@kim taehyung Jintae thought he was handling the last minute deception of having to plaster a seemingly honest smile on his face for a part of his past he partly needed gone, until he noticed the eyes going from Minho to him in. The guy seemed to be hearing the conversation the exes should be having; as if he could hear both frequencies of their mind and watch an invisible tennis match Jintae would certainly not be winning, he was too done with his ex, no more traces of love, no more lust for his looks, no more passion. What Jintae was scared to lose was a potential happy guest. As much as he wished he could comment on the party of three not feeling comfortable on his floating luxurious maze, he was not to meddle and just hoped to help the young man relax. Or maybe was he curious to see if his ex would be ruining those three days for just everyone.
Jintae thought his nods would have interrupted the light colored hair man; he had everything possibly needed for parties of course, but instead a he witnessed how the parent swapped an unpretty word for the sake of little ears. He bit on a smile, the wind suddenly reaching him and helping him breathe, seeing through his misery suddenly. His eyes wandered anyway possible so that the young boy would not catch on what could be going on under his nose. The change of perspective snapped some sense back into the shipmaster’s lucid mind. He had expectations to meet for at least a perfectly innocent guest and for one who had certainly been fed reasons to expect the trip to be nothing like comfortable.
To the question arisen by the boy, Jintae smiled, thinking he did dress oddly for a ship master but he liked his clothes black and different from the rich sand colored wardrobe of the perfectly wealthy married man he used to have. He waited for the big curious eyes to cross his to wink at the boy, ignoring his ex’s not so disguised insult.
Jintae just cannot look at the man he once knew or this yacht he called home would be sold in auctions for a third of its original price for being considered a crime scene. No child deserve to be raised up to a dummy’s unresolved issues and oddly enough, Jintae looked at the man he didn’t know with that guilt-ridden look, the one he couldn’t help although Minho was his responsibility anymore. That other guy would have to put up with those offenses and that was close to what Jintae would consider a discomfort.
He watched the guest in a hurry to leave and took the opportunity to properly ditch Minho by paying no attention to him. He definitely had nothing to say about what happened years before. On the other hand, he was to take a lucky winner of a heavenly trip to his Master suite, which was the owner suite.
“Not that way Mister Kim,” he said with a gentle smile as he showed and led the way, prompt to move the conversation on without taking notice if Minho was following at all.
“Your luggage was taken to the Master Suite, but since the whole ship is just for you to enjoy, you may use another.” Needless to say that the Master Suite was the best, but giving this man and his kid the choice to leave the ill-thought tagalong could maybe make the journey a little more pleasant. He took the stairs up to the main deck and made a direct u-turn to open a door: the suite was a semi-circled room, offering the panoramic view of the top front of the yacht, and included a private bathroom, sofas and a King sized bed which he shown before going back to the door.
“I can appoint for another bed to be brought in if needed,” he said considering the couple maybe didn’t sleep in the same bed with their child.
“I will have your first requests brought, to you, but just so you know, the bar is just at the opposite side of this deck and there’s a crew member who will serve you anything you need. You have a Chef at your disposal, any time of the day or night, ask any crew member you see to get anything you need. This deck has all amenities but you may explore freely except for the crew areas.”
A pause, and Jintae glimpsed at the boy. “Anything for your son as well. We don’t have toys past a couple plushies but there’s a lot to explore and discover aboard. I could be in need of a second-in-command.” and to that he eyed the boy with an amused smile. Usually, couples wanted a romantic getaway and this was Jintae’s way of discreetly offering it if needed. He stood close to the door, ready to get the first orders asked and for all he knew, this could be the last moment he’d talk to the guest as his role would mostly be to sail the boat himself if he wanted to avoid his ex. He looked back and since he did not see the other man, Jintae spoke in a quieter voice following up on the awkward exchange.
“The Yacht is big enough, I know where to stay if it can help lighten the mood” he reassured.
The tension crackling between the two men makes Taehyung flinch, all lifted brows and inquisitive gaze pingponging between his companion and--- what looks to be--- the 'sea boss' of the ship. Or is that even the proper term for him? Either way, this guy is definitely large and in charge, but the way he seems to hone finite impassiveness toward them leaves Taehyung out of sorts. He's seen that look before. People don it when they're holding back--- when they've met the brink of their odds at a cliffside and are forced to keep a straight face. This man's a cesspool of emotion, that's for sure, but somewhere along the way he definitely tore all of it apart and consumed it raw.
"Thanks for the welcome but I can promise ya, we won't get too comfy." Taehyung's quick to relieve his luggage, sagging a bit in relief as the duffel bag embedding prints into his shoulder is slung to the floor. Yet, he still insists that this entire thing is a horrific idea. "I'm not sure what you mean by 'treatments', but unless you've got an Ativan and some vodka, I'm fu---" Waitwaitwait, hold the phone, it isn't just adults talking. "Fudged... Royally fudged." He nearly wheezes in repressed relief for the sake of the innocent ears beside him. Taehyung's always known he needs to work on his mouth.
"Daddy, is that man a pirate?" Woojoo inquires, a dazzling light overtaking those obsidian irises--- and Taehyung can only imagine the scenarios the small boy concocted in a matter of seconds.
Minho's quick to descend to one knee, a placating palm pressed firmly on the boy's shoulder as he adorns that suspiciously sunshiny grin. There's barely has a moment's peace before: "No, sweetheart, but you can definitely say he's the saltiest of sea dogs." Wow. Oh, wow. For a second there, Woojoo appears utterly, helplessly confused and Taehyung's forced out of his stupor to intervene intelligently.
"Woah, cool, okay--- What a lovely meeting. Sorry guys, but I need to head to the little sailor's room just..." He peers about himself for his luggage, intending to follow its trail, but heaves a defeated groan when he realizes it's already been swept off. . "I just need to head to my cabin, I guess, but no worries. I can probably manage." Honestly, about a thousand sirens ade his encapsulated mind because no piece of him wishes to remain on this ship--- much less, alone. He clutches his son's hand beside him, but frankly he's certain the boy could even think to cushion his head if he passed out. He's not sure what's more perilous anymore--- the ship itself, or the awkward 'reunion' between Minho and the man commanding it. God, they are going to be tossed overboard before the day is up.
He ambles only feet away from them and toward the first corridor opening up along the railing. It looks promising enough until he's smacked in the face with a wafting stench of garbage from the ship's chute. Definitely no rooms that way... As he drags Woojoo back with him to find a new route, he all but presses himself to avoid the elder man's gaze. He's sure that if he laid himself privy to those gentle eyes, he'd fall to his knees and beg for directions.
@kim jintae [ ASDLJSLDF ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; Sweet. nO I'M SORRY, Minho's just an wipe there ; ^ ; But honestly, I didn't really find him all that boring at all u w u Don't worry wtf stop u n u ]
@kim taehyung ((Minho's perfect ahah! That too I didn't care to think through lol. Jintae feels... apathetically boring in my answer THAT'S THE WORD!!! but I want to try and reassure you: he will go through colors on occasions... just not before Minho because of his pride ^^ plz don't get bored))
@kim taehyung If Jintae had the slightest control his facial features, the look he would have picked to, what he assumed was a greeting from his ex after more than five years apart, would still be his current blank expression. He took a considerably long time to look at Minho and still he didn't find it in him to take the matter lightly. But this was how he used to be and one of the many things about him a divorce could not change. Being called the /devil/, even lightly, never took as much importance as it did now. Especially before a child, but it was nothing that could surprise the boatmaster, not from Minho. He had chosen that spicy one because he was that spicy after all, and such traits were not meant to disappear. Even small talk stung with him, any colorless statement could turn into a lethal attack on Jintae’s well being and he was pretty sure this time he could not cancel the contract as easily as he had last time Minho and him were together.
His eyes shifted to the younger man who supposedly had heard of him in lengths and figures. His uneasiness was palpable but Jintae would not yet put a finger on it, contrary to his usual concerns for his passenger suffering kinetosis. The boy was, against all odds, the only one he felt confident enough to smile for.
Jintae made his way to not just figuratively welcome the visitors but also, possibly, help them get in the boat if the safe stairs did not quite inspire trust. Jintae extended an arm to receive the luggage, dodging the urge to compare his Yacht to the family the other had seemingly gotten in the meantime as if they were comparing vulgar race cars. “Life goes on, fast.” he commented and his eyes looked once again for the most innocent head of the three. It wasn't so impossible to imagine the liberation the divorce had been for his ex to invest himself into a new and more meaningful long term engagement.
“Hopefully for the best.”
He remained vague and cordial, not sure he could put up with having to spend three days watching what their relationship never morphed into and the foreseeable existential crisis
He welcomed all three on the deck nonetheless, supposing he could not possibly make a scene for the third passenger, especially if one of the three was a toddler. Whether they had paid for it or won it, Jintae’s treatment was the same, even if it included the one person he wanted to get away from when he bought this very boat.
“Make yourself comfortable, the Swan will be all yours for the next three days.”
A glance to the ex, and still Jintae could not believe he was to welcome him back, even for the shortest of time. He was however picking the habit of clearing his mind from any anger by just acknowledging the two other passenger, his polite host smile growing by just trying to /hold up well/ as his ex had assumed.
“I’ll be your sea captain, and this small crew will assist me for your comfort,” he greeted, gesturing to the three men dressed in white he employed for the trip. “Otherwise you may assume this yacht is big enough to forget you’re not alone on it, believe me. Whenever you’re ready we can get going. If you don’t feel well at sea, we have special treatments to make this experience as enjoyable as possible.”
His eyes met with the only adult he did not know, because Jintae was long done caring for Minho and the latter seemed only prone to make him, of all people, sick. He avoided asking questions, all the time, but with these three, his polite habit was a torture. How he wished there was a casual way to just kick out guest he definitely did not want on his ship, literally, with a little smile.
@kim jintae [ I feel like I wrote so little of importance orz There will be more action coming up ;;; Just setting the stage. BTW, I REALIZE WE NEVER NAMED YOUR BOY'S EX SO U HM... ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; WE CAN CHANGE IT--- I just threw out 'Minho' lol ]
@kim jintae His heartbeat ripples up his throat in a seismic tantrum as that sends a tandem surge of voltage to his nerves.
Taehyung feels like he's just one choked breath away from spilling the McDonald's they'd picked up that morning. In a tizzy of maelstrom thoughts, he finds it within himself to at least grapple for a way out of this situation but he's flanked on all sides. His baby boy, Woojoo, toddles at his right side, obnoxiously humming the tune to some firetruck kids series he's neurotically devoted to (seriously, Taehyung's certain there's a cult following of toddlers behind it), while his left is occupied by someone he hadn't meant to run into... He snags the moment to spare a squinted side-glance towards Minho, the other chattering away about something that probably has nothing to do with Taehyung. He's trapped. Ergo, he's ed... raw.
The ship swallows up the horizon as they enclose on the distance toward it, and by then each step comes to Taehyung like it would to a newborn fawn. Some masochistic crevice of his mind chooses to muse over just how he wedged himself into this situation. He'd thought it was a fluke the moment he pulled a ticket from the bakery's promotional drawing--- only meant to do so to encourage others to take part (and keep his boss off his back). But when he flipped it over and laid eyes on the words 'FREE TRIP' in bold, something in the pit of his stomach wondered why he didn't just call in sick that day. Now here he is, boarding the Swan--- otherwise known as the S.S. Death Trap--- for an all-expenses paid trip for three days. Three ing days.
"Daddy, are you crying?" Taehyung nearly starts at the sound of his child's curious voice. He sweeps a gaze downward and meets a pair of wide, pooling orbs full of nothing less than wonder and untainted trust... And suddenly, all of Taehyung's worries slip from his trembling, clammy grasp.
"No, baby, Daddy's hands are just excited." Woojoo seemed satisfied enough with that response--- as did their companion.
"First time, Tae? I thought your parents always---" Minho's words die on his lips the moment Taehyung directs to him a ', better not' look and he coughs apologetically into his fist. "I mean uh--- it'll be fun, alright? Lighten up. Besides, the man that owns this is trustworthy enough." Taehyung's about to outright ask Minho how he knows this, but the male continues--- eyes fading as his mind drifts to the answer of that question. "A boring, apathetic dirt bag but--- trustworthy, no doubt."
Oh. Luckily, they're boarding before he can inquire further--- their baggage sifted through and tickets verified. Taehyung's mid-panic when he vaguely hears Minho somewhere behind him, calling out a curt "Ah... Speak of the devil" to another male. Taller, older than anyone Taehyung's familiar with, and clearly a bit more hesitant to return the greeting. Minho exudes unfazed. "I trust you're holding up well?"
Sharing one's home never prove to be Jintae's forte, and yet he was glad to be taking a few rare guests on the Swan, his Yacht. Sometimes they booked it with him directly, and sometimes, he was called by an operator trying to offer a special experience to some of their clients. Either way, the ship owner kept the activity to a minimal, and its price could skyrocket by the minute for how luxurious the Yacht was. There were more rooms than he could use, more chairs than he need, a Jaccuzzi he looked at and never dipped a foot in. All he wanted was the Swan, his gateway from the city and yet a proximity to it nonetheless. And if it meant to make a few strangers’ dreams come true, Jintae complied, gladly taking the ingenious racer to beautiful spots for families, couples, friends or even single getaways.
This sunny morning, Jintae worked alongside with his small crew to get the jewel of this harbor just a little shinier. His tour included an appetizer, lunch or a dinner prepared and served by staff he paid for each performance. He went over every detail, loving his entertainer role a little more than he had expected when he had began offering the service. The occasional tours did not necessarily seduce the guests to request it often, considering the price, and this was the reason why the man loved to put all his heart into it. What he couldn't say, he did and shown, and so far he had only the best experiences with his guests.
He stood on the first deck where he was about to meet his honored guest. He was expecting two, but he had three in visual. Before he acknowledged a discomfort of any kind, his body tensed, instantly turning the clement weather into an almost unbearable tropical suffering. It was a blurry sensation, the distant impression that one of the silhouettes approaching was one he used to know so well. It was highly unlikely, and yet Jintae found the gait just precisely like the one of his ex, not that it was a peculiar gait, he just knew those things? He could still feel them in his gut, like he could still unscramble the subtle scent of his ex in clothes of his he had watched at least a hundred time since the divorce. He was not disgusted by the mere idea of his ex or he would have burnt down all his things long ago; Jintae just found it hard to look at this defeat of his. And well, the two adults approaching with a kid gave him a second hand heart ache, until he was finally able to recognize the face of the man he once promised the eternity to. Then he couldn't look at the three of them anymore and instead, he took a stroll on the sunbathed deck, in between long chairs, wondering if this would be his first disappointment and last tour on his yacht. He was not ready to see his ex, nor did he ever planned to be.
When they were a little too close, he knew one of them would recognize him and notice how anxious he was, still Jintae hoped the other would spare him the torture of having to small talk. For all Jintae knew, his ex was just about as uncomfortable with him as he was on the day they signed the divorce papers, but only one of them seemed to have gotten his life together with a charming younger male and a child.
Heavens. A child.
There was a sense of competition for exes, a sickening race to getting away better than one’s ex, no matter the culture or the country of this world, but all Jintae felt was sick, as in sick to his stomach. To the Chef who inquired him about the third person, Jintae seemed even unable to properly shrug or answer, vague gestures hinting for the curious Chef to just deal with the unexpected. Just like he would.
