Someone Like You

chapter one.

🌅

It was early in the morning, Mark was walking to class with his friends. His dormitory wasn't very far from campus so they all enjoyed the five minute walk. They were currently discussing an ongoing topic that never seemed to end. Jeno, Jaemin and Jisung have been trying to convince Mark that having a soulmate isn't such a bad thing since primary school.

Mark has hated the idea of having a soulmate his entire life mainly because of his history with soulmate relationships. Nobody in his entire family has ever had a functional and life lasting relationship with their soulmate. He knows how painful it is to lose a soulmate from watching his family and he's afraid to lose his soulmate. He would rather never meet this said soulmate.

"I'm telling you that a day will come when you're going to stop hating everything and everyone." Mark's best friend offered with a warm smile.

"Oh please, just because someone gets a couple letters on their wrist doesn't mean life will become a lovey-dovey fairytale!" Mark snapped.

"That's exactly what it means though." Jeno grinned and Mark rolled his eyes at his best friend.

"Mark, I know your parents weren't the best example of soulmates but just look at the first words they ever said to each other. The first words they said to each other vs the first words your soulmate us going to tell you. It's obvious that you and your soulmate are going to have a completely different relationship." Jaemin chimed in and offered Mark a reassuring smile.

"Yeah! And look at Johnny Hyung and Ten hyung. They look so happy with each other." Jisung smiled and shoved Mark playfully.

"And Yuta-san and Winwin hyung, they moved in together last month!" Jeno added.

"Let's not forget Sungchan and Shotaro. They're younger than you but have already been dating for years! And they are very happy together." Jaemin rejoiced.

"Hyung, you and Jeno have been together since the third grade." Jisung stated monotonously.

"Oh, yeah. Let's not forget us too. LOL" Jaemin nervously laughed and intertwined his hand with Jeno's.

"Did you just say 'LOL' in real life?" Jeno mused and Mark just watched the two interact lovingly.

"Yeah, what if I did." Jaemin huffed and pouted trying his best to look cute. It clearly worked on Jeno but Jisung on the other hand rolled his eyes and turned around before the two started kissing.

It was true, Mark had watched all four relationships blossom and he saw the love in his friends' eyes grow stronger with every passing day. His friends always made great points when it came to why soulmates are oh so great. He almost found himself growing excited to meet his soulmate but then he remembered his mother's words.

'Soulmates are nothing but trouble for this family. We have never had good luck with soulmates. It's like our family is cursed. It's been about 100 years since this family has had a functional soulmate bond. Don't make the same mistake as the rest of us. I love you, Mark.'

Those were the last words his mother ever told him before she died due to cancer. Ever since then he has claimed that when he finds his soulmate, he will avoid them and never utter a word to them.

He looked down at the sentence on his wrist and couldn't help but wonder, what if.

"Earth to Mark?" Jeno waved his hand in front of Mark's face to get his attention.

"Look guys, I already made my decision a long time ago. I don't know why you guys still insist on changing my mind. When these words are uttered to me, I will turn the other way and avoid my soulmate at all costs." Mark rejoined and began to walk faster in an attempt to leave his friends behind.

"Things won't turn out the way you plan them to, Mark" Jeno uttered under his breath and Jaemin sighed, agreeing with his boyfriend.

🌆

After three back to back classes, the three friends were headed back to their dormitory to rest. Mark and Jeno didn't have any more classes until the evening. Jisung had another class in an hour but was headed home to get his dance bag and Jaemin had another class so he wasn't walking home with them.

"Hey! Mark! Jeno, Jaemin, Jisung!" A voice called them from behind. They turned around to find one of their mom's running towards them.

"Doyoung eomma!" Jisung chuckled and the older rolled his eyes at Jisung's nickname for him.

"Yah, if I don't take care of you who will?" Doyoung grumbled then smiled at his children.

"So what class are you going to hyung?" Jeno asked with wide curious eyes. Doyoung chuckled at his innocent looking facial expression and joined them on their walk.

"Remind me why I wanted to get a Masters degree?" Doyoung sighed and leaned on Mark for support.

"Why? Is it turning out to be too hard?" Jeno asked and Doyoung smiled, these kids actually cared unlike another group of brats who shall not be named.

"No, it's not that it's hard. It's just really time consuming. I worry about finding my soulmate and all, like regular college students do." Doyoung mumbled as he looked at the ground.

"Don't worry hyung. I'm sure you two will meet when the time is right." Jeno offered him his famous eye smile and Jisung nodded along in agreement. Doyoung wholeheartedly laughed at his encouraging words.

"Easy for you to say, you already found your soulmate." Doyoung teased and Jeno's smile never faltered.

"One is still missing." Jeno smiled causing Doyoung to sigh.

"Right, I forgot you had two. I'm sorry." Doyoung apologized and Jeno laughed at him.

"What about you, Mark? Still saying you'll never give your soulmate a chance?" Doyoung mentioned and Mark nodded his head with certainty.

🌆

A comfortable silence engulfed them and they walked with the melody of the wind surrounding them. As they got closer to the dorms, loud music and screams could be heard from a nearby frat house. They were passing by the frat house and saw many drunk college students out in the front lawn.

"It is literally 1 in the afternoon, how can they be drunk out of their minds this early?" Jisung questioned out loud and they proceeded to walk by the frat house. As they were walking by the fart house a rather short man approached them.

"All your dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. Walt Disney said that." The drunk stranger smiled and tilted his head slightly in confusion.

"Oh? I'm sorry, I'm drunk and confused you for someone else. No, mistook you for someone else? No, I don't know. I'm going." The stranger slurred and stumbled away.

Mark, Jeno and Jisung stood there too confused to move but Doyoung, he was too shocked to move. He lifted his sleeve slightly and read the words printed on his skin: 'All your dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. Walt Disney said that.'

Mark noticed Doyoung looking down at his wrist and when he read the words tattooed on his friend's wrist his eyes widen.

"That was your soulmate?" Mark asked and both Jeno and Jisung shouted in shock. They encouraged the older to follow his soulmate inside.