The Unfaithful

2

The sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. Y/N sat at the edge of the bed, her gaze lingering on the empty space beside her where Jungkook had slept. Or rather, where he should have been. The past few weeks had been strange-Jungkook's late-night business meetings, his sudden trips out of town, and the increasing sense of distance between them. He hadn't been the same, and neither had their marriage.

Y/N absentmindedly ran her fingers over the soft fabric of the coat draped across her lap. It was one of Jungkook's favorites, an expensive piece he wore often to his corporate meetings and charity galas. She picked it up with the intention of hanging it back in his closet when something caught her eye.

Her fingers froze as she noticed a smear of crimson lipstick on the collar.

Her heart skipped a beat, and the room seemed to grow colder. Y/N stared at the stain, her mind racing with questions she didn't want to ask. She lifted the collar closer, her throat tightening. There was no mistaking it-Jungkook never wore lipstick, and she had no recollection of wearing that color herself.

For a moment, Y/N wanted to convince herself it was nothing, that there was some reasonable explanation for it. Maybe it was from a fan or a business associate who had leaned in too closely during a greeting. But deep down, a small voice whispered to her-something wasn't right.

The lipstick wasn't the first thing. Over the past few weeks, little signs had begun to pile up. There were the late-night texts, the hushed phone calls he'd take in the next room, and the way he always seemed distracted, his mind elsewhere even when he was home.

Y/N tried to shake the thoughts from her mind, to remind herself that Jungkook was a public figure, a man constantly surrounded by people. Women were always throwing themselves at him, but she had trusted him. She needed to trust him.

But the lipstick was undeniable.

Later that evening, she confronted him-trying to be casual about it, trying not to let the suspicion creep into her voice. She had placed the coat on the armchair in their bedroom, the stain glaringly obvious, hoping he would offer an explanation on his own.

Jungkook walked into the room, loosening his tie as he approached her. He looked tired, but there was an unfamiliar coldness in his eyes that Y/N couldn't quite place.

"Jungkook," she began, her voice steady, though her heart raced. "I found something on your coat."

He glanced at the coat, barely sparing it a second look. "What?"

"There's lipstick on it," Y/N continued, watching his face carefully. "I don't wear that color."

Jungkook's expression barely changed. He shrugged, brushing past her with a nonchalant air that set her nerves on edge. "It's probably nothing. Someone might've brushed against me at a meeting or something."

"Brushed against you?" Y/N repeated, her eyebrows furrowing. His response was so... casual. As if he didn't even care to put in the effort to lie convincingly.

"Yeah," he said, throwing his tie onto the bed. "You know how it is at those events. People get close. It doesn't mean anything."

Y/N stared at him, searching for some flicker of truth in his eyes, but all she saw was a wall-a disinterested detachment that made her feel small, insignificant. He hadn't even tried to come up with a better excuse, like he wasn't even worried about how it would affect her.

"That's it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "That's all you're going to say?"

Jungkook turned to face her, his expression hardening. "What else do you want me to say, Y/N? It's nothing."