Wonshik was never one to believe in the things from above or below. He believed people make their own destinies, karma has nothing to do with anything and with hard work and effort you can achieve anything. But when he met Jaehwan he soon came to believe that – them at least – soulmates was a real thing.

He had never been so completely floored and baffled by another person’s mere being. There was no love at first sight, but he always felt a certain attraction to the other – and as soon as he got to know him it turned into much, much more. He drowned in his own overwhelming want to be with the other forever. He wanted to give him the world. He was the world. Without him the world was simply not anything worth being in. A wretched place not worth living in.

That was what being with Jaehwan made him believe.

And that was how he found the strength and determination needed to win him over. It was clear to him Jaehwan had close to no faith in his overwhelming affection for him. It came like a storm after all. Like he had been hit in the head by lightning one night and woke up a new man. It was like magnetism; he just needed to be close to him. At all times. Always. Forever. Until the end. And beyond.

To him Jaehwan became the world, and without him there was nothing. So he had to persevere, because if he didn’t there was nothing else for him. So he stayed until Jaehwan believed in him.

The simplest things he did made his heart beat. His blood boil. His stomach flutter. His abdomen tighten in want. His hands twitch to touch. His face heat up and sweat form on his forehead. He had never, ever imagined how another person’s mere existence could mean so much to him. And leave him so absolutely helpless on lonely nights before they got together. He would lie alone and feel the ache deep in his chest as he hugged himself in the night and tried to anticipate the day he could hold the other close into his chest and tell him he loved him every night. The ache would be suffocating to the point he almost believed he couldn’t even breathe without him.

He had cried the day Jaehwan told him he loved him; on a Christmas eve. The relief and release of pressure in his chest so intense he had to crouch down and gasp for air, hands clinging to Jaehwan’s jacket pathetically while the other stood frozen – speechless from his reaction. Jaehwan had then crouched down with him and kissed the salty tears Wonshik had tried to hide from him and apologized for taking so long and thanking him for being so patient with him.

“If you had given up on me I don’t think I would’ve been able to take it.” Jaehwan had whispered to him and Wonshik felt as if his heart was going to explode. He was unable to move and unable to stop the tears from streaming, but Jaehwan helped him up and took him home through the cold winter night as the snow fell around them and painted a beautiful picture in their memories.

That was the first night of many to come where Wonshik was finally able to hold Jaehwan in his arms as he slept and did not feel the painful ache in his chest any longer. United with his soulmate he felt whole for the first time in his life. And every time they were apart for too long the ache would return to him and steal away his sleep, his energy and his ambition. Without him there was nothing.