The mug is warm in his hands as he cups it idly and stares out of the window. The people watching window. The flat has two faces, you might call it hypocritical. The front face overlooking a small park is the socially acceptable face, all calm and niceness, but the back face, the people watching face, that is where all the interesting stuff happens. Which is why Kim Taehyung is currently sitting there. He likes to watch and judge people's lives from his safe haven. This side of his beautiful, neat flat, overlooks some less than salubrious, cheap studio apartments. The downside of living in a built-up city. Or the upside if you like people watching.
Today, he is watching with a particular purpose. He is watching to see who is going to move in to the empty flat opposite. He knows the flat has been rented out, because he owns it. He bought the small building of four flats behind his own, as an investment and he likes to keep an eye on things. He doesn't manage the flats personally, he has agents for that. He isn't the type to get involved with the nitty gritty aspects of life, just to observe them and judge them.
He notices a motorbike pulling up in front of the building. The rider of the well worn bike shuts off the engine, pulls the bike onto its stand and takes off his helmet, revealing bright red, dyed hair. The owner of the hair shakes his head, slides his leg off the bike and stands up. He wears battered leathers and a tattoo snakes out from his collar, winding up the side of his neck.
Kim Taehyung watches and judges and thinks, Another low-life. Well I suppose it's not surprising, they are some of the cheapest flats around.
The biker turns to grab the bag that is on the back of the bike and seems to sense that someone is watching him, because he looks up and sees Taehyung. He sees and responds by giving the biggest warmest smile Taehyung has ever seen
and before he even realises what he is doing, he smiles back broadly.
The biker nods an acknowledgement and turns and goes into the building. Taehyung continues to watch and sees the young biker enter Flat 4, take off his leather jacket and plop himself down on the sofa.
Taehyung having finished his observations for today, picks up his mug and goes to sit on his pristine white leather sofa facing the park. He is expecting his friend to arrive at any moment. The entry phone buzzes and he gets up to answer.
'Hi,' he says into the box on the wall.
'Hey Tae, it's me, Bogum, let me in would you.'
Taehyung presses the button to release the door downstairs and hears it open and then footsteps approaching. He opens the door and goes back to the sofa. Bogum comes waltzing in.
'So, what's new in the world of Kim Taehyung?' he asks, as he too flops onto the white leather sofa.
'Not much. Flat 4 has a new tenant.'
'Oh, anyone interesting?' he asks.
'Young guy, biker, tattoos, too early to say.'
Bogum is familiar with Taehyung's tenants, he likes to categorise them.
'Any action with Cat-lady?'
'No, haven't seen anyone for more than a week.'
'Bimbo?'
'Throwing up her guts last night, must've been to the bar again.'
Bogum had given nicknames to all of Taehyung's tenants:
Flat 1 - Sad man - Divorced father, struggling to pay paternity, sees son every other weekend.
Flat 2 - Bimbo - Young blond girl, works in a coffee shop, parties hard at the weekends, often seen throwing up.
Flat 3 - Cat-lady (though she isn't allowed any cats) - Older single lady, widow, looking for love, various potential beaux seen coming and going.
Flat 4 - Position open.
'Can I have a coffee?' Bogum asks, 'I'm gasping.'
'Oh sure, sorry, I should have asked. Come with, then you can see what you think of "Flat 4".'
They both walk through to the kitchen and while Taehyung makes Bogum a coffee on his expensive Italian espresso machine, Bogum stares intently across to the flats and looks in to see the occupier of Flat 4, who is still sitting on the sofa.
'Loads of tattoos, nice body, he's actually quite tasty...fancy a bit of rough?'
Bogum laughs and Taehyung looks at him questioningly.
'You know what I mean,' Bogum goes on, 'you could have a brief, torrid affair, ride round on his bike and see the seedier side of life, could be quite thrilling.'
He smirks at Taehyung.
'Yeah, no thanks, not really my thing...so what is the plan for tonight?'
'It's Jin's place for the big poker showdown.'
'Oh yeah, I'd forgotten. Who's going to be there?'
'Everyone: Jin, obviously, you, me, Minho, Minjae, Seojoon and Hyungsik.'
'Sounds like a good evening.'
'Anyway, I've got to go,' says Bogum, 'I have an appointment with a very hot young guy.'
'Really,' Taehyung says, 'anyone I'd know?'
'Doubt it, I only met him last night.' Bogum says smugly.
'I'm not even surprised anymore,' Taehyung states flatly.
'Well I guess I'll see you later at Jin's then.'
*****
Taehyung is just picking up his keys from the kitchen table, ready to go to Jin's, when his eye is caught by a movement in Flat 4 opposite. The curtains are still open and its occupier is leaping round the flat, clearly having the best time. Taehyung can't hear the music, but is sure it must be loud, given the enthusiasm the red-head is showing in his dancing.
Bogum was right, he is attractive, in a raw way, thinks Taehyung.
'Not interested,' he says out loud and heads off to Jin's.
*****
The next morning Taehyung wakes fairly early. It's 8 am on Sunday. He had a good time at Jin's last night. They drank, ate and laughed and played poker into the small hours. Taehyung lost quite a lot of money, but he wasn't surprised, Jin was the expert poker player and always won. Bogum naturally regaled them all with tales of his latest conquest.
As he ambles into the kitchen to make his first coffee of the day, he is wondering why it is that his life feels hollow. He has a good job, he earns good money, has a great group of friends, though he does sometimes wonder about Bogum. He sits down at the kitchen table and has a quick check on his tenants. All their curtains are closed, except for Flat 4.
The red-head is up and moving about, bowl in hand, eating cereal, as he apparently talks to someone hands-free on his phone. He finishes the conversation, finishes his cereal, picks up his jacket, then heads out of the door. Moments later he appears at the flat's entrance with his helmet and walks towards his bike. Just before he mounts it, he looks up at Taehyung's window and again gives a huge friendly smile and again without thinking Taehyung responds in kind. The red-head nods, puts his helmet on and rides off.
Seems ok so far, Taehyung thinks to himself, and goes back to wondering about the hole in his life.
*****
Monday morning dawns and Taehyung has a meeting with a new client. He has his own interior design business and is highly successful. He works with private clients but also takes on commercial projects, such as bars and restaurants. One of the reasons that he is so successful, apart from being a good designer, is that he is utterly gorgeous and clients always fall in love with him. Today he is dressed in a classy blue suit, but accented with a frilled shirt for that quirky designer touch.
He finishes his coffee and puts the mug in the dishwasher, before he heads out. He takes a quick look over at the flats and sees the red-head seemingly preparing for something, laying out some sort of equipment on the sideboard. He sees a scruffy young man at the entrance ringing the door bell and sees the red-head press the button to let him in. Moments later the scruffy guy enters the flat and the red-head walks to the window and closes the curtains.
Well, that's odd, thinks Taehyung, as he heads out to work.
*****
Saturday rolls around and Taehyung finds himself opening the door for Bogum again.
'Hi Tae, how's your week been?'
'Good thanks. I've picked up a couple of new clients. One penthouse apartment by the river and a new oyster bar that's opening.'
'That sounds cool, we'll have to go there when it's open, I love oysters.'
'Yeah sure, it won't be for a while though, the refurb. will probably take 6 months.'
'That's fine, we have plenty of other places to go in the meantime, we have our "eating round the world" to finish yet.'
'Mmm, where'd we got to?'
'J... Japanese and Jewish, then Korean.'
'I know I love Japanese, but I'm looking forward to trying Korean, I've heard good things.'
'Yeah, Korean barbecue is meant to be awesome!'
'Are we doing Japanese tonight?'
'That's the plan, Japanese, then on to a club after.'
'Good,' says Taehyung enthusiastically, 'I fancy some dancing, I've been in and out of the office most of the week, I could do with letting off some steam!'
'You might even find a tasty snack to have your way with!'
Bogum smirks at Taehyung.
'You're disgusting Bogum, you know that's not my style.'
'Ah, you're so boring Tae, live a little.'
'What, like you, a different guy every week?' Taehyung says scathingly.
'What's wrong with that, it keeps things fresh.'
'No thanks.'
'Talking of fresh and snacks, how's the tasty red-haired one? Any updates?'
Taehyung looks at Bogum, exasperated, but answers anyway.
'Hmm, it's odd, most of the time he doesn't bother closing his curtains, not even to go to bed, but several times during the day I've seen him let in scruffy guys and immediately shut the curtains. I've no idea what he gets up to.'
'Really?' Bogum's eyebrow is raised, 'Sounds highly suspicious to me.'
'He seems to lay out some sort of equipment just beforehand.'
'What sort of equipment?'
'I don't know, I can't see it.'
'Sounds kinky, he's probably a rent boy, he's pretty enough for it.'
'What?! You're kidding right? He seems quite sweet, he always smiles when he sees me watching him.'
'Well duh, if he is a prostitute, he would smile at you wouldn't he? You'd make a great client, a big step up from his usual, by the sounds of it.'
Taehyung is shocked, he knows his flats are cheap and attract some slightly dodgy types, but a prostitute?
'No that can't be right, there must be some other explanation for it.'
'You could always ask him,' Bogum suggests.
'I can't do that, I never deal with the tenants directly, I always go through the agents.'
'Get the agents to ask then.'
'And what would he say? "Yes, I am a prostitute, is that okay?",' he sighs, 'We shouldn't jump to conclusions. I'll watch him some more, and see if I can figure out what's going on.'
'Sure, it's your call Tae, they're your flats.'
*****
Taehyung is back at his window, the following morning, looking anxiously at Flat 4. It's early, he didn't sleep well last night thinking about what Bogum had said. But that couldn't be right, could it? Taehyung had thought the biker boy seemed quite sweet, despite appearances, but he couldn't tolerate having a prostitute in his flats, that was too much.
The red-head is up and about, just like last week, bowl of cereal in hand, talking to someone, then as soon as he finishes, he takes his jacket and heads out the door. He exits the building with his helmet, looks up at Taehyung, nods, and gives his customary big, warm smile and then heads off.
Over the course of the week, Taehyung has made it his job to spend as much time at home as he can, observing Flat 4's behaviour. It's now Friday afternoon. He has seen the same pattern repeated: young, slightly scruffy men arrive, enter Flat 4, the curtains close, then an hour or so later the curtains open, the scruffy man has a smile on his face and then he leaves.
Currently, the sun is out and hitting Flat 4's window, Taehyung notices the red-head open the window a little before shutting the curtains for his latest "guest". He decides to risk walking under the window, to see if he can hear what's going on. Taehyung lets himself out of his building and walks over to the flats behind, trying to look casual. He walks under the open window on the first floor and hears,
'Ah, mmm, oh fuck.'
'You're tight, I had to force it to get the tip in.'
'That was...aaahhh, fuck.'
Taehyung has heard enough, he marches back to his flat and makes a call to his agents.
*****
Sitting now on his plush white leather sofa facing the park, he has had enough of people watching this week. It's Saturday and he's expecting Bogum any minute. He hears the entry phone buzz, gets up and says into the box,
'It's open Bogum, come on up.'
He hears footsteps and opens the door. There in front of him is a shivering, frozen looking red-haired man holding a can of soup.
'H-hi,' is all the red-head manages to say.
*****
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