the beautiful boy on the ship

The sea had always been Jungkook's home.

For years, he had sailed across endless oceans as a merchant navy officer, watching countries come and go like passing clouds. He loved the waves, the silence of the horizon, and the freedom of being nowhere and everywhere at once.

Yet none of it prepared him for Kim Taehyung.

It was a cold evening when their paths first crossed.

The ship was leaving the port, carrying passengers from different countries. Jungkook stood on the deck, checking reports before the journey began.

That was when he saw him.

A young man stood alone near the railing.

His dark hair danced with the wind.

His eyes reflected the ocean as if they belonged to it.

The fading sunlight painted his skin gold, making him look almost unreal.

For a moment, Jungkook forgot how to breathe.

The stranger turned his head.

Their eyes met.

And the world became quiet.

Taehyung offered a small smile.

A simple smile.

Yet it struck Jungkook harder than any storm he had ever faced.

Jungkook looked away first, embarrassed by how quickly his heart had begun racing.

Later that night, he learned the stranger's name.

Kim Taehyung.

French-Korean.

A member of a wealthy royal family living in France.

Everything about him belonged to a world far beyond Jungkook's reach.

While Taehyung spent his days surrounded by luxury and history, Jungkook spent his crossing oceans and working long shifts.

They were complete opposites.

But fate seemed determined to keep bringing them together.

Over the following days, they met again and again on the ship.

Sometimes near the dining hall.

Sometimes on the observation deck.

Sometimes simply watching the stars above the sea.

Their conversations were awkward at first.

Taehyung's Korean was imperfect.

Jungkook's French was even worse.

Many sentences ended with confused laughter and hand gestures.

Yet somehow they understood each other.

More than words ever could.

One evening, while watching the sunset, Taehyung pointed toward the horizon.

"Beautiful," he said softly.

Jungkook looked at him instead of the sunset.

"Yes," he replied.

Taehyung laughed, realizing what he meant.

That laugh stayed in Jungkook's heart long after the moment ended.

Days passed.

Without noticing, Jungkook began carrying a sketchbook everywhere.

Whenever he had free time, he found himself drawing Taehyung.

His smile.

His eyes.

The way he tilted his head while thinking.

The way the sea breeze moved through his hair.

Every page became Taehyung.

Every poem became Taehyung.

Every thought became Taehyung.

For the first time in his life, Jungkook understood why artists spent years chasing beauty.

Because he had found his.

And his name was Kim Taehyung.

As the ship neared France, Jungkook felt something he had never felt before.

Fear.

Because journeys always ended.

People always left.

And he wasn't sure if he could bear losing the boy who had unknowingly become his entire world.

Standing beneath a sky full of stars, Jungkook watched Taehyung laugh at something neither of them could properly translate.

At that moment, he realized something dangerous.

He wasn't simply interested in Taehyung.

He wasn't merely fascinated by him.

He was falling in love.

And he was falling fast.

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