Chapter Text
The Red String of Fate (simplified Chinese: 姻缘红线; traditional Chinese: 姻緣紅線; pinyin: Yīnyuán hóngxiàn), also referred to as the Red String of Marriage, and other variants, is an East Asian belief originating from Chinese legend. According to this myth, the gods tie an invisible red cord around the ankles of those that are destined to meet one another in a certain situation or help each other in a certain way. Often, in Japanese culture, it is thought to be tied around the little finger. According to Chinese legend, the deity in charge of "the red thread" is believed to be Yuè Xià Lǎorén (月下老人), often abbreviated to Yuè Lǎo (月老), the old lunar matchmaker god, who is in charge of marriages.
The two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break. This myth is similar to the Western concept of soulmate or a destined flame.
Wikipedia. Red string of fate. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_string_of_fate (accessed 16 April 2017).
Love.
What exactly was love?
...not something that I could define, if I were being honest. The mere thought of it scared me so much that I stayed away from it, hoping that I'd be safe from its effects. Like I said, I didn't know much about love but I knew one thing:
Love could hurt. And when it did, it cut you deep. It would gut you clean till you're nothing but a shell of your former self. You'd be so raw and vulnerable that the only way to compensate was by building up a wall.
You'd even spend most of your time wondering:
'Why did I give someone that power?'
Bearing that in mind, I decided to keep to myself. All throughout my formative years I strayed from forming any meaningful connections. Where most people made friends, I made acquaintances. Every party that I was invited to, I avoided, opting for nights in instead.
It was a lonely existence, I admit, but I was me. And that was all that mattered.
That was, until the red string of fate appeared.