Page 70 of XOXO

“Why would he say anything about Jaewoo and you?” Gi Taek asks.

Whoops. Gi Taek’s eyes narrow.

“Because we”—I brace for their reactions—“sort of have a thing.”

“Jenny!” both Angela and Gi Taek shout.

Their voices carry and a few people turn to stare at us.

Lowering his head, Gi Taek hiss-whispers, “How? Why? Who?”

“What?!” Angela adds.

“Jaewoo confessed.” I say, then cover my face with my hands because it’s embarrassing.

“What?!” Gi Taek yells.

“That’s what I said!” Angela grins.

“I’ll take two of those, please,” Sori says.

I lower my hands from my face and we all look at her. She’s pointing to the sizzling galbi on the grill. Apparently we’ve reached the front of the line. The cook picks up two pieces of galbi with her tongs and places it on a paper plate, then hands it to Sori.

She glances over to find us all watching her. “What?”

We suspend discussion to choose what meats and vegetables we want from the grill, then move to the stand of side dishes to fill our plates with kimchi, green salad, braised potatoes,seasoned soybean sprouts, and spicy cucumber salad.

Angela manages to find us an empty picnic table. I thought I’d have a brief respite to enjoy my meal, but I underestimated Gi Taek.

“What does ‘a thing’ entail? Like hand-holding? Further than that? Hugs, kisses? What kind of kisses? Was there tongue?”

“Stop!” Angela covers her eyes.

“Your ears, Angela,” Sori says. “Cover your ears.” She picks up a slice of cucumber with her chopsticks and pops it into her mouth, then uses her same chopsticks to point to the edge of camp. “Oh, look. Lover boy.”

We all follow her gaze to where Jaewoo stands with Nathaniel, having just arrived. They’re both dressed now, in hoodies and sweats.

I wait for one or all of my friends to start teasing me relentlessly, but they immediately act super cool. Sori lowers her chopsticks, Gi Taek puts some of his food onto Angela’s plate, and Angela stuffs a pile of rice in her mouth.

My heart fills in gratitude and amusement. Not teasing me is their form of encouraging me.

Across the campsite, Nathaniel meets my gaze. He says something to Jaewoo who looks in my direction. A smile spreads across his face, warm and dazzling.

“Heol,” Gi Taek says in amazement.

“How can you not fall in love?” Angela sighs dreamily. “When he looks at you like that?”

Love? The word makes my heart tumble in my chest. Thatcan’t be what I’m feeling. Not yet.

Nathaniel and Jaewoo get their plates of food. On the way to our table, however, a couple of fans intercept them, and by the time they arrive, they’re accompanied by a whole group of them. We’re quick to make room for everyone, and though I wish I could spend time with Jaewoo alone, to talk and flirt with him, I’m also happy to be here, surrounded by our friends, and the people who care about him. It just goes to show how wrong Ian is. Each person here is a musician, and their love of XOXO isrealand, honestly, special.

The girl sitting next to me loves Jaewoo in particular because he wrote the song that she listened to over and over again when her brother passed away. I’m so moved by her that I share how music also helped me get through my grief. We exchange numbers to keep in contact after the field trip is over.

Halfway through dinner, there’s a collective murmuring in the crowd as everyone turns their attention to where a boy and girl in color-coordinated outfits walk onto the stage.

“I’m Sung Minwoo,” the boy says, “a Second Year from Seoul Arts Academy.”

“And I’m Lee Yuri,” the girl says, “a Second Year from Yongsan Music School.”

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