Name: Taemin "Tae" Lee
Age: 34 years old
Gender: Cisgender Man, He/him
Occupation: Legal Assistant at Fletcher Law Firm
Faceclaim: Wi Hajoon
Height: 5'11
Build: Athletic
Sexuality: Gay
Smokes: No
Drinks: Yes
Tattoos: None
Piercings: None
BIOGRAPHY (tw: homophobia, abuse):
Taemin was born into an influential family in Seoul, South Korea. Both his parents worked in politics, in roles a young Taemin tried to show as little interest in as possible. He just knew they were traditional, that they had high expectations, and their view of what made a good South Korean young man felt like a burden Taemin would never be able to carry. His father seemed to sense something in Taemin even before Taemin sensed it in himself. He’d berate his son for not being manly enough, even going so far as to try and ‘smack the weakness out of him’. Tae pretended the bruises were from the sports his father forced him to play. His mother never questioned it, or if she sensed the truth, she didn’t care to put a stop to it. She only told Tae to do what his father said, to commit himself to his studies and to work hard.
Tae was in his teens before he really began to realize what characteristics his father sensed in him that made him so upset. While most of the other boys his age began to go girl crazy, Taemin never really saw the appeal. Instead, he developed a crush on another boy in his class. He spent years convincing himself this was just what best friends felt like, that they were just really, really close, but one summer day when the two of them had been spending time in the Lee family pool to cool off, playful splashes, laughter and long, lingering glances turned into tenderly pressing their lips together, and then sinking into the kisses with deeper passion. Tae felt like he was floating on air, like he no longer had a care in the world, and suddenly, everything made sense.
He would have gone to bed that night feeling as if he was floating on a cloud, but that was the night his father told him at dinner in no uncertain terms that he was to pack his bags and go to stay with his Aunt and Uncle in the United States. Tae opened his mouth to protest, to say that he wanted to finish his student career here, in Seoul, but his father was having none of it, and with a cruel look in his eyes, told Tae he wouldn’t allow him to ‘waste his days by the pool any more’, adding ‘I see what you do on our security cameras’.
At sixteen years old, Tae was rushed onto a plane and told that he was to start a new life, going to school in the US where there’d be more opportunity for him. In truth, his father simply wanted him gone, though. Taemin knew he was an embarrassment to the family. His mother’s sister and her husband raised him from then onwards. She’d been living in the US since college and although North Texas wasn't always the most open, his aunt and her husband had adopted a more liberal, accepting mindset. She did her best to convince Tae that he was loved and accepted here, and eventually, Tae grew to believe it. He even fell in love, meeting a boy who was in Blackstone Ridge visiting family, and entering a relationship. The two decided to both go to college in California, getting an apartment near campus together.
The need in him to be successful didn’t fade, much as he may not have succeeded in the way his father would have wanted. He studied English at Berkeley, got married the summer he and his partner graduated, before attending Law school, all while his husband supported him and stayed with him on the West Coast. His father would have been proud of him, if not for his personal life, at least for the academia, he thought, until the time came to sit the BAR. Try as he might, Tae simply couldn’t pass it. He failed it twice, telling himself he’d sit it again, as many times as it took.
Tae had to return to South Korea to complete his military service, leave his husband behind and pretend to be single. He barely spoke to his parents at all during his eighteen month enlistment, and visits during his off-time were brief and awkward. The military was hard on him, and being apart from his husband was even harder. Upon his return to Los Angeles and his husband, instead of facing the demons he brought home with him, he threw himself into work. He took on a few short-lived jobs in admin, marketing, public relations, all entry-level, and temporary. He probably would have continued going from temp job to temp job, but as luck would have it, he happened to land a position as the Personal Assistant to a high profile actress.
It was supposed to be temporary, a way to pass the time before he took the BAR again and became a lawyer, but it turned out Tae kind of liked it, and on top of that, he was good at it. The two of them became best friends, connecting over her family being from the same town in Texas as Tae's aunt, and although the hours were long and the work itself wasn’t always easy, it also didn’t feel like work with her. The job would eventually come at the cost of his marriage, though, his husband growing increasingly upset by the long hours and missed dinners, especially after he had waited for Tae during his enlistment. The two eventually divorced and Tae had even fewer excuses not to throw himself into work. Tae continued in his PA job for several years, until fate came to intervene again.
After a series of scandals, the actress he worked for retired from acting and the public spotlight, and Tae was back to square one. He followed her to Blackstone Ridge with his last role being to help her move and settle. He'd come home to his aunt and she would be home with her family, until more work came along, and then he'd move again. The plan never was to stay, but when he happened to see an opening for a legal assistant at a local law firm, Tae decided to go for it. He doesn’t actually practice law, but he gets to help those who do. Maybe, just maybe, some of their legal prowess would rub off on him, and he’d have the courage to finally sit the BAR again, but for now, he’s content where he is, and in his father’s eyes, being ‘content’ is exactly Tae’s problem. Luckily, there’s an ocean between them these days.
“I can see how that can get frustrating,” Siwan said with a small laugh. “Though it’s better than both of you being stubborn and refusing to compromise, for sure.” He was definitely stubborn and didn’t easily find a compromise. It obviously depended on the situation, but Siwan knew when he was right and the other party was wrong. It was usually the case.
“I’m glad I can keep you from becoming a complete hermit.” He lined up his putt, considering Tae’s words about the exam timeline. “I’m sure you’ll do well. I can only recommend putting aside some time every day for it, though. Just so you don’t lose it completely between every time you study. Do you work with someone who could help you maybe?” He added. Siwan took his shot, and straightened up to look at Tae. “You’ll do fine. No running away to remote islands. I wouldn’t know what to tell Spencer and Jin.” He half-joked and smiled at him. “And who would I play golf with? You’re the only one I know who doesn’t bore me to death out here. And I’d have no one to give questionable life advice to.”
"This is why we need Jin. He's the, uh, the top we were missing," Tae said with a laugh. His cheeks flushed a little at the joke, not sure if Siwan knew the terminology or not, or whether it was even appropriate to say such things. "When it comes to choosing the restaurants and stuff, and which movie to watch, obviously. Although I think Spencer is still working on getting him to do a Lord of the Rings marathon." Poor Jin couldn't be able to sit still through a single one of those movies, much less all of them.
He nodded. "Azra at the office is great. She has an interest in wrongful conviction cases too, which is an area I'd love to help with. I just feel bad taking up people's time." Lawyers were busy enough without being his study buddy."See? We're both here for one another in all the ways that matter. You give me the sage life advice and I listen to you. Or at least I try. And apparently, I don't bore you to death, which is nice." Tae knew he wasn't the most exciting person. He wasn't loud or charismatic, he was the quiet nerdy type who had largely been told to be quiet all his life so didn't hold a lot of strong opinions on things, but he was working on it. "Do you have family, Siwanhyung? I haven't heard you talk about them."
Jin looked up when he heard Tae’s voice, smiling sheepishly. “Honestly, I was talking out of my ass, but you guys ran with it – not that I'm complaining. And Benny was doing a circus theme, and invited me to join in, so I thought I could meet you both in the middle.” He said and did a pose as if to say ‘ta-da’. “Do you think it suits me? I also think the clown makeup suits me.” He half-joked, he could probably have saved the self-deprecating jokes for his reflection in the mirror, though. “You can kiss me, but on this cheek.” He said, and pointed to his left cheek. “The tear took me forever to get right.” He smiled, giving Tae’s hand a squeeze back. “I like your Blathers, though. Very cute, in a nerdy way.” Jin teased, taking in the others outfit. “I’ve missed you too! I have, it’s coming out soon, so that’s exciting. What have you been up to? Wedding planning?”
"And that just shows that you're the dominant one in this relationship," Tae teased. "You might be worth kissing, even if the make-up rubs off. Come here." Tae wrapped his arms around Jin, stepping into him comfortably and giving him the kiss on the cheek that he'd asked for. He was still getting used to being affectionate with Jin in public. There might have been a few glanced their way, confusion between small town Texans who were confused that he was openly touching and kissing another man while his partner was in the room, but he didn't care.
"You're very talented. And very much a clown. So the costume was perfect. Dance with me a little." Tae wasn't much of a dancer, but he just wanted to hold Jin close to him while he swayed his body with a complete lack of coordination. "We actually haven't talked much about the wedding at all. I'm not sure when we'll do it. I'm studying for the BAR exam in February. I'm not sure we'll do it before then or after. You're still coming as our date, hm?"
Siwan chuckled lightly at the comment about Spencer being the bride. “That’s kind of sweet. From what you’ve told me about him, he sounds like someone who’d appreciate you making it about him.” He stepped up to take his shot. “Don’t forget that a wedding is as much the grooms' day as it is the brides, though.” He added as he lined up and took his swing. The ball landed on the green, though not as close as Tae’s. “I don’t think I should be given much credit for your golf game.” He shook his head at his own shot. Definitely not his best performance.
As they walked toward the green, Siwan listened to Tae’s explanation about how their relationship worked. It made sense, he figured. It was the same as any relationship where communication, honesty, and time together were at the centre - just with an extra person to coordinate with. Siwan definitely admired how Tae was able to juggle two partners and his job, though. Siwan had more than enough to keep the hospital afloat while also keeping himself alive. “That makes sense.” He nodded to Tae’s explanation. “As long as it’s working for you all, it must be great.” He said, and smiled.
Siwan thought for a moment. “Sounds like you learned from what went wrong before.” He nodded. “Just make sure you’re finding a balance, you know? Your career matters too, especially with the bar exam coming up.”
"We're both the type of husband who will say 'whatever you want, darling' and mean it. It's kind of annoying, really. Sometimes someone just has to make a decision," Tae said with a laugh. "But he did mention his aunt and uncle's farm, and it's nice there, so I think it would suit us. As long as we can keep the animals away from Jin. I don't think he's a fan." Tae had been nervous around them too, at first, at least the bigger ones, the horses and cows, but he'd gotten more used to them the more often he'd visited Spencer there over their summers together, and when they had returned for family events.
"I'm giving you the credit. If it wasn't for you coming out here and making it tolerable with me, I'd be sitting at home burying my face in my books or my work computer. I'm sure I'll be doing that when I get home, anyway. February felt so far away when I first decided I was going to try and take the BAR exam again. Now, it seems like it's just around the corner." He still had a few months to study, but now that he was thinking about the wedding and still managing a heavy workload, doing his best to also balance a social life, and make sure Spencer and Jin got all the attention they deserved, it was sure to barrel down on him before he knew it. "If I fail again, I'm going to live on a remote island and you'll never see me," he laughed.
"I thought you were supposed to be coming as Tom Nook," Tae chuckled lightly as he saw his boyfriend. Jin liked to surprise him, it seemed. "Pietro is very you, though. I can appreciate the choice. Question, though. Is that make-up going to rub all over my face when I try and kiss you? Is this your way of warding me off?" Tae teased cutely, leaning in to give him a little squeeze on his hand instead. "I've missed you. I heard you've been working hard in the studio."
🎃 closed starter / taemin lee @legallytaemin
🎃 location: monster mash bash @ the whiskey barrel
🎃 date: october 25, 2025
Mickey was on her way back from the bathroom when she found herself standing face-to-face with Tae. After they'd chatted at Corey's barbecue, she'd been meaning to try and catch him again to see how things were going, at least on his end. "Hi Tae," she said happily, offering up a small wave. "I love your costume! You guys are Animal Crossing characters, right?" She'd spoken to Jin earlier so she'd gotten filled in, otherwise she wouldn't have a clue what they were. "This suits you, I think, a nice, wise owl. You work with Azra at the law firm in town, right?"
Tae greeted Mickey with a wide smile. "Ah, Mickey, from the event! It's nice to see you again. What, uh, what are you dressed as?" he asked, glancing over her choice of outfit. She looked incredible. "I saw Aslan around. I don't think I could ever be bold enough to wear something like that. My museum curator in a sweater-vest vibe is more me, I think." His smile widened, impressed at her knowledge. "Yeah! I'm Blathers, Spencer is Isabelle, and Jin is Pietro." He glanced down at his costume, the brown argyle definitely something he'd wear in his day to day life. At least this part, he could keep, even if he probably wouldn't wear the bow-tie again. "I do. She's Aslan's sister? Small town. Everyone knows one another, it seems."
"Babe," Tae called from the bedroom, eyes falling over the walk-in closet that had once been so neat and organized, slowly overtaken by his husband's sweaters and shirts. "I think we need more coat hangers. This pile on the floor in the corner is really starting to give college dorm room chic," Tae teased, picking them up again and neatening them in whatever way he could. "Do you want to reorganize it with me this weekend? We could go to IKEA, get some new drawers and things? As long as someone else assembles them."
"Of course. Tae," she nodded, making the mental note. There was no need to get off on the wrong foot with her coworkers, and the least she could do was address them with their preferred name. Her father did not share that tidbit with her, and she was sure it was on purpose, too. "If you have a good stroke on the back nine, you may just win him over." Just like most middle-aged to late-aged men, her father had found golf to be as entertaining as it was easy to secure a deal.
"Okay," she nodded as she thought through the potential legal proceedings. "It would take the right judge to have this case viewed, and that's never a guarantee. Not impossible, but definitely will be an uphill battle." If the case leaned in the best interest of the child, then perhaps. "Why are you remarrying?" Having her own ex-husband, Isla could never see herself going back to that asshole.
"I don't know how good my stroke is, but I dare say I'm improving. I've actually taken quite a liking to it. I go with my friend Siwan. He works at the hospital. If nothing else, at least we're getting outside and having a good walk." Golf, the old joke went, was a good walk ruined, but Tae actually liked having something to do, something to focus on. It let him unwind amidst the pressures and stress of a fast-paced legal environment.
He wondered if it was appropriate to be having this conversation with Isla, whether she was the kind of person who expected the office to be a place for work and work only, but she seemed curious about him, his life. His own curiosity was as much legal as it was personal. "I don't know if it's an avenue we'd even pursue. It's just something I thought about, for the future." Jin had just about avoided running for the hills at being called their boyfriend. If they suggested legal, spousal rights, he might just hop a plane back to Seoul. "Spencer and I? Well, loving him is the obvious answer, no?" He said with a small laugh. "But you're right. Marriage doesn't have to equal love. We haven't stopped referring to one another as husbands since we got back together. It just seemed right to make it official, and know we're also protected legally."
Siwan nodded and smiled. A Texas farm wedding sounded perfect for Tae and Spencer, at least from what he knew about them. Especially if there was a deep connection to the farm. “That sounds beautiful.” He said. “Rustic, that’s a nice look for weddings, I think.” For someone convinced he’d never be married for real, Siwan had strong opinions on what would make a nice wedding. Of course, he’d never say it out loud, but some brides had especially unfortunate taste. Not just in men.
Siwan chuckled lightly when Tae’s cheeks flushed talking about Jin. It was cute how smitten his friend was with his two partners. “Very strategic of you. But it sounds like it went well if he didn’t run for the hills.” He wasn’t sure why Jin would run for the hills at the label, but that wasn’t really for him to know either. He tried not to meddle too much into other people’s relationships. At least not more than he accidentally would be if he was asked for opinions or told about it.
He set his bag down as they reached the first tee. “You’re selling yourself short. You’ve done the work to get here, haven’t you?” He told him and shook his head, and looked over at Tae. “Can I ask, though, how does that work with three people? I’m not asking to judge, I’m just - curious, you know?”
"I would be happy with anything. Being the center of attention isn't usually my default position. I'll make it about Spencer. I don't think he'd take offense to me saying he's the bride," Tae said with a chuckle. Spencer had always been more playful and open with gender than people would have expected from him, especially being that he was a high school jock when they met.
"You're very kind," Tae said, lining up for his golf swing. Was it just his imagination, or was he getting better at this? "Ah, see! I like to think this is your influence," he chuckled as his ball rolled onto the green. "One of these days, I might actually beat you," Tae teased, giving Siwan a gentle squeeze on the shoulder as he moved aside to let Siwan take his shot.
"It's okay. It's natural to be curious. I'm still new to this." Tae wasn't sure if he had the authority to speak about polyamory. It seemed as if he, Spencer and Jin were all figuring it out as they went. "I can only tell you how it is for us. Sometimes we go on dates all three of us together, sometimes Jin and I will go out, sometimes Spencer and Jin, or Spencer and I. We trust each other. We try to be considerate of each other's feelings. We're honest with one another."
Tae supposed it was just like any other relationship, being mindful of how your actions impacted another person, making sure they were happy. "I just try to make sure both of them feel special and included. Make time for them. Putting my career above time with Spencer and not being honest with him about my feelings was what drove us apart last time. I don't want to repeat the same mistakes."
Siwan’s face broke into a genuinely warm smile as he looked at the ring on Tae’s finger. “That’s wonderful,” he said, stopping their walk for a moment to give his full attention to the news. “Congratulations.” He reached out and gave Tae’s shoulder a friendly squeeze. There was something touching about seeing Tae so happy, and so openly excited about this. It was obvious how much he cared about Spencer.
“Courthouse or ballroom, it doesn’t matter,” Siwan said sincerely. “What matters is that you’re both committed to making it work this time. And from everything you’ve told me, it sounds like you’ve both done the hard work to get there.” He smiled, and started walking again. “Just let me know the location, and I’ll be there.” He promised. He’d be honoured to witness Tae getting married, especially when it made him this happy. “What about your other partner? How does he feel about this?”
“I hope you’ll be staying here in Blackstone Ridge, though.” He added. He didn’t have many close friends, and he really valued his time with Tae.
It wasn't that Tae was expecting people to necessarily criticize his plan to re-marry his ex-husband, but it was still a relief to Tae when the announcement was met with positivity. Tae was a quiet person, a man who often defaulted to being shy and anxious. He only had a few close friends, Siwan being one of them. He had been one of the first people Tae wanted to tell.
"Spencer floated the idea of having it at his Aunt and Uncle's farm. A little Texas, a little rustic, but they're a close family. They were there for him more than his own parents were." Tae's cheeks turned pink at the mention of Jin. He still got giddy at the mention of the other man. He adored him. "We invited him over for dinner, I made Korean fried chicken, and we dropped the news." It made Tae sad to think that Jin had anticipated being dumped in that moment. It made him all the more determined to show him how adored he was. "He's on board. We want him to be. We don't want anything to change with him. But I did drop the word boyfriend, and he didn't run for the hills, so I think... I hope... that we're all doing okay."
After so much uncertainty the last five years of his life, a loneliness Tae hadn't even realized he was experiencing, it felt good to have his heart full again. "I'm very lucky."
Full Thread With: @spencerdolans & @jinxedvip
Location: Tae's Home
Tae considered himself lucky that at least when it came to his culinary tastes, Jin was easy to please. When asked about his favorite dishes, Jin had gone straight to Korean Fried Chicken or 'anything without seafood'. The recipe was fairly simple, but Tae had wanted to make sure he got it right, even doing a practice run a couple of days prior to make sure he ironed out any kinks before Jin came over. He was nervous to see the other man. They'd been on so many dates, hung out together, stole moments to grab a lunch or coffee together when Tae wasn't working or studying and when Jin wasn't in the studio, but they hadn't had a chance to be together again with all three of them since promises and rings had been exchanged.
When the doorbell finally buzzed, Tae couldn't wait to usher the other man inside, greeting him with a huge smile. "There you are! Sorry, gosh, you're not even late. I was just really looking forward to seeing you," Tae beamed, hoping his happiness at laying his eyes on Jin hid some of his nerves. "You're so handsome. Look at you." He greeted him with a soft kiss to the cheek, placing a hand on the small of his back. "Spencer's in the kitchen, and has been patiently tolerating me while I tried to make sure dinner was perfect," he chuckled, leading him inside towards the kitchen area. The air was filled with the scent of the fried chicken in the sweet chilli coating he'd so diligently made, the aroma of home-made french fries. "Wine, as always?" He offered.
-
Jin was definitely nervous when going over to Tae’s. He wasn't sure why. His nerves did settle ever so slightly at the other’s enthusiastic greeting, though. He wasn’t sure if he had ever seen this mix of excitement and nervous on Tae before, though. This was new. “Hey,” Jin smiled, leaning into the kiss on his cheek, giving him one back. He chuckled lightly. "If it counts I was really looking forward to seeing you too." The warmth of Tae’s hand on his back was grounding. “It smells incredible.” He said as he entered, and could already tell Tae had put a lot of effort into this. The scent of the Korean fried chicken was spot-on, bringing him right back to late nights in Seoul.
“Hey,” he greeted Spencer with a small kiss on the cheek, then took in the spread Tae had prepared. “Woah, haven’t smelled this since… well, last time I was in Seoul.” He mused, trying to remember when that was. “Wine sounds perfect, thank you.” He smiled at Tae. “I would offer to help, but I only know how to make rameyon.” He offered a sheepish smile.
-
Spencer honestly loved seeing his husband being all cute and nervous. Even though he thought it was a little unnecessary for him to do 'practice runs,' he was there to help out and give him support. He knew Tae worked a lot better when Spence got him all nice and floaty, flooding him in praises and kisses. Maybe he would’ve been just as nervous, but honestly, he’d been riding on a high instead. He and Tae were trying again, and everything was going so well with Jin.
He was smiling to himself when he heard Tae answering the door and greeting Jin, hopping off from the kitchen counter he was perched on. “Hi, babe,” he said with a smile, the pet name coming easy. He loved that Jin was more affectionate lately. He got the wine and poured into three glasses, offering them to both of his men. “Maybe we can all make rameyon next time, then,” he said, clinking his glass with theirs.
-
"I love the way you say rameyeon," Tae said fondly, a big smile crossing his features. Sometimes he felt bad about the culturally Korean things he could share with Jin that Spencer couldn't quite understand, but Spencer had always been amazing about everything, politely curious and happy to learn. "We can make rameyeon together," he suggested, holding out Jin's chair for him. It meant a lot to him to try and be a gentleman. He always wanted Jin to feel secure in the little things. "Thank you for the wine." He made sure everyone had plates, moving the platter of chicken and the sides into the middle of the table so everyone could help themselves. "Is this okay? Everyone can just grab what bits and pieces they want." He offered Jin a sweet smile. "I've missed you. What have you been up to? I saw some of your Instagram stories from the studio. Spencer's friend's band, right?"
-
Between Spencer calling him “babe” and Tae holding out his chair, Jin felt his chest warm at the easy affection. These small gestures made him feel like maybe he could actually belong somewhere without constantly waiting for it to fall apart. “Thank you,” Jin said softly as he settled into his chair, accepting the wine glass from Spencer. He clinked glasses with both of them before taking a sip. He set the glass back down on the table and took in the spread on the table. “This looks amazing.” He said honestly. “And yes, that sounds good.” He reached for the chicken and nodded to Tae’s question. "Yeah, that's right. Been doing sessions with them and just generally hanging out in the studio." He offered with a small smile. He didn’t really go out much unless dragged out, so his days were mostly spent in the studio anyway. “The studio sessions are always fun, though. But especially with live instruments instead of, you know, just electronics.” He shrugged. “I’ve missed you both, too. What have you been up to?” He looked between them.
-
Taking a seat, Spencer smiled warmly at his boys—he couldn’t believe his luck with not only one wonderful man but two. And the fact that they wanted him, as well? He still couldn’t believe it sometimes. He happily started to dig in while they chatted, grabbing a little bit of everything. “That does sound fun,” he said. “It’s great to see Corey’s band taking off. I remember Corey making me jam with them when we were younger, but I was just never the band type.”
Getting a bite of food, he let out a soft mmm. At the question, though, he quickly finishing swallowing before straightening himself out. “Actually, we have some amazing news,” he said, glancing over at Tae, another soft smile on his lips. “Wanna do the honors of telling him, sweetheart?”
-
"You were so cute with your little guitar, though," he teased. He'd seen Spencer dabble a few times, and he was more talented than he gave himself credit for. Tae's heart still skipped a beat at being called sweetheart. He still felt the softness of each and every embrace with the men he wanted to share his life with. His hands were shaky as he reached out for a piece of leg, some of the breading falling off in his hands, prompting a little curse in Korean. "Shibal! Oh, oops, sorry," he said with a laugh, then lifted his eyes back to Jin's across the table.
"I missed you, babe," Tae said, flashing Jin a small smile from across the table, still feeling so vulnerable in front of the other man. "Well, we have news," he said, looking over at Spencer with a small smile. "And we didn't want you to feel left out, or like anything is going to change, but we wanted to be honest with you." Tae didn't know why he had picked up this chicken, because all he wanted to do now was reach out and take Jin's hand. "There's no pressure from your side, but… we've been thinking, we never stopped thinking of ourselves as one another's husband, we just don't have the legal status to back it up anymore, and, well.." He looked over at Jin, gaze soft, and a little nervous. "We want to change that. We want to be legally married again. But still with you! Still with you, of course."
-
Jin looked up at Spencer. “I didn’t know you played… did I? Have you ever wanted to record anything of your own?” He offered with a smile.
As Tae began to speak he suddenly felt nervous. It was obviously good news with the way both Spencer and Tae had a smile on their faces. Legally married. Again. oh. This was it, wasn’t it? The other shoe was finally dropping and there wouldn’t be space for him anymore. Just a temporary addition to a dynamic that was always meant to be just the two of them. Still with you, of course. Oh! Jin suddenly remembered how to breathe again, dropping one of the chopsticks in the process.
“That’s great,” he said, putting on a smile as he looked between them. He picked up the chopstick again, trying to keep his hands busy. “Are you thinking a big wedding or just the registry kind of thing?” He asked, trying to gather his thoughts properly.
“And… uh, where does a third person fit into that equation?” He finally asked, his gaze on his plate. It was a question that had been on his mind a lot lately.
-
Spencer started blushing from the compliment. “It was nothing,” he said, trying to wave it off. He had been trying to get back into playing, though. He smiled sweetly at Jin’s offer. “Okay, I’m not that great, but maybe…I’d be down for recording something, but only for you two to listen to.”
He watched Jin closely, noticing the brief uncertainty in his face before relaxing again. Spencer briefly shared a look with Tae. “We haven’t thought about that yet,” he answered. While a whole wedding sounded nice when they originally had a courthouse one, he didn’t exactly wanted to plan one when they were both busy. Maybe a registry was the way to go.
He focused back on Jin, and he couldn’t help but reach out to hold onto one of his hands. “Hey, nothing needs to change,” Spence reassured him. “I’d really like to still be with you.” He wanted more than that—he wanted to call Jin his boyfriend, his partner. But he was sure that that would make the other man run for the hills. “You don’t have to go the same crazy pace as us. Tae and I have always been that way with each other.” He smiled. “Just…keep being your amazing and beautiful self, okay?”
-
Watching Spencer be so delicate and loving with Jin, it made Tae's heart swell with even more love for the man, even more love for both of them, if he was honest. "Our biggest fear in all of this was that we would scare you away," Tae admitted, chewing on his lower lip, gaze dropping once again to his plate. Hurting Jin, making him feel surplus or inadequate, was a heart-breaking concept to him. He was always walking that fine line, he thought, between coming on too strong and not giving Jin enough. He just wanted to do things right.
"We're figuring out telling our family, the ones that matter. Spencer's aunt and uncle and cousins, my aunt and uncle and cousins…" It was another thing they'd both bonded over, too, being taken in by their parents' siblings when their actual parents had rejected them. Another thing they shared. "But we want you to be part of our life. You're just as important in this relationship as either of us. Your amazing, beautiful self, like Spencer said. I couldn't put it any better." He gathered the courage to extend his hand, lightly touching his fingers against Jin's. "Are you okay? Are we still okay?"
-
Spencer let out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding, more nervous than he let on about Jin’s reaction. All he wanted was to make sure the other man was safe and comfortable. “I know, babe. I’m sorry,” he said in a soft voice. “I didn’t expect it either.” He gave Tae a knowing smirk. “But it made sense.”
He then laughed loudly, getting up from his seat to embrace Jin, giving him kisses to his cheek and temple. “No promises,” he joked back. “You’re the best, y’know?”
-
"It wasn't planned," Tae confessed, a soft blush hitting his cheeks. "But we've been calling one another husband since we got back together. It only made sense to make it legal." His fingers wrapped around Jin's, squeezing them gently. "But we want you. We want to be with you. That won't change. You're still our boyfriend. I mean, if you'd like to be. I know we haven't used that word yet." He swallowed his nervous, stomach tangling into knots at the idea that it might be too much for Jin, might scare him away. "Not a flower girl. But I hope you'll be there. As our date."
-
Between Spencer’s kisses to his cheek and temple, and the word ‘boyfriend’ coming out of Tae’s mouth, Jin’s head was spinning. The kisses were grounding, but at the same time, his mind was already racing. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been quiet, but he eventually managed a small smile. He’d have to get back to them on the whole boyfriend thing, he was sure they’d understand… right? Jin took a deep breath, trying to interject some lightness back into the moment, even though his heart was pounding. “Going to your wedding as your date sounds super unconventional, but that also sounds perfect.” He said with a small chuckle. Being both grooms’ date to a wedding that wasn’t his felt weird, but also nice. Jin picked up his wine glass. “Should we toast to something? New beginnings? Your re-marriage?” Me somehow not having fled to the other side of the world yet? He didn’t say the last part out loud, but he would be sure to secretly toast to that too, and mentally give himself a pat on the back. “If you could have a big wedding, where’d you want to have it?”
-
Recently pulling away from Jin, Spencer went back to his seat to grab his glass, raising it. “To new beginnings,” he said with a genuine smile, his heart feeling full. Since Jin wasn’t scared off, he had to consider that as a win. He took a sip, sharing another smile with Tae. “Oh, I don’t know. If money wasn’t an issue, maybe somewhere gorgeous like New Zealand. But the next best thing, well…” He seemed a little sheepish all of a sudden. “I kinda always liked the idea of having a wedding at my aunt and uncle’s farm.”
-
"Well, we're very unconventional, it seems," Tae said with a light chuckle. The word boyfriend had slipped from his lips, and he may have come to regret it, pending Jin's reaction, but the nerves and uncertainty of the other man seemed balanced by the grounding effect of Spencer, the trust and closeness between them. "What did I do to get so lucky?" Tae said, words and smile both soft and delicate. He lifted his glass too, joining in the toast. "To new beginnings." The idea of the farm piqued his interest. The Tatums had always been welcoming and kind, and it was a beautiful place, rustic, real. "That sounds like a dream. You're a dream. Both of you. I mean it."
-
Jin clinked his glass with both of theirs, taking a sip of wine and letting the moment settle around him. He could absolutely picture their wedding at the Tatum farm. Rustic and intimate. He only dreaded the inevitable inclusion of horses if they did that. If it was up to him, he’d probably pick New Zealand for the sake of not interacting with a horse.
Jin offered them a small smile. “you’re not so bad yourselves,” he added, his smile softening a little. The words ‘I’m lucky too’ and ‘youre both amazing’ felt too vulnerable, and too much like admitting to things he wasn’t ready for. “I look forward to the wedding though,” he found himself saying as he reached for the chopsticks again.
Caroline recognized the man from a few months back, and definitely wanted to see how he was doing after such an incident. She made her way over to Taemin with her usual friendly smile, before tapping him on the shoulder. "Hey, remember me?" She asked. "How have you been?"
The last time Caroline and Tae had seen on another, Tae's tongue had been rapidly swelling in his mouth and his body becoming increasingly itchy after he'd ingested the cashews at the smoothie place. A brief feinting spell and a trip to the hospital to treat his allergies later, Tae had been in one piece, but he hadn't run into the woman who'd helped him again until now. "Oh! Wow, it's been a few months. Gosh, it's Caroline, right?" He'd been a little out of sorts the last time they'd seen one another. "I'm sorry I never saw you again to thank you after last time. My husband got me to the hospital. It all worked out okay." He offered a shy smile. "What about you? I hope I didn't scare your son too badly. Have you been enjoying the family friendly festivities around town?"
"Thank you, Taemin," she says, offering a small smile to the lawyer. "My dad did say you are one of his more thoughtful associates." Her dad had given her the rundown of all his employees, whom she absorbed. He'd given them the grace to part ways and join another firm with the change of leadership, but loyalty ran deep with the Fletchers, and all but two individuals stayed. It was a huge undertaking, but Isla was trying to balance getting settled in while learning about the people she would be spending upwards of eighty hours with any given week, depending on the case.
"Mostly litigation with some family law…" A small mischievous smile fell upon her face as Taemin spoke further. "Polyamorous situation?" she inquired. "The law, as it stands, only recognizes two-person marriages, but it is not entirely impossible to make a claim and be recognized for more than two, depending on the judge." Taking hold of her coffee, she took a sip and gestured for him to have a seat. "What do you have?"
Taemin. Gosh. Hardly anyone called him that. It reminded him of his parents, the ones back in Korea who had shipped him overseas all those years ago. Since coming to the US, he'd mostly only used it legally. "Tae, Tae is fine, um, if you like," he said with an awkward smile, a blush making its way every so faintly into his olive cheeks. "But I definitely appreciate the compliment from a man who I'm sure is difficult to impress."
He wanted to be cautious. Tae didn't know Isla well yet. He didn't know her expectations or demeanor, how she felt about personal conversations. "It's not a case. It's just a question," he admitted after a moment. "My husband and I--well, ex-husband, but we're back together, remarrying soon. We both have a partner. I just wondered if that's ever something we could share with him, if he wanted it."
Yas' polite smile remained fixed until the man finally turned and disappeared into the crowd. She thought she heard him muttering something that was unsurprisingly rude, but she chose to let it go. Then, she let out a shaky exhale and pressed a hand over her racing heart. "Oh my god." She breathed out a half laugh/half gasp. "I can't believe I just--did that. Wow." Her wide eyes lifted to the stranger, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I seriously owe you big time. Literally, I'll buy all the sourdough and cheese in this market if that's what it takes.
Her eyes darted briefly to the hand that had just disappeared back into his pocket. She had definitely caught the glint of a ring when she initially had gone up to him--but, well. Desperate times. "A-and--um, sorry." She added quickly, words spilling out. "If...if that was weird. I swear I didn't mean to drag a married man into a horrible rom-com moment. I just....panicked, and..." She trailed off, shaking her head at herself. This was the kind of thing she should've expected to happen to her. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm not in the habit of fake-dating strangers before noon. Genuinely would've probably just stayed home and doodled if the weather was gloomier." Yas smiled sheepishly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "But really, thank you. Can I at least get you something to say thanks? Like, maybe a loaf of bread or coffee--hell, I'll even throw in an emotional damage pastry."
The interaction might have gone entirely differently had Tae not been on his toes that day. He was so often in his own little world, slow to pick up on social cues, anxious and shy. He probably wasn't the type of guy most women would run to for protection, in spite of the muscular form that was hidden beneath his preppy outfits. Right now, though, that was his role, and he swung an arm around the stranger's shoulder with an attempt at blending in. "You really don't have to buy me sourdough," Tae chuckled after glancing behind them to make sure the stranger was no longer following. "Seems as if he's going to turn his annoying attention to someone else. What happened, anyway?" Tae had never understood straight men, at least not this kind of straight man. He couldn't fathom being so self-absorbed, entitled and ignorant that you made others uncomfortable. "Did he do something to you?"
Tae glanced down at the ring at her apology, giving a soft chuckle. "It's okay. My husband won't mind. I just don't know if I can play a believably straight man. I haven't managed even since I was a teenager." She seemed insistent on thanking him, so Tae gave in, shrugging lightly. "Ah, maybe you can just wander the market with me and help me decide what to buy for dinner. My husband is at work all day, so the cooking will fall to me." Tae didn't mind. He liked spoiling Spencer. He liked when Jin came over and he could spoil both of them. "I'm Tae, by the way. It's nice to meet you."
Sundays at the farmers market were supposed to be Yas' happy place. Fresh flowers, little jars of honey, and produce for days. There was also a woman with a lavender lemonade stand who always snuck Yas a free sample. It was genuinely impossible to be in a bad mood. On this particular Sunday, though, her peace was interrupted by a man who didn't quite grasp the concept of a simple no thank you. He'd followed her from the jam tent to the coffee truck with an insistence that she "probably doesn't know what she wants yet." Honestly, the tone was enough to make Yas' skin crawl. Her heart skittered in her chest, grip tightening on her paper cup. She was suddenly regretting not asking Azra or Mickey to go with her. There wasn't a plausible escape route--not one that didn't involve making a bigger scene. Yasemin loathed spotlights.
Then, her gaze caught on a stranger a few feet away--tall, calm looking, and the kind of presence that made her feel like breathing was actually possible given her sudden anxiety spike. "Babe!" She called, waving with a small smile. She walked right up to the stranger, casting a disgusted look at the creep before turning to the stranger with what she hoped to be a disarming smile. "Hey, I'm so sorry I'm late. I meant to text you so we could find a meet-up spot. Did you find the apples you were looking for?" Her eyes flicked up to his, followed by a gentle tip of her head so he'd hopefully catch onto the unwanted presence. She pleaded silently with him--Please just go with it, and I'll explain later.
Tae was, at heart, a simple, peaceful man. He might have carried a briefcase filled with law papers and often dressed head to toe in designer clothing, even when that designer clothing was casual leisurewear, but he was entirely at peace simply wandering around the farmer's market with a little basket, perusing the local offerings. The Tatum Dairy place had a stand for their cheeses, milk and ice creams, and now that he was part of the family again, he had to remain loyal. He was wandering the stalls, trying to figure out where theirs would be located that day when the girl practically ran into his arms.
"Oh! Uh, what? Hello?" Tae's eyes widened at the encounter. He was sure she must have mistaken him for someone else. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, somehow managing in his shock to read her expression. Oh, he was going to be so bad at this. "I thought you were going to find some bread," Tae replied, channelling what he could only hope was his best, straight boyfriend tone. "I was wandering around everywhere that sold sourdough looking for you." Tae cleared his throat. "Never mind, we can get some sourdough soon. I just realized, actually, I wanted some cheese, too. Shall we go?" His eyes fell on the strange man who was seemingly a little too interested in talking to her, and the puzzle pieces fell into place. He shoved a hand in his pocket to hide his wedding ring for a moment. "Thanks for keeping her company until I could get here, but we'll be going now," he said with a nod, stepping away and hoping she would fall in line with him. "He's not following, is he? Do you think he got the hint?"
Siwan returned the half-hug easily, giving Tae a reassuring pat on the shoulder before stepping back. “Don’t apologise, you’re fine,” he said with a warm smile. “Over-excited is good, that means you’re in a good mood.” He said and watched Tae as he pulled back. He appreciated the casual affection. It was a lot nicer than the reserved handshakes he usually got.
“I did bring them,” Siwan confirmed with a nod, hefting his golf bag slightly. “I’m still getting used to the feel, but they’re definitely an improvement over my old set.” He looked up at Tae. “It was a very thoughtful gift from you, so thank you for that.” He said sincerely to his friend. “Though, I’m not sure new clubs are going to magically fix my swing, so I’m not expecting miracles. But it might get easier to fix it.” As they walked towards the first tee, Siwan studied Tae’s expression. “You do seem to be in a good mood today. Do you have any good news? Or just happy to be out of the office?” He asked with a playful smile, genuinely curious. He was happy to see him like this, though.
Korean culture could be very platonically affectionate at times, touchy-feely in ways that Americans sometimes found strange, so Tae was sometimes conscious of the fact that he might be overdoing it, but Siwan seemd to understand. "I am in a good mood," he confirmed, a wide smile on his chiseled features. He was often a reserved and quiet person. Spencer and Jin brought the enthusiasm out of him.
"Please, you're going to make better use of those clubs than I ever would," he said, knowing that even though they'd been practicing, Tae still had plenty of catching up to do. "I'll just pretend I'm letting you win. It'll make me feel better," he joked with a laugh. Tae didn't have a bunch of close friends in Blackstone. He'd moved here the last few years of high school when most people already had their established friend groups and people they had known all their lives, then he had moved to Los Angeles for several years before re-settling here less than a year ago, but Siwan was someone he trusted, and Tae knew he wouldn't be able to keep anything from him.
"This." He held up his hand to show his old wedding ring, the one Spencer had put back on his finger. "My partner, husband, ex-ex," he never knew quite what to call Spencer. "We decided to make things official again, at least legally. A little wedding. We don't know what it'll be yet, but... it feels nice. Of course, you'll be invited. I just can't promise it won't be at the courthouse."
