As Jeongguk commanded to let him go, the pilot who had been holding his arms immediately released his grip and stepped away from him. Taehyung quickly adjusted his leather jacket, but for a moment did not look away from the gaze of the chocolate irises of the man standing in front of him. The young CEO was staring at him as well, as if he too was unable to break this strangely intimate moment. They weren't alone, but that didn't matter in the slightest. Everything around seemed unimportant, as if only the two of them were aboard a private jet.
"Mr. Jeon, should I call security?" The pilot asked, but the brunet quickly denied with his head, stopping him.
"No," he replied confidently. "We can go now. I already have everything I need..."
At the sound of his words, Kim's heart pounded twice as fast, yet the tattoo artist remained silent, reluctant to reveal the power the young CEO still was holding over him. As they both waited for the jet's crew to leave them alone, Taehyung stole those few seconds to inspect the man, who was now only three paces away. He noticed immediately that the brunet was wearing his hoodie. He didn't know why the boy decided to put it on. Honestly, he was not even aware that Jeongguk had taken it away from his apartment. He didn't know why he had done it, and he didn't want to put too much emphasis on it, lest he accidentally kindle his hope for something that would never come. Perhaps the boy only had nothing warmer with him and, for lack of other options, took one of his sweatshirts.
His hair wasn't as smoothly combed as it used to be. Even though the short-cut, unruly wisps fell over his dark eyes, still closely following his every move. The boy didn't look as tired today as he did yesterday when he saw him at Kinky Heaven, but he could have sworn his left cheek was a little more pink and there was a thin pink line under his eye that looked like a scratch. For a moment he wondered what might have caused this mark might have appeared on his face, but he quickly shifted his gaze to his dark irises, as if he wanted to read from them if he had done right that he had decided to appear here. He was still unsure of his decision, but he knew that the worst he could do was to think "What if..." for the rest of his life.
"I was afraid you wouldn't come," Jeongguk finally confessed.
"I went to drive Jae to my mom in the morning, and then had to go back to my apartment to get my things. I took a taxi because I didn't want to leave my car somewhere along the way, but on the way it turned out that there was a terrible traffic jam. Finally, I got out of the taxi and covered the last distance on foot. I don't think I've run so fast in my life," the tattoo artist explained, snorting softly under his breath as he recalled what had happened a moment ago. "I knew that I would not be able to make it in time and I thought that when I got there... you would be gone..." he finished, verbalizing his greatest fears.
When he got out of the taxi and ran past cars stuck in a traffic jam, he was almost sure he would not make it in time. There were only a dozen or so minutes to twelve, and he had a long distance to go. In addition, he had never been to this airport before and did not even know where to go. His heart was beating so hard he thought he was going to spit it out along with his lungs, but he couldn't stop.
Not now when he was so close.
Jeongguk took a step forward, minimizing the distance between them. Even so, he still left quite a distance between them, as if he wanted to leave a personal space for him to feel at ease. But it was enough for the familiar scent of a young businessman's perfume to creep into the tattoo artist's nostrils. So he instinctively clenched his black sports bag, into which he hurriedly tossed some of his clothes as he packed before leaving the house, as if he feared he might do something he shouldn't have done. The proximity of the young CEO was intoxicating. He felt an almost physical urge to be close to him, and each moment they spent apart was painful. Now, being so close, it needed almost all of his will not to throw the bag aside and minimize the distance between them, only to take him into his arms again.
Maybe this trip was not the best idea?
"I promised to wait for you," the brunet replied. "I couldn't have done this without you," he added, although he knew it wasn't entirely true.
He could finish these drawings without anyone's help. The truth was, he didn't want to do it without him.
However, this second part he left unsaid, knowing that they still had to explain a lot to each other before he could reveal to him the true intentions behind the proposal to leave together. He didn't want to screw it up, though, attacking him from the doorstep with his confessions. This time, he wanted to do it right. He wanted to apologize to him for all the pain he had caused him. He wanted to tell him about the broken engagement. Then tell him how much he means to him and beg him to give him a second chance. So he smiled shyly at him and held out his hand to take his luggage from him. The tattoo artist, understanding his intentions, took the bag off his shoulder and handed it to him.
"Sit down," Jeon said, placing the tattoo artist's bag in the small luggage compartment their jet was equipped with, then pointed to one of the comfortable armchairs beneath the window. "The jet is already starting to taxi. We have to prepare for take-off," he added, and then he himself moved to the seat on the opposite side.
Taehyung had not yet had time to look inside the jet at all, so only now did he glance quickly around the room. The Jet was decorated in a very luxurious and elegant way. It was like private jets, photos of which appeared in the pages of newspapers to show the luxuries in which the richest people in the world bask in. But what else could he expect from one of Korea's richest families? He hesitantly approached the seat Jeongguk pointed him out and let his body, exhausted by running, sink into the soft latte macchiato-colored cushions. He smelled leather, and almost involuntarily ran his hand over the upholstery of the chair, examining its texture with his fingertips, then looked at the young CEO who was just sitting in the chair in front of him.
Jeongguk's gestures did not show the hesitation and uncertainty that accompanied his gestures. While Taehyung was in such a luxurious interior for the first time, the young CEO looked like he was born here. For a moment, he watched as his athletic body fell into a leather armchair, his hands instantly finding the straps to wrap around his narrow hips. When the brunet, however, did not buckle the seat belt, but only froze in place, Kim looked up and immediately met the gaze of chocolate irises, staring at him with obvious concern.
"Something's wrong?" The brunet asked uncertainly, raising his right eyebrow. "You're uncomfortable? If you prefer to sit in my seat, we can switch..." he added, feeling strangely nervous.
The tattoo artist quickly shook his head, then pushed his tongue out of his mouth and ran it over his bottom lip, leaving a delicate layer of saliva on it, which sparkled so invitingly on them that the brunet quickly looked away, shifting his gaze to the man's dark irises.
"I..." Kim began, clearly embarrassed by what he was about to confess. "I've never flown anywhere before," he finally admitted, then laughed a little embarrassed. "In fact, I was only in Daegu all my life, and then in Seoul. I never left because my mom couldn't afford vacation and..." He broke off, then shifted nervously in his chair. "It's embarrassing..." he muttered softly, realizing once again that he and Jeongguk came from two different worlds.
"Hey, Tae..." The brunet called quickly, getting up from his seat. "You have nothing to be ashamed of," he protested. "And certainly not in front of me, huh?" So saying, he crouched down in front of him to lower himself to his level and looked him straight in the eye. "C-Can I?" He asked, pointing to the straps that hung on either side of the tattooist's chair.
Taehyung merely nodded, holding his breath involuntarily as the young CEO's hands found their way to his waist. The brunet carefully wrapped the belt around his hips, then fastened it and tightened it enough to properly secure the body of the tattoo artist. Even though a soft click crept to his ears, announcing that the seat belt was buckled, his hands stayed on it a little longer, as if he didn't want to move away from him just yet. He sucked in air, inhaling that deliciously familiar scent of the tattoo artist's perfume. He could sense that characteristic hint of sweet strawberries right away, too, and knew it was the scent of the hair shampoo he'd bought for Jae a few days before they parted ways. He looked up to meet the tattoo artist's dark irises staring directly at him. His gaze was so intense that he thought he was about to drown in its depths.
"T-thank you," the tattooist gasped.
His warm breath crashed against the young CEO's lips, leaving them with that unique flavor that Jeongguk had missed so much. His body almost involuntarily moved towards the tattoo artist, as if his lips were an irresistible magnet, but before he could do anything else, Taehyung broke eye contact and cleared his throat, tearing him out of this strange trance.
"H-how long are we going to fly?" Kim asked quickly, looking away to the apron, where the jet was taxiing to the designated runway.
Jeon got up, embarrassed that he was so close to kissing him, then collapsed in the chair opposite the tattoo artist and quickly buckled his seat belt. As he did so, he glanced surreptitiously at the redhead, but the latter still avoided his gaze, as if he were afraid that a moment would be enough to get lost in him again.
"I'm not sure. It's been a long time since I was on Jeju," he replied, not having the courage to look at him again. "Probably a little over an hour. It's a rather short flight," he added, then fell silent.
For a long moment there was complete silence between them, only drowned out by the sound of a jet taking off. Jeongguk glanced stealthily at the tattoo artist and saw him peering uncertainly through the plane's window, staring at the dwindling Seoul buildings. His tattooed hands were clenched tightly on the sides of the chair, and his entire body was clearly tense. Jeon wanted to do something to make the tattoo artist relax, but he didn't know what to do or say. Instead, he stared at his scarred hands for a moment.
"Is it safe?" the redhead asked suddenly, and the brunet looked up, finally finding the courage to look directly at the tattoo artist. Taehyung still looked nervous. He could even have sworn the man looked paler than he had been a moment ago. "I mean... I know the plane is said to be the safest way to travel, but... Jae only has me and..."
"Tae, look at me," Jeongguk asked, and as the tattoo artist obeyed, he smiled gently at him. "You know I would never put you in danger. The plane is checked, it has all the current inspections. This pilot has been flying with our family for many years. Everything will be okay. It's safer than driving a car."
"I-I know, I just... I guess I feel more confident knowing that I have a road under my feet, not clouds... or anything that's underneath us right now..." he replied quickly. "Maybe it's because of my fear of heights..."
"If you get nervous looking out the window, just look at me. You're safe with me," Jeon said. His voice was gentle, wonderfully soothing like a lullaby sung to sleep, but at the same time so strong and so sure that the tattoo artist's body involuntarily relaxed. "How did Jae take it?" He asked finally, wanting to distract the tattoo artist and direct his mind to something else.
"Good," Kim replied quickly. "I would even say that very good. He adores my mother and she adores him. He was glad to spend a few days with her. It's like a vacation to him," he explained, then laughed softly, filling the jet with his laugh. "Honestly, I took it worse than him," he admitted honestly. After a while, the beautiful smile that had adorned his lips faded, and the tattoo artist instantly grew serious. "It's the first time I've left him for this long," he confessed, looking him straight in the eye. "And I know my mom will take great care of him. Probably even better than me, but... When I left him with her this morning, I felt almost the same as when I first left him alone in kindergarten. I know it's stupid... But..." The tattoo artist paused for a moment, then looked again directly at those beautiful chocolate irises that were staring at him incessantly. "Jae is my whole world. I only have him..."
Jeongguk knew how much Tae loved his son, but hearing these words made him feel a strange twinge in his heart.
Until a few weeks ago, he too could have been part of his world...
"Y-you love him. It's understandable you're worried about him," he said, feeling his throat tighten. "Y-Your mom probably wasn't too pleased with this trip..." he added quietly.
He was sure Taehyung had told his mother where he was going. He felt ashamed that he had failed her trust as well. Tae's mom took him almost like her own son, believing he wouldn't hurt Tae, and he did something like that...
"No. She wasn't very happy about it," he admitted. She was worried about me and wasn't sure it was a good idea. She knows our breakup wasn't one of the most enjoyable things I've faced, but I think she understands why I had to do it anyway."
The young CEO looked down at his hands again. There was so much he wanted to say, but he didn't know how to start. He was afraid it was too early to tell Tae about feelings that almost seemed to tear his heart and soul apart.
"W-Why did you have to do this?" He asked before he could bite his tongue.
He knew Taehyung had never lied. So he hoped the tattoo artist would tell him something that would make him know if he still had any chances. The redhead was silent for a long time, however. Until the silence between them became unbearable.
"I didn't know for a long time what to do," he confessed. "I wrote all the pros and cons in my head... But I only had more and more confusion in my mind. What I said recently is true, Gguk. We are not together, but I want you to be happy, and I know how important this competition was to you. I know what it means to you that you have returned to your passion. I remember that you once told me that you don't know if you would survive the loss of this passion a second time... That's why when I saw your drawings in my studio... It was the last thing I could do for you. Try to make your dream come true..."
The tattoo artist fell silent again, as if he wanted to let his words echo, bounce off the walls of the jet, or as if he carefully weighed his words so as not to accidentally say too much. He lowered his eyes and stared at his tattooed hands for a moment, only after a long time did he look up again.
"I think we should establish a few things before we land," he said suddenly.
His voice had a strange, unknown timbre. Jeongguk felt his nervousness grow, and he involuntarily straightened up in his seat. He looked at the tattoo artist's face, wanting to read there what the man's lips dare not admit.
"I'm flying with you to Jeju as your friend, not as your lover," Kim announced in an almost impassive voice, finding the young CEO's dark eyes. "I know how much this contest means to you, and I'm going to help you so that you can complete the missing entries and send them to the Academy. What was between us is long over. We are now only two good friends. Nothing more. You have Lisa and you are getting married soon, and I don't want to and don't intend to interfere in your relationship anymore. What happened between us..." Taehyung paused for a moment, then swallowed hard, feeling his throat close. But he knew it was the right thing to do, so he forced himself to say the next words, struggling to squeeze them through his trembling lips. "What happened between us was a mistake. We shouldn't get involved in something that was doomed to failure from the very beginning."
Jeongguk parted his lips to say something, but was unable to utter a word.
Did Taehyung really see what happened between them that way?
Mistake.
By taking him on this trip, he wanted to prove to him that what they had in common was real and indestructible. He wanted to prove to him that he loved him now and that he loved him even when he let him think otherwise.
But what if his biggest fears have just come true? If it was too late?
"Therefore, to make this trip easier for both of us..." the tattoo artist began again. "I think we should establish some rules that neither of us should break..."
Taehyung wet his lips again. As he rode here, he wondered what he should do and say. Even though what he was saying now wasn't quite the truth, he knew it was the best he could do to save himself from another catastrophe. So he swallowed hard and continued:
"No physical contact. No touching. Not even a friendly pat on the back. The greater the distance, the better. No sexy looks, no mention of what we were doing together. Summoning memories and dwelling on the past will only make the healing process more difficult. What was between us is now over. No sweet words and too much familiarity..." he enumerated quickly, as if he was afraid that in a moment he might not have enough courage or determination to say it all. "And we certainly can't sleep in one bedroom..." he added, then let the air out of his lungs, only now realizing that he had said everything in almost one breath.
"Tae..." Jeon began.
"Jeongguk, please," the tattoo artist cut him off, not letting the young CEO say something that would make his stupid heart beat faster again. "I want to help you, because I know how important it is to you, but in a week each of us will go our own way, so... Let's not complicate it. It's just..." Kim paused again, searching for the right words. "Let's just be two friends who came to Jeju to finish a joint project, and then... Then you will be able to return to your fabulous life, and I will be able to return to mine."
"O-okay," he finally agreed reluctantly. His voice, however, was strangely low, resigned. The tattoo artist saw the young CEO parted his lips slightly as if to say more, but then he only closed them again and looked down at his hands.
Taehyung breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against the back of the leather chair, letting the soft pillow almost engulf his body and turning his face towards the window. They were silent for a long time, lost in thoughts or memories that had once been their lives. They didn't look at each other as if even that was too hard right now.
The tattoo artist didn't even know how long, their only companion was the hum of the jet's engine. Only when it seemed to him that he could not stand it anymore, did he dare to look again at the brunet who was sitting across from him. Jeongguk stared at the window with distant eyes as if his thoughts were somewhere far away, so he could now admire his left profile with impunity. Unable to help himself, he ran his eyes over the dark, almost jet black strands that fell softly over his dark eyes, into which he simply loved to stare. He had never seen anyone with more beautiful eyes than his. Beautiful, doe, with incredibly beautiful hot chocolate-colored irises, in which he could spot a million stars. He looked at the small scar that cut across the man's cheek and remembered how many times he had kissed this very spot, and he could have sworn his lips still felt the touch of his milky skin. Now, next to that scar, instead of a trace of his kisses, he saw a pink scratch, and for a moment he was tempted to ask where it came from, but he let the words die on his tongue once more. Instead, he shifted his gaze to the soft lips of the brunet, the taste of which he missed so much that he felt an almost physical pain to bring their lips back together in a tender kiss. Staring at his lips, he instinctively moistened his own, as if to see if he could still taste his lips on them, but his lips were only dry and chapped from not kissing him, as if they too were withering for the taste of his lips.
Taehyung parted his lips, wanting to say something to break the painful silence between them, but before any words could roll from his lips, the plane suddenly began to shake quite violently. His body immediately stiffened, and his face turned to the window as if he expected to see the plane fall, but he saw nothing. But his heart was pounding so hard it felt as if it was about to pop out of his chest. His breathing was flattened with nervousness, and his hands gripped the sides of the chair tightly, as if it allowed him to hold back the inevitable fall.
"Tae! Tae!" A voice called, and it took a long moment for him to realize it was Jeongguk calling him, but before he could shift his gaze to the young CEO, he felt a hand cover his which tightly clenched leather armchair. "Tae, calm down. Don't be afraid," the brunet said gently, finally drawing his attention to himself. When Taehyung met his gaze, he noticed that there was no trace of fear in the boy's eyes, only tenderness and concern. "It's nothing. Don't be afraid. It's just plain turbulence. This will pass in a moment, okay? It will pass in a moment," Jeongguk continued. His voice was extremely deep, even soothing, a tone lower than usual. But his handsome face showed concern. "It's just turbulence," he repeated. "Look at me, Tae. It'll be over soon, okay? As long as I'm here, you'll be fine," he added, and Taehyung nodded that he could hear him. He was unable to say a word. His body, however, began to relax. "Good, very good..." Jeon praised him, smiling slightly reassuringly.
Taehyung noticed, however, that for a few seconds the man's gaze went down, and after a while he found his face again. Inadvertently, his gaze went to where the young CEO had just been looking, and what he saw made him almost curse in his soul.
His hand, which a moment ago clenched tightly on the leather upholstery of the armchair, was now entwined with the hand of the man whom he had ordered to keep his distance a moment ago. He knew well that it was he who clasped their hands together in search of comfort in the only person who could give it to him.
Shit.
How could he withstand a week with him in Jeju, when all it took for him was half an hour's flight to break a rule he had made a moment ago?
***
Taehyung took a step over the threshold of the plane and climbed a small staircase that had been attached to it moments ago so that they could finally leave the jet's deck. He let out a breath he had been holding almost unconsciously for a long time and looked around. The strong rays of the sun immediately warmed his skin, creeping unbearably into the dark irises, which forced him to narrow his eyes. A gentle breeze blew his red wisps, ruffling them with his invisible fingers. Only now did he take a deep breath, drawing a gasp of air into his lungs. He could have sworn even the air smelled different here.
He shifted his gaze to the man who was a few steps ahead of him and followed him with his eyes, closely watching the way the young CEO moved. He loved to watch Jeongguk gently sway his hips, making his movements incredibly sensual and sexy, but at the same time strong and masculine. He had the natural sexiness and grace of a wild cat about him. The way he moved was extremely appealing. For that brief moment, he allowed himself to admire his slim but athletic figure, absorbing his sight with impunity. He couldn't take his eyes off him until the brunet's feet met the tarmac, and he himself turned towards him, almost catching him peeking. Embarrassed, he quickly looked away, pretending not to be staring at him like a hungry lion at his game, then started down the stairs to join him.
"I must admit that maybe flying is not as bad as I initially thought, but I still prefer to feel the ground under my feet," he admitted, smiling shyly.
His legs still felt like jelly, his thigh muscles were trembling slightly with nervousness, and his abdominal muscles were contracting unpleasantly. He didn't know what it was caused by - the fear of heights that made itself appear as soon as the plane began to ascend, or the fact that Jeongguk was so close, and everything about him screamed, that the distance between them was too great anyway.
"I must admit that for the first time you were quite brave," the brunet replied, measuring the tattooist with an impenetrable gaze. "You only grabbed my hand once," he added after a moment, teasing him, his lips curving into a mischievous smile.
Taehyung snorted loudly at his words, then let a muffled laugh escape his throat. He ran a hand over his fiery red locks and found Jeongguk's gaze again.
"I think for the sake of my ego and my so far intact opinion of a tough tattoo artist, we should ignore the fact that I grabbed your hand once but didn't let go until the end of the flight," he replied, clearly amused.
"I think it was quite cute," the brunet confessed. He was smirking, and the tattoo artist shifted his gaze to his lips inadvertently. However, he quickly found the eyes of the dark irises again, mentally rebuking himself for briefly wanting to drink that smile off his lips. "It'll be our little secret," Jeon agreed. "You used to take care of me in the past, at least that's how I can repay you."
Taehyung said nothing more, just nodded, then tossed his sports bag over his shoulder and looked around the tarmac again, trying to collect his thoughts. Only after a short while did he look again at the young CEO. He slipped his hands into his pants pockets and moistened his lips. He still didn't quite know what to do with him. He tried to control his reflexes and what was coming out of his mouth so as not to accidentally say something he would regret later.
He came here with a clear purpose. He had a list of rules in his head that he was not supposed to break, but he didn't quite know what he should do now, since a moment ago he had been holding his hand in his, entwining their hands together and wishing this moment would last forever. He grabbed his hand instinctively when he was afraid the plane might crash into nothingness, but he didn't let go of him even after the turbulence had subsided. He was well aware that he was no longer holding his hand, because he was fearful of disaster, and because he was afraid that when he let go of his hand again, his heart would fall to pieces like a plane that had crashed to the ground.
"So..." he began hesitantly, not sure of his voice. "So, what's the plan now?" He asked, trying not to pay attention to how the sun's rays played on the young CEO's milky skin and how they refracted on his lips moist with saliva. "Are we going by some bus?" He asked.
"Since my father announced my presidency, my face has appeared on five covers of trade magazines this week. I'm afraid to even think how many times my photos have appeared in gossip tabloids, so the bus is definitely out of the way," Jeongguk replied quickly. "I didn't arrange a private jet to let the paparazzi follow us all the time. I prefer my stay here to be kept a secret."
"Oh, yeah," Kim choked out, having a strange feeling that the young CEO's primary concern was to keep his presence at his side a secret. "A taxi then?" He asked uncertainly.
"No," Jeon protested, taking his cell phone out of his pocket and unlocking the screen. "I rented a car for us for the entire stay," he explained, then dialed someone's phone number without further explanation. He put the device to his ear and waited for the other party to answer the call. "Come on," he commanded, and without waiting for an answer, he walked on, and Taehyung followed him. "I'm here," the brunet spoke suddenly, and the tattoo artist looked at him in surprise, only after a moment realizing that the words were not directed to him, but to the phone.
The young CEO listened to what his interlocutor had to say for some time, only to say a few short words of thanks and hang up after a long moment. He quickly slipped the phone into the back pocket of his jeans, then looked at the tattooist who was walking alongside all the time, but kept a few paces away so that their bodies would not even accidentally touch each other.
"The car is waiting for us," he announced, stopping outside a small building. "Wait here. I'll go inside for a moment to pick up the keys," he explained, and the tattoo artist merely nodded.
When Jeongguk disappeared inside the building, his hand inadvertently found its way to his jeans pocket, in which he kept a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. He grabbed one in his slender fingers, then slipped it between his lips and set it on fire quickly, as if now only lethal nicotine could soothe his nerves. He took a drag, he closed his eyes tightly and for a brief moment, letting the rays of the sun paint beautiful pictures under his eyelids that would never come true. He was almost able to see those big, doe eyes staring at him, glistening with a million stars. He could have sworn he could hear the soft whisper caressing his ears with the most wonderful confessions, only to turn into a wonderfully melodic laugh that he longed to drink right from his lips, joining their lips in a tender kiss. As the images became too painful, however, he lifted his eyelids violently, and Jeongguk's smiling face blurred into the air, as did the gray smoke from a cigarette.
"Fuck," he swore softly, taking another drag. "Get it together, Kim!" He scolded himself.
"Something happened?" A voice behind him asked suddenly, and he almost jumped in surprise.
"N-no. I just really wanted to smoke," he lied, then took a drag again, hoping that the brunet would let go and not pursue the topic further. Jeongguk looked at him for a moment, as if he wanted to ask something else, but in the end he merely raised the hand that held the keys and smiled gently.
"I have the keys, so we can go. The car is parked a few meters from here," he explained.
So Taehyung took a quick drag, then stubbed out his cigarette and tossed the butt into a nearby bin. He picked up his bag from the ground and slung it over his right shoulder. Avoiding looking at the young CEO, he followed in his footsteps. In his heart, he kept repeating like a mantra to stick to the rules he had set and not let himself get lost in his eyes. His firm resolve to improve quickly, however, slipped away as his gaze inadvertently moved from the man's sneakers a little higher, first outlining shapely calves to climb up sculpted thighs towards his plump ass shielded only by tight pale blue jeans.
He knew he shouldn't look at him that way. He shouldn't want him. He should not want to take him in his arms again, he should not want to mark his milky skin with his kisses, leaving a thin layer of saliva on it. So with each subsequent step, he mentally cursed himself for these desires, repeating that Jeongguk would marry Lisa in a month, and he would only still be able to admire him from a distance, loving him with a broken heart.
He was so engrossed in thinking and absorbed in this inner struggle that when the young CEO suddenly stopped, he almost ran into him. He stopped abruptly, practically stopping his body at the last moment from crashing into the strong back of the man standing in front of him. Realizing that since Jeon had stopped, they must have arrived, he looked up and looked at the car in front of them. He blinked quickly several times, not believing his eyes, then looked at the brunet.
"T-This is..." he began, still not believing what he was seeing was true.
"Yes, it's a Mustang," Jeongguk admitted, looking at him with an unreadable look.
"I see it's a Mustang," the tattoo artist said quickly, shifting his gaze to the red body that gleamed in the afternoon sun, and then to the distinctive logo of a galloping horse. "But it's that Mustang, isn't it?" He asked, searching for Jeongguk's eyes again.
"Yes. This is the '67 Ford Mustang Convertible," the young CEO confirmed.
The heart in Taehyung's chest involuntarily began to beat faster, and possible explanations were born in his head as to why the young CEO had chosen this particular car for their stay. Even though he wanted to hear the answer from his lips, he did not dare to ask directly.
"You remembered?" He just whispered, before he could realize he had spoken the words aloud. He still couldn't believe it was true.
"How could I forget?" Jeon replied, staring directly at his onyx irises.
He well remembered lying together in the tattoo artist's bed one evening talking about their little dreams. When Taehyung confessed to him that he had always dreamed of such a car, he did not think that he would have the opportunity to fulfill his dream one day. Snuggling against his strong, tattooed arms, however, he knew he wanted to do anything to make him happy.
He wanted to make all his dreams come true.
"You didn't have to do that..." the tattoo artist replied gently, feeling that a flock of butterflies had sprung up in his stomach under the influence of the brunet's confession.
He never thought that Jeongguk would do something like this especially for him. Especially now that they were no longer together. He tried not to over-interpret the gesture, but his heart was beating twice as hard in his chest.
"I wanted to do it, Tae," the brunet protested quickly. "We broke up, and yet you decided to make my dream come true and sent my drawings... I can do at least that for you," Jeon admitted. "I thought that if we have to rent a car anyway, I might as well rent your dream car," saying so, he extended his hand towards him, in which he kept the car keys. "I think you should be driving," he said confidently.
Taehyung looked at his hand, then found his dark irises again. He stood almost paralyzed for a moment, not sure what to do. Finally, however, he reached out and grabbed the car keys. As he picked them up, his fingertips gently caressed Jeongguk's skin, sending shivers down his body from the fingertips to the feet.
"Are you sure?" the tattoo artist asked. "It's a damn expensive car..."
"I'm sure," the brunet quickly confirmed, then approached him and took the bag from him.
Throwing Kim's bag and his own into the trunk, he ran swiftly around the car and slid into the passenger seat, leaving him no choice but to take the driver's seat. Taehyung glanced again at the keys he was clutching in his hand. His lips curved into an involuntary smile.
He always dreamed of having a car like this.
Still smiling, he quickly took off his leather jacket, which had been thrown over his back, and tossed it on the backseat, then, opening the door, slipped into the car and took the driver's seat. He quickly adjusted the chair to suit his long legs. After adjusting the mirrors, he fastened his seatbelt and looked at Jeongguk. The young CEO was just putting on his sunglasses, hiding his eyes from him, but he could have sworn he saw bright sparkles in them. His soft lips curved up into a gentle smile.
"You have to guide me. Will you enter the address for the GPS?" He asked, trying not to focus his attention too much on the young CEO's thigh touching that of his.
"We can take the main road. It would be the fastest, but..." the brunet began, taking out his cell phone to enter the address. "If you don't mind... I wish we could take the road close to the coast. It will take a bit longer to get there, but the views are amazing."
"Okay," the tattoo artist agreed immediately. "We have time," he added, then started the engine and carefully made his way out of the parking lot.
Jeongguk entered the address and was about to set up his phone so that the tattoo artist could look at the map, when suddenly his cell phone began to vibrate in his hand. Almost instinctively, the two men looked at the display to see that it was the father of the young CEO. The brunet's body tensed immediately, and his hand tightened around the phone. To Tae's surprise, however, the boy stared at the flashing icon for a long time, without answering the call.
"If you don't want to talk in front of me..." the tattoo artist began suddenly, glancing at him surreptitiously.
The brunet, however, quickly denied it with a shake of his head, then cut off the connection and arranged the phone so that Taehyung could see the designated route.
"I-I don't want to talk to him," he said softly.
Even though he tried not to think about it too much, he could guess why his father might have been calling. He was almost one hundred percent convinced that Lisa had already talked to him. Just the thought made him feel sick. Ever since he finally dared to break off the engagement, he felt much better. He was calmer. He knew it was the right decision. In addition, Lisa's reaction only reinforced this belief. However, he was not ready to confront his father. He was afraid that the man might side with Lisa, especially if the girl told him about his betrayal.
He felt his nervousness grow, and he swallowed hard, trying to keep his nerves under control not to panic. He did not want Taehyung to see him like this. He wiped his hands on his pants almost involuntarily, then exhaled slowly through his slightly parted lips.
"Gguk, are you okay?" A low, soothing voice asked suddenly.
Hearing this wonderful color right next to his ear and knowing that these words were born in the mouth of the man he missed so much, he felt like crying. Since they broke up, only this short video had been able to soothe the pain in his chest, and now Taehyung was there.
He was so fucking close.
"Y-yeah. It's okay now," he replied, shifting his gaze to him.
They stared at each other for a few moments, even though the young CEO's eyes were hidden behind the dark lenses of his glasses. After making sure the businessman's body was slowly relaxing, Taehyung nodded and shifted his gaze to the street without a word. The road that Jeon had taken them was almost empty, so they could drive the next kilometers freely along the shoreline of the island. They didn't talk. After a while, the tattoo artist only turned on the music, filling the space between them with the words of songs that softly settled on his tongue.
The silence between them, however, was not uncomfortable. The brunet was enchanted listening to the tattoo artist singing the following lines, surrounding them with his warm, velvet-smooth voice, soothing and enchanting his senses. He tried not to look at him, fearing that if he did, he would be lost, but after a few kilometers he involuntarily turned his face towards him and stared at the profile of the man accompanying him, being grateful for the fact that dark glasses hid his eyes.
Once again, he was amazed at how handsome Taehyung was. From the very first moment when the boy took off his mask and revealed his face to him a few months ago, Jeongguk couldn't get over his beauty. Now, as the tattoo artist stared at the road, he allowed himself to admire his beauty with impunity. It was hard to believe that such a person could really exist.
But he was there.
And he was sitting only a dozen centimeters away from him...
Jeongguk instinctively raised his hand and removed his glasses from his eyes. Perhaps he shouldn't have done this. Perhaps it was better to hide the fact that he was staring at him, but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to see how wonderful the color of the tattoo artist's skin was, and the dark lenses of his glasses could not do it justice. He loved watching his black tattoos curl up his strong forearms, the smooth caramel skin between them that looked so perfect next to his milky complexion.
And he allowed himself to do so.
He ran his eyes over his large hands clasped on the steering wheel, strong inked forearms, a black T-shirt that hugged his broad shoulders and strong chest. Then he shifted his gaze higher, his gaze lingering to his protruding collarbones and that sexy lotus flower that adorned his neck. He wanted to stick his tongue out and move it at the exact spot he knew was driving the tattoo artist crazy. He loved sucking his skin into his lips and listening to the choppy moans of pleasure burst from his mouth.
He missed it so much. He missed their closeness. He missed him.
As the low, melodious voice of the tattoo artist, singing the next line of the song, crept into his ears, he shifted his gaze higher, this time focusing on the movement of his lips. Those perfectly cut, soft lips. Looking at them, he felt a tingling sensation on his lips and an almost physical pain to kiss him again. But he couldn't move, so he just stared at him, heart beating strongly in his chest.
And then suddenly he saw something that made his heart beat even faster...
Taehyung smiled.
Oh, god. What a smile that was...
Jeongguk forgot once again how to breathe. His smile was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and he felt that he could do anything for him. He would do anything to see his smile every day.
"It was worth it..." he whispered suddenly, before he realized he had said it aloud.
The tattoo artist looked at him with his onyx irises and raised his right eyebrow questioningly, and the brunet swallowed hard, wondering if he should tell the truth.
"Finding this model was not that easy. They had Mustangs in almost every rental shop, but only newer models. I spent most of the morning looking for this vintage model, and just as I thought it might not work... I found it." Jeongguk paused for a moment. His heart was beating strangely hard. He didn't want to hide his feelings anymore. He looked up again and found his onyx irises. "Seeing your smile... I know it was worth it... I have never seen a more beautiful smile. I missed it..." he confessed.
I missed you, he finished mentally, so eager to say the words aloud.
Taehyung stared straight into his eyes as if for that brief moment nothing else mattered.
"W-where did you find it?" He gasped, swallowing the words he wanted to say, and turned his gaze to the road ahead of him. Even though he wasn't looking at Jeongguk, he could feel his eyes on him.
"Jeju is a very popular destination for couples who want to get married. It's a beautiful island. I found wedding car rentals. Usually they only rent them for weddings, but... I convinced them that I really wanted to rent this car for a little longer."
"Are you telling me we're going to make some rich couple go on foot to the wedding?" The tattoo artist quipped, glancing at him sideways, and Jeongguk laughed out loud.
"More or less."
"I am not surprised that couples choose this place. I haven't seen much, and I really like it," the redhead admitted, pointing to the beautiful coastline and the azure sea.
"When I was little, I always thought this was where I was getting married," Jeon suddenly confessed, snorting gently under his breath at the sudden memory. How silly he was back then.
"You say the Grand Hyatt is not exactly what you dreamed of?"
"Is it that obvious?" The brunet asked, not expecting an answer. "I never wanted a big, lavish wedding. I don't like crowds. It was Lisa who wanted it to be... Rich. It's funny that over a hundred people got invitations, and I only sent invitations to four of them... I probably never even met most of the guests."
Taehyung thought about his words. He was able to imagine Jeongguk in a place like this. Standing on the sand with a group of loved ones, waiting with this beautiful smile on his face for the love of his life. So damn handsome and happy. This was how he saw him when he thought about their future. His jet black hair blown in by the summer breeze, black pants that accentuated his sexy thighs, and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to reveal veins climbing his strong masculine forearms. He just didn't know if he wished some of the top buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned, exposing his alluring neck, or if he wished his neck to be adorned with a tie, a sweet promise to their hot wedding night. At the very thought, he smiled gently.
"What suit do you have?" He asked suddenly, not knowing why he was asking questions that could only open his wounds even more.
"Hm?" Jeon muttered, surprised by his question. "For wedding? God, you wouldn't want to see it," he answered truthfully, then chuckled at the thought of Tae's face if he saw his suit.
"Why do you say that?"
"Seriously. It's..." He paused, debating whether to tell the truth. "It's the ugliest suit I've ever seen," he admitted, however. "It is all gold with maroon additions..."
"Gold?" the tattoo artist repeated, clearly surprised. "It's... You sure look good in it anyway," he added quickly. Jeon's attention, however, did not miss the gentle smile playing on the man's lips.
"I look like a huge bar of gold in it... literally."
"I'm sure you'll be the sexiest piece of gold they've ever seen," Kim joked, letting a low, melodious laugh escape his lips. "I've always imagined you in a less gold-colored version," he admitted, before he could even figure out what he was really saying.
"Did you imagine that?" The young CEO repeated. "Have you thought about... our wedding?" He asked, his heart pounding in his chest.
The tattoo artist was clearly embarrassed, as if realizing he had said too much. He looked away, not daring to look him straight in the eye.
No, now that he was going to lie for the first time.
"O-once. M-maybe twice," he lied, but was almost convinced that the trembling in his voice betrayed that he wasn't telling the truth, and he knew Jeongguk knew him too well not to notice.
"Tae..." the brunet whispered, turning harder towards him. Out of the corner of his eye, Kim saw the boy raise his hand as if to place it on his on the gear stick, but in the end he stopped himself and placed it on his thigh, his nails digging firmly into the denim fabric. "Did you really think of me that way?" He asked, his voice oddly changed.
You don't even know how many times, the tattoo artist thought, but couldn't say it out loud. He just put the car in the next gear and accelerated, as if he were afraid that if they didn't get there and get out of the car, increasing the distance between them, he would explode.
"L-let's not talk about it, Gguk," he said firmly. "We were not supposed to go back to what was between us. T-there's no point in discussing it..." he explained. "It's over..." he added after a moment, his voice a little calmer. Even so, he knew that saying those words sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
"I'm sorry," the brunet replied quickly, then fell back on the armchair again. He pushed his glasses off his head to hide his eyes and turned his face so that Taehyung could not see it.
They drove the rest of the way in silence. Jeongguk stared at the passing views all the time, not daring to look at the tattoo artist. Kim wasn't singing anymore, even though the car was still filled with the music of his choice. He tried not to think about their conversation and how many times in his mind he had seen the handsome dark haired man smile at him as he slipped a wedding ring on his finger. After a dozen or so minutes, he couldn't think of anything else, and he wanted to hit the brake, stop the car and just scream, screaming all the pain that was closing his throat and squeezing his chest more and more.
It was more difficult than he thought.
Being so close that their thighs touched, yet as far as if they were separated by a chasm, was unbearable. He felt as if the fire was consuming his body and insides, causing real agony, and he didn't know what to do. Perhaps he should stop the car and run somewhere far away, or take the car back to the airport, get on the plane and go back to Seoul, to hide somewhere where no one can find him, but something prevented him from doing it. He was like that fucking moth he had once compared himself to. He knew that being close to him would eventually kill him, and yet he still clung to him, wanting to experience his light for a moment. He wanted to be able to feel the warmth emanating from his body for a few moments longer, the sensual scent of his perfume that still crept into his nostrils with every shuddering breath. He longed to look at those beautiful doe eyes the color of hot chocolate and drown in the depths of his gaze.
His hands tightened on the steering wheel, trying to suppress his emotions at all costs. It was only when Jeongguk suddenly straightened up in the chair next to him and his body tense as if he had just seen a ghost that he looked at the phone screen and saw that they were almost there. When he looked up again, he saw a two-story house with a rather modern style but with strong Asian accents. Much of the house was made of wooden elements, reminiscent of traditional Hanok, although it was obvious that the person who designed the mansion certainly knew what he was doing. There was a well-kept lawn leading to the house and the exterior walls of the building adorned with green plants, and although Taehyung could not see the back of the house, he had no doubts that the back was adorned with an equally beautiful garden. The house was finished with a red roof that complemented the light gray exterior walls and the wooden frames of the large windows that matched the wooden garage doors.
Kim drove cautiously closer to the mansion and took the narrow road towards the garage. But he stopped in front of the front door and switched off the engine. Only now did he look at Jeongguk. The young CEO was sitting on a comfortable leather seat, like on pins and needles. His whole body was clearly tense, his hands clenched tightly on his strong thighs.
"It's here?" He asked carefully, even though he didn't need a confirmation.
The brunet just nodded. He knew he should get out of the car, but he couldn't move. So he sat there, staring down at his hands and trying to breathe evenly to even his breathing.
"You don't need to rush, Gguk," Kim said in a soft, soothing voice. "We have time."
Jeongguk looked up to find the soothing gaze of the tattooist's dark eyes. Now he felt as if he were a passenger on an airplane about to fall into a black abyss. He looked at Kim's hands almost involuntarily. He had always loved his hands: masculine and strong, but at the same time slender, with long fingers that caressed his skin with as much passion as no one else. He wanted to take his hand and cross their fingers together as they always did, but he didn't budge.
Taehyung made it clear today that he did not want his closeness.
"L-last time I was here, two weeks before the accident," he suddenly confessed. "I-I was fourteen and... I remember my mother wanted us to have a family dinner together. She loved it. She always made sure we ate at least one meal a day together. It was a family time. I remember that I was angry with her then that she forbade me to go out. I preferred to spend this evening playing beach volleyball with my new friends. I was sulking all evening, didn't say a word to her, and now... Now I regret it so damn much... If I had known that two weeks later, I'd watch her die..."
"Gguk, look at me," Kim said softly. Instinctively, he grabbed the young CEO's chin with his hand and turned his face towards him. "Don't take this trip as something to torment yourself with and to remember her death. Take it as a time to honor her life. Your mom knew you had enormous talent. She would be proud of you. I'm sure wherever she is now, she sees what kind of man you've become. Draw the missing artwork, win this contest and show her she was right."
"W-will you come in there with me?" Jeon asked.
"Sure, I'll come in," he replied without hesitating. "I'm here to support you. I promised not to leave you alone."
"Thank you," the brunet whispered. "I-I think we can try," he said again after a long pause.
The tattoo artist nodded and quickly got out of the car. He ran around the Mustang and opened the passenger door, then waited for Jeongguk to gather enough courage to lift his body from the passenger seat. The brunet got out slowly and hesitantly moved towards the wooden door. He slipped his hand into his jeans pockets and took out the keys. With each step, his heart beat faster, and the blood rushed louder and louder in his ears. Taehyung was walking beside him. His body was only a step away, maybe two, but he still felt the distance between them was too great. He would feel better if their arms touched, or if he could feel the warmth of his body against his. But he did not dare to close the distance between them.
As he slipped the key into the lock and unlocked the door, he looked uncertainly at Kim, as if seeking reassurance that he really was able to do it, or a promise that if he started falling, he would be there to catch him. The tattoo artist nodded at him, urging him not to give up. Jeongguk sucked a gulp of air into his lungs and hesitantly pushed the door inward, then stepped over the threshold of the house. He looked around slowly. Everything inside looked so familiar, as if it had been here this week, and not as if ten years had passed, and at the same time he felt as if he were in a dream. He could hear his own heart beating loudly in his ears, mingled with the rushing of blood. His legs seemed to be made of cotton wool, but still something made him move down the corridor.
So he walked on mercilessly slowly, carefully looking around, following the family photos that adorned the walls of the corridor. He did not stop until he noticed one of the photographs in which only he and his mother were. He was maybe four or five years old on it. His hands and smiling face were stained with paint, and his mother stood behind him, proudly showing off the painting he had painted for her. Yeona Jeon looked exactly as he remembered her - beautiful and smiling. Looking at this photo, he could almost hear her melodious laughter reflecting off the walls of the studio where they were painting together.
"That's her?" A voice suddenly asked behind his back, and he almost jumped, realizing that Taehyung was standing so close that he could almost feel his hot breath against his neck.
Perhaps he should increase the distance between them, but pushed by some strange force, he took a half step back to close the distance between them. Taehyung, however, did not back down. It allowed him to almost feel the heat radiating from his body.
"Y-yes," he whispered, as if a louder voice would destroy the fleetingness of the moment.
"I already know who you inherited your beauty from. She was beautiful..." the tattoo artist assessed, carefully examining the face of the woman staring at him from the photograph.
He had to admit that Jeongguk was incredibly similar to his mother. They had the same big, doe eyes, the same soft lips just made for kissing, and the same nose with such a lovely rounded tip. They even had the same mole under their lower lip that he loved to kiss so much.
"She was," the brunet admitted, turning his face in his direction. "Me? That's another story..."
"Gguk, look at me," the redhead said with a firm voice. "I've never seen anyone more beautiful than you," he confessed, looking him straight in the eye. "You don't even know how much I would give to let you see yourself with my eyes. At least once. You would see how beautiful you are both outside and inside."
Jeongguk shifted nervously. He never knew how to respond to compliments. Especially the ones that came out of the mouth of the man who did and meant so much to him.
"Do you regret it?" He asked suddenly, feeling a strange need to hear the answer to the question which he still had in the back of his head.
Even if it were to break his heart, he had to know.
Taehyung looked at him, brows furrowed together, obviously not understanding what the boy was asking him about. The young CEO shifted nervously again, shifting from foot to foot. His heart was beating hard against his ribs.
"Do you regret what happened between us? That... that we were more than friends?" He gasped, staring at his face, almost holding his breath.
To his surprise, the tattoo artist's face softened, and something new appeared in his eyes. But he couldn't interpret what that feeling was. After a moment, however, he noticed that the corners of his lips lifted slightly, and his head jerked side to side in denial.
"No, Gguk," he replied without hesitating. "This is not how I imagined our end..." he began, but as he spoke the words, he huffed as if he amused himself with what appeared in his head. "I didn't want this to end in general," he finally admitted truthfully. "But I don't regret a single moment we spent together."
Jeongguk blinked several times, feeling tears welling up in his eyes. He wanted to say something, but didn't know how to put into words what he felt when Taehyung was there.
"I-I... I don't regret it, either..." he whispered. "I owe you so much that I will probably never be able to repay you..."
"The best way to do it is to win this contest," Kim said confidently. "I know you can do it, Gguk."
The brunet looked down at his hands, embarrassed. After a while, however, he found his gaze again.
"I would like to enter my mother's art studio," he confessed. "This is the room at the end of the corridor... Will you come with me?"
The tattoo artist nodded, and Jeon whispered a quick "thank you," then continued on. He didn't know if he could do it, but he knew he had to. He wanted to face the past, to close this chapter and be able to finally move on. As he headed for the studio, he thought he could get in there, but the closer he got to the door, the more hesitant his pace became. With each step he took, his pulse seemed to be quickening and his breathing dangerously shallow. He heard the rush of his own blood again and the loud pounding of his heart that seemed to bounce off the corridor walls.
When he miraculously reached the door and struggled to reach out to press the doorknob, it seemed to him that the pressure in his chest was so great that he would not be able to take another breath in a moment. He forced himself to open the door and push it in. As soon as he did so, the smell of paint crept into his nostrils, as if someone had recently painted here, even though he knew it had been years since the last painting was created in this studio. He looked up and looked at the easel that sat almost in the middle of the studio, and for a moment he was able to see the silhouette of his mother sitting on a small wooden stool with a smile that resembled his own. Her image, however, quickly blurred, giving way to something he did not want to see...
Suddenly his mother's face twisted in pain. He could almost hear her loud, agony-filled scream, screeching tires and the sound of the crumpled body of their car. He could feel the metallic taste of blood on his tongue, and in an instant the attack pumped all the air out of his lungs. Everything swirled around, the walls of the studio seemed to shrink around him, and he opened his mouth and closed it, desperately struggling for breath. When it went dark in front of his eyes and he thought he was about to slide into an abyss, someone grabbed his body, stopping him from falling.
As he looked up, he met the gaze of onyx irises.
Taehyung looked like an angel, even though his hair was fiery red. But he was as beautiful as when he first woke up in his arms. Ethereal. Almost unreal. Yet his strong arms held his body against him, keeping him from sliding to his knees.
"Ho..." the tattoo artist began, but stopped himself when he realized what he was about to say. He wet his lips quickly. "Gguk," he corrected himself. "Breathe. Please breathe," he said, clearly scared.
He had never seen such a strong attack before. He felt Jeongguk's body tremble. The boy was moving his lips as if to say something, but no words escaped from his mouth. His breathing was jerky, shallow, as if his lungs refused to relax enough to take in the right amount of oxygen. As soon as he gripped him in his arms, the young CEO's hands tightened almost unconditionally on his forearms. The grip on his hand was so strong he was almost sure his fingers would leave bruises on his skin, but that wasn't important now.
The boy was still staring ahead, so Taehyung followed his gaze to see what Jeon was looking at. But when he realized that the businessman was staring at the easel in the middle of the studio, he didn't have to ask. He knew. Jeongguk stared at it as if he saw someone there, and he knew who he saw there. Almost instinctively, he grabbed his face in his hands, forcing him to look away from the easel, and instead looked at his face.
"Gguk, look at me," he asked. "I'm here, do you hear me? I'm here," he began to say, trying to remain calm. He knew he couldn't panic if he wanted to help him. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. Look at me. Only me..." he whispered.
Their faces were so close that they almost touched with their foreheads. He kept his face in his hands all the time, staring directly into his eyes, but Jeongguk's gaze was blurry, absent, as if he was still struggling with the demons of the past.
"Gguk, please breathe. Breathe for me. I need you..." he repeated like a mantra, letting his breath hit Jeon's trembling lips. "I'm here. Look at me. Only on me."
He didn't even know how long, he kept repeating the same words over and over again, holding Jeongguk's face in his hands. It wasn't until he felt the boy's body loosen a bit and his breathing evened out that he, too, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yes, exactly like that," he encouraged. "Breathe for me."
Jeongguk blinked quickly as if he were just now regaining his eyesight and looked him straight in the eye. His body was still visibly trembling, but his breathing was much calmer. Taehyung carefully removed his hands from his face and lowered his arms along his body, suddenly realizing how close they were.
Too close.
He cleared his throat, clearly ashamed of how intimate they were, then took a step back to widen the distance between them again. As he did so, he noticed Jeongguk's lips parting as if to say something, but only a broken breath escaped from his lips. Taehyung's breath stopped as he saw what looked like longing in the depths of his eyes. It reflected the feelings he had seen in his own gaze as he stared in the mirror over the past few weeks.
Those awfully long weeks without him.
Before he could summon the courage to say anything, though. Jeongguk, pushed by some strange impulse, minimized the distance between them and pulled him into his arms, his fingers tightly gripping his black T-shirt as if afraid Taehyung would push him away.
"I-I know you want us to keep our distance..." he whispered almost directly into his ear. His quivering lips gently brushed the tattoo artist's earlobe, making him shiver. "But, please... Can you hold me in your arms for a moment?" He asked. There was a strange desperation in his voice, as if his life would depend on it. "Just for a short moment..."
Hearing his silent plea, Taehyung lifted his hands without hesitation and wrapped his tattooed arms around the young CEO's strongly trembling body, pressing him tighter against his chest. The heart in his chest was beating so hard, betraying his true feelings, he was almost sure the dark haired man could feel it, but it didn't matter now.
"I will hold you as long as you let me..." He replied in a whisper, then, bowing his head, he hid it in the hollow between the shoulder and neck of the brunet, inhaling the familiar scent of his perfume, wishing this moment could last forever...
***
Ayashee:
The next chapter is behind us. What do you think about it?
So close, yet so far...
Taehyung has decided to go on a trip, but he tries to keep his distance so as not to get hurt again, but can magnets with opposite poles prevent the attraction?
Certainly, Jeongguk has a lot to explain. Will he be able to break through Tae's wall and rebuild their relationship? Or is it too late for him to fix what was between them?
xoxo