Well, hello, this update only took me a.... ing year. Literally one entire year. Wtf @ me ??? 

Sorry to anyone who had been actually following this fic back when I updated within the same year. Oh and you miiiight notice a tiny change in my writing style through this? I mean it has been an entire y e a r, and I am garbage™.

I hope you enjoy reading this, cause I certainly had fun writing it ;)

A few weeks later and Kyungsoo finally feels completely settled into his new school in Seoul, and listening to what his mom told him, he’s been happily becoming better friends with Jongin. Each day with Jongin and each time they hang out together makes Kyungsoo feel invigorated, filling him upon with energy he never knew he hadn't had before.

After that first time he went to Jongin’s dance practice, his fondness for Jongin only grew, and he saw another passionate and amazing side of him that amazes him even weeks later.

Settling into his new friend group was also surprisingly easy, their friendship coming together as if they had always been friends all along. Originally, Jongin and some others had been a minor part of the group, but with the addition of Kyungsoo, the group finally came together to form the loudest, most obnoxious and most annoying friend group he himself has ever seen, as well something that the school itself had never seen before. The twelve of them together were like a small family, and Kyungsoo loves it. 

Most of the time. He loves it most of the time.

Now, though, is not most of the time. Now, Kyungsoo kind of wants to rip a little bit of his hair from his head. 

It’s lunch, maybe the most chaotic time of his day, and anyone everyone else’s day (if you ask the entire student body). Next to him in his usual spot on their large lunch table is Jongin, of course, who Kyungsoo talks to for most if not all of lunch.

Across from him though, is the current bane of his existence. 

Park Chanyeol. 

Over the course of the past few weeks, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol have developed a small rivalry of sorts, or maybe more like a healthy bickering or bantering filled relationship. Essentially, Chanyeol loves to annoy Kyungsoo, and loves it when Kyungsoo gets even slightly mad, saying that “It’s so weird to see you mad, Soo!”. And now, Chanyeol’s teasing-slash-banter has reached a new level of annoying. 

“-Soo if you’re not going to tell me who your crush is I will have to use my secret weapon” Chanyeol says, a smarmy smile on his face. Kyungsoo just sighs in annoyance.

Ever since Chanyeol found out from Jongdae, the resident loud-mouth, that Kyungsoo has a crush on someone (thankfully Jongdae did not tell Chanyeol just who Kyungsoo has a crush on, but only because he likes stirring the pot just a little). Ever since, Chanyeol has been interrogating Kyungsoo everyday at lunch. 

He found out on Monday.

It’s now Thursday and he won’t stop. 

Normally Kyungsoo wouldn't be so peeved by Chanyeol giving him a hard time about something so minor, but whenever Chanyeol teases Kyungsoo about his mysterious crush, who unbeknownst to Chanyeol is Jongin, Jongin himself always reacts weirdly. The first time it happened, Kyungsoo thought something was wrong with Jongin when he tensed up next to Kyungsoo during lunch and gave him that look, as if he just ate a lemon or something else equally awful. 

That look makes Kyungsoo’s heart break a little bit every time he sees it. It’s as if Jongin is disgusted by him or something. 

But Kyungsoo can’t make it stop, because that would involve actually telling Chanyeol who his crush is, which he will not do because the next day the entire school would know. So, Kyungsoo just has to endure it as he is teased and as Jongin continues his bad reactions. 

Great.

Kyungsoo is brought back to the moments when Jongin pipes up.

“Your secret weapon? What your stupidly long limbs?” Jongin says snidely.

Kyungsoo cracks a small smile at that, biting back in turn “He’s much too nice for that; his secret weapon is probably Baekhyun”

“Yeah, Baek and Chan are attached at the hip. I think he’s like Chanyeol’s bodyguard or something?” Jongin barks out in a laugh.

“He’s not my bodyguard! I’m six inches taller than him!” Chanyeol whines out, glancing over at Baekhyun who has noticed the conversation and is meandering over to join in. 

“What’s this about six inches?” Baekhyun drawls while he slides in to the bench next to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol splutters, blushing, and smacks Baekhyun lightly in the shoulder.

“Get your head out of the gutter, Chan” Baek mumbles, rolling his eyes. He then directs his attention at Kyungsoo, who had been watching the exchange like how one would watch squabbling zoo animals.

“We all know who your crush is Soo, why're you so worried about telling Chanyeol here? He’s a bumbling giraffe, he won’t do anything but blab to us” he makes a circular gesture at the table -“even though we all already know” Baekhyun emphasizes his point with a raised eyebrow and a smirk as he tilts his head down to look at Kyungsoo. 

“Oh, what do you want me to share who you have a crush just because ‘we all already know’?” Kyungsoo replies quickly, the quick comeback coming to him fast now that he's gotten used to the chaotic friend group. 

Baekhyun snorts incredulously  “Like you guys know who I am crushing on”.

Kyungsoo just raises an eyebrow “Want me to say it?” he asks narrowing his eyes and leaning towards Baekhyun. Jongin makes a ‘ooh’ noise from the side and Kyungsoo smirks at Baekhyun.

“Fine, I’m not worried. Go right ahead” Baekhyun replies quickly.

“Fine. It’s Chanyeol, everyone know that. You guys are ridiculous” Kyungsoo says simply, leaning back on the bench to watch their reactions. 

He doesn't see quite what he expects. 

Chanyeol blushes and splutters from the across him while Baekhyun goes white as a sheet.

“God, you guys are the ridiculous ones! Baek has a crush on his soulmate! He told me that himself!” Chanyeol says confidently. 

When no one says anything for a beat, Chanyeol turns and looks at Baekhyun expectantly, only Baekhyun isn't looking happy with that answer or confident in any way. 

Kyungsoo watches on and swallows nervously, regretting blurting that out, especially with Baekhyun reacting how he is. As a rule of thumb, whenever soulmates are brought up, it’s pretty serious. Soulmates are not really taboo to talk about, but generally bringing them up in casual conversation or petty arguments is kind of… frowned upon. 

“Baek?” Chanyeol asks, his voice wavering.

“I-I do have a crush on my soulmate” Baekhyun replies uncharacteristically quietly. 

“So, you’re denying what Soo said? H-he seemed pretty confident” Chanyeol replies just as quietly. 

Now the others at the table are looking on in horror. Chanyeol and Baekhyun being quiet and talking with inside voices is something that never, ever, happens. 

With everyone watching, the atmosphere is tense and quiet as everyone waits for Baekhyun’s reply. 

Baekhyun visibly swallows before speaking “I’m not denying it… what he said is true. I do have a crush on my soulmate” Baekhyun finishes, looking down and away from everyone else. 

Chanyeol doesn't immediately get it, but everyone else does. Kyungsoo can a faint “-” spat out from Jongdae somewhere down the table and the sound of someone choking.

A few moments pass as Baekhyun lifts his head up and locks eyes with Chanyeol, and then it’s like they can see the lightbulb flash above Chanyeol’s head as comprehension flood his gaze. 

“W-what? A-are..are you serious?” Chanyeol asks, his eyes widening as he leans forward towards Baekhyun.

“Yeah, you dork. Three years. It was always you” Baekhyun says softly, as he reaches up to the collar of his shirt and pulls it down, revealing a time stamp in dark black ink written across his collarbone. 

The entire table is silent for a few seconds, and Kyungsoo feels like his watching something he definitely should not be seeing. He moves to tear his gaze away but stops when he sees Chanyeol pull down his own collar, revealing a matching time stamp on his collarbone.

Kyungsoo briefly thinks of his own mark, about his other half sitting next to him and wishes he had the courage to make a confession like he is witnessing from Baekhyun and Chanyeol.

A few beats pass as they stare at each other, and the suddenly a huge smile blooms on Chanyeol’s face, somehow brighter than when the smile Kyungsoo saw from the tall boy on his first day of school.

And then suddenly Chanyeol and Baekhyun are kissing, their lips connecting with force that looks almost painful, but they don't seem to care. Kyungsoo lets out a vaguely horrified laugh when he remembers that they are in school and how awkward it is to watch two of your friends make out in front of you.

The quiet shock of the table doesn’t last long as soon chaos erupts as the entire table starts yelling. Somewhere Jongdae is screaming, Lay, Minseok and Luhan are slapping the table and laughing so hard they’re crying, Kris just looks confused,  Sehun and Tao are making exaggerated gagging noises from next to Baekhyun and Chanyeol, and Joonmyeon looks like his eyes are going to pop from his head. 

Kyungsoo is laughing delightedly when he looks over to Jongin next to him, only to see him not laughing, but smiling and staring at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo’s laughing stops for a second as Jongin’s lips curl up into a bright smile, striking Kyungsoo with how beautiful he really is.

Kyungsoo is thrown when Jongin puts an arm around his shoulders and pulls him in, speaking quietly in his ear “Look what you did, you finally got them to stop being dummies”.

“I guess I did” Kyungsoo smiles back, his heart beating wildly in his chest while knocking his head gently against Jongin’s.

The bell rings shortly after, but that doesn't stop them. Their table continues to freak out, attracting the attention of other students until the entire lunch room is cheering and clapping. 

Kyungsoo thinks this must be what destiny feels like.

_________

Later after the final two periods of the day, Kyungsoo and Jongin are walking through the hall, as they usually walk home after school most days now.

They're walking when Kyungsoo remembers he needs to talk to Chanyeol and Baekhyun. It may have ended well for them, but it might not have, and Kyungsoo feels a small prickle of guilt at his outing of Baekhyun’s feelings like that. 

Just outside, Kyungsoo sees them walking together, their height difference making them easy to spot against the other students.

“Baek, Chan!” he calls out from behind them. They both turn around at the same time, thankfully, smiling and waving at him as he walks up, Jongin close behind him. 

“Hey Soo!” Baekhyun greets warmly. Kyungsoo is briefly taken aback by his tone, but continues with his apology anyway. He owes it to Baekhyun.

“Hey, so, um, about earlier, I-I’m super happy for you guys, but I wanted to apologize for, um, completely outing your feelings” Kyungsoo finishes, hoping that his reproachfulness is clear in his apology. 

Now Baekhyun looks taken aback. “Soo! No! I was going to come and thank you. Seriously, I would have never probably confessed otherwise” Baekhyun finishes sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. 

Kyungsoo feels relief spread through him. “I’m glad, I’m seriously happy for you guys”. Jongin also chimes in with his congratulations then, sharing a fist bump with Chanyeol.

“Yeah, now it’s your turn” Baekhyun winks suggestively at him, nudging him with his elbow. Kyungsoo’s eye widen as he feels a blush rush to his cheeks. 

“Shut up” he mumbles lamely, hoping Baekhyun will drop it, especially with Jongin right next to him. 

“Okay, okay. But do it soon, Soo, or I’ll help you like you helped me” Baekhyun finishes, turning away slightly and linking arms with Chanyeol. 

They both leave right after with waves of their hands, and Kyungsoo just looks after their backs with a vaguely affronted feeling. Jongin looks at him funnily from the side, linking his own arm around Kyungsoo’s, leading him off down their street. They chat for the walk, and Kyungsoo wonders if maybe it would be easier to take up Baekhyun on his not-quite offer. 

They eventually part ways with the promise of seeing each other the next day to walk to school, and Kyungsoo sadly watches Jongin go, absently thinking he needs to act before it’s too late.