In a world where soulmates are so rare that they are treated as a myth, one interesting pair is discovered. But what happens when one is too busy for the repercussions of bonding and the other hates soulmates to the core. When the two are forced to...
"From day one, I was an outcast just because of the way I looked. I was different after all. And kids at such young ages don't understand that looking different isn't a bad thing. They would always point and pull at my hair, or whisper about how my eyes weren't like their brown eye's. But you know what? That wasn't the worst of it."
Mia paused again as the alarm for the Okonomiyaki went off demanding for it to be flipped before it burnt. Taking a spatula, Mia slowly and carefully flipped it before placing the lid back on for it to finish cooking. She then returned back to where she was stood before, and this time looking straight at Jin she revealed; "Looking back on it, I can understand the children's behaviour. It's not right, but at the end of the day they are still children who have yet to be taught that people can look different, and they shouldn't be treated differently because of how they look. But one thing that I can never and will never understand was how the adults around me acted exactly the way the children did."
"What...?"
"Surprising, right?" Mia rhetorically asked. "Who would believe that grown adults, teachers and day-care carers at that, who know perfectly well that people should not be treated differently because of the way they look, would be the main culprits of my bullying?"
"All throughout my compulsory school life, right until age 15, there wasn't a single adult in my life that didn't gawk and talk behind my back about my hair, my eyes or my weight. It was always the first thing they would mention when I would walk passed them, thinking that I never heard them. Anytime they saw or heard another student say something negative about me, instead of reprimand them and teach them it's not correct to act they way they did, the 'teachers' would just laugh or even worse join in. But worst of all was when during class, the teachers would go out of their way to say something rude or unnecessary about the way I looked, in front of numerous students, and humiliate me, making me feel like I was in the wrong... I can remember ever word, look, laugh and action that took place during those times. It was like the universe wanted me to suffer. Time would always slow down for me, during those times, so I witnessed in great detail how everyone laughed at the pathetic me. "
Jin's heart was tearing apart whilst listening to what Mia was saying about her high school life. He knew that many children, especially those born from immigrants from different side of the globe, would sometime face these discriminatory actions, but he never knew that it could get as worse as Mia was describing. To think that just because of the way they looked, something they can't control, that children and people in general would go to such lengths to harm someone they didn't even bother knowing. And the most heart-retching part of this all was that half of Mia's trauma was due to the 'adults' that were supposed to protect her.
"Honestly, thinking back on it now, I'm kind of surprised that I didn't even think about dropping out and asking to be home schooled. If I had thought of that, maybe I could have saved myself so much trouble and Mae would still be here." Mia mumbled as she pulled out a large plate from the cupboard and rinsed it.
"Mae?" Jin whispered, his ears picking up the name more clearly than anything else. Thankfully for him, Mia didn't hear him over the sizzling from the pan as the condensation on the pan lid dripped onto the hot pan, saving them both from an awkward silence that could have a negative effect on their growing relationship.
"The first ones ready. Let's start on this, whilst the second one is cooking, okay?" Mia placed the plate down with the first 'Japanese cabbage pancake', as she immediately poured in the remaining cabbage, veg and meat mixed batter into the frying pan. After letting it sizzle for a few minutes, she lowered the heat again and put on the lid to let it cook.
Taking a knife Mia cuts into the Okonomiyaki after Jin generously lathered some sauce onto it, before serving Jin the first cut. Then, slicing the rest into separate pieces like pizza, Mia took a slice for herself in a separate plate.
"Thankfully, I got meet Amy just as I graduated from High school and finally learnt that not everyone would judge me for being different." Mia continued as she took a bite out of her Okonomiyaki. "Her family was the first to not care about my hair colour or eye colour, even though at the time I had dyed my hair, and were the first to treat me as... well.. Human. For the first time in my life, I wasn't a spectacle or a zoo animal to be gawked at, but just me. A living, breathing human."
"I'm glad that you met Amy. Though it was 15 years late, you finally started to live the life you deserved." Jin answered as he too bit into his Okonomiyaki, the best one that he had ever had. The crunch of the meat and vegetables, the softness of the 'dough' and the rich flavour of the homemade sauce; everything was cooked and made to perfection.
"Me too." The duo smiled at each other, feeling the heavy atmosphere from before disappear as they enjoyed their meal in peace.
The two ate quickly, the second Okonomiyaki barely being touch because of how full the two felt from the first, before clearing up the mess they had made of the kitchen, as Amy called Mia telling her that Shin was on the way to pick them up. Jin packed the rest of the Okonomiyaki, wanting the other members to try the piece of heaven he had just eaten, whilst Mia double checked all the files in her folder, just in case she left one in her room. It was because of this, she was able to notice her USB drive missing from her car keys and was able to run up and get it from her laptop that she had left in her room.
Jin waited at the door for the forgetful woman with a jokey disapproving look on his face. He tried to hold in his laughter as he clearly remembers Mia saying that she wanted to get ready first so she wouldn't have to run around last minute. And yet, here she is doing exactly what she tried to avoid.
However, Jin's laughter quickly ceased as the familiar sound of the keys entering the lock sounded from behind him.
He knew from the phone call, which Mia had on loud speaker, that Shin would only honk the horn as Amy was too lazy to get out of the car to knock on the door. Thus, he specifically remembered that Amy told them both to stand outside patiently for the car so they could leave quickly. So, he knew this couldn't be either Amy or Shin, not that they would have the keys to Mia's house. So, who was it?
Just as Jin questioned that, the door swung open as a male in his late 40's, early 50's walked in through the door. He carried himself with dignity and power, wearing an expensive black suit and shining black polished shoes, and most visible, a scowl on his face.
Jin stood frozen as the man glared at him, clear threat oozing out of his eyes as he scanned him from head to toe. Not sure what to do, Jin went to bow to the older man first out of habit, whilst considering whether or not he should introduce himself.
But thankfully for him, he didn't need to make that decision for an angel appeared before him faster than a bolt of lightning.
He felt a hand on his shoulder pushing him back from his slowly bending figure, before the same hand moved down to take his own. Before he time to question what was happening, he was pulled behind the angels figure as she squeezed his hand in comfort. She sent him an apologetic look and a comforting smile before, turning as cold and hard as a rock, now facing the man who was now looking more confused then angry.
But nothing could beat Jin's utter shock as the next words came out of his saviours mouth.
