Chapter Text
He was done. He had really reached his limit.
YunHo was known for being an optimistic person, everyone around him made sure to remind him of that whenever possible. He knew it himself and genuinely enjoyed living life with that bright energy, bringing joy wherever he went.
But he was just as human as anyone else, and today… today he’d had enough.
First, his colleague and assistant had quit, claiming that she’d never grow while working with him, that she needed a change of air. He didn’t blame her, he couldn’t exactly expect her to stay there forever, but he had believed that beyond their shared passion for their work, there was something like loyalty between them.
How wrong he was.
Later, around noon, he got a call from his younger brother saying he was done with university and was going to start modeling underwear for a local magazine.
Where the hell had he gotten that idea from?
YunHo had to admit, it was a little funny, until he remembered he was the one paying for his brother’s studies.
And this was the third time the kid had dropped out halfway through the year.
He thought he could forget the day’s chaos with some food, but when lunchtime came, another unpleasant surprise was waiting for him.
“What do you mean he’s detained?”
“Detained, you know, at the police station. I suppose this awful, stinking place is the step before jail, like in the movies”
his friend and neighbor explained on the other end of the line.
YunHo brushed his black hair back with his fingers and sighed.
“Okay, stop for a second, I need to know what the hell happened…”
“Some alphas started bothering us on the street while we were grabbing food, and Hwa just punched one of them in the balls”
the man said calmly. “They deserved it, if you ask me.”
YunHo sighed again and pushed his food aside; his appetite had completely vanished.
“Fine. Send me the address of the station, I’ll come get you.”
“Don’t even think about it. Just transfer the money so I can pay the bail and get us out of here. This place gives me the creeps.”
“San…”
“Yun, relax. I’ll just pay, which is already damn unfair, and then we’ll leave. We don’t need you protecting us all the time, you know that, right?”
There was something different in San’s tone, something that sounded faintly anxious.
“Alright. I trust you. But you’ll call me the moment you’re back at the apartment.”
It wasn’t exactly an order, YunHo wasn’t the authoritative type, but the urgency in his words was unmistakable.
“Yes, mom.”
He couldn’t see him, but YunHo was sure San had made a face when he said that.
The rest of the day felt endless. His schedule could shift depending on his patients, but it seemed the universe was conspiring against his patience and good energy.
First, the damn printer stopped working, costing him at least fifteen minutes to fix. Then he spent half an hour looking for a patient’s clinical history for an appointment the next morning. In the middle of all that chaos, he sat down heavily on the nice couch meant for clients’ families, and realized too late that his phone screen has cracked when it hit the cushion.
Tired of that cursed place that seemed determined to drain every bit of good from him, he hurried outside toward his car, only to find a deep, ugly scratch on the rear left door.
Could this day get any worse?
Yes. Yes, it absolutely could.
He let out the longest sigh of his life while waiting for the light to turn green.
How long had he been there?
Maybe not even five minutes, but it felt like forever, stuck in front of a big event hall. The place was packed, cars, people, fancy decorations everywhere.
It looked like a wedding. The extravagant outfits of the guests, the floral arches leading to a massive red carpet stretching from the entrance to—he assumed—the altar.
“At least someone’s having a good day” he muttered with a wry smile.
He felt a flicker of relief when the light finally turned green, but before he could even press the accelerator, someone yanked open the passenger door and slammed it shut.
Everything after that happened in slow motion. Something sharp pressed against the bare skin of his neck, not enough to cut, but enough to threaten.
Then came the sound of muffled sobs and panicked protests. Somehow, instinctively, YunHo hit the gas and drove straight ahead. He didn’t know if he’d run red lights, and honestly, he didn’t care.
When the pressure on his neck finally eased, he dared to look—no, to understand—what the hell was happening.
A kidnapping?
A carjacking?
Whatever it was, it didn't matter, he was walking home after this and hand over the car away.
Right?
He wanted to turn and see who it was. If he was going to die, he might as well see his killer’s face.
“Don’t turn around. Just keep driving.” The voice was deep and demanding, definitely a man’s, with a tone that could send shivers down anyone’s spine.
Great. He was going to die before even hitting thirty. What a waste.
He took a deep breath through his nose, tightening his grip on the wheel until his knuckles turned white, when he noticed something odd.
Was his captor… an omega?
Trying to stay calm, he stole a glance at his unwanted passenger. Almost instinctively, he hit the brakes hard, throwing them both forward. They barely avoided smashing their faces on the dashboard, but YunHo would’ve preferred that to feeling the sharp object back at his throat.
Except this time… it was different. No pain, just trembling hands and more sobs.
The air inside the car was thick with the scent of anguish, it wasn’t disgusting, just suffocating, almost as if it were his duty to make it stop.
“What the hell am I doing?” the stranger muttered before dropping whatever he was holding and covering his face with his hands, crying even harder.
YunHo finally took a breath and tried to process the situation. They were in the middle of a deserted road, he wasn't sure it was the best place considering the circumstances.
He looked at the man beside him: half his ash-blond hair slicked back perfectly, a black suit that screamed expensive. He looked like he’d stepped out of a magazine, except for his tear-streaked face, which ruined the whole “model” image.
“You… uh… are you okay?”
Okay, that was a stupid question. Of course he wasn’t.
The tear-stained omega turned toward him with disbelief.
“Are you serious right now? My well-being should be the last thing on your mind, but since you asked, it’s been a shitty day. Thanks for asking.”
Fair enough. And kind of obvious. YunHo didn’t even know why he cared. He just hated seeing people cry, especially this total stranger who still hadn’t explained what the hell was going on.
Still, it was hard to ignore that he’d just been “kidnapped.”
“I was just trying to be nice…” he said with a frustrated sigh, leaning toward the glove compartment.
Instantly, the omega tensed up, ready to bite his head off if necessary.
“Relax. I’m just grabbing tissues for you. I’m not going to hurt you, if I wanted to, I would’ve done it already, don’t you think? Besides, you still owe me an explanation.”
The omega hesitated, then reluctantly accepted the tissues.
“I wasn’t going to hurt you. Not really. It wasn’t even sharp. I… I grabbed the stem of one of the flowers, that’s what I was holding.”
“Oh.”
Seriously? A flower stem?
If he’d kept calm from the start, maybe he would’ve noticed, and they could’ve had this talk before leaving the city.
“I didn’t know what else to do, or where to go. Then I saw your car, and I just… acted on impulse. I just wanted to get as far away from there as possible. You were just… unlucky enough to be there.”
“Yeah, well, an apology would be nice,” YunHo muttered, crossing his arms. “I was already having a bad day, and you somehow made it worse, and a bit surreal.”
Both sighed in exhaustion.
“I’m sorry. Really. I’m embarrassed to even look at you. I don’t know what came over me. I don’t usually act on impulse. I didn’t think about the consequences, and now I’ve ruined your day and mine.”
“You think?” YunHo scoffed. “You scared me half to death, made me run red lights while threatening me with a flower…” He couldn’t help but smile faintly. No one would believe him if he told this story. “But hey, we could just keep driving to Incheon…”
The omega blinked at him, confused, and now, instead of fear, his scent carried something softer, tinged with curiosity. It reminded YunHo of nutmeg, sweet, but with a sharp edge.
“I haven’t eaten all day, and I feel like I’m about to develop a hole in my stomach. So we’ll grab some food, and you’ll tell me what the hell happened.”
Impulsive. Reckless. He knew it. But curiosity had always been his weakness.
“You can’t be serious” the stranger said, wary. “Why would you eat with me? Wait, why would I eat with you? You realize I just got into your car with threats?"
“I’m aware. But if you’re walking away from this without a police report, I at least deserve the story behind it.”
For the first time, the stranger smirked.
“Fine. I’ll eat while you explain why you dragged me into this mess.”
The omega crossed his arms and slumped back in the seat, clearly tense and unsure, but silent.
That was good enough for YunHo.
***
“So… you ran away from your own wedding?”
It didn’t take a genius to figure it out.
The omega—who had not yet introduced himself—simply nodded.
Later, sitting in a small park in Incheon with bags of hot tteokbokki, YunHo listened as the man beside him finally spoke again.
“MinGi” he said softly, avoiding YunHo’s gaze. “Song MinGi. That’s my name.”
“Jeong YunHo” he replied, pretending to bow. “Nice to meet you, Song MinGi, and thank you for not robbing me or stabbing me with that flower stem.”
MinGi actually chuckled. “Well, thank you for helping me escape and not calling the police.”
YunHo smiled. The tension began to fade, replaced by quiet curiosity.
"You see..." he took a breath and clasped his hands to his knees “My family is a little... traditional?” he said, unsure of his words. “They're not bad people, but they do care a lot about social status and all that, and, well…”
“So...” YunHo began cautiously “I’m guessing it was an arranged marriage?”
MinGi nodded, his expression unreadable.
“Yeah, something like that” he admitted. “I’m the only male omega in my family. Which, you can imagine, is already a big disappointment. Especially since I don’t exactly look like an omega.” He sighed, his eyes wandering toward the steaming food in his lap, torn between speaking and eating.
YunHo had to agree, if it weren’t for his scent, he wouldn’t have guessed it either. MinGi was tall, his features sharp, his voice commanding. Nothing about him looked small, fragile, or “omega-like.”
“Every time I’ve dated someone” MinGi went on “my parents scare them off with questions about family backgrounds, bloodlines, all that garbage. And if they don’t run, my parents start pressuring me to settle down, to get married.”
YunHo had completely forgotten his own food, too absorbed in listening. There was something about MinGi, beyond his obvious good looks, that drew him in. His natural scent, now calmer, carried subtle notes of cinnamon and something else, something he couldn’t quite name but found oddly soothing.
“Mind if I ask how old you are?”
“Twenty-five.”
Same age as him.
“That’s pretty young to be getting married, if you ask me” YunHo murmured.
“I know” MinGi said, smiling bitterly. “But this has been going on since I was fourteen.”
“Oh.”
“My parents think that because of how I look, no alpha will ever take me seriously, that I’m too intimidating, that I don’t fit the mold. So, to ‘save’ me from being alone, they keep pushing me into engagements, as if each failed relationship were my last chance to have a family.”
“But… you were actually about to get married. That means you both agreed to it, right?”
MinGi nodded again.
“So what happened?”
The omega fidgeted with his fingers, biting his lower lip to keep from crying. A faint sob still escaped him.
Without thinking, YunHo reached out and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. When MinGi didn’t pull away, he kept it there, a silent offer of comfort.
“We’re friends” MinGi finally said. “Best friends. We’ve known each other forever. He knew everything about my situation. I’d already decided I’d rather be alone for the rest of my life than have my family meddling in everything. I love them, but sometimes I just wish I could run far, far away. And yet, I know they’d find me anyway.”
“They sound… intense.”
MinGi let out a tired, knowing smile.
“He offered to help me, to fake the whole thing, to pretend we were happy and married so my parents would finally back off. But I couldn’t do that to him” he said, voice cracking. “He’s the best person I know, and I couldn’t ruin his life like that. His partner left him because of me, because of this stupid plan. They had a good future ahead, and I destroyed it. All because I was a coward.”
“So your grand solution was to run away on your wedding day” YunHo said, half amused, half incredulous. “You know you could just get a job, move out, and live your life, right?”
“Sure” MinGi scoffed. “If you say it like that, it sounds easy. Especially when you don’t know my father.”
“Let me guess… overprotective?”
“That’s putting it lightly.”
YunHo looked around the park, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere.
“So what are you going to do when you go back? What will you tell them?”
“I don’t know… apologize, I guess” MinGi muttered. “I’ve always had everything under control, but between wanting to escape and not wanting to ruin my friend’s life, I just… ran. Without thinking.”
“Maybe you should talk to your parents again” YunHo suggested gently.
“I will. Eventually. Even though I know they’ll just find me another alpha in a few months and we’ll repeat the whole cycle. I’m a disappointment to them, YunHo. It would’ve been easier for everyone if I’d just been born an alpha.”
Oh, damn. YunHo could smell the sorrow radiating from him, something in him ached to pull MinGi into a hug, to promise everything would be okay. But that would be crazy. They barely knew each other.
It was just his stupid protective instincts acting up.
“YunHo…”
The alpha looked up, curious and a little tense.
“Thank you.”
“For not calling the cops?” he teased with a grin.
“That too” MinGi said, smiling faintly before turning serious again. “But mostly for listening. For not judging me. Even though I made your day worse… I’m really sorry.”
“And thank you for not stabbing me with a flower.”
Both laughed quietly. For a moment, peace settled between them, a calm they both desperately needed.
But peace never lasted long.
Suddenly, YunHo felt strong arms pinning his behind his back, the cold click of handcuffs snapping around his wrists.
What the hell...?
“Hey! What do you think you’re...?”
“You’re under arrest for suspicion of kidnapping” a voice declared firmly behind him. “You have the right to remain...”
“What the hell is wrong with you?!” MinGi shouted, jumping to his feet, eyes blazing. “Take those off, you idiot!”
“Mr. Song, are you alright?” the officer asked, keeping YunHo restrained.
YunHo could only stare in disbelief. His day had officially gone from bad to surreal.
“This is ridiculous” MinGi snapped, his voice suddenly sharp and commanding.
Even YunHo had to admit, it was a little scary.
“Your parents have been searching all over Seoul for you” the officer continued smugly. “Good thing I was in Incheon, or you’d still be in the hands of this dirty alpha.”
“Hey, some respect would be nice” YunHo shot back.
The officer was definitely an alpha too, but somehow MinGi’s presence alone was enough to make him hesitate.
“If you don’t release him right now, I swear I’ll take a flight to the ends of the earth, and none of you will ever find me again.”
“But”
“He was helping me” MinGi interrupted firmly.
The younger alpha hesitated, grip loosening but still insecure.
“JongHo” MinGi warned, his tone cold “I won't say it twice.”
With an irritated grunt, the officer unlocked the cuffs. YunHo rubbed his wrists, glaring.
“Thanks” he said dryly. “So… would it be too much to ask what the hell is happening now?”
MinGi sighed, stepping closer to check his wrists. His touch was gentle, careful, electric.
It sent a small shiver through YunHo, who wasn’t sure if it was discomfort or something else entirely.
MinGi was the kind of person who shouted trouble. And so far, everything that had happened proved it.
“I’m really sorry” MinGi murmured. “I told you my parents were overprotective. Well… this is what I meant.”
“So… what, you’re rich and have a bodyguard or something?”
“Not exactly.”
The officer—JongHo—stepped forward with an air of smug authority.
“The young master Song is the son of Seoul’s Chief of Police” he said proudly. “So, as you can imagine, you’re in serious trouble, filthy alpha.”
Well... that explained a lot.
“Wait a second, this isn’t what it looks like...”
YunHo, usually confident and composed, suddenly felt like a scolded kid.
“JongHo, we’re going home” MinGi ordered. His tone left no room for argument. “It’s been a long day. I’m sure my parents are worried.”
“But MinGi, the alpha...”
“I said we’re leaving. And stop talking down to him.”
Grumbling under his breath, JongHo obeyed, waiting for MinGi to follow.
“Thank you for everything” MinGi said softly, offering a sad smile. “I’ll find a way to repay you. And I’m really sorry, for all of it. You’re… a good person, YunHo. I’m glad it was your car I got into, and not someone else’s.”
And then he was gone, swallowed by the city lights, leaving YunHo alone in the park.
“You’re welcome, I guess” he muttered to no one.
***
By the time he stepped back into his apartment, he barely had time to take a breath before arms wrapped around him tightly.
“Thanks for the warm welcome.”
Then came a punch to the stomach.
“What the hell was that for?!”
“You idiot!” San scolded, arms crossed. “We called you all day, sent a thousand messages, and it’s past midnight! We thought something had happened to you!” He paused mid-rant, sniffing the air, then leaned closer suspiciously. “Did you go to a tea shop or something?”
“Uh… not that I remember” YunHo said, confused. “Why?”
“You smell like one of those spiced teas Hwa makes when he’s in a good mood.”
At the mention of their friend SeongHwa, San grabbed his phone and called him.
“He’s here. He’s fine. Come over, we’re interrogating him together.”
YunHo groaned. He just wanted to sleep.
Twenty minutes later, SeongHwa arrived, and the scolding resumed. Between the two of them, they could out-talk any mother on Earth.
They’d been best friends since forever, elementary school, college, everything. San and Hwa lived right across from YunHo, and since they all had keys to each other’s apartments, it was practically like living together.
“We thought you got mugged! Or...”
“Or arrested?” YunHo interrupted, sounding offended. “Because honestly, I’d be the last person you should lecture about that tonight.”
SeongHwa blushed and crossed his arms defensively. “I don’t regret it. They deserved it” he muttered. “If the cops hadn’t shown up, I would’ve kicked his friend too.”
“Speaking of which…” San ran to the kitchen island, pulled out some bills, and handed them over. “Here’s what you lent us. I didn’t have cash earlier, and by the time we realized, Hwa had already been robbed of what little he had.”
“Wait, those jerks robbed you?!” YunHo’s tone darkened. “And they still made you pay a fine? It was just one kick!”
“Yeah, well, you know how the police are” San shrugged. “Especially with omegas. They love finding new ways to make us feel inferior.”
“Anyway, let’s focus on the real mystery…” SeongHwa said, sniffing slightly. “Why does YunHo smell faintly of cardamom?”
“Cardamom, that’s it!” YunHo exclaimed, suddenly standing. Both of his friends stared, waiting for an explanation.
He went to the kitchen, scanning the labeled jars on the shelves.
“Hey, Hyung, you keep your weird tea herbs in my place too, right?”
“Of course. Why?”
“Do you have cardamom?”
“Hmm… check the first drawer by the fridge” Hwa said thoughtfully. “It’s rare and pricey, but it makes a wonderful tea.”
YunHo followed the directions and found a small jar with three green almond-like pods. He opened it and inhaled.
There it was.
MinGi’s scent.
Cardamom, mixed with cinnamon.
What a strange coincidence, he thought, smiling faintly. Because somehow, the fragrance of that man blended perfectly with his own soft aroma of ginger and anise.