Chapter Text
A sweet candy scent mixed with the scent of suppressants from the Omega who walked past him.
A loose thread from a stranger’s shirt sitting three seats away from him.
Chilly wind from the air conditioner above his head.
The taste of eggs and miso soup from his breakfast two hours ago remains on his tongue.
The sound of the train as it runs through the tracks.
A baby’s cry and a mother’s gentle hushing in the next cabin.
The smell of someone’s bento from the previous cabin.
The rocking motions of the train.
The sweet nothings an Alpha was whispering to his Omega a few feet away from him.
Everything could be heard, seen, and felt by him as he seats in the train on the way to Makochi. Looking out the window, Sakura stares blankly at the passing scenery and trying to block out his senses, trying to stop the flow of information the world seems determined to fill his brain with. Uninteresting information that he was better off not knowing like the conversation between two Alphas sitting three rows in front of him about how good it was to bed an Omega, private information that he shouldn’t know about strangers like the Alpha whispering about how lovely his Omega looked during their wedding in Hokkaido and just useless information he doesn’t give a damn about like what was inside a person’s bento for lunch.
Sakura sighs and closes his eyes as he tries to calm his mind and ease the flow of information coming from his senses. He thinks of how beautiful the open blue skies were the day he left his past behind and tries to remember the warmth of the sun on his face for the first time as he took his first step away from that hellish place. He recalls the sweet singing of birds as they soar through the sky and the rustling of the trees as the wind blew past. A soft smile appears on his lips as he remembers the first time he catches the scent of sweet flowers from a garden as he runs away.
Those memories feel like a lifetime ago instead of only being a scant few months and before he realized just how cruel and judgmental people tend to be. How they judge the color of his hair and his eyes and deemed him to be troublesome and worthless.
Once they see his black and white hair and his odd blue and gold eyes, they scowl and walk away, not even bothering to answer his questions. However, not all was bad, one person was kind enough to tell him where the train station was and explained to him how to get from here to Makochi.
Before he left that damn place, he made sure to prepare everything he would need like documents and money. After living in the neighboring towns for a couple months, he decided to move to Makochi because it seemed like a place perfect enough for someone to start a new life. It was far enough to be just out of those bastards’ radar but near enough to be able to hear any news from said bastards.
“Approaching Makochi Station! Exit will be on the right side!” came the automated voice from the intercoms and snapping Sakura out of his thoughts. He stands up to grab his bags and ignored the glances given to him by the other passengers, no doubt judging his hair and eyes again.
As he got off the train, he took out his phone to check the address to his new apartment. When he bought his phone, he had already asked the store employees for help on how to use the map. They told him that it was easy as he only needed to input the address into the search bar. Now, however, he regrets not asking them for further instructions after walking around the area like a lost child for more than thirty minutes. Frown deepening, he growls softly as he tries again to make sense of the directions the map app was giving him.
The situation he was in was quite funny if he thinks about it since he knows his way around a computer so well, one would think operating a phone would be no big deal but a phone was something new entirely. He never had a phone before and since it was his first time using it, it frustrated him that he had no idea how the damn thing works as he tries to look around to see if he was in the right place and not taking another wrong turn. The screen kept rotating every time he made a turn, and it was making him dizzy and making him lose his sense of direction.
He takes a deep breath and tries to calm down but to no avail. Give me a damn compass and a plain old map and that would not be a problem. Hell, even just the map would do, but this map app shit is making me confuse with it rotating all over the damn screen! They said this shit is easy to use! Those liars!
Sakura was grumbling under his breath as he continues to look for his new apartment. His abilities would be useless for this since he has never been here before. He growled again, his scent spiking in response to his growing frustrations. He turns his head and spots a café. Café Pathos?
He felt himself calm down. Food would be good right now and maybe someone in there could help him. Besides, it was already lunch time. Entering the café, he was immediately assaulted with an intense influx of information, and he freezes by the entrance.
The scents of freesias and camellias from the two Omega students sitting in a booth.
Heavy metal music from an earphones-wearing Beta.
The growly voice of another Beta talking to a quiet Omega.
The scents of ingredients mixing together and the sounds of cooking coming from the kitchen.
The sounds of clothes rustling as people shift in their sits.
The tapping noise of another customer using their phone.
The odd red colored mark on an Alpha’s neck
The coldness of the room from the air conditioner.
An old stain on the countertop.
The ticking of the clock.
Footsteps approaching him.
The scent of lilies.
“Hello! Welcome to Café Pathos! How can I help you?” a soft female voice snaps him out of his overwhelming senses before it was too late and regaining his control. Sakura inhales sharply as he realizes he almost fell into a zone again. He clenches his fists in frustration. That was the second time today!
Ever since he left that damn place, he was almost always overwhelmed every time he entered a new place. Everything was so new to him that his senses would always bombard him with all kinds of sensations and information. And without a Guide to help stabilize him, he was in danger of sinking into a zone and burning out his mind. But where can he possibly find a Guide he was compatible with? Pulling him out of a zone had always caused the Guides an immense amount of pain and a week-long recovery to just get back on their feet. He can still remember the fear in their eyes as he walks past them followed by their harsh whispers of dread about the next time they had to pull him out of the zone.
He shakes his head, pushing those thoughts and memories to the back of his mind for now, and turns towards the person greeting him. He saw a young Beta woman with chocolate brown hair and warm amber eyes looking at him kindly. She had a beauty mark under her left eye, and the corner of her lips were tilted up a bit in a soft smile. There was the scent of lilies coming from her, soft and a bit muted. A typical trait for a Beta, known for their mild and almost absent scent.
“Hello,” he answers, just as softly.
“Well, I could show you to a table if you’re interested in meal or a drink,” she says, head titling to the side a bit as she observes him.
“A meal and I wanted to ask for help,” he grumbles, cheeks glowing a soft pink.
“Oh? How can I help?” she asked as she guides him to a seat in front of the counter and handing him a menu.
“I’m new in this town and I'm having trouble finding my new apartment,” he answers, a bit embarrassed, as he checks the menu. He looks at a picture of omurice with interest. This looks good.
“I know the town quite well. I can help you. Mind letting me see the address?” She says kindly as she placed a glass of iced water in front of him. He hands her his phone without another word. He watches her as she looks it over before smiling up at him.
“I know where it is. I can show you the way, but you’ll have to wait for a bit since it’s lunch hour,” she says as she hands him back his phone. He shrugged his shoulders, not having a problem with it.
“Sure. I appreciate the help,” he replies before showing her the picture of the omurice. “Can I have this? I never tried omurice before.”
She made a soft noise of surprise as she asked, “never?”
He shakes his head and says, “I had a strict… upbringing, you could say.”
“Well then, I have to make sure to cook this just right and blow your pants away!” She says with a smile and then adds, “I am Tachibana Kotoha, by the way.”
“I’m Sakura. Sakura Haruka,” he says, a bit apprehensively. He always thought his name was too soft and that it doesn’t suit him at all. Cherry Blossoms are pink, sweet, and delicate, not words one would ever use to describe him.
The Beta woman, Kotoha, however, smiled and says, “that’s a cool name!”
Sakura looks away with a blush as the woman starts cooking his order. He drinks his glass of water as he finally takes the chance to look around the place. The interior was quite nice and homey with walls painted a soft yellow with green accents, mahogany floorboards with matching wooden furniture, brown leather booths and potted plants scattered everywhere. He can see himself coming back here again especially since he could already smell how good the food is.
Just then, the sound of something breaking reaches his ears. The sound was coming from the outside and it was so soft that only those with Sentinel abilities could detect. The sound of a child crying soon followed.
Without another word, Sakura stood up and ran to the door just as Kotoha finished cooking. She called out to him in surprise, but he had already left.
He saw a group of guys swinging bats around and smashing everything in their path. In the midst of the chaos, Sakura saw a young female Omega being cornered by one of the thugs, the obvious leader, as a young boy was clinging to her legs. As he ran towards them, he saw the thug grabbed the girl’s wrist harshly and pulling her towards him, making the young child scream in fright.
“Let go of my Nee-chan!” the young child yells, tears in his blue eyes as he clutches tightly onto his sister’s legs.
“Ha? Brat, you better shut up and get lost before I beat you up. Don't think being a child will save you,” the thug growls, Alpha pheromones coming from him. Bastard’s an Alpha!
Before the child or the Omega could respond, Sakura reached out to grab the thug’s wrist, having successfully avoided the other thugs, and scenting their surprise at his sudden appearance.
The gang leader looked at Sakura with a sharp glare, but Sakura just inwardly scoffed. Asshole’s as terrifying as a baby bird. Who is he fooling?
Sakura squeezed the wrist in his hold tightly and causing the thug to let out a cry of pain as he releases the Omega’s wrist. Sakura lets him go and moves to stand in front of the siblings, glaring at the thugs as they surround him.
Glancing at the young boy briefly before turning his attention back to the thugs, Sakura says coldly, “what do you buttheads think you are doing?”
“What the hell does it look like, freak? We want that Omega,” the gang leader sneers as he rubs his sore wrist.
“And grabbing her and threatening her brother is your way of getting her attention? How stupid and pathetic can you be,” Sakura mocks, blue and gold eyes sharpening.
“So? You think I should be courting her, don’t you? Ha, Omegas are only good for f-!” The gang leader wasn’t able to finish his sentence as Sakura sucker punches him in the face and knocking him out cold instantly, leaving the other thugs stunned.
“Stupid, mind your words with a child and lady present,” Sakura says coldly, looking over the other thugs as he cracks his neck side to side, preparing for a fight.
“Who’s next?”
The group of thugs attack him all at once, too stupid and overconfident in their numbers to back down, and he smirks before running up to meet the thugs halfway and delivering a round house kick to the thug in front of him. As he fights, he made sure that the two siblings remain behind him and was quick to intercept anyone who went towards them.
The Alpha inside him growls excitedly, filled with bloodlust, as the fight continues. His Alpha enjoying the sight of blood spilling from his opponents. The growing excitement heightens his senses as he takes in every sight, every smell, and every little shift in the air.
His Alpha scent of spicy pink pepper, ylang-ylang and vanilla permeates through the air as the fight rages on. His mind sharpening more as he focuses all his senses to move and weave through the thongs of bodies as he simultaneously protects two innocent strangers.
Soon, the fight ends and he tries to calm down his mind, panting heavily, as he builds up his shields that he didn’t realize he let down while he fought once again. He clenched his fists tightly and closes his eyes as his senses remained heightened and on the verge of losing control now that the fight was over.
Blood from his enemies.
Torn clothes from the fight.
Frantic breathing and increased heartbeats from behind him.
The scent of surprise and gratitude.
The sounds of footsteps approaching.
The shift in the air as a hand comes down to touch him.
Someone taps his shoulder and thankfully, distracting him from his senses before he truly sinks into a zone as crescent moons were embedded on his palms with how tightly he was clenching his fists. Sweat slowly sliding down his temples as he takes deep breathes and trying to calm down his racing heartbeat. Once, he was a bit more in control, he looks over and sees Kotoha looking at him seriously. Behind her were three other people, the headphones-wearing Beta, the Beta with a growly voice and the quiet Omega.
“Are you alright?” Kotoha asked, concern evident in her voice. He feels himself relaxed even further from his stiff posture as he regains complete control of his senses once again. He takes another deep breath and nods. “I’m fine.”
He immediately turns towards the Omega and her brother. They seem to be unharmed and look completely stunned as they take in the bodies lying crumpled and groaning on the ground.
“Are you two alright?” He asked, softening his tone and trying to rein in his scent. The young boy, then, launched himself towards Sakura and hugging his legs.
“Thank you so much for protecting us, Nii-san!” He cried out, tears falling from his eyes. Sakura stood, stunned, with his arms hovering over the boy and he looks at the Omega helplessly. The young Omega smiled, filled with gratitude, as she nods at him, giving him permission to touch her brother. Sakura inhales softly, cheeks flushed, before patting the boy on the back in comfort.
“You don’t have to thank me. You were very brave for standing up for your Nee-san even when you were so scared,” Sakura says softly. The boy looks up and stares at Sakura with a look of admiration.
“I was?” The young boy asked, voice trembling from residual fear. Sakura disentangles the boy’s arms from his legs and slowly kneels so that they were in eye level, holding the boy’s wrists gently.
“Very. Your sister is lucky to have you as her brother,” Sakura says firmly, the blush on his cheeks growing brighter. He wasn’t used to speaking in such a manner. Hell, he wasn’t used to speaking to another person at all unless it was part of training that placed deemed necessary. So, he just followed his instincts and spoke the truth.
“I am. I am very lucky. Thank you for standing up for me, Kai-kun,” the young Omega says, pride in dripping from her words, as she kneels beside her brother and pulls him into her arms. Sakura stands up and gives them some space.
He turns to face Kotoha, who was looking at him with a strange look in her eyes. The two Betas and Omega were still behind her as well. Were they her friends?
“Sorry for running out like that. I heard something breaking and then, crying,” he says, looking down at the floor.
“Did you think I was upset with you?” Kotoha asked, incredulously, eyebrows raised in surprised. Sakura shrugged, feigning indifference.
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” he answers. Memories of the insults and the judgements he had to endure up to this point flashed though his mind and making his heart tremble with familiar hurt. Pain was his only companion in life, be it physical or emotional. He doesn’t expect that to change any time soon.
“Why would I be upset about you protecting someone from our town? In fact, I am very happy and grateful! Your lunch is on me!” Kotoha exclaims with a soft smile, though her eyes had a gleam of sadness.
Sakura’s eyes widen, scent spiking in surprise. “You serious?”
“Dead serious. Oh, let me introduce my friends. This is Kaji Ren,” she says, pointing to the earphones-wearing Beta with pale brown hair and greyish blue eyes. “Enomoto Takeshi,” she continues, pointing at the black-haired Beta with the growly voice. “And lastly, Kusumi Yuto,” she finishes, pointing at the quiet Omega with tannish brown hair that completely covered his eyes. “Everyone, this is Sakura Haruka. They were going to help you, but you seemed to have it under control,” Kotoha finishes with a smile.
Sakura nodded to each person Kotoha introduced and made a soft noise of acknowledgment at her words, eyes returning to the blonde Beta. He could feel something from him. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and focuses his senses on the Beta.
“Don’t do that. I’m not strong enough to pull you out of a zone,” the Beta, Kaji, drawls out lazily. Sakura blinks, stunned at his statement.
“Don’t bother denying it. I saw you earlier. You almost went into a zone,” Kaji continues. “I’m surprise you were able to pull yourself out. It is usually an unstoppable spiral.”
“You’re a Guide?” Sakura asked before the rest of what Kaji said registered in his head. “I… had training. It helps when someone distracts me before I fall too far,” Sakura mumbles, looking away. He wasn’t exactly hiding his Sentinel abilities, but he learned the hard way that being both an Alpha and a Sentinel meant people expect you to be horny, out-of-control bastards with no respect for anyone but their own pleasure.
He didn’t want to be judged by others with what he was born with, but it seems he really couldn’t escape being labelled as a troublemaker, at best, or a monster, at worst. Aside from his gender and abilities, he was also always judged by his heterochromia eyes and his black and white hair. One look at him and people would often either give him a look of distain and walk away quickly or they would be clutching their bags closer to their chest and giving him nervous, almost frightened, looks.
He pursed his lips, waiting for these people to condemn him too. It was worse now because they almost witness him fall into a zone. They would want him to leave their town for sure. It definitely would not be the first time.
“Training? Like how Guides have training in the Tower?” Kaji asked, looking quite interested and not a single trace of judgement in his eyes. Sakura slips his hands into his pockets, clenching them tightly, as he looks at the Beta in nervous confusion. His reaction was… odd.
“Yeah, do Sentinels not have training here?” He asked, confused. Shouldn’t Sentinels be trained since we could go berserk or become catatonic when we fell into a zone?
“They do but it’s not like how Guides are mandatorily trained at the Tower. Sentinels, instead, attend after-school classes to help control their senses and learn to spot the warning signs of slipping into a zone,” Kaji explained patiently as he opens a lollipop.
Sakura tilts his head at that, intrigued. It was totally different from his own training. He didn’t just learn control and prevention techniques like what Kaji mentioned but he also had to master his senses and how to use them in all sorts of situations and in all kinds of terrain. Not only that, but he also had to learn precision and accuracy in identifying different kinds of sounds, scents, flavors, colors, and textures. He grimaced at recalling the hours of just sitting down in a cold white room while different sounds were echoing all around him or watching different colors on a big screen and having to guess each one. He shudders in disgust when he remembered all those times he had to taste all sorts of weird things or had to touch odd and slimy textures and identify them. He shakes his head to remove those memories from his mind.
“I thought control training for Sentinels would be stricter since we are the ones who have the tendency to lose control,” Sakura comments, looking at Kaji curiously.
“That may be true, but Guides are the one with more mental prowess. Those kinds of skill require more control and finesse to master while Sentinels are more physical strengths.” Sakura looks a bit more thoughtful of that. Hmm, that’s true. I heard experienced Guides can even share memories with others.
“I see. When you put it that way, I guess it makes sense,” Sakura says and before he can say anything else, he felt a tug at his shirt. He looked down and saw the little boy. The child was looking at him with big blue eyes and Sakura can’t help but give him his full attention.
He kneels down and says, “What’s up?”
“Nii-san, I heard your name is Sakura Haruka,” the little boy says with a bright smile.
“That’s right,” Sakura says with a nod.
“I’m Kaito!” the young boy introduced himself proudly. He, then, pointed at his sister and said, “that’s my Aoi nee-chan!”
Sakura gave her a nod, which made the young Omega blush and bowed respectfully in greeting.
“Nice to meet you, Kaito,” Sakura says, his attention once again on the little boy.
“Nii-san, can we ask for your number? I want to play with you next time!”
Sakura was stunned by the request before taking out his phone, heart fluttering nervously. He never had anyone to share his number with. It made him really happy, his blue and gold eyes softening.
“Sure, but I don’t know how to do that,” Sakura says, blushing shyly. The little boy giggles and motions for his sister to come closer.
“Nee-chan can teach you! I don’t have a phone yet, so I don’t know how either,” the little boy says with a huge smile and sparkly blue eyes. It made Sakura happy that he forgot all about what happened earlier with those thugs.
After giving his number to Aoi and getting hers in return, Kotoha suddenly took his phone.
“We will give you our numbers too, Sakura,” Kotoha smiles as she typed in her number.
“Hey! Don’t just take my phone!” Sakura grumbles, cheeks red. He was ignored though as Kaji and the others also placed their numbers in his phone.
“Call us when you need help or something,” Enomoto says gruffly. Kusumi nods and gives him a gentle smile while Kaji just nods as he sucks on his lollipop.
After giving Sakura another hug, Kaito and his sister left, promising to meet up to play. Kaji and the others also left saying they still had things to take care of, leaving Sakura alone with Kotoha.
“Come on, your omurice is probably cold at this point. Let me cook you a new one,” she says as she walks back to her restaurant.
“I don’t mind a cold meal,” Sakura states, shrugging his shoulders.
“No way! I’ll make you a fresh batch. It is my treat after all,” she exclaims, punching him on the arm playfully.
“Thanks then,” Sakura mumbles, looking away as he takes his seat. There was this warm feeling in his heart that he can’t describe. It made him feel giddy and happy, so happy. He wasn’t lying when he said it wouldn’t be the first time someone would be upset with him for any odd reason. People tend to blame him and expect him to start fights. But this time… This time it was different. The people he saved didn’t fear him and instead, thanked him and made him promise that they’ll play next time they see each other. This time, people were grateful and are willing to treat him to a meal in thanks.
It was nice, more than nice. He hopes things will be better this time.
He was distracted from his thoughts when a plate of something that smells utterly delicious was placed before him.
“One order of omurice on the house!” Kotoha says with a bright smile. Sakura looks up at her before looking back down. He takes the spoon and scoops up a bite. The eggs were perfectly cooked and runny, and Sakura could feel his stomach growl in hunger at the sight. He takes a bite and his eyes widen in joyful surprise.
“This is good!” he exclaims after swallowing the first bite and without another word, he hurriedly scarfs down the meal. Kotoha laughs, clearly enjoying his reactions.
“I’m glad you like it,” she says with a gentle smile. Her brown eyes soften as she watches him enjoy his food. There was something endearing and innocent about the way Sakura was eating his food.
As soon as he finished his plate, he asked for another order. To which, Kotoha laughs and goes to cook it.
*****
Kotoha was now showing Sakura the way to his new apartment as well as giving him a general idea of the surrounding area like where the supermarket and stations are, the park and other shops.
They stopped into an apartment building. It seemed well-managed and taken care of. Sakura could see some balconies with a home garden and thought that would be a nice hobby to pick up.
“Well, here it is, your new home!” Kotoha says with flourish. Sakura huffs a laugh.
“Thanks for helping me get here,” Sakura says, gratitude obvious in his tone.
“Don’t worry about it,” Kotoha waves him off.
“Umm, I’d invite you in, but my place is still pretty empty. Once I have everything settled, would you like to visit?” Sakura grumbles shyly, looking down at the ground.
“Thank you, Sakura. I’d love to,” Kotoha accepts with a soft smile as she looks at his shy and hopeful expression. “Now, I got to go back to the shop. I’ll see you around.”
Sakura waves her goodbye before going up his apartment. It was on the fifth floor and at the very end of the hall. He typed in the code the landlord gave him and the door made a soft clicking sound.
He entered the apartment and took a deep breath.
The scent of cleaning agents.
The faint lemony scent of air freshener.
The scent of clean water from the sink.
Once he felt calmer, he took off his shoes before placing his bags by the genkan, noticing a shoe cabinet on the left side. He, then, stepped onto the agari-kamachi to explore his new apartment.
The first room was a kitchen and there was a door to the left, just beside the genkan. Sakura opened it and saw a washing machine and dryer with shelves over it. Okay, I found the laundry room.
He closed the door and walked a few steps and saw another door on the right. He opened the door and saw the toilet and sink. He walked in and saw another door on the left and took a peek. It was the shower area and bathtub. Nice!
Sakura walked out and explored the kitchen more. The counter was long with cabinets at the bottom and at the top. Beside the counter was an oven with a stove top and then, a tall double-doored fridge. At the end of the kitchen was a wooden sliding door, probably leading to the bedroom. There was a built-in shelf perpendicular to the sliding door and right across the fridge where the toaster, kettle, microwave, rice cooker, and coffee machine, etc., were placed. He slides open the sliding door and blinked at how big the room is. On the left of the room and right by the entrance was a square dining table and a feet away was the study table and bookshelf. Right across the sliding door was the entrance to the balcony. On the right side of the room was the bed, placed right against the wall. As Sakura turns around the room, he noticed a set of doors facing the bed and opened them to see a built-in closet.
Well, this place is really nice. At least, I don’t have to buy any furniture or appliances.
He stepped out into the balcony and saw how big it was. He could definitely start a small garden. He also saw a drying rack at a corner. The landlord is pretty thoughtful. The place has everything and it wasn’t as expensive as I thought it would be. It’s also very clean.
Feeling satisfied, Sakura spent the rest of the day putting away his stuff and making a list of everything he needs. Although there was a bed, it didn’t have any pillows and coverings. He also needed to buy a few plates and kitchen tools like knives.
Once he finished the list, he went out to buy some of the things he urgently needs. He spent the next few days settling in and he has to admit he was having fun. He enjoyed the feeling of independence and not having to condone to such a rigid schedule or having almost every move monitored. Plus, the people of Makochi were very nice and so different from all the people he met since he left that place. Here, the people were helpful and willing to answer his questions. They even gave him advice on which stores have the best discounts or have the most sales and where the best restaurants are for a cheap yet delicious meal.
There was one thing that concerned him though. Makochi, more than any other town he’s been through, has a lot of gang activity and he has lost count on the number of times he had to save someone from being targeted by said gangs. It seemed the local police in the area were practically nonexistent. It was concerning but Sakura just made a mental note to take more walks and patrol the area around his neighborhood more carefully. Being an Alpha Sentinel means he is more territorial and have an intense urge to make sure his territory is safe. He mentally forms a map of the neighborhood, explores the back alleys and shortcuts, and takes note of which of his neighbors would require more protection and care.
One day, after having fully settled in his apartment, he was walking around the neighborhood and found out there was a nearby gym and shooting range. He felt so excited since it’s been a while since the last time he trained. He immediately entered the gym and was immediately bombarded with information.
The scent of sweat and musk reaches his nose.
The sounds of the treadmill.
The sound of music from peoples’ headsets.
Voices of different people reaching his ears.
The sounds of heavy breathing.
He looks around the facility and saw that it was well-equipped and in good condition. He decided to sign up for a membership. He also asked about the shooting range and was pleasantly happy to know that the starting age for airsoft was eighteen. Although he has been trained in handling more deadly firearms, Sakura, himself, knows it would be strange and suspicious if a young man like him would be able show such expertise in handling a real gun. So, he only applied for the airsoft membership. He only wanted to practice his accuracy in shooting anyway since it would be a waste to lose it.
To his surprise, he was offered a job by the manager of the shooting range after the man noticed how well he handled the airsoft rifle. Knowing he can’t keep relying on the money he stole from that place forever, Sakura accepted the job. All he had to do was clean up the place and take care of the equipment. The pay was surprisingly good and since he was now working there, both his gym and airsoft membership were refunded and included in his benefits. He informed the manager though that he can only work full time until university starts and can only work part time after to which the manager states it wouldn’t be a problem and that they’ll discuss his work schedule when school starts.
Sakura bites his bottom lip nervously before telling the manager that he was an Alpha Sentinel. He thought it was better for someone to know in case something happened during working hours. The manager just laughed and said it would be no problem since he, himself, was a Beta Guide.
Sakura frowns at that and explains further that his zones were dangerous and painful for a Guide. The manager just patted his shoulder and told him not to worry.
Not fully convinced and yet, not also wanting to look down on his good fortune, Sakura lets it be. Things were finally looking up, and he was more than happy. He also has another month of summer break before school starts and he was looking forward to it.
*****
Someone was watching him.
Multiple someone’s, in fact.
He noticed it a few days after moving to Makochi. He would often notice a figure following him from the shadows or watching him from afar.
He didn’t feel any malicious intent from them. So, he just decided to observe them for now. He only knows that they were usually Betas, given their muted scents.
When he started working at the shooting range, a figure hidden in the shadows would always be there, waiting for him. If he didn’t have his Sentinel abilities, he wouldn’t have noticed them in the first place. But with his abilities and his training, the people watching him were as clear as day. They might as well be holding a sign saying, ‘I’m watching you.’
It wasn’t always the same person though and he wasn’t exactly certain if they were part of the same group, but their modus operandi was essentially the same. They would watch him from a distance, often wearing shades and a cap (are there any other disguises stalkers’ use because it’s practically a uniform at this point), and they would do nothing but stare (confident that they wouldn’t be seen).
Sakura was debating on using his abilities to find more about them but, he didn’t want to risk falling into a zone. However, he really needs to do something about his stalker problem because his Alpha was becoming restless with the constant supervision. Not only was his Alpha feeling restless, but it was also slowly feeling threatened. Now that he had a taste of freedom, his Alpha was against the idea of being restricted and controlled like he was back in that place. Sakura understood his inner Alpha, of course.
Who would willing want to go back to a living in a box after witnessing for yourself what it feels like to live outside said box? Who would like to go back to being shrouded in darkness after experiencing the light?
The answer is no one. No sane person would willing go back to living in such darkness and solitude.
So, he has to find out who has been watching him before his Alpha snaps and does it for him. He carefully observes them as best he could without using too much of his abilities and found a few interesting things.
They all have certain symbol in either their clothing or accessories. It was too far away for him to see clearly without the risk of falling into a zone. All he could see was a sort of circular symbol with swirls at the top and bottom and some lettering in the middle. This was proof that they all belong to the same group. It also made him calmer to know for sure that these people weren’t associated with that place.
But if they weren’t linked to that place, then what do they want from him?
Sakura frowns slightly at the thought as he walks around the mall trying to find a good laptop for school. He figured he’d need one when school starts and while he was at it, he might as well buy some school supplies.
As he looks through different laptop models, he saw a familiar shadow following him from the corner of his eye. He frowns even more, feeling his Alpha starting to growl. As expected, this is getting annoying.
He pretends not to notice as usual and just walks around examining the laptops on display. After looking around, he picks up a lightweight laptop with excellent specs for both schoolwork and gaming. He also picked a pair of headphones. This was going to hurt his savings, but he does need it for school. Besides, other than school fees and monthly expenses, he doesn’t really spend that much and hopefully with his job, he can easily earn it all back.
He paid for the laptop and headphones and went to the bookstore to buy his school supplies. He notices the figure following him and inwardly grumbles. His Alpha was practically pacing inside him now.
He continues to ignore them and shops for his school supplies. As he lines up by the counter to pay for his items, he noticed the figure talking on his phone. Hmm, that’s a first.
This was the first time they did something other than stare at him. He still couldn’t make out any distinctive features on them even with his enhanced senses and it was getting on his nerves. He tried to listen in on the conversation and could only catch a few snippets of words with how softly the figure was speaking.
Frustrated, he left the store after paying for his things. Since he already got everything he needed, he decided to head home to put away his purchases before heading to Pothos. All the way home, the strange figure continued to follow him. He would often stop and look over his shoulders and each time, the figure was quick to hide. They were as skilled as ever and obviously trained.
Sakura frowns at the thought. Who were they?
When he reached home, he took out his new things and put them away. He was excited to use the laptop, but he had to do it later. He was hungry now and craving for some of Kotoha’s omurice.
As he stepped out of his building, the figure was gone. It seemed that person thought he wouldn’t be leaving his apartment anymore today.
The absence of his stalkers finally calmed his inner Alpha, who had been on guard the whole time. He takes a deep breath and relaxes even further before heading to Kotoha’s.
On the way there, he heard the sound of something hitting the ground and the sounds of jeering a few feet away.
“Come now, little Omega, you were so brave to protect that other Omega.”
“Yeah, you seemed eager to show us a good time and now, you’re crying?”
“Little thing must be crying from excitement!”
Cruel laugher followed that statement, and the scent of sour apples and Omega reaches his nose. Sakura frowns and heads towards to the direction of the distressed Omega.
As soon as he rounded the corner, he saw a group of Alphas surrounding a blonde Omega with warm chocolate brown eyes and freckles dotting his nose and cheeks. One of the Alphas was casually unbuckling his jeans as the Omega backs away, scent souring with fear. He could smell the lust coming off from those Alphas, could see the joy at the apparent power they think they have over the poor Omega, and he can’t help but growl lowly in disgust.
Without another thought, Sakura ran up towards them and kicked the Alpha away from the Omega, instantly knocking him out cold. He released his scent, anger and indignation on behalf of the Omega obvious in it.
“I am so sick of scumbags like you appearing everywhere like a bunch of cockroaches,” Sakura snarls angrily, his scent deepening and his senses sharpening in response to his protective instincts. “What do you think you are planning to do to him?”
“Doesn’t concern you, Monochrome! Get lost!” One of the Alphas snarled back after getting over his shock at seeing his fellow thug getting knocked down with a kick.
“It does concern me when you do these kinds of shit in this town!” Sakura growls, his scent becoming more aggressive. His oppressive pheromones were filling the air with such tension causing the other weak Alphas to back away slowly. His senses continue to sharpen as he takes note of their every move, every change on their scent.
Sakura could practically taste the sour apple notes coming from the Omega behind him and in response, he spreads his scent even more to wrap it around the Omega protectively.
“Fucker! Don’t get in our way!” Another Alpha growls and immediately runs towards him. Sakura gives him a dark smirk before running to meet him halfway. Sakura dodges the other Alpha’s punch, his eyes immediately catching every single twitch of muscle, before delivering one of his own and punching him in the gut. When the Alpha doubles over, Sakura immediately elbows the side of his head and knocks him out cold. Not wasting time, he goes towards the other thugs and knocking them out one by one.
It wasn’t long before all the thugs were either groaning on the ground or completely unconscious. He gives one last triumphant growl before turning to face the blonde Omega, who was looking at him with awed eyes.
Reining in his aggressive scent and his heightened senses, he asked softly, “are you alright?”
The Omega nods and shakily stands up. Sakura gives him a nod, “good. Let’s get out of here before these assholes wake up.”
The Omega looks down at the thugs and shivers in fright before running out of the alley with Sakura following behind him. Once they were at a safer distance, the Omega turned towards Sakura and gives him a deep bow. Sakura makes a soft noise at the back of his throat in surprise.
“Thank you for saving me!” The Omega cries out, gratefully.
“Hey, it is no big deal. Stand up!” Sakura says, blushing fiercely. The Omega looks up and smiles before saying, “My name is Nirei Akihiko and you are?”
“Sakura Haruka. Nice to meet you,” Sakura introduces himself. Nirei looks at him with an excited glint before pulling out a small notebook.
“How old are you? Based on your scent earlier, you are an Alpha! A dominant one too! Do you have any abilities? Are you a Sentinel or a Guide? From how fast you reacted earlier, I am leaning more on Sentinel, but you could be a Guide with strong empathy. Or maybe you don’t have any abilities? How tall are you? How much do you weight?” Nirei says quickly as he jots down his observations as question after question kept erupting from his lips and making Sakura’s head spin, unable to keep up. He stood frozen, unable to react.
“Your scent is kind of spicy like peppers with a creamy vanilla base and flowery and musky notes. It is quite unique! Same with your eyes and hair! They look awesome!” The Omega continues speaking.
Sakura, feeling a bit overwhelmed, immediately and without thinking, covered the Omega’s mouth with his hand. “Shut up for a sec!”
The blonde Omega blushed as he glances down at Sakura’s hand over his mouth. Sakura blushes, noticing how inappropriate he was being, and pulled his hand away.
“Ask me slowly. You are talking way too fast!” He exclaimed with a blush, looking away.
“Sorry, it is a bad habit of mine to take notes of strong people,” Nirei apologizes, looking quite sheepish.
“Strong people?” Sakura asked, intrigued, as he starts heading to the café with Nirei following along.
“Yeah! I was saved by someone strong before too! I really admire people who know how to fight,” Nirei answers cheerfully.
“Ah, I see,” Sakura says, slipping his hands in his pockets. Nirei was still holding his notebook open and his pen ready.
“So, can I ask a few questions?” The Omega asked eagerly as he practically skips while walking. Sakura could practically imagine a wagging tail behind him and found the image endearing.
“Sure, and this time, at least give me time to answer,” Sakura says, a hint of a tease in his voice, making the Omega blush.
“How old are you?” Nirei asked his first question. Sakura looked ahead as they walk while keeping his senses open.
“I am eighteen. I’ll be studying civil engineering in Makochi University,” Sakura says flatly. Nirei writes it down quickly.
“Do you have any abilities?”
“Yes, I am a Sentinel and before you ask, no, I don’t have a Guide,” Sakura says as he looks at Nirei to see how he would react. However, all the Omega did was take notes enthusiastically. The scent of lychee and sweet apples filling the air sweetly and tickling Sakura’s nose with its sweetness.
“Cool! Was that how you found me? With your heightened senses?” Nirei continues to question.
Sakura nods in affirmation as they enter the café. Kotoha looking surprised when she saw them together before greeting them.
“Hello Sakura, Nirei! Isn’t this a surprise? I didn’t know you two know each other?” Kotoha asked, looking very curious. Sakura sits down on his usual stool by the counter and shrugs.
“We just met,” Sakura answers simply before ordering some omurice. Nirei gave him a soft smile before turning to face Kotoha.
“Sakura-san saved me earlier from a few thugs who wanted to… you know…” Nirei says softly, as he looks down at the counter with a sad shameful smile on his face. Sakura frowns at seeing that.
“Why do you look like that?” Sakura asked, feeling a bit indignant.
“I just feel… weak and pathetic,” Nirei admits, voice quivering.
“Why? You are not weak and you are certainly not pathetic. I heard that Alpha say you were protecting another Omega. I think that was incredibly brave of you,” Sakura states firmly, looking at Nirei with such sincerity in his blue and gold eyes that the Omega can’t help but blush happily at his words.
“Thank you, Sakura-san,” Nirei says back with just as much sincerity.
“Just saying how it is. No need to thank me,” Sakura grumbles and looks away. Kotoha smiles at them before turning away to cook their orders.
The atmosphere in the café was warm, and Sakura never thought he could love life as much as he did right at this moment.