(Soul)mate | Park Jimin

The derisive laughter filled the alley as a pair of friends ran for their life - or so they preferred to name it just for the sake of spectacle. The streetlights gave away their place in the night as they ran, breathless and enthusiastically, very well aware of the police officers, who chased them. Both even heard the colourful words, which had no place in the dictionary, slipped off the officer’s tongue and could only laugh louder at it as they just continue to run.

Yong Dalnim was well aware of the shape her night would take when her friend, Taehyung called her just before she finished her shift. He sounded a little bit bitter even if he tried his best to force joy in his tone as he asked if she had some time for adventure and Dalnim did not miss a beat to give him a positive response. She knew him well enough to understand he had his reason to call her and did not find courage in herself to say how tired she felt. Therefore, only an hour after their call, she found herself in a dark alley of Gangnam, with a spray paint in her hand.

However, as she ran with him at the latest hour of the night with no anxiety about tomorrow in her mind, she noticed how she never felt regret to join Taehyung’s reckless adventure.

She knew sooner or later both of them would be caught, kept in the police station through the night before they would be given back their freedom - as it happened many times before. Yet, she did not mind and believed that she would never as it worthed, even if it was for a short time that Taehyung and she could run without a weight on their shoulders and chaos in their mind.

“Do you think we can give them the slip this time?” asked Taehyung as both of them came to a halt that parted the alley. He rested his hands on his knees to catch his breath and never wiped the cocky smirk that found a place on his lips, whereas Dalnim leaned her back against the wall to stay still.

“We both know that they always get us, Tae,” she replied, her tone breathless.

It was not until both of them stopped that Dalnim noticed how tired she felt. Such that, her legs almost gave up on her if she did not lean against the wall just in time. However, despite the fatigue that hit her body, Dalnim was pleased to hear her own fast heartbeat and just grinned at it.

“I didn’t see Officer Park with them,” stated Taehyung with a mischievous glint in his eyes, which only caused Dalnim to shake her head in disbelief at him. “I doubt others can catch us.”

Dalnim waited only for a brief second before she parted her lips to talk and give Taehyung the response he awaited from her. However, not even a single word slipped from her lips since someone else decided to interrupt her just then.

“I’m grateful for your belief in me, Mr Kim, but don’t you think it isn’t the best place and time for a jog?”

The familiar tone of Officer Park rang in their ears as both Taehyung and Dalnim tilted their heads towards the entrance of the alley, only to catch the sight of the young man they mentioned just seconds ago. He was dressed in his casual jeans and shirt, not the formal uniform, which was an enough for other two to understand that he did not have a shift that night. Park was there either by luck or because other officers called him - aware that only he could catch Dalnim and Taehyung.

“Damn, talk of the devil and he is bound to appear,” uttered Dalnim as she tilted her head to look at Taehyung, only for him to give her a light shrug.

“How could I know that he would really appear?” asked Taehyung as he noticed the way Dalnim narrowed her eyes at him. “Let’s just hope them to at least offer us a glass of water at the police station.”

Officer Park had that knowing look in his eyes as he gave a glass of water to Taehyung before he closed the door of the jail. He tried to appear annoyed - as he already mentioned on the way that it was the only night he hoped to have a proper sleep after such a long time, only if Taehyung did not bother him - but failed to hide his amusement as he sat on the desk across.

“I have to admit, your drawing skills improved. You could barely draw a pen*s just a month ago,” said Officer Park as he directly talked to Taehyung and earned himself a smirk from the other. It seemed like Park already saw their latest masterpiece at Gangnam’s alley and did not hesitate to give a feedback.

However, Dalnim was not sure if he forgot to filter his words because he was still sleepy or simply did not mind to talk in such manner in front of a female. Then again, he was probably so used to seeing Dalnim beside Taehyung that he no longer found a need to be careful of how he talked.

“Practice makes perfect,” said Taehyung before he noticed how wrong his statement sounded and could only laugh at himself. “You got my point, Park.”

The officer shook his head, quite speechless as he did not know what kind of reaction Taehyung awaited from him. Therefore, he just decided to end the conversation about the latest masterpiece and instead tilted his head to look at Dalnim, a small smile climbing his lips.

“It has been a while since I saw you here, Dalnim,” he called in a calm tone - as he indirectly informed her that Taehyung had been around without her.

So, instead of replying to his statement, Dalnim just narrowed her eyes at Taehyung, who could only shrug at her.

“I can’t really promise for regular visits,” she uttered then and broke the eye contact to look at Officer Park, who watched the interaction with pure amusement and not less curiosity. Therefore, once Dalnim met his eyes, he met an attempt to talk, only to be interrupted by another officer that called for his attention.

“I tell you, he is whipped,” said Taehyung once the officer excused himself. He gently bumped his shoulder to Dalnim’s, only for her to let out an annoyed groan. “What? I think he looks like just your type.”

“Since when do you know my type?” questioned Dalnim, her lips parted slightly.

It was not the first time Taehyung teased her about the police officer’s potential interest in her. He began to do so after that one night he woke up to find officer putting his own jacket on Dalnim’s shoulder as she slept and did not stop his teasing ever since - which was not only stupid but annoying, especially when he thought Dalnim shared the interest.

Then again, Dalnim did not blame Taehyung to think so, since Officer Park was not someone to be ignored easily, not when despite the strict work of his, he still carried kindness in him and always approached her in a careful manner. He had good looks as well and was passionate in his work, which only made him more charming than he already was.

However, what Taehyung completely forgot was that Dalnim feared love - or more specifically, feared to hear the words that were inked on her wrist and refused to attach herself to someone romantically.

Besides, it was the reason she wore a band-aid on her wrist anyway. She just did not want to see those words every time her gaze betrayed her to take a quick glance and never wanted anyone else to read it aloud - even if neither was her soulmate.

“I know you well enough to guess your type,” stated Taehyung as an answer and allowed his gaze to follow Dalnim’s action, only to see that she was playing with the band-aid unconsciously. Her fingertips brushed the soft material and her nails pulled the edge until Dalnim noticed what she was doing and let go of her wrist.

“You know that you can’t live with fear if you want to fall in love, right?”

Taehyung’s question was sudden but not unexpected since he was not the only person that asked it to Dalnim. He was aware of that as well since every other people that either knew her reason or not often looked for a chance to question about love and she always tried to find a way to avoid that unwanted attention - and most of the time, she succeeded.

“Tae, this isn’t the best time for this conversation,” said Dalnim still as she hoped for Taehyung to sincerely understand her.

Fortunately for her, he just did as she wished and nodded his head to show he understood. And he really did as Taehyung had his own fear engraved on his wrist, yet somehow managed to approach the situation better than Dalnim did. Therefore, she often admired his courage and sometimes wished to have his mindset.

“I’ll never force you to talk about this, Dalnim,” uttered Taehyung as he shook his head to fix his hair and push it away from his eyes. “But you need to break away from that fear.”

It was only after the night fell on the station and silence slowly hovered over the place that Dalnim found herself playing with the edge of the band-aid again. Taehyung was already asleep, his head against her shoulder and Dalnim knew she had to close her eyes at least for an hour or two as well. However, she failed to do so when her mind just wandered to the inked words on her flesh, the only part of her fate that she knew for sure.

She allowed her nails to play with the edge of the material and locked her eyes at the emptiness as millions of thoughts passed by her - which she could not even focus on. At that moment, Dalnim could only hear Taehyung’s voice in her mind and just managed to let out a deep sigh at it.

You can’t live with fear if you want to fall in love.

It was questionable if she wanted to love or to be loved when the fate of soulmate was gifted to her in a painful way. It was probably sappy but she did not want to love and live with a fear that one day she would hear the exact same words she had on her wrist ever since she was born and lose that person for good. That was just unfair.

“What’s wrong with your face?” the question that rang in her ears woke Dalnim up from her daydream in such a rush that she almost hurt her neck as she tilted her head up. And seemed like, even Officer Park noticed that, as he only curved his brow up and repeated his question once again.

“What of it?” mused Dalnim in a calm tone and watched a glint appear in the officer’s eyes. It seemed like he waited for such question and had his answer prepared, however, the more he stood there the more he hesitated to say it aloud. Therefore, after a couple of attempts he made, in which he opened and closed his mouth without a single sound, he just let out a bitter sigh and allowed a small smile to claim a spot on his plump lips.

“You look like a grumpy cat.”

His statement caused a deep frown to slowly climb on Dalnim’s features and gave him a good laugh when she met his eyes with nothing but disbelief in her own pair.

“Grumpy cat?” repeated Dalnim, “why don’t you try to come here? We can see who would be the grumpy then,” she added like a child that tried to win over an argument and gestured the jail she stood in with a nod - which apparently amused the officer more.

“Well, if you’re so interested in standing beside me, I can grant that wish of yours,” said the young officer suddenly as he reached for the key to open the door of the jail, “your time is up,” he announced, “you can leave the jail and have a cup of morning coffee with me.”

Dalnim paused as she heard the officer’s bold invitation and stared at him with her wide-open eyes, whereas the other coughed awkwardly - as if even he, himself was taken aback by his own statement.

“What do you mean, Park?” uttered Dalnim, her tone reflection hesitation and a piece of untold fear.

“He’s asking you for a date, stupid,” said Taehyung just then as he raised his head from Dalnim’s shoulder to show he was awake and heard everything perfectly. “I’ll be sure that she will come to meet you,” he then turned to talk to the officer, who just grinned at Taehyung and gave him a short nod.

“Well, I’ll wait then,” said the other before he met Dalnim’s eyes for a brief second, “Until then, take care, Miss Grumpy."

Neither Taehyung nor Officer Park noticed the way Dalnim froze on her spot once the latter left with a pleased smile on his lips. They did not even notice that by then Dalnim actually took off the band-aid from her wrist and allowed the ink that engraved on her flesh to stand on display. Even, she, herself did not notice it - at least not until she heard the exact same words slip from the officer’s lips.

Take care, Miss Grumpy.

“Dalnim? Where are you going?”

Dalnim did not wait to explain herself to Taehyung and instead, rushed out of the jail to catch up with the officer. Her hands shook terribly and her legs begged her to stop but her mind said otherwise - she could not let the fate so painfully drop a truth on her face and then took it away so simply.

“Where’s Officer Park?” she asked a coworker of his once she left the jail behind and ran through the corridor with an only aim to find the other.

“He just left,” replied the confused officer, “did something happen?”

It was another question Dalnim left unanswered and she immediately turned to head towards the door. She did not know what to expect or if she was right with her assumption. However, there was only one way for her to find out that.

“Jimin,” called Dalnim as soon as she left the station and caught his sight just when he was about to cross the road. She watched him turn to face her, clearly confused - maybe because she appeared suddenly or maybe because for the first time ever, she called him by his name.

Therefore, he just turned to wait for her as Dalnim ran towards where he stood. However, she never managed to approach her as just then she heard the sound of the horn and saw the light that almost blinded her.

And then, everything was black - until the next time, Dalnim opened her eyes to see a wheel just in front of her eyes and another person that lied not far away.

Her soulmate.