Archive of Our Own

"Are you sure you want to go back?" Dr. Zhang asked. "You only just recovered from the surgery."

"I'm fine," Qiuyuan assured his guardian, smoothing out his clothes. "I've been wanting to return for a long time."

"I understand you love to study, but..."

"Dr. Zhang," Qiuyuan said, looking in the direction where the doctor was standing. "I really am okay."

"Alright," Dr. Zhang pressed a finger to his temple and sighed. "I'll take your word for it."

Qiuyuan, a simple 21-year-old, had been blind since birth. He had never seen this world, never seen the color of the sun, or the pure blue of the sky. He simply hadn't seen. But he wasn't upset about it, and what was there to be upset about when he didn't even know what it looked like? He could only feel through the sensations in his palms.

And even though he was blind, his other senses were heightened to the extreme. He could discern a person's mood by the tone of their voice or by a slight change in their scent – fear smelled like acid, joy like sweetness, and calmness like wood and fresh air, as Dr. Zhang usually smelled.

Dr. Zhang, after his surgery, makes him take a medicinal decoction that is very sour. Why does he have to take it? Qiuyuan never understood, but he had grown accustomed to it. Accustomed to the fact that in his bag, there was always a bamboo flask (his favorite, a gift from the doctor on his tenth birthday). He knew every scratch on its surface, every curve, and it gave him a sense of stability, as if the flask itself was a part of his "vision" – a reliable landmark in a world where everything else was fluid and uncertain. He didn't ask why the decoction was so important; he trusted the doctor as he would trust an old tree that always stands in one place, regardless of the storm.

On this day, he woke up very early, eager to get to university. As always, he quickly washed up and dressed in his favorite clothes, consisting of simple wide-legged pants and a hoodie in shades of green, which was as soft as a down comforter and smelled of grass after rain. He took his scent blockers because he didn't want to attract attention with his smell, which was a bit peculiar. He casually tied his hair back with that green ribbon – a gift from Changli, which he had never changed since, even when it faded. For him, it was a symbol of friendship, of hope.

Descending to the first floor, he smelled breakfast – warm, cozy, with hints of cinnamon, jam, and honey. The cook, who had been working in the house for a very long time, greeted Qiuyuan and continued to prepare the meal.

"Good morning, Mr. Qiuyuan," the cook bowed to the master of the house's son. "Pancakes for breakfast today."

"Oh," Qiuyuan was surprised. "I thought you weren't working today."

Dr. Zhang had told him the evening before, before Qiuyuan went to sleep, that he had let go of all the staff who had been working, or rather, helping around the house with cleaning, cooking, and the like. He had hired them to help Qiuyuan with his recovery, and once he had recovered, he had sent many of them on vacation. But as it turned out, one cook, who had been working in the house since Qiuyuan's childhood, remained.

"I decided to stay," the cook said. "How could I leave you alone?"

Qiuyuan smiled at her words and walked over to her, bending down because he was quite tall, and hugged her. To him, she wasn't just a cook, but a parent. A mother. She had always taken care of him. She had always worried when Qiuyuan accidentally injured himself, like when he fell from a tree trying to save a kitten. Qiuyuan loved her very much.

He sat down in a chair, and the cook placed a plate of pancakes in front of him, and next to it, she put the jam she had recently made.

"Will you try my new jam?" the cook asked him.

"Of course", replied Qiuyuan, his mouth already full of pancake. He dipped the pancake in jam and quickly put it in his mouth.

"Mmm..." Qiuyuan beamed at the taste. For some reason, this taste reminded him of his childhood – of sitting on the porch while the cook fed him jam for his cold and told him stories. "How delicious!"

The cook chuckled softly and smiled, covering her mouth with her hand.

They talked a little longer, Qiuyuan finished his pancakes and got up from the table. The cook walked over to him and handed him his bento, his lunch.

"Here," she said, placing the bento in his hands. "Don't forget to eat at lunchtime. I know you might forget, so I've asked your friends to remind you."

"Thank you."

Qiuyuan walked to the hallway, towards the exit of the house, and reached for his bag hanging on the coat rack. The cook hurried over, took the bag off the rack, and handed it to him. He put the bento in the bag, next to a bamboo flask (let's assume it's not an alcohol flask, but a thermos with a decoction). Qiuyuan took it out, unscrewed the lid, poured a little decoction into it, and drank. He winced, which made the cook smile sweetly, and put it back in the bag.

As he was heading out, the cook wished him a good day, and he closed the door behind him. A car was already waiting in front of the house, and he got in.

"Good morning, sir," the driver greeted, and they drove towards the educational institution.

Qiuyuan nodded and turned to the window, pressing the button to open it. Immediately, the wind blew into his face, and he began to sense with his nose, like a dog. He felt the city waking up, cars honking at each other, children rushing to school, the vendor on the corner opening his stall, and the coffee from the cafeteria smelling of freshness and coziness. He knew it would be special – today he was returning to university, and it was the first step towards a new life.

A couple of minutes later, the car stopped not far from the university where he studies, and he asked to be dropped off at that spot. The door was opened for him, and he got out of the car.

"Have a good day, sir," the driver wished him well and, getting back into the car, drove away.

Qiuyuan looked towards the university and walked towards the entrance. At the entrance, Changli, his best friend whom he had known since primary school, immediately approached him.

Back then, Qiuyuan was often humiliated and hurt because of his blindness. Let's just say he was severely bullied. Changli, seeing this, immediately ran over, chased away the bad guys, and helped the boy get to the nurse's office. The nurse called Qiuyuan guardian, and the problem was quickly resolved by suspending the boys who had been bullying him.

"Don't you want to be friends with me?" Chanli asked then, extending her hand to him. "I'll protect you."

And Chanli didn't lie. From that moment on, if anyone said anything bad about Qiuyuan, she would immediately approach that person and say a few kind words. Qiuyuan always had to stop her from doing so.
But that's how they met, and Qiuyuan never regretted it.

"Who do we have here?" Chanli smiled and immediately went to hug her friend. Standing next to her was her girlfriend, Zani. They met in high school. Back then, Chanli talked about her so much that Qiuyuan's ears got a little tired of hearing about her. But Zani herself was afraid to approach Chanli, thinking she wouldn't like her. But Chanli's fears were in vain.

In the end, they started dating when Zani invited Chanli to be her prom date. Chanli was overjoyed then and immediately told Qiuyuan. He congratulated her. Since then, they've been hanging out as a trio, helping Qiuyuan.
"Hi Chanli," Qiuyuan greeted her, raising his hand. She grabbed it and pulled him along.

Their first class together was a joint one, so Chanli immediately grabbed him and led him towards the lecture hall. Zani was already waiting for them there. After Qiuyuan appeared, she immediately went to the lecture hall to secure seats for them. She let Qiuyuan and Chanli go first, greeting him before sitting down herself on the edge.

"Are you sure you're completely recovered?" Changli asked Qiuyuan, a little anxiously, looking at him, or rather, at his eyes.

Zani also turned her head towards him, hugging her girlfriend to comfort her a little and also placing a hand on Qiuyuan's shoulder.

"Know that we'll always be here for you and support you if anything happens," Zani said, then sat up straight as the professor entered the lecture hall.

"Thank you for worrying about me," he smiled briefly and began to listen to the professor.

The lecture went by very quickly, in Qiuyuan's opinion. And since he had one question left about the topic, he decided to stay behind, telling the girls to go without him.

Quickly resolving his question, he said goodbye to the professor, who was happy about Qiuyuan's return, and left the lecture hall, grabbing his bag beforehand. As he exited the auditorium, he moved to the right side to avoid accidentally bumping into students and others.

He walked slowly, and since he was blind, he didn't see who he bumped into.

"Damn it" the man said loudly, his voice so captivating that Qiu Yuan blushed slightly. "Can't you see where you're going..."

But the man abruptly cut himself off.

"Sorry, I..." Qiuyuan began to say, but he was sharply interrupted.

"No! It's me who should apologize" the man's voice was flustered. "I wasn't watching where I was going, it's my fault."

Geshu Lin, an alpha, the very man who had collided with him, stood before him, a little flustered. After all, it was Qiu Yuan himself standing before him. Who, he realized, had returned from his academic leave. Geshu had fallen in love with this sweet omega from the very first day he was at university. Geshu had immediately fallen for this cute omega who had no idea where he was. But his friends had quickly taken him away, and the alpha had never managed to speak to him.

"So, are you okay?" Geshu Lin suddenly asked.

"Hm?" Qiuyuan tilted his head to the right, making Geshu's heart skip a beat at the sight. "He's so cute, I love him", the alpha thought.

"I see you've only just returned from your academic leave today."

"Ah" Qiuyuan now understood what the man was talking about. "Yes, I'm fine."

Qiuyuan smiled at the man, even though he didn't understand who he was talking to, he could tell the man wasn't bad, from his voice, from how he was concerned about him.

"Ah, sorry," Qiuyuan began, remembering that his friends were waiting for him. "Sorry, I need to hurry."

"No, no, it's you who should forgive me." Geshu Lin waved his hands. "It's my fault for delaying you. If you need help, I can help you get to where you need to go."

"Oh, would that be too much trouble for you?" Qiuyuan asked. "I would be very grateful. I haven't been here in a long time, so I don't remember."

"It's no trouble at all" Geshu assured him, offering the omega his hand. "If you take my hand, you definitely won't get lost on the way."

Qiuyuan blushed at the man's words, so he placed his left hand on his cheek and offered his other hand to him. A floral scent immediately began to emanate from him, making Geshu Lin's head spin.

"So, where do you need to go?"

"Oh, right." Qiuyuan wanted to hit himself on the head, but didn't. "Forgot to mention, classroom 216."

"Alright, let's go then" Geshu Lin squeezed his hand a little tighter, causing Qiuyuan to lift his head and suddenly catch the scent of an alpha. "Delicious," the omega thought, and closed his eyes.

They didn't walk for long, as the classrooms Qiuyuan had just left and where he needed to go for his next class were not far from each other.

"There's a staircase here, be careful."

"It's a turn here."

"Aren't you tired?"

Qiuyuan started blushing more intensely from all these questions, as he had never received such attention and care from someone who wasn't family or close friends. But from a complete stranger.

"Here we are." the man said, and Qiuyuan realized he needed to let go of the alpha's hand, but he didn't want to. The omega had immediately taken a liking to this man.

"Ah, already..." Qiuyuan said quietly, and sadness could be heard in his voice. "Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome/" the man began to get nervous, but then he saw two girls behind the omega who were looking at them. Their intense gaze made him blush a little, and he immediately turned his head away. "Well... I'll be going, I'm expected too."

"Thanks again." Qiuyuan said a little louder and sharply turned towards where his friends were standing and ran to them.

"Bye." Qiuyuan no longer heard this.

Qiuyuan entered first, ahead of his friends, and took his seat. Changli and Zani sat down after him. They stared intently at him, but since Qiuyuan was blind, he didn't notice their gazes. However, he sensed something strange in their scent, as if they were interested in something.

"So." Changli began, resting her elbows on the desk and propping her chin on the back of her hands. "Aren't you going to tell us what that was?"

Quyuan smiled, recalling the unknown man, his large, warm hand that had held him. He didn't answer immediately. He felt his heart beating faster than usual, as if he had just run a marathon and won first place. He didn't know who this man was, but his voice, his care, his scent – all of it had left him with a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time (not counting his family or Changli and Zani). He wanted to tell his friends, but he didn't know where to start. How could he explain to them that he, a blind omega, had, for the first time in a long time, felt that someone truly cared about him, not like parents, not like friends, but like... like someone who wanted to be a part of his life.

"It was... just a man who helped me get to the lecture hall." he finally said, trying to sound calm. "He was very polite."

Changli and Zani exchanged glances, and Qiuyuan felt their scents become even more intriguing – a mixture of curiosity (in Changli's scent) and slight irritation (Zani's scent).

"Just a man, for sure?" Changli inquired.

Simultaneously, at the same moment, Zani asked, "Was it an alpha?" Zani asked, and Qiuyuan nodded in response. He remembered his scent, so calming, a little exciting, but somehow so familiar.

Zani didn't like this. Qiuyuan, so to speak, was a very sweet omega, like Changli, but lacking the charm of her own omega. He couldn't even properly defend himself, and she didn't blame him for that. On the contrary, she wanted to protect him, along with Changli. To her, Qiuyuan was like a little brother she wanted to cherish and pamper, and at the same time, protect from all men, especially alphas. That's why she was a little annoyed.

And the fact that an alpha had shown interest in Qiuyuan for the first time surprised them both. Before, when they were still in school, he didn't receive much attention. Even if he did get some attention from alpha men, it was only bullying. But that was extremely rare; they wouldn't allow him to be hurt. And that made them want to protect him even more.

And that's why Zani didn't like it very much, because she knew who that man was.

"Do you know who it was?" Zani asked another question.

"..." Qiuyuan was silent. "I forgot to ask his name."

And at that moment, the bell rang, signaling the students that class had begun.

"How could I forget to ask for his name? Now I'll never know who that was. Although I could try to find him by scent, it would look very strange." Qiuyuan's brain was about to explode from all these thoughts. Why did he sometimes act like this? "Because of his scent, I completely forgot about everything."

"Let's talk during the break." Changli said, touching Qiuyuan's crown and smoothing his ahoge.

Qiuyuan couldn't wait to get out of the lecture hall and question these two, because their scent had confused him a little. It was as if they knew who that man was. And for the first time, because of all these thoughts, Qiuyuan didn't listen to the lecture, and therefore didn't approach the professor at the end of the class, but immediately left with his friends for lunch.

They grabbed their belongings. Zani quickly went to the vending machines to buy some cold water and returned to them, handing one of the bottles to Changli.

They decided to eat outdoors, so they went out through an exit that led them to the stadium, where footballers were currently training. They sat not far from the stands, so as not to be hit by a ball, took shelter under a tree, and took out their food. Qiuyuan took out his bento and a bamboo flask to drink some broth after eating. Changli also took out a cute bento, wrapped in a pink handkerchief, and placed the bottle of water that Zani had bought her next to it, while the alpha took a bar and some healthy fruits out of her backpack.

"No, Zani." Changli began indignantly. "You're not going to eat that. You won't get full!"

Changli really didn't like this. She hated it when people she cared about neglected their food. And that's why she always brought extra food.

"I knew you'd feed me your food, so I only brought this." Zani smirked.

"Oh, you!"

"Girls, calm down" Qiuyuan closed his eyes and started eating. "Or at least don't flirt in front of me while I'm eating."

Changli and Zani smiled and laughed at his words. He was so inexperienced when it came to relationships. Though, it was understandable, as he'd never had a boyfriend, nor was he interested in anyone. Until now.

"So" Qiuyuan said, after swallowing the rice wrapped in nori with salmon filling. "Will you tell me about that man? Because I know you know him."

"Weell..." Changli began, but didn't know what to say.

"He was the captain of our university's volleyball team." Zani said, looking at the water bottle as if trying to see something in it. "Geshu Lin."

Qiuyuan was silent.

"Geshu Lin..." Qiuyuan murmured to himself and suddenly blushed. "Ah!"

"Is something wrong, Yuan?" Changli started to worry, moving a little closer to him. "Do you need water? Maybe you're overheated? You shouldn't have come to university today!"

Zani and Qiuyuan laughed at Changli. They always liked how Changli worried about them, so sweetly and at the same time so caringly.

"Changli, I'm fine, it's just..."

"Just?" the girls asked simultaneously. And they didn't like it very much.

"It's just that his scent captivated me so much, it's so relaxing and delicious at the same time. And he held my hand so sweetly, worrying about me the whole way to the auditorium." Qiuyuan began to blurt out, and there was no stopping him.

"Wait" Zani didn't understand. "Are we definitely thinking about the same Geshu Lin?"

Zani and Changli truly didn't understand. After all, they knew who Geshu Lin was. He was, as stated, the captain of the university's volleyball team, very proud and cold-blooded. Omegas and betas were constantly asking him out, and even alphas tried, but nothing worked. He rejected them, all of them.

He only interacted with his friends, namely Phainon and Mydei, who were his teammates. He always walked around like a dark cloud, yelling at everyone during practices and matches, and then this.

Showing attention to their friend, blushing at the sight of them, and not wanting to let go of the omega's hand.

"Yeah..." Changli was in shock. Zani was in shock. They were so shocked it was impossible to describe in words.

"I don't even know what to say."

"Just tell me about him" Qiuyuan said, having already finished his lunch.

And they told him everything, all the rumors that circulated around the university about this alpha.

Qiuyuan fell silent after their words. He couldn't understand something.

"Why spread rumors about a person if they aren't like that?" he asked, more to himself than to his friends.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it just seems to me, or not. But Geshu Lin isn't that kind of person. It's like they say, 'Don't judge a book by its cover.' It's the same with him. He seems like that kind of person to everyone, but if you just get to know him better, not just want to sleep with him, then he'll open up."

Qiuyuan now truly wanted to know more about this man. He wanted to talk to him about various topics, walk around the city, and in the end, "kiss him?" No! It was too early for that. "Don't think about it, Qiuyuan."

They talked some more, this time not about Geshu Lin, but about simple topics. And so the break passed. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts.

"The volleyball players have a match this week." Chanli began to say as they strolled through the mall looking for clothes.

Chanli decided to drag the girl and her friend out for a walk that day, given the nice weather. And maybe help buy some new clothes for Qiuyuan.

"Then can we go?" he asked, which left the girls stunned. This was the first time Qiuyuan himself wanted to go somewhere.

"If we go, then I'll make you buy new clothes to impress your future boyfriend." Chanli handed her handbag to Zani, took her friend's hand, and they rushed to the first clothing store.

"Oh, god" Zani put her palm to her forehead, as if already feeling tired. "This is going to take a while."

And Zani wasn't lying. Their outing lasted until the evening, but Chanli did manage to make Qiuyuan buy the following: first, his favorite hoodie, but in a different color for the first time, blue. Second, what Qiuyuan bought, or rather what Chanli forced him to buy, were jeans. But not just plain black jeans, but slightly skinny ones. Because they looked amazing on him.

"He'll definitely be shocked when he sees you." Chanli assured him.

"The third thing Qiuyuan bought was a haori, a type of jacket. It was blue with green floral patterns. At first, Changli thought it wouldn't suit Qiuyuan very well. But when he put it on, Changli, Zani, and even the shop assistant were shocked.

Changli immediately said, "We're buying it!"

And Qiuyuan agreed. He needed to buy something new anyway. Doctor Zhang and the cook would be shocked by his new clothes. They also picked up a few smaller items, and that was the end of their shopping day.

Since Zani had the car, they drove Qiu Yuan back to his place, which was more like a mansion, where the cook greeted him.

"Good night, Qiuyuan," the girls said goodbye to their friend and drove home. The cook helped him bring in the bags, and there were quite a few, to say the least, and then went to heat up dinner.

"Has Doctor Zhang not returned yet?" Qiuyuan asked the cook, to which she replied, "He should be back next week from his business trip. He also asked me if you were drinking your herbal decoction."

Qiuyuan replied that he was. After a delicious dinner, he went up to his room, where his new clothes had already been hung in the closet. He quickly washed up and went to bed, thinking about one person."

Day X arrived in a couple of days. Chanli and Zani stopped by to help Qiuyuan get dressed, which the cook was happy about and also said that they should come down for breakfast afterward.

"Alright, let's begin!" Chanli exclaimed happily and started helping Qiuyuan get dressed.

First, he put on his simple trousers, deciding not to wear the jeans they bought on the shopping day for now. He was still unaccustomed to them, so it was understandable. On top, he put on a t-shirt with the name of the volleyball team (only Chanli knew where he got it from) and the captain's number. "Geshu Lin will definitely faint from this." Chanli chuckled. And over the t-shirt, she draped a haori over Qiuyuan shoulders, the very one everyone had liked.

Completing his look was a beautiful belt that lay at his waist, making Qiuyuan waist appear even smaller, and also a bamboo-shaped chain that he hid under his t-shirt.

"Done!" Chanli exclaimed, and Zani turned to them. Seeing Qiuyuan, Zani stood in shock. He had dressed like this for the FIRST TIME, and when they went down to the first floor to eat, the cook also shrieked with delight and was pleased.

"Qiuyuan looks so handsome in these clothes." the cook almost cried. "If Dr. Zhang were here, he'd say the same thing to him."

At these words, Qiuyuan's mood lifted even further, and they had a cheerful breakfast while chatting.

Before leaving, Qiuyuan also drank a decoction, and Changli immediately took his bag and grabbed his hand, pulling him outside.

They said goodbye to the cook, who wished them a good day, and the three of them got into the car. They reached the university without any traffic, very quickly, so they had about half an hour before classes started to do something.
Many people looked at Qiuyuan with admiration. He looked stunning today, even though they couldn't smell him. Qiuyuan himself stayed close to Changli and Zani, and when some alpha with an unpleasant scent tried to approach him, they chased him away. Qiuyuan thanked them for that.

The classes passed in the blink of an eye; Qiuyuan didn't even notice them. He was nervous. Very nervous. He hadn't been this nervous even during surgery.

"Everything will be fine" Qiuyuan began to say quietly to himself. "You can do it."

He was the last one to leave the lecture hall, where Changli was already waiting for him at the exit, and Zani was already at the stadium to secure their seats.

"Come on, faster" Changli urged him. "We're late, the game has already started!"

Changli picked up Qiuyuan's bag, and they walked briskly towards the gym, which was located separately from the university building.

The game was in full swing. Qiuyuan heard the whistle announcing the start of the game and the smell of sweat, indicating it was already the second half.

They were making their way through the crowd when Qiuyuan felt a burning sensation on the back of his neck. He turned around at that moment and heard the ball hit someone's face, and in the next second, he smelled blood.

"Captain!"

"Geshu Lin!"

Teammates rushed to their captain and began to examine him. Faenon, who was nearby during the game and when Geshu was hit by the ball, immediately ran over to him.

Geshu Lin himself lay on the floor with his eyes open, blood in his nose, and his face flushed from what he had just seen. And what he saw was a real angel, nothing more could be said.

Let's go back a bit, to the moment he was hit in the face by the ball.

When the second half began, Geshu Lin smelled an omega who had entered the gym. He was so happy to see him, as they hadn't seen each other since that day due to alpha training. And what he saw stunned him.

Omega was beautifully dressed. In their favorite wide-leg pants, in a haori that, if removed, would reveal how a belt accentuated the omega's slender waist. All in black, to match Geshu Lin. And when the omega turned, the alpha saw it. The captain's jersey

...

His. Captain's. Jersey.

"What?? Am I not seeing things? Is he really wearing my gaming jersey? And here I was wondering where it had gone." Thoughts raced through his mind in mere seconds, so he didn't see the ball flying towards his face.

And so he found himself on the floor, surrounded by teammates, with a bloody nose, but happy nonetheless, because he had seen Qiuyuan.

He was quickly helped up from the floor, and the nurse stopped the bleeding. Fortunately, his nose seemed to be very strong, so the bleeding stopped quickly, and he assured the coach and the referee that he could continue playing. A couple of minutes later, he was released back onto the court.

Qiuyuan was very worried because he could smell Geshu Lin's blood. This made him even more anxious.

"Qiuyuan, it's okay" Changli began to reassure him. "He's fine. The nurse stopped the bleeding, and from the way he's jumping and spiking, he seems to be feeling even better."

"Could it be because he saw Qiu Yuan?" Changli's mind raced.

But Qiuyuan didn't care. He couldn't calm down until he could feel Geshu Lin's face with his own hands. So, he sat nervously during the game. Even when their team won, which wasn't surprising given how strong their volleyball team was, he didn't move from his spot.

"Qiuyuan" Changli nudged him. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" The omega only now snapped out of his daze, looking at where his friends had been standing. "Yes, I'm fine. Can you take me to Geshu Lin?"

He asked them this because he didn't know exactly where the alpha was, due to all the smells lingering in the gym.

"Of course."

Zani grabbed their things and went first, with Changli walking beside Qiu Yuan, holding his arm and telling him where to step. This is how they reached the volleyball team, who were currently taking photos with their medals.

As soon as they approached, Qiuyuan smelled Geshu and looked up. At that very moment, the alpha walked towards them.

"Hi, Qiuyuan" Geshu Lin greeted the omega, a little nervously, which even shocked his teammates and friends.

"Are you okay?" Qiuyuan began with a question and reached out towards his face. The alpha smiled and, taking the omega's palm in his hand, pressed it to his nose.

"How are you feeling?" the alpha asked, causing the omega to blush, as he finally felt him after so much time. "Are you okay with me, or what?"

Qiuyuan stood, pressing his palm to the alpha Geshu Lin's face. He stood on his tiptoes a little and nuzzled his nose against his neck. Everyone stood in shock again, this time at Qiuyuan's actions. And then, they heard a quiet sob.

Qiuyuan started to cry. Quietly.

Crying? Why?

Geshu Lin grew worried by this and leaned towards the omega's face, not understanding why, and kissed him on the forehead, after brushing aside the omega's messy bangs.

"Please, don't cry, Qiuyuan" the alpha began, now pressing himself against the omega's neck and inhaling the delicious scent. "I don't want to see you cry because of me."

"I only want to see a smile on your face." He couldn't say that yet, but maybe in the future.

"Are you really okay? When I first came in and was about to sit down, I smelled your scent with a hint of iron, the scent of blood." Qiuyuan exposed his neck further and didn't even notice how everyone in the gym blushed at his action. "I was really worried and couldn't sit still properly."

"I'm only telling you the truth, Qiuyuan." how the alpha liked saying the omega's name.

"If I scared you, then wouldn't you want me to treat you, as an apology?" Geshu Lin looked into the omega's blind eyes, which were still a little teary, making him want to wipe them away with his finger, which he did.

"Yes!" Qiuyuan agreed immediately, without thinking. He had wanted to have lunch with the alpha, to talk to him, for so long.

"Then will you give me your number so I can tell you where and when we'll meet?" Geshu Lin asked the omega, already anticipating tomorrow's meeting.

"With pleasure" the omega smiled and continued speaking. "It's better to get the number from Changli, and it's better to call me, not text, because I..."

Before Qiuyuan could finish, the alpha interrupted him.

"It's better to call, yes" Geshu Lin agreed, remembering that the omega couldn't see. "Can I call you every day so I don't forget your voice?"

The alpha didn't know why himself, but he wanted to flirt with the omega. To see a blush on his face from his words, which is exactly what happened.

"Just not too often, or Dr. Zhang will think something is wrong..." but Qiuyuan was all for it, he himself really wanted to hear the alpha's voice every day, that calming timbre, that care in his voice.

"Then wait for my call tonight, Qiuyuan." the alpha couldn't wait to get the omega's number, releasing him from his embrace, but he didn't want to do it, to let the omega go.

"I'll be waiting" and Qiuyuan pulled away from the alpha, walking over to where his friends stood, who were looking at him with wide eyes.

Changli and Zani didn't ask him questions yet, but when they left the gym, the omega immediately stopped his friend.

"What was that just now? What did we just see?" Changli couldn't calm down; she needed to know, right at that moment.

"Um..." Qiuyuan didn't know what to say. "Geshu Lin asked for my number so we could meet tomorrow. What?"

"What? Are you kidding me?" Changli couldn't calm down. "He was just hitting on you, flirting. You cried because he was hurt. You even offered him your neck. And you're still asking, WHAT??"

"Honey, calm down" Zani began to say. "But she's right, what was that. You looked like a real couple who's been dating for a very long time."

"Really?" Qiuyuan couldn't believe his ears. Did that really just happen?

"I... I don't know what to say to that." Qiuyuan remembered walking towards the alpha, and then it was a blur in his head. "I just wanted to see if he was really okay or not. And then..."

"It just happened on its own." Changli finished for her friend.

"Yes..." the omega looked towards the gym entrance, where he could still smell Geshu Lin, but without the scent of iron anymore.

"I'm glad he's okay, I was so scared." and with that, tears welled up in the omega's eyes again.

"No, no, no, don't cry" Changli immediately rushed to her friend, hugging him to comfort him. "He's really fine, just a small bruise for a couple of days."

"Yes, yes, Changli is telling the truth." Zani nodded, also comforting her friend.

"If he's really alright, then Changli" the omega turned towards his friend. "Will you give my number to Geshu Lin?"

"Already??" Although she was surprised, she was already standing with her phone in hand.

She sent a message to Mydei, a classmate, asking him to pass on Qiuyuan's number to his captain. Mydeijust sent a large thumbs-up emoji and went offline.

"He'll call you soon, Qiuyuan."

"Really?"

In the evening, he lay in his bed, in a starfish position, his gaze fixed on the ceiling, when he heard the melody of a ringtone. "Really?" And then he heard a mechanical voice.

"You have an incoming call from Geshu Lin, accept the call?"

To which Qiuyuan immediately said a loud "YES" so that the phone would definitely hear.

"Qiuyuan?" he heard the deep voice of an alpha, which sent shivers down the omega's spine.

"Yes, hello Geshu Lin," the omega greeted the alpha.

"..."

There was a sharp pause on the other end.

"Geshu Lin?" Qiuyuan asked the alpha again.

"Sorry, yes, I'm here," Geshu's voice trembled as he began to speak. "It's just... it's just that you called me by my name."

"Ah, sorry!" Qiuyuan hadn't thought about it; they had, essentially, just met.

"Don't apologize, it's just that my name sounds so... 'sexy'," the alpha almost said aloud.

"Do you like how I say your name?" Qiuyuan smiled and immediately curled up on the bed in a fetal position.

"Don't apologize, it's just that my name sounds like that coming from your lips," the alpha almost said "sexy" aloud.

"Do you like it when I say your name?" Qiuyuan smiled and immediately curled up on the bed in a fetal position.

"Yes, I won't lie, when you say my name, I feel goosebumps all over my body."

"Then..." Qiuyuan immediately came up with something. "Geshu Lin, Geshu Lin, Geshu Lin..."

He repeated the alpha's name without stopping. Qiuyuan himself really liked this name.

"Oh god..." the voice on the other end fell silent. "Please, I want you to stop, and at the same time, don't stop."

"..."

"Fuck." Qiuyuan turned as red as the ripest tomato. He was to blame for starting this.

"... Ahem," Qiuyuan coughed and continued. "So, where are we meeting tomorrow?"

"Yes, I completely forgot," the omega heard the alpha slap his forehead. "At *** cafe after lunch, can you make it? I can pick you up if you want."

"With pleasure!" the omega smiled, because soon, or rather tomorrow, they would meet. "And yes, I'm free at that time, all day."

"Then I'll treat you."

They laughed. They talked for a short while, as they still had time tomorrow, and for now, they wished each other goodnight and hung up.

"God..." Qiuyuan pressed his hand, which the alpha had just held, to his chest, where his heart was beating very fast.

Thump-thump-thump

Thump-thump

"What should I wear?" was the first thing the cook heard when she entered Qiuyuan's room. She saw the omega sitting on the floor, his clothes scattered around him. He was upset, but she couldn't figure out why.

"Oh, gods!" she exclaimed, her heart leaping with concern for her master, and she immediately rushed to him. "What happened, sweetie?"

"What should I wear?" Qiuyuan almost cried, not knowing what to put on.

He wanted to look beautiful for Geshu Lin, but he couldn't quite decide which outfit would be best. It was difficult for him, and a first for him too.

"Oh, sweetie, are you going somewhere?" the cook asked Qiuyuan.

"I'm meeting Geshu Lin soon, but I don't know what to wear, which clothes would look better," he finally said, tears starting to well up in his eyes.

"Now, now, sweetie, don't cry" she said, wiping the tears from the omega's plump cheeks. "We'll figure this out. Would you like me to call Changli?"

"..." Qiuyuan was silent for a moment, then decided and replied, "Yes."

Changli arrived 15 minutes after she was called. She was out of breath, her hair disheveled from running, her blouse untucked from her skirt. But her appearance concerned her very little at the moment; she immediately went to her friend and sank to the floor.

"Qiuyuan" Changli called to the omega. "Get up. I'm going to dress you so well that he'll get a nosebleed looking at you."

"W-what??" Qiuyuan lifted his head and looked towards Changli. "Why would he get a nosebleed?"

"Sigh..." Chanhli lightly tapped her friend on the forehead, smiling. "You still have a lot to learn, my dear friend."

Half an hour later, Qiuyuan stood before Changli, who was appraising him.

"Yes!" Changli said confidently. "This is exactly what we need."

Qiuyuan was wearing a loose brown skirt that reached almost to the floor. The top was dark green, a blouse that was a bit too big in the sleeves for him. Tucking the bottom of the blouse into the skirt, she handed the omega a belt to accentuate his figure. And on top, so he wouldn't freeze, she draped a warm sweater a few shades darker over his shoulders. On his feet, he wore simple boots, having put on white socks beforehand.

"Done" Changli finished. "Now you can go and conquer him."

At his friend's words, Qiuyuan stuck out his tongue at her and left the room, thanking her beforehand. To which she replied:

"Always happy to help you, Mr. Qiuyuan."

"You..." Qiuyuan wanted to hit her, but she had already disappeared to the first floor. He followed her, where they were met by a surprised cook.

"Isn't Qiuyuan just beautiful?" Changli asked.

"Agreed" the cook nodded.

Qiuyuan blushed at their words and went into the hallway, grabbing his bag from the sofa.

"I'll be leaving soon" Qiuyuan shouted to make sure they heard him. And they did. The next second, Changli appeared beside him, waving to the cook and thanking her for the treats.

They left the house together, where Geshu Lin's car was parked at the entrance.

"Oh my god" Qiuyuan smelled the alpha scent and suddenly shuddered.

"Go on" Changli said almost in a whisper. "Go. He's waiting for you, I'll be rooting for you."

"Shut up, Changli" This made her smile, and she let go of her friend, who walked towards the alpha scent.

"May everything go well for you," Changli smiled and walked in the other direction.

Qiuyuan approached the alpha, who greeted him.

"Hello, Qiuyuan" Geshu Lin gently took the omega's hand in his and kissed the back of his palm, where there was a small scar that Qiuyuan had gotten as a child.

"Hello" the omega blushed. "I'm ready."

Geshu Lin opened the front door for the omega, who then took his seat. The alpha closed the door and, walking around the front, got into the driver's seat and buckled up. He turned his head towards Qiuyuan and saw that he wasn't buckled in, and reached for him.

Qiuyuan felt someone approach him.

"You're not buckled in" the alpha said, and at that moment, fastened the seatbelt.

"Thank you" Qiuyuan said, blushing, holding his bag.

"You can put your bag on the back seat so it doesn't bother you," Geshu Lin offered his hand for the bag. Qiuyuan did so.

"You..." they were already on their way to the cafe when the alpha decided to break the silence. "You look very beautiful today."

Qiuyuan detected notes of panic in Geshu Lin's scent.

"Thank you" Qiuyuan placed his left hand over his heart and blushed. "Actually, I couldn't decide what to wear for a long time, but Changli helped me."

"Is that why she was leaving your house?" the alpha asked, now calmer and having settled into the conversation.

They reached the cafe quickly, and Geshu Lin, like a true gentleman, got out first and, walking around the car, opened the door for the omega, offering his hand. Qiuyuan placed his palm into the alpha's large hand and exited the car. The alpha didn't forget the omega's bag and also took it out, but without handing it over. He wanted to carry it himself.

"Let's go," Geshu Lin said, offering his hand as he had during their first meeting at university, making the omega's heart skip a beat.

"Okay."

They sat at the furthest table, where it was less noisy. Geshu Lin remembered the omega's sensitivity, so he chose this spot. They ordered the bare minimum. Qiuyuan took green tea and cheesecake, while the alpha just got coffee. And while they waited for their order, they started talking.

"By the way, congratulations," Qiuyuan clapped his hands, making the alpha look at him with a smile. "I didn't get a chance to congratulate you yesterday."

"It's okay" Geshu Lin reassured the omega. "I was very happy that you came to the game, even if I couldn't see you."

"But I felt it" Qiuyuan's tea and cheesecake were placed in front of him, and he began to devour it.

"I have a question" he continued, taking a sip of his coffee. "Where did you get my game jersey, if you don't mind me asking?"

"What?" Qiuyuan choked on his tea, and the alpha immediately handed him a napkin, apologizing. "That was your jersey?"

"You... you didn't know?" the alpha asked, surprised. But his jersey, which he had worn three years ago and which was now too small for him, suited the omega so well. It was a little oversized in some places, but it suited him so well.

"No, I didn't know" Qiuyuan said, and suddenly remembered that he had vaguely sensed the alpha's scent, but he had dismissed it at the time.

"I played in it three years ago. It's too small for me now, so I forgot about it, but..." the alpha started to say, but stopped himself as Qiuyuan spoke.

"I can give it back to you."

"No!" Geshu Lin said the word a little louder, causing some people at their table to look over. "No, keep it. It suits you so well."

Qiuyuan pressed his palm to his cheek, blushing. And suddenly, moments flashed through his mind. Him lying on the big bed in just that t-shirt, and Geshu Lin, who had just come out of the shower, in only his pants, lowering himself beside him.
Qiuyuan felt like steam was coming out of his ears from these thoughts.

"Calm down..." the omega murmured quietly to himself.

"I... actually, I met you on the very first day" Geshu Lin began as they strolled through the park.

"?" Qiuyuan looked questioningly at the alpha.

"Well, when we first arrived on orientation day, I noticed you. How you were pressed against the edge of the wall, looking lost." The alpha scratched the back of his head and continued, "I wanted to come over and introduce myself then, but your friends quickly took you away, and I haven't seen you since."

"Oh..." Qiuyuan stopped and suddenly blushed, remembering something. It was a moment from orientation day, right after he had enrolled. At that time, his sense of smell had become very acute, and all the scents irritated him. But... at some point, he smelled a sweet scent coming from somewhere. So he looked around, but couldn't figure out where it was coming from. "That was you. I smelled a scent that didn't irritate me back then, but I couldn't figure out where it was coming from."

"And only now I realized that it was your scent," Qiuyuan turned towards the alpha, standing on tiptoe and bringing his face closer to his neck. Geshu Lin flinched at this action.

"Does this mean it was fate?" the alpha thought, and suddenly placed his hands on the omega's slender waist. "I like your scent."

"I like yours too, Geshu Lin" Because Qiuyuan said his name, the alpha squeezed the omega's waist tighter and pressed him against his chest. "Geshu Lin?"

"Can we stand like this for a little while?" Geshu Lin asked, holding the omega close as if protecting him.

"Of course" Qiuyuan felt Geshu Lin press the omega closer at his answer. The latter bared his neck, giving permission with this action, causing the alpha to press his nose to the spot where the omega's scent was strongest. "Love" flashed through Geshu Lin's mind. They stood like that for about five minutes until the alpha pulled away, blushing slightly when he saw the omega's red face.

"Don't you want to try some steamed buns? There's a stall not far from here where I usually get them." Geshu Lin decided to change the situation.

"I've never tried them" Qiuyuan said, surprising the alpha.

"Then let's go quickly" adjusting the omega's bag on his shoulder, he led Qiuyuan in the right direction.

"Delicious!" was the first thing the omega said when he tried the steamed bun. "This is so tasty."

The alpha watched him as he rejoiced over simple street food, and for some reason, he suddenly felt sad. Sad that Qiuyuan couldn't see how beautiful it was here, how beautiful he himself was.

"Did something happen? Geshu Lin?" Qiuyuan immediately sensed the alpha's shifting scent, which had been sweet at first but suddenly turned sour. This meant the alpha was upset. But why? He couldn't understand.

"I just... I'm sorry" Geshu Lin sat down on a bench, and Qiuyuan walked over to the alpha, hugging his head and pressing it to his stomach, where he felt warmth. "I just realized that you can't see how beautiful you are."

"!!" the omega flinched at the alpha's words. "God, don't scare me like that. I thought something bad had happened."

Geshu Lin pulled his face away from the omega's stomach and said,

"But it's not..." but he couldn't finish his sentence as Qiuyuan pressed his finger to the alpha's lips.

"I've never been upset that I don't have what almost everyone else has." Qiuyuan looked into Geshu Lin's eyes with his gray ones, and the alpha felt as if he could see his soul. "It's not that important to me. I've been blind since birth and I'm not upset about it. Even though I can't see you, I can feel you. With my hands. With my scent. So understand me, Geshu Lin, I don't care."

"I'm sorry for doubting," the alpha stood up from the bench and hugged the omega. "I'm sorry, I just wanted you to see how you looked in that moment."

"Because I've started falling in love with you even more, and I don't know if it will stop."

"Can I take you to classes tomorrow?" Geshu Lin decided to change the subject.

"I agree" Qiuyuan answered immediately, which made the alpha smile.

The day was quickly turning into evening. More people started coming out with children and dogs. They walked in the park for a little while longer and fed the ducks bread. Qiuyuan asked for his bag to be handed to him, and Geshu Lin obeyed. The omega took out a bamboo flask and poured the decoction into a small lid, taking a sip from it. His face contorted, which made Geshu Lin chuckle a little.

"Dr. Zhang prescribed this decoction for me when I was still little." the alpha said, putting the bamboo flask back into the bag and taking it back, slinging it over his shoulder. "I wasn't that interested in it. I just took what was given, but it really is very sour."

"I'll take your word for it" Geshu Lin smiled, and seeing a leaf in the omega's hair, he decided to remove it. Reaching for the hair, the alpha took it out and smoothed the hair, causing Qiuyuan's ahoge to bounce. This action made Geshu Lin laugh.

Upon reaching the car, Geshu Lin put the omega in the car and then sat in his own seat. Qiuyuan immediately buckled up, and they drove towards the omega's house.

Qiuyuan didn't want to say goodbye to him, even though they would see each other tomorrow. But he had to get out of the car, where the alpha was waiting with the bag in his hands.

"Thank you for this day, Geshu Lin" Qiuyuan wanted to kiss the alpha on the cheek, which he did. And when the omega realized what he had done, he flushed red, quickly grabbed the bag, and ran towards the house, quickly disappearing inside.

"This..." Geshu Lin pressed his palm to the spot where he had just been kissed.

"Love"

"You look happy" was the first thing Changli said when he entered the lecture hall where Geshu Lin had escorted him.

"Is it that obvious?" Qiuyuan asked both of his friends, who nodded in unison and replied, "Yes."

Qiuyuan remembered how the cook had asked him earlier who was waiting for him. He had replied that it was a friend he had gone out with yesterday.

"Is he the reason you almost cried yesterday because you couldn't decide what to wear?"

The omega then quickly ate breakfast and rushed out of the house, where he greeted the alpha, and they drove to the university.

He was so happy to see Geshu Lin, and they didn't notice how they got to talking until they arrived at the educational institution. Everyone saw the alpha opening the door for Qiuyuan as he got out of his car. Many were envious, even if they understood that they had no chance.

Geshu Lin escorted the omega to the lecture hall, and before letting him go, he asked, "Do you want to have lunch with me?" There was hope in his eyes, even though Qiuyuan didn't see it.

"I'd love to" he replied. They said goodbye, and Qiuyuan entered the lecture hall.

The hours passed quickly, Changli wouldn't stop with her questions, where they went, to what place, what they talked about. Zani had to shut her up.

"Oh, right, maybe we can have lunch with someone else too?" Qiuyuan asked as they left the building and headed towards the dining halls.

"And with whom?" Zani didn't want to hear the answer because she knew what Qiuyuan would say.

"With Geshu Lin" Qiuyuan beamed, remembering the alpha.

"Okay" surprisingly, it wasn't Changli who said it, but Zani.

In the dining hall, they were met by Geshu Lin, to whom his friends, Phainon and Mydei, approached.

"Hi Mydei" Changli said, hugging the golden-haired guy whose ends were red and who had red markings, tattoos all over his body.

"Then we can all have lunch together, rather than separately" said a man whom Qiuyuan didn't know. It seemed he was also Geshu Lin's friend, but Qiuyuan didn't know them. The alpha noticed the omega hesitating a little behind and walked up to him.

"Do you have lunch with you?" the alpha asked and placed his hand on the omega's lower back.

"Yes, they usually prepare it for me, as I can't do it myself" the alpha sat Qiuyuan next to him, on his right side. On Qiuyuan's left sat Changli, who was talking to that same Mydei.

"You don't know my friends, do you?" Geshu Lin asked and began to explain.

"This is Phainon, we've known each other since childhood, his scent is like freshly cut grass in a field" Qiuyuan felt it, and it turned out to be true. There was another scent emanating from him, one that smelled exactly like the guy Changli was talking to.

"And the one Changli is chatting with now is Midey, Phainon's mate" Qiuyuan looked in that direction, smelled a delicious scent, and it was so compatible with Phaenon's scent that he said it.

"Your scents are very compatible, I can feel it." his words made everyone at the table fall silent for a second.

"You can even sense that?" Mydei asked, as Qiuyuan understood.

"Yes, because I've been blind since birth, my other senses are very heightened." the omega touched the tip of his nose, as if to show that his sense of smell was very strong compared to others.

And after that, they all got caught up in conversation. They talked about anything and everything. Sometimes it was the latest news from the university, other times it was yesterday's game and what happened during it. This made two people blush noticeably. And at one point, when Qiuyuan finished eating and drinking his broth, he rested his head on the alpha's shoulder, as if falling asleep. Geshu Lin immediately felt this and lowered his shoulder so the omega would be comfortable.

"And they really do look very cute" Mydei said quietly, so as not to be heard by Qiuyuan, to which everyone immediately nodded, and Geshu Lin blushed at this and turned his head away.

And so, their days passed, now in company. Qiuyuan would wake up, get dressed, and have breakfast. Geshu Lin, who was not his boyfriend, would pick him up and drive him to university. He would escort the omega to the lecture halls, and the whole group would meet at a table, where they would discuss everything possible and have lunch.

And so the graduation day arrived, when they all completed their studies and received their diplomas. And on that day, something happened that everyone would remember for years to come.

Qiuyuan woke up in his bed as usual. Bright light filtered through the curtains; after all, the hottest season, summer, had arrived. And the moment when they would finally graduate. He stretched in bed and finally got up. Today, they only needed to be at the university at 11 AM, so there was no need to rush for now.

Going down to the first floor, he was greeted by the cook and Doctor Zhang, who was reading a newspaper and sipping coffee.

"Good morning" he greeted them both, to which they smiled and wished him a good morning as well.

He had a hearty breakfast, drank a decoction, and returned to his room, where he went to the bathroom to wash up. After all, it was their graduation, and they had to look spick and span, meaning neat and tidy. As he was coming out of the bathroom, he heard a commotion in his room and immediately recognized who it was by their voices. Changli and Mydei.

Now that they had befriended Geshu Lin's friends, Mydei entered, joining Qiuyuan and Changli. And now they were like those maidens by the window, spinning late in the evening.

"Good morning, Qiuyuan" Mydei greeted him, sitting on the bed just like Changli.

"Hi" Qiu Yuan replied, drying his wet hair with a towel.

"So," Changli stood up and began to speak. "We have three hours to get ready and look stunning."

And they started getting ready. Mydei dried Qiuyuan's hair and decided to braid some of it, like his own, while Changki did some makeup on his face.

"Is this really necessary?" Qiuyuan asked her once, to which she gave him a two-hour lecture. She explained that even if an omega is beautiful, as was the case with Qiuyuan, it's still important to highlight certain features to truly impress their alpha. He didn't ask any more questions.

Half an hour later, Qiuyuan was made up, his hair beautifully styled, and his clothes hung in the closet. Mydei and Changli also quickly applied their makeup, fixed their hairstyles, and began to dress. They helped Qiuyuan put on his clothes correctly, and within a couple of minutes, they were standing ready.

And below, their mates were waiting for them.

The cook had prepared a lot of food, so all six children would be able to eat.

And when all three omegas descended, with Qiuyuan walking last, the three alphas rose from their seats. Faenon and Zani immediately went to their mates, telling them how beautiful they were and kissing them.

"Mydei, am I imagining things, or did you put on lipstick?" Phainon teased the omega, to which Midey replied:

"HKS, shut up," was Mydei's favorite phrase, how he called his alpha, but he reached out for a kiss from the alpha.

"Zani, what do you think of my cloak? I remade it, adding some of my own touch," Changli twirled around, and in the next second, Zani pulled her in for a kiss.

"You always look beautiful, baby."

And unlike them, Geshu Lin didn't know how to react. They hadn't even started dating Qiuyuan yet, but he wanted it so badly. He wanted to hold his hand, kiss his lips, hug him in difficult times (which they almost all did, except for kissing on the lips).

"You... look very beautiful today, Qiuyuan. This cloak really suits you," Geshu Lin, blushing from his own words, turned his head to where his friends were smiling at him.

Qiuyuan truly looked like a 10 out of 10 today. Mydei and Changli had done their job perfectly. Qiuyuan's hair, from Mydei's hands, shone brilliantly, neatly styled, and the beautiful makeup done by Changli only added even more cuteness to the omega.

"And what about the clothes? That's a separate matter. At their university, besides the graduation cap, graduates also receive cloaks. These aren't long, as is usually the case, but only reach mid-thigh and completely cover the upper body.

And since students were allowed to decorate their uniforms as they pleased, everyone did, especially the omegas. Qiuyuan didn't want to overcomplicate things and, with the help of Changli and Mydei, decorated his cloak. He asked them to draw bamboo along the edges, at the bottom, which turned out great. Qiuyuan also asked them to add some other elements.

And it was these elements that Geshu Lin was now examining. On Qiuyuan's cloak, besides the bamboo, there were also depictions of Geshu Lin's earrings – the very ones he had been wearing for a very long time and only took off during games and training.

This touched the alpha. And for some reason, it reminded him of them.

Of him and Qiuyuan.

'Well, children?' the cook began. 'Please, everyone to the table.'

Qiuyuan sat next to Geshu Lin but didn't touch his food, as he had already eaten. He only nibbled on some bunny-shaped apple slices and rested his head on the alpha's shoulder.

After everyone had eaten and left the table, saying goodbye to the cook, they went outside where three cars were parked, one for each alpha."

Geshu Lin helped Qiuyuan get into the car, and Qiuyuan thanked the alpha. He tossed the omega's bag onto the back seat and then got in himself, buckling up. Three cars drove off one after another.

They arrived at the university half an hour before the event was scheduled to begin.

"Please, your hand" Geshu Lin offered his palm as always and helped Qiuyuan out of the car. Not forgetting the bag either, he slung it over his own shoulder, not returning it to the omega.

They sat closest to the stage, but not in the front rows, as those were usually reserved for the professors.

They all sat together, and twenty minutes later, the event began. The rector and the deans of several faculties briefly congratulated the students on completing their studies. Then, a procession began in the form of handing out diplomas to the students. And, strangely, the last person to receive a diploma was Geshu Lin.

"Because he's the captain of the volleyball team and the best student." Phainon explained to Qiuyuan's questioning, surprised face.

"Only I didn't know about this," he realized he was right as everyone remained silent. "It's okay."

"We can't exactly say that Geshu Lin prepared a surprise for you." everyone thought.

Geshu Lin stood on the stage, by the podium, blinded by the spotlights. But there was not a drop of malice or coldness in them, which the students usually saw. Instead, there was pure, almost panicked confusion. His palms were sweaty, his heart was beating so loudly that he was sure the entire university could hear it. He felt the diploma, handed to him by the rector, slip through his fingers, but he didn't even notice when it ended up in his hands. All his attention was fixed on one spot in the hall—on Qiuyuan's gray, unseeing eyes, who was sitting next to Changli and Zani, and a little further back, Phainon and Mydei, who were looking at their captain with understanding smiles.

He took a step forward, towards the microphone, and took a deep breath. His voice, usually firm and commanding to others, now trembled.

"Um..." he began, and the hall fell silent. "I'm sorry. I... I'm not used to speaking in front of such large audiences. Usually, I just play volleyball. But today... today I have something important to say."

He glanced again towards Qiuyuan. The omega sat calmly, his face impassive, but Geshu Lin knew that Qiuyuan felt every note of tension in his voice. He knew the omega could hear every beat of his heart, every breath. And that gave him strength.

"I want to congratulate all of us – the graduates. We've come a long way. We studied, we argued, we dreamed, we took exams, we played volleyball, we drank coffee in the cafeteria, we discussed lectures, and..." he faltered, and laughter rippled through the hall. "And maybe some of us even fell in love. I won't name names. But I want to say that for me, this year has been the most important. Because I met someone who changed my life. Who taught me to be better. Who..." Geshu Lin closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts. "Who showed me that love isn't just a feeling. It's a choice. A choice to be there, to care, to support, even when you can't see the world like everyone else."

Qiuyuan raised his head, and a smile flickered across his face. He couldn't see Geshu Lin looking at him, but he could feel his scent, his gaze, like a warm ray of sunshine falling on him. He felt his own heart begin to beat faster, as if responding to the alpha's call.

"Qiuyuan" Geshu Lin said, his voice softening but carrying such conviction that the entire hall fell silent. "I want to say that I'm in love with you. From the very first day I saw you at the open house, when you were holding onto the wall, not knowing where you were. You were so... so real. And I wanted to be by your side. I wanted to protect you, to care for you, to love you. And I want to continue to do so. So..." Geshu Lin paused, and the silence in the hall was profound. "Qiuyuan, will you be my mate?"

The hall erupted in applause. Changli jumped to her feet, shouting, "Say yes! Say yes!" Zani grabbed her arm, but she herself was smiling, her eyes glistening with tears. Phainon and Mydei stood clapping, Faenon even jumping with joy while Mydei laughed, hugging him.

Qiuyuan sat, unmoving. He could feel the heat rising to his face, his heart pounding in his chest as if it wanted to break free. He couldn't see Geshu Lin standing on the stage, waiting for his answer, his hands trembling. But he felt him. He felt his scent – calming, with hints of sweat and the true aroma of an alpha. He felt his voice – deep, with a slight tremor, but full of resolve. And he knew he would answer.

"Yes," he said, his voice quiet but clear. "I want to be your mate, Geshu Lin. I... I'm in love with you too. From the very moment you helped me to the lecture hall. When you held my hand, when you took care of me. You... you are special to me."

Geshu Lin couldn't hold back. He jumped off the stage, ignoring everyone trying to stop him, and ran towards Qiuyuan. He rushed up to him, grabbed his hand, and lifted him into the air, hugging him so tightly that the omega could barely breathe. Qiuyuan laughed, and his laughter was the most beautiful sound Geshu Lin had ever heard.

"I love you, Qiuyuan" he whispered, holding the omega close. "I will always be by your side."

Changli and Zani ran up to them, hugging them both. Phainon and Mydei joined in too, and the whole group stood in a circle, laughing and embracing. The hall was filled with applause, cheers, and laughter. Some students were taking pictures of the moment, while others simply watched, smiling.

Geshu Lin lowered Qiuyuan to the ground, but didn't let go. He looked at him, and there was so much love in his eyes that the omega felt his cheeks flush.

"You are truly beautiful today, Qiuyuan" he said, his voice full of tenderness. "You are always beautiful. But today... today you are simply radiant."

Qiuyuan smiled, and his smile was as genuine as his love.

"Thank you, Geshu Lin" he said. "I am happy too. Very happy."

And they stood there, holding each other, until the hall began to empty. People approached them, congratulating them, wishing them happiness. The teachers smiled, some even took photos on their phones. Even the rector, who had previously considered Gesha Lin too stern, shook his hand and said, "Congratulations, Captain."

When things had calmed down a bit, Geshu Lin took Qiuyuan's hand and led him towards the exit. They walked slowly, and the alpha didn't let go of his hand, as if afraid the omega would disappear. Behind them walked Changli, Zani, Phainon and Mydei, chatting and laughing.

Outside, Geshu Lin's car was waiting for them. He opened the door for Qiuyuan, helped him get in, and then sat down beside him. He didn't fasten his seatbelt because he couldn't let go of the omega's hand. He just looked at him, his eyes full of love.
"Do you know that I will never let you go?" he asked, his voice quiet but firm.

"I know" Qiuyuan replied, his voice just as quiet but full of hope. "And I don't want you to."

Geshu Lin smiled, his smile as genuine as his love. He kissed Qiuyuan on the forehead, and the omega giggled, snuggling closer.

"You are mine, Qiuyuan" Geshu Lin whispered. "And I am yours. Forever."

And they drove away, together, into a new life filled with love, care, and happiness.