5 days, 15 minutes, 33 seconds…

 

 

Solar sighed, staring at her reflection as she runs a hand through her bed hair. If she’s getting her maths right, that would mean she’d meet her soulmate in the cafe that she stocks up on her caffeine at before going to school.

 

 

She turned away, tracing a finger over the fading seconds on her arm while she prepares for work. She’d watched friends’ moments. Their nervous murmurs of excitement as the time drew near. The awkward exchange between future partners. The realization, relief, contentment.

 

 

But that could wait till another day. Right now, she had to choose between a flannel button down and a graphic tee to wear to her Lit lecture.

 

 

Shouldering her bag and grabbing the keys, she set out to her Nissan Maxima and started the engine, groaning when it sputtered and shuddered for a long moment, before dying.

 

 

Great, now she had to take the bus and skip out on the caffeine. She pushed the door open, not before glancing at the new-found numbers.

 

 

9 minutes, 3 seconds…

 

 

“Oh, god.” Of all days her car decided to break down, it was the one her soulmate would take the bus. She hadn’t even combed her hair. Why did she choose to live off-campus? Who cared, right now she had to focus on catching the bus if she wanted to avoid the professor paying any more attention to her than he already was.

 

Running her hands through her hair with a little more purpose, she rushed to make herself presentable, smoothing down her shirt and applying some foundation, checking the overhead mirror before giving her reflection a little nod of approval, then tore out of the car, walking as quickly as her legs would take her.

 

Arriving at the bus stop, she rubbed at her arm, still numb with shock. Sure, she’d waited roughly 24 years for it to happen, but she hadn’t expected it to be in college. The numbers were always changing, depending on the choices she made throughout her life. When she’d moved, the time had lengthened. When she’d been accepted to the university, it had jumped 9 months. It wasn’t unexpected, but it was surprising.

 

 

She hopped onto the bus, taking a window seat near the back. She plugged in her earphones, hoping a song or two could calm her nerves.

 

 

48 seconds…

 

 

A skateboard junkie with ripped jeans.

 

 

Nope.

 

 

25 seconds…

 

 

A man with gelled hair and a suit.

 

 

Definitely not.

 

 

16 seconds…

 

 

A woman in her mid-20s wearing a flower print dress.

 

 

No?

 

 

A brunette close to her age stepped onto the bus, dressed simply in high-rise jeans and a shirt, her card quickly swiped before she placed it between her teeth, securing her arms around a stack of books.

 

 

10...

 

 

She walked down the aisle, searching for an empty seat before her gaze settled on one.

 

 

6…

 

 

She headed towards it, smiling apologetically through the card as she accidentally kicked a bag.

 

 

4…

 

 

She sighed through her nose, seemingly steeling herself.

 

 

2…

 

 

Is it?

 

 

1…

 

 

“Can I sit here?”

 

 

Well then.

 

 

“I guess, yeah.”

 

 

She sat carefully, balancing the books on her legs before putting the card back into her bag.

 

 

Solar shifted uncomfortably, fingers twitching nervously. Under normal circumstances, it took her a lot of courage to introduce herself to anyone, but if this was her soulmate…? “I’m really sorry but… could I see your arm?”

 

 

The brunette jumped slightly, startled by the question, eyes blinking, once, twice, but obliged, straightening out her left arm for her.

 

 

0.

 

 

They both stared at the number, frozen. Solar swore her heart skipped a beat.

 

 

“Holy crap, it said I had months five minutes ago!” She poked it, still unsure of the situation. Nonetheless, the number stayed, final in its decision.

 

 

“That may be my fault, my car broke down.” The brunette looked back at her, head tilted.

 

 

“I thought I was straight.”

 

 

“Sorry?”

 

 

She flushed, “That came out wrong. I kind of thought my soulmate would be a guy.”

 

 

“I wasn’t sure who I’d get.”

 

 

“Fair enough.” She extended her hand, “Hello, partner. I’m Moonbyul.”

 

 

She shook it, “I’m Solar.”

 

 

“Well, Solar, looks like we’ll be spending a lot of time together.”

 

******

 

They were near inseparable.

 

 

Although they still had their own apartments, Moonbyul would be at her house a lot more than she was at hers. Eventually, she had her own drawer and a toothbrush in the bathroom.

 

 

“What’s up, unnie?” Moonbyul shuffled out of her room, rubbing blearily at her eyes. She then saw and laughed.

 

 

“Shut up, Byul, it’s not funny.”

 

 

“It is, actually.”

 

 

She scowled, “I swear you put it on that shelf so you can see me like this. Get it for me!”

 

 

“Fine, fine.” She grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist and grabbing her cat mug for her with the other. Dropping a kiss, she handed it to her, “You Lit majors sure are grumpy.”

 

 

“It’s impossible not to be when there are lackwits like you hanging around campus.” She pouted, pouring herself coffee, tossing several packets worth of sugar in before taking a sip.

 

 

“Is that healthy?”

 

 

“Is that healthy? Asks the girl who has a caramel macchiato every day.” She rolled her eyes.

 

 

Moonbyul clutched her chest in fake hurt, features scrunched in pain, “Woe is me. When I thought I’d be getting a beautiful, shy, eloquent soulmate, I get you instead.”

 

 

Solar punched her arm lightly, “You thought you were straight, you gay idiot. Are you saying I’m not any of those things?”

 

 

Moonbyul pokes back. “I’m saying I miss the nice, quiet girl that was on the bus.”

 

 

“Who says I’m not?”

 

 

She gave her a smirk, the one where one the right corner of her lip would turn up slightly and her eyes formed crescent moons, “Don’t you have a lecture to catch?”

 

 

Solar checked her watch, blanching when she saw that she had ten minutes to get to her lecture, “Oh god, Professor Im swore he’d throw away our assignments if we weren’t on time.” Leaning up to kiss Moonbyul, she breaks out of her arms and runs to the door, throwing an “I love you!” over her shoulder.

 

 

She doesn’t look back for the reply.

 

******

 

She could feel her slip away.

 

 

It wasn't necessarily just a mental thing. She could feel it burrowing beneath her skin, tendrils creeping down her neck as each day passed, circling around until her fingers slipped through Moonbyul's and everything was okay, she was just imagining it.

 

Moonbyul spent most of her time in the library now, from what she would have her believe, citing exam revision with a regretful smile. She'd kiss her lightly before getting off the couch and out the door with nothing but her pencil case, phone, and wallet, wishing her the best of luck with that Literature assignment and promising she'd be back by nightfall to check up on her and cuddle.

But sometimes she wasn't back till the next day and Solar would feel accusations bubbling up but it was all forgotten by then from the kisses she'd pepper all over her face and the tickles that wouldn't stop till she was out of breath from laughing.

 

It was normal, wasn't it? Moonbyul had her own life that she shouldn't pry on, and if anything significant was happening Moonbyul would tell her.

 

She hoped.

******

 

The days leading up to graduation were...tough.

 

Moonbyul never came around anymore, saying that her professors were intent on drowning her in paperwork and yes, she really wanted to come over but she would just be a distraction to Solar while she was revising, these weren't just midterms, these were the final exams she'd have as a university student. No, it was fine, Moonbyul understood this was a stressful time for her and she'd only come in the case of emergency.

 

And she wasn't wrong either. Solar was barely floating above impeding exams and her thesis and my god, her thesis was barely halfway done, and she reached out for Moonbyul but she was never there, why was she never there? Sometimes it was enough when she traced the 0 on her arm, reminding her of the warmth Moonbyul was, but sometimes it became too much and she would break down and Irene from her Literature class would rush over with her girlfriend Wendy because she was a psych student and surely that would help, but she didn't need Irene's girlfriend she needed hers, where was she?

 

The tendrils tightened.

******

The worst of the exams were over and Moonbyul had finally agreed to visit, had been lying on her legs, Solar playing with her hair as they watched reruns of old dramas. Everything was going wonderfully and she felt better than she had in weeks, but why did she still feel like she was struggling to breathe?

 

She fought to keep her voice steady, “Byul-ah, are we okay?"

 

Moonbyul turned to face her, a confused smile playing across her face, "Of course unnie, did you think I'd be jealous that you were spending too much time with your thesis?" She glared playfully, "Is there something I don't know about? Did it make a move on you?"

 

She forced out a laugh, "Of course not."

 

Moonbyul nodded once in approval before turning back to the screen.

 

She had said they were fine, which meant they were fine. How could she have thought otherwise? She shook her head, emptying her mind of everything and focused only on Byul.

 

The drama ended, and Moonbyul was getting up, grabbing her bag and keys to go, when something that Solar hadn't thought of before, couldn't, wouldn't have fathomed before, surged up within her and suddenly she had to ask.

 

"Byul-ah, could I please see your arm?" 

 

It was like it had been on the bus a year prior, only now Byul looked at her with a hardness in her eyes and a stiffness to her stance. She attempted to ward it off with a small smile, "What's wrong with it, unnie?"

 

She got off the couch, stepping towards her, horrified when Moonbyul backed away.

 

"Don't touch me, unnie."

 

"I need to know, Byul-ah." She was begging now, and it disheartened her to see nothing but fear in her soulmate's eyes.

 

"I- I'm sorry unnie, I have a lecture to catch, we can talk later, I'll call y--"

 

Solar lunged forward as Moonbyul started for the door, grabbing her wrist and turning it upwards to see the red cursive she'd hoped against hope not to see.

 

2 months, 4 days, 8 hours, 18 minutes…

 

She let go as if stung, staring at the new numbers, watched them tick away, taking a piece of her heart with each second it counted down.

 

“I knew it."

 

Moonbyul remained silent, gazing sadly on as the time ticked away.

 

“You’re my soulmate… But I’m not yours.” She clenched her fist, digging her fingers into the skin.

 

“I’m sorry, Solar.”

 

0. In black, bold script, it flashed on her own arm like a mantra.

 

 

0, 0, 0.

 

"How long has it been since you knew? How long have you been hiding this from me?"

 

She wouldn't look her in the eye, "3 months."

 

"Ever since I began preparing for my finals, then." She let out a breathy laugh, speechless.

 

"I swear I was going to tell you before graduation, so tha-"

 

“So that what? You could find your new soulmate and live happily ever after while I’m stuck with this…?” She shook her head disbelievingly, stabbing the number with a finger angrily.

 

 

“I don’t know. It’s up to you.” 

 

 

She gawked at her, aghast, “Up to me? You think I’ll chain you next to me because I feel pathetic? When you already have them?” She spits it out harshly.

 

 

Moonbyul flinched, but met her eyes readily, “Like I said, it’s up to you.”

 

 

She hesitated momentarily, before slumping, defeated, “Go.”

 

 

“What?”

 

 

“I said go, Byul. Take your stuff and leave.”

 

 

She looked at her pleadingly, “But--”

 

 

“Go!” She slammed her hand against the counter.

 

 

She sighed, tentatively stepping forward to kiss her on the cheek, before stepping through the door.

 

 

She waited before the lock clicked into place, before sliding against the counter onto the floor, scratching at the number furiously, tears sliding silently down her face.

 

 

“Come on, come on, come on!”

 

 

0, 0, 0.

******

 

It had been months and she barely looked at her arm anymore. She’d wear long sleeves and hoodies just so she could avoid her peripherals from catching a glance of what she knew would forever be a 0. The tendrils stayed, but they didn't hurt as much as before, only serving as a reminder of the pain she had had to endure, still endured.

 

 

Moonbyul had met her soulmate at her graduation ceremony, coming to atone for her mistakes, when she had met a woman named Krystal, friends with another journalism major who’d come to congratulate them. Watching Moonbyul freeze as she saw another, a smile appearing in wonder as she met her true soulmate while Solar watched from the sidelines waiting for her degree broke her in two, and she couldn’t break away from the ceremony faster.

 

 

Solar tried to stay in contact as a way of forgiving Moonbyul, but she couldn’t bear the thought of seeing them together, staring at each other with the love struck gazes that she had once reserved for her Byul.

 

 

She traced the number absentmindedly and sighed. Brooding on past mistakes wouldn’t fill her dwindling bank account, and so she continued to search for an employer that deemed her worthy of a job.

 

******

 

“How are you feeling?” Irene sipped from her mug, eyes appraising her over the rim.

 

 

“Good.” She drummed her fingers against her latte apprehensively, looking at a spot above Irene’s head.

 

 

She raised an eyebrow pointedly.

 

 

Solar rolled her eyes. Of course, she still knew the tell-tale signs of when she was lying, even after spending a year outside of uni, settling in their own parts of the city, talking only over the phone or on Skype. “Better. Not amazing or terrible, just better.”

 

 

She nodded in understanding, setting down the mug, “I’m not the best person to be talking to, huh?”

 

 

She shrugged half-heartedly, “We’re friends, and it's not your fault you're happy. Better me than you”

 

 

Nodding again, she awkwardly cleared , “Is the number still…?”

 

 

“I haven’t checked it, but I assume it’s still the same.”

 

 

“Such eloquence from someone with a Lit degree.” She deadpanned.

 

 

“What more do you want from me, Joohyun, there isn’t a much better way to look at it. I’ll be sad and alone forever.” She exhaled through her nose deeply.

 

 

Irene tutted disapprovingly, taking her arm in her hands and rolling up the sleeves, “No matter how disappointed you may be, a girl shouldn’t keep her plaid sleeves down. And besides, maybe it’s best you stay single, no one will complain about my attacks on your behind except Wendy.” She joked.

 

 

“And me." Solar sighed again, "One less tragedy in the world.” She quipped.

 

 

“Well, you seem to be right there.”

 

 

“Huh?”

 

 

“Look.”

 

 

And there it was, the red cursive flowing once again.

 

 

3 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes…

 

******

 

You may ask why Wheein had started working at the cafe, seeing as she had earned another scholarship for a Master’s at Music, but Seoul was an expensive city and living was not likely to get any cheaper. Besides, she wasn’t particularly reserved with spending her money. As the legendary John Lennon once said, life was what happened when you were busy making other plans, and she had lots. Just because Hwasa was a homebody didn't mean she had to stay at home too.

 

 

She glanced at her arm while she waited for the inevitable onslaught of white collars and students picking up their morning coffee before the unfortunate 9:00 A.M. lectures and work shifts.

 

 

18 minutes, 7 seconds…

 

 

It had paused for months at 4 months, 20 days, 1 hour, 24 minutes, but it had resumed a while back, and she didn't plan to complain that it had suddenly jumped days forward as she had worn her apron.

 

 

The doorbell rang, and she started to serve students clearly in need of a caffeine supplement.

 

 

4 minutes, 41 seconds…

 

 

She’d only been on her shift for 20 minutes, and there’d already been a spill, much to the chagrin of her and her fellow shift partner, though the student was clearly hungover and apologized profusely several times.

 

 

However, she refused to show her irritated self to her soulmate. First impressions lasted long, and a grumpy Wheein was not something she intended to show.

 

 

1 minute, 3 seconds…

 

 

The doorbell rang again, and in came a gorgeous female wearing a neatly pressed shirt and pencil skirt with flowing brown hair, shuffling to the back of the line.

 

 

44 seconds…

 

 

3 customers to go.

 

 

30 seconds...

 

 

2…

 

 

13 seconds…

 

 

1…

 

 

“Welcome to The Coffee Roast, what can I get for you today?”

 

 

The brunette had been staring at her arm before jerking up to meet her eyes.

 

 

“Hi.”

 

 

She smiled, and Wheein felt like she’d witnessed an angel.

 

 

She placed a hand on her hip in an attempt to look haughty, if only to suppress the gradual increase of her heartbeat. “Hey there, soulmate. What took you so long?”

 

 

“My car broke down.”

 

******

 

"Jung Wheein!"

 

 

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Wheein rushed through the door, fringe flung to the side and her jacket off one shoulder, clasping the keys as she slipped her shoes on hurriedly, coming down the stairs two at a time.

 

 

Solar huffed from the side of the car, sliding in as soon as Wheein reached it, waiting for her to get into the seat before carefully parting her fringe correctly as she struggled to shove the keys into the ignition, "You music types, never having any sense of time restraint, going off on this tangent or that."

 

 

"It's just movie night, Yongsun unnie." With a satisfied nod as the ignition started, she pulled out of the driveway, heading towards the local theatre.

 

 

"Just movie night?" Solar looked severely affronted, "Are you mocking our year-long monthly tradition? That you started, if you remember."

 

 

"It was supposed to be a time that we could chill, not something we have to precisely follow to the minute. And it's not like Irene and Wendy are ever on time either." 

 

 

"Just because they're irresponsible adults who cannot grasp the concept of self-restraint and watches does not mean we follow their example." 

 

 

 

"Yes, unnie." She rolled her eyes, amused at Solar's wish to appear more mature than the other two, when in reality, Irene and Solar were merely two 5-year-olds trapped in 25-year-old bodies who bickered constantly while she and Wendy could only watch resignedly.

 

It had been 3 years since they'd met at the cafe, which Wheein no longer worked at now that she could stay with Solar ("Sure, leave me to live alone with rising rent prices to go to your girlfriend every night" Hwasa had complained, but she had no cause to complain now when she was a rising producer in the industry), and they were happy, happy enough for Solar to have gone and bought a wedding ring and sprung it on her when they had eaten out for once at a nearby restaurant that required a reservation months prior, slipping the ring onto a part of a plate that had held a slice of cake, turning the plate around so that Wheein could see it nestled in between the inside of the cake, made to form a heart.

 

She had squealed so loudly that every table within a 10-meter radius had turned to see her lean over the table to kiss Solar, laughing when she saw she had smudged her dress with icing, swiping at it with a finger and smearing it on Solar's nose. She had spluttered in the most adorable, undignified way while Wheein just laughed and slipped on the ring, smiling when she saw it fit perfectly.

 

"Has someone been measuring my ring finger while I slept?"

 

Solar hid her blush behind a napkin as she dabbed at her nose, "Guilty as charged."

 

Their waiter had been gratified to see the 100 dollar tip, smiling fondly as he watched them walk out the door, the proposed hanging onto her fiancee's arm, unable to stop chattering while the fiancee stared at her lovingly, eyes following her every gesture and smiling fondly at her antics.

 

Shaking his head, he slipped the tip into his back pocket, gathering the plates and walked to the kitchens.

 

"Note: Love makes you open-handed. Conclusion: Do something so that meeting your soulmate takes longer."

 

He was financially conservative.

******

"Oh my god, how are there no females to ship Rey with?" Wheein whispered loudly into Solar's ear while they watched the movie.

 

"So I can ship her with me. Now hush." Solar ignored Wheein's whine of annoyance, grabbing the cup of Coke from the stand and held it near her face, satisfied when Wheein ceased her grumbling to take a sip.

 

She heard a quiet "Whipped." from Wendy and a smack, followed by a yelp. Irene quieted them both, scolding Wendy lightly. 

 

This was usually how they ended up always almost being kicked out of the cinema, and no amount of kisses could stop Wheein from keeping quiet ("My wise, quote-worthy words must be heard").

 

She could never complain, though. This was the happiest she had ever been. Her novel was being processed by a prestigious publisher, Wheein had secured a job working at a producing company, and their wedding plans were going smoothly with the help of Irene and Wendy, who had been insistent on helping them achieve the perfect wedding.

 

The tendrils had receded completely when Wheein had slipped the engagement ring on her finger, and she never called Moonbyul, content in believing that she had found her happy ending, and that was enough for her.

 

Her hand found Wheein's and their fingers laced together in a familiarity that required no thought. Wheein settled her head on her shoulder, and she rested her head on hers in turn. Sighing happily, she watched as Rey found the lightsaber of Luke Skywalker, into memories old and new.

 

The 0 on her arm pulsed softly, as resilient and ever-present as she hoped, knew, her love would be.

 

Author's Note: I have found out that there are 2.5K words before Angel Line emerges, but I hope it was good enough a read for you to have read till the end. I swear I have no animosity towards Moonbyul, I love her but it was necessary to make her seem a little mean to progress the story. If you don't get why Moonsun happened in the first place: They were potential soulmates. Circumstances changed and their soulmates changed. If you're truly happy with your soulmate, it won't change.

 

I'm not sure if I have to rate this, so please do tell me in the comments if I do.

 

Comments and upvotes are always welcome, and I hope you enjoyed reading.