(mentioned nichkhun/tiffany, chansung/fei, youngjae/yugyeom, namjoon/taehyung????? jackson/youngji; implied past!jaebum/jinyoung maybe jaebum/jackson)

there may also be a bunch of mistakes and errors in here but no i care at the moment not really

When Jinyoung was young, his mother read to him every night before bed. His sisters made fun of him sometimes, calling him a baby for still needing stories while they were all grown up and could go to sleep just fine. But Jinyoung didn't care, he would smile and wish them a good night because mommy told him, “Don't listen to them Jireongie, did you know your noonas always ask for goodnight kisses to help them sleep after I leave your room?” And that made him feel better, knowing that they were the same as him, and needed his mommy's kisses to sleep.

Some nights, he and his mother would jump into some strange adventure with heroes and heroines against magical creatures, and have to defeat them using their wit and strength. Other nights they were the stars in the sky watching over two lovers that had to fight against all odds to meet each other. Every night Jinyoung would sit in bed and listen closely to his mommy's voice, with every word she spoke the images of the princess taming the ferocious dragon would become more and more real until he tugged on her sleeve exclaiming “I see it! I see it, do you?” His mommy would laugh and tuck him against her side and keep reading.

Sometimes the stories were good—they were never bad, his mommy wasn't capable of bad stories—and some were great. Some he had trouble understanding, but it was with those his mother told him that when he was older, he'd get it. And she would then kiss him on the forehead goodnight, turn off the lights, and leave him to wonder what she meant.

“Do you know the story about the red string of fate, Jireongie?”

“Nope! But momma's gonna tell me, right?”

“That's right! It's a short story tonight, but it's one of mommy's favorites. Ready?”

“Always!”

The red string of fate is the physical manifestation of the connection between two people. An invisible red string, tied to the pinky finger of one person that stretches anywhere and everywhere to the pinky finger of their soulmate. It's not an emotional connection that makes your heart beat faster or stomach flip, but it's a connection that ties you to the person that is for you, and just you. Everyone has a red string, regardless of where and who they are, regardless of time and space. They're tied to their destined lover, whether they find them or not in their lifetime, the string connects them. It can get tangled and stretch very far, but will never break.

The story comes from China, and starts with the Matchmaker God, Yue Xia Lao, also known as Old Man Under the Moon. Yue Xia Lao is the one that tied people together with his red thread, and whoever was bound were bound as soulmates, and destiny was set. One day, a young boy was walking home at night when he came across Yue Xia Lao standing under the moonlight. Yue Lao was flipping through a book that caught the interest of the boy. Curious, the boy asked what it was.

The book of marriage, Yue Lao replied. He motioned to the bag beside him, I use the red string in this bag to tie two people together, and so they will be destined to be together. The boy did not believe Yue Lao and the old man then decided to take the boy into the village and showed him the girl that he was destined to marry. He pointed her out, and the boy suddenly became furious. He picked up a rock and threw at her, running away immediately.

Years later, the boy all grown up to be a man, went to see his wife that his parents arranged for him. The night of their wedding, he went to their bedroom to find her waiting, with a traditional veil over her face. When he lifted the veil, he was delighted to see his new wife was quite beautiful. But he noticed that above his new wife's eyebrow, she wore some kind of decoration there. Curious, the man asked what it was.

She removed the decoration, embarrassed, and told him when she was a little girl a rock was thrown at her and it hit her in the face. It left a scar, and ever since, she had worn the decoration over it.

Little Jinyoung never forgot the story of the red string of fate. He may not have fully understood what being destined to be together meant, but Jinyoung was a smart child. He would figure it out later on in life.

He asked her, he asked if momma and papa were connected too. His mother just laughed and hooked their pinkies together, that they were instead. Jinyoung, being the momma's boy that he is, smiled and bade her goodnight when she kissed his forehead. Being tied to his mommy sounded good.

It wasn't until a few years later he started seeing things.

He woke up one day, and while rubbing away the remnants of sleep from his eyes, he saw that there was a single red thread hanging in front of his face. He tried rubbing his eyes again, to make sure he wasn't seeing things—his first thought hadn't been 'oh, it's definitely the red string of fate,' but instead he wondered if his sisters had poisoned him. A red string, tied around his pinky finger. It moved with him, but when Jinyoung tried to grab it, it was like his hand just phased through it.

When he sat down at the table for breakfast, Jinyoung almost choked on his water in shock. Around his father's, mother's and even his sisters' pinky fingers were red strings tied neatly around their finger. He was too shocked to even say anything, until one of his sisters made a comment about his mouth catching flies. Jinyoung pretended to flick rice at her when his mom has her back turned. He tried not to think about it, but the bright red on everyone's hands wouldn't let him forget it.

“What..does it mean when there's a red string on your finger?”

“Haa, are you on this again?”

“What?”

“Leave your brother alone, it was cute when he tied a red string around his finger.”

“Yeah, when he was like 7. He's 11 now, momma.”

“Hey, I'm 12 this September! And what are you—oh...”

“Do you remember now Jireongie? Oh you were so cute...”

Jinyoung hid his face in his hands, leaving his mom to roll her eyes at how dramatic his sisters were about him always being the cute one. He almost forgot the story his mom told him as a kid, the string that bound two soulmates together. Almost forgetting his younger self that tied his bears together with red strings, and asking if the people in stories were bound too.

He peeked between his fingers to see his mother's red string, following it to the floor by her feet and under the table, up to where the string ended, tied around his father's pinky. It made him smile, but when he looked over to his sisters, who sat side by side across from him, their strings led all the way to the door and probably beyond that. He liked to think they were far away because his sisters were gross, but later he would learn to hope that they would be able to find their soulmates. His of course, also lead outside. He wondered who his could be.

“Momma you lied, you and I aren't connected at all~”

Jinyoung never asked about it again after that. He didn't have to ask to know he was the only one that saw them, after all, if it wasn't just him someone would have mentioned seeing it too. His family would've just wondered if he was alright (in the head) and he would have to play it off as lack of sleep to get them off his case. Jinyoung loved them to bits, but sometimes they were a bit too overbearing. He could deal with it, he wouldn't worry them.

Every where he went, he walked a top a sea of red. The red strings of strangers were strewn from here to there in every direction on the ground, and sometimes even hanging in mid-air. It had taken Jinyoung a while not to be so cautious of stepping on them, reminding himself that they weren't really there, that despite being able to see them he couldn't actually touch, or step on, them. The weird looks he got from passerbyers that noticed him also helped him to get over it. Still, he would always mutter a quick apology before stepping out of his house.

It was interesting, seeing people and their fated lovers. Sometimes Jinyoung would see two people standing next to each other on the subway tied together, their red string so close that it was barely a few inches long, but they wouldn't even know it. Other times he would see a couple with their friends, and one of them would be tied to one of the friends rather than their current significant other. And more often than not, he would see people with strings stretched so far he didn't know where they went. It made him sad, that some people were just so close, yet still so far from finding the one they were destined for. He wasn't that old to really understand love and all its complications, but he felt heartache for those that were right there, those that couldn't see their soulmate waiting for them. He didn't particularly like thinking about the what-ifs and missed opportunities. He wondered if things ever ended like the stories his mother used to tell him years ago.

But sometimes, he would find that yes, they did end happily ever after like his bedtime stories. The times that Jinyoung liked the most was when he sees two people, whether it was a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, or a man with a man, two people that looked so in love with each other, were tied together with a red string around their pinkies. It gave him a restored sense of happiness and hope, that fate would always find its way and love—true love—maybe, truly existed.

Getting older, the hope he had grew, but at the same time, he questioned it at every turn. Jinyoung saw them, the red strings that fated all his classmates to other people. Fated to people in the same class, different class, different school, whoever and where ever. Jinyoung often wondered if things would ever work out, if people could see their fated lover and go on to be happy. He was never one to meddle or match make, but if one of his friends came up to him, well, it would be a shame not to point them in the right direction.

“Jinyoung, I need to ask you something.”

“Eh, Chansung hyung? If this is about the apartment thing again...”

“No, nothing like that! But thanks for reminding me, are you sure you don't want to move in with us? It's close to the university you're going to!”

“Hyung...”

“Okay, okay. Uh...what should you do if this girl keeps leaving you love notes on receipts and asking you to out and you're actually considering it because well, you kinda want a girlfriend?”

“Oh, uhm.”

“Hypothetically! Just hypothetically, hyung's...not that easy..”

“I never said you were, but do you really like her? Wait, let me try again. Do you even know her name?”

“Uh...I know her coffee order?”

“Hyung, shouldn't you be asking someone else like maybe Nichkhun hyung or something?”

“Jinyoung ah, he doesn't count! He's in his own little world. Tiffany this Tiffany that, sometimes I think his girlfriend is made up. And plus the rest of them just tell me to #yolo and go for it.”

“Aish, hyungs...look if you want a girlfriend so badly why don't you ask Fei noona? You guys are compatible.”

“Fei? Like, Fei Fei, that Fei?”

“The Fei that stares at you a lot? The Fei that you stare at a lot? That Fei.”

“I do not! ....She stares at me?”

“Hyuuung, the book store's gonna close in twenty minutes!”

“Okay, okay I'll let you go for now. Thanks Ju~ni~ah!”

<< she said yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>

He himself was never too interested in getting a relationship. He found himself looking down at his pinky finger from time to time, and then at the limp red string that trailed beside him everywhere he went. Jinyoung received confessions from both girls and boys, though the latter were more discreet about it, but he would always politely turn them down. He saw them, he saw all their strings of fate. Not one tied to him and he thought, he shouldn't become an obstacle in their way to find their soulmate. Especially if they were right there, sitting right behind him in class.

Jinyoung had hope that his classmates would find the one they were truly meant for. He was okay waiting to find the end of his thread.

It was his first year of university when Jinyoung is reunited with Jaebum. Im Jaebum, the kid from his neighborhood that he would go to school with every day and eat instant ramyun with when school ended. Or up until he had to move away and Jinyoung was left without his best friend. He had even missed the way Jaebum made fun of his dialect from time to time. They texted, but it just wasn't the same. But fate—yes, Jinyoung believed it was fate—had brought them together again. They didn't room together, but made up for it by seeing each other as often as they could in between their schedules.

Jaebum was different, but not so different that Jinyoung couldn't tell who he was anymore. Granted he was more grown up, responsible, mature, and a lot more handsome than Jinyoung remembered. He wasn't good with words, not like the authors of the books he read, and he couldn't describe Jaebum with flowery language and pretty imagery he was sure his friend was worthy of. Instead he thought of Jaebum as just Jaebum. Despite the years that both of them gained, Jaebum was still the same goofy kid with the nicest eyesmile Jinyoung's ever seen, still the same friend he could rely on, and still same guy that made fun of Jinyoung's dialect every time he slipped up. The difference was mostly in appearance anyway, and Jinyoung couldn't care less if Jaebum showed up with tattoos or rainbow colored hair. He was still the same Jaebum, and he was sure he was the same Jinyoung.

It was like they were never separated at all, and talked as if they've seen each other every day since they were born. Jinyoung told Jaebum everything and Jaebum told Jinyoung everything. It was a comfortable relationship Jinyoung honestly couldn't think of anyone else that he would do the same with. All through their first year, it was each other they sought out and it was each other they relied on. Even if sometimes it took a little prying, they were each others safety nets.

Jinyoung noticed Jaebum's string would always trail behind him, never even lifting up. Just like him. Sometimes he wondered what kind of person his best friend was destined for, what they were like and if they knew how lucky they were. Sometimes he wondered why it wasn't Jaebum he was tied to. (But he knew he would never, ever, willingly step in between Jaebum and his destined lover.)

It's later into the year when he wonders if the threads of fate are really right.

Over the past few months, an international student by the name of Jackson Wang wormed himself into both Jinyoung's and Jaebum's lives. Maybe wormed isn't the right word and may sound a little negative, but it feels like the right way to describe it. Jackson had, more or less, fallen right at their feet one day.

Jinyoung was walking Jaebum to the dance studio, he had practice and Jinyoung was to head to his professor's office shortly after. They had barely walked through the door and he almost finished telling Jaebum about the sudden request when Jackson tumbled towards them. At that time Jinyoung only knew him as “Wang,” as stated on the snapback he was wearing. He didn't stay long enough for introductions, having to get to the History department in a few minutes, but he did hear someone exclaim “B-Boy King!” in slightly accented Korean on his way out of the building.

Jaebum later told him that the boy's name was Jackson Wang, an international student from Hong Kong that was going to stay for all four years of university. Jinyoung had asked about the “B-Boy king” comment, to which Jaebum nearly spit out his beer, and gotten a shove in return for it. It turned out Jaebum's reputation had gotten around even to new kids, and that's how Jackson knew him by. That, and apparently forgot Jaebum's actual name.

They were formally introduced a few weeks later when Jinyoung wasn't busy with the tutoring job his Korean History professor had offered him. He was everything Jaebum described him to be: charismatic, loud, strong, funny, loud (Jaebum told him to shut up when Jinyoung mentioned that he said loud twice), and extremely in-your-face. Jinyoung had realized most of those traits when Jackson introduces himself nearly immediately as soon as the three of them meet, and nearly crushed his hand with the firm grip he had. Sorry, he apologized, mentioning offhandedly how tight he had to grip his sabre when he used to do fencing. That lead to a conversation about Jackson's past Olympic training that left Jinyoung in awe that such a person existed.

Jackson in some aspects, Jinyoung noticed, is similar to himself. They are both affectionate people, not shy when it comes to skinship, and often times the two would end up in some compromising situation caused by something stupid. (Last time Jinyoung ended up straddling Jackson because he made fun of his bear print sheets. Jaebum had walked in that time.) They are talkative, Jackson better at making people laugh and cheer up with his words whereas Jinyoung was articulate and knew exactly how to convey his feelings with his words. And most of all, they both love Jaebum dearly.

Jinyoung knows what exactly his relationship with his best friend is, and considering how they weren't connected, Jinyoung has no intention of crossing the line. He didn't know who is at the end of his string, or Jaebum's, or Jackson's. He's never noticed any of their strings move, or even stretch, like the distance between their destined lovers was too great. But that's where Jinyoung's apprehension comes from.

He knows what exactly his relationship with his best friend is, but what goes on between Jackson and Jaebum is a different story. Jinyoung notices how close they sit together, and how well they get along. Whenever he left them for his tutoring sessions, they were quick to fall into a conversation between themselves. He knows they would never intentionally keep him out, but sometimes it seemed like they were meant to be.

Jackson liked to take care of Jaebum, that much Jinyoung can tell. It's different from the way Jinyoung would hold Jaebum and share the burden on his shoulders, different from the way Jinyoung would be there supporting Jaebum through anything and everything, different from the way Jinyoung would nag Jaebum to take care of himself better. Jackson takes care of Jaebum his own way; by giving him massages whenever Jaebum was sore, cracking lame jokes to make Jaebum smile, play fighting with Jaebum, praising Jaebum, making Jaebum feel like he didn't have to grow up too quickly. And of course Jinyoung knew, he knew he and Jackson were different. Jackson is the sun, and he is the moon. Perhaps Jaebum needs that more in his life than someone who couldn't even make him forget his problems.

Perhaps, this time Old Yue Lao bound the wrong people.

“Hey hyung, what's your ideal type?”

“Where'd that come from, Jinyoungie, huh?”

“What, I can't be curious? A handsome guy like you is still single? The public wants answers, hyung”

“Ah, then of course it'd have to be my cute little brother Jinyoungieeee!”

“Yah hyung, get off!”

“My ideal type, huh? Someone bright, with natural charm that I can't take my eyes off of.”

Months pass, and before Jinyoung knows it, he's made it through another year. He smiles when he walks out of his room, walking closely to the wall to avoid walking through too many red threads that weren't really being stepped on. It's a habit he still can't shake, not wanting to walk all over someone's destiny string. All the red on the ground really blended well with the leaves that changed color.

Jaebum and Jackson didn't change at all, but Jinyoung doesn't think about it as much anymore. He eyes the string around Jaebum's hand and Jackson's hand, wondering if he could tie them together himself, but he shakes his head at the thought. Playing with fate isn't smart, and he couldn't even touch the threads in the first place. Time would tell, and Jinyoung is sure at some point his two friends' threads will lead to each other. Until then, he supposes he could tie the two of them to him, and drag them to the exhibit in the aquarium he's been wanting to see for a while.

When he walks through the streets, he notices all the people that have found their soulmate. It's not too many, but not to little, either. So it's manageable to catch them all. Occasionally he spots tangled strings and has the urge to go over and untangle it, so the couple can be happy. He sees it, sometimes it's distrust, sometimes it's hesitation or fear, and sometimes it's hurt. Jinyoung's not an expert, but it's like he can feel the heartache that's there between them. They're destined for a reason, Jinyoung thinks. The string will untangle, he hopes.

He's at the convenience store picking up some snacks for a movie night they're having in Jackson's room because his roommate is away when he notices them. The three boys huddled by the cooler, in front of the flavored milk and coffee. They look young, and two of them are wearing high school uniforms. The third, closest to him, is probably in university if he isn't wearing a uniform. He would look away and carry on with his business of picking a few packs of instant ramyun if their hands didn't catch his eyes.

It's strange, he thinks. The tallest one, in the middle, is pouting at the other two and defending the strawberry milk as a good tasting drink or something like that. The other high school student scoffs and picks up the banana milk. And the one almost right beside him, his hair a shocking color of blond, rolls his eyes and goes for the melon flavored one. They seem like god friends on the surface, but their strings are a mess. Jinyoung knows not to interfere, but they're so young. The middle one, really was the one in the middle of it all.

He can tell that boy and the one without the uniform are connected, their pinkies are practically linked but not really. There's a small but visible tangle in the thread that connects them, and Jinyoung is sure it has something to do with how there's a red thread wrapped around the middle boy's other hand, but not tied to him, coming from the boy on his left. A complicated love, feelings kept a secret, or unresolved problems?

Jinyoung has no right to judge, so he tears his eyes away and brings an armful of ramyun and chips to the counter. He's almost there when a bag drops from his grip, and he has no arms to pick it up. So he rushes to dump everything at the front, apologizing to the clerk before he goes to pick up the stray bag of potato sticks. Only, when he turns around, the blond boy with a preference for melon milk is holding it up for him. He has a nice smile, Jinyoung thinks as he smiles back and fishes out his wallet to pay. Although, it's not hard to see the sadness behind it.

When he leaves, he gives the boy a slight bow and says goodbye, walking back to Jackson's room. He wants to forget about complicated relationships, and sadness for people he had no relation with. But at the same time, he hopes for all of them that things work out.

Jinyoung laughs when his student, a strange kid by the name of Kim Taehyung, stutters while greeting one of his hyungs. Kim Namjoon, or something like that if Jinyoung remembers correctly. He knows he shouldn't laugh, but it was cute. Taehyung is definitely a strange kid who often zoned out during their tutoring sessions and usually suggested they go and eat a mix of two things Jinyoung's stomach almost always disagreed with every week. For a long time, he didn't think anything fazed the younger boy. Until they moved their study sessions to the library, where someone his year happened to work at.

He of course noticed the little blush on his tutee's cheeks that nearly matched his hair. (And, he thinks Namjoon's hair as well, even though it was more purple than pink. But Jinyoung won't argue, not when Taehyung practically ran to their meeting place to tell him they had matching hair colors and it was a sign.) Jinyoung clears his throat and pats Taehyung's shoulder and tells him he should go for it. The thread connecting them stood as clear as day to Jinyoung, and with the little glances those two stole from each other, someone needed a push.

Things like that seem to be happening more often nowadays.

Jinyoung almost chokes on his bread when Jaebum slides in next to him at Paris Baguette and tells his Jackson has a huge whiny little schoolboy crush on a girl in their year. He says he doesn't know who it is, but he's sure Jackson has the hots for someone. Jinyoung is a little shocked, at how easily Jaebum says it and at the actual content of what Jaebum tells him. He was so sure Jaebum and Jackson was going to happen, the not so subtle skinship and over the top mannerisms that only came out when it was the two of them. He doesn't understand, he doesn't understand one bit and it makes him laugh. He laughs at his own absurdness and the sudden development, and Jaebum looks at him like he's gone crazy.

It's okay really, Jaebum doesn't need to know. For someone who wasn't supposed to be thinking about his friends' supposed relationships, it lurked in the back of his mind. Now that Jackson likes someone else, Jinyoung feels like a weight's been lifted. He doesn't have to doubt fate, he doesn't want to doubt fate. So he doesn't, and he grins at Jaebum. They're going to grill the hell out of Jackson later.

“So, is she hot?”

“Or is she cute, you know, to balance out your whole “wild and y” thing?”

“Okay what are you two talking about? Did you get drunk without me?”

“Of course not, we're completely sober, for the record.”

“Right, plus we just want to know about this crush of yours.”

“What.”

“You know, the special girl that's gotten our little boy caught up in daydreams and sighing dreamily at the sky.”

“You guys are not doing this to me right now. I—”

“So you do like someone!”

“Who is she? What's her name?”

“Please tell me you didn't tell her your name was wild and y.”

“Nope, nope, I'm done here. Nope, not having any of this today. Bye!”

He sees it now, Jackson's thread. It moves around from time to time, it rises up here and there and goes left and right. He can't believe he's never noticed it. He always looks around, to see if he can spot the mysterious girl Jackson likes, but no luck. It looks like Jackson is actually capable of keeping quiet, about his own affairs anyway, but keeping his mouth shut is still keeping his mouth shut. Jinyoung looks over to Jaebum and sees him grin. Grilling him didn't work, so maybe trailing him would be better.

Jinyoung isn't surprised when he and Jaebum find themselves sitting a little ways away from the soccer field, watching Jackson practice a tumbling move they've seen him do a hundred times over in the dance studio. Jackson always liked being outside. He's leaning against Jaebum and playing on his phone when a voice snaps them both out of their dazes. It was definitely a girl calling out “oppa” and Jaebum stands up so fast Jinyoung nearly topples over with the loss of support. He elbows Jaebum when he stands up too, rolling his eyes when Jaebum tells him that it didn't hurt.

Even from where he is, Jinyoung can see the distinct red string between Jackson and the girl, the string getting shorter as she runs closer. And then his best friend is whispering in his ear that it's Heo Youngji, one of Goo Hara's friends. Jinyoung just nods along, deciding not to ask how he knew, and continues watching Jackson's interactions with her. It makes him smile, the way he picks on her and flicks her forehead, taking her weak punches and angry faces with stride. Neither of them mean it and Jinyoung thinks it's sweet. Jackson is lucky, being able to to fall for the one he's fated to be with so easily.

They stand there a little while longer, watching Jackson teach Youngji the tumbling trick he practiced earlier, helping her up whenever she fell—after he got a good laugh in—and patiently walking her through the steps over and over again. Not once does the thread get tangled around their limbs, always remaining perfectly intact and floating in the air between them. Jackson looked happy, a large smile on his face when Youngji followed through correctly. Not to mention, Jinyoung catches how long Jackson holds her hand for when helping her up.

The two could hear their laughter from all the way where they were, and Jaebum decides they should let them have their privacy. Jinyoung laughs and follows closely behind.

He's heading to the campus bookstore for a new book when he bumps into someone and papers are sent flying into the air. Jinyoung is quick to get to his feet, apologizing and trying to help gather all the scattered papers and quickly and neatly as possible. He should've watched where he was going and hopes he didn't get hurt, he tells the other while offering a hand to pull him up. Two pairs of eyes widen in shock as recognition sets in.

The blond boy that likes melon milk from the convenience store. Jinyoung coughs and breaks the awkward staring contest they get stuck in, and apologizes one more time. Handing the papers over to the other boy, he introduces himself as Park Jinyoung. Choi Youngjae, is the response he gets and then he's met with the same smile from back when they first ran into each other. It seems whenever they meet, something happens, Jinyoung laughs. It's a relief when Youngjae joins him.

When they part ways, Jinyoung can't help wondering if Youngjae and the tall boy were okay.

The weather is starting to get colder when Jinyoung feels it.

The feeling of someone tugging on his hand, as if he was being pulled towards something. For years he didn't bother following the string tied around his pinky, giving up after several attempts and nothing. For as long as he could remember, the thread was limp and assumed to be stretched over a great distance because no matter how far he followed it, it didn't seem like he was getting anywhere. But now, in the beginning of November, it seems like whoever his soulmate is, is finally close by.

When he sees the string move and almost pulled into a straight line, Jinyoung searches. He turns in every direction, standing on his toes to look over everyone's heads. He tries to follow the thread, but just as quickly as it tugged, it sagged back down to lay limply on the ground. But honestly, Jinyoung is overjoyed. He had played with the thought that maybe he'll never meet the one he was fated to, that maybe in some other lifetime he would be able to. And maybe as he got older, he'd get more used to the idea of not finding them. He already knew that he would never stand in the way between those that were already connected to someone else—Jinyoung thinks everyone deserves he chance to be with their soulmate.

So Jinyoung thinks that waiting a little bit longer won't be too bad, and he'll have to keep playing this game of tug of war a little longer. Just so he can finally meet this person and fall in love.

“Okay you punks, since you're so concerned about my love life, you two have been recruited in helping me find a gift.”

“A gift? For what? And why are you calling me a punk, I'm older than you.”

“Why don't you just go with your “wild and y” pelvic and sweep her off her feet like you always do?”

“First, it's for like. A uh. C-confession sort of thing or whatever, okay. Second, No one cares, JB. And third, your idea is horrible, next.”

“A confession? Oh you gotta let me record this Jackson ah, did you hear that Jinyoung? Our child's first confession.”

“Awww, that's cute. I guess you can't pelvic your way into her heart. Why don't you make something then? That's always a nice memorable thing.”

“No way Jaebum, you stay away. Jinyoung, do me a solid and like, put a leash on him or something.”

“You've grown up to be so rebellious, where did I go wrong.”

“Ah, don't worry Jackson, he won't do anything too bad.”

“You guys are useless, useless you hear me?”

“But we're happy for you, Jackson ah. We're glad.”

“Why are you two like this? I'm going to go ask my best friend.”

“Wait your what?”

Nowadays Jinyoung's started buying hot chocolate to bring to his tutoring sessions, the temperature drops are no joke and he's positive Taehyung absolutely hates it. He figured it out when the boy refused to answer his questions complaining it was too cold to focus. Jinyoung couldn't tell if it was because he just didn't want to take the exam he had tomorrow, or maybe if he was really that cold. Nevertheless, Jinyoung had started buying them warm drinks beforehand. He wonders if one day he should just invite Namjoon to sit with them, since he passed by their table so often. He's waiting for the drinks when he gets a call from his professor.

When Jinyoung arrives at the History department, he's shivering and can't feel his hand. The hand carrying the bag had gone numb, because he forgot to wear gloves today. Jinyoung's focus on warm himself up and doesn't notice his professor walk in, a student quietly trailing behind him. Jinyoung doesn't notice, his glasses fogged up and can't see a thing anyway. He doesn't notice the string on his finger rise and tug on his hand the closer they get.

It isn't until his professor introduces Mark Tuan, an exchange student from America as his new tutee that he notices. When the two students exchange greetings and the other boy extends his hand, he sees. The single red thread tied around Mark's pinky, drooping slightly in between them, ending wrapped around Jinyoung's own pinky. He wants to say something cliché like his world suddenly burst into color, and everything became brighter, more vivid, and he felt whole. But that sort of thing, Jinyoung came to realize, was the complete opposite of what he felt.

For him, all color disappeared from his sight. All that remained was the red of the string of fate. His string of fate, that bound him to the man standing before him. The experience should've scared him, having the color in life suddenly drain, but it made him feel calm. The red was so vivid, so clear that they were linked, and felt like there was no way that the color of the string would fade even when everything else did. Jinyoung didn't feel whole, but rather, he felt relieved.

They shake hands, and Mark's hand is so warm, so so warm. I hope we can get along well, Jinyoung tells him, and smiles. His heart isn't in his throat and he isn't about to sweat profusely, but there is a spark that brings him to life and want that physical contact with Mark again. The big smile on the other boy's face makes him forget how long he's waited. He wonders if Mark felt anything too.

Jinyoung goes to Paris Baguette to order a cake for Jackson as a favor, though the reason for a cake in the middle of November is lost on him. From what Jinyoung knew, there were no upcoming holidays, nor were there any birthdays he should be aware of. Whatever the reason, Jinyoung goes as a favor to his friend.

When he's there, he doesn't expect to run into Youngjae. Jinyoung waves when he catches his eyes, trying hard to not let his eyes drift to the status of his red string. It's not hard, especially when a giant bowl of bingsoo is in the way. He can barely make out who's sitting beside Youngjae, but he already has a feeling he knows who it is. When Youngjae lets his hand drop, Jinyoung can see the faint outline of a string hanging between the two at the table. They're laughing, and he hears something that sounds like yah, it's my birthday I wanted the strawberry, and more laughter.

He glances over to see the tall boy that liked strawberry milk sitting beside Youngjae, Kim Yugyeom written on his name tag. They're sharing one bowl, and he can see bits of ice cream on both their faces like they were trying to smear it on each other, and a few stray cornflakes scattered around the tray. He doesn't miss the hand Youngjae has over Yugyeom's hand, either. It tangles, but never breaks.

Jinyoung finds himself smiling when he tells the clerk he wants the chocolate cake with white chocolate shavings.

The cake, Jinyoung finds out, is for no special occasion. Jackson just wanted to celebrate for the end of finals, the almost one month he's been with Youngji, the arrival of his best friend. Except, it's just the three of them like last year, sitting on the floor of Jackson's room with a cake in between them. Jaebum looks mildly offended at the way Jackson says best friend, like what were they? To that Jackson pulls them in for a group hug and reassures Jaebum more than Jinyoung that they were best friends forever too, just his best friend is best best best friend level, having gone through ten years of life together. Whatever, Jaebum rolls his eyes. It feels like Jackson added ten years to his life, so really it was the same. (But Jinyoung knows he doesn't mean it, with the way he catches Jackson in a headlock and messes up his hair, laughing with his mouth wide. Though Jinyoung wouldn't say he never wished he could just pick up his thread and choke Jackson with it.)

Jackson makes an announcement once he shoves Jaebum away from him, kicking his thigh with his foot for good measure, that as honorary biffles, Jinyoung and Jaebum have to meet his actual biffle. Honestly, Jinyoung isn't quite sure what a biffle is, but goes along with it when Jaebum shrugs at him. He looks at the floor, three parallel lines of red trailing all the way out the door, and Jinyoung wants to yank all three of them, pulling the ones at the end towards them.

It comes as a surprise when the person at the end of his actually shows up at Jackson's doorstep, clad in a snapback and baggy clothes that reminds Jinyoung of Jackson's style. The look for people going to play basketball, only they're not. He sees Mark look from Jaebum to him, holding the stare for nearly a minute before he's recoiling away from Jackson and the wet kiss he's trying to give to Mark's cheek. He only laughs when the two wrestle their way to the floor, glancing over at Jaebum who decided to start on the cake early.

“You didn't tell me you knew each other.”

“Well we don't, or we do? We kind of just met too.”

“Yeah, he's my Korean History tutor.”

“Wow, you had to get a tutor.”

“Alright Mr. Please Tutor Me In Korean Literature.”

“You just can't let that go, can you Jaebum?”

“What are friends for?”

“When I was in Hong Kong, Jackson used to whine about math killing his brain cells.”

“Know what? I'm gonna leave. Yeah, you're all traitors and deserve each other. Please just get together and plot your traitorous little schemes and have traitorous little children out to get good guy Jackson Wang.”

“Do I need to call Youngji?”

“......No Jinyoung, don't do that.”

Jinyoung doesn't feel anything overly strong towards Mark, and he can't help but feel a little disappointed. He thinks about when they first met, when they first shook hands. It was..interesting to say the least. Jinyoung's read enough love stories that he expected fireworks, or at the very least electricity like he was shocked. He stares at the red string around his pinky, waving his hand around to see it sway. He remembers focusing on the bright red color of their connection, and that feeling of relief, that he had found him. His hand was warm, and Jinyoung wanted them to hold hands again, test if their hands fit together like those of couples in fairytales, if they would still make him feel warm now. But that's just it and nothing else. Jinyoung hopes there's more to finding his soulmate than wanting to hold his hand.

Mark was a good guy, and he put his all in most everything he did. Most everything, Jinyoung realized, didn't include Korean History it seemed. Thursday afternoons are the times they decided to meet, in a classroom overlooking the courtyard. More often than not, Jinyoung finds himself shaking Mark's shoulder to wake him up and sighing in defeat when the older boy perks up at every and any noise. He thinks other people would find it cute, or at least funny at how easily distracted Mark is, going as far as dragging him to a pet store to look at the puppies there. And then, Jinyoung thinks, that Mark and a dog didn't have that many differences.

Having Jackson as a mutual friend guaranteed that Jinyoung and Mark would see each other more than just at their tutoring sessions. Mark, surprise surprise, had just as much interest in dance Jackson did and quickly became a regular at the dance practices Jinyoung would walk Jaebum and Jackson to. He's stayed once or twice to just watch, always thrown off at how intense and concentrated his friends were, expressions they wouldn't otherwise show outside of practice like in class or something related. He knows the type of dancing each of them do, talented in their own ways. Jaebum preferred b-boy style while Jackson and Mark did more daring things that involved flipping and other acrobatics. Different from the Mark of Thursday afternoons Jinyoung came to know so well, Mark of dance practice is alert and full of energy, able to execute flip after flip with minimal error.

He knows the quiet and shy nature of the older boy, who sometimes like him, preferred to sit back and just listen to the people around him. But when Mark is surrounded by his friends, the energy he has seems to be endless. Jinyoung's seen him collapse with the rest of the dance club, and exhausted as they all looked, they continue to laugh and joke and fool around. And when he's tired, to tired to even respond to anyone, he becomes extremely sleepy. Jinyoung's also seen him just fold his arms over a desk or his knees, and rest his head on top. Those are the moments when Jinyoung wants to sit beside him and rest with him too. Mark Tuan had two settings, much too similar to dogs. (He won't admit aloud that Mark's canines that showed whenever he smiled reminds Jinyoung of a dog too.)

They hang out often, the four of them. Most of the time it's in Jackson's room or out at a restaurant. Sometimes Jackson ends up ditching them to spend time with his girlfriend and Jinyoung watches with an amused expression and Jackson runs off in the direction of his red thread. When that happens, the three of them only hang out for a little longer before going back to their own rooms. It wasn't as if Jackson was the one holding them together, but usually it was him who wants to get together and do nothing. And then there are times Jinyoung tells Jaebum and Mark to go on ahead, because he wants to go get coffee for a little bit. He feels like he should take the initiative to get closer to Mark, but he doesn't need to mull it over when Mark himself decides to stay with him. And when Mark takes his hand, Jinyoung can barely find his voice to tell Jaebum goodbye.

Yes, Jinyoung didn't have strong feelings for the man he's destined to, but it doesn't mean he doesn't want to have them.

Jaebum of course notices after a while, nothing escaped him, especially if it was something Jinyoung tries to hide. He brings it up the same way he tells Jinyoung about Jackson, in the middle of eating. Jinyoung surprises himself by answering calmly that Jaebum is looking too deep into things, and Mark is just a friend. His best friend doesn't buy it and asks him what Jinyoung wished he wouldn't, he asks if he really wants to be just friends. Jinyoung doesn't answer and unconsciously rubs his pinky, at the string he knows Jaebum can't see. He wants to answer no, and he knows Jaebum knows, but he doesn't. Because after all that waiting, Mark's finally here and Jinyoung doesn't know what to do. He hasn't known what to do ever since they met.

While he's walking through campus, he spots Taehyung running across the path, or speed walking rather quickly. He looks happy, a large smile that Jinyoung is used to seeing whenever he scored high in the class on an exam or when Namjoon greeted him. He sees the Taehyung's string shrink in length, until he's face to face with the taller upperclassman he's connected to, smiling up at him, and Jinyoung wonders why he would even think Taehyung was running towards something else. He's happy for the younger boy, thinking he's brave to pursue the one he wants, not knowing that the person he chose is the one fate chose for him too. He's happy for him, and wonders if he could be brave too.

He doesn't meet Mark outside of their study sessions and hangouts with Jackson and Jaebum very often. Jinyoung never catches him when his red string moves, seeing Mark turn the corner when he turns around or just walking by each other with out realizing. It's as if fate is playing with him, and Jinyoung doesn't understand.

He once thought his “sight” was special, being able to see the strings that tied two people together. Jinyoung felt like he was being let in on a secret no one else but fate knew. He had smiled when two destined lovers found each other, his heart had wept when two connected people had given their hearts to others, and had silently wished friends would realize the one around them was the one for them. All the red in his daily life was a constant reminder of love and passion, and hoped that someday the red string would guide him to the one he was fated to love.

But now, Jinyoung thinks about the cruelty of it all, how cruel it's him that can see these threads. He can see them all and it's slowly driving him insane. He's found him, he finally find the one at the end of the string and he's stuck. He's stuck knowing that they're fated together, knowing they're connected, but even so, he doesn't know what to do. He feels like the thread found it's way around his neck, his arms and legs, suffocating and locking him in place. Sometimes it gets so overwhelming he can't even remember what questions he wants answers for anymore.

It's easier to help others, to point them in the right direction and leave the rest up to them. It's easier to see others find happiness for themselves and pursue the one they like. It's easier because it's not Jinyoung. Jinyoung is Jinyoung, and has to deal with the consequences of his own actions. He has to live knowing his soulmate doesn't know what Jinyoung is to him, knowing that perhaps at this moment, they just weren't interested. It's easier because he's scared.

Jinyoung gets roped into making a late night snack run to the convenience store when he loses a game of rock-paper-scissors against Mark, Jackson, and Jaebum. He's walking down the aisle looking for shrimp crackers when he bumps into Youngjae. This time neither of them are surprised, and laughing at their encounters comes a little easier. He's with the two boys Jinyoung remembers from the first time he saw him again. Yugyeom introduces himself as soon as he notices Jinyoung talking to Youngjae, and not long after the other boy, Kunpimook, introduces himself as well. Jinyoung notices that Kunpimook's thread isn't wrapped around Yugyeom's hand anymore, instead it fell limply on the ground and out the door. It seemed like whatever problems they had passed, and Jinyoung smiles at all of them before he leaves to pay for all his junkfood.

Maybe his will too.

“Are you two..?”

“Ah, Yugyeom and me? I....y-yeah, something like that.”

“Then, I'm glad.”

“I'm sorry?”

“I'm glad you found the person that makes you smile so brightly.”

“Hyung..! It's not that obvious, is it?”

“Don't worry, I won't tell anyone how lovesick you are.”

“Hey, I'm the one that confessed, I think I deserve a better trait than that. It took a lot of guts, you know?”

“How about..smitten then?”

“You're a no good hyung.”

Sometimes when Mark is reading a passage Jinyoung assigns him to, Jinyoung can't help but stare. He is attractive, Jinyoung won't deny it. He doesn't know what about him—the hair? Eyes? Nose? Lips? Style?—that makes him stare for so long, but Mark is one of the most undeniably handsome guys that he's come across. Maybe he should be lucky to be fated to such a person. Is he that shallow? Jinyoung likes to think not. His eyes drift over to the doodles on the otherwise blank sheet of paper beside Mark. He sighs, and decides it's enough reading. Mark is confused, but not disappointed, and Jinyoung can't help laughing. Too bad the session's not over, Jinyoung's just going to explain everything to him in detail instead of waiting til the end. It's cute when he begs to be spared.

Jinyoung learns that Mark is definitely stronger than he looks when Jinyoung falls and sprains his ankle. He knows he's not the heaviest guy in the world, but the way Mark lifts him up with absolute ease, arms hooked around his back and under his knees, he feels like he's nothing. The whole thing is rather embarrassing and Jinyoung doesn't want to talk about it. Not because he was princess carried all the way to his room, or that he fell because he tripped over a loose tile, but because he can't forget the feeling of being so close to Mark.

Warm, warm, warm. Being near him made Jinyoung feel so warm.

He groans in embarrassment when Jaebum shows him the pictures he took.

Mark is different than Jaebum. Jaebum is Jaebum, but Mark isn't just Mark. To Jinyoung, Mark is the handsome student he can't stop staring at, the puppy dog he wants to be around, the source of warmth [in this heart], the one that he isn't sure if he's in love with. He's never been in love, so Jinyoung doesn't know if he's telling himself to fall in love or if he really is. He doesn't know why his mouth always lifts into a smile when Mark talks to him. He doesn't know why he feels a personal victory when Mark chooses him over Jackson. He doesn't know why his face heats up when Mark touches him, or when they hug. He doesn't know why he lies to himself when he says he doesn't feel anything towards Mark.

The conclusion he reaches when he goes to sleep that night makes him squeal into his pillow and kick his feet in the air. Maybe he should ask Jaebum if he's going crazy.

Final exam season is upon them, and Jinyoung hopes he was able to help Mark and Taehyung pass. He has his own exams to worry about, but with the amount of time he spent with those two, it felt like he was taking it with them. Grades wouldn't be posted for a while, but he still makes them promise to tell him when they come out. As he walks out of the food stand, bidding Taehyung goodbye, he runs into Mark. He shouldn't be surprised anymore, the red string that ties them together is like a bell. Whenever they're close to each other, Jinyoung will know.

He asks Jinyoung if he's free to get a drink at a nearby Tom&Tom's, his treat. Despite having just eaten, he figures a drink wouldn't hurt. A free drink no less. They sit on the second floor by the windows in the corner, two cups of peppermint mochas on the table. Jinyoung wanted to try one of the seasonal drinks, and Mark just went with it too. They didn't talk about anything specific, but Jinyoung found it to be comfortable. It was the most he's heard the older boy talk ever, not counting all the times he's made him answer history questions. They talk about things that they probably should've asked about in the start of their friendship; likes, dislikes, if they ever traveled, favorite music, and all the mundane little facts that they felt like sharing. Jinyoung doesn't question it, instead smiling when Mark tells him he wished Jinyoung was his professor instead. (He tries,he really tries, to will away the blush on his face when Mark follows up and tells him that he likes listening to Jinyoung's voice better.)

For once Jinyoung agrees with Jackson, that yes, his friend is a traitor. Jaebum always corners him when he's at the bakery, and always when he has food in his mouth. He buys Jinyoung a cafe latte to help the bread go down, and even pats his back to stop him from choking. He wouldn't even be half choking half dying if Jaebum hadn't shown up out of nowhere and accused him of being on a date without telling him. The accusation is absurd and Jinyoung tells him so, shoving Jaebum away from him. It was not a date and he was going to tell Jaebum eventually, but who knew Jaebum was actually spying on him the entire time. It wasn't even that big of a deal, Jinyoung thinks back to it, it was just two friends getting coffee after exams. But he will admit, he likes seeing the red thread hanging loosely between them in a small curve.

He threatens to end Jaebum's life with a spoon when the slightly older boy makes fun of the quote, lovestruck smile on his face. Jinyoung doesn't enjoy being the source of Jaebum's amusement and huffs, going back to his lunch and ignoring his so called best friend. Jaebum was probably used to it, it was after all how Jinyoung usually dealt with things he didn't like. He ignored them. It doesn't stop Jaebum, not when it comes to Jinyoung. So he continues talking about how he was passing by and coincidentally saw the two of them sitting by the window, Mark's weird blond gray hair is pretty easy to recognize, he defends when Jinyoung interrupts. Bottom line, Jaebum trapped him for nearly an hour asking him about Mark. That, and maybe he told Jackson about the crush he knows Jinyoung has.

Traitorous indeed.

Before break begins and everyone starts to go home, Jinyoung decides to visit the dance studio--only because he doesn't have to tutor anymore and has the time. No other reason, despite the looks Jackson and Jaebum send him when he walks in. Sometimes he panics at all the red strings strewn through the room, scared someone might trip and fall and get caught, until he remembers they're not tangible at all. And he's the only one that can see them. It's kind of funny to watch them dance on top of strings after his mini freakouts. He himself doesn't dance, maybe when he got drunk (according to Jaebum), he prefers just watching instead. Even when his friends wave him over to join them in practice, he declines and watches from the corner by their belongings. Today is not the day Park Jinyoung wants to embarrass himself in front of a large group of people.

When he looks closely at the group standing up as they break for the day, he notices Jackson weaving between people with what looks like a water bottle in his hands. Jinyoung doesn't understand when he is perfectly capable of walking around the group rather than through them, until he sees someone chasing after him, following his exact footsteps, following the direction of his red string. And then Jinyoung nods in understanding.

It startles him when he feels someone sit down beside him and ask him what he was laughing at; Jinyoung hadn't even realized he was laughing. It's Mark, and suddenly it's hard to keep himself laughing and being "normal." He points to Youngji running after a cackling Jackson, and Mark laughs too. (And so does Jaebum, with his all seeing eyes. At what, he prefers not to know.)

The next time Jinyoung sees Mark is when he's in the campus library. He has a few days before he goes home, so he decided to take the time to get some reading in. He's sitting in a secluded area of the library with A Christmas Carol when his soulmate pops up behind him, nearly causing him to throw the book across the room. Because he quite literally pops out from behind the chair Jinyoung is sitting in and whispers hey. Hey—nothing else, just hey and it scares the living hell out of Jinyoung. They're lucky the library is near empty and no one's around to hear the yelp that comes out of his mouth. Mark doesn't even ask if Jinyoung's okay, he stands there with a surprised look on his face like he didn't expect that to happen. And he still doesn't think to apologize for scaring him, bursting into a fit of giggles instead. So Jinyoung does what he does when someone's laughing at him, roll his eyes and ignore them. He doesn't care that fate is finally giving him a chance, fate can kiss his because in what universe is he going to talk to someone that laughs at his misfortune.

It's unfortunate that Mark reacts the same way Jaebum does, he ignores the cold shoulder and starts talking like nothing's the matter. He asks Jinyoung what he's doing, why isn't he home, when he's going home, he just doesn't stop asking and Jinyoung can't concentrate on anything. Not on anything Mark's saying, not on anything he's reading, not on anything but how close they are and the heat Mark is radiating. He finally snaps and answers Mark's question about what he's reading, pointedly asking if he's read it since it was translated from English. That, however, is apparently an open invitation to suddenly move closer to around the chair and to sit on the armrest, draping himself over Jinyoung to peer down at the book. Nope, he answers, telling him that he was never really interested in Charles Dickens. But maybe if Jinyoung wanted to teach him, he wouldn't mind at all.

Comments like that make Jinyoung's heart flutter, but it makes him want to slap a hand over his forehead at the same time. He's sure Mark enjoys making him flustered, he can already hear him chuckling under his breath. When Jinyoung turns to face him, a frown on his face, he doesn't expect Mark to be so close. He can smell the gochujang sauce on his breath with how close he is, and is about to lean backwards to put some distance between them when Mark suddenly grins. His canines are showing and what Jinyoung's thinking of is how bright they are, nevermind the fact that their faces are barely inches apart, their noses are almost touching, and Mark looks like he's ready to eat him.

Until Jinyoung nudges Mark off the armrest with his elbow, anyway. This time it's Jinyoung laughing and Mark pouts. It's not even like he fell to the floor, Mark had caught himself and straightened up before that happened. The red color of their fate stands out between them, making Jinyoung raise his arm up in the air against the light, spreading his fingers. He barely notices Mark settling back on the armrest and around him, more focused on the neat bow tied around his finger. He registers Mark asking what he's doing, but Jinyoung finds his thoughts about how a little red string affected him so much more interesting. He only hums in response to Mark's question.

The book is set down on his lap and he unconsciously leans back on Mark's arm. Jinyoung realizes how strange he's acting and is about to put his hand back down and maybe lecture the older boy on the book as a joke when a hand is clasped over his. Mark fits his fingers between his and closes down, gripping them not hard enough that Jinyoung couldn't pull away, but enough to render him speechless. He wants to ask what he's doing this time, only he doesn't need to when Mark brings their joined hands to his lips, placing a chaste kiss to the back of Jinyoung's hand.

That's enough to make him finally react and find his voice, shaking Mark's hand away from his, he stands up and practically screeches at him with how high his voice suddenly becomes. If this is a joke, Jinyoung hopes he would stop. He tried not to think of the possibility that now isn't the right time for them, but because he doesn't know what Mark's thinking, he can't stop. Their red string hands between the two of them, innocently swaying along when Mark lifts his hand to cover his smile.

Jinyoung's mind is reeling when he stands up and walks closer to him; he starts thinking of all the possible reasons of why Mark's grabbing both of his hands and entwining their fingers together, and then it all goes blank when he leans in close, voice low, confessing that Jinyoung's hand wasn't the first choice he was interested in kissing, but if Jinyoung would allow it, he'd show him what was.

Jinyoung thinks it'd be stupid not to say yes. So he does, and then finally understands where the fireworks are.

“Do you believe in fate?”

“Hmmm, do you?”

“I asked you first, Jinyoung ah.”

“I believe two people destined to be together will somehow, someway, always find each other.”

“Me too. Maybe that's why I always end up where you are.”

Jinyoung smiles and hooks his pinky with Mark's, the ends of red string of their fate finally meeting.

Of course he believes.

(He finds out later Jaebum and Jackson both knew this entire time, and Mark has to hold him back from mauling them.)