If This Isn't Love

11: DECEMBER 2016 -Christmas and Confrontations

"So, you're okay having the Christmas party at your place?" Megan asked as she and Luisa looked through racks of sweaters.

Luisa pulled out a bright red sweater and examined it. "It would have to be just a few people. My place is not that big, and you know how I feel about crowds."

"Of course. Maybe just six or eight people. Your place is plenty big if we rearrange the living room—oh, I like this one! This is perfect for you."

Luisa glanced at the dark green sweater that her friend was holding and smiled. "We must have a Christmas color theme. Red and green only. What do you think?"

"Yeah. That way we can avoid the boring all-black outfits some people like to wear because they think it's fashionable." Megan pulled her toward a mirror and held the sweater up in front of her. "Hobi thinks he looks so high-end all in black."

Luisa did a double-take. "Hobi? Hoseok?" At her friend's nod, she continued. "I didn't know you wanted to invite him. He was so obnoxious at the Friendsgiving two weeks ago. Are you sure we should invite him?"

"Well, he's good friends with Yoongi and Sel, and we can't exactly say no if our best friend wants to invite him," Megan said.

"I guess," Luisa said, not very convinced that was a good reason at all. Hoseok had badgered her and Seokjin at their last get-together. Thanks to Leo's call, she left the party early. Seokjin had insisted on walking her out, then he had kissed her so passionately that she couldn't speak for a good ten minutes afterward. But he'd said nothing after that. Was she ready to face him again so soon?

Whether she was ready or not, she found herself face-to-face with him again at the Christmas gathering. She had to admit that he looked even more handsome than before. His dark hair was fluffy and tousled to perfection. His outfit—a button-down green shirt worn over a black shirt and black pants— was just the right amount of tight to emphasize his enviable physique. Her eyes were so mesmerized by his presence that she didn't register the girl standing next to him for a few minutes.

"Hi, Lu," he said with a smile. "Good to see you. You remember Emily." He nodded at the blonde girl by his side. "Thanks for the invite."

Luisa made sure that her smile didn't falter, but she was embarrassed that she'd left them standing at the door for too long. "Hello, Emily. So glad you could be here. Come in, come in. Help yourself to some drinks over in the kitchen."

"Thank you," Emily said with a half smile. "Your apartment looks nice, by the way, for such a small space."

"Uh, thanks," Luisa said, not bristling at the strange backhanded compliment. She shut the door, and her eyes followed the couple through the room. She heard the loud, happy greetings from Seokjin's friends and saw the solicitous way they spoke to Emily. Her mind went back to that kiss he'd given her, and she wondered what game he was playing.

"Luisa." Megan was standing in front of her. "That's Emily from this summer, right? For a rich girl, she sure dresses cheap. You'd think Jin would have told her to wear red or green. I don't think what she's wearing passes for winter white. And it's practically transparent."

Luisa shook her head. "Never mind. It's not a big deal."

At that moment, Selina walked up to them. "What in the twelve days of Christmas is Jin's date wearing? Gosh, did she come over straight from her strip club job?"

Luisa shushed her friends' giggles. "Shut up, you fools. Meg, your voice carries like a banshee's. Let's just be polite. I didn't know his girlfriend was with him."

Megan rolled her eyes. "I hardly think she's girlfriend material. Maybe an hourly employee perhaps." Again her friends giggled maliciously.

"Stop," Luisa admonished them.