JJP

Teen for minor cursing

lots of fluff with a teeny bit of angst in the beginning  (like super small that's meant to get you sad but then turns it around very quickly)

Note to Narra,

Yo. I can't beieve I actually wrote this.  Sorry it's not too detailed but I'm feel like I got the feelings that I wanted to portray. The pompt was amazing and I hope you really like what I've done with it. Sorry for the wait :)

(ALso have a tendency to accidentally captitalize the first two letters in a word and never go back to fix them...dude, <=that was not planned)

As far as Jaebum knew, he had always seen the strings. When he was young he didn’t know what they were. He never really asked about them either. He was too afraid. It wasn’t until he started school that his nice teacher with a sunshine smile and pretty hair tied up in a bun told the whole class about soulmates. She said that everyone had one. They were a person perfectly made for you and you were perfectly made for them. They loved each other unconditionally. One child had asked how they could find their soulmate. It was then that Jaebum learned what the strings were. His teacher smiled kindly and replied that no one could really tell for sure, but there was a rumor that soulmates were tied by the red string of fate.

That raised another question in his young mind. If everyone had a soulmate, then why didn’t Jaebum have his own little red string. Why didn’t his parent’s strings connect?

That curiosity led him to the discovery of his abilities. His parents strings were never attached to one another. Sure he could tell that they loved each other, to an extent at least. They were not perfect for each other though. There were little things. Little things that would pick at their brains and hearts. Little things that would get in the way of their painstakingly crafted love. Little things that would keep Jaebum up at night through the hissed words and barely concealed arguments. As a young boy whose only concept of love was soulmates, he never understood WHY his parents weren’t soulmates. Weren’t people supposed to find their one true love? Why bother with other love if it wasn’t meant to be? His friend Youngjae’s parents’ strings were connected. He wanted his parents to be connected to, desperately so.

One day after quite a nasty argument, JAebum’s little mind was full of longing for his parents to love eachother again, for them to be soulmates. He thought about it so much that their strings began to glow. Jaebum watched in shock as their string glowed and then unwound, separating into individual thread before snapping in half. The frayed ends of his parents’ strings then migrated towards each other. The ends met in a homologous joint, glowing bright once again before twisting together. When the light faded the strings were revealed to  be connected. JAebum gasped in shock, calling the attention of his two parents. He had just changed their strings, but he wouldn’t tell them. They were soulmates now-but they didn’t need to know why or how.

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“Jaebum, I’m telling you. He’s perfect for me. There’s no way he’s not my soulmate! I just know he is!” Mark gushed, eyes alight and sitting across from JAebum at the coffee shop they agreed to meet up at.

“If you say so.” Jaebum smiled.

He was happy for his friend. He and Mark had gone to highschool together in California. They were extremely close back then. Though eventually they had to graduate and go to college. Mark had stayed in his home state whereas Jaebum had decided to go back to his home country. They were able to visit a few times over the years and managed to keep up their close friendship through skype and short vacations. The reason for JAebum’s current meet up with his old friend was to catch up and because he had some good news to share.

“I still can’t believe I’m marrying him though,” Mark sighed dreamily, “Jackson is so great. I really want you to meet him in real life.”

Jaebum chuckled at how taken Mark was with his fiance. Jaebum had met Jackson over skype once or twice and over the phone more often. He seemed like nice enough of a guy and didn’t have anything against the guy. Though, he never was able to see his string. He had seen Mark’s plenty of times,but never who it connected to. To be honest he was slightly worried about meeting the man. MArk was so in love that if his string didn’t meet Jackson’s, well, Jaebum knew his friend would be devastated. Jaebum definitely didn’t want to be the on to tell him that Jackson wasn’t his soulmate. He suspected Mark would ask. After all, Mark was the only person he had told about his powers.  JAebum only hoped that there would only be good news to tell.

Mark’s phone rang and the brunet jumped up with a bright smile. He quickly swiped across the screen of his phone and held it up to his ear cooing out a disgustingly adorable pet name into the device.

“Oh? You’re already outside? I don’t see-oh, there you are!” Mark waved to the window behind Jaebum, “Ok, see you in a second babe.”

With that Mark quickly shuffled over to the door of the coffee shop and guided his fiance to their table. Jackson was shorter than he had imagined. He was rather broad and fit with swooping black hair and a cheerful expression. JAebum stood from the table to greet him.

“Jaebum, this is JAckson. Jackson this is my best-bud, JAebum,” Mark introduced happily.

“Nice to finally meet in person,” Jackson smiled, extending his hand, “MArk has told me a lot about you.”

“Likewise,” Jaebum shook his hand, “He won’t shut up about you.”

“Dude-” MArk protested at first but smiled shyly as Jackson burst into laughter, “Let’s just sit down now.”

The three men sat at the table and Jaebum tried to ignore the niggling feeling to check Jackson’s string. They conversed and talked about what they had been up to recently. Jaebum was able to learn more about Jackson and the upcoming wedding. All in all it was a rather joyous meeting. Later, The happy couple had to leave and Mark asked Jackson to wait for him outside while he talked some best man stuff with Jaebum. The chinese man acquiesced and left.

“So?” Mark looked at jaebum with hopeful eyes.

Jaebum sighed and closed his eyes. He focused for a moment before opening his eyes. Immediately the room was filled with a barrage of red strings. They ran through the walls and windows or in between couples  sipping coffee together at the bar. Jaebum sifted through them to find Mark’s. It twisted a bit and ran out past JAebum and through the window. HE was hopeful for a second because He knew that was where Jackson had just walked to. JAebum turned to follow the string out the window and...right past Jackson. The string ran across the street and around  curve where he could no longer follow. JAebum froze. He desperately found Jackson’s thread and followed it--it didn’t even enter the restaurant, instead flowing in the opposite direction of Mark’s. Jaebum slowly turned around, face solemn.

“And?” Mark asked, eyes hopeful. YEt, when he took in the expression on Jaebum’s face, that hope died, “Wait, no. Jaebum-no, it can’t be! I was so sure...He’s- Jackson is…”

“I’m sorry Mark,” Jaebum sighed and looked down at the table.

“No, I can’t believe this. You-you can change it though, right? I mean, like you did with your parents and that couple with deceased soulmates?” MArk asked desperately.

“What? No, Mark! Do you realize what you are asking?” Jaebum looked up in shock, “It’s not right to mess with fate!”

“ fate, JAebum,” Mark nearly growled, “I deserve happiness too. Who knows when I’ll find another person like Jackson, let alone my soulmate that I don’t even know!”

“Mark,” Jaebum pleaded.

“Jaebum, please. I love Jackson and I’m tired of waiting. I know I can be happy with him,” Mark urged.

JAebum frowned and looked down at the table. He knew MArk loved JAckson. Maybe Jaebum was still that young boy inside. The one who believed love was only for those who fate decided. He had given up hope for himself after never seeing a string attached to himself. He longed for a soulmate. Maybe he still couldn’t understand why someone would settle for anyone other than the one made for them. MAybe because he knew he would never have someone made for him, and he really wished he could.

Jaebum sighed and looked up from the table, muttering quietly, “Ok.”

“Really! Really, really?” Mark perked up immediately.

“Yes, but don’t-and I mean it MArk-don’t come to me f this doesn’t pan out the way you expect it. Ok?” Jaebum asked harshly.

“Yes, yes, I agree! Please, Jae,”Mark implored.

Jaebum sighed once more before closing his eyes and focusing. He thought of Mark’s desperation and the couple’s love. HE used those feelings to lift their strings and unravel them, eventually joining the two in a burst of light behind his eyelids. Jaebum exhaled slowly when he had completed it. He really hoped he was doing the right thing. When jaebum opened his eyes he gasped in shock. The string that was previously attached to Jackson was floating in the air, almost aimlessly. Jaebum watched in confusion as it drifted as if blown by the wind. The string fluttered until it it drifted through the window before a bright light burst in front of his eyes. JAebum flinched in his seat and looked down to see a single red string coming out of his chest. Jaebum looked around with wide eyes and noticed that he couldn’t see any other strings, just...his own.

“Woah, man,” MArk suddenly cut in, “Are you ok?”

“Jaebum coughed and blinked his eyes a few times before looking back at MArk.

“Yeah, uh...it just feels weird whenever I do that,” Jaebum lied, eyes still searching for red strings.

“Ok, well thank you then,” Mark smiled, “Really JAebum, you have no idea how much this means to me. You really are my best friend.”

“Yeah,” Jaebum agreed quietly, “Well,  you probably shouldn’t leave JAckson waiting any longer. H might think you’re trying to elope with me instead.”

Mark laughed and smacked his friend in the arm but agreed. Standing up they said their goodbyes and walked out of the coffee shop together. Jaebum said goodbye to Jackson before watching the couple walk down the street hand in hand.

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Jaebum laid in the bed of his new apartment restlessly. He stared down at his chest in awe and confusion. A red string burst from his heart and pierced through the walls of his apartment. There was no way. What were the odds? How could this have happened. Did his string lead to Jackson’s soulmate, or rather Jackson’s previous soulmate? His mind was a mess with questions. He didn’t know what to do. He didn't know whether he should believe it. If the string led him to his own soulmate. Jaebum turned his head to his clock and saw that it was only 11:30 A.M. Standing up, Jaebum grabbed a jacket and his key before leaving the apartment. Once on the streetside Jaebum looked down at his string and where it led. It crossed the street ad ran down into the horizon. JAebum steeled himself and began to follow it.

He walked for at least thirty minutes, crossing streets and turning corners. He wasn’t really sure where he was going. He only hoped that it would lead somewhere within the city. JAebum sighed as he turned another corner. He found himself in a public park surrounded by quaint stores on one side and an elementary school on the other. Jaebum stopped at one of the benches and sat down, tired after walking for a while. He looked out and saw that his string ran through the school. Jaebum let his head fall back and closed his eyes.

Who was he kidding? There was no way he would see who was on the other side of his string. Ot on the first day he had it.

In the distance he heard a school bell and the squeeling of children. He heard the distant voices of their teachers getting the attention of the students.

“Ok, everyone hold hands please,” a sweet voice called over the babble of children, “We’re going to the park but I need everyone to stay together.”

Jaebum opened his eyes and glanced over in curiosity.

“What do we do before we cross the street?” The teacher,  raven hair male dressed modestly in black slacks and a baby blue blazer, asked his students.

The young children, most likely kindergarten, chorus their answers that seemed to please their teacher. It was then that Jaebum noticed. His red string, the teacher’s red string: they were connected. Jaebum sat up straight in his seat and looked at the man with wide eyes. Upon closer inspection, the teacher was very handsome. He had soft features and a trim body beneath his looser clothes. He had bright eyes and a kind smile as he led the kindergarteners across the street along with a few other adult helpers. Jaebum would have stared at him longer had he not taken a moment to think how weird it would be  for a single, grown man to be staring at a group of six year olds. Belatedly, JAebum jumped up from the bench and rushed in the other direction, heart pumping.

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Jaebum wasn’t sure why he found himself in a coffee shop thirty minutes away from his apartment at -o’clock in the morning. Ok, so maybe he did. Fully functioning adults who deal with screaming children all day need their morning dose of caffeine, right? So JAebum ordered himself an espresso and sat himself in the window of the quaint coffee shop on the other side of the park, hoping that the kindergarten teacher would show up. However that hope dwindled as the morning got later and later. Eventually Jaebum gave up. He stood up with his cold coffee in hand and began to walk towards the door. His mind focused on the red string protruding from his chest so he didn’t notice the man that was walking into the door right a he was leaving it. The cup in his hand immediately burst open and spilled the remaining contents all across the man’s white shirt.

“, I’m so sorry,” JAebum cursed, looking up only to freeze in shock.

It was him. The teacher. His soulmate.

“Ah, that's ok,” The man laughed goodnaturedly, “I’m used to getting into messes.”

“-I mean- Sorry, let me make it up to you!”  Jaebum offered desperately wanting to hold the man’s attention for longer.

“Really, there’s no need,” the man laughed goodnaturedly, swiping his black bangs out of his eyes.

“Still, I ruined your shirt, let me buy your coffee or a shirt or something,” Jaebum pleaded.

The man eventually sighed and nodded, “Ok, how  about you buy me coffee while I change shirts.”

Jaebum gave him a confused look to which the man laughed at. He lifted up his bag and replied, “I’m  preschool teacher. I have to be prepared for everything. Anyways just get me a caramel latte. I’ll be right back.”

“Ah, wait,” Jaebum cried when the man began to walk towards the bathroom, “I never got you name.”

“Jinyoung Park,” Jinyoung smiled, “And you?”

The korean name surprised him, maybe so much that he slipped back to his native mannerisms, “Im Jaebum.”

“Then I’ll see you in a minute Mr. Im,” Jinyoung winked before heading to the bathrooms.

Baffled, Jaebum went to the counter to order Jinyoung’s drink. The drink was ready before Jinyoung left the bathroom, so Jaebum took it and stood awkwardly within eyesight of the doors. When Jinyoung emerged, he smiled and walked over to JAebum.

“Sorry...again,” Jaebum apologized, feeling his cheeks heat up.

“I already told you it’s ok. At least it wasn’t hot,” Jinyoung appealed, taking the cup.

Jaebum stood there awkwardly for a moment. He wasn’t sure if he should continue talking to him. He wanted to , of course. But he was rather embarrassed by the fact that he had spilt coffee on his supposed soulmate and the fact that he had been waiting for him all morning. Jinyoung however, did not seem the least bit lost and happily asked the man to join him to sit outside.

“It’s such a beautiful day and why not spend it in the company of a new friend,” he had said.

Jaebum wasn’t sure why, but he could already feel myself fall a little at those honeyed words.

They sat down and  talked about their lives, their home country, anything menial and quick. Somehow, they managed to keep up a constant conversation, despite Jaebum’s awkwardness. In all honesty, he was never like this. He was never hy, nor flustered. Yet, something about Jinyoung made him feel so unsure and fluttery, like he was someone special, something he should try not to mess up. Was it because of the string? Is this what love was?

“So you graduated from Konkuk university in Korea, why come back to the states?” Jinyoung asked, eyes shining.

“I kind of grew up here. My best-friend is getting married soon and I have some relatives here. Korea is great and all,  but I felt like I was missing all the relationships I made here in California the whole time I was studying,” Jaebum explained, “Now it’s just finding a job somewhere as a music teacher or producer-who knows, just something to settle down with.”

Jinyoung hummed in understanding, “Wow, well, i hate to cut this short but I have to get to work now-but tell you what. Our music teacher is like super pregnant right now, like I’m pretty sure she’s going to pop out a baby in the middle of class one day. I can ask the school if they’ve found a interim teacher? You should probably go and introduce yourself to the front office, but hey, maybe this could be your first shot.”

“Wow,”Jaebum gasped, “I don’t-wow. I can’t believe you would do that fo someone you just met. Like we’re practically strangers...you must really be angel. Why?”

Smiled almost shyly, “I’m not so sure yself,but there’s something about you that just seems so genuine. Maybe I’m just missing home, but I feel like we’re already friends.”

Jinyoung said his goodbyes and forced Jaebum’s phone number out of him, promising to ask about the music teacher position. JAebum smiled as he left and felt all sorts of uncomfortable swirling in his stomach.

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It turns out that the music teacher did indeed nearly pop one out during class. Jinyoung’s school called him in a panic, needing someone to cover immediately. They apparently trusted Jinyoung’s judgement and JAebum’s credentials. When he arrived at the school, he was told to think of the next few days as a trial run and if he did well enough then he would stay for the rest of the previous teacher’s maternity.

He was a little lost at first,but Jinyoung had helped him immensely. He found himself looking forwards to seeing the other around the building everyday. They had even taken to having morning coffees together at the shop across the park. Everyday he learned more about Jinyoung and every day he fell more in love.

He eventually told Mark about him and about the string. MArk was beyond happy for him, insisting that he met the man. Jaebum profusely refused. He had only just cemented a friendship with Jinyoung. There hadn’t been any attempts at romance just yet. Though he had a little feeling that Jinyoung wasn’t just being friendly when he stopped by the music room on his breaks or afterschool, or when he batted his eyelashes and stared at JAebum’s face maybe a second longer than what was normal. Jaebum himself wasn’t exactly sure how to progress things on his part. He had never thought that love was possible for him, yet now he found himself thrown into the storm with only a PFD to keep his head above the water.

“Hyung-” Jinyoung had taken to calling him that when they were alone. They often talked in their native language at the coffee shop or in afterschool walks in the park, “-I heard that Liza is coming back soon.”

“So I’ve been told,” Jaebum frowned slightly.

He had grown rather fond of the students and was a little upset at the thought of leaving them so soon.

“Though I wonder if she should just wait until January. There’s not much point in returning two weeks before winter break,” Jaebum added.

They were sitting inside the coffee shop this time, because while it never really got cold in southern california it was still a bit chilly in the morning air.

“What will you do after she comes back?” jinyoung asked over the rim of his coffee.

“Probably a more permanent job,” Jaebum sighed.

“You’ll come visit though, right?” Jinyoung asked shyly, taking a sip of his drink as an excuse to not look at JAebum.

JAebum chuckled and responded, “Of course, I couldn’t leave you.”

Jinyoung blushed and JAebum slid his hand across the table in a surge of confidence to grab Jinyoung’s free hand.

“How about you come visit me too.”

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Mark met Jinyoung on the night of his wedding. MArk and JAckson had chosen a winter wedding because of the cooler temperatures would feel better in an outdoor wedding. Jaebum of course was MArk’s best man and MArk definitely wanted JAebum to invite Jinyoung as his plus one. He wasn’t sure exactly what they were, but it was definitely more than friends. They had taken to holding hands now and sleeping over at each other’s apartments through inadvertent cuddles on couches. Maybe they were just waiting for the other to take the first step towards a more structured relationship.

MArk absolutely loved Jinyoung. Jackson too had been rather fond of the man. Jaebum was a little worried about the latter meeting Jinyoung. Afterall, he was still convinced that Jinyoung was once Jackson’s soulmate. He couldn’t help the feelings of guilt and jealousy when he saw the two getting along quite well. Then he would see the light in Mark’s eyes and the love in Jackson’s and he would feel less worried. EVen more the red string that still attached his own heart to that of Jinyoung’s further calmed his tumultuous mind. The string at first had been a reminder, but now it felt more like a comfort.

“They seem very nice,” Jinyoung had mentioned when they seperated a bit from the crowd, gravitating towards the edge of the tent where lights tumbled down from the edge like flickering stars.

The light reflected off of Jinyoung’s obsidian hair and in his warm eyes. They illuminated his soft skin and gave his aura an even more ethereal glow. Jaebum had to take a long silent minute to take in the beautiful angel that stood before him.

“Yeah,” Jaebum agreed almost as an afterthought, still caught up in the beauty that was PArk Jinyoung.

“Hyung? Hyung, you still there,” Jinyoung asked concerned as he rested a hand on Jaebum’s shoulder.

Belatedly Jaebum realized he must have been trying to say something but Jaebum lost everything in the cure of Jinyoung's lips or the arch in his brow. He was suddenly overcome with a strong desire to hold the man and never let him go. To make Jinyoung his own before someone tried to steal his light.

Instead of answering Jinyoung, JAebum rushed forward and tugged the man into his embrace, inhaling his scent and feeling the planes of his body within his arms.

“Hyung?” Jinyoung chuckled in confusion as he lifted his own arms to return the embrace.

“Jinyoung,” Jaebum whispered into his hair, “I don’t think I can stand this much more.”

“What are you talking about?” Jinyoung whisper back; his voice was calm, confident, like he had no fears, no doubts.

“I don’t think I can stand here as your friend any longer,” JAebum sighed, squeezing Jinyoung closer, “I get overwhelmed so often, afraid that someone might come and sweep you off your feet and take you away from me.”

Jinyoung just laughed quietly, turning his head so that he looked up at JAebum, eyes sparkling without the help of the fairy lights, “Silly hyung. You already have swept me off my feet.”

Jaebum smiled and lifted a hand to hold Jinyoung’s face, “So then will you be mine? My other half, my soulmate?”

Jinyoung was his perfect other half. He was confident where JAebum was not. He was loving when Jaebum could only feel anger, forgiving when JAebum held grudges. He was smart and cunning when JAebum was lost and confused. Jaebum was strong when Jinyoung needed strength. He was attentive when Jinyoung was forgetful. He was creative when Jinyoung was dead tired. And JAebum wouldn’t last another second alone without him.

“Depends is this a proposal or are you asking me out?” Jinyoung teased, lips turning upwards into the smirk that Jaebum loved so much.

“Whichever you want,” Jaebum smiled, caressing Jinyoung's cheekbone with an idle finger, “You’re my soulmate. I know it. I also know that I want to be with you however you want, wherever you are and selfishly now and forever. I don’t think I can wait a minute more.”

Jinyoung laughed happily, leaning up to press a quick kiss on the corner of Jaebum's lips, “Then let's start with boyfriend.”

“Anything you want,” Jaebum agreed before placing both hands on Jinyoung’s face and kissing him tenderly.

The kiss was only broken when he heard the distant shouting of JAckson demanding his bouquet.

“Come on Mark! Jaebum NEEDS it!”

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“Bummie? Why the hell are there three cats in our kitchen?”

Jaebum jumped off the couch at the sound of his boyfriend’s surprised shouting.

“Oh, well you know Nora, the other two are strays I found in the park this afternoon,” JAebum explained as he made his way to meet Jinyoung in the kitchen.

“Ok, but why?” Jinyoung voice filtered from the kitchen.

When aebum rounded the corner he could see Jinyoung standing in the middle of the kitchen looking down at Kunta who was quietly eating in the corner while Odd nuzzled his legs and Nora sat on the counter with Jinyoung’s hand absentmindedly grazing her fur. Jaebum knew at the sight that there was no malice in Jinyoung once he set eyes on the creatures.

“Do I need a reason for more cats?” Jaebum laughed.

“I suppose not,” Jinyoung grumbled half-heartedly (the other half of his heart had already melted at the sight of the furry babies.

“Don’t worry love,” JAebum slid up to his lover and kissed his neck, “Just think of them as our children.”

Jinyoung blushed and smacked JAebum in the side, literally beating him out of the kitchen. Jaebum only laughed and barely attempted to shield himself from his lover’s fury, eventually running o the couch where he caught Jinyoung around the waist and tossed him down upon it. Jaebum held his body of the teacher’s and caged him in, looking down at him lovingly.

“What if we made our own kids too?”Jaebum leered, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Jinyong scoffed and rolled his eyes, “No kids until you actually propose to me-wait,no on second thought- no kids until I propose to you. You already did yours.”

“Whenever you’re ready then,” JAebum chuckled and leaned down to press kisses all over Jinyoung’s face.

“Well, i’m going to need some time to plan this out because this has to romantic as . I’m not going to let you out romance me.” Jinyoung smirked.

“That’s impossible, babe,” JAebum protested.

“Try me.”

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“So how did you know for sure that we are soulmates,” Jinyoung asked one morning as they bathed in the soft light filtering through the curtains.

Jaebum turned to gaze upon Jinyoung’s exposed skin glowing in the light. Soft, translucent shadows shifted across his skin like rippling waters. Jaebum reached out and touched Jinyoung’s shoulder before dragging his fingers down t where the red string sat taughtly between their hearts.

“I can see our string,” Jaebum tapped Jinyoung’s chest, “Yours leads to mine,” Jaebum brought his hand back to tap on his own heart before moving back to Jinyoung, “and mine leads to yours. A straight line, unmistakably ours.”