“What do you mean?”
“I know you think I’m oblivious, but if even I could catch how they’re acting, it must be a big deal. Are they mad at Jihoon? Is he mad at them?”
Hana finishes her wine. “All I know is when Hoonie came here, they were left hanging at work. They’re peeved.”
“He seems like a loyal guy, though. That breakup must have been impressive.” He’s never talked about it, and I pull back every time I want to ask. There’s no point. He’s only here for a while longer, after all, and then whatever we have will be nothing but a memory.
Hana rinses the glass under the tap. “People make strange decisions when they’re at their end.” She looks at me without her usual smile, and I’m the one to look away.
That night before bed, a text comes from Jihoon:Can I see you tomorrow?
Me:After work?
Jihoon:Please. I’d like to be alone with you.
How can I say no to that? I go to sleep with a big smile.
Nineteen
The phone rings as I’m sullenly lugging my heavy work bag off the subway. It’s Jihoon. Odd, he’s better on text.
“Where are you?” His voice is urgent.
“Hello, I did have a nice day. Thank you for asking.”
“Ari, this is serious. Where are you?”
I swing my bag to my other shoulder. “I’m in the alley near the subway. What’s up? Do you need something from the store?”
“What do you see?”
“Why?”
“Please.”
I sigh. “The alley. There’s a squirrel. What am I supposed to see? Two squirrels?”
My phone beeps a notification, followed by a few more. There’s no cell reception on the subway, so these must be all the messages that came in while I was in transit. There’s more than usual. No doubt another meaningless work crisis.
Jihoon doesn’t laugh, and a wave of apprehension flows through me. His worry must be catching because I swear I hear shouting from the next street. There’s a burst of Korean from Jihoon’s side as he talks to someone. He comes back on the line. “I want you to do me a favor.”
“What?” This sounds suspicious, but I bet it has something to do with his visitors.
Jihoon speaks as I come out of the alley, but I interrupt him and stop dead as I take in the scene. “What’s going on here?”
“Ari…”
I talk right over him. “Oh my God, there must have been a murder or bomb threat or something.”
In front of me is chaos. News trucks, reporters, and videographers line the sidewalk, crowding people with cell phones held at the ready. Whatever happened must have been terrible, but also, shouldn’t they all be running the other way?
“Ari!” Jihoon’s shout gets my attention. “You have to listen to me. Go back to the subway exit. There’s a silver car there. Get in.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.” I stand on the sidewalk watching the scene. “What happened? How did you know this was going on?”
A group of young women jostle me as they pass. “I can’t believe he was here the whole time,” one says. “In my own damn city, and I had no idea. We might have passed him on the street.”
“No way,” says her friend. “I’d know Min in a second. I’ve got Min-dar.”
