"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.

The doorbell rang again, and Luisa gave silent thanks for the interruption. It was Leo Duran. They'd recently begun to see each other again. She may have given him the wrong impression when she'd engaged in a passionate goodnight kiss with him after that embarrassing Friendsgiving dinner. What he didn't know was that when she closed her eyes to kiss him, she imagined he was Seokjin.

Megan and Selina looked at him without enthusiasm. It was no secret that they did not like him and hoped Luisa would stop dating him.

"Hello, ladies," he drawled. He pulled Luisa into his body roughly and planted a sloppy kiss on her lips. "Hello, baby."

Luisa could smell the alcohol emanating from him. She glanced at her friends, who appeared thoroughly disgusted. "Leo, let me introduce you to everyone."

The light-haired man smiled. "Sure, although you're the only one I'm here to see."

"Yeah. Well, you remember Megan and Selina." She held out her hand toward her friends.

"Yeah, of course, I do, you little bird brain," he said, flicking her forehead with his fingers.

Selina scoffed and walked away without a word.

Megan stared at Luisa before flashing Leo an insincere smile. "He makes up in charm what he lacks in height," she mumbled and also walked away.

"Wh-What?" Leo stuttered, staring after the tall girl.

"Let's get you some water," Luisa said and led him to the kitchen.

"Guys," Luisa began, "this is Leo Duran. Leo, these are some of my friends, Hoseok, and Yoongi. And this is Kim Seokjin and his, uh, Emily."

"Hello." Leo nodded at the men then smiled and held his hand out to Emily. His eyes scanned her so quickly that it almost didn't happen. Yet, Luisa noticed the gleam in his eyes as he shook her hand. "My pleasure, my dear," he said to her.

Luisa glanced at Seokjin. He raised an eyebrow, and she looked away.

"Hey, Leo, right?" Seokjin began. "I hope you're taking good care of our dear friend Luisa. She's a great girl."

"I suppose," Leo said. He frowned at the taller man.

Seokjin smiled. "You look like you dance. Why don't you take Emily for a dance? She wants to have fun and party, but I'm trying to finish my drink here and catch up with my friends."

"I love this song," Emily added.

"Sure thing. I'd love to," Leo said. Then, as an afterthought, he turned to Luisa. "That is, if it's okay with you, baby."

Luisa nodded, suddenly wanting to be as far away from Leo as possible. She hated being called baby. The idiot's very presence was an embarrassment to her, and she knew that she did not want to see him anymore after tonight.

He pulled the shapely girl to the dance floor where Namjoon and Nina were already dancing.

"Please tell me you're not dating that ass," Seokjin said behind her, his mouth in a smirk.

Luisa gave a startled jump and moved away from him. "Not that it's any of your business, but I will not be after tonight."

He blinked, puzzled, then led her away from the guys in the kitchen. "Lu, I'm not sure I understand, but I do want to tell you that, well, Emily and I are–"

"It's none of my business," she interrupted him. "You don't have to explain anything to me. You can do whatever–"

"Let's dance," he broke in and pulled her away.

"Seokjin."

He ignored her protests and pulled her close.

"It's not a slow song," she protested.

"Don't care," he replied and held her until she stopped wriggling around."Look at us. We match so perfectly. I love your green sweater, by the way. It brings out your eyes."

"I can't believe you let Emily dance with another guy," she said.

He smirked. "I can't believe you are dating such a loser. Doesn't he remind you of someone? Hmm. Who could it be?" He pretended to think.

"Don't," she admonished.

"Oh, yeah," he continued. "Now I remember. My incredible mind, you know. He reminds me of that asshole Charlie. Almost the same height. Or lack of it. Unlike me, of course. Tall, dark, and handsome."

Luisa giggled. "I said stop. He's history as soon as the party's over, so quit being smug." She paused. "So, has Emily changed your evil ways?"

"I called you after Thanksgiving," he said suddenly. "You never returned my call."

She didn't look up at him. "Uh. I've been really busy. I was going to, but, you know, things just...I was really busy."

"Too busy for a text at least?" he persisted. He gave her waist a gentle squeeze. "After we kissed with such passion."

She went still and leaned back to look into his face. "What is it that you want me to say? You have a girlfriend. Did you forget?

"No." He gave her a wide grin and then began twirling her until they were both laughing.

"You've been together for a while. Do you think it will lead to something else?" she asked after she caught her breath.

He scrunched up his lips in thought. "Well, let's see. That depends."

"On what?" She suddenly felt nervous.

He fixed his dark gaze on hers. "It depends on whether you—"

"Hey! What the hell?"

They looked up to see Leo scowling next to them.