Your hand fits in mine,
Like it's made just for me,
But bear this in mind,
It was meant to be.

They sit in silence.

The swings move back and forth as their eyes meet each other, clinging to the last hope that this was all a joke. Hands numb from the touch and body sweating from the action, both of them are finally exhausted.

Yongguk wipes the last dropping blood from his the edge of his aching lips with his thumb and lets out a scoff, “I told you not to break her heart.”

“I know.”

//

Jongin doesn’t know much about love. Heck, he doesn’t even know much about the opposite gender. All he knows was that throbbing pain deep down in his heart was love and that girl, Soojung, was to be blamed.

Yongguk is the one to blame actually. He’s to blame for Jongin’s late nights wondering about her and early mornings wishing he’d wake up beside her. Yongguk was the one that bought the red thread of fate and tied it between their fingers when he first introduced Soojung as his childhood friend.

“Hyung, set us up please,” Jongin’s eyes are sparkling with hope, “She’s seems kind of nice.”

Yongguk lets out a scoff and munches down the toast, “Trust me. You’re not her type.”

A pillow gets thrown from one end of the room to the former’s face as he settles down on the red upholstery in the middle of the room, “Hello, Kim Jongin here. I’m everyone’s type.”

“Thanks for the pillow but no thanks,” Yongguk shakes his head for the uncountable time refusing the younger’s request, “She’s a good friend of mine. I don’t want you to break her heart.”

“I won’t. I promise,” Jongin pleads.

Yongguk has seen many girls come and go through their apartment door. He has seen many girls fall for the younger one’s words. Yongguk, too, falls easily into Jongin’s words as other girls have.

“Fine.”

//

Pristine white layers of snow coat the city beautifully but Soojung isn’t too happy. She wears on a frown on top of all the layers of jackets and reluctantly opens the door. A swirl of hatred overcomes her as she embraces the cold.

“Soojung!” a familiar deep voice calls her over from the side of the café, “You’re late.”

“I’m never late,” she growls and unhooks her arms from his shoulder, “You’re merely early.”

“Who’s been barking up your tree today huh?” Yongguk laughs as he pushes the menu to her side, “Smile a little. If you keep frowning, no one will fall for you.”

“Oppa,” she cutely whines and a smile is finally seen on her face. Yongguk never fails to make her laugh and she likes that about him, “So why did you get me out of bed on a Saturday morning for? It better be good or this smile might turn upside down again.”

“I need a favour,” Yongguk leans forward, his usual gummy smile plastered on his face and a hint of hope appeared, “Are you free tomorrow?”

Soojung raises her eyebrow, leaning back onto the chair and crossing her arms as she interrogates, “Why? You’re up to something. I can see it in your face.”

“Do you remember my roommate? The one I introduced you to last week?”

“Jongup?”

“No silly. Jongin.”

“Jongin?” she scrambles her brain for the name and her eyebrow twitches at the mental image of the man, “The one with the obnoxious white sandals and creepy grin?”

“Yeah! Him! Well, apparently someone has actually fallen for that frown of yours. He asked me to set you up on a date with him.”

“What? Oppa, you know I don’t do blind dates.”

Yongguk scoots his chair closer in hopes of getting her to open her heart, “But it isn’t a blind date if you know who the person is. Go on. Give him a chance. Who knows he might end up being that prince charming that you’ve been waiting for.”

“You’re the one who nags to me about him bringing girls home every week,” Soojung shakes her head, “I’m not going to be one of the girls. End of conversation.”

Yongguk falls back into his chair. He knows there’s no point in arguing with Soojung. As he sips the hot steaming coffee on the table, he wonders if Jongin wouldn’t mind if he was set up with another girl.

//

Jongin pretty much always got what he wanted. May it be money or girls; he always had his godly like features and prestigious family to help him out. But this time around, he’s had his brain burnt out from all rejecting he’s received from Soojung.

“Jinri? Hyosung? Sunyoung?” Yongguk uses his spare hand to scroll down the contacts on his phone, “Yoona? Come on, you can’t say no to Yoona. She’s just broken up with that Chinese exchange student. This is the perfect chance for you to step in.”

Jongin rolls his eyes as he bites down a chocolate bar and his hands hurryingly presses down the buttons on the controller, “That Chinese exchange student has a name. It’s Luhan. And Luhan is my friend. I’m not taking away my friend’s girl.”

“Fine. Just choose someone else except Soojung.”

“I take it that she said no again?” Jongin throws his controller to the side, “I guess this calls for extra measures.”

“Hey wait. Where are you going?” Yongguk pulls the hem of his shirt, “We haven’t finished playing the game yet.”

“I’m going to win myself Soojung’s heart,” Jongin smiles and for once Yongguk is worried.

A few shirts and jeans later, Jongin appears at the door ready and dressed. He quickly grabs his belongings and slams the door square on his roommate’s face. With hands deep in his pocket, he strolls by to the nearest convenience store and takes out a crumpled piece of paper with rushed scribblings.

“Thank you for slamming the door on me,” his roommate sarcastically replies as he pushes the trolley down the aisle and mutters a few profanities under his breath, “I still don’t see how baking cupcakes is going to make Soojung like you.”

“This, hyung, is the exact reason why I get the chicks and you’re just a chicken,” Jongin grins and pushes the elder to the side, “Now watch and learn.”

Yongguk hisses at the younger one’s back as both of them make their way through the store. Everyone knows Jongin and hard work are never to be in the same sentence.

//

Jongin screams in agony for the first time in a long time when he accidentally touches the hot oven-fresh metal whilst putting in the first batch of cupcakes. He wonders why he’s going through all this trouble just for a girl.

If Soojung was just any other girl, he’d call the bakery and order some expensive cupcakes. If Soojung was just any other girl, he’d flash his plastic cards and they’d be lining out his house.

But Soojung isn’t just any girl.

She’s a mystery and Jongin can’t help but keep coming back for more.

“You know, there’s a whole line of bakeries just down the street,” Yongguk his head on the wall, “Just do what you usually do. Order some.”

“Now where’s the fun in that?” Jongin forces a smile as he hides the throbbing pain behind him.

“Jongin, I hope you’re not just doing this because you want to prove that you can get any girl you want,” Yongguk warns him, “Soojung is not like other girls. She won’t just get into your bed when you shower her with empty promises.”

“I’m not trying to get her into my bed,” Jongin hisses, “I’m trying to get into her heart.”

Yongguk nods, “Just checking. Because she’s a sweet girl. I’m sure you don’t want to break her heart too.”

//

Soojung finds Valentine’s Day a hassle. She never really understood why there needed to be a day for lovers to tell the world that they’re in love. It was just another way for couple to shove their shining new couple rings in the faces of their single friends.

That’s why, when she made her way down the icy path to her doorstep and sees a package waiting for her, she frowns. A pink and green polka dotted box wrapped neatly stood at her door with crimson red petals scattered along the pathway.

“Aish,” she grits her teeth and mutters under her breath, “It must be that guy Jong out or down or something.”

Barging into her house, she drops the package onto the table and eyes it. Folding her arms and leaning back onto the chair, she wonders why on earth that roommate of Yongguk won’t understand a rejection. She decides that she isn’t going to fall for that playboy’s tricks and pushes the box aside.

Hours later, her stomach betrays her when she finds herself sitting right in front of the cheerful box feeling slightly less cheerful for succumbing to food.

“I’ll just have one bite,” she promises herself and unties the white bow, “Just one bite.”

//

“Oppa!”

His ears quickly perk up at the sound of her voice and he raises his head from the book. Their eyes meet and just with that look, Yongguk could sense something different from her. Soojung wasn’t a morning person and anyone who woke her up earlier than her alarm would be usually greeted with a scowl. But Soojung was wearing a smile and Yongguk was worried.

“You look cheerful today,” he comments and gives her the menu, “Did something happen?”

“What?” she playfully punches him, “Is it wrong for me to be happy?”

“Fine. But since you’re so chirpy today, why don’t you buy your oppa a drink?”

“Cakes, cakes! We should have cakes too,” she smiles and points to the menu, “Two hazelnut cheesecakes, ice mocha and iced tea please.”

“Yah! Something did happen right? Was it the cupcakes?”

“Cupcakes? What cupcakes?” her cheeks bloom a lighter shade, “I-I-I didn’t eat any cupcakes.”

“You’ve eaten the cakes Jongin made right?”

Soojung rolls her eyes and sighs, “One bite.”

“You finished them all haven’t you?”

“No.”

“Soojung.”

“Ok. Fine,” Soojung threw up her hands in defeat, “I ate the cupcakes. Oppa, tell me where he bought them. They’re so delicious.”

“He made them himself,” Yongguk grins as Soojung eyes widen, “He took all night just to make you those four pieces of cupcakes.”

“Is he retarded or something?” Soojung asks, “Why would you spend all night to make me cakes?”

“Maybe he really likes you?”

“Oppa, I wear sneakers and men’s sized shirts. Why would he like me?”

“You’re not too bad looking you know Jungie,” Yongguk tucks in the strands of hair behind her ears, “If you weren’t so into game consoles and cars, I’d probably take dibs on you too.”

“Oppa, please no,” Soojung pulls away, “We’ve shared the same bathtub when we were 2 years old. That’d be like .”

“What are you talking about? What I meant was why don’t you give Jongin a chance? Maybe he’d change his playboy ways for you? He might be the other end of your red string.”

//

Soojung finds herself all dolled up in a dress and fake eyelashes a few days later day, walking back and forth in her living room and stumbling every now and again from wearing heels. She stops in front of the mirror once again and examines her new image, the one that was supposed to impress Jongin.

“I look like a ,” she announces in front of her sister, “I look like one of those cheap s down in the alley waiting for some rich guy to show me the money. And I’m starving unni.”

“Stop that Soojung,” he sister cooed over her hair, “You look gorgeous. And please keep your back straight.”

“Why can’t I just wear my doc martens? Please Sica unni,” she pleads as she sits down and throws the heels off, “They’re much more comfortable than whatever this thing is.”

“I seriously wonder if we are blood related at all,” her sister sighs in annoyance, “Just remember to smile and cover your mouth when you’re laughing.”

When the doorbell rings, both sisters instantly stood up and looked at each other. “He’s here,” they said in unison and Soojung scrambles to find the other pair of heel she just kicked off.

“I’ll get the door.”

Jongin stands at the door, hair gelled up into a high mane and a smile that almost threatened Jessica into pretending that she was Soojung. But just in time, Soojung appears, half limping and half forcing a delightful lady-like smile.

“Soojung?” his eyes nearly pop out of its sockets as he tilts his head and examines her, “You look…um…you look different?”

“Shall we go?” Soojung grabs her jacket and gestures before kicking her sister in the shin and whispering into her sister’s ear, “Stop ogling my date.”

//

“I had a great time.”

“Me too.”

Oh, a tangled red thread.

//

Crashing down onto the sofa, Soojung lets out a groan. She kicks and punches in every direction as she pulls of the hideous pieces of feminine things that her sister threw upon her.

“Ah!” she yells aloud and hears her echo resounding in the empty house. Checking herself in the same long mirror she had been this morning, a pang of anger overcomes her emotions, “Why do I have to change for him? Isn’t the old me good enough?”

In frustration, she throws the heels across the room and sent it straight smashing into the mirror. She ducks behind her arms as the pieces of glass spread everywhere. No words alone could describe how empty she felt right that moment, how fake, how plastic she was; of all the things she hated to be. She heaves a long sign and decides that maybe Jongin isn’t her prince charming.

Maybe there wasn’t a prince charming for her. Maybe out of all the people in the world, maybe God forgot about her. Because there sure wasn’t a guy who has ever complimented her looks. Nor was there a guy who ever liked her after finding out her burning passion for formula one cars.

Soojung lies down onto the cold floor, cradling her knees closer and stopping her tears from falling. For some reason Soojung realizes that her empty house will always be empty and no matter where she laid down, she was always going to be lonely.

Soojung decides that very night to take a pair of scissors and cut their red thread. 

//

Jongin expects a nosy Yongguk when he opens the door to their shared apartment. To his surprise, he finds an empty, dark house and a little note of the fridge from his roommate.

“Out. Be back in a bit. Don’t sleep yet. Wait for me with beers at the playground. I want the full story.”

It’s one hour, two hours, three hours later when Jongin gets pushed off the swings and into the murky mud. He looks behind to see the very person who had asked to see him.

“Hyung!” he yells and gets up. Before getting a chance to ask any question or explain himself, he feels a cold and icy pair of hands grabbing onto his neck and pulling him upwards and chocking him in the process.

“H-h-h-hyu…” he tears the elder’s hands away and throws a few punches in the direction, “What’s going on?”

Yongguk’s eyes are burning with anger and he charges quickly towards Jongin. Jongin ducks and runs further from his roommate. It’s nearing midnight when both of them are chasing each other around the playground. Then they sit in silence.

The swings move back and forth as their eyes meet each other, clinging to the last hope that this was all a joke. Hands numb from the touch and body sweating from the action, both of them are finally exhausted.

Yongguk wipes the last dropping blood from his the edge of his aching lips with his thumb and lets out a scoff, “I told you not to break her heart.”

“I know.”

“She’s in hospital you moron.”

“What?”

//

“Go tie back the red thread,” Yongguk whispers and pushes Jongin forward.

Jongin doesn’t know what to do or even say right that moment when Yongguk leaves him alone with Soojung. Both of the look awkwardly towards the ground and Jongin begins to count the non-existent ants while they walked down the footpath.

“The cupcakes were good,” she breaks the silence, “Thanks.”

“Never mind the cupcakes. How are you holding up?” he asks, not meeting her eyes.

“I’m fine.”

 “You know, a few weeks ago my roommate introduced me to this girl. She likes fast cars, she appreciates food and most importantly she wasn’t like any other girl I knew.”

“Yeah. So what?”

Jongin halts a few steps behind her and crosses his arms, “You’re so hard to impress, do you know that?”

“You’re what?” Soojung turns around, watching him tap his foot impatiently, “Why are you trying to impress me? You’re to one that’s impossible.”

 “What?” Jongin follows close behind her, “I didn’t ask you to starve yourself for days just so you could fit into the 20 inch dress that your sister wears.”

“You’re Kim Jongin. Everyone knows you like girls in skimpy skirts and high heels.”

“That was before I met you.”

“But you sent me home last night and you didn’t even ask for my number. You said you had a good time and you left. I don’t even need to be a genius to know that you weren’t interested in me,” Soojung yells, ignoring the stares from the other patients, “This is why I kept rejecting you. If I fall for you, I’m the one who’s going to end up getting hurt. Who am I kidding, you’re Kim Jongin.”

“Last night I don’t even know who I met. She certainly wasn’t the girl my roommate introduced me to,” he follows behind her, “Last night you were just like every other girl lining up to come into my bed. Last night, you weren’t you.”

“Just go away Jongin. Stop following me!”

“For goodness sake Soojung,” Jongin yells and pulls her arms to face him, “I like you. I like you a lot. But I like the Soojung who wears those ugly ugg boots and oversized sweaters. The one who laughs with full of food and the one that isn’t pretending to be something she’s not. Can you find her for me?”

 The two are met face to face with the awkwardness that hung around the air a while ago. Jongin no longer counts the ants and Soojung blushes like the red jacket she was wearing. Her lips curve into a small grin and her feet are once again playing on the ground nervously.

“So what do you say Soojung? Once you’re out of here, I’ll pick you up and maybe we can make our own cupcakes together.”

“Sounds like a date,” Soojung’s face gets stained with tears as Jongin leans over and without over thinking things this time, their lips meet just for a brief kiss. It was sweet, just like his cupcakes.

“This time, please tell hyung not to suffocate me,” he warns before slipping his fingers in betweens hers and it fits just like it was meant to be.

And just like that, their red thread of fate is finally tied. 

A/N: I'm sorry if this isn't what everyone expected. I've been busy with scholarships and my new job. Make sure you guys pray that I get my scholarship so I can study overseas yeah? In case anyone didn't catch on, the lyrics are from Little Things by One Direction. It's one of my favourite 1D song so make sure you have a listen. Comments and subscription are most welcomed. Up votes too! :)