“I'll see you again soon yeah?” Asked Seungmin as he stood in the terminal with Jake. “I'll see if Hyunjin wants to come along,” he added, shaking his head at Jake's suddenly evil expression.

“I get to threaten him, heheh,” mumbled Jake, jokingly of course. “Just be happy,” he added, smiling at Seungmin before Seungmin walked away. He watched Seungmin head into security before leaving the airport, sighing in resignation as he knew he wouldn't be seeing his brother for a while. At least, not until everything was over.

~

“It's going to be okay,” reassured Seoho as he noticed Jake looking depressed when he got back from the airport.

“I know,” mumbled Jake. “I just- I wish I could've spent more time with him,” he explained. “I didn't get to do that too much back home before he went to Japan,” he added. “These days I barely get to see him or my younger brother,” he explained.

“The time will come when you'll see each other again,” reassured Seoho. “I know when I had family Jahan never stopped me from visiting them, and it was the same for the others,” he explained. “Hwon will let you see each other again I'm sure of it,” he added.

“Hm,” hummed Jake as he nodded.

~

Jeonggeun rubbed the palm of his hand on his knee, grumbling about the itchiness in his hand. It had to be the tattoo that was bothering him. What else could it be? He had no idea why, however, as as far as he was ware there was nothing going on with his soulmate. At least, from what he could see. He wondered if his own soulmate was feeling the same thing as him? Jeonggeun wasn't sure if he wanted the answer to such a question.

“Are you okay?” Asked Allen as he sat down beside Jeonggeun. “You seem troubled by something,” he added, turning to Jeonggeun who grunted in response.

“I'm fine,” grumbled Jeonggeun as he clenched his hand into a fist. “Just my tattoo bothering me is all,” he added as an afterthought.

“What do you mean it's bothering you?” Asked Allen as he looked concerned.

“My tattoo has been really itchy lately,” responded Jeonggeun as he shrugged. “I don't think it's anything too serious though,” he added. “I'm just trying my best to ignore it for now,” he explained.

“I have an idea,” mused Allen as he looked thoughtful. “Try to touch Jake's tattoo with yours?” He asked. “He may even let you do it as an experiment,” he added. “I don't know what will happen, but maybe it'll make the itching go away,” he mused, nodding his head in encouragement.

“Do you think that's going to even help?” Asked Jeonggeun. “What if it doesn't and it was all for nothing?” He asked.

“Just trust me on this one, you'll be fine,” reassured Allen as he smiled reassuringly.

~

Jeonggeun approached Jake, hesitant as he stopped a few feet behind Jake. “Jake?” He asked, freezing in place when Jake turned to look at him.

“What's up?” Asked Jake, his eyebrows furrowing in question as he took in Jeonggeun's rather stressed posture. “Are you okay?” He asked.

“My- the tattoo has been bothering me,” mumbled Jeonggeun, repeating it louder for Jake to hear. “Allen gave the suggestion that we touch our tattoos together?” He asked, almost unsure of himself as he looked down at his feet to not look at Jake. He was not sure of what Jake's reaction would be, somewhat feeling afraid of Jake's answer.

“Ah,” hummed Jake as he walked forward, going to stand about a foot away from Jeonggeun. “If Allen suggested it, would it be better for you then?” He asked, holding out his arm after rolling up the sleeve of his shirt, revealing the rose on his wrist.

Jeonggeun blinked, looking at Jake's wrist before looking up at Jake. “You- you're not weirded out by this request?” He asked, still hesitant on going through with it.

“Why should I be?” Asked Jake as he looked confused. “Is it because you think we're not soulmates?” He asked.

“No! No,” Jeonggeun exclaimed as he let out a soft breath. “It's- I don't know,” he eventually muttered, sighing as he hesitantly reached out, grabbing onto Jake's wrist and letting their tattoos touch.

Jake held still, watching Jeonggeun as Jeonggeun visibly relaxed at the touch. “Better?” He asked, his hand closing around Jeonggeun's arm out of reflex.

“Much better,” sighed out Jeonggeun as he felt the itching finally stop. “Thank you,” he added, hesitating before pulling his arm back and letting it drop to his side. “I need to thank Allen for that suggestion,” he mused, turning and walking away.

Jake shook his head in amusement, looking at his wrist and blinking when something changed with the tattoo. “Huh,” he mused, examining it before bringing down the shirt sleeve and turning back and continuing on to wherever he was going.

~

“You seem happier,” remarked Yeonjun as he met Jake in the kitchen a few days later, having finally returned from whereever he was with Ivan.

Jake never really cared enough to ask where he went anyway, choosing to remain ignorant to what the others did. “Mhm,” he hummed, examining the tattoo closely as he looked thoughtful.

“Did something change with the tattoo?” Asked Yeonjun.

“The stem, it's colored in green,” responded Jake as he showed Yeonjun. “It used to be blank, but now it's colored in,” he explained. “The leaves remain black though, I wonder,” he mused, bringing it closer to his face to examine it.

“You know who your soulmate is then,” inquired Yeonjun as he raised an eyebrow.

“I always knew it was Jeonggeun,” retorted Jake as he shook his head, letting his arm drop to the table with a huff. “The other day Allen had texted me mentioning what Jeonggeun wanted to try,” he explained. “I had an idea of why he wanted to try it, but this just confirms my suspicions,” he added as an afterthought.

“I'm surprised you knew right away,” remarked Yeonjun. “He seems like he doesn't know though,” he mused, looking thoughtful as he hummed.

“Yeah, Jeonggeun was always like that,” agreed Jake as he let out a soft sigh.