Thread by @perfectaenist

#taekook au ;

Areum is in awe after her father teaches her how to play Pokémon Go.

Even more so when she finds the most beautiful Pokémon she's ever /seen/. She /has/ to show him to her appa.

When Areum says she's found a 'TaeTae,' Jeongguk looks up—and the rest is history.

🌷 — ! Areum's Adventures ! — 🌷
· f i v e y e a r s o l d ·

« [A Prequel To This Tweet] »

https://twitter.com/perfectaenist/status/1166146776501559296?s=19

1. Areum is 100% certain Pokémon Go is the most magical game to exist. She finds a Pokémon at every corner in the park, hopping around excitedly, waving her father's phone around to try to find another one.

“Don't go too far, baby,” Jeongguk calls after her from where he sits on a bench, the drawing thingy he doesn't let her play with in his lap.

“Yes yes, appa!” she calls back, immediately doing what he just told her not to.

She's a big girl now, and there has to be more Pokémon over there, anyway.

So that's how she finds herself accidentally bumping into someone's legs, phone too close to her face to have realized.

“Oh! Careful.”

And when Areum puts her phone down, ready to apologize, the words get lost in her throat when she sees who had spoken.

It's a pretty man. A /really/ pretty man, oh my wow.

“Are you an angel?” she immediately asks, awe in her voice, forgetting to apologize like her appa always tells her to.

Pretty man raises an eyebrow at her, smile wide on his face. “Am I?”

“You have to be,” she says resolutely, since she's always right.

“Appa told me angels are really beautiful. And appa is always right.” She gets that trait from her dad, after all.

Pretty angel's eyes sparkle like the earrings her appa always wears. “You think I'm beautiful?”

“Yes yes! People can't be that pretty. You're even prettier than appa.”

The angel's lips are pressed together, his cheeks puffy as he tries not to laugh; Areum wonders if he's okay, and she's about to ask when Jeongguk's phone buzzes in her hands, making her look back down.

And then it clicks in her mind.

“Wait!” Her head shoots back up, short hair bobbing at the movement. “Are you a Pokémon!”

The angel laughs at that, a giggle that makes Areum want to smile, too, so she does, rocking back and forth on her feet.

“How did you know?” he answers, and Areum is gasping, eyes widening comically.

“Really? Really? You're a Pokémon?”

“Yes, ma'am.” Areum thinks he looks even prettier when he smiles; it's shaped like the rectangles she gets to draw in preschool. “I'm a TaeTae.”

“A TaeTae,” she repeats in a whisper, hugging her father's phone in her chest. She's never heard of it or seen it, but that's okay, her father told her something about rare ones. TaeTae must be a /really/ rare one with how pretty he is.

“I've never seen a Pokémon as pretty as you,” Areum says, her little heart beating fast in excitement.

TaeTae must really like hearing that, because his eyes almost disappear in an even bigger smile. “Thank you, sweetheart,” he says softly, reaching out to brush at her bangs.

She clenches her eyes shut at the contact, before she's excited again, dropping her father's phone to grab at his hand.

“Can I show you to my appa? I have to show you to my appa. Please, can I show you to my appa?”

“Okay, okay,” TaeTae agrees with a laugh, making Areum squeal in happiness and start to pull at his hand once he stands up from the bench, grabbing her father's phone before Areum forgets it.

She hurries along with TaeTae's hand in hers, going slower than she wants to so that he can catch up to her. When they near the bench where her father sits, she calls out to him happily.

“Appa!”

Jeongguk hums in question, not looking up from his drawing as he glides the pen across the screen of his tablet.

“Appa, appa! I found a Pokémon!”

“Did you, Areumie?” he hums, humoring her. Areum is hopping on both of her feet in excitement,

the pink sneakers she wears lighting up every time a foot hits the ground.

She smiles widely up at the TaeTae, who smiles back just as big.

“Yes yes, appa! He's a TaeTae!”

“A Tae—”

And that's when her father looks up.

Now, Areum knows what love is. She has to, since she tells Jeongguk that she loves him all the time. She knows it in the way he says 'I love you' before bed, peppering kisses to her face and making her giggle sleepily.

Knows it in the way he says it while hugging her super, duper tight before she goes into her preschool classroom.

Knows it means something special, knows it's the word for the warmth feeling in her chest whenever her father smiles at her—that's love.

It takes her longer in her life to realize that her father—her father doesn't usually love. Much longer to figure out that the widening of her father's eyes now is a groundbreaking moment, monumental to their future.

She doesn't realize it. So, naturally, she continues when he father doesn't say anything, despite his mouth being wide open.

“Isn't TaeTae the prettiest ever, appa! Isn't he the prettiest Pokémon?”

She sees her appa blink a few times, licking his lips.

“Yeah,” he says softly, not looking away from TaeTae's face. “Definitely the prettiest.”

Areum doesn't know that Taehyung's heart stutters in his chest at the words, can't see the rising color of his cheeks since he's too tall.

She only squeals in delight that her father agrees, telling TaeTae, “See! You're the prettiest, TaeTae. And appa is always right, too!”

TaeTae breaks his gaze with Jeongguk, looking down at the little girl who's already stolen his heart.

“Thank you, love,” he murmurs, running a gentle hand through her hair. She preens happily at the touch.

“Appa, can we keep him? How do we catch him?”

“How do we usually catch them, baby?”

Jeongguk sounds wholly amused, leaning his cheek on his hand with his elbow resting on his thigh, careful to avoid the tablet.

“I don't have any of the red and white balls,” Areum says sadly, pout on her lips.

“Then,” her father drawls, eyeing the TaeTae with a look Areum knows is playful, the kind he gets whenever he's about to tickle her. “We'll just have to chase him to catch him, don't we?”

“Oh /no/, you did not just—” Taehyung tries to object, but they're both looking at him, and that's definitely his cue to start running, laughter ringing in the air as Areum runs after him on her little feet, her father laughing from where he sits.

She's positive she'll catch him today.

· · · · · – — 🌷 — – · · · · ·

“So, TaeTae, what are you?” Areum kicks her legs, her feet hitting against Jeongguk's calves while she sits in his lap. The tablet is in her lap, her father drawing even as he rests his cheek in her hair. “My appa is an illi—illu—illistrador?”

“Illustrator,” Jeongguk corrects, pressing a kiss to her hair.

“An artist, huh,” Taehyung muses, Jeongguk sending a smile his way. Areum is fighting the urge to take the pen in her father's hand, knowing he'd only scold her.

“Well, Areum, I'm a botanist.”

“What's a bo—bot—”

“Botanist, sweetheart,” Jeongguk murmurs, smiling into her hair as he takes one of her soft, pudgy hands in his free one, her little fingers dwarfed by his larger ones. “It's a plant-type Pokémon.”

TaeTae snorts, and Areum twists a bit to look up at her father, seeing the grin he sends to TaeTae.

She's confused, not knowing what they're talking about, not until TaeTae speaks again.

“Your appa is wrong, Areumie,” he huffs, crossing his arms.

Areum blinks at this. “But Appa is never wrong.” Jeongguk immediately hums in approval, his pride boosting with his daughter's words.

“Well, then he's /incorrect/.”

Areum twists around again, a curious look in her eyes. “Appa, what does 'incorrect' mean?”

“It's another word for 'wrong,' baby.”

She's already about to object. “But—”

“Anyways,” Taehyung gently cuts in, poking at one of her chubby cheeks. “I work with plants, Areum.”

“Work with?” She's swinging her legs again, feeling her father play with her fingers in his hand as he colors in a drawing on the tablet. “You talk to plants?”

TaeTae smiles at that. “Sometimes.”

Areum twists in Jeongguk's lap again. “Appa, can I talk to plants, too?”

“Of course, angel,” he answers, and Areum is so, so, /so/ happy, his appa is the /best/, and she grins up at Taehyung excitedly.

“Can you teach me how to talk to plants, TaeTae?”

Taehyung giggles and it fills Areum with so much happiness. “Of course, angel,” he says, repeating Jeongguk's words before booping her nose gently.

“Pinkie promise?” Her little pinkie is out—Jeongguk is smiling at how endearing it all is, even as he keeps his pen moving.

“Pinkie promise.” And, taking her pinkie in his, it becomes a promise to see botanist TaeTae in the future, the coolest, most prettiest Pokémon in the world. A promise Areum knows she'll use any chance she can get to see the pretty man again.

· · · · · – — 🌷 — – · · · · ·

2. “Appa,” Areum calls, her cheeks puffed into twin bubbles as she purses her lips. “Appaaaaaaaaa. Can we go to the park?”

It's her tenth time asking in the span of five minutes.

Jeongguk sighs, bringing the cup of icky black stuff that smells /really/ good but tastes /really/ bad (she found that out after she tried stealing his cup when he wasn't looking, and she really doesn't understand why her appa drinks it every morning).

“I don't know if we can, baby. It depends on if I progress enough on my work.” He takes a sip of icky black stuff. “Why have you been asking so much, hmm?”

“I wanna see TaeTae again!” she says, hoping if she says it excitedly enough, her father would take her to the park.

Jeongguk smiles at her, putting down the mug on the counter, but doesn't say what she wants to hear. “We don't know if he'll actually be there if we go, Areumie.”

“But Appaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.” :(

He comes over to where Areum's sitting on the dining table, swinging her legs sadly with a sad pout on her face because she's really, really sad and really, /really/ wants to see her cool, pretty TaeTae again.

But Jeongguk isn't having her sadness today, his hands suddenly turning to creepy-crawlies that lunge for her tummy and sides, making her squeal and try to dart away as he tickles her.

Jeongguk laughs just as much as she does as he hauls her up into the air, raising her up high before he pulls her into his chest securely.

“Why do you want to see TaeTae so bad, hmm? Am I not enough for you?” he asks, nuzzling his nose into hers, blowing a raspberry on her cheek that makes her laugh as she tries to push his face away.

“Appa, please!” she shouts between fits of giggles, smiling a wide grin that matches her father's too well. “You're my favorite always, appa, always always always. But TaeTae is my Pokémon, I have to take care of him.”

Jeongguk chuckles at that, wrapping an arm securely around Areum as she wraps her own around his neck, heading back to the counter with her on his hip. She fists the white dress shirt he's wearing; her appa looks handsome today, if she does say so herself, but he always does, so.

“I'm sure he can take care of himself, Areumie,” he tells her, and Areum purses her lips at that, not quite sure if she can agree, but she won't try arguing with him in case it makes him sad.

“He also pinkie promised, appa, and that's a /big/ deal.”

Jeongguk takes another sip of icky stuff, huffing into the mug when he sees her wrinkle her cute little nose. “Okay, how about this. If I finish my work for today, we can head to the park and see if TaeTae is there, alright? And if he isn't, we'll play on the swings for a bit.”

Areum /really/ likes that idea. Gosh, she /really/ loves her dad. “Yay! Thank you, appa!!”

For Areum's sake, Jeongguk hopes to see the botanist again. And he /might/ want to see him again, too, but that's not something he would admit just yet.

· · · · · – — 🌷 — – · · · · ·

3. Areum knew she couldn't get her hopes up about seeing TaeTae again; her pretty Pokémon is probably busy, being a bot-bot and all (she already forgot the word, sue her).

But when she spots a familiar figure on the same exact bench from the day before, she lets go of her father's hand, running at full-speed toward him.

“TaeTae!”

He's wearing a cute hat on his head and a navy plaid button-down,

a smile taking over his face when he looks up from the notebook in his lap and sees who it is.

“Areumie!” he calls out just as she nears, bending over to wrap his arms around her.

“I missed you, TaeTae!” Areum says, joy so preciously evident and overtaking her voice as she wraps her arms around his neck, hugging him back.

“I missed you, too, sweetheart,” TaeTae giggles, and Areum pulls away with the happiest smile on her face,

turning around to look at her father who's reached them, his hands in the pockets of his black jeans.

“Appa, did you hear? TaeTae said he missed me, too!”

“I did, baby,” Jeongguk says easily, sending Taehyung a smile that the other easily returns, a little shy.

“Your hat is so cute!” Areum suddenly says in a half-squeal, pointing at it, making Taehyung grin and remove it from his hair. He ruffles his own brown locks a bit before putting it right on top of her head.

It's too big, falling over her eyes and making her giggle when she can't see TaeTae's face anymore. Jeongguk reaches over, pulling the hat back so that it'll hang on her head but not obscure her vision.

“It's called a beret,” TaeTae explains, and Areum oohs, already in love.

“Appa, can I have a beeray too?”

“I'll see if I can get one your size,” Jeongguk smiles, making Taehyung glance at him.

“I can try finding one,” he says, and Areum looks back to see her father's eyes widen.

“Oh—oh, no, you—you don't have to,” he stutters, shocked, and TaeTae laughs, making Areum turn back to see him smile sweetly.

“No, I'd love to. It's what Areum deserves, after all.”

Areum is in love. “TaeTae, you're the best /ever/.”

“I thought /I/ was the best ever,” Jeongguk grumbles as he comes over to sit next to the other man, the two sharing quiet smiles when he settles.

“Watch out, Areumie, I'm going to show you that I'm better than your dad,” Taehyung grins, all bark and no bite,

but Jeongguk still rolls his eyes and Areum still gasps, putting her hands over her mouth.

“No way! No one can be better than appa?”

“Exactly,” Jeongguk preens, and Taehyung huffs.

“Bet.”

Operation Steal Areum's Love From Jeongguk has commenced.

· — 🌷 — ·

“You know TaeTae, appa told me that he named me Areum because that's what he said when he saw me for the first time.”

Taehyung's heart clenches in fondness, glancing at the other. There's a soft smile on Jeongguk's face as he draws on the tablet he'd pulled out from a backpack,

filled with stuff for Areum in case of emergencies. Taehyung wonders if he ever /doesn't/ draw.

“Really?” Taehyung muses, and Areum nods strongly, her sneakered feet swinging where she sits on the other side of Taehyung.

Taehyung already loves the clothes Jeongguk has for her; she looks like a mini college student, wearing a soft, oversized black sweater and blue jeans.

“Really, really! But, I think the name suits you more, TaeTae, 'cause you're the beautifulest.”

“Most beautiful,” Jeongguk mumbles loud enough for Areum to hear, and even though Taehyung knows he's only correcting her grammar, butterflies still tumble about in his stomach at the words.

/God, calm down, TaeTae/.

“The mostest beautifulest,” Areum says instead, and Taehyung laughs softly. The girl flatters him too much, and he loves it, loves her already with all his heart.

“So, should we switch names?” he suggests, grinning when Areum gasps at the idea.

“I'll be TaeTae and—and you'll be Areum?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Appa!” she squeals, hopping off the bench to stand in front of her father, pressing her little hands to his knees.

She still has Taehyung's beret on her head, pushing it up with both of her little hands whenever it falls in front of her eyes. “Appa, I'm TaeTae now!”

“Hello, TaeTae,” Jeongguk grins, cupping his daughter's cheeks lovingly, her happy giggles soothing Taehyung's heart.

Not for long, though, because Jeongguk turns to him, a teasing glint in his eyes as he says, “Hello, Areumie.”

Damn his heart for shuddering at the direct attention. Still, he grins right back, bumping the other's shoulder with his own. “Hi, appa.”

Jeongguk rolls his eyes, but Areum seems to consider this for a second.

And then— “Hello, Jeongguk-ssi,” she says lowly, trying to imitate Taehyung's voice during their introductions the day before, but it's so unexpected that the two laugh loudly at her antics,

causing her to start giggling as well.

“TaeTae, I think I like being Areum better,” she says as she laughs, sounding as apologetic as she can be even between giggles.

“I like being TaeTae, too, Areumie,” Taehyung says, and they agree to just be themselves.

And as Areum talks to him, Taehyung can't help but let his mind drift every so often to the man sitting by him. Thinks about how Jeongguk must love her so much, naming her 'beautiful,' being so gentle and carefree but still looking out for her,

his gaze never quite on his tablet whenever Areum's running about the park.

Thinks about how there's been no mention of another parent, no ring on Jeongguk's finger.

If his hunch is correct, Taehyung's respect for the man grows at the thought of how he's raised Areum into the wonderful girl she is.

And, of course, the way his heart flutters at how handsome Jeongguk is, how soft his voice can get when he talks lowly,

how lovely he seems to be during the little they've interacted.

Taehyung is hesitant to intrude into Areum and Jeongguk's little bubble of their life—but, if they'll have him, he'd absolutely love to get to know the two.

Knows he won't ever take them for granted, not as long as he lives.

· — 🌷 — ·

“When can I see you again, TaeTae?” Areum asks as they're about to leave. Areum had whined when her father brought it up, but with sunset soon approaching, Jeongguk needed to make dinner.

“I'm usually here at this time since I have to study the gardens here,” Taehyung explains, patting the notebook he'd ended up putting away since Areum was being a (very welcomed) distraction.

“Sorry we interrupted your work.”

But Taehyung quickly shakes his head, waving off Jeongguk's apology.

“Nonsense, I'd rather talk with Areumie, anyway,” and he crouches down when she holds her arms up, hugging her close.

She whimpers a little into his neck, sad to leave, and it absolutely breaks Jeongguk's heart having to take her away from him.

The invite to come over is at the tip of his tongue, but he swallows it down, reminding himself that he can't trust Taehyung so easily,

not when he barely knows him.

Despite how easy it is to want to. Despite how much it makes his heart want to tumble out of his chest from how the other interacts with his daughter,

his fondness and interest in Taehyung growing at an alarming rate that he's scared he won't be able to control.

Especially whenever Taehyung smiles at him.

Still, he tries to keep his emotions in check, even when the way Areum's eyes are glossy when they pull apart almost throws him for a loop, the urge to make her as happy as possible truly devastating.

“I'll miss you, TaeTae,” Areum sniffles, taking off the beret and settling it back on Taehyung's head a little crookedly.

Taehyung smiles at her reassuringly, squeezing her hands, telling her he'll miss her more, before he stands back up straight, turning to Jeongguk.

Sunlight falls in rays and basks itself around Taehyung, highlighting his striking features and making him shimmer gold. And Jeongguk is reminded of how much he agrees whenever Areum compliments him; the man really is so, so beautiful, breathtakingly so.

“Thank you so much,” Jeongguk tells him, hoping the other understands how grateful he is that he makes Areum so happy, that he gives them his time and seems to adore her genuinely.

“No need to thank me,” Taehyung replies heartily, smile gentle on his lips.

“It was wonderful seeing you both again. I hope to see you soon?”

Jeongguk nods in agreement, murmuring his goodbyes before he takes Areum's hand. He'll never stop getting emotional over how small it is enveloped in his.

“Bye-bye, TaeTae!” Areum calls out, and his joy continues waving at the other man even as they begin to head back home, half-turned around as Jeongguk leads her out. She only stops when Taehyung finally stops waving back first, sitting back down and getting his notebook out.

“I really like TaeTae, appa,” Areum confesses next to him, gripping his hand tightly as they leave the park.

“Me too, baby.”

And he hopes that meeting Taehyung and getting attached to him won't backfire on him. Prays that it won't be the same as all the other times.

· · · · · – — 🌷 — – · · · · ·

4. Their visits to the park become much more frequent, all because Jeongguk is weak for his daughter's earnest pleads and the puppy eyes she /knows/ how to wield in her favor. And, just like that, three weeks go by, seeing Taehyung more often than not at the park.

Taehyung easily agrees to anything Areum wants to do, putting away his work the moment she bounds over to him, sometimes even telling Jeongguk to “/relax, I'm watching her/,”

as if he knew how much of Jeongguk's attention is constantly stuck on making sure Areum's okay—an almost exhausting amount.

Taehyung is always so gentle and carefree with Areum, playing with her in the sandbox and chasing after her in a game of tag.

And Jeongguk watches all of it happen so fondly.

Not to mention, with every meeting, the excited beat of his heart never fails to amplify the moment Taehyung's eyes meet his.

It's something he tries to ignore.

Areum, however, never hides her excitement over the man, the ever growing love and complete infatuation with her TaeTae shown with loud exclaims and tight hugs.

And, of course, the constant mentions of the other in the safety of their apartment.

Like now, for instance.

“Appa.”

No response.

“Appaaaaa. /Appaaaaaaaaaaaaa/.”

“Areum, please,” her father groans, about to pull the blankets over his head when suddenly a heavy little ball of energy jumps right on top of him, an oof leaving his lungs as his stomach takes the brunt of her weight.

“/Appa/,” Areum insists, her little hands patting at Jeongguk's chest.

“Baby, it's seven AM, please, not now,” he mumbles, already drifting back to sleep even with his daughter sitting right on top of him.

“Appa, can we see TaeTae today?”

It's been three days since they last saw TaeTae, and Areum makes sure her appa doesn't forget it. She just /really/ wants to see him again.

“No, baby, we're going to sleep today.”

And suddenly Areum's getting picked up and being settled right next to her father, her protests going ignored as he pulls the blankets over her, too, cuddling her to his chest.

“Appa no!” Areum huffs, pushing at her father's chest,

but Jeongguk doesn't budge nor let go of her, only lets out a tired hum in question. “I don't wanna sleep.”

“Well I do,” Jeongguk merely responds, nuzzling his cheek into her hair, and Areum sighs in exasperation. Her father is so hard to manage.

“But /Appa/. TaeTae!”

“TaeTae says you should let appa sleep.”

“No he doesn't, he's not here!”

Jeongguk sighs, opening his eyes to see her pursed lips, her hair soft when he cards his fingers through her short locks.

And even in his sleepy state, he's filled with so much fondness; he loves her more than anything, even when she disturbs his sleep, and leans in to kiss the round chubbiness of her cheek.

“Okay, okay, we can go to the park later to see if TaeTae is there, alright? Now let appa sleep?”

It's a win for Areum. “Okay, appa!” she agrees cheerfully, happiness already flushing through her tiny body.

She leans up to kiss his cheek as well, happy to see his tired smile in return.

And even though she isn't sleepy, Areum closes her eyes too, snuggling close to the warm comfort of her father.

· · · · · – — 🌷 — – · · · · ·

5. When they get to the park, Taehyung isn't there.

“Maybe he's hiding?” Areum asks, so, so hopeful.

Jeongguk pulls his sleeve up to check his watch, frowning. It's the usual time they've always arrived, and Taehyung had been here each day they came without fail.

He's most likely busy today, then.

He wonders, for a second, if Taehyung had felt this amount of disappointment too, the days they couldn't go to the park because of Jeongguk's work.

“I don't think he's here, angel,” he says softly, feeling a pang in his chest when he sees the devastation on her face, her eyes starting to get a little glossy.

“Hey,” Jeongguk murmurs, crouching down to see her at eye level, his fingers moving to cup his daughter's cheeks.

“Remember what I told you before?”

Areum shakes her head. She always goes quiet when she's sad—a trait Jeongguk sees in himself. He smooths his fingers gently under her eyes, catching any moisture.

“If TaeTae isn't here, then we'll…”

Areum thinks for a moment, before looking up at him hopefully. “We'll play on the swings?”

Jeongguk grins, leaning in to press their foreheads together. “That's right,” he tells her, kissing her nose, and the small smile she returns is worth it. So worth it. “C'mon, let's go.”

He hopes the cheers she lets out whenever Jeongguk pushes her just the bit higher can make up for Taehyung's absence.

· · · · · – — 🌷 — – · · · · ·

6. There are times, even after five long years, where Jeongguk doesn't think he's suited for parenthood.

“Okay baby, let's go.”

But his heart drops to his stomach when he looks up from his phone. Areum isn't there.

She was there a few minutes ago.

“Areumie?” Jeongguk calls, looking around frantically. Fuck. /Fuck/. It's past sunset, the world getting darker and darker as time passes, and he /lost Areum/.

Panic seizes his chest. He doesn't know where to start looking.

They're a good ten minutes away from their apartment, and he's sure his daughter doesn't know how to get back.

“Areum!” he shouts loudly, whirling around back and forth, eyes searching, searching. Landing on nothing, hearing no response.

He's scared to start walking, terrified that Areum could have gone the other direction and he'd just be farther away from her.

It's hard to breathe.

Jeongguk looks down at his phone, fingers violently shaking as he pulls up his call logs, slamming on Jimin's number.

“Hyung,” he says, doesn't recognize his own voice at how strangled it sounds.

“/Guk? Are you okay? What's wrong?/”

“Hyung, I can't find Areum. /I can't find Areum/.”

“/Where are you?/”

“In front of the pizza place, please, she—I got an email that I needed to respond to and we had to stop and I—I /told/ her to stay put while appa does something, I—she—hyung, I can't find her, what do I do—”

“/Guk, calm down. Take deep breaths and focus. I'm coming, okay? You know what direction I'll come from, right? Go the opposite way, I'll look for her from here./”

“Okay.” Jeongguk's breathing is shallow as he closes his eyes. “Okay. I can do that.”

“/Don't panic. We'll find her. Keep me on the line, okay?/”

“Okay.” Jeongguk takes another breath before he runs.

Any person he passes he stops them, frantically asking if they'd seen a small girl wearing a blue dress and denim jacket, and each time they say no.

He can't imagine how far she could've gotten in such little time, and anytime panic threatens to leave him paralyzed on the street, Jimin talks to him through the line.

Frustrated tears fall down his cheeks when ten minutes pass and neither of them can find her.

“/Think. Where do you think Areum would go?/”

“How am I supposed to know, hyung? She's five, who knows what she's thinking.”

His voice is raw from how loudly he's called for her, over and over. More tears spill, gnawing on his lip as he doesn't stop swivelling his head.

“/We both know her better than that, Guk. She would never leave your side unless she's set on something, or in this case, going somewhere. Is there any place she's wanted to go to recently?/”

Jeongguk's mind is just as chaotic as his heartbeat, but he closes his eyes and tries to ignore the way his hands won't stop trembling.

And something clicks. “The park. Taehyung wasn't there today, she—”

“/Go,/” Jimin tells him, and Jeongguk is running again.

· — 🌷 — ·

Taehyung doesn't expect to see a little girl standing on the sidewalk by a glowing lamdpost, alone. But when he starts to near, when he hears her crying—

His heart halts to a stop when he realizes who it is.

“Areumie?” he calls frantically, adjusting his backpack before running the rest of the distance to her.

The little girl looks up, and he can see her eyes are red with the glow of the streetlights.

“T—TaeTae?” she asks, her voice watery and filled with disbelief, but then she holds out her arms to him, shaking with a sob, and Taehyung drops his backpack when he reaches her, crouching down and pulling her into his arms immediately.

“Areumie? What's wrong, what happened? Where's your appa?”

“I can't find him, TaeTae,” Areum wails, her little body shaking in his hold, and Taehyung has to stop himself from crying too, wondering how long Areum's been out, /by herself/, fuck.

If she's a wreck, he can't imagine how Jeongguk's faring.

How on earth is he going to find him?

“Okay, Areumie, look at me,” Taehyung tells her, and Areum pulls back, tears staining her cute little cheeks. Taehyung's heart feels like it's breaking as he wipes those tears away.

“It'll be okay, alright? I'm here.”

Areum sniffles but nods, and Taehyung presses a kiss to her forehead.

“I need you to think for me, Areumie. Did your appa teach you his phone number?”

“He—he did, but, but I can't remember it TaeTae, I can't remember—”

Taehyung shushes her, smoothing out her cheeks and wiping away more tears, even as he curses in his mind. He'd been too scared to ask for the man's number,

didn't know if it would have been too forward or if Jeongguk would have even accepted or if he even felt that way at all—it would've been embarrassing if he had rejected—but now he realizes he should've. God, he should've, and now he doesn't know how to contact the other.

“Do you know your address, baby?”

Areum shakes her head, her lips wobbling as fresh tears fall down her cheeks. “I'm sorry TaeTae, I'm sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” Taehyung says, incredulous that she could think it's her fault she can't remember.

“It's okay, baby. Now come on, we need to look for your father.”

He straightens, throwing his backpack back on before leaning down and picking Areum up into his arms. She's a little heavy, especially with the weight of his backpack, but he tries to ignore it, for Areum's sake.

“Appa told me that if I ever get lost, I should stay put,” she sniffs, and Taehyung drops another kiss to her cheek, hoping it calms her down.

“And it was good that you did, but we have to try to find him or else it'll get too dark,” Taehyung sighs, looking around.

They're pretty close to the park, but Taehyung has no clue which direction he should go.

“Do you remember what way you went when you left the park, Areumie?”

He prays to god she doesn't shake her head, but Areum glances around and ends up pointing ahead, the direction Taehyung had been heading.

“That way is familiar?” he asks to confirm, and Areum nods her head, biting at her lip.

It's a start, at least. Taehyung starts walking, hopes that they'll be able to find him. He doesn't know what to do if he doesn't—he'd take Areum hope, obviously, but how was he going to contact Jeongguk to take her back?

Taehyung shoves the thoughts away before he can panic, and just keeps walking, looking out for anyone who looks like Jeongguk.

· — 🌷 — ·

Jeongguk doubles over, trying to catch his breath, dragging in lungfuls of air. He’d been running for too long, apparently, but he’s so close.

“Areum!” he shouts, eyes clenched shut as he presses his phone to his knees.

Instead of the silence he’d expected, though, he hears a reply in the distance.

“/Appa/!”

Jeongguk almost faints from relief right then and there, but instead pushes himself to keep running, despite his aching limbs.

He slows down when he sees a figure ahead, seeing his daughter in his arms, and tears of relief fall down his cheeks as he lifts the phone back up to his ear.

“I found her, hyung.”

“/Oh thank god,/” Jimin says on the other end. “/Want me to meet you at your apartment?/”

“Yeah, that’d be great.” He hangs up before jogging the distance between them.

“Appa!” Areum sobs, wiggling in Taehyung’s hold to get him to put her down, and once her feet touch the ground, she runs right into Jeongguk’s awaiting arms.

“Areum,” he breathes, hugging her so tightly as she cries in his hold. “I'm so glad you're okay.”

“Appa, I'm sorry,” Areum cries into his neck, and Jeongguk presses kiss after kiss to the side of her head, her temple, her hair, pulling her back to kiss her tear-stained face.

“I told you to stay put, Areum,” Jeongguk scolds, albeit softly, and she sniffles as she nods. “Don't run away like that ever again, okay? What were you thinking? What would happen if I couldn't find you?”

Areum cries at the thought, her little hands rubbing at her eyes as tears fall, and Jeongguk kisses her forehead to soothe her. “I love you, baby.”

“I love you too, appa,” Areum says between small hiccups. “Are you mad at me?”

“No, not mad. Just glad you're okay.”

He smooths his hand over her back, hugging her close again, Areum wrapping her arms around his neck.

That's when Jeongguk looks up, seeing Taehyung standing there, an arm across his stomach as he grips the side of his arm.

A shy stance, even though there's a soft smile on his face as he watches the two, meeting Jeongguk's eyes.

“Can I talk to TaeTae, Areumie?” Jeongguk murmurs softly, and Areum nods, stepping back to let her father stand up.

And when Jeongguk nears, Taehyung doesn't expect him to wrap his arms around him, hugging him tightly.

“Thank you,” Jeongguk breathes, eyes watering again over just how grateful he is for Taehyung.

So, so grateful.

Taehyung melts in his hold, returning the embrace, his palms warm on Jeongguk's back. “It's no problem,” Taehyung murmurs, voice quiet. “I'm just glad I found her at all.”

“Me too,” Jeongguk agrees, pulling back and letting him go, ignoring how much colder he feels afterward.

Taehyung peers at his face. Looks like he's hesitating, but then he lifts his hands, Jeongguk's lashes fluttering when Taehyung brushes his thumbs under his eyes, catching stray tears that had escaped.

“I was so scared I wouldn't be able to find you. I couldn't call you or anything,” Taehyung tells him, dropping his hands when he sees Jeongguk smile softly.

“I should… probably give you my number, huh?”

“You probably should,” Taehyung grins right back. “In case this happens again. Or if you just, you know, need me. Or something.”

“Or something,” Jeongguk agrees, chuckling softly as he pulls his phone back out of his pocket, handing it to Taehyung, the other doing the same.

“See, Areumie?” Taehyung says to the girl, who'd walked over to stand closer to them, watching curiously, her tears subsiding with her father's hug with TaeTae. “Now you can call me whenever you want.”

“Really?” she gasps, perking up considerably.

“Oh god, you shouldn't have said that,” Jeongguk groans, and Taehyung laughs as Areum rushes forward to take her father's hand, looking up at him hopefully.

“Can I really, appa? Can I talk to TaeTae whenever?”

“Yes, you can,” Taehyung says before her father can say the word 'no.' “I'd love it if you do, Areumie.”

“Yay!” she cheers, her arms in the air, and Jeongguk uses it as an excuse to wrap his arms around her, hugging her up into the air, making her laugh joyfully into his ear.

It makes up for the day, for the panic that he knows will haunt him later if he thinks too much. But for now, he focuses on the sound of Areum's giggles, glad he can still hear them at all.

When he takes Areum back to their apartment, Jimin is there, rushing to Areum and scooping her into a tight hug.

“Jiminie!” she giggles when he starts to tickle her sides.

“Was worried about you,” he snickers as he threatens to bite her, making her squeal and escape his arms, running back to her father and hiding behind his legs.

“Thanks, hyung,” Jeongguk sighs, letting Jimin pull him into a hug too, one Jimin knows all too well that he needs.

“You know I'd do anything for you both,” Jimin replies, patting his back softly. “You'll be okay, right? Want me to stay over?”

“You sound like my mom,” Jeongguk snorts as he pulls back, grinning when Jimin rolls his eyes.

“I know how you can get,” Jimin sighs, and just that makes Jeongguk press his lips together almost nervously.

“Hey,” Jimin mumbles, getting his attention again. His eyes are earnest, worrying. “Call me whenever you need to, okay? I'll listen.”

“I know you will,” Jeongguk nods, and Jimin smiles at him softly, squeezing his shoulder in reassurance. He says bye to them both, giving Areum a high five and a kiss to her head before leaving.

Areum sees a look on her father's face that she doesn't recognize, and realizes she doesn't like it—he looks sad, but there's something else in there that her little mind can't figure out; she doesn't like it. So she takes his hand, getting his attention.

“I love you, appa,” she says earnestly, and when the look is gone and replaced with the smile she loves seeing so much, she feels accomplished.

· · · · · – — 🌷 — – · · · · ·

7.

“Appaaaaaaaaaaaaa.”

Here we go again.

Jeongguk is set on ignoring Areum as he works on editing the layers of his latest project—but his daughter comes over to where he sits on the couch, going on her tiptoes to shove her face right into her father's vision.

“Appa,” she calls again, pouting because she's been going ignored besides the occasional absentminded hum for a whole five minutes. /Five/. That's literally the same thing as forever.

Jeongguk sighs, lips already forming into a smile at Areum's antics.

He leans in to knock their foreheads together gently, grinning when she yelps and leans back with a giggle, despite being angry just a second ago.

“Appa,” she says again, a lot more happier now that her father is paying attention. “Can we call TaeTae?”

When Jeongguk told her they couldn't head to the park today, that became all Areum has been asking. He loves his daughter so much, but the moment Taehyung had said “whenever,” Jeongguk knew this would happen.

But Areum misses her TaeTae's voice; she doesn't know how her father can go so long without hearing it. She misses his pretty face, too, but if she can't see him, then calling him was the next best thing, right!

Jeongguk sighs again, lifting a hand to poke at her cheek, fondly watching her clench her eyes shut at the contact.

“Okay okay, we can call TaeTae.”

“Really!” she shouts, her sparkling eyes as wide as her happy grin, mouth open in the cutest semi-circle. “Really, Appa!”

“Really, baby,” Jeongguk grins, fishing out his phone from his pocket. He opens up his text messages to find Taehyung, seeing the small conversation Taehyung had engaged the night they shared numbers.

It's been two days since then, and although Jeongguk /does/ want to text him again, he doesn't know what to say, the conversation faltering after Taehyung had responded to his “sleep well” from that night.

He prays that they aren't about to interrupt something important as he presses the call button, turning on speaker mode before handing the phone to her excited daughter. She immediately puts the phone to her ear, like her father always does whenever he picks up a call.

“It's on speaker mode, baby,” Jeongguk chuckles, pulling her hand back down, and she's so excited, hopping on her pink socked feet—he dressed her in a pastel pink frilled dress and baby blue pants with floral print today, the outfit she had picked by herself,

all with a ribbon hair clip situated in her hair. She looks positively adorable, his cute little angel.

The phone rings three times, and when there's a sound and the barely-there sound of static ensues, Areum gives her father a hopeful look.

https://twitter.com/perfectaenist/status/1169361756805722112?s=19

“/Hello/?”

“TaeTae?” she asks, looking down at the phone in wonder.

“/Oh? Is this Areumie speaking/?” Taehyung's voice goes teasing, gentle, bringing a smile to both of their faces.

“It is TaeTae! It's me!” Areum exclaims happily to his phone, wiggling a little in excitement at how he recognized her.

“/Hi lovely/,” Taehyung says on the other end, Areum preening at the nickname. “/How are you/?”

“I'm good, TaeTae! I miss you lots. I really wanted to give you snuggles today.” Her voice grows sad, and Jeongguk raises an eyebrow at that.

“Snuggles, huh?” he grins as he saves his work and puts his tablet aside. He didn't know about this, hmm.

Areum doesn't expect him to suddenly grab her, her squeal drowning out the little roar he lets out for effect as he picks her right up and into his lap, hugging her tight and nuzzling his nose into her cheek.

The fit of giggles she falls into is one of Jeongguk's most favorite sounds in the world.

“Appa!” she shouts mid-laughter. “I meant snuggles with TaeTae, not you!”

He gasps overdramatically. “You don't want to snuggle with /me/?”

“I already /did/ today, appa!”

Her memory is truly impeccable at this age. “Okay, fine,” he replies, pouting, and he hears Taehyung's soft chuckle on the other end of the line. “I see how it is.”

“I love you appa,” Areum giggles, and Jeongguk's fake sadness is uplifted just at that,

quickly attacking her with a kiss on the cheek as he keeps her close. His daughter holds the phone tight in both of her hands as she sets it on his tummy.

“/I missed you too, Areumie/,” Taehyung finally responds, amusement in his voice.

“/I'd give you more snuggles than your appa could ever/.”

“Hey!” Jeongguk exclaims, offended, and Areum laughs at him, little crinkles forming at the corners of her eyes from smiling so widely.

“You should give me snuggles, TaeTae,” Areum says cheerily. “Appa said that we could have a playdate!”

“Wait, what,” He didn't know about this, either.

“He said you can come over and give me snuggles!” Areum continues, lying through her teeth, and Jeongguk gapes at her.

“/Oh? Well, if your appa said I should, then I should, right/?”

What is going on.

“Wait—wait no, I. Areum, sweetheart, the apartment isn't clean, what—”

“/Jeongguk, I bet all five of my succulents that your home isn't even half as dirty as mine/,” Taehyung snorts.

His voice crackles a little with the static in the background.

“What's a sucoolent?” Areum asks, looking up at her father in confusion.

“/It's a plant, lovely/,” Taehyung tells her instead, Jeongguk nodding as he smooths his fingers through his daughter's hair.

Areum nods, even though Taehyung can't see her. “Can you come have a playdate with me, TaeTae?”

“/Of course! Anytime/,” Taehyung agrees easily, and Jeongguk sputters.

“Wait—”

“Yay!” Areum cheers, looking up at her father. “Did you hear that, appa? TaeTae is coming!”

“But—” Their apartment isn’t a mess, per say—just not clean enough for guests, in Jeongguk’s opinions. Areum’s toys strewn about here and there, dirty dishes still in the sink—Jeongguk works hard to keep their home clean, especially so that Areum doesn’t follow his poor example.

Still, it isn't immaculate—there isn't enough time to clean if Taehyung /does/ come over—

Jeongguk doesn't know why he feels so nervous. Their apartment is more on the nicer side of Seoul's housing,

Jeongguk able to get by well with the pay he gets working with a publishing company. But he still can't help but feel like a bundle of nerves, taking Areum's hand in his for a second.

“/Jeongguk/?”

He hums in response, loud enough for the phone to pick up.

“/If you don't want me to, then I won't/.”

It's the hope in Areum's eyes as she looks up at him that gets him to relent, breathing out a sigh as he agrees. And he smiles when Areum cheers in his arms, wrapping her small ones around her father excitedly.

· — 🌷 — ·

Nothing can beat running into her appa's arms, Areum thinks.

Except, perhaps, running into TaeTae's arms.

“TaeTae!” she squeals as she hurtles into the living room, her head swivelling to the side to see her appa move away where he stands in the hallway to the front door, holding the door open and revealing her TaeTae.

Her pretty Pokémon came back to her.

Seeing TaeTae's big boxy smile when she runs into his open arms and gets a huge snuggle—Areum loves it a lot, and she never wants to stop getting snuggles.

“TaeTae, you're here,” she whispers into his neck after Taehyung greets her,

pulling away and getting a kiss on the forehead from the pretty man.

“I am, just for you.” Taehyung booples her nose, making her giggle and look up at her appa, growing even happier when she sees the gentle smile on his face.

“Come on, let's let your appa close the door, yeah?” Taehyung tells her as he moves to stand up, and she agrees easily, grabbing Taehyung's hand to pull him to one of the couches in the living room.

Jeongguk closes the door behind them, marvelling when he turns around and sees the sight of Taehyung in a place so familiar. It's a new sight, something he isn't used to; not many people drop by, only a few people from work,

maybe his mother and father if they decide to come to Seoul from Busan. Jimin's the only other constant, coming over when Jeongguk needs help or to watch Areum while he's away.

Seeing Taehyung, now, though—he finds he doesn't mind him being here. It's new, but.

He could get used to it, he thinks briefly.

“Is it okay if I keep working?” Jeongguk murmurs to Taehyung when he gets close enough, Areum pausing her excited chatter to listen to her father.

“Of course,” Taehyung grins, reaching out suddenly to squeeze his hand.

“Don't worry about her, go ahead and focus on your work.”

Jeongguk smiles gratefully, squeezing Taehyung's hand in return before pulling away.

“Appa, me too,” Areum calls and holds out a hand to him, making a laugh escape Taehyung and a grin form on her father's face.

“I'll be right here, alright love?” he murmurs, squeezing her little fingers as well. His baby, his joy's soft, little hand.

“Okay, appa!” she nods, smile bright on her face, and Jeongguk settles back on the other couch where his tablet still sits,

smiling more often than not as he listens to his daughter's conversation with Taehyung.

· — 🌷 — ·

“Hey.”

Jeongguk glances up right as Taehyung sidles into the space next to him on the couch, a warm smile on his face as he looks at Jeongguk curiously.

Areum had gone to the bathroom, patting her dad's knee and telling him she was 'gonna go potty,' leaving the two adults alone in the living room.

“Whatcha working on?”

Jeongguk smiles at his curious gaze, gesturing to the almost-finished creation on his tablet.

“It's a children's book this time, a little story about the tooth fairy.”

“Oh, that's adorable,” Taehyung coos, leaning in close to see the drawing he's working on. It's a scenery shot of the tooth fairy's castle,

colored with watercolor brushes Jeongguk usually uses to illustrate stories he's asked to draw for. “You're amazing, holy shit,” he breathes at the sight, lips parted as he glances back up at Jeongguk, as if in awe that /he/ created this.

“Thanks,” Jeongguk chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck at the praise. Taehyung's looking at him with sparkling eyes; Jeongguk can see a little wonder in them, too, and it reminds him of how Areum looks at him when she sees his drawings as well.

The comparison startles him for a second—he never never sees his child in other people. Areum is her own being, someone he refuses to put others in comparison to ever since people started asking if she's like her mother.

He doesn't know how he feels, seeing his daughter in Taehyung. His stomach churns at the reminder of how attached he's gotten—how attached Areum's gotten—and though he's so, so grateful of Taehyung's presence, he's still.

Hesitant.

It's alarming, and he knows he's going to think about it too much later.

The other man continues, oblivious to Jeongguk's internal dilemma. “Has Areum lost her first tooth yet?”

He's thankful for the question, letting out a breath at the welcome distraction from his thoughts.

“Not yet, no. Her dentist said she'll probably start losing them at six years old, so we have over a year, probably.”

“Did you tell her about the tooth fairy yet?” Taehyung's smile is soft as he talks about Areum, and god does it make Jeongguk feel.

“Nope,” he grins. “As much as I love her, I /know/ she won't stop whining to me over when she's going to lose her first tooth and meet the tooth fairy already. Trust me—I am /not/ going to let myself suffer through that a year too early.”

Taehyung laughs heartily at that, a mischievous glint taking root in his eyes as he leans in a little closer. “Just you wait, /I'll/ tell her.”

“Don't you dare,” Jeongguk huffs, rolling his eyes in excuse to glance away from Taehyung's face so close to his.

“I already suffer through her asking to see /you/, nevermind the tooth fairy.”

That makes Taehyung perk up, face morphing to surprise before his grin returns, cheeky. “She talks about me?”

And Jeongguk lets out a groan, throwing his head back against the sofa for effect, even as a smile overtakes his face. “/Every second of the day/.”

Taehyung's eyes almost disappear with the wide smile that overtakes his face, laughing, completely endeared.

“God, she's the most precious thing.”

“I know,” he murmurs back, agreeing completely, and Taehyung's smile grows fond as he watches him.

“You're lucky, you know,” he tells him, eyes earnest. “Having the sweetest daughter in the world.”

His heart topples over itself at the words.

From other people, from strangers, it was always the same questions, the same statements—'was she a mistake' asked lowly to his face, the words insinuating the epitome of bad luck,

words he'll do everything he can to shield Areum from for as long as he lives.

Taehyung isn't quite a stranger anymore, no. But hearing words like this from someone who just entered his life—his eyes tighten, threaten to water.

“Lucky, huh?” he repeats in a whisper, just as his daughter comes running back into the living room, her plush pink rabbit held tightly in her arms as she's eager to introduce TaeTae to Cooky.

He can't explain how much he agrees as he gently picks her up.

Areum doesn't bat an eye as she continues talking about her plushie while Jeongguk settles her in his lap, only leaning back into his chest subconsciously as he hugs her to him, Taehyung glancing at him fondly, knowingly, as he presses his face into her hair.

He's the luckiest man in the whole world.

· — 🌷 — ·

“I hope we didn't interrupt your work,” Jeongguk says as Taehyung stands in front of the door, toeing his shoes back on. Areum is swaying back and forth next to him, making her dress swirl as she watches Taehyung get ready to go.

“Nonsense,” Taehyung responds easily, smiling at him. His smile is ridiculously contagious. “It's nice being around humans instead of plants for once, you know what I mean?”

Jeongguk chuckles at that, looking down and threading his fingers softly in Areum's hair.

She smiles up at him, her little cheeks chubby, before they both look back at the other man.

“I would've thought you'd think the opposite,” he voices, raising an eyebrow.

Taehyung shrugs, box-like grin showing pearly teeth.

“Well actually, I /usually/ like being with my plants more—but you both are an exception.”

“Special?” Areum pipes up, eyes wide and hopeful as she peers up at him.

Taehyung's smile never falters from his face as he pokes her button nose. “Very special—my favorite exceptions.”

It's such high praise for someone who's only known them for a month. Taehyung might as well swallow Jeongguk's heart whole at this rate.

“Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?” Jeongguk asks.

Maybe a part of him doesn't want him to leave just yet.

“I don't want to impose too much.” The grimace on his face is apologetic, one Jeongguk is quick to refute.

“Nonsense, it'd be no problem. We'd love it, really. Right, Areumie?”

“Stay for dinner, TaeTae,” Areum pleads,

voice high with hope as she steps forward to take Taehyung's hand in both of her own.

Taehyung presses a hand to his heart. “Oh, no, don't tempt me like this,” he practically whines, making Jeongguk chuckle at his dramatics.

But Taehyung still shakes his head, meeting Jeongguk's gaze, apologetic look still present on his face.

“But I do really need to get going. I could spend all day with you both, really—but research doesn't do itself.”

Jeongguk is sure some of the dejection he feels is shown on his face as he nods. “Next time, then.” And he doesn't fail to notice Taehyung's smile at the prospect of a next time.

Areum doesn't bother hiding her own dejection, sniffling a little.

“Bye-bye, TaeTae,” she calls out sadly, and Taehyung coos, crouching down to hug her for the nth time today, making sure she got all the huggles and snuggles she wanted.

“Bye-bye, Areumie.”

He presses a kiss to her head, Areum quickly reciprocating to kiss his cheek. It makes him absolutely elated, a strangled squeal escaping his pressed lips at how it's the first kiss he's gotten back from her, and he gives her another hug in excitement, one she giggles into.

When he straightens, he meets Jeongguk's fond look with his own, stepping forward hesitantly. And Jeongguk knows what he's hoping for, holding out his arms and letting the other wrap his own securely around his back, warmth filling Jeongguk up fast, so fast.

“I'll see you soon?” Taehyung mumbles, honeyed voice close to his ear.

Jeongguk nods as they pull away, the other stepping back towards the door. “Definitely,” he promises, content with Taehyung's matching smile.

When Taehyung struggles with unlocking the door, Jeongguk reaches around him to open it, the pretty man sending him a sheepish but thankful grin over his shoulder.

And Areum and her father wave to him as he heads down the hall to get to the elevator,

Taehyung waving back the entire time, up until the elevator closes.

Seconds pass as the two continue to stand there, still staring at the elevator doors as Jeongguk holds the door open.

Then Areum sighs, speaking up. “I miss him now, Appa.”

Jeongguk sighs, too. “Me too, baby, me too.”

· · · · · – — 🌷 — – · · · · ·

— [to be continued]

thats all i have for today! 9.4k so far uwu. guk's pov is actually so hard to write bc i keep wanting to cry hHhfjdk but!! we're making more progress 💆
tysm for reading :( tell me what you think of the update & areum au in general!!
curiouscat.me/perfectaenist