My name is being called out by a familiar voice from behind me. I stop and turn back to see Baekhyun walking in my direction with a friend next to him. He looks happy to see me. I wait for him to reach me.

“Good afternoon,” Baekhyun greets, eyes sparkling, lips tilted in a gentle smirk.

My face heats up. “Good afternoon,” I say back.

“Where are you going?” he asks as we start walking. He sees me glancing at his friend with small, cute lips. “Oh, this is Suho. He's the leader of the rugby team.”

I dip my head. “Hello,” I murmur. Suho seems amused. He nods but stays quiet, giving Baekhyun and I the time to talk. I answer him, “I am going to hand in an assignment. Then I’m probably going home to sleep.”

He frowns, leaning forward slightly. I notice the worry in his gaze as he surveys the darkness below my eyes. “Did you stay up late to finish the assignment?”

I unconsciously pout my lips. “Yeah.”

Baekhyun clucks his tongue reprimandingly. I blush. “I want to scold you for doing that but I do it too.” I glance up at him. He sighs though he has a stern gaze on me. “Go home and have a good rest, okay?”

I dart my eyes to his friend who has a rather knowing smirk on his face. I wonder what he knows. I can feel my cheeks burning up even more. Just as I bob my head in obedience, I hear someone calling out to Baekhyun and Suho. Baekhyun blinks at me before turning back with a frown. I see a whole group of guys coming our way. My heart races. As if able to feel my discomfort, Baekhyun turns back to me with a wry smile.

“See you tomorrow, sweetheart,” he murmurs softly, letting me go before the whole gang is reunited.

I dip my head before muttering a goodbye to Suho. Just before the rest of his friends join them, I walk away quickly. I hear one of them shouting after me, trying to make me backtrack just to greet them.

“Leave her, Chanyeol,” I can hear Baekhyun snapping at his friend.

Though Baekhyun and I have not yet known each other for more than a month, I have to admit that he is already quite protective over me. And I also have to confess that I am totally not ashamed of it.

I laugh when Baekhyun wiggles his eyebrows at me cheekily. I shake my head, pushing him away lightly.

“No,” I giggle.

Baekhyun has a bright smile on his face, his eyes curling into crescents. “Why not? It’s just studying in a different environment.”

“The field is your territory and the library is mine. We shouldn't cross our boundaries.”

The moment I say the second sentence, I realise that it hits too close to home. Not for Baekhyun, but for me at least.

We have been hanging out a lot lately. The past month, Baekhyun and I send text messages back and forth, we go out for brunches and dinners, and we even study together whenever he is free. If Baekhyun isn't with his rugby team, he would be with me. And though it is always nice being around him — his presence always making me feel happier and lighter, his soft laughter always giving me a sense of security and warmth — despite all that, I know deep down that we should not be getting this close. Because eventually, we are going to develop feelings and we will only end up having our hearts broken, knowing that we cannot be together in the end. (Well, we can, but no one has ever really left their soulmate for another person.)

Being with Baekhyun is nice and amazing. But it will all be nothing when I find my soulmate.

I swallow the lump in my throat and look at Baekhyun meekly. The carefree personality he had is gone, his gaze now guarded.

“Crossing lines is what rugby players are best at,” Baekhyun murmurs, eyes locked on mine, his voice soft.

I purse my lips briefly and glance down at my phone. I used to be on my phone a lot, listening to the music on my Shared Playlist. Because after all, listening to the songs my soulmate chose is how I learn more about him. But ever since meeting Baekhyun and getting to know him, I’ve been spending lesser time on my phone, never really listening to my playlist anymore. Even when I am listening to it at night, all I can think about is Baekhyun and what we did and talked about that day.

“But I’m not one,” I finally say, tearing my gaze from my phone to stare at Baekhyun. “I am not a rugby player, Baekhyun. I don't know how to cross lines.”

“I could teach you,” he whispers, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat when he swallows. Behind the darkness of his eyes, he looks desperate. “I’ll teach you.”

I am sure that he knows exactly what I am thinking of, because he is thinking the same thing. Baekhyun knows things will be messy yet he wants us to get even closer, wants our lines to be blurred. And no matter how much I want that, there will always be a nagging thought at the back of my mind, reminding me of my soulmate, the one who says sorry through song titles, the one who listens to waves and rain sounds to combat his insomnia.

I sigh and shake my head, looking down. “We can't, Baekhyun,” I whisper. “I can't.”

He doesn't say anything. It is quiet for so long that I have to make sure that Baekhyun is still there. He is. But he isn't looking at me, and his face is hard as stone. His pink lips are pressed into a thin line and the ends of his eyes droop even more. I glance at his finger that is tapping on the table, almost like he is trying to distract himself. After a long minute, he takes a deep breath and wears a smile on his face. I have spent so much time with him that I can see through the wall he put up between us to cover up his brokenness.

“That's okay,” he tells me pleasantly, his voice low, his lips tugged into a pained smile.

 

On Wednesday, about five weeks after meeting Baekhyun, I fall sick from the change in seasons. I don't go to uni that day, preferring to recuperate at home with Disney movies and porridge. Around dinner time though, someone knocks on my door. I frown just as the door opens. Joohyun appears.

“Someone's here to look for you,” she tells me.

Having absolutely no idea who it could be, my frown deepens. But the moment she steps away and Baekhyun comes into view, my heart palpitates almost harshly and my feverish body heats up even more. We still hang out after that incident in the library but now that we have established the distance between us, we are never really as close as before.

I pause the movie on my laptop when Baekhyun enters. He closes the door after Joohyun leaves and takes a step deeper into my room. His eyes are on me, intense and worried.

“I brought you soup,” he mutters, holding up a plastic bag.

“Thanks,” I say softly, slowly. He doesn't move from his spot at the door. “Come in, Baekhyun.”

At that invitation, the male enters the room more. He sets the soup on my table and comes over to me. He hovers over me, his usually indecipherable gaze holding concern and tenderness. I swallow and sniff.

“Sit down,” I pat the space on the bed next to me. Baekhyun takes a seat primly. He glances at the screen of my laptop. I explain, “I’ve been watching Disney movies.”

He lets out a snort. “Is that all you did today?”

I pout at him. “I’m sick, Baekhyun.”

He sighs at that. “I know,” he murmurs softly, pressing the back of his hand to my forehead so suddenly that my heart jumps at his touch. Blood rushes through my veins and I feel a little lightheaded. “I’m asking if you went to see the doctor.”

“It's only a slight fever,” I squeak.

Baekhyun clucks his tongue, taking his hand away. “A slight fever can always escalate to something life threatening.”

“I’m fine,” I promise him.

If he touches me again or even shows me another ounce of affection, I might really just give up on trying not to fall for him. He doesn't even know how difficult it is to pretend my heart isn't fluttering at the fact that he came to visit for the first time, just to make sure that I am not lying on my death bed.

“Why are you here, anyway?” I ask, not unkindly.

“I didn't see you in uni,” he frowns. “I got worried so I came over after training. You didn’t tell me anything either. Your texts sounded like you were fine, too.”

“Because I know you'd worry,” I mumble. I don’t yet know Baekhyun very well but somehow, I seem to be able to read him easily now.

He sighs. For a while, neither of us says anything. Then, he shifts and makes himself comfortable on my bed, leaning back on my head rest, our shoulders pressing against each other. A spark goes through my body and my heart pounds.

“What movie is this?”

“Beauty and the Beast,” I tell him. He hums. “I was watching Mulan before this.”

Baekhyun snorts. “My soulmate added a Mulan song to the playlist just a while ago, too,” he mentions dismissively.

I freeze, my heart stopping and my entire body turning solid. Baekhyun, always hyper aware of my movements (or lack of), turns to frown at me.

“What's wrong?”

I blink once. Then twice. Then thrice. “I added Reflection into my playlist while watching the movie.”

He keeps his eyes on me for a moment, not really understanding why I am telling him that, until it clicks. I can tell that he has stopped breathing as well. We stare at each other for nearly half a minute before we start moving at godspeed. Baekhyun and I have our phones out in a blink of an eye. We unlock our devices and go to the Music app before holding our phones next to each other. With a pounding heart and a closed throat, my quivering thumb hovers over Shared Playlist, afraid to tap on it. Baekhyun, however, is impatient when he taps on it for me instead.

My eyes are unblinking as the both of us scroll slowly down our playlists, our eyes darting between each other’s playlists to compare the songs. I swallow and glance up at Baekhyun who turns to me right away, noticing my head movement. He his lips nervously and turns back to his phone. I watch him tap on the heart icon with three curved lines above it, on the top right corner of the screen. I hold my breath, my heart stopping when I tap on the Sync button as well.

At that moment, both our phones light up with a notification that reads:

Congratulations! You have found your soulmate!

Oddly, despite how fast my heart is beating, I feel it swelling, a sense of belonging and wholeness taking over my body. A hot, almost piercing pain on my wrist makes me hiss. I lift my hand and turn to look at the underside of my wrist, the spot where my wrist would normally touch paper when I write. It has a Crescendo (<) tattoo marked on the skin. I glance to the side and see that Baekhyun has the exact same tattoo on the exact same spot.

“Oh my god,” Baekhyun breathes, still in a shock.

I don't blame him. I am still in as much of a shock as he is. Possibly even more. I am still in a daze when Baekhyun jumps up, off my bed. He dramatically falls to his knees and grabs my hand. I widen my eyes at him. He holds my hand to his forehead, his eyes tightly shut as though in prayer, before pressing a big kiss on the back of my hand. My heart jumps.

“I feel like I can breathe now,” Baekhyun says breathlessly. He curses for the first time ever since I’ve known him, “Ah, …”

I blink at him, not expecting such a dramatic reaction from him. Finally noticing my speechlessness, he looks at me, taking in the surprise on my face. He quickly gets up and sits on my bed again, facing me this time. He looks excited and radiant, but also serious and thoughtful.

“You know, I've seen your playlist and I thought we might have the same songs. But I brushed the thought of you being my soulmate away because I didn't want to get my hopes up. Because after all, song overlaps happen, right? But I liked you...” he confesses, frowning slightly. “I liked you so much, you don't even know, sweetheart. But I know you didn't want to date anyone who isn't your soulmate. And honestly, I didn't want to ether. But you… you made me want to go it, my soulmate will have to wait. And now…” Baekhyun groans, not in frustration but somehow in happiness. He grabs my face in his soft hands for the first time, making me gasp. “I can't believe you were right under my nose the entire time!”

My heart might have been at my throat when Baekhyun pecks me suddenly on the lips, surprising me yet again. For the first time ever, Baekhyun lets go of his mysterious side and shows me just how bubbly and lovable he is.

“I feel like slapping myself and kissing you all at the same time!”

I blink rapidly when he only does the latter. He is repeatedly pecking my lips when I mutter, my face red, “Baekhyun, I’m sick.”

“Oh, shut up,” he mumbles back, pressing a long kiss to my lips.

I am walking towards the library, hugging my laptop case to my chest when someone my back, their touch hot and electrifying. I turn my head to see Baekhyun smiling at me. I glance behind him and notice his entire group of friends following us, watching intently and noisily. I take just one side of my earphone out of my ear.

“Going to the library?” Baekhyun asks. I bob my head. He hums. “Should I come get you after training?”

“I’ll wait for you in the field,” I murmur.

He glances at me, a soft smile on his lips. “Okay.”

I can feel my cheeks pinking slightly at the intensity of his soft gaze. As if remembering something, Baekhyun quickly looks away and rummages through his duffle bag. I watch him curiously. He pulls out a chocolate bar this time, though from the same chocolate brand. He holds it out to me. I stare at the chocolate blankly before looking up at him. He crinkles his nose and nudges the chocolate bar in my direction, trying to get me to take it.

“Why do you keep getting me chocolate?” I murmur even as I take the gift from him.

“The first two times, because I wanted to gain your favour,” he admits. “Now, because I can.”

I sigh almost tiredly. “You really shouldn't. Isn't it expensive?” Then I add with a glance at him, “And you're going to make me gain weight.”

Baekhyun chuckles softly, sliding his hand around my waist to rub the side of my body. My heart beats crazily. “You'd look healthier if you gained a little bit of weight anyway,” he mutters honestly.

“Yah, Byun Baekhyun! The field is this way!”

Baekhyun and I stop, having totally forgotten that his rugby team has been following behind us. We turn to the right at the same time, noticing how we have already passed the exit to the field. Baekhyun turns to me with a slight grimace.

“Training,” he groans.

I pat his arm. “See you later, Baekhyun.” I lift the chocolate in my hand and smile at him. “Thanks for this.”

He smiles and shakes his head. Before he starts walking backwards, he my cheek with the back of his fingers. Then, I watch him return to his group of friends who are waiting for him at the exit towards the field. Most of them are staring at me, smirks on their faces. Baekhyun sends me a final wave, making the boys . I blush and turn away quickly.

I study for two hours in the library until I run out of attention and focus. I glance at the time. There's still an hour until Baekhyun ends practice. I sigh and look back at my material. I try to go back to study, but I always end up checking my phone or doing something else. Deciding that I won't be anymore productive, I pack up and make my way to the field. For the first time since having to walk past the field to get home, I step onto the field where it is lit up brightly and filled with shouts and grunts. I make my way to the seating stands where there are a few other girls watching the team. I take a seat next to Baekhyun’s duffle bag.

Sitting there, I watch the team train, half of them doing physical workouts while the other half practicing some tackling techniques. I don't know where Baekhyun since they're too far for me to locate him, but if he mentioned that he doesn't play Offense, then he has to be Defense. So I keep my eyes on the group doing the physical workouts. About 20 minutes after arriving, their coach blows the whistle and the whole flock of them starts jogging over to the stands. My heart starts to pound. There are too many guys.

The moment I spot Baekhyun though, my heart calms down and my body buzzes with a kind of energy I recognise to only stem from being around his presence. His lips are tilted into a smile when he sees me. He isn't wearing guards and all that, which proves me right that he is training as Defense. I am nibbling on the rose infused chocolate that Baekhyun just got me when he reaches his bag.

“Is it yummy?”

I nod my head, unthinkingly holding out the chocolate piece that I had been nibbling on. He accepts it, his lips kissing my finger pad lightly as he the chocolate off it. I blink rapidly, almost as fast as my heart rate. Unaware of what he has done to me, he leans forward to grab his water bottle. His friend with the bleached hair jogs over, his shoulders accentuated with pads.

“This is Chanyeol,” Baekhyun introduces us when he notices me staring. I bob my head just as the taller guy grins at me, eyes twinkling mischievously. I turn away, slightly uncomfortable. Baekhyun sighs. “Stop smiling at her like that, you're making her uncomfortable.”

Chanyeol sniggers. “I just never would have guessed that she would be your soulmate.” Slightly offended by his remark, I look elsewhere. He continues, “She's too good for you.”

I look just in time to see Baekhyun biting on his bottom lip as he punches the taller male’s arm. Chanyeol only cackles and leaves us after grabbing his water bottle. Baekhyun turns back to me.

“He's so annoying.” I don't respond to that because I don't want to let him know that I agree. Baekhyun sighs and I see his brown eyes swirling as he looks at me with a soft gaze. “Wanna go for dinner after?”

“I have an online test to complete by tonight,” I frown. I really want to have dinner with him.

“That doesn't mean you can't have dinner,” he mutters with a frown on his face as well. “We could order delivery and eat in your place?”

“I live with three other people,” I tell him dumbly.

“I know,” he says in amusement. “I’m starting to have a feeling you don't want to have dinner with me.”

I blush and shake my head rapidly. “No! I’m just telling you.”

He notices the small pout on my lips, making him chuckle. “I’m only joking, baby.”

Just then, the sharp blow of a whistle makes my already pounding heart almost go into cardiac arrest. I jump in surprise while Baekhyun simply glances back briefly. His teammates are starting to return to training. He turns back to me, setting down his water bottle in the process.

“So dinner later, your place?”

“Call,” I whisper.

A pleasant grin spreads his lips. “Call,” he repeats.

Baekhyun and I enter the house. We head straight for my room since I mentioned to him that I am not close to my housemates. We have passed the kitchen, already going up the stairs, when Rose walks out of the kitchen and raises an eyebrow at me. I stop and stare at her, wondering why on earth she would be looking at me like that as though she has never brought back guys before. But then again, I am not the kind of person to bring back anyone, much less a man.

Baekhyun stops behind me, so close that I can feel his warmth seeping through my body, and his breath on my ear. Jennie steps out of the kitchen with a guy trailing behind her and when she sees me and Baekhyun, her eyes narrow. I really don’t get why they’re looking at me like that. Isn’t Jennie with her soulmate, too?

Sensing the silent tension between us, Baekhyun places a warm hand on the side of my hip as if to soothe me. He bows slightly in the girls’ direction. “Ah, hello,” he greets, a little awkwardly. I don’t have to look at him to know that he has that infamous indecipherable gaze that he wears around strangers.

“Who’s that?” Rose interrogates, training her eyes on me. “Friend?”

I swallow, wondering what kind of response would be best to that question. However, before I even get to choose between coming clean and lying, Baekhyun speaks up for me.

“Boyfriend,” he says matter-of-factly like we’ve already talked about it. “Nice to meet you.”

I mean, sure, we’re soulmates. But boyfriend and girlfriend? Not yet. It has only been three days since we found out about our intertwined fate, too. Aren’t we moving too fast? I feel like we might have skipped several trials that get people from friends to being a couple. But then again, we are soulmates.

“Boyfriend?” Jennie repeats, raising an eyebrow. She tips her head at me, wanting me to say something this time. “You’re not the kind of girl to mess around before Syncing.” She doesn’t say anything else, knowing that it is enough for me to explain myself.

Sick of their interrogation, I take Baekhyun’s left hand in mine. I push his watch down his wrist and show them the exact same branding on our wrists. I notice the shock written on their faces. Happy that I have shut them up now, I bring Baekhyun up to my room, still holding onto his hand, not saying anything else to the girls except bowing to Jennie’s soulmate.

“They seem nice,” Baekhyun snorts, voice low and sarcastic.

My lip quirks at his comment. I only tug lightly on his hand, not saying anything. We get to my room and just before I shut the door behind us, I hear Jennie whisper-hissing.

“She found her soulmate?!”

Baekhyun must have heard her too, because he gives me a What’s wrong with her? look. I shrug. He sets his duffle bag next to my table and sits on the ground, at the foot of my bed. He looks up at me, tender eyes sparkling. I put down my things and go about my room to tidy up. Baekhyun doesn’t say anything but hums a song under his breath, simply surveying my room wordlessly. When I am done, I sit in front of him as I tie up my hair in a ponytail. He turns away from the notes that I have pasted on the wall and smiles at me, the corners of his lips tilting up slightly in a pleasant smile.

“Done?”

I blush slightly and nod my head. “Sorry it’s a little messy.”

“Looked fine to me,” he shrugs. When I don’t say anything else, he takes in a deep breath and takes out his phone. “What shall we have for dinner?”

There is something about Baekhyun that makes me feel too comfortable with him. Despite the low buzz of energy in my veins that I always get when I am with him, something about his presence makes me feel strangely peaceful and at ease, too. I am not the type to speak my thoughts, especially with someone I’ve known for less than two months. But maybe, maybe this is just what having a soulmate feels like. Exciting, but strangely comforting, all at the same time.

“Chinese food?” I suggest, tilting my head slightly.

Baekhyun glances up from scrolling through his phone. His lips are slightly parted as he stares at me, taking in the hopeful look in my eyes. He looks a little dazed and that has me shy and embarrassed. I drop my gaze to the ground, keeping my eyes on his foot that is covered in his sock. He clears his throat and his toes wiggle unconsciously.

“Okay,” he murmurs. “What kind of Chinese food?”

I look up at him now and see him frowning at his phone. Without even looking up from the screen, he tilts it slightly and shows me that he is going through the menus of different Chinese-Korean restaurants. A small smile creeps on my lips. Even in real life, he shows me the gruff but affectionate side of him that I am familiar with through the way he communicates with me using song titles. As if I am a magnet being attracted to Baekhyun, I crawl over to him, my thighs pressing against the side of his, my face close to his.

It feels so ordinary doing this, like I have probably done this before in my previous life, with Baekhyun. Though my heart is palpitating a little too quickly, it still feels nice being so close to him like this.

“Ooh, dumplings,” Baekhyun murmurs when we come across a restaurant selling dumplings.

This is already our third restaurant and I am already a little tired from lifting my head like this. So I slowly relax, resting my chin on his shoulder. Baekhyun pauses for a moment. He turns his head slightly and glances at me. I look up at him, without lifting my chin from his shoulder. He doesn’t say anything but lets a soft smile grace his features. He turns back to the menu.

I gasp softly. “They have lava buns for dessert,” I point to his screen when we get to the fourth restaurant.

“You want that?” he asks me softly, turning to look at me, the side of his lip pressed to my hairline. I bob my head. “Okay. This place has dumplings too. So that’s a win-win for us.”

So we order lava buns for dessert, pork dumplings for appetisers, sweet and sour pork for mains, and two black bean noodles as staples. When Baekhyun has submitted the order online, I move away from him.

“Do you think we ordered too much?” I frown slightly.

“Probably,” he mutters, his features twisting into a slight grimace, too. When silence ensues for the next few seconds, he takes in a deep breath. “It’s okay. You can keep the leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch, or something. Anyway!” I blink at him when he turns to face me. “As much as I want to get to know my soulmate, I remember you saying you have a test due tonight?”

I gasp, “Oh!” Scrambling up to get my laptop case, I tell him, “I almost forgot about that! Thanks.”

“All part of my duty, baby.”

I glance behind my shoulder and see him saluting, a cheeky smirk on his lips. An affectionate smile spreads on my lips and I shake my head despite the pink blush on my cheeks. I hear him chuckling. I take my laptop and notebook, and sit next to Baekhyun, resting my back against my bed. He does the same, leaning over slightly to watch me go to the online test. I flip open my notebook.

The test is an hour and though I probably do not need to take the entire 60 minutes to complete it, I always do anyway. Baekhyun lays his head on my shoulder seven minutes into the test, taking out his phone to scroll through instagram. I mutter a question under my breath as I read it.

“Oh, I know what’s a mitochondria,” Baekhyun announces, moving his head to look at my computer screen.

I chuckle softly, glancing down at him. “You should know what’s a mitochondria, Baekhyun. We learnt it in high school.”

He hmphs and rests his hand on my lap, the top half of his body now twisted so weirdly in order for him to get closer to me. About half an hour later, Baekhyun has his cheek squished against my shoulder when his phone rings, the caller letting him know that the food is already outside the house. I look up when he stands. He is fixing his hair as he looks down at me.

“I’ll go down and get the food. Finish your test well,” he nods at my laptop.

I bob my head and he smiles before grabbing his wallet and leaving the room. I turn back to focus on my test. I don’t know how long it takes him but when Baekhyun returns, I am already on my last question. He puts the food down between us and starts taking everything out. When I am done with my test, I submit it and wait with unblinking eyes for the results. 22/26. I grin and shut my laptop. Baekhyun looks up at me. He notices my happy expression.

“Did well?” he asks. I bob my head excitedly, helping him with unwrapping the food. “Good,” he grins proudly. “So now I have your undivided attention, don’t I?”

“Yes,” I mutter, trying to look for the end of the clingwrap.

“Will you be my girlfriend?”