Chapter Text
"Wow. They really cranked up the AC in here," Chay mutters as he watches his favorite singer—who Chay will swear made eye contact with him just a moment ago—answer some prepared questions in front of the mix of university and hopeful high school students. Ohm gives him a weird look for the comment, but then WiK starts strumming the intro chords to "Highway" and everything falls away as Chay lets himself drift into the music.
He's never been this close to his idol before. Never heard him sing live. (Never been able to afford show tickets.) He's been to a few venues before, waiting outside for a glimpse of WiK, but he'd never been able to get there early enough to get a good spot.
Later, as he talks over the MC to answer the last quiz question, he wonders at his own boldness. The weight of WiK's full attention falls on him like a blanket and Chay feels warm in a way that has him sure he's blushing right down to his toes. It's a heady feeling.
Chay turns eighteen about two weeks after Porsche's disappearance. (He's not convinced by the "remote island bartending job" excuse, but it's not like he can confront Porsche about it so he's been left stewing in all his unanswered questions.)
Porsche is usually the one planning a surprise-party-that-never-actually-stays-a-surprise and Chay is a little bit lost on what to do. He could plan a party himself he supposes, but it doesn't feel right without his brother there.
He ends up going to the movies with Ohm and a couple other friends and then getting some fancy cake at a café in the mall. It's a fun afternoon. Chay still feels his brother's absence like a hole in his chest.
Learning that WiK will be making an appearance at Ananthamekha University's open house—where he wants to apply to the music program—and that he'll be able to see him sing live up-close for the first time feels a bit like a birthday present.
Ohm has to push him to make Chay walk towards where WiK is taking a picture with the quiz winners. He's feeling cold again and he shakes it off as he goes.
The next few minutes are a roller coaster of emotions, culminating in WiK's hand holding him still by the shoulder while he signs Chay's shirt with the other. The two points of contact feel like a brand and Chay has never felt warmer. He shivers as WiK lets go, and then again as he takes a step back.
He can feel Ohm at his side as he turns to walk away, but a wave of cold sweeping through his body has him stumbling before he can fully turn. WiK's hands steady him as his legs give out and the chills stops.
"Are you alright?" WiK sounds concerned, and Chay hurries to reassure him.
"I'm fine," he smiles, straightening up. "Just clumsy," he adds in a joking tone. WiK lets go and takes a step back, and Chay is immediately wracked by a full-body shiver. Then another. Then another. His legs give out again and WiK is the one to catch him again. Warmth spreads through him from the point where WiK's hands are steadying him, and Chay can almost physically feel the lightbulb going on in his brain. Oh.
Chay is eighteen now.
Chay has just met his soulmate.
Chay's soulmate is WiK.
WiK's hands are letting go of him again, and Chay reaches out with a small cry. WiK takes a step back, frown marring his features.
Oh. He must think Chay is some kind of weird, crazy fan. He probably wants nothing to do with Chay. He's probably already regretting signing his shirt.
Chay folds in on himself, trying to contain the Chill wracking his body and just concentrating on staying as upright as he can.
WiK takes another step back and the Chills increase. Chay feels like his whole body is encased in ice.
Another step back and Chay can no longer force his legs to support him. The Rejection is too much. He can vaguely hear Ohm asking him what's going on, but he doesn't have any energy left to answer him.
He lets the darkness take him.
Chay wakes up on a small bed in what looks to be an infirmary. It's not until he tries to bring his hands up to rub the grit out of his eyes that he realizes one of them is being held by someone.
He turns his head to see who it is and finds WiK staring at him from an uncomfortable-looking chair set beside his bed.
"P'Wik!" He exclaims as the events that led him to being here flood his mind.
"Kim," he answers nonsensically.
The "huh" escapes Chay's lips before his brain engages enough for him to think of a better comeback.
"Kim," WiK says again. "That's my name. WiK is a stage name."
"Oh," Chay says. "Okay. P'Kim." He smiles, feeling like he's just been entrusted with a precious secret. He pulls his hand out of Wi..Kim's as he sits up in the bed. He has time to feel exactly one shiver go through him before Kim grabs it back and he lets out a curt "Don't."
"Sorry," Chay whispers, not sure why he's apologizing but the tone used makes him do it anyway.
"You almost had a seizure before I figured out what was going on," Kim explains with a gentler tone, thumb brushing softly on the back of Chay's hand.
"Oh," Chay repeats again. "Thank you." A seizure sounds bad. They stay in silence for a while, Kim's thumb still drawing patterns on Chay's skin. It feels good. Chay wonders where they go from here. Kim will have to let go at some point. He can't want to bond with a weird fan he's just met, right? Right. Chay's not that lucky.
"So," Kim starts, and Chay braces for the Rejection. "You must be over eighteen if you're getting the Chills."
"Yeah, my birthday was last week," Chay answers. Kim smiles at him.
"Happy birthday, Porchay. But you're still in high school?" He says it with a light questioning tone, eyeing Chay's shirt—the one he signed just a few minutes? hours? ago.
"Oh. Yeah. I missed a lot of school when I was younger because of…" He trails off, unsure of how to explain the mess that was the year before Porsche turned eighteen and gained custody of him. "Family issues," he settles on. Kim nods, accepting the simple explanation.
"You should call your parents and explain what's going on. We'll need to spend the next couple of days together for the bond to settle."
"I… I don't have anyone to call," Chay says, the pain of Porsche's absence once again lancing through him as he does. Kim's hand tightens on his. Then the second part of what Kim said registers. "And, huh…" He flounders. "You… you want? I mean, you don't have to? I know I'm not…" He trails off again, lost on how to explain to Kim—to WiK—that it's okay to Reject him without sounding like he's the one doing the Rejection.
"Are you asking me if I want the person that's perfect for me?" Kim asks. "Or are you saying you don't want me? You're a fan. I thought you'd be thrilled."
"I am!" Chay almost shouts. "It's just… I'm a nobody, and you're… you." Chay gestures at all of Kim with the hand that is not currently being crushed by him.
"You're not a nobody," Kim bites out. "You're my soulmate." The tone is possessive and it sends a shiver—entirely different from the Chills—through him. Chay smiles. Maybe he is that lucky. Just this once. Just for this.
"Okay," he beams at Kim. "What's your favorite color? Because you gave at least four different answers in your interviews and it's been a hot debate in the fan circles. Mine is blue." Chay rambles on some more, sprinkling questions to Kim in between random facts about himself, general small talk, and a long-winded speech about music. He stops himself after a while, realizing he hasn't let Kim answer any of the questions he's asked. Kim is smiling at him fondly, leaning on the bed Chay is still occupying with one elbow, and, as Chay finally stops and takes a breath, he brings the hand he still hasn't let go of to his mouth and kisses it. Chay can feel himself blush at the press of lips to his skin.
"You're adorable," Kim says, instead of answering any of Chay's questions. Chay's blush is probably visible from space right now.
Kim doesn't yet know how he will break the whole mafia thing to this sweet little fan of his. But, somewhen between figuring out this cute, bold, blushing boy is his soulmate and now, he has decided that he was going to keep him.
He'll figure it out.
Somehow.
He might have to ask Tankhun for help on this one…
(During the bonding period they only talk about their mutual love for music, explore their other potential common interests, and mention their family only in the broadest terms—unknowingly agreeing to avoid talks of mafia and loan sharks for now. Kim also refuses any and all visitors and both have their phones on silent.
When they come out of their little retreat, Kim's worries become a moot point. The first visitor is Big, bearing a very specific file.
The tirade Chay lets out about his brother's life choices only makes Kim fall harder.)