Fatescript

"Soft Persuasions"

“Were you sleeping?” Taehyung’s smooth voice carried a smile she couldn’t see.

Jisoo hummed lazily, eyes still closed, her head sinking deeper into the pillow. She was already slipping back toward unconsciousness, barely processing his words.

On the other side of the line, Taehyung hesitated, then softened his tone. “Okay, you can sleep,” he said gently. “I just wanted to confirm what you’re going to wear to the party.”

That pulled a confused sound from her. “Party…?” she murmured, not quite awake.

He chuckled again, hearing the bewilderment in her tone. “I was thinking maybe we could wear the same color clothes,” he explained patiently. “It would look good, don’t you think?”

There was silence, then Jisoo’s drowsy voice returned, flat and unbothered. “Where are we going?”

“To the engagement party,” Taehyung answered, as though it were obvious.

“Ohhh…” Jisoo mumbled, realization finally dawning through the fog of sleep. She yawned, stretching under the blanket. “I’m not coming.”

Taehyung blinked, caught off guard. “Ohh.” His voice dipped with disappointment, though he tried to mask it. “Then I’m not going either.”

Her eyes snapped open at that, the annoyance in her chest bubbling up. She sat up abruptly in bed, hair messy, face flushed with both sleep and irritation. “Why not?”

“What am I going to do there alone?” he asked casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Take your friends,” she shot back, combing a hand through her tangled hair.

“But it’s my friend’s engagement—he’ll be busy with guests and family. I’ll just be standing there, useless.” He countered.

Jisoo pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to groan. “He’s your friend, Taehyung. If you don’t go, he’ll be angry.”

There was a pause, then he said, almost too easily, “I’ll just tell him I was feeling sick.”

Her eyes widened, the haze of sleep fully gone now. “You’re really going to lie to him?” she asked, disbelief sharp in her tone.

His voice lowered, tinged with a stubborn edge. “What do you expect me to do? Go without you?”

Jisoo exhaled, shaking her head. “You can’t avoid things just because I’m not there. That’s ridiculous.”

Taehyung leaned back in his chair, the faint creak of leather audible through the phone. His silence lingered, deliberate, before he finally said, “Maybe it is. But if you’re not coming, I don’t want to.”

Her chest tightened at the quiet conviction in his voice. It wasn’t petulant, wasn’t childish—it was simply honest, laid bare without hesitation. That, somehow, unsettled her more than if he had thrown a tantrum.

“Taehyung…” she began softly, her annoyance slipping into something gentler. She didn’t know whether to scold him or be touched.

Jisoo let out a long sigh, rubbing her temple with the back of her hand. The stubbornness in his voice wouldn’t let her win this argument. She leaned back against the headboard, blanket pooled around her waist, staring at the ceiling as if it could give her strength.

“Fine,” she said at last, her voice quieter, almost reluctant. “l’ll attend the engagement.”

There was a beat of silence on the line, and then Taehyung’s voice lit up instantly, bright and warm. “Really? You mean it?”

“Yes,” Jisoo muttered, trying to sound casual, though the corners of her lips betrayed her with a faint upward twitch. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

He chuckled softly, the sound rich and full of relief. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.”

Jisoo scoffed lightly, trying to brush it off. “You act like I agreed to marry you all over again. It’s just one party.”

“It’s not just a party,” Taehyung countered smoothly. “It’s a chance for me to stand beside you. For everyone to see us—together.”

Her breath hitched slightly at the sincerity behind his words. She quickly looked away from the mirror across the room, where her reflection showed a faint blush on her cheeks. “You’re being dramatic,” she said, but her voice lacked its usual bite.

“I’m serious,” he said firmly. “Thank you, Jisoo. I know you don’t like these kinds of events, but… it means a lot to me.”

Her fingers toyed with the edge of the blanket, twisting the fabric absentmindedly. She didn’t reply immediately, letting the silence stretch between them. For once, it wasn’t awkward—it was warm, like an unspoken understanding had settled over them.

Finally, Jisoo cleared her throat. “So,” she said, tone shifting back to practical, “what color are we wearing?”

Taehyung’s laugh was immediate and full of delight, the kind that made her lips twitch into an unwilling smile. “Anything you want,” he answered easily. “I’ll match you.”

Jisoo rolled her eyes, though her chest felt strangely light. “Of course you will.”

Still on the line, she added thoughtfully, “I’ll decide tomorrow what I’m wearing. I’ll send you a photo of the dress, so you’ll know.”

“Perfect,” Taehyung agreed immediately. “Can’t wait.”

With that, they hung up. Jisoo let the phone fall onto the bed beside her, staring at it for a moment as if letting the warmth of the conversation sink in. She sighed again, reluctantly swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Slippers slipped onto her feet as she padded quietly across the room, the soft thump of each step muted by the carpet.

She reached Hwa-jin’s door and knocked lightly. “Hwa-jin?” she called softly.

A muffled voice responded, and the door opened to reveal Hwa-jin, lounging on her bed. Her upper body was propped against the headboard, phone in hand, attention absorbed in whatever message or post flickered on her screen.

“I’ll be attending the party tomorrow,” Jisoo said, trying to sound casual though a small smile tugged at her lips.

Hwa-jin nodded without looking up, her tone even but warm. “I’ll arrange a gift for you to give them tomorrow,” she said.

Jisoo inclined her head lightly, a silent acknowledgment, and then turned back toward her room. She stepped in quietly, closing the door behind her. The familiar comfort of her bed greeted her once more. She sank into the sheets, letting the soft mattress cradle her weary body.

Lazily, she grabbed the duvet, tucking it around herself with a sigh of contentment. The soft weight and warmth of it settled her, the day’s decisions and obligations already beginning to blur at the edges. Her eyes fluttered shut, the dim glow of the room slowly fading behind her lids.

TBC...

Sorry, today’s chapter is short, but I hope you like it! 💜