If This Isn't Love

20: AUGUST 2017 - Truce

Luisa had accepted Selina's invitation to her party at some new club that had opened in downtown Dallas. Her father's company was one of the owners, so she had the run of the place.

Her first instinct had been to beg off since she knew that Seokjin would be there. He was one of Yoongi's best friends. Selina and Yoongi's relationship had become serious, and she was sure that an engagement announcement was coming soon.

She went through the doors, and the person standing in front of her turned around. It was just her luck to run into Seokjin as he stood in the lobby staring into the darkness of the club. She hadn't spoken to him since the day she asked for time. He had called and texted a few times, but she had never taken the calls nor responded to his messages. It was too difficult.

"Jin," she managed to say before his arm was tugged back.

Luisa saw the girl next to him. Emily was much thinner than before, and the dark wig she was wearing made her skin look unbelievably pale. Despite her weakness, she held a possessive grip around Seokjin's arm.

"Hi, Emily," Luisa said, hoping her smile looked genuine. "It's good to see you."

Emily nodded, her eyes moving between Luisa and Seokjin, who'd not uttered a word so far. "Hi, Luisa."

Seokjin kept staring at Luisa wordlessly, his eyes taking in her face as if he'd never seen her before.

Luisa cleared her throat. "Uh, should we...should we head in?"

"Oh," Seokjin finally broke out of his trance. "Yes. It's nice to see you, Lu. You look..." He pressed his lips together, as if realizing that any compliment to Luisa would underscore the fact that Emily did not look so good.

Luisa smiled nervously. "We better go in." She rushed past them, not wanting to prolong the awkwardness.

Once inside, she greeted everyone who was there: Selina and Yoongi, Megan and her boyfriend Cal, Namjoon and Nina. Hoseok and his date, a petite girl named Ruby. There were a few other people that Luisa was acquainted with and some that she met for the first time. She happily retreated to a corner with a glass of champagne. She wasn't sure how long she sat alone in the dark.

"Luisa."

"Ahhh!" She almost spilled the champagne all over herself.

Seokjin sat down next to her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Uh. What...what is it?" she asked, putting the glass down on the low table in front of them.

He looked at her. "I want to talk to you. But not here. It's too noisy." He stood up and held out his hand to her.

Luisa sighed and also stood up. "Fine. But what about Emily?" She hadn't taken his proffered hand, and he awkwardly put it down.

"This is about us," he replied. He led her toward the back of the club. There was a small bar area that was not hooked up to the club's deafening music system, although the room still shook with the reverberations from the outside music.

He motioned to a small booth. She slid into the seat, and he sat across from her.

She stared at him for a while, taking in his attire. "Why are you dressed like that?" He was normally in t-shirts and jeans unless he was in a suit for work. What he had on right now looked trendy. And expensive.

He glanced down at his outfit. "Uh, it was...it was a gift from Emily."

"You got an earring?"

"Oh," he replied, touching his ear self-consciously. "Yeah, her idea."