Closer Than This...(vsoo)

Jisoo didn’t remember how she got to her car. Everything around her felt like a blur, as if the world had suddenly lost its color. Her hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly, her knuckles turning white. The words he had said kept echoing in her mind, slicing through her thoughts like shards of glass.

“It’s just an alliance...”

“It’s just business...”

Her breath hitched in her throat. The weight of it all was suffocating. She had been so foolish to think there was anything real between them, that this marriage was anything more than a transaction. She had let herself hope for something, anything, that might make her feel more than just a pawn in someone else’s game.

But now, she realized how naive she had been.

She hit the steering wheel with a frustrated sob, the tears that she had been holding back finally breaking free. How could he?

She was no stranger to manipulation, to being seen as nothing more than a tool for others' gain, but it hurt differently coming from Taehyung. She had allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t like the others. That maybe he could see her as more than just the heiress of a luxury brand, more than just an asset in an arranged marriage.

But all of that was a lie.

Her phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts. She wiped her tears hastily before answering, seeing the name Jungkook flash on the screen.

“Hey,” she answered shakily, her voice cracking.

“Jisoo?” Jungkook’s voice was instantly concerned. “Where are you? I tried calling you earlier. I was worried when I couldn’t reach you.”

“I’m… I’m fine,” she lied, her voice barely above a whisper. “Just driving. I’m on my way to the apartment.”

“You don’t sound fine.” Jungkook was quiet for a moment before speaking again. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Don’t go anywhere.”

Jisoo didn’t argue. She hung up and tried to focus on the road, though it felt like every mile dragged her deeper into the pit of her thoughts. She arrived home, parked, and made her way upstairs.

When Jisoo entered her apartment, Jungkook was already waiting inside, a bottle of whiskey in hand and two glasses set out. His expression was unreadable, but Jisoo could see the concern in his eyes.

Without a word, she collapsed onto the couch, burying her face in her hands. The tears had stopped, but the weight of everything still pressed down on her.

Jungkook walked over, his presence a comforting constant in the storm she felt inside. He poured them both a drink, handing her a glass before sitting down beside her.

“Jisoo,” he started softly, his voice laced with something she couldn’t quite place. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to keep everything to yourself.”

She took a sip of her whiskey, savoring the warmth as it slid down her throat. She didn’t answer right away, choosing instead to let the silence fill the space between them.

Finally, after a long pause, Jisoo spoke. “He lied to me.”

Jungkook stiffened slightly but didn’t interrupt.

“He made me think it was something more than what it is. That we had something… real. But it’s all a lie, Jungkook. I’m just a means to an end for him. For his family. For his company. It was never about me. Not really.”

The words left her throat like shards of glass, and it hurt more than she had imagined. She couldn’t meet his eyes, so she stared into her glass instead.

Jungkook’s expression hardened, a flash of anger flickering in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Jisoo.” He said it so softly, like he knew how deeply her heart was bleeding.

He reached over, taking her glass from her and setting it down on the coffee table. Then, without asking, he took her hand in his, squeezing it gently.

“You don’t deserve this,” he murmured, his thumb tracing small circles on her palm.

Jisoo’s chest tightened at his touch, but she didn’t pull away. “I don’t know what I expected. Maybe that this would just… work out. That we could build something. But now I see that I was wrong.”

Jungkook’s voice dropped, almost a whisper. “I’ve been watching you, Jisoo. For a long time. I’ve seen how much you’ve sacrificed for your family. For all the people around you.” He paused, and when he spoke again, his words were barely audible. “And I’ve always been here, waiting, but…”

Jisoo blinked, trying to process his words through the haze of whiskey and emotions. “What are you saying?”

Jungkook looked away for a moment, his jaw tight, as if he were wrestling with something deep inside. He shook his head slightly before looking back at her. “I’m saying that I’m here, Jisoo. I always have been. And I’m not just your childhood friend. I care about you.”

Jisoo’s heart skipped a beat. She had always known that Jungkook was more than just a friend to her. But hearing him say it out loud, it felt like something had shifted, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for it.

“You’re drunk,” she said, her voice unsteady. “You don’t mean that.”

Jungkook gave a small, bitter laugh. “Maybe I am. But I’ve been holding this back for too long.” His grip on her hand tightened. “I don’t care about the rumors or what anyone thinks. I care about you, Jisoo. I always have.”

Jisoo opened her mouth to respond, but the words stuck in her throat. She didn’t know what to say to that. Her feelings for Jungkook were complicated, more than she had let herself admit. She had always been able to count on him, and now, it felt like he was offering her something she hadn’t known she ever needed.

But the alcohol, the exhaustion, and the emotional turmoil were clouding her judgment.

Jungkook took a deep breath and let go of her hand, shifting away from her slightly. “I shouldn’t have said that. Forget it. I’m sorry, Jisoo. Let’s just… let’s just drink.”

But even as he tried to brush it off, Jisoo could see the sincerity in his eyes. She swallowed hard, her emotions all tangled up inside her. She took another sip of her drink, trying to push away the confusion building in her chest.

Jisoo woke up the next morning with a headache that pounded in time with her thoughts. She could still feel the warmth of Jungkook’s hand in hers, the heaviness of his confession hanging in the air between them.

She turned her head and saw Jungkook already awake, sitting on the edge of the couch, his gaze distant. His hand was rubbing the back of his neck, and he looked like he was trying to push away the memories of last night.

“Jungkook…” Jisoo started hesitantly.

He looked at her, but his expression had shifted. There was a guardedness now, a wall he had put up after everything had been said.

“Forget last night,” he said quickly, standing up to grab his coat. “Let’s just focus on getting through today, okay?”

Jisoo nodded silently, but deep down, she knew nothing would be the same. The weight of his confession was still there, pressing down on her heart. She wasn’t sure what it meant, or if anything would come of it. But it was there, unspoken but understood.

And as much as she wanted to push it aside, she couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was about to change.