Ever since confirming their relationship the day prior, Moeka and Fumiko's communication had strengthened. While the latter was still busy with lab work, as the proactive partner, she had made sure to be meticulous when it came to her girlfriend. For either of them, everything was new, everything felt exciting, even a simple text showing concerns or a greeting.
Naturally, Moeka had reported her re-evaluation to her partner briefly, though she did not expect Fumiko to be waiting for her. For one reason or another, Fumiko had always paid close attention to Moeka's schedule. And now that they were dating, even more so.
''Can't let my girlfriend out alone this late, can I?'' Fumiko nonchalantly said, taking Moeka's hand, ''Come in. I'll drive you.''
Moeka did not resist, ''...Thanks.''
Somehow, as Moeka followed Fumiko, the faint sense of dissonance and anxiety inside her vaporized. A familiar scent. A familiar warmth. It really did feel like as long as she stayed beside this person, everything would be alright. Yet, even her well-concealed worries were seen clearly by Fumiko.
The Alpha, sensing the need for a conversation, did not start the engine right away once they got into the car, ''Did something happen?'' She asked, ''You can talk to me.''
''I...'' Moeka was at a loss for words.
Fumiko let out a quiet sigh, ''It's been a while since we've had a meal together. Let's go somewhere.''
Moeka glanced at her phone's clock, which read one and a half, ''...At this hour?'' She turned to her partner.
''Why not? You don't have classes tomorrow, correct?'' Fumiko twirled the key to her sports car, ''I know a nice yakiniku place that just opened.''
''When did you even have the time to find it...''
''Quiet. It's on me today, okay?''
''...''
Yakiniku, a type of barbecue, was Moeka's favorite, and both of them knew it. The only reason she did not frequent these restaurants so often was because of the sheer calories contained within those slabs of meat. Additionally, high-quality cuts could get quite pricey. So, even though Moeka was grumbling, she did not object to this new destination. Besides, she had been craving something filling after the magical exercises.
After a short drive, Moeka realized she had been kidnapped to the heart of the city—a place known for being a shopping haven... and sometimes an active warzone. Because this place harbored the concentration of City O's population and wealth, criminals liked to cause commotions here. Moeka could not remember the countless times she had to fight The Legion in this spacious avenue.
The sports car quietly slipped into a mall, one that belonged to the biggest conglomerate in the country.
Fumiko parked as usual, then got out to open the door for Moeka, the gesture seeming so natural it nearly dumbfounded Moeka. Somehow, she was getting a little embarrassed.
''W-Where are we going?''
''Fifth floor.''
Even at midnight, the mall was crowded enough that Moeka had to be conscious of how she would look. Yet, she did not refuse Fumiko's offer to hold hands. As the two ascended the floors one by one on the escalator, countless shops and restaurants came into Moeka's view. She had never been here before, so her gaze behind the glasses was tinted with a hint of curiosity.
''I should take you here often, hm?'' Fumiko casually remarked. Her eyes had not left Moeka one bit, ''Other places, too.''
''What gives?'' Moeka replied.
''Dates and such. We're a couple now, aren't we?''
''R-Right...''
The atmosphere between them suddenly felt a bit awkward. Aside from sleeping together once, they were still a clumsy, fresh couple. Thankfully, years of being close friends prior to the relationship smoothed things out appropriately. Moeka, in an effort to prove herself as a proper girlfriend, shyly hugged Fumiko's arm.
She could feel the other person tensing up. She could smell the Alpha's scent. Feel her heat.
'Ah, she's wearing perfume.'
Fumiko often smelled like the lab she worked in. To Moeka's surprise, she now wore a faint, complementary fragrance to her natural body odor. Normally, Fumiko would not have cared about cosmetics at all.
'Is she putting effort into it because of me...?'
The thought alone made Moeka's heart race. Being treated this way was unfamiliar to her as a career-focused individual. Then, countless other thoughts came up in Moeka's head—had she dressed right for this impromptu date? Did she smell? What about her makeup...?
Being conscious about even the smallest details... it was Moeka's first time experiencing this type of panic. On the other hand, Fumiko seemed to be able to discern every bit of the Omega's turmoil just by looking at her face.
'Has she always been this expressive...?
Was it because of their marks, or did Moeka simply change? Fumiko was not sure herself, but she was loving it.
Eventually, the two moved into the restaurant and chose a quiet corner. Even then, the partitions between tables were so thorough that they practically created separate rooms. After ordering, they began chatting about mundane topics.
''Is there any progress?'' Moeka questioned.
''Progress? Ah, the suppressant,'' Fumiko sighed, ''It's going okay, I suppose. Just need to work out the right formula and doses now.''
''Has Aloe been cooperative?''
Fumiko smirked, ''Oh, very much. Turns out, you can tame someone quite easily when you can control their meals.''
''...Wouldn't that get you in trouble?''
Moeka only got an innocent shrug as an answer. Then, it was Fumiko's turn to ask questions, ''What about your side? How's the club thing going?''
Numerous scenes flashed in Moeka's head. Just this afternoon, she was marked by that cunning devil, Yurika. However, the way it happened was so embarrassing that she had put off telling Fumiko.
'...But I can't just hide these things from her. It'll only cause distrust.'
Steeling her nerves, Moeka faced Fumiko head-on, ''It's... working as intended.'' She said, ''The members are nice enough, and... I got marked this afternoon.''
''...Oh?''
In an instant, the room's temperature dropped by several degrees. Despite smiling, Fumiko's aura was deadlier than ever. Even the server who was delivering the dishes cowered at the sudden shift before scurrying away. As for Moeka... she could feel a sort of tension and anticipation gripping her body. Slowly, she recounted the incident with Yurika, each sentence carefully worded. She also did not forget to constantly check Fumiko's reactions.
'Why is she so quiet...?'
After what felt like an eternity, Fumiko sighed, the word 'annoyed' written boldly on her face, ''That cheeky brat...'' She cursed, ''The inner thigh, you say?''
''Y-Yes...?''
''Stay out tonight. I'll rent a place for us.''
''...!''
An Alpha's possessiveness was immense—those words often got repeated in fiction, but seeing and experiencing it in real life was a different kind of excitement.
'She plans to override that girl's mark...'
Moeka could not help but blush. To her, the sight of Fumiko getting jealous was utterly adorable. Besides... openly declaring she'll devour Moeka like this—how could Moeka not get excited?
But then, Fumiko cleared her throat, ''Before that... let's talk about what's on your mind.''