If This Isn't Love

21: SEPTEMBER 2017 - Another Step Back

Jin stood at the door to Luisa's apartment, his palms sweaty and his heartbeat racing. He had not told Emily that it was Luisa's birthday and that her friends were having a get-together at her place. He also did not tell her that he was attending.

After he took her home from her last doctor's appointment, he told her that he was going back to his place to rest and catch up on some things. She had agreed only because she felt tired and sleepy. Usually, she'd ask him to stay with her. They'd spend the rest of the day in her room while she snuggled up to him.

He always fought the urge to move away from her. He was supposed to be acting like a loving and supportive boyfriend. He had just returned to work a month ago despite Emily's father's insistence that he continue on leave. Her father practically encouraged him to move into her room with her.

Nevertheless, he still felt guilty whenever Emily tried to kiss him and initiate physical affection. He pecked her on the cheek and told her she needed to rest. She objected with a pout, saying that she missed having sex.

He countered by saying that she was too weak to do much more than walk, so naturally, any other type of physical activity would make no sense. He had to promise that once her doctor cleared her, they would go back to having sex.

He hoped that day would never come.

Now he wiped his sweaty palms on his black jeans and rang the doorbell.

Luisa opened the door with a big smile that faded somewhat when she saw it was him.

He stared at her longingly. "Uh. Hi, Lu. Happy birthday," he finally said and held out a single red rose.

She took it and smiled. "Thank you." She delicately sniffed the flower. "Come in. Everyone's already here."

"Wait," he said before walking through the door. "Here's the real gift." He pressed a small box into her free hand.

"Again, thank you very much. I'm sure I'll love it." she said, stepping aside so that he could enter the apartment.

Once inside, he was loudly greeted by his friends. Namjoon said that Nina couldn't make it because she had to work a late shift. She was a nurse, and her hospital had a nurse shortage at the moment. Yoongi, of course, was glued to Selina's side. Hoseok was sitting quietly at the kitchen table nursing his beer. It was uncharacteristic of him to be so subdued, so Seokjin grabbed a beer and joined him.

"What's up?" he asked Hoseok.

Hoseok nodded with a brief smile. "Jin! How are you?"

"I'm good. But what about you? Did something happen?" His eyes studied his friend.

Hoseok shook his head with a bright smile. "No. Nothing happened. Nothing's wrong. Why do you think that?" He busied himself with his beer.

Seokjin shrugged. "Oh, no reason. I noticed that—"

"I told you it isn't the right time." A male voice broke into his conversation.

Both men looked up to see a tall man walk past the kitchen toward the hallway of the apartment. Megan was following him.

"Cal! Calvin! Listen to me," she said loudly. They both disappeared from view, but their muffled voices could still be heard over the music.

Seokjin noticed that Hoseok was trying to listen to what they were saying—so much so that he was almost out of his chair.

After a few minutes, the man walked toward the door with Megan again following him.

"That's right! That's right!" she was saying. "Just walk away like you always do."