AN: Welcome to the heart of Gravity. In my ramblings in the foreword and early chapters I mentioned how this story would sometimes write itself. Well, this is chapter 8 but I had most of it written even before the first chapter gained it's first sentence. Hence why it's done so early lol

I also mentioned this story was inspired by the concept of Twin Souls, which I am excited for you to learn about and be as shocked as me at how it pretty much defines our MoonSun. Remember though that I'm not stating anything here as fact, this is still fiction after all, and what you end up believing is up to you completely. 😉 I read up a lot on it and so a lot of my readings were taken and used here almost verbatim. Sources for citations found at the end of the chapter.

The more MoonSun activity there is in recent days the more I dwindle in my convictions for the way I'm writing this story...not because the way it's running might be getting further from canon, but because our pairing is SO EFFING canon all by themselves, I'm watching out for their every move that could spoil my storyline haha

Anyway enjoy Chapter 8!

Our couple goes on a legit camping trip just the two of them as their actual honeymoon…

[B: “Wait, Unnie do we count Hong Kong Battle Trip, Dubai Battle Trip and Vegas? Why do we keep ‘honeymooning’? And why do you think KBS always ends up sponsoring them?”]

…since this has always been something Byul has wanted to do with Yong. They set up their tiny tent (a little bigger than the one they set up when they went to Han River that one rainy afternoon to eat ramyun) and put a thick blanket out beside it.

It is spring in the desert area of the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas, the weather is lovely, and the stars are so clear in the night sky.

Yong lays her head on Byul’s belly, who puts her hand on Yong’s, her abs lightly. They stay quiet for a bit, just star gazing.

In that interview recently Yong talked about how gentle Byul is when it’s just the two of them. This comes to mind as she notices how Byul is still so careful in her touches, sometimes–a far cry from how Byul used to pick her up and fling her about in Mamamoo’s early years, and even farther from their pretty much MMA-fight encounters pre-debut. Talk about character growth.

Y: “Why do you still treat me like thin paper, Byul-ah?”

B: “What do you mean? Like when I touch you?”

Y: “Yeah. Even when we make love. I mean you’re amazing, which I’m sure you know, and I love it, which I hope you know, but it’s always…so heart-wrenchingly tender. I mean there are no downsides to that, necessarily, but like, for how long are we going to be able to keep up with these big feelings? I just wonder.”

Byul takes some time to think of what to say, and then says, “The feelings are still so big, Unnie, I agree. I…I’m actually still a little nervous around you sometimes, even though now you’re my wife. Just looking at you gives me these gigantic butterflies that I feel have grown to that size over time...a LONG time, which is weird, that I can’t get used to them.”

Byul is quiet again, and Yong has a feeling these aren’t the last of Byul’s thoughts. She’s right as Byul continues.

B: “Ddun.”

Y: “Mm.”

B: “I have a really disgusting question, but you did say I could tell you whatever I wanted, right?”

Y: “I did say that, yes, and besides that, nothing that comes out of your mouth disgusts me anymore, jagi-ya, I’ve developed immunity. Ask away.”

B: “You love me, and that’s a feeling right?”

Yong contemplates a little about where this could be going.

Y: “Yes I believe so.”

B: “What does loving me feel like for you?”

Yong is absolutely tickled for some reason and proceeds to laugh her heart out until she gets a look at Byul’s serious and tender expression.

Y: “I’m sorry, Banjokkie, but that sounded so much like something you’d say, I’m not laughing at you, I’m just so endeared and entertained! Classic Byul!”

Byul’s eyes start to well up.

Y: “Yah, how on earth did you get to this level of softness, what happened to you? Don't cry, I really do love you even if you're Zinggle Zinggle remember? I put it in a song and released it!"

B: “...”

Y: “Aigoo! Why do we keep revisiting this topic?”

The mirth leaves Yongsun at the consistent look on Byul’s face, replaced with the familiar, sharp, sweeping pang in her heart as it swells from immeasurable affection for her best friend. Her expression changes and she looks upon Byul the same way fans have seen her do on-screen for many years, as shown in that proposal video MMMTV unnie made for them.

Y: “...I feel it in my chest. Like right now, actually. It kind of hurts, it’s as if my chest is going to burst...you know, the kind of pain that people write love songs and movies about…You’ve heard ‘I love you so much it hurts?’ It’s like that. I've never felt that way about anyone else and still don't. Like I said before, you know, how my heart was always so full? That’s kind of how it feels.”

B: "...That’s exactly it, unnie. It hurts so much I don’t know what to do.”

Y: "It’s alright, Banjokkie. We’ve got each other. Maybe it’s still new for us both, but I’m sure it’ll get better with time."

B: "Won’t it ever get too much for you? What if I really tire you out this time? I’d be lost, Unnie, if you choose to leave me I won’t be able to stop you, but I wouldn’t know how to carry on."

Y: "Look at me, meongcheong-i...How could I tire of you if I live for you?"

Byul absorbs Yong’s last sentence and in turn, her tears finally leave their origins.

"I live for you Byul-ah. I do!” Yong exclaims, reaching up to wipe at Byul’s tears. “You put the breath in my lungs, Byul-ah. The breaths I take and the beats of my heart all belong to you. You are everything to me in life, haven't I been saying that all this time?"

B: “...I’m sorry, Yong Seonhae.”

Y: “Yah we gotta stop with the apologies at some point, really. Don’t ever apologize for loving me unless you’re truly sorry.”

B: “Never. Not in all my past and future lifetimes…But thank you for being patient and always having an answer for me.”

Y: “You’re such a soft bean, jagi-ya, you’re so cute and unique. I look back at all those girls you charmed and over and over I find it so wonderfully satisfying that you stuck by me even though I’ve been a massive tsundere.”

This prompts a chuckle and a deep kiss from Byul, who picks her unnie up by the shoulders with her right arm to hold closer.

B: “I live for you too, Ddun.”

After this conversation, it occurs to Yong that she is deeply curious about her and Byul's dynamic. She does some research, as her Solar-ness is inclined to do, and upon getting back to Korea and settling in, they visit a Buddhist temple where there is a monk known to have a special kind of perception, deeper than others, not always in adherence to Buddhist teaching. He tells them that they are “Twin Flames”, so ancient that he can no longer count how many lifetimes they've spent together. This explains their intense surges of emotion, the strength of their connection, and why they are uncomfortable when apart.

The monk takes the couple to a peaceful area of the temple, the very typical landscape of a wooden bridge, trees, a koi pond, and a small round table with four seats. He tells them to settle in as he has much to teach them, including what to do to manage their feelings when they get overwhelmed.

He begins his advising with “It’s an interesting problem to have, isn’t it, how the both of you think you feel too much for each other? How many other people on Earth even have this issue, huh?

“Well you girls are rare people, so you’re bound to have rare problems, aren’t you?”

The easy-going, friendly monk is able to tell that the two have some kind of influence, they didn’t have to say so out loud, so in turn he urges them, before he gets deep into the motions of their relationship, to use the rare connection they have to continue fostering peace and kindness in a world with an increasing number of new and complicated issues.

Monk: “So girls, what I’m about to share with you is a mix of knowledge that I did not pick up solely from my practice as a monk in this denomination. But I’d like to start with something from Buddhism itself. You see, Buddhists believe that we're reborn an infinite number of times, and that relationships can carry over from one lifetime to the next. In each, we've had parents, siblings, partners, teachers, students. The closest word for it is pratitya-samutpada: the idea that all beings are interrelated. Often someone walks into the room and we feel like we've known them forever. And it may be that we have. Sometimes it is just stronger between some people." 1

There are goosebumps on MoonSun’s arms immediately. This was something they both agree they experience regularly with each other, an experience they’ve tried to put into words in spite of knowing they won’t properly be able to.

Monk: “Now I’m sure the two of you are familiar with Soulmates. It gets mentioned all the time and is a topic in every culture, one way or another. But let me tell you about Twin Flames. You see, any kind of person can have a soulmate, but not everyone has a Twin Flame.

“While we have many Soulmates, we can only have one Twin Flame, and often the purpose of this relationship is not just romantic. Even though a romantic relationship can occur between Twin Flames, such as what happened to the two of you, the purpose is much, much greater and is beyond this earthly plane.

“When Twin Flames come together, there is a strong desire for them both to create something together that is going to help raise the consciousness of the planet.

“I know that sounds like a bunch of baloney, but what’s good about this is that it isn’t something that you’re so aware of. You can be conscious in the way you move forward with life, but elevating the planet’s consciousness is something that both of you are already doing just by being yourselves and by being together. Just remember what I told you: keep putting kindness first, and show everyone who sees the two of you that it’s what you stand for, united.

“So it often takes many lifetimes for Twin Flames to achieve this consciousness elevation thing, so it could be possible that you meet your Twin Flame, but are unable to complete your mission together just yet.

“Once you have both learned to master the relationship, you will both ascend together and complete your work away from the physical dimension of earth.

“Unlike Soulmate relationships, Twin Flame relationships often don’t focus too much on ‘challenges’ and instead focus more on growth. I know that the two of you used to be almost like mortal enemies, correct? So now tell me, when was the last time you had a serious fight like you used to after you both moved forward from that enemy phase?”

Yong and Byul look at each other sheepishly. Both are embarrassed about how they managed to make petty issues escalate in the past, but neither can remember when they last did so recently.

Monk: “You can’t remember anymore, can you? I have more on that later. For now, going back to differentiating Soulmates and Twin Flames: while Soulmate relationships can be awakening and can help you to discover who you truly are, Twin Flame relationships are about coming together for the service of others.”

Here the monk pauses dramatically, allowing that last piece of information to sink in. In a sweet moment, Byul looks to her unnie with a knowing smile, opening her palm that rested on her knee upward. Yong puts her own hand into Byul’s in response, sporting a similar expression.

Monk: “With Twin Flame relationships, the magnetic pull is always going to be there on a strong level. With Soulmates, the magnetic pull may change in strength depending on where you are both at in your evolution.2 Doesn’t that explain a lot, Moon and Sun?”

The couple looks up at each other again, amazed and relieved.

Monk: “I now want to go into how Twin Flames come to be. Bear with me, in this part things get a little more…abstract.

“So you see, when you reach a certain level of consciousness or a higher frequency level in one life, your soul has to split into two in order to come back down into a physical body. This means that there are essentially two of you roaming the earth. Both of you are in a way, half the energy that you originally were.”

At this, Byul recalls what they read about soulmates back in New York, the one Aristophanes came up with.

Monk “This other half of your energy is your Twin Flame, and when the two of you cross paths or meet it is like you instantly feel whole again.

“So, where does that leave Soulmates? Soulmates are cut from the same cloth. Imagine a huge blanket of energy and your soul is cut out of that blanket. The other souls that come from the same blanket as you are Soulmates and can be friends, family, and lovers.

“A Twin Flame however is when that single cut, or that single soul begins getting bigger and bigger as its consciousne