An Earth Wind & Fire record spun in the background.

Jennie sat perched in a kitchen chair, arms wrapped around her knees as she waited for Namjoon. The dinner she cooked for him had long gone cold. He had started coming home later and later.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when the doorknob finally rattled, and Namjoon appeared. He looked tired, and a little roughed up.

“Joon, where were you?” She fussed, peeling the jacket from his body. “Is this blood? What have you been doing? Did you fight again?”

He held her cheeks in between his hands, his skin as cold as ice. Jennie stilled.

“I had to work overtime.” He told her, a boyish smile on his face. “Don’t worry, everything’s fine.”

He had been telling her that a lot those days.

“I’m not reassured at all, Kim Namjoon!” She whined, her cheeks still squished between his palms.

“I’m sorry.” He left a quick peck on her pouting lips. “I got you something.”

He fished through the jacket she’d thrown off of him, pulling out a small white box. Jennie all but scowled.

“I swear to god if that is jewelry…” She huffed out, displeased. “Why would you waste your money? It’s the middle of winter, I told you to buy a heated blanket…”

Namjoon opened the box and Jennie shut up immediately, distracted by the twinkling of a row of diamonds on a simple gold bar pendant.

“You were saying?”

“It’s pretty.” She admitted reluctantly, reaching toward the box.  

“Should I put it on you?” He laughed, and she gave him a small but eager nod.

He brushed her long hair out of the way, fastening the clasp of the necklace. He placed a light kiss at the nape of her neck. She shivered, spinning around to place her arms around his shoulders.

“Why did you buy me this?”

“So you’ll never forget me.” He kissed her again. “So you know I’ll always be with you.”

She should have known back then. She should have seen the signs.

There were things that she ignored back then because they were both struggling. She never asked Joon what exactly his job was. She was asked how working overtime could leave him with a blood splatter on his jacket.

She had moved in with him to escape her family. To run away from the life she couldn’t bear to live anymore.

He saved her.

Not long after he’d gifted her the necklace, she was arrested. Joon had bailed her out, but her parents told her she needed to go abroad and learn a lesson. She didn’t want to but Joon had convinced her to go anyway.

He told her their neighborhood wasn’t safe, that she’d be better off just going along with her parents wishes for a while.

She should have known…

His sudden late night work shifts. The way he always looked haggard and on guard.

She should have known back then that something wasn’t right.

. . .