Chapter Text
Nobody else probably would’ve been stupid enough to stand outside in the cold when it was dark outside, lightnings splitting the sky like a bad omen and thunders roaring loud enough to scare off young children.
Clearly, a storm was coming.
Clearly, any sane person would’ve rushed to find a shelter.
Nobody else also would’ve been dumb enough to run away from their own engagement, hop on the nearest bus, and only realizing that they had nothing other than the stupidly fancy suit they wore and a couple of coins in the pocket that’s barely enough to buy a decent meal once they got out of that bus.
Alas, that day, Sǔn Fēi was quite desperate.
Between his master’s death anniversary, his own rushed engagement, and the constant pressure from the elders of his clan who were growing impatient of his indecissiveness, Sǔn Fēi barely caught a break at all. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d managed more than two hours of sleep.
“Rakta is definitely going to scold me,” he muttered.
Exhaustion seeped into his bones. His body felt like it could fall and collapse anytime soon. Still, passing out in the middle of a dark road, getting his expensive suit all dirty and possibly getting murdered as well was not on his agenda. He might be suicidal, but he’d choose a more elegant way to die if he could help it. One that’s dramatic enough to be featured on the morning headlines.
“Bacchus would cry like a baby.” Sǔn Fēi sighed. “Rakta would act tough, but he’d find an empty room and bawl his eyes out too.”
That said, if he were to give them a call then, they’re more likely to drag him back by force and chain him up in his old room. Asking for their help was easily out of question.
The weather waited for nobody, sadly. A droplet of rainwater landed on his face. Followed by another. And another.
“Can’t afford to get sick now when I can’t even buy a dinner.”
Sǔn Fēi grimaced. He always preferred cold weather, especially for the tranquility it brought that allowed him to untangle his thoughts. Though getting drenched under the rain was another story.
Fortunately, after a quick look around he spotted a storefront with an awning wide enough to shield him from the rain. There’s a [CLOSED] sign on the door, but the rusty folding chairs scattered on the front and the growing molds on the wall told him that the store likely had been abandoned by its owner.
Perfect
Sǔn Fēi decided to make it his temporary shelter until he could find a way to get enough money for a cheap motel.
“Looks like it’s going to be a long night, huh?”
A loud crack of thunder answered him.
Long night, indeed. Those rusty chairs began to look invitingly comfortable to his exhausted state of mind. He dozed off for a couple of minutes before a sharp scent of a new presence suddenly alerted him.
What…?
Sǔn Fēi tried to even out his breathing. His limbs tensed, still as a statue. His instinct readied him for a confrontation, though the logical part of his brain recognized that a fight might not be in his favor at the time.
This scent… It’s not hostile though…
Just when he started to run through his options, the new person broke the silence.
“Cut it out. I know you’re awake.”
Sǔn Fēi cracked his visible eye open. “I see. There’s no use hiding it then.”
That person—
Hmm… Monochrome hair? Heterochromatic eyes? Are those natural? Interesting
The guy looked about the same age as him. Perhaps even the same height. A rather large satchel bag slung on his shoulder. That thing oddly reeked of more animalic smell than it should’ve been even if it was made of high-quality leather, which prompted Sǔn Fēi to wonder whether this… fashionably eccentric person was some sort of serial killer.
Looks like Shinigami-sama is finally granting my wish, he thought wryly.
The heterochomic man, oblivious to the morbid thought that had just went through Sǔn Fēi head, crouched down beside the chair before regarding him with a careful gaze.
“You’re an omega? I don’t think I’ve seen you around these parts before.”
He neither denied nor confirmed, yet decided to play along. “Is that a problem?”
“It might be.” The man hesitated for a second. “This area is not exactly… safe. Even worse once the sun’s set down.”
“I can fight.”
The man clicked his tongue. “I’m not talking about those drunkards. People here are quite tight-lipped, but let me tell you one thing—this town’s pretty much a crime hotspot.”
Sǔn Fēi’s interest visibly piqued. “Interesting.”
“Have been so since Heisei era,” the other went on, “Some even say it dates back to Showa era when those yakuzas still had more power and ruled over this district.”
“Yakuza?”
“Yeah. They’re still around, but they no longer operate openly. Police’s been cracking on ‘em since they successfully took down the Kudo clan five years ago. Or so I heard.”
“And… what do they do in this town? Drugs?”
“Among other things.” The man shrugged and swept a tired hand through his unkept monochrome hair. “Drugs, guns… Heard they’re more focused on importing some illegal suppressants from China these days. But you better not let your guard down. You’d hear rumors of an omega gone missing in this neighborhood every now and then.”
“What would happen if they capture me?”
His curiosity earned him an incredulous stare from the man. Those mismatched eyes narrowed in perplexity—not for the first time Sǔn Fēi wondered whether those mesmerizing colors were natural.
“Given the recent rumors…. I guess, best case, they’ll sell you off to some brothel in Keisei. It’s a popular red-light zone not far from here.”
“And the worst case…?”
“Can’t be sure, but I heard omega auction is where they make the most money. Those rich bastards would bet a fortune for a chance to win any omega that catches their eyes.” Heterochromatic eyes shot him a pointed look. “Either way, don’t play with the fire unless you wanna get yourself killed.”
Sǔn Fēi straigtened up and stretched his arms. An innocent smile on his lips. “Thanks a lot for the warning—ah, what’s your name again?”
“My name’s not important.”
“Sure, sure. You totally don’t look suspicious at all carrying that foul-smelling bag and randomly approaching a defenseless omega.”
The man cursed under his breath. His scarred, bandaged hand moved instinctively towards his leather bag.
“This is… not what you think it is.”
“Really now?”
He watched as the man hastily moved his bag away from the view. Not that hiding it behind his body was doing much to the impression.
“There’s a forest not too far from here. Some of us just like to hunt as a hobby, okay?!”
“But you still haven’t given me your name.”
The man let out a mildly exasperated sigh. For a second, Sǔn Fēi expected him to finally deem him a lost cause and leave him alone. But the other surprised him by rising to his feet awkardly before staring him down with a long, unreadable gaze.
“…Sakura.”
“Eh, what?”
“Ugh, it’s my name! What else do you want?!”
Sǔn Fēi’s eye widened in surprise. “Sakura, huh…” he tried to roll the name on his tongue. What a pretty name.
“I know. It doesn’t really suit me, does it?” the man mumbled, seemingly embarassed.
He observed the way this Sakura guy fidgeted on his feet, looking more flustered and… kind of adorable by the second. Such a contrast to his ragged clothes and scarred face.
“Anyway,” the heterochromatic man—Sakura—cleared his throat, “it’s almost dark and it’s gonna be raining soon. If you need a place to crash, you could come to my place. At least for the night.”
“And why should I trust you?”
Sakura sighed again. “Guess you don’t really have any reason to trust me yet. Whatever. It’s not my business if some stupid runaway guy wanna get himself killed.”
“How do you know…?”
“That you’re a runaway?” Sakura threw him a flat stare. “Honestly, you’re far from the first omega who took a random bus to escape their home and randomly ended up in this town. If they’re lucky, they might find some odd jobs and eventually get out of here. Most of ‘em aren’t so lucky though.”
“I guess I should count myself lucky, then?”
Sakura shrugged. “Your choice.”
“Alright, say… If I choose to come with you, what would you take as a payment? It’s not like a runaway like me would have much to offer. Well, unless you count my outfit or… my body as a sufficient payment.”
“Tsk. You got it all wrong. I don’t sleep with random strangers.” Much quietter, Sakura added under his breath, “…unless they’d pay.”
Sǔn Fēi wasn’t sure whether he’d heard it right, so he pretended not to hear the last bit at all.
“What is it to you then?”
“Nothing.” Sakura shook his head. “Just… you remind me of someone. I saw you sleeping here alone and I thought you were another lost omega who could use some help.” The alpha scowled a little. “Looks like I was wrong though. You seem fine on your own. And… whatever happens to you is not my business anyway.”
The stranger alpha began to walk away as Sǔn Fēi weighed his options. Truthfully, it might be a bit incovenient for him if he was to follow that Sakura guy. But, still……
“You haven’t asked for my name!”
Sakura halted mid-step before turning around with a bewildered stare. “Why should I…”
He trailed off, apparent surprise in his eyes when the “omega” he tried to rescue finally made up his mind and began to catch up with him.
“Okay,” Sakura acquiesced, huffing slightly, “What do I call you?”
“It’s Su—” Sǔn Fēi abruptly cleared his throat. “Suo. My name’s Suo, um… Hayato.”
Not exactly a lie
“Suo Hayato,” Sakura spit out his made-up name, just a second before a loud thunder cracked in the sky and the rain poured harder. “You’re fucking lucky I brought umbrella today.”
Sakura reached inside his jacket and pulled out a folding umbrella, but then paused to take off the said jacket.
“Here.”
Sǔn Fēi stared at the worn-out leather handed out by the stranger alpha. It took him an awkward minute to figure out what Sakura was trying to do.
“A gentleman, aren’t you?” he teased lightly as he slipped into the offered jacket. It stank with unpleasant odors, which was not surprising if animal hunting really was Sakura’s favorite pastime, but he tried not to be rude.
Sakura coughed into his hand. Deep blush marring his face that, upon closer inspection, seemed paler than average.
“I-It’s nothing. I-I just do what any other alpha would do. I heard most omega are prone to cold.”
He turned out the rest of Sakura’s flustered babbles.
Omega, huh?
His hand instinctively fell to his own pocket, where a stripe of suppressant tablets and a small bottle of artificial scent nestled away from view.
Guess it won’t hurt to play along