Rain clung to Juhyeok’s skin like a second layer.
Sweat rolled down his broad chest, sliding over the hard lines of muscle carved from years of martial arts. His gi hung open, soaked, exposing the powerful build he’d forced onto a body he hated for being an Omega. His short black hair stuck up in messy spikes, and the thin scar slicing through his eyebrow caught the light.
The scar he got when he was twelve.
Protecting Su-ah.
Across the room stood Su-ah.
Much taller. Calm. Long light hair tied loosely behind his neck with a few strands falling over his glasses. His frame was lean but strong, shoulders broad beneath a dark shirt and a clay stained apron from the pottery studio.
He smelled like warm earth and clay.
Juhyeok hated how much that scent steadied him.
“You gonna stand there all night?” Juhyeok muttered.
“You called me,” Su-ah said quietly.
“Yeah. For the scent.”
The words came out harsh.
Su-ah’s eyes flickered but he stayed calm like always.
“You only call when you need something.”
Juhyeok rolled his eyes.
“Oh my god not this again.”
“You promised me once,” Su-ah said softly.
Juhyeok’s jaw tightened.
“Don’t start that shit.”
“You said we’d get married.”
Juhyeok laughed.
“We were twelve. Get over it.”
Silence.
Rain pounded outside.
Su-ah inhaled slowly.
“Alright.”
He turned and left.
The door shut.
Juhyeok stared at it for a long moment.
“Fuck.”
Later that night Juhyeok was drunk.
Very drunk.
He slumped across the bar table while the rich guy across from him watched quietly.
Juhyeok’s face was flushed, hair messy, eyes glossy.
“He’s so fucking annoying,” Juhyeok slurred.
“Who?”
“My Alpha,” Juhyeok muttered.
He dragged a hand down his face.
“Tall asshole with stupid long hair… glasses… smells like clay all the damn time.”
The man hummed.
“Sounds important.”
Juhyeok snorted.
“Yeah well he’s not.”
But his voice wobbled.
“He just… sticks around.”
He laughed bitterly.
“Even when I treat him like shit.”
Another drink burned down his throat.
“He’s always looking at me like…” Juhyeok mumbled.
His voice got quieter.
“Like I’m worth something.”
His shoulders slumped.
“I hate it.”
The man stood and guided him toward a couch.
“You should rest.”
Juhyeok barely noticed.
Everything blurred.
Hands on him.
A body leaning close.
Juhyeok squinted through the haze.
“Su-ah…?” he mumbled.
The scent was wrong.
Sharp.
Not clay.
His eyes snapped open.
“What the hell—”
His fist swung automatically.
CRACK.
The man staggered back.
Juhyeok swayed on his feet.
“I said get the fuck off me,” he growled.
His voice dropped into a tired mumble.
“I want Su-ah…”
He rubbed his face weakly.
“Only Su-ah…”
The next morning Juhyeok stood outside the pottery studio.
Inside, Su-ah sat at the wheel shaping clay.
Long hair tied back. Sleeves rolled up. Hands steady.
He looked up.
Surprise crossed his face.
Juhyeok rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
“I might’ve said some stupid shit yesterday,” he muttered.
Su-ah stayed silent.
Juhyeok sighed.
“I got drunk last night.”
Another pause.
Then he added quietly,
“And apparently all I did was complain about you.”
Su-ah blinked.
Juhyeok looked away, embarrassed.
“I told some guy I only wanted you.”
His ears turned red.
“Which is… fucking annoying.”
A long silence followed.
Then Su-ah stepped closer.
The familiar scent wrapped around him again.
Juhyeok exhaled slowly.
“Yeah,” he muttered “…that’s the one.”
“You remember this?” he muttered, pointing to the scar across his eyebrow.
Su-ah’s eyes softened instantly.
“You got that protecting me.”
“Yeah.”
Juhyeok exhaled.
“I guess… I’ve been doing the opposite ever since.”
He finally looked up.
“You’re the only person who’s stuck around while I’ve been acting like a complete asshole.”
Su-ah stepped closer slowly.
Juhyeok’s chest tightened when that familiar scent wrapped around him again.
“I told some guy last night,” Juhyeok muttered, “that I only wanted you.”
Su-ah froze.
Juhyeok shrugged awkwardly.
“Still true.”