"And smile... perfect" Taehyung clicks the picture. Although it was weekend and he was not supposed to work but still he couldn't deny the request to take pictures of a baby for their 2nd birthday. So here he was, taking pictures of his young and adorable model.
Recently, the idea of being around kids, taking care of them and playing with them has really occupied his mind and soul. Jeongguk always finds him looking at cute baby pictures and products on phone in his free time and cannot help but coo at his own big baby.
"Fantastic! So cute!" He with a last click of camera finishes taking the pictures and smiles at the parents.
"I will get them edited out and mail them to you by tomorrow. And I must say your son is adorable" He coos at the baby in their arms.
"Thank you Mr. Kim and also for accepting our request. No one was ready to take pictures on weekends but you came as a rescue. Even though you only take professional photographs" The father says.
"Oh how can I say no to this cute model over here" He pinches the baby's cheeks to which he giggles making everyone laugh.
"Once again thank you so much. And we would be elated if you join us in Hani's birthday celebration."
"I will try to come" Taehyung smiles.
"Please do. Hani say bye to Mr. Kim" The mother says looking at the baby, who puts his small hands up and waves them towards Taehyung.
"Bye bye little Hani." Taehyung giggles as he sees the family exit out of the door to his studio. He sighs dreamily as he imagines one day, him, Jeongguk and their little one like this. Their own little family.
But for that they have to go the next step from where they are now.
Marriage.
And his beloved boyfriend, Jeongguk doesn't seem to talk about it even after them knowing each other for about 14 years now, making Taehyung pout at the thought.
So Taehyung decided to take the matter in his own hands.
His phone rings making him flinch a bit. He pulls it out of his pocket to see it was Jihyo. He smiles and picks it up.
"So did you decide on the ring yet?" Yes, that's what Taehyung meant... If Jeongguk doesn't propose, then Taehyung will. No biggies. They already live and act like a married couple and just need a seal of marriage on their relationship to strengthen it more, if it was possible.
"Yeah... I did. The one with the purple stone on it. I liked it." Taehyung says, setting his camera and laptop into place before packing his belongings.
"Great choice! I bet Jeongguk's gonna love it!"
"I know right! That's what I thought when I looked at it first... By the way how's Woojin?" Jihyo indeed found someone who loved her dearly. Then she realised the meaning of true love and her life couldn't have been better. She met Woojin in a business workshop 3 years back and they were dating for two years now.
"He is good. Also excited about the whole plan of you proposing to Jeongguk" Jihyo laughs.
Taehyung also giggles, but then pauses.
.
.
.
"Wait...what if Jeongguk rejects me?" He says with wide eyes as the thought strikes him all of a sudden.
"What?"
"What if he says no to marriage?" Taehyung never thought about it once. But you never know right. He now fears if Jeongguk is not ready for marriage.
"What are you saying Taehyung? He loves you a lot to reject you" Jihyo says with a sigh. She wonders if Jimin would have been here, he would have cut the call, drive, walk, run or even swim to where Taehyung was and knock some senses into the other. But he was out of country for a show and would come back by tonight so it was now Jihyo's responsibility. (Jimin is a professional choreographer now and choreographs many performances in concerts)
"No... No... No... what if Jeongguk is not ready for that level of commitment and that's why he isn't talking about marriage at all. Oh my god... I am so dumb to not think like that... I should first talk to him and-"
"Calm down Tae. Will you?" Jihyo interrupts Taehyung and hears the sound of heavy breathing on the other side of the call. Taehyung walks out of his studio after locking it and starts walking.
"Ok listen... what you and Jeongguk have right now is beyond the bond between two married people.... Heck even people married for years die for such love and chemistry. But we know... marriage... it is something so wonderful to exist... It is the willingness to give your everything to the person you love, a promise to spend your whole life with them, to stay together for eternity. Now, tell me don't you feel Jeongguk wants that with you? I know you both have that beautiful future ahead in front of you where you both will get married, have cute little children, a perfect family full of love and warmth and then you both will grow old together, stay in each other's arms forever... Do you think Jeongguk is afraid of that?"
"No" Taehyung whispers, now sitting on a park bench, seeing kids play around with glossy eyes and a small smile. He will propose to Jeongguk, no matter whatever will be Jeongguk's answer. He has faith in their love. He knows nothing wrong will happen again.
"Thank you Jihyo... You really are so precious" He smiles.
"I am glad I could help... now don't waste any more time and start planning your surprise" Jihyo giggles on the other line. Only she and Jimin knew about Taehyung's plan to propose Jeongguk. And they were helping him with it.
"Alrighty! I will talk to you later! Bye" Taehyung says and cuts the call. He sees the kids running to where their parents were sitting and hug them.
Yes, he is now 100 percent sure of his decision.
🩷🩷
Taehyung walks into his and Jeongguk's bedroom with the jug of water in his hands. As soon as he enters he hears Jeongguk talk to someone on phone.
"Yeah I am so excited about it..." Then Jeongguk notices his presence. "Code red... I will talk to you later. ok?" Taehyung furrows his eyebrows as Jeongguk cuts the call and looks at him with a smile.
"Who were you talking to?" He asks and puts the jug on the side table near their bed.
"Yoongi hyung" Jeongguk walks near Taehyung, who was now sitting on his side of the bed.
"Oh... about what?" Taehyung sees Jeongguk sit beside him, gulping a little.
"Weather...?"
"So you are excited about... weather?" Taehyung says confused.
"Um... yeah... It can snow since December is around the corner... I am excited about snow. I love snow." Jeongguk says smiling sheepishly. Taehyung laughs shaking his head.
"What?" Jeongguk says laughing naturally along with Taehyung.
"Nothing... I- just- how will you be a dad in future if you yourself are such a baby?" Taehyung pinches the other's cheeks and says in between his laughs.
"I will be a great dad" Jeongguk says proudly. Taehyung just smiles softly and shifts closer to the other, putting his head on the other's chest. Jeongguk hugs him back closing his eyes... He finds himself so lucky to come back home after working all day long, to so much comfort and love.
He clearly remembers after they completed their graduation and Jeongguk directly joined his father's small company and Taehyung decided to work part time under various photographers to build a studio on his own. They both really had less time for each other, especially Jeongguk, because of his meetings and overseas schedules. But still Taehyung stuck with him through everything and they always tried to make the most out of the little time they had for each other.
And that little time was worth a thousand years for Jeongguk. Even he himself supported Taehyung with every decision he took for his career, resulting in Taehyung being one of the youngest photographers in demand for commercial shoots in Korea.
Yeah. They came a long way. And they both are proud of each other.
A comfortable silence engulfs in the room as Jeongguk strokes Taehyung's hairs softly, thinking back about what Taehyung said about being a dad. He smiles to himself imagining the beautiful future they both have ahead of them.
"Why don't we go on a date tomorrow?" He says cutting the silence.
"Alright! I don't have any appointments after 2...You also don't have any meeting's right?" Taehyung says looking up.
"No" Jeongguk shakes his head.
"Perfect" Taehyung says with a smile, his eyes holding stars that Jeongguk admires the most.
I will propose to you tomorrow Gukkie... He thinks and then feels soft lips touching his own. Closing his eyes, he kisses Jeongguk back and gets lost in the warmth of his lover.
🩷🩷
Taehyung roams his eyes around the very familiar road after stepping out of the car. He smiles when he sees the apartment him and Jeongguk used to live in before shifting into a new house years ago. The single look of the place brings so many beautiful memories they shared together.
And they both wanted to keep those memories safe, that's why they bought this apartment from Mrs. Kang just after moving out... They sometimes even come here to spend days away from their busy lives and just enjoy each other's company...
But why would Jeongguk want Taehyung to come here today? He thought they would go to a restaurant or a cafe like usual... but Jeongguk called him and said to meet at the park near the apartment for the date...
Nevertheless Taehyung starts to walk to the park, which was also really close to Taehyung's heart as it looked very identical to the park from Busan. Where Jeongguk shared his feelings for Taehyung for the first time...
As soon as Taehyung reaches the gate of the park, his phone dings and he sees a message from Jeongguk.
Gukkie💜
You are here baby... go and wait for me under the tree...
Taehyung immediately looks around with wide eyes. It was evident that Jeongguk was here. But why was he hiding? And told him to wait if he was here already?
Deciding to do the thinking later, he shrugs and makes his way to the tree present in the park. He first stands and wait but after few minutes he decides to sit.
Seven minutes pass by... but still Jeongguk didn't come making Taehyung pout. He continuously keeps looking at his phone, then around but sees no one.
Sighing, he rummages his bag and takes out a small box. He smiles thinking how he will propose to Jeongguk today after the date... He has decided to do it a simple way, by kneeling on his knees and saying his heart out to the other. They will celebrate it later... Because for Taehyung true love was the most important decoration for a proposal. And he was sure they both had that.
He keeps the box inside and looks around once again. Still no Jeongguk-
"Bhowww" Taehyung jumps in his place at the sudden sound and looks back to see Jeongguk there with a big smile.
"Gukkiee you scared me!! And what took you so long? I have been waiting here for ages now!" He says, breathing heavily.
"Sorry baby... I was arranging these strawberries for you..." Jeongguk smiles, and brings a box of strawberries in front of Taehyung, whose eyes immediately sparkle and a smile forms on his face.
He takes the box from the other's hand, almost snatches and pats the space beside him for Jeongguk to sit.
Jeongguk chuckles and takes a seat, before pulling Taehyung on his lap.
"Mmm... yummy" Taehyung eats a strawberry, then takes another to put it in front of Jeongguk mouth, who looks at him with all the fondness and eats the fruit.
"This reminds me of the time you confessed that you like me" Taehyung giggles, closing the box, deciding to eat later.
"Well... I have something to confess today as well..." Jeongguk says softly, putting some of Taehyung's hair strands behind his ears.
"What is it?" Taehyung asks, furrowing.his eyebrows.
"I will not tell you here... I have planned something. So you have to come with me..." Jeongguk says and smiles when he sees Taehyung's confused expression.
"Okay?" Taehyung says, as Jeongguk motions him to get up. He does, just then the other pulls out a cloth from his pocket.
"Wha-" Taehyung says, when Jeongguk puts a blindfold on his eyes.
"Shh... it's a surprise baby" Jeongguk caresses his hairs, then Taehyung feels him getting lifted up from the ground as Jeongguk picks him up bridal style.
He doesn't question further, just enjoys his lover's warmth for the time being. He was having an idea where they were walking to by the sense of directions and it gets confirmed when he hears the elevator ding open.
All the while, Jeongguk hums a song called 'still with you' and Taehyung smiles thinking that it was their song for real... Just then he hears a door open, and his foot is set down on the ground. Jeongguk also stops humming and Taehyung is met with silence.
"Gukkie?"
He immediately unties the blindfold and opens his eyes, to see he was indeed in the apartment, but he was facing the main door.
So he turns around, just to widen his eyes when he sees the beautiful setting in the room. The lights were dim and it was decorated with candles and flower petals all around, making him overwhelmed at the the thought that Jeongguk did all of this... for him...
His eyes then find the aforementioned standing in the middle with the most heartwarming smile he has ever seen.
"W-what is this?" Taehyung asks with glossy eyes.
"Just an effort to impress you before I ask the most important question I have asked someone in my entire life..." Jeongguk chuckles, but his eyes were also filled with happy tears.
"Huh?" Taehyung feel the moment is a dream, when Jeongguk walks closer to him and takes his hand.
"Taehyung" He whispers, then caresses his cheeks and looks at him with eyes full of love.
"Hmm?" Taehyung smiles, melting into the touch.
"I just don't know who to thank enough for sending you in my life baby... I clearly remember the first time we met in the park when we were kids... you were an unexpected but the most beautiful surprise of my life. It was like all the stars collided in the universe and our fates were intertwined from that very moment... We grew up... fell in love... stayed a little apart but then came back to each other... I know it was not always butterflies and rainbows but one thing I can guarantee you Kim Taehyung is that my heart never stopped loving you..." Jeongguk sniffles.
"And now, as we continue to grow in this relationship... I want to say that... You are the reason I wake up every morning and smile. Just smile for no particular reason except the fact that you are there. In my arms. As days go by, I feel myself falling in love with you over and over again... and I don't ever... ever want to lose this feeling... I don't ever want to lose you. When I hear your voice, it's like a feeling I don't want to leave again; you give me comfort and joy Kim Taehyung... you are my definition of love... I just want you to know that wherever this road of life takes us... and how far it may be, you are in my heart and my heart is where you'll always be. And I want to spend every second of this journey ahead of us together..." Jeongguk takes a deep breathe, then kneels down, taking a small box out of his pocket as Taehyung widens his doe eyes.
Jeongguk looks up with a nervous smile and eyes glossy.
"Will you marry me Kim Taehyung?"
Taehyung gasps and puts his hand on his mouth. This moment was so unreal... Tears fall down uncontrollably from his eyes and he couldn't hide the smile on his face.
He too kneels down and takes Jeongguk's face in his shaky hands.
"Yes..." He whispers as Jeongguk smiles widely. "I am here Gukkie... to love you throughout this life. Wherever you go, I'll take my love with me to give you in this journey. If it's to hold you, I'll wrap you in all the stars I can gather along the way, if it's to kiss you, I will leave my lips on yours for as long as it takes to ease the day off of you. If it's to walk with you, I will never get tired baby. I know we had our ups and downs, our twists and turns. The journey wasn't always perfect... But it was ours... I always believed in our love that kept us together... And I love knowing that time has made us stronger and brought us closer every day... You are the only one for me... You always have been and you always will be Jeongguk... It's really hard to put into words how much I love you, because I love you in ways I have never loved anyone in my entire life... And...when I think of of our future, I know it will be wonderful because I'll be spending it with you..." Taehyung cries. "So..."
He pulls out the box from his bag that was lying on the floor. He puts the ring in front Jeongguk and says,
"Will you marry me Jeon Jeongguk?"
Jeongguk chuckles then nods. "You also..."
"I wanted to... but couldn't beat this surprise" Taehyung giggles.
They both exchange rings with giggles and laughs but tears flowing down their cheeks. Jeongguk takes Taehyung's hand and pulls him closer to capture his lips.
The kiss was filled with nothing but love and they could taste each other's tears of pure happiness. This moment was what they both dreamed of since they were together... and to live in that was surreal. Almost overwhelming.
"I love you Kim Taehyung..."
"I love you too Jeon Jeongguk..."
They both say between the kiss... just then they hear a popping sound in the background. They back off to see all of their friends coming out of one of the bedrooms with party poppers in their hands.
"OH MY GODDD CONGRATULATIONS!!" Jimin says jumping on his feet with a big smile on his face, his own eyes teary.
The couple gets up and everyone hug and congratulate them one by one.
"Thank you" Taehyung smiles, then furrows his eyebrows with a knowing smile. "You guys knew about Jeongguk's plan?"
"Well... me and Jimin just got to know about it today... We hoped that you would propose as well so didn't say anything... as long as you both are happy" Jihyo smiles and shrugs.
"Taehyung was planning to propose too?" Hoseok asks.
"Yeah... he even picked out a ring. See the one Jeongguk is wearing" Jimin says.
"Well you guys proved that you are meant for each other again... Jeongguk was also planning since days for this..." Yoongi laughs.
"Yeah and that meeting with Sara Taehyungie... it was to finalize a ring for you" Jin says and Taehyung nods, with a 'ohh' as Jeongguk laughs, caressing his hairs.
"So when's the wedding?" Namjoon asks.
"In December?" Jeongguk says. "It was a month that left us some unpleasant memories in the past but now I want to go back to december and replace them with the most beautiful memories of our life." He smiles when Taehyung nods, understanding what he wanted to say.
"We will tie the knot in December" Taehyung whispers.
"Okay!!! Good so we will have to start the preparations really soon!! Oh god I am so excited!!" Jimin says and Taehyung laughs seeing his excited. His best friend was adorable.
"We will... but first let's go and celebrate their engagement!" Jihyo says.
"Yess!" Hoseok says. The couple nods and they all leave to celebrate together.
Jeongguk and Taehyung have many more beautiful moments to celebrate and cherish in future... many more memories to make... And they are oh so ready to live them together. They are ready to choose each other again and again... for all eternities... for all lifetimes.
They know a person can never fall in love completely, there's always more to love. And they are ready to love each other like that... Until then...
"Let's go back to December and paint new memories"
💜THE END💜
_________________
So yeah... this officially marks the end of this book...🤗
Thank you so much to everyone who added Back To December to their reading lists, took time out , read it, voted on the chapters and left comments.... This book is the first ever creation of my imagination and the characters will always have a special place in my heart. And even after a lot of time, whenever I will get a single notification of someone adding this book to their reading list, I will get as happy as I get now. So thank you once again for being a part of this journey dear readers.
I love you all to the Moon and Saturn...💛💛
(Yayyy he will be back in less than a month....✨✨)
Byeee!! I'll see you in other books!!
~Momo💜