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“Hyuuuuung!” Taehyung whines.“Not now,” Hoseok says, sounding a tad bit annoyed.Not even a moment passes before Taehyung asks, “Watcha thinking?”“Nothing. I’m driving, shush!”“So, you don’t think when you drive? Huh!” Taehyung ponders. “Soooooo, head empty, only road?”“Taehyungie, seriously not now. I’m trying to concentrate.”“Well, you can concentrate on the road and speak to me. I know you’re good at multitasking, baby!” Hoseok can hear his cheeky smirk but refuses to acknowledge it. Instead, he squints hard and tries to focus on the road.Clearly a little annoyed at being ignored, Taehyung huffs, “Fine! If you have to concentrate so hard then maybe I should drive and you can get that stick out of your perky ass!”“Drive? I won’t even let Jesus take the wheel right now.” Hoseok raises his voice pointing towards a road that is barely visible through the blanket of rain that covers the windshield, “Do you not see the rain?”“I can,” Taehyung sighs dreamily, leaning his head against the window, “it’s amazing.”“It’s a pain in the ass,” Hoseok mutters.“It’s beautiful.”“It’s blinding.”“It’s so romantic.”“It’s so heavy. Too heavy.” Hoseok’s voice comes across frustrated. He had planned their trip back home to the T. But the weather had different plans in store.Taehyung suggests, “We should stop!”“We what!?” Hoseok is appalled, but stays focused on the blurry road.“Stop the car somewhere, hyung. No point driving in this weather. There are so many wonderful things we could be doing in the rain,” Taehyung says, as he leans slightly towards Hoseok and waggles his eyebrows.“Yes, wonderful things like getting home on time,” says Hoseok. “Just need to drive slow and we-”“Hyung, stopping for a bit won’t hurt. Stop being so serious and uptight all the time!” Taehyung cuts in.“I’m TRYING to get us HOME!” Hoseok argues.“And I’m trying to get us home in one piece, you can barely see the road!” Taehyung’s voice gets whinier and louder.“Can you stop being such a baby for one second? I’m trying to concentrate,” Hoseok all but screams.The silence that follows is deafening. Taehyung huffs, rattled. He turns to look out the window crossing his arms as he says, “Do not raise your voice at me. The past week has been frustrating for both of us, but you have no right to take it out on me.”Realising his mistake, Hoseok tries to grab Taehyung’s attention while still keeping his eyes on the road.“Taehyungie! Look at me, baby.” But Taehyung remains adamant.“TaeTae please!” Hoseok tries again but to no avail.Hoseok just wants to get back home on time, but he has to admit the rain is getting heavier by the minute. So, the moment he can make out the blurry outlines of a parking lot next to what looks like a house-shaped structure, he’s pulling over.Taehyung seems shocked at the car coming to a stop. “What ha-” before he can finish his sentence, Hoseok has thrown the car in park and pulls Taehyung close to him by the back of his neck, kissing him suddenly. Hoseok presses his lips into Taehyung's with all his might, frustration and anger emanating from his lips. They devour each other with every suck of the lip, every stroke of the tongue. It’s hot and messy. Drool pools in the corners of Taehyung’s mouth but it doesn’t get far. Hoseok is quick to lick it up, to drink him in.Taehyung’s hands travel all over Hoseok’s body. Hoseok feels the desperation in Taehyung’s fingers – not being able to touch his boyfriend for a whole week has made Taehyung a bit feral. Hoseok keeps him in place. One hand on Taehyung’s neck and one on his thigh.“Seok-” Taehyung tries to get the words out. But Hoseok just hushes him with a kiss, and another, and another, and another. He kisses him like a man starved, then pecks the side of his lip, his jaw, and then slowly travels down his neck.The heat of the moment makes it impossibly steamy inside the car. But they are brought back to reality when Taehyung giggles at his not-so-sexy position. His head’s against the window, back unceremoniously arched in the tiny space, left leg splayed out over the gear-shift tucked behind Hoseok’s waist and his right leg just sort of hanging mid-air.They both start giggling like idiots when they realise how desperate they would have looked to any passerby. Thankfully for them, the area seems pretty empty.“We should continue this at home, love,” Hoseok says. He’s trying to hide the urgency behind his sweet smile but Taehyung’s smile indicates that he isn’t fooled.“Orrrr we could have a little fun right here,” Taehyung replies.Eyes bugged out and cheeks turning bright red, Hoseok retorts, “What are you saying, Tae? We should just… head back.”“Hyung, where’s your sense of adventure? Here we are, two beautiful people stuck in the rain,” Taehyung leans in and whispers, “anything can happen.”“You and your movie-like romantic ideas can stay put for now. Baby, we need to get home,” Hoseok argues.“Why? Because we are on some sort of schedule that you set up? Stop being so serious, hyung, please!” Taehyung continues, “besides, it’s clearly not safe to drive in this weather. You can barely see anything.”“So, what are we supposed to do, we can’t just sit here and wait it out,” Hoseok argues.“That is exactly what we’re going to do,” says Taehyung.Silence.Hoseok knows his boyfriend has a point. The weather has gotten much worse than he expected and it’ll be the worst if their car gets stuck in the middle of nowhere. They started at a reasonable hour just so they could reach home before sundown, but that doesn’t seem likely anymore, he thinks.A huff and a little shuffling later, they are back in their respective seats staring at the windshield. The blanket of rain blurs everything around them, making it all look scarier than it actually is. The clouds above them are heavy and so grey that it seems like it's already night time. Taehyung looks at his boyfriend who seems extremely tense. If it were up to Hoseok, he would spend the rest of his time in the car making calls, doing anything but resting. So, Taehyung finds a way to divert his attention.He connects his phone to the car and soon Frank Sinatra's deep, deep voice blasts through the speaker and takes Hoseok by surprise.
Over and over I keep going over
The world we knew
Hoseok stares at his boyfriend, unimpressed by the little gimmick he’s pulled.
Once when you walked
Beside me...
Taehyung mouths those words, a dramatic expression on his face and hand resting on his heart as he looks out the window longingly. Hoseok tries not to give in and smile at Taehyung’s antics.The song continues and Taehyung swiftly turns his head towards his boyfriend with an accusatory look as he mouths the words-
Now over and over I keep going over
The world we knew,
Days when you used to love me.
At that, Hoseok snorts and says, “Stop being so dramatic,” then immediately diverts his attention to his phone, checking the weather app.The volume of the song lowers. Taehyung looks at Hoseok and can’t help but sigh.
“Ah! How I miss the days when you used to be as dramatic and adventurous,” he says with his head now resting on the palm of his hand, a dangerous smile playing on his lips as he takes his time looking at his boyfriend from top to bottom.“You make me sound like an old ma-” Hoseok suddenly feels Taehyung’s hot breath on the side of his face. Feels fingers tip-tapping along his forearm. “Why don’t we head out? Get wet in the rain?” Taehyung’s deep baritone feels peanut-butter smooth as he suggests, “Let’s bring back your sense of adventure, old man,” he says licking Hoseok’s ear.“You’ll catch a cold, love,” Hoseok whispers, as a soft smile appears on his face.“The last time we got wet in the rain,” Taehyung leans in further, voice dropping dangerously low as he whispers, “I didn’t hear you complaining.”Hoseok blushes, hands coming up to hide his face as he turns slightly away from Taehyung and admits, “We were young and horny.”“Horny enough to take me in the park. We were getting pretty wet then too, hyung.”“OH GOD! Please don’t remind me. I cannot believe I ever did that!” Hoseok squeals. “You drove me crazy back then,” he says.“DROVE? BACK THEN? Jung Hoseok, are you saying your boyfriend doesn’t drive you crazy now?” Taehyung argues, his inner drama queen coming out. In seconds, however, his accusatory expression changes, replaced by those devastating puppy eyes and a pout as he asks in the cutest tone he can muster up, “Do I not make you want to rip my clothes off and take me in the backseat?” Giving Hoseok a whiplash of emotions.Hoseok looks back at him, eyes blown wide. He looks like he’s trying to say something but his mind can’t seem to catch up to his mouth. His malfunctioning lasts for an entire minute before Taehyung’s giggles break him out of his stupor. This brat, he thinks. “You are impossible, Kim Taehyung,” Hoseok whispers.He takes hold of Taehyung’s hand, but before he can say or do anything else, he feels the hand being retracted from his hold, the car door being pushed open and he sees his boyfriend run out, squealing.“What the fu-” Hoseok quickly grabs an umbrella from the backseat and jumps out of the car, locking it as he chases Taehyung. “Come back here, you brat!”Taehyung sprints to find cover under an old gazebo. The moment he is safe under the shade he turns around to see his boyfriend frantically running towards him. Hoseok looks almost comical trying to hold onto an umbrella against the strong winds whilst trying not to slip.He reaches the gazebo and lets out a sigh of relief. Then looks up to argue with Taehyung once again when he feels Taehyung’s long veiny finger on his lips. “Shh,” he says, and leads Hoseok to the edge of the gazebo. The sight in front of them is nothing short of breathtaking.The gazebo stands on a big lake surrounded by lush green trees. It’s so green, Hoseok muses, greener than anything he gets to see back home.“And you were going to drive past this,” Taehyung tsks, shaking his head as his eyes wander, taking in the sight in front of him.Hoseok just stands there, stunned into silence. Wide eyed and mouth agape, he simply stares. A gust of cold wind brings him back to reality. It’s then that he sees the tiny droplets of water hanging off the edge of his hair. He feels the dampness of his sweatshirt, feels his fingernails turning blue from the chilly winds. This is real, he thinks. His eyes aren’t betraying him. It’s real and beautiful and he actually can’t believe he was going to drive past this.Hoseok turns to his boyfriend who’s holding his phone to capture a video, pure glee on his face. Who knew trees and a lake could bring them this much joy. The thought makes him smile.The loud pitter-patter of the rain is what draws his attention next. Hoseok closes his eyes and listens. He listens to the sound of the raindrops bouncing off the million leaves of the trees that surround them, listens to the melodic sound of rain hitting the surface of the lake. He listens as the drops hit the tin roof of the gazebo they currently stand in but listening to his boyfriend's little gasps every few seconds is what makes it all beyond perfect.“We should totally come here for dates,” Taehyung declares.“Shhhhh,” Hoseok blindly tries to shush his boyfriend.“You’re right. We should get married here,” Taehyung whispers loudly. This finally causes Hoseok to open his eyes and look at his boyfriend like he’s said the most offensive thing ever.“I am not getting married here,” Hoseok argues.“But why? Seems pretty perfect to me.” Taehyung replies.“Because,” Hoseok says and pauses as he tries to think of a reason and fails. “Because.”Taehyung sighs, his shoulders droop a little as goes and thumps on top of the bench placed right against the edge of the gazebo. He looks back at Hoseok, patting the empty space next to him.They both sit in silence for a while, taking in the fresh air, breathing the petrichor scent. “You okay?” It’s Hoseok who breaks the silence first.“Why wouldn’t I be?”“You just… went super quiet all of a sudden.”Taehyung takes a deep breath and turns to look at his boyfriend. “You, okay?”“I just- I just want to go home. I want it to be just the two of us and our pets,” Hoseok whines.Taehyung chuckles, “Your plans and schedules won’t always work out. You can’t control the weather, Jung Byeonhosa.”“Ugh! Don’t call me that. It makes me feel like I’m 60.”“I think it’s kinda hot, my super serious 60 year-old boyfriend” Taehyung replies cheekily.“Why do you keep calling me serious?”“Because you are! You have become so solemn that it worries me. I don’t see my adorable Seokie smile very often, you know how harmful that is for my health-”The crackling sound of thunder takes them by surprise. Taehyung looks visibly shaken by just how loud it sounded as he looks around frantically. Hoseok sits there wondering if he really has become a little too sombre over the years, a little too adult? Because the first thought that came to his mind as the roaring sound of thunder overwhelmed their senses was - did they leave the bedroom window open? Will they go back home to a flooded bedroom? Do they have the supplies to clean everything up?Somewhere in the distance his mind registers that Taehyung is saying something. Something about the apocalypse maybe. He can’t tell. Another thundering sound breaks him out of his thoughts. He sees a shiver running down Taehyung’s body first and then looks up to see his face.Taehyung looks at him with worried eyes, like he’s waiting for a reply - “Hyungie! What if it’s our last day on Earth? Would you still not have a date here?”Hoseok is well aware that he won’t be getting back home any time soon. But he’s also not going to sit around and mope, when he’s sitting in a beautiful location with the most beautiful human. His beautiful human. He doesn’t have to be a stuck-up responsible adult here. He can just be himself, just let himself go.Instead of replying, Hoseok shoots up from the bench, picks up the umbrella and bolts to the car. He comes back after a few minutes and places a puffer jacket around Taehyung, “I told you you’d get cold. Here,” he hands Taehyung two little heat pads and tells him to keep his hands warm.Taehyung is blushing by the time Hoseok sits next to him wearing his own jacket.Where’s your heat pad?“Don’t need it,” Hoseok responds with a cheeky smile. He takes out a flask from his jacket’s pocket, takes a swig and says, “A drink will do just fine!”“What are you drinking?”“Whisky. You want?”“Don’t you have to drive?”“Baby, it doesn’t look like I’m driving any time soon. Besides, we need to find ways to keep warm that don’t involve us taking off our clothes,” he waggles his eyebrows at his boyfriend.Taehyung rolls his eyes in response and snatches the flask, confidently taking a large swig of the whisky and instantly regretting it. He seemed to have forgotten that Hoseok likes his drinks to feel like a thousand burning suns in his throat.He coughs like he’s been burned from the inside out and Hoseok is in splits.“Aww, you shuch a baby, TaeTae!”“You are a dead man,” Taehyung says as he lunges towards Hoseok with the intent to choke. Hoseok catches hold of his forearms, still laughing as Taehyung struggles to free himself.“And to think you were trying to get in my pants just a while back. You’re a wild one, pretty kitty!”Taehyung freezes hearing the nickname he hasn’t heard in years.“Did you just call me pretty kitty?”Hoseok looks like a deer caught in the headlights. When he doesn’t respond Taehyung continues to ask, “How did you know that nickname, hyung?”“Uh, well…” Hoseok stalls trying to find a way to go about a conversation he didn’t mean to have.The weather worsens as the two lovers face each other, trying to decipher what the other is thinking. The rain gets heavier and the winds get stronger. It’s colder now. Taehyung is zipping up his jacket trying to keep himself warm when he feels arms around his torso. Hoseok pulls him towards himself, letting Taehyung place each leg over Hoseok’s to make their position on the bench a little more comfortable.Taehyung is looking at the lake, chewing on his bottom lip as he says, “I remember being called pretty kitty from my very first year in uni. I don’t mind it but…”The silence between them is a little tense. But Hoseok does not plan on stewing in it.“Do you remember everything from your first year?” Hoseok asks.Taehyung looks back at Hoseok. Pouting, he says, “I can’t forget my first year even if I try to.”Hoseok winces a little and looks away.“I remember walking up to you, pulling you close by your collar and saying - I’ve had a crush on you since the first day we met, and you saying thank you,” Taehyung recalls, his face red with embarrassment.Hoseok tries to stop himself from giggling at his stupidity but fails. Taehyung looks back at him, offended.“How dare you laugh at me?”“I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing at-”“I was so embarrassed that day. Made such a fool out of myself. It’s something Jimin and Jungkook still tease me about.”“I’m sorry, love. The moment those words left my mouth I knew the blunder I had committed.”“Really? Because you meeting me a few days later and awkwardly saying you want to talk about it, didn’t help!”Pinching his eyebrows, he says, “I did do that, didn’t I?”“You DID!” Taehyung exclaims, jabbing his finger against his boyfriend’s chest. “I wanted to melt into the floor. You sounded so condescending with your oh poor junior just needs some guidance voice.”“Yeah that has got to be one of the biggest regrets of my life.” Hoseok says, hiding his face in his hands.Taehyung faces away from his boyfriend, nose held high like a petulant child throwing a tantrum as he says, “And then you fully ignored me for like 2 years after that.”“Aish! I never ignored you, Tae. Avoided, maybe.” Hoseok replies.“Ignored, avoided, same difference,” Taehyung says as he folds his arms across his chest leaning ever-so-slightly away from his boyfriend.Hoseok regrets the way he handled the situation all those years back. It is clear in his voice when he says, “You scared me, Tae. You weren’t part of the plan.”“Ah! The infamous five year plan,” Taehyung scoffs. “Anyway what does this have to do with the nickname?”Hoseok, who's still holding onto his boyfriend, pulls him in closer. He leans closer to Taehyung’s necks and breathes him in. He feels Taehyung pretending to shrug him off without making a real effort in doing so.“Your first day in uni was the day my five year plan went to shit,” Hoseok says, looking his boyfriend in the face. “Namjoon and I were celebrating something, I don’t remember. I was taking pictures with my camera.”“Your film camera? You’ve had it for that long?“Yep! Noona gave it to me as a - good luck trying to make it through law school - present,” his siblings are the worst, he thinks, even a present couldn’t be given in good faith. “Anyway, I was supposed to be taking pictures of Joonie but the camera lens happened to focus on the most beautiful being I had ever seen,” Hoseok admits, once again nuzzling into Taehyung as he coyly tries to push him away.“When I took that picture of you, I knew everything was going to be different. Meeting you at the dance team’s get-together was a bigger surprise. I had never even expected for our paths to cross.”“Hyung, I had such an embarrassing crush on you when I saw you dance that first time,” Taehyung laughs, “I was trying so hard not to crumble into pieces when Jimin introduced me to you.”“Well, looks like you did a great job of it because I didn’t see a hint of interest from you.”“Are you serious? Hyung, you had to be blind then. I was red in the face, fumbling my words and shaking in front of you.” Taehyung sounds a little disappointed as he admits, “I thought you just never noticed me.”“I think I drove Namjoon a little insane with just how obsessed I was with the pretty boy from the arts department. Every chance I got, I would take pictures of you and then force Joon to look at all of them”“That’s a little stalkery of you,” Taehyung teases and his boyfriend rolls his eyes in response. “But what does all this have to do with that nickname?”Hoseok looks up, takes a deep breath and continues, “That end of semester party when you… uh… confessed.” Taehyung visibly flinches at that. Hoseok knows Taehyung is embarrassed by the thought of that night. “I was so taken aback that I just froze. It was everything I wanted and yet my insecurities got the better of me. I had you right there, and I wanted you so, so bad. But I just didn’t have the balls to confess just how infatuated I was.”“You cannot be serious. You felt the same way? Since my first year? We could have been together ALL. THAT. TIME?”“Taehyungie, I was that guy who spent most of his time buried in law books. My idea of partying was discussing popular court cases of the time over a beer with Joon. I was boring. I probably still am.”“You’re not boring, Seokie. You never were. You were the hot senior that literally everyone wanted a piece of. Why do you think I ran to confess to you at that party?”“I don’t know, you were drunk?”“Well, the ONE cruiser I had definitely did not get me drunk. It was Kim Eun Ae that made me do it. That bitch had decided, publicly by the way, that she was going to have you that night. Bitch called dibs, Hoseok!”Hoseok giggles, endeared by his boyfriend. He gives Taehyung a sweet kiss at his temple. “I was already yours, my love,” he whispers.“I didn’t know that then,” Taehyung says, all pouty and shy. “Anyway, what I’m trying to say is. You were far from boring. Also, always buried in law books? I think you’re forgetting that you used to go to the dance studio every chance you got.”“You knew about that before we got together?”“I didn’t just know, I used to be there, perks of having two friends on the dance team. They would always tell me that you were in the studio and I would sneak in. I’d watch you through the gap in the door.”“That’s a little stalkery of YOU.”“Guess we’re both a little guilty then,” Taehyung smirks and continues, “Jimin, Jungkookie, and I had a code for you. They would send me the code almost like an SOS which meant that you had arrived at the studio.”Hoseok shakes his head and mutters, “You’re adorable.” The winds die down and the environment around the couple starts to feel a little less apocalyptic. Taehyung seems to have gotten closer and closer to his boyfriend over the course of their conversation. Now, he clings to Hoseok like a koala, leaning in to give him pecks every now and then.“Code, huh? What was it?” Hoseok pries, blowing puffs of air softly against his boyfriend’s ear.
Taehyung giggles and whispers shyly, “honeybun.”Hoseok laughs, his whole body weight now leaning against his boyfriend. Taehyung holds him up, trying not to fall flat against the hard wooden bench they are sitting on.“It’s not THAT funny,” says Taehyung rolling his eyes.“You are so adorable, I’m going to die!” Hoseok holds Taehyung’s face in his hands, squishes his cheeks a little and gives his pouty lips a long drawn out kiss.Once Hoseok lets go of him, Taehyung smiles bashfully, looks down and says, “Okay, we keep going off topic.” He looks up at Hoseok to ask, “Can we get back to what you were trying to tell me?”“Right,” Hoseok leans back and continues, “after you eventually left the party that night, some of the dance team people invited Joon and I to hang with them.”“Dance team, more like Goog and Mini wanting to thirst over Namjoon hyung.”“Yeah,” Hoseok snickers, “Namjoon was definitely the one who was invited, I just sort of, tagged along. I was too stressed and depressed to stay alone so I stuck with the crowd. The end of that night I got super drunk and was obsessing over you.”He turns away from Taehyung and holds his head in his hands as he says, “I was calling you a pretty boy. My pretty boy, my pretty kitty. Taehyung, I came up with the nickname. I’m sorry I was drunk and so disappointed in myself, and I didn’t know people would bully you with that nickname. Baby, that was never my intention. I was just too in love with you and I just-”“You. Called me pretty kitty because you were drunk and in love? That is so pathetic,” he says, holding Hoseok’s worried face in his hands, “and cute.”“I wish I had just told you how I’d felt. Should have just said, I think I’ve been in love with you since the moment I saw you, but I was dumb and scared.”“Please stop berating yourself over something that happened almost a decade ago. We are together now. And I was never bullied with that nickname. It just irritated me because Mini and Goog were relentless, and it was because of them that others caught on. It just eventually made me feel like people only saw me as that, a pretty face.”“I mean you do have a very pretty face and a prettier body,” he smirks and Taehyung swats his shoulder.“Those two years that I thought I had failed at getting my picture-perfect college romance, I spent it trying to become more mature, and not just be a pretty face.”“I never thought you were just a pretty face, love. You are brilliant and talented and so fucking sexy when you start talking about each and every painting you see at just about any art exhibition.”“Don’t make fun of me!”“I’m being genuine. I love it when you talk about art. It’s your passion. I know how hard you’ve worked throughout uni and how hard you work even now. You know your shit, you’re not just a pretty face, my love. You’re amazing.”Taehyung blushes at the genuine compliment and says, “Thank you.”“I know YOU never thought I was just a pretty face,” Taehyung continues, “But many people around me did. Which is why the two years I spent being ignored by you, I worked extra hard to prove them all wrong.”“Again, I wasn’t ignoring you.”“True, you were just being a creepy stalker and taking pictures of me.”“I WAS NOT BEING A STALKER!” Hoseok insists. “You just always happened to be there. My lens somehow always found you and I wasn’t going to let go of the opportunity of capturing my beautiful angel.”“Flattery doesn’t excuse you of your crime, Jung byeonhosa.” Taehyung replies, squinting at a very frustrated Hoseok.“I spent those two years trying to get to know you. My point of contact was only Jimin and sometimes Jungkook. But I never spent as much time with them as you did with Joon. I was so jealous that at one point I even punched him in the face.”“THAT WAS YOU?? Poor moonie hyung!” Taehyung distances himself a little from his boyfriend as he continues, “I remember when he came to hand me a book one day and I saw his cheek all swollen. I can’t believe you would do that to that gentle giant.”“I know! I felt like a monster after I’d done it. Made Joon his favourite dishes for a week and basically babied him for like two-three weeks or something. He still constantly made fun of me and called me Jelly Monster, what a fucking child!”Taehyung laughs, a full bodied laugh. His eyes turn into tiny crescents, cheeks bunched up, his head rolled back as he occasionally slaps his thigh. “Pretty kitty and Jelly Monster, what a couple we make.”The joke isn’t even that funny but it makes Hoseok chuckle and eventually he joins Taehyung, laughing like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard. “God! I can’t believe you punched your best friend. Honestly, if it was any other person I would be like okay, calm down. But Namjoon hyung! That’s a literal baby in the body of a large man.”“Stop defending him! He may be a very sweet gentle giant, but he’s still a horny motherfucker. And he would ALWAYS agree with me when I used to talk about just how sexy you looked.”“I- what did you expect him to say? He was just appreciating true beauty,” Taehyung adds, a teasing lilt to his tone.“Oh my god! You totally had a thing for Joonie. Is that why you keep defending him?” Hoseok feels a little offended. Sad puppy eyes look back at him.“Hyungieee!” Taehyung coos. “Joon and I never had a thing. He was madly in love with Mini and Goog, and was constantly trying to cope with his own feelings. Clearly, he didn’t want to burden YOU with his feelings because it seems you were always crying about me!”“Okay, true. Now I feel really bad. Poor Joonie!”“He’s more than fine with his two annoying boyfriends now, you can stop feeling bad,” Taehyung chuckles. They sit there watching the rain as it gives new life to everything around them. The clouds are still heavy and grey, but it isn’t as dark as before. Taehyung leans on his boyfriend’s shoulder as he says in a low voice, “We wasted so much time, hyung.”“No point regretting about what could have been, love. Plus, we gave ourselves more time to grow.” Hoseok squeezes Taehyung’s arm just a little as he says, “I needed that time to come to terms with the fact that I will never live up to my parents’ expectations. I will never be like my very straight, overachieving siblings.”Taehyung straightens up to see his boyfriend’s saddened face, “I didn’t believe it was that bad until, well this entire last week.”“Yeah. I’m just glad they were okay with you being there.” Hoseok’s voice is low as he admits, “I’m happy they treated you like just another friend of mine. That’s better than not acknowledging you at all.”Hoseok lowers his head onto Taehyung’s shoulder. Taehyung has always been his anchor. The last week had been frustrating for the couple. Hoseok had been constantly trying to prove himself among his family of overachievers. They just seemed to breeze over his accomplishments, like they could do everything Hoseoko did in their sleep. He also knew Taehyung was in the same predicament, constantly being asked about his job and how much he contributes to their household. It was exhausting and he hates that he had to put his boyfriend through that.“I just don’t like what they make you into.” Hoseok smiles at that. He can hear the concern in Taehyung’s voice.“I can see how they would have never liked the way you were in college. But Seokie, you are going to be spending your time with me and with people who actually love you for who you are. Not with them.”“I know that, love,” Hoseok replies, trying not to think of all the ways his family has affected him over the years. “I just lose track sometimes. Forget that I can do whatever the fuck I want and that their opinions don’t matter.”“Exactly!” Taehyung is raking his hands through Hoseok’s hair. The action has Hoseok closing his eyes and nuzzling Taehyung's neck.“Also, next time we see your parents,” says Taehyung, “You dare not keep your distance. I will punch you like you punched Moonie hyung.”“Why are we back to me punching Joon?”“All I’m saying is, not seeing you smile or seeing your forced customer service smile for a whole week is bad enough, but not even getting to hold your hand for a whole week is too much.”“Everyone was always watching, baby,” Hoseok argues.“Is that your favourite thing to say? Because that’s all I’ve heard you say for the past week, hyung,” Taehyung sounds irritated. “I’m sick of hearing that.”The week at Hoseok’s parents’ place was stressful. The entire Jung clan had decided to descend upon them and the couple hadn’t known a moment of peace. Whenever Taehyung got the time to relax a little, he would run to be close to his partner. But Hoseok would shy away from him, too worried what the others would think.When Hoseok doesn’t say anything, Taehyung relents and takes his boyfriends hands in his, “Sorry hyung, I didn’t mean to get angry at you. I’m just angry at your family and how much they stress you out.”Hoseok looks at their now intertwined hands and smiles.Taehyung continues, “At times, I just wanted to pull you by the collar, just like I did in uni,” a smirk plays on his lips and he continues, “but this time I wanted to just have a nasty makeout session right there in front of your parents!”Hoseok chuckles, “My grandmother was there too, she would have had a cardiac arrest.”“Well, at least she would have seen something exciting in her entire miserable life,” Taehyung retorts.“Woah! No love lost between you two, is it?”“She called me a desperate excuse of a man when I told her I studied arts,” Taehyung replies, face expressionless.“EXCUSE ME? When did this happen?”"Yeah! I just didn't want to create a scene so I never told you,” says Taehyung.“Baby!” Hoseok sounds worried. He lets go of Taehyung’s hands and grabs his thighs. Taehyung gets the message and immediately parts his legs to accommodate his beautiful boyfriend in between. Hoseok pulls him in, placing Taehyung on his lap and nuzzles into his neck. They stay like that for a long time.Physical affection has always been their love language, but for his Hoseok, it went beyond something romantic. It almost seemed therapeutic.Hoseok didn’t like to talk about how he felt, keeping it in just made sense to him. It didn’t change much when Taehyung came into his life. Hoseok doesn’t like to express his thoughts and emotions, but at times when things get a bit too overwhelming he hugs his boyfriend tight and refuses to let go. It’s his way of saying I need help.They remain like that for a long time. And this time, Taehyung knows Hoseok is not seeking comfort, he’s trying to help him. It’s Hoseok’s way of apologising for everything Taehyung had to put up with this past week. Hoseok’s grip around Taehyung gets tighter and it makes him smile. His hyung might not say I hope you’re okay and I wish you never had to hear that, but his actions are enough.“I’m fine, Seokie,” Taehyung whispers, trying not to upset his boyfriend even more he says, “I gave it right back to her. Asked her if she was sure she’s talking about me or her husband and walked away.”Hoseok’s head shoots up, “You did not!” he exclaims.“I sure did,” Taehyung proudly admits.Hoseok looks at his boyfriend like he can’t believe he’s real. One moment they’re sitting up straight and the next moment Hoseok is on top of Taehyung violently kissing him.They lick into each other’s mouths, taste each other like hungry animals. Hoseok bites Taehyung’s tongue forcing a loud moan out of him. Taehyung holds onto his boyfriend’s neck pulling him closer and closer, till there is not even a centimetre of space between them. Hoseok feels so turned on as he massages his boyfriend's butt. He loves to hear Taehyung lose himself in the moment. The kiss, the spit, the touches drive both of them a little insane. But alas! They have to break the kiss to breathe.Hoseok is still lightly biting Taehyung’s cheek as he says, “You're a feisty one, pretty kitty.”Hoseok has always loved making his boyfriend fall apart. He pulls Taehyung closer, feels him getting harder. They rub against each other, filthy groans leaving their mouths. Taehyung’s moans get louder and louder, his eyes roll to the back of his head. Hoseok takes his chance and bites hard on Taehyung’s neck. The pain makes Taehyung jolt and his hand immediately grabs onto Hoseok’s hair and yanks him up.Taehyung looks at him with hungry eyes as he says, “Look who got his sense of adventure back!” He smirks as he pulls Hoseok by his hair a little more and leans in to lick his boyfriend from his dainty clavicle to his sharp jaw.Taehyung nibbles along his jaw and pulls on Hoseok’s ear lobe with his teeth. His hot breath hits Hoseok and suddenly he’s giggling. Taehyung breaks away, lets go of his boyfriend’s hair and frowns at him.“Babe, really killing the mood here!” Taehyung sounds breathless and a little amused.Hoseok feels himself go red as he scratches his ear and the side of his face. When he looks at Taehyung, he giggles again and says, “What! It tickles.”A smile breaks out on Taehyung’s face, all boxy and wide. “Seokie!” he says.Hoseok gives him a questioning look, waiting for him to continue.“Your Seokie smile is back,” Taehyung says.“Can’t help it,” Hoseok says, “you’re here.”Taehyung looks at his boyfriend like he’s worshiping every inch of him.Hoseok looks at Taehyung like he’s been blessed with the most precious gift.A loud crack among the trees surrounding the lake diverts their attention. The winds seem to be picking up and few branches fall to the ground. As the wind picks up speed the raindrops slant a little more, now hitting the inside of the gazebo.Taehyung feels a few droplets hit the back of his head and his neck. The cool sensation makes him jump a little and he immediately snuggles up to his boyfriend.Hoseok holds Taehyung close, his hand gently caressing Taehyung’s back.“Are you warm enough, my love?” he asks.Taehyung shakes his head and pouts, “I’m cold and hungry. Can we get something to eat?”“We are in the middle of nowhere, TaeTae. Pretty sure the nearest convenience store is miles away.” Hoseok looks out at their car and sighs.“Well, well! Looks like you’re not the only one planning out our road trip,” Taehyung chimes in.“Oh! You planned for this?” Hoseok sounds a little impressed.“Of course not. You know I’m more of a live in the moment kind of person.”Hoseok’s confusion makes Taehyung chuckle.“Your mom, silly! Eomma knew we’d get hungry on the trip, so she packed snacks for us.”“She did?”“Let me go get it,” he fondles Hoseok’s pant’s pocket to grab the car keys.“Oi!”Unbothered, Taehyung puts on his puffer jacket’s hood and bolts out of the gazebo towards the car. He almost slips at the beginning of the wooden trail leading up to the gazebo and quickly catches hold of the railing. The sight makes Hoseok cackle. Hoseok sits there, taking a sip of his whiskey, thinking about just how unpredictable this day has been. They’ve already been here, in this random gazebo, for more than two hours, yet it doesn’t feel like much time has passed at all.He thinks about how he was so ready to get away from his family in the morning and just get home and sleep. He thinks about how he spent all of last week feeling miserable and about how his mother, who was never all that kind to him, actually looked happy to see him and his boyfriend. He thinks about how she instantly took a liking to Taehyung.Now that he actually has time to think about it, he recounts how this entire last week Taehyung has been on his toes. He went out for morning walks with his Dad of all things. Taehyung, who never bothers to get up on time for his own work, woke up at six in the morning for Hoseok’s father.He can now focus on the fact that the entire time he was stressing about what his family will think of his achievements and his relationship with Taehyung, his boyfriend was busy living in the moment, being himself (with a few exceptions, of course!), and taking on any task that was thrown at him with a smile. This entire last week, Taehyung spent his time being the perfect son-in-law.As that thought settles in, Hoseok feels a warmth spread through his entire body. It feels like the winter sun, a gentle warmth slowly emanating to every crevice of his being. He smiles as a single thought takes over his mind: Taehyung makes him happy. Taehyung returns looking happier than ever, a big boxy grin on his face. His puffer jacket is riddled with raindrops and his pants look two shades darker with just how wet they are. He’s holding two lunch boxes and a bottle of water, “We’ve got Gimbap.”They eat in silence, enjoying the sound of the rain which hasn’t shown any sign of slowing down. Hoseok takes a few sips from his flask, it’s getting a bit too chilly for his liking, but the alcohol brings a bit of warmth.Once they’re done eating, Taehyung neatly places the boxes away and scooches closer to his boyfriend for cuddles. They sit there, a comfortable silence taking over, Hoseok tucks his head under Taehyung’s chin. He listens to his boyfriend’s heart beat, listens to his breath, how it quickens every time a gust of wind hits their intertwined bodies, how it slows down when he hugs Taehyung tighter. He listens to Taehyung breathing in deep and long, every time he buries his nose in Hoseok’s hair.Everything about Taehyung calms Hoseok’s soul.As more time passes and the winds calm down, Hoseok looks out at the lake. A sheet of water rippled by the tiny drops of rain. It looks blissful, almost surreal.His boyfriend breaks the silence.“What happened to the photos?” Taehyung asks.“The photos?”“When you were being all stalkery,” Taehyung teases, smirking at his boyfriend who rolls his eyes.“All those photos you took of me, they were from a film camera, right?”Hoseok nods.“Do you still have the negatives or something?”Hoseok’s shoulders droop a little, a tiny blush appears on his face as he admits, “Not anymore. I lost them when I moved.”Taehyung looks a little disappointed.“But-” Hoseok hesitates. He looks a little embarrassed when he says, “I still have the photos.”“What do you mean?”“Kim Taehyung,” Hoseok says his name like a prayer, scooting back a bit and taking Taehyung’s hands in his, “you are the best thing to happen to me in my entire life, baby. You think I wouldn’t save every single memory of you?”Taehyung looks taken aback when he says, “You have the actual photos?”“Of course, I do, my love.”“Why haven’t I seen any of them? We’ve been together for years!”“Ah, well, about that…”Taehyung scrutinizes him, and Hoseok knows he won’t be able to keep his secret for long. Taehyung squints at his boyfriend and points an accusatory finger at him, “Jung Hoseok, what are you hiding?”Hoseok stalls, or at least tries to. But one second of accidental eye contact with his boyfriend has him crumbling, “Imayhaveascr…” he mumbles.“A what what?” Taehyung leans in trying to understand what Hoseok is saying.“I may haveascaboo,” is what Taehyung hears the second time and he’s not having it.“Seokie, I swear to god-”“I have a scrapbook, okay!”Taehyung stares at his boyfriend, stunned into silence. Hoseok sits there, head in his hands, groaning in embarrassment. “I know I’m a grown man and scrapbooking is the last thing I should be doing but it brings me joy. YOU bring me joy!”Hoseok feels Taehyung shifting towards him and soon he feels Taehyung gently removing his hands, uncovering his face. Taehyung tips Hoseok's head just a little and as their eyes meet, Hoseok can see it – the love that exudes from that beautiful smile on Taehyung’s face. The pure love that pours out of his eyes.“There are so many issues with what you just said,” Taehyung shakes his head, takes a deep breath and continues, “but I want you to know that I think you are amazing and the cutest person to ever, EVER live.”Hoseok rolls his eyes just a little, looking away from his cheesy boyfriend. But the fondness is clear in his tone even when he dismisses Taehyung with an, “Aish!”Taehyung giggles. Hoseok looks back at him, cheeks still red as a rose petal. He’s smiling. His Seokie smile. He can feel it.Not being able to deal with all the attention, Hoseok gets up and walks around the little area, trying to not melt from mortification. The situation isn’t that embarrassing, really, Hoseok thinks, but now that Taehyung knows just how madly in love he is, he’s never going to let him live this down.Still giggling, Taehyung lies down on the bench stomach side down. His legs dangle in the air and his chin rests in the palms of his hands. He’s admiring his boyfriend who seems to be pacing in the tiny area.“When do you get the time to do it?” Taehyung asks, a glint of amusement in his eyes.Hoseok stops pacing and looks at his gorgeous boyfriend. Laid out on the thin bench, looking like a dream. His hand automatically reaches to rub the back of his neck a nervous tick. He licks his lips and nervously blurts out, “In the office when I’m stressed.”“Oh boy! Then that scrapbook’s going to be so full,” Taehyung jokes that has Hoseok scoffing and shaking his head.“Do you have a favourite photo, a favourite memory?” Taehyung asks, genuinely curious.“Every memory with you in it is my favourite,” Hoseok replies.“Hyuuuung! Please…”Hoseok smiles, walks up to his boyfriend and sits next to him. He pats Taehyung’s head as he says, “The first ever photo of you still has to be my favourite. Red jacket, black skinny jeans, your hair was pushed back, that backpack of yours hanging by one shoulder. You were a walking dream.”“I looked like a potato in my first year, what are you even saying?”“You were a beautiful potato though-”“HEY!”Hoseok laughs at his boyfriend’s silly pouty face, then leans down and kisses Taehyung on the forehead.“Our first night together was also a memorable one,” Hoseok whispers and draws back just a little to see Taehyung blushing this time.“You took nudes?”Hoseok bursts out laughing and Taehyung looks at him confused.“The night we confessed, TaeTae. That was the first whole night we spent together, you dirty minded perv!”“Hey, you didn’t deny that you took photos of me naked,” Taehyung retorts.“I did not take photos of you naked. Not without your permission at least,” Hoseok says with a smirk.Taehyung pushes himself up, pressing his palms against the bench, to give his boyfriend a loud smooch. “Let’s keep it that way, “ he says.Hoseok smiles softly at his boyfriend, “You looked ethereal that night.”“Oh god! Stop it, Seokie. You make me sound like I’m some other worldly beauty,” Taehyung says, looking red in the face.“You are… out of this world, I can’t help it,” Hoseok declares.Taehyung sighs and shakes his head. He sits back up and says, “I remember that night. I remember thinking, oh no I am so hopelessly in love with this guy, the entire time.”“What a coincidence! I was thinking the same thing. It’s like we were meant to be together or something.”Taehyung is beaming at his boyfriend. Hoseok smiles back trying not to burst with all the emotions that hit him all at once, like the raindrops hitting the still surface of the lake.“I remember,” Hoseok immediately adds, “the next morning, when I clicked a photo of you. You had just woken up. Hair all fluffy and sticking out, your wrinkled baby pink shirt and that adorable pout.”“I was so mad at you for taking my photo that time. My face was all puffy.” Taehyung has the same pout on his face, Hoseok notes. He leans in and pulls Taehyung’s cheeks.“You looked sho adorable, my love.”“I wish I had my camera with me right now,” Hoseok confesses.“You want to capture us being stuck in the rain?”Hoseok smiles at Taehyung, trying to hide the overwhelming flow of emotions that have taken over his body. He feels nervous, jittery, fidgets with his jacket as he considers what he really wants to say, “You know, you were right,” he blurts out.Taehyung looks at his boyfriend with a raised eyebrow and his chin up high, “I’m always right, we already knew that. But what are we talking about?”Hoseok thinks maybe now is not the time. He smooths out his jacket and lets his hand rest on the left pocket, feeling the outlines of a tiny box that sits in there. Before Taehyung can make a comment about his very obvious nervousness, Hoseok chuckles and replies, “This is a nice place for a date-”“Hmm,” Taehyung sounds like he wants to ask more but a little squint of the eyes and a sigh later he says, “So, you were listening to me…”Hoseok dramatically clenches his heart in an attempt to divert his boyfriend’s attention, an expression of sheer betrayal on his face and responds, “How could you possibly think I would not be listening to you, my love?”Taehyung looks back at him a little confused, “Stop being dramatic,” he says.“Oh! How the turn tables,” Hoseok teases. Well, that worked, he thinks.He doesn’t know if it’s the weather, if it’s the whiskey, if it’s the beautiful sight that sits in front of them. But right now, he’s never felt more in love. He wants to continue falling in love with Taehyung over and over again. Wants to be with Taehyung till his last breath.Hoseok wants to scream at the top of his lungs, let the world know that the man that sits in front of him is everything to him. Taehyung is the reason he wakes up every morning, the reason for his smile. Taehyung is his reason to live..“Jung Byeonhosa,” he hears Taehyung say. “What’s going in that pretty little head of yours?”Hoseok thinks about the ring he’d bought almost 6 months back. He could do it right now, ask him. But he waits.“I love you,” Hoseok says. Everything he feels for Taehyung, everything he has been feeling ever since they decided to be together and everything he’s felt especially in the last week for his boyfriend, can’t be expressed in words. An ‘I love you’ isn’t enough, but it’s all he can say right now.“All of a sudden?” Taehyung asks.Yes, because you give me a reason to fall more in love with you every single day, Hoseok thinks.“Won’t you say it back,” he says instead.Taehyung leans in close, their noses almost touching, “say it again,” he whispers.“I love you,” Hoseok whispers back, eyes fluttering close as he breathes out.“Thank you!” Taehyung exclaims. Hoseok’s eyes shoot open at the betrayal only to see his boyfriend giving a cheeky grin.“Fine, I deserved that,” Hoseok relents.Taehyung giggles and then leaps onto Hoseok. They tumble onto the bench as Taehyung practically slobbers all over Hoseok’s face. Taehyung balances his weight on his elbows, now looking at Hoseok smiling up at him, “I love you more than love itself, Seok.” He whispers the words like a secret between them.Taehyung leans back down for a soft kiss.They stay like that, cuddled up in the chilly weather, sharing warmth and love. The rain has finally slowed down when Hoseok checks his watch and notices it’s almost sundown. He’s still cuddling his boyfriend who is practically laying on top of him.“We should get going, love,” Hoseok says.Taehyung sits back up and says, “Yeah, I’ve got the keys.”They quickly make their way back to the car. Taehyung takes the wheel this time calling Hoseok his ‘tipsy passenger princess,’ as he gets into the car.“I’m not tipsy, but it’s also not the best idea to drive when you’ve finished a whole flask of whisky.”“I don’t care, I’m still calling you my passenger princess,” Taehyung teases.Hoseok rolls his eyes and proceeds to turn on the heater. He settles into his seat, turning to look back at the little gazebo at the end of the make-shift parking lot.A ray of light bounces off a puddle and he sees a bright twinkle in the road. Hoseok looks ahead and in the distance he can see the sun now peaking through.“Taehyungie, look!” Hoseok says pointing towards the sun setting between two distant mountains.“I’m hungry,” Taehyung says and the loud gurgling sounds from his stomach are proof enough.“Wow! I’m showing you such a romantic scene and all you can think about is food,” Hoseok chides.“Hanwoo burger?” Taehyung asks, unperturbed by Hoseok’s words.“Sure,” Hoseok instantly agrees. He’s about to say something more when he notices his boyfriend aggressively scrolling on his phone.“What are you doing?” Hoseok asks.“We need the perfect song, hyung.”“You, drive. I’ll put on the song.”“No, you won’t play the right one,” Taehyung whines.“And what is the right one?” Hoseok asks, already connecting his phone to the car.“We need the perfect song, so we can truly drive into the sunset like two romantic movie lea-” Taehyung gets cut off by the sound of a guitar.It’s an upbeat song, sounds a bit retro and in a language both men don’t understand. But Hoseok knows this is exactly what his boyfriend wanted. He looks at Taehyung’s surprised expression and chuckles, “What?”“I didn’t even know what song I wanted,” Taehyung says. He leans towards Hoseok, boops their noses and says, “But this is perfect.”Hoseok takes this opportunity to steal a kiss from his boyfriend who blushes like a tomato.Taehyung makes Hoseok smile like an idiot. Makes him want to kick his feet and squeal at just how adorable his boyfriend is.The engine comes to life and Taehyung turns up the volume of the speakers to live out his driving into the sunset fantasy. But Hoseok doesn’t see the sunset anymore, nor can he hear the song that clearly. Because the only thought that plays on a loop in his head is -
I love you, I love you, I love you…