Seokjin knew that he had to speak with Luisa. He'd tried calling and texting, but she would just say that everything was okay and that he had nothing to explain to her. It was becoming something of a comedy between them. How could two people be so far out of synch? Every time he was sure that the planets were going to align for them, something else pushed them out of orbit.

He wanted to laugh about all of the near-misses and missteps they've had over the years. He would've laughed if it wasn't so frustrating.

Again, she'd seen him with a woman who wasn't right for him, but who seemed to have some type of hold over him. At least, that's what someone like Lu would think. First, Emily's medical dilemma had held them apart, and now Lydia's instability might drive the final wedge between them.

He just couldn't win. He could never win. He sighed as he stepped off the elevator onto his floor. He'd have to walk past Luisa's apartment to get to his own. Maybe now was the time to speak with her face to face. Yes, that's what he would do. He should tell her what was on his mind, at least to get it off his chest once and for all.

His determined steps slowed down when he noticed that Luisa's door was slightly ajar. Then he heard voices.

"How's that?" Luisa's voice asked.

"Ohhhhh. You don't know what you're doing to me." That was a man's voice.

He took a step closer to listen.

"Want me to do more?" she asked.

"Oh, God, yesssss. More."

Seokjin's heart was beating so fast that he felt out of breath. What were they doing? In her living room? With the door open? He gripped his phone tighter. He had been on the verge of knocking on her door and maybe inviting her out to dinner or a drink so that they could talk, but now...

"Luisa, that feels so good."

"Jimin."

He took a deep breath, determined to put a stop to whatever that pervert Jimin had convinced her to do. And with the door open, too! This was entirely unacceptable.

"I'm coming in!" he announced loudly and stepped through the door.

Luisa and Jimin looked up. He was sitting down, and she was standing behind the sofa massaging his shoulders with her elbow.

Seokjin stared at them awkwardly for a few seconds before he brought his phone up to his face. "I'm coming in tomorrow. Get the contract ready," he said loudly, pretending he was on the phone with his secretary.

"Oh, hi." He smiled, putting his phone in his pocket. "I was...I was passing by and saw your door open. I wanted to make sure that everything was, uh, okay."

Luisa nodded. "Of course. I guess I forgot to shut the door when Jimin came in."

"Yeah, hello," Jimin chimed in. "I could barely walk straight when I got here. The pain in my neck was so severe. It was like a terrible spasm."

"You remember Jimin, right?"

Seokjin nodded.

Luisa sighed. "We...the department went bowling after work, and Jimin overdid it because he was showing off—"

"I was not!" Jimin interrupted her good-naturedly.

"He was showing off," she continued, "and this is the result. He's got pain from his neck to his shoulder." She walked around the sofa and dropped into a chair. "Maybe next time he won't be trying to do tricks holding the bowling ball."

Jimin laughed. "I can't help it if I'm a natural athlete."

"I wouldn't say that at all," Luisa chuckled. "So, Seokjin, would you like something to drink, or are you on your way somewhere?" She stared at him for a moment. "Thank you for checking up on me. Uh, would you like to stay for dinner?" She smiled. "Or whatever I can cook that might pass for dinner."

Jimin grinned, still rubbing his shoulder. "Yeah. I'd be careful if I were you. Her cooking looks better than it tastes."

Seokjin cleared his throat. "Do you...two...have dinner often?"

"I wish," Jimin laughed. "I mean, I wish we'd go out to have dinner, but she's always too busy." He looked up at Seokjin, his eyes disappearing into crescents as he smiled. "Actually, she's too busy waiting for someone. Didn't you know—?"

Luisa stabbed her elbow into his shoulder, and the slighter man yelped in pain.

"Oh," Seokjin replied. He feared that if he stayed there another minute, they would be able to read the frustration and jealousy on his face. "I guess I better go then if you're waiting for someone." He tried to smile. "I guess we'll talk another time, Lu." With a final nod, he turned on his heel and walked out.

He was within one step from his door when he heard Luisa call his name. He turned and saw her rushing up to him.

"Why did you run off like that?" she asked.

He looked away awkwardly. "Well, I wasn't sure—I mean, you said you were going out with someone or something."

"I never said that I was going out right now," she replied softly. "I actually want to tell you something." She inhaled. "Uh, you could invite me in."

He nodded absently, not wanting to say anything that would make him sound bitter and jealous. He turned to open his door and stepped aside for her to enter.

"I'm sorry if the place is a little messy," he said as he shut the door. "As you can see, I'm just getting home from work, and I haven't had a chance to do much around here." He paused, watching as she walked toward the sofa and sat down. "Can I...can I get you anything to drink?"

"I'll have whatever you're having," she replied slowly.

Her voice caressed his skin, and he turned away from her, not wanting her to know how much her presence affected him even now—even now when it seemed that they would never be together. After all these years, they really were going to end up just being friends.

"Yeah," he managed to choke out of his dry throat. He dropped his briefcase by the door and stepped into the kitchen, loosening and then removing his tie.

He returned to the living room holding two cans of beer. He needed something to start the numbing process. If beer didn't do it, he had a bottle of tequila hidden in a cupboard. As soon as she left, he would probably finish it off.

He shrugged off his coat and dropped into the chair next to the sofa. He popped the can of beer. "Okay, Lu. What is it that you have to tell me?"

Luisa gingerly flicked the beer can open. She took a deep breath and long swallow of the beer. She reached for a coaster on the coffee table and placed her can on it.

"Well, there is someone that I'm waiting for," she finally said.

He closed his eyes and nodded. "Yeah. Great. I'm sure he's a great guy."

She bit her lip. "I...I would definitely say he is."

Seokjin took a long gulp of beer. "He'd have to be, to get someone like you." He felt his heart racing, but he fought against his instinct to scream. He really was losing her. Right now. Right here.

"Look," he said, leaning forward in the chair. "I want to clarify a few things first. May I?"

She nodded.

"I never slept with Lydia after we broke up months ago. I never even saw her again," he said. "That story she invented about us still sleeping together was a terrible lie. It never happened." He exhaled. "That other time when you saw her here, acting all crazy, was the first time I'd spoken to her in a long while. She said she wanted to just talk, but she, well, she lost control a bit. I'm sorry that you had to see that."

Luisa nodded again.

"I never told anybody except for Hoseok and Yoongi, but Lydia has bipolar disorder—you know, manic depressive." He waited until Luisa registered the information. "Her family advised me to treat her no differently than I'd treat anybody else and not to coddle her or baby her just because she might lose control. I really did try to be fair with her, but I wasn't in love with her. I didn't see any future with her." He shook his head. "Not because of her condition."

"No, I would never think that," she replied. "I mean, I saw how you were with Emily, how you tried your best to help her. You didn't abandon her. I would never think of you as a man who would turn his back on someone."

He sighed. "Thank you for that, I guess. Not that it got me anywhere." He couldn't stop the bitterness from tinging his words. "Anyway, I do want you to be happy. I want you to forget all the craziness and ridiculousness that happened concerning me. You deserve better, Lu. I wish you the best with...this guy you're seeing now."

She cleared her throat. "I'm not seeing him. Yet. I'm waiting for him."

He blinked rapidly, confused.

"I'm waiting for him to see me. To see that I am ready to take the next step." She paused. "To know that I've been ready for so long now that I almost talked myself out of it." She shook her head. "I hope he knows how sorry I am. I hope he can forgive me. I hope he still feels the same about me after all this time." Her large eyes looked into his own.

Seokjin had to put his beer down because his hand began to shake uncontrollably. Was he hallucinating? Did she mean...?