He doesn’t react anymore when it happens. A tiny wave of electricity passes over him, like the tingling, numbing buzz he feels when his foot’s just starting to fall asleep, he feels lighter and happier, and then it’s over.

“Another soulmate meeting?” Jeonghan asks. He’s seen the expression on Seungcheol’s face enough times that by association he can also tell when two soulmates meet.

“Yeah,” Seungcheol shrugs dismissively, casually looking around. Finally, he sees two flustered girls sitting at a table, cheeks red and colorful hearts on their palms. He nods in their direction. “Two girls this time.”

“You should really start a business,” Jeonghan comments lightly before taking a sip of his coffee. “Find everyone’s soulmate.”

He rolls his eyes. “You know it doesn’t work like that. I’d be having people pay to hang out with me to try and find their soulmate. That’s just sad.”

“Glad you’re self-aware,” Jeonghan smirks, easily dodging Seungcheol’s revenge kick. “You gotta admit, it’s kinda cool that you get to see so many soulmate meetings.”

He could agree on that, at least. There was always something a little breathtaking at seeing soulmates meet. Even if everything after doesn’t end well, at least their beginning was beautiful and perfect. Seungcheol had always thought that that was the universe’s way of giving soulmates the best odds in their relationship by making their beginning smooth and painless. Especially considering some of the pairings he’s seen.

“Yeah, but even those get boring after awhile,” he says, picking at his food. “There’s so many happening around me that it stops being special at some point.”

“I guess after awhile, you just get used to it,” Jeonghan shrugs.

Jihoon is not used to it.

Only a month ago, he had normal friends, who had platonic hangouts to complain about school, play video games, and eat unhealthy food, like every other college student friend group. But no, here Jihoon was, hanging out with his friends, who had decided to bring their newfound soulmates along, and it was a mess.

Soonyoung’s soulmate Seungkwan was a loudmouthed diva who accepted and even encouraged Soonyoung’s excessive skinship. Joshua’s soulmate Mingyu was a germ-infested, clumsy puppy who height was more than enough to make Jihoon despise him. And even though Seokmin didn’t have a soulmate, he was all happy for the two soulmate pairs, and was asking too many questions about their relationships and egging the two to keep being all romantic and mushy and .

So right now Jihoon is sitting alone on the floor, playing a violent game of Overwatch while Seokmin pesters the two couples with questions, wondering where his life went wrong. He thought Joshua wasn’t a big PDA guy, and that Soonyoung at least feared Jihoon enough not to try and be mushy in his presence, but there they are, cuddling their significant others and saying the grossest, cringiest things (Joshua’s doing aegyo--aegyo!) like they’ve forgotten Jihoon was even in the room. It’s revolting.

“Oh guys, your hearts are so pretty!” Seokmin squeals.

Jihoon really wants to kill himself right now.

Or he could kill everyone else instead, but that would just be too messy.

Seungcheol really wishes he could just kill Jeonghan.

He knows, though, that if he even tried, the guy would somehow dodge any assassination attempt and kill Seungcheol without laying a hand on him, just because he’s Jeonghan.

But dammit if he really wants to, because the younger’s prattling on and on about his soulmate as if Seungcheol’s never heard of him (which isn’t the case--he was there when they met) and is absolutely interested in hearing every little detail about him. The worst part? There’s nothing incriminating or ual about it at all, which makes it ten times worse. Jeonghan’s absolutely whipped for his soulmate, even though he’s still technically underage and they can’t really do anything (stupid laws) until Chan comes of age. So right now, Jeonghan’s ranting about sunshine and rainbows and his soulmate shining like the first and being as rare as two of the second. He can’t even really complain, because it’s all innocent and adoring and there’s nothing really to complain about, even though it’s enough to make him vomit, as romantic as he is.

Eventually, though, Vernon and Jun both put an end to Seungcheol’s misery when they show up. “What are you talking about, Jeonghan?” Jun asks, sidling inconspicuously between Seungcheol and Jeonghan. Jeonghan’s face lights up and he begins his whole speech again, while Vernon and Seungcheol lag behind, grateful for the distraction.

“Jeonghan was bothering you about Chan, wasn’t he.” Vernon states knowingly, eyes on Jun’s back.

“Yeah,” Seungcheol sighs, running a hand through my hair. “Honestly, they’re enough to make me swear off romance forever.”

“Tell me about it,” Vernon jokes, “Chan’s in some of my classes at school.” Given that both of Seungcheol’s friends had soulmates who were still in highschool (and, more importantly, are underage,) Seungcheol has a prediction (read: worry) that he will have (again, read: suffer) the same fate. If he ever gets there.

“Does he ramble to you, too?”

“Nah,” the younger shakes his head. “In comparison to you, I’m pretty lucky. But he still gets a little sappy and it makes me sick.”

“You and me both,” Seungcheol says, deadpan, holding a hand out for the other to high-five. “But what about Jun? You haven’t turned him into a lovesick sap yet.”

Vernon laughs. “That’s because we’re both not into that kind of stuff,” he says. “I mean, yeah, we’re clingy, but we’re like that with everyone, so it’s not really mushy or anything. We’re only romantic and stuff when no one’s around. And Jun knows you hate that kind of stuff, so he only really talks about me to Jeonghan.”

Seungcheol just chuckles, turning to see Jeonghan and Jun having an energetic conversation, wide grins on their faces. “I can tell.”

They walk along in silence for a few minutes before Vernon calls, “Does it upset you, being around so many soulmates and not finding your own?”

As oblivious and simple as Vernon comes off, he asks the most insightful questions that always take Seungcheol by surprise. “It doesn’t bother me as much as it used to,” the older responds honestly. “I used to be really mad at the universe, especially when Jun and Jeonghan started dating you and Chan, because I watched you all fall in love while nothing was happening with me.”

“But now you’re okay with it? Besides Jeonghan’s rants?” Vernon persists.

“Yeah, I’m okay with it now,” Seungcheol reassures. “It just takes some getting used to.”

It’s ridiculous how easily Jihoon gets used to Mingyu and Seungkwan.

He didn’t want to like his friends’ soulmates. Not after seeing how whipped they made his friends. And yet, here he is, melting at Mingyu’s puppy-dog eyes and laughing at Seungkwan’s antics. It’s simultaneously frustrating and comforting at the same time.

Especially now, when they were getting ready to go to a club.

Admittedly, that’s something they haven’t done as a group. They’ve gone to bars before, but considering that Soonyoung’s a dancer it’s more surprising that they haven’t gone to a club yet. Even though he laments the loss of a lazy night, he’s a little curious about what his friends are like at the club.

Right now, though, Jihoon’s amazed at how everyone looks. Seungkwan, Seokmin and Soonyoung (who’ve started calling themselves BooSeokSoon--he doesn’t know why) look a lot more mature than they actually are, while Joshua and Mingyu look downright dangerous. Jihoon himself feels a little plain, just in a muscle shirt, flannel, and jeans, but Seungkwan hadn’t protested his outfit choice like he did with Seokmin, so he guesses he’s passable.

“Are we all ready?” Joshua asks. Everyone nods.

“Let’s get lit!” Soonyoung cheers.

Suddenly, Jihoon doesn’t want go anymore.

Seungcheol suddenly doesn’t want to be here anymore.

It had seemed like a good idea at the time, going out with Jun and Jeonghan to a club, but he’s sorely regretting it, because both of them feel awkward.

Why the did they suggest going to a club when they didn’t feel comfortable going without their soulmates?

“It’s not like you’re here to sleep with someone,” he rolls his eyes, exasperated. “You’re here to dance and drink and loosen up! If someone hits on you, just show them your heart!”

Jeonghan shakes his head, as if clearing his mind. “You’re right,” he says, taking a breath and straightening up. “C’mon, Jun, let’s go dance!” He pulls Jun up and drags him to the dance floor, leaving a stunned Seungcheol behind.

Just before they reach the dance floor, Jeonghan turns around. “You know, just because we can’t hit on people, doesn’t mean you can’t,” he says cheekily. “If your soulmate’s anything like you, he won’t mind.”

With that, the two saunter off.

At that moment, a person approaches them. “I’m sorry, but I think your friend is crazy.”

Jihoon thinks his friends are crazy.

Technically, he’s always thought his friends were crazy, but right now, he’s 110% sure they are 500% certifiably insane.

He still has no idea how Soonyoung found a new friend on the dance floor, but he did, dragging the poor boy back to their table and introducing him to everyone. “Guys, meet my new friend Minghao!”

The guy honestly looks a little lost and confused by the sudden turn of events, but still he bows and says, “Hello, my name is Minghao Xu.”

Everyone introduces themselves, a little awkwardly, but that melts away as Seungkwan and Seokmin throw question after question at him, and it’s not long before everyone’s acting like they’ve been friends for life. It honestly kinda freaks Jihoon out.

After a few rounds of drinks, Jihoon is forced to watch drunk Seungkwan and Seokmin challenging each other to prove who’s the better drinker (it’s neither of them), Soonyoung laughing at everything, and Mingyu acting like a total baby, forcing the very inebriated Joshua to attempt to take care of him. The only consolation is that Minghao’s sitting beside him, looking equal parts freaked out and amused.

He looks so lost that Jihoon takes pity on him. He leans over and says, “I promise we’re normal people when we’re sober.”

Minghao chuckles nervously, a high-pitched, almost childlike laugh that doesn’t belong in a club setting. “I believe you,” he says.

The two fall into an awkward silence as they watch his four friends embarrass themselves. Finally, Jihoon breaks it, turning back to the new guy. “Hey, I’m gonna grab some more drinks. Do you want to come with?”

The younger glances at the four, clearly conflicted. “Will they be okay while we’re gone?”

“Joshua can handle them,” Jihoon waves dismissively, pulling Minghao to his feet. “C’mon, let’s go.”

As Minghao begins to follow him to the bar, Jihoon lets out a sigh of relief.

He’s suddenly grateful for Minghao. At least there’s someone else sane around here.

“This is insane,” Seungcheol says, deadpan.

How could he have forgotten? Of course his penchant for bringing soulmates together would follow him into a club.

Even though he had only just met Wonwoo a few minutes ago, he had apparently thought the guy was cool enough that the universe decided to gift him his soulmate.

Wonwoo and Seungcheol were heading for the bar when someone stumbled into the younger. Both of them instinctively moved to catch him, but somewhere in that collision Wonwoo’s hand brushed against the falling stranger’s, and now Seungcheol was holding both Wonwoo and his new soulmate upright.

“Oh, , Minghao,” someone he couldn’t see, who was probably behind the stranger (Minghao?), says. “You okay?”

“I’m good,” the stranger answers absentmindedly, eyes locked on Wonwoo’s. He finally steps back, pulling Wonwoo along so that Seungcheol didn’t have to hold them both up. “You?”

“Yeah, I’m good,” Wonwoo nods, before glancing down at his wrist, “uh, Minghao?”

Minghao smiles. “Yeah, that’s me. And you’re Wonwoo. It’s nice to finally meet you. Want to get a drink?”

“ yes.”

The two immediately walk off, leaving Seungcheol behind, stunned again. Why does the universe like to mess with him so much?

“You too?”

Seungcheol starts, turning to face the person who spoke to him with a blush on his face. He hadn’t realized he’d spoken out loud.

He comes face to face (or, well, kind of) with a guy who wouldn’t normally look old enough to even be here if it weren’t for the weary, aged expression on his face that he had only ever seen on senior citizens. He’s short--shorter than Chan--and has dark black hair that, if he thinks about it, matches the aesthetic of his outfit, what with the flannel and the jeans... the tight, tight, jeans...

In his confusion (and attraction, but he doesn’t want to admit it), he stares at the younger(?) for an awkwardly long time before realizing that he had said something. “Uh... yeah?”

The guy scrutinizes him for a few moments, making Seungcheol fidget in place. What is this guy looking for? Did he say something wrong? Did he catch Seungcheol checking his legs him out?

Finally, the guy turns to look at Minghao and Wonwoo engrossed in conversation at the bar and scoffs. “I thought I wouldn’t have to deal with more soulmate crap tonight.”

Seungcheol grins in spite of himself. “Tell me about it. My friends were the ones to drag me out here, but they couldn’t stop feeling guilty about going to a club without their soulmates. I practically had to throw them on the dance floor.”

“Why didn’t they bring their soulmates?” The guy asks.

“They’re both underage,” he replies easily. “But if they were there, I wouldn’t have come. As much as I like my friends and their soulmates, I hate fifth wheeling.”

The guy laughs. “That’s exactly what I’m doing right now,” he says, “but I have a single friend who encourages them.”

“Ouch,” he winces. “Must not be that fun.”

“Eh,” the guy shrugs. “It’s not that bad. They’re my friends, you know? Even their soulmates. It’s just... I’m always surrounded by mushy soulmates and it .”

Despite telling a near stranger about his problems with love like an overused movie trope, Seungcheol can’t help but enjoy it. “Same here, except that everywhere I go, I witness at least one soulmate meeting. I’m practically a soulmate meeting magnet.”

“Wow,” the guy snorts sardonically. “Sounds like my worst nightmare.” After a beat, he adds, “I’m Jihoon, by the way.” He sticks out his hand.

“Seungcheol,” he replies, reaching out to shake Jihoon’s hand and--

Electricity.

It rushes over him like a wave, bowling him over and carrying him away. It’s like feeling all the electricity he felt from every soulmate meeting he’s ever experienced at once, and it’s overwhelming in the best way possible. It almost drowns out the burning feeling of Jihoon’s name being engraved in his wrist.

The burning feeling of Seungcheol’s name being engraved in his wrist serves as a welcome distraction from Jihoon’s thoughts.

He just met his soulmate.

He just met his soulmate.

He just met his soulmate.

This can’t be happening. Jihoon’s dreaming, and he’s gonna wake up to Seungkwan’s annoyingly loud--and horrendously perfect--rendition of Son Dambi’s “Queen” and he’s going to go through another day dealing with the two gross soulmate pairs and one too-happy single friend that make up his entire friend group and go to bed wishing he could get a break from all this mushy soulmate crap.

But, as he stares into Seungcheol’s wide, shocked eyes, he knows this is real. He just met his other half and suddenly, he’s not complaining.

Just from the one conversation they’ve had, Seungcheol is everything he would’ve wanted in a soulmate: someone who’s tired of soulmates, who’s surrounded by them but doesn’t despite the concept of soulmates, someone who he can complain to about soulmates without being judged hardcore for being a soulmate hater. Yes, he recognizes the irony of whining about soulmates to his soulmate, but he already knows Seungcheol won’t mind. They’re soulmates, after all.

Seungcheol breaks through his thoughts, saying, “So, you’re my soulmate.”

“Yeah,” he manages, unwilling unable to pull his hand away.

He chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. “I guess the soulmate-dissing conversation we just had was a sign, huh.”

Jihoon nods mutely.

Seungcheol opens and closes his mouth for a few moments before grinning nervously. “Wow... I honestly never thought I’d meet you.”

“Me... me neither,” Jihoon stammers. “I complained so much about soulmates I wondered if the universe would just never let me meet him, er, you.”

“Yeah,” the other nods. “Sometimes I wondered if the universe was throwing all these soulmate meetings at me because I would never find mine. Find you, I mean.”

“Y-Yeah,” he breathes.

They fall silent, just taking each other in and coming to terms with... everything.

This actually happened.

Seungcheol can’t believe this is happening. He actually met his soulmate. He actually met his soulmate. He really can’t believe this is happening. It doesn’t feel real at all. He’s not actually sure he’s on Earth right now. He’s not sure how much time has passed. Has time passed? His entire focus is on Jihoon. Nothing else really matters right now.

Slowly, the buzz of reality begins to slip in, bringing with it the thumping bass and the shrill electronic music and the sounds of clinking glasses and the overpowering heat of a hundred people in a cramped space and the occasional shove from a person trying to pass by, unknowing of what just happened. It’s overwhelming and annoying and suddenly Seungcheol wants to leave.

Finally, Seungcheol lets go of Jihoon’s hand. “Want to get out of here?” He asks. “I kinda want to get to know you without having to scream.”

Jihoon blinks a few times, clearly considering it. “Okay,” he says after a moment. “I know a cool café nearby that’s still open. Ever heard of 20?” Seungcheol shakes his head. “Okay then, let’s go.”

As they leave, Seungcheol finally registers the content smile on his face, and the matching one on his newly found soulmate, and he takes a deep breath.

This is just the beginning. Who knew where they would end up. Maybe in two months they won’t be able to stand each other. Maybe in two months they would be as mushy as all their soulmate-found friends. No matter the ending, though, their beginning was beautiful.

Seungcheol was starting to think the universe made him watch all those soulmate meetings so that he would find his own that much more beautiful.