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A quiet buzz, more like a hum than anything, and a steady pain on his upper arm.
Gaze fixated on the ceiling, on the crappy dangling lights that fill the room with an oddly comforting glow. The pain travels upwards, and around and around, but it's a sensation soon dulled to a mere thought in the back of his mind. His eyes travel down, tracing over the tacky posters and picture frames that cram the wall in front of him.
He hums a wordless melody to himself. One of the dangling lights flickers and he glances up at it. Counting each of the bulbs now.
One.
Two.
Three.
"All done." He looks over to meet the gaze of the man who's cradling his arm and feels himself flashing a smile.
"Thank you." He glances down at his forearm, red around the fresh ink now stained on his skin. A little sprig of spirea, pretty and delicate even while colorless. "It's beautiful."
The man smiles. "All in a day's work. Or less than one, rather."
He gets up after the man takes care of his arm, holding it gingerly by his side as he continues to gaze at it thoughtfully. "What made you choose that flower? I've never heard of it until now, honestly."
He glances up from the ink work and gives a little shrug.
"I'm not sure. It just seemed... right."
Jimin shuts his phone off as the alarm yaps angrily at him. He supposes it's his own fault for making it sound like a barking dog, but having grown up with three it seems to be the only thing that will get him up in the morning. From the screen glares a rather unsavory "get ya ass up, bitch" that his 2018 self had created and he never felt like changing.
The morning is its usual routine blur, so he thinks of other things rather than focus on the same old cereal spilling into his bowl for the nth morning in a row. It seems his soulmate has gotten another tattoo. He's already had several inked into his skin, decorating his forearm and now travelling up his bicep. They're pretty, Jimin decides, both the tattoos and his soulmate's arm.
He tries not to be creepy about it. It's just an arm.
At first Jimin wasn't sure that his soulmate was male, but enough things have been heard (and seen) for it to be long since clear. It's been more than four years since he started having these dreams, after all.
Sometimes he just longs to find his soulmate, yearns to just see him for the first time (apparently looking in the mirror is never vivid enough for him to dream about) and feel that little piece of himself become twice as whole. Usually, though, he's just content to take life as it goes, knowing that he'll find his soulmate eventually when the time is right.
For now he's just curious. He's never heard of spirea either, so he takes to the internet like any rational human. A quick search brings up pretty bunches of little white flowers flowers, small and simple but still pretty to look at.
His soulmate's voice echos in his head. It just seemed... right. He quickly looks up the meaning of the flowers. It's hard for him to find much, just— "loving love." Simple but sweet. Jimin smiles to himself. So pure.
A little more searching has his breath catching in his throat. The spirea is the birth flower for October 13th. Jimin's birthday. He's not sure if it's just a coincidence, or if the universe decided to nudge his soulmate in the right direction. Either way, it makes Jimin feel a little warm inside to know that something related to him is permanently inked onto his soulmate's body.
Now that he thinks about it, once they finally find each other, maybe it won't be so hard to convince his soulmate to get a tattoo of something a little more distinctly Jimin. But that's for another time, anyway.
Jimin unconsciously brushes his fingers across his own bicep, where the feeling of the needle still buzzes in his mind. He wonders if his soulmate dreamed of the night he got his own tattoo, the jagged phrase Nevermind stretching across his rib cage.
Probably.
Hopefully.
"Been having good dreams lately?" Taehyung asks, waggling his eyebrows a little. In another universe maybe, he would just be asking if Jimin has slept well. Of course here he means exactly what he asks.
Jimin shrugs. He sips his coffee slowly, cupped between his palms for warmth. He's on break now, and of course his best friend and coworker can't possibly not chat him up.
"He got another tattoo yesterday," he says offhandedly. He acts like it's not a big deal but he loves the way Taehyung's eyes light up in delight.
"Really? That's so cool," he gushes. "What was it of? He's gotten a lot, right? He must be so dreamy."
"Shut up, Tae. You already have a soulmate."
Taehyung just grins. "And? Tell me about it."
"It's spirea," Jimin says. "Like the flower. It's pretty. Simple. Not like 'pretty simple,' but pretty and simple. And get this— He said he got it because it just felt right, and then I looked it up this morning, apparently it's my birthday flower? So like, he got my birth flower tattooed on his arm and he doesn't even know why." He chuckles at that.
Taehyung's eyes sparkle. "That's so romantic," he sighs. "It's like fate told him what to choose. That's so cute. You guys are so freaking cute and you haven't even met yet."
Jimin rolls his eyes. "Shut up."
"You keep saying that but you still want me to keep talking," Taehyung says, shaking his head in mock despair. "Make up your mind, Park Jimin."
"... You can keep talking. You know I love you too much for this."
Taehyung grins triumphantly. "As I thought. And come on, you have to admit, this is pretty darn cute."
Jimin shrugs, and although it's supposed to come off nonchalant, he can't keep the small smile from dancing on his lips. "Yeah, it's pretty cute."
"Precisely," Taehyung announces, slapping his best friend on the shoulder before leaning back in his chair with satisfaction. "I don't know why you haven't hunted this guy down already, from what I've heard, he's a total catch."
Jimin fights from rolling his eyes again, far too fond of his best friend. "Because. I don't need to. We'll meet when we meet, Tae. And when we do, it'll be perfect. But for now, oh well, you know? I have to focus on my job and I'm sure he has his own things to worry about."
"Yeah, but aren't you curious?" Taehyung prods. "I've literally been waking up every morning with a fresh memory of my soulmate just aching to see the beautiful person connected to that sexy life of his. I've been waiting almost a decade, for goodness sake. If I could just meet him already, that would be great. But the universe says no."
Jimin laughs. "That's exactly why I don't want to worry about it too much. I mean yeah, of course I'm curious, and I'm sure we'll be great together. And sometimes I fantasize about getting to be with him in real life and not just through dreams. But we should just go with the flow, ya know?"
"Okay, poet," Taehyung teases. "Still can't stop me from pining after him, though."
"I won't even try, don't worry." Jimin stands up and dusts off his apron, depositing his cup into the compost. "C'mon. Our shift is starting up again."
They work side by side as the traffic picks up, a surprising number of people coming in for their afternoon coffee.
"It's just so cool to see all these snapshots of his life, you know?" Taehyung muses. "It's like I'm getting to know pieces of his world and his story first hand. I just can't wait until the rest can be filled in. In real life. By him. When we start dating."
"I get that." Jimin tosses a few syrups and scoopfuls of ice into a blender. "It is kind of cool to see all the things he cherishes most. It makes me really happy when my dreams are just him and his friends all smiling and laughing together."
"Exactly." Taehyung fiddles with the espresso machine. "Admit it, Jiminie, you—"
Jimin turns on the blender then, effectively drowning out his friend's words. Once the noise dies down, he gives Taehyung a sheepish smile. "Sorry, what am I admitting?"
"That you w—"
The blender grinds down loudly on ice chunks and milk. Not that the milk is the loud part. "Sorry about that Taehyung, repeat it one more time?"
"T—"
He doesn't even get a word out this time before Jimin's got the blender going near max speed, giving Taehyung a shit eating grin the entire time. Taehyung stares right back, completely deadpan, until Jimin deems the drink well blended and pours it into a cup.
"My bad, Tae," Jimin says, his voice sickly sweet as he secures a cap onto the drink. "I guess you'll just have to tell me another time, looks like we should really focus on grinding these bad boys out for the customers."
Taehyung's the one to roll his eyes this time, but he ruffles Jimin's hair fondly nonetheless. "Yeah, okay," he deadpans. "Some other time."
Jimin just grins to himself before he calls out the name on the drink, already moving on to prepare the next one.
Warmth. Intense warmth, spread throughout his whole body, from the tips of his ears to the tips of his toes. Pooling heavy in his stomach like saccharine honey.
His chest burns, his forehead sticky with sweat, touches dancing feather-light over his waist. A lock of dark hair tumbles into his eyes but he can't possibly muster up the strength to push it away. Heat pressed against his skin, everywhere, and it's overwhelming.
A feeling heavy in his chest, heart pounding erratically and threatening to break free.
It's so close to breaking free.
Fingers tracing the flower tattoo, wrapping firmly around it, gripping tight. The slight pain at the touch — the ink is still fresh — but it's not too much. White crowds his vision. Definitely not too much.
Another lock of hair joins the first, and then they're both being brushed out of his eyes and tucked behind his ear. He allows himself to fall a little further.
He hears his own ragged breath loud in his ears as it's drawn in and shakily exhaled out past trembling lips. In and out. In and out.
Then— a slight trip in the rhythm as his breath hitches and his eyes slip shut. A crease forming in the smooth expanse between his brows.
The heat builds like he's a glass under a faucet, if the water was scalding. And he's so close to overflowing.
Full. He's definitely full, and—
He tumbles onto his back, chest rising and falling rapidly in cadence with his heartbeat, a breeze making sweat dry cool on heated skin.
He sighs deeply, head spinning, and lets his eyes close for now.
Jimin's eyes fly open, chest heaving far more than it should be considering all he just did was sleep. Oh.
Okay. A little different from the night before, where he spent an insanely long time playing with and taking care of puppies at a shelter (which, of course, made his heart melt not just for the dogs but also for how cute his soulmate must be).
He rolls over and shoves his face into his pillow, his cheeks hot. He most definitely did not go to sleep last night expecting this. He squirms around and kicks his bed sheets in frustration, not caring that he's acting kind of like a kid, mostly because no one is there to see him.
He then takes a nice cold shower.
Jimin feels a lot better after that, chewing on his tasteless breakfast while mindlessly scrolling through Twitter. He gets a notification from Taehyung and quickly taps on it, abandoning his cereal for the time being.
tae <3
jimin
im gonna cry
my soulmate is so sweet i can feel it in my toes
me
i dont know what thats supposed to mean and im not sure i want to
in your... toes
tae <3
figure of speech dumbass
i was gonna say soul but that's kind of repetitive
me
toes was not a good choice
"heart" "being" "core"
tae <3
thank you wiktionary
me
this feels like an insult because anyone can upload info to wikipedia
tae <3
yes
me
>:(
well what did u dream about then if u think he's so cute
tae <3
a cat cafe
there were so many cats jiminie
and they were all crowded around us and nuzzling us like :( usually they'd all run away from me
me
its cute how you say 'us'
tae <3
yeah cause we're both experiencing it :))
i've been wanting to get a puppy for ages minnie
i bet hes so good with animals :((((( plus a dog could keep me company hhh
and you? what did you guys do last night
me
oh haha
just yk
he played with puppies at the shelter
tae <3
*we
and i thought that was two nights ago?
me
oh right lols
i guess he just did it again
tae <3
thats rlly cute :((( ur soulmate is the absolute cutest :((((
me
maybe haha
yours is cute tho too :(( attracting all the kitties :(
tae <3
ikr
ok now i know u know how much i like talking about soulmates but going back to last night
can we PLEASE address how crusty snape is
me
oh gladly
Here's the thing.
Even though nearly everyone in the world has a romantic soulmate — although platonic soulmates exist as well, even for those with romantic ones and especially for those who don't experience such attractions — there are still tons of people who date others aside from their soulmate. Some people never meet their soulmate unfortunately, but they are still able to settle down with happy lives with their own found love.
Just because they're not your soulmate, in no way means you can't fall deeply in love.
There's a lot of mixed opinions on the matter, some people claiming that it should be practically criminal to not end up with your fated soulmate while others assert that people can be with whoever they want to be with.
While Jimin personally, deeply hopes he will end up with his soulmate (no matter how much he blusters it away), he sees no reason as to why others can't do what they want with their love lives.
Plus, the "younger folk" (Jimin included) almost always try dating, or at least something, a handful of times with someone other than their soulmate out of curiosity. What if he doesn't meet his soulmate until he's thirty five? So sue him, he doesn't want to be completely deprived and inexperienced.
Several people have found their own life partners that way. Most people don't.
So although Jimin thinks it'd be kind of cute if he was his soulmate's first boyfriend and his soulmate was his, it's a little too late for both of those. Jimin always went back and forth between being jealous of his soulmate's boyfriend when he had one and dismissive, knowing he's done the same.
He's never sure if he should feel bad when he secretly hopes they'll break up soon.
On the one hand, he'd feel bad that a relationship has ended, and his soulmate would surely be sad. He doesn't want his soulmate to be sad.
On the other hand, he's destined for Jimin, and Jimin is not ready to meet his soulmate as a taken man. That would be no fun at all.
And probably more awkward than it already will be, considering all the things he's seen.
His poor eyeballs.
Then again, his soulmate has probably seen some unfortunate things as well.
His poor eyeballs.
Not everything is good, though. Sometimes Jimin will have nightmares, jolting up in a cold sweat with his stomach twisting painfully. Wishing he could just gather his soulmate into the tightest hug and tell him that everything will be okay because they have each other and they can get through this together.
Except he can't. Because he has no idea who his soulmate is.
Well, he feels as if he knows at least a respectable amount about the guy, considering he's gotten nightly insight into his life for over four years now — meaning he must be twenty two. It warms his heart to see some of the younger man's most cherished memories from the day, to see what kind of person he is to enjoy such things.
He knows he can say without a doubt that his soulmate is a total sweetheart. He knows he likes puppies and baking and watching the ducks at the park. He knows he likes volunteering and that he tutors on the weekends. He knows he's a film major — or so he could guess — and if his videos of his past boyfriend are anything to go by, he's a hopeless romantic. He knows he has several piercings and practically a sleeve of tattoos and likes dressing in all black but seems to have a heart of gold.
Knowing all this and still not even knowing his name makes Jimin frustrated to no end. That's the thing — the only aspects consistently omitted from his dreams are names.
So yeah, he likes his soulmate. He's sure they'll be great together, he feels happy that his soulmate seems so nice, and he sometimes wonders if he's making a good impression on the younger. But it feels like such a distant thing, when dreams used to be no more than his brain feeding images into itself just for no reason other than to dream.
It's hard to feel a true attachment to someone who feels no more real than the purple dinosaur that used to plague his dreams. The only difference is his soulmate is a human, and getting to know him isn't a nightmare.
That's the main reason he doesn't want to get so hung up on his dream-man. He wants to wait until he comes to life, so he can truly get to know him through his own stories told just the way he likes. He wants to hear his laugh because Jimin teased him fondly, see his smile because Jimin gave him one first. He wants to fall for the man he can touch, the man he can hold, not the faceless body he inhabits every night.
Of course he knows this man is his soulmate, meaning their souls are literally connected and they are quite literally destined to be together but still. He just wants to wait to establish his own connection the proper way. He doesn't want to force himself into feelings he thinks he has to have.
But he trusts his soulmate and he trusts himself and he trusts the universe and that everything will come together when it's meant to.
"Minsoo!"
Jimin places the coffee cup onto the counter as soon as he's done preparing it, waiting briefly to make sure the customer will come pick it up. He's about to go back to grab the next order when he sees just who that customer is.
Oddly familiar and yet so much like a stranger considering this is the first time Jimin's seen him in real life. But his face — yes, he's seen that face before. With lips that he'd kissed just last night.
He flushes. Well. He hasn't. But he's experienced it nonetheless.
The man — no, Minsoo — catches his eye, and Jimin quickly realizes he's been staring for a bit too long. He turns abruptly back towards his work, not sparing another glance until Minsoo has made it out of the door. He tries not to think of the other thing's he's seen.
Jimin feels a little shaken. This is the first time he has ever met someone from his dreams. The exchange could hardly be considered one, and yet he's practically reeling from the shock of seeing Minsoo with his own eyes.
It's surreal, in all honesty. Even with quite a minor character in the grand scheme of things — it had only been one night, anyway — he feels like he's just had an out of body experience. Like he's seeing a character from his favorite TV show in real life, only to realize they're just a normal person after all.
This means his soulmate must be close — no way this guy would travel very far for a cup of coffee. The thought makes Jimin's heart pound in excitement, but he tries his best to swallow it down.
The time will come when the time comes. No need to push it.
God, he wants to just search for his soulmate and find him. Today, maybe, if he's lucky, although tomorrow would be good too. But he knows it's premature. We're not ready yet. When we meet, it will be fate. It's only been four years, don't get so impatient. Seeking him out early isn't the way to go.
His mini self pep talk seems to work. He shakes his head lightly, trying to clear the weird haze that's settled over him and focus on the vanilla chai latte he's supposed to be brewing.
It's fine. He'll meet his soulmate exactly when he is meant to.
"Oh my god," he sighs as a puppy kneads at his thighs. The pomeranian gazes up at him with shining eyes, little pink tongue lolling out as he tilts his head to the side.
He's back at the shelter again. So sue him, he's in love with this place. He picks the pomeranian up by his armpits, holding him like Simba. "My lion king." He grins and pulls the puppy close. The puppy licks his nose.
He starts zoning out just petting the puppy when a golden retriever bounds over, barely avoiding tripping on her big paws. The dog seems to forget that she's not as small as she used to be, practically barreling over the puppy-human duo already situated on the floor.
"Gosh— Hey— Stop licking me—" he laughs, wet doggie kisses covering his cheeks. "Ew, your breath is rank, my god, what have you been eating?"
He pulls his knees to his chest, cradling the pomeranian with one arm as he halfheartedly fends off the excited pup. "My goodness, don't you know how to wait your turn? The lack of manners on you! You should be ashamed." The golden retriever just sits back on her haunches, an almost-grin adorning her face.
Someone calls out, and although the word is warped beyond recognition, he knows it is his name. He carefully stands up, pomeranian under one arm and golden retriever nuzzling at the other. "Coming, sorry," he answers, and he carefully places the pomeranian on the floor. He gives him a little pat for good measure. "Be back for you soon, cutie."
"I thought you've been waiting for this for a while now," his coworker (volunteerer? adviser? who knows) teases once he gets there, and he rolls his eyes.
"Of course I have, but I can't possibly go a single day without spending time with my babies."
She just smiles and gives a small snort before leading him into another room.
"Make sure to keep your voice down," she warns. "Oh, and wash your hands thoroughly over there. We don't want to cause any sort of reactions on accident this early on." He nods and does what she says before joining her inside the little pen.
There, nestled in a swath of blankets, is a shiba inu. And tucked in right next to her are three tiny puppies.
He holds back a squeal at the sight, heart immediately leaping in the absolute awe of how adorable they are. They can't be more than a few weeks old, their eyes barely open before they close after deciding that staying awake isn't really worth it.
What a mood.
His coworker crouches down and gestures for him to do the same as she gently strokes the mother's fur. "Your reward for helping us out so much," she murmurs, scooping up one of the bigger puppies like it's made of glass.
"His name's ... ," she informs him and yet again the word is distorted. She places the puppy, light as a feather, into his cupped palms. "The firstborn. Really carrying the responsibilities of the family on his back."
He chuckles but his eyes never leave the tiny form in his hands. He feels like he's holding the world's most precious gem, like this puppy is the reason for all goodness in the world. The puppy shifts slightly in his hands and he's genuinely ready to just melt into a puddle of goo.
When the puppy gives a tiny yawn, revealing a toothless mouth and the tiniest pink tongue, he feels like he can die happy right here, right now.
His heart has never felt more full.
"What was it like? When you finally met Yoongi-hyung?" Jimin's spread out on Hoseok's couch, legs sore from standing at the coffee shop all day.
Hoseok gives a little smile. "It was... Kind of an out of body experience." He chuckles. "In more ways than one, really. Seeing the man that wears the body you've traveled in for so long is quite surreal. Before, I thought maybe there'd be a flash of light or a pop or something theatrical, but... it wasn't really. To be honest, I didn't actually realize it was him at first, just this odd feeling of completeness I had never noticed before."
"That sounds so nice," Jimin says wistfully. "To have that extra feeling of comfort."
"Yeah." Hoseok looks thoughtful, propping his chin in his hand. "It's more than just comfort, though. I... really don't know how to describe it. Every time I picture the feeling in my mind I just can't find the words for it. You'll know it when you feel it, Jiminie."
Jimin plays with a loose thread on the couch. "I guess."
Hoseok gives him a look. "Don't sound so forlorn. You know you'll meet him eventually. It's only been, what, four years? Since you started seeing his dreams? I had to wait seven." Suddenly he looks a little guilty. "Not— Not to make you feel like you can't be impatient or... Or hoping you'll meet him soon. I'm just saying that if you don't see him right away, in no way means that you'll never get to see him."
"That's true," Jimin sighs. "But as much as I try to be casual about this whole thing, I keep getting scared that I'll never see him in real life. Like... millions of people never meet their soulmates, what if I'm one of them?" He pauses. "Except... I did see someone from my dreams today."
Hoseok raises an eyebrow. "Really? Who? You don't talk about your dreams much."
He snorts. "I guess I don't." He shrugs, trying to stay nonchalant. "It's kind of funny, I honestly thought they were regular dreams for the first couple of nights. Dreams that just happened to have recurring 'characters' and a voice that was most definitely not my own. So at first all I thought was like, neat, my dreams are coherent for once. And then a week in I'm like, on a bed making out with this guy and giving him sweet talk and for some reason that makes me realize, holy shit this is my soulmate. And he's dating someone."
Hoseok frowns. "I'm sorry. That must feel a little weird."
"A little," Jimin agrees, "but I can't really do anything about it. Except hope that the universe will come to my aid. I mean, he's not with that guy anymore, but it kind of made me realize that it's normal for him to want some sort of connection even if it isn't me. Love exists outside of soulmates. Hell, I've dated other people before. That's a lot of the reason why I try not to get too hung up on him just yet. If we're not ready. I'm just... waiting for things to happen how they're supposed to happen."
"Ah. That makes sense," Hoseok says. "As long as you're okay." A pause. "Wait, so what were you going to say about the guy from your dreams?"
"Oh right. Someone my soulmate was with came by the coffee shop today for the first time. Which is... Interesting."
Hoseok's face lights up. "Really? Hold on, that means your soulmate must live around here. Unless this guy's just in the area, but... Jimin, that means you could see him soon."
Jimin gives him a pointed look. "Yeah, but he hasn't come in thus far, so what would make him try now?"
"Who knows." Hoseok shrugs. "It's as you said, the universe will figure it out for you, right?"
Jimin lets out a long sigh. "I hope so."
Brush strokes glide across canvas, staining the pristine surface a pale blue. Sweeping along and bringing vibrancy to the previously dull exterior.
He swishes the bristles in water, drying them carefully before selecting another color to mix. Making decisive patterns in methodical places, and yet it feels so free.
He repeats the process until his palette is a mess of color, paint of all hues crowding the plane. His painting has gotten much farther along now, no longer just looking like blobs of color layered upon each other.
He smiles softly to himself. It may be far from perfect, but he likes the way this is going. It makes him feel good, and right now, that's all that matters.
Everything's a blur for a moment — and suddenly, he's done. It took a good while, he knows, but he doesn't see every second. The sun is long since gone from the sky and the moon takes its turn gazing down at him as he steps back to admire his work.
It's a loose depiction of a person sitting on a cliff by the beach, one hand outstretched to the sky. The colors bleed into each other — a dab of blue just under the surface of the skin, a hint of peach lingering in the ocean. Brown cliffs built from the blues and yellows of its surroundings.
As he tilts his head, appraising his piece, he realizes that the figure on the cliff is achingly familiar.
The person has no face, and yet something deep inside of him tells him that he's seen this man before. That they have met each other somehow. Never mind the fact that this is a painting and not a photograph.
With every second he stares, he becomes more and more convinced that the figure is someone that he knows. He doesn't know why. The painting isn't based off of a picture, nor does he think any of his friends, classmates, or coworkers look anything like the person. Still, the whisper of familiarity remains.
And yet his mind supplies no name or face to complete the memory.
This week has been kind of hectic.
As the season grows colder, more and more people come into the coffee shop aside from the regulars, usually looking for something just to warm them up. That mean's Jimin's busier than usual, churning out drinks faster than he thought possible. The moment one order is done, he's immediately moving on to the next.
Although it's definitely good for business, it's pretty draining. His legs are constantly sore. His fingers cramp occasionally, which is unexpected. He's far more likely to be irritable.
So today is off to a bad start the moment he opens his eyes, never mind the fact that his contacts refuse to stay in his eyeballs and keep stabbing him when they do. This unfortunate development forces him to wear his glasses whose prescription hasn't been updated in years.
He barely makes it to work on time, glasses constantly slipping down his nose (why are they so poorly fitted?) as he hustles into the coffee shop. He drops his stuff and throws on his apron, quickly joining Taehyung at the counter.
"Cutting it close, huh," Taehyung jokes. Jimin has no idea how he has the energy for this.
"Mm," is all he answers, eyes still bleary with sleep (or is that just his glasses not being strong enough). He quickly grabs a cup and starts working on an order.
Taehyung hums softly beside him. "This week's been kind of crazy, huh."
"Yeah." Jimin sighs, rubbing his eye with his arm and ignoring the way his glasses dig into his forehead as he does so. "As much as the business is good for us, it's fucking exhausting."
Taehyung nods in agreement. "I think my knees are permanently locked. I practically waddled to my car last night. Seriously, I cannot wait for our day off tomorrow."
"Ugh, thank you for reminding me. I almost forgot. My contacts decided to take the leap from my eyeballs this morning, so I've been kind of distracted."
Taehyung glances at him, but he doesn't have time for much more than that. "That explains the glasses. You look cute with them. Then again, you always look cute."
Jimin smiles and shakes his head. Leave it to Taehyung to find an easy way to make him smile. "Thanks. You always look cute too."
During his lunch break, Jimin takes his glasses off to give his head a rest. For some reason, whenever he wears his glasses he gets this tiny headache right behind and above his ears, so he doesn't really care that he can't see squat right now. As long as his head gets a break.
His eyes roam around the shop, taking in the different colored blobs that decorate the shop. The floral arrangements look oddly pretty like this, a fuzzy amalgamation of purples and blues and pinks. Hell yeah, bi rights.
He rests his chin in his palm as he chews thoughtfully, looking around at the customers he cannot see. He's glad they're here and he hopes they're enjoying themselves, enjoying the drinks that he's made. He may be bitter about his knees, but he's still grateful for the good customers they have (although there are some weirdos at times).
When his break is over and Jimin is forced to put his glasses back on, his headache has eased and he feels just a little bit better.
"It's my roommate's favorite coffee place right now," his friend explains, wind whipping dark brown hair into his eyes. He's leading them to said coffee place, a small smile on his lips as he explains the backstory.
"I hope it's good," his other friend replies. "I don't want us to have trudged all this way for nothing." He's trying to hold his black hair out of his face to no avail.
"It took us ten minutes to get here," the brunet says, rolling his eyes good-naturedly.
"I said what i said."
He shakes his head at his two friends' harmless bickering. He honestly doesn't mind the walk — although it is rather cold, he oddly enjoys the feeling of wind on his cheeks as long as it doesn't feel like he's being whipped. A nice breeze is, well, nice, and he always finds himself liking the way his nose and ears feel in the crisp air.
Once they step inside of the shop, however, he basks in the warmth it brings.
The cold weather now locked outside, he rubs his hands together and savors the flood of heat now enveloping his body.
"Ahh, see, that's better," the raven-haired says, letting out a little sigh of relief as they go to stand in the growing line.
He nods as he glances around the shop. It's homey, lit with warm lights and decorated with little flower arrangements. The floor and walls are all oak, the room filled with the aroma of fresh coffee. He likes it, he decides.
But there's something else about it, too. Something so tantalizingly familiar, and yet he can't seem to put his finger on it. His inability to identify the familiarity irks him to no end.
They finally make it to the register to order before, by some miracle, snagging an open table by the back of the shop. The place is so crowded that he's amazed they got to this table before anyone else considering the line to order is now snaking out the door. He's surprised he hasn't heard of this place if it's so popular, but he supposes it's better late than never to give it a try.
They begin talking about the incredibly ugly blue mouse that the brunet has been dying to kick out of his village, and who also gifted him a used toilet at one point in time.
"I'm serious," the brunet groans. "My morning routine is literally to wake up, go fishing, catch some bugs, and harass the ugly fucker so maybe he'll leave my goddamn island."
The black-haired laughs. "My problem is the creepy hacker hamster dude. I don't even want to learn his name. Why does he always look so smug? I can think of a thousand ways to wipe that crusty little smirk off of his creepy little face."
He snorts at his friend's ranting. "Y'all trying to kick them off because they're ugly? Sounds like pretty privilege to me."
"You don't understand," the brunet says with pleading eyes. "You'd understand if you saw them. Have you ever been gifted a used toilet? Have you??"
"Well... I can't say I have."
"Then you cannot speak," the black-haired cuts in. "Have a conversation with him once, I dare you. You'll be beating him up in an instant."
Then the black-haired's name gets called and he stands up, going to collect his drink.
"Just you and me, huh," the brunet winks.
"Ohh yes. Finally some alone time." He rubs his hands together, wiggling his eyebrows.
They talk for a bit, but the black-haired still hasn't returned.
"Um, did he die or something," the brunet jokes.
"Dude, probably." He looks over towards the counter but his friend isn't there. "Uhh. Where did he go."
The brunet whips around, realizing that he can't see their friend either. "Um. Probably just to the bathroom, right?"
Turns out he is right, since a minute or so later he's strolling out of the bathroom like he's on cloud nine.
"Holy shit," the brunet says.
"Must've been," he agrees. "Considering how excited he looks." His friend laughs and shakes his head.
"Wait, actually holy shit, look." He turns to look back at the bathroom only to see... Someone else exiting as well. Said someone puts an apron on and walks back behind the counter.
"Um? Care to tell us who the hell that is?" he demands as soon as the black-haired has made it back to the table.
His friend gives them a giant grin. Not that it's left his face ever since he left the bathroom. "My soulmate. I just met my soulmate."
Their jaws drop open and they stare at him for a long moment before breaking out into grins of their own.
"For real? Oh my god, congratulations!"
"Yeah, man, that's amazing! I know how long you've been waiting, congratulations!"
"That's so cool, seriously, this is so amazing, I'm so? Freaking happy for you?"
"Seriously, I'm beyond excited for you."
The black-haired keeps smiling as he goes to take a sip of his drink. "I can't believe it. I really can't believe it. Six years have led up to this moment. I can't believe it."
"Well you'd better. Too bad he has to go to work, did you at least get his number?"
"Who do you take me for? Of course I did!"
They talk excitedly about this new revelation for a while, a buzz of excitement strong in the air.
They finally settle down after a while and the brunet gives a sigh of content, leaning back in his chair. "It's nice here. I like the atmosphere."
"Me too," he agrees, glancing around the room. His eyes drift over the flower arrangements, the menu scrawled out in neat lettering, the long line of people waiting to order.
He keeps looking around until he notices someone. There's a man sitting alone at a small table in the corner, eating his lunch as he too gazes out at the room. His heart rate picks up as he notices a few details that he almost... recognizes.
Fluffy blond hair he feels he's almost seen falling into his own eyes. A thick blue sweater he feels he's almost felt enveloping his own body. Small fingers covered in rings he feels he's almost played with before.
Not to mention, this man is absolutely breathtaking. From his delicate features to his perfect posture, everything about him is positively enchanting. He finds himself leaning in unconsciously as if drawn towards the tantalizing beauty.
And when the man turns his head and looks directly into his eyes, he feels a sudden rush of warmth. He instantaneously feels like everything is right in the world in a way he could never use words to describe.
"What the hell was that," he whispers to himself, dumbstruck.
Holy shit.
Holy shit holy shit holy shit.
Those were his eyes he just saw. Jimin just looked into his own freaking eyes in his dream. He made eye contact with himself. That means his soulmate came to the coffee shop yesterday.
And thanks to his stupid contacts — or is it his own misstep for taking off his glasses — Jimin completely missed seeing him altogether.
He wants to bang his head against the wall.
He missed seeing his soulmate. He was literally just a few meters away from meeting the man he's been waiting to meet for four years now, and he missed his chance. He can't believe this is happening. He almost laughs out loud at the ridiculousness.
He bemoans his existence for a solid ten minutes, made even worse by the realization that he won't be going back to work until Monday and— who knows if his soulmate will even be there?
He truly hates himself and his contacts in this moment.
It isn't until his pity party is over that he realizes something else. He saw Taehyung in his dream. Taehyung exited the bathroom with his soulmate's black-haired friend in his dream. And the black-haired friend said he met his soulmate.
Holy shit. Again.
me
kim taehyung you motherfucking traitor.
tae <3
who me
me
yes you?????????
you've literally been going on about your soulmate for NINE YEARS and you don't even tell me when you finally meet him??????
tae <3
ahhhh right
that
slipped me mind
me
SLIPPED YOUR MIND??
S L I P P E D Y O U R M I N D ?? ? ? ? ?
SDLCX]P]L@V;D]A][SP/@]LC;'ZL;L:":df:L;S'';l@:zf)(*w#*(LDS"f#
SJDLKFJSDF????
LKDSJFLKSJDFLJSDFOIJ!!!!!!
tae <3
LMAOOOO
me
DO NOT! DO NOT LMAO ME KIM TAEHYUNG WHAT THE HELLLLLLL
SPILL EVERYTHING TF
tae <3
ok ok im sorry i didnt tell you i only got a few minutes with him when u were on break
and then i had to go back to work super fast and got distracted so it slipped my mind
me
i cannot believe u
i cannot believe ur wholeass SOULMATE slipped your mind
well?? tell me about him then????
tae <3
welllll his names kim seokjin
and hes so freaking CUTE i will eat him up
he has the cutest laugh and smile and one hug already has me hooked
and his voice sounds even nicer in real life when its not just coming from "our" mouth
and hes so beautiful did i say that because hes so beautiful i want to cry
and he told me i should definitely get that puppy even though he's here now so guess who's doing that finally ahaha
and
just thinking of him makes me feel so so full and happy and ughhhhhhhh
im so happy minnie :(( so freaking happy :((
me
and im so happy for you :((((((( that sounds amazing
ill help u with the puppy picking ;)
tae <3
perhaps... nepotism?
but it isssss :(( we exchanged numbers and we're going on a date tomorrow since we rlly didn't get to talk much yesterday
me
thats so h*cking cute i will cry
tae <3
yeah :(((
and then last night my dream was just talking to me :(((((((((
me
god thats CUTE
im so happy for you
and i really hate to shift attention slkdjfsldj but ummmmm
i saw myself in my dream last night
tae <3
WHAT
OMG
DONT APOLOGIZE FOR SHIFTING ATTENTION ?? TELL ME MORE ?????
me
well
apparently he's best friends with your soulmate
isn't that crazy??
and they went to the coffee shop because their other friend's roommate likes it
he was just looking around the shop and he saw ?? me ??????
AND I DIDNT EVEN SEE HIM BECAUSE IM A DUMBASS AND TOOK MY GLASSES OFF SO MY HEAD WOULD STOP HURTING
I H*TE MYSELF
tae <3
SDKSJFLSDJ OMG
me
I KNOW
NOW I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AT LEAST MONDAY TO SEE HIM???
WHY DIDNT HE COME UP TO MEEEEE SDKFLSD THIS IS SO SAD
tae <3
:(((((((
me
.... holy crap wait
if he's friends with your soulmate.
i've seen your soulmate in my dreams countless of times
does this mean..... you've seen my soulmate in your dreams
tae <3
holy crap
holy shit i must have
oh my god
me
this is insaneeeeeee
tae <3
wait yeah hold on hold on
jin-hyung has two best friends
rn they're both brunet, tall
hawt 🥵
me
sldkjflsd stop teasing
tae <3
im serious!!!
which one's ur soulmate?
me
well the other friend has dimples? knows about a lot of deep stuff? loves tiny animals? taller than us i think?
by us i mean my soulmate
not by much tho
tae <3
waitwaitwait i know which one ur talking about
wait hold on yeah no ive seen the other guy's tattoos in the summer
by other guy i mean ur soulmate i believe
when he wears short sleeves 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵
me
TAE
you have a soulmate my god
tae <3
i am merely appreciating beauty my dear <3
but seriously jimin
holy shit he's cute
seriously a 15/10
you're going to melt when you meet him
me
god stop teasing me
tae <3
you asked!!
at least now you Know your soulmate is hot
me
hey it shouldn't matter how he looks we're literally destined to be together
and besides i already knew he'd be attractive
tae <3
but now you *know* know
and him being hot is Always an added bonus ;)
me
.....
why couldn't i have kept my goddamn glasses on
The weekend is torture.
He's been looking forwards to this time off for what feels like ages now, and yet now he can't wait for it to be over. Sitting in his pajamas watching Netflix doesn't feel quite as gratifying when he knows he is insanely close to finally meeting his soulmate.
The whole weekend feels like it's crawling by and everything feels more lifeless than ever. He dreams of friends and puppies but nothing of the coffee shop. Not that it means he didn't visit, just that nothing significant happened there.
Taehyung goes on his date with Seokjin on Sunday and gushes about it to Jimin, who is beyond happy for his friend but simultaneously needs to meet his soulmate more than ever. Every second feels like a second wasted without his soulmate by his side.
He hates that he's feeling like this. He's never felt this desperate to meet his soulmate, and for a reason. He's been careful. He's been trying not to get overly attached, overly obsessed.
But the fact that his soulmate is so close makes him want this more than ever.
Monday morning comes around and he's practically springing out of bed, getting to the coffee shop ten minutes early despite the fact that it wouldn't make any difference. His heart is pounding the whole time, knowing his soulmate can walk in any second at this rate.
He spends his whole shift in a constant state of agitation. He can't stop thinking about his soulmate. No matter what he does, he just can't seem to get his mind off of the younger. He hates the way he jumps at every sound of the bell, head whipping over to see if his soulmate is the one entering.
But no such luck.
His soulmate never walks in.
His heart sinks when he's putting away his apron and picking up his bag, frustratingly disappointed that his soulmate didn't show up. If only he didn't get so fixated the way he's been trying to avoid for the last four years. He hates the way he's doing exactly what he promised himself he would never do.
His soulmate still doesn't show up the next day either, and Jimin berates himself for being an idiot. Stick to the plan, dumbass. Think with your brain just this once, not your heart.
Wednesday rolls around and Taehyung asks Jimin to come with him to adopt a puppy. Well, realistically, there's next to no asking on Taehyung's part and 110% begging on Jimin's. Taehyung gives in instantaneously.
"So I've been researching for a few weeks actually," Taehyung says, excitement lighting up his entire face as he drives. "There's a bunch of people selling dogs pretty close by, but I knew I wanted to adopt from a shelter, so that narrowed it down a bit. And you know I'm a sucker for pomeranians, so anyone who had one got mega bonus points. That's how I ended up choosing this place — they have great reviews for taking really good care of their animals and making sure they find the proper home, and they just happen to have a pomeranian puppy right now."
Jimin grins, watching the city go by out the window. "That's perfect. I know you've been looking forward to this for a long time."
Taehyung sighs happily. "I have. I just know we're going to be the perfect pair. After me and Jin-hyung, of course."
They arrive at the shelter and quickly enter, Taehyung practically bouncing up and down on his feet. Jimin just looks at his best friend with immense fondness.
"Hello, welcome," a young woman says from behind a desk. She has a very friendly face, giving the pair a big smile instead of trying to restrain it to a formal, polite one. "How may I help you two today?"
"Ah, my name's Kim Taehyung, I called yesterday afternoon?"
A look of recognition crosses her face. "Oh, of course, Mr. Kim." She clicks through a few things on her computer. "I believe Jungkook is getting your little guy right now. My name's Seo Hyorin, by the way."
"Nice to meet you, Hyorin-ssi," they say politely and she graces them with another smile.
"Thank you so much," Taehyung adds on as they wait patiently by the door.
"Oh, no problem at all! Nothing to thank me for, we should be thanking you for wanting to give one of our little guys a home. Why don't you come in more? You look a little awkward standing by the door like that. Makes me feel like a bad host or something." The two friends quickly step further inside, taking their seats on the worn couch by the wall.
They wait for a little while, too excited to say anything at all. A few minutes pass and Hyorin glances up from her computer with a quiet sigh. "My god, that loser got distracted again, didn't he," she mumbles to herself, shaking her head and getting up.
"Sorry, guys," she says before disappearing down the hallway. Taehyung and Jimin glance at each other but still don't say anything.
"Yo! Earth to Jeon Jungkook? I know you're in love with Caramel but we have potential parents waiting, dummy. Get your ass up and bring Yeontan over, let's go." Jimin chuckles at her exasperated tone.
Hyorin reappears first, rolling her eyes. "Sorry for that, guys. Jungkook gets kind of distracted by the puppies sometimes."
"No worries," Jimin is quick to say. He's sure that if he was around adorable dogs all the time, he would get distracted too.
It isn't much longer until Jimin hears a voice from the hall. "Okay, okay, I got him finally. Silly boy didn't want to wear his sexy sports bra for a solid five minutes, sorry."
Jimin's heart practically stops at the sound of that voice.
He has heard it countless times. He's heard it come out of his "own" mouth, in fact. He knows exactly whose voice that is.
And yet when its owner rounds the corner with the world's fluffiest puppy bundled in his arms, Jimin is nowhere near prepared for what he sees.
That being probably the most gorgeous person he's ever laid eyes on. Maybe he's biased, maybe it's the way he almost physically feels something click within him, but staring at his soulmate now is a treat he's been aching to taste for years now no matter how hard he's tried to push it away.
His fluffy ruffled hair — probably from chasing down small dogs — does nothing to ruin the image of perfection that Jimin is beholding at this moment. If anything, it makes him even more endearing, even more real.
He takes in familiar features: long, toned legs; muscular arms, one decorated with tattoos; a well-loved pair of homophobe-stomping boots. Then he absorbs the new things: round doe eyes of a deep brown; a shapely nose just perfect for kissing; a defined cupids bow topping rosy lips parted in surprise; strong cheekbones and jaw that Jimin would love to run his fingers along.
God damn, Taehyung did not lie.
Jimin feels faint as he stares, unmoving, at his soulmate. His soulmate stares right back.
He feels something shift into place deep inside of him, like a piece that hadn't been installed right and he never even noticed but— now, looking at the man that he's inhabited every night for so long, everything feels so incredibly right. He feels more than whole and they're still a good seven meters apart.
"Hello, Jungkook, are you going to hold Yeontan hostage for eternity?" Hyorin raises an eyebrow at the man still standing at the entrance to the hallway. "I know you just scarred these two poor boys by calling Tannie's harness a 'sexy sports bra,' but we gotta get moving, man."
Jungkook shakes his head lightly, tearing his gaze away from Jimin and giving Hyorin a guilty look. "Sorry, 'Rin. I, uh. Zoned out for a second." He blushes and shifts the puppy in his arms. "Shall we go to the play room, then? He can be off leash there."
"Oh my god, Jimin," Taehyung whispers as he gets up to follow Jungkook into another room to the side. Jimin nods and trails after them dumbly, still in shock.
"So, as you probably already know, this is Yeontan," Jungkook says as he closes the door behind them, Hyorin having joined them, looking directly at Taehyung and Taehyung only. His red ears give him away (Jimin finds this endlessly endearing). "He's four months old, pomeranian, absolutely loves treats and cuddles. It'll probably be relatively easy for you to train him since he's smart and very food oriented. He's friendly with other dogs from what I've seen, very sociable."
Hyorin nods. "If you've got any friends with dogs, Tannie would definitely be excited to meet them. Be careful though, he can get overexcited sometimes, so try not to overwhelm him with too many potential friends at once. He eats two meals a day, dry and wet food, but we can straighten all that out depending on your decision."
"And look, he likes being Lion King," Jungkook grins, picking the pomeranian up by his armpits just like Jimin remembers doing in his dream. The sight of his smile is addicting.
Jungkook pulls Yeontan close and the puppy licks his nose, causing him to fall into giggles. Jimin's heard it before, but seeing the man that goes with it in real life is another experience altogether.
"Here, you can hold him," Jungkook offers, gently placing the pomeranian in Taehyung's arms. Taehyung's eyes widen before he seems to absolutely melt, petting Yeontan's fluffy fur in awe.
"He is actually an angel," Taehyung coos, plopping down on the floor with Yeontan curled in his lap. Jimin feels so warm at the sight of the duo, at the sight of Taehyung looking this content.
Taehyung plays with Yeontan for a while as Hyorin explains his backstory and favorite toys. It's clear he's been sold since the moment he saw the puppy, but she still continues telling him all the reasons he should consider adopting.
Jimin sneaks glances at Jungkook every five seconds because how can he resist? It's as if his soul is calling out to Jungkook's — which, come to think of it, would make a lot of sense — and the fact that they still haven't said anything to each other is absolutely killing Jimin. He doesn't want to interrupt this moment for Taehyung, however, or make it awkward, so he refrains from speaking up.
Doesn't mean he can't stare.
"So, what do you think?" Hyorin asks. Her face is calm and professional, but something in her eyes tells Jimin she's beyond excited for the potential adoption.
Taehyung gives her a giant grin. "He's everything I've been looking for. He's perfect. I— I am one hundred perfect adopting him."
"Yay!" Her facade quickly dissipates. "I'm so glad to hear that! I just know Yeontan will find a very loving home with you. Let me get some paperwork for you to fill out. Jungkook, please get Tannie's stuff and bring it out to the front." The brunet nods and disappears out the door, and Jimin feels just a little bit colder.
Hyorin clips the leash onto Yeontan's harness and scoops him off the floor, tucking him under one arm as she leads them back to the front room. She slides a few papers across the desk for Taehyung to fill out.
Jimin can't stop himself from staring at the entrance to the hallway, just waiting for Jungkook to come out and tuning out the other two people next to him.
Soon enough he appears, a collapsed crate and a box full of stuff in his arms. "Here's his favorite toys, he especially likes the little tiger plush. Also his favorite blanket, he really likes snuggling in it, and his bed. They'll definitely help him adjust to his new home." Taehyung accepts them with a smile.
"And you're all set," Hyorin says once everything is in order. She walks around her desk and places Yeontan in his new owner's arms. "Take good care of him, okay? I trust you'll make sure he's well loved in his new home."
Taehyung nods fervently, gazing down at Yeontan with intense heart eyes. "I would expect nothing less of myself. He will be the most cherished dog in the world."
"I'm glad to hear that," Hyorin laughs.
"Goodbye, little guy," Jungkook says softly, ruffling the top of the puppy's head. "We had a good run together. I just know you'll grow up with nothing but love." Yeontan nuzzles his hand and he looks like he's going to melt.
Hyorin says her goodbye as well and then Taehyung's turning to head out to the car. Jimin's about to follow him when he feels something tug within him. He turns to see Jungkook looking at the floor, his face a little disappointed.
"Jungkook-ssi," Jimin somehow finds the courage within him to say. The younger's head snaps up and he looks at Jimin with wide eyes. "I— Uh— Would you like to talk? Outside?"
Hyorin looks at them with raised eyebrows. Jungkook flushes and gives her a sheepish smile, waiting for her approval before following Jimin out the door.
Jimin's heart feels like it's going to burst out of its cage. His head is pounding and his palms are sweaty, legs almost shaking as he walks. He tries to ignore the way his face feels like it's on fire, but it's very difficult.
He stops and turns to look at Jungkook finally, up close and without inhibitions. He gulps when they make eye contact, Jimin nearly able to see his own reflection in Jungkook's wide eyes. The more he looks at Jungkook, the more it feels like the pieces of a puzzle are sliding into place.
"Hello," Jimin tries. He brushes his fingers through his hair nervously, not knowing what to do with his hands.
"Hi," Jungkook says, his voice soft. He looks directly into Jimin's eyes like they're the only two people in the world. It makes Jimin's stomach churn.
"So, your name is Jungkook?" he asks. "You're twenty two, right?"
"Jeon Jungkook, yeah. And you're twenty four? What's your name?"
"Park Jimin. And you can call me hyung."
They just look at each other for a moment longer. "So... we're soulmates," Jimin says, and it's barely a whisper.
Jungkook gives him a shy smile. "We must be."
Jimin's heart is racing. They've barely even talked but something about this man makes him feel like he's a young teenager with a crush. "Well, I'd really like to get to know you better, Jungkook. Beyond just what I've seen in my dreams."
"Me too," Jungkook grins, eyes crinkling at the corners in a way Jimin finds endlessly endearing. "I wanna know you for the way you are, to get to know the person within the fragments of stories I've been living out."
"Do you want to go out sometime? Grab lunch or something and just... talk?"
Jungkook's smile widens. "I would love that." He fishes in his pocket for his phone and opens up the contacts before handing it to Jimin. "Here, you can put in your phone number so we can figure out details? As much as I really, really want to keep talking to you, I'm sure Hyorin doesn't want me out too long."
"I understand," Jimin assures him, entering his digits and handing his phone back. "I look forward to hearing from you, Jungkook."
"I'll text you soon, hyung," he is quick to say, giving Jimin one more lip-biting smile before disappearing inside.
Jimin presses his hand to his chest as if it can somehow physically slow the beating of his heart. Holy crap, this is really happening. He refrains from squealing to himself before taking a deep breath and heading to Taehyung's car.
He holds Yeontan in his lap on the way home, and he doesn't stop thinking about Jungkook for a second.
That night he dreams of his own blushing face smiling up at him.
True to his word, Jungkook had texted that same evening to arrange their meetup. That's how Jimin finds himself at a cute little cafe not far from his work, Jungkook seated across from him.
"I'm so glad we finally get to meet," Jungkook says. His eyes are bright and earnest. "I know that sounds like the cliche thing to say but truly, I am. After six years... I have to say, I honestly had no idea if we'd even meet. I know that's pessimistic, but I'm glad you found me after all."
"No, I understand," Jimin assures him. "I didn't want to get my hopes up either. I... In all honesty, I've been trying not to get too attached so I can wait to fall for the real thing." He puts his face in his hands. "God, it sounds stupid when I say it to your face."
Jungkook is quick to shake his head. "No, no, I totally get it. I want to get to know you so I can build a connection with you personally, so... hopefully I can fall in love with you because of the relationship we build, not because I'm 'supposed' to." His cheeks redden a little. "Sorry. It feels a bit weird talking about love already. Also... I'm really sorry about the uh... past boyfriends. I understand if you're upset with me for dating someone knowing you're my soulmate."
"Not at all," Jimin insists. "It felt a little odd, yeah, and sometimes I would be kind of jealous, but... I get it, you know? I've been through all this too. I've dated people knowing full well I have a destined soulmate out there. It's just... what you do. I dunno. Besides, I knew things would happen how they're supposed to happen, and look, we're here now, aren't we?"
Jungkook gives a relieved smile and it immediately warms Jimin's heart. "We are."
"So... if you saw me at the coffee shop last week, how come you didn't try talking to me?"
"Ah." Jungkook rubs at the back of his neck, looking a bit sheepish. "Right. Well, I kept telling myself that I wasn't sure it was you, even though every bit of my soul knew for a fact the man sitting there was my soulmate. But the thought was so overwhelming and I kept debating myself and I was so irrationally terrified that by the time I was beginning to work up the courage to talk to you, you were already going back to your shift. And of course I didn't want to bother you at work, so... I just hoped we would meet again."
"I didn't see you at the coffee shop again after that, though..."
"I came in Saturday and Sunday but you weren't there. And then during the week I was busy with my job and the shelter and I got so distracted until— well, until I saw you again. Then I was distracted in a completely different way."
They talk for a long while at the cafe, then they feel guilty for taking a table for so long and decide to walk around outside together. They talk about their lives, their passions, their favorite everythings. Jungkook tells Jimin about the stories behind his tattoos, and in turn Jimin tells Jungkook about the true meaning of the spirea. There are some things Jimin already assumed from his dreams, but there is so much more he is able to learn from Jungkook himself. He's sure Jungkook feels the same.
"I genuinely thought— Why on the earth would you put the kiwi there?" Jungkook shudders. "Furry little things should stay where they belong."
Jimin laughs and shakes his head in disbelief. "I most definitely did not have a dream about that. And I am glad."
"Yeah, cause that's the same day my piece got accepted to be put in a film festival, which I guess was more of a vivid memory. You're welcome."
"Now that, I remember," Jimin recalls fondly. "I— You— We were so happy. I remember you worked so hard on it and you were finally proud of the result. I was too. It was really beautiful, Jungkook. You deserved it."
Jungkook graces him with a smile. "Thank you. I had similar dreams when you won first place at that dance competition. It wasn't even me but I felt so, so magical in your body up on stage and just insanely proud when you won. It was so frustrating when your name kept getting distorted. It always is." Jimin nods in agreement.
"I've always wondered what sort of things from each day would get put into your dreams," Jungkook muses. "Like, sometimes I have the most mundane days ever. What gets chosen as something vivid enough for you to dream about?"
Jimin shrugs. "I've wondered the same. My dreams are never that plain, though. Sometimes I barely dream, it's just a short snippet of you laughing with your friends or finishing up a video that you're proud of. Sometimes it's just you watering those little plants on your windowsill."
"Wow, that's insane," Jungkook sighs, shaking his head. "It's so surreal to think that you've gone through so many of the things I have, literally. Even though I've done the same with you. Meeting you in person is on another level."
"Meeting you in person is a thousand times better," Jimin decides, and Jungkook agrees with a heartwarming smile.
They talk until the sun hangs low in the sky, their enraptured faces bathed in golden light. They talk until the sun is starting to set, the sky a colorful burst of pinks, purples, and oranges. They talk until the last rays of light slip beyond the horizon, the world around them now illuminated by streetlamps and headlights.
They have dinner together, too, and smile at each other over their meals, giddy with the newfound bond and deep-rooted feelings blossoming between them.
"It's getting late," Jimin reluctantly admits, gazing up at the moon shining above them. "We should probably head home. Thank you so much for today, Jungkook."
Jungkook gives him a wide smile, eyes scrunching happily. "Of course, hyung. I loved every minute. I have to admit, I've never felt this strong of a connection with someone this quickly."
"Might have something to do with the fact that we're soulmates," Jimin teases. "Maybe. Just maybe."
Jungkook laughs and rolls his eyes. "Probably. Just a small possibility, though."
"I'm so glad I get to know more about you like this. I love being able to hear everything from you, not as you. Even though that's nice too, it doesn't feel as... real as this does."
"I completely agree. And I dunno, I have to say... I kind of really like the person I've gotten to talk to."
Jimin grins. "I really like the real you, too."
They say their goodnights with a warm hug and parting promises to meet up again soon. Jimin feels lighter than ever, a giant grin on his face as he makes his way back home. He feels an irresistible pull to the younger, which can easily be explained by their soulmate connection, but it's more than that, too. In these last several hours he spent with Jungkook, he just knows he's starting to fall for him. Hard.
Not like he'd ever try to stop it.
He had fun with Jungkook. The younger can make him laugh, and not just the polite noise you make when you know someone's trying to make a joke. It's a full body laugh, one that involves Jimin falling onto the nearest object, which today was Jungkook more often than not. Jungkook makes him smile, makes him feel proud and safe and appreciated and admired and... warm. Just talking to his soulmate makes Jimin feel like he's twice as full as he's ever been.
He had an amazing time today. And he relives most of it in his dreams, heart melting at all the fondness and feelings Jungkook experienced as well.
So they meet up again, of course. And again, and again, and again. Jungkook goes to Jimin's coffee shop nearly every day. Jungkook meets Taehyung for real this time, although Jimin jokes that it's just a ruse so he can see Yeontan more often, and Jimin formally meets Seokjin. Jimin stops by the shelter to visit the younger and the three shiba inu puppies.
Jimin has no idea how to define their relationship at first. They both know they're soulmates. Jimin is more than aware of his own rapidly growing feelings for Jungkook, and if his dreams are any indication, Jungkook feels exactly the same way. And yet neither of them mention it for a while, their relationship appearing to be purely friendly on the surface.
But who are they kidding. Their souls, their destinies are intertwined. Jimin feels like he's overflowing with everything good in the world whenever he's around Jungkook. Just being in the same room as him feels like he's being recharged, like a deep breath of fresh air. Everything with him is just so right.
So when Jimin invites Jungkook to his apartment to talk it out, they both know it's been a long time coming.
They get their feelings into the open, despite it being obvious from the start. Jimin can't stop smiling. Jungkook is just as bad. They say they want to take it slow, not jump into anything just because they know they're soulmates. They say they want to develop their relationship with the novel excitement it deserves. They say they want to build everything from the beginning, learn to love each other the way it comes and not how they feel it has to be.
When Jimin finally gets to kiss Jungkook, it doesn't feel like his world exploded, but rather that everything has been pulled back to exactly where it's meant to be. The taste of his lips is a drug, sweet and intoxicating, and Jimin never wants to stop.
It's their first kiss, so it should be clumsy and a bit uncoordinated, and yet they find each other in an instant. They don't have to think, they know each other. Inside and out.
That night he dreams of cherry chapstick and the incredible feeling that everything is just right.
Their relationship only blossoms from there. Late nights walking along the Han River. Early mornings watching the sunrise at the beach. Peaceful afternoons, their stomachs full and content as they just enjoy each other's presence.
Jungkook shows Jimin his painting, the figure by the sea now clearly meant to be the older. Jimin invites Jungkook to his showcases and slow dances with him barefoot in his apartment. Jungkook begins filming Jimin, putting all the little clips together for nothing and no one in particular except himself.
When they move in together, it's almost as if nothing has changed. They already spent so much time at each other's apartments that it was only a matter of time. Jimin's days are saturated with Jungkook, and his nights are the same, just reversed. They are never as monotonous as they once were, even his plain cereal seeming exciting when he has a sleepy Jungkook smiling at him from across the table.
Jungkook eventually does get the tattoo that is a little more distinctly Jimin that the older has been thinking about for a while. Jimin draws it himself— a heart made out of a mess of lines, the letters JM ensconced in the center. It's simple and tasteful, a representation of their fates being tied together. It's inked just below Jungkook's left clavicle, just above his own heart.
He had blushed at the cheesiness at first, but it didn't take much for Jimin to convince him. He's far too weak for that.
Before, Jimin had thought his dreams would become boring, the same things he already experienced over again, just from Jungkook's eyes. But he soon learns that it's more than that. It's a way for Jimin to feel what Jungkook's feeling as well, to truly understand the depth of emotion behind every action.
If they have an argument, he goes through Jungkook's perspective and is able to reconcile with him on a deeper level when Jungkook realizes the same. He experiences odd things he never thought he'd ever have to experience; things like kissing himself with lips that are not his own, or being pinned beneath himself with fingers dug into heated skin that shouldn't be his.
Oftentimes, though, he savors the repeats, his favorite moments together with the younger played back like a record he thought he forgot to tape.
He doesn't go a single night without dreaming of himself. It makes him endlessly endeared to know that he is always Jungkook's most vivid memories, that he's always included in the moments Jungkook cherishes the most.
His dreams are just a magical way of reliving perfection all over again.