"Wait. Mingyu, what? What do you mean you subleased your room?" Park Jimin said over the phone as he walked towards his apartment building, coffee in one hand and breakfast in the other.

Jimin had stayed in Gwangju for a couple of days to visit an art exhibition of a famous surreal art painter from France. Not only was his artwork loaned to South Korea's national gallery for one week, but the artist himself ran an exclusive workshop on deconstructing traditional mediums during its opening week. Jimin had practically murdered his way to secure a spot, booking an Airbnb in Gwangju the second the ticket showed up in his email.

He wasn't huge on solo travel, even less so as an omega in a world of crazy wolves and unpredictable assholes, but the high of seeing Cygne-Noir in person quickly overrode that. The artist was as clever as he was handsome. His perception of art was revolutionary, and Jimin admired how much creative expression was ingrained in his very being. Every breath was nuanced and laced with story. Jimin's star-struck buzz followed him from all the way from Gwangju back to Seoul. The emotional crash hadn't hit until he heard his roommate's voice on the other end of the phone, wrapping around him like a wire, electrocuting him with news of moving out.

"I feel like that's something you should have told me months ago instead of dropping it on me like this," Jimin said, swallowing the panic clinging to his throat. "I mean, I was gone for what? One weekend? How did you even find someone to sublease from you so fast?"

"I'm sorry, Jimin-ah. I know you get jumpy, but I got a full-time offer to work with a film company in Daegu, and I haven't said anything because I've been going back and forth about accepting it." When Jimin didn't instantly respond, Mingyu added: "I didn't want to leave you stranded paying full rent. I thought finding someone to take my room would be better."

Jimin frowned, opening his apartment building's gate by balancing his coffee and bag of pastries in one hand, adjusting his duffle bag from his trip with his other, and turning the key to get inside the main stairwell. His mind went blank as he tried to process the sudden news. It was as if the gears in his head had stopped. The phone grew hotter against his cheek as a long breath left his nose.

Jimin tried to picture himself sitting in Korea's National Art Museum in Gwangju, leg crossed with an artisan's notebook balanced against his knee, trying to recreate Cygne-Noir's largest canvas of chaotic stripes made to mimic the ocean. In his memory, he placed the handsome artist with a confident grin and bohemian clothes in front of it, focusing on how the beta favored his right when he walked. He had a hand resting over his abdomen while lecturing - as if all his passion and ideas might burst out of him. The image grounded Jimin's nerves, dripping oil onto his mental gears. He swallowed, and words no longer felt like they'd grate against his throat.

"So, who's moving in? Do I know them?" Jimin asked, biting his lips in a nervous habit. His omega stirred uneasily in his chest at the idea of a new scent in their space. Mingyu was a dream roommate – a clean, peaceful, and friendly omega Jimin had met during his undergrad. He was a film major back at Yonsei University and now works as a screenwriter.

The two wolves weren't close, but they lived together extremely well; the pairing was mainly a means to afford rent in Apujeong, Seoul. There was a specific corner of the district, right where Jimin's apartment was, carved out by artist types. It was colorful and comforting, with cafes, theaters, jazz clubs, and wine bars piled on each other. People whose souls carried rich stories wandered the streets, calling to each other and sitting in tight-knit groups. But the rent was as high as the demand to live there, so living alone wasn't an option for nearly any resident.

"Are they an omega?" Jimin asked, climbing the steps to his apartment. His heart was racing, and he felt sweat already forming on the back of his neck. Mainly because – what the actual fuck? Subleasing took time. That meant Mingyu was thinking about moving out for a while and waited until Jimin was out of town. How long had he been planning this? How could he be okay keeping Jimin in the dark until the last possible moment? They were roommates, not much more than that, but as omegas, Jimin couldn't help the seed of betrayal growing between his lungs. It wasn't a light thing to threaten the stability of an omega's home. "The guy subleasing your room, I mean."

"It's just my cousin, so it's not a stranger, don't worry. He's in his junior year at Seoul National on a baseball scholarship. Just needs a place to stay for the semester before taking over his buddy's apartment next year. It gives you like six months to find a new roommate after him."

Jimin blinked. "SNU's campus is like forty minutes from here."

"I know, but he searched for apartments too late and said that a lot of his teammates live off-campus near Gangnam for the bar scene. The baseball guys like it there because the stadium is nearby, too. Look, Jungkook is a good guy, Jimin. I think he's also only a year or two younger than you. I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"You didn't answer if he's an omega or not."

"Uh, no. He's an, um, look, Jimin, Jungkook is genuinely a good guy –"

"Mingyu. I need you to tell me what his sub-gender is before I walk into my home unprepared, or so help me, Luna, I'll climb through this phone and skin you alive."

"Fuck Jimin. Damn. Just don't freak out; I know the guy. He's harmless. A little dumb but great heart and - he's an alpha."

"HE'S A WHAT?" Jimin stopped on the steps, nearly stumbling down them and spilling his coffee all over himself as he reached his apartment's front door. "Mingyu. What the fuck. Why would you sublease your room to an alpha?" Jimin paled. He'd have to beg Taehyung to let him sleep over at his place during his heats or if the fucking alpha goes into a rut. His nest, apartment, and space being suddenly invaded by some stranger felt like a physical blow. Jimin's lungs stopped working correctly. Even the memory of the hot French artist wasn't enough to settle his panic and rage.

"Aren't most of your friends alphas? They're over all the time." Mingyu argued, but Jimin caught the guilt underlying the pointed tone.

"Yeah, but I don't live with them. Seriously, what the fuck?"

"No, I know, I know. Look, Jimin, I'm sorry to throw this at you. I didn't want to leave you stranded or struggling to find someone to take that room. Rent is stupid expensive. Jungkook's a chill dude. He'll stay out of your way, I promise."

"When does he move in?"

"Today, I think?"

Jimin gagged, holding onto the railing. He pinched the bridge of his nose, again grasping images from his trip to escape the reality of his situation as if one lecture in a different city could make this all okay. It did nothing.

"Shitty way to say goodbye, Mingyu." He said slowly.

Mingyu laughed apologetically. "I just wanted to let you know about it myself." There was a pause, and when Jimin didn't have anything to say to that, Mingyu continued. "I'll um warn you though, Jungkook's great, but just be, like, prepared that he isn't an ... art-type."

"What does that mean?" Jimin seethed. He started to imagine throwing Mingyu off a cliff instead of focusing on the art exhibition. It was pretty grounding.

"Like, he's kind of a jock."

"Great," Jimin said shortly. "So, just so I have this straight: you're in Daegu, you subleased to an alpha, and we have nothing in common."

"Could be worse?"

"It's a short list of what I'd consider worse, Mingyu," Jimin said, ending the phone call. His clean, water-lily scent was souring quickly. The omega took a breath at his door, trying to will his scent back to neutral. There was a shortage of the cheap scent blockers sold at convenience stores. Most brands for omegas had their companies bought out by some massive corporation, and now the price was marked up to unreasonable levels. Jimin had given up on buying them to afford the masterclass in Gwangju, but he wished now more than ever that he had some on hand. He made a note to buy himself a refill when he could.

Jimin reached for the handle, jaw clenching to find it unlocked. Multiple voices were behind the door, floating over each other in a deep hum. Jimin gave himself a small pep-talk before walking inside and was instantly hit by a wave of mixed, earthy scents. Two pairs of wide doe-eyes blinked at him.

Boxes. There were boxes everywhere. Jimin tried not to show the despair on his face.

A stunning alpha squealed as Jimin walked inside. She was nursing a coffee cup, her thick black hair falling like waves down her front. She was dressed in a blazer and navy pants, her lashes dark and dense. Her wolf smelled like wildflowers and crisp morning air. Next to her was another alpha with broad shoulders and a square jaw. He was handsome and huge, almost sturdy like a bookshelf. He smelled of woodchips and old leather - like he walked straight out of a bookstore and took the cozy aura of one with him.

Calming pheromones released from both alphas and their strength hit Jimin like a physical blow. Jimin tried to block it off, suddenly lightheaded and annoyed. He tried to smell something familiar and grounding, like the lingering scent of weed left by his stoner friends or the vanilla bourbon air freshener oil he had placed in fancy bottles around his home. His throat grew dry when only leather and citrus and more calming pheromones were found instead.

"Hi," Jimin said meekly, unsure what else to do. He glanced towards the hallway that led to Mingyu's room; the sound of feet brushing against a wooden floor and the scratch of cardboard tearing apart echoed from it. "I'm Park Jimin. You must be Mingyu's family."

The alpha woman smiled, the look earnest and warm. "Hi, sweetie! Mingyu forgot to mention how beautiful you are! God, look at you! Our Jungkook-ah is so happy you're letting him stay here with you. The apartment has so much color and life – knowing Mingyu, that had to all be your doing. He's a creative boy but not one for interior design."

Jimin nodded, standing awkwardly. So...they didn't know Jimin had no say in this arrangement, then.

"I'm Jeon Jiyeon, Jungkook's mom, and this is his dad, Jeon Jaehyuk. It's so nice to meet you." Jungkook's mom introduced herself as she tucked a strand of her thick hair behind her ear and smiled. Jimin nodded, his omega fretting inside of him. So many boxes. His beautiful apartment...

The calming pheromones strengthened as Jungkook's dad reached out to shake Jimin's hand. "I know this must be so distressing to have us barge into your space like this. Jungkook-ah is almost done moving in, so we'll be out of your hair soon, little one."

Jimin put his coffee down and lowered his duffle bag onto the ground behind the counter. His fingers drummed the top of his pastry bag before he lost his battle of selfishness to manners, turning around to grab some plates. He'd bought enough pastries from Gwangju to share with his friends, but his social awareness won out even when he felt bratty. So Jimin put the pastries on a large plate, setting it out to share with Jungkook's family. His anger was with Mingyu, not the alphas in his living room.

"I just got back from Gwangju, actually. There's a bakery there that's famous for using vanilla beans. It's supposed to be a really concentrated flavor. You're welcome to try some." Jimin said. He wanted nothing more than to run to his room, shower, maybe cry, and then down twenty individual bottles of wine, but none of that showed on his face. If anything, he probably only looked slightly tired from his long trip.

Jimin thawed a bit when Jungkook's dad, this massive wolf whose head nearly touched Jimin's ceiling, broke into the broadest smile Jimin had ever seen. Jaehyuk squealed, actually squealed, at the sight of the pastries, and any reluctance Jimin had towards sharing the treats evaporated.

"We have something for you too." Jungkook's mom coo-ed. Jiyeon finally called for her son to join them, and Jimin felt his stomach flip in anticipation. Mingyu's aunt and uncle were kind so far and their scents hadn't been too distressing, which was a miracle granted three new alphas were in his small apartment. Jimin's stomach flipped a second time when he felt Jungkook approach. The air grew denser, and Jimin's head spun for a second. Jimin had spoken too soon about auras – Mingyu's cousin had one of the strongest Jimin had encountered in a long while. Dominance gripped at it, threatening the space and causing Jimin's omega to howl. Jimin gripped the side of the kitchen counter, struggling to stay up under its influence.

"Jungkook." Jungkook's mom quipped in panic, and Jimin felt the air ease instantly. His grip lessened, and Jimin was left sheepishly catching his breath. Murder danced across Jimin's eyes for a second, his legs itching to jump the wolves before him. He calmed the primal urge down with his own regulation practices – no thanks to the blast of calming pheromones invading his space. Jimin rubbed his forehead with the back of his thumb, trying to let out a small laugh to ease the awkwardness in the room. Thankfully, Mingyu's cousin had the sense to flush, color draining from his cheeks in embarrassment.

Jimin coughed. When he looked up, he instantly understood what Mingyu meant by Jungkook running in different circles. He was dressed in black sweats and a gray sweatshirt, white socks in black slides, and a baseball cap turned backward on his head. His hair was a black storm under his SNU cap. He shared his mom's wide-doe eyes and his dad's cheekbones and was built like a traditional athlete. He had one air pod in his ear, and it looked like he might start benching the boxes instead of moving them if someone gave him the go-ahead or a bottle of creatine.

"Shit, I'm so sorry!" Jungkook rushed, his voice gentle and golden, which opposed everything else about his appearance. "I heard voices and thought Mingyu was gonna ask for the room back." Jungkook started, the possessiveness gone entirely, and Jimin was knocked by another wave of fucking calming pheromones. The medley of scents in the air turned incredibly distressed and apologetic.

"It's fine, but can you all please let up on the pheromones," Jimin said, leaning against his counter for support. He had to bite his lip to keep from crying. Jungkook's parents nodded, and Jimin almost fell to his knees to thank them when the apartment started to smell like his home again instead of emotionally manipulating stimuli.

"Seriously, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" Jungkook repeated, looking genuinely crushed.

"Thought maybe you just had some vendetta against vanilla beans," Jimin told Jungkook, trying for a joke. It was more for himself than for the alphas, but it seemed to ease the worry from all their brows.

Jungkook relaxed, and Jaehyuk ruffled his hair. Jiyeon stayed focused on Jimin and swatted her son gently on the shoulder, nudging her head towards Jimin. Jungkook frowned, his wide eyes already lost thought. He blinked at her. She blinked back. Then, it was like the jock finished loading, jumping to grab a blue paper bag sitting on top of one of the unopened boxes behind him.

"Sorry, right. This is for you." Jungkook said, nodding at Jimin as he handed him the bag. White sheet paper poked out the top of it. The bag was denser than Jimin expected as Jungkook handed it over the counter. Their hands brushed, and Jimin tried not to laugh, thinking he must be even more thrown off than he thought to notice that. It was as if he were the lead in some rom-com, and the camera squared in on their hands as the bag transferred over, lingering a shot too long on the touch.

Jimin's omega hummed from the gift, and Jimin couldn't help the biologically locked response of his distress easing. The gesture was an acknowledgment of the apartment being Jimin's space, that the alphas were bringing new energy and new scents, and that they understood the space was to be shared. The custom was new, as archaic laws used to prevent different sub-genders from sharing rent if they weren't mated or family. Modern society was quick to learn how far a gift could calm an omega, and it soon became the norm for a more dominant sub-gender to bare their neck before moving in.

Jungkook shifted awkwardly, and Jimin realized he hadn't opened it yet, standing there in slight shock. His omega was blown away, but Jimin couldn't tell why the whole thing impacted him. He tried to shake it off, sipping his iced coffee before digging through the paper. His hands met some heavy fabric inside, and he pulled out a navy sweatshirt with large golden SNU letters on the front.

"Oh. Wow." Jimin said. Jungkook looked at Jimin like he just chased a stick and plopped it at the omega's feet, wagging his tail and waiting for Jimin to praise it.

"I'm ... speechless," Jimin added. "Thanks for the gift."

Jungkook beamed. The alpha took Jimin's acceptance of the gift as an acceptance of Jungkook in his space. Which... is what it technically meant...but it didn't seem like the alpha cared for any other nuance. In his eyes, Jimin took the gift, which meant the place was now his, so he didn't have to search for a different option. In Jimin's eyes, it just meant he felt safe enough to live with Jungkook. Not that he was comfortable with the whole thing.

"Do you need any help?" Jimin asked, folding the sweatshirt back carefully before looking at the boxes that were still scattered. The offer was genuine, but Jimin prayed the Jeons would decline it so he could burn the skin off his back in the shower and privately stare at his bathroom wall existentially instead.

The Jeons all fluttered to say they had it covered, but it was kind of him to ask, and Jimin was free to excuse himself.

Jimin didn't come out of his room again until Jungkook's parents left, making sure to say goodbye to them. Again: manners. They'd be worried the omega found anything wrong with their alpha son if he didn't. Jiyeon gave Jimin a massive sweep of a hug when she said goodbye, smiling as she squeezed the side of his arm with excitement. Jungkook's dad patted Jimin on the shoulder, promising to drop off some baked goods later in the week as a thank you for Jimin sharing his earlier. The two parents hugged their son next, kissing Jungkook's cheeks. Then, in a flurry, they were gone.

Jimin and Jungkook looked at each other once, blinked, and then the artist and the jock turned on their heels and went to their separate rooms.

___________
A/N:
Hi!! You made it to the end of chapter one!! What do we think so far??? Do we like Jimin? Jungkook? Do we like the intro?? Welcome back to my fics!! It's been a little bit, right?? AH I missed posting. I'm so excited to be back and talking with you guys. The chapter was long right? Hope it loaded okay!!

ALSO: Look out for another NEW fic posted this Friday!! It's called Left, Left, Right and I think the two stories pair well to update together because they couldn't be more different.