love you later | yeonbin ✓

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A few minutes later they are strolling down the street, ice cream cones in their hands. Soobin is glad for having something to do, something to at least keep his hands busy. They're not talking, but it doesn't matter when his thoughts are loud enough on their own.

There's a consistent ache in his chest, almost like the air is being squeezed out of his lungs. He can't pinpoint the exact reason, only knows the chains have started to pull tight around his ribcage right when they left the bookstore. Every couple of steps, Yeonjun looks at him questioningly. Maybe he's just waiting for the right moment to say something now that Soobin has intercepted him successfully in front of the ice cream parlor. Part of him hopes Yeonjun will never find the right moment because he doesn't have an answer ready for him.

"Look", Yeonjun says, effectively pulling him out of his thoughts as they round the corner at the end of the street. They're on a small path now, the hint of the sun reflecting on water at the very end of it. "We're almost there."

Soobin doesn't say anything and they fall back into silence. When they make it to the end of the gravel path, it opens wide to a field of grass, daisies and other small flowers creating intricate patterns on the greenery. There aren't too many people around, just a family playing near the water and a few elderly people sitting on a bench, but Soobin follows Yeonjun wordlessly anyway until they reach a completely deserted patch of grass. Yeonjun doesn't waste any time and lets himself fall onto the ground, folding his legs underneath him. Soobin drops his backpack from his shoulders, heavy from all the books they bought, and sinks down next to him.

It's a warm day, but there's a light breeze drawing ripples in the water, the sun glittering where the waves break. Soobin gets lost in the sight, and if his hands weren't occupied and sticky with melting ice cream, he would be reaching for his camera right now.

"Mr. Choi lost his husband a couple of years ago." Yeonjun's voice is low, careful, as though he's trying not to spook Soobin. "He came to me to get his string cut. While he was there, he told me about his story. They were young when they first met. Immediately fell in love." Soobin can hear the smile in Yeonjun's voice, feels him shuffling beside him but he doesn't dare drag his eyes away from the lake. It is safer this way, safer to not see the look on Yeonjun's face.

"But then the war happened and they got separated. Right before the string manifested. And neither of them had any idea if the other was still alive. Or even if they were actually soulmates at all, if maybe it was one of the other people they had come across. When the war ended, he said he followed his string. Prepared for the worst." His voice gets even softer, barely above a whisper now and Soobin almost struggles to hear him. "They were lucky."

Soobin's breath hitches.

"They found each other again. He said they barely spent a day apart after," Yeonjun chuckles softly and it makes Soobin's lips twitch, too. "He said they had a good life together. That he never stopped being grateful for all the time they had when so many others didn't."

Soobin's ice cream is almost gone now, and he just nods. He gets it. It makes a little more sense now why Yeonjun would try to spare the man further heartache, even if it meant keeping up a pretense.

"I only see him when I come down here. Honestly, I don't understand how he is still working, but he loves his bookshop. I think it keeps him busy. And I always stop by to see him, and every single time he has another story to tell about his husband. Usually, I'm on my own of course. But I think he might have seen himself and his husband in us today. That's why I couldn't tell him." In the corner of his eyes, Soobin sees the way Yeonjun is wiping his hands on his pants, hears him take in a deep breath before he continues. "But I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."