Liability (VSOO)[18+]

Let Go

By the ninth stroke of the clock, everyone but Taehyung had retired to their beds. Alone in his chamber, he gazed out the window, bathed in the soft glow of the moon. The light danced across his features, revealing eyes clouded by the weight of his son's hurtful words. Those words had seared themselves into his soul, tormenting him for long weeks.

"Soonjin...."

"My son... I struggle with the desire to set you free, but the guilt of my inability to shield you holds me back," Taehyung whispered to the silhouetted figures outside his window.

"It's as if I am being controlled by this merciless side of myself, a side that I am ashamed of," he admitted, his voice heavy with regret.

"I did indeed succumb to the depths of grief at your absence," Taehyung confessed, his voice filled with sorrow.

"It's ironic, isn't it? I once urged your mother not to lose herself to despair, and yet here I am, doing just that in my own way," he admitted, a hint of self-awareness in his words.

"I've been blind to it for so long, but now the truth is dawning on me - I have behaved like a monster," Taehyung murmured, his voice heavy with shame.

"I have manipulated Jihoon into committing unspeakable deeds, and the weight of my actions weighs heavily on my soul. I feel as though I am drowning in regret," he confessed, his words tinged with pain.

"He resents me now, and I can't blame him," Taehyung acknowledged, his voice laced with sorrow. "The weight of guilt and anger is suffocating me, and I fear I am losing myself in the process," he admitted, the burden of his emotions evident in his words.

"Soonjin... I need to release you... Please, I must let you go," Taehyung's thoughts whispered as tears of remorse and sorrow streamed down his face. His heart ached, his chest tightened with the weight of his emotions, and his breaths became shallow with the pain within. His throat felt tight as he gazed into the distance through the window, yearning for solace.

A soft and gentle voice unexpectedly broke the heavy silence, causing Taehyung to startle. He lowered his head slightly, attempting to discreetly wipe away his tears before Jisoo could notice, his heart racing with the sudden intrusion.

Aware of his silent tears in the solitude of his chamber, she approached his desk with measured steps. Setting down a small tray with a cup of tea, she offered him a gesture of comfort and understanding in the silent space between them.

Over the past five weeks, Taehyung and Jisoo had been consciously giving each other space, understanding the need for solitude, especially as Jisoo sensed Taehyung grappling with the weight of his son's rejection. She recognized his pain and respected his need for time to heal in his own way.

"I brought you some tea" she spoke softly from behind him, "A cup of vanilla Ceylon tea with honey...just the way you like it." Though he didn't turn around to acknowledge her presence in the room, Taehyung's silence left Jisoo feeling disheartened and dejected, despite her efforts to comfort him.

"I won't intrude any longer and I'll give you some space," she murmured with a tinge of sadness in her eyes, gently cradling her baby bump for a moment of solace. Turning away slowly, she made her way towards the door, but just before exiting, she cast a fleeting glance back over her shoulder.

"Taehyung?"

"Just know that I love you with all my heart!"

"Nothing in this world would ever change that, because I know that whatever you're going through right now doesn't define you as a person!"

"The way you choose to face and overcome this obstacle will truly define you," Jisoo explained before quietly leaving the room. Taehyung was overcome with emotion upon hearing her words, his strength crumbling as tears streamed down his face. He fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands, overwhelmed by the storm of emotions raging within him.