#for not being a polite and <acceptable> child like rika (who i also love deeply btw) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

immortalviridian · 7 years

Text

nascent

@juminvweek

Day One: Nostalgia/Childhood

4,127 words

Fluff (mostly)

Alternative Universe

Here are a few disjointed vignettes of a reminiscing married couple as they prepare to move into a new house. Now that they were about to start raising a child, it only made sense that they thought back to their own childhood.

Moving into the new house was a storm from start to finish. First of all, they wondered if it was worth it. The publicity they already had was a bit much. Having a new house might exacerbate it, Jihyun warned his husband. They might want to invade their private space further; they couldn't possibly know with journalists, but at least, one of their most prominent party guests was the leader of the Fair Reporters Association herself. However, Jumin said he would handle it, and he did, quite simply. Yes, gay marriage was practically nonexistent in South Korea, as was adopting a child, but Jumin was a trailblazer in his own right. V always remarked that Jumin had a quiet burn in his silver eyes and intent gaze.

When their engagement had been announced, V was stunned by the resolve Jumin showed - his love always had it and was never afraid to show it. He stood up tall, with an erect carriage and never hesitated. The news reporters would have scared the mint-haired man out of his wits had he have to resolve it by himself. They were partners, V reminded himself. They were two halves of a greater whole, and they needed to show it. They needed to work for it in any way they possibly could.

"The company is my child too. I have put my soul and sweat into caring for it, and you shall not tarnish the work of my employees either. The world is changing quickly, don't you see? In order to become a successful company, we are to rely on strategies that have worked before, but we also must be open to change; we must adapt. Technology has changed how C&R International works today. It is not the same company it once was when my father ran it - when my grandfather ran it. Why? We are generations of the same family, but we are individuals. We paved our own paths to success. Without a doubt, my future heir will do the same too. One is not simply born a Han, they must work to become it. They have to learn our values, have a similar upbringing, and understand what it is like to be a part of the top elite."

It was an important goal for Jumin Han to not become his father. It was a decision he and Jihyun had thought over very carefully. It meant everything to Jumin that he became a good father, despite not faring so well with children himself. V, on the other hand, had better luck, particularly with little ones. The only problem was that he feared that he would not be disciplined enough. Chairman Han certainly loved his son, but he had not respected him. Jihyun and everyone else expected that Jumin would not put up with nonsense, even from his own future sons and daughters. However, he would also want to make sure his children never felt the way he did. Their future children, male or female, would be responsible for leading C&R International into prosperity, but first, they would be his children, and he would show them just how much he loved them. With a wry smile, V noted it had echoed his previous words - they would be lovers and husbands and build something permanent together out of the love they shared with only each other, but above all, they would be best friends first, and they could trust each other with anything. They were two limbs of one body, essentially. The rest would come naturally.

"I grew up with Jihyun Kim. He has seen the world the way I have, he has loved me the way I love him, and we know what we want and how to get it. Even when we were just friends, as children, we relied on each other deeply. Our careers may diverge - I, as a businessman, and he as a photographer, but it won't change our past. It won't change the fact we shared our wine, tears, and smiles. Yet, we are open to change. We have endured separation; we have endured tragedy and heartbreak. Yet, we shared our triumphs, we were able to love each other just as deeply as we had as children, no matter how long it has been since we've talked together."

There was a time when Jihyun had shut himself off from everyone; he nearly lost everything he had with Jumin. It originated from a fear of clinging onto Jumin too much; Jihyun had feared loving his best friend too much would ruin everything because everything had to come to an end, even though he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Jumin then, despite not being sure how. Those rainy gray eyes, those uneven locks of raven black hair, and that imposing figure all threatened to become a distant memory as he lost himself in a romance with a previous fiancee.

Rika was lovely beyond words and they shared the same beliefs in the world. They once were each other's lifelines, but it was not equal at all. Before anything too disastrous could occur, they broke off the engagement. When he and his then best friend, now husband, were less busy, he then decided to reconnect with Jumin.

At first, the CEO was bitter, asking if V only worried about his exes when his fiancee was in an asylum and he needed a rebound. He had a strong will too though, countering it with a declaration that he and Rika would always be friends, even if they parted willingly. And that no matter what he and Jumin would always be best friends as well. The two were cautious; certainly, they couldn't fall in love again?

Oh, how wrong the pair was! However, they were older and more self-assured now. Homosexuality was a natural part of being human, part of living, for some. It was not common, but it was alright - they could live with it, so the rest of the world ought to as well. The fear and scorn of the middling crowd could often become a bit much, but one could not forget that they had the RFA, friends, to help back them up. Even Zen, of all people, was supportive. Then again, the actor and photographer hit it off almost instantly whenever they engaged in deeper talks. Soon, their confidence was insurmountable and unshakeable. Today proved it.

"These things will not change. They will not be lost. You cannot undo the past; you never can. The only thing a person can do is change the future by using the time they have now. I understand that South Korea is going through a lot of political unrest; you may find it unreasonable that such identity politics is going around with me - that the rumors are true. However, there is more to us than the over sexualization you put us through." Silver eyes glared straight ahead as if he were challenging the reporters.

"I want a future too. I want one that will drive me to greater heights. My work will always be important to me, but I have people I love. I have a man who is the world to me. You may find it weird that it is a man, but if Jihyun were a woman, you would have been tearing your hair out in relief. You would have believed we had a marriage arranged long beforehand. Perhaps that would have been the course of events if one of the two of us were a woman. Unfortunately, for you, neither of us are women. We are both men, but we're not just men.

"We are a family, we are two halves of one whole, and we are in love. Never do anything in halves, as it won't drive you to greater successes. Even though you dare to intrude upon and scrutinize our love, our desire to make a new, permanent future and stick together throughout it, and our new life, I can only pity you. You wouldn't understand what it is like to feel so complete. That is the true tragedy of all of this mess."

He gently took V by linking their arms, wiry against well-toned muscle, and guided him into the penthouse, going over the plans they had together for the new house. It was a mansion with dark blue roof tiling, decorated with ivory colored paint and accents of gold. Out of nostalgia, they selected one like the houses they used to have in their old neighborhood. The difference was that this home was much closer to the C&R International headquarters and to V's photography studio. During the new year, they cleaned away the bleeding of old wounds and let their vulnerabilities heal into scars, but they were not afraid. They only loved each other more for it.

And no matter what, they were always best friends, even as lovers. That was what they were first and foremost. On those lonely nights, they would bundle up the other in blankets, make them a fresh cup of tea or share a fine glass of Lambrusco di Sorbara Cantabile, and perhaps serenade the other to sleep. Sometimes, when they felt the need to, they would make love, but not before feeling the contours of each other's backs.

Jihyun remembered a moment when Jumin, scarcely clothed, had given him a sultry glance before licking his index and middle fingers before writing down several hangul characters on his back. V shivered. He knew it would be beautiful, even though he couldn't see it at the moment. Whatever Jumin made was always beautiful, but his handwriting was the most lovely, in Jihyun's honest opinion.

김지현 - Kim Jihyun

It was his name, the name Jihyun would endeavor to elicit out of his lover's loosened tongue, as soft moans or heated cries.

한주민 - Han Jumin

This was the name he would soon cry out, over and over again, almost as often as Jihyun would whisper how much he loved the other man. Toes curled, fingers carded through soft hair, and the men were saturated with each other's scent.

Tonight was Jihyun's turn, or so the teal haired man had claimed insistently before undoing an expertly arranged tie and removing the stiff suit jacket and its matching pants. A white shirt was unbuttoned and he let his hands and lips roam over the slightly taller male, who accepted all of it full-heartedly before claiming his place on top for the main course.

Things were like this, ever since they were young, but a spark had been ignited in their once companionate love. It was electrifying, and V was so, so grateful. Certainly, this love was more physical than the magical philosophy he had with Rika, but eventually, all dreams had to be realized. He and Jumin could have lived without a romance, but this new sweetness to their relationship had encouraged even more intimacy and a sense that the other was thinking what he had thought as well. Now, the photographer was certain that this was a man he could trust with his life, with a new life - their child's. Of course, that meant they would have to make more room, Jumin reasoned. It made sense that they would need to move into a larger space. However, Jumin Han was rich; he already had a large space, but it didn't stop him from wanting more for his future child and the man he loved more than anything.

In his dreams, memories of the past surfaced. First, it was that of Jihyun and his husband when they had first begun to reconnect. A soft humming throbbed in his chest, especially as the other man curled up to him, holding him with strong, warm arms. Despite not wearing anything at night, Jumin always made sure V felt warm. In the morning, with a soft kiss on Jumin's broad forehead, V made sure to do the same, pulling the blinds away, and making sure Jumin was comfortable and firmly tucked in before preparing breakfast for the two of them. Out of everything, eggs benedict and Croque Monsieur were the couple's favorites. It may be silly, Jumin had said, but nothing was more poetic than reminiscing over the budding of their sweet and refined romance: a delicate azure Forget-Me-Not that had blossomed on barren soil but was brought to life by their blood, sweat, and tears.

Not all moments were painful though. Perhaps they were born out of pain, but something magical had happened a few years ago.

Jihyun Kim couldn’t help but wonder if he did the right thing or not as he gazed at his reflection in his glass of water and ice. The choice to come back into Jumin’s life yet again so intimately was honestly a whim made at 3 AM in the morning, in the darkness of a Saturday late night spent in dim lighting and the memory of warm, strong arms of a man who he, more often than he could bear to admit, missed more than anything else. V thought he could live with it; he even had once managed to find a wonderful, beautiful young lady to almost marry. Yet, in the end, what he found was that he was projecting onto a broken swan, and he made up his mind to not be so selfish again. So why was he doing this? Was it because drinking his problems away with gimlets never worked? No… He had to admit it, but he felt all alone in the world at the moment. Loneliness drove people to do acts of sheer madness, including his former fiancee. As a result, it only made sense that he would succumb to it as well. No, V would have succumbed to it long before he even met the young lady --

As long as he was away from Jumin Han.

He had missed that soft, silken smile, so natural yet divine in the moonlight, that raven black hair he had tousled with himself, those mesmerizing, rainy gray eyes he could spend hours on end gazing too… It was sinful, just to even yearn to intertwine their nimble fingers again. That breathtaking need to kiss him, weaker yet now as an adult, still was a vivid memory and now, a memory. Looking at Jumin enter the patisserie through the reflection of his glass, V smiled thinly, like he had a heart filled to brim with an ocean of all sorts of sentiments - like he was trying to not break down and cry, out of happiness, sadness, regret and so on forth.

"V," the raven-haired man started, thoughtfully, in front of Jihyun's slightly tense figure. "I'm... glad we can talk again." Fluidly, the man rolled his shoulders as he settled down, placing his briefcase on the floor and before sitting down and gazing into flat teal eyes. They were like glaciers, hardly the turquoise pools of life that used to capture his, but as they both relaxed into their shared gaze, the exhilaration within them sparked yet again.

"Me too," the older male sighed before smiling at his brunch companion and handing him a laminated menu with bold colors and delicate font typing in pastel. "Would you like any recommendations as what to get? I decided on the Croque Monsieur and a cafe latte."

"Is that so? I was leaning towards their chef special's eggs benedict."

"It's a lovely choice, Jumin. I'm sure you'll enjoy it," Jihyun replied warmly, a smile like the sweet summer rain gracing his face.

"Alright, thank you. By the way, these are for you." Jumin blushed. It was easy to see on his alabaster skin and angular face, particularly from the side. Yet, to the other's surprise, he offered up a bouquet of Forget-Me-Not flowers.

“For me? You didn’t have to. I would have given you a gift as well, but it would have been difficult, as you deserve the best.” Tenderly, V accepted it, taking in its scent with a great deal of care and a smile, though subdued, as brilliant as the sun.

It was then that Jumin realized he had fallen in love at first sight - no, perhaps he had never stopped loving the other man, after all. However, Jumin really had no need to resign himself. Several outings later, which varied from seeing a movie, hanging out at each other's homes, going to art galleries, attending concerts, or visiting the aquarium (Jumin had always found it strange that ever since they were six, V could only think of how delicious the fish in the aquarium looked. "Of course, I won't eat them!" the light blue haired child proclaimed with an easy smile. Serious even then, the slightly younger boy only shook his head), V had made his confession before Jumin.

How could they not fall in love again? Absolutely, they had changed since they last met each other, but they still were themselves no matter what could happen. There was just something particularly distinct about a person who grew up with you, in the end. That quality had encouraged a romance to blossom yet again. Now that they were older, they had learned to care less about what others thought and learned how to work around it. Rest assured, they had no regrets by the time they had reached the altar, even though no one quite wanted to give Jihyun away. He didn't mind. This was something he was used to, and from the start, he always knew that he belonged by Jumin's side, and that was what mattered.

Of course, while it sailed smoother than their first attempt, their new love was not without its own fair share of troubles. First, it was the scrutiny of their fathers - Jumin almost wept when Han Sr. threatened to take away his inheritance and give it to a younger sibling of his, despite all the hard work he had done.

"Jumin, you are yourself before you are any man's son. You are more than just a CEO. You're a cat lover. You drown in details and wine a bit too easily, despite not drinking often. You're always willing to learn and improve on everything. You don't stop. You never give up. There's a healthy amount of ambition in you, and you give yourself the credit you deserve. Perhaps you and I are products of the environment we were born in, but we can become greater than that. No one is as surefooted as you, nobody is capable of being the visionary you are. Don't lose yourself in the expectations and standards of others. While being realistic and able to discuss semantics, the only thing you need to strive to be is a better you."

"The only man I want to be, Jihyun, is one worthy of your love," the raven haired male said plainly, meeting Jihyun's turquoise orbs evenly with silver ones.

The photographer laughed softly. "You already have my love, now and forever."

This held true in the dawn of autumn as well. The two had gazed at the large sitting room window, which looked over the hiking trail that V often liked to use as a muse. Recently, Jumin had noticed he had gotten a new one too.

Jihyun remarked, "You always were a muse for me too, darling. Even when we first met, you inspired me. I don't know if it was your visage or your diligence, or the way you cut past al the lies and frivolities of everyday life - I think it's all three, honestly - but you were always a source of inspiration."

A deep baritone chuckle sounded from Jumin, smiling into a kiss he placed on the teal haired man's forehead. "You flatter me too much. How is it to have all three muses in the same room?"

The other man beckoned for Jumin to sit next to him, glancing at the spot next to him on this soft bed. Turquoise eyes, framed by smile wrinkles, beamed at Jumin's. Both of them felt their hearts flutter, but this time they knew that the other felt what he did.

"It's wonderful!" Jihyun exclaimed. "I would like to preserve the moment with a photograph if it is alright."

"It certainly is."

The sight before Jumin was a beautiful one, one he had feared once before that would only exist in his dreams.

Delicately, his husband held their newborn son in his arms. He was swaddled and bundled comfortably in lace trimmed blankets up to his tiny face. They stayed silent for a bit. He was sleeping, just like they had first found him in the orphanage, though it had been a few days since then. A great heaviness was lifted out of their hearts by adopting this child. It did wonders for the two men to know that they had saved a little one from a lifetime of misery, although there still would be suffering in his life, nonetheless. Now, it was their job to prepare the future corporate heir for that part of life, even when he was still so fragile and small.

Jumin sighed.

"It's late, love. You should be off to bed soon," Jihyun chided. "Our son here seems to have the right idea."

"Not yet, I want to spend more time with our child. Just try to be quiet when you take the photograph." Jumin's gaze fell to his son; rainy gray eyes lit up to become small silver moons. He smiled reverently, overtaken by his good fortune.

Nothing could cement the retired photographer's suspicions more. It was, in fact, his husband's earnest nature that allowed him to fall in love with Jumin again and again, day after day. No matter how hard the rain fell, no matter how long the stars were obscured by clouds, they would still be together, until death did them part. Quickly, with his cell phone, they took a family photograph and simply rested together for a half hour cuddling with the baby, who slept soundly. Jumin warmed a bottle as Jihyun changed the little boy's diaper.

Gently, the mint-haired man handed their son over to Jumin as the latter settled himself so that he and the child were completely supported on Jihyun's shoulder. The CEO's eyelids drooped slightly before opening wide again in vigilance. "Looks like someone needs to sleep," his husband teased.

Jumin grumbled. "Just let me spend some time with you two. I was the one who suggested we adopt him and yet he gets to spend more time with you."

"Jealousy isn’t becoming of you, my dear." The reply only made the other man's low and feline growling louder. V simply laughed at his husband's silliness. The soft peal of joyous sound, like silver bells, had made Jumin feel at ease.

"Say, what do you think we should name him?" he suddenly asked. Jihyun looked at his love bemusedly for a moment in thought. "I had hoped to name the child if it were a girl - I had grown very fond of the name Jiyeon, particularly because it is my mother's."

Jumin looked over the baby in his arms, softly combing large fingers through a head full of black hair. "Mhm, well, he doesn't quite look like a Jiyeon. I suggest that we name him Jinwoo. I want our son to become as treasured a friend as you are. Of course, there's no guarantee he'll marry his best friend like we did, but perhaps he will find a similar sort of happiness. It's a name similar to my grandfather's. It'd make him happy since we're basing our children's names after other names in our families."

Delightedly, the teal haired male kissed Jumin on the lips sweetly. "And it will make this little one happy too. It's a noble name, given to him by his father."

"By his parents." Jumin was quick to correct.

"Alright, alright, now off to bed with you and Jinwoo."

A smile snuck up on Jumin's face as he held and embraced the small child delicately, hoping to infuse him with determination and warmth.

After the new father made sure that Jinwoo was nestled comfortably in his arms, he snuggled under the covers yet again as Jinwoo's other father, Jihyun, joined him, falling soundly asleep as their shoulders lightly brushed each other. It seemed to be a perfect ending to a perfect day.

Once Jumin had to leave their bed in the morning, he placed the child in Jihyun's arms and took care to not disturb his husband and son.

This scene is a familiar one, he thought. Whenever they had a sleepover, as children, he always woke up first, but as long as Jihyun was beside him, he couldn't have had a more pleasant rest.

#juminv #vumin #juminvweek #juv #mystic messenger #v #jihyun kim #jumin han

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