The minute Dongwoo arrived in Busan, it started raining hard. It was raining so hard to the point the place was surrounded by mist that made everything vague and driving that much more difficult – thus the reason why his bus got delayed on arriving for a few minutes.

It was like the whole place was mourning. For what, Dongwoo didn’t know nor did he really care because he was still high from his happiness. This was the day he was finally going to meet his soul mate, and he doesn’t think anything could really dampen his mood. So with a big smile plastered on his face, he hailed a taxi and went towards the café where he and Sungjong agreed to meet.

On the way to the meeting place, he couldn’t help but constantly caress the elegantly written Lee Howon on his arm.

The moment he saw the younger nursing a cup of hot chocolate inside the cozy coffee shop, he couldn’t help the huge squeal that went pass his lips and excitedly hugged the other.

Lee Sungjong was a young PI he met last two months on an internet forum when he was on his hunt for his soul mate. Dongwoo was looking up on people with the last name of Lee and Sungjong was the only one who was online. He decided to take his chances and contacted the other. To his utter surprise, instead of information for his soul mate, what he got was a friend instead that promised to help him look.

And not even two months later he did, immediately giving Dongwoo a phone call that was more shouting than talking because OMG Hyung he is so hot! And you lucky bastard I wish he was my soul mate and after some more giggles in between they decided to meet in Busan where Dongwoo’s soul mate lived and would check it (him) together.

Dongwoo’s trip got delayed for another day because of work and told the younger to go first and look for the guy. The younger did and Dongwoo was even confused because the expected fangirl-ing call from the other didn’t arrive. But he only shrugged it off; the other probably decided to not spoil anything more since he also refused to send Dongwoo even a picture of his soul mate.

And finally here he was, in Busan and is more than ready to meet his destiny. If he wasn’t this excited he might notice that Sungjong’s smile is a little strained and his eyes depicted pure sadness.

He wished he did.

Because nothing would prepare him for the succeeding events.

The world was cruel, this fact Dongwoo knew whole heartedly since the day his whole family died on a car accident back when he was in high school. But he never expected that for the second time in his life, another important person would die before him.

Because here he is now, at one of Busan’s local cemetery staring at one stone head that had details engraved on the stone in perfection, almost mocking him. And it doesn’t help really that the rain is still pouring hard, soaking his shirt and his whole being to the core and wrapped him in coldness.

In loving memory of Lee Howon

Died: Aug 22 2014

Born: March 30 1991

“It was a hit and run hyung.” Sungjong explained behind him, a hand clutching on an umbrella that Dongwoo had refused for how many times already and the other comfortingly placed on his shoulder – but he finds it nothing more than dead weight weighing him down even more. “He was on a bike when an unknown vehicle crashed on them and immediately fled the scene. Good thing people had seen the accident and had reacted quickly, although it was already too late.” God must be really mocking him now – of all things another road related accident.

Against his better judgment, bitter laughs bubbled in his stomach until he can’t contain them any longer and they spilled out of his mouth, making Sungjong jerk in surprise behind him and retract the hand on his shoulder. But the surprised expression didn’t last long and was immediately replaced with a sad one as Sungjong stared at his hyung who had always been a bundle of sunshine breakdown in front of him and clutch on the newly placed patch of grass on the ground almost desperately, like wanting to dig out the person that was peacefully in slumber six feet under.

And the worst part was that no one of them could do anything about it.

A few hours after his crying fest in the rain, Sungjong finally managed to drag him out of the place and brought him to his hotel room and was forced to change out of his wet clothes and take a hot bath. The younger was so naggy that Dongwoo had no choice but to follow what the other wanted so that he would finally leave him alone and he could wallow in sadness again, this time with no distractions.

It was only an hour later when Sungjong tucked him in bed and finally left, not without another soft sad smile that clenched tighter in his chest. The younger was certainly lucky; having found the person engraved on his calf when he reached high school and since then they have been together.

It was the ideal relationship Dongwoo wanted, it also doesn’t help that out of his small circle of friends he was the only one who haven’t met his soul mate yet. And now all thoughts and dreams of his have gone down the drain and guess it really is his fate to die alone – or at least marry someone who didn’t have a soul mate or someone who’s soul mate also died young like him (Let’s be optimistic here).

A few restless toss and turns and it was official that Dongwoo can’t sleep. Not that he expected to really, he had just gone through something painful and heartbreaking and as much as he wasn’t to go down the hotel’s bar, his funds didn’t really allow that considering his pay won’t come until two weeks later.

So with a heavy heart and another equally heavy sigh, he grabbed his wallet and keys before donning a jacket and left the hotel for the nearest cheap bar he could find, preferably something that isn’t too shady.

The club he found reeked of sweat and cigarettes and was already packed full to the brim. He found that he doesn’t really care about it that much – after all, all of it would be blur much later.

He had half a thought to ring Sungjong up, just in case he might need a lift later on but decided against it – knowing full well the younger would instead drag his back to the hotel and lock him there before he could drink a drop of alcohol.

Making his mind up, he turned his phone off while ordering the hardest drink they had, requesting to keep it coming as he donned the first glass straight, feeling the familiar of Gin and Tonic burning his throat. A few more shots of the mixture and Dongwoo could already feel a little woozy and his eyesight has gone considerably blurry.

He then started spilling his life story to the man sitting beside him on the bar, not knowing and caring if the other was even listening, only wanting to get everything off his chest before he choked on his sobs and passed out.

The last thing he remembered were soothing caresses, amused brown and warm white.

The extreme dryness on his throat was what roused Dongwoo awake accompanied by the soft sounds of something frying and the delicious aroma of bacon and scrambled eggs. Coughing twice due to his irritated throat, he ignored the prepared painkillers and went straight to the glass of water on the nightstand, greedily gulping it and releasing a satisfied sigh after it.

It was only at that moment he noticed he recognized nothing on the place.

Mind alert and ringing in alarm, he frantically checked his body for clothes (which thankfully he had, although he recognized nothing of it – except for his boxers) and trying to feel if he had that uncomfortable throb on his back side. Deeming everything clear of nothing happening last night, he let himself breathe a sigh in relief – only to jump back in surprise when a voice spoke beside him.

“Oh, you’re awake.” The intruder, and possibly owner of the place, grinned. He only mutely nodded as he watched the other walk near him holding unto a tray of breakfast and set it down on his lap.

Only having noticed the slight grumbling on his stomach, he gave the other a thankful smile before digging in. deciding to ignore the different warning his head flashed about the stranger in favor of food. Hey! He gave Dongwoo free food and, not to mention, took care of his drunken self and didn’t even touch him. He surely must have been a good man.

“Are you okay?” the other asked, confusion written all over his face as he stared quizzically at the painkillers he prepared. Dongwoo only blinked at him with a piece of bacon still hanging from his lips. “You didn’t take the painkillers.”

Dongwoo chewed on the bacon and swallowed it before replying. “Ah, I didn’t really need them. I’m one of the few lucky people that don’t experience hangovers no matter how strong or wasted we get. My throat only gets really dry and irritated.” The other stared at him in awe.

“Such a thing exists?” at his nod the tsk-ed loudly. “Well I’ll be damned, lucky s.” Dongwoo laughed in reply.

Both of them were then basked in awkward silence, Dongwoo not knowing what else to say and the other man looking thoughtfully. Thankfully, much to his relief since he had never been found of awkward silences, the other broke it – staring at him hard with an unreadable expression that made him squirm on his seat.

“Say… Your name is Jang Dongwoo right?” He was surprised by what the other said, how the hell did he know his name? Nodding his head uncertainly, he stared with growing confusion when the other’s face beamed at him, holding out to him his arm where a ‘Jang Dongwoo’ was written on it. Dongwoo stared at it in shock, hand going out to grasp and caress his name.

How – what – huh? Could it be-?

“Nice to meet you soul mate! My name’s Lee Howon and I’m already looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you. So I suggest you stop getting yourself drunk at bars while crying about your soul mate being dead because the last time I checked, I was alive and healthy.” The other – his soul mate! – grinned, wiggling those ridiculously huge eyebrows teasingly at him.

Dongwoo could only gape at him, before jumping gleefully at the other’s waiting arms.

Extra:

“Wait, so who the hell was the Lee Howon that died?” He asked, breaking away from the hug to look at his soul mate’s eyes.

Howon rolled his eyes at him before pinching his nose hard. “I’m not the only Lee Howon on this world you know? And if he really was your soul mate, then shouldn’t the name on your arm disappear when he died?”

Dongwoo blinked at him. “Oh. You’re right… Why didn’t I think of that?” his soul mate only shook his head before planting a soft kiss on his nose.

A/N: God I really really really really miss writing angst TT.TT (not that this could be called angst…). God this was so over due, tell me your thoughts? *^^*