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In the world Seokyoon lived in, soulmates were a common occurrence, it has always existed ever since the dawn of time, weaving itself into the fates of humans for millions and millions of years.
What made it magical though, were the marks.
Every persons mark was unique, and though they can be grouped in categories, no two soulmate marks were exactly the same.
So being one of the people who had a living animal as a mark wasn't unheard of, but for Seokyoon, the goose picking at his shoelaces was.
Animal Soulmate Marks, or well... messengers? Were exactly like their normal counterparts, except they're indestructible and exist solely to lead you to your soulmate so they didn't need to eat (but Seokyoon still treated his soulmate goose like any other goose and took great care of it.) They also stay with their humans as a physical manifestation of their bond and perish only when their humans do.
Seokyoon's goose– who he lovingly named Dokshi, brought him out of his hometown, and into the crowded hustle and bustle of Seoul, in a literal wild goose chase. He hoped to find his soulmate soon because he's not sure his funds can handle traveling anymore.
"Come on, Dokshi, are we even close?" Seokyoon trailed behind the goose, his legs feeling sore from all the walking he's done all morning with his stomach aching from hunger.
They entered a quiet neighborhood and Seokyoon takes the time to assess the empty street, his hand tightening around the straps of his backpack he packed in a haste when Dokshi had fussed that morning and almost ruined his pajama pants from the way he tugged harshly at him to get up and get out the house. Seokyoon's face contorts into a pained wince when his stomach makes a cry for help again. He turns his gaze back to his determined goose friend with a pout. His soulmate better not mind him crashing at their place!
"I haven't even properly eaten yet," Dokshi now leads him up a set of rainbow stairs and Seokyoon groans, "you only take breaks for a snack and you don't even wait for me to eat!" Of course, the goose doesn't pause while Seokyoon whined, actually, it started waddling faster halfway up the steps, wings starting to flap and making a wild dash when it reaches the top, honking loudly as it went, making Seokyoon yelp and run after it.
"Ah! Dokshi, wait!" Seokyoon focuses on nothing but his goose and catches up to him quickly before scooping it up and trying to soothe its squirming form by petting its round body.
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone with a pet goose before." An unfamiliar voice quips from in front of him and Seokyoon freezes, eyes looking up to a handsome man. His mouth quirks up in a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.
Dokshi starts flapping his wings then and Seokyoon yelps and drops him in surprise, stumbling a few steps backwards. The goose then charges at the man and starts smacking him with his wings, repeatedly looking back at Seokyoon with fury in those beady eyes. Seokyoon was about to grab his goose to scold him again when it clicked.
He has never acted like that their whole journey, despite passing by all those people in the streets– heck, he never acted like that at home with his family! Is this--
"Sir, you're not just going to let your goose–" "I think you're my soulmate." Seokyoon cuts the man off and the admission makes the man's eyes look sharply at him, making Seokyoon flinch but holds his gaze. Dokshi also seems to have paused in his assault on the stranger.
"Come again?"
Seokyoon swallows, its now or never. This guy had to be it. "The goose is my soulmate guide, and he's only acted like that with you."
Looking down on the now calmed, yet-still-strangely-glaring goose by his pants leg, Seokyoon watches as recognition colors his dark eyes in a widened look.
"I see." The man murmurs, his head rises, and his empty eyes fill with something Seokyoon notes looks like longing.
Well, what he hopes looks longing. Is it getting hot in here? Maybe it's the weather. Oh god his palms are starting to sweat from nervousness.
"I think we can verify that with my mark. How about we go to my place to see?"
There it is. Every person who has a soulmate with a 'mark' that is a guide animal has a tattoo of the same animal somewhere in their skin, serving as the last piece of verification that will fully ease Seokyoon's nerves.
Well, maybe this will be the start of something nice, he's finally gonna get to know the soulmate he's been dying to meet ever since Dokshi busted through his front door. (An exaggeration, Dokshi only smacked the hell out of their door with his wings and honked until his mother opened the door.)
Seokyoon breathes in in an attempt to calm himself, bending down to pick up his now calmed Dokshi and musters up a bright smile, briefly bowing his head in respect.
"I'm Seokyoon, please lead the way, Mister Soulmate!" The younger not doesn't miss the slight hint of a smile on the other man's lips.
"It's Kihyuk, sweet heart," The pet name makes Seokyoon's cheeks color, " and I'm glad you're here now." The previous longing look in his eyes now shifted, and a darkness covers it now, to which Seokyoon tries his best to not worry about, he hopes it means good things for him, because what should be butterflies on his stomach now feels like boulders settled on his gut. The hand that rests on the small of his back is gentle, though, and at least that comforts him, and the goose in his arms seems calm enough to influence his nerves as well.
He certainly didn't need to know what kind of thoughts are going through the older man luring him to his new home, because while soulmates were a normal occurrence in Seokyoon's world, that doesn't mean that your chosen soulmate will always be good.