Kiss Me Like You’re Not Married.

Tae-hyun POV:

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Two weeks after the dinner.

The days had passed like melted glass. Slow, heavy, and a little distorted.

Tae-hyun hadn't seen Joon-won since the dinner. Not in person. But that didn't mean he hadn't thought about him. Often.

His wife brought up Ha-eun nearly every afternoon, something funny she'd said, a recipe she shared, a comment about parenting, the way her kid never ate vegetables unless Joon-won was the one feeding him.

And each time her voice floated into the room with that name—"Ha-eun"—it tugged something else behind it. A shadow.

Joon-won..

Tae-hyun never asked, never pried. But somehow he always listened more closely when she mentioned their son. Or the way Joon-won had left work early the other day to take him to a checkup. Or that she'd seen him walking across the schoolyard in that suit of his, hair slicked, eyes distant.

And now, tonight.. it was almost like the air had shifted again. He'd stayed late at the office, lost in a pile of meetings and meaningless decisions, his mind only half-present. There were plenty of bars in this area. Dozens. But his feet had moved toward this one. He'd always chose this bar specifically when he was drowning in thoughts or had too much work he had to deal with that day.

A quiet bar tucked into a side alley near the business district. Dimly lit, tasteful. Not loud enough to distract you from your own thoughts, and he liked that. For some reason he wanted to keep thinking about everything that happened. He have realized there's a pull between him and Joon-won but he didn't know how to admit it out loud yet since he'd only seen the guy once.

Tae-hyun stepped in, brushing his hair back with a sigh as he undid the top button of his shirt. Still dressed from work—black slacks, white shirt, silver watch catching the low amber lighting. His eyes took a second to adjust, scanning.

And there he was.

Joon-won.

Seated alone at the far end of the bar, back straight, one hand around a short glass of what seemed to be gin. A neat folder lay open in front of him, something work-related, but he wasn't reading it anymore. His eyes were fixed on the glass in front of him like it had something to answer for.

Tae-hyun froze for a moment. Eyes slightly widen and lips parting. He did not expect to see him here at all, especially since Joon had mentioned he rarely drinks.

His heart didn't race, but something curled up slowly beneath his ribs, unwelcome and warm.

He walked over like he wasn't thinking.

Joon-won looked up just before Tae-hyun reached him, like he'd sensed him in the room before even seeing him. Those hazel eyes flicked up under the bar's amber glow, and for the first time in two weeks, they locked again.

Not across a dinner table. Not from a polite distance.

But here. close. Unfiltered.

"You look like you're either about to fire someone or get drunk," Tae-hyun murmured as he took the seat next to him while taking his suit jacket off and placing it aside neatly.

Joon-won's lips lifted, just slightly. He seemed as surprised to see him as Tae-hyun was. But he didn't seem like he minded the consequence of the sudden meeting, he looked more relived of anything.

"Both sound tempting." His voice was low, casual, but there was an edge to it tonight. Like the thread of control he usually wore was fraying just at the corners.

Tae-hyun settled in, nodding at the bartender for a whiskey. "Didn't think I'd run into you."

"Neither did I." Joon-won didn't look away. "But it's not a bad surprise."

There was a pause. Not awkward, just weighted.

Joon turned slightly toward him, one elbow propped on the counter, fingers still loosely curled around his glass. The sleeves of his white dress shirt were rolled up just enough to expose his forearms, veins faint beneath the pale skin. Three buttons undone at the top to show his well defined body, more skin that he had seen him show at home.

"You always come here?" Tae-hyun asked. His eyes that were lingering on his exposed chest now finding Joon-won's eyes again. 

"Only when I need to think," Joon replied. "Or stop thinking." He added subtly, catching the lingering eyes on his chest which caused him to hum quietly.

Tae-hyun let out a quiet breath, then took a sip of his whiskey. The silence that followed wasn't empty. It was deliberate.

"Your wife still seeing mine every day?" Joon-won asked after a moment.

"Yep. Twice a day," Tae-hyun muttered. "It's like they're in a little club now."

Joon smiled faintly, resting his chin against the back of his hand. "And you? What've you been up to since that night?"

Tae-hyun glanced at him, then looked forward again, tongue pressing lightly against the inside of his cheek.

"Working. Thinking. Regretting that third glass of wine."

Joon-won's laugh was soft but real. Tae's chest twitched involuntarily.

"And you?" Tae asked, tilting his head. "Back to the polished routine?"

"I try," Joon replied. "But something's been off lately."

His voice dropped slightly at the last word, and he wasn't looking at the bar anymore. He was looking at Tae-hyun.

Direct. Open. A little too much.

Tae's fingers tightened around his glass, and he gave a half-smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You seem different."

"Different how?"

Tae turned a little in his seat, leaning an elbow on the bar. "Less…" He trailed off. "Perfect. In a good way."

Joon's brow twitched, amused. "You think I'm perfect?"

"I think you're very aware of how you're perceived," Tae-hyun replied, eyes narrowing. "That's different from being perfect."

There was a pause. A beat of quiet tension.

Then Joon-won leaned in just slightly against the bar table, clearly interested in hearing more of Tae-hyun opinions of him that never failed to surprise him. "What else do you think I am?"

Tae-hyun didn't move back. He stared at him, his voice low. "That's the thing. I'm still figuring it out."

Their glasses clinked faintly as they both sipped.

Joon let his gaze fall for a moment to Tae's mouth.. just briefly.. before he straightened and set his glass down. His voice, when it came next, was quieter. More honest.

"You ever thought you knew what you were… and then suddenly didn't?"

Tae-hyun blinked.

Joon's expression was unreadable. "I always thought I was straight. No questions, no hesitation. And then lately… I don't know."

Tae-hyun's heart didn't skip. It slammed.

"And what changed that?"

Joon-won looked at him. Hard. Even more Honest.

"You."

He said without hesitation. The words weren't loud. They weren't dramatic. But they were a brick dropped into still water.

Tae-hyun didn't reply at first. He looked down at the whiskey in his hand, watching the amber swirl.

When he looked back up, his voice was quieter. "Careful."

"Why?"

"Because you're not drunk enough to blame this on the alcohol."

Joon-won smiled slowly, like something dangerous had just clicked in place.

"I know."

And that's when Tae-hyun realized—whatever this was, it was already happening.

Not physical, not yet. But emotionally, psychologically.. still.. just as last time at dinner. it was a current they were already neck-deep in.

And neither of them was swimming away.

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The soft clatter of glasses and ambient jazz hummed in the background as the night pressed on. Their conversation had settled into an easy rhythm, the kind that only came when the pressure of outside eyes had lifted. No kids. No wives. No expectations.

"So what do you listen to on your own time?" Tae asked, lazily turning his drink in his hand. "Not in the car with your family or during some business dinner.. but when it's just you."

Joon smiled, surprisingly thoughtful. A smile tae didn't expect to see on a man like Joon. "Depends on my mood. When I need to clear my head, instrumentals, lo-fi, old jazz. When I want to feel something… classic rock, sometimes even those overdramatic soundtracks from old Korean dramas."

Tae blinked, then let out a laugh, shaking his head lightly as he stared at Joon with slight wide eyes, playful disbelief in them. "You? Drama OSTs? I did not see that coming."

Joon shrugged, unbothered. "I like what I like. Something about all that slow piano and repressed longing just… does it for me."

Tae nodded, amused. "I respect it. Personally, I need rhythm. R&B, something low and smooth, especially when I'm driving alone. It makes the whole world feel slower."

There was a small pause as they both took a sip. The silence wasn't awkward, it was full, relaxed.

"What about when you're off the leash?" Joon asked, setting his glass down gently as he turned his full attention and body towards the guy next to him in the bar. "Not work. Not family. Just you. What do you do to feel like yourself again?"

Tae thought for a moment. "I drive. Nowhere in particular. Windows down, music on. Maybe go to take a long walk late at night when it's empty. There's something nice about letting the wind blow on my whole body while I'm in my own zone."

Joon smiled, a bit more loosely now. "I like that. I usually workout in the backyard early in the morning. Just… disappear from everything for a bit. I think being alone at the start of each day reminds me I still belong to myself."

There was something honest in that, something raw. Tae looked at him for a beat longer than necessary, watching how Joon's fingers traced the rim of his glass again, slow and unconscious. The veins on the back of his hand shifted slightly with the motion, tendons tight under pale skin.

Tae's mouth moved before he thought.

"Your hands look like they could kill a man."

The words hung in the air. Both of them paused.

Joon arched an eyebrow, amused. "Should I take that as a compliment?" He tilted his head, a slight smirk appearing on his face as he stare right into Tae-hyun eyes, he clearly just said his thoughts out loud and there was something cute about that.

Tae, ever the proud one, didn't flinch. "I said it, didn't I? Not going to take it back now." He huffed stubbornly and turned to reach for his drink again, taking a sip with his ears slightly flushed in embarrassment he didn't want to show.

Joon laughed softly, leaning forward towards him with a glint in his eye. "So you admire dangerous things?" He asked in a low voice, the glint of red on Tae's ear was tempting him to push further subtly to see how he'd react to the teasing. Surprisingly he was easy to tease and something in knowing that made him more interested in the guy before him.

Tae felt his body shiver slightly at Joon-won suggestive words and he glanced sideways at him, he has leaned closer a tad, despite his ear going redder he smiled lazily. Keeping the rip of his cup at his lips, lingering there as he speaks. "The more dangerous, the better the thrill."

Joon tilted his head, taking in Tae respond. He licked his lips slowly and leaned back in his chair with a hum, fingers resting on his glass again, deliberately this time.

They both fell into silence for a few seconds, each taking a slow sip from their drinks while Joon-won mind is clouded with curiosity and thoughts before he decided he'd like to make a quick slip of a conversation, unlike Tae-hyun who had done it on accident. He was doing it purposely leading the conversation in another direction completely.

"I've always found it fascinating. How some people naturally take control without needing to say much. The way they carry themselves, the silence between their words. That kind of dominance doesn't have to be announced." He said smoothly, eyes staring ahead of him at the bottles displayed in the bar, maybe out the blue to Tae-hyun. But to him he have thought it through and is aiming for a specific outcome.

Tae-Hyun head snapped towards the calm Joon-won at the sudden change of subject, his lips part slightly as he try to grasp the meaning behind his statement before he realized what he's hinting it, he couldn't help but feel like playing along. The redness on his ears long gone now and his tone cool but gaze sharp. "And then there are people who respond to that. Not out of weakness, but instinct. They want to follow. They want to be… undone, in the right hands."

Joon gave a soft exhale through his nose, half a smirk on his lips. He liked the reaction he got, even without his eyes on Tae he knew the look he gave him before he grasped the meaning and responded exactly how he wanted him to. "Funny, isn't it? How some people were clearly made to lead… while others were made to feel more alive when they're being led." He continued, now his head turning to face Tae-hyun again with a more intense look in his eyes.

Tae's voice dropped at the statement, just enough. "It's all about who brings that side out of you, Joon-won." He hummed his name out with a hint of playfulness and held his eyes.

There was a long pause, no words, just the hum of the bar and their glasses on the table. Joon's eyes held Tae's now, no longer playful, not entirely serious either, but burning with implication. Especially after hearing his name for the first time coming out of that guys mouth in that way. A part of him liked it, while the other one wondered why did he even like it.

"People spend years not knowing which one they are," Joon pushed, voice smooth and husky. "Until the right person walks in and ruins the balance."

Tae smirked, but the look in his eyes betrayed the tension beneath. "Balance is overrated." He let the implication hang there before turning to order two cups of whiskey for the both of them, his treat.

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After a few more sips, a few more chit chat here and there. The buzz was just enough to loosen tongues and lower walls, but neither of them was anywhere near sloppy. The bar's warm light caught the sheen on Joon's skin, making his pale arm look almost sculpted.

The contact was light, almost accidental, but the effect was anything but.

Joon's breath hitched ever so slightly with every 'accidental' touch.

And Tae noticed immediately. His lips curled into a sly smile as he tapped Joon's muscled arm when he noticed the guy was staring at his glass quietly for a second too long, as if he's lost in his thoughts, letting fingers lingering just a second longer than necessary. "Hey," he whispered softly, he leaned in close enough to brush his lips teasingly against Joon-won ear that his breath tickled it on purpose before adding in a whisper, "you looked like you needed a reminder that I'm here." Just as quickly as he had made such a bold move, he leaned back in his seat and smiled softly at the stunned guy in front of him.

Joon's body tensed for a moment, then relaxed, heat pooling low in his chest. His usual sharp, composed gaze darkened at the way Tae-hyun is acting, flickering with something raw and alive.

"You're trouble," Joon murmured, voice thick but steady, unlike his heated gaze.

Tae chuckled softly, "and you like that." He said with a voice so low and teasing, he place his arms onto the bar table then rest his cheek onto it, innocently staring right at Joon with a flicker of challenge in his dark brown eyes.

The subtle touchs, the warm breath, the teasing tone.. it all worked like a spark against dry tinder. Joon's heart raced in quiet rebellion against his carefully maintained control. He was slowly starting to lose his patience. 'So that how you want to play.. Tae-hyun..'.

Joon shifted slightly, his arm still tingling where Tae's fingers had lingered. The corner of his mouth twitched in a smirk as he reached out, not fully, but just enough, to tap Tae's wrist lightly. "You really like to push buttons, huh?"

Tae's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Only the ones that get a reaction." He pushed back, the heat from Joon-won fingers on his wrist making him pull his head up and straighten himself once again on the chair.

Leaning back just a fraction, Tae let his hand rest on the edge of the bar, deliberately close to Joon's thigh again. "You know," Joon-won spoke huskily, voice low but clear enough for only Tae-hyun, "I'm pretty patient… but I also know when to strike."

Tae-hyun breath hitched, he didn't pull away. Instead, he caught Joon's intense gaze and held it, the challenge clear between them. "Is that so?" He challenged innocently, tilting his head with a soft smile as if he wasn't the one who started this.

The air thickened around them, the playful atmosphere charged with something more dangerous. Tae's smile grew wider, leaning in so his voice dropped to a barely audible whisper, "You're not the only one who knows how to play."

For a moment, their faces were inches apart, the noise of the bar fading into the background. Joon's normally sharp eyes softened, darkening with something deep and urgent. The heat radiating between them was undeniable. His gaze fell to Tae-hyun lips for a split second before shifting back to meet his eyes.

Then, almost teasingly, Tae pulled back before Joon could even grasp what had just happened, laughing quietly. "Don't get too cocky, muscled arms. You've got to earn your wins."

Joon's smirk deepened, the tension now electric. "Challenge accepted."

Joon's gaze flickered, a sudden decision sparking behind his eyes right away. Without warning, he reached across the bar, his fingers curling around Tae's wrist firmly and pulled him a little closer, closer than either had dared before. Their faces were inches away once again and the way Tae-hyun gasped softly at the sudden action and looked at him as if he was crazy made his mind race.

The world seemed to narrow to the heat between them, the quiet hum of the bar fading away. Neither pulled back. Neither said a word.

Tae's breath hitched, heart pounding, but he didn't move. Instead, he leaned in even closer but still far enough to look at each other. In that instant, Joon-won leaned in, his lips brushed against Tae-hyun cheek up till his ear slowly and teasingly. "Told you, I know when to strike.. Tae-hyun." He whispered in a deep voice. His grip on his wrist tightening slightly and keeping him close.

Before either could respond, Joon's phone shattered the silence with a sharp ring.

They both froze, eyes locking in the moment's pause. Tae's phone buzzed almost immediately after, the second ring louder this time.

Neither moved to answer. Instead, Tae's free hand slid over, gently grabbing Joon's phone that's on the table and silencing it.

Joon's jaw clenched slightly, but there was no real irritation.. just the weight of interruption neither was ready for.

After a brief, tense pause, Joon finally swiped the screen and answered quietly. He finally let go of his wrist and Tae's eyes flicked to his own phone as it rang again, sitting back down slowly.

This time, Tae picked up, his voice low, but the air between them remained charged, undisturbed. Their eyes locked as both of them whispered away on their phone, their wives have called.

When the calls ended, Tae slipped Joon's phone off the table and quickly, almost stealthily, saved his number in it with a single, knowing look at Joon, eyes heavy with unspoken words.

Joon met that look and gave a slow, almost imperceptible nod. A slight smile appearing on his face at the action that he found quite adorable to say the least.

But the moment had been broken.

Tae sighed softly, standing as he hands Joon-won his phone back with a brush of their fingers, "I've got to go." He mumbled, he took out some cash and slipped it to the bartender for their drinks and turned to face Joon-won one last time.

Joon didn't protest. But his eyes said everything, he didn't want the moment to end but he couldn't stop the guy from leaving especially when he himself had to leave.

They lingered a beat longer before Tae pulled on his jacket, a flicker of slight desire in his eyes as he give Joon-won one last look before leaving behind a space still warm with tension and promises left unspoken.