Rating: PG ( for the one swear word Tae Hyung says )

Word Count: 2693

Summary:

In the future, some time between the ages of one to ten children are brought into Box One, a place where everyone is assigned the first assignment of many they have to take part of in their lives. In Box One they are given a chance to look at their soulmate through a glass wall, five minutes to remember features and little quirks that may or may not change over time and with that information they're taken into different directions in hopes that one day they'll eventually find each other.  Requested by lullaegyo.

First Encounter

At the age of four Seok Jin is finally called to Box One. It's a nerve wracking experience as his parents drive him to the white building. His hands sweat and knees shake it shouldn't be a big deal but he feels the pressure of having to remember a person he can only look at from a distance and for a certain amount of time. What if he doesn't remember enough? What if he forgets? He wants a soulmate like his brother has and how his parents are. He doesn't want to accidentally steal someone elses because throughout the four short years of his life he's been taught that he shouldn't take things that aren't his because it's bad and he doesn't want to be a bad boy. 

When they enter the building Seok Jin is holding his mother's hand tightly and almost doesn't want to let go when a woman in a white coat says they'll take him in now. His nerves haven't subsided and his hands still sweat but his mother gently pushes him towards the woman in the white coat and hesitantly Seok Jin takes her hand and they walk towards the elevator. 

In the elevator Seok Jin keeps his eyes to the rising numbers that represent the building floors. "We're going to level seven." the woman says in a kind tone and he nods in reply all the while taking in gulps of air and slowly letting it out as if it's the last thing he'll do. 

"How old are you?" she asks in more of a distraction way than actual curiosity considering she already knows his information.

"I'm...four." he replies as he looks at his feet. 

"Wah, you're nearly a grown up." she says as the doors open for man in a similar white coat.

"I'm in school now." Seok Jin says with a smile. "I'm learning about numbers and I can count passed ten. You wanna hear?"

The door dings onto their stop and the woman smiles and replies with a sure as she directs him out into the blank hallway and they walk to one of the numbered doors.

The four year old showcases his counting skills as they pass one door after the other, but stops when they've reached their destination. "We're here." she says as she reaches for the doorknob turning it. 

Seok Jin's nerves are back as he takes a step into the small empty room. Ahead of him waits the glass wall he's heard about that seperates his and another identical room his soulmate will be entering through. He gulps as he sees the doorknob of the other room turn and for a second he wants to hide. He's not ready he thinks he needs more time. He wants to say this aloud but it's much too late when another woman in a similar white coat walks in, a small child in her arms. 

"He's a baby." Seok Jin says "Is he sleeping?" 

"His name is Kim Tae Hyung." the woman beside him says pushing him gently in the direction of the glass wall "He's one year old."

Seok Jin steps forward hands pressed against the glass as he tries to look at the other. He's cute and he likes him Seok Jin decides though the other is still, as he assumes asleep. "Can you...can you carry me? I can't see him." Seok jin asks. The woman accepts his request and lifts him up high enough so he can finally take a better look at the other. "He's so small." he says in a mumble as he presses his forehead against the glass. "Aren't you going to wake up Tae Hyung?" he asks pouting at the little movement the other makes. 

Tae Hyung stirs at the sound of his name being called and Seok Jin all but lights up at the fact. "He moved!" he shrieks "Tae Hyung!" he calls again "Tae Hyung!" 

The younger of the two stirs and opens an eye to see what all the commotion is about. He let's out some incoherent mumbles before trying to sit up still in the arms of the coated woman that had taken him in.

"Hi." Seok Jin says as he's put back onto the floor. "I'm Seok Jin. Kim Seok Jin. Can you remember that?" he asks worry finally displaying on his face. He's just a baby Seok Jin thinks. How are they supposed to remember each other when Tae Hyung is only a baby. 

Tae Hyung merely stares at the boy confirming the elder's worries and by the time Seok Jin thinks of something else to say his time is up. He's not fluent in time telling yet, but Seok Jin is positive that that couldn't have been five minutes. It can't be.

"We have to go now." Seok Jin is told as his hand is taken hold of once again. 

"I...I didn't get to remember enough." Seok Jin says eyes beginning to water as he's being walked out turning one last time to look at Tae Hyung's face. 

"Jin!" Tae Hyung shrieks with a baby's laughter.

He has a silly grin Seok Jin thinks trying to engrave the look in his mind while he wipes the tears from his eyes. He'll remember that.

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Second Encounter

Currently Seok Jin is eight and sitting at a park bench waiting for his brother to bring him an ice cream cone he had been promised. A balloon is tied around his wrist and he watches it bob up and down as he lifts and drops his wrist over and over. 

He wonders at that moment if Tae Hyung likes balloons. If he does, what color balloon does he like? He stares at the one he has. It's green, but only because that was the last color they had and he really wanted a balloon.

Every now and then Seok Jin has these thoughts. He wonders what Tae Hyung is doing and tries to remember what he looks like. It's a little fuzzy but he recalls small details like how he peeked up at him with one eye open and how he grins with all of his teeth showing he just hopes as Tae Hyung grows up he doesn't change too much so he can recognize him when the time comes for them to meet again.

"Hyung where's my ice cream." he whines to himself before turning his attention to the cries of someone nearby. 

"I'm sorry they don't have any more balloons honey." a woman he assumes is the crying kids mother tries to convince the boy. 

Seok Jin looks up at his balloon and then at the boy a few feet away. He had really wanted this balloon, but he also really hates seeing people cry. He lets out a sigh and stands from his seat. Carefully treading through the grass towards the mother and child. 

"Umm excuse me." He begins tapping the woman's shoulder to get her attention. "You can have this." he continues showing her the string tied around his wrist.

She gives the boy a surprised look before shaking her head. "No it's alright. He'll be okay." she reassures Seok Jin patting the young boy beside hers head. 

Seok Jin shakes his head as well and unties the string gesturing for her to give it to him again. "It's a present." he says simply placing it into her hand before running off in case she tries to return it to him. 

"Seok Jin where'd you go?" his brother questions as he places the ice cream cone into his hand. 

Seok Jin points towards his balloon before walking away. Not bothering to look back at the balloon he had just had a minute ago. 

"Ah, you should have thanked that nice boy Tae Hyung-ah. That was very kind of him to give you his balloon and look it's green too your favorite color."

Tae Hyung nods wiping the snot from his nose with his sleeve. It was really nice of him.

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Third Encounter

Seok Jin sits on the bus, staring out of the window. Ever since he started high school and his brother had gone off to university he had had to use public transportation to get himself to and from school. He had been nervous riding  by himself at first but as he's in his final year of high school now it's really no big deal anymore. 

He's nearing his adulthood now and he has admittedly forgotten a lot about Tae Hyung. The only thing remaining in his memories being the others name and faded memories of looks and smiles. On occasion he thinks about how the other is doing, but it's rare considering school and his uncertain future plagues his thoughts everyday. He's going to be given an occupation soon and with his grades he's assuming he'll be given something too hard and something he won't enjoy just because he had nothing else to do during school but study. With that he wouldn't exactly say that he's at all stopped hoping he'll bump into Tae Hyung one day it's just there are so many other things he needs to focus on and finding his soulmate has dropped a fair amount of places on his list of things to do.

It unexpectedly begins to pour outside and Seok Jin curses under his breath at the fact that he hadn't taken an umbrella despite his mother's warning. He remembers he has his gym uniform in his locker though so at least he'll have dry clothes to wear when he gets to school. 

A group of rowdy boys enter the bus and Seok Jin makes it a point not to make eye contact with them and attempts to ignore them as they make their way to the seats at the back of the bus. 

"You and your stupid umbrella Ji Min. I can't believe it flipped inside out." One of them say as they take the seats behind Seok Jin. 

"If it's so stupid maybe you should have brought your own stupid umbrella Jung Kook." the boy Seok Jin assumes was Ji Min retorts.

"I feel bad for your soulmate because they have to deal with you." the first voice says causing a gasp from the other. 

"Take that back. I bet you're just jealous because you want  me to be your soulmate huh? I'm awesome! Tell him I'm awesome." Ji Min says as another boy walks over hair floppy from the rain and covering his eyes. Seok Jin wonders how he sees through the vail of hair obstructing his line of vision. 

"I dunno. If you're going to always have a crappy umbrella with you I'd be pretty depressed knowing I'm gonna get wet every time it rains." the floppy haired boy replies with a laugh. 

"You're supposed to be on my side." 

"Nah, obviously he's on mine."

Seok Jin suppresses a laugh and gets the attention of the floppy haired boy which in turn gets the older a boy a small smile.

"I...I wasn't." Seok Jin stutters.

"It's cool. They're pretty hilarious I know." floppy says turning towards Seok Jin.

"Yeah..." 

The boy smiles at him again and Seok Jin's heart begins to beat abnormally fast. This shouldn't be happening he thinks just before his stop is called taking it as an opportunity to flee. "Uhhh well I have to go." he says as he stands and rushes out into the rain.

"Bye?" the boy laughs turning in his seat to watch the boy run towards shelter of the bus stop. He opens the window letting in some rain to the dismay of the other riders. "Hey kid it was nice talking to you! My name's Tae Hyung by the way! Maybe I'll see you again. Bye!"

Seok Jin feels his heart stop and then beat at an alarmingly fast pace again as he runs as fast as he can after the bus but he never catches it. The rest of the day he's in a trance and wonders why he couldn't have run faster.

-------------------

Fourth Encounter

Seok Jin stares at the numbers on the spines of the library books in front of him. As a part time job, when he's not taking classes, he's taken to being a librarian for the university he attends. It's easy enough work put books away check books out it's all very repetitive and the pay isn't that bad so he can't complain. 

It's nearing closing time as he puts the last of the books in his trolly away when he hears the faint sound of snoring somewhere deep into the art section. There were often students falling asleep during their studies so it isn't at all strange to Seok Jin's eyes when he sees someone passed out on one of the tables, books stacked high around them.

Seok Jin peeks over the stacks to find another book placed over the student's head and he himself shakes his head as he takes one of the stacks and moves it away so he can properly wake the unconscious up from their sleep. He lifts the book from over the other's head reveiling a mop of violet hair and gingerely places his hand on the stranger's shoulder to wake him. 

The boy stirs and moves his arm away from the binder beneath him causing it to fall off of the table. Seok Jin reaches over to grab it and freezes at the name written on a corner of the plastic cover. Kim Tae Hyung. It takes all he can not to cry at the sight before him and at the boy snoring only centimeters from his reach. He had thought he had lost his chance after that bus ride nearly four years ago. When he had ridden the bus everyday at the exact time as that fateful day in hopes of meeting him again like he had said but he had never showed up. Ultimately making him believe that maybe he had been one of those people who would never find their soulmate, but then here he was. 

"Tae Hyung." he whispers against his hand. He watches as the other shakes his head groaning at the fact that he was being woken up.

"Tae Hyung." Seok Jin calls again "Kim Tae Hyung."

Tae Hyung lifts his head slightly peeking up at the person calling his name.

"Yes? Can I help you?" he asks voice raspy from just waking up.

"I..." Seok Jin hesitates. His hands begin to sweat and his body shakes from nerves. What am I going to do now? he thinks. He doesn't remember me.

"We're closing soon." he finally says disappointment written all over his face.

"Ah, alright. Sorry about that." Tae Hyung apologizes as he begins packing up his things.

"This fell by the way." Seok Jin says as he places the binder onto the table drawing out more time in hopes that Tae Hyung recalls who he is, but after a minute he feels his heart sink and tells the other bye before turning around to get back to work.

He's not sure why he doesn't just introduce himself. Say hello I'm Kim Seok Jin we met nearly nineteen years ago. Do you remember? He had wanted this for as long as he could remember after all hadn't he? His chest tightens at the thought and his mind wanders to who knows where before he's pulled back to the then and now.

"Jin!" he hears and he jumps in surprise. He's afraid to turn around afraid to see that he might not be the one being called. 

"Jin!" he hears again and it's that repeated call that finally makes him want to turn around and accept whatever fate has in store for him.

He's met with Tae Hyung staring at him a wide grin spreading on his face as he makes his way towards Seok Jin's direction. He watches as Tae Hyung lessens the space between them raising a hand when he's close enough for the other to take.

"Hi." he says "It's nice to officially meet you. I'm sorry it took so long." 

Please c&p the link below for Tae Hyung. 

www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/945053/