The Christmas Party

Call Your Mother

It felt weird being at home tonight without the presence of the Kims but it was laundry night and I desperately needed to catch up on the pile that was overflowing from the hamper. Distance was probably also a healthy thing that the three of us needed to practice on occasion.

I poured myself a glass of wine, put on my sweat pants, and started to fold the massive pile of clothing. I decided that this was an ideal time to call my mother so that she wouldn't talk to Taehyung and harass me for not calling.

"Hi Mom," I said.

"Hi Sweetie! How are you dear?"

I smiled at my mom's enthusiasm. "I'm good. Just folding laundry. What are you up to?"

"Your father and I just finished up dinner." I heard my mom pull the phone away from her face and tell my dad he was his own for clean up since her precious daughter who never calls was on the phone. I smiled. "How was your week? How's work? How's your love life?"

I laughed again at my mom's rapid-fire questioning. "My week at work was good. You'll be happy to know that I'm actually starting to talk to people at work, not just about work related stuff."

"Well that's good! I can't believe it's taken you so long to connect with people there. You know, you've always had such a chip on your shoulder and if you would just give people a chance you might find that you like them."

I rolled my eyes, thankful my mom couldn't see me or she would smack me upside the head. "I know Mom. I'm the worst. But I did make a friend."

"Well that's good! Tell me all about them." I told Mom about my budding friendship with Jungkook. "Well that's great. It only took you three years, but I'm proud of you."

"Yeah, but I did it! I don't know, I've just always seen work as work and I don't really like socializing with anybody outside of work and no one will ever accept that which is how I got myself into this whole fake girlfriend mess."

"Your father is like that. He always said to me 'Dara, now why would I choose to spend more time with these people than I already do? I spend enough time with them.' You know you and your father are very similar. He didn't have a fake girlfriend, but your father always had a fake second job so he never had to do anything with his coworkers after."

I laughed but had to agree; there were too many similarities between my father and myself.

"Dad and I just don't want to be around people I guess."

"Or your select people that haven't made it into your exclusive inner circle."

I laughed out loud. "That's true."

"How is that Soojoo girl?" my mom asked, changing the subject.

I rubbed my eyes under my glasses. "Don't even get me started on her." I told my mom about she'd become more and more horrible since mentions of my girlfriend being real and even more annoying since the pictures appeared and Jennie sending flowers.

"Jennie sent you flowers to work?" My mom gushed.

"Yes, but she was only doing it to mess with Soojoo. I brought her flowers to mess with her ex-boyfriend that she works with too."

"So you girls are sending each other flowers and going on dates?"

"Oh my God, Mom. Not this again."

"Honey, you don't even like her just a little bit? She's very beautiful."

"I know she's beautiful Mom, but that's not the point."

"So you are attracted to her."

I stuttered, my words caught in my throat when I realized the trap I'd fallen into. I sighed in defeat. "Yes, okay, I do think she's attractive. But she's Taehyung's sister. That would be weird."