The actual adulthood ceremony was over. Now it was time to greet family and friends.
Yoochun mumbled “see you guys later” and went to greet his family, anxious to see how they would treat him now.
The other guys started to go meet their families as well. Junsu had been chatting telepathically with his family, so first he went to greet his teachers who from now on would be his colleagues. He made a point of ignoring Sarah right next to them.
Changmin took a tour on a whim, trying to see if, as he passed by different people, he felt anything. Sensing nothing he went to greet his parents with a shrug of his shoulders. 
Yunho accepted his family well wishes and they went in search of Jaejoong to keep his promise of rescuing his friend from his sisters. He was much better at dealing with them than Jaejoong himself. Sometime later, the two escaped to a quieter area. 
-Ah, finally!
-Where you calling them ten thousand again?
-How do you know that? You’re not supposed to read my mind, Yunho.
-I already told you I can’t read your mind, Joongie. I just saw your face. How can you think of ten sisters as ten thousand?
-Oh, pffft! You’re not the one who grew up with their endless chatter playing inside your head. Do you know why I’m so distracted? They ruined my ears and my brain!
Yunho smiled at Jaejoong’s pout and turned to study the crowd. He was curious and anxious to meet his Linked One. Next to him, there was a deep sigh.
-Why do we still have to wait two more days to ride a dragon?
-Come on. You know the chemicals that were given to us today need time to start producing effect. It’s the same chemical reaction that will also allow us to connect with a specific dragon. So, purple, eh?
-It has to be a purple dragon. Max wants a green one. Junsu has no idea yet. Yoochun might get the dragon that no else would accept. Hey, what about you? Have you even thought about it?
-Off course I have, Joongie. I want to ride a dragon too. Maybe blue. The blue ones are rare.
-That’s funny. If I get a purple one and you get a blue one, we’ll be riding the colours of the two suns.
-Then, Changmin’s green one for the water and plants, we need an orange one for the moon and a pink one for the sky. 
-Pink for Junsu!
-That leaves orange for Yoochun. 
-Oh. He just prefers spaceships. I’ll never understand why cau…
Yunho turned to look at Jaejoong, trying to determine what had caught the shorter man’s attention.
-What is it? Have you seen the dragon you want?
-This perfume, can you feel it?
-Perfume? I only feel yours.
-What? No, not mine. This is some girl’s scent. Don’t you feel it?
-You are noticing something other than dragons? Ok, now I believe we are starting to experience The Connection.
-Oh, shut up! Come with me, let’s find her. I’m suddenly dying of curiosity.
Yunho was so used to humour Jaejoong that he simply followed along. The older guy soon found the owner of the scent that was calling for his senses. He pointed her for Yunho.
-There. The girl with the long black hair.
Yunho studied the girl that Jaejoong pointed at. She was beautiful, almost as beautiful as Jaejoong was. Thin yet just curvy enough, long legged, with big eyes and full lips. She wasn’t Asian but she didn’t seem hundred percent Caucasian as well. He wondered what mixture her ancestors were. When the girl caught Jaejoong’s eyes on her, she smiled sweetly and approached them to introduce herself.
-Hi, I’m Lydia. I come from the other side of Lhara, near the shores of Pulse. Where are you two from?
Yunho noticed easily that Jaejoong and Lydia would definitely be a Linked pair. He had never seen his friend pay this much attention to a woman before. Normally, he was so overwhelmed by growing up with ten sisters that he avoided women like they were some sort of threat. Yunho felt very happy for his best friend and decided to leave the two alone. He chuckled when they didn’t even seem to notice that he was gone.

…

The day after the adulthood ceremony was also the day before they would be chosen by the dragons. The five friends spent part of the morning together, riding their horses across the prairie and along the canyons, racing between themselves. The winner was Yunho, followed closely by Changmin and then Jaejoong. Yoochun and Junsu ended up in the back, racing just between the two, more interested in laughing and enjoying the wind, then in winning the race.
Later, they returned to the town centre. It was a picture perfect postcard of a town from old Earth, if one overlooked the mixture of influenced architectural styles. Some of the ethnicities still liked to keep a few Earth traditions alive, to remind them that they were part of something bigger and ancient. They sat on a picnic table on a small garden near the shops and the busiest street. 
Changmin dozed off on the grass. Jaejoong soon got restless and went for a walk on his own. When Changmin opened his eyes again, he found Yoochun sleeping with his head on the table, while Junsu and Yunho played cards. He let himself remain on the grass and observed the huge dragons flying above. 
Most of the dragons had arrived already. It was hard to figure out which dragons had come and which had stayed behind. There were young dragons and very ancient dragons. So ancient that there was even a legend that a few of the original dragons from when their ship had crashed on Lhara were still alive. On occasions a dragon would chose a rider always from the same family, almost as if he was raising pets. Changmin had turned his nose at that description when he was a little boy, but, nowadays, he sort of agreed with it. Comparing their insignificant life spans with the ones from the dragons was ridiculous. 
His parents had told him yesterday that older dragons had joined this time. The way his father had talked about it made it sound as if the dragons hibernated or something similar. But no one knew for sure. Changmin smiled at that. He liked how mysterious the dragons were. Despite the close proximity, he was sure the dragons knew more about them, then they knew about the dragons.

…

The tall man stretched his muscles and sat up, looking around. A frown crossed his face.
-Where’s Jae? I can’t even feel him.
Yunho looked up from the game and answered Changmin’s question.
-He’s down there by the shops, leading to the lake. He’s with his Linked One. Maybe that’s why we can’t sense him.
-What? A girl? No way! I thought he was allergic to girls!
-Only to his sisters endless chatter. Lydia is really cool. What I’m surprised about is how fast they found each other, while we are still here waiting for I don’t know what…
Yunho sighed sadly and returned his attention to the game with Junsu, playing his card.
-Damn it! You won again! – Grumbled Junsu loudly.
Yoochun woke up with Junsu’s loud complaining. He rubbed his eyes sleepily before punching Junsu’s arm. 
-Why are you always so loud? Will you be like this as a doctor too?
Junsu glared at Yoochun and refused to answer. Meanwhile, Changmin remained staring at Jaejoong thoughtfully.
-Strange, I was sure Jaejoong would be a mom.
At Changmin’s comment, Yunho turned to stare him down in such a way that the younger man actually looked away.
-Ah, really, Max. You have a mather. Why are you always making jokes about mathers? 
-Why not? And can’t I have personal opinions? My parents raised me to use my own head.
Suddenly, Changmin felt a painful whack to his head. He turned furious to see who had dared to do that and his mouth opened when he found himself staring up at his mather, who had his arms crossed and was glaring down at him. 
-Papa… What was that for? – Whined Changmin with a pout.
-Knock it off, Max. You came out of my belly so that gives me every right to pull your ears even when you grow up old enough to be a granddad. 
Behind Changmin’s mather, his father showed up as well. The tall man smiled at his son mischievously before putting an arm over the shoulders of his Linked One. The two extremely tall and muscular men, especially with the stubble on their faces, exuded masculinity, their posture confident and relaxed. 
-Hi, dad.
-Hi, Max. – The man smiled before turning to his Linked One and asking in an amused tone: -Is he going on about mathers again?
-Explain to me why, with me as a mather, he teases his friends just cause they happen to not have grown as tall as he has? – The other man asked with a tired sigh. 
-Never mind. It’s just another blue cycle, of which time he’ll be mostly away, and then he’ll be finally an adult and hopefully behave like one too.
-Oh, not hundred percent adult, I hope. That would spoil the fun.
Yoochun comment was made in a very low voice, however, everyone heard him. Changmin’s parents winked at him, pinched their son’s cheeks, said their goodbyes to the boys and walked away laughing. 

…

Changmin waited until his parents were out of sight and then he looked at Yoochun with murder in his eyes.
-I’m going to have a nice little chat with your moms. You do remember they think I’m adorable?
Yoochun stopped smiling immediately. His mothers always wanted him to be polite all the time. If Changmin ratted him out for that joke, he would get an ear full.
-Oh, shut up, Max. If you try that, I’ll just spill the beans on you. Yoochun’s moms think I’m adorable too. – Said Junsu with an impatient tone.
Yunho laughed loudly at the faces his three friends were making. 
“Yunho!”
“Jihye, what is it?”
“Come help me ride my horse.”
“I’ll be right there.”
-See ya, guys. My sis just called me.
They waved Yunho goodbye. Changmin got up and looked at all the unknown faces around town that would remain until everyone had found his Linked One. He decided he might as well give it another go.
-Well, I’m gonna go see if I point up. See ya.
Yoochun and Junsu looked at each other for a few seconds, both with their eyes and mouths opened in surprise, then they burst out laughing. Changmin continued walking away, determined to ignore them.

…

-I agree with you. A hundred percent adult Changmin would really be less fun. 
Said Junsu as his laughter calmed down, then he studied Jaejoong in the distance for a while.
-Jae’s lucky. He has already found his Linked One. We can’t even get our family to explain to us what we should be looking for or how we’ll know when we found it.
-Yeahh, I know, Su. That “you’ll find out on your own” is really annoying. 
At that moment, Yoochun noticed two familiar faces approaching.
-I think I know who can help us understand better.

…

Before Junsu was aware of what Yoochun was talking about, his friend had already called Sarah and another chosen one, Francesco from Tarpar, to join them. The two were strolling in the garden, smiling and chatting. Junsu thought they looked rather like a Linked pair. He folded his arms, suddenly all his good mood gone.
Sarah and Francesco greeted the two friends, both pretending not to notice Junsu’s cold reception since they were already used to it. 
-I was wondering if you two can help us out with a few doubts.
-Sure, Yoochun, what do you need help with?
-Adolescence.
-What? But you guys don’t go through that.
-Well, in a way we are experiencing it now and will continue to for this blue cycle. But… no one will explain anything to us.
-No one explained anything to us either when we reached that age. – Said Francesco.
-True, but we see it happening to who is older than us and our adolescence last years. I don’t think we can clear many doubts, Yoochun, but we can try. What do you want to ask?
-How do you know when you’ve found the One?
-Lhara has the advantage on Seffren and Tarpar there. We can spend entire lives searching. I’ve heard that you just do, as in it is totally random; but I’ve also seen trial and error.
-You’ve done trial and error. – Teased Francesco.
Sarah sent him a look to be quiet, however, Yoochun understood what Francesco was talking about. 
-You’ve dated?
-More like flirted. – Answered Francesco with a teasing smile to his friend.
-Shut up, Francesco. Yes, Yoochun, I have tried to find the equivalent of a Linked One. It’s just that… you see… because I’m still too young for that, none was the real thing yet. But let’s see… the person who will be your Linked One has to be someone who will make your heart race; someone who can make you smile for no reason; someone whose company you’ll search for and miss. And if that person isn’t in a good mood, you’ll feel down as well.
Sarah said the last sentence with her eyes studying Junsu, who was still not looking at her and remained with his arms crossed and a displeased face. She sighed.
Yoochun seemed to have made enough sense of what she had said and decided to change topics.
-What about the thing?
-What? Hey, calm down. I don’t know what stories you heard about Seffren but I’m still waiting for the one I’ll feel like I want to spend the rest of my life with.
-Do kisses count? – Asked Francesco with great difficulty not to laugh.
-Stop that! – Yelled Sarah before pouting annoyed at her friend. 
-Well, I’ve done it. And I can tell you all that it’s awesome, fantastic, amazing. I still can’t believe you guys can’t even get excited. If there weren’t women from other colonies here, I would be climbing walls. 
Yoochun’s eyes almost sparkled. He pulled the young man from Tarpar aside to ask a few specific things he had always wanted to know.

…

Knowing they had been left alone, Junsu sighed and finally faced Sarah. She looked sad and was staring at the floor. He felt a little guilty. After all, she really hadn’t ever done anything to annoy him on purpose. True, there had been a few times when she had acted a bit weird but she was from another colony, he had no way of knowing if that had been normal or not. She hadn’t done it in some time, however. His curiosity piqued, Junsu decided he should just ask. But before, some overdue excuses were in order.
-Hi, Sarah. Ah… I wanted to… I’m sorry about the other day at the canyon. Well, actually, I’m sorry about my entire behaviour. It’s not your fault if different rules apply to you. Truthfully, I’m happy you were chosen to come to Lhara, it will be great working with you.
-Thank you. That means a lot. – Sarah smiled very happy and surprised. Having Junsu talking with her in such a polite way was like a dream come true.
-You know… I have been meaning to ask… what was that thing you used to do until a few purple cycles ago?
-What thing?
-Well… when you… - Junsu mimicked her.
Sarah almost had a heart attack. Junsu batted his eyelashes, looking at her from under them. He changed his voice to a lower key, moved his head as if to throw back long hair. The girl had to turn her face away, blushing like mad and cursing herself. No way was she going to explain to Junsu that she had been flirting with him before she had understood it was really simply useless. 
-That… that was nothing. I was still… ah, … adjusting to the new culture. Don’t think about that. Forget it. 
After a few more uncomfortable moments of silence, Sarah decided to just say goodbye and walked away, waiting for Francesco further down the path. She decided that after all it was actually easier not having Junsu being nice to her.

…

Francesco and Yoochun returned to where Junsu was sitting. Yoochun had a paper full of notes and was looking way too happy. In fact, Yoochun barely remembered to say goodbye to Junsu before he went away, smiling like an idiot over whatever was written in that paper. Francesco looked thoughtfully at Junsu and Sarah. He approached Junsu and asked him with a teasing voice:
-Are you sure you aren’t starting to feel any effects of this adolescence thing? Anything towards Sarah there, perhaps? You looked like you wanted to punch me when you saw me with her. You know, where I come from, we call that jealousy. And you seem to have it big time.
Junsu understood what the guy was talking about but he pretended not to. Anyway, Sarah wasn’t from Lhara, so she would never affect him like that. He went over all he knew about the medical side of The Connection, No, he didn’t believe anyone outside Lhara could affect anyone during The Connection. However, his eyes still followed the two chosen ones as they walked away, once again feeling displeased and annoyed at their close proximity. 

…