Taehyung stopped the car where he normally parked and quickly switched off the engine. Before getting out, he glanced quickly at his watch and cursed softly under his breath. His client today was late, and the session was extended as a result. He didn't want Jae to have to sit overtime and wait for him in kindergarten alone. As a result, he had to ask Jeongguk to pick up the baby today. Along the way, he quickly popped into the store to buy something to make the dinner promised yesterday, but he was too late anyway.
He hated days like this.
Every time a similar situation happened, and he had to ask someone for help, he felt as if he was failing his son. So he always did everything so that Jae would not have to wait for him, only as a last resort did he ask his mother or Yoongi for help. This time, however, he knew that the little one was in the best hands he could imagine. Jeongguk was wonderful to him, and he was great with him. He could not have dreamed of a better partner with whom he could raise his son.
The mere thought made him feel a little better, and his lips curved into an involuntary smile. So he quickly got out of the car and ran to the trunk to get the grocery bags out of it, then walked towards his block. He ran up the stairs two at a time as if he felt an almost painful urge to finally see him. He opened the lock with equal enthusiasm, to finally push the door and slide inside the apartment.
All he had to do was step inside the apartment and his senses were attacked by the smell of the food, making his stomach almost shrunken painfully. All day he only had time to eat the breakfast he had prepared for himself, Jae and Gguk this morning. He was so overwhelmed with work that he didn't even have time to eat. He smoked only two or three cigarettes during the day and drink them down with coffee, which was a bit too bitter and almost cold. At the mere mention, he winced slightly, still feeling the tart taste on his tongue.
He slipped his boots off his feet, stepping on his heels, and, bags in his arms, walked towards the living room. As soon as he crossed the threshold of the corridor, he saw the young CEO. Jeongguk stood at the burner, with his back to him, and sang under his breath the words of the song that came from the loudspeaker of his phone on the top of the cupboard next to him. The brunet was still smartly dressed. He didn't even have time to change after he got home, it seemed. He threw his black suit jacket over the back of one of the chairs, and the sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up to his elbows, exposing his strong forearms. He also noticed immediately that his black tie, instead of tying his slender neck, was tucked into the right pocket of elegant trousers, which ― to his satisfaction ― covered the man's ass almost like a second skin, emphasizing all the advantages of his figure. In addition, his hips swayed gently from side to side to the rhythm of the melody, and he followed them with his eyes for a moment, like a cobra mesmerized by the movement of a flute.
"Shit, you're so sexy," he said, before realizing he had spoken the words aloud.
It was only when he spoke that the young CEO realized that he was no longer alone. The sounds of the music must have drowned out the sound of the door opening. His lips curved into a ferocious smile, and his face turned towards the newcomer. Taehyung hurried into the kitchen and set the grocery bags on the counter next to the man, then quickly climbed the last centimeters between them and, wrapping his arms around Jeon's narrow waist, placed a kiss on his exposed nape while absorbing the masculine scent of his perfume, the delicate aroma of which settled on the milky skin of the young CEO.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, lips still against his skin.
His lips were so wonderfully soft and his breath hot, making Jeongguk close his eyes for a few moments, enjoying the warm breath against his neck, then he turned to face him and cupped the tattooist's chin in his hand. He leaned down and stole a tender kiss from his lips. Pulling back slightly, he looked up to find dark irises filled with guilt.
"It's okay, darling," he said in a soft voice, reading him like an open book.
He was well aware that Taehyung always cared whenever he was late somewhere or when he broke one of his promises, even when he had no control over it.
"I was supposed to pick up Jae and make a delicious dinner for you, and because of this guy..."
"Daddy!" Jae suddenly shouted behind him.
Taehyung did not even have time to turn well, and the little boy pressed his body against his legs, wrapping his arms around them.
"Hello, Little Tiger," he said, slipping his fingers into his son's dark hair, then leaned over and took him in his arms. "I'm sorry I didn't pick you up from kindergarten," he said apologetically.
Yesterday evening, when he and Jeongguk were reading him a bedtime story, he promised him that when he picked him up from kindergarten today, they would go on his favorite swing. He felt terrible, knowing that he had failed him. The little boy, however, did not look sad. On the contrary, he was smiling broadly and his doe, dark eyes shone brightly.
"I promised to take you on the swing..."
"Jae was on the swing. Googie took me. Googie knows what Jae likes to do," the boy replied.
"Really? I am very happy, son," he replied, smiling. His right hand, almost involuntarily, sought that of Jeongguk to twine their fingers together. He raised his hand and placed a gentle kiss on top of it. "What would I do without you?" He asked, though he didn't need an answer at all.
He couldn't imagine his life without him anymore.
"I wasn't sure what time you would be back, so I made us a Samgyetang for dinner," the brunet explained, pointing to the prepared dish.
"Smells amazing," the tattoo artist admitted, inhaling the scent of broth and herbs into his lungs, making his stomach twist painfully again, demanding food. "Sit down," he ordered, however, setting his son down on the floor, then grabbed the spoon from the young CEO's hand that the man had been stirring a moment ago with. "You already made a mess today. Let me at least put some food on," he explained, and the brunet smiled and pressed their lips together again in a gentle kiss.
"I love you," he whispered, then ran his fingertips down the tattoo artist's cheek, feeling the hair grow back after shaving.
After a while, however, he pulled away and, turning on his heel, ran quickly to Jae. He leaned towards him and, grabbing him by the arms, lifted him up. He spun on his axis with it, and the little one laughed out loud.
"Are you very hungry, Little Tiger?" He asked, moving with the boy in his arms towards the table. He pushed the chair back and, settling on it, set Jae on his lap.
"Very. Jae wants a lot of cicken," the toddler replied, and Jeongguk laughed out loud, then looked at the tattoo artist who was preparing the bowls for them to pour the Samgyetang he had prepared. "Have you heard your son's special order, Mr. Kim?" The businessman asked with a broad smile on his face.
"Of course, chicken twice for Master Jae," the tattoo artist joked, adding an extra portion of meat to the bowl he had prepared for the boy.
To not break out of character, he threw the cloth over his right forearm. He grabbed the dish and walked towards them, carrying the bowl in one hand like a professional waiter. He set it on the table in front of Jae and bowed low to him, and the little boy started giggling cheerfully.
"Enjoy your meal, Little Tiger," he said, smiling broadly, then ruffled his son's hair with his fingers. "Just eat carefully and be careful not to burn yourself," he warned, then looked at the young businessman.
For a brief moment he stared at his smile almost enchanted, unable to tear his gaze away from his soft lips, arched in a sensual arc, and his sparkling eyes fixed on Jae. It was only when the young CEO had found his onyx irises and their eyes met that he resumed his role as the waiter. He straightened, proudly flexing his black T-shirt-clad chest, and bowed to him.
"And for you, Mr. Jeon? Any special requests?" He asked with a mischievous smile on his lips.
Jeongguk chuckled softly, measuring him carefully from head to toe. Seeing the way the young CEO was staring at him, he turned on his heel, then grasped the cloth between his slender fingers, finally tucking one end into the waistband of his black jeans. Shaking his hips, he walked towards the stove, where he left Samgyetang. Even though he wasn't looking at the boy, he could feel his eyes on him. Only when he reached the burner did he look at him over his shoulder.
"I know you like it spicy, do you want me to add some gochujang?" He teased, smiling mischievously.
Jeongguk huffed under his breath and shook his head, amused.
And how was he not to adore him?
"Thank you, you don't have to. Today I want it gently. I want it spicy at the weekend," he replied, teasing him as well.
They were to have more time this Saturday, as Jae had been invited to a birthday party to one of the kids from kindergarten. He was well aware that the tattoo artist was probably already counting down the minutes, so they could finally be alone. Taehyung laughed aloud at his words, clearly understanding that he wasn't talking about food at all, and Jeon smiled victoriously.
He loved to tease him.
Kim shook his head, then, smiling, poured the Samgyetang into two bowls, tossing the chicken into them and, grasping them in his hands, made his way back to the table. He set the dishes on the counter and took a seat on one of the chairs, sitting as close to the Jeongguk as possible. He reached out and grasped the man's chin. Lifting his chin slightly, he pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss. Pulling away from him, he licked his lips as if to drink the taste of his lips from them, then looked him straight in the eye.
"Enjoy your meal," he said. "And? Do you like it, darling?" He asked, looking at his son. His hand found its way almost automatically to the boy's head, and his tattooed fingers brushed away the unruly strand that fell over the toddler's dark eyes.
Jae put the spoon in his mouth and nodded his head vigorously, muttering in acknowledgment. Taehyung smiled at Jeongguk and picked up the spoon himself to finally taste the dish that the young CEO had prepared for them. He didn't even remember the last time he ate the Samgyetang, although he liked it very much, and the one prepared by Jeongguk was incredibly good. He moaned involuntarily in appreciation.
"Oh! He sighed and quickly slipped another spoon into his mouth. "Gguk..."
"Eat, eat. I need you to have a lot of strength for the evening," the young CEO said suddenly, looking at him over Jae's head. His long lashes blinked coquettishly, his gaze seemed innocent, but hearing his words, Taehyung almost choked.
"Wh-what? Why?" He asked, swallowing hard.
Jeongguk didn't answer. He continued eating in silence for a while, teasing him. He wasn't looking at him, but he could feel his intense gaze. Finally, he looked up at him. When he saw Tae's expression, the corners of his lips lifted involuntarily. He put down the spoon and held out his hand, reaching for the small box on the table.
Taehyung followed his moves closely. Until now, he hadn't even noticed that something was lying on the table. However, the young CEO did not pick up the box, he only moved it towards the tattoo artist. Kim looked at it. It was a small black cardboard box tied with a red ribbon. However, nothing suggested what might be inside. So he looked up and shifted his gaze to the young businessman, raising his right eyebrow questioningly.
"What is this?" He asked.
"Open it," the brunet replied.
"You are not giving me any... toys... in front of my son?" The tattoo artist asked suddenly, lowering his voice almost to a whisper, and Jeongguk laughed.
"No," the young CEO denied, clearly amused by his way of thinking. "You can get such a gift on Saturday..."
Taehyung looked at the box again and finally took it in his hands. He grabbed one end of the ribbon and tugged carefully on it. The ribbon untied easily and fell silently onto the table. The tattoo artist glanced at Jeon, but as he beckoned him with a nod, he slowly lifted the lid. He didn't know what to expect, but he definitely didn't expect to see something like this. There was only one thing inside the box ― the key. He looked up to find Jeongguk's chocolate irises.
"Since you told me, I can feel at home here, and I finished early today..." the young businessman began to explain. "I allowed myself to call a locksmith..."
"Is that the key to... our bedroom?" The tattoo artist asked, taking the key in his hand. Even though he tried to hide it, the corners of his mouth curved up in an involuntary smile.
"I like how it sounds," he admitted. "Our bedroom," he repeated, as if to see what the words would sound like when they rolled out of his mouth. "Yes. This is the key to our bedroom," he finally confirmed.
"Does..." Kim began hesitantly. He stared at the key for a moment, twisting it in his slender fingers. When he looked back at his interlocutor, Jeongguk could have sworn his eyes darkened. "Does that mean I'll get... a dessert tonight?" He asked, glancing stealthily at his son, as if to make sure the toddler didn't understand what kind of dessert he was talking about. As he spoke the words, his voice lowered a tone involuntarily, turning into a voluptuous baritone, and the sound of this color sent shivers down the body of the young CEO.
"Anything you want," Jeongguk replied and smiled sensually, then bite his lower lip, feeling the characteristic pressure in his lower stomach at the thought of what a tattoo artist might do to him when they finally closed the bedroom door behind them.
"And Jae? Jae wants dessert too!" The toddler suddenly cried with his mouth full of chicken, and Jeongguk laughed out loud, torn so brutally from this sensual game.
"You'll get dessert too, darling," he confirmed, amused. "You ate?" He asked, and as the boy nodded his head vigorously in affirmation, he helped him get off his lap. "Go over there. I bought a mochi for you," he explained, pointing to one of the cupboards. "They're in the top drawer," he added, then looked back at the tattoo artist.
Taehyung was still sitting in the same place, fascinated by the key he twisted in his tattooed fingers. He studied his hands for a moment, almost able to imagine how those slender fingers mark the curve of his naked body, learning it anew. He loved the way the tattoo artist touched him ― as if trying to remember the moment, the feeling of his skin under his fingertips, the shape of his body, the warmth. He was touching him as if he were the clay in his hands.
"Are you wondering what kind of dessert will you get?" Jeon asked, holding back a smile.
"I didn't think having a lock on the door could ever make me so happy," Kim said, looking at the young CEO. "And I must admit that I feel very... ravenous... so maybe I'll eat more than one dessert today, huh?" He whispered, approaching the brunet, then grabbed his chin and kissed his lips.
At first, he kissed him gently, only slightly sliding his lips over his lips, then after a while he stuck his tongue out and moved it over his bottom lip. As the young CEO, tempted by this caress, parted his mouth to encourage him to continue, he grasped his lower lip with his teeth and pulled it hard, tearing a soft moan of pain from his throat. But he knew that the pain he had inflicted spread almost like living fire all over his body, finding an outlet between his strong thighs.
"I don't know what we're going to do when Jae starts to understand our conversations," Jeon whispered almost directly into his lips.
"We will communicate by signs," the tattoo artist replied, shrugging his shoulders.
"Okay," the brunet agreed, curving his lips in a broad smile. "I wonder what signs you will come up with for all the indecent things your mouth says..."
"Me? Since when is dessert a dirty word?" Kim joked, and as soon as Jeongguk laughed out loud, he pressed his lips quickly against his, drinking the laugh straight from his lips.
Nothing tasted better.
***
"That's all. You can go back to your duties," the young CEO finally said as he gathered the documents.
He stared at his hands for a moment, then finally, holding his breath, dared to look up again. He shifted his gaze to the person he had been avoiding throughout the meeting, although he was sure that the girl's hazel irises wouldn't leave him for a split second.
And he was not wrong.
Lisa sat on the opposite side of the table, looking immaculately beautiful as always. Her slim body was adorned with an elegant fuchsia sleeveless dress, showing off the milky skin of the arms. Blonde hair tied up in a high ponytail, and lips adorned with a lipstick that almost perfectly reflected the shade of the dress. Though he couldn't see her feet, he was convinced they were decorated with some expensive high heels.
Throughout the meeting, he avoided looking at her. He felt fucking awkward. He did not know how to behave with her, especially when other employees were also nearby. He was convinced that TJE was full of rumors. Even though he hadn't heard anyone say anything, he knew that ending the engagement with Lisa couldn't have gone unnoticed. The more that his ― already ex fiancée ― did not fail to brag to the right and left about the upcoming wedding and the pink diamond, which ― surprisingly ― still shone on the ring finger of her manicured hand.
"Lisa, please stay a moment longer," he said finally, quickly moistening his lips. "I need a few more words with you about this project," he added, not wanting there to be any doubt that his request was purely a business inquiry, then he looked back at the documents, waiting for everyone else to leave the office, leaving them alone.
He preferred not to talk to her in front of witnesses, fearing that the girl might turn an ordinary conversation into another unpleasant quarrel. Ever since Lisa showed him the forensic examination papers, he hadn't spoken to her even once. As soon as he saw her in the corridor at TJE, he turned the other way. He knew he couldn't avoid her indefinitely, but he preferred to wait until the emotions of their separation and the cancellation of their wedding subsided enough for them to talk normally. If it were up to him, he would prefer Lisa to quit the company, but his father did not want to take such drastic steps without having evidence that she was lying about the events of a few years ago.
As the last employee finally left the conference room, closing the door behind him with a loud slam, he felt his heart speed up with nervousness. He swallowed hard and, holding his breath, looked up to look at Lisa again. Pushing himself off the table, he slowly stood up. Taking a step towards her, he almost involuntarily adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, for which he mentally scolded himself. He hated the fact that he always had to make sure he looked flawless so that he wouldn't accidentally hear his fiancée's words of criticism. He didn't have to worry about it anymore, yet he subconsciously did it again. He cleared his throat softly to make sure the voice didn't reveal how uncomfortable he was being alone with her, and finally spoke up, trying to control his voice.
"Soon we will be launching our new smartwatch model and I want us to start the promotion at least two months in advance. That's why I need your department to get some preliminary drafts ready by the end of next week. I want at least three," he commanded, remaining professional tone.
Lisa was still sitting in her seat, even though he was standing a few steps away from her, and she had to crank her head to see his face. As soon as he explained why he wanted to talk to her and what he expected of her, the girl huffed out loud, then giggled under her breath as if he'd just said something funny.
"Any problem with that?" he asked.
His voice sounded remarkably firm, hard, and his eyebrows pressed together as if he didn't understand why the girl was giggling when nothing he had just said should have elicited a similar reaction.
The blonde stepped back in her chair and got up from the table. She took a step towards him and measured him carefully from head to toe, her eyes lingering a little longer on the collar of his white shirt, from under which a slight bruise was sticking out. She didn't have to ask to know where that mark on his skin came from. She clenched her jaw tighter, trying not to throw any harsh remark, and seeing her gaze, Jeongguk almost involuntarily adjusted his collar to hide the hickey that adorned his neck. Lisa's gaze was intense, chastening. She stared at him as if her hazel irises were x-raying him. He shifted nervously under her gaze and instinctively adjusted his black suit jacket, as if the girl could also see the traces of Taehyung's lips still adorning his chiseled belly.
"No, Mr. Jeon," she replied mockingly. "Everything is clear. I will make sure that my team prepares these projects."
"Thank you," he said shortly, not wanting to enter into any further discussions with her. "That's all," he added, turning on his heel and walking towards his seat to begin collecting the documents that were still on the desk.
"Are you going to treat me like that now?" The girl asked, snorting again as if she was amused. Jeongguk looked at her again. Lisa was still standing in the same place, drilling her scolding gaze at him. Her hands are resting on her hips. "You humiliated me in front of the entire company. Everyone laughs at me in the corners, and you pretend that I'm just a regular employee and that we haven't slept in the same bed for the last three years?"
"Lisa, this situation is not easy or pleasant for me either, but I try to be professional. It'll be better for both of us."
"Professional? It's good... A dozen or so days ago, I was your fiancée, and you come to the office with hickeys around your neck. You think others haven't seen it? This is the "professionalism" you're talking about?"
"You were my fiancée," he repeated. "The past tense shows that you are not anymore, so you shouldn't be interested in my sex life. Neither you nor anyone else."
"You are kidding me? They're already gossiping, do you know what happens when someone finds out that you cheated on me with a man? Just the thought makes me feel sick..."
"Who I sleep with, is only my business. What should be of interest to both you and other employees is whether or not I am fulfilling my job responsibilities. If you have a problem with that, you can walk away. I won't stop you," he explained in a firm voice. "If it were up to me... You wouldn't be working here anymore," he admitted. "The fact that you still work here is only due to my father. He still doubts who is telling the truth. I do not."
"You're an idiot that you believe him, Gguk. Taehyung is manipulating you. He knows you like children, so now he's playing a good daddy in front of you..." she began in a mocking tone. "When it turned out that I was pregnant, he was not so pleased. He didn't want the baby either. If he could, he would have gotten rid of it, but it was too late to do so and now he's using him to make you feel sorry for him!"
"Lisa, this is a baby, not a purse from last year's Versace collection!" The young CEO scolded her, raising his voice. "How can you even talk about him like that?"
"He lies to you, and you allow yourself to be manipulated."
"Nobody has ever been as honest with me as he has. Certainly not you," he growled. "You lied to me from the very beginning of our relationship, you used me for the sake of acquaintance and money... I don't even count how many times you criticized or laughed at me."
"It's all his fault. If he hadn't appeared, we would have been married by now. He messed with your head, Jeonggukie."
"He opened my eyes. I thought I didn't deserve to be truly loved. I kept telling myself that it should be so. That I don't deserve anything better," he said quickly, not even hiding his emotions. "But he showed me that I can be important to someone. The most important."
"You are important to him as long as you have money, Gguk," Lisa snorted. "He has nothing. He is a nobody."
"I could leave this company as I stand and give all the money I have, and he will be with me anyway," he replied in a firm voice. "Do you know why?" He asked, searching for her gaze. A mocking smile played on the girl's lips. "Because he really loves me. Not my money. Not my last name. He loves me as I am. It's something you've never been able to do..."
"We'll see. We'll see how long your "perfect" relationship will last and how long this scammer will stay by your side. I'm sure you'll come back to me sooner or later."
Jeongguk smiled at her words and shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe he could have been in a relationship with this woman for so long. Lisa made him feel bad more than once, but he told himself that such things happened in every relationship, that it was normal. Now he looked at it all differently. He remembered well the girl criticizing him without batting an eye. How she made fun of him when he talked about his dreams. He still couldn't forget her disgusted expression the first time she saw his scar, and how it hurt to realize she never touched it. He remembered how hurt he had felt when Lisa asked for an engagement ring to be replaced, or when she crushed one of the first drawings he could draw with her well-manicured hand, saying it was nothing but a nonsense.
Without saying anything, he walked back to where he had been sitting a moment ago and scooped up his papers from the desk and slipped them into his leather briefcase. He took his phone and looked at the display to check the time, then slipped it into his suit jacket pocket. He raised his hand and, smoothing his tie, he slipped his fingers into his dark hair. They were a bit longer now, and this time he was going to grow them, whether someone liked it or not. Only after he was sure it looked good did he grab the briefcase and turned back to Lisa.
The girl was still standing in the same place, watching him carefully in silence. So Jeongguk looked up and strode steadily towards her. But he did not stop close her. He walked pass her and approached the door. He reached out and, gripping the doorknob, turned his face toward her again, finding the hazel eyes of his ex-fiancée.
"Taehyung is the best man I have ever met. He is not only beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside. He's good, loving and honest, and he's a damn great father at the same time. Jae is his whole world and I know he would do anything for him. And even though I'm just a stupid naive to you who's not worth being loved for himself and not for the money or the name Jeon, he loves me. This wonderful man loves me... And I love him even twice as much..." he confessed, looking her straight in the eyes. "There is nothing you can say or do to change my feelings. You may have fooled my father, but I don't and will never believe anything that comes out of your pink lips. Regardless of how expensive lipstick you put on your lips, only cheap lies will come out of them..."
Jeongguk didn't wait for her reaction, turned his head and forced the handle to open the door.
"Now, excuse me, but I'm leaving the office early today because I'm going to watch Jae perform with the man I love..." That said, he left the conference room and slammed the door behind him.
Lisa stood there for a moment, her hands tightly clenched into fists. She wanted to scream. She couldn't believe this bastard was destroying her life once again. She was so furious, her body began to tremble. Not controlling her emotions, she grabbed the documents she had put in an even pile a moment ago and threw them against the wall, shouting loudly:
"Aaah! I hate you, Kim!"
She breathed chaotically for a moment, trying to contain the anger that seemed to literally burn through her veins. Eventually, however, she bent down to collect the scattered documents. As she did so, she noticed that there was a small note on the floor where Jeongguk had been sitting before. Curious, she approached it, then, bending down, grasped him in her fingers. It was enough, however, that she lifted it up, and her eyes saw children's drawings. She didn't even have to open the card to figure out what she has just found ― an invitation.
She twisted the note in her manicured fingers, letting her fuchsia lipstick lips curl in a victorious smile.
***
The tattoo artist undid Jae's seat belt and helped the toddler out of the car, then closed the door behind him. He ran to the front of the car, scooped his leather jacket from the front seat, and quickly scanned the interior of the machine. After making sure that he had taken everything, he locked the car and approached his son again.
"Come on, Little Tiger. We can go now, he ordered, reaching out for the boy to take his hand.
"Jae can't go," the toddler replied, and Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows together, clearly surprised by his son's words.
Confused, he crouched down in front of him and, resting his hands on his son's hips, looked him straight in the eyes.
"What's up, baby? Something happened?" He asked, clearly worried.
Today he was the one who picked up Jae from kindergarten and so far has not noticed that anything was wrong. On the contrary. The boy seemed to be in a great mood. They sang songs together all the way home, and they played through the speakers, and the little one giggled happily.
"Jae has his shoe untied," the boy replied in all seriousness. "You always say Jae can't walk like that, or he'll tip over," he added, sticking his right foot forward to demonstrate that his shoelace really was untied.
Taehyung laughed softly, then set his leather jacket on the sidewalk and grabbed the laces to tie them in a bow. When he finished, he looked up at his son's face.
"Done," he said, smiling broadly. "What should you say?"
"Thank you for tying my shoe," Jae thanked, and the tattoo artist laughed again.
He reached out and slipped his hand into the boy's dark hair, ruffling it with his tattooed fingers. He grabbed the jacket he had put on the sidewalk a moment ago and rose to a standing position.
"Give me yours the hand," he ordered to his son, stretching his hand towards him, and the little one obediently gave him his hand.
The tattoo artist took it gently and walked on, leading his son towards the house. When they reached a low building, he opened the stairwell door and let the boy go ahead, then started toward the stairs. The building was not equipped with an elevator, so they had to climb the stairs. He was walking slowly, still holding his son's hand in his hand, and from time to time he glanced at him to make sure that the boy was carefully making his way up the steps. He didn't want the toddler to fall over, so he was making sure to walk slowly enough that the boy would be okay. However, they only managed to climb one floor when the boy stopped and tugged on his leather jacket to get his attention.
"Jae doesn't have the strength anymore," the boy announced as his father looked at him. "Jae's legs hurt!"
"Oh, your legs hurt?" The tattoo artist repeated, clearly amused. "And when you ran to the playground, they didn't hurt..." he added, teasing his son.
"But they hurt now," the toddler explained. "Look!" Saying so, he pouted sadly and pointed at his feet.
Taehyung laughed as he carefully watched his son's performance. He knew very well that the little boy was only cheating for him to give him piggybacked, and carried him upstairs. It was their frequent ritual. He liked to tease him, though, so he couldn't help but pretend for a moment that he was surprised.
"Oh, what are we going to do now?" He asked, crouching in front of the boy. "If your legs hurt so much, you probably won't be able to climb to the fourth floor, huh?"
"Dad must carry!" Jae exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement as he held his arms up for the tattoo artist to pick him up.
Taehyung huffed under his breath, shaking his head in amusement.
"It's amazing that you can't walk, but you can jump," he said, standing up and bending down to pick up his son.
He put Jae on his shoulders, and the little boy wrapped his arms around his neck, giggling happily, clearly pleased that his performance had been for something.
"Hold on tight, Little Tiger," the tattoo artist said, and he started up the stairs, making his way quickly.
He ran most of the way, climbing two steps at a time, and the little boy was laughing out loud, his arms wrapped tightly around his neck. His melodic, childish laughter bounced off the walls of the staircase, and Taehyung couldn't stop smiling. He loved every moment they could spend together. He couldn't understand how Jiwon could voluntarily give up something so wonderful. How could she give up being his mom.
Jae was the best thing that happened to him. He was his whole world.
When he finally got there, he could feel pain in the tense muscles in his thighs, but that didn't matter. For Jae, he would have run up twenty more floors. Taking a deep breath, he headed for the apartment. Holding his son by the left leg, so that the boy would not accidentally slide off his shoulders and fall, he took the keys out of the pocket of black jeans and quickly opened the lock. He pushed the door with his right hand and walked inside the apartment with his son on his shoulders.
He expected that perhaps Jeongguk had already returned from the office and would see him bustling in the kitchen, but the kitchen was empty and there was no sign of the young CEO. Moreover, the apartment was completely silent, which indicated that the boy was not at home. He felt a slight disappointment involuntarily. He wanted to see him so badly.
Looking away from the empty kitchen, he raised his arms and grabbed the little boy, taking him off his shoulders. He set Jae on the ground and crouched down in front of him to help him take off his shoes, then ruffled his dark hair and smiled at him.
"Go and play in your room for a while, and I'll make us something to eat, huh?" he suggested.
He didn't have to wait long for the boy's reactions, however. Jae nodded and turned on his heel, and without the slightest hesitation he started running towards his room. Taehyung watched him go until the toddler was out of his line of sight. Only then did he get up. After he hung up his leather jacket, he took off his black sneakers and walked himself deeper into the apartment.
Moving down the corridor towards his bedroom, he raised his hand and began to massage the tense muscles in his neck with it. He had a demanding client today, and he was sore now. He dreamed of a long, relaxing bath in hot water with aromatic oils. Preferably with Jeongguk in his arms. But he knew he couldn't afford it now. So he decided to at least shed his clothes and put on comfortable sweatpants.
Still massaging his aching neck, he closed his eyelids for a moment and gently parted his lips, letting a soft hiss escape from his mouth. His muscles were tense almost to the limit. He turned towards the bedroom and, crossing the threshold, opened his eyes. But when the young CEO appeared to his eyes, he almost stopped short. He hadn't expected to see him here, especially since the whole apartment was silent.
The man was sitting on the edge of the bed, still dressed in a white shirt and black elegant pants. His black suit jacket lay beside him, as if he had tossed it messily on the bedding, moments before he let his body fall to the bed. The boy wasn't looking at him, his body tilted forward and his head too so that his dark hair obscured his face. But he noticed that Jeongguk's gaze was fixed on something that rested in his hands ― the white envelope.
"G-guk?" He exclaimed hesitantly and cautiously approached him.
Jeongguk looked up and turned his gaze to him. He looked surprised by his presence, as if he had only realized now that he was no longer alone. Seeing him, he straightened and turned his body a little more towards him.
"Oh, sorry... I didn't hear you guys came back..." he finally said.
His voice sounded strange. Taehyung immediately noticed a slight tremor that might indicate that the boy was nervous, and he felt his anxiety growing involuntarily. He took a few more steps, closing the distance between them. As he approached, he did not take his eyes from the young businessman for a moment, as if to see if he had been hurt.
"Everything's all right?" He asked.
Jeongguk watched him silently. He parted his lips slightly as if to say something, but closed them again. He looked at the envelope in his hands. Its contents seemed to weigh almost a ton, and the longer he held it, the more its weight seemed to increase. So he found the eyes of the onyx irises again, staring at him with undisguised concern.
"I-I don't know," he answered truthfully. Taehyung saw the corner of his lips lift for a few seconds. Jeongguk moistened his lips as if his mouth was dry and lifted the envelope so that the tattoo artist could see better what rested in his hands. "T-today I got... This..." he choked out.
Taehyung looked at the envelope the young CEO was holding and looked at it closely, wanting to understand what it might be. He was about to look away and ask what it was, when suddenly he saw the characteristic seal and didn't need to ask anymore. He knew exactly what the boy was clutching in his slender fingers.
"What did they write?" He asked, shifting his gaze to the dark irises of his beloved.
"I-I don't know," he replied, running his tongue over his slightly chapped lips again. "I didn't dare to open it," he admitted, snorting gently. "I guess... I guess I was lying when I said that it doesn't matter to me whether I win this contest..." he added, curving his lips into a slightly nervous smile. "I-I'm afraid to hear that I am not good enough... All the time I thought that I had no chance to even send my works there, but you believed in me so much... Thanks to you and I believed that I could... The final three... It was like a dream come true. I never thought that I could go this far, but now..." The brunet broke off and looked again at his hands holding the white envelope. "I'm afraid I'll let you down..." he whispered.
"Honey," the tattoo artist said gently, walking towards him. He knelt down in front of him to lower himself to his level and gripped his face in his hands, forcing him to look at him. "Never... ever... You'll do nothing to disappoint me, Gguk. I know this contest is important to you and I think that like no one else you deserve to win it, but if you don't... Nothing will happen. You'll be just as talented, and you'll be the same man to me."
"C-can you open it for me?" The brunet asked, and Taehyung smiled gently and nodded.
He took his hands away from the young CEO's face and moved them towards his, and after a while he carefully slipped the envelope out of his hand. Looking him straight in the eye, he tore off the top to open the envelope, and as he did so, slowly took the letter out of it. Only when he unfolded it, he looked away from Jeongguk, shifting his gaze to the paper he was holding in his fingers.
"Dear Mr. Jeon," he began to read aloud. "This year's Academy competition was of an extremely high level. Many incredibly talented artists have applied to us. Many of them worked hard for years to polish their workshop to create these few works, which were then evaluated by a jury consisting of some of the most distinguished artists and art experts. The final three, which was selected for the final stage of the competition, exceeded our wildest expectations. However, there was a real treasure among them. Our entire jury unanimously decided that this treasure deserves to be the winner of this year's edition of the Academy competition. The winner has an excellent technique. A clearly trained eye and incredible skills to transfer his enormous talent onto the canvas. Each stroke of the pencil brings out more details, each figure's chiaroscuro has been made with such precision that you might think that the creator of these works is a professional. It is amazing how the author revived the drawn character with ordinary charcoal, as if he was enchanting his soul in a white canvas. These drawings are unbelievable and although each of them depicts the same model, each one is uniquely beautiful. Our entire jury is very impressed, and we are fully aware that such a talent happens once in many, many years, so we are honored to inform you that you are the winner of this year's Academy competition. You have an extraordinary talent in your hands, and we will be very pleased to admire your works at the exhibition in our gallery..."
Taehyung paused and looked at Jeongguk, unable to suppress the smile from his lips. The young CEO was no longer sitting on the bed. He was standing in front of him. The man's right hand covered his mouth, and those beautiful, doe eyes were wet with tears. The tattoo artist walked the distance between them without hesitation and took him in his arms, pulling him tightly against his body.
"You did it, Gguk," he whispered straight into his ear.
"I did it," the brunet repeated, tightening his arms around the body of the tattoo artist, and he cried like a small child.
***
The tattoo artist followed his client with his eyes, and when the door finally closed behind her, he turned on his heel and headed for the garbage can. He stripped off the black latex gloves from his hand and the mask that had hid his nose and mouth until then, and threw them away. When he returned to his station, he sprinkled it with disinfectant and began cleaning it, wiping it off with circular motions.
His mouth began to sing the words of the song that was coming from the loudspeakers. He couldn't help himself. He felt great. After all, everything was as it should be in his life. Even better than he could ever imagine. Things were going great between him and Jeongguk, and Jeongguk himself seemed much calmer since his father found out about everything. He seemed much more confident, his attacks almost stopped, and he was fulfilling one of his greatest dreams, and he couldn't be more proud of him.
"I haven't seen you so happy in a long time," a voice suddenly rushed behind his back, and at the sound of that voice, Taehyung quickly turned away.
Yoongi was standing on the doorstep of his studio, leaning against the door frame, that gummy smile on his lips that he loved so much. He almost automatically returned his smile and parted his lips to speak, when suddenly another guest appeared behind his friend.
"Apparently it works both ways because Gguk was singing today too when I came over for lunch," Jimin said, and entered the studio without invitation.
"Hey, Jimin," Kim greeted, smiling at him. "Are you coming for a tattoo?" He asked, teasing him.
"You know, if I asked you to make me a tattoo, Jeongguk would probably tear my eyes out," Jimin replied, rolling his eyes. "No. Thank you. You're bloody talented, but I'd like to live a little longer..." he joked. "The more that today I have a date planned, with my handsome boyfriend," saying that, he ran his hand over Yoongi's chest, then leaned over and kissed his lips.
After a while, Jimin turned back to the redhead and approached him. He measured him carefully from head to toe, tracing his silhouette with his searching eyes.
"I was at Gguk's office a moment ago, and he asked me to tell you that he was stuck in the office. They have a meeting or something, so he'll be back later today."
"Oh, okay," the tattoo artist said.
Jimin suddenly stretched out his hand and placed a small box in front of him. Taehyung looked at it and saw that it looked like a gift. He drew his eyebrows together and looked at the blond, raising his right eyebrow questioningly.
"Relax, it's not from me," Park explained quickly. "It's from Gguk."
Taehyung looked at the box again and took it in his hands. Even though he wasn't looking at Jimin, he could still feel his eyes on him. He twisted the box in his fingers, studying it as if he were trying to x-ray it, but nothing he saw betrayed what might be inside.
"You're not gonna open it?" Jimin asked suddenly, though in his mouth it sounded more like an encouragement than an actual question.
Kim snorted softly under his breath, peering at the young businessman from under the veil of his long lashes.
"I assume you won't forgive me for this, huh?"
"I didn't come here and hold that box just so that I would leave this place without knowing what it was," Jimin replied.
Taehyung chuckled softly, then carefully unfolded the card that came with the gift. He recognized the young CEO's neat handwriting immediately, and his lips formed a gentle curve before he began to read it.
"I was out shopping today and when I saw it, I couldn't resist. This is a little taste of our Saturday date. I can't wait".
Even after he finished reading this short message, he couldn't take his eyes off it for a moment. He felt strangely excited. He was well aware that Jeongguk was looking forward to this weekend in the same way. It was going to be the first time they'd be left alone since returning from Jeju.
He was looking forward to it.
He folded the card and scanned the box, finally carefully lifting the lid. When he saw what was inside, he bit his lower lip almost involuntarily.
"M-maybe Gguk made a mistake and gave me the wrong gift..." Park muttered, peering over his shoulder at the contents of the box.
Taehyung stared at the gift for a moment, fingers running in fascination over the soft fabric.
"No. It's exactly what I dreamed of..." He replied, still not taking his eyes off the gift he had received.
"Seriously?" Min asked surprised. "So what, now you'll be wearing shirts and ties to work?" He joked, snorting with amusement at the thought of his friend in elegant clothes. It was ridiculous.
"No. I'm not going to wear them," he explained, picking up one of his ties.
"So, why did Gguk give you a collection of five ties if you won't be wearing them?" the tattoo artist asked, not understanding where the gift was coming from.
Taehyung looked up at the two men who were still watching him closely and smiled mysteriously.
"Because I have the best man in the world..." he replied, still holding one of his ties in his hands.
The one he chose was a fiery red color, almost like the tie that bound the young CEO's hands when they made love in his father's office. At the memory, he felt a characteristic pressure in the lower abdomen, and a shiver of excitement ran down his spine.
Damn, he was looking forward to this weekend.
He adored this man. He loved everything about him. Jeongguk was like a dream come true. He couldn't have dreamed of a better partner for himself and a better father for Jae.
"Hey, wait!" Park called suddenly, catching his attention. "Is this some kinky shit you both play? Are you pretending to be a handsome CEO and Gguk pretending to be a rebellious tattoo artist, or what?" He asked, knitting his eyebrows together.
Taehyung snorted at his words, laughing softly to himself.
"Whatever turns you on, Jimin," he joked, then slipped his hand into the pocket of his dark pants, taking out a pack of cigarettes.
"Hey, we're friends. You're dating my best friend. You can tell me something..." the young businessman encouraged. "Gguk never tells me anything. He told me more when I still thought you had a vagina..." He groaned in displeasure.
The tattoo artist laughed again, but this time much louder and, shaking his head, started toward the exit.
"We're not at this stage of our relationship yet, Park," he replied, still clearly amused. He took one cigarette out of the packet and slipped it between his lips. "I have another client in a moment. I'm going to smoke."
"Hey, wait. You can't just get out of here right now and leave me guessing!" Jimin protested.
The tattoo artist only laughed harder, filling the studio with his low, melodious laugh. He pushed the door open and left the studio without turning back.
"Nice to see you again, Park!" He shouted goodbye and closed the door behind him.
Jimin sighed theatrically and rolled his eyes, then looked at his boyfriend. Yoongi was looking at him with a smile on his lips. His slim figure was adorned with black clothes as usual, and his blond hair was still a bit tousled where he'd slipped his fingers in a moment ago, kissing him hello.
"No wonder they get along so well," he said, laughing. "Gguk is just as cruel as he is," he concluded.
Yoongi laughed softly, then, pushing his body away from the wall, moved towards him. He covered the distance between them in a few strides, stood in front of him and wrapped his arms around his waist.
"If you want, then for consolation I'm going to put on a tie for you and pretend to be a severe CEO," he suggested, grinning.
Park narrowed his eyes as if thinking intensely for a moment on the tattoo artist's suggestion.
"Hmmm... I think it might help," he agreed, curving his lips into a beautiful arc, and after a while he leaned forward and gave Yoongi a tender kiss.
***
Taehyung moved his eyes to the beautiful flowers that were placed in small buckets, looking for something special. As his gaze caught a bouquet of purple azaleas, his lips curved into a broad smile. He reached out his tattooed hand and grasped the bouquet in his slender fingers.
"I'd like that bouquet," he said confidently, looking at the old lady who was selling the flowers.
"A great choice!" Cried the old woman. "She must be a special girl."
"He's a... special boy," Taehyung corrected her.
"Oh, I hope he will like the bouquet," the woman replied.
"It's really beautiful," the tattoo artist agreed, then handed her the money and took the bouquet from her.
Almost instinctively, he leaned in gently to smell the flowers, then smiled and nodded gently as he said the goodbye. Still smiling, he ran quickly across the street and approached the black Hyundai. He slipped into the driver's seat and carefully placed a bouquet of purple flowers on the passenger seat beside him. He checked his watch. There was still quite a lot of time. He knew Jeongguk was going to have a hard day at work today, and his last client had checked out at the last minute. So he left work a little earlier and decided to make a romantic surprise for him. He had already bought all the items for the delicious dinner that he was going to prepare for him when he returned home.
He hadn't planned on buying anything else, but when he saw the old lady with the bouquets, he couldn't resist, and those purple azaleas were just perfect. He remembered Jeongguk once telling him about what their mother had said and knew it would make him happy.
And he would do anything to put a smile on his face.
He fastened his seat belt quickly and started the engine, then turned the car back to the street, slowly heading towards his son's kindergarten. He didn't have to hurry, he had a lot of time to travel. He started the player and, singing the words of the song under his breath, he paced the streets. His tattooed fingers involuntarily met the pace, hitting the leather steering wheel.
When he was only two blocks from his destination, he suddenly noticed that the only street leading to the kindergarten was full of traffic jam. Instinctively, he looked at his watch. He still had some time, so he tried not to stress it too much. He was already quite close, so even if it would take him a little longer to cover this distance, he should still make it.
After a few more meters, however, he was forced to switch off the engine, because the traffic jam was so large that his car did not move even a millimeter. Feeling more and more anxious, he checked his watch again. Seeing that the time for his son's pickup was approaching, he moved nervously. He looked around carefully, trying to understand the situation, but it wasn't looking very good. He had been standing still for several minutes, and the street was so jammed that he had no way of taking another lane or turning back to take a different road. Nervous, he quickly turned off the music and began tapping his fingers on the steering wheel even more nervously.
"Fu-ck," he swore aloud.
It looked as if there had been an accident on the road. Even though he could not see anything at this distance, he could hear the sound of a police siren or an ambulance in the distance. He glanced at his watch, which was beginning inexorably towards Jae's pickup time. He was going to pick up his son earlier, and he was almost late.
"Oh... Come on..." he hurried up, as if that might make the traffic jam suddenly move. With each passing minute, he felt more and more stressed. "Come on, go ahead! Shit!"
He looked around again, trying to find a solution. He was only a block away from kindergarten, but at such a pace he knew it would probably take up to a half an hour to get there. He has only covered two lengths of his car in the last twenty minutes. He glanced at his watch and cursed again, seeing that he was already late. He didn't want Jae to wait for him.
Finally, he saw one free parking space to his right and, not wanting to sit idle any longer, turned right to stop the car. He had no choice but to walk the last distance if he didn't want Jae to wait another half hour for him. He hurriedly got out of the car and started running towards the kindergarten. Almost running, he slipped his hand into his jacket pocket to remove his cell phone and let the kindergarten know he was going to be a little late.
He hastily dialed Jae's kindergarten number from his contact list and pressed the green button when his entire screen went blank. He nervously pressed the button again to light the screen, but it didn't respond.
"Fuck!" he cursed loudly as he realized his cell phone was dead.
He slipped it back into his pocket and started running to get to the kindergarten as quickly as possible. He hated running. The last time he was running so fast was when Jeongguk was waiting for him at the airport to fly to Jeju together. He could feel the muscles in his thighs and calves burning, but he couldn't stop. He only slowed down when he saw the kindergarten building. He paused for a moment and rested his hands on his thighs, trying to even his breath enough not to fall in, panting as if he was about to leave this world.
When his breathing leveled enough to allow him to function normally, he started forward again, beating the last distance. When he was almost at the door, it suddenly opened, and he saw one of the interns he had seen in the last days, maybe two or three times.
"Oh, good morning. I'm already here!" He said quickly, approaching her. "Thank you for staying with Jae," he added, smiling gratefully.
To his surprise, however, the girl closed the door behind her and began to lock it. Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows together, surprised by the intern's behavior.
"Where's my son?" He asked, and the girl finally looked up at him.
When she saw him, her pupils widened in surprise and her right hand lifted. It was only when her slim fingers gripped the headphone cord that he realized that the intern probably hadn't heard his words at all. The muffled sound of a pop song coming from the loudspeaker crept into his ears.
"I'm sorry for being late. There was an accident on the road..." he explained quickly. "I can take my son now," he added.
"Son?" The girl repeated, as if he had said something strange. Taehyung saw her brows knit together for a moment, as if she didn't understand what was actually going on.
"Yes," he confirmed quickly. "Maybe you don't remember me," he added. "My name is Kim Taehyung. My little boy, Jae, goes to this kindergarten. I know I'm late... I'm sorry," he explained.
"But..." the girl began, looking around as if trying to find something. "All the children have already been picked up," she finally replied, turning her gaze back to him.
Taehyung grinned nervously and shifted from foot to foot.
"Wh-what?" He asked. "I just came to get him... Where is he?"
"You are the father of...?"
"Jae," he explained, feeling his nervousness grow. "Kim Jaesung. He is four years old."
"Ah, yes, Jae," she confirmed, finally understanding which child he was asking about, and Taehyung breathed a sigh of relief as he nodded his agreement.
"Yes exactly. Where is he?"
"But Jae has already been picked up, too," the girl replied. "All the children have already been picked up."
"He was picked up?" He repeated, clearly confused. He was confident Jeongguk would come back later today. He knew the young CEO was going to have another meeting on the new project. "Jeongguk picked him up?"
"Jeongguk?"
"My partner," he explained quickly. "Tall, goddamn handsome brunet," he added, presenting a short description of the man. The girl, however, shook her head.
"No. There was no one like this today."
"So where's Jae? Who picked up my son?" He asked, feeling his heart pounding in his chest, bumping against his ribs like a trapped bird in a cage.
"His mom picked him up," the intern replied, and at her words, Taehyung blinked quickly.
"Mom?" He repeated, feeling all the contents of his stomach rising to his throat.
"Yes. His mum. I don't remember the name exactly... It was so original... Lana? Lina?" She explained, trying to remember how the woman introduced herself.
"L-Lisa?" Taehyung gasped, struggling to pronounce his ex-partner's name through his clenched throat.
"Yes! Oh, yes! Lisa," she confirmed with satisfaction. "She had such long blonde hair and a blue suit. I think it was something from Versace, because I once saw one in..."
Taehyung felt as if all the oxygen had suddenly been pumped out, and he was gasping for breath. His breathing became shallow. Everything began to spin around, and he could not collect his thoughts. It was as if he was going to have a panic attack similar to the one he had witnessed on several occasions with Jeongguk.
"When did she take him?" He choked out with difficulty. "Wh-When?!"
The intern looked at him, clearly surprised by his reaction and nervousness. His voice was high, he was almost shouting at her, but he couldn't help himself. It felt as if the ground was slipping from under his feet and everything was spinning around him. He didn't know what to do.
"I-I don't know... Maybe fifteen minutes ago..." she explained, then parted his lips to add something else, but he wasn't listening anymore.
He turned quickly on his heel and started walking. Instinctively, he slipped his hand into his jacket pocket to call Jeongguk or the police, but realized that his cell phone is dead. So he slipped it into his pocket again and ran a hand through his fiery red hair in frustration. He had the urge to scream or cry. He didn't think he'd ever felt so helpless and scared in his life. He couldn't breathe, as if he had suddenly run out of oxygen. He ran ahead and looked around, shouting his son's name.
Finally, he remembered there was a small playground nearby, where he would sometimes take Jae and, pushed by some strange force, ran in that direction, hoping that he might find them there. Running as fast as he could, he scanned the area in search of Lisa or his son. He didn't know what to do. Where is he to look for them? Who to ask for help? It seemed to him that he was slowly dying. He only felt the same when he learned that Jeongguk was hospitalized the night he had a seizure at Lisa's farewell party. He was almost out of his mind.
"Jae!" He shouted as he approached the playground and looked around.
When suddenly a melodic, child's laughter, deceptively reminiscent of his son's, crept into his ears, he immediately rushed in this direction. All he had to do was travel a few meters to see Jae swinging on the swing. He ran quickly towards him and scooped him into his arms.
"Jae," he said, squeezing him a little tighter than necessary.
"Daddy!" The boy exclaimed, clearly happy to see him.
The tattoo artist, ignoring his words, pulled him off the swing and began to examine him quickly, checking that he was okay.
"Are you okay?" He asked nervously. "How many times did your dad tell you that you can't talk and go away with strangers?!" He scolded him, raising his voice involuntarily. "Don't ever do that again, do you understand?" He added, and the boy looked at him with terrified eyes.
Taehyung never yelled at him. He had promised himself he wouldn't do it, but now he couldn't help it. He was so scared that his whole body was literally shaking with nervousness.
"J-Jae didn't know," the boy gasped, struggling to hold back tears. "L-Lisa said that... she knows d-daddy... And... And... G-Googie... G-Googie ..." the toddler added, sobbing.
"I know, honey. I'm sorry..." he said gently, pulling his son into his arms again, and he got up from his knees. He ran a hand through the boy's dark hair, then wiped away his tears with his hand. "Daddy just got scared. It's alright now. Nothing happened," he kissed his son on the head, then pressed him tighter against his chest and turned on his heel to look at Lisa, who was standing next to the swing. "Don't come near him ever again!" He growled at her, and the girl just snorted under her breath at his words, clearly amused at how panicked he was.
"Don't be so dramatic, I didn't do anything to him..." She replied, resting her hands on her hips.
Lisa looked almost like a model with her perfect makeup and a perfectly fitted suit. He also noticed that her feet were decorated with high heels, now somewhat awkwardly sunk into the sand that spilled in the playground.
"You have no right to take my son without my knowledge!" He added, still unable to calm down.
He felt his body still tremble, and instinctively his arms tightened around the boy, as if he feared that if he didn't, the toddler would disappear. He still felt sick. So fucking sick, he thought he was going to throw up.
"It seems that this document says something else," the girl said suddenly, showing him a piece of paper. From this distance, he couldn't see what it was, but he was pretty sure it was Jaesung's birth certificate. "I'm still his mother, whether you like it or not."
"I don't care what it says, Jiwon! You lost your right to be called his mother when you left him almost four years ago!" He growled, then turned on his heel and walked with his son in his arms towards the exit from the playground.
"If you get out of here now, you'll regret it, Kim!" She shouted after him.
"What the hell do you want from me, Jiwon?!" He asked, turning sharply towards her. "What do you want?"
He didn't want to swear in front of his son, and he usually avoided it, but now he was unable to contain himself, and the fact that Lisa was so calm and confident made him lose his footing even more. His hands were trembling. His heart was racing in his chest, and he still felt sick at the thought that Jiwon had found his son. He had no idea how the girl would know where the toddler was going to kindergarten, but knowing that she might as well put him in the car today and just drive him somewhere made him unable to breathe.
If he had lost him, he would not have survived it.
"Sit down!" She instructed in a hard voice. "It's gonna be a long conversation."
***
Ayashee:
The next chapter of Ink is behind us...
Jeongguk won the competition and is one step closer to making his dreams come true, but it looks like Lisa won't let it go that easily...
Why do you think Lisa decided to meet Tae?
xoxo