Yeosang embraced his small bag over his chest while his feet kicked the other one under his seat. Kicking the packed duffel bag reassured him that it was still there.

He was on his way to Seoul, where he would meet the new group he'd be training with. To say Yeosang was nervous is an understatement. He felt a mix of emotions, something that didn't process well in his stomach.

Yeosang suddenly thought about his treasure map tucked into the corner of his black bag. He felt like checking to see it was there. If there was something he couldn't live without, it was the map.

The treasure map was a thin yet rigid piece of old paper rolled and tied with a specific-colored ribbon.

At first, the map would be blank. The ribbon is never meant to come off smoothly. If it did and someone opened the map, they would find nothing there. That was normal.

The map only opened when it started glowing an intense, golden aura around. People say the ribbon would finally thaw from its hardened state so one could pull its two strings and open their map to reveal an embroidered black path. Only then would they find their soulmate.

Soulmate. Yeosang remembered how he tsked when his mother handed him his treasure map. Soulmates weren't possible to find — much less in some 'magical' map sent from who knows where.

That was until his mother stroked his hair and kissed the top of his head. "But if two soulmates never find each other, or one doesn't want to find the other, the map will turn black, and the paper crisps to ashes," she said.

From that day forward, Yeosang took his map seriously. He carried it wherever he could. He checked it over whenever he could, hoping that in some way, he'd find a glimpse of a golden aura around it. Up until now, he hasn't seen the map light up.

Yeosang swayed a bit as the train slowed from its rapid speed. His station. He gripped his two bags and prepared to dismount.

"Yeosang?" a voice called. He turned towards the voice. An older, taller man was waiting aside with a phone in his hand. Yeosang followed him. This must be his manager or someone from the company.

"We're going to pick up another member, alright?"

Yeosang silently nodded, still holding his bags.

The car ride was quiet. Yeosang chose the back seat because, well, actually, he wasn't sure why.

Did he want to speak to the boy getting in next? Did he want to be sociable? Would the other boy aggressively react if he did that?

The car slowly stopped in a neighborhood of several stunning townhomes. One of them exited a young boy with a backpack over his shoulder. By the look of his face, Yeosang knew he was younger.

Surprisingly, the boy had no problem getting into the backseat with him.

"Hi, I'm Wooyoung," he introduced.

"Yeosang."

Wooyoung stifled a laugh. "I'm sorry. When I meet people, it always has to be awkward."

This time a smile grew on Yeosang's face too. "I thought I was the one making this situation weird too."

The two boys made their way to a practice room where several others were dancing or sitting on the ground already. It looks like they might have been the last members to arrive.

"Hi!" one with vibrant red hair greeted. "What's your name?"

"Yeosang."

"Wooyoung."

"Cool. We were just getting started on introductions. Since we're all here, let's go around again."

One by one, everyone said their name and some other random fact about themselves. Yeosang looked at each member, but one sort of forced his eyes to look at him.

"Hello, I'm Jongho. I like to sing a lot, so prepare for concerts when we move to the dorm."

Yeosang softly smiled. The way Jongho played with his sleeves while speaking was cute. His voice radiated baby energy and came out like he was pouting.

Oh, Yeosang didn't know what he was getting himself into.

A few days, then weeks went by. Everyone progressively got to know each other and warmed up to sleeping under the same roof. Yeosang became good friends with Wooyoung, and the pair occasionally had talks at night.

"Yeosang?" Wooyoung whispered one night. Yeosang opened an eye to hear his friend.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"What's wrong?" Yeosang heard the shy tone in Wooyoung's voice.

"Do you believe in soulmates?"

"..."

"It's fine if you don't... but you have your map too, right?"

"Yeah," Yeosang whispered. Then he realized something. He hasn't checked the map since the day he rode the train. After that, he simply stored it away without sparing a glance at it.

"I think I've found mine," Wooyoung suddenly confessed.

"Who... Who is it?" Yeosang asked. Damn, he blew his cover.

"San."

"Oh..." Yeosang trailed off. Under his voice lay a thin layer of envy. Wooyoung already found his soulmate by merely joining the group? Why couldn't he?

"You should check your map soon. Goodnight, Yeosang." Wooyoung shifted in his bed to end the conversation.

Yeosang tried to sleep but couldn't. Now he really did want to check his map.

That's precisely what he did the next day. Well, at least he tried to.

"It's not here," he whispered to himself. He was looking in one of his drawers for it.

"No, no, no," he proceeded to mutter.

"Hyung, are you ready to go?" Yeosang suddenly heard. He turned to see Jongho in the doorway. "O-Oh, are you looking for something?"

Yeosang slowly nodded, then turned.

Jongho nervously stepped a little closer. "For?"

"My map. Have you seen it?"

Jongho didn't answer. Yeosang rose an eyebrow and turned.

"No! No, I haven't seen it," the younger answered this time. Yeosang sighed.

"I swear I placed it here while unpacking." Yeosang pushed things back and forth as if doing that would make his map magically appear. He was stressed.

Jongho didn't like seeing him that way. His heart and conscience clearly didn't, either.

"Y-Yeosang?"

"What?" Yeosang turned to see Jongho with incoming tears.

"Hey! We have to go to practice!" Seonghwa shouted to everyone.

"We should go," Jongho quietly mumbled. Yeosang gestured for him to lead the way.

"Jongho, why are you crying?" Mingi asked his roommate that evening.

"I've done something bad, Mingi," Jongho sobbed.

"What is it?"

"I stole something." Jongho rubbed his eyes. He wasn't the type to lie when he did something wrong.

"What did you steal, Jongie?" Mingi softly asked.

"Someone's... m-map..."

Mingi's eyes widened. He put two and two together before replying, "Jongho, did you take Yeosang's map?"

"Yes." Jongho cried even more.

"Can I bring Yeosang?"

"P-Please..."

Moments later, there stood a new person by the door.

"Mingi said you wanted to tell me something," Yeosang explained.

Jongho pulled something from his covers and set it in front of him.

Yeosang gasped and reached for his map. While the yellow aura caught his eye, something else did too. Small darkening lines were growing from the corner. The map was burning itself because one of them was denying their link.

"W-What? Why did you take it?" Yeosang pulled the ribbon to open it. He gasped at what he saw.

"I... I'm your soulmate, Yeosang," Jongho stated.

"I see that," Yeosang could only reply. He was staring at the bright red 'X' marked on his map. It showed he was standing right before his treasure.

"Why did you take it?" Yeosang softly asked. His hand reached over to caress Jongho's wet cheek to provide comfort.

"I felt nervous. What if you weren't going to accept me?"

A sweet smile grew on Yeosang's face. He knelt before Jongho. "Jongho, I thought you were adorable when we met."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Yeosang shrugged. "And we're soulmates. We're meant to be together."

"O-Oh..." Jongho looked down shyly. "I'm sorry for taking your map. Sorry for hiding it, and sorry for not telling the truth—"

"Shh," Yeosang interrupted. He noticed how red Jongho's face was and lifted it.

"Are you gonna kiss me?" the younger softly asked. Yeosang chuckled.

"Of course." He leaned in so their lips touched.

Jongho felt a wash of relief over him as Yeosang embraced his waist. All worries and problems left him at that moment. He felt linked to the man. Likewise, Yeosang felt as if that kiss connected them.

It did.

Once the two began losing their breath in the suddenly hot atmosphere, Jongho turned to bring something else from under his covers.

Jongho showed his own map — already untied and unwrapped. He displayed the red ribbon, embroidered golden swirls on the outside. Yeosang moved to sit beside him then showed his purple one too.

"Ready?" Jongho gently asked. Yeosang nodded. They flipped it over to see the inside now presenting the other's name in golden, cursive letters. The thread was mystical. It glowed and sparkled to show Yeosang and Jongho found what they were looking for.

"Jongho?"

"Yeosang...?"

"You're my treasure," they both declared with bright smiles.