Time was always so fun and filling with you. Every day I'd wake up to your big white smile and I'd give you one right back. I loved the way you always spilt toothpaste on yourself and the way I'd have to fix your hair every morning because you'd scraped way too much gel on there. That simple I'll see you later with a kiss at the door, and how you'd lift me up and hug me when you came home. I miss that. Your eyes, your dimples, that little mole above your lip. You always knew when I was sad or I'd had a bad day without even having to ask me. I really wish you were here to hold me right now, even if it's the last time. I miss feeling our connection when you'd trace your lips along my neck like it was the most precious thing in the world. Hiro...are you watching?
"Ren! Break times over!" A little frail woman wrapped her head around the doorframe of the break room startling a young man stuck in thought. Shriek and vain was this woman's name, however, without her, there was no income.
"Yes, Auntie." With that, he stood up put on his apron and went back to work. Through white lace drapes was a small quiet flower shop, Ren looked around at this place daily and it never changed. Still the same old stained flower wallpaper and antique teddy bears, it seemed ironic something colourful and lively was sold in such a derelict place. As he sighed his Auntie came waddling out with fresh Lillies. Kagami Reina was Ren's last remaining relative, a small grey-haired lady with heavy frown wrinkles from tip to toe. Ren never particularly liked her even when she was young, his father always said she was a woman full of no worries yet carries the weight of the world. In small terms, she made a big deal out of nothing.
Reina, "Listen closely, you de-stem them after you tidy up the petals, you still owe me for those roses you messed up last week." Ren had only been a florist for a few months so he struggled but Reina wouldn't give a kind hand, she much preferred scolding him.
Ren, "Yes Auntie." Reina huffed at the lack of response and went to go laze in the staff room while Ren manned the front counter. One by one he began trimming the new Lillies, his small delicate hand straightening out the moist leaves. The pay was rough but it was quite a relaxing job. Reina refused to let the shop go around 15 years ago swearing she'd pay the tax for owning the shop but had managed to keep her head above water. Ren watched the people he knew from town walk by and felt like a hollow statue. When was the last time he spoke to anyone since...Hiroshi? As he was lost in his work the doorbell rang which was a rare occurrence giving him a shock. Quickly he straightened his apron and practised his fakest smile before looking before him.
Ren, "Uh Oh." Those little words made the man at the counter chuckle lightly. Luckily before Ren could call for her, Reina came out bursting with excitement at the thought of a customer however as soon as their eyes met the room turned sour. With his sunshades tucked neatly between his fingers a tall dark-haired man covered head to toe in tattoos leaned over the counter and took a quick sniff of Ren's hair. Quickly he snatched away and glared at the man. Menacing and cold the man bit on the cigarette between his tobacco-stained lips and smirked at Reina.
Reina, "I told you I would pay next month you vermin, now get out of here." Ren alarmed and scared looked at his quivering Aunt and quickly realised she was in big trouble.
"That won't do this time old lady, you pay or...you pay?" He laughed at himself sadistically. Reina was fidgety and clearly caught out but Ren didn't care about her he needed to get the hell out of here before...
"Oi you" The man addressed him sternly and Ren couldn't help but wearily glance back.
Licking his filthy lips he said, "Your one of them, aren't you? I can taste your bitch pheromones from here."
There were very few words that upset people in the modern-day age. Since evolutionary times there had been classifications between species, specifically, Apes considered to be our ancestors. However, there was also a sub-class between species titled. Alpha, Beta or Omega. Alpha's of course are at the top of the ecosystem, they get the first choice of territory and mate. By human standards, they are the elite of society. Very rapid learning instincts, highly advanced athleticism and of course their pheromones are immense. Beta's on the other hand are quite ordinary, they fulfil the main role of society, and roughly 85% of the population are Beta. They are free to breed with whomever and are exceptional at manual work. Beta's are able to detect pheromones but to no comparison of an Alpha. Finally, are the rarest of sub-breeds, Omega. Only 5% of people are born as Omega and in society wise, they are treated poorly. Omega was almost like the bunnies of the pack, extremely fertile, especially during 'Estrus' (Heat), quick weak and small compared to the rest. They were genetically miraculous when it came to reproduction, male Omega were also discovered to be able to carry children.
Omega were considered... troublesome, especially during their estrus. Much like ovulation for a woman, Omega are fulfilled with a desire to be impregnated and will unwittingly emit pheromones to attract an Alpha. This was considered extremely dangerous especially if an Omega went into heat outdoors. Some were sexually assaulted until their bodies couldn't take anymore, and some were traumatised from being marked unconventionally. This brings us to Omega's biggest downfall. Genetically they are engineered to find a mate and when they do a ritual called marking takes place. This means the Alpha will bite the Omega while both are in heat forming a pheromonal bond between them. That Omega will now only accept that Alpha to calm their heats, however, that Alpha is free to make another bond if he pleases which means their previous Omega will be forever alone unable to Bond with anyone again. Therefore when they did not consent to the bond it was basically suicide to get bitten during their heat. Omega had it rough so were now very well managed and medicated as well as protected. It was now a federal offence to assault an Omega without consent even in heat.
"Are you Fucking listening to me! Wake up kid I asked you a question!" Reina had been looking at Ren stare blankly at this man for 5 minutes straight, it wasn't until the Yakuza man delivered a good hard slap to the ear did Ren finally come too.
"He's a broken one! This one doesn't get heat anymore!" Reina bellowed loudly after watching her nephew pick himself up off the floor. Ren could tell she was trying to spare him but that didn't make the words hurt any less than that left hook.
"Shame about that huh? He would fetch more than a dime." Ren cowered away as Reina continued arguing with the Yazuka and wrestling with the empty till. This wasn't right he could feel something bubbling in him deep down, something he hadn't felt since before he met Horishi...
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Ren straighten up and casually walk around the counter behind the man, with the most fierce gaze she'd ever seen. Slowly the man realised someone was behind him and spun around confidently ready to throw a punch when a kick so quick and daring hit him square between the eye. For a second the whole room when silent, until Reina gasped watching the man suddenly slink back onto the counter, a footprint clearly imprinted on his faded tattoo's.
Reina, "My Goodness...h-he's out cold." Ren stood there motionless looking at the snoring man that wasn't so big anymore.
Ren, "Sorry Auntie, I couldn't stop myself." Reina threw her hands up to stop him, ran into the back room and fetched their coats.
Reina, "We'll talk on the way home, I have a feeling this asshole won't be too pleased when he wakes up." She smirked almost giving him a silent 'well done'. Ren nodded and left with her.
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It was 7:30 pm and quiet in Toyko East District. Mr Yobashi's steam bun stall was still warm to walk by, and Yue had also swept the cobbled road clean while selling merchandise. It was usually Ren's favourite time of night, the street light glow of various colours, and sounds of cicadas in the cherry blossom trees. A dull sunset glow hit his face as they got to the top of the street away from the rural flower shop. An Audi A11 sat promptly at the end, in dead black, assuming it was their collectors. Reina spat on it loudly as they passed, Ren was still waiting for her to speak, even just a snide comment about his excessive actions would do. Reina had never spoken to him outside of work, she just knew he struggled for money, especially after becoming a widow...
Surprisingly that didn't mean she didn't know anything about Ren. Kagami Kansaki was Ren's father and her precious brother. They had always been close growing up and continued their chats often after having children. Ren was an only child, they tried for others but sadly couldn't conceive so that boy was their pride and joy. Whenever Ren began acting strange Reina was the first to know, she'd had three boys herself but being 15 years older than Kagami her own had flown the roost.
Unfortunately, while Ren was in high school his mother suffered a psychotic break and drove her car into a tree, she died on impact. It was because her fated mate appeared suddenly and being an Omega she couldn't refuse him. She felt like she'd betrayed Kagami and Ren and couldn't bear the guilt of wanting to be with someone else so she died...Reina squinted uncomfortably, how was she supposed to address a boy that had been through such trauma? After that Ren went off the rails, trained himself to fight just for the hell of it, and started sleeping around, he was a mess. But that's why she wasn't surprised when Ren kicked that man so harshly, Alpha's used to be nothing to him back in the day.
Reina looked at her nephew watching the world go by, the wind blowing softly through his soft silver hair. Ren was the spit of his mother and frankly mesmerising if you really looked at him. Jewel green eyes that shone yellow in certain lights, thick black feminine lashes, perky pink lips and thin cheekbones even his button nose made him adorable. Honestly, she never believed a man could be more beautiful than a woman until she met Ren. With a deep breath, she let her mind loose.
Reina, "Listen closely boy...I know you've been through a lot, what happened back there just shows that pain can always haunt you even if you've swallowed it whole." Ren clenched his fists inside his jacket, she was right for a second he was that boy who had just lost his mother and just wanted to beat down a bully for fun. The person he was before Hiroshi saved him.
" What happened to Hiromi was a harsh reminder that fate isn't always what fixes things, and even if I've never got to meet my fated mate I know in my heart your uncle-in-law was the one for me. The same as Hiroshi was the one for you Ren." Suddenly his shuffling feet came to a halt. Heavy droplets of rain fell on both of their heads yet Reina could distinguish the tears in the middle of it all. Whenever someone said that name he couldn't help but break down.
"I'm sorry I've been so harsh on you but you've been so shut off in your own grief I can't reach you. Jesus, you stare off into space all day, you don't eat or sleep. Whatever is burdening you boy let it out I will listen to you, I promised your father that years ago!" She was emotional and desperate. For the first time, she'd shown care for Ren.
It was true, he had a fiery pit in his stomach eating him away from the inside. Since that day, nothing made sense, nothing mattered. All he knew was he existed and that was it. Reina was always thought to have hated him but now he wanted to share his feelings. Reina lost her husband 14 years ago and never bonded with anyone else.
"Hir-Hiroshi was my everything..." He whimpered. Reina stopped and looked over at him sheepishly, clearly so distraught he couldn't speak. Gently she ushered him into a bus shelter and sat him down. Not once did his hands leave his face. It wasn't because he was embarrassed but rather didn't want to look while he spoke and Reina understood.
"Yes?" She asked gently. Ren's leg shook with anxiety and he fidgeted in his chair as if ready to burst.
"Why I got up every morning, why I worked hard every day, why I breathed every few seconds was for him!" He wailed.
"He wasn't my fated mate but he was mine! And he was perfect! And he didn't deserve what happened to him! I didn't deserve it! I wanted to have his children and grow old hand in hand! I wanted to be happy with him. WHY WHY WHY!" He put his hands down and pounded on his legs sobbing until he gasped for breath. Reina wanted to embrace the poor broken boy but didn't want to overwhelm him further.
Hiroshi, according to what she'd heard, was probably one of the kindest souls on the planet. Born the same year as Ren in October to a nice little cake shop business. His parents were Alpha but lovely people and Reina would shop there for cream buns all the time. They were all blonder than Caribbean sand and had striking blue eyes, untypical of Japanese folk, later it was discovered they had originally migrated from America in the 1950s and lived in Japan ever since. A nice normal family, Hiroshi worked part-time since he could walk so eventually ended up at the same university as Ren. Thus began the tragic tale of the two...