After the news of Charlotte's pregnancy, things were awkward for Yongguk. The first few days were a blur because despite what he said, he still drank excessively and cried, acting like a child who couldn't get his way. He also attempted distancing himself from Himchan but that plan backfired. He couldn't stay away... he was in too deep. Himchan still came to the suite every evening after work and Yongguk eventually came to terms that Himchan would be a father by next year, pushing any other thoughts of the baby to the back of his mind. By Friday things had gone back to normal, or as normal as things could be in that situation.

That same evening he had been invited to eat dinner at Himchan's home and reluctantly agreed. The dinner went smoothly until Charlotte asked him if he'd be the Godfather to she and Himchan's unborn child. Those words weighed heavy on his conscience and the resentment he had felt towards Charlotte and the baby, the resentment that he kept buried so deep not even Himchan knew, had all but faded away. Yongguk knew he was not worthy of such a title but he accepted her request with a smile. Charlotte was such a kind and loving woman, and he didn't deserve her kindness. Even after betraying her trust, without her knowing, he didn't have it in him to say no. It was the least he could do to maintain some sort of decency.

The look of excitement on her face after he agreed thickened his guilt and nearly brought him to tears. Himchan caught on and managed to divert his wife's attention long enough so Yongguk could pull himself together. Fortunately he managed to maintain his composure until he was back in the hotel. Everything he had held in, the guilt and resentment, poured out of him and he cried himself to sleep for the umpteenth time.

The following morning, he awoke to continuous knocking on the door to the suite and grimaced at his wristwatch when he saw it wasn't even 8 o'clock yet. He rolled out of bed, prepared to yell at whoever it was knocking on his door that early in the morning but was surprised to see none other than Himchan once he opened it.

"Himchan... what are you doing here? Shouldn't you still be at home, or at work?"

"I took the day off.", Himchan smiled softly, hiding the worried feelings he had had since last night when Yongguk had left their house. He had wished he could've joined Yongguk in the hotel after the dinner but it would've been odd. And he couldn't use his job as excuse since he had reassured Charlotte that he had handled everything beforehand so he could have the entire evening off to dine with them. The dinner had seemed a bad idea for him and with how Yongguk looked right now, it just confirmed everything. Himchan ran his eyes over the tired face of his lover, his heart tightening in guilt. How he wished he could've been there to comfort him last night. He stepped inside quickly and closed the door behind him before speaking again. "I'm so sorry, Yongguk..."

"Please don't apologize," he chuckled softly and shook his head. "I wasn't angry, I was just surprised. Your wife... she's a really lovely woman Himchan... and her asking me to be the Godfather of your child just made me realize how selfish I have been this past week."

"You seemed really upset..," Himchan bit down on his lip nervously, reaching out his hands to pull Yongguk in an embrace. "I'm sorry for all the pain I'm causing you.."

He stepped closer to him and tightly hugged his waist and rested his chin on his shoulder. "I'm going to be the Godfather of your future son or daughter," he mumbled.  "I'll love that child as if it were my own. You and Charlotte mean that much to me… and maybe that can atone for what we're doing."

Himchan rested his head against Yongguk's shoulder, sighing softly. "Are you sure? Do you really think you can love that child?"

"Of course I can. That child is a part of you after all..."

"Yeah but... it's a constant reminder of how we shouldn't be together.."

"I know... I've been feeling that way too. Especially after what Miss Charlotte asked of me last night, but the thing is... despite how wrong this is I still want to be with you. I'm going to be selfish this one time, and being the Godfather just sealed our fate. We'll just have to tread our waters carefully and hope that nobody ever finds out." He sighed heavily and hid his face in Himchan's neck. "I love you."

The other nodded slowly, a sigh of his own leaving his lips and he gently rubbed Yongguk's back. The guilt only left once he heard those three words, heart swelling while a warm feeling spread through his body. "I love you too," he murmured, unable to stop himself from smiling.

Yongguk gently pressed his lips against his neck and pulled away. "So, you have the day off? What are your plans for the day?"

"I was thinking… we could maybe start looking for an apartment… for you.."

"That sounds great," he grinned. "I can be ready in ten minutes."

"Alright. I'll wait here for you."

Yongguk came out exactly ten minutes later in a suit. He figured he might as well dress the part since they were going apartment hunting. "Is this okay?" he questioned as he tried his best to smooth down his hair. "I should have gotten a haircut," he mumbled.

Himchan melted in a wide smile when he turned to look at Yongguk, nodding his head in approval. "You look great." he chuckled and walked over, raising a hand to run his fingers through his hair. "It's fine like this."

"Thanks. I just want to make sure I look the part." He smiled once Himchan ran his hand through his hair, feeling a sense of comfort from it. "Where will we look for apartments? Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island... Harlem?"

He laughed softly and shook his head at the other. "Manhattan of course," he replied as if it were to most obvious thing in the world, lowering his hand while he turned back to the door.

"Manhattan? But that's so expensive," his eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Himchan smiled and opened the door. "Come on, let's go."

"Can I please bring my straw boater? It matches with what I have on," he pleaded.

"Fine, just hurry."

Yongguk grinned and dashed into the bedroom, coming out moments later with his straw hat on. "Thank you!" he exclaimed and pecked Himchan's lips before following him out the suite. A soft snort escaped Himchan's lips and he rolled his eyes playfully. With a smile he walked to the elevator, slipping his hands in his pockets when they were inside of it.

"Do you just want me in Manhattan since that's where you live?" he questioned in a teasing tone.

Himchan flushed lightly. "It's just... the nicest place around here," he mumbled in a reply, turning his gaze away.

"I just don't want you going out of your way for me…" he trailed off and brushed his fingers against his hand. "I don't want you thinking I'm using you or anything. I swear I'll look for work first thing tomorrow morning so I can start paying for whichever apartment we decide on. I don't need anything fancy, just the necessities."

"You don't need to worry about paying for it... And I know you don't want anything fancy, so I looked for the ones that are more sober," Himchan smiled sheepishly, turning his head towards Yongguk. "I'd never think you're using me."

He sighed in relief, feeling happy that Himchan knew he wasn't using him. "How about I buy us lunch after we look for apartments, it's the least I can do."

"Alright, that sounds like a plan," Himchan chuckled softly and stepped out of the elevator once it came to a stop, immediately walking through the lobby to the exit. Yongguk followed behind him, and carried himself with a faux confidence in order to match well against Himchan. "Are we taking your driver or a taxi?"

"A taxi." he replied while raising his hand to hail a cab.

"I wonder if being a taxi driver pays well," he thought out loud without realizing it.

"Why don't you ask them?" Himchan answered, chuckling as he opened the door when a cab stopped in front of them, slipping inside.

"Huh?" he questioned. "Ask them what?" he asked as he slid in next to Himchan before closing the door.

"Where are you two kids headed?" asked the taxi driver.

"Nothing," he laughed before turning to the driver, giving him the address of the apartment they will visit.

The drive to Manhattan was slightly long due to a lot of traffic. By the time they got past it they discovered the cause of it all. A poorly covered dead body lay in the middle of the street, and some men were being placed into the back of a police car.

Yongguk was taken aback and accidentally shouted, "What the hell?!"

The driver stopped the taxi momentarily, wanting to catch a glimpse of the scene.

"There must have been a raid. I wouldn't be surprised if the person that's dead was a gangster or bootlegger. But that's nothin' compared to Chicago. This right here is child’s play; Stuff like this happens down there every day. That's Capone's territory—" The taxi driver was cut off by the sudden noise of honking cars behind him. That snapped him back to reality, and he yelled a few curses out the window as he pulled off.

Himchan leaned against Yongguk so he could look through the window, shooting the corpse a disinterested look as they drove past it. "Must be a stupid bootlegger if he got caught," he commented under his breath, more to himself than to anyone else in the car, before sitting back.

Yongguk caught on to what he said and rested his hand on his thigh, giving it a tight squeeze for reassurance. He didn't show the fear on his face, but seeing that body in the middle of the road scared him. That could have been Himchan but he reassured himself that Himchan knew what he was doing. Like he said, it must have been a stupid bootlegger if he got caught. The rest of the ride was quiet, minus the taxi driver throwing curses at people on the road. Once they arrived at the address and Himchan paid the man, Yongguk got out of the taxi and stared up at the building in awe. "Wow..."

Himchan's face lit up at Yongguk's reaction, looking up at the building himself before trailing his eyes to his lover. "Don't worry. It's pretty modest inside," he said, although his definition of modest may differ greatly from Yongguk's. He placed his hand on Yongguk's back and led him towards the entrance where a woman was waiting for them. Himchan immediately walked up to her, recognizing that she was from the agency he had called months ago by the logo plastered on the wooden clipboard she was holding.

"Hello. Himchan Kim. I called your agency to visit this apartment and several others," he said, reaching out his hand towards her.

"Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kim," the woman replied, taking his hand in hers to give it a light shake. "I'm Dorothy Garner. I'm sorry my colleague you had on the phone couldn't make it. Something with her family conflicted with her schedule today."

"That's fine, Ms. Garner. I'm sure you'll do a terrific job at showing us around," Himchan gave her a smile before finally introducing Yongguk. "And this is my friend Yongguk Bang. He's the one we're finding an apartment for. I'm just helping him out since he's pretty new to New York."

"He is lucky to have you as a friend, sir. New York is not an easy city to live in," Ms. Garner laughed and held out her hand to Yongguk. "It's nice to meet you as well, Mr. Bang."

"It's nice to meet you too Ms. Garner," he said as he shook her hand.

"Shall we go then? The apartment is on the 4th floor," she started while turning to the elevator. "It has a great view on the streets. I know what you're thinking. Streets? But trust me, it is great. You'll see."

Himchan placed his hand on Yongguk's back again as he followed behind them, repressing his laughter as Ms. Garner went on about the apartment enthusiastically, only pausing to think about what she was going to say next.

"Yeah, sounds good."

Once they were in the elevator and arrived to the fourth floor, Yongguk followed Ms. Garner down the hallway. It was narrower than he thought it would be but he was used to hallways like that. Not even halfway down the hallway Ms. Garner stopped at a room numbered 438 and pulled out a set of keys. Once she unlocked the door and stepped inside Yongguk walked in, followed by Himchan and his mouth hung slightly open from how nice the room looked.

Dorothy Garner practically twirled around the room as she gave all the measurements of the living room, beckoning them to look through the window to see the view.

"You're very lucky with the position of the apartment. The living room is constantly bathed in sunlight. Lots and lots of natural light," She babbled before pointing out the small chandelier on the ceiling before strutting off to the kitchen.

Himchan glanced around the place while following her and shot occasional looks at Yongguk to gauge his reactions.

In contrast, Yongguk could barely keep his mouth closed. Despite the room being unfurnished, it was still nicer than any apartment he could have imagined for himself. Yongguk walked towards the window and smiled once he saw the view; It was unlike anything he had ever seen. He could see all the people on the sidewalks, the sea of yellow taxi cabs and there was also a decent view of some buildings. This was New York's charm, the constant hustle and bustle that brought him at ease. "It is a nice view Ms. Garner, you were right."

"Told you so!" she replied with a laugh. "Come look at the kitchen Mr. Bang." she motioned him over as she was already at the door.

When she turned around, Himchan moved a bit closer to Yongguk, sliding his hand down to the small of his back. "It's not too much already, is it?"

"I'll be there in a moment Ms. Garner," he chuckled before looking back at Himchan. "It's really nice. I've never seen such nice things before. I grew up poor… so anything like this will seem spectacular to me. I just hope the rent won't be too much."

Himchan smiled softly and gave his back a light pat. "I'm paying, so you don't have to worry about that."

"I'll find work as soon as possible, and I'll pay you back; every penny. No matter how long it takes." The determined look in his eyes showed how serious he was about his statement. He flashed him a smile and walked towards the kitchen where Ms. Garner was, so he wouldn’t keep her waiting any longer.

Himchan chuckled softly, keeping to himself how he doesn't want Yongguk to repay him and simply followed him to the kitchen. He listened as Ms. Garner immediately fell into a long explanation of how this kitchen was perfect for Yongguk and suppressed his laughter. He was enjoying this rare opportunity of spending the day with his lover, and in lieu of the previous events, it was nice seeing Yongguk smile again. He smiled softly as Ms. Garner went on and on, quietly watching the amusing exchange between she and his lover.

"I'm not much of a cook but I guess I'll have to learn now," he joked.

"You can always hire someone to cook," Ms. Garner laughed softly before suggesting they go see the other rooms.

"I don't think that'll be necessary. I'll learn," he chuckled and followed her to the bedroom.

"I can cook for you," Himchan interjected. "I know a couple of recipes that saved my life during college." He chuckled and tagged along.

Yongguk looked back at him and smiled. "I'd like that very much. Maybe you can give me some lessons." Although it was subtle, Yongguk was being flirtatious. Thankfully for the two of them Ms. Garner was oblivious to it. Himchan narrowed his eyes playfully and smiled, "They'll be pretty simple recipes but it'll be enough until you learn better ones." He nodded to himself, musing at the idea of him and Yongguk cooking a meal together. However, he was snapped out of his thoughts as they all entered the empty bedroom and looked around. Once again Ms. Garner twirled and Himchan bit the inside of his cheek so he wouldn’t laugh at her over-the-top antics.

"Wow, it’s such a big space."

"It’s big enough for a double bed, a desk, and a couple armoires¹ as a matter of fact! And there’s still enough room so you can dance in it afterwards," Ms. Garner chuckled.

"I'm not used to having this much space," Yongguk joked. "I'm so used to being in tiny cramped places. You could room 10 men in here if you wanted to."

"Well you’re in luck Mr. Bang, it's only meant for two." Ms. Garner replied with a soft laugh.

"Two is even better," he smiled and glanced at Himchan before she led him to the closet.

Himchan smiled softly at him and decided to lean against the doorframe instead, watching Ms. Garner and Yongguk move about.

The rest of the tour went smoothly. They viewed the bathroom, the study, extra closet space and by that point Yongguk didn't feel the need to look at any other places. The one bedroom Manhattan styled apartment was just enough for him. "I really like this place Ms. Garner. I think it's a keeper. How much is the rent by chance?"

"Are you sure you don't want to see the others?" Himchan asked before Ms. Garner could answer.

"I'm positive."

Ms. Garner nodded her head and looked through her papers. "The rent will be $60 a month."

Yongguk's jaw dropped at that amount of money and he looked at Himchan with an apologetic expression. "Ah... is there anywhere that's cheaper?"

"This one's pretty average given the location… I don't know if I have cheaper.." Ms. Garner started, looking further through her papers. "I can try getting in contact with my supervisor—"

"That's not necessary. He'll take it," Himchan interrupted her.

"But Himchan maybe there's another—"

"You want this one, right?"

"Yes..." he responded shyly. "I just don't want you going out of your way to help me out with this living arrangement."

Himchan simply laughed and turned back to Ms. Garner. "Where does he need to sign, Miss?"

Yongguk sighed in defeat, knowing full well the discussion was over and mumbled, "Where do I sign?"

"Right... here," Ms. Garner said as she flipped to the correct papers on the clipboard and fished a pen out the pocket of her vest.

Yongguk reached for the pen, taking it in his hand and signed and dated wherever Ms. Garner pointed. He then handed Himchan the pen and watched him follow suit. She then asked for the down payment for the apartment and surprisingly Himchan pulled out the money to pay for it. Yongguk knew he shouldn't have been surprised but he was. Ms. Garner took the money, and had Himchan sign one last form before she said, "That's it!" She pulled out the key to the apartment and handed it to Yongguk. "Welcome home Mr. Bang."

"Thank you…" he trailed off as he took the key in his hand and smiled.

"Thank you for everything, Ms. Garner." Himchan shook her hand.

"It was my pleasure. First time a client was so quickly pleased with what he saw," she laughed softly. "I'll leave you now. Enjoy your new home, Mr. Bang," she added and held out her hand to shake Yongguk's before leaving the apartment. He firmly shook her hand and thanked her again before walking her to the door.

Once she was gone, he shut the door behind him and walked over to his lover. He wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him against him. "Thank you… for all of this." Himchan wrapped his arms around his neck and pressed a light kiss against his lips. "It's my pleasure," he chuckled softly. "I want to buy you everything you want."

"It's not fair for you to do that when I haven't a penny to my name." He sighed and pressed his lips against his again, feeling somewhat of an inferior male not being able to provide for the one he loves.

"I think it is fair. I'm taking care of my loved one while he's in need. Isn't that what lovers do?" Himchan chuckled softly before kissing back, tightening his arms around Yongguk. The kiss lingered a few moments before Yongguk pulled away.

"I just wish I could do more for you, since you've done so much for me already."

"You love me. That's already a lot."

"I'll do more for you once I get a job. I promise baby."

Himchan nodded, not wanting to disagree with him as he could see how much it meant to Yongguk to be able to do something in return. "Alright… alright," he chuckled and gave him a soft smile before pecking his lips softly.

"Thank you," Yongguk grinned.

"You're sweet," Himchan whispered, his lips lightly brushing against Yongguk’s as he spoke.

"You're sweeter," he replied as he pressed his lips against his again and deepened the kiss. Himchan raised a hand, running his fingers through his lover’s hair, his head tilting while he answered the kiss with a smile. As the kiss progressed, Yongguk tightened his arms around Himchan's waist and spun him around due to his excitement. He laughed against his lips as he felt Himchan cling to him and finally stopped spinning around once he felt dizzy enough.

"I think Ms. Garner has rubbed off on me," he joked.

"Bbang warn me next time," Himchan laughed and shook his head, pulling away when he was finally settled down, and less dizzy.

"Sorry baby, I got too excited!"

"Well it is your home, so I’m glad you’re excited," Himchan teased.

Yongguk looked around the apartment, taking in every detail of the structure from the hardwood floors to the crown molding on the ceiling. He looked like a child in a candy store.

Himchan looked at him with a wide smile that reached his eyes, quietly examining the features of his lover as he took in the apartment. A warm feeling spread from his belly, something he had only begun to feel the moment Yongguk came into his life. It was in that moment he wondered what he had done to deserve a love so grand.

"I can't believe this is mine. No, I can't believe this is ours."

"Our new little world," Himchan added with a small smile, his eyes not leaving the other.

"Am I a lunatic for already thinking of the memories we'll make in this place?"

Himchan snorted, "Yes, because we haven't even started."

"I can't help it. I want to make the most of every moment with you, even if it's for a couple hours or five measly minutes. I want to embrace every single moment that we have together."

"Then live it with me now… and don't try to imagine how it'll be in the future."

"Right..." he trailed off. For a moment Yongguk forgot that he wasn't in an ordinary relationship. Himchan was a bootlegger and also married. His job had many risks, and he was bound to his family. His expression saddened when he realized how uncertain their future was. Himchan's words anchored him back into reality and he bowed his head as he mumbled an apology for being so foolish.

Himchan took Yongguk's hands in his, lacing their fingers together. "When should we go look for furniture?" he asked. He noticed the change in behavior but wasn't sure how to approach it, so he tried changing the subject.

"We can look after we get some lunch," he smiled sheepishly and squeezed their hands. His smile wasn't as genuine as before and there was a slight change in his mood but he tried his best to conceal it.

"Alright…" Himchan pecked his lips quickly, squeezing back. "What do you want to eat?"

"You decide this time. The only thing I've been eating since I got back is burgers."

Himchan chuckled softly and nodded. "Let's not eat that, mhm?" He started walking to the front door, pulling the other along.

"Do you know any good places I could take you... that I could afford?"

Himchan stopped mid-step and turned around, pressing his lips against Yongguk’s again. It was so sudden it nearly knocked Yongguk off his feet and he held onto Himchan’s shoulders so he wouldn’t lose his balance.

After a minute, Himchan pulled away and replied nonchalantly, "We'll look for one now."

Yongguk stood in a daze from the sudden act of affection and a light blush appeared on his cheeks. "What was that for? Not that I'm complaining, but… what did I do to deserve such a great kiss?"

"I did it so you'd stop acting like you're inadequate and unworthy of being with me."

Yongguk opened his mouth to respond but Himchan gently placed his index finger over his lips to silence him. "You're too hard on yourself, and I want that stop right now before we step out of this apartment.  If you don't, I'll just continue kissing you until you learn the error of your ways."

"Well when you put it that way, I think I need more kisses," he replied as he pulled him into his arms.

"Don't change the subject Bbang," he laughed and lightly pushed against his chest.

Yongguk peppered kisses along Himchan's face whilst making the most obnoxious noises. He ignored the other's protests and continued for another minute before ending it with a peck on the lips. Himchan tried acting like he was angry but his smile gave him away. "Feeling better?" he asked as he straightened his suit and smoothed down his hair.

"Yeah baby, I am."

"Good," he smiled and fixed the straw boater on Yongguk's head. "There's a café a few blocks from here, its walking distance. You can take me there on our lunch date and then we can look for some furniture," he responded coolly as he walked out of the apartment. A smile curled on Yongguk's lips and he followed, making sure to lock the door behind him.

"Sounds like an adventure."

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1. Armoire

Surprise!!! Yes we're still alive! Life has just been really busy. To show how sorry we are for the irregular updates, we made this chapter longer than it was originally. We know because of the lack of updates some might assume we've lost interest in the story, but we promise that isn't the case. We're not done with the story. In fact, we've been outlining the future chapters and we've got so much planned for the plot. Yeah it might take a while to get those chapters out but we plan on seeing this story to the end. We're just taking a longer time figuring out the direction we want to go in. Thank you again for your patience. Leave us your feedback in the comments section and hopefully this chapter makes up for the absence.