𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 || 𝐭𝐚𝐞𝐤𝐨𝐨𝐤 ✓

EP26: The unexplained phenomenon (tw!)

Taehyung was sitting at the dining table, carefully feeding Jiyeon, who still seemed insatiably hungry. He couldn't help but smile at his little bundle of joy in his arms.

As he continued to feed Jiyeon, his eyelids grew heavy, and he found himself teetering on the edge of sleep. It was in this half-dreaming state that he was jolted awake by the sound of bottles moving in the refrigerator. His tired eyes darted towards the source of noise, where he spotted the fridge's door slightly ajar.

Rubbing his eyes, Taehyung got up from the chair, trying to shake off the grogginess. He approached the refrigerator, thinking that maybe it wasn't properly closed. He reached out and gently pushed the door shut, the soft click reassuring him that it was secure.

However, as he turned away, he froze mid-step. The door had opened itself again, just a crack. Taehyung frowned, confusion replacing his initial sleepiness. He pushed the door close once more, but it defied his efforts, swinging back open.

Taehyung, now feeling slightly irritated, opened the refrigerator and checked inside. Everything appeared normal, neatly organized groceries and leftover dinner from the previous night. He shrugged, thinking it might have been a minor malfunction, and shut the door firmly.

But then, with an abrupt and forceful bang, the refrigerator door flew open, narrowly missing hitting Taehyung's knees. It was as if someone had kicked it from inside. Taehyung staggered back in shock, his heart racing.

Taehee, who had been playing by herself at the dining table, was equally startled by the loud noise. She looked at Taehyung with wide eyes and a quivering lower lip, saying, "Mama! Why a-are you s-scaring me?!"

Taehyung's mind raced for an explanation, but he had none. He didn't know what had just happened. With a nervous laugh, he tried to reassure Taehee, "It's okay, sweetheart. Mama didn't do anything."

Taehyung decided to leave the kitchen, unable to comprehend the strange occurrence. "Sit here Taehee, I'll go put Jiyeon to sleep, okay?" He says, to which the girl timidly nods her head.

He couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over him. He walked into the bedroom and carefully placed a now sleepy Jiyeon in her cradle.

Sitting at the edge of the bed, he ran his fingers through his hair, wondering what was happening in their home. The inexplicable event that happened just moments ago had left him bewildered, and he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of foreboding.

His tired mind, overwhelmed by exhaustion, finally gave in to the urge for much-needed rest, as the demands of the day momentarily ebbed away. Soon, he had drifted off in his seated position beside his daughter's cradle, gently swaying into slumber.

A heavy yawn escaped his lips as he awoke abruptly. His sleepy body had jerked involuntarily to one side, snapping him back to consciousness. With a groggy sigh, he stretched his aching muscles, the weariness in his bones palpable.

His eyes blinked open slowly, still heavy with sleep, but a sense of responsibility tugged at him. There were tasks to be accomplished, and he couldn't afford to waste more time in bed.

With another lazy stretch, he pushed himself off the bed where he had been sitting. The soft creak of the mattress whispered through the room as he rose. He ruffled his tousled hair and ran a hand over his tired eyes. He needed to shake off the remnants of sleep and get on with the day's work.

As he straightened his back, ready to face the day, a sudden, overpowering stench filled the bedroom. Taehyung's nose wrinkled in disgust, and he turned his head in search of the source of the foul odor.

It was a pungent, rotten smell that seemed to linger in the air.

His gaze darted around the room, but he couldn't pinpoint where the odor was coming from. It hung in the air like an unpleasant secret, refusing to reveal itself.