**

"You haven't been to work for 3 weeks."

Jeongguk jolted his head up, bags heavy under his black eyes. "Yes. Sorry." Jeongguk grumbled out, clearly not had enough sleep, head hurting. He sat behind the desk which he sat at every weekend for his assistant job, holding a pen tightly, pretending to write things.

His boss, the old man, Mr. Adams stood in front of him, irked. "Is it law school? Has it been taking a lot out of you?"

"Yes sir," Jeongguk said, not telling him the part where he's missed all his classes.

"Alright. Well, today I have to go to court." Mr. Adams said, sighing. He looked down at his watch, and then back at Jeongguk. "You'll assist me. I assume you have all the papers, do you?"

"Oh my." Jeongguk breathed out, suddenly very awake. "Is today Wednesday? Oh gosh, today I assist you to court." Jeongguk reminded himself. He'd completely forgotten. The past few weeks have been so mentally exhausting that he couldn't help but let time slip past him.

"Jeongguk, take this job seriously, or you'll have it taken away." Mr. Adams snapped. Jeongguk nodded, taking out the papers and a file.

He opened it, quickly reminding himself of the case. He didn't have to do much, was more there to observe, but it was good to keep his mind on track. A case. Right. They were defending a man who'd been accused of money laundering. Right. Usual things. Jeongguk was quite certain the man had actually concealed the origins of illegally obtained money in foreign banks, but oh well. Being a lawyer meant sometimes you defend the bad person.

Jeongguk got up from his seat, following the older man out the building. He looked stressed, which he never did. "Is that bastard going to show up to court this time, or just send his assistant again?"

"Wh-who?" Jeongguk asked, eyes big.

"Kim Taehyung." Mr. Adams said, voice full of irritation. Jeongguk froze.

"T-the lawyer from the other side i-is Kim Taehyung?" Jeongguk breathed out, his heart palpitating. The older man didn't respond. Jeongguk looked at him in the reflection of a window. He looked terrible, in an old blue shirt and black trousers, hair matted, his eyes dull.

Jeongguk took a deep breath and followed the older man out of the building. The court wasn't too far away, so the car ride to there was short, thankfully. They reached and walked towards the trial room rather fast, Jeongguk following.

Their defendant was already present, looking nervous, hands wringing with one another. He was the one 'accused' of money laundering. Some rich scum who wanted to be richer, as usual. He got up upon spotting Jeongguk and Mr. Adams.

"That cocky fucking bastard's here already," The man grumbled, and Jeongguk tensed behind Mr. Adams. "Son of a bitch. He doesn't have any knowledge of my doings, does he? You promised he wouldn't catch a hold of anything," The man snapped to Mr. Adams.

"We'll do our best." Mr. Adams said, but he sounded unsure. Jeongguk followed the two men into the courtroom and then stilled by the doorway. The two men in front of him went forward to sit in the front, but Jeongguk couldn't find himself to move.

Taehyung stood there, talking to his assistant, a woman. He looked rather intimidating, his blonde air slightly longer from the back, brushed. He wore a black suit, looking ravishingly attractive as always, which disdained Jeongguk to no end.

"Jeongguk," Mr. Adams snapped. Jeongguk heard his name and brought his head up, rushing over to the older man. "The files," He said, and Jeongguk handed them over, and then turned his head a little.

Taehyung was looking at him. He looked... apprehensive. But Taehyung brought himself back and went back to discussing something silently with his assistant.

The trial began. The jury sat on the other side, numerous men and women. Jeongguk sat on a seat, watching as Mr. Adams stood up, Taehyung standing on the other side. The judge walked in. Everyone rose up, The judge motioned everyone to be seated, and Jeongguk sat down.

The trial began.

They began with their opening statements. "Your honor," Mr. Adams spoke, voice coarse. "My client is innocent. The money inherited by him which was put into foreign reserves was no originated from illegal activities. The evidence is clearly stated in those papers, your honor."

Some papers were handed to the judge. He looked over them. He hummed. Mr. Adams spoke some more. Jeongguk didn't really pay attention. He was old and boring and spoke for far too long. Everyone looked as if they were tempted to rise from their wooden seats and walk out of here.

"Mr. Kim, your opening statements, please." The judge said, looking over at Taehyung, his eyes knowing as if waiting for some elaborate speech. Jeongguk had never seen Taehyung in court before, but everyone always talked about it as if it was something glorious.

"Your honor, Mr. Adams is 89 years old and frankly, is no better than his client," Taehyung began, a smug look on his face. Mr. Adams looked rather offended as he was only 71. "Those papers are fabricated. They've got electrical typewriters and, well, I'm sure you can understand the rest, your honor. What they cannot fabricate is papers from the banks itself, showing millions of dollars being hidden away in these foreign banks." Taehyung said bluntly. The judge got papers, and then rose his eyebrow at Mr. Adams judgingly. Mr. Adams stayed quiet.

Just like that, they moved onto the questioning. Right before it, Jeongguk saw the client muttering at Mr. Adams, saying more abusive things about Kim Taehyung. Jeongguk only listened. The questioning of witness began. The client, Mr. George, was put on the stand, He swore by oath, to tell the truth and nothing but the truth.

Taehyung walked up to him, hands in his pockets, looking more relaxed. Jeongguk felt himself get a little annoyed by how careless he looked.

"What dd your grandfather do, Mr. George?" Taehyung asked, slow.

"He had a farm."

"A big farm?" Taehyung asked, raising his eyebrow.

"A normal sized farm."

"Irrelevant, your honor." Mr. Adams grumbled. The judge raised his hand up, letting Taehyung continue.

"I assume your grandfather's farm had little to no impact to your current wealth," Taehyung said, sharp spoke. Mr. George hesitated. Taehyung continued. "What did your father do?"

"Mr. Kim, please ask questions relevant to the subject at hand." The judge said.

"My father worked at a factory."

"So no inherent family wealth, I see. You've done quite well for yourself, Mr. George. Earned all this money on your own terms. Now, let me get this right- your money that was in the foreign banks wasn't inheritance, but rather, your own money? But not obtained from your work, but someplace else? And it wasn't illegal?"

Mr. George stilled. Taehyung smirked.

"Now that isn't the only crime you've been committing, is it, Mr. George?" Taehyung said in a hushed voice. The jury leaned in curiously. Jeongguk tilted his head.

"Objection, your honor. Leading." Mr. Adams snapped. The judge put his hand up, shutting him up once more.

"At this moment, I would like to read a letter- sent by Mr. George to his dear friend at the Swiss Bank. Mr. Thomas Bernard." Taehyung spoke snarkily, and then picked a piece of paper up from his table. A copy of the same paper was given to the judge.

"Let the jury know that these words were written by Mr. George himself," Taehyung said, and then clicked his tongue and continued. "Dear Tommy," Taehyung began, and then smirked, smug fucking smirk. "I haven't seen you for a week too long. Your eyes remind me of emerald jewels, your smile of heavens gates. I wish to run my tongue down your hip as I did the night when we-"

"T-This is not relevant t-to the-" Mr. George began, eyes wide, petrified.

Taehyung put his hand up. "The night when we made love under the stars of the sky, ah, how poetic." Taehyung tsked, folding the paper up in his hands. "Isn't it such a shame, your honor, that this man isn't only illegally laundering money, but also performing acts of homosexuality."

Jeongguk froze, very much froze on his seat, watching as Taehyung continued with a cocky smirk. "Which, by the laws of England, are illegal, Mr. George," Taehyung said, and then put his hands in his pockets again, flicking the letter carelessly to the table.

"D-don't do this." Mr. George whispered silently, so only Taehyung could hear. Jeongguk could see. "Please. I-I did. I did illegally put the money in the banks but please, don't discuss my affairs-"

Taehyung smirked. "I rest my case." Taehyung said, turning back around and walking towards his seat. The judge scoffed.

"Alright then. Mr. George, you will face 8 years in prison for money laundering, and 2 more years for acts of homosexuality. You will also receive mental psychiatry from doctors to treat homosexuality."

Taehyung ignored all of those words, just walking to leave the courtroom. Jeongguk felt something inside of him brew, a wave of anger, a resentment, a fear. Mr. Adams looked overly angry at Taehyung and his client going to jail. Jeongguk got up from his seat and walked out of the courtroom.

He walked into a washroom, and saw Taehyung there, leaning over a sink, hand against his face. "You fucking asshole." Jeongguk breathed out, eyes wide.

"You weren't meant to be there," Taehyung said, low.

"I was. You are inhumane," Jeongguk growled, walking closer to him. Taehyung turned his head, looking at Jeongguk. "Absolutely sick. You had enough goddamn evidence to put him behind bars. You didn't need to bring up his- his indulgences,"

"I was doing my job," Taehyung said plainly, standing up properly and trying to walk out. Jeongguk grabbed his arm.

"Is that what it is, now?" Jeongguk laughed. "You're just 'doing your job'? You're just 'being a good husband'? Is that it, Taehyung?" Jeongguk said grimly. Taehyung turned around, blank, chest rising. "What happened to your fucking morals? Your beliefs? Your so-called 'I hate being a lawyer' and- and your fucking speeches on whats truly a virtue and a vice and-"

"I was wrong, Jeongguk!" Taehyung shouted, and Jeongguk flinched at his sudden rise of voice, looking at the blonde haired man with widened eyes. "I was fucking wrong about everything, is that what you want to hear?"

Jeongguk looked at him disbelief. "I-I thought I knew you. I thought you-you knew you." Jeongguk breathed out, shoulders falling, his big eyes crumbling, looking disheartened. "Just- come back to me, Taehyung," Jeongguk whispered, walking closer to him.

Taehyung stayed still. Jeongguk put his hands on his suit jacket. "This doesn't have to happen. You know it doesn't. We can work it out."

"Jeongguk," Taehyung let out.

"You said you'd come back after going to the doctor's." Jeongguk squeaked, weakly. "It's been t-three weeks or so since I last saw you, T-Taehyung," Jeongguk looked up at him. "I love you. Come back to me."

"I can't," Taehyung said. Jeongguk closed his eyes. "I thought- I thought I was a man who could be above it all. Who could be s-so- so proud of his wrongdoings, his vices. I could grasp something so wrong and see the beauty in it." Taehyung said faintly. Jeongguk felt his hands tightening on Taehyung's jacket. "I was w-wrong,"

"Don't give up." Jeongguk shook his head. "Don't. You've made me a man who can be proud of his wrongdoings. Don't take so many s-steps back now, T-Taehyungie." Jeongguk bit his lip, looking up at him. His eyes gleamed with tears. "What h-happened to you?"

"It wasn't love," Taehyung said, one hand cradling Jeongguk's face now, looking into his eyes. He looked soulless. "We were sick in the head."

"Taehyung," Jeongguk let out in disbelief, eyes widening. "Don't. Don't d-do this-"

"I have to go," Taehyung said, looking away from him. "Veronica, she's- she'd been puking more these days. More nauseatic." Taehyung said. Jeongguk didn't want to know that. Jeongguk saw the look on his face. He looked so unlike himself. Where was the charming, proud, confident man he fell in love with?

Jeongguk held onto him. "Taehyung," Jeongguk said gently, stepping closer to him. "She- she hurt you, Taehyung," Jeongguk said. Taehyung looked at him, faltering. "She b-broke you down, don't you remember? You cried to me. I helped you. Don't- d-don't you remember?"

Taehyung moved away from him forcefully and walked out of the restroom, slamming the door behind him, making the whole room shake around Jeongguk. Jeongguk looked at himself in the mirror and brought his fingers up to feel the small diamond on his neck. He inhaled sharply, trying not to cry, not again, not again.

*

"It's been more than a month," Jeongguk heard, sitting on his bed. "Couldn't you call just once?"

"I'm sorry," Jeongguk said flatly to Rosie, who was on the other line. "Are you coming back?"

"Of course I'm coming back. S-soon, I presume. But not now. Um, my sister's had twins. They're so lovely, Jeongguk. A girl and a boy. The boy's looking a little sickly, but the doctors say he'll be fine. The girl is beautiful, I tell you. A full head of hair. She's got the most beautiful little laugh. I love taking care of the- hello?"

Jeongguk lay against the wall, phone not held against his ear, rather swinging from the wire it held onto. Jeongguk heard Rosie's muffled voice from the phone. "Hello? Jeongguk, are you there?"

Jeongguk picked the telephone back up. "I'm here," Jeongguk whispered. "Just be back whenever you like, don't rush. I'm absolutely fine. Goodnight." Jeongguk said, and then hung the call. He leaned against the wall, closing his eyes.

"Don't you ever look at the moon and wish you could be on it?" Taehyung asked, one arm wrapped tightly around Jeongguk's waist, looking at the moon hung high in the sky.

"You want to live on the moon, Taehyungie?" Jeongguk giggled, sitting on the man's lap. Taehyung looked at Jeongguk.

"I'd love to. I imagine it's beautiful up there. Stark white, no one else. It could be just us." Taehyung said, and then kissed Jeongguk's cheek. Jeongguk blushed and lay his head on Taehyung's shoulder.

"I'll get the moon for you, Jeongguk," Taehyung said, hand making circles on his lower back. "But she'd get jealous, the moon. Your beauty lies far beyond hers does."

"Oh hush, Shakespeare," Jeongguk said, hitting his chest. Taehyung laughed at Jeongguk's words and then kissed Jeongguk on the mouth. Jeongguk kissed back, running a hand through his golden hair.

Jeongguk blinked and felt a tear go down his eye. It was so beautiful with Taehyung. Why did it have to end?

Jeongguk sniffled and walked to the door. It was 9 pm at night. He wanted to leave his home, go for a walk. Jeongguk saw his wedding band sitting idly at the kitchen counter, and ignored it. Jeongguk walked out of his house, mind cluttered.

Jeongguk just wanted to kiss him once more.

He walked down the road, seeing the lights of nearby shops still open, running. Jeongguk walked down the pavement, his muscles hurting, his mind hurting, his heart hurting. He wishes someone could give him morphine to take the pain away, but he regarded his pain was far too much to be fixed away with a simple white pill.

Jeongguk turned a corner and froze.

Taehyung stood there, looking into a shop. It was a shop for children's things. He was looking at strollers for babies. He had a small smile on his face. He held a brown paper bag with another hand, presumably of medicine for Veronica. Jeongguk looked at him.

Jeongguk walked up to him. "I reckon the red one would look rather nice in your house," Jeongguk said, softly.

Taehyung turned his head to look at Jeongguk. "Oh," Taehyung let out upon seeing him. Taehyung turned back and hummed. "I guess it would."

"Which one do you like?" Jeongguk asked. Taehyung looked at him hesitantly, and then back at the shop.

"Pink one with the flowers." Taehyung murmured. "If we had a baby girl."

"You want a girl?" Jeongguk asked. Taehyung nodded. Jeongguk looked at him for a few more seconds. "I hope you have one."

Jeongguk turned around to walk away but then heard some words. "You still wearing the necklace, Gguk."

Jeongguk stilled. He let out a breath and then felt his hand go up to fondle the necklace again. "I-I like it. It reminds me of you."

Taehyung didn't respond to that. "You were drunk that day when I came over. You were in a skirt."

"I know," Jeongguk said, looking down. "I- um- I bought in some time ago. It brought me an odd sense of comfort."

Taehyugn didn't say anything, continued looking at the shop. Jeongguk turned to look at him. "You told me that day," Taehyung said. "You told me you wish Veronica got sick, and I never found anyone again."

Jeongguk's stomach contorted uneasily. "You know, Gguk. I didn't think," Taehyung said, his words hushed. "I n-never do. I don't think before doing such sort of spontaneous things. I d-don't think of the aftermath."

"Don't speak such words." Jeongguk shook his head, looking down at the pavement.

"I didn't think you'd fall in love with you. I didn't think you'd be more than just sex. But you became more than just," Taehyung sucked in a sharp breath. "More than just sex."

"But," Taehyung looked at him, and eyes were wet with tears, glittering in the moonlight. "There are some things you can't succumb to."

Jeongguk felt a flash of indignation in his mind. "Leave her, Taehyung."

"You're being ludicrous," Taehyung said, taking a step away from him, sniffling, the tip of his nose red, holding back tears. "She's my wife."

"You don't love her." Jeongguk shook his head. "You don't. A child won't fix your marriage,"

"Jeongguk-" Taehyung began. Jeongguk pushed. "You'll only hurt the child."

"I'll hurt the child more by letting it be alone, without a father or a mother." Taehyung gritted. "Plus, Veronica's trying to change. She's e-even going to therapy-"

"You don't love her, Taehyung," Jeongguk said, strained. "Why do you t-think you can flourish in your love with her? Y-you'll never be happy, you'll never-"

"I won't!" Taehyung snapped, looking at him. "May-maybe I'll never be happy, Jeongguk, but what the fuck do you want me to do about it? Do you want me to leave her? Come to you? Is that what you want?"

Jeongguk looked at him hesitantly. "It's illegal, Jeongguk," Taehyung said in a hushed voice, walking closer to him. "We can't, we just can't be together." Jeongguk's eyes formed tears. "We'll get thrown into asylums and locked up in prison. We cannot, for the love of god, be together."

Jeongguk stepped closer to him. He looked down. "I don't care," Jeongguk breathed out weakly. "I-I'm in love with you. I want to spend eternity with you. I l-long for you, every night." Jeongguk sounded so desperate.

Taehyung felt his anger subdue upon hearing Jeongguk's chaste words, how his eyes looked like broken glass, how his words cut Taehyung like a knife, how much effect the boy had on Taehyung.

"Darling," Taehyung whispered, letting his anger go. Jeongguk kept looking down, tears in his eyes. "This world. It isn't meant for people like you and me. It isn't meant for us to love. It isn't-" Taehyung put his hand on Jeongguk's chin, bringing it up, seeing tears which matched his own. "We were never meant to love."

"T-that's not fair." Jeongguk shook his head, sounding like a child. "I-I've never loved before. I only l-l-loved you. I don't c-care what the world wants."

"We can't ignore it," Taehyung said, voice hoarse. "The world is cruel, cruel, so cruel, little angel," Taehyung whispered. "Two men, two women, they can never love. They c-can't."

"I-It's not fair." Jeongguk cried out, tears rolling down his face. He looked up at Taehyung. "You have your wife who you're having a child with. Y-years later, you'll forget about me. You'll have your nice b-big house and you'll have your daughter and your son. You'll grow old with a family, with people you love, and the world won't say a thing,"

Taehyung looked at Jeongguk weakly. Jeongguk put his hand on Taehyung's, which was on his cheek. "D-don't-" Jeongguk breathed deeply. "Don't I d-deserve somebody to love?"

"You do," Taehyung whispered, reaching forward, his own instincts failing him, leading him to touch Jeongguk as he always did. "You deserve more love than anyone I know."

Jeongguk looked at him. "I-I want you." Jeongguk squeaked. "I want y-you to love me back."

"I can't." Taehyung looked at his big eyes. "You know I-I can't. We're men. In t-this world, we have to take care of our wives, of our homes, of our children,"

Jeongguk put their foreheads together. "I d-don't want to be a man," Jeongguk whispered. Taehyung stilled, reaching his hands to grip his waist.

They were silent for a few seconds. The sky rumbled lowly as if speaking inherently from the world's wishes, disobeying of the love Jeongguk felt for the older man. Jeongguk looked up at him.

"Kiss me, one l-last time, please," Jeonggu asked, gripping his shirt.

"Jeongguk," Taehyung said, shaking his head. Jeongguk reached up and pressed their lips together, fingers running through Taehyung's blonde hair. Taehyung stayed still while Jeongguk kissed him. Thankfully, there was no one else in sight. No one else around them. No one-

"Taehyung?" A voice came. Taehyung pushed Jeongguk away and looked up, and went pale when he saw Veronica.

"What's- what're you doing, Veronica? You shouldn't have come out. I was getting you the medicine, love-" Taehyung began. Veronica looked at Jeongguk, in disbelief. It wasn't anger, unlike last time, but just shock.

"I came looking for you, you-you took too long..." Veronica said, and Taehyung walked away from Jeongguk, grabbing Veronica's hand. "Why were you- k-kissing-?"

"He kissed me. I'm sorry. Don't worry about it, Veronica, let's just-" Taehyung said quickly. Veronica turned her head to look at Jeongguk, who was looking down at the floor, in humiliation if his own actions, hand clasped against his mouth, shoulders shaking. He was sobbing.

Veronica stopped. "Is he alright?"

Taehyung turned for a second, and then back to her. "He's fine. Let's go home."

Veronica and him walked back in the pale night, the breeze which was meant to be comforting feeling ice cold. "He ran into me there. I didn't- I didn't plan on meeting-"

"Were you crying?" Veronica asked softly. Taehyung looked at her. His eyes were slightly red and he was sniffling. Taehyung chuckled out forcefully.

"W-what? No, love, relax. How was the therapy session today? Was the therapist any good? You are paying him a lot of-"

"He's in love with you, isn't he?" Veronica let out faintly. Her words caught Taehyung to stop in his steps, his hand falling limp on Veronica's back, his eyes going blank.

He looked front. "Yes," Taehyung said.

Veronica looked at him. Taehyung went up to the steps of the house, as they had arrived back home. He walked into the house. Veronica followed. "How long?"

"I don't know," Taehyung said, taking his coat off. He walked to the kitchen to get a glass of whiskey. Veronica stopped in the middle of the living room.

"When did he tell you?" Veronica asked. "Was it before you left him?"

Taehyung poured a little whiskey into a glass, and then up at her. "It doesn't matter. What matters, is that I left him-"

"Were you in love with him as well?" Veronica asked, her eyes curious, stance cautious, standing still.

Taehyung paused for a second, and then grabbed the glass of whiskey and tipped it down his throat. He slammed the glass back down and walked out of the kitchen.

"Did you talk to the therapist, my love?" Taehyung asked, humming. "Did you tell her about how you hurt me? Hit me? Called me a useless piece of shit? Fucked me?"

"Taehyung," Veronica breathed out, eyes wide. "You- you know I'm sorry for all I've done. I'm t-trying to change, you know I am. I should've never hurt you, n-never laid a single finger on- on you, you've d-done nothing but help-"

"Right. So you haven't talked to the therapist about it, have you?" Taehyung asked, closer. "He doesn't know you used to torment your husband, then?"

"No, no, we've only had one session so far," Veronica said, sniffling.

"Talked about yourself the whole time? Hm? Was that it?" Taehyung growled lowly.

"No, Taehyung, we spoke about how my father used to beat the fucking crap out of my mother and me when we were younger," Veronica shouted. She looked up, eyes watering. "But I'm s-sure we'll get to you soon." She spoke faintly and then walked out of the living room and up the stairs to her bedroom.

Taehyung's shoulder fell, hand running through his hair. Were you in love with him as well?

Taehyung hadn't thought about it.

**