Chapter Text
Soulmates are a beautiful thing. They are something everyone ends up looking forward to during their entire lives. Some are lucky and manage to find their soulmate as soon as they know their birthday and initials, some have known their soulmate their entire lives, and some aren’t so lucky.
Some people struggle to find their soulmate even with the small clues they are given. Some take months, even years to find their other half. But no one ever gives up hope.
Why would they when they know there’s a chance of pure happiness waiting for them? Someone who will love them entirely and they’ll never have to worry.
It’s worth the adventure. The excitement, struggles and heartbreak that can come through the wins and the losses.
It can be scary sometimessomething, though, to think about who your other half is. What if the world was wrong? What if the person who’s supposed to be your soulmate is someone you wish it wasn’t? What if they weren’t happy together? Would it all be for naught?
But everyone knows it’s inevitable. Finding your soulmate can sometimes be a choice, but choosing your soulmate isn’t.
It’s decided for you.
The day of one’s eighteenth birthday.
—
Jeongguk stares at the clock above his television. He watches as the hands move closer and closer to midnight. He’s excited and he’s eager for his soulmate mark, to know who it could be. Would he have to go on an amazing adventure just to find his true love? Or maybe he already knows who they are?
He doubts the last part though. There’s only a few people that he knows, and out of all of them only one person is without a soulmate. And it’s not by choice.
His bedroom is definitely not the cleanest space in the house. There’s clothes thrown on the floor both dirty and clean, but he never folds his laundry like his mother tells him to. When he’s getting dressed he just finds something to throw on. Both his mom and Hoseok scold him for that more times than not, but Jeongguk always says that the clothes he wears are clean.
There’s multitudes of posters hanging on his walls, all of them are different anime shows. Ever since he was younger he always had a huge love for anime that revolves around magic. He doesn’t know what his obsession with magic is, but it definitely shows from the way he has fake spell books, wands and writings that are all said to help a witch.
His window is currently open, the outside breeze filing in as Jeongguk tears his eyes from the clock to look over at his best friend on the ground. Why Hoseok always sleeps on the ground when he complains about the clothes confuses Jeongguk, but he never makes it a point to mention it. If Hoseok was comfortable down there then fine by him. After all, the elder knew he was allowed to sleep on the bed with him.
“I wonder who my soulmate will be,” Jeongguk buzzes, rolling over on his bed until he’s laying down on his stomach. He watches as Hoseok inhales a deep breath, exiting whatever app he was on and sets his phone by his side. Jeongguk doesn’t miss the way his lips pull into a firm line as he sits up.
Normally, the two of them never discuss soulmates. It’s something that Jeongguk has basically forbidden between the two of them ever since Hoseok’s eighteenth birthday three years ago. The elder had been eager to find out who his soulmate was. He was overjoyed when the clock was about to strike midnight. Yet, when the time came his wrist remained empty.
Hoseok was without a soulmate.
And it broke both of their hearts.
He still remembers the way Hoseok had cried that entire hour, thinking maybe his family lied to him and that wasn’t his birthday. Or maybe he had to wait until noon and then it would appear. Maybe that would work. But it didn’t. The entirety of Hoseok’s eighteenth birthday nothing appeared on his wrist.
And even now it’s still a blank canvas.
He’s never heard of someone being without a soulmate before. Honestly, Jeongguk doesn’t think it’s even common. Most people have their soulmate. Everyone is supposed to. It’s how they’re made. And yet, Hoseok is without one.
How could the happiest, brightest, and most selfless person be without a soulmate? It never made sense to Jeongguk.
So he decided then, that they wouldn’t speak of soulmates again because he felt bad towards his best friend.
There’s a small part of Jeongguk that slightly wishes he also wouldn’t have a soulmate. Not because he wishes to be with Hoseok, but so he wouldn’t have to feel alone anymore. He wishes Hoseok had an answer for why his wrist appears blank but there’s no magical soulmate god that he can question. So they’re left without answers.
The other, selfish, part of Jeongguk wants to have a soulmate. He wants their birthday and initials to appear on his wrist in ten minutes, and he wants to be able to find them. He wants his happy ending.
It’s only his birthday.
After this, he won’t speak of soulmates to Hoseok again. Hopefully he won’t be too mad or upset.
The brown haired male, moves around on the floor picking up some of Jeongguk’s clothes and tossing them. He gives a glare in the younger's direction seemingly telling him to pick them all up to fold them or wash them. Jeongguk merely laughs at him and shakes his head. He won’t be doing that anytime soon. He didn’t want to, especially not when his birthday is in nine minutes now.
“I think,” Hoseok begins, resting his back against the bed. He looks up towards Jeongguk and lets out a hum. Jeongguk wonders if he should have kept quiet instead of asking such a question, but then again, it had been Hoseok who suggested he stay the night. Surely, he knew what midnight entailed. He wouldn’t be bitter about it now, would he? “I think it’ll be someone nice and caring. Someone that you can really be yourself with. I think you’ll be happy with them. It’s what you deserve after all, Guk.”
It’s what you deserve too, is what Jeongguk thinks in his head but decides against saying. He doesn’t have it in him to see the frown that will tug at the elder’s lips. Knows that even if it’s meant to be a positive thing, Hoseok won’t take it as that. It will just be another reminder that he doesn’t have a soulmate, and Jeongguk really doesn’t want to do that to him right now.
Sometimes he wonder how things would have changed if Hoseok did have a soulmate. Would he have to travel the world in order to find them? Or would he be lucky and manage to find them here in town. Unlike Jeongguk, Hoseok knows roughly the majority of the people here. He’s always been the extroverted one between the two of them, Jeongguk himself was shy and reserved. An introvert and yet the two of them worked together perfectly.
Jeongguk wouldn’t ask for another best friend. Hoseok is all he needs.
“Will things change between us?” Jeongguk wonders, tilting his head to the side as he glances from Hoseok to the clock once again. Seven minutes remaining.
They hadn’t planned to stay up that long. Jeongguk’s plan was to stay awake until midnight, see if he got anything and then sleep. If he did then maybe it would be a bit tricky to sleep because he would be overwhelmed with happiness, but if he didn’t...then at least he could sleep the pain away for a few hours.
When he turns back to Hoseok he’s met with a confused face, eyes wide and instead of him looking up at Jeongguk as he had been, he’s instead turned to the side. “Why would things change between us?” He questions voice laced with curiosity and worry. “You’re my best friend. Nothing would change.”
“But...” Jeongguk nibbles on his bottom lip, picking at a loose thread on his blanket. His bed isn’t properly made, the comforter thrown to the one side he’s currently laying on top of. He never understood the reasoning behind making his bed if he’ll end up laying in it a few hours later.
He’s nervous to say what he’s thinking in his head. Nervous to make Hoseok upset by his words but he’s also curious as to what he’ll say. Worry drowning him as if he’s at the beach and he’s gone to far to swim comfortably.
Hoseok is smarter than he seems though.
“You’re worried things will change if you get a soulmate, aren’t you?” The elder questions. Jeongguk’s cheeks flush with shame, eyes staying focused on the thread in his hand. He wants to pull it out, but if he does then he’ll have nothing to put his attention on. So for now, he continues to play with it. He hears Hoseok sigh, and a part of him wants to look towards his best friend, but the other part tells him not to. So he doesn’t. “You worry too much. It won’t change anything.”
“But...how can you be certain?” Jeongguk questions, “Y-you don’t have one...and I...I have four minutes until midnight. Four minutes until we see if I do or not and I’m...I'm scared. For both of us.”
“Guk, look at me.” Hoseok says, placing his hands on top of the younger’s. That makes Jeongguk’s attention fly to him, eyes meeting his. He wants to tear his gaze away but he doesn’t. He knows it’s important to look at Hoseok right now so he steels himself to do so. “I want you to have a soulmate. You deserve a soulmate. You deserve happiness, okay? Don’t worry about me. Nothing will change.”
“Do you promise?” Jeongguk mumbles, extending his hand out. He holds up his pinky for Hoseok to take and lock. “You promise nothing will change between the two of us because of this.”
The elder laughs, nodding his head slowly as he locks pinkies with Jeongguk. “I promise, Guk.” He looks towards the clock then, smile faltering a bit but Jeongguk can see the way he forces it to stay on his lips.
He lowers his head again to play with the thread.
Time feels like it’s passing slowly. With every second Jeongguk begins to grow nervous. He’s excited, yes, don’t get him wrong. But he also doesn’t know what to expect from this. Maybe he’ll get lucky and Hoseok will immediately be able to figure out who his soulmate is.
Or maybe he won’t.
He tries not to look towards the clock. Tries to focus on the thread because it’s keeping him occupied.
He notices that Hoseok is back on his phone already probably scrolling through either Twitter or Instagram. Those seem to be the two apps that always have Hoseok’s attention.
Unless he’s texting someone that is.
He’s concentrated on the thread, pulling it to see how far it will come before it begins to break. But his assumption goes to far and within a few moments he lunges back just a bit with the now loose thread in his hand.
Hoseok looks up at him quickly at that.
Or maybe it’s for another reason.
Because the clock struck midnight as soon as the thread came undone.
Jeongguk blinks, hiding his wrist in the blanket so he doesn’t see whether it’s empty or full of words. He looks towards Hoseok seeing his eager face full of curiosity as well. He wants to check but he’s nervous. Scared even.
But he knows it’s inevitable.
Even if he tried to wrap it up or cover it with long sleeves somewhere down the line he would eventually see it. He might as well do it now with Hoseok beside him.
Inhaling a heavy breath, Jeongguk pulls his wrist up from the blanket and turns it over.
It’s not blank.
No, it’s very well covered in words.
He has a soulmate .
He has another half.
He can’t believe it.
“M. Y.” Jeongguk reads out loud for both him and Hoseok to hear. Though he knows Hoseok can very well read what’s on his wrist. “March third, seventeen...ninety-three...”
Wait. What?
Jeongguk stares at his wrist. That’s bound to be a mistake, right? How could his soulmate be born in seventeen ninety-three? They’re in the year twenty fifteen that doesn’t work. It’s not possible.
He feels his eyes well up with tears. Was this some type of joke? Was it wrong? Or did he not have a soulmate? Was he born at the wrong time? Almost two hundred fifty years late?
Hoseok’s face falls when he sees the younger, “Oh Guk. I’m sorry.” He whispers, standing up from the ground. He gets onto the bed and wraps his arms around the younger, holding him close to his chest. “Maybe it’s wrong. Maybe you’ll get lucky and it will be different sometime today.”
Jeongguk shakes his head as the first few tears fall. So much for waiting all his life for this moment.
Happy birthday to me.
—
It took nearly an hour for Jeongguk to fall asleep after last night. Hoseok ended up having to move him over to his side himself, and then Jeongguk wouldn’t let him leave his side. But truth be told, Hoseok had never planned to leave his side after that. He stayed and cuddled Jeongguk all night while the younger cried until he fell asleep.
It’s currently midday and Jeongguk hasn’t done anything besides stay in bed and scroll through his phone. He doesn’t want to be greeted by his parents. He doesn’t want them to sing happy birthday to him, or ask if he has a soulmate. Truthfully, he just wants to sleep some more and completely skip his birthday now.
He finds it funny almost, ironic really, that both he and Hoseok wouldn’t have soulmates. First they’re best friends and now this happens. It was just their luck.
Well, at least they have each other.
“We should get something to eat,” Hoseok murmurs. He’s still lying on Jeongguk’s bed, opting to stay on more comfortable furniture than the floor surrounded by all of the younger’s clothing. “Maybe you’ll feel a little bit better? And I have a gift for you too.”
Jeongguk looks away from his phone to glance towards his best friend. A part of him hates how curious he got about what Hoseok got for him. But Hoseok’s presents have always been the best so he can’t help but be eager. “Can I have it now?” He questions, rolling onto his side. He lets his phone sit between the two of them not bothering to play on it any longer. “That will cheer me up.”
Hoseok snorts, setting his own phone down in the middle of the bed. He pushes himself off the mattress and wanders over towards his bag that he packed for the night. He reaches into it and pulls out a small box wrapped in green wrapping paper. Jeongguk cracks a smile at that, of course Hoseok would use green paper. It’s his favourite colour.
“You can have this,” Hoseok motions to the box, “If you promise you’ll go get something to eat. I’m sure your parents want to see you too, Guk. You can’t avoid them.”
“I can avoid them for now,” Jeongguk counters, throwing a hand over his eyes to shield them from the view of the box. He wants it. He definitely wants whatever it is that Hoseok got for him. But he’s not hungry nor does he want to see his parents right now. “They’re just going to ask me about my soulmate.”
Soulmate.
Even the word feels wrong on his tongue now. Is that how Hoseok feels too? Like everytime he says that word he shouldn’t because he doesn’t have one?
But Jeongguk is different, right? Technically he has one. Someone with the initials M. Y. that was born in seventeen ninety-three. He still hasn’t figured out how exactly that makes sense or what he is supposed to do with that information.
How does that even work?
“Maybe they will,” Jeongguk feels the dip of his bed as Hoseok sits down once again. He uncovers his eyes and looks towards him, “But if they do just tell them you don’t want to talk about or something. Or say you have one but you’re hungry so you can get food instead.”
Jeongguk whines, “I don’t want to get up though. I’m quite comfortable here.” He huffs, Hoseok merely rolls his eyes and sets the gift on the nightstand beside them.
“If you don’t get up you don’t get your gift.” Hoseok states, crossing his arms over his chest. Jeongguk whines again, sitting up then. He really wants to see what the gift holds.
“Give me the gift first and then we’ll go out there.”
“Now how do I know you’ll follow through with your words if I give it to you?” Hoseok inquires, tilting his head to the side. “You might trick me. You and your devious ways.”
“Hey! I’m not that bad.” Jeongguk laughs lightheartedly, holding his pinky out. “I pinky promise I’ll get up if you give me your gift first.”
Hoseok debates it over in his head, lips puckered as he thinks for a moment before holding his pinky out and locking it with the younger. “You know what happens when you break a pinky promise.” He reminds, grabbing the gift once more. He extends out for Jeongguk to take. “I put a lot of thought into it. I hope you like it.”
With a bright giddy smile, Jeongguk tears at the wrapping paper until it’s in shreds. Just another thing to add to the mess of his bedroom, but he truly does not seem to mind.
The box in hand comes into full view as the last of the paper comes off, some jewelry company is etched into the lid but Jeongguk doesn’t pay attention to it. He wants to see what’s inside.
Opening the box slowly, he inhales a breath as the bracelet comes into view. A plain silver band with two gems in the middle. Jeongguk easily recognizes them as his and Hoseok’s birthstones.
Picking up the bracelet, he goes to put it on when he notices something on the bottom part. Turning it over, he lets out a gasp as he reads what it says:
February 18, 1994. J. H.
Hoseok’s birthday and initials.
He tears up at that.
“I know you and I aren’t soulmates, but we’re best friends. So this is a reminder of that,” Hoseok explains, as Jeongguk puts the bracelet on. He smiles happily at the younger, watching as he closes the box and sets it on the bed. “I hope you like it.”
“Like it?” Jeongguk repeats shaking his head as he turns and throws his arms around Hoseok in a tight bear hug, “I love it, Hobi-Hyung. Thank you so much. I’ll wear it forever.”
Hoseok laughs at that, wrapping his own arms around the younger. “I’m glad you like it, Guk. Happy birthday.”
They break the hug a moment later, and Jeongguk is reminded of the promise he just made mere moments ago. Inhaling a heavy breath, he pushes himself off the bed and heads straight towards his bedroom door.
Now he needs to go out and see his parents.
He opens his bedroom door up and heads from there downstairs towards the kitchen. He’s still not extremely hungry, he’s sure he could go without eating right now. But something tells him Hoseok is hungry and he knows the elder won’t eat unless he does. It’s how he’s always been whenever he’s here.
Seeing the bright smile on Hoseok’s face as they reach the staircase only confirms such thoughts.
It’s as if his parents had an alarm of sorts that could tell them when Jeongguk reaches the bottom of the staircase because as soon as his foot touches the bottom step they’re appearing from somewhere in the house screaming, “Happy birthday Jeongguk!”
He jumps at the screams, hand flying to his chest as he inhales a breath to calm his rapid heartbeat. Letting out a sigh, he glances towards Hoseok who’s holding onto the railing for dear life. Either he didn’t know they were doing such a thing or he wasn’t expecting it to happen just then.
Jeongguk can’t help but crack a smile at the sight though. “Your father and I don’t have much for you this year,” His mother begins. She pulls out a medium sized blue bag with wrapping paper stuffed inside of it to hide whatever it holds. “But we have this. It’s a family heirloom. Something passed down on your eighteenth birthday.”
He blinks, taking the bag into his hands. He didn’t know they had any family heirlooms. Honestly, Jeongguk is a bit surprised hearing such a thing but he doesn’t question it.
“There’s breakfast on the table for you two. Or I suppose, lunch, now. But it’s still there.” His father adds, moving out of the way for them to pass them by. “I’m sure you’ll want to enjoy your time together but remember tonight we’re getting cake. So if you go out then remember to be back by six, okay?”
They didn’t have plans to go out anywhere. At least, none that Jeongguk knows of. Maybe Hoseok has something secretly planned. Who knows?
He nods his head nonetheless though, “Okay.” He murmurs, as he passes them by hoping and praying they leave it at just that and don’t question anything.
“Oh, and tonight.” His father says, stopping them in their tracks. “Tell us about your soulmate, okay?”
Jeongguk internally groans, frown appearing on his face but he forces it away and puts on a smile as he nods his head.
Hopefully they’ll forget about it tonight. He doesn’t have anything to tell them.
—
“What do you think is in it?” Jeongguk questions once they have returned to his bedroom. He decided not to open the gift out in the kitchen since he and Hoseok were about to eat so instead he waited until they got back to his bedroom.
He’s sitting on the edge of his bed, bag resting on its side in front of him. Hoseok shrugs as he closes the door and walks towards the bed to take a seat as well. “I’m not sure. What type of family heirlooms do you have?”
Jeongguk shrugs. “I don’t know.” He murmurs, and he doesn’t. This is the first time he’s ever hearing about a family heirloom. He’s surprised to know they even have one but part of him wonders why he never knew about it to begin with.
He lifts up the bag to bring it closer to him. There’s a bit of weight to it, but not too much. He’s positive he can carry it with one hand with no problems, but if it’s a family heirloom truthfully he expected some type of jewelry or something. This doesn’t feel like that though.
Pulling out the blue and green wrapping paper, he lets it fall to the ground. Maybe after this he’ll definitely need to clean up his bedroom. It’s starting to turn into a disaster.
“Huh?” Jeongguk breathes as the final piece of paper is removed and he sees what’s inside of the bag. He blinks confused, pulling out the brown square. With the light shining down from the ceiling fan he’s able to tell it’s a book.
A book .
How is a book a family heirloom?
“Is that a book?” Hoseok questions, he leans over the bed, his head touching Jeongguk’s arm as they look at it. There’s no design on the cover, just a plain brown material that looks extremely old. There’s some scratches and the top right corner is missing a piece.
The book itself is dusty. Sliding a finger across the cover leaves a trail on his finger, and a small straight lined patch on the book itself. Jeongguk cringes at how dirty it is, he notices the way Hoseok rolls his eyes at that.
He lifts open the cover, letting his hand run across the page. It’s definitely old, but he knew that alone from the word heirloom being attached to it. The pages are wrinkled, as if some water or any other type of liquid drenched over them. They crinkle as Jeongguk’s flips through it.
What type of gift is this?
“Maybe it holds some cool information.” Hoseok offers with a shrug. Jeongguk lowers his eyes towards the elder and lets out a sigh.
This birthday definitely wasn’t going well.
“I’m not sure,” Jeongguk murmurs, flipping through the pages. He reads over the contents of them realizing they one, have nothing better to do. And two, he wants to see if there’s something valuable about this book. Why else would he be getting it?
The majority of the pages hold information about his ancestors. Birthdays, names and some little facts about them. Though truthfully, Jeongguk isn’t one to care about his ancestors. Why would a book contain so many of them?
It’s towards the middle of the book that the contents change from people in their family to a journal of sorts. Notes of lives as they were younger, of the past and how it was.
The pages all shared one thing in common.
Witches.
Hoseok scoffs at that, pushing himself up from where he was lying against Jeongguk. He makes himself comfortable on the bed, pulling the blanket up to cover half of his body as he picks his phone up and starts playing on it once again. All interest in the book lost.
“That explains why you’re so obsessed with magic.” Hoseok laughs, typing away on his phone. Jeongguk rolls his eyes.
“I doubt this book contains any truth to it. Witches don’t exist. And there’s no way my ancestors are witches. If they were I’d probably have magical powers.” Jeongguk explains, flipping through the pages of the book. Even so, he’s still intrigued by it now. The magical elements it talks about, the small amount of spells that it includes. Levitation, and lighting up candles.
But it also talks about how some witches can only use certain types of magic depending on what they focused on all their lives.
Maybe that’s why his parents gave this to him, because they knew of his love for magic and this book contains just that.
“You know they say some things can skip generations. Maybe you just weren’t lucky.” Hoseok hums, looking up from his phone to glance in Jeongguk’s direction.
The younger glares daggers at him. “That is the cruelest-...” he begins, as he turns to the next page. But when his eyes land on the contents he cuts himself off. “Oh my god, Hoseok-Hyung.”
“What?” He doesn’t seem interested in the slightest.
“Look. Oh my god,” Jeongguk says loudly. He shoves the book in Hoseok’s face causing the elder to drop his phone on the bed. Hoseok lets out a huff but takes the book into his hands.
“What am I looking at?” He questions, “It’s just another picture of your ancestor. So what?”
“No no. This is different. Oh god.” Jeongguk pulls the book back into his own hands and holds it up so Hoseok can see. “Look at the initials of his name.”
“M. Y.” Hoseok reads, shrugging, “So what?”
“Read the birthday.”
“March third, seventeen...ninety-three…” Hoseok’s eyes widen as Jeongguk holds up his wrist for him to see. “That’s...your soulmate? But he’s in a book.”
“I-I don’t know either!” He exclaims, placing the book back on his lap. He looks at the photo of his so-called soulmate, confusion written all over his face. His soulmate was his ancestor? That didn’t seem right. Or fair even. “Min...Yoongi…” he reads out.
As the words are said aloud the book glows purple.
Jeongguk lets out a scream, throwing the book across the room startled. Hoseok is sitting up immediately moving to get in front of Jeongguk to shield him. Though Jeongguk is a bit grateful that his best friend does that, he worries for him in case something were to happen.
“Maybe you are magical,” Hoseok murmurs as the purple gets brighter.
Jeongguk isn’t sure what’s going on. Or what he just did, but truth be told he’s a bit freaked out by the sudden glowing book. A book should not glow just from saying someone’s name. That’s not how the magic he knows works.
And even with the magic he knows none of it has ever worked, because he’s not magical.
He’s not, right?
As the purple light gets brighter, both Hoseok and Jeongguk shield their eyes to prevent any damage. The younger chews on his bottom lip. How does he stop it? Especially now when he can’t get any closer to it. Nor does he want to get any closer to it.
“ Finally. ” A deep voice says breaking the silence that had fallen in the room once the book started glowing. Jeongguk opens one eye up to see that the purple light is gone and his room has returned to the darkness it once was. Slowly, he opens his other eye and looks in the direction of the book. “It’s about time I was able to get out.”
Jeongguk blinks, eyes falling on the male in front of him. His dark brown hair is a mess, dark eyes wandering around the room probably trying to scope out where he is and his outfit definitely has seen better days. What type of fashion was he wearing? Jeongguk has never seen such clothes in person before. He’s certain people nearly a hundred years ago wore them, but not now.
Hoseok scoots back on the bed, staying close by to Jeongguk in case of anything. He holds onto the younger’s hand, giving it a squeeze to remind him that he’s there.
The stranger's eyes scope out the room from the windows, to the posters, to the bookshelf containing all of Jeongguk’s mangas and fake spell books. Part of Jeongguk wants to grab something sharp in case the stranger tries to do anything, but he doesn’t know if he can. He’s still in shock from the whole thing happening.
The man looks from the posters down to the bed, then they look at Jeongguk. His face lights up at that, “Jungho?” He questions, taking a step forward. “Y-you’re alive still?”
Jeongguk blinks, tilting his head to the side. Yes, he’s very much alive last time he checked. But no, he’s not Jungho and he doesn’t even know who that is. He’s never heard that name before. He glances towards Hoseok wondering if that’s someone here in town, but the elder shakes his head with a shrug.
That’s a no.
So who is this guy talking about?
“I-I’m not Jungho.” Jeongguk says timidly, shaking his head. “M-my name is Jeongguk. Who...are you?”
He wonders if that’s a dumb question. Obviously he knows very well who this person is. It’s Min Yoongi. I had to be. One, he looks just like the photo and two, once he said that name he appeared. Who else could it possibly be.
“You’re not...Jungho?” He questions. Jeongguk shakes his head again, “But you look just like him. I...what year is this?”
“Twenty-fifteen.”
The man inhales a sharp breath, running a hand throughout his hair as he looks away from Jeongguk towards the window again. “It’s been nearly a hundred years. I…” His attention snaps back to Jeongguk almost immediately, “Did you break the seal? Were you the one who let me out of that book?”
“Yes?” Jeongguk tilts his head to the side, “Truthfully I don’t know what I did. I’m still in shock that you’re standing right there. You might want to explain things if you know what’s going on.”
The dark haired male looks down at his wrist, eyes widening. “When’s your birthday?”
“Today.” Jeongguk answers, then realizes that considering he asked the year he might not even know what day it is. “September first, nineteen ninety-seven. Why?”
There’s a look of realization that washes over his face, a hand once again running through his hair. He takes a moment to process anything leaving the two of them confused at his sudden silence.
“I understand now.” He says after a few minutes. There’s a frown etched on his face as he looks at Jeongguk. “I’m Min Yoongi. Your...soulmate, apparently.”
—
They spend the next hour or so talking about everything. Jeongguk and Hoseok are still a little on edge as Yoongi sits on the bed both with questions and answers of his own.
Jeongguk learns that Yoongi is indeed a witch, and at first he definitely doesn’t believe the elder but after he uses his power to make a bouquet of flowers as a gift for his birthday he realizes that yes magic does indeed exist. He knew he was right.
There’s nearly a million questions running through his head as Yoongi explains everything to him. How was he trapped inside of a book? Were they related? How awkward would that be if his soulmate was related to him. Why did he call him Jungho? And why does he keep staring at Hoseok as if he’s seeing a ghost.
“Your name isn’t Hojun, is it?” Yoongi questions after staring at Hoseok for about the hundredth time in that hour. Hoseok shares a confused look with Jeongguk before shaking his head. “Oh...good. Sorry, I’m just...a bit out of it. I’ve been trapped in a book for nearly a hundred years and I see familiar faces. It’s a bit crazy.”
“You called me Jungho.” Jeongguk says, tilting his head to the side. “Why? Who is that?”
Yoongi smiles sadly at the name, inhaling a deep breath as he starts to explain. “You’re already aware I’m not from your time period. From your soulmate mark you can tell I was born nearly three hundred years ago, which means I had another soulmate.” He looks down at his own soulmate mark. It bears Jeongguk’s initials and birthday. “You look exactly like him.”
Jeongguk lets out a small hum in understanding. So Yoongi’s old soulmate was his ancestor and they look just alike. That makes sense, he thinks.
“That means you and I aren’t related, are we?”
That causes Yoongi to laugh, “No. We aren’t. Don’t worry. No one can be soulmates with someone related to them.”
He lets out an exhale of breath at that. He’s glad to know that they aren’t related. That would just be the worst. But is it any better knowing his soulmate already found love once before? Would they even have a shot together?
“So, let me get this straight.” Jeongguk says, recollecting all the information that Yoongi had just shared with the two of them. “You got trapped in a book because you killed a more powerful witch’s soulmate? And the only way to get out is by your soulmate?”
“Precisely,” Yoongi confirms, picking at the blanket. He looks so amazed by everything in Jeongguk’s room, but considering the era he’s from he’s truly not surprised. “But from my understanding, Namjoon did something to Jungho which explains why I was never let out and why you’re here now.”
“You don’t think this Namjoon is aware you got out?” Jeongguk questions, tilting his head to the side. He needs to know if they’re in any danger. If Namjoon did anything to Jungho what’s to stop him from messing with him? What about Hoseok? Was he in harm’s way too?
“I’m not sure honestly. But I know he most likely never expected me to get out. The book was his punishment for me, and if he does learn I’m out I can only assume he’ll come back.”
“So what?” Jeongguk shivers at how uncertain Yoongi is about Namjoon knowing or not. He wraps his arms around himself and squeezes as if that will help him calm down. “If he comes back am I in danger? Because I’m your soulmate?”
He hates the sudden silence that fills the bedroom. Hates that Yoongi has to think it over in his head before he’s able to say anything. He can feel the uneasiness from and Hoseok at the thought.
This was the last thing he wanted.
Today was supposed to be an amazing day. He was supposed to find out about his soulmate at midnight and then wonder whether he’ll have to explore or if he’ll get lucky and know someone here in town through Hoseok.
Instead he finds out that his soulmate is a two hundred and twenty-two year old witch who angered another witch and got cursed and now he’s potentially in danger because they’re soulmates.
He didn’t ask for this. And right now, he kind of wishes he were in the same position as Hoseok.
Without a soulmate.
“Maybe,” Yoongi answers after a dead beat of silence. Jeongguk’s brow furrows and he inhales a heavy breath. A shuddering sound resounds when he exhales. Great. Now he’s possibly in danger. “But Jeongguk...trust me when I say I won’t let anything happen to you. My past is my own. I won’t drag you into it. I’ll protect you, even if it kills me.”
“I’d prefer it not to kill you,” Jeongguk whispers, shaking his head. He shifts uncomfortably on his bed, scooting a bit closer to Hoseok as if seeking comfort from the elder. “But what of us? You’ve already had a soulmate once before and now you’re stuck with another. Someone who looks exactly like your old one. Is there even a chance for us?”
“You’re not Jongho,” Yoongi states, firmly. He crosses his arms over his chest as he quickly shakes his head. “You’re different. You may look the same but that doesn’t mean your personalities are too. Already I can tell you’re different from him. So yes, maybe down the line there is.” He smiles warmly, “But for now, I suggest we start as friends.”
It’s then that Hoseok pulls away from Jeongguk. His hand lets go of the younger’s as he stands up from the bed. Jeongguk looks at him confused. “What’s wrong Hyung?” He questions, as Hoseok walks over towards his bag, zips it up and swings it over his shoulder. “Y-You’re leaving? What about the cake?”
“I’ll come back for it,” Hoseok promises as he heads towards the bedroom door. “But you have your soulmate here Guk. I don’t want to keep you from him. Just text me before you do it. I live down the street after all.” He opens the door, and walks out of it.
Jeongguk doesn’t see the frown that sits on his face as he leaves.