With Jaehyun asleep and Lisa seemingly trapped in the same square foot, there’s not much to do but look around and take in the pale blue walls and grey curtains. The basketball trophies on a shelf and video game setups. The box of vinyls, a Chet Baker LP right in front. A collection of hoodies and jackets visible from a half closed closet door.

The room is orderly and wholesome.

Jaehyun strikes her as a kid that must’ve been popular. So well-rounded with dimples like that? No wonder he had that many girl friends.

Lisa thinks of her own high school years which were both long ago and not. Her small group of friends and her non-existing dating life. Daniel taking her to prom, purely platonic.

She looks down at Jaehyun, taking in his long eyelashes and the bump of his nose and then looks down at his hand, tense in her hold.

“Jaehyun?” she hears a call from downstairs and recognizes it as Mrs. Jung’s voice.

Lisa bends to stand automatically, using her other hand to gently pull her and Jaehyun’s fingers apart. She walks quietly to the bedroom door and slips out.

She’s just about to walk downstairs when Mrs. Jung has beat her to the landing, looking surprised.

“Oh, Lisa.”

“Hi, Mrs. Jung,” Lisa says, feeling as if she’s been caught doing something she shouldn’t be doing.

They both start to talk at the same time.

“I-”

“You-”

And stop.

“Sorry, I stopped by to return some stuff but then I saw how sick he was so I decided to stay for a little bit.”

“I see,” Mrs. Jung nods, holding onto a small white pharmacy bag. “I’m sorry, he couldn’t make it to work today.”

“No, need to apologize.”

They both nod, politely and Lisa feels like they could spend the next hundred years going back and forth in nods.

“Excuse me, I’ll just put this on his desk for when he wakes up. I can meet you downstairs in a moment.”

Lisa walks downstairs, picking up her borrowed items and placing them on the kitchen island.

“I’m sorry, I had to borrow one of your shirts a couple weeks ago. I don’t know if Jaehyun told you, but I spilt something on mine and… I washed it and we’d made cookies so we used some tupperware…” Lisa doesn’t know why she’s so nervous. She’s an adult! Mrs. Jung is an adult! Borrowing happens! There’s no reason this should be hard.

Mrs. Jung smiles, taking the shirt from Lisa’s hands and placing it on the counter space in front of her. They’re standing on separate sides and suddenly it feels like an impromptu office and Lisa is getting interviewed.

“Forgive me, if this sounds too forward, but you and Jaehyun…” Mrs. Jung begins and Lisa’s body goes cold in panic.

“I just want to know if you’re more than co-workers maybe?” she struggles to ask, eyes shifting, her turn to be nervous.

“No, no,” Lisa denies, shaking her head. “Just co-workers.”

Mrs. Jung nods.

“I know he’s old enough to make his own decisions. Maybe it’s just a mom thing to worry, but… How old are you again?”

“26.”

“Oh, so you probably graduated the year Jaehyun started high school.”

Lisa smiles tightly, “I guess.”

“He was such a cute teenager, wore braces, played basketball.”

Mrs. Jung tosses out facts and Lisa feels something in her shrink.

She’s not saying, stay away but something about it…

The emphasis.

She might as well say something about feeding her son, how he was just a baby yesterday.

“Do you have any kids?”

“What?” Lisa’s jaw drops. “Oh, no. No.”

“Do you want kids?”

“I, um… I don’t know.”

“I know women tend to have children later now, but you know, even when we try to decide, we can’t control our clocks.”

“Yeah…”

“Speaking of which!” Mrs. Jung claps her hands and turns to read the oven clock.

“I should probably start on dinner. Were you planning on staying?”

It was an all but three minute conversation, but Lisa’s head is all over the place, so she finds herself saying no.

“No, thank you. I have a couple more things to do for myself. But I appreciate the invitation. I’ll just head out now… Um…” she doesn’t know if she should add ‘tell Jaehyun to feel better’ but decides against it.

“Have a goodnight, Mrs. Jung.”

“Oh, you too, Lisa. Thank you,” Jaehyun’s mom smiles, it’s warm but dimpleless, making it feel empty.

“Thank you.”