Ever since I could remember, I’ve seen the threads. It’s not really something I can talk about with others, but I see them wherever I go.

Legends say that we are born with a red thread tied around our pinkie fingers. Each end is connected to one half of fated souls...or soul mates. The string can stretch and tangle, but it will never break. I’ve seen them stretch across oceans and skies. The thread does not care about what is convenient for the lovers, it simply follows destiny.

“Nami!”

You hear that? It’s my umma. Her finger is tied to a man that is not my father...but my parents are separated and are both happy, so I guess that’s good. The man my mother is tied to is our neighbor. He’s a bit nerdy...actually, a lot. He’s really sweet and I’ve done just about all I can do to get him to go out with my umma. I’m sure he’s simply shy. They’ll be together soon. I’m sure of it.

As for my appa, he’s attached to his secretary. She’s ten...no, eight years younger. But hey, love is love.

“Nami!!”

“Hai!”

Oh, I forgot to mention that my mother is half Japanese. This might be why I have my so-called ‘gift.’ I’ve read somewhere that in Japanese society there are people like me born every so often. Oh well, it does me no good. What’s the point if I can’t tell anyone? I can’t just walk up to a stranger, follow their string until I find the other end and then say, “Be happy! Get Married!” It’s just the type of thing that would get me sent to the loony bin. The only person that knows about this is my grandmother and she made me promise never to tell a soul.

“What is it?” I asked pushing the door to the kitchen open.

“Will you set up?”

“Neh.”

I place the cups and chopsticks on the table. Naturally, my thread hits everything, but solid objects move through it. Everything...but me. I can actually hold any red thread in my hands and when I tug on them, the person tied to it can feel it.

“Umma, what are you doing this weekend?”

She puts the side dishes onto the table and sits on her knees. “Aigoo, I should be asking you that.”

“Umma, you know what I’m doing. The usual.”

“How many times are you going to read that book in the park?”

I straighten my back. Actually, I can’t concentrate when I’m in the park. I’ve been trying to read the same book for the past six months, but I find it much more interesting to watch the threads dance around people. “Do you know how big ‘The Tale of the Genshi’ is?” All I know about it is what I’ve googled. It is a rather large novel, and I’ve read the first page countless times...but that’s all.

“Oka-san made me read it. I know. It’s massive.” She holds her hands an arms length apart. I can’t help but smile at her...she’s too cute.



“Umma! Umma!”

Little kids run around the park, tangling their treads together.

“Aigooo~ Kuiyowo!” a woman says bending down to pick up the girl. She puts the girl to her hip only to have her be taken by a man next to her umma. “Where did you go? Omo, where did my sweetie go?”

“Umma! Umma! I’m here!” I giggle as the man lifts her into the sky, red thread connected to the girl’s umma. Seems they’ve found each other. Perfect.

There is a down side to me being in the park. I’ve never found the other end of my thread. Never. I’m only nineteen, so I have time still...but it still stings. I have this crazy gift and I can’t even help myself.

My hand feels a tug. Wherever he is, he sure is active. I feel this pulling quite a bit.

“Excuse me!!” a voice yells. I look up a boy runs past me.

“Yah! Zelo! Get back here!!!!” an older boy yells.

“YO! Stop running!” a deep voice booms.

I try my hardest not stare. I mean, they are noisy, and a tad rude. Hell, I should glare at them. Something catches my eyes. A mess of red string chases after them. Three ends follow them, two are stretched back from where they came and the other shortens when it falls into my lap. As the knot drags past me my finger tugs.

I jump up. Does this mean that one of them is my...soul mate?

Throwing my things into my bag, I can’t help the sudden acceleration of my heart. I sling my bag over my shoulder and race after them. I’m not dressed for the dash, but I need to see him. How does he look? Is he handsome? Does he have a good personality? and more importantly...which one is he?

I follow the thread to a coffee shop and walk inside. The knot slides across the floor and I see them. They each have different colored hair. One is blonde, another has black hair and the last seems to have purple hair? I order tea before sitting down not too far from them. One of them has to have the other end of my thread. So I do the first thing that comes to mind and yank on my end. Much to my dismay, all three boys jerk their threaded hand in my direction and the one with the blonde hair spills his coffee onto the purple one. “AISH!”

I blush. I didn’t exactly think that one through.

“Hyung, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to, ah! And you paid.” Blonde tries to wipe up the spill as best he can while the older boy presses napkins to his pants.

“Why don’t we just go? If we walk outside it’ll dry.”

The one with black hair looks at the both of them and blows bubbles into his green tea. “Let’s go now. Zelo, we came here for you’re cookie. You got it. Lets leave.”

The blonde pouted and apologized again.

They get up and exit the door. I literally have no idea what to do, but I have to follow. Grandma always told me that once I see him, I can’t let him go. I must make some sort of bond or else I may never see him again.

I slip out of the shop and sneak to them.

“Hyung, are you okay?” the blonde one asks.

“I’m fine...get off of me.” He swats away the younger boy’s hand.

“Hey, I think we’ve got company,” the third boy says.

They look at him and I duck behind a sign.

“You can come out. We won’t bite.”

I peer into the window behind me like I’m interested in the products they are selling, but I catch his eyes. Before I know it he’s behind me.

“What are you, a stalker?”

I look up at him with doey-eyes. It might be worth mentioning that I’ve been attending acting school. “Bwoh? What are you yelling about?”

“Don’t lie, You were just in the coffee shop with us. You even have a cup with the logo.”

I look down, he’s right. “So, lots of people get coffee and tea from there. It’s good.”

“But you got there right after us and left when we did.”

I sigh. “Did I? I wasn’t paying attention.”

“You were also in the park...reading.”

“Now, you look like the stalker here.”

He smirks. “You just wanted to follow around some handsome boys, didn’t you?”

“No, I think you’re too into yourself right now to be appealing.”

@toowhiteforkpop thank you! hope it'll be interesting enough for me to finish *awkward laugh*