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Celestino isn't looking for his soulmate. Sure, he intends to find her someday and settle down, but that's far in the future. For now, he's a skater in the middle of a successful career, his mind on programs and medals, not love.

But life is funny like that. Celestino had dropped his wallet on his way out of the competition venue the night before, and now he's back scouring the halls. It's early, hours before the women's short program is set to start, and the building seems almost empty.

That is, until he comes around a corner and smacks right into someone. With an indignant cry, she stumbles back, landing squarely on her bottom, and while Celestino's instincts are to help her up, he finds he can only stare down at her, captivated.

Because suddenly his vision, black and white until moments before, is in brilliant color. The woman's hair is dark – it must be black, a color he's used to seeing. But her shirt is so bright, the color he always imagined laughter and excitement to be. And her blue jeans – he's known the phrase forever, but now he sees the color.

She's blinking up at him, seeming just as shocked. “Are you seeing this?” she asks, mouth open.

Celestino nods dumbly, because he knows she's not just talking about the change. Everyone knows your vision turns to color when you meet your soulmate. But what Celestino is seeing isn't exactly that: the blue is there, yes, and the bright color of her shirt, and the black of her hair, but others are missing – there are still shades of gray that haven't filled in. What does that mean?

Finally, he shakes himself and holds out a hand, pulling her up when she takes it. “I should probably introduce myself.” His heart is pounding as he keeps holding onto her hand. “Celestino Cialdini.”

She takes her hand back. “Park Min-so.”

“I didn't expect to meet you here,” Celestino says. It sounds foolish, even to his own ears, but he doesn't know what to say. It's shocking; he's actually looking at the person he's meant to be with.

“Don't expect anything from me,” Min-so says pointedly. “I just met you. All I know is your name.”

“I'm not,” Celestino says quickly. “But shouldn't we talk about this?” He's getting the most uncomfortable feeling that's she's about to reject him straight out.

Min-so crosses her arms. “You can only see half of the colors, right? That either means we're only half compatible, or we're meant to have more than two people in this relationship. Either way, we can't do anything.”

Celestino scrunches up his face. “Half compatible? I've never heard of such a thing. If we're meant to be a trio...we just have to find our third person. Surely between the two of us we can do that.”

“There are billions of people in the world,” Min-so insists. “What are the odds?”

“We found each other,” Celestino says hopefully. “So maybe not so small.”

Min-so frowns. “Anyway, we both have careers to think of. And just because some kind of destiny thinks we should be together doesn't mean it'll work out.”

“Not necessarily, but it also doesn't mean we can't try.” Celestino bites his lip. “Though if you really are uncomfortable starting anything until we're all together, I understand.”

Min-so's eyes narrow at him. “Aren't you? Wouldn't it kind of feel like cheating to start a relationship with just the two of us?”

“I hadn't thought of it that way. Maybe.” Celestino sighs. “I honestly thought it would be a long time before I met my soulmate, and that when I did, there would only be one. I didn't imagine it would be this complicated.”

For the first time, Min-so's lips curve up into an almost-smile. “Neither did I.”

“At least let me take you out for coffee or something so we can talk more?” Celestino asks, trying to keep his tone from turning it into a plea. “I know you're busy with the competition today, but whenever you can get away?”

“Okay,” Min-so relents. “We do need to talk when there's actually time. Right now, I need to get to practice.”

Celestino wishes her luck at the competition and watches her go with wide eyes. After that run-in, he's nearly forgotten why he came back to the arena in the first place, but eventually he does find his wallet where someone had turned it in to an administrator.

After, he stays for the competition, irrationally proud as he watches Min-so place second in the short program, and afterward they get coffee. They talk for a long time, and Celestino has never gotten to know and understand someone so fast. Min-so is even more determined than him: everything she does, her entire life, is focused on qualifying for the Lillehammer Olympics and making her country proud. It's her ultimate goal, and as much as she might otherwise be interested in having a romantic relationship, she just doesn't have time for one. And she can't let it go that part of them is missing, and it doesn't feel right going on with the just the two of them.

Celestino finds himself agreeing. He likes Min-so, and he wants to stay friends, but he's unwilling to push her into anything she's uncomfortable with. They both have careers to think about, they're alike in that way, and they agree that they'll always have each other to come back to when it's over.

The question of their third hangs over them, and they talk about that too. What do they if he or she appears? Talk about it then, they decide, have all three of them meet, discuss, and reevaluate. The two of them exchange phone numbers and part with a firm handshake.

-----

Years pass, and their friendship grows, though it makes no move toward the romantic. Celestino's bitterness at just missing qualifying for the Olympics is tempered when he watches Min-so skate in front of the world and win a bronze medal for South Korea. Her excitement is palpable when she calls him afterwards, and if he were there in person, he thinks he might kiss her.

The next year, they both make it to the first ISU Champions Series Final. Celestino is beginning to consider retirement. He's done the best he can, has a decent amount of medals under his belt, and he can feel the pushback in his body telling him he's not as young as he used to be. He's taken an interest in coaching lately, so it's not even like he'll be leaving the ice entirely.

He hasn't seen Min-so yet, and when he returns to his hotel room one night, he calls to ask to meet and talk to her about it. She's mentioned coaching in the past, as well, and perhaps this is the first step in the rest of their lives. If only years of keeping one eye out hadn't yielding nothing in the search for their third part...

“Celestino!” she answers the phone excitedly. It's the same vibe she'd had when she'd called from Lillehammer, and the words he'd been about to say fade away as he smiles.

“Are you really that excited to hear from me? The Bofrost Cup wasn't that long ago.”

“I'm always happy to hear from you, Celestino. When are we going to dinner?”

Celestino's smile widens. Normally, Min-so is never this enthusiastic about anything that doesn't involve skating. He senses change in the air. “Tonight?”

“Excellent.”

They work out the details, and then Min-so begs off without telling him anything more. Celestino's gut churns; it can't seem to decide between anxiousness and excitement. And that's not even considering the competition set to begin tomorrow.

At eight o'clock, he walks into the restaurant and spots Min-so at a back table. She's wearing a long red dress, the same deep hue she'd been wearing the day they met. But his eyes narrow in confusion when he sees that she's not alone. Seated next to her is a younger woman, not even out of her teens if he had to guess, with a long, delicate face and hair a dark color in his grayscale spectrum, worn in a braid wrapped around her head like a crown.

Celestino sits. “You didn't say we'd have company.”

Min-so is smiling an enigmatic smile he's come to know over the years: one that means he's not going to know anything until until she's ready for him to know. “This is Odagaki Kanako. She debuted in the senior division this year, and we just had the pleasure of meeting at the last Champions event.”

Kanako is staring at him, and Celestino tries not to let his disappointment show. Clearly she's a new kid who doesn't know many other skaters, and Min-so is trying to be kind by letting her tag along. But he had really been looking forward to spending time alone with her and talking about their future.

Kanako smiles shyly and holds out her hand. “It's nice to meet you, Celestino.”

Without thinking, Celestino shakes it – and the world snaps into full color. Kanako's hair is soft brown, her wide eyes the same shade. It's her. She's his soulmate, and Min-so's, the final piece to their puzzle.

“Oh,” he breathes, and Min-so smiles that rare, lovely smile.

“Do you see why I was so excited to meet with you?”

Celestino nods, dumbfounded, and oh so happy. He doesn't know anything about the young woman in front of him, but he knows they're destined to be together, the three of them, and he feels whole in a way he never has before.

“We have a lot to talk about, I think,” Kanako says softly.

Min-so takes her hand and looks at Celestino. “Should we order first?”