One shots | Kim Taehyung

His son's mother | Part 3

The soft glow of the night lamp cast a warm light over YeJoon's peaceful face. You gently caressed his tummy, your fingers tracing soothing circles over his little form. A tender smile played on your lips, though your heart was heavy with unspoken emotions.

The sound of footsteps brought you out of your thoughts. You looked up to find Taehyung standing by the door, his gaze soft as he watched the scene. His lips curled into a faint smile when your eyes met.

"He's asleep," you said quietly, standing up.

Taehyung nodded, his hands in his pockets. "Goodnight," you said softly, turning toward the door.

"Wait," his voice stopped you mid-step.

You turned back, slightly startled. "Yes?"

He hesitated, his eyes darting to YeJoon and then back to you. "Can we... talk for a bit?"

Your heart skipped a beat. It wasn't often that Taehyung initiated conversations unrelated to YeJoon. "Of course," you said, nodding.

He gestured toward the balcony, and you followed him. The cool night breeze greeted you as you stepped outside, the city lights twinkling in the distance. You both settled on the couch, the silence stretching between you like a fragile thread.

Taehyung leaned back, his hands clasped together as he stared ahead. "When I married Aera," he began, his voice low and contemplative, "I didn't know what love truly meant. But with her, everything felt... right. She was my happiness, my safe place. We had so many dreams."

You stayed quiet, your eyes fixed on him, sensing the vulnerability in his tone.

"She was the one who made everything feel possible. I remember the day she told me she was pregnant..." A small, bittersweet smile graced his lips. "She was glowing. She had this habit of hiding surprises, and she told me during a late-night walk. I was over the moon. We talked about baby names, about what kind of parents we'd be. I thought life couldn't get any better."

His voice wavered, and he closed his eyes briefly. "But then... everything shattered. That day... when YeJoon was born, I should have been the happiest man alive. But instead..." He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing as he fought back tears. "I lost her. She was gone, and I didn't know how to cope."

You felt your own chest tighten, your hands clenching in your lap as you listened to the pain woven into his words.

"I couldn't breathe," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I couldn't hold my son. Every time I looked at him, I saw her. And it hurt so much. I couldn't be the father he needed. I couldn't even be myself."

Taehyung's head dropped into his hands, his shoulders trembling slightly. "I was drowning in guilt, in grief, in this endless suffocation. I thought I'd never come out of it."

Your heart ached as you reached out hesitantly, your hand brushing his forearm. "Taehyung..."

He lifted his head, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I don't know how I would have survived if it weren't for my family... and you. They gave me a way to keep going. And you... you stepped into a role you didn't ask for, taking care of my son as if he were your own. You gave him the love I couldn't."

"I—" you started, but he shook his head, cutting you off.

"Let me finish," he said gently. "I know this hasn't been easy for you. I know this wasn't the life you imagined. And I've been so caught up in my own pain that I never stopped to think about what it must be like for you."

You felt tears pricking at the corners of your eyes. "Taehyung, I—"

"I'm thankful," he said, his voice firm despite the tremor in it. "For you. For everything you've done for YeJoon, for me, even when I didn't deserve it."