Aoto

Junko, Kenzo, and I step into my apartment’s living room after a long day at Elite Chikara. It’s been a week since I started my art course, and to say that I’m excited to be a university student is an understatement.

“Congratulations, Ao. You’re officially a freshman in the art department at Elite Chikara,” Junko exclaims, throwing an arm around my neck and rubbing my hair with a fist. “How does it feel to attend the university of your dreams?”

Grinning, I reply, “It feels great. It took me two years, but I’ve made it—I’ve finally made it.”

“Mama!” my one-and-a-half-year-old twins, Genkei and Gaku, call out in unison as they toddle toward me, the joy on their little faces warming my heart.

“Genkei, Gaku, come here.” I crouch down and wrap them in a tight hug the moment they jump into my arms. “Mama missed you so much today.” I kiss each of their foreheads.

“You’re home, Ao?” Mom walks into the living room, smiling. “Oh, hi, Junko. Hi, Kenzo. Thanks for looking after Aoto at Elite Chikara. I’m glad he can count on you two there.”

“Hi, Yutaka-san. Even though Junko and I are in a different department, we try to spend time with Ao on campus whenever we can,” Kenzo says, settling onto the couch with Gaku in his arms. “But since we’re in our third year, things are only going to get busier, so we won’t be able to look out for him as much as we’d like.”

“How long is the business course again?” I ask, getting comfortable on the other couch with Genkei on my lap.

“Five years,” Junko replies, flopping down next to Kenzo. “Yours is four, right?” She reaches out to pat Gaku’s head, but he slaps her hand away and bursts into tears, rubbing his face against Kenzo’s chest. Flinching, Junko retracts her hand. “Why doesn’t Gaku like me? He’s been like this since he was born,” she pouts.

Kenzo chuckles. “Which is hilarious because Gaku’s usually super chill—even with strangers. You’re literally the only person he flat-out rejects.”

“At least Genkei doesn’t mind you, Junko,” I smirk. “Which is a good thing because he’s the complete opposite of Gaku—he hates being around people he doesn’t know, which makes taking him out of the apartment a challenge.”

Mom smiles at the twins and me fondly. “I can’t believe my baby already has two babies of his own, and my little bums are so handsome. Whenever we go out, people can’t resist stopping to admire them.”

“Buns, Mom. Buns,” I correct him, shaking my head.

“They really do look identical,” Junko remarks. “The only reason I can tell them apart is because Ao dresses Gaku in lighter colors and Genkei in darker ones. Otherwise, I’d be lost. Remember when they were born? I kept mixing them up.”

Kenzo grimaces. “I hate to say this, but they’re spitting images of Yu-jun Yoon. There’s no denying they’re his kids.” He eyes me carefully. “That must bother you, right? You’d rather they look more like you than that Alpha.”

I immediately cover Genkei’s ears. “Don’t talk about Yu-jun like that in front of them. Even if they don’t understand now, they will eventually, and I don’t want them to resent their father—or Alphas in general. I’m raising them to respect everyone equally.”

Mom claps his hands together, beaming. “That’s my Ao. I’m so proud of how empathetic and respectful you are. I know the twins will grow up to be amazing, no matter their second gender.”

Still scowling at Kenzo, I add, “And for the record, I don’t care that they look like Yu-jun. As long as they’re healthy and happy, that’s all that matters.” I ruffle Genkei’s hair, making him giggle and swing his feet.

Both twins have light brown hair and light hazel eyes—their facial features are so unmistakably Yu-jun’s that he’d recognize them as his own in an instant. That’s why I refuse to let them cross paths. My determination to keep them apart was already firm, but it only solidified when Kenzo and Junko told me that Yu-jun had been hanging around my brother at university for the past two years.

Sota has never mentioned his relationship with Yu-jun, and I haven’t asked about it. However, rumors regarding their friendship and Yu-jun’s fondness for my brother have already reached me, as the whole campus won’t shut up about them. Despite being from different departments—Yu-jun in business, Sota in medical, and me in art—everyone’s obsessed with them. Their overwhelming good looks, Alpha status, and, in Yu-jun’s case, his ridiculous wealth and famous family make them campus legends. In addition, the fact that Yu-jun only interacts with his tight-knit circle of elite Alphas and Omegas while being outright rude to everyone else has turned him into an unreachable Alpha Greek God that people desperately want to sleep with and bond to.

If I say I never think about him, I’ll be lying. That bastard haunts my dreams and invades my private moments—at least once a week, I have dreams about that weekend we spent together, and no matter how much I try to block him out, his face always appears when I... err... take care of myself with my hands.

“Jun, Jun,” Genkei suddenly calls out, reaching for Junko.

“My little angel.” Junko scoops him up and then turns to me. “Ao, are you streaming tonight?”

“Nope. I’m taking a two-week break to focus on university and the twins. Why?” Just as I finish speaking, I feel something hug my leg. Looking down, I see Gaku beaming up at me. “When did you get here? Weren’t you on Uncle Kenzo’s lap?” I lift him onto my lap.

“He crawled over the second he saw Genkei wasn’t there anymore,” Kenzo explains, relaxing into the couch. “Man, I get so tense holding them. They’re so well-behaved, but I’m always terrified I’ll drop them or something.”

“Ao, if you’re free, you should come to the gathering at Chikara Bar,” Junko suggests. “The business department is throwing a welcome party for the freshmen, and Kenzo and I are going as seniors.”

“But I’m in the art department, and we have our own welcome party at a different bar tonight,” I point out, frowning. “If I go to any gathering, it should be my own—my seniors and classmates have been so welcoming that I’d feel bad ditching them. Besides, Yu-jun is in business, and I have no intention of running into him.”

“Don’t worry about running into Yu-jun,” Junko snorts. “He’s never attended a single one of these gatherings. Apparently, he finds them annoying, a waste of time, and, in his words, ‘a union of garbage.’” She rolls her eyes. “Trust me, there’s zero chance of you running into him tonight.”

Hmmm… Junko knows how much I loathe Yu-jun. She wouldn’t lie just to convince me to go. If it’s safe, maybe I should…

I sigh, rolling my eyes. “Why am I not surprised that Yu-jun sees us as trash?”

“In that case,” Mom chimes in, lifting Gaku from my arms, “you can go out while I watch the bums. Right, Genkei-kun?” He smiles at the toddler, who nods contentedly.

“That’s Gaku, Mom. Genkei’s with Junko,” I correct him, chuckling. “You’re their grandma and still can’t tell them apart? Tsk tsk.” I shake my head in mock disappointment.

“Gaga, Gaga,” Gaku coos, wrapping his arms around Mom’s neck.

“What is it, my bum? Are you hungry? Want Grandma to get you something to eat?” Mom rocks him back and forth affectionately.

I groan, “Mom, please stop calling my babies homeless. It bothers me.”

Dad walks in just then, laughing. “Ao is right, sweetie. If you keep calling them bums, they’ll grow up traumatized.” He waves at Junko and Kenzo before pressing kisses to my forehead, the twins’ heads, and finally, Mom’s lips.

“Gapa,” Gaku exclaims, nearly throwing himself into Dad’s arms.

“Hi, Gaku Bun. Did you miss Grandpa?” Dad hugs him tightly, his face lighting up.

“You’re already back?” Mom crosses his arms, frowning. “It’s only five or so in the afternoon; I thought you had an important dinner meeting tonight.”

“The higher-ups postponed it to next Friday.” 

“Are you working a case now, Dad?” I ask, curious.

“Thank God, I am not. That means I get to spend the weekend with my dear family without worrying about solving a case or mulling over details.”

Mom ruffles my hair. “Well, now that your father is here to help with the twins, you can go have fun with your friends. You’ve worked hard these past two years—preparing to give birth, taking care of the babies—and now that they’re a little older and you’re finally in university, you should focus on yourself more. Enjoy your youth. You’re still only twenty, after all.”

“You heard your mom, Ao. Come on; let’s go to the gathering,” Junko urges, standing up and handing Genkei to Mom. “You can’t drink yet, but you can eat barbecue and meet the business students. Who knows? Those connections might come in handy in the future.”

“Yeah, Ao. You’re always streaming and taking care of the twins. You need a break,” Kenzo agrees, grabbing my arm and pulling me to my feet.

“Speaking of streaming, my agent told me this morning that Yoon Talent Agency contacted her yesterday because they want me to be in their biggest idol’s next music video. Can you believe it?” I scoff, my brows knitting in disbelief. “I turned them down without a second thought. What if that idol is Ji-yeon, Yu-jun’s younger sister? Even though I doubt it—she’s a worldwide star, whereas I’m just a small streamer—I’d rather not take any chances.”

“A small streamer?” Kenzo snorts, patting my back. “You’ve got over a million followers in two years. That’s not easy, man. Your fans love you.”

Mom nods. “It’s true. Your agent mentioned you’ve received several offers from talent agencies and independent entertainment companies. I still don’t understand why you chose an unaffiliated agent instead of joining an agency. If you had, you’d probably be all over TV and social media by now.”

I sigh, “I’ve already explained—I can’t risk exposing the twins. I want to keep streaming without making a big fuss or becoming famous. Besides, I make enough money through subscriptions, donations, and sponsors to afford everything the twins need and cover part of my university tuition and textbooks.”

“But still… an offer from the Yoon Agency? Everyone in the entertainment industry dreams of being one of their talents,” Junko says, throwing an arm around my neck. “Are you sure you made the right call? If you had accepted, you could’ve introduced Kenzo as a ghost hunter or something. Who knows? Our friend here could have been a super famous dude who talks to ghosts.” She laughs.

Kenzo groans, punching her shoulder. “I don’t talk to or hunt ghosts, for crying out loud. I only mistook the shadow of a light pole for a ghost that one time when we were kids. It was dark, okay?”

Junko and I exchange a look before bursting into laughter. 

“You screamed your lungs out and almost peed your pants,” I mock. “Junko and I cried from laughing too much when we realized the shadow had scared you.”

“And ever since, you won’t let me live it down,” Kenzo grumbles, “every time we see a shadow, you bring it up. Hell, even when shadows aren’t involved, you still tease me about ghosts.”

Hearing Junko and me laugh, Genkei and Gaku join in, their giggles melting everyone in the room. They’re so damn cute that my heart can’t handle it.

Kenzo suddenly checks his phone. “Shoot. We should head to the bar; the gathering starts at six, and it’s already five-thirty. If we take the bus, it’ll take at least an hour to get there.”

“Do you want me to drop you off?” Dad offers.

Junko waves her hands. “That won’t be necessary, Kairo-san. You must be tired from work and want to spend time with Yutaka-san and the twins. It doesn’t matter if we’re late, anyway.”

“I just need to take my pheromone suppressants, then we can go.” I grab the Omega pheromone suppressant bottle from my backpack and head to the kitchen for a glass of water.

“Have you been taking them regularly, Ao?” Junko yells from the living room.

“Yeah.” I fill a glass with cold water. “Twice a day, like my doctor recommended after the twins were born.” I swallow the pill and return to the room. “Even though I’m recessive, I need to be careful, especially on campus, where it’s full of Alphas.”

Dad’s expression turns stern. “Don’t drink, don’t smoke, and don’t even think about hooking up with an Alpha, Aoto. Be back home by midnight.”

“What? But today is Friday, and we don’t have classes tomorrow, Uncle,” Kenzo complains, throwing his hands up.

“By midnight,” Dad repeats, his tone firm. “Or you’ll be grounded for three months. No gatherings, no streaming, and”—he pauses for emphasis—“no lemon tea or lemon ice cream.” He counts each punishment on his fingers.

“Noooo,” I wail, clutching my head. The thought of going without lemon tea and lemon ice cream horrifies me more than anything. “Fine. I promise I’ll be back by midnight.”

Ever since I got pregnant, I’ve been addicted to lemon tea, lemon ice cream, and anything with lemon. It annoys me to no end, but I’ve come to terms with it. There’s no way I’m risking my lemon.

Stupid lemon. Stupid Yu-jun and his pheromones that smell like lemon and lavender. Stupid Alpha. I hate him.

Dad warns again, “By midnight. Am I clear?”

Junko, Kenzo, and I lower our heads and reply in unison, “Yes, Dad. We’ll be back by midnight.”

Dad chuckles, ruffling our hair. “Good kids. Now go have fun.”

I kiss Gaku and Genkei on the cheek. “Bye, Buns. Mama will be back soon. Be good to Grandma and Grandpa, okay?”

“Bye, kids,” Mom and Dad say, standing at the front door with the twins in their arms.

As soon as I step outside the apartment, I hear the twins wail at the top of their lungs. “Mama, Mama, Mama.”

Turning around, my heart clenches at the sight of them reaching for me, tears streaming down their little faces. For a moment, I consider staying home. But before I know it, Junko and Kenzo are hooking their arms through mine and dragging me toward the elevator while waving goodbye to my parents and the twins.

“But my buns,” I protest, trying to resist as the twins’ cries still echo down the hall.

“They’ll be fine with Uncles. Let’s go,” Junko reassures me. “I bet everyone at the gathering will be thrilled to see you because you’re already the most popular Omega on campus.”

“Get ready to be pampered by our peers and seniors, Ao,” Kenzo adds, laughing as the elevator doors close behind us.

I let out a deep sigh, resigning myself to leaving the twins with my parents and having fun with my friends tonight.

* * *