Red String of Fate

"Two souls, worlds apart, bound by an invisible red string of fate-seen only by their hearts."

---

Danielle "Ella" Reid was a college student at Oxford University. She never believed in fate.

Raised by her father alone, she grew up with a front-row view of what she called "a broken illusion." Her parents were joined in an arranged marriage-loveless and cold. When her mother claimed to have found her "true fate," she left. Just like that.

Years later, her mother filed for divorce and married the man she believed was truly hers.

Since then, Ella dismissed fate as nothing more than a selfish excuse.

"My red string of fate? I'm not planning on finding mine." Ella scoffed one evening, staring out the rain-drenched window.

---

On the other side of the world was Yuki Ishikawa, a rising star in Japanese volleyball.

Unlike Ella, Yuki was a believer. He carried the hope quietly in his heart-that somewhere out there, someone was waiting. His soulmate. His fate.

Call him a romantic, call him a fool-he didn't care.

"I believe she's out there," Yuki said with a calm certainty, lacing up his shoes before a game.

"I don't know when or how... but I'll find her. No matter what."