Let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
~Gibran

32.

'What does it mean?' Kook asked curiously.

Tae smiled. 'It's a sonnet Shakespeare wrote. Suga hyung shared it a day before marriage. It's called, Let me not to the marriage of true minds, I was looking at the sky and I don't know why but it got me thinking of the sonnet out of no where.'

'Will you read it out to me hyung?' Kook asked curiously.

'Sure baby.' Tae said.

Kook blushed at the nickname. No matter how many times hyung says it. He never gets used to it.

Tae starts, his voice soft and smooth as the waves washed the shores and the moon was starting to come up.

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

As Tae ended the sonnet, Kook was mesmerised. Tae's voice soft and sweet. The words... The definition of love written in 1590s and still true today. He didn't want Tae to stop speaking.

So he asked, 'What does it mean to you hyung?'

Tae responded honestly, 'Umm.. I have to accept that I I - I have no experience in love.' Tae stopped and gathered his thoughts. He needed to stop stuttering. He was a CEO for fuck's sake. After a break, he looked at the sky and closed his eyes and started speaking,

'So, yeah as I was saying... I don't know what love is. But reading this---it just... It made me mesmerised by the purity of it... How Shakespeare writes that two loves never let any hindrance come their way... How true love never changes... It's beautiful how he says that love doesn't change in the face of storms... How it stays constant irrespective of time... True love lasts till the end of the world... How he just writes so easily that if any of what he has written is ever proven wrong.... Then i never wrote a single trie word in my life and no man has ever loved... His surety... His belief of what love is and how he sticks to it so hard that even after centuries no one has ever been able to refute it. It amazes me that something someone felt centuries ago stands the test of time and is still true today.'

Kook was honestly amazed at the explanation. Yes, that's how true love is supposed to be...

'It's beautiful, hyung.' Kook said.

Tae turned to Kook. Both of them lying in the sand and the moon overhead---a witness to their conversation.

Tae sighed as if gathering courage to speak what he was about to say,
'I may not know what love is Kook but if I ever know what love is I want to feel this feeling with you.'

Kook's heartbeat fastened. His heart thumping in his chest like the skin of drum that is constantly being played. This was his chance. It was now or never. Their relationship was on a precipice. This moment would decide if they would stay friends forever or be lovers one day.
He didn't want to lose this chance.

He leaned closer. He lightly pecked the elder's lips and looking down said, 'Hyung, I thought I was in love before you. But after meeting you, being with you... I can say you teach me what love is everyday. And I lied when I said I like you... Because.. be-be--because I am falling for you and I don't think I can stop.'

Kook blushed. He wanted to hide his face so bad after that he nuzzled his face in Tae's chest. Tae was taken aback by Kook's confession. He liked the younger too. But he had never been in love. He felt attracted to him. He wanted to protect him. He cared for him. He would literally take a bullet for him. But was it love? He didn't know.

Tae softly held Kook's face and placed his fingers below his chin, making him look Tae in his eyes. Kook could see a storm of emotions in Tae's eyes. He knew the elder wasn't good with words. But the softness with which he held his face. The purity of his touch gave Kook all the answers he needed.

Tae gently took Kook's hand and placed it over his heart. Kook could hear Tae's heartbeat as fast as his.

Tae held on to Kook's hand on his heart and looked deeply into his eyes as if showing him his soul and said, 'Can you feel my heartbeat baby? Only you make me feel this. You have turned this from a stone to a heart and if you hear closely baby, it only takes your name with every beat. I don't know if this is love or not. But my heart is yours baby because you are the one who made it alive.'

Kook blushed, wanting to hide his cheeks that wer turning red. How could this hyung say he was bad with emotions when he made him feel so many of them with his words. Kook snuggled in his chest again.

Tae gently lifted his face again, 'Please don't be shy baby. I am yours. Yours to break or keep.'

Kook placed his fingers on Tae's lips, 'Don't speak like that hyung. I can't break you ever. How can someone break their own self?' Kook held Tae's gaze, assuring him he meant it.

'Thank you baby.' Tae said.

Suddenly Kook was reminded of a question he had been meaning to ask the elder.

'Hyung, can I ask you something?'

'Of course Kookie.' Tae said tracing his hands on the youngers's soft squishy cheeks.

'Hyung, Why did you ask me to change my name?'

Tae stiffened at the question. He knew his husband wouldn't like the reaction.

'Ummm... I never lie to you Kookie but I am not sure you will like the answer.' Tae said now hesitant.

His answer got Kookie curious.

'Please tell me hyung.'

'Promise me you won't get angry.' Tae asked.

'Hyung? What did you do?' Kook asked now sitting and staring at his husband. For some reason he was reminded of their wedding night when Tae had given him the shares of Kim Industries.

Tae was nervous but he couldn't lie. Not to his husband.

'Um... You know how everything in business is risky. One day, you are a millionaire and something unfortunate happens and you lose everything right?' Tae took a deep breath. He could do this, he said to himself internally.

'Go on...' Kook said.

Tae too sat up. He looked down and gathering courage, he ran his hands through his fingers, 'So, for rainy days, I have been in investing in real estate, high end art pieces, buying shares of restaurant chains, entertainment industries and from next month I will be moving to clothing industry... None of them have anything to do with Kim Industries. So, even if Kim Industries crashes one day, there will still be enough that I won't lose everything. None of the investments are legally attached to Kim Industries. They are in my name. Yoongi hyung helped me to invest in a way that no matter what I would always have some source of income running even if the main company crashes. The annual turn out of personal investments is equal to half the amount of Kim Industries' annual profit. 10 days before our wedding, I changed my will. All that I am inheriting from dad ... His personal investments, the company, my personal investments... In case of my death... They will be handed over to my husband. And while I am alive. Any investment I make outisde of Kim Industries... You will have an equal ownership of it as my husband. Technically, you are the co-owner, as my husband. I needed you to change your name to legally formalise our marriage. Please don't be mad.'

He finally looked up. To say that Jungkook was shocked would be an understatement. He couldn't comprehend what Tae had just told him. He was still in a daze.

'What are you saying hyung?' he said his voice calm. Tae could sense this was the calmness before the storm.

'I am so sorry I didn't tell you. I knew you wouldn't approve. I am so sorry baby.' Tae said.

'Have you gone mad hyung?' Kook shouted and was close to tears.

He felt like he couldn't breathe. He ran from there and went inside the house. Banging the door of the bedroom as he snuggled into the pillow and cried. What was wrong with Tae. How could he take such decisions without discussing. More than that, how could he just give everything to Kook. The company shares were already too much. But this... Tae was mad Kook decided. He had a mad husband.

Tae muttered 'Shit shit shit.' as he ran behind kook. He heard the door banging. He heard Kook crying. He ran to him and hugged him from behind.

'I am so sorry baby. I am so sorry. Hyung is sorry. You can punish hyung. I am sorry baby. Please don't cry.' Tae said almost close to tears himself as he tried to make Kook face him.

Kook heard the desperation in his voice. He heard the shivers in his voice. He relented a bit. He turned to him.

Tae immediately started wiping his tears. 'I am so sorry baby. I will do whatever you want. I am so sorry. Hyung is sorry. Please don't cry. I can't see you crying. You can slap hyung. Just don't cry baby.' Tae slept muttering non sensical things as wiped Kook's tears. Kook could see how flustered Tae was by his tears. He controlled himself.

'Why did you do it hyung?' Kook asked.

Tae sighed, relieved that Kook had stopped crying at least.

'You were leaving everything for me Kookie. You left you home, your parents, your joonie and jinnie hyung--I know how much you love them. You had to shift the headquarters of your company and that too when you didn't even love me. Your entire life turned over just for me.... What kind of a husband would I be if I couldn't provide for you. What if something happens to me or the company doesn't survive the changing times. We are number one now but you know business... How risky it is... I couldn't leave you with nothing when you left your everything for me... What I did is nothing in front of hiw much you left behind for me. I know I should have taken your permission. For that I am really sorry Kookie but please understand that I can't be sorry for sharing everything I have with you. I can't leave you hanging.. I can't leave you starving. I know you are more than capable of taking care of yourself but I... It puts my heart at peace knowing that I can provide for you of you ever wish to leave everything.'

Kook heard him. His anger disappeared. He was just left with exhaustion. He would need a lot of patience to understand Tae. Tae's love language was actions. He wouldn't ever say out loud that he loved him. Just like he silently checked up on his parents every night without telling them or made sure Eomma had medicine or just like he made sure Kook wouldn't have to work hard while the company's shifted. This was his way of making sure that he was well taken care of. It wasn't that realising this made it less frustrating but at least now he understood the reasons. Tae wouldn't ever being him flowers and say sweet promises as they slept. He would rather make Kook comfortable and healthy and we'll taken care of. Kook sighed. They had a long way.

He said, 'I am not saying I forgive you. You should have told me before doing this. But I do understand why you did it. I don't approve of it. But i understand the why so I am not mad at you. But hyung, don't you think this is unfair. We promised to share everything together in our wedding vows. In sickness and in health in every way... You can't go on taking taking decisions for us by yourself hyung. I wish you would at least talk to me... Please at least try and talk to me.or just inform me before you do something that concerns us.' Kookie reasoned.

Tae was ashamed of himself. What Kook was saying was true. He needed to start sharing things with Kookie.

'I promise love. From now on, I will share everything.' Tae said kissing his forehead.

The curtains of their bedroom fluttered as the moon shone on them and the winds caressed them---blessing the couple with love and safety for future.

An: Shit just got real, didn't it?