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Soulmates.

It was a myth, from long ago.

The idea of having a loved one, stranger or not, to spend the rest of your life with was well and truly considered a legend. No one had ever thought it likely; having a connection so strong that one’s other half could understand them in every way seemed peculiar to most - but it was possible. It was possible. Not everyone was lucky enough to find his or her soulmate; some had passed away before they could see them and others just were not fortunate enough to have one. (The world is not always fair.) There were even rare cases in which a person had two soulmates to discover. For others, they had their lifetime to find 'the one'.

The strange thing about soulmates is that, no matter where you may be, you will be able to feel what your destined partner feels. If they are grieving, you will feel empty and desolate. If they are joyful, you will experience delight.

The process begins on one’s seventeenth birthday. One wakes up with a syllable engraved on each wrist; the left one has a surname while the right has a first name. However, in South Korea, the surname is on the left and the first syllable of the first name is on the right. No one knows why this occurs.

There are exceptions when people are held back a grade. They receive their marks on the first day of their senior year of high school.

Most if not all individuals experience tranquility once they find their life partner.

There are many who are serious about soulmates and save all of their firsts for them. Others like to ‘test’ everything out by dating other people.

 

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Do Kyungmi was in the former group. She was very conservative, and she stood her ground when she needed to. With jet black, straight long hair, soft features, and round vintage eyeglasses, everything about her screamed cute. Her thick lips and doe eyes, large and expressive, also helped the first impression she made on others.

One would expect Kyungmi to be quite popular, but that was not the case. She was, in fact, well known for her unpopularity. She was not a ‘loner’, per se; she had a handful of friends. But she was fairly anti-social and did not like to mingle with her peers, whom she disliked. One of these was Park Chanyeon.

If Do Kyungmi was unpopular, then Park Chanyeon was definitely the opposite. Their personalities contrasted in so many ways. Park Chanyeon was loud. Her bob was caramel tinged with the occasional orange strand, and her side fringe framed her face. Her eyes, outlined lightly with mascara, were always twinkling. The dark, starry orbs made her seem like she was always smiling, happy-go-lucky. Her lips had varying hints of cherry stain, made from biting them out of habit.

(‘Hey, Yoda.’)

(‘Why are your ears so large?)

 

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There’s a hustle and bustle as a flock of energetic teenagers rush to their friends and lunch spots. Chanyeon follows them as she makes her way to where most of her friends are seated. Friends. Can she even consider them friends? Would they rush to her in her time of need, or are they just there for name’s sake? Did they call themselves her friends just to know what it felt like to be popular?

If she had been a tad quicker, she would have seen the lone bench, the blue paint dwindling due to old age. (It could also be due to rough use by the older students.) But here Chanyeon is, viewing the miserable old bench, surrounded by influenced girls. There’s space for one in the middle, most likely meant for her. She is the star here, after all. All of them raise their eyes to Chanyeon, pausing what they’re doing, fixing make-up, going on social media and gossiping about unfortunate students. There’s a smaller group, settled down on the cold concrete, shuffling over to let Chanyeon pass through. She steps over them, trying her hardest not to accidently hurt them, and gently sits down on the greying seat. The girls on either side of her shift closer and closer to Chanyeon, leaving her just enough room to place her bag on her right.

She blocks everything out for a few seconds. Her chest cramps. Her breathing dips into slow wheezing. Her heart hastens. She senses a cold sweat coming on, and attempts to take a deep breath. It works. Chanyeon wants to voice her fears, but refrains. She does not know how much more time is left before she gives in.

It’s too tight. Please give me some breathing space. I feel too claustrophobic.

She lets go, however.

“Hey, Chanyeon! Have you listened to Lovekiller?”

Chanyeon is almost certain that nasal voice belongs to Jooyoung.

Of course, Jooyoung is obsessed with Niel. When the news of Niel’s solo debut broke, she told everyone in their group. She’s obsessed – no, she was ‘addicted to his y voice, who wouldn’t be? It gives me the chills and I could definitely get off to it’, as she would say.

Jooyoung is one of Chanyeon’s three best friends; Sehae and Jongsook are the others Chanyeon confides in. She has the same hairstyle as Chanyeon, though hers is darker and smoother, like chocolate. Her eyes are gentle and soothing; she gives off a motherly aura when she’s not talking about ‘her husband, Ahn Daniel’.

“Yeah. I did. I’m guessing you’ve downloaded oNIELy onto your phone?” Chanyeon replies.

Jooyoung scoffs. “Are you doubting my love for Daniel?” She brings a hand to her chest in mock-hurt.

“Nah, just double checking.” Chanyeon reaches into her leather tote bag, grabbing a purple Tupperware lunch box and opening it. The chopped spring onions on top of the kimchi bokkeumbap make her stomach squeal for joy. Her mother gladly reheated yesterday’s leftovers for her, knowing she loves kimchi fried rice. There is also a banchan of sukju namul muchim to help her digest. As she digs into it with the spoon that was attached to the lunchbox by a rubber band, Jongsook pats her back. Chanyeon chokes on the spoonful of rice in . She coughs, struggling to swallow it. When she accomplishes that, she flicks Jongsook’s cheeky hand away.

Jongsook adopts a mysterious grin, her cat-like lips turning at the corners. Her cheekbones are defined; Chanyeon thinks she was a feline in her past life.

“Jongsook-ah. Stop,” Sehae says. Her stoic face was set in stone. Chanyeon wonders if she has ever seen Sehae display emotion of any sort, and concludes that she hasn’t.

“But Sehae~. You don’t know how much fun it is to watch people suffer,” Jongsook says with a disturbing smile.

“Hey, Kristina or Lu Hua?” Jooyoung queries.

Chanyeon replies instantly. “Kristina. You don’t even need to ask.” Her cheeks flush at the response.

“Hmm, well,” Chanyeon pauses, “Baekhee or Jungwon? I’d choose Jungwon.”

Jooyoung shifts her eyes before ducking her head and mumbling, “Baekhee. It’s not like Jungwon isn’t attractive or anything; it’s just… you know what I mean, ‘Yeonnie.”

“You prefer them screamers in bed, aye? You do know, they say that dancers are the best at that, but I guess you like the melodious ones.” Chanyeon wiggles her eyebrows and offers an all-knowing smirk.

If there was anyone who did not know about Jooyoung’s (cute) infatuation with Baekhee, it would most likely be the latter. Neither of them had made an advance, as they wanted to save their firsts for their soulmate.

“Chanyeon? I’m having a party on Saturday. Are you coming?” Chanyeon is not too sure as to who invited her. Lu Hua is the first name that comes to her mind. The soft-voiced angel, who parties a lot, is Chanyeon’s assumption.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I don’t think I can come. It’s Mama’s and Yeonnie’s bonding time,” Chanyeon declines with a sheepish smile. Come to think of it, it’s probably the first time she has declined an invite to a social event. She almost never refuses an opportunity to mingle.

Jooyoung taps Chanyeon’s shoulder, as if to remind her about their conversation which was interrupted. “Well, then. I have an even better one for you. Kyungmi or Jongsook?”

Chanyeon groans while Jongsook makes her way to her. “I heard my name. What’s going on?” Jongsook smiles as she blasts ‘Heyyeayeayeayea’ and sings along.

Chanyeon covers her face. “I never thought I’d say this, but I think...” Chanyeon pauses as she brings a finger to her lips. “Don’t tell anyone this. I would choose Kyungmi,” she whispers.

There’s an audible gasp. Jooyoung and Jongsook both look at each other and scream. Chanyeon brings another spoonful of her lunch to as her cheeks starts to burn. She tries to motion them to quieten down, but to no avail. Jongsook squeals.

“This is key blackmailing information. I repeat, KEY,” Jongsook says while shaking Jooyoung’s shoulders. Jooyoung simply grins.

“You know, I never really understood why you hate her…” Jooyoung wraps an arm around Chanyeon after freeing herself from Jongsook’s death grip.

“Pipe down, Jooyoungie.”

Chanyeon shudders.

 

There is a loud bell resonating through the air, signalling everyone to pack up and head to their next class.

“Right then, I need an answer next lunch, alright?” Jooyoung says.

Chanyeon hums.

 

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‘Look at her, she’s always alone. I feel sorry for her.’

‘Doesn’t she have any friends?’

‘Kyungmi’s always alone; it’s pitiful…’

Kyungmi shrugs, not letting any of their comments affect her. She may be solitary, but that didn’t make her ‘pitiful’. She finds making friends troublesome, and besides, she dislikes everyone in her grade. They’re stuck-up and snobby, thinking they rule the world. Kyungmi doesn’t like associating with them.

She makes her way through the whispering, back-stabbing crowd to the opposite side of the school, where none of the ‘popular es’ sit. Three students are already sitting on the dry concrete. Kyungmi sits down, and they stop mid-conversation.

“Hey, Kyungmi. How was Maths?” Jungwon asks, a pretty smile on her pretty face. She gets teased a lot for her tanned skin by a couple of her classmates, who call her ‘black’. She’s a catch; not a day goes by that she doesn’t get flirted with. She loved being mischievous with them too.

“Eh, it was so-so,” Kyungmi replies. Jungwon grins while stuffing her face with apple slices. How can someone stuffing their face still look so goddamn pretty?

“Did anyone sit with you?” Baekhee asks, chin propped up by her hand. She loves making fun of Kyungmi; there’s no doubt about that. Jungwon called them ‘Tom and Jerry. That’s what you two remind me of!’

“No. I prefer working alone.”

“Well, I have some good news. Kyung-ah, I have a friend who’s looking for a date, and whom do I know who is very much single and lonely? You. So, are you free Friday night?” Baekhee raises an eyebrow.

“No, I have to study. I’m not lonely, thank you very much; and if you didn’t know already, I hate being set up on blind dates! I’m patiently waiting for my soulmate.” Kyungmi glares at Baekhee. How dare she think Kyungmi is lonely! She’s saving all of her firsts for her soulmate, whom she may meet next year. There’s nothing more bothersome to Kyungmi than socializing and having romantic interests.

“Is it because you can’t get any?”

“Have you checked the mirror lately?” Kyungmi retorts.

Jungwon grabs the aloe vera gel in her bag hurriedly and passes it to Baekhee. “Here. Apply some aloe vera to soothe that burn.”

Minah, watching the drama unfold, giggles uncontrollably. She’s very introverted; it took a lot for her to come out of her shell. (She’s still partially hiding in it.) She was the epitome of cuteness. With the same cat eyes as the famous idol, Sohee, she was often mistaken for her famous duplicate. Her hair was a luscious black and fell halfway down her back, smooth to the touch and eye.

“Jungwon-ssi, how’s the dance project coming along?” Minah utters in a hushed whisper. It appears to sound a bit… secretive. Her eyes widen and her pupils dilate as she realizes that she just initiated a conversation.

“Oh, Minah? You don’t have to be so shy; none of us will judge you! If we were to judge someone, it would probably be Baekhee, so you should speak up and be bold!” Jungwon says, earning a loud ‘Hey!’ and a slap on the wrist from Baekhee. “Yeah, it’s getting along wonderfully. Sehae is pretty good at choreo, and we have our disagreements from time to time, but she’s talented and we’ve definitely got an A down pat.” Jungwon wears her trademark eye smile as she nudges Kyungmi.

“Hey, don’t you think the new guy – what’s his name? Jinan? Jinhwan? - is pretty cute?”

Kyungmi tilts her head to the side, trying to think of the person Jungwon mentioned. Is he the clumsy one she ran into yesterday? He said his name was Jin something, it was definitely a Jin. “Is he short?”

Jungwon brings a hand to cover as she giggles. “Just your type. Short, cute, and from what I’ve heard, has a pretty nice voice.”

“Oh. I ran into him yesterday.”

Baekhee stands up and places her hands on her hips. “Just Kyungmi’s type, you say? Well, I’ve gotta meet this little catch.” She rubs her hands together and chuckles.

‘Oh no,’ is the only thing running through Kyungmi’s mind, and Minah seems to voice exactly that, except it sounds more like a gasp. “Kyungmi-ah, I’ll try my best to stop her.” Minah brings a fist to her chest. “Kyungmi fighting!”

Kyungmi returns the gesture. “Minah fighting! Jungwon, help us.”

“Sorry, unnie. I’m with Baekhee on this one. He’s perfect for you.”

“Traitor. I thought you loved me, ‘Wonnie.” Kyungmi fake-sobs, but is comforted by Minah’s waiting shoulder.

“It’s ok, Kyungmi-ah. Unnie loves you very much.” Minah’s eyes crinkle into half-crescents as her lips arch upwards, and Kyungmi thinks it’s the cutest thing she’s ever seen. Minah simply looks like a hamster. If that wasn’t considered cute, Kyungmi did not know what was. (Definitely not Baekhee’s annoying aegyo; Minah oozed natural aegyo.)

Baekhee looks around before whispering dramatically, “You’ll never believe what I saw this morning.”

“What?” comes the reply from the girls. Knowing Baekhee, it is certain to be something erted.

“I got a bulge shot AND a shot; how about that? It was a feast for my eyes!”

Kyungmi groans aloud while Jungwon giggles. Jungwon was turning into Baekhee’s minion. Being in the dance class, she got to witness many scenes that she would not have otherwise. Jungwon, easily swayed by other people’s opinions, listens to Baekhee’s raving about body parts that excite her the most. She appreciates them and has learnt a lot from them, resulting in Kyungmi’s slaps when she tries to move her hand further up her thigh.

(“Close friends do that a lot, unnie! Haven’t you seen others do it?”)

It surprises Kyungmi how these three girls are so different, yet they all connect in some way. At the beginning of Kyungmi’s high school life, if you had told her that she would be very close with a shy hamster, a loud (but endearing) dancer, and a big-mouthed singer, she would never have believed you. But here she is, sitting with them, laughing with them and occasionally crying with them (Jungwon and Minah, specifically; if Baekhee were a guy, she would have castrated him, no doubt). How they all met was another mystery they still could not decipher. Sure, there were times when she felt like strangling them and chopping their limbs into God knows how many pieces, but all the while, all she wants to do is hug them tight and smile.

“Whose was it?” Jungwon asks, interrupting Kyungmi’s train of thought.

“I saw Jinki’s bulge, and…” Baekhee pauses before mumbling, “Taeyeon’s shot.” Baekhee’s cheeks are dusted a light pink. As she is about to open to continue, the bell’s shrill tone reminds Kyungmi of the time. She sits up, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

“Until next lunch.”

 

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“Did you know that Kyungmi’s an iljin?” Chanyeon smirks as she continues. “She beat up a lot of innocent girls and boys. She also bullied people.”

“No way,” comes the chorus from her circle of friends. They cannot believe it. They knew there was a reason why Kyungmi was unpopular and why people were scared of her. However, they did not know this fact. Fact or rumour, they could not decide, but since it came from Chanyeon, they supposed it to be true.

“She’s also the biggest lesbian you’ll ever meet. She made out with chicks from other schools. Apparently, they were iljins too.”

“So you’re saying we have to be careful around her?” one of them speaks up. “She might bash us and then attempt to get in our pants – no, ?”

“Yeah, be on your guard. She tried to corner me once.” Chanyeon widens her eyes, convincing the others that she was stating the truth. “But I told her to back off. She hasn’t approached me since.”

 

Chanyeon twirls a thick bunch of hair around her finger. It isn’t quite long enough, but she doesn’t care. She’s having the time of her life ruining Kyungmi’s image. No one needed to know the truth, did they?

 

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The word of mouth travels awfully fast. There is no denying that fact. So when Kyungmi hears the lies Chanyeon made up about her, she’s pissed, to say the least. She’s a bookworm, studying her off to make both herself and her parents proud; she has never punched anyone (Baekhee’s an exception - she was disturbing the peace, so Kyungmi may have punched her in the shoulder); she had never kissed anyone (to hell with it, Kyungmi has not even loved someone romantically), so why is she being miscategorised as an iljin, for crying out loud?

Kyungmi does not know when this ‘war’ began, but she has never been fond of the popular students in her grade. They were always branching off into their own little clique, chatting away like there was no tomorrow. Kyungmi was certain they believed they ruled the world. The way they walked, the way they talked and the way they interacted with society annoyed Kyungmi; they were stuck-up s.

If someone were to ask them for something, no doubt one of them would scoff and flick her hair while replying with some unnecessary comment about that person’s social status.

Kyungmi is sick and tired of them, as she has classes with most of them. She cannot study in peace or even listen to the teacher because the ‘little pricks’(as she likes to call them) never shut their mouths. They are always talking about the hottest guys or the parties that are being held on the weekend. Kyungmi would like nothing more than to tape their mouths shut and tie them up. The amount of public displays of affection between the couples is a bit too much. As her class nears its end, Kyungmi releases a breath she did not know she was holding throughout the period. She continues to do what she does at the end of each period: pack her books into her bag stealthily (no one needs to see her) and make her way out the door.

Minah has already sat down, nibbling on an egg and lettuce sandwich. She looks up and, seeing Kyungmi, smiles widely. “Hello, Kyungmi. H-How was your class?”

Kyungmi sits down next to Minah and faces her with a frown. “, like always. I swear, before I graduate, I will put those populars in their place.”

“Fighting! Lu Hua told me something that could hurt you.” Minah lowers her head to look at the ground. She could not bring herself to look Kyungmi in the eye; she trusted Kyungmi, but she trusted Lu Hua as well.

Lu Hua and Minah had been close since kindergarten. Lu Hua had seen Minah’s quiet demeanor and interacted with her.

(‘You look like a baozi!’ Lu Hua had proclaimed, poking Minah’s soft cheeks gently.

‘What’s that?’

‘It’s a really sweet steamed bun! My mum makes it for me because I love them.’ Minah had played with her fingers, too flustered to say a thing.)

Kyungmi frowns further at that statement. “Is it that rumor about me being a lesbian iljin? I already know.”

Minah gasps. “I did not want to believe Lu Hua.”

“The iljin part isn’t true, unnie. I’ve been the same throughout my life. You know me - I wouldn’t even talk to anyone outside of our circle.”

“But what about the lesbian part, Kyung-ah?” Minah’s gentle voice carries itself on the soft breeze. “I don’t mind.”

Kyungmi exhales softly, closing her eyes. This was the thing she did not want to tell anyone. If they knew her ual orientation, they would be disgusted.

“You know, Kyungmi, it’s alright to tell me. I-,” Minah pauses, playing with the hem of her school skirt. “I think I prefer girls over guys,” she whispers, letting it out into the open. She trusts Kyungmi.

Kyungmi nods, smiling gently. “I didn’t want to tell anyone, but now that you’ve told me, I need to tell you as well. I’m-I’m a lesbian too. The stuff about me making out with people is certainly not true at all; I haven’t even held hands with anyone or gone on a date, let alone had someone ask me out.” As she finishes, she notices Baekhee and Jungwon approaching them.

“Now, what are you two being so secretive about, huh?” Jungwon teases, planting her bottom down on the hard floor next to Minah.

Kyungmi motions them all to come closer to her as she whispers. “You know that rumor Chanyeon made up about me being an iljin?” They all nod as Kyungmi continues. “Did you know that Chanyeon actually slapped an innocent freshman, who went out of her way to tell Chanyeon that her make up needed some touching up? She was only trying to be helpful and it shouldn’t have been a problem because Chanyeon goes to the bathroom every god damn lunch break to fix her caked face!”

Minah raises a hand to cover as she gasps while Jungwon and Baekhee stare at Kyungmi, mouths agape. “No way.”

“Yes way.”

“Wow, I never actually thought she would do that; she seems really nice, you know? But what she did was totally rude and uncalled for,” Baekhee pipes up. “I think Chanyeon herself should get slapped. Actually, put your hands up if you think Kyungmi should do the honors. She was being a anyway, spreading lies about our little owl.”

Unsurprisingly, all of them raise their hands, Jungwon raising both. “Majority rules!” she calls out as Kyungmi smirks.

‘You don’t know what you’re messing with, Chanyeon.’

 

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There are a lot of things both Kyungmi and Chanyeon do not know about Baekhee.

One is that she is a mutual friend of theirs, no matter how much they deny it. Baekhee knows the things that peeve them (namely, each other) and their best kept secrets.

The second is that she knows that the things they make up about each other are entirely fictional. To be frank, she has never understood their reasons.

Finally, she knows exactly what she has to do in order for them to stop ruining each other’s lives.

As Baekhee makes her way over to Jungwon and Sehae, currently practicing their choreography for the upcoming dance battle, she notices Jooyoung. They were not close - just enough to chit chat here and there.

“Hey, Jooyoung-ah.”

Jooyoung waves. “Ah, Baekhee. What are you doing here?”

Baekhee wears her signature smile. “Jungwonnie told me to meet her here. She wanted me to watch them practice.”

“Oh, what a coincidence! Sehae invited me here to watch as well.”

“Might as well go in together, then?” Baekhee offers a hand. Jooyoung places hers on top as she grins.

“Of course.”

They walk in together and spectate the dance being performed in front of them. As Jungwon and Sehae stop to catch their breaths, both Jooyoung and Baekhee congratulate them.

“You guys did great. You know, I think you’ll win this battle for sure!” Jooyoung chirps.

Jungwon bows politely as Sehae grabs a drink. “Thanks, unnie.”

Baekhee raises her hand and speaks up. “I have something to say as a friend of both Kyungmi’s and Chanyeon’s. Chanyeon told you about Kyungmi being an iljin, am I right?” Both Sehae and Jooyoung nod, the latter furiously while the younger lethargically. “Well, it’s not true. She made that up entirely. And Jungwon, remember how Kyungmi told us about Chanyeon slapping a freshman?” It is Jungwon’s turn to nod. “Same thing. Truth be told, I don’t understand why they do this to each other. I don’t even know WHY they hate each other, but I have a feeling that they might have to tolerate each other.”

“Can you imagine them being soulmates?” Sehae says as she struggles to stop laughing. At her response, everyone follows, laughing hysterically because they would have to have the worst karma in the world to be paired up for the rest of their lives.

Hell would also, quite frankly, break loose.

 

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Chanyeon peeks at the clock.

12:01 AM. Oh crap. She needs to drink something, or she will sooner or later faint from nerves. As it is the first day of the New Year, Chanyeon will be receiving her soulmate’s name.

She’s home with her parents, choosing to celebrate the New Year peacefully since this year will be special for her: it is her senior year, and she will also find out who her soulmate is. All these years of waiting, and it'll be over in a couple of seconds.

 

Chanyeon feels an itch beginning on her wrists. It's uncomfortable, she decides. It itches. It stings. Oh, how she wishes it will be over as quickly as possible.

After a few brief seconds, Chanyeon looks down at her left wrist. ‘Do’, it reads. Chanyeon hopes there's a hole somewhere in the ground that she can crawl into, because there is absolutely no way on earth her soulmate’s surname is Do. She prays to God; she has never been religious, and now thinks she should have tagged along with her mum on Sundays to weekly service. Nevertheless, she prays fervently that the other wrist doesn't spell out the syllable she dreads it might. Readying herself to look at her right wrist, she finally does it. And lo and behold, it’s the last thing she wants.

‘Kyung.’ Chanyeon knows only one Do Kyung, and that is Do Kyungmi. She is totally and utterly screwed. Why on earth, of all people, is she stuck with Do Kyungmi for the rest of her life?!

The first thing Chanyeon does is call Jooyoung. She prepares for the worst as she waits for Jooyoung to pick up.

“’Ello?” Jooyoung’s usually cheerful voice sounds groggy.

“Jooyoung, it’s me, Chanyeon.”

“Yeah, I figured. You’re getting your soulmate today, yeah?”

“Hmm. I'm kinda pissed.”

Jooyoung’s voice chirps into Chanyeon’s ear. “Ooh! Who is it?!”

Chanyeon whispers, “Surname is Do. First initial is Kyung. I'm screwed.”

“Ohoho. Ah, Do Kyungmi and Park Chanyeon. Sounds like a perfect match. Just don't kill each other, okay?” Jooyoung giggles.

“Well, I can't guarantee that won’t happen,” Chanyeon says through gritted teeth. “Should I let Sehae and Jongsook know know as well? You're the first person I've told.”

“Go for it.”

“Right, talk to you later.”

Jooyoung hums and hangs up. Chanyeon decides she will call Sehae next; it’ll be easier than being teased by Jongsook.

“Unnie?” Sehae begins, too tired to talk.

“I found out who my soulmate is.”

“Let me guess. Kyungmi unnie?”

Chanyeon gasps. “How on earth - are you freaking psychic?!”

“Nah, just a lucky guess. Have fun spending the rest of your life with her. Jungwon said that unnie makes the best food.”

Chanyeon hangs up, blushing from head to toe. She does not want to be lovey dovey or even domestic with Kyungmi. Her phone rings and, coincidentally, it's Jongsook.

“Hell-“

Chanyeon gets cut off by Jongsook’s squeal. “YOU AND DO KYUNGMI?! HAH. I had a gut feeling this would happen.”

“Why is the world against me?”

“No idea. But think about how awkward you two are going to be at school.”

“Umm… Kyungmi doesn't get it till her birthday. Which I think, according to Baekhee, is on the twelfth.”

“Well, well, well. You're going to have to hide it then.” Chanyeon is sure she can hear the smirk in Jongsook’s voice.

“Hmm… anyway, have fun. I’ll just continue to wallow in my misery while you rejoice, Jongsook,” Chanyeon growls, pissed off as she ends the call.

Chanyeon can hear footsteps approaching her room, and she sighs. God damn it, it is most likely her mother, who will be extremely curious about her soulmate. She’s gushed on and on about the idea of soulmates to Chanyeon from a very young age; as a result, Chanyeon has been brought up to believe that it will be the best part of her life. But now that she knows who hers is, she is beginning to doubt that.

“Honey? ‘Yeonnie?” her mother calls out, opening the door and leaving it ajar as she plops herself onto Chanyeon’s bed. “Are you – are you crying? Sweetie, no, don’t cry. What happened?”

It’s only after her mother’s words that Chanyeon realises tears have been pooling in her eyes. She sniffles softly and wipes the tears away with her wrist. “I-I found out wh-who my soulmate is, Mum,” she hiccups. She might as well go big or go home. “It’s...” she lifts her wrists, and at the sight, her mother gasps. “...Do Kyungmi.”

“Isn’t that the girl who you hate and who hates you, too?”

“Yes, Mum. It is. I don’t – I don’t know how I can do this. One of us will probably kill the other before we graduate.” Chanyeon laughs, and her mother joins in. “But she doesn’t know yet. She only finds out, according to Baekhee, on the twelfth. So it will be very awkward.”

“Well, who knows?” Chanyeon’s mother says. “Maybe you two are meant to be. What if your personalities are compatible? ‘Yeonnie, there’s a reason behind this. We don’t know what it is right now, but we will in the future, honey.”

Chanyeon can only hum along. “Mum, can we cuddle? I’m tired from all of this.”

Chanyeon’s mother grins and joins her under the blankets. “Sweet dreams, honey. By the way, happy new year.”

“You too.”

 

└ ◊ ● ◊ ┘

┌ ◊ ● ◊ ┐

 

Kyungmi is currently seated on the living room floor, too tired to give a damn. It is January 12 today, her birthday. She has hopes of staying in and just spending the day normally; she certainly does not expect to be hauled into the living room at six in the morning with her family and relatives watching her every move. She knows why she is seated here, in the middle – so that everyone can see who her soulmate is before she does. This is certainly not fair. She considers hiding her wrists in the sleeves of her hoodie, but decides that that would be too much of a hassle.

It begins.

Kyungmi knows what it feels like due to her mother explaining what she went through. Itchy wrists that hurt, sting and burn a lot. It’s not too long before the pain subsides and Kyungmi finds herself sighing in relief before shrieking at the syllables on her wrists.

Oh no. ‘Park’ and ‘Chan. Wait. Does she know a Park Chan? She’s not sure, but after a moment of thinking, it hits her, and it hits her hard. Park Chanyeon. Crap. There is no way that this is happening. Of all the people on Earth, Do Kyungmi had to be paired up with Park Chanyeon.

She looks up to find half her relatives gushing over the fact that she has a soulmate, and the other half –namely, her parents – confused about the syllables.

“Kyungmi? Do you know a ‘Park Chan’?” her mother asks uncertainly.

“Yes, Ma. Park Chanyeon, the one person who I cannot stand.” Kyungmi grits her teeth, thinking over the whole ordeal. Who thought it would be fun to pair them up together?! “I’m going upstairs, Ma. I’ve gotta let Jungwon know. She’s been more excited than me about this.”

“Alright,” her mother sighs.

Kyungmi all but sprints to her room and flops onto the bed, grabbing her phone from the table beside it. She taps Jungwon’s number and doesn’t have to wait long before her ears almost bleed from the screech Jungwon gives off.

“Who is it? Unnie, who did you get?” Jungwon sounds an awful lot like a puppy: too innocent to face the world, but eager nonetheless.

“Park. Chan. Guess.”

Jungwon, hearing the moody tone, tones down her enthusiasm a tad. “Chanyeon-ssi? Is it?”

“Yeah. Who thought it would be a good idea to pair us up? We will literally kill each other on the spot.”

“Unnie, everything happens for a reason. This is all for the better, so don’t stress out. Think about Chanyeon’s reaction; she found out on New Years’.”

Kyungmi curses internally. Chanyeon did find out before she did. Well, she was at a loss now.

“To be honest, Jungwonnie, I don’t know what to do. It will be so awkward when we see each other, don’t you think?”

“Well how about this? I’ll tell Baekhee and Minah, and then we’ll come around to your house in about an hour. Is that alright with you?”

“Right. Yeah. Oh, we have relatives over.”

“Just tell them we wanted to see it for ourselves,” Jungwon offers.

“Okay. See you later.” Kyungmi hangs up. There was absolutely no point in saving every single one of her firsts for her soulmate, she thinks. She should have just done everything. Now Chanyeon can take all of them and use them as blackmail. Her life is going to be miserable.

Around an hour later, Jungwon arrives at Kyungmi’s house with Baekhee and Minah tagging along. They ring the doorbell, and Kyungmi’s mother ushers them to her daughter’s room.

“Kyungmi? The trio are here, sweetie!”

Kyungmi opens the door, letting them view her wretched state. Nose running, eyes bloodshot, and cheeks wet. Noticing her appearance, they move forward and trap Kyungmi in a loving group hug.

“Kyung-ah, is it true?” Minah questions, allowing Kyungmi to reveal her wrists to them. Baekhee is the only one who looks uninterested.

“Well, Chanyeon told me about hers the day after it happened. She was too tired to call me, and by the time she finished talking to Jongsook, her mum had come and they fell asleep,” Baekhee explains. “She said she felt like burying herself in a ten-foot deep hole and hiding in it. By the time she saw ‘Do’, she wondered if the world was against her. Overall, she wasn’t too pleased.” She pauses as she eyes Kyungmi’s posture. “Just like you, it appears.”

“How about we go in?” Jungwon says as she sets her bag down on Kyungmi’s study table. “Now let’s begin.”

“I’m just scared – really scared. Actually, I’m absolutely disgusted and mortified. What if she does something to me? We’re stuck with each other for the rest of our god damn lives!” Kyungmi only sniffles harder. “It’s hard enough seeing her at school, and now I have to put up with her every single bloody day? What if I open myself up to her and then she just – ruins everything by telling people about me that I haven’t done? What do I do? Oh God.”

As Kyungmi bares her worries, the three simultaneously pat her back and hug her gently.

“Look, it’ll be fine. If she does something to hurt you, I’ll wipe her filthy off the Earth,” Baekhee reassures Kyungmi. She did not expect this reaction at all from Kyungmi; she was expecting a similar one to Chanyeon’s: angry and frustrated. Not a sob fest in her room. Then again, Kyungmi was quite unpredictable. It was only fitting that she would surprise everyone.

“I hope you’re right."

 

└ ◊ ● ◊ ┘

┌ ◊ ● ◊ ┐

 

It’s strange, Chanyeon thinks to herself. She avoids all contact with Kyungmi, and now look how they ended up: soulmates. Not to mention the fact that Kyungmi has been popping up everywhere Chanyeon goes. If Chanyeon is at the store, so is Kyungmi. If Chanyeon is at a food court, so is Kyungmi. If Chanyeon is at the park, so is Kyungmi. It makes Chanyeon sick to her stomach, the fact that they make eye contact more than they should. They’ll glance at each other, thinking the other doesn’t know, and meet eyes occasionally. It scares Chanyeon, to be honest.

She’s standing in front of the McDonalds near her house, just about to order a McSpicy™ Shanghai Burger EVM for herself and a Double Bulgogi Burger EVM for Sehae, when she hears the familiar voice.

“Just get me some nuggets and a drink, Minah-unnie.”

Oh no. Why was she here, of all places? Actually, scratch that. Why was Kyungmi always where Chanyeon was?! It annoyed Chanyeon to no end.

“Ok!” says Minah’s chirpy voice. Chanyeon almost slaps herself before the sales clerk in front begins with the usual, “Hi, welcome to McDonalds. How can I help you?” She orders and stands aside, arms crossed, frown evident on her face.

The last thing she wants is for Kyungmi or Minah to make their way up to her and talk, but it seems Minah is already trying to do just that.

“Chanyeon-ssi? What are you doing here?” she asks, voice gentle and soft.

“What the do you think I’m doing here? Do you think that I’m stupid enough to stand in line at a ing McDonalds for no bloody reason?!” she explodes, face red.

“Well I didn’t see any of your close friends, so I assumed you were here alone.”

“I’m here with Sehae, but that’s none of your ing business. Why don’t you just order and go waddle along back to Kyungmi, hmm?” Chanyeon spits out, full of rage.

Minah backs down, too flustered to do anything at this point. “Ok.” She waits for her order, but Chanyeon leaves first, grabbing hers and Sehae’s. When she does collect it, she runs back to Kyungmi, tears b in her eyes.

“Unnie? What’s wrong?”

“Cha-Chanyeon raised he-her voice at me.”

Kyungmi can only do her best to comfort Minah, who’s sobbing her naïve heart out.

 

└ ◊ ● ◊ ┘

┌ ◊ ● ◊ ┐

 

Kyungmi disregards them at first. She thinks them a side effect of being soulmates, the coincidental meetings. It seems plausible, but enough is enough. She does not enjoy seeing Chanyeon wherever she goes. So she does what she feels is the best option: camping out in her room. Kyungmi knows Baekhee would refer to it as ‘hiding’, but she couldn’t care less. As long as she never has to interact with Chanyeon, she’ll never leave her beloved room.

There is a dull ache in her wrist that has been there ever since she received the mark. It throbs until she sees Chanyeon. But this is unlike the normal pain; this time, it’s pounding, and Kyungmi feels nauseous. This is too much for her to handle.

She thinks it just might be due to her hiding.

(But, she wonders, is Chanyeon feeling this too? Or is it just her? It could just be the hatred building up, after all.)

 

└ ◊ ● ◊ ┘

┌ ◊ ● ◊ ┐

 

It is during a lunch break that Kyungmi gets the news.

Over the past three months, her friends have been receiving their marks and showing them to Kyungmi. Jungwon is the one who brings the topic up.

“Kyungmi unnie, we’ve – we’ve finally gotten our marks!” she says, ing her wrists into Kyungmi’s line of vision. “I have Sehae! See? It says, ‘Oh’ and ‘Se’. She told me she got a ‘Kim’ and ‘Jung’!”

Baekhee follows suit. “I have a ‘Kim’ and ‘Joo’, so I asked the only Kim Joo I knew. She said she had me too.”

“My soulmate is Jongsook-ah. She said she was very pleased to know it was me, who was her other half, and not someone else,” Minah pipes up.

Hearing this, Kyungmi is at a loss. She is absolutely ecstatic for her friends, but there is something strange about all of this. Were not all of their soulmates Chanyeon’s close friends?

Baekhee confirms it. “Kyungmi, don’t think too much. It will hurt your brain, you know. Also, yeah, all of our special partners are Chanyeon’s friends.” She stands up, brushing imaginary lint off her skirt. “From tomorrow onwards, they will be sitting with us. We figured if we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together, we may as well start now.”

Kyungmi, frustrated, groans out loud. Just when she thinks she does not have to see Chanyeon again, Baekhee goes and ruins it. But, she thinks grudgingly, it is better for her friends to get familiar with their soulmates and spend an eternity in love than for them to be like her and her soulmate, spending an eternity in hate.

Noticing her reaction, both Jungwon and Minah reach for her simultaneously, soothing her with light, feathery touches. She relaxes, knowing that she still has her friends and that they will not leave her or ridicule her.

(That is what Kyungmi is most worried about: Chanyeon abandoning her and mocking her, sending scornful glances her way. She does not need to disclose that information to anyone.)

 

└ ◊ ● ◊ ┘

┌ ◊ ● ◊ ┐

 

“Hey, Sehae!” Jungwon sprints and slips her hand into Sehae’s welcoming one, entwining their fingers together. “What did you just have?” she pants.

Grinning ear to ear, Sehae replies, “History. You?”

“Business. Why is accounting so damn hard, babe?” Jungwon groans. She enjoyed mathematics, hence her attempt to study Accounting in her senior year. Her parents had always wanted her to choose the subjects she liked best and thought doing so would be beneficial.

“Maths, ‘Wonnie. Maths. Why do you even enjoy maths anyway? It’s like a whole different language,” Sehae grumbles, swinging their hands as Baekhee, Jooyoung and Kyungmi come into view.

“That’s just it. It is extremely intriguing. One mistake can get you an entirely different story. The amount of ways a number can be expressed, found and calculated is immensely fascinating to me.” Arriving, Jungwon sits down first, dragging Sehae along with her. It is after they are comfortably seated that Kyungmi and Minah approach them, Chanyeon and Jongsook following suit.

“Hold on. Why are the pairs split up?” Jooyoung asks Baekhee, flabbergasted since both she and her partner, as well as Jungwon and Sehae, try their best to spend as much time as possible with each other. They want to make most of their valuable time together. Some soulmates don’t get to spend their lives with each other; one could be taken away. No one knows when or where. But they do know that all of their short time together is precious.

“What do you think?” Baekhee motions to her head. “Use your brain. You have one, don’t you?”

“Of course I do!” Jooyoung retorts.

“Good. I would not know what to do if you didn’t.”

Minah stops abruptly upon arriving, turning back to grab a hold of Jongsook’s hand and leading her to sit next to Jooyoung. Everything clicks for Kyungmi a few seconds later. That sly fox sat down next to Jooyoung and Jungwon so that there was no other option for Kyungmi and Chanyeon than to sit right beside each other. Who knew underneath that cute face lay a cunning personality?

“What were you guys talking about?” Jongsook’s cat-like grin emerges, and Jooyoung grimaces.

“Oh, why the pairs were split up! We thought that Kyungmi unnie and Chanyeon unnie would walk together while Minah unnie and Jongsook unnie would be together as well. It’s pretty unusual.”

Jungwon’s innocence is evident as she hints at the other two.

Sehae adds, “Besides, it looked like Minah unnie and Jongsook unnie wanted to walk and talk together. Why didn’t you two let that happen? All because of your hatred for each other, you are not even letting your friends have their happiness. Think about how they feel! We’re all sick and tired of this game that you two play. Leave us out of this. You have to cooperate and tolerate each other because you will be spending the rest of your lives like this otherwise. When you two have children, what will they think? Won’t they want parents who love each other? All of the other parents will be loving, caring and understanding of each other, but it seems like you two will never be that way in this lifetime!”

A second passes as the two look at each other. They both adopt slight frowns, but shrug. Chanyeon reaches her hand out to Kyungmi, and Kyungmi, reluctant, shakes it. “I never thought I’d say this, but I’ll try to be more understanding.”

“Me too,” Kyungmi nods.

Baekhee shifts uncomfortably. Sure, they say that they’ll try to be nicer, but will they eventually pick up their bad habits again? “Repeat after me,” she begins. “I will not spread rumors or nasty things about you because I want to be a better person.” She glares at them when they look reluctant to say it.

They repeat the promise, voices just barely audible. “I will not spread rumors or nasty things about you because I want to be a better person.” Both of them feel a little guilty, their heads down, avoiding eye contact with anyone. It was only they who knew how to get revenge.

Everyone else applauded the two for finally agreeing to try not to kill each other, but instead to try to tolerate each other’s quirky personalities.

“When’s the party?” Jongsook hollers as Baekhee and Jungwon cat-call.

“Don’t you mean when’s the baby coming?” Baekhee smirks at Jongsook.

“No, Baekhee unnie. It’s obviously ‘when are they going to come for each other’?” Jungwon wiggles her eyebrows. The sight was evidently too magnificent to behold, as the rest of them cackled and rolled over in laughter in response, until they felt a stitch forming.

 

└ ◊ ● ◊ ┘

┌ ◊ ● ◊ ┐

 

“I’ll pick you up at six. Is that okay?” Chanyeon gulps. She has been planning this night for the last couple of weeks. If she messes anything up, she will personally, strangle anyone and everyone in her way. In the spirit of getting along, both Kyungmi and Chanyeon decided it was a great idea to have date nights; that way, they could learn more about each other and have fun.

 

“Also, just wear something casual. We’re not really doing anything fancy tonight. We’ll be staying in; nothing beats dinner and a movie.”

Chanyeon’s right ear is filled with Kyungmi’s soft laugh, and she finds herself wondering if this could be alright after all. Even though she might be lethal, her laugh was still adorable. Chanyeon ponders if she will ever think of Kyungmi as endearing. Maybe, just maybe.

“That’s alright with me. Text me when you get here,” comes the short and sweet reply. Kyungmi has been acting fonder towards her, Chanyeon quickly realises. She does not seem to growl out replies, or snap at Chanyeon the second the latter opens . She also does not push away Chanyeon and participates in slight skinship, just to please their friends. It startles her. Chanyeon honestly thought that Kyungmi would put up more of a fight.

“Will do, Kyungmi. See you then.” Chanyeon hangs up.

She glances at the clock: 4:50PM. Perfect. She can easily get ready and be on her way.

 

└ ◊ ● ◊ ┘

┌ ◊ ● ◊ ┐

 

Kyungmi waits.

She’s sitting on the worn brown couch, phone and keys stuffed into her hoodie pocket along with her hands, fumbling with her fingers. 5:50PM, her watch reads. She’s scooting further down the sofa, the closest she can be to the door, when the doorbell rings. It surprises Kyungmi, who was definitely not waiting for her partner to arrive.

She sprints to the door, taking a moment to catch her breath and fix her appearance before opening the door slightly with wide eyes. “Uh, hey.”

“I’m not too early, am I?” Chanyeon’s hand is behind her back, a sheepish smile gracing her features. Kyungmi glances down at her neon blue analogue watch in response.

“Not at all. Just five minutes.” Kyungmi is unsure whether she should smile or not. “It’s –“

“—better than being late,” Chanyeon finishes. She goes silent for a moment. “Oops, sorry about that.”

“That’s fine,” Kyungmi reassures the taller girl. “I was about to say the same thing. I think it’s funny how the whole thing works.”

“Well, I’d love to hear you explain it, but we need to be on our way.” Chanyeon takes a step back, allowing Kyungmi to move forward. They keep their distance as they walk back to Chanyeon’s house, not wanting to slip up and end up holding hands. No, never. It gives them a sense of security. Neither wants to be the first to fall for the other.

They make small talk, childhood memories and all – but that’s it. When they arrive at Chanyeon’s house, Chanyeon unlocks the door, ushering Kyungmi inside. They both remove their sneakers. There is not another soul in the house, apart from Kyungmi and Chanyeon. Kyungmi thinks this was most likely Chanyeon’s idea, not wanting to get embarrassed by family members. She makes a note to herself to do the same.

It is her first time visiting Chanyeon’s home. The living room is modest, yet has the slightest hint of sophistication. It is the chandelier, she decides. It looks the tiniest bit out of place, but enhances the other furniture, such as the plush white reclining sofas.

Chanyeon directs her to the wooden dining table, an embroidered lace tablecloth covering it. She pulls out a chair, making room for Kyungmi, and pads in her socks to the kitchen, grabbing a pair of white bowls and spoons. She places them on the table first, then repeats her motion, this time to grab the casserole of kimchi jjigae and the large bowl of rice, setting them directly in the center of the table. Chanyeon sits down opposite to Kyungmi and grins widely.

“Dig in,” she says, opening the lid of the casserole. The smell wafts through the air, and Kyungmi’s stomach grumble loudly, causing her to groan. She loads an adequate amount of rice into her bowl, knowing her limits. Eating a spoonful, Kyungmi reaches for the kimchi jjigae, sighing when it enters . Chanyeon has surpassed Kyungmi’s expectations. It’s absolutely delectable; there was just the right amount of spice, without the dish becoming being too sour. This rivaled her mother’s cooking.

She swallows. “It’s good! Where did you learn to cook like this? It’s really yummy.”

Chanyeon, pleased with herself, grins. Being with Kyungmi could be alright, after all.

“Mama taught me. She’s the best cook I know! I guess that means I did learn from the best, but this is nothing compared to hers,” Chanyeon replies, earning a gentle smile from the other. It appears to be from the heart. Chanyeon knows Kyungmi has well and truly loosened up.

“If this is nothing compared to your mother’s cooking, then hers must be heavenly! Indescribable, in fact.”

Chanyeon flushes at the compliment, mouth agape, opening and closing like a fish. “Th-thank you,” she stutters. She never would have expected this from Kyungmi. She thought it would be an awkward night, a few words thrown here and there – definitely not like this. Maybe she’s overthinking this, but Kyungmi seems more accepting and not as reluctant towards their blossoming relationship. Actually, Chanyeon doesn’t even consider this a relationship; it is, more accurately, a blooming friendship. Nothing more, nothing less. She knows Kyungmi would agree.

As Kyungmi continues to eat, Chanyeon is unsure whether she should eat along or watch the smaller woman. She seems to be at peace, nothing affecting her in her state of tranquility. It’s charming; her pale yet rosy cheeks stuffed as she chews, her eyes staring intently at the bowl of rice in her hand, wide and expressive. Chanyeon searches her eyes, and there is nothing in them but happiness and delight.

It scares her how kind Kyungmi is towards her. She knows it’s for the better. If they’re going to be life partners, they might as well get off on the right foot. Chanyeon is flabbergasted, to say the least. She is the one having trouble opening up to the aforementioned, while the other looks as if it does not worry her at all. This baffles Chanyeon. She is still apprehensive over whether the other will do something rash.

She manages to dig in and eat alongside Kyungmi, the latter making cute, satisfying mewls when she consumes a spoon of the kimchi jjigae. All Chanyeon wants to do is gulp down the rice along with her sanity, because she cannot believe she just thought of Kyungmi as cute. This is it. This is the end of the world. She’s going to kill herself just for thinking about Kyungmi.

“What – what kind of things are you interested in? For instance…art?” Kyungmi attempts to break the ice. She feels uncomfortable with the silence hanging over them.

“I draw occasionally. I mean, I wouldn’t consider myself an artist, but I do it sometimes for fun. It relaxes me, in a way – do you get what I mean?”

“Yeah. I’m like that with singing. It brings me peace when my emotions are out of control. I’m not the best singer, but it helps.”

“Sing for me, one day, will you?” Chanyeon proposes.

“Only if you show me your artwork, Chanyeon-ah,” Kyungmi says with a sly grin. Two could play at this game. She stands up, having finished her meal. Pushing her chair back gently, she grabs her bowl and moves toward the kitchen, finding the sink and washing her bowl with ease. She returns, placing her hands on Chanyeon’s wide shoulders. It’s a foreign feeling, since she herself has the narrowest shoulders.

 

Moving her thumbs in circular motions, Kyungmi says, “I’m pretty sure you mentioned a movie as well?”

Chanyeon nods, finishing her bowl of rice. Kyungmi takes it from her and washes it while Chanyeon grabs the casserole and places it on the kitchen bench. “You know, I feel as though we are being very domestic right now, and it is scaring the pants off of me,” Chanyeon remarks.

Kyungmi hums. “You know what else would get your pants off you?” Chanyeon grimaces as the other continues. “Not me. As long as you don’t wrap your stupidly long arms around my waist or lean your head against my shoulder, we’re good. I’m not into that cheesy crap.”

Chanyeon only snorts at that. After Kyungmi finishes washing up, she leads them to the living room. “Now it’s movie time.”

Chanyeon sets the DVD player up, and as they watch the movie, the most beautiful thing occurs. They realize that all of their cruel acts were for nothing. They feel at peace with each other, and the world.

 

└ ◊ ● ◊ ┘

┌ ◊ ● ◊ ┐

 

Time after time, they find themselves being intrigued by one another. They are not sure how and when it happens, but it takes its toll on both Chanyeon and Kyungmi. It baffles them how much they think about each other, no matter if they’re near or not. They find themselves thinking, ‘What would my soulmate be doing right now, if they were here with me?’ Date nights and double dates, sometimes even group dates, become more frequent as the holidays approach, and they come to terms with what they’re feeling. When Kyungmi speaks, Chanyeon finishes her sentences, leaving the rest of their friends astonished at their closeness.

About eight months after their first date night, they finally realize that if they had been more understanding when they were younger, they could have started their relationship merrily. But, even though it has taken them more than eight months to slowly build their relationship, they know for certain that the foundation of their bond is strong and sturdy.

 

As they sit together on the couch, Kyungmi leaning into Chanyeon’s embrace, they comprehend why they were chosen to be each other’s soulmates – partners for life. They are compatible in every way, from Kyungmi’s feisty attitude and Chanyeon’s more forgiving one to their talents: Kyungmi’s voice soothing Chanyeon as she plays various instruments to suit her style, from acoustic to the occasional R&B.

They found comfort in each other and finally understand that their bond is unbreakable. The same can be said for their friendships; they all grew closer through their experiences.

 

└ ◊ ● ◊ ┘