Hoseok cocked his head from side to side to relax his neck and nape muscles, then stretched out on the bed while shifting his gaze around the bedroom he was in, lazily scanning every corner. He had been here so many times before that he knew this apartment by heart. Not much had changed since he first came here. His friend here didn't have many decorations, and the bedroom itself was decorated quite modestly, kept in dark tones, but there was something unusually cozy about this room. The delicate scent of musk so characteristic for Taehyung lingered in the air. Although he could have sworn that some sharper, more definite note could also be sensed here this time, and he was sure that he had smelled this scent before. Perhaps it was due to the recent visit of the rebellious musician that the previous smell of his friend's bedroom had changed? As he followed his gaze this way, he finally looked toward the dresser, which was opposite the bed he was sitting on, and suddenly something caught his attention. He stopped his gaze and stared for a long moment at the pictures his friend had set up on the dark tabletop. He wasn't sure what, but it seemed to him that something was missing.

Was there, by any chance, three picture frames?

When he finally figured out what it was after a while, the corners of his mouth twitched, only to immediately lift in a smile of satisfaction. He levered himself off the bed and approached the dresser without a second thought, having stopped literally inches away from the furniture.

He reached out his hand and grabbed the photo, which featured himself along with Taehyung. He hugged him tightly, looking almost as if he was trying to strangle him, but they were both grinning at the camera. He remembered the day exactly. It was a few months after they became partners, but they were already getting along great. Yoongi was right to make them a team. They clicked right away. They always had a great time in each other's company, plus they complemented each other perfectly, forming an unbeatable duo.

"I see you finally got rid of the photo of that asshole," he spoke up, hearing his friend's footsteps behind him, and the latter answered him with a low, deep laugh that pleasantly caressed his senses.

"I didn't want him to peep at us while we were shagging," the other man replied, clearly provoking him.

"We?" Jung asked, pretending to be surprised. "Since you had such plans for this evening, you should have warned me, I would have put on better underwear," he joked and, having placed the frame on the cabinet, turned towards him. Taehyung snickered at his words and shook his head, and his dark curls moved gently, immediately falling over his catlike eyes.

"Me and Jeongguk," he explained, although he knew full well that his friend knew who he meant, and hurled a wet towel at him. Jung caught it in flight, and he spread his arms out to the sides, presenting his friend with his final look. "How's that?" He asked uncertainly.

He had attended every gala organized by Mr. Park, but until now he had never decided to wear such a bold outfit. He usually chose an elegant black tuxedo that blended in with the other black outfits, to which he wore a white shirt and a fly or tie. When he accompanied Soohyun to the gala, he let his beloved be the center of attention. That night, however, he wanted to shine. He wanted Jeongguk to be impressed by how he looked. So he settled for a much bolder styling. Giving up the typical black of such events, he wore a snow-white tuxedo with a black shawl collar, and completed the styling with white Italian leather shoes on a black sole.

"Oh, fuck," the elder cursed, looking at him with obvious surprise. "Oh, holy fuck," he repeated. "Kim!"

Taehyung stepped from foot to foot. He flicked his tongue over his lower lip and parted it slightly to ask something, but Hoseok beat him to it, speaking up again:

"You dolled up yourself! I've never seen you make such an effort for someone before..."

"Is that bad?" He asked with consternation, while shifting his gaze to his own reflection, which appeared in the mirror behind his friend's back. It lasted only a moment, his dark irises immediately returned to the older man's face. "Do you think this is too much?" he groaned. "Should I wear something else?" He asked immediately, ready to change if the elder expressed the need to do so. In fact, he had a ready-made black tuxedo in his closet, which he wore last year, but for some reason he couldn't look at it and even less felt like putting it on.

"Joking aside", he said, "You look amazing!" Hoseok judged, still not taking his eyes off him. "I swear, my little one twitched when I saw you," he added, and Taehyung immediately slapped him on the chest with an open palm.

"You're awful," he rebuked him, resisting the temptation to roll his eyes and shake his head. Hoseok was unreformable, but he had to admit that such jokes made him feel less tense.

After a moment, he took a step toward the mirror and lifted his gaze to look at his own reflection. The white of the tuxedo accentuated the caramel color of his skin and his dark brown hair, which fell over equally dark eyes. At this length, his hair was beginning to curl gently, making it into soft waves. He lifted his hand and moved his fingers tentatively through the brown strands, pushing them away from his forehead, but they immediately stubbornly fell back to their previous place.

"You think..."

"He will be impressed," Jung interrupted him. "It's fortunate that I'm not going there, because you would have overshadowed my beauty. I forgot that you're so damn handsome," he admitted in a light tone, then added quickly, immediately getting serious: "That asshole, Soohyun, will also pick his jaw off the ground when he sees you."

"Don't exaggerate," Taehyung snorted in response, rolling his eyes. "Soohyun will definitely come with his boyfriend. I think he's still dating the same guy with whom..." he paused, cringing at the memory of his partner's infidelity.

"The two of you haven't seen each other since the breakup..." Jung began cautiously, shifting his gaze to his friend. He remembered well how he had been going through a breakup with his ex, so he was sincerely worried about him. "How do you feel about it?"

Taehyung was silent for a while, and his thoughts went back to his ex partner. By now, he had often thought of him. Especially when, after a hard day, he returned to his empty apartment to slip into a cold, empty bed that suddenly seemed too big for one person. He would stare at a photograph of them together, or just lie idly on his back and stare blankly at the cracked ceiling. He then wondered what Soohyun was doing. Is he thinking about him, lying in bed with his new boyfriend? Does he taste his lips while kissing him? Does he regret his infidelity and wish he could turn back time? Does he miss him and regret their breakup? Does he wish they could get back together? These thoughts made him stand still and unable to move forward. For that year, he lived in some kind of limbo.

Recently, however, something changed...

He stopped returning with his thoughts so often to what had happened, and started focusing on what was now. In truth, he hadn't thought much about his ex lately, but he had no idea how he would react when he saw him again.

Did he still feel something for him? Would his heart beat harder when he saw him again?

"I don't know," he admitted, and a second later a quiet laugh broke from his parted lips. "Is it bad that I haven't thought about him at all in the past weeks?" He asked, lifting his gaze to look at his friend, and the latter answered him with a smile, and the words that deep down he wanted and needed to hear came out of his mouth:

"This is very good."

The younger man was visibly relieved.

He raised his hands and grasped the ends of the black silk tie, which until now hung still untied around his slender neck. Hoseok moved closer to him and stopped literally inches away from him.

"Let me," he chuckled briefly, extending his hands toward him, and Taehyung lowered his hands so that his friend could knot the tie for him. Jung grabbed the silk fabric and slowly began to form an elegant knot around his friend's neck. "And now what? What's the plan? Jeongguk will come for you?" He asked, finding his partner's dark irises for a few seconds.

"And what is this, a Harlequin or a cheap American teen TV series?" Taehyung snorted in response.

There was complete silence for a moment, during which Hoseok finished tying his tie. He then adjusted the collar of his white shirt, laying it over the silk fabric, and took a step back to make sure his tie looked as it should.

"Thanks," Taehyung chuckled, and smoothed the tie with his hand and immediately pinned it to his shirt with a gold pin that he matched to the buttons of his tuxedo.

"I don't know. I just thought it would be nice if he came for you," the elder spoke up after a while, shrugging his shoulders. "It would almost be like a fairy tale..."

"A fairy tale," the boy repeated in a mocking tone.

"You know... A romantic ball... You, like a beautifully dressed Cinderella, will emerge from your tower of loneliness and despair, and downstairs he will be waiting... A handsome knight on a white steed who will fall in love with you at first sight, and then there will be a grand wedding, and you will beget the seven dwarfs together... Or whatever the fairy tale went on..." he described, modeling his voice to sound like a reader of a children's fairy tale. "Puff. Puff," he added, imitating fireworks with his hands, or something like that, and Taehyung panned him with his eyes.

"I guess this fairy tale didn't quite go like that," he snorted and shook his head once again. "Remind me again why I'm even friends with you?" He asked, but an involuntary giggle broke from his lips.

"After all, it's obvious," replied Hoseok, settling comfortably on his bed. He was silent for a moment, as if he wanted his next words to have a better effect. Finally, he lifted his gaze to him and, arranging his lips into a wide smile, added: "You love me."

Taehyung snickered again and, shaking his head, extended his hand toward a small box from where he had previously taken the tie and removed a pocket square from it. It was made of the same silk as the tie, but covered with a beautiful gold-colored ornament that matched the pins and gold buttons of the tuxedo.

"This isn't a date, just a casual get-together between two buddies," he said more to himself than to him, and began folding the pocket square in his hands. He used to be unable to handle it, but now his hands moved quickly and smoothly, as if muscle memory was at work. "Jimin is sending a car for me, and I'll pick up Gguk on the way, and we'll go to the Grand Hyatt together. It's really nothing like that."

"You forgot to add that it's a casual meeting between two buddies who fuck each other like horny rabbits," Hoseok corrected him, giggling.

"Right away like horny rabbits..." the younger one repeated, rolling his eyes. "We just act like two healthy and young men who... like each other's company...," he explained, and Jung laughed out loud.

"Oh, they like it a lot," he laughed. "But seriously..." he interjected when he finally stopped laughing. His dark irises followed the movement of his friend's slender hands as they gracefully folded his pocket square. "If I were the one taking you to this gala, it would be the best date of your life."

"Would you bring my favorite flowers and open the door for me?" Kim teased in a mocking tone. He slipped the folded pocket square into the pocket of his tuxedo, located on his left breast, and turned toward his interlocutor.

"Well, sure," Hoseok confirmed, as if it was more than obvious. "I would treat you like a real princess..."

Taehyung once again panned him with his eyes.

"You call me a princess one more time, and this bedroom will be a crime scene," he threatened. "A very bloody one," he added, threatening him with his finger. Hoseok raised both hands in response, giving up, but a smile still adorned his lips.

"How about Jeongguk?" He asked after a while. "Did you talk to him later?" he further inquired when the man did not answer his first question and shifted his gaze to his friend.

The younger man didn't look at him, but he could have sworn his cheeks flushed, even though the question had nothing indecent about it. He squinted, eyeing him suspiciously. Years of working with criminals had made him extremely sensitive to facial expressions and any unusual gestures. He knew Taehyung inside out and had seen him in all sorts of situations. He knew very well that his partner was not one of those who were easily embarrassed or intimidated.

"He wrote to me after the show was over," the younger man finally admitted, as if he knew Jung would not give up so easily. He didn't go into details. Without looking at him, he turned toward the mirror, so that Hoseok could only see his back and the reflection of his face in the mirror's smooth surface. "Should I wear earrings?" He asked, as if trying to change the subject, which further aroused the suspicion of the older policeman. "I don't wear them every day, because it's a bit strange for a policeman to wear earrings, but I still have pierced ears, so I might put something on," he continued, not even raising his gaze for a moment, as if he feared that he would encounter the gaze of Hoseok, who was watching him closely. "What do you think, hm? Should I put something on?"

"Just don't tell me that you went to him and fucked like rabbits," Jung chuckled, looking at him suspiciously, but hearing his words Taehyung laughed involuntarily and for a few seconds their gazes crossed in the smooth surface of the mirror.

After yesterday, he was incredibly exhausted, but nevertheless, once they were on their way back from the station, Hoseok persuaded him to drop by his place for a drink, so together they headed to Jung's apartment, on the way making a "hop" to the liquor store and stocking up on soju. He didn't stay at his place for long, but when he finally arrived at his apartment, it was already late, and the fatigue from the whole week was getting to him. So he took a relaxing shower to wash away the day's weight and relax his muscles, and as he jumped into bed to finally go to sleep, Jeongguk unexpectedly sent him a message asking if he could call him. At the mere mention, the corners of his mouth twitched, lifting slightly, and he felt a pleasant pressure in his stomach.

"I was not at his place. We were just talking," he corrected. "Jeongguk was taking extra shifts so that he could have the weekend off and go to this gala with me, plus he finished late yesterday... I wanted him to rest before tonight."

"Did you talk for a long time?" Hoseok pursued.

"Just a minute," Taehyung lied, clearly embarrassed, which immediately drew Jung's attention. The elder turned his head to the side and watched for a moment as his friend pretended to search through a box of earrings for something suitable. He was convinced that his partner was purposely avoiding his gaze.

"A minute?" he repeated, and could have sworn he noticed his friend swallowing hard under the weight of his gaze. A moment later, he moved nervously, thus confirming his earlier observations.

"You're hiding something," he whined, and hearing his words, Taehyung raised his eyes, and their gazes crossed in the smooth surface of the mirror.

"W-we may have ended up talking at four o'clock, o-or... five o'clock in the morning..." he finally admitted, and such a dewy blush crept onto his cheeks that it was hard to hide.

He quickly looked away and slipped the earring into his ear, clasping it carefully. In the end, he opted for jewelry only in his left ear. It was a hanging earring imitating a white rose.

"At five o'clock? Geez, what can you talk about for so long?" Jung groaned.

"A-about many things," he replied evasively, once again avoiding his gaze. He took his cell phone out of his pocket and quickly glanced at the display, previously unlocking the phone with his thumb. "The car is on the way, so the driver should be here soon," he added quickly in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

Hoseok got up from the bed and moved closer towards him. Taehyung didn't look at him, but he still felt the weight of his gaze on him.

"Am I imagining it, or were you doing something indecent, Agent Kim?" Jung asked suspiciously, taking a few steps toward him and stopping right in front of him. His lips curved in a cocky smile.

"N-no?" he lied, but his embarrassment immediately betrayed that he was not telling the truth. Jung smiled more broadly.

"Agent Kim, do you know what the penalty is for giving false testimony?" He teased, and Taehyung rolled his eyes.

"He called me when he got home after the show, we started talking and..," he admitted shyly, but broke off when a memory of the previous night popped into his mind.

At first, they talked as if they were two friends, merely recounting the past days, but their conversation quickly took a completely different turn...

It was something completely new.

He had never before had a conversation with anyone like this. Never before had he touched himself unhurriedly, lying in bed and listening to the other man purr sensually to him. It was damn obscene, but he didn't care. All that mattered was the growing heat that burned his body, the pleasure that tightened every muscle. It was the first time he had come with such force without direct stimulation, solely under the sensations Jeongguk had evoked in him with his hungry passion.

Afterwards, they talked for a long time, until finally the musician fell asleep with the phone in his hand. Taehyung listened to his calm, even breathing for a while longer. Only when he was sure the boy was asleep did he press the red button to end the call.

"Somehow it came out that way..."

"I don't recognize you, Agent Kim," the elder laughed. "That guitarist swept you of your feet, hm?"

"Jeongguk is..."

He suspended his voice for a moment, as if contemplating what word would best describe him. The musician evoked so many different emotions in him that it was hard to explain. He had never felt anything like it before. He liked intimacy and enjoyed sex, but with Soohyun he didn't feel such desire and such a strong need for intimacy. Jeongguk was incredibly sensual, tender. He was a great lover, full of passion. He was like fire - wild and incredibly passionate. His every touch ignited his senses and body to the point where Taehyung couldn't satiate himself.

"Incredibly passionate and sensual..." he finished. "He can awaken in me..."

"Tiger," Jung interjected, and Taehyung laughed out loud.

"Exactly," he agreed, giggling.

"Oh, I have a feeling the sparks will fly today when you two meet," the elder assessed, laughing softly.

"First we have to survive the gala," Taehyung corrected. "There's a chance I'll bore him to the point that he'll run away on his own," he joked.

"Certainly not," Hoseok protested. His voice was remarkably sure, as if he had not the slightest doubt that his friend would have a great time. He didn't know Jeongguk very well. He had only seen him a few times so far, but something told him that he and Taehyung would make a great couple. "But if it gets so hopeless that you can't stand it any longer, you'll call for me, tell him you're going to get some air and run away through the window," he suggested.

"Will you come for me?" Kim asked, half jokingly, half seriously.

"I will be waiting for you like a savior on a white horse," Hoseok replied, arranging his lips into a wide smile. "If necessary, I'll steal a police car and come for you at the signal.

Taehyung didn't have time to answer anything when his phone suddenly rang, letting him know a message had been delivered. He looked at the display, only to lift his gaze to his friend a second later.

"It's the driver," he explained, drawing a breath of air into his lungs. "He's waiting downstairs."

That said, he slipped the phone into his pocket and, turning on his heel, headed for the exit, with Hoseok following him.

"If you want, you can stay here longer, just slam the door as you leave," he spoke up after a moment, looking over his shoulder at his friend, and Hoseok bared his teeth in a smile and raised his hand, showing him the key, which he then twirled on the index finger of his right hand.

"I have a key," he boasted.

"I guess I'd rather not know why you carry a key to my apartment," Taehyung snickered.

"I wasn't sure you wouldn't start panicking and bunker down in the bedroom, so I preferred to take precautions," he replied, and when the younger man rebuked him with a glance, he shrugged his shoulders, adding: "Well, what? Better safe than sorry."

The boy shook his head, but made no comment. For a moment, he actually felt like hiding in the bathroom and pretending to jam in it. He himself didn't know why, he was so nervous. Probably he just cared too much about making this evening a success.

A moment later, they were already entering the elevator and then going downstairs. When they reached the first floor, Hoseok moved ahead. He pushed open the door and stepped outside, while Taehyung followed closely behind, staying one step back. Again, he felt the excitement that squeezed his stomach muscles mingle with the nervousness gripping his throat. He closed his eyes for a few moments and slowly let the air out, trying to even out his breathing and get his nerves under control. He was so lost in thought that when his friend, walking two steps ahead of him, stopped abruptly, he almost bumped into him.

"Oh, fuck," the elder cursed, standing as if he had been caught off guard.

Taehyung, clearly confused, stepped out from behind his friend's back and followed his line of sight. What he spotted literally left him speechless. Opposite his apartment building was a parked Rolls-Royce limousine with tinted windows and a shiny black body. Jimin always sent a car with a driver to pick him up, but until now he had never been tempted to go to such an extravagance. He usually sent a Mercedes or some kind of BMW. The car was remarkably elegant, but it wasn't the beautiful car that made his knees soften, but the man standing next to it, leaning nonchalantly against its door.

Jeongguk was dressed completely in black. The black tuxedo he wore lay on him as if it had been tailored, clinging to his broad, athletic body like a glove, making him look like a dream come true. The equally black shirt was not topped with a tie, as one would expect. Instead, the top two buttons were undone, revealing a slender neck, thus leaving a hint of his cocky nature that he loved so much about him in this styling full of chic and elegance. His raven-black hair cascaded down to his shoulders, and a sensual smile graced his beautiful lips. He was as handsome as ever, or maybe even more so. He looked phenomenal. Plus, in his left hand, he held a beautiful bouquet of tiger lilies.

Taehyung didn't know if it was just a coincidence or a deliberate act, because how could the guitarist possibly know, but they were his favorite flowers. The whole time he was dating Soohyun, the man didn't know it was so. He always bought roses for him, choosing one of the most common options to please him, and he never corrected him. His gaze traveled anew along the musician's insanely beautiful silhouette toward his face, and when their gazes finally crossed, Jeongguk smiled at him, but there was something very different hidden in his eyes. His black irises seemed to burn as he watched him closely, and Taehyung's heart began to beat in his chest with redoubled force.

"Yet you will play Cinderella tonight... Well, go to him," Hoseok encouraged, standing at his side, and only upon hearing his voice did he realize that he was standing still like a fool.

He quickly shifted his gaze to the musician and then moved toward him. When he stopped right in front of the man, he bit his lower lip to hold back the smile that involuntarily pressed on his lips. They gazed at each other for a moment, and Taehyung could have sworn that sparks flew between them, as if fire was about to erupt.

And he literally dreamed of being consumed by it...

"Agent Kim," Jeongguk greeted, and his lips curved in a feisty smile.

Taehyung giggled, but playing his game, he replied:

"My Little Rock Star."

"You look phenomenal," the musician admitted, measuring him slowly from head to toe, while fires flashed in his dark eyes.

The policeman blushed visibly at the compliment, and his stomach muscles contracted. He could have sworn that the air between them thickened strangely, making his breath catch in his throat, even though they were outside. Where Jeongguk shifted his intense gaze, his skin seemed to burn, yet he decided to return the favor. He, too, measured him carefully from the tips of his perfectly polished elegant black shoes, to his muscular legs hidden behind the black fabric of his matching tuxedo pants, to his silk shirt, the material of which glistened softly in the light of a nearby lantern, finally suspending his gaze on irises as black as night.

"You look great, too," he assessed, and his right hand reflexively went to the man's neck, and his slender fingers moved along the spread collar of his shirt, seemingly casually brushing the exposed collarbone with the fingertips.

"Bought, not stolen," the musician joked, and Taehyung laughed lightly.

"Do you mean you've been good?" He asked, raising his right eyebrow cockily.

"You could say that."

The young policeman stared directly into his dark eyes for a moment. He could drown in their depths.

"In that case... I'm glad you didn't get caught," he admitted, referring to their conversation a few days ago.

"I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I had missed such a sight," the man confessed, lowering his voice to a sexy purr that sent shivers through Taehyung's body. Before a dewy blush had time to cover the policeman's cheeks, he held out the bouquet he had so far held in his hands toward him and smiled shyly, saying: "This is for you."

Taehyung shifted his gaze to the flowers. The bouquet was extremely beautiful. It consisted of a dozen tiger lilies, whose curled, delicate petals in warm shades of gold, orange and red were dotted with distinct black freckles.

"Thank you. You didn't have to..." he began, flustered.

"I wanted to," the musician interrupted him. "Apparently these are your favorites... I chose the most beautiful bouquet I could find."

When the word "favorite" came out of the guitarist's mouth, Taehyung's pupils dilated in surprise, and the heart in his chest beat strangely hard.

So it wasn't a coincidence at all...

"How... How did you know?" he choked out in emotion, and the musician bestowed on him a gentle smile.

"A magician never reveals his secrets..." he replied, looking him straight in the eyes.

Taehyung tilted his head gently and smelled the flowers. They smelled unearthly. He didn't know if their smell was so wonderful because he had always loved these flowers, or because he had just gotten them from him. He closed his eyelids for a few seconds, savoring the sweet aroma, until he finally opened his eyes to meet the guitarist's gaze.

"They are beautiful," he whispered.

For a moment, they stared at each other in complete silence. Taehyung felt like leaning forward again, but this time not to smell the lilies, but to finally kiss the musician's soft lips after so long. Jeongguk may have just been thinking the same thing, because for a few seconds his gaze went to his lips, but neither of them dared to take that step.

"Will you give me a second?" The policeman asked. "I'll ask Hoseok to carry them to my place, and we can move right away," he explained, and Jeongguk nodded in agreement.

Taehyung smiled at him, then turned on his heel and ran towards his friend. Moving closer to him, he moved his lips, saying silently: Oh. My. God.

"So Jeongguk is a knight with a long black steed after all," Hoseok joked.

"I didn't expect that," he whispered in response, lowering his voice so that the guitarist couldn't hear his words. "Will you take this bouquet to my apartment? I don't want the flowers to wilt," he asked, and Hoseok immediately took the bouquet from him.

"Sure," he nodded. "And you go and have fun," he added with a broad smile, then took something out of his jacket pocket and slipped it into Taehyung's left breast pocket. As the younger man's gaze traveled after his friend's hand, he noticed that the latter had put a condom in his pocket. "As if the conversation isn't going well, undress him and get to it," he joked, winking at him, and Taehyung snorted involuntarily. "But just in case... My phone will be on all the time, okay?"

"Thanks," he whispered, reciprocating his friend's smile.

Turning back to Jeongguk, he moved quickly toward him. He didn't want to delay any longer, lest the musician accidentally change his mind. He still found it hard to believe that all this was really happening. It seemed to him that it was just a dream from which he was about to wake up. Only the strong beating of his heart, confirmed that he was not dreaming at all. He stopped a step in front of Jeongguk and looked at his handsome face.

"Shall we go?" The boy asked, and he nodded.

The guitarist held out his hand to open the limousine door, but suddenly Hoseok's voice reached them.

"Hey, kids!" he called out, drawing the attention of both men.

As Taehyung turned behind him and shifted his gaze to his friend, he noticed that the latter was pulling his cell phone out in front of him, casually clicking something on the screen while somewhat awkwardly struggling to hold the bouquet in his arms.

"Since you're already going to the ball, at least let your godfather take a picture of you!" he called out, still referring to the conversation he and Taehyung had had in jest moments earlier.

The young agent sent a quick glance in the musician's direction, as if to check his reaction. He was clearly flustered and embarrassed by his friend's behavior. First, an exasperated, awkward laugh escaped from his lips, followed by short words:

"Hoseok is crazy. I-I apologize for him," he said. He was clearly embarrassed and avoided looking at Jeongguk, not knowing how to behave in this situation. "Y-you don't have to do...," he added, but stopped in mid-word when, to his surprise, Jeongguk wrapped his slim waist with his strong arms, at the same time turning his body so that Jung could take a picture of them, and he positioned himself behind him and rested his chin on his shoulder, cuddling into his body, sweeping it with a sensual, masculine scent.

Taehyung lifted his eyes, gazing into his profile, clearly surprised that the musician decided without hesitation to fulfill such a ridiculous request from his friend. His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he immediately closed them. It seemed to him that time slowed down for a moment, and his heart began to beat even harder than before.

"Ey! Earth to Cinderella," Hoseok called out, snapping him out of this strange trance.

Only hearing his partner's call did he shift his gaze to him. Jeongguk tightened the grip of his arms around his waist, and he rested his palms on his forearms, reflexively hugging his body tighter, as if attracted by some magnetic force. For a moment, it seemed to him that the world had slowed down, enclosing them in some kind of bubble where only they were. Even the breath in his lungs froze, and his heart quickened its beat, matching the musician's heartbeat.

It didn't take long, Hoseok snapped a few shots and immediately raised the thumb of his right hand to show that his work was done, but still, Jeongguk's arms embraced him for a few moments longer than necessary. Before the musician pulled away, he leaned in gently, letting his lips brush Taehyung's nape, and the guitarist's body heat penetrated his clothes and soaked into his skin. Taehyung felt like his legs were made of cotton wool and his head was spinning. In the end, he managed to control the strange emotions. When the musician released him from his strong arms, he lifted his gaze to him.

"Are you ready?" The guitarist asked softly, and he nodded, still unsure if he could speak up. Something was strangely squeezing his throat.

So Jeongguk grabbed the limousine door, tightening his fingers on it, and opened it, indicating to him to go inside. Tae nodded again as a sign of thanks and slid inside the luxury car, taking a seat. His body immediately sank pleasantly into the mocha-colored leather upholstery. As soon as the musician closed the door behind him, he leaned his head against the headrest, letting a raspy breath escape from his lips, and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm the heart racing in his chest. Jeongguk walked around the car and opened the door on the other side, only to slide into the seat next to him literally seconds later. He closed it behind him and nodded to the driver as a sign that they could go, and the driver started the engine and slowly moved off, letting the car roll on the asphalt.

The musician didn't look at him for long, immediately his gaze went to the young policeman who was sitting right next to him.

"Are you all right?" He asked worriedly, and Taehyung once again became visibly flustered.

"Yes," he replied uncertainly. "It's just..." he paused, for a moment wondering what to say. "I'm a little stressed," he finally admitted, choosing to speak the truth. He slid his tongue out of his mouth and swiped it across his lips, leaving a thin layer of saliva on them, then let the air out of his lungs loudly and laughed softly. "Actually... I'm really damn stressed..." he corrected himself, knowing that "a little" did not even remotely convey what he had just felt.

When he said this, he didn't look at Jeongguk, as if he was afraid that what he said might not please him. He could have kept quiet about it, or lied, made up some excuse on the spot, but he knew the boy was too smart not to guess that he was lying. To his surprise, the musician laughed out loud, filling the interior of the luxury car with his beautiful, melodious laughter. Taehyung, unable to resist the temptation, turned his face toward him.

"Thank God. I thought it was just me," he confessed, shifting his gaze to the policeman.

"You are stressed?" Taehyung repeated. "Why?"

"Maybe I don't look like I care about anything, but this..." He showed them both with his hand. "This is something new for me..."

This time it was Taehyung who laughed. His laughter was low, but there was nothing of his earlier nervousness in it, as if this brief exchange of words had made all his anxiety disappear somewhere.

"The fact that we are dressed?" He asked, giggling.

"You too?" the musician replied with a question, and the policeman nodded in confirmation.

"I was afraid that after fifteen minutes you would get fed up with me," he admitted.

"You still gave yourself more credit than I did," Jeongguk replied. "I gave myself five," he joked.

"No, no? Five?" Taehyung repeated, smiling cocky. "I'm sure we happened to talk with our clothes on for more than five minutes."

Jeongguk laughed again, throwing his head back, and Taehyung involuntarily shifted his gaze to his slender neck. The musician didn't wear a tie, his black shirt was unbuttoned from the top buttons so he could admire his smooth skin, gently brushed by the sun. When the guitarist stopped laughing, he looked around, smiling appreciatively.

"I have to admit, your friend did a pretty good job. Rolls-Royce, hm?"

"Actually, this is the first time he sent such a car for me," he admitted. "He always sent something elegant, but never before had he sent a limousine."

"Maybe he sensed you were bringing a rock star with you this time," the musician joked, and Taehyung laughed at his words.

"Apparently."

Jeongguk suspended his gaze on the bar in front of them, then glanced at his companion again, while extending his hand toward a bottle that resembled champagne in shape.

"Do you think your friend will mind if we treat ourselves?" He asked, raising one eyebrow feistily.

"Mr. Park prepared this champagne especially with gentlemen in mind," the driver suddenly spoke up, exchanging a brief glance with Jeongguk in the rearview mirror, and the musician's lips curved into a beautiful smile.

"Oh, so he won't mind," he concluded, shifting his gaze again to Taehyung. "Would you like a drink?" He asked, smiling charmingly.

He didn't wait for an answer. He reached for two tall glasses that were in a small cabinet next to the bar and handed them to his companion, while he himself looked at the label of the bottle he held in his hand.

"Hmm, Louis Roederer," he murmured, nodding gently with appreciation. "I guess I'd rather not know how much it cost," he joked, and then set about opening the bottle.

Taehyung couldn't take his eyes off his strong hands. He watched his actions with bated breath. His work behind the bar was certainly on to something, as he looked like a professional bartender. When literally seconds later the cork popped out of the bottle with a distinctive click, he almost jumped. Jeongguk did an excellent job of opening the bottle, but even so, a thin trickle of golden liquor ran down along his nimble fingers, and he once again felt like he couldn't breathe. As the musician's hand went to his mouth, and the man licked off his own skin the remnant of alcohol that was on it, Taehyung drew in air violently, thus drawing his attention. When their gazes crossed, the guitarist smiled sensually, gazing at him intensely.

It literally lasted for a moment, but that was all it took for Taehyung to feel like his whole body was on fire, and something in the musician's gaze changed. Jeongguk filled their glasses with golden liquor, then set the bottle down in the ice bucket where it had been before and turned to Taehyung. Looking him straight in the eye, he moved his tongue sensually across his lower lip. As the man did so, his gaze went to his lips for a few moments, and the policeman dreamed of nothing more than to finally feel his lips on his own. The musician once again looked him straight in the eyes. This time his gaze was so intense that Taehyung's abdominal muscles contracted involuntarily, and he swallowed hard, struggling to force himself to stay in his current position. The guitarist raised his own glass slightly, bringing it closer to the one the brunet was holding.

"Here's to making this an unforgettable evening," he spoke up, lowering his voice to a sensual purr.

"To this evening," Taehyung repeated.

The two raised the glass to their lips to take a few sips of the pleasantly chilled champagne. As they drank the lightly sparkling beverage with a delicately fruity aftertaste, they did not break eye contact for a moment. The air between them thickened and the temperature in the limousine rose, although Taehyung could clearly feel the whiff of air conditioning. He was sure that if he took out his lighter now and lit it, everything would go up in flames, the kind that seemed to engulf his insides. He couldn't explain it, but he was sure Jeongguk felt it too.

The musician moved his glass away from his mouth, but did not increase the distance between them. On the contrary, it seemed to him that the man's body involuntarily leaned harder toward him, as if some invisible force was attracting him. Jeongguk sent a quick glance in the driver's direction, only to immediately look at the man's face again, letting his dark irises linger on his champagne-damp lips for a few seconds.

"Do you think that button next to the seat lowers the divider between us and the driver?" he asked suddenly, lowering his voice to a whisper, and Taehyung followed his line of sight and noticed the small button next to the bar from which they had taken a bottle of champagne moments earlier.

He returned his gaze to Jeongguk's intense stare.

"I think it's worth the risk," he replied. He, too, whispered, but even so he wasn't sure if by chance the driver could hear them.

Jeongguk stretched out his hand carefully, slowly bringing it toward the button he had found so as not to draw too much attention to himself from the chauffeur, but before his fingers could reach it, the driver grunted loudly. The musician reflexively withdrew his hand and raised his gaze, meeting the gaze of the older man in the mirror above his head.

"This button unfolds the table next to the bar," the driver spoke up. "As I am guessing, you are probably looking for the button that closes the glass partition," he continued. "This one is on the right side, next to the window," he instructed. As he spoke to them, he kept his eyes on the road. Only occasionally did he send a knowing glance in the direction of Jeongguk's mirror image. "And anticipating possible questions... Yes. The partition is tinted and fully soundproof. And in addition, Mr. Park has provided you with his most dedicated and discreet chauffeur..." Jeongguk and Taehyung exchanged glances, and the policeman pressed his hand to his mouth, holding back a giggle. "Am I to understand, then, that it is better to take a more roundabout route to the Grand Hyatt?" the chauffeur asked.

"The longest route possible," the musician replied, sending him a broad smile, and the older man nodded.

Jeongguk stretched his hand towards the button the driver was talking about and this time without hesitation pressed it firmly, and a second later a quiet murmur crept into their ears, and they noticed the partition sliding out. The musician stared at it for a moment, as did Taehyung, who had literally almost forgotten how to breathe. As soon as the distinctive clicking sound crept into their ears, indicating that the partition had completely closed, cutting them off with a soundproof barrier, he turned to Taehyung.

For a moment that seemed to last forever, they stared at each other, until finally the guitarist inched closer with a seductive smile on his lips. At this sight, Taehyung's heart stopped in his chest. The guitarist was so damn handsome. Attracted by some strange, irresistible force, he too leaned in so that their chests touched, and their lips were separated by centimeters. Jeongguk held his breath and moved even closer. The tip of his nose touched his lover's nose, and his warm breath hit the gently parted lips. A shiver ran down the young agent's back, and everything inside him stopped in anticipation of the kiss. The musician inched closer, stopping just before the contact, giving him the opportunity to pull back without pressing or forcing the kiss, which only strengthened his desire. Neither of them wanted to pull back. They felt an almost physical need for closeness.

They kissed slowly, sensually. The musician gently brushed his lover's lower lip with his tongue, and Taehyung parted his lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss. Over the past week, he had almost forgotten how much he enjoyed kissing Jeongguk. He enjoyed everything the boy did. All the little sensual nibbles, the gentle bites, each smack of his tongue sent shivers of desire down his spine. He loved the teasing, the tempting. He loved the taste of his kiss, the possessive force of his arms pulling him closer. It was intoxicating, wild, and extremely appealing.

How could he resist him?

He opened his mouth wider and let the guitarist deepen the kiss, devouring him, and the tiny sparks he felt at the beginning of the kiss turned into flames. He slipped his hands into the musician's raven-black curls and, at the same time pushing him back against the back of the seat, climbed into his lap, sitting on his muscular thighs, straddling him, while the guitarist's hands tightened on his buttocks.

"Ah," Taehyung breathed out directly into his mouth, breaking the kiss to catch his breath.

He was now sitting on top of the musician, who was staring directly at him with eyes as dark as night. His irises seemed to be on fire. His breathing was as chaotic as his, his mouth glistening with saliva.

"I missed it," he confessed before he had time to realize that he had allowed himself to say it out loud, but this time he didn't care one bit.

He moved his hands to Jeongguk's cheeks, gently capturing his face and, leaning toward him, flicked his tongue over his lips.

They tasted the sweetness of the champagne, which they only managed to take a few sips of.

"I missed it too," the musician replied, staring straight into his eyes.

***

Jimin reached out and shook the hand of the elderly man with gray hair on his temples extended toward him.

"I am extremely happy that you were able to come, Dr. Han. Father will certainly be very pleased," he spoke up, while bowing gently in a show of respect.

"It's good to see you too, Jimin. You look great," the doctor replied, and the boy pointed with his hand to the door that one of his father's hired porters was holding for them.

The man was certainly in his forties, but he looked extremely elegant with smoothly combed hair and wearing a navy blue suit with a vest in a slightly lighter tone. Around his neck was tied a fly made of maroon silk.

"Feel free to come inside," Jimin encouraged. "The guests are almost complete, so we'll be starting soon. A welcome drink awaits inside."

The man nodded and, having propped his companion's arm, waited for the woman to grab it. The latter did not hesitate long, grasped her husband's arm with her left hand, and with the other patted Jimin affectionately on the cheek.

"You look beautiful, darling," she assessed, smiling warmly at him, and the boy put his hand on his chest in a gesture of thanks and reciprocated her smile.

"You are always the most beautiful, Soona," he replied, and the woman laughed quietly and, led by her husband, disappeared behind the hotel door.

Jimin laughed under his breath. Mrs. Han was a special woman. Whenever he saw her, her face, which was crisscrossed with wrinkles in places, was adorned with a broad smile. As far as he knew, Mr. and Mrs. Han had no children. It seems that despite their sincere desire to grow their family, they were never able to live to see an offspring. Perhaps that's why Soona treated him with such tenderness, as if he were her grandchild.

Turning on his heel, he turned again in the direction from which the cars were approaching and looked out for a moment for more guests. He stood in the same position for a moment, with his hands tucked into the pockets of his black tuxedo pants, until he finally lifted one of them to inspect the time and looked anxiously at the display of a beautiful vintage-style watch by the Tiffany & Co. manufactory finished in white gold. It was slowly striking zero o'clock, yet so far he had not seen Taehyung anywhere. He had sent a car to pick him up, but the last time he spoke with him, his friend still wasn't convinced that he should even show up.

Had he given up after all?

As he plunged thoughtfully to watch another pair of invited guests just climbing the stairs in evening clothes, out of the corner of his eye he noticed another car approaching the hotel. When he realized that the car that had just stopped in front of the entrance was a Rolls-Royce limousine, the kind he had ordered for Taehyung, he shifted his gaze toward the car with curiosity.

At first, he was convinced that it was his friend who was about to emerge from the car, so his lips curved into a wide smile, and he took a few steps, heading down the stairs, but stopped in mid-step when suddenly the limousine door opened and a stranger appeared before his eyes.

He stopped intrigued. His father had organized this gala every year for many years. Most of the guests were world-class doctors in various medical fields and owners of pharmacies or pharmaceutical concerns. They hosted virtually the same faces every year. The only exceptions were every now and then new companions of rich surgeons or new lovers of rich businesswomen. Just one glance was enough for him to know that the stranger certainly did not belong to any of the aforementioned industries, so it could only mean one thing — he appeared here to accompany someone.

And all in all, there would have been nothing surprising about it. He was no longer disgusted by the fact that some female owners of pharmacological concerns came to the gala with boys his age. Besides, after all, there is supposedly equality. So if rich, cranky men were allowed to come to these kinds of parties with lovers a good twenty years younger than themselves, why should women be treated differently? What surprised him was that this boy did not resemble the typical careerist or low-life who seduced an older woman for her money, like the vast majority of partners brought along.

Reflexively, he took a few more steps toward the man to get a better look at him and carefully measured his figure. The stranger was wearing the black tuxedo so typical of this type of event, but there was nothing boring about it. What's more, even such a seemingly indistinguishable outfit made it impossible not to notice him. Jimin wasn't quite sure why. Perhaps it was because whoever had selected the tuxedo for him had done a great job — the classic black insanely emphasized his milky skin tone, and the tuxedo itself lay on his body as perfectly as if it had been made for him and excellently emphasized the assets of his figure.

And there was definitely something to accentuate.

The unknown man looked phenomenal. The dark tuxedo enveloped his body like a second skin, and his black tieless shirt, barely a shade darker than his jacket and pants, accentuated his magnificently athletic figure. His raven-black hair was long and fell over his broad shoulders, forming a thick wave that Jimin guessed felt like the most expensive silk. There was no stubble on his angelic face, but a small smirk adorned his lips, and his dark eyes blazed, giving him a look that was somewhat dangerous and extremely sexy at the same time.

The boy walked around the car and headed for the second door to open it for his companion, and Jimin all the way turned his head to get a better look at who was about to emerge from the limousine.

To his surprise, however, instead of feet adorned with high stilettos of some expensive brand, leather men's shoes showed. A quiet sigh involuntarily escaped his lips, and his pupils dilated out of curiosity. This was definitely not a common sight. Holding his breath, he watched as seconds later, a second man got out of the car. He was in such a position that he was only able to see the man's back, but that was enough for him to be equally impressed.

The second man was just as tall. His figure, clad in a perfectly tailored tuxedo in a shade of white, was also slender, but no longer as muscular. His dark hair was shorter and fell in soft curls, accentuating his swarthy skin. The long-haired man said something, and Jimin, pushed by impulse, took a few steps toward them. He longed to hear what they were talking about, even though perhaps he should have restrained his curiosity. He was already a few steps away from them when suddenly the one dressed in white laughed loudly, throwing his head back, and at the sound of that hue, Jimin stood as if he were struck.

He knew that laugh.

He parted his lips to say something, but the laughing man twisted so that he was finally able to see the man's face, confirming his earlier assumption.

Taehyung.

Jimin, surprised, closed his mouth and just stared at them for a moment. Taehyung laughed loudly, carefree, and his right hand found its way to the long-haired man's broad chest, laying on it at the level of his sternum, as if it were the most natural thing to do. The unfamiliar man clearly didn't mind, for his lips were adorned with a sensual smile, and his dark eyes never for a moment strayed from his friend's face, as if the latter was the only person he could see. There was something incredibly intimate about the way they looked at each other, making him feel like a voyeur.

"Oh, wait!" Taehyung called out suddenly, as if he had forgotten something, snapping Jimin out of his reverie, then disappeared inside the limousine again for a second. When he emerged from it, a small smile adorned his lips, and in his hand he held a black tie with a beautiful gold ornament. "I almost forgot about it," he explained, and promptly slung the tie around his neck. As he did so, he bit his lower lip and took a step toward his companion, looking him boldly in the eyes, as if challenging him. "Now fix what you messed up," he demanded, lifting his chin proudly, and Jimin snorted reflexively and shook his head, thereby drawing the attention of the two lovebirds.

"Well, well," he murmured, then leaned over to look inside the limousine, whose door was still open. He easily saw that the bottle of champagne he had prepared for his friend was empty. He straightened up and looked at Taehyung again, and the boy reflexively raised his hand to his mouth and wiped his lips with the willow of his hand, as if he feared they bore the mark of passionate kisses. "I hope you enjoyed the champagne," Jimin chuckled, staring directly at his friend with softly squinted eyes. Taehyung was a few inches taller than him, making him have to stub his head to look him in the eye, but despite his towering figure, it was the policeman who visibly blushed.

"Yes," he admitted, flustered. "Thanks."

Jimin turned on his heel to finally face the man his friend had come with, and measured him carefully from head to toe, not hiding it one bit. To his satisfaction, the unknown man held his gaze, standing all the while with his chin raised. The boy had a claw. He liked that. In addition, he was finally able to get a closer look at him, and had to admit that he looked even better from such a short distance.

"Hmm," he muttered appreciatively. "And this is probably the reason why I couldn't reach you recently?" He asked, although he didn't need an answer. His words were directed to Taehyung, but nevertheless he did not break eye contact with the handsome stranger for a moment. He noticed that the corners of the boy's mouth lifted in a cocky smile. "Although all in all... When I look at him like that..." he began after a while, sending a stealthy glance to his friend. "I'm not even surprised that you weren't able to focus on talking to me with such a handsome guy between your legs," he added, winking at him, and the long-haired man laughed out loud.

"I swear, I don't know why all my friends are such perverts," Taehyung interjected, looking at the guitarist apologetically.

"I've heard a thing or two about you, but we haven't had a chance to get to know each other officially...," the blond man continued, ignoring his friend's words. "I'm Jimin, Tae's friend." He extended his hand toward the musician, and the latter took his hand and shook it confidently.

"Jeongguk," he replied. "The one who was between his thighs when you called," he added, looking him straight in the eyes, and a second later his lips curved into a small smirk. "I would apologize, but I don't regret it one bit..." This time it was Jimin who laughed out loud.

"I like him!" he exclaimed with satisfaction, while sending a long glance in the direction of his friend, only to immediately shift his gaze to the long-haired man again. "Not only is he handsome, but he also has a sharp tongue," he added, genuinely amused. Although his words were still directed at Taehyung, he kept looking at the handsome man standing in front of him. "Although I must admit that I was expecting someone completely different..."

"Someone who looks more like a world-class plastic surgeon?" Jeongguk asked sarcastically, and the shorter man giggled.

"I see you have prepared well for this meeting," he muttered appreciatively.

"It's worth knowing the competition," the musician admitted. When he said this, a gentle smile still played on his lips, which betrayed that he was not at all that afraid of his competitor.

Jimin snorted reflexively and rolled his eyes.

"Please. Soohyun is no competition."

Jimin laughed out loud, and when he finally stopped laughing, he shifted his gaze to his friend, who seemed to be struggling with the tie. Seeing his struggle, he moved closer and reached out his hands to grasp the ornate silk. Coming from a wealthy family, he had learned such activities as a child. He could tie a tie even with his eyes closed. As he took the tie in his hands, he noticed that a slight redness was visible on his friend's neck, the source of which could only be one thing - his companion's lips. He involuntarily smiled under his breath, but refrained from commenting. He and Taehyung had known each other since diapers, and he had never seen his friend behave so swaggeringly before. He was usually quite calm, reserved. Cautious.

As he wordlessly formed a beautiful knot around his friend's neck, he looked closely at his face. Taehyung was glowing. He looked happy.

Having finished tying it, he smoothed the tie, and the young policeman handed him a gold pin. He pinned it on, making sure everything looked right and arranged his shirt collar, then moved his hand to his friend's left breast pocket to fix his pocket square as well. As he moved the silk handkerchief, he felt something hard under his fingers. Surprised, he grasped the package in his fingers and removed it from his pocket. It was enough that he slipped out a piece of the wrapping so that he was well aware of what he had just held in his fingers, he lifted his gaze to his friend, and his right eyebrow went up, as did the corners of his mouth, which stretched in a faisty smile.

"Oh, I see you came well-prepared, hm?" He asked, moving his eyebrows cockily, and Taehyung shifted his gaze to what his friend was holding in his hand and noticed the condom that Hoseok had slipped him, which he had completely forgotten about. Embarrassed, he hastily raised his hand and took it from Jimin's hand.

"It was Hoseok who slipped it there" he explained quickly and looked around for a trashcan.

He took a step to the side and reached out to throw away the condom, but before he could do so, a strong, masculine hand grabbed his wrist, stopping him. As his gaze traveled upward, his dark irises revealed the guitarist's beautiful smile. The musician lifted his hand, and literally a second later took the condom from between his long fingers and, looking him straight in the eye, put it in the pocket of his own tuxedo.

"It might come in handy," he explained, shrugging his shoulders. Jimin, who was watching the scene, giggled, drawing their attention to himself.

When the two men directed their gazes at him, he was already looking at them. His full lips were adorned with a wide smile, as if he was amused by the spectacle he was witnessing. For a moment, he looked at them intently, as if he was thinking about something. His eyes narrowed and his chin lifted.

"How did you two meet?" He asked after a moment, clearly interested. His investigative gaze jumped from the long-haired man to the policeman and back again.

"T-through mutual friends..."

"I picked him up in a bar."

They said simultaneously. Taehyung, stammering uncertainly, and Jeongguk without the slightest shadow of embarrassment. Jimin laughed even louder than before, while throwing his head back. The young policeman, on the other hand, choked on his own saliva upon hearing the musician's words, and a clear blush covered his handsome face. Going into this party, they hadn't determined what they would say if anyone asked them about this relationship, but he didn't expect the guitarist to confess so unproblematically under what circumstances they met. Embarrassed, he glanced at his friend. A wide smile adorned his full lips, brightening his face and hazel-colored eyes.

"It's surprising, but I believe Jeongguk's version more," he admitted, clearly teasing his embarrassed friend. He smoothed his tie and, adjusting his black tuxedo, looked Taehyung straight in the eye. "Well, well... I don't recognize you, Tae," he murmured appreciatively.

"Jeongguk..." the policeman began uncertainly, hesitating on how to properly explain to his friend what was currently going on in his life. "Jeongguk works at Awake," he admitted, however, stroking the back of his neck with his hand.

"Oh, are you a bartender?" Jimin asked.

This time, he turned gently toward the long-haired man, while shifting his gaze to his face. Unlike his friend, he didn't look the least bit embarrassed by this conversation. Jimin had to admit that his directness and straightforwardness were remarkably refreshing. Revolving among the rich, it was hard to find someone so truthful. He was able to understand what captivated Taehyung about this boy.

Next to the aloof and well put-together Soohyun, Jeongguk was like a breath of fresh spring air after a long and harsh winter.

"I'm a musician," the boy explained, and when the elder's right eyebrow went up in a sign of surprise, he added: - I mainly play the guitar, but I also sing. Although sometimes I also work as a part-time bartender.

"Ooooh, a guitarist," he murmured appreciatively and sent a knowing glance in Taehyung's direction, only to immediately return to staring at the musician. He turned his head to the side, clearly intrigued. "Who picked up whom?" He asked straight out, and his full lips formed into a cocky smile. His friend hadn't been so embarrassed in a long time, but he couldn't deny himself. He knew that the musician would certainly not let him down and would tell the truth bluntly. He had to admit that he was damn amused by the situation.

"Jimin," Taehyung groaned behind his back, and he raised his hand, showing him to let his companion answer the question put to him.

"I picked him up," the guitarist replied without the slightest hesitation.

Jimin giggled. That was exactly the answer he had expected.

"Well, well," he cmoked once again. "You must have a real gift..." he admitted, then pointed in the direction of the entrance. "Shall we go in?" He asked politely, then turned on his heel and, lifting his chin proudly, started up the stairs without looking at his companions. Nevertheless, in his mind's eye, he saw his friend breathe a sigh of relief. His full lips once again that evening formed a beautiful bow.

Oh, this is going to be a wonderful evening, he thought.

Jeongguk turned toward Taehyung and, taking two steps toward him, extended his hand toward him, offering him his hand.

"Shall we go, darling?" He asked, with a slight smile playing on his soft lips.

Taehyung felt so damn eager to kiss them...

He reciprocated his smile and embraced his hand, entwining their fingers together as if it was the most natural thing to do.

Their hands fit together perfectly.

Together they climbed the stairs, following Jimin toward the main entrance of the Grand Hyatt. Once they were at the hotel entrance, it was Jeongguk who preceded the doorman and opened the door for his companions. Jimin nodded in thanks and, stepping inside, sent a long glance toward his friend over his shoulder.

"Uuu! What a gentleman," he exclaimed, then shifted his gaze to the musician. "Is that how you made my friend lose his head for you?" he asked, teasingly.

Before the musician had time to answer, Taehyung grabbed his hand again, and this time it was he who sent his friend a wry smile, quoting the words Jeongguk had told him earlier that evening:

"A magician never reveals his secrets..."

Jimin giggled, escorting the two men holding hands with his eyes.

In their black and white tuxedos, they looked like yin and yang. So damn different as fire and water, and they matched each other perfectly.

***

Ayashee:

First of all, I wanted to apologize to you for waiting so long for a new chapter...

I won't hide the fact that lately my motivation to write and the joy that comes from it has dimmed a bit, mainly due to the fact that interest in The Crow is decreasing drastically from week to week. I don't know if this is due to the fact that it's a switch or simply that the story hasn't appealed to my existing readers, or perhaps there are other reasons altogether. Such a decrease in interest, however, has a very demotivating effect. 

That's why I would like to thank you all the more for continuing to be here and supporting my work, because it is thanks to you that new chapters are being written.

I know that probably most of you were waiting for the chapter with the gala, and that was the original plan. However, I was forced to split the chapter because it would have come out too long, but in the next one we will continue with the ball night.

Thank you for being here.

xoxo