“Denny, you can’t say anything. Let me talk to him first.”
“Why would I mention it? They’re working tonight. The last thing I need is Ryan having a mental breakdown on stage. This guy’s wearing at least fifty pounds of sequins as it is. He’d go down and stay down.”
“So you think I should wait to tell him?”
“I think you shouldn’t do this, period,” Denny exclaimed. “You were paying attention, right? You know the premise? They wantApollorunning a diner. That’s gotta be the second funniest joke anybody’s ever told. The second worst idea anybody’s ever had. The most questionable concept imaginable. A disaster on eight pairs of legs, with eight pairs of empty eyes—”
“Let me guess. It’s the second funniest and the second worst ‘cause my idea took first place.”
“Bingo.” But in a much more subdued tone, he added, “Look, noona. You definitely shouldn’t do it just to help me out. You’ve picked up enough of my slack.”
“Helping you out is one of the few reasons why I’d ever agree to do something like this.”
The line went quiet. Jiyeon checked the time, saw that it was 7:00, and told Denny she had to go. It was Friday for her, Saturday for Eunjae. Date night.
She switched out her phone for the laptop waiting on her desk. The call connected, showing the back of Eunjae's head. Nicky could be heard cackling from just beyond the frame. It had to be Nicky. No one else in the group laughed like that.
“Hyung, she asked you to help? This isn't a trick?”
“I've never tricked anybody in my life. That's just paranoia, my son. Wow, the forbidden romance is really getting to you.” Nicky waved at Jiyeon on his way out. “One Bangkok breakfast delivered to this dope over here, just like you asked. That'll be three easy payments of $3,999, okay? Wire transfer, hard cash, gold bars—”
Eunjae got up and shut the door. “Sorry. I wasn’t expecting Nicky to take over room service.”
“I thought he'd come up with something better than room service.” Bangkok was a foodie’s paradise, and Nicky was Apollo’s most adventurous eater. She figured he'd know exactlywhat to bring back for Eunjae. “He promised to behave. I paid him in gossip.”
“From mahjong night?”
“It’s our most dramatic night. Thursday though, not Sunday.”
Jiyeon pried up the lid on the largest of her takeout containers and savored the ensuing cloud of fragrant steam. Pad Thai from the place two blocks down from Wanna Waffle; he must've asked Denny for a recommendation. Mindful of what her brother had said, she decided not to open with the offer from Prism.
“Found another one,” Jiyeon said, holding up the seventh picture he’d hidden in her apartment. A Polaroid had been taped inside her limited edition Apollo calendar. She’d flipped the page from September to October, since the month was winding down, and there it was: a photo of Wanna Waffle’s orange door. Her left shoulder was in the frame, and a length of wind-blown hair.
He smiled. “That was a good day.”
“October might be my favorite calendar page, by the way.”
“Oh, no. What am I doing in that one?”
“You’re in a wheat field, wearing the best trench coat I’ve ever seen. You’ve got flowers, too. A huge bouquet.”
“So that’s why it’s your new favorite,” Eunjae replied, laughing. “The flowers. I just happened to be there.”
“No way. It’s my favorite ‘cause of the puppy.”
“There was a puppy?” He paused, sifting through his memories for this particular absurd photo shoot, and then he said, “Therewasa puppy.”
“Uh-huh. So you’re carrying this big, rustic bouquet and also a Dalmatian. You look like your name might be… Stephen.”
“Stephen.”
“Yeah. And you’re on your way to apologize to some farmer’s daughter, or ask for her hand in marriage. Or both.”
Another pause. “First the apology, then the proposal?”
“Hmm. First the puppy, then the flowers. You’d have to play the rest by ear.”
“Ah. Maybe I’m apologizing for the proposal.”
