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When Taehyung was younger, he loved watching stories about fated lovers and their happy ever afters. Hearing about how people found their destined other half made Taehyung wonder what it felt like—to be held and loved by someone created just for you. It gave him butterflies, finding himself smiling at the thought that somewhere, his soulmate is out there, waiting for him. It was romantic, and in more ways than one, Taehyung daydreams.

When he had his first relationship at sixteen, he thinks it was destiny, his fated pair, his forever. Gave away his first kiss, his first touch, his first feelings, his first love. Taehyung always thought that everyone else had it right the first time, just like his parents, whose relationship he admires—they were each other’s first love after all. They were soulmates from the start—they found each other early.

So when Taehyung’s first relationship crumbled into dust, he was devastated. He experienced his first heartbreak, his first frustration, his first betrayal. Sleepless nights were spent as he nursed his fragile, broken heart, wondering why he had to experience this? Why wasn’t his soulmate his first love? If he really did have a soulmate—why didn’t he meet him yet?

Of course, Taehyung learns that not everyone gets it right the first time. His parents had explained to him that it’s not always your first love. Sometimes, people find their soulmates fast, others, in their 20s, and if you’re a part of the unlucky lot, you never find them by the time you’re in your 30s.

The sheer horror in Taehyung’s eyes was enough for his parents to lessen his time in front of the TV—all those romantic dramas and love stories about perfect relationships and fated pairs had made him too hooked up to them—it was about time for him to learn that life isn’t as peachy as that.

Dramatic—Taehyung realizes years later, cringing at the memory of his young self who was too idealistic about love and soulmates. Over time, his broken heart had healed and he doesn’t even remember that puppy love or whatever it was—honestly, Taehyung isn’t really sure if it was love after all. Sometimes, he can’t even remember what it felt like to have a first kiss.

But Taehyung keeps dreaming. He knows one day, he’ll find his own soulmate—someone he can call his own—someone that will call Taehyung theirs. He didn’t mind who it was, Taehyung was sure that the heavens would match him with someone who was perfect for him, and even though he didn’t know them yet, Taehyung loved them already—he was ready to spend the rest of his life with whoever they were.

Years pass and Taehyung falls in love and gets heartbroken over and over again. He lets himself fall in love, but each time a lover of his finds their true soulmate, Taehyung is set aside and forgotten, but he understands. Who would want to be with someone who wasn’t their destined one? He thinks he’ll act the way they do once he finds his soulmate anyway—but the thought doesn’t make the hurt go away.

And even when he’s involved with someone else, Taehyung always feels like there’s something missing—at the back of his mind, he knows that this person he’s with isn’t the one. It feels nice to be taken care of and date somebody, exchange sweet nothings and hold hands and spend nights together, but each time, Taehyung knows that his soulmate is still out there.

He wonders where they are. What’s taking them so long? Are they involved with someone else too? Do they think of Taehyung as much as Taehyung thinks of them too? 

He falls asleep to those thoughts more times than he could count, with a yearning ache in his chest that won't simply go away. 

Taehyung believes his turn will come. He'll get that chance to fall in love. But until then, he'll allow his heart to die a little each day, until he finds his other half. 

*

Taehyung's first love is someone else, but his first hate definitely belongs to Jeon Jungkook. 

It would be pushing it to say that Taehyung hated Jungkook from the get-go because, in reality, it wasn’t really like that. There was nothing too flashy about the way they met, or the way the apparent hate started–Taehyung can’t even remember why they hated each other. 

Or was it really hate? Hate is too strong a word to use, maybe it’s a dislike or something along the lines of uncomfortable. 

Because as hopelessly romantic as young Taehyung was, he turned every encounter with everyone and anyone into a potential meet-cute–all except, Jeon Jungkook of course.

It all started when they were sent to detention together in their first year of high school–to Taehyung’s defense–he had no fault whatsoever. It was so clear that the teacher and the hall monitor were power-tripping that day–Taehyung was just on his way to class when a rowdy, boisterous hoobae crashed into him–his back hitting Taehyung’s chest which resulted in a domino effect. Taehyung hit his back against the lockers, the spiking pain hitting him like lightning. Now, Taehyung was at the skinny, lanky side, but not enough for him to snap like a twig with just a brush, but for some reason, his back hurt like hell, a sharp pain throbbing on his skin. When he glances at the locker, he figures it’s because of the pointy edge where the lock usually fits in–probably had dug deep into his skin just enough for it to hurt. 

As for the rowdy hoobae who had crashed into him, he was still there, having a heated exchange with another student–for things Taehyung could not give a single care about. 

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing, huh?” he remembers pulling the hoobae’s shoulder for him to look at Taehyung, only to be met with a handsome young man with dark ebony hair and intense doe eyes. The student had looked back at him curiously with a confused expression as if to say what the hell Taehyung was talking about–like he had just pulled him away from a significant conversation just to discuss something unimportant with Taehyung.

But that one single sentence from Taehyung was enough for the teacher and the hall monitor to put to and to together. Just not the correct conclusion–but they had deemed it enough.

“Kim! Jeon! What’s all this ruckus about? Why are you fighting in the corridors in broad daylight? Classes have already begun and you’re still here picking a fight?!” The teacher had barked, and the hall monitor was already scribbling stuff into her little notepad.

“Huh? I wasn’t picking a fight!” Taehyung protested, but he knew it looked otherwise, because his hands were gripping onto the hoobae’s collar, and the younger student hadn’t even uttered a word.

“Oh really? Sure, explain yourself in detention! I expect the both of you there later today or if not I’m calling your parents!”

And that was that. 

Taehyung had tried several times to explain himself, but every word that came out of his mouth fell on deaf ears. Detention didn’t sound so bad, but it did sound terrible when he thinks about how he’s being sent there for literally doing nothing–he didn’t even do anything incriminating–Taehyung was the one who got pushed into a locker and got hurt, and he’s the one getting blamed for a fight he didn’t even start?!

Later that day, when he begrudgingly marches into detention, he finds the hoobae with the doe eyes there. He’s awfully quiet and doesn’t meet Taehyung’s eyes when he glares at him. It annoys Taehyung to the bone, so he marches toward him and sits on the desk beside him, stares and stares with a palm under his chin until the hoobae feels self-conscious enough to look back at him.

“What?” he spits–tone a bit too disrespectful for Taehyung’s liking.

“Huh? Is that how you talk to your senior, huh?” Taehyung berates, deepening his voice in an attempt to be intimidating. Because Taehyung is not intimidating, he’s sweet and kind to everyone–everyone except people like this dude who pushes him against lockers and causes him to be sent to detention for reasons Taehyung didn’t even do. It annoys him to the core. 

The hoobae stares at Taehyung up and down until he finally notches his necktie–a deep velvety green that signified that he was a sophomore. Taehyung stares back in response to the bright blue necktie hanging around the hoobae’s neck, smirking when the student’s eyes dawn in realization.

“Didn’t your parents ever teach you how to respect your elders, hm? I wouldn’t be in detention if it weren’t for you, you know?” Taehyung tells him, noticing that the younger had averted his eyes away from him. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You were the one trying to pick a fight earlier with me.”

Taehyung couldn’t believe his ears. It takes him a minute or two to comprehend the sentence–because what the fuck did he just say?

“Wa-wa-wa-wait. Hold on, what the fuck are you on? I got dragged into your mess earlier! Did you forget?” Taehyung exclaims, standing up too noisily that the chair falls back and the table makes a scratchy sound.

The hoobae stares at him like he had grown a third head–large eyes staring at him too intensely that it makes Taehyung a bit… uncomfortable. 

“Didn’t you pull me by my collar?” The younger student’s voice is soft, and it’s almost enough for Taehyung’s heart to melt.. almost. 

“Hey! You were fighting with someone else in the corridors when you crashed into me! Your back hit my chest and my back hit the lockers! Do you know how painful it was to crash into the locker handle? It dug onto my back, see?!” Taehyung rants on, attempting to show his back, repeatedly pulling on his shirt–but the younger student’s expression remains curious, confused–he was staring. 

It was like talking to a wall. Realizing it was a hopeless case, Taehyung lets out a frustrated sigh, pulling his chair and sitting down as he stares into the empty board in front of them. It was just the two of them–no other students in sight. Even the teacher was missing–but Detention was supposed to be like this–letting time pass as you ‘reflect’ on what you did wrong. 

But Taehyung didn’t do anything wrong. So instead, he deeply sighs and buries his face into his arms.

“Sorry.” He hears, realizes it's from the hoobae, and wonders if he should accept it. But Taehyung closes his eyes and falls asleep instead.

*

A loud sigh escapes Taehyung's lips. "Why am I even here? Why am I doing this?" 

Beside him, a student giggles mischievously, and Taehyung responds with a glare. "Because you love me! You know I appreciate your help here at the student council, Tae. You should be the vice governor next year!"

Taehyung rolls his eyes. "I'm not interested in school politics, Jimin-ah, and don't you think this is enough evidence that I could be of help without having a title?"

"Oh, absolutely! But you do have a title, you're the head staff slash staff manager! You do more than the elected vice governor and secretary could ever!" Jimin huffs and puffs, lips pouting as he recounts his supposed council members. Being the governor of the student body was a tough job, but Taehyung thinks his best friend is doing it elegantly—with flying colors. 

"Oh, please. You're too hard on Yoongi-sunbae and Hoseok-sunbae. You know they're graduating this year, so they couldn't help a lot with this stuff—and, you're just jealous!" He teases, smirking—the reddened ears and embarrassed expression on Jimin's face making him laugh. 

Jimin grabs him into a headlock and repeatedly tells him to shut up—because no one apparently knows about his crush on his vice governor—his Yoongi-hyung. 

They bicker endlessly, until they both end up giggling as they play fight on the floor. At the back of Taehyung's mind, he's glad that Jimin has someone in his mind to admire. After all, Yoongi-hyung was Jimin's soulmate. 

He's happy for his friend, but deep down, a selfishness inside of him longs for the same—an ache in his heart for that someone he could call his own. When will he ever find his soulmate?

—

Jimin pulls Taehyung to the cafeteria for lunch. Every day, they eat lunch together, sitting on the same table that has the best spot for Jimin to see Yoongi across the room. 

It's quite silly when Taehyung thinks about it, but it's also quite cute. Taehyung wonders if he's going to act the same way when he finds his own soulmate. 

It's wishful thinking, and Taehyung can just dream for now. His time will come. He'll find the one. 

The line isn't too long when they arrive, and Taehyung peeks to see the food being served for the day. He's a bit giddy because everything looked delicious, and he's glad that he's feeling kind of hungry already.

"Must be a lucky day!" he tells Jimin, to which his best friend replies with a bright smile. 

"You're too enthusiastic about lunch today, Taetae,"

"Of course I am! It's food!" 

With their trays in tow and Jimin leading their way to the usual spot, Taehyung stares at his plate—ah, a big bowl of bulgogi and several banchan, kimchi, bibimbap, and cucumber seaweed cold vinegar soup. Delicious!

Just as Taehyung's excitement peaks, he doesn't see what comes next—a body appears out of nowhere in front of him, crashing into him, making all his food spill onto himself and onto the floor. 

Everything happens so fast—Taehyung doesn't even comprehend what's happening as he finds himself on the floor, butt hurting probably from the fall. He stares at his sad puddle of food on the floor, doesn't even realize that his clothes are covered in food stains and that Jimin is right next to him yelling into his ear, asking him if he's alright. 

"Taehyung! Are you alright?" Jimin's words finally make sense, and Taehyung looks at his friend who has such great concern in his eyes. 

"What…what just happened?" Taehyung mutters, then he looks around and sees that apart from him being the center of attention for falling on his ass—there was a pair of boys having a fight in the middle of the cafeteria. 

"A couple of hoobaes are fighting, and one crashed into you when the other dude pushed him. I saw it coming and was running to warn you but I was too late," Jimin tells him.

Taehyung watches as the two younger students punch each other in the middle of the room—the other students are just watching, others are recording it on their phones, and Taehyung is so confused. 

What in the world is happening? Why are they fighting? And why is nobody trying to stop them? Where are the teachers? 

Taehyung turns his head and sees his forgotten food on the floor. He looks at his clothes and picks a few pieces of kimchi and seaweed that had stuck onto his shirt. He groans in disgust when he sees the spilled soup on his pants—he looked like he just peed. 

Oh and his food. Taehyung's beautifully plated food, now looking like a sad pile on the dirty floor. 

Like a switch had been pressed, Taehyung's annoyance starts to grow in his gut, and he grits his teeth as he pulls himself up. He hears Jimin call his name, but at this moment, Taehyung does not. give. a. fuck. 

Nobody messes with Kim Taehyung's food! 

With his irritation and anger fueling his composure, Taehyung angrily marches towards the two students trying to kill each other in the middle of the cafeteria. 

His presence is initially ignored, which only fuels his annoyance further—Taehyung waits for the perfect opportunity to pull them away from each other. With an iron grip, he pulls both boys by the collar and throws each one of them onto the floor. 

"HEY!" He shouts, voice deep and intimidating. "What the hell do you guys think you're doing in a place where people eat, huh?!" 

The first boy Taehyung glares at looks utterly confused—and when Taehyung looks at the boy on the other side, he spots a familiar face.

A pretty boy with doe eyes. 

Except that he's sporting a busted cheek and a bleeding lip—Taehyung knows he's the same boy who got him into detention last time. 

"You again?!" he points at him. "Are you always looking for trouble?!" Taehyung asks, and suddenly the realization dawns on him. This boy was the person who crashed into him earlier—the reason why Taehyung's beloved food is on the floor right now! "You did this!?" Taehyung points at his clothes—to which the hoobae stares—he stares at Taehyung from head to toe—and all of a sudden, Taehyung feels like he's checking him out, but hell, he won't waver!

"Uh, sorry?" The hoobae says, voice the same gentle timbre he heard back at detention. 

"You—"

"What is happening in here?!" A loud voice booms in the hall. It's the principal. 

"Kim Taehyung?! Jeon Jungkook?! You two again?!"

Taehyung's jaw drops, shaking his head immediately. "No! I'm not involved in this, it's him!" He points at Jungkook, remembering that he had introduced himself to Taehyung a while back—in detention. "He was fighting with him—!" Taehyung turns to point at the other student, but the other student is gone! Poof, he had disintegrated into thin air—Taehyung suddenly feels like it's deja vu.

"Stop pointing fingers, Kim! Your excuses won't fool me! Kim and Jeon, I want to see you in my office immediately!" 

"But I had nothing to do with this!" Taehyung protests, but the school principal shuts him up with a glare, and Taehyung can't believe that he's caught up in a mess with Jeon Jungkook once again. 

Taehyung glances at Jungkook, and he sees the hoobae tending to his bleeding lip. For a second, he pities the younger, thinks about helping him to the clinic and tending to his wound, but Taehyung remembers the sad state of what used to be his lunch all over him and the floor. So, he glares instead.

—

Taehyung and Jungkook spend three days in detention for the cafeteria fiasco. 

—

"Parade starts in five! Student council! Are you ready?" A staff member shouts from the doorway. 

"Almost done!" Jimin yells back, and the staff nods with a dismissive thumbs up and leaves.

Jimin looks back at Taehyung, admiring his work. He had fixed his best friend's hair and make up, put him in his best clothes and made him a gorgeous prince. 

Meanwhile, Taehyung is there, sulking, confused about what emotions he should feel—but one thing is for sure: he's contemplating why he's here and why he's best friends with Jimin. 

Today was the start of school intramurals, a sports event they do every year. Taehyung wanted to join some games, maybe the archery one or the basketball event—he's not a varsity player per se, but he knows he's decent in those games. 

But it just so happens that Jimin is the governor, and he not so subtly pulls some strings—most of which do not play in Taehyung's favor. 

Groaning, Taehyung sulks and glares at Jimin. "I should be marching with the basketball team right now," he tells him. 

"Oh, Taehyungie, you know I wanted to be the escort for our team too since I'm the most handsome, but Yoongi-hyung wanted to be in the basketball lineup so I had to shuffle some roles!" Jimin cheerily replies, and Taehyung rolls his eyes. 

"Just say you're whipped for Yoongi-hyung and go." Taehyung goads, and Jimin ignores it—ears flushing red slightly. 

"Anyway, doesn't it feel amazing to be the prince of the student council though? All the other escorts must be mad," Jimin teases, fixing Taehyung's collar. 

As time passes by, Taehyung thinks he's discovering that he likes compliments, and likes it when he's being praised. For some reason, the discomfort of being named the prince is no longer present in his gut, instead, it's replaced with a growing likeness and pride—did he really look like a prince? 

"And school events like these are perfect for the big R !" Jimin adds, brows wriggling. 

"The big R…?" Taehyung asks. 

"The big R! Romance , silly! There are rumors that most of our sunbaes found their soulmates during events like these—they're so lucky to find their soulmates so young!" Jimin dreamily narrates, but Taehyung knows Jimin is thinking about Yoongi. 

Ever since his friend found out that his soulmate was Yoongi, he had gone on and on about love and romance. 

It happened at a school as well, but not as big of an event as intramurals. They first saw each other at the nurse's clinic—when Jimin had accidentally tripped during P.E. and scraped his knee—it was a minor wound, but the teacher was worried about the blood that he had sent Jimin to tend to it. 

When he arrived, the nurse was nowhere to be found, so Jimin had helped himself to look for the first aid kit—eventually discovering that another student was sleeping on one of the beds—it was Yoongi. 

It was the first time Jimin saw his face. Immediately, he knew that he was his soulmate—the haphazard beating of his heart that was banging on his ears— the way he saw his future with him in a vision, he felt Yoongi's calloused fingers intertwining with his own even though he was just standing there on the side of the bed. 

There was no mistake about it—the ghost of their fingers locking disappeared just as quickly as it came—and Yoongi abruptly sat up on the bed—like he had seen and felt the same sensations Jimin felt. 

It was romantic—the way Jimin had narrated the story to Taehyung, but their relationship was confusing. While Jimin had acknowledged and accepted their bond wholeheartedly, Yoongi was more aloof about it. But Jimin had said over and over again that he could wait until Yoongi was ready. 

Taehyung admired him so much for it, and he always wondered what was stopping Yoongi from accepting it. 

He wonders if he'll experience the same when he meets his soulmate. He heard it was different for everyone, but one thing was for sure: if you find your soulmate, you'll know. 

But it makes him wonder, will they need time to accept it? Will Taehyung wait for them? Will they meet soon? Will he meet them today, at the intramurals? 

So many questions are in Taehyung's head with no answer. How he longs to find his soulmate, yearning for the bond everyone so fondly talks about. 

When will it be his turn?

—

Once they're pulled into the quadrangle with all the other teams and students piling around the gym, Taehyung feels somewhere between excitement and embarrassment—the energy of the crowd was enough to fuel his own. Yet, he feels embarrassed for being the escort of the student council, the so-called 'prince'. 

There's a student from the multimedia club introducing the teams as they gather, and there's loud cheering from the bleachers. You could say the mood was festive—and Taehyung thinks it's nice to experience it right now. 

It's one of the nice memories he's going to bring when he's older, a great story to tell to his grandkids. There is absolutely nothing that can ruin this moment. If Taehyung is lucky, he's going to meet his soulmate—

Taehyung feels the exact moment something hard hits his forehead—he swears he hears something crack in the middle of his face—oh shit, was that his nose? 

Everything suddenly fades to black, and the next thing he knows, Jimin is slapping his face a bit too hard and repeatedly calling his name. 

"Taehyung! Tae!! Oh my god, Tae wake up!" His best friend is hysterical, and why does this scene sound too familiar? 

Then, he notices that the other council members are in a circle staring at him with concern in their eyes—and he catches those all too familiar doe eyes he seems to keep seeing these days. 

"Are you okay?" Doe-eyed guy asks. This time, his voice is firm, a bit different from all the other times Taehyung had heard him speak. 

"Huh?" Taehyung is more eloquent than this. Jimin holds him carefully as he helps Taehyung sit up, and only then does Taehyung notice a towel being held up against his nose. 

"Jesus, you guys gotta stop meeting like this," Jimin scoffs, seemingly telling Taehyung and the doe-eyed hoobae who was kneeling close to Taehyung's unfortunate form. 

"I didn't mean it, I swear it was an accident—we were just warming up for the game—" 

"The parade's starting and you're warming up at the side of the court—jeez! You've hit somebody!" Jimin's tone is frustrated, and the hoobae lowers his head as he quietly listens. 

"Who got hit?" Taehyung asks, and Jimin and the doe-eyed hoobae stare at him—pitifully, and Taehyung is confused until he looks at the bloody piece of cloth in Jimin's hands, then, he looks at his clothes—the nice clothes he had dressed into, now stained with red that awfully looks like—ah, now that he notices, it's a metallic scent that can only be blood. "I got hit..? By what?" Taehyung feels dizzy. 

"Oh, sweetie.." Jimin sighs. 

"By a volleyball…I'm sorry. It was me," The hoobae supplies. 

"I got hit…why is it always me? And you!" He weakly throws out an arm to the younger boy, gritting his teeth in an attempt to show his annoyance. "Do you have a problem with me or something? You punk.."

"I'm so—"

Taehyung doesn't get to hear it when he passes out. 

—

Later, at the clinic, Jungkook sits quietly on the stool next to the bed where Taehyung was sleeping. He's sulking. He doesn't want to be here, like a sitting duck waiting for something to happen. 

But Jimin, the governor, had scolded him earlier and had told him to stay by Taehyung's side until the latter came to. 

Jungkook wanted to leave already, he was going to miss the volleyball game—but Taehyung remained unconscious. Of course, he had felt guilty—always bringing trouble to his sunbae. It's not like he does everything on purpose—it's just that Taehyung's always there where he's not supposed to be at the wrong time—or maybe Jungkook should steer clear away from Taehyung's vicinity so as not to bring him bad luck. 

He doesn't know why, but he keeps seeing Taehyung these days. 

Jungkook exhales a loud sigh. He knows by now that the volleyball game had started and that he was going to miss it, so he decided to sit back and relax as he waits for Taehyung to wake up—it was the least he can do for him after all. 

"Oh, but what if he punches me in the nose when he wakes up.." he thinks aloud, bringing protective hands to cover his nose. 

Then, Jungkook looks at Taehyung. 

At that moment, the daylight from the window shines on Taehyung's face like a spotlight, and Jungkook stares. 

For the first time ever since he had encountered Taehyung, Jungkook really looks at his face—traces each slope with his eyes, noticing the beauty marks on his skin; admiring the long lashes framing his eyelids. His mind wonders what shade of pink Taehyung's lips are, how soft they'd feel when touched. 

When he realizes his thoughts—Jungkook's heart starts throbbing in his chest. His cheeks start warming up as his thoughts go on a cycle in his mind. What is he even thinking? Jeez. 

Sighing, his attention is brought back to Taehyung when the elder shifts on the bed, lips down turning into a pout—and Jungkook struggles to stop himself from finding it adorable. 

Taehyung's hair falls over his face when he lays on his side, and Jungkook's arm seemed to have a mind of its own when it reaches out to push them away—until Taehyung blinks his eyes open. 

*

Taehyung wakes up to the noisy sound of his alarm. He sits up, confused about the dream he just had. 

Swiping up on his phone, he looks at the unopened calendar reminders about an urgent meeting in the office today—Taehyung wonders if he fucked up or something. 

It adds to his already confused state of mind after dreaming about what transpired thirteen years ago—he's turning thirty in December! 

Why did he even dream about his annoying doe-eyed hoobae? For a while, Taehyung hated his guts enough to label him a foe —though Jimin had called it a one-sided beef multiple times—Taehyung could care less about that. 

Jeon Jungkook was a walking misfortune—whenever he's around Taehyung, Taehyung ends up injured or in trouble. He can't count the number of times he's been called into the teacher's office just for being around Jungkook whenever he's making a scene at school. 

It had eventually turned into a somewhat running gag at school, which got worse when the teachers deliberately grouped them together as if they were the same—good thing Taehyung's saving grace was being a staff of the student council—at least he had a reputation to uphold rather than being someone who gets into trouble as often as Jungkook did. 

"Wait, why am I thinking about Jeon Jungkook so early in the morning?!" Taehyung asks himself, pulling his hair. 

Shaking his head and pulling himself up, he prepares for his day. 

—

The world is a complex place, and everybody seems to be looking for love–more specifically, love with their soulmates. It’s been a tradition passed down from generation to generation, a culture developed within the community where Taehyung was born and has grown up in. 

Here, a soulmate is someone that is predestined to be perfectly suited only for you; your soul twin, your significant other half you’re fated to be with. 

If you’re lucky, you find them early, growing your life together. Then, there are those who find their soulmates, but refuse to commit to them–cynical about the belief in soulmates. Lastly, there are the loveless. 

It’s a more recent classification by the government to refer to those people who haven’t found their soulmates by the age of 30. They’ve started a country-wide regulation wherein they encourage citizens within the age range of 28 and above to sign up for the Loveless Cupids program–funded by the government for those who are loveless, for them to get matched with other loveless citizens. It was a chance for them to find their happy endings with their most suitable match. Not finding your soulmate is the primary reason for people developing the broken-hearted syndrome–and in the years that the Loveless Cupids program hadn’t existed, the rate for the syndrome had skyrocketed, and the government made it an initiative to prevent this from happening.

One can call it a government-funded matchmaking service–but the team prides itself on its 95% success rate, also effectively lowering the broken-hearted syndrome rate. They hope to live in a world where people didn’t have to experience the syndrome by not having a soulmate.

Being loveless wasn’t something that Taehyung thought he’d be once he’d reached twenty-nine. His heart aches at lonely nights knowing he has no one in this lifetime to call his soulmate–and it was silly, really, how he still hopes to find them–how his heart has been devoted to the person he would call his own, even though he’s unsure now if that person even exists.

Sometimes, Taehyung thinks he doesn’t have a soulmate in this lifetime–ironic when he literally works for Loveless Cupids.

When he walks through the entrance of his work building each day, he wonders if he’ll ever end up like the people he matched–no longer loveless and happy with their matched soulmate. These people had never met or experienced the thing people have always talked about—that unique moment when you know you've both met—or you had, but you just didn't realize it. 

Taehyung was one of them. 

—

Taehyung huffs once he's in the elevator after waiting in an annoyingly long queue in the lobby. Traffic was already bad on roads, did elevators have to have it too? 

He was already late for a meeting with his boss and the slow run of the elevator wasn't helping the anxiety growing in his gut. Looking over the meeting agenda, he wonders what Namjoon wanted to talk to him about. 

"Did you see the cute new manager in the office earlier?"

"I did! I heard he was gonna get transferred here to Seoul! Apparently, he's going to replace one of the current managers here."

Taehyung's ears perk up at the conversation of the women in front of him, he is a manager here after all. 

"Oh? Who is he replacing? I hope it's not one of the good-looking ones," they both giggle, absolutely giving zero fucks to whoever was listening. Taehyung rolls his eyes at them. 

"You're so silly! If your soulmate heard you.."

"Ah, don't worry. Loyalty is not an issue, but I'm not blind to admire good-looking guys when I see them," the other woman replies. 

"You're right, Manager Jeon is so handsome, I wonder if he has someone..?"

The name piques Taehyung's interest, and for some otherworldly reason, he feels his heart throbbing inside of his chest, blood rushing to his face as he realizes how familiar it sounded. 

Jeon ? As in Jeon Jungkook? No. Impossible. That's ridiculous! 

Jeon Jungkook was like a ghost of the past, why'd he have to haunt Taehyung now, thirteen years later? It's not like they're friends when high school ended, nor did they stay in touch. They've always lived separate lives. The last thing he knew about Jungkook was that he went home to Busan—who knows what he does there. 

Maybe he's living a good life with his soulmate. 

The thought gives a dull ache to Taehyung's heart—he doesn't know why. But these days, it's somewhat become his norm. When he pairs two loveless people and witnesses them meet up for the first time, sparks flew everywhere—a perfect match. Taehyung likes to think that he has a knack for setting people up, but it doesn't take away the fact that his heart longs for the same.

Don't get him wrong, he's happy for them, but at the same time, his heart aches because he wants to have that connection too. 

Taehyung gets distracted from his yearning thoughts when the elevator doors open, and he shifts his mind back to work. 

But fate seems like it enjoys teasing him, because just as he steps out, he sees the bane of his existence standing there in all his glory, staring back at him. 

"Oh? What do you know, it's Kim Taehyung, " he says, and the cocky little smirk he shows afterward makes Taehyung's blood boil. 

Jeon fucking Jungkook. 

—

"Wa-wa-wa-wait. Wait. Let me get this straight," Taehyung is frustrated as he pinches the bridge of his nose as he tries to get a grasp of the situation. 

He's in his boss' office with said boss and Jeon fucking Jungkook. The other two are quiet as they wait for Taehyung to continue. 

"You're saying I'm suspended," Taehyung points his hand at Namjoon. 

His boss cocks his head and nods. "Yes, that is correct."

"And he's temporarily replacing my post." Taehyung points his other hand at Jungkook, sitting on another chair beside him. 

"Yes, that is also correct."

"Just because I'm loveless ?!" Taehyung exclaims. 

Namjoon is still as he opens and closes his mouth before finally sighing out loud. "It wasn't entirely my decision to make, Taehyung. The higher-ups just gave out a memo and it's affecting all loveless employees. It doesn't exactly fit our vision of having a hundred percent success rate if we have loveless employees."

"Are you telling me that you're suspending all loveless employees working here? Just because of the stupid new memo?!" Taehyung knows he has no restraint at the moment, but this is Namjoon—he's not only Taehyung's boss, but he's also a good friend. He knows he's pushing his luck, but Taehyung's pride is freaking out at the fact that someone like Jeon fucking Jungkook is replacing him temporarily. Make it anyone except for him! 

"Well, no. Technically we've informed everyone who was within the twenty-eight and above range, but since you're turning thirty in like two months, we had to suspend you sooner. Goes for the other employees with a similar case as yours anyway, so it's just not you," Namjoon explains. 

"Jeez! What am I supposed to do now?!" 

"Well, before you go on your indefinite suspension until you find your soulmate, you have to transition everything to Jungkook here." Namjoon starts, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"But…why?" Taehyung's jaw drops. 

Raising an eyebrow, Namjoon asks, "Why what?"

"Why him?" Taehyung supplies. 

He hears Jungkook scoff. "It's not like I wanted to be here.." he murmurs. 

Namjoon eyes them. "Do you know each other or something?"

"No," 

"Yes,"

They both answer at the same time, making Namjoon hum. 

Rolling his eyes, Taehyung sighs. "We went to the same high school."

"Yeah, but Taehyung was a sunbae," Jungkook adds.

Taehyung's jaw drops at the drop of honorifics. "Did you just call me by my first name? You punk,"

"It's not like you're my sunbae at work, I started way before you did," Jungkook bites back. 

Before Taehyung could argue and a brawl breaks out inside his office, Namjoon pacifies them by slapping his palms together loudly, taking their attention. 

"And that is exactly the reason why Jungkook here is temporarily replacing you, Tae. It's only until you get matched with your soulmate." 

"But—"

" AND , Jungkook is a great manager back in the Busan branch. He has high success rates just like you do. Since there's already a high population of matched couples there, we'd love to have him here in Seoul while you're on your break." Namjoon speaks like there was no room for argument. It was a skill of his, and Taehyung knows he can't do anything about it. 

"What am I supposed to do?" Taehyung repeats the question. 

"Well, you're going to undergo the soulmate application here as an ordinary citizen. It's a conflict of interest if you're working here at the same time your application is being processed. You can return to work once you find your match, so don't worry about it Tae! I'm sure we'll find your most suitable partner." Namjoon cheerfully says.

"Don't I have a say in this?" Taehyung desperately asks. 

"No, technically you don't." 

"Unless you quit, of course." Jungkook chimes in, and Taehyung sends him a glare.

“Well, he’s right. Our organization has rules, and we’re regulated by the government, so we can’t do anything about it, Tae. My hands are tied.” Namjoon tells him, sending him a sad glance. 

Slumping in his chair, Taehyung lets out another sigh. He liked his job and he doesn’t want to lose it of course. It’s the only thing that pays the bills and keeps him going. Seeing people happy as they help them get matched with their soulmates makes everything worth it, and if Taehyung didn’t have this job, he’d lose his purpose. 

He tries to take a subtle glance at Jungkook, not expecting the latter to already be staring at him–it makes him flustered. Thirteen years later and Jeon fucking Jungkook is as annoying as ever.

“Fine, it’s not like I have a choice, do I?” Taehyung finally declares, and Namjoon nods at him, smiling. 

“Okay! Then it’s settled. You have a week to transition to Jungkook here, alright? You should send your soulmate application ASAP though.” 

–

“And here is this month’s list of applicants. I’m halfway through so you just need to finish working on matching the remaining half of the list.” Taehyung instructs, pointing at his desktop monitor with his glasses on, focused on the task at hand. He’s not happy with his boss's decision, but when it comes to working, no matter the circumstances, Taehyung always does his best. He even immediately filled out the application for a soulmate and send it just to get it over with. 

“Everything down to the software is the same as the one we use in Busan, so I think it won’t be difficult to get up to speed.” Jungkook comments and Taehyung hums dismissively at his comment. They’re sitting beside each other in Taehyung’s cubicle, and for some reason, Taehyung doesn’t find it uncomfortable. He’s just satisfied that Jungkook had put a reasonable amount of space between them–he’s not too close for comfort.

“Okay, then I think you’ll be fine. How long are you supposed to replace me?” Taehyung asks although he remembers that his suspension was indefinite.

The younger man just shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe until you find your soulmate. Then it won’t be a conflict of interest, and you’ll be thirty and no longer loveless.” He says, gazing at Taehyung just at the right moment for their eyes to meet. 

Taehyung stares for a while amazed at the fact that the same doe eyes he used to look at thirteen years ago were looking right back at him right now. “You’re a year younger than me, aren’t you?” He asks Jungkook out of the blue.

The surprise is evident in the younger’s expression, and he raises a brow questioningly at Taehyung. “More or less, I guess? I was born in ‘97.” 

“Oh, two years younger than me. Aren’t you supposed to be two years after my batch then?”

“I skipped a grade when I was younger.” 

“Ah, makes sense. So you’re like twenty-eight right now?” Taehyung continues with his questions. He doesn’t know where all this sudden curiosity comes from–he even momentarily hates that he’s supposed to treat Jungkook like a foe–just like he did back in high school. 

But maybe this is what time does to people, the pettiness of younger years has lessened, and over the years, maybe Taehyung has matured and let go of certain grudges. When he looks at Jungkook, he realizes that it’s not the only thing he has moved on from. He remembers the young boy with doe eyes in high school, his untamed black hair styled in a bowl-cut and lanky frame that didn’t stop him from getting into fights back then. He remembers the few encounters he had with Jungkook where they had uttered words to each other, and Jungkook had always spoken less back then, seemingly shy and aloof. The memory of the clinic also comes back to him, how Jungkook had looked so surprised when Taehyung opened his eyes that time he got hit in the face with a ball– how Jungkook’s eyes looked so bright and beautiful at that moment–like he had seen something so significant.

But Jungkook thirteen years later–looked so different yet the same. He sports the same black hair, the long locks at the back tied into a neat ponytail. Some strands fall beautifully over the frame of his face, and his face looks more mature–gone was the round, soft shape of his face back then–his facial features now are sharp and strong and manly. His nose fits perfectly on his face, and his eyes still look like those of a deer, except now they’re deep and telling, and intense. 

Jungkook also looks and sounds more confident. He’s grown–time really does that to people.

Taehyung didn’t want to admit it to himself, but Jeon Jungkook is handsome. His chest feels warm when he thinks the thought.

“Just turned twenty-eight in September,” Jungkook answers his question with a small smile on his face. Taehyung looks at his lips. 

It makes him wet his own, and he swallows the lump in his throat at his self-incriminating actions. He doesn’t know what drives him to say his next sentence and finds himself anxious about the answer. “Do you have a soulmate?”

Jungkook stares at Taehyung for a long time, trying to read him. Taehyung does the same. 

“And why would I tell you that?” Jungkook decides to be a little shit.

Unfortunately for him, Taehyung decides to be the same. “And why wouldn’t you tell me that?”

“I don’t know what my personal life’s got to do with your transition, Kim Taehyung,” Jungkook crosses his arms in front of his chest, and Taehyung scoffs, amused.

“You heard Namjoon-hyung earlier. Anyone above twenty-eight who works here needs to sign up for a soulmate application soon. I just wanted to know if you’re loveless like me,” Taehyung shrugs, although he knows he’s digging his own grave because of his lame excuse. Maybe he just wanted to know if Jungkook had someone, because how could a beautiful man like him not have one? 

He finds his heart yearning–and for some reason, there’s hoping in there as well.

“Are you looking for some dirt on me so you could send me back to Busan and hopefully suspend me too?” Jungkook asks with an amused tone. 

“You know I could pull up your records on our database, right? So you could just save me the trouble by answering my question now.” Taehyung challenges him, a smirk on his lips.

Jungkook raises a brow, frowning at the elder man as he shakes his head. “I still don’t know why you need to know an irrelevant detail about me. Do you have a crush on me or something?”

And there it is. Jeon Jungkook still turns Taehyung’s annoyance switch on. He closes his hand into a fist and feels his nails burying deep into the skin of his palms–Taehyung tries to calm himself. 

“You’re so full of yourself, you know that?”

“Would you rather be full of me, then?” Jungkook grins playfully, and Taehyung’s eyes go wide at the remark.

“Jesus–did you just–” Taehyung is at a loss for words, but he knows his ears are red.

Jungkook laughs, and Taehyung could not believe that this cocky guy beside him was the same awkward teenage boy who used to get him into trouble back then. 

“Okay, okay, fine. I’m loveless.” Jungkook says softly once he recovers from his mindless laughter. Taehyung recognizes the same longing in his voice when Jungkook utters it–it’s the same feeling he has after all. Being loveless wasn’t supposed to be demoralizing, but he figures that people feel a lot lonely like he did because of it.

Taehyung isn’t quite sure why he feels relieved by that. It doesn’t help when Jungkook smiles at him softly, like he had forgotten the supposed rift they had in high school.

But then–an idea pops up into Taehyung’s head.

“Wait a sec–didn’t you say you didn’t want to be here earlier?” He asks the younger, whose forehead creases at the question.

“Well, yeah, I didn’t really want to be away from my family just for work–”

“And I don’t really want to be suspended from work just because I’m loveless!” Taehyung cuts him off–stands up and a large smile adorns his face. “Genius! It’s genius!”

Jungkook gawks at him like he’s grown two heads. “Wait, what are you talking about?”

“Jeon, it’s the perfect plan! It can make this ordeal end sooner! Why didn’t I think of that before?” Taehyung mutters excitedly, mostly to himself.

“Uh, you lost me. What are we talking about?” Jungkook nervously laughs, still not comprehending.

Taehyung looks at Jungkook and smiles genuinely. He sits back down on his chair and faces the younger. “I have a plan, Jeon. It’s perfect. It’s easy. Once it’s done, we get out of each other’s hair and we can go back to our normal lives. I get to keep my job here and you can go back to Busan.”

Jungkook’s eyes are wide as he listens to the elder. “How?”

“Let’s pretend to be soulmates,” Taehyung says.

_

For a hopeless romantic, Taehyung suddenly realizes the weight of his suggestion when Jungkook throws question after question at him of the hows and whens, and whats of their supposed fake soulmateship. 

“I mean, you could just follow what Namjoon said and apply for a soulmate and wait for them to hook you up with someone. That’s what we do, and it’s effective, why do you have to go this far?” Jungkook reasons with him. 

Right now, they’re at a cafe outside of the office–a place Taehyung never imagined himself to be with his high school foe. Who would have thought they’d be sitting here together all chummy? 

“Look, Jeon, you know how long the process takes for matching people with their most suitable partner. It takes months–sometimes years! I’m suspended indefinitely just because I’m loveless and turning thirty in two months, who knows how long it will take for them to find a suitable soulmate for me? I can’t be jobless for so long!” Taehyung points out, and it’s true. He knows he’s going to receive an allowance while he’s on break, but it wouldn’t be enough–he has bills to pay and siblings still studying in school. 

Jungkook shakes his head. “But this is still ridiculous, you should have applied for a soulmate way before now!” He says, frustrated.

Taehyung justs wryly laughs and takes a sip from his iced chocolate. “Well sue me for wanting to wait for my soulmate!”

“Jeez, what’s taking them so long?!” Jungkook blurts out, and when Taehyung remains quiet he looks at the older man. Then, he finds Taehyung staring at his cup. 

“Or maybe they don’t exist. Maybe I don’t have one.” He mutters, and at the sound of his voice, Jungkook heart breaks a little. Being a loveless himself, he’s had similar thoughts, and he completely understands why Taehyung felt that way. 

Of course, they know that the government made the initiative to start the Loveless Cupids program to match people without soulmates, but stating an age range made people like Taehyung and Jungkook feel like they had a deadline–that if they didn’t find a person to call a soulmate by a certain age it was because they simply just didn’t have one.

Sometimes, Jungkook thinks about the people who lived too long without soulmates–way before the government program began. How would they have coped up with it for so long? Did all of them develop broken-hearted syndrome? He knows it wasn’t always the case, he’s read articles about some people who spent a lifetime just to find theirs–some, even when they’re at the ripe old age of eighty. 

“No, Tae. I’m sure you have someone out there for you. We all do. It just takes some of us a while to find them.” Jungkook tells him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you to take it that way. Look, if you go on with the soulmate application program, I’m sure it wouldn’t take long for them to match you with someone.” 

“That’s a lie. If it was easy to find a match for me I would’ve found them by now.” Taehyung sulks. “And you don’t have one too.”

Sighing, Jungkook leans back on his seat. “Well, if we go on with this plan of yours. What’s in it for me?” 

“Well, you said you didn’t want to be here.”

“I don’t understand how that’s going to work. If we tell people we’re soulmates and you’re telling me that this will work for us to go back to our previous lives–? I don’t know. The math ain’t mathing.” Jungkook points out.

“Hey, there are long distance relationships! We can tell them that we’re soulmates even when we’re apart!”

“That’s ridiculous. When I find my soulmate, I’d never want to be apart.” Jungkook argues.

Somehow, the answer makes Taehyung’s heart skip a beat. Jeez. It must be because he thinks the same way. 

“But that’s the point! We’re not! We just have to pretend that we are, so we can basically live with it!” Taehyung pushes, trying to ignore the warmth spreading on his cheeks.

“And then what? What happens once we finish pretending? When does it end anyway? What if we find our real soulmates along the way?” 

“Stop asking me complex questions I don’t have answers to!” Taehyung exclaims, exasperated. 

“Jeez, you come up with this plan that’s going to make us dig our grave. If we get caught, Kim Taehyung, it will cost us our jobs!” This time, Jungkook’s voice is firm and loud. There’s a crease between his brows and his lips are pouting–and Taehyung does try to not find it cute, but he fails miserably.

“Remember all the trouble you gave me in high school! This is the least you can do to make it up for me!” He suddenly brings up–and Jungkook’s face morphs into that of amusement.

“Wow, you still remember high school?” 

“Like hell I would–I only ever got into detention because of you!”

“Jeez, I’ve already said sorry for that multiple times. Couldn’t you let it go already?” 

The truth is, Taehyung has let go of some of the pettiness for all the high school fiasco with Jungkook. But he figures it’s good enough as leverage to somewhat convince Jungkook to go along with his plan. 

“Oh come on, Jeon. Just, please do this one favor for me,” Taehyung couldn’t believe the words coming out from his mouth right now, and he doesn’t know why he’s so adamant to make Jungkook say yes.

“Again, what’s in it for me?” 

“I’ll forget about all the trouble you gave me in high school and I’ll never curse you in my head, ever again.” 

“You curse me in your head?!”

“And–you get a soulmate.”

“You mean a fake soulmate.”

“It’s still better than being loveless.”

“When I find my soulmate I’m gonna tell them to beat your ass.”

“My soulmate will beat your soulmate’s ass before they can beat mine! So, are you in or not?”

“Jeez, fucking fine!”

“Awesome! It’s a deal!”

_

That night, Taehyung calls Namjoon, the first step of his plan. 

“Tae? What is it? Why are you calling me at this hour?” Namjoon asks as he looks over the clock on his bedside table.

“Hyung! I found him!” Taehyung sounds excited, and it piques Namjoon’s curiosity. 

“Found who?” He asks.

“My soulmate! I found him hyung!” 

“You what?! Who is it?” 

“It’s Jungkook!”

“Jung–it’s who?! Jeon Jungkook?!” 

_

“Oh hey, Tae. Jungkook,” Namjoon greets when he opens the door to his home. Taehyung and Jungkook return the greetings cheerfully with large smiles on their faces. “Let me take your coats,” he tells them, and the two men murmur their thanks. These months were cold, and it took a lot of effort to travel from and to places. 

Today, Namjoon invited Taehyung and Jungkook to his home for dinner with his soulmate, Seokjin. Ever since the two told Namjoon that they were soulmates, their boss had been suspicious–not believing the obvious lie they drowned themselves in. So, Taehyung and Jungkook had devised a devious plan to make everyone believe that they were, in fact, real soulmates—to fake-date, of course.

“Oh! Hello, welcome to our humble home!” A handsome man that Taehyung can only assume is Seokjin appears from the kitchen, carrying a plate of food towards the dinner table. “I’m Seokjin, Namjoon’s husband. You must be Taehyung and Jungkook, hm?” 

"Ah, yes. I'm Taehyung, and this is my soulmate, Jungkook." The lie slips off Taehyung's tongue smoothly—and honestly, Taehyung doesn't feel weird about it. He's always wanted to call someone his soulmate, and it feels nice to finally call someone that, even though he knows it wasn't true. 

He looks at Jungkook and the latter looks back at him with a shy smile—ah, there are remnants of that doe-eyed boy he met back in high school. 

Jungkook looks good tonight, Taehyung thinks. His hair is brushed into one side with small tresses falling over the side of his forehead—skin fair and lips pink. The black turtleneck he's sporting suits him well, tucked into his grey pants hugged by a brown belt that's encircled around his tiny waist. 

"I see why you're soulmates. You're utterly whipped for each other," Seokjin comments, and both men turn to look at him curiously. 

"Really?" Jungkook asks. "What makes you say that?" 

Taehyung elbows him, and Jungkook coughs, glaring at the elder. A not-so-subtle What was that for?!

"What Jungkook means to ask is, what gave us away?" Taehyung tries to speak as eloquently as possible. 

Seokjin looks amused, chuckling softly at their antics. "Reminds me of Namjoon and I back when we were younger. It was the classic enemies to lovers trope, except we were enemies to soulmates to lovers."

"Isn't that the same?" Jungkook asks as Seokjin guides them to sit by the table. 

"Well of course not. Namjoon and I didn't meet eye to eye at first. It was a series of misunderstandings and childish bickering. Back then I didn't imagine that I'd have him as a soulmate!" He starts. 

Namjoon looks startled when he walks in the room. "Were you talking about me?" 

"Yes, honey. I'm just telling them the story of how we met," Seokjin kisses his cheek and pats his neck gently before taking away the pan from his hands. "Give this to me before you spill it over the table,"

"You were enemies before?" Taehyung asks. It was quite familiar territory after all. 

"Not exactly. I'm just my usual clumsy self, and I'd end up spilling a lot of things on Jinnie back then. He wasn't exactly pleased about that." Namjoon replies, laughing nervously. 

"He is a klutz. He's clumsy, but Joonie is a gentle guy. I think he just has bad hand and eye coordination." Seokjin comments, which makes both Taehyung and Jungkook chuckle. They're sitting across from each other, and Namjoon sits beside Jungkook, while Seokjin fills the chair beside Taehyung. 

"Sounds familiar," Taehyung remarks, eyes finding Jungkook's. 

"Oh? Why do you say that?" Seokjin presses. 

"Ah, Tae—" Jungkook starts, wanting to save himself from embarrassment, but Taehyung ignores him and smiles at Seokjin. 

"Well, back in high school, Jungkook was the same. I don't know if I can call him a klutz, but he did crash into me quite often. He'd be in fights constantly, and whenever it happened, he always seemed to crash into me and get me into trouble." 

"Oh! You've been soulmates for a long time? Since high school? Sounds like destiny to me," Seokjin teases as he holds Namjoon's hand. 

"Oh, no. We met in high school, but we didn't feel the connection until we met again yesterday," Taehyung says, earning a quiet state from Namjoon and Seokjin. They look back and forth at each other and towards Taehyung and Jungkook, and Taehyung bites his tongue for carelessly giving away information that could blow their act. 

"Oh, that's strange—you didn't feel the connection back then?" 

"And you seemed uncomfortable to be around Jungkook yesterday, Tae. What changed?" Namjoon adds. 

Oh no. They were suspicious. The plan was already falling apart! But before Taehyung could let out an excuse, Jungkook beat him to it. 

"Actually, Seokjin-ssi. It was just like you said. Taehyung and I seemed to be like what Namjoon-nim and you were before." He tells them before he gives Taehyung a soft glance. He smiles at the elder, and Taehyung understands it as something along the lines of I got this. 

It's reassuring, and it makes Taehyung nervous somehow.

"Oh, is that so?" Namjoon looks at them both. Taehyung knew he was suspicious. Is he going to figure it out? Taehyung needs to think of a way to divert the topic, he didn't think this plan through!

Jungkook hums. "Well, as embarrassing as it might be, what Tae said was true. I always got into fights in high school and looking back to those times, they aren't memories I could be proud of. But I guess one thing came out good from all those things that happened back then," he rambles before he takes a glance at Taehyung once more. 

Their eyes were like magnets, and Taehyung couldn't get enough. He likes this, likes being looked at, likes feeling like he's something worth looking at.

Seokjin notices it, and he looks at Taehyung before he turns to Jungkook again. "What is it? Tell us then, stop eyefucking your soulmate in front of us."

The comment goes ignored, and Jungkook makes sure he's looking at Taehyung when his name rolls off smoothly from his tongue. "Well, I got to see Taehyung each time."

The reaction is immediate. Seokjin squeals and Taehyung gets flustered immediately. Namjoon groans at how cheesy it sounded, and Jungkook just grins.

Wow, Jungkook is good at lying...right?

"And? Did you like him back then?" Namjoon asks, recovering from the cringe. 

"Well, I may have had…a tiny attraction to him?" Jungkook avoids eye contact with Taehyung, but the latter doesn't miss the way Jungkook's ears turn red. 

"Oh, you had a crush on your soulmate! What attracted you to him?" Seokjin continues to ask, and Namjoon starts filling his plate with food. 

Jungkook seems to ponder over it for a while before he responds. Taehyung places food on his plate. "Well, Taehyung was attractive even back in high school," he starts. 

The choice of words makes Taehyung blush—even back in high school? Does that mean Jungkook finds him attractive now? 

"But I guess I started to like him because of his personality," he says. 

"What was Taehyungie like in high school?"

"Taehyung back in high school—well. He was a good student, and his grades were good. He also worked for the student council even though he didn't have an official role there. I noticed that he had a lot to say at times, yet he did everything he did passionately. And one time, when I was a freshman, he looked like a prince during intramurals. I accidentally hit him on the head with a ball though—Taehyung hated me for it," he chuckles and rambles over his words, but Taehyung's jaw drops. 

Jungkook remembered all of those times back in high school? He even knew details about Taehyung—they weren't friends back then, how would he have known? Was he paying attention to Taehyung all this time?

"Ow! That must have hurt!" Namjoon nudges Taehyung, and the latter could only nod. 

Jungkook sees his stunned expression and tells the story to him. "I brought him to the clinic when he fainted, his nose bled then. The nurse tended to him and I was there the whole time even when he was unconscious. And that was when I realized it," 

"Realized what?" Seokjin asks. 

"You know what people say about finding your soulmate? When you find them, you just know?" Jungkook catches Taehyung's eyes from across the table. For some reason, Taehyung couldn't look away even if he tried. 

Honestly, he didn't know if this was still an act, because why is Jungkook going all out with all these realistic details for a lie? Was it the truth? Taehyung has similar memories of all their encounters, but hearing about Jungkook's feelings in the mix is a whole new experience. 

"I realized that Taehyung was my soulmate." 

Sparks. There are sparks when Jungkook says it aloud, and for what felt like a whole minute, Taehyung feels his insides zapping, and his heart beats strongly in his chest. His hands suddenly long to touch Jungkook's own, and his veins start to yearn for the man sitting across him. 

Jesus, what is this? Is this what he thinks it is?

"I felt it then when he was lying unconscious on the clinic bed. He looked so beautiful as the rays of the sun painted his face. Suddenly, I felt like I wanted to be with him, touch him, and make him mine. My fingers ached to intertwine them with his, and I swore I saw the future when I felt it." Jungkook narrates, and by now, Taehyung knows it's real because that exactly is what he's experiencing right now. This was it. 

This is what he's been waiting for all his life. Jungkook was his soulmate. 

"But why did Taehyung say he only felt the connection yesterday?" Seokjin wonders.

"It could happen. It should happen at the same time for soulmates, but there are rare times when one half feels the connection first. They wait a lifetime for the other to feel it too. Looks like that's the case with our lovebirds here." Namjoon tells his husband and saves Taehyung and Jungkook.

They chatter away when Seokjin comments how sexy Namjoon's brain was, and Taehyung quietly asks the man in front of him. "Is it true?"

Jungkook smiles shyly at him. "I didn't want to tell you like this, but just now, tell me you felt it too?"

Taehyung couldn't believe it. Is this real? Is it really happening right now?

Was this real or just an act? He suddenly feels dizzy…he needs to get out of here.

"Excuse me, I'm just gonna get some air," he abruptly stands up, making no room for questions, and rushes out the door. 

Jungkook follows him, of course. Taehyung lets him. 

When they're out the door and out of earshot, Taehyung stops walking, just enough for Jungkook to catch up. 

He's confused, yet somehow, his heart is relieved. Elated. He needs to know if this was an act, because if it was, Taehyung's heart won't be able to take it.

"Tae, are you alright?" Jungkook asks, hand hovering over his shoulder, just enough to let him know that he's there. They haven't established the boundaries of their fake relationship—the allowed touches or kissing or things they're allowed to do together. 

God, did Taehyung miss a chapter? He waited so long for his fated one, but now that it's happening, why does everything feel so rushed? 

"Jungkook, tell me the truth. Was everything you said in there a lie?" he gets straight to the point. 

Jungkook visibly exhales loudly before he opens his mouth. "Tae, I swear, everything I said was real. It wasn't hard to tell the story because it was the truth. Everything I told Seokjin and Namjoon was the truth. I liked you back then, still do now."

They're quiet, and Jungkook watches and waits for Taehyung to speak. The older one was so stunned that he brushed his fingers through his hair and pulled. His eyes were watery, and Taehyung felt overwhelmed—-his emotions were all over the place. 

"Damn, Jeon, you can't just—start dropping all this information to me at once! It's too much information! Jeez! Don't you understand what a slow burn means?!" Taehyung exclaims, tears falling from his eyes. 

"Fuck, I'm sorry, Tae. Please don't cry, please, I don't want to see you cry, it hurts me. Can I hug you?" Jungkook rambles, and when Taehyung nods, the younger pulls him into a tight embrace, and when they touch, everything feels perfectly in place. 

"Are you really my soulmate?" Taehyung sniffs Jungkook's neck, to which the younger one smiles. Hugging Taehyung felt so good. 

"I asked you earlier didn't I? Did you feel it? The connection? Because I did. I think I knew when you realized." Jungkook brushes Taehyung's hair gently, whispering into his ear. 

"I did. Jeez, I finally found you! What took you so long!" Taehyung cries, but this time, his heart feels an overwhelming rush of affection and happiness. "You're such an idiot, why didn't you tell me you knew?"

"Would you have believed me if I did? You hated my guys, remember?" Jungkook says, chuckling. 

"God, you're right. Maybe you never slipped my mind because I always knew you were the one. Ugh," Taehyung groans. 

"Maybe all that hate you had for me was really your coping mechanism to deny the fact that you actually liked me," Jungkook jokes. 

"Ugh, I hate you!" Taehyung punches Jungkook playfully. 

"Ah, you've loved me since you were seventeen."

"You bet I did."

"Wanna go on a date tomorrow?"

"Of course. We gotta speed things up, we could've been together thirteen years ago!"

—

Taehyung's phone rings loudly while he's doing his laundry. He's trying to finish up everything as soon as possible before he starts preparing for his date later with his soulmate. 

Taehyung smiles. 

Ah, a soulmate. 

He smiles like an idiot at the fact that he finally found his soulmate, thinking about Jungkook and recreating his face through his memory. He grabs his phone and happily swipes the answer button and places it next to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hi. Is this Kim Taehyung?" A voice asks. 

"Yeah, speaking. Who is this?"

"This is Jung Hoseok from Loveless Cupids. I'm calling to inform you that we've found your most suitable match! Are you ready to know your soulmate's name?" 

Taehyung is surprised at the call, forgetting to cancel his soulmate application. It was useless now since he found Jungkook. 

"Oh, I actually found my soulmate already, and how come you found my match so quickly when I only sent in my application yesterday?" Taehyung asks, suddenly intrigued. 

"Oh, you did? Well then, this application will no longer be applicable then! To tell you the truth, I was quite surprised myself, but you got matched quickly because you were 99.9% compatible with your government-assigned soulmate!" Hoseok laughs loudly in between his words. "It's amazing really. Are you sure you've found your soulmate?"

"99.9%? Who could it be? That's amazing," Taehyung thinks aloud. Was there someone else he could be so compatible with aside from Jungkook?

"Do you want to know his name?"

Taehyung bites his lip. Does he?

Hoseok beats him to it though. "Ah, never mind. I'm sure you're 100% more compatible with the person you found. If you meet them, you'll know, you know? Congratulations on no longer being loveless! Have a nice day!" 

Taehyung sighs, relieved. He grins. "What a moment of vulnerability, I was almost tempted to ask, jeez. But he's right, Jungkook is the one." He tells himself, satisfied. 

It's finally Taehyung's turn to experience what it is to be finally someone's soulmate. He wouldn't have it any other way. 

He has a soulmate. He's no longer loveless. 

—

"Ah, what a shame. Ninety-nine percent compatible, but they found someone else already. This would have been good for my performance rating," Hoseok mumbles to himself, to which Yoongi overhears. 

"Oh? That's a high compatibility rate. Who are they?" he asks, walking closer to Hoseok's desk with a cup of coffee in hand. 

"It would have been Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook. Twenty-nine and twenty-eight years old respectively, both working at Loveless Cupids but at different branches and teams. Oh, they're both managers too, but I've never met them yet since I just started working here. It's amazing yet it feels like a loss, isn't it, hyung? Wait, this name sounds familiar. I think I know a Kim Taehyung..."

Yoongi just gives him a knowing smile, and wordlessly goes back to his own cubicle.