Page 92 of XOXO

“She’s planning on attending music school after graduation, where she’ll continue to grow her incredible talent and share her music with others.”

On the sidelines, I can see the teachers trying to get Jaewoo’s attention, but he continues, his voice resonating throughout the auditorium. “Though her time at SAA has been short, she’s left a lasting impression on many of us, especially those of us whom she’d call her friends.”

A gentle spotlight finds me on the stage. I drag my gaze away from Jaewoo and take a deep breath. I press my left handto the fingerboard and bring my bow level with the strings.

As I begin to play another spotlight materializes right of the stage, and I know with the murmuring of the audience, that Sori has appeared. She sways and leaps to the sound of the music, which is a classical arrangement of a popular K-pop song. It’s a blend of both of our interests, a true collaboration. I put everything into the performance because it’s not just for me, but for Gi Taek and Angela, whose friendships have meant the world to me, and for my mother and Halmeoni listening somewhere in the audience, and for my father, who can’t be here as he should be, but stillis here, because I am.

I play for Jaewoo, who, while everyone watches, enraptured by Sori’s movement, never takes his eyes off me.

And lastly for Sori, who in these short few months has become my very best friend.

After the song ends, the hall explodes with thunderous applause.

“Jaewoo?” Nathaniel says. “Wasn’t that something else? Hello, Jaewoo? Come in, Bae Jaewoo.”

“Oh, sorry,” Jaewoo says, startled, and the audience laughs.

I pick up my cello and walk toward Sori. She meets me halfway, at the center of the stage. She takes my hand, squeezing, and we turn to the audience together and bow, letting the roar of their applause wash over us. Then, still holding hands, we rush off stage, laughter in our throats, adrenaline rushing through our veins.

Backstage, I barely have time to place my cello on its standbefore Sori grabs me in a fierce hug. “We did it! We really did it!”

I hug her back, just as tightly. “Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

We hold each other for a few more seconds before she lets go. “You have to get ready for your solo!”

“And you have to get ready for your group routine.” She and Angela are both performing in a contemporary group number.

As I turn to my cello, I feel a soft vibration in the pocket of my dress. I reach into the voluminous skirt and pull out my cell phone.

“You brought your phone onto the stage?” Sori says, aghast.

“I put it in there as a joke, to be honest, when I found the pocket, and totally forgot about it.” I open up my phone. “It’s a text from my mom.”

“Maybe she’s congratulating you on the performance.”

I pull up the message and start to read.

Jenny, I’m so sorry. I had to leave early. I’ve gone to Severance Hospital at Sinchon. Halmeoni was taken to emergency—

I don’t finish. Grabbing the edge of my skirt, I rush out the door.

Thirty-Seven

I race across campus, the voluminous skirts of the ballgown making it difficult to sprint full-out. Past the gates, I spot a taxi that’s dropping off late arrivals, catching the door and sliding inside. I don’t even have my wallet, but the taxi driver takes pity on me, especially when I tell him my destination: Severance Hospital at Sinchon.

He drops me right outside and I stumble through the automatic doors. It’s hectic in the lobby but everyone still stops and stares at the sudden arrival of a teenager in a red ballgown. I pick up my skirts and hurry to the nurse’s station.

“My name is Go Jenny. I’m looking for my grandmother. She was rushed to emergency surgery.”

“What’s your grandmother’s name?”

“Kim Na Young.”

The nurse picks up a tablet, checking the screen. “Eighth floor. Elevators are on the left past the station.”

I don’t wait for her to finish, reaching for my skirts. Outsidethe elevator, an incoming call appears on my phone. Jaewoo. I accept the call just as the doors to the elevator open.

“Jenny?” Jaewoo says, and it’s hard to hear him with the roar of music in the background. “Are you all right? Where did you go?”

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