Lee Taemn is a child and he have no plans to grow up.
At twenty three he's all hot blood and wild body, just finished college with no idea what he wants to do from now on. He's only aspiration is to live an easy but exciting life full of and alcohol.
Others according to Lee Taemin's opinion exist really to either share his pleasures or to off it.

So when his parents demand for him to show up on a very important dinner, it's precisely because he knows what's going on, that he goes dressed in his old leather jacket and with kohl lining his eyes.
"This is Kim Kibum.", his father gestures nervously towards a pale creature sitting right in front of him. "He's twenty five this year, graduated from the academy as well. He held his first exhibition a month ago at the Gallery of modern art."
Kim Kibum bows and Taemin can't help but appreciate his parent's effort. Older, from the same school, an artist. They really want this to work, don't they? Only Taemin hated the academy and everything related to it. He's a photographer that can't find it in himself to take one good picture.
So, under his father's disapproving gaze, he waves impolitely back at Kim Kibum.

" I saw your work.", Taemin speaks to his knew acquaintance. He's lying. He haven't set a foot in Seoul's Gallery of modern art since he had a field trip in elementary school. " It's nothing special "
They are alone now, in the garden of the restaurant in order to 'get some fresh air and know each other better'.
 As if it really matters whenever they like each other or not. They both know what this is all about - it's an easy way for moth Kim and Lee families to get new investments and thus more money.
"They showed me your photographs too. They are pretty good." , Kibum's voice is deeper than expected.
Even if it's dark the lights from the restaurant permit to Taemin to see the guy clearly. He notes the neat raven hair, the dark almond-shaped eyes and the little bow-like mouth. He's lean and tall, about the same height as Taemin but where he's just angles and bones, there are soft curves on Kibum. 'Pretty' is the final conclusion, something that easily catches attention.
"Why you're not pursuing it as a career?" And yet there is something else about him, something almost intimidating.
Maybe it's the always proper way he talks. Or maybe it's the fake smiles that never goes down from his lips.
"Look now." , promptly ignoring the last question Taemin decides to go right on point.  "You don't want this whole farce, do you?"
Kibum raises an eyebrow, looking more amused than he should.
"Don't want what? To marry you?"
" Yes, to marry me! You don't want it, I don't want it, so let's just go back now and finish with this parade, ok?"
Kibum falls silent for a moment after that. But it's not from the sudden outburst. The next smile flies to his lips. It's the same sweet and polite smile but for some reason it looks so much more like the devil's smirk.
"What to do?", Kibum says mockingly looking at Taemin. "I kinda like the idea of being married to a rebel kid."

That night Taemin learns that he can be a child all he want but Kim Kibum is a grown up adult. So as Taemin runs off from the garden to a random club where he gets drunk and ed, Kibum stays behind, makes an excuse and schedules a second date.

*

"I can't believe they will marry me off like that, hyung!", a month after that Taemin whines loudly. The process if going down nicely. "I mean look at me. I'm barely legal!"
Jinki holds the comment what exactly his 'barely legal' self has already done and goes to sit next to him on the bed. This situation has happened continuously for thirty days so he already says his stock phrase.
"Come on now, Taemin-ah. It really can't be so bad, being engaged to the Kim Kibum."
Taemin scoffs. Apparently Jinki knows Kim Kibum. Almost all of Taemin's friends in fact, or at least the ones he's not embarrassed to call friends, know Kim Kibum. Kim Kibum was famous and it's a small miracle that Taemin does not know him. But the way he is he actually takes pride in the fact. Lee Taemin does not pay attention to anybody else after all.
"You should see him, hyung.", he groans, falling on the bed and rolling on top of Jinki. "He's all fake. How he walks, how he talks, the smiles that he gives. It's like his emotions are made of stone, you know. Like a lifeless doll. It's sickening!"
He knows that his words can be taken as offensive. It's better to not talk like that for another person. But it feels only right for a child to vent his emotions without caring for the consequences.
"Try knowing him, Taemin. Maybe then your opinion will change."

They found out Kim Kibum was not a doll though. Kim Kibum apparently has pride too, judging from the two gallery tickets left neatly on the coffee table, right outside Taemin's room.

*

Their first public appearance as a couple of weeks later. This time Taemin is not allowed to put an eyeliner nor wear any of his clothes. He's dressed in a smart dark suit, hair made up professionally and with a watch he can probably sell for a new motorbike.
All of this doesn't help much though, when he's sent out in the cold to find his 'fiancé'. 'A garden again', he thinks. Somehow Kibum and him are always connected to gardens.
Lately he actually follows Jinki's advice and try to get to know the other. They are forced to meet more regularly now, when the wedding is just around the corner. He even went to his exhibition in the gallery. Kibum's paintings are all striking colors, blues and greens and reds. Taemin could be an art major but he didn't understood any of that except that they made him breathless.
Actually the more they meet, the more Taemin realizes the only think he can say for sure about Kim Kibum is that Kim Kibum himself doesn't want Taemin to know him. He's always behind a mask and the younger doesn't have the brains or the patience to solve complicated puzzles like that. He doesn't like complicated, he doesn't do complicated. Even if it comes in the form of his 'partner-for-life'.
Finally he catches a glimpse of Kibum by one of the smaller fountains partly hidden in the bushes. He too is wearing a dark suit which combined with the moon light made his skin look almost transparent.
"Kibum.", Taemin calls out but he doesn't seem to hear. "Kib..."
Taemin stops death on his track. Kibum is kissing somebody else right in front of him, hands hugging the other's neck tightly almost desperately.
"Please.", he can hear his shaky voice, completely different from what he's used to. "Minho please."
But the other man struggles detaching Kibum from himself.
"Stop this nonsense, Kibum. Please.", he has a deep voice.
Kibum lets go in the end, panting heavily. He looks angry at the other.
"Nonsense? The only time I am brave enough to ask you to love me and only me is nonsense? The first time I actually have the guts to tell you to run away with me is nonsense?"
Taemin's breath hitches in his throat. On what exactly has he walked? He felt confused, angry and intrigued in the same time. He wanted to stay and see better but also to go back because he has got no right to intrude on this them.
"You know, he says my emotions are made from stone. He says I'm lifeless like a doll never giving anything from within.", Kibum continues to speak and Taemin feels heaviness on his chest that should not be guilt.
"Can you tell me why is that Minho?"
"Kibum please not here. We..."
"Can you tell me why I'm so used to hiding, waiting? Can you tell me how a learned so expertly not to feel or hurt? Can you?"
His voice waivers as he sniffles loudly. A moon ray falls on his face and Taemin can see the tiny drops of tears rolling down the pain cheeks. It's so genuine and so vulnerable that he almost can feel his heart break too.
"Kibum look at me.", the guy puts his hands or Kibum's shoulder. Taemin hates him a little bit for that. "You know we can't do this Kibum. You perfectly know I can't do this."
"But..."
"Get a grip of yourself.", his deep voice is heavy too, as if full with tears as well. "Let's not see each other. Please, huh? Otherwise it will continue to hurt like this."
"You say it if it will not otherwise."
"I can't leave my family, Kibum, I thought you knew that! I can't!", by now Kibum is fully sobbing in his arms "So stop searching me at work. Stop calling me when I'm trying to spent time with my daughter at home!"
And he lets Kim Kibum fall on the ground. With a simple murmured "I'm sorry." he leaves him there and hurries back inside.
If Taemin always wished to know what's behind Kibum's mask now that he knows he wishes to forget it.
He wonders for a moment if it's his duty to go and calm him down but then hears Jonghyun, Kibums older brother, calling for them, and hurries back too in fear to be caught spying.  

The rest of the evening he pays special attention to have Kibum by his side. He has always one hand around the other's waist while they are guided around the room, meeting important people here and there. Sometimes, starting even Kibum, he leans to whisper in his ear. He has nothing important to say but he thinks they still look good together like that.
Taemin is a child. And when a child sees something they can't have they take it as a challenge. Seeing a tall familiar figure in one corner Taemin swiftly directs them towards it. Kibum sees where they are going too late to run away.
"How do you do? I don't thing we know each other. I'm Lee Taemin and this is my fiancé Kim Kibum."
Minho's eyes are big he finds out. But they become even bigger and full with surprise and hurt when he sees Kibum in front of Him. Taemin doubts his idea all of a sudden,
"Good evening.", only it's too late already and the man shakes hands with him. "Choi Minho. This is my wife Choi SoYoung.", the woman besides him smiles and waves on her turn to Taemin and Kibum. Taemin tries hard not to notices how Kibum's body stiffens when he sees her.
"You know each other honey, right?" Choi SoYoung says looking between her husband and Kibum. Taemin wonders if she's that unsuspecting or just likes torturing people.  "We have a daughter too, she's too small to come tonight though."
Taemin is sure he looks genuinely interested.
"Really? What's her name?"
"Choi Gwiboon."
Kibum's head jolts up to the mention of the name and he stares at Choi Minho's eyes.
"That's a beautiful name.", he says quietly, almost too quite to be heard. Choi Minho has a pained smile on.
 'They love each other', a thought hits Taemin.
"You should come with her to our wedding. We will send you invitations, right honey."

Taemin is a child so it's permitted for him to be possessive and not minding other people's feelings. He learn however that only adults can be truly cruel.
Because Kibum lift his eyes and looks right at Choi Minho, a blinding smile of happiness on his lips.
"Yeah, you should really come."

*

Taemin wanted to say that their wedding was nothing special. In the back of his minds he always believed he would marry simply with five people on the beach.

But of course it soon became clear that with their line of being simple just won't do. Instead he got the whole 'big white wedding' with one hundred people and a lobster in the menu.

Tugging irritated at his white suit he was at the door, glaring with his most charming smile at every guest he didn't know.
"So you too can look presentable I see." he hears a voice behind his back and turns around to meet big round eyes filled with mocking sympathy.
"Jonghyun hyung!"
It was a little bit weird how he became friends with Kibum's older brother so quickly. Maybe because the two of the had nothing in common except mutual adoration from mint ice-cream and one another. Jonghyun was the type to laugh loudly and speak up his mind. He's also the type to go into a fights before asking questions. That's precisely why he seems the dumper of the two. After managing to pass the 'protective brother' zone, Taemin found however how nice it was to be around him and how good it actually was to have an easy-going friend like Jonghyun.
In contrast to him it was always stressing to be around Kibum. They could hold an awkward conversation now and Taemin learned how to not glare at the other man but somehow they were still far from the burning love you're supposed to feel with your soon-to-be-spouse.
"It's itches all over.", he pouts at the elder conveying all bottled up emotions.
"Now now behave little kid.", Jonghyun pinched Taemin's left cheek. "Kibum should been down soon."
Taemin shakes his head a 'no' and sighs. Worrying about the guest list should be the least of his problems.

But the people kept coming and he had to keep greeting them. Only this time Jonghyun was by his side, whispering details about each one of them. How he knows everything about everyone was beyond Taemin. That's what it takes to be a true heir of a multi-million company, he guesses.
"This is aunt JiHyun. There is a rumor she killed her first husband but I think he just couldn't take it and run away from her."
"This is uncle Joshua, he's living in America. Kibum loved going to his house when we were little."
"This is Shin Jibin and Shin EunHee, previously Park EunHee. They got married just at eighteen but their marriage brought a fortune to both of their families."
" And this is... What is HE doing here?!"
Jonghyun voice goes from joyful to angry in a millisecond. A strange thought occurs to Taemin that maybe he's not the only one that knows. Because trough the door enters Choi Minho and it's quite funny how Jonghyun stares and stares daggers at him.
On his arm is Soyoung and she smiles happily with a small girl in a baby pink dress stepping shyly behind her parents.
Gwiboon is truly adorable, Taemin concludes. She's a perfection from Minho's big eyes and SoYoungs's full lips. So much that even Taemin's feels sad and uncomfortable.

When the ceremony finally starts and Kibum and him are walking down the aisle Taemin should feel pride. He's walking together with Kim Kibum and everyone can see it. Choi Minho can see it. It all has become a competition awhile ago and it seems like he's winning.
But he doesn't.
Kibum on the other hand looks he's almost enjoying himself. Taemin have the desire to shake him hard and mess with him.
But he doesn't.
Because he has to learn to control his desires if he want to become an adult. Even if they are burning inside. Taemin watches at his now husband shaking hands with Choi Minho and cooing at Gwiboon.

However Jonghyun doesn'y seem an adult either.  
There's a loud crash and the sound of glasses falling all around. A woman gives a shriek and it's enough for Taemin and Kibum to excuse themselves from the talk they're having with some fat lady and hurry in the direction of the commotion.
When they finally manage to make their way through the crowd of people, Taemin laughs at himself. Really, he had to expect that since the beginning.
In the middle are Minho and Jonghyun, the latter punching the other in the face with a look of pure hatred. People around them are exclaiming, shock written on everybody's face. He hears "Jonghyun no!" beside him and Kibum is gone.
Taemin stays on his place looking at the two for a minute or two more, a feeling of satisfaction in his gut. It takes a loud yell from Kibum, accidentally hit by one of the boys, for him to snap out and intervene. He takes Kibum away.

*

"Here, take it.", he holds an ice-back to Kibum.
The man accepts it without protest and without a single word puts it on his cheek. He's not looking at Taemin though, eyes firmly on the floor.
"I hope it doesn't bruise.", sitting next to him the younger touches the reddening cheek with concern. Surprisingly Kibum doesn't flinch away.
He shrugs like it's the last thing on his mind right now. It probably is.
"You are with him, right?", Taemin can't control himself anymore. He needs to talk. "With Choi Minho."
The raven-haired man chuckles bitterly.
"So much for my folks trying to keep it away from you.", he speaks with voice hoarse and small.
"You mean they know?"
"That's why we had to split up. That and G-Gwiboon finally becoming too much of a reality."
Taemin expects it. He does but it still feels like the air is out of the room. So the whole thing, their whole marriage could be just a way to keep Kibum away from Choi Minho? There's no game to win, all of this could never be his to begin with.
"Do you want to get out?" Kibum asks his with something that awfully resembles pity.
Taemin looks down at his husband and thinks that yes, he wants to run away. Even if adults can't act like this. He decides not to care right now.
"Do you want to get out with me?", with a Cheshire smile he holds up the keys from his bike in front of Kibum's confused face.

The sand is cold beneath their bare feet. Neither cares.
"I always liked the beach during autumn.", Taemin says sitting down not minding at all what happens to his expensive suit. "There's no people and the water always looks calm."
"You don't really like people, do you?", Kibum snickers sitting next to him.
"Not the majority at least.", Taemin jokes too. Kibum's laugh is nice.
"Then what do you like?"
"Huh?" the question comes suddenly and Taemin looks startled at the man next to him.
"What do you like?",Kibum repeats "Tell me your interests. We are married now so as well we can try getting to know each other."
He looks so different now, Taemin thinks. His hair is disheveled from the wind, his suit is wrinkled and there's a big blue spot forming on his cheek. 
"You really wanna know?"
"I asked, didn't I."
With a sight Taemin lies down the sand and eyes the moving clouds above him. He feels Kibum doing the same next to him, their shoulders almost touching.
"I wanted to be a fireman.", he says the first thing that comes to his mind. "When I was about ten."
The response is unexpected. Kibum giggles.
"Hey, it's not funny.", he turns his head and pouts. "It's actually my darkest secret."
"That was your darkest secret?" Kibum looked at him briefly too, before averting his gaze above. It's his turn to speak now and he thinks for awhile, biting lightly on his lower lip. Unconsciously Taemin reaches to the pocket of his pants, searching for his phone. He wants to take a picture.
"When I was a little I always feared I will become invisible so nobody could find me anymore."
"What?"  For somebody like Kibum being invisible should have never been on his worry list.
"There're always this things you know.", he tries explain. "In these big houses there're always a lot of people, a lot of rooms, ton of stuff and ton of things you need to do. Nobody really remembers a small kid who likes to draw on a bench in the back. So the kid started fearing one day his dad would really not be able to see him and not just pretends not to."
It sounds so familiar to Taemin. He doesn't even notice opening his mouth again.
"I smoked my first cigarette at fourteen.", he confesses. "When a teacher caught me my mother was so mad she took time off work to come and speak to the principle. After this I started smoking a pack every day in hope for my father to notice too and scold me. He never did though."
"Do you still smoke?"
"Nah.", he shakes his head. "A couple of years ago I started having breathing problems so I had to quit. I never liked it anyways."
Kibum grins amusedly at him.
"I knew you were just a small boy wanting to be loved inside.", he teases and Taemin shoves him away playfully to stop. It's surprising how easily everything between them comes when everything else feel far away.
"You can hardly say that. I even have a drunk tattoo on my back."
"Is it the name of a random girl you met that night?", Kibum looks down his body.
"No, it's actually my name with English letters."
” Aw, you are not fun."
There's a couple with a small child next to them now and they occupied themselves with looking at the small boy trying to make sand castles.
"I too have a tattoo, on my ankle.", Kibum speaks after few minutes, lifting slightly his trousers' leg. Taemin sees a small black star where his sock begins.
"Since I was little I wanted to be a star. Call it after effect for the fear of being forgotten."
But somehow Taemin is not convinced it's an after effect. Kibum does seem like a person born to shine.
Kibum breathes heavily eyes still on the couple beside them.
"It became hard though. When suddenly I had to be unnoticeable."

And Taemin finally takes that picture he wanted. The elder looks lonely and lost but in the same time so beautiful he needs the image imprinted in his minds forever.

After that he just smiles at Kibum's confused gaze and shows him the result. It's the first good picture he had taken in years. Kibum actually smiles as well and Taemin absent mindedly notices - they are five people on the beach at last.

He wonders if he started to become an adult after all. Because he's clearly falling in love with somebody who can't love him back.

I wonder if I should put angst as a tag, hehe?. But the next chapter won't be so angsty so don't worry!
I always wanted to write an arranged marridge like this. I like the idea of people accepting that they can't have certain things after all.

 I hope I'm doing a good job with the process of Taemin actually falling in love ^^^ I wanted to write him as a selfish brat. Because I think this character suits him the best :p. But he's still very much lovable!

Please comment!

Thanks' for reading.

I'm off to sleep now.

PS: English is not my mother tongue, sorry for the mistakes!