Upon approaching a long, rectangular brown box, Jungkook realized who they had come to see. The sound of neighing, grunting horses his ears as they stepped into the stalls covered overhead with planks of varying shades of blue.

Taehyung greeted every horse as he ran past. He slowed to a crawl several paces away from a stall obscured in near darkness. With wide but sure-footed steps, he approached the wooden gate that concealed the lower-half from view.

"Niyva's bound to get upset if you keep her waiting any longer." From around the bend at the farthest end of the stables, a man appeared. As he stepped into the light, Jungkook noticed the dried blood stains covering his green jacket and brown pants.

"Did she survive the night?"

"Of course. You're talking about a horse who didn't sink in the river-"

"When the weight of her load was intended to drown her."

The man sighed. "You know I don't bring it up to scold you."

Taehyung's shoulders began to tremble. Jungkook stepped forward, hand poised to grab him by the arm and pull him into an embrace when the heaving suddenly stopped. Taehyung swiveled around to face the stranger. His grin was spread so wide over his face that Jungkook felt like it might splinter if touched.

"Yah, I know!"

The man glowered at him. Taehyung popped his hands over his mouth and mumbled an apology. With a sheepish smile, he introduced the two.

"Jungkook, this is Hwiyeon. He's my very, very important stable hand. My children's guardian!" Taehyung threw himself at Hwiyeon's arm. "What would I do without you?"

Hwiyeon stood still as Taehyung pretended to silently sob into his shoulder. Jungkook took the opportunity to peruse the man who stood two full heads taller than Taehyung. A green sleeve draped over his left shoulder like a cloth caught between the canes of a rose bush. Rusted brass buttons clung to his jacket and a gold chain hung limp from the left lapel. Brown corduroy boots stained with mud and fecal matter hugged his overwhelmingly large feet.

Hwiyeon glanced at Jungkook. Jungkook froze. Should he greet him with a wave? A smile? Maybe three fingers.

"Labor was intensive." Taehyung pulled back. He approached the stall and peeked over the edge of the wooden gate. "Bucketloads of blood loss. More than customary. Might be a while before she's able to walk again."

Jungkook blinked. Eyes as blue as the ocean stared back at him. He double-checked to make sure that what he had seen was not a play on the light coming in through the window. True enough to his startling discovery, Hwiyeon's eyes were blue. Did such a color exist? Come to think of it, was such a hair color even possible? His hair was as red as the strawberries found in the vineyard some walking distance away from his shop. So bright and tantalizing that Jungkook wondered why the baker back home had difficulty recreating the color in an artificial manner.

"The color should fade soon."

"What?" Taehyung turned to look at Hwiyeon. "What are you saying that for?" But it was Jungkook whom Hwiyeon had spoken to.

Jungkook blinked. He hadn't realized he had been staring. A blush spread over his cheeks.

"My cousin takes great pleasure in experimenting on my hair whilst I sleep." Hwiyeon's unsmiling face softened to reveal the glimmer of a smirk. "Too bad she forgets I don't frequent the city. Sorry, you had to see me like so."

Jungkook shook his head.

"Oh... You don't speak?"

"But he sure can write," Taehyung chimed in. "Right, Jungkook?"

Jungkook smiled without looking up from the sheet of paper he had grabbed on his way out of the house. Some of the ink had blurred together in his haste to communicate with the stranger.

"Do you happen to carry a pot of ink everywhere you go?"

Taehyung gasped. "So awfully crude, Hwiyeon."

"This is something I would have expected you to already know. That is if the two of you aren't complete strangers."

Taehyung groaned. "Not this again, Hwaby. The world is more than just a book. Stop taking notes." He started pushing Hwiyeon away. "Come on, Jungkook! Come meet the water to my glass."

Jungkook looked up, startled that either man hadn't waited to see his response. With a frown, he tucked his writing utensils away before hurrying after the two friends.

He turned the corner to find Taehyung struggling to get a horse's attention. Beige skin accentuated the creamy color of her mane. Two black rings dotted her hind.

"Niyva, please. Sweet girl, why do you hurt me so?"

Niyva continued munching on the mound of hay laid out before her.

"Talking to her like you're some poet isn't going to help, either."

Taehyung pretended to swing at Hwiyeon. "Oh, shut it."

Jungkook shuffled forward. "Don't look, Jungkook!" Taehyung pretended to shield himself from Jungkook's contemplative gaze. "This is embarrassing..." Niyva swung the side of her rump into Taehyung before walking away.

Jungkook's soft smile faded into a look of surprise when he noticed where she was headed.

"Niyva, darling, wait! I haven't even introduced you two." Taehyung fell to his knees as if struck by an arrow.

Hwiyeon sighed and took a seat on the dusty floor. The horse at his side sputtered before following his lead.

Jungkook swallowed as Nivya slid her nose underneath his hand. She urged him to pet her. Jungkook offered her a meek smile. Their eyes met. Jungkook's world stilled. Do you know who I am? Her eyes were unwavering, contemplative masses of a sixth sense no human could ever obtain. Do you know what I carry inside? He pressed a kiss to her head and closed his eyes for the span of a brief second. Please. Let's keep this a secret between us.

#

Jungkook felt his heart hammering as he prepared to board Niyva. To think that he was going to feel Taehyung in front of him throughout the ride. His scent, his body, his laughter. Everything and anything would be his to immerse himself in as he pleases. Jungkook struggled to contain the warmth that consumed his body. Any second longer of this and he w