They arrived at the apartment complex in Gangnam soon enough, the drive seeming longer than usual— not that Taehyung was complaining. He'd take every prolonged minute he could manage with the younger.

Jungkook seemed to come out of his dazed state upon their arrival, too; not really pulling away from Taehyung, but instead just shying his gaze away. They were driven all the way into the private garage, where fans wouldn't notice the recognizable car and risk Jungkook's face.

"Your place?" Jungkook asked, eyes wandering in awe as they walked side by side down the ornate halls. Taehyung led him to the elevators, his security straying a few feet behind for their privacy.

"You okay with that?"

To be honest, Taehyung had been nervous of showing up his personal place. His home, although shared with Jin, was one of two places he truly let himself collapse.

"Only if you are." Jungkook replied.

Taehyung's doubts were washed away with the response. The younger just always knew what to say, and genuinely at that. He didn't throw around the wanted response just to please the model, he meant it.

It drew a different kind of relaxation across his chest as the elevator traveled upwards, the photographer busy admiring the expensive features of the complex.

His body guard was almost nonexistent in the small space, keeping so quiet and to himself.

The two young males remained a good few inches apart. It was a mutual understanding that as much as they loved the small touch of entangled fingers, they didn't always need it.

Each other's presence was more than enough.

The deep ding sounded and painted elevator doors slid open to reveal his floor. A small hallway leading to a heavy door, house number shiny on the front.

Jungkook seemed to slow, steps falling short until Taehyung turned around to see him coming to a stop.

"What's wrong?"

"Just... just happy." Jungkook assured. Taehyung was relieved at the answer, yet still asked further for what was holding Jungkook still in the hall. "You trust me enough with this."

"I trust you more than the majority of people I've met in my life."

"But, your home. This is another level of personal, you haven't know me long and—"

"Jungkook," Taehyung glanced back at the security guard taking his position by the elevator, where he wouldn't leave until the model left his apartment, too. "Trust doesn't know time. We trust when and where our hearts find safety. You don't always choose when that happens. You just... know."

He felt the irony in telling the younger that. Especially when he had let himself doubt Jungkook's difference to Bogum a month ago.

But, not anymore. He truly felt and accepted the great difference between the two.

"M'kay." The younger whispered, eyes wide and sparkling with amazement. A look Taehyung wished he could bottle up and keep forever. "Let's go."

The model dug through his pocket for his house key, having left most of his belongings in his secure dressing room as he had to be there early the next day. His long coat swished around him as he picked out the metal key attached to a small keychain, unlocking the door before pushing it open and letting the younger inside.

The sharp inhale sounded from Jungkook, taking in the final touch to luxurious living and Taehyung's most personal place.

"Welcome to my humble abode." Taehyung smiled at the younger's amazement, watching those wide doe eyes scan through the large open kitchen while his fingertips ran over the marble counters. The edge of the living room was just ten feet away, Jungkook moving there and standing in the middle for a moment before finally moving to the large glass doors extending to the balcony.

"This is beautiful."

The view. The home. The style.

But with the price, it had to be beautiful.

Just like Taehyung. He was worth so much, if he got hired, he was expected to bring success for the company.

"Surprise time." Taehyung called out, Jungkook whirling away from the city lights sparking life into the dark building near and far, sunless skies allowing the streets be filled with cold illuminations.

"Surprise?" Jungkook frowned, shuffling over, looking so small in his large clothing and cavernous area. "This wasn't the surprise?"

"No, silly," Taehyung chuckled and hooked a finger on the hem of Jungkook's sleeve. The younger blushed that beautiful hue, startlingly bright against his warm skin and dark hair. "You'll like this one more. Might make you laugh."

"Laugh?" The voice was perplexed, confusion dousing it as imagination floated for what Taehyung was planning to amuse him with.

The model tugged him down the hall to the right, towards his half of the apartment, the younger's hand flopping as Taehyung's hand simply punched the hem of his sleeve.

"There's three doors, woah." Jungkook mumbled. It was much different compared to his studio flat he shared with Jimin, the two taking whatever BigHit was offering in the immediate move. "All yours?"

"Office, bedroom," Taehyung stopped before one. "And closet."

"You have a whole room for a closet?"

"Have you looked at my job description? I get paid to look good, angel."

A pure joke, and it did bring a laugh up his throat, falling generously into the air between them as Taehyung pushed the door open and flicked on the switch.

Linear track lights ran along the sides of the ceiling, pointed at the lines of clothes with different angles of light. A center island stood in the center of the room, accessory drawers tucked close within it. Racks of shoes, from fancy to casual, lined up in multiple rows.

But the clothes were everywhere. So amazingly organized, some showcased behind glass like they were symbols, not actually to be worn.

At at the other end of the room, between two windows that had been blinded shut, a large mirror sat, resting on the ground and leaning back against the wall.

"You've worn all of this?" Jungkook's jaw was ajar.

"Hmm, not all." Taehyung replied after a moment, stepping further in to shut the door and Jungkook stood in designer paradise. "A lot are gifts, most of which don't fit my taste so I don't touch them."

"Can I look around?" Jungkook couldn't help the excitement slipping in. He wasn't one to wear such brand names, but this was a part of Taehyung. A very expensive part, but still a part of his life nonetheless.

"All yours." Taehyung shrugged off his coat and laid it onto the center island, slipping off his shoes and trading them for a stray pair of slippers on the floor, waiting for him.

He leaned back against the counter, the white nearly blinding under the sharp lights, watching Jungkook with fondness glimmering in his eyes.

The younger fingered through his clothes, small words of astonishment and praise leaving his thin pink lips. He was pulling out some hangers to stare more closely at sequined jackets and studded suits. He ran his hands along some silk shirts and opened a few drawers to gape at lines of sunglasses and jewelry.

Taehyung decided to dress down for the evening while the male was occupied, undoing a couple of buttons at his neck and rolling his sleeves up, not bothering for the wrinkles that would follow. He took off some of his rings and necklaces, dropping them into a shallow bowl on the counter to sort through later.

Ruffling his hair, he felt the blond sneak into his view as it fell against his eyes.

His slacks were comfortable enough to relax in so he returned his attention to Jungkook who had stopped in front of a showcase.

The grin broke out on the model's face when the younger finally found his surprise.

"You actually let Gucci collect dust!" Jungkook pointed almost accusingly at the glass panel protecting the inner belongings.

"Gucci isn't always the prettiest to wear." Taehyung scoffed and Jungkook turned to look at him, the model's smile unwavering, blind to the photographer's eyes widening in shock, lips parting as he took in the relaxed version of Taehyung's outfit.

"T-Taehyung—"

Taehyung had unknowingly put Jungkook in such an emotional conflict. Poor guy.

"The surprise." He walked around the counter towards the younger.

Taehyung stopped a couple feet away from the photographer, staring down at those rosy cheeks burning without any excuse of cold weather, those doe eyes flickering to the exposed collarbones lining his neck and veiny forearms washed with tan under warm lights.

The model was so oblivious of his own effect.

"Dust collecting Gucci." Jungkook whispered, shaking his head clear to refocus. "You let that collect dust."

The sheepish smile on Taehyung's face made Jungkook laugh, the playful words that the model had said so long ago actually being truthful.

"Take your pick, angel." Taehyung reached for the bottom ledge of the showcase glass to swing it open. "That's the surprise."

"What? No, no, I can't!"

"You should save the poor Gucci from collecting dust and take some." Taehyung toyed. "Come on, you aren't doing anyone harm."

"But Tae—"

"Jungkook, I want you to. I want you to have something of mine." Taehyung realized the implications of his words and awkwardly coughed. "I have your pictures. Your, um, permission to keep them. I don't want you to leave empty handed and forget me."

"You're kind of hard to forget."

"Have you tried?"

"Uh... maybe. Just a little during the past month," Jungkook honestly replied. "Didn't work very well."

"Take something anyways." Taehyung said quietly, feeling that guilt chip at his heart again. It was his own fault for that anyways.

"How does Gucci compare to my selfies?" The younger laughed, trying to ease the tension.

Because money had no emotional value.

He hated his mind for dragging it back to himself.

Because you don't deserve these expensive gifts.

He was always dragged back his stupid insecurities.

Because you yourself are just worthless behind that title. You don't hold any real value besides being an expensive face.

Dragged back to those stupid words haunting his rare happiness.

"Taehyung?"

He stepped back and reached for the white counter at arms reach. His breath had gone ragged, chest sore with the tightness of a cracking heart piercing into his lungs.

"I-I'm okay."

"Taehyung."

"Its fine, I'm—"

"Taehyung."

"I'm not okay." He crumpled, tears in his eyes. "Please, just— I don't know what to do—" Taehyung's voice cracked and Jungkook was quick to drop the handbag in his palms to rush over.

He was pressed against the white counter as the smaller male hugged him close, muscular arms strong and grounding him firmly into the present.

"You're okay." Jungkook mumbled into his ear, the words echoing through his skull. "I'm here. Tell me what you want."

"J-Just wanna hold you." the model would have fallen if the younger wasn't holding him up. Jungkook held him like it was the only thing he was meant to do with his life.

"This okay?"

A nod.

"Was it in your head?"

Another gentle nod of a head, the flawless features of the elder buried into the crook of his head.

"What's more important? Right now or his voice in there?"

"You." Taehyung choked out, voice awfully muffled. "And right now. Anything's more important than that voice. Even holding the door open for some grumpy old man is more important."

Taehyung's voice had calmed enough to ramble. It was a small burst of panic, but any size of it was a necessity to address.

Jungkook giggled, the soft sound fluttering against the model's skin. "So focus on right now. I'm here with you. He's far away."

"I know, I know that, but—"

The photographer pulled his closer, Taehyung's hands coming up to hold gently onto his waist.

"Right now. Not the past. Right now." He repeated. "You are amazing right now. Here, gifting me both your time and belongings. You're amazing right now for just holding me. You're amazing for telling me you're not okay."

A quiet sob filled the deafening silence following Jungkook's words.

"A-Amazing?"

"Right now, you're amazing."

Small steps, Jungkook internally pleaded. Come on, Tae.

"Amazing right now." The soft whisper fumbled against his skin, hands tightening on the fabric by his waist as the model pulled away to look at him.

Jungkook felt his heart sink at the sight.

Skin scarred red with soreness, eyes puffy and lips trembling, teeth sinking into the bottom one to try and halt the shake. His nose scrunched with a sniff, gaze lowered on some random point on Jungkook's chest.

"You're amazing right now." Taehyung croaked out, voice raw and patchy like the emotions that had cut through his control.

"We are."

After a few seconds.

"We are."

And it was Taehyung accepting it for that small moment that meant the world. He wasn't ready for anything more. He couldn't face the actual root of his trauma just yet, but they could build up to it.

For now, that one moment was enough.

It made the voice in his head evaporate into nothing. That one moment made him feel that he wasn't worthless in Jungkook's arms.

Ships never reached their destination in one night. Not when it was so far.

It took time through treacherous waters and ugly storms. They had said time and Jungkook was going to use it.

Because ships couldn't sail across a vast sea overnight.

—

is it too late to warn you
guys that i won't let the two main
topics stay surface level?? :')

i try to keep the chapters shorter in
this book (around 2K words—
as I'm used to 3k and up)
but let me know if you'd prefer
smushed ones (like if this and the
last one were combined)

also new cover !!
thought the mirror symbolism
was snazzy hehe i'd love to
hear opinions💙💙