If I Ain't Got You (vsoo...ft. liskook)

" Don't hesitate to be yourself when you are with me "

; ) Chapter 17

Jisoo arrived at the cozy restaurant, her heart still fluttering from the nervous excitement of going on her first date with Taehyung. They had planned something simple, just a meal together, but she couldn't shake the feeling that today would be more than just a regular outing. Her mind kept racing with thoughts of the complexities of her family, of the truths she had kept hidden for so long.

She had always wanted to share more with him, but her past was a heavy burden, and it wasn't something she could just toss out casually. She had tried to bury it-her father's mistakes, the pain her mother went through but now, sitting across from Taehyung, she felt the urge to be open. She wanted him to understand her, really understand her.

After they were seated, Taehyung smiled at her, his warmth radiating, making her feel a little at ease. They ordered their food, exchanged a few light-hearted comments, but it wasn't long before Jisoo's mind wandered back to the past, and she knew it was time to talk.

"Taehyung," she started softly, her voice quiet but firm. "There's something I need to tell you." Her eyes met his, searching for reassurance in his gaze. He gave a gentle nod, his eyes encouraging her to continue.

Jisoo's hands fidgeted with the edge of her napkin, a deep sigh escaping her lips before she began. "You know, my family... it's complicated." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "It's not what it looks like on the outside."

Taehyung's expression softened, his focus entirely on her. "You don't have to tell me everything if you don't want to, Jisoo. But I'm here. Whatever it is, you don't have to carry it alone."

His words gave her a sense of comfort, but the weight of her past was not so easily lifted. She took another breath and continued.

"My father was once part of a very wealthy family. His parents, they had everything-money, power, status." Jisoo's voice faltered for a moment, but she steeled herself. "But my mother was different. She didn't come from money. She was just a simple, kind woman who worked hard for everything. When my father met her, his family didn't approve. They looked down on her for not being from the same background."

Taehyung leaned forward, his eyes filled with empathy. "That must've been really hard for her," he said softly.

Jisoo nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was. But they got married anyway, because they were in love. They didn't care about what anyone thought. But after I was born... everything changed. My father's family never accepted her. And they made sure she knew it."

She paused for a moment, her eyes lost in the memories. "They'd taunt her, saying things like... she was just a girl, that she'd seduced a rich man, that she didn't belong in their world. My father... he never stood up for her. He never defended her. He just turned a blind eye, pretending nothing was wrong."

Jisoo could feel the ache in her chest as she spoke. She had never really told anyone all of this. The pain of seeing her mother suffer in silence, watching her father ignore the cruelty, had been hard to bear alone.

Her voice trembled as she went on. "I saw everything. My mother... she was broken by it. And my father, he didn't even care enough to notice. He was too wrapped up in his own life to see what was happening to the woman he supposedly loved."

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. "One day, my mother couldn't take it anymore. She took me and left. She left my father, left everything behind. We didn't stay in touch with him for years."