The Other Woman (HAESOO)[18+]

Can Someone Mend The Broken?

Longing to escape. Longing to vanish. Desiring a shift in her family dynamics was putting it mildly. What Jisoo truly craved was to be acknowledged. To have someone truly hear her. To be comprehended. Yet, deep down, she knew it was a futile hope.

As she stirred awake, a throbbing pain pulsed through her head. She cradled her temples while sitting on the edge of her bed, squinting against the bright sun streaming through the window. Morning had arrived, and with it, the realization that she felt utterly drained. All she wanted was to sink back into sleep, but the wide-open curtains had other plans, forcing her into the light.

"You're finally awake!" Haein's voice cut through the room with a chill, coming from the far corner. Jisoo squinted in his direction, the bright sunlight nearly blinding her. Haein watched her struggle, taking note of how the remnants of last night's drinking had left her in disarray.

"Haein? Can you... please close the curtains? It's too bright," Jisoo complained, shielding her eyes from the harsh light. With an abrupt motion, Haein shot up from his chair and yanked one of the curtains shut with a force that startled her. As she adjusted her gaze, Jisoo couldn't help but frown slightly at his sudden outburst.

"Are you alright? What's going on?" Jisoo asked without thinking twice. Haein let out a loud scoff, disbelief etched on his face.

"Are you serious? I'm absolutely furious right now! Are you really going to pretend you don't have any responsibilities? Jisoo?" he exclaimed, his eyes blazing with frustration. Jisoo attempted to rise from the bed, but her head swam, and she nearly stumbled.

"What? Are you talking about Minseok?" she replied, her voice strained from the pain pulsing in her temples. Haein rubbed his face in exasperation and shot her a piercing look, his annoyance palpable.

"Jisoo... you only managed to pump some milk last night! What about today?" Haein uttered, his frustration boiling over. Jisoo's eyes widened as the realization hit her.

"Oh no! Oh my god! I... I... I forgot!" she stammered, recalling that she couldn't drink alcohol while breastfeeding.

"Haein! I'm... really sorry!" Jisoo's voice trembled with anxiety and regret over her careless choice. She reached out to him, hoping to bridge the gap, but Haein turned and walked to the other side of the room, creating an even greater distance between them.

"How much did you drink? Tell me right now!" Haein shouted, his voice echoing in the room. Jisoo clenched her head, trying to ease the pounding pain.

"Two bottles of soju," she admitted, her voice laced with shame. Haein squeezed his eyes shut at her confession, a wave of disappointment crashing over him. It hurt him deeply that she could do something so careless to Minseok.

"Jisoo... I'm so disappointed in you. You've let Minseok go almost an entire day without food!" he said, his voice heavy with emotion before he stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Jisoo felt warm tears spill down her cheeks, the weight of her actions sinking in.

"Now it's you... Are you going to treat me like them too?" Jisoo whispered to herself, tears streaming down her face. As the minutes passed, the sound of her baby's cries pierced through her sorrow. Minseok refused to take any of the premium formula milk that Haein had rushed to buy from the drugstore.

Haein's expression was filled with worry for their son, who hadn't eaten in nearly a full day. Jisoo felt utterly shattered, realizing that this distress was all due to her reckless actions. She spent the entire day sobbing, her heart breaking as she watched Haein struggle to coax Minseok into accepting the formula, the weight of guilt pressing down on her with every moment.

"This is bad... this is really bad... we need to do something! Minseok can't go on like this!" Haein exclaimed, his voice laced with genuine concern as he gently rocked their crying baby in his arms. Jisoo quickly wiped away her tears and glanced at the clock; ten hours had passed, and Minseok had only managed to drink one bottle of formula.