Chapter Text
For Taerae Kim, life was best served in a straight line. He liked his coffee at a precise temperature, his spreadsheet cells perfectly aligned and his schedule predictable.
Tuesday started with that familiar rhythm. He arrived at the office at his usual time before settling into the productivity at his desk. He handled email with his usual efficiency with the click-clack of his keyboard acting like a soundtrack to a perfectly ordinary morning.
"You're glowing, Taerae-ya. It's actually kinda annoying," Taerae looked up to see Matthew leaning against the partition of his cubicle who has a mischievous grin on his face.
"I'm just well-rested, Matt," Taerae replied though a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Liar. You're in wedding planning mode," Matthew teased, pulling up a chair, "So, give me an update. How are the preparations for the big day going?"
"Actually... we finalized the guest list last night. It finally feels so real."
"Aw. I'm happy for you, man. I'm looking forward to being the best Best Man you've ever seen."
They spent the next ten minutes discussing about the wedding and Matthew's self-appointed duty to ensure the bachelor party is gonna happen.
The rest of the workday flew by in a blur of meetings and tasks. By 5:30PM, Taerae was already on his way outside with his mind drifting toward dinner and perhaps a quick phone call with Seph to discuss the floral arrangements.
He walked out of the building and felt the refreshing evening air before reaching into his pocket, pulling out his phone.
Taerae smiled, his thumb swiping to open it. But as soon as he read the contents of the message, he stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk. The bustling city noise suddenly felt like it was happening behind a thick sheet of glass.
He read the text again. Then a third time.
He felt like the straight line of his life didn't just bend... it snapped.
He stood there, frozen, as the world moved around him. He didn't cry- not yet. He just felt a strange coldness beginning to bloom right in the center of his chest.
The neon sign of the bar Taerae ignored for the last two years suddenly felt like the only star he has left.
Taerae didn't even think when he stepped inside. Thinking was for people with futures, he thought. He just walked as if his feet moved on autopilot, carrying him through the doors and into a world of muffled bass and the scent of gin.
The interior was dim, a contrast to the bright fluorescent office he'd just escaped. He approached the bar, his movements stiff and awkward. He felt like an intruder. A man in a dress shirt and slacks who clearly didn't belong in a place where people came to disappear into the blinking lights.
The bartender, a young guy with a bored expression, looked up from a glass he was polishing, "What can I get you?"
Taerae blinked, his mind going blank. To be honest? He rarely drank. A glass of wine at a dinner party was his limit, "I... I want a drink. Something... strong? But also not... too bitter?" He tried to look at the menu, "Or maybe a... Martini? On the rocks?"
The bartender paused, his eyebrows shooting up, "Are you sure about that, man?"
Taerae thought he said something wrong. He felt his face heat up, the embarrassment momentarily masking the crushing weight in his chest.
"I'm sorry. I don't know. I'm not... I don't really do this. I just..." He swallowed hard, looking down at his ring finger, "I just got dumped. By my fiance via text."
The bartender's expression shifted instantly. He looked at the ring on Taerae's finger, "I got you. Oh, and maybe remove that thing already. Trust me, it's better."
"Yeah, you're right," Taerae respond. The bartender gave him a nod before walking away to the other end of the bar to prepare his drink.
That was Taerae's cue. He took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly as he reached for his left hand. He'd worn the band for months so there was a faint mark on his skin where the metal usually sat. He slid it off and for a second, he just held it in his palm, staring at it. It was just a piece of jewelry now.
He unzipped the small side of his bag and dropped the ring inside. And when he faced the counter again, he saw a glass sitting near him. Without a second thought, driven by a desperate need to numb the hollow ache in his chest, he grabbed it and knocked it back in one go.
The liquid burned. It was a neat whiskey that hit his throat like a lightning strike. He gasped, his eyes watering as the heat blossomed in his stomach.
"Here you go," the bartender suddenly appeared and sliding a vibrant orange cocktail toward him, "A paper plane is perfect for you."
Taerae froze, his hand still gripping the empty glass. He looked at the orange drink then down at the glass he just drained. Slowly, his head turned to the side.
Sitting just a few inches away was a man who looked like he had stepped out of a noir film. He had sharp, striking features. His eyes were deep and currently fixed on Taerae with an amused glint. He was dressed in a dark, well-fitted coat that made his broad shoulders look even more imposing.
The man didn't look angry. If anything? He looked intrigued.
"I...I'm sorry," Taerae stammered, his face turning a shade of red that rivaled the cocktail, "I thought... I wasn't thinking. I'll buy you another one! I'll buy you two if you want! I am so, so sorry."
The man chuckled. He leaned forwards, resting an elbow on the bar.
"Don't worry about it," the man said, "It looked like you needed it more than I did. Besides, it's not everyday I see someone take a double shot of scotch like it's water."
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze still lingering on Taerae's eyes, "It looks like you've just gone through something worse."
"Is it that obvious?
"Only to those who are looking," the man replies. He waved off the bartender, who was hovering to replace the drink, "There's no need for a new one, Ricky. I'm fine."
"Sure. Just call me if you need more scotch," Ricky replies before going back to the other side.
The stranger shifted his body toward Taerae, giving him his full attention.
"Instead of a drink," the man suggested, "how about you tell me what's got you so upset? Sometimes it's easier to tell a stranger than someone who actually expects you to have it all together."
Taerae let out a shaky sigh. He looked at the stranger whose presence felt weirdly warm and figured he has nothing left to lose.
"My fiance dumped me," Taerae started, the words feeling sour as they left his mouth, "With just a text message. We dated, got engaged, prepared for the wedding... then he just says he can't do it.
He stared into his orange cocktail, "I was always the one making the effort. No matter how busy I was at the office, I put him first. Every single damn time. I'm starting to hate myself for that now. I feel like a fool who was the only one convinced that things were going well."
Jiwoong watched him closely. He wondered why the younger man wasn't crying. Usually someone in this position would be a mess of tears. He would know because he witnessed Hanbin cried when him and his boyfriend broke up before. But the man beside him just looked... hollow. It was as if he were mourning a habit rather than a person.
"Did you love him?"
"We were together for five years. I mean, our relationship was... stable. We'd go to the same pizza place every Friday after work. Every Saturday morning, we'd spend a jog together followed by a trip to the mall. It was... consistent. Isn't that what love supposed to feel like? Safe?"
As Taerae told him about the dynamics of the relationship, Jiwoong's expression shifted into a sort of amused disbelief. To him, it sounded less like a romance and more like a very long insurance policy.
"So yes, I do think I love him," Taerae concluded, his shoulders slouching, "I keep thinking... maybe I was too boring? Maybe I didn't try hard enough to make it exciting."
"Stop right there. Don't you dare blame yourself for what happened."
He reached out, his large hand wrapping around the base of the cocktail glass and sliding it firmly toward Taerae.
"Drink up," Jiwoong smirked, "You shouldn't be mourning. You should be celebrating."
Taerae blinked, his mouth falling open in shock, "Celebrating? I feel like my life just ended."
"No," Jiwoong leaned closer until Taerae could catch the faint scent of cedarwood and expensive scotch, "You just got a get-out-of-jail card from the most boring relationship I've ever heard of. You're free. That's worth a toast, don't you think?"
The audacity of the statement hit Taerae like a physical splash of cold water. He looked at Jiwoong's grinning face and despite the heartbreak, a genuine laugh bubbled up from his throat.
"You're terrible!" Taerae managed to say through his laughter, the first real sound of joy he'd made all day.
"I'm just honest," Jiwoong countered, "And I think this terrible guy is still more interesting than a pizza palce every Friday after work."
Taerae laughed again. It was fluttering that it didn't even match the heavy sensation in his chest from a while ago. He leaned his cheek against his hand.
"Why am I even telling you my life's problem?" Taerae said, more to himself than to the man, "I don't even know your name, yet I feel like I've told you more than I've told my own therapist... oh I don't have one."
There was something unnervingly comfortable about the stranger's presence.
"Whoever's in a relationship with you must be really blessed," Taerae said before taking another sip of the paper plane, the alcohol was already starting to make his head feel pleasantly light, "To have someone who listens. Someone who... well, looks like you and talks like that. Lucky."
Jiwoong didn't respond. The silence wasn't awkward but it was suddenly heavy- or maybe only for Jiwoong.
His love life must be going perfectly.
When Taerae next opened his eyes, he wasn't at the bar. He was lying on a soft mattress in a room filled with the warm, dim glow of a hotel suite.
Jiwoong was sitting on the edge of the bed. He was simply observing Taerae with an unreadable expression until he let out a soft breath and moved to stand up, intending to leave the key on the nightstand before leaving.
But as he pulled away, a hand clamped around his wrist.
Jiwoong froze, looking down. Taerae was awake.
"Are you alright?" Jiwoong asked. He stayed still, not pulling his hand away, "You had a lot to drink. It's better if you sleep it off here. Don't worry, I was just about to leave you to rest."
"Don't," Taerae whispered. The word was small, but it cut through the silence in the room. He gripped Jiwoong's hand tighter, his heart hammering against his ribs, "I don't... I don't want you to go. Stay. Just for tonight."
Jiwoong's posture shifted. The restraint he had been meticulously maintaining all evening began to crumble. He looked at Taerae, really looked at him and saw the silent plea for something more than just a company.
"Are you sure?"
Taerae didn't answer with words. He couldn't. He didn't know if it was the heartbreak, the alcohol or the loneliness but he knew he was drawn to this man like a moth to a flame.
"Stay, please?"
Jiwoong leaned in, his shadow falling over Taerae as he caged him against the bed, "I'm staying," he murmured before kissing him.
It wasn't like the kisses Taerae was used to. His fiance's kisses had always been polited and brief- like a footnote at the end of a long day. This was different. Jiwoong's mouth was warm and demanding. He pinned Taerae's hands above his head, the physical dominance sending a jolt of electricity to Taerae's core.
Taerae let out a moan into the kiss, his body arching toward the heat. It felt so incredibly warm. The way Jiwoong seemed to be consuming his sadness and replacing it with fire.
As Jiwoong began to remove their clothes, Taerae stopped thinking about the man who didn't want him.
In that room, under Jiwoong's touch, he wasn't a rejected fiance. He was someone who Jiwoong wanted to hold until the sun comes up.
Jiwoong hovered over him, his gaze was heavy as he took in every inch of Taerae's frame.
"You're so beautiful."
Before Taerae could even process the compliment, Jiwoong leaned down, his mouth finding the sensitive peak of Taerae's chest. His tongue flicked and circled the sensitive bud then his teeth grazes it lightly, tugging enough to make Taerae tossed his head back against the pillow and a loud unrestrained moan escaped his lips- a sound he didn't even recognize as his own.
Jiwoong didn't stop there. He released Taerae's nipple with a wet pop and trailed his mouth lower, kissing and nipping along Taerae's quivering stomach until he reached the crease of his thighs. Spreading Taerae's legs wider with his strong hands, Jiwoong settled between them. He gathered his saliva on his fingers, wetting them thoroughly before pessing one tip against the tight ring of muscle.
Jiwoong's touch was unhurried, his finger circled Taerae's puckered entrance before pushing inside with careful pressure. Taerae gasped at the intrusion, his inner walls clenching around it as it slid deeper, stretching him open inch by inch. Jiwoong twisted his finger gently, curling it to brush against that hidden spot that made stars burst behind Taerae's eyelids. A second finger joined soon after, scissoring and thrusting in.
Taerae's moans grew louder and Jiwoong was just looking at his beautiful face.
Jiwoong withdrew his fingers slowly, the slick drag leaving Taerae clenching around emptiness and a soft whine escaped his lips. The older man shifted upward on the bed before leaning down to press a gentle kiss on Taerae's forehead.
"You're ready for me, pretty," Jiwoong whispered. He aligned his thick cock on Taerae's entrance and with a slow push, he thrust inside inch by inch. Taerae cried out a sharp "Ah!" that dissolved into a trembling moan as his walls stretched around Jiwoong's length.
Jiwoong groaned, pausing once to let Taerae adjust. He dipped his head to capture one of Taerae's nipples that made Taerae let another gasp.
The throbbing pressure of Jiwoong's cock buried inside him made him go crazy. It was far more than anything Taerae had ever experience.
"Nngh.. ahhh," his body shuddered as Jiwoong began to move, pulling back and slamming forward. The bed ceraked beneath them with each thrust, "Oh fuck... harder!"
Taerae clung tight, his arms wrapping around Jiwoong's back, nails scraping lightly as he couldn't bear to let go. Jiwoong was hitting that sensitive spot with precision. Taerae started to rock his hips to meet the thrusts, his own erection trapped between them, leaking steadily and rubbing against Jiwoong's abdomen.
Jiwoong's pace quickened. He gripped Taerae's hips to angle himself deeper.
"Ahh ahh!!"
"Fuck."
Each thrust stretched Taerae wider and filled him fuller until he feel his gut tightening, "I-I'm cumming."
Jiwoong's response was a deep thrust. His mouth claimed his lips in a sloppy kiss as he drove harder- faster until Taerae shattered with a loud moan as he release his hot and thick cum. The older drove deeper as he felt himself cumming too and when he came, he buried himself deep with a moan, flooding Taerae with warmth as he came.
Jiwoong didn't immediately pull away. He stayed there while his head was tucked into the crook of Taerae's neck.
Taerae stared up at the ceiling, the silence of the room now feeling peaceful rather than lonely. For the first time in his life, the straight line of his life was gone, replaces by this messy and unplanned detour.
He closed his eyes, feeling the steady beat of Jiwoong's heart against his own. He knew the morning would come with its questions and consequences but for now, the hollow space in his chest felt full.
The chirping of the phone alarm slice through the room.
Taerae winced, his eyes squeezed shut as he blindly reached out to press snooze on his phone at the bedside table but as he moved to curl back into the warmth of the blanket... he realized it was actually not the blanket.
It was a large hand draped firmly over his waist that made Taerae froze.
There was the man from the bar.
The realization hit him like a physical blow. It wasn't a dream. It was all real and it is currently sleeping inches away from him.
Every instinct in Taerae's body screamed for an exit. He scrambled for his clothes which were scattered across the floor. He put his clothes while he hissed a cursed. He felt a sharp pang of guilt as he reached for his shoes. He was leaving without a word but as he gripped the door handle he can't help but look at the man who was peacefully sleeping, "I'm sorry."
With one final look, Taerae slipped out and shut the door softly. Jiwoong's eyes slowly opened. He hadn't moved an inch, but he was fully aware on what just happened. Jiwoong simply reached out to where Taerae had been lying only moments before.
Taerae sat in his desk, his fingers hovering over his keyboard but the spreadsheets on his monitor remained untouched.
He was caught in a loop. Every time he closed his eyes, a replay of what happened last night instantly goes into his head. He bit his lip, a flush of heat creeping in his neck. He had never been that person- the one who randomly have a one-night stand with a stranger. It really felt like a dream or perhaps a scene from one of those dramas he usually watched from the safety of his couch.
"Taerae-ya."
Taerae jumped, nearly knocking over his lukewarm coffee. Matthew was standing there, his usual playful energy was replaced by a look of deep concern.
"I heard," Matthew said softly, "Can you believe it? Man, I am so sorry. I couldn't believe it when Seph told us through the alumni group chat." He reached out, squeezing Taerae's shoulder, "You look exhausted. Why are you even here? Go home. I'll tell the manager you're sick. Take a few days off to process this."
"No, I'm fine," Taerae paused, "Wait, he told the group chat?!"
"Yeah," Matthew sighed, "Oh right! I just remembered- taking a break might actually be impossible right now. The new team leader is starting today."
As if on cue, the heavy glass doors at the end of the hall swung open. A senior director, Mr. Park, walked in, trailing a man whose presence seemed to pull all the oxygen out of the room.
"Attention, everyone," Mr. Park announced, even clapping his hands together, "I'd like to introduce the new lead for our operations. He comes to us with an incredible track record and we're very much lucky to have him."
Taerae's heart did a somersault.
The man stepped forward. He was wearing a charcoal-grey suit that hugged his broad shoulders perfectly- the same shoulders Taerae had been clinging to just hours ago. His hair was styled neatly away from his forehead.
"Good morning, everyone," he scanned the room, his gaze moving across the desks until it landed directly on Taerae.
A small, almost unnoticeable smirk played at the corner of his mouth.
"I'm Jiwoong Kim and I'm looking forward to working with you. I hope we can all work... closely together."
Taerae felt the air leave his lungs. It wasn't just a dream, it had just walked into his office... into his daily life.
As the crowd dispersed and the low hum of office chattered returned, Taerae sat frozen. To him, Jiwoong looked unbothered.
He's probably done this a hundred times, Taerae bit his inner cheek, I'm just the guy from the bar, dumped by his ex and a one-night stand he didn't even expect to see again.
"Taerae? You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I'm fine, Matt," He adjusted his glasses, "I just... I think I need coffee."