Jin lay back on the bed with his eyes closed. He felt the coolness of Taehyung's fingers grasping the waistband of his shorts, pulling it down past his hips. Taehyung's movements paused momentarily, prompting Jin to open his eyes. To his surprise, he saw Taehyung intently studying the scar on the left side of his hip.

A rush of emotion swelled through Jin as he closed his eyes again, taking a deep, steadying breath. But his willpower faltered when he felt the warmth of Taehyung's lips gently pressing against the scar. The soft contact struck something deep within him, and tears began to pool in his eyes as he struggled to maintain his composure.

Unable to bear it, he abruptly pulled away, pushing Taehyung aside with trembling hands. Heart racing, he hurried off the bed and rushed into the bathroom, the sound of the door clicking shut behind him.

Taehyung knelt on the edge of the bed, left feeling confused. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before standing up, feeling the room's cool air against his chest as he made his way to the bathroom door where Jin had retreated. Taking a deep breath, he lightly knocked on the door. "Seokjin, are you okay?"

Silence fell heavily in response, making Taehyung's stomach twist. A knot of worry tightened in his chest as he called again, "Seokjin, can you please let me know if you're alright?"

"I'm fine, Taehyung," came Jin's voice from inside.

Relief flooded through Taehyung, but he quickly added, "I'm really sorry if I upset you or made you feel uncomfortable."

As soon as the words slipped out, the bathroom door opened, revealing Jin with tears glistening in his eyes, breaking Taehyung's heart. It was a sight he had never expected to see. "Seokjin—"

"You didn't do anything wrong. It's not your fault," Jin said, his voice shaky. "I just overreacted, and it's really nothing to do with you. I'm just sensitive about this scar... I hate it. I hate everything about it!" His voice cracked as he spoke.

Without hesitation, Taehyung reached out, pulling Jin into a hug, feeling the warmth of his body against his own. As he hugged him, he pressed a kiss to Jin's temple, letting the quiet moment between them linger.

"Whatever the reason you feel this way, I want you to know you didn't overreact. I'm sorry for what you went through, which left you with that scar and is causing you to feel the way you do."

Jin returned the hug, but the words caught in his throat as he continued to cry, unable to rein in his emotions. He felt exposed and vulnerable; it made him angry that Taehyung could draw those feelings he struggled so hard to suppress. He felt weak and helpless, feelings he disliked, but at the same time, he longed for Taehyung's affection; he craved it. He wanted to experience genuine warmth, to be seen as more than just a desire. With Taehyung, he felt a glimmer of hope for that in his life.

Pulling back slightly, Jin met Taehyung's gaze. He gently placed a hand on Taehyung's jaw, searching his eyes for comfort as he tried to hold back his tears. Then, leaning in, their lips met softly, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Jin began to kiss Taehyung, surrendering to his feelings. Taehyung welcomed the kiss, allowing Jin to take the lead, responding softly and tasting the salt of Jin's tears that mingled with their kiss.

As they pulled away from the kiss, their soft breaths mingling in the air, Taehyung wiped the tears from Jin's cheeks. "Let's go to bed," he said softly.

Jin took a deep breath, guilt washing over him. He felt responsible for initiating something that had spiraled into this moment. "I didn't mean to ruin things—"

"Stop that," Taehyung interrupted, his gaze determined as he searched Jin's eyes for understanding. "You haven't ruined anything. I treasure moments like this when I can see you for who you are. Tonight, I learned that your scar holds so much pain, pain I wish I could take away. There's nothing I hate more than seeing you cry," he confessed, his hand moving to cup Jin's face.

"I don't know what caused that scar, and I don't need to know the details if you are not comfortable sharing them with me. Just know I'm here for you, no matter what you've faced.

It may sometimes bring you down, but remember that whatever it was, you survived it and that resilience makes you even more beautiful in my eyes. It takes incredible strength to wake up every single day, look in the mirror, confront that scar, and still choose to move forward. I admire that about you, Seokjin, because I know from experience how deeply scars can wound us," Taehyung continued, his voice sincere as he stared into Jin's eyes.

Jin stood there, absorbing Taehyung's heartfelt words. As fresh tears pooled in his eyes, he felt an overwhelming wave of emotions and instinctively pulled back before retreating to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Leaning against the wall outside the bathroom, Taehyung inhaled deeply, releasing a slow exhale as he gave Jin the moment he needed without intruding. He waited in silence, hoping his words had provided some comfort.

After several minutes, the door opened, and Jin stepped out, his eyes clear and steady. "I'm ready to go to bed," he said.

With a smile, Taehyung followed him back to the bed. As Jin climbed under the covers, Taehyung picked up his dropped shirt and slipped it on before joining Jin under the blankets. He couldn't help but notice the distance between them. Jin's back turned toward him, and it felt like a barrier was forming again.

"Seokjin," Taehyung called, hoping to bridge that gap.

Jin didn't answer verbally but turned to face Taehyung, their gazes locking.

"Come closer, please," Taehyung said, patting the space beside him.

Jin hesitated momentarily, considering the request, before finally moving closer. As he settled beside Taehyung, Taehyung wrapped his arms around him, holding him close and kissing his forehead. He then instructed Jin's smart home system to turn off the lights.

In the darkness, Taehyung pressed another kiss to Jin's forehead. "Goodnight, Seokjin," he whispered.

Jin didn't reply but instead nestled his head against Taehyung's chest, feeling the warmth and comfort wash over him, and soon drifted off to sleep.

******

Taehyung had been up for over two hours, doing his best to stay still while Jin was peacefully asleep on his chest. To pass the time, he quietly watched a show on his phone, keeping the volume low and relying on the subtitles to follow along. When he felt Jin stir, he quickly locked his phone and set it aside just as Jin turned his head to meet his gaze.

"Good morning," Taehyung greeted, their eyes locking.

"Good morning," Jin replied, stretching slightly but remaining nestled against him. "What were you up to on your phone?"

"I was watching a show," Taehyung replied.

"What kind of show?" Jin asked, sitting up and reaching for Taehyung's phone.

Taehyung propped himself up, retrieving his phone and unlocking it to show Jin the screen. "It's a documentary series."

"Oh, I see. How long have you been awake?" Jin asked, no longer looking at the phone.

"I've been awake since seven," Taehyung admitted.

"Why so early? You weren't comfortable?" Jin asked.

"I'm just used to waking up early, and I slept really well, thanks to you," Taehyung said, smiling at Jin.

Jin smiled back but fell silent, simply gazing at Taehyung.

"Is something bugging you?" Taehyung asked, sensing something was off.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm fine," Jin reassured him, though Taehyung could tell it wasn't entirely true.

Not convinced, Taehyung pulled Jin onto his lap, wrapping his arms around him and feeling the warmth of Jin's bare skin against his fingers. Without hesitation, he leaned in for a kiss. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked after pulling back.

"Now that you've given me a good morning kiss, I think I am," Jin replied.

Taking a deep breath, Taehyung leaned in again, their foreheads touching as he said, "Seokjin, you're going to drive me crazy, you know that?"

Instead of responding, Jin pressed his lips to Taehyung's, kissing him deeply. His hands began tugging at Taehyung's shirt. As Taehyung surrendered to him, their kisses grew more heated, but they were interrupted by Jin's phone.

Jin sighed softly, the sound escaping his lips as he pulled away to glance at his phone. Noticing it was his mom calling, he slid off Taehyung's lap with a hint of regret, clearing his throat as he said, "I need to take this," before disappearing into the confines of his walk-in closet, the door closing behind him.

Taehyung inhaled deeply, leaning his head against the headboard of the bed. He tried to ignore the obvious bulge in his shorts, fingers raking through his slightly tousled hair in an attempt to compose himself.

With a frustrated groan, he finally rose from the bed and made his way toward the broad window wall. Pulling the curtains apart, he welcomed the warm flow of sunlight that cascaded into the room. He stood there for a moment, appreciating the beautiful view he had missed, before deciding to head to the bathroom to freshen up.

******

When Jin entered the kitchen, he looked different, dressed in a casual outfit, and his hair was freshly washed, giving him an effortlessly charming appearance. His eyes lit up as he noticed a steaming coffee cup placed invitingly at the end of the counter where the kitchen stools were arranged.

Lifting the cup to his lips, he enjoyed the taste as he took a sip, feeling the warmth spread through him. His gaze fell on Taehyung, who was moving back and forth between the stove and counters, arranging breakfast items on a plate.

As Taehyung placed an appetizing plate of fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and french toast in front of him, Jin smiled and said, "Thank you."

"Anytime," Taehyung replied, joining Jin at the counter with his own plate. Before eating, he glanced at Jin curiously and asked, "Who was that earlier? Who called you?"

"My mom," Jin answered, taking a bite and enjoying the flavors.

"Oh, that's nice that she calls you," Taehyung commented.

Jin nodded thoughtfully, then paused, a hint of hesitation crossing his face as he chewed his lip. He turned to look at Taehyung. "Can you tell me what your mom was like? I mean, if you want to share. You don't have to," he said, unsure if such a personal question was appropriate.

However, that thought left him, and he felt encouraged by the smile that spread across Taehyung's face. "Of course. She was an amazing woman, full of warmth and laughter. She always knew how to light up a room, and she..."