Minhyuk puffs out an annoyed breath through his pouty lips, watching as couples pass by all lovey-dovey with stars in their eyes. God, he wishes he could have that…  

“Oppa~” a teen girl cries, pulling a boy who looks to be about her age up to the counter. “We should share a sundae! It’s always so romantic to see couples do that in dramas!” Minhyuk plasters on his perfect customer service smile, and begins to put in the order before the boyfriend even relents. After all, he’s seen this scene way too many times to count. 

The ice cream shop worker returns home that evening to find his hyung and roommate, Hoseok, passed out on the couch. Books and candles are scattered about on the coffee table. Minhyuk can’t help but sigh at the sight. He quietly takes off his shoes and sets his bag down by the door, and then slowly begins to pick up the books. They all concern astral projection and lucid dreaming, and Minhyuk can’t help but sigh. 

“I told you to not try anything ‘till I got home, hyung,” Minhyuk mumbles to no one in particular. He isn’t too sure where Hoseok’s astral form is right now, but he’s fairly certain he wouldn’t be hanging around here. Though, that won’t stop him from giving him a piece of his mind. He sighs heavily as he takes all the books, trying to find a place for them on the bookcase. He swears, if the older keeps buying books like this, they’ll need to get another set of shelves… again. 

There’s a sharp intake of breath behind him, and he turns to see Hoseok waking up. The older stretches his arms and legs out as long as they can go, a groan escaping his puckered lips. He glances around in a daze, as if trying to discern where he is. Minhyuk merely smirks at him as he gets his bearings. 

“Minhyukkie,” Hoseok mumbles, a small smile coming to him. “How was work?” 

“Nauseating as always,” Minhyuk sighs. “How was the projection I told you not to do alone?” Hoseok lets loose another groan as he stretches once more, taking a moment too long to catch onto Minhyuk’s sarcastic tone. Upon realizing the reprimanding light in his dongsaeng’s eyes, he can’t help but chuckle nervously. 

“You know it’s easier to do when you’re alone…” 

“But what if something went wrong?” Minhyuk asks, rolling his eyes as he stands. “I promised our families nothing bad would happen to either of us when we got to this town, which means no Practicing without the other around.” Hoseok pulls his bottom lip in between his teeth, making grabby hands at Minhyuk. The younger shakes his head, hoping to seem exasperated despite his amusement, and walks over to allow the older to grab onto his hand. 

“I’m sorry, Minmoongie,” he says with a little pout. His eyes become wide and doleful, and Minhyuk can’t help but coo. He pulls his hand free and begins to make his way to the kitchen, on a mission to make them both ramyeons. 

“It’s fine, hyung,” he tells him. “You know how I worry. You just need to be careful. You know, so I don’t get nagged by your mom.” Hoseok chuckles knowingly, a pure sound ringing through the apartment like none other. Minhyuk finds himself chuckling at the familiar sound. As he starts the arduous task of of filling up the instant meals with the appropriate amount of water, Hoseok walks shuffles into the room and sits down at the table with a low groan. 

"I was trying to find him," Hoseok murmurs, his voice still a bit sluggish. Minhyuk chuckles under his breath, shaking his head at Hoseok's continued optimism. 

"Again? Hyung, come on," he says bluntly, shooting the older an unamused look over his shoulder. "Scouring the astral plane for your soulmate is a waste of your time. All you need is a good lay right now, not your soulmate... You've got plenty of time for that when you're thirty." 

"I'm tired of 'just good lays', Min," Hoseok sighs. "I want the real thing, and I want it now. I want true love, the one I know that's out there for me. And I don't wanna do that whole 'kiss a dozen frogs to find your one prince' thing, either." 

"Fine, fine," Minhyuk relents, not in the mood to argue with him. Love is the last thing he wants to talk about right now, as he himself hasn't had a proper relationship in... well, there's no need to say exactly how long it's been... It's just been a long damn time. He remembers all the sickening couples that had come into the store that day, and feels a sudden spike of jealousy. 

No matter how much he doesn't want to admit it, he's on the same page as his roommate. He's tired of the mindless , even if that's what you're supposed to do when you're young... No matter how hot the guy is, he just never quite satisfies anymore. Which, if he was completely honest, is why Minhyuk hasn't bothered going out to any clubs in the past month. He tells all his old buddies that it's to save money, but it's a bold-faced lie. He just doesn’t want to deal with dancing and going home with strangers anymore. 

"We could always just do a spell," Minhyuk finds himself saying before he can even think about it. Hoseok bursts out at this, causing the younger to whirl about with a look of utter defiance on his face. 

"Are you suddenly a newb again?" Hoseok teases, earning a pout from his dongsaeng. "You know it doesn't work like that. Our soulmates won't suddenly appear if we throw a couple of herbs into a cauldron with some dry ice in it and chant in iambic pentameter." Minhyuk splutters at this, his defiant pout morphing to outrage in record time. 

"Of course I know that," he defends. "I just meant, you know, that we could at the very least put the vibes out there... Who knows? Maybe something good could come out of it." Hoseok still doesn't look wholly convinced, though he does sit up noticeably straighter. Minhyuk has to suppress a grin as the one thing that'll seal the deal comes to mind, and he turns around to seem as casual as possible. 

"Sure, astral projection would be the most direct way to find him, but you're not even able to project yourself as far as the convenience store down the street. Who's to say you have what it takes to find your soulmate, no matter where he is?" He knows he's playing dirty now, but, honestly, he isn't above manipulating his best friend to get what they both want and deserve. 

Hoseok purses his lips, an adorable pout gracing his features. His eyes waver in uncertainty for as long as it takes Minhyuk to bring over their dinner. Then, as the steam from the noodles wafts over his face, he looks up at the younger with an almost childlike hope shining within his gaze. 

"Okay, let's do it." 

Minhyuk smirks around the string of noodles he's slurping up, congratulating himself silently for his own victory. Perfect. Now all that's left to do is find the right spell...