The Meaning in the Numbers
Pairng: JongTae
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance
Word Count: 3,775
Author’s note: I know that Jonghyun’s concerts took place back in October but I changed the dates to suit this story. I also made him a solo artist who was still under SM to better suit what I wanted to happen so I guess this story is kind of AU. Based on inspiration from this list of soulmate prompts: http://thegeminisage.tumblr.com/post/94680598838Anyways…In the spirit of Christmas, ENJOY!
The world in which we live is a magical one; that is a fact that cannot be denied. One of the most magical things about this world is soulmates. A perfect other half to your soul that is unique for every individual. This perfect other half is found at random, at any point during the person’s life. How, you may ask, in a world of 7 billion people, can just two find each other at random? The answer is simple albeit disheartening, many don’t. Well if you do think that you have found the person, how do you identify them? This answer is also simpler and less tragic, every person is born with a tattoo band around their wrist and until they find their soulmate, the band is blank. Once they touch hands with their soulmate for the first time, the band will show a series of twelve numbers. Each set of numbers is unique and the couple will have matching numbers that only match between them. Some people never find their soulmate but those who do admit to having perfect happiness.
To say that Kim Jonghyun was a very good singer would be an understatement. His voice was melodic and enchanting and it captured exactly how you felt. Thanks to that fact, Kim Jonghyun was a wildly popular singer who was currently promoting a new album. Being as it was almost Christmas, Jonghyun’s management decided that he would perform twelve concerts as a gift to the fans. Jonghyun was thrilled at the prospect of getting to meet with so many fans during such a festive season and proceeded to spend many, many hours in the studio rehearsing and preparing for his concert. Everything had to be perfect even if it meant working himself harder than he ever had before.
His first eleven concerts went off without a hitch and Jonghyun was riding high on excitement and euphoria. So much so that after speaking with management and clearing it with the concert venue, they chose 50 lucky fans at the last concert to participate in a fansign and hi-touch event. They handed the ticket to each of the fans as they entered the venue, warning them to keep quiet about it or they would have their privilege revoked. The confused but ecstatic fans do stay quiet about this mysterious event. All throughout the concert there is an air of something fantastic about to happen. It can be felt by the fans and the staff, but most of all by Jonghyun himself.
This last concert took place on the 23rd of December and it would be taped and released on Christmas as one last present to the fans who didn’t manage to score tickets to attend. The expectations were high and Jonghyun felt like he might suffocate under all of the pressure. At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel that something more than just his concert and hi-touch event was happening. Brushing those thoughts and feelings aside, Jonghyun dressed backstage in his favourite white jumper and jeans and warmed up his vocals. He ran through his lines in his head over and over until finally it was time to walk out on the stage and give his all.
* * *
Lee Taemin was not one to boast his passions loudly. He did his best to stay neutral in the topic of pop culture, be it movies or singers or books. However despite his best efforts, his undeniable adoration for one Kim Jonghyun leaked into his daily life. Enough so that his friends and parents all decided to collectively purchase him a ticket to Jonghyun’s final concert on the 23rd of December as an early Christmas present. The morning of the 23rd, Taemin’s mom shooed him off to a friend’s house stating her need to clean the house before the family came to dinner in a few days. Taemin went off to Minho’s house to kill time so that he wasn’t out in the snow. Slowly the day passed before Minho and Key tag teamed Taemin to stop his moping. They bundled him into the car and drove to the Coex mall that was a short distance from Minho’s house. Without saying a word they pressed a thin strip of paper into his hand and dragged him to the theatre where “The Story by Kim Jonghyun” was displayed above the entrance.
Taemin looked back and forth between his friends, his eyes wide and unblinking.
“Wh-what are we doing here? I don’t understand, what’s going on?” Taemin looks questioningly at his friends
“Look at what we just gave you Taemin.” Minho’s voice is composed but the excitement shining in his eyes says differently of his current state of emotions.
Taemin glances down at the ticket and printed on there is his name and today’s date for Jonghyun’s concert. Taemin looks back up at Minho and Key who are now grinning so widely he’s afraid that their faces may crack. Tears brim in Taemin’s eyes as he throws his arms around his best friends. They push him in the direction of the auditorium and wave saying that his brother will be there to pick him up when it’s over. Taemin walks towards the line that is against one of the walls outside of the theatre and joins the small queue that is forming there. The concert doesn’t start for another two hours but they’ll start letting people in soon so that everyone can find their seats.
Soon enough it’s Taemin’s turn to walk through the doors and as he does, the man checking the tickets hands him another slip of paper to go with his ticket and stamps something onto his hand.
Taemin looks at him questioningly but the man only says, “Please read it carefully.”
Taemin finds his seat and is once again struck by a wave of emotions as he realizes how close to the stage, to Jonghyun, he’s going to be. Once he sits down he looks at the other piece of paper that the guard had pressed into his hand. He has to read it several times before he can comprehend what it’s saying. Hi-touch special event ticket. The words jump out at him and he can’t help the sharp breath that he takes in. He reads it again, this time more thoroughly. He’s been selected to participate in a secret special hi-touch event with Jonghyun after the concert ends but he’s not to tell anyone else that he’s been selected. After the concert ends he should stay in his seat while the fans not selected leave and then he will be taken back in a group to meet with Jonghyun. Each fan will be given a copy of the album that has the concert songs on it for Jonghyun to autograph. Taemin can hardly breathe but manages to compose his face and turns to converse with the girls sitting next to him before the concert starts.
Then, all of the sudden, it’s time for the concert to begin and Taemin is breathless again. His heart is pounding in his throat and he thinks that his hands are probably shaking. His pulse races as the music begins and the lights cut out as the first notes are sung. It is the single most exhilarating and emotional moment that Taemin thinks that he has ever experienced in his entire life and he doesn’t quite know how to put it into words. Hearing Jonghyun like that in front of him, unimpeded by the speakers in his car or his headphones as he listens alone at his desk really makes Taemin’s heart pound.
* * *
Jonghyun looks out over the crowd as he chats with them during a break between songs and spots a male fan, sitting near the front. He looks young and his hair has been bleached almost as blond as Jonghyun’s own. He’s on the edge of his seat and looks like he might be on the brink of tears. Jonghyun hopes that the staff decided to let this kid come backstage and do the hi-touch event.
As the concert winds down, Jonghyun has to take a moment and just breathe. His emotions threaten to overwhelm him as he sings the closing notes of his final song.
“I just want to thank you all so very much for coming and supporting me. Please look forward to my future work and have a Happy Christmas!”
With those words, Jonghyun bows and walks off stage. He has about ten minutes to clean up a bit before the hi-touch event begins. He decides to swap jumpers and picks a thinner one. As he is sliding his shirt over his head, he can’t help but glance at the band on his arm. It’s the same as always of course, just a thick dark band that remains number free. He squints at it, willing it to do something. Before he can stare for more than a moment or two, his manager comes bustling in, ready to lead him to the room where they will be holding the hi-touch event. Jonghyun can’t help but shiver a little bit in a fit of anticipation for the emotions and interactions to come.
Jonghyun doesn’t get to do fansigns or hi-touch events much because it is more difficult to arrange for a solo artist but when he does, he savors each and every moment. He’s glad that management decided to give in to his wishes and let this event happen. As he walks into the room where the signing will take place, he notes with pleasure that there seems to be a good mix of fans. There are old fans and young fans, it even looks like some of the fans may be from Japan or China. Jonghyun moves and sits behind the table and signals to the staff to let the first fans come over. He takes great pleasure in greeting each fan and signing their album, answering the little questions like what he will be doing for Christmas or how his radio show is going.
The first group of 25 fans has come through and gone and now it’s time for the second group. Jonghyun looks up from where he had been stretching and has to contain himself. The male fan that he had spotted in the audience before was there at the door, holding his copy of the album and looking like he was on top of the world. Jonghyun can’t help but to grin. He waves the first people forward and it’s only a few minutes before the male fan has reached the table.
“Who should I make it out to?” Jonghyun inquires of the young man.
“To Lee Taemin please.” The boy’s response has a faint hint of shakiness to it.
“I just wanted to thank you, Jonghyun-ssi. It was because of your music that I found my passion for dancing.”
Jonghyun looks up into those shining eyes and something stirs within him. Fans like Lee Taemin are the reason why Jonghyun performs music. Of course he loves the music itself but when he can see the effect that he has on someone, it makes it all the more worthwhile.
“Thank you so much for your kind words Taemin-ssi. I hope you will be able to support me in the future so that I can continue to inspire you!” Jonghyun hopes that his words don’t sound too cheesy and is relieved when Taemin gives him a large grin.
Jonghyun reaches forward and locks hands with Taemin like he did for all of the previous fans. He can’t help but notice how cool Taemin’s hands are and he hopes that’s not because his own hands are sweaty. He feels a faint prickling at his wrist but brushes the thought aside as Taemin’s hands slide from his and the next fan appears in front of the table to receive his signature.
It isn’t until much later, when Jonghyun is in his van heading back to his apartment after the conclusion of his final concert that he remembers the sensation and glances down at his wrist. He blinks slowly at it. He pulls his sleeve down over his wrist and then back up again. Blinking again, he slowly pokes at it with one finger. His manager notices his antics and turns to ask him what’s wrong when he catches a glimpse of the numbers that have appeared on Jonghyun’s wrist. Jonghyun looks at his manager and then back down at his wrist.
“Oh no.” His manager groans softly to himself. “When did this happen Jonghyun, do you know? When was the last time that you looked at your wrist? Do you have any idea of who it could be?”
Jonghyun holds up a hand to stop his managers onslaught of questions and thinks for a moment.
“I checked my wrist right before the hi-touch event. I locked hands with all 50 of the fans in the room but I didn’t touch anyone else’s hand after the event so it must have been someone during the event.” Jonghyun’s voice is steady but faint.
“Okay well we have a record of each of the fans that we gave those passes to so I guess all we need to do is contact them and see if they have any numbers that match yours…” His manager trails off at the prospect of meeting with all 50 of the fans that had come through the room.
“But we need to make sure that they’re telling the truth about the numbers! Once they find out that it’s me, they might try and make it up so that they can get closer to me. I’ll have to go in person and confirm.”
“I suppose you will. It’s a good thing that you’ve finished your concerts because you have a busy few days coming up if we’re really to try and meet with all 50 of the fans.”
Jonghyun settles back and turns to stare out the window. He supposed on some level he was lucky that his numbers had shown up at all. Really, some people went their entire lives without knowing their soulmate. And, at least he had a definite group of people from which his soulmate came. He supposed it could be much worse.
* * *
Taemin stumbles out of the concert hall in a daze. He couldn’t believe that he had really met his idol like that. It’s several moments before he realizes that someone is calling his name. He looks up and sees his brother, Jinki, standing there in front of him looking slightly concerned.
“Taemin-ah are you okay? I called your name several times. What took you so long to come out? I was running late but when I got here you hadn’t come out yet?” Jinki’s eyes hold nothing but concern for his little brother.
“I got chosen to participate in a special fansign and hi-touch event. I got to talk to Kim Jonghyun. I touched him, his hands at least…Oh my god that was so AMAZING!” Taemin’s words tumble over each other in an effort to be heard.
Jinki smiles at his brother, relieved that he seems to be okay, better than okay even. He takes his hand and starts tugging him out of the crowded mall, towards the parking lot where his car was.
“I’m glad that you liked your Christmas present Taemin, even if it was a little bit early.”
The brothers drive home in a companionable silence, Taemin still too overwhelmed by his post-concert emotions to be much good at conversation. Taemin stumbles through the door and up to his room where he manages to pull off his heavy winter coat and socks before he snuggles up under his covers and drifts to sleep despite the hour being still rather early. He dreams that night of Jonghyun’s face and the sweet music that he had heard.
Taemin awakes early the next morning thanks to the hour that he had gone to bed the night before. He wanders down to the kitchen and is poking through the refrigerator when he notices his wrist. Gone is the plain solid black band that had been there the day before. It has been replaced with the string of numbers that every person longs to see. That means that sometime the day before Taemin had seen and touched his soulmate. He stumbles over to the table and sits down heavily, doing his best to recall what had occurred. Taemin wasn’t a very tactile person and tended to avoid unknown touch. He was positive that he hadn’t brushed hands with anyone so who could it have been?
His mind stops abruptly and he stares down at his wrist in blank incomprehension. The only person who he had touched yesterday aside from his friends and family was none other than Kim Jonghyun. Kim Jonghyun the very famous and popular singer. Kim Jonghyun who probably didn’t even remember his name. His idol and inspiration, Kim Jonghyun. There was absolutely no possible way that Kim Jonghyun could be his soulmate. It was absurd and it would be impossible besides. With that thought firmly in his head, Taemin makes his was back up to his bedroom, forgetting any notion of breakfast.
* * *
Jonghyun sat nervously in the car outside of yet another apartment complex. Of the 50 fans that had done the hi-touch event, they had been able to rule out 20 who were already married or had found their soulmate. They had ruled out a further 10 from other countries by way of phone messages. That still left 20 fans that they had to go and see. This was house number 14 and they had been at this for about eight hours now. Jonghyun wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take. As soon as the fans found out that Jonghyun was looking for his soulmate among the fans that had been to yesterday’s concert, messages came pouring in with everyone claiming to have the matching numbers despite the fact that Jonghyun had not released his own numbers to the public.
At that moment, Jonghyun’s manager returned to the car, shaking his head at Jonghyun. Another bust. Jonghyun sighed quietly and leaned back into his seat, turning his music up and closing his eyes as they took off to the next location. He was growing weary of going door to door, looking for his soulmate. Would it be worth it in the end? He hoped so.
It was growing later and later and Jonghyun’s manager had decided that this next house should be the last. He didn’t want to be banging on strangers’ doors at all hours of the night. As it was, it was almost midnight and people were getting ready for bed. They pulled up to a quiet house off of a busy road. Just like before, his manager hopped out of the car and went to go knock on the door. From what Jonghyun could see, a young man answered and was shaking his head before he stopped and turned to call something into the house behind him. Jonghyun turned away and was about to put his iPod on shuffle yet again when a glimpse of a face caught his eye and he sat back up. That bleached head of hair was incredibly familiar. What had been that one fanboy’s name? Lee Taewoon? Lee Taehyun?
He was startled out of his thoughts when a moment later his manager rapped on the glass and signaled Jonghyun to get out of the car and follow him. He pulled the door open and watched his breath puff into the frosty air, noticing as it did that the first flakes of snow were beginning to fall. He stepped out of the van and slowly walked over to the house. His steps were filled with a mixture of dread and anticipation. Was this really his soulmate? He looked up into the other boy’s eyes.
* * *
“Lee Taemin come down here please!” Jinki’s voice was loud and a little disturbed.
Taemin bounded out of his room and down the stairs to see his brother standing at the front door talking with another man. Confusion ran through Taemin’s thoughts and must have shown on his face. The man glanced at Taemin and then down at Taemin’s hidden wrists.
“This man says that he’s here because you were one of the participants at the special hi-touch event yesterday. Taemin, did your band change after the event?”
Taemin freezes at the question and can’t help but glance down at his wrist. He looks back up at the two men who are waiting on his answer and slowly nods his head yes. The other man’s eyes light up and he reaches his hand out. Taemin knows what he wants and allows the other man to push up his sleeve to see the neat scroll of numbers that have appeared there.
“It’s you! You’re the one that we’ve been searching for all day! What’s your name young man?”
“It’s Lee Taemin. I’m sorry but who are you?” Taemin feels like he knows the answer but poses the question anyways.
“Oh I’m sorry, my name is Gyeongshik, I’m Kim Jonghyun’s manager. And you’re his soulmate.”
The words take a moment to register in Taemin’s mind. He’s still mulling over that sentence when he realizes that Gyeongshik is no longer standing in front of him. He blinks slowly at the figure of Kim Jonghyun in front of him before a grin breaks across his face. He pulls back his sleeve and then gestures for Jonghyun to do the same. There on both of their wrists is the same set of numbers.
909312232015
Those simple numbers, those seemingly random digits had just made his life a whole lot better. Taemin cleared his throat and glanced back up to Jonghyun’s face.
“My name is Lee Taemin. And I guess that I’m your soulmate.”
Jonghyun laughs at that and extends one hand for Taemin to shake.
“My name is Kim Jonghyun and I am your other half. Nice to meet you again.” Jonghyun’s voice washes over Taemin and sparks something inside of him.
A grin lights up Taemin’s own face and he brushes Jonghyun’s hand aside and goes in for a hug. Jonghyun is a bit shorter than him and fits perfectly into his arms. Taemin inhales deeply, letting the smell of Jonghyun’s shampoo and cologne wash over him. He feels Jonghyun’s arms wrap around his own waist. Somewhere in the distance, a clock chimes midnight. It is officially Christmas.
* * *
So yeah, that’s it. Sorry the ending is kind of crap, I rewrote it several times and I settled for this because I couldn’t figure out what I liked. I may add on to this in the future. Merry Christmas everyone!