“...Really hung up over a missing String huh?” didn't pay much mind to the old gent speaking, really didn't care to pay anything any mind since what was the bloody point. “I get how it might seem unfortunate not to have one, but don't you think all those other Strings you got wrapped around your other fingers would more then make up for it?” 

“...E-excuse me?” It took a second for it to register and wasn't even confident if I had heard him right, regardless the mere possibility of what he had implied was enough to at least peak my interest. “D-Did you just say other Strings?” 

“Indeedy I did Sonny!” with much enthusiasm, the older gent sat tall with his chipper half toothed smile. “Had an inkling you didn't have a clue about the other Strings, but wanted to make absolutely sure.” 

“Y-Your joking right!?” So wasn't just hearing things! Such a bold claim the man made that I couldn't help but quickly spring myself back up, desperate to hear the man out. “There are really other Strings?” frantically I looked to my hand yet could see nothing more then a plan palm. “If that's the case then how come I can't see them?”

The old gent didn't delay sharing his jolly chuckle. “Looks like I got quite a bit to teach you then!” 

“W-Whoa hey! What are you doing?” suddenly the older gent grabbed my hand, holding it up to me and pointed at my index finger. 

“Now then, you have the ability to reveal or hide the Red Strings from your vision right?” my eyes dart about quite confused about what was going on before landing my sights back on him, responding with a slow and cautious nod. “Well then I want you to channel that same power, only focus it on that there index finger of yours,” he tapped at my finger before letting go and pulling away. 

Keeping my hand held up, I gaze at my finger then back to the man once more; staring at him with great doubt that such other Strings could really exist. 

The gent just looked to me with a reassuring grin and gestured his eyes towards my finger to give it a try. 

Still wasn't confident about this working, but other then crushing out my last remaining sliver of hope of finding true companionship I didn't really have anything else to lose, so following his advice I put all my focus onto my index finger; eyes squinted and doing my damnedest to keep focused on it.   

Try as I might I just couldn't see them, spend about a good minute or so at it yet my finger was still just as naked as my pinky's. 

Was just about ready to throw in the towel and accept there really wasn't any other Strings or that I truly wasn't deserving of any type of companionship, when it was then that the older gent began to speak up. 

“Don't give up mate!” he yelled so loud without care of the late hour, clenching his fists while looking to me with great determination burning in his eyes. “Your still thinking too much and letting your doubts cloud your mind!” he held up his index finger and kept pointing at it. “Sweep those pesky doubts away and trust that the other String are out there waiting to be seen!” 

Letting his advice sink in, I look back to my finger and ponder just how I could get my brain to ignore these lingering doubts. 

It was then that it hit me! A solution that was so obvious that I felt like a fool for not trying this earlier. 

With my eyes shut I steady my breath just as I did when controlling what Red Strings I choose to see or not, clearing my mind and clearing my thoughts till I felt ready to open my eyes once more and see if this same tactic had worked. 

“...N-No bloody way!?” it was right then that an incredible sight had befell right before my very eyes! One that was truly unbelievable and had me questioning if was really here or I had finally snapped. “I-I can see them!

Yellow Strings!          

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The older gent was right! 

Didn't have just one wrapped around there either, 6 others accommodated it meaning my fate was tied to 7 other people! Didn't have a single clue what it had meant, but didn't even care! Just overjoyed to know that I had so many Strings to the point that I almost broke down into tears just looking at them. 

“Heh heh heh, finally able to see the little buggers now eh?” could hear the older gent respond, but been too fixated on examining my new found Strings pay him to much mind. “Bet it was quite the shocker seeing so many at once?” 

A chuckle left me before setting my sights back on the joyous old gent. “It sure was, though one I'm sure as heck not complaining about,”though to say I was overjoyed would be a vast understatement, there was still a very important question that desperately warranted an answer. “...I still haven't the faintest idea what they mean?” I look back to the Strings in ponder. 

“Heh heh heh, luckily for you I've been able to see these Strings all my life so you don't have to go through all the hoopla of figuring it out like I did!” my attention quickly snapped back to the man, who raised his hand up and pointed to his index finger. “Now these Strings right here? They attach themselves to your closest of friends; ones that are loyal and will stick by you to the very end.”     

“R-Really!? These really lead to all my friends!?” with this new found knowledge I had followed  where each String had led and sure enough it seemed to line up perfectly! 

They all travelled pretty much where my friends had lived or generally liked to gather, heck just seeing the String that led towards where Jenny had worked was almost proof enough for me...Almost being the key word.    

For there was just a single outlier that threw a wrench into his explanation. “Wait if that's the case then how do you explain this String?” I point to the outlier “I only have 6 friends in my life that I'd consider that close, why is this 7th one here?”  

The man leaned forward to get a better look at it, completely unfazed by the question. “Now that's an easy one to explain,” he states with utter confidence as he wags his finger. “You just haven't meet them yet.” 

“O...Oh! Yeah...Heh...Yeah that makes sense,” couldn't help but rub the back of my head flustered, wondering why I didn't even consider such a possibility. 

Guess just didn't think I would still be making friends this late into my 20's, but knowing there was another close friend out there waiting to meet felt quite exciting. 

“Not feeling so left out anymore now are ya Sonny?” didn't say anything as the man watched me with a joyful grin; was just so ecstatic about this amazing news that it was hard to find the right way to express such joy! “Heh heh, think your a happy chappy now? What if I told you there are even more types of Strings you have yet to see?”    

“T-There's more!?” I look to the gent in utter astonishment, still haven't gotten over the mere existence of Yellow Strings and now there are suddenly more!? The gent hadn't disappointed me yet  so I didn't hold a single ounce of hesitation and put my full faith in him by looking down to my middle finger after seeing him tap at his own.     

 “...O-Oh my goodness!” almost had tumbled off the backside of the bench from what had been relived to me. 

A massive amount of Blue Strings appeared from my finger and flew in all sorts of directions; wasn't able to count them all but it looked to be over 30 of the buggers had somehow managed to occupy my finger.               

Never even considered that many to be possible to take up a single finger and couldn't stop myself from looking at every single one of them in awe. 

“Heh heh heh, didn't expect that did ya? Bet your now wondering what it means and why you have so gosh darn many?” instinctively my attention darted back to the older gent who had easily read my mind, he too looking over all the Blue Strings that invaded the air. 

Quickly I respond a rapid set of nods

The gent continues to look at the Strings in silence for a second before speaking. “If you ask me these Strings are very important ones to cherish,” his gaze soon set back on me, harbouring a much softer smile. “After all they are the ones that guide you to your fated family.”   

Moment he reviled the meaning behind them it all made complete sense and once again felt dumb for not getting it in an instant! My family is quite large and even if we all don't visit each other regularly it doesn't take away just how much we care for each other to the point that we'd drop everything and all gather in droves to help out even just one of us who is in trouble.

Would be quite the time consuming task to follow every String to confirm it right now, so instead settled on following the ones that led to my parents and sister's place.

Easily found the one one that led to my sister's home knowing she'd be their waiting for her husband to get home from work at this hour so all it took now was finding my parents one and was all set...Yet no matter how hard I looked I failed too find either Ma or Pa's String at their home, which they should have been at this hour. 

Unless they took a sudden trip somewhere then it didn't make a lick of sense why I failed to spot their 2 Strings? Thankfully had an expert right here so could easily inquire about this oddity. “Um...Is there a particular reason why I'm unable to see my parents Strings?”    

“Ahhh you picked up on that already? I'm impressed!” couldn't help but raise a brow, wondering just where he was going with this. “Fret not, there is a reason why you and your parents aren't connected, at least by those Strings.” 

“Wait a minute...Are you saying,” quickly I raised my hand and glanced to my ring finger before looking back to the old gent. “There are even more Strings?”

Cheeky grin that was quickly followed by a hearty chuckle left the man. “That there is! Though that is the last of them to my knowledge,” so all in all there are 4 sets of the Strings of fate and there could even be a possibility of more being out there!  

Incredible! 

With this last bit of knowledge, I look to my finger and apply the same methods from before and once again had successfully revealed another lot of Strings; this time the colour had been green though this lot had the least amount compared to the others, it still didn't damper the excitement rushing through my vain.    

As expected two of the Strings had travelled towards my parents house, without a doubt confirming that these Strings show the bond between the parent and the child, one that I didn't even consider having it's own category, though made a lot of sense considering how deep a parent and child's connection truly are.

Made perfect sense and was quite satisfied once more with this new found knowledge...Least would be if it wasn't for one little problem. “Um...Question?” 

“Hmmm? What seems to be the trouble Sonny?” the older gent's grin never faded as if waiting in anticipation for something.

Ignoring his strangely placed excitement, I hold my finger up to him and point to what had caused the great oddity. “Why is there a third String here?”       

Could only wait with great anxiety for an answer, as the older gent seemed to be more fixated with staring at this extra String while stroking at his chin, rather then answering my question post haste. “I can't say for sure since I have no clue of your family life, but going by your reaction I can safely guess that you my friend,” he looks back up at me, his grin wide as he casually delivered his life changing theory. 

Are going to be a dad 

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