Chapter Text
The upstairs maid stomped her way into Yoongi’s bedroom without any attempts at being quiet. Wrinkling her nose, she parted the long dark curtains around his bed, letting in enough light to illuminate the hump under the blanket.
Yoongi squeezed his eyes tight shut tightly, jerking the covers over his face, but the maid shook his shoulder until he snapped, “What?”.
“Young Master, the Master requests your presence for breakfast in the morning room.” The maid smirked.
“Uggh. All right," he groaned.
“Don’t take too long, Young Master.”
When he heard the door close, Yoongi levered himself up on straight arms. The faint floral scent of the beta maid lingered, but his nose was mostly overwhelmed by the scent of alcohol and sour sweat coming from his own body. There was a crease from the pillow indented in his soft cheek, a physical remnant of his hard sleep. He’d been out late the night before and the last thing he needed was a morning ‘request for his presence’, but he hauled himself out of bed nonetheless.
He had been an alpha for three years now, doing as he pleased in many ways, but when his Oma called him he came. Even if he had to wake up early, head still pounding with the sound of the beat from the night before, sweet scent of his boyfriend lingering on his hands.
His Apa would tolerate him being a little late, but the maid made it clear he wasn’t dealing with his permissive alpha parent. The servants called Apa the Chairman, while Oma was the Master. And Oma would have his hands on Yoongi’s keys unless he hauled ass. Groaning, Yoongi pulled himself from the lingering embrace of his bed and slouched to the bathroom to shower and brush his teeth.
He dressed quickly and went to meet his parent, walking through most of the mansion to reach the omega’s favorite room. The house was huge and elegant, with expensive wood paneling throughout and louvered windows, letting in minimal sunlight. It had a pleasant smell, of cleaning products and leather, with the faint undertones of metal in some rooms. Yoongi barely noted the pitted swords displayed on the walls of the great room, or the ancient suit of armor that he passed on the way to his meeting. These were just part of his life, skillfully made by distant ancestors in the long line of Min metal craftsmen. Establishment of iron and steelworks by his great-grandfather had led to their current far flung commercial empire. Yoongi’s family were known as the Iron Mins, and were one of the top 5 families in the country.
The delicious smell of fruit and meat came from the breakfast nook, where Grandfather was eating with the companionship of his caregiver. His question of “What month is it?” was loud enough for Yoongi to hear as he breezed by, making the boy smile. His grandfather asked that question at least ten times a day.
His stomach was growling now. He wished he had been able to eat with grandfather instead of having to see his Oma for some kind of early morning business and an uncomfortable meal.
With a sigh, Yoongi pushed open the door to the morning room. Sunlight blinded him for a moment, making him scowl as his senses were flooded with the fragrances of his Oma’s domain. The bright room was filled with plants, with exuberant greenery lining the huge windows and vines cascading from hanging baskets in the corners. The smell of soil and the scents of flowers permeated the air. The furniture was soft and upholstered in hues of yellow and blue, and the birds chirping in a cage next to the couch were pink and red. Windows covered the east wall, with translucent blinds drawn across a few of the panes so the light could be muted for comfort.
“Son.” Oma set aside his book with a smile, waving a hand to indicate Yoongi should sit on the other side of the low coffee table.
Yoongi sat as indicated, slouching back into the soft cushions, in contrast to his Oma who sat as straight as a steel blade. The young alpha blinked in the sunlight and ran his fingers through his platinum blonde locks. He covered his yawn with the same long fingers.
Oma had to smile at his son being so cute. Yoongi’s omega parent was a small and slender man who looked younger than his half-century of years, with sharp features softened by errant strands of black hair that escaped his short ponytail. He had dark grey eyes that sparkled brightly when he was excited, and now they were almost shooting stars. “Son. It’s time to talk about your future mate.”
Yoongi drew in a sharp breath, then thought better of anything he wanted to say right then and let the air hiss silently from his lips. Now very much awake, he felt himself come alive from a surge of adrenaline as Oma gracefully poured their tea.
The downstairs maid came in the room, bringing in some food on a platter, muffins and fresh fruit, which she set out on the table between them. Oma gave her a gracious nod and she exited the room.
Yoongi simmered in his discontent as he contemplated the tea steaming in his cup. He knew that this conversation would happen someday, but he was only twenty. He had just finished his second year of university. He thought he would have his college years to enjoy before he had to mate for the good of the family. “Why so soon?” He finally asked, voice low and scratchy. He sipped the warm liquid, soothing his throat.
Oma frowned, setting his cup down with a sharp clink. His narrow dark eyebrows drew down over his grey eyes. “It’s been brought to your Apa’s attention that you are making yourself obvious with an omega,” Yoongi felt himself flush, and was furious as his body betrayed his emotions. Oma’s sharp eyes certainly didn’t miss the pink blooming on his cheeks. The omega’s thin lips curled in a smirk. “He thought we should get you promised before you can make yourself distasteful as a mate.”
Yoongi kept his expression blank, though he was burning on the inside with shame and embarrassment. It wasn’t any of his parents business what he did. Well, maybe it was, but why the hell couldn’t they trust him? It was just like the Chairman to have him investigated then not bother to come and talk to him about it. Apa preferred the bloodless battles in the boardroom to any conflict in his household, and generally left the dirty jobs to his mate.
Yoongi had been a precious late gift to a childless couple. Though his Apa loved him dearly, he was very busy running his company. Yoongi’s care had been directly in his Oma’s delicate and steely hands, and Oma had indeed been hands on- Yoongi never had a nanny, and was only babysat by grandparents or other relatives. He had even received all of his preschool education from his Oma, who took the job of raising Yoongi very seriously. Yoongi and his Oma were closer than most parents and children of his social class, and that was a blessing and a curse.
They had fought about a lot of things over the years, from fashion to hair colors, who Yoongi could be friends with, reasonable curfews, grades and schools. Sometimes he got his way, sometimes not, but as he got older he got a sense of what battles to fight. His stomach felt sick as he stared at the thick envelope in his Oma’s hands, knowing that there was no use fighting this.
When he was young his parents thought he would be an Omega. His features were small and delicate, much more like Oma’s than his father’s wide brow and strong jaw. He was sickly as a child too, with a fickle appetite, which led to him being one of the smallest of his age mates. Conversely, as he grew older he tended to be aggressive, direct and impolite. Despite his personality flaws Oma had made it clear that Yoongi would be responsible for bringing in a strong alpha. “You have to marry well for the sake of our company. I want somebody kind for you, but you will have to be kind to him. You will have to compromise, and allow him to have his way sometimes,” Oma told him seriously. “Respect is important to an alpha. Don’t roll your eyes at me!”
At puberty he had his growth spurt and shot up ten centimeters in a year. His features stayed delicate and feline, his ankles and wrists slender, but there were other changes. His voice became gravelly and low, his shoulders widened, and his hands grew much larger than Oma’s. Unfortunately, his personality didn’t improve at all - at least in Oma’s opinion. When he presented as an alpha both his parents had been happy and relieved. His Apa because Yoongi would be able to succeed him in the business, and his Oma because he wouldn’t have to find a husband that would accept such a atypical Omega. Still, Oma’s focus on making him an excellent marriage remained. Shortly after Yoongi’s presentation they had even argued about it, after Oma angered Yoongi by saying not much had changed.
“What do you mean? I’m an alpha,” Yoongi had glared down at his Oma, a few centimeters taller than his parent. “I don’t have to lure in some business school prodigy with my omegan wiles to run the Chairman’s company. I can do it myself! I don’t have to give birth and raise children, I can do what I want with my life. I think it’s a much better deal.”
“Do you think it’s easier to be the alpha heir?” Oma snapped back, eyes narrowed with annoyance. “You may not have to give birth, but you will have to mate with somebody for the good of both families. You are expected to take someone away from his home, make him happy and not lonely every day of his life, plus work at the company and please your father and the shareholders. It’s not just having your pick of pretty omegas like some sultan and spending every day doing what you please. Your mating contract is still the most important contract you will ever sign.”
He’d just nodded, more concerned about a the new car his Apa had gifted him than Oma’s fussing. But then he went away to university and met Park Jimin at an underground club. The young omega’s exuberance, beauty, scent, personality - all of it knocked the alpha off his confident feet and left him floating. The stoic heir of the Iron Mins had to stop himself from giggling like a fool when in the younger boy’s presence, and hiding his overwhelming infatuation was one of the most difficult things he’d ever done. He knew damn well he couldn’t mate for love. But with time and Park Jimin’s refusal to give up on the taciturn alpha, Yoongi gave in. His life bloomed like a flower in the sunshine. He never knew he could be happy like he was with Jimin.
The look in Oma’s eyes was bright and hard as their gazes met. Oma wasn’t born a Min, and he liked plants and sunlight, but he was made of the same iron as his Chairman mate and Yoongi knew it.
With a small smile, Oma drew a familiar photo from the packet in his hands. “We discussed who would be the most advantageous to the business, but we also kept in mind your age and personality. We don’t want to make things too hard for you, or give you somebody that is impossible to please.” Oma’s face wasn’t entirely unsympathetic. “Making a life with a mate can be hard, but with two people willing to work at it, all obstacles can be overcome.”
Yoongi clenched his fists down by his thighs, where Oma wouldn’t see this small act of defiance. He didn’t want to give the omega the satisfaction.
“We have decided to let you pick from our top three before we begin the process of negotiations.” Oma smiled, as if this was some great favor, and pulled a photo from the envelope, laying it on the table.. “First, Lee Jaehwan. He is the eldest omega child of the chairman of the Lee group, and just your age. Their business in securities and banking would be a great partner to the financial wing of our business, where we have launched a consumer credit division for the manufacturing partner and individual.” Oma looked thoughtful. “Jaehwan is a healthy omega, who enjoys sports and fitness, and dedicated to patronage of team sports for low income children. He has a bright and energetic personality, and would bring a great amount of passion and enthusiasm to anything that he does. The downside to his character is he can’t be left to his own devices without meaningful work. If he doesn’t have a direction for his energies he can be destructive and mischevous. He needs an alpha who can hold his own with such a strong personality and guide his behavior when needed. He is also your second cousin, since your grandmothers are siblings, so it might not be the best match for healthy children.”
“Hmm.” Yoongi pursed his mouth, his eyes narrowed to slits. He had a wealth of unpleasant memories of this omega. Jaehwan had happily thrown mud at Yoongi when they were small children, attending one of their grandparents parties in their starched and pressed best. His Oma yelled at him for making himself such a mess and he cried on the spot. Jaehwan had kept up that bully behavior when he could do so, since Yoongi was small, only backing off when Yoongi punched him straight in the gut at a children’s party and made him vomit up his birthday cake. Yoongi felt slightly guilty about that punch when Jaehwan presented as omega, but not enough to bother him too much.. Even if he wasn’t his cousin, the thought of mating with Jaehwan was bad enough to make a vow of celibacy look good.
“Then there is Byun Baekhyun.” This picture was of a cute omega with a wide white smile and sparking dark eyes. “His father’s company has European connections that we could use to our advantage, and their international shipping partners could be what we are looking for to increase the response time in our supply chain. Hyun is very intelligent, friendly and popular, raised at home by his loving parents. He has a alpha brother that will take over the business. And he adores his brother. He is charming and socially skilled, and would be a great partner when entertaining clients or dealing with the media. However, he is aware of his own appeal as a omega and chaebol heir. There have been several alpha fights surrounding this omega, some of which resulted in serious maiming. It might be difficult to keep him in line while keeping him happy enough that he doesn’t complain to his brother.”
Yoongi stared at his Oma, wondering what the hell he was playing at. He was being offered Jaehwan, his childhood bully, or Baekhyun, who was known as a shameless flirt and drama queen. Both were 100% unsuitable.
“And, this one.” The last photo was a very pretty omega, with big liquid eyes and a delicate face. “Kim seokjin. He is the second son of the CEO of the Kim Group, and has an older brother being groomed to take over the conglomerate. They are in agriculture, from seed and pesticide production all the way to processing for the table. Their heavy farm equipment manufacturing arm meshes nicely with our branch producing construction equipment, and together we could achieve excellent economies of scale. Seokjin is going to an omega only university, doing well in his classes. He is said to be somewhat shy, obedient and kind. He is widely admired for his beauty but is humble and self deprecating. His main issue would probably be a lack of self confidence, which could be ameliorated with time and maturity. He has also been sheltered at home and in single gender schools, so he would not know how to handle someone like you on a daily basis. You would have to temper your personality until he got used to you.”
Yoongi tapped his fingers against his cup. He knew he shouldn’t say anything, that Oma was waiting for it, but it burst out of him. “That’s all? Just those three.”
“Did you have a question?”
“What about Park Jimin?”
A momentary look of sympathy passed over Oma’s face before he controlled his expression. “Park Jimin’s Apa is a judge. He may attain public office one day, but he is not in the direct line of succession for the business heirship. Jimin will never be at the level needed for a match with you.”
“I see.” Yoongi’s voice was tight and cold.
“Don’t pretend like you didn’t know. I told you not to date anybody, and not to fall in love. If you are so foolish that you’ve done so, let me give you another little bit of advice.” Oma leaned forward, eyes boring into his son’s. “We have great privileges, don’t we? Money to do anything we want. Power to effect change in the world. But we give something up for that, and it’s the freedom to be in love. If we are lucky we can love our mate, if we are not lucky in that way we can at least pick somebody we can like and admire. A friend. No indiscretions are tolerated until after children - you don’t want there to be rumors of sinister birth, or bastards running around nipping at your heels. After you have a child with your chosen mate, then you can run around like a fool after love if it suits you. Romantic love is transient and fleeting. Family is forever.”
Yoongi felt a sharp pain in his chest, a feeling of poignant regret. He’d known it from the beginning- that his family wouldn’t accept Jimin, and he’d tried to put off the omega’s affections for the longest time. The pleasure of love was always tempered with knowing it would come to this, but he thought he would have years. Time to sneak into the omega’s dorm, to enjoy his sweet affection and sweeter scent, and enjoy being with the most loving and amazing person he’d ever met.
It wasn’t fair.
But life wasn’t fair. There were thousands living in poverty that would trade for his life without hesitation.
Oma picked up his small plate and began eating some small pieces of fruit, watching as Yoongi struggled with himself. The young alpha tried to keep his face blank as his thoughts moved in a circle, finding no way out.
He could deny an arranged mating. He wasn’t a slave, he had free will - but then he would be disinherited and penniless. His parents loved him, but it was a stern and disciplined kind of love; he did not have leeway to do as he wished in everything. And as much as Jimin loved him, the pampered omega wouldn’t be happy living in a dirty tenement somewhere while Yoongi ran a cash register or made coffee for a pittance. Jimin’s family wouldn’t support them; they would not be interested in a disinherited Min as a mate for their beautiful omega son. As much as Yoongi adored JImin, he couldn’t trade himself into poverty for love.
He let his eyes flick over the photographs on the table. Jaehwan was intolerable; even in his professional photo he wore a self-satisfied smirk. Adorable Baekhyun was the kind of omega that wouldn’t be married for a week before he started taking lovers, and Yoongi wouldn’t be a joke to other alphas. He’d seen Seokjin at parties, but never spoken to him. He was good at standing around looking pretty and did little else to mention. At least there was nothing terribly negative about him. And… he did look very good. Yoongi felt guilty for the sudden flare of interest inside him, remembering how enticing Seokjin had smelled that one time they had passed each other during the new year’s party they had both attended. He picked up Seokjin’s photo and handed it to his Oma. “Him, then. As you knew it would be, since the other two are awful.”
Oma didn’t deny it. He couldn’t completely hide a satisfied smirk. “Good, you made the right choice. I’ll let your father know.”
Yoongi stalked out of that terrible sunny room back into the comfortable dimness of the house, forgoing the muffins and fresh fruits. He passed the suit of armor, the swords, the huge oil portrait of himself, Apa and Oma that hung in the parlor. His chest felt tight and painful, as if he couldn’t quite draw a full breath.
He might not be able to stop this, but he could possibly delay it. He would do anything he could not to have to explain all of this to Park Jimin.