Closer Than This...(vsoo)

93.

The tension in the air was palpable. Even though the police had taken Kim Taehwan into custody for questioning regarding the car accident that had killed Jisoo’s parents, there was still not enough concrete evidence to link him directly to the crime.

He had been bailed out, but not without a promise that the investigation would continue. Taehyung’s frustration with the lack of progress was evident, though he knew that despite his anger, he couldn’t let this situation consume him. Not when he had so much more to focus on...Jisoo, their future, and his father, who was slowly slipping further away.

Back at Taehyung’s apartment, the atmosphere was quieter, more intimate. Taehyung sat beside his father, Kim Do-hyun, who was resting in a chair by the window. The soft afternoon light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the scene.

Kim Do-hyun’s face was etched with lines of age, his once-strong features now softened by the cruel effects of Alzheimer’s. Taehyung had been doing his best to care for his father, to keep him comfortable, though it was clear that the father he remembered was slipping further into a haze of confusion.

“Dad...” Taehyung spoke softly, gently taking his father’s hand. “Do you remember when we went fishing at the lake? It was just the two of us, and you told me how proud you were of me.”

Kim Do-hyun blinked slowly, his eyes scanning Taehyung’s face as if searching for something. A moment passed before his expression softened. “Fishing... yes,” he murmured, his voice low and raspy. “You were... always good to me, Taehyung. I remember that.”

Taehyung’s heart ached at the simple words. His father’s memories were fading, the once-vibrant man now lost in the shadows of his mind.

But in those rare moments of clarity, when his father remembered him, even just for a moment, it felt like a small victory. He squeezed his father’s hand gently. “I’ll always be here for you, Dad. Always.”

The sadness in Taehyung’s chest was bittersweet. He had spent so many years resenting the man who had abandoned him in favor of his brother’s manipulations, but now, he realized just how much he needed these fleeting moments with his father.

Even if his mind was clouded by Alzheimer’s, even if their relationship had been strained, there was still love there...a love that was all he had left of the father he once knew.

Meanwhile, Jisoo was taking extra care of herself, though it wasn’t just for her own well-being. As her pregnancy progressed, she found herself growing more demanding...not just of herself, but of those around her.

Taehyung, ever the doting husband, had become her unwavering support, always by her side, anticipating her needs before she even had to voice them.

She was starting to feel the weight of her pregnancy...both physically and emotionally. The constant changes in her body, the overwhelming exhaustion, and the surge of hormones all seemed to hit her in waves.

There were moments when she would feel completely overwhelmed, moments when the world seemed too much to bear. But then, there was Taehyung, always there to remind her that she wasn’t alone.

“Taehyung, can you help me with this?” Jisoo asked one evening, sitting on the couch, her hand resting on her swollen belly.

Taehyung looked up from the papers he had been reviewing and immediately crossed the room to her side. “Of course, anything.”

She handed him a small box of vitamins. “I keep forgetting to take these, and I know I need them. Can you remind me every day?”

Taehyung smiled gently, nodding as he took the box from her. “I’ll set a reminder for you. And I’ll help you with anything else you need. You just focus on taking care of yourself and our baby.”