Should Be You | Jikook ✔️

Chapter 4

The morning sun streamed through the large windows of their house, casting a warm glow over the elegantly furnished living room. Jungkook stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the garden.

Yeri was pacing near the kitchen counter, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She had woken up knowing that today would be the same, sensing the weight of the conversation that was about to unfold. Despite the tension between them, she had held onto the hope that they could somehow make it work, that the love she felt for Jungkook would be enough to bridge the chasm between them.

"Jungkook," Yeri began, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke. "Why do you always shut me out? We’ve been married for years, and yet it feels like I’m living with a stranger. I’ve tried so hard to make this work, to be the wife you need, but… you won’t let me in."

Jungkook turned away from the window, his expression a mixture of frustration and resignation. "Yeri, this marriage was never meant to be. We were pushed into this by our families, and we’ve been pretending ever since. I’m tired of pretending."

Yeri’s eyes narrowed, her hurt quickly turning to anger. "Pretending? Is that all this has been to you? A charade? We have a son, Jungkook. We’ve built a life together. How can you just dismiss all of that?"

Jungkook sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I’m not dismissing anything, Yeri. But we have to be honest with ourselves. This marriage isn’t working. It never has. We’re just going through the years ignoring the reality, and it’s not fair to either of us. It’s not fair to Jungwoo."

Yeri took a step closer to him, her voice rising with emotion. "So what, Jungkook? Do you still want a divorce? Just like that? After all these years, after everything we’ve been through, you’re just ready to walk away?"

Jungkook met her gaze, his expression firm. "I’m not ready to keep living a lie. We both deserve a chance at real happiness, Yeri. But we’re not going to find it by staying in a marriage that’s broken. And stop telling me that I'm walking away, Jungwoo is my obligation and responsibility here. He is my son."

Yeri’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, her eyes flashing with frustration. "And I am his mother! Do you think you can just walk away from me and everything will be fine? What about Jungwoo's future? He needs both of us. How do you think this will affect him?"

Jungkook’s expression softened slightly at the mention of their son, but his resolve didn’t waver. "Jungwoo will always be our priority. We’ll do everything we can to make this as easy as possible for him. But staying in a marriage where we’re both miserable isn’t going to do him any good. He deserves to see his parents happy, even if it’s not together."

Yeri shook her head, her voice breaking as she spoke. "You don’t get it, do you? I’ve loved you from the start, Jungkook. I’ve hoped, every day, that you would see that, that you would learn to love me too. I’m not ready to give up on us."

Jungkook’s expression was pained as he listened to her words. "Yeri, stop lying to yourself. You deserve someone who can love you the way you want to be loved. But that’s not me. I can’t give you what you want, no matter how much you hope for it. We’ve tried, but… it’s just not there."

Yeri’s eyes filled with tears, but she refused to back down. "So that’s it? What if I’m not ready to give up? What if I still believe we can make this work?"

Jungkook shook his head slowly, his heart heavy with the weight of the decision he knew he had to make. "I don’t want to hurt you, Yeri. But I can’t keep pretending. It’s not fair to either of us. You’re holding onto a dream, but it’s time to let go."

Yeri’s tears spilled over, but she quickly wiped them away, her voice shaking. "No, Jungkook. I’m not letting go that easily. We’ve come this far, and I’m not ready to throw it all away. We can work through this. We can try harder. I won’t give up on us."