Work Text:
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
In a world of soulmates, everything was written in the name of fate. When a person has finally reached adulthood at 21, a unique soulmate marking will appear on their wrist. Once they've bonded with their other half, their hearts will connect making them bound to be partners for life—whether platonically or romantically. Their lives would then depend on each other.
However, if a soulmate shall develop a one-sided love for their fated mate—say that one of them is in love with the other and the other rejects their love—symptoms of Hanahaki disease (also known as the Soulmate's Curse) will develop which can result in death if not treated.
If a soulmate shall be treated for their Hanahaki disease, the other half will suffer a lifetime of pain. But if a soulmate passes due to Hanahaki disease, the other half will live on life without a fated mate—their mark will disappear.
In another case, if a soulmate shall reject their fated half—then that half would slowly perish because they'll need their soulmate in order to survive. This is a very rare occurrence, but it can happen.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
"Having a soulmate sounds kinda scary right?" Kang Taehyun plopped a popcorn into his mouth while sitting next to his best friend—Choi Beomgyu—on the couch of their shared apartment complex. The two were having their typical movie night and they happened to stumble across a romantic movie about soulmates. Out of curiosity, Taehyun had suggested that they watch it.
Beomgyu turned over to his side to look at his red-head roommate. He let out a chuckle, shaking his head as he reached his fingers into the popcorn bowl between them. "I think it's quite a romantic concept. But yes, it can be a very scary thing. Especially when you need each other in order to survive." He held his wrist out in front of him, already having his soulmate mark appeared just last year when he had turned 21. It was a beautiful waning crescent shape and Beomgyu loved it none-the-less knowing that it would eventually lead him to the love of his life.
When the movie had ended, the both of them reached for the remote at the same time. Their hands briefly brushed, eyes meeting for a second before the two boys looked away. Beomgyu quickly withdrew his hand and got up from the couch to put away the empty bowl of popcorn now. While he was washing the dishes, Taehyun stood at the corner of the counter staring at him with a grin. "Guess what tomorrow is!" he exclaimed excitedly.
"Your birthday." Beomgyu answered with a smile, placing the dishes into a drying rack after he was done. He walked over to his younger friend and ruffled his hair. Being the same height as the other male made it easier for the two to look eye-to-eye. The two were only a few months apart, born in different years. Although Beomgyu was clearly older, Taehyun never saw him as such. "I remember, of course. You'll finally get your soulmate marking. Are you looking forward to it?" said the elder.
"Mm. I guess..? But you know me. I'm not all that psyched about the soulmates stuff." Taehyun says casually, leaning on the edge of the counter now while looking at his best friend. Beomgyu was aware of Taehyun's beliefs in soulmates. Ever since they were kids, the thought of having a soulmate has frightened him. He didn't want to depend on someone else in order to live. But Beomgyu was different. He wanted to be able to spend his life with someone by his side, knowing that they will love him. The brunet lightly rubbed at the mark on his wrist, smiling to himself. "I wonder who my soulmate is." he mumbled.
Taehyun breathed out a sigh, gently taking Beomgyu's hand into his own. "Beomgyu, you know you don't need to wait around for them. Just date whoever you want for now. Maybe you'll eventually meet them. Or maybe you won't ever meet them." he flashed him an encouraging smile, but Beomgyu only shook his head squeezing their hands lightly.
"But I want my first times to be with that person whom I'll spend the rest of my life with. Even if it meant I'll never meet them, I want to be able to save myself for them." Beomgyu pulled his hand away after and made his way into his bedroom, bringing out a small present box to give to his best friend. "Happy birthday, Taehyun. I'm giving it to you earlier just in case I forget, but I hope you like it."
"Tsk. Trying to beat the rest of them with the gift giving. What is this?" Taehyun chuckled—referring to their group of friends always trying to beat each other at gift giving, taking the box out of his hand and slowly pulling the ribbon apart. He lifted the top off unveiling a shiny silver necklace in the shape of a moon with a diamond at the corner. He couldn't help but smile, taking the delicate piece of jewelry out of it's box. Taehyun was never the type to wear such things, but he couldn't help but feel his heart slightly melt at the sight of the necklace. He knew that his best friend had put thoughts into purchasing his birthday gifts, even when they were young. "Hyung, seriously. This is beautiful, but you know I don't wear stuff like this."
Before he could even resist, Beomgyu had already taken the necklace into his hand and circled around behind the red-head boy. He gently looped the necklace around his neck and clasped it securely at the nape. "Yeah, but... I knew you'll love this one. You're my moon after all." Beomgyu watched Taehyun's reaction from the side with a warm smile. The red-head boy only returned his smile, nodding his head before touching the diamond on his necklace.
"You're cheesy, as usual. Anyways, I'm gonna head to bed now." Taehyun turned his body and walked to the bathroom near his room to wash up for bed. Beomgyu chuckled, shaking his head before following his friend.
The two boys stood side-by-side, laughing and joking around while they both brushed their teeths at the sink. It was a normal routine for them. Their apartment had two rooms and one bathroom, so they often had to share. It was all that they could afford together as broke college students. Their friends have also offered to help them with their current situation, but the two remained stubborn.
Once they were done washing up and Beomgyu was putting his usual night cream on his face. Taehyun stood besides him, thinking to himself. A question lingering in his mind while he looked at the elder. Beomgyu turned over to lift a brow at him curiously, waving a hand in front of his face to snap him out of his trance. "Hey, what's up?" he asked with a light chuckle. He's seen his friend stare off into space pretty often so he was used to this behavior.
"What would you do once you meet your soulmate?" Taehyun mumbled softly, staring at the necklace on Beomgyu's neck. The shape of the cross suddenly looked very interesting. His fingers touched the platinum piece, rubbing his thumb from the top of the cross to the bottom. He didn't know why the sudden question about soulmates bothered him so much. Taehyun was used to having Beomgyu by his side all these years. So once the elder met his soulmate, he was bound to leave him right?
"Why the sudden question? Of course I'll have to be with them." Beomgyu answered, looking down to try to meet the other boy's eyes. The answer was obvious. He knew that the next day, Taehyun would be bound to have a soulmate after receiving his mark. He didn't know why the thought made his heart drop, only brushing it away after. "Let's just go to bed. Goodnight." He said, ending the conversation, pressing a kiss to Taehyun's forehead—a gesture that he had been accustomed to doing since they were kids.
"Goodnight." the red-head boy spoke softly watching as Beomgyu smiled and closing the door to his bedroom, shutting off the lights after. Taehyun made his way into his own bedroom after, plopping right on the comfort of his mattress. He ended up staring at the ceiling in deep thought. The day that he would finally become an adult was approaching, fast. He moved his arm out in front of him, staring at the blank canvas on his wrist. Tomorrow, he would have a mark that would bound him with someone forever. Taehyun touched his wrist gently, sighing softly. A sudden thought came to his mind. "What if... Wouldn't it be great if Beomgyu was my soulmate?"
Choi Beomgyu. His best friend. The person that had been with him through all of his ups and downs. Wouldn't it just make sense for the both of them to be each other's soulmates? It was a hopeless thought. He didn't get to decide who he will spend the rest of his life with, it was the universe. So that's one thing that he never liked about the whole "soulmate" part of life.
Taehyun couldn't imagine himself a life without his best friend by his side. The two were inseparable since their childhood days. A part of him was hoping that his mark would eventually be connected with the elder. But only fate can decide that. Besides, he had never really seen what Beomgyu's mark had looked like despite the numerous attempts of trying to steal a peak. The other would always cover it up with long sleeves and a bandaid—or flicking his forehead whenever he tried to look.
"It'll be a surprise whenever you finally turn 21, remember we made a pact." he would say with a cheeky grin, which Taehyun finds so annoying—and cute.
The pact. Beomgyu and Taehyun's group of friends had made a pact to reveal all of their soulmate markings once the whole group turned 21, the only exception is if someone has met their soulmate before then. Taehyun being the youngest of their group had caused the group to push back the reveal.
After a long moment of just thinking to himself, he grew frustrated and decided to sleep it off, turning to the side and closing his eyes. Even with his eyes closed, his mind was thinking about his best friend again and that stupid smile of his. He felt himself feeling weird things for his friend lately, but he didn't want to admit it was anything but his mind acting up. "Just sleep Taehyun. Stop thinking." he tells himself before slowly falling into a deep slumber while hugging on a nearby pillow.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
"Get your ass up, it's already 12:30 pm!" was the first thing he woke up to the next morning with a pillow slammed against his face. Beomgyu had been aware of Taehyun's terrible sleeping habit, occasionally waking up past lunch time.
"Ack! Choi Beomgyu! I swear to god!" Taehyun sat up in disbelief, looking over at the clock by his nightstand. He took the pillow that was just slammed on him and tossed it at Beomgyu—who was by the door—causing him to laugh and catching the soft cushion. "Seriously, it's Saturday. Why do I have to be up?" Taehyun groaned. The moment he was about to lay back down on the bed, he felt his legs being pulled from below causing him to sit straight up and hitting Beomgyu with another pillow. The other laughed, trying to dodge the hit but was smacked right on the face and fell back on the edge of the bed.
"Come on, Taehyun! It's your birthday and I got all of our friends together today to celebrate it. We're also all doing our soulmate reveal today since you're finally turning 21." Beomgyu chuckled, pinching at the younger's cheek before tugging on his hand.
The moment their hands touched, something jolted in the both of them causing them to join their eyes in shock. Beomgyu immediately pulled his hand back like he had just gotten burned, looking at the palm of his hand in confusion.
"What in the world was that? You felt it too, right?" Taehyun asked in a panic, not knowing what that pain he just felt was. He clutched onto his heart, soothing the sudden pain before he noticed the marking on his wrist. A moon shaped mark with tiny letters written on the bottom, but his vision cannot make out what they were.
You are not able to read the words until you have connected with your soulmate, it is said that the word was the name of the person you would be with for eternity.
When Taehyun looked up again, he felt Beomgyu's gaze upon him before the elder patted his shoulder. "Let's just hurry to the birthday celebration. Soobin hyung had booked a restaurant for you and the others to go to." he says with a soft smile before getting up and walking back into his own bedroom.
Once behind the door of his bedroom, Beomgyu peeled the bandaid that covered his soulmate marking underneath. Expecting what he was about to see, he quickly covered it back up. "Taehyun..." he whispered, shaking his head and proceeded to change into a new outfit for Taehyun's birthday celebration. But the thought still lingered on his mind, bothering him and pestering him. It was for sure that Taehyun didn't realize what just happened between the both of them. The strange jolting feeling of their hearts, connecting them together by fate. They were each other's soulmates, he was sure of it.
The only thing that bothered him was, why did Taehyun not know—even he had looked at his own wrist after that small incident..? It bothered him to no end.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
When the two arrived at the restaurant together, the place was already packed with people. Their group sat in a separate room, chatting and laughing with one another. Soobin, Yeonjun, Jeongin, Hyunjin and Hueningkai were all waiting for them in the room.
"There's the man of the hour!" Soobin shouted from his seat with a glass of beer in his hand. With a wide smile, he took a sip of his beer along with the others at the table and set it back down after. He stood up, walking over to the two boys—clearly towering over them because of his tall height, and hugged them both. "Taehyun! Happy birthday man! Finally joining the adults club." he laughed, patting the red-head on his back before pulling him over to an empty seat.
"Aye!" Jeongin, one of Taehyun's close friends, threw an arm across his shoulder and pulled him in. He handed him a full glass of beer. "Let's cheer to the birthday boy!" he said to the group of boys who all held up their glasses to the center.
Beomgyu settled down across from Taehyun, smiling along with their group of friends as each person lifted up their glasses of beer. They cheered before each lad took a sip from their glass.
"So, Taehyun. How's it feel to finally be an adult and also to have a soulmate?" Jeongin took another sip of his beer before looking over at Taehyun besides him. Chattering continued throughout the room. The younger just chuckled, shaking his head while he drank more of the beer and feeding himself some of the barbecue in the center of the table. "You know me. I don't really care much about the whole soulmate thing."
Hyunjin lifted a brow from across the table before speaking to the two while he placed a piece of meat inside of his bowl. "Hey, but you never know what would happen once you do meet your soulmate. You might change your mind about it all." The group of boys were aware of Taehyun's beliefs about soulmates, only just nodding their heads at Hyunjin's words.
Beomgyu was surprisingly quiet throughout the whole ordeal, eating his bulgogi while avoiding eye contact with the rest of the group. The only time he had spoken was when someone was asking him a question or when Yeonjun wouldn't stop teasing him about his soulmate mark—resulting in the older boy getting a light smack from his friend.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you and Beomgyu ended up being soulmates. You guys are practically joined by the hip since we were kids." Yeonjun said all of a sudden out of the blue. The group of boys turned to look at him, including Beomgyu and Taehyun. He noticed their attention on him and letting out a small laughter, lifting his thick eyebrow up curiously. "What? Am I wrong though? It would only make sense. Fate always put the two most compatible people together. That's how soulmates work." He shrugged his shoulder afterwards nonchalantly.
The group laughed it off, shaking their heads. "Ahh, Beomgyu being stuck with Taehyun for the rest of his life. Good-luck with that." Soobin said with a teasing laughter, earning him a threatening glare from Taehyun besides him. "What's wrong with being stuck with me? I am a great friend and potential partner, right Beomgyu?" Taehyun spoke in a confident tone before his attention turned towards his best friend who looked at him with wide eyes at his question, not expecting it.
"A-Ah, right. Haha. Guys, I need to go to the restroom really quick, so I'll be back." Beomgyu excused himself afterwards, getting up hastily to make his way into the restroom. The rest of the group continued on their conversations as usual.
Once he was behind the restroom's door, Beomgyu washed his hands with the soap provided and looking at himself in the mirror. He didn’t know why he felt uneasy at the thought of being soulmates with Taehyun, his own best friend. What would he think when he found out that what Yeonjun had said was completely true?
Beomgyu took another look at the soulmate marking on his wrist, a crescent moon with Taehyun’s name clearly written underneath it now. For years, the two have been close friends and he had never once given their relationship as friends a second thought. But the moment that he found out they were soulmates, he started to question his own feelings for his best friend. He felt like his feelings were not genuine and that he was just confusing himself because he wanted to love his soulmate. Since the day before, Beomgyu had been in a turmoil after feeling quite strange whenever he had interacted with Taehyun. Will their bond be just platonic or romantic?
For what seemed like forever, Beomgyu finally wiped his hands dry before making his way out of the restroom. He was going to walk back to the table, but stopped and stood behind the wall near the restroom after hearing the conversation that was going on between Jeongin and Taehyun. He didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but he couldn’t help himself because of the topic that they were discussing. Curiosity grew within him at the mention of his name.
“So, if you and Beomgyu turned out to be soulmates—do you guys think that you’ll be romantic soulmates?” Jeongin asked in a teasing tone, meant to tease the younger. He picked up his glass of beer and sipping a bit of the liquid before looking at Taehyun, genuinely curious about what his answer was going to be.
The red-head took a while to answer, thinking about it to himself before he sighed and flicked Jeongin on the forehead. “Why is everyone pestering me about this subject, seriously..? Do you guys think that me and Beomgyu are going to be soulmates or something? I mean, we don’t even know what each other’s marks look like yet.”
“But it’s a ‘what if’ situation? Are you against the idea of being soulmates with Beomgyu? You guys are like best friends, haven’t you ever felt something romantic for him?” Jeongin lifted a brow, noticing that the question seemed to be bothering Taehyun now.
“I think you both would be pretty cute and compatible, if I’m being honest.” Hueningkai chirped into their conversation with a cheeky smile, plopping down besides Taehyun. "It wouldn't be the first time that a pair of best friends became soulmates. Remember Renjun and Jeno? Beomgyu's friends. They ended up being soulmates."
Beomgyu finally emerged from his hiding place, not wanting to hear the answer to the question Jeongin had just asked as he took a seat at his spot once again. He was afraid of the answer that Taehyun would give. His eyes glanced up to meet with the younger’s briefly before he turned to Yeonjun and Soobin sharing a smile, continuing their conversation from before.
After a while of just random conversations about how everyone had been during the break before the new fall semester started at their university classes, Soobin got up from his seat and showing off his wrist. “Alright, we said we were gonna do this once Taehyun turned 21 so I’ll go first. My soulmate mark is an anchor and I still haven’t found out who my soulmate is yet.” he said with a wide proud smile, appearing to have grown fond of the mark on his wrist. The whole group took turns tracing the mark on his wrist and complimenting on how cool it had looked.
“Who’s next?” Soobin announced outloud to the group of friends.
Yeonjun followed by rolling up his sleeve and revealing a similar crescent moon shape like Beomgyu on his wrist, but the letters still blurred out for him on the bottom. “Mines is a waxing crescent moon, but I also haven’t found the other half of me yet. Though… there is someone that I’ve had my eyes on. I'm hoping that they will probably be my soulmate.” he says before covering his wrist back up with his sleeve.
"Well, they do say that after you have your mark you will automatically feel a slight attraction to your soulmate. Even if you didn't know it yet." Jeongin said matter of factly with a casual shrug, informing the group.
“I also have a crescent-like moon shape on my wrist.” Taehyun exclaimed after. He was somewhat excited to show the others the shape of his unique soulmate mark. This seems to have peaked the others' interests as they hovered over the table to see.
"Hey, what happens if you happen to be Yeonjun's soulmate?" Hueningkai chuckled jokingly, nudging his friend on the shoulder and only making the other boy roll his eyes.
"Don't think so, my crescent moon is a waning." He said. At the corner of his eyes, he noticed Beomgyu sitting quietly across from him. This morning, he had seemed so excited to finally be seeing everyone's soulmate mark. It was unusual for Beomgyu to be so quiet, especially at a moment like this. Taehyun noticed that the lad was staring at his wrist from under the table, rubbing his finger across the mark. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked his best friend—this caused everyone to look up at the long-haired brunet.
Beomgyu's eyes widened, realizing that the birthday boy was talking to him. He was quiet for a moment, covering his wrist up again before getting up from his seat. "I am not feeling well, so I'm gonna head back first."
"W-wait—" Hyunjin called out after him, blinking back at the others in pure confusion. The group of boys wasn't sure what had just happened. Taehyun was about to get up and run after his best friend before he was stopped by Jeongin's hand on his wrist. "He's probably feeling sick because of all the meat he ate. You can tend to him later, but today is your birthday so let's enjoy this before you go. I'll take you home later too." He says, reassuring the younger boy who still looked concerned as he watches Beomgyu disappear out the restaurant door. There was a moment of hesitation before he sat back down and smiled at his friends. He'll just have to talk with Beomgyu later.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
After returning home, half-drunk from his birthday celebration, Taehyun stumbled back inside his and Beomgyu's shared apartment. Soobin and Yeonjun had helped the birthday boy back inside the apartment before taking their leaves. The boy smiled upon feeling the soft cushion against his back, moving a bit to get comfortable on the couch. His eyes were closed as he started to fall asleep due to being intoxicated from the alcohol he's drunk with his group of friends.
Upon hearing the door of their apartment open, Beomgyu emerged from his bedroom and walked out to the living room to see a sleeping Taehyun on their couch. He stood and stared at his figure for a moment before kneeling down to pull a blanket up to cover his body with. "Dork. Who told you to drink so much?" He chuckled.
The elder went to fetch a warm bowl of water and towel from the bathroom, bringing it over to the couch to tend to his roommate. He started to wet the towel a bit and wiped at Taehyun's face and neck, all while he subtly found himself admiring his best friend's features. He noticed the other's eyelashes that looked so much more beautiful up-close, his nose that shaped his face perfectly, his lips that were plump and so kissable—what was he thinking? Beomgyu felt his heart racing in his chest, realizing just what he had been thinking of. He couldn't possibly be thinking of these things about his best friend—even though they happen to be soulmates.
"He would never feel anything romantic. You're not in love with him, Beomgyu. You're just confused." He told himself, nodding as if to agree with his own words—but deep down he knew he was lying to himself.
Beomgyu got up on his feet to walk back into his bedroom before his hand was tugged back by Taehyun's grip. He turned his head to look back at his friend on the couch, confused on what was happening. He tried to pull his hand back, the touch of his hand seemed to affect him in such a strong way. Taehyun's hand felt like a warm spring day. A feeling so good, but one he cannot put into words. But after failed attempts of him trying to withdraw his hand, he felt himself being pulled towards his soulmate. Damn their soulmate connection, he couldn't part with him even if he tried. Beomgyu ended up kneeling in front of his fated mate on the couch, tightening his hold on his hand. His eyes softened at the sight of Taehyun asleep in front of him, smiling gently before he planted a kiss on his forehead. "Rest well, my soulmate." He rested his head right besides Taehyun, watching him as he slept peacefully. Beomgyu finds himself slowly falling asleep after a while.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
Taehyun wakes up later in the evening with a minor hangover before he looks over to see his roommate asleep besides him. He noticed that their hands were laced with each other's, but he didn't have the immediate thought to pull his hand back. Instead, he laid and held Beomgyu's hand for a few moments longer while staring at Beomgyu's sleeping figure. He felt himself smiling as he lightly caressed Beomgyu's face with his free hand. For whatever reasons, he felt himself connected and drawn to Beomgyu more than usual. Just by looking at him, his heart felt relaxed—beating steadily in his chest. His headache soon subsided just from laying besides his best friend. It was like, everything in the world became better with him.
That was when he noticed the marks on their wrists seemed to be glowing a bright golden color while their hands were intertwined. "Beomgyu… You are my soulmate?" He mumbles softly, realizing the situation. Their marks glowing could only mean that their hearts were connected by fate. He could make out their matching waning crescent soulmate marks with their names on each other's wrist. There was no denying it now, Choi Beomgyu was definitely his soulmate and fated mate.
Taehyun didn't know how to feel about it. A part of him was relieved that his best friend just so happens to be his soulmate; while another worried about whether their connection was pure platonic or in a romantic way. He has heard cases about soulmates that reside a one-sided love for the other which ultimately results in Hanahaki disease. Just the thought of Hanahaki disease, also known as the Soulmate's Curse, brought shivers down his spine. He shook his head while looking over at his best friend, their hands still laced with one another—as if the lad didn't want to let go.
"We're just friends… Right?" He mumbled in question. He's always seen Beomgyu as someone that he could depend on. The one person that truly understood him and would stand by his side no matter what. But he had to admit that once their soulmate connection was officiated, he felt a stronger bond with the brunet boy. "Friends." He assured himself. It couldn't possibly be anything more than just a platonic soulmates bond. Taehyun sat up on the couch, withdrawing his hand from Beomgyu. The moment their hands released from the other's grip, their marks stopped glowing. He held his head, trying to sort out his own feelings; he felt confused and unsure of everything.
"Taehyun..?" Beomgyu mumbled, waking up from his little nap and rubbing at his eyes before looking up at his best friend on the couch. Taehyun's eyes grew wide seeing him waking up from his slumber before he quickly showed Beomgyu his soulmate marking on his wrist. "We're soulmates Beomgyu and you need to be honest with me right now. We're just friends right?" He said, looking into Beomgyu's eyes to search for any truths or lies.
Beomgyu only remained silent, not knowing how to answer him. How was he supposed to answer if he, himself, did not know what his feelings for his best friends are? He could only breathe out a sigh, sitting down with his legs crossed and arm resting on the edge of the couch. His eyes looked up to meet with Taehyun's own questioning ones—awaiting for his answer. After a long moment, he broke the silence. "You want me to be honest? Then the answer is, I don't know."
Confusion was the only expression that was worn upon Taehyun's face, not expecting that answer at all. "What do you mean you don't know?"
Beomgyu didn't hesitate to answer, "It means that I don't know where my feelings for you lie. I don't know if I just see you as a friend or something more. I want to be able to give you a 'yes' or 'no' answer but I can't. I haven't sorted that out with myself yet." He sighs, looking down at his wrist afterwards.
Taehyun was quiet, frowning slightly before he grabbed ahold of Beomgyu’s arm and pulled him up to face him. The gesture only made the older boy stumble and fell forward on him. His breath ceased for a second when their eyes met, only a few centimeters away from each other. He could practically feel Beomgyu’s warm breathing against his skin and make out the way his eyes grew realizing what type of position they were in. Their chests were pressed up against one another. Taehyun could feel Beomgyu's heart racing in his chest, beating against his own. "You may not be sure about your feelings, but your heart is." he said softly, not breaking eye contact with the boy on top of him.
Taehyun was electrifying. A magnet. This was probably because of their soulmate connection. Beomgyu couldn't get himself to resist before his lips leant down to brush against Taehyun's own plump ones. The red-head's breath hitches feeling their close proximity closing in. The light touch of their lips was enough to send their hearts to run a marathon inside their chests. Everything felt so natural—so right. Every touch leaves a lingering warm sensation. Beomgyu felt himself becoming more addicted to the way Taehyun's arms were slowly wrapping around his waist, bringing him in closer. Not once did the thought of separating crossed their minds. Instead, Beomgyu wanted to be closer—closer to his soulmate. He became more confused of what this feeling was in his chest. He felt his heart pacing as if it was going to pop out at any moment. His body felt complete while being wrapped up against his soulmate.
So, this is what it felt like to be completed. This is what having a soulmate felt like. It feels like you're slowly falling. Inevitably. Like the missing piece of puzzle has been found. Beomgyu knew that it was pretty common for soulmates to suddenly form a romantic bond. His eyes gazing into Taehyun's, trying to find the answer to his every thought and question. How long has he truly been in-love with his best friend? And why did he just realize it now? Maybe he knew, from the moment that he received his soulmate mark that Taehyun was the person whom he had wished to be his fated mate. The reason for the necklace around his neck, matching their waning crescent mark. Beomgyu didn't give it much thought whenever he went out looking for a birthday present for the younger boy. But now, he understood why—from the moment he laid eyes on the piece of jewelry—he was drawn to it and wanted to gift the lad with it.
"So, how do you feel? About me." Beomgyu uttered, soft enough to be heard by the other who was still looking back into his eyes. His eyes didn't falter for even a second. Taehyun's lips parted, trying to search for the right words to say. His feelings were a mess at the moment. His best friend being his soulmate—and to add to that, he may be in love with him. He didn't know how to even convey his thoughts into words. The young lad still needed time to process everything that had happened. His 21st birthday became one of the most stressful days for him.
"I— can I give you an answer to that when I figure it out? But one thing is for sure. What I feel for you is much stronger than that of friendship. It's just… I'm confused about whether or not this is because we are soulmates or… Am I really feeling this way because my heart is..?" He mumbled. Taehyun's hand reached up to caress his soulmate's cheek, awaiting for his answer.
"Of course because I am also confused about that as well." Beomgyu whispered back in response, nodding his head and leaning into Taehyun's touch. His eyes closed feeling the gentle caress of the lad's palm on his cheek. "We've been best friends since primary school, so everything is really just confusing. But I do care about you, deeply." He added.
"So, we are soulmates huh? And now, I can no longer live without you." Taehyun smiled before bringing the elder into his arms, holding him tightly as he embraced him. "Did you already have a feeling that we would be soulmates even before we became soulmates? Is that why you gave me this necklace yesterday?" His fingers made its way into Beomgyu's hair, gently combing through his long locks. He's always found his best friend's hair so beautiful, the way it would fall over his eyes whenever he laughed and smiled. He would often have the sudden urge to brush it back.
Beomgyu hummed, leaning more into Taehyun's touch as the younger's fingers brushed through his hair. His eyes were closed, feeling incredibly relaxed and calm in his arms. "Mm… I guess you could say it was more like a slight feeling. But I never had the initial thought that we would be soulmates. More like… I wanted you to be. When I first laid eyes on the necklace, I felt in my heart that it should belong to you." He spoke softly, smiling up at his soulmate. Taehyun could only return his smile with his own, shaking his head before bringing him back against his chest and holding his soulmate close to his heart.
No more words were exchanged between the pair of soulmates. The two stayed in each others' arms for the rest of the night and eventually fell asleep in that same position.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
Early morning, Beomgyu left to prepare for his shift at the University's cafe but not before pressing a kiss to Taehyun's forehead. "I'll be back soon." he whispered, assuring his soulmate before he walked out the door of their shared apartment. The other remained asleep on the couch even after he had left.
Yeonjun greeted him with a smile after he's clocked in for his morning shift, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "Hey, how are you feeling? You left early yesterday in the middle of Taehyun's birthday celebration. That's unlike you." he said, his tone sounding concerned for his friend. Beomgyu only picked up his work apron and tied it behind his back before turning to look at his friend whom was still awaiting for his answer. “Hyung, don’t worry too much. I was just tired yesterday so I went home to rest. But I’m glad you guys took care of Taehyun for me.”
“Did something happen between you and Taehyun?” Yeonjun followed Beomgyu behind the counter where he took a customer’s order, handing the lass a receipt before going to work on her drink.
“Well…” Beomgyu started, mixing in the coffee with some creamer then handing it over to the customer. “We found out that you were right.” he finished, hands on his hips as he let out a sigh. He didn’t think that Yeonjun would be the first person he tells, but the way the elder kept questioning him made him spill the beans. It was fine though, since they were best friends—apart from Soobin.
Yeonjun looked confused for a moment, “Right about what—wait!” His expression soon turned into one of shock, clapping his hands together once. “You guys are soulmates?! No way! But I mean, none of us would be surprised. Hueningkai and Hyunjin owe me $20 bucks now.” He says cheekily, having made a bet with the two the other day because he was so sure that Taehyun and Beomgyu would become soulmates.
“I can’t believe you guys betted on us. We’ll discuss more about this after work.” Beomgyu scoffed in disbelief, amused by the fact that his friends actually made a bet over it, as he took the next customer’s order with a smile.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
“So, are you guys platonic or romantic soulmates?” Yeonjun lifted his thick brow up, staring at the other curiously. The two finished their shift and decided to just sit at the cafe to talk for a bit. Yeonjun had been prying him with questions since he’s told him about his and Taehyun’s soulmate connection. Beomgyu couldn't help but chuckle at the way he was suddenly so nosy, having never seen the elder behave like this before.
Beomgyu stirred around his cup of coffee, humming in thought. He didn't really know how to answer since he hasn't had the opportunity to sit and think about it yet. "I actually don't know yet, hyung." He shrugged his shoulders, eyes meeting with Yeonjun's again.
"Okay, how about this? Just tell me how you've been feeling about him lately. Anything different?" Yeonjun sat up straight on his chair, preparing to listen to the younger. He folded his hands on the table and stared straight at Beomgyu.
"I don't know if it's because of the soulmate's connection or is it really how my heart feels, but… Lately, I feel like… I just notice small things about him that I haven't before. And it's just…" Beomgyu paused mid-sentence, not knowing how to word his own thoughts. He took a sip of his coffee to relax his mind before continuing, "Just some things that friends don't think of each other."
"Like what?" Yeonjun probed, having a slight idea of what his friend was talking about but the point wasn't clear.
"Like how last night. He pulled on my arm and I ended up just falling right on top of him." Beomgyu revealed slowly while fiddling with his fingers nervously under the table. He felt slightly flustered telling someone about what had happened the other night. Originally wanting to keep things to himself, but he couldn't help but have to tell someone about it. He needed to talk about it to become truthful about his feelings.
"And?" Yeonjun was genuinely curious and deep into what Beomgyu was telling him. He leant across the table, a bit closer to the younger to listen.
Beomgyu was still collecting the memory of last night. But how could he even forget about it? He's been thinking about it since his shift had started—even first thing in the morning since he woke up on Taehyun's chest. "It's hard to explain. I just never noticed… how beautiful he was. I felt mesmerized by him. And when he touched me, it was like there was a string pulling me towards him. I couldn't control my heart whenever he's around. I'm so confused because this has never happened before we were soulmates."
There was a brief moment of silence as Yeonjun poked his tongue at the side of his inner cheek. He nodded his head, processing the new information he had just been told. Only a few minutes later did he speak up, "You do know that a soulmate's bond only makes your current feelings for your other half stronger right? It's not forcing you to feel something for Taehyun. To me, it sounds like you're in love with him. Maybe you've always been in love with him, but just didn't realize it until now."
Beomgyu’s eyebrows suddenly frowned, thinking about what Yeonjun had just told him. He’s never thought about the soulmate's connection like this. Mayhaps the elder might be right and that he had been in love with his best friend all along. It wasn’t something that was easy for him to admit. It couldn’t possibly be a one-sided love too, could it? He touched his chest with his hand, afraid that the stems of Hanahaki will soon grow into his lungs. “I can’t be in love with him. That would be way too complicated.” he disputed, shaking his head in denial.
“Denial will get you nowhere, Beomgyu. Just admit it to yourself. You know it in your heart that you love him.” Yeonjun remarked. The elder clearly did not believe him at all. Being his friend for years now, he knew him better than he knew himself sometimes.
Just then, the glass door of the cafe opened up with a chime and in walked Taehyun whose eyes were searching around the place for a particular face. Beomgyu stood up with eyes full of surprise at the sight of the red-head. “Taehyun?” he mumbled out in question. Yeonjun lifted a brow, curious about why the other suddenly showed up at Beomgyu’s workplace. When Taehyun laid eyes on his soulmate, he immediately walked over to him and wrapped his arms around him. His hold tightened around his waist before he inhaled Beomgyu’s scent deeply, missing the way he smelled even though it’s only been a few hours. “I had to come find you. This empty void in my heart won’t go away because I’ve been away from you for too long.” Taehyun murmured into his soulmate’s shoulder. “It took me here.” He pulled away to look at Beomgyu.
“You guys are soulmates. You can’t be apart for too long or your hearts will miss each other. Guess you’re starting to become dependent on him now, Taehyun.” Yeonjun explained, having known much knowledge about soulmates and how they work. He got up from his seat to pat his two friends on the shoulders. “You guys should go home and like… cuddle to recharge your energy.”
At the mention of cuddling, the two immediately turned bright red and pulled apart from each other. Yeonjun only let out an amused laughter, shaking his head. “You guys are gonna be stuck with each other forever so get used to it.” He added and waved goodbye to the pair of soulmates before leaving the cafe.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
After the two boys have arrived home from the cafe, having their hands been linked the entire way back, they made their way into Taehyun’s bedroom—both agreeing that cuddling was necessary in order for them to recharge their energy. Beomgyu climbed onto his bed, feeling the cushion underneath him. The smell of his soulmate immediately enveloped him. It was extremely comforting and he felt so at home just being surrounded by Taehyun’s scent. His arms reached out, awaiting for the other male to press his body close to him. The younger smiled as he crawled over his bed to plop his body directly on top of his best friend’s. Beomgyu let out a delighted chuckle, feeling Taehyun so close to him. He immediately wrapped his arms around his neck and stared up at him with a wide grin. Taehyun was indeed so charming, handsome and beautiful. The lighting in the room didn’t do him justice. The brunet boy found himself admiring every little small detail about his soulmate, from the way his warm brown orbs seem to be sparkling each time their eyes meet to the way his delicate lashes curled against him. They remained quiet for a while, just gazing at each other silently. That is until Taehyun suddenly spoke up. “Beomgyu, what exactly do you feel for me?” Taehyun mumbled, carefully wording his question. “Am I just a friend or something more to you?”
Beomgyu didn’t give an answer right away. After the conversation with Yeonjun, he told himself that he would sort out his feelings. But maybe the elder was right about him being in love with Taehyun. It was something that he didn’t think is possible, but thinking about it now—there was no denying that he was in love with his best friend. Even if he were to deny it, it wouldn’t make a difference. His heart would surely know that he was lying—this was the only thing that he couldn’t lie to. He nibbles down on his lower lip, but Taehyun’s eyes were staring him down and waiting for an answer. He couldn’t lie. He just couldn’t. Not when he was looking at him like that. He felt like Taehyun could just read through his lie. “I think maybe… I’ve been in love with you for a while now.” he started, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I guess I was denying it because I was afraid that you may not feel the same way. You already know about my family. We've always been bad with soulmates. My aunt developed Hanahaki because she had fallen in love with her soulmate, but didn't want to get it removed knowing that he will suffer in eternal pain if she does. I was scared. Scared of what I was feeling for you. Falling in love for me is… scary."
He was nervous. He had never confessed his love to someone before and never expected that it would end up being his best friend. “Even before we became soulmates. After talking to Yeonjun about all of this, I think that I have finally come to admit it to myself. I can’t keep lying. The soulmate’s bond that we have only made my feelings for you grow stronger each and every day. Being close to you like this… makes my heart race like crazy and I can’t control it. I can’t tell it to calm down. Even if I start growing Hanahaki in my lungs, I will still love you. You’re my best friend and someone that has been by my side for years now. So, I’m in love with you Kang Taehyun.”
Taehyun’s eyes didn’t falter away from Beomgyu’s for even a fleeting second. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Choi Beomgyu, his best friend for over 18 years, has just admitted to being completely in love with him. His lips parted, but no words came out from it. His mind was still processing the information. Taehyun couldn’t tell if what he was feeling was happiness or relief—having figured out his own feelings only earlier in the day and realizing that he also was in love with his best friend. His heart was racing in his chest, not being able to find the words to say. He wanted to tell Beomgyu that he loved him too, but he couldn't get the words out.
"You don't need to say anything or even return my feelings. I know it's crazy and—" Before Beomgyu could finish what he was saying, Taehyun had leaned his body down and pressed their lips together—interrupting him. For a while, they just laid there with their lips connected. Beomgyu’s eyes widened after the fact that he was kissing his soulmate crossed through his mind. His heart raced like crazy, more than it had before. Only after a while did he closed his eyes and leaned up to kiss him back. Their lips met half-way and slowly moved against one another. It was as if time had stopped for the two, but their feelings only intensified within the moment. Taehyun's lips were soft and his taste was addicting. Beomgyu felt his body melt onto Taehyun’s broad chest, arms making its way around his nape and pulling him in closer. They could only dream of sharing a memory like this. The only thing that they could focus on was the way their lips moved in-sync with one another, getting completely lost in the kiss. Taehyun draped his arms around Beomgyu’s slim figure, tugging the elder’s body so that they’re pressed flush on each other. The two continued to kiss for what seemed like an eternity, neither wanted to pull away—finding their lips intoxicating and tender. It was more than any feeling that Beomgyu could describe. Their hearts felt closer and more connected than ever.
After a moment or two had passed, Taehyun suddenly pulled away to catch his breath. Their lips were both swollen from sharing the long and lingering kiss. His eyes opening slowly to look at Beomgyu—whom stared back up at him with parted lips. Taehyun lifted a hand up from his waist, caressing his cheek tenderly while his eyes gazed into the other male’s. “Yes, I am aware of your family's luck in soulmates. And I want to be the person for you. I've actually given it some thought this morning when I woke up. Having you in my arms last night was a blessing. When I woke up without you, I just felt so… empty. My heart was hollow. I started to think to myself what was it that I was feeling? The feeling is mutual. I love you too, Choi Beomgyu. Even before we became soulmates, I had wanted you to be my fated mate. Even if I develop Hanahaki, I would live with it and die with it for you because I love you.” he whispered softly—giving him an answer at last—but loud enough that Beomgyu could hear between them.
“You love me?” Beomgyu doubted. He wanted to be sure that what Taehyun was saying and feeling for him wasn’t just in the heat of the moment. Part of him still couldn't believe that they'd just kissed and that his best friend was confessing to him.
“I love you.” The other reassured in a heartbeat and without any hesitation before he leant down, connecting their lips into another passionate kiss. This time, their wandering hands started to explore each other's bodies. The heat in the room picked up with heavy breathing and soft moans.
The two shared their first blissful night, consummating as soulmates.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
“You guys owe me another $20. Told you they were gonna both be romantic soulmates.” Yeonjun said, crossing his arms over his chest while looking at his group of friends. Soobin, Hueningkai, Hyunjin, and Jeongin all handed him the twenty dollars each while groaning. “Ah, my friends. I am officially $80 richer today. And it’s thanks to Taehyun and Beomgyu.”
“Hey~ doesn’t that mean we have a share too?” said Taehyun. The pair of soulmates walked into their university cafeteria during their lunch hour after class, holding hands and meeting up with their friends. They sat down at two empty seats reserved for them at the table.
"Depends. Did you guys had sex last night?" Yeonjun lifted an eyebrow at the couple, only to receive a smack from Taehyun on the shoulder. "Obviously." He answered, seeing his new boyfriend immediately blushing and looking away after that. The other boys proceeded to laugh at the little exchange before picking up their conversation.
[ END ]
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.