"It's because we're soulmates."

Seokjin smirked at my statement, chuckling as he set his cup down from taking a sip of water. "Cute."

"Cute?" I questioned his single-worded reply.

"That's what your dad calls your mom. I always thought it was cute that he refers to her that way. Maybe I'll call you the same." He suggested.

He wasn't taking me seriously and it stopped me from explaining further. Without any proof other than the connection between us to back up my claims it felt fruitless to tell him the entire story in the little time we had until the night would end.

The waitress returned for a moment, gathering my empty plate and depositing a check printed on thin yellow paper at the edge of the table. I took the pause in our conversation to change the topic, moving on to something I hoped was lighter, less complicated.

"How long have you and Jaesang been friends?" I asked.

He tilted his head as if the question required pondering, releasing a long sigh with his answer. "Around ten years. He was my bunkmate during boot camp and we served in the same unit."

I recognized his language as referencing military service, realizing there was so little I knew about him since I'd been blocking myself from any closeness. "I didn't know you were in the military."

"It's not very interesting. None of it is." He replied with a shrug.

"None of it?" I raised a brow, curious about the dullness in the tone of his response.

"I enlisted right after my first year of university to put off working in my parent's company for a few years. When I returned I went straight into an executive position in the company. I worked for five years before I got sick. My dad wanted to make me COO. I never wanted any of it and I guess the universe made sure that happened." He scoffed at the irony, recovering easily with a slight smile. "That's why I love talking to your dad. He has stories of from a life that's actually been lived."

It was possibly the saddest statement I ever heard and I suddenly wished we were back at the wedding reception where there'd be a drink within reach to help mask the emotion that bubbled inside me. It felt like too much to carry, the buzzing of my clutch on top of the table a welcome diversion.

I pulled out my phone, swiping across the screen to answer with a glance to Seokjin who didn't seem to mind the interruption.

"Hey dad." I answered, realizing that it was well past midnight and the time he usually went to bed.

"Sellie, you okay out there?" He questioned. I giggled at the touch of protectiveness he still held for me, even after living apart for years.

Seokjin pulled a thin black wallet from his back pocket, sliding a credit card that matched the sleek holder to place on top of the check. Payment apparently made the staff more attentive, the waitress returning quicker than she had all night to collect the items with a smile.

"I'm fine. We stopped for something to eat but I'll be back soon. Are you feeling alright?" I wondered, searching his voice for any indication that he wasn't.

"Yes, I am just about to go to bed. You forgot your keys so I left the door unlocked for you." He yawned, the bed creaking behind him as he climbed in. He was always quick to fall asleep and I knew only a few minutes would pass before his eyes fluttered close once we said goodnight.

By the time we hung up Seokjin's card had been returned and he scribbled a signature on the final check. The waitress seemed much more pleasant after seeing the tip he left, inviting us to return soon.

"I don't want this to end but maybe I should get you home so your dad doesn't think ill of me for bringing you back so late on the first night. I'll save that for the second." He tugged at the edges of his coat.

There was a tension that kept us from falling into the comfortable banter I usually felt with my soulmates. I wondered if it would dissolve, worried that it was the only thing holding me together. Still, he managed to keep my cheeks stained with a rosy tint that I couldn't blame on the cold weather.

He stood, holding his hand out to guide me from inside the booth. I folded my gloves into my clutch while he grabbed my jacket, standing behind me to slide it up my arms.

I could still feel his hand at the small of my back between the thick fabric of my dress and coat as he led us out of the restaurant. I pulled my coat tighter with the icy air, thankful for the offered crook of his arm that kept me from losing balance. We moved slower, like we were drawing out the time together as we walked, Seokjin surprising me when he took a turn away from the hotel so that we ended up across the street in a parking garage.

The bright lights of a luxury car lit the dark space filled with others that were left behind for the evening. I hadn't seen him press the button for the fob tucked in his pocket, the car coming to life with a silent start.

"And here I was sure that Rob drove you everywhere." I commented as he opened the passenger's side door for me.

He chuckled, shutting the door and waiting until he was in the seat next to me to respond. A gust of heat blasted through the vents and I noticed that the seat warmed against my backside.

"He only takes me to and from treatment." We pulled from the space, Seokjin keeping both hands on the wheel until he turned onto the main street, dropping one to reach for mine across the console.

I studied his hand, taking note of long, slender fingers that curved at the joints and ran my thumb across his knuckles before letting my gaze drift to the buildings that passed by outside the fog dusted window.

At every stoplight I yearned to turn toward him, to say something. I'd spent the night making pointless observations of things I hadn't yet known about him and asking questions that held little meaning, ignoring anything of importance. I was unaware of the firm way I held onto his hand or that we made it to my apartment building until Seokjin let go to shift into park.

"Seline, talk to me." His fingertips tugged at my chin so that our eyes met.

"I don't know what to say." The words were barely out before my mouth closed again, teeth gritting together like a trap.

He sighed, tapping his finger against the steering wheel a few times in thought. "Earlier you said we were soulmates," he seemed to realize that it was more than a pet name shared between my parents, "but you changed the subject. Do you really believe that?"

I nodded. "It's the only thing I'm sure of."

"Okay then, stay right there." He let the car idle while he got out, walking across the front to my side. He opened the door for me, his hands already cold as they sank into mine to help me out.

We stood on the sidewalk with little space between us. I could see the small puff of white that left his mouth with every word he spoke. It was so cold that my skin felt numb and though I couldn't feel much in my body, I could still feel everything that existed between us.

"I know you're afraid," he started, "and there's a lot we need to talk about but we've got time. I'm gonna know every single thing about you and I'm gonna love you. I need you to think about it. Love me afraid."

My voice cracked with his request. "Seokjin, it's so–"

My reply was cut short by the second time he kissed me. During the first he there'd been a hint of uncertainty in the still, subtle way he pressed his lips to mine, but this time he was filled with passion. His hand moved to curl around the nape of my neck, the other pulling at my waist so that I was flush against him. I would have lost my balance with the weight of his body against mine if he hadn't kept me upright as we leaned so that my back was against the car door. Even in weather that made for dry, cracked skin his lips were soft, moving with mine and oozing pure need.

The slight tug every time his mouth closed over mine mixed with the chilled air in every inhale left me breathless. He was the same, his chest rising and falling with the words that ended the night. "Think about it. I'll see you on Monday."

His eyes followed me until I got into the building, the door closing behind me with a soft thud. The thread snapped as soon as the elevator dinged to the first floor, empty upon it's opening like a stainless steel box ready to bear the brunt of the pool of emotion that flooded out of me. I hit the emergency stop button, letting myself sink to the floor covered in scuffed shoe prints and what was left of the barrier that I'd kept between myself and Seokjin.