Yaebin was once again in front of the blue light of the computer’s screen, this light was the only one in the dark office in the back of the bookstore. If anyone asked how she had get back to the place, she probably would have a hard time answering.

The last hours were like a blur in her mind, as if her brain was suddenly filled with numbness.

Perhaps her mind should’ve been full of questions and hopes, full of dreams and fears. After so long, to find her perfect match in such a way just couldn’t be something simple to deal with.

The shock of seeing the red mark on her hand was enough to make her completely disoriented.

In the moment she saw the characters on her palm, the red paint spelling a name she only had heard for the first time only a couple of hours before. She experienced a variety of feelings she didn’t think were possible to be felt at such a short span of time.

First, she felt surprised and flustered. Then delighted for finally receiving her chance at true love, just to feel terrible in the next moment as she was reminded of the suffering it could bring. She even felt anger and jealousy, as her mind went back again to the ring in Minkyung’s hand, just a second before the girl ran past her and outside the place.

Somehow, it was like Kim had took all her hectic thoughts with her when she left. Ever since Yaebin couldn’t concentrate long enough to feel anything at all.

Was it one of the signals of their new connection? Was she feeling like this because Minkyung had rejected her?

Her phone vibrated on her pocket before the loud ringtone that was set as her mom’s exclusive tone, was heard. She could imagine what it was about and she didn’t want to deal with it in the moment.

She rested her face against her crossed arms on the table, closing her eyes, wishing she could sleep. She couldn’t, obviously.

None of her employees or clients interrupted her. Her phone wasn’t ringing anymore, making the place as quiet as possible. In a normal day, she could’ve slept soundly without trouble.

However, she didn’t. As she closed her eyes everything she could see was Minkyung. The friendly smile, the charming unique eyes, the way her hair fell over her shoulders in gentle waves; The small things like the subtle way she her voice would go a little higher when she got excited, or the little habit that she had of curving her lips in a funny way when she didn’t agree with something, even her soft yet unmistakable jasmine scent that seem to be all around Yaebin until now.

It was crazy, but in such a short period of time she had learnt so much about the other woman. It was like her mind had a special place prepared for everything related to Minkyung. She was afraid it was the same for her heart.

Yaebin had over seven years to imagine how her perfect partner would be, to pick every quality they should have and create a perfect picture in her head. Why all of sudden she couldn’t recall a thing? It was like Kim Minkyung had entered her system, dominating her mind and body in a blink of eyes.

She wasn’t sure if she liked it.

She had all the reasons to think it wasn’t the beginning of something good. After all, the last thing she wanted was to have a fate as bad as her mother’s.

Destiny, luck or love, whatever it was, it wouldn’t command her that easily. She knew better than to just blindly follow the desires of some high power that had forgotten about her when she needed the most.

The small Kang would deal with it just like she dealt with all the trouble her mother unknowingly caused to their business: calmly and efficiently.

She just hoped her heart would agree with it, otherwise she would be looking like the flustered mess she was earlier again.

On her phone she typed out a message to her best friend, hoping she wouldn’t be too busy to reply. She needed some distraction and advice right now, and Eunwoo was the only one who would be able to understand and help her with it.

In less than a minute a reply appeared on the phone’s screen, a simple and overly excited “YASS!” displayed.

“Thanks, Nunu.” She whispered to herself as she typed “I’ll be over in 30. With food”.

She started to gather her stuff to leave the office. It wasn’t like her to close the store early, but it was almost time and she really couldn’t bring herself to concentrate on work that night.

She helped Yooa tend to the last clients and told the girl she could leave first, taking the task of closing the store to herself.

Eunwoo’s house wasn’t too far of there and she could go by foot. But first, she would stop by the greasy chicken restaurant down the street and finally render herself to the food the place served.

She would buy a lot of food and even more drinks, anything she needed to make her brave enough to tell her friend everything that had happened and to try to make herself feel better about it.

Finding your soulmate was supposed to be a happy event, perhaps the happiest day of your entire life. Minkyung, though, was feeling miserable. Not only for herself, but for Yaebin too.

They had met at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and now it all just seemed wrong.

The tall brunette wasn’t sure how much time she spent out there, sitting on the cold bench, receiving the merciless wind of what was supposed to be a warm spring night, but seemed as cold as the worst winter. She shivered, wiping the tears that streamed down her face with the coat’s sleeves before hugging herself.

She took some very deep breaths, telling herself to get a grip over her emotions and calm down – What didn’t work, but she couldn’t think of anything else to do now.

Growing up Kim had always being a calm and collected person, she had a sensitive nature, however it wasn’t like her to breakdown like this. Usually she would be able to hold everything inside, and she would only allow herself to cry her heart out when she was back home in the safety of her loved one’s arms. First her parents and Yewon, and now Kyungwon.

The fact that she couldn’t do this now made everything worst.

Still, she couldn’t help but let her heart act out, and before she realized she had dialed Kang’s number.

Minky grabbed the soft tissue of her coat with her free hand, pressing it against her cold fingers. Tension was running through her body like a river after a flood and she couldn’t let Kyungwon notice it. Not yet.

Kyungwon picked up the call after the second ring, her voice sounding light and bubbly as she answered.

“Hello, Minkyungie! I’m already at the supermarket so no need to nag me! I bought ice cream and is your favorite flavor.”

The younger girl was expecting the usual answer that would consist of a giggle and some sort of teasing about her always forgetting the important stuff because she was too busy buying junk food.

But it didn’t come. Instead, all Kang heard on the other side of the line were muffled sobs.

“Minkyung? What happened? Are you okay?”

Kim hold the phone with more strength than needed, using her other hand to cover as she tried to calm herself down. She needed to talk to Kyungwon right now, as if hearing her deep and warm voice would be enough to make everything seem normal again and calm her heart.

Unfortunately, the opposite happened, and now it was even harder to control her tears.

She felt like a traitor. Like she had broken all the promises they made through all these years.

It was nonsense, she had no control over the mark, but still she couldn’t help but think it was her fault somehow. “I-I’m fine. Really.” Minkyung managed to say, hoping that her voice didn’t sound as shaky as she was feeling now.

“You don’t sound fine. Wait, I will switch to video mod-“

“No!” The older woman cut off before Kyungwon had a chance to see her. She looked like a mess and she wouldn’t be able to hide it. “I’m fine, but I’m working right now. I just took a quick break.”

Kyungwon left out a frustrated sigh and for a moment all that could be heard in the call was Minkyung’s heavy breaths.

Kang knew her girlfriend like the back of her hand, and she didn’t need to see her to visualize in her mind how she looked now. The red nose and cheeks, her sharp eyes that would be puffed and blurred by the tears making her look like a scared kitten instead of an arctic fox.

“Was it your boss again? I’ll go pick you up.”

“It’s not…Not it.” Another muffled sob, badly disguised as a cough. “I’m not in the office…It was just a tough day.”

Minkyung wasn’t used to lying, she never needed to do so. Before being a couple, they were best friends and they had never kept secrets of each other.

Telling Kyungwon over the phone that she had a soulmate, however, wasn’t something she was ready to do. She probably wouldn’t be ready to do it even in person neither.

She didn’t want to think about it.

“You don’t want to talk about it. I get it.” Of course Kyungwon understood, not that it made things any less frustrating to her. She was now outside the market with a hand full of plastic bags with food, considering if she shouldn’t just ignore what the girl said and run to try and find her, because only when she could see her and make Kim was fine, her heart would be at ease again.

Although her impulsive nature was urging her to act, she decide to respect Minky’s space and let her speak.

“I just needed to hear your voice.” Minkyung finally confessed, even if she could only tell this much.

She wasn’t sure how receiving her mark would change things, how it would change her, but right now she still felt the same and she didn’t want to embrace any other feelings.

 “Tell me about your day. Please.”

“Sungyeon gave me some rest, so I slept until late.” Kyungwon’s tone still had an underlying concern to it, albeit she was trying to sound as carefree as always.

Whatever happened to Minky at work was something the woman wasn’t ready to share yet, therefore all she could do was to try to distract her and make her feel a little better.

 “I did a little side story to add at the end of each volume of the webtoon. I think you will like it.”

 “What is it about?” Minkyung asked, trying to focus only on the younger woman’s voice and forget about everything else. It was working, even if only a little.

“It’s about an otter and a fox daily lives in the forest. The otter is a very cool one, but tends to get into trouble, so the clever fox always helps her out since the otter makes her life a little less boring.”

A small, almost non visible, smile was slowly making it’s way to Kim’s face as she heard.

“You drew us?” She once mentioned to the girl that they were just like an otter and an fox due to their looks and personalities. It was so long ago, but the girl still remembered it.

It was such a Kyungwon thing to do, thoughtful yet simple and fun.

“Don’t tell Sungyeon or she will figure out that the grumpy turtle friend in the first chapter is her.”

Minky shook her head in answer, even though she knew Kyungwon couldn’t see it. She should’ve laugh at it, and tease Kyungwon saying she would tell the young editor about her mischievousness.

However, she felt a sharp pain in her chest, that one feeling that wouldn’t just disappear and allow her to forget what about what had happened that day.

“I need to go now…I need to finish some work.”

Minkyung stood up, feeling a bit more like her normal self now. She knew she couldn’t simply ignore it, she wouldn’t be able to do so as the times passed.

But, even if only for today, she would try to enjoy the safe place that was her house. Her home where all the good memories were expecting her, where she could pretend everything was still the same and nothing would ever change.

“Just don’t take too long to get home, okay? I’ll be waiting.” She could hear the sound of Kyungwon’s heavy footsteps through the phone, and she knew the girl was rushing to get home and welcome her.

“I’ll try my best.” This much she could promise, no matter what, she would always try to do what was better for them. And now for someone else as well.

“And Kyungwon?

“Yes, Minky?”

“I love you. Always.”

Kang didn’t reply right away, she could tell something was wrong and it wasn’t one of their usual spontaneous demonstrations of love.

“I love you too, Minkyung. Now come home before I eat all the ice cream.”

Minkyung made sure to take a very different route, staying as far away as possible of the bookstore. It wasn’t like she disliked the girl, per contrary, she had liked the girl almost instantly. But not she didn’t knew how much of this affection was genuine, perhaps it was just part of the connection every soulmate had. The thought made her feel awful all over again. She couldn’t meet Yaebin now, she was way too afraid of how it could affect and she ashamed for being so weak to fear her own feelings.

A dry, humorless chuckle left out her lips. The whole situation made her realize she wasn’t such as mature as she thought, otherwise she wouldn’t be here now, entering the first drug store she could find.

She asked for the bandages and left as soon as she had them, rushing to find a quiet place where she could wrap it around her hand. It was the epitome of cowardice, to hide something so important of the person that only deserved her honesty. But she promised herself it wouldn’t be for too long – She hoped she could keep the promise.

The idea of simply ignore what happened and try to get rid of the mark was tempting. However, she knew better than try this.

Wrapping the white bandage around her unharmed wrist and hand was harder than she thought. The fact that her hands were still shaking slightly didn’t help neither.

She felt frustrated, with herself, with the world, with her unfortunate fate.

Kim cursed, trying to contain a new wave of tears and wrapped the bandage with more strength to cover up her soulmate mark. She could have asked for a simple small band aid to cover the red area, but it would’ve been too obvious.

Minky finished the work, the bandage messily wrapped was something anyone would see and could already predict all the questions she would receive due to it. However, she would rather having Kyungwon worried about her fake injuries, than having her figuring out everything so soon.

She bite down on her lips, so hard is broke the tender skin. The mark, somehow, had already changed her, and not for the best.

Kim took her time, redoing her makeup to cover up all the traces of crying. She needed to gather all courage she could to go through this night with a smile, even if a fake one, on her face. She would only go home when she had regained at least part of her self control.

Minkyung was trapped. No matter what she did, or decide to not do, someone would end up hurt…She already was. Now it was all about delaying it.

“Beer, soju and fried chicken?! Who are you and what did you do to my Kang Yaebin?!” The blonde girl with small hands and pretty monolid eyes, better known as her friend Jung Eunwoo, said as soon as she opened the door to welcome the shorter girl into her home.

“Shut up before I regret spending so much on making your cheeks even puffier.” Yaebin replied entering the small apartment, heading to the kitchen to lay down the food on the table. She took a look around, noticing the place was surprisingly clean despite Eunwoo’s messy habits.

“Not complaining, just surprised.” The blonde gave her an interrogative look before reaching out to get the beer cans out of the plastic bag. “Since when you started drinking?”

Yaebin grimaced, taking the can out of her hand and opening it in a swift motion. She took a sip, ignoring how the liquid tasted terrible to her unaccustomed palate.

“I don’t drink in normal days, what makes today an exception.”

Eunwoo had her puppy like eyes still on her, as if she had grown another head or something equally shocking, instead of just drink some cheap beer.

“Well, just so you know, drinking won’t help to solve your problems.” The girl said, in one of the rare occasions where her usually goofy personality gives space to her more serious and wise side. The moment didn’t last long. “But at least it will distract you a bit. So don’t worry and go for it. I will look after you.”

“I will tell you. Later.” Jung rested a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. Yaebin gave her grateful smile in return. As loud and messy as she could be at times, Eunwoo was still a great friend.

“Show me how to do that soju bomb that made you pass out last month.” Kang asked, deciding to postpone the serious topics for later. She knew once they start talking about the soulmate mark, things would get a solemn turn that she wasn’t ready yet to face. Besides, she knew all too well that this topic wouldn’t be pleasant for Eunwoo neither.

“Ya! I didn’t pass out, I was just a bit tipsy.” The protest came as expected, however Jung was already opening the bottles to demonstrate her newest trick.

“The barman had to call me because you refused to get into a cab and then decided to sleep and drool over his counter.”

“It was just a nap! Everyone does it once in a while...” She wave her hand in dismissal, holding the green soju bottle as she pointed out accusatorily to Kang. “And I don’t drool!”

Yaebin rolled her eyes, getting one of the chicken fried thighs and pushing it into Nunu’s mouth.

“Yes, sure, that’s why people were taking pictures of you and tagging it as the first ever drunk Shiba Inu they had seen.” She proceed with their usual banter, enjoying the light conversation.

Her cellphone was still turned off, avoiding her mom’s insistent calls. Her hands busy opening the lids of all the food containers, getting ready to drown herself in all that unhealthy, but ridiculously tasty food. Occasionally she could still catch a glimpse of the red mark in her hand, albeit she tried her best to not stare at it. For a little longer, she would try to ignore all her problems.

She spent twenty three years without a mark, without a so called soulmate to support and love her when she needed the most. She wasn’t sure if she even wanted one now. Especially one that ran away as soon as they met.

Later she would worry about it and try to decide what she should do.

Right now she would rather focus on Eunwoo’s hearty laugh (that was making the girl choke on all the chicken she was trying to eat, but those were details).

Unlike what most people thought, Kyungwon was a very observant person. At least in what comes down to the things and people she cared about. Minkyung, particularly, was someone whom she could notice every little thing about. Albeit, even if she wasn’t very attentive, there was no way she wouldn’t notice something was off when she saw her girlfriend that night.

The bandage that involved Minkyung’s left wrist and part of her hand was definitely not a small detail.

“I broke a glass today at work. It bleed a lot, but it wasn’t that bad. I just exaggerated a bit with the bandage, because you know, it’s better to be safe than sorry.” Kim had explained, in such tone that it looked like she was reading right from a script instead of telling what really happened.

It added to the call she received earlier was more than enough to make her concerned. Maybe she was overthinking, but it was hard to not when Minky wasn’t telling her the whole truth.

They had dinner and the taller girl ate fast, rushing to hide on the bathroom with the excuse of taking a shower. Just another odd event for her usually calm girlfriend.

It was hard for Kyungwon to not imagine all sort of things to explain what was going on. Most of them involved Minky’s unreasonable boss and her even more unreasonable requests. She had seen her girlfriend suffer many times because of that job, but a physical injury? It was a complete new level and the thought of it was enough to make her blood boil.

At the same time, she doubted Minkyung would have hidden it if it was really the case. Her girlfriend was a strong, smart woman, she wouldn’t allow anyone to bully her to this extent. Would she? That job was important, but they weren’t in such a desperate situation to have to put up with this kind of abuse only to make some money.

Minkyung had told her earlier that she wasn’t at the office. So when exactly she had hurt herself? If she hurt herself, why would she be running errands after work hours outside the company instead of coming home? No matter how Kyungwon looked at it, things didn’t add up.

 She sat on the bed, giving a glance to the drawing she made earlier in the hopes of lifting up Kim’s mood, but that was now laying on her nightstand, forgotten.

“Hey, let me have a look at this now. I told you I’d help you with the bandage.” She said as a greeting when the brunette finally emerged of the shower. Kyungwon eyes had went straight to her hand, noticing a brand new bandage on it, perhaps the reason why the taller woman had took so long to get out.

“Oh, as you see I already took care of it. I told you, it is no big deal.”

Minky was never the type that rejected help, specially for something like this. It was hard for Kyungwon to understand why she was acting like this now.

“That’s funny coming from you. Weren’t you the one that said we should take care of each other?” Kang arched one eyebrow, before tapping the space next to her in the bed. “Come on. Let me see it.”

There was a glimpse of hesitation in her eyes, but Kim did as her girlfriend asked. However, instead of letting Kyungwon check on the wound, she simply held her hands, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“It’s fine. I’m fine.” She faced the younger woman, her smile growing bigger, yet not reaching her eyes as she spoke. “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Kyungwon narrowed her eyes, biting down on her bottom lip to refrain from asking Minkyung why she was lying to her. Did she really think she could fool anyone? It was hard to not demand answers, but the nervousness in her face and her fragile smile on her face were enough to make Kyungwon decide to not say anything.

“You know you can tell me anything.” Kang reassured, as she pulled Minky for a tight hug. She hated to be in the dark, not knowing what was happening to her girl, unable to help her. She also hated the feeling of being pushed away, even if it was not on purpose. “I only worry because I care.”

Her hands caressed Minky’s back in slow, calming, motions. Kyungwon kissed her soft hair, resting her chin against the girl’s shoulder, refusing to let go off of her.

Jasmine scent was flooding all her senses, it was mixed with something very special, unique to Minkyung, a combination that created Kyungwon’s favorite scent in the world. She was supposed to be comforting the older woman, not the other way around, but the fact was that the closeness also had a strong effect over her, allowing her to relax against the brunette.

Minkyung hugged her by neck, a hand wrapping itself around her nape while the other kept a close grip on Kyungwon’s back. Minky’s face was hidden on the gentle curve of artist’s neck, her warm and steady breath against the sensitive skin, so close she could feel her lips softly touching it as the woman spoke – Kang would have melted in such a warm embrace in any other occasion.

Minkyung had a clingy side to her, however, there was a sense of urgency and need in the contact.

“I’m better now that I’m here with you.” Minky’s voice sounded like it was supposed to, there were no undertones this time, no cracks, no muffled sobs.

The younger woman still had an odd feeling on the back of her mind, although she ignored it as soon as her girlfriend backed away slightly to give her a smile. Not a robotic, tired and lifeless smile, but her usual one, the one that started at her beautiful eyes making the corners of it crinkle and slowly grow to lit up her whole face. Kyungwon’s favorite smile.

She leaned in to plant a light kiss on the girl’s forehead, before resting her own against it. Being this close she could see every single tone of brown and gray that composed the brunette’s eyes, she could see the glimpse of unsureness and fear in them, but mostly she could see the undeniable fondness and love in it. Her own dark chocolate eyes were probably reflecting the same.

Soft rosy lips met her own, sending small pleasant shivers through her body, not failing in making her heart skip one or two beats. It was so natural for them, they had done it so many times before, yet she cherished each moment, thankful for a night that started out in such ominous way could end up in a high note.

The soft kissed soon become more intense, deep ones. When they parted due to the need to breathe, Kyungwon was panting and had her usual playful grin on her face.

“I’ll call your work tomorrow and tell them you are sick. It’s friday and you are injured, it’s only fair.” She informed, trying to sound as resolute as possible. No matter what happened that day, it had affect the brunette and she needed a break even if her stubbornness couldn’t admit it. “I’ll stay with you and we can watch the dramas you wanted. I’ll show you the new drawings as well, and we can go to the park later.”  

Naturally Minkyung would protest, her overly responsible and perfectionist self couldn’t simple agree on avoiding her duties with a fake excuse. She didn’t though.

Instead, she combed her fingers through Kyungwon’s middle length dark hair and smiled loving at her. Kang could swear she saw a gleam of guilt cross her eyes for a second, soon there was nothing but fondness in them again.

“Sounds perfect.” Was all that she said before pulling her in for another kiss.

A/N: First of all, I apologize for the late update and any mistakes. I have to finish my other story first, but I'll try to post the next update asap. Many things will happen in the next chapter, we will see a bit more of Yaebin's past and Yewon and her soulmate will make an appearance as well. 
Thanks for reading :)