SIX

Kibum rushes inside the hospital and looks around for the information desk. There’s a map over the hospital plastered on the wall next to it and Kibum stops to let his eyes roam over it until he finds the maternity ward. He’s on the run again when he finally figures out which way to go, the plastic bag in his hand swinging dangerously back and forth.

When he finally finds it he’s so out of breath that he has to stop to take a couple of deep breaths before he enters. Nicole and her husband look towards him before they both break out into laughter. The small boy, who is sleeping in her arms, stirs at the sound.

“Out of breath?” Nicole asks with a cheeky smirk and Kibum huffs as he gets closer so he can lean gently over the baby to give her a hug.

“Jinki says congratulations,” he says and both Nicole and her husband nod. Kibum takes another deep breath, just to make sure he has completely caught his breath before he turns his attention the little one. “Can I?” he asks silently and Nicole’s husband nods. Kibum lets a finger gently run over the boy’s soft cheek and he sends them a smile as he looks up again and sits down in the chair next to her bed. “He’s beautiful!”

Kibum is a little awestruck. He hasn’t seen a baby since he got his "nephew" and that was 5 years ago. Nicole just chuckles and shakes her head at his expression.

“I didn’t know I had to protect my son from my best friend. Do I have to look for words already?” she asks and although there’s a teasing tone to her voice, Kibum looks up scandalized.

“Oh God, no. Don’t even joke with that!” he says and Nicole’s husband breaks out into loud laughter. The newborn boy wakes up at his father’s laughter and starts crying and Nicole smacks her husband’s shoulder before she calms her son down.

“Do you have a name for him already?” Kibum asks but this time he directs his question to the man that sits in the chair beside him so he can give Nicole time to comfort her son.

“We’re thinking about Hyunwoo,” he says and Nicole then looks up with a glare.

“No, we’re not. I told you 2 hours ago that my son is not going to be named after your great-grandfather.”

Her husband looks at her with a sigh.

“Why not? Hyunwoo is not a horrible name.” Nicole just shakes her head in disapproval and her husband sighs. “Okay. We don’t have a name anyway apparently.”

Kibum stifles a chuckle and nods a little. It’s so very typical of them to disagree on something as the name for their baby.

He spends the next hour in their company while he catches up on their lives and the things he has been missing in the last months of her pregnancy. Meanwhile he tells them everything he’s been doing and he tells Nicole more about Taeyeon. The small green and white striped romper he brought as a gift brings smiles on their faces and Kibum silently thanks Minho, who helped pick it out. As he steps out of the room a man with blond hair walks into the room next to Nicole’s and Kibum feels a slight pull he ignores.

Minho sighs on the phone the minute Kibum enters the front door and he turns his gaze towards him while he takes off his coat. Minho just shakes his head and walks towards their bedroom. Kibum places himself on the couch next to Jinki and Yoojin who are looking at Jinki’s laptop. Yoojin is pointing excitedly at the screen.

“This one,” she says. Jinki raises an eyebrow in question. Kibum leans over so he can peek at the screen as well and chokes on his own spit when he sees what she’s pointing at. On the screen is a pale pink suit with a bowtie on a male model. Jinki turns to him and Yoojin frowns a little.

“Hopefully not for our wedding,” he says and Jinki pushes his shoulder a little away.

“Go away, you’re not supposed to look at what your groom is going to wear. Yoojin will help me, we don’t need you.”

There’s a smile on his face, however, so Kibum sends him a smile of his own.

“Please help him find something beautiful,” he tells Yoojin before Jinki shushes him away with another push on his shoulder and a wave of his hand. They haven’t really started planning their wedding so he doesn't take their looking as something very serious.

He finds Minho in the bedroom. The other man is sitting on the edge of the bed, phone next to him and face buried in his hands. Minho runs his hands through his hair and looks up as he hears the door open and Kibum sends him a smile.

“Are you okay?” he asks and Minho shrugs a little before he sighs and shakes his head. Kibum sits down beside him and gently starts rubbing his back. Minho runs his hands over his face and sighs heavily.

“Yoojin’s grandfather fell ill which means she can’t spend the weekend with them as planned. Now I have to disappoint her. She has been looking forward to seeing them ever since we went to Sooyoung’s grave. The atmosphere is always so tense when we’re there, I prefer it when she has time to just be with them without the memory of her mother weighing on all of us. But how am I going to tell her she’ll have to be stuck here with us?”

He falls back into the bed and Kibum sends him a small smile before he lays down next to Minho and pulls him closer.

“She’ll understand,” Kibum whispers and presses a kiss to Minho’s cheek. “I know she will. It’s just an unfortunate event.”

He places his hand on Minho’s chest and starts rubbing gentle circles.

“I hate it when I have to disappoint her, I feel so inadequate,” Minho says in a low voice and Kibum hums a little.

“You’re not. You’re the best father in the world.”

He punctuates his words with a kiss to Minho’s jawline. Minho tilts his head so he can get eye contact with Kibum and Kibum smiles a little.

“You are!” Kibum confirms before he pecks Minho’s lips. Minho’s eyes slide closed and Kibum kisses him again softly. When they pull away, Minho smiles a little at him.

“You’re right,” he says and Kibum beams.

“Of course I am.”

He’s still rubbing gentle, soothing circles into Minho’s chest but as Minho leans forwards to catch Kibum’s lips again in a less soft and more passionate kiss, the movements stop and Kibum lets his hand trail up until it tangles in Minho’s hair.

“You’re the best,” he whispers into Minho’s lips before they kiss again. They’re interrupted when someone knocks on the door. Jinki chuckles as he sees them.

“Food is ready,” he says before he winks and then leaves. Kibum doesn’t mean to blush but he can’t help it. Minho gets up and then reaches a hand out towards Kibum so he can help him up. Yoojin has already started with her dinner and Jinki is serving kimchi. Yoojin is talking animatedly about pretty dresses and Kibum squeezes Minho’s hand comfortingly under the table.

Later in the evening he’s sitting on the couch and observing the green emerald boa in her enclosure. Kibum can’t stop thinking about the future. He knows he loves both Jinki and Minho and that he wants to be with them for the rest of his life but nothing is guaranteed other than the fact that they’re his soulmates. He knows that Taeyeon means something special to him as well but he can’t figure out what because the feelings towards her are very unlike those towards Jinki and Minho. It’s not really love and then maybe it is anyway. There’re so many things to consider and so many things to constantly remember.

He wonders what Jinki thinks of Taeyeon. They haven’t spoken about his multiple soulmates ever since Jinki fell in love with Minho but Jinki doesn’t seem sad. Kibum used to be good at reading Jinki but maybe he lost his abilities when he had to focus on Minho as well. He wonders how Minho’s parents see him even though he has never met them. He’s an intruder. They had been a happy family before fate had taken Yoojin’s mother away and then he’d come strolling along – and now he’s getting married to another man.

Someone gently massages his shoulders and Kibum sighs heavily.

“Are you okay?” Jinki whispers into his ear and Kibum turns around so he can look at the other man. Jinki is wearing his glasses and a gentle smile. Kibum turns his head towards the reptile enclosure as he nods and Jinki works his magic on his shoulders. Kibum didn’t even know he’d been tense before Jinki started his massage.

“Are you okay with Taeyeon?” Kibum asks suddenly and Jinki’s hands stop their magic for a second before they start again. Kibum closes his eyes.

“She seems like a nice girl… guy… person…”

Kibum snorts a little at Jinki’s answer before he opens his eyes and removes Jinki’s hands on his shoulders so he can turn around on the couch and fully face Jinki.

“Mmmh,” he agrees but the thoughts are still on his mind. “Are you really ready to get married?” Kibum asks ten seconds later and Jinki widens his eyes.

“If you don’t want to get married, we don’t…”

Jinki never gets to finish his sentence before Kibum has pressed a finger to his lips and silenced him.

“Ssssssh. I do. I really want to marry you. I just don’t want to rush you into things because you might be scared you’ll lose me to Minho or Taeyeon.”

Jinki looks towards the floor and Kibum’s heart sinks in his chest.

“It’s not that,” Jinki says and Kibum tilts his head a little in confusion.

“Baby, look at me.”

Jinki lifts his head and their eyes meet and Kibum sees a mix of affection and determination.

“It’s not because I’m scared Minho will take you away from me nor am I afraid Tae will suddenly take you away from me. But if you’re worried what people will say we can just …” Jinki trails off and Kibum blinks.

“Just?” he asks a little confused. Jinki takes a deep breath.

“Wait. Stay engaged. I’m ready because I love you, you know?”

“Would you marry Minho if you could?” Kibum asks suddenly, the question catching both of them off guard. Jinki just looks at him.

“Kibum…” Jinki says and tries to avoid but Kibum wants to know the answer so he asks again. Jinki is silent for far too many seconds and Kibum’s heart is speeding up without reason until Jinki shakes his head. “I love him, but I wouldn’t want to marry him.” There’s silent for a couple of seconds. “You know how scared I am of commitment, of losing something I have had prior and of being two. You knew how long it took before I acknowledged a relationship between us and not just the endless flirting and the dates we went on. I love Minho and I love you but you are the only one I want to commit myself to in a marriage.”

The sincerity in Jinki’s words has Kibum’s eyes moist. Jinki trails a thumb over his cheekbones to collect any stray tears. Kibum doesn’t know what to say. He wants to tell Jinki the same but he’s stunned into silence. They’re interrupted when a door closes and Minho walks through the living room towards the kitchen. Kibum chuckles a little and removes his tears with his palm before he sends Jinki a smile.

“I love you too,” he says. Minho doesn’t say anything as he closes the door to the kitchen after him. Jinki sends Kibum a blinding smile and presses a kiss to his temple.

They hear a dull thump from the kitchen and Jinki sighs a little before he looks over his shoulder and points towards the door. Kibum just laughs and nods. He hears Jinki scold Minho from the kitchen and he can’t help the smile that blooms on his face.

“I want The Shilla Seoul,” Kibum says as they’re looking at venues. It’s a foolish suggestion to look through wedding venues when he and Jinki have an evening for themselves a week later but now that they’re looking through the different venues in Seoul, Kibum easily and quickly fell in love with the Shilla Seoul venue. It’s an old, traditional building with a beautiful park surrounding it. The venue is luxurious inside and beautiful on the outside and it is everything he wants and more. Neither of them has talked serious details about their wedding but Kibum can feel excitement bubble up in him now that they’re looking. They’re actually getting married.

“Have you seen the price?” Jinki asks and bursts the bubble of luxurious wedding dreams. Kibum glares at him.

“Don’t you think we can rent it anyway?”

Kibum pouts but Jinki is a pessimist and shakes his head. Kibum tells him that and Jinki starts laughing.

“It’s 5-starred and one of the most expensive venues. Neither of us is rich,” he says and Kibum sighs a little. He’s right. Neither he nor Jinki is rich and although their salaries aren’t exactly small and they’re not scraping the bottom every month, it may be a little overboard to want the most expensive venue for their wedding. Especially if they want some good food and a wedding cake as well.

Kibum turns to look at his fiancé and asks him to buy him a new ring. Jinki just scoffs and tells him that he’ll have to survive with the golden engagement ring he bought when he proposed. Kibum shakes his head fondly and turns back to the computer screen.

“How about this?” Jinki asks and points at an inn on the screen. Kibum scrunches up his nose and shakes his head.

“Jinki, no.” Jinki just shrugs and Kibum sends him a glare. “Don’t you dare. I’m leaving you at the altar if you’re trying to make our wedding as cheap as possible.”

Kibum’s threat has Jinki laughing and pecking his cheek.

“Okay, okay.”

They’re looking through the different venues until Kibum suddenly turns to look at Jinki.

“When are we getting married?” he asks and Jinki turns towards him with wide eyes.

“What?”

Kibum rolls his eyes.

“The date?”

Kibum can see Jinki thinking until a small ‘oh’ slips past his lips. They sit in silence for a while before they both shrug and turn back towards the computer screen.

“How about this?” Jinki asks and points towards a very dark wedding venue and Kibum slaps his thigh in annoyance. They’ll figure it out eventually.

He’s standing on the stairwell. The door in front of him is a pale brown and the walls are a dusty yellow. He furrows his brows and presses the bell again. He can hear the echo in the apartment before the door opens.

“Hey,” Taeyeon says and turns around so she can walk into her apartment. The walls in the small hallway are white and the apartment is small and cramped. “Sorry it’s messy,” she says and removes a couple of dresses from the couch as she passes. Kibum closes the door behind him and takes a look around. “Also, I’m Taeyeon today.”

Kibum turns his attention back to his soulmate and nods a little. The small bark from behind one of the doors has Taeyeon cursing and the dog that runs past her when she opens the door has Kibum laughing a little.

“Hey there,” he says as he squats so he can greet the canine. Taeyeon just sighs.

“Eve, behave, will you?”

The dog completely ignores her and she rolls her eyes and continues her spontaneous cleaning of the living room. Then she remembers that she has just brewed tea and hurries into the tiny kitchen.

When they’re finally settled on her couch she shrugs a little.

“It’s not much, but it’s mine.”

She takes a sip of her tea and Kibum sends her a smile.

“It’s nice.”

His words have Taeyeon snorting.

“You don’t have to lie,” she says and Kibum makes an exaggerated expression of confusion that has Taeyeon laughing. They talk about the dog at first and Taeyeon goes to get them another cup of tea.

Taeyeon rolls her eyes when her neighbors start having and the screeching of the bed can be heard through the walls. Kibum cringes.

“How do you live?” he asks and Taeyeon shrugs a little.

“I play a with the volume on max when they go at it for too long.” She laughs. “It’s sort of a contest. Except I always win because I play , they just don’t know that. Jongin likes making lewd noises as well when he sleeps there, it’s become a joke to us.”

Kibum can’t be more thankful for how large and soundproof his and Jinki’s apartment had been. Then he turns to her with a confused expression.

“Didn’t you have people over sometimes?”

Taeyeon looks at him with a now equally confused expression. Then it dawns on her and she pulls a grimace.

“Yikes, no.” The answer has Kibum raising an eyebrow in question. “I’m aro ace. Not -repulsed but …”

There’s silence in the apartment but the silence isn’t tense. Taeyeon sips on her tea and lifts the dog into her lap where it falls asleep. Kibum nods at the new information about his third soulmate. Then it suddenly hits him.

“We’re platonic,” he says and Taeyeon blinks at him. Kibum taps the words on his neck. That’s why it feels different from Minho and Jinki. They’re not going to fall in love, he’s not going to ever love her the same way he loves Jinki and Minho. They might be bound by fate but even fate never works against uality. He sends her a smile when she says ‘oh’ and then nods.

“Yeah,” she says and then goes back to drinking her tea like it isn’t the biggest revelation of the century for her. Maybe it isn’t. She probably knew from the start that there wouldn’t be romance involved in their relationship. Kibum feels stupid but he doesn’t tell her. Taeyeon steers the conversation topic away from their platonic relationship bound by fate when she gets bored by looking at an unresponsive Kibum and Kibum tries his hardest not to ask too many questions. They have plenty of time to get to know each other.

The sun is hiding behind dark clouds, making the 19 degrees feel colder than they actually are. Kibum pulls his coat closer around him and shivers as he makes his way down the street. He yawns and fumbles with his phone when he receives a text from Minho that asks if he can pick up Yoojin from Minwoo instead. He buries his hand in his pocket together with the phone when he has answered and bites his lower lip out of habit. The café looks warm when he passes it so Kibum backtracks a couple of steps.

As he enters, he’s greeted with hot air and the lovely smell of coffee. The line is small but still long enough to have Kibum spacing out while he waits for his order. Someone bumping into him is what wakes him up and he blinks a little at the man that now stands in front of him.

“I didn’t mean to,” he says and Kibum feels the burn as the words carve themselves into his right thigh. His name is called behind him and the man in front of him is apologizing again, a look of concern slowly clouding his features.

“Are you ing kidding me?” Kibum says and only then realizes what he’s said. Then he widens his eyes and slams his hand over his mouth. His name is called again. “I’m so sorry!”

He knows what it’s like to don curse words on his body courtesy of Taeyeon and he never actually meant to scar a soulmate with curse words either. Kibum never gave the idea that he could have more than 3 soulmates a chance but now that he’s standing with his fourth soulmate in front of him it becomes painfully obvious that he should have entertained that idea long before.

His name is called for the third and final time and Kibum reaches out towards the stand so he can grab his coffee. The man is smaller than him, blond hair and friendly eyes. His facial features are sharp yet soft and Kibum has to admit that the man is quite attractive. 

“Kim Jonghyun,” he says and reaches a hand out towards Kibum. Kibum takes it dumbly and introduces himself in a daze. Jonghyun nods towards a table in a silent invitation to sit down.

Kibum thinks he should be better than this. It’s not the first time he meets a soulmate, he shouldn’t be this dazed. But maybe that is exactly why he is so dazed as he sits down opposite of Jonghyun. It doesn’t really surprise him that Jonghyun is his soulmate, not the way it had surprised him when he had met Minho or the way he had been frustrated when he’d found Taeyeon’s words on his neck. It’s the feeling of exhaustion that runs through his body when he realizes that he has to explain his situation again and introduce Jinki, Minho and Taeyeon to yet another person that is bound to him by fate. Fate really played him big time when it decided that he should be the exception to the rule of only one soulmate.

Jonghyun is looking at him with his head tilted in what looks like concern and Kibum shakes his head a little.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t expect to meet a soulmate in a coffee shop,” he says and sends Jonghyun a kind smile. Jonghyun just nods in understanding.

“Me neither.”

Jonghyun is friendly and talkative. He tells Kibum that he’s a child psychiatrist and that he currently lives with his sister in an apartment downtown. He talks about how much he loves dogs when Kibum tells him that he’s a vet and he talks about his favorite songs when they start talking about hobbies. Jonghyun is passionate about music and literature. It becomes painfully obvious when he starts talking about classical music and Franz Kafka and Kibum can’t conceal the smile.

He’ll have a lot in common with Jinki when it comes to reading, Kibum muses and then stops himself. He has yet to tell Jonghyun that he isn’t single and that he’s with another 3 soulmates but he can’t get himself to spoil the big smile that lights up Jonghyun’s features.

Kibum thinks back to when he met Jinki and how flustered he had been at finally meeting the one he was supposed to be with for the rest of his life. He guesses it’s a little like how Jonghyun is feeling, although a littl