This is Jiwon. This is Jiwon ― sounded in Jeongguk's head, and everything swirled around. Taehyung's voice seemed to come from the bottom of the well, and he felt as if he was drowning, unable to get to the surface to take a breath.

He looked from Lisa to Taehyung, eager to find answers to a million questions that literally flooded his mind in an instant, but was unable to form any logical sentences. All he managed to say was a pathetic-sounding denial:

"T-That can't be true..."

As soon as the words rolled out of his mouth, Lisa yanked her hand from the tattoo artist's hand and approached him. She grabbed his dark hoodie, pinching her fingers around it, and looked him straight in the eye.

"He's lying to you, Jeonggukie," she said quickly. "You know me. I am Lisa. I am your fiancée. We're getting married on Saturday..." She continued, but Jeongguk almost instinctively lifted his own hands, clamped them around her wrists, and pulled her hands away from him, freeing himself from her grip. He took a step back, creating more distance between them, as if he couldn't bear the closeness.

"P-Please tell me it's not true. It can't be true..." He repeated, feeling his body tremble with too much emotion.

"That's not true, darling," the girl replied. "He wants to turn us against each other. He is behind all this mess."

"Jiwon, stop lying!" The tattoo artist growled. "Stop lying. He deserves the truth."

"Look who's talking," The girl snorted, looking at the red-haired man. "I'm sure you already lied to him about me. You gave him your teary story about how your sweetheart abandoned you, huh?"

"L-Lisa... Is that true? Who are you?" Jeongguk asked.

The girl turned her face towards him again. For a moment, she just stared at him, as if wondering if she should tell the truth. She finally sucked in a gulp of air, trapping the oxygen in her lungs, finally parting her lips and confessing something she had been hiding for over three years.

"My name is Jiwon Lalisa Hwang. Manoban is my mother's maiden name."

Jeongguk parted his lips as if to ask a question, but was unable to say a word. He couldn't believe this was happening. How could he be so blind? How could he have been living with someone for the past three years without realizing that a girl was leading a double life.

"I was born and raised in Daegu, although my mother was from Thailand. I was still a small child when she fell ill and died. From then on, my father took care of me. Although, it's hard to call it "taking care of." My father was an alcoholic. Still is. Unless he has drunk himself to death. I broke off contact with him since I left for Seoul over four years ago," she began to narrate, finally breaking her silence.

"You said you grew up in an orphanage, and your adoptive mother died..." Jeongguk said, recalling the story the girl had told him and all her friends from the beginning of their relationship.

"Better to say that I am an orphan than that I have a drunkard father. He never cared about me anyway. More than once I was hungry, my shoes had holes. Ask Tae how many times his mother has given me food or money for new clothes..." she confessed. As she spoke, her eyes almost burned with anger. "I couldn't wait to finally be an adult and get out of this dirty, alcohol-smelling house. I dreamed that I would finally have a better life, that I would get an education, make a career and earn so much money that I would never starve again or wonder if I would have enough to eat tomorrow if I bought new shoes. And Taehyung promised me he would get it all for me. He promised we would be happy together. So as soon as I finished school, I packed my most precious things, and we went to Seoul together. We were supposed to finish our studies here and start our careers, but it turned out that I was pregnant, and it all broke down in no time."

Lisa paused, as if she needed a moment to control her emotions. Jeongguk was still standing in front of her, barely breathing. He couldn't move. So did Taehyung, who was also standing in the same place where he was just a moment ago. Both men stared at her, letting the girl reveal the truth that had been hidden so far.

"I didn't want that baby," Lisa said suddenly, her words echoing and falling heavily to the cobblestones under her elegant Louboutin shoes on ten-centimeter heels. "I wanted to terminate my pregnancy, but Taehyung persuaded me not to. He told me we could handle it, we could make it. He kept telling me we were going to be a happy family and all that crap, but that was not the case. The little one cried at night, only diapers, milk, mash to eat everywhere. We didn't have time for anything. I couldn't go anywhere because all the money was going to the baby. We barely made ends meet. We were in arrears with the rent for the flat, with college tuition... And the longer it lasted, the more I hated my life. I was suffocating. That's when I met Rose. She was so beautiful, always fashionably dressed, she bought what she wanted and whenever she wanted. She had exactly the life I always wanted. We became friends, and she introduced me to her world, introduced me to her friends, took me to the most fashionable clubs and the most expensive restaurants. More than once I bought dresses in expensive boutiques to be able to wear some fashionable clothes, and after the party I returned them because I could not afford them. In college, I used the name Lisa because Jiwon was too common. I also returned to my mother's maiden name so that my father would not find me by accident. And then Rose told me that your father was looking for a receptionist. The salary was way above my expectations, so I agreed right away. Your father was great, and when I told him I was from an orphanage, he treated me almost like his own daughter. My father never treated me like that. I loved this job and did my best to make Jiseok proud of me. I thought that maybe if I work well, I will be able to get promoted and finally start a career, but when a career prospect opened up for me and I finally had friends with whom I could party and have a good time, Taehyung decided to quit college and start working with some shabby type. It started to deteriorate even more between us. He kept complaining to me for going out, for not taking care of the baby enough. Not a day went by when we didn't argue. And then you showed up... Handsome, rich, smart... You were perfect."

Jeongguk shifted from foot to foot, feeling his insides rise in his throat at the words. He remembered Taehyung telling him once that he suspected that shortly before their relationship broke up, Jiwon had met someone. Just the thought that it might have been him made him sick. He shifted his gaze to Tae and for a brief moment their eyes locked, but he quickly found Lisa's gaze again, as if he feared he might miss something important.

"You were like a knight on a white horse. Like everything I dreamed of. When you finally invited me on your first date, I was thrilled. After our third date, when we had sex on the couch in your apartment, I had no doubts anymore. I packed my things and moved out. At first, I felt guilty. I tried to speak up, to check on Jae, but the more serious our relationship became, the more I left that life behind me. In the end, I let Jiwon die, and instead Lisa was born ― the woman I had always wanted to be..."

"And Jae?" Jeongguk finally choked out. "This is your son... How could you... How could you abandon him? How could you..." He broke off, unable to believe what he had just heard was true. "Jeez..." he groaned and, slipping a hand through his dark hair, brushed the dark strands back. "Why did you never tell me you had a son?"

"Because I knew when I did, you would want to play daddy, and I never wanted to be a mother. It was a mistake. But you... You were never a mistake. Everything we had in common was true... I loved you. I still love you..." That said, the blonde took a step towards him, again reducing the distance between them. Standing on her toes, she grasped his face in her hands. "I love you, Jeonggukie and I know you love me too..." She whispered directly into his lips, but the young CEO grabbed her hands and pulled them away from his face.

"L-Lisa..." he gasped, through a clenched throat, then quickly moistened his lips. "J-Jiwon," he corrected himself, still not sure how to actually address her. "O-Or whatever your name is... I don't even know who you are. You've been lying to me for over three years..."

"You know who I am. I am your Lisa. Your fiancée. We're getting married on Saturday..." the girl said nervously. "He messed with your head!" So saying, she pointed her finger in the direction of the tattoo artist, at the same time looking at him with an angry gaze. "I left him and that is why he is taking revenge on me. He wants us to argue. He wants to separate us..."

Taehyung snorted at her words, then ran a hand through his fiery red hair. He still didn't know how to actually feel, knowing that Lisa and Jiwon were one and the same person. He never would have expected this in his life. He felt an almost painful urge to smoke, but couldn't even reach for the cigarettes.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, though it didn't sound like a question at all. "I had no idea where you were. I haven't had any contact with you for three years. I didn't even know if you were still in Seoul."

"You surely knew where I was and who I was meeting with!" Lisa replied, raising her voice. As she spoke, her body immediately turned towards the tattoo artist. "You couldn't stand that fact that I left you for him! That's why you decided to destroy our relationship, right?! You were obsessed with me. You wanted me only for yourself, but you failed, so you decided to take your revenge..."

"It's ridiculous. I don't care who you're dating, Jiwon. Our relationship ended over three years ago..."

"Sure," the girl snorted. "I know you too well for you to be able to deceive me. You may have fooled Gguk, but not me. You're a perfidious bastard who wants to destroy me!" She screamed, then looked back at the young CEO. "I don't know what he told you and promised you, but they're all lies. He is a perfidious manipulator and a pathological liar. When I told him I was leaving, he was furious. He threatened me. Remember I told you about this. He hit me, Gguk. He intimidated me..."

"What?! What are you talking about, Jiwon?" Kim replied quickly. "I never touched you. Never."

"Oh, yes, whitewash yourself now! Do you want me to show him the forensic photos? Then maybe you would change your statement! You're obsessed with me. That's why I changed my name. I was afraid that you would find me again, and you would want to destroy my life."

Taehyung moistened his lips nervously and blinked several times, unable to believe what he was hearing. He ran his hand through his fiery red hair again, then shifted his gaze to the young CEO, finding the gaze of his chocolate irises.

"Gguk, I..." he began, but stopped, not knowing what to say. "That's not true... I..."

"What? Now you are lost for words?!" The blonde hissed. "Jeonggukie, honey, you know me. You know that I love you. He does it on purpose. He wants to take revenge on me. I swear I'm telling the truth. I had to leave him. He was aggressive. He abused me mentally and physically. He seemed sweet and cute at first, but then everything changed. I can show you the forensic photos! I have evidence! And he's cheating on you too. He's not even gay. He's lying to you to come between us and separate us. He doesn't care about you at all. It's just his sick game!"

Jeongguk looked at the tattoo artist and saw that the man was visibly pale. He looked upset at Lisa's words, as if what the girl was saying was true, and in an instant the entire contents of his stomach were in his throat. He knew it was ridiculous. Taehyung would not have been able to do all these things.

He never lied.

He loved him.

Or maybe it wasn't true at all?

He blinked several times, trying to stop the attack. He felt his body begin to tremble even though it was really warm today, and his chest was wrapped in a warm hoodie of the tattoo artist. His hands began to tremble, and he felt a characteristic pain in his chest. He heard Lisa saying something, but he couldn't understand her words anymore. He looked at Taehyung again, and for a moment he thought his mouth was curving into a mocking smile. It was enough, however, that he lowered his eyelids for a few seconds, and when he lifted them again, the mocking smile disappeared somewhere, turning into concern. He no longer knew what was true. Perhaps it was only his sick mind that began to give him false images, and the demons of anxiety whisper various theories into his ear. And suddenly everything began to spin around, and his breathing became irregular, choppy.

The tattoo artist's lips moved again, and he knew the boy was talking to him, but he couldn't understand his words. Taehyung, as if realizing what was happening, approached him quickly and put his hands on his shoulders, forcing him to look at him. His lips moved again, but Jeongguk only heard the rush of his own blood and his gasping breath. He thought he was falling.

"Gguk, honey, look at me," Kim said, his warm, soothing baritone reaching him as if from a distance. "Gguk, I'm here. Breathe... Breathe for me..."

Jeongguk blinked a few times, listening to that wonderful voice as if he had never heard anything greater in his life, and allowed the tattoo artist to once again help him control his attack by calling him from the edge of the black abyss. He nodded, indicating that he could hear him, and found his beloved's onyx eyes. In his eyes he saw what he so longed to find in all these lies ― the truth. His gaze was sincere, full of undisguised care and love that he saw in his eyes every time.

It was only after a long moment that his breathing leveled enough that he was able to move again. He stuck his tongue out and ran it over his lower lip, moistening its cracked surface. He still felt the characteristic pain in his chest, but slowly his body began to relax.

"He's manipulating you," Lisa said, laughing to herself. "You do not see it? He figured it all out, Gguk. He's using your naivety to keep us apart. He doesn't care about you. He just wants to spite me..." she continued.

The tattoo artist shot a brief glance at her, but quickly turned his gaze back to him, not letting her provoke him. His strong, tattooed hands were still resting on the young CEO's shoulders.

"Honey... Are you okay?" He asked, still clearly concerned about the situation, and Jeongguk nodded again.

"Y-yeah," he said, still gasping for breath, and Kim visibly relaxed at his words.

The red-haired man let out a loud breath, as if he'd been holding it up until now, but still didn't take his watchful gaze from him. He reached out his hand almost involuntarily to stroke the man's cheek, but to his surprise, Jeongguk took a step back.

"Gguk?" the tattooist gasped, surprised.

"I..." Jeon began, his voice uncertain. He pushed his tongue out of his mouth and ran it over his lower lip, moistening it, then shifted his gaze to Lisa, then returned his gaze back to the tattoo artist's beautiful onyx irises. "I... It's too much..."

"You want me to take you home?" Kim asked, feeling his nervousness grow, and he shifted nervously from foot to foot.

The meeting with Jiwon upset him. He hadn't expected to see her again, let alone find out that she was so close all the time and, what's more, she was dating a man he loved so much. However, what made him feel sick was the thought that Jeongguk might believe her lies and think that their encounter was not at all accidental, but just some elaborate game.

"N-no," the brunet denied. "I-I need to be alone for a while. I need to think about it all... It's..." He paused, trying to collect his thoughts, even though he knew he wouldn't be able to contain the chaos.

"Gguk," the tattooist whispered pleadingly, as if he feared that if he let him go now, he might lose him.

Jeongguk parted his lips to say something else, but closed them again, as if he didn't know how to express what he felt. He shifted nervously from foot to foot and swallowed hard, still feeling the strange pressure in his chest. He felt that if he did not leave immediately, he would suffocate.

"I-I'm sorry... I-have to get out of here..." he said quietly, then turned on his heel and started walking as fast as possible.

"Gguk!" Kim called after him, but the boy wasn't going to stop.

The tattoo artist watched him go, wondering if he should give him time to think about all this alone, or if he should follow him. Before he could do anything else, however, Jiwon's loud laughter crept into his ears. He turned quickly toward her, glaring at her.

"I see you haven't changed anything in these three years," she said, curling her pink lips in a mocking smile. "You are as pathetic as when I chose to leave you," she added, lifting her chin proudly as if to demonstrate to him that she was above him.

Taehyung had only now had a chance to examine her closely. Jiwon looked completely different than when he last saw her for the last time over three years ago. There was no trace of that girl. He remembered well that that day she was wearing a slightly stretched powder pink cardigan and plain, straight jeans from one of the average chain stores. Her almost jet black hair was shoulder-length, and her face was decorated only with natural blushes. Her long eyelashes were covered with one coat of cheap mascara, and her lips glistened with her favorite raspberry lip gloss worth three thousand won, which she always bought at the drugstore near the modest apartment they were renting back then.

The woman standing in front of him was amazingly beautiful. She almost looked like a model from the covers of a fashion magazine. Her hair was much longer, oxidized golden blonde, and tied up in a high ponytail. A black dress adorned the body. He didn't have to know fashion to know that this was probably one of the expensive creations from some designer. Instead of the usual ballerinas, her feet were decorated by sky-high heels that could stamp on him like on a cockroach. Her lips, now twisted in a mocking smile, were covered with a layer of deep pink lipstick, and the eyes were accentuated by a black liner. He also noticed that there were expensive earrings hanging from her ears, and that a pink diamond was resting on her finger.

Jiwon looked as if now she belonged to a world that he did not have and will never have access to.

If he passed her quickly somewhere in the street, he probably wouldn't even recognize her. She looked like one of them, like one of those rich beauties who were always out of his reach.

She looked like someone a man like Jeongguk would fall in love with...

Looking at her now and standing in front of her in his old sneakers and worn leather jacket, he felt so damn small and aware of his imperfections. With Jeongguk he felt like he's enough, but now ...

Instinctively, he slipped his hand into his pocket and quickly took out a pack of cigarettes, then slipped one between his lips. As he set it on fire, he mentally cursed himself for the fact that his hands tremble, because he well knew that Jiwon was watching him closely. He was sure she had seen it as well, even though she hadn't commented on his nervousness, and perhaps merely waited in secret, like a predator watching its prey to deliver the killing blow when the victim is at its weakest.

"You, instead, are almost unrecognizable," he said finally, taking a deep drag on the cigarette. "I can see that you've achieved what you've always dreamed of," he explained, pointing his hand at her figure dressed in expensive clothes. "I guess me and Jae really were a burden to you..." he added, feeling the bitter taste of the words on his tongue.

He did not love her.

Not anymore.

But even so, he still couldn't forget the words Jiwon had told him as she left.

The girl snorted at his words, then shifted from foot to foot and placed her hands on her hips, while measuring him from head to toe.

"More than three years have passed, and you still can't get over the fact that I chose to leave you, right?" She asked, even though it didn't sound like a question to her lips at all. She was sure of her words. "You still love me? Would you like me to come back to you?" She continued, without even giving him a chance to answer, then parted her lips, letting a melodious giggle escape, as if she had just said something extremely funny. Her laugh, however, died at almost halftone, the smile immediately disappeared from her face, and her eyes narrowed like a predator's, measuring him carefully with walnut-colored irises. "Sure you do," she answered herself. "You're probably crying to the pillow remembering how good it was by my side, huh? Is that why you chose to destroy the life I built for myself without you? You can't survive the fact that I managed to achieve everything I dreamed of, can you? You can't stand that I did all this without you..."

Taehyung raised the cigarette to his mouth again and took a long drag, trying to contain the tide of emotion that seemed to flood him. He felt like a drowning man trying so desperately to stay afloat, even though he knew full well that he couldn't even swim.

"As far as I can see, you are not doing so well yourself," the blonde continued, measuring him from head to toe again in a slightly theatrical gesture. "That's why you do it, right? You want to take revenge on me..."

"Not everything revolves around you, Jiwon," Kim retorted, running his tongue over his lower lip, picking up the bitter taste of tobacco.

"And you think I'll believe it? You're obsessed with me. I'm sure you followed me. Even though we had no contact, you knew where I was and who I was with. You couldn't survive it, right? Seeing me with another?" she provoked.

"It has nothing to do with you. I don't care who you are with or what you do. Not anymore," he replied, running a hand through his fiery red hair.

Lisa's gaze followed the movement of his slender fingers for a few seconds. The last time she saw him, his hair was a natural color. She didn't like the extravagance, but had to admit Taehyung looked remarkably good. He was even more handsome than she remembered. Time treated him extremely well. His facial features sharpened more, accentuating the male jaw, making him even more attractive, despite the fact that he was always extremely handsome. But she noticed that his body was now adorned with more tattoos, and she was convinced that the leather jacket was hiding more unsightly patterns. She hated tattoos. Until now, she remembered their quarrel when Kim made the first of them.

"I know you too well to lie to me, TaeTae." That said, Lisa curled her lips again in a mocking smile.

"Don't talk to me like that, Jiwon," the tattoo artist growled through gritted teeth.

TaeTae ― that was the affectionate way Jiwon called him when they were together. He used to love it.

Now he couldn't take it.

The girl took a step towards him, minimizing the distance between them, and looked him straight in the eyes. As she stood this close, he could sense the sweet vanilla hint of her perfume. Jiwon has always had a soft spot for similar fragrances. When they were together, she also used similar perfumes. He used to like it, but then he hated it. The smell only brought back painful memories of the end of their relationship and their breakup.

"I know you miss me, TaeTae. That's why you wanted to destroy my relationship with Jeongguk, right?" Saying that, Lisa reached out with her manicured hand and ran it over his cheek, running her fingertips over the smooth skin to finally mark the sharp line of his jaw. "You used him to get to me and get me back, didn't you? It couldn't be a coincidence. The world is small, but not that small... We both know it."

The tattoo artist slipped a cigarette between his lips and quickly grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand sharply away from his face. His grip was perhaps a little too tight, but her mock tenderness almost made him unnerved. He let go of her hand and, puffing on his cigarette, gave her an angry glare. After a moment, he took the fagot in his long fingers and pushed it out from between his lips.

"Don't play with me, Jiwon!" He threatened, exhaling gray smoke through slightly parted lips.

"Or what? Will you hit me?" She asked, looking at him defiantly. "I can see you want to do this. Go ahead. It wouldn't be the first time a man would hit me. But you know it all too well. I know you remember..."

"What do you want from me, Jiwon?" He asked, ignoring her words.

He didn't want to think about it now...

He remembered her bruised cheek and bloody lip all too well. He could almost hear her sobbing. He could still feel the adrenaline and anger bubbling through his blood as he thought about it. He felt the pain in his hand from the punch, and a stinging wound on his torn knuckles.

He puffed again, trying to get the horrible memory out of his head. It was one of those things he didn't like to think about and which he was still ashamed of, even after several years.

"Fuck off of Jeongguk!" She demanded confidently.

"I love him," Kim confessed without blinking an eye. There was no point in hiding it. "And he loves me," he added, seeing Lisa's pink lips lift in a mocking smile.

"He's not a degenerate like you!" She screamed. "You messed with his head. You told him some stupid things, and now he thinks he has feelings for you, but that's not true. He loves me. Only me. Sooner or later, he'll finally open his eyes and understand what a loser you really are."

"You may have been his fiancée, but you don't know anything about him," the tattoo artist said. "What we have in common is real. So damn real that nothing can break it. Even your lies about me."

"Jeongguk is naive," she said, cutting him off. "When I met him, he was like a beaten puppy. All it took was a few smiles and tender gestures, I told him several times that he was special, that he was important to me, and he was mine. I wrapped him around my little finger. He had lost his mother in some accident and was so longing for love that I only had to show some affection, and he followed me like a dog."

"You don't deserve him. Even in the slightest way. You may be getting away with lying and abusing him for those three years, but not anymore. That's the end. He will find out who you really are."

"Better watch out for him not to find out who you really are!" she threatened. "You think you can act as well as I do? Jeongguk will know your lies sooner than you think, and then he'll come back to me with his tail tucked up like that little dog I raised. Even his daddy is on my side." She snorted, then slipped her hand into the little purse she had slung over her chest and pulled a cell phone out of it. Taehyung immediately recognized that it was Jeongguk's phone. "Or should I call Jiseok right now, huh? I'm sure he'll be happy to hear his son is fucking with another guy. Maybe he will talk some sense into him..."

Taehyung took a step forward, covering the distance between them in the blink of an eye, and once again grasped her wrist with his right hand, and with his left hand tore Jeongguk's cell from her hand.

"You have no right to out him in front of his family!" He growled, and Lisa laughed out loud while throwing her head back.

"Are you afraid that when his daddy finds out about everything, you won't be so important to him?" She asked mockingly. "He's having daddy issues. He always does what Jiseok expects him to do, and I just so happen to have wrapped him around my little finger, too."

"I'm not going to talk to you any longer, Jiwon... Or whatever you want me to call you now. This is the end of your show. Your time is up, and you should finally come to terms with it..." saying that, Taehyung took one last puff, then threw the cigarette butt on the even pavement and trampled it with his slightly worn shoe.

He gave her one last, hard look and turned on his heel. He walked forward confidently, but rather quickly. He opened the driver's side door and was about to get in when suddenly Lisa called him.

"Oh, TaeTae!?"

The tattoo artist did not turn to her, not wanting to let her provoke him and react to her teasing. But he froze involuntarily, his hand on the handle of the door.

"I forgot to ask how is my son? Jae for sure misses his mum..."

At her words, Taehyung's hand tightened strongly, his pulse quickening with rising anger. He turned his face towards her and, looking at Jiwon over his shoulder, muttered through his teeth:

"If you come close to my family, I will kill you with my bare hands! You know very well what I am capable of..."

***

Jeongguk slammed the Uber's door and looked carefully around. Making sure nothing was going, he ran quickly across the street. Once on the other side, he watched the receding car as if to make sure the driver was gone before opening the heavy metal door leading to the studio where it all began a few months ago.

He still felt the nervousness and the characteristic tightness in his chest, though his breathing leveled considerably. He must have looked pretty bad, though, as he did not miss the cab driver glancing uncertainly in the rearview mirror, as if to make sure he hadn't passed out yet.

He raised his still slightly trembling hand and slid his fingers into his dark, almost black hair, combing it gently. He had chaos in his head. He couldn't get his thoughts together. He had tried to analyze everything that had happened in his life over the past three years, and the more he thought about it, the less he knew.

He sucked in a gulp of air and approached the shabby door. He punched in the code Taehyung had given him once and walked quickly inside. He made his way through the narrow corridor to finally pass through the door inscribed with Dante's quote, hoping that he was not entering one of the circles of hell he had described.

It was enough that he pushed the door leading to the interior of the studio, and his eyes saw Yoongi, who was saying goodbye to one of his clients. The man looked at him carefully, but seeing his expression, he quickly dismissed the client, then approached him, while pulling the black latex gloves off his hand. His dark eyebrows were knotted together, as if he sensed something was wrong.

"You were at Lisa's farewell party..." the brunet said quickly, moistening his lips, dry with nervousness.

He knew it was impossible for Yoongi not to recognize Lisa as his friend's ex-partner. Even so, the tattoo artist said nothing to him. On the contrary, he pretended not to know her. So he couldn't understand why he did it. Could there be any grain of truth in what Lisa said? Did Yoongi and Taehyung try to hide something from him?

Yoongi furrowed his eyebrows even more, clearly not understanding why Jeongguk was mentioning this party now. Apart from his attack, nothing out of the ordinary happened that night.

"Yes?" He asked, encouraging him to continue the thought.

He didn't know why, but suddenly he felt strangely nervous. Perhaps it was the fact that Jeongguk was strangely pale, or perhaps it was because he noticed that his hand was shaking as he watched him nervously slide his fingers through his dark hair. Jeongguk was silent for a moment that seemed to take ages, but he didn't push. He had already learned that this should not be done. So he allowed the boy to collect his thoughts enough to be able to formulate them into some logical whole.

"Why didn't you tell me Lisa and Jiwon are the same person?" He asked finally.

The young CEO expected that the tattoo artist would explain himself to him somehow and that everything would turn out to be a coherent whole, or on the contrary, he would try to somehow displace what had happened. But Min did something he didn't expect at all ― he laughed. He was laughing out loud, tossing his head back. But when he noticed that Jeongguk was not laughing at all, he immediately became serious.

"Are you kidding me?!" He said, not being so sure of his words anymore. "I-it... It's impossible..." he added, seeing that the brunet is not smiling at all.

"I went to get my things today. I needed some suits and other clothes. It turned out that Lisa is in the apartment. I accidentally left my cell phone behind, and she saw a picture of Tae. She ran after me and started screaming at him... She tried to punch him..." he began to tell.

He still couldn't believe what had happened. It felt as if it was all happening next to him. As if he were a spectator watching some kind of not funny movie in the cinema.

"At first, I didn't know what was happening. Lisa acted as if she knew him, and then Taehyung told me it was Jiwon... That Lisa and Jiwon were one and the same person..." he confessed. It felt strange saying the words aloud. "You saw her at that party. Why didn't you tell me it was her? Why did you hide it from me? It's part of a game?"

"Gguk, I've never met Jiwon," he said quickly. "When I met Tae, his relationship was already failing. We met during classes at the Academy of Fine Arts. He was so damn talented, when he told me he was dropping out of college, I couldn't believe it. I saw his passion for creating. It was his dream. I couldn't understand how someone could voluntarily give up something so great that they had worked so hard for. Something that makes him so happy. And then he told me that he had a son..." he began to tell, recalling events that happened almost three years ago. "Jiwon kept disappearing somewhere, and he did not manage to take care of his son when he went to classes during the day and worked at night. I wanted to help him somehow, so I offered him a job. I promised to teach him everything. I knew he would go far with such talent. Thanks to tattooing, he could combine his passion with his job and could earn a lot more than as a bartender, plus it was easier for him to take care of Jae. Not once, he was taking the little one to the studio. Jae was sleeping in a pram, and he was tattooing. Sometimes me or Nam took care of him. Jiwon never appeared. Pretty soon after that, she completely disappeared..."

"I-I was sure you met her..."

"No. Never. I also didn't inquire much about her. Taehyung was in a bad condition when Jiwon left. I didn't want to add any more worry and suffering to him by asking about her."

"Lis... Jiwon..." he corrected himself quickly. "She told me that her ex had tattoos and that he was aggressive... When she argued with Tae today, she also said that when she told him that she was leaving, Tae hit her..."

"It's ridiculous. He wouldn't even hurt a fly!" Min protested.

"I don't know what happened between them. Lisa is furious. She claims that he deliberately seduced me to take revenge on her..." the brunet said, then fell silent, as if he was trying to collect his thoughts. Only after a long moment did he look at Yoongi again. "Please, say he wouldn't do it. Say that what's between us is real... That Taehyung loves me, and I didn't go crazy believing his words..." he asked.

His words sounded almost like a desperate plea. As he spoke, his voice trembled, as did his lower lip, as if the brunet was trying at all costs to contain his emotions. Yoongi took a quick step towards him, reducing the distance between them, then took his hand, forcing the younger one to look at him.

"Jeongguk, I've known Tae for over three years, and I've never seen him as happy as when you are next to him. I saw him after parting ways with Jiwon. He was very upset, terrified that he was left alone with Jae. He was afraid that he might not be able to cope as a single father, but he and Jiwon... Each breakup is painful, but I think that after she left him, Taehyung felt a kind of relief as well. They argued constantly. This relationship was toxic. He was suffocating being with her. When you disappeared from his life... He was broken, desperate. He then told me that he would never be able to love anyone else. He felt as if he had lost a part of himself. Because you are part of his life. Part of him."

"I feel so confused... I can't believe that Lisa... that she lied to me for three years... that she didn't tell me she had a son..." Jeongguk confessed, slipping his hand into his dark curls, tugging on them in frustration. "It is incomprehensible. How can you do something like this?"

"I don't know what Jiwon plotted, but I'm sure what she said about Tae was not true. He wouldn't even hurt a fly, let alone his child's mother. You and Jae are all of his world."

"I hope that my heart is right because it does not allow me to doubt in him..."

***

Taehyung raised a hand to his mouth and slipped a glowing cigarette between his lips. He took a long drag, his eyelids lowered for a moment. He could feel a gentle breeze on his face that blew his fiery red strands away. The rays of the afternoon sun flickered across his handsome face, and his mind kept returning to the events of this morning.

The meeting with Jiwon opened old wounds. It brought back memories he didn't want to remember anymore. He thought he would never see her again. He wasn't ready for this. In addition, the girl told Jeongguk various lies, and he did not know if the young CEO would doubt in him. He wanted to believe that they what they had was something extremely strong. Something special. But he didn't know how many lies Lisa could have come up with throughout their relationship.

He exhaled loudly from his lungs and took another puff, then crushed the cigarette butt on the glass ashtray. He brushed his hair back and walked inside the apartment. Jae was still in kindergarten, and he hoped they would have a wonderful afternoon together when they returned from Jeongguk's apartment, but life had once again decided to taunt him.

He looked around him almost involuntarily. He didn't know what to do with himself now. He wanted to take a strong drink to soothe his senses, but he knew he had to go to pick up Jae soon, so he couldn't afford such pleasures. But he couldn't bear the emptiness and the silence that seemed to reflect off all the walls of the empty living room. Jeongguk still made no sound of life. He wanted to go out, find him and take him in his arms again, or at least hear his voice, but he didn't even know where the boy might have gone, and his cell phone was now resting on the kitchen table. He felt so bloody powerless, he wanted to scream.

As these emotions began to overwhelm him, the sound of the door opening suddenly crept into his ears. His heart skipped a beat against his ribs, and he turned on his heel and ran quickly towards them. He ran out of the kitchen and approached the door just as it opened, revealing the one he so longed to see.

"Gguk," he whispered. "I-I was afraid you wouldn't come back..." he confessed quickly, letting those worst fears slip from his tongue.

Jeongguk stood in the doorway of the apartment for a moment, only staring at him, as if he wasn't sure why he was here. Taehyung didn't budge either. He was afraid that if he did something rashly, it would scare him off like wild game. So he stood in front of him, not taking his onyx irises away from the young CEO, waiting for the brunet to finally speak up. He had a million dark scenarios in his head, and he almost prayed that his pleas would be heard this time.

It seemed to him that he was about to suffocate, or his heart would tear out of his chest. He could hear his own blood rushing in his ears and his heart pounding. He parted his lips to say something else, but before he could do anything else, Jeongguk strode inside the apartment, slamming the door behind him. He covered the distance between them almost in the blink of an eye, grabbing his black T-shirt, clenching his fingers tightly on it. Without taking his eyes off him, he pushed him violently against the wall as if he was about to attack him.

As Kim's back touched the hard ground, his lips parted, allowing a soft, choked moan to escape. The sound did not fully escape from his mouth, however, when suddenly Jeongguk pressed him against the wall with his warm body, and suddenly his lips were on those of Taehyung's.

He kissed him with great hunger, as if his life depended on that one kiss. The tattoo artist kissed him back with equal desperation, feeling he would die without it. Their bodies seemed to be on fire, setting everything around them in flames. Fire exploded around them, engulfing every inch of their joined bodies. The kiss of the young CEO caused so many emotions that Kim was convinced that in a moment he was just going to burn, turning to a pile of ash.

Jeongguk finally broke away from his lips. However, he did this only to twine his fingers into the red curls and pull the tattoo artist's head back. He quickly moved his lips lower, kissing the sharp line of the tattoo artist's jaw, the delicate earlobe, the slender neck, the protruding collarbones that miraculously emerged from under the black T-shirt, giving him a moment to breathe, but then returned to his lips, kissing him with even more fervor, as if the short time spent without him was torture.

"I swear I've never touched her," Taehyung gasped finally as Jeongguk pulled his lips away from him to take a breath. "I don't know why Jiwon said that. I would never raise my hand to any woman. Especially the mother of my child," he said quickly, breathing hard. "When we parted... There were a lot of bitter words... On both sides... But I swear, I've never hit her. No matter how many painful words would fall from her lips... I've never..."

"I know," the businessman interrupted quickly.

His voice sounded as sure as never before. Even though he had many questions and still couldn't comprehend what he found out today. But he knew Taehyung would never lie to him. He trusted him like no one else.

"I'm sorry I ran away like that... All this... I had to think it over. I'm sorry that for a moment... I should never have doubted... Not in you," he admitted, then took a step forward and grabbed the tattoo artist's hand. He picked it up and placed it on his chest, right where his heart was. Taehyung could feel its strong beating. "My sick mind can mess with my head, but it... It knows who to trust... My heart beats only for you, and it knows you would never lie to me."

"I was quite a problematic teenager. I had a lot of anger in me. Especially towards the father who left my mother and me. I have done and said many things that I'm not proud of, but I would never do anything to hurt you. I love you. So much so that sometimes it amazes me that I can even have such a strong affection for someone, and I swear I don't know what I would do if I lost you..."

"You will not lose me. No matter what Lisa says. I believe you," saying that, Jeongguk leaned in gently and cupped his lips to the tattoo artist's lips, kissing him softly. He quickly stepped back, however, and, resting his forehead on his, whispered directly into his mouth, "I love you and trust you like no one else."

"When you ran away... I didn't know what to do with myself..."

"I'm sorry," the young CEO replied. "I didn't know what to make of any of this," he admitted. "I went to your studio. I wanted to know why Yoongi didn't tell me Jiwon and Lisa were the same person..."

"Yoongi has never seen her," the redhead said quickly. "When we started to be friends, the only thing Jiwon and I had in common was arguing."

"I know. Yoongi told me everything," the brunet nodded, then moved away and ran his hand through his almost jet black hair. "I don't know what to think about all this... And knowing that Lisa... That Jiwon..." He paused for a moment, as if wondering how to explain it all. He bit his lower lip, only to find the tattoo artist's gaze again after a while. "Unknowingly I contributed to the end of your relationship..." he said finally. "Perhaps if I hadn't invited her on a date then..."

"We're even because I contributed a little to the end of your relationship," the tattoo artist replied, then reached out his hand and gently cupped his chin in his long fingers. "But this is one of my crimes that I will never regret... And if I had to, I would do it all again because you are my favorite sin..."

***

When Taehyung lifted his eyelids, the first sound that crept into his ears was that beautiful, melodic laugh that made his heart beat faster every time ― Jeongguk's laugh. He rolled over onto his back and allowed his lips to involuntarily curve into a smile.

He loved such mornings.

He got up and quickly tossed aside the thin quilt, under which he had hidden his naked body, then went to the cupboard and pulled out black boxer shorts. He slipped them quickly over his ass and walked barefoot towards the door. It was enough for him to open it, and another laugh crept into his ears. This time, however, a bit thinner, childish.

He walked quickly down the corridor and entered the kitchen without hesitating. As expected, he saw Jeongguk sitting at the table with Jae on his lap. The boy was eating a sandwich with his hands, which he must have prepared himself, considering the exorbitant amount of strawberry jam that almost dripped onto the plate. The little boy's hands and cheeks were almost all dirty, but he ate with relish without bothering about it.

The young CEO ran a hand through his hair, running his fingers through the dark strands, then bent down and placed a gentle kiss on his head as the tattoo artist's heart made a slow twist in his bare chest, then began beating twice as hard.

Unable to help himself, he moved quickly, covering the distance between them. Jeongguk, as if sensing his presence, looked up and looked directly at him.

"Did we wake you up?" He asked, and the tattoo artist took his chin and placed a tender kiss on his lips. The lips of the young CEO tasted like the sweetness of strawberries.

"I couldn't have asked for a better wake-up call," he replied, then leaned over and kissed his son's head. "You should have woken me earlier," he added after a moment.

"You have an all day session today. I wanted you to get enough sleep before work," the brunet explained. "Besides, as you can see, Jae is a good helper... You helped me make the toast, didn't you, Little Tiger?" That said, he looked at the toddler, who was still sitting on his lap.

"Yes! Jae smeared everything with jam!" The toddler replied, pointing with a hand dirty with strawberries jam at the plate in the middle of the table. Taehyung looked at it and saw some toasts with a huge amount of jam, but his mouth twitched into a grin anyway.

"Beautiful, son. Daddy is very proud of you," he said, looking at the young CEO. Reaching out his hand, he grabbed one of the toasts before biting into the crispy crust. The amount of jam was so abundant that some fell onto his hand, so he licked his fingers and grunted appreciatively. "I've never eaten more delicious toast in my life," he assessed, licking his lips of the sweet goo, then leaned toward Jeongguk and pressed their lips together again in a gentle kiss. "I'm gonna go take a quick shower because I have to drive Jae to kindergarten soon."

"Take your time," the brunet ordered. "I'll drive him on the way to the office."

"Are you sure? I don't want to delegate my duties to you..." the tattooist said.

"We're together, Tae. Jae is also part of my life..."

"Did I already tell you that you are perfect?" The redhead asked, cupping Jeon's chin again.

"Not today," the brunet replied, curving his lips in a mischievous smile. Taehyung leaned down and gripped his bottom lip with his teeth, tugging gently at it.

"You're perfect, Mr. Jeon," he confessed, looking him straight in the eye.

"And Jae? Jae is perfect too?" the toddler asked, clearly interested in their conversation. "Jae was very good! And he put on pants himself today!" He boasted, pushing his little chest proudly. Jeongguk laughed out loud and ruffled the little boy's hair with his hand, then found the onyx eyes of the tattoo artist.

"Oh yes. Jae chose the clothes himself and put on the pants himself. He's now better at dressing himself than you," he joked.

"But I'm better at undressing, huh?" That said, the tattoo artist winked at him and turned on his heel.

Jeongguk quickly reached out with his right hand and slapped his ass, and a loud laugh escaped from Kim's lips. He didn't turn around, though, just moved quickly towards the exit, his mouth curved into a beautiful grin.

***

Jeongguk didn't even know how long he stood in his office, staring at the view beyond the glass wall of the TJE office building. For the last three years, it was almost his everyday life. He came here from Monday to Friday, sometimes he even spent his weekends here, sitting at a heavy mahogany desk, leafing through a pile of documents and contracts, or drawing up the necessary paperwork for business meetings that he simply hated. And while he never really liked the job, he saw no other way for himself.

Today, however, he felt like a stranger here. As if he no longer belonged to this world. He couldn't concentrate on the documents that piled up on his desk, demanding to be checked and signed. Instead, he thought of the overpowering, sensual smell of a man with onyx irises, of his hot kisses and long, tattooed fingers exploring every curve of his body, of drawing together in a small art studio, sitting on wooden panels and inhaling the smell of weathered paint, feeling the warmth of the one he belonged to. He thought about Jae's sweet, melodic, childish laugh, his merry eyes and a smile that was deceptively similar to Tae's smile.

This was the world he belonged to now.

At the mere mention of this morning, his lips curled into a soft smile. He was sure this was just one of the thousands of wonderful mornings he would spend with them, and he couldn't wait to spend each day of his life with them until the end of his days.

He looked ahead one last time as he scanned the office buildings that lined TJE's headquarters, then turned on his heel and headed for his desk. He still had a lot of documents to look at and sign. Due to his absence, he had a lot of arrears. Especially now that he was slowly taking over his father's duties. Being the CEO of such a large company certainly involved a lot of work. He knew he could count on his brother's help, but he didn't want to burden him. As he approached the desk, he noticed something he had almost forgotten ― an invitation to his wedding.

He huffed gently under his breath and reached out to take it in his fingers. He unfolded it carefully, and for a moment he stared at the name of the one with whom he was to be married in a few days, and again a soft huff escaped from his lips.

How could he propose to a woman who had lied to him for three years? Who for such a long time has not even stammered a word about the fact that she has a four-year-old son?

He couldn't believe that Lisa could pretend to be someone else for so long... Feeling a sudden rush of anger at the fact that he had lived in a lie for so long, he quickly grabbed his cell and dialed the number that, thanks to Lisa, he already knew by heart.

"Hotel Grand Hyatt, how can I help you?" Suddenly a nice female voice said.

"My name is Jeon Jeongguk," he introduced himself quickly.

"Oh! Yes, hello, Mr. Jeon," she replied. Jeongguk had the impression that at the sound of his name, something changed in the woman, as if she suddenly got tense. "As for this rug... We'll be replacing it soon. Our designers are already working on it..."

"I-I'm sorry? What rug?" He muttered, clearly surprised.

"Your fiancée didn't tell you anything? She was here today. I think about an hour ago, and she made a terrible row about the rug we had prepared for Saturday being mustard colored, not gold..." she explained.

"Lisa was there today?" He asked.

"Y-yeah. She left less than an hour ago. She was very upset... I-Isn't that what you're calling about? I can assure you that we are already working on it..."

"It won't be necessary anymore," he replied quickly. "I am sure that the carpet you prepared was really beautiful, but please do not bother. You do not have to replace it."

"Y-You do not want to have a gold rug anymore?" The woman asked, clearly confused.

"No. I want to cancel the wedding," he said in a firm voice.

"The... The wedding?" She repeated. "It's just a carpet... If your fiancée doesn't like it, we'll replace it soon. I promise you will be satisfied..." she said quickly.

"That's not the point. I don't care about your carpet. I do not love this woman, and I am not going to marry her, so this wedding will not take place," he explained, feeling a strange pride that he had the courage to say it out loud. "I think you should have no problem finding someone willing for this date, given that you have to wait for a place there for years, but if no one is interested, I will pay the entire amount due."

"Oh! A-are you sure? Do you really want to cancel the ceremony?"

"I haven't been more sure of anything in my life," he replied, feeling the corners of his mouth curl up in an involuntary smile. "There will be no wedding. If any additional fees arise, please send the invoice to my company address. I will pay the amount due."

"All right, Mr. Jeon."

"Bye," he said goodbye and, without waiting for an answer, ended the call.

He slipped his cell phone into his suit jacket pocket and smiled to himself. It felt wonderful to finally take that weight off his shoulders. He wanted to call Tae and tell him about it, but knew the tattoo artist had a lot of work today, so he held back. Adrenaline rushing through his veins, he sat up quickly at his desk and logged into his e-mail. Yesterday, he compiled a mailing list of almost all invited guests. He hadn't only managed to get a few addresses, but that was no longer relevant. He opened a new message box and quickly wrote down the cancellation notice. He pressed the send button with an even bigger smile on his face.

For a long time he stared at the words that had been written a moment ago, saying that the wedding had been canceled, as if he wanted to remember the feeling. He was fucking proud of himself. Until a few months ago, he wouldn't have been able to do that. He was ready to give up his own happiness to please his father and hear for once that Mr. Jeon was proud of him. It didn't matter now.

When he learned the taste of life without Tae, he knew that he could not and did not want to give it up. No matter what price he has to pay for it.

He knew it was worth it.

He didn't even know how long he stared idly at the illuminated computer monitor, when a knock on his office door pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up and after a moment he saw that the door opened slightly enough that he could see his father's secretary, wearing an elegant charcoal knee-length dress.

"Good morning, Mr. Jeon," she said. "I'm sorry to bother you, but your father is asking you to come to his office," she explained. "Now," she added before Jeongguk could reply.

"Okay, thank you," he replied, keeping his tone professional so as not to betray his nervousness.

The girl bowed and quickly disappeared through the heavy door of his office, leaving him alone. Jeongguk exhaled loudly, trying to contain his suddenly growing nervousness. He knew that sooner or later he would have to confront his father again, but he didn't know if he was ready for it. Especially now that he didn't know what Lisa was capable of anymore. Since the girl had lied to all of them for three years, having forged a new identity, who knows what else she might have come up with. And since she was at the Grand Hyatt today and still had organized stuff for their wedding party, she obviously still hadn't come to terms with the fact that there would be no wedding.

He pushed himself off the heavy mahogany desk and got up from his chair. He ran a hand almost automatically through his almost black hair, then, after making sure it was neatly combed, smoothed his suit jacket as well. He tightened the knot on his tie and straightened the cuff links. Only after making sure he looked perfect did he move towards the door. Since his father said he wanted to see him right now, he preferred not to make him wait.

As he made his way through the corridor, he heard only his own loud pulse that almost seemed to rumble in his ears, and his own rapid breathing. He felt more and more nervous with each step, but he knew he had to do it. When he stood in front of his father's office door, he exhaled loudly, which he had been holding until then, and finally raised a slightly trembling hand and knocked on the wooden panel. After receiving permission from inside the office to enter, he pressed the handle and pushed the door open.

Jiseok was standing by the window, as was he a moment ago in his office. His back was to him. His gaze was fixed on the beautiful landscape that stretched outside the TJE windows. Even though the man wasn't looking at him, he felt the weight of the meeting and felt that the air in his father's office was so thick that it was hard to breathe.

"Come in and close the door behind you," the man suddenly said. His voice was hard, impassive.

Jeongguk nodded, lowering his head respectfully even though his father could not see him, then went inside and quickly closed the door behind him, taking care not to slam it too loudly. He turned back to his father and took one step forward, but paused, not having the courage to go deeper into his father's office without his explicit permission.

The young CEO expected his father to turn to him, but the man stared ahead for a long time, as if his silence was to punish him, and with each passing minute his nervousness grew more and more. He swallowed hard and hid his hands behind his back, lest his father accidentally notice them trembling when he finally decides to turn to him.

"Y-you wanted to see me," he choked out, wishing the agony would finally end, and he shifted nervously from foot to foot.

When his father didn't answer, his lips parted to add something else when he suddenly heard a soft snort. He immediately turned his head towards the couch inside the office and noticed that he and his father were not alone in the office, as he had thought so far.

"Are you stressed to see me, honey?" Lisa asked, leaning nonchalantly on the leather back of the couch and giving him a lazy smile, arranging her lipstick lips in a delicate arch.

She looked beautiful. She was wearing a fitted ecru colored suit and heels in the same shade on the feet. Her blonde hair was tied in a high ponytail as usual, and her lips covered with red matte lipstick.

"L-Lisa... I didn't know you were going to be here," he confessed, looking at his father.

Jiseok turned slowly towards them and measured him carefully from head to toe, still silent. His gaze was cold, embedding. It almost felt as if the man was x-raying him, seeing the hickeys that marked his collarbones and stomach, even though he knew well that the white shirt covered all the marks Taehyung had left on his body.

"I called you here because both me and your fiancée are worried about you, Gguk," the man said finally.

Jeongguk involuntarily winced at the word "fiancée", but said nothing. He let his father say what he had planned.

"Lisa told me what was going on, and I think it's time to intervene," Jiseok explained.

"I'm sorry, but I do not understand what you mean, father," the brunet replied.

"This... This boy who is messing with your head," the man replied, and at his words, Jeongguk shifted nervously.

Lisa's presence in his father's office might indicate that the girl had spoken to him before his arrival, but he did not know what she might have said to his father. But he was sure it was certainly no good.

"Nobody is messing with my head, father. If anything, someone made me finally open my eyes," he replied, weighing his words carefully.

"Jeongguk, this boy is just ruining your life!" His father scolded him, raising his voice a little. "And you are not..."

"This boy makes me finally feel alive!" The brunet interrupted him. This time he too raised his voice, but quickly regained his composure. He moistened his lips, dry with nervousness, then sought his father's hard gaze. "It's not what you think," he added, his voice calmer.

"And what do I think, Jeongguk? That you decided to cross out your three-year relationship a few days before your wedding for a moment of fun? That you did something as shameful as cheating? That for someone you barely know, you are turning your back on your family? That you lie and cheat?" The man attacked, and with every word he spoke, Jeongguk felt he was losing his ground.

"It's not fun... It's my life."

"I know you've been through a lot. Because of this accident, you lost a large part of your teenage life. You are young, you want to experiment and have fun. Especially when you see that Jimin lives similarly, but you can't let your new friends mess with your head. This boy is manipulating you. He tries to take advantage of your naivety."

"This is not an experiment. I..." he began, but paused, not sure how he should tell his father that he had fallen in love with another man. "He's very important to me," he finally confessed.

"Sure he is. You care for others because you have a good heart, but you cannot allow such people to take advantage of you. You're young, and it's understandable that if someone pretends to care for you, you start to believe them. Especially when you have doubts about your... sexuality. You are lost, and he knew how to use it cleverly, but..."

"I don't know what Lisa told you, but... what we have is real." I... I am not lost... I love him..."

At his words, Lisa laughed out loud, tossing her head back, then rose from the couch and walked towards him. Her heels tapped on the floor, bouncing off the office walls almost like a bell.

"Don't be ridiculous, Gguk!" She hissed at him. "This treacherous bastard tells you lies you want to hear and manipulates you, and you blindly believe his words. He has his ways. He also seduced me with beautiful words, promises of a common future. It was supposed to be like in a fairy tale, and then it turned out that he gave me a real hell. You're stupid to believe whatever this boy says is real."

"You sound as if whatever comes out of your mouth is the truth!" He threw angrily at her, then looked at his father again. "She lied to us for over three years," he said, pointing at Lisa. "Why don't you tell my father your real name, huh?" He asked.

"Jeongguk, I know that Lisa's name is Jiwon," his father interrupted him, and the brunet looked at him with surprised eyes. "Lisa told me everything, and I think it's about time you got to know the truth, son," he explained.

The young CEO blinked several times, unable to believe that his father knew the truth about Lisa, and yet he accepted it with such calmness. He didn't know what to think about it, but before he could think it over, a woman's voice spoke again behind him.

"When I met Taehyung, I was still a kid. We grew up together. For as long as I can remember, I've had a crush on him. He was so handsome. Plus, he was one of those "naughty" boys, girls are crazy about. We always think that we can change them for the better, save from destructive behavior. And I thought so, too. However, everything changed when we came to Seoul over four years ago. Taehyung became aggressive. He made a fuss about almost everything. He was obsessed with me. As the situation started to get too serious, and his aggression continued to increase, I decided we had to end this relationship, but he said he would not let me go. He threatened to kill me sooner than let me be with someone else. So I decided to disappear... I changed my name, so he wouldn't find me, but he looked for me anyway. Everything he tells you is a lie. He seduced you to separate us... To get revenge on me..."

"And you really think I'll believe your lies?" The brunet asked, shifting his eyes to her. "Tae wouldn't even hurt a fly. He's the most wonderful man I know. Unlike you. Who is abandoning their own child?" He added, then looked at his father. "Because as it turns out Lisa or Jiwon, whoever she is, has a child... A four-year-old son... Did she tell you about that too? She abandoned him when he was less than six months old... Who does that?"

"You really think I wanted to leave him?!" The girl suddenly shouted. "Do you really think I wanted to leave my little boy? Of course not! But I had no choice! It's all because of Taehyung! He threatened to kill me, he beat me... I had to disappear."

"Tae would never do that!" He protested. "I know him."

"Do you really think you know him that well, son?" His father asked suddenly, catching his attention.

Something in the man's voice disturbed him. So he shifted his gaze to him and saw that the man was heading towards his desk. He watched him go until he stopped at the mahogany countertop. Only now did he notice that a paper folder was lying on its surface. Jiseok picked it up and turned to face him again. He stopped a step away from him and pulled out a file, handing it to him. Jeongguk took it hesitantly, then looked up at him.

"Look at these," said Jiseok. "See for yourself what kind of man you are dealing with."

The young CEO moistened his lips, feeling his mouth suddenly dry, and hesitantly opened the file. There was some official document inside. At first, he didn't know what it was, only when he started scanning it with his eyes, he realized it was a police report. It was some man's testimony about the assault. He read the description of the incident for a moment, but when he saw whom the man had indicated as the attacker, he felt sick.

It couldn't be true.

It had to be a mistake. Some terrible mistake...

He flipped the report sheet quickly to look at the back of the printed document, and he saw the photos of the beaten man. He didn't recognize him as anyone he knew, but all the contents of his stomach fell into his throat again. The stranger had a cut eyebrow from which blood was pouring, staining his right cheek, which might indicate that the perpetrator of the beating was left-handed. Although the man's entire face showed signs of beating. Jeongguk looked up from his papers and looked at his father as if he wanted an answer to a question he couldn't pronounce aloud.

"Kim Taehyung, the boy you're dating, beat this man before he even came to Seoul..." his father said, his words echoing off the walls of his office.

Jeongguk looked at the report again. Junsu Hwang, because that was the man's name, testified that Taehyung burst into his apartment and began to groundlessly punch him. The neighbors called the police and ambulance. The forensic examination photos were attached to the report. The man had a bruised face, a cut eyebrow, a split lip, and a few minor cuts, most likely from glass that had broken during a fight. The motives for the attack were unknown, and neither the perpetrator nor the victim gave any explanations. Kim Taehyung was completely sober at the time of his arrest, and no traces of any psychoactive substances were found in his blood. He was eighteen when he was arrested, so he would have been accountable in an adult court for assault and battery, but after a few days the victim withdrew the report, refusing to provide further explanations. The case was discontinued.

With a trembling hand, he flipped another page, and this time his eyes saw police photos of Tae, probably taken shortly after his arrest. He looked younger. The features of his face were softer, his jaw less defined. His beautiful caramel skin, sun-kissed as always, but not yet marked with black ink. The boy's hair was dark, almost black, like his, and a slightly long fringe fell over those beautiful onyx irises that he had stared at a million times. His gaze, however, was devoid of radiance. It was a bit absent, strangely empty. He also noticed that his brow bone had been cut, as if he had been hit during the fight as well.

Jeongguk felt as if everything was starting to spin, his breathing became flattened involuntarily, and his throat tightened so much that he thought he was about to suffocate. He felt like he was about to faint. He looked up at his father again, his trembling hands still clutching the police photos of the man he loved more than his life, unable to believe it was all happening.

"W-Who is this beaten man?" He asked, struggling to squeeze the words down his clenched throat.

The name of the attacked person sounded strangely familiar, but under the influence of such strong emotions, he was unable to determine where and when he could hear it. He was almost one hundred percent sure it wasn't the tattoo artist who was talking about him. He always attached great importance to his words. He would have remembered if he had told him about it. But looking at his stranger's face, he was sure he had never seen him before.

"There... There must be a reason why Tae attacked him. There must be some real explanation for all of this..." He said softly, as if trying to convince himself. But he silently cursed himself for how uncertain his words sounded.

"Look at the next page, son," Jiseok ordered in a hard voice, completely disregarding his words.

Jeongguk just stared at his father for a long moment, unable to move. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, as if it was about to break through the tissue and smash on the floor beneath his feet. Everything was spinning. He ran his tongue over his lower lip to moisten its dry surface and finally looked back at the documents. His hands were visibly trembling, and though he felt ashamed of it, he couldn't help it.

He gripped the paper in his fingers and closed his eyes for a few seconds, afraid of what else he might see. He turned the page and, holding his breath, slowly lifted his eyes, looking down. An involuntary moan escaped his lips as another picture shifted to his eyes. He felt sick. So damn sick, he was afraid he was going to throw up the entire contents of his stomach, so he pressed his lips together tightly to control the wave of nausea. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't stop staring at the familiar eyes that looked at him from the sheet of paper in his trembling hands.

"Do you really think this can also be explained somehow?" His father asked.

This time there was a different tone in his voice. Anger?

Yes, his father was clearly angry at what he found out, and looking at the picture in front of his eyes, he couldn't be surprised...

This time, the face of the stranger did not appear before his eyes, nor the beautiful face of his beloved. Though he knew that face very well as well. But he had never seen it in such an edition before. In the attached photo, Lisa was several years younger. Her cheeks were a bit rounder, like that of a teenager, not the young woman he had just looked at. Her hair was a natural, almost black shade, reaching a little further than the line of her slender shoulders. She stared at the lens with determination, as if she wanted to hit someone on the other side of the lens, but perhaps it was only a reaction to memories that could not be erased from her memory. What was worst of all, though, was that the entire left side of her face was blue, swollen from a hard blow, as was her bottom lip.

"It was the first time he beat me," Lisa said suddenly behind him. "I did a forensic examination to have proof of my words. When he did this, I wanted to leave him, but then he apologized to me and said it would never happen again. He promised, he cried... He said that I am the most important, that he loves me as much as anyone else and that I am his whole world, and I wanted to believe in it so much... So I stayed..." she confessed with strange nostalgia in her voice. "We moved to Seoul, and it was fine for a long time, but then he started to be aggressive towards me again. He was mad at me that someone on the street looked at me or that my dress was too short even though it was knee-long. This is why, when I found out that I was pregnant, I wanted to have it terminated. I was afraid that he might be aggressive towards our baby too... But when I told him about the pregnancy, he seemed overjoyed. He promised that everything would be great from now on, that we would be a happy family... Me, him and our baby. That's why I finally decided to give birth, but a few weeks after giving birth all hell broke loose again... When he beat me so that he almost broke my nose, I ran away..."

"T-that's impossible," Jeongguk gasped, shifting his gaze to her. "My Tae, he wouldn't do something like that... Not him."

"I thought so too, until he hit me for the first time," the girl replied.

"No," the brunet denied, shaking his head as if trying to throw out some intrusive thought. "I-I don't know where you got these papers, but that can't be true... I know him," he protested. "I know him," he repeated softly, as if he were talking to himself, then looked at his father as if looking for some support in him and confirmation that it was all a lie, but he knew well that he would not find it anyway. As he had expected, Jiseok stared at him with a hard, stern gaze, his lips pressed into a narrow line, devoid of even the faintest trace of a smile.

"Jeongguk, I know it's hard to accept that..." the man began, taking a step towards him, but Jeongguk quickly backed away, increasing the distance between them again.

"No!" He protested, almost screaming. "You don't know him, but I know him..." he said, placing his hand at the height of his heart, remembering how yesterday in the same way, he put the tattoo artist's hand there.

His mind might be deceived, but not his heart, and it only beat for one person.

"Jeongguk, you must end this relationship before it's too late," Jiseok said, without even trying to close the distance between them.

"I love him," the dark-haired man confessed in a voice filled with desperation. "And he... And he loves me..."

"Sometimes even monsters are capable of love, son, but that doesn't mean they deserve it..." the man replied, looking him straight in the eye.

***

Ayashee:

Oh, did I mess things up a bit?

Lisa has caused a lot of trouble, but is she the only one?

Or maybe our sexy tattoo artist is not the good boy he pretends to be?

Who do you think is telling the truth? Lisa or Tae?

Or maybe the truth is not black or white at all and has different shades of gray?

xoxo