Rui had no idea how he endured those two minutes, standing exposed in the bustling school courtyard, every nerve in his body singing a frantic, high-pitched song. The task timer had activated the moment he'd crossed that two-meter threshold, a faint glow behind his eyes, silent and relentlessly counting down.
60 seconds left.
Kian was still watching him—not like a predator, not exactly, but with a quiet, unnerving intensity that felt like a physical touch. His presence was overwhelming, not just because of his formidable status or formidable title, but because of the subtle, inescapable pressure of his alpha pheromones. They weren't aggressive; they were impossible to ignore, a grounding, intoxicating blend of cold spice and warm cedar that seemed to seep into Rui's very bones.
Rui's heart beat faster, a frantic drum against his ribs. He could feel its pulse in his fingertips, in the way his knees trembled just slightly. This is what it means to be near your matched alpha, a primal part of him whispered, both terrified and exhilarated.
His own scent—subtle milk and sugar, the system had called it—must be stronger today, despite the suppressant. Am I leaking again? he panicked, a wave of self-consciousness washing over him. Then he shook the thought off. There was no turning back. The system was ticking. His pride, the carefully constructed walls around himself, would have to wait.
Kian's voice cut into the strained silence, low and measured, surprisingly gentle. "You don't like crowded places?"
Rui blinked, startled by the direct question. "I just… prefer quiet."
Kian nodded slowly, as if he understood perfectly, a rare, subtle softening around his eyes. "So do I."
30 seconds.
Rui, emboldened by the ticking clock and a desperate curiosity, couldn't help but ask, "Why did you come to the school yourself? A CEO attending a high school event... It's kind of unusual, isn't it?"
Kian's lips curved faintly, a hint of amusement or perhaps a knowing recognition in his gaze. "There are things worth seeing in person."
Why does that feel like he means me? Rui thought, a flush creeping up his cheeks despite himself. The implication sent a strange, electric current through him.
10 seconds.
The silence stretched between them again, no longer entirely awkward, but comfortable in an uncomfortable way. Rui could feel the soft, vibrant buzz under his skin—the bond energy responding, strengthening with every passing second of their proximity.
Then the system pinged softly in his mind, a gentle, triumphant chime:
✅ Task Complete.+60 Points.
🎉 Bonus Achieved: +20
PointsTotal: 200 pts
Bond Strength Increased: 4.2% → 6.8%
He exhaled, a long, shaky breath, the tension draining from his shoulders. Finally. A success.
But just as he turned slightly, ready to mutter some form of goodbye and make his escape, Kian spoke again, his voice cutting through Rui's relief.
"What are you doing after school?"
Rui blinked, completely caught off guard. "Uh... nothing special. I have an appointment."
"With?" Kian's single word was calm, yet undeniably probing.
"A doctor," Rui answered without thinking, the truth spilling out, then instantly regretted it. His face burned.
Kian's unreadable expression shifted subtly, a faint furrow appearing between his brows. "Are you okay?"
"I—I'm fine." Rui's ears turned bright red. He looked away, fumbling for words, trying to backtrack. "It's just... a follow-up. Omega stuff. Nothing important—"
He cursed himself the moment the words tumbled out. Shameless! Why would you blurt out "Omega stuff" in front of a top alpha, your fated match?! The heat of acute embarrassment rushed through him, threatening to reignite his suppressed pre-heat. The way alphas and omegas were wired in society, the rigid rules of decorum, the unspoken boundaries—some things were still sacredly private, especially for someone like Rui who had lived as a beta for years. Talking about heat with your fated match, especially a powerful alpha, wasn't just awkward. It was deeply, shockingly intimate.
He swallowed hard, throat tight. "Sorry, I didn't mean—"
Kian interrupted gently, his gaze unwavering, betraying no judgment, only a deep, quiet concern. "You're seeing someone about your heat?"
Rui felt like the ground had cracked open under him, exposing every secret. His whole body tensed, awaiting Kian's reaction, a judgment, a sneer. But none came. "Y-yes. It's... advancing early. I think. Because of... you." The raw truth was out, a desperate admission. No use hiding it now.
To his utter surprise, Kian didn't look startled, or smug, or even uncomfortable. He simply nodded, calm as ever, his eyes fixed on Rui's flushed face. "I'll come with you."
Rui nearly choked. "What?!" The word burst out.
"I'll wait outside if needed. I just want to be sure everything is handled properly." Kian's tone brooked no argument, a quiet authority underlying his words.
"You don't have to—!"
"I want to," Kian said quietly, his gaze softening almost imperceptibly. "You're young, and this... bond is new. You shouldn't navigate this alone."
Rui wanted to say no. He wanted to reclaim his independence, protect his fragile pride, his carefully constructed solitude. But a deeper part of him—the part that still trembled when alone at night, the part that had spent years pretending to be something he wasn't, desperate for any shred of genuine care—felt seen. Protected. And, impossibly, safe.
So he looked down, voice barely above a whisper. "…Okay."
Kian said nothing more. But when he finally turned to leave the courtyard, Rui felt something strange curl in his chest—something warm, something dangerous, a tiny seed of hope taking root.
Later that day, after classes ended, Rui walked towards the private clinic just off-campus. He expected Kian to have forgotten, or to have been called away by some urgent CEO business. It was a foolish hope, but he'd spent his life preparing for disappointment.
But there he was—leaning casually against a sleek black car, its engine murmuring softly, sleeves rolled up to reveal muscled forearms, phone in one hand. He looked up, his sharp eyes immediately locking onto Rui as he approached.
No teasing. No questions. Just a calm, steady nod. "Ready?"
Rui nodded back, too nervous to speak, his heart doing a strange flutter-kick against his ribs.
They walked side by side in comfortable silence to the clinic's discreet entrance. The clinic was small, private, designed specifically for secondary gender management, its exterior nondescript. Rui could already smell the soothing, neutral scent blockers permeating the air at the door, a faint medicinal sweetness.
"I'll wait here," Kian said, gesturing to the small waiting area just inside the entrance.
Rui hesitated, then offered something he never thought he would, a small, genuine gesture of gratitude. "…Thank you."
Their eyes met again, a silent understanding passing between them.
Kian smiled. Just a little. A rare, almost imperceptible softening of his lips. "Take your time, Rui."
And as Rui stepped inside, the scent blockers already working to mask his own subtle sweetness, his heart thundering with a mix of apprehension and something entirely new, he realized something he hadn't fully grasped before.
The system wasn't just giving him a future of wealth and opportunities.
It was giving him a bond—and maybe even, just maybe…
A beginning.