Jase nods and I can practically see him biting back a snarky comment. “Ah, yeah. There it is.”
I’d run into Jase in the men’s room, where he was trying to dry himself off from the cascade of alcohol. He’d taken one look at me and nearly toppled over. At the time, I figured it was just bad balance from the way he was twisted around patting at his back and ass with paper towels, but he admitted later it was because he thought I was hot. I was—and still am—extremely flattered.
When we ended up next to each other at the bar getting beers, we started chatting—him tripping over the new language he was just learning and getting so many things wrong that it was actually pretty endearing. I let him know that I could speak some English, and that seemed to make things both better and worse as he attempted to flirt so badly I just let him go on for a while. Eventually I had to tell him as gently as possible that I was not interested in him. He’d turned so red, clearly flustered and worried he’d offended me, but I assured him he had not.
“Now I remember when Kija brought you back to our table. You were all embarrassed ‘cause you tried to pick him up,” Junghwa snickers. “Better him than me. I wouldn’t have been as nice as he was.”
Jase finishes off what’s left in his glass and sets it down, calmly. “Nothing to worry about there, Junghwa. It would have never been you. My taste in men was not always great, but it wasneverso bad that I would have been interested in you.”
It has to be done—I slow clap for his response. “It’s true. I was obviously the best choice.”
Wonshik can’t seem to figure out how to respond to the situation, looking back and forth between Jase and Junghwa before settling on me with a glare. “You’re the one that brought him.”
“Yeah, I was. And I’m about to be the one that takes himout,” I say as I push my chair back and see Jase doing the same out of the corner of my eye. “Thank you for finally showing me everything I needed to know about both of you.”
Jase gives them what might be the most passive aggressive bow I’ve ever seen executed by a non-Korean, and I could not be more proud of him.
“Figures the two of you are leaving together,” Junghwa mumbles, dropping his voice even lower as we turn, telling Wonshik something I’m glad I don’t catch because his insinuation is clear.
“I appreciate you,” Jase says quietly as we walk away.
“You were right.” I tell him as we weave briskly between chairs toward the head table. “I don’t like these guys anymore either.”
He nearly crashes into me as I stop abruptly to bow in front of Dae-Ho and Jinae. “Congratulations. May your marriage be prosperous.”
“I hope you’ll enjoy your evening and make many happy memories,” Jase tells Jinae, giving her his sweet teacher smile. She immediately lights up, thanking him.
“You’re leaving already?” Dae-Ho asks, looking surprised as he tilts his head toward Chulsoon, like he needs to be involved too. “The party is just getting started.”
“For you, yes. Have a wonderful time with your friends and family.” I’m being as polite as I can. Now that we’re leaving, I feel like I can’t get out of here soon enough. Backing up, I give them a slight nod. Nobody is getting any more bows out of me. ”Best wishes to you both.”
I follow Jase toward the ballroom exit as the host announces it’s time for the first dance, which makes for a great escape, honestly. I’m definitely not in the mood for older ladies to try to coerce me onto the dance floor to make their husbands envious or to have to turn down any of Jinae’s single friends that Dae-Ho promised would love me. I’m not much of adancer anyway, I’ve never particularly enjoyed it. Add in the awkwardness of everyone wanting to hook up at a wedding, and I’m actually thrilled to be walking out into the dusky Seoul evening with Jase.
“You want to go for a beer?” he asks, pausing on the sidewalk before I have a chance to look for a taxi.
“Yeah, let’s do that.” I nod. “I promise not to spill it on you.”
Jase laughs, just like I hoped he would. “Fantastic.”
A few moments later, we’re squeezing into the back of a small car headed to Itaewon. It might not be the best place to say it, but I want to. “I’m sorry. About Junghwa. All of them, actually. You shouldn’t have…”
Jase cuts me off. “It’s not for you to apologize for, so don’t. You had my back. You always have. I know I was always the outsider with those guys. They let me hang around because of you. And that was fine when we were younger. I didn’t have anyone else and I was willing to put up with more. But I’m not now. I know you’re not like them. I have other people who care about me here, and I don’t need them.”
“I’m proud of you,” I tell him, giving him a soft punch on the shoulder. “I know you don’t need anyone to fight your battles, but you’ve got me.”
“Same,” he grins. “I’m thankful Wonshik happens to be a clumsy douchecanoe, because that’s what got us here. I wouldn’t have anything I’ve got these days if not for you. I think about that all the time. Everything good in my life now is because of you. You were my best friend before, but you’re really workinghardto level up to whatever is next. I don’t even know what that is. Bestest? Extra best?”
It’s overwhelming to hear him say that. The idea that I could have that kind of impact on someone’s life. To bring that kind of happiness. I know what he means, though. He’s here in Seoul with the love of his life—because I introduced them. Helped him get the job that keeps him here.It makes my heart warm, which is nice after what happened at the wedding.
“I’ve always thought I’d look good in a crown,” I joke. “Can I be the King or something? The ultimate best friend has to be a type of royalty.”
Jase nods solemnly. “Yes. Absolutely. Of course.” He makes a show of whipping out his phone and pulling up an online shopping site to search for a plastic crown.
“I’ll be expecting that in two days or so.” I tap the screen on the picture of the most hideous one I can find and start wheezing with laughter when he acts like he’s going to order it. “No, please don’t. You can just owe me favors for the foreseeable future. I’m sure I’ll need your help with something eventually.”
“I can’t imagine a situation in which that would be true, but I accept your terms,” he says, closing out of the app. “That crown was really fucking ugly.”
“I could make it work,” I brag.
