29 | independent

Donghyuck felt his heart dropped upon the alpha's question. He swallowed before he could finally answer.

"If he has anything to hide from you, I'm not in the right position to tell you, hyung."

Jaehyun sighed and lets his head fall on the backrest of the couch. Donghyuck mentally shook his head at how his brother was making things more complicated. He just walked towards the closed bedroom door and looked around to see Taeyong already up.

"You alright?" Donghyuck asked as he closed the door and walked towards his brother to give him the pills.

"I feel awful..." Taeyong answered.

The boy chuckled, "Just drink these. You forgot about your heat this month."

The omega drank the suppressant and sleeping pills and gave the glass back to his brother before he went back down to lay on his bed. Taeyong's breathing was ragged and he felt very hot. He usually can't sleep when he's in heat, just because his mind can't stop thinking about his mate.

"How did I get here? I fainted, didn't I?" Taeyong asked.

Donghyuck cleared his throat, "About that...Someone...carried you and is here to check if you're okay."

The omega on the bed immediately thought about that specific someone. His eyebrows furrowed as he sat back up. He was nervous, feeling his hands were starting to shake.

"Wh-Who is it?"

"Hyung, it's him."

Taeyong swallowed the saliva that blocked his throat. He looked at his bedroom door, assuming that Jaehyun's just behind it. His heart was pounding so fast that it was making him feel uncomfortable. He mentally cursed at him.

Donghyuck said before he sighed. "Anyway, I'll go and ask him to leave. Just take a rest. Same thing goes to Jaehyun hyung."

"Hyung, he deserves to know everything." 

Taeyong couldn't say anything, like he lost his voice. He just watched his brother go out of his bedroom and got a glimpse of Jaehyun with his eyes full of worry. He was left with himself, thinking about everything he has done wrong to Jaehyun.

That night wasn't the best. Taeyong has been taking care of his heat with pills but things just got worse when he got to smell the strong smell of woodlands. Jaehyun was obviously in a rut because of him. He mentally cursed at himself, blaming everything because of him.

The omega was still in his room, not capable of standing because he was feeling so weak. His heat was the worst thing for him. He hated how hot and hurt he feels every month. But what's keeping him up was the thought of him telling Jaehyun everything.

He was holding his phone, under his covers and staring at the specific contact. It was probably too late. Maybe Jaehyun's already asleep. But he can't sleep with things bothering him. Donghyuck's right. He is suffering and he hated the feeling of it.

But just imagining him telling everything to Jaehyun makes his nerves shake. His thumb ghosted over the call button but his phone screen went black from the inactivity.

Taeyong badly wants Jaehyun.

Jaehyun felt the same.

"Hyung?"

The omega looked at the door and saw Donghyuck. Taeyong placed his phone back on the bedside table and pushed himself to sat up even though his lower back cramped. His brother walked towards him and grabbed the chair for him to sit on. Taeyong pulled up a small smile and nudged his brother's elbow. Donghyuck looked nervous.

"What is it, Hyuck?" the omega asked.

Donghyuck hummed, "Do you want anything? Are you in pain? I can get the painkillers."

Taeyong nodded, "Before you get the painkillers...tell me what's bothering you."

"Hyung, I'm not--"

"I know you want to say something."

The omega thought about it before he sighed and fidgeted with his fingers. He didn't want to look back at Taeyong, making him to look away.

"Before anything, I want to say sorry."

Taeyong hummed and nodded, telling him to go on.

"Mark and me are in a relationship."

Donghyuck said it quickly, not wanting to make it too slow. He slowly looked at his brother who looked surprised. Taeyong was taken aback and Donghyuck took it as a bad sign.

"Hyung, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do it behind your back! I promise we didn't do anything wrong! I swear--"

"You're not mated?"

The omega stopped, "N-No..."

Taeyong nodded, "Okay."

"Okay?! What do you mean 'okay'?"

The omega chuckled, "What do you want me to say, Hyuckie?"

Donghyuck pouted and crossed his arms, "I was nervous because you might angry and tell me to break up with him!"

"Mark seemed to be nice. Also, you usually tell me if you're with him or not. I know you guys are old enough to know what's right and what's wrong...But, even though I'm okay with it, doesn't mean you guys are going to do everything without my permission," Taeyong uttered, "I still need to know what's going with the two of you."

"O-Of course, hyung...Oh, geez, I'm relieved," the omega said.

Taeyong stayed silent with a smile on his face, happy that Donghyuck's probably in a good relationship. He just hoped Mark would take responsibility of his brother. He did envy him a bit. He hoped for an alpha to take care of him since he was young. He was sure Jaehyun's that alpha.

They just met at the wrong time.

"Hyung, about you and Jaehyun hyung..."

Taeyong waited before he sighed, "I'm just...trying to get some courage. I'm just really nervous and scared that he might hate me. I'm really sorry about everything, and you're right...He deserves to know everything."

"You know what, overthinking isn't going to help."

The omega looked at his brother. Donghyuck isn't the type of omega that lets his emotions eat him. He's more braver and outspoken than Taeyong. He does and get whatever he wants. He knows himself better than anyone. Almost like, an independent omega. Unlike Taeyong, he gets easily broken.

Taeyong doesn't show that he's weak but at times like this, it makes him envy his brother.

"You clearly care about him, hyung. Everything about him, even the tiniest details, I know how you feel about Jaehyun hyung and you can't lie to me," Donghyuck chuckled.

His brother rolled his eyes at him, "I care about him because he's my mate, that's all."

"Your eyes can tell more than words, hyung."