“Jenny-nuna!”
“Youngmin-ah!”
Jenny and Youngmin run from opposite ends of my front lawn like they’re in the penultimate scene of a drama. In fact, this is exactly how the latest episode of Sun’s drama ended, with Sun and the heroine running toward each other across a beach. I’d watched the episode with Hyemi in the hospital before my mother and I had left to grab lunch.
When they reach each other, Youngmin picks Jenny up and spins her around.
It’s a little last minute, but with Jenny, Gi Taek, and Angela’s help, as well as Ajumma and my mother’s, we’ve managed to turn my front lawn into the setting for a party. We’ve put out tables and chairs, Angela and Gi Taek brought decorations—party balloons and a congratulatory banner—and Nadine is bringing a cake from a bakery near her university. We’re catering sandwiches from a local delicatessen, and Sun said he’ll bring alcohol “for the adults.” As for entertainment, I glance nervously at the microphone in its stand.
When I came up with this plan, I thought of doing something that would please Nathaniel, and bearing my feelings for him in front of our friends and family, while mortifying for me, would make him ridiculously happy.
There’s still a chance to back out. . . .
No, I’m determined. I want to do this.
I want to celebrate him, for the launch of his song, and for completing his class—Nadine informed me that he passed his final exam—but also, I want to show him how much these past two weeks have meant to me, and the years before, when he first stood up for me against my bullies. We hadn’t even been friends then, but Nathaniel could never tolerate injustice. I used to envy his fearlessness, because I knew that it came from having his family to lean on, but now all I feel is gratitude, for them, for him.
I love how confident he is. He always thinks the best of people, which makes me want to be better. He gives me strength. And he’s become my family, like Sun and the others, like Jenny, and Ajumma, and my mother, family I choose, and who’ve chosen me.
I’m still sad about what happened with my father, but I’ve left the door open. He can take the final steps to walk through. It’s up to him.
After Youngmin, the guests start arriving. Sun pulls up in a Porsche, bearing flowers for my mother, who hands them to Ajumma and goes to help with the drinks.
“I told you she lives in a mansion.” I hear Hyemi’s bright voice outside the gate.
I hurry down to let her and the ASAP members inside.
“Daebak,” Jiyoo says, her eyes wide as she takes in the front garden and house. “You’re so cool, CEO Seo!”
My mother just shakes her head with a smile. She hasn’t told them yet, but Joah is releasing a statement tomorrow morning to clear up the situation surrounding Hyemi’s scandal. Since Joah won’t be accepting money from her father, she can join ASAP with a clear conscience. Once Hyemi’s arm heals, she’ll be able to start promotions as early as next week.
Director Ryu is next to arrive, sweeping through the gate in a stylish brown blazer and slacks. She joins the ASAP members at their table, where Youngmin is trying to resurrect Jiyoo’s Tamagotchi.
I pull my mother aside. “Remember, back when you asked me to help Hyemi, after I told you I no longer wished to be an idol, you said you’d support me on whatever career path I did end up choosing?”
My mother nods. “I remember.”
“I know what that is now. I want to work with Director Ryu. I want to continue helping her with developing ASAP’s brand, but I also want to help envision and launch new groups. And maybe one day, I can become a creative designer with a team of my own.”
“I think . . . ,” my mother says slowly, “that’s a great idea. It might not have seemed like it, but I was observing you, and I couldn’t have chosen a better career for you myself. Jin-rang has already praised you to me, so I know she’d be happy to have you on her team.”
My mother turns contemplative. “It’s more of a behind-the-scenes role, and it won’t get you as much recognition.”
“I’ll have appreciation from the people who I care about, who matter to me, that’s enough.”
My mother smiles, pleased for me.
Nadine arrives, bearing a rather large cake in a box that a few of the ASAP members help her carry inside, and then Jenny’s running up to me.
“Jaewoo texted! They just pulled up in front of the house.”
I hurry over to the mic stand, with Youngmin grabbing his guitar to join me.
Nathaniel walks through the gate, his eyes locking on to me.
Youngmin plays the opening chords, and I bring the microphone to my lips. The song is Nathaniel’s, the one he wrote with Naseol, arranged for acoustic guitar. I block out the eyes of everyone watching and focus on Nathaniel. I don’t have the most beautiful voice, but I do have years of voice training, and anyway, I’m not trying to demonstrate my skills, I’m singing to show Nathaniel that I’m willing to be vulnerable, in front of him, in front of our friends and family. That, to me, he’s worth every small and big gesture, he’s worth everything.
When the song is over, there’s a brief silence. Then he’s walking across the grass, and I’m standing up to meet him. I launch myself into his arms, and it’s like we’re in a drama of our own, except that it’s real.
Afterward, Nathaniel and I sneak up to my room so that I can give him back his wallet and phone that he left the morning after the awards show.
“Wait,” I say, when he starts to slide his phone into his back pocket.
I take out mine and pull up his contact, clicking the Call button. “I couldn’t find your phone, so I called it.”
On his screen, my incoming call lights up with the name Songbird. It was his nickname for me while we were dating.
“Did you change it back or did you . . . ?”
“I never changed it.”
Feeling overwhelmed, I look away. “I changed yours back.” I pull up his contact and show him the screen where it says Boyfriend.
“Back?” He lifts a brow. “Which means you changed it from ‘Boyfriend’ to something else. Was it ‘The One Who Got Away’?” He grins.
“‘The One Who Annoys Me Endlessly.’”
“I’ll take it,” Nathaniel says.
I shake my head, amused.
I move behind him toward the door, then stop when I feel his hand slide along my waist. “I like your skirt. Where did you get it?”
I turn in his arms, peering up to study his face. “You’re stalling, aren’t you?”
“I just want to spend a little longer with you,” he says, his fingers fiddling with the band of the skirt. “They can wait.” His eyes lift, meeting mine. “I can’t.”
My heart fills with love for him. We’ve been through so much and waited so long.
“Neither can I,” I say, and bring my mouth to his for a kiss.