Pleasant Imagines (Jinjoo)

Why are we soulmates?

In Korea, everyone turns a year older the moment they enter a new year.

Likewise, 18-year-olds are most frantic, and excited for this day, this particular morning.

Why?

No, it has nothing to do with getting drunk or being able to get a license where you can drive down the suburbs alone.

And no, it's not something that requires a bed. Or to be legal.

Rather, this is the day when they'll get eye colours. Doesn't seem like much since the majority is born with one.

The normal colours are brown and black, sometimes depending on the saturation of their colour whether it's toward the lighter or darker side. Everyone is able to see them.

However, there are colours that can only be seen through their soulmate's eyes. They can be purple, pink, blue, or yellow. Every imaginable colour apart from brown and black.

The thing is, they can't see their own colour.

It's been a whole month for those who have turned 18. Even if it's an important milestone in their lives, school has to meddle with it.

A girl walks up to another who shut the locker door. "Why are you sulking?" The tall girl sighs softly, adjusting the books in her arms. "No one can see my colour." Yujin shook her head despairingly.

"Have you tried Yena unnie?" Minju follows beside her while they walked to class. She gave her a weird look. "Yena unnie? There's no way she's my soulmate."

Minju rolls her eyes faintly. "Soulmates don't necessarily mean you'll have to marry them in the future."

"Yeah, but Yuri already saw her colour. It's obvious they're getting married." Yujin tittered softly, mind going about those two who were practically made for each other the moment they knew of each other's existence.

"Right. No doubt." They entered the class, sitting at their seats. Since the teacher wasn't here yet, Minju decided to occupy the seat beside Yujin.

"Can you see mine?" she asked, looking at the girl with vast, twinkling eyes. Yujin inclined forward, staring seriously into them, unsure why she was hoping to see something but shook her head.

Minju pouted, leaning back into the chair. "Why are you sulking? I don't wanna be yours."

"Just checking." the girl stole Yujin's notebook and flipped through it. "Yah, yah."

"Why? Are you hiding something from me?" Minju turns, preventing her from getting the book back. She chanced upon a name and a phone number, pausing.

Yujin drags her palm down her cheek and shut her eyes. Minju turned to face her. "Wonyoung?"

The taller girl takes the book from her hands, softly slamming her head on the table.

She shakes her head. "I don't wanna talk about it." Minju's little frown slowly turned into a tiny grin. She nudges Yujin's arm. "You like her!" she exclaims, immediately having Yujin shut her up.

"What's wrong with you?!" she quietly yelled, glaring as Minju giggled in her palm. She takes her hand off, seeing how Yujin let out a brief sigh.

"I knew you'd like her." Minju shrugged.

"I didn't say that."

"You can't lie to me." she looks at that blank gaze of Yujin's. She got curious, shifting her body to face the girl. "How did that happen?" she asked.