Kibum made sure the pair of oversized sunglasses were in place before he opened the back door of the club and made his discrete exit. He never usually went the back way, but the thought of running into Jinki and having to explain everything made him feel even more tired than he already was. Plus the thought that his supposed soul mate might still be lingering about, made the dread in is stomach that much heavier and he quickened his steps before he went and threw up right there on the street.

Luckily it seemed his coast was clear and he made it to his car without any issues. His drive home consisted of a loud mix of Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga, making his cares slip away if only for the duration of his 20 minute commute.

When he arrived home he was more than happy to be greeted by his furry babies. He accepted their loving kisses and ushered them along into his room where he plopped face down on his bed.

After the scuffling of paws subsided, a strong feeling of impending doom overcame Kibum.

What the hell do I do know?

When Monday rolled around he decided to use one of his many untouched sick days. There was no way he was going to face his coworkers like this, the talk and gossip would be too much, not to mention the hoard of congratulations he would receive upon the ‘good news.’

“Good news my ” He scoffed to himself as he began to get ready for the day. He had an errand he needed to take care of before meeting up with Taemin later and he was anxious to get everything back in order.

Entering the bathroom he made it a point to ignore all mirrors, which to be honest, was fairly hard for him. His appearance meant a lot to him and mirrors were just a part of the daily routine. But now he couldn’t even stomach the thought of those two plain and boring eyes looking back at him through his reflection. Such a commonality had no place in his life. Ever since a young age he had felt special and different, but in a good way. But with his identity stripped away in just one night, everything had changed. Now he was no longer special, he was no longer different; he was just like everyone else. And he hated it.

Quickly finishing his morning tasks, he said good bye to his pups and set off on his mission. He had thought of a clever way to fix all this. It would only be a temporary fix to a permanent issue, but there was no way he was giving up on himself that easily.

He was running a view minutes late to his meeting with Taemin. He hadn’t thought his appointment would take so long, but that’s what he gets for scheduling one last minute.

The bell on top the door signaled his entrance to the small coffee shop and he made his way to the side windows where he knew his friend would be.

Taemin had already ordered their drinks and was casually sipping his when he noticed Kibum’s presence and got up to greet him.

“I’m surprised you actually showed. I figured it would be a whole month till you actually left your apartment.”

He smiled and hugged his friend, gesturing to his already waiting Americano.

Kibum returned the smile, but only halfheartedly. If his plan hadn’t worked Taemin would be right, and he would probably never leave his apartment again. But thank the gods for modern science.

Once seated, Taemin continued sipping his drink giving Kibum the time to gather himself before diving into what he knew would be a loaded conversation. As soon as he looked comfortable Taemin figured it was now or never.

“So, about Friday night…”

Kibum visibly stiffened at his words, but made no response. He took a stiff sip of his own drink and gradually removed the designer shades from his face.

Taemin choked on this latte, setting him into a mild coughing fit. He could not believe this! What in the world?

“But…what?...How?”

Kibum played with his straw, those beautiful features quirking up in a satisfied smirk.

“Please, like you’ve never heard of colored contacts before?”

Taemin just stared at his friend. He wanted to say he was surprised, but considering this was Kibum they were talking about, the action actually made sense.

“You are just that desperate for attention, huh?”

His words were playful, but Kibum could detect the underlining concern hidden beneath them. Trying to ignore his own destiny was a pretty bold move, but he was always up for a challenge.

“You know it goes deeper than that. It’s just..I just couldn’t stand the thought of not being me anymore, ya know. My odd eye was a part of who I am, I can’t just let some stranger take that away from me.”

“Some stranger? That stranger is your soul mate.”

“Pfft, like I’m gonna let that happen. No thank you.”

“You know, love can help shape a person too. The people we love and the people who love us in return, also help us become who we are.”

Kibum paused at his friend’s insight, reflecting upon the truth within them. But there was no way in hell he would admit that, at least out loud.

“Wow since when did you become all philosophical.”

Taemin sighed, ignoring the attempt to change the subject.

“Here.”

He slid a small piece of paper Kibum’s way.

“His name is Minho. I told him I would talk to you, so at least let me be good on my word.”

The red head stared at the name and phone number in front of him, acknowledging them, but making no move to secure them in his care.

“Apparently he’s an old friend of Jinki’s, so that right there tells us he’s a pretty decent guy. We both know Jinki doesn’t hang out with anything but.”

Their table was quiet for a moment until the dancer picked up his now empty latte cup and stood up.

“Just think about it, ok?”

He didn’t wait for Kibum’s none existent response, and instead made his leave.

Kibum continued to stare at the paper, sipping on his Americano at a slow pace. His mind was abuzz with all sorts of different thoughts and scenarios, confusion clouding up its traffic.

After thirty minutes had passed and his drink was long gone, Kibum stood from the table.

Without another glance, he grabbed his empty cup and the paper, tossing one in the trash, the other in his pocket.

With heavy steps he made his way back home.

A/N: Thank you all so much for your patience! Comments and constructive criticism are appreciated ~