unfinished

chapter 1

Jung Hoseok helped his date into the back of the car and slid in beside her.  The driver was the one he used most often and he was already pulling into traffic without instructions as Hobi leaned back in the seat. 

He briefly closed his eyes as his date cheerfully chattered about the party they just left.

He hummed his answers as she rattled, knowing she was not really seeking his input.

Yes, the venue was lovely.  Yes, the food was delicious.  No, he had never met Jimin's girlfriend before tonight.  Yes, there was something special about Tae and his  girlfriend.

His thoughts drifted away from her then, and he thought back over the night.

The soft glow of the candles, the warm fire, and the pheromones blanketing the place had truthfully thrown his emotions off kilter.

Everything was lovely, a perfect evening with his friends, yet here he was leaving early, his head already splitting.

As the car slowed and then stopped, he took a minute to squeeze the hand of the woman by his side.  She smiled a wide smile and thanked him for the evening. 

He helped her out of the car, grabbing her purse from the floor and holding her steady as she slipped on her shoes.  She kissed him on the cheek and linked her arm in his as they waited for the elevator. 

The ride to her apartment was filled with easy conversation, and she teased him about how very handsome he looked tonight.

He stopped in front of her door and waited as she keyed in the code.  As she turned back to face him, he became aware of how close he was standing, the way her lips parted in a smile, the rich smell of her perfume filling the space between them. 

Hobi felt a tension build in the pit of his stomach that took him completely by surprise.  He frowned at the fleeting thought that he should kiss her.  Before he could decide what that might mean, her phone rang. 

He watched her face as she checked the caller ID and saw her completely transformed as she recognized the caller.  She flushed deeply, and her eyes sparkled as she stepped toward the door. Her voice sounded eager and breathless as she answered.

She cradled the phone on her shoulder, barely pausing as she opened the door.  She waved at him as she stepped inside and mouthed “ See you Monday," as the door closed in his face. 

He could hear that she was still standing near the door, her voice low, her laugh husky as she talked to her boyfriend.

Hobi knew she was crazy about this man and had known it all along.  There had never been any question about it.  Hell, it was why he asked her to go with him to these parties. 

Still, tonight as he stood in a deserted hallway, on the wrong side of a door, he asked himself “why?”

Why was he hiding? 

Tonight had just made him that much more aware of how pervasive his loneliness was. 

He loved his friends.  He liked the partners they had chosen. Seeing them happy brought him joy.  But right here, right now, he hated everything. 

He caught himself standing there staring at a closed door, waiting for….

Waiting for what? Waiting for his time to come? Waiting for his life to start.

He shook himself, his trademark smile buried in a grim expression.

The hell with that! He was tired of waiting.  He was really for the world to change now!

He stalked back to the waiting car and entered the front seat with the driver.

“Take me home, please,” he said quietly.  The man complied, puzzled by the uncharacteristic mood of his young friend.

Hobi stared out the window as they sped down the city streets.  He willed his mind to go blank.

He laughed at himself.  Just because he wanted his life to be different did not mean that the universe would spring into action and grant his wish.  He sighed and closed his eyes. 

Little did he know how wrong he was in that last thought.  He would look back and think how one should be careful of what they wish for.

Hoseok thanked the driver as they arrived home, laughing at himself as he stumbled, his usual grace blurred by the excellent alcohol he had consumed, not to excess though, not tonight.

Tonight, he was just buzzed enough to wallow in self-pity or plan a blazing new trail for his life.

Those were his thoughts as he fumbled with his door.

Unlike his friends, Hobi had purchased a small home in a quirky neighborhood.  It was still old enough to have multi generational families on all sides of him. 

However, it had recently shifted in character with younger singles like him moving in.  There were stores and bars and restaurants springing up all over the neighborhood. 

It was gaining a reputation as a welcoming spot for artists, and as a result, there was a growing international mix of residents and businesses.  It had a vibrancy and connectedness that his friend's high-rise penthouses lacked.

Some days, he could almost imagine he was back in Boston – or New York.

He smiled as he thought about the things he would do tomorrow.  There, it seemed he had chosen to make outrageous plans rather than sulk.



Happy Valentines Day!! What a perfect day to begin our Sunshine's story!!
Thank you for waiting for his story and for me!!
I hope you take some special time to remind yourself that you are loved and that you are one of your favorite people! And mine too!!❤❤❤❤❤❤