Safe Haven

01 | safe haven

In a world brimming with soulmates, where destiny intertwined with love, it was no wonder that the concept held such fascination for everyone.

Even Dekisugi, known by his peers for his pragmatic and logical nature, couldn't help but find a certain allure in the notion. It was a fact that often surprised those who didn't truly know him, that behind the critical, cruel, and calculating mathematician—Suneo's words, not his—lay the heart of a starry-eyed romantic.

Shizuka had been the first one to find out about his penchant for the romantic. She had witnessed countless of her precious romance novels mysteriously disappearing, only to be discovered neatly tucked within Dekisugi's bag. It was an irksome habit that she always commented on, and Dekisugi would find himself on the receiving end of a dramatic eye-roll accompanied by exasperated mutterings.

"A hopeless romantic," Shizuka would declare, her voice tinged with a mix of amusement and exasperation. She'd shake her head like a fond mother, and chastise him on his inability to o express his feelings openly, and more often than not, plead for the return of her cherished book, lamenting, "Give me my book back, Dekisugi! I'm not done with it yet! I just reached the good part."

(To which Dekisugi would smirk shake his head and proceed to give her fake spoilers, while she ran after him covering her ears.)

So, Dekisugi might be a bit of a hopeless romantic, sue him. He can't help but be enamored by the concept of intertwined souls. How it was described to be this dance amidst the delicate, invisible threads, the connection adorned with ethereal grace, captivating every sense, only to be touched by the transient nature of existence. Like fragile petals, he reads how their love blooms, casting an enchanting spell that captures the hearts, only to wilt and crumble into delicate embers of crimson hue.

He knows how the story goes: the journey that soulmates go through always unfolds with both awe and trepidation. Destiny weaves its intricate design, intertwining two souls in a dance of cosmic significance. Their meeting is like a fleeting moment of serendipity, an intoxicating blend of recognition and familiarity that stirs the deepest recesses of the heart.

And then the characters realize the inherent fragility of the connection. Like gossamer wings, love is delicate, susceptible to the tempests of life that threaten to tear them apart. Dreams once held high are shattered, and sorrows left unspoken cast a melancholic shadow upon their intertwined souls.

But then they realize that amidst the bittersweet residue of shattered dreams, a profound beauty still lingers. Their souls may have wandered paths divergent and hearts may have known temporary ache, but the essence of their connection remains. It transcends the limitations of time and space, leaving an indelible mark upon their beings.

The ending is always the same: they realize that the journey is not without its trials. They traverse the depths of joy and the heights of despair, their souls entwined like celestial constellations, forever tethered by an invisible thread. And though their love may wither and crumble like delicate petals, it leaves an imprint upon their souls, a reminder of the profound beauty that once bloomed.

In the garden of fragile hearts, love is said to triumph over all.

It's funny, honestly, that despite the stories going through the same plots, like unchanging rituals, he still finds himself enchanted. Finds himself rubbing the mark on his wrist, hoping for a day to meet his own soulmate. Even if the petals would fall and the embers faded, he would cherish them.

Funny, how a hopeless romantic carries the most of hope.

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However, despite being literally mesmerized and spending every waking minute thinking about soulmates, he does hold different expectations.