by Jessica Jung
He hangs up and lets out a short, frustrated exhale. Whoever he was talking to, it sounded intense. Way too intense for 6:30 a.m. A huge banana leaf pokes me in the face, and I realize I’m still hiding behind the plant. I quickly move around it, hoping to hop on the elevator back to my room, when Jason turns suddenly, nearly bumping against me.
His eyes widen in surprise. “Rachel. Hey. How long have you been down here?”
I swallow. “Um… not that long. I just… couldn’t sleep.”
He eyes me suspiciously. “Right.” I look up at him innocently and he shrugs, his body deflating a tiny bit. “Yeah, me neither. I couldn’t sleep, I mean.” His voice is soft, but there’s an edge to it that I’ve never heard before. He opens his mouth and then closes it again, like he wants to say something else. Instead, he takes a step back and shoves his hands in his pockets.
Just then Mina sweeps into the lobby, her hair perfectly done up in a high glossy ponytail. With her metallic rose-gold crop top and amber-studded earrings, she looks more like she’s ready for a shopping trip in Paris than she is for a three-hour drive out of the city. I sigh, glancing down at my sweats. Maybe Leah was right.
“Oh good, you’re both here,” she says. “I’m ready to go. And I’ll need breakfast on the way. These continental hotel breakfasts make me sick.” She glances around the lobby. “Where’s Mr. Han?”
“He’s over by the front desk,” I say, pointing to where Mr. Han has gathered with some other members of the DB crew, organizing things for today’s performance.
“Well, let him know I’m ready to go,” she says, looking at me. “Otherwise we’ll have to eat scrambled eggs for breakfast. Seriously, it’s like people at this hotel only know how to cook eggs one way.”
“I have a better idea,” Jason says. “Let’s rent a car and drive up just the three of us. I’ll tell Mr. Han we’ll meet him there.”
Mina and I stare at him. “What are you talking about?” I say.
“I need to blow off some steam,” Jason says, his head swiveling around the hotel lobby like he’s about to jump out of his skin.
“Um, are you kidding?” Mina says. “You think we’re allowed to just wander off on our own? Besides, Mr. Han’s already arranged a ride for us.”
“We’re not wandering off on our own. We’re just meeting him there.” He leans against the counter, rolling his eyes. “You worry too much. It’ll be fine.”
How many times have I heard Jason say that before? “What about our outfits for the performance?” I ask. We dropped them off with the hotel’s dry-cleaning service last night and they won’t be ready to pick up for another half hour.
“Look, I’ll go ask Mr. Han right now.” He strides across the lobby floor. Mina and I watch as Mr. Han puts his hand on Jason’s shoulder, nodding sympathetically. After a few minutes, Jason returns, grinning. “There. Mr. Han says it’s cool and he’ll take care of the outfits. I’m getting a car. You guys coming?”
Mina purses her lips together. “Fine. If Mr. Han says it’s okay, I’m in.”
From across the lobby, Mr. Han shouts in our direction. “Rachel, Mina! There’s still room in the DB car if you want to ride with us. Jaehyun sent me some simple dance exercises for you two to do on the trip.”
I close my eyes, weighing my choices. Three hours with Jason while he drives and makes asshole comments and Mina spends the whole time making fun of my clothes, or three hours doing leg exercises in a cramped car with Mr. Han.
“Rachel?” I can hear the note of desperation in Jason’s voice. He needs this. Whoever he was talking to on the phone has clearly shaken him. Maybe some time on our own will get him back on his game before the performance.
“Okay, I’m in,” I say, opening my eyes. “Let’s go.”
* * *
“Can we please turn on the air-conditioning? It’s so freaking hot.” Mina wipes the beads of sweat off her forehead, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
“No way,” Jason says, laughing and hanging one arm out the open window of our rental Camry. It’s the only car the hotel had available to rent on such short notice. He looks totally relaxed behind the wheel, and I get the impression he’s missed this. Like all the DB stars, he’s either chauffeured everywhere he goes in Korea or he takes the subway, which means there aren’t many opportunities to drive yourself. “There’s nothing like driving with fresh open-window air.”
“Yes, there is,” Mina says begrudgingly. “It’s called air-con.” She eyes me in the rearview mirror. “Come on, Princess Rachel. I know you’re sweating too.”
Normally Mina’s constant complaining would bother me more than the temperature, but my arms are practically sticking to the upholstery on the back of the seat. I carefully peel myself off as I sit up. “It is a bit hot.”
Jason sighs, rolling up the windows and cranking the air-conditioning. “Happy now?”
“I’d be happier if I knew where we were going,” Mina says, squinting at her phone. “This doesn’t look like the right way.”
“Relax,” Jason says. “I used to drive here all the time. I know where I’m going.”
The farther north we drive, the worse the roads get—we’re definitely not in the city anymore. Suddenly, Jason veers off the main road and heads straight onto a muddy dirt path. Mina sits up straighter in her seat, grabbing Jason’s arm.
“What the hell are you doing?” she cries.
“I told you, I know where I’m going,” Jason says. “This is a shortcut. Just trust me.” I bite my tongue, not wanting to get in the middle of their squabbling. As long as we get to Brantwood, that’s all that matters. I just need to focus on tonight’s performance. I close my eyes and start going over the dance steps in my head one more time.
Suddenly, my back slams against the seat as the car lurches to a stop.
My eyes fly open. “Why aren’t we moving?”
The tires squeal. Dirt and mud go flying, but we don’t move an inch.
Oh no.
“Huh,” Jason says. “Looks like we’re stuck.”
Oh no, no, no.
“No shit, genius,” Mina says, her voice dripping with annoyance. “It’s fine. My dad’s concierge service is international. They’ll come give us a tow.” She pulls out her phone. “Oh my god,” she says, her voice inching from annoyed to panicked. “I don’t even have reception.”
I sit upright. “What? Let me check my phone.” I pull it out of my tote and my heart leaps into my throat when I see I don’t have reception either.
We can’t call for a tow. We can’t even text Mr. Han.
I feel like I’m going to be sick.
Jason revs the engine again, but it’s no use. He taps his fingers on the steering wheel, thinking. “Okay,” he says finally, turning off the car. “Stay calm and hang tight. I’ll go get help.”
“What do you mean you’re going to get help? We’re in the middle of nowhere!” Mina cries.
“I saw a gas station a few miles back. I’m sure someone there can help us.”
“Jason,” I say, trying to maintain my cool. “There’s no time to go get help. We need to be on the road, like, now.”
“So I better get going,” he says, giving me a wink. “Don’t worry, ladies, your knight in shining armor will be back soon!”
“What are you talking about? You’re the one who got us into this mess in the first place!” Mina shouts after Jason as he walks back toward the main road.
Mina and I sit in the stifling heat of the car. “I knew this was a bad idea,” she says, gritting her teeth. “This is a fucking disaster.” She gets out of the car, slamming the door shut behind her. I sit still for a moment, debating whether I should continue to suffocate in the car or join her outside. In the end, Mina wins over suffocation. Though not by much.
We both stand outside, watching the road for Jason and saying nothing.
My stomach grumbles. We never did end up getting breakfast. I reach into my tote, searching for the hotel chocolates. They’r
e a little melty but still good. I knew these would come in handy.
As I unwrap one, I see Mina watching me intently. I stare back at her.
“Do you want one?” I ask.
“No,” she says. “It’s just rude of you not to offer me one when we’re both standing here hungry.”
“I literally just offered you one,” I say, exasperated. “Here.” I throw the other chocolate at her, and she catches it by reflex.
“It’s melted,” she says, making a face.
“Fine, give it back, then.”
She hesitates, her fingers tightening a little around the chocolate. “Are you going to give it to Jason instead? Because if you are, I’d rather just eat it.” She scowls and mutters, “This is all his fault, but they’ll never blame him. He doesn’t deserve chocolate.”
I laugh, her scowling reminding me of the way Leah’s face looks whenever they kill off a character she likes on one of her K-dramas.
“What?” she says stiffly.
“Nothing,” I say, straightening my mouth. “It’s just, you know, you’re right. He won’t get in trouble. If anything, people will probably applaud him for being gracious enough to drive us himself.”
“Ha.” Mina snorts. “Tell me about it. If people found out about this, they’d probably call us reckless and give him a free car and make him the new face of Canadian tourism.” She pauses, like she can’t believe she just said that many words to me in a row without also insulting me.
“Yeah, the way they treat us compared to him, it’s like night and day.” I roll my eyes. “Like those interviewers. Can you believe one of them asked us how long it takes us to get ready?”
Words tumble out before she can stop herself. “I thought I was the only one who noticed that!” Mina says, her eyes wide. “Why can’t they ask us a question that’s half as interesting as the ones they ask Jason?”
“Right? And what about sending us to New York? I mean, not that I mind going to New York obviously, but they could have at least told us. What’s next? Surprise, we’re sending you to Antarctica!”
“In stilettos!”
“And you better have a smile on your face the whole time!”
We laugh and then she sighs, leaning against the trunk and folding her arms across her chest. “Honestly, I should be used to it by now.”
I pause, flashing back to Mr. Choo’s livid face after our dress rehearsal. “With your family, you mean?”
“Yeah.” She shrugs, not looking directly at me. “ ‘No need to make your own choices; just smile and do as you’re told’ is basically my family’s motto. I don’t know why it still surprises me. It’s been that way forever.” Mina’s cheeks have turned bright pink, and she lets out a big exhale. “Sometimes I don’t even know why I’m still doing all of this.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” I say, thinking of the past few weeks, letting the frustration and sadness build up inside me. Losing Jason. Missing my dad’s graduation. Not speaking to Akari. Leah not going to Everland. “It’s like, how much more are they going to ask us to sacrifice before letting us debut? My whole family just up and left our life behind in New York for me and it’s been six years and nothing. And now my mom is breathing down my neck about college, and it’s like no matter how hard I work, nothing I do will ever be good enough for her.” I trail off, staring at the ground to avoid eye contact with Mina.
Mina clears her throat. “Sounds a lot like my dad.”
I choke out a small laugh as I realize how much Mina and I actually have in common. “Yeah. She’s not the kind of person you ever want to disappoint. Even my dad is too scared to tell her he’s been going to law school for the past two years. He just graduated and he’s sworn me to secrecy until he gets a job.”
Mina lets out a low whistle. “Wow. I’m sure he’ll get a job soon, though. I mean, if he has the same work ethic as Princess Rachel, he’s gotta be the best lawyer in Seoul.” She darts a mischievous smile my way.
I let out an unexpected laugh. I never thought I’d hear Mina use that nickname in any other way but to torture me.
“So, do you think Jason’s dead or just tied up somewhere?” Mina asks, half laughing, half sighing. She raises her wrist to glance at her watch, the rubies embedded in the face glinting in the sun. “If he doesn’t get back soon, we’ll never make it.”
Just then, a horn honks from down the path, and we look up to see Jason sitting in the passenger seat of a rusty white tow truck. “Hey!” he shouts, sticking his head out the window. “Help is here!”
“Finally!” Mina shouts back at him. “I was starting to think we’d die out here.”
As the three of us watch the car get hooked up to the tow truck, my stomach starts to rumble. I guess one square of chocolate wasn’t enough to relieve my hunger. “Once we’re back on the road, can we stop for some food?” I ask.
Jason perks up. “No need!” He walks over to the tow truck, signaling the driver to stop, and then reaches in and pulls two boxes from the front seat. “I brought provisions!”
“Oh goody,” Mina says. “I’m dying for a pain au chocolat and an espresso.” As she reaches for one of the red-and-yellow boxes, her smiles fades into a look of horror. “This is not what I had in mind,” she says, brandishing the contents of the box at me. “Are these… doughnut holes?”
“Of course not,” Jason replies with an easy smile. “They’re Timbits.”
“What is a Timbit?” she asks, her face twisted in disgust.
“It’s a Canadian delicacy.”
Mina makes another face, and I laugh, popping a honey-dip Timbit in my mouth. “Come on, they’re not too bad. Here.” I nudge her double-cream, double-sugar coffee toward her. “You’ll like this.”
“I doubt it.”
“Ooh, and remember to save your cup when you’re done,” Jason says enthusiastically. “You can roll up the rim and win a prize!”
Mina rolls her eyes, but her stomach rumbles and she reaches for the cup. “It tastes way too cheap,” she says, shuddering.
“Here, wash it down with this.” Jason holds out the Timbits box, shaking the doughnuts toward her.
She picks up a powdered one with two fingers and takes a small nibble. “I can’t believe I’m eating this,” she moans.
“I can’t believe it either. We should take a video,” I say.
“Don’t you dare,” she says, eating the rest of the Timbit in one bite.
The car is back on the main road, and we toss our empty cups into a trash bag the tow truck driver gave us.
“Mina,” I ask, “do you want the rest of these Timbits?”
She walks over and peers into the box. “Maybe one or two,” she says quickly, stuffing several of the powdered and glazed ones into a napkin in her hand. “You know, for the road. In case we get stuck again.”
I grin. “Of course. For the road.”
Twenty
All the sugar and coffee seemed like a good idea when we were stranded in the middle of Ontario, but by the time we get to Brantwood, I feel like my heart is going to burst out of my chest. Next to me, Mina is practically buzzing out of her skin. We’ve just emerged from the car when Mr. Han comes bearing down on us.
“There you are! Do you know how many times I called you three?”
“We just got reception again,” Jason says apologetically.
“Well, hurry up and get ready. You guys are on in an hour! Do you have your outfits?”
Our outfits? I frown at Jason, who’s frowning at Mr. Han. “Didn’t you say you were going to take care of them?” he asks.
Mr. Han stares at Jason like he can’t tell if he’s kidding or not. “No,” he says, speaking very slowly. “I said you can come on your own as long as you waited to pick up your outfits from the hotel’s dry-cleaning service.”
There’s a moment of stunned silence. Mina looks back and forth between the two of them, her face growing pale. “Does this mean no one has our outfits?”
Mr. Han shakes his
head in dismay. “It looks like it.”
“This can’t be happening.” She advances on Jason, her face contorted in a mixture of panic and rage. “Our performance is ruined because of you! You were too busy planning your joyride through Canada to bother paying attention to our outfits! Does anything get through that pea brain of yours?” Jason’s mouth falls open, but he says nothing. At least he has the good sense to look ashamed.
Mina presses her hands against her face, her voice rising. “Our performance is ruined. Oh my god. What’s my father going to say?”
“It’s all right. We’ll think of something,” Mr. Han says, but his voice is unsure. Panicked tears start to fill Mina’s eyes, her hands shaking as she wipes them away. “But what is my father going to say?” she half whispers, half cries.
I bite my lip. Maybe it’s the fact that for the first time since I met her, I feel like I finally understand where Mina is coming from, or maybe it’s my own need to do anything I can to save this performance, but I turn to Mina and say, “Don’t worry. I came prepared.”
Reaching into my tote, I whip out a pair of strappy high heels and a sparkly orange minidress. “Ever since the trainee house incident, I always carry backups,” I joke. She flushes, actually looking embarrassed as I hold the dress out to her. “Here. Take it.”
“What will you wear?” she asks.
I grin and do a ballerina twirl. “This outfit, of course.” I laugh, tugging on my oversize orange tee. “At least we’ll be color coordinated. That’s what matters, right?”
Mr. Han glances at Jason, who’s wearing all black. Jason lifts the cuff of his pants, revealing orange socks. “It’s like it was meant to be,” he says.
Mina snorts in his direction. “Just do me a favor and don’t talk to me.”
Mr. Han nods grimly at the three of us. “It’ll do. Let’s go.”
* * *
After hair and makeup, I wander out of the dressing room for some fresh air, taking in the mountains all around me and the huge lake that faces the concert venue. It was a journey to get here, but this town is really breathtaking.
