"Chenle, save those fists for when you truly need them. Step Number Two towards reforming you: keep your reactions under control."
"Ew, imagine having self-control."
⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
in which a police office...
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A small hiss escaped Jisung's lips. The knife's blade, which had been slicing through carrots, accidentally grazed his thumb. "Ah, just my luck."
Mr. Park peeped around the doorframe, lingering between the kitchen and the living room. "You okay?"
"Just cut my finger." He lifted it to towards his father to show him, promising it wasn't anything major.
"Careful. We don't want blood in the food."
"You say that, but I'm here bleeding out."
Mr. Park wandered over and ruffled his son's hair as the teenager pressed a tissue against the extremely tiny and harmless cut. The housework was all done except for Jisung's attempt at cooking, which his father had asked him to try. "It's almost time for you to go to collect Chenle."
He nodded.
"...You know... I hope you aren't finding this to be an obligation... If you really don't want to keep an eye on that child then you don't have to." There was a sense of resignation in his eyes. He must've felt that he was forcing his son to do something.
But no, Jisung really didn't mind. If it was an obligation, he wouldn't have entertained the idea of a dinner, or even just letting Chenle into their house. None of that. But he did so because keeping an eye on the omega wasn't as much of a chore as he had initially expected. "No, Dad. He's actually probably the one who thinks I'm the obligation, but I don't feel that way at all." I guess I see in him the redeeming features that you do.
Mr. Park, taking a moment to read the warmth in his son's eyes, realised that his 'golden child' wasn't really a 'child' anymore. He was undergoing more mature emotions that were related to an omega. The man smiled and patted the young adult's back, nudging him to the side. "I'll take over here. You can go to get Chenle."
Jisung nodded after being snapped from his thoughts. "Right. Six o'clock."
•・•・•
Long, mangled shadows stretched beyond the street's horizon line. Most of the dark shapes were made by the complex that Chenle was waiting in front of. The rickety stairwell was behind him, he himself kicking at the ground and wriggling his fingers in his pockets. And most notably, there was a subconscious smile on his face.
The familiar presence of a particular scent and pheromones told him that Jisung was nearby.
Wipe that smile off your face, Dummy, he grumbled inwardly after noticing it. His hands held his cheeks and he pulled the corners of his lips down. My mind has been all over the place recently. It didn't help that Chenle was looking forward to tonight, subtracting Jisung's pheromones from the equation altogether.
Soon enough, a recognisable silhouette walked itself into the middle of the omega's mental scolding.
"You're three minutes late," Chenle tsked and shook his head in mock disappointment.
