𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐝𝐲 || ᴛᴀᴇᴋᴏᴏᴋ

𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐧

Music started slow and rhythmic as Taehyung stepped on the stage, sparkly black gown with feathers hugging his body like a second skin, eyes glittery, face adorned with makeup, swaying his body along with other dancers.

When the pitch changed, the lights focused on him as other dancers blurred in the background. His movements didn't stop as he continued with the same enthusiasm, losing himself in the music. The audience was immersed in the play, more immersed in adoring the beauty Taehyung was.

A shadow of a person entered the stage as the lighting shifted, the pitch of music changing. Taehyung's movements came to an end when Jungkook held his waist and with two quick turns, they swayed together.

A loud clank, the music slowing, with them staring into each other's eyes, the musical 'black swan' the story of star crossed lovers began.

The story goes back to the '90s. Decades back when Busan was Pusan (푸산). Musicals were part of their biggest entertainment. And they were the actors of the biggest musical theatre. Jung Hansuk and Min Seok, the star crossed lovers, the black swans of Busan's history.

Jung Hansuk, the youngest of the wealthiest family of Busan had everything but his eyes always stayed on music and dance. It was forbidden in his family as they had dancers to entertain them and mostly saw them as lowlifes who make money by entertaining others.

No studies or his family's wealth fascinated him the way music did. It might be the reason he found himself sneaking inside the theatre to watch the Busan's talented boy, Min Seok. A lowlife as Hansuk's family called.

From being a person who was so fascinated by musicals to being a part of it, Hansuk's journey was unexpected. Min Seok was his inspiration to dream of something he never dared to. And slowly, he came out of his own shell, embracing himself.

The theatre only needed a female who was interested in dancing, music and acting but with Min Seok's inspiration and Hansuk's dreams, he stepped in to take the role. At first, everything was foreign to him. The female costumes and characteristics he had to show in front of others but slowly he embraced those moments.

He was a true actor in Min Seok's words. One who had no fear in following his dreams. Who was strong enough to embrace himself in every costume, every character. But it wasn't easy. His family saw him as a disgrace which broke him emotionally but he was stronger. With every hurtful word thrown at him, he came back more determined to showcase his talent.

Hansuk was the first person who dared to act like a woman. Embraced himself in every costume regardless of the gender norms society threw upon him. As courageous it sounds, he had gone through a lot of pain. A lot of bullying, even from his co-stars.

He was a loner who embraced himself.

Min Seok found him when he needed someone the most and their passion got them closer the way they had never been with someone else. Hansuk got another hundred chances to smile outside the stage because of Min Seok.

But nothing about their relationship was easy. Although several members of the nobility were more open to either professing their attraction to members of the same sex or else being actively involved with them, homosexuality was seen as a crime in common people that society didn't accept. Nobody wanted to be on the bad side of the privileged class.

The lovers who were naive and hadn't found the real cruelty of the world forget they were surrounded by prying eyes.

When the news of the popular actors of Busan's musical theatre involved in an unethical relationship came out, the theatre removed them from casting every musical, not wanting to be on bad sides with the upperclassmen.