Act. 8 | Stray Kids Imagines

[our connection is by design]

The business of Fate was a grueling one, and like any sane office worker, you did everything in your power to evade overtime.

After a quick read through your agenda, you teleported to your first assignment: ID AS2810-48B-00267. What you expected to find upon your arrival was a newborn, tiny fingers bare and awaiting their Strings of Fate. What you didn't expect was that someone seemed to have beat you to it.

The Red Strings of Fate were three, interlaced with different colors to represent different connections. A string woven from sunlight for positive connections, a string woven from the darkest night for negative connections, and a white string woven from the clouds for neutral connections.

You stared at the red and black String already tied to the infant's pinky, a frown scrunching your brows. You'd recognize that classic knot anywhere, for only one person in your division preferred the bow knot in their work.

There is wisdom in the simplicity of the classics, or whatever he liked to say.

Steeling your patience, you procured your agenda once more, a long list of humans to visit and weave negative connections for, and teleported with a blink to the next assignment.

"You've got to be kidding."

The same bow knot stared back at you, this time paired with a red and gold String mimicking a flower. Hyunjin's work, no doubt. Ever the romantic, you've had the misfortune of seeing him dreamily tie his flower-shaped knots while gushing over the beautiful connections that await.

Something was wrong, and you looked again at your agenda. Twice was a coincidence, albeit a bizarre one, but thrice was a problem.

You chose a number a little farther down the list then found yourself transported to a quiet NICU room. To your great dismay, there he stood, in a crisp black suit like your own, tying off the negative connection you were supposed to make.

You marched up to him, seething. "Hey..."

Minho turned, sharp features slackening with disinterest. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that question!" you exclaimed. "Why the hell are you stealing my assignments?"

"What?" he blinked, disbelief marring his face. "Why would I do such a thing?"

"Bullshit. My agenda says I'm making the starting knot for this human."

"No," he stressed, pulling out his clipboard from where it was tucked under his arm. He skimmed the list then tapped at an ID, turning an exasperated glare on you. "I have this human assigned for a starting knot."

"Oh for god's sake—!" you groaned and took out your agenda for comparison. Crowding over the papers, the two of you read in silence.

78 starting knots, 107 branching connections. Repeating IDs.

You exchanged a wordless look with Minho, and — fwip! — you were back at headquarters, facing the plain door of the logistics department.

Minho knocked before opening the door, tentative so as to not disturb the busiest division of the office. "Sorry to disrupt, but we've got..."

He trailed away, and you spotted the object of his daze. There on the floor, hidden amid mountains of papers, the head of logistics wailed in his hands, "I can't remember the last time I tasted sweet sleep—I can't even recall the way the sun looks anymore! And they still won't hire more interns!"

You grimaced. It was common knowledge that the logistics department was understaffed and overworked, but this was the first time you'd seen Seungmin in such shambles, the poor guy...