Kim Jongsoon was the fastest witch in the whole palace and unfortunately for some, the most powerful too. Because of this, many people were excited to know who would be her soulmate, a name tattooed on her wrist forever. Soulmates were what every witch knew as soul unison, it was when your other half connects with you for the first time and their name will magically tattoo itself on your wrist. Jongsoon being excited about it was an understatement, she was burning with happiness to finally meet her soulmate and be happy together forever. 

She hoped her soulmate could be Kim Junmyun. He is the smartest and hottest wizard in Wandermere, she dreamily thought.

"Jong, are you there?" Luhua, her friend, called. "Are you thinking of Jun-"

"OH MY GOSH, LU, SHUT UP!" Jongsoon shrieks and covers Luhua's mouth. "Will you for once in your life shut up and keep my secrets how they should be, you know, secret?"

"Which secrets?" a voice behind their backs speaks, Jongsoon closes and frowns.

"This is a conversation between me and Luhua, Minseok." she snarls without looking at the intruder, "don't you have manners?"

"Jong," Luhua softly warns.

"I do have manners unlike someone I know," Minseok interrupts her and glares at the blond-headed woman.

Jongsoon looks back and snaps, "how dare you insult me? I've never been impolite to you!"

"Really? Then, how are you acting right now?" Minseok smirks and crosses his arms in front of his chest. "Anyway, I came here to tell you Madam Park is looking for you and Luhua." 

And he leaves them, his broad shoulders shaking a little bit as he silently giggles.

"I swear, Lu, I would kill him if I could." the small blond-head woman complains and packs her stuff with anger. "Also why you defend him all the time? He's such a pain in the ; I don't know why you like him so much."

"He's really nice and sweet, Jongie, you don't know him because you're so persistent on fighting." Luhua calmly provides to her friend, her brown shiny hair bouncing a little with her head movements. "You should give him a-"

"A chance? Over my dead body." Jongsoon concludes and walks towards to the door, "shall we go?"

Jongsoon happily skips through the hallway, saluting everyone and everything in her way. 

"Ms. Kim." Jongsoon stops and looks over his shoulder to see Mr. Hwa Young standing behind her with a frown on his face. "We've talked about corridors security a lot of times before, have we?"

"We have" she murmurs and lowers her head. 

"Well, I hope it doesn't happen again." he threatens, "also please call Mr. Kim to my office; I need to talk with him."

Jongsoon looks up at the mention of his ultimate enemy, Minseok talking with Mr. Hwa Young? Will he be finally expelled from school? Oh my gosh, please.

"Yes, sir." she bows and runs to the male dormitory, a smile on her face. Her feet take her rather fast to Minseok's room; Jongsoon sighs and softly knocks on his door.

Minseok opens the door with a smile but at the sight of Jongsoon, his smile melts into a deep scowl. "What do you want, Kim? Aren't you tired of pestering me?"

"Ha ha ha, you're so funny." Jongsoon adds annoyed, "Mr. Hwa Young is looking for you, that's what I wanted to say, you brat."

"Brat? What are you, a kid?" Minseok sighs and closes the door behind him. "Now, shut up and lead the way."

"Your wish is my command, master." Jongsoon jokes and bows a little only to listen Minseok let out an annoyed grunt. Both walk to their professor's office, Jongsoon annoying the hell out of Minseok and Minseok vocally enduring the unholy (and uncalled for) torture.

"Will you shut up?" Minseok huffs and harshly pushes Jongsoon off the pavement sidewalk, the smaller woman yells and grips Minseok's arm.

"You almost kill me!" Jongsoon shouts, "I will sue you for attempted murder!"

Minseok giggles and helps Jongsoon up to her feet again. "Now, you're funny." 

She narrows her eyes and stares at the way Minseok's face scrunches up to smile widely, his gummy smile at a full display for Joongsoon. His nose cutely wrinkles and his eyes close to form small crescents, his grey hair falling slightly on his right eye. He's... cute, Jongsoon thinks in bewilderment.

"Hey, stop staring" Minseok shyly vacillates and softly punches her shoulder. His cheeks were slowly becoming redder with every passing second, something inside her shifted and make her snap out of her bubble.

"Shut up," she mumbles and walks faster leaving behind a very confused and flustered Minseok alone. Mr. Hwa Young is waiting for them outside of his office, his permanent and classic frown perched on his face.

"I thought I would die here waiting for you both." their professor chides and opens the door for them. "Come in, both of you."

Jongsoon moves to the professor's couch and questioningly looks at Mr. Hwa Young, wasn't it just Minseok?

Minseok sits next to her and politely smiles to their professor, his flustered state long gone. 

"Now, Mr. Kim and Mrs. Kim, I had liked to inform you too that our Annual Test Committee decided to let both of you take the exam before anyone else. Your grades were an important factor in this decision which I'm happy for and also, Mr. Kim's plan has been accepted." Mr. Hwa Young calmly informs as he places his teacup on top of his desk.

"Thank you so much, sir." Minseok smiles and bows, his eyes shining with unwashed tears. "I will work hard and-"

"It's okay, Minseok" Mr. Hwa Young smiles, he smiled! Jongsoon silently gasps.

"We'll look for the family names you're looking for and for Mrs. Kim, please, study hard and prepare yourself for the early exams." he looks at Jongsoon and she frowns a little, just that? I was waiting for a smile too. She disappointedly nods and stands up to bow too, his enemy already situated next to her with a blinding smile on his face and tears threatening to fall. 

"You may leave." Mr. Hwa Young instructs and disappears into thin air, and Jongsoon opens the door, Minseok follows her out. 

"So... what's that plan Mr. Hwa Young was talking about?" Jongsoon awkwardly asks, her hands slightly shaking for an unknown reason. 

"Oh!" Minseok perks up, "it's a project I've been working for years, have you heard of Unlimited Powers?"

Jongsoon nods.

"The Committee and I have decided to expel everyone with Unlimited Powers, I-"

"You've to be kidding me, Minseok." Jongsoon stops dead in her tracks, "I thought you were nice and sweet like Luhua said! I thought we could be friends but this just shows me I've always been right. You're bad and cruel, egoistically expelling these innocent people! They didn't choose to be Unlimited Powers; they didn't choose this path because they wanted to!"

"Jongsoon, you don't-" 

"Don't start with your nonsense, Minseok. They don't deserve it, you could've proposed a help plan! This is just outrageous!" Jongsoon explodes with anger. "And don't talk to me and Luhua ever again!"

Jongsoon turns around and tries to walk away from Minseok but the latter grabs her wrist. "I did for us, for Wandermere."

"For Wandermere? You little-" an intense pain in both of their wrists stops them from arguing further, Jongsoon desperately looks at her wrist and lets out a pained sob. And there it was, in big bold letters, Jongsoon's worst nightmare and biggest regret.

KIM MINSEOK

Jongsoon pinches her arm in hopes of all being a dream, a cursed dream but destiny once again proves her wrong. The tattoo shining in the sunlight, dark and unforgiving marks that would be engraved on her skin forever. 

"Jongsoon, I-"

"Stay away!" she warns, her arm already up and ready to strike him with a spell if necessary.

"Jongsoon, put your hand down, I just want to talk." he urgently pleads, "we need to talk."

"No, we don't." Jongsoon steps back and opens a small portal to her room. "You and I aren't soulmates, I don't know you." 

And she disappears. 

"Jong, Minseok is here again. Why don't you two talk and stop this nonsense?" Luhua coaxes, her hand softly caressing her hair and Jongsoon melts under her touch. 

"He's doing something against my beliefs, Lu, I can't forgive him that easily," Jongsoon mumbles and hides her wrist further in her blanket, the small tattoo burning a little down her white lie. She didn't need to know, nobody needed to know.

"What is it? Lately, you've been so quiet, is there something you want to tell me?"

Yes, my soulmate is someone I hate with all my heart and I would like to keep him far away from me but he's somehow your crush and unfortunately, again my soulmate? Joongsoon bitterly thinks.

"It's nothing, Lu." she instead answers, "I'm just tired of school and... Minseok."

Luhua hums and stops moving, "I'll tell him to go away."

She stands up and leaves Jongsoon alone with her angered and pained heart.

I just wanted to be loved by someone who I could love.

Jongsoon silently slips through the girls' dormitory door, her coat tightly covered her body from the freezing wind and prying eyes. Her steps falter a little at the sight of a small candle lit up in a corner of the corridor, Jongsoon gets closer and her eyes widen when she recognizes the book, with shaky hands she approaches the light. Was... Was he here? But no, he-

"What are you doing?" 

Jongsoon jumps a little and clutches her chest with an uneasy smile on her face, "you scared me!"

Minseok doesn't change his expression, "what are you doing here, Jongsoon?"

"It's none of your business," Jongsoon answers and composes herself. 

"None of my business?" quips Minseok as he gets closer to Jongsoon, she steps back in fear. Was it really fear though? 

"You're my soulmate, Jongsoon, I should know." he continues without missing a beat, his tall figure cornering her. She places her hand on his chest and shakes her head.

"No, we're no-"

"Don't" he stops her and softly, almost delicately touches her face, his violet eyes looking for any signs of regret in her eyes but instead he only finds an indescribable feeling swelling in her shiny eyes. Minseok slowly inches closer to Jongsoon, letting her space to escape or stop his nonsense but she doesn't, she lets him get closer; their breath mingling together as their eyes connect, their souls finally reaching for each other. Jongsoon's heart beats so loudly she's scared Minseok can hear it, his forehead rests against hers and their lips centimeters apart. Maybe if she inched closer, maybe if she-

"Jongsoon, I love you"

Her trembling legs give up and she clutches her heart again, she... she couldn't. 

Jongsoon's lips are dried and she already misses his touch but she can't, she- "I don't, Minseok"

And she leaves again like she always does but this time instead of one hurting heart, there were two. Beating together to the same sweetless and sad song that is their love.

"Are you ready?" Luhua whispers to her friend, both of their cloaks clean and ready to protect their owners. 

Jongsoon gulps and puts her helmet on, "I think I am."

"We're fighting for innocent people, Jong, we're good," she reassuringly smiles and places her hand on top of Jongsoon's shoulder. "Minseok won't know what hit him."

I hope he doesn't, Jongsoon worriedly thinks; her heart bleeding a little more of just thinking of Minseok. 

Luhua elegantly creates a portal to the inside of the palace and Jongsoon crosses it first, their army behind of her as she keeps walking until she reaches the familiar door of the Annual Test Committee. She makes a sign for her army to be ready and lowly murmurs a spell, the door shattering in a matter of seconds. Everything became a blurred mess in a minute, spells and flashes could be seen everywhere. Wizards and witches fighting until one of the groups would lose and none were ready for that. Jongsoon runs through crowd striking and screaming spells to whoever was in her way, she was looking for someone special. Someone she knew she could stop if she wanted to. 

"Stop right there!" a voice and a spell stop her from moving forward, Jongsoon curses and tries to move but her body was paralyzed.

"Kim Jongsoon..." Kim Junmyun whispers with delight, "I've always thought you were the most beautiful flower of all."

He noses her necks and breaths in her flowery scent, "Why don't you join me, huh? You like me, don't you?"

Jongsoon feels her eyes water and tries to push him away but she can't and his hands touch a little more, moving his way up her neck. She lets out a sob and Junmyun looks at her, alarmed. "Shhh, shhh, don't cry, baby girl. Everything is-"

A red light pushes Junmyun off Jongsoon and she feels her body return to her senses. 

"I feel betrayed, Jongsoon, I thought we could- I thought wrong." Minseok murmurs and lets his eyes fall to his name on her wrist, Jongsoon hides it behind her back and walks closer to him.

"You betrayed me, you could've stopped this before it went further." she says, "but you didn't stop because you're selfish."

Minseok sighs and tugs her closer, their eyes connecting again just like that unforgetting night. 

"I wish I was selfish, Jongsoon" he adds with a wavering smile. "I wish."

Jongsoon sighs and claps their hands together, pulling him over to a deserted area of the palace. Hopefully, safe enough to let them speak for a few minutes. She closes the door and looks at Minseok, her face hard but loving eyes.

"Stop this." she requests, "stop this for me."

"I can't, Jongsoon!" Minseok's calm mask faltering. " You're asking me to stop this, the work of my life for you? For someone who doesn't love me?"

"Minseok, it's not that I don't love you..." she whispers and tries to continue but closes, her eyes welling up with tears.

"What is it then?" he desperately grabs her arms and shakes her a little, "What is it, Jongsoon? I love you! I love you with all my heart! Can't you accept me like this? I know we used to fight a lot and we still do -if we didn't, we wouldn't be here- but I want you, I desire you. Don't you too?"

Jongsoon launches towards Minseok, her smaller body crashing against his and she snuggles as close as she can, his rapid beating heart filling her ears.

"W-what are you doing?" Minseok stutters but wraps her in his arms, his nose smelling her scent. 

"Forgive me, Minseok, forgive me" she sobs and clutches his shirt tighter, "I can't do this, I... I" 

Minseok nods and accepts his faith, letting the tears fall from his eyes. 

"At least... do you love me?" he asks. 

"I do." 

She stands on her tiptoes and kisses him deeply, her lips moving slowly against his and transmitting everything she couldn't say out loud... or rather what she wouldn't let herself say out loud. Jongsoon lets out a sob touching Minseok's chest and murmuring a spell against his lips.

"Tunderuos trunus" and Minseok is flying across the room. 

"I'm sorry, Minseok but I can't let you hurt them." she moves forward with her hand up but Minseok is somehow faster and an ice knife pierces through her stomach. Jongsoon falls to her knees and sends a thunder Minseok's way, the lighting hitting him thrice and leaving him powerless on the floor. 

"You... you thought..." she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, little white dots blurring her vision and dizzying feelings clouding her head.  

"Run," Minseok weakly says, "run before they get you, Jongsoon"

Jongsoon stands up trying to stabilize her feet, she gets closer to his body and ungracefully sits down next to him. 

"I love you, Minseok-ah" she kisses his forehead and her tears wet his face. "And I'm sorry"

Jongsoon glances back at the burning castle and casts a thunder next to the palace, loud and bright. She hoped he knew what she meant. 

I'll be fine even if it's without you. 

10 years later

Jongsoon giggles and pinches the little boy's cheeks, "aren't you the cutest, Sehunnie?"

"Ey, ey, don't spoil my child," Yixin says with a light smile on her face, "he can be such a brat when he wants."

Sehun pouts and taps his father's leg instead.

"Papa! Mama is bullying me again!" 

Yixin gasps, "bullying you? Hunnie, you're too unfair!"

"Don't bully your mom, Hunnie" Baekhyun ruffles his hair and lovingly looks at his wife pout. "She tries her best to be your mom."

Sehun smiles and looks at her mother, "I was joking, mommy! You're the best!"

Yixin chuckles and hugs her son close to her chest and signals to his husband to get closer and join the hug session. Jongsoon smiles and feels something inside painfully twist, the black tattoo of their names printed on each other's wrist made her heart ache. She waves them goodbye (and a promise of coming back, with hidden candies for Sehun without Yixing's consent) and leaves their house, she strolls through the busy streets of Arkmunster, the small village she created with her and Luhua's own hands. She had left Wandermere so long ago she almost thought it was a dream but his lips... his touch was too real to make her forget it. A forgotten dream, perhaps. 

Jongsoon looks at her wristwatch and gasps, it was 4:30 pm! 

Maybe Yixin was right, she spoiled Sehun too much. 

Jongsoon runs and tries to catch the train to the other side of town, the market side of them. She sighs in relief when she sees the train still there, passengers filling in and out of the metal thing. Jongsoon kindly smiles to the officer and hops on the train, looking around for her cabin.

"Jong, honey!" a soft voice calls behind her and Jongsoon turns around to see a lively Kyungsook pulling his dead tired husband, Chanyeol on her way. "How are you, sweetie? 

"I should be asking you that, Kyungie" Jongsoon answers with a smile on her face, her eyes fixed on the big baby belly. 

"Shhh, hun" the smaller woman smiles and pinches her husband's arms scaring the life out of the man if there really was any. "Men this day, they only frown and sleep. Useless."

"Honeeey" Chanyeol whines and comically clings to her. Their height difference making it funny. 

Jongsoon lets out a laugh and both of them look at her, "please, never change and Chanyeol, take care of yourself. Jongin will be born soon! You can't show him your ugly" Kyungsook tries to protest "face that fast, the poor baby will be terrified" 

Chanyeol rolls his eyes and decides to leave the two women alone, his only motivation was finding their own cabin and resting his eyes (read: sleep for 5 hours).

"Excuse him, he's been working so hard for our Jonginnie that he barely rests" she adds, her hands softly caressing her belly "and you know, I can't work in the bakery anymore because I'm in my last month." 

"And I wouldn't let you anyway" Jongsoon adds and Kyungsook responds with an eye-roll. A loud groan was heard from two cabins away. 

"Well, that's my husband... see you later, Jong!" Kyungsook bids goodbye and leave her alone. Jongsoon walks a little bit more and smiles when she finds her cabin, she opens the door and freezes when she sees him. 

"Hey, Jongsoon, it's been awhile"