Jeongguk didn't even know how much time had passed. He couldn't take his eyes off the tattoo artist hugging his son.

A son.

He had never seen this comin'. Taehyung was so young. Judging by the appearance, the little boy was probably about three or four years old, which meant that the tattoo artist was no more than twenty when he became a father.

Plus, he couldn't help but think that if the redhead had a baby, it could mean he was in a relationship. He was well aware that he had no right to question that or to feel jealous of the man's potential partner, but he couldn't control his feelings. He didn't know what he should feel or think.

After a while, the tattoo artist stood up, taking his son in his arms, and looked carefully at the toddler's face. A blue patch with little monkeys was stuck to the boy's eyebrow. Taehyung touched the little boy's forehead lightly, as if checking for any other injuries. His touch was so sensitive that Jeongguk couldn't take his eyes off his tattooed hand.

"What happened?" he asked finally, shifting his gaze to the old woman.

"Jae was playing with the other kids in our playground, but when he got off the swing he fell over and cut his eyebrow..." she began to say.

"I examined him and he was fine. The wound did not require sewing. It's just a small cut," added the younger woman. As Jeongguk guessed, it was probably a nurse working in a kindergarden. "I treated the wound and it's all right, but such a cut is bleeding a lot and the little one got scared," she continued.

"That's why I decided to contact you immediately," finished the older one again.

"You did right, Mrs. Choi. Thank you," Tae said. "Did you get scared, tiger?" he asked, stroking the boy's dark, almost black hair. His voice was that warm, tender hue again.

"Yeees," the toddler confirmed, making a sad face. His large, dark eyes glazed with tears.

"Jae was crying a little, but he was really brave," the nurse smiled at the tattoo artist as she spoke.

"If you like, Jae can still stay in kindergarden..." Mrs. Choi began.

"No. There is no need. I've already cancelled my job for today anyway, so I'll take him home. He probably got a lot scared, so I'd rather him to spend the rest of the day with me," he explained before kissing his son's cheek again and pushing his hair out of his eyes. "Thank you for calling me." As he spoke, he turned on his heel and was about to leave when he suddenly stopped, as if he had remembered something. "I-I forgot my cell phone today, could you please call a cab for me?" he asked.

"Tae," Jeongguk said suddenly. "It won't be necessary, I'll take you. I-I often drive my brother's daughter, so I even have a car seat in the trunk."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't like to trouble you..."

"It's no problem," he added quickly, and Taehyung nodded.

"Okay," he agreed, then looked again at the head teacher. "Thank you. Then a taxi won't be needed. Goodbye," he said goodbye and left the room, still holding his son in his arms.

They walked for a while in complete silence. Taehyung a few steps ahead of Jeongguk. Brunet was so confused that he could not focus on anything. He had a thousand questions, but he knew he had no right to ask for an explanation. The tattoo artist did not have to explain his life to him. They just met.

When the boy suddenly disappeared on Monday and then didn't show up on Tuesday, he felt there was something he was not telling him. It all made sense now. That he disappeared right after work. He told him that what he was doing was very important, and he couldn't meet him, but he didn't even think for a moment that the boy might have a baby.

As they went outside, Taehyung put the boy on the ground and crouched down in front of him to lower himself to the level of his son. He adjusted his clothes and ran a hand through his dark hair.

"What do you want to do now, Jae?" he asked. "Daddy has all day for you today," he added, looking fondly at his son's face.

"Jae wants ice cream," said the little boy, and Tae laughed out loud.

"Well, I could have expected that," he said. "Nothing's going to stop you from getting a solid portion of ice cream, huh, tiger?" he laughed, and the little boy just nodded vigorously. Taehyung dipped his tattooed fingers into the baby's delicate hair and ruffled it with his hand, then looked at Jeongguk. "Would you like to come for ice cream with us?" he asked, and without waiting for an answer, he looked at his son again. "Jae, this is Gguk, Dad's friend. He brought me here to you."

The little boy looked at the man standing next to him and blinked his doe brown eyes a few times before pulling his little hand towards him.

"Come on, Googie. Daddy wants you to go get ice cream with us," he called, and Jeongguk laughed out loud and took the boy's tiny hand. The little one was so cute.

"I will be honored," he said, smiling at the boy.

When he looked up, he met the dark eyes of the tattoo artist. There was something new about them. Something he hadn't seen yet, but before he could catch it, the redhead looked away.

"I know such a cool place where we can eat delicious ice cream, and next to it is a playground for children. I often take my brother's daughter there," he said, still a bit embarrassed. "Maybe you want to go there?" he asked.

"Jae will be your biggest fan if you take him out for ice cream," Tae replied.

"Yes! Ice cream! Googie, get Jae for ice cream!" shouted the little one, jumping enthusiastically in place.

"Then let's go."

Jeongguk laughed out loud again, then stretched his hand towards the boy, and the child without hesitating gave him his tiny little hand. The brunet squeezed it gently and began to lead the baby towards his car. Leading the way, he glanced over his shoulder and gave the tattoo artist a teasing look.

"I wonder where did the little one got such a candy negotiator abilities from?" he asked, not even expecting an answer, then turned away again.

Taehyung huffed under his breath, then slipped his tattooed hands into the pockets of his black pants and raised his head to look ahead. He stood there for a moment, looking at the tall, athletic figure of Jeongguk walking next to this little creature who had been his whole world for all this time, but for some reason he felt very touched by the sight. Usually he didn't tell his potential partners about Jae, waited for things to get more serious. He wanted to protect him this way, but seeing the little one with Gguk, he felt something he had never felt before.

Usually he was afraid to tell the truth, this time he didn't even have time to think about it, but he would lie, saying that he didn't feel relieved that he didn't have to hide the fact that he had a son anymore. He loved Jae more than anything. The little one was most important to him. So he was glad that Jeongguk already knew the truth, and he could now share that part of his life with him. The boy was surely surprised, for who would have expected a man like him to have a nearly four years old son, but he seemed to have taken the information quite well.

"Are you going with us for this ice cream, or do I also have to promise you a double portion before you get in the car?" the voice asked suddenly, and only now did Tae realize that Jeongguk had already put the baby in the car seat, while he was still standing in the same place. Embarrassed, he laughed and ran quickly towards the car.

"Double ice cream sounds pretty tempting," he said.

"Why am I not surprised at all?" Jeongguk asked, leaning against his car. A smile crept on his lips. "Get in the back. Jae will probably feel better if you sit next to him and I will take you to the promised ice cream," he ordered, and was about to move around the car and slide into the driver's seat, when suddenly the tattoo artist grabbed his hand, stopping him from leaving. Jeon instinctively looked at the man's strong hand, then shifted his gaze to his warm gaze.

"Thank you," Tae said, then quickly ran around the car and got into the backseat next to Jae's seat before the brunet opened his mouth.

Brunet smiled to himself, then took his seat, fastened the seat belts and after making sure that everything was ready and could move, he started the engine. They didn't talk to each other on the way to the park. Jeongguk was focusing on the road and Tae was chatting with his son and asking questions about his friends from kindergarten. The little one was eager to answer his questions and it seemed that all the stress related to his accident had disappeared somewhere.

Jeon couldn't help but glance in the mirror sometimes. It was brand new to see Tae joking and talking to his son, but the tattoo artist looked so natural and at ease. Sometimes he ruffled the child's dark hair with his hand or brushed it away from his big, dark eyes, other times he kissed his little hand. It was so damn cute that Jeongguk found himself smiling to himself a few times as he looked at them.

The park he took them to was closer to the richer district of Seoul. He often took Yoo here when he spent the day with her. He knew that the little girl loved the ice cream served here, plus there was a sandpit nearby and a well-equipped playground for children, so he knew it would be the perfect place. He was going to spend the whole day in the tattoo parlor, so with his session cut short so suddenly, he had no intention of going back to his office.

They got there in less than half an hour. Jeongguk parked the car and got out, watching as Taehyung carefully disengaged the boy from his seat. The man did it nimbly, as if taking care of the little one every day. His movements showed experience, but also parental care. The tattoo artist picked up the little one in his arms, pulling his out of the car seat and setting it on the ground. He crouched down in front of his son and looked carefully at his face, touching again gently a patch on his temple.

"Nothing hurts you, tiger?" he asked, and Jeongguk's ears filled with that warm, caring color again.

He liked the way the boy's voice changed every time he addressed his son. His low, deep voice seemed even smoother then. It was like honey to his ears. His gaze changed similarly. He stared at him with that intimidating gaze which he thought about at night, and when he looked at his son, all he saw in his gaze was concern and the purest, truest love.

It was strange to suddenly see Taehyung in this version. He hadn't expected to ever see a tattoo artist in such an unusual role, but he fucking liked it.

He'd be lying if he said he didn't have a million questions for him, half of which he probably shouldn't have spoken aloud, but that wasn't important now. He wasn't going to press him. He could see how scared he was after the call from kindergarten. He could almost still feel the warmth of his trembling hand as he squeezed his hand in the car and remembered too well how he had looked at him then.

After making sure that the baby was okay, Tae grabbed his son's hand and straightened up, then looked at Jeongguk. For a short moment they looked at each other in silence, until finally the brunet grunted, interrupted this somewhat awkward moment. They both didn't quite know how to act now.

Taehyung did not think that Jeon would find out about his son so quickly, and even less did he expect it to happen under similar circumstances, and Jeongguk was clearly still surprised by the new information. He couldn't blame him, surely not many people would expect a boy who is barely twenty-four to be the father of a boy who is almost four.

In addition, his image, numerous tattoos, piercings and extravagant style often did not go hand in hand with the image of a young father trying to raise his child well. Rather, most people would mistake him for a "weekend" daddy who only cares about his son when someone forces him to do so or when he has no excuse for taking care of him.

But it was completely different with him. He grew up without a father, so he wanted his son to have the best dad in the world, and even though it was sometimes incredibly difficult to handle everything, he was going to give his all. Jae was his whole world.

"O-okay, maybe we'll go get some ice cream first, and then we'll come up with something to do," Jeongguk began hesitantly.

Taehyung saw the slight flush on his cheeks and thought it was damn cute, but didn't comment on it.

"Honestly, I've never been here before..." Tae confessed, moving along the path that the brunet had indicated.

"You're not from here?" Jeongguk asked clearly interested.

"No. I was born and raised in Daegu. I only came to Seoul when I was barely eighteen. I got into the Academy of Fine Arts and had plans to develop my skills, and then I just stayed here. My mother moved here when Jae was six months old, so now this is my home."

"Oh, I was born in Busan, but my parents moved to Seoul when I was just a boy. My father opened a company here, which started to prosper, and commuting from Busan was not possible."

"A-and I... I... was born here!" Jae suddenly shouted, pointing towards the sidewalk, and Taehyung laughed out loud and instinctively ruffled his son's hair.

"Oh! Haha yes, Jae is a product straight from Seoul," he joked. "When I got here, he wasn't even planned."

Jeongguk thought for a moment on the tattoo artist's words. He wanted to ask him about the boy's mother, but was afraid the question was out of place. He shouldn't be nosy, much less if he and his girlfriend still have any romantic relationships. It wasn't his business. He shouldn't have been interested in this, but he couldn't stop thinking about it.

It was still quite early so there weren't many people in the park. Most of them were still at work, children in kindergartens and schools. As they walked the narrow, winding road deeper into the park, towards the café, they passed a few old people who were watching carefully as the tattooed Taehyung led the little boy by the hand.

The tattoo artist did not seem to care about the unpleasant looks of some of them. Probably used to prying eyes. Jeongguk, however, felt strangely irritated by this fact. It pissed him off that someone would judge Tae through the prism of how they imagined people with tattoos.

When they finally got to the café, they decided together that they would take one of the tables in the backyard. Jeongguk escorted Tae to one of them, then took off his suit jacket and hung it over the back of his chair.

It was almost unbearably hot, the sun was shining hard, and he was dressed elegantly as usual. Without thinking for long, he grasped his shirt cuffs and unbuckled each one in turn, then began to gently roll the sleeves up to reveal his strong forearms.

Taehyung sat Jae on a high chair that one of the waitresses had brought for him, but his gaze shifted involuntarily to the brunet. He couldn't tear his eyes away from his strong forearms, taut muscles, thick veins that seemed to twist like snakes around his hand. It was a fucking sexy sight. He had always had a soft spot for male hands, and these of the brunet surpassed the wildest fantasies. They were perfect. He swallowed hard and forced himself to look away.

"What ice cream do you want today, tiger?" he asked, trying his best not to watch the man next to him remove his tie and unbutton a few top buttons on his shirt.

Jeongguk was going to take him for ice cream, not for torture, dammit, he thought.

Because what this man was doing was torture. He couldn't think of anything else but those strong forearms and veins filled with hot blood that he could ignite with his desire. He couldn't help but think about those veins that climbed up those muscular arms, literally begging him to run his tongue over them, marking a wet path across his milky skin. About that neck he had seen almost for the first time so well exposed and on which he wanted to suck his lips, leaving a trace of his lips.

"I want strawbelly and-and... strawbelly," the boy said.

"God, I swear, this baby is made of pancakes, strawberries and banana milk," Tae joked.

"At least he knows what makes him happy in life," Jeon replied. "So twice a strawberry for a little tiger and for a big one?" he asked, smirking at him.

"Eh, strawberry twice," he replied. "You can't deny genes," he added, and smiled broadly.

"Okay, so have a seat and I'll bring you the order." That said, Jeongguk walked towards the little booth where the ice cream was displayed.

As he stood in line, his eyes searched for Tae. The man was sitting next to his son, leaning towards him and talking to him for a moment, then stuck his pierced tongue out to the little boy, and the child laughed out loud.

He could watch them for hours. Taehyung had an approach to children and it was evident that Jae adored him. Jeongguk placed the order and as he waited for it, he continued to stare at them, unable to take his eyes off the two.

"Is that your friend? He's cute," a woman's voice said suddenly, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Confused, he looked at the girl standing behind him in the line. She might have been in her early twenties, petite, but quite pretty. She watched with delight as Taehyung played with his son.

The woman was right. The sight was lovely, but her words irritated him strangely, as if he didn't want anyone else to think of Tae that way.

Without answering, he paid and took his order, quickly walking towards the table they chose. Jae squealed loudly at the sight of the huge strawberry ice cream cone, then pulled his hands in to grab the cone. Jeongguk held it down, handing him the ice cream carefully enough not to let the kid drop it, then took a seat opposite Tae.

"Yoo, my brother's daughter loves to come here. Every time we're around she makes me buy her ice cream," Jeon began. "She's not that faithful to the flavors. Every time she chooses something different. It's hard to keep up with her," he laughed aloud at the thought of this little ballerina as he spoke.

"How old is she?" Tae asked.

"Six. And how old is Jae?"

"This year he will have four. Though sometimes it seems to me he was just born yesterday," saying that, Tae instinctively reached out and pushed the boy's fringe from his forehead, revealing his big, dark eyes.

The boy was eating his ice cream so fiercely that almost all of his face was soiled pink, but he looked delighted. He held the cone in his little hands and almost stuffed his entire mouth into pink cream. He liked the way Tae did not scold the little boy that he would get dirty or ruined his clothes, as other children's parents did.

"Dad, wipe it!" the boy said suddenly and held out his hand towards him.

"You already know who is he so bossy from?" Tae asked, looking at Jeongguk with a smile, then took out a wet tissue and started wiping the boy's hand, which was all soiled with ice cream.

"It reminds me of someone," Jeon replied, laughing. "He looks very much like you," he added. "And he has your smile. You have... You have a very original smile," he confessed, feeling that his cheeks are probably red with embarrassment.

He wanted to say his smile was beautiful, but at the last moment he said otherwise. Compliments about his talent are one thing, but telling him that he is an attractive man is quite another. He shouldn't have done this.

"I hope that's a compliment, because I'm not sure if I should thank or take offense," Tae joked, half-mouthed laughing at him.

He grabbed his son's other hand and wiped it too. After a while, the little one was eating his ice cream again. Jeongguk said nothing, continued to eat his portion, only sneaking a glance at Tae.

He felt strangely intimidated watching the tattoo artist's tongue slide over a scoop of strawberry ice cream, or seeing the man lick his lips of any residual pale substance. His mouth was dry, but he couldn't look away from him. His gaze searched for his lips, closely following their actions.

Why suddenly eating ice cream seemed so sexy and erotic to him?

He was so focused on him that he completely forgot about his own ice cream, and it wasn't until he felt the cold substance run down his hand that he realized he was staring blankly at Taehyung while his ice almost melted.

"Oh! Shi..." he started, but reflecting that Jae was sitting right next to him, finished mindlessly. "Shitake mushrooms!?"

Taehyung looked at him and laughed out loud. He didn't know which amused him more. What the brunet said a moment ago, or that he looked like a lost child, almost exactly the same as Jae had just looked when he held out his dirty hand to him. Without thinking for long, he took out a tissue and grabbed the brunet's hand, wiping it off his chocolate ice cream, exactly as he had done for Jae a moment ago.

"I see you like to get dirty sometimes too, huh?" he said, wiggling his perfect eyebrows up, and Jeongguk felt even more embarrassed.

"I-I was just thinking too much," he choked out, trying not to pay attention to how strong the tattoo artist's hand was, or how warm it felt and how wonderfully dark compared to his skin.

"Dad! Dad!" Jae suddenly called, catching the attention of the two men. "Can I go there?" the boy asked, pointing towards the sandbox.

Taehyung looked at Jeongguk, then released his hand and stood up. He took the remnant of the wafer from his son and threw it into a nearby bin, then wiped his son's mouth and hands. He took him by the arms and set him down on the ground.

"Just play nicely, okay?" he said, and the boy nodded vigorously, then ran towards the sandbox where two little ones of similar age were already sitting.

Kim studied his son for a moment, then returned to the table again and sat down opposite Jeongguk. He looked at him closely. He liked him looking like that. His black shirt was unbuttoned from the first two buttons, sleeves rolled up, dark hair was blowing gently in the breeze, and the sun illuminated his skin, making it even more perfect. He looked younger and so at ease, as if all the problems and stress he faced every day had suddenly disappeared, along with the tie that bound his neck.

For a moment he thought back to the scar on the boy's back. The brunet told him he had an accident, was that why he was controlling himself so much?

He was curious about what had happened but had no intention of asking or pressing. He knew that the boy had to make his own decision to tell him the truth and the story that came with it.

Jeongguk learned his secret, perhaps he too deserves to know him someday.

"Thank you," he said suddenly, looking at the boy.

"Tae, I told you that you really do not need to thank me," the brunet replied, running a hand through his dark hair.

"I'm not just talking about the fact that you went with me... I know that it is quite a surprise for you and you probably have thousands of questions in your head, and yet you do not press."

"You don't have to explain anything to me if you don't want to. Yes, I admit that I did not expect this... You are... Jesus, you are so young..." Jeongguk began, but he fell silent, not quite knowing how to put this chaos into words.

"Me and Jiwon... we met at the age of perhaps twelve, maybe thirteen..."

"Tae, you really don't need to explain this to me," he said quickly, feeling a bit awkward.

He wanted to know, but he didn't want Taehyung to feel compelled to do anything. The tattoo artist, however, touched his hand and gripped it with his tattooed fingers.

"Jeongguk, I want you to know," he said, looking him straight in the eye, then took his hand away and moistened his lips. "We were both from Daegu, our families lived close to each other. I was only raised by my mother, and she only by her father. Although that is perhaps too much to say. After her mother died, her father got drunk very often. When I met him, he was already an alcoholic and had little interest in what was happening to her. Jiwon was a year younger than me, and we went to the same school. We became friends, sometimes she came to us for dinner. Soon our relationship grew into something more. When I was sixteen, we started dating. I was very much in love with her. I thought I might spend the rest of my life with her. We were making big plans. I was about to start studying at the Academy of Fine Arts, and she wanted to pursue a career in some big company," saying that, the tattoo artist laughed gently at the memory.

He remembered as well as Jiwon had said that she would be an important CEO, and she will place everyone in corners. He was sure that one day her dream would come true. The girl was ambitious and fierce. She didn't want to end up like her father. She wanted to achieve much more than her life so far had to offer.

When she told him about her plans, he was convinced that if someone succeeded in something, it will be her. Sometimes she impressed him with her stubbornness and determination. Although he also knew that if she made up her mind about something, nobody and nothing would change her mind. There was no force in this world that could compel her to lay down her arms.

"We were young and reckless. After I finished school and got into the Academy of Fine Arts in Seoul, we decided to move here and live together. Shortly after our arrival here, it turned out that Jiwon was pregnant. When she told me about it..." the tattoo artist was silent for a moment, as if recalling the events of those years in his mind. "I was terrified. I was nineteen, she was eighteen, we had barely graduated from school, we had nothing, but one thing I was sure of... that I would not allow my child to grow up without a father. Jiwon was terrified too, she even considered an abortion, but I convinced her that we could do it. And I really believed it. When Jiwon was pregnant, I started studying and working in a pub as a bartender. I studied during the day and worked at night. I tried to save as much money as possible so that we could provide the child with whatever he needed."

"It must have been hard for you. A child at such a young age..." Jeongguk said.

"I won't lie and say it was easy, but when Jae was born..." Taehyung replied. A gentle smile crept on his lips. "Jesus, I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life. He was so tiny, and you could only see his big, dark eyes. He was so beautiful and he was mine... And all I had to do was look at him once and I knew that I would do my best for him to make him the most loved and happiest child ever born," in that he looked at his son.

Jae was sitting on the sand now, tapping with his hands what was probably supposed to be some castle, but was only a pile of sand. The little boy, however, looked very happy and content with his building skills. His face was lit by a beautiful, slightly rectangular smile. Taehyung felt a strange warmth as he looked at his son's face. He loved him so much that he could not imagine that he would ever make a different decision, and he wouldn't be in his life. Jae was the most important. He was his whole life.

Of course, he would be lying if he said that he wouldn't want someone to share his life with him. Like any human, he yearned to find his significant other, although after Jiwon disappeared, he almost lost faith that his life would eventually work out, and he would be able to share it with more than just his son.

"At first it seemed that everything would work out somehow, but when Jiwon started studying, she changed a lot. I don't know, maybe she was too fascinated on Seoul and student life, but in the end I had to skip classes more and more often to take care of the baby. As a result, I failed my studies, work and raising my child, so I finally made a decision to quit the Academy. It was my dream so this decision was not easy, but there was no other choice. Jiwon was still in class or partying with new friends and someone had to take care of Jae. When Yoongi found out that I had decided to quit, he suggested that I open a studio with him. He promised to teach me everything. It was my chance to be able to continue with the art that I love so much and to be able to take care of my child for whom I was able to give up my dreams. I don't even know how many times Jae has slept in his baby carriage at the studio while I was tattooing clients. I tell you, when I wanted to put him to sleep, all I had to do was turn on the tattoo gun, and he fell asleep in two minutes.

"Ah... What happened to Jiwon?" Jeongguk finally asked timidly.

"When the little one was about six months old, our relationship was quite tense. Due to the fact that Jiwon was constantly partying and preferring to hang out with friends rather than take care of her son, we argued a lot. She was pointing out to me that I was a loser who had achieved nothing and got caught up in an illegal activity, and I had a grudge against her for not being interested in Jae. When I came back one day with a kid from work, Jiwon was packing her things..."

The boy paused for a moment, as if trying to control his emotions, but Jeongguk heard his voice tremble slightly at the last words. He wanted to take his hand or do something else to somehow cheer him up, but he didn't flinch.

"She told me she was fed up and was leaving. She wanted to study, develop and have fun... And me and Jae... we were just holding her back."

"Tae..." Jeon whispered before he realized he had spoken his name aloud.

"At first, she showed up once a week or two. Then she made occasional calls to find out about Jae, until contact finally broke off. He was less than a year old when she contacted me for the last time. I have no idea where she is or what she is doing. She had no family here. Maybe she's back to Daegu, maybe she's still here somewhere."

"And she never asked about Jae? After all, this is her son?" Jeongguk asked, surprised, and the tattoo artist confirmed his suspicions with a shake of his head.

He didn't understand how someone could abandon their own child. Jiwon was young when she gave birth, she may not have been ready for motherhood, but not even wanting to know what is going on with your baby? It was beyond his comprehension. He did not have a very good relationship with his father, but still, it was almost unimaginable for him.

Taehyung took out a pack of cigarettes and slipped one between his lips, then lit the tip and inhaled. For a moment his figure was dimmed with a faint puff of smoke. But when Jeongguk was able to see his face again, he saw something like sadness in his gaze. The boy must have been through a lot of experience when Jae's mother left. The girl hurt him badly and abandoned her own child, which was unforgivable to him.

"It was fucking hard at first. My mother moved to Seoul to help me look after my son. She still helps me a lot. I never thought that I would be a single father at twenty."

"I'm sorry that's how it turned out," Jeongguk said. "But you did great. Jae is a cute little boy, and he looks so much like you. You can be proud of yourself."

"Thank you." As he said that, he smiled gently at him and took another drag. "I didn't tell you about him because..."

"You're trying to protect him," Jeon finished for him.

"Usually, if someone finds out I'm a single father... you can probably guess yourself. Women usually feel sorry for me, they feel sorry for a guy and a child, and then they want to look after me as if I were four and not my son. And guys... Well... They usually get out of my bed faster than they jumped in it," he joked, although there was a hint of disappointment in his voice.

The tattoo artist slipped the cigarette between his soft lips again and puffed, then ran his tongue over them. Jeongguk was touched by the story, but grateful that the boy trusted him enough to tell him about what had happened.

"On the other hand, I'm not really surprised. Rather, no one expects a guy like me to have a four-year-old son, and guys that age tend to avoid children. When they date another guy, they are usually glad that they don't have to worry about it."

"I really admire you. We are the same age, and I can't imagine being able to cope alone with a child at the age of twenty."

"It was a huge challenge. Still is. This year Jae started kindergarten, so it's a bit easier, but if it wasn't for my mom and the guys from the studio, I wouldn't be able to do it. I don't even count how many times Yoongi took care of the little one while I was tattooing. My mom sometimes takes him on weekends for me to be able to get some more sleep."

"But you did it. You are a great father. Just look at Jae and you can see how much he loves you."

"Dad! Dad!" the boy suddenly shouted, running up to them enthusiastically. "Look!"

Jae pulled out his little hands and spread them out in front of Taehyung, showing what he found. There was a shell in his hand.

"Oh my! How beautiful!" Tae exclaimed, mocking delight, then quickly stubbed out his cigarette and lifted the toddler into his arms, settling him on his lap.

"Look!" the toddler shouted again, this time stretching his hand towards Jeongguk.

"This is the most beautiful shell I have ever seen," the brunet gushed, and the boy smiled pleased. Gguk shifted his gaze to the redhead. "Tae?" he exclaimed suddenly, drawing his attention to himself. "What are you doing tomorrow? I mean... What do you and Jae have planned for tomorrow?"

"Is that a tricky question?" asked the tattoo artist, a bit suspiciously.

"No," Jeon replied, laughing softly. "Tomorrow I'm taking my niece, Yoo, to the zoo... And I was just thinking maybe you'd like to take Jae and go there with me?" he asked finally.

The tattoo artist was silent for a moment, which seemed to last forever, but in the end his face lit up with a beautiful smile and before the boy opened his mouth, the brunet already knew his answer.

***

Jeongguk turned right as he had just been instructed and parked the car. The tattoo artist's apartment was quite close to the studio and also within walking distance of Jae's kindergarten. It was, however, one of the poorer neighborhoods he did not know very well. It was hard to compare it to what he was used to, but it didn't bother him at all.

His penthouse was located in one of the richest districts of Seoul, on the twentieth floor of a huge skyscraper. The building in front of him was maybe five floors tall and looked a little unkempt from the outside. The estate was not guarded. In front of the block there was only a narrow green belt, but also there was nothing more than just green grass.

He could have guessed that the tattoo artist lived in a similar neighborhood. He drove an old car that probably broke down all the time. He was raising his son alone, so he certainly didn't have many savings. However, it did not bother him. He never judged people by the thickness of their wallets.

He switched off the engine and unfastened the seat belts, then turned back to look at Taehyung. The tattoo artist was just making some kind of silly face and little Jae was laughing out loud, filling the Mercedes with his melodious, childish laugh. He looked at them enchanted. He couldn't take his eyes off them. After a while, however, Tae began to unfasten the baby from the seat.

"C-can you handle it? I can help you..." Jeongguk began, feeling like an idiot.

Sure Taehyung can handle it.

He's been doing everything himself for almost four years. He was acting like a moron, but he didn't want to part with him just yet. The tattoo artist looked at him and smiled gently.

"I can handle it," he replied, and Jeon felt a bitter taste of disappointment.

He got out of the car and opened the door so that the boy could easily take his son out of the car. The tattoo artist picked up the little one and turned to face him. Jeongguk stood completely still for a moment, as if waiting for something, but then he ran a hand through his dark hair and laughed nervously.

"It was a very nice day," he said without looking at him. He felt strangely embarrassed once again.

"I'm sorry we had to cancel your session," the tattoo artist said finally. "On Monday I will take care of my schedule and maybe we can start somehow during the week."

"Don't worry. Nothing happened. Besides, we already have a pattern, so..."

"Exactly," Tae agreed, then there was an awkward silence again.

They both looked at each other as if they wanted to add more, but neither of them said anything. They regarded each other for a moment in silence. It was only when Jae began to twirl restlessly in his father's arms that Jeongguk cleared his throat loudly and laughed nervously, confused.

"I think the little one wants to go..." he said. "I won't hold you any longer. Is tomorrow still valid?" he asked timidly.

"Sure it is," Tae confirmed.

"Maybe I'll pick you up in my car... Maybe after ten?" he suggested.

"We have a deal. We will wait for you then," saying that, Tae smiled charmingly. "Listen... I was just thinking... We were supposed to go out for a drink today..."

"It's okay. I figured our meeting wouldn't work out."

"That's not what I meant..." the tattoo artist interrupted him. "If you have nothing better to do... Would you like to stay for dinner? Jae will probably be gone anyway, and I... I would love to spend this evening with someone older than four years old."

Jeongguk barely suppressed a smile at the words, and only once again cursed himself for making his heart jump strangely at the words. He acted like a stupid teenager who was eventually noticed by the boy she had been in love with since elementary school.

"Okay," he just gasped, not wanting to be overly enthusiastic. "Honestly, I'm fucking hungry," he added.

"Oh my God! I thought it was just me," Tae said, placing his hand on his chest in an expression of relief. "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse. Then let's go," he ordered, then set his son on the ground and grabbed his hand.

The three of them walked carefully across the street, then entered one of the blocks. The building did not have an elevator so it took some time for them to climb the stairs. Jae wanted to climb them himself, so Tae held his hand cautiously as the boy climbed the steps on his own.

The tattoo artist's apartment was on the third floor. Taehyung led Jae to the door, then took out his keys and began to open the lock. Jeongguk looked around. The staircase was neat, there were no stupid drawing or paintings on the walls that were more than once part of the poorer neighborhoods, but it was nothing special. White walls, with paint probably no longer fresh, gray, concrete stairs.

He wondered what the tattoo artist's apartment looked like, so when Taehyung finally opened the door, he almost held his breath. The tattoo artist let his son in first, then gestured to Jeongguk to follow in the footsteps of the four-year-old.

"It's probably not what you're used to..." he said, licking his lips and running his hand through his hair.

Jeongguk saw that he did this every time he felt insecure. He nodded and stepped inside. He looked around, but the interior surpassed his wildest expectations. He could have guessed that someone like Tae wouldn't be able to surround himself with something ugly. He was delighted with what he saw.

From the threshold he could see a living room with an open kitchen. The whole thing was decorated in a very masculine, industrial atmosphere. Dark furniture, brick walls, a black comfortable couch with a plasma TV hanging in front of it, large windows through which the daylight shone through. In the kitchen area there was a small table, with only four chairs. Next to the couch was a bright, fluffy rug on which Jae was probably playing with his toys, because there were still a few cars and some lost stuffed animal on it.

Jeongguk quickly took off his boots and jacket, then looked at Tae. The tattoo artist was crouched next to his son and untied his shoes. While the boy was doing this, the little one played with his red hair, ruffling it with his little hands. Taehyung took off the baby's shoes, grabbed him tightly and tucked him under his arm, tugging at his hair while the baby laughed out loud.

"You little tiger!" called the tattoo artist and ran with the little one into the living room, playfully tossing him on the couch. He leaned over to him and started kissing his chubby cheeks while the little one laughed and squealed all the time.

Jeongguk stood in the doorway and watched them with a smile on his face. It was such a wonderful sight. Taehyung was a great father. He didn't have to see anymore to know that the little one adored him. After a few minutes, the tattoo artist got up and headed towards the kitchen.

"I probably can't cook as well as your fiancée, but I don't think it's that bad," the redhead began washing his hands.

"Lisa can't cook..." Jeongguk admitted.

Taehyung looked at him in surprise. He was convinced that the boy's fiancée was perfect in every way. The confession surprised him. Does the Perfect Lady has some faults?

"My mother taught me a lot, but I had to do a lot alone. Fortunately, Jae is not demanding. Make him pancakes for breakfast, and he'll be delighted."

"Googie, come on!" Jae suddenly called and ran to the brunet, grabbing his hand. "Come! Jae will show you... will show you... His friends," so saying, the little one started to drag him towards the corridor.

"Oh yeah. I forgot to tell you that when you come to us, you will have to meet a number of Jae stuffed animals," Tae said, smiling apologetically at him.

"But I love meeting new stuffed animals." That said, Jeon looked at Tae and winked at him before letting the boy lead him behind him.

The little one headed down the hall to the door with his name stamped on it and pushed it so that they could go inside. Jeongguk helped him open it and let the boy lead him inside. The baby's room was lovely. It was something any child could dream of.

The walls were covered with jungle paintings: green leaves, monkeys hanging from branches. In the corner by the window was a bed covered with stuffed animals. Jae immediately ran to one of them and picked up a large pink rabbit.

"This is Cooky!" the toddler said, cuddling up to the mascot.

"Hey, Cooky," Jeongguk greeted, smiling.

When Jae introduced him to the rest of his toys, the brunet looked around. The drawing on the wall was amazing. One look was enough, however, to be sure that it was all Taehyung's work. When he looked at the opposite wall, he saw that there were various photographs hanging on it. Most of them featured Jae, but Tae was in a few of them as well.

Instinctively, he approached them and looked closely. One of them featured Taehyung lying on the bed with little Jae lying next to him. A beautiful smile adorned his face. Dark hair was spread over the pillow. He looked so beautiful.

He looked at the next frame. This time, he saw a collage of four photos in it. Probably made shortly after Jae was born. Taehyung looked so young to them. In these photos, his hair was the shade of honey blond and his body was not adorned with virtually any tattoos, but he looked just as gorgeous.

He did not see the boy's mother in any of the photos. He wondered if Jiwon had ever taken a picture of herself with the little boy. He didn't understand how someone could abandon her own child like this. Jae was such a cute and cheerful boy.

After presenting all his toys, Jae dragged him towards his bed and settled on it, clutching Cooky in his hands, then handed him one of his books and told him to read a fairy tale. Jeongguk sat on the rug next to the bed and read childish poems, imitating various funny voices, while the little one laughed every now and then and tried to repeat after him.

He didn't even know how much time they spent that way. Little was so absorbing and cheerful that he enjoyed reading this book to him. It was only when he heard a loud grunt that he raised his head to see Tae standing on the threshold of the room.

"I see Jae has you read already," he said, his lips forming a beautiful smile.

The tattoo artist leaned against the threshold of the door and crossed his arms over his chest, displaying his beautiful tattoos. In the dim light, his skin looked even more caramel.

"I made dinner," he said. "Come on Jae, let's go eat," he ordered, and the little one ran quickly towards him.

Jeongguk got up from the ground and put the book on the bedside table next to the bed, then he also approached the redhead.

"Can you tell me where's the bathroom?" he asked.

"Right there on the left. I'll take Jae. When you are ready, come to us," Tae answered, then followed his son towards the living room.

Jeongguk watched them go. He liked how relaxed the atmosphere was here. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so good anywhere. It was hard for him to explain it. Perhaps it was because everything in his world had to be perfect, sterile, organized. Here he could sit on the floor in Jae's room and just read him a fairy tale, not wondering if his tie was well tied and his shirt was perfectly ironed.

As he left the bathroom, he started back down the hall to the living room, but as he passed one of the doors he saw something that caught his attention. The door was slightly ajar. Instinctively, he glanced inside again. He couldn't see much through the crack in the door, but he noticed that there was an easel in the corner of the room. He could not see the picture, which was covered with a black cloth, but he could not pass by.

He was never one of the nosy people, he valued his privacy and tried to respect the privacy of others just as much, but not knowing why, he opened the door harder and slipped inside. He walked slowly towards the easel and extended his hand towards the black fabric.

"It's not finished yet," a voice said suddenly behind him.

Jeongguk almost jumped at the deep timbre and quickly withdrew his hand, then turned back.

"S-sorry... I don't do such things. I-I don't know why I came in here. I shouldn't," he said chaotically, feeling his heart pounding like crazy.

"Do not apologize. It's okay," Tae said calmly.

Gguk was clearly ashamed. Taehyung could see his cheeks flush redder. The boy moistened his lips nervously and ran his hand over his dark locks.

The tattoo artist, as if relishing the fact that the dark haired man was so embarrassed, leaned nonchalantly against the threshold of his bedroom and measured him with his eyes, slowly gliding across his body from head to toe.

"You know, I didn't think that I would be able to drag you into my bedroom so quickly..." he began. "And it turns out you dragged me here."

Jeongguk instinctively looked around. He was so overwhelmed by the painting hidden under the black cloth that he didn't even realize he had entered the tattoo artist's bedroom. The bedroom was also quite dark. The wall behind the bed was bricked, as was the one in the living room. There was a painting hanging above the bed, which was also certainly the work of a tattoo artist.

He looked at it closely. The painting was quite an abstract jumble of shapes and colors. At first, it seemed to him that it did not represent anything specific, but the longer he stared, the more certain he was that these strange streaks and shapes made up the image of two bodies writhing in ecstasy.

He instinctively moistened his lips, feeling the temperature in the room rise strangely. Suddenly everything in this room felt bloody sexy to him. An erotic painting on the wall, a large bed covered with black sheets, a mirror that adorns almost the entire wall on the right, and that red-haired man standing on the threshold and staring at him with his dark, really intense gaze.

Jeongguk stood paralyzed. Everything seemed to spin around him. When he saw Taehyung push his body away from the threshold and started walking towards him, he held his breath as if afraid even that would be too loud. The tattoo artist came so close to him that they were only inches apart. Brunet could feel the warmth emanating from his body.

The red-haired man looked him straight in the eyes, he was silent, and he had the impression that he would feel those wonderful, soft lips on his own. After a moment, however, Taehyung took another step, passing him. His body almost brushed Jeongguk's, but it only lasted a few seconds. The tattoo artist held out his hand to him.

"Come on," he said softly.

His voice was low, almost to a whisper, which made it sound even more sensual. Brunet clearly hesitated. He stood still, hardly breathing.

"Trust me," added the redhead. Jeongguk blinked a few times, but finally offered him his hand.

The tattoo artist went to the door that was located at the back of the room, then opened it and entered the room, leading the brunet behind him. It was dark inside, and only after a while the boy turned on the light.

"Oh Jesus..." Jeon groaned, instinctively bringing his hand to his mouth. "Tae, this is..." He trailed off, not knowing how to put it into words.

He took a step forward and began to look around, carefully following every inch of this wonderful room. He remembered a few hours earlier he had dreamed of being able to look at the sketches in Taehyung's notebook. He thought then that maybe it would never be possible, and the tattoo artist did something like this...

He couldn't believe it.

He was just standing in his art studio, and he knew that in this way, he could see into his soul.

The studio was not large. There was a small drawing table and a few easels. There were paints, brushes, crayons, pencils on the ground, literally everything you could imagine. He noticed a few, maybe even a dozen already completed paintings against the wall. On one of the easels there was a painting that Taehyung must have recently drawn.

Seeing what it was, he couldn't believe his eyes. The eyes he saw every day when he looked at himself in the mirror stared at him from the white sheet of paper. His face was drawn so precisely that it felt as if it was a photograph, not a drawing.

How is it possible that Tae remembers his features so accurately?

He even drew the tiny scar he had on his left cheek and a tiny mole under his lower lip. In the sketch his hair was as if wet from the rain, slightly wavy, his lips slightly parted, they looked as if they were sparkling with saliva, as if someone had just stopped kissing them.

He knew exactly when Tae could see him like this.

It was that night. The night he'd let him kiss him like nothing else and no one else mattered.

"I drew it when I got home on Saturday. I couldn't stop thinking about you and painting helps me... So..." he explained, a bit embarrassed.

He didn't plan on showing him his studio, but he didn't feel uncomfortable about bringing him here. He didn't know why, but he wanted Jeongguk to get to know him better. There was a strange bond between them that he had never felt before.

Yes. He was attracted to him, but what he felt about him was more than just physical attraction. He couldn't put it into words, but he knew it was something important, and he wouldn't let it out of his hands.

He wasn't very lucky in life. He had to fight for everything he had and work hard for it. He knew Jeongguk was something good, even though he couldn't say why, and he wanted him to be part of his life.

"Come on, the bibimbap is about to get cold," he choked out after a while, and Gguk nodded and started to leave.

***

When Jeongguk finally entered his apartment, it was quite late. Taehyung made a delicious bibimbap, which they ate together, chatting and joking, and at the end of the day Jae wished him to read him a bedtime story.

He couldn't say no to him.

As a result, him and Taehyung sat down next to the boy's bed and read him his favorite fairy tale, divided into roles. He had to admit that he hadn't had so much fun in a long time. When Jae finally fell asleep, he decided it was time to escape.

He preferred not to be left alone with Tae. This day was rich in many events and emotions that he had to compose in his head. He liked spending time with him. The tattoo artist was a really cool and funny guy, but there was still this weird sexual tension between them that he couldn't quite deal with.

He had never been attracted to another man before, and Taehyung was too much for him. He was handsome and intriguing, so bloody capable and passionate, but today he showed him something completely different. Watching the boy take care of his son, he felt something he couldn't even put into words.

On his way home, all he thought was him and how cute Jae was. The little one was wonderful. It was enough to spend ten minutes with him and you were already in love with him. He had the same pugnacious smile as his father and big, innocent eyes.

When he entered the apartment, he noticed that there was only dim light on in the bedroom. He took off his shoes and immediately headed for the room at the back of the apartment. As he crossed the threshold, he noticed Lisa sitting on their bed in a nightgown and a bathrobe. The girl was probably ready to go to sleep. She painted her toenails intently.

"Hello, beautiful," he greeted and walked over to the bed, then kissed his fiancée on the lips.

"Hey darling. Why so late? Have you been working so long?" she asked casually, still focusing her attention on spreading the nail polish evenly over the nail plate.

"Yeah. It took a little longer," he replied quickly, not wanting to go into details.

He knew Lisa well enough that he knew that the girl would not ask for anything anyway. In fact, his business meetings didn't interest her much. He walked over to the closet and took out his sleeping suits, then laid them on the bed and sat on the edge of it.

"How was your evening?" he asked, slowly unbuttoning the buttons on his black shirt.

"Oh! Lovely. I was at the beautician and then I went to the SPA. It was so great that I overstayed and didn't have time to get my nails done, but maybe Rose and I will have time to go into the salon tomorrow."

"It's good you got some rest," he nodded, then slid the black fabric off his shoulders.

Lisa finished painting her nails and lifted her head to look at him. She reached out and ran her hand gently over his left bicep. Jeongguk closed his eyes for a moment, feeling her touch. Her hands were soft and her touch was barely perceptible, so different from Tae's. Suddenly he thought of today's events.

"Lisa..." he began hesitantly, feeling his pulse quicken with nervousness. "Lisa, do you find my scar disgusting?" he asked finally.

"W-what?" the girl said and laughed a bit nervously.

"Do you think the scar on my back is hideous?" he asked again.

"Scars are always ugly, aren't they?" Lisa replied as if she were completely confused by his question.

He had never spoken to her about it before, although he knew, or had been convinced so far, that it was so.

"I noticed you never touch me there..." he continued.

He still had his back to her, and he didn't dare to look at her. He was afraid he would see her disgusted expression. His hands were sweating with nervousness. He licked his lips.

"Even when you make love to me... You never touch my back. If anything, it's just the left shoulder. The right one never..."

"What are you saying, honey?" Lisa said, clearly nervous. "I think you got it wrong. Sure I'm touching it..." she added, though Jeongguk caught the trembling of her voice and saw that her timbre was slightly higher than usual.

He felt a strange burning sensation under his eyelids and his lower lip began to twitch slightly, so he bit it with his teeth to stop its trembling. He knew what he was saying was true. Lisa never touched his back, and with this lie, she only further confirmed the truth of his words.

"Yeah, you're probably right," he managed finally, trying to contain his emotions. "I must have mixed up something," he added, then grabbed his sweatpants and got out of bed. "I'll go take a shower. I'm tired," he said, then left the room as quickly as possible without even turning around.

He had the feeling that if he did, he would fall into a thousand pieces and perhaps never pick up again.

***

Ayashee:

Another chapter is behind us.

And what do you think about the story of Tae and Jiwon?
How do you like our little Tiger?

Jeongguk is slowly starting to notice the difference between Tae and Lisa, should he make a move?

xoxo