Beyond the Red String

I

Nattawat Jirochtikul also known as Fourth currently has three existing problems at the moment. One, he is in the middle of regretting his choices in life—specifically, the tall man with cat-like curiosity named Phuwin Tangsakyuen standing in the middle of his office. Second, he wants to go back in time and throttle his then fifteen-year-old self who made a promise to Phuwin that he'll at least listen to one of his whims before turning it down. And lastly, he wants to find his other childhood friend Kittiphop or mostly commonly known as Satang who surprisingly was out of the country for a family vacation.

Fourth wants to scream.

"Come on, Fourth. Aren't you even curious?" Phuwin asked as he stretched languidly on the couch like a feline, his black cropped shirt riding up, exposing his milky white skin.

"No. And what the hell are you wearing?" Fourth sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, already feeling the incoming headache. "P'Pond is going to be furious."

Phuwin snorted, sipping his wine. "Please, what can that dork do to me? The most he can do is just sulk at me," he shakes his head, smiling fondly at the thought of the man. "He's a fool."

"You mean a fool for you?" Fourth grinned. "I don't really understand what my cousin sees in you."

Phuwin raised a brow. "Excuse me? I'm Phuwin Tangsakyuen." He waves him off. "Anyway—don't think I notice you changing the topic, mister. Come on, Fourth. Dunk told me that he and Joong met a stringless person while they were out shopping yesterday."

"You mean they were out on a date."

"Details. Dunk will forever be in denial that he's just as infatuated with Joong."

"Like my cousin is with you?" Fourth teased.

"No comment. Now shut up and get dressed because I am not gonna waste another second here asking you when I could just drag your ass out there." Phuwin stands up and heads out of the office but pauses before he closes the door. "I'm giving you exactly five minutes to change and I'll be dragging you out. I don't care what you are wearing; underdressed or naked."

He then leaves.

Fourth wanted to scream for the second time of the day.

Fourth has never known a world without the strings. As the sole heir of a prestigious family of matchmakers; people who were born with the ability to see the red strings of fate, he had always believe in the power of soulmates and the ultimate happiness that lies in finding the one person you're fated to be with.

Every child is born under the guidance of fate—an intangible red string wrapped around their finger, only to be seen by those blessed by the Fates; a Matchmaker.

People go to them not for just string reading but for emotional guidance, wedding blessing or life decisions. Matchmakers can see the red strings and read its bond to find the nature of the string. Some can even sense the emotional tension in the bond.

Matchmakers are born not trained. Once their abilities are manifested, they are expected to be registered in the Fate Registry—a government body built to keep track of all matchmakers. Every citizen must be evaluated by a government-approved Matchmaker on their 18th birthday, it is called The Accordance, an event formalized by the government in the belief that knowing your bond early ensures a stable and happy life.

And stringless people?

Fourth knows they exist. His parents have told him to avoid people like them. "They committed an unforgivable sin to be punished by the Fates. Stay away from them, son." He remembers them telling him that these people were sinners that were punished to never finding happiness. He remembers his parents saying that even frayed or tangled strings were better than having none at all.