Archive of Our Own

Hyunjin had exactly 2.50 friends.

Yes, 2.50.

1, Jeongin.

2, Seungmin.

0.50, Minho.

And Hyunjin was wishful thinking with that last addition.

He wasn’t sure that Minho would agree with him after the whole tissue incident that happened last week—no comments on that, Hyunjin would like to erase from his memory the frightening image of Minho running towards him. Tissues in hand, a spoon as an extra weapon. It still gave him nightmares.

However, tissues incident aside, Hyunjin would like to consider Minho as one of his friends. He hadn't known him for a long time like he had known Jeongin or Seungmin, plus Hyunjin had initially thought that Minho looked a little bit scary—he still did sometimes, the tissues confirmed—but Minho did seem like a good person. Hardworking and more thoughtful than what one would think behind all his threats. Minho even had three cats back at home. Hyunjin thought that there could be no evil in someone who decorated his phone with stickers of his cats so he could always look at their cute faces in times when college stress was unbearable.

Relatable, Hyunjin had to admit.

Did Minho consider him as a friend, though? Hyunjin wasn't so sure about that.

Maybe Minho would think that Hyunjin was annoying or—

“And you Jinnie?” Jeongin questioned.

Oh right. Maybe he got caught up in his thoughts again.

“I don't think I'll go.”

With Hyunjin's reply, their whole group had now rejected Jeongin's invitation to go to whatever party someone had invited him this Friday.

To no one's surprise, Seungmin and Minho had made plans for Friday night already. It surprised Hyunjin how they still found time to be all lovey-dovey despite drowning in the imminent pain of midterms when Hyunjin barely had the time to cry and shower. Simultaneously. To save time. Multitasking at its finest.

However, he fully knew that it was thanks to Seungmin's completely organized study schedule, having his days planned hour by hour to avoid major setbacks. Something that Hyunjin couldn't say he did for himself. He just went ahead with the flow of the day and hoped for the best—even though it backfired on him most of the time.

One day he will learn Seungmin's time management tips for a no procrastination life. One day. He could do scheduling some more crying hours apart from the ones in the shower.

“You are a bunch of losers sometimes.” Jeongin rolled his eyes and took a bite of his sandwich, a bit angrily to make his point understood, and continued complaining with his mouth full of food, “Why do I have to surround myself with old people?”

“Not my fault that Seungmin's ass is more impactful than a party.” Minho half-shrugged sipping from his coke, no signs of shame in his face, “And I won't say no to—”

“Gross.” Jeongin cut him off, face contorting, “I don't want to hear about your sex life while eating my sandwich.”

“Lack of sex life. He won't get anywhere near my ass before cooking me that Wellington he promised.” Seungmin spoke without taking off his eyes from the book he was reading.

“Who said that I would cook for you? I don't cook just for anyone.” Minho glared at his boyfriend, but with the way Minho's face softened after Seungmin finally looked away from his book, rising a daring eyebrow at him, it was clear that he was going to do it anyway.

Now that Hyunjin thought about it. His friend count could reach 2.75.

While Minho could threaten to air fry him every other business day—Hyunjin still didn't know how Minho was capable of doing that but he was afraid to test it—he had also cooked for him yesterday, when Hyunjin had skipped both breakfast and lunch and Minho claimed that he needed the energy to continue drawing. That must count something? Right?

“Hyunjin, please.” Jeongin gave him his best puppy eyes in his catalog of cute faces that could take over the world, “At least consider it. You don't have to say yes right now.”

Yes, Hyunjin would rather stay in his room's four walls than watching random drunk people dancing around. But who could say no to Jeongin? Not even the devil himself could deny him something.

“I'll think about it.”

What Jeongin wants, Jeongin gets.

Jeongin shooted Hyunjin a victory smile, “Thank you, my not-so-loser friend.”

“He's still a loser." Seungmin commented, hand turning a page.

“Why me? We all are.” Hyunjin pouted, although he knew that Seungmin was right.

If someone looked up the definition of loser his name would most likely come up. Barely getting through his classes. Barely making it with his part-time job. Barely a social life. And he still hadn't met his soulmate.

God, he needed to put his life together.

Minho, being Minho, spoke again, “Hey, speak for yourself. I am the Lee Minho.”

“But you're still old.” Jeongin remarked.

“Young people these days, not recognizing the wise and attractive among them.”

“Whatever makes you sleep at night, dude.”

Jeongin returned to gulf down the rest of his sandwich in one single bite—the kid could eat pretty much anything in one bite—which reminded Hyunjin that he had forgotten his own sandwich. His growling stomach had realized that too.

While taking a bite, Hyunjin took a look at his friends. Jeongin, by some miracle, didn't press on the topic of the party and was checking his Instagram feed, while Seungmin and Minho were in their own little bubble.

He pouted once again. Hyunjin thought they looked like a couple out of some romcom movie. One that nobody understood how they were together but at the same time it made so much sense that they were. Because for everyone, Minho and Seungmin didn't seem like a usual soulmate match—if all their bickering was proof of it—but yet, for reasons unknown to Hyunjin, they somehow worked well together.

He reminded Seungmin's face when he told Hyunjin and Jeongin that he met Minho. All flustered and giddy, contrasting his usual balanced appearance. It was even funny to see Seungmin that nervous when he used to claim that he didn't pay too much attention to meeting his soulmate.

Yet, Hyunjin noticed how Seungmin's smile was brighter the following days. Hyunjin wasn't going to lie that it made him happy as well. Hyunjin loved to see his friends happy.

Neither Jeongin nor Hyunjin knew the exact details of how they met or their first words to each other because they kept changing the story just for the sake of it—Minho's idea, Hyunjin was sure of it. One day they'd say they met at the local animal shelter rescuing a puppy, the other they'd come up with the cheesiest story that it was so painfully a lie, the other it was Seungmin spilling Minho's coffee, and so on. Hyunjin loved to hear soulmate meeting stories, especially if it was one of his friends, but he had already given up on getting the real story from Seungmin and Minho.

Hyunjin guessed there must be some true lying on their lies though, because he caught a peek of Minho's handwriting in Seungmin's ribs the day after he told him that his mark was exactly there. But to know what else was true with those two? That was another challenge.

After that Minho turned to be a new addition to their little group. Joining them for lunch, walking Seungmin to his classes, or bringing him his favorite mint choco coffee despite he himself despised it.

It was nice. It was romantic.

Hyunjin wondered when it will be his turn to come running to his friends to tell them that he met his soulmate.

Seungmin and Jeongin thought that Hyunjin, being the one that liked the idea of soulmates the most among them, would be the first to meet his. However, knowing his luck, Hyunjin didn't have big expectations for it—that didn't stop him from fantasizing about multiple scenarios though.

Turns out, he wasn't wrong. Hyunkin still hadn't found his.

Hyunjin let out a sigh, brushing off the thought as Seungmin refused to let Minho rest his head on his shoulder. Minho still did and started to play a game on his phone with his left hand since his right one was busy fidgeting with Seungmin's fingers. Perks of being ambidextrous, Hyunjin guessed.

They looked cute.

The universe did a good match there.

Hyunjin couldn't help to grab his sketchbook from his bag. Pencil on hand, he did a quick drawing of the pair in front of him. It was nothing fancy since he rushed to get the pose right before they moved—knowing them, before they pushed each other off their seats—but Hyunjin's lips curved into a fond smile looking at the result. It seemed like it had the potential to be the cover of some love story. If Hyunjin knew how to put more than two sentences together, he'd probably write the love story that could go along with it.

Hyunjin didn't realize that Jeongin was beside him sending him a knowing look.

Jeongin wiggled his eyebrows at him, “If you come with me to the party you may meet new people and that could be certain someone.”

Hyunjin let out a grunt, ignoring his friend to look at his drawing again to sign it on the corner.

Hyunjin didn't need more than his 2.75 friends. However, he might crave a little something more sometimes.

If there was one thing that Hyunjin didn't understand about parties, was people's need to drink to the point they forgot their own name. Alright, Hyunjin gets that sometimes someone needs a break from life, but at the cost of not remembering anything and add a terrible headache afterward?

No.

Why would someone do that to themselves?

He truly didn't get it. He valued the remaining bits of his sanity and wellbeing, thank you very much.

Hyunjin saw how there was a group of friends playing a drinking game over the table. Ping pong ball flying across the table and one of the guys a second away from either pass out on the table or throw up on whoever's shirt was at close proximity. Nope. He swung his way out of there before the latter happened. He only wanted to find the kitchen, not a stain on his favorite baby blue cardigan.

(Why did he even decide to wear it when he was sure he would somehow find a way to stain it? He always ended up ruining his favorite pieces of clothing in the most ridiculous ways. He had lost count of how many shirts he had accidentally stained with paint. Cons of being a messy art student, he supposed).

Finally finding the kitchen, Hyunjin was now on a mission to fill his cup with some of the grapefruit-flavored drink he had earlier. It may have some vodka in it, but it was bearable.

Bingo.

Hyunjin said in his mind once he caught a glimpse of a bottle. He took a sip from his cup once he poured the pink liquid into it. Fruity, sweet and didn't burn his throat as much.

Enough to entertain him in the meantime.

There in the kitchen, the music was barely noticeable—as unnoticeable as it can be with EDM blasting from the speakers just some rooms apart. Hyunjin rested his back on the wall, closing his eyes for a moment.

Peace. Being surrounded by that amount of unknown faces had drained his energy.

Yet, giggles interrupted him. A couple of girls came in. Normally he won't mind them, if they were looking for a drink like he was minutes ago, except that they began to—not so subtly—check him out once they noticed his presence.

Time to bolt out of the kitchen it is.

He had enjoyed those two seconds of tranquility, though.

Wandering around the living room with people bumping into him, Hyunjin felt like a lost puppy. Where the hell was Jeongin?

Jeongin, keeping his promise and being the kind soul he pretends he is, stayed with him for most of the night. Until he went God knows where to do God knows what. Hyunjin didn't catch what Jeongin said to him before he disappeared into thin air, so he had no idea where was his friend.

Even though, Hyunjin knew that there were high chances that his friend just had seen his crush. Hyunjin hoped that the girl—Yuri? Yuna? Whatever—he had been crushing on for so long—two weeks, which for Jeongin was a lot. He didn't usually do crushes—at least paid attention to him after his last failed attempts.

Hyunjin sat on a couch, being the awkward person that is alone in the corner during a party that he is, and tried his best to not mind the couple passionately making out beside him as he watched everyone else dance their night.

At the distance, Hyunjin noticed one of the girls from before. She was chatting with her friend until a guy, apparently, asked her for a dance. The shock in their faces and the way they were gesturing to each other's arms could only mean one thing.

Hyunjin might have witnessed a pair of soulmates meet. Right in front of his grapefruit drink.

Sigh.

How lovely would it be to meet your soulmate when they invited you for a dance?

(Yes, surrounded by drunk people but still lovely, nonetheless).

Instead of a lost puppy, Hyunjin thought that he might look like a kicked puppy at that moment.

He let out yet another sigh while he glanced down, his fingers fidgeting with his cup, tapping the border at the rhythm of the music, and his knees glued together to make himself look smaller than what he actually was. That wasn't difficult for Hyunjin, according to Seungmin, Hyunjin always did that.

Some minutes must have passed because the couple was no longer beside him. Gone to a room, Hyunjin guessed. Now he had the couch for himself.

That's what he thought.

Like he was some type of magnet for idiots, a guy replaced the seat that was occupied before by the couple.

“What's a pretty boy like you doing here all alone?”

Hyunjin internally yelled and cringed at the pick-up line. The guy looked like the typical fuck boy that only came to the party to look for a one night stand. Adding to it, his raspy voice didn't give Hyunjin a single ounce of trust.

Great.

“Uhm...”

“Hi love,” His savior, Jeongin, appeared at the right moment, a touch of extra sweetness in his voice and finding a place in Hyunjin's lap, “I've been looking for you.”

Jeongin slipped his hand in Hyunjin's, acting like it was just another normal thing for them. Then he turned to face the guy who had approached Hyunjin.

“Excuse me? Were you talking to my boyfriend?”

From the corner of his eye, Hyunjin saw that the guy seemed like he had pissed his pant. All his previous confidence evaporating from his system by Jeongin's fierce expression. No one should be fooled by Jeongin's cute angel-like face, in reality he won't hesitate to throw daggers if needed for those he cared about.

For outsiders, their actions must have seemed convincing enough because the guy left the second after. Hyunjin thanked that Jeongin knew how to pull off an act in the spot.

As soon as the guy was out of their sight, Jeongin flew out of his lap and jokingly punched Hyunjin on his arm, “What would you do without me?”

Hyunjin chuckled, “Thank you.”

“Hey,” Jeongin took Hyunjin's hands in his, pulling him up along with him, “Dance with me before anyone else tries to steal you away from me, boyfriend.”

Hyunjin normally would stay away from the center of attention. He put aside the little hesitation he had after Jeongin reminded him that everybody was too drunk to care.

He had a point. Plus Jeongin was a good dance partner.

Right. Hyunjin was going to enjoy the rest of his night.

Jeongin ended a bit too drunk—Hyunjin was also a tiny bit more buzzed than usual. The grapefruit drink was stronger than what it looked it would be. Never trust sweet fruity drinks again—so Hyunjin took him to his own dorm. It was closer and he could stop Jeongin from doing something stupid—like calling that Yuna girl in the middle of the night.

After struggling to make Jeongin change into one of Hyunjin's pajamas, both boys fell into the bed. Jeongin snuggled closer to Hyunjin, clingier now than how sober Jeongin usually was. Hyunjin, who was physically incapable to say no to a cuddle, hugged him tighter closing his eyes.

Hyunjin didn't like parties, but he wasn't going to lie that he had fun with Jeongin tonight.

When he was about to fall asleep, he heard a loud bang from his thin walls. Thankfully Jeongin remained unperturbed and curled his fingers around Hyunjin's shirt. Hyunjin ignored it as well, too tired to mind it.

For now, he was going to sleep.

Nothing was working.

Every single line that his hand came up with turned out to look horrible and Hyunjin was a second away from throwing his sketchbook across the room and give up—but his poor sketchbook didn't deserve that slander so he spared it the throw.

Hyunjin stared at the paper in front of him while reconsidering his life decisions about why he ever thought that pursuing a career in arts was worth the pain on his wrist, the amount of stress and the countless sleepless nights.

Right, he did it because he was naive enough to believe that he was good enough to make a living out his fairly decent random drawings he had been doing since middle school and—

And that's when he should call it a day.

His sleep-deprived mind was starting to play tricks on him, and that was something he won't allow tonight. No one liked to go through the moment of that low voice whispering in the back of your mind that you aren't good enough at what you do.  

No. He won't allow that tonight.

At the mere thought of it, Hyunjin could almost hear Jeongin's voice glaring at him and lecturing him about why he should have more confidence in his abilities. Jeongin could be the youngest of them but Hyunjin swore he spoke like a wise old man sometimes.

He scratched his neck while taking a second look at the drawing in front of him. The character he was trying to draw was giving him a judging look.

Time to rest it is.

If he didn't get to his bed any time soon, Hyunjin thought that his drawings would start talking to him. Either that or a headache would make an appearance.

And he would like none of them. Thank you very much.

Hyunjin decided that he will continue working on that piece in the morning. With fresh eyes and a clearer mind. He didn't bother to gather his things in the pencil case and left his small desk in the messy state that it was. Papers everywhere.  

Cool. His life was just as messy as his desk.

Hyunjin plumped on his bed with no care where he landed. He didn't bother either to change into new pajamas. No one was here to see how he was wearing the same ketchup-stained shirt for the third night in a row. As he closed his eyes, Hyunjin heard a loud bang in the wall, then what seemed like something bouncing.

It bounced. Continuously.

A ball?

Hyunjin didn't know who his new neighbor was yet—Changmin had moved out recently so the next-door dorm had a new resident—but he didn't have the right to be acting like he was a basketball player in the middle of the night.

On a normal day, Hyunjin didn't mind external noises. He could fall asleep whenever or wherever once he reached his bed since he was always so tired. This time, he didn't know why he couldn't tolerate his thin walls.

Perhaps he shouldn't have drunk a cup of coffee an hour ago.

Hyunjin turned over, covering his head with the sheets hoping that it somehow reduced the noise.

It didn't.

But he was too tired to move to look for his AirPods. He would have to try to sleep that way.

As his neighbor kept doing God knows what, a mosquito joined the party, adding new bites to the ones he already had on his body. Last night, he forgot to close the window and mosquitoes took the opportunity to have a fest with him.

His neck was itching.

His right arm was itching.

His both hands were itching.

Why did the mosquito have to bite him on his hands to begin with?

Hyunjin made a mental note to buy a mosquito repellent the next time he hit the convenience store before the mosquitoes' made him a dinner out of him for yet another night.

The bouncing kept going on.

And on.

Fuck. He wanted to sleep.

Hyunjin got up from the bed, finally looking for his AirPods. Luckily for him, he found both of them, since he knew the location of only one of them.

Hyunjin played the first playlist he saw on his phone—at least the mosquitoes will be entertained with music while they eat the sweet delicious little human Hyunjin.

He returned to his bed, and as he was putting on the second AirPods to his ear, the door knocked.

Multiple times.

For fucks sake, the universe was telling him that he wasn't going to be productive nor get a blink of sleep today.

Hyunjin let out a grunt. Who could disturb him at this hour? He was sure that it wasn't one of his friends. It was what? 3:25 in the morning? His friends were crazy, but not that crazy. Unless one of them was drunk and managed to end up at Hyunjin's door, but Hyunjin doubted so.  

As soon as Hyunjin opened the door, he saw a guy he hadn't seen before. And the guy was fuming. He seemed like he was about to snap in any second.

“You dickhead, what the fuck is your fucking problem you inconsiderate piece of shit? Who the fuck do you think you are?”

Wow.

He did snap.

“Excuse me?” Hyunjin whispered tilting his head. He wondered why this random guy came to his room swearing like he was a sailor in the sea. Then it clicked, “The dickhead you're looking for, it's not me.”

Hyunjin gestured to the door next to his, the one that belonged to the wannabe basketball player.

The guy followed his finger, then looked back at Hyunjin, realization dawning on him, “Oh, wrong dickhead.”

“Wrong dickhead.”

Hyunjin scratched his neck for the millionth time that night, a bit too hard since somehow the itching got worse. His skin must be so red right now. Did his neck have to itch him this much? He hated mosquitoes, he did with his whole heart.

The guy's eyes grew bigger. Exasperation disappearing from his expression. Hyunjin supposed he no longer needed to direct his anger at him but to Hyunjin's next-door neighbor instead.

He was wrong.

“Holy fucking shit it's you.” The guy covered his mouth with his hands.

Alright, Hyunjin was confused.

“What?”

The guy didn't say anything. He pointed at Hyunjin's neck. Hyunjin knew he had mosquito bites everywhere, the guy didn't need to point them out.

“Do you need something?” Hyunjin asked again.

“Your...” The guy's voice trailed off, his eyes fixated on Hyunjin's neck.

“What the hell?”

Hyunjin opened the front camera of his phone, to check what the guy was referring to.

He saw written words on his skin. Messy handwriting going from his collarbones up to his neck, near his Adam’s apple.

Oh.

Oh.

Shit.

He couldn't see properly, but he could get an idea of what the handwriting said.

You dickhead, what the fuck is your fucking problem you inconsiderate piece of shit? Who the fuck do you think you are?

As Hyunjin realized what it meant, he let out a yell, high enough that it could probably wake up the entirety of their floor. Oh God, the rest of the students were going to hate him next morning. No one would like to miss a second of sleep thanks to a screaming dumbass.

Hyunjin took a look at the guy in front of him, still as surprised as Hyunjin was. So Hyunjin, logically, did the first thing that came to his mind.

He closed the door on his face.

Of course. That's what you do when you meet your soulmate.

What did just happened?

Hyunjin walked in circles in his small room—trying not to trip with his shoes everywhere—while he did a recap of the last events.

Seemingly, his soulmate mark appeared on his skin, meaning that this guy was—

Fuck. He must be dreaming.

This was it. He won't be taking coffee again before going to bed. It did weird things to him.

Hyunjin didn't realize minutes had been passing. Until a knock on his door, more gentle this time, took him out of his thoughts. He noticed a piece of paper slipping under the door, greeting Hyunjin with a smiley face drawn on top of it.

Hyunjin, in all remaining calmness he had left—almost none—picked the paper from the floor and unfolded it. For what he barely saw from his camera, it was written in the same messy handwriting he had on his neck and collarbones.

So, it was the guy.

‘hi :D I didn't get a chance to introduce myself and I have no idea what to say next so.. I'll resort to the wonders of caffeine, are you up for a coffee tomorrow? I promise to buy you something sweet :3 pd: sorry for what happened, I didn't mean to shout at you :( ~jisung, your soulmate apparently<3’

Hyunjin squealed reading that. He needed to keep his mouth shut before he really ends up scaring everyone.

“So... What do you say?” He heard a voice coming from the door.

Another small yell escaped from his throat at that.

“I'll see you tomorrow.” Hyunjin replied doing his best to sound composed, coming closer to the door but afraid of open it again.  

“Cool.” The guy, Jisung, said back, “And please go to sleep instead of hurting your throat anymore.”

Hyunjin swore he heard a small chuckle coming from outside as the guy was leaving.

Fuck.

He didn't imagine it.

It happened. He met his soulmate.

Hyunjin scratched his neck one more time. It wasn't the mosquitoes' fault that his neck itched so much this night after all.

Hyunjin had thought no less than one hundred and one things that could go wrong.

The thing is, Hyunjin had replayed in his mind the meeting with his unexpected visitor over and over again during the whole five hours left till his alarm was supposed to go off. There was a high chance that he probably had memorized it by now even.

What Hyunjin got from it, was two major observations that couldn't go unnoticed.

Number One: He didn't feel anything when he saw Jisung. As far as he knew, the moment you locked eyes with your soulmate you feel the connection between you two.

Where were the sparks and the fireworks? Hyunjin was still waiting for them.

Number Two: He didn't see anything written on Jisung's skin. His mark was located in a pretty obvious part of his skin, so there was a chance that Jisung's could be in the same place as his. That was what happened in most cases—Seungmin and Minho weren’t, supposedly, but still.

Where was Jisung's? Hyunjin didn't see his handwriting on his neck. He knew that it was nighttime. And that the low light merely allowed him to see anything. And that it could also be the case that Jisung's mark ended up being in another random place. But. But.

It scared him. Okay? If those two observations didn't scream trouble what would it be?

Hyunjin loved the idea of someone who was the other half of your soul. The one who understands you the most. The missing piece that completed the puzzle of your heart. Yet. Yet.

The universe could work in wicked ways sometimes.

He had read articles that there were occasions where someone wasn't their soulmate's soulmate. Not common. But possible.

Hyunjin remembered how he cried his eyes out when he once read the story about a girl whose soulmate was a person that had already met theirs and thus, to avoid future problems, they rejected her and didn't even want to remain friends. It was devastating and Hyunjin's heart broke imagining what she must have gone through.

He could be one of those cases.

What if he was one of those?

Hyunjin saw his reflection in the mirror once he had the courage to get out of the shower. Hair dripping wet, dark bags under his eyes, and a scribble in his neck.

His hand moved in instinct towards the spot. His fingertips traced slowly the crooked line going from his neck to his collarbones. It was cute, the letters almost touched his mole. He took his time to see in detail his soulmate mark. Hyunjin wondered if Jisung was as chaotic as his handwriting.

He didn't have all the time in the world.

He should probably start getting ready—because he was dumb enough to forget to ask Jisung at what hour they would meet or if he had classes to attend for the day.

Jisung could come here at any second. He really needed to move his ass. Hyunjin didn't want to bother him too much.

What do you even wear to meet your soulmate so they don't think you escaped from the circus?

Contrary to popular belief—read: Seungmin and Jeongin insisting he dressed like he was about to go on a runway when he was only going to class—Hyunjin didn't pay attention to what he wore.

Hyunjin tried his best to refrain himself from panicking, yet failed two seconds later when a high-pitched shriek escaped from his lungs as he was rummaging through his closet.

“I was gonna knock first but not gonna lie I'm starting to worry about your throat.”

Oh my god.

Jisung will think that he indeed escaped from the circus.

“Gimme a second!” Hyunjin yelled, while grabbing the first thing he saw in his closet—if luck was on his side today, it wouldn't be stained—and got dressed as fast as he could. Who needed to choose outfits?

Saying Hyunjin was nervous was an understatement. He was sure he could start crying at any second.

Fuck. He was 100% sure that Jisung was going to think he was some weird dude.

Hyunjin swore that it wasn't his tendency to think the worst outcome possible and that he had valid reasons for wanting to run out of the country, fly to another continent and change his name to Bartholomew.

Put yourself together Hwang Hyunjin.

Hyunjin inhaled as deeply as he could before he opened the door, acting like everything was as calm as ever. The same guy from last night greeted him.

Jisung. In full daylight.

Hyunjin's eyes directed automatically to his neck. No sign of Hyunjin's handwriting there.

Hyunjin knew it. He hadn't been crazy when he pointed out that he hadn't seen a mark appear.

“Hi there, soulmate.” Jisung said, a gleeful smile on.

Hyunjin's eyes went up to look at him. Hyunjin had manners and he should greet him properly.

Oh.

He was wearing a pastel yellow cardigan that made him look like the first ray of sunshine in the morning. The smile on his face proved Hyunjin's theory. He was sunshine. So pretty.

And Hyunjin was weak for a pretty smile.

The guy looked so soft. Hyunjin wouldn't mind giving him a hug right now. He wanted to give him a hug. That should wait, though. He didn't want to seem weird by throwing himself in his arms.

Hyunjin had a sudden urge to draw the man in front of him. Give him a pencil and paper and he would do right there. Maybe he could take his watercolors, those were on his desk and—

Jisung cleared his throat, “Oh no, I think you're malfunctioning again.”

Shit. He was staring.

Hyunjin tried to look for appropriate words to say. This time, he didn't want to end up yelling. Jisung must think that he was some sort of banshee.

“Hi.” Hyunjin said back, his voice low and shy.

“Relax, please don't look at me like you're about to shit yourself.”

“I think I might have done that already.” Hyunjin confessed.

Jisung giggled. Giggled.

It was the first time Hyunjin had heard him laugh, yet, it was enough to know that Jisung's laugh was one of the prettiest sounds he had heard.

Hyunjin wished he could make him giggle again.

“I promised something sweet, right? Let's go.”

After reassuring Hyunjin that he was mostly free for the day—except for a class at 1 pm later—Jisung took him to a cafe near campus. It was the best café around, Jisung claimed.

The trip there wasn't as uncomfortable as expected. No awkward silences, Hyunjin was grateful for that. Jisung was actually really good at making small talk, going from letting out his frustration about the stuck-up teacher he argued with on Monday to dramatically retell how he should open a new friends application because the ones he had almost kicked him from their group chat yesterday.

Jisung acted like they had been friends their whole life. Perhaps they were. That was the point of soulmates.

While Jisung ordered, Hyunjin went to look for a table. He choose one in the corner, that way he had a full view of the place. The café was rather a picturesque one, filled with lots of potted plants and decor that wouldn't match any other way yet it worked well together there.

Hyunjin took a pen out of his bag then taking a napkin from the napkin holder. Napkins were a great canvas for bored or nervous people. Nervous people like Hyunjin who couldn't keep his hands still and doodled one of the café's snake plants.

Good.

“This is the reason why I brought you here.” Jisung announced when he came back, placing a bowl full of mini Nutella doughnuts on the table along with a pair of americanos, “I'd usually go for a cheesecake but I think it's too early for that, I'd reserve it for the next time. These are bomb, though.”

Hyunjin ignored how the way Jisung hinted so casually that there will be a second time made his heart miss a beat.

“Thank you, you didn't have to buy me anything.”

Jisung shushed him, “I wanted to.”

Hyunjin muttered another thank you and took one of the mini doughnuts between his fingers. Hyunjin's eyes grew bigger when the chocolate taste reached his tongue, “These are so good.”

“Told you.”

Jisung's cheeks looked so round and chubby while he ate, storing food there like a squirrel. Cute. What if he squished his cheeks? Hyunjin should ask him if he could do it. Politely. And on another day. You don't go telling people that you had just first met that you want to squish their cheeks.

“So.” Jisung started after barely swallowing.

Fuck. It was the moment to address the big elephant in the room. Hyunjin wasn't ready for that.

He would never be. To be honest.

Hyunjin fidgeted with the cupsleeve of his coffee, “So, where do we begin?”

“We begin in the beginning, of course.” Jisung brought another mini doughnut to his mouth.

“Can I ask you something?” Hyunjin blurted out.

“Shoot it.”

“I'd be lying if I said that I'm not nervous. I've been waiting to meet you for so long and I can't help to worry because what the hell? It really happened? And I also noticed that I don't think I saw your soulmate mark? Like mine is clearly visible you know.” Hyunjin scratched his neck, “I know I'm probably overthinking it, but that made me wonder if am I really your soulmate? I've been so caught up so excited to find you that I haven't thought of the probability that you might don't want anything to do with me? Like, I get it. I'm a walking mess struggling with everything. I get it if you don't want to be friends or anything. Well, that'd hurt a lot I guess, but I can find a way to endure it. You seem nice and I don't want to bother you or something.”

Did he breathe? He didn't know. Probably not.

Breathe Hyunjin.

“It’s on my back.”

“What?” Hyunjin exclaimed, confusion showing on his face.

That wasn't the answer he was waiting for.

“It took me a while to figure out where the fuck it was because I can't see shit apparently, but I have some pretty writing on my spine. What I like about it is that the ‘Excuse me?’ is written smaller than the rest of it. I think it's because the person said it to me in tiny. It's very cute, like him.”

Oh.

Oh.

“Really?”

Jisung nodded, once again with that bright smile of his, “Really.”

Hyunjin looked down, the mini doughnuts were more interesting now. Well, they were indeed delicious, “I'm sorry for rambling.”

“Hey, it's okay.”

Jisung's hand crossed the table, brushing his pinky with Hyunjin's hand. The touch so gentle yet so careful, as if he was checking that Hyunjin was fine with it.

While Hyunjin almost shortcircuited. Almost.

“And please Hyunjin, I'd love to get to know you. And see more of what you're drawing there on the napkin by the way."

Hyunjin felt his cheeks turn pink, suddenly aware that he left the napkin on the table, “Oh my god, you noticed?”

Jisung kept softly caressing Hyunjin's hand with his pinky, “Of course I did. You looked cute concentrated.”

Alright. Hyunjin did shortcircuit at that.

“Can I see?”

Something in the way that Jisung looked at him with genuine curiosity in his eyes made a weight lift from his shoulders. As he moved the napkin closer to Jisung, Hyunjin realized that he didn't have anything to worry about.

Later—after they spent hours talking in that corner until Jisung realized he should get going to class or else he would get in trouble for the second time that week—Hyunjin added a little squirrel eating a mini doughnut to the napkin, right beside the snake plant and making sure that it had the cutest cheeks ever. Then he carefully placed the napkin in his bag.

Napkins could be kept as good memories.

Hyunjin realized that he had a little problem.

A little problem. Meaning: His soulmate mark.

Or more like the words of his soulmate mark.

He hadn't considered the implications that it may have in his daily life.

It was too noticeable.

Hyunjin thought it was lovely when marks were perceivable on people's skin, but he couldn't exactly go around with swear words near his face? Hyunjin couldn't even imagine going to talk to his professors or his classmates. What will they think? Imagine meeting someone new and the first thing they see is a ‘you dickhead’ on your skin.

Nevermind. Hyunjin reminded his 2.75 friends. He didn't even meet new people.

Still, he tried to mask it. Just slightly. Enough to avoid unwanted eyes on him. High neckline shirt and black untamed hair down to his shoulders—even though, he will later regret not tying up his hair. The day was way too hot to be Rapunzel today.

As he imagined it, people noticed it. The girl from his Anatomy class who had attempted to hit on him multiple times—that Hyunjin had nicely turned down each one of those times—gave him glances during the whole hour, and his Introduction to Printmaking professor dared to ask him if his soulmate was another art student by any chance—Hyunjin simply said no, leaving out the detail that Jisung was actually from the Literatures and Languages department. Why would he go discussing that with a professor?

Amazing. The next day, he will wear a turtle neck.

(He didn't even own a turtle neck).

Hyunjin sprung out of the building as soon as he was done. He was going to meet with his friends at the cafeteria after their classes ended. Hyunjin had texted their group chat requesting an emergency meeting. After yesterday's events, it was much needed.

Hyunjin dropped his messenger bag on the table as he sat down. His friends already there waiting for him.

“I hate nosy people.”

“Did someone ask you if you were single again?” Seungmin bit his granola bar. Most likely handmade by Minho.

“No. Well, kind of—”

Jeongin, who always knew when something was sketchy, was the first to notice. And Hyunjin's butt had merely touched the chair.

“What's that?” His index finger pointing to Hyunjin. Seungmin and Minho’s gazes following the direction of his hand.

Who was Hyunjin to fool Jeongin? His friend knew him like the palm of his hand.

“Is that...?” Jeongin questioned tilting his head.

Seungmin, being the genius of them, “Don't tell me it is what I think it is.”

Minho shifted in his seat, making himself more comfortable, “I'm all ears. This is about to be good.”

He hated his friends.

“How dare you Hwang Hyunjin?” Jeongin hit him on the shoulder, “And you didn't even think to tell me!”

“Hey I told you that something happened!” Hyunjin defended himself.

“Now spill it.”

Hyunjin proceed to tell them every single detail about what happened. Mosquitoes and mini Nutella doughnuts. Now that he had the chance to let his thoughts out, no one was going to stop him. Hyunjin thought that he spent two entire minutes talking about Jisung's cheek mole. God.

“Hold on let me see,” Seungmin took the liberty to move Hyunjin's hair aside and pulled down slightly the collar of his shirt, reading what was written on his skin, then turning to Minho after he saw proof of Hyunjin’s story, “I have to admit that one beats yours.”

What were Minho's first words to Seungmin remained a mystery. Hyunjin would bet his grandmother's knitting needles that it was something ominous.

“I can also beat your intestines out of your insides if you'd like.” Minho bit back.

Yes, Hyunjin would bet his grandmother's knitting needles and her oatmeal cookies.

“Please. Not in front of my sandwich again. Always keep in mind my sandwich.” Jeongin pleaded.

“You're eating a burrito.” Seungmin pointed out.

“Point still stands.”

After fixing Hyunjin's collar, Seungmin patted Hyunjin's shoulder, “I'm happy for you.”

Hyunjin smiled, wide. His heart filled with contentment.

“So we have another bro-in-law now.” Jeongin exclaimed.

Hyunjin was done with college. He really was. He was so tired of revising his Art History notes to the point of seriously considering dropping everything and go back to his bed. He missed his bed. His bed was nicer to him than the art movements of the 20th century. This is why he preferred to spend the night painting than trying to make sense of block of texts for his paper.

Hyunjin rested his head on the library's table, hitting quite hard his head on the process.

He should stay there and wait for his end to come.

“Hey there.”

Someone interrupted him two minutes later. Hyunjin recognized that voice. His end had come in the form of Han Jisung.

It was a good end, he had to admit.

They had been spending more time together. Finding each other when their schedules allowed it. At the library, eating lunch with the chaos that was Hyunjin's friends or by the café they went to the other day.

On a normal day when Hyunjin didn't want to bang his head against the table—lies, he wanted to do that most of the time—he would stick to his sketchbooks figuring out lighting and perspectives while Jisung stayed by his side typing—rather furiously when he couldn't get a sentence right—on his laptop.

Hyunjin liked those moments. Comfortable silences, pencils on paper, and keyboard smashes. Yet, the most calming part of it was Jisung’s presence by his side.

(Even though Jisung wasn't calm. At all. They almost got kicked out of the library once. Twice).

Hyunjin remained with his face on the table, his forehead planted on the surface. Jisung sat in front of him, watching him with judging eyes.

“Are you kissing the table over there?”

“I'm waiting for a miracle.” Hyunjin accepted defeat that he won't finish his paper that day.

“Did you get any sleep?” Jisung's voice sounded concerned. He knew about Hyunjin's night dates with paint and brushes.

Hyunjin shook his head. His forehead would appreciate if he had at least considered raising his head while doing that.

He then felt a gentle stroke on his hand. Jisung's hand snuck his way to find Hyunjin's, his thumb making small circles on the back of the latter's hand.

“You can stay there on your smooching session with the table. I'll wake you up in 20 minutes.”

Oh. That idea sounded so tempting.

His eyes refused to open as Jisung continued to gently caress his hand.

He could do 20 minutes.

When Hyunjin woke up, 26 minutes later, he found Jisung typing on his laptop instead of his own. A tab about Surrealism opened in the browser.

Hyunjin yawned, still half-asleep, “See, the miracle came.”

A week later, Hyunjin was once again in the same situation. Stuck in the library wondering why did college have to be so hard and waiting for the fairy of inspiration to magically appear in front of him.

A pair of hands covered his eyes, someone standing behind him.

That someone being no other than Jisung. It couldn't be one of his friends. Unless that stranger went ahead putting their hands on college kids' faces to not let them see the horrors of adulthood, which Hyunjin would appreciate, but it was unlikely that happened.

“Should I say knock knock or something?” Hyunjin questioned, knowing Jisung's antics.

“Not this time. I got you something.” Jisung announced, then removed his hands from Hyunjin's face.

Jisung waved a scrunchie in front of his eyes. A lilac chiffon one with little daisies on it. It looked so pretty and soft, Hyunjin thought.

“Your hair always falls in your face when you're drawing and I'm afraid that you're not seeing what you're doing” Jisung explained when he saw Hyunjin's confused expression.

Hyunjin chuckled, eyes turning into crescents, “Wait but I do see!”

“Doubt it. This is when you tell me ‘T as in Troy’ in Gabriella's voice,” Jisung ran his fingers through Hyunjin's hair, gathering the black locks on his hand, “Let's ignore that this is not a necklace and there's not even a T.”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes, jokingly, “You're a dumbass.”

Jisung laughed, Hyunjin's heart did not make somersault. It didn't.

“Your dumbass.”

Jisung lifted his hand a bit to wrap the scrunchie around it and then tieing Hyunjin's hair into a ponytail. Tight to keep it together but loose enough for a strand of hair to fall from it and frame Hyunjin's face.

Delicate daisies now decorating Hyunjin. His neck beginning to itch.

Hyunjin exhaled since he was holding his breath during the whole process, afraid that he might melt away at any moment.

Jisung kissed Hyunjin's cheek after he finished, leaving Hyunjin's skin flaming hot where his lips had touched him, “You look pretty.”

No. That was the moment were Hyunjin was sure that he could melt right at that spot. His skin burning, his world spinning, and Jisung sparkling eyes fixed on him.

Hyunjin's heart didn’t survive that.

He malfunctioned for at least 10 minutes after it. Hyunjin did his best to control himself or else Jisung wouldn't stop teasing him.

And also, Hyunjin ignored the way the itch on his neck was getting worse each time Jisung smiled at him.

Hyunjin realized that Jisung had slipped into his life in the easiest way possible, fitting in as he had always belonged there.

Soulmates things.

It warmed his heart to know that he had someone like Jisung to call his soulmate. He hoped that Jisung felt the same about him

Hyunjin thought he had an idea about it, after Jisung kissed his cheek that one day in the library, he had been extra affectionate with him, kissing him whenever he could.

On the cheek. On the nose. On the forehead.

Which brought problems to Hyunjin because he couldn't stop thinking about the way Jisung's lips felt on his skin. Each time Jisung casually kissed him, that would be the only thought on replay on his head for the rest of the day.

He really needed to get his shit together. He couldn't afford to have sheets full of sketches of Jisung's eyes and smile instead of working on his assignments.

The worst part, he had also been wondering how would it feel to have Jisung's lips on top of his own. It must feel magical, right? Like what happened in the movies.

That night, those thoughts had crossed his mind again. They were in Hyunjin's room, cuddled up in his bed watching High School Musical because Jisung had begged Hyunjin to watch it with him after the reference he made the other day. As if Hyunjin could say no to a night with Jisung and pizza.

And everything was going well. Pizza box resting on the bed and Jisung rooting for Sharpay. Except that Jisung had spent the whole movie glued to Hyunjin's side, his face too close to Hyunjin's.

Hyunjin hadn't been focused that well on the movie.

“Oh my god! I loved this one when I was a kid!” Jisung exclaimed when Bop To the Top started playing, and evidently, beginning to sing the song.

Hyunjin, like the infatuated fool that he is, watched him with heart-eyes as he mimicked Sharpay and Ryan. Jisung's singing voice was endearing, he noted. He would ask Jisung to sing more for him on another day.

“Baby, what's your favorite High School Musical song?” Jisung asked after the song finished, sipping from his drink to recharge energies.

Oh.

Hyunjin choked on the pizza slice he was eating hearing that.

Jisung definitely didn't miss the way Hyunjin's cheeks turned bright scarlet. Hyunjin tried to dismiss it, stuffing his mouth with another bite of pizza.

“Baby.” Jisung repeated, catching up with the reason behind Hyunjin's blush, “You liked it when I called you that, don't you?”

God. Why did Jisung have to make his life more difficult and sufferable?

Another bite to the pizza. Delicious.

Hyunjin gestured to the screen, “Pay attention to the movie!”

Jisung did not pay attention to the rest of the movie—except to sing out loud during the remaining musical parts—because he kept finding ways to call Hyunjin ‘baby’ for at least a dozen times more.

Hyunjin wanted to disappear from there. Maybe he could take inspiration from the movie and become a drama club kid. What was painting? Hyunjin didn't know that.

“Can I ask you something?” Jisung questioned after the movie ended.

“Go ahead.” Hyunjin replied, taking his laptop to put it away.

“Can I kiss you, Hwang Hyunjin?”

What?

What?

Hyunjin could have dropped his laptop if his grip on it hadn't been strong enough.

“I need you to answer baby.”

Hyunjin, after safely placing his laptop on his nightstand, hit him with a pillow, “I really hate you, you know.”

“You don't. But hey, answer me please.” Jisung pouted.

For God's sake, Hyunjin was weak. He surely wasn't a strong soldier. The power of Han Jisung was stronger than him.

Hyunjin nodded, shyly whispering, “I'd like that.”

“You'd like what?” Jisung raised an eyebrow.

He hated him.

“If you don't kiss me right now, I'd hit you again.”

Jisung cupped Hyunjin's face with one hand. Hyunjin closed his eyes, expectantly, feeling the shadow of Jisung's lips over his and breathing each other in.

A couple of seconds passed until Jisung closed the small gap between them, kissing him without hurry. Jisung's lips moving ever so soft against his. Tenderly. Savouring the moment. Hyunjin leaning in towards him.

A movie wouldn't make justice for what he felt at that moment, Hyunjin thought.

Because kissing Jisung felt like he had reached the sky.

A breathtaking sunrise. Sunshine embracing him and the clouds tickling his body.

A sunrise that he will later paint with his watercolors.

Once that kisses were unlocked, they didn't stop coming. And Hyunjin was no one to complain.

Somehow, Jisung ended on top of him. Hyunjin yelled when he couldn't move since their legs were tangled together. Jisung didn’t let him move either.

Hyunjin was in Jisung's dorm because Jisung's roommate wasn't going to be in town for the weekend. So Hyunjin will spend the night with Jisung, to keep him company while they worked. Jisung had to finish an essay that he had been procrastinating on for the past week and Hyunjin needed to finish a piece for one of his projects. Both would be productive. Supposedly, that was the plan.

Turns out it wouldn't be like that.

“You're crushing me.” Hyunjin faked being hurt.

“You're comfortable.” Jisung fixed his body on top of him—to not really crush him with his weight—and hid his face on the crook of Hyunjin's neck, “You smell good by the way.”

“Thank you, but can you move?”

Instead of moving, Jisung dropped a kiss to Hyunjin's neck. A soft, cautious one that checked first if Hyunjin was fine with the gesture. Then Jisung's lips started to trail down towards his collarbones. His kisses feeling like a feather touch on Hyunjin's skin, almost tingling him even.

Until Jisung dropped a kiss to his own handwriting on Hyunjin's neck. Hyunjin felt like a wave of electricity was sent down through his whole body.

What the fuck?

Oh. The mark.

Jisung had kissed his mark.

“Baby, was that a moan?” Jisung put distance between them to properly look at him.

Fuck. He didn't realize he had made a sound.

“Nope. It wasn't.” Hyunjin tried to deny it even though it was a lost cause.

Jisung dared to look at him with a smirk. Hyunjin wanted to wipe that smirk off his face, but with a kiss, thank you very much.

“I'll pretend that it wasn't. What happened then?” Jisung's fingertips traced the spot where his lips had been seconds ago.

The contact accentuated the flames that were the words on his skin.

“It feels... Different when you kiss me there.”

“I can kiss you there and see if I can make more moans like that come out of your mouth. I’d like to hear more of it.” Jisung suggested so casually, like he was suggesting to watch some new show on Netflix.

“Oh my god.” Hyunjin brought his hands to his face, covering it with his palms.

There he goes blushing harder than before. Hyunjin didn't know his cheeks could feel as hot as they did now. He hated Han Jisung, he did it with his whole heart.

“But it's a good idea! If you want of course.”

“Shut up.” Hyunjin grabbed the closest pillow his hand could find, and threw directly at Jisung's face, “You embarrass me.”

Jisung smiled, widely and so bright that it could blind Hyunjin, “I know, embarrassing you is my duty as your soulmate, you know. And I'm fully committed to that.”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes, jokingly, “I didn't sign up for this.”

Hyunjin's fingers got tangled between Jisung's hair, twiddling with it while Jisung moved his hand to his waist, bringing Hyunjin closer to his body.

“You did sign up for my dumbassery the moment you became the wrong dickhead I was looking for.”

“You're unbelievable. What happened to the offer for kisses? I did sign up for that one.”

Jisung didn't need to be told twice, joining their lips together in an instant. Hyunjin lost in the taste of Jisung's lips.

If he spent the rest of the night making out with Jisung and neither of them finished the things they were supposed to do, no one had to know.

These moments were theirs, and no one could stop that.

The next morning, Hyunjin needed to wake up early, to make up for the zero progress he made yesterday. However, someone might have been earlier than him. Hyunjin felt a pair of eyes on him as soon as he woke up.

“Good morning, idiot.” Hyunjin whispered, barely opening his eyes.

“Ouch. And here I was getting ready to tell you good morning my darling.” Jisung's voice was so deep in the morning. It gave him shivers.

A small smile appeared on Hyunjin's face when Jisung cupped his face. The distance between them becoming shorter and their foreheads touching.

“I want to tell you a secret. Right now. Otherwise I'm pretty sure that I'll explode.” Jisung muttered, even though they were alone and no one was listening to them.

“Tell me.” Hyunjin yawned. He should have slept five more minutes.

“You look so peaceful while you sleep. And so pretty. So fucking pretty. I wanted to kiss the hell out of you.”

It was too early for that. What the hell Han Jisung? His brain was barely functioning.

“Well, I won’t say no to that last part.”

Hyunjin closed his eyes again, leaning into Jisung's hand as his thumb gently stroked his cheek.

“Can I kiss you, my dear wrong dickhead?”

Hyunjin pushed him away, barely awake but he still had enough strength for that, “You ruin the moment!”

Jisung laughed, “I was being romantic, you like that!”

“In what world is that romantic?” Hyunjin turned his back, facing the wall.

Jisung surrounded Hyunjin's waist with his arms, bringing him closer to his chest. Jisung's breath tickling his neck. Hyunjin sighed. He couldn't fake to be mad for too long.

For another couple of minutes, they stayed there. In each other's arms. Time stopped.

Between Jisung's arms, Hyunjin felt like home. Like he belonged there.

He did belong there, Hyunjin thought.

The mark on his skin, itching and burning each time Jisung's breath faintly brushed it, was proof of it.