Fine {DoTae} | complete

Sixteen

On the final free day before leaving New York they're woken too early, told to dress nicely, then driven to the city centre to film content for fans. Hyunseok stays with them, as well as a security guard dressed in a tight black shirt and with eyes that are soft at the edges but menacing when Doyoung briefly catches his gaze. He looks down at Doyoung, and Doyoung cowers away and rushes to catch up with Taeyong.

"Can this be a date?" Doyoung asks while they're waiting at a crossing.

Taeyong hums. "Would you like it to be?" His eyes sparkle in the sunlight. His outgrown blond hair is gelled back, leaving space for his gold earrings to shimmer.

Doyoung says he would, so Taeyong takes his hand once they're on the other side of the street. The roads aren't particularly busy, most people at work by now, and Doyoung finds there's just enough for him not to feel too exposed. No one spares a second glance.

Amongst the skyscrapers and department stores and flashy billboards, Doyoung feels tiny. It's as though no one even sees him and he presses to Taeyong's side, making sure to not stray from his boyfriend. They pass a theatre with a huge screen above advertising their latest show, and Doyoung looks right ahead to a skyscraper with billboards for perfume and phones and shoes, the colours like a kaleidoscope that blurs his eyes. So many people have cameras round their necks, phones out to take photos of every corner. A tour guide passes them, red umbrella in the air, and a trail of tourists follows, necks all craned up. The food stand on the corner sells hot dogs piled high with cheese and onions and sauces, and Doyoung doesn't know if he craves one or if it only makes him nauseous. He doesn't know where to look, what to marvel at, if he's feeling anxious or excited by all the bustle.

"It's cool here at night," Taeyong says. "With the lights, it still feels like day. But better. The energy is totally different." He points to a casino, the name flashing with gold, red and blue lights above the glass doors. It's packed inside. The reflections in Taeyong's eyes charm him, and his boyfriend is enraptured by the scenery, buzzing with energy and squeezing Doyoung's hand tight to tug him to a gift shop.

Hyunseok starts to film when they get inside. Taeyong tries on a huge pair of glasses decorated with the American flag. While he's pulling faces and laughing at the camera, Hyunseok rolling his eyes, Doyoung scans the shop. It's busy but there's space to move, and the shelves are full of the usual souvenirs; keychains shaped like the Chrysler, postcards with the iconic yellow taxis, t-shirts and hats with stars and stripes and pictures of the city. Doyoung notices a display of soft toys and can't help trailing off to take a closer look.

There's a stand of keychains, little bears wearing I ♥ New York t-shirts, but it's the bigger bears that grab his interest. A boy, surely no more than six years old, picks one up and runs back to his parents to ask for it and Doyoung's cheeks colour with embarrassment he tries to swallow down. It's a struggle, because a group of children swarm the corner and he has to move back. A mother frowns at him. He folds his arms across his chest, a feeble means of protection, and stalks back to Taeyong, who's now trying on a baseball cap.

Hyunseok looks at him and Doyoung understands. His skin prickles, but he makes the choice with squared shoulders and a raised chin. He's going to have to do it at some point; he can't hide forever. They've already posted a selfie together, which fans were mostly receptive of, so the next stage is a video.

"Are you sure?" Taeyong mutters the question, expression concerned as the idol mask breaks to check on him, and Doyoung picks up a hat for himself.

"We could be matching," Doyoung says. When he clearly avoids answer the question, Taeyong's features brighten again and he resumes his antics for the camera. Once the footage is edited, fans won't notice the difference between the two takes.