Archive of Our Own

1. 서울 (SEOUL) - THE MEETING

Soonyoung’s screaming cuts into his peripheral, forcing Seungkwan to lean over to hear Joshua better, who is explaining how his sound setup works in a level of detail he knows he won’t care to remember. He nods along anyway, only taking a moment to glance up and see what Soonyoung is screaming about. Jeonghan is pushing him across the floor of the venue in a desk chair on wheels, dubiously encouraging and enabling Soonyoung’s ever-questionable decisions.

“And the most important thing to listen out for is if the sound is frying when a song is loud, because that means one of these is up too high. You might have to change each one around a little until you’ve found a good balance, but you can’t let the mic get quieter than the music.”

Junhui, standing next to him, nods knowingly. “Then you wouldn’t be able to hear him,” he tells Seungkwan, like he’s imparting important wisdom.

“Of course,” Seungkwan says. Whenever he’s helped out behind stages before, he’s never had too much to do with the sound team. Then again, the sort of sound team he’s used to is community bands acting as orchestras, or young children that need prompting to hold the microphone to their mouth before they sing. A world tour for an up-and-coming rap star is a bit of a different situation.

“I’ll take you to Seokmin next. He does the lighting!”

“I know,” he says, and the two of them look around for where Seokmin might be. It seems Junhui doesn’t have a clue either. “It’s okay, I hear a lot about his work. He’s one of my soulmates, we live together. We can skip him.”

“Oh, of course! Seokmin is the one who recommended you, right? Don’t you know Soonyoung too?”

“Unfortunately,” he sighs. Out of the corner of his eye, he’s watching Vernon talking with his bassist, Mingyu, as the band set up on stage for rehearsal. “I’m going to go and introduce myself to Vernon, actually, I think that would be pretty helpful before the tour kicks off. We can continue with your guided tour after…?”

“Sure, good idea!” Junhui says, excitable, fast, stumbling over his own words as he has been this whole time. “I forgot you hadn’t met him yet!”

“Right,” Seungkwan says, nodding and already taking off towards the stage. “Be right back!”

Junhui thankfully stays chatting with Joshua as Seungkwan makes his way up on stage. The drummer Jihoon is also up on stage setting up, while Jeonghan’s keyboard isn’t anywhere to be seen. He can distantly hear Soonyoung still screaming somewhere in the hallways of the building.

“Vernon-ssi,” he starts, coming up to him from behind, and Vernon breaks off in his conversation to turn Seungkwan’s way. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you, sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to say hello to you properly before we start working together.”

“Oh, hi!” Vernon says, slightly surprised and surprisingly bright, like he’s meeting a friend in an unexpected place. “It’s me who should be doing this, really. Thank you so much for coming on board at such late notice, you’re doing us a huge favour.”

“Thank you for hiring me without even meeting me!” Seungkwan rebuts, flustered. Vernon is ridiculously good-looking this close up—he doesn’t know why Seokmin hadn’t warned him about this beforehand. “The stars must’ve aligned for us to be here.”

“It was an easy decision. Seokmin recommended you, and you guys are soulmates, right? So I just knew you’d be good. It was a no-brainer.”

“We are, yes,” he smiles. “He’s great, isn’t he?”

Vernon nods, eyes flicking around Seungkwan’s face though his expression remains pleasantly passive. “He is. You guys are lucky to have each other. He’s talked about you a bit before, actually, so I’m glad I finally got to meet you.”

Seungkwan’s cheeks burn. “He’s talked about you too, never shuts up about how much he loves working with your crew. I had to see what it was like for myself.”

Vernon smiles now, a little lopsided thing that makes his eyes seem brighter. “It’s going to be even better now we’re finally a full crew. Have you met everyone?”

“Barely,” he responds, tearing his eyes away from Vernon to wave towards Mingyu. “I’m working on it.”

“Take your time. You can treat tonight as a training night if you like, learning the ropes and all that. We just needed an extra hand on tour and another friend to fill up the bus bunk, to be honest. You can learn the routine the guys are in and stick with whatever you do best.”

“I’m sure Chan won’t agree with that,” Jihoon says from his low seat on the drum kit. “He’ll have you running around doing everything as soon as he can.”

“That’s true.” Vernon says, slightly regretfully. “Watch out for him. You don’t have to do everything he says.”

“Isn’t he your manager?”

Vernon shrugs. “He’s also the maknae. We can push him around a little bit.”

Jihoon cackles with glee as Jeonghan appears on stage at last, Soonyoung carrying his keyboard in tow.

“What is it you actually do, Hyung?” Seungkwan asks him. Though he’s here to be a bit of a floater amongst the team, he knows the others do actually have jobs they’re supposed to be doing right now in setting up the rehearsal.

“I’m on sound with Joshy!” Soonyoung says. “You didn’t know that?”

“I should’ve guessed. You’re always in charge of being loud.”

“That’s what we were doing,” Jeonghan says, gesturing innocently to the abandoned desk chair just off to the left of the stage. “Getting the keyboard from the bus.”

“Somehow I think you didn’t take the most direct route,” Minghao says from the venue floor, where he’s working on thoroughly securing down all of Joshua’s wires. “Vernon, haven’t you got your mic stand?”

“No, but I thought we were only using one for the middle section of the set?”

Seungkwan peers over at Soonyoung setting up the keyboard for Jeonghan, trying to look like he’s learning something rather than getting in everyone’s way. Vernon moves off-stage behind him to solve the mic stand problem.

“Is there anyone else I have to meet?” he asks Soonyoung, who has his tongue between his teeth as he aims the aux cord into the right port on the keyboard. “Seokmin brought me around to meet Seungcheol and Wonwoo earlier, then kind of left me with Junhui. I don’t even know where any of them are now. Shouldn’t one of Vernon’s bodyguards always be around him?”

“He’s probably bribing Seungcheol into helping him take the lighting equipment up to the second floor,” Jihoon says, pointing up at the balcony over the venue floor. “Seokmin likes to make his own checks of the venue equipment. Also, it’s a stretch to call Seungcheol and Wonwoo bodyguards. They’re general security, so they’re keeping us all safe and checking the venue too.”

“Do you think I should sit with them for the rehearsal?” he asks. He hates this learning phase of starting something new, where he has to figure out where he fits in the existing scheme of things, where he doesn’t know all the answers to what needs to happen in exactly what order. Though Vernon had explicitly given him permission to take it easy today, he can’t deny there’s pressure in joining a small tour crew at literally the very last minute, the day the tour begins.

Jeonghan is stretching out his back like an old man, as if he’d done any heavy lifting to get his keyboard onto the stage. “If you like. Though Junhui will probably gladly walk you through merch prices while we’re all rehearsing, if you’re starting out with that.”

“Right, I should know that,” he says, worrying the skin around his nail. Vernon steps back up on stage with a mic stand, placing it down in the centre of the stage.

“Not there,” Minghao says, but Vernon doesn’t seem to notice him, walking over to speak to Seungkwan again.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t know right away, really. It doesn’t even matter if you don’t know by the end of the tour. It just helps to have extra hands.”

“Don’t worry, I’m a quick learner. I just need to get into a routine. Watching the rehearsal will help, I think.” He gestures over in Minghao’s direction. “I think he wants you.”

Vernon shrugs, like Seungkwan working the job he was hired for isn’t a high priority to him, then picks the mic stand back up and wordlessly moves it to the left.

“Not there either,” Minghao says, long-suffering. “Further back. Yes, there.”

“Rehearsal is pretty fun though,” Vernon says, turning back to Seungkwan again. “Heads up, there are about fifty sound-check tickets for each show, so we’ll have some fans in here in the next twenty minutes or so. If anyone asks you for something you don’t know, just pass them over to Minghao or Chan. They’re the two managers, it’s their job to know everything.”

“Production manager,” a new voice says, stepping onto the stage from the back. “Minghao is the production manager, it’s completely different to me, can you please keep that in mind?”

“Sure, but you’re both managers, and you do both know everything, right?”

Chan gives him an incredulous look. “How many performances have you done now? You think we’re the only ones in the room that know what’s going on?”

“Yes,” Mingyu says from behind Vernon. He’s been patiently standing with his guitar the whole time, like a big guard dog told to wait. “Minghao makes all our roles work together, and you make all our personalities work together. We’d fall apart, otherwise.”

Chan rolls his eyes, but the curl of his mouth betrays how pleased he is with the compliment. “Fine, sure. You’re Seungkwan, I hope? Not some crazy fan broken inside too early?”

“Yup, this is Seungkwan!” Soonyoung says proudly, coming over to clap his shoulder. “The one and only!”

“He’s my soulmate!” Seokmin’s high voice calls from the balcony overhead. “So be nice to him! It’s his first day!”

“I’m okay! I’m not a child starting school!” Seungkwan shouts back.

“I love you!” Seokmin only calls in return, and Seungkwan smiles. If he taps into their bond, focuses a little, he can feel the smile on Seokmin’s face echoing back at him.

Their bond is a bit more unusual in that he can feel Seokmin stronger the closer they are—often bonds will work the other way, and he can smell when his mother is making jjigae from across an ocean, or feel the resonating pain of his sister breaking up with her boyfriend from the other side of the country. Soul bonds are meant to ease the pain of distance, supplement physical separation so you can always be with those you love. He and Seokmin are too tactile for that, he supposes, and have a certain need to know they’re fulfilling each other when together rather than apart.

“Good God,” Chan says, eyeing Seungkwan up again. “You’re Seokmin’s soulmate. Why did you hire him again?”

Vernon only laughs, hitting his arm. “Don’t be like that, you know he’s going to fit in with us if he’s Seokmin’s soulmate.”

Chan’s stern demeanour breaks, and he laughs too. “Alright, I know, I know. But seriously, we need to get on with sound check. I don’t know how much longer Wonwoo can hold back the VIP tickets at the door. Shua, how are we doing?”

Everyone sets to work on their respective tasks after that, Minghao going around to make sure everything is exactly how he wants it to be. Lights sputter into life overhead as Seokmin finally gets to work, and Junhui takes Seungkwan to the back of the room where they start to set up the merch booth together. They have a surprisingly good view of the room from back here, so Seungkwan pauses from his task of laying out hoodies to watch as a small huddle of fans fill the room, Vernon sitting on the edge of the stage and greeting them like they’re old friends. Only when Minghao starts sending hand signals does he get up and stand where he’s supposed to, beginning to run through a few songs the crowd clearly know by heart.

Seungkwan is most surprised by the diverse set of people Vernon’s music seems to have enticed; there’s a range of ages, from younger teenagers through to the middle aged-man awkwardly standing and nodding at the back, younger women and men in their thirties all feeling the music in the same way. Vernon pauses a little between each song as Soonyoung comes up to adjust equipment or Joshua fiddles with something over at the sound booth, and casually fills the gaps with questions directed towards the crowd about where they’re from or what their favourite songs are. Someone references a song that makes Vernon happy, pointing at them and laughing in a way that makes his whole face change, almost shocking in comparison with the mild show of emotion from before.

“I haven’t heard that name in a while. Maybe I’ll throw that one in there tonight just for you.”

After sound-check is over, Vernon leaves to wait backstage, so the fans start to disperse around the venue to buy drinks and get first dibs at the merch stall. Seungkwan hangs back and watches as Junhui does the first few transactions, then does a few of his own while the queue is still short and quiet. He’s anticipating it being much more hectic once general admissions start to arrive.

Seokmin comes around to pick him up after a while, taking him backstage as Vernon and the band get changed. There’s not too much going on, but he does come face to face with Chan again, who gives the two of them a questioning look.

“Did you need something?”

“I’m still showing Seungkwan around,” Seokmin insists before going to sit beside Jihoon, who is stolidly watching something on his phone.

“Oh, are you?” Seungkwan asks, suggestive though he doesn’t need to be. He and Seokmin can both feel Seokmin’s interest down the bond, and Seokmin makes an offended face at him as he nudges Jihoon. Jihoon barely even glances up at him, and Seungkwan sends him a push of his own teasing judgement and a little encouragement down the bond. Of all the people Seokmin had to pick, it had to be the grumpy little drummer boy.

“He’s got a chance,” Jeonghan stage-whispers from beside him, leaning in with a minx-like grin. “Jihoon looks icy, but he’s fond of him really.”

“Jeonghan, come here, your shirt isn’t buttoned up right,” Minghao says, pushing his way in front of Seungkwan while Jeonghan looks at him incredulously.

“How can my shirt not be buttoned up right?”

Seungkwan side-steps, feeling like he’s in the way of more competent and busy members of the crew once again. He ends up in front of Vernon, who is bouncing on the balls of his feet and shaking his arms out, and Seungkwan recognises the signs of nervousness easily.

“You’re nervous?” he asks, incredulous. Vernon, if not recognisable by his rising rap career, is recognisable enough from his features on children’s TV shows and entertainment in general throughout his life. The man has been in front of crowds much bigger than this one, has worked with famous comedians and actors from across networks, and has several viral clips from when he was pre-pubescent that still circle social media now. He probably can’t remember a time he wasn’t performing for others in one way or another.

“Yeah, of course,” Vernon says. “It’s not too bad, but you know. Music is vulnerability, isn’t it? And it’s my art, and my thoughts, and it’s all on me to carry the show, with a little help from the band. Plus, first night of the tour. Never done something like this before. Gotta make it good.”

“You’re going to be so good. You’re a natural up there, I can tell from just watching the rehearsal. They love you for you, and you love your art, so what could go wrong? Even if it doesn’t go perfectly, it’ll be authentic. That’s what they want, I’m telling you. Trust me, you’re going to have no problems.”

Vernon has stilled a little at his words, looking at him intensely. “Thanks. I appreciate that. Seokmin said you’ve worked behind stages a lot. You used to consoling nervous performers?”

“Very much, though my history is more with school plays or community groups or church events. I didn’t think someone like you would still be nervous to perform. I can understand when the performers are eight years old and don’t know their lines properly.”

Vernon smiles again, the half-smile, lopsided. Seungkwan wonders what it would take to see the full-blown, contorted delight, Vernon losing composure simply to laugh. “I suppose so. Sometimes I still feel like I’m eight years old and in front of my first cameras when I start something new, though. And performing music is something that’s still relatively new to me. It’s kinda hard to believe people like to see me purely for my music, and not for the, you know—kidney function memes, or whatever.”

“So what if people do like you for your persona more than anything? If they do, they’ll like your music by association, right? It’s something you’ve made, so they’ll fall for it, support it like they would anything else. People pay for tickets because they want to support you, whether it was because they knew you first or whether they heard your music first. That’s something very precious you have there, that you can make anything and you’ll always have an audience of people to receive it.”

Vernon nods again, slow, considering. “You make it sound so much better when you say it like that. I get associated with idols a lot, coming from an entertainment company, even if I didn’t release the music through them. And you know what people think of idols.”

“Even that’s bullshit,” Seungkwan says, crossing his arms. “Sure, they’re very pretty. But I wouldn’t fork out the amount of money I do just because my girl groups look nice. I genuinely like them.”

“You’re a fan?”

“Of so many people.”

Vernon nods again, smile with more humour now. “Got any para-soul bonds?”

“I’m not that bad,” Seungkwan tuts, and Vernon laughs at him, and that feels good.

“I could feel a few people in the crowd earlier had para-social bonds with me. You know the way it feels to get a soulmate for the first time? The pulse, the way it hits you right in the chest? It feels like tiny little waves of those, of their bonds trying to connect with me, but they never can. I always worry about that, about how much they must build me up to be someone I’m not if they manage to form those. Then it makes me nervous about being good enough all over again.”

“Okay, first of all, you’re as worthy of a soul bond as anyone. Second, why are para-soul bonds a bad thing? They might last a little while, sure, but they’ll fade out eventually, and your fan won’t be any worse off for it when they can move on. They say forming para-soul bonds can be fulfilling for people waiting for their real soul bonds, you know. So really, as long as you’re not going around promising marriages you can’t fulfil, you help people, in the end.”

Vernon shakes his head at him. “How are you good at making things sound so much better than they are?”

“I’m very talented at talking people’s ears off and being convincing about things. I convinced Seokmin to stan LOONA with me through pure power of will. Not in the para-social way, though.”

Vernon laughs at him. “I bet nudging through your soul bond helped.”

“A little,” he admits, then Minghao pushes in front of him again to fiddle with the chain around Vernon’s neck.

“Straighten this up. Are you putting your cap on?”

“No, you told me I couldn’t after you did my hair.”

“Very good,” Minghao says, shoulders tense. “You should have something to eat before the show. They’ve started letting people in now, so we’ll start in around an hour.”

“I’ll go back to Junhui, then,” Seungkwan says, making his way back out of the little room. He can tell where he’s no longer wanted, especially when he was never particularly invited in the first place.

“Good luck,” Vernon tells him, and Seungkwan feels strangely touched. Vernon cares a lot for someone who must’ve been pampered and praised by such a range of people since he could speak in full sentences.

“You too,” he says, saluting. “Not that you’ll need it.”

Vernon laughs to himself as Seungkwan leaves, face brightening with it. Seungkwan will take it as a little win.

-

The show goes smoothly, despite all of Minghao and Vernon’s worrying. The surge of fans at the booth gets stressful to cater to before and right after the show, but being able to watch Vernon’s show from the elevated stand at the back is something of a privilege. He’s good, really good at performing and holding a crowd, and though the stage isn’t super high production, it doesn’t need to be. Like he’d said in the dressing room, the people are here for Vernon, and he delivers perfectly at being himself.

After the fans clear out, and after they’ve cleaned up the venue as best they can, they pack everything into the bus and walk to a nearby grill restaurant to celebrate a successful first night on tour. The table is long to fit all thirteen of them, so he can only really speak to the people either side and directly opposite him, but he gets in a good conversation with Seungcheol and Mingyu because of it. Still, he keeps eyeing up Vernon on the other end of the table, the way he glows with pride, taking more and drinking everything Soonyoung puts in his hands.

Seokmin comes around when he’s sufficiently drunk, too, hanging off Seungkwan’s shoulders and telling him how well he’d done on his first day. Seungcheol tells him to stop showing off, and Seungkwan learns then that only other pair of soulmates on the tour crew are Vernon and Chan, which surprises him slightly. The whole crew seem close, though apparently Vernon and Chan go way back to childhood together. Soonyoung, Jeonghan and Jihoon also have a three-way bond, only recently formed in the planning stages of the tour. What with sharing a bus with these guys for the next eight weeks, Seungkwan wonders if he’ll see any other bonds form while he’s with them. Bonds born of love will often strike out of nowhere, for no clear reason, and he’s not had the privilege of witnessing any being formed other than his own, and his sisters’ when he was young.

Vernon comes up to him after the meal, when they’re all going their separate ways at the restaurant door, Seungkwan watching fondly as Seokmin tries to explain a long, rambling story to Jihoon instead of letting him leave.

“It was like you said.”

Seungkwan looks over at him, tipsy and warm himself. “What?”

“I didn’t overthink it. I believed you when you said they just want to what I want, whatever that is. And it went fine. I wasn’t nervous after that.”

Seungkwan winks at him. “Just hire me to be your in-house therapist for the tour, I can do it. My mother says I’m very good at reading emotions in others.”

“In-bus,” Vernon says.

“What?”

“You’d be my in-bus therapist. I’m sorry, but we don’t have the budget for many hotel stops. We’re spending a lot of nights in a tour bus.”

Seungkwan laughs. “I suppose I’m not getting a raise for the promotion either?”

Vernon shrugs, but he seems happy. “Afraid you’re going to have to take that up with Chan, who’s not going to like it. I’ll tip you for your sessions, though.”

“Thanks,” he says, going to catch Seokmin as he veers off to the side, pulling him in close and patting his side. “Do I get a childminder wage, too? I think it’s time to get you home, Hyung!”

“I’m afraid that’s your duty as a soulmate,” Vernon says, eyeing up Seokmin just as fondly. “Get home safe, the both of you.”

“And you!” Seokmin shouts, waving enthusiastically.

“Have a good night!” Seungkwan calls as Vernon turns to go the other way.

“Already did!” Vernon shouts back, waving as he crosses the road and disappears into the night. Jihoon, who is still stood awkwardly at the door, nods at the two of them.

“Let me know when you’re both home,” he says lightly to Seungkwan, not looking him in the eye.

“I will,” he says. “You too, Jihoon-ssi.”

“Hyung,” Jihoon says hastily. “You should call me that. You should call everyone that, they won’t mind. It’s better.”

Seungkwan giggles to himself, happily patting Seokmin’s side again. “Thank you, Hyung. See you tomorrow!”

Jihoon doesn’t say anything further, but nods at them, turning to go the other way. Seokmin looks at Seungkwan, and the two of them burst into laughter over nothing, and the way it reverberates between them feels near-euphoric. They walk all the way home like that, attached, pleased, a little in love with different preoccupying ideas. Or maybe not so different, he thinks, when he catches Seokmin humming Vernon’s last song from the set as they arrive back home, settling into the same bed together after the long day.

-

Vernon Kicks Off World Tour After Successful Appearance on ‘Show Me the Money’

By Lee Minhyung

[+728 -59] One thing I really admire about Vernon is that he has a range of different talents and he always uses them all. I swear every time I see news about him it’s for different reasons. How many people can say they’ve made all their dreams come true at such a young age?

[+528 -44] Some people will say it’s too ambitious to go around the world on his first tour, but they’re thinking too small. Vernon isn’t just known for his music, but for everything else he’s done from Arirang TV and Made in U to Hello Stranger and Happy Together. His music has done well even to people who don’t know him from these shows. His stop in Japan is sold out now, and you think it was overambitious for him to do a world tour? ㅋㅋㅋ

[+297 -21] Vernon? Isn’t that the ‘I know everything’ kid? Seems like he’s more ‘I can do everything’

[+101 -3] I went to his night two Seoul show, he was so good. Honestly the venue was smaller than I expected, but the vibe was so f*cking hype because of it

[+51 -19] But why does he have two shows in Seoul and ten stops at other venues around the world, who even knows him in Europe? Has he even sold out any of the venues outside of Asia?

-

2. 大阪市 (OSAKA) - THE MOMENT

Though he’s been on plenty of planes from Jeju to Seoul and back again in his life, Seungkwan had never been abroad before they touch down in Osaka. While they don’t exactly have much time to sightsee in the twenty-four hours they’re here, what with unloading their equipment, finding their tour bus and getting on the road to their venue, Seungkwan makes the most of it by marvelling at all the sights they pass by. It’s the little things like the road signs in the foreign language, or the wide street crossings in the city centre, or the billboard advertisements in flashing neon colours that really give him the sense of newness, of exciting possibility.

The bus is something to marvel at in itself, too. It’s almost unbelievable, how far back it goes, how he can keep waking past seats and a tiny toilet and find fourteen bunks for their one night in Japan. They’re in a different bus for a longer stretch in the US, and the rest of the Asian stops are the ones with hotels booked, so he appreciates the glamour of it while he can. He’s sure sharing close quarters with twelve other men will lose its shine quickly enough, anyway.

The third new discovery at start of the international tour is the realisation that he is, in fact, not the last member of the crew to join the tour. At Itaewon International Airport Seungkwan had politely greeted Vernon’s cat, Jazz Chwe, as Vernon held her up proudly in her travel cage.

“Why does the cat come on tour?” Seungkwan asks Seokmin quietly as they’re unloading the bus at the Osaka venue, following the narrow hallways through to the impeccably kept venue hall. “Surely being in the bus all the time is just going to be uncomfortable for her and impractical for us?”

“Vernon has a soul bond with her, so she likes being wherever he is. She’s a good cat, knows when to wander off and when to come back. You shouldn’t have a problem with her, trust me.”

“He has a soul bond with his cat?” Owners having soul bonds with their dogs isn’t too uncommon, if a little coveted, but with other types of animals it’s a bit rarer. “That’s annoyingly adorable.”

“Don’t bring it up to Minghao. Having to arrange all pet-friendly flights when Vernon decided she needed to come on tour with us gave him the biggest migraine of all time, apparently.”

“I think that guy could get a migraine over anything.”

Seokmin agrees with a little laugh and tilt of the head, nervously checking around to make sure Minghao isn’t close enough to hear. “It’s why he’s the production manager, after all!”

The set-up is a bit more swift this time, with the crew wanting to impress the few members of the venue staff that are hanging around at their respective posts, Jeonghan chatting up the stiff bar attendant in surprisingly good Japanese. Or at least, it sounds good to Seungkwan. By the look on the bartender’s face, he’s not sure it’s actually that good.

Vernon sits on the edge of the stage, waiting to be handed equipment and told where to stand, Jazz curled up on his lap as he strokes her gently. Seungkwan comes to sit next to him, watching as Joshua and Soonyoung bicker about something they’re fiddling with on the soundboard. Junhui had disappeared moments ago to dig around for the signs he had brought in earlier and then promptly forgotten about. Until he comes back to oversee the merch booth setup, that leaves Seungkwan in the same limbo as the star of the show.

“This place is pretty,” he muses, pointing up at the lights overhead, the colours that slide around the room as Seokmin experiments with them. “It must be such a good feeling to know you can hold this many shows overseas. Your debut album, and it’s done so well you get to play for people who don’t even speak your language. Isn’t that crazy?”

Vernon looks at him over the little gap between them. “How do you always know when I’m feeling bad about performing?”

Seungkwan puts a hand to his chest. “Me? You flatter me. I was just speaking my mind. I honestly feel like that.”

“So it wasn’t to make me feel better?”

Seungkwan puts his thumb and index finger close together. “Maybe a little bit? Just this much. You’ve got nothing to worry about, and it bothers me that you doubt yourself. You? Of all people?”

“I’m just like anyone else. I get nervous too.”

“Nerves are natural. But don’t doubt what you’ve done so far. You’re here for a reason, and it’s a good one.”

Vernon nods vaguely, rubbing behind Jazz’s ears. “It’s just hard to always feel like I’m here for good reasons, and not superficial ones.”

“I’m sorry to break this to you, but there are large parts of being a public figure that come with being superficial. People may not always like you for the same reasons you like yourself, but that’s not a bad thing. As long as you’re authentic with yourself, you’re not cheating anyone out of anything. It doesn’t make you undeserving.”

Vernon looks at him impassively. He comes across as someone hard to read at first, closed off, but Seungkwan recognises the signs of introversion from his own sister, who is just like this. Watching Vernon sort through his words in his head is something familiar in that way, and he seeps into his bond with her to help him tap into Vernon’s demeanour. A little on the quiet end but with heaps of talent to show the world, he wouldn’t have thought Vernon would be a person who needs as much encouragement as he does. It’s kind of endearing, still, that the fame had never given him an inflated ego.

His sister tugs back at him, questioning, and he shakes himself out of it. He’ll be getting an interrogative call about this later.

Junhui finally reappears with the misplaced signs at the same time as Joshua comes over to set up Vernon’s mic. Vernon piles Jazz into Seungkwan’s arms as he stands, and Seungkwan takes her gently. “Here. I don’t have any cash right now to tip you for the in-bus therapy session, so here’s my cat.”

“I’m more of a dog person, but I’ll accept,” Seungkwan says, holding her to his chest where she curls up pliantly. Joshua shoots him a disbelieving look as he passes by to strap on Vernon’s mic pack.

“You’re a dog person? She seems to like you already. I swear, that cat scratches me every time I’m in the vicinity.”

“She’s just a bit protective,” Vernon says, not very apologetically. Seungkwan stifles a laugh, carrying Jazz like a baby as he follows after Junhui, not wanting to put her down until she wants to leave first. As a result, he ends up doing very little work to help set up the merch booth.

The Japan tour also has a number of VIP tickets, though fewer than the Seoul shows did, relative to the smaller size of the venue. The crowd is different too, quieter, though he supposes that’s more of a cultural difference than anything. Vernon is still as friendly as ever, greeting them and chatting with them in limited Japanese throughout the sound check.

Manning the merch booth is less manic than it had been in Seoul, which is a small blessing, but his stress levels are still high thanks to the small hump of a language barrier. Junhui’s Japanese isn’t much better than his, though thankfully they only accept card so he doesn’t have to fiddle with unfamiliar currency too. They get by with some general gesturing and common phrases.

The gap between sound check and the start of the show is shorter today, so he doesn’t have reason to leave the booth when fans keep streaming in to buy merch. When Jazz comes around and starts slinking between his heels, asking for attention or possibly protection in the busy room, Seungkwan deposits her backstage with Chan as they finish up serving customers. He then comes back through to sit and play with her as Vernon’s show starts, because he’d seen the way Chan had eyed her up distrustfully—apparently he’s not a cat person—and doesn’t want her to start wandering into the crowd out of rejection.

They’d discovered halfway through sound check that the venue has a provided translator, which had been a great surprise to all of them when she had timidly asked Joshua for a mic of her own, but had clearly been a great relief to Vernon. He’d begun the main show more confidently than he had the sound check, trying for the Japanese phrases he knows at first to show good willing to the crowd, but able to use the translator’s help to interpret more complicated, sincere words between his songs.

Some thirty minutes into the show, just as one song is finishing, Jazz goes wandering away from Seungkwan towards the stage steps. Seungkwan scrambles to his feet to follow after her, scooping her up before she can stroll out onto the stage towards Vernon. He must catch the movement out of the corner of his eye, because both he and Mingyu look over at the two of them offstage.

“This is fitting, actually,” Vernon says, beckoning to Seungkwan, who isn’t sure what to make of that at first. Then Mingyu beckons from behind him too, so he supposes this must make some sense to someone. “This next song is about my cat, who is here on tour with me. Here she is.”

Seungkwan crosses the stage without looking directly at the bright lights over the crowd, passing Jazz over to Vernon. She goes pliantly, nestling into the crook of his neck, and there’s some cooing and pleased noises from the audience. As he lets Jazz go, his hand brushes against Vernon’s, fingers barely grazing his knuckle where he holds onto Jazz.

It’s enough. From the point of contact, an energy pulse hits him so strongly it knocks him back off his feet, head hitting something on the way down.

The shockwave hits everyone around them, too, as Mingyu stumbles back a few steps and the audience gasp and mutter in surprise. Vernon must’ve gone down too, though he didn’t see it, didn’t see anything but his world upending, putting him on his back to stare up at the mottled venue ceiling. Blotches of light sink into his vision, and though he’s aware he should get up off the stage, he’s not sure which way is the right way up.

Jeonghan’s face appears over him, and he can’t make out the words he’s saying at first, but he can see clearly enough the hand offered out to pull him up. He takes it, fully aware he’s lying on a stage in front of a few thousand people, and tries not to puke as he sits up, coloured light still making his vision swim.

Someone’s hand on his back helps him stand, then guides him off stage as the voice of the crowd gets louder. Another voice booms through a microphone, and then he’s being guided down a set of stairs, into a quieter backstage room.

He’s sat in one of the plastic backstage chairs when his orientation comes back to him, the ringing in his ears fading out and someone’s gentle hand stroking his back. He dares blink open his eyes to look down at the floor.

“No, I’m really okay,” Vernon is saying. “I landed on my side trying to make sure Jazz didn’t take the impact of the fall. I’ll only have a bruise. He hit his head hard, didn’t you hear it?”

Jazz winds around his ankles, looking up at Seungkwan, and he raises his head to look around the room in a daze. Vernon, Jihoon, Jeonghan, Mingyu, Chan and Minghao look back at him. Seokmin stands just behind him, rubbing his back, and smiles at him when he looks up at him.

“Hi. You okay? You left us for a minute there.”

“I’m okay,” he murmurs, blinking a few times. “What just happened?”

Seokmin smiles at him, a real smile, though Seungkwan can still sense his anxious concern through their bond. “You have another soulmate. Congratulations! The pulse was such a strong one too, I could feel it from across the room.”

“A new bond?” Yes, he remembers—his hand and Vernon’s, the way it had hit them so hard—

Vernon crouches in front of him now, taking his attention. “Hey. Does your head hurt? You hit it pretty hard. Chan is going to take you to a hospital to get it looked at, okay?”

“I’m okay,” he says, though his brain still feels stuffed with cotton. “We’re soulmates?”

“Yeah,” Vernon says, patting his knee. “So I can tell that you’re kind of lying right now. Go and get seen, okay? Chan’s Japanese is better than anyone’s other than Jeonghan, he’ll be able to help you. I would come with you, but I’m afraid the three-thousand people out there might follow us both to the hospital.”

“The show needs to go on,” Minghao agrees. “Congratulations on the new bond, but if you feel fit, Vernon, it’s best we go and calm the crowd soon.”

“Yes,” Vernon agrees, but he stays crouched in front of Seungkwan, looking at him intently. “Is this okay with you? We’ll talk about what this means later, I promise.”

Seungkwan can feel it too, now, when he feels around for Vernon specifically and finds he’s got his own little space in Seungkwan’s chest. The tentative bond that’s formed there is shaky with nerves, with Seungkwan’s hurt and Vernon’s worry and both their confusion ricocheting between them. The longer they do nothing but wallow, the more the bond will start to hurt.

“Okay,” he says after a too long pause, which doesn’t help ease Vernon or Seokmin’s worry, though he can feel them hiding it from him as best they can. Less hidden is the worry from his mother and sisters echoing through him now, asking what’s wrong, what happened? “Go back to your show. I’ll see you after.”

“I promise we’ll talk then,” Vernon says, sincere.

“I know.”

They all file from the room at that, Chan splitting off around the back with Seungkwan and Seokmin as Vernon and his band trail back up to the stage together. He can feel Vernon’s eyes on him until they’re out of sight, and Seokmin’s hand rests comfortingly on his back as he steps through the dark backstage until they reach the venue doors.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Seokmin asks anxiously when they’re there, hands not leaving Seungkwan, the two of them tactile with each other in a way they always need. But the dull throbbing has eased now, and Seungkwan doesn’t feel like he’ll fall over or throw up anymore. He just feels confused and overwhelmed, and would prefer to have fewer eyes on him as he goes away to process this.

“I’m okay, but thank you. I love you. Go back to the show.”

“You know what to do if you need me.”

“I know.” He smiles, hugs him, then steps through the door to the cool air outside. He sighs at the same time as Chan does, and the two of them eye each other up. Chan has a curling little smile on his face.

“Hey, congratulations. Vernon’s a hard one to crack, and you did it without even meaning to.”

“Thanks. The fact that I managed to crack my own head open at the same time is just typical.”

Chan laughs, leading them out to the main road. “Welcome to your new life, then. I hope it will be worth the head injury.”

-

He texts an update to the family group chat as he waits in Osaka Emergency Room, then locks his phone and clutches it instead of looking at the replies. He’s not sure he’s ready for anyone else to over-analyse the fresh soul bond sitting in his chest before he’s been able to inspect it himself.

What he knows, from what has been successfully studied about soul bonds, it that this is rare. Though there’s no real scientific basis for soul bonds, how they work or what they even are, biologists and psychologists and anthropologists have tried to quantify it anyway. The main three categories of soul bonds are thus common knowledge around the world, humanity scrambling to understand the mysteries of existence, trying to pass secrets that no one really understands down generations.

The most common type of soul bond is known as a Love bond. Love bonds are often formed years into a relationship, when you and your soulmate have grown together, when you know each other in ways you don’t know yourself. The triggers to a Love bond forming aren’t obvious, and many seem to come randomly to a relationship once it’s deep enough. This is the strongest type of soul bond, and when they are broken, they hurt the most. This is the bond he formed with his mother and sisters at various stages of his childhood, and then with Seokmin as a teenager. Para-soul bonds are an offshoot of this, but never form something reciprocal, because only one party loves the other.

Then comes Compatible bonds, which are not uncommon but more unusual than a Love bond. These are often triggered by strong emotions, declarations of love, or acts of commitment. They can happen to a newly dating couple who are starting to fall in love, or they may happen to friends who have mutual feelings for each other. They can happen to a dog who has found a good home with an owner, or a newly-wed finding surprising friendship with an in-law, or online friends who meet up for the first time. These bonds often only strengthen or encourage existing, budding relationships.

Then there’s this. The Premature bond, the rarest and most delicate type. These are triggered by first words, or first touches, or sometimes even the first glance shared between strangers or acquaintances. They’re the most romanticised for their vague nature—how is it that nature can know when two people are destined to be good together?—but in reality are often the most disappointing, because they require work from all sides to maintain and grow. If one party isn’t in the right place to upkeep the bond, they can become messy quickly, because they’re not a guarantee of love. Just a little nudge in its direction.

Seungkwan doesn’t even know anyone who’s had a Premature bond before, and has only ever heard mixed things about them. All he knows is that he and Vernon are very different people from very different worlds. This is going to be different to the other soul bonds he’s navigated before.

At the same time, it’s not that he feels uncomfortable or scared. It’s nice, in fact, having that little piece of Vernon that he can tap into and seek out, even if he’s only known the guy for less than a week. Something about Vernon feels comfortable and honest, like he could never be at risk with him. Like he could spill himself out and Vernon would soak it all in, and between them, they would both still be whole.

Though that might just be his mild concussion talking.

-

International Rap Star Vernon Finds New Soulmate in Tour Crew Member [VIDEO]

By Eric Nam

[+1820 -342] This is like something out of a drama. What were the chances of their soul bond forming on stage, in front of all those fans, on the third stop of his first ever tour? Because of a cat???

[+1372 -182] Vernon already has a soul bond with his cat and now he gets a Premature one with someone he’s travelling the world with too? Is he always this lucky and perfect?

[+920 -101] There’s no way this is a Premature bond, it has to be a Compatible, it’s someone he already knows if they’re on tour together. What are the chances they haven’t touched each other before now?

[+302 -99] You’re stupid if you believe this is real ㅋㅋㅋ it’s the most staged thing I’ve ever seen. It’s worked to promote his tour hasn’t it? I bet the later stops will sell out now

[+82 -3] Wow I’m so happy for him! It must have been amazing to be in that crowd, it looks like such a strong bond for the whole crowd to feel it like that. I hope he’s happy with his new soulmate

-

3. บางกอก (BANGKOK) – THE MATCH

After sitting in the ER for four hours, Seungkwan is told by a doctor to go and sleep it off, holding an ice pack to the back of his head and clutching painkillers in hand. By that time, the show has long since finished, and Seungkwan is ready to drop into his little bus bunk and pass out. Most of the crew are still waiting up to see him, including Vernon, but he assures them that he’s okay and he really just needs to sleep. Someone has to keep an eye on him for the first twenty-four hours of the concussion, but having people around him isn’t going to be a problem. If he doesn’t get his rest now, the flight to Bangkok tomorrow will be hell.

So he sleeps after only a short conversation, reassuring Seokmin and Soonyoung that he’s okay, sharing some furtive glances and warm feelings with Vernon. He doesn’t want him to feel that Seungkwan is ignoring this, but he needs to be in his right mind before they can talk about it.

When he wakes up, it’s to get onto their six-hour flight to Bangkok, feeling much more himself than he had been the night before. He thinks he might’ve had Vernon’s dream, because in it Jazz was asking him how he felt, and he’d replied in long, sighing English. He sits between Seokmin and Soonyoung on the flight, holding Seokmin’s hand, careful not to pull on the bond with Vernon until they’ve set boundaries. The new day gives him new perspective, and a whole new set of nerves that comes with having this intimate, exposing connection with someone he barely knows.

They’ve got six hotel rooms between the thirteen of them for the stop here, and Seokmin immediately bags him as a roommate, which Seungkwan is grateful for. They disperse to put their belongings away, then reconvene at a restaurant an hour later to get lunch. All the time they’re sat at the same table, Seungkwan can feel anxious energy echoing over from Vernon, though he remains impassive on the outside. He prods at their soul bond experimentally, and it’s as if he’d tapped Vernon on the shoulder—Vernon perks up, looking directly at him from across the room, and Seungkwan shoots him a smile and a little wave. Vernon, becoming more self aware, retracts his anxiety from their bond and waves back.

Next thing he knows, Vernon is standing out of his chair, and Seungkwan understands it’s time for them to talk about this. “I’ll meet you guys at the venue, if that’s okay,” he’s saying to the crewmembers on his half of the table, Chan looking up at him with a little frown.

“Are you sure?”

“I can come with you,” Wonwoo says, wiping his mouth and moving to stand from the table. Vernon places his hands on his shoulders as he passes behind him, patting him and shaking his head.

“No, no, it’s okay. We won’t go far.”

Seungkwan is already stood too, and Vernon holds out a hand for him to take. He doesn’t even think about it, takes it like it’s natural for them.

He takes the little push of encouragement from Seokmin with him all the way through the restaurant and out of the front doors, down the little side road crammed with people, until they reach a walkway that runs along a large river. Bangkok is warmer than Osaka had been, and the sun smiles down on them and the other couples walking alongside the river. Boats bustle up and down the water, and Vernon leads them to a path that runs under the trees, alongside market stalls set up with food and clothes and delicate pieces of jewellery.

“Hey,” Vernon says when they finally have enough room to walk side-by-side, pulling Seungkwan around to face him. They stroll leisurely together, enjoying the shade under the trees for as long as they can. They’re still holding hands. “How are you feeling today?”

“I’m doing a lot better, feeling normal today. The doctor said it was probably shock that knocked me around so bad at first, because the actual impact on my head wasn’t too bad.”

“Good. I mean, I could kind of tell you’re doing okay, but I thought it was polite to ask.”

“Maybe it’s thanks to you I’m feeling better, then. They do say people with more soulmates can heal faster, taking energy from their bonds.”

“I think that’s a myth,” Vernon says, nose scrunching up a little. “I trust your doctor more than pseudo-science.”

He presses his lips together, amused. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those anti-soulmate conspirators? Surely I don’t have to give up on you that fast!”

“No, I’m not. We’ve been given something special here, I can’t deny that. But I do want to know what you want to do with it.”

Seungkwan comes to a stop on a part of the walkway that sticks out over the river for public viewing, turning to face Vernon properly. Vernon squints back at him, facing the sun, and Seungkwan steps to the left to block it for him.

“What do you mean by that? Want to do with it?”

Vernon looks at him evenly. “Have you had a Premature bond before?”

“No. Have you?”

“No.” He nods his head as he speaks, reassuring himself, even as an odd-tinged sort of grief seeps through their bond. “But I have had a Compatible. I thought it would never break, because we’d had the bond since we were kids. But the bond isn’t a guarantee of anything. It just reinforces what you already have. And if you have nothing, like we do, it’s going to take a lot to make it something. Do you know what I mean? We don’t have to keep it if you don’t want to.”

Seungkwan frowns at him, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m honestly offended you think we have nothing. I think the three and a half conversations we’ve had so far have been very good, and we could do even better if you gave us a shot.”

“So you want to try?”

“Of course I want to try! What else would we do?”

“If we leave it be, the bond would fade out. It wouldn’t hurt very much if we didn’t put anything into it in the first place, you know? But if we’re uncertain, if we don’t do this right, it will get messy.”

Seungkwan’s arms tighten around his chest, bracing himself for the question. “Don’t you want to try?”

Vernon meets his eyes. After a long pause, he shakes his head, and Seungkwan’s heart sinks. “It’s not that. I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I know how rare Prematures are. But I thought we should be on the same page, if we’re going to go for it. I thought you should know that I’ve never had anything like this before, and I don’t know how it will go for us.”

“I haven’t, either. I’ve never even had a Compatible. But I’m not scared of this. If I could trust anyone to hold the other end of a Premature bond with me, I’m glad it’s you.”

Vernon cracks a smile, he thinks for the first time since last night. “You know, this explains how you read me so well as soon as you met me. And why Jazz likes you so much. And why it felt so right to have you around from the minute you stepped into the room.” He stops short, sighing. “This is crazy.”

“Again, I’m offended you don’t think those things are because I’m naturally charming, clever and open-hearted. But I’ll work on proving to you that I am.”

Vernon laughs a little, and Seungkwan preens. They share both the warm pleasure and pride through the bond, so the reciprocity makes them glance at each other with shy smiles, sharing their own little secret. Then they laugh properly at the same time, and Seungkwan looks away, enjoying the moment.

“This is crazy, isn’t it? We’re so different in so many ways, but we’ve been given a bond like this.”

“That’s not why I think it’s crazy. I think it’s crazy that we didn’t find this out in Seoul, so now you’re stuck on tour with me in a foreign country, doing back-to-back shows as part of my crew. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to go back home and rest, you know. It’s kind of a lot.”

“Go back home? Okay, now you’re really insulting me. How are we supposed to get to know each other if I’m not even in the same country as you? I plan on giving this my best shot, you know. I hope you are, too.”

“I am. I really mean that. But the show has to go on. Your name is going to appear in gossip articles, and people are going to dig up your social media accounts, and random people on the street will ask you if you’re in love with me. You know this, right?”

“So what? Would going home fix any of that, or would it just make me lonely? I plan on giving you everything I have, Vernon, and I can’t do that if I’m anywhere else.”

There’s a pulse of something between them. Adrenaline, maybe, or fear, or excitement. It’s hard to pinpoint who it comes from, or if the feelings all get mixed up in the crossover. “You’re really ready for this, huh?”

“I am. I’m a little bit in love with you already. I think everyone is, though, so that’s neither here nor there.”

Vernon genuinely laughs then, the kind that scrunches up his face, the kind he’d seen before with the fan. A little bit embarrassed, a lot surprised, significantly complimented. Seungkwan’s pride rises so high he knows it leaks through their bond, and Vernon’s eyes shine at him. “You really are different to me.”

“It’s why we’re going to work so well together, trust me.” He puts a hand on Vernon’s bare arm to turn him to face the ice cream stand. Where they touch, their energy thrums between them, connected as a whole. “Do you want to get ice cream before we go back? You took me out of the restaurant before I could get dessert.”

“Sorry,” Vernon says, not sounding very sorry. He’s looking at the place Seungkwan’s hand touches his arm, knowing they’re both feeling the same thing. “I’ll buy?”

“I should hope so,” Seungkwan smiles, and slips his hand down to hold Vernon’s again.

-

Vernon’s Thai fans are… passionate, to say the least. Seungkwan lasts all of five minutes on the merch stall, because the VIP fans seem more interested in asking him questions than, you know, buying any actual merch. Even the few of them that do go to wait by the empty stage are whispering together, or filming him the whole time like he’s some kind of zoo attraction. Of course he had known, in a distant sort of way, that people would know about this. He’s seen the frankly embarrassing video of him being knocked over by his own soul bond forming, and his mom had anxiously sent him a few articles about it, though none of those had managed to name him directly yet. The fans are a different case, and they do somehow know his name, and he tries not to get shaken up about it, not when Vernon had warned him about this only hours ago.

He ends up being kind of useless beyond the initial set up, and goes to sit backstage with Chan and Jazz for the duration of the show. Watching Vernon up on stage dodging questions about his new soul bond with ease, Seungkwan feels again that they’re from very different worlds. Though Vernon was initially more reluctant to accept it, Seungkwan is the one least prepared for this.

He does more than his part in pack-up to make up for the feeling that he’d failed his job with Junhui, Seokmin hovering around and talking with him mindlessly about how the show went. He can sense Vernon backstage, looking for him, as tries to suppresses his little anxieties, not wanting them to seep through to anyone else. He thinks Seokmin can tell anyway.

He sits next to Vernon at their meal that night, resting an arm on his shoulder as they wait for the food, telling their half of the table (Wonwoo, Joshua, Jihoon and Chan) about the bars he’d played as a teenager and his music review blog still upheld as an adult. At some point he realises he’s been pulling on Vernon’s earlobe, gently playing with it for some small point of contact between them, the reassuring thrum of their connected bond. Vernon doesn’t say anything or seem to mind, but he’s got this little smile on his face when Seungkwan pulls away to eat his food.

They stroll through Bangkok again after that, preferring to walk back to the hotel to see the last few sights they can before the flight to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow. The city is pretty at night, lights rippling on water.

“I’m sorry you had it hard earlier,” Vernon says. The night air is warm still, and the streets don’t seem any less busy than they had earlier today. There’s more joy to them, though, with groups laughing together outside restaurants and jaunty music playing from the boats. “I’m kind of the worst soulmate you could’ve gotten if you want a quiet life.”

“It’s a good thing that’s never been in my plans, then,” he says, taking Vernon’s hand again, particularly brave under the cover of night. “You have to believe that I’m not afraid of this. I can’t know it’ll work out, but I’m not even afraid of that. I think I would only have regrets if I didn’t try at all.”

“But we are trying,” Vernon says, assured. “I’m going to get to know you by the end of this tour, I swear. Though you might have a head start on me.”

“I don’t think so,” he says, swinging their hands between them. “I plan on getting to know you too.”

There’s a tingle where their palms meet. When he looks at him, moonlight and city lights tracing the curves of his handsome face, Vernon looks like he’s relieved by that answer.

-

Netizens Uncover Wonder Girls Fan Account Belonging to Vernon’s New Soulmate

By Kim Hyojong

[+1012 -184] He’s a GG fan and ended up on tour with a rapper who is also his soulmate. Lucky or unlucky?

[+629 – 211] ㅜㅜ It seems like Vernon and Boo Seungkwan are already really incompatible. I can’t even imagine Vernon listening to Wonder Girls. I don’t think they’ll last, especially if it really is a Premature bond

[+421 -161] It’s a relief that Seungkwan has taste, I think he’ll be a good influence on Vernon who probably doesn’t even know who Wonder Girls are

[+198 -121] Did anyone else see that cover he posted on there? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Now we know why he’s working behind the scenes rather than on the stage

[+92 -4] People are so weird bringing stuff up from this account he ran when he was probably 12 years old. Let them live maybe?

-

4. NEW YORK - THE MAN

Vernon keeps to his word. In Malaysia, they talk about music and performing over a meal together, the things they did as children, the passions they’ve held onto through adulthood. In Singapore they take a trip to the botanic gardens and trade stories about sisters—his older, Vernon’s younger—and the places they’d grown up. In Indonesia they get an extra day without a show, so they spend half a day on the beach and half touring a grand temple in the capital. In the Philippines, they get lost in Manila together, and Vernon laughs when Seungkwan blames him for being too distracting. In Taiwan, Seungkwan walks the streets at night with him again, and feels upset when they have to part ways to go to their separate hotel rooms. Vernon can tell, and rubs his back as he passes him in the corridor, wishing him a good night in a low voice.

That’s all to say, Seungkwan has come to know Vernon faster than he’s ever built a friendship before. There’s nothing that brings you close to a person like having an emotional link with them and seeing the world’s sights together, marvelling at the same things at the same time, feeding off each other’s energy and excitement. When the excitement comes from simply being together—knowing you’re with someone who can understand you wholly, who can learn to love you fully, and who you’re completely safe with—there’s something borderline magical about it. If he didn’t believe in destiny before, he would now.

Then comes New York, the first of their American stops and the start of their proper leg on the tour bus. He realises on the first day this means he’ll be spending no time at all without being in Vernon’s vicinity for the next few weeks, and it makes him more pleased than it should. He’s not working on the merch stall so much anymore, because the stupid video is increasingly haunting him as old school friends and random family members send him questioning messages about the new soul bond he’s made. He wants to tell them all to go away, this is his soul bond, and not their business until he wants to talk about it! But he’s too much of a people-pleaser, and instead sends them vague messages about being on tour with Vernon’s crew. Then he goes back to playing with Jazz, because being her permanent babysitter has become most of his job now, as she won’t let anyone handle her but Vernon and Seungkwan.

“Can I just ask something?” Vernon says to the crowd between songs. Seungkwan may not speak fluent English, but he can understand Vernon well enough. “Why did you guys all come out here tonight? I’m curious. What is it about me and my music that made you buy tickets? New York has a lot to offer, you could be anywhere right now. I’m just a boy from South Korea.”

It’s harder to understand the indistinct shouts of the crowd, especially when several people shout at once, but someone says something that makes him laugh.

“That’s fair, my cat is a big draw. Did someone just say true love? I’m flattered, but I don’t think I’m the guy you’re looking for. My Mom tells me I need to learn how to cook before I can get married.”

The crowd laughs with him, and Seungkwan smiles from backstage, enjoying Vernon’s little rush at the response. Jazz purrs too, and he thinks it makes so much sense now why she isn’t bothered by the bustle of a tour. He feels the pull to the stage too, even more so than he did before. Like he’s meant to be there.

“Kind of on topic, this next song is about my cat.” He catches Seungkwan’s eye offstage and grins, cheeky. “I can bring her out here, if she’s what you’re all here for.” The crowd responds with a resounding affirmative before Seungkwan is even on his feet, bundling Jazz in his arms.

The audience cheers for him when he comes out on stage this time, which makes him startle, and Vernon laugh into his microphone. “I can’t promise a repeat of Osaka, you guys, but thanks for welcoming Seungkwan.” He takes Jazz from Seungkwan, and when their hands brush this time, it only makes him feel settled. “Thank you,” he says to Seungkwan privately, in Korean, and Seungkwan nods and goes to move off stage.

“Bye!” someone shouts out at him, and the crowd laughs again, and Seungkwan waves before disappearing off stage. His cheeks are warm, but only for good reasons. When he isn’t up close and personal with them, it’s kind of nice to feel welcomed by Vernon’s fanbase.

Jazz comes strolling off the stage towards him again at the end of the song, a chill acoustic little thing that has the whole room swaying, her own tail swishing like she’s revelling in the attention. She curls up next to Seungkwan willingly, and the two of them watch Vernon finish his set, enamoured.

-

Their group is split up into little tables in the restaurant after the New York show, with Vernon’s family joining them for the meal. They had come backstage to visit him before the show, but Seungkwan hadn’t had a time to meet them, what with trying to help set everything up. Now he’s feeling the distinct nerves of meeting the parents for the first time. As Vernon’s newest and most unexpected soulmate, he’s desperate to make a good impression, and he’s well aware Vernon’s mother doesn’t speak any Korean. He’s going to be relying on his wits alone.

“Hey,” Vernon says, catching up to him at the doors, hand gently coming to the small of his back. “You did great today. You’ve got nothing to worry about here, you know? They already love you, cause I do.”

His heart does a silly little somersault at that, and their reciprocal affection for each other resonates between them. This bond is really like nothing else he’s experienced before. “I should be telling you that! Your show today was so great, you seem right at home in this city. The fans were great tonight, too.”

“You’re only saying that because you got a cheer.”

“I am not!” He hits his arm. “You know full well I’m not!”

Vernon laughs and ushers him over to the right table. Vernon’s parents are already standing up from the table to greet them, and his legs go a little wobbly.

“I know,” Vernon promises, and gives him a teasing tug to the earlobe, repaying Seungkwan’s own habit he seems to have picked up around Vernon. “And I also know that you’re stressed about nothing. You can enjoy this, I promise.”

He turns to give his dad a strong hug, and they laugh and greet each other, talking rapidly in English. Seungkwan politely greets his mom as best he can, and she smiles at him in the same way Vernon does, with complete sincerity and honesty. It’s the kind of smile you know is not given easily. He hasn’t done anything to earn that smile yet, but he will.

-

As it turns out, Vernon’s parents are a lot less interested in interrogating him than he’d originally feared. He spends the duration of the meal listening to them catch up, discuss plans to meet up next, and enthusiastically praise Vernon for the show he’d put on. He understands Vernon telling them about their stops around Asia, and encourages Vernon to take over in explaining Seungkwan’s life too—Vernon already knows the answers to the questions they’re asking, and Seungkwan likes to see him talk. Despite being the star of their round-the-world tour, he’s more of a listener amongst the crew, but opens right up when it comes to his parents. It’s fascinating, seeing Vernon’s mannerisms reflected in these two people who love each other so much they’d passed their beautiful, open energy onto a son.

Seungkwan comes away from the meal feeling that he wants to be a part of this family, wants to know them and visit them and learn English to speak with Vernon’s mom. He wants Vernon to meet his family too, to learn to laugh with him and his sisters, to see his beautiful hometown in Jeju. They’re over halfway through the tour now, but he desperately doesn’t want them to stop seeing the world together. He feels that wherever he goes, it would be better to take Vernon with him.

It’s a scary feeling. But it’s also exciting. They hadn’t specified whether they were interested in each other platonically or romantically until now, because that’s something that usually becomes obvious with each bond. But despite knowing him for a matter of weeks, Seungkwan can’t help but believe that the only path for them here is romantic. He wants to be with Vernon all the time—to know everything he knows, does everything he does—he wants to grow with him, learn with him. He wants to share a house, share a life with this boy that treats the world so candidly, like it’s malleable to his desires. He wants…

Well, not to get too ahead of himself. A kiss will do to start with.

“Hey,” Vernon says, sitting down opposite him at the little table in the bus, where he’d been staring aimlessly out of the window. Everyone else is moving around, settling into bunks, winding down for the night. He’d barely even noticed the movement going on around him. “You okay?”

“Course,” he says, tapping the table gently with a fingernail. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I can feel you’re stressing. Seokmin said I should go, that it’s about me.”

Seungkwan scoffs. “He knows me too well. It’s not bad stress. I’m just thinking.”

“About what?”

“About this bond.”

Vernon pauses. “Come with me?”

Seungkwan follows after him without hesitation, stepping outside the bus to come around the side of it. Vernon leads them right around the back, to where the bus is parked next to a non-descript outdoor container. “Look.”

Vernon stands on the flat metal bin lid in front of them, using it to step up onto the container top. From there, it isn’t hard for him to hop up on the roof of the bus, standing on it and holding his arms out.

“I hope you’re not expecting me to do this too,” Seungkwan sighs, even as he tests is grip on the wall. “Are you crazy?”

“Come on,” Vernon urges, laughing through it. “It’s not bad at all.”

Seungkwan steps up onto the lid tentatively, then onto the container. Vernon reaches a hand out to pull him onto the bus roof, and the distance isn’t as bad as he thought it would be. He stands up straight, still holding onto Vernon’s hand, and Vernon grins at him, gesturing out to the next road over.

Up here they can see over the low rooves nearby to a bigger road over the fence, headlights and streetlights and little hole-in-the-wall restaurants bringing it to life. A brightly coloured theatre boasts flashing signs for its shows overhead, the grand building standing alone. Beyond that, towering apartment buildings glow yellow against the dark sky.

“How did you even think to come up here?” Seungkwan asks, sitting down carefully when Vernon does, the two of them watching the theatre lights blink on and off.

“Where else do you go for space in a bus? The answer is obvious. Also, Jazz showed me. It’s where she was hiding before the show.”

“Clever kitty,” he grins. Though there’s no need, he and Vernon are still holding hands.

“Did you want to talk about something?”

“Hm?”

“The way you were talking in the bus, I thought you might want to talk about us. And want a bit of privacy.”

“Right,” he says, rubbing his thumb gently across the back of Vernon’s hand. “Tell me if I’m overstepping, but I was curious about something.”

“What’s that?”

“You know before, you mentioned you had a Compatible bond with someone?”

Vernon hums a nod.

“You implied that it was a broken one. That you had something, and then you didn’t.”

Vernon nods again. “Yes.”

“I just… I’ve been wondering what went wrong between you. You don’t have to tell me, but…”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind. I like I’ve already known you a long time, so you deserve to know.” He taps his chin like that’s a completely normal thing to say, like he doesn’t feel Seungkwan’s anticipation and wonder shared between them at such a sentiment. Vernon really does look at home here, eyes reflecting the New York lights.

“He was a friend I knew from school. We had both moved into a new middle school at the same time where everyone already knew each other. We had a lot in common, and we both needed friendship, so it didn’t take long for the Compatible to form. We were kind of inseparable after that all the way through my teen years.”

“He’s our age?”

“Yes, same age. But I think it was growing up that changed us, you know. We became too different. Also, I hate saying this because it sounds so conceited, but I think he was jealous. He didn’t like the fact that I would get recognised in the street for silly videos or the TV shows I was on. He used to put them down, tell me I was famous for no reason.”

“How could he say something like that to his soulmate? Couldn’t he feel how it made you feel?”

Vernon shrugs. “I always thought it was a joke at the time. We were at the age where the shows I was doing weren’t that cool anymore, you know? It was easy enough to make fun of them for that. But when I started making music I thought he would approve, because if I’m known for something I’ve made it would make me more legitimate, or whatever. I could finally say I’d made something good. I thought he would congratulate me, or be proud of me, or at least encourage me. But that, too—he said anyone would eat it up because of my face, or my name. Because they know me from other, worthless things. That hurt a lot more, because my music was something that meant a lot to me, and I was just working up the courage to show it to someone.”

“I’m sorry he made you feel like that.” He can feel it still, the residual sting Vernon carries from that.

“Like I said, I realised somewhere along the line it was a problem with him and his jealousy. We were teenagers, so feelings like that were hard to understand, and even harder to resolve. We did love each other. We were always close friends. But he didn’t understand himself, and he would lash out at me and whatever I was doing to make himself feel better. It just got to a point where it hurt too much.”

“You shouldn’t have had to go through that in the first place. Were you the one that cut it off?”

“It was kind of a mutual explosion. We had already been growing apart, but then I let slip that I was planning to go on tour. This tour. He told me it wasn’t a good idea, that no one would come, and that the people who did come wouldn’t come for the music. I didn’t want to hear it, so I told him he was wrong, and to stop putting me down. He got pissed, told me he would stop looking out for me if I was going to be like that. So I told him to stop caring.” He swallows, nodding to himself again. “I could feel it then. It hurt quite a lot, actually. It wasn’t violent—not like a snap, or a real break. More like our bond had uncoupled, the two of us pulling away in opposite directions, and it’s been coming apart ever since. It still hasn’t completely left me. If I wanted to reach out to him now, I could. But I don’t. And he doesn’t either, so it’s fading out of existence.”

“Does it still hurt?”

“Sometimes,” he nods. “When I think about it, it hurts. It’s been nice to have the distraction of the tour. You’ve given me a different kind of bond to be preoccupied with, too. A better one.”

“I should hope so,” he says, and Vernon smiles at him. “I’m sorry about your friend. I’ve never had a broken bond. It sounds awful.”

“It is,” Vernon agrees quietly. “That’s why I asked you initially if you were sure you wanted this. The bond makes it all feel so lovely and intimate, but that isn’t enough to stay with someone successfully. You need to want it. To want them, and to treat them right. I know that first hand. It’s scary to give so much of yourself away, especially when you barely know the other person at all.”

“I mean it completely when I say it was never hard to let myself love you. Even before we were bonded, you felt comfortable to me. Now I feel like I’m getting to know all of you, and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. You’re a ridiculously easy person to love, though you’ve probably already known that your whole life.”

Vernon’s eyes skim his face. “That’s not the same kind of love. They don’t know me as wholly as they want to when they see me through a screen, and I can’t know them. It’s love, but it’s not permanent. It’s not reciprocal. There’s a reason para-soul bonds don’t take. This feels so, so different to that. Different to anything I’ve felt before.”

“For me too,” Seungkwan agrees. A breeze tickles his cheeks pink. “Thank you for giving me this chance even after you’d had a bond break so recently. You’re braver than I could ever be.”

Vernon shrugs. “I don’t think so. I told you when you came on board, didn’t I? I knew you’d be perfect for the team. I didn’t know it was going to be true on a personal level too, but—yeah. You’ve always fit right in. I don’t know why this would be any different.” He places his hand over his chest, right where the soul bond tugs, spilling a pleasant warmth into him.

That puts him on the verge of tears, and he can feel his oldest sister nudging, questioning, poking at him to stop being such a crybaby. His other sister is laughing a little, enjoying his residual thrill of being told by Vernon that he’s a perfect fit in his heart, by his side. He doesn’t want to ever stray from this place, from knowing he belongs here. He’s content just to be by Vernon’s side for as long as he needs him.

“I think you answered my worries,” he whispers, wiping his eyes delicately with the back of his free hand. Vernon is watching him, gaze unwavering and intense. “You wanted commitment from me, but I needed reassurance from you, too. This bond means a lot to me. I trust you with it.”

“I don’t plan on letting it break for no good reason. I’ve committed to you. There’s no backing out now.”

He laughs wetly. “I have no plans to.” He leans in and kisses Vernon on the cheek, and Vernon pats his knee comfortingly.

They sit up on the roof a little while longer, talking about their respective bonds until Seokmin tugs and tugs on theirs to get him to come inside the bus, then asks in hushed whispers if he’s okay. He looks half-awake in his bunk, like he’d been waiting for Seungkwan to come back inside before he could sleep.

“I’m good, I’m really good,” he whispers, stroking Seokmin’s hair, who hums. “Go to sleep now, silly.”

“You really deserve this, you know,” he says in response, sighing into his pillow. “You deserve something as good as this.”

“Thank you,” he whispers in return, pressing a kiss to Seokmin’s forehead. Vernon’s hand skims his back as he passes him to get to his own bunk, sparks dancing in his wake.

-

Vernon Spotted on New York Date with New Soulmate—a Romantic Bond Already? [12 PHOTOS]

By Jamie Park

[+1523 -214] We’re all this lonely huh? Looking at grainy pictures of someone else with their Premature bond? I know Vernon looks handsome here, but pull yourself together, people

[+1320 -412] Life is so unfair that I’m not Boo Seungkwan

[+822 -162] They look so odd together. You can tell they’re such different people. I guess I can’t judge when they clearly get along well though.

[+397 -199] I didn’t think Vernon was the type to fall for all that soul bond true love crap. Guess we can look forward to an album full of love songs before this falls apart

[+192 -83] Kind of sad they’re going for whatever dates they can scrape together between the tour schedule. Like they’re trying too hard to make it work?

-

5. LONDON - THE MUSIC

They have eight more stops in the US, circling the country until they have to leave the bus behind to fly over the ocean to Europe. London is the first stop there, along with two more in the UK and another seven on the continent. An hour after they land in London, Vernon gets a call from his record label with the good news that a collaboration he’s been working to set up has been confirmed. A popular R&B artist he likes, Dolly, has agreed to work with him on an upcoming single.

His excitement puts a spring in Seungkwan’s step too as they work to set up the show. Vernon has to be dragged from the bus in time for rehearsal, too focused on looking through his demo tracks and half-written songs to find something to send the company for approval. He comes out of his own head a bit more when he sees his crowd, reorienting himself to greet fans graciously. Still, he can’t seem to help himself but give a little spoiler to the crowd for an upcoming collab, his excitement overflowing into the people raptly watching him. Jazz is skittish and excitable the whole time, so Seungkwan spends most of the evening chasing after her, but he doesn’t hold it against her.

All through their meal afterwards Vernon carries on tapping his knuckles against the table, away in his own little world, jotting down lyrics and sharing them with Jihoon. They’re in a hotel that night, so Seungkwan follows Vernon back to his room, hand on his shoulder and Jazz slinking between their ankles.

“Will you play the demo for the song you’ve been writing all day? I’m not going to get your tapping out of my head otherwise.”

He nods amicably as he unlocks his door, not at all surprised Seungkwan is following after him. “Sure, sure. I’m finding it hard because I don’t usually write singing parts, you know? I’m trying to figure that out. Jihoon is better at it, but I’m trying to get better at standing on my own two feet these days, so I don’t want to ask him to help me yet.”

“I can tell. You haven’t been able to see anything in front of you all day.”

Vernon nods still, little bobs of the head, pulling his laptop open and sitting back on the bed with it. Behind him, Jazz hops onto his pillow and curls up for a nap. “Yeah. People tell me I can get all in my own head about things like that. Sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologise. You have passion. Let’s hear it.”

Vernon loads up the track and plays it, coming out tinny from his little laptop speakers. It’s a mellow track, bright synth with upbeat drum kicks, and Vernon starts to rap under his breath as the music goes into the first chorus. He’s bobbing his head again, tapping the bedsheets, and Seungkwan can easily make out the beat he’s been obsessed with all day.

He suddenly speaks louder as the song comes to a crescendo. “This is where Dolly would have a verse. This is the hard part. This is what I’ve got so far.” He begins to sing, voice quiet and thin from trying to sing higher than his range allows. Some of the words are mumbled over, not quite filled in yet. When the song goes into the second verse, he sighs. “I don’t know if it’s the right approach. Maybe I’ll redo it all.”

“No way, it’s good! I think you just don’t have confidence in it, because to me it sounds really good already. Maybe you should send it over and see if you can get feedback? If it’s a collaboration, Dolly might want to have input here anyway, right? She might have more ideas, and a good way to fill in the parts you’re missing. But what you already have is strong.”

Vernon tilts his head, considering. “I think you’re supposed to say something like that, as my soulmate. But thanks.”

“It’s the opposite, isn’t it? I’m feeling your confusion and doubt right now, but I can clearly make my own judgement of it. It’s good. Truly.”

Vernon looks at him, steady. He feels it’s the first time he’s had Vernon’s full attention all day, and he preens under the attention. “Then, thank you. Will you sing the demo for me?”

“Will I what?”

“It won’t sound very good if I do it,” Vernon says, amused. “I usually ask Jihoon, but I’ve heard you sing, too.”

“When?”

“You always sing when you’re working, and you sing whenever you’re with Seokmin. Sometimes you sing when certain words remind you of songs. You’re very good, and you love to sing, I can tell that much. So do you want to do this demo part for me? It’s okay if you don’t.”

Seungkwan shakes his head. “No, I will. I just didn’t realise you were paying that much attention to me.”

“It’s hard not to,” Vernon says, scooting over to pick up a travel mic from his open suitcase. Seungkwan’s heart warms, and then Vernon tacks on, “for many reasons.”

Seungkwan punches his shoulder. “You could’ve said that a bit nicer.”

Vernon straightens up, looking at him. “Nicer?”

Seungkwan flaps his hands, fussing. “You know! You said it like I’m loud and annoying, rather than I’m a good singer worth listening to. You sound like my high school bullies.”

“Don’t exaggerate,” Vernon says, laughing. “You’re a very good singer worth listening to, who is also loud. But not that annoying, really.”

“Thanks,” he says, taking the microphone and rolling his eyes. “Give me those lyrics.”

Vernon starts the recording, and Seungkwan sings for him. The style isn’t something he often sings himself, but he does his best with Vernon’s eyes on him, mimicking the way he’d done it and humming around the unwritten parts. Vernon claps cutely for him once he’s done, which makes them both laugh, and Seungkwan hands him the microphone back.

“Can I ask you something?” Vernon says as he saves the recording, leaving it open on the screen between them, but only looking at Seungkwan now.

“Of course.”

“Why do you choose to work behind the scenes when you can sing like this? Don’t you have dreams of being a singer?”

“I used to,” he smiles, tugging on his bond with his mother, sending something warm and grateful down their connection. “I’ve had singing lessons since I was young, and I would always sing with my sisters. Our whole family is musical. We’ve always done school shows, talent shows, community theatre. I was in choirs and bands all through school, and I was vice-president of amateur musical theatre back in university. They were some of the best times.”

“But you never pursued it professionally?”

He shakes his head. “I thought I would for a while, when I was young. But I didn’t want to leave home and become an idol, and I didn’t want to sing only what I was told to sing. I’ve always felt that singing was my one kind of freedom. At some point when I was a teenager, I stopped trying to pursue it for money, because I realised it was taking away my passion. I didn’t want the joy of it sucked from me. I just want to sing so that I can sing. Does that make sense?”

“It does,” Vernon says, nodding slowly. “But you ended up in the entertainment industry anyway.”

“Behind the scenes is different. I get to enjoy music, I get to support other performers. I get to make sure I can support my community by promoting the arts. I can still sing whenever I want, but I get all the fun and flair of helping run a production without selling my voice. Sometimes I take the odd audition that comes up for stage, but… never that seriously. I’m happy, right now. Coming on tour with you has been amazing. I’ve seen so much more than I ever have before. Your crowds are amazing, the energy you feed each other with is amazing. What more could I want than this?”

Vernon stays quiet for a few moments, only watching him. He hums, considering it.

“Maybe that sounds like a pretentious thing to say to someone like you,” he says quieter, reflecting. “Your passions have always been pursued professionally. It’s not that I think that’s wrong—”

“It’s okay,” Vernon says, even. “I know you didn’t mean it like that. That’s your truth. I can understand it, though I’ve never experienced it that way. It’s a beautiful way to see your gift, even if I think as many people should hear you sing as possible.”

“Maybe one day,” he says quietly, glowing at the casual compliment. “You inspire that in me. I have a feeling it’s going to grow.”

“Good,” Vernon says quietly. They look at each other for a long moment, still in the quiet of the room. Seungkwan wonders if now would be a good time to kiss him. “Do you want to go out on a walk?”

“Huh?”

“Do you want to go on a walk? I feel like I haven’t seen any of London, and we’re leaving tomorrow.”

“In the middle of the night?”

“Yeah. We seem to see everywhere by night, but it always looks pretty.”

Seungkwan throws his hands up, laughing. “Sure. Why not? Let’s do it.”

-

Their hotel is only five minutes away from where Tower Bridge crosses the River Thames, and they walk out towards it together, stopping at a low wall to sit and admire its yellow-lit glory. It’s surprisingly quiet out at this time, just the gentle chattering of people passing by, the odd bike, an electric car. The Shard stands tall and proud opposite them, glowing purple for the night.

“This is nice,” Seungkwan murmurs. “You were right. I’ll remember this about London. It’s so different to the energy from earlier today.”

“Right?” Vernon says, turning to face him properly. “I thought you’d like it.”

“You really have gotten to know me, then. I do like this kind of thing.”

“And I’m sure I still have more to know.”

Seungkwan reaches out to fix Vernon’s hair, slightly messed from the short walk, parting it carefully over his forehead. “Good thing we have time.”

“I hope we have a lot longer than the rest of the tour,” Vernon says, more sincere than Seungkwan has ever heard him be.

Seungkwan lets his hand drop, resting his weight against it on the wall. “How so?”

“When we get back to Seoul, what will you do?”

“I’ll look for my next job. Whoever needs a hand at putting on a show, I’ll be there. I can never resist.”

“Good,” Vernon says, eyes warm. “And us? We’re not going to let this go, are we? I want to see you as much as possible. You have to come to my studio sometime, I’d love to record something with you.”

Seungkwan hides his smile behind his hand. “Of course! I’ll be there whenever you want. I’ll invite you to all the shows I’m working on so you can sit around backstage, and it’ll feel just like old times. I already told you that I’m not letting us go anytime soon.”

Vernon nods, going quiet for a moment. “When the company was on the phone earlier, they asked me to put a statement out, you know. About us. Or at least to prepare something for when we go back home. I don’t know if you’ve seen any of the articles and trends lately…”

“I’ve seen,” he replies quietly. “Everyone in my life has seen. I just didn’t want to bring it up and drag it around with us on tour. I can pretend it’s not happening while I’m so far away from my normal life.”

Vernon nods again, more subdued now. “I’m sorry about that. Sincerely. It’s weird sometimes, when people follow you around or take your picture from a distance. I don’t like it, but you didn’t even ask for it.”

He shrugs. “No. But it’s worth it. I would rather have this bond and everything that comes with your life than not have it, and go right back to the same old grind as before. It’s too special for me to even imagine giving up. You know that, right? As stressful as it is to have people know my name now, know my face… at least you do. That’s the important thing.”

“That means a lot,” Vernon says quietly, looking out to the river. “But still, a statement might help. Clarify our relationship whilst asking for privacy. Might make people back off a bit.”

“How would you clarify it?” Seungkwan asks. “What would you say?”

“That I care about you,” Vernon says simply. “And I want you to be able to live your life the same, no matter how you’re connected to me.”

Seungkwan shakes his head, unable to stop smiling again. “I’m never going to be the same again. That’s the best bit about all this.” He holds a hand to his chest. “There’s a little bit of you in here.”

Vernon exhales a long breath of air, then says, completely straight-faced, “This might be crazy, but I think I’m falling in love with you.”

“I was hoping so, actually,” Seungkwan says, laughing around the words, new exhilaration swelling in his chest and buoying up his heart. “That’s what we’ve been feeling, right?”

“You felt it too?” Vernon asks, voice pitched up, wide eyes. “Why didn’t you say anything!”

“I was waiting for you to say it! You had the whole story about the broken bond, I didn’t want to move too fast—”

“I thought I was reading it wrong, holy shit. I was so nervous to say that.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Seungkwan laughs again, so happy he can barely see through crinkled eyes. “We share the same feelings!”

“I was probably overthinking it.”

“Definitely.” He leans in, putting a hand on Vernon’s thigh, their knees meeting on the wall. “Is that what you meant by clarify? Are you asking me if we want to go public before you even ask me to be your boyfriend?”

“No,” Vernon says, sure. “I don’t want anyone else to have this. It’s ours.”

He leans in and kisses him, quick. He can’t help it. “I want to shout it to the world,” he says, quiet, their faces close. “Maybe not yet. But I will one day.”

Vernon leans in and kisses him slower. It stills them, thrums between them, their shared existence made physical.

“One day,” he agrees, pulling back. “But will you be my boyfriend, first?”

“Yes,” he laughs, too excited to do anything else. “Yes, absolutely, I want to be your boyfriend, soulmate!”

“Good,” Vernon says, cupping his jaw, long fingers splayed along his cheek and just brushing his ear. “Good.”

They kiss again, and Seungkwan threads his fingers into Vernon’s hair. When they part, they smile at each other, and he doesn’t need the bond to know Vernon feels the same way he does. It’s written on his face, equal parts reserved and loud, looking at him with big brown eyes. But they do have the bond, and it vibrates between them now, strong, growing stronger by the day.

He can deal with everything else the bond brings at the end of the tour. Those are worries for another time, one not so rose-tinted with their budding, blooming feelings, tying them together like two lovers with a red string.

For now, he’ll just be grateful for this. His man, his match. His music.

-

How to Find your Soulmate (and Fall in Love) in Just Five Cities

By Boo Seungkwan

[+5283 -263] ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Seungkwan really wrote out the story we were all theorising about years ago cause he got tired of people asking him so much. Respect. Maybe people will stop asking about Vernon so much now that he’s promoting his own music

[+3632 -126] I can’t believe their bond was so strong he really had to go to hospital because of it. That’s true love right there

[+2166 -99] You know I wasn’t sure about them as a couple at first, but reading this actually makes me believe Premature bonds are as romantic as all the dramas show. Also, I never knew Seungkwan was this witty and funnyㅋㅋㅋ

[+1955 -192] I always knew they were a couple!! It was so obvious. Them getting together was even cuter than I imagined though

[+1002 -45] Okay me next. Where is my Vernon. Hurry up already!!