Decoupled • KTH ✔

Chapter 46

Maya

"I think you should go ahead with this. Though you might have handled different things with Areum in the past, this is something entirely new for all three of you, and I really feel that some professional guidance will help," I try to coax Taehyung while my hands offer gentle squeezes to his tired shoulders.

Seated between my thighs with his back to me, he exhales his exhaustion, his head lowering as he contemplates the situation and goes into overthinking as he always does.

"Don't stress out, baby. Go for it. You might get some clarity," I speak softly as I lean forward from my seat on the armrest of the couch and kiss his cheek, circling his neck with my arms and holding him tight and close to my body.

"Okay," he finally agrees with a reluctant nod of his head.

Ever since my meeting with Jang-Mi yesterday, Taehyung has been extremely nervous about how to reveal the news of the separation to Areum. Since Jang-Mi has agreed to have shared custody over their daughter, he is also worried about many other things that might trouble her in the long run.

The divorce mediation that's due tomorrow is also getting him worried, and he just keeps zoning out so often.

I have been trying and doing my best to help him ease, but it doesn't work well at all times. Despite my insistence that being alone at his house would only add to his desperation and separation anxiety, he still went back home last night, only to spend it sleeplessly.

It hurts to see him suffer, and last night we discussed this vaguely, and somehow his friend SeokJin's topic came up in the discussion. SeokJin's wife, Layla, is a child psychologist and a behavioral therapist, and it suddenly struck my mind that she could probably be the missing link to get everyone out of this complicated tangle.

However, Taehyung is skeptical about opening up to her and discussing the issue at hand.

But he has finally given in to my attempts at convincing him, and he has agreed to meet her today. And, given that the next mediation session with their attorney is tomorrow, there is no better time than now to get the most-needed professional guidance.

In all honesty, an outsider, as opposed to those who are directly involved in the fix, would always be able to think rationally and provide realistic solutions that are not bound by emotions.

The concerned person's mind tends to revolve around too many invisible details that might actually be totally irrelevant to the situation, but their mind still won't let them invalidate it. It almost always takes a neutral party to see through the chaos.

"Call her and find out when she's available," I peck his cheek again and nuzzle my face into the crook of his neck, my hands stroking his chest, wordlessly telling him to loosen up and allow himself to relax a little.

Stretching out his arm, Taehyung picks up his phone from the table and places a call to Layla.

"Layla, hi. Taehyung here," his tone mirrors how weary he feels overall.

"Yeah, I've been okay. I- uhm.. I was thinking if I could meet you sometime today," Taehyung hesitates, but somehow manages to pull out the words fighting at the back of his throat while I slide into the seat beside him on the couch.

"That's good. Yeah, 3 pm sounds fine. I'm off work today, so, yeah, I can make it," his hand slips into his hair, and he grips a handful of it as he rests his elbow on his knee.

"Sure, I don't mind if Jin is around. I've already talked to him, so that's not an issue," he confirms before bidding her goodbye and ending the call, tossing his phone on the table and leaning back on the couch, fully drained.