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All our lives, we've been told the way to a heart is through the stomach. This was something Soobin knew all too well. Ever since he was a pup, he loved hearing his mom's stories. She'd always recount how she'd won over his alpha mother with treats like cakes, desserts, and other foods. To Soobin, his mothers' love was a pure demonstration of the affection two people could share, and he always knew he wanted that same kind of devoted love.
He was only eight years old when he first saw Choi Yeonjun. He still remembers the beautiful, black-haired boy walking into his classroom. Though he seemed shy, his fox-like eyes held the typical mischief of a pup his age. Soobin didn't yet grasp the depth of romantic love, but he did know one thing: he wanted to be close to Yeonjun. He just didn't know how, although one method kept popping into his head.
That very day, when he got home, he told his mom he wanted to bake vanilla cookies with colored sprinkles to take to the new boy. As expected, they turned out perfectly, and Soobin could confirm they were truly delicious… so delicious that he ate every single one. In his innocence, he kept asking his mother to help him bake small desserts, but the result was always the same: the pup would eat all the sweets before they could be delivered to their intended recipient. Since he couldn't think of another way to get closer to Yeonjun, he opted to give up and began to admire him from a distance. His best friend, Beomgyu, always teased him and even tried to help him approach the raven-haired boy, but Soobin refused his help. He felt he would find the courage someday.
Fate decided Soobin wouldn't have to wait too long.
That day, while coloring in his drawing book and absently munching on a cookie, he heard someone knock on the door. His alpha mother answered and was reunited with her best friend from school. From what Soobin could hear, she had recently moved to Ansan with her wife and pup. Curious, Soobin looked up from his notebook, and standing next to the woman was none other than Choi Yeonjun, the pretty boy from his class. Given the older’s extroverted nature, it wasn't strange that they quickly formed a lovely friendship. They saw each other often and shared time in class. During recess, they played with Beomgyu, as well as with Taehyun and Kai, Yeonjun’s closest friends. Now, the cookies were finally reaching their intended recipient, and Soobin even brought desserts for his new friends, with sweets remaining a constant throughout the years, even now that they were older.
By the age of thirteen, their friendship was stronger than ever. They were still too young to know their secondary genders, but that didn't stop the speculation. Rumors in the school hallways claimed they were destined mates, blessed by the Moon Mother, and that when the time came, Yeonjun would be Soobin’s alpha, while Soobin would be the black-haired boy’s omega. They both laughed at the comments. They weren't worried about finding a partner; why would they, when they were happy just having each other? They also didn't care about the jokes suggesting Soobin would be an omega because of how sweet he was at baking cookies, or that Yeonjun would be an alpha due to his strong personality.
The truth was that everyone was wrong. They realized this when, at fifteen, Yeonjun missed school for nearly two weeks. Everyone thought it was a bad cold. However, the older boy was going through his first heat, which evidently meant the raven-haired teen had presented as an omega.
The first day Yeonjun was absent, Soobin was inevitably worried. Once classes ended for the day, he went to visit him. He wanted to keep him company and drop off the class notes. However, when he rang the bell, it was the older boy's mother who opened the door. A scent of vanilla escaped from inside the house. It was sweet, intoxicating, and intensely thick, as if it completely enveloped him. For a moment, he thought they were baking cookies… but the tickle in his chest told him it was more than just that. He craved them, yes, though he didn't actually know if he wanted to eat them or just stay breathing in that aroma forever.
"Soobin!" Yeonjun's mother pulled him out of his thoughts. "Did you come to see Junnie?"
"Hello, Eomma… yes, he missed class today, and I wanted to know if he was okay."
"Pup… Yeonjun can't see you right now," the woman sighed. "Junnie presented as an omega, so he's in his room. But don't worry, he's fine. We're taking care of him so he can feel a little better. When he's feeling better, you'll be able to see him. He misses you, too." She gently stroked Soobin's hair, and then they said goodbye.
As soon as he got home, the first thing he did was ask his mom to bake vanilla cookies. He was too young to understand it, but that day he didn't just smell vanilla: he perceived a distinct, warm, and enveloping aroma that imprinted itself on his memory. He didn't know it then, but it would become his favorite scent for the rest of his days.
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When the black-haired boy returned to class, the gossip was flying around the school. Now everyone knew that Choi Yeonjun, the student everyone assumed would be an alpha, was actually an omega—a very beautiful one, to be honest. His fox-like eyes were now as deep as the ocean, his features had become more delicate, and his beautiful lips looked more kissable than ever. Inevitably, all the alphas began to try and court him. This made an unfamiliar feeling burn in Soobin's chest.
To him, the alphas shouldn't try to win Yeonjun over; he was his… Right? To Soobin, yes. He didn't care if he later presented as an omega, just as everyone was saying. He would find a way to be with the other omega, though, to be honest, Yeonjun deserved to find a strong, brave alpha who would love him, spoil him, and accept everything about him.
Their relationship remained the same: inseparable, thick as thieves. That made Soobin happy… although he hated it with a passion when Yeonjun mentioned his suitors. Only he deserved to be by his side, and this thought both disheartened and excited him. Every bite of his mother's vanilla cookies, which had once been a comfort, now inevitably reminded him of Yeonjun, awakening a longing he couldn't ignore. It was then that he understood something he had avoided admitting until that moment: more than a friend, he wanted to be by his side as an alpha, to protect him and make him his.
So when he turned fifteen, he patiently awaited his presentation. Beomgyu, who knew him like the back of his hand, told him it was silly to worry, as it was impossible for him to present as an omega—his sweetness meant absolutely nothing. However, his physique and his natural desire to protect spoke louder than any meaningless rumors.
His presentation occurred on December 15th, during the school break, so he met up with his friends, including Yeonjun. Since the day before, he'd felt a slight warmth running through his core, sweating, and a mild fever… He thought it was just a cold from the winter… But everyone knew it wasn't.
That afternoon, he had been clingier to Yeonjun than usual. He didn't want to let him go at all. They were watching a movie while eating some cookies Soobin had brought. Though the younger loved those delicious desserts, he couldn't help but bury his nose in the omega's neck, right where his scent gland was. For the first time, he could perfectly smell the older boy's scent; it felt safe and peaceful.
"Junnie…" he called for his attention.
"Yes?" Yeonjun looked at him over his shoulder, stopping the movie to focus on the younger.
"You smell really good… hmm, it's vanilla cookies and… chocolate? Chocolate flower."
This immediately alarmed Yeonjun. He quickly separated from Soobin and then scanned him with his eyes. What caught his attention the most were the younger boy's golden eyes that matched the subtle scent of toasted coffee with amber emanating from Soobin. His inner omega wanted to get close again, to accompany him, help him, and smell him. He felt drawn, and his mind began to cloud over.
The brown-haired boy was definitely not an omega. Beomgyu, understanding what was happening, left the room and ran to find Yeonjun's alpha mother, while Kai and Taehyun pulled the black-haired boy out of the room. It was best for his safety.
Soobin's mothers quickly arrived once they were informed of the situation. Once they took him away, all his friends left, leaving Yeonjun alone in his room. Notes of the younger boy's pheromones could still be found in the air. For now, Yeonjun's omega would have to calm down with that.
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After his rut, Soobin experienced many physical changes. He was now much taller than Yeonjun, stronger, and his features began to sharpen. After the break, at school, omegas pursued him, sought him out, and left him gifts, confessions, and even scent samples. Beomgyu constantly teased him and stole all the candies to share with Tae and Kai, while Yeonjun simply kept his words to himself and growled at those bold omegas, gradually letting everyone know that the younger alpha was not available. His wolf was screaming that he wanted Soobin to be his alpha, and sooner or later, he would make him his.
Every time Beomgyu saw them together, he, Taehyun, and Kai would tease them because the trio found the older boys incredibly stupid. They yearned for each other, and on top of that, they never questioned why they could smell two scents on the other. Only Soobin could perceive the omega's chocolate flowers, and only Yeonjun could smell the amber in the alpha's pheromones. If only they had paid attention in biology class, they would know perfectly well that only destined mates could sense each other's secondary scent. But since they enjoyed watching them long for something more, they remained silent. In any case, all that accumulated tension would break eventually.
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At eighteen, the omega discovered one of his greatest loves: dancing. Initially, his classes only took up a little of his time, but being so good, he became more and more interested, and as a consequence, Soobin was left relatively alone. To avoid boredom, he started playing League of Legends with Beomgyu… but he wasn't so lucky, because when the now-omega found the destiny the Moon Mother had written for him in Kai and Taehyun, he began to neglect Soobin a bit. To be honest, the brown-haired boy didn't blame him or complain, as he would do the exact same thing if he were in Gyu's position. Seeing the situation, he began looking for a new hobby. Even though he wasn't a pup anymore, he still loved his mother's vanilla cookies. However, he wanted to learn to make those sweets on his own, and that way, he could give the black-haired omega an even more meaningful gift: cookies that were only his, born of his own effort.
The first time he made the vanilla delights, he shared them with Taehyun, Kai, Beomgyu, and obviously Yeonjun. To tell the truth, he expected positive comments. They looked good, and he had followed his mother's recipe to the letter. Despite this, when he heard a crunch on Tae's first bite of one of his cookies—they should have been soft, not crunchy—he still had faith that they at least tasted good… His hopes didn't last long, because Beomgyu spit out his cookie as soon as he tasted it, claiming they were "salty."
All his insecurities vanished as soon as his hyung began to compliment him with inhuman devotion. The others looked at him as if he had grown a horn on his forehead, because those cookies were, literally, an assault on the digestive health of anyone who dared to try them. For his mental well-being, he decided to ignore the other three: if Yeonjun liked them, then his cookies were automatically a success. So he kept baking, only now the raven-haired boy was the only one privileged to try his desserts… definitely Kai, Beomgyu, and Taehyun didn't know what they were missing; they simply didn't know how to appreciate his culinary art.
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They both entered university at nineteen. Many thought they would separate there and take different paths, but since they were thick as thieves, they decided to move in together. They studied on the same campus but in different faculties. The omega was studying for a Bachelor's in Dance, while the alpha was studying Early Childhood Education. Their cohabitation was perfect: they shared every meal, filled their nights with movies, and were enough for each other. Their life seemed like that of a stable and happy couple… except for one detail. Officially, they were still just friends. No one believed them; to everyone else, they were alpha and omega, sun and moon. And perhaps they were, because both of them silently wished it. But the fear of the next step kept them trapped in that "almost."
Soobin never lost the habit of baking. Beomgyu used to tell him he should enroll in a pastry course to learn how to make edible desserts, and he, at one point, seriously considered it. But if Yeonjun kept devouring every single one of his creations, there was no reason to stop. In those cookies, more than sugar and flour, Soobin poured small tokens of his love.
It was quite normal for Yeonjun to smell chaos when he got home. He was already accustomed to the alpha's passion for baking. However, that day, something felt different. As soon as he crossed the door, he was greeted by a smell of vanilla, but that wasn't all, because in the midst of all that sweetness, a strong smell of burning was hidden. He didn't think twice and entered the kitchen.
The first thing he noticed was the counter covered in flour and eggshells. In one corner of the breakfast bar, there was a bowl with a mixture that looked more like non-Newtonian fluid than anything edible.
He went around the counter to check if there was anything in the oven. There was something in the appliance, effectively, but what intrigued him the most, and at the same time broke his heart into a thousand pieces, was the sight of Soobin huddled in a ball in front of the oven. His gaze was that of a scolded puppy, his rabbit-like lips were forming a dangerously kissable pout, and his cheeks were white with flour.
"Bin… I'm home," the omega's voice was so soft it contrasted with the distress caused by seeing the chaos in the kitchen.
Soobin looked up, dropped a spatula he had in his hands, and his expression denoted nothing more and nothing less than guilt. He just wanted to try a new recipe for chocolate chip cookies. His intentions were pure, but the result… well, it spoke for itself.
"Don't come in… I don't want you to be here when the oven explodes and you get hurt," he tried to joke, but the tremor in his voice gave him away.
Yeonjun didn't say anything at first; he just smiled affectionately, ignored the "warning," and approached the younger, then sat down next to him.
"Cookies again?… Why do you try so hard?"
The alpha pressed his lips until they formed a straight line, unable to meet the black-haired boy's gaze. His ears burned crimson. He felt a bit cornered. Inside him was a hurricane of emotions caused by frustration. He sighed and let all the walls that kept him in check come down.
"I don't make the cookies just because I like to bake… or much less because I think they taste good," he finally dared to look up and continued, "I like to make vanilla cookies because they smell like you… and I wanted to have even just a little bit of you… I always made them for you. I wanted to give you a piece of my heart in each one of those cookies. I always worked hard for you."
The silence after his confession became heavy. Yeonjun blinked several times, assimilating every word, while his gaze rested on the cookie he held in his hand. Suddenly, he let out a low, sweet laugh that wasn't mocking. It was the kind of laugh that comes when the gears in your head click, and suddenly, everything makes sense.
"Are you telling me that all these years, I've eaten these sweet bricks just because you wanted to smell me on a baking sheet?"
Soobin wanted the earth to swallow him; the shame was killing him. He was about to defend himself, to concoct some excuse, but before he could articulate a word, the omega wrapped him in a hug. The air filled with a touch of their pheromones, soft and comforting.
Being so close to the alpha, Yeonjun tilted his head until it brushed his ear and whispered tenderly:
"You could have just asked me… I've been yours all along, even since the first day of class when I felt your pretty eyes on me. You don't need to copy my scent when the original source is already yours."
The younger boy froze, processing the information. He didn't know what to say, so he simply blurted out the first thing that came to mind:
"So… you don't hate my cookies?"
"I hate them," Yeonjun laughed against his neck, right next to the alpha's scent gland. "But I love you, and that makes up for everything."
And there, amidst the flour, the smoke from the oven, and the aroma of chocolaty vanilla that now fused with the toasted coffee and amber, they kissed for the first time.
The kiss was a delicious disaster, just like everything they had done together up until that moment. Soobin kissed him with the same intensity with which he had once tried to knead cookies, and Yeonjun laughed against the contact, tasting a bit of undissolved sugar on the alpha's lips. The oven beeped right in the middle, as if it also wanted to announce something, and the mix of smoke and laughter ended up enveloping them like the most absurd of crowns. When they separated, Yeonjun still had that mischievous smile painted on his face, and Soobin knew he was lost forever. He didn't need any more proof.