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She slides into the booth next to Jaewoo, while Nathaniel falls easily into the seat opposite her. “Do you count?” he quips.
Ji Seok sits across from Sun, which leaves me the middle seat, beside Nathaniel.
“Where’s Choi Youngmin?” I switch the conversation back to Korean. Jenny had said all the members would be here, and yet there’s no sign of XOXO’s maknae.
“He has schoolwork, so he went back to the hotel,” Jaewoo answers. I’d forgotten that XOXO’s youngest member was still in high school.
“That’ll be you soon,” Sun says, picking up the glass of beer in front of him. I’m surprised to see him drinking, since we’re in the United States, before I remember that he recently turned twenty-one. Then I realize who he’s speaking to.
I turn toward Nathaniel. “You’re taking a class?”
“You sound surprised.”
I always thought that if any of the XOXO members pursued a higher education, it would be Jaewoo, who had the best grades in high school.
“It’s unexpected,” I say. Nathaniel—who’d been reaching his hand out toward his water glass—goes still. I realize, too late, how this must sound, that my expectations of him are so low, I’d find it completely shocking that he’d take university courses. “You never liked studying,” I finish softly.
He continues forward and picks up the glass. “People change.” Bringing it to his lips, he takes a long drink of water.
I’ve upset him. I know I have, without him having to say it, his shoulders hunched slightly forward. I want to ask him what he’s studying but I feel like I lost the right. With my chopsticks, I pick up a single black bean, plopping it into my mouth.
“So you’re here for fashion week?” Ji Seok asks, oblivious to the awkwardness between Nathaniel and me. “Have you explored the city at all? It’s your first time here, right?”
At this, Jaewoo lifts his head, glancing at me from across the table. Ji Seok became the boys’ managerafterthat summer I spent in New York with Jaewoo and Nathaniel.
“I’ve been busy with shows. I haven’t had time to do anything else,” I say, answering his first two questions.
“Sori’s not impulsive,” Nathaniel says. “Not like Jenny.”
My cheeks, which were already warm from the previous interaction, grow even hotter. What isthatsupposed to mean?
Jenny frowns. “How am I impulsive?”
“You moved to Korea to chase after Jaewoo.”
“Wow,” Jenny says dryly, “I can’t even begin to wrap my head around how untrue that statement is.”
A knock at the door interrupts them. A woman I’ve never seen before walks into the room.
Ji Seok transforms into manager mode, standing up from his chair to block the woman. “Can I help you?”
She moves to peer around him. “I was in the VIP box earlier. My name is Jeon Sojin. I’m the daughter of CEO Jeon of Hankook Electric.” She doesn’t have to explain herself further. Hankook Electric is a major shareholder of Joah Entertainment.
Ji Seok hesitates—and in that short second, it’s like I can see a half dozen thoughts flit through his head—then he bows. Sun’s gaze meets mine, both of us registering an irrefutable truth. XOXO can’t afford to offend CEO Jeon’s daughter.
Rising to his feet, Sun bows to her. “Please, won’t you join us?”
The other members of XOXO take their cues from their leader, standing to bow as well. Jenny frowns, probably confused as to why we’re indulging this rude woman who’d interrupted our dinner. But situations like this happen all the time in our industry. We have to please people with power, whose influence could benefit the company, or, if they take offense, prove catastrophic.
Sojin gestures for a server to pull up a chair beside Nathaniel, then accepts a bottle of soju and two shot glasses from another, having apparently ordered the alcohol beforehand. “You’re a hard one to get a hold of. I sent gifts to your company,expensivegifts, and you’ve never worn them or replied with a message.” It’s clearshe’s not a fan of XOXO so much as inappropriately interested in Nathaniel. “Don’t I merit a bit of gratitude?”
“Thanks,” Nathaniel deadpans. Beside me, Ji Seok winces at his tone, which isn’t exactly friendly. Nathaniel also never received those gifts—it’s against company policy to accept anything other than letters from fans.
Sojin’s lips purse. However she imagined this scenario playing out, it probably wasn’t like this, with Nathaniel coldly rejecting her advances.
“Jihyuk-ssi.” Sojin rallies, sliding the bottle and one of the glasses toward Nathaniel. “Let’s share a drink.”
“He’s not old enough,” Ji Seok protests.
