A Promise Made || ChangLix (HIATUS)

十二; Grey Strings

"I like you."

Changbin closed his mouth immediately. His widened eyes alerted Felix who dragged himself away from the other.

"Felix-"

"No, it's okay. I... I just wanted to let you know that." Felix's fake smile was so painful to see, but Changbin knew it was more painful to have to smile like that.

"No. You listen to me." Changbin said, closing the gap that was made between them seconds ago. He looked down as if trying to figure out what to say. He took few minutes, but Felix was more than happy to wait.

"I like you, too. No. I think... I think it's even more that that. When I went on a date with Minho-hyung, we saw the fireworks and I wished for you. Even when I was with someone else, there was only you in my mind. I'm sorry it took so long-"

"I'm in love with you." Wow, Felix was really pushing his luck.

"Slow down." Changbin replied immediately. His cheeks were no doubt super red. His lips trembled in excitement and he puts his right hand on his beating chest. He gathered all his courage and looked at the taller boy. "I'm not... I'm not good at feelings like these. Would you...mind waiting?"

Felix shrugged, "I've waited for years just to say this. I can wait for a few more." He grabbed Changbin's hand, and kissed it gently.

Hands down, the most romantic thing Changbin has ever heard.

He ended up staying over that day, because he wanted to make sure Felix actually rests. But deep down he knows it's because he wanted to spend more time with the other since now their feelings are out in the open. Felix had a big smile etched on his face all day long and it's making Changbin losing his goddamn mind. He pulls his hair in frustration and grunts.

The frustration lessened until it completely dissipated the tighter Felix embraced him.

--

Changbin ran to the library as fast as he could the moment school ended. The faint sounds of Jisung and Hyunjin calling his name out slowly disappears as he ran from school.

All the strings had turned to grey as he woke up that morning. His parents were frantically calling him out, his dad telling him that he was also seeing gray. Classes have been so blurry due to him being unable to focus. That's fine, he has Seungmin anyway.

He had the ability to tune out the strings and only made them available to see if he activates his powers, but somehow today it didn't work. Dozens of strings were strewn across the road. They made everything look grey. It took him a lot of effort not to trip on air because he was scared of stepping on the strings.

Changbin looked at his surrounding whilst he ran. Grey. Grey everywhere. The vibrant colors of red, gold, or even blue are nowhere to be seen. Everything is just grey, grey, and more grey. Sick of everything he's looking at, Changbin shut his eyes, the heel of his palms putting pressure into them.

It wasn't a wise decision. He bumped into someone, who quickly held his waist so he doesn't fall to the concrete sidewalk.

His eyes opened frantically, and was met with worried dark brown eyes.

"Changbin, whoa, slow down."

"Lucas? What are you doing here?"

"You promised to tutor me, remember?" Seeing the shorter male tremble, Lucas gripped Changbin's shoulders. "Are you okay? You seem shaken up."

"Lucas, I- I'm so sorry I think we're gonna have to move to another day."

"Is something wrong?" Lucas bowed his head to focus on the other's face.

"Well...you could say that." Changbin bit his lip. "But it's okay, I can handle this. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"Well now that you've said that, I'm going to help you." Lucas said in his determined voice. "Lead the way!"

Changbin stared at him for a hot minute before he sighed. He knew Lucas is strong-willed, never backing down before getting what he wants. He nodded, and walked to the library, the taller male trailing behind him. Changbin secretly thanked him for not being nosy.

--

Pushing through the double doors, Changbin realized the library seemed less crowded than the last time he was here. The only sound heard by him was the librarian typing on the computer.

"Well, we're here." Changbin said, making Lucas turn his head to face him.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, of course." Lucas answered. He looked around the library, trying to spot anything different than usual. His face slowly morphs into confusion and asked, "what exactly are we looking for?"

"A book." Changbin answered as he started walking into the mythology section.

"You're gonna have to be a little bit more specific than that, bud." Lucas playfully retorted.

"About red strings."

"Those soulmate strings? The red string of fate?" Lucas asked once again, his curiosity piling up.

Changbin turned to look at him briefly while saying, "bingo."

They arrived at the section and was greeted by a large Greek mythology book. Changbin started searching, pulling books to look at their cover, occasionally opening some to see if he could find just a bit of information on red strings.

He sighed and closed another book, putting it back where it belongs as Lucas called out to him, "I found something!"

Changbin hoped it has the answer he's looking for.

He took a seat next to Lucas. The other slid the book to rest between them. Changbin's eyes dart to an illustration on the book, some sort of goddess or deity with red strings coming out of her hand, twirling around her before the strings were twisted into people's fingers below her.

Changbin read the title on top of it and let out a small gasp.

The Goddess of Nature and the Creation of Red Strings.

Just like what his father told him few days ago.

He skipped through the whole story of the Goddess and quickly scanned for something new. He jabbed at a paragraph which made Lucas jolt in suprise.

Changbin grimaced, "sorry!"

"It's fine! I was just suprised." Lucas waved it off.

The shorter one quickly returned his attention to the book and started reading the following passage.

While this became a tale that has been whispered from time to time, some followers still believe there are people out there who possesses the ability to see the red strings. This comes from two possibilities:
1. The people who inherit the ability to see the red strings are reincarnations of Shinchil and Chayoung.
2. The people who inherit the ability to see are the children and the grandchildren of Shinchil and Chayoung. Blood relation is believed to not matter, since the original seer was engaged in a same-sex relationship.

However, keep in mind that this is only a possibility, so beware of fake love agencies claiming to own this ability.

An interview with a monk who is a follower of the Goddess concludes, that in order to keep the strings alive, one must keep the shrine clean and open and pray for her blessings, otherwise she has no medium that connects her to this world. The shrine is believed to be somewhere right at the capital of South Korea, Seoul. The monk, however, says, that even a small shrine made without a religious person's blessing is still enough to keep the strings alive.

A shrine. That's what he needed right now.

"Alright, I know what we gotta do, but-"

"Changbin!"

Ah, fuck. Just his luck.

--

A/N: I'm fucking alive y'all I'm so sorry I left you hanging for like, almost half a year 😭 anyways I hope you haven't lost interest in this book yet cause I'm finally diving back to the original red string plot! Anyway so sorry if this chapter is short 😔 see you next time!!

- Gwin ◖⁠⚆⁠ᴥ⁠⚆⁠◗