赤い糸 - Red String of Fate | JeongSa - MiChaeng

Chapter 10 - Mina Superpower

Jeongyeon's jaw dropped

For a full five seconds, she sat frozen, eyes darting from her wrist to Mina's face. 

Mina... my soulmate?

Her mind spun. This was the exact nightmare she'd been avoiding—soulmates, destiny, all that magical nonsense.

Across from her, Mina was covering her mouth, shoulders trembling with suppressed laughter. The mischievous glint in her eyes gave her away.

"I'll explain later," she said between chuckles. "For now, let's leave it to your imagination"

Jeongyeon gaped. Her chest felt tight, her thoughts a chaotic spiral.

omaga... how can Mina and I be soulmates? This can't be real...I'm not ready for this!

By the time class ended, Jeongyeon still wore that same bewildered look, like someone who had just been told the earth was flat. Mina kept laughing every time their eyes met. She was having fun teasing Jeongyeon.

"Pfft—Jeong, please stop making that face. You're killing me," Mina wheezed.

Jeongyeon spun around, eyes wide. "Mina! Y-you're my soulmate?!"

Mina burst into full-blown laughter, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "No wayyy look" She held up her bare wrist for Jeongyeon to see. "Nothing there, right?"

"H-huh?"

"Relax. It's not me. I just... can see things other people can't"

Jeongyeon blinked, mind blown all over again. "...Wait. You can see other people's red strings?"

"Mm-hm" Mina grinned, clearly enjoying Jeongyeon's suffering.

—

They ended up at a small café down the street. The smell of roasted beans and warm pastries wrapped around them as they found a corner booth.

Jeongyeon glanced at the menu, still rattled, and blurted out, "Two Ameri—wait, um... two yogurt smoothies, please"

Mina raised an eyebrow. "Yogurt? Since when do you drink that?"

Jeong scratched the back of her neck. "Uh... just wanna try the new menu"

In truth, she didn't even know why the words slipped out. Normally she stuck to coffee or tea. Sour-sweet stuff wasn't her thing. Yet the moment she saw it listed, she remembered Sana sipping it the other day, and... ordered out of curiousity.

Why am I drinking this? she thought, staring suspiciously at the pink swirl in her glass. I used to hate this kind of taste. Did my tongue evolve?

Mina sipped hers happily. "Well, since you asked earlier... I'll explain properly now"

Jeongyeon leaned forward, trying to push aside her confusion.

"So," Mina began, voice soft but steady, "I have this weird ability that I can see red strings, but I can't see mine"

Jeong's throat went dry. She instinctively glanced at her own wrist.

"As time goes on, the string grows longer," Mina continued. "It stretches out, pulling toward the other end. Eventually, it encircles your wrist completely, connecting you to your soulmate. And their string will match yours—in length, in placement"

Jeongyeon's heart thudded loudly in her ears.

"Because you're connected, soulmates can sometimes feel each other's emotions. Physical things too, in rare cases" Mina stirred her drink slowly. "But... it's not always like fairytales, some strings snap, some couples break, like glass shattering. Magic doesn't guarantee perfection"

The words sank heavy into Jeongyeon's chest. She stared down at the faint thread encircling her wrist, her expression darkening.

"...Is it possible to delay it?" she whispered. "Or... break it?"

Mina tilted her head. "Delay? No. Time doesn't wait, break it? Not that easy, especially for normal people without powers" She hesitated, eyes narrowing. "Forcing it could... cost you everything, the worst is, death..."

Jeongyeon's stomach dropped. Her fingers curled tight around the glass

"I..." she swallowed. "I-I don't want this. Not yet. I'm not ready."

"So you want to break it?" Mina asked quietly.

"Y-yes?" Jeong stammered.

Without warning, Mina reached into her bag and pulled out a shiny pair of scissors. "Well then, shall I do for you?"

Jeong's eyes nearly popped out of her skull. "Wha—NO, NO, NO! Put that away!" She yanked her hand to her chest, shielding her wrist.

"I thought I heard you say yes" 

"It's not that I want to break it, I'm... just scared to find out" Jeongyeon's voice trailed off.

Mina gives Jeongyeon a shoulder hug, to comfort this little scared kiddo. "Hey. It's okay" she murmured. "I get it, It's scary, But you're not alone in this"

Jeongyeon's throat tightened.

"Whenever you need me," Mina added, her voice gentle but firm, "you can call, text, or just ring my doorbell. Twenty-four seven, special service just for you" She flashed a reassuring smile.

For the first time that day, Jeongyeon managed a small, shaky laugh. "...Thank you, Mina."

She exhaled slowly, eyes drifting once more to the faint red string glimmering against her skin. The sight still terrified her. Yet Mina's warmth at her side dulled the edge of her fear—if only for now.

.

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<Next Chapter will be Tzuyu Pov>