The Taste Of Ink | Taekook | ENG

61. IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES

The young man ran a hand through his hair, combing his fingers through the dark strands, then took a pack of cigarettes from his trouser pocket. He hastily grasped one of them in his slender fingers and slipped it between his lips, only to set it on fire after a while, shielding the fire from a strong gust of wind. He felt his hands trembling with nervousness and his stomach contracting painfully. He couldn't even remember the last time he was so upset. He felt sick. His right leg bounced nervously on the uneven pavement.

He looked at the phone's display to check the time. After taking another drag on his cigarette, he looked around carefully, hoping to see the two men he had been waiting for. There were still a dozen or so minutes to the scheduled meeting, but he felt a growing nervousness nonetheless. He was afraid that every, even the smallest, mistake on his part could lead to a tragedy.

"Tae!" A familiar voice suddenly called behind him, and he instinctively took a drag on his half-smoked cigarette again and hastily extinguished it on the lid of the trash can, then turned back. Seeing his friend, he breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry for being late. We were stuck in a traffic jam," Seojoon explained quickly, smiling apologetically.

The man next to him raised his hand up and looked at the face of the expensive watch. Taehyung looked at him for a moment, somewhat intimidated. He had seen him before, but he felt so upset every time they met, he remembered little of it. Giovanni, because that was the man's name, was at least a dozen years older than him, almost a head shorter. His hair was jet black, only a few lighter highlights appeared at the temples, which meant that the first gray hair would soon appear in this area. There were several distinct crow's feet around almost black eyes, which indicated that the man was certainly laughing a lot. His skin was smeared with the Italian sun. Today, as always when they met, the Italian was wearing an expensive suit and a leather briefcase was in his hand.

"Ma non ti preoccupare! We still have time," the man said, patting him on the shoulder to cheer him up, his lips curving into a broad smile.

Taehyung just nodded. He was too nervous to focus on anything now. He lifted his hands almost involuntarily and adjusted the tie that tightly wrapped around his neck. He hated ties. It was probably the third or fourth time in his life that he had had the torture device slung over his neck, and it made him feel as though it were suffocating him. He couldn't wait to finally loosen that knot and take off those horrible clothes. He felt like in disguise. He was wearing a white shirt and a black suit. Black elegant shoes on his feet, and his dark hair was combed back smoothly. He would have liked to have come here in his favorite leather jacket, but he knew people judged others by their appearance. Especially people like him. So he couldn't risk letting something so trivial decide his future. If thanks to the fact that he jumps into elegant clothes and covers his tattoos, and brushes his hair back smoothly, someone will think he's a better father, so be it.

"Don't be so nervous, Tae," Seojoon said softly, as if he wanted only him to hear his words. "You look like you're about to pass out..." he assessed, studying his face carefully.

"I've waited so long for this moment... Two years, Seo... What if something goes wrong? If Jiwon..." He broke off, unable to pronounce this cruel thought aloud, as if fearing that if he did, his worst nightmare might come true.

"Everything will be fine. There is no other option," the elder replied quickly. "You look great. I told you this suit would fit you," he added after a moment, measuring his friend from head to toe.

Taehyung was wearing a suit Seojoon had lent him. He and Seo had similar body shapes and both were almost the same height, which made his friend's suit fit like a glove. He also had to admit that the clothes were of really great quality. Surely such a suit cost a fortune.

"I feel like in disguise," he muttered softly, and as he was about to add something else, Giovanni turned to face him again.

"It's time," he said in a little broken English, then motioned them to go to the building where they had met a moment ago.

The tattoo artist nodded, swallowing hard. Suddenly, he felt a strong suction in his stomach, and an almost irresistible urge to take another puff of the cigarette, but he knew there was no time left to indulge in it. So he started toward the elegant building under which they stood. They walked the rest of the route in silence. Taehyung was too nervous to say anything, and the other two men probably didn't want to stress him too much. He barely registered Giovanni's conversation with a secretary who, after a short exchange of words and courtesy, led them deeper into the building to finally show them the appropriate office.

When the door was finally opened for them and the secretary indicated for them to enter, a tall man appeared to his eyes. He immediately noticed that he, too, was dressed in an elegant suit, perfectly matched to the figure. Seeing the guests, he got up from his desk and fastened his navy blue suit jacket, which had been unbuttoned so far. As the man got close enough to get a good look at his face, he saw that he was probably of Asian ancestry. His dark, piercing gaze and skin tone indicated that the man must have had someone from the east among his ancestors. Especially since his skin was devoid of the sunny Milanese tan so characteristic of the people around him. He himself rather avoided sunbathing, but still his caramel skin darkened, and its color took on more depth.

"Mr. Kim?" The man asked, looking at Seojoon.

"T-that's me," Taehyung answered quickly, before his friend could say anything.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the other said quickly, turning to his side, then carefully measured him from head to toe, his eyes lingering briefly at his white shirt collar, from beneath which a fragment of red lotus that the fabric could not hide, was still visible. "My name is Hayato Tanaka, and I am Mrs. Lalisa Matsuyama's attorney," he explained quickly, extending his hand towards him.

"Matsuyama?" Kim repeated, almost stopping himself from huffing. His right eyebrow lifted involuntarily at the sound of these revelations.

"Oh, yes," the man replied with a gentle laugh. "It's quite a new thing. Mrs. Lalisa got married to her fiancé less than a month ago," he explained. "Maybe you haven't heard it yet."

Taehyung would be lying if he said that he was surprised that his ex-partner had dealt with the break-up with Jeongguk rather quickly. It didn't surprise him a bit that she'd already found a new man. He didn't know who all this Matsuyama was, but he guessed it was probably another rich man Jiwon had wrapped around her little finger and now kept under an expensive Louboutin shoe.

"Please sit down," Hayato ordered, pointing to the chairs set next to the desk as he started to settle down in his previous seat. He unbuttoned his suit jacket button again so as not to wrinkle the expensive fabric, and sat down on the leather chair he had been sitting in when they had entered his office moments ago.

The tattoo artist moved a little uneasily deeper into the office and finally took one of the indicated places. Giovanni took the seat to his right and Seojoon to his left. He felt a little better knowing he had a friend and a lawyer by his side to help him check his papers. He was afraid that he might have overlooked something himself, and he couldn't risk that the document might leave any gate for Jiwon to undermine earlier decisions.

Watching Hayato take out a briefcase and look for the appropriate documents, Taehyung began fiddling with his slender fingers nervously. He felt sick and the air in the room was stuffy. He wanted to ask someone to turn up the air conditioning or open the window a bit more, but he was unable to speak. Instinctively, he raised his hand and pulled back his tie a little, as if that might help him breathe better. When the young lawyer finally pulled out the documents and laid them on the top of the mahogany desk, he finally dared to look at them.

"As agreed, Mrs. Lalisa signed all the papers," Tanaka said finally, as he pushed the stack of documents towards him. "This is a document in which her parental rights are waived..." the Japanese began. "And this is the decision of the court which grants you full custody of the boy."

Taehyung reached out and took the papers that the lawyer held up to him. His hands were visibly trembling, but it didn't matter now. He stared at the papers for a moment, reading the court's decision over and over, as if he wanted to be sure that the text he was reading was not just a figment of his imagination.

"Giovanni," he finally turned to the older man and handed him the court's decision. "Please check that these documents are okay."

The lawyer nodded and quickly took all the papers from him, then studied them for a long time, reading carefully first the first, then the second. Taehyung did not take his eyes off him for a moment. He stared intently at the man's face, as if looking for any trace of unease, but found nothing. Under the stress, he clenched his hands tightly and almost stopped breathing. He heard the pounding of his own heart in his ears, which seemed to reflect off the walls of the elegant office. When the lawyer finally pushed the papers aside and looked at him, he thought he was going to pass out. The brief moments when the man stared at him without speaking seemed to last forever.

"And...?" He choked out. He felt as if his heart was about to pop out of his chest. He held his breath.

"Everything is as it should be," the lawyer replied, curving his lips into a broad smile.

"R-really?" The tattoo artist asked, then quickly raised his hand to his mouth and blinked a few times, feeling that in an instant he was flooded with a sea of ​​emotions that seemed to be consuming him.

"With these documents, you are Jae's sole legal guardian. Lisa no longer has any rights to him," Giovanni confirmed. "Nobody will take your son away from you anymore."

***

The tattoo artist hugged the older man one more time, then pulled away from him and, almost involuntarily, bowed low to him as a gesture of thanks.

"I really don't know how to thank you," he said, placing his hand on his chest at the height of his heart.

"Caro mio, you don't have to thank me. I didn't do much," the man replied quickly. "I'm glad that I could, at least, do so much for you. I've seen what a great father you are. Nobody should be trying to take this little boy away from you."

"I've been waiting a hell of a long time for this, but... it was worth it. This is probably one of the happiest days of my life," Taehyung admitted.

The lawyer grabbed his hand and squeezed it, then smiled at him. Without saying anything else, he turned on his heel and started walking. Taehyung watched his receding figure for a long time, slowly disappearing among the walking Italians. Only when the lawyer was out of sight did he take a deep breath, drawing the Milanese air into his lungs.

"How do you feel now?" A voice suddenly asked behind him. And only now, hearing his friend's voice, he looked back. "It's finally over..."

The tattoo artist parted his lips slightly, but no words escaped from his lips. He felt so many emotions at once that he didn't know what he really felt right now and how to put it into words.

"I still can't believe it's true," he finally confessed. "I guess it hasn't sunk in yet..."

"You want me to pinch you?" Seojoon suggested, smiling at him. "You did it, Tae."

"Two years. I've waited two years for this moment, and now... I don't even know how to describe it. I was afraid that Jiwon would do something and not keep her word. That maybe at the last moment, she would change her mind and want to fight with me for Jae, but she obviously never really wanted to be his mother."

"You're a great father, Tae. Jae has everything a child could want in you. He does not need and has never needed Jiwon in his life."

"You're right. He never needed her, but there is someone Jae misses as much as I do..."

"Jeongguk," Seojoon guessed, though he had no doubts about it.

Even a few days ago, he heard a little boy asking about a man. Jaesung asked about him frequently. Even though he hadn't seen him in two years, he missed him as much as his father did.

"He's still asking about him..." Taehyung confessed, clearly touched. "From the beginning of our arrival, I told him it was only a temporary stay. He is looking forward to returning to Korea as much as I am. He hopes we'll be family again when we come back: me, him and Jeongguk. He chose him as his second dad, and I don't dream of anything more than that we would be together again. The three of us."

"It's a great plan, Tae. You will be a beautiful family."

"When I get back there, I'll propose to him," the tattoo artist said suddenly, revealing to his friend for the first time something he had had on his mind for a long time now. "I know it's been a long time, but I don't want to spend even a day more without him..."

He realized that it might not be so easy to go back to what was between them. It's been two years since they last saw each other. Despite the long separation, his feelings for Jeongguk did not diminish. On the contrary. It seemed to him that each day he loved him more and more. He hoped the former CEO felt the same. He knew he had to explain a lot to him. Jeongguk should find out why he disappeared that night. However, he hoped that when he revealed the truth to his loved one, they could be together again.

And this time, nothing and no one will stand in the way of their happiness.

At the thought, he almost instinctively tightened his tattooed fingers tighter around the file, with which he could finally regain the life he had lost two years ago. Nobody had the right to take Jae from him anymore and in the end, nothing stood in the way for him to fight again for the love of his beloved.

"So... what's the plan now?" Seojoon asked.

"Finally, me and Jae, we can go back home..." he replied, involuntarily lifting the corners of his lips in a beautiful, though still shy smile. "To Jeongguk..."

He knew very well that going back to Korea was not that important at all. He never planned to leave his country. He had a strong bond with it and that was where he wanted to live, but going back to Seoul meant nothing if he wasn't there.

Jeongguk was his home.

***

The dark-haired man slightly clumsily adjusted the bag on his shoulder so that it would stop sliding down. He made his movements cautiously enough not to wake the boy asleep in his arms. Jaesung was so exhausted from the long flight that before he could pick up his luggage, he fell asleep on the airport bench. He didn't have the heart to wake him up, so he took him in his arms and carried him the rest of the way in his arms. As he stepped out into the open area of the airport, he instinctively looked around. At the arrivals, as usual, there were many people longing for their loved ones, friends or family.

When at one point his gaze caught a young man in a perfectly tailored suit with a bouquet of red roses in his hands, he could not take his eyes off him. Inadvertently, he paused for a moment, watching the stranger scan people's faces for the person he had been waiting for with such longing. He felt a strange nostalgia looking at him and a kind of jealousy that it was not his lover waiting for him. He actually wished he could see Jeongguk waiting at Incheon airport upon his arrival in Seoul, looking for him with equal longing. The former CEO, however, had no idea that he had come back to the country.

He knew Jeongguk had returned to Korea a few months ago, and it looked like he probably intended to stay here permanently. Jimin told him that the boy had lived in an apartment that he had bought before his departure and that he had no plans to travel abroad for a long time anymore. Since the former CEO revealed his identity a year ago, his career started skyrocketing. His exhibition "The Taste Of Ink" has been staged in several European cities that were not even planned before and was welcomed with enthusiasm everywhere. The reviews were amazingly good. He didn't think he had ever seen anyone get such good reviews from critics and audiences. The galleries were almost fighting for him to have an exhibition there, and he was so damn proud of him.

When he found out that Jeongguk had been offered to exhibit his work in Korea, he was extremely happy. He knew it was one of his dreams. Being able to show his works, where it all began. And although the exhibition "The Taste Of Ink" left no doubts about his orientation, Jeongguk proudly presented his work. Taehyung's only regret was that he couldn't stand by his side and whisper in his ear how damn proud he was of the way he had traveled to be where he was now.

His second exhibition was to take place tomorrow. The tickets were sold out in minutes, but he miraculously got one. Now he treated it as one of his greatest treasures. He hoped that tomorrow he would be able to talk to him and explain everything to him, and in the evening he would be able to admire his success up close, holding his hand and whispering in his ear how much he loved him.

As he stared thoughtfully at the young man, who was now hugging the tiny blonde in his arms, something stung his chest at the thought that perhaps no one was waiting for him so longingly.

Was Jeongguk still thinking about him? Was he waiting for him?

"If you're also going to throw yourself into my arms, you'd better forget about it. It will end badly..." a voice said suddenly behind him.

Taehyung curled his lips in a smile, recognizing the voice, and quickly turned back. As he had expected, he saw a man a few centimeters shorter. He couldn't even describe in words how wonderful it was to see him again. Yoongi has hardly changed at all. His hair was still bleached to a light, almost platinum blond, and black clothes adorned his tiny body. He couldn't explain it, but felt strangely relieved to see that the man still looked almost the same as the last time he had seen him two years ago.

This somehow gave him hope that, although it had been so long since he had been forced to leave Seoul, perhaps not that much had changed at all.

"You don't even know how bloody glad I am to see you again," he confessed, smiling at his friend. "I would hug you, but Jae is asleep, and I don't want to wake him," he explained quickly.

"Oh, damn, Kim..." suddenly another voice spoke, and a second man appeared in front of his eyes. The blonde measured him from head to toe and smiled with that distinctive, radiant smile. "You look even better than the last time we met. I have to admit that you look fine with such dark hair and I assume after your tan that you were warming your ass in some warm country, huh?"

"I was in Milan all the time," the tattoo artist replied. "And thank you, you look great too, Jimin. You both look great. I can see that love serves you."

"Oh, ciao, baby!" Jimin called, grinning at the dark-haired tattoo artist. "I know Italian too! Pizza, spaghetti bolognese, mozzarella!"

"It's not exactly Italian, but so be it, Jimin," Kim replied with a gentle laugh. "I fucking missed you guys," he finally admitted, feeling strangely touched at the sight of two friends.

"We missed you too, Tae. And Jae," Yoongi echoed. "How he has grown up!"

"Wait for him to wake up. Yesterday, when I told him we were going home, he was awake half the night. He couldn't wait to see uncle Min," Taehyung announced, curving his lips into a broad smile at the mention of his son.

"Oh, give it to me!" Min ordered suddenly, reaching out to take his luggage from the younger man.

"Thanks," the tattoo artist said quickly, gratefully handing over his luggage to his friend.

"Come on, I parked the car right in front of the entrance," Min explained, and together they headed in the direction indicated.

"I have to drive Jae to my mom. I don't want to cause you any problems..." the younger began cautiously, aligning his pace with his friend. "Maybe I'll catch a taxi..."

"There's no need to. We will take you there."

"Are you sure? It's far from here."

"It's really not a problem, Tae," Min explained quickly.

"I have to get some work done here, find an apartment for rent. Until I find something, I'll probably stay with my mom. I want to leave Jae with her because he has his room there. I don't want to drag him around hotels. Moving out still causes a lot of emotions..." he explained. "I can sleep on the couch... I don't have a lot of savings, but I think I can find something at a reasonable price. We'll manage somehow in these few weeks."

"It doesn't make sense, Tae. I already said that you can stay with me until you start working again and get something new..."

"This is your apartment, I don't want to cause you any more problems, Yoongi," he protested. "Jae has a room at my mom's, and I don't need luxuries. The couch is enough for me."

"Taehyung, that's not a problem. Seriously. This apartment is empty. I spend the night with Jimin almost all the time anyway. Soon I will move there, since..." Yoongi suddenly stopped as if he had said too much by accident.

Taehyung shifted his gaze to his friend, carefully measuring him with his eyes, and instinctively slowed his pace.

"You wanna tell me something?" He asked, lifting the corners of his lips, guessing what it might be.

"We're getting married," Jimin announced, showing his hand.

Taehyung automatically shifted his gaze to his hand. A delicate gold engagement ring gleamed at his right hand.

"Seriously?" Kim asked, looking at his friend.

Min took Jimin's hand and brought it to his lips to place a kiss exactly where his lover's finger was adorned with the ring he had given him two weeks ago.

"I couldn't let anyone steal such a treasure from under my nose," he confessed, tracing the shape of his beloved's jaw with his fingers, then leaned down and stole a gentle kiss from his full lips.

"You don't even know how happy I am," Kim admitted.

He felt incredibly happy to hear such news. He had known Yoongi for several years, and he really owed him a lot. Even though they hadn't seen each other in two years, they still kept in touch while he was abroad, and although he could only get scraps of information from him, he was deeply grateful for it. Now, after his return, Yoongi was the only one he could ask for any help, and he didn't want to burden him with his problems, but Min, without hesitation, offered him a helping hand. So he was glad that he had finally found happiness, and Jimin seemed to be the perfect partner.

For a moment, he watched the couple stare into each other's eyes and felt like a voyeur as he looked at them. Their looks and gestures were sincere, full of love, but also so wonderfully free, uninhibited, confident. He was ashamed to admit it, but he felt bloody jealous of their closeness. Ever since he left Seoul, he has been alone all the time. And although he felt the need for closeness, he couldn't bring himself to be with anyone else.

He wouldn't even count the number of times he spent sleepless nights lying on his bed in an empty room, imagining that Jeongguk was with him. He recalled his image, the taste of his kisses, and imagined that it was his strong, male hands that were gliding over his body, so longing for the closeness of his beloved.

Feeling his heart almost crumbling with longing, he looked away and shifted his gaze to his little boy, once again remembering why he had decided to go through this hell. Jae was everything to him. He couldn't let Jiwon take him away from him.

Jaesung was safe now. Nobody could take him away from him anymore.

"Tae?" A voice asked suddenly. "Tae... Are you okay?" Min repeated, and it was only now that Taehyung realized that his thoughts had drifted away so much that he hadn't even heard that his friend was still talking to him.

"Yes... I didn't want it to look like I'm not happy with your engagement... I'm sorry, I just..." He broke off, not knowing how to properly explain the wave of feelings that seemed to flood him now.

"Jeongguk is here too," Jimin said suddenly, and when Taehyung looked at him, he added quickly, "I mean... Not here at the airport. He doesn't know you're back... But he's here. In Seoul. He came back a few months ago."

"I know," Kim admitted. "This is mainly why I came back here..."

"Did you come back to find him? Will you tell him what happened then?"

"Yes," he said confidently. "I know it's been a long time... But I still love him. Even stronger than then... I want him to know the truth, and I hope when he does..."

"He will understand, Tae," Yoongi said quickly.

"There's his exhibition tomorrow night..." Jimin began. "Tickets were sold out a long time ago, but if you want... I'll ask Gguk for a ticket..." he offered. "He definitely has some."

"No. There's no need to," the tattoo artist replied quickly. "I bought a ticket as soon as I found out about this exhibition," he admitted. "I wanted to go there, but... I don't think that's a good idea. It's his night... I don't want to spoil this moment..."

"Spoil?" Jimin repeated incredulously. "He did a whole exhibition about you... He'll be happy you came back," the blond protested.

"That was a year ago, Jimin. Much could have changed since then. I think it will be better if I try to talk to him alone. I don't know how he'll react when he sees me. I don't want to put him in an awkward position and appear in a crowd of strangers on such an important day for him..." he explained. "I think I owe him an explanation in person."

"Maybe you're right..." Jimin finally admitted, sighing heavily.

It was a long time since he had spoken to Jeongguk about Taehyung. His friend didn't mention his ex-partner, and he didn't want to open up old wounds, but he was convinced he still loved him. He saw how, during their meetings, his gaze involuntarily searches for someone in the crowd, as if despite such a long separation, the boy still hoped that one day he would see him among unfamiliar faces.

He never asked, but he didn't need to do so to know that it was him who he was looking for.

"I just wish you two would finally get back together. He suffered a lot when you disappeared..." he confessed, recalling the first weeks and months after Taehyung's disappearance. "In an instant, he lost everything he cared about so much... you. Jae. His father..."

"F-father?" the tattoo artist repeated, drawing his dark eyebrows together.

Jimin shifted nervously from foot to foot, then looked at his fiancé as if seeking confirmation from him that he should answer his question. Only after a moment did he look at the tattoo artist again.

"The night you disappeared... Jeongguk argued with his father and left TJE," he confessed.

"I've read about it," the dark haired man admitted. "But I thought it all cleared up somehow. Apparently, Seokjin took over his place and TJE returned to its position. Now, the company probably is doing even better than when Jeongguk's father was the CEO..."

"With the company, yes. Everything somehow worked out. Seokjin is doing really great..."

"But...?" Kim began, feeling a wave of nervousness flow through his body.

"From that day... Jeongguk has no contact with his father..." Park confessed.

When Taehyung heard these words, he felt like he was about to faint. He guessed why Jeongguk might have cut off contact with his father. He was afraid to hear the answer, but knew he had to ask the question. He sucked a gasp of air into his lungs and on almost one exhalation he choked out:

"I-Is... Is it because of me?"

Jimin was silent for a moment, as if he didn't know what or how he should say this.

"Tae..."

"It's because of me, isn't it?" He asked again, looking from Jimin to Yoongi.

Park shifted uneasily again, clearly unsure what to say. His lips twitched into a soft but nervous smile.

"Maybe... Maybe I'll take Jae and put him in the car seat?" He suggested, reaching out to Taehyung, who was still holding his son in his arms.

The tattoo artist looked at the boy and hesitated for a moment, as if afraid that if he loosened his grip, he might lose him. Ever since he left Seoul, he has watched him as never before, still fearful that someone might take him away. But now he knew he was safe. So he loosened the grip of his shoulders and allowed the shorter man to take Jaesung in his arms. Jimin grabbed the toddler in his arms carefully enough not to wake him up, then turned and walked towards Yoongi's car, which was parked a few meters from them.

Taehyung watched him as if to make sure the man would reach the car safely. He turned his gaze only when the blond settled the sleeping child in the car seat and slipped inside the car himself. He stared at his feet for a moment, afraid to look at his friend.

"Tae..." Yoongi began cautiously, finally breaking the silence.

"You knew about it, right?" He asked, looking up at Min. "You knew that Jeongguk..." He trailed off, not knowing what to do next.

He knew that his disappearance could mess up a lot, and he was sure it had hurt Jeongguk, but he did not think that his beloved had lost his family as well.

"Jesus..." he groaned, running his hands over his face. "It's all my fault..."

"Tae, it's not your fault... It was Jiwon who made you disappear. You couldn't have predicted what else would happen... Besides, you know that Jeongguk didn't get along well with his father before..."

"Did he break contact with him because of me?" The dark-haired man asked, feeling a strange tightness in his chest.

"Yes," Yoongi finally admitted. "From what Jimin told me, Jeongguk's father sided with Jiwon and Jeongguk told him he had no intention of giving up on you. It was their last conversation..."

Taehyung was unable to say anything to his friend's words. Only an involuntary groan escaped his lips, accompanied by a shooting pain in his chest. Feeling a growing nervousness, his hand slipped almost automatically into the pocket of his jacket, and his fingers searched for a packet of cigarettes. His slender fingers found the cigarette almost blindly, and a few seconds later it landed between his lips. He set it on fire quickly and inhaled, as if trying to ease the pain caused by his friend's confession.

"It's all my fault..." he finally choked out, feeling grief and sadness tighten invisible tentacles around his throat. "I knew my disappearance would hurt him... How the hell could you leave someone you love so much behind without a word of explanation? If Jiwon hadn't threatened to take Jae away from me... If it were only about me... I'd risk everything for him... But I couldn't risk them taking my son away..." he spoke quickly with obvious pain that dripped every word. "But because of me... He lost so much, Yoongi... I don't know if he will ever forgive me for all this..."

"Tae, don't even say that. It's not your fault."

"I made him lose his family!" The tattoo artist protested. "Please, tell me that at least his brother... that at last he supports him..."

"As far as I know, Jeongguk is not just in touch with his father," the elder answered quickly, and Kim clearly breathed a sigh of relief at his words. "But let me tell you something from the perspective of someone who has lost touch with his family because of who he is... It's not easy or fun. It fucking hurts when someone who should love you turns his back to you, but life has taught me that you can't stop people by force. Sometimes you have to let go. Not for them. For yourself... And I think Jeongguk finally understood it."

"His father is very important to him..." Taehyung whispered.

Just the thought of how much Jeongguk had been through while he wasn't there made him feel pain. He had the urge to scream until he tore his throat, or turn on his heel and get on the plane and find the one who was to blame for it all. Instinctively, he clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"It's not your fault, Tae. If his father is unable to accept his choices and support him, it is probably better that he is not in his life. And if he really loves Gguk, he will eventually realize that his son is more important than offended male pride."

The younger tattoo artist raised his hand and ran his fingers over the dark wisps that fell unruly over his eyes. His hair was much longer now than it had been when he had left two years ago. He hasn't cut them for a long time. Had he tried, he could have tied them up into a little pony, but he preferred them to fall in soft waves over his forehead.

"I have to see him," he said suddenly, taking a quick puff on his cigarette, only to extinguish his half-smoked cigarette in a moment, and he moved forward with a decisive step.

He only managed to take a few steps forward, however, when his friend's hand gripped his forearm tightly, holding him back. Taehyung looked at his friend's tattooed fingers now digging into his leather jacket, then finally looked up and found Min's familiar eyes.

"You're not going to go to him now, are you?" He asked, clearly unsure whether to laugh or start panicking.

"I need to talk with him. I have to tell him the truth..." Kim quickly replied, as if it was more than obvious. He pulled a hand toward himself, and the older man's fingers inadvertently released their grip on his forearm. "Do you know where he lives now?" The tattoo artist asked uncertainly, looking hopefully at the shorter man.

He had no idea where to look for him now. He knew the boy had certainly left his penthouse he had shared with Lisa. After his departure, his mother suggested Jeongguk to keep his apartment, but the boy refused, probably not wanting to owe him anything. If he could, he would have kept this apartment. He loved it, and there were so many memories in it. He hoped that when he returned to Seoul, he would be able to sit on that slightly destroyed floor in his little art studio again and paint while holding Jeongguk in his arms. But this was only a dream that he couldn't afford in the situation he found himself in. He needed money for a lawyer, and he had virtually no savings. As a result, his mother sold the apartment. Fortunately, she quickly found someone willing, and the man paid even more than the apartment was worth. So all he knew now was that he had no idea where Jeongguk lived. He also knew that it would be in vain to look for him in TJE, since his beloved had not entered the family business for almost two years. So the only hope was with Yoongi. He hoped his friend knew where to find him.

"Tae... I know you want to talk to him, but you can't just come over to him after being away for two years like that. By the time we get there, it will be dark already. You have been traveling for over fifteen hours. You're probably as tired as Jae..." Min explained. "First we'll take Jae to your mom, then we'll drive to me. You'll get yourself together and sleep. You will cool down a little... and tomorrow you will go to see him."

"Maybe... Maybe you're right," Kim finally admitted. "I haven't slept in almost twenty-four hours... I must look terrible..." he groaned, running his hands over his face.

The truth was, he was bloody tired. Outright exhausted. Last night before departure, he barely slept. He thought about him all the time. He imagined their meeting in a million different ways, and the closer he got to that moment, the more he missed him. He wanted so badly to see him again. Those beautiful eyes, the color of hot chocolate. He wondered if, when he saw him, his eyes would glow with a million stars as they did when they were together. He imagined how he would feel when he could finally take him in his arms again, examine his skin with his fingertips, now like his covered with black tattoos. He wondered if his lips tasted the same as the last time he kissed them. Or maybe something has changed during these two years?

"I fucking miss him..." he confessed suddenly. "Every day I missed him more and every day I loved him more than the day before..."

"Tomorrow, Tae," Min confirmed, this time resting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Tomorrow you will get him back..."

***

"I'll get him back," the tattoo artist whispered, standing under a slightly neglected but familiar building.

It felt a bit strange being here after two years. When his mother told him that she had sold the apartment, he felt a strange sadness mixed with nostalgia. It wasn't just the four walls that sheltered him after he broke up with Jiwon. It was more than that. It was there that he first saw Jeongguk paint. It was there, in his small art studio, that something unique was born between them. It was there that he realized that he loved him and that he would like to spend the rest of his life with him...

When Jimin revealed to him yesterday that he had bought the apartment at Jeongguk's request, he couldn't believe it. Apparently, the former CEO was convinced that his mother would not want to take the money from him, so he asked his friend to buy Tae's apartment from her. Although he has spent over a year abroad, he still has not decided to sell it or even rent it. Taehyung couldn't help wondering what was driving him. Was this place something more than just a shelter for him too? Did he hope that he would come back to him someday and be happy again? Did he sit in his art studio and think about him?

He took a last drag on his cigarette and extinguished his cigarette butt, then sucked the air into his lungs and moved forward, then slipping inside the building. He climbed the stairs so quickly that when he reached the fourth floor, he had to take a few deep breaths to catch his breath. When his breathing finally calmed down, he raised his right hand and ran his fingers through his dark curls, which fell back to the onyx irises again. For a moment, he wondered if he should dress better or go to the barber to cut his hair, but he knew his clothes would be the last thing Jeongguk would notice.

All in all, his appearance has not changed much during this time of separation. He probably lost a few pounds, but it was due to the stress and exercise he did out of boredom when he didn't know what to do with himself on another sleepless night. As a result, his body gained more muscle tissue, and his arms became even wider. He still fitted in the same clothes, though they looked much better on him now. He could even boast a little more defined abdominal muscles, and his thighs and buttocks became more sculpted.

Apart from his red hair, he has not given up his signature style. He still wore only black clothes. The leather jacket was his best friend, and his black jeans were torn at the knees with chains wrapped around his narrow hips. To look a little more elegant, he wore black cowboy-style leather boots that he had bought in Milan. Thanks to the small heels, he was now a few extra centimeters taller, which made his legs look incredibly long, emphasizing his round ass. A black T-shirt with a deeply cut neckline displayed in its full glory the red lotus emerging from a beautiful mandala.

His hand tightened a little tighter on the bouquet he'd bought on the way. It was almost the same bouquet he had bought for Jeongguk that night two years ago — purple azaleas. He didn't know if it was a good idea, but he didn't want to come empty-handed to the man who in his eyes deserved the whole world. And he would have given it to him if it was up to him...

He knew he didn't have much to offer right now. Perhaps he even owned less than when they met. Yesterday he flew to Korea, having packed his two years in Milan into one small travel bag. He left Jae with his mother in time, until he had a new start in Seoul for them, and he stayed overnight in a friend's apartment. The only clothes he had were the ones he managed to put into a suitcase, although Seojoon had promised to send him a package with the rest of the things he was unable to take on the trip. His life was one great chaos. He had no job, no home, and no car. He had to find a kindergarten for his son and a flat that he could afford, considering that he was going to put almost all his savings so far in order to finally be able to work on his own. But he didn't know if he would be able to do it. In short, apart from that cheap bouquet he had bought from an older woman a few blocks away, he had nothing.

All he could offer him now was his love, and he was fucking afraid it wouldn't be enough...

To encourage himself, he raised his hand and ran his fingertip over the red thread tattooed on his little finger.

They were meant for each other, weren't they?

He believed it all the time. He and Gguk... It was something more...

It had to be something more...

He held his breath and looked up at the door where he had been standing for several minutes. His fingers tightened on the bouquet and, hiding it behind his back, he finally dared to knock on the door. As he waited for them to finally open, he thought his heart was about to pop out of his chest. He couldn't wait to finally see him again, but he also felt a strange unease. He thought he had been waiting for long hours, but still no one answered. As he reached out to knock again, his hand began to tremble. So he knocked and quickly withdrew his hand so that Jeongguk wouldn't accidentally see how damn nervous he was. Although he was convinced that the boy would probably read in him as if in an open book. He already thought no one was home and began to turn on his heel when suddenly he heard the door open.

So, with his heart pounding, he turned away, but to his surprise, the former CEO wasn't the person he saw. At first, he thought that maybe in his nerves he had mistaken the floors or the apartments, but when he looked at the young man, he realized that he had seen him before...

A year ago in Milan. At Jeongguk's side.

He swallowed hard and eyed him carefully. The man was young, but probably a few years older than him. A few centimeters taller and bloody handsome. His longer, cocoa-colored hair was slicked back slightly, though his fringe fell over his left eye. The dark-haired man wore a navy blue shirt, unbuttoned from a few top buttons, which emphasized his broad shoulders. He, too, studied him for a moment, probably wondering what someone like him was doing here. Taehyung parted his lips, but before he could say anything, the stranger spoke first.

"Can I help you with something?" He asked.

His voice was soft, strangely soothing, as if that was what he did professionally — enchanting others. Taehyung shifted from foot to foot, feeling like an idiot. He did not expect Jeongguk to have visitors. He did not want to talk to him in front of witnesses. He didn't know who this man was. Maybe it was his manager? Now, all artists had their managers, didn't they?

"I'm sorry, I thought..." he began hesitantly, his mouth uncomfortably dry. "I thought Gguk lives here..." he gasped. "I mean Mr. Jeon Jeongguk," he corrected quickly. "I-I think I mistook the apartment..." he added quickly, then turned on his heel to move away as quickly as possible and get out of this awkward situation.

"No, please wait!" The man called after him. "You got it right," he explained. "My fiancé is taking a shower, but I can take a message for him," he offered.

Taehyung blinked quickly, disbelieving the words that had just rolled out of the mouth of this dark-haired man, who was now standing in the doorway of the apartment that once belonged to him and was looking at him with a beautiful smile on his lips.

Fiancé... that was the only thing he heard now.

"No. There's no need..." he gasped, struggling to squeeze the words through his closing throat. "I just..." he began to explain, trying to find some explanation for his presence.

What was he going to tell him?

I'm your fiancé's ex-partner. We haven't seen each other in two years, but I still love him and wanted to see if he loves me too?

"Flowers," he said suddenly, pulling the bouquet from behind his back. "I came to deliver flowers for him," he lied. "I was asked to hand them in person, but... since Mr. Jeongguk is taking a shower, I won't bother him... Please, take it" he said, holding out the bouquet to the man. The older man smiled and took the bouquet from him, then looked him straight in the eyes.

"What should I tell him?" He asked. "Who are these flowers from?"

"I don't know," he lied quickly. "It was an anonymous order," he added, feeling his heart tighten. "Just wish him good luck at today's exhibition..." he asked, then turned on his heel and began to quickly run down the stairs.

Yugyeom watched him go until the dark-haired one was out of his sight, but even when he was alone, he stared ahead for a long moment, lost in thought. It was only when he heard the sound of the bathroom door closing from inside that he slipped into the apartment again and closed the door behind him.

"Someone was knocking?" A voice suddenly asked behind him, and as he turned, Jeongguk appeared to his eyes.

The young artist was standing on the threshold of the salon, nonchalantly leaning against the door frame. His chest was naked, still slightly damp from the shower the boy had taken a while ago. So was his long dark hair. Now slightly twisted, dripping with water. Strong, tattooed hands held a towel that hung over the neck. His lower body was covered only with a white towel that wrapped around his narrow hips and strong thighs.

Unable to help himself, Yugyeom moved his hungry gaze over him, lingering a little longer at the younger man's perfectly sculpted belly, disappearing under the white cloth. It was not the first time he had seen him like this, but every time he saw him naked, it seemed to him that the boy looked even better than he remembered. Only after a moment did he look at his face again.

"Yes. It was... a courier," he explained, then held out a bouquet of flowers.

"Flowers?" the younger one asked, as if he did not believe what he was seeing.

Yugyeom approached him, covering the distance between them in a few long strides, and the young artist kept staring at his face.

"This is for you," he said, handing him the bouquet.

"For me?" Jeongguk repeated, taking the bouquet from him. "Gyeomie... You didn't have to..."

"This is your special evening. You deserve the best," saying that, he touched the brunet's cheek with his fingertips, lovingly staring straight into his eyes.

Jeongguk stared at the older man for a moment longer, then moved his eyes to the bouquet to look at it and smell the flowers. But when he saw what he was holding in his hands, he froze almost in mid-step. It was a bouquet of purple azaleas, almost identical to the one he found on the day Taehyung disappeared. Involuntarily, his heart sped up and began to pound erratically in his chest. He looked up and found Yugyeom's gaze.

"Who brought these flowers?" He asked quickly.

He couldn't explain it. He knew it was probably just a coincidence, but he couldn't help but feel some strange thought from the back of his head.

"I do not know. Some courier," the older one explained.

"Did you choose them?"

"Sure I did," he lied. "You do not like them?"

"No. Of course, I like them. They are really beautiful," he replied. "It's just... I wasn't expecting to get anything. Thank you," he added, without telling the truth.

He didn't want Yugyeom to think he was freaking out again. He knew the man was worried about him. So he forced a smile and headed towards the kitchen to place the bouquet in the vase. He grabbed a vase from the cupboard and quickly filled it with water, then placed the bouquet in it. After a moment, he turned again and walked towards the bedroom, flowers in his hands. He went inside and set the bouquet on the cupboard opposite the bed. He arranged the flowers for a moment, then took a step back and looked at them again.

He couldn't explain it, but he felt it was a bouquet that only one person could choose for him...

"D-did I ever tell you what Borahae means?" He asked quietly, still staring at the purple buds.

"Bora... what? No. I don't think so..." the older answered uncertainly. "Is it something important?"

"No," Jeongguk lied. "It's nothing important," he added, smiling at him with a forced smile. "I guess I'd better start getting ready, because I'm going to be late for my exhibition soon," he said after a moment, finally breaking the silence.

He walked quickly towards the cupboard where he kept his underwear. Not caring that Yugyeom was looking at him, he pulled off the white towel that had been covering his bare loins and tossed it on the bed. He reached for clean underwear and quickly slipped on a pair of fresh boxer shorts, then pulled on tight black jeans. Since he left TJE most of his elegant clothes were left aside, although he still liked to wear shirts. Usually, however, he left a few of the top buttons unbuttoned and rolled up the sleeves to the elbows. That way you could see the tattoos climbing up his forearms, almost ending up on his shoulders, but he didn't care. On the contrary. He was fucking proud of them. He designed them himself and thanks to Yoongi's work, the tattoos were amazing.

He walked over to the wardrobe and reached for one of the white shirts, then tossed it over his bare shoulders. As he buttoned the first buttons, his gaze involuntarily moved towards a painting he had painted a year ago, but which he never decided to exhibit. It was the first thing he created after returning to Paris after the events of Milan. The painting was of Taehyung, but this time the tattoo artist looked slightly different from his previous works. He drew with charcoal, but his hair was darker than he usually depicted it, trying to convey a red tint. This time his hair was almost black, longer than the man he chased that night. The tattoo artist was wearing the leather jacket he loved so much, but his chest was naked. So you could admire his slender neck adorned with a red lotus flower and that amazing mandala that was below it, covering the top of his neckline. The image ended just below the line of his pierced nipples. The man was holding a glowing cigarette in his mouth, staring directly at him in this sexy, defiant way, as if he wanted to make him come over to him and put their lips together in a tender kiss.

Jeongguk stared into those mesmerizing eyes staring back at him from the canvas, not even realizing that he had stopped buttoning his white shirt. He didn't even know how long he stood motionless, just staring at the face of a man he hadn't seen in two years. Sometimes it really seemed to him that it was all just a figment of his imagination...

Could someone like Taehyung really exist?

"Gguk," a voice suddenly called behind him, finally snapping him out of this strange trance.

The young artist, embarrassed by his behavior, quickly buttoned up another buttons on his shirt and tucked it inside his black jeans. As he buttoned the black leather strap around his narrow waist, he turned back to Yugyeom, though he did not look up at him, as if afraid he would see the disappointment in his gaze. He knew the man had a strong and sincere affection for him for a long time. It wasn't easy for him to stay in the shadow of his ex-partner, and he didn't want to hurt him.

"Gguk," the man repeated, forcing him to finally look at him.

Yugyeom stood in front of him. So fucking handsome. He was wearing a navy blue shirt that showed off his cleavage and emphasized his strong shoulders. Dark fringe obscured his left eye, and for a moment Jeongguk felt like reaching out and brushing it away gently, but he restrained himself.

"Give me another ten minutes," he said quickly, reaching for a couple of leather bracelets from a cupboard to quickly wrap them around his right wrist.

He never wore anything on the left one. There was room for just one thing — the red string that once he gave to Tae.

He has been wearing it ever since Yoongi gave it to him in his studio after Taehyung's disappearance. In fact, he didn't know exactly why he kept it. More than once, he wondered that maybe he should take it off. Forget about him and move on.

But something prevented him from doing it...

"That's not what I mean," Yugyeom replied. "Gguk, please look at me," the elder asked. Jeongguk immediately realized that his voice sounded different, though he couldn't explain why. Nevertheless, he immediately shifted his gaze to him, raising his right eyebrow questioningly. "I was going to do it a bit differently..." the dark-haired man began uncertainly. "I thought maybe after a successful exhibition you would let me take you to some romantic dinner, but... I don't want to wait any longer..." he explained, although it seemed that the longer he talked, the younger man felt more confused.

"What's happening?" He asked, clearly confused.

And as soon as these words rolled out of his mouth, Yugyeom slipped his hand into his pants pockets and took out a small, heart-shaped gift box. Jeongguk looked at his hand and moistened his lips nervously. His heart sped up involuntarily. He parted his lips to speak, but the words stuck in his throat, and he watched in shock as the older man slowly kneeled in front of him...

"Yu... Yugyeom..." he choked out with difficulty, then laughed a bit nervously. "What... What are you doing?" He asked, though it was more than obvious.

The man dropped to one knee in front of him and slowly lifted the lid of the box, revealing a beautiful ring that was surely meant for him, then looked him straight in the eye and smiled at him with that beautiful, sincere smile.

"When I saw you standing in front of my office in Paris for the first time, I knew that as soon as you crossed the threshold, my life will change irreversibly. And I was right. I met an incredibly intriguing patient whom I wanted to help. Then it turned out that I also met a great friend who I can always rely on and who finally gave my life a thousand colors. And then... Then it turned out that I met a special man by whose side I want to grow old... And... Before you say something... I know he is still somewhere in the back of your head, but if you just let me... I promise to make you the happiest man in the world. I have been loving you for over a year and I will do my best to finally deserve your love one day..."

"Gyeomie..." Jeongguk whispered, staring directly at that sincere gaze of the man who had been with him for almost two years when no one else was there. The heart in his chest was pounding so hard he thought it was about to spring out of it.

"Jeon Jeongguk, will you marry me?"

***

The tattoo artist put the spoon inside the high, ornate dish in which he was served his dessert and scooped up another batch of cream, then held out his hand toward the man sitting opposite him. Jimin laughed out loud, throwing his head back carelessly, but then parted his lips and let his fiancé slide a teaspoon of sweet cream into his mouth.

"If I eat so much on desserts, I won't fit into the suit I have chosen for our wedding," Park scolded him as he used his thumb to scoop up any cream left over from his full lips. Yoongi leaned closer and stole a quick kiss from his lips.

"That's good. You look even better without clothes," he teased, then scooped up a large amount of dessert himself and quickly slipped it into his mouth. "Mmmm! How delicious it is!" He muttered, closing his eyes for a few moments.

"I doubt the guests would be as pleased as you when I jump out with my bare ass," Park joked, dropping theatrically on the back of the chair.

"They just don't know what's good," the tattoo artist said quickly. "You have a great ass," he complimented, shoving another spoon into his mouth.

"Hmmm, such compliments from my future husband?" Jimin asked and laughed again. "Keep telling me this, maybe you'll convince me to go without this suit!" He added, laughing out loud. But as his laughter died away, he parted his lips to ask something when he suddenly heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Taehyung asked, swiftly pushing aside the vacant chair at their table and forcefully sinking into it. "Why did you hide it from me?!" He repeated. His voice was clearly raised, as if he was being torn by strong emotions.

"What? What was I supposed to tell you?" Jimin replied, drawing his perfect eyebrows together, clearly not understanding where this unexpected attack came from. Instinctively, he looked around, expecting the tattoo artist to come with Jeongguk. "Where's Gguk?" He asked, unable to find his friend anywhere.

The tattoo artist chuckled as if he'd just said something incredibly funny, but his laugh was strangely unnatural.

"You think this is funny, Park?!" He growled. "You think I'm laughing now? Then I'll enlighten you... I'm not fucking laughing. On the contrary. I want to break down and cry!"

"Tae... I have no idea what you're talking about ..." Jimin gasped, clearly intimidated by this sudden attack by the tattoo artist. He didn't think he'd ever seen him like this before. Seeking help, he automatically looked at his fiancé.

"Tae, calm down," Yoongi said firmly, before Jimin could ask him to intervene. "What happened? I thought you were going to go talk to Jeongguk today..." He added in a calm voice, and Kim's tense muscles relaxed a bit.

The dark-haired tattoo artist was silent for a moment, staring at the red thread he had tattooed on his finger. Until now, he had so strongly believed that they would be together again. Now he didn't even know what he should be feeling...

Jeongguk moved on.

He forgot about him...

He felt he was on the verge of crying, so he bit his lower lip hard, digging his teeth into it until he tasted his own blood in his mouth. He felt like finally letting go. Stop pretending that nothing bothers him and that he is immune to everything that has happened to him. He was strong for so long. Perhaps too long...

"Tae, you are not one to scream... What happened?" Yoongi repeated, almost involuntarily, lowering his voice to that warm, caring color he used whenever Taehyung had an argument with Jiwon during the breakup of their relationship.

Yoongi glanced surreptitiously at Jimin, and when his fiancé nodded to him to continue, he reached out his hand and placed it on the tattoo artist's shoulder. Only then did Taehyung look up at him, and as their eyes locked, something tightened in his chest.

"Why didn't you tell me he had someone?" He finally choked out, struggling to squeeze the words down his tightened throat.

"Jeongguk..." Jimin began, but Taehyung wouldn't let him finish.

"Fiancé," he said, cutting him off. He winced involuntarily as he spoke the word, as if he were in physical pain. "Jeongguk has a fiancé," he repeated.

"What are you talking about, Tae?" Park asked, snorting in disbelief. "Gguk doesn't have a fiancé... Did he tell you that?" He asked, having no idea where the tattoo artist had drawn such conclusions. "Have you been to his place? You talked with him?"

"Yes. No... I mean, yes," Kim said chaotically, unable to gather his thoughts from the emotional chaos. "I've been to his place. I bought flowers and... I wanted to tell him I still love him. That I came back for him... I wanted to tell him the truth about what happened two years ago and why I had to disappear..."

"You talked with him?"

"No," he replied, turning his gaze to Jimin. "When I got there, a young man opened the door. At first, I thought that maybe I was wrong about the floors because of my nerves, but I realized that I had seen him before... A year ago. He was at the Gguk's exhibition in Milan. With him..." he explained, then fell silent as if he couldn't speak anymore.

"How does he look like?" Jimin asked, knitting his eyebrows together, as if mentally trying to sort something out.

"He's handsome," Kim blurted quickly.

"I need a little more details, Tae..."

"I don't know. He is tall. Taller than me. Slim. He has dark, rather long hair and a fringe that falls over his eyes. He looked a little older and wore elegant clothes. I don't know what else to tell you..."

"Y-you don't have to. It's probably Yugyeom," Jimin muttered, and Taehyung looked at him again.

"So you know him?" He asked reflexively, though he knew it shouldn't surprise him at all. He and Jeongguk were still friends. How could Jimin not know who his fiancé was?

"Yugyeom..." the blond began uncertainly, then fell silent and ran his hand through his oxidized hair, as if trying to collect his thoughts and balance his words correctly. "He and Jeongguk met in Paris. Shortly after you disappeared, Gguk left for France. I don't know why there. Maybe he needed to get out of here after what happened to you, TJE, his father... I think it was too much. From what he told me, he met a boy there, whom he once met by accident, when he was in Paris with Lisa, and they became friends. It was he who recommended Yugyeom to him..." the young businessman told him.

"Recommend him?" Kim repeated, surprised by Jimin's strange choice of words.

"He's a psychiatrist," Park confessed. "As far as I know, Jeongguk had therapy with him. Thanks to him, he was able to recover from attacks almost completely, and then they became friends. I know that he traveled with Gguk around Europe when he exhibited his works, and a few months ago, he came to Seoul. It was here where he was born, then he moved to Paris and spent most of his life in France. Now he has returned to Korea."

"He followed him here, didn't he?" the tattoo artist asked, though he didn't need an answer.

Sure, he followed him here...

If he had spent some time with Gguk, it was impossible not to fall in love with him...

"Have they been together for a long time?" He choked out with difficulty.

"I don't know," Park admitted. "Jeongguk didn't say much. When he was in Europe, it was hard for us to stay in touch... Besides... He was always quite secretive about his love life. He mentioned something a few times... I know they had sex a couple of times, but I thought it was more like... You know. Friends with benefits. I swear Jeongguk never said anything about any engagement... I'm sure he still loves you..."

"Perhaps he still has some fond feelings for me as his first love... But apparently... I'm too late..." Taehyung said, feeling the painful weight of the words.

"Don't say that. I'm sure that when you talk to him..."

"No, Jimin!" Taehyung interrupted him, and when the blond looked at him in surprise with the unfinished sentence still lying softly on his tongue, he quickly added: "I can't show up after two years of absence and mess with his life again..." he explained with clear pain in his voice. "Jeongguk suffered a lot because of me. I can't do that to him again... Destroy everything when he finally found something good in his life... When he is finally happy..."

"Tae, he needs to know what happened then," the young businessman protested.

"Tell me one thing... This... Yugyeom. Is he good for him?" The dark-haired man asked.

"Tae... Jeongguk has no idea why you disappeared. If he knew the truth, he wouldn't get involved with anyone else. Even if..." Jimin explained quickly, almost jumping up from his seat. Instinctively, he grabbed the tattoo artist's forearm, his fingers gripping his leather jacket.

"Jimin, I need to know that," Kim replied, avoiding looking at the young businessman as if he feared that if he did, he would not have the willpower to do so.

To let him go...

"Yugyeom is a really great guy," Jimin admitted reluctantly. "He's a good man, and I think... I think he really loves Jeongguk."

Taehyung was silent for a moment that seemed to take ages. Again, just staring at that stupid tattoo that was supposed to remind him of what he was fighting for...

"So... I guess..." he began softly. "I guess it's time to let him go..." he gasped, feeling the words cut his throat like a knife. Something was squeezing his chest and he thought he was about to suffocate. "Perhaps I was wrong, and it was not me who was supposed to be at the end of this thread..."

As these words echoed painfully off the walls of the café, Taehyung jumped up from his seat and, still not daring to look up at his friends, he added quickly:

"I'm sorry... I have to... I have to get out of here."

"Tae, you can't do that," Jimin said quickly, grabbing his sleeve as if to stop him from leaving. As he did so, Taehyung briefly crossed his gaze with him. His beautiful onyx irises were filled with tears.

"I want to be alone," the dark-haired man said, then yanked his hand out of Jimin's grip and headed for the exit of the café, almost running out of it.

"Tae!" Jimin cried, rising from his seat, wanting to stop him, but he knew he couldn't. He quickly turned his face towards his fiancé and grabbed his forearm. "Yoongi, he needs to talk to him," he said quickly. "Jeongguk needs to know the truth."

"Jimin... What if Taehyung is right... If Jeongguk really wants to make a life with this boy..."

"He doesn't know why Tae disappeared. If he had known, it was Lisa who had threatened to take his son away... If he had known, he would never have gotten into a relationship with anyone else," Park protested.

"Maybe he really loves this boy. If he did not feel anything for him, he would not accept his proposal... I guess we shouldn't get involved in it..." Yoongi replied, still trying to sort in his head what he had just learned.

"He may have feelings for him, but it's not the same as for Tae. It is him who he really loves. I know it. I saw it," Jimin explained. "I love you so much that it seems to me that it is impossible to love more, but what connects these two... This is something much stronger, Yoongi. Jeongguk cannot marry someone else without knowing the truth."

"Jimin... I really don't know."

"But I know. I saw how desperate he was when Taehyung disappeared... You saw his works... I can't believe that he stopped loving him. They... They have something special... You have to get Tae to talk to him."

"You heard him. He thinks that..."

"He bought an engagement ring," Jimin said quickly, and when his partner looked at him, he explained, "The night Taehyung disappeared... Jeongguk was about to propose to him. It is him who he really loves, and he needs to know the truth. If Taehyung doesn't do it, I'll tell him. I agreed to remain silent for Jae's sake, but now... I'll tell him the truth. I owe him that."

"All right," Yoongi agreed. "Let's give him some time. Let Taehyung cool down and calmly think about everything. Maybe he would change his mind after all. He loves him, Jimin. Like he never loved anyone. He waited two years for him and came here to get him back. And one of the hardest things a person can do is give up on love..."

***

The young man lifted the cigarette to his mouth and took a long drag. The wind blew his dark strands that occasionally fell against the onyx irises, but he didn't even bother trying to brush them away. His gaze was fixed on the ticket he had bought a few weeks ago in the hope that he would be able to go to the exhibition.

It was his second show. The first one to premiere in Korea. He knew how important it was to him. Especially that he was offered to exhibit his works in one of the largest and most important galleries in Seoul. He remembered Jeongguk telling him that he had been there with his mother once, when he was just a little boy. He stood in the middle and looked around with fascination, wishing that one day his drawings would decorate all the walls.

Tonight, another of his dreams will come true, and he will not be by his side...

He had waited so long to return to Seoul. Back to him...

He didn't know how he should be feeling now. He felt numb. He felt pain. Despair tightening his throat. Longing. A void that nothing will ever fill. Sorrow. Anger. Disappointment. He felt as if he was waiting for something important, but he opened the door and there was nothing behind it. He felt so fucking incomplete, as flawed as a broken object.

He stared at the paper ticket in his hands until the letters began to merge, and he could no longer make out the words. Suddenly, however, a laugh crept into his ears, and he instinctively lifted his head, directing his gaze straight ahead. His eyes saw an elegant man with slightly graying hair. At the sight of him, he sprang to his feet. He took a last drag on his cigarette and, quickly extinguishing it, ran in the direction of the high office building.

He didn't know exactly what made him come here. When he ran out of the café after talking to Jimin, he was walking aimlessly for a long time. He didn't know what to do with himself. When he finally stopped, he found himself close to the Jeon family company. It was largely because of him that Jeongguk lost contact with his father. He felt guilty for hurting him so much with his disappearance.

Now Jeongguk had almost everything he dreamed of. He was an artist. He has exhibited his works in the largest galleries. He no longer had to wear suits, surround himself with pompous, self-righteous people. He could grow his hair, tattoo his body. He was free to do whatever he wanted. Perhaps soon he will also have someone by his side whom he can call his husband. But because of him, he didn't have a family. His father.

Pushed by some strange force, he ran quickly across the street, almost bumping into one of the speeding cars. However, that did not stop him. He had to catch up with this man in an elegant navy blue tailored suit. As the elder disappeared through the glass door of the office building, Taehyung cursed loudly and sped up. When he reached the door, he almost bumped into it. He pushed quickly through the swinging door and ran inside, almost losing his balance on the slippery surface. Another curse escaped his lips, drawing the attention of security guards. He managed to keep his balance at the last moment, so he looked around quickly and saw the silhouette of an old man almost disappearing in the elevator.

"Mr. Jeon!" He shouted. "Mr. Jeon, please wait!"

At his words, the man slowed his pace and turned back, and he, disregarding security, walked quickly deeper into the building to where the elevators were.

"Who are you?!" One of the bodyguards asked, approaching him. "Were you..." He broke off as Taehyung deftly stepped past him and leapt over the railings to run towards the elevators, where Jeongguk's father was. "Stop!" The man yelled, gesturing to the other bodyguards to help him catch him. "Get him!"

The tattoo artist ran quickly towards Mr. Jeon, who was still standing by the elevators, watching the man with interest as he ran towards him. His eyebrows were knotted together, as if he didn't recognize who he was. In fact, he only saw him once for a moment outside his son's house, and his hair was fiery red then, so Taehyung was not at all surprised that the elder did not know who he was.

"Mr. Jeon," he repeated, finally stopping in front of the elegant businessman. He leaned in for a moment to catch and steady his breath, then straightened and looked the man straight in the eye.

"It's you," the elder said, apparently finally recognizing who he was dealing with.

"Oh! Mr. Jeon! I'm sorry. I'm already taking this man," one of the bodyguards said remorsefully, clenching his hands on Taehyung's forearm, trying to pull him back. The tattoo artist tried to yank himself out, but three men jumped at him in an instant.

"Get this man out of here," the businessman said, and turned to the elevator, facing Taehyung with his back.

"No Please!" The tattoo artist protested, trying to get out of the iron grip of the bodyguards. "You must listen to me!" He called after him, but the man didn't even look at him. "If you love your son, you must listen to me!" He added with obvious desperation, still struggling at the men's grip.

Only hearing these words did Mr. Jeon turn to face him again, completely ignoring the fact that the elevator he was waiting for had just reached the ground floor.

"Two years ago, you abandoned my son without a word of explanation, and you have the boldness to come here and tell me how to deal with my family?" The man asked, scolding him.

"Two years ago, I disappeared because Lisa was threatening to take my son away. I would never have left him if I had not been forced to do so..." he explained, searching for the stern gaze of the man.

For a moment, it seemed to him that something in the man's gaze had changed, but Mr. Jeon was still silent, standing exactly in the same place as a few moments ago.

"P-please. Give me five minutes," he added quickly, feeling as if the ice in the old man's gaze was slowly crumbling.

Mr. Jeon shifted from foot to foot as if he did not know whether he should listen to him or walk away as soon as possible. Eventually, however, he motioned to his bodyguards to let him go.

"Let him go," he ordered. "And leave us alone. If he causes problems, I will let you know," he explained.

The three men released their embraces, then, bowing to the elder, they departed as he instructed, leaving them alone. Taehyung straightened his leather jacket and looked at the man. Jeongguk's father looked almost like when he saw him in front of Seokjin's house. Just as elegant and just as haughty. But he could have sworn that something in his gaze had changed. He thought he saw a void in it, like he had lost something extremely important.

"What do you want?" Mr. Jeon asked.

"I love your son," he confessed bluntly. "I think I realized that I love him when he was sitting with me on the floor in my little art studio, and we were painting together. I loved him the day I was forced to leave, and I still love him. When I met him... Oh, shit. He was beautiful... I never knew anyone more beautiful. He looked like an angel. However, it soon turned out that it was a traumatized angel. Battered. Wounded. Without wings... And there was something about him that I wanted to teach him to fly again..." That said, Taehyung paused for a moment, recalling the day when he saw him for the first time.

He was silent for a moment, letting the confession fall to the elegant floor of the TJE office building. He didn't like talking about his feelings. He was never good at it. But he knew that only the truth could convince such a smart man. So he looked up and looked at him again.

"It's even hard to describe in words what I felt when Jeongguk painted something for the first time. If you could see that gleam in his eyes. He loves it. Just as his mother loved to paint. He has tremendous talent. However, in addition to the hidden talent, he carried a great deal of regret and pain... This accident. He blamed himself for his mother's death, and worse... He was convinced you blamed him for it, too. He told me once that he thought you wished he had died then, and not her. He said you hardly ever look at him... He thinks it's because you think the accident is his fault, but it's not true. I'm sure about this..."

Taehyung took a deep breath, then lifted his hand and ran his fingers over his dark locks. However, they fell softly on his forehead again.

"When I was with him in Jeju... I saw pictures of her," he confessed. "Jeongguk is remarkably similar to her. He has the same soft lips, the same slightly upturned, rounded nose and the same beautiful, doe eyes... That's why you avoid looking at him, right? Because when you look at Gguk, you see her... The woman you loved most in the world... It brings back memories. And knowing that you won't see her again is so painful it almost kills. It was a terrible and bloody unfair tragedy that marked your family, but accidents do happen. You couldn't have prevented it... Just as Gguk couldn't have done anything to avoid it, but now... Now you're losing your son on your own request. Gguk did not die in this accident. He's alive, and yet you haven't seen him in two years. I love him so much that if I could, I would give everything to regain those two years which were taken away from me... So... I think you are a complete idiot for wasting your precious time because you are too proud to admit that two years ago you made a mistake by choosing Lisa's side..."

Taehyung fell silent again. He knew it might not be a very good idea to call his beloved's father an idiot, but he wasn't going to lie. He put his hand in his pocket and found the ticket he had studied so carefully a moment ago, sitting on the wall under the TJE building, and took a step towards the man, then pulled out the ticket towards him. The businessman looked down at his hand, but quickly returned to the gaze of his onyx irises again.

"Jeongguk has decided to move on, so... I'm not going to interfere in his life again. I love him and I want him to be happy. Even if it means that I will not be standing by his side, but I know that he will not be completely happy if you are not there..." he finally said, then stretched out his hand tighter and gave the man the ticket. Mr. Jeon carefully took the item from him, curiously checking it. "This is the ticket to Jeongguk's exhibition," he explained. "I was going to go there, but... I think you should go there instead of me. If you don't do it now, you could lose him forever..."

***

Jimin stopped and looked around, carefully scanning the faces of the gathered people. The Jeongguk exhibition once again turned out to be an extraordinary success. The tickets sold out in the blink of an eye, and the hall was packed with people who were delighted to see the works of the young artist on display. Park couldn't be more proud of him.

When his hazel eyes finally found a familiar figure in the crowd, he grabbed his fiancé's hand, clasping their hands together, and began to head down the hall, deftly covering the distance between him and his friend. Jeongguk stood sideways to him and could not see him, but he could not mistake him for anyone else. Ever since the former CEO quit his job at TJE, his style has slowly become more and more relaxed. First, ties were put aside, which the man probably did not wear anymore. Then he started experimenting with hairstyles as if he wanted to find out which one suits him best. Added to this were the tattoos that now covered his entire arms and back. But he liked it. He was glad that his friend was finally doing what he had not had the courage to do before, and he knew it was one person's merit...

Remembering his conversation with Taehyung today, something tightened in his chest. He was convinced it was only a matter of time before those two were back together. He always thought love was just an illusion. The invention of people who need to believe in something. But as he looked at them... He began to believe that love really exists. He couldn't believe Jeongguk would have a relationship with someone else. He and Taehyung belonged together.

When he was already a few steps away from his friend, the brunet suddenly turned his face towards him, as if he sensed his presence, and his lips immediately arched into a beautiful smile. He leapt up to them in two quick strides and wrapped his strong arms quickly around his friend, squeezing him tightly.

"You came!" He exclaimed, not hiding the joy at their sight.

"Gguk, how could we not come? I've already seen some paintings... Gguk..."

"Do you like them?" The brunet asked.

"Do I like them? Gguk, you are so fucking talented!"

"Jimin is telling the truth. Your works are amazing," Yoongi added, hugging him as well.

"Your opinion means a lot to me, Yoongs," the younger one admitted. "Oh, sorry, I don't think you know each other..." he suddenly interjected, turning his face in the direction he had come from a moment ago and quickly pointed his hand at a man standing a few steps away to join them.

The stranger approached them with a radiant smile on his lips. Yoongi looked at him and before Jeonnguk could introduce him, he knew exactly who he was looking at — Yugyeom.

"You and Jimin already know each other," Jeongguk quickly explained. "And this is Yoongi, his fiancé. Yoongi, this is Yugyeom," he introduced them quickly, clearly avoiding using any titles to his companion.

The tattoo artist shot a quick glance at his fiancé, then looked back at the tall man. He forced a smile and a little reluctantly shook the hand that was extended in his direction.

"Ggukie!" The voice suddenly called, saving them from this somewhat awkward situation, and after a while Yoo appeared in their eyes, with impetus lunging towards the young artist. Jeongguk laughed out loud and took the little girl in his arms.

"Oh, how heavy you are!" He joked, pretending he couldn't hold her, and the little girl chuckled and kissed his cheek.

"It's the bigger one which is heavy," a voice suddenly said behind him, laughing aloud at his own joke, and as Jeongguk turned, he saw Yerim nudging his brother.

"It's not my fault!" She protested, laughing, then placed a hand on her stomach. Jeongguk approached her and instinctively put his hand on hers. Yerim and his brother were currently expecting their second child. His sister-in-law was eight months pregnant, but she still looked beautiful.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

"I feel good, Ggukie," Yerim replied, stroking his cheek lightly. "Your works are beautiful. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you. And do you like them too, princess?" He asked.

"Yes! When Shiwoo is born, I will have to tell him everything. I'll be his big sister!" Yoo replied, proudly puffing her chest.

Jeongguk laughed at her words. He loved this little one and was delighted that his brother would soon have a second child. When Seokjin confessed to him that Yerim was pregnant a few months ago, his older brother was thrilled. Soon after, it turned out that his wife was expecting a son, and now they were both almost counting down the days to giving birth.

"You should come over this weekend," Seokjin suggested, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "This is probably the last moment before the bomb goes off," he joked, and Yerim rolled her eyes.

"If he doesn't stop joking, I'll divorce him before that bomb explodes," the woman said, shaking her head. "But Jin is right, you should come to us. Yoo will be happy."

"Is... Is he also invited?" Jeongguk asked, looking at his brother, and when he saw Seojkin's smile fade from his lips, he didn't have to wait for an answer. "Then I'll come to you another time," he replied, pushing back a strand of Yoo's dark hair and tucking it behind her ear.

"Gguk!" Yugyeom suddenly called to him, approaching, then looked around at the crowd. Jeongguk has not yet introduced him to his brother and his family. So he felt a bit awkward, breaking this family idyll. "Sorry to disturb you, but... Some man wants to buy one of your paintings," he explained quickly.

"Oh, okay. Yoo, I'll be back with you soon," he said quickly, setting the little girl down on the ground, then looked at the rest of his friends and family and smiled apologetically at them. "Sorry. Duties call," saying so, he bowed gently to them.

"This man is standing near the entrance on the right," Yugyeom announced, pointing in the right direction. " Do you want me to come with you?" He asked protectively, instinctively placing a hand on his back, just above the line of his ass.

"You don't need to. I'll be fine," the artist replied quickly, gently lifting the corners of his lips to let him know that everything was fine.

As Yugyeom nodded, he started in the direction indicated. He passed carefully between gathered guests who looked at the exhibits with curiosity, and made his way slowly towards the exit where the man was supposed to be. In fact, when he was close to the indicated place, he noticed a rather tall man, dressed in an elegant navy blue suit. At first glance, he could tell that it was certainly a branded copy. The stranger had his back to him, but he noticed immediately that he was holding one of his paintings in his hands. It was probably the one he was going to buy. Jeongguk looked at the canvas curiously, wanting to see which of his paintings caught his eye.

What he saw made him feel something strange. The man chose one of the most important paintings he exhibited. The canvas showed a smiling woman's face. As usual, he painted it with charcoal. She was beautiful. She had large dark, doe eyes that now tightened slightly, while her soft lips curved into a beautiful, sincere smile. If he closed his eyes, he could recall her melodious laugh. There were colored streaks on her cheeks, reminiscent of the shape of children's hands. It was as if someone had grabbed her face in their paint-stained hands, smearing her smooth skin.

"This is one of my favorite paintings," he confessed before he could bite his tongue.

As the words escaped from his mouth, the man turned his face and looked him straight in the eye.

"I-I'm -sorry," the artist said quickly, bowing involuntarily to the man. "I didn't know that..." he began to explain, feeling all the contents of his stomach rising from his nerves to his throat.

He didn't know what to expect from this meeting or why the man had come here. To his surprise, however, when he finally dared to look up again, he did not meet the stern, scolding gaze he knew so well. The gaze of the dark eyes was gentle, a bit sad, as if its owner felt a great regret which he could not deal with.

The older man, however, did not respond to his words. He was silent, just watching him closely, so they only stared at each other for a moment. Finally, however, the man moistened his lips with his tongue and looked again at the painting, which he was still holding in his hands.

"I remember that day," he confessed with strange nostalgia. "You were maybe five or six then. We went to Jeju. That day we were having Yeona's birthday party at home. All the guests were smartly dressed. You were bored, so just like always... You sneaked into your mom's art studio and immediately got to the paints. When we realized with mom that you weren't there... First, we panicked, but when we started looking for you, it turned out that you were sitting on the floor in the studio, all dirty with paint. You wore a white T-shirt and bright écru pants. Everything was dirty, and the studio almost looked like a tornado had passed through it. I remember Yeona asked what you were doing, and you proudly told her that you painted a picture for her birthday. She didn't hesitate for a moment, she took you in her arms and hugged you tightly, even though she was wearing bright clothes as well. A beautiful and damn expensive white dress... But it didn't matter. She was so proud of you and would sacrifice anything just to keep you happy. You were so overjoyed that she liked your gift, that you grabbed her face in your paint-stained hands, smudging her face with paint, and she just laughed out loud with that beautiful, melodious laugh of hers. Until today, when I close my eyes, I can see her standing in the middle of that art studio, stained with paint, with you in her arms and laughing like never before..."

"It's one of my favorite childhood memories..." Jeongguk whispered.

"This painting..." the man suddenly began, and Jeongguk felt his nerves tighten their invisible hands around his throat.

"I know that I probably could have painted it better..."

"No," the older man protested, then looked at the canvas again. "It's perfect," he added. "It's all Yeona... Exactly as I remember her..." he assessed, and for a moment he stared at the woman's face painted in the canvas, and finally looked up again and looked at his son. "You're twenty-six..." he said suddenly. "Twenty-six years old... And I don't think I've ever seen any of your paintings..." he confessed. "Your mother was right. These works... I watched them all, and I couldn't believe you had been hiding such a talent for so many years. Gguk... These paintings are amazing. They are beautiful."

"T-thank you," the boy gasped, feeling his throat tightening once more with emotion.

He hadn't expected to ever hear such words from his father's lips. He wanted to ask why the man was here. What happened that after two years, he decided to speak to him, but he had no courage to ask about it. So he stared silently at his father, waiting for Jiseok to reveal the purpose of his visit.

To his surprise, the man moved nervously, as if he too felt nervous about the situation. It was something he had never seen before. Jiseok has always been an excellent speaker. He was great as a leader. So was his brother Seokjin. He was the one who always got panic attacks before every public appearance. This time, however, Jiseok was clearly nervous.

"I wasn't sure if... If you want to see me here..." Mr. Jeon explained. "But..." He trailed off, as if he was gathering courage for what he was about to confess, and Jeongguk involuntarily held his breath as if he was preparing for a blow. "Today, a certain person made me realize what an idiot I am..." the elder confessed. "When the police came to our house that day and told me that my wife and son had an accident... It was probably the most difficult day in my whole life. I was told that the love of my life had died on the spot, and my son was hospitalized in a critical condition, and perhaps he would not survive either... And it seemed to me that the world was ending... Your surgery seemed to take ages. I was hardly able to pray, but I prayed to all the Gods, hoping one would finally hear my prayers and let you survive. I can't even express in words what I felt when the doctor came to me and said that the operation was successful and that you were safe. I couldn't be more thankful. It was the best thing that happened to us in this whole nightmare. I lost your mother, and if I lost you too... I don't know if I could have survived it."

The man fell silent, clearly struggling with the emotions triggered by these traumatic memories. Jeongguk felt his throat tighten to the limit as well. His father had never spoken to him about this day before. He knew the accident had left its mark on their entire family. He and his brother lost their mother, and their father lost the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Perhaps the only woman he could love so much and so sincerely.

"After the accident, however, it turned out that this was not the end of this nightmare. You had problems. You woke up screaming at night, you had seizures. You were like an empty shell. You weren't going anywhere. You stopped painting. You didn't even smile anymore, and I didn't know how to help you. That's why I sent you to a psychologist, and it got a little better in the end. I thought you were doing well. The older you got, the more you looked like your mother. Every time I looked at you... I thought I saw her... The same eyes looked at me. I heard the same laugh... And... It made me miss her even more, so I guess that's why..."

Jiseok fell silent again. For a moment, he stared at his own hands, still clenched on the canvas he was holding. When he finally looked up again, Jeongguk noticed that his eyes were wet with tears.

"Finally I stopped looking at you..." the businessman confessed, letting the first tear roll down his cheek, cut here and there with the first wrinkles. "Not because I stopped loving you, but because I loved Yeona too much..."

Jeongguk parted his lips, letting a loud sigh escape his lips. For so many years, he thought his father was blaming him for the accident. He felt so touched by his father's words that his eyes filled with tears and his lower lip began to tremble.

"I-I thought you blamed me for this accident..." he choked out. "And that's why you can't look me in the eye..."

"Gguk, I never... ever thought that this was your fault. This accident... It's not your fault... I should have told you years ago, but I didn't even know you would think I was blaming you for what happened. I love you. You and Seokjin are my whole world."

Jeongguk raised his hand and covered his trembling lips with it, trying to drown out the groan that escaped his throat at the sound of the words. He couldn't even remember if his father had ever told him he loved him, and now he pronounced the words with such ease and confidence as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I came here... Because someone made me realize that I can't turn back time and get Yeona back. She died twelve years ago. But I can change the future and get my son back..." Jiseok continued. "Two years ago, I made the biggest mistake a parent can make," he confessed, staring his son straight into tear-stained eyes. "Instead of taking your side, I chose someone who deceived and lied to us all. I was an idiot. A stupid old man who was deceived by appearances, instead of trusting his own child. I should never have doubted you, and I shouldn't have let my pride deprive me of two so precious years..." That said, Jiseok finally put aside the painting he had been holding in his hands.

Still looking at Jeongguk, he took a few hesitant steps towards him, stopping only a few centimeters in front of him. The young artist was taller than he was, so he had to cock his head a bit to look him straight in the eye.

"I came here because I hope it is not too late and that I can still ask for your forgiveness," he said in a firm voice. "I love you Jeonggukie and I swear I will never doubt you again..."

Jeongguk walked the last distance between them almost without hesitation and fell into the arms of the older man, wrapping his father's silhouette with his strong, tattooed arms. Jiseok returned his embrace, pressing his son's body tighter against his chest.

"I love you, Dad," the boy whispered, letting tears roll down from his beautiful dark chocolate eyes, absorbing into his father's branded suit.

***

Ayashee:

The penultimate chapter of The Taste Of Ink is behind us.

The story is slowly coming to an end, and it's time to close the threads. Jeongguk and his father have finally cleared up all of their earlier misunderstandings and can now rebuild their relationship.

Our young artist is finally there where he wanted to be from the very beginning. He is painting. Finally, he can be himself. And now he had his family back as well. Could he want something more from fate?

Do you think Jeongguk will choose to re-start his life with a handsome psychiatrist? Or maybe there is one more thing he is still waiting for? Is it right?

Taehyung wants nothing more than to see him happy, even if that means that he will be forced to give up on him, but maybe fate has other plans for them after all?

I am curious to know what you think and what your theories are at the end of this book.

PS. This time I will probably not be able to respond to your comments and read them on a regular basis, because I have to be at the airport in a few hours, but I will certainly read them all when I return. Thank you for your support.

xoxo