#a!jihyo

You went over to Soyeon’s a few days later, but your incompatibility in bed was clear as soon as the two of you were in her bedroom. Neither one of you finished, and she seemed almost relieved when you made your exit at 1:30 in the morning. 

She didn’t message you again after that. You felt a little discouraged, until you matched with TWICE’s Jihyo a week later. 

You met her for drinks and then she invited you back to her place. As the leader of her group and with plans for her solo album debut underway, Jihyo was at her most confident. 

The more you got to know her, the faster you realized that you and Jihyo would make far better friends than lovers. She was just as ambitious as you, just as opinionated, just as competitive and stubborn as you. 

You didn’t have sex, let alone kiss, but you left having made a genuine friend. She looked pensive as you left, reaching for her phone before her front door finished closing behind you.

************************************************************************

When Somi asked you how you liked the app when you walked into the studio for a practice next week, you made a face. 

You made her wait until you took a coffee break before speaking openly. “I’m not very…compatible with these Alphas,” you said, choosing your words carefully in the cafe you two were in line at. 

“Oh come on, you basically became Jihyo’s new best friend!” Somi said, paying for you both. “And Soyeon? More like ‘so what.’ Besides, two dates is hardly a splash in the dating pool,” she said. “You never know,” she added mysteriously, pressing an iced coffee into your hand. 

“I guess,” you said, only half-convinced. 

But later that night, you thought about Somi's words and went back on the app.

Just a few profiles in, you saw an unexpected but familiar face: TWICE’s Mina.

You always forgot Mina was an Alpha. 

Mina was one of the most reserved idols you’d ever known. Well, maybe not known— more like, seen from afar. On the outside she sometimes came off as aloof, but she was an extremely hard worker from what you had seen, and undeniably pretty on top of all of her talent. 

Curious, you swiped right. It was a match. 

It took a few days, but Mina finally messaged you. You set up a time and place to meet, and when the night came, you found yourself uncharacteristically nervous. 

You knew how to flirt with cocky Alphas. It was a game. Stroke their ego and they’d eventually stroke you, so to speak. But Mina wasn’t like that. None of your dating strategies worked in this situation.

Mina didn’t fit into any of the stereotypical Alpha boxes you’d come to expect. She was never overbearing or aggressive, more demure than cocky. Mina didn’t feel the need to try for attention-- she knew she held everyone’s interest simply for being herself. She was regarded as one of the calmest, coolest, most collected Alphas by other Alphas in the industry. 

The bar she chose to meet you at was an upscale Japanese bar. Just from taking in the decor while walking in, you knew you were going to burn through your dancer’s salary at a sickeningly swift pace. 

As you made your way over to the small table she was at, far off in the back, you felt her eyes on you the entire time. Her gaze followed you as you sat down beside her. 

When you greeted her, the Alpha’s voice was soft. The energy between the two of you at first was nervous but friendly. You thought about releasing a little of your scent to calm the environment, but decided against it, not knowing how Mina would respond. The Japanese Alpha was nearly done with her first drink, you noticed. You glanced down at her glass and she gave you an apologetic look. 

“I got here early,” she said, and you started nodding empathetically, thinking about how stressful her schedules must be, but then she finished: “It was either come early or lose the will to come at all. I hate…dating.”

It was a startling introduction. Unable to look at you, Mina scanned the room to see if any wait staff were nearby. Her lack of eye contact made you nervous for a moment. Maybe she still didn't want to be here. trying Most Omegas would internalize that thought negatively, but to you, it was a challenge. You were worth the inconveniences that came with dating, and you'd show her why.

You joined Mina in her scan for a waiter and spotted one. You smiled and nodded in his direction when you made eye contact, and he made his way over. You ordered a drink, double. Without thinking, you added, “...and I think she’d like another,” gesturing to Mina’s now empty glass.  

Mina blushed, looking at you with appreciative surprise. “Thank you,” she said when he left. 

You waved it off. “If you hate dating so much," you started, "why'd you come?” you asked.

This was not the way either one of you imagined starting the night off. “I–” Mina hesitated, clearing her throat. "Because you went out with Jihyo.” 

It was your turn to blush. Before you could say anything, she spoke again. 

“She didn’t say anything bad. She actually told me that I might…like you," she said, her voice lowering a bit.

Amused, you settled into your seat, a smile spreading slowly across your lips. 

“Oh? Well then what else did she say?” 

More pink rose to Mina’s cheeks. “Just that I’d probably think you were funny. And that maybe–” she cut herself off, shaking her head. “Nothing, that’s all.” 

You were curious, but didn’t want to pry, so you moved on to talking about other things after your drinks came. The two of you got along well. It was easy to make Mina laugh, you discovered. The way she covered her mouth when she really cracked a smile was cute. 

After a while you noticed Mina’s glass was getting low again. As you studied the drink menu, you asked her questions about the kind of drinks and alcohol she liked.

“Can I order for you?” you blurted the moment there was a break in your conversation. “I think there’s one on here you’d like.”

The Alpha’s eyebrows rose in surprise, but she nodded. 

When you put in your last order for drinks, you pointed to the drink names without saying them as you ordered. You asked for an ingredient change for one of them, the one for Mina, careful to avoid saying the actual ingredient being swapped out in case Mina peeked at the other drink menu left on your table. 

“I want it to be a surprise,” you explained. 

The sake grapefruit cocktail you ordered for her was a success. 

“Oh!” she said after her first sip. “I wasn’t expecting that. It’s good.”