Taehyung likes to think that the freckles and moles littered across Hoseok’s back map out constellations. Hoseok thinks the stars in Taehyung’s eyes burn brighter.

“You’re gross,” Taehyung laughs against Hoseok’s lips, “but I love you.”

Hoseok is always in a good mood, too caught up in the blessing that was his life, but when Taehyung says simple things like this his heart soars. So he kisses him harder.

Their lives were destined to be entangled with one another, planned out before they were born. Some people call it fate; others don’t know if any label is suitable enough. Taehyung falls in to the latter half of the population. Jeongguk would always when he was caught staring at the name on his wrist but Taehyung didn’t care.

The names appeared on either the right or left wrist when a person came of age. Puberty. Some received their soulmate’s name when they were nine while others had to wait until they were fifteen.

Taehyung remembers waking up on a Sunday morning to find the neat hangul of ‘Jung Hoseok’ on his left wrist in black. His mother nearly threw a party and Taehyung had to sit through a dinner full of relatives congratulating him and his father patting his back with a proud smile. Taehyung was fourteen and felt like the growth spurt he had just gone through was not nearly exciting as ‘Jung Hoseok’.

The next day Jimin was so shocked at the black writing that he nearly choked on his milk. Taehyung had laughed for an eternity while Jimin complained endlessly about how he was technically older and should have received his soulmate’s name first. Taehyung was all smiles as he showed off ‘Jung Hoseok’ to his friends and classmates. Even though the older kids had experienced countless name reveals, a new name was always something to celebrate.

“What do you think he’s like?” Seokjin had pressed his fingers against the thin veins underneath Hoseok’s name and Taehyung giggled.

“I don’t know, but I have a feeling he’s gonna be great.” Seokjin had ruffled his hair and Taehyung found it cute how, even though Seokjin was the oldest in their friend group, he seemed to be the most excited out of everyone.

Seokjin had offered to treat the group to dinner as a celebration and Taehyung decided he already liked his ‘Jung Hoseok’. Squished in the backseat of Seokjin’s ratty car singing offbeat with Jeongguk beside him and Jimin in the front, he hoped ‘Jung Hoseok’ liked him too.

Hoseok had always been told that the name on his wrist would be one of the most important things of his life. His mother would cradle him in her arms as she told wild stories of soulmates that found each other but could not be together only to fight against the masses for their love. Hoseok grew a fixation with soulmates, with love, with ‘Kim Taehyung’.

“Love always conquers,” She would whisper against his hair as she ran a soothing hand along his side, “Never forget, sunflower, love always conquers.”

Hoseok would run his fingers along the ‘Kim Taehyung’ on his right wrist and smile because he knew that one day his own love would conquer. ‘Kim Taehyung’ belonged to him as much as he belonged to ‘Kim Taehyung’. Hoseok was sixteen and felt like his life would take off once ‘Kim Taehyung’ was his.

Yoongi would always spew little hate raps against the archaic process of being assigned a life partner but Hoseok never listened to him. He simply bobbed his head along to the beat as Namjoon told Yoongi off for being so cynical. Hoseok knew he didn’t mean it, but he also knew that Yoongi had come from a family of broken soulmates and broken love.

“Where do you think you’ll find them?” Hoseok would ask Namjoon casually after a long day in the rundown studio by their school. Namjoon was rising steadily in the underground scene while Yoongi produced for him and occasionally dipped in the rapping himself. Hoseok just liked to dance but sometimes found fun in freestyling against Namjoon or Yoongi. 

“Does it matter?” Yoongi would pipe up from his side of the desk and Hoseok could only scowl, Namjoon throwing him an apathetic shrug.

“C’mon, it matters to me!” Hoseok felt like they always had the same conversation but Yoongi had a hard shell to break through and he was determined to do it.

“Can we not do this?” Namjoon gave both of them a pointed look and Hoseok deflated while Yoongi rolled his eyes, “Let’s go get ddeokbokki, on me. I just got paid.”

Namjoon was wiggling his eyebrows and Hoseok knew better than to deny the younger when he was this giddy so he nodded and grabbed Yoongi’s arm to pull him out of the studio with them. He didn’t hesitate to question Namjoon again later, though.

Five years after his mark had appeared on his wrist, Taehyung was still searching. He knew that a lot of people didn’t find their soulmates until their mid to late twenties but it was still on his mind. He was nineteen and still very much in love with the idea of love.

He grabbed Jeongguk by the arm in to a nearby coffee shop, determined to get away from the bitter Seoul cold. The younger complained but let himself be dragged in to the warmth anyways. Taehyung flashed him a grin as he ordered a hot chocolate for himself and some fancy coffee product that he could never pronounce anyways for Jeongguk.

After paying for both drinks, Taehyung pranced carelessly over to the table Jeongguk had claimed and started to chatter about unimportant things. Jeongguk acted like he didn’t care about the gossip but Taehyung knew that he enjoyed it.

“…and so she almost punched Jimin in the face but he started to do that fake crying thing so she got nervous and-” Jeongguk stopped him with a glove to the face and Taehyung sputtered against the cotton, lips pouting with confusion.

“Did you hear that?” Jeongguk hissed and Taehyung shook his head with even more confusion. Jeongguk motioned him to stay quiet and Taehyung obliged out of curiosity.

“Jung Hoseok.” The barista called after a few moments of silent. Taehyung felt his mouth go dry and he immediately stood up, his chair clattering behind him. A few patrons glanced over at him in shock as he practically ran over to the counter.

He was met with a man around his height, a complexion darker than his but a smile infinitely brighter. The man smiled at him and Taehyung’s heart squeezed.

“Can I help you?” God, his voice sounded like honey. Taehyung stuttered a bit before grabbing the café counter and straightening himself out.

“I’m Kim Taehyung.” He breathed out and Hoseok’s eyes widened in realization as he nearly dropped his cup of coffee.

“My Kim Taehyung.” Hoseok beamed and hooked his arm through Taehyung’s, leading him back to his table. Taehyung saw Jeongguk wink and give him a thumbs up from across the café but he was still in disbelief, “Know how long I was looking for you?”

Taehyung definitely liked his ‘Jung Hoseok’.