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Ryunosuke Naruhodo always knew that he was different.
Ever since he was young, he was taught that the red string tied to your finger connected you to your soulmate, and would lead you to them one day.
Ryunosuke couldn’t see anyone else’s strings, but they only ever talked about having one, or none.
After all, it was common for young children not to have their strings yet, as the string would only appear once your soulmate was born. If you were older than your soulmate, then you would be born without one. Most children got theirs before the age of ten, however.
This wasn’t Ryunosuke’s problem. In fact, it was the opposite. He was born with two strings. Both red. He was relieved when he was told that many people had multiple strings, but that relief vanished quickly when he learned they would be other colours to represent different types of love.
He didn’t want to ask, either. It was embarrassing and confusing to have two strings, and he didn’t want to be made fun of for it. So, he kept it to himself, silently wondering if one could have two soulmates. It didn’t make sense.
When he was in his late teens, he’d grown to accept this fate, yet he still had questions. Was he supposed to end up being with both of these people? How would that even work? Did his soulmates have two soulmates as well? Were both of his soulmates connected, or were they only connected to him? Would he find them at the same time, or would he find one before the other? How would he explain that, if the first one he found only had one string? Was it even possible to love more than one person?
All these questions came to a head when he found his first soulmate. He could see Kazuma’s connection to him, but he had no idea if Kazuma even had another string. Ryunosuke was resigned to staying silent about it forever, wondering if he would ever meet the other person now, since he had Kazuma. Maybe the other string would fade with time.
Or, at least, that was until Kazuma asked to speak with him. He seemed more serious than usual, so obviously, Ryunouske sat down with him to have a conversation. Ryunosuke was worried at first, but once Kazuma began speaking of having a second string, Ryunosuke’s face lit up.
“Me too, Kazuma!”
“Really?” Kazuma’s eyes widened.
“Yes, really.” Ryunosuke smiled.
“So… we have another soulmate, then?”
“It seems like it… but these strings could lead to different people.”
“I don’t think they do. I can feel it. They lead to the same person.”
Ryunosuke thought for a moment. He could feel a pull, a pull that was leading them both to the same person. “I think so too.”
After this, their relationship didn’t change too much, although Ryunosuke felt much more secure knowing that he wouldn’t have to explain having two soulmates to Kazuma.
When Kazuma asked him to go to Britain with him, there was an unspoken question between them.
Will we meet our soulmate here?
That did not come to pass. When they lost Kazuma on the S.S. Burya, Ryunosuke didn't know what to think. He wasn't only distraught over the loss of his partner and soulmate, but he felt a sense of sadness for their third soulmate. Kazuma never got to meet him, and he never got to meet Kazuma.
He was worried about meeting his new soulmate, and that if they met soon, that trying to pursue a relationship with him would be a betrayal of Kazuma's memory. He knew Kazuma wouldn't fault him, that he would be happy he found his second soulmate, but he couldn't quite silence the nagging voice in the back of his mind.
However, his string hadn't faded. He thought if your soulmate died, the string would fray and disappear. He knew it didn't happen in every case, but he still clung to that hope like warmth in the bitter cold.
He knew he was foolish for doing so.
When he actually got to Britain, however, these worries seemed so far away.
It was so much worse than he could possibly have imagined.
Ryunosuke couldn’t believe his eyes when he realized that his other string led to Lord van Zieks.
How could he be his soulmate! He hated Ryunosuke! And given his general distaste for his people, Ryunosuke would have assumed he would have hated Kazuma too. The thought unnerved him more than he wanted to admit. How could he possibly hate someone he hadn't met? Especially someone as amazing as Kazuma…
There was no way this was right.
–
There was no way this was right.
Barok sat alone in his office, a chalice of wine in hand. He groaned, massaging his brow with his other hand.
His soulmate, one of them at least, was Ryunosuke Naruhodo. He couldn't believe it. It was as if Fate was playing a cruel joke on him. Hadn't he suffered enough?
And yet, when he thought about the young lawyer… He couldn't deny he was attractive. Barok hated to admit it, but there was something about his foolishness that was cute.
Barok could still remember the day he first got his first string, a few months before his ninth birthday. He was older than most, and was starting to lose faith that he'd ever get a soulmate. All that changed the day he woke up, and saw a red string tied to his ring finger.
He jumped out of bed and barreled into his brother's room, not caring about the time. “Klint! Klint! Look!” Barok ran up to Klint's bed, holding out his hand.
“What is it, Barok?” Klint slowly opened his eyes to look down at Barok with a look of concern that faded as soon as he saw how happy his brother seemed.
“I have a soulmate!”
Klint smiled, ruffling his hair. “I told you it was just a matter of time, Barok.”
“I wonder who it is…”
“Unfortunately, considering the age difference, I don't think Fate will bring you together for a long time,” Klint said sadly.
Barok frowned. “Oh. I guess you're right. I was hoping I could be friends with her… But I don't think I'd want to be friends with a baby. They're much too loud.” Barok scrunched his nose in disgust.
Klint chuckled quietly. “You'll meet them one day, Barok, don't worry.”
It was only a couple months later that Barok woke up with another red string on his finger. He was confused at first, but Klint had explained everything.
“That's perfectly normal, Barok,” he said. “Plenty of people have more than one soulmate. I think you're lucky, getting to have two people to love and love you.”
Barok was still a little confused, as most of his friends only spoke of one, but if Klint said it was ok, then he was fine with it. Again, Klint warned him that he might not meet his soulmates for a long time, and Barok was fine with that. He knew that Fate would bring them together one day, and that was all that mattered. However, the next thing Klint said worried him a little.
“Since your soulmates are so close in age, they may find each other first. You will still be their soulmate, but at first, they may be closer with each other than they will be with you.”
Barok frowned. “Oh. But what if they don't love me, then?”
“They will, it just may take time.”
Barok nodded sadly. “I see.”
Now, Barok didn't even want to think about who his third soulmate was, if it was someone close to Naruhodo.
He growled, trying to claw at the strings still tied tightly around his finger. He wouldn't have to follow Fate. He would never want to be with Ryunosuke.
–
He didn’t know who he was. The masked apprentice didn’t even know his own name. In fact, that became his name. Or just ‘Apprentice’, as Lord van Zieks called him.
Barok van Zieks, his soulmate.
He had no memory of the man, and it seemed like they hadn’t met before, but the pull between them was undeniable. He could see the red string connecting them, and he knew van Zieks could see it too. They were soulmates. There was no question about it.
The Apprentice was a little confused by his other string, however. He knew nothing of the person at the other end of the string, and yet, he felt a deep sadness whenever he thought about them. The pull he felt towards them was even stronger than the one he felt towards van Zieks.
Still, he did have feelings for Lord van Zieks. Despite his cold, unapproachable, and utterly terrifying demeanor, he had been a truly wonderful mentor to the Apprentice, and had been kind to him, even though he knew nothing about himself. The Apprentice found himself falling more and more for him every day.
Everything culminated one day after they had been attacked. Neither of them had been hurt, but it had been a strenuous fight, and it had given the Apprentice the courage he needed. What if they weren’t so lucky the next time? He approached van Zieks in the parlor, where they had been recovering from the fight.
“My Lord?” the Apprentice asked, voice hoarse with disuse.
Van Zieks’ eyes widened for a moment before he recovered his composure, as if stunned to hear the Apprentice speaking.
“I don’t know why you’ve been ignoring it… I know you see it too.”
“What are you talking about?” Van Zieks narrowed his eyes.
The Apprentice took a step forward, taking van Zieks’ hand in his.
“I'm talking about this… the string that binds us. Do you know what it means?”
Van Zieks looked away, the tips of his ears turning pink. “Of course I do.”
“Then… why?”
Why haven't you done anything? Why are you still keeping such a distance between us?
“This is unwise, Apprentice. You do not know who you are.”
“I know I'm your soulmate.” The Apprentice took van Zieks' other hand, a hopeful look in his eyes. He hoped van Zieks could see it through the mask.
“We… we cannot.”
“Is it because of your other soulmate? Because… I have two as well.”
“Apprentice, you do not have any of your memories. I will not take advantage of you like this.”
“And when I get my memories back?”
“That is something to consider then. But for now, we can't.”
With that, van Zieks fled the parlor.
–
Even his voice was beautiful. Even with the mask he was ordered to wear, Barok could tell his apprentice was a truly handsome man. He longed to remove the mask and gaze upon his apprentice’s full face, and yet, he was terrified of doing so.
He was Japanese. Barok was sure of it. From the way he chose to sit in the office, to how he was an excellent swordsman, but it seemed the type of blade was holding him back, to the rare occasion he saw his hair; straight and jet-black.
Hearing him speak only confirmed his suspicions. His English was perfect, as his work suggested, but though it was difficult to pick up on, he had a distinct accent.
The same one Naruhodo and his assistant had, and the same one the three visiting students had. Including him.
Barok didn’t want to think about how similar their voices were, from word choice, to cadence, to tone.
He poured himself another glass of wine.
He would not think about it.
–
Ryunosuke couldn’t stop himself from gasping as he entered Lord van Zieks’ office after he learned he was attacked.
Despite the inexplicable and confusing fear in his heart for the man, when he stepped past the threshold into the office, everything suddenly felt right. As if something had clicked deep inside him. He had never felt like this before. He looked over at the man sitting quietly near the door to the office. He stood up and walked over to face Ryunosuke. Even though he was dressed in a mask and cloak, Ryunosuke didn’t need to see his face to know who it was. The red string tied around Ryunosuke’s finger… it led to him.
Ryunosuke’s breath caught in his throat, suddenly feeling weak.
“What is it, Runo?” Iris frowned, squeezing his hand.
“Kazuma!” Ryunosuke lunged forward, taking one of the masked man’s hands in his own.
The man pulled his hand away, fleeing the office quickly.
Ryunosuke was heartbroken, although he learned quite quickly that the man had amnesia, and remembered nothing about his past.
That somehow made him feel worse.
–
“Kazuma, how can you prosecute Lord van Zieks?” Ryunosuke asked, hoping that the loud ever-present hum and ticking of the gears and clocks in the Lord Chief Justice’s office was keeping their conversation quiet.
“What do you mean, Ryunosuke?” Kazuma glared at him as if he was stupid.
“Well, he’s our, he’s your soulmate, Kazuma.”
“I don’t care about that, Ryunosuke. He is a killer, and he must face justice.”
Kazuma turned on his heel, stalking away from Ryunosuke, leaving him alone and even more heartbroken than when he left him as the masked apprentice.
–
Barok sat alone in his cell, staring at his hand and cursing Fate. Maybe… maybe being Ryunosuke’s soulmate wasn’t as bad as it originally seemed, but why did he have to be bound to Asogi as well? The very thought made him want to crush a chalice.
At the very least, he would soon be dead, and he wouldn’t have to worry about Fate any more.
–
Ryunosuke almost collapsed with relief as the judge handed down the verdict. It was over.
Barok was safe.
Kazuma was… well, he no longer wanted Barok dead. So, that was an improvement.
Their conversation in the antechamber worried Ryunosuke, but… it seemed like they were getting along.
If only he didn’t have to leave… He knew it was the right thing to do, Japan needed a lawyer like him, a judicial assistant like Susato, no, a lawyer like Ryutaro, but it didn’t make it hurt any less.
He decided he needed to tell his soulmates the bittersweet news as soon as possible, so he went to their office the next day.
Fortunately, they were both in.
Or, unfortunately, depending on how you looked at it. Ryunosuke was hoping the two of them would have taken some time to themselves after such a stressful ordeal.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Ryunosuke decided to just blurt out what he went there to say before he lost his nerve.
“I’m going to be returning to Japan in a few days,” he said.
Barok’s eyes widened. “You’re leaving?”
“I’m very happy for you, Partner…” Kazuma took Ryunosuke’s hands in his, looking into his eyes. “You’re going to be amazing.” He then stepped back, glaring at Barok. “But you’re leaving me here alone with him?” Kazuma bristled.
“I could say the same thing.” Barok crossed his arms with a huff.
“Kazuma, you respect Lord van Zieks, right?”
“A little, I guess… He is a good prosecutor.”
“And you, Lord van Zieks?”
“He was a good apprentice… I imagine his current attitude will change that.”
“Look, Lord van Zieks,” Kazuma cut in, glaring, “I want to be here. I’m only going to suffer your presence because you’re the best prosecutor, and I want to learn from the best. I will not allow my personal feelings to affect my work.”
“Then… I will not either. I truly believe that you can be an exceptional prosecutor, and I do not want to hinder your path. I will do everything in my power to guide you.”
Kazuma’s expression softened a little bit. “Thank you.”
Ryunosuke couldn’t stop himself from smiling. This was already going well! “Promise me you’ll try to be nice to each other? For me?”
“Anything for you, Partner.” Kazuma smiled.
“I promise I will try.” Barok said.
“Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
Now that they were all together, Ryunosuke could finally see the string between Kazuma and Barok as well. It looked a little worse for wear, but it was there. It was there. It would always be there. No matter how much they got on each other’s nerves, it would always be there.
As they stood together in Barok’s office, Ryunosuke felt comforted by looking at the string between him and Kazuma, the string between him and Barok, and the string between Barok and Kazuma. It felt so right.
Ryunosuke didn't want to leave his soulmates. Not now, that they were all in a position to begin healing together…
It felt as if he was betraying Fate.
And yet…
His path, what he wanted to do, what he was meant to do, was in Japan.
Maybe this was his fate, to return to Japan.
If this was what Fate wanted, then everything would be ok.
Even though he was leaving Barok and Kazuma, they were still his soulmates. One day, Fate would bring them together again.
They wouldn't be apart forever.