Closer Than This...(vsoo)

The day dragged on as Taehyung anticipated the moment he would see Jisoo again. He thought about what he would say, how he would start the conversation. He wasn't used to opening up, but he owed it to her and to himself to try.

When he finally stepped into the house that evening, he was greeted by the sound of laughter coming from the living room. His brows furrowed as he made his way toward the noise.

And there she was.

Jisoo sat on the couch, her head tilted back as she laughed at something Jungkook said. The younger man was leaning slightly toward her, a playful grin on his face.

They looked at ease with each other, comfortable in a way that stabbed at Taehyung's chest.

Taehyung's steps faltered. He felt like an outsider in his own house. The insecurities he had spent the day trying to combat came rushing back with a vengeance.

Jungkook's youthful charm, his effortless aura with Jisoo, it all made Taehyung feel old, out of place. What could he offer her that Jungkook couldn't?

He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he forced himself to walk further into the room.

Jisoo noticed him first, her laughter fading as she turned to greet him. "Oh, you're home," she said, her tone warm but slightly cautious. "Jungkook came by to drop off some work documents. We were just catching up."

Taehyung nodded stiffly, his eyes briefly meeting hers before shifting to Jungkook. "I see," he said, his voice cold and distant.

Jungkook stood up, sensing the tension. " Mr. Kim, good evening. I'll get going now."

Taehyung gave a curt nod, watching as Jungkook gathered his things and left.

Once they were alone, Jisoo turned to him, her brows knitting together in concern. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

Taehyung didn't respond immediately. He shrugged off his suit jacket and loosened his tie, avoiding her gaze. "I'm fine," he said, his tone clipped.

Jisoo sighed, recognizing the shift in his demeanor. "Taehyung, if this is about-"

"I'm tired," he interrupted, heading toward the stairs. "Let's talk later."

As he climbed the steps to their room, Taehyung's mind was a whirlwind of doubt and frustration. He wanted to talk to her, to tell her how he felt, but seeing her with Jungkook had reopened old wounds.

He closed the door behind him, leaning against it with a heavy sigh. She said I could share with her, he thought bitterly. But how can I, when I feel like I'm competing with someone who's her equal in every way I'm not?

Taehyung sat in his study, a glass of whiskey in hand, staring blankly at the papers spread across his desk. He wasn't reading them. His mind was elsewhere, replaying the image of Jisoo and Jungkook together, laughing, looking so... effortless.

Why does it bother me so much? he wondered bitterly. He knew they had history-years of familiarity that he and Jisoo didn't share. But seeing them together had ignited a feeling of inadequacy that he couldn't shake.

He hated feeling this way, hated how insecure he was becoming. Jisoo wasn't just younger, she was vibrant, full of life, while he felt weighed down by years of responsibility. What if she realized that? What if she regretted marrying him?

The sound of the dinner bell pulled him from his thoughts. Taking a deep breath, Taehyung set his glass down and headed to the dining room, his emotions a chaotic storm he wasn't ready to confront.

The dining room was unusually quiet as Jisoo and Taehyung sat across from each other, the clinking of cutlery and faint sounds of the staff bustling in the background the only noise.