Jungkook

I checked my reflection in the car window while waiting for Reva in front of the house. Our friendly dinner with my old friend Abbas Hosny and his wife Heba was scheduled for today because they had wanted to invite us for a long time. We had finally managed to pick a day that worked for all of us.

They lived in the city, in one of the penthouses that looked over the Hudson River. I had been invited a few times, as Abbas and my friendship spanned several years. I had met him at a meeting at that time.

He as well as his wife were very kind people who had always been warm and welcoming. Their generous hearts showed in many ways and while I couldn't say we hung out often, it was still always a pleasant time to spend with them.

Abbas and Heba had already been married for five years when I met him and since then he had always teased me that I would soon be next. Deep down he knew that marriage had never been on my list of priorities, but he had also done business with my father that had more or less predicted the future.

Actually, a long time had passed since I bumped into him, even before our wedding, as he had been in his home country for almost a year dealing with the trouble his uncle had caused after his father passed away. Not my business, but he had had a lot on his plate.

Anyway.

I adjusted the collar of my shirt and my coat. The evening wind blew past me and I cursed under my breath as a strand of hair fell in my face. Just as I was about to get into the car, the front door opened and Reva stepped out.

She had her coat draped over her elbow, her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail so that her already almond-shaped eyes glared even more sharply. She had on a modest dress with long sleeves that reached her ankles, paired with a pair of heeled sandals.

In her other hand, she held a black vase decorated with gold ornaments and fresh flowers in it. Carefully she descended the stairs until she finally looked up at me. "Can you open the door for me, please?" she asked as she reached the car, a strand of hair flipping in her face, for which she had no free hand.

I rounded the car and held the door open for her. "What's this?" I raised my eyebrow and tilted my head toward the vase as she settled into the seat.

"A gift," she explained the obvious. Of course I knew what it was, but I was taken aback that she had thought of such a thing. Not that I thought Reva was an inconsiderate woman, but I guessed it still surprised me.

I placed the end of her dress hanging out of the car inside and made my way to the driver's seat. The streets were more crowded than on other days at this hour, but considering that today was Saturday and everyone wanted to go out, that was no surprise.

I wouldn't have minded the drive dragging on if it wasn't for that odd silence. Well, I certainly wasn't looking to initiate a conversation because I was the last one who knew how to do that, not to mention that I didn't have any normal conversations with Reva anyway other than us bugging each other.

But after everything that had happened between us lately, I couldn't help but keep my mouth shut. About two weeks ago, I had woken up in the morning with a painful headache, my eyelids so heavy I could barely open them.

I had had trouble remembering how I was even lucky enough to end up in my bed and not in my study having fallen off my chair and into a puddle of vomit.

Just thinking about that possibility almost made me shudder.

Anyway, I had been grateful for the two pain pills on my nightstand. I couldn't even grasp how I had managed to wake up so early in the morning despite it all.

Spongy memories had filled my head as I got a clear view of Reva in a less comfortable position on the sofa from my seated position on the bed. A long sigh had left my lips as I slowly came to my senses.

Well, I couldn't really remember the reason why I had drunk so much in the first place, although I was utterly convinced that it hadn't even been that much. God forbid I ever got into the same mess again.

It wasn't that I was an irresponsible drinker or had a drinking problem in general. It was the things I'd said to her, that I'd more or less opened up about, which I never normally did, no matter how much alcohol I had drunk.

But I had been an asshole, I knew that. I knew I hadn't been completely wrong in expressing my frustration, but we didn't have to lash out like that. It was certainly wrong to drag her dead mother into the argument, a low blow I didn't know how to apologize for.

"We're here." I cleared my throat as I found a convenient parking spot.

Reva had been looking out her window the entire drive and now she looked around, becoming familiar with the area. She gazed up at the penthouse after we got out. Security greeted me because they already knew my name, even though I had only been to the couple's new apartment twice. Mostly for business.

Reva stood against one wall of the elevator and I against the other. She had a different kind of eye makeup that made the gray of her irises more penetrating and fiery. Her fingers with her black painted fingernails tapped against the shiny porcelain vase.

Surprisingly, she hadn't resisted or said anything negative about the invitation I'd let her know about earlier in the week. I had lowkey expected her to refuse to go to the house of people she didn't know.

But here we were and I wasn't looking forward to it. I just hoped neither of us ended up making a snarky comment that would make our hosts feel uncomfortable.

We both stared at the small display above the steel door until we both unconsciously stepped closer so that our shoulders touched as the numbers continued to increase. I considered placing my hand on her lower back to make it seem more coupley, but I wasn't interested in a death coming from Reva's bare hands.

The elevator stopped and the pair faced us with big smiles plastered on their lips. "Welcome!" Abbas' voice broke us both from the tension and I felt Reva visibly loosen up.

"Good evening." we both said together, our eyes meeting briefly before Reva stepped forward. "Thank you for having us."

I could tell she felt awkward, though she didn't want to show it in her crooked smile. It was normal because she hadn't spoken to any of them except at our wedding. But it wasn't something she had to worry about, because Heba came to greet her.

"You're welcome." she pulled Reva into a friendly hug and squeezed her tightly. She was smaller than my wife, but her aura transcended the room. "I'm so happy you two finally made it."

"Hey, man." Abbas clapped his hand against mine and gave me a half-hug. Then he turned to Reva and put his hand on his chest the way he always did with other women.

I nodded appreciatively to Heba and the two of them led us into their living room. The decoration was the same as the last time I was here only with a few additions of details that nevertheless enhanced the whole look of the apartment.

It was a mix of modern and oriental, something I was not used to, but the warm colors were not a pain to my eyes since it was balanced. We took a seat on the sofa and the couple on the opposite one.

"This is for you." I heard the smoky, oh-so-familiar voice as she held out the vase in Heba's direction. "I didn't know if it would fit your home, but I hope you like it."

"It's beautiful." Heba smiled. "It fits perfectly in the bedroom. Come, I'll show you around if you'd like." She offered and linked her arm with Reva's, careful enough not to drop the vase. Then she turned to us. "These two were about to bore us with their business talk anyway."

I heard Reva laugh under her breath, and when she looked back, our eyes met. She seemed like she was still getting used to the overly extroverted couple, but her smile was genuine before she looked away.

"Where did you get it from? I need a few more pieces because I'm still decorating—"

Heba's voice grew quieter as the two women disappeared around a corner. The apartment was large and had a balcony that was currently featuring the sunset as a highlight. Abbas caught my attention and I crossed my ankle over my knee as we in fact started talking business.

He told me about the accomplishments of his textile factory, but also the difficulties that still carried their consequences to this day. It was the reason he had reached out to Jeon Coop in the first place, and I had tried to help him as much as I could so that they could get back on steady ground.

Despite all the trouble, his wife always stood by him and it was fair to say that Abbas would have been worse off if he didn't have Heba in his life. At least that's what he always told me.

Speaking of which, half an hour later we heard snickering before the two of them returned from their house tour. "I hope you all are hungry. Please go ahead and sit at the table, I'll bring the food."

"I'll help you." Reva offered, but Heba shook her head.

"Abbas will. You're the guest," she said, entering the kitchen adjacent to the dining area.

Abbas happily arranged the dishes with his wife, while Reva and I took seats at the dining table. The different smells of the dishes filled our noses, which I knew would taste delicious.

After bringing everything to the table, the couple took their seats across from us and Heba began to explain what each dish consisted of. I had had dinner with them before, but I kept forgetting the names.

She then poured our drinks prepared from various fruits and spices into our glasses and we began to eat. Unlike the dinner table at our home, this one was filled with laughter and chit-chat.

I didn't even know how much or what I was eating until all the serving plates were empty and our stomachs were full. It was refreshing and how it was supposed to be. When a family met only at the table each night, experiences and memories should be shared, not silence deafening everyone.

I brushed those thoughts away as Reva's soft laughter and the subtle graze of her fingers pulled me out of the haze. The touch was unintentional, that much was certain, but I realized it was the first time I'd ever really seen her laugh.

All I got was just a sweet, sarcastic smile whenever we teased each other, but when Heba told us about her husband and his bad attempt to give her flowers without her father noticing, a dimple appeared on her face.

Right under her left eye and only in that place. It was uncommon because I had never seen such a placement before, but somehow it suited her. It would only show up when she intended to show it.

"I don't know why I even let him do it. We were already engaged and the whole family knew about him, but for some reason, it was embarrassing to know that my father would know the flowers were for me." Heba continued and Abbas shook his head.

"She talked me into throwing the flowers through her window!" He exclaimed in complete bewilderment as if he hadn't experienced it himself. "And ten minutes later, I walked through the front door like nothing happened. Even hugged her father."

"In my defense..." she interrupted, "it was the first relationship I've ever had in my life. I didn't know how to handle things!"

A smirk appeared on my lips too as I whirled my glass in my hand, jacket now removed and draped over the back of my chair.

"That's hilarious." Reva calmed down from her laughter. "How long have you guys been married?"

"Almost eight years," Abbas replied. "It feels like a lifetime."

His wife agreed with a nod. "It does. You know, our marriage was like some sort of arrangement, so it's crazy to see that we were a good fit."

I felt Reva shift in her chair. My eyes slid to her and I almost looked away when I saw her eyes waver a little. The couple was like us in a way, but so unlike us. She was seeing that as well.

"Oh, really?" she asked, a new twist in her voice.

"Yeah, I was living in Egypt and he was living in the States when we met. I was actually born in London, but we moved to Cairo when I was nine. I then studied in London and went back to Egypt. So it was back and forth most of the time."

Abbas had told me about it. That explained the combination of the British accent and rolling r, I guessed.

"Anyway, it was his aunt's husband's sister who saw me on a visit. She and my grandmother have known each other for years. So she told Abbas's mother about me but didn't show any pictures. He flew to Cairo for a short vacation with his parents' encouragement, apparently had business to sort out." she laughed and Abbas smirked smugly in my direction.

"Did you know about all that?" Reva asked, resting an elbow on the table and cupping her chin in her hand. The ponytail was thrown over her shoulder.

"Oh, I did. I was a little hard on him at first, but he managed to win me over with his charming yet respectful manner." Heba finished the story.

"That's lovely," Reva commented sincerely.

The couple nodded at the same time. "Thank you."

I was quiet throughout the conversation, not butting in. Not because I already knew the story, not in that much detail, but enough to not have to ask. I just realized that arranged marriages opened the gateway to happiness for some people, while they completely screwed over others.

It was too soon to tell where on the spectrum Reva and I stood.

Before either of us could throw a new word into the mix, the sound of something crashing echoed. "Oh, I think the cats broke something. Can you go and check?" Heba asked her husband.

He nodded and disappeared into a room around the corner. "You have cats?"

"Three." Heba laughed as Abbas's wailing in Arabic rang out to us. "They're probably hungry. Oh, look who's coming!"

A white ragdoll emerged through the door and walked gracefully toward us. Her fur was long and neat as her blue eyes searched the room.

"Her name is Asmaa, which means quiet girl. She loves cuddles and is the most well-behaved of them all," she told us.

"Can I pet her?" Reva's eyes followed the cat as she walked through the living room and then looked out the window at the river. After Heba gave her permission, she took her in her arms, now a good distance away from us.

I watched her as she quietly stroked the cat, her gaze fixed on the dark night. I hadn't realized how late it had gotten, as time had flown with our random conversations.

"You know, the cat's not going to turn into a lion and devour her." I heard from across the table. Seeing the confused look on my face, she laughed. "You've been watching her for minutes."

"Oh." I cleared my throat. "Were you saying something?"

"No." she sat up straight. And then shrugged her shoulder. "I guess it's normal in a fresh marriage. Hopefully, it stays that way." I continued to pick at the napkin on the table, not knowing what to answer. "How's it going if you don't mind me asking?"

I reviewed my response for a few seconds. "It's going fine."

"Hmm." she just hummed. I started to get uncomfortable because I didn't know where the topic was going. "Can I tell you something else about our marriage?"

"Sure."

She cracked a smile. "When I first moved to the States after we got married, I cried for two weeks straight."

"Why?" I raised an eyebrow. "You finally realized Abbas was an idiot?"

"I already knew that," she said, and I couldn't help but laugh. But then she grew serious and carefully searched for her next words. I waited patiently. "Don't get me wrong. I was happy and excited about my new life and everything that would come next. But I missed my family."

"That's understandable considering you moved to the other side of the globe." I nodded.

She nodded back. "Yeah, that too. But..." she let out a breath. "I think it's always a little harder for a girl. Especially if she's a family person or in charge of a lot of family matters. Oldest daughter things."

My eyes unconsciously moved to one person in the room. Reva had been in charge, I had seen that much.

"When you get married, you come into a new family, a new house with a new name. You're practically a new person," she said softly. "I can see her trying. Give her some credit for that. Help her where she's stuck."

She had been Matokai Reva. Now she was Jeon Reva.

I hadn't realized when that something else about her marriage had transitioned to mine, but here we were. Not knowing how she did it, she had analyzed us over dinner because I knew Reva hadn't told her anything. Or maybe it wasn't hard to see that for newlyweds, we weren't particularly affectionate with each other.

"I'm new at this too." it wasn't an attempt to defend myself. Just a comment on her comment.

"I'm going to tell you something, take it as you like." she began. "Married couples are like two planets on a shared orbit. If you get too close, you collide and break each other. If you get too far apart, you lose each other and it becomes impossible to get where you belong. It's about balance."

Tilting my head to the side, I let her words run through my head. I didn't like it when other people tried to teach me how I needed to handle things, but for some reason, I found truth beneath what Heba was saying.

My eyes back on her, I asked with a snort. "So what are we orbiting?"

Her shoulder lifted into a shrug and dropped. "Everything marriage is about. It's about you two, so you decide."

The pillars of marriage: respect, trust, love, good communication. Patience and umpteen other things that would age me to list. Essentially everything Reva and I didn't have.

The corner of the napkin tore from the way I was toying with it. Even though Heba caught it in the corner of her eye, she didn't comment on it.

Our marriage revolved around nothing more than a mutual arrangement. A deal that made both families happy. And it would probably stay that way forever.

"Thanks for the astronomy lesson," I said dryly. Heba was too nice to be turned down like that, and she looked disappointed when she heard my words, but still didn't wipe the smile off her face.

"I'll clear the table," she said instead and I appreciated that she didn't dwell on it.

Still, I felt bad. "Do you want me to help you?"

"It's okay. I got this."

I nodded as she stacked a few plates and took them to the kitchen. A quick glance to my right revealed Reva and how she was still standing by the window with the cat. My brain wasn't in command as my legs led me to her.

Her eyes were fixed on the sky and she was looking back and forth between the moon and the city lights. It was mostly too bright to ever gaze at the stars in such a densely populated city, so she took what she could get.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" I decided to ask, though I didn't know where the curiosity came from. It was probably better than standing here in silence.

I could feel her eyes settling on me without even needing to look at her. They felt warm on my skin, though the gray was so cold at times. Her hand didn't stop stroking Asmaa for a second. Was she a cat person or a dog person? I didn't ask.

"Yeah." she finally replied. "They're kind people and fun. It was nice to get out of the house for a change."

I didn't want it to be relatable but I felt the words all the way to my bones. Touché.

Everything was so overwhelming sometimes that all I wanted to do was crawl out of my skin and go someplace where no one could find me. But I couldn't, I would never have that luxury. Even though the weight on my shoulders sometimes felt unbearable, that was what I had signed up for.

But it was never fucking enough.

"Listen—"

"We should get back," she said instead, her eyes on me. I couldn't read what lay hidden in them. "It feels rude to keep standing here the whole time."

"You're right." I agreed, somehow reassured that she had interrupted whatever that was about to become.

It was pretty obvious, though, that after our argument and my drunken stupor in the bathroom, things had changed between us. It wasn't a grudge she was holding, but something I wasn't ready to address. It bothered me that it was like this because this was not the Reva I knew.

When we arrived back in the dining area, Heba had cleaned up the table and unpacked new glasses. She was preparing dessert and Abbas was helping her when they spotted us.

"There you are!" He exclaimed. "And Asmaa, too. I panicked for a moment, thinking she might have fallen out the closed window until Heba told me you had her."

Reva laughed, her eyes, empty until a few seconds ago, filled again with joy. "Sorry you got worried."

"No, it's okay." he dismissed reassuringly with his hand. "So, who wants dessert?"

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A/N: y'all gotta be patient with this story since I don't want to make it insta love
we're getting there slowly but surely <3