“Congrats on your birthday tomorrow” the lady at the store shout after Jin when she was walking home from school.

“Lee Ahjumma, thank you. My grandma ask if you want to come over for dinner tonight, she’s making the pork noodle today” anyone hear of her grandma pork noodle would comes over immediately. “I will see you later” Jin skip away, continue her way home.

“Congrats on being 21 tomorrow, you must be exicted for tonight” Kim ahjumma is gathering her cabbage for kimchi,

“What’s fun about it? I will be a year older” Jin’s age is her comlex, Wonwoo is younger than her by so many months. Jin place her backpack on the dirt before helping Kim ahjumma with the last batch of cabbage. Jin carry in into her house and put them with the rest of the cabbage that is on the floor ready to be season. Of course Jin also mention the pork noodle for dinner.

“Congrats for you and your soul mate for tomorrow” Faye’s father wave at Jin from his tractor, he’s turn left away from Jin.

“Thank you” that all Jin can say after he drive away. Jin sigh, everyone is just so happy except her. Jin didn’t think a single name can affect her life so much.

“You must be excited, I bet your soulmate is a handsome one” the ahjussi security said as he pass by Jin while patrolling the town.

“Stop teasing me ahjussi, did you have dinner yet?” Jin ask, “My grandma made pork noodle, come over if you have time after your patrolling”

“Oh my!! of course, it’s the best dish in town. Tell your grandma to save for two” he wink, he is known for his love for his wife, soulmate.

“Yes ahjussi, when is Mrs. Park due date?”  They are the only couple that is from the same town and been in love with each since way before. If only Jin and Wonwoo can be soul mate.

“Next month on the 19th” he smile from ear to ear, the same effect rubs off Jin as she smile back. She is so happy for them, they always seem so happy and loving.

Everything Jin heard today from everyone is about her soul mate and everyone seem to be happy and excited. They all seem so happy, but Jin herself is not. She does NOT want to know about a random name that will appear on the back of her neck at midnight. A random name person will be her soulmate, that does not make sense. She never meet him or anything.This whole system does not make sense, and being in love with Wonwoo is just worse.

Jin is now sitting in her room and butting her nails out of nervousness. It's eleven clock already, just one more hour. Jin hate this nervous feeling, urg I don't care anymore, I will just sleep. Jin cover herself with her blanket and force herself to sleep.

“Jin-ah wake up. You'll late for school” Jin’s grandma calls try to wake the sleepy little one up. The sun shine through Jin's window, the sound of waves crashing is so calming. Jin can see the waves from her window, it's a beautiful day.

“I'm awake” Jin sit up and stretch her arm, and twist her body to stretch her back.

“You stretch everyday, but how come you don't grow” her grandma gently slap her , she does this since Jin was little till now.

“It’s genetics grandma, I want to grow too” Jin stretch some more as her grandma leeave the room to make breakfast.

“We're having seaweed soup today” her grandma word ring in her ears.

Her birthday!!!!!!!!!! That remind Jin that it's her birthday, she run to the restroom and stare at her reflection. Please let it be Wonwoo, please!!! Jin slowly turn to the mirror and look at the back of her neck.

“OH MY GOD!!!!!!” Jin run to the kitchen and tackle her grandma.

“What?!? what does it say” her grandma turns around, excited to see the name of her grandson in law.

“There's nothing grandma!!! Absolutely nothing.” Jin is smiling from ear to ear, “I heard if this before it means I'm free to chose my mate right grandma?!?”

“Let me see” her grandma face fell as there is seriously nothing written on the back of Jin’s neck. “You're right there's nothing” her grandma sigh, she was excited to have a grandson in law soon.

“I told you!!! Yes, I get to chose” Jin happily dance around the kitchen and taste the seaweed soup that her grandma made.

“You have to choose someone with no soulmate name like you” her grandma get a large bowl and get the seaweed soup for Jin.

“Oh” Jin bubble is pop just like that. Now she must pray that Wonwoo does not have a soulmate name like her. Still it much better this way, Jin want to stay this way even if when Wonwoo find his mate.

~~~~~

“What's your soulmate name?” Faye, her classmate, ask all excited. Jin wear a large jacket and a turtleneck on purpose. Jin like to make people curious before she reveal it.

“Nothing” Jin tease, Faye is Jin’s seat mate. They know each other since the day they were born. Everyone in this village know each other.

“That's a weird name” Faye did not get the joke, well no one would.

“No I mean I don't have a mate. There's no name, look” Jin show her neck to Faye

“Oh my, you must be sad” Faye pout, she really envy Jin for being older because she will know her soul mate. Faye didn’t expect Jin to be those exemption that does not have a specific soulmate.

“Opposite actually. I'm so happy that I could die” Jin clap her hands together in joy,

“How come?” Faye ask, looking quite confuse. Anyone would be happy to have a mate, how come Jin never seem to like that idea.

“I don't want to be entitle to someone that I don't even know. Because it's weird, I want to be with someone that I love” Jin chose her words carefully, giving hints to her friend. Jin’s feeling for Wonwoo is very secretive, Jin never told anyone.

“That sound fishy, spill the beans mate” Faye seem to finally caught on after all these years.

“I’m just saying. Oh look the teacher is here” Jin will not let all those hard work falls now. It’s too risky to tell people that Jin have feeling for someone else that is not her soulmate. There are consequences, Jin would know it better than anyone else in this world.

“Jiyeon come here.” Jin wave her enemy/friend over, they have a love and hate relationship.

“What?” Jiyeon glare, she does not want Jin to brag about her soulmate and all that. Jiyeon is jealous of Jin, Jiyeon want to be older so she will get to know her soulmate sooner too.

“I don’t have a soulmate, look” Jin grab her hair and pull it away from her neck for Jiyeon to see clearly. Jiyeon face lights up with curiosity.

“So you’re on of the exemptions? That’s some news” with that Jiyeon runs down the hallway and tell everyone person that she see. Jin smirk at the scene, Jin wanted to spread the news and Jiyeon is the best person for that.

By lunch time, everyone in the school know, upper and lower division. When the the bell ring indicating that school is over, every single person in town know. Jin could help, but smile every time someone ask her about it.

“It’s okay dear you will find your love one day” Kim ahjumma pat Jin head as she pull Jin into a hug. Jin did not get why everyone is so sad about it when she is so happy. Or is she? Too many sad words makes Jin’s mood goes down too. Everyone keep on looking at her with sad eyes, even her grandma.

“Jin come here, let me tell you something. When the name appear on one neck, telling them that their soulmate is someone that they need to find and spend the rest of their life with. I know yours didn’t appear, but I wish it did. I don’t want my grandchild to be lost in this world when everyone have their significant person.” grandma words make Jin realize that she care so much for Jin so she want Jin to find her soulmate and be happy.

However, Jin does not regret about not having a name on her neck. Jin is sad only because her grandma seem very concern about her, Jin haven’t take time to notice how old grandma looks. Grandma looks so tired and worry for Jin, she can only watch her grandma sighed.

“It’s okay grandma, I will find someone eventually. You should sleep, you look tired” Jin place her grandma hand in hers and walk her grandma to her bedroom so she can rest. Jin kiss her grandma cheek before turning off the lights. Jin head back to the kitchen to wash the dishes and clean up in general.