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Slamming the door shut as soon as he forced his way in, the midnight haired babe rushed to the kitchen and set down the groceries on the counter. It had been pouring the entire day, causing a sudden congestion of traffic that had Jungwoo internally screaming. It normally took him no more than ten minutes to get to the supermarket, and even less time to get home depending on whether he abided by the speed limit or not.
But not today.
Today it took him nearly thirty minutes to reach the supermarket—and not to mention an extra ten to find an available parking spot. Why does everyone forget how to drive when it rains? And the way back was excruciatingly painful, for he was stuck at a traffic jam due to an accident right in the middle of a main avenue.
By the time he finally reached home, it had been over two hours. He not only felt like he had aged ten years of his life, but his last remains of patience had been fully consumed.
Unloading the groceries could wait.
He was physically exhausted and unable to function anymore. He wasn’t only drenched from head to toe—courtesy of the broken umbrella he disposed in the parking lot of the supermarket—but he was also cold and shivering. The wind was no joke and he could feel his immune system deteriorating by the second. Honestly, he just wanted to lie down on the bed and sleep for a bit.
Hence why, not bothering to even remove his shoes, the babe dragged his feet to his room and pressed his back against the door, finding it in himself to not slam it shut out of fear of damaging it. The babe stripped off his drenched clothes and threw on himself one of Jaehyun’s hoodies—specifically the oversized, cotton pink Adidas he forced Jaehyun to wear on regular basis for the sake of his scent clinging onto the fabric.
If there was something Jungwoo loved about the hoodie, then it was definitely the warmth that engulfed him whole whenever he wore it. And whilst Jaehyun seemed to not understand his boyfriend's obsession with his clothes, he preferred to smile and abide by the babe's every demand instead. Or specifically, he found it difficult to understand the child's obsession with his scent. Jungwoo claimed it was comforting and it was relatively close to Mark's scent, which always made Jaehyun smile at the sweet comparison.
“Woo? How long have you been home for?” asked Mark, walking into the room and finding Jungwoo in the middle of changing into a pair of gray sweats.
The babe, albeit startled momentarily, softened at the sight of his soulmate standing by the door. Clearly, Mark had been here for a while. With comfy clothes—virtually the same outfit as Jungwoo's minus the small detail that his clothes fit him properly—and messy bed hair sticking all over, the younger male smiled at his best friend and walked over to greet him.
“When did you get here?” asked Jungwoo, allowing himself to be embraced by his friend as he tucked in his head in the crook of Mark's neck. He took in his scent and allowed his body to go lax, earning himself a set of chuckles from the black haired male. With the best of his efforts, Mark pushed his friend towards the bed against the wall and lay them both down on the already messy sheets.
“About an hour ago or so? You weren’t picking up and you didn’t open the door right away as you normally do. So I decided to use the spare key you gave me a few months back.” Both males were now lying down on the bed, duvet covering their shivering bodies as they cuddled in closer to retain any available body heat. With Jungwoo’s head tucked into his neck and his right leg thrown over his lower body, Mark couldn’t help tilting his head to breathe in the scent of Jungwoo's strawberry shampoo.
And by God, he missed his soulmate dearly.
It had been a few weeks since they had last seen each other, reminding them both that the distance between them only brought them closer when they got to see each other. Cuddling sessions together every now and then were by far their most favourite thing to do, helping them to fill in the void of the distance between them. But they were both okay with that, because whenever they weren’t around each other, their significant others did an amazing job at making them feel whole all over again.
Jaehyun practically lived here with Jungwoo. And likewise, Donghyuck spends quite a great amount of time at Mark’s apartment. There was hardly any time for them to feel empty when they were constantly surrounded by their loved ones.
But when the distance between soulmates is diminished, it’s mentally and physically soothing for them. Jungwoo, just by being within close proximity to Mark, finds himself feeling better immediately. The stress and annoyance from whatever he was put through earlier today slowly dissipates into nothingness, causing his lips to curl up into a genuine smile.
He loved Mark so much. Even before they found out they were soulmates and prior to their complementary matching tattoos blooming on their wrists at the eve of their eighteen birthdays, the bond they already shared together was unrivaled and untainted. Practically growing up together and becoming the best of friends as time went by, it wasn’t surprising to anyone when Mark's tattoo—a pink lotus right in the middle of his left wrist—complimented Jungwoo's perfectly.
They were supposed to have a long, happy life together, or so that was the original plan. With the appearance of the soulmark comes the promise of a prosperous, perfect life together. The bond that links soulmates is meant to be magical, for it links both individuals in a physical and emotional sense—both individuals resonate together in perfect harmony.
And for the first year after Mark’s soulmark appeared, things seemed to be perfect to everyone else around them.
At least until Jaehyun, a college sophomore at the time, managed to successfully enchant Jungwoo when he was still a freshman. Jaehyun, a twenty-year-old male who didn’t agree with the soulmark system, had somehow stolen the babe's heart, giving Jungwoo the chance to experience love for the very first time in his life. To anyone else whom had seen Mark and Jungwoo growing up together and witnessed their development from friends to soulmates, Jaehyun’s sudden presence was uncalled for and a threat to their relationship.
But neither Jungwoo nor Mark seemed to care.
Not when they shared nothing but platonic feelings for one another, sharing a deeper relationship together that goes beyond the romantic spectrum.
Jungwoo was Mark's better half. He was his brother and best friend. The biggest supporter he’s ever had and the light of hope at the end of the tunnel. And likewise, to Jungwoo, Mark was love and comfort, kindly reminding Jungwoo that he needed no one else as long as his better half was always by his side.
But little by little, despite the oddness of the bond they shared together, Jungwoo came to realize a thing or two about soulmates. And after meeting Jaehyun's lovely soulmate—a rather petit male by the name of Taeyong who has doe eyes, the prettiest smile he’s ever seen, and a comforting aura that could make Jungwoo feel at peace just by being in his embrace—Jungwoo finally came into terms with his true feelings.
Because a soulmate doesn’t necessarily need to be the final endgame. Because a soulmate can be so much more than just a romantic prospect—and based on how he felt towards someone that wasn’t Mark, along with Jaehyun’s adorable bond with Taeyong, the soulmate he seemed to be very well attached to—the babe learned a valuable lesson not everyone was ready to accept.
While Mark was his better half, Jaehyun was the love of his life. Mark might be the person who completes him, but Jaehyun was the person he wanted a future with. And although Mark is the reassuring warmth that he needs in life, Jaehyun is the home Jungwoo does not want to live without.
And now, years later, the babe’s feelings haven’t changed a bit. He’s still very much attached to Mark and needy of his presence in his otherwise peaceful life, but he’s utterly and undoubtedly in love with Jung Jaehyun—the one person who makes him feel whole regardless of Mark's constant presence around him.
“What brings you here?” asked Jungwoo, arms wrapping around the younger male's middle whilst his soulmate played with his dark strands. The babe allowed himself the pleasure of closing his eyes momentarily, basking in the attention whilst filling up their shared bond with feelings of peacefulness and content. Mark, albeit amused, watched the smile forming on Jungwoo's pretty face.
It had been nearly ten years now and he still couldn’t get over the fact that Jungwoo, his brother and best friend, turned out to be his soulmate. Jungwoo was basically perfect in every aspect, giving the younger male a sense of pride at the realization that someone so perfect was his better half.
“I could sense your distress. I figured you were having a bad day and I decided to come over. Besides, you love cuddling when it’s cold,” teased the younger male, causing Jungwoo to giggle at his silly motive in return.
He wasn’t wrong. He was always down for a warm cuddle session. He could practically feel all his worries and stress disappearing as soon as Mark was within close proximity, once again serving as a reminder that soulmates were more than just a foretold partner—so much more than just a romantic fantasy deliberately imposed by everyone who lacked a basic understanding of the soulmark.
It was through Mark's velvety voice and rather sweet administration—that of stroking his strands playfully and lovingly—that the child found himself successfully being lured into dreamland, eyes closing on instinct against his will as the younger male pulled him closer and pressed their foreheads together. The babe, albeit being more asleep than awake at this point, smiled at his soulmate one last time before losing consciousness completely, engulfed in the warmth radiating off the younger male as he fell asleep soundly.
And Mark didn’t stay behind. Just like Jungwoo, the babe's sweet scent and little whines were enough to also lure him to sleep. Pressing a sweet kiss to Jungwoo's forehead and covering their bodies properly with the duvet, the younger male allowed himself to fall asleep, arm protectively around the elder whilst he listened to the sound of the pouring rain outside.
About an hour or so into their nap, the babe felt the weight of another body pressing closer to him from behind. The duvet was suddenly lifted up as he felt the second body making itself comfortable under the sheets and joining his (and Mark's) tangled mess of limbs. There was an arm wrapping around his middle, slightly pressing him closer to a broader chest as the intoxicating smell of peppermint and cologne filled up his nostrils in a comforting manner.
The babe couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips, willingly letting go of Mark for the sake of turning around and facing the intruder properly. Jaehyun smiled at him in the most genuine of ways, dimples forming on his cheeks as he invaded the pretty male's personal space and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips.
Disregarding the fact that Jaehyun's hands were freezing and his hair was slightly wet from the rain, Jungwoo was basically over the moon at this point. With both Mark and Jaehyun at either side, the child couldn’t help feeling whole and complete, heart fluttering at the sight of his boyfriend whilst letting out a sigh of relief at the sound of Mark's quiet snores behind him.
He really couldn’t ask for more.
“Sorry it took me eons to arrive. The rain caused a severe traffic jam,” said the brunet, smiling in content as his boyfriend wrapped his arms around his middle and pressed his head against his neck. Jaehyun pulled the babe closer to him and ran his hand down the length of his boyfriend’s back, rubbing soothing circles right at the bottom of his lower back and then repeating the action all over again.
“You got here on time,” said the babe, pressing their lips together again and indulging the elder in a slow dance. The babe rested his hand on his boyfriend's neck, tilting his head to the best of his abilities (without waking up Mark) to kiss the elder more comfortably and properly. Jungwoo only broke the kiss when he felt his boyfriend’s hand creeping underneath the oversized sweater hanging off the younger male's body, pressing his icy hands against the child's bare flesh and causing him to flinch in surprise.
“You’re an asshole,” said Jungwoo, pressing his face against his boyfriend’s chest to muffle the sounds of his grunts. If he didn’t, he’d end up screaming and waking up Mark. And whilst his best friend wouldn’t be angry about it, the younger male looked the most peaceful when he was asleep or with Hyuckie. It was a sight he loved admiring. His boyfriend, however, chuckled in return and pressed a sweet kiss to Jungwoo's cheek. “Sorry. My hands are cold and your body is the best heater I know.”
Jungwoo couldn’t help the chuckle that got past his lips, shaking his head at the elder and pressing a kiss to his neck.
It was cold. He and Mark had fallen asleep without bothering to turn on the home heater. He could only imagine the temperature within the house. He didn’t feel the cold much since Mark's temperature runs hot. Just like Jaehyun, the younger male's body heat is enough to keep them both warm. But the same couldn’t be said about the rest of the apartment.
He really should have turned on the heater before indulging himself into a sudden cuddle session with his best friend.
Hence why, the babe tried his best to maneuver his way around both males without disturbing them. It wasn’t until he was on his feet and about to walk out of the room that Jaehyun stopped him, slightly pulling him back as he sat down on the mattress properly. Mark stirred in sleep momentarily and turned over to his left, arms wrapping around Jungwoo's body pillow and pressing it against chest.
Jaehyun chuckled at the younger male.
“He’ll be upset if he wakes up and you’re not here.”
Jungwoo rolled his eyes at the kiddie rationale and moved in between the elder's legs. He wrapped his arms affectionately around Jaehyun’s neck whilst the brunet pulled him closer by the waist.
This also counted as cuddling, right? Somewhat.
“You’ll be here though. He’ll definitely be fine waking up and finding you here."
The elder smiled at his boyfriend and pressed his face against Jungwoo's covered tummy, earning himself a kiss to the crown of his head from the adorable babe in his arms.
When he decided to come over, he wasn’t expecting to find Mark at the apartment. Had he known, he would have given them some privacy instead of barging in. However, seeing two of his most favourite people cuddling together made his heart flutter in ways he couldn’t explain. Jungwoo, whose head was resting on the younger male's chest, had Mark wrapped up in a mess of limbs that were bound to cut off the younger male's circulation at some point. And in return, Mark's arm was wrapped up protectively around Jungwoo's waist, pulling him closer as if trying to keep him safe.
It was a sight that had Jaehyun’s heart fluttering in unimaginable ways. To know there was someone who cared for him as much as he did was both comforting and relieving. Because the harmony shared between Mark and Jungwoo isn’t always shared by everyone else around them. It had been easy for him and Taeyong to come into terms with the irrelevance of their soulmark since they both believed their lives shouldn’t be dictated by a tattoo.
Because realistically speaking, many others didn’t share the same sentiment. But that didn’t mean they never found happiness together. Johnny and Kun were very much happy together despite taking them years to find each other. Now, they were pretty much inseparable. It was simply a matter of making things work. Taeyong and Jaehyun did try giving each other a chance, but things didn’t feel right at all. So when Taeyong confessed to be in love with someone else despite already knowing about his bond with Jaehyun, the brunet felt like he could finally breathe.
Because just like Taeyong, he couldn’t come into terms with the matching tattoo on their wrists. Yes, he felt complete and at peace whenever Taeyong was around, but that’s where all the magic ends. His heart doesn’t speed up at the sight of the petit male, nor does he feel any obnoxious butterflies in his tummy. He likes having his soulmate around—and God knows how much he loves spending some random afternoons with Tyong, just the two of them lazing around together—and yet, despite this technicality and undoubted attachment to the petit male, Jaehyun doesn’t crave his presence permanently.
But Jungwoo, sweet Jungwoo, was something else. And from the moment he met the babe until now, Jaehyun’s life had taken a complete turn. Life without Jungwoo doesn’t seem right. Doesn’t feel right. And Jaehyun doesn’t want to stick around to find out. He’s very much in love with the babe regardless of how others around them feel about their relationship.
“We should go cook dinner. He’ll be hungry when he finally wakes up,” said Jungwoo, staring at his soulmate fondly and smiling to himself.
“Did he eventually get the pasta he was craving?”
“I don’t think so. Wait, how do you know about that?”
“He texted me to complain about it a few days ago. I say we make some for him.”
Jungwoo smiled at the brunet and nodded, pressing one last kiss to his boyfriend’s lips and feeling internally accomplished of the relationship his boyfriend and soulmate had together. Because if Mark and Jaehyun didn’t get along, Jungwoo wouldn’t know what to do.
He was just glad that the two of them got along and were very well attached to each other.
Hence why, smiling at his boyfriend, the babe nodded in agreement and waited for the elder to stand up. Jungwoo pulled up the duvet and made sure to cover Mark properly, watching as the younger male let out a sigh of content and snuggled closer to Jungwoo's body pillow.
Instead of cooking, he’d much rather be in bed with his best friend. Unfortunately, Jaehyun was right. They needed to eat and there was absolutely nothing edible in the fridge. The groceries were probably still sitting on the kitchen counter. And the least he could do for the younger male to thank him for coming over was making a nice, warm meal he knew he’d enjoy.
Taking the babe’s hand in his, Jaehyun led them out of the room and into the kitchen, not forgetting to close the door behind them to not disturb the male sleeping peacefully inside. And once outside in the living room, Jungwoo realized the home heater was on. Jaehyun must have turned it on when he walked in, clearly confused by the low temperature inside the apartment despite the heavy indications—the car parked outside and the groceries on the counter—that Jungwoo was home.
Thank God for small favors—and for Jaehyun's presence.
In the midst of them pulling out groceries, Jungwoo's phone, which had been left forgotten on the counter as soon as he got home from the market, started ringing. Jaehyun, being the closest to it, picked up the phone call without checking the caller ID. And he didn’t have to. Based on the ringtone alone (Boyfriend by Justin Bieber, a song specifically chosen by Mark) the elder already knew who was the person calling. So when Jaehyun’s amusing “hey sunshine” resonated around the kitchen, Jungwoo couldn’t help the automatic smile that tugged on his lips.
“Why are you picking up pretty Woo's phone?”
Jungwoo laughed at him in the background, moving around the kitchen and putting some of the groceries away as Jaehyun took over the phone call completely.
“Why? Because I decided to kidnap him from your boyfriend for the sake of making some dinner for when he wakes up.”
For the next few minutes, Jaehyun and Hyuckie had a conversation revolving around Mark and his obvious concern for Jungwoo. All Hyuckie knew was that Mark started feeling uneasiness and distress, leading to his decision to come over to look for Jungwoo. Unfortunately, with Mark falling asleep unexpectedly as he waited for Jungwoo to arrive, Donghyuck had been left in the dark and worried about both Mark and his soulmate.
Until now thanks to prince charming here (as he referred to Jaehyun) or so Hyuckie thought. He was genuinely thankful to know Jungwoo was okay.
Stupid Mark. How dare he fall asleep without calling to inform him about Jungwoo’s whereabouts?
“Do you want to come over and have dinner with us?” asked Jaehyun, walking around the counter and helping the babe with the remaining groceries. Donghyuck agreed, causing Jungwoo to smile at the thought of having both his soulmate and Hyuckie at home with him. And Jaehyun, much like his boyfriend, seemed to be delighted by Hyuckie’s decision to come over. After all, neither he nor Jungwoo felt fully complete without both Mark and his little boyfriend around.
In a very odd way, they were basically a family. The only ones missing were Doyoung and Taeyong, but Jaehyun hadn’t dared bother them after his adorable soulmate texted him to let him know he and Doie were leaving the city for the weekend. And even though Jaehyun knew that leaving the city implied going camping only, he wouldn’t bother them simply to ask them to come over. Camping was very important to Taeyong, for he was very nature oriented and enjoyed spending time outside.
He'd know. He had been the one to take Taeyong camping for the very first time ever. He was the whole reason behind the elder’s monthly trips, some of which merely consisted of hikes, picnics, bonfires, or just a whole day at a park or beach for the sake of spending time in nature. Because that was definitely one of the things that he and Taeyong shared together. And truth to be told, he was just glad they complimented each other so well. Road trips with their friends were always the best. And whilst Jungwoo wasn’t the most enthusiastic about spending time away from civilization (as he called it) he was always up for some quality time with the people he loved.
So yes, just like Jungwoo felt a sense of relief whenever he saw Mark and Jaehyun interacting, Jaehyun experienced the same thing whenever he saw his soulmate and Jungwoo together. Because they were the two people that completed him.
Hanging up the call and leaving the phone on the counter again, the elder went around the counter once more and embraced his boyfriend from behind. With Jungwoo being slightly taller, Jaehyun had no issues resting his chin on the babe's shoulder, finding their mismatched heights rather convenient—he could reach the child’s neck without issues and even indulge in his rather addicting scent without struggling. And Jungwoo, albeit busy filling up a pot with water for the pasta, allowed himself the pleasure of letting the elder wrap him up in a warm embrace, slightly pulling him against this chest by the hips whilst he leaned his head against Jaehyun’s broader shoulder.
“I miss Taeyong and Doie. I wish they were here.” Jungwoo turned around and faced his boyfriend directly, pot long forgotten on the counter behind him as he wrapped his arms around the elder’s neck to pull him closer. And Jaehyun complied, smiling at his source of happiness and allowing himself to be pulled into the warmth radiating off the babe, indulging himself in the arms that embraced him with both love and need. “We should meet up soon. At least our little sunshine is joining us tonight. I’m sure it’ll make Mark really happy. Let’s hope he sleeps in until Hyuckie arrives,” said Jaehyun, smiling at the babe and invading his personal space, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips and earning himself a set of giggles from his boyfriend.
He felt loved. Complete. At peace.
His better half was deeply asleep in the room, snuggling into his sheets and hugging his body pillow to keep himself warm. Meanwhile Jaehyun, the love of his life, was standing in front of him and smiling in the most beautiful of ways, causing Jungwoo's heart to flutter in happiness and excitement. Because this is what he’s always wanted and more.
This is home. Spending time with the two most important people in his life is the one thing he looks forward to the most, and truly he can’t be anymore thankful for life to have fallen into place. Because a life without Jaehyun and Mark doesn’t seem worth it anymore—a life full of emptiness and void of any emotions isn’t worth living.
So he was thankful. Thankful to Mark for helping him prove that soulmates are much more than just a predestined person in your life. And thankful to Jaehyun for helping him understand that happiness doesn’t revolve around a tattoo or a soulbond. At the end, they were one big family bound together by the strings of love, for they complete each other in indescribable ways.
Love.
Thanks to Mark and Jaehyun, the babe understood the full meaning of it. And he was more than thankful for it.