Taehyung steps through the front door, his face glowing from the time he spent with Ria.
His fingers still tingle with the memory of her touch, and a rare, genuine smile lingers on his lips. For the first time in a long while, he feels light Free.
But as he enters the grand hallway, the warmth inside him is quickly replaced by an all-too-familiar chill.
His smile falters when he sees his parents seated on the luxurious sofas in the dimly lit living room, their expressions stern.
Mrs. Kim : "Well, well... Look who's back. Seems like someone had quite the time, Kim Taehyung. You're practically glowing." said mockingly with an icy tone.
Taehyung stops in his tracks, his smile gone. He clenches his jaw but says nothing, knowing exactly where this is going.
Mr. Kim : started talking while leaning forward , cold and calculated "Don't get too comfortable. We didn't raise you to chase after fantasies. You know your responsibilities. This... 'relationship' with Ria is business, and nothing more."
Taehyung's heart sinks. The warmth he carried from his time with Ria disappears, replaced by the familiar weight of his family's expectations.
Mrs. Kim : sharply....."Don't lose sight of what's important. You are the sole heir of this family, Taehyung. The only reason you're seeing her is to secure our business. Nothing else."
The tension in the room is palpable. Taehyung's hands ball into fists at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. His heart beats faster with a mixture of frustration and hurt.
Taehyung : "And what if I'm tired of this life? What if I don't want to be your puppet anymore?",his voice low but trembling with emotion.
His words hang in the air, sharp and defiant. His parents exchange a glance, their expressions unchanging, cold.
Mr. Kim : "You don't get to be tired, Taehyung. Not when this family depends on you. You've been given everything. You've made sacrifices, but those sacrifices have brought you success. And now, you want to throw it all away?"
Taehyung's mind races. Success? They called it success. But only he knows the price he's paid—the ruthless decisions, the cruel actions he's had to take to maintain that success.
Taehyung (Mind's voice)
"𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩... 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵? 𝘈 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦?"
He looks up at his parents, his voice filled with a rare vulnerability. "I've done everything you've asked. I've been everything you've wanted me to be... But I'm done pretending. I can't keep living like this." said desperately , his voice cracking.
YOU ARE READING
Darkness Between Us
Fanfiction"I thought I was content-proud of my achievements. But deep down, there was a void. An emptiness that no amount of success could fill. The loneliness was my only constant companion. My conversations were superficial, my connections fleeting. I was s...
