❥ Soulmate AU; Where your soulmate gets a mark on his skin, the moment you fall in love with him.

• Semi x Een •

---

Semi had let me know that it was a really idiotic idea of mine to go to Tokyo.

Semi added that that going on a Sunday was a really bad idea.

Semi also informed me that he thought I was an idiot.

I had let him know that I knew that, and that I was a very stubborn idiot as well.

And that is how I found myself going to the train station to catch the next train to Tokyo... And Semi, even though he thought it was idiotic, decided to follow me as well, claiming that he needed to go to 'take care of me'.

"Poor Takeru. I seriously need to talk to Dad about this."

"Er, Een, no offence, but your dad's a jerk." Semi has to point out. I don't even have anything to say in response, I knew he was right.

•••

Three hours later, I am sitting in the living room of my house.

Dad refused to talk to me, and my mom was having a chat with Semi while I glared daggers to Dad's back, while he watched a football match, on the TV.

"I'm so worried about Takeru. I have no idea where he is," Mom says to my soulmate, sighing. Semi has a little frown on his face, picking up his smartphone. "Een, did you know about this? About Takeru?"

"Yes, I did. Mom, are you mad at him at him too?"

Mom shakes her head, leaning against her chair a little. "It's fine. You should be free to love who you want. And Riku is a nice boy, why would I have any problems?"

"If only Fujiwara-san was as open-minded as you are," Semi mutters, watching the way my mom pours tea into the cup which she places in front of him.

"Anyhow... Are you both getting along well?" Mom wants to know, smiling a little and glancing at Semi. I feel myself turning red when I see Semi giving a nod and turning to face me.

"I'm going to talk to him. He can't just not talk to me." I announce, standing up. I can see Semi looking at me a little before he turns to face my mom again. I don't hear what he says, because I stomp towards the sofa, sitting down on the edge and looking at my father.

"Dad."

"If you have something to say about Takeru, then go back to Sendai. I'm not going to listen to you, Een." Dad has to say, pressing the resume button on the remote.

"Dad. Please listen to me."

"No. I know you'll probably have some emotional things to say, since you're into literature. But It's not going to work in this household."

"You're my Dad, please listen to what your daughter has to say. Please. I don't ask you for favours. You forgot my birthday. We haven't seen each other in months. Can't you just listen to me, in return for all that?" I beg. Dad has an annoyed expression on his face, slamming the remote on the coffee table before standing up.

"Fine. But you aren't going to change my mind."

I have my fingers crossed as I follow him to the kitchen, where he takes a seat at the dinner table in front of me.

"I'm not going to accept it." He has to say, right when I open my mouth to speak. I feel attacked and I clench my fist. Subconsciously, I take a glance at my wrist, and when I see my mark, I get an idea.

"Dad, you love Mom, right?"

"Een, this can't be solved by taking us as an example."

"Answer me. Dad, you have strong feelings for Mom, right?"

"I have very strong feelings for your mother, Een."

"Well," I say, putting my hands on the table, "Takeru has the same feelings, for Riku."

Dad blinks a little, his gaze on me, furrow of his eyebrows still intact.

"And Riku is really nice. I've met him. You trust me, right?"

"No. Not anymore, since you're siding with Takeru."

"I'm not sure what the problem is." I continue, "Takeru is finally happy. I'm pretty sure you've never seen Takeru so happy in his entire life."

"Nonsense. I don't notice anything-"

"Dad." I interrupt, hitting the table a little to exaggerate my point. "You're never home. How will you notice anything?"

More silence spreads throughout the kitchen, and I blink at my father, who runs a nail on the wood of the table.

"You're never home. I'm surprised you're actually home, now even. And now that you've come, you're taking away the one thing that Takeru is working hard on."

"Why can't he work hard on some random girl? Why does it have to be-"

"For cripes sake, Dad," I interrupt, and I can feel Semi internally slapping me for using that word, "Love does not work that way."

"Takeru can't be my son if he's gay."

Semi was right. It was literally impossible to go anywhere with him, and even trying to get him to think emotionally was not working.

I take a deep breath, and Dad crosses his arms.

"Dad, guess what?"

"If this is something else about Takeru, then-"

"Dad, I got accepted to college," I tell him. For a few seconds, he blinks in shock, watching me take out my smartphone. I show him the mail, and he takes a few seconds to read it.

"You... You got into college?"

"Thanks for the lack of confidence in me, but yes, I did. And it's a place rated amongst the best 10 colleges here in Tokyo. So, Dad, you owe me a present."

"Oh. O-Of course I do, indeed. What do you want me to get for you?"

"I want you to bring Takeru back home."

"Een... I'm pretty sure you know that I get moved by emotional talks, but this is a very serious issue." He says, sighing. "This isn't just going to affect us, it's going to affect everyone around us. Our neighbours. Our family. The society is going to blame us for poor upbringing."

"Dad, upbringing has nothing to do with feelings. You know that feelings come from the heart. Mom is five years older than you. You surely haven't forgotten the struggles you faced because of that right?"

"That is a different issue, Een. I'm fine with Takeru liking whoever he does. But people aren't going to let me live down to it. And you know it, you're just too naive to understand. How did you even pass the entrance exams with your little level of thinking?"

"Dad," I hiss, "People are more open to things now. It's not the same as back two decades ago. Trust me. For once in your life, why won't you believe me? And you realise that you kicking him out is in no way going to change the fact that Takeru likes Riku."

"But Een-"

"Let me rephrase that. The fact that Takeru loves Riku."

Dad stands up from his chair, glaring at me.

"So please, Dad. As a present from when you go to Bangkok next. Please bring him back."

"Een, you can stay here for however long you want. I'm going outside for a smoke."

And then, my Dad leaves, shooting another glare, this time at my soulmate, before he slams the door behind him.

•••

Takeru, as I had expected, was at Riku's house.

Takeru, as I had also expected, had not told Riku about what happened.

It was hard to keep a straight face when the blonde asks me how I was doing. But for Takeru's sake, I gave him a smile and he had seen us off.

"What are we going to do?" I ask, after we walk out of earshot.

But my soulmate speaks up before I can.

"I'll ask my Mom. If she says yes, Fujiwara can stay in my old room. It's empty anyway." Semi has to say, taking his smartphone out. Takeru blinks at him in utter shock, and I shake my head.

"Eita, you can't be serious."

"He's your brother. Of course I'm going to help him, if I can."

"But-"

"And besides," Semi has to say, pressing dial. "This would make you happy, right?"

"Well yes, but Eita..."

"Yeah. I'm serious about making you happy too. So - Oh. Hi Mom. You busy?"

I watch the way my soulmate has a hand in his pocket while he walks a little further away. When I glance at my brother, he too, is watching Semi's figure while he sat on the bench and spoke over the phone.

"He's changed a bit over the past few months."

"You noticed?"

"Of course. I saw him kissing you, a while ago. That was some good shit."

"We have a bigger issue here, Takeru, so shut up."

"I don't know about the issue, but Fujiwara, you can stay at my place till things get sorted out. This is the most I can do, the rest of the stuff, it's your responsibility." Semi appears up to us, pointing at the two of us.

"Thank you. I'll be grateful." Takeru has to say, extending a hand out. Semi takes my brother's hand, the two of them exchanging a handshake.

"Call me Takeru. Fujiwara seems too distant to call me after this help, Semi-san."

"I expect the same from you too, then."

I finally manage to stop a taxi, and while I sat in the passenger seat, my brother and my soulmate got into a heated discussion about their respective sports. In fact, they didn't even notice when we reached Semi's house, until I step outside and knock on the door.

"It's so late..." I mumble, while Takeru comes out. "And I look terrible."

"It's fine. I didn't tell my mom what exactly happened, but I told her I needed a favour. I keep telling you, for some reason, she likes you, so she's fine with it. So don't worry."

••• 

Semi's mother gave me an entire bag of various sweets to take back home, before she asked him to show me his room.

His room was... plain. There were stacks of sports magazines, a few volumes of manga, and some storybooks on his shelf. His room was very clean, kind of like I had expected.

"Don't get the wrong idea. My mom has cleaned this place. I'm a messy person."

"That makes the two of us." I joke. Semi chuckles at my lame response, and I walk to the window. He draws away the curtains, opening the window a little.

We don't see the moon, like I had hoped for, but there is a windy breeze entering the room as soon as we open it. I sigh, glancing at my soulmate.

"Go back. Go to Miyagi."

"Aren't you going back with me? We have school tomorrow."

"I still haven't convinced my dad." I let him know. Semi's eyebrows furrow and he rolls his eyes in irritance.

"That guy is way too difficult, I swear to God." 

"Yeah well. I'll deal with it. Thank you for doing this, Eita. It means a lot."

"That sounds very cringey, Een."

"You are a horrible boyfriend," I comment. But when he opens up his arms and looks at me with a grin, I couldn't help but smile.

"Take care. I'll go back and tell the office you have family issues. That'll give you an excuse to skip school for a few days, so don't worry."

I didn't need a explanation to know what he meant by that.

Because that was my soulmate's way of saying that he was going to wait for me.

And even though my mind felt like it was going to explode, for the first time that day, I feel calm in his embrace.

---

a/n; ilovesemi ilovesemi ilovesemi ilovesemi--- //slapped