Chapter Text
“Today’s the day!”
Today is Sunoo’s twenty-first birthday. But more importantly, at least to him, today was the day he would find out who his soulmate was. His heart raced with the kind of anticipation that made his fingers fidget endlessly with the buttons on his crisp, sky blue shirt as he whistled an off-key tune.
Bouncing down the stairs, he was all smiles. “Happy birthday, Sunoo!” his parents chorused in unison, their faces glowing with warmth. They offered him breakfast, but he kindly declined. “Sorry, I can’t. I’m… I have a big day ahead,” he said, fumbling a little with his words. His stomach fluttered with nerves. His parents nod, understanding his feelings.
“We get it, sweetheart,” his mother says with a warm smile. “I was excited, too, at your age. Then, I met your father not long after. Everything fell into place. I’m sure the same will happen for you.”
As if Sunoo wasn’t already stupidly excited, hearing his mom talk affectionately about her twenty-first birthday experience has him practically sprinting out of the house.
In Myeongseowon—or better known as The Garden of Written Fate—everyone followed a special tradition. On their twenty-first birthday, each person could visit the courthouse to receive one crucial piece of information: their soulmate’s surname. No one knew exactly how it worked; all they knew was that it was magical—and undeniably real. Once a surname was revealed, it was set in stone. The soulmate on the other end would receive the matching surname as well, meaning if Person A discovered Person B’s surname, Person B would also discover Person A’s.
Sunoo had waited for this moment since he was twelve, ever since his parents had explained the tradition with twinkling eyes and gentle smiles. Watching their love was like observing sunlight through stained glass—warm, perfect, unshakable—and Sunoo wanted that too. Especially with Yu-na, his childhood best friend, his longtime crush, his almost-everything.
Oh, Yu-na…
Sunoo’s mind wandered to all the years they’d spent inseparable: movie marathons on rainy nights, road trips with playlists curated by both of them, late-night game tournaments, endless music listening parties where they traded favorite songs like precious secrets. He could almost feel the way her laugh would light up the air around him, how her shoulder felt perfectly warm against his when they leaned too close on the couch. Everything between them had been completely platonic. Sunoo never dared to make the first move. He never wanted to make her feel pressured into anything she didn’t want, however, deep down, he always felt like maybe, just maybe, she might reciprocate his feelings. Yu-na was absolutely, without a doubt, his best friend. How perfect would it be if she was really his soulmate too?
On his way to the courthouse, he practically floated—arms swinging, smile plastered so widely it might have cracked.
Then he saw it.
A line. A long, winding line that seemed to stretch into eternity. It was only 8 a.m.
How?! How is it this long already?!
Sunoo groans and sighs heavily, but gets in line. He has no other choice but to wait, and honestly, today? He is more than happy to do so.
An hour later, scrolling endlessly through social media to kill time, he notices there are only four people ahead of him. He tries to mask his excitement with apathy, but his chest felt like it might burst, and his grin refused to falter.
Eighteen minutes later, he was finally second in line. He tucked his phone away, and kept his hands clenched loosely at his sides, his right foot tapped in an unsteady rhythm on the courthouse floor. His heart hammered so loudly he was sure the person in front could hear it.
“Next!”
Sunoo jumped, nearly tripping as he approached the desk.
“Hi! The name’s Sunoo!” he said a little too quickly.
The woman behind the desk raised an eyebrow, visibly annoyed and unimpressed. “Sunoo…?”
“Oh! Right, sorry! Kim Sunoo,” he corrected himself, his voice slightly sheepish.
She typed silently, her brow furrowed, and Sunoo’s foot resumed its frantic tapping. He bit his bottom lip, internally panicking.
“Be right back,” she said, sliding out from her chair and disappearing through a door behind her.
Sunoo let out a long, shaky breath he didn’t know he was holding in. Calm down, Sunoo. Calm down. He chants this in his head over and over again for what feels like forever.
When she returned, she carried a thick envelope; its seal shone in the soft morning light that seeped in through the tall windows. She held out the envelope toward him with a neutral expression.
“Here you go, kid. Good luck.”
Sunoo’s hand shook as he accepted it, clutching it to his chest. “Thank you!” His voice was barely a whisper, but carried more excitement than he could contain.
Outside, the warm spring breeze wrapped around him, tugging at his hair and lifting his spirits—if they could even be lifted any higher. Sunoo stood still for a moment, letting it wash over him before gingerly turning the envelope in his hands. The wax seal gleamed in the sun. Carefully, he peels the seal off so the envelope would remain pristine—a keepsake for years to come.
Hands trembling, he withdrew the folded paper inside and unfolded it slowly.
At the top, written in elegant, looping calligraphy, was his own name: KIM SUNOO.
He swallowed hard, his heart beating like a drum before continuing down the page.
"Your soulmate's surname has been calculated to be 'PARK.'"
Sunoo froze, his mouth agape.
Oh. My. God. Oh my god!
His heart did the impossible: it exploded, then rebuilt itself, swelling anew as it pounded with one undeniable truth. There was only one person he knew with that surname.
Yu-na.