Chapter 1: The Pinky Promise

Aiden hated dressing up.

His shirt collar was stiff, his shoes squeaked when he walked, and the gel in his hair was making his scalp itch. He sat on a garden bench at the edge of the party, arms folded like a grumpy prince, watching adults sip wine and pretend they liked each other.

Tonight was one of those high-class events where everyone smelled like money and wore smiles that didn’t reach their eyes.

He sighed, poking at the flower petals on the ground with his polished shoe. His parents called this event a “merger celebration” — whatever that meant. All Aiden knew was that he was hungry, annoyed, and already missing his video games.

“You look like you want to run away.”

Aiden jumped. A boy stood a few feet away, tall for his age, dressed in all black. He had pitch-dark hair, pale skin, and sharp features that didn’t belong on a kid. His voice was calm, almost cold. But his eyes… they were too deep, too focused.

“I’m Kairo,” he said simply. “You must be Aiden.”

Aiden raised an eyebrow. “Okay… creepy much? How do you know that?”

“Our families are business partners. I heard them talking about the Beaumont heir.”

Aiden huffed. “Great. So I’m famous in the boring adult world.”

Kairo walked over and sat beside him. He didn’t fidget. He didn’t blink. He just sat, perfectly still. The air around him felt heavy… intense. Aiden had the weirdest feeling like the bench dipped toward Kairo slightly.

And then it hit him.

Scent.

Subtle. Barely there. But enough to make his neck tingle.

“You’re… not an Omega,” Aiden said slowly. “But you don’t feel like a Beta either.”

Kairo looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “Neither do you.”

Aiden opened his mouth — then closed it. For once, he had no comeback.

The two wandered away from the party after that, ignoring the fancy food and fake laughs. They ended up behind a hedge maze, sitting in the grass and trading dumb jokes.

Aiden made a flower crown and slammed it onto Kairo’s head.

“Wear it with pride, your cold royal highness.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“And you’re still wearing it.”

Kairo didn’t take it off.

They lay on their backs, looking up at the stars. Aiden couldn’t explain it, but something about Kairo’s presence made him… calm. Like even silence felt okay.

“You’re not like the others,” Kairo said suddenly.

“Which others?”

“Everyone.”

There was a pause. Then—

“Promise me something.”

“Huh?”

Kairo sat up, holding out his pinky. “If I return before you turn eighteen… marry me.”

Aiden blinked like he’d just been smacked by a bird.

“That’s a weird thing to promise.”

“I mean it.”

“We’re kids.”

“So what?”

Aiden stared at him. Kairo wasn’t joking. Not even a little.

“Okay,” Aiden said, linking their pinkies. “But only if you wear the flower crown at the wedding.”

Their fingers curled together. For a second, everything around them felt quiet.

Aiden didn’t know why… but something in his chest fluttered.

Later that night…

A black car waited in the driveway. The Vance family was relocating overseas — something about expansion, growth, legacy. Aiden didn’t care. All he cared about was the boy standing at the edge of the driveway with the same flower crown still sitting on his head.

“You’re really leaving?” Aiden asked, not trusting his voice.

“I’ll come back.”

“Will you remember me?”

Kairo walked up and hugged him. Not like a kid hug — it was different. Arms wrapped around his waist, cheek resting against Aiden’s shoulder. Like he was memorizing the shape of him.

“I could never forget your scent,” Kairo whispered. “You’re the only one I can smell clearly.”

Aiden froze.

No one had ever said that to him before. He didn’t even know what it meant — just that his heart was suddenly way too loud.

Then Kairo stepped back, turned, and got into the car.

The door closed.

He was gone.

Aiden stood alone, hugging the flower crown to his chest like it was the last soft thing left in the world.

In a world divided by roles, scent, and instinct…

Two boys made a promise before they even understood what love meant.

But fate never forgets.

And neither does the heart.

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