The Christmas Party

Help to Make the Season Bright

"It's so crowded" I said to Jennie, bumping shoulders with a stranger in the mall.

"I would expect the mall to be crowded in December."

I rolled my eyes but didn't comment, instead I straightened, prepared to shoulder check the next person who dared walk to close to me.

"So who are we shopping for?" I asked.

"A white elephant gift for my firm's holiday party, Taehyung, and a few of my friends."

"Okay, so not a lot then."

"Nope not like last year."

"Why was last year a lot?"

"I don't even want to tell you how much I spent."

I grinned. "How much did you spend."

"I don't want to talk about it."

I nudged Jennie. "C'mon."

"Nope."

"Okay fine. Why did you spend so much last year?"

"Because I was dating that asshole Jongin. He kept spending more and more money so I felt like I had to." Jennie grimaced. "Guess money can't buy love. The Beatles lied to me."

"I don't know, I happen to think that presents are the best way to show someone how much you care. It's like this tangible thing you can point to and say, 'hey man, I love you this many dollars worth."" Jennie's expression was blank. "You've never seen The Office?"

"No."

I stopped walking. "I don't know if I can be fake dating someone who doesn't love The Office."

"Here we go," Jennie muttered.

"What?"

"You and your little antics."

"What does that mean?"

"You and my brother are so dramatic."

"We are not!" Jennie made a face. "But I swear to God I will walk out of this mall if you don't watch The Office."

"I rest my case."

"This isn't court room number five, dude."

"Everywhere is court room number five if you try hard enough."

"Is this what you're going to be like at the party?"

"Oh, absolutely. I told you, you didn't want to go with a stuffy lawyer."

I thought a moment. "It's fine. Just be your snarky self to Soojoo and everything will be great." Jennie chuckled and we waltzed through the mall, popping into different store while Jennie perused and pulled seemingly random items from the shelf and into my arms.

"You at least have to watch the Christmas episodes with me," I said after a couple hours of being dragged around like Jennie's pack mule.

"What?"

"Of The Office. You have to watch them with me."

"I don't have to do anything."

"You can never make anything easy, can you? You always have to say no and then make me wear you down."

"Nothing in life is easy."

"I am literally asking you to watch tv with me."

Jennie shrugged and put a huge coat in my arms. "How are you and Taehyung even related? You're the exact opposite! He would have said yes instantly!"