If This Isn't Love

64: APRIL 2023: Deceit and Disbelief

Seokjin pushed open the door to the restaurant, the inviting aroma of food welcoming him inside. As he scanned the bustling room, a young hostess approached him with a starstruck smile, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Can I help you?" she asked breathlessly.

"I'm looking for my friends," he replied, his tone polite but distracted. Just as she was about to respond, he heard someone call his name loudly from across the room.

With a friendly smile, he nodded at the young woman, noting the soft sigh that escaped her as he turned away.

"Seokjin!" Hoseok exclaimed as he leaped to his feet, delivering an enthusiastic pat on the back that nearly knocked him off balance. "Hey, how are you?"

Seokjin shot his friend a playful glare as he slid into his seat beside Yoongi. "Did you have to yell so loudly? I think you scared the kitchen staff half to death."

Yoongi chuckled from the other side of the table. "Yeah, well, someone had to save that poor hostess. She looked like she might faint at the sight of your handsome face."

Hoseok grinned, clearly pleased with the effect his exuberance had on the room. 

"Oh, ha ha," Seokjin replied with a smirk. He couldn't help but roll his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips as he settled in, grateful to be surrounded by friends. "Speaking of chaos, how are you two managing with the wedding preparations? I hear Selina and Megan are tearing through plans at breakneck speed, dragging my poor Luisa along with them."

"The real question is how you're holding up," Yoongi drawled, arching an eyebrow. "You look like you're caught right in the eye of the storm."

As the waitress appeared at his side, Seokjin casually placed his drink order before turning back to his friends. The girl lingered a few seconds longer, staring at him before rushing away.

"I'm trying to stay out of the waves, actually," he admitted with a chuckle. "My approach has been to say yes to everything and just hand over my credit card."

Hoseok laughed, shaking his head. "I can see why you're the perfect husband."

They chatted comfortably for a while, their conversation flowing effortlessly as they placed their meal orders. With each passing drink, the tension of the day melted away, leaving them feeling incredibly relaxed and at ease in each other's company.

"I hear you'll be a perfect husband soon," Seokjin said with a grin, taking a sip of his beer.

"I don't know about 'soon'," Hoseok replied, chuckling, "but yeah." He hesitated for a moment, then added, "I don't think I'll ever reach your level of perfection, bro."

Seokjin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

Yoongi shook his head, a hint of admiration in his voice. "You're genuinely inspiring, Jin. You're a stand-up guy in every sense. Sel finally filled me in on what happened a few months back, and I'm glad to see you handled it so well."

Seokjin's brow furrowed in confusion. "What happened? What did I do?"

Hoseok quickly emptied his beer glass and signaled for another, focusing intently on Seokjin. "Man, I hope I can be as understanding as you if something like that ever happens. It wasn't like she betrayed you or anything, but still, it was really commendable that you didn't let it get to you."

Seokjin's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? What are you talking about?"

Hoseok turned to Yoongi, panic flashing across his face, and saw that he, too, looked taken aback.

"Hey, we don't have to discuss this," Yoongi said gently. "It really isn't our place to talk about it. I hope you don't hold it against Selina or Megan for mentioning it. Seriously, let's just forget about it."