Chapter Text
He wondered.
For the first time, actually. In the past, Ilay had never given a second thought to sub-genders. His position was at the top of the food chain; he thrived in this prejudice-riddled society and never bothered to pity those below. But now, as he watched carefully, Ilay Reigrow wondered what it would be like if he could own Jeong Taeui — the dense, little idiot who remained unaffected by his pheromones. No matter how much Ilay drowned Taeui in his scent, he didn't seem to notice.
It was partially fine. Though dull, Ilay didn't mind staking his claim for everyone but Taeui to notice. Oh, and they noticed. It was hard not to when Ilay's heavy spiced wood-amber scent wrapped around Taeui like a vice, holding him down in vicious, enigmatic claws. What would it be like if his dear assistant could bear his mark? What would it take to bind them together? Taeui was rightfully his, yet he was cruelly reminded that the bonds that held them together were never permanent.
Perhaps it was his fault, allowing infatuation to bloom into obsession — thriving solely on Taeui's indifference. He could remember clearly the first time they had met, in person specifically. The only thought running through his mind, eradicating his curiosity, was how pitifully ordinary Taeui was. The genius Jeong Jaeui's Gilsangcheon, and beloved nephew of Chang-In, was utterly average. His sub-gender — a beta — only added to that idea. Where was it? Surely there was something that Taeui held to himself that could allow his place in Ilay's mind to be prominent.
And, there was, actually.
Ilay sensed it the moment he had stood up to him in the middle of that cafeteria. Indifference — or perhaps just oblivion — to the authority that reeked from Ilay, seeping out of every pore of his. The kind of dominance that testosterone and pathetic alpha pheromones couldn't overwhelm. Jeong Taeui was one of the few betas in the UNHRDO, a reflection of his brother in that aspect, but more significantly, one of the few that remained untouched by Ilay's suffocating presence.
How delightful.
It was entertaining, really, every time that Taeui would snap at him, pleasantly unaware that Ilay's being claimed him so thoroughly that Taeui's friends couldn't stand to even be around him. That was good — yes, it irked Ilay that Taeui truly didn't understand just why his colleagues looked at him with thinly masked disgust, but it worked in his favour. He gazed at the man in front of him, whose face was rife with bruises. Taeui was dressed in a rather shabby suit, looking somewhat like a loan shark, but Ilay could smell it, even now, days after smothering him with his pheromones — low notes of oak and sweet musk.
And so did the strangers around them, some visibly gagging at the intense sensation, others whispering to themselves as they passed by, shooting them disdainful glances. Right. Just how dare Ilay establish who Taeui belonged to.
What would it look like if he could dress Taeui in his clothes, hold him in his arms at night, and cover him with his marks?
So clumsy, he thought amusedly, watching Taeui fumble with the cigarette before it eventually slipped through his fingers and landed on the ground. Really, though, what appealed so much to him about Jeong Taeui? He had already recognised the other to be quite subpar — his appearance at least, let alone the fact that he was a beta of all things. His outlook was curiously unique, was it that?
It was laughably naive sometimes, yet still suited him perfectly. As someone who judged people by his own standards, Taeui's behaviour could often be this dependent variable that caught Ilay off guard more than once.
Relationships, hmm?
He listened quietly, entertained but also intrigued; Taeui was right about some things, but other things would perplex Ilay. Why would he feel the need to keep someone in his life after they wronged him, just because he liked them? If it were Ilay, he'd simply teach them a lesson — though the situation never called for that most of the time.
Why would he bother when he could choke out the other's opinion with a mere glance, choking them with an undeniable dominance?
It didn't matter to him, though. By Taeui's logic, he didn't have the capacity to hate anyone — Ilay included.
Yes. How lovely. So, so lovely. Ilay couldn't help but burst out laughing at what was written all over Taeui's expression. At least he wouldn't have to bother with that. So then, what about him? He asked cheerfully. Did Ilay really need the answer to that? It was all the same anyway, even if Taeui soured at the question. So sweet, and he didn't even try. It made Ilay wonder, what other limits could he test?
How far could he go before Taeui inevitably understood why everyone pushed him away, coughing as their faces warped with revulsion?
Never had Ilay once questioned his sub-gender. But, like always, Taeui drew out a particular interest from Ilay he hadn't felt before, making him question Taeui's. Just what would it be like if Ilay, rather than merely alienating Taeui from his colleagues by the ghost of his intangible presence, could bite down on the unblemished junction of Taeui's neck and shoulder and burn his presence into him?
What would it be like if Taeui were an omega that he could truly own? What would his scent be — soft, right? Perhaps a gentle jasmine or sweet guava? It'd be delicious either way, that was certain.
Faintly, Ilay caught himself asking why he felt such a burning desire to claim Taeui?
But then again, one didn't need a reason to own someone. Taeui's place was beside him.
And that was all that mattered.
Ilay Reigrow.
The first time Taeui heard his name, distorted by the vocal modulator, all he had thought was how simple it was to remember. Actually, what was preoccupying his mind were those beautiful hands. Long, deft fingers with glassy nails, pristine and pale. The man they were attached to was a bit peculiar, but he was nothing too bad at first.
At first.
Little did Taeui know, those hands would come to be the only good thing about Ilay Reigrow. He couldn't complain much, actually. Though Ilay often made his life a living hell — whether that be through the gruelling work he piled on top of him or because of the ridiculous ostracisation he faced for being shoved into a position he couldn't change — he never truly bothered Taeui. Really, it was just cleaning up after his messes that was more bothersome; apart from that, Ilay himself wasn't bad company.
Well, after that particular night down in the detention centre, Ilay's desires drove Taeui to the brink of exhaustion. Taeui wasn't stupid; he was well aware of the fact that Ilay wanted more — something that Taeui wasn't willing to give him. He was quite certain that he couldn't fully comprehend the depths of Ilay's infatuation. It was so strange, if Ilay knew that Taeui being Jaeui's Gilsangcheon didn't provide any benefit to him, why did he cling to him?
Taeui couldn't even fulfil Ilay's more primal urges — utterly unaffected by his pheromones and lacking any of the traits that accompanied being an alpha or an omega. His sub-gender was never an issue to Taeui; if anything, it made sense to him. Though Taeui didn't hold himself in low regard, he was complacent with being considered nothing more than average (which was perhaps a by-product of his childhood). And it wasn't like he faced any discrimination due to being a beta; Taeui had seen how omegas were treated, and he was quite grateful he never had to face any of that.
Yet, for some reason, Ilay would more than just often bring up the fact that he was a beta. Taeui had brushed it off at first, after all, a lot of people — at least at first impression — assumed him to be an alpha. That's all he thought it was. But no. No, the way Ilay talked about it was curiously regretful, as if he wished Taeui were an omega, rather than a beta.
It was strange. But then again, Ilay was strange.
His only other real company at the UNHRDO was the whole reason he was here in the first place, his uncle, who was actually an alpha. He would constantly tease Taeui for being drowned in spiced wood, whatever the hell that meant. Last time he checked, his soap was vanilla scented? Well, either way, his uncle had been teasing Taeui a little less recently, instead glancing at him concernedly. The same kind of look his colleagues would give him. What? What was it?
He finally brought up again, and this time, his uncle tilted his head at him and smiled this small, amused smile.
"You really can't smell it? Not even sense it?"
What in the world? Taeui thought his uncle knew that betas couldn't smell pheromones, nor had any of their own.
"What?"
Though Taeui hadn't really educated himself on the semantics regarding scenting, he was quite sure that betas couldn't be scented no matter what. Unless...it would've made sense, now that he contemplated further. Ilay Reigrow was always the outlier in his data.
"Reigrow's scent. You're engulfed in it. It's like Rick himself is here."
So that was it, huh? The reason why they looked at him this way. And the worst part was that Taeui wasn't even aware, behind him, like a listless ghost, Ilay followed — haunting not just him, but those around him as well with that ominous Ilay-like shadow.
"I thought that betas couldn't be scented...?"
Chang-In chuckled, handing Taeui a beer. It was still cold, fresh from the fridge and ready to be cracked open.
"They're called enigmas for a reason, hmm? And that man, he could do anything he puts his mind to." Chang-In's smile dropped slightly, his eyes curving up with a trace of apprehension. "And that's exactly why you need to be wary of him, Taeui."
So kind of you, uncle, but you didn't feel the need to mention this before??
He wasn't sure what the last bit entailed. The words were oddly cryptic and sent a shiver down Taeui's spine, as the beer in his mouth turned bitterly suddenly. Taeui was distantly intrigued — what did it smell like? If he asked now, he would unfortunately be faced with a pitying expression and wry response, so instead he dropped the topic and silently finished off his beer.
What do you want from me, Ilay?
Taeui could only wonder, gazing down at the cold floors.
His question would be answered.
Not just answered — seared into his skin and heart, until he learned the truth behind Ilay's actions.