BORING [xiuchen]

2

A month passed since the trip and MinSeok still couldn't shake off JongDae's words. MinSeok didn't like confrontation so he tried to distract himself with even more work.
Since their returning, he started helping in the kitchen as much as KyungSoo would let him. Which basically meant he washed the dishes -morning, noon, evening; seven days a week.
He started to clean the bathrooms –a tasks literally no one wanted to do. There were three in the main house and he also helped BaekHyun with cleaning the inside of his and ChanYeol's hut since the petite omega was almost due and ChanYeol didn't want him to slip and get into early labor all alone.

He looked after the elders of their pack. They weren't many but they were always the first to receive food by MinSeok, followed by the pregnant Omegas. He visited them twice a day and asked if they wanted snacks or if they were cold. Sometimes he offered himself for foot rubs and back massages. He didn't mind since it was a nice way to bond with all of his pack members more.
He also started to play more with the children. He babysat them so the parents could finally get some time for two again. He loved children and that passion made the other adults and teens frown even more upon his rank. He didn't care. He also didn't care about the burning stares he received by JongDae. They spurred him on even more. He helped the smaller toddlers trying to walk; he built sandcastles together with the older ones; he fed them and changed their nappies.

Being so engaged in everything, he didn't notice how JongDae's stares grew fonder of him with time.
Through all the activities, his muscles started to show and develop fast. A lot more Omegas were attracted to him. That couldn't just pass him by since most of them literally threw their scent at him when he was close. It amused him and raised his chin even higher. Yet, he didn't act on one of them.

MinSeok was fairly surprised when he was called into YiFan's room. The head alpha must have something that bothered him about his youngest adult. "You called me?" Minseok asked directly after he was let in.
"Sit." Kris motioned to the chair in front of his desk. MinSeok did as he was told and stared at his leader in slight confusion. "MinSeok" he started, staring directly into his eyes. "What's wrong?" MinSeok could hardly hold back a flinch. Of course YiFan knew, he was the Head Alpha, he knew every one of his pack almost better than they knew themselves. "It's nothing serious." YiFan just shook his head and stayed serious.
"It's definitely not nothing when you take over half the tasks we have to do in this pack." MinSeok looked down.
"Whatever you want to distract yourself from, please, take some time for yourself, MinSeok. It's not heathy to stress and overwork yourself to that extent. Just because you're bonded to me doesn't mean the connection is going to heal all of your wounds." MinSeok understood. He nodded.

"May I hunt, Alpha?"

After the first day of hunting, all Alphas knew that MinSeok was good. They always hunted as a group. Bringing home large deer and sometimes boars or pumas was more effective than rabbits or squirrels. It tasted better, too. MinSeok had an incredible stamina and strength in his muscles that helped them catch their prey faster. The groups had always two so called 'drivers'. They chased the prey until they became tired or were wounded. The others ran along and actually caught the victims by attacking. It was a lot easier job. MinSeok became the second 'driver' that night, next to ChanYeol.
The news spread like fire. Teenage Alphas threw him envious glares while the elders smiled proudly and the Omegas just tried to impress him even more.

MinSeok and YiFan agreed to the compromise that MinSeok would hunt if he laid down a few other tasks –such as cleaning and cooking since it was the work for Omegas. MinSeok had to beg that he was allowed to care for the children and educate them and play with them. Of course, the time span was cut. That job was divided to JongDae.

The first time JongDae came over to the moss cushioned place where the babies and toddlers mostly played, MinSeok couldn't help but feel aggressively annoyed. He tried not to show it that much for the kids' sake, but that omega had cut his pride deeply.
The way JongDae strolled over to him made MinSeok roll his eyes. JongDae wasn't as pretty as LuHan or BaekHyun, he wasn't as friendly and bubbly as Suho/Lay nor was he as graceful and soft as Tao. Yet the confidence in his stride was impressive; chin raised high, a smile curled around his lips, eyes glimmering with mischief. MinSeok despised him.

When he arrived, JongDae immediately slumped down next to where MinSeok was kneeling while blowing raspberries on a 14 month old baby's tummy. He was annoying. "Hey MinSeok" he chirped as a greeting and closed his eyes letting the morning sun shine down on his face. The older boy huffed in annoyance, his eyes still casted down on the small puppy. As reply, JongDae just laughed amused by MinSeok's tantrum, which threw him a bit off. Why was that brazen omega laughing in his face? Even more annoyed –if that was possible- MinSeok turned his back to his helper, now laying on his belly and watched a few toddlers where they played with the sturdy roots of the old oak. The squealing and chattering calmed him down a bit. JongDae turned his head away from the preteens that played hide and catch deeper in the woods and stared at the back of MinSeok's head. MinSeok could smell the tension inside the air that came from the omega. "I'm sorry, MinSeok." The young alpha turned his head as much as possible in his position and the other male indicated that he should continue explaining. The omega let out a soft huff. "I seriously didn't mean to insult and hurt you."
MinSeok let out an angered huff of air and turned around again. Of course he was hurt, an omega –the lowest rank- had wounded his pride. And it was one of the strongest insults to question the status of an Alpha. The babies could feel the anger and the pressure from both sides and started to whimper, even though they couldn't really tell what it meant. MinSeok knew that he gave off too strong pheromones, which set the puppies off and felt guilty. Trying to moderate his temper, he started to softly sing to the babies which made them relax and they continued to play.

MinSeok always loved to sing. Tao and BaekHyun always sung to him when he was smaller. When he was afraid or woke up from nightmares, they always were by his side. His mother died when he was seven. There was a group of hunters and only a small part of the pack escaped. They later found out that a tiny part escaped as well but YiFan let NamJoon lead them. They were an alliance, bonded packs, so still family.
YiFan and Tao kind of raised him as their own. No one knew something about MinSeok's father –or refused to tell him and so the young adult kind of lost interest in asking. His family was here and he couldn't ask for more (even though he sometimes felt more than lonely).

Quietly singing and still in his thoughts, he was startled as JongDae started to sing along with his clear and high voice. He sounded wonderful. They did not sing a particular song, the words just came stumbling out their hearts and JongDae was forgiven. MinSeok is odd, the omega thought.