Hoseok rose from his comfy leather armchair and buttoned his suit jacket button, then reached out and shook the slim one that stretched out towards him, bowing gently to his interlocutor. Together with Mr. Nakamura he walked slowly towards the door. He opened it for him and held it down, letting the man leave.
As the businessman disappeared through the door, he closed it behind him and turned on his heel toward the large mahogany desk that occupied the center of the office. He scanned the deserted room and fixed his gaze on the silhouette of the man who now stood with his back to him. His athletic body was hidden behind a black brand suit, his dark hair was brushed smoothly, and his gaze was fixed on the panorama of Seoul stretching outside the windows.
Jung undid his suit jacket buttons again and ran a hand through his dark hair, brushing it back, then started toward his friend. He approached him and stopped a few steps away. He also turned his face towards the skyscrapers emerging behind the window. The view was beautiful, in his spare time he loved to look out of his office window, and from Jeongguk's office the view was even more beautiful.
"You were very absent-minded," he said finally, summarizing his friend's behavior during the meeting. "Everything okay?"
In the days following his attack, Jeongguk had heard the question more than he had in his entire life, but this time he knew that the person who asked about it was really curious to see if he was doing well. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his elegant pants and smiled gently as he looked at his friend.
"Yes. I just think a lot lately..." he confessed truthfully. They were silent for a moment, just standing next to each other almost shoulder to shoulder. "By the way, I haven't had a chance to congratulate you yet..." he said suddenly, remembering his friend's engagement.
At his words, a radiant smile crept on Hoseok's lips.
"She said yes," he confirmed, although Jeon had no doubts about it.
Jeongguk turned to his friend and let a sincere smile decorate his lips as well.
"I would say I'm surprised, but you know I'm not. You and Jisoo are made for each other. You don't even know how glad I am to see you two finally get married."
"I am happy too. I can't imagine my life without her... The day I met her was the best day of my life," he admitted. "And... How is your handsome tattoo artist?" he asked, looking at him closely. At the sound of the pronoun "your", Jeongguk involuntarily raised the corners of his mouth in a smile. He liked what the words sounded like.
"Everything is going well. Very well," he replied, avoiding his friend's gaze.
"Are you seeing each other?" he continued, even though it was more than obvious to him after Jeongguk's reaction.
"Since Lisa left, we kind of... I live with him," he admitted. "Only yesterday I went to my place for a moment to pick up some clothes. Taehyung..." he began, but paused for a moment, as if wondering how to put it all into words. Hoseok didn't press, didn't ask. He let him decide how much and when to say. "He's perfect. He's so damn wonderful... I paint thanks to him, thanks to him... I don't know... I think I'm finally beginning to understand what it means to be happy..."
"I can see you're happy," Jung said. "I don't remember the last time I saw you smile for no reason, and all you have to do is think about him and you light up."
"I feel really good with him. And..." He fell silent again. For a moment he considered whether he should say what he intended to say. Until now, he had not spoken so openly to anyone else. He raised his head and looked his friend straight in the eye. He moistened his lips as he felt a growing nervousness. "He has a son," he confessed quickly, wanting to say the words as long as he had the courage.
He didn't know why he feared his friend's reaction to that confession. Perhaps he thought Jung would criticize him for interfering with Taehyung's life. He will consider him a selfish asshole who does not care that he complicates the lives of not one but two people. Hoseok was clearly surprised by his confession, but he didn't seem disgusted or disappointed at his words.
"Oh, wow. I did not expect this. Seriously? How old is he? He looks so young" he asked, surprised, blinking quickly.
"His girlfriend got pregnant when they were still very young. Taehyung is my age. Jae, his son, is four years old."
"And his mother?"
"She left them when Jae was a few months old. Since then, Taehyung has been raising him alone."
"Oh, it must have been very hard for him... I admit I didn't expect that he could have a child," so saying, he slipped a hand into his dark hair and ran it slowly through it, combing the dark strands with his fingers.
"Jae is a sweet kid. Actually... On Tuesday Taehyung went to the studio, and I stayed with him. In the morning, we made breakfast together for Tae, and then we were in the park, and we played together in the playground. You don't even know how wonderful it was. I really like taking care of him. And he likes me too. On Tuesday morning he confided to me that one of the kids in kindergarten was teasing him because he doesn't have a mom, and you know what he told me?" he asked, feeling the same emotion he felt when Jae spoke the words, looking at him with his beautiful big eyes. "He told me he would like me to be his second dad and for the first time I felt that I could really be part of their world. Be part of their family. His and Tae's."
"Gguk, there is nothing to prevent it from happening. If that's what you want, do it. Don't get me wrong, but I think you should think more about yourself, less about others."
Jeongguk snorted softly at his words.
"I've been hearing those words surprisingly often lately," he admitted.
"Because it's true. You constantly think about others, forgetting what you want. Time to put yourself first. If there's something you want, just do it."
The younger one was silent for a moment, letting his friend's words settle in his mind. He knew Hoseok was right, and he slowly learned how to do it. Many times he felt like doing something, but he did nothing for fear that his family would disapprove of it. With Taehyung, he learned to feel, not to think. The tattoo artist brought out the best in him. With him, he could be himself. Real self. Until now, he thought this boy had died in a car accident ten years ago, but Tae proved him over and over again every day that he was still alive. And he never felt more alive than being with him.
"Hobi," he said suddenly, looking his friend straight in the eye. "Can you make it on your own at the next meeting?" he asked.
Hoseok furrowed his perfect eyebrows in a confused expression, but his lips curved into a knowing smile.
"Sure I can handle it," he replied. "Go."
Jeongguk grinned, and the thought of what he was about to do made his heart beat twice as fast. He thought it's high time he finally started listening to his friends' advice. He grabbed his cell phone and car keys, then approached Jung.
"My brother will be at this meeting," he began, but before he could finish Hoseok cut him off.
"If he asks, I'll tell him you felt unwell and went to get some fresh air," he said in a serious voice.
"Thank you," he whispered, then hugged him and ran out of the office, heart pounding.
Perhaps what he was about to do was completely crazy, but he didn't care. He wanted to do something for himself, and this time he had no intention of worrying about anyone else.
This time he was going to put himself first and do something he had dreamed of for a long time and had never had the courage to do.
***
Taehyung moved the tattoo tool down, letting the needles dig into the client's slightly reddened skin. He was just finishing shading, which was the last element of this project. The work was almost done. All he had to do was make a few strokes. He rubbed the tattooed area, then pressed the tattoo gun against the skin again.
The tattoo he was doing today had an old school vibe. It depicted the heart pierced with a dagger. Usually he preferred to get his tattoos done in a slightly different style, but he had to admit the design turned out really nice. The more so because it fit perfectly into the other tattoos of the man, which were also kept in a traditional style.
"Okay, we got it," he said, then turned off the tattoo gun. He set it aside and began to clean the tattoo, so he could protect it.
"It looks great," Hong said, admiring his new masterpiece.
"I'm glad you like it. There is not much left, so in the next session we will finish the sleeve," saying that, Taehyung started bandaging the freshly made tattoo. As he did so, he involuntarily began humming a song that echoed through the speakers, nodding his head gently to the rhythm of the bass vibrato bounced off the studio walls.
"It's been a long time since I saw you in such a great mood," the man said suddenly, looking at him closely.
Taehyung chuckled under his breath, then looked up at Hong. They had known each other for almost two years. The man was his regular customer. He made almost all of his tattoos for him.
"Because I happen to be in a great mood," he confirmed.
"Ooh! Has a mommy finally appeared who is going to take you in and raise you?" Hong said, laughing.
"You know it's too late for someone to raise me, Hong," Tae replied, laughing as well.
"But I was not mistaken, right? Is something up? Did you meet someone?" the man asked.
Taehyung wrapped a bandage on the older man's arm, then got up from his seat and began to take off the latex gloves that had been protecting his hands. He threw them in the bin, then did the same with the mask that had been hiding his face, and turned back to the client.
"I've met someone," he admitted.
"Oh, it's great. Jae deserves a full family," Hong said. "She's pretty?"
Kim snorted under his breath again at the man's words. Hong knew he was the father. He had been to him several times when Jae slept in his stroller in the studio because he had no one to leave him with. They never met outside the studio, but they talked a lot while working. The older had two children, but he and his wife were divorced. The kids stayed with their mother, and he had very limited contact with them.
"He's a boy," he replied without the slightest embarrassment. He wasn't going to hide it.
"Oh, I didn't know you... You play for both teams..."
Kim laughed out loud, then leaned his hip against one of the cupboards and looked closely at the man.
"Currently, I think I play in one team or rather with one player," he admitted. "This is someone special."
"That's good. Then I'm glad that everything is starting to fall into place. Damn, if I knew you liked guys I might have tried to hit on you," he joked as he picked up his jacket from the couch.
"You like guys?" Tae asked, clearly surprised, raising his right eyebrow.
"No, but I could make an exception for you," the older replied, winking at him. "I don't have good relationships with women, so maybe it's time to switch to guys? Thanks for the tattoo, kid. You did a great job." He approached him and patted him on the shoulder. "And good luck with that boy. You deserve the best," he added, then waved him goodbye and headed for the exit.
Taehyung watched him go until his studio door closed behind the man's back. He smiled to himself, then began gathering equipment to prepare the studio for the next client's arrival. He disinfected the stand, then threw the garbage into the bin. He walked over to the cupboard where he had hidden gloves and masks and took out a pair of black latex gloves. He applied a disinfectant to his hands and rubbed it carefully against his skin when suddenly the sound of a door closing crept into his ears.
"Please wait. I'll disinfect my hands, and we can begin," he said without turning, but was answered by total silence.
Surprised, he drew his perfect eyebrows together. He put the preparation back in its place and was about to turn back to see why the client was not speaking, when the familiar scent of expensive perfume crept into his nostrils, and his waist was wrapped in strong male arms dressed in a black suit. As his lips curved into a beautiful arc, the man's lips placed a gentle kiss on his neck.
Taehyung turned in his arms, and Jeongguk pressed their lips together. He kissed him greedily, almost devouring his mouth and digging his tongue to taste his sweetness. The tattoo artist made a soft sound of surprise, but it only took a few seconds for his strong, tattooed hands to grasp the man's neck, pulling him closer to deepen the kiss.
Jeon grabbed his pierced bottom lip and tugged at it with his teeth, then stepped back with wild satisfaction written on every inch of his beautiful face.
"Wow," Taehyung panted.
Almost instinctively, his tongue moved slowly over his lower lip, licking the taste of the brunet's lips from it. He hadn't expected to see him, but he couldn't deny that he was glad he is here.
Jeongguk looked perfect as he always did when he visited him during his lunch break. He was wearing one of his black designer suits that conformed to his beautiful, athletic figure, as if it were sewn especially for him. Dark hair was combed back smoothly. A tie tied with a perfect knot, pinned with a golden clip. The only thing that was different about him was his gaze - it blazed with living fire.
"I've dreamed about it all day," he confessed, then, without waiting for the tattoo artist's reply, clung to his lips again.
This time, however, his hands grasped the man's ass, hidden under the black skinny jeans, and Taehyung groaned right into his mouth. Jeongguk, encouraged by his reaction, placed his hands on the leather belt of his pants and began to undo it quickly.
"G-guk," Kim gasped, struggling to tear himself away from his hungry lips. "My client will be here soon," he said quickly, grabbing the hand of the brunet, which had almost slipped into his black boxer shorts.
The young businessman looked him straight in the eye and stared at him for several long seconds, then smiled mysteriously.
"What if I tell you your client won't come," he finally said, without taking his intense gaze from him for a moment.
"Why do you think so?" he answered the question with a question.
"Perhaps I met him when he entered the studio and bribed him to give me his session," he confessed.
His fingers were still clenched on the belt of the tattoo artist's trousers, and Taehyung held his hand, staring at him intently. They were both breathing heavily, their chests rose and fell in rapid breathing.
"You paid my client to give up a two-hour session?" the tattoo artist repeated, as if he did not believe what he was hearing.
"Maybe it doesn't sound so good when you say it out loud now, but it was pretty romantic in my head," Jeongguk said, letting a smile creep onto his lips.
"You sneaked in here to seduce me?" the tattoo artist teased.
"Maybe," he confirmed, biting his lower lip.
"Then... Seduce me, Mr. Jeon," he ordered, looking defiantly at him, then took his hand away from the man, letting him act freely.
Jeongguk looked down at his hand, which was still clamped on the waistband of his pants, then measured him carefully from head to toe, greedily absorbing his beauty. He didn't know what he was really going to do when he finally got here as he rode here, but now he knew what he really wanted. And everything he wanted was right in front of his eyes. He smiled sexily at him, then pressed their lips together in a tender, strong kiss. As he continued to kiss him, he finished unbuttoning the tattoo artist's pants, then slipped his hand into his boxers and wrapped his fingers around his cock delightfully sipping an erotic gasp from the man's lips.
"I was sitting in a two-hour meeting today and all the time I was thinking about you," he confessed. "Only about you," he added, his fingers tightening around the shaft of the man's cock.
Since Lisa left, Jeongguk has lived with Tae, but the last time they had sex was on Monday when Jae was in kindergarten. Even though only a few days had passed since their last intercourse, they both felt an almost physical pain from the separation, as if their bodies needed each other.
The brunet moved away from him, taking his hand away, at which a groan of disapproval escaped from the tattoo artist's lips. The young businessman, however, gripped his T-shirt tightly and without asking, tucked it up, then took it off of him and tossed it aside. He quickly loosened his tie just enough to be able to pull it over his head without undoing it, then to the tattoo artist's surprise, slung it around his neck.
Saying nothing, he pushed his suit jacket off his broad shoulders and began to unbutton his shirt quickly, still closely watching the tattoo artist who almost devoured him with his eyes. Jeongguk took off his shirt and threw it on the tattoo bed, then again shortened his distance from the redhead.
He reached out and grasped the waistband of his pants, simultaneously pulling his hips against his. He slipped his fingers through the elastic band of the man's black boxers and without the slightest hesitation simply slid his pants off along with the boxer shorts. He looked up and crossed his gaze with the tattoo artist's beautiful eyes, burning with desire, then knelt down in front of him so that his cock was in front of his face.
The tattoo artist swallowed hard and looked quickly towards the door leading to the entrance, as if trying to make sure that the young businessman had locked it behind him as he entered the studio, then looked again at the man kneeling in front of him.
"Did you lock the door?" He asked, and the raven haired man smiled at him, then grabbed his cock with his right hand and ran his tongue over it, licking it as if licking an ice cream.
"No," he replied confidently, then slipped the head of his dick into his mouth.
"Fuck," the tattoo artist said, tilting his head back.
Jeongguk slid his dick out of his mouth and laughed, blowing his hot breath around his sensitive erection.
"Fuck because I didn't close the door or fuck, don't stop?" he asked, teasing the tattoo artist, to which the redhead also laughed, filling the studio with his low, velvet-smooth voice.
"Fuck, don't stop," he said, folding his lips into a ferocious smile, then slid his fingers into the man's dark curls, while gently guiding his lips where he wanted to feel them so badly.
When the brunet's lips wrapped around his throbbing cock again, another gasp escaped from his lips, and his head involuntarily tilted back. Jeongguk was definitely lying when he said he didn't know how to caress another man because what he was doing was just perfect. His mouth was wrapped tightly around the swollen head, and his tongue danced around the sensitive frenum, teasing it with the tip and pressing hard against it, making his lips part more after a while, letting the throbbing cock slide as deeply as possible. The tattoo artist tightened his hands over the dark curls, brushing them away from the young CEO's face, and watched closely for a moment as his swollen cock disappeared into his mouth.
"Oh, you're so fucking good at this, but you have to stop," Kim gasped as he felt he was getting close.
He grabbed the boy by the shoulders and pulled him up, joining their lips in a hot kiss. Jeongguk moved away from him and measured him carefully with his eyes from head to toe.
"Take off your clothes," he ordered.
"As you say, Mr. Jeon." That said, the tattoo artist removed his shoes and socks, then pulled off his pants and boxer shorts and tossed them on the couch next to Jeongguk's shirt.
"You know what I dreamed about sitting in this boring meeting?" Jeon asked as Taehyung stood completely naked in front of him.
"Tell me," the tattoo artist said, still gasping for breath. His chest rose a little erratically.
When he stopped Jeongguk from further caressing, he was on the verge of orgasm. He knew it was enough for the boy to dance with his nimble tongue at least one more time around his sensitive head for him to come into his wonderful lips, filling his mouth with his hot sperm.
"I'll show you," that said, the brunet smiled and grabbed his hand, then pulled him gently, leading him towards the leather chair, which was used for tattooing. "Sit on it," he ordered.
Taehyung smiled sexy, but without a word of protest, he did what the brunet told him to do. He sat down in the armchair and watched closely as the man shed the last layers of his clothes, exposing his milky, smooth skin to him. When he was completely naked, he looked carefully around, clearly searching for something.
"It's in the cupboard, on the top shelf," the tattooist said, guessing what the boy might be looking for.
And he was not mistaken. Jeongguk peered into the cupboard, then took out a small package of petroleum jelly and approached him again. He handed him the box, and Taehyung unscrewed it quickly and scooped a large amount of the preparation into his hand. He rubbed it all over the length of his cock, then scooped up the white substance in his hand again and tossed the box aside.
The young CEO climbed into the armchair and straddled him, resting his knees on either side of his narrow hips while leaning forward. He grabbed the tie still hanging around the tattoo artist's neck and pulled the man towards him, bringing their lips together. They kissed hard for a long time, letting their tongues swirl in the hot, passionate dance.
Still kissing him, the redhead slipped his vaseline-covered fingers between his ass cheeks and began to gently massage his entrance. After a moment of such caresses, he felt that the brunet was pressing harder on his hand, as if encouraging him to continue, so he began to slowly slide his fingers inside him. As his second finger dipped inside his lover, Jeon groaned softly right into his mouth, but after a while he brought their lips together again in a hot kiss.
"Oh, that's enough," he grunted after a moment, tearing himself away from the tattoo artist's mouth. "I'm ready," he said quickly, and a little impatiently climbed to his knees, lifting his ass up.
"Are you sure?" the tattooist asked, looking him straight in the eye, and Jeon nodded vigorously.
Taehyung grabbed his swollen cock in his hand and led it to his lover's sweet entrance.
"Ugh, wait," Jeon said suddenly, and the tattoo artist froze as if afraid he might have done something wrong. He moistened his lips as if he suddenly felt nervous. He reached out with slightly trembling hands and grabbed his black tie, which he had hung around the tattoo artist's neck a while ago, and took it off him, then looked him straight in the eye. "I want you to tie my hands," he said finally.
The certainty in his voice surprised him. The tattooist looked a bit surprised at his request, but his lips curved into a sexy smirk. Looking him straight in the eyes, he stretched out his hand and took the tie from him, then approached him and, without breaking eye contact, tied the brunet's hands behind his back. The knot was strong enough that the boy couldn't free his hands on his own, but not enough to hurt him.
After the tattoo artist finished restraining his hands, he helped him lift his hips up again and, grasping his hard cock, guided it again towards Jeongguk's entrance, pressing its head against it. When Taehyung was pressing against the muscle ring, sliding slowly inside him, the brunet was gently lowering himself down.
Kim entered him carefully, not wanting to hurt him. He knew he hadn't stretched him as well as he had when he did it at home, but the brunet didn't seem to mind at all. He eased himself down, wanting to feel him inside as soon as possible. When he finally filled him completely, a muffled curse broke from his lips.
There was quite loud rock music in the studio, but they were still aware that they had to control their emotions. It was the middle of the day. Both Yoongi and Namjoon were now in their rooms, tattooing clients, so they didn't want any unauthorized person to hear them. They stared at each other for a moment, breathing hard, letting the hot breath hit their parted, saliva-wet lips.
"Okay," Jeon said finally. "I'm ready," he said, and the tattoo artist nodded and placed his hands on his narrow hips.
At first, the young CEO's movements were gentle, smooth like the waves of the ocean after a storm. Taehyung only rested his hands on his hips, securing his movements, but when he felt the brunet speed up, he gripped his bound wrists tightly and began to press harder against his body, pressing it against his, helping him to accelerate and deepen each of his thrusts. His hips began to rise almost involuntarily to slide deeper, harder, faster into him.
He felt the brunet's body tremble every time his swollen cock rubbed against the man's prostate, but what he liked most was the fact that Jeongguk didn't take his eyes off him for a moment. His eyes seemed to burn, there was a ferocity in them like he had never seen before.
He couldn't look away from him either. There was something addictive about him, and something fucking exciting about how beautiful and unfettered he was. So wonderfully naked, without his expensive, elegant clothes, with delicately tousled hair, lips swollen with kisses, from which little moans escaped.
He was fascinated by the way the brunet's body was moving over him. The way his chest rises and falls in a quick breath. How a man's hips move in some wild, intoxicating rhythm. He watched in fascination as Jeongguk moved his hips as if he had made love to him a million times already. He loved making love to him like that, watching the brunet move, rocking his hips sensually while his cock was deep inside him.
When he noticed that the movements of the brunet's hips became a bit more chaotic, and his breathing was even more jerky, he tightened his grip on the tie that bound the young CEO's hands and began to push his ass forward so that his hard cock could fuck him deeper and faster. Jeongguk deliberately tightened on his entire length, driving him insane.
"Oh, Tae," Jeon gasped, feeling he was about to come.
"Cum for me," the tattooist whispered into his lips.
It was enough for the brunet to give up and let the wave of orgasm pierce his body. He came directly to the tattoo artist's chest, letting his name roll from his lips. Taehyung moved in him for a moment longer, then gently lifted his hips and slipped out of him, then rose from the chair and led the man behind him. He placed his hands on his shoulders and pushed him gently downward, motioning for him to kneel in front of him as he grasped his throbbing cock in his hand. He didn't even have to say what he expected of him. Jeongguk moistened his lips and parted them, waiting obediently for the man to come straight into his mouth.
"Jesus, you're beautiful," the tattoo artist whispered, looking him straight in the eye.
The brunet was kneeling in front of him completely naked. His hands were still tied behind his back, his lips glistening with saliva and parted invitingly. The tattoo artist took a step forward, still moving his hand vigorously up and down his manhood, then grabbed the brunet's hair with his left hand, tilting his head at such an angle that he could come exactly into his mouth.
It only took a few seconds for Jeon to feel the familiar, slightly salty taste on his tongue. Encouraged, he parted his lips even more and obediently accepted each drop offered to him. Once the tattoo artist was done, Jeon ran his tongue down the length of his cock, collecting any remaining sperm, then wrapped his lips around his head and sucked it for a while to make sure he licked it clean. As he did so, Taehyung stroked his hair tenderly with his hand and did not take his hot gaze from him even for a moment.
It was only after a moment that Jeongguk gently moved away from him, letting his cock slip out of his mouth and Taehyung helped him get up to his feet. He turned him with his back to him and began to undo the tie, which until now bound the boy's hands. As the black cloth slipped from his wrists, Tae leaned over and kissed Jeongguk's shoulder blade exactly where his scar was, then turned him to face him and slid a hand under his chin. He leaned towards him and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.
"I absolutely adore you Mr. Jeon," he whispered against his lips.
They kissed slowly, tenderly for a while, then finally moved away from each other. They knew they didn't have much time left, so they dressed quickly, glancing at each other surreptitiously. With both of them fully dressed, Taehyung approached Jeon and slung his tie around his neck, then pulled him back to bring their lips together again.
"Tae! Are you done already? Because your client is waiti..." Yoongi paused and stood in the doorway as if paralyzed. "Oh! I-I thought you had a client..." he added, shifting his gaze from Jeongguk to Taehyung.
"Relax, we're done now," the tattooist said, staring at Jeongguk with a greedy gaze. "Give me five minutes."
"Okay... Did you...?" he began, but shook his head quickly as if trying to chase away a fly. "No! Don't answer. I prefer not to know."
Jeongguk and Tae looked at each other knowingly, then both laughed out loud. Brunet grabbed his tie and began to tie it, while still looking at the red-haired tattoo artist. After he finished tying the perfect knot, he grabbed his suit jacket and kissed Taehyung's lips.
"Thank you for the session, Mr. Kim. I will certainly not forget it for a long time," he said loudly enough for Yoongi to hear his words.
"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Jeon," the tattooist replied, and smirked.
"Jesus, I preferred when you were hiding your relationship," Yoongi groaned, and Taehyung laughed again, but he did not look away for a second from the beautiful figure of the young CEO, who, swaying his hips gently, moved towards the exit.
***
Yoo had left the school where her ballet lessons were taking place and looked around for a familiar face, but Jeongguk was nowhere to be seen. Her parents told her that he would pick her up from class today and, as he promised her, he would take her somewhere to spend the entire afternoon with her.
A little nervous, she tucked a strand of her long, dark hair behind her ear and looked around again for the tall, elegant man. When her gaze caught the familiar gaze, her little face instantly lit up in a beautiful, radiant smile.
Jeongguk looked completely different than usual. He wore tight-fitting light-denim pants, a white T-shirt, and a denim jacket. His feet were adorned with rather heavy black sneakers. Yoo ran towards him, falling into the man's outstretched arms with a loud squeal of satisfaction.
"Oh my! Uncle, I hardly recognize you!" the girl cried, and Jeon laughed out loud.
"You keep seeing me in suits all the time, huh?"
"Yes! You always look like my dad," Yoo replied.
"So how do you like me in this version? Do I look good?" he asked, hoping the girl would approve of his appearance.
He was not used to wearing ordinary clothes. He had to dress smartly for work, and Lisa insisted on wearing shirts and elegant pants after work. He rarely allowed himself to wear jeans or sports shoes. Usually he only did it during training. But now he could put on whatever he wanted, knowing no one would judge him. Still, he wanted to look good. It was the first time he'd been going out with Tae somewhere since Lisa had left, and he wanted this day to be perfect.
"You are beautiful!" the girl called, and Jeongguk smiled gently at her.
"You're beautiful, Yoo. Who made you such a beautiful braid?" As he spoke, he gripped the strand of dark hair that framed her radiant face in his fingers.
"Of course mom. Papa can't do braids," the girl replied, shrugging her shoulders as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Jeongguk let a loud laugh escape his lips.
Sure. Jin and braids - it definitely didn't go hand in hand.
"Come!" he ordered, setting the girl back to the ground, then extended his hand to her. "We will go now to pick up the little one from kindergarten, and then I have a wonderful surprise for you."
"Jae?" Yoo asked.
"Yeah, we'll go get Jae. Are you happy?" So saying, he grabbed Yoo's hand and started to lead her towards his car.
The little girl nodded vigorously and jumped after him towards the black Mercedes. Jeongguk put Yoo in the seat and slid into the driver's seat. Jae's kindergarten was only a few miles from Yoo Ballet School, so the journey didn't take long. When they finally got there, Jeongguk parked the car and turned to the girl.
"Ready?" he asked, smiling gently, then got out of the car without waiting for an answer.
He helped Yoo out of the car and took her hand. Together they walked towards the building. Jeongguk opened the door and let the girl go first. He almost held his breath as he started toward one of the rooms where there were a group of children. He felt strangely nervous.
He had been here with Taehyung before, but had never picked up Jae alone and was nervous that something might go wrong. The tattoo artist said he would call the kindergarten to say someone else would pick up Jaesung this time, but he still felt his pulse speed up. Instinctively, he wiped his free hand on his pants and straightened his jacket, then approached the wide-open door.
It was only a few seconds after he had managed to approach the entrance and look around until he saw a small silhouette huddled on the ground. He didn't even have to look closely to be sure it was him. Jaesung sat on the ground and drew something with a red crayon on a piece of paper with great determination. After a moment, however, as if he could sense his eyes on him, he raised his head and their eyes met.
"Googie!" the boy cried, rising to his feet from the floor.
Jeongguk smiled and crouched down to lower himself to the child's height. He let the toddler fall into his arms, then lifted him up. He measured him carefully with his eyes. Jaesung was dressed in black. He was wearing a miniature version of the rock band T-shirt he had recently seen in Tae's closet. He snorted gently at the sight, then sank his fingers into the boy's dark hair and ruffled it tenderly.
"Hello, Tiger," he said.
"You must be Jeongguk," a woman voice suddenly spoke behind him.
Jeon looked at the interlocutor, and he saw a young Korean woman in a mint sweater and simple jeans. As he guessed, it was probably one of Jae's kindergarten teachers.
"Jae's dad called recently to say that today you will pick up the baby. I wasn't sure I would recognize you, but I can see that he described you quite well," she explained quickly, seeing his embarrassment.
Jeongguk blinked several times as he watched the woman closely. The girl was young and attractive. She smiled flirtatiously at him, tucking her hair behind her ear with a distinct blush on her cheeks. He turned harder towards her and drew his eyebrows together.
"What did Taehyung tell you?" he asked, genuinely curious about how the tattoo artist could describe him.
"He said that a tall, deadly handsome brunet would come for his son. I thought he was exaggerating, but apparently he was telling the truth," she replied, blushing even more.
Jeongguk laughed a little under his breath, then cleared his throat feeling ashamed. He was afraid that now he was the one blushing.
"I have to go now," he said quickly to avoid the awkward situation. "Ready?" he asked Jae, then took the boy's little tiger-shaped backpack from the woman and slung it over his right shoulder.
He beckoned goodbye to the woman, grabbed Yoo's hand and, with Jae in his arms, walked towards the exit. Leaving the building, he let the couple who had most likely come to pick up their child, then walked through the parking lot and headed for his car. He settled the children in the child seats and, making sure that all the seat belts were correctly fastened, sat in the driver's seat.
On the way to the studio where Tae worked, he talked to the kids. The children seemed to get along very well, so a smile did not leave his mouth as well. When he got there, he parked in front of the studio and turned off the engine. He got out of the car and leaned against it, simultaneously looking at the ragged metal door.
He didn't wait long. Literally after a few minutes, the door finally opened, revealing the familiar silhouette of a man with fiery red hair. As soon as their eyes met, Taehyung's lips curved into a sexy smile.
Jeongguk felt enchanted. He couldn't take his eyes off him, even though the man was doing nothing special. He thought, however, that the world had slowed down for them again for a short while, as if deliberately giving him the opportunity to carefully trace how the cupid's bow rises, how white teeth bite down on the lower lip adorned with a black ring, like red wisps flutter gently on light breeze, falling on the piercing, onyx irises, gazing so determinedly at his.
Taehyung brushed away the unruly strands with his right hand and looked around, then ran across the street that separated them. He was walking towards him slowly, gently swaying his hips as if he knew exactly how fucking sexy he was when he did, and Jeon didn't even take his hungry gaze away from him for a second.
The tattoo artist stopped only a few centimeters in front of him, almost trapping him in a prison made of his slender body, and his gaze moved slowly over his silhouette.
"I almost forgot how sexy you look in your regular jeans," he said, looking him straight in the eye.
"Thought I could finally leave my elegant clothes in the wardrobe."
"Did they cause you any problems at Jae's kindergarten?" he asked.
"No," he answered quickly. "Apparently you described me well. A deadly handsome brunet, huh?" he added teasing.
Taehyung snorted under his breath. In fact, that's how he described it. He knew Sunmi would surely know she was talking about him when she saw him. Jeongguk was a very attractive man. He had no doubts that women liked him.
"Was Sunmi trying to hit on you?" he asked curiously, taking a step forward so that their bodies were almost touching.
Jeongguk almost involuntarily raised his hands and grasped the lapels of the tattoo artist's leather jacket, clenching his fingers around it. He bit his lower lip and looked at him innocently.
"Maybe," he confirmed. "Are you jealous?"
"Sure I am," he replied without the slightest hesitation.
"It was for you that I broke off an important business meeting, I bribed your client... I went to your studio to show you how much I missed you, even though I spend every night in your bed..." That said, Jeon tightened his fingers on the leather jacket, pulling Taehyung closer to him and pressed his hips tighter against the tattoo artist's hips. "Did you like our meeting today?"
"You don't even know how much. I couldn't concentrate for the rest of the day. All the time I was only thinking about you," he confessed.
"That's good. That was my plan," the brunet admitted, smirking. There was a mischievous gleam in his dark eyes.
"Do you want me to fall for you?" the tattooist asked, teasing.
Jeongguk looked around to see if anyone was watching them, but when he noticed that there were no other people in proximity, he leaned forward slightly while pulling the tattoo artist closer to his body and pressed their lips together in a tender kiss.
The tattoo artist's lips were warm and soft, tasting so familiar that Jeongguk felt as if he had finally come home after days of wandering. When he gently pulled away from him, he stood for a moment more with his eyes closed, as if trying to remember this moment in his memory. Only after a short while he lifted his eyelids and looked at the tattoo artist.
"And how am I doing?" he asked softly, and Taehyung laughed at the words. He reached out his hand and caressed his cheek lightly.
"You're doing really well," he admitted.
"Then I hope to earn some more points when you see where I'm taking you today. Jump in the car." Saying that, Jeongguk pushed him gently and walked towards the driver's seat.
The tattoo artist watched him go, then obediently opened the Mercedes passenger door and slipped into the comfortable leather seat. He said nothing more and asked nothing, even though he was curious where the boy had decided to take them. He knew it didn't really matter where Jeongguk would take them, he was enjoying another day in his company.
***
"Oh! No! This is not true! You are cheating!" Jeongguk shouted, laughing out loud as the go-kart Taehyung and Jae sat in cut him off again.
"This is the best part of the game!" the tattoo artist said, then turned the steering wheels again so as to bump into Jeongguk's car.
They laughed so much during the race that his cheeks hurt, but he couldn't stop smiling. He looked at Jeongguk, who was determined to press down on the gas pedal to beat him, and laughed again. His hands tightened on the steering wheel, and he accelerated. They had the last leg of the route to cover, so he wasn't going to let go. He cut him off again and stopped the car with a victorious smile.
"No! It doesn't count!" Jeon exclaimed with a small pout.
Taehyung laughed out loud, then got out of the car and helped Jae unhook the seat belt, then approached the car where Jeongguk and Yoo were sitting.
"I won," he said, lifting his chin proudly.
"You cheated," Jeon replied, pretending to be offended.
"You just can't admit I'm better. Say it," he ordered, leaning nonchalantly against the railing that surrounded the entire track.
"No," Jeon replied quickly, getting out of the kart and helping Yoo safely out of it.
"Say it," Tae said again, wrapping his arm around the man's waist.
"You're not better. You were just lucky," he protested, and the tattooist laughed out loud.
"Say it. Kim Taehyung, the handsomest tattoo artist in the world, kicked my ass on a kids' kart," he teased.
"Okay, let it be. Kim Taehyung, the handsomest tattoo artist in the world, kicked my ass on a kids' kart," he admitted. "But only because he was cheating," he added after a moment, and another sonorous laugh escaped from the tattoo artist's lips.
"Come on, let's go somewhere I'll let you win," he offered, then started toward the exit of the track, leading Jae, who was jumping for joy like a little ball, by the hand.
Jeongguk huffed under his breath, then grabbed Yoo's hand and followed in his footsteps. After picking up Taehyung from the studio, he drove them to an amusement park on the outskirts of Seoul. He couldn't even remember the last time he did something similar. Yoo and Jae took turns choosing from different merry-go-rounds and rides, and he and Taehyung obeyed their orders, having fun like little children. The tattoo artist kept fooling around, Jeongguk couldn't even remember laughing so much in his life.
"I think we should be getting back soon," Tae said, slipping his hands into the pockets of his black jeans.
"Yes," Jeon agreed reluctantly. They must have been riding every possible roller coaster and carousel for the last two hours. There weren't many places left for them to go, and it was slowly getting dark. "There's one more place I'd like to go," he said suddenly, after a pause. He didn't know why, but the very thought made his heart skip a beat. Usually he didn't say what he wanted for fear no one cares, but he knew Taehyung was different. With him, he could be himself and not be afraid of being rejected or criticized. "I'd like to go to the Ferris wheel."
"Okay. Let's go. The sun is about to go down, it will be a beautiful sight." While speaking, Taehyung smiled at him gently.
Together they walked towards the chosen object, almost shoulder to shoulder. After a while they were sitting in one of the gondolas. Yoo and Jae on one side and he and Taehyung on the other. The higher they rose, the more beautiful the sight stretched before their eyes. The tattoo artist was right in saying that the view of the sun tending to its zenith would be fantastic from such a height. Taehyung sat next to him, staring at the setting sun. Orange rays illuminated his skin, making it seem even more caramel, and Jeon couldn't take his eyes off him.
He had never seen anything more beautiful than this man in his life. His caramel skin, straight nose with a small mole on the tip, soft lips, the shape of which he could draw even with his eyes closed. Everything about him was perfect.
"I thought you wanted to see the sunset, and you're just missing out on the best show," the tattooist said suddenly, turning to face him. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, looking him straight in the eyes.
"You know, it's a bit embarrassing and probably damn cheesy, but every time I watch a movie where a boy takes a girl he has a crush on to an amusement park, somewhere in the back of my head I have such a thought that I envy them. Because of this accident... Somehow I never had a chance to experience anything like this. The last time I was at an amusement park I was still a little boy. I've always liked how in the movies a couple laughs and fools around all the time and then suddenly everything becomes romantic. They stare at each other as if nothing else and no one else counts..." That said, Jeongguk moistened his lips and moved closer to Taehyung, reducing the distance between them. "Then finally the boy gathers his courage and... He leans forward gently to finally do what he has wanted all evening..."
Jeongguk paused and let his lips stick to those of Taehyung. The tattoo artist replied immediately, parting his lips encouragingly, but letting him direct the kiss. For a moment more, Jeon could hear the screams, laughter, and conversations of the people who filled the amusement park, but he closed his eyes, pulled Taehyung closer to him, and deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into his mouth. Suddenly it didn't matter that they were in a public place, that someone could see them. Only him mattered - this wonderful man who let him kiss him and gave back every caress with double determination.
Jeongguk's hands tightened on the tattoo artist's leather jacket, and he pressed against his pierced tongue, sucking on it, and Kim groaned right into his mouth in response as he wrapped his arms around him tightly.
Their kiss became more passionate, and the movements of their tongues began to become more intense, more insistent as they tasted passion, not caring that the gondola was slowly starting to lower. It was only when the Ferris wheel stopped and the buzz of people waiting to get into the gondola crept into their ears that Jeongguk moved away from him. They both breathed heavily, staring at each other for a moment, until they finally realized that their gondola was already downstairs.
"We should go now," Jeon whispered, embarrassed, then rose from his seat.
He and Tae helped the kids out of the gondola and Taehyung followed them. Jeon looked around to make sure they had taken everything, then followed the tattoo artist. As he left the gondola, he met the disgusted gaze of one of the guys waiting to get on the Ferris wheel, but he wasn't going to care. He lifted his chin proudly and stepped past him without sparing him a single glance. However, when he was passing by, the stranger specially hit him with his shoulder.
"Fag," he said through his teeth, then spat on the ground right at Jeongguk's feet.
"What did you just say?!" Tae asked, immediately approaching Jeongguk. His right hand gripped the stranger's shoulder tightly. The tattoo artist's entire body was tense, ready to attack.
Jeon reached out and grasped the tattooist's wrist, forcing him to look at him.
"Tae, you don't have to do anything. Everything is okay," he said quickly.
"He insulted you. It's not okay," he said in a low, firm voice.
"It doesn't matter. I'm not gonna let some little shithead ruin my day," he replied quickly. "Look at me," he ordered. "His words don't matter."
Taehyung looked back at the boy who had insulted them, then let go of his arm. He was furious at the fact that the stranger was trying to hurt Jeongguk. He didn't want anyone to hurt him. After a while, however, he felt as the brunet's hand slides into his, and fingers entwine with those of his. He looked up at him, surprised by his reaction, and Jeongguk smiled slightly.
"Come on," he said, and Taehyung let out a loud breath, then let Jeon drag him with him.
They walked in silence for a long while, until they finally passed the entire crowd that was lining up at the Ferris wheel. Only after they had left a safe distance did Jeongguk stop and turn to face Tae. He measured him carefully with his eyes. The tattoo artist was clearly upset. His perfect lips, which he had kissed with such determination a moment ago, now pressed into a tight line.
"I'm sorry, Gguk," he said finally, to which Jeon pinched his eyebrows together, not understanding what the tattoo artist was apologizing to him for. "I should have moved away before..."
"No, Tae!" Jeongguk interrupted quickly, grabbing his hand. "That kiss..." he began, feeling the corners of his mouth lift involuntarily. "That kiss was perfect," he finished, looking him straight in the eye.
"I doubt any of the perfect dates you've seen in the movies ended up with one of the characters being called names," he said, snorting sarcastically.
He felt guilty about this situation, even though he hadn't really done anything wrong. He knew, however, that Jeongguk was not ready to reveal his orientation to others, much less he did not want him to make him the object of mockery or attacks.
"Tae, maybe those perfect movie dates don't end that way, but I also doubt if any of these movie guys kiss as well as you do. It wasn't nice, but I'll say it again... I'm not gonna let some shithead ruin my day. And you certainly don't have to apologize to me for anything."
"I'd like to find him and kick his ass," the tattoo artist admitted.
"I know, and it's damn cute that you want to protect me," Jeongguk clasped their hands together again as he spoke. "Come on, there's one more thing we need to do before we go home."
"What?"
"You gotta buy us cotton candy and then... Then I'm gonna kiss you again and see what tastes better. Cotton candy or your lips," the brunet said, then without waiting for his reaction he walked towards the man who was selling cotton candy.
Though Taehyung couldn't see his face, the smile never left his lips.
He didn't have to check.
He knew Tae's lips tasted as good as nothing else in this world, but he was going to taste it nonetheless, whether others liked it or not.
***
Jeongguk helped Yoo out of the car and grabbed her tiny hand, then looked inside the car again. As soon as he stuck his head in, Taehyung looked at him and smiled gently. The tattoo artist sat comfortably in the passenger seat. His right leg was pulled up and his body gently turned towards the inside of the car so that he could observe Jae sitting behind him.
"I'll walk Yoo home and be right back," Jeon said, and the redhead nodded without saying anything else.
Jeongguk closed the door and started with Yoo towards his brother's house. This time, he parked close to the house, not caring anyone might notice Tae. Yoo had already told her mother that he was seeing him and he was sure she would talk about today as well. There was no point in hiding it.
He led the girl across the well-kept lawn and rang the bell. After a short while, as expected, Yerim appeared to his eyes. The woman looked beautiful and fresh as usual. A broad smile adorned her face.
"I've been waiting for you," she greeted, then hugged the younger man gently. Yoo immediately ran to her mother and wrapped her arms around her legs, cuddling up to her. "Hello, darling. Did you have fun?" she asked.
"Yes, it was great! We were in the amusement park!" she bragged quickly. "And Tae won the teddy bear for me," she added with evident pride, pointing to the stuffed animal that Jeongguk was still holding.
The brunet handed Yerim the toy, and Yerim took it from him and looked at it closely, then almost reflexively looked at the black Mercedes parked near their house. She didn't have to strain herself to make out the silhouette of the man dressed in black. The stranger had his back to her, so she couldn't see his face, but she could see his fiery red hair without any problem.
"The teddy bear is beautiful. Thank your friend," she said to Gguk, smiling gently. "Would you like to come in for a while?" she asked, opening the door wider.
"No. Thank you. I have to go now," he replied quickly, smiling apologetically, and Yerim nodded.
"I understand. It was nice to see you. You should come over for dinner. Jin is worried that if Lisa is away, you won't eat anything," she joked and laughed heartily.
"Don't worry. I'm doing well," he replied, snorting under his breath.
In their relationship, he was the only one who cooked. At best, Lisa was able to choose the restaurant to take her to or order food from. Even so, he bit his tongue, he didn't want to talk about her now.
"You look good," Yerim judged, then squeezed his arm gently.
"Thank you. I'll go now. Goodbye." That said, he hugged her gently, stroked Yoo's head, and turned on his heel.
Yerim watched him go until the boy slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. Only then did she take her daughter's hand and walk with her inside the house.
"And how did you like your day with uncle Gguk, huh?" she asked gently.
"We've been to all merry-go-rounds and swings!" she called quickly. "And Tae won a teddy bear for me and bought me cotton candy."
"Oh, that's wonderful. Will you tell your mom which carousel you liked best?"
"Yes! We were on a carousel where there were horses, and then we drove cars and Tae was cutting us off all the time. The uncle was sad that we lost the race. And then we were also on such a large merry-go-round from which you could see the whole city. It was soooo big," saying that, Yoo spread her hands wide, trying to show how tall the Ferris wheel was, and Yerim laughed heartily. She put the little girl on a chair in the kitchen and started making tea for them.
"Gee, it's really big. Weren't you scared?" she asked, looking at her daughter.
"No. Jae wasn't scared either. You could see the sunset!"
"Oh, you guys are very brave. I would probably be afraid. And uncle Gguk and Tae weren't scared either?"
"Tae is very brave. He was definitely not scared, but the uncle must have been a bit scared because he wanted to cuddle. I always cuddle when I'm scared."
"It's true, but you are always very brave. You got it after your mom, you know?"
"And daddy's scared too?"
"I'll tell you a secret, but you can't tell anyone, okay?" she asked, lowering her voice almost to a whisper, and little Yoo nodded. Her pupils dilated with interest. "Your daddy was very scared too, and when we were on the carousel, he shouted very loudly and then told me to hold his hand," she said with full seriousness, but as her upper lip instinctively lifted. Yoo laughed out loud at her words.
"Really?!" she squeaked amused.
"Really," Yerim confirmed. "But shhh, because daddy will be mad at me," saying that, the woman put a finger to her mouth, showing that the girl should not reveal this secret. "Do you want hot tea?" she asked, and when the little girl nodded, she started pouring the brewed tea into mugs. In an instant, the kitchen was filled with the scent of aromatic black tea with the addition of rose, cornflower and peach.
"Mum? What is a faggot?" she asked suddenly quietly, after a moment of silence.
Yerim looked at her with a surprised look. She poured the tea into mugs to the end, then sat down across from her daughter at the table and looked at her carefully.
"How do you know that word, darling?" she asked worried.
"When we were coming down from that big carousel, some man called my uncle that, and Tae got very upset," the girl explained. "Why was Tae so upset?" she asked.
"Because that's a very bad word, sweetheart. Nobody can be called that," she explained.
"What does that mean?"
"You know, honey, it is usually the case that a girl and a boy get together in pairs. Just like me and your daddy. It happens, however, that a boy likes another boy more than a girl, and he wants to bond with him. But because it doesn't happen that often, some people think it's wrong."
"And that's wrong?"
"No, honey. This is not bad. None of us choose who to fall in love with."
"Does that mean uncle Gguk loves Tae?" she asked curiously.
Yerim was silent for a moment, pondering what her daughter had just said. Almost unconsciously, she reached out and pushed back the dark strand of Yoo's hair that fell over her eyes and smiled gently at her.
"I think we'll find out soon enough," she finally replied, seeing the image of the redheaded man she had seen at the clinic less than a week ago. "We'll find out soon enough."
***
Ayashee:
I'm glad to be here again.
I'm sorry for the long waiting time for a chapter, unfortunately I was struggling with a fever and was unable to write.
Hope you like the new chapter.
I am curious what your thoughts and theories are.
xoxo