"Alex! Come on. I am here to pick you up", a lively voice of one of my precious jewels reached my ears.

"It's good to see you first thing in the morning, Kiro, and I'm almost ready", I told him as I sat by the door and laced my shoes. Kiro giggled like a child and then Hyung with soft footsteps approached me and cuddled me warmly from behind. 

"What about me?" he kissed me, simultaneously emitting his deadly puppy dog aura. I reciprocated his kiss with a smooch and told him that Kiro promised to take me to the school festival a week ago and it would be rude to decline his offer now. Hyung nodded in affirmation, "I understand, Take care and have fun" and patted my head before sending me off.

The class rep came running and greeted me and Kiro.

"Wow, why are all your friends on another level, Alex?", he spoke while examining Kiro from head to toe. Kiro greeted him and justified his interest in helping.  Class rep happily agreed and they both went in linking arms with each other. Well, yeah that's class rep for you, they seem closer than me and Kiro, but that makes me happy. I am relieved to see so many omegas giving their best and freely roaming the campus. I hope that they can freely roam the streets one day too.

After finishing my shift at the counter we were allowed to go for a campus tour. Kiro and I grabbed the opportunity and hence we both spent our break time leisurely. 

"I wish we both attended school at the same time and then we could have lots of fun together like this every day." Kiro's sorrowful eyes made him look like an adult contemplating his nostalgic childhood. I noticed him and shoved a sausage in his mouth. We both started laughing and meanwhile, Kiro got a phone call and went at a distance to attend to it. A shadow was cast over me as I was sitting on the bench, enjoying my sausage and when I looked up I saw Jooin with a smile on his face.

How is he able to pretend as if nothing happened after all these years, especially after yesterday's night I have persuaded myself to not fall prey to any alpha anymore and protect my feelings at all cost.

"Meet me after the festival ends, and I will treat you to a cup of coffee", he told me this as if our relationship was perfectly fine and that I would agree to his offer. 

"Well, I am sorry Mr. Jooin, it may hurt your pride but I would like to decline your offer as there is no reason for you to treat me to a cup of coffee." I stood up and was about to leave when he told me that another person will be joining us and a very important message has to be conveyed. He also promised me that it will be the last time that he will initiate talking first. He told me the address and timing of a nearby cafe and left without implying anything else.

I contemplated the whole day about meeting him and the other person. "I think it is better to not tell Hyung since this is my matter, I should deal with it on my own and Hyung is also busy today due to his packed schedule, he would probably be busy and late for picking me up. Also, since Kiro started dating Andrew he left after the phone call. Yes, let's finish this once and for all" I clapped my hands and left early without waiting for the fireworks in the end.

I reached the cafe a little early and prepared my mind to handle whatever happens today. After 10 minutes of waiting, I heard the door chime, and two people entered inside, a male and a female.

It's been so long since I saw her face. The face of the girl who snatched my best friend away, the face of the omega who was preferred over me, the face of a person I never actually wanted to see again. How could I forget her. 

But here we are sitting face to face with each other and I can't take this anymore. "Hah! So the other person was your omega. She's your omega now. Right! I'm sorry but I don't want to hear you bragging about your omega. if you'll excuse me," I bowed slightly and barely controlled myself so as not to cry and diverted my mind from those painful past memories.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Joohyuk. I'm sorry for everything wrong I have done to you so far," she started speaking in a

 cracked voice and due to that, I halted my steps. 

I retrieved my steps and saw that she was crouched on the ground and tears started flowing out of her eyes. There were not many people in the cafe but those present started gossiping. I judged the atmosphere and held her by the shoulders, then I helped her stand up, and soon we three were seated again. 

This time she tried to hold my hand but I immediately pulled it back. "Yes, I'm sorry that was rude. But please listen to me Joohyuk. I know that I am in no place to expect your forgiveness but I hope that you take my apology. I...I actually.." she clenched her fists and halted. 

Then she took a deep breath and exhaled as if not to cry. She then looked at Jooin and automatically shifted her gaze toward me. 

"Yesterday, Jooin came home all happy and it is rare to see him smile like that. I wanted to ask the reason but before I could ask him, he hugged me and started crying. I was rather surprised at his unusual behavior and when he told me that he finally found you, that's when I realized who still had a place in his heart. 

You know on that day when you saw us at school behind the main campus I was also quite shocked when he said yes but when I saw him glancing in your direction, I knew right away why he did that. The selfish me took the opportunity and kissed him. Believe me, Joohyuk he was equally surprised as you at that time." 

She stopped and drank a sip of water then continued, "I know that you are thinking that he said yes at that time and chose me as his partner for dance but trust me he did all that for your sake." I tilted my head in confusion and looked toward Jooin. He had a sad expression on his face and when we made eye contact he let out a sigh. 

"I know you must be thinking that all this is rubbish but listen to me till the end. It's true whatever you saw actually happened but he only did that in order to stop the rumors, in order to stop the bullying that was happening to you. 

You thought he didn't know but he did and when things got twisted a lot he wanted to put a period." I was sitting there in a daze and thinking if I should believe it or not but then I remembered the time I felt guilty every day about snatching Hyung away from Kiro.

Although Kiro was innocent, I thought that I was the selfish one at that time. I slightly started to sympathize with her and then Jooin spoke, "I ran after you that day and when you fainted I took you to the nurse's office, he told me that you experienced your first heat and will need to go home right away but for that, you need permission from the principal. I went to the principal's office to get a signature on the leave application but when I came back your spot was vacant and even the teacher didn't know where you went. I searched the whole school and even your apartment but you were nowhere to be found. The next day I went to your apartment and believe me for a whole year I went there daily but you never returned not even once."

My eyes were slowly becoming blurry probably due to tears as now I was finding it hard to face the reality. I checked my vibrating phone and it was Hyung. I faced Jooin again and asked him about the letter he left me. 

"It was not Jooin but instead it was me. I wrote the letter. If you don't believe me you can check the handwriting. I did all this just to separate you two but trust me I was not aware that the gossip that I spread will lead to bullying and that it will affect your life drastically. Please trust me, I did all this on my own and Jooin was not the least bit indulged in it." she spoke and I saw her face turning pale. She still had her fists clenched and I looked at her and anger filled me.

Had I talked to Jooin one more time that day maybe things would not be like this today. Maybe if I trusted him for one last time, you both could be still together, I thought to myself. "So, you don't hate me and despise our friendship?" I asked Jooin earnestly. 

He rose up and told me that he never even once thought about that as he was the only one I got. 

Yes, he was the only one I relied upon after my parents passed. 

"Joohyuk," he called my name in a soft voice, "Do you know why I opened this Omega school?" I tilted my head and got a feeling as to what he would say. 

"To help omegas live a better life, the things you faced, the childhood you had, I don't want anyone else to suffer like that, and deep inside I wished you would return even if the chances were astronomical, I wanted to meet you again and know the reason."

Suddenly my phone started vibrating again and it was Hyung. I picked it up and told him to come to the cafe. As you already know I have an alpha now and we both marked each other. They both smiled at me and told me that they know this already but all they want is my acceptance of their apology. She further added that they both are not together as all these years he waited for me. 

I felt sad as I saw him sit there. But then again if I had not run away then I would not have met Hyung. I was happy that the things I believed as a child were not altogether true.

"I appreciate that you realized your mistake, Aloha, I told the weeping omega girl beside Jooin but as you can see that forgiving you is something that will take time, and right now all this is too much for me to digest." 

My phone vibrated again and I saw Hyung in the car outside. 

'I guess we will drift apart someday so, for now, I want to be with him.' those were my thoughts in school "but you need to move on now Jooin, and don't worry I will not drop out of school again and I have learned not to run away from my weaknesses anymore. A certain someone has taught me to face every obstacle with all my might and you know what the best part is...His method does not hurt anyone unlike yours." 

I saw Jooin crouch on the ground weeping and Aloha also bent to comfort him. "Please don't make me the bad guy here as you yourself said Jooin, It's always not enough when it's in your hand but devastating once you lose it and I think you were right.' 

"Joohyuk, please, I still love you" I heard his trembling voice and if it was the old me I would have run right away in his arms but now I had someone else waiting outside. 

"Finally, I heard those words but I am afraid it is too late now,' I bowed to both of them and then dashed away.

In the car, I cried for about half an hour, and meanwhile, Hyung drove me to the riverside. He waited patiently for me to stop and when I finally did he unbuckled my seatbelt and comforted me. Hyung shifted seats and embraced me tightly in his arms. 

I sat on his lap and felt comfortable. "Are you feeling better now?' he asked me while stroking my hair. 

I nodded and cuddled him again. "You held out pretty well. I appreciate your guts, my dear Alex," Hyung kissed me on the forehead and I smiled back at him. I stared at him and then he laughed. 

"I know what you are thinking Alex, but I also know that you will tell me everything once you are ready so for now just calm down."

"It's all thanks to you for making me who I am today. But why are we here by the riverside?" as soon as I asked him he opened the car door and gently put me down. "It's about time," he turned me around and in front of me, fireworks were visible. The beautiful fireworks decorated the night sky as if telling me to celebrate today. Hyung unbuttoned his coat and asked me to come inside with him. I chuckled and he enveloped me in his warm embrace.

I am thankful that I met him and all those people that brought a change in my life. I hope Jooin and Aloha also find their destined ones and follow the path that is destined for them. This whole year has come to an end and I want the next year to be as fantastic as it can be.

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THE END.