Behind Flashing Lights | vsoo

Please Don't Call

Taehyung woke up to his phone buzzing again and again. He rubbed his eyes, reaching blindly until he saw the name on the screen.

Jisoo.

His chest tightened. She hadn't called in so long. Not like this. She wasn't supposed to call him anymore. She was the one who said goodbye, the one who looked him in the eye weeks ago and told him it was over. That it was better this way. That he had to let her go.

But his thumb swiped before his brain could stop him.

He answered. "Hello?"

Her voice spilled through, soft and unsteady. "Taehyung-ah..."

Just the way she said his name nearly undid him. He sat up straight, heart racing.

"Where are you?" He asked quickly.

"At the studio. Lisa already left and I just... I didn't want to be alone tonight." Her voice cracked, and in that moment, he already knew she had been drinking.

It was all he needed to hear. Within minutes he was out the door, mask tugged over his face, cap pulled low. He told himself he wasn't doing this because he still loved her. He told himself it was just because he didn't want her unsafe. But his heart knew the truth.

"Stay there. I'll come."

"No, you shouldn't-"

"I'm already on my way."

When he found her, she was curled up on the couch, her knees drawn to her chest. She looked up, startled, and then her expression softened in a way that destroyed him.

"You came."

God, she looked fragile. Makeup smudged, cheeks flushed from alcohol, hair falling loosely around her face. He had seen her beautiful in a thousand ways, but this-this was the version of her that broke him.

He crossed the room in seconds, crouching down in front of her. "You shouldn't drink this much." He said softly, trying to smile, trying to keep his voice steady.

"You shouldn't have come." She whispered back.

"I know." His hand hovered for a moment before he brushed her hair gently behind her ear.

Her eyes glistened. "I know I'm making it harder."

"It's already hard." He admitted, throat tight.

"Every day without you is hard." She said.

His eyes closed, and for a moment, he looked away. "You'll make me hope again, Jisoo. And I can't afford that."

The drive to her apartment was quiet. She fell asleep against the window, her reflection was faint under the streetlights. Taehyung forced himself not too stare, not to memorize the details of her face. Not to remind himself of what he lost.

When they arrived, he guided her upstairs, steadying her when she stumbled. Inside her room, he helped her onto the bed, pulling the blanket over her gently.

He turned to leave, but she caught his wrist, weak but desperate.

"Stay." Her voice was barely a whisper. "Please. Just tonight."

He froze. Slowly, painfully, he nodded.

"Just tonight."

She curled into him like it was the most natural thing in the world, like nothing had ever come between them. His arms fit around her like they always had, like they were made for this.

"Taehyung?" She murmured, already half-asleep.

"Mm?"

"I love you."

The words cut sharper than any blade. He wanted to laugh. He wanted to scream how unfair she was for making him feel like this. But instead, he bit down hard on the inside of his cheek to keep himself breaking.

"I love you too." He whispered.

And that night, he let himself believe that love was enough.

But morning came.

The bed was cold when Jisoo stirred awake, her head was pounding, and her throat was dry.

"Taehyung?" She called, sitting up.

The room was empty. No sign he had ever been there, except for the faint smell of his perfume on her sheets.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She reached for it with trembling hands.

A single message lit up the screen.

"Last night was all I'll ever allow myself. Please don't call me again, Jisoo. I don't think I can survive it again."

Her hands shook as the tears blurred her vision, falling onto the phone. She pressed it to her chest, curling into herself, her sobs filling the silent apartment.

Because last night wasn't just one last time.

It was goodbye.