Closer Than This...(vsoo)

The next morning, Taehyung was getting ready for work, his usual calm demeanor making Jisoo smile. He had been teasing her relentlessly the previous day, and now, it was her turn to get back at him.

She had spent the morning preparing something special for him-a spicy meal. Taehyung was known for his dislike of spicy food, and Jisoo couldn't resist the temptation to playfully take advantage of this fact.

As Taehyung grabbed the packed lunch with a warm smile, Jisoo hid her amusement behind her own smile, the thought of her small revenge putting her in high spirits.

"Thank you, Jisoo," Taehyung said as he accepted the lunchbox, his tone genuine. "I appreciate this. I'll make sure to eat it on my way to work."

"You're welcome," she replied, her smile widening, though her heart was already racing in nervous anticipation of what was to come.

As Taehyung was about to leave, when his mother entered the room with a soft, loving presence. She looked at her son, clearly pleased with the change she saw in him.

"Wait, Taehyung, have you take the lunch box." she said, offering Taehyung a warm hug. "Jisoo cooked this for you. It's all her own special recipe."

Taehyung smiled at his mother and gave Jisoo a grateful look. "Thank you," he said again, before taking the lunch from her hands. "I am sure it'll be delicious."

Jisoo simply smiled, her thoughts already elsewhere. She was already anticipating the teasing that would follow his reaction when he ate the food.

Her mother-in-law, noticing the exchange, beamed at the new couple. "I am so happy that Taehyung stayed here with you. I knew someone would come along to change him," she remarked with a fond smile.

"Change?" Jisoo asked, raising an eyebrow. "How was he before?"

Her mother-in-law chuckled softly, her eyes distant as she thought back to the old days. "He was always a good guy, but he was... difficult. Very focused, but also a little selfish. He had never spend much time at home. He was always out there, working, striving to get what he wanted. Never engaged in small talks, always too serious. You could say he was pretty boring, actually," she explained.

Jisoo couldn't help but smile at the thought. "Boring? Taehyung?"

Her mother-in-law nodded. "Yes, but now... now I see him changing. He's spending more time with us, talking to us, even asking about your day. When you left for Taiwan few days ago, he came to visit us. He even talked about you, about how he is happy to have you by his side. It's like I've never seen him so soft, so... human."

Jisoo listened carefully, touched by her mother-in-law's words. She had always been a little wary of Taehyung's distant nature, but it seemed there was more to him than she had realized.

"He did that?" Jisoo asked, still processing the information.

Her mother-in-law smiled warmly. "Yes, and I am happy. He promised that once you return, he will bring you here more often. He even said he'd make sure to take care of you. I think he's been lonely all this time. It makes me so happy to see the change in him."

Jisoo's heart fluttered, and for a moment, she couldn't find the right words. "I... I didn't realize he was so... different."

"Well, you're the best thing that's happened to him, I can tell. You're sweet and caring, everything he needs. And your cooking," her mother-in-law said, eyeing the lunch with appreciation, "is wonderful. Both breakfast and lunch today, they where amazing. I can't wait to eat more of your food."

Jisoo smiled warmly. "Thank you... I'll make sure to visit more often. You've been so kind."

Her mother-in-law took a deep breath, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "I am just so relieved that Taehyung has found someone who can cook. He's always been such a picky eater, you know? It used to worry me. He couldn't even prepare a simple meal. But now, I know he's in good hands."

Jisoo's smile faded a little, though, as her mother-in-law casually added, "And he can't eat spicy food at all. It's always been a problem. He has a gallbladder issue. Spicy food makes him nauseous and can even make him have trouble breathing."

Jisoo froze. "He can't eat spicy food?" she repeated, her heart sinking. "Why didn't he tell me? I thought he just didn't like."

Her mother-in-law chuckled lightly, oblivious to the growing panic in Jisoo's eyes. "Oh, it's just always been that way."

Without another word, Jisoo rushed out of the house, suddenly consumed by the dread of what might happen. She couldn't let Taehyung suffer because of her carelessness.

By the time she reached Hyung's company, her heart was pounding in her chest. She ran up to Taehyung's office, her mind a blur of worry and guilt. She couldn't bear the thought of him being in pain because of the meal she had prepared.

She found Taehyung sitting at his desk, his face pale and his expression strained. "Jisoo..." he muttered weakly, looking at her with a faint smile.

"I'm not feeling too well. I think I ate something too spicy..." Her heart dropped into her stomach.

"Taehyung, are you okay? Should I get you something? Medicine?" She scrambled to grab her phone, dialing the number for some mild medicine.

He waved her off weakly, still managing a faint smile. "It's fine, really. I'll be okay. I know you're worried, but I'm not in any danger."

But Jisoo couldn't shake the panic. She rushed around his office, trying to find something to help. As Taehyung's assistant, Yeonjun, entered the office, Jisoo's heart skipped a beat when she overheard her complimenting the food.

"Mrs. Kim, the food was so delicious! Spicy, but delicious. It was nostalgic. Thank you so much for preparing it." Jisoo forced a smile, trying to mask her growing unease.

"I am glad you liked it," she said, but her mind was racing. She could only think of the worst-case scenarios.

What had she done?

A few minutes later, Taehyung's condition seemed to worsen. He leaned back in his chair, clearly struggling to breathe.

"Jisoo..." he said in a hoarse voice. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make you worry. I didn't think you'd take it so seriously. I just wanted to tease you by eating that spicy food. "

Jisoo could barely hold back tears. "You didn't tell me, Taehyung! You should've told me! You could've avoided this if you had just said something."

He reached for her hand, his voice soft. "I know, and I am sorry. I didn't want to worry you. But I guess, in the end, I was just enjoying the attention and the teasing."

Her emotions were a whirlwind of frustration and concern, but she tried to calm herself, squeezing his hand. "I don't like seeing you suffer like this."

Taehyung smiled faintly. "I know. I'm sorry for putting you through this."

Jisoo sat down beside him, her frustration slowly turning into concern. "I just... want to take care of you, Taehyung. I don't want to be kept in the dark about things that matter."

He looked at her with sincere eyes, his usual teasing smile replaced by something more, something deep. "I promise I'll do better, Jisoo. No more secrets. I don't want to make you worry. I care about you too."

Her heart softened at his words, but there was still a lingering feeling of guilt. "I just wish you would have trusted me more. We can't keep doing this, pretending everything is fine when it's not."

Taehyung sighed deeply, his expression softening. "I am sorry. I'll change, Jisoo. I'll be honest with you from now on."

Jisoo managed a small smile. "Good. But next time, please, don't eat something that could hurt you just to tease me."

He grinned, weakly but sincerely. "Deal."

As Jisoo leaned back in her chair, watching him closely, she felt a new sense of closeness between them.

Though there was still a lot to figure out between them, this moment felt like the beginning of something deeper...a bond built on understanding and care, no longer just teasing and distance.

Maybe it was more than they thought. More than just paper and name.

Maybe they are more close to each other than this.