Expectations [양정원/이희승]

《chapter 6》

Their promotions were going strong, as was their pack. With the new arrangement, the worries all dissipated into thin air as, whenever Jungwon sat next to the others, he was all smiles and giggles as long as they weren't in work mode.

No growling, no glares and no more headaches, at least the hyungline thought.

Sunoo and Jungwon could be entangled on the couch, watching their drama, and if anyone of their pack would suddenly come and take the older away, there was no more protest then the occasional "but he's waaarm".

Their plan had succeeded. Jake was so glad his plan had proven to be a solution instead, and Sunghoon and Jay enjoyed the ease of tension. They never wanted to have a 'talk' with any of their members again, if it could be avoided.

Heeseung, though confused, was happy too. There was no bad blood between him and the leader. 
Just Niki felt a little weird about the situation. He didn't know what had conspired between his pack mates, but he understood that something was still weird about Jungwon.

Their leader had been and was still acting weird. He had always been more cautious about his surroundings, much more aware of things than his Hyungs gave him credit for. 

But it only hurt him to know they knew something he didn't, when he wandered around the halls one night, trying to find a midnight snack in the kitchen. The youngest had stopped before he reached the door, however, when he heard voices.

The prankster he was, the only right thing to do in the middle of the night if his pack decided to get snacks without him was to prank them, obviously. 

Ready to burst through the door with a loud yell and wild hand movements, to give them a good scare, Niki hid.

But before he had the opportunity to jumpscare them, he finally registered the words that were said.

"So he hasn't like... growled at you or something? He's completely fine with it?" It was Jay's voice.

"Nothing. He's been coming to me a little more often lately, so I guess it's a good sign."Heeseung answered.

"So your alpha is fine with his?" Jay again.

"Yeah. I guess. There's no.. I don't know we didn't like try to fight or anything like I did with Jake in the beginning. It kind of calms him, I think." 

"Well that's great!" Jake paused "I don't feel anything either. No 'get out of my territory' type of shit."

"I don't think it'll be long at this point. He's been showing so many signs." Sunghoon spoke up this time.

Niki was confused at first, but he quickly realised that what ever 'It' was that heeseung was referring to, it had to do with Jungwon's presentation. 
This confirmed Niki's suspicion.

He knew something was up from the time Jungwon came home looking like a train wreck. No, actually, he knew something was up when he saw Jungwon in the car, completely exhausted. Or when he couldn't look anyone in the eyes that morning after Niki and him had slept in their 'fort'.

He had noticed the dodging and avoiding, and he had noticed the clinginess and the protectivness when Jungwon had sat next to him for almost an hour after he came home, or when Sunoo was removed from Jungwon's field of vision a little too fast. 
He saw how Jungwon had looked across the room, acknowledging every exit, leaving rooms after all the others and making sure everyone had everything they needed all the time. 
Niki knew exactly how many times he had forgotten to eat breakfast before practice, because he wanted to sleep in, only to have Jungwon hold a protein bar right under his nose before his stomach could complain.