"Okay, the next thing you do it loop your fingers through here. You just go under section five with your thumb and pull it all the way back to section one," you instructed while demonstrating to him how you could make the symbol for a healing spell.

Jisung had suggested having you try riding the bus to school (or to work) after the many times of you teleporting you both there, leading to him having extra minutes of sleep. It was mainly because riding the bus could give him so much more time to spend with you, but he kept claiming that it was to make sure you get the full high school morning experience, which to him simply consisted of waking up late, rushing to get his morning routine done, and meeting with you by the door completely untidied.

It was half-way through the bus ride when he finally remembered to bring up the topic about your magic—how it works, where it came from, what kind of systems there are, and so much more curiosity exploding in his head.

"Do you know if your family is the only household that uses string magic?" Jisung asked as he kept his focus on the pattern on his hands.

After a lot of convincing, he successfully got his hands on one of the strings you had stuffed in your bag. While knowing that the magic would not work on him, since he wasn't born with the blood to activate it, he still wanted to fulfil his curiosity and learn a thing or two about it. He also wanted to earn some bragging rights to his friends about knowing how to make such complicated patterns with just a simple string, but you didn't need to know that.

"No, there are other families that use string magic as well. My family wouldn't run a magic string company if we are the only ones using it, " you replied. "But I am sure that we are the only ones who use it the way we do."

Jisung nodded. "So magic is basically divided into categories."

"Yeah, you can say that!" You nodded in agreement. "String magic is, by itself, a whole category. Each category possess sub-categories that shows the different ways people use the magic. For my family, we utilizes string figures and spells. Each bloodline possesses a uniqueness to them that allows the person only one kind of magic, and–" you paused shortly when you looked at his hands," "no, Jisung. You have to move your index finger over circle two in section three."

The boy groaned faintly under his breath, the tip of his tongue poking out in concentration as he delicately moved his fingers in fear that he would make a mistake and cause the whole build-up to crumble. You beamed at him when he successfully mirrored the symbol on your hand, causing him to sigh in accomplishment.

"Finally!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up due to the impulse of the moment. And as his face morphed into one of shocked, he quickly lowered his hands and made sure he did not ruin the pattern. "How fast can you usually do this?"

You looked at the green string around your fingers and hummed, tilting your head to the side. You have not thought about time frame in a while. After learning all the base patterns that exists as the first step in every patterns that existed, you never really thought about how fast or accurate you have been making the string figures. It was something you could do with your eyes closed and in quick speed.

"Well, this is a more complicated symbol since this is a really big spell, so this will normally take me a second longer than usual," you replied. "But for the easier spells, no more than a second. My family made me practice a lot when I was younger. My family do have a reputation of being one of the more resilient magic users. We think quick and we act quick!"

Jisung gasped in awe, nodding his head in approval. What took him a full, twenty-minute journey to school to do could be done by you in under seconds! It made him feel proud, somehow, to know that you mastered such a complex skill. He wondered how you would fend in normal academics; would Mathematics be your strength?

"What is this spell for?" he asked, staring at it with intrigue as he wriggled his fingers, imagining how it would feel if he had the magic to use it.

"This is a healing spell. A very strong one, like giant gashes and bullet wounds," you said. "The stronger ones tend to fix you right away, so there is no need to go to the hospital. The medium spells usually does patches on big wounds so you can buy time to get actual help."

"Oh..." Jisung nodded before he looked at you with furrowed brows. "Have you guys found the cure to cancer yet?"

"Jisung, we do magic, not miracles." You rolled your eyes with a snorted laugh. "We can buy some time and alleviate pain, but I think regular medicine and chemotherapy also do the same thing. Except you guys pay thousands of dollars for it and we just..." you looked at your hands and grimaced with a mutter, "do it ourselves?"

"Imagine! DIY cancer treatments!" He hollered out a laugh, almost doubling over dramatically but thought better of it because of the fragile string woven between his fingers. "If someone invented that, it would cost thousands for us to have one kit."

"Hey, maybe someday they will figure it out," you said. "And I promise I will learn it so you can grab a free ride through me."

"Or maybe you will figure it out! These strings feel very trustworthy," he joked, arching his brow at you as a bashful smile appeared on his face.

"Sure. Hello, I'm [Name], the cancer cure founder," you joked grimly, looking at your hands. "If my own people didn't take me out years ago, your government will."

After a moment of thought, you finally decided to let go of the patterned string. You stared at the shimmering line, the sun bouncing off the celestial lights printed on the material, and you felt your eyes glass over with nostalgia. It looked just like the way it was when your parents first introduced you to it. It was such a shame that you could never look at the strings with the same amount of delight you used to anymore.

"I can't even cure my uncle, not to mention cancer." You shoved the string back into your pocket and crossed your arms.

It was a fatal flaw of yours; your lack of knowledge.

Magic is diverse. Like the skeletons in every families' closet, every bloodline utilises a category of magic uniquely, and each families within the bloodline will have a slightly different variation of the craft. You have not learned enough about other types of magic for you to fully understand how to defend yourself and others entirely from it.

An simple spell is still a unique spell. Sometimes the simpler it is, the harder it is to understand. If you never learn in-depth about other categories of magic, you will have a hard time reversing them.

Unfortunately, that was the case with your uncle.

Jisung frowned, his arms lowering in front of him at your dejected state. He still could not imagine, and he knew he never would be able to imagine how it feels to have to constantly worry about a bedridden loved one from across a city, one that was filled with people trying to exploit your life.

He supposed he couldn't have helped you any better, but sincerely, he wished that he could have at least been there for you. That he blamed it on the universe for messing up. How could it put you both in such different worlds but still tie your fate strings together? How dare the universe let his soulmate suffer so much without his presence there for moral support?

"I'm sorry I can't help out with that," Jisung muttered under his breath suddenly, gaining your full attention. His steps slowed and he looked over at you, a serious expression replacing his once goofy smile. "And I know this isn't my fault, but I never got to say I'm sorry for not being able to be there for you when everything happened."

It just made him feel so frustrated. You escaped your city years ago yet somehow, you two have never crossed paths before. He could have given you a home earlier, he could have helped shoulder your survival responsibilities earlier. He could have done so many things for you, but he wasn't able to and he didn't. And even though he was not at fault, he could not help but feel incompetent in some way. He resented his past for not having you in it.

"Jisung, this isn't your fault."

"I know," he said, gulping down a knot. "I just wish it could have been my fault. That way I might have been able to do something about it, at least."

You bit your lower lip. God, Jisung is so lovely. He is so damn lovely. His voice, his heart, his attitude, and everything. He was just born with it, wasn't he? He was just born precious as such, born with immense empathy, born with the capacity to care and to love like no other.

And anytime when it would dawn upon you that you got the privilege to experience how tender he has learned to cradle one's heart, and how you could now laugh in a world where he exists right next to you, you just freeze with a mindful pull in your chest. Your heart falls to your sleeve, beating at the sight of him, beating for him.

And you love him. You really do love him.

"You can be here for me from now on," you said quietly, not looking at him.

Jisung softened. These cheesy lines were starting to become less and less rare, and he was so delighted to see the progress of you becoming more and more comfortable with him. Your heart was finally settling down alongside his. He nodded enthusiastically. "I will, I promise."

A small snort escaped from behind you both. You could not recognize the voice but Jisung certainly could. Widening his eyes, he spun around and glared at Hyunjin, who had probably been listening long enough for him to make Jisung's lunchtime a living hell hours later. Pink blushes quickly formed on Jisung's cheeks at the thought of it.

"Good morning, Jisung," Hyunjin greeted slyly.

You watched as Jisung shoved his friend on the shoulder before grabbing him by the collar and pushing him back. Hyunjin was giggling and not attempting to get Jisung off of him, clearly enjoying the moment of Jisung's misery.

"How long have you been listening?" Jisung asked in a low whine.

"Long enough to hear you make that cheesy promise," Hyunjin snickered out. He then feigned a pout, his lower lip jutting out dramatically as he blinked his eyes until they looked soft enough to be romantic. Tilting his head to the side, he dialed his voice up and mocked, "I promise I will stay with you forever. I love you so much, oh my god–"

"I will end you right here, right now," Jisung threatened, which didn't feel much like a threat after he clamped his palm over Hyunjin's mouth.

Hyunjin rolled his eyes and peeled Jisung's hand away from him. He stepped away, finally settling his eyes on you before he did a curious head tilt, scanning you from head to toe. Jisung frowned from the side, feeling the uncomfortable tension rise in his chest as you challengingly held Hyunjin's gaze for longer than he liked. You looked rigid, like the first time he met you.

"Stop staring," Jisung groaned, reaching up to smack Hyunjin's cheek and mess up his hair when he turned away to dodge the attack.

"You two are the reason why people think students from our school are ill-disciplined." A calm Seungmin has appeared from behind the two, brushing past them and stopping in front of you with the same amount curiosity Hyunjin showed you. After a moment of silence, he nodded. "My name is Seungmin, a pleasure to meet you."

"And I'm Felix!"

Your eyes widened at the shorter boy who popped up from behind Seungmin. Damn, there were just more and more of them!

Awkwardly, you gave them both a nod of acknowledgment before you said, "My name is [Name]."

"And that one over there is Hyunjin," Seungmin motioned over to the black-haired boy, who gave you a sweet smile as he continued to struggle with the loose headlock Jisung was desperately trying to put him in.

Seungmin rolled his eyes at the two, inwardly fed up with their morning antics but not having the energy to break them apart. He spent most of his time finishing multiple assignments yesterday night. He as not an ounce of energy for fun. "Those two are always on about something. They can get pretty physical with each other."

Felix snorted at the mistranslated connotation, causing Jisung to finally let go of Hyunjin and return his attention to you three. He was frowning, embarrassment mixed with annoyance crossing his face when he approached you once again, giving Seungmin a glare in the process.

"Can you not say it like that?" Jisung complained, crossing his arms with a scoff.

"There is nothing wrong with the way I said it. You just took it the wrong way," Seungmin shrugged. "There is also nothing wrong with what I said. Who cares, seriously?"

Jisung grumbled under his breath, his pout more permanent now as he sulked with shrunken shoulders. He was feeling down about the fact that Hyunjin ruined such a nice moment you two were sharing. What you said was a token of your acceptance, or at least he took it that way. You telling him that he could stay by your side meant that you really have become decided you would no longer suffer alone.

But that was ruined now. And then the rest of his friend group went ahead and joined in when he could have just tried to shoo Hyunjin away so he could resume talking to you about anything.

Seeing his sudden grim state, you raised a brow and reached out to pat his arm. When Jisung looked at you, you tilted your head, your eyes asking all the questions you needed to ask, and Jisung replied the same way you asked him: with his soul leaping through the windows of his eyes. It was a conversation without words, and that alone showed a kind of bond all his friends could see has grown to be close-knitted and sacred in some way.

"Oh my god, Hyunjin! I think you might have jinxed it when you said soulmates," Felix mentioned quietly, his eyes fixated on you both when you gave Jisung's arm another nudge to make him smile. His heart was pounding, his head wandering off into a romantic space as he imagined one day when he could find someone he could talk to by just looking at them.

"Again? Felix, don't be ridiculous." Seungmin waved his hand dismissively. "Soulmates don't exist."

The words hung on the top of Seungmin's tongue, and somehow the words felt wrong when he looked at you two again. The way Jisung was looking at you and the way he was smiling at you—Seungmin didn't see it, he felt it. It was different; his eyes crinkled a little more than usual so the space within could only hold your image, his lips quirked without effort to show how euphoric he feels just being there with you.

The way Jisung looked at you was different than the way he looked at everyone else. And the more he looked, the more Seungmin wondered if Jisung knew that himself.

A tap on his shoulder shook him out of his thoughts, and Seungmin barely turned his head over to the person in response. Felix breathed out a short laugh when he saw the gaze Seungmin had fixed on you and Jisung, uncertain as to why he was suddenly so concentrated but knowing it was something he could tease him about anyway. Felix smacked Seungmin's shoulder harshly to gain his full attention, rolling his eyes playfully when Seungmin glared at him.

"Do you want to invite [Name] to hang out with us after school today?" Felix asked, motioning towards you.

"I don't care. Ask Hyunjin." Seungmin shrugged.

"Really? You stare a lot for someone who doesn't care," Felix responded.

Seungmin scoffed then. Whatever Felix was thinking about, which he could assume was something related to some dramatic romance, he was not feeling it. He just had a little frozen moment upon feeling disbelief in what he had always thought was true: the fact that soulmate didn't exist. He had always been so against the idea because of what he mentioned to Felix before: people desire it when they can never have it, and there is no point in chasing over a petty ideal.

Besides, people will never love each other so strongly like that. There was no way.

"Jisung feels different, don't you think?" Seungmin asked gently, his hands tightening on the strap of his school bag.

Felix raised a brow and looked over at his friend before he turned back to Seungmin, a shrug leaving his shoulders. "Not really."

Seungmin sighed. Perhaps it was just him and his tendency to detect changes because Jisung felt different to him. He was still as fulfilling and bright as he used to be, but it wasn't just him anymore. The blinding innocence in Jisung's eyes, the way he speaks, and his gestures and everything had started to be able to look softer, as if there were extra he could give but he was holding back for something.

Everything about him went from shining for himself to a light that learned to accommodate somebody else. Jisung used to feel like he has all the love for the entire world, now he felt like he had put space aside to love a special someone. And it was not a mystery who that special someone would be.

"Whatever then, forget I ever said anything." Seungmin shrugged before he marched forward to catch up with the rest, urging Felix to follow behind.

When the two finally approached you both, the first thing Felix did was strike up a conversation with you.

"We saw you with Jisung that one time and we have been meaning to introduce ourselves for a long time," he beamed. "We never got the chance, though. And Jisung is so against us meeting you for some reason."

"He thinks we are going to steal you from him," Hyunjin joked with a roll of his eyes.

Amused, you arched a brow at Jisung, who groaned with a faint blush on his face. He thought the teasing would end earlier but turned out, it has just begun. Starting with his mini crush on you when you two first met each other to the strong affection his feelings have gradually blossomed into now. He would not be getting out of his hellhole in a long time, he knew.

"You overestimate yourself," you muttered, turning your usual annoyed look—the signature dead eyes and the furrowed brows—at Hyunjin.

"Hah," Hyunjin mused with a growing smirk, completely unfazed by your lack of enthusiasm, causing your frown to deepen. Suppose optimism runs in the friend group, but in this case, it felt like a massive load of ego.

"Anyway, we were thinking maybe you'd want to tag along with us to shop after school!" Felix asked, then he turned to Jisung, the smile on his face dimming slightly. "I hope you didn't forget we planned to hang out today."

Jisung clicked his tongue in annoyance, finding it very disappointing that his friend had such little faith in him. "I remember," he replied before looking at you and whispering, "I was going to tell you about it but I guess they beat me to it."

"You don't have to tell me if you're gonna hang out with your friends, Jisung," you muttered.

"Well, I mean–since we always go home together, I figured you should know," Jisung grumbled, his mind short-circuiting as he tried to make up a reason why he felt the need to tell you everything he does that did not involve you. He did realize how much he had made it seem like he was reporting to a significant other about his whereabouts, and perhaps that was what got him all flustered about it.

Seeing his friend being rendered speechless so quickly, Hyunjin rolled his eyes and let out a short scoff. He hasn't seen Jisung like this since back in freshman year when he fell briefly—uhh, not quite—in love. Even back then he hadn't looked at the girl the way he looked at you today. A crush would suffice, though.