The gentle pursuit
Three days after the grocery store incident, Jongin nearly dropped a tray of mugs when a familiar figure walked through the door of Bean There, the small café where he worked morning shifts. Do Kyungsoo, looking even more polished in daylight, paused at the entrance to scan the cozy space before his eyes landed on Jongin.
Recognition flickered across his face, but he didn't immediately approach. Instead, he took a seat by the window and picked up the laminated menu, giving Jongin time to compose himself.
"You know him?" Minseok, the café owner, whispered, eyeing the well-dressed customer with interest.
"Not really," Jongin mumbled, busying himself with wiping down the counter. "He helped me out during the storm the other night."
Minseok raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "Well, he looks like he can afford our special blend. Why don't you take his order?"
Jongin nodded, smoothing down his apron before making his way to Kyungsoo's table. Up close, the alpha's presence was even more commanding than he remembered—a quiet intensity that didn't demand attention but naturally drew it.
"Good morning," Jongin said, trying to keep his voice professional. "What can I get for you?"
Kyungsoo looked up, his expression softening almost imperceptibly. "Morning. What do you recommend?"
"The Ethiopian blend is good if you like your coffee bold," Jongin replied, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Or the house latte if you prefer something milder."
"I'll take the Ethiopian, black," Kyungsoo decided, closing the menu. "And whatever pastry you think goes best with it."
Jongin nodded, turning to leave, when Kyungsoo added, "Did you find your wallet?"
The question caught him off guard. "No," he admitted. "But I canceled my cards and applied for new ID. It's just... inconvenient timing."
Kyungsoo nodded, understanding in his eyes. "That's rough."
"Thank you again for the other night," Jongin said, lowering his voice. "I don't normally accept help from—" he caught himself before saying 'alphas' and finished with "—strangers."
"I know," Kyungsoo replied simply. "How's Yujin?"
The mention of his son's name from Kyungsoo's lips sent an unexpected warmth through Jongin's chest. "He's good. At daycare now." He gestured vaguely toward the back of the café, where a small adjoining room served as an unofficial childcare space for employees' children.
Interest sparked in Kyungsoo's eyes. "Your workplace has childcare?"
"Not officially," Jongin explained. "Minseok—the owner—he lets staff bring kids if they need to. His partner Jongdae watches them in the back room. It's why I took this job, even though it doesn't pay much."
Kyungsoo seemed to absorb this information with careful consideration. "That's rare. Good employers are hard to find."
"They are," Jongin agreed, suddenly aware he'd been standing at Kyungsoo's table far longer than necessary for taking an order. "I'll get your coffee."
When he returned with the Ethiopian blend and a slice of dark chocolate sea salt tart, Kyungsoo thanked him with such genuine warmth that Jongin found himself lingering again.
"Is Yujin your only child?" Kyungsoo asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
Jongin nodded. "Yes, just him."
Kyungsoo didn't ask about Yujin's other parent, and Jongin felt a rush of gratitude for the alpha's tact. Instead, Kyungsoo said, "He seems like a bright kid."
"He is," Jongin smiled, unable to hide his pride. "Too smart for his own good sometimes."
A small commotion from the back room interrupted their conversation—the unmistakable sound of a toddler's frustrated cry. Jongin tensed immediately.
"Excuse me," he said, already moving toward the sound.
Kyungsoo nodded, watching as Jongin hurried away.
In the back room, Jongin found Yujin red-faced and tearful, reaching desperately for a plush dinosaur that had somehow ended up on a high shelf.
"Dino!" Yujin sobbed, pointing upward.
"I'm sorry," Jongdae said, looking harried as he balanced another staff member's infant on his hip. "He threw it up there himself, then got upset when he couldn't reach it."
"It's okay," Jongin soothed, retrieving the toy and handing it to his son. "Here you go, Yujinnie. No more throwing, remember?"
Yujin clutched the dinosaur to his chest, hiccupping softly as his tears subsided. His eyes, still wet with tears, suddenly widened as they focused on something—or someone—behind Jongin.
"I'm sorry," came Kyungsoo's deep voice. "I heard crying and thought I might have taken you away from something important."
Jongin turned, surprised to find Kyungsoo standing in the doorway, holding a small paper bag from the café.
"It's fine," Jongin said automatically, though his omega instincts bristled slightly at having an unfamiliar alpha so close to his upset child.
But before he could say anything more, Yujin wriggled out of his arms and toddled straight toward Kyungsoo, dinosaur extended like an offering.
"Dino," Yujin announced solemnly.
Kyungsoo crouched down to the toddler's level, his entire demeanor softening in a way that transformed his face. "That's a very nice dinosaur," he said seriously. "Is he a T-Rex?"
Yujin nodded enthusiastically, apparently delighted that this stranger knew the correct terminology. "T-Rex big. Rawr!"
"Very scary," Kyungsoo agreed, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.
Jongin watched the interaction with growing bewilderment. Yujin was typically shy around strangers, especially alphas, whose scents often overwhelmed his sensitive nose. But here he was, chattering away to Kyungsoo as if they were old friends.
"I should get back to work," Jongin said finally, reaching for Yujin's hand. "And you probably have places to be."
Kyungsoo stood, nodding. "I do have a meeting soon. But first—" he held out the paper bag to Yujin, "—I thought you might like a cookie. If that's okay with your dad."
Jongin hesitated, but Yujin was already reaching for the bag with grabby hands. "What do we say, Yujin?"
"Thank you," Yujin chirped, peeking into the bag with undisguised glee.
"You're welcome," Kyungsoo replied, then turned to Jongin. "The coffee was excellent. I'll have to come back."
It sounded like a promise.
---
Kyungsoo did come back. The next day, and the day after that, and soon it became a morning routine—Kyungsoo arriving precisely at 8:15, ordering the Ethiopian blend (always black), and leaving a tip that made Jongin uncomfortable in its generosity.
"I can't accept this," Jongin said on the fifth day, trying to return the extra money. "It's too much."
"It's a tip," Kyungsoo countered calmly. "For good service."
"It's more than the coffee costs."
"The coffee is worth it," Kyungsoo said simply, as if that settled the matter.
After two weeks, Minseok pulled Jongin aside. "Your friend is good for business," he observed, watching as Kyungsoo sipped his coffee while typing on a sleek laptop. "He's been bringing colleagues too."
It was true. Three days earlier, Kyungsoo had arrived with two impeccably dressed men who Jongin later learned were his chief financial officer and lead architect. The next day, it was his executive assistant and project manager. Today, a whole team of six had occupied the largest table, ordering not just coffee but the café's modest breakfast offerings as well.
"He's not really my friend," Jongin protested weakly, though he wasn't sure that was entirely true anymore.
Minseok just gave him a knowing look before heading back to the kitchen.
Kyungsoo's visits had fallen into a pattern. He would arrive, order his coffee, work quietly for about an hour, and then, just before leaving, he would ask if he could say hello to Yujin. Jongin always said yes, because his son's face lit up at the mere mention of "Soo" (the closest he could get to pronouncing Kyungsoo's full name).
These brief interactions in the back room became the highlight of Yujin's mornings. Kyungsoo never came empty-handed—there was always a cookie, or a small toy, or once, a picture book about dinosaurs that became Yujin's instant favorite.
"You don't have to bring him something every time," Jongin said, watching as Yujin flipped through the colorful pages of the book, pointing at each dinosaur and making increasingly creative roaring sounds.
"I know," Kyungsoo replied, his eyes fixed on Yujin with an expression Jongin couldn't quite decipher. "I want to."
It was the simplicity of his responses that continually disarmed Jongin. Kyungsoo never seemed to have an agenda, never pushed for more than Jongin was willing to give, never made him feel like he was accumulating a debt he couldn't repay.
One rainy morning, nearly a month after their first meeting, Kyungsoo arrived at the café looking unusually hesitant. He ordered his usual coffee but remained standing at the counter instead of taking his regular seat.
"Is everything okay?" Jongin asked, sliding the coffee across the counter.
Kyungsoo tapped his fingers against the cardboard cup, a rare display of nervousness. "I have a proposition for you."
Jongin's guard immediately went up, his scent souring slightly with apprehension. Every horror story he'd ever heard about wealthy alphas and their "propositions" to struggling omegas flashed through his mind.
Kyungsoo must have noticed the change because he quickly added, "A job offer. At my firm."
"Oh," Jongin blinked, tension draining from his shoulders. "But I don't know anything about architecture."
"It's not an architectural position," Kyungsoo explained. "My assistant is going on maternity leave next week, and I need someone part-time to help manage my schedule, handle correspondence, that sort of thing." He paused, then added, "The hours would be flexible, and the pay is significantly better than—" he gestured vaguely around the café.
Jongin's mind raced. Better pay meant more stability for Yujin, maybe even moving to an apartment where the heating actually worked properly. But it also meant being dependent on Kyungsoo, being in his space, under his authority.
"Why me?" he asked finally. "There must be people with actual administrative experience who would want the job."
Kyungsoo considered this. "There are. But I've watched you here for weeks. You're organized, efficient, and you juggle multiple tasks without getting flustered. Those are the qualities I need." He hesitated, then added more softly, "And Yujin could come with you when needed. My office has a small childcare area for employees."
That last detail hit Jongin like a physical blow. Childcare was his biggest expense and constant worry. The café arrangement with Jongdae was convenient but less than ideal, especially as Yujin grew more active and needed more stimulation.
"You're offering me a job because of my son?" he asked, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his voice.
"I'm offering you a job because you're qualified," Kyungsoo corrected firmly. "The childcare is a standard benefit for all my employees with children. I believe in supporting parents."
Jongin studied Kyungsoo's face, looking for any sign of deception or ulterior motive. He found none—just the same steady, patient gaze that had become oddly comforting over the past month.
"Can I think about it?" he asked finally.
"Of course," Kyungsoo pulled out a business card—identical to the one he'd given Jongin on that first rainy night—and wrote something on the back. "That's my personal number. Let me know your decision when you're ready."
As Kyungsoo turned to leave, Jongin called after him, "Don't you want to say goodbye to Yujin?"
Kyungsoo smiled, a real smile that transformed his serious face. "Always."
---
That night, after Yujin was asleep, Jongin sat at his tiny kitchen table with Kyungsoo's card in one hand and his battered calculator in the other. The salary Kyungsoo had mentioned was more than double what he made at the café and his night delivery job combined. Even part-time, it would mean financial breathing room he hadn't experienced since before Yujin was born.
But there was something else, something beyond the practical considerations, that made Jongin's heart race whenever he thought about accepting Kyungsoo's offer. Something about the way the alpha looked at him—not with pity or desire, but with a quiet respect that made Jongin feel strangely seen.
His phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number:
_The position is yours if you want it. No pressure. - DKS_
Jongin stared at the message, feeling the weight of the decision. Across the room, Yujin slept peacefully in their shared bed, his beloved dinosaur clutched in one small hand. The sight of his son, safe and content despite all their struggles, made the choice suddenly, startlingly clear.
He typed a response with trembling fingers:
_I'll take it. When do I start?_
Kyungsoo's reply came almost immediately:
_Monday, 9AM. I'll text you the address. Thank you for trusting me._
It was the last part that kept Jongin awake long into the night. Trust. Such a simple word for such a complicated feeling. He wasn't sure he did trust Kyungsoo, not completely. But for the first time in years, he was willing to try.