Page 90 of XOXO

I don’t respond immediately, instead taking books down from my shelf and placing them in a box. I’ll mail these, along with my heavier items, back to the States.

“You haven’t told him yet, have you?” Gi Taek says.

“He’s been promoting in Japan. I didn’t want to... worry him.”

“Jenny, your boyfriend needs to know you’re leaving the country two days after he gets back.”

“I’ll tell him,” I say. “After the showcase. I just don’t want it to ruin tonight.”

The keypad outside the door sounds, and Sori comes inside carrying a bag of Subway sandwiches. She distributes one to each of us in turn, then sits down at her desk, spinning to face me.

“Did Kim Jina say anything to you?”

I frown. I haven’t thought about Jina in a long time. Once our little friend group formed, she’d left us mostly alone. Bullies don’t like a difficult target.

“No, why?”

“Someone told me she was in the bathroom, talking crap. Not exactly sure about what.”

“Why do girls like to gossip in bathrooms?” Gi Taek asks, plucking out the tomatoes in his sandwich.

“I don’t,” Angela says. “I use the restroom for a different kind of crap.”

“Angela!” we all say together.

“Hmm...” Sori drinks diet soda from her eco-straw whileslowly spinning around in her chair. “As long as we can keep an eye on her and squash any rumors she starts, it should be fine.”

“No one hurts my Jenny!” Angela shouts, reaching into my underwear drawer.

“Angela, you don’t have to fold those,” I say.

“I guess that’s one pro about going back to the States,” Gi Taek muses aloud. “You don’t have to worry about waking up to a front-page article onBulletin.”

We all laugh uneasily and Sori shakes her head. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

An hour before the showcase, I slip on my black wide-legged jumpsuit. It’s my favorite outfit to wear for performances or recitals when black is a uniform requirement. The wide-leg pants, worn with heels, give the illusion of a skirt when I walk. And most important, I don’t have to worry about flashing the audience when I have to tuck my cello between my knees. To complete the outfit, I wear just one accessory—a red ribbon, a gift from my father. When I was little, he used to tie my hair up with it, but tonight I wrap it around my wrist, end over end, like a good luck charm.

The orchestra opens up the showcase, so I head out before Sori and the others. Already the doors to the music hall are open to the public and people can be seen streaming from the gates across the lawn. I scan the crowd for Mom and Halmeoni, but I don’t see them.

“Eonni!”

A young girl calls across the lawn, and though the term could literally address any “older sister,” I turn toward the voice.

Jaewoo’s younger sister races across the lawn, stopping short of colliding with me.

“Joori,” I say. “Hi!” I look behind her to where Jaewoo’s mom approaches and bow to greet her. “Did you come to see Jaewoo? That’s so nice of you.”

“We did come to see Jaewoo... but also you!” Joori shouts. “Jaewoo says you’re performing three times!” She holds up the program, where my name is indeed listed three times, among the cello section of the orchestra, next to Sori’s name as a duet, and then as a soloist toward the end of the program.

“Are your parents here?” Jaewoo’s mother asks.

“It’s just my mom and me,” I say, “and she should be here soon, if she’s not already inside. She’s bringing my halmeoni.”

“Oh, yes. Jaewoo mentioned you’re close with her.”

“Yes.” I smile, then offer, “She’s scheduled for surgery soon.”

“How wonderful!” Jaewoo’s mother says. “Your mother must be so relieved.”

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