Welcome to Rey's Amusement Park!

it was his behaviour towards you that was absolutely puzzling. and based on your friend’s comments, you were not simply contorting reality to fit into your fantasies. san had feelings for you, feelings that he showcased proudly with compliments, adoring glances and small gestures. that was why his decision to stand you up felt... odd and out of character.

after adding in a dash of your grandmother’s special herbs, you retrieved a spoon from the cabinet before tasting the sauce for any imperfections. it was near perfect - maybe 97 percent out of 100. there was just something missing, and perhaps that was also the problem with your relationship with san.

something was missing - an important piece of the puzzle. and without that piece, you would be stuck at a standstill. but maybe tonight the missing piece would reveal itself.

all you could do was hope it would.

“you made all of this yourself?”

san blinked owlishly at the spread of food decorating your dinner table. it was enough to feed at least six other individuals, and even that was an underestimate.

“yeah, for you and maybe your friends. I made a lot, so I was thinking you could take some back with you.” after tossing the kitchen towel you were toying with earlier over your shoulder, you gestured towards the table. “either way, I hope you like it.”

when san arrived at your door, flowers in hand and a bright smile warming his features, you felt your heart pang aggressively. and in order to calm your wild heart, you suggested to have dinner immediately. the food would taste better, you reasoned and san did not wish to protest your words.

“thank you, y/n.” pure gratitude sparkled in his eyes as he settled onto an empty chair. the kindness you had extended towards him and his friends was something he was not accustomed to. but he liked it a lot. he never knew what it was like to have a caring significant other.

earlier today, wooyoung had cautioned san that he might be walking into a trap. the younger boy was concerned that you might explode at his friend, now that your brain had returned to its regular functioning. but based on the food you had prepared for him, he was less fearful of your wrath. because he deserved it for being a coward.

if you wanted to throw a frying pan at him like rapunzel, he would take it. if you wanted to yell at him until your vocal cords went raw, he would accept it. but he needed you to know a few things. first - that he had true feelings for you. second - that he wanted to have a relationship with you. a real one this time, where boundaries were drawn out clearly.

while the two of you ate, the conversation remained light. san spoke about his training, while you talked about your upcoming exams. the laughter associated with your topics was feathery, it was almost as though the two of you were engaging in a dance on the battlefield, and neither one of you wanted to accidentally step on a bomb.

but the casualness of the conversation had inspired you both to take initiative later on.

after dinner, when you shifted your location from the table to the couch, san purposefully shuffled closer to you. he wanted to eliminate the distance his actions had engendered, but he was unsure how. it also did not help the situation, that you were a bit hesitant to close the gap.

“are you going to the second showcase?” your fingers twitched on your lap as you resisted the urge to take his hand in yours.  it was maddening how your body practically yearned for his physical affection, but it was also quite reasonable. when was the last time you actually felt a connection with someone?

“there’s another one happening?” san’s need for clarification silenced your inner monologue, but it delayed your response just a tad.

“yeah, this time chan’s group is gonna perform too.” sinking your teeth into the inside of your cheek, you gave a little nod as your mind replayed the conversation you had with the blonde male on friday. “he actually asked me to take photos for the showcase.”

upon hearing your mutual friend’s name, the idol tensed up. his eyes drifted away from yours as he tried to tranquilize the negative emotions threatening to take his heart prisoner. but as you continued your explanation, he felt his confidence deflate.

because chan wanted to spend more time with you? more time that would allow him to finally determine whether or not he actually had feelings for you? what if the answer was that he did? how would you react?

chan could give you something san never could - certainty and stability. being with an idol would come with a number of costs. he knew that but -

“okay, what was that? why do you look like a kicked puppy?” curiosity had your brows furrowing together as you scanned over his face for any acceptable explanation. you did not have to be a mind reader to know that the source of his anguish was chan, but what you did not understand was why.

who were you spending all your time with? who were you in almost constant communication with?

spoiler alert, it wasn’t chan. so then why was san frowning in a manner that made it seem that you had picked someone else over him?

“can I ask you something?” the black haired boy reluctantly returned his gaze towards you after mustering up the courage to finally say what he needed to. but you were growing less curious and more irritated.

“if it’s something stupid, no.” after adjusting your position on the couch so that your back aligned with the armrest, you narrowed your eyelids.

“y/n.” san whined out your name lowly, with a pout threatening to form on his mouth. he was finally prepared to come clean about everything and to apologize properly for his inadequacy, but you were making it difficult for him.

truthfully, you didn’t need him to ask the question now, because now it was obvious why he stood you up that day. he must have seen you with chan and jumped to conclusions. it turned out the piece missing from your relationship with san was trust.

“I don’t have feelings for him, san. if that’s what you’re worried about.” the declaration was voiced in a purposefully slow manner to demonstrate your sincerity. you needed him to fully comprehend each word to ensure that no misunderstandings would remain. “is that why you stood me up? because you saw me talking with chan?”

astonishment animated his brown irises, confirming the accuracy of your assumptions. you had to swallow the sigh wishing to depart as you shook your head. guilt soon had san’s bottom lip jutting into a partial pout.

“I... know it was stupid now.” his throat seized painfully as he considered how much pain his actions had caused you. he had never intended for it to happen, but his poor decision had led to a whole catastrophe. “I got to your campus early that day, and when I saw you with him... I freaked out and ran.”

“oh for fucksake, san. you can’t just run away because you’re scared or jealous.” your previous plan to remain calm and collected during the conversation was momentarily discarded as you felt anger boil your blood. “san, listen. I’m not gonna say this more than once. I like you. only you, get that through your stupid head. I want to be with you, not chan. but this relationship isn’t going to work if you’re going to act irrationally every time you’re scared. unless you don’t want this to -”

before you could finish your sentence, his mouth was on yours. the meeting of your lips had sent warmth throughout your body. if you were going to be shut up, you preferred this option.

naturally you pushed yourself closer as your hands found refuge on either side of his neck.  you were about to deepen the kiss when you realized one more thing had to be said before you completely submitted yourself to him. pulling away from the kiss, you secured eye contact with him with your brows raised.

“from now on...you need to trust me, san and I’ll trust you, okay?”

san, while still in a daze, nodded before allowing his eyes to drop back towards your mouth. this time when you slotted your mouth against his, you tugged him closer by the collar of his shirt. if he was going to pour into the kiss every emotion he failed to express, you were going to do the same but with double the intensity. there were so many feelings inside of you that he was responsible for. some were positive, some were not. but what was at the center of them all was fondness.

you liked him. so fucking much. and he liked you too.

and now that you accepted your fate. trust would have to be mastered by you both, as it would be the only way for your relationship to survive. because accepting your feelings for an idol meant accepting that the man you would come to love, would be busy at times, and loved by many others.

but what was life without a bit of risk?

if anything, the task of loving an idol seemed perfect for the queen of the heartbreakers club.

this time you elected to remain silent. turning your focus onto the cancerous item inside of your mouth, you fetched your lighter without much strain before bringing the flame to meet the end of the stick. each time you entertained yourself with a cigarette, you wondered how much of your lifespan the ash sprinkling on the ground was taking with it. a day? a year? a decade? 

perhaps it was better this way. you weren’t exactly fond of the prospect of living a miserable life. and you questioned how you could even live a normal life now, when your soulmate had stolen the colours from your vision. 

before meeting him, you had never known how vibrant the world could be. the colours were pleasant but they were never striking. but now, the longer you spent away from him, the more your vision adjusted to a monochrome lens. 

“let me talk to him, or one of his friends. you know we’re both friends with hongjoong. maybe he can talk some sense into wooyoung?” bringing his chin back up, mingi tried to secure your attention, but you refused to comply with his uncommunicated request. 

because mingi should have known better than to say his name. did he not realize how painfully your throat seized every time you heard his name? 

jung wooyoung. your soulmate who wanted absolutely nothing to do with you. 

slotting the cigarette between your index and middle finger, you removed the cancer stick from your mouth before blowing out some smoke. while absolutely unhealthy, you could only find solace in tobacco and alcohol. 

well, there was a third remedy also available to aid your aching heart but it was one that your best friend begged you to stay away from.  

“you know this is probably some sick fuckin’ joke the universe has decided to play on me. because I may be his soulmate but he isn’t mine. this must be some one sided bullshit that the stories don’t tell us about.” as you rolled your eyes, you flicked your wrist, prompting ash to shower from the end of the rod. 

ahead of you mingi dragged a palm over his face. he was unsure how to successfully win the debate the two of you were engaging in for the last two weeks. it was clear that he was troubled by your resignation to the circumstances, but you were growing more disinterested with each passing day. or perhaps the correct word would be numb. 

“just let it go, mingi.” 

let it go for his own sake, but yours too. because the more you thought about him, the harder it became to address the emotions spiralling inside of your chest. so much had changed in the span of two weeks, and truthfully you wished you could jump into a time machine and return to a time where the colours of the world were simply warm and inviting. you could live your entire life without knowing how your soulmate’s presence would alter your sight. 

originally when mingi begged you to attend san’s house party, you agreed completely unaware of the consequences that would follow. at the beginning of the night, you found yourself content with your decision. most people chose to steer clear of your direction, a normal side-effect of your reputation. but a few brave souls sauntered right up to you and tried to strike up a conversation. and you were pleasantly surprised by how much you ended up enjoying their company. they were friends of mingi’s of course, so that should have been a clear indicator of their hearts. 

everything was proceeding as smoothly as possible, until a certain loud mouthed individual stepped into the house. his presence alone had transformed the atmosphere of the party in a matter of seconds. 

harmonic laughter erupted from his chest, causing you to ponder if you had ever heard something so lovely in your life. the individuals surrounding you appeared less than thrilled upon hearing the sound, yet it made your heart squeeze in adoration. 

as your attention drifted naturally towards the source of the sound, you found that every item in the surrounding area was practically shining. and if you thought the world was suddenly blinding, it paled in comparison to the unearthly glow that was attached to the male at the front door. 

when you detailed the strange experience to your grandmother, the elderly woman blew out a joyful giggle and confirmed your suspicions. 

“he’s your soulmate, honey.”

but that could not be possible, now could it? because that meant wooyoung would have experienced the same emotions as you did. but not once did the black haired male look at you as though you were responsible for the sparkles decorating his vision. nor did he bother to say your name with even a touch of consideration when san introduced you to him. instead, the male distanced himself from you after issuing a single nod of acknowledgement. 

for the remainder of the night, you struggled to remain composed. his raw vocals held nothing to the natural sounds that rippled through his entire body each time humour consumed him. and every time you heard the melodic notes dance in the air, you experienced two conflicting emotions. the sound brought with it a tranquility that one would find at heaven’s gate. but it also brought a heavy punch - because you were not the source of his happiness. 

in fact, you were nothing at all to him. 

and in hindsight, it would have been better to have remained nothing. because the relationship that would soon blossom was nothing less than rotten. 

by the one month mark, you had forgotten the difference between the night and day. and the lack of vibrance was only tolerable when your mind was warped by drugs, alcohol or some combination of the two. your health was deteriorating at a worrisome rate, but you didn’t care. 

outside of your grandmother and mingi, no one cared if you lived or died. you were a ‘waste of space’ or a ‘good for nothing bitch’, not someone anyone wanted to love. hell, to them, you were not even deserving of love. but the endless gossip and hatred packaged with your name was just background noise. none of it mattered at the end of the day. the world could chastise you all it wanted, but the truth remained the same - you were simply a product of it. a dreadful consequence of the horrors of the world. 

and it would have been easy to accept the role of the villain if your best friend was not sunshine bottled into a human being. mingi would never give up on you, he would always be there, reminding you that your heart was more red than blue. 

but that was precisely why it was killing you. 

“y/nnnn. let’s go to that coffee shop you like.” mingi’s suggestion appeared innocent on the surface, but the male was plotting something. avoiding wooyoung had only worsened your mental state, which meant that mingi would have to intercept your plan and replace your current plan with one of his own. 

“I’m not really in the mood for coffee, sunshine face.” your head was throbbing incessantly since you woke up. successfully making it through class was difficult enough. all you wanted was to crash onto your bed and succumb to the darkness. visiting a noisy coffee shop would likely only add another layer to your suffering. 

“pleaseee? I want to try their americano now.” the taller male jutted his bottom lip into a childish pout, knowing well that it was one of your weaknesses. 

“you’re finally joining jongho’s americano cult, huh?” your teeth skimmed your bottom lip as you brushed your fingers through the roots of your hair lazily. based on the state of your lips, you were probably seriously dehydrated. so maybe accompanying him to the shop wouldn’t be the worst. 

after administering a brisk glare, you blew out a sigh in acceptance. 

“okay fine. but you’re driving.” 

“heck yes I am!” a toothy grin was presented in your direction after you tossed mingi the keys to your car. all you could muster in return was a soft smile. but it was enough for him. 

a smile was better than a frown. 

the drive to the coffee shop was perfectly peaceful. since it was a 15 minute drive, you allowed yourself to lower your boundaries and sneak in a quick nap. mingi was mindful of your splitting headache, so he did not mutter a word, nor did he play any music to keep him company. 

the truth was mingi was blessed with the strangest luck. you remained ignorant to what your friend was scheming the entire ride, as you were unconscious until mingi put the gear into park.

as your eyelids fluttered open slowly, your mind was prepared to be greeted by its usual darkness. but you were met with a variety of shades. your eyes initially expanded in size at the grey interior of mingi’s car, but it was the glory of the sky that had you overwhelmed with joy. 

“what... mingi?” you were not an overly emotional person, there was emptiness where your heart should have been. yet the return of colour had tears threatening to brew. surviving without the grace of the sun was perhaps the hardest part of it all. 

however, the moment of joy was short-lived, because your mind was prompt to comprehend the circumstances. there was a cost to having the shades of the world return. 

“mingi, what did you do?” 

the grey haired male shifted in the driver's seat uncomfortably as an awkward smile exposed his teeth. 

“avoiding him isn’t right, y/n. even if he doesn’t want to be with you, you can both remain civil, yeah?” desperation had laced into his throat, causing his voice to sound lower than usual. “you can be angry at me but I can’t just sit by and watch my friend wither away.”  

the misery dripping from his tone had your stomach churn with guilt. because just as there were only two people in the world who loved you, those were the two people you would do absolutely anything for. yet you were so caught up in your own pathetic circumstances that you failed to see how you were plaguing the ones you loved with worry. 

“I’m not mad, mingi. I just don’t know what you want me to do.” it was uncanny how quickly your eyes re-adjusted to the change in scenery, because when you guided your attention towards your best friend, the sight was so familiar you had forgotten how he looked without the beautiful shades filling in his cheeks. 

relief washed over his features at your response. and after straightening his posture, he leaned closer towards you with a hopeful smile. 

“talk to him. he’s inside. I got yeosang to kidnap him.” 

“kidnap him?” 

at first you thought you misheard him. but when you walked into the coffee shop with mingi, the barista nodded at you in confirmatory manner before silently guiding you towards the back of the establishment. at the end of the hallway stood yeosang with his arms crossed over his chest protectively. when he was alerted to your presence, he was about to open his mouth and issue a greeting when another voice sliced through the air. 

“YEOSANG THIS IS STUPID. LET ME OUT!” 

based on how your heart was absolutely elated to hear the screeching male, it was safe to assume the identity of the kidnapped individual. 

yeosang, simply rolled his eyes upon hearing wooyoung’s dramatic cries. 

“this wouldn’t be happening if you knew how to act, woo.” he mumbled in response after slamming a palm against the door. “anyway. hi y/n. it’s nice to see you again. I’m very sorry that your soulmate is that asshole. you have my condolences.” 

“if he’s the asshole and I’m the bitch, we’re a match made in heaven, huh?” sneaking your hands into the warmth of your jacket pockets, you pushed your shoulders back to ease the tension stretching along them. 

mingi, who did not find humour in your comment, shook his head before pushing you closer towards the door. “just go talk to him, please.”

as you stumbled closer towards the door, you tossed mingi a glare over your shoulder. ever since your eyesight returned to normal, you felt more like yourself. more in control, and less...depressed. yet whether this was merely a side-effect of the return of your regular vision or a consequence of being near your soulmate was up for debate. 

“alright alright. jeeze. if this doesn’t work, mingi... you better let it go then.” 

“yeah. okay. first talk to him.” mingi was already acutely aware of the stakes, he didn’t need a reminder. he was also heavily concerned, as wooyoung had a dreadful reputation. the situation could easily go south. he knew that. but he needed you to try at least once. 

“you ready?” yeosang had chosen to simply observe the two of you for the last minute. but when he saw you fix onto your face a look of indifference, he knew it was showtime. “good luck, y/n. you will need it.” 

the facade of mental detachment remained sturdy as you entered the room and spotted the black haired male. from a cursory glance, you were able to notice that his hand was bound to the leg of the table with what appeared to be a pair of plastic handcuffs. the item had sprouted a number of questions inside your mind, but they were promptly drown out when wooyoung lifted his gaze to ascertain who entered the space. 

the male squinted at you in a manner that made it seem that you were the sun itself, rather than a regular human being. it was the first sign you had seen that pointed to the fact that you were his soulmate, and he was not merely yours. 

“this is stupid.” he mumbled the comment after casting his gaze towards the wall nearest to him. his attempt to find a distraction was a failure, however, as even the light blue paint was shining brilliantly towards him. “why did it have to be you?” 

the comment had pierced your heart with a sharp arrow, yet you ignored the sensation, opting to release a humourless laugh in response to his cruelty. 

“wow. so that’s been your problem this whole time. you’re just mad because your soulmate isn’t one of the barbie whores you have on speed dial.” 

“funny. good to know you have a sense of humour. but let’s be honest, we both know you wish you were one of those barbie whores.” an empty laugh echoed inside of his chest as he forced his eyes to return to you. but the smugness smeared across his visage cracked when he took in your features. earlier, the light had obstructed his vision, so he was only really able to make out your figure. now, however, he could see the details he neglected earlier. 

and despite his harsh words, his heart twisted and thrashed when he saw how much weight you had lost since he saw you at the party. he had heard that you were abusing a variety of substances from a colleague, but there were always rumours surrounding your name. how could he have known which ones were true and which ones weren’t? 

“oh yeah, I’m dying to be used and abused by shitty boys who have serious mommy and daddy issues.” 

“ah yeah, not all of us can kill our parents when we have a problem with them, now can we?” 

your teeth clenched together at his retort while silence saturated the room for a torturous minute. it was evident that wooyoung had struck a nerve, and despite his heart begging him to stop, he continued to spew vicious nonsense. 

“is that what you’re going to do with me, y/n if I don’t love you back? will you stick me in a house and burn it down?” 

“so that’s what your real problem is, huh? you don’t care that I’m not a dancing little barbie doll.” 

no, he just didn’t want to be soulmates with a - 

“murderer. you’re a murderer, aren’t you, y/n?” as he bowed his head to the side, his lips curled inwards and formed a thin line. the condescending tone communicated enough, he didn’t have to appear so content with himself too. it was overkill if anything. 

“you can think what you want. it doesn’t make a difference.” you articulated your reply in a slow manner, the last thing you wanted was to lose your composure. he wanted a fucking show clearly, and you were not about to give into his desires. “and frankly I don’t give a shit. I only tried to talk with you for my friend’s sake. but you know what, this was helpful.” 

upon hearing your positive twist on the events, he raised an eyebrow at you in a questioning manner. what could have been helpful when your conversation only consisted of insults? 

“well, now I know that I rather die a very painful death than be with you.” 

wooyoung snorted at your declaration, but his heart was racing wildly at the fact he knew you meant every word. 

“yeah? well, I’m sure if you continue drinking and acting like a fucking druggie, you’ll get what you want soon enough.” a mixture between a scoff and laugh crawled up his throat as you stared back at him with rage burning in your irises. “what? you’ll make it easier for me if you die. so go ahead, if that’s what you want.”  

the touch of truth intertwined in his former remark had stripped you of your remaining patience. yet his provocative statements also gave you a newfound desire. 

a desire to live. 

and a desire to break your ties with him no matter what. 

“thanks for the fun chat, asshole.” 

without granting him another glance, you exited the room and ignored the little ‘you’re welcome’ mumbled by the male. once you were out of the suffocating space, you were greeted by a startled mingi. yeosang was still in the hallway too. he was pretending to scroll mindlessly on his phone, his thumb brushing against the screen as though he was not listening to your conversation with wooyoung seconds prior. 

“no more talking, mingi. we need to find a loophole. I’m not going to die just so that dickward can get his happily ever after.” 

“okay yeah. we’ll figure it out.” 

the grey haired male nodded once to ensure that you knew that he was on your side. from the pieces of the conversation he caught through the door, he knew pitching an argument in favour of wooyoung was no longer viable. he knew that today could easily have turned into a bust, however, from the flame burning in your irises, he found himself thinking he did some good after all. 

because when you exited the room, where there used to be emptiness was now passion. somehow the conversation you had with wooyoung had instigated within you something that he knew you needed to survive. 

“we need to find a way to remove him without removing the colours, though. mingi... I can’t live without the light.” 

for someone whose entire life was consumed by darkness, it was strange to vocalize the need for light. but it was the truth. humans needed light to function, or else they would spiral and ultimately burn out. 

“well, for what it’s worth, I hope you do figure it out.” 

yeosang offered his sympathy with a dim smile before stepping inside of the room to release his captive friend. 

for the following week researching the soulmate principle was your number one priority. mingi had even managed to rope in jongho, who was beginning to warm up to you. the younger boy was shy most of the time, but he took the task mingi assigned him seriously. 

unfortunately, there was no true consensus on whether one could break the soulmate connection. but there were a few individuals on the internet who claimed they were able to break the connection by falling in love with someone else. 

a battle between predestined and naturally developed love. a battle where your chances of losing are so incredibly high that even a gambler might choose not to enter the bet. 

but alas, you had nothing to lose, now did you? 

“mingi told me a lot about you. I always wanted to meet you, but I was afraid you wouldn’t like me.” the blonde sat ahead of you released an awkward laugh as he bowed his head to the side. the way his eyes twinkled with admiration towards you already was astonishing. outside of mingi, no one really liked you off the bat.  “sorry for making judgements before meeting you. I should have known better.” 

“don’t worry about it. I don’t take any offence.” a faint smile tugged at the corners of your mouth as you gave him a little dismissive wave with your hand. “it’s kinda funny honestly because usually people don’t like me, but you were worried about my opinion.” 

it was also humourous how he complimented your ensemble when he saw you, rather than critique it. wearing all black to your first date was certainly frowned upon, but yunho bit into his bottom lip and told you that you looked ‘amazing’. he even later chortled to himself while suggesting that he was underdressed for the occasion. 

“well, people like that don’t know what they’re missing. and they’re really missing out on a lot.” you had only known the male for the last forty minutes, yet you could easily tell that he was being sincere in his submissions. jeong yunho was one of mingi’s childhood friends, and someone whose aura was almost identical to your best friends. they both radiated a warmth that eased the pain lacing into your lungs. it was easier to breathe around them.

“you’re so corny, you know that?” a gentle laugh shadowed your teasing remark, yet the blonde only grinned at you in response. 

since it had only been a week since you saw your soulmate, you were still blessed with the ability to see the colours that animated the boy ahead of you. from his boundless brown eyes, to the pinkish blush that would travel up his ears - you were able to drink it all in. based on your last experience, you knew your vision would begin to worsen by next week. and the colours would completely bleed out by the end of the month. 

but thinking about the future was fruitless when the present was actually pleasant for once. although your efforts to keep the date peaceful and pleasurable would soon not be enough, as a storm was brewing outside of your bubble of happiness.

“you really want to join me?” 

“don’t ask it like that, you’re making it sound like I’m agreeing to join your cult!” 

yunho brought a hand to his mouth as laughter poured out from his chest. you had truly lost count how many times the male had fallen into laughter in the last hour and half. but it was sweet. he reminded you so much of mingi. they were honest, pure souls. those who the world did not taint with its blood covered hands. 

“sorry, let me try again. you really want to watch a bunch of assholes on motorcycles jump through hoops of fire with me?” propping an elbow against the table, you allowed your chin to find refuge against your palm. “typical second date stuff, you know.” 

“yeah, I’d love to join you and your weird cult, y/n.” yunho teased you back before mimicking the position you had recently taken. once his cheek met his palm, however, he offered you the largest, most heartwarming smile. 

it was in that moment you realized that your natural gloomy aura appeared to attract the opposite of you. first, it was mingi, who you met when you were 15. the male declared that he was your best friend after spending one class with you. and now yunho, who was smiling at you with adoration after one date. 

it was people like them that made you think that maybe, just maybe... you weren’t the worst. 

“well welcome to the dark side, I guess.” a mixture between a sigh and laugh parted your lips but it was all playful. you could not imagine actually feeling irritation towards the male. he was simply too kind to deserve anything of that sort. 

“thanks, y/n! so now that we have that settled. I have a question.” the tall blonde leaned across the table slightly with his eyebrows pulled towards the sky. you, on the other hand, remained in your spot, although you did raise an eyebrow back at him with curiosity. 

“I heard the darkside has cookies. is that true or false?” 

and as if luck was yunho’s secret power, you were able to find cookies with ice cream on the menu. however, the male appeared to have regretted his choice of words when he saw the dessert menu. there were a number of items that he would have prefered over the cookie option. 

“you can change your mind, yunho.” 

“no, I’m sticking with the cookie.” 

his determination to extend the joke was adorable, but unnecessary. it was painfully obvious he was itching to order a secondary dessert too from the frequent glances he tossed towards the menu. and as he exhibited a form of patience that one could only hope to have, you decided to take matters into your own hands. you were about to raise your hand in the air to wave over the waitress, but the young girl was already shuffling towards your table with a strange urgency attached to her feet. 

“hi. sorry to bother you. but your vehicle is the one with the plate number 1117, correct?” 

yunho immediately adjusted his posture upon hearing the familiar licence plate. her inquiry had completely obliterated his usual composure. 

“yeah, that’s right. did something happen to my car?” he was already in the process of rising from his seat when the girl responded to his question, while you silently surveyed the waitress’s demeanour. 

“yes. I think..... someone broke into it.” the hesitation administered in between her answer had puzzled you. appearing fearful was one thing, but she was downright suspicious, and yunho was far too anxious about the state of his car to notice. 

“what? are you sure? shit.” the blonde frantically reached into his pocket to fetch his keys before turning his russet irises in your direction. “y/n. wait here, okay? I’m gonna go check what happened.” 

you were about to vocalize the suggestion that you join him, but he abandoned the table seconds later. and you would have perhaps followed him out, but you were suddenly distracted by the intensity of your surroundings. the colours were shimmering in a manner that caused you to freeze in your seat. 

because if they were that vibrant there was only one reason why. 

“hi y/n.” 

ahead of you wooyoung plopped down onto the chair that was once occupied by yunho, as if it was his rightful spot. as if it were his throne, and yunho was merely keeping it warm for him. rage bubbled inside of your head at his presence, while your heart was singing songs of joy. and while you struggled with your internal battle, wooyoung poked his tongue into the inside of his cheek before giving you a once over with his eyes. based on the way his eyes practically twinkled in interest, it was hard to reason to yourself that he was doing it only to spite you. 

“oh for fucksake.” 

“tsk, y/n. that’s no way to greet your soulmate.” 

the black haired male dipped an eyelid into a wink, with laughter soon dancing past his lips. on the outside, wooyoung appeared nonchalant and playful. yet, unbeknownst to you, the male was simply covering the disaster ensuing inside of his heart with an act. 

“how did you even find me? what are you a stalker now?” in an attempt to calm yourself, you smoothed your palms over your thighs, before pressing your back firmly against the chair backing. 

“don’t flatter yourself.” he rolled his eyes at your line of reasoning to display just how foolish he thought your accusations were. but truth be told, he did find out your whereabouts through non-orthodox means. as in, he may have threatened your best friend with death if he did not spit out where you were. 

“did you... don’t tell me you broke into yunho’s car. I swear wooyoung -” your attention was momentarily ripped away from the male ahead of you as you tried to secure a view of yunho through the large windows of the restaurant. if anything had happened to him, you were unsure what you would have done to wooyoung. messing with you was one thing, but messing with an innocent person was another. 

“his car is fine. I just needed him gone so we could chat.” the smile once present on his mouth was replaced with a scowl as he tried to suppress the emotion eating away at his stomach lining. he refused to acknowledge it, because why would he be jealous of that loser? why would he be jealous of anyone that had your consideration? 

he was your soulmate after all, not them. 

“if you or your stupid friends even think of hurting him-”

“wow, you like him more than you like me already. so maybe your whole plan to break the connection might actually work.” 

it was at that moment when wooyoung realized he may have disclosed too much. from the astonishment bringing your eyelids to expand in size, he knew he should have swallowed the last part of his response. 

“I’m not gonna even bother to ask how you know that.” because you were afraid of learning whether it was jongho or mingi who exposed your plan to him. either way, someone had broken your trust. 

sensing your inner debate, wooyoung deserted his original plan and opted for something more sinister. if you were already this dedicated to your mission, why not make it more interesting for him? 

“smart girl. I’m actually relieved to hear this little plan of yours.” the lies tangling with his tongue were bitter, but he was no stranger to the taste. spewing deceitful remarks was something he was rather good at it. it was honesty that the male struggled with.  

“so then why are you here?” his words did not provide you any comfort, rather it filled your stomach with despair. without realizing it, he was confirming that your decision to try and move on was correct. 

“because I want to make it more interesting. let’s play a game, y/n. let’s see which one of us can fall in love first.” a mischievous grin was flashed in your direction as wooyoung shuffled his seat closer towards the middle of the table. by now both of his arms were aligned with the edges of the table, and for some reason, it made him seem more intimidating than he really was. 

“you’re fucked in the head, you know that?” a humourless laugh threatened to rip through your throat, but you pushed the sound back down, while shaking your head. 

he came and ruined your date to propose a fucking dare? 

“yeah, yeah. whatever.” lifting his shoulders into a short shrug, he dismissed your insult without much strain. “and here’s the thing. until we break this shit, we need to see each other periodically. because as much as I don’t want to admit it, I don’t like living in black and white.” 

it was the former half of his response that had your blood boiling. 

“this is really funny. so you come and disturb my date, then ask me to engage in some stupid bet and then still have the fucking audacity to ask me to see you “periodically”?” bewilderment washed over your features, though the emotion morphed into disgust only seconds later. there was some logic behind his words, but his entire approach had you itching to throw your glass of water in his face. 

“oh don’t act like you don’t need this too. if we’re both trying to break the connection, we might as well work together.” leaning back against his chair, he straightened his jacket sleeves before averting his gaze to the waitress who was watching your interaction with him with wide eyes. 

“wow. just wow.” you naturally allowed your attention to follow his, and when you spotted the waitress, your fury only increased. just how much did he have to pay her to lie to yunho? “well here’s my answer, asshole. fuck you and your plans.” 

upon hearing your answer, the black haired male returned his consideration towards you with an artificial pout forming on his mouth. 

“tsk tsk. always with the profanity. we already know you want to fuck me, y/n. but fine, I’ll leave you alone for now. but when you come to your senses, you can get my number from your boy toy outside.” as if his comments were not enough to make your head spin with indignation, the male reached into his pocket, fished out a hundred dollar bill and tossed it onto the table before making his grand exit. 

the thing was that wooyoung did not learn about your whereabouts for the purposes of commencing a bet. nor did he go there to encourage your plans. but when he heard how much you already liked the blonde, he felt overcome with the need to cause you emotional damage - the same emotional turmoil he was experiencing ever since he heard that you were trying to get rid of him as though he was a pest infecting the walls of your heart.  

because at the end of the day, you were his soulmate. only his. so how dare you try to leave him?