"Hop!" Taehyung called as he sat his son on a chair at the table.

After the morning fight with wardrobe, the little one was finally dressed in denim shorts and a white T-shirt with thin gray stripes. When the boy put him in place, the little one started waving his little legs. His feet were still bare. Tae glanced at his watch and cursed silently. It was almost ten, and he was so behind with everything. The little boy hadn't eaten breakfast yet, and of course he had forced him to make him pancakes, without which he couldn't function, and Tae hadn't even had time to shower.

He was still barefoot, with black sweatpants on his legs, and a thin, slightly stretched T-shirt that he slept in on his shoulders. His red hair was matted and twisted from the pillow. He knew Jeongguk would most likely be here soon, and possibly looking like a million dollars when he was in a total mess.

He looked quickly at the pan where the first pancake was frying, then grabbed one sock that was lying on the table and began to put it on his son's right foot. As soon as he had time to put it on and took the other in his hand, he suddenly heard the doorbell ring. He cursed silently.

"Be good," he commanded, pointing his index finger at Jae, then ran quickly to the door.

As he passed the tiny mirror, he thought for a second if he should check what he looked like. However, he quickly gave it up when he realized that a few seconds and a quick run through his hair with his hand would be of little use. He sucked in a breath and opened the door. As soon as he opened it, Jeongguk was spotted. For a brief moment their eyes met, and he had the feeling he couldn't remember how to breathe again.

As expected, the brunet looked even better than a million dollars. He had seen him in suits so often that he was almost shocked every time the boy was wearing something more casual. He liked him that way even more. Unable to help himself, he eyed him carefully from head to toe.

His athletic legs were adorned with light-colored jeans with rips on the knees, similar to the ones he had on their date. The denim fabric hugged his athletic thighs almost like a second skin, and Tae was convinced it had the same perfect fit for the curve of his tight ass, even though he couldn't see it now.

The raven haired boy was wearing a white T-shirt that clung to his hard chest and which was merely tucked loosely behind the leather belt that held his pants. Seeing that its left side was not being held by anything, he felt the temptation to slip his hand under it and examine the hard muscles of his abdomen with his fingertips. Over his broad shoulders, he wore a thin black-and-white Balenciaga sports jacket that probably cost more than his right kidney on the black market.

"Hey," the boy greeted, a smile on his soft lips.

For a few crazy seconds, Tae had an urge to push him against the wall and kiss this perfect lips until his lungs failed him, or even longer.

If he were to die now, he would like to die like that - kissing those soft lips until he suffocated from the lack of oxygen.

Embarrassed, he cleared his throat and smiled gently as he ran his hand nervously through his red, tousled hair.

"H-hey," he choked out. "Sorry, I know I was supposed to be ready, but... As you can see..." he added quickly, pointing to his sloppy clothes and bare feet.

The brunet bit his lower lip and measured him from head to toe, gliding over his body with his sexy gaze, then reached out his hand and grabbed a strand of his hair, taking off something white from it.

"Let me guess? You are making pancakes?" he said, then pushed his body away from the wall he was leaning against and passed him on the threshold, almost brushing against him. The scent of his perfume lift into the air creating a delicate cloud, leaving behind a pleasant aroma.

Taehyung cursed silently, feeling his heart pound in his chest, then closed the door and turned to Jeongguk. The boy took off his sports shoes and, without asking, walked towards the kitchen.

"Hello, little tiger," he called as he saw the little boy sitting on a chair by the table.

"Hi Googie!" the little one shouted, waving his legs.

Tae ran quickly to the pan and began tossing the pie to the other side. Jeongguk took Jae's second sock from his hand and began to put it on the baby's feet.

"Are you happy you're going to the zoo?" he asked, gently brushing the soft hair out of the boy's eyes.

"Yes! Dad said that tigels like me live there!" Jae said proudly, and Jeongguk laughed at the little boy's words.

"If you want, go take a shower, I'll finish it," the brunet suddenly suggested, coming up to the tattoo artist.

"You're a guest, you didn't come here to..."

"Give it to me!" Jeon cut him off and held out his hand for the tattoo artist to hand him the glove and step away from the torch. "I'll make the little one pancakes and you can get ready."

The tattoo artist regarded him for a moment with his eyes, but when it looked like the dark haired man had no intention of giving in, he finally gave in to his will. He took off the glove and handed it to the boy. Jeongguk immediately slipped it into his hand and flipped the pancake over. His movements were as smooth as if he had done it many times before.

"I literally need five minutes," the redhead said quickly.

"Relax, Tae," Jeongguk replied, smiling softly at him. "Take as much time as you need. I can handle it," he assured him.

"Be good, Jae," Kim said, and headed for his bedroom.

He took boxer shorts, black jeans, and one of his favorite T-shirts out of the closet, then headed for the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and quickly kicked off his sweatpants and pulled off his T-shirt, then slipped under the rain shower, naked. His bathroom had both a tub, which he used to bathe Jae, and a shower cubicle. He turned on the water and let the pleasantly warm stream soak his red hair and caramel skin.

Nothing beats a hot shower, he thought.

The heat and power of the water were just outstanding and the good news was he didn't have to rush. He couldn't remember the last time he took a shower, not realizing the passage of time, thinking about leaving almost as soon as he could turn on the tap. Before he could enjoy it, he already had to come out from under the warm stream to get ready and drive Jae to kindergarden to get to work in time. Now, taking advantage of the fact that he had a moment to himself, he let the water warm up his sleepy body pleasantly. He closed his eyes and let the hot water run down his face. He ran his hands through his hair, eyes closed, hot water streaming down his body.

As the stream got hotter and the shower cabin was foggy with the rising temperature, his thoughts also began to circulate in an increasingly dangerous direction. The longer he stood alone under the hot stream of water, the more he wished the bathroom door would suddenly open and the naked and so damn beautiful body of a brunet who was now probably frying pancakes in his kitchen slipped into the shower just behind him.

How did it even happen that this boy snuck into his life so quickly?

On the one hand, he was so desperate looking for something to discourage him. He wanted the brunet to do something unforgivable, to turn out to be a regular asshole like most of the guys he had known so far, or some attention whores like the women who were trying to hit on him, but the boy had only one defect.

One and only defect he knew well and couldn't forget - Lisa.

He didn't know the girl, but he was so fucking jealous of her. He still had the thought in the back of his head that if he had met Jeongguk before the boy proposed to her, their relation could have been completely different. He knew he shouldn't think that, but it was stronger than him. He felt as if fate had laughed in his face, crossing their paths the day after his proposal.

Now the boy belonged to someone else, and he had no right to interfere.

With that in mind, he turned the water off and brushed his wet hair with his hands. He opened the booth and left quickly. He reached for a towel and gently wiped the water off his chest with it, then draped it over his narrow hips. He readied his clothes, stripped off his towel, and dried his legs with it. He quickly slipped black boxer shorts on his thick ass, and then also black pants. He threw a T-shirt over his back and sprayed his favorite perfume.

He left the bathroom without even looking in the mirror and immediately headed towards the kitchen to check how Jeongguk was dealing with his son. Before he saw them, Jae's loud laughter assaulted his ears. As he crossed the threshold, he noticed the raven haired man trying to make something like vampire fangs out of two pieces of pancake and a deep laugh escaped his throat. Surprised Jeongguk lost one of the pancake pieces on the table, and managed to catch the other one in flight, he looked up and for a moment their eyes met.

Taehyung looked extremely sexy, wearing only black skinny jeans, torn at the knees and a thin T-shirt cut deep in the neckline. His red hair was still wet, combed back to show his forehead and beautiful features that seemed even sharper in the dark corridor lighting.

"I didn't know you turned into a vampire after eating pancakes, should I be afraid of you?" the tattoo artist teased as he entered the kitchen.

Jeongguk noticed that his feet were still bare, drops of water dripped from his red strands and slowly moved down his neck, finally soaking into the black fabric of the T-shirt. The tattoo artist moved as silently as a wild cat, gently twirling his hips. There was something extremely masculine and sexy about the way he moved.

"Who knows? Maybe you should," the brunet replied, wanting to tease him. "I always attack when you least expect it."

The redhead approached them and stroked the head of Jae, who was holding a piece of pancake in his hands and was eating it with appetite. When the tattoo artist was this close, Jeon could smell the characteristic scent of his perfume. It was a delightful combination marked with notes of bergamot, cedar and citrus. Additionally, he could smell the shower gel from him and his fingers were itchy to run them over his wet strands.

"What if I like to be scared?" asked a low voice suddenly close to his ear. The tattooist's hot breath was pleasantly teasing the skin on the back of his neck, making him shiver.

Jeongguk glanced stealthily at Jae, as if afraid the little one might understand or perceive the subtle flirting, but the little boy was still eating relishly without even looking at them. Besides, he was too small to understand what was happening.

He barely understood it himself.

There was something strange between them that he couldn't explain. It took just a moment for the sexual tension between them to reach its zenith, and yet none of them dared to cross that unwritten line. Perhaps, however, this only added to the spice.

"What if I like to be bitten sometimes?" he continued, his voice dropping almost to a whisper.

Brunet held his breath and clenched his hands tightly on the table-top. A flame seemed to spread through his body, almost consuming him from within. The proximity of the tattoo artist was overwhelming. He could feel the heat of his breath, the smell of his perfume.

Before he could react, however, Taehyung suddenly moved away from him and bent over his son, biting into a piece of pancake that he was holding in his hands. As Jae started laughing out loud, Tae kissed his cheek, then straightened up and looked Jeongguk straight in the eye.

"Can I get one pancake?" he asked, as if nothing had happened, but his gaze remained so damn intense that the brunet couldn't breathe. "They're really delicious and I'm thirsty."

***

Jeongguk glanced surreptitiously at the man sitting next to him. Taehyung's hair was still slightly damp, and he was sitting with his legs wide apart so that his knee was almost touching his thigh. He was wearing dark sunglasses, which made him unable to see his eyes, but nonetheless he was almost convinced that the tattoo artist would also glance his way from time to time.

The window on his side was slightly ajar, and the wind blew his red hair from time to time while sweeping Jeongguk with the boy's perfume. That manly and bloody overwhelming smell that made him feel like he was going to lose control of himself. His hands tightened on the black steering wheel, he was silently thanking for being almost at Seokjin's house. He stopped the car quite a distance away, not wanting Yerim or Seokjin to see that he hadn't come alone and asked a million awkward questions, then looked at the tattoo artist.

"I'll pick up Yoo and be right back," he said, taking out his seatbelt and without waiting for a reply, got out of the car and ran towards the house.

All he had to do was take a few steps towards the house and the door swung wide open, and after a while he saw the figure of little Yoo running towards him, her arms outstretched, ready to jump into his arms. It was their little ritual. Whenever he came to take her for an ice cream or some other outing, all he had to do was take a few steps along their lawn, and she was already running towards him. Laughing, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her high on outstretched arms.

"Good morning princess!" he called, then looked over the girl's shoulder toward the entrance, where Yerim stood in the doorway.

The woman leaned against the threshold and watched them with a radiant smile. Jeongguk saw that she was holding a small red backpack in her right hand, so still with Yoo on his shoulder, he approached her and held out his hand for the little thing.

"Be good and do not exhaust your uncle," she said to her daughter, stroking her dark hair and giving her a quick kiss on her cheek. "Gguk, if you have enough of her, call me," she said to him, kissing gently his cheek in greeting.

"Relax, we'll be fine. I will probably bring her back at dinner time," he replied.

"Have fun," the woman added, and the brunet nodded and turned on his heel, moving towards the car.

"I have a surprise for you," he finally said to the girl, when he was sure that Yerim had disappeared behind closed doors. The little girl's eyes widened, fascinated by his words. "We'll have company today. My friend Tae and his son Jae will come with us. They are already waiting for us in the car," he explained.

It felt weird calling Tae his friend, but that's what they were after all, right?

During the recent events, a kind of friendship has developed between them. They spent more time together, got to know each other. Tae, he was his friend as well as Jimin and Hoseok. They just needed more time to get to know each other better. At least that was how he tried to explain to himself, although every time he repeated the word "friend" in his head, he knew he was trying to deceive himself.

Taehyung was by no means the same friend as Jimin or Hoseok.

He wasn't attracted to them, he didn't think about them in the shower, or when he went to bed, lying next to his fiancée. He didn't feel so strangely excited just thinking about seeing one of them again, and he didn't have damn butterflies in his stomach for the sound of their voices.

Goddamn butterflies!

Until now, he had thought such things happened to characters of romantic books or silly comedies on Netflix. He was convinced that this was just empty talk for teenage girls. He had never experienced it before, but when Tae called him and told him he missed him, not a herd but fifteen herds of butterflies danced in his belly.

He took a deep breath and opened the door in the back to seat Yoo in the seat and picked up the baby. Once he had fastened all the security locks, he closed the door and quickly got into his seat.

"Oh my! You look like a fairy!" Yoo yelled, glaring at Tae in awe as the tattoo artist turned to her side, snorting with laughter.

"I'm not a fairy, but I can work wonders for sure and I know a lot of cool tricks," the boy said, sending a mischievous smile at Jeongguk. The raven haired boy almost choked on his own saliva at these words.

Thank you, God that these two little ones still had unblemished minds, because he certainly hadn't thought of the magic tricks Yoo had thought of, and he was sure that tattoo artist's smirk meant that he, too, meant tricks for adults.

"You have hair like my favourite doll!" added the little girl. "And you are so beautiful!" Saying this, the girl put her hands to her reddened cheeks, squealing with delight.

The tattoo artist laughed out loud, then reached out to the little one with his hand and grasped her hand. Jeongguk couldn't help but notice how big his hand was compared to that tiny baby's hand.

"You are pretty. Even more beautiful than your uncle said," he replied. "My name is Tae, and you? What's your name?"

"Yoorim, but everyone calls me Yoo," the girl greeted in a proud voice.

"Hi, Yoo," the tattoo artist said with a smile, squeezing the little girl's hand gently.

"Ggukie! He has coloring on his hands!" Yoo exclaimed as she noticed the hand reaching out to her had tattoos as well as the strong forearm of a tattoo artist, and Jeongguk laughed out loud.

"Oh yeah, Yoo. Tae has a lot of coloring on his body," he replied, glancing stealthily at the man sitting next to him.

"I want it too!" Yoo continued.

"When you are big, I can do one for you," Tae answered gently. "And this pretty boy next to you is Jaesung, but you can call him Jae. This is my son."

"Hi, Jae!" she screamed excitedly, and Jae looked at his father with large, scared eyes.

"I-I am Jae, and this is my dad!" he said shyly, and Jeongguk laughed.

"Okay, now that we all know each other, we can go to the zoo, how about that?" he asked.

As the car filled with cheers, the brunet glanced at Tae sitting next to him, then started the engine, still smiling.

It will be a wonderful day, he thought.

***

"Jae! Jae! Look!" Yoo yelled as she ran quickly towards the runway where the giraffes were walking.

The toddler released his father's hand and ran after the girl, quickly moving his small legs. Yoo looked back, then grabbed Jae's hand and pulled him toward the fence with her.

"Look! It's a giraffe!

"Dad!" the little squeaked, jumping up and down with excitement. "Gylaffe!" he repeated, pointing to the animal.

Taehyung approached the son and crouched down next to him, and the little one immediately surrounded his neck with his arms. Jae was grinning from ear to ear. Seeing this, the tattoo artist curved his perfect lips into exactly the same smile.

Jeongguk, unable to help himself, took out his phone and took some photos of them without them knowing. He didn't know why, but he wanted to capture this moment for longer. He wanted to keep it in his memory. When Yoo joined them, Taehyung put his arm around the girl and the three of them were watching the giraffe together, and the brunet couldn't take his eyes off them. He took a few more photos of them, this time with Yoo, then put the phone in his pocket and walked over to them.

"And you know that giraffes have such a long neck that they find it uncomfortable to sleep with their heads on the ground, so when they sleep, they rest their heads on their butt?" he asked.

The little ones started giggling and Taehyung looked at him, studying him closely.

"Have you watched National Geographic?" the tattoo artist teased.

"I love watching National Geographic," he replied, but as the redhead was still watching him intently, he rolled his eyes and smiled. "I just googled it a moment ago."

"Hahaha Naughty Boy is back," the tattoo artist laughed. "Come on, little ones, the monkeys are waiting for us."

"Come on, Jae!" Saying that, Yoo grabbed Jae's hand and continued to lead.

"Are you coming, Naughty Boy? Or should I hold your hand too?" he joked, and they both moved on.

They were walking so close again they were almost touching each other, but neither of them was going to increase the distance. Being so close felt oddly comfortable, as if it were meant to be.

"I said they'd get along," Jeongguk said after a moment, pointing to Yoo and Jae who were walking a few steps ahead, holding hands.

It was such a marvelous sight that a smile crept on his lips every time he looked at them. Since they entered the zoo, Yoo took over the role of the big sister and led baby Jae everywhere behind her, telling him about the animals.

"Thank you for inviting us," Tae said suddenly as they stopped at one of the fences where there were different species of monkeys, and the brunet looked at him. "Jae is so happy."

"It's a pleasure. Just look at them!" he replied without thinking, watching the two children laugh out loud while Yoo mimics the movements of one of the monkeys she has observed.

Jeongguk looked at Tae. The boy was standing so close to him now that their arms were almost touching, even though it wasn't necessary at all. There was no crowd around, they could easily keep their distance from each other, but it didn't bother him at all. He lowered his hand along his own body, and as he did, his hand rubbed against that of the tattoo artist, but neither of them stepped back or pulled away. They weren't holding hands, but their hands were touching each other. Their touch was soft, almost imperceptible, like the brush of a butterfly's wings.

"And you?" Jeongguk asked suddenly. "Are you happy too?" he added, looking ahead.

He did not dare to look at him. He didn't know why he asked or what answer he expected. The words rolled out of his mouth faster than he could even contemplate. Tae was silent for a moment, also staring ahead. Brunet, however, felt that the tattoo artist's hand pressed a little harder on his, and then his little finger brushed his, entwining gently with him.

"What if I say I haven't been so happy in a long time?" he asked quietly, but before Jeongguk could say anything, Tae grabbed Jae into his arms, who had just rushed towards him.

"Dad! Dad! Look! Monky!" the boy shouted.

"It's a monkey, honey," the tattoo artist corrected. "Ooh, look at that one over there. Do you see how big it is?" he asked, his eyes found Jeongguk's for a few seconds, but he quickly looked away.

Brunet stood paralyzed, staring in front of him thoughtlessly, even though he was not looking at anything specific. All he could feel was that gentle touch of the tattoo artist's hand on his and his silent confession.

"I haven't been so happy for a long time."

He wasn't so happy in a long time too. He felt carefree and so good that he thought he could do anything today, for the first time in a long, long time.

He slipped his hands into his pockets and watched the tattoo artist play with his little son. Yoo obviously liked him as well. When the boy made a silly face at her, Jeongguk put his hand over his mouth to hold back a laugh. The girl laughed out loud, and Tae crouched down to align with Jae and Yoo, just as he had done just moments before when he took their photo. The children wrapped their arms around his neck, and he wrapped his strong arms covered in black ink around them.

Could there have been a more beautiful view?

He probably had never felt so touched before, watching another man play with the kids. The kids themselves were adorable, but the contrast between the toddlers and the tattooed red-haired man almost knocked him off his feet. Plus, Tae had that lovely, overwhelming smile on his lips.

Taehyung took Jae in his arms, grabbed Yoo's hand, then turned and walked over to Jeongguk. The sun was shining brightly, which made him narrow his eyes against the glaring rays, but he could see that the tattoo artist's skin seemed more golden in that light.

"Are we going to the tigers?" Tae asked.

"After you," Jeongguk replied and smiled at him.

After a while he grabbed Yoo's other hand, and they walked together towards the wildcats run. He liked how natural it was. Walk alongside Tae, leading Yoo's hand as if it were their baby, as if Jae were their baby boy, as if they were family. He caught a few inquisitive glances along the way, but he didn't care at all. For the first time, he didn't care what other people thought. He felt too good to let anyone take this moment from him.

"Oh, tigels!" Jae called. "Dad, tigels!"

Jeongguk took Yoo in his arms, so she could see and admire the wild animals better. Tae looked at him and smiled charmingly, and the brunet approached him, again standing only a few centimeters away.

"That's the last point," he said carefully.

He knew well that this moment would finally come, but he didn't want this day to end. Time with Tae seemed to pass too fast. It seemed to him that they had just entered, and that wad already the last place.

Why do all the good times pass so quickly?

"It's not over yet," Tae replied, a smirk creeping across his lips. Jeongguk looked at him confused. There was an exit just beyond the tiger enclosure. "There's no real exit to the zoo without cotton candy," the tattoo artist explained, and the brunet laughed out loud.

"Noooo."

"Well, how not?" Kim quickly protested. "Right, Jae? If there is a zoo, it must be cotton candy."

"Yes! Cotton! Cotton!" screamed the little one, jumping up and down in his father's arms like a little ball.

"And you, Yoo? Do you want cotton candy?" Tae asked, and the girl nodded vigorously.

"Are you using the kids against me?" Jeongguk joked.

"You, Naughty Boy, have to get one too," Tae ordered.

"Tae..." Gguk began, laughing, but the tattoo artist grabbed his hand and started to drag him towards the stand where all kinds of sweets were sold.

Jeongguk did not put up much resistance. He allowed the boy to lead him to the designated place, but he was still laughing. The tattoo artist looked very determined and the excited little ones squealed loudly.

"Good morning," the redhead greeted the old man who was winding the cotton candy on the stick. "For this little tiger, one strawberry cotton candy, please, for this lovely princess..." He looked at Yoo as he said, expecting the girl to choose her favorite flavor.

"Blueberry!" Yoo called.

"And for this handsome guy..." He shifted his gaze to Jeongguk, and the boy felt his cheeks burn with shame.

"Tae... You don't have to..." he threw embarrassed. He could feel the expectant gaze of the old man on him.

"Okay, then we'll eat one in half. Can it be strawberry then?" Kim asked adamantly.

"Okay, take the strawberry," he agreed, giving up.

Taehyung grinned, proud of his accomplishment, then set his son down on the ground. Waiting for the cotton candy to be ready, he stroked the little boy's dark hair with his hand. After a while, each of the children got their portion, and Tae took his candy from the man and thanked him with a smile.

They sat down on a nearby bench so that the children could eat their sweets in peace, and Tae approached Jeongguk with a cotton candy stick in his hand.

"Try it," he commanded, and without waiting for his reaction, he tore off a piece of pale red down and slipped it into his mouth. "Ooh! How long have I not eaten it!" he groaned. "Come on," he said again, and when Jeongguk didn't react, he tore off a piece and held it towards the boy. "C'mon, don't be shy."

Brunet looked at his hand, then parted his lips and let the man slip the foam into his mouth, filling it with sweetness and the delicate flavor of strawberry.

It was definitely the taste of childhood.

He couldn't remember the last time he ate cotton candy. He was probably a little boy back then. He had a beautiful childhood. His parents loved each other very much and raised him and his brother in a loving home. He always had the best things. He could almost remember how he had been with his brother and parents at the zoo and insisted they buy him such a sweet, and they would obey his request every time. Those were fond memories, and he was sure that this moment would also be remembered for a long time.

He raised his hand almost involuntarily, and this time it was he who tore off a piece of cotton candy, then extended his hand to Tae. The tattoo artist, without the slightest hesitation, parted his lips, and in a moment they enveloped a delicate cloud, looking him straight in the eyes. The redhead licked his lips from the sweet residue, then slipped another portion himself into his mouth.

"It reminds me of childhood," he said finally. "I remember when I was a little boy and my mom would take me to the zoo and buy me cotton candy. If someone ever asked me what my childhood tasted like, that's what it was. I want Jae to have such a childhood too..." he finally confessed.

"And he will have one. You are a great father," the brunet replied, and Tae smiled a bit embarrassed.

The brunet pulled the pink fluff towards him again, and the tattoo artist grabbed it with his mouth. As he did so, his lips gently brushed the boy's fingertips, and Jeon swallowed hard. In response, the redhead broke off a piece of cotton candy and pulled it towards Jeongguk, and when the boy leaned a bit to grab it, he stained his face specially. Brunet stepped back in surprise, but laughing aloud.

"Hey! You can't do that!" he protested, pointing a finger at his dirty cheek. "Wipe it off!"

"No," Tae replied, laughing.

"Oh you!" Jeon snapped and grabbed the tattoo artist's wrist, pulling his body strongly towards him.

Taehyung was laughing out loud, trying to pull himself out of his grip while still holding the stick with the remaining cotton candy. The brunet pulled him to him so that the tattoo artist's back pressed against his chest, and they struggled for a moment, still laughing out loud.

Finally, the tattoo artist looked at him, breathing hard. Jeon held his hands firmly, pressing his body against him. Their faces were only centimeters apart. He felt his quick hot breath against his neck. They looked each other in the eye for a moment, then Taehyung did something he probably shouldn't have done, but he couldn't help himself. On an impulse, he brought his face closer to that of Jeongguk and ran his tongue over his cheek, collecting the remains of cotton candy from it.

"Mmmm, you're fucking sweet," Kim joked, smiling mischievously.

The embarrassed brunet blinked a few times, then released his grip, releasing him. They stared at each other for a moment, still breathing hard. What the tattoo artist did was part of the jokes and banter together, but that moment of closeness made both of them feel the growing tension anew, and the fire in the lower belly almost burned Jeon's insides.

"Jesus! You guys are a damn lovely couple!" a girlish voice suddenly squealed, and Jeon looked surprised at the group of teenagers watching them.

"We're not a couple," he choked out, and the teens laughed loudly.

"Yeah right!" one of them said, huffing and laughing out loud. The rest of the girls followed in her footsteps, then, laughing out loud, the whole group continued towards the exit.

***

Taehyung looked up cautiously to the man walking beside him. Jeongguk walked slowly, holding Jae piggybacked. A little boy was playing with his hair, making something like horns with it. Jaesung complained that his feet hurt from walking around the zoo, so all the way from the car to Tae's apartment, Jeongguk promised to carry him on his shoulders.

They both knew the little one was cheating to one of them to piggyback on him, but they didn't mind. Jeongguk immediately picked him up and the little one was delighted. Taehyung walked beside them, admiring how the boy's strong forearms hold the child's legs so that he would not be hurt.

The tattoo artist held his Balenciaga jacket in his hands, which the boy had taken off when it got too hot. He glanced down his athletic back, the tensing muscles of which were now visible under the thin white T-shirt. He couldn't wait when this beautiful back would decorate the work done by his hand.

In his mind, he could imagine those muscles tattooed with black ink tense during exercises, or how the water would slide over the tattoo as the boy took a shower, how a trickle of sweat would run down his tattooed spine if his body writhed under him in erotic ecstasy. His mouth went dry at the thought of how the boy would look naked, leaning in front of him in his bedroom.

Instinctively, he shifted his gaze slightly lower, towards his ass. The boy's hips were narrow, as was his waist, which was made to rest his hands on it, but he hadn't had a chance to see his buttocks before. Now, when the boy took off his jacket and his white T-shirt was tucked under the leather belt, he could admire them almost in all its glory.

The brunet had an amazing ass without a doubt. Usually, men that slim had nothing to boast about, but Jeongguk had a tight, round butt with strong buttocks that was certainly the product of jogging or the product of hours spent in the gym, and one that looked extremely hot in tight pants. It reminded him of a beautiful, ripe peach you wanted to eat right away. His ass was so sexy you just wanted to grab it, lick it, bite it... or do something really sexy with it.

Kim slowed the pace to increase the space between them a bit. He wanted to see Jeongguk move when he didn't know he was being watched. He had a really manly gait: long, firm but slow strides with a slight, unintentional sway of his hips. The way he moved was very sexy. And on top of it all, as he followed a few steps behind him, he noticed another damn sexy thing - his athletic thighs rubbing gently against each other with every step. Tae bit his lower lip, wishing he could run his tongue over the inside of his thigh.

Feeling the rising excitement, he quickly pulled out a cigarette and slipped it between his soft lips. He took a quick drag, as if he hoped the nicotine would quell his desire, or the smoke coming out of his cigarette would obscure the sight of that damn sexy body so sensually moving before his eyes.

Neither one nor the other worked.

Still, his thoughts fled to very inappropriate places, and he smoked almost all of his cigarette before they could reach the staircase. He took a last drag and dropped his pipe, then ran towards the door and opened it for Jeongguk to enter freely.

Climbing the stairs with Jae piggyback, apparently, was not a problem for the brunet. The boy climbed the steps without any effort, straining his thighs with every step, and Tae followed him, cursing himself silently for not being able to take his eyes off his athletic legs and round buttocks.

Brunet had a body like a young god. He did not know anyone who he would like as much as him. It was more than just physical attraction. He couldn't explain it. It was a bit like a crowd watching a car crash. You know you shouldn't look at it, but you can't look away. He was so fascinated by him that he couldn't pass by indifferently.

When Jeongguk brought Jae inside, he took him off his shoulders, and Jae ran straight to his room. Brunet moved his head from side to side, trying to move a bit the aching muscles.

"Does it hurt?" Tae asked, and his hand almost involuntarily touched the boy's neck, kneading the sore spot.

The tattoo artist's touch was gentle, but the boy precisely hit the tense muscle, tearing the sound of approval from Jeon's mouth.

"Oohhh," he groaned softly and tilted his head slightly forward, giving the tattoo artist better access.

Jesus.

His hands did wonders.

It was enough for the man to press his hand against his aching muscles a few times, and he immediately felt the pain subside. If he could, he would have let the tattoo artist rub his neck for hours, but he knew it wasn't the best idea. He carefully reached out his hand to rub the sore spot himself. As he did so, the fingers of his hand gently brushed those of the tattoo artists, and Taehyung quickly removed his hand.

"Gguk," Kim began suddenly, leaning against the door frame separating the hall from the living room. Brunet looked up and looked at him. "You wanna stay for dinner?" he asked. "Actually, I don't have dinner... Yet... I have to do something... But..."

"I'd love to stay," Jeongguk interrupted him. "I am not an outstanding cook, but if you want, we can cook something together."

"Okay," Tae agreed, then headed for the kitchen.

He washed his hands and looked in the refrigerator to see what products he had and what could be made of them. After a while he looked at the brunet.

"How about Kimchi bokkeumbap?"

"Fast and tasty. Tell me what to do," he replied with a smile.

"Take care of the rice, I will prepare the rest of the ingredients." Jeongguk nodded. "You want an apron?" Tae asked, his right eyebrow curving upwards playfully. "I have one to suit your athletic thighs and those lovely chocolate irises," he added, and Jeon tossed a kitchen mitt at him.

"Get lost, arrogant asshole," the brunet laughed.

"Ugh, too bad. It would be a wonderful sight."

"Wait while I pick up the knife," Jeongguk threatened, and the tattoo artist's melodious laughter filled the kitchen again.

"Oh! Sexy and dangerous. That's how I like them the most!"

"Better cut these vegetables, or I'll starve to death."

"Yes, Mr Naughty Boy" the tattoo artist agreed, saluting. Jeon huffed under his breath, shaking his head.

They cooked together while having casual conversation, but they both had a great time. They joked and exchanged various funny anecdotes about their lives, and Jae was sitting in the room on the couch watching one of his fairy tales. It was amazing how natural it all was, as if they had done it a hundred times before, even though it was only the first time. They were perfect, complementing each other in preparing the dish.

After forty minutes, everything was almost ready. Jeongguk stood by the pan, stirring fried rice on it, and Taehyung came close to him and looked over his shoulder to look at the pan.

"You wanna try?" asked Jeon, amused, then without waiting for an answer, he grabbed some chopsticks of rice and, putting his hand under them, not to accidentally drop anything, held them out towards the tattoo artist.

Taehyung parted his lips and allowed the boy to slide them into his mouth. The rice was delicious. However, when the brunet took the chopsticks from the mouth of the redhead, a lump of rice fell on Jeongguk's hand. Without thinking for long, the boy simply lowered his mouth and ate the rice from his hand. When he looked up, he found Tae watching him with his intense eyes.

It was only then that he realized that he had done something he shouldn't have been doing. Such things were done by couples, not by two friends. He didn't even know why with Tae such things came naturally to him. He didn't think about what to do with him, what he should say. It was fucking relaxing. When he was with Lisa, he was controlling himself almost all the time.

"We are a successful team," he said.

"The best," Taehyung confirmed, gently stroking his tattooed fingers over the brunet's chin, but he quickly turned on his heel and began to prepare the table.

Jeongguk watched in complete silence as the boy set the bowls on the table, still feeling the warmth of his hand against his skin.

"Tae, why are you single?" he asked suddenly.

The tattoo artist froze and looked at him in surprise. He did not expect to hear such a question. He had heard them often, but this time he didn't know what to say.

Because no one I met is you and you are taken?

"It's complicated," he finally managed.

"Even though I call you an arrogant asshole... You're not like that at all," he began, leaning his hip against the kitchen cabinets. Taehyung began spreading the food into bowls on the table. "I mean, you can be arrogant, you know it yourself..."

"You are making me blush with these compliments," the tattoo artist joked, and Jeongguk rolled his eyes.

"You know what I mean. You're a cool guy and... You're handsome. Even very handsome," he added, feeling his cheeks begin to burn.

He couldn't deny that Taehyung was an attractive man. He was tall, his body proportions were insane, he had amazing caramel-colored skin and beautiful, almost black eyes. He looked like a model, but had something extraordinary about him, and his style only gave him character and charm. Moreover, he was a great father. He was sure many women would dream of having a guy like that.

"Apparently I haven't met the one," replied the tattoo artist, shrugging his shoulders.

"The one?" the brunet repeated.

His lips parted as if to ask something else, but said nothing. He was silent for a moment, as if meditating on the tattoo artist's words, then looked at him again.

"Come on, tiger. We'll eat something," Tae called, and the boy got off the couch and ran to him. Taehyung sat him on a stool and held out a bowl for him. "Do you want a spoon or chopsticks?" he asked.

"Chopsticks," said the toddler, and Tae handed him the chopsticks, putting a rubber band with a baby tiger on them to make it easier to eat, then turned back to Jeongguk.

"You... You're bisexual, right?" Gguk asked suddenly, lowering his voice as if he were afraid that someone might hear their conversation.

Taehyung laughed out loud, embedded his tattooed hand into his red hair, then ran his tongue over his lower lip. Jeon saw the piercing in his tongue and swallowed hard.

"Yes," he admitted without the slightest embarrassment. "Although I'm definitely more drawn to men lately," he bit his lower lip lightly as he spoke.

"Did you know right away?" The brunet asked timidly. "That... that you like men too?"

"I must have figured it out at the age of thirteen or fourteen. I met a boy who was two years older than me and I couldn't stop thinking about him. He was the first person I kissed and then I met Jiwon. Until parting with her, I was never with any guy," the tattoo artist said, taking his place at the table, Jeongguk sat down next to him.

He was surprised with how easily the tattoo artist told him about his sexuality. He himself has never doubted his own. He was convinced that he liked women, but he began dating Lisa when he was only twenty-one. Previously, he had only one "serious" girlfriend whom he started dating when he was still a teenager.

"After Jiwon left... well... I lost faith in relationships, so I looked for rather simple relations. This is not a period I'm proud of, but I have learned a lot. About myself, my body, my needs. I've been with women and men..."

"And you prefer men now?" The brunet asked.

One particular man, the tattoo artist thought.

"You could say that," he said though. "And you and Lisa... How did you meet?"

"Lisa works at my father's company. We met right there."

"Oh, yeah. I could have expected this. She must be beautiful."

"Very," he confirmed.

The tattoo artist fell silent again. Jeongguk was grateful that Taehyung hadn't repaid him the same and asked about his orientation, because what would he say to him?

I never liked other men, but one day I stepped over the threshold of "Kinky Heaven" and saw you and suddenly everything changed? And suddenly nothing is the same as it used to be. I question all my decisions and it drives me crazy. I wish I could kiss you again and see if I can feel the world slowing down and vanishing again, leaving only us standing in the middle of this room, but I know I can't.

He felt himself torn by a thousand emotions again, but he did nothing. He only sat across from him, silently studying his face. The tattoo artist's lips moved gently, and he only dreamed of bringing his lips close to them and feeling their warmth again.

He didn't know why he was thinking about it so obsessively, as if that one kiss would free him from this strange spell.

Or was it all just in his head? Maybe in some way his imagination increased and changed what actually happened? Maybe there were no butterflies in his stomach at all, the world didn't slow down, maybe it was only the alcohol that made everything spin, and he felt as if his whole body was on fire as Taehyung touched him? Maybe if he had done it now, nothing extraordinary would have happened? The earth wouldn't tremble at all and the butterflies in his belly would never appear? Perhaps they would be just two people who have nothing in common...

"Are you happy with her?" Tae asked suddenly.

Jeongguk looked up, moving from the man's mouth to his eyes. Beautiful, dark, with gaze as intense as ever, but this time he saw something different in them. Something he didn't know before. There was some strange plea in them, almost despair, as if the boy was asking him to say something to him that would confirm that what he was doing was right, that he should stay away from him.

"Please tell me you're happy with her..." he whispered.

"Tae, that's..." he began, but paused, not knowing what to say. "Lisa... She has changed a lot since we started dating. She became more... I don't know. There have been a lot of tensions between us recently, but I hope it's temporary," he honestly admitted.

"W-When are you getting married?"

"We haven't fixed a date yet. Probably in nine or ten months. My father wants me to take his position as CEO of our company within a year. We're to get married before I take over the company."

"Let me guess. Your father cares about appearances and doesn't want you to live together without getting married while you lead the family business. Does he care what others say?" he asked, though in his mouth it didn't sound like a question at all.

"My father is very strict and has very high expectations. Especially with me, and our relationship is not the best. I would say it's quite... complicated," The brunet explained.

"He'd only go gray if you told him you're dating a guy whose body is covered in tattoos, and he has a child he produced at nineteen," the tattoo artist said, and reflexively snorted under his breath at the thought.

He and Jeongguk were from completely different worlds. They were like day and night, but after all, day and night cannot exist without each other, can they? After all, this is the beauty of this world, that sometimes even the two most distant worlds can merge into one and create something extremely beautiful.

"He would definitely be delighted," the brunet agreed, laughing in his mind at the very thought. He could see the fury on his father's face as he told him that he had found a boyfriend and would introduce him to Tae. "But to be honest, sometimes I feel like doing something that would drive him crazy. Sometimes I feel suffocated by it all, by all these expectations and restrictions. I live as if my whole life was one big exam and I hate it sometimes."

"Then do something crazy."

"I can't."

"You can. If you are afraid to do it yourself, I will do it with you. Whatever it is," suggested the tattoo artist with a strange twinkle in his eye.

He wanted to be able to see Jeongguk break those invisible shackles that bind his limbs. He wanted him to finally breathe and dare to decide and make up for himself. Without thinking about whether others will like it. Regardless of whether others would accept it and whether that was what they expected of him. He wanted him to finally start doing things for himself, to do what makes him happy. He wanted the boy to be happy that he was alive, and not to be afraid to take every next step, and he knew that this is how it is now. Jeongguk walked on a leash that others held, instead of walking alone wherever he wanted.

"Nooo," said the brunet embarrassed. "I can't..."

"Not today, but you'll see that someday I'll persuade you to do something really crazy," the tattoo artist said, looking him straight in the eye.

"Oh! Are you so sure about this?" The boy asked, laughing gently.

"I am," he replied shortly.

"That sounds like a challenge," Jeongguk said.

"That's a promise," the tattoo artist replied, recalling the pattern of a conversation from their first date, and a pugnacious smile crept on his lips.

***

Jeongguk stared at the TV screen where the Lion King was still played, his right hand almost unknowingly tracing the dark hair of the little boy who lay next to him on the couch, his head resting on his thighs. Taehyung was sitting on the opposite side of the baby, with his right foot in his left hand. Brunet looked at Jae and saw that the little one fell asleep. He looked so cute. His pale pink lips formed a cute pout, and his left hand was raised to his face, he was clutching Cooky, his favorite pink rabbit that the little one introduced him yesterday.

"Tae," he called softly, and when the tattoo artist looked at him, he surreptitiously nodded at the little one. The redhead smiled at the sight of his son sleeping. "Maybe I'll take him to his bed?" he asked.

"That's a good idea," Tae agreed. "Can you get up?" he asked, and the brunet nodded.

As carefully as he could, he slipped his right hand under the boy's legs and gently lifted him up, pressing him tighter against his chest while rising from the couch. Carrying the little one in his arms, he walked towards his room. He went inside without turning on the light and laid Jae on the bed. Taehyung before had dressed the baby in pajamas, so Jeon put the duvet over him and looked at him once more.

"Sweet dreams, little tiger," he whispered, and ran his hand once more through the soft hair of the child.

Brunet withdrew, but before he left, he leaned against the threshold of the room and looked at the little one again. Jae was wonderful. He felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at him. He didn't feel ready to be a father, but he would like to have a son like that. He knew it must have been a hard time for Taehyung to become a father at such a young age, but in part he was a little jealous of him.

Suddenly he felt a hand slip into his, then pull him gently toward him. Jeon looked over his shoulder behind him and saw Tae. The tattoo artist pulled him towards him, and Jeongguk allowed him to move out of the baby's room. They carefully closed the door behind them.

"Would you like to have a drink with me?" the redhead asked when he was sure that his voice would not wake the little one. Brunet stroked his neck and looked at the watch hanging in the kitchen.

"I should probably go already," he said reluctantly.

He didn't want to leave this place at all. He felt great in this house, with Tae and his son.

"Oh, yeah. Probably Lisa is waiting for you..." Taehyung muttered, embarrassed.

Jeongguk reached for his jacket and looked at the tattoo artist. He wet his lips and stared at him silently for a moment. If he was going to get out of here, he should probably start shuffling his feet, but his seemed to be refusing to obey him. He couldn't move.

He didn't want to go out of here. Not yet.

"You know what?" he began carefully. "I will have a drink with you..."

At his words, Taehyung smiled automatically. Without a word, he headed for the kitchen and looked into the refrigerator. He took out two bottles of soju and turned to the brunet, lifting the alcohol so that the boy could see what he was holding.

"Soju?" he asked, and Jeon walked over to him and held out his hand to take one of the bottles from him.

"Come on, we haven't seen the end of the movie yet," he said, smiling a little, and walked over to the couch, then sat on it, making himself comfortable. Taehyung snorted under his breath and followed in his footsteps.

"Oh! You're right! I'm dying to know if Simba will take the throne," he joked, then fell on the couch next to the brunet.

He stretched out his legs and rested them on the table. The couch was big enough that they could easily sit on it so as not to touch each other, but their arms were still almost touching.

"This is his favorite story?" he asked, and Tae laughed, filling the living room with his beautiful, melodious laugh.

"I know every line by heart," he replied, then turned to the brunet. "You'll be a great father, you know?" he said suddenly.

"If I am someday," the brunet corrected him, and Taehyung drew his eyebrows together, not understanding what the boy meant.

"Why do you say that?"

Jeongguk sighed loudly and smiled faintly. This time, however, the smile did not reach his chocolate irises. It was another thing he and Lisa didn't quite agree with.

"Lisa... I don't know if she wants children," he finally confessed.

The girl kept telling him that she would want to have children of her own one day, but only now she wasn't ready for it, but he wasn't so sure. He was concerned that Lisa would not want to be a mother, although this was the first time he had told someone else about these fears. Until now, he had suppressed them within himself.

"Apparently, when we talked about it, she said she would want to one day. Now we're both too young to have kids, and I also think it's too early now... But when she sees Yoo... I don't know. She acts a bit like seeing a smelly egg."

"You think she's telling you this to deceive you?" Tae asked carefully.

"I don't know... Maybe in a few years she will want a child."

"I did not even have time to think about it properly, and it turned out that I will be a father. I won't say it was easy, because it was fucking hard at times. Especially when Jiwon disappeared and the little one had colic and cried at night and I didn't know how to deal with it and then I had to go to work for a whole day, but I just need to look at him and I don't regret anything. Jae is my whole world."

"I like to hear you talk about him," Jeongguk admitted.

"I'm probably talking like some sloppy boy," Tae snorted.

"No. You sound like a father who really loves his child."

"You think so? I cannot imagine my life without him."

"And his mother? If she reappeared now, would you get back with her?" he asked.

He didn't know why it was suddenly so important to him. He did not want Taehyung to bond with Jae's mother again, although he knew that thinking like this was at least inappropriate. He had no right to think that. He didn't know her and didn't know if the tattoo artist still had any deeper feelings for her. Just the thought made him feel sick.

"When Jiwon left, I was very depressed. I thought the world was going to end. Although, now that I think about it, it seems our relationship would not survive. It was my high school love but I can't see us together now. I guess sometimes this is how it is. People change, they mature and their paths diverge. Time strengthens some and divides others."

"You still have feelings for her?"

"I don't know if what we had in common was true love, because true love doesn't end, does it? But what we had is long over. I think long before she was gone. Besides, I think she has met someone. I never asked her that, but that was my feeling. Perhaps this made her decision even easier, but apparently nothing happens without a reason. Maybe it was supposed to be like that? Sometimes something has to fall apart in order for something else to happen, right?"

"Probably you are right. Maybe it's stupid, but I've always believed in destiny, or at least wanted to believe in it."

"You think there's someone meant for me somewhere?" he asked, but there was a slight mockery in his voice.

"I want to believe in that."

"What if I can't be loved?"

"Sure you can. You're a great guy," he protested, surprised by Taehyung's words.

"Too bad it's not enough," Kim snorted.

"It would be enough for me..."

"But you're dating a long-legged, beautiful model, not a tattooed guy, don't you?" he said, half jokingly, half seriously.

He didn't know why, but he wanted to provoke him to some kind of reaction. He didn't even know what he was expecting, but he couldn't help it.

"Who knows, maybe if I came to your studio three years ago..."

"You think it would make a difference? What about your theory of destiny? Maybe someone wanted us to meet right here and now?"

"Maybe..."

"Would you like it to be like that? Would you like there be any deeper meaning in it?

Jeongguk took a few sips from his soju bottle. He was silent for a moment, letting the tattoo artist's words linger somewhere at the bottom of his mind.

He wanted it to have a deeper meaning.

He believed that in the life of every human being there are people who have a specific function to fulfill. Each person is given to us for something. Some come to teach you, to make us aware, or to enrich us. Even those who hurt us are for something in our lives. Perhaps just to make us realize how important are those who care and love us despite our faults and imperfections.

He was convinced that Taehyung had a role to fulfill in his life. He could feel it in his bones, though he couldn't tell what his role was about. However, he was sure that the boy would play a very important part in his life. It certainly didn't come into his life for no reason. But he didn't say it aloud.

"I know it has some deeper sense," he said finally.

"I stopped believing in any kind of relationships or relations," the tattoo artist confessed, then brought the neck of the bottle to his mouth again, hugging it gently with his lips and took a few large sips. "I do not know. Perhaps because of what happened between me and Jiwon, I became estranged from women. Maybe that's why I'm drawn to dicks more now," he joked and took a few more sips of soju.

"Maybe someday you will meet someone who will restore your faith in happy endings," the brunet replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"There are no happy endings... At least not for me," the tattoo artist said.

"Don't say that, I'm sure someone's meant for you."

"What if the people who are destined to be together meet each other at the wrong time?"

Even though Taehyung didn't say it outright, Jeongguk was convinced the tattoo artist was talking about them and felt his pulse quicken.

"What if one of them is in a relationship?" he asked further.

"Tae... I..." he began, but suddenly the sound of his cell phone filled the room. He slipped his hand into his pocket to remove the device, but before he looked at the display, they both knew who was calling him. Jeongguk picked up and put the cell phone to his ear. "Yes?" he said shortly, unable to utter any caressing terms he usually used for his fiancée.

No, when Taehyung looked at him with his beautiful, dark eyes, in which the sparkles that had been shining so far, suddenly disappeared somewhere.

"Where are you, darling?" Lisa asked in a caressing voice. "I missed you."

Jeon wet his lips with his tongue and glanced surreptitiously at the tattoo artist as he grabbed the remote and paused the film. He looked a bit embarrassed. Jeongguk got up from the couch and ran his hand through his dark hair.

"I will be soon," he said shortly, hoping that the girl would not pursue the topic.

"Hurry up," Lisa replied in her melodious voice, "I have a surprise for you."

"Okay," so saying, the brunet hung up and looked at Taehyung. "I must go now," he said finally.

The tattoo artist nodded but said nothing. Jeongguk took his jacket and headed for the door. He started putting on his shoes quickly.

"Tae... What about your car?" he asked suddenly.

Taehyung approached him and leaned against the threshold separating the hall from the living room.

"I need to pick it up on Monday evening," he replied, watching closely as the brunet put on his sneakers. At his words, Jeongguk looked up at him from under the curtain of his long lashes.

"So how are you taking Jae to kindergarden in the morning?" he asked.

"I do not know yet. We'll probably go by bus," the redhead replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Maybe I'll drive you?" Jeongguk asked. "My office is on the way... I can pick you up. We'll drive Jae to kindergarden and then I'll drop you off at the studio," he suggested.

"Gguk," the tattoo artist said, looking at him with an unreadable gaze. "You own a fuckin' Mercedes, we both know well that you don't have an office in this district. Your father's company must be in a business area of ​​Seoul. It's not on the way."

"And you've got me again," he admitted. "I know you're gonna say you don't want to cause me a problem, that's why I said it, but I want to drive you."

"Okay. I will be grateful for your help," Tae finally said, surprising him that this time he didn't protest. "I start at ten on Monday."

"Then can I pick you up before nine?"

"We'll wait for you," the tattoo artist said with a gentle smile.

Jeongguk wanted to add something else, perhaps hug him goodbye, as he did with his friends more than once, but merely nodded at him and opened the door. He ran down the stairs quickly and found the Uber he had ordered for himself. He didn't drink much, but he would never have dared to get behind the wheel after drinking. He slipped into the back seat and leaned his head against the windshield, looking out over Seoul's street.

He was absorbed all the way in thoughts. He recalled the events of today in his mind, trying to relive them. The day was perfect, and he felt disappointed that it was over so soon. Why is it always so, that when you want a moment to last and last, it seems as if it was no longer than the blink of an eye? As he sat out for dinner with Lisa's bloated friends, every minute was like hours of torture, with Tae every hour seemed to literally slip through his fingers in seconds.

But maybe that was the charm of beautiful moments? That they were so fleeting?

He always believed in destiny, and he also couldn't forget the words the tattoo artist said at the end of their evening.

"What if the destined people meet at the wrong time? What if one of them is in a relationship?"

Was Taehyung talking about them? Did he also feel this strange bond between them? This attraction?

He had seen so many different romantic movies, he had seen love portrayed in books and in art, but there it always seemed that everything was at the right moment. What if it wasn't like that in real life? When he met Lisa, he didn't think it would be something serious, but it got serious over time. He had proposed to her, his whole family knew about their engagement, and the further he got into it, the less he was sure he was doing right.

What if he made a mistake in proposing to Lisa?

If he hadn't bought that ring that Wednesday, maybe everything would have looked different? He tried to find a clue to know what to do, but he had never been more lost in his life. Even goddamn fairy tales for children always ended with a proposal or wedding, and no one ever said what happened next.

What if the prince suddenly wakes up one day and it turns out that Cinderella is not the one he wants? What if Snow White states one day that she prefers one of the dwarfs to the handsome king?

Why are feelings in real life not that simple? Why doesn't anyone warn you that love and relationships are so fucking complicated? That being a good son and meeting the expectations of loved ones involves self-denial?

He had total chaos in his head. He didn't know what to do. The more he thought about it, the more he didn't feel ready for this wedding, but maybe everyone does? Maybe the fact that he has to promise someone that he will spend the rest of his life with her made such a mess in his head? It was a huge responsibility. Perhaps what he felt right now was merely the panic caused by their relationship becoming a lifetime promise?

When he finally got out of the car and headed for the skyscraper where his penthouse was located, he looked around. The garden surrounding the building was well-kept. The grass was so even he could measure it with a ruler, and surely each blade would be exactly the same length. Everything was perfect. Flowers and trees creating perfect patterns, each pavement tile perfectly arranged. Just as his life has been until now. Everything as in the picture. A beautiful, smart fiancée, a cool apartment, fashionable clothes, expensive cars, a perfect job.

People dreamed of the life he had at his fingertips, so why was it not enough for him? Why, instead of enjoying what he has, he was drawn to something new, dangerously sexy, with tattooed arms and a boxy smile?

He sighed loudly and started towards his apartment complex. He rode the elevator to the top floor of the building and swiftly opened the apartment door. His penthouse was definitely brighter than the tattoo artist's apartment, but now the only light came from the bedroom. So he took off his shoes and headed towards the room. As he crossed the threshold, he noticed Lisa lying on the bed. The girl was wearing a short lace nightgown that he had never seen before, so he guessed it was probably one of the things his fiancée had bought while shopping with Rose tonight. She looked really beautiful. When Lisa saw him, she immediately got up from the bed and walked over to him.

"I've been waiting for you, darling," she said, running her hand over his chest and staring at him coquettishly, then stood on her tiptoes and brushed her lips over his.

"Hi, beautiful," the boy greeted and began to remove his black and white Balenciaga jacket from his shoulders. As he did so, he sensed the faint hint of Tae's perfume and almost instinctively inhaled the scent into his lungs, as if he wanted to keep it for longer. "Did you have a good time shopping?" he asked.

"Oh, it was wonderful. I bought such a beautiful dress. I'm sure you'll like it. Just wait until you see me in it!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Jeongguk stroked her cheek with his hand and smiled softly at her.

"I always like you," he said. He walked over to the cupboard and took out his T-shirt and pajama bottoms.

"Honey..." Lisa began suddenly, approaching him again. She took the prepared garment from his hands and threw them on the bed, then climbed up on her toes again and kissed his lips. This time the kiss was stronger, marked with desire. "Did you drink something?" she asked suddenly, tearing herself away from him gently. "I thought you were going to spend the day with that little one..." she said, looking at him closely.

"I was with Yoo at the zoo and then had a little drink with Park," he said finally. "But we didn't drink much. I drank one bottle of soju," he explained.

"Well, I could have figured out that if you don't come home for so long, you must hang out with this boy somewhere," she said, clearly displeased. Jeongguk ignored the comment. He knew that discussing Jimin would do nothing and only usually lead to unnecessary arguments, so he ignored her remark. "I've been waiting for you," added the girl. "We couldn't get enough of each other on Wednesday, so I thought we'd make it up to you today.

Jeongguk looked at her surprised. Recently, their relationship was quite limp, so he did not expect that the girl would suggest something like that. If Lisa had proposed something like this two weeks ago, he would have been thrilled that they could finally get close, but now he didn't even feel like it.

"Not today, honey. I'm exhausted," he replied, then reached for his pajamas again.

"You're kidding me, right?" Lisa snorted, resting her manicured hands on her hips, but seeing his scolding gaze, the girl approached him again. She put her hand on his cheek and, standing on her tiptoes, pressed their lips together again, this time kissing him harder than before. "You are always ready for me," she whispered straight into his mouth and grabbed his white T-shirt, pulling it firmly from the waistband of his pants, then grabbed the leather belt that surrounded his hips, but before she could undo it, she was stopped by Jeongguk's strong hand.

"I said, not today," he repeated in a stronger voice.

He had been totally confused by the events of the last few days. He kept thinking about what he had learned and what had happened. He couldn't stop thinking about Tae, and he didn't want to make love to her and think about him. He had to come to terms with his feelings. Organize it all in his head.

"Just wait until I do you a nice hand job... I haven't done it for a long time. I'm sure you want it..." That said, Lisa slipped her hand off the waistband of his pants and squeezed his dick with it.

"Lisa, damn it!" he growled, then combed his dark curls in frustration. "I said I don't want to have sex today," he added, then grabbed his clothes off the bed and left the room.

He felt irritated by her behavior. He couldn't even count the number of times the girl had found silly excuses for refusing to be close to him. It was true that usually when there was a chance for a sexual intercourse, Jeongguk would use it, but the fact that Lisa was now using it against him upset him tremendously.

How many times had he been satisfied with the scraps of affection he was getting from her?

He did not want to be in such an intimate situation with her. He still had in mind what the girl had told him about his scar. Before he asked her that question, he had the thought somewhere in the back of his head, and he knew Lisa found it repulsive, but he had never dared to ask about it before. But when Tae touched his scar, and he said all those nice words to him, he wanted to cry, and he realized so painfully that Lisa had never touched him like that, and probably never would.

He locked the bathroom door with a lock to prevent the girl from accidentally stepping in, then grabbed the bottom of his T-shirt and slowly pulled it up, taking it over his head. He dropped it on the floor and cautiously walked over to the mirror that adorned the wall above the sink. Looking at his reflection, he slowly turned sideways enough to see a red scar across his right shoulder blade. His breathing was almost involuntarily shallower, he felt as though he were about to choke, but he forced himself to extend his left hand. With trembling fingers, he ran slowly along the now healed wound.

It felt as if someone had suddenly taken all the air. He could almost hear the screams, the sound of crushed metal and glass shattering into tiny pieces. He blinked a few times because his eyes seemed to be foggy. He could smell rain and damp and that foul, metallic scent of blood. He felt as if he had stepped back ten years in a split second. He felt sick, his throat tightened so much that he couldn't draw even a little oxygen into his compressed lungs. His hands began to tremble and sweat with nervousness, so he quickly removed his hand and leaned against the sink, breathing hard. He felt his whole body tremble, his eyes stung with tears welling up in them.

Only after a few minutes was he able to move again. He took off his pants and slipped into the shower. He stood under the icy stream as if he wanted to punish himself for something, until the cold water numbed his body and began to cause pain to him. He turned off the water and slipped out of the cabin. Now he was shivering with cold, but that was better than trembling at those nightmarish memories that he couldn't erase from his memory. So he dressed quickly, wiped his hair on the towel, brushed his teeth, then carefully left the bathroom. He hoped Lisa was already asleep. He didn't want any more confrontations with her, and he didn't want to talk to her.

To his satisfaction, the girl slept on her half of the bed. Jeongguk turned off the lamp and let the darkness engulf the bedroom, then lay down on the other half. Their bed was so big that their bodies didn't even touch, and he didn't even want to. He lay down in the dark and stared at the ceiling, lit by the pale moonlight. He did not know how long he lay there and sleep did not come.

Involuntarily, his thoughts returned through the empty streets of Seoul to the poorer and somewhat neglected district of the city. They climbed the stairs to the third floor of a small tenement house and slipped through the door into an apartment where he almost felt at home, even though he had only been there twice. And then, uninvited, pushed the door open leading to the bedroom with this beautiful, erotic painting on the wall in search of a red-haired man who seemed to fill every moment with himself and absorb his every thought.

Was Taehyung also lying in his bed now and unable to sleep thinking of him?

Pushed by some strange force, he got out of bed, grabbed his phone and went out onto the terrace. It was certainly very late. The streets were almost empty, with only a few cars appearing on them. The air smelled fresh. He looked at the almost black sky, lit by the stars, and for a moment he stared into its vastness.

He slipped his hand into the pockets of the sweatpants he was wearing and pulled out his cell phone. He lit the screen and stared at the clock for a moment, which showed almost four in the morning, then went into the contact list, picked one person, and pressed the green button.

He was almost sure the man would not answer. He didn't even know why he suddenly felt such a strong need to hear that beautiful, soothing voice in the middle of the night, but when after one beep, the sound stopped, and he heard this few words in the receiver that he had no right to dream of, his eyes glazed and his hand tightened around the phone.

"I've been thinking of you, too," said a low, deep voice, caressing his senses.

"I-I couldn't sleep," Jeongguk gasped, feeling his heart pound harder and harder, as if it was coming back to life after years of lethargy.

"Me neither. So I sit in my studio and finish the painting that was standing in the bedroom," Taehyung explained.

Even though he couldn't see it, he closed his eyes and summoned an image of the tattoo artist in his studio. He was almost convinced that his hair was slightly disheveled, as it had been when he saw him this morning. They fall softly on his forehead and beautiful dark eyes. There is a smear of paint on his left cheek that he got soiled as he brushed his fringe with his hand.

His chest is naked, smooth and caramel. It drops and rises in a slightly quickened breathing. His strong, tattooed arms and back tense with every brush stroke, when his is creating another breathtaking masterpiece on the white canvas.

The tattoo artist has bare feet and loose pants that gently flow around his narrow hips. When he ponders what to paint next, he rests the brush handle on his lower lip, which has a black piercing in it, or glides over it with his agile, pierced tongue.

Oh yes, that would be a sight!

"I was thinking... Why do all romantic fairy tales and movies end with an engagement or marriage, as if it were the only possible happy ending, as if the fact that you propose to someone suddenly eliminated all problems in some fantastic way? And what if Snow White, living in the dwarfs' house, fell in love with one of them and suddenly, standing on a wedding day at the church, realized that she did not love the prince at all, and she did not want to spend the rest of her life with him? Why does none of the fairy tales tell about what happened next? Maybe these stories do not have a happy ending at all?" he asked finally.

On the other side of the phone he heard a soft, melodious laugh, then what sounded like a tattoo artist had put his brushes down on the table. He was almost convinced that Tae was brushing his fiery red hair from his face.

"If this fairy tale happened in real life, Snow White would definitely choose the one with a thicker wallet," Taehyung joked. Jeongguk heard a sound like the flick of a lighter, and knew the tattoo artist had just slipped a cigarette between his soft lips, setting it on fire. "But since it's a fairy tale, I can write my own ending, can't I?" he asked, not expecting an answer. "Want to know how this story would end for me? I think Snow White would eventually realize that this is her life, that she cannot live up to the expectations of others forever, that she cannot allow others' opinions and expectations to limit or shape who she is. She would realize that there is more to life than pleasing others. Life counts more than blindly following the paths set by others, because you do not live for others, you live for yourself. And I think she would have kicked the prince in the ass, tucked the wedding dress and ran out of the church. Do you know what would be waiting for her in front of the entrance? That rebellious, damn handsome gnome who stole her heart. He would be wearing some cool clothes, tattooed arms and red hair blown in the wind."

Hearing the tattoo artist's description of the dwarf, Jeongguk smiled involuntarily.

"And if this is my story, instead of a horse or some stupid coach, he would be sitting on some fancy motorcycle," he continued. "And shit, I'll give him some black Ducati Diavel because it's really beautiful, and Snow White certainly deserved driving on something like that."

Jeongguk laughed, but tried to be quiet enough not to accidentally wake Lisa.

"And how would Snow White get on this bike in her big white dress?" he asked, teasing the tattoo artist.

"The dwarf would surely do something about it. He would have brought some sexy, ripped jeans with him, because he knows that Snow White's ass look like a million dollars in them. He must have seen it from every angle when she lived in their little cabin. So Snow White would stick that sexy ass into that tight pants, take off that damn tie from her neck that used to bind her, and jump on that matte black horse."

"Since when does Snow White wear a tie?" The brunet said teasing.

"Since when it is my story," the tattoo artist replied confidently. "Ties are only suitable for one thing, but it's a story for another fairy tale..." he joked. Even though the tattoo artist hadn't said it, Jeon knew the fairy tale would definitely be eighteen plus, but he merely bit his lower lip to hold back a smile. "So Snow White would mount that horse, and then they would ride together towards the beautiful setting sun that colored the sky with the finest colors of the rainbow, from orange to purple. Then they would travel from town to town fucking with each other hard and long..."

"And it was supposed to be a fairy tale for children?" Jeon snorted.

"Well, let it be..." he agreed reluctantly. "Then they would travel from town to town, hugging and kissing hard and long. They would be really in love with each other. And they would live long and damn happy lives. The End. Snow White - A true story. Read by Kim Taehyung," he ended dramatically and Jeongguk laughed softly again.

"I really like your story," he admitted, folding his lips into a beautiful smile even though the tattoo artist couldn't see it.

"I like it very much, too," he nodded. "If only the fairy tales could become real," he added, then paused for a moment.

They listened to each other's breathing for a long moment, saying nothing, but once again the silence was so damn nice that they could lose themselves in it. Jeongguk closed his eyes and listened for the sound of the tattoo artist breathing, and was sure Tae was doing exactly the same as he stood in his studio in the sexy twilight.

"It's late," he finally choked out after a long moment, though he didn't want to part with him yet.

"Sweet dreams, my Snow White," the tattoo artist said in a low, warm voice almost like the soft purring of a wild cat. His voice was like a lullaby, caressing gently and warming his senses.

"Good night, you rebel gnome."

***

Ayashee:

And how did you like it?

Jeongguk almost obsessively thinks about kissing Tae, is he right to think this kiss could set him free?

Should he dare to do it?
Or maybe Taehyung will dare to cross the line and fight for his happy ending?
Will Jeongguk leave the princess and run away with the rebellious gnome? 😅
Could this story have a happy ending?

Hope you liked the chapter.
In the next one, we'll learn more about Jeongguk's past.

Thanks for the stars and comments!

감사합니다 ♥

xoxo