See the end of the story for the author's note and the picture references to their marks.

Warning! Long Chapter ahead.

A cloud formed in front of Jaehwan's mouth as he lets out a long sigh. He had just stepped his feet out of the arrival gates. His body shivered in immediate as the cold autumn breeze brushes his skin through the gap on his clothing. Rubbing his hands while blowing some heat to his palm through his mouth, his eyes scanned the area in the search of someone who's coming to pick him up.

It has been a year. An exact year of traveling. Yet Incheon didn't change much. There is still the same traffic, the same impatient car honks, and the same polluted grayish sky. The leaves on the trees turning slightly yellow - exactly the same condition since he had left during autumn.

He missed his country, his hometown. He missed Korea after a whole year of traveling. He missed the food. He missed the language. He missed the people, mostly his family and friends. But there is one thing he didn't miss; the feeling of being left out of not having his soulmate. There is nothing sadder than being surrounded by people who had found their soulmate.

Jaehwan's thought was interrupted when someone came with a sudden hug - more like crashing onto him - and squeezes his body with strength. He felt hot breath on his right ear as a familiar mischievous laugh can be heard. The giant only released him after Jaehwan protested that he could not breathe.

"Hyung~ long time no see!" Another voice chirped and before he could reply he was pulled into another hug, but this time in a softer way. The handsome male leaned back and flashed his deep dimples.

Jaewhan was more than happy to meet his close friends. He could not hide his smile as he exchanged look with the couple in front of him. Hongbin is still extremely good looking, with the same light brown colored hair since he left. While Sanghyuk had changed his hair color from blue (Reference: The Closer era) to a very unnoticeable dark brown, but he noticed how the youngest had looked more of a giant than he was before even when the back of his head is aware that Sanghyuk has not grown any taller since last year and is still in the same size.

Maybe it had been quite long for Jaehwan to meet someone else who towers him.

"So... How was your soulmate searching?" Sanghyuk blurted out, earning both nudge and glare from the dimpled man who seemed to be pretty sharp to understand the whole year's situation without following Jaewhan. Hongbin quickly changes the topic as he asks, "How was your traveling? Do you like it there?"

Jaehwan faked a smile at the bitterness that slowly came back to his heart. He knew the travel is not fruitful to his purpose for the slightest bit. "Nah... It's okay. As you can see, I still came back single."

They fell into a short silence as Jaehwan paused. He tried to recall his memory of the places went to while changing his expression to cheer himself up.

"I mean, well... The States was a blast, you know, Vegas and stuff. Europe was beautiful. I got to see the leaning Pisa Tower, The Eiffel Tower and don't forget The Colosseum. I gained weight in Japan, too!"

"That sounds like a good traveling right there," said Hongbin. Jaehwan gave a nod and a small chuckle. "At least I have stories to tell."

Jaehwan was slowly dragged away when Sanghyuk quickly rested his right arms on his shoulder, his other hand pulling the luggage for the elder. "Let's save the stories for Hakyeon and Taekwoon hyung, they're waiting for dinner at home."

Hongbin nodded in agreement saying that it is already late and the sky is getting darker. The latter helped Jaehwan to carry the smaller luggage.

The three male walked to where Hongbin's car was parked. It took quite a while to fit all of Jaehwan's luggage in the trunk. It was the things Jaehwan brought with him to live for a year, after all. The tall-nosed male did not forget to bring gifts for his friends too.

Jaehwan sat at the back, while Sanghyuk is sitting on the passenger's seat next to where Hongbin is driving. Feeling tired from hours of flight, Jaehwan rested his chin on the back of his hand, his elbow leaning on the hand rest below the door handle. His eyes scanned through the trees moving horizontally as Hongbin drove with a constant speed. Once in a while, Jaehwan would look in the rear-view mirror to check on his friends who are having a couple conversation.

He was silent the whole ride, feeling left out from the couple-talk, almost drifting into sleep due to the jet lag. He knew that he was also avoiding to talk by putting on his "sleepy act" and his eyes closed shut. The couple was fooled when he heard Sanghyuk said to Hongbin that Jaehwan fell asleep.

"You know... I feel sorry for Jaehwan hyung." He could hear Hongbin replied to the youngest.

"I know." Sanghyuk let out a small sigh, but clear enough to be heard by Jaehwan.

"Yet you asked him about his partner search," said Hongbin in an annoyed tone.

There was a short silence as Sanghyuk did not reply, but Jaehwan could hear a small chuckle coming out of the youngest's mouth after a few seconds.

"What was that kiss for? I am driving please don't do anything dangerous!" Jaehwan mentally cringes as he heard the dimpled male scolding the youngest. He was slightly thankful that he had closed his eyes to not witness the scene in front of him.

"Well, I just wanted to because you're still adorable despite being angry."

"Shut up, Jaewhan hyung is behind us."

"So what? He's sleeping and he would not hear anything."

"Shh!"

"Okay, okay. Love you though."

Jaehwan swears that if he is an easily-triggered person, he would have broken his sleeping act by butting in that he was not sleeping the whole time and he's getting cavities from their sweet talk. But Jaehwan decided to remain silent, burying his jealousy at the two who sat in front of him, and his mind lingered.

Hongbin and Sanghyuk are soulmates. Hongbin was 18 when he found out Sanghyuk is his destined soulmate. It was Sanghyuk's 16th birthday - the age where the incomplete black mark starts to appear on a person's left wrist. They look like a tattoo, and they will be completed once they meet their destined soulmate.

Jaehwan was there to witness everything; the moment Sanghyuk got the mark and the moment Sanghyuk got the mark completed.

He was distracting the youngest, bringing him to the park while the others were preparing for the birthday surprise in Sanghyuk's house. It was exactly at midnight when Sanghyuk screeched in surprised at the slowly appearing mark on his left wrist - shaking the elder's arms in excitement as if he had been waiting for the moment. The tall-nosed male pulled the Youngers' wrist closer, his mouth open in amazement as he saw a familiar half-hexagon shaped mark slowly turning darker and more visible with his own eyes. It was when he felt a vibration in his pocket that he shifted his attention to his phone that receives a message from Taekwoon to inform him that everyone is ready and he can bring Sanghyuk home.

What happened home was more surprising than the birthday surprise itself. Right after they yelled "Surprise!" and sang the happy birthday song, Sanghyuk screeched for the second time. Hakyeon was more than satisfied to think that the surprise was a success but he pouted the moment Sanghyuk raises his left hand to show everyone his mark. None of them, but Jaehwan knew that his mark had expanded to a complete hexagon. It was then where it clicked in Jaehwan's mind that the half-hexagon he saw earlier belongs to one of his friends in the house.

"Congratulations for having your mark, Hyuk-ie!" Hakyeon pulled the younger to a hug.

"No, hyung.."

"What?" Hakyeon pulled away, raising his eyebrow at the youngest in confusion.

And it wasn't Sanghyuk who replied, but Hongbin.