“Thank you and have a good day!” I called just as a customer opened the door and left the bakery. Business had been good; a lot of people had come by today and now we were on our last batch of bread and pastries for the day. There were only a handful left. Our cakes were almost out as well. There was only one slice of chocolate left.

“Tae!” I called out.

A head popped out from behind the kitchen doors. “Yes Jin hyung?”

“Wrap the last slice of cake,” I told him. “I think your brother is coming over to pick it up at five.”

“Will do hyung.” He went over the display cabinet and took the slice of cake I was talking about. I looked at my watch and saw that it was ten minutes to five in the afternoon. I guess Yoongi and Jimin would be here soon. I wonder if Jungkook would be with them. My eyes traveled down from my watch to my forearm. Rapmon has not contacted me today and even though I didn’t want to admit it, it kind of saddened me. I finally got to talk to my soulmate! He also seemed happy that he got to talk to me. And he said that he would talk to me today. So why hasn’t he written to me yet? Was it because I refused to give him my name? But I gave him half of it! I sighed. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe he was just busy. I didn’t even know what he does but there must be a reason why he hasn’t written to me yet. Just be patient, Seokjin. I let out another sigh.

“Something bothering you, hyung?” Someone’s voice by my side snapped me out of my thoughts and the way it sounded so close surprised me that I almost dropped the tray I was holding.

I turned to my left and saw Yoongi looking at me with a smirk. “Oh Yoongi you’re here. I didn’t hear you come in.” I told him as I composed myself.

“Yeah Namjoon hyung too,” Jimin chimed in from behind us. “His reaction was exactly the same as yours yesterday. He almost dropped his pen.”

I didn’t know who this ‘Namjoon’ was personally; I just knew that he worked with Yoongi and Jimin and that he was Yoongi and Taehyung’s cousin. I had never met him.

“So?” Yoongi demanded. Oh right, he asked me a question.

“I’m fine,” I reassured, making my way to the kitchen and putting the tray away. I went back and saw Yoongi, Jimin, Taehyung and Hoseok having a chat. Normally I would ask Taehyung and Hoseok to go back to work but since there weren’t any customers I let it go.

“Jungkook’s not with you today?” I asked when I noticed that the tall twenty-year-old wasn’t around.

Jimin shook his head. “Not today, hyung. He said he had a 5-8 PM class. He says hi though.”

I nodded and proceeded to wipe the counter to pass time. I glanced at my forearm to see if there was anything written there. Sadly there was none. I guess I’d write first then. I took a pen from beside the cash register and started writing.

‘Rapmon ah, you busy?’

I waited. While I did, I listened in on what the kids were talking about.

“How’s Namjoon hyung?” I heard Taehyung ask.

“He’s awfully busy today,” Yoongi answered. “We’ve been stuck in a meeting all morning and the only break he had was during lunch. After that a lot of paperwork got sent to his office. Jiminnie and I offered to help but he said that he was fine and that he’d manage.”

“He wasn’t this busy yesterday though,” Jimin pointed out. “In fact, he even had time to buy new contact lenses.”

“What for?”

“His soulmate. He says he finally got to talk to them. He just didn’t know their name.”

“Well did he ask?” It was Hoseok this time. Jimin and Yoongi shrugged.

“Good for him though,” Taehyung said, grinning. “I hope they meet soon.”

“I think he’s trying to impress his soulmate,” Yoongi chuckled. “He had us buy him more lenses today. I’m just not sure which one he used after we gave them to him.”

Speaking of contact lenses, Rapmon wore new ones today. I didn’t know what color it was though. I was hoping he’d tell me. Another glance at my forearm showed me no changes. I sighed.

“Everything okay, Seokjin hyung?” Hoseok asked. Apparently me sighing had caught their attention.

“Yeah. I was thinking of closing shop early today. You guys think you can take the leftover bread home? Don’t worry; you don’t have to pay for them.”

“You sure hyung?” Jimin asked. “I mean, we can pay for them.”

I shook my head. “No you can take them for free. It’s okay.”

They all grinned. “Thanks hyung!”

“Okay Taehyungie go wrap them up so you all could take them home,” I instructed as I removed my apron off. “Hoseokie please go and lock up at the back.”

“Sure hyung!” Taehyung and Hoseok went and did as they were told. I opened the register and took the money out. After I closed it I put the money into a metal chest I kept under the counter. Hoseok emerged from the kitchen and handed me my bag while Taehyung just finished wrapping up the last of the bread and pastries. I locked the chest and put it inside my bag.

I spotted the slice of cake I had Taehyung wrap earlier by the counter so I took it and headed to the group of four. “Here Yoongi,” I said, handing Yoongi the paper bag that had the slice of cake in it. “It’s the slice of cake you asked for. I almost forgot about it. Good thing I remembered before anyone else could buy it.”

“Thanks hyung,” Yoongi said, taking the paper bag. He must have noticed the writing on my forearm because, “Ooh I didn’t know you were the tattoo type hyung.”

“I’m not,” I denied.

“Then what’s that?”

They grabbed my forearm and took a look. “Ooooh who’s ‘rapmon’, hyung?” Hoseok asked. “Is he your soulmate?”

“He’s no one,” I lied, yanking my limb back. I thought I saw spark of recognition on Yoongi’s face but when I looked at him again there was none. Maybe I was just imagining things. “Now out! All of you.” I shooed them away so that I can finish closing up. We exited the bakery and I locked the front door. We then headed for Yoongi’s car.

“Need a ride hyung?” Jimin asked as Taehyung, Hoseok and Yoongi got in. “We could drop you off at your place since we’re sort of fetching Namjoon hyung and your place is on the way so.”

I shook my head, smiling. “No it’s okay Chim. I have my bike with me so I’ll be fine. Go on ahead.”

“You sure?”

I nodded.

He then opened the passenger door and got in. “If you’re sure. Text us when you get home, okay hyung?”

“Of course,” I assured. “You do too okay? Drive safe Yoongi.”

Then they were off.

I arrived at my flat thirty minutes later. I plopped down on the couch and a glance at my watch told me that it was almost six thirty in the evening. After quickly sending the kids a quick text that I was home, I decided to take a shower before preparing my dinner.

My shower lasted for about fifteen minutes (I spent about five just standing under the shower because the hot water felt relaxing) and after another five minutes I was searching my fridge for anything to cook. When I didn’t find anything I began looking inside the cabinet. I found packets of ramyeon and a few canned goods. Ramyeon sounded okay so I took a packet and went over to where the pans were. I picked a small casserole pan and put it on the stove. I filled it with water and started boiling it.

While waiting I opened the packet and as I did, I saw writing appear on my forearm. Finally! Rapmon wrote back.

‘I am so sorry! I got caught up in a lot of work today. Sorry I wasn’t able to write to you today. :(‘

I quickly went to my room to retrieve a pen and then returned to the kitchen. I washed my forearm in the sink. After drying it with a hand towel I wrote my reply.

‘It’s fine. I just thought you forgot. Do you want to talk about it?’

By now the water was boiling so I put the noodles and poured the ramyeon powder inside the pan. When I put the cover over the pan I noticed that Rapmon had replied.

‘Nah, there’s no need. What about you? How was the bakery?”

I got startled a bit.

‘How did you know I work in a bakery?”

My ramyeon was ready and so I turned off the stove and let the noodles cool down for a few seconds.

‘The first time we discovered the forearm thing you listed baking needs, remember?’

Oh right. I forgot.

‘OHH YOU’RE RIGHT. Anyway, business was good. We had a lot of customers today. Btw, did you change lenses again today?’

I had been meaning to ask that but since he didn’t write to me earlier I wasn’t able to. I took the pan and placed it down the kitchen island. I sat down and started eating when his reply appeared.

‘That’s good then. Oh yes! Your vision changed again? How do you like it? If I remember correctly the container was labeled ‘violet’.’

I wiped my forearm clean with the washcloth from earlier.

‘Yeah. They’re pretty.’

I didn’t have to wait long for Rapmon’s reply.

‘I am so sorry ohmygod I really want to talk more but for some reason my eyes are failing me. Sleep is very tempting but I really want to talk to you more.’

He was tired already? But it was still early.

‘Already? But it’s like, only seven thirty in the evening.’

I finished up the last of my noodles and brought the pan to the sink. As I was washing it Rapmon’s reply arrived.

‘Ik and I usually sleep later than this but the meetings I had today really drained me I guess. I promise to make it up to you tomorrow. If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you? Are you older than me? And oh!  May I please have your number? Don’t you think writing on our forearms is a bit difficult rather than just texting or something?’

Not just yet.

After I was done washing the pot I dried my hands off and started writing my reply.

‘Alright, I understand. Go rest then. And I’m twenty-five.’

I myself headed to my room and jumped onto the bed. Rapmon’s reply appeared and his handwriting was a bit messy. Maybe he was actually trying hard not to fall asleep on me. Aww.

‘I will, after I get your number. Oh so you’re my hyung then. I’m twenty-three.’

‘Go rest, rapmon ah. I don’t feel like giving you my number yet so don’t wait and just sleep.’

‘What? Whyyy?’

I chuckled. Was he whining? How old was this kid anyway? Oh right. Twenty-three. Guess one cannot be old enough to stop whining.

‘Because you ignored me the whole day. So no numbers. Maybe next time.’

I know, it was petty but hey, I really did wait for him to talk to me. And I felt like playing a little hard to get. No, I wasn’t sulking. Nope. Not at all.

‘Aww alrightie then. Sorry again I’m not able to talk to you longer today. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise.’

Was he pouting? I didn’t know where I got the idea of him pouting; gut feeling maybe?

‘Are you actually pouting?’

‘… no.’

He was! I laughed. This kid.

‘Don’t pout. I’ll hold you onto that promise okay? Good night rapmon ah.’

‘Good night, Jin hyung.’

After that I looked up and stared at the ceiling. There were so many questions I wanted to ask him: Why did he have so much work? Was he a college student? If so what did he major in? If not then did he work? If he did then what does he do? What was his favorite food? Color? Song?

More importantly though: when will I be meeting him?