Archive of Our Own

-1. Day After Day-

In his dream, Minho is flying.

He has no idea how. But he the breeze is soft, the stars are glittering, and a wide lake lies stretched out below him.

There, in the distance, he notices a flickering, moving light. As he comes closer, a small dock takes shape. A figure sits on the edge, feet dangling into the water, a bright smile adorning his face. A lantern dips the surroundings in a soft glow, and Minho flies closer, until he can see the boys face.

The boy looks up, and thats the moment where it hits Minho; somehow... somehow this magnificent boy is the reason he can fly.

The dream changes into more vague, more absurd things, involving cats, and, for whatever reason, Seungmin throwing a shoe at him. By the time he wakes up, he has already forgotten about flying and mysterious boys.

He hears the rattling train noise, feels the sun on his face. Minho groans, and blinks. Surely, he is about to arrive soon. He opens his eyes lazily... and closes them shut immediately.

There is someone, sitting on the seat in front of him. Someone strangely familiar, but unfamiliar at the same time.

Carefully, Minho opens his eyes again.

A pair of dark eyes returns his gaze.

“Everything alright?” The boy looks genuinely concerned.

The thing is, Minho just dreamed of him. Dreamed of him sitting on a small dock under a sky full of stars, looking like an angel.

Looking at him now, he seems fairly ordinary. Dark hair, round eyes, and a pair of headphones around his neck. His hair is a bit messy, and there are bags under his eyes, and Minho can not help but find him a little bit cute, a little bit handsome.

The boy is Minho’s soulmate. Minho, who spend a full year not aging, wishing nothing more but to finally see the face of his destined one, has finally found his soulmate.

He is speechless.

The boy in front of him tilts his head.

Minho stares at him.

The boy opens his mouth again.

“You alright?”

“Yeah. Yeah, of course.” Minho curses himself. “I mean, I just woke up a bit confused, that’s all.”

The boy laughs.

“Alright then. I will get off the next station, so...”

“I have to get off there to.” Minho rambles. He doesn’t even know where ‘there’ is. But there is no way that he’ll just let his soulmate slip away at some train station.

“Oh, cool. I’m Han Jisung, by the way.” The boy... Jisung extends his hand. Minho takes it. Jisung. He likes the name.

“Lee Minho.”

“So, do you live here?”, Jisung askes, while starting to pack up his things. He has a lot of things, Minho notices. A backpack and a small suitcase.

Minho looks up the next station, and exhales in gratitude. It’s not his home, but it’s not too far away either.

“Not quite.” he answers. “I’m on my way home, and I’m visiting a friend there.”

He really hopes Changbin doesn’t mind.

When they get off the train, Jisung is talking. He talks a lot once he’s opened up, Minho notices.

“My parents didn’t like me pursuing music.”, Jisung explains. “So, as soon as I turned twenty-one, I quit medical school, packed my things and left. I mean, I will stay this age for how long now? A few years? Enough time for me to explore the world, find inspiration, to be free.”

There is no rule for when you have the dream. The dream where you see your soulmate’s face and start aging again. Some people stay twenty-one for a decade, some only for a few minutes. Some never find their soulmate, even if they search a lifetime for that face.

“And where are you going now?”, Minho askes.

Jisung shrugs. “I don’t know. I just took the first train and, after a day or so, decided that it’s time to get off. Now I have to find the cheapest place to stay the night.”

Changbin drags Minho into the bathroom.

“Who the hell is he?”

Minho doesn’t know how to explain.

“Lee Minho, you can’t just drop by with a random stranger without explaining anything. You were supposed to be at home by now, do the boys even know you’re here?”

The boys, referring to Chan, Jeongin and Seungmin, the friends he shares an apartment with. They all study at the same university. Minho loves them like family, even if he would never admit it to them.

“Minho! Are you even listening to me? There is a boy in my living room-“

“He said he has nowhere to stay.”, Minho responds. “He ran from home, and now he wants to seek inspiration and discover the world...”

“So you just thought, hey, lets bring this homeless, potentially crazy guy to the home of my dearest friend Changbin and let him deal with it?”

Minho pauses. Then:

“Ah, see, he’s also my soulmate.”

Changbin stills.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I am. I was just dreaming of this random guy I’ve never seen before, and I open my eyes, and boom, he’s there.”

The anger is gone out of Changbin’s eyes. A smile tugs at his lips, and Minho grins. Changbin is a sucker for romance, and Minho knows it.

“Why didn’t you take him to you?”, Changbin asks.

Minho groans. “I kind of lied about wanting to visit you. I wanted to get off at the same station as him.”

Changbin laughs out loud, and Minho’s neck heats up.

“Just tell him.”

“It’s not that easy.”, Minho replies.

“It is.”, Changbin says, still laughing.

When they enter the living room, Jisung stands up quickly.

“I should probably go now. I’m sorry for intruding...”

“No, no, it’s okay.”, Changbin reassures. “Tell me about yourself.”

So hesitantly, Jisung does. He tells them about how he produces his own music, sings and raps, writes lyrics.

“Music is my soul.”, he says, proudly. “That’s what I live for.”

“And what about your soulmate?”, Changbin asks boldly, and Minho chokes on his drink.

“Well, I’m not that eager to find them now. I mean, why would I want to age? Maybe someday...” Jisung ponders.

Minho suddenly doesn’t feel well.

“I’m sure you’ll change your mind when you meet them.”, Changbin answers with a wink. Jisung shrugs.

Minho excuses himself to the bathroom. He can take this. His soulmate didn’t just reject him... well, only kind of. It’s okay. He can take it. It’s not like he has to tell Jisung now.

Minho and Jisung crash in Changbin’s living room. The lights are already turned off, but they are still awake. Minho tells Jisung about his family, his friends. He finds it strangely comforting to talk to Jisung. The dim light illuminates the boys face, and Minho observes it fondly. His soulmate.

“You dance?”, Jisung exclaims, all exited, and Minho can see the stars in his eyes. He thinks he is already a little bit in love.

“You have to show me some day.”, Jisung says. Minho agrees.

Changbin proposes to drive them to Minho’s shared apartment.

“I have to finish a project with Chan.”, he tells them. “Maybe Jisung can take a look at it, too. He showed me some of his music, earlier; he’s really talented.” Chan and Changbin both produce music. Jisung seems torn.

“I do not plan on staying anywhere for to long.”, he tells them.

“That’s fine.”, Minho reassures. “You can just crash at our place for as long as you like to stay.”

“But what if I’m a mass murderer?”, Jisung asks.

Minho raises an eyebrow. “Are you?”

Jisung laughs. “I just feel you’re being too generous.”

“Don’t worry about it.”, Minho says gently.

Jisung laughs. “I’m really lucky to have met you, I guess.”

Changbin rolls his eyes. “Well, the guys will be surprised.”, he muses.

Minho doesn’t tell the others. Not about the soulmate thing, at least. After a long but entertaining car ride with Jisung and Changbin, they arrive at the apartment. Seungmin isn’t home, but Chan and Jeongin are.

Minho introduces Jisung, and Changbin immediately drags him into Chans studio. It’s kind of funny, how exited they seem.

Jeongin just looks at Minho and shrugs.

“You know how they are. It’s all about music.”

Minho knows. He is happy about it, too. He knows how important it is, to do something you’re passionate about. But most importantly, he needs to find a way to make Jisung stay.

He fears that any moment, the boy could be gone.

The day passes like a dream. Jisung, shy at first, loosens up as he gets to know the group. When evening comes around, he is the one talking the most, telling stories, making them laugh.

“I don’t want the summer break to end.”, Changbin complains, stretched out on the couch. Jisung leans on the table, having a conversation with Jeongin, and Chan has grown quiet. Minho shrugs.

“I’m kind of glad. I want to dance again.”

Later that evening, Jisung leans on the balcony railing. Minho joins him.

“They are all really nice.”, Jisung says, eyes somewhere far away. “I wish I had friends like this back home.”

“You can have them now.”, Minho answers, out of instinct.

Jisung turns around and looks at him.

“You want to be my friend?”, he asks, a serious expression on his face.

“I would like it very much.”, Minho answers, without hesitation.

A smile spreads over Jisung’s face.

Minho offers Jisung his bed. Changbin would have laughed at him, but he’s asleep now, on their only couch; thus Minho’s offer to Jisung.

 “I would feel bad, taking your bed.”, Jisung responds, chuckling. “I’ll just take the floor or something.”

“No, I insist.”, Minho says.

Jisung looks pensive for a moment. “It’s quite large.”, he shrugs. “And I’m small. So I guess we could both sleep on it.”

Minho stares at him for a few moments. “Yeah.”, he finally says. “Fine. Right.”

Jisung beams, and Minho is already lost.

Jisung is curled up on one side of Minho’s bed. They don’t touch each other, but there isn’t much space between them either. Minho’s eyes wander over him. He looks cute, Minho thinks.

It’s something, lying next to Jisung. It’s really something.

That night, he doesn’t sleep much.

University starts a few days later. Minho has shown Jisung around the city, and they had talked a lot. It’s easy, being around Jisung. It feels natural.

Today, Jisung is gone early in the morning, and Minho doesn’t know where to. It’s not important, Minho muses. As long as he knows Jisung will come back.

Minho has dance class in the afternoon. They are assigned into groups. “You’ll have time to come up with a choreography until November.”, the instructor tells them. “You can choose the song you want.”

Minho turns to his teammates, Felix and Hyunjin. They are dance majors, like him, and therefore he knows them quite well.

“Let’s meet up after class.”, Felix proposes.

And just like this, life starts again, and Minho has less and less time. It’s not that Jisung minds. He comes and goes, sometimes disappearing for days. He comes back with new melodies, new lyrics, new inspiration.

Minho minds though. He wants to spend all his free time with Jisung.

“It’s like you replaced us.”, Chan tells them some day, only half joking.

“It’s not like I want to spend all of my time with him.”,  Jisung answers, grinning. “We just happen to always be together.”

Minho smiles. They really do click, him and Jisung. Soulmates.  Minho’s smile widens.

The first time Jisung comes watching Minho dance, he doesn’t expect it. He is alone, practicing for their team choreography, when someone enters the room.

Minho’s eyes catch Jisung slipping through the door, and he stops the music.

“I hope you don’t mind.”, Jisung says.

“I don’t.”, Minho responds, a bit out of breath because of the dancing.

So Jisung sits down, and Minho continues. He catches Jisung’s gaze more often than he plans to. Somehow, his eyes always seem to find him.

By the end of the practice, he is sweat-drenched and breathless. Jisung watches as Minho comes closer to grab the water bottle.

His eyes are blown wide, and he seems a little breathless, too. Minho approaches him, until he stands directly in front of the boy.

“What do you think?”, Minho asks.

“Oh, you know.”,  Jisung leans back a little, looks him in he eyes. “You dance quite well.”

On this day, Jisung decides to come watching Minho regularly.

“I’m Hyunjin.”

Jisung extends a hand, smiling.

“Han Jisung.”

“I know.”, Hyunjin answers. “Minho talks about you a lot.”

“Lies.”, Minho interjects, and Jisung smiles.

“You don’t have to deny it. After you so generously invited me to your home, everyone knows you became my fan.”

“That makes no sense!” Minho protests. “I generously invited you to my home, and I  became your fan? It’s you who likes me.”

Hyunjin rolls his eyes, and Jisung laughs.

When they walk home, the sun is already about to set. Orange light reflects on Jisung’s hair, melts the brown of his eyes.

“I really like this time of the day.”, Jisung states. “It’s kind of surreal. Like we are trapped in a painting.”

You are a painting, Minho wants to reply, but he doesn’t.

“That’s the way I want to live.”, Jisung continues. “Like every evening is a painting, and every morning is the first notes of a song.”

Then he smiles at him, and oh. 

Minho is in love.

-2. You-

“Hyunjin is really handsome.”, Jisung tells him en passant, and Minho doesn’t know what to do with it.

“Everybody thinks that.”, Seungmin agrees.

“Yeah, but he is like, really hot.” Jisung emphasizes, and Minho can’t stop the frown from showing on his face.

“Still not hotter than me of course.”, Jisung adds, and Seungmin chokes on his drink.

Changbin is laughing. He leans over to Minho.

“Don’t be jealous.”, he tells him. “You can’t be the only good-looking guy in this world.”

Minho groans.

“What about a trip for the weekend?”, Felix proposes, and oh, Jisung will love the idea.

“I’m in.”, Hyunjin exclaims.

“Minho, ask the others to come, too.”, Felix says.

The two dancers have been hanging out with Minho’s friends more and more lately, and Minho likes it.

“I’ll ask them.”, Minho agrees. “Where are we going to?”

“There is a lake nearby.” Felix smiles. “A friend of mine possesses a cabin there, and proposed to lend it to us for the night.”

As predicted, Jisung is delighted. He loves adventure, he loves discovering new things. Chan is also joining them, but much to their disappointment, Changbin drove back to his apartment, promising to visit them again another time.

Felix is driving, and Minho is next to him on the passenger seat. He can’t help but glancing back at Jisung and Hyunjin regularly. They seem to be having fun, giggling together. One time, they start to fight playfully, and Chan has to intervene so they don’t mess up the car.

Minho grits his teeth and looks outside the window. He can’t be jealous. It’s ridiculous.  So, he ignores them.

The lake is wide and blue, cradled between trees, illuminated by the sun.

Jisung runs towards it, the soft light in his hair, and Minho gets the weird feeling he’s dreaming again.

“You’ve been quiet.”

It’s Chan who interrupts his thoughts, a knowing look on his face.

“Just tired.”, Minho answers.

Comfortably, they approach the lake. Minho watches Jisung, Hyunjin and Felix, who already arrived at the shimmering surface.

Mostly, he observes Jisung.

“You like him quite a lot.”, Chan states.

“Jisung?”

“Well, certainly not Hyunjin. You’ve been shooting the poor boy death glares the whole trips.”

“I like Hyunjin.”, Minho objects. Just not right now. Not when he gets Jisung’s whole attention, something Minho has been longing for since he met the boy.

Chan just chuckles, pats Minho’s arm.

“If you want, you can talk to me. Okay?”, he tells him.

Minho nods.

The lake is mostly void from other people. They find a quiet corner between some trees, and Felix has spread the picnic blanket out. They are sitting together, under the swaying trees and the blue sky, and it feels peaceful.

Somehow, they are talking about soulmates again.

“But what if I can’t remember their face?”, Hyunjin asks, concerned.

“Trust me, you will.”, Minho answers.

“But what if I don’t?”

“Then you’ll dream of it again and again, until you do.” Minho rolls his eyes. “Isn’t that how it works for most people?”, he adds.

“It’s individual.”, Chan says. “Some dream of it only once and just know. Some forget. Usually, they are reminded by another dream.”

Minho senses Jisung watching him.

He wouldn’t mind dreaming of Jisung again and again, Minho thinks.

“Who wants to go swimming?”, Jisung asks.

“In our clothes?”, Hyunjin asks. “This is my favorite t-shirt, I can’t ruin it...” They did not bring swimsuits. Minho doesn`t even know if swimming is allowed here.

But Jisung is still looking at Minho, expecting.

“The last one in the water looses.”, Minho says.

A bright grin spreads on Jisung’s face, and he jumps to his feet and starts racing to the lake.

“Hey!” Minho chases after him. He hears the guys cheering from the back. “We didn’t start yet!”

“Go get him, Minho!”, Felix yells in his deep voice.

With a loud splash, Jisung breaks the clear surface of the lake. He’s squealing and laughing and shaking, and Minho has never seen someone so alive.

The water is cold, and Minho shivers. Jisung is already fully soaked.

“Come here, scaredy cat!”, he grins. “Do you fear getting wet?”

Minho flashes his eyes at him, grits his teeth, and walks towards Jisung. As soon as Minho is close enough, Jisung pulls him into the water, hard. Minho yelps, but its to late; he is fully submerged.

He emerges, coughing; strands of wet hair are blocking his view, but he can hear Jisung laughing.

“I hate you.”, Minho exclaims, still spitting out water. “How could you do that to me?”

“Let’s go for a swim!” And, just like this, Jisung is drifting away again. Minho follows him, and finds some irony in it.

Jisung does not lead him to the middle of the lake; no, he swims along the border, until they reach a little bay, nestled between rocks and trees.

From here, the others are out of sight, and Minho can’t help but wonder if Jisung did this intentionally.

He turns back to Minho and smiles again.

“It’s time for my revenge.”, Minho tells him, and firmly approaches Jisung.

“Ah, ah, you are scary!” Jisung complains and starts splashing water at his face.

Minho splashes back, and the battle has begun. There is water everywhere, Jisung is loud, to the point when Minho wouldn’t be surprised if one could hear them across the whole lake.

Jisung attacks him again, and this time, Minho grabs his arms and pushes him back, until he has him pinned against a rock. Minho stills.

Jisung is trying to wiggle himself out of Minho’s grip, but when his gaze meets Minho’s, he also stops.

“I won.”, he whispers, and it’s funny, because he is the one pinned under Minho, looking flushed from the battle, waterdrops dripping from his eyelashes, rolling down his cheeks. His shirt clings to his shoulders, and he looks so... he looks so...

“You know, earlier.”, Jisung continues, quietly. “I was the first in the water.”

He looks at Minho, eyes a melting brown, and Minho barely registers his words.

“Is that so?”, he murmurs back.

Something inside of him aches with want.

He loosens his grip on Jisung’s arms, to give him the possibility to withdraw, but Jisung only comes closer, until his face is barely inches from Minho’s.

“Do you question my victory, Lee Minho?”, he asks, in a low voice. 

Minho forgets how to breathe. It must be clearly visible now; the way his eyes dart to Jisung’s mouth, the way a tremor runs through his entire body.

And then, Jisung draws back, a bright smile on his face.

“You don’t object; I’ll take that as a confirmation of your defeat.”

Minho lets out a shaky breath. His heart is still racing, his mind a maze of thoughts and wishes, and he doesn’t know how he just survived this.

Jisung leans against the rock, and lets his head fall back.

“I am tired.”, he whines. “Let’s walk back.”

“We are completely drenched.”, Minho says. “It’ll be cold.”

“We have to get out of the water at some point.”, Jisung argues. “Also, I have no energy to swim. The almighty quokka has run out of energy.”

So, they walk back.

Minho shivers, but so does Jisung; they complain about the cold, Jisung does some bad puns, and they laugh way too much. Laughing is easy with Jisung. It makes Minho want to be around him all the time.

When they arrive, Chan immediately gets up to fetch them some blankets from the car.

“You two are crazy”, Hyunjin shakes his head, “out of your mind.”

The cabin, belonging to one of Felix’ friends, is small but cozy; a little dining table, a comfortable sofa, and a lot of pillows and blankets.

Jisung falls asleep almost immediately.

“At least, now we don’t have to argue about who takes the couch.”, Hyunjin laughs. There are four beds exactly.

“What did you plan on doing if the others would have come, too?”, Minho asks Felix, raised eyebrow.

“We’d just have to share beds.”, Felix shrugs, laughing. “I bet you wouldn’t have objected.”, he adds, mischievously.

“Sharing a bed with you? I would have forced you to sleep on the floor.”, Minho answers. He knows that’s not what Felix was referring to.

They leave food for Jisung. Afterwards, they talk until they grow tired, too.

Minho stays behind in the living room. Jisung is sleeping peacefully, and Minho sits down next to the window, observing the stars and thinking about his life, and mostly, about the small boy on the couch.

“You sleep in the weirdest of places.”

Minho blinks, still sleepy.

“I’m jealous.”, another voice says. “How do you manage to just fall asleep like that? On a chair, too...”

Minho recognizes Chan’s voice.

“Yeah, he fell asleep during the train ride too.”, Jisung, the first voice, answers. “Even though it was so loud- “

Minho blinks. His back aches.

“You could have had a whole bed for yourself, idiot.”, Jisung scolds.

“I don’t know.”, Minho groans. “It just happened.”

“Well, now that you’re awake, I’m going to wake the others, too.” Jisung leaves the room.

Chan sends Minho a knowing look.

“Don’t judge me.”, Minho signs.

“You know I wouldn’t.”, Chan answers, sincerely. Then, smiling: “You’re absolutely besotted with him.”

“...I know.”

-3. Love Me-

“So, I’ve been auditioning for some companies nearby.”, Jisung announces. “And one is hiring me as producer!”

“That’s incredible!”, Chan gives him a high five.

“Wow, our Jisung is so cool- “, Changbin is back again, sitting on the couch of their apartment, which practically belongs to him by now. “He’s a real producer now!”

“I just figured I couldn’t continue to live in your apartment for free.”, Jisung shrugs. “I have to earn my own money.”

“So, you’re going to stay permanently now?”, Seungmin asks.

Jisung shrugs again. “Just for a while longer. I’m going to move to my own apartment, though.”

“So, no more stealing Minho’s bed?”, Changbin asks and wiggles his eyebrows at Minho.

“Finally.”, Minho says, feigning relief.

“Hey!”, Jisung exclaims. “I’m not that bad of a cuddler!”

“You snore.”, Minho complains. “And you leave your clothes everywhere...”

“Well, the last one is true.”, Jisung says, chuckling. “I admit to my crimes.”

Autumn is coming fast, and the leaves are falling, orange and yellow and red.

Minho is on his way home when he spots an acorn lying on the sideway, between a pile of leaves. It makes him think of Jisung, his squirrel cheeks, his round eyes. So, he picks it up.

The acorn is a mixture of smooth and rough under his fingers. He puts it in his pocket, and makes a detour to Jisung’s small apartment.

Jisung isn’t home, but Minho has a spare key. Without thinking about it too much, he enters and puts the acorn in the middle of Jisung’s bed. It looks just right, there, between the soft sheets. Minho smiles.

Later, Minho and Jeongin are hanging out. They are about to watch a movie when Jisung calls.

“Is it you who left an acorn on my bed?”, he asks, a bit startled, and Jeongin bursts out laughing.

“I’ll hang up now.”, Minho says, jokingly.

“Seriously,” Jisung says “I was scared that someone broke into my house!”

“Nah, just me.”, Minho answers. “We are about to watch Howl’s moving castle. Do you want to join?”

“I’ll be there in a second.”

When they hang up, Jeongin is still laughing. “You did what?”

“I just thought of him. Because he is a squirrel, right?”

“Ahh.”, Jeongin says, grinning.

Minho is sick. He hates it; the choreography for the dance class is due in two weeks, and he has to rehearse with Felix and Hyunjin.

“Don’t worry to much.”, Jisung says. “You already know it inside out.”

Jisung has been watching most of their rehearsals.

Still, Minho worries.

Jisung is taking his temperature. His hands are soft on the side of Minho’s face, and Minho thinks he might get fever just from the warmth of Jisung’s touch.

“You should go see a doctor.”, Jisung tells him.

“I don’t want to.”, Minho replies.

“I can go with you, if you want.”

The rest of the day, Jisung takes care of Minho. He makes tea for him, and covers him in blankets. It’s sweet, really.

The next day, ignoring Minho’s protests, Jisung drags him to the doctor. The waiting room is nice and bright, and Jisung is holding his hand, reassuring him. Wouldn’t it be for him feeling sick, Minho would be perfectly content right now.

It is their turn. The doctor asks a few questions, takes a few notes.

“It’s nothing to serious.”, the doctor confirms. Then, she looks up. “Do you age?”, she asks.

Suddenly, the room seems to be too small. Minho breathes out.

When the doctor notices Minho hesitating, she explains: “The body works differently when it is not aging. It is important to know.”

“I do.”, Minho tells her, not looking at Jisung. “I age.” I found my soulmate. My soulmate just hasn’t found me yet.

He barely registers what the doctor says afterwards.

When they leave the clinic, Jisung is strangely quiet. To be fair, Minho is too. He is overthinking. What if Jisung figures it all out? He can’t decide if it would be a good thing or not.

A stronger breeze flies through the air. Minho realizes he is scared.

“Are they beautiful?”, Jisung asks, suddenly. “Your soulmate.”

Minho looks at Jisung. Wind is ruffling through his hair, and the grey sweater makes him look soft, so soft.

“Yes.”, Minho breathes.

“Oh.”, Jisung says. “That’s nice.” Somehow, his voice has a sad tone to it.

They walk in silence for a minute.

“Why did you stay for so long?”, Minho asks. “Here, I mean. You said you didn’t plan on staying, and yet...”

Jisung just shrugs and sends him a strange look. As if he was waiting for Minho to realize something...

Minho discards the thought.

“Maybe it is time to leave, anyway.”, Jisung says, shrugging again.

“Don’t.” Minho’s reply comes too fast, too urgent.

Jisung pauses, and turns to look at Minho.

“That’s kind of unfair, isn’t it?”, he breathes, and Minho can see something in his eyes, a kind of desperation.

And it is unfair, wanting to keep Jisung here. It is selfish, Minho tells himself; so very selfish to hold Jisung back, when all that Jisung wanted is to be free.

And what can Minho offer him, really?

“I just...”, Minho stammers. “I would miss you very much.”

“Well, you are the one who wanted to be my friend to begin with.”, Jisung answers, and oh, he’s being mean.

Minho’s mind is searching and searching for a solution, a way not to lose Jisung.

“I’m coming with you.”, he utters, and it feels surreal. He hasn’t thought this through. He just knows that it is the only option he got.

Jisung’s eyes widen.

“Why would you do that.”

“I just want to.”

Jisung looks at him like Minho has gone crazy.

“Well, it’s not like I’m gonna leave tomorrow or something.”, he finally says.

“That’s good.”, Minho replies, a bit out of breath.

“Yeah.”, Jisung says, and Minho senses that he is still confused. “That’s good.”

Minho just got home. He finds Changbin, Seungmin and Jisung watching a movie in the living room.

Jisung beams at him, and Minho joins them on the couch.

When the movie ends, Jisung seems smitten about something.

“I have to go now.”, he tells them.

“Why?”, Minho whines.

“I have a date.”

Something collapses inside of Minho’s stomach.

“A date?”

“Yes.”, Jisung confirms, looking Minho straight in the eye. “A guy from university asked me out, and I thought, why not?”

“You don’t even go to university!”, Seungmin laughs.

“I always come watching the dancers.”, Jisung explains.

Me, Minho thinks. You come to watch me.

He averts his eyes, keeps his expression carefully neutral, and pretends not to be interested in the rest of the conversation.

After Jisung leaves, Changbin watches him carefully.

“Are you okay?”, he asks.

“Yes.”, Minho answers, pointed.

“Are you sure?”, Changbin emphasises. “Cause if not, there is a simple way to end this.”

“It’s not simple!”, Minho says, suddenly angry.

Seungmin is confused.

“Can I tell him?”, Changbin asks.

Minho doesn’t even care anymore.

“Go ahead.”

“Fine.”, Changbin turns to Seungmin. “Jisung is Minho’s soulmate.”

Seungmin’s mouth forms a small ‘o’.

“It’s not important.”, Minho says.

“Do you think I’m dumb? Of course it’s important. He is important to you.”

“It’s because he is important to me!”, Minho bursts. “I can’t be selfish with him. I can’t tie him down with some soulmate bond he most likely doesn’t even want!”

He breathes out.

“I don’t mind. I don’t need him to be mine, I just need him to be there, and to be happy.”

The other two look at him, stunned into silence. Then, Seungmin comes wrapping his arms around Minho.

“You okay?”, Minho asks, baffled. Seungmin has never done this before.

Seungmin nods into his shoulder and sniffs a bit.

“You are a good soul, Minho.”

“You never noticed that before?”, Minho asks jokingly, and Seungmin hits him, lightly. That’s more like it.

Changbin snorts. “Oh yeah, you are so noble, Minho. Not stupid at all. One day, when you wake up and he’s gone, you’ll wish you would have been selfish.”

-4. And You-

But Jisung stays. The day of their dance presentation, he is there, on the bench, cheering for them. He recently ended things with his date.

After the presentation ended, Jisung comes their way, waving excitedly. Hyunjin leans to Minho and Felix and says:

“Maybe I should date him.”

Minho’s head whips towards Hyunjin. “You want tissue in your mouth?”

“Hey, I’m just joking.”, Hyunjin says, hands in the air as sign of innocence. “Just joking.”

“Minho, why are you frightening Hyunnie?”, Jisung has reached them.

“He is being annoying.”, Minho answers briefly.

Jisung laughs. “You guys where amazing, by the way. I’m sure you’ll get an excellent grade!”

“I really hope so.”, Felix smiles.

Minho is eating chips on Jisung’s couch. His apartment resembles a small studio, and Jisung is on his laptop, a folder with music open.

“Let me hear your new songs.”, Minho asks. Jisung regularly shows him songs, and Minho likes them all very much. It feels like he gets to know some hidden part of Jisung, the way his mind works.

Jisung opens a file, and a soft tune fills the air. The rap is melodic, chill, and Minho smiles and leans his head back.

Jisung joins Minho on the couch, and for some time, they sit in silence as the songs switch.

“I like watching you listen to my songs.”, Jisung admits. “It makes them feel special. When you smile, or close your eyes, or bop you head to the rhythm.”

It feels like something vulnerable to admit, something personal, and Minho’s gaze finds Jisung.

“I could dance to them.”, Minho proposes. “To your songs, I mean.”

Something dark fills Jisung’s eyes. “You could.”

Another tune fills the room, slower this time. Minho stands up. “Would you like that?”

Jisung stares at him. “Very much.” But then, he makes his way to the laptop. “Not this song though.”

“Why not?” Minho follows Jisung, grabs his hand to stop him from changing the song.

“It’s...“ Jisung seems a bit flustered.

Minho stands still and listens. Jisung is singing in this one. Poetic lyrics over a flowing, sparkling melody. It’s a love song, Minho realizes. The first one he has heard from Jisung.

“It’s beautiful.”, he whispers.

Jisung holds his breath. Minho lets go of his hand, takes a step back. This song is meant for a delicate, elegant dance. So, he lets go of his body, follows the melody. Still, his movements are sharp, precise; it’s his style of dancing. But this time, he fills them with every emotion conveyed in the song; he feels the words flowing out of Jisung’s mouth, feels the notes tumbling softly.

When the song stops, Minho stills, breathing heavily.

Jisung doesn’t look away from him, though. His gaze seems to be trailing over Minho, left hand on the table, as if to stabilize himself.

“God, Minho.”, he breathes, and Minho isn’t sure if he misheard. Jisung blinks at him.

A new song starts to play, and Jisung startles, seemingly pulling himself together. He goes to stop the song, and Minho reluctantly falls back on the couch. He has no idea what just happened. He has no idea what to do of it.

“Hey, scoot over.”, Jisung complains, and everything is back to normal.

“But I need rest.”, Minho whines, splayed out on the couch.

“If you do not move, I’m going to tickle you.”, Jisung threatens, and it is enough to make Minho sit up.

“Why did you stop going on dates with that guy?”, he asks. He forces every hope down. Surely, he was reading Jisung’s gaze wrong, earlier, when he stopped dancing.

Jisung shrugs. “I just wasn’t feeling it.”

Silence. Then:

“If I admit something to you, will you promise not to laugh?”

Minho promises. Jisung leans forward, but he doesn’t quite look at Minho.

“Well, he tried to kiss me...” Minho suddenly feels murderous.

“But I never kissed anybody before. So, I panicked.”

Jisung is growing red, and Minho can’t help but grinning.

“You panicked?”

“Shut up! You promised not to laugh, traitor.”

Minho continues grinning, and Jisung hits him with a pillow. Minho hits back.

“So, how come you never kissed anybody?”, he teases.

Jisung pouts at him. “You’re the worst friend ever. It’s not like nobody wanted to kiss me...”

Minho cannot imagine how anybody wouldn’t want to kiss Jisung.

“You want to?”, he asks, and it sounds like a proposition. Jisung looks at him, baffled.

“Just so you know what it’s like.”, Minho adds, fast.

“Just to...” Jisung furrows his brows, and oh, he’s cute. Then he breathes out: “Okay.”

Minho expected Jisung to laugh, to make a joke out of it. Not this. Now he is the one panicking.

“Minho?”, Jisung asks. He is near now. Minho thinks about backing out, but then Jisung climbs on his lap, and there is no way he’s saying no to this.

“You sure?”, he asks, trying to sound normal.

“I want to.”, Jisung murmurs, and Minho is stunned. Stunned as one of Jisung’s hands is traveling up his neck, barely touching his skin, stunned as Jisung lowers his head, until his lips are hovering over Minho’s.

It shouldn’t be like this. It should be Minho, showing Jisung how to kiss, not Jisung, slowly brushing against his lips, while Minho’s heart is beating out of his chest.

Minho’s eyes fall close, as he leans forward to properly taste Jisung’s lips. They are soft, so soft, and Jisung gasps into his mouth.

Minho lifts his hands up to hold Jisung’s waist. He moves against Jisung’s lips, pulling him impossibly closer.

Then, he can feel Jisung smiling against his mouth, as he begins to tug on Minho’s bottom lip with his teeth.

A soft noise escapes Minho's throat. He shifts Jisung until he is lying down on the couch. His head is clouded, his vision blurry, and full of Jisung. Jisung.

He lets his lips fall down on Jisung’s lips again, a little bit desperate. He feels Jisung’s hands climb up his back, and Minho kisses him harder, urgently.

Oh, how often he has dreamed of this. And god, he can’t bring himself to stop.

He should stop, but the feeling of Jisung’s soft skin underneath his hand, of Jisung being his, is so addicting, so overwhelming.

It is Jisung who parts from him first, gasping. Minho props himself up, hands on both sides of Jisung’s head. Jisung’s eyes are blown wide. It’s the most beautiful sight Minho has ever seen.

He wants to stop himself, before he blurts out something stupid, voices his thoughts, like he often does, in the spur of the moment.

Ironically, it’s Jisung who takes charge of that part:

“You look like a da Vinci artwork.”, he utters, and then cringes.

“I didn’t know you were into art.”, Minho replies.

“Well, you’re stupid then. I am very much into every form of art.”, Jisung says, defiantly, and lets his eyes wander down on Minho.

Minho tries to force the red color down from his neck. Carefully, he sits up.

“Are you satisfied?”, Minho asks.

“You were a very worthy first kiss.”, Jisung answers, nodding seriously.

Minho wants to kiss him again. He wants a lot of other things, too. Minho fears he digged his own grave, right now. How can he ever look at Jisung again, knowing what it is like to be pressed against him, how Jisung’s lips feel against his?

“You want to watch a movie?”, Jisung asks, and Minho wonders if he was at least affected a little bit. If he noticed the feelings Minho clearly dripped into the kiss. He should have been more careful.

Thankfully, everything seems normal. They watch a movie, and Jisung cuddles up against Minho.

They laugh it of, as they always do.

Everyone is assembled in the living room of Minho’s shared apartment. Seungmin, Felix and Jisung form a pile on the couch, while Chan and Jeongin play some board game. Hyunjin and Changbin and are fighting about the food they are about to get.

“Something with potatoes!”, Changbin insists.

“But I want pizza.”, Hyunjin whines, and Jisung comes to his aid:

“I vote pizza!”

They settle on pizza, and Changbin shakes his head, reproachfully.

“Guys, I had the strangest dream yesterday”, Jisung announces.

“Don’t tell us.”, Hyunjin protests. “Last time, you dreamed of Chan being a terrible monster that ate me. I am traumatized since then. I can barely look at Chan anymore.”

They burst out into laughter.

“Nah, this time I dreamed of Minho flying.” Something stirs inside of Minho’s mind. He forces it back.

“Let me guess.”, Hyunjin says. “He was a giant carnivorous bird that devoured Seungmin.”

Minho makes a scary face at Seungmin, and everyone laughs again.

Jisung shakes his head. “It was just him though. There was a lake, too. ”

He looks directly at Minho, who’s eyes are wide.

“Did he fall into it?”, Hyunjin asks.

Slowly, Jisung looks away from Minho.

“Yeah.”, he says casually. “It looked funny.”

They are laughing again.

“I think he was trying to ask you.”, Changbin tells Minho, later. “About the significance of the dream.”

“In front of everyone?”, Minho retorts.

“Nobody would have minded a little romantic moment.”

“He joked about it! It was clearly a joke! He didn’t even consider...”

Minho shouldn’t get so worked up about it. It was fine. No problem. Minho could do this.

“I don’t think he meant it that way...”, Changbin tried to reassure.

“Well, he laughed with Hyunjin about it.”

“You also laughed, Minho.”

Minho sighs.

“What else was I supposed to do?”

Changbin just shakes his head at him. “We’re going in circles here.”

Curiously, Minho doesn’t see Jisung much during the next days. It’s not until the end of the week that Minho realizes that Jisung is avoiding him.

“Is everything alright?”, he asks Jisung. The sky is grey above them, and the first droplets of rain are starting to fall.

“Yeah.”, Jisung answers, softly.

“You were avoiding me, earlier.”

“It’s nothing.”, Jisung says, but there is a hit of something in his voice.

When Minho continues to look at him with worry, Jisung yields.

“I’m not sleeping well lately.”

“Why?”

“It’s just... I keep dreaming, and it feels weird. It feels meaningful.”

Minho wants to say something, but Jisung takes a deep breath, and continues talking.

“But it isn’t. It isn’t meaningful, and I’m just wishing it were, you know? That’s why it feels different. Because I’m hoping... I’m hoping...” Jisung looks up at Minho, raindrops adorning his cheeks.

“Nevermind. It’s all in my head, anyway. God, I’m just rambling random stuff, sorry.”

“Jisung...”

The door to the apartment clicks open.

“What the hell are you two still doing here?”, Chan asks. “It’s pouring!”

Only then does Minho realize that he’s dripping wet. Jisung also is. He shivers, while the water splashes on the asphalt around him.

“Come, let’s get inside.” Chan ushers them to the door. “Don’t you dare get sick on me!”

Jisung keeps dreaming, and Minho keeps holding his breath, waiting for Jisung to do something, to realize...

-5. Light My Way-

Someone is banging on their door like crazy. The bell rings multiple times.

Minho groans; he just got up. He lies back down and decides that he can’t be bothered.

He hears one of his friends open the door, a few seconds later, a voice resonates through the apartment, loud and familiar.

“Lee Minho!”

Minho grumbles and makes his way to the door.

It is a funny view; next to a very confused Chan, who seemed to have opened the door, Minho sees an apparently raging Changbin, and a panting Felix. They both seem to have run here.

As soon as Minho appears in the hallway, all heads turn towards him.

“You have to go to the train station, like, immediately!” Changbin tells him, agitated.

“I... why?” Minho is as confused as Chan.

“Your soulmate is leaving.”

At that, Felix utters a a surprised noise: “They’re soulmates?”

But Minho doesn’t registrate it. He is in a state of shock. “He’s... what? Why would he...”

“I don’t know either.”, Changbin answers. “But Felix here just got a text, and if you don’t get yourself together and run after him right now...”

But Minho is already on his way. He doesn’t even put on appropriate shoes. Jisung is leaving.

He faintly hears Felix yelling after him: “Go get your man!”

The small train station is nearly empty. A light wind is blowing the leaves away, and Minho realizes in horror that the train is already there. The doors are closing, but Minho does the run of his life and begins pushing the button aggressively.

Relief floods through him as the doors open again. Gasping, he enters the train.

He doesn’t find Jisung until the third compartment.

There he is, sitting calmly, like he didn’t just try to leave with Minho’s heart in his hands.

He looks like the day Minho first met him; messy hair, bags under his eyes, a pair of headphones around his neck. He looks outside the window, and it takes some time for him to spot Minho.

Their eyes meet, and oh, Minho must look miserable. He stands there in his is slippers, panting, a reproachful look in his eyes.

Jisung seems at loss for words.

“I said I’d go with you.”, Minho tells him quietly, and he hates how vulnerable his voice sounds.

Jisung just blinks at him, like he is a ghost, like he can’t be real.

“How...” Minho breathes. “How could you leave without me?”

“I didn’t think you were serious.” Jisung finally says. Then: “You can’t be serious.”

Minho hesitates. “You don’t want me to be?”

At this, Jisung’s face softens. He watches Minho, contemplating, before he pats the seat next to him. Minho sits down.

“Are you alright?”, Jisung asks.

Minho is not sure about that, but he nods.

“Let’s get off this train at the next station.” Jisung tells him.

“What? No. I’m coming with you.”, Minho protests.

“Just to talk.”, Jisung explains. Then he leans to Minho and whispers: “The old lady in the back was shooting us weird looks the whole time.”

“Maybe she just thinks I’m handsome.”, Minho jokes.

“In this attire?”, Jisung wiggles his eyebrows at Minho’s clothes. “Did you just get out of bed?”

Minho feels his neck heating up.

Jisung grins and it’s disturbingly attractive.

Jisung drags Minho out of the train. They land in the middle of nowhere; A few houses, a lot of trees. The sun is glittering above them.

Standing here with Jisung, next to the rails, while the train fades into the distance, feels a little bit surreal.

“So, this is where our adventure begins?”, Minho asks, jokingly. “It’s not really spectacular, is it?”

But when Jisung looks at him, his eyes are serious, honest: “Why would you follow me? You have a home, and friends, and your soulmate is somewhere out there... Why would you follow me?”

“I...” Minho searches for words. “What about your dreams? They didn’t stop, did they?”

“They didn’t.” Jisung confirms “I keep dreaming about you, and it’s weird.”

“And you really don’t know what it means?”

“I mean, I always have the strangest dreams...”, Jisung rambles. “I once dreamed of Felix doing a...”

But Minho is close now, and there is a hint of anger in his features. Also, his eyes can’t seem to stay away from the curve of Jisung’s lips.

“Minho?”, Jisung askes, uncertain. Maybe it’s the sound of his name in Jisung’s mouth. Maybe it’s the way the other looks at him, a splash of pink on his cheeks, the sun reflecting in his hair.

Minho hands find Jisung’s waist, and he lowers his head. Jisung makes a soft noise, right before Minho kisses him.

It’s different from their kiss back then. It’s soft, and deep, and Jisung presses himself up against Minho, a small sigh on his lips.

When they part, Minho is breathless.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jisung whispers.

“I feared losing you.” Minho says, softly.

“The whole time I thought... I thought there was someone else. An unknown soulmate.”

“There wasn’t. Nobody but you.”, Minho responds, and Jisung’ gaze fills with something warm, something tender.

“You’re the reason.” Jisung tells him. “The reason I stayed here for so long. It’s you.”

“I don’t want to hold you back... you wanted adventure...”

But Jisung silences him with another kiss.

“You are my adventure.”

“What do we do now, Jisung?”

“We go home, of course.”

They are all assembled in the living room.

“I can’t believe Minho told nobody about Jisung being his soulmate.”, Hyunjin says.

“In hindsight, it makes a lot of sense though.”, Jeongin adds.

Hyunjin sighs. “And then he ran after him, through the fierce rain, just to stop him from leaving. So romantic...”

“There was no rain.”, Minho deadpans. “In fact, the sun was shining brightly.”

“Still romantic.”, Hyunjin insists.

“I can’t believe Jisung was actually going to leave us!”, Chan intervenes.

“Without saying goodbye, too.”, Minho adds, and sends Jisung a deadly look. “Just sending a message to Felix.”

Jisung’s hand finds Minho’s.

“It’s not like I wouldn’t have come back.”, he says. “I would have missed you guys too much.”

“Especially me.”, Minho grins.

“Especially you.”, Jisung affirms.

“So sweet.”, Seungmin comments.

Changbin sighs.

“Finally.”

They are at the lake again.

Jisung sits down, his feet barely touching the water. He gestures at Minho to join him, a bright smile illuminating his face.

And somehow, when Jisung is with him, Minho believes he can do everything. Even fly.