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“Hyunjin, I have something to tell you.”
Those, those were the words he never wanted to hear; the words he feared.
“What is it Felix?”
The boy stretched out his hand across the table to touch Hyunjin’s own gently with an apologetic smile.
“You’re a sweet guy and I had a great time making all those memories with you, but I found him. I found the one for me.”
Hyunjin nodded and pushed the ring he had gotten for him deeper into his coat pocket, feeling his world cave in once more. They had been dating for almost five years, and he was excited to finally propose to the love of his life, or so he thought, but life had a funny way of doing whatever the hell it wanted to; even if that cost Hyunin’s last shred of hope.
“Your soulmate, right?”
His now ex-boyfriend smiled brightly and his face shone with an excitement Hyunjin had never seen before. Though, he couldn’t help but smile at how happy he looked.
“Yes! It’s truly like we were meant to be Jinnie! He just knows everything about me and I do too. Seeing our cords tie together was amazing, and I want you to experience that for yourself so badly. It’s coming soon, and I know that.” He gripped his hand tightly and said in a low tone, “Really Hyunjin, I love you so much, but…we can’t be together anymore. You understand that don’t you?”
No, I don’t, why does this soulmate thing matter anyway? You were mine! was what Hyunjin wanted to say, but he just sucked in a deep breath and nodded again, pulling his hand away to stack his empty dishes from the restaurant they were eating at. He suddenly felt very tired and honestly, he didn’t want to be there anymore.
“I’ll see you around then Lixie. It was nice while it lasted.”
Hyunjin gave him a polite smile and stood up, picking up his bag before he was forced to listen anymore about this new guy. Felix opened his mouth like he wanted to say something else, but he stopped, letting Hyunjin walk away; what’s done was done, and there was no changing that.
As he stood at the bus stop, Hyunjin stared blankly at the passing traffic, not bothering to move under the shed when the rain began to fall; he didn’t want to feel sorry for himself, but with what had just transpired: being shut down, all his plans being thrown into the bin like a used tissue, his heart being stomped to a gazillion tiny pieces….he felt like it was a valid enough reason.
In their world, meeting a soulmate was the most important and anticipated moment in your life after one reached the age of eighteen, and the two were bonded together by a black and white cord which both parties possessed. When Hyunjin found out about this, he realized right away on his eighteenth birthday that he was not normal; while everyone he knew either had a black or white cord, his own was red. But, not wanting to stand out, he lied to his friends and family, saying that his cord was white, so he wouldn’t be shunned for being different.
It used to bother him a lot before, but as he grew up, he slowly began to accept it as who he was, and with a little bit of mingling with new people at college and university, he found others who didn’t care about the fact that they had a soulmate; if they were happy with whomever they dated, even if it meant they would never actually join with the person they were supposed to, that was all that mattered, and Hyunjin loved that idea. It was how he found Felix, a pretty freckled-faced boy with a selfless personality, who had nestled his way into Hyunjin’s life almost perfectly. But now, he’d found ‘the one’ at the pet clinic where he worked as a vet assistant, and he’d left him, although they promised to leave that concept behind, that fate would never carve their paths for them.
But that was a lie. One that Hyunjin believed for a long time.
Sighing to himself, he entered his apartment with a heavy heart, throwing his bag on the floor before flopping facedown into his sofa with a loud, frustrated scream into the cushions. He didn’t want to let it bother him as much as it did, Felix was happy right? Therefore, he should be happy as well. But as he laid there and thought about it, the tears that had threatened to fall earlier finally did, and before he knew it, Hyunjin was curled up in a ball as his cries racked his body, the pain of the situation finally settling in. He wasn’t sure how long he laid there, but when he’d calmed down, Hyunjin willed himself to get up, not even bothering to wash up at the bathroom sink, heading directly to his bedroom where he peeled off his wet clothes in a pile on the floor, and slid under the bed sheets, wishing sadly that things turned out differently.
The next day, Hyunjin announced to his customers on his website and social media pages that he wasn’t going to do photography anymore, and packed all his belongings into several suitcases, paying the month’s rent and told his landlord that he was leaving. He had received several missed calls from Felix, but didn’t bother to answer, blocking the number as he caught a taxi ride to the airport. He wasn’t sure where he was going, but anywhere other than here was better, so he’d make the decisions as he went along.
Hyunjin’s choice was to go to Japan, and luckily enough, he bought the last same-day ticket that had a straight flight there, and as he laid back on the headrest in his plane seat, watching the clouds that passed by outside the window, he had the sudden idea to start a blog, one where he’d document his travels around the world and any art that he made in the process. Adjusting to life in Japan was hard for him at first, since it wasn’t a planned trip, but he was eventually able to settle down there through a few difficult months of learning enough of the language to survive and find a new place to stay, but nevertheless, he did it.
And so he created a new website, where he began posting photos of the various places in the country that he visited with descriptions of the area, and soon after, his blog began to pick up some traction. Hyunjin loved the vast array of materials, utensils, paints, canvases and other art related products that were available to him, and he made use of his free time visiting and documenting his trips to the art museums that he bought the art catalogues for each time; occasionally he would upload his own personal art online and he appreciated all the kind words he received from the strangers who praised him.
Things finally seemed to be looking up for Hyunjin; he thought less and less about his heartbreak the more he travelled, until it became almost addictive to him. He was enjoying what he had a passion for and it helped even more when he was able to earn money as a graphic designer at a company that held his artwork in high esteem.
Almost a year had gone by, and Hyunjin had been around the whole continent of Europe, North America and even to Australia, with the money he had saved up from his previous job, making good friends along the way, and he never felt more content with his life; it was almost like he had to unwind himself from Felix in order to find his true self, and the distraction of exploring worked for a while. But there were so many instances where Hyunjin would observe couples, both new ones and experienced ones, in his excursions, and try as he might to ignore the nagging feeling in his chest whenever he saw how cheerful they were, he couldn’t.
One night, Hyunjin laid in his bed, staring up at the ceiling with wet eyes and a tear stained face as he recalled the marriage proposal he had gotten to witness at Shirahama Beach as he was taking pictures of the ocean front. It was beautiful no doubt, and something similar to what he wanted to do last year, but he couldn’t help but feel bitter at the whole thing. Why had fate been so cruel to him? Was he not worthy enough?
Sniffling, he held on to his pillow tightly, listening to the cicadas chirping outside and the soothing rustle of the breeze passing through the leaves of the trees, that usually helped to settle his nerves whenever he was stressed, although he was in no mood to admire its beauty at the present moment. He was grateful for his life here, but it always felt like something was missing, and besides, he missed Korea; the food, the people, his friends there, the memories… he wanted to go back to it all. Then it clicked. Why didn’t he just move to the countryside? It was away from the fast-paced city, and the population was smaller there too, so he would be able to start fresh once more.
It would be harder this time around to leave his job as abruptly as he did before, since he no longer worked for himself, so Hyunjin decided to visit a few places that he would probably want to call home at the provinces back home which were further away from the bigger cities, in the two weeks vacation he was allotted. When he was back in Korea, he bounced from Daegu, to Ilsan, to Busan, and was about to stop his search until he came to a small town in Namwon situated in Jeollabuk-do. The place was beautiful and had a lot of affordable places to settle, but most importantly to Hyunjin, it was quiet, so he’d be able to focus on his work or any other project he wanted to work on.
He’d rented out a small cottage to stay at for the time being, but Hyunjin was currently in a predicament: he was lost. Really lost.
After he’d arrived at the airport and was handed over the keys to the vehicle he rented, Hyunjin tried his best to follow the directions on the map that he had bought to guide him, but somewhere along the way, he’d taken one too many wrong turns and now he was on a dirt path in a forest with no other people in sight, and his fuel tank was almost empty. Leaning his head on the steering wheel in frustration, he sighed and tried his best to think of a way out before the panic started to set in, though his composure began crumbling when he realized he couldn’t pick up any reception on his phone to call for help.
Taking deep breaths, Hyunjin ran his hand through his hair several times, exiting the car so he could look around to see if there were any signs he could follow or buildings he could walk to find someone, but all he saw were fields of different flowering trees that he took photos of; it made him forget his problem momentarily, but then the fear came back when he remembered he was out here alone. Hurrying back into the vehicle, Hyunjin shut and locked all the doors, and looked around, wondering what he should do next. He reopened the map to see if he could somehow retrace his route, but it got too overwhelming for him and he folded the paper back up, chucking it onto the backseat.
“Ahhh, seriously!” Hyunjin yelled in annoyance, slamming the dashboard with his fist. He instantly regretted it when the pain coursed through his hand and he pulled it away, shaking his hand while blowing on it. Great, now he was even more miserable than before.
As he was lamenting his misfortune, Hyunjin heard what sounded like a motor in the distance and he glanced up hopefully at the direction it came from; at last, he’d be able to get out of this eerie place back to civilization, and he wouldn't have to die from starvation as his mind was already imagining.
He watched intently as a person rounded the corner on a motorbike, and Hyunjin rolled down the window to flag him down with the flailing of his arms. They came to a stop and stuck out their leg to prop themselves up, lifting up the visor of the helmet they had on to reveal an attractive young guy that Hyunjin immediately felt familiar with although he’d never met him before.
“Hi there stranger. I don’t think I’ve seen you around these parts before. What do you need help with?”
Hyunjin was thankful that he was friendly and not some creep he’d happened to stumble upon, so he quickly gave the guy a run-down of what had happened to him. He listened attentively, and nodded when Hyunjin told him the cottage he was supposed to arrive at two hours ago, giving him an understanding smile that he found pretty in every way possible.
“So now, I’m about to run out of fuel and I’m not sure where I need to go,” Hyunjin finished with a troubled sigh. “I am sorry to throw you off your original destination to help me though.”
“Oh that’s no problem, I was heading that direction anyway. There’s a gas station not too far away, let me show you on your map,” he offered, and Hyunjin gave him the piece of paper, eyes widening in realization when the person explained what his mistakes were, flipping the map to the correct section. “So you’ve been looking at the wrong segment this entire time, that’s why you got lost.”
Hyunjin felt his face heat up in embarrassment at how simple the solution was and he covered his face with his hands, wanting to melt away into nothing right then and there. Now the cute guy probably thought he was the densest person on the planet, and Hyunjin believed that was the worst part of his plight.
“I’m so stupid, oh my god.”
“You’re not, don’t worry. It’s happened to quite a few people, so there’s no need to feel ashamed,” the guy said with a chuckle. “I’ll lead you to the station then to the cottage, so just turn around and follow me.”
Hyunjin did what he was told and drove behind his motorbike, on the right roads, where they stopped so he could refuel and then to the entrance of the street that had the place he would be staying at.
“Thank you so much once again,” Hyunjin told his guide, bowing several times in gratitude.
“It wasn’t that big of a deal. I do have to go now though, so I’ll see you around…..?” He tilted his head slightly, looking at Hyunjin expectantly.
“Uh yeah! Probably. I’ll be here for a few days.”
“No, I wanted your name.”
“Oh.” Hyunjin felt silly once more and slapped his hand on his forehead. “Right, of course. My name’s Hyunjin.”
The boy giggled and it made Hyunjin smile despite his blunder, getting back on his bike and revving the engine.
“Okay Hyunjin, I’ll see you around. You’re funny.”
“Well I’m glad you at least got a kick out of my problem.”
“We all have our days, as I said, don’t worry about it. Bye-bye now and good luck!” he said with a warm smile, waving as he drove off.
With that Hyunjin got back into his car and met the owner at the cottage waiting for him, apologizing profusely after he explained what had happened to him on the way, and Hyunjin thanked his lucky stars that she was so understanding. She handed him the keys, marking on his map a local cafe and a convenience store not too far away where he could get the groceries he needed, and Hyunjin thanked her for her kindness, wishing her a safe drive as she left.
It was almost five p.m by the time Hyunjin had unpacked and made himself comfortable, so he thought it was best to buy something to eat at the store that didn’t require much preparation, opting to go the traditional way and just get some ramen, picking up other essential items while he was there. At home, as he was waiting for his food to cool down, Hyunjin pulled out his camera and skimmed through the pictures he had taken so far, choosing the best ones to post on his blog, then looked up some of the popular visiting spots he could go to for the three days he had here, identifying them on the (correct) spots on his map. By the time he was finished, his eyes were starting to burn with sleep as he stared absently at the computer screen for a solid five minutes, so Hyunjin cleaned up and locked his doors, changing into a oversized t-shirt and some shorts before tucking himself into bed, opting to shower earlier tomorrow morning.
The next day, Hyunjin didn’t feel like cooking any breakfast for himself, so after he freshened up, he headed to the cafe that the owner had shown him, happy that he had brought his camera along so he could capture the unique architecture of the building after he’d asked permission to do so. Then he went back inside to order, and as he sat down at his table to eat, drinking, which was to him, the best coffee he’d ever had, Hyunjin noticed a familiar figure sitting near the entrance, whom he’d failed to recognize before, seeing as the cafe was moderately busy at this time. He stared at them and tried to remember who it was, then it dawned on him who it was when they finally locked eyes.
It was the same guy on the motorbike from yesterday, and now he had his helmet off, Hyunjin could see that he was even more good-looking than he thought before. As he got lost in his thoughts, he realized how creepy it must have been to gape at him without saying anything, but then the boy got up and walked over to where Hyunjin was, sitting on the seat opposite to him.
“Hey, you’re that guy from yesterday. Hyunjin right?”
“I-uh, yeah, yes, that was me. Well I mean, that is me.”
Hyunjin couldn’t believe it. Why was he stuttering so badly around him? It was almost like any time he was close to the boy, his brain couldn’t function properly, and he was bound to embarrass himself all over again.
“Good! I figured as much. How do you like it here so far? Even though you haven’t really been anywhere yet I presume?” He looked at him curiously and clasped his hands around the cup of what Hyunjin presumed to be coffee from the label.
“No, I haven’t. There are some places that I looked up online where I want to visit today, but so far, everyone has been really nice, including you…” Hyunjin racked his mind for a name, but came up short. “Oh my god, I never asked you your name!”
“It’s Seungmin. I was wondering when you would realize that,” he replied with an amused smile. “But I’m happy you finally do. Future conversations should be much easier.”
“So you knew and never introduced yourself,” Hyunjin said with a pout. “That isn’t fair.”
“Maybe I just forgot to as well, who knows.”
“Yeah I doubt that,” Hyunjin huffed, watching Seungmin covertly with inquisitive eyes, and the other boy picked up on it.
“Is there something you want to ask me? It’s better to do so than just stare. Or do you think I’m just that attractive?” he probed teasingly, and Hyunjin’s face flushed as he was caught.
“It isn’t that!” Then he shook his hands frantically when he realized what that implied. “But it isn’t that I don’t find you attractive! You are, it’s just- Okay, I promise I wasn’t staring earlier to be rude. I- What are you doing here? And I don’t mean that in a rude way either! You know what, nevermind.” Flustered beyond the point of return, Hyunjin decided he would just shut up since he couldn’t trust his mouth to say anything sensible.
Seungmin on the other hand seemed to be clearly enjoying himself by the fits of giggles that overcame him, but Hyunjin couldn’t find it in himself to be mad at the boy.
“I’m sorry for laughing, but that was just so chaotic. I love that by the way.” He grinned widely, his eyes scrunching up adorably when he did so, and Hyunjin swore he was gazing at the human version of a puppy. “I usually come here in the mornings before starting my work for the day, to answer your question. I live about thirty minutes away from here, but they serve better coffee here than the cafe closer to me.”
“I get that, I would do anything to get good coffee too. It’s the only thing keeping me alive.”
“I’m guessing oxygen ran out of style then.”
It was Hyunjin’s turn to giggle and he shook his head. “You know what I mean silly. What do you do for work?”
“I’m a writer. How about yourself? What brings you to Namwon?”
“Oh,” Hyunjin wasn’t sure if he should explain everything or not, but thought it was best to go with a safe answer. “I’m just a regular graphic designer. And I’m on vacation so I just thought I should visit here, and uhm, take a couple photos,” he replied, gesturing to the camera case on his left.
“I assume that’s not the real reason you’re here is it?”
Hyunjin blinked a couple times in shock at Seungmin, whose eyes seemed to be peering deep into his soul. How could he have known that? It’s not like Hyunjin was lying; he was on vacation and wanted to take some pictures for his blog, but how did Seungmin somehow know that wasn’t the whole truth?
“Whatever it is, I hope you find what you’re looking for,” the boy continued. “I have to meet with my manager in a few, so I’ll have to cut our nice chat here short, but if you plan on visiting the hot springs, my sister works there, so just give her this, and you’ll get to go there for free.”
He pulled out a leather-bound notebook from his bag and ripped a page out of it, scribbling something on there before folding it and handing it to Hyunjin.
“I can’t-” he started, but Seungmin cut him off.
“It’s fine. Just consider this as a little gift from me, okay?”
Hyunjin just nodded and put the slip of paper into a pocket on his phone case. “Okay. Thank you again Seungmin, I can’t express that enough.”
“No problem at all, Hyunjin. Have a great vacation while you’re here. Oh, he’s calling me right now.”
As he stood up to leave, he gave Hyunjin a small wave before hurrying outside the cafe to answer the call. Hyunjin watched as he left, and a few minutes after, it registered to him that this might very well be the last time he saw the boy again. He wasn’t sure why a part of him felt so sad that he and this stranger may not cross paths ever again, but he figured it was just because of how easily he got attached to anyone who was even remotely friendly to him.
After paying for his meal, Hyunjin entered his vehicle, taking a quick glance at the map to see where he wanted to go first; there was a temple a few kilometres away, so he thought it was best to go there then visit the local park, that he always seemed to find himself going to, no matter what country. There was an incarnate surrealism about being able to watch people’s lives unfold before you, and Hyunjin cherished the inspiration to sketch or paint that he received from them, though they had no clue.
So he drove off towards the temple, where he had to give a girl the side eye for coming up to him and obnoxiously annoying him about how much he looked like her future husband as he signed up for a tour. Eventually, Hyunjin was able to shake her off as the tour guide led him away from the front desk and towards the winding stone pathways, paying his respects at the various shrines that served as checkpoints along the walk. He didn’t miss any chances to capture the birds that followed them in the branches above, the breathtaking view of the entire village from the uppermost part of the temple, or the vibrant array of flowers and shrubs in the sacred garden, which were being tended to by equally as beautiful women in long robes that worked there.
At one point, Hyunjin stood still at the intricately carved marble water fountain in the centre of the orchard, so he could close his eyes for a second and inhale the cool, clean air tinged with the sweet fragrances of the blossoms that surrounded him and listen to the gentle hum of the forest animals noises; it seemed to draw out all of his negative emotions in a healing way, and by the end of the tour, Hyunjin felt like a new person.
Thanking his tour guide with a polite bow, he checked his watch to see that it was almost time for lunch, so he walked back to the parking lot to his car, and picked up some of the best beef stew he’d tasted in a while at a small family restaurant on the way to the hot springs after stopping by the park. As Hyunjin stood in line, waiting to book a room for his short stay, he remembered the slip of paper that Seungmin gave him hours ago, and took it out, unfolding it to reveal a phone number and a message below it that told him the name of the writer’s sister so he’d know who to give the paper to.
Smiling to himself, Hyunjin tore off the section that had Seungmin’s number and added it quickly to his phone, happy that it wouldn’t really be the last time he saw him as he initially thought. It was his turn at last, so he greeted the cheerful lady in the booth.
“Hello and welcome to our hot springs! If this is your first time, then there’s an option to have a trained masseur with you, but if you want a more casual experience or you’ve been here before, then there’s another option where you are provided with all the materials that you’ll need in the room. Which one will you be taking today? ” She asked kindly with a pleasant smile on her face.
“Well actually I was sent here by a friend, Kim Seungmin, to ask his sister to help me out. I’m not sure if you’d know her? Her name is Kim Seoyoon.”
The woman chuckled and pointed at her nametag. “That’s me right here.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that.” Hyunjin replied sheepishly and handed her the note, which she read with a nod when she was finished.
“Okay come with me then.” She exited the booth and motioned for another worker to take her place, leading Hyunjin to a comfortably furnished room that had its own private hot spring, and he looked around the area in amazement.
“Wah! It’s so cool here! Is this really where I get to stay?”
The lady giggled as she watched Hyunjin inspect space with fascination and nodded. “Yeah! And it’s on the house. Honestly, I’m surprised my brother was able to befriend someone as handsome as you are, or even find a friend for that matter.”
“I’m nothing much to look at,” he told her, feeling shy at the compliment. “But does he usually not make friends?”
“No, he’s a recluse. Writing and drinking coffee are the only things he enjoys, although he wasn’t always that way. I don’t get to see him often.” She paused, sadness adorning her features for a moment before it went back to the cordial smile. “But I do hope you enjoy your time here Hwang-ssi, your masseur will be here shortly. Let me know if you need anything else.”
She bowed and Hyunjin did so as well, watching as she left to get back to her station. He thought about what the woman said about his friend as he changed into the bathroom that was laid out for him in the middle of the room on a mat, wondering what had happened to Seungmin in order for him to change so drastically. Hyunjin knew it wasn't his business to ask, though for some reason, a part of him believed that the writer wouldn’t mind letting him know. But as he pondered a way to approach him carefully, the masseur knocked on his door and Hyunjin let her in so they could begin their session.
The hours flew by swiftly, and by the time they were finished, it was early into the evening. Hyunjin ate dinner at another local restaurant on his way home, and as he prepared himself for bed after updating his blog, he checked his phone to his horror, seeing that there were several replies to his messages from Seungmin and a missed call as well.
Seungmin 😀
Hey Hyunjin, yes you’re texting the right person (sent 3:45pm)
Now I finally have your number :3 (sent 3:46pm)
Would you be free tomorrow by any chance? (sent 5:10pm)
Missed call from Seungmin 😀 at 5:30pm
I suppose you’re busy, but let me know whenever you see this :P (sent 5:34pm)
Me
omg, I’m so sorry Seungmin (sent 10:12pm)
phone was on silent and i lost track of time while doing some editing (sent 10:12pm)
i promise i wasn’t ignoring you (sent 10:12pm)
hope you aren’t asleep yet (sent 10:13pm)
and yeah I’m free tomorrow (sent 10:13pm)
Hyunjin chewed on his bottom lip as he waited anxiously to see if the boy would reply; funnily enough, he had seen the messages earlier that night but had forgotten to answer them before he began sorting through the countless pictures he’d taken that day, and he silently scolded himself for his mistake. He stared at their chat guiltily for a few minutes and set his phone down on his bedside table when nothing popped up, but as soon as he did so, it vibrated. It was the fastest Hyunjin ever picked up his device and he sighed in relief when he saw that it was indeed from his friend.
Seungmin 😀
Awesome! (sent 10:20pm)
And no, I’m still awake (sent 10:20pm)
Usually I go bed at 11 and get up whenever inspiration hits haha (sent 10:21pm)
Me
totally understandable (sent 10:21pm)
are you taking me somewhere Seungmin 😋 (sent 10:21pm)
Seungmin 😀
I was thinking of having you visit my house? (sent 10:22pm)
If you’d be willing (sent 10:22pm)
I mean this in the purest way possible (sent 10:24pm)
Me
sure! (sent 10:25pm)
not that i was thinking about it any other way (sent 10:26pm)
Seungmin😀
Of course you weren’t (sent 10:28pm)
I’ll pick you up at 10 by the cafe (sent 10:29pm)
Be ready or I’ll let you walk the entire way alone (sent 10:29pm)
Me
gasp (sent 10:31pm)
that’s so mean (sent 10:32pm)
but yes sir, i will be there on the double (sent 10:32pm)
He sent a gif of a person saluting and laughed when Seungmin sent one back of a puppy clapping its paws excitedly. They then exchanged goodnights and Hyunjin rolled over on his side, yawning tiredly then closed his eyes, earnestly looking forward to the things he’d do the following morning.
Hyunjin had slept right through his alarm for eight-thirty, so by the time he’d actually gotten up at nine forty-five, he only had a few minutes to get ready for ten o’clock. As he sprinted out of the bathroom after taking quick shower, he glanced at the clock to see that he had no time to eat breakfast, so he hurriedly pulled on some sweats and a printed T-shirt, picking up his camera case and bag to run to the cafe at the corner, when he realized he didn’t have his phone. With a groan, he ran back inside the cottage to grab it from where it was charging near his bed, and dashed back out after locking up for the second time, and by the time he’d arrived at the designated location, he was sweaty and out of breath. So much for the shower he took.
Seungmin was waiting there for him patiently, but when he saw Hyunjin’s state, he laughed as he put two and two together.
“You’re only twenty minutes late, but I’ll let that slide seeing as to how hard you tried to get here on time,” he stated with an amused grin, giving Hyunjin a small bottle of water to drink as he wiped his face with a tissue.
“What a….considerate….friend,” Hyunjin retorted between pants, downing the water in one go.
“You know it,” Seungmin replied with a wink, and Hyunjin gave him a dirty look, to which he only laughed at once more. “Here’s your helmet by the way. You aren’t scared of motorbikes right?”
“In your dreams. I am so ready for this.”
Hyunjin put the head covering on and slid onto the space at the back that Seungmin left for him as he started the engine. He double checked to make sure all his stuff was secure on his back, and wrapped his arms around Seungmin’s torso, but he pulled away quickly when he felt a sudden jolt pass through him. His friend turned his head around to look at him quizzically.
“Hyunjin? What are you doing? You have to hold on so you don’t fall.”
“I-I know, I just felt something weird happen. Don’t worry about it, I’ll hold on now so we can go.”
“Okay, but don’t do it again, unless you want to eat asphalt.”
Hyunjin nodded and tentatively circled his arms around Seungmin’s waist again, wondering if he was just imagining things when he didn’t experience the same thing from before. They sped off onto the road, and Hyunjin rested his head comfortably on the boy’s back, which just felt natural for him to do. They slowed down to drive through a dirt road past several strawberry fields, which ultimately led them to a quaint looking lakefront home entirely made of wood, and Seungmin let him step off at the front yard before shutting off the bike as he parked it in his garage.
“It’s so beautiful, oh my god,” he said in awe, taking in the tranquil forest scenery, removing the helmet so he could see better through his camera’s viewfinder. “I soo cannot believe you live here.”
“It took a lot of paperwork and negotiating, but I finally got through with it four years ago,” Seungmin replied, peering over Hyunjin’s shoulder as he browsed through the pictures he just took. “Ready to come inside?”
“Of course, lead the way.” He offered his hand dramatically and Seungmin took it with a giggle, one that filled Hyunjin’s insides with the butterflies he never thought he’d experience anymore, and as they walked towards the porch through a row of peonies, hibiscuses, and other flowers he couldn’t name, he almost felt like a prince being led to his castle.
Inside, Seungmin showed him around each room, holding his hand the entire way, lastly coming to his library that held both the books that he wrote and the books that he had collected and enjoyed reading over the years. Hyunjin loved the simplistic but modern design of the house and its furniture, and he couldn’t get enough of listening to Seungmin’s sweet voice talk so animatedly about the things he stored a passion for. Then his stomach grumbled loudly, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten anything since last night, and Hyunjin blushed furiously, wanting nothing but to disappear as he apologized to Seungmin and explained what had happened that morning.
“So it never crossed your mind to ask me to stop somewhere we could eat?” Seungmin asked him with a look of displeasure, as he let go of Hyunjin’s hand to fold his arms. “And we’ve been here for over an hour already.”
“I’m sorry! I just didn’t remember until it made that sound! It isn’t too late to stop somewhere is there?” Hyunjin asked with his best pleading eyes, and Seungmin sighed, smiling suspiciously afterwards to his bewilderment.
“I knew this would happen, so I prepared some brunch for us to have.”
“What? But how did you know?”
Seungmin shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not sure, but I just had a feeling. Come on.”
Hyunjin followed the boy wordlessly to the kitchen, where he pulled out some lunch boxes that were being kept warm in a mini-oven, giving one to Hyunjin along with some chopsticks, and started the coffee machine.
“You just had these ready?” Hyunjin questioned as he started eating from the options of a fried egg, spam, kimchi, rice and other items.
“Yup, made them this morning. You want iced coffee with that don’t you?” Seungmin took two medium sized disposable cups from a stack he had on the countertop and poured ice into both of them, adding some water at the bottom. Then he placed one under the machine so it could be filled with the double espresso liquid.
Hyunjin stared at Seungmin in disbelief. He knew it was quite obvious that he liked coffee, but the fact that Seungmin knew he preferred double espresso and iced was just too much.
“You’re not a stalker are you?”
“No, I’m not. I didn’t even know who you were two days ago.” He finished both drinks and inserted a straw into each, lidding them, then slid one over to Hyunjin at the dining table, taking one for himself.
“But you know so much about me.”
“I don’t doubt that you do too.”
Hyunjin took a sip from the iced coffee and looked at Seungmin carefully for a minute, debating how he should continue this conversation; he didn’t completely understand what exactly had been going on today, but he was curious to find out more, and Seungmin seemed to have those answers.
“Okay, ask me something,” he probed, setting the empty lunch box aside so he could rest his chin in his hand.
“When’s my birthday?”
How was Hyunjin supposed to know that? He was about to protest and demand another question, but his mouth moved before his brain was able to register what happened.
“The twenty-second of September, year two thousand.” Hyunjin slapped a hand over his mouth. “I don’t know how I knew that, seriously.”
“There’s something I need to tell you.” Seungmin got up, taking Hyunjin’s hand and led them out a door at the rear of the house towards a section of the lake that had a pier. He held on tightly to Seungmin as they went further out on the wooden planks so he didn’t magically fall in for an unexpected swim, and sat down gingerly next to him when they reached the end. Seungmin took off his sandals and let his feet submerge underwater, telling Hyunjin to do the same, linking their pinkies together.
“Does this have to do with what your sister told me today about you isolating yourself out here?” Hyunjin spoke up after they’d been enjoying the blended chatter of the animals and the gentle lapping of the water around their ankles for a little while. He peeled his attention away from a frog hopping on the water lilies to Seungmin’s face, where the sunlight that filtered through the willow leaves patterned his skin like a mosaic. Hyunjin wanted to paint it.
Seungmin sighed and kicked his feet, watching the ripples that it made in its wake. “How much did she say?”
“Nothing much, just expressed her concern for her sibling that she doesn’t see often.”
“Hyunjin, do you believe in the concept of soulmates?” Seungmin turned to look him directly in the eye and Hyunjin could see that he was trying to hide something deeper than his cool demeanor portrayed.
“I do, but I don’t think it exists for me,” he answered truthfully. “My string of fate has been different from everyone else's since I turned eighteen. It's red.”
This was the first time Hyunjin ever admitted that out loud to anyone, he hadn't even told Felix, and it took him by surprise at how easy it was for him to be open around Seungmin, but it just felt right.
“I had a black string once, but I noticed there was something off about it after some observations. Each day that went by, the cord faded until I stumbled upon my soulmate dying in the hospital when I was visiting a friend, and I sat there as he took his final breath,” Seungmin told him.
Hyunjin felt an immensely painful twinge in his chest for a split second, and the dots slowly began to connect in his mind.
“It was jarring, and I didn’t know how to deal with it,” he continued. “Your one true love who’s supposed to be by your side always, suddenly leaves you all alone after you’ve imagined all the things you two would do together…” Seungmin took a deep breath and smiled appreciatively at Hyujin, who scooted closer to him and rubbed his back soothingly. “Anyways, after that, I stopped believing in love. My cord had vanished and I no longer had the faith in a purpose for my life. Nothing mattered to me, so I came here to live by myself and picked up on some hobbies to keep my mind off of thinking too much.”
“But..?” Hyunjin titled his head, giving Seungmin a knowing smile. “I know there’s a good part somewhere here.”
“I’m glad you figured it out.” Seungmin lifted his free hand to boop Hyunjin’s nose. “When I met you two days ago, I didn’t think much of it at first, but I got more involved with you than I would with any other stranger. It was easy to talk to you, like we were bound to meet somehow; you’re the first person that has been to my home too. Then between yesterday and this morning, I found it weird that I got these random inclinations that didn’t seem reasonable-”
“Like making the lunch boxes.”
“Yes, like that. The closer we came together, the more I knew about you. And it’s the same for you.”
Seungmin let Hyunjin tuck his hair behind his ears, smiling tenderly at the boy when he saw the love shining from his warm brown eyes as he looked at him like he was his entire world.
“I think it’s safe to say that we were meant for each other, no?” Hyunjin asked teasingly, cradling Seungmin’s face with his hands, running his thumb across his round, supple cheeks. “There’s no room for you to disagree by the way.”
Seungmin giggled and leaned closer to surround Hyunjin’s waist with his arms, adjusting them both into a more ideal position. “You know my answer Jinnie. Kiss me already will you?”
Hyunjin delayed no further, pressing his lips fervently onto Seungmin’s expectant ones like he had been waiting for this his whole life, and he immediately knew that this was so much better than what he ever did with Felix; he could feel the gaping hole in his heart mending bit by bit, smiling into the kiss when their noses brushed for a second as he pulled away.
“Thank you for finding me Seungmin,” Hyunjin whispered as he kissed his forehead lightly. “I do apologize for making you wait for four years.”
“It’s okay. We have more than enough time to make up for that. I’m excited to make new memories with you,” Seungmin replied sweetly, glancing down at their arms. “Look! It’s happening!”
Hyunjin looked down to see what he was talking about, and watched in awe as his red string intertwined with a blue one from Seungmin, coming together as one to form a bigger purple cord that tied into a knot imprinted on their wrists.
“It’s a lot more beautiful than those grey knots, don’t you think?” Seungmin asked, tracing Hyunjin’s mark over and over. “I love it.”
“And I love you,” came Hyunjin’s response, pecking Seungmin on the lips once more.
“So cheesy.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Well come on lover boy, there are still some things I want to do with you before you leave tomorrow.” Seungmin untangled himself from Hyunjin to stand up, and stretched out his hand to help his soulmate up.
“I almost didn’t remember that,” he replied with a sigh. “Make me forget again Minnie.” Hyunjin draped his body over Seungmin’s side, who caught and steadied him so they wouldn’t topple over.
“On it.”
Seungmin led him to a flower field that looked like it came straight out of a Studio Ghibli movie, and they spent a few hours there making crowns out of poppies and daisies, Hyunjin laughing until his stomach hurt at the silly things his lover did for that exact reason. When they were unable to ignore their hunger any longer, Seungmin took them to a romantic outdoor restaurant, where they had violins playing melodically in the background as they ate on tables set under the twilight starry sky, and Hyunjin didn’t think he could feel any more loved than he did with him.
Seungmin accompanied him to the airport the following morning, wishing him a safe flight as he held a teary eyed Hyunjin in a tight hug. As they parted ways, Hyunjin sent Seungmin a bunch of flying kisses, giggling when he caught and chewed each one comically, turning around after mouthing one last goodbye before walking through his departure gate.
Not wanting to waste any more time that he could be spending with his lover, when he arrived back in Japan, Hyunjin spoke to his boss about working from home, and although he got some resistance at first, he thankfully was able to convince him that he’d put in just as much effort in Korea as he did here since he liked the company. So in about a month’s time, Hyunjin was able to pack all his belongings into several suitcases, and fly back to Namwon, where he ran to jump into Seungmin’s open arms as soon as he wheeled everything out to the pick up area.
“I missed you so, so much Seungmin,” Hyunjin gushed, ruffling his hair and littering the boy’s face with kisses, planting a firm one on his lips at the end. “I’ve never wanted to be with someone as much as I did with you.”
Seungmin grinned happily as he was finally able to feel the warmth of his boyfriend and bask in his comforting scent again, nuzzling into Hyunjin’s neck during their much anticipated hug.
“Missed you too Hyunjin. But let’s get out of here now so we can cuddle at home.”
“I second that motion wholeheartedly.”
They packed everything into the car Seungmin came in, and on the drive back to their house, he filled Hyunjin in on what happened in his absence; he’d reached out to his family again, hence why he was borrowing his sister’s vehicle, and done a bit of rearranging at home since it wasn’t only him anymore. Hyunjin listened with barely contained excitement, and leapt out of the car when they made it back.
“And, there’s a surprise for you in the living room,” Seungmin told him as he lugged his suitcases out from the trunk. “I think you’ll like it a lot.”
“Oh really? What is it?”
“I’d be stupid to tell you what it is. It’s called a surprise for a reason, Jinnie. Just go on inside, I'm right behind you.”
Hyunjin huffed but did as he was told, pulling one of his luggages up the pathway and unlocked the front door, eyes instantly searching around for a wrapped gift, but to his surprise, there was a little black and white dog sleeping on the couch. It woke up when Hyunjin yelled though, being swept into a close embrace by the dog-lover.
“Baby, I can’t believe you got a dog! And he’s so cute too!” He cooed at the pet as it licked his hands affectionately.
“See? I knew you’d love it. Just remember I want cuddles too,” Seungmin replied, bringing in the last of Hyunjin’s stuff, shutting the door.
“Of course! I’d never forget to do that. Ever. He’s cute but not as cute as you are.”
Hyunjin put the dog down on the ground and hung up his coat on the rack at the entrance, pulling Seungmin into his lap as he plopped down on the sofa, cradling him like a baby.
“I love you with every fibre of my being, Seungmin. You’re the best in the whole world,” he said, holding him close and kissing Seungmin lovingly. “I don’t think I can ever get enough of this, no matter how many times we do it.”
“Seems to me like you’re complaining.”
“No way!”
He bit Seungmin’s cheek, who shook with laughter when the dog barked and nipped at Hyunjin’s legs; they reassured him that everything was alright and got him to calm down, but he still curled on the opposite end of the sofa just in case.
“Jeez, talk about overprotective.” Hyunjin pouted and Seungmin looked at him with a fond smile before pecking his bottom lip that stuck out.
“He’ll get used to it eventually.”
Seungmin then pulled out a party popper from his pocket and pulled the string, laughing when Hyunjin sat back in shock at the sudden noise as the decorative papers fell on him.
“Welcome home!”
“Could you not do it in a normal way?” Hyunjin asked with an unamused look, but broke out into a smile when he saw how happy Seungmin was.
“Nope, that’s boring.” Seungmin sat upright and hooked his arms behind Hyunjin’s neck. “ I do love you, Hyunjin. You came when I needed you the most, and I appreciate that more than you know,” he said softly, using one hand to caress the mole under Hyunjin’s left eye gently. “So beautiful. Stay with me forever?”
Hyunjin’s heart felt so full and complete hearing those words from his lover, and he nodded, looking at Seungmin with adoration as he lightly kissed the mark on his wrist; he had found the missing piece to his puzzle who brightened his universe, and now, he was never going to let go.
“Of course baby, ‘till the very end.”