Closer Than This...(vsoo)

By the time Taehyung returned home from the tired day, exhausted. He poured himself a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid swirling as he stared into it.

His thoughts drifted back to their conversation, replaying every word, every look, every emotion.

What do I want from her?

The answer came easily, though he hated to admit it. He wanted her trust. Her forgiveness. Her presence.

He wanted her.

But for now, all he had was the echo of her voice and the weight of his regrets.

As he swirl his mind thinking about her, bell ring announcing presence of someone in his apartment.

Setting glass down on counter he slowly walk towards the door.

His eyes lit up at the sight of unexpected guest who he welcomed with whole heart.

Jisoo stood by the window, her back to Taehyung, as the cool night air streamed in through the partially opened glass.

The soft hum of the city below seemed to mirror the storm of thoughts swirling in her mind. She could feel his presence behind her, the silence between them thick with unspoken tension.

Taehyung had been quiet since she arrived at his apartment. She had expected anger, frustration, or even cold indifference, but instead, he had just been staring at her as if waiting for her to say something. His silence, for some reason, was the most unsettling thing about this entire situation.

Finally, she turned to face him. His sharp gaze met hers, his usual stoic expression still in place, but there was something else behind it, an uncertainty, a question he wasn't asking aloud.

"I won't back out of this engagement," Jisoo said flatly, her voice steady despite the chaos inside her.

She had been thinking about this for days, trying to convince herself that it was the right thing to do, but deep down, she knew this wasn't just about her anymore. It was about something bigger.

Taehyung didn't respond right away. He just studied her, as if weighing her words. His lips parted, but instead of speaking, he just shook his head, as if he couldn't understand what she was saying.

"You don't have to do this, Jisoo," Taehyung finally said, his voice low but insistent. "I never asked you to-"

"I know you didn't," she interrupted, her gaze unwavering. "But you don't understand. This isn't just about us. It's about what's been done to our families, and I can't let that go."

His brows furrowed slightly, and he stepped closer, his posture tense. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

Jisoo took a breath, walking towards the couch where they had sat earlier. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she gathered her thoughts. The weight of what she was about to say, of the truth she was finally willing to confront, made her stomach twist.

" I'm not the only one who's been lied to, Taehyung," she said, the words coming out more forcefully than she expected. "Your uncle, Kim Taehwan, has manipulated us both. He's been pulling the strings behind all of this."

Taehyung's expression shifted, his gaze darkening, but he didn't speak. He wasn't surprised, she could tell by the way his jaw clenched. It was like he had been expecting her to say something like this, but hearing it aloud from her about something he already knows was still a shock.

"I don't care about the marriage, Taehyung," Jisoo continued, her voice tinged with bitterness. "I don't care about your uncle's so-called plan to secure Hyung's for himself. What I do care about is exposing the truth. What I do care about is making sure he doesn't win. And I will use this marriage, use you, to make sure that happens."