The private jet touched down with a soft hum, smoother than Taehyung expected. He peeked out the small oval window, mouth slightly parted in awe. Beyond the tarmac, Jeju Island unfolded under the early morning light—rolling green hills, orange rooftops, and the sparkle of ocean waves in the distance. It looked like a watercolor painting someone accidentally made real.

Taehyung pressed a hand to the window, fogging the glass slightly. "This is... wow."

Seokjin stood up and grabbed his coat from the overhead compartment, smoothing out invisible creases like they had wronged his ancestors. "Don't drool on the glass. The jet's still technically new."

Taehyung turned to him, eyes wide and still a little sleepy. "You've been here before?"

"A couple times. Business stuff." Seokjin said it like it was no big deal. Like Jeju was just the backyard of his family's sprawling empire. "Not like this, though."

Taehyung raised a brow. "Like what?"

Seokjin paused mid-buttoning his coat. His expression didn't change much, but his fingers stalled for just a second, something brief, something quiet flickering in his eyes.

"Like for fun," he said simply.

Taehyung's small smile came quick, genuine. The kind of smile that sneaks past your walls without asking. "Guess we're both first-timers, then."

They stepped off the jet into warm, salt-scented air. A sleek black van was waiting at the bottom of the steps, the driver already bowing with the efficiency of someone trained to handle VIPs and maybe even royal-level divas.

Taehyung squinted. "Do all your drivers look like they moonlight as secret agents?"

"State secrets and VIPs," Seokjin replied. "You happen to be both."

Taehyung blinked. "I'm what now?"

"A Very Inconvenient Passenger."

"Hey! that was uncalled for~"

Taehyung rushed after him, nearly tripping down the last step. "You can't just call me inconvenient after inviting me to Jeju with a jet and banana milk!"

"You're here, aren't you?"

"Because you lured me with snacks and status." Taehyung protested and hook his arms around Seokjin's.

"A-And your point?" Seokjin almost fumbled with his words when he felt Taehyung's body weight pressing against his.

Taehyung grumbled but slid into the van with a smile too big to hide. He pressed his face to the tinted window, fingers smudging the glass. "Wow, even the trees here look expensive."

"You need a hobby."

"I have one. It's annoying you."

Seokjin cracked the faintest smile, barely visible, but Taehyung caught it.

"Right, and you're great at it ahaha." Seokjin burst into laughter and Taehyung giggled as he admired the view infront of him and that was seeing Seokjin smiling.

They reached the villa after a scenic drive through winding roads flanked by low stone walls and tangerine farms. The house was perched slightly uphill, giving them a wide-angle view of the sea. It was white-walled and minimalistic with wide glass doors and a wooden deck that begged to be stood on barefoot.

Taehyung stood frozen in the living room.

"Okay. This is insane. This is... this is a K-drama set. Where's the chaebol heir and the girl with a sunflower allergy?"

Seokjin tossed his bag onto the couch. "You're literally looking at him."

"I am the girl from the countryside," Taehyung said proudly. "Except I have clear sinuses."

Seokjin rolled his eyes and wandered toward the kitchen. "Do you want to unpack or scream into the view first?"

"The view," Taehyung replied, already halfway to the balcony.

He slid open the glass doors and stepped outside with his arms wide. "Hello Jeju! I have arrived! Please be kind to me!"

Seokjin joined him moments later, stopping just behind.

"You're yelling at the ocean."

"Sometimes you have to assert dominance."

"I think your dominance needs a nap."

But Seokjin stopped for a bit.

Taehyung stood there, arms still open, the breeze tugging gently at his oversized denim jacket. His hair was a soft mess, cheeks pink from excitement, eyes squinting against the sun. And for a second, Seokjin forgot to breathe. He was mesmerized by the sight of him.

He took one step forward, just one.

And instantly regretted it.

Because now Taehyung was closer.

Too close.

Close enough that Seokjin remembered exactly what he had done hours ago, while Taehyung slept peacefully beside him.

That kiss.

Quick. Quiet. A mistake he hadn't stopped thinking about.

He cleared his throat, quickly looking away.

"I need... to organize the groceries," he mumbled.

"We don't have groceries." Taehyung said in confusion.

"Exactly. I'm organizing the absence of groceries."

Taehyung turned, amused. "Are you okay?"

"Perfectly."

"You look... pink."

"It's the sun."

"We're indoors."

"Reflective sunlight." Seokjin said all the excuses he could think of and he was glad Taehyung stopped asking or else he might run out of the villa because of embarrassment. 

Taehyung tilted his head, eyes narrowing like he was trying to figure something out. Seokjin tried not to squirm under the gaze.

The silence stretched.

Then Taehyung leaned on the railing, facing the sea again. He didn't say anything else.

But he moved slightly closer.

Their arms didn't touch, but Seokjin could feel the heat of him. Not overwhelming, not loud, just... there. Like presence made tangible.

Taehyung's voice broke the quiet, soft and steady.

"Thanks again. For this."

Seokjin swallowed and catch his breathe in secret. "It's not a big deal."

"It is to me."

Seokjin paused for a bit, he sometimes forgets that the two of them live in a completely different world, it's not everyday that a person gets to experience the life Seokjin had. A gentle smile spread across his face as he nodded. "Okay. Then... you're welcome."

Another pause.

Then Taehyung spoke again, but quieter this time, like he didn't want the ocean to hear.

"You didn't have to go this far."

Seokjin turned to him. Taehyung wasn't smiling anymore, not fully. His expression was open, earnest.

"I didn't," Seokjin admitted.

"But you did," Taehyung said, meeting his gaze.

And Seokjin almost looked away. Almost. But something held him there, something he didn't have a name for yet.

His heart beat faster. The memory of that kiss itched behind his ribs. He hadn't dared to think what it meant. Or if it had been noticed.

He stared at Taehyung for a second too long. Taehyung didn't move. Didn't push. Just... waited.

Maybe this was what a break felt like, not just from school, but from himself. From pressure. From the exhausting role of being perfect, composed, predictable.

And maybe, in this moment, it was okay to simply be.

So Seokjin leaned forward, just a little, arms brushing now.

And said quietly, "We're doing groceries later."

Taehyung smiled like he'd just won a silent bet.

"Are we going to argue over brands of instant noodles?"

"Obviously." Seokjin chuckled and laugh at the thought of them arguing over it.

"Perfect. I've dreamed of this moment." Taehyung exclaimed and raised both of his hands up in the air.

And as they stood there, side by side, with the sea sparkling beneath them and something unspoken hanging in the air between their shoulders, Seokjin didn't pull away.

For once, he didn't need to define it.

He just needed to feel it, and his heart pounding and the happiness his feeling.

Later Morning

The day started with a rumble.

Not from thunder or jet engines but from Taehyung's stomach, which growled like a distant storm cloud ready to burst. He lay sprawled dramatically across the soft villa couch, one arm draped over his forehead as though he'd been deprived of food for days, not hours.

"Seokjin," he moaned, his voice echoing through the open space like a tragic love song. "If we don't eat soon, my soul might leave my body and haunt the tangerine farms."

"You ate all of my snacks milk twenty minutes ago," Seokjin called from the bedroom, where he was currently folding his clothes with almost military precision. His voice was calm, flat, like a CEO addressing a mildly annoying intern.

"That was emotional support, not sustenance! I need meat!" Taehyung shot back, flopping onto his stomach now, limbs splayed like a cartoon character in despair.

Moments later, Seokjin stepped out dressed in a light cream linen shirt and khaki pants, sleeves rolled just enough to look effortless. He gave Taehyung a once-over, sighed like a tired guardian, and grabbed his wallet. "Fine. But you're choosing the place."

Taehyung immediately perked up, sitting upright with sparkling eyes. "Really? You're trusting me?"

"No," Seokjin said, brushing imaginary lint off his sleeve. "I'm testing you." Seokjin said with a smirk and Taehyung took that as a challenge.

Brunch Spot Near the Coast

They ended up at a quaint seaside eatery perched on a low cliff, where the wind smelled like salt and grilled fish. A few plastic chairs in clashing pastel colors stood scattered under faded umbrellas, while the ocean sparkled in the background like a living postcard. It didn't scream luxury, but it had something better.

An elderly ahjumma greeted them at the counter, her face lighting up when she recognized Seokjin. "Aigoo, how handsome!" she said, fussing over him like he was her own son. Taehyung tried and failed not to giggle when she pinched Seokjin's cheek before leading them to a prime seat with the best ocean view.

They ordered spicy seafood ramyeon, grilled mackerel, and tangerine slushies that arrived with more ice than expected but tasted like sunshine. Taehyung was halfway through his noodles, slurping loudly, when he looked up and pointed a chopstick at Seokjin.

"You eat like a rich man who wants to experience being poor," he declared.

Seokjin didn't even glance up. "And you eat like someone who got kicked out of his hometown for crimes against table manners."

"That's fair," Taehyung nodded, noodles dangling from his lips.

Without a word, Seokjin leaned forward and wiped a stray grain of rice from the corner of Taehyung's mouth with a napkin. It was a casual, unthinking motion. But as soon as their eyes met, the air stilled.

Taehyung blinked.

Seokjin paused mid-motion, hand hovering in the space between them.

Neither said anything.

The world kept spinning. The waves kept crashing.

But in that moment, it was just two boys and the flicker of something unspoken.

Seokjin cleared his throat and hid his blushing face.

"L-let's walk at the beach later..." Seokjin stuttered for a bit, Taehyung avoided eye contact and nodded timidly.

"S-Sure..."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The beach called to them like a whisper, and they followed.

Shoes discarded, they walked side by side along the shore, warm sand curling between their toes. Taehyung chased the tide like a kid high on sugar, skipping in and out of the foamy edges. The ocean was playful today, and so was he.

He bent down and picked up a shell shaped like a crooked heart. "For your museum of strange things you pretend not to care about," he said, placing it in Seokjin's palm.

Seokjin studied the shell like it had insulted his ancestors. "Congratulations. It looks odd?"

"But you're still holding it."

"I don't want to risk throwing it and hitting a seagull."

Taehyung laughed so hard he had to bend over, and Seokjin, despite himself, smiled.

They walked past driftwood sculptures and hand-painted rocks, eventually pausing beneath a quirky archway someone had built from sticks, sea glass, and tangerine rinds.

Taehyung pulled out his phone. "Stand there. We need a photo. Your fans would weep at this lighting."

"I'm not a tourist."

"But you are aesthetic."

Click. Click. Seokjin tried to look annoyed, but secretly adjusted his posture.

"You made me look five-foot-four in this one," he said, leaning over to check the screen.

"Maybe you are five-foot-four."

Seokjin lunged for the phone. Taehyung squealed and bolted, sand flying behind him as he ran.

Their laughter chased the gulls away.

By the time evening draped its indigo cloak over Jeju, the two boys had found themselves at a local grocery mart that looked small on the outside but felt like a maze of endless temptation.

Seokjin grabbed a basket with a sigh of purpose, ready for efficient adult shopping.

Taehyung, however, twirled dramatically through the automatic doors like a contestant entering a gameshow. "Hyung, we have entered a land of flavor and possibility."

"I entered for eggs and noodles."

"And I entered for destiny," Taehyung whispered, eyes locking onto a shelf of bizarre squid snacks.

Seokjin picked items methodically, reading labels like he was preparing for an exam. He paused to inspect brands, muttering things like, "This one has MSG," and "This brand tastes like disappointment."

Taehyung, on the other hand, was speed running through snacks like he was on a cooking variety show. "Do we want ramen in the shape of dinosaurs or alphabet letters?"

"No."

"What about this marshmallow that screams when you bite into it?"

"Absolutely not."

They reached the instant noodle aisle and an existential debate broke out between Seokjin and Taehyung, it had everyone staring at them.

"This one's spicier."

"But that one has better broth flavor."

"But this one comes with cheese powder."

"You're a menace."

"And you're a noodle elitist."

By the time they reached checkout, their cart had somehow quadrupled in content. Seokjin blamed Taehyung. Taehyung blamed fate.

"I hope you know you're paying," Seokjin said, eyeing the growing total.

"Sure," Taehyung said, holding Seokjin's black card with a grin. "Sugar baby privileges."

Seokjin gasp and wondered how he got that, grabbed it back. "You're my unpaid intern. That's your only title."

Taehyung giggled and rested his head against Seokjin's shoulder.

After Seokjin paid for the groceries they headed back to the villa, they returned with arms full of groceries and hearts fuller than they'd admit. In the kitchen, the soft glow of pendant lights painted them in warm tones as they unpacked their haul.

Taehyung pulled out a bundle of green onions and waved them like a baton. "Tonight, Chef Kim Taehyung shall prepare—"

"Instant noodles," Seokjin cut in, tossing a pot on the stove.

"With flair!"

Chop-chop-chop. Taehyung attempted to slice garlic, making exaggerated sound effects with each cut.

Seokjin boiled eggs to precise timing, then peeled them with the kind of focus reserved for brain surgeons.

They worked in sync, bickering the whole time, dancing around each other in the small kitchen.

And then—silence.

Dinner was ready. They sat side by side, legs almost touching beneath the wooden counter, the bowls steaming before them.

Taehyung raised his chopsticks in a mock toast. "To carbs, chaos, and whatever weird soulmate contract we accidentally signed." Taehyung exclaimed and winked at Seokjin.

Seokjin stared at him for a second and chuckle. "What's with that, you're acting like we're in a relationship or something..."

And then he clinked his chopsticks against Taehyung's.

"Cheers." Seokjin said, Taehyung giggled and stared at him just a second.

"I like you Seokjin..."

Outside, the ocean sighed beneath the moonlight.

The next morning came, and it was their last day on Jeju before returning to Seoul. Taehyung, as expected, didn't want to leave. The island had a way of calming his restless energy, and every moment spent with Seokjin had felt like something special, something carefree. Seokjin, too, found himself reluctant to go back. He'd enjoyed the simplicity of just being with Taehyung, away from the pressures of their daily lives. There was something about the trip, something in the way they'd spent the past few days, that made him want to hold onto it just a little longer.

The two of them had done everything. They spent the morning riding roller coasters at the amusement park, the wind rushing through their hair as they laughed like kids. They'd visited all the must-see tourist spots—climbed up to the lighthouse, marveled at the beautiful beaches, and explored hidden paths in the lush green hills. Every moment was a new adventure, and with every bite of food they shared—street snacks, seafood, sweet treats and it felt like the island was offering them endless new experiences.

By the time night came, the villa was quiet. Dinner dishes had been washed, bags mostly packed, and all that remained was the soft hum of the waves pulling at the shore just beyond the glass balcony.

Seokjin stood by the railing, arms crossed, gazing out at the beach. The stars were beginning to appear, scattered diamonds across a velvet sky. He didn't move when the sliding door opened behind him.

"You didn't sleep," Taehyung said gently, stepping out barefoot.

Seokjin's voice was calm. "Neither did you."

Taehyung stopped beside him, a hoodie thrown over his pajama shirt. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

There was a pause. Then, a quiet, "Yeah."

They didn't talk much as they stepped onto the sand, walking side by side. The beach was empty except for the two of them, the water licking at their ankles whenever they wandered too close to the edge. It was cool, but not cold. The air tasted like salt and something sweet, like summer holding on by a thread.

After a while, Taehyung broke the silence.

"Do you ever wish you were just... normal?"

Seokjin glanced sideways. "Define normal."

"Like... not the heir of some company. Not the top of your class. Not constantly being watched or expected to be perfect."

Seokjin let out a breathy laugh. "I don't think I'd know how to be anyone else."

Taehyung's hands were stuffed in his hoodie pocket. "I think you'd be happier."

Seokjin didn't reply.

Then Taehyung added, softer now, "I think I'd like you just the same."

Those words hung in the air. Neither of them looked at the other. The only sound was the waves rolling in and retreating again, soft and steady.

"Why are you saying this?" Seokjin asked, his voice lower.

Taehyung stopped walking.

"Because I don't want to go back tomorrow pretending like I didn't fall for you on this trip."

The words landed like thunder, quiet but impossible to ignore.

Seokjin stood still, his eyes locked on the ocean. His mouth parted, but no sound came out.

Taehyung took a step closer. His voice trembled, but not from fear. It was the weight of truth finally being said aloud.

"I know you're probably scared. I know you've always had to think ten steps ahead. But... you don't have to with me. I don't need perfect."

The confession left a crack in the wall Seokjin had so carefully built.

Still, he didn't answer.

So Taehyung tried again, this time with a smile. "Should I dare you to say something back?"

Seokjin chuckle and spread a smile, "So that's the feeling I've been trying to name — it's love." Seokjin had said and it felt like pulling out something he had hidden in his chest for too long. Raw. Vulnerable. Real.

Taehyung didn't reply right away, he couldn't contain his happiness, and all he wanted was to cry and say a thousand of I love you's to Seokjin.

He just stared at Seokjin, his brows slightly furrowed, lips parted like he wanted to say a thousand things but couldn't choose where to begin.

Then, slowly, Taehyung lifted his free hand to Seokjin's cheek.

Seokjin didn't flinch.

His breath hitched, eyes wide, the way someone might look at the stars when they realize they're real, not just pictures in the sky.

"You don't have to do anything," Taehyung whispered, his thumb brushing over Seokjin's skin. "You've done enough."

"Taehyung..." Seokjin's voice broke on his name. It wasn't resistance, it was disbelief. Like he couldn't understand how someone could see him and still want him.

But Taehyung just leaned in.

And kissed him.

It wasn't rushed. It wasn't shy either. It was soft but sure, it's like Taehyung had been waiting to do it for a long time, and now that the moment was here, he wasn't going to hesitate.

Seokjin let out a small, startled sound, but he didn't pull away.

If anything, his fingers clutched Taehyung's hand tighter, grounding himself.

Taehyung tilted his head, deepening the kiss, slow and careful, like he was memorizing the shape of Seokjin's mouth, like it was something sacred. He moved with a quiet confidence, guiding the moment without demanding, leading without forcing.

Seokjin melted.

There was no other word for it.

The tension he carried in his shoulders, the way he always stood like he was bracing for battle—it all fell away. His eyes fluttered shut, lips parting to welcome him, and a soft gasp escaped him as Taehyung's other hand moved to the back of his neck, fingers threading through his hair.

It was warmth. It was safety. It was surrender.

Not out of weakness, but trust.

When they finally pulled apart, Seokjin's chest was rising and falling like he had run miles. He didn't speak. Couldn't. His eyes were glazed over, lips swollen, cheeks flushed with something more than just the cold night air.

Taehyung touched his forehead to Seokjin's, their breaths mingling in the small space between.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time," Taehyung admitted softly.

Seokjin managed a quiet laugh, breathy and stunned. "me too..."

They stood there, forehead to forehead, hands still tangled, waves whispering behind them. The world felt impossibly far away.

"Are you okay?" Taehyung asked, finally pulling back just enough to look into his eyes.

Seokjin nodded slowly. "Yeah. Just... I didn't think it would feel like this."

"Like what?"

"Like I could stop pretending."

Taehyung's gaze softened. "Then don't. Not with me."