MOTHER | vsoo |

06: Jove Laughs

I woke up in a cold sweat, my chest heaving as my eyes darted around the room. My heart pounded like a relentless drum.

What the hell...

It was just a dream.
A nightmare.

I slumped back onto the bed, staring blankly into the darkness. The oppressive silence enveloped me, but something felt... off. A faint shift beside me caught my attention, and my eyes snapped toward the figure lying beside me.

Jisoo.

She was sleeping peacefully, her face calm and serene, a sharp contrast to the chaos in my head.

How did she even get here? I racked my brain, but the memories wouldn't surface. Nothing came to me.

"Taehyung..."

The voice startled me, low and guttural. My breath hitched. Slowly, I turned back to Jisoo—only to see her transformed into a fleshless corpse, bloodied bruises marring her decaying form.

"J-Jisoo?" I whimpered, the sight turning my veins to ice.

"She's dead."

............

The scream tore through my throat as I bolted upright, only to tumble off the bed and hit the cold floor with a thud. My breathing was ragged, tears streaming down my face.

No. No, no, no. Is it happening again? The same damn nightmare on repeat?

"Mister?"

The soft, familiar voice of Jisoo broke through the haze of fear. My head whipped around, and there she was—leaning over the edge of the bed, concern written across her face.

I scrambled back instinctively, my heart hammering. "Stay away! I swear to god I'll... I'll—"

I couldn't finish the sentence. My throat clenched. Even if she was part of some twisted nightmare, I didn't have it in me to hurt her.

"Mister, you're still spouting nonsense, huh? Are you okay? You passed out after you came downstairs..." she said, her tone tinged with worry.

I froze, my racing thoughts hitting a wall. I passed out?

"No... no, I didn't," I stammered, my voice cracking. "You and Irene—you were fighting. The knife. Eunji?"

The more I tried to make sense of it, the less certain I became. My own words sounded alien, unraveling into gibberish. Was I hallucinating?

"Fight? What are you talking about? Irene and I didn't fight. I helped her with dinner, then looked after my daughter. Irene just sat there; she didn't eat much, though. I've been meaning to ask—who is she? Another family friend?"

Her words struck me like a hammer. Everything she said sounded normal. No chaos. No violence. Just routine.

I exhaled sharply, the tension in my chest easing a fraction. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it," I muttered, trying to dismiss the unease clawing at me.

She gave me a confused look but let it slide. I climbed back into bed beside her, sinking into the mattress.

"Well... it's complicated," I began hesitantly. "Irene's just a friend of ours. You and I, we've known each other for a long time. We had Eunji together. While you were... gone, Irene and I took care of Eunji for you."

Jisoo's brows furrowed as she processed my words.

"But I don't remember you. You weren't there. It was just Eunji and I..."

Her words sliced through me, sharp and unforgiving. How could she forget me? I was the one who mattered most to her—the only one. Without me, she'd be nothing. Now, she was just an empty shell of who she once was.

"I'm sorry if that disappoints you," she said softly, her voice apologetic. "I know I'm not in the best condition, sir."

A dry chuckle escaped me. "I see..."

Damn that doctor. Damn her manipulative schemes. Did Jisoo really think I was this stupid? Did she believe I couldn't see through her charade? The hurt gnawed at me.

Playing dumb, huh? Was that her plan? Bide her time, then escape?

I was glad I'd checked the hospital's security footage before we left. That doctor had been acting shady from the moment I arrived. Why had she insisted so hard that I let Jisoo believe Eunji was hers? No real doctor would make such a drastic suggestion without thoroughly assessing the situation. But this one had jumped at it the second I showed up.

I caught on to their little conspiracy as soon as Jisoo woke up.

Well, it doesn't matter now. That doctor's out of the picture. No more interference. No more games. Tonight, I'd catch Jisoo in the act—and then we'd see who was fooling who.

Without another word, I slid under the covers, letting the heavy silence settle over the room. I could feel Jisoo's eyes on me, her gaze probing, trying to decipher my sudden shift in demeanor.

I smirked, the edge of it hidden in the shadows. Let her wonder. Let her squirm.

The mattress dipped slightly as she lay back down beside me. For now, I'd wait. Just a little longer.

Authors POV*

3 hours later

Thump.

The soft sound of the window opening jolted Taehyung from his shallow sleep. His heart raced—not from fear, but from anticipation. He'd been waiting for this. Slowly, he cracked his eyes open, just enough to see Jisoo crouched by the window, slipping one leg over the ledge.

So predictable, he thought, suppressing a smirk.

She glanced over her shoulder, making sure he was still asleep. He kept his breaths steady, his chest rising and falling in a convincing rhythm. She hesitated for a moment before slipping the rest of her body through the window.

Taehyung watched as she landed softly on the ground below, her movements quick and deliberate. She didn't even hesitate as she ran toward the gate, her silhouette barely visible in the dim moonlight.

Instead of chasing her, Taehyung leaned back, a dark grin spreading across his face. This was just like old times—watching her scramble, thinking she could escape him. Did she really think he hadn't prepared for this?

Still, there was a twisted thrill in watching her try.