Jisoo closes the door behind him lightly before making his way downstairs and into the kitchen where Jeonghan waits for him. Jeonghan gazes worriedly at him as he sits across him at the dinner table. "So," Jeonghan tugs on the sleeve of his sweater nervously. "How's Hansol?"

   "He just went to sleep. And yes, I already make sure that he's tucked in," Jeonghan heaves out a sigh of relief and Jisoo gives the brunette a little smile. "Are you his mom or what? He just cried a little but you look like he's just got diagnosed with terrible diseases or something,"

   Jeonghan's face softens as he takes a sip from the glass of apple juice in front of him. "I just care more for him. He's younger than us but the things that he went through is nothing compared to me. With how they treat him differently just because of his foreign-like features and all," He places the glass back on the table before looking back at Jisoo. "Be honest with me,"

   Jisoo gulps at the seriousness in Jeonghan's voice. "What?"

   "You know something, don't you? The reason Hansol cried and was in a bad mood throughout the drive back home," Jeonghan's stares right into Jisoo's eyes. "And the reason of that incident back in February. Are they related somehow?" 

    Jisoo sighs. He knows that Jeonghan will eventually connect the dots and confront him about it. He adverts his gaze back to the guy in front of him. "How much did you know?"

   "Just tell me,"

   "You would just brush what I'll say away, you know,"

   "Jisoo," Jisoo sighs again. "Please,"

   "It's about that string of fate."

   Jisoo watches Jeonghan's face change and he casts his eyes downwards. "Hong Jisoo, are you kidding me?" Jeonghan scoffs. As he gets no reply from Jisoo, he pushes his chair backwards and stands up. "If you don't want to tell me, then fine. I'll find it out myself,"

   Jisoo does not have to look to see the betrayed look Jeonghan gives him before the other walks out of the kitchen. He expects this to happen but it still doesn't hurt less. He glances at his pinky and notices the fragile black string hanging loosely and feels his heart breaks. He only have less than two weeks left before the string will crumble to pieces but he is running out of ideas to convince the other about the string that is invisible to his eyes.

   Hansol lies awake on his bed; his thoughts linger freely and wildly in the dark. Boo Seungkwan— the guy he has a huge crush on and who is already taken by Kim Mingyu is apparently his soulmate. He lifts his finger up and he could clearly see the shiny black string wrapped securely around his pinky despite the lights being turned off by Jisoo when the latter went out of his room just now. 

   "So what are you going to do now?" Jisoo asks, breaking the silence that surrounds them. "You must tell him about this—"

   "I'm not telling him," Hansol avoids from looking at Jisoo's face. "They look so happy together I couldn't just come in and snatch him away,"

   "Hansol," He can feel Jisoo's sharp gaze on him and he bites his lips. "You must try to convince him. Yes, it seems like a nonsense idea trying to talk someone into believing something that they can't see, especially one that can change their lives. But you must try. For your sake and for his sake,"

​​​​   "But why? He's better off without me,"

   "He's happy now, yes, but how about when Mingyu find his soulmate later? Are you sure that Mingyu will stay with Seungkwan instead of his soulmate? There are cases like that but it's rare," Hansol does not mutter a word and Jisoo takes Hansol's hand in his. "You have three months, Hansol. Think about what I said tonight carefully but also do bear in mind that time is running out,".

   Hansol's gaze shifts towards the bruise on his upper arm; a big, circular dark blue bruise that seems to be permanent on his skin - a reminder of the incident that he tries so hard to forget. When he closes his eyes, he could still hear the screeching of tyres, the high beam light of the silver Ford Focus blinding his eyes as it moves in a high speed towards him. Jeonghan told him that he almost died if the driver hadn't react quickly and brought him to the nearest hospital. He had stayed silent and looked out of the window where a white cloud is passing by on the vast blue sky. What could he say?

   He heaves out a sigh and closes his eyes. He could still feel Jeonghan's sharp gaze piecing through the back of his head as the deafening silence suffocates him. What did the slanted-eyes guy tell Jeonghan and Seungcheol when they arrived at the hospital? They obviously needed to talk to him to clarify things regarding the accident. But the way the guy hung his head low and just stared at the ground when he went to visit him at the ward the day after he regain consciousnes, Hansol can't help but feel a little guilt settling inside him.

   "I'm sorry," His voice is shaky just like his hands on his lap. "I'm really sorry for not being more careful while driving."

   Hansol doesn't know if it is only him or that guy's eyes when he looks at him with tears streaming down his cheeks reflects something he could only translate as fear.

   With the ticking of the clock as a guide, he tries to get rid off all the thoughts away from his mind and goes to sleep.

   Jihoon stops in front of the door at the end of the corridor and proceed to push in the code before entering the dimly-lit appartment. Closing the door behind him, he takes off his shoes and walks into the hallway.

   "Soonyoung?" Jihoon peers into the living room just to see Soonyoung curled up on the sofa, face burried into the cushion. Jihoon smiles fondly at the sight but the smile quickly disappears when he hears a faint sob coming from the boy. He quickly drops his bag onto the floor and rushes towards his boyfriend; kneeling in front of him and slowly tug the cushion away from his face. Soonyoung's eyes are swollen from crying and Jihoon feels his heart breaks into pieces as he wipes the tears away gently with his thumb.

  "I'm sorry for coming home late lately. I'm sorry for not being there with you when you need someone like right now." Jihoon bites his lips as tears start to threathen to fall. Soonyoung shakes his head and Jihoon wraps his arms around him, shivering slightly as Soonyoung's cold arms touches the bare skin on his neck. And eventhough their position is awkward, Jihoon tighten his hold around Soonyoung, hoping it would comfort him even if only a little.

   Jihoon pulls the blanket over Soonyoung's body before bending down to kiss the latter's forehead. He traces his cheekbones lightly with his index finger and notices how thin Soonyoung had become. Since the night he hit that college boy on the way home, Jihoon notices that the Soonyoung he had once known slowly fading away. It has been a long time since he saw that bright smile that never fails to make his day or hear that cute giggle he made when he watch something funny on the television. 

   As he gets lost in his thoughts, the familiar ringtone coming from his phone snaps him back to reality and he quickly reach for it as to not wake Soonyoung up. Realising that it is Seungcheol, he grits his teeth in nervousness as he slides his finger on the screen to answer it.

   "Hello?" 

   "Oh, Jihoon!" Just hearing his voice makes Jihoon's heart flutters but it rapidly turns to guilt. "I'm sorry I didn't answer your call. I was in a meeting. Is there anything important?"

   "N-no," Jihoon curses himself when he hears himself stuttering. "Well, actually, I was wondering if you're free tomorrow?"

   "Well, I am in the evening. Why?"

   Jihoon tugs the hem of his hoodie nervously. "Um, can we meet tomorrow? At the cafe near the station?"

   "Alright. See you at 3?"

   "Okay. See you." He says before hearing the 'beep' sound as Seungcheol hangs up. Jihoon exhales the breath he doesn't realize he was holding as he sits in silence, staring at his phone. Glancing at Soonyoung to make sure he still sleeping, he quietly stands up and puts the phone on the nightstand before stepping out of the bedroom, closing the door gently with a click.

   The thing he doesn't realize is Soonyoung's hand slowly curled into a fist under the blanket as a tear slides down his cheek.