Myungsuk stared at the auditorium. Looking at it now, it seemed so much more grand compared to the pictures online. He hugged his backpack tighter.

Seunghyeon stopped the car. "You ready?"

Watching the people in the courtyard filtering into the auditorium, Myungsuk let out a deep breath. "Yes."

Cutting through the crowd, Myungsuk spotted Insoo coming over. "Ah, there's Insoo," he said as he waved. He grinned as he got closer. He was wearing a button-up and slacks. He looked older and more refined. Myungsuk bit his bottom lip.

Seunghyeon rolled down the window. "Hey, Insoo," he said.

"Hello, Seunghyeon-sunbae," Insoo said with a bow. When he turned to Myungsuk, his eyes lit up and Myungsuk curled his toes at his smile. "You look great, Myungsuk."

Myungsuk's cheeks heated up. "Thank you. Um, you look great too."

"Thanks," Insoo whispered. Myungsuk stared at his face, taking in his scent. Without the thick scent of coffee, he could smell the subtle waft of indescribable warmth coming from him.

"Okay, okay. Both of you get out of here," Seunghyeon interrupted and unlocked the door, practically shoving Myungsuk out of the car. "I'll pick you up in a couple of hours. Okay, Myungsuk?"

Myungsuk stumbled out, clutching his backpack to his chest. He turned around and nodded. "Okay, Hyung."

Seunghyeon nodded and leaned over. "Insoo, take my number. I want updates from you." Seunghyeon's pheromones soured and Myungsuk pouted. "You better take care of him," Seunghyeon added.

"Of course, sunbae."

"That's what I like to hear," Seunghyeon said and relaxed. "Have fun."

"I will," Myungsuk said and waved until Seunghyeon pulled away from the curb and turned out of sight. He slid on his backpack and smiled up at Insoo. He shuffled his feet, gripping his straps.

"Um, here's your badge, by the way," he said, pulling out a lanyard from his pocket, the same one he had around his neck.

Myungsuk nodded and slipped it on, holding up the orange badge. Student Admission. Seat G25. "G25," he repeated under his breath. A middle seat.

"Everything okay?"

"Hm?" Myungsuk bit his lip. "We should go inside," he said, avoiding Insoo's question. It wasn't the end of the world after all.

They headed inside the domed building, Myungsuk sticking close to Insoo as his eyes darted around the crowd as they entered the auditorium.

It was full and the concoction of scents assaulted his senses. Tugging his sleeves, he followed Insoo up the stairs until they got to their row. He wanted to say sorry as they scooted past the sitting people, but he couldn't get himself to.

Once seated, Myungsuk swung his bag onto his lap and dug out his mask. He slipped on his purple, scent-neutralizing mask and sighed in relief. He glanced over, tensing when Insoo furrowed his brows at him.

"Ah, sorry," he mumbled. "I'm just feeling a bit sensitive," he explained, his voice meek.

Insoo nodded. "It's okay." Myungsuk's heart fluttered at Insoo's kind smile and focused on the stage, tugging the mask a little higher to hide his blush.

The doors snapped shut and the lights dimmed around the crowd, hushing them instantly. As the stage lit up, someone walked on. "Good morning everybody. Welcome to the Annual Minds of Science Conference here at SSNU."

Insoo leaned in. "Excited?"

Myungsuk nodded. "Yeah."

With his eyes glued to the stage, he mentally prepared himself for the crowd to clap as the first speaker came on.

It was marvellous. Incredible. Inspiring and any other word Myungsuk could think of. There was a speaker for everything. Physics, Healthcare, Chemistry, Psychology, and even Marine Biology. There was so much to learn, and Myungsuk loved it.

"Our final speaker, one of SSNU's professors, astrophysicist Dr. Hujin Kang, discusses an unusual visitor to our solar system," the announcer said and Myungsuk gaped, turning to Insoo, who was already smiling at him.

"I think you'll like this one the best," he whispered and Myungsuk wiggled his toes.

"Me too." He turned to the stage, wrapping both hands around Insoo's.

Dr. Kang's hair wasn't like the others. It was unkempt and wild, and like his hair, he had a bounce in his step that the other presenters didn't have.

"Oumuamua is a fascinating word," he started with a confident voice. "Anyone want to take a guess what it means?"

Myungsuk glanced around the crowd and when no one raised their hand, he hesitantly lifted his.

"Yes, you over there," Dr. Kang said, pointing right at him.

Sucking in his breath, he squeezed Insoo's hand. "Um, it's Hawaiian for-"

"Sorry? Can you speak up?"

Myungsuk pressed his lips together, his heart drumming in his ears. Everyone was looking at him now. They probably thought he was stupid. He shouldn't have put his hand up.

Insoo leaned in front of him. "Tell me what you were saying," he whispered.

Myungsuk blinked at him. "Okay," he managed. He whispered the answer to Insoo who then sat up.

"He said Oumuamua is Hawaiian for 'messenger' or 'scout' from the past reaching out to us," he said, projecting his voice loud and clear. Myungsuk's eyes sparkled as Insoo leaned back, grinning at him.

"Perfect answer," Dr. Kang said and started the clap, the crowd following. Myungsuk let out a relieved sigh and looked up at Insoo.

"Thank you," he whispered, lacing their fingers together.

Insoo shyly smiled and nodded his head. "You're welcome."

Purring under his breath, Myungsuk focused back on the presentation, resting his head on Insoo's shoulder.

The dean finished his final remarks. The lights came back on and the crowd started to leave.

"So, what did you think?" Insoo asked.

Myungsuk tightened his grip on his hand, keeping him seated as people shuffled past them. He tried to ignore them. "It was amazing! I learned so much!"

"I'm glad," Insoo said with a sweet smile. "And you spoke too. I was surprised you put your hand up."

Myungsuk drew in his shoulders and shrugged. "No one else knew the answer."

"I noticed." Insoo leaned in, their foreheads almost together, Myungsuk smelling his scent through his mask. "I thought it was very cool of you."

Blurting out a giggle, Myungsuk hid his face in his free hand, wiggling his toes.

"Should we get going? The meet-and-greet is only for an hour."

"The what?"

"The meet and greet," Insoo repeated. "There's always one after the presentations."

"Oh." Myungsuk bit his lip as he stood up. "I didn't know that was a thing."

Insoo paused. "We don't have to go if you don't want to."

"No, no." It was his fault for not knowing about it. Besides, going home a little later wasn't the end of the world, not when Insoo thought he was cool and they were still holding hands. "Let's go."

Blinking at the bright entrance, Myungsuk readjusted his mask as they neared another set of doors. The crowd had gathered there, mingling around and chatting and altogether it was loud.

Frozen at the door, Insoo stumbled back, turning around and his expression dropped. "Hey, are you okay?" he whispered, stepping closer.

"I-." he tried to speak, instead he looked down at their hands and placed his other one over Insoo's. "Nervous," he managed.

Insoo pressed his lips together and nodded. "Okay. That's okay."

"I'm sorry."

"No, no. it's okay," Insoo insisted. "I mean, you're an omega and you're already shy. I don't want you to push yourself."

It wasn't because he was an omega, but Myungsuk would take it. "Can we get ice cream?"

Insoo cracked a smile and nodded. "Sure."

Nodding, Myungsuk kept his head down and turned around and Insoo jerked his hand back.

"Ah!" Myungsuk yelped and fell back into Insoo. Blinking, his eyes shot up to a man directly in his path that he would've run into. And a moment later, he gaped. It was Dr. Kang.

"Sorry, Myungsuk," Insoo whispered before bowing his head at Dr. Kang. "Sorry, sir. We didn't see you there."

"It's okay. I've got a light step," Dr. Kwang said with a hearty laugh. His eyes lingered on Myungsuk before snapping his fingers. "Ah, you're the one who answered my question."

Myungsuk furrowed his brow and peeked his head up, gulping. "How?"

Dr. Kang nodded. "You're the only one here wearing a mask."

"Oh." Myungsuk brushed his fingers against his mask. "It's a scent-neutralizing one," he explained.

"I see," Dr. Kwang said with a cheery smile. "Honestly, I should get one of those too. Some people don't know how to control their pheromones. Even betas, they may not realize it, but they've got something there."

Myungsuk nodded. Insoo squeezed his hand and he squeezed back. Myungsuk's back was to the crowd and with Insoo by his side, he could get through this. Though, he still had one eye on the door.

"What year are you in? I'd know you if you were studying astronomy, especially with your answer."

"Oh, um," Myungsuk bit his lip and turned to Insoo.

"He's not a student, yet," Insoo said and Myungsuk wiggled his toes. "I bought our tickets so that's why it says 'student.'"

"Ah, I see." Dr. Kang smiled a cheeky grin. "Well, that makes the pair of you a bit more interesting. What a great date idea."

Myungsuk's cheeks heated up and he stood on his toes. "It's not a date," he blurted out before looking up at Insoo through his lashes. "Is it?"

Insoo's face went red as he turned away, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, uh..."

Dr. Kang covered his grin with his hand. "Oh, Sorry. Guess that was supposed to be a surprise," he teased, directing it to Insoo.

Myungsuk continued to watch Insoo's red face, distracted by his crescent-eyes and wishing he would see them up close and alone. His mind swirled with the growing desire to be together alone that the booming-voice behind him startled him.

Clasping his hand over his mouth, he whipped around to see three people loudly greeting Dr. Kang, reaching over to shake his hand as if Myungsuk wasn't there.

"Ah, Professor. How are you?" Dr. Kang greeted, just as loud.

Myungsuk cringed and leaned into Insoo, pinpricks crawling up his back. Too close. The strangers were too close.

"I was just talking to these two bright students," Dr. Kang said and Myungsuk tugged his sleeves. He wasn't a student.

The others turned to him, their eyes piercing his skin. "What's your name?" one of them asked, but Myungsuk didn't dare look up to see who it was.

"Myungsuk, are you okay?" Insoo whispered.

"Huh?" Myungsuk turned to face him, but his body lagged behind and Insoo seemed miles away, the pins turning to static. Myungsuk mumbled something, but he could neither hear himself nor comprehend what he was saying.

"Are you alright?" The question came from nowhere and everywhere and Myungsuk's eyes darted around. Eyes everywhere, the people around him turned into a crowd. A crowding of growing limbs, caging him in.

Myungsuk could smell his own scent. The sourness churned his stomach, an instinctual cry for help that Myungsuk didn't want anyone to hear. He didn't want people to look at him and come closer. He needed to leave. He needed to breathe.

Tearing his hand away from Insoo, he bolted out the doors. Air! He needed air!

Myungsuk pushed the doors open, ripping off his mask, gasping lungfuls of the outside air. Coughing, he stumbled towards one of the pillars, clinging to it as he slid down into its shadow.

He heaved several breaths, clenching and unclenching his fists. His backpack weighed heavy on him but he couldn't control his body to take anything out. He needed something to hold and to squeeze to bring him back.

"Myungsuk!" Insoo's voice felt like a needle to his eardrum and he flinched. But as he came closer, his warm toasty scent reached deep in Myungsuk and his body flung itself into his arms.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. Please don't cry. I'm here, I'm here," Insoo whispered, wrapping his arms tightly around him and running his hand through his hair.

Myungsuk didn't realize he was crying and the realization that he was in front of Insoo made him whimper. He clung to him, digging his nails into his back, trying to feel grounded and make the static go away.

But it wasn't going away. His chest seized up again and breathing got harder. "I'm sorry," he choked out. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry," he repeated over and over.

"Don't be sorry. Myungsuk, it's okay. Please, it's okay," Insoo insisted, flinching as Myungsuk twisted his shirt in his hands, trying to grab for more, continuing to apologize.

"Sunbae, Myungsuk is panicking. I don't know what to do....We're outside and alone." Myungsuk distinctly remembered a cell phone click and his bottom lip trembled.

It was over. Their date was over and he ruined it. Myungsuk stopped mumbling and buried his face into Insoo's shoulder, finding solace in his warm, alpha scent. It would probably be the last time he'd be this close to him.

He lifted his head when the familiar sweet scent wafted around him and he looked up. His glasses were lopsided but he made out the blur.

"Oh, Myungsuk," Seunghyeon said softly. "We should get you home."

Sucking in his breath, Myungsuk shook his head and clung to Insoo, whimpering when Insoo hissed from his grip, but he couldn't get his body to let go.

Suddenly, he was weightless. Peeking up, he watched the auditorium behind them, getting smaller and smaller.

Then, he was at the car and Seunghyeon held the door open and Insoo leaned down. "No," Myungsuk shrieked and grabbed onto Insoo, a new wave of panic. "Please, no, no, no, no," he wailed, holding onto Insoo's arms.

"Shhh, Myungsuk," Insoo whispered and pressed their foreheads together. "It'll be okay. You need to go home and rest."

"I-I'm sorry," Myungsuk repeated. He tried to explain himself. He didn't want this to be Insoo's last impression of him. He messed up. He ruined everything. He was stupid to think he could do this. Insoo hates him now because he's weird and wouldn't stay by his side when Myungsuk needed him.

"I'll call you Myungsuk. I promise," Insoo said and held up his large teddy bear, which Seunghyeon passed him from the backseat.

Staring at the plushie, his lip trembling between his teeth, Myungsuk peeled his fingers away and squeezed the toy against his chest, breathing in the pheromones of family and home.

The door shut and Myungsuk stared up at Insoo, his heart aching at the unexplainable look on his face. Hurt? Confusion? Myungsuk couldn't tell, but he knew that he didn't like it, especially when it was paired with a smile that didn't give him happy crescent-eyes.

He stared in the rearview mirror, squeezing the teddy bear, digging his nails into it the way he wished he could tear open his chest, watching as Insoo got smaller and smaller until he was gone.