A line-up of Omegas is ready; left and right. Every student—or apprentice as they call— is ready for the morning routine. Every morning, there will be a wellness check. Basically, every Omega will be measured; weight, height, size, and cleanliness.
This morning check-up begins with size proportions measurement. All Omegas must be within the specification provided by the academy for them. Usually, male Omegas will have a different specification than female Omegas. It's all stated in every individual's files. As long as these Omegas are within the specification, it won't be a problem.
Next comes the horror part; weight. Every Omega, especially those foodies, despise this check-up the most. No words can describe how the torque of the scale swings between Heaven and Hell. Sometimes, this session will end with a loud wail and sobs.
After the check-up, all of them can either gather at the cafe, or start the day with classes.
The cafe is always packed in the morning. Most of them can't afford to skip breakfast. It's a good kick start, as the last dinner usually serves around five in the evening, and no food after that.
"Thank God!" Q sighs as he grabs the iced Americano from Tish. He sips the black, icy liquid in gusto. The content is almost empty within seconds.
"I bet, he might end up swimming in a coffee pool. He sips them as if it's the oxygen tank," Rei teases Q. The male Omega gives her a soft pinch.
"You're lucky, Q! You can drink as many cups of coffee per day, but your condition is always the best. Look at me! Look what happened today! I gained one point five inches on my waist!" Tish wails in frustration.
"Yeah, me too! I gained five hundred grams!"
"I am doomed!"
"We are doomed!"
Q can only stare with his innocent Bambi eyes as Tish and Rei tangle in a tight hug and bawl their eyes out. He then puts his coffee cup on the table and grins.
"Hey, it's just a number, guys! As long as you're healthy, every scale is just trivial!"
"I am so jealous of you, Q. You eat just like us, yet your body proportion is the best among us!" Tish gives him a deadly stare, and her nose flares until it turns red. Tish's face is so funny, Q can't help but laugh.
"Stop it, Q!" Tish takes her revenge by smacking him on his shoulder. Q shrieks in pain, but he doesn't retaliate. Instead, he just brushes it off with a faint laugh.
"Omegas, listen. Although we are Omegas, male and female Omegas are different. In terms of resilience and anatomy, we—the male Omegas—are more resilient, toned, and sleek," Q explains. "But, on the other hand, you guys; the female Omegas, are symbolic of purity, soft, curvy, and elegant."
"I know. That's what you'll get with good training for years. But, lately, everyone is tired and stressed. No one wants to follow the strict diet and exercise regimen anymore! I mean, look at you! You're here, sipping your Ice Americano like no guilt!" Tish whines.
"Mine has zero sugar in it. Besides, I do need my caffeine as a morning booster," Q replies with a smile.
"Still having a long night date with Mr. Sky, huh?" Rei bobs her brows repeatedly.
"Shush!" Q almost jumped from his seat. This is the first time he looks restless after all the chaos that he caused just now. Rei and Tish tease him mercilessly, knowing that this matter is definitely Q's ultimate weakness.
"Say, how long will you keep Mr. Sky under your sleeves, huh? Sooner or later, you have to say goodbye for good," asks Rei.
Q sighs, scribbles something in his notebook. "I don't know. All I can think right now is to elope. But, I don't know how, and what if he refused?"
"Well, it is what it is. At least, you have a love experience! Even though you have no idea how long it will last. But still, you're not that clueless when you're submitted to your Alpha," Tish tries to create a positive vibe despite knowing the situation is not that good at all.
Aware of the reality after graduating makes Q's heart bleed. His mind keeps working on how to escape, yet he can't brush off the fact that everything seems to be impossible at this point.
"I'm on edge by now. All of you have no problem finding a suitable Alpha family. You guys still have families. At least, they can negotiate before The Graduation. Me, on the other hand... An orphan, with nowhere to go..." Q again sighs. "My Alpha could be from some family who can be super manipulative since I have no one by my side to protect me."
Rei stares at Q with glassy eyes. She knows Q the best, as they have been best friend since they were kids. Q always spent his holiday alone in Ou Academy, while the rest of them had a chance to meet their parents for a holiday visitation.
"Did you ever ask Mr. Sky to try signing up?" asks Tish.
"It's hard, Tish. He lives abroad. The fee is super expensive. Unless you're from a royal family or some old money clan. The cost is higher compared to the local. We need to make a passport, apply for a spouse visa, attend a language crash course, and many more. Not to mention, we need to fly there. An airplane ticket is insanely expensive, too!" Q gives a long explanation, reasoning for his act.
"Yeah... it's even harder..."
The three Omegas sigh together. Life is harder, even before they experience it.
"Yo, Q!"
The gloom sweeps off their face, especially Q. He smiles at the male Omega who approaches the group. He is tall, with an athletic body. His milky skin makes his veiny hands visible even more. War is among the most desirable male Omegas in the Ou Academy. Well, with that body, even Omegas are drooling over him.
"Got some good snoop, War?" asks Q, in casual tones. He is among the male Omegas who have been befriends with War for quite some time, and doesn't even flinch at his presence. Behind those perfect, sculptural physical, War is just another male Omega for Q. He can't compete against his Mr. Sky, at all!
"Full game. 500..." War pulls a chair and sits across Q. Tish and Rei almost bleed their nose by War's presence.
"Come on... a solid game only for 500? We got only 100 each? That's not enough to buy a game card, dude!" Q leans back, tries to seep into the negotiation.
"Tsk, this capitalist Omega!" War sneers. "Fine then... 1k? How does this sound?"
"Now, we're talking..." Q grins. "Same ol place?"
War nods instead of using his voice. He taps his watch before pointing his index to Q. That male Omega nods. He swipes his smart watch, checking the time and the venue again.
"Don't tell me you wanna sneak out again, Q! This is the third time this month! What if you get caught?" Tish yanks Q's hand. He calmly brushes off her hand and stands up from his chair.
"Been doing this for ages, Tish. We know the drill if we get caught. Don't worry..." Q bids goodbye as he dashes to his class. On his way, he stops by the parcel room.
"Parcel for Han Q..." he announces himself before the mailman hands him a small, brown box. He eagerly opens the box and finds a small pendant. He smiles as he fishes it out, checking on its material. It's a white gold pendant in the shape of bunny ears, with a Leo symbol between them.
Another gift from Mr. Sky.
He takes out his white gold necklace, slips the pendant, and fixes it at the center of his collarbone. He smiles, feeling energetic all of a sudden before skipping his way to the morning class.
***
That night, just like any other sneaky night, Q dresses up in the most modestly as possible. He grabs an oversize sweater, covering his lean body that is already in an oversize t-shirt. He makes sure the shorts that he wears are not that super short, draping just nicely under the ankle. With his thick-soled sneakers, he jumps off the wall that separates Ou Academy from the outside world.
"Where is it?" Q's eyes waver a bit while he sticks out his palm, demanding something from War. That sneaky male Omega puts a blue pill on his hand. Q pops the pill into his mouth and washes it with a gulp of mineral water.
"How long will it last?"
"At least four hours, but it depends..."
"On what?" Q feels anxious all of a sudden. War tugs his sleeves as a signal to move. They walk silently in the night, leaving Ou Academy towards their freedom.
"If your body temperature is higher than normal, the effect probably lasts less than that," says War. "That's why I request that the game last less than two hours. Once we're done, we can take a brief break briefly, cool down our bodies, and leave before they even know it."
Q nods. He silently wishes the plan will be successful. Finger cross.
After a long, exhausting walk, they finally arrive at the gym where they usually play basketball with a group of Beta and Alpha. War often sneaks out to come here so he can meet his twin Alpha. They were close, until War was forced to enroll in the academy once he reached puberty. That decision made them broken so much, especially War's twin. He is the reason why War has to sneak out at night. That boy can't live without his twin brother!
"War!"
As soon as they arrive, Saw skips his way to his Omega twin. He hugs him as if they haven't met for ages, when the truth is, they just met last night. Q smiles, dropping his bag on the bench and taking off his sweater.
"There are some new faces from the opponent team today," says Saw.
"Eh? I thought it was the same team last week!"
"Yes. It still is the same team, but some couldn't make it today, so they sent some replacements..."
From afar, Q sees another group of players; a mix between Beta and Alpha. There are two unfamiliar faces among them. However, as he takes a glance at one of them, his heart suddenly skips.
A familiar emotion emerges, somehow, as if he sees a blue, purple, and pink sky.
What's wrong with me? He murmurs inside.