Hyungwon never did care much for the whole ‘soulmate’ thing nor love itself. If he fell in love then so be it, but if he never did then he thought he could live with that. All he cared about was his art anyway, only needing a canvas, a few brushes, and a select number of paints and he’s already content. All he’d wanted a soulmate for is to have a good friend at his side.

Hoseok was almost the same way; trying to always put his dream of being a photographer ahead of all else. But he did actually want to fall in love; to have someone at his side and to hold at night and whisper sweet little nothings to until they both fell asleep in each other’s arms. He liked the idea, it wasn’t necessary of course, but he’d still like if he could one day have something like it.

Maybe that’s why Hyungwon never cared much for who his soulmate could be even when the signs finally started to present themselves; his paints running dry and the colours always washing away and bleeding into each other, creating hideous messes on his canvases. He only cared about his future as a painter as he could no longer work with the vibrant, beautiful colours that he dreamed of using in his masterpieces for years. That’s why he ignored all the constant lectures from friends and family about how he’d never meet his soulmate if he continued to drown himself in his work instead of allowing himself to easily be put in destiny’s path. But, still, he would sometimes find him running his fingers over the dried, ugly mess of colours on old paintings he attempted even when the colour drained from them and his brushes, wondering who his soulmate could be, when he’d meet him, how he’d meet him. But really, Hyungwon only wondered and smiled at all the little scenarios he created in his head because he wanted a friend as close as that. He wanted someone at his side that would take care of him and who he could take care of.

Hoseok, on the other hand, spent most nights at first smiling sweetly down his monochrome photographs, wondering who his soulmate could be, what they’re was like. He found himself often picturing where they’d be together in a few years, letting himself live in those moments for a while before sleep would finally take him over. He always thought that when the colour is drained of something you love, that you’d meant your soulmate soon, but no one told him that. So as he got his hopes up and watched them be crushed right in front of him, piece by piece, as years passed and he still had no sight of this soulmate of his, he admitted that his faith wavered and several times he nearly gave up on waiting and hoping. It took a long five years with no sign of his soulmate for him to finally give up as he stopped looking over his photographs in hope they’d be his clue.

Because Hyungwon never really wanted romance, just someone at his side. And Hoseok gave up on fate just as he believed romance had given up on him.

"Hold still! Hold still!"

But now, after six long years of waiting, here they are.

Hyungwon let out a small sigh as he fixes himself back into yet another pose that is just perfect for camera angle. His fingers are wrapped delicately around the stem of lilacs, holding them up as he tilted his head down just slightly to gaze at them. There’s a slight flash that causes him to blink away the distortion it brings to his vision before looking up through his eyelashes and fringe at the camera in front of him. Hoseok finally lowers the camera for just a second to adjust a few settings before raising it once again and another click of the camera is heard but this time no flash, and Hyungwon is more than thankful for that.

"Can you keep looking at the lilacs instead?" Hoseok asks from behind the camera, not bothering to lower it in fear he'll lose the most perfect angle.

"Bossy," Hyungwon mumbles under his breath jokingly but lowers his gaze to the beautiful flowers anyway with a soft smile, their fragrance washing over him. Another click of the camera before finally it is lowered at last.

The blond grins at him, pulling the camera's strap off from around his neck and heading over to Hyungwon. "That was amazing!" The praise from Hoseok brings a smile to Hyungwon’s face as he can finally relax himself at last. Hoseok holds the camera up to him, letting him scroll through the pictures he had taken during their last half hour shooting. "Next, wear this." He takes off the flower crown of blue and purple flowers he’s wearing and places it carefully on Hyungwon's head, tilting it a little to flow with his black hair. "There, perfect!" Before Hoseok can take the camera back, Hyungwon puts the lilacs in behind his ear, smiling as they contrast against his blond hair almost a little too perfectly.

Hoseok brings his fingertips to the delicate flowers for a moment, a rosy colour spreading over his cheeks when he finally dares to look up at the smile that was gracing over Hyungwon's lips. "Why are you always like this?" he jokes, playfully aiming a punch at Hyungwon's shoulder.

"Says the one who wants to use his boyfriend as the model for his photography." Hyungwon hands Hoseok back the rather expensive camera that took him quite a few months to save up for, but of course nothing he does is complete without a bit of teasing and that means that he’s going to first pretend to drop the camera, just barely catching it before it fell to the ground. He let out a few chuckles as he could hear the gasp from Hoseok and could actually see the very moment that his heart leaped into his throat in a mere second. Hyungwon covers his mouth with the back of his hand, keeping his eyes on to the ground and hiding the smile on his face as he has to hold back a fit of laughter and kept his eyes on the ground.

The blond holds his camera close to his chest with both arms, staring at his boyfriend with eyes wide in disbelief and betrayal. "I swear, I will take this strap right here," he lifts the neck strap from the camera just to be positive that Hyungwon is well aware of what he’s talking about, "and strangle whatever bit of soul you still have left, you !"

Hyungwon leans close, clearing his throat as he drops his smile, putting on a rather serious expression that perhaps worries Hoseok a little. Just a little. Locking their gazes for a moment, Hyungwon finally speaks, his serious tone matching his expression, "try and reach me first, dear." Quickly Hyungwon steps back, that same smile on his face once again even when Hoseok furrows his brows and a slight blush creeps over his cheeks once again.

"I will ing burn you, Chae Hyungwon! I'm only a little shorter than you!"

Adjusting the flower crown on his head to get rid of the tilt Hoseok had put it in, Hyungwon folds his arms over his chest and raises a brow. "I'd like to see you try then."

Hoseok stomps over to the younger, trying to hold back the smile that is tugging on his lips by forcing a frown instead. "Then get over here." Hyungwon took a few steps back. With every step that Hoseok takes towards him, he backs away several more. Hoseok finds it a little precious actually and could no longer cover up the smile on his face and quickly stops trying to.

"Hey, hey!" Hyungwon put his hand out in front of him, quickly looking over his shoulder to make sure he isn’t about to bump into anything as he continuously backs away from the blond. "You can't talk to me that way!"

Halting, Hoseok puts on a pained expression instead as he lets out a small cry. "Oh! I'm so sorry, I had completely forgotten! Please forgive me and let me correct myself." He pauses to bring a fist up to his mouth, clearing his throat before even straightening his posture. "I will ing burn you, My Lord." Despite his words, he doesn’t bow his head to the younger and wouldn't have dared to either.

Hyungwon quite simple rolls his eyes in response but can’t stop the small chuckle that slips out as well. "It's okay, I still love you. And you are forgiven."

"Thanks..." Quickly, Hoseok strides over to Hyungwon before he could take more than a single step away and adjusts the flower crown, tilting it at an angle once again. "Now, can we please continue on with the shoot?"

Hyungwon frowns, fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves as his gaze drops to ground, even sniffling a few times to add to his little act (because pretending to wipe a tear away just isn’t enough). "What's wrong now?" Hoseok tries his best to sound more annoyed than he actually is, still trying to play along, but he actually doesn't entirely know if Hyungwon’s faking or not and he is a little worried he had possible saddened him somehow.

"You didn't...say you love me too." He spares Hoseok a glance at last, a rather large pout on his face but not a single tear despite the furrowed brows as well.

While Hoseok rolls his eyes at him, Hyungwon quickly reaches up and straightens the flower crown on his head once again. "Hyungwon, really? You know that I love you so much." Reaching over, he tilts Hyungwon's flower crown once again much to Hyungwon's annoyance. Taking Hyungwon's hand in his, he places a gentle kiss on the back of it to jokingly compliment his act of a prince that Hyungwon put onto himself so very often. "So, so, so much."

Hyungwon smiles softly at the passionate response he receives, but quickly pulls his hand away before Hoseok can place yet another kiss on it. "Man, and you call me cheesy?" he mocks. Spinning on the heels of his dress shoes, he takes a few steps away from Hoseok to leave him there with a look of confusion that quickly turns to one of slight annoyance (but Hoseok quickly shrugs and sighs all of that away). "Can we just finish this photoshoot already? I'm getting hungry." Once again, when Hoseok isn't looking, Hyungwon adjusts the flower crown.

"Yeah, yeah. Just a few more pictures." Hoseok walks over to him, quickly placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "I do really love you, though. And thank you."

This time it’s Hyungwon's turn to blush sheepishly. "I know," he says in a whisper, taking Hoseok's hand in his and lacing their fingers together. "I love me, too." Hoseok rolls his eyes in response but both of them are smiling brightly, a few laughs even being shared as well. Just before Hoseok can walk away to prepare the next shoot, Hyungwon leans close to catch him off guard with a gentle kiss on the lips. And before Hoseok has time to collect himself and the situation and actually kiss him back, the taller pulls away with a grin from ear to ear. "I love you, too."

With a joking sigh, Hoseok gives a small shake of his head at how Hyungwon could always go from such a child to someone so soft and gentle and loving that it drove Hoseok crazy but also made his heart beat a little faster. "And," Hoseok starts, raising a finger before reaching and, to both of their annoyance this time, tilting Hyungwon's flower crown to the side again, "stop ing straightening this, it looks good as is!"

---

Hoseok holds the mug in his hand carefully, the other hand at his side and gripping at the edge of the counter. His legs are hanging off of it loosely as he just stares into the distance with a gentle smile gracing his lips like there’s something or someone there that can bring such a beautiful smile to his face. But really, he’s watching Hyungwon in the corner of his eyes as he paints away at the canvas set up before him. Hyungwon had gotten the most perfect angle of Hoseok sitting there, relaxing and was quick to grab all his tools and paints to just make a quick piece of Hoseok there.

Having to break his smile to exhale a sigh past his lips, Hoseok immediately hears Hyungwon tap his foot on the ground. That’s his usual signal to stop whatever he’s currently doing and Hoseok shakes his head playfully at it, not saying a word as he brings the mug up to his lips so he could take a quick sip at his herbal tea. But he only instead makes a face as the now cold liquid meets his tongue

“Don’t move,” Hyungwon repeats yet again that night.

“Fine, I won’t breathe, either.”

Hyungwon peeks at him from the corner of his eyes, reaching for a thinner brush to add some more detail to the shading. “That would be preferable actually, thank you.”

Hoseok lets out a chuckle before relaxing himself back into position. But there is just one problem: “My neck is getting stiff.”

“Lots is sacrificed in the name of art, dear,” Hyungwon deadpans, not even sparing Hoseok a simple glance as he’s barely even paying attention to what he’s saying. The second Hoseok ever starts whining during his art sessions, Hyungwon always just drowns his voice out as he chooses to instead recite himself step-by-step instructions on colour blending and shading in his head.

“We’ve been at this for nearly an hour already. Can’t we take a break? Just five minutes?”

“Art doesn’t wait, and neither do I.” Hyungwon is still avoiding Hoseok’s gaze as the only times he’ll actually look over at him is refresh the mental picture in his head he had made of Hoseok’s pose, body, and all the little details in them and the way his shirt wrinkles and how his rolled up sleeves bunch up at his elbows.

“Says the man who sleeps in until the afternoon and then whines when I try to wake him up.” Hoseok’s voice is hushed behind the mug but he makes sure he still speaks loud enough for Hyungwon to just barely catch his little complaints.

Just as Hoseok takes another sip of the now cold and rather tasteless tea, Hyungwon stands from the small stool and strides over to him. Believing he had cracked Hyungwon and that he’s actually getting that break, Hoseok’s face lights up when he sees Hyungwon nearing him. But Hyungwon just grabs the mug out of his hand and walks back over to the small studio he had set up for himself in the kitchen just for that piece.

“The hell was that for?” he yells, furrowing his brows and frowning a little as he aims a dark glare right at Hyungwon.

The younger brought the mug to his lips and took a sip, not exactly minding how cold it is. “I’m thirsty.” He gently places the cup down on the small table beside him where he keeps his paints and brushes at as well, making a mental note to himself to not spill anything. “I have enough detail on the mug now anyway so it’s not needed.”

“I was still drinking it, though.”

“Yes, and now I’m drinking it.” Hoseok makes a face at his words, whispering something under his breath Hyungwon swears was a small meaningless threat of ‘I hope you choke on it’. Sighing and deciding to brush off his hushed comment, Hyungwon adds, “besides, I’m almost done I just need to detail the hair.”

“Make me a prince then! Actually wait, no, I wanna be a king instead.”

Peeking at him from behind the canvas, Hyungwon raises a questioning brow at his boyfriend. “Too late now, but why?”

“You always have this...aura of royalty in my shots of you, so I wanna have that too in your paintings.”

“Maybe you should set your requests a little more on the realistic side.”

“‘Cause you can’t paint?” Hoseok fights back, smirking off into the distance as he tries his best to maintain his pose once more despite the pain in his neck that’s quickly creeping down along his spine.

Hyungwon quirks a brow at him as he shakes his head, deciding against saying anything more in response and instead bringing his full attention back to the painting in hopes of finishing it in about ten minutes or so.

---

After work, Hoseok drags his tired legs to Hyungwon’s crappy little apartment for the fifth day in a row (the two often joke about having Hoseok just move in since he spent nearly everyday of the week there anyway) and fits the key Hyungwon had made a copy of in the lock. He can still remember how awkward it was when he was first given that key because it never felt right to just walk into Hyungwon’s home like that and he never thought he’d ever like it, but it eventually become so easy and he even started to think of this small apartment as his home. “Hyungwon?” he calls, locking the door behind him.

There’s no response.

Stitching his brows together, he kicks his shoes off to the side as he wanders into the surprisingly quiet and empty apartment. Is he not home? After double checking the time on his wristwatch, he figures Hyungwon should be home by now as his shift had ended a good two hours ago already and it wasn’t like Hyungwon to stay outside very long (or really at all as he avoided the outside unless he really had to). As so many questions raise in his head, they’re all interrupted as a loud crash rings through the apartment from the bedroom. Hoseok doesn’t waste any time in racing for it, throwing it open in a bit of a panic as he once again calls for Hyungwon.

There, in the bedroom, Hyungwon is crouched over a pile of shattered pieces of a mug and tea quickly staining the carpet. His delicate fingers are carefully picking up the pieces of glass and it takes him a few seconds to even notice Hoseok standing in the doorway. “Oh! Hoseok!” He smiles brightly over at him before resuming his task.

“Are you okay?” Still feeling a bit worried, Hoseok rushes over to him and grabs his free hand, checking for any cuts from the glass and relief washes over him when he finds none.

“Yeah, I just wasn’t paying attention.” Hyungwon stands up with the pieces of broken glass and discards them in the trash bin beside his desk. “But look what I’ve been doing,” he says, a wide grin from ear to ear spreading over his face as he points at the wall behind Hoseok. The blond turns around, furrowed brows in confusion until sees what Hyungwon meant.

Hyungwon’s old monochrome paintings from years ago when he was still an art student line the wall, going in what looks like year order judging from the difference in detail, quality, shading values, and overall feeling of each piece. In the middle, however, breaking that neat and orderly sense he had going, is the painting he made only a few days ago of Hoseok sitting on the kitchen counter. Hoseok never did get to see what it looks like, so this is his first time being able to admire what Hyungwon had painted of him that day and he feels quite breathless. It’s the only coloured piece of Hyungwon’s that he had on display, but Hoseok knew there were many others that Hyungwon had painted of him and over people over the two years they had been together already that had the most beautifully vibrant colours.

“Do you like it?” Hyungwon asks, coming up to his side with a smile that looks almost nervous.

“Like it? Hyungwon, it’s… It’s so beautiful.” The blond turns back to the painting of himself, admiring every little detail Hyungwon had put into it and he could see all of the hard work put into each brush . “This is definitely your best work!” With a soft smile, Hoseok turns back to his lover and throws his arms over him. “And I love how you planned all of this,” he adds into a whisper right by Hyungwon’s ear.

There’s a ‘thank you’ whispered back, but it’s nearly inaudible even right against Hoseok’s ear as Hyungwon really doesn’t even think those two little words were enough. Maybe it’s because he knew they weren’t appreciation for just Hoseok’s kind words, but more for everything he had done for him over these past years. But a simple ‘thank you’ isn’t enough for all of that.

“I got a set for you as well.” Hyungwon pulls away after what feels like an eternity to lift two of the several small frames that are on the bed. One is an old photograph Hoseok had taken back in high school that lacked any colour as well. Hoseok even makes a slight hiss at it the second Hyungwon shows it to him as he really doesn’t like his work from that long ago. But then Hyungwon shows him the other one, the one in perfect, beautiful, and vibrant colours; one of Hyungwon from the photoshoot the other day with the flower crown of blue and purple flowers tilted to the perfect angle. All the other framed photos of Hoseok’s were more monochrome ones from years ago as well, just like how Hyungwon has set up his.

“You can take these home and put them up like I did— if you want, I mean.”

Hoseok takes the two frames from Hyungwon, smiling down at them as he realises just how much his photography has improved over so many years, all thanks to Hyungwon. Or maybe it isn’t that his skills have gotten better or his equipment has gotten more expensive and better in quality; maybe it’s because Hyungwon is the star in them.

“Let’s put them up here. That way we can admire them together more often.” Hoseok places the two frames back on the bed before he takes even a step closer to Hyungwon. He snakes his arms over Hyungwon’s waist, holding him loosely as Hyungwon brings his hands up to Hoseok’s shoulders. “We will fill every inch of this apartment with pictures of you.”

Hyungwon lets out a laugh, letting the image of that fill his head. “That’d be quite terrifying. I hope you don’t expect me to keep living here then,” he jokes and when Hoseok smiles brightly in response, he can feel how his heart skips a beat and this strangely light feeling of bliss washes over him. All at just the sight of Hoseok’s smile.

“I love you,” Hoseok whispers, his smile never fading for even a second as he stares back at Hyungwon and can see how all of his love for him flickers in his eyes.

Hyungwon pulls him closer, their lips just barely brushing as he adds, “I love you too, dear.” Finally, he closes the gap between them before Hoseok can let out any sound of amusement at the little name he constantly uses for just him and only ever him. Because no matter how many years pass, Hyungwon will still probably call him ‘dear’ and Hoseok will still probably love every second of it and how it rolls off his tongue easier and easier.

Because years ago Hyungwon admitted that he never thought he’d call someone ‘dear’. He never thought he’d have someone to call that and even if he did, he didn’t much care for meaningless little things like that. And now it’s funny to think about it and the past and how important they’ve become to each other. Because the only reason that years ago Hyungwon wanted to meet his soulmate, meet Hoseok, was because something, it could be anything, would lack colour in a person’s life, but when they meet their soulmate they would be the one to bring colour back to it. And Hyungwon found out that his paintings, the one thing he loved most at that time, would work against him whenever he tried to paint with colours. He had taught himself how to make monochrome paintings and sketches, worried that there was even a slim chance he’d never meet the man who would bring colour back for him.

And Hoseok found it was also the one thing he loved most: Photography. He went through several cameras and several different brands when he found that he could only take pictures in black and white. It took him a while to finally accept that his photography was what his soulmate was to bring back to him when they met. But he nearly gave up on photography all together when his faith in meeting his soulmate was shaken as the years passed. Now he finds it funny whenever they talk about what was supposed to be his last photoshoot as a photographer.

Because they brought colour back to each other’s lives that day.

And now their work is so much more beautiful than they could ever thank the other for. Hoseok spent years taking pictures of models and friends and strangers during events, always wondering when his monochrome photographs would fill with colour. And Hyungwon spent high school and most of college buying expensive paints in hope that maybe one day they’d finally work for him, like some kind of miracle.

But as they both were ready to give up on painting and photography at the time, Hyungwon went through a few photoshoots of his own when he firmly believed that he just wasn’t cut out to be an artist if he couldn’t create the masterpieces he wanted; the ones with the most vibrant of colours. But maybe he could help others be the artists they want to be, no matter which kind. And the moment he and a friend helped out Hoseok (who at the time was just another ‘friend of a friend’ to Hyungwon) and his eyes met with Hoseok, both of them smiling politely at each other as Hyungwon got on the little set Hoseok had put up for the photoshoot that day. Neither knew that day as the bright stage lights irritated Hyungwon’s eyes and Hoseok made sure to turn off any extra flash, that they’d later look at those photos he took and colour would wash over them. Neither knew that day that both of their lives would change completely.

That day Hyungwon didn’t expect to find himself falling in love with Hoseok only months later, and Hoseok didn’t expect his soulmate to be a near complete opposite of him — that is, until he found just how alike they really are. Their expectations of each other and themselves were so far off, and they often joke about that even now.

Because fate is a funny thing, and so is soulmates.