𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 | 𝗧𝗮𝗲𝗝𝗶𝗻

1

The apartment was a stark contrast to Seok-Jin’s expectations: large, airy, and adorned with delicate decorations. Soft white lights hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow across the space, while vibrant flowers were carefully arranged in vases scattered around the room. The furniture was minimalistic—clean lines, white surfaces—and yet everything about the space felt inviting, almost festive. It was a modern elegance Seok-Jin had never seen his father show any particular interest in before.

His father, Shi-Hyuk, was a practical man, the kind of person who didn’t typically care for grand gestures or flashy displays. So, seeing the apartment so meticulously arranged for what appeared to be no reason at all confused Seok-Jin. He had arrived late due to a delayed flight, and the last thing he expected was to walk into a scene that felt... well, off.

As he stepped deeper into the apartment, Seok-Jin’s mind was full of questions. The only thing he could hear was a faint sound coming from the kitchen, the rhythmic scrape of a spoon against a cup.

When he reached the kitchen, his breath caught in his throat.

There, standing with his back to him, was a man—tall, slender, and impeccably graceful. The man was stirring something in a cup, the motion fluid and relaxed, yet elegant in its simplicity. Even though Seok-Jin could only see the man's back, there was something undeniably striking about him. The way his broad shoulders moved as he gently stirred his coffee. The dark, tousled hair that fell effortlessly over his forehead, soft curls brushing his temples. He was captivating, his presence almost magnetic.

Seok-Jin’s gaze moved up, taking in the fine lines of the man’s back, the slimness of his waist, and the way his white shirt clung to his form in all the right places. The faint scent of cologne lingered in the air, sweet but not overpowering, mingling with the aroma of fresh coffee. From the side profile, Seok-Jin could tell that this man was extraordinarily handsome.

When the man turned around, Seok-Jin felt his heart skip a beat.

The stranger’s face was breathtaking—sharp, almost ethereal in its beauty. His eyes were dark, deep-set pools of warmth, and his smile was wide and inviting, revealing a set of boxy teeth that gave his face a youthful, almost mischievous look. The perfect curve of his lips, the soft sweep of his eyebrows—everything about him seemed too perfect to be real.

Seok-Jin's breath hitched. He could feel his face flush as he stood frozen, his gaze tracing every detail of the man’s features, as though trying to commit them to memory. The stranger's expression remained friendly, but there was a kindness in his eyes that put Seok-Jin at ease, despite the unexpected rush of emotions he was feeling.

“Oh! Seok-Jin, hey,” the man said with an easy, welcoming smile, his voice low and smooth.

Seok-Jin blinked, momentarily lost for words. He hadn’t been prepared for this—he hadn’t been prepared to meet anyone like this.

His mind tried to catch up with the reality of the situation. He had come here to visit his father, not to meet someone like him—someone so strikingly beautiful, someone who radiated both confidence and warmth.

Before Seok-Jin could find his voice, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. His father’s voice followed shortly after.

“Hey, honey,” Shi-Hyuk said, his voice rich with affection.

Seok-Jin turned, his eyes widening as he saw his father move into the kitchen, casually walking up to the man and pressing a brief kiss to his lips. A kiss. A kiss that was so unexpected, so intimate, that Seok-Jin felt like he had just been knocked out of his own world. His father, always so reserved, was kissing this—this stranger, mostly importantly a male? Seok-Jin’s stomach churned, his mind struggling to process what was happening.

The man smiled up at Shi-Hyuk as they pulled away from the kiss, and Seok-Jin’s gaze flicked between the two of them, confusion rising to a fever pitch. What in the world was going on?

“Dad, what’s happening?” Seok-Jin asked, his voice betraying a mix of confusion and disbelief.

Shi-Hyuk turned toward Seok-Jin, his expression warm but slightly apologetic, as if he had been waiting for this very question.

“Jin, son, you’re here!” Shi-Hyuk beamed, his eyes glowing with excitement. “Meet your stepfather, Tae-Hyung. We got married yesterday.”

Seok-Jin’s mind went blank. Married? His mouth went dry as the weight of his father’s words sank in. His eyes shifted between the two men, trying to process it. His father had never given him any indication that he was interested in men, let alone that he had married one. This was... impossible.

“Married?” Seok-Jin repeated, though the word felt foreign on his tongue. “What? No, Dad. I don’t accept this. You—you can’t marry a man. You were never... you were never gay.”

The words came out in a rush, a mixture of frustration, confusion, and a feeling of betrayal. His mind raced—his father, the man who had raised him, who had been his rock, was now married to someone who seems was twenty years younger than him, a man who seemed to have stepped out of some dream.

Shi-Hyuk sighed, the warmth in his smile fading slightly. He looked at Seok-Jin with a softness that made him appear more vulnerable than Seok-Jin had ever seen him. “Son, I’m bisexual,” he explained, the words coming out gently, as if he were trying to soften the blow. “But your mom—well, she didn’t understand that part of me, so I never talked about it much.”

Seok-Jin’s heart raced, a thousand questions flooding his mind. He hadn’t known this about his father, and it felt like the ground was shifting beneath him. Bisexual? His mother had never mentioned it, and now this? It was too much to take in all at once.

“I... I can’t accept this. Not right now,” Seok-Jin muttered, his voice shaky as he turned away from them. He grabbed his luggage, the weight of it now feeling heavier than ever, and began walking toward his room. He needed space—time to think, to process.

Shi-Hyuk watched him go, his smile turning into a wistful sigh. Tae-Hyung, still standing by the counter, placed a comforting hand on Shi-Hyuk’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, hyung,” Tae-Hyung said softly, his voice filled with warmth. “Give him time. He’ll come around.”

Shi-Hyuk nodded, his gaze following his son as he disappeared into his room. “I hope so. I really do.”

The older man sighed and then turned to Tae-Hyung, a smile tugging at his lips once more. He reached out and pulled his husband close, his hand resting on Tae-Hyung’s waist.

“Where’s my coffee?” Shi-Hyuk asked with a teasing grin, his eyes glimmering with affection.

Tae-Hyung smiled back, his fingers gently brushing Shi-Hyuk’s cheek before lifting the coffee mug to his lips. “We can share,” he said, his voice soft but playful.

Shi-Hyuk took a sip, his eyes never leaving the younger man’s face, his heart filled with love and gratitude. As they stood together in the kitchen, the rest of the world seemed to fall away, leaving just the two of them. Despite the storm inside Seok-Jin, Shi-Hyuk knew he had found happiness with Tae-Hyung, and that was something he was willing to hold onto, no matter what.