The Silent Vows | VSOO (18+)

The first thing I notice is warmth.

Jisoo's body is nestled against mine, the slow rise and fall of her chest pressing against me, her fingers still lightly resting on my ribs. The golden morning light spills into the room, painting soft streaks of warmth across the tangled sheets, highlighting the curve of her bare shoulder.

She looks peaceful. Too peaceful.

Like last night never happened.

Like we aren't still being hunted.

Like Minho isn't out there, waiting to rip this fleeting moment away.

I swallow hard, tracing my gaze over her features—the way her dark lashes brush against her cheeks, the slight part of her lips, the way her brows furrow slightly in her sleep, as if even in her dreams, she knows this peace won't last.

Something inside me aches.

I shouldn't have let this happen.

I shouldn't have let her pull me under, let myself drown in her.

But I did.

And I can't bring myself to regret it.

I let my fingers drift across the curve of her back, slow and careful. She stirs, her body pressing closer for warmth before her eyes flutter open, hazy and unfocused.

She blinks at me, and for a second, there's nothing but softness between us. A fragile, stolen moment.

Then, she remembers.

The shift is instant.

Her body tenses, and the softness in her eyes hardens like steel.

She pulls the sheets up around her, putting distance between us.

The warmth is gone.

Just like that.

I exhale slowly. "We need to leave soon."

She doesn't answer.

She just watches me, as if trying to memorize something she knows she can't keep.

Finally, she nods. "Yeah."

Her voice is empty.

And I feel the distance before she even moves.

______

By the time we step out of the room, the safe house feels colder.

Jungkook is already awake, standing near the counter, arms crossed, face unreadable. He's changed into a dark hoodie, hood up, but I can see the way his fingers are twitching slightly.

Something is off.

Jisoo doesn't hesitate. "What's the plan?"

Jungkook doesn't answer right away. He glances between us, his gaze lingering on the way Jisoo and I stand too close.

There's something unreadable in his expression.

Then, finally, he speaks. "You tell me."

His tone is flat. Too flat.

Jisoo frowns. "What?"

Jungkook tilts his head, eyes dark. "You're the one Minho wants."

The air shifts.