If Kyungsoo will be asked to describe his relationship with his best friend, he will definitely deflect the question because there are simply no words that he will be able to use. Or rather, words are not enough.

Or it could also be that Baekhyun is such an eccentric soul that you will not be able to cage him into something or try to label him with anything. He goes beyond all stereotypes.

He is Baekhyun.

While having these thoughts, Kyungsoo feels a little self-conscious. He knows that he and Baekhyun are polar opposites and their tendencies of clashing is a lot higher compare to with other people around them.

Where Baekhyun is loud, Kyungsoo is quiet. Where Baekhyun is funny, Kyungsoo is not. Where Baekhyun is friendly, Kyungsoo is awkward. Where Baekhyun is lovable, Kyungsoo is forgettable. Where Baekhyun is bright, Kyungsoo is his shadow.

But Kyungsoo has never felt discontent with that. In fact, he doesn’t mind. Except when it is him that Baekhyun pesters.

(Lies, he never really minded Baekhyun’s idiocy.)

“What is going on in your head now, Soo?“

“How annoying you are.“

Baekhyun snorts and huffs, turning back to his own homework that he tries very hard to do by himself. Kyungsoo snickers as he recognizes the creased lines forming on Baekhyun’s usually smooth forehead and the hard press of his lips.

Kyungsoo has always been all bark and no bite when it comes to his best friend. As much as he pushes away Baekhyun’s presence, his requests and his needs that he doesn’t voice out, he still relents in the end.

The honey-blonde startles when his brunette best friend took the seat beside him and snatched away his Trig book.

“You are an idiot. Who doesn’t understand ellipses?”

“You are crazy. You are the only one who gets them!”

Brows furrowed, Kyungsoo places the book back on the table and crossed his arms in a show of annoyance. “Fine, do it yourself then.“

Baekhyun snorts and held the tops of Kyungsoo’s arms while placing his chin on the latter’s shoulder. He then bats his eyelashes and pouts exaggeratedly.

“Aww, Soo! I’m just joking! Please help me. I’m stupid and this stupid needs help.”

He didn’t need the horrible aegyo so Kyungsoo grimaces as he scoots further from his best friend, hoping that his cheeks aren’t as red as he feels. Stupid Baekhyun for being too cute for his own good.

“Keep your ugly mug away from me. ”

“Yes, yes. I’m ugly and stupid,” Baekhyun nods eagerly. “So please help me with my homework?“

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “Are you just gonna leech off of me your whole life?”

“Yes, because I will forever be on your back, Do Kyungsoo! You will never shake me off!”

True enough, Baekhyun is still very much present in Kyungsoo’s life, ten years later.

Soulmates have always been an abstract romantic concept that can only be found in novels and movies. Except that it is very much part of Kyungsoo’s family’s reality. The Dos are a long line descendants of one of the alleged Fates and they bear a symbol of that on their wrists. The first words of the person fated for them. Kyungsoo came from a family who has the ability to know who their soulmate is by the words that appear on their wrists.

It is indeed romantic, as many of his ancestors and immediate family has never been as happy as they have ever been after they have met their perfect match. And it really is beautiful, Kyungsoo thinks but he really can’t relate to that.

He may have his own Words of Fate on his left wrist but the thing is, those words doesn’t make sense. It is completely gibberish.

And Baekhyun, his best friend since birth has always thought that it was hilarious.

“’Dubaduduba’… I don’t know Soo. Maybe your soulmate is a foreigner? Have you tried to search it up online? It sure sounds like some tribal chant or something,” Kyungsoo narrows his eyes at how stupid Baekhyun is being. As much as he tries to mask his true intentions, they have known each other for such a long time that he can’t really hide anything from Kyungsoo.

But Kyungsoo has long learned to ignore Baekhyun and his jabs on his Words of Fate. Still, the sting that it brings his heart, knowing that it is near impossible to know who his soulmate is, is still there. He has already considered looking for clues in the internet, as to what his Words could mean but they only bring up vague, unhelpful answers. It’s unfair, he thinks, because all the members of their family who has met their soulmates didn’t have to go far to meet them, or if they have met in another country, it was because they do need to travel. They really were meant to meet each other at some point in their life

For Kyungsoo, who is preparing to take over his parents’ restaurant, there is no reason for him to travel long and far, except if he will attend some food expo that his parents will send him to. So far, the farthest that they have sent him is a 6-hour travel by train.

The pressure of finding his own soulmate has been weighing on his shoulders for a few weeks already. Kyungsoo is turning twenty-five in less than a year and it is the average age for one to find their soulmate. Though the latest recorded in their family register is one of his far aunts who met her soulmate during her thirtieth year, Kyungsoo isn’t sure if she is as lucky as she is.

A body then pressed on his side and arms wound around his frame, dispersing his thoughts away. Baekhyun leaned his weight a little bit more on him but that is just how he is. Baekhyun’s cuddles are borderline comforting and suffocating yet Kyungsoo had years to get used to it. It is a great distraction from his thoughts that has started to go downhill.

“Sorry?” Baekhyun mumbles, something that he only does around Kyungsoo because he knows his best friend prefers the quiet. And maybe he doesn’t want to get hit all the time he is using his usual speaking voice which is apparently too loud for Kyungsoo. “Did I say something again?”

“You’re an idiot,” Kyungsoo replies with a hint of smile on his lips. “You always say something even if I tell you not to.”

Affronted, Baekhyun straightens up and threw an accusing glare at the younger who has schooled his expression to his neutral nonchalance. “Why are you mean today? You were just mean yesterday!” he pouted and decided to cling again to his best friend who sighed in defeat but didn’t do anything to push him away.

“I… just have a lot in my mind, Baek.”

“The soulmate thing again?” Kyungsoo nods and Baekhyun hums. The latter knows better than to tease Kyungsoo about it at the moment. “I don’t see why you need to be bothered about it, Soo, to be honest.”

Kyungsoo kept quiet. He has heard that from his parents and hyung as well. There are cases where soulmates aren’t found in their lifetime. There has been a few of them and he believes that he is leaning towards being an addition to that list. It’s just… it makes him feel sad. Why would from all of the Dos, he would be the unfortunate one to not meet his soulmate?

Soulmates complete each other and without his, he will be followed by a phantom empty feeling for the rest of his life. It will be a nagging feeling that will never give him a peaceful silence.

“Why do you even bother? You have me, Soo. I will never leave you, even if you grow old, gray and grumpy.”’

“Shut up, Baekhyun.”

“Fine, suit yourself,” Baekhyun huffed with another pout as he snuggled closer to Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo smiles because whenever Baekhyun is keeping his mouth shut and making him feel that he is needed because he is a cuddle monster, he forgets that he is supposed to feel incomplete.

***
“So you finally decided to stop leeching off of your parents? But then you will come to annoy me more often?” Kyungsoo teased and found it amusing that Baekhyun pouts, as he has expected. Baekhyun has invited him out for a coffee because of a good news, he said. It is indeed a good news as Baekhyun is trying to become more independent and he is moving