"The tattoo shows the name of your soulmate,” Rachel explains. Her voice is hollow, unlike the warmth Bam has gotten used to. He glances at the name on his hand, it spells a weird name Bam has difficulty pronouncing. He knows it’s not Rachel’s but how could there be any other person but her who’s meant to accompany him? She seems to sense his troubles because she smiles softly at him and rustles his hair. “A soulmate is someone you’ll fall in love with.”

Bam knows of romantic love. It’s the kind of love Rachel adores speaking of in her stories and it’s the one Bam has the most difficulty wrapping his head around. “Do you have a name in your arm?”

Rachel’s smile falters and she shakes her head. “Sometimes,” she pats his head, “when a person hates their soulmate, they will destroy their tattoo and tear the soulmate bond. In return, their soulmate’s tattoo will simply vanish as if it was never there.”

Rachel’s arm is blank. Bam says nothing and hugs her. How much must a person hate the other half of their soul to hurt them that much?

.

Mr Khun isn’t Bam’s soulmate. It isn’t surprising–he’s too smart, too pretty, too amazing–but Bam’s heart still aches uncomfortably. At some point, he even asks Mr Khun to touch his tattoo and proceeds to trace the name on his hand. ‘Viole’ is an equally pretty name as Aguero and Bam is sure it belongs to someone much more worthy than him. The thought makes him even more uneasy.

Still, Mr Khun smiles at him and Bam lets himself feel special.

.

The 25th Bam dies and Viole rises from his grave. It’s the same person and he can never go back. This is what Hwaryun reminds him, this is what Jinsung explains. This is what Viole, himself, says as he approaches the fire. His skin and heart both burn. The bond is no more.