and as with every new situation, Jimin's brain cannot help but switch into work mode and analyse the approaching wolf within a millisecond:
Smells like alpha, dominant type, strong and smoky scent like old whisky barrels, body is in peak condition, thoroughly fit, at least one head taller than me, most likely thirty or thirty-one, unmated and probably the pup's relative due to his eagerness to find the boy, probably the pup's father considering the similar black, naturally-curled hair and facial features. He wears casual but expensive clothes, even the hairstyle is in immaculate shape despite all the hustle and bustle and desperation. He's a tad bit too athletic for the financial sector but too rich for being a sports person or a personal trainer, probably some hot real estate guy for celebrities, because usually real estate agents are running around those large villas the whole day. The man's eyes portray confusion and fear rather than aggression. They are black, not red. He is still in his right mind.
Jimin's internal analysis stops when the alpha is only a few metres away, only to be replaced by one of his other instincts: defense mode. Posture rigid, jaw locked. He holds the two children tighter in his arms and reflexively jumps to his feet to get proper balance. Even if the other person doesn't seem aggressive, confusion can easily lead to aggression, and Jimin likes to be prepared for every situation.
The alpha seems to notice Jimin's defensive stance just as quickly and stops on the spot. The gravel beneath his feet flies into the air due to the hard braking. The man looks into Jimin's eyes and holds his palms up to deescalate the tense situation, indicating that he is not a threat for the pups, Jimin, or Taehyung.
"Whoa, easy," the alpha says in a soft tone. Despite the long sprint, he doesn't even seem out of breath. Almost calmly, he approaches Jimin without breaking their eye contact once. He knows what he's doing. He releases wave after wave of his comforting woody scent. "This is my pup, Hyunwoo. I mean no harm, Omega. You did a good job protecting my child. Thank you so much. But now, you can let go of him."
Jimin squints his eyes. A part of him doubts the alpha's reliability. His job has made him suspicious. He has seen people lying without batting an eyelid. However, despite his scepsis, the man seems to be telling the truth. His scent is untainted. There are no traces of the telltale stench of sweat that gets released when someone is lying. Nevertheless, in order to be completely sure, Jimin takes a quick glance at the visible carotid artery on the alpha's neck that shows the pulse. It is a little higher than average, but not as if he were lying.
Wild movements in Jimin's arms rattle him. Hyunwoo is wiggling in his embrace and makes grabby hands in the alpha's direction. Eagerly, the boy tries to free himself from Jimin's tight grip when the omega still misses to let go.
"Appa!"
Jimin's brain scolds him that this is indeed the alpha's son but he's still cautious. Torn between both, the omega decides for the only sane decision: he slowly squats down and carefully releases the pup out of his firm grip, yet remains in combat mode, ready to attack at any time.
"Oh, my puppy!" The alpha gets on his knees, ready to welcome the pup into his arms.
"Appa, appa!" The pup is more than excited to see his father. The moment the little feet touch the ground, he rushes to the alpha as fast as he can with the little limp caused by the wound on his knee.
Immediately, his father catches the weird movement. "What happened, Woo?" The alpha looks worried and examines the son from top to bottom, raising the pup's little arms and legs in search of injuries. The boy doesn't answer but giggles when he hangs upside down in the air.
"He hurt his knee, but luckily, it's just a scratch." Jimin speaks for the pup, trying to smile a bit in comfort.
"And I blew on it," Hayoon adds.
The alpha turns the boy around to inspect his knee. Once he deems it harmless, he places a little kiss next to the wound. "My poor puppy. How did that happen?" he asks his son, but the question is actually directed at Jimin.
"He tripped right in front of us, and then, dived into the gravel," Jimin replies.
"Yes, appa. Hurts," Hyunwoo finally speaks, adding his part. "Can I get a plaster?"
The alpha smiles. "Sure."
"The yellow plaster? With the pink bunnies?" The pup seems very excited. His pain is long forgotten.
The man throws his head back and laughs. He gives his son a peck on his rosy cheek. "Even the yellow ones with the pink bunnies if you want to." He squeezes his pup once again and lifts him onto his hips while getting up on his feet again. "Thank you for taking care of my puppy," he addresses Jimin and Taehyung and inclines his head respectfully.
Taeyhung confidently tucks a strand of hair behind his ear when he replies, "It's okay. We were more than happy to watch him. As I always like to say: one should help the other."
Jimin looks confused at his friend, trying to figure out how exactly Taehyung helped the boy. He just remembers a jumping Taehyung, who leaped over the bench in order to not get involved.
"Thank you. I'm in your debt." The unfamiliar father sighs, looking relieved but also upset. "I don't want to imagine what could have happened to Hyunwoo. For moon's sake, if I hadn't been so enraptured by that stupid apple crumble at the bakery, he wouldn't have had the chance to sneak off."
"So, he ran away?" Jimin asks.
"Yeah, he wanted to go to the playground immediately, but I told him I needed to eat something first because I was working the night shift and got up maybe an hour and a half ago. So, we went to the bakery, and he cried the whole time. And when I looked at those ridiculously delicious pastries, he must have seized his moment to fly away."
"Yeah, how horrible it must have been to find him nowhere. You must have felt so bad! So, so bad!" Taehyung pours salt in the wound and Jimin wants to slap his best friend because the alpha looks really upset by now. Taehyung seems to have a cunning plan, and Jimin already has an idea in which direction this conversation is going. He has known the other too long to believe in his innocence.
"Luckily, my best friend Jimin, this pretty omega here..." Taehyung says while squeezing Jimin's cheeks, "didn't hesitate for a second when he rushed to your pup to calm him down like the perfect mommy he is. He is such a kind wolf, always knowing what's best for pups. A young and responsible parent. And single."
Jimin's frown only worsens with every word that leaves Taehyung's mouth. It almost sounds like a sales talk, as if Jimin is the showcase object.
"And your son felt so comfortable in his embrace that he even scented Jimin back. You know, pups only do that when they feel absolutely safe. Hence, I think you owe my friend a lot," Taehyung chirps.
Jimin's eyes widen, and he wants to intervene, but Taehyung already covers the omega's mouth with his big palm.
With a smirk, Taehyung proceeds with his project, "And Jimin likes pastries and apples too. What a coincidence! Maybe you can take him to the bakery and share it with him, or maybe a coffee, or a dinner, or maybe something more romant–" Taehyung stops and screams because Jimin bit his hand during his suggestions. Hastily, he yanks his hands away and rubs them together to soothe the pain while glaring at his friend.
Jimin shakes his hands and head alike. "Stop that, Taehyung." He turns to the father. "I'm sorry. Don't mind this dickhead. You don't owe me anything!"
The alpha stares at them both, seemingly taken aback. He slowly shifts his gaze from one to another and back. His face is flushed—as well as his ears, neck, and the bit of chest that peeks out of the top of his shirt. "But I guess he's right," he says.
"Of course, I am!" Taehyung proudly confirms, pain forgotten.
"No, he's not. He never is. Never ever," Jimin interjects hastily.
Taehyung gives the other alpha an exaggerated smile, mouthing excuse me, before he turns around and presents him with his broad back, shielding Jimin from the alpha's gaze in order to have a serious talk with his best friend. "Shut up, Jimin. I was so close to getting you that knot."
"You little shit," Jimin growls. If looks could kill, Taehyung would be dead by now. Jimin wants to rip his best friend's smug smile off his face, but luckily for Taehyung, he gets disturbed when the handsome father opens his mouth to say something.
"That's actually a good idea." The alpha tries to peek around Taehyung's broad shoulders. When he catches Jimin's gaze, he waves with the phone in his hand. "Can I have your number? So that I can invite you to have a cake or coffee?"
"Sure," Taehyung answers instead, turns around and grabs the phone.
"Wait! Y-You can't just give him m-my number!" Jimin splutters.
"Oh, I can, and I already did." Taehyung hands the phone back after successfully saving Jimin's number. He winks at the other alpha and whispers to him, "I saved him as 'Hot Mamma from the Playground'. Call him!"
"Yayyyy! Appa and Jimin are friends. We can play together. And we can eat cake together!" Hyunwoo squeaks in excitement.
Unfortunately for Jimin, Taehyung uses this to his advantage. He winks at the young pup. "That sounds like a perfect date. Good idea, pup!"
"Taehyung!"
Taehyung ignores Jimin and talks casually to the other alpha. "Don't let him wait. You owe him. I mean, he saved your pup's life!"
"I will certainly do," the father assures and gives Taehyung an honest smile before he turns to his pup. "Say bye, Hyunwoo. We have to go. Daddy still needs food. Okay?"
"Okay, Daddy." The pup waves at Jimin, Hayoon and Taehyung. "Bye, bye."
"Say 'See you, Jimin'," his father whispers into the boy's ear.
"See you, Jimin!" The little boy smiles with his front teeth on bright display. His two little fangs are still cute and round.
To Jimin's dismay, the boy's father joins him by flashing the same big front teeth which are already framed by four long, pointed canines. That's when he knows that he is doomed.
Utterly doomed.
His legs have turned numb and his cheeks grew hot. The smiles are saccharine and deadly.
Luckily, they turn around and walk off, leaving Jimin alone with his goosebumps. And yet, he definitely wants to see those smiles again.
Taehyung notices Jimin's reactions and is very pleased with himself. "I think the correct way to talk to me now is: 'Thank you, my precious Taehyung'," he throws in and bows like a magician at the end of a successful show. "You're welcome, Chimchim. He's definitely your type. I mean, just look at that alpha! He is tall, has dark and curly hair, big eyes, rosy lips. He is cute and has a nice smile with sexy fangs that would definitely leave a nice mating mark. Besides, he is buff and strong, which is perfect if you want to be pressed against a wall. Oh, he smells good, and he's…wait. Who is he? Did you catch his name?"
Before Jimin can answer, Taehyung clears his throat and screams, "Hey! Hot Alpha Daddy!"
Of course, the alpha heard him, and turns around. "Yes?"
"What's your name?"
"Huh?"
"WHAT'S YOUR NAME, HOT DADDY?" Taehyung repeats and Jimin wants to dig his own grave because he's sure that anybody in this city heard his best friend. It gets even more embarrassing when the other alpha's face enlightens and turns to Jimin, winking at the omega.
"Jeon Jeongguk!"
— 𝄢—