heart hits the floor

Chapter 1: the falling

(lowercases intended)

jungkook didn't know how to feel after the sixth person fell to their knees on his first day of college.

he was heading to the library to get the books he needed for his lectures when the boy passing by fell to his knees with a loud thud.

some exclamations were heard from around them, but jungkook didn't look back to the couple until he was far enough from the commotion; like all the other couples, the girl was trying to hold her tears while looking at the guy on his knees some steps away from her, the guy's face filled with shock. the girl's friends were shrieking at her sides, exclaiming how lucky they were and how romantic it was to find your soulmate this fast.

jungkook just found it alarming.

it was enough to be at his first year of college, trying not to draw too much attention or bump with anyone in the crowded hallways; now jungkook had to also be worried about not finding his soulmate in the middle of the cafeteria.

and the falling to your knees thing. isn't it enough to find out you are the sub? no, you have to hit the floor the moment you get a glimpse of your soulmate's eyes.

what if he finds his soulmate in the middle of social studies, or english?

what if he finds him in the bathroom?

a shudder went through jungkook's body, so he decided to get away from the scene, eyes on the floor, like always, and continued his way to the library. he found an empty cubicle to leave his things and headed to the bookshelves; once he found all the books he needed he moved his things to the floor so he could have enough space to take out his laptop to make notes while reading.

*****

the boy lost track of time, reading the first chapters of the four books he got. he kept reading until his stomach started to growl. time to go home he thought.

he started to pick up his things but paused when he heard a voice talking to him.

"hey, are you done with the cubicle?"

jungkook hurried packing up and murmured a "hmm, yes, i- i was just leaving."

he didn't wait for a response, hanging his bag over his shoulder and exiting the place.

going down the stairs the boy encountered the couple from earlier, they were now chatting quietly on a bench, hands cupped together shyly. he must have stared for a long time as the couple stopped chatting and looked at him awkwardly. he cleared his throat, lowering his gaze and headed to the main parking lot.

is not that jungkook didn't want to find his soulmate. the truth is, the whole thing just terrified him.

he sometimes felt like destiny was trying to tie him down with a stranger, and just let them to find out why they were the perfect match for each other.

what if his soulmate didn't like him? or the other way around?

he had talked to his mother about this particular fear hundreds of times, but no matter how many times his mother said not to worry, or that the person who is meant for him is the luckiest boy in the world, or how many times she tells the story of how the moment she fell to her knees and looked at his dad, she just knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, jungkook would always leave his house with a trembling heart and an anxious feeling in his chest.

so jungkook had spent his days looking mostly to the floor, trying to avoid meeting with people or strangers.

that's why he was such a social inadequate.

that's why he only had one friend. but jimin's bluntness it's another whole different story. how his best (and only) friend had stand in front of jungkook their first day at middle school for almost an hour until the younger looked at him in the eyes, confirming they were not soulmates, and what apparently made them friends automatically.

so he was just glad this one day at school was finally over.

he had to stop at the edge of the lot to remember where he's parked his car this morning; he was sure he left it somewhere in the second row or-

"hey!"

his train of thought was interrupted by the sound. he stayed still, waiting to see if the calling was directed to-

"HEY!"

oh no, oh no.

he stayed where he was, back still facing the unknown voice, until steps got closer and somebody tapped on his shoulder.

he turned slowly, eyes finding the stranger's shoes, now recognizing the boy who took his cubicle from before.

"you forgot this," the boy said, handing jungkook one of the books he got from the library. it must have slipped when he picked all his things.

"oh...," he just said, taking the book in his arms. he murmured a low thanks, risking a quick glance to the stranger.

but he shouldn't have.

because the moment their eyes met the stranger hit the floor in less than a second.

a sharp intake of breath was heard from both of them, jungkook was now looking at nothing, eyes big and full of astonishment still fixed to the front; he was afraid to lower his gaze and look at the stranger, to look at his soulmate. so he looked at the couple from before, who witnessed everything and were now smiling at them.

but jungkook wasn't smiling. jungkook couldn't breathe.

"oh, my...," the other murmured, and jungkook had to look. he had to do something.

so he lowered his gaze, finding the boy looking at him. he had blond hair, some of it covering his eyes over his forehead, his skin was fairly light, the sun making it look like he was glowing. his eyes were dark and his mouth hung slightly open.

but the way the stranger looked at him. it made something recoil in his stomach and his cheeks flush red.

what was that look in the other's eyes?

shock?

the blond murmured something, jungkook thought it may have been the stranger's name.

fear?

he let a sharp exhale, he didn't realize he had started trembling, book uncomfortably tight against his chest.

the blond murmured something else, knees still on the floor, gaze still just on him. jungkook couldn't made out what the boy was saying with the loud buzzing in his ears.

and then the blond smiled.

love?

and jungkook ran.