Shadow Of You

Two

Seokjin bounded down the stairs of his family's entirely too large house with his backpack slung off one shoulder. His hair was still damp as he'd rushed through getting ready and his clothes were thrown on without a thought. He hadn't even had enough time to finish up his homework this morning like he'd been hoping.

"Where do you think you're going without breakfast?"

He grinned sheepishly at the old housekeeper as he stuffed his feet into his shoes.

"Sorry, Yeona. I'm going to be late as it is."

She sighs and offers up an apple she had in her apron, obviously having expected such an answer.

"At least eat this. It should tide you over until your first break. And stop staying up so late. You look thin and ragged. Do I have to move in to make you behave?"

Seokjin chuckles, having heard the same threat since he was a young boy.

"But Yeona, I have to study well so I become a doctor someday and can steal you away!"

"Oh, off with you. Have a good day. I'll make your favorite for dinner tonight, alright?"

He cheekily saluted her and munched on the apple as he rushed to his car, finishing the fruit in just a few bites and throwing the core in a random bush for the gardener to find later. His poor stomach wasn't happy with just a few bites of fruit, but hopefully, it would hold off until he had a chance to sneak off the grounds and get himself a real meal.

His phone was already rumbling with a barrage of messages, probably from Hoseok complaining that he'd had to walk to school since he'd never showed. He felt bad, but he'd hadn't even been sure he was going to go to school today since he was just coming off of the most horrible rut in his life - never mind that it had only been his second.

After the life-changing visit to the Min household, Seokjin had rushed home, expecting to shut himself in his room to think about things. However, his body had decided to take matters into its own hands and he'd been horrified to feel himself going into his second rut - three months too early.

For once he'd been thrilled about the fact that Yeona had the weekends off and that his parents were at an event in Jeju. While it probably would have been safer to have someone around to check on him, he was glad he hadn't had to explain why he was in so much agony. Why he refused to touch himself - instead curling up and sobbing as his body wracked with pain.

As someone who actually paid attention during his science classes due to his future career, he knew that it was simply his body's way of preparing itself since he'd found his mate. And since there was no mate around to sate him, his body increased its demands and he'd been forced to deal with high fevers, horrible cramping, and vomiting. He probably would have been able to reduce the severity with a couple rounds with his own hand, but it felt horribly wrong considering what had triggered it in the first place.

Jin drives with the radio off for once, the silence forcing him to finally think about his situation. And the honest to God truth was that he had no idea what to do. He'd never heard of anything like this happening before. He didn't even know how to start looking for the information he needed.

When he was being realistic he'd always thought he'd never even find his true mate. It was becoming a rare thing for anyone these days. He'd pictured his life looking pretty much exactly like his fathers - marry someone his parents picked and work at the hospital until he was forced to retire. If he was lucky like them, he'd at least become friends with his mate and maybe pop out a pup before they start a life of celibacy (hopefully. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know if his parents had others).