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Masquerade IV: The Dark Side (Jin x Reader x Tae) Part 4

While love may bring out the best in us, it could also bring out the worst.

** If you haven’t read them already, please read the following BEFORE starting this story: Silver Spoon, Masquerade I, Masquerade II, Masquerade III, Masquerade 3.1 & 3.2 drabbles **

Summary: You were never lucky in love. Through disastrous dates, consistent unrequited crushes, and broken relationships, you’ve constantly been searching for someone to give you genuine love and romance. And through it all, one person had remained your constant shoulder to lean on. Although you had never seen his face, he had given you a sense of confidence and a place of comfort in Club Masquerade. The more times you’ve failed in love though, the more you realized that may be no one would ever choose you. However, one fateful encounter, thanks to your dog, made you want to hope one more time. Did fate bring you to the one who would finally end your streak of being broken-hearted? Or had the right guy been with you all along?

Jin x Reader x Tae (ft. previous Masquerade characters, Silver Spoon characters, & Got7 Jackson) Fluff, Smut, Angst, Romance Host Au, Cook!Jin, Vet!Tae, Bartender!Tae

**If you need a refresher on connections, here’s the diagram: Connections **

Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 (Finale)

A/N: Hope everyone’s doing well ~ So happy I could finally sit down and write again! Enjoy :)

"Hey Y/N. Can you check this over for me?" Hoseok leaned over as he slid a stack of papers towards you.

You blushed at his proximity.

Having a crush on your boss was so cliché, but you couldn't help it. Although he had garnered the reputation of being cold, you remembered the days where he was literally a walking sunshine. You still felt his warmth during the times you were alone like this. You knew he was in there somewhere, and you've often wondered if you would be the one to bring him back.

"Y/N?" Hoseok waved a hand in front of your face, forcing you to realize you had blankly been staring at him.

You straightened up, flustered. "Y-Yeah, sure."

"Thanks. Just leave it on my desk when you're done. I trust your critique more than half of these goons here." He snorted.

You blushed at the compliment. "W-will do, boss."

"Thanks." Hoseok clicked his tongue and gave you a quick wink before disappearing.

You grinned widely. Would you be the one to pull him out of his darkness after all?

Then along came Park Jimin.

To say you were slightly upset that Hoseok had so easily assigned you to the new CEO would be an understatement, but you continued to delude yourself that maybe pushing you away was his way to stop his raging feelings for you. But Jimin proved to be even harder to resist, with his bright smiles, cute antics, and his constant attention.

"Hey, what's a pretty girl like you doing hunched over on a desk so late?" Jimin sat on your table smoothly. "It's a 9 to 5 for a reason."

"I uh...have to finish up a few more things." You blushed as he came up behind you, reaching around to grab the paper in your hand.

"Y/N." He whispered, his breath tickling your cheek. "This isn't due 'til the end of the week. Let's go home."

You felt your skin crawl with warmth.

"Come. I'll walk you out." Jimin gestured. "I can't have one of my workers staying late. I'm not like Hoseok."

He was the perfect gentleman, opening all the doors, tucking you into your coat, and making you feel comfortable with his easy going conversation. It wasn't hard to fall for Jimin, not when he seemed to give you his focus and attention even with things unrelated to work, unlike Hoseok.

You rolled on your back and stared at your ceiling, recollecting the events of the night. When you had planned to go to Burlesque, never in a million years did you think you'd return to your bedroom having been asked out on a date by Kim Taehyung.

He stepped closer to you, "And where do you stand with that now?"

You felt magnetized by his gaze so you felt yourself shift closer to him too as you whispered. "I'm a bit more open to the risk if the person is right."

Tae's lips curled up, "Then would you be open to going on a risky date with me, Miss Puppy?"

Grabbing the nearest pillow, you covered your face to dampen your squeals. Then you exhaled, letting the momentary excitement die down, allowing your fears to seep in.

You had been here. A countless amount of times.

Giddy butterflies. Nerves. The enthusiasm about someone being interested in you.

But one thought haunted you: How long would this last?

How long would you see Taehyung through rose colored lenses until they shatter and he shows his true self? Would it be your fault or would it be his? Would he choose you? Would he want to keep you? Would he still be the same person you imagined?

How many times have you been through this cycle? You fall for someone, and it either ends unrequited with only your delusions to disappoint you like it did with Hoseok and Jimin, or they choose you temporarily. No one was permanent. Nothing was guaranteed. No amount of love and effort could force someone to reciprocate your feelings in the same intensity and manner. It was a terrifying realization that there was nothing you could do, because it was someone else's choice.

"Y-you said yes?" Jin stammered.

Your lips curled up. "Yeah...I was surprised too."

Jin took a few seconds to quell his spiraling emotions. The only sanity he was holding onto was the feeling of your hands in his, knowing you were waiting patiently for him to say what you wanted to hear. It was always odd to him that he knew you that well.

He looked at you and gently stated. "I'm proud of you for taking that risk."

Your eyes lit up, and he knew he had hit the nail on the head. Then something faltered in your expression, and alternatively, a flicker of hope sparked in his. Were you second guessing your decision?

"What's wrong?" He asked, breathlessly praying that you were confused...and furthermore, that you were confused because of him. But he knew that was just wishful thinking.

With just a word of concern from him, your positive facade crumbled. Jin made you feel so safe that your mouth began moving before you could stop yourself. The thoughts that had been circulating your mind since last night came tumbling forward - raw and rushed.

"It's terrifying, Jin. The feeling of falling. So many what ifs swim through my mind, like what if this guy is just like every other wrong guy I've fallen for? What if he's nice at the start but once he got what he came for, he leaves me for the next chase? What if he's perfect at the start but what if that affection you thought was devotion turns into possession and obsession? What if it all goes wrong? What if he doesn't like who I am like the others? What if he sees my flaws and runs? What if he sees my strengths and sees them as flaws? What if I get hurt all over again? What if that is how I'm destined to spend the rest of my life? When should I draw the line and surrender? When should I accept that maybe no one out there will love me or even want to love me?"

Jin instinctively pulled you into his chest, burying all of his emotions to tend to yours. It hurt him more to see you like this, than when he heard you were going on a date.

"Y/N, you enjoy the journey." he whispered. "Yes, you can get hurt again. Yes, they can turn out to be jerks, but you know, I'd rather live than regret and have what ifs. You were able to figure out and be sure that those men were the wrong ones because you tried to be with them. If you hadn't, you might've been hung up on what you imagined them to be rather than for who they really are. Don't let fear stop you from giving a chance to someone who might be completely right for you."

You lifted your face from his torso, reveling in the softness in his voice, the warmth of his body. "But how will I know if they're the right one?"

Jin combed his fingers through your hair, "You won't...not until you get to know who they really are. But I can tell you, the right one will be unlike any of the other guys before. He will make you feel special, loved, beautiful. He will want to know you, and he will see both your strengths and flaws as precious because they make you, you."

You stepped back to get a good look at Jin's face, "Do you really believe someone like that exists?"

He cupped your face to stare into your eyes with as much authenticity as he could muster, praying his feelings would get through to you somehow.

"Well, you never know. He may be right in front of you."

"Okay, this is the 20th time you've sighed. What is wrong with you?" Crumbs appeared beside Jin, but he wasn't even surprised.

Jin sighed once again. "I don't really know, Crumbs. I just feel kind of blah and everywhere? I have these feelings but blank thoughts. Has that ever happened to you?"

He stared down at her pleadingly, wanting reassurance that he wasn't going crazy.

"Come." Crumbs tugged at his apron and dragged him into the kitchen. "Your moping face will scare away the customers."

Jin exhaled.

"And for goodness sake, stop sighing." She rolled her eyes and positioned him in front of the kitchen counter. "Now when I have thoughts I can't sort out, I do what I do best and cook. Put your emotions into your art and it'll give you a reply."

Jin blinked, "You know...you're actually smart."

"I'm going to ignore that since you're slightly off today." Crumbs huffed. "Now talk to me when you've got yourself sorted out."

He watched as Crumbs tended to her own batch gratefully. Her sharp gaze, knowing he was spacing out again, jolted him to look down at the ingredients in front of him. She was right. Jumping into something he loved doing often provided him clarity when things became too muddled. So he let his hands find its way around while his mind wandered.

To you. To himself.

He knew he had kept his emotions and thoughts bottled up, believing pushing forward was the only way to go. But he wasn't exactly sure why he still felt like he was at the starting line and walking in circles. His bakery was doing well. He was getting enough money to live comfortably. So why did he feel so stuck?

"Hey." He spoke up.

"Hm?" Crumbs hummed.

"Have you ever felt stuck?"

"Of course. Who hasn't?" She answered so nonchalantly that Jin had to chuckle.

"Well...how do you get yourself unstuck?"

"Why're you stuck in the first place?" She raised an eyebrow, giving Jin her full attention.

Jin kneaded the dough as he pieced his words together. "I just feel like I'm not running fast enough I guess. Everything I want seems to be within my grasp but evading me. With Y/N. With success. With my siblings."

"Ah. There it is." Crumbs' lips curled up.

"What?" Jin blinked.

"Your complex." She pointed.

"My complex?"

"You're stuck because you've put yourself inside a box that you don't fit in." She stated.

"What do you mean?"

"Jin. You aren't your siblings, and you will never be." Crumbs threw flour lightly onto his face. "So stop comparing yourself to those business goons. You're meant to find success in a different way."

"I guess." He hummed.

"In a way you're doing more than them, you know."

"How so?"

"Well, they manage different business chains, but do they actually run it?" she smirked. "I think it's tougher to gain the numbers from the inside. It's easy to look at them and review from the outside."

Jin smiled, "That's a good way to look at it. I would like to see them work here one day."

"I think it'd be a riot." Crumbs chuckled. "Give yourself credit. What may seem easy for you, isn't for others. And other people's successes shouldn't undermine yours. You're an entrepreneur. You belong to no big company yet here you are, running a well-known, well-sought after bakery."

Jin reached over pressed his palm into Crumbs' cheek, marking her with flour in return. "You know, you're actually awesome."

"I've always been." She rolled her eyes. "Who do you think keeps this ship afloat?"

Jin snorted. "And also, with Y/N...I don't want to just give up like this. Do you think that's low of me?"

Crumbs smiled and shook her head. "Not at all. It's just a date after all. There's no commitment involved, so you're fair game."

"I want to put my best foot forward and win her over." Jin stated confidently, feeling a sense of rejuvenation creep into him.

"Go for it, tiger." Crumbs slapped his back. "I like you a lot better when you're running forward and not standing still."

Jin grinned. "Thanks."

"Don't worry about it."

Crumbs phone rang and she checked it with a sigh.

"Everything good?" Jin questioned.

"Yeah. I need to step out for a second." She smiled wryly.

"No worries. I got things in here." Jin waved.

She snorted as she took off her apron. "Sure you do."

"What did I tell you about calling me out during work?" She crossed her arms.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. You just keep avoiding me, and I know for sure I can find you here." Jackson stepped out of his car.

"So? What do you need?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Here." He handed her an envelope.

"I don't need it."

"Crumbs." Jackson exhaled.

"Tell them to stop doing this, and you stop following them! Have more backbone."

"I want to do this."

She shook her head. "I've already made my decision on this matter."

"I know." Jackson smiled as he stuffed the envelope into her hand. "But so have I."

"What--"

Jackson kissed her cheek before hurrying back into his car.

"Step on it before she breaks the car!" He bellowed with a light-hearted cackle.

She huffed as she stuffed the envelope into her pocket, watching the vehicle screech around the corner in a hurry. But a small smile splayed on her lips.

"Stupid Jackson."

"Tell me again why we're here?" Dark Angel whispered.

"We're here to monitor the date, of course." Jungkook hid behind the menu.

Dark Angel sighed. "I thought we agreed we wouldn't get involved even though we're aware of this love triangle between my family."

"We're not involved. We're observing. A recon mission." Jungkook's eyes sparkled.

"It's like you're a cop or something." Dark Angel snorted as she was about to pull off her fake glasses.

"No! What're you doing?" Jungkook pushed them back onto her face.

She rolled her eyes. "I hardly think putting on specs is a disguise."

"It worked for Superman." Jungkook mumbled.

"Jung--" Dark Angel was about to retort.

"Shhh! They're here!"

Dark Angel exhaled but fell silent to appease her boyfriend.

"Thanks for agreeing to a dog cafe." Tae grinned as he let Soonshim off his leash and you did the same for your puppy. "I feel like Soonshim hasn't been too happy cooped up at home. He's used to being freer."

"Don't worry. I've wanted to come here, but never got a chance."

The two dogs immediately began to frolic together enthusiastically while you and Tae watched them fondly.

"Let's order our drinks." he gestured.

You nodded and followed his lead to the cash register.

It was apparent that the worker was intently admiring Tae's extremely handsome face as he was blankly scanning the menu, and while you were a little annoyed, you also couldn't blame them.

His hair was messily disheveled but fluffy; his bangs falling just around his eye level. He had a casual button up with a design on the collar, and loose black sweats pants that exposed his ankles. On anyone else, it might've been an odd combination of relaxed and formal fashion, but for some reason, he pulled it off effortlessly.

"Can I have a strawberry milkshake?" He grinned. "How about you, Miss Puppy?"

You blinked, not having scanned the menu at all since you had been too busy admiring him.

"Uh a chai latte please." You blurted out the first thing you could think of.

"Name?" The cashier flashed him a smile.

"Vincent."

Your eyes widened. "Vincent?"

"Vincent Van Gogh." He stated seriously as the worker wrote down the name as best as she could.

He glanced at you and playfully raised his eyebrows. You bit your lip, trying not to laugh.

"We'll get your order to you soon, Mr. Van Gogh. Please have a seat anywhere." She bowed.

"Thanks." Tae knocked on the counter and gestured for you two to step back outside to watch your dogs.

"Vincent Van Gogh, huh?" You teased. "I didn't know you were named after someone famous."

"You know Van Gogh?" His eyes brightened.

"Of course." You chuckled. "Who doesn't?"

"You'd be surprised. Back at home, not many people do."

"Where is home exactly?" You questioned.

"Daegu. I was a farm boy."

You blinked. "Oh my gosh."

"Hm?" Tae glanced over from where he was actively watching Soonshim.

"I totally forgot you were related to one of the Chairman candidates. I'm so dumb." You winced.

"Why would you be dumb?" he chuckled.

"Well, no. I knew you and Dark Angel were cousins and she and Farm Girl are sisters so..."

Tae shrugged. "They're them, and I'm me. I love them, but they don't define who I am."

"I mean yes, of course." You blushed.

He chuckled. "You regretting dating the potential Chairman's cousin?"

You shook your head, flustered that he had reiterated that this was a date once again.

"Don't feel bad. I mean Jimin still doesn't know." He cackled. "Poor guy still hasn't put it together, and he's really close to my family members."

"How did that happen?" You chuckled as you stood beside Tae to check on your dog as well.

"Well I mean other than Burlesque, Jimin and I don't exactly 'hang out' cause of history." Tae shrugged. "Though I'm not weirded out by it, but I guess he still feels guilty."

"So you're really okay with you know...seeing your ex-girlfriend and well...Mr. Park?"

"Yeah totally." Tae laughed. "Receptionist and I are really good friends. The more I got to know the true her and not the filtered version I dated, I knew for sure we wouldn't have matched well together. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the fact that Jimin is still nervous around me. It's nice to be seen as a threat and tease him."

Your lips curled up. "I guess you're not as nice as you seem to be."

Tae grinned. "You think so? Maybe I've just learned to unleash it more. I've always been playful, but it seems I've turned mischievous."

You laughed.

"Drinks for Vincent Van Gogh?" Another worker stepped forward.

You and Tae couldn't hold back your chuckles at his name.

"Thank you." He bowed then he grabbed his drink. "I was parched."

"Same."

You two sipped in silence until your pets shuffled over to get your attention.

"What made you want to bring Soonshim to the city?" You asked as you pulled your puppy to your lap.

"Actually he was the one that wanted to come." Tae shrugged as he ruffled his dog's fur.

"What?"

"When I left, my family told me he was really sad. Then when I came to visit, he wouldn't leave my side so when I asked him if he wanted to come with me to Seoul, he barked. So here we are. Right?"

Soonshim barked in response.

"You really are an animal whisperer." You recounted, causing Tae to smile.

"So tell me, Miss Risk Taker, what's the most spontaneous, daring thing you've done?" Tae questioned.

You hummed and turned warm. "Mmm...well...umm...I'm actually a..."

"I'll share one after you." Tae urged.

"I'm a customer at Club Masquerade." You mumbled.

You weren't sure if it was your imagination, but Tae's jaw tensed briefly at your statement. But maybe it was simply your eyes playing tricks.

"Oh wow." He chuckled. "Definitely didn't expect that. Do you still frequent?"

"Um yeah. Sometimes..." You shyly slurped your drink.

"I've had sex in that Masquerade Ball place with a random person." He admitted.

You choked on your drink at his bluntness.

"Do I win?" He teased.

You coughed and he handed you napkins with a grin.

"I call it my dark days..." he dramatically recounted. "You know... post-break up mentality?"

You snorted. "Yeah, me stumbling into Club Masquerade was one of those episodes."

Tae chuckled. "Isn't it crazy what we do when we're vulnerable and hurt?"

"Yeah..." You smiled sadly.

"Hey, do you wanna just walk around the park nearby?" Tae asked.

"Sure." You were surprised at his sudden segue.

"I brought my camera and it's been so long since I've taken pictures." He grinned, holding up a vintage looking hand-held camera.

Tae never seemed to fail to surprise you, but then again, everything about this was novel. You shook off the question of how long this novelty would last, and followed him out with your dogs obediently trailing after.

Enamored, you watched him take pictures of everything, getting low on the ground for a lone flower or attempting to take an aerial shot of the landscape from a tree. You admired his passion and carefree nature. You wondered how the world looked in his eyes as you scanned the empty park, and the changing sky. You thought it would be awkward to just follow him in silence, but it was kind of nice...comfortable even.

"Wanna see some?"

Your thoughts were broken by the sound of his voice so close to you. You flinched as you noticed he was right beside you, nonchalantly scanning through his photos.

"Sure." You tried to sound composed, despite the hammering of your heart at his proximity, especially when he leaned into your shoulder to show you his pictures.

He grinned. "Here's one of my favorites so far."

You gasped as you saw your silhouette looking out at the scenery, in deep thought, candid, and dare you say, beautiful. "Wow..."

"Thanks." He smiled, extremely satisfied. "I usually edit a little, but the lighting was perfect already."

"How long have you been into photography?"

"Not long, but once I get into something, I put my everything into it." Tae grinned. "I made lots of photographer friends and they gave me tips."

"What else have you gotten into?"

"I sing, dance, rap, act, model, and I try to be fashionable." He listed. "Not that I'm super famous at any of them, but when I see an opportunity, I try for it and do the best I can."

"Wow...I wish I had time for hobbies." You chuckled.

"Why not?" Tae shrugged with a smile. "There's plenty of time. What's one thing you like doing?"

"Huh." You paused.

You had actually never thought about it. Tae stared at you curiously.

"You know, I actually don't know. For real." You felt a little embarrassed that something so simple was overlooked. Everyone had a hobby. Except for you it seemed.

Tae ruffled your hair. "Don't live to work, Y/N. Work to live. We can share hobbies until you figure out what you want to dabble in."

"Share hobbies?"

"Here." He handed you his camera. "Take some photos."

"O-of what?"

"Anything you find beautiful." Tae shrugged.

Your heart thumped frantically in your chest as you raised the camera in front of him, because it was an instinct and the undeniable truth. He was beautiful-- inside and out.

He grinned and posed playfully.

"Then how about one together?" He raised his arm up to get a good angle, and tugged you close to him, arm wrapping around your shoulders. "We survived our first date. Cheese!"

You couldn't help but grin at that statement, because well, while some of the time, first dates were a chore or stifling to get through, this was easy. Too easy that it frightened you. But you knew you couldn't run away now.

You were hooked.

"Well that was cute as fuck." Jungkook chuckled as he and Dark Angel ended up on the swings a distance away from you and Tae. "Why aren't we that cute?"

"Because you're a little shit, Jungkook." Dark Angel snorted.

"Orr it's cause you have no emotion." He huffed.

"Not my fault you have a libido of a hormonal teenager." She rolled her eyes. "And I can't drop my panties when there are things to do."

"Oh my gosh." He gasped.

"What?" Dark Angel worried.

"We sound like Jimin and Receptionist." He frowned.

"Don't ever say that again." She shook her head.

"Okay, let's be cute as fuck now." Jungkook held his hand out. "Watch this sunset with me and be soft."

Dark Angel chuckled and slipped her hand in his as they swayed in unison. "I guess I have no choice."

"They'll be okay, won't they?" Jungkook exhaled.

Dark Angel smiled and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Our family bond is strong. Don't worry."

"Crumbs!" Jin burst into the bakery, panting.

"I hope you're panting because you ran here and not because you just had intercourse." Crumbs scrunched her nose.

"Oh goodness. No, I was just at the hotel being a waiter. But that's not the point." He rambled. "Wait, why are you dressed up?"

Crumbs pulled her curls up into a ponytail and removed her jewelry. "I was at a party that sucked so I came out here."

Jin watched as she chucked off her heels and slipped into sneakers.

"So? What made you run over here?" She pulled her apron on and sat down on a stool, waiting.

"Okay, don't laugh." Jin pouted.

"I am incapable of laughing." Crumbs shrugged. "You have sucked the joy out of my life with your lame puns and dad jokes."

Jin rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean."

"What do you need, Seokjin?" She urged. "You know I hate when you're going around in circles like this."

Jin took a breath. "I need you to help me think of romantic moves."

They stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Heh." Crumbs chuckled.

"You said you wouldn't laugh!" Jin retorted.

"I don't recall ever saying that." She smirked. "So? Jin who claims he has a face sculpted by the gods needs MY help to think of romantic moves?"

Jin blushed and huffed. "Well I surely couldn't ask JACKSON, and it feels weird asking my cousin, Jungkook, or Yoongi or even my sisters."

Crumbs exhaled as she stood up, "Well I'm not sure if I'll be much help either, but let's give it a try."

"You'll help?" Jin beamed.

"Listen carefully." She beckoned Jin closer. "There is a fine line between harassment and surprise."

"What the heck?" Jin raised an eyebrow.

"Bear with me here." She snapped her fingers as she slipped back into her heels. "There is a secret fantasy where women want to be swept off their feet without warning, kissed in the middle of their sentences, pushed up against the wall and cornered. But the same exact scene can be alternatively perceived as kidnapping, sexual harassment, and bullying."

"Okay... so...?" Jin furrowed his confusion.

"It's a delicate degree. First off, they have to know you exist, which you and your girl already have established. Second, you have to be sure there's some sort of attraction there. This is important. If someone we're not attracted to does these forceful romantic gestures, they immediately are labeled stalkers or creepers. On the other hand, if someone attractive to us does it, they're viewed as sweet and romantic, breath-taking even. It's the sad reality."

"Okay, got it. So what're these actions?" Jin asked impatiently.

"One." Crumbs stepped forward, causing Jin to stumble backwards, and once his back hit the wall, she slammed her hand near his face. "Close the distance out of the blue."

Jin swallowed and nodded.

"Two." Crumbs reached over and caressed Jin's cheek gently. "Make contact."

"And three?" Jin whispered.

Crumbs smirked as she distanced herself. "Try one and two first, then I'm sure three will come naturally."

"Is there something...a little more subtle?" Jin scratched his head.

"Hm..." Crumbs hummed. "A meaningful back hug is always good. A kiss on the forehead is rare and more genuine in my opinion. Any cute gestures like that that don't exactly lead to sex will probably work."

"That's it?"

"Well, I mean I'm just being general here. Every female is different in terms of how often and how much we need these reassurances in physical and verbal form, but yes, we're simple creatures. Plus it helps that you're actually attractive." Crumbs shrugged and kicked her heels back off.

"One." Jin counted.

"Hm?" Crumbs turned around, only to find herself pressed against the wall all of a sudden. "Jin?"

"Two." He touched her cheek cautiously, but gently.

The two of them stared at each other intently then Jin stepped back with a smile.

"How was that?"

"Seems good." Crumbs patted his back. "I figured you'd be fine with your hosting experience. You don't need to be so worried."

"Thanks. That helped a lot." Jin relaxed then peered over at her groceries. "So what's on the menu tonight?"

"Mmm..." Crumbs picked up the grocery bag on the ground. "I bought ingredients for pizza. You want?"

Jin beamed as he rolled up his sleeves. "You make the dough and I'll make the sauce from scratch?"

Crumbs grinned as she took out the fresh ingredients. "Sounds like a plan."

"So how're things with Jackson going?" Jin bumped her hip playfully. "He asked about you again the other day. Just give him a chance."

Crumbs shook her head. "If he gets serious, I MAY think about considering it."

"He's not being serious?" Jin questioned.

"Not at all." Crumbs snorted. "Now let's get this done before I get hangry."

"Oh jeez. I hate when you're hangry." Jin rushed to grab the ingredients and hurried to the stove.

"Like you're any better." Crumbs rolled her eyes.

"Hey!" You waltzed into Club Masquerade happily, excited to see Jin after what felt like a long time.

"Hey!" Jin smiled and embraced you warmly, catching you off guard. He was always sweet and playful, but his hug felt different somehow.

You brushed off the lurch of your heart at his actions and asked, "How are you?"

"I've been good. Here and there." He brushed strands of hair away from your face. "How about you?"

"Working, stressed, but strangely happy." You smiled warmly.

Jin grabbed your hand and led you to the couch, but instead of having him sit beside you, he pulled you into his lap. Your cheeks turned warm as he leaned his head against your shoulder.

"I missed you." he stated.

Your heart raced. What was happening?

He tugged you a little closer when you didn't respond.

Your hand instinctively covered his as you leaned into him, reveling in the closeness of your bodies.

"I missed you too, Jin." You smiled, telling the truth.

Jin had always been your place of comfort in the chaos of your life. You had always known him, and you knew he would never hurt you, which is rare of you to trust someone so wholeheartedly. But Jin had constantly proven he was going to be beside you regardless of what mistakes you did or what messy state you arrived in.

However, a place of confusion always wedged itself between you two. Was he acting this way because of his job? Or did he sincerely care for you?

Of course it made things easier to think of the latter. You knew Jin wasn't desperate for money. He had plenty of other customers, more than his schedule allowed much to their dismay, but he had chosen to keep you through it all.

This sense of being chosen, being wanted for more than just a few months, a few weeks, always ignited something inside you whenever you were with Jin. So it didn't surprise you at all when you lost control of yourself when he had all of a sudden pinned you against the wall, uncharacteristic of him. You didn't hate it though. Contrastingly, he gazed at you with the gentlest eyes, and he touched your cheek so carefully that you felt like a fragile, valuable porcelain.

So it was only natural when you leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss against his lips.

And there was a tense silence as neither of you moved.

Then in one fell swoop, Jin's mouth captured yours and you felt something more. More than his usual gentleness, more than his usual calculated tender touches. It had happened once before, but now it seemed he wasn't holding back. You allowed yourself to dare to imagine that he was making love to you, rather than having sex.

He worshipped every inch of you, slowly. His plush lips against your skin set your body aflame. The languid way he was undressing you with his mouth was torturous, yet you wanted to savor it. You wanted him, all of him, for a long time.

"Jin." You whispered. "Let's extend."

He hummed as he trailed down lower between the valley of your breasts, before picking you up bridal style. You squealed as he did so. He pressed a button on the wall and a bed emerged from inside. He laid you down gently. You felt breathless already and he had hardly touched you yet.

"Let me tell them." He stated, his voice roughly hoarse, which only furthered how much he was turning you on.

You watched his chiseled, toned form walk to the speaker in the room, and after a few hushed exchanges, he returned.

"All good?"

"It's all good." He climbed on top of you and caressed your face. "You sure about this?"

"I want to take our time for once." You whispered. "I want you."

Jin leaned down and kissed you, unsure of how much his heart could take. He felt like it was going to burst with all the emotions he was feeling for you.

In a few minutes all clothes were disregarded to different corners of the room, and Jin was feasting on your core, as if he hadn't eaten in days. You groaned, clutching the bed tightly. It felt so damn good. He was rough at points then so careful the next. The push and pull game was making you lose your mental strings at a rapid speed.

"Jin. I'm going to--"

"Go for it, baby. Let go for me."

His voice, his statement, his nickname for you only served to send you over the edge immediately. His name coming out in strangled huffs. You were surprised to hear yourself sound so wrecked, so desperate.

And you wanted him to be the same.

So you sat up and pushed him down on the bed.

"What--"

"My turn." You licked your lips and covered his length with your mouth.

His groan and the way his body writhed at the command of such a simple flick of your tongue made you feel good.

"Keep going. Fuck." Jin hissed.

You knew Jin hardly cursed, and thankfully so because it was extremely hott when he did. So you continued to bob your head up and down, letting your free hand massage the parts your mouth couldn't tend to.

He tugged at your hair after awhile, forcing you to lift your head up, surprising you with a raw, passionate kiss. Then his hands found its way to your hips, and you knew exactly what he wanted. Without unlocking your lips, he guided you over his length and eagerly, you sat down. Both of you sighed into each other's mouths, overcome with pleasure.

When you began to move, each sensation filled you up with highs. You gripped onto Jin's shoulders, not wanting to cum first. But he was working your neck tenderly, only egging you further.

"Turn around for me." he whispered.

You nodded, wanting to break the wave of pleasure to get grip onto your control.

Jin turned you so that your back was against his chest and you were slotted into his length while sitting on his lap.

"Shit." You cursed. This new position felt ten million times.

Jin bucked into you as he massaged your breasts, and marked your neck.

You were so close already that it should've been embarrassing. But you could feel the way he cherished you with every thrust.

Or was that just your wishful thinking?

But with every kiss on your neck and with every whispered encouragement and compliment spoken against the shell of your ear, it only served to elate you into your high until you were shaking with pleasure and your body chased the sensation as you grinded into him a few more times.

"What in the world..." Receptionist gasped, face so close to the monitor, people thought she was reading small print.

"Wow, that's really...wow...holy shit is that Ji--" Jackson gasped as Receptionist clasped her hands over his mouth.

She turned off the monitor. "Nope."

"That totally..."

"No." She widened her eyes, and Jackson glanced around at the curious looks they were getting.

"You're right. Good job doing anatomy homework." Jackson gave a thumbs up.

Receptionist groaned and went back to her planner to look busy. What on Earth was going on with those two?

The two of you heaved side by side, exhausted yet extremely pleased with the session.

You rolled into Jin's chest and he easily wrapped his arm around your body.

"That was great." You kissed his cheek.

"It really was."

Jin grinned, praying he had caused you to reconsider. Did his feelings get through to you?

"Jin." You called.

"Hm?"

"Have you ever wanted to...you know...reveal yourself?" You asked.

"Many times." He admitted.

"Why didn't you? You know my face."

"I wasn't sure if you would feel awkward if you ran into me outside. Some people enjoy the privacy of not knowing who's behind the mask. They feel safer from judgment." Jin explained. "Would you want to know who I am?"

"Only if you want to reveal yourself." You smiled. "I think I'd like to get to know you outside of here too."

Jin's heart did somersaults at the possible implication.

"I think we'd be really good friends."

Deflated.

"Oh, I'm also going on my second date. Breakfast before work." You rambled. "Since we're both so busy. We figured it'd be the best time."

Jin knew what exactly he had to do. No more of this subtle mind game. He had to take Hoseok's advice and just reveal himself to you. Take the full-fledged risk.

"Where’s your date?" he questioned.

"You're WHAT?!"

Jin pulled the phone away from his ear as Crumbs yelled at him.

"I'm going to crash their date, reveal myself, and prove to her that I'm the better candidate. I mean, let's be honest, there are only a handful of people who can outshine my handsomeness."

"Your confidence never ceases to bewilder me." Crumbs droned.

"Thank you." Jin grinned.

"That wasn't supposed to be a compliment." She sighed. "Look, I don't think this is a good idea. It sounds immature to crash their date. It's not like the guy she's dating is doing it to spite you. He doesn't even know you exist. Don't disrespect him like that and embarrass her by making it look like she's two-timing."

"I won't. I'll just act like a crazed, head over the heels suitor, and introduce myself. She'll know immediately."

"What? You're going to walk up to her in the middle of her date and say, 'Hi...I'm Jin. I want to take the risk with you too. Choose me over this guy. I could love you better.'?"

"That's actually not a bad idea."

Crumbs groaned. "Please Jin. Reconsider."

"I'm going to do this, Crumbs. I can't lose her. I need to show her who I am."

"Why couldn't you just pull off your mask after you had sex the other day?! Why do you have to make it so... public?"

"I needed time to prepare." Jin blushed.

"Look. I don't think it's a good idea, but you do what you want, Jin. Just be prepared to deal with the consequences."

"What's the worst that can happen?" Jin chuckled.

"Good luck then." Crumbs sighed.

"Here I go." Jin smiled and got off the phone as he approached the diner.

He checked his reflection before entering confidently. Rehearsing his speech, he wandered around the booths, searching for you. Then he heard your laughter. He grinned brightly and spun around in that direction.

But his heart dropped immediately and his smile faded. The shattering plate behind him only added a touch of dramatics to the horrifying turn of events he was faced with.

In front of you, making you laugh, dating you -- the man you had a crush on, the man you returned to the dating scene for, the man he wanted to prove he was better than... it was none other than his cousin, Kim Taehyung.

.

PART 5