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Nineteen years. It has been nineteen years since Jungwon was introduced to the world, and the sights he held were always dark and gloomy. The reason was because of one clear explanation.
He needed to find one thing, his soulmate. In elementary school, teachers had repeatedly taught them, that they must lock eye contact with their found soulmate for five seconds to get their colorful environment to come to life.
The need to lock eye contact to find your other half seems like an activity that can be held at school. As a result, they would host a festival of maintaining eye contact to find your soulmate. So far, there are a few successful participants, gasping like their life has been saved. Their reactions were all the same after the surprising result.
To be frank, Jungwon would be lying if he said he didn’t attend that annual festival. Every time he tries locking eye contact with a woman, he is greeted with disappointing results. He remembers always needing to feel embarrassed before bowing his way somewhere else.
This is why, Jungwon felt the urge to give up. People don’t even make eye contact with him. What’s the point of finding? Plus, the majority of his class had already found their partner. Okay, let’s not sugar coat. Only he in the class has not found his soulmate.
So every time he was forced to say his love status, he was greeted back with a tease or chuckle after answering. Which he would be honest about, it doesn’t feel nice. For years he wishes he could proudly say he found his soulmate. But it doesn’t seem to be happening soon yet.
Looking back on it, Jungwon finally finishes the sufferable extra classes he signed up for because he apparently ‘doesn’t have anything to do since soulmate is a literal non-existence thing.’
“My shoulder hurts..” Jungwon mumbles under his breath.
Jungwon tilts his shoulder up to slide the tote bag closer to his neck as he stands outside the gate of his small lesson center. Looking at the crowded street ahead, he slightly groans at how he always needs to squeeze through to get to that traffic light road.
Looking at the rock he had been rolling around the ground, he looks at his outfit, presentable. Thank god the technology is more advanced to help Jungwon to choose his daily outfits–or else he would pair red pants and a green shirt, looking like a Christmas elf.
Brushing back at his hair, he adjusts his so-called beige cardigan that the system name. He prays that today wouldn’t require him to bump into people to get to the other side. As Jungwon let out a deep huff, he strode toward his nightmare.
Jungwon managed to keep a distance and a space surrounding him. He could walk faster than usual–allowing him to reach his traffic light road. Leaning onto the pole, he plugs his earpiece into his ear. Turning his tunes on, Jungwon hums as his eyes wander around.
Seeing the standing man sign that appeared grey, Jungwon looked across that similar view of crowded people across the street. Gray and gloomy. He wishes that he could be able to see the vibrant colors of the world.
He remembers ever since young, he had been curious about what colors looked like. With everyone’s plain description of how it’s just a shade to each name, he wanted something more descriptive. Even better, a visualization, which seems to not be possible at this state.
Staring at the heads walking back and forth, he suddenly sees a distinctive head looking everywhere like he was finding something. Still not averting his gaze from that, he sees the owner of the head slowly becoming more visible.
Jungwon squinted and saw the crowd shifting and moving away to their destination. Allowing him to see what the other male looks like, Jungwon leans onto the pole, crossing his arms while staring at that male.
So far, the person just seemed to be confused as to whether they are in the correct area, seeing a frown from the boy across the road, the sparkling eyes of his suddenly locked eye contact with jungwon for a second.
The burst of colors suddenly entered jungwon’s vision–making him gape in awe. It was like splashes of paint coloring the different shades of nature. He finally saw how different colors looked and could finally visualize.
“Ouch!” Suddenly, Jungwon got bumped harshly on the shoulder–making him lose eye contact. Looking at the green man across, he realizes. This is his only opportunity given. He needs to make a run for it. Taking one last glance at the even more confused male, he walked hurriedly across the road.
Mentally cursing at how long this road seemed to be, he adjusts his tote bag strap–praying it stays on his shoulder. Fastening his pace, he feels the breeze traveling on his face, making his hair sway from side to side.
Seeing the end of the long and stretched road, he lets his eyes wander again to the flowing sea of the crowd that endlessly poured in from different directions. Huffing at how he suddenly felt weak in the legs, he lands his eyes on the back of the male who made him all desperate.
As Jungwon carefully took every step, he paused and stared at the male’s back. He realized that all he needed was to get his attention and lock eye contact for five seconds. Jungwon took out his earpiece, then gathered up his courage.
“Excuse me.” Jungwon taps on the latter’s shoulder, gulping at the sudden tension held. He sees a male of the same height face him. As the dumbfounded male locks eye contact, Jungwon feels the refreshing breeze, and the colors come to life again.
Both standing and staring at each other, Jungwon finally sees his vision letting the vibrant colors travel onto the latter’s face. His eyes were a shade of hazel, paired with long eyelashes fluttering. Jungwon admired how perfect one could be.
As the both of them fell into deep silence, Jungwon knew he already secured the five seconds–meaning he could finally claim that he found his soulmate successfully after a full nineteen years.
As the other male blinked once or twice, they knew why they were standing in this position. They knew why they were looking at each other deeply into each other’s eyes. And they both knew that they held one thing in mind.
“You’re my soulmate, right?” Jungwon finally let those words fall out of his mouth. Seeing the male’s smile traveling up his face and allowing his eyes to crinkle, the other male nodded.
“I think we know the answer here.”
“What’s your name?” Jungwon finally cracks his lips into a genuine smile.
“Kim Sunoo, you can just call me Sunoo.”
Gazing at Sunoo’s features, Jungwon allowed his heart to fall for him at first sight. “Can I get your number?” Sunoo tilted his head as he asked, “Of course.” Jungwon took his phone out, handing it over to the latter. He continues admiring how perfect one could be.
His nose was sharp, and his lips were plump, letting the lip gloss on his lips shine and making it all glossy. Jungwon presses his lips in a thin line. He lets his eyes wander somewhere to stop his rosy cheeks from getting even redder.
The cheerful voice then woke up Jungwon, “Here!” Jungwon slightly jumps, he uses his palms to pat his reddened cheeks, and as he grabs his phone back, Sunoo suddenly asked. “By the way, can I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you know where this cafe is?” Sunoo pointed at his phone, allowing Jungwon to lean closer to him. Seeing the familiar cafe sign, he reminisces about his memories there. “Oh, I know where it is!” Jungwon looks into Sunoo’s hazel eyes.
“Um, fol... follow me. I will bring you there.” Mentally cursing at how he just stuttered due to the sudden eye contact, Sunoo then blurted out, “Should we... hold hands?”
Though Sunoo isn’t a big fan of skinship, he has always dreamt of holding hands with his soulmate. Eyes shocked at the sudden request, Jungwon frantically nodded, “Yeah! Sure.”
As Sunoo shyly allowed his hands to intertwine Jungwon’s, the two walked silently under the now-dimmed sky. “You’re really pretty, you know?” Jungwon frankly spoke.
Looking at Jungwon’s unique jawline, Sunoo smiles, “Thank you.” As they both fell into deep silence, Jungwon admired the warm shade projected from the lamp post. The city lights were extremely unique.
While Jungwon looked up to the sky that he had always wondered about the color of, he felt himself over the top. Being gifted a pretty partner, he recalled always wishing his whole life that his soulmate would come even quicker.
But,
Maybe these nineteen years were worth the wait.