Prompt: soulmates!baeksoo

Word Count: 3016

Kyungsoo didn’t get much sleep last night.

He thinks of the midnight channel, how every rumor that he hears floating around campus is actually real and true and that those people aren’t actually lying about what they experienced on site. He thinks about Baekhyun and how they talked last night. How Baekhyun is 7 years older than him and how forward he is.

Kyungsoo scratches the back of his neck as he yawns, finally registering Sehun sitting in front of him holding a bowl of cereal. He obviously didn’t get much sleep since Sehun’s body clock is abnormal.

The two of them look like walking zombies.

“Seriously? Are you kidding me?” Their mother, Kyungsoo’s stepmom, enters the dining area with a frown, putting her hand on her hip after placing the plate of eggs, toasts and bacon in the middle. “What is up with you two and always staying up late?”

“There’s this website about soulmates and Sehun kept bugging me to check it out with him.” Sehun looks betrayed when Kyungsoo spilled the beans. He shrugs. “What?”

“I-It’s bogus, anyways.” Sehun puffs his cheeks and stuffs a spoonful of cereal in his mouth.

“Ah, I used to be so damn obsessed about those soulmates .” Their mother, however, slaps them hard on the head. “Just don’t ing use it as an excuse to stay up late! Goddamit, it’s a good thing today’s Saturday.”

Kyungsoo makes a displeased noise. He’s starting to regret outing Sehun.

“But you shouldn’t do those things if you want to find your soulmate. It just happens.” She ruffles Sehun’s hair after seeing his lower lip curled into a pout. “Wait for it. The right time will come.” She takes seat beside Sehun, opposite to Kyungsoo. “Just remember to not be afraid to tell me if you’re seeing someone, whether it be a boy or a girl. Mama won’t judge.” She winks.

Sehun still doesn’t know of this but Kyungsoo’s stepmom told him once that before their father, she’s so madly in love with a girl. They dated for three years all throughout university but were forced to part ways because her then girlfriend is actually in an arranged marriage to someone from China.

It was devastating but, they didn’t have a choice. Years later, she met her future ex-husband, which is apparently her former professor back at university.

Now she’s living the single life taking care of a senior in high school step-kid from her husband who chose his career over them and a sophomore brat who’s taller than him. Ugh.

“But mama,” Sehun whines. “It’s taking so long.”

“Hush, darling. Patience is the key.” She takes a sip of her coffee before humming in surprise. “Oh, right. I forgot to tell you that your Dad’s coming later this evening for dinner.”

“But it having dinner with Dad.”

“I know, Sehun, but at least for tonight?”

Kyungsoo finishes the milk in his bowl. “And you, Kyungsoo. Talk to your Dad about college. Maybe he could get you in that old university I used to go to.”

“I don’t need backup.” He sighs. “I can apply through universities on my own. If not, I could go to the local college here and apply for a scholarship.”

“That’s a good plan but if you’re planning on taking up engineering, my old university is a great one.”

“Mom.”

“Just…” She shrugs. “Just saying.” After a minute, she claps her hands to bring their attention to her. “What is this soulmate thing that keeps you up all night and what’s so good about this?”

Kyungsoo lets Sehun take over to explain since the younger is the one who knows midnight channel the best. Besides, he’s still not ready to share his experience about it. He’s still not over it – he doesn’t know when he will be over it because the whole thing is so good to be true. Does it even mean anything when it worked for him but not for Sehun?

“So you’re telling me that you talked to someone over the midnight channel last night? Like the moment Sehun left, the chatroom suddenly started, is that right?”

Kyungsoo grimaces. “I know it sounds unbelievable but it did really happened, hyung.”

Kim Junmyeon, second year in college with a dentistry course, sighs and perches his head on his knuckles. When the older male told Kyungsoo through messenger that he’ll be coming home for the long weekend, he didn’t waste time and immediately camps in said male’s house until lunchtime, where he knows Junmyeon arrives with three boxes of Domino’s pizza.

“Midnight channel is still a thing?” Junmyeon snorts. “I thought when I graduated it’ll eventually die down.”

“I thought so, too.” Kyungsoo sighs and rolls over on his back. The room smells of pizza and chicken and it made his stomach growl even when he’s still full so he reaches over Junmyeon’s to get a slice. He swears he’s going to get fat in this. “And oh, remember Jeon?”

“Jungkook? Yeah, why?”

“He talked to his soulmate, too at midnight channel. It was a guy. He’s not crushing on Jieun anymore, apparently.”

“What about yours?”

Kyungsoo sighs. “100% gay, apparently.”

Junmyeon bites his knuckles to muffle out a laugh. “Well, isn’t that convenient? Instead of pinning over closeted jocks, you finally have your own guy. I knew it’d happen eventually.”

Kyungsoo got briefly reminded of his fling back at sophomore year with Kim Jongin. Terrible experience. When he heard about him dating some cheerleader chick at the heat of their alleged romance, he sobbed so horribly until he puked. Never again.

“I don’t know, though.” He sighs. “I’m not sure about this whole… soulmate thing. It might be a fraud for all I know. A modus of some sort to get naïve little underage children for ion.”

“Wouldn’t hurt unless you try?” Junmyeon grins. “Didn’t Luhan-hyung met Minseok-hyung through midnight channel, too?”

“But they’re different.” Kyungsoo groans. “They knew of each other’s existence before midnight channel. They only got closer after midnight channel. They’re the reason why people think midnight channel is legit. Power couple?” Kyungsoo makes a face. 

“Who knows? Maybe this guy you’re talking to is the real deal.” Junmyeon clears his throat and points at his chest. “Make me the best man, ‘kay?”

Kyungsoo threw a pillow at the latter’s face in response.

No way will that happen.

Around six in the evening, their father arrived with food from different fast food restaurants. Kyungsoo notes how he got each from their favorites and it made him feel slightly touched from his effort.

The dinner is quiet and awkward because instead of a warm vibe, their father emits an aura that shouts business and order and he’s too intimidating to look at (Kyungsoo finally gets where his looks come from) and too scary to interact with.

They quickly disappeared into their rooms after it ended. Kyungsoo caught a quick glimpse of his mother’s disappointed stare at him but he was too eager to leave that he didn’t paid heed into it.

They have connected bathrooms, Sehun and he, that’s why it’s easy to gain access to each other’s rooms when things like this happens. All it takes is a simple knock to alert their presence. Kyungsoo unlocks his door and lets Sehun come inside his room. “I don’t want to say this in front of Mom, but I really hate it whenever Dad comes over.”

“It’s not a big deal, Sehun-ah.” Kyungsoo continues on working his report paper for Tuesday. “Just try not to get any attention and answer if asked a question. Been doing that for years.” Sehun puffs his cheeks.

“It’s easy for you. I couldn’t stand eating without talking about something.”

“Sehun, if you have nothing better to do just go back to your room.”

“Prissy.” Sehun huffs and does as he was told to. “And oh, I’m taking your Xbox with me. Gonna finish my file on Dead Island.” Kyungsoo just waves his hand in dismissal and lets the younger do what he wants. Even if Kyungsoo said no, Sehun will still take it anyway.

Kyungsoo s