Work Text:
Lee Jaheon does not ‘like’.
Ever since he had been dispatched to this planet, he has done what he has been told to do without complaint, as he is also a ‘we’.
A member of a Coalition; of one mind and, subsequently, of opinion.
Individuality was non-existent, that was how it was supposed to be, except it was unavoidable that preferences began to surface during long periods of immersion within human society.
Human food was excellent, they decided.
Sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, salty…all a unique delight for the senses.
Lee Jaheon discovered early on that Korean beef bulgogi was his preference; it was richly seasoned, protein packed, red meat, which went well with the woodiness of chopsticks that he accidentally bit into, as he was still getting used to controlling his strength.
Then, came the humans.
Team D, consisting of Assistant Manager Eun Haje, Supervisor Park Minseong, Falcon and Badger, respectively.
They were reliable, independent, worked well, and never clashed with him/them. They were, as the Coalition decided–good, useful humans. Falcon was sharp-eyed and would often serve as a temp leader whenever Lee Jaheon’s bluntness was too much. Badger was fairly easy-going and kind, by the Collective’s metrics for humans, and it made interactions with new hires to Team D smooth sailing.
There was one new ‘human’.
The anomaly, Kim Soleum, or Mr. Roe Deer.
A unique existence, Kim Soleum, the Space Shopping Mall’s top spender, an unusual ‘human being’ and VIP–their favored customer.
After repeated exposure, Lee Jaheon found himself warming to this individual.
At first, the Coalition had no idea what to make of it. A human who time and time again, insisted on this Lee Jaheon’s individuality, on saving this Lee Jaheon’s life and body despite being reminded that they were all one hive mind. It was illogical, to a species that regarded things based on cost and worth, and yet.
It was inevitable that they, the entity Lee Jaheon and the Coalition, would grow…fond.
It was during one of their weekly discussions, a mental meeting they held every few weeks, was Kim Soleum mentioned.
Inwardly, it was a council of alien lizard-like reptiles of all different shades of colors, staring blankly and assessing what new items to put up for sale, all nodding along as they made their webpage even more brightly colored and eye-catching.
One suggested the use of more Mikkrossoft WourdArtt to really capture the essence of their wares, an idea that was approved on the spot.
Outwardly, Lee Jaheon was seemingly ‘meditating’ at his desk, head tipped forward slightly, arms folded across his chest, the very picture of a serene, extremely, unfairly handsome man. The sunlight outside caught on the faint white eyelashes and slightly parted lips, eyes closed, all made for a breathtaking image, overwhelming to those who hadn’t built up a resistance to Lee Jaheon’s top tier good looks.
The Coalition began discussing a more important topic.
“This human, this…Kim Soleum,” One grey lizard said, “He is different.”
“Yes, we have seen him through our shared memories.”
Multiple of them spoke, nodding and flicking their tongues, reptilian pupils turning slightly more rounded, dilated.
“A very high-spender.”
“Respectful.”
“Easy to converse with.”
“A regular who gives good feedback.”
“The Lee Jaheon entity is the one who is favored by our dear customer.”
All reptilian eyes looked to the white lizard, the one known as Lee Jaheon, and for a split second, there was a faint chemical reaction they could all feel within themselves–the faintest trace of…envy?
How strange and novel, to be envious of oneself for experiencing Kim Soleum in physical form.
“? Yes, Kim Soleum-ssi is under my care,” Lee Jaheon spoke, tone calm yet with a hint of warmth, familiarity and fondness. Novel emotions that simmered but grew whenever he was by Soleum’s side, when the man relied and depended on him.
Mr. Roe Deer, an enigma, who threw himself at Darknesses to protect every life he could, yet also disregarding his own well-being. The memory of Kim Soleum rescuing him from a certain Darkness caused the Lee Jaheon entity’s lips to curve up into a faint smile.
At the same time, these feelings are also felt by the Coalition. All at once, they all relax, slow blinking their round lizard eyes, tongues flicking out in lizard-y contentment. Serotonin rushes through, a rare chemical to ‘feel’. It is good.
And all at once, they decide.
“Kim Soleum is a very valuable human.”
“Yes, he is pleasing to behold.”
“Intelligent and kind.”
“We like it when he relies on us.”
Lee Jaheon agreed, as they all shared the same thoughts.
As an individual though, as ‘Lee Jaheon’, he added, “His waist is small, and easy to hold.” It almost sounds smug. “He is warm and soft, and is very considerate. He does not show it easily, but his ears turn the faintest pink when flustered.”
Jaheon paused, head tilted, “He also appears to show great attraction towards me.” His tone was definitely ‘pleased’ there.
They all knew this. Whatever Lee Jaheon experienced, they did as well.
They knew how fast Kim Soleum’s heart raced when in close proximity, how the smaller man’s pheromones spiked when physical contact was made, how the usually calm Roe Deer’s speech stuttered for a second after Lee Jaheon got soaked during a routine Darkness exploration, causing the alien lizard’s shirt to turn almost see through, sticking to his skin and outlining his muscles, very clearly.
Yes, Mr. Roe Deer seemed to really appreciate this Lee Jaheon’s figure.
All the alien reptiles concluded the meeting with the final consensus.
“Mate?”
“? Yes, we will upgrade his membership to ‘Very Important Mate’.”
“A new exclusive rank for our dearest customer, it is only appropriate.”
“VIP to VIM? What benefits do we add?”
“More discounts. Kim Soleum regularly shows preference in getting a good deal.”
As much as they wanted to give the human all the things for free, they still needed to make money, such was the curse of capitalism.
“One coupon for a free Delusion Home Shopping Network item when it is his date of birth.”
“Yes, and the Lee Jaheon entity will serve as our representative as always.”
“Yes, that is preferred,” Lee Jaheon left no room for argument, his gaze unusually intense. “I will proceed with courting and showing Kim Soleum-ssi our mating customs.” He responded seriously, opening his eyes to leave the mental ‘meeting’, his connection to the Coalition thinning to a faint background hum.
Lee Jaheon turned his head towards Kim Soleum, watching the man typing up a new report for a Darkness, and felt the corners of his lips turn into a small, subtle smile.
In his pocket, he felt the item he’d been provided by the Coalition; a small, velvet box, with a simple silver ring tucked away inside, perfectly sized for Kim Soleum’s finger, perfect for their dearest customer.