Page 4 of Rules for Rule Breaking
Bobby clenched his fist. “You just had to try to be better than me at something again, didn’t you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“What am I talking about?I’m talking about you wanting to go to MIT. Since when is that a thing? You know Harvard is my top choice.”
Winter let out a noise to indicate that she was disgusted. “Not everything is about you,Bae. I want to major in aerospace engineering, and MIT has one of the best programs in the country.”
“You always have to take everything away from me,” Bobby said, tight-lipped, as he sank into his bed. “First it was that dinner with the governor. Now it’s Massachusetts. My father went to Harvard, and the plan was always to follow in his footsteps.”
“You’re not the king of Massachusetts,” Winter spat. “And I didn’t steal that dinner from you. It was a dinnerfor women.”
“You’re the one who suggested it only be for women just so I couldn’t go. What if I want to become a politician one day? Now I may never know.”
“I’m hanging up now.”
Bobby sat up straight. “Wait. Why do you evenwantto come with me? You realize I’m not only going to Massachusetts, right? I also plan to visit a few other schools. And if I’m not going with my parents, I should at least be going with my girlfriend.”
“Trust me. I don’t want to go either, but my parents said I can’t go unless I go with you.”
Bobby clutched his phone harder. “Look, where are you? We should talk about this in person.”
“I’m visiting my grandma now, but—”
“I volunteer at her community center sometimes. I’m on my way. Don’t leave.”
“Wait, no—”
Bobby hung up the phone. His chest puffed as he grabbed his keys and sprinted out of the house to his car.
Winter Park
3. WE WILL NOT HAVE PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS
Halmeoni was from the generation that still believed in getting dressed to impress every single morning. Even though she’d been slowed down considerably by arthritis, Halmeoni always had at least two rings on each finger and gold bangles that chimed every time she moved. There was always a gold brooch over her heart, either in the shape of a flower or a bird, and her hair was short and immaculately feathered and maintained. Winter admired her outfit for the day: a bouclé jacket, slacks, and velvet horsebit loafers. Winter enjoyed that Halmeoni always wore stockings under her pants even though the only place they could be seen were the tops of her feet. Halmeoni really cared about detail, whereas Winter was lucky if she remembered to shower.
In the middle of Halmeoni’s gated elderly community was a senior center where Winter was meeting her grandmother for tea. Many of Halmeoni’s neighbors from other apartment units met there to have meals, chat with one another, and attend special events. It was the social hub for the fifty-five-and-older community. One whole wall of the building was made of windows from which residents could see family members marching up the lawn for visits. All the seniors would place bets on whose children and grandchildren would visit on any given day. Because of Winter’s frequent visits, Halmeoni was often a safe bet. However, Mrs. Fowler had six children and fourteengrandchildren, so she was usually the hot ticket based on numbers alone.
Winter got off the phone with Bobby and slammed it down on the table, causing her and Halmeoni’s barley tea to slosh over the sides of their teacups.
“What’s wrong?” Halmeoni asked in Korean. Winter only spoke Korean with her grandmother. It wasn’t perfect, but even with her limited vocabulary, she used the words she did know to their full extent. When she saw Halmeoni, it was like a switch turned on. She loved how they could speak freely in Korean without fear of repercussion. Not that they gossiped often, but the senior center could get spicy at times.
“Bobby Bae,” Winter replied, her voice thick with disdain.
Halmeoni took the napkin out of her lap and wiped the table where the tea had spilled. She then folded it up neatly and put it to the side. “What has he done this time? It’s your summer break. You’re not even in school.”
“I’m trying to figure out where to apply for college, and Umma and Appa won’t take me on visits. They think it’s pointless. But I want to see the campuses and where I’d be living for four years if I get in. That could affect my decision,” Winter replied. She pushed her hair behind her ears. “They want me to go on college tours with Bobby Bae. He’s on his way over here right now to talk about it.”
Halmeoni contemplated her words for a moment. “Maybe that’s good. You should have more friends, like I do.”
“Bobby and Iarefriends. Family friends. We just don’t like each other. Plus I don’t need more friends. I have Emmy.”
“Then where is she?”
Winter looked down. “With her dad, probably.”
Emmy’s dad was in the military, so they moved around often.Sometimes in the United States. Sometimes not. Every year of her childhood, Emmy would spend the summer with her grandmother—Nai Nai—who had lived in the same senior community as Halmeoni until she passed away about a month ago. Now Emmy and her dad were staying in Nai Nai’s old condo, cleaning it out and readying it for the next inhabitants.
Halmeoni pursed her lips. “Emmy and her father will be stationed in Germany. Once she leaves next month, who will you have? You should try to make other friends, Soon-hee.”
