"Soulmate, Morning, wakey wakey."

A low husky voice passed through Mina's mind. She smiled before opening her eyes. From 15 to 23, for 9 years, this voice has been her one and only alarm clock, this sweet voice woke her up peacefully, making her day comfortable and bright.

Right hand on chest, then your voice will be heard by your soulmate, everything is quiet without your hand on your heart. 

Mina would wake up at 7 in the morning just to hear her soulmate greet her a goodmorning, then she would tend to sleep again because her work starts at 1 in the afternoon. She would often hear goodnights between 10 and 11 midnight, her usual time out.

She didn't respond to any of her soulmate's greetings, she's the type to just quietly giggle and just give a big smile, the other might think she's rude, but nonetheless, Mina liked the sweet actions her soulmate did.

"Soulmate, Goodmorning, stay hydrated." Mina smiled as she rubbed her sleepy eyes, looking at her clock, 8:30.

'She woke up late, or maybe she was busy?.' Mina thought.

She was about to fall asleep again when the same voice decided to bother.

"I've been sending you my first and last words for the past 9 years but you don't reply to any, I'm kinda worried ya'know?" Mina chuckled, this is the first time she's ever heard her whine, and she thought it's cute.

"hey won't you respond? I'm bored, talk to me, our english professor did not attend today's class and I don' t know what to do. It's not fun to make your soulmate feel lonely is it?" Mina smiled upon hearing the girl's little mumbles, but still hesitated to reply.

" hey, hey, hey, hey, hey." She took a deep breath, sure, maybe she needs to save this kid from boredom. 

Right hand on her chest, she inhaled. 

"hi." she awkwardly started, then giggles after. 

"OH MY GOSH FINALLY! I'VE BEEN DYING TO HEAR MY SOULMATE'S VOICE!" Mina flinched from the girl's excitement, 'now what do I say back.' she wondered. 

"I like your voice." She murmured, hoping the other won't see her as an awkward person despite the fact that she actually is. 

"I like yours too! It's so sweet and soft it kinda makes me wonder what you look like."

"I'm really not a person to have a conversation to, I'm a silent and awkward woman, hope you'll understand."

" oh no why it's okay I'm fine with you listening to me."

" yes I prefer listening to you, how's your day?" 

" you really asking me that? 9 in the morning? Really?" She heard a little chuckle, it made her smile and slap herself, she's really bad at conversations huh?

"tell me something about yourself then?" She asked in a soft tone, opening a topic. 

"let me start off by telling my name, you can call me Soulmate Chaeng." 

"You can call your soulmate Mina. Hi soulmate, I'm Mina."

That's how Mina's day went, talking to her soulmate even when she's at work. She would listen to her silly stories, she would answer and ask some questions just to keep her entertained. 

11:00, Mina's on her way home. Walking at the quiet streets, she should be hearing her soulmate's goodnight by this time, but where is she? 

"Soulmate, you there?" Mina spoke as she continued to walk. 

"I'm here, I should be sleeping right now but my chemistry take-home test keeps bugging me." Chaeng whined, Mina felt the girl's pout all the way from her soulmate's home, wherever it may be. 

"Should I help my soulmate?" Mina chuckled, knowing she also has a little knowledge about the subject. 

"My soulmate would?" 

"Yes soulmate let's try, what's it you're trying to answer?" She tried to sound confident. 

"Well it says here that I should identify  if it's true or false. The first says, 'Me and my soulmate's chemistry is good, together we'd make a great element." The girl said cheerfully, laughing a little after. 

Mina laughed and blushed a little, yes it was so lame and corny but the way her soulmate played it just made her giggle more than she can cringe. 

"My soulmate is a cheese." She chuckled. 

"atleast I'm cute. By the way I really need to sleep, have classes tomorrow and I hate being late."

"Sleep well soulmate, sleep well Chaeng."

"Goodnight soulmate, goodnight Mina."

It was like a phone call that ended quickly, for nine years Mina never thought she would enjoy talking to her soulmate through her mind, she felt guilty for not replying so soon. 

As soon as she got home, changing into her bedtime outfit, she got curious, 'are we far apart? when will I meet her? should I look for her?' she wondered. 

Well even if they're not far from each other, Japan is a pretty big place, with many people, and there's a small chance to meet her even if she looked for her. 

"wait." she murmured. 

"I can literally ask her where she is." Mina realized, laughing so hard thinking how dumb they were to not realize this. "Wouldn't it be weird if I came entering her thoughts asking her, hey I wonder where my soulmate lives?" She questioned herself.

"I can't sleep I wonder where you're from?" Mina froze on her bed after hearing a voice, 'Oh god she really is my soulmate.' 

" oh yeah haha I... I was just thinking about the same thing.." She stuttered not knowing the words to say. 

"well I'm from Korea, how about you Mina?" 

"That's... Not so far... I'm from Japan."

"Oh no how can we meet then?" She heard the younger murmur, feeling bad for the both of them. 

"Let's just let time sail us both, goodnight again Chaeng."

"Goodnight Mina."

-----

From only goodmornings and goodnights, Mina's relationship with her soulmate grew and they got closer, conversations everyday, everywhere, everytime. Mina would tend to ask Chaeyoung's day, and she would listen to her long stories. 

They joke around, they do late night serious talks, it was fun, until someone falls inlove. 

Yes ofcourse you should because that's your soulmate! 

But just talking through their minds won't justify their love for eachother, it would not be enough, it will never be enough. 

"Why are we far away?" Mina asked softly, lying on her bed, her eyes on the ceiling, hand on her chest. 

"We're not far away Mina, we're just too busy to meet each other, I'm in college, you have a job." She heard Chaeng answer, she just smiled, she really wants to tell her, that she... She's falling for her soulmate. 

"Chaeng can I tell you something?" She started, then took a deep breath when she heard the other hum in response.

"I know I should be, I know that this is how it works, but, I'm kinda scared... To fall inlove... With you..." She murmured, not even knowing if she's said it clearly.

"Why would you? , I'm your soulmate!" Chaeyoung chuckled, "let it be, if you should fall for me then you should, if I should end up with you then I would end up with you."

"Is this soulmate thing really, a... Thing?" Mina asked worriedly, "I mean, what if you don't want to end up with me? What if this thing is forcing you to fall inlove even if you're not ready? And what if..." She stopped for a moment to breathe, "what if you fall inlove with someone that isn't your soulmate?"

"Are you worried that I might fall inlove with someone other than you because we're miles apart?" Chaeyoung's voice fell softer talking to Mina. "Well I didn't wait 9 years for you just so I can fall inlove with someone else other than my soulmate.." she added a slight chuckle. 

"Chaeyoung-ah we don't know what can time do to us and this soulmate thing..."

"We don't know what love can do to us either."

"Ew you believe in love?"

"Mina what the hell."

----

The first month was fun for Mina, getting to know eachother, it was like the easy part of a game.

Three more months passed but everything is still consistent, they talk about everything, there are no lies hidden, but they seem to ignore the fact that their feelings for each other are growing and their patience to meet is decreasing.

Mina was on her way home after work, walking the same path as usual, waiting for a certain girl to enter her mind. But instead of hearing the cheerful college girl greet her, she heard sniffles and sobs coming from her soulmate.

This has never happened before, she panicked.

"Chaeng what's happening?" She asked worriedly, repeatedly, but no one's answering, just sobs coming through like it was a response.

Mina kept asking until she got home, Chaeyoung might be crying while her hands are on her chest, it's really worrying Mina.

She sat down on her couch, listening as the girl cried without telling her the reason, she don't know what to do, yet she know what she wants to do.

She just wants to leave everything and go to her soulmate to hug her tight.

"Mina?" she heard a cracked voice, it was so soft and fragile, it wasn't Chaeyoung.

"Hey... Tell me what happened?" She asked.

"I'm graduating tomorrow." Mina was about to feel relief because of the news, but Chaeyoung's voice was so sad that she don't know if the girl's being happy or what. "I got kicked out by my parents." Mina's throat went dry upon hearing the sudden information, she heard another burst of sobs from the girl, she can't speak, she's out of words.

She knows that she doesn't need to talk, she just needs to listen, but it made her feel useless, she wanted to do something.

"I've been telling them that I want to pursue music since I was in highschool, I didn't even want to go to a university but I continued because they told me so. Mina my hands are not for injections and any other bulls a Doctor has to do, Mina I want to do music how is that so hard to accept? Why can't anyone support me?" 

The moment Chaeyoung cried hard, Mina felt her heart broke, she felt it break into million pieces, why can't she do anything for the girl she loves? 

"Chaeyoung-ah..." She started, her voice soft and careful, "I'm far from you... But the moment you lose everyone, I'll still be here to support you." She wished she chose the right words that Chaeng needed to hear.

"I hope you're here with me." The younger murmured.

"Tell me you're safe, where are you?" She asked worriedly. "I'm at my friends house, I don't want to be a burden and I want get out of here."

The night was full of emotions, they still talked about things, Mina got Chaeyoung's mind off her current situation, told her she's proud of her graduating, that she's there to support whatever path Chaeyoung would be taking.

But one thing is still left unsaid.

4:00 am

"Mina are you there?"

"Hmm.."

"I'm inlove with you..."

"I think I fell too deep too..."

-I love you-

------

From just goodmornings and goodnights, simple conversations and stories, their days became more connected and open, since the night they've exchanged their I love yous, the relationship and feelings between them is thriving.

From days to months, to a year.

"Babe?"

"Hi, why?"

"What if I take a leave at work and go there."

"Minari~ just save your money for now okay? I would really love too, but I don't want to be selfish."

"How is that selfish? I want to meet you, you want to meet me, and besides I've worked hard for this money."

"I know I know. But it's kinda unfair if you're the only one who's gonna adjust right?"

"Do you really want to see me?"

Mina asked quietly, a cracked tone in her voice, she didn't hear any response, only a sigh.

She didn't know how to take Chaeyoung's advices, should she be worried that her girlfriend is giving her such alibis for them not to meet or...

"I love you Mina." Her thoughts stopped because of the sudden call of a soft voice.

"I.. I love you too..." She replied awkwardly.

-----

Is it okay? Are we okay? I thought our souls are connected? Then why are we slowly fading? It seems like the lights in our hearts are quickly breaking. 

"Chaeyoung-ah, where are you?" 

We've been together for a year now, I'm not used to not hearing your voice anymore, even for a minute, where are you? 

"Are you really gonna keep doing this?" 

Remember how you took away my fear of you falling inlove with someone other than me? It's going back Chaeyoung-ah. The fear is coming back. 

"Tell me if I did something wrong... Tell me if you already fell inlove with someone else. Tell me if you feel cold, tell me if you don't need me anymore."

I'll try to accept it, I'll try to accept how fate played us. Making us soulmates but not giving us a happy ending. 

"Come back to me Chaeyoung-ah... It's so hard to live a day without hearing your voice..."

Did you fall out of love? 

-----

Friday night, Mina is on her way home, sadness visible on her face, two weeks without her favorite voice, two weeks without her soulmate. 

She didn't die right? She didn't. 

Those words kept replaying over and over again in her head. 

She stopped walking when she heard something, it's so soft and almost inaudible, she knows she heard something, she should be. 

She stood there for minutes, waiting for another sign of her love, but nothing was heard again after, she was left hopeless, and clueless. 

A liquor store took her attention. Broken people drink right? 

right. 

She got drunk, lying on her couch, her world is spinning, but her heart is still stable, she hates how it stayed the same, she's still looking for her soulmate, still waiting for her. 

what if something really happened to her? 

"Son Chaeyoung what the happened to you?!" She started, her voice furious and angry. 

No response. 

"I hate you so much." She felt tears stream down her face, taking another sip directly from her bottle of whiskey, the more wasted she got, the more she felt hurt. 

"You can't just leave me after 10 years of making me feel loved that's so unfair." She cried out, right hand clenching her chest. 

"I don't know why the I'm so hurt, I don't know how much I love you to be this hurt. Just tell me where you are!" She shouted. 

When she heard no response, her blood boiled even more, and another bucket of tears escaped her eyes. 

"This whole soulmate thing is just a piece of ! There's no soulmate! People will leave you even if you're attached to a string with them! If they chose to leave you they will! No matter how hard it is to escape the cage you two are in if they don't want you anymore, they would leave!"

"Chaeyoung-ah, why are you doing this to me?" She calmed down, her soft voice back, the tears unstoppably falling. "I'm so sorry, please come back..." And by that, she fell asleep, with pain in her heart. 

"I love you Mina, I love you so much."

------

Headache, a bad breath, a messy room, and swollen eyes. Are the first things that greeted her the moment she woke up. 

"Mina what did you do." She said to herself, palm on her face. 

She doesn't have much work to do today, but she doesn't want to rot in her house either, she doesn't have friends to go out with, nor does she have a lover that will talk to her all day, well, not anymore, at least? 

Despite everything that happened last night, if she remembered how hard she went on Chaeng last night, despite all the madness, the first thing she did, still, was put her right hand on her chest, and give the softest 'good morning' she could ever give. 

Yes ofcourse, no response. But she shrugged it off. 

She watched movies the whole day, and looked at the ceiling for almost an hour after the sun has been replaced by the moon. 

"I'm hungry." she murmured. "I didn't buy groceries."

Not feeling it, but she is really hungry, so she has to. Putting on her coat and shoes, she went out to eat. 

Walking the busy streets of Kobe, she heard people talk, cars and their noisy engines, but one didn't irritate her.  

She continued walking, until she got in a nice restaurant. Sitting in the nearest corner, ordering her food, she looked outside. Her thoughts away from reality, her eyes looking at the sky and it's stars, how brightly they shone upon her. 

She heard a voice. 

No not in her head. One table away from her. Looking in front of her there's this girl with her guitar, she's humming to a song she didn't know about. 

She might be a street musician or something, Mina thought.

She looked at the girl once again. Why? Why is she feeling something just by looking at the figure in front of her?

No.

She has a girlfriend.

Looking away again, her food arrived, eating it slowly, she heard another hum from the girl. She tried not to listen, but it's so hard not to focus on her voice, it's more than angelic, it's... Familiar.

She glanced at her, watching the girl bite on her burger. Casually giving her glances until the girl got up from her seat. Starting to pack her things. Mina looked at her own food, she's not even halfway through it.

She sighed, she's hungry but she won't eat.

Right hand on her chest, she inhaled. "Babe did you eat?"

She's expecting a response, well not anymore atleast, she knows she's just hurting herself, but she can't stop, she just won't stop.

"Yes I ate my Minari, I hope you did too."

Her world stopped. It's pretty weak, the voice was said in a low tone.

But she heard it, she clearly heard it, every word, she heard every word.

"Chaeyoung?" She called, tears threatening to fall. 

No one responded. She waited for a minute, no one really did respond. 

Okay.... 

Glancing up once again. 

The girl is still there. 

No. 

She's infront of her. 

Mina was confused for a second, she just watched her look at her, not saying anything. 

The girl smiled. 

Put a right hand on her chest. 

"Found you."

Mina's eyes grew big.

She's frozen she can't move. Did she hear it right? She heard it in her mind and through her own ears. This can't be happening.

She stood up, tears on her cheeks, the girl just simply smiling at her. Leaving any bill she could pick from her wallet. She grabbed the girl's hand, dragging her out of the place.

"Slow down, slow down!" She pulled Mina to stop, on an empty part of the street, they stopped, just looking at each other.

Mina still didn't know what to do or how to react.

But she felt two arms wrapped around her. A head under her neck, a hot breath on her skin.

She is still frozen.

"I was near to reaching my dreams to become a singer. Those days I talked to you happily, when I told you we're almost there. Mina... I didn't get there." She sighed, "I was so sorry and guilty these past few weeks, I pitied myself, I wasted my dreams." Mina felt a wet stain on her skin, "I lost all my will. I stopped doing everything that I did, I stopped talking to you. I stopped writing, I stopped auditioning. I hurt you."

Mina whispered a soft 'No.'

"I'm sorry I hurt you." Chaeyoung pulled back. "A month without me was so hard to you, I heard it all. It was hard for me too Minari."

"I got here yesterday, using my money. I wanted to see you, I wanted to embrace you, to hug you tight."

"I longed for you."

"I'm so hurt that I even hurt you. You're the love of my life."

"Enough." Mina said out loud, not even hearing her own voice.

She saw Chaeyoung bow her head. "No..." She said softly.

Slowly taking a step closer. She wiped a tear from Chaeng's cheek. Placing a soft kiss on her forehead, followed by a tight embrace.

They felt their hearts sing the same melody. They weren't just soulmates. Their hearts were one too.

From just good mornings and good nights, to having conversations everyday, to labelling their relationship.

To where they are at now.

They're finally together. In eachother's arms, not knowing what time can do to them, but hoping their love will make the stars shine forever.