Jonghyun

I am in love. I do not know who they are, what they look like or where they live. All I know for sure is that they exist. That a person out there somewhere, lord knows where is, in the very essence of the word my soul mate.

I know it's crazy and I know I shouldn't get my hopes up. I'm told daily how useless it is to wait for your soul mate. I'm told about the people who never find them. Even after a lifetime wasted searching for them. I know it all. But I still can't get over it. I have the freaking name of the person who I am destined to be with tattooed onto my wrist like a promise. How am I supposed to not fall in love with that idea? How am I not going to fall in love with that person?

People often try to tell me how unlikely it is that I'll find that person. they tell me I'm living the life of a hopeless fool, but why is it hopeless to believe in love?

Although, I suppose if I explain, you may be able to understand where they are coming from. see, I am one of the rare (and lucky) people who are born with what is nowadays affectionately called the 'lovers defect', which for all intents and purposes is a small red mark on your left wrist that holds the name of your soul mate. Not everyone is born with it. And contrary to it's title no one actual thinks of it as a defect or a problem. In fact, most people don't think about it at all. Even those born with it sort of forget about it and treat like a regular birth mark. And I guess that's understandable. Just because your perfect match is out there doesn't mean you'll find them, or that they'll wish to be with you. They may already have found someone else. It can take a long time to find them if you do try. And of course there is the added trouble of having no guarantee that they have a mark as well. So they may have no idea you even exist. They wont ever be looking or waiting for you.

The most unusual thing about the love defect though is how, when you find your soul mate your mark will change colour to a perfect black which, will in time, as you both grow older fade to nothing.

However, should your soul mate die before you ever meet them, their name will turn black prematurely and fade much quicker, but never fully disappear. It will always linger like a faint shadow on your wrist.

So as you can see, it's not exactly all sunshine and daises here in soul mate land. But I just cant seem to get over it. There is a person out there called Jinki, who is perfect for me, which is just the craziest thing ever. I could walk right by him and never know, but he's out there living and breathing and maybe even waiting for me.

I don't get my hopes up all too high for that last part though.

Jinki

My name is Lee Jinki, I'm 19 and currently in university studying art. I love taking the world inside of my head and making it tangible. I'm not sure how good I am at it, but I guess that's why I've gone to University. In hopes that in the years that I'm here I'll grow as an artist and as a person. I also secretly hope I'll find love, which is probably dumb, but I've never dated before and every kiss I've had in my life happened before the age of 15 and as such hardly counts as a kissing. I'm not too hung up on the love thing though, I mean I've only been here four months and so far I've had quite enough to do with assignments, job hunting and new friends.

I guess I'm just waiting for the right person. Sometimes I wonder if it would have been easier to have been born with the 'love defect'. As stupid as that sounds, because then I'd at least know the name of my soul mate. I'm not a romantic as such, but really, the idea of having a soul mate just sounds so nice. They are the one person in a world you were made for, there is no doubting if it's meant to be. I think that would be nice. I'm not an idiot though. I know the chances are virtually zero. Even less so since I don't even have a mark.

But a boy can dream.