“It was a dying art for a while, but it’s really resurged. My goal is to bring it to the world. Maybe perform at Coachella one day.”
Julia tried to imagine the sequins at Coachella and couldn’t see it.
“I could headline alongside Justin Bieber and Bad Bunny,” Mr. Trot continued.
Julia’s eye roll was barely contained.
“How do you feel about splitting time between New York and Seoul?” he asked.
“I’m sorry, what now?” Julia wasn’t sure she heard him clearly.
“Look, Julia, I’m open to having some fun, but you’d have to be able to travel. Maybe quit your job and just come work for me. You could play the part of being a staff member on my entourage. As long as I’m Mr. Trot, it’s probably best that I maintain the image of being available. Keep the hope alive, you know, for the fans.”
“Um...” Julia couldn’t find the words.Hold your horses. You’re getting ahead of yourself. Are you fucking kidding me? Quit my job? You mean the one for the company that I STARTED and OWNand RUN? Yeah, all those would work.But she bit her tongue and spared Mr. Trot her wrath. This was a first.
“We can shore up the details later. Do you want to come back to my hotel for ramen?” He lifted a brow, and his face broke into a cocky smile.
Ramen? No, thanks. It was the last thing she wanted to do. Mr. Trot’s bloated ego, Julia Song’s bloated gut.
She’d stay for a little bit longer to save face, and then she would make an excuse for a quick exit.
“Anyways, as I was saying about Coachella...”
Sip.
“Jin jin jinjin jin e-ya. Blah blah jin e-yaaaaa...” Julia sang into the phone as she sank into the back seat of the Uber that came to pick her up.
“Julia, how much have you had to drink?” Tae asked on the other end of the phone.
“I took a sip every time Mr. Trot told me how amazing he was. I needed to have my mouth occupied so I wouldn’t go off on him about his ego. I’m reforrrrmmmmed, I’m telling you. So, Tae, that was alotof sips. I think he wanted me to be his booty call.”
“What the fuck?” Tae’s voice was rumbly and scary... and very hot.
“I don’t know. It felt like that. But maybe I was wrong, and he’s just socially awkward or something. He invited me to his room to eat ramen.”
“Julia.”
“Tae.” Julia said his name, lowering her voice and trying to mimic his very serious tone. She started to giggle. “Like I’m gonna have ramen this late at night. I’m not nineteen anymore. My body would hate me.”
“Julia, when a guy asks you to come over for ramen, he’s...”Tae cleared his throat and lowered his voice “. . . propositioning you.”
“Ewww, with Mr. Trot? As if,” Julia said. “Now, ifyouwanted ramen, I’d consider it.” She’d probably regret that tomorrow, but for now, she’d tell it like it was.
Tae groaned into the phone, and it sent vibrations through Julia to parts that had been dormant for too long. Maybe she could ask the driver to change course and head down to Tae’s.
“I can go with you to pick up your car tomorrow,” Tae offered, bringing her back from her pipe dreams. “I’m glad you got an Uber.”
“You will not. It is much too far for you to come up here. And trafffffic...”
“Julia, I have an appointment with you at your office tomorrow, remember?”
“No. I’m drunk. I barely remember my own name. But do you know what I do remember?Jin jin jin jin jin e-ya....” She continued to sing the trot song now stuck as a permanent ear worm in her brain. She’d be haunted by it for the rest of her life.
“You can come over my house and sing it on the karaoke machine with my mom next time you’re down,” Tae teased.
“You’re coming to the office tomorrow?” she said, though it may have been more of a squeal. She was a few seconds behind in the conversation and was just catching up in her head.
Tae’s chuckle warmed her. “Yup, I am. During Demo Day, I pointed out how the new light fixtures didn’t feel right for those makeup stations, remember? I’m showing you the new choices tomorrow.”
