Seokjin stood outside his locker. He looked at the words on his locker. Some idiots decided that writing on his locker would make the first day of school so much better. He could feel the hot tears well in his eyes. Any minute now his tears could fall. He wished that Hyosang would take his time getting here. He didn’t want the other male to see. The other male would cause a scene. Hyosang didn’t like people bullying him.

“Jin what is this?” Hyosang asked.

“It’s nothing,” Seokjin said.

“Bull crap, who did this?” the other asked.

“It’s nothing, so drop it,” the taller said.

          Hyosang grabbed his hand and dragged him to the rest room. Seokjin tried to pull away from him. The shorter male was not letting him go.

“Let go Hyosang!” he exclaimed.

“No,” Hyosang said.

“You’re hurting me,” the auburn haired male said.

          The shorter male let go. He pulled Seokjin into a hug. He carded his fingers through the auburn hair. Seokjin broke out into tears. What did he do to deserve this he questioned? Why him?  He gripped the back of Hyosang’s uniform.

“You don’t deserve any of that,” Hyosang reassured.

“What did I do to deserve any of that? Why me?” Seokjin asked.

“You didn’t do anything. You are so wonderful, amazing, handsome, and funny. You did nothing wrong,” the shorter whispered.

          The bell for first class had gone off a long time ago. Seokjin and Hyosang made their way to the rooftop once the hallway was cleared. He sat beside the brunette male. His head lay on the shorter male’s shoulder. Hyosang intertwined his fingers with Jin’s fingers.

“I wish that you are my soul mate,” Jin stated.

“I am. The soul mate counter doesn’t matter to me. It never did in the first place. It never will matter to me,” the brunette said.

“We should get back to class,” he insisted.

“Let’s skip. I know you aren’t in the mood to go back,” the shorter said.

          He closed his eyes with his head leaning on Hyosang’s shoulder. Hyosang looked at the elder male’s arm. The elder had already met his soul mate already.  The younger doesn’t even know that if it is him or not.

          Hyosang looked at his own arm. The counter has also disappeared. He knew from the beginning that Seokjin was his. He had a feeling the very first time they met. By that time the counter has already disappeared. He never told the elder. He wanted to tell him at the right time. This was the right time, Hyosang thought.

“I love you,” the younger whispered.

          Seokjin faintly heard Hyosang before he fell asleep. He’s scared that his soul mate isn’t someone that loves him back. He’s scared that maybe the person that wrote on his locker is his soul mate. He’s heard that sometimes soul mates don’t always end up together. He’s heard of soul mates that don’t love each other back. He doesn’t want to end up like that.

“Jin, let’s go back to my place,” the younger said.

“Mmmm,” the taller mumbled.

“Come on sleepy head,” Hyosang said softly.

          Seokjin and Hyosang headed down to the office. Hyosang had told one of the secretaries that he was taking the elder home. The secretary handed them a note to bring to their teachers the next day. They walked to the younger’s apartment.

“I love you too,” Seokjin said softly.

          Hyosang stopped walking. The elder realized that the younger was no longer walking beside him. He backtracked and grabbed the brunette’s arm.

“Let’s go home,” the taller said.

“Home?” Hyosang asked.

“Your place is more of home than mine will ever be,” Seokjin stated.

“True,” the brunette said softly.

          Hyosang unlocked the door to his apartment and opened the door. Seokjin took his shoes off and headed straight to the younger male’s bedroom.  He claimed the bed as his own.

“Get off my bed!” Hyosang exclaimed.

“It’s mine!” Seokjin yelled.

“I’m going to tickle you!” the younger said happily.

“No don’t,” the taller said.

          The younger tickled his sides. Seokjin squirmed and almost fell of the bed. Hyosang grabbed his arms and hoisted him back on the bed.

“Careful there idiot,” the brunette said playfully.

“Shut up,” the auburn haired said.

“Be mine,” the younger whispered.

          Seokjin wanted to say yes, but he knew better. He quickly got out of bed and grabbed his backpack. He left the room. He slipped on his shoes and jetted out the door. He heard Hyosang yell his name. He walked even faster. Hyosang had caught up to him and grabbed his arm.

“Hyosang,” he said.

“I don’t care if you can’t answer me right now. Just stay please. I know that once you go home, you will be alone,” Hyosang said.

“Hyosang,” he repeated.

“Seokjin, please stay. I don’t want you to be alone anymore,” the younger said.

“I’m scared Hyosang. I’m scared that soul mate wouldn’t love me back. I’m scared that my soul mate is not you. I’m scared that it’s the person that wrote on my locker. I am completely and utterly afraid,” Seokjin confessed.

“I told you that I’m your soul mate. The time counter means nothing.  I don’t care who your soul mate is if it is not me. I will fight them for you. I’m not asking you to move in with me or even marry me. All I want right now is for you to stay the night,” the shorter said.

          The brunette pulled him back. Seokjin turned around and hugged Hyosang again. No other words were said. The rest of the day they watched movies and slept. Seokjin slept more than Hyosang did. When Seokjin woke up, the younger wasn’t there anymore.

          A note was left on the night stand. It only said that the brunette had to do some things. Seokjin grabbed his phone and called him. Hyosang didn’t answer. He sighed and crawled out of bed. He padded out to the kitchen and made something to eat.

          He wondered what Hyosang had to do. He sighed. The younger always answered his phone especially when it was him. He brushed it off and continued to cook. He made enough food for the two of them. It looked like he was spending the night here, not that he really minded.

          He heard the door open then close again. Hyosang must be back, he thought. He waited until the younger said anything.

“I made dinner,” Seokjin said.

“You didn’t have to. We just could have ordered a pizza or something,” the younger said.

“Why? I’m perfectly capable of cooking for the two of us,” the elder stated.

          Hyosang walked off to his room, leaving Seokjin still in the kitchen. The brunette came back out to join him for dinner. They talked about stupid things, but avoiding the conversation they shared earlier that day.

          He ended up staying the night like the younger asked. He slipped on some of Hyosang’s clothes and padded out to the living room. Hyosang was sitting on the couch watching television. Seokjin walked out and sat beside him.

After few hours of watching television, he went to sleep. He climbed into the younger’s bed and laid there for a while. The brunette came in the room a little bit later.

“Can’t sleep?” the younger asked.

“No,” Seokjin whispered.

“Do you want me to tuck you into bed?” Hyosang joked.

“I’m not a little kid. I’m older than you,” the elder nagged.

“Only by a few days,” the shorter stated.

          The younger climbed into bed and whispered a soft good night to the taller male. Seokjin closed his eyes and fell asleep. He could vaguely hear Hyosang talk to him. He felt the younger rest place an arm around him.

          When he woke up the next morning, the brunette was not in bed. He stretched and pushed himself out of the bed. He padded out into the living room and the younger was not there. He went to the kitchen and found a note lying beside breakfast.

‘I left for school. I had something to take care of. I’ll see you there. Don’t forget to shower and eat. Have a safe walk to school!’

          Seokjin scoffed and ate breakfast. He got ready for school and left the apartment. He pulled out a pair of headphones and listened to music as he walked to school.  The walk to school wasn’t that long. He had left earlier than he usually would have.

          He opened the door and headed to his locker. He stopped when he spotted Hyosang with a pain bucket and a paint brush. He watched the younger paint over his locker. He wanted to know why the brunette was doing that. Hyosang didn’t have to. He knew the shorter male, and the shorter male would never want him to feel bad.