"Oh, fuck!" Jeongguk swore loudly, falling on his back.

His body sunk into the soft sheets, scented with a delicate peppery note, mixed with the sensual scent of Taehyung's body. His lips parted slightly as he tried to even out his still troubled breathing, and his naked chest rose and fell rapidly. He felt a trickle of sweat slide slowly down his strong back, his tense muscles contracting involuntarily. It had been a long time since he felt so tired, but even though he was gasping for breath and all his muscles were burning with the exertion, he felt the adrenaline circulating in his veins, stimulating every single cell in his body. He lay completely naked on the bed, his slightly sweaty hair sticking to his handsome face, and the smile never left his lips for a moment.

He didn't think he had ever felt as great as now.

He has never felt so alive.

"Fuck, Taehyung..." he sighed loudly. "It was..." he added, but paused, searching for the right words to summarize what had happened and how he felt now. Unable to find anything appropriate, though, he laughed softly under his breath. "Fuck," he only cursed again, to which a loud laugh replied, caressing his sensitive senses with his warm color.

"Does that mean you liked it?" Asked a low, sensual voice, and the musician almost reflexively looked at the man next to him.

Taehyung was lying on his left side, resting his head on his bent arm. He was so close, their bodies were almost touching each other. He could feel the warmth emanating from him and the sensual scent of his perfume wafting through the air. Unable to resist the temptation, he ran his almost black irises over his silhouette, absorbing his beauty with delight. The brunet was also completely naked, only his loins were covered with a thin, white sheet, so perfectly contrasting with the swarthy skin. In the dim light of the bedside lamp, his skin seemed even darker, so damn smooth, without any blemish. He moved his gaze from the man's slender legs towards the flat stomach and broad shoulders, to finally look at that beautiful face turned towards him. In such lighting, Taehyung's cheekbones became more prominent, the jawline sharpened. Dark hair, delicately disheveled, fell over his brown eyes in soft waves, but he could still see the boy staring directly at him with glittering eyes.

"It was so good that I want to smoke a cigarette," the guitarist replied, raising the corners of his mouth in a vicious smile.

"You smoke?" Kim asked, raising his right eyebrow.

He was surprised by the guitarist's words. He didn't smell the tobacco from him, even though he usually picked up such things quite easily. So he did not expect that the boy smoked cigarettes, although it would probably fit his rock image. At his question, the musician laughed softly. His melodic voice echoed off the walls of the attic apartment.

"No," he said quickly. "But it was so fucking good, I think the sex deserved a cigarette. Apparently, a cigarette after sex tastes best," he explained, amused. "Although..." he began suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed together as if he was thinking intensely about something, and after a while he rose to a sitting position. "Wait, wait..." he added mysteriously, as if he had just remembered something, then dropped his feet to the wooden floor and got out of bed.

The musician was still completely naked, but he didn't seem to care a bit about it. Without the slightest hint of embarrassment or shyness, he walked slowly across the room, gently rocking his hips, and approached the wardrobe that stood on the other side of the room. Taehyung watched him go, unable to take his eyes off his broad back and thick ass, which looked even more alluring in the dim light. The musician stopped in front of the wardrobe, opened it, and for a moment searched for something inside. Kim wasn't sure, but he thought the boy was looking for something in the pocket of one of the sweatshirts. It was only after a long moment that Jeongguk took a step back and closed the wardrobe again. A grin spread across his lips as he turned to face him. He looked younger when he smiled like that. His eyes sparkled vividly, as if he was excited about something. Finally, however, the black-haired man approached him, crossing the space between them, almost sliding across the floor like a wild cat, and stood in front of him, then raised his hand and showed him what he had taken out of his pocket a moment ago.

"I've got something better," he said, grinning from ear to ear.

Taehyung looked at the man's hand to see what the boy was holding in it, and when he realized what it was, he snorted, distrusting his eyes.

"Is that what I think it is?" He asked, even though he knew exactly what the musician was showing him.

He wanted to laugh, but kept his voice serious, biting his lower lip to suppress the smile that fell on his lips.

This boy was impossible.

"Should I ask you first if you're gonna call the cops on me?" The guitarist replied with a question, clearly teasing him, and Taehyung again snorted under his breath at his words.

Jeongguk grabbed the lighter that had been lying on the bedside table so far and lifted it, but before he could do anything else, Taehyung rose to a sitting position and, looking the musician straight in the eyes, took the joint from his hand, and then took the lighter from his second hand. Still keeping eye contact with him, he slipped the weed between his lips. He lifted the zippo's lid, causing the device to spit out a yellow-orange flame, and slowly slid the tip of the joint into it, setting it on fire. He took a long drag and, holding the smoke in his lungs, approached Jeongguk. He did not stop until their lips were just inches apart, and he parted his lips, letting the smoke slowly creep through them. The guitarist opened his mouth almost immediately, inhaling the smoke Taehyung exhaled from his lungs. As he pulled it all in, he smiled at him, then leaned down, walking the last centimeters between them, and kissed him. The young policeman immediately parted his lips more, encouraging him to deepen the kiss, and it was enough for their lips to intertwine in a deep, hungry kiss once again.

When finally the black-haired man broke the kiss and moved away slightly, finding the policeman's gaze, his lips again formed a beautiful bow. He took the joint from Taehyung and slipped it into his mouth and took a strong drag. This time, it was he who held the smoke in his lungs to do exactly the same thing that the brunet did a moment ago. As he exhaled the smoke so that Taehyung could draw it into his lungs, his dark, almost black eyes never broke eye contact. He'd never smoked with anyone like this before, but there was something damn intimate about it. He liked that it was the brunet who initiated this game. He was fucking sexy when he took control. There was something about him at these moments that made him want to submit to him.

When he expelled all the smoke from his lungs, and its last streaks disappeared in the brunet's mouth, he gave him a joint so that this time he could take a puff, and he grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the bed again. Taehyung did not protest. As Jeongguk lay down on the bed, pulling him gently behind him so that he too fell onto the soft mattress, without thinking he lowered his body, resting his head on the musician's strong chest. He lifted the joint to his mouth and, slipping it between his lips, took a drag.

He had only smoked weed once before. He was fifteen or sixteen at the time. Park brought the joint he had stolen from his cousin, and they had smoked it together in his room in his aunt's apartment. He remembered them ventilating the room afterward, afraid that his aunt would smell the characteristic cannabis smell as soon as she got home. And as much as they tried to cover up the smell, his aunt smelled it anyway. They could have expected it. After all, she was the sister of a great cop. He had expected to be grounded, but his aunt only gave him a two-hour lecture on the harmfulness of such substances, which made him feel bloody guilty. He knew he had let her down, and that must have been even worse than if she had grounded him for the rest of his life for this.

"Oh, yes... It's perfect..." Jeongguk muttered, slowly releasing the smoke from his lungs and reaching out his hand to give the joint to the brunet.

Taehyung took it between his slender fingers and put it to his mouth to puff again. As he did so, he shifted his gaze to the young musician.

"You know I've only smoked weed once before?" He admitted. "I was probably fifteen then."

"Did you have a rebellion period then?" The guitarist asked, forming his lips in a mischievous smile.

"Something like that..."

Jeongguk turned a little harder towards him, wanting to see this beautiful face, and his hand extended into the boy's dark hair. Almost unconsciously running his fingers through his dark strands, he took a hard puff, sucking another dose of sharp smoke into his lungs. He was beginning to slowly feel the effects of marijuana. His body relaxed and everything else disappeared somewhere, allowing him to focus only on the man who lay with his head resting on his naked body.

"I rather imagined you as the all-knowing boy on the front desk who always raises his hand when the teacher asks something," he said, laughing gently. "He thinks nobody likes him, and in fact, everyone envies him."

"More like a strange loner who hardly talks to anyone, but for unknown reasons is friends with the most popular boy in the class," he confessed, recalling the years of his elementary and high school.

After the death of his parents, he became very withdrawn. He was very closed. He was only friends with Jimin, with whom he grew up. Others looked at him and whispered to one another that he was the kid whose parents had been murdered. Most kids preferred to stay away from him. It did not bother him. Usually he stayed away anyway. His friendship with Jimin was enough for him. He didn't have to explain anything to him.

"And you?" He asked suddenly. "Let me guess... This handsome bad boy from the last bench, who is chased by all the girls, and he doesn't give a damn and breaks everyone's hearts," he assessed, almost seeing a teenage boy with jet black hair with a beautiful smile on his lips.

Jeongguk laughed, then took a quick puff and handed the dark man the joint. He moistened his lips, running his tongue slowly over them. They were a bit drier now, he could taste the herb on them, and for a moment he felt like kissing Taehyung to see if his lips tasted similar too. But he restrained himself and, staring at the glowing tip, pondered his question, unconsciously twirling a strand of the policeman's dark hair in the pointing finger.

Who would he be if he had the chance to grow up? Would he study hard and get praise from teachers, or would he grow up to be a troublemaker who is still being called to the principal's office?

Even when he was a little boy, he had a very rebellious nature. He always did everything in spite of it. He went his own ways. He would probably cause problems for his parents growing up. But even if he were to be detained every week, he would have given anything to have the possibility to survive it. Now his head was filled with memories that did not belong to him, as if someone had brought his soul back to life in a foreign body.

"More like that emo boy from the penultimate bench, who always has headphones in his ears, he is drumming his fingers on the bench to a beat that only he hears and draws something in his notebook. He stays away. He likes to be alone, or at least pretends to like it," he replied, smiling slightly.

It would probably be so. He has always loved music. He wasn't good with words, but he had a talent for playing. He never took professional lessons. It wasn't necessary. All he had to do was grab a guitar, and his fingers began to move by themselves on the strings, creating something beautiful. It was his way to communicate.

Taehyung returned his smile. He could imagine him like that. Would they become friends if they met then? He was pretty sure that he would have been watching him with delight, but he would never have dared approach him, and Jeongguk would not even have known of his existence.

"You must have been as handsome as you are now," he said before he could bite his tongue.

"You think I'm handsome?" The musician asked, raising his right eyebrow, and a mischievous smile crept on his lips. Taehyung laughed at the question.

"I'm lying naked in your bed for the second night in a row. You don't think I'm here for weed, huh?" He answered the question with a question and, slipping the joint into his mouth, puffed another dose of the drug into his lungs.

"I was hoping it was because I have an amazing personal charm... But I accept the argument that I'm handsome too," the black-haired man joked, and Taehyung laughed out loud in response, filling the attic apartment with his melodious laugh.

Jeongguk reached out and grasped the almost burned joint between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, and carefully pulled the joint out from between the policeman's lips. He held it to his mouth to take a deep puff, filling his lungs one last time with smoke, then extinguished the butt and approached Taehyung.

He felt an irrepressible urge to kiss him again.

Still holding the smoke in his lungs, he grabbed his chin and pressed their lips together, kissing him greedily. As he did so, smoke slowly emerged from between their parting lips, rising over their bodies. He felt dizzy, but he wasn't sure if it was the fault of the smoked weed or the man whose mouth he tasted with such determination as if he was about to disappear. He lifted himself up on his strong forearms, rising to a sitting position and pulled Taehyung closer to him, pulling him onto his lap, and the dark haired man without thinking climbed up on his still naked body, wrapping his slim thighs around his hips.

The guitarist had no intention of giving up control. It was he who dominated the kiss from the very beginning, setting the rhythm of the caress exactly as he had wanted to do a moment ago, but the young policeman delightedly allowed him to do so. Jeongguk did not hesitate, he boldly parted Taehyung's lips with his tongue, and after a while he examined every nook and cranny of his mouth. His hands traveled over his bare back, exploring his swarthy skin, tracing the shape of his body with his fingertips with determination, as if he wanted to memorize each curve. Willing to feel him more thoroughly, he slid his hands down the policeman's spine, following them towards the sexy curve of his back, finally pinching his fingers on his plump ass. Perhaps it was the marijuana that seemed to heighten his experience, but he felt a powerful surge of sexual desire and he pressed his body stronger against his, wanting the brunet to feel his hardness, and in response he received a sweet groan, which he hastily drank straight from his tongue, sucking on it gently.

They didn't even know how long they kissed like that, while rubbing against each other sensually. Perhaps it was minutes, maybe hours. Time did not exist. They only broke the kiss when their lungs rebelled, demanding the necessary dose of oxygen. The young policeman pushed his mouth only inches away and, taking his face in his hands, stared for a moment into those dark, tar black eyes, letting his breath shatter against his lips shimmering with saliva.

Jeongguk was also staring at him, unable to take his eyes off the beautiful man sitting on his strong thighs. He didn't know why, but he wished this moment would last forever. He slowly raised his hand and carefully brushed back with his fingers the dark strands that fell on Taehyung's cat eyes, and they just stared at each other for a long moment.

"Stay the night," the guitarist asked after a pause, though he knew he shouldn't have asked for it.

He felt an almost physical pain at the thought of sleeping in an empty bed again. He had had nightmares almost every night since he returned. As a result, he jumped out of bed in the middle of the night, soaked in sweat. Only during the night he had spent cradling him in his arms did he sleep so peacefully. He wanted to fall asleep again, listening to the steady breath pressing through those perfect lips, feeling the warmth of his body next to his.

"If I stay, will you make me breakfast?" The young policeman asked, teasing him.

He didn't want to leave this place at all. He would be lying if he said that he didn't feel particularly comfortable here, even though they hardly knew each other. He couldn't explain it. Usually he was distrustful, distant. Few people were allowed to come close to him. Usually, it took him a long time to feel comfortable with someone else. But for some inexplicable reason, he felt very comfortable in his presence, as if they had known each other for at least a few years, not two days.

"Anything you like," Jeongguk replied.

His eyes moved involuntarily to the lips of the man who now sat on his strong thighs, only to return to the dark irises again after a while. He could feel the tension rising between them. The air between them felt charged with electricity, and he did his best to ignore the brunet's male scent mingled with the scent of the night air and the still distinct herbal scent of marijuana. And hell, all he wanted to do now was throw his hands around his neck and kiss his lips again. But he bit only his lower lip, holding back with all his strength.

Taehyung smirked at him mysteriously, as if he knew exactly what was on his mind, then did something that Jeongguk definitely did not expect, which made the sculpted muscles of his abdomen tense to the limit. The brunet moved his hips sensually, rubbing against his still naked body, as if he wanted to provoke him, and after a while still not breaking eye contact, he pushed his tongue out of his mouth, encouraging him to do the same. Seeing this, the musician parted his lips and, pushed by some strange impulse, also stuck out his tongue, then ran it over Taehyung's tongue, licking it sensually. When he found the young policeman's gaze again, his eyes flashed. So, without holding back any longer, he leaned a little harder, covering the last centimeters between them, and pressed their lips together again.

If at the moment he was breaking another rules he shouldn't have broken. He was going to do it right.

He lifted his hips slightly and, still kissing him, rested him on the soft mattress while he hovered over him, trapping Taehyung in the prison of his strong, tattooed arms. This time he kissed him for a long time, slowly, as if savoring the taste of his mouth and tongue, on which he felt the distinct hint of herb. His hair fell forward, locking them in a jet black veil of intimacy. And to his satisfaction, the young policeman gave back every caress, forgetting that they shouldn't kiss like that. His slender fingers glided up and down the guitarist's strong, naked back, the tongue following the rhythm of his tongue.

And not knowing why everything else suddenly disappeared.

There was only him.

***

It was a day when Taehyung lifted his eyelids. The sun broke through the large round wooden window and illuminated the attic apartment, bathing it in golden rays. He rolled gently to his side to find the silhouette of the man he expected to see beside him, but was disappointed to see that he was alone in the bed. So he pushed himself up on the soft mattress and ran a hand through his dark hair, brushing his slightly too long fringe back with his fingers. He looked around the apartment, trying to find a handsome guitarist, but there was no trace of the boy.

From what he has already noticed, the attic apartment consisted only of a bathroom and this large room with an open kitchen and bedroom. So he didn't know where the boy could hide. At first, he thought that he might be taking a shower, but there was undisturbed silence. He was about to get out of bed when suddenly the sound of a soft meowing crept into his ears, and after a while the cat jumped onto the bed. Surprised, he looked at it closely. It was beautiful. Looked purebred. Its fur was long, fluffy and white as milk, without any color spots, and eyes were emerald green. The cat approached him almost immediately and began rubbing against his knees. Taehyung smiled and held out his hand to run it over the soft fur.

"Hey, little one," he said softly. "You are beautiful," he added, watching the animal carefully as it let out a soft murmur of satisfaction as his hand scratched behind the ear. "Where's your owner, huh?" He asked, looking around the apartment again, as if thanks to this he could finally find the long-haired musician.

He swung his legs onto the wooden floor and slowly rose from the bed. He was still completely naked. All the rest of last evening, and probably half the night, they just lay with Jeongguk in his bed. Naked, body to body. They joked and talked about some nonsense. Apparently neither of them wanted to ask about too personal things. But it didn't bother him. On the contrary. It was nice to spend time in such a nice, carefree way. Without thinking about who he really is and what happened in his life. He tried not to look ahead, but only to enjoy the moment. In fact, he had to admit it was probably one of the best nights he had ever spent. He especially liked those moments when their eyes suddenly crossed, and some supernatural force brought their lips back together, as if it were necessary for them to survive the next minutes between kisses.

At the memory, he smiled gently to himself. Still smiling, he walked slowly towards his clothes, which were still on the wooden floor. He bent down and quickly reached out for his boxer shorts, then slipped them on. The cat ran after him and, purring, began to rub against his legs, so he crouched down and scratched the cat behind the ear.

"Hm, where is Jeongguk?" He asked, as if he could answer him, and the cat only purred as it rubbed against his hand. "I see you don't like to cooperate either..." he snorted.

He parted his lips to add something, when suddenly a guitar sound crept into his ears. It was quite quiet, as if it were coming from a distance, but he was sure it was not a recording. Intrigued, he straightened up and looked around, carefully scanning the apartment. Was there any other room here that he hadn't noticed before? He couldn't see any other door except the exit door and the one that led to the bathroom. So he closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the sound of the guitar. He just listened for a moment before moving in the direction the sound seemed to be coming from. The music seemed louder with each step. So he opened his eyes again and saw that he was right next to the bed.

"Where...?" He began hesitantly.

Before he could form the thought into a complete sentence, the cat jumped on the bed and walked through it, heading towards the large circular window, and only now did he notice that the left side of it was open. The animal jumped to the floor and pushed its way through the open window, disappearing out of sight. Taehyung cocked his head to the side, intrigued, and slowly approached the window. As he stood at the glass, the sound of the guitar became even clearer. Now he was sure the sound was coming from there.

Could it be that Jeongguk was on the roof?

He pushed the window harder enough to slip through and cautiously stepped onto the roof. It wasn't until he did so that he realized there was quite a bit of room here. He looked around in awe. Someone definitely made an effort to arrange a beautiful nest here. There was a terrace on the roof, it was lined with the same wooden floor as the guitarist's apartment. Lots of different plants were placed around it, which made it more intimate, and he felt as if he was in a mini garden. He also noticed that there were decorative lamps on the floor here and there, which certainly looked beautiful when they illuminated the terrace after dark. At the far end there was a small couch made of cedar wood, somewhat reminiscent of sauna paneling, upholstered in soft black coverings. There were several colorful, decorative pillows on top.

The terrace was really beautiful, but what delighted him the most was the young man sitting on the couch. Jeongguk didn't look at him and didn't even seem to notice his presence. His head was tilted forward gently, and dark, almost jet black hair obscured his handsome face. However, he immediately noticed that the musician is still almost completely naked. His chest rose in steady breathing, a black Ibanez was resting on his bare thigh, and at his bare feet sat a cat that had run out of his apartment a moment ago. He couldn't see the musician's face exactly, but he could have sworn his eyes were closed. He knew very well that Jeongguk was so capable that he didn't even have to look at the strings to get something amazing out of the guitar. He was surprised to see, however, that this time the boy did not have a guitar pick in his hand, he was only pulling the strings with his fingers, but the sounds that were penetrating his ears were so wonderful that he could not take his eyes off his male hands, moving nimbly on the black neck.

This time the musician did not play strong, rock riffs. The melody was soft, sensual. His fingers moved quickly, making the strings vibrate, and he watched him in awe, feeling a bit like a voyeur watching a pair of lovers kiss. He was fascinated by the way the musician played. There was something very intimate about it. The chords flowed around the cool morning breeze, sending shivers down his spine, and he couldn't tear his feline eyes away from him.

Then his voice joined in. Soft, sensual. The musician did not sing any words, only hummed in harmony with the sound emerging from under his fingers, but Taehyung has never heard anything more beautiful in his life. He could listen to him for hours, just staring at those fit, strong hands dancing on the frets of the black Ibanez. He wondered for a moment if Jeongguk was thinking of anyone in particular as he played the tune. Perhaps he was thinking about his lost love? Someone he missed while lying in soft, pepper-scented sheets at night. He felt a strange disappointment at the thought that the musician would certainly never think of him creating something so beautiful.

He watched him lost in thought, focusing his gaze on his strong male hands dancing on the fretboard of the guitar until a sudden silence snapped him out of this trance. It was only when he noticed that the guitarist's fingers had stopped moving and his voice had died down that he moved his gaze to his face and met the gaze of almost black eyes staring directly at him.

"You're awake," Jeongguk said, his soft lips forming a gentle arc, and Taehyung cursed silently as his knees almost became weak from that smile.

"I didn't know you had such a beautiful terrace," he managed, swallowing the words that pressed on his tongue.

"I made it myself. When I moved here, there was nothing here," he admitted. "It was a pity not to use this space," he explained, still staring at him with such an intense gaze that Taehyung felt a strange pressure in his lower abdomen.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked finally, instinctively raising his hand to run his fingers through his dark curls, as if he was afraid that these were sticking out in all directions and that is why the long-haired man is watching him so intensely.

"I wonder how you do it, that even right after you wake up you look so sexy..." the musician replied without the slightest embarrassment, slowly glancing over his body. Taehyung parted his lips to reply, but quickly closed them again, ashamed by the compliment. "I hope it wasn't me that woke you," Jeongguk added, as if sensing his shyness. "I couldn't sleep, and playing... It calms me down..."

"It was beautiful... That melody you were playing," the young policeman quickly confessed, taking a few steps towards him. "I don't think I've ever heard anything so beautiful."

As he approached him within a distance of two paces, he saw the outline of his hip and realized that most likely the musician was still completely naked, and his genitals were covered only by the guitar he was holding on his thighs. He swallowed hard, feeling his mouth suddenly dry, and his eyes were staring at the guitarist's bare hip for a moment. Only after a moment did he force himself to find the gaze of his dark eyes. As he shifted his gaze to his face, he saw that Jeongguk's mouth was decorated with a mischievous smile, as if he knew exactly what he had just thought.

"When I woke up, the sun was shining through the window and sliding over your skin, and I couldn't take my eyes off you. You looked so... Ethereal. If I were a painter, I would probably paint it on canvas, and since I am a musician... I changed this view into notes..." he confessed, and at his words, Taehyung's heart beat a little harder.

"You are a very talented musician," he admitted, ignoring that strange feeling in his belly that was deceptively like butterflies that he hadn't felt in many years.

Jeongguk smirked as he pushed the guitar off his lap and, setting it aside, rose from his seat. As Taehyung figured it out, the boy was completely naked, yet without the slightest embarrassment he took two steps towards him, minimizing the distance between them to a minimum. He reached out and, cupping the young policeman's chin, turned his face toward him. He leaned even closer, staring directly into those lovely brown eyes. His lips tingled to taste the sweetness of his kiss.

"If I kiss you now, will I break another rule of yours?" He asked, then without waiting for an answer, he bit the last centimeters between them and pressed their lips together.

He loved kissing him. His lips were soft, warm, inviting. Jeongguk's lips moved gently over them at first, a bit hesitantly. Only after a while he ran the tip of his tongue over the brunet's lower lip, encouraging him to part his lips, and as soon as he did, his tongue slipped inside them, deepening the kiss. This kiss was even more unusual than the previous ones they had exchanged last night, stripping off the layers of clothes in a hurry. Jeongguk, feeling a rush of adrenaline, pushed against him a little harder, sliding his hands into the soft brown curls and tugged them gently while tilting the boy's head back, to which Taehyung replied with a sexy grunt. The musician wanted to look at him. He didn't dare to open his eyes, though he was sure that if he did, everything else would be gone, as it did each time their hungry lips touched each other.

Even as he was forced to pull back to finally catch his breath, he still hadn't raised his eyelids. For a moment, he just stood with his eyes closed, enjoying how Taehyung's hot breath beat against his lips. The policeman did not move away as well, as if he wanted this strange closeness to last even for a few more moments.

"Mmmm," the musician muttered, running his tongue slowly over his lower lip as if he wanted to drink the taste of the young policeman's lips from it. "Oh, it's true that things that shouldn't be done taste best..."

"Speaking about things that shouldn't be done..." Kim began suddenly, deliberately gliding over the musician's silhouette, measuring him mercilessly slowly from head to toe. "You know you're standing completely naked on the roof of the building?" He asked, and Jeongguk laughed softly under his breath.

"I am fully aware of that," he admitted.

"Your neighbors must like you," Kim joked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Mrs. Choi, who lives in this block, runs a bakery. The one at the first floor," speaking that, the black-haired man pointed towards the block on the opposite side of the street. "Every time I come to her place, she has fresh rolls for me. She adores me," he confessed, grinning like a little child, to which Taehyung laughed out loud.

"I even don't doubt it."

"Come on," the musician said suddenly, clasping their hands together without hesitation. "I promised you a delicious breakfast and I intend to keep my word," he explained, then walked towards the window, leading Taehyung behind him.

The young policeman did not protest. Instinctively, his fingers tightened around his hand and allowed himself to be guided towards the entrance from which he had come a moment ago. Following him, he moved his gaze over the musician's bare shoulders, finally letting his eyes slide lower down the spine until he reached that sensual curve just above the man's bare ass. However, unable to help himself, he looked even lower and instinctively moistened his lips with his tongue. Shit. The musician had a really great ass. Holding back the smile that pressed against his lips, he forced himself to look away, looking back at his broad shoulders.

The guitarist pushed the window and slipped inside, dragging him into the apartment behind him. As soon as they entered, a cat run in right behind them. Taehyung watched the animal go until it jumped onto the island's kitchen counter.

"Are you waiting for breakfast too?" The musician asked, looking at the fluffy ball, and in response the cat purred loudly.

The black-haired man released Taehyung's hand, leaving him next to the kitchen island, and he approached the wardrobe. He took out of it gray sweatpants and quickly slipped them over his naked body. The young policeman watched him with interest, absorbing his beauty. He had to admit that he somewhat regretted that the musician had decided to dress. His naked body was incredibly beautiful. To his satisfaction, Jeongguk, however, decided not to wear the T-shirt. Already in sweatpants, he turned on his heel and walked towards him. He pushed a hand down his shoulder-length jet black hair and walked over to him. He pushed one of the chairs beside the island towards him and motioned him to sit down.

"Sit down," he ordered, then headed for the refrigerator.

Passing by the island, he reached out and licked the cat's head, and the cat almost immediately began to fawn on him, rubbing against his hand.

"I didn't know you had a cat," Kim said, watching the man's hand gently scratch the cat behind the ear.

"It's not my cat," Jeongguk replied with a shrug as he approached the refrigerator. "I don't even know whose he is. Just one day he slipped through the window, and now he comes here. I named him Nero."

"Nero?" Taehyung repeated as if he was remembering something. "Doesn't that mean..."

"Yes. It's black in Italian," he confirmed, laughing to himself. "I figured it fits."

Taehyung rolled his eyes, but also laughed. He might have guessed that a musician might have done something like that. Only he would call a snow-white cat that way. It was very much his style. He parted his mouth to reply when suddenly he heard the sound of his phone. So he slipped off the seat and, making his way quickly across the room, approached his pants, still lying on the floor. He picked them up and took the vibrating furiously phone out of his pocket. He drew his eyebrows together as he looked at the display. He did not expect a call from his partner at such an early hour, especially on a day off. So he answered without hesitation, guessing that if Hoseok was calling him, there must be something important. He had just pressed the green button and put the phone to his ear when he heard his friend's voice:

"You were right, Tae," the older one said quickly. Taehyung frowned, not understanding what his partner was talking about, but before he could ask any question, Hoseok spoke again, explaining, "You were right that Yihyun would not be the only victim..."

"Hobi, what are you talking about?" He asked, feeling his pulse quicken at the thought that maybe Jung was calling him to tell him that another body had been found. The thought made his stomach churn.

"I couldn't sleep. I was thinking all the time about our conversation, about what you said... so I fired up the base and started searching for crimes from the last few years similar to this one and... I found something," he explained quickly, then paused eloquently and added, "I think I found Lin's another victim."

"Where are you?" Kim asked, starting to put on his pants at the same time.

"At home," Jung replied.

"I'll be there in half an hour," he said quickly, and without waiting for Hosekoa's reply, he hung up. He shifted his gaze to Jeongguk, who was leaning against the kitchen island and, finishing zipping his trousers, approached him. "I have to go," he said reluctantly, although after the guitarist looked, he knew that the boy had guessed from his conversation that he was unlikely to stay with him. "It's something very important," he added.

"Breakfast will have to wait for another day," the musician replied, gently lifting the corners of his mouth, though the smile stopped below the line of his black eyes.

"Sorry," the brunet said softly, not knowing what else to add, and he was about to turn to continue putting on his clothes, when suddenly the guitarist's strong hand tightened around his wrist, simultaneously pulling him towards himself again.

Taehyung looked at the man's hand, clamped around his wrist, then looked up to meet the gaze of tar-black irises. They only stared at each other for a moment, listening to each other's breathing. In the end, however, the musician dared to interrupt this strange moment.

"I had a lot of fun yesterday," the raven-haired admitted, and Taehyung smiled. 

"Me too," he admitted, then paused for a moment, wondering if he should say what was on the tip of his tongue. But he stopped himself.

As he was silent, he felt the musician's thumb glide gently on the back of his hand, and for a few seconds his gaze went down, following the guitarist's fingers. Only when Jeongguk's other hand slid under his chin, lifting it gently towards himself, did he bring his brown eyes back to him. Meeting the guitarist's black irises, he swallowed hard and moistened his lips with his tongue, leaving a thin layer of saliva on them. Jeongguk without asking leaned towards him and kissed his lips gently. He knew that the brunet had to go somewhere, so he didn't kiss him long. Finally, forced to break the kiss, he pulled away from him reluctantly, and as he lifted his eyelids, their gazes met again. Taehyung knew he should be gathering by now, but something prevented him from just turning around and leaving without saying a word.

"Do you perform in Awake every day?" He asked, avoiding looking at the long-haired man, even though he felt his burning eyes on his skin.

The musician, however, laughed at his question, filling the apartment with his beautiful, melodious laugh, and that was enough for Taehyung to look at him, unable to resist the sweet temptation.

"Do you want to check if I parked in a red zone again?" The guitarist teased.

"I figured you might need a bodyguard on your way home sometimes, since you're using your date of birth as your door code," Kim replied with a smirk that made Jeongguk laugh even louder, throwing his head back.

"I always thought that I am a big and strong boy who can handle any situation... I don't know why, but suddenly I felt very vulnerable," he admitted, looking him straight in the eye. " "Perhaps I will need a bodyguard after all..."

Taehyung bit his lower lip to suppress a smile. He didn't know why, but he felt a strange pressure in his lower abdomen at the thought that Jeongguk wanted to see him too.

"I really have to go now," he said gently, and the musician reluctantly released his hand from his, letting him pull away.

The young policeman quickly gathered the rest of his clothes, dressing in a hurry, then grabbed his bomber jacket and tossed it over his broad shoulders. He looked once more at the guitarist, who was watching him as he leaned against the kitchen cabinets, and gave him one last smile.

"See you, Jeongguk," he said goodbye and opened the door, then disappeared behind them.

The long-haired man stared at the closed door for a moment. Only after some time did he push himself away from the cupboards and approach the kitchen island. He took Nero and, with the cat in his arms, headed towards the window. He went out onto the terrace again and approached the railing. His eyes moved to the sidewalk, where ― as he had expected ― he saw the silhouette of a dark-haired man. Taehyung must have called an Uber because he noticed the boy checking his cell phone, looking around, then headed towards the oncoming car. He watched carefully as the brunet covered the distance that separated him from the silver vehicle. He liked the way the man moved. He had a soft, sensual step like a wild cat's. He couldn't look away from his long, slender legs, narrow hips and strong ass. He stared at him until he disappeared inside the car, and even after it disappeared, he couldn't look away, as if hoping to see him again in a moment. It took a few minutes for him to realize that he was no longer alone, and he felt a burning gaze on his naked back. He didn't have to look back to know who he would see.

"Why are you looking at me like that, huh?" He asked, still not looking away. "It's nothing... It's just sex," he added, and finally turned back.

When he looked up, he met eyes as black as his own.

There was a raven on the roof opposite him...

***

Taehyung ran quickly up the stairs and approached the door with a crooked fifteen stuck under the barrel. He knocked and waited a moment for Jung to open, tapping his fingers impatiently on a nearby wall. When the sound of the bolt opening crept into his ears, he straightened his body and turned his face towards the entrance, in which Hoseok appeared after several seconds.

Jung looked a bit tired. He had shadows under his eyes. As he guessed, it was because he probably didn't sleep all night long. In this job, however, they were used to pulling an all-nighter. More than once they spent hours going through files, evidence. It was their daily bread. He wouldn't even count how many sleepless nights he had spent with Jung or Yoongi trying to find something that would allow them to catch the criminal.

Jung opened the door wider and Taehyung hurried into his friend's apartment. Already on the doorstep, he smelled a freshly brewed coffee, which Hoseok must have drinked for half the night, so as not to fall asleep over the studied files. When the elder finally closed the door and turned to face him, their eyes met.

"What did you find?" Kim asked, ignoring any unnecessary courtesies or greetings.

"I couldn't sleep because I was thinking all the time about what you said... that Lin would hurt someone again. And I thought you were right. He was damn sure of himself. He was convinced that he would not be punished for what he did. It was bothering me. And I started to wonder... What if he was so confident because he had done something similar before and got away with it? So I started going through old files, rape reports from the last few years. I found a victim whose body was found with very similar injuries. The girl was raped, and the exact same fiber was found on her body... I don't know what it is, but everything is correct. It was two years ago. So I started looking for some connection between this victim and the Lin family, and imagine that when that happened, the victim was working as an intern at Lin Corp."

"Hoseok... This is it," Kim said excitedly. "Was she strangled too?" He asked.

"No," the elder said. "She's alive. She was most likely drugged and raped. But that's not everything..." Jung interjected quickly. "The girl first said that she knew the perpetrator, but then suddenly withdrew all testimony, saying that it was not rape at all."

"So the case was dropped?"

"Yes. The case was never brought to trial. No one was arrested. There's not even anything in the file about Lin."

"Shit," Taehyung swore, running his hand over his dark curls. "So we have no way of linking him to this event..."

"I checked the victim and imagine she was released from Lin Corp. as soon as she withdrew her testimony. I asked Sumin to pull out whatever she could find, and she found something very interesting... Every three months, the victim cashes a large check."

"You think it's Lin?"

"I don't know who's giving her the money, but by some strange coincidence, the payments started right after she left Lin Corp. It's a bit suspicious, isn't it?"

"That's a motherfucker," Taehyung cursed, entwining his fingers into his dark curls. When he ran his hand over them, the scent of Jeongguk's perfume crept into his nostrils, which settled on his body after spending the night together. "He pays her for her silence."

"That's what it looks like," Jung agreed.

Taehyung was silent for a moment, composing in his head what he had just learned. Everything started to fall into a logical whole. Earlier he had no doubts that it was the youngest of the Lin brothers who had hurt this girl, it only confirmed his belief. Even so, they had no basis whatsoever to link Lin with Yihyun's murder, and this frustrated him more and more.

"Do you know where she lives?" He asked, looking at his partner.

"Yes. I found her address."

"Let's go to her," Kim suggested.

"She withdrew her testimony when it happened. Do you think she's gonna choose to tell the truth now?" Jung asked, even though it didn't sound like a question at all.

There was resignation in his voice, as if he knew the answer to that question. He was convinced that the girl would not testify. Especially if he has been taking money for silence for two years.

"I don't know, but it's worth a try," Kim replied. "We have nothing else. This is our best lead at the moment. She was silent, but then it was only about her. Perhaps she thought Lin wouldn't hurt anyone else, but she was wrong. He hurt another girl, but this time he not only raped her, but also strangled her... Maybe it would make her change her mind."

"Okay," Hoseok agreed, and with no further questions, he reached for his jacket and quickly tossed it over his back. He grabbed the car keys from the hall cupboard and slipped his shoes over his feet, then sought Taehyung's gaze again. "Then let's go to her," he said, opening the door.

***

Hoseok looked around and looked again at the address he found in the base. They seemed to have arrived at their destination. So he turned left and looked for some vacant place to park his car. When he finally saw one empty at the end of the small parking lot, he headed towards it. He slipped the car into the parking space, paralleled it, and switched off the engine. Only after he did so did he look at the young man who was sitting next to him and leafing through all the materials he found.

"Looks like this is the house," he said, waving his hand toward the one-story house across the street.

Taehyung shifted his gaze in the direction indicated, then folded the documents in his hands. He unbuckled his seat belt and, drawing a gulp of air into his lungs, set the papers aside.

"Let's go," he ordered, and without waiting for his partner's reply, he got out of the car.

Together they ran across the street and headed towards the property. The house was small but tidy. It was surrounded by a trimmed lawn, and next to the entrance on the right side there were flowers planted by the owners. They walked up the narrow sidewalk that led to the house and climbed three steps to finally stand outside the door. Hoseok looked at Taehyung as if to make sure he really did, but seeing the determination on his partner's face, he knocked hard using the knocker attached to the white painted door.

They didn't have to wait long. Literally after a dozen or so seconds, someone started to open the door, and soon a small, long-haired girl appeared on the threshold. As soon as they saw her, Hoseok and Taehyung exchanged quick glances, and Kim felt the contents of his stomach rise in his throat, even though he hadn't had time to eat that morning.

Apparently, Lin had his type, as there was no denying that the girl who just opened the door for them is remarkably similar to Yihyun. If they didn't know the truth, they might have considered them sisters.

"Yes? How can I help you?" The girl asked, watching them from behind the slightly ajar door.

Hoseok was the first to recover. He cleared his throat quickly to keep his voice under control and smiled apologetically, then pulled out his badge and showed it to the girl.

"Detective Jung Hoseok," he introduced himself, then pointed toward Tae. "And this is my partner Kim Taehyung. We're looking for Mrs. Kwang Hyesun."

The girl stepped nervously from foot to foot, glancing from Hoseok to Taehyung. Eventually, however, she opened the door a little wider.

"It's me. Something happened?" She asked, moistening her lips.

"We're in the middle of a case, and we'd like to ask you a few questions, if you have a minute. It won't take long."

"Questions for me? What's the matter?"

"Basically... It's about a case you brought up two years ago..." he said carefully.

He knew it was definitely still a hard topic. If Hyesun has been raped, two years is far too short a time for her wounds to heal. He knew that such a trauma could stay with her for the rest of his life. So he wanted to be as gentle as possible.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," the girl lied and was about to close the door, but Taehyung stopped her.

"Hyesun," he said gently. "I know it's hard for you and that you would certainly prefer not to go back to those events... But... We are here because we suspect that the person who hurt you two years ago now raped another girl..." he explained, looking her straight in the eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I already told the police two years ago that there was no rape. I mixed up something..."

"This girl, Yihyun, was twenty-five... She was raped and strangled."

"S-strangled?" She repeated hesitantly, clearly hesitating if she should talk to them.

"Exactly the same fibers were found on her body as on yours. Someone raped her, but she defended herself and most likely during the fight the attacker strangled her. We have suspicions that the person who hurt you two years ago now raped and killed Yihyun."

"I..." she began hesitantly. "I don't want to go back to it. I can't"

"Hyesun, we found large donations on your account. They appeared right after you withdrew your testimony," Hoseok said, hoping it would encourage the girl to speak. "Did someone pay you to withdraw your testimony?"

"Yihyun also worked at Lin Corp." Taehyung said, and as soon as the name rolled out of his mouth, Hyesun paled, and it was enough to let him know that they had hit the right track. "You know that name, right?" He asked, and when the girl looked him straight in the eye, he added, "Did Lin Sungkyu hurt you two years ago?"

The girl stared straight into his eyes for a long time, silent. After a while, however, he noticed that her body was starting to shake slightly, even though it was quite warm outside. She wrapped her arms around herself. She looked thoughtful, as if she were the body with them, but her thoughts were far away.

"When I came to Lin Corp. and I started working there as an intern, I was nineteen. I thought that nothing better in life can happen to me..." she began to tell. "And then Sungkyu invited me on a date. He was handsome, rich and always nice to me. I agreed without hesitation. And the date was very successful. He took me to dinner at a restaurant, but then offered to drive me home. I thought he was so cute, caring, but in the car he became quite pushy. He was trying to grope me, and I... I didn't want to go to bed with him. I told him to stop, but he wasn't listening..."

Hyesun paused, clearly struggling with the emotions and memories that were still alive in her mind. Neither Hoseok nor Taehyung pushed. They knew how difficult it was for her to return to these cruel events.

"After it was over, I came home all shaky. My roommate figured out something bad had happened. It was she who took me for the forensic examination, and she persuaded me to report to the police. I was afraid to give his name. I was afraid that if I said that I got into his car, they would say it was my fault, so... I didn't tell the whole truth, but a few days after the incident, Sungkyu showed up with his father. Mr. Lin handed me a notice from work and an envelope with the money. He said I had to withdraw my testimony because if I didn't, he would make sure my family was finished."

"So you withdrew your testimony," Taehyung finished for her, and the girl nodded. "You have to testify. You have to tell the truth," he added after a moment, almost begging Hyesun to listen to him.

"I can't," she protested, staring at him with horrified eyes. "This is a very powerful family... They will destroy me. Me and my family."

"Hyesun, someone has to stop him, and you are the only one who can do it. You can send him behind bars for years... If you testify that it was him..."

"No!" She protested, raising her voice, then looked around as if afraid someone might hear their conversation. "You don't understand. When it happened, I was afraid to leave the house, then I went to therapy for many months... I'm just starting to live a normal life. I can't go back to that..."

"I know it's hard, but if you don't... He's gonna hurt another girl."

"I'm sorry, but I can't... If I do it, I'll end up like her..." Hyesun whispered, then quickly slipped inside and closed the door.

Taehyung rested his hands on the white painted door and bowed his head, letting his soft curls fall over his handsome face. He was breathing fast. He felt so bloody powerless.

"Fuck!" He cursed aloud finally, feeling his frustration almost pour out of him. "Fuck," he repeated, and after a moment he felt the warmth of Hoseok's hand on his shoulder.

"Come on," Jung said softly. "We can't do anything else here."

Taehyung straightened and turned to face his friend.

"You know what that means?" He asked, although he knew Jung knew the answer to that question all too well.

But Hoseok was silent, as if the words did not want to pass through his painfully clenched throat. He must have felt much like Taehyung at the moment. Both of them knew well that their earlier assumptions turned out to be true. Hyesun confirmed what a monster Lin really was, but so what, since now there was nothing they could do to send him to jail.

They knew this motherfucker would go away with it...

And that was something neither of them wanted to admit aloud, even though they knew there was nothing they could do to change it.

***

Ayashee:

Welcome to the first chapter of the new year :)

On this occasion, I would like to wish you a dream come true and thank you for being here with me. Without you, this adventure would not make sense.

The sixth chapter of "The Crow" is behind us.

I'm curious if you have any theories about our main characters. How do you like the development of Taekook's relationship? Do you think their relationship will develop into a deeper feeling? Is that the only thing they have in common?

xoxo