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Komaeda Nagito never gave much mind to the little red string on his pinky finger growing up and it seemed the person on the other end didn't either. Which was fine-I mean, they were both just little children after all.
He had never given much thought to the person on the other end either. They were probably just some amazing person forever attached to a loser like him after all. Komaeda never saw himself in a positive light growing up and once he really learned about this peculiar string, he was certain whoever was on the other end would cut the string the second they laid eyes on him.
No, Komaeda Nagito never gave much mind to the little red string on his pinky finger growing up. . .until his dog got struck by a truck in the street.
As the dog laid bleeding out in his arms at the side of the street, struggling and gasping for each breath, he couldn't help but note the frantic tugging coming from the string on his pinky finger, almost as if that person knew that he was in distressed. It was the first time Komaeda really noticed his soulmate.
It was just a coincidence, he was certain. They probably weren't even trying to get Nagito's attention but he was thankful. It felt like there was someone right next to him, supporting him.
One day his parents had just died a few days ago, Nagito found himself sitting on his bed, feeling completely numb. There was no one in the world left for him, no friends or relatives that could take him in.
And that was when his eyes fell to the string on his finger. He realized that there was someone there who was meant to be with him although he was already at the point where he couldn't possibly see why. He seemed to bring misfortune wherever he went and he found himself terrified that if he got too close to them they would die.
He gave it an experimental hard tug and was surprised when the person on the other end tugged back. For the first time in days, Komaeda smiled.
He wondered if the string could slip off of his finger.
As the years passed and more fortunate and unfortunate things happened to him, he thought more of his soulmate, who always responded when he tugged on the rope. He wondered what it would be like to meet them. . .
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Hinata Hajime never gave much mind to the little red string on his pinky string growing up, and it seemed the person on the other end did either.
The first time he actually really thought about there being a person on the other end, he was about ten years old. It was an incredible thought, really. There was someone out there, a perfect person out there just for him!
The thought excited him and before he could think things through, he was frantically tugging on the string, trying to get his soulmate's attention and was saddened when he got no response. He hoped his soulmate was doing okay.
He wondered if he would ever find him.
One day Hinata was just sitting at his desk doing his homework when he felt a tug on the string. It felt sort of hesitant but at the same time it was clear to see that they were checking to see if he was there. Hinata had smiled and happily tugged back.
The years passed by and each time he had exchanged tugs with his soulmate he couldn't help but feel his heart flutter. He silly that he was falling in love with a person he'd never even met. As soon as he was old enough, he would set out and follow the string to find them. He couldn't wait!
. . .Until he met Chiaki Nanami.
Hajime's string didn't lead to Chiaki and Chiaki's string didn't lead to Hajime. And yet, not long after they met, Hinata found himself asking her out, to which Chiaki had happily accepted. Of course, the fact that they weren't soulmates was taken into account and right at the beginning of their relationship they agreed that if one of them found their soulmate and wanted to go and be with them they could with no objections.
Although Hinata couldn't picture a scenario where he would. Chiaki was perfect.
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One day, Komaeda Nagito was walking down the street of the town, intent on finding a place where he could grab a coffee, when he noticed something strange. With each step forward he took he could feel the string getting tighter. He was getting closer to his soulmate. He could actually find them!
Komaeda beamed and took off down the street, holding tight to the string to be sure he was heading in the right direction. To his shock and amazement, he found that the string lead right inside a café! How funny, his soulmate must've had the same craving.
Nagito eagerly pushed the doors open and moved into the line to the counter, frantically looking around and jostling the string so he could see who it was he was connected to.
It wasn't long before his eyes fell on a gorgeous brunet boy, sitting at a table by the window, sipping his coffee and smiling as he conversed with a peach-haired girl. His eyes immediately fell to the string around his pinky finger and traced it's path all the way back to him.
There was no mistaking it; this boy was his soulmate.
Nagito wanted to run up to him and greet him right away, when something the boy did stopped him. The brunet stood up, grabbing both his and the girl's coffee cups, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before moving over to the garbage can to throw out the cups.
Komaeda felt his heart sink. Oh. He already had someone. There was no use getting his hopes up.
"Do you like one of them?" A blonde in front of him asks, startling Komaeda.
He sighs. "Not exactly. I just found out that the boy is my soulmate so I'm happy, but he seems to already have a girlfriend," He chuckles, fiddling with the string around his pinky finger, "Isn't it so stupid? I've never even spoken to the guy but I'm so jealous seeing him with someone. I guess I got more attached to him than I thought."
"I feel the same way," The girl sighs, "His girlfriend, that's my soulmate. I guess I got really attached to the person on the other end of the string and I suppose I hoped I would get to be with her when I did find her. I see her every once and a while around town but she has yet to notice me. I feel so silly!"
Komaeda holds his hand out. "I'm Komaeda Nagito."
She shakes it. "Sonia Nevermind."
They step forward in the line and soon it's Sonia's turn to order.
"Well, good luck, Nevermind-san, with that girl."
"Thank you Komaeda-san, and good luck with that boy."
"Heh, thank you."
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As he walked back to his girlfriend after throwing out the cups, he noticed something; he had never felt the string so tight. His soulmate was incredibly close and if he went now he could find them quite easily.
As he got back to Chiaki, she was already standing, staring at her string with a puzzled expression.
"My soulmate is nearby. . .I think."
"Mine too." Hajime replies immediately.
Chiaki bounces up and down on the balls of her feet, looking impatient. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's go find them! We can talk about what this means for us later, probably."
Hinata nods curtly. "Right. Good luck, Chia-chan."
"Good luck to you, Hajime."
With that, they both emerge from the café and take off in opposite directions.
Hinata held tight to the string, sprinting as he followed it and it wasn't long before he saw where the string ended.
Just up ahead he saw boy wearing a green jacket with fluffy hair walking on ahead on ahead of him, holding onto a cup of coffee. This is the one. This is his soulmate!
"Um, excuse me!" Hinata calls out, waving his hands wildly. The boy doesn't turn so he tries again. "Hey! You!"
Finally his soulmate hesitates before slowly turning around. For the first time, he locks eyes with his soulmate as he comes to a stop, panting in front of him. He waggles his pinky finger around, showing how they were connected by the string.
The boy's eyes widen before going blank. ". . .Ah." Is all he says.
"I'm Hinata Hajime," He says breathlessly, "Your soulmate."
The fluffy-haired boy blinks. ". . .I can see that. Well, I'm Komaeda Nagito. Nice to finally meet you, I suppose."
Hinata frowns. "You don't seem as excited as I am. Are you alright?"
Komaeda shrugs. "What's the point? You already have a girlfriend, don't you?"
The brunet frowns. "Oh, you saw me with Nanami-chan, didn't you. Well, funny thing, she's out there chasing her soulmate right now! They're also close by."
Nagito nods. "Nevermind-san. Yes, I met her. She's very infatuated with that girlfriend of yours. Careful, Hinata-san, you just might lose her."
"I wouldn't mind that. I mean, we had an agreement we could go off and be with our soulmates any time we wanted. I'd be happy to hand her off to. . .Nevermind-san, did you say? Anyways, I'm so glad to finally meet you. I know it's silly but I've really grown fond of you over the years."
Komaeda frowns. "Really?"
"Well, sure! You've been a part of my life since the day I was born, it's only natural, right?"
"Okay. . .well, what now?"
". . .You seem like a really wonderful person, Komaeda-san. I'd like to see you again and talk about this more, but I've got to be somewhere in half an hour. Could I get your number?"
"Um, sure. Here, give me your phone."
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
Nagito quickly punches his number into Hinata's phone before handing it back.
"Okay, once again nice to meet you. I'll see you really soon, okay? Bye Komaeda-san!"
With those rapid parting words, Hinata turns and takes off down the street in the opposite direction.
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"-And she's so pretty and sweet and kind," Nanami gushes over the phone, "Oh, Nevermind-san is the most wonderful girl I've ever met."
Hinata smiles. "She sounds really great, Nanami-chan. Do you think you want to run off and be with her?"
Nanami hesitates. ". . .I'm not sure I could do that to you, Hinata. It isn't fair to you."
"It's perfectly fair, as per our agreement at the beginning of our relationship. Besides. . .I found my soulmate too, and I'm pretty interested in him as well."
"Then that makes things a little easier. . .I think," Chiaki sighs, "Then, are we breaking up?"
". . .Yeah, I think so. But you'll always be my dearest friend, Nanami-chan. Let's continue to hang out regularly."
"Of course," She yawns, "I'm pretty tired. I'm going to go to sleep now. Goodnight, Hinata."
"Good night, Nanami-chan."
Hajime lays down in his bed, thinking to himself for a moment. After a minute, he sends a quick text to Komaeda, asking if he wants to meet up for coffee tomorrow, delighted when he receives a positive response.
Hinata Hajime falls asleep feeling satisfied.
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The next day, Komaeda sits in a café, the same café where he first saw Hajime, nervously twiddling his thumbs. When the brunet does walk in and order a coffee of his own, Nagito offers him a shy smile to which the brunet immediately returns.
Hinata sits down across from him with a grin, saying "Thanks for meeting me. I was really worried you weren't going to come."
"Of course I did. How could I say no to my soulmate?"
Hinata chuckles. "I guess so."
"So how did things go between your girlfriend and her soulmate?"
"Hehe, really well I guess. She's ditching me for her, which is fine, I'm extremely happy for her. 'Sides, I got a soulmate of my own."
"Heh, but I'm not the kind of person someone would actually date. I-"
"But I've always figured I was going to date you, my soulmate, no matter who it was," Hajime interrupts, "that includes you. Fate clearly wants us to be together, and I'd like to give it a try. What do you say? Do you want to go out on a date sometime?"
". . .You would really be willing to go out on a date with someone like me?"
"Of course. I've cared about you for a long time now. I'm not losing this opportunity."
"I-. . .Alright, yes, let's go out sometime."
Komaeda Nagito never gave much mind to to the little red string on his pinky finger growing up and it seemed the person on the other end didn't either. But now with everything and with Hinata Hajime, he learned to mind and care about it more than ever.