Decoupled • KTH ✔

Chapter 39

Jang-Mi

Our relationship of eight years has practically died a slow death over the years, more so after the birth of Areum. I am still not able to point out the exact moment when things started falling apart, but it has been disintegrating gradually, piece by piece, and today we are at a point where we'd both definitely be better off without each other.

In him, I don't see the man I once loved. The eyes in which I saw my future and forever are not just for me anymore. But I wouldn't say that I'm trying to move our lives apart only because he is involved with another woman. That would be a lie.

Falling in love happens in a second, but falling out of love isn't an overnight thing, after all.

There have been numerous incidents that have eventually built an invisible wall between the two of us. We were painfully perched at the edge of that wall, hanging on for the sake of our daughter, fearing that falling away on either side would rip her life into two. But now we've evidently crossed that mental barrier. It is him on his side of the wall and me on my side, and Areum is not going with him.

Ever since I noticed the recent changes in his behavior, our lives have undergone some radical changes which will forever prevent us from going back to who we were before the divorce was initiated by me, long before I openly confronted him. The wall has only been fortified after I learned about his affair, and I was only counting down the days until I could actually catch him red-handed, so that the reason for this separation could be solidified.

Staying loyal was just a part of our wedding vows which clearly meant nothing to him.

"Do you agree to this, Mr. Kim?" Attorney Cha asks Taehyung who has been looking only at his hands resting on his lap for the past few minutes.

A few more seconds of silence is all it takes before attorney Cha stirs in his seat and uneasily adjusts his glasses and clears his throat to bring Taehyung back to earth.

"Mr. Kim? Did you hear my earlier question?" He asks again in a more firm manner, and Taehyung's eyes slowly lift to look at him.

He nods his head a few times—something that he does mindlessly when his thoughts are elsewhere—and then his eyes land on me. Our gazes lock for a brief while, and then his eyes move to the papers that attorney Cha is holding in his hands.

He bites down on his lip and lowers his head, and his untimely delay in giving his consent is making me angry at the moment, not just me, but the attorney too.

Mr. Cha hisses in frustration and clicks his tongue before snatching his glasses off his face and placing it on the table in a not-so-soft manner.

"If there's lack of consent, we might have to take time to think about things or probably consider revising the agreement in a manner which is suitable for both of you," attorney Cha informs in a slightly agitated tone, making us both divert our eyes to him.

"No, there is no issue with cons-" I begin speaking quickly, but then Taehyung abruptly cuts off my words.

"I don't give my consent for the child custody. The rest is fine with me," his deep voice finally echoes in the silence that suddenly seems to have fallen upon the room, making my jaw drop in disbelief.

I turn around to face him, an upwelling of various levels of anger and other bitter emotions rising to the top of my head.

"What the fu-" I stop midway, squeezing my eyes shut and then opening them again before I let out a long breath and continue to speak in a more composed manner. "You can't just say that. I will never let my daughter live with another woman," I tilt my head to one side and cast him a look that burns holes in the air and almost sears his skin.