The doctor's expression was grim as he spoke. "Current technologies limit us to only being able to tell if she's connected to another person by forcefully pulling at her and his soul. If they react in a certain way, we know they are meant for each other. I wouldn't advise you to do it."
Dr Eugeum shook his head. "Her soul is far too weak to experience such things, we might do irreversible damage to her."
The doctor shot Casper a look, a serious expression which indicated his experience with such technology. His eyes were filled with his sorrow and Casper could almost see the story of another couple who'd gone through such a procedure and obtained a greater loss instead.
"I see," Casper inhaled sharply, his brows furrowing as he spoke.
He exchanged glances with Oliver, finding solace at the sight of his best friend. Oliver's expression was calm, accepting. He nodded, giving Casper a small smile and Casper's lips quirked, thankful. Thankful that Oliver was okay with such news.
"How can we help her?" He asked.
"You will need to allow her soul to heal. The soul will react on its own and eventually link her to her other soulmates when the bonds are healed," the doctor smiled.
The doctor glanced down at Amber, a gentle almost fatherly smile on his face. "For now, let her sleep. When she wakes up, give her plenty of water and good nutritious food. I'll give you some tablets, to help speed up the healing process and reduce soul sensitivity, which she must consume with her food."
He rose, pulling a bottle from the depths of his case and setting it on the table. The pills clattered as they shook in the bottle. He shot them a look and a smile. "You boys need to work a little harder as well."
"Uh, excuse me?" Casper blinked, staring at him confused.
"You should pamper her, shower her with love. Physical touch is the best medicine I would say," the doctor nodded. "Hold her hand for now, cuddling works too while she sleeps. Hugging when she's awake, kisses, lots of sex if you can when she feels better. It'll speed up the healing process."
Oliver choked behind him, coughing a little. Casper flushed, his eyes flickering to the girl before him, his mind drifting straight to the gutter. He cleared his throat, turning a brighter red.
Dr Eugeum grinned. "Not yet, huh?"
"Yes sir," Casper scratched his head, his cheeks heating with his embarrassment. "We're uh—new."
"All right. I would suggest hand holding then. Don't do anything that would make her upset. Do not risk the soul bonds and break her heart in any way."
The doctor strode towards the door with Casper leading the way. "The repercussions will be extremely dangerous. If you see gold dripping from her in any way, stop whatever you're doing immediately and keep her as calm as you can. Hold her close. Show her physical affection."
Casper took in the information eagerly, his expression grim. Gold blood for the soul. He would never want to see that colour on her.
The doctor stopped at the door. "If she doesn't stop bleeding from her soul, call an ambulance and give her as much physical affection as you can. Understand?"
Casper nodded. "Yes, sir."
The doctor smiled, as he slipped on his shoes, straightening his clothes. "Her other soulmates might be closer than you think. Brothers, friends, they're usually the ones who end up in reverse harem soul bond." Casper stared at him, his mind working on overdrive in his head.
Who were the people that he loved more than anything in this pathetic world? His breath hitched as his mind linked. The only possible, the most appropriate explanation. The perfect answer— His eyes widened. It couldn't be...Right?
Casper watched as Oliver thanked the doctor, promising him payment from the company before closing the door. The minute the door closed, he swallowed, opening his mouth to speak. Two out of seven, he stared at Oliver.
"We need to talk," Casper said. His mind was filled with his thoughts, his heart pounding in his chest. It would explain too much. This hypothesis that her seven soulmates were his best friends fitted the situation too well. Too nicely. It was absolutely fucking perfect.
Oliver nodded quietly, his eyes sharp with understanding. "You think it's us. Our team. IDOL."
He took the words out of his mouth and Casper swallowed. The situation seemed so much more real when said out loud. So much more serious. Was this finally their answer?
"Yes," he breathed. It was. This was it. "Definitely Ezra since he's reacting so strongly." Ezra was in love, the guy never spared girls another look. MinJae turned him on more than any other female in the world. To change now and so suddenly was odd. It was confusing. There was only one explanation. Casper furrowed his brows.
"Might even explain the reason for JieMi's reaction. His guilt." JieMi had been guilty, so guilty he had cried. Was he the reason for her violation? Casper swallowed thickly. No, the broken yellow bond for JieMi did not make sense.
"Everyone except Minnie?" Oliver frowned, looking confused.
"That's weird," Casper agreed. "The violated bond might be Minnie. I'm not sure." He shook his head. The doctor said MinJae's soulmate was dead, but what if he was wrong? "If it plays out exactly as we're guessing, she might have touched him in JieMi's body. Could explain the sudden sprout of flowers." He hummed, pacing about the room. "Even the doctor was unsure, remember?"
Oliver nodded. "He said Minnie was in too much pain for a dying bond. That he should have been okay after a week." Casper's brows furrowed.
When one didn't know their soulmate, the break-off should be forgiving, much less painful or depressing. It should ease out as a soft coldness that clung and left a bad taste in the mouth, gentle like the sadness you would feel from the melting of snow.
In all honesty, it should not have been the devastating emptiness MinJae described nor should it have lasted this long, bringing him that much sorrow and pain in his chest.
"We're just guessing. What if it's people we don't know?" Oliver shrugged, throwing the idea in. "Some assholes who broke her heart?"
"It doesn't matter Liv," Casper replied, his voice strong and steady. "As long as we're here. We'll keep her safe," he raised a brow at his best friend, his voice wary. "You're okay with this? With us?"
"Fuck yeah," Oliver exhaled running his fingers in his hair. He exhaled, a pained smile on his lips. "I waited too damn long to be bitchy about sharing. With you? I'm thankful. With the team? I'll be even happier. I can't bear the thought of having to live apart from IDOL. It's nothing I imagined, but at this point I don't fucking care as long as she's happy," he sighed. "It would be too damn selfish of me if I wanted her all for myself."
"I feel the same way," Casper smiled.
"So what's the plan?" Oliver asked, drumming his fingers on the table.
"We take it slow. Get her used to us, keep the rest of the team out of this until she's better," Casper bit his lips.
Ezra and MinJae shouldn't be back anytime soon. Hikaru would be staying at Sieon's place that night for their cooking lesson together. JieMi...His mind drifted to the guilt on the younger member's face.
He would come back to see Amber. But if what JieMi had said was true, that he was the one who had agitated her to this state. He should not come home. Casper made a mental note to call him and tell him to stay away for the time being.
"We talk to her and then we talk to the team. Okay?"
"Sounds perfect," Oliver nodded.
"Then we should make something for her before she wakes, stew or—" Casper paused mid-step at the tug on his sleeve. He turned to look at Oliver. Oliver's expression was odd, pinched and confused. His brows were knotted together, deep in thought.
"About Minnie...Do you remember the day when he lost his flowers? Deok-Su...He called me."
"Yeah, he—" Casper's eyes widened.
Their friend had called, telling them that he was positive he had found MinJae's soulmate. That she was in the hospital and needed him. They hadn't believed him then. Oliver had coldly declined, ignored his calls and their friendship had been rocky ever since.
Now writing songs with him felt awkward and Casper hadn't visited the man for a while now. They didn't expect his friend to lie like this and they had been angry that he'd chosen such a horrible time to prey on MinJae's feelings. But what if...What if he was telling the truth? Casper reached into his pocket, quickly dialling his number and putting it on speaker mode.
Deok-Su answered immediately.
"Yo, what's up?" His friend's laidback voice greeted into the phone. Casper cleared his throat feeling a little awkward after days of not being on good terms with him.
"The thing is...Uh—" How should he say this?
Oliver sighed, grabbing the phone, impatient for the answer. "Remember when you called me? About MinJae's soulmate?"
"Yeah? What about it?" Deok-Su replied, his voice perky as he spoke. "You finally curious or something? It's about damn time."
"How does she look?" Oliver pushed.
"Why are you asking me that? She told me you text her all the time—"
They heard a higher voice from the distance and a panicky slam. Casper strained his voice to hear it, driving up the sound on his phone. They heard a loud thump and someone, his wife perhaps saying something about how 'they don't know yet! Don't screw this up!'
Deok-Su cleared his throat, coughing. "Sorry. Uh. I'll have to ask her if she'll let me send a photo." Casper and Oliver exchanged glances. Casper mouthing the words. You text her? Oliver nodded, his expression sheepish.
"Is her name Amber?" Casper asked. The pause on the phone was deafening.
"Her nickname. Why?"
Shit.
"We have a reason to believe that we share a soulmate with MinJae—"
"You do," Deok-Su's reply was immediate. Casper gaped, surprised at how sure their friend was. "Urgh, fuck it. I'll send a photo. You can see for yourself."
His phone buzzed and he waited for the image to download. His breath hitched at the sight, his heart quickening in his chest.
It was her.
She was standing under a cherry blossom tree, pink petals on her dark, long locks. Nothing, like the short pixie cut she had now. This Amber had long hair that curled down her back and spilled over her generous curves. Her cheeks were dusted a pretty red, her lips a bright crimson that brought out the paleness of her skin.
There was a light in her eyes that spoke of happier times, a ghost of a dimple at the tips of her cheeks. Casper had never seen a more beautiful image and for a moment he stared, his breath taken away from him by the picture of the love of his life.
It was Oliver that snapped out of the daze first. His voice was firm, bewildered. "Deok-Su, explain everything. From the beginning. Now."
"Okay."