The room was almost dark, lit only by the cold light of the screen.

Hanjae had been there for hours, hunched over his laptop, lost among documents, emails, and schedules. The conference was near. Every detail had to be perfect. He was focused. At least, he tried to be.

Every time he closed his eyes, he could still feel Jiwoon's breath on his neck. His hands, the whispered words.

"You are mine."

Lies. All lies. The door opened without knocking. The scent hit him like a punch. Minji. "Hello." The voice was quiet, polite.

As if nothing had happened between them. As if the world wasn't crumbling beneath his feet. Hanjae slowly raised his gaze from the monitor.

"Hello, Minji." The other took a few steps inside. He looked around, as if the room belonged to him.

"Strange to find you here. Although... Pier told me." Hanjae didn't reply. "I've been texting you for days. Calling you. No answer." "I've been busy." Minji smiled. A half-smile.

"Sure, but you found the time to escort Jiwoon to the gala." A pang in his chest, but Hanjae didn't let anything show. "What do you want?" "Jiwoon." The answer was curt. Decisive. "He's not here." "I know." He came closer. "In fact, I want you to talk to him." Hanjae snorted. He closed the laptop with a sharp motion. "I'm not his master. Nor his spokesperson. He decides for himself." "But he listens to you." "Only when he wants to." "Make him see reason." "No." "Why not?" "Because I'm not his conscience. And you..."

He looked at him, finally. "You lost the right to ask for anything the moment you decided to fuck someone else." Minji stiffened.

"This story doesn't concern you." "Oh, doesn't it?"

He took a step forward.

"You came all the way here to tell me that. Are you scared, Minji?" "Not of you."

He said it without batting an eye. Hanjae turned away, gathered his papers, ignored him.

Or at least he tried to. "Jiwoon's rut is over, right?" Silence. "Who did he spend it with?"

Hanjae didn't answer.

"With you?" "I don't know." "Bullshit!"

Minji grabbed his arm, spun him around abruptly.

"You know everything about him. You look at him as if he were your fucking personal God. Do you think I haven't seen the way you desire him? The way you wormed your way in as soon as I took a step back?" Hanjae stood still.

His heart rate accelerated. But he didn't move. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

He reached out his hand. He grabbed his neck.

He tore off the plaster. A gasp escaped Hanjae. The burning on his skin was immediate.

Minji looked at the bite. The mark. Semi-permanent. Cruel. Intimate. "There it is. Your trophy." Silence. "You let him mark you... you're an Alpha, Hanjae."

The voice was a whisper full of contempt.

"Do you realize how pathetic you are? You let yourself be put down like any Omega. You let him mark you. You let him use you." "He didn't use me." "Of course he did! And you know it too!"

Minji's eyes shone, anger and fear together.

"You're nothing to him. Just a way to get revenge on me. A hole to fill when the rage explodes in his throat." Hanjae swallowed. His eyes were moist, but he didn't falter. "And what were you to him, Minji?" The other froze. "A perfect Omega? The ideal partner? You broke his heart. You publicly humiliated him. And now... now you come out with this performance of great love?" "Jiwoon and I chose each other." "Yes, and then you destroyed him." "And you corrupted him." Silence. "He was pure. Balanced. He had his instincts under control. Then you came along with your fantasies of a submissive Alpha. You offered yourself. You let yourself be marked. You brought him down with you." Hanjae looked down.

He knew it. He had thought the same thing.

Every night since it happened. "But it's not enough. You are not an Omega. You can't give him what he truly needs."

He looked at him. His eyes narrowed. "He loves me, Hanjae." Minji said it softly, but with conviction. "Despite everything. Even now. I can feel it." "Then why are you here? Why are you here asking me to talk to him, when you still believe he belongs to you!?" "Because he's angry now! Because he's hurt, and he has every right to be! That's why I want you to make him see reason. Before it's too late." A pause. Then, colder, "Otherwise, I'll talk to him. I'll find him. I'll force him to look me in the eyes. To remember what we were." It was a threat, his hormones more intense. So that Hanjae would perfectly understand that it wouldn't take much for Jiwoon to yield. A breath, a light whiff of his intoxicating scent.

He moved closer, face to face. "If you don't stop him... I'll remind him who he really is. I don't care if you're the one wearing his scent now. It won't last. You know well that those marks fade. Like all things that aren't real." He opened the door. He stopped on the threshold. "You have a choice, Hanjae. Either you tell him... or I will. And I swear I'll be much less gentle."

He left.

The door closed with a dull click.

Hanjae stayed there. The plaster torn off. His throat tight. His chest heavy. He touched his neck.

The mark was still throbbing. He wanted to believe it.

He wanted to believe that it wasn't just sex, that it wasn't just anger, but every word Minji said was etched onto him like a blade. "A hole to fill." He slid onto the chair.

His face in his hands. He wanted to scream, but he remained silent.

____

Sorry i got busy with my comic on manta lol. I'll upload the series again >.<