“I could help,” says the teenager. Dozens of comments marvel at Ezra’s resemblance to his older brother. Seeing them side by side is like viewing the past and the future in tandem.
Ari smiles, shuffling sideways. “Come on, then.”
Now they face us together. The mayhem subsides, and we hear muffled stage directions being issued. The sign above the entrance flares to life. Ari takes a breath, his focus not on the camera, but on Emma. He seeks comfort and finds it there, in an answering smile that we can't see.
Ezra jumps in first. He blurts out, “Miss Vivi, if you're out there, thanks for taking care of us. We've been looking for you. It would be great if we could see you again, maybe someday soon. You could come and visit, or we could visit you.”
A round of applause. Mrs. Han is heard announcing that Vivian can come stay anytime, but Mr. Han is very busy congratulating someone outside the frame. “You are very lucky,” he tells this person. “Last time a mean boy bullied her brother, we had to pick her up from the principal’s office.”
Ari laughs, but his eyes are wet. “Sorry it's taken me this long. I’ve got so much to tell you. There's so many people I want you to meet. And I owe you more songs than I can count, but I've got five we used to sing together, back then. I'll post them later.”
“Song Eunjae,” says Emma, bringing the camera down half an inch. Or maybe you know her as Jiyeon, since you’re a regular here. It’s the name Ari murmurs when he pulls her close. She swipes at her tears. “Five songs? You did that?”
“I did.”
“Had a lot of downtime in Japan,” Jungwoo explains.
“That’s what happens when you’re in goddamn jail. Thanks, Trevor.”
“I’m so happy you did that,” Jiyeon says, still crying. She pulls it together long enough to say, “Vivian, I can’t wait to meet you. Sorry I’m a mess right now. I thought… since so many people are watching, maybe you’ll be watching, too.”
“Come cry on me, ajumma. I won’t even charge you.”
“I’m fine, thanks.”
Nicky takes both of her hands. With utmost sincerity, he says, “But you could be the one to fix me.” A pause. “Ari, how am I doing? Did that work? Are you jealous yet?”
“Ah, no.”
Denny takes over. We’re instructed to read the caption for a tip line and other strictly monitored, heavily secured contact methods. Jeannie cries out, aggrieved. A tip line? Is he serious? We learn that this young lady isn’t paid nearly enough to spearhead that kind of operation. Spearheading an operation would be detrimental to her health.
“I’m promoting you, Vho. Code Violet.”
The audio explodes with raucous, joyful noise. “I’ll just keep singing until I find you,” Eunjae tells Vivian. He is only Eunjae in that moment, the boy she knew and loved. “This place is home. I found it, just like you always told me I would.”
46
Two Days Later
Eunjae paused to hide the sixteenth photo under Jiyeon’s windshield wiper. She’d find it later and smile.
The sky was a little lighter by the time he reached the low stone wall on the property's edge. Beyond it was a view of the valley, scattered houses nestled into the slopes, and that telltale shimmer was Lake Monroe. The landscape remained verdant, clinging to its faded greenery in open defiance of winter.
Jiyeon arrived soon enough, following the path from the main house, every footstep crackling softly upon frosted blades of grass. She'd brought a blanket large enough to wrap around both of them. “Out of coffee,” she murmured in apology. “We’ll have to wait ‘til later.”
“The diner coffee’s better, anyway,” Eunjae replied. She nodded, and they sat together in silence for a while as daybreak lit the horizon. A thin curl of smoke rose up from someone's chimney down in the valley. Curled up in his arms, Jiyeon said, “Almost done.”
He sighed. “Finally.”
Sunshine 24/7had finished its seventh week of production. The members of Apollo weren’t needed for the remaining shots, and most of the eighth week was for tearing down the set, so filming would wrap right before lunch. They could be on the road by early afternoon. Jiyeon had some errands to run, and Eunjae had apartments to tour. Although it was technically a day of endings, it felt more like the convergence of so many things about to begin.
“Ready to meet Gloria and Angie?”
“Nervous. Hope they like me.”
Jiyeon laughed. “First the interrogation, then date night.”
“Date night,” he replied. “That’s normal.”
