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In a world where love is written in the stars, everyone is born with a visible mark on their skin—a gentle, unique trace that hints at a bond beyond time and space. Soulmates carry identical marks, perfectly mirrored on the same spot on their bodies, as if the universe itself wants to show them who they are meant to be with. These marks are quiet reminders that somewhere, out there, another soul exists who is made just for them. Not everyone finds their perfect match, but those who do are touched by destiny in the most beautiful way. To discover that someone bears the same mark as you among endless figures drawn on bodies is a divine proof that your souls were always meant to find each other. Some paths are crossed by fate, and can never be uncrossed again in all eternity.
In had never liked hospitals. The constant smell of antiseptic, the endless ticking of monitors, too many people in one place made his anxiety even worse than usual. Today, however, he had no choice. “I’m not going,” he muttered, using all his strength that was left to drag his feet toward the entrance door of the hospital. “You’ve already fainted three times this week!” exclaimed his best friend, Dao, grabbing him strongly under his arm. “You must go get checked, even if I have to carry you!”
In sighed, weak, inevitably surrendering . “You’re being ridiculous. It is just tiredness.”
“And you’re being stubborn,” she shot back. “Don’t worry, your assigned doctor today is my brother. You will be in great hands, he is the best!”
In froze mid-step. “Brother?”
Dao rolled her eyes. “Yes, my brother. Trust me, you do not want him mad at you.”
In’s nerves were on edge. The thought of meeting Dao’s older brother, the man who had a reputation for being both brilliant and precisely sharp, was making him overly stressed. Dao led the way to the waiting hall that was just in front of the examination room. “Sit and wait, In. Don’t faint again please.”
In sat onto the chair dramatically, rolling his eyes, even though the dizziness and sharp pain in his temples made him wince.
The door opened, and In instinctively looked up.
And completely froze.
The first thing he noticed were his eyes. Grey, piercing, sharp. The kind of eyes that made him feel like all his thoughts were being openly revealed just with one look. The doctor’s face was one of the most beautiful faces he has ever seen, and his physique seemed lean, even if hidden under white coat. In entered the examination room, still dazzled. Dr. Thapfah carefully stepped into the room, expression unreadable but commanding. His dark hair was neat, glasses carefully placed on the bridge of his nose, and his posture was impeccable.
In’s chest tightened. Despite his beauty, In's inner voice told him this man was going to be infuriating.
“Mr. In?” Thap asked, voice steady and precise. “I’m Dr. Thapfah. Dao tells me you had been experiencing fainting in several occurrences this week.”
In swallowed thickly, but all his words died in his throat. He wanted to be sarcastic abd casual, but under Thapfah’s gaze, he felt like he was pinned.
“Yes,” he said finally. “But it’s just tiredness. Dao is exaggerating.”
Thap’s gaze didn’t waver. “Mr. In. I’ll need to run some tests and check your vitals. Sit still and follow my instructions, alright?”
In felt a flicker of irritation. “Do I have to?”
“Yes.” Thap’s voice was firm and unyielding.
In groaned. “Of course, my fate is entirely in your hands now. Lucky me.”
Thap ignored him, walking to the counter in his perfect posture to wash his hands to prepare for the examination.
The first checkup was thorough. Dr. Thap’s hands were steady, his movements efficient, and he was meticulous, testing reflexes, pulse, blood pressure. In squirmed under the attention and the precise touches.
“So, any dizziness now?” Thap asked, looking directly in In’s eyes.
In squirmed, and suddenly turned his head. “Not really, just my usual vertigo from tiredness.” he replied, trying to sound casual, but he felt restless.
Thap reached to check In’s pulse. The contact was brief, but enough to make In catch his breath. He blinked and quickly looked away. He felt something in his gut, but he told himself it’s just the uneasiness from not liking hospitals. If Thap noticed elevation in the pulse, he didn’t comment on it.
Over the next few days, Dao has dragged In again in the hospital for follow up examinations. He and Thap fell into a rhythm of teasing and irritation. In’s sarcasm irritated Thap’s cold demeanor, leaving In frustrated, but also secretly intrigued.
“Don’t you ever stop talking?” Thap asked one morning as In rambled about how boring the waiting room was, and how he hates hospitals.
“Never,” In replied proudly. “It’s a gift.”
“You’re lucky it doesn’t affect your vitals.”
“Lucky for me,” In said, smirking.
Despite himself, Thap found himself glancing at In more often than he should. Since the first look they shared, he has felt something. The boy was infuriating and stubborn, but he still noticed when In was pale, when his smile faltered, when he looked like he was about to faint. He convinced himself that it is just his duty as a doctor, but deep down he knew himself better than that, even if he denied.
Dao, of course, noticed too. “I think you two are driving each other crazy,” she teased one afternoon, leaning casually against the wall while she was waiting for the examination to be completed. “Not at all,” Thap said. “He is a challenging patient, but as the doctor, I am in complete control here. You can wait outside, Dao.” Dao rolled her eyes. “I’m just saying, my big brother. You don’t usually look so… distracted. Careful, you might finally allow your cold demeanor to be cracked.”
Thap exclaimed surprisedly. “Excuse me?”
Dao didn’t elaborate further, just smiled and left the examination room. Thap didn’t comment, but the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed him. In caught it and felt his pulse increasing.
Weeks of regular checkups passed. In’s fainting occurrences lessened, but the closeness between him and Thap grew without either admitting it. Their conversations were still filled with sarcasm, but subtle moments, steadying him when he stumbled or almost fainted, lingering glances during tests, quiet concern in Thap’s voice—slowly started to pierce through In’s carefully built defenses.
One stormy afternoon, Dao had left early for an errand. Unexpectedly rain started to pour and the city streets flooded. In was sitting in the clinic, restless and tense, scared from the loud thunderstorm, when the door opened.
Thap stepped inside, damp from the rain. “Shouldn’t you be home?” In asked, half-smiling, half teasing, despite his nervousness. “What about you? You should be resting.” Thap replied, with voice softer than usual, without the sharpness in this look he usually wore while performing his duty. He walked closer. “Sit still.” In’s pulse quickened. Not from the storm, but because of the way Thap’s touch carefully examined him, like he was made of fragile glass. When their eyes met, his pulse quickened again. In sat still through the examination in silence, but his thoughts inside his head were loud.
Later, when In felt the exhaustion of the day sipping in his bones and he accidentally stumbled, Thap caught him instantly. He steadied him with his hands on his sides, their eyes meeting, but accidentally while catching him, In’s shirt went up and revealed small part of skin. Thap’s eyes caught the soulmate mark, the golden divine moon-shaped drawing that adorned In’s skin on his right upper hip. Thap froze, recognizing the same mark etched in his skin since he was born. His heart started to flutter, and he carefully touched the soulmate mark on In’s upper hip. In, now standing steady, felt like he lost his breath. Thap took a tentative step closer, eyes wide, lips parted in disbelief and wonder. The realization sank in slowly. Meeting In wasn’t a chance, it was a destiny. Fate written in the starts long before both of them were born. Their souls were always meant to find each other, and finally, they had. In was confused for a moment, but Thap carefully took In’s hand in his and slowly guided it to his own upper hip. In, in a daze, couldn’t even try to resist. When the shirt was slightly up, In was left breathless, and his heart was pounding. “Soulmate mark...” he could barely whisper. There was an identical golden moon etched in the same place.
Thap’s eyes softened more than ever, as he carefully closed the distance between him and In, and tightly hugged him. “This… this is incredible. I didn’t even dare to hope that you are the one, even if that is what I wished the most in this world.”
In stared at him in disbelief. “Out of all people in the world…”. Thap just hugged him tighter, with soft smile full of happiness. Both their hearts were fluttering.
In the following days, their interactions changed. The sarcasm remained, but there was a gentleness in the teasing, a comfort in their encounters. In found himself enjoying Thap’s company in ways he never admitted, and Thap, in turn, noticed how much In made his days happier and lighter. Dao was delighted, and of course, teased them any chance she got. “See? I knew you two would end up tolerating each other… and maybe more.” In threw a pillow at her. “Shut up.” Thap’s lips twitched. “She’s not entirely wrong.”
By the time In’s fainting was resolved, due to improvement in his severe anemia, the bond between him and Thap had grown even more every day. The soulmate marks on their bodies etched in golden were a constant reminder of the connection they were destined to share, the connection they chose.
At the clinic, Thap had done the last examination and handed In the paperwork. “You are better now. Try not to pass out again.” Thap said with warm voice and faint smile.
“No promises, Mr. doctor.” In teased, slipping his hand into Thap’s. “But if I do… I’ll make sure you’re there to catch me.” Thap’s lips curved into a warm smile. “You’re impossible. But I’ll be always here to catch you, Mr. soulmate.” In smiled brightly. Their eyes met, and the world around them faded, leaving only the quiet certainty of a connection that was written in the stars. Their lips met carefully, and in their hearts they both already knew —they had found the other half of their soul.