Aurora ||| Ateez

15

"You're happy, right?" Hongjoong asked as he and Yunho strolled peacefully through the market of a town several miles away from their home.

His beta turned to look at him and tilted his head. "Yes. Why do you ask so suddenly?"

"Because this isn't exactly the life I know you were hoping for." Hongjoong sighed as he stopped at a stall to pick out some fruit."

"Well, you aren't exactly the alpha I was looking for either, but I've learned to make due." Yunho chuckled and bumped the older's shoulder.

Hongjoong stuck his lower lip out in a slight pout. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Hey." Yunho turned him so they were facing each other. "I thought we had moved past all that and decided we were going to work on making each other happy? Where is this coming from?"

The alpha rubbed the back of his neck and grumbled. "I don't know. I guess just seeing how tense things are for our guests made me start to wonder if we acted the same way, or still do."

Yunho scoffed and kept walking. "Yeah, well there's more to them than meets the eye. I was talking with Yeosang the other day and he thinks so too. He doesn't believe their story for a second, and honestly? I don't know if I do either. They all act so... strange."

Hongjoong nodded as they continued to make their way through the market. He had noticed a few things too, mainly the way Seonghwa had an obvious hate for San. Sure, Yunho used to look at Hongjoong the same way... But they moved past that after their pack was attacked.

And now, he was proud to say that he did love his playful beta.

The alpha reached out and took Yunho's hand, smiling as it engulfed his own, while they made a couple of more stops.

They were in charge of any of the shopping that needed to be done since there were wanted posters for Mingi and Yeosang everywhere. It would take time for that fiasco to die down and be forgotten, so for now, the expecting parents were forced to stay home.

It drove Mingi insane, but he did it to protect his mate.

"How long to you think they are going to stay?" Yunho asked a short time later.

"No idea. Seonghwa is pretty jumpy, I can see him trying to convince them to try and leave soon. But Wooyoung seems content for now. I know he and Yeosang are getting a little closer, so that will make leaving hard." Hongjoong started to pull him to the entrance of the town, ready to head home when he paused.

A bulletin board was situated off to the side that had flyers advertising services, things for sale, and missing items. Joining it was also warnings about wanted criminals.

Hongjoong walked forward slowly. He heard Yunho gasps behind him as he pulled a piece of paper from the board and stared at it.

Mingi... We have a problem.

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"You're a good cook, Youngie." Yeosang said as he watched Wooyoung slice through some vegetables.

The youngest omega blushed and kept his eyes down. "I've had a lot of practice."

"I'm sure Jongho appreciates it when you guys can actually have a home cooked meal."

Wooyoung just hummed and nodded, pretending to focus on what he was doing. His heart hurt each time he had to lie, and it was starting to get to him.

He could feel Seonghwa watching him from where he was situated on the couch with San's head in his lap for once of their forced 'mate sessions' as Seonghwa liked to call it.