* * *

Lan left the shop with the bouquet, while Reese watched him go, feeling a mixture of happiness and slight jealousy. He couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever be the recipient of such a beautiful gesture.

Lan smiled happily as he looked at the bouquet. He had grown up with a beautiful flower and vegetable garden. Aside from his father being passionate about having one to support the family, his mother had also taken an interest in it after giving birth to his sister and retiring from being a police inspector. So Lan knew quite a bit about flowers, especially since he was his mom’s little helper growing up. When he looked at the arrangement, he could tell it was carefully and skillfully arranged, and he loved it. He just hoped that by giving it to the person he liked, they would appreciate it too. With that in mind, he excitedly drove off, wishing that the day would end as he hoped.

“Lan? What are you doing here?” Elven exclaimed in surprise. He had to leave after class yesterday due to a family matter but was supposed to return to the school dorm when he was told his friend had come to pick him up. He had no problem with Lan coming over since the Alpha had been coming in and out to play as they grew up, but that didn’t mean he could just show up without telling him. That’s because he’s now living with his uncles due to a situation when he was eight, and although it was the safest place for him, for anyone else, it wasn’t—even for someone with a high social status like Lancel Mo. After all, his uncles were not people with the cleanest backgrounds.

“I came to see you,” Lan smiled softly, attempting to hide the flowers he had bought behind his back. Although he had not told Elven he was coming, he had actually contacted his uncles, so there was no reason to panic. Still, he chuckled at the Omega’s panic as he approached him.

“You can’t just come here without telling me. You know what kind of place this is,” Elven frowned, upset. His uncle’s husband was the head of the top illegal syndicate in the country, so it was normal for the mansion to be surrounded by people holding guns 24/7. Even the maids and butlers were trained assassins. He was afraid that for the Alpha to come so suddenly, they would mistake him for an enemy and shoot him.

“Relax. I told your uncle I was coming. I know what kind of place this is,” Lan laughed before habitually pinching Elven’s nose, causing it to turn pink almost immediately. The Omega quickly pulled away with a sigh.

“Fine, but I was going back soon. We could have just met then,” Elven said, still failing to realize his friend was hiding a bouquet until the Alpha took it out and extended it to him.

“I know, but I wanted to see you sooner. I even brought you flowers,” Lan replied, handing the flowers to the Omega, who quickly became confused as to why he was being given flowers. He had gotten used to Lan giving him flowers on special occasions, but today, there was no occasion whatsoever.

“What is this? It’s not my birthday,” Elven asked. Although he was happy, he still didn’t understand why he was given flowers.

“Yeah, it’s not your birthday, but…” Lan paused before hesitantly reaching for Elven’s hand. “Are you busy now? I prepared something for you. I have something I wanted to say,” he added, his eyes looking at the man he had been in love with since the day they met. He knew Elven had no feelings for him and probably only looked at him like a sibling, but he couldn’t give up. This was the last year he was spending in Senior High School with the Omega, and he thought, if he didn’t express his feelings now, he would definitely regret it. Although he knew Elven didn’t see him as a prospect lover, he wanted to know if he at least had a chance.

“Prepared something? Can’t you tell me now? Sammy wanted me to hang out with her today before I go back,” Elven hesitantly replied.

“Then should I borrow you from Sammy today?” Lan suggested with a chuckle. On cue, 11-year-old Sammy came running to hug Lan as soon as she found out that the Alpha had visited her cousin. Since Lan frequently visited the estate to hang around with Elven and vice versa at the Mo Estate, they had become close to each other, almost as if they were all relatives.

“Big brother Lan!” she called out before finally hugging Lan, who welcomed her openly.

“Hi Sammy,” Lan greeted, placing his hand on top of the Omega’s head to pet her hair.

“Why are you two standing here for so long? Please, let’s go inside,” the female Omega pouted. “And where are my flowers? You always gave me one too,” she added, acting upset even though she didn’t really mind. She was aware that the Alpha had been crushing on her cousin for so long that it was a surprise he had waited this long to confess it. She had been trying to get the Alpha to hook up with her cousin, but this cousin of hers was a little too insensitive to actually notice the Alpha’s feelings.

“I’m sorry. Today’s a little special, but I’ll bring you flowers next time, I promise. But I was hoping to borrow Elven today? I heard you two planned to hang out,” Lan asked. As soon as Sammy heard him, her eyes widened, and she immediately pulled away from the hug. She didn’t ask, but as if she already knew what was happening, she  smile intently .

“Really?! God, finally! Never mind me then, you can definitely borrow cousin Elven. I absolutely don’t mind as long as you tell me what happens next, okay? I should be the first one to know,” Sammy replied in excitement before looking at Elven, who helplessly watched the two converse, not knowing what they were talking about.

“So, how about that? Sammy agreed,” Lan chuckled, looking at the Omega, who finally yielded as he nodded.

“Fine, just let me get my things before we go.”

“I’ll wait here then,” Lan nodded and watched Elven leave. When he was finally gone, Sammy suddenly bumped her hips against him and smiled teasingly.

“Hehehe, are you finally going to tell him?” she asked, clear excitement in her voice. She had been supporting the Alpha from the moment she had learned of his feelings and couldn’t help but be excited. Even though her cousin was a bit of an airhead when it came to things like this, she really wished the two would end up together. After all, she knew how much Lan liked Elven. It was so obvious that she wondered why her cousin didn’t notice.

“Yeah…” Lan replie. He looked confident now, deep inside he was so nervous that his hands and feet felt cold.

“Took you long enough! Gosh, you don’t know how much I’ve been holding back to tell him,” Sammy rolled her eyes. There were actually times when she attempted to give her cousin signals, but it was useless. The Omega just kept saying he and Lan were just friends and that there was no way the two of them would fall in love with each other.

“Sorry… and thanks for helping me all this time. I know I don’t have many chances, but I will try my best…” Lan replied, trying to suppress his nervousness.

“Well, you better not mess it up!” Sammy said, playfully punching Lan’s arm. “I’m rooting for you!” she added, making Lan smile as he nodded. Just then, Elven returned with his bag, still holding the bouquet, which Lan found adorable.

“Alright, I’m ready. Let’s go,” Elven said, panting. Hearing him, Lan chuckled because the Omega really didn’t have to rush himself since he would wait for him no matter how long. He wanted to tell him that but decided not to, instead he helped him with his bag.

“Great, let’s go,” he replied before briefly looking at Sammy as a silent goodbye.

“Take care, you two. Have fun~ hehehe,” Sammy exclaimed. As they walked towards Lan’s car, Elven couldn’t help but feel a bit curious about what Lan had planned. He wanted to ask but decided he’d wait a bit. After Lan put his bag in the backseat along with the bouquet, they finally drove in silence for a few minutes before Elven spoke up.

“So, what’s this big thing you wanted to tell me?” Elven asked, turning to look at Lan.

Lan’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Well, I’ve been thinking a lot lately… and I realized that there’s something I need to tell you before we graduate.”

Elven raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “Okay… I’m listening.”

Lan parked the car in a secluded spot by a small lake they used to visit as kids. He had planned to walk around the lake for a bit before telling the Omega, but it felt like this moment was the right time, so he decided to change his plan a little. He turned off the engine and faced Elven, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Elven, I’ve known you for a long time, and you’ve always been a huge part of my life. Over the years… my feelings for you have grown stronger and stronger, and… I’ve fallen in love with you. From the moment my eyes laid on you, you have taken my heart,” Lan confessed, his voice trembling slightly.

Elven’s eyes widened in shock. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He never expected to be confessed to by Lan, his childhood friend who he grew up with like a sibling.

“I know this might come as a surprise, and I understand if you don’t feel the same way. But I had to tell you. I couldn’t keep it to myself any longer,” Lan continued, his eyes pleading for understanding.

Elven took a deep breath, trying to process everything. “Lan, I… I don’t know what to say. This is a lot to take in.”

“I understand. I just needed you to know how I feel. I don’t expect anything from you right away. I just wanted to be honest and hopefully have your permission to pursue you from here on,” Lan nodded, his heart sinking a little, but he couldn’t give up. He had waited for this day to finally come. He couldn’t give up just yet.

Elven looked out at the lake, the memories of their childhood flashing through his mind. He thought about all the times they had spent together, the laughs, the tears, the secrets shared. He never realized that Lan saw him in this way. “Lan, you’ve always been my best friend. I never thought of you as anything more because I didn’t think you felt that way. But now that I know… I need some time to think about it.”

“Take all the time you need, Elven. I just wanted to be honest with you. No matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you,” Lan’s expression softened as he assured.

“Thanks, Lan. I appreciate your honesty,” Elven nodded, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside him.

The two sat in silence for a few moments, the weight of the conversation settling between them. Finally, Lan broke the silence. “Do you still want to hang out today? We can go somewhere else if you’d like, or I can take you back?”

Elven shook his head. “No, let’s hang out. I think it’ll help me clear my mind. Plus, I don’t want Sammy to think I ditched you,” he added with a small smile. Now that he had thought about it, he could tell the fellow Omega must have known this was going to happen. If he was to go back, Sammy would definitely know things didn’t go well between him and Lan.

Lan chuckled, relieved. “Alright then. Let’s go for a walk by the lake.”

They got out of the car and started walking along the lakeshore, the gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the nearby trees. They talked about everything and nothing, just like they always did. Slowly, the initial awkwardness began to fade, replaced by the familiar comfort of their friendship.

Eventually, they found a spot to sit down, and Elven leaned back on his hands, looking up at the sky. “Lan, I’ve always valued our friendship. You mean a lot to me. I just… I need to figure out how I feel about all of this.” They had always gotten along since they were little, so both of them were comfortable with each other. Elven was the eldest among his six siblings, and he was the only Omega in the Alpha family, so he had to leave the house to avoid accidents. However, due to his nature, he had always treated everyone nicely, as if they were his younger siblings, and that was no different for Lan. He just didn’t think the Alpha had always thought of him that way, while for him, he had always looked at him more like a friend or a relative.

There was no doubt that Lan was the perfect man anyone could hope for but he just couldn’t see himself being intimate with him. He had never thought of it even for a single moment.

“I get it. And no matter what you decide, I’ll always be your friend. That won’t change.”

Elven smiled, feeling a sense of reassurance. “Thanks, Lan. I really appreciate that.”

As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden glow over the lake, the two sat in comfortable silence. However, after much consideration, Elven finally spoke up, his voice tinged with hesitation. “Lan, I’ve thought about it a lot during our walk. I really value our friendship, and I don’t want to lose that. But I don’t think I can return your feelings. I’m sorry…”

Lan felt a pang in his chest, but he forced a smile. “It’s okay, Elven. I understand.”

Elven looked at him, his eyes sincere. “I think it’s best if we take a little space for now. Just until I can sort out my thoughts and feelings properly. I hope you understand.”

“I understand, but Elven, please, don’t take away my chance to be with you, even just as a friend. I promise I won’t push you. I just want to show you how much I care.” Lan’s eyes widened with desperation. Even though he understood Elven had rejected him, he didn’t think the Omega would ask for some space. He thought, even if he had been rejected now, he still had some time to make the Omega change his mind since he now knew his intentions. He didn’t think things would take a huge turn.

Elven sighed, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. “Lan, I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair to you or to me. I need space to figure things out, and you need to respect that.”

Lan’s shoulders slumped in defeat, his heart breaking. He wanted to insist but at the end, looking at the Omega’s determined expression, he replied disheartened. “Alright, Elven. I understand. I’ll give you the space you need.”

“...” Now that the situation had become awkward again, the two of them finally decided to walk back to Lan’s car in silence. The heaviness of their conversation hangs in the air as the both of them try to process everything that had happened. Lan drove Elven back to the school dormitory, the journey was quiet and filled with unspoken emotions. When they arrived, Elven turned to Lan before getting out.

“Thanks for understanding, Lan. I’ll see you around."

“Take care, Elven,” Lan forced a smile, nodding. The pain in his chest was too much.

Elven stepped out of the car and watched as Lan drove away, feeling a mixture of relief and sorrow. He knew this was the right decision, even if it was painful. He didn’t want to give the Alpha a false hope and think that he’d fall in love with him at the end because he truly believed deep inside his heart that he couldn’t. As he made his way back to his dorm, he hoped that in time, both of them would heal and find their way back to a comfortable friendship.

* * *

To be Continued…