In a world where the Red String of Fate was an undeniable reality, almost everything revolved around it.

It was said that, at some point in life, two souls destined for each other would be connected by a delicate, invisible red string. Only when fate decided to unite them did it become visible to everyone, connecting the two people forever. It was the most anticipated moment of anyone's life. Weddings were postponed waiting for the string. Companies granted paid time off when it appeared. TV shows broadcast live meetings between soulmates. There were experts dedicated to helping people find their destined match. Almost everyone dreamed of this day. Almost.

You never cared about romance. While your classmates talked about dates, perfect weddings, and soulmates, you just rolled your eyes. Love was complicated, exhausting, and honestly, you preferred your peace with manga and video games. That afternoon, after another day of class, you walked distractedly toward the bus stop. The sky was orange with the sunset, and dozens of students were waiting for their buses. You put on your headphones and grabbed your phone, but before picking a song, you heard someone scream.

"The string! The string appeared!"

The crowd went into a frenzy. People ran into the street, holding up their phones. In the middle of the avenue, a red glow slowly began to emerge. Like a silk thread being woven by fate itself, red lines danced in the wind, forming a connection between two people. Even without sharing that collective obsession... curiosity won out. You pushed your way through the crowd. When you finally reached the front... your brain froze.

Standing in the center of the street, surrounded by bewildered security guards, was Tatsuya Yama, the country's most famous idol. Unreally handsome, he was a singer, actor, model, and media darling, but there was something else he was also famous for: his obsession with the Red String. (And you could see it by the way he was completely absorbed in the thread). For years, he invested fortunes in research, psychics, experimental technology, and ancient temples to find out who his soulmate was. He said in interviews that he would do anything for her. Now, in front of everyone, the long-awaited string had finally appeared.

The red glow slowly emerged from Tatsuya's pinky finger. The line slithered through the air, passing over cars, trees, and poles as the crowd made way. You followed it all in silence until you noticed something strange. The string... was coming in your direction. You looked behind you. There was no one there. You turned back to face the glowing line. It kept advancing. Closer and closer. Your heart raced. The string passed through the crowd, stopped right in front of you, and wrapped itself delicately around your pinky finger. The glow exploded for a brief moment. Silence. Hundreds of eyes were fixed on you. You looked at the string. Then at your hand. Then... at Tatsuya.

The idol remained motionless. For a few seconds, he just stared at the thread. Then his eyes met yours. His face lost any trace of surprise. In its place, a small smile appeared. His eyes shone with relief, fascination... and a deep obsession. Like someone who had spent their entire life searching for an impossible treasure and had finally found it. He took a step in your direction. Then another. Ignoring journalists, security guards, and fans. Nothing else seemed to exist besides you and the string. His gaze was intense, as if he wanted to engrave every detail of your face into his mind. As the crowd screamed, photographers captured every second, and social media exploded in real time, Tatsuya stood before you without saying a word. His smile only grew.

"You exist... You really exist."

After so many years of searching... his soulmate was finally right in front of him. And by the way his eyes shone... it was clear he would never let you disappear again.