☾ fantasy world where ‘moon goddess’ grants soulmarks at 17. Years go by and JK never meets his mates. Bangtan, on the other hand, find out they’re missing a mate, and hold a grand fair to find them. ☾ Cinderella-esque (w/o cruel parents) ☾ outline is done! it’ll be long…

☾ ☾ ☾ JK winced as the spot beneath his ear began to burn. It lasted only a moment, but left him breathless. When the pain faded, JK pushed his hair back to stare into the tranquil lake, so still it was almost a mirror. His soulmate mark was a number. 7. ☾ ☾ ☾

“You grew up so fast,” JK’s mother pouted, pushing his cheeks together with her bony fingers until his lips pursed out. He groaned and tried to pull away, but though her fingers looked delicate, they held the strength of thirty years of sewing strength. Unassailable.

“Fine,” she smiled, giving in and relaxing her grip, massaging her son’s plump cheeks and cooing apologetically at the red mark left behind. “But it’s true, I can’t believe you’re receiving your soulmark today.”

“You knew this day was coming, I turned seventeen two weeks ago,” JK grumbled, breaking away from her hand and shaking out his hair, disrupting his mother’s careful combing. “It doesn’t always mean I’m going to be leaving.” “I know,” she said sadly.

“But it’s the start. Once tonight has passed, your future will lie in someone else’s hands.” JK wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that. His parents had found each other almost immediately after receiving their soulmate marks, and then found their larger pack only months later.

It had meant leaving their hometown for someone else’s, meant leaving their circle of comfort for something strange and unknown. JK wasn’t sure he was ready to leave yet. His mother was still young, his dad still full of energy and laughter and words of wisdom.

The pack was filled with packmate children he’d grown up with. He was the eldest of the children, and the first to receive his soulmark. JK knew he’d probably be the first to leave, but this was home.

“Go get dressed, I laid out an outfit,” his mother said, pushing her son up the steps. “Don’t you dare get it dirty tonight.” “We’re literally walking through the WOODS,” JK whined, holding up the fine silk shirt on his bed. “It’s filled with mud and dirt and animals and -”

“Simple, don’t go in the mud,” his mother said firmly. JK rolled his eyes. “And if the moon goddess SAYS to go in the mud?” He countered cheekily, and once again had to escape her strong fingers. Damn, his mother was strong. —

JK wasn’t the only one dressed up. It was not a proven science, but most families dressed up their children in their finest clothing, as if the moon goddess was petty enough to assign soulmarks based on something as human as cloth.

He’d seen wealthy people join lowly farming families, or peasants matching with lords! Whether the moon goddess knew something deeper than the humans she protected, or simply rolled the dice, JK doubted Jikyung’s royal blue silk dress would garner her any additional favor.

He smiled anyways as she wandered over. “Nervous?” She asked him, twisting the fabric between her fingers. He nodded, if only to placate her. She looked way more nervous. “I’m scared it’ll hurt,” she admitted. “And that it’ll be ugly.”

JK grinned, taking in his friend’s beautiful features. “What if it’s a cheek tattoo?” He teased, pressing a finger into the dimple of her cheek. “Or a snake crawling up your arm? Or right on your butt- OW!” His mother wasn’t the only one with pinching fingers.

JK rubbed the spot on his arm with a sheepish grin. “Sorry, just teasing. I’m sure you’ll be fine. Your soulmark will be beautiful and the entire land will spread the word of your mark and your beauty, and kings from faraway kingdoms will hear of it and come running.”

“You can never be serious, can you?” She scolded, swatting JK’s shoulder (more gently now that his proposed story wasn’t so terrifying). “The moon goddess will hear.” “If she can hear that, then I’m screwed, because I’ve said much worse,” he grinned.

“We’ll both be fine, I’m sure of it. She’s not cruel, at least I don’t think she is.” “Let’s hope.” Jikyung went back to being nervous, and JK took her hand to keep her from ruining her garment. She squeezed gratefully, and they waited for the town elder to address the crowd. —

The town elder held up an ancient scroll, and cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “Today marks the town’s two-hundred-and-seventh soulmark journey! This year, we have twelve members of our community who have reached the soulmark age."

"They will embark into the woods to receive their gift from the moon goddess. Our community continues to be blessed by the moon goddess with prosperous years, and we are eternally grateful for her guidance in leading us to our prosperous packmates.”

He nodded down at the group of seventeen year olds, sending them a gentle smile. “Be safe, avoid the animals, and let your heart guide you. The moon goddess will be with you, leading your way.” JK squeezed Jikyung’s hand once more, and then let go with a deep breath.

The setting sun had bathed the sky in swirling shades of purple, but the shadows from the forest looked imposing, and JK wondered if the moon goddess could really protect ALL of them. He stepped into the woods, and the town disappeared behind him. —

“Hi little rabbit,” JK whispered as he knelt at the base of a tree. Behind the bushes, a rabbit darted out to stare at him curiously. Thankfully, this was the worst of the creatures he’d seen so far. But to the little bunny, he was a monster, and quickly escaped into the night.

He couldn’t tell what time it was, but he felt like he’d been in the forest for HOURS. It had to be close to sunrise, yet the moon goddess hadn’t decided to show him much of anything yet.

JK had wandered through the woods aimlessly until his feet got tired, and a short break against the base of a tree had turned into a much longer one. What was he supposed to feel? He kept checking his arms and legs for new marks, but there was nothing -

- and he’d felt no pain anywhere else on his body (well, except his feet, but there was no soulmark there - he’d checked). Maybe he was an outlier, someone without a pack. It would be terrible, but… well, maybe it wouldn’t.

He could live at home forever, take up sewing or artistry, care for his parents as they aged, never have to meet strangers and live with them… JK stared up at the trees, searching for hints of sunrise through the leaves. Maybe leaving without a soulmark wouldn’t be so bad.

It was like the thought triggered it, because all of a sudden shooting pain spread up his neck. “Aah!” JK groaned, hands flying up to protect himself from an attacker, but there was nothing there. The skin beneath his fingers felt like fire, but his shaking fingers met no wounds.

And they came away with no blood. He sprung up and tried to find water, hoping the moonlight would grant him enough light to see. The rabbit he’d seen scattered as he broke through into a forest opening, kneeling down over the small lake.

JK winced as the spot beneath his ear began to burn even more. The intense pain lasted only a moment, but left him breathless. When it finally faded, JK pushed his hair back to stare into the tranquil lake, so still it was almost a mirror.

His soulmate mark was a number, etched into the skin high on his neck. 7. ☾ ☾ ☾