Trusting (KTH)

Chapter 8

Kookie opened the door with a towel in his hand, clearly just having stepped out of the shower.

"What's up Hyung?"

"Can I come in?" Taehyung asked. Not waiting for an invitation he pushed his way into the room and closed the door behind him.

"I heard you've been spending a lot of time with Clara recently." Taehyung blurted out, not even giving Jungkook an opportunity to respond.

"Um, I don't know. I do stop by most days to say hello. Why are you asking? Is something wrong?"

"Yes, something is wrong. My own wife will barely speak to me and has basically abandoned our children to the nanny, but she spends time laughing it up with you every day. That's not right. Are you doing something to drive a wedge between us? Is it because you're jealous?"

Jungkook looked horror stricken, "Of course not! I just like chatting with her, she's nice. And I think she's having a hard time so I was just trying to be friendly. Why are you acting like this? You know I'd never try to hurt either of you."

"Well Sooyun just told me that Clara seems to have gotten really close to you. What am I supposed to think? She's always avoiding me and has barely looked at the boys in the week."

"Yeah, Sooyun seems to have a lot to say". Jungkook whispered under his breath.

"What was that?" Taehyung was nearly shouting in anger now.

"I said, Sooyun sure seems to have a lot to say as far as I can tell. Honestly I think you're upset with the wrong person. Sooyun has been slowly disassembling Clara's confidence over the last month, one bit at a time."

Jungkook took a breath to calm himself before he continued. "Personally I think Sooyun is jealous of Clara but Clara is too nice to believe that. So instead she just accepts that what Sooyun says is true. I've actually been really worried about Clara but she refuses to tell you because she's already feeling so insecure as it is. Sooyun has convinced her that she's no longer beautiful and that she isn't fit as a mother. It seems to me like she's trying to isolate Clara until she snaps, and at this point she isn't very far away."

"Wait, what are you talking about? Sooyun loves the boys and is always so nice to Clara. And I've never felt like she was trying to move in on Clara's life."

"Hyung, I heard from Jimin about the message Sooyun sent earlier today. I know you said it was no big deal but to me it seemed like another example of how she was trying to isolate Clara and take her place. I can see from your eyes that you don't believe me, but you explain to me why Clara is falling apart. I know you must have noticed at least that by now."

"What? Of course I have. That's why I'm here." Taehyung defended himself.

"Please Tae, just think about it. And don't go back to Clara angry. She'll think it's her fault and she's barely holding on by a thread as it is. Just be gentle with her. Please."

Taehyung turned on his heels and left the room, but as he stood in the hallway he took a few moments to calm down. He really wasn't sure if Jungkook was right but he knew Clara needed to be approached carefully. At the same time he was frustrated. Clara had promised him that she would tell him if anything was wrong and she'd said nothing to him. If it wasn't working with Sooyun she should have told him so he could fix it. Why was he always finding out from someone else when things weren't working with Clara?

He re-opened the suite and saw Sooyun gently cradling the little cub, covering his head with kisses as she sang to him and stared lovingly at him. He stared up at her in return, awkwardly moving his fist to try to grab some of her long hair.