Nayoung learned from Cathy how the date went. Which, surprisingly, went quite well. Cathy admitted that she was being a bit unusual, that she went through actions which would be considered uncharacteristic of her. They met on that sunday, Heehyun having arrived 20 minutes early, a white flower pinched in between her forefinger and thumb to be presented to her soul mate once she arrived.

 

She was awkward in her approach, stuttering and tripping over her words but eventually went through with her actions. In front of Chaeyeon she stood, fingers shaking as she pinched at the stem, breaking it to make it smaller. The shaking continued to get worse as she leaned in, placing the flower into her date’s hair.

 

“There,” Heehyun muttered, carefully brushing Chaeyeon’s hair to the side. “You look very beautiful today.”

 

“Ah- Thanks,” The younger girl blushed, gaze fluttering downwards to hide her blush. She was wearing a white dress and accompanying headband. It made her look innocent, like an angel. It was no help that it was a fine day today, the sun was out with no clouds in the sky. The sun illuminated the younger girl’s features perfectly.

 

Taking a step back, Cathy looked towards the park and swept her arm, “Shall we go?”

 

“We shall go.”

 

Unbeknownst to Nayoung, Heehyun actually had a soft spot for romance, she would spend some nights, mainly when she’s hiding underneath her covers, thinking about her soul mate and what they’d turn out to be like. What their first date would be like, and how it would be perfect, how it had to be something far different from how she presented herself to the outside world. Being busy with school made her more surprised then anything when she found out about her soul mate during powers class.

 

The two spent time at the park, walking around and eventually settling themselves down in front of the lake. Heehyun, who had a backpack with her, brought out bread and let the girl feed the ducks (Something Heehyun thought would suit Chaeyeon), although it proved to be difficult as Heehyun uncontrollably scared them away.

 

Nayoung was worried that the girl would be coerced or persuaded into doing things that she didn’t want to do, because of the extent of Chaeyeon's powers and how unpredictable it could be, but apparently the only command Chaeyeon gave her was one to stop her powers so she could feed the ducks in peace. The older girl accepted it gracefully, rather enjoying the serene expression on her soul mates face as she watched the ducks nibble and peck at the bread.

 

After that they went to a cafe on the corner of a popular road, one which Heehyun frequents at often. The fear manipulator had taken out Chaeyeon’s chair for her, even going so far as to giving her her jacket when she felt the slightest bit cold. She also ended up paying for the girl’s strawberry latte, something, which she later finds out, is an addiction to the year 10.

 

An hour or two passed once the girls got into conversation, they learnt of their likes and dislikes, the basic details. Most of the finer details could come later, they had all the time in the world. Chaeyeon learnt about Heehyun's friends (Hint: She's only friends with Nayoung) and then Chaeyeon revealed that she had... No friends.

 

"I didn't really show this, but I was really ecstatic to meet you. I thought that if I could meet my soul mate i'd at least have one friend."

 

"I-" Heehyun was wordless. Instead her hand reached across the table, going for Chaeyeon's. She held it firmly, a soft smile on her face, "I mean now you have two? There's Nayoung as well. A friend of mine is a friend of yours."

 

Seconds passed by as Heehyun looked down, then her head snapped up as she remembered, “Actually there’s three. Another day i’ll show you my husky, his name is Stitch. Very cute, just like you.”

 

Chaeyeon looked down sheepishly, "I'm glad. Sorry I sprang that on you, but the conversation kind of led to it, and I didn't want to leave it so late." she turned her head to look up, opening then closing it. She finally conceded, “I also, you know my power?”

 

“Of course, you told me when we first met.”

 

“I’m just saying but I don’t really like using it. It’s kind of the reason why I don’t have friends, people know I can get whatever I want as long as I look into their eyes. So. I don’t want to use it on you but whenever you’re around you scare things off.”

 

"No, it's okay. Don’t worry about anything, things are going to change for the best i’m sure of it.”

 

Both girls eventually left each other at the front of the cafe, each going their own way. Chaeyeon parted her senior with a kiss on the cheek, a move otherwise unpredicted by the older girl. One thing that could be said though was that both of them had tinges of pinks on their cheeks, and it wasn’t because of the cool, sharp air that hit their skin.

 

By the end of the story, Nayoung found it astonishing how finding one’s soul mate can change a person quite drastically, the way that Heehyun recounted the memory of just a few days ago in such a soft tone, like she was reliving it as she spoke.

 

The tall girl sat there, right behind her, completely aware of the girl’s left leg bouncing up and down at the speed of light. It seemed to be a tick that started to form once Heehyun found her other half. It really only happened when powers class was next, any other time the girl would be sleeping.

 

Her uncharacteristic behaviour doesn’t transfer over to the powers class though, thank god, because Nayoung would never be able to imagine the girl like that. At that time Cathy is being the same old dickhead, to her and to the other students. She noted how Cathy would teach the girl how to fight whilst they would have small, knowing smiles on their faces. Nayoung swears she saw Cathy’s hands getting a little bit too close for comfort. Why did the sports uniform consist of booty shorts? Nayoung thought she saw her friend gripping at Chaeyeon’s inner thighs, helping her push the kick out as far as she could or whatever.

 

Luckily she doesn’t talk about Chaeyeon outside of power class, instead tending to talk about anything but her. Her friend had always been a little bit protective, a little bit quiet. The only time she opened up was earlier, the results of her first date. Though Nayoung does know that she has another date set up.

 

It makes her come to wonder, when will she be able to meet her soulmate? There were no indications to how close or far you are from your soulmate, it was just an effect, an explosion, a pull that brings the two beings together once their gazes meet.

 

… What would happen to those who were blind? How could the universe be so cruel?

 

Nayoung shook her head, instead going back to the girl in front of her. Mina hadn’t taken too well to the fighting aspects of the power class. She didn’t enjoy fighting and much prefered to be on the defense, blocking attacks and reflecting them. Something about peace and love on earth. But she digresses, the older girl needs to get the girl trained and ready for the special operations that occur as a part of a test for the class. If the girl couldn’t work under pressure and secure certain objectives then she would fail the class.

 

Guess it’s time to take things nice and slowly.

 

---

 

It was only weeks later that Nayoung found the day she would finally meet her soulmate. Heehyun and Chaeyeon’s relationship have been growing steadily, just as steadily as mina’s training, who still doesn’t like hurting others, but all things considered she has gotten better.

 

The younger girl took more to basic lock downs, to pressure others but to not break, to subdue and reduce the risk for everyone around her. She was much like a support character, making sure the main damage dealer was safe.

 

It was really just another day for Nayoung, albeit without Heehyun, who would have been in school if it wasn’t for the fact that she ditched to go out on another date with Chaeyeon.

 

Seeing as she was by herself and in maths class, a horrible combination, the tall girl thought it would be good to pull a prank. Just a small one. The girl hadn’t had a solo prank go off in ages, anyways. So when it was time to collaborate between classmates, something they had to do for their project, Nayoung used her own shadow to get answers off someone else, who proved to not accept those advances.

 

(‘It’s just a prank bro, i swear!’ she would eventually say)

 

When she didn’t get what she wanted, she used the person’s shadow. Things went wrong from there, Nayoung was more focused on getting the answers instead of pranking the kid and making things light hearted (on her end anyways). She lost control, going a bit overboard with her power and strength as she endangered the classmate’s life.

 

And that’s the short story of how she ended up in the student council room, ready to be served her sentence. Most of the time when it came to serious cases like Nayoung’s, they would have the principal deal with her, however she was turned away because of how idiotic and astonishing the facts of the case were. So she was passed off to the student council, the group of people who represented the school, ran its events and dealt the light punishments for those who received detention.

 

That’s how she found herself in front of her soul mate, Kim Sejeong, vice president and dealer of punishments.

 

Both girls didn’t look at each other at the same time for the first twenty minutes. Sejeong was going through her speech, reprimanding the other as she read off a list of her previous counts of wrongdoings, and giving suggestions to how she could improve.

 

“It’s quite impressive, I must say,” Sejeong muttered, flipping a page over, “You mainly get in trouble with,” she squinted her eyes, trying to read the mess of a past council member’s writing, “Heehyun, is it? Hm. It’s my first year in the council so I haven’t seen you around, guess you were having a clean streak until today.” Letting the pages fall back into order, she looked up to stare at the older girl, finally matching her gaze.

 

It was instantaneous, light bolted out from her chest, shooting as a beam into Nayoung, but it was met halfway with Nayoung’s own shadow. Her shadow. A shadow that doesn’t usually have a will of its own. But its there, its the third party to their meeting, her own shadow as a duplicate of her body, reaching out to touch and play with the light. Nayoung watched, fascinated as the shadow played with it as if it was a solid, though it moved to fill the form of its container. The shadow let the light flutter over its fingers as if it were a toy.

 

Then it went further. The light detached itself from Sejeong and the shadow, instead opting to fly around the room, weaving past the council members. Audible gasps were heard as it flashed by. The shadow also took off, running around to catch it. It never collided with objects, instead passing through them as if they were nothing.

 

Gasps turned to whispers as witnesses to the event commented with the person next to them.

 

‘It can’t be.’

 

‘Someone as great as Kim Sejeong shouldn’t be paired with a girl like her.’

 

‘The universe must have a grudge against Sejeong if she had to end up with this loser.’

 

‘Isn’t she dangerous? She nearly killed a classmate.’

 

‘We have to protect her!’

 

‘Didn’t Jung Chaeyeon find her soul mate a few weeks ago in this school? Two couples within a month, that’s incredible.’

 

‘Chaeyeon’s soulmate is Ki Heehyun! She’s just as bad as Nayoung.’

 

Regardless sejeong continued with her speech, not bothered with the acts going on around her, and the whispers that stained the air. The vice president kept to her duty, staring Nayoung directly in the eyes as she did so.

 

Nayoung was rather speechless, the reaction from the girl in front of her not something she would have predicted. It did hurt, the sign of their souls and powers coming together as one being ignored by the woman with whom she figured she’d spend the rest of her life with.

 

“... And seeing as we are soul mates, i shall leave this punishment to another member of the council.”

 

“Wait- what?” Nayoung shook her head to clear her thoughts, “what was that?”

 

“Well. You see, if you haven’t realised, i’m your soulmate and I usually deal with detentions. It’s not in anyone’s best interest for me to interact with you until you’ve repented. So.”  Sejeong finally smiled at the girl, a mix between taunting and genuine happiness, “i’ll let you work with Somi here. She’s a little bit difficult to keep in check, but i’m sure you’ll do fine. Just do whatever she wants you to do. Good luck.”

 

Sejeong had her back turned, ready to go sit at the front of the classroom when Nayoung’s voice rang out, “Wait what about outside of school?”

 

“What about outside of school?” The council member turned to her side, eyeing her soul mate.

 

“Can’t we talk then?”

 

“Oh I would love to, but this is also a punishment, from one soul mate to another. I can’t stand the idea of my soul mate being a rule breaker, so unless that changes, we’re not going to talk in or outside of school. Work hard.” With the sweetest of smiles she went to her desk.

 

Before Nayoung could retort, a girl appeared in front of her, as quick as a flash.

 

“Not so nice to meet you, Nayoung! I’m Somi. If you hurt someone again, i’ll hurt you. If you make Sejeong cry, i’ll make sure you cry! Anyways, I tend to deal with the school garden and filing of documents in the council.”

 

The girl in front of her was off again, reappearing within a millisecond with a watering can and some gloves.

 

“This is for you, the rest of the equipment is in the shed at the back of the school. There’s a lot of weeds lately, so I suggest you read up on how to get rid of them efficiently! I don’t want to spend more time than I should with you. Keep this in your locker, you’ll start tomorrow after school, don’t forget and other then that you’re free to go. I’ll see you then, but not really because I will be on the other side of the garden playing my DS! Bye!”

 

And just like that she disappeared. Nayoung stood dumbfounded as she held the equipment in her hands. Gaze drifted between the objects and to the rest of the council members, who were already off doing their own things.

 

“So- Uh- am I really free to go now?”

 

“Yup. Get outta here,” One of the members near the door lifted her gaze from her laptop, “Don’t need you to spend more time in here, just get your work done and get out. Bad first impression for soul mate of God Sejeong, y’know?”

 

“Haha-” Nayoung started to edge towards the door, fingers in her hair as she smiled sheepishly, “Totally- totally. I’ll come back with a new image, and things like that. Bye.”

 

That really threw a spanner in the works.

 

---

 

Not one to talk about her problems over the internet or phone, Nayoung was only able to tell of her situation to Heehyun during lunch time the next day.

 

“I can’t believe i have to do a whole entire month of detention with this half korean kid called somi. She has super speed, she doesn’t let me reply, she pisses me off, she hates me because of who i am and the fact that i’m Kim Sejeong’s soulmate, oh and I can’t talk to my own soulmate until the month finishes. me, right? This afternoon is my first day, I can’t deal with this already.”

 

“I mean,” Heehyun spoke through a mouthful of rice, chopstick pointing towards her best friend, “you’re like a sidekick whilst i’m the hero. You were bound to get caught during a prank because you’re not as good as me.”

 

“Thanks for the confidence boost, .” The taller female reached over the desk, slapping the girl’s chopsticks out of her hands, “But-” Watching as the chopsticks fall to the ground, she ignored Heehyun’s cries and slumped onto the table, her cheek pressing against the cool surface. “Kim Sejeong, she’s so pretty. Like, soooooooo pretty. And the way our powers reacted. I can’t describe it clearly. It’s. Did your heart just burst? Like a weight was lifted? I couldn’t feel it at the time, because I was so surprised, but now that i’ve had time to think..”

 

The other recipient to the conversation just blinked, staring down at the girl unimpressed. She let her have her moment. Instead of hitting her friend for dirtying her chopsticks, Heehyun just ate with her fingers, picking up the rice and shoving it in , “Same thing happened to me with Chaeyeon, hell, you were witness to it. You’re happy, yeah?”

 

“Yeah. I am. Bit mad I can’t talk to my soul mate for a whole entire month, but the whole entire notion that i’m capable of having a soulmate, that I do have one and i’m not one of the ones to wait till they’re 40 is incredible.”

 

“Happy for you, mate.” Hands sticky, Cathy reached over to pat her best friend’s head, a few grains of rice sticking onto the dark brown strands. “Just think about her when you’re doing detention. Maybe try and start over, fresh new image and everything.”

 

“Doubt that can happen, Heehyun.” A deep sigh escaped Nayoung as she turned to her other cheek, unknowing of the rice stuck in her hair. “Student council has files on every student, they know i’m a troublemaker. Going to have to do a whole entire personality change.”

 

“Now that’s impossible, you were born a loser. Once a loser, always a loser.”

 

“You sound like the Heehyun I know and love.”

 

“Oh yeah, no homo.”

 

“Same.”

 

Finished with her own lunch, Cathy slipped her digits into her own mouth, and off any leftover sauce or rice that were there. Once she was finished, she presented her pinky to Nayoung, “Pinky promise that you’ll be good during detention so you can see your soul mate as soon as possible. Who knows, maybe you’ll get a week off or something for good behaviour.”

 

“Still doubting that, and I don’t see why we have to pinky promise on this, but sure, promise.” Reaching out with her own pinky, she locked the wet one with her own. “Guh-”

 

“It’s so i’m witness. Oh yeah, that was in my mouth. Tongue and everything.”

 

“Disgusting,” Nayoung pulled away with a grimace, wiping her hand onto her skirt, “Do that to Chaeyeon.”

 

“Will do, babe. Oh-” the bell rang, causing the two to look up at the speakers, “Guess which class is next. That’s right, i’m going to give her the tongue and fingers.”

 

“I hate you. You’re filthy. Trash.”

“I know you don’t mean it. Come on loser, it’s time to get changed.”

---

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