"Seriously?", Jay said, taking a swig of beer before turning to Adrian with a puzzled look on his face. "He doesn't like meeting people?"
Adrian nodded thoughtfully, sipping his own can of beer. They were relaxing in his living room, surrounded by his painting collection, while they waited for Jay's wife. Handee was attending a bachelorette's party three floors down, for one of her closest college friends. She had promised her friends that she'd attend, despite her growing belly, but she couldn't stay too late. Luckily, Adrian's unit was in the same building, giving the two men the perfect excuse to hang out.
They were talking about Hotaru and what Joey said about him. Her insistence that a meeting with the artist was impossible left him perplexed. Her reasons? First, that he dislikes meeting people and second, that she doesn't even know where he was at the moment. Adrian could empathize with the man's reported antisocial tendencies --- there were lots of times he himself felt like locking himself in his room for a week. But couldn't Hotaru make an exception? Especially when a self-confessed patron of the arts wanted to meet him? As for the second reason, Adrian could only scratch his head. Didn't Joey have a phone number or an email address she could contact Hotaru with? At the back of his mind, Adrian found it hard to believe her and his instincts were telling him that she was hiding something. That she actually didn't want him to meet the artist.
"She probably doesn't want you to meet him.", Jay piped in, echoing Adrian's thoughts.
"Yeah, I get that feeling, too."
"Are you sure he's not some ex-boyfriend?"
Adrian stared at his friend. "I really don't know.", he replied. It was true. He didn't know a thing about her past after they broke up. That part of her life was such a big secret. Now, the thought of this faceless, anti-social Hotaru being entangled romantically with her suddenly made his stomach twist with jealousy. The fact that Joey refused to divulge any details about this man only made it worse. But it made him all the more determined to meet him. In fact, Adrian was already imagining what he'd like to do to the guy, that is, after commending him on his painting – because Adrian had to admit, the man was a talented artist. And then he'd have to decide what would give him more satisfaction – twisting his arm, or gouging his eyes out. He couldn't help smirking to himself at the violent thoughts circling in his mind. But they were just that --- thoughts – and he quickly dismissed them. It was really of no use stressing himself over someone he had never met. He was more concerned about Joey, and what could possibly be running through her mind.
"Tell me, bro.", Jay cut into his thoughts. "I hope you don't mind me asking...... You and Joey...."
Adrian let out a tight smile. He knew right away what his friend wanted to know. "Me and Joey.....we're neither here nor there.", he replied with a shrug.
"But I know exactly where you are."
"Where?", he asked, not quite getting what his friend meant.
"Bro, you are so INTO her.", Jay declared without hesitation. "Admit it.", he added, before gulping down his beer.
Adrian winced, his friend's words hitting a raw nerve. "Am I that obvious?"
Jay nodded in sympathy. "As your friend, it actually hurts to see you like that."
Adrian had to let out a deep sigh and said, "Bro, it's no longer that simple."
"You're wrong.", Jay countered. "It's really simple. All you need is ask yourself --- do you still want her in your life or not? Yes or no."
