“Here we are,” Taeyang points out the building to the right as we come to a stop and he parks the car. I look out the window and to my surprise we’ve arrived at a tattoo shop.

            “Wait, seriously?” I turn to look at him again with a smile stretched across my face; I swear my smile reaches my ears, I’m smiling so big.

            “Of course baby,” he smiles once again and kisses me quickly. “You’ve talked about getting a tattoo but never actually did it.”

            “Yeah, because I don’t want my parents to kill me,” I chuckle. It’s true, because I still live with my parents while I’m finishing school and the placement of the tattoos I want; my parents would definitely notice and I don’t want to know what would happen.

            “Well, today we’re going to get tattoos,” Taeyang smirks and I melt inside. He’s so hot! How did I get so lucky?

            “We?” I ask.

            “Yeah, I’m adding to the collection,” he chuckles, referring to the start of a sleeve he has. Right now it’s just a half sleeve but he’s been wanting to add more to it for a while now. There’s one blank area on his wrist that will probably be the location of his tattoo today to completely finish the half sleeve he’s got.

            “How would you feel about matching tattoos?” I ask honestly. I doubt he’d go for it and my question was more sarcastic than serious but I’d love to know his thoughts or how he’d react.

            “That actually gave me an idea.” Seriously? “I love you. I thought we could get tattoos of a lock and key type idea? You with a key and myself with a lock.”

            “I like it,” I smile at him genuinely. “But what if my parents see it?” I start to doubt if I can actually go through with this.

            “Just get it in a spot where they won’t see,” he shrugs. “You always wear sweaters anyway, so will they really notice?” his eyebrow raises.

            “You’re a terrible influence,” I smile before kissing him once again.

            “I know,” he speaks between kisses. “You love me though.” I smile into the kiss before pulling away and opening the car door.

-

            “You ready?” the tattoo artist asks me as he slides closer in his rolling chair.

            I take a deep breath before nodding. He starts tracing the key design just below my inner elbow that Taeyang and I have agreed on with the artist. This honestly doesn’t hurt as much as I thought it would. Wait, I was wrong. Certain areas of the design hurt more than others and to distract myself from the pain, I try to think of other things; put my brain elsewhere. I think back to the time that Taeyang and I had met several years ago.

-

            I was in twelfth grade; this being about five years ago now. One day I was on my way to meet my old high school friends that I don’t even talk to anymore since we’ve drifted apart.

            I was taking a bus to my friend’s house because I didn’t have a car at the time. I was doing what I normally did while riding the bus; read on my phone while listening to music in one ear. I was getting to such a suspensful part of the book I was reading at the time when someone tapped my shoulder, clearly interrupting. “Excuse me, is this seat taken?” he asks.

            I look up at the stranger with the nice voice. He’s beautiful; his black hair looks incredibly soft that I just want to run my fingers through it, his large dark eyes staring back at me. Oh my gosh, he’s gorgeous! “N-no!” I stutter much too loudly.

            He takes a seat next to me and I internally slap myself. Why didn’t I put more effort into how I look today? I mean, I did my makeup and hair how I normally would but if I knew that today I was going to be sitting next to the most attractive boy I’ve ever seen I would’ve tried a little harder.

            We talk the entire time we’re next to each other, until my stop and I have to leave him and get off the bus. I bid him goodbye and exit the bus. As soon as the door closes behind me, I internally facepalm. I didn’t get his phone number or even ask his name.

            A few weeks later, after being basically peer presured to go to a party with my friends I had no idea we’d meet again.

            I stand in a corner, alone. My friends all mingling with other people that I don’t know and don’t have enough confidence to talk to myself. I can’t leave because my friend was my ride here and I have no other way home. “Hey, it’s you,” I hear a semi-familiar voice.

            I turn to the voice to see the same attractive boy from the bus weeks ago. “H-hi,” I stutter. “Fancy meeting you here.”

            “Nice to see you again,” he smiles. His smile is so beautiful. “I’m Taeyang. I didn’t get the chance to say that last time we met,” he chuckles.

            “Madisen,” I introduce myself. “Are you stalking me?” I ask sarcastically.

            He laughs, “Of course not. I just can’t forget the face of the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen that I met, by chance, on a bus a couple weeks ago. And here you are now,,” he explains and I try not to blush but I can feel the heat in my cheeks and just accept the enevitable embarrassment. “You look like you’re having a lot of fun,” he remarks sarcastically.

            “Yeah,” I agree, speaking with the same amount of sarcasm.

            “Want to get out of here?” Wait, what?

            “You’re serious?” He nods. “Where would we even go?”

            “Well, for starters, we can go get an actual drink,” he suggests. “Soda isn’t doing it for me,” he shrugs and places the red plastic cup he’s been holding on a table behind him.

            “How old are you?” I had to ask him, I’m in disbelief of the conversation we’re having right now.

            “I’m twenty, why?” his eyebrow raises.

            “You don’t look twenty,” I tell him. “But if it’ll get me out of this uncomfortable situation, then sure.” I don’t have any intention of drinking with him and I don’t really know him very well but I just really want to get out of here and leave this party, considering I’ve spent the last two hours talking to no one and all of my ‘friends’ ditching me. This is what I get for lying to my parents about where I am.

            “Let’s go,” he smiles before offering me his hand. Hesitantly, I take his hand and he practically drags me out of the random house we’re in.

            He leads me to a random black car that I assume is his. He opens the door for me and quickly jogs to the opposite side and gets in the driver’s seat, starting the car immediately. “So, where are we going for this drink?” I ask out of curiousity.

            “My place,” he smirks. This is not what I imagined at all.

            A short drive later we pull up to an apartment building. “He wasn’t kidding,” I whisper to myself.

            I follow him inside in silence. This was a terrible idea… Why did I agree to this? Anything could happen to me tonight… My thoughts run wild with the worst possible scenarios of what could happen to me with this random man I’ve met only twice. “Welcome,” he smiles as he unlocks his door and allows me to step inside first. I offer him a small smile before entering the foreign apartment. “Make yourself comfortable,” Taeyang speaks as he steps into the kitchen.

            I slowly and silently make my way over to the small living room, taking a seat on the edge of the couch. “Do you live alone?” I ask him as he walks in not long after me, with what looks like a beer in each hand.

            “Yeah, it’s just me.” No one to hear me scream. He sits on the opposite side of the couch. “I’d like to get to know you Madi,” he changes the subject. “Can I call you Madi?”

            “S-sure,” I stutter. “Why do you want to get to know me?” I’m curious now, this man is so intriguing to me.

            “Because I thought you were pretty the day I met you and then talking to you made me want to know you more…” the confident man’s voice becomes quiet for a moment before continuing. “I’d like you to be my girlfriend.” His beautiful smile returns and I can’t help but smile back at him.

            How is this my life right now? Am I dreaming? I must be dreaming. There’s not a chance in hell that a hot twenty year old is talking to me and saying he wants to date me. “My parents wouldn’t like it. They wouldn’t like you,” I correct myself, speaking aloud without thinking.

            Taeyang hands me the unopened beer in his left hand and I catch the glimpse of what looks like a tattoo under his jacket. I can’t make out what it is but now I’m definitely curious and want to be nosy. “Why would they have to know?” he smiles. He’s got a point, a small voice speaks in the back of my mind. You wouldn’t have to tell them, the voice counters any other thought I have against the idea. “I can be your little secret from the world.”

            I smile and open the can of beer. “My little secret.”