Chapter Text
The morning had started off cold and a bit damp, rain drizzling down and clouds hiding the sun as Alpha Min Yoongi headed to his first class of the day. However, by the time he finished his final class, an entry-level science course that he’d put off until his senior year, the clouds had dissipated and the temperature had risen enough that everything felt muggy and uncomfortable.
Yoongi grumbled under his breath as he made his way across the crowded Seoul National University campus. His almost shoulder-length black hair stuck to his face and the back of his neck, and his long-sleeved shirt and thick black hoodie were now too many layers and too heavy to be comfortable. He couldn’t be bothered to stop and take the hoodie off, though, choosing instead to power through as he crossed campus.
The number of students on campus that day didn’t help his mood much either, and he briefly wondered why there were so many groups of screaming people out and about on a Thursday afternoon. He didn’t actually care, not one to partake in a lot of social gatherings, so he didn’t spare much thought to figuring out the answer. Instead, he put on his headphones, turned on the most recent playlist his best friend, Omega Kim Namjoon, had made for him, and waited on the bus.
Thursdays were special to Yoongi. They were his longest day on campus, but they ended with his best friend coming over to have dinner and a few drinks while just hanging out.
The two had become friends in their music theory class a couple years back. Namjoon was technically a year behind Yoongi, but they’d ended up seated together in the front row of the eight a.m. class because Namjoon always sat in the front row and Yoongi barely arrived before the class began, meaning the only seat left was next to the clumsy overachiever.
By the end of the first day, Namjoon had managed to spill both his and Yoongi’s coffees, break three pens, and then offer to make copies of his own color-coded notes when he realized Yoongi’s were illegible, only partially because of the second coffee fiasco.
They’d met up the next day, a Thursday, and Namjoon had handed over a set of the most detailed notes Yoongi had ever seen, complete with additional thoughts carefully scribbled into the margins, connections Namjoon had made to not only their textbook but other theory books he’d read for fun. That combined with the shiest dimpled request to buy the older a makeup coffee had Yoongi endeared, and their tradition started.
Two years later, they’d never missed a Thursday. Even if one was sick, the other showed up with soup and a vitamin C drink. But Thursdays always ended with them together having food and laughing and letting go of the week’s stress.
Today, Yoongi had just gotten paid, so instead of stopping at a convenience store for some ramen, he decided to wait and order something after Joon arrived. Plus, that would give him time to shower off the smell of sweat and other Wolves’ pheromones, as the various groups Yoongi was shouldering past seemed determined to scent mark anyone and everyone around.
Isn’t there some rule about controlling your scent in public spaces out of respect? Yoongi finally took a deep breath as he entered the bus, pushing aside annoyance and reminding himself that he’d soon be surrounded by sandalwood and happy squeals as he and Joon listened to the favorite artist’s newest release.
He sighed when he entered his shared off-campus apartment and heard the click of the door locking behind him before kicking off his shoes, dropping his bag by the door, and peeling off his now-tacky-with-sweat hoodie. Only after he groaned at the feeling of cold air on his overheated skin did he notice his roommate, Seokjin, standing in front of the hallway mirror and doing up a set of cufflinks on his pressed, purple button-up. Not sure why anyone their age would own cufflinks but not surprised that Jin did, Yoongi barely grunted in acknowledgement of the other man before heading to the kitchen to find some water.
“You look even grumpier than usual.”
Yoongi grunted again, digging a cold bottle out of the fridge. “I just spent almost two hours in a classroom of freshmen learning that mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell.”
“You’re who decided to take the class as a senior.”
“It would have been equally as annoying when I was a freshman.” He downed his water in three long gulps. “But it’s over now, and it’s Thursday. Thursdays mean drinks, Joonie, and chill.”
Jungkook, a freshman Seokjin had apparently found wandering aimlessly through the cafeteria one day and adopted as his own ambled out of Jin’s bedroom. He was holding an obnoxiously patterned tie in one hand and his phone in the other, and Yoongi vaguely heard instructions for how to knot a tie coming from the tiny speaker. “Today must really suck for you, then.”
Yoongi shrugged. “Only until Joonie gets done with class and gets here.”
The room went so silent so fast that the sweat on Yoongi’s back seemed to miraculously dry up. Even the audio from JK’s phone stopped.
Seokjin broke the silence. “Joonie?”
“Yeah.”
“Namjoon, Joonie? That Joonie?”
“Yes.”
“Kim Namjoon, Joonie?”
Yoongi huffed, eyes narrowing. “Yes.”
“Tall, dimpled, Omega, Joonie? Smells like sandalwood and citrus? Puts up with way more idiocy from you than any one person should? That Joonie?”
“Yes! How many Joonies do you think I spend Thursdays with?”
Jungkook cleared his throat, the smoky undertones of his scent turning a little burnt. “Hyung, do you know what day it is?
“Thursday!?” Yoongi threw his hands in the air, turning in a circle. “You two act like we don’t do this every week.”
Jungkook whined slightly, obviously not wanting to anger the older Alpha any more than he had, so Jin stepped forward, clapping a hand on Yoongi’s shoulder. “I expected this, unfortunately.” He pulled a well-worn piece of paper from his back pocket. It was a printed map of the school grounds, seemingly divided into squares, with one section circled. Yoongi vaguely recognized it from an email he’d only sort of read a few weeks back. “Yoons, it’s April fourth. Joonie signed up for Courting Day.”