AN: So! This is my attempted at a longer ongoing thing. I cannot promise to keep to any kind of update schedule because life keeps punching me in the face but I'll try not leave it too long between updates. The whole idea of soulmates is pretty cliche/cheesy so I wanted to give it a more realistic spin which is why the very start has a slightly depressing feel to it but never fear, as some may already know I write porn or giant balls of fluff, I anticipate this fic having both. I just really wanted to drive home the 'rules' of this world. I planned to write way more of it out before I posted this chapter because I have no idea where I'm going with it but decided I would like to gauge interest and make sure that I have explained the soulmate thing properly so that if not I can add bits in the upcoming chapters.

Akihito wondered what it would be like to find his soulmate. Would anything change? Would it be a platonic soulmate, an ultimate best friend like Takato and Kou had found in each other? Or would it be a romantic soulmate like his parents? A partner for him in all ways possible. Or would he stay like most of the world, left wondering, waiting and hoping that maybe he would get his answers. Less than half the population ever found their soulmate. Some researchers argued that with the amount of people in the world and the need to touch the other person to get the reaction, it was no wonder so few people did. Others suggested that with today's busy lifestyle, people were less in tune with themselves and The Pull, the legendary feeling of being drawn to another person, is drowned out in a sea of instant and easy entertainment. Why go chasing a fleeting feeling that you cannot decipher when you have everything you need right here? Even if you found your soulmate, there's a good chance that they will just stay as a friend. It was becoming more of a divided culture, particularly with the younger generations, some would have their heart set on meeting that one special person and would not date anyone else while the others brushed off the idea and continued their life as normal, dating, working, not leaving their little sphere of comfort just for such a small chance. It'll happen if it was meant to be, Akihito himself had heard people say that. He wasn't so sure that was true but then he had yet to meet the person that would light up his chest and while he was a wanderer by nature, no set job, no set working location, ready and able to move on short notice, he also had never experienced The Pull. Akihito had never felt like he needed this mysterious other person, never felt drawn to them, never truly felt like he was missing out. Only on the loneliest of nights when his mind wondered did he question what he was missing out on and then all he could feel is a dull ache of what if and maybe.

It was Akihito's most recent job that had set his thoughts on this rather depressing spiral. He had been commissioned to take the photographs for a magazine piece on an elderly gentleman had felt The Pull and not just in a small way. Every day for nearly 20 years, he sat on the same park bench at a park in a sleepy suburb on the outskirts of Tokyo. He sat and waited and felt that pull; that need to be there. Sometimes the time of day when he was drawn to it changed but mostly it stayed the same, early evening, just after dinner. And then one day, about a month ago, that drawn feeling stopped. Suddenly that intense Pull just never came back. The elderly gentleman had smiled sadly while he told his story, sitting there on that same park bench.

"At my age and after so many years of being drawn here, I think it's safe to say that my soulmate has passed. I'll never know if they were as drawn to me as I was to them but maybe I'll meet them in another life. I still come here every day at the same time. It's been nearly 20 years you know? It's become a habit although the feeling is more nostalgic now."

What chance did he have compared to someone who felt drawn so strongly and yet still never got the chance to meet their soulmate? The old man could describe all the changes of the park, all the things that went on over the years. He said he could walk there blind he knew the path so well. And while he recounted his sad story, he traced the grain of wood on the park bench and admitted that the bench itself was like a lifelong friend to him. Would it be better to never get to meet this destined other person so that in the event of their passing, one wouldn't have to feel quite so much pain or better to have known and lost than to have not known at all. This man seemed to have been stuck between the two concepts and his sad smile tore Akihito's heart to pieces.

Takato and Kou had found each other in high school however this was rare as most people who actually found their soulmates, found them later in life. His parents were also relatively young, being only a little older than he was now. How many years would he have to wait? Would he wait in vain? He wondered if maybe finding that person would remove the feeling that he was just drifting by. He wasn't lonely, didn't miss this person but he did sometimes feel purposeless. Maybe that was his form of The Pull? Did they feel it too?

Akihito's dark musings were interrupted by a familiar ringtone and he fished his phone out of his pocket to check the caller ID. It was his mother. He sighed and answered the call.

"Okaasan."

"Aki! Hello my darling, have you found your soulmate yet?" He rolled his eyes.

"No. And how many times have I told you to stop asking me that?" A laugh met his surly response.

"Now, now, no need to get grumpy. I've told you I'll always ask because knowing you, you would get so wrapped up in everything you would completely forget to tell me. You never remember to call as it is and I have to check in just to make sure you are still alive!"

"Yeah, well, the chance of me ever finding them is slim."

"You're still young, darling, don't give up just yet. Now other than making sure you are still alive and kicking, I did have a reason for calling. Hopefully you've remembered that it's your father's birthday in a few weeks and I was wanting to make sure that you will be coming down to stay for the weekend so we can celebrate."

"Yeah, I wrote it on my calendar. I haven't taken any jobs that are around those dates so it should be fine."

"Excellent! Now I have to get back to work, I'll call again later to catch up okay? Love you Aki!"

"Love you." The line disconnected and Akihito pocketed the phone. He needed to get his dad a present but he still had some time to think of something. He sighed. He felt like a mess. His thoughts were still echoing the depressing feelings from before the call and his mother with her well-meaning question hadn't helped at all. It wasn't like him to get melancholy, he was normally the most upbeat and optimistic among friends but it seemed like even he could get down in the dumps. The story about the old man was really weighing him down.

Akihito ran a hand through his blonde hair in an effort to try and calm himself. He had things to do and standing here was not going to get them done. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Feeling a little calmer, he continued to make his way towards the fancy camera shop in the Ginza shopping district. The camera store, like all of the stores here were well outside Akihito's price range but they did also service high end cameras. Their prices for the servicing was a little higher than normal but they had all the equipment and did a much better job than any other store Akihito had come across and he actually trusted these guys with his precious camera. He had had this particular camera for a while now and it was amazing. He had brought it off one of the top fashion photographers for a company he sometimes free lanced for. They hadn't liked it, it didn't suit their style, whatever that meant, and he was already considering replacing it for an even more expensive model. After seeing Akihito's interest they had come to a deal and now it was Akihito's most prized possession. And considering how it was used on a nearly daily basis, he would take it in occasionally to get serviced.

He was only a block away from the store when a commotion up ahead caught his attention. Two rough looking young teens were standing threateningly over a little old lady. He couldn't make out what they were saying but there was a small parting in the crowd around them as people hurried by and purposefully ignored what was going on. A few bystanders were looking on worriedly but no one made a move to interfere. Akihito strode up to group.

"Is everything okay?"

The two youths both swung around to sneer at him. He could smell the cheap cigarettes from where he was standing and both were in baggy, ripped clothing.

"Nah, grandma over here was going to give us some money to go play in the arcade. Right grandma?"

The lady didn't respond verbally but shook her head in denial. Akihito could see the trembling in her hands and while she looked to be fairly well off, most who were found here were, it certainly doesn't excuse their behaviour. He could feel anger building up at these two punks threatening an elderly lady. He stepped forward, hands curling up into fists.

"Leave her alone, she doesn't owe you two punks anything."

The crowd was moving out to give them more space as though the bystanders were worried that they would be drawn into a fight.

"Yeah? And what are you going to do about it?"

"Not let you two get away with anything that's for sure."

Akihito knew he wasn't going to win, two against one in close quarters was not to his favour but he would be damned if he was going to let this slide. He could only hope that someone else from the crowd would step in or that the incoming fight would draw enough attention to get the police involved. He shifted his camera bag so that the strap was on one shoulder and then going across his chest with the bag itself at his back to hopefully keep it safe.

The two split up and moved one to each side of the photographer, clearly intending to make full use of their extra person. Akihito gritted his teeth and tried to keep his eyes on both. One moved first and swung a punch which he managed to dodge. Akihito stepped in close and nearly landed a punch but the other came at him suddenly and he barely managed to dodge that time. He danced away from them both and watched them both approach warily. After a few similar exchanges of not quite hits, he finally managed to land a hit on one of the teens and knocked him to the ground. Unfortunately as he turned to face the other, Akihito realised that he had taken too long and the second teen had gotten too close. He didn't have a chance to block before he was knocked backwards off his feet by a fist connecting with his jaw. He didn't land flat on his back like he thought but instead heard a sickening crunch from his camera bag and a sharp pain lance through his back from the impact. He groaned and rolled off his back and pushed himself up into a sitting position. He looked up to see two suited males step forward and make very quick work of taking out the two punks. The little old lady ran over his Akihito's side.

"Are you all right?" She was giving him a very worried look.

"I'll be fine." He tried to smile at her but as he shifted his weight he heard the tell-tale click of broken glass.

"My camera!" He immediately pulled the bag off his shoulder and quickly unzipped it to peer inside. He pulled out his precious high performance camera that he was taking to be serviced and wailed at seeing the cracks in the lense and along the body of the camera itself.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" He could hear the panic in the old ladies voice.

"No, no, it's not your fault." He couldn't even try to smile this time and with a sigh he put the broken camera back in his bag.

"I was taking it in to be serviced, looks like I don't need to worry about that anymore." He forced out a strained laugh. He wasn't even aware that someone had approached them until a large hand was in front of his face, palm up to help him to his feet.

"Here." A deep voice spoke softly and Akihito felt himself shiver. He reached out to take the hand as he turned to look at the person who was being nice enough to help him up. Blue eyes met intense golden eyes and he froze. There was a strange feeling in his chest and suddenly it felt hard to breathe. He saw the golden eyes widen in shock and he caught a weird light out of the corner of his eye. He looked down to see the stranger's chest glowing with a pulsing light like a heartbeat. He quickly glanced down to see his own chest also pulsing with a soft light. No way. Soulmate? Now? Him?

He stared at this mystery man in front of him. He was seemed like a well to do businessman, older than himself with dark slicked back hair sitting above a handsome face with those bright golden eyes that caught him before and he was wearing a clearly expensive, well-tailored suit. He barely had time to register anything else before the old lady brought him back to down to earth.

"Oh my! Well, I can't say I liked being nearly mugged but if this is the outcome then it's definitely not so bad. Congratulations to you both." He became aware of a few people cheering and clapping in the crowd that was lingering. It was not every day you saw someone find their soulmate in person. Akihito himself had only witnessed it firsthand once before, with Takato and Kou in high school. The businessman seemed to have come back to his senses after his own shock and was gently tugging on Akihito's hand. He let himself be pulled to his feet and dusted off his jeans.

"Thank you very much young man for standing up for me. It looks like they want me but I wish you both the best." The lady moved back towards were the two teens were and Akihito could see that two police officers had shown up and had handcuffed both the young punks and were currently speaking with one of the two suited men who had stepped in after Akihito had been knocked to the ground.

"Do you have anywhere to be after this?" Akihito jumped at the voice. It was deep and smooth and every time he heard it sent little shivers down his spine. He turned to peer at him again. So this was his soulmate. He briefly wondered if his reaction to his voiced pointed towards him being a romantic partner. Realising that he had been staring and had not responded to the question he gave himself a small shake and tried to smile.

"Ah, no. I was just going to get my camera serviced." He glanced down at the camera bag still on the ground and sighed. "But I don't really need to do that now, so I'm free. Oh! I'm Takaba Akihito by the way." He stuck his hand out to shake feeling somewhat awkward. The golden eyed man reached out and clasped his hand. It felt warm and large against his own.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Akihito." That voice was going to be the death of him.

"I'm Asami Ryuichi."

Oh shit.