Soulmate Series | SVT

Not Mine

Choi Seungcheol didn't understand why his father and mother weren't together.

At the young age of five, Seungcheol's parents had gotten a divorce, resulting in him living with his mother. He was too young to understand why his parents weren't living in the same house, too young to understand the concept of soulmates, too young to be have his heart crushed in such a manner.

-

Nearing the tender age of ten, Seungcheol's arm started to have words appearing on it. "Of course I'm going to say yes!" was printed across the back of his forearm in an inky black. "Mom, what does this mean?" Seungcheol frowned, rubbing at the words. She smiled gently, patting his head, "Those are the words your soulmate is going to say when you see them for the first time, Cheol." Seungcheol's eyes brightened instantly, reaching up to grab his mother's sleeve before she could walk away.

"Mom, what's a soulmate?"

-

As he turned nineteen, he started to wonder if he would ever get to meet his soulmate. After he began hitting puberty, he noticed that his friends started to run off during lunches, or disappear after they played sports together.

"I've found my soulmate, Cheol. She's amazing and it feels like I'm meant to be with her. I never want to leave her side."

Grumbling softly to himself, Seungcheol slumped on a bench, gripping the soda bottle tightly between his hands. He missed his friends, but understood why they didn't come around to hang out anymore. He wondered if he would ever get to meet his soulmate. What did it feel like to be together with someone that was meant just for him?

He hoped he would find out soon.

-

Nearing his thirties, the twenty-seven year old Seungcheol sighed at his desk. It'd been seventeen years since he found out what his soulmate was going to say to him when they first met. With all his friends having found their soulmates, even the youngest, he was starting to feel alone.

I'm worried for you. I think of you everyday. Why are you so hard to find? Seungcheol's brain wouldn't leave the idea of finding and having his soulmate in his arms. He wished time would speed up, he wanted to find the only person he would truly love.

When he hit thirty, Seungcheol was astounded when he got a birthday surprise from his friends. "We missed you, you old man!" A cheeky Mingyu nudged the older, grinning as he handed him his birthday present. A sheepish Wonwoo scratched the nape of his neck, "I hope you'll like the present we got you, hyung!"

During the celebrations, one of his friends came up to him. "Cheol, I know this is your birthday, but I wanted to propose to my girlfriend today. She's my soulmate, and I want to share this moment with everyone." Minghao smiled shyly, twiddling his thumbs. Seungcheol ruffled Minghao's hair, like a father would to his son. "Of course, Hao. I wish you all the best."

After getting dragged around and being formally introduced to Chan's soulmate, Seungcheol was tired. Going through so many couples just reminded him of how alone he really was. No, Cheol. Cheer up for Minghao. He has his big proposal tonight! With that, the eldest of the lot picked up his familar grin once more.

"Ahem." Minghao tapped on the mic, visibly nervous. He'd asked the band hired for the evening to pause for a while, and apologized for stealing their limelight. "Firstly, happy birthday to Seungcheol hyung. Without you, many things would not be possible today, and we will always remember everything you have done for us." Seungcheol sniffled lightly at this.

"Secondly, I want to thank him for letting me do this. As many of you know, I have found my soulmate while I was in China. I never got the chance to introduce her to any of you, and would like to do so now. But before I do, I have a question for her."

"Will you marry me?" Minghao pulled the box from his pocket, and got down on one knee. Hearing a squeal from someone, all heads turned to focus on the sound. "Of course I'm going to say yes!" The crowd burst into laughter as Minghao was practically tackled to the ground.

But Seungcheol couldn't laugh. It had been so long, a full thirty years of waiting, of yearning for his soulmate and she was finally right in front of him.

It then set in that she was Minghao's soulmate. Xu Minghao, his buddy, his friend, and that was when Seungcheol knew what he had to do.

He would let her go.

-

When Seungcheol was fifteen, he had a conversation with his mother. "Mom, I know you hate talking about this, but why aren't you and dad together anymore?" She had smiled bitterly, before taking his hands in hers. "Remember how I told you your dad was my soulmate?" The teen nodded, hooked onto every word his mother spoke.

"He was never mine."