Bold means English

Since a young age, Samuel had been told about soulmates and soulmate tattoos.  When he got his soulmate tattoo at the age of thirteen (14 in the Korean age system), he was scared.  What thirteen year old wouldn't be, knowing what his tattoo said.  The words "shh I'm hiding" written on the skin of his inner arm, just above his right elbow.  Eventually, he learned to ignore it, but some nights, he lay awake worrying until he crashed.

~~~

One day, three years later, he was at the house of a classmate for a school project.  He had to wash his hands, so he was directed to the nearest sink which happened to be in the kitchen.  When he the water, he heard a little yelp.  He turned the water off and the room was silent again.  Convinced he was hearing things, he turned the water on again.  Again there was that yelp, followed by a quiet whimper.  It seemed to be coming from the cabinet under the sink.  He upturned off the water, and opened to cabinet door.  To his surprise, he was met with another boy scrunched up to fit in the small space in the cabinet.

"What the-" Samuel started.

"Shh.  I'm hiding."  The other boy whispered.  Samuel's eyes went wide.  He and the other boy stared at each other for a brief second.  The other boy snapped out of it first, "close the door, I hear my cousin, and please don't turn on the water again."

Samuel understood, and closed the door, just as his classmate walked in.

"Have you seen my cousin?"  His classmate asked.

"No?  I don't think so, why?"  Samuel asked back.

"My mom is looking for him, he's supposed to be packing."

"Oh?"

"He's visiting from America.  His school is on break apparently, and his parents have been going through a rough spot in their relationship, so they sent him here for a few weeks, but he flys home this evening."

"I guess that it's nice that you got to see him, especially if he lives so far away.  What's his name?"

"His name is Daehwi."

"That sounds pretty Korean."

"Yeah, he was born here, and he lived here for most of his life, then eight years ago, his family moved to Japan for his dad's job, and then six years ago, they moved to America for his dad's job."

"Oh that's cool.  I actually moved here from America four years ago, so."  Samuel said.

"Wow really?  Well let's finish this project, and then I can enlist your help in finding Daehwi."

"Sounds good."

And so, thirty minutes later, Samuel found himself helping search for Daehwi, who he was pretty sure was the boy under the sink.   He found himself wandering back to the kitchen to talk to the boy under the sink.

He made sure no one was around before opening the door to the cabinet under the sink.  

"Are you Daehwi?"  Samuel whispered.

"Yeah.  I heard you talking to my cousin, please don't tell him I'm here, I don't wanna go."  Boy under the sink whispered back.

"Okay.  But you should go home you know.  I'd give almost everything to go back to America."  Samuel whisper-argued.

"But I don't want to.  I want to stay here."  Daehwi whined.

"Just go, and convince your parents to let you move here."  Samuel reasoned.

"How am I gonna do that?"  Daehwi asked.

Samuel thought for a moment, before extending his arm and pulling up his sleeve.  At first Daehwi was confused, until he read the little words printed there.  Slowly, understanding dawned on him.  Daehwi shifted slightly and pushed the ankle of his right sock down to reveal the words "what the-"

"It's even in my handwriting."  Samuel muttered surprised.

"Well then nice to meet you soulmate."  Daehwi said.

"The same to you.  My name is Samuel by the way."  Samuel said, "do you want help getting out of there?"

"Y'know help would be great Samuel, come to think of it."  Daehwi said.

"How did you even get in there in the first place?"  Samuel questioned as he attempted to safely get Daehwi out of the cabinet under the sink.

Once Daehwi was out of the cabinet under the sink, and standing up again, Samuel called out "I found him!"  To let his classmate to know to stop searching.

Twenty minutes later, Samuel had to go home, and Daehwi had to go to the airport, but they exchanged phone numbers as well as promises to see each other again before parting ways.

~~~

The second he got home, Daehwi wanted to talk to his parents about going back.  But the mood was somewhat festive, and he crashed the second his body made contact with his bed.  The next morning, he woke up to a text from Samuel.

Samuel:

Good morning!  I hope you slept well.  Good luck trying to convince your parents to let you move here~

Daehwi:

Good night?? (Is it night in Korea?  My body clock seems to think it is).  I did sleep well. I dreamt of being in Korea again and getting to see you!  Thanks for the luck.  I think I'm going to talk to my parents before breakfast!

Samuel: 

Lol.  It is night here.  Hwihwi fighting

Daehwi smiled at his phone, and rolled out of bed.  It was the prime time to talk to his parents.  And they had to let him go back, he met his soulmate after all.  

When he got downstairs, he found his parents arguing.

"Mom, Dad." He said.  They both looked at him.

"What is it?" His mom snapped.

"Um.  Well.  I want to move to Korea.  I'd finish up high school there and everything." Daehwi said.

"Where is this coming from?"  His mom asked.

"Let him talk honey."  His father tried.

"No!  This is just too sudden!  He probably met some girl!"  His mom snapped at his dad.

"It's not that sudden Mom.  I've always loved Korea whenever we would visit family there, and besides, I was born there.  I am Korean.  I know you like the states, but I want to go back to Korea.  And I met my soulmate."  Daehwi explained.

"See I told you he met someone!" His mom said.

"It's his soulmate, that's different!"  His dad defended.

"Yeah.  You know how it is with soulmates mom."  Daehwi added.

"No.  I don't actually."  His Mom snapped bitterly, "my soulmate died young.  Before I even met them."

"Well.  Once you meet them, it's like a there's a rubber band around your heart, and it connects to your soulmate's heart too.  And when you get very far apart, it hurts.  It feels like someone is stretching your heart, and you don't know when it's gonna snap." Daehwi explained.

His Mom paused for a second, and there was a brief silence.

"I think if you can find someone to house you before school starts up again in the fall, you could go."  His dad spoke up.

"I think I can work with that."  His mom agreed.

"Thank you so much!"  Daehwi said in a happy rush of words.  Before either of his parents could say anything, he rushed back upstairs to his room to tell Samuel.

Daehwi:

Muelie!! You will not believe it!!! My parents said I could go!!!  They said that as long as I find someone to stay with, I can go!!!

Samuel:

Yay!  That's so great!

Daehwi:

Now I just have to find someone to stay with until I turn 18!!!

Samuel:

I'll ask my parents if they'd be okay with it.  It's highly likely, because they have been practically dying to meet you since I told them about you. 

Daehwi:

YAY!!! That would be amazing! 

Samuel:

It would

Now it's late here, I was just staying up to hear what your parents said.  I'll ask my parents tomorrow.

Daehwi:

I was gonna say... Goodnight!

Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite!

~~~

Two weeks later, Daehwi was in the airport again, saying goodbye to his parents and his friends.  It was sad, but he was going to Korea.  He was going to live in Korea!  He could always come back to visit.  

When Daehwi landed in Korea, Samuel was waiting.  He greeted Samuel with an eager running hug, and bowed to Samuel's parents, politely introducing himself.

That night Daehwi ate with his new family for the first time.  He was happy to be in Korea, and happy to see Samuel everyday.

The two woke up the next day sprawled over each other, enjoying the comfort of one another.  Despite the jet lag, that day was Daehwi's first day at school in Korea, and he was really glad that he was going to Samuel's school.  He leaned over slightly and pecked the sleeping Samuel's cheek, this was a nice way to wake up.

Despite them knowing that they were soulmates, they decided to be friends first, after all they knew very little about each other, though that would change quickly.  At school, they were close friends, at home, they were brothers.  But the break at the end of the school year saw the end of that.

~~~

They were enjoying their first day off school and Samuel's parents were at work.  They were sat at the table in a pitiful attempt to do their break homework, when Samuel looked up to see Daehwi's concentrating face.  It was undeniably cute, and for the first time, Samuel thought about kissing his adorable soulmate-bestfriend.  Nothing was stopping him, so when Daehwi looked up, Samuel leaned forward and captured Daehwi's lips in his.  The kiss was a brief one, but it left them both a little red in the face.

"Wow.  Forward much."  Daehwi laughed.

Samuel smiled, "it seemed like the right time."

"Then is it the right time to ask you to be my boyfriend?"  Daehwi asked.

"I think it just might be."  Samuel said.

______________

A/n:  are my terrible writing habits returning?  Probably.  Oh well.  Another Samhwi one shot, I hope you liked it~