Scent of You

The first time Seungmin noticed Jeongin’s scent, it hit him like a wave of honeyed warmth. It was during their trainee days, when they were all crammed into a tiny practice room, sweat and exhaustion mingling in the air. But Jeongin’s scent cut through everything—sweet, soft, with a hint of something deeper. Seungmin had felt his alpha instinctively stir, but he pushed it down. Jeongin was just a kid, barely past his first rut, and Seungmin was supposed to be his hyung, his protector, not someone who noticed the way his neck flushed when he danced.

Years passed. They debuted, grew closer, and Seungmin learned to keep his alpha in check. He became an expert at masking his reactions, at treating Jeongin like any other member. But the omega’s presence never ceased to affect him. He watched Jeongin laugh with their members, saw the way his eyes crinkled, and felt a pang of something he refused to name.

Then came the day Jeongin’s heat hit unexpectedly.

They were in the middle of a recording session when Jeongin went pale. His scent, usually a gentle perfume, spiked with distress. Seungmin’s head snapped up from the lyrics he was reviewing. He caught the omega’s eyes—wide, panicked—and knew instantly. The manager, a beta, noticed too. “Jeongin, you’re okay? You look sick.”

Jeongin shook his head, but his hands trembled. “I’m fine. Just… tired.”

Seungmin was on his feet before he could think. “I’ll take him back. He needs rest.” He ignored the questioning glances from the others, his hand settling on the small of Jeongin’s back. The omega flinched, then leaned into the touch as if starving for it.

They made it to the dorm, the elevator ride agonizingly slow. Jeongin’s breath hitched, and Seungmin could smell the heat blooming, thick and cloying. His alpha howled inside him—Mate. Claim. Protect.

But he couldn’t. Jeongin wasn’t his. They had never even talked about it, though Seungmin had dreamed of it a thousand times.

“I’ll get the suppressants,” Seungmin said, voice rough. He guided Jeongin to his room, but the omega grabbed his wrist.

“Please.” Jeongin’s voice cracked. “Don’t go.”

Seungmin’s resolve crumbled. He stayed, sitting on the edge of the bed as Jeongin curled into himself, shivering despite the warmth. The room was starting to smell like paradise and torment.

“Hyung,” Jeongin whispered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to see me like this.”

“Don’t apologize.” Seungmin reached out, brushing a strand of hair from his face. “I’m here. I’ll always be here.”

Jeongin looked up, eyes glassy with unshed tears. “Why? Why do you always take care of me?”

Because I love you. Because you’re my mate. Because I’ve been yours since the day I met you.

But he said, “Because you’re my dongsaeng. Because I care about you.”

Jeongin shook his head. “That’s not it. I know you feel it too. Your scent…” He inhaled shakily. “It changes when I’m near. I can smell you, hyung. You smell like rain and cedar. You smell like home.”

Seungmin’s heart pounded. “Jeongin-ah…”

“I’m not a kid anymore,” Jeongin said, voice gaining strength despite the heat. “I know what I want. I want you. I’ve wanted you for so long.”

Seungmin’s control snapped. He cupped Jeongin’s face, thumb tracing his cheekbone. “You don’t know what you’re saying. It’s the heat talking.”

“No.” Jeongin’s eyes met his, fierce and determined. “I know my own mind. I’ve dreamed of you, hyung. I’ve dreamed of your scent surrounding me, of your bite on my neck. I want to be yours.”

The omega’s words broke the last of Seungmin’s restraint. He leaned in, pressing his forehead against Jeongin’s. “Are you sure? Once I claim you, there’s no going back.”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

Seungmin kissed him. It was soft at first, tentative, but Jeongin’s needy whimper made him deepen it. He tasted like honey, and Seungmin drank him in. The alpha pulled back, breathing hard. “You need to drink something. Let’s get you some water.”

He stood, but Jeongin’s hand caught his. “Don’t leave me alone.”

“I’ll be right back. I promise.”

In the kitchen, Seungmin grabbed a water bottle, his mind racing. This was real. Jeongin wanted him. They could be mates. His hands trembled as he filled the glass. When he returned, Jeongin had stripped off his sweat-drenched shirt, sitting on the bed in just his shorts. His body glistened, skin flushed pink.

Seungmin’s mouth went dry. He handed the water, forcing himself to look away. “Drink.”

Jeongin obeyed, but his eyes never left Seungmin. “Come here. Please.”

Seungmin sat beside him, and Jeongin immediately crawled into his lap, nuzzling into his neck. “Your scent is driving me crazy,” he mumbled against Seungmin’s skin. “I need you.”

“I know.” Seungmin wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. “I need you too. But your heat—we should be careful.”

“I don’t want careful. I want you.” Jeongin’s hand slid under Seungmin’s shirt, fingers tracing his abs. “I’m yours, hyung. Claim me.”

Seungmin’s alpha roared in triumph. He flipped them over, caging Jeongin against the mattress. The omega looked up at him, eyes dark with desire and trust. “I’ll take care of you,” Seungmin whispered. “Always.”

He kissed down Jeongin’s neck, scenting him, marking him with his own scent. Jeongin arched, moaning, and Seungmin’s instincts took over. He nipped at the bonding gland, not breaking skin, just teasing. “Is this okay?”

“Yes. God, yes.”

Seungmin’s knot pressed against Jeongin’s entrance, and the omega bucked, trying to take him in. But Seungmin held still. “Not yet. I want to make sure you’re ready.”

He worked him open with his fingers, gentle and thorough. Jeongin writhed, begging, and finally Seungmin couldn’t wait any longer. He pushed inside, slow and deep. The omega’s walls clenched around him, heat overwhelming his senses. They moved together, a rhythm as old as time.

When Seungmin finally sank his teeth into Jeongin’s neck, claiming him, the omega screamed, coming undone. The bond snapped into place, a golden thread linking their souls. Seungmin’s knot locked them together, and he spilled inside, filling him, completing him.

They lay there, panting, as the bond settled. Jeongin’s tears soaked into Seungmin’s shoulder. “I love you,” he whispered. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Seungmin said, pressing a kiss to his newly claimed gland. “Forever.”

The heat lasted two more days, but they didn’t leave the room except for food and water. When it finally passed, they emerged, hand in hand, to face their members. The questions came, but Seungmin just smiled, his arm around his mate.

“We have something to tell you,” Jeongin said, and for the first time, his scent was full of contentment. “We’re mates.”

Chaos ensued, but it was happy chaos. The members hugged them, teasing them for being so obvious. Chan clapped Seungmin on the back. “Took you long enough.”

Seungmin just looked at Jeongin, who was blushing but smiling. “I’d wait forever for him.”

And he knew, in that moment, that he would. Forever was just beginning.