by Axie Oh
“Jaewoo-hyeong! Jenny-nuna!” Youngmin shouts.
“Oh, look,” Nathaniel says with a teasing smile, “Jenny’s brought him back to us.”
“I just needed some time,” Jaewoo says, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand, while keeping a tight hold onto mine with the other.
“Yeah, we know,” Nathaniel says, but gentling his words with a wink.
“Are you all right?” Sun asks. “We can stall a bit.”
“I’m fine.”
“If you get overwhelmed up there, Jaewoo-hyeong,” Youngmin says, “just make this signal.” He raises his pointer finger and scratches the underside of his jaw. “I’ll do something silly and distract everyone.”
Jaewoo grins. “Thanks, Youngmin-ah.”
I start to tear up. How can you not, witnessing this moment?
It’s just so beautiful, the care they have for one another. The trust, love, and belief. It’s remarkable and just so wholesome.
“Jenny-nuna?” Youngmin asks. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
Jaewoo releases my hand, only so that I can wipe the tears from my eyes. “I’m just . . . I’m just a big fan.”
They all laugh.
Jaewoo turns toward his bandmates. “Are we ready to do this?”
“Yeah!” Youngmin pumps his fist in the air.
Nathaniel grins. “Let’s give them the show of a lifetime.”
“Everyone put your hands in,” Sun says, and they all put their right hands in, from oldest to youngest on the top. “Who are we?”
They press down on their hands together, then lift up. “XOXO!”
Recipient: Jenny Go, The Manhattan School of Music
Jooyoung-ah~
Happy New Year!
Thank you for the gifts you sent my mother and sister. Joori has been bragging to all her school friends that she has a cool eonni in the US. Both she and my mother can’t wait for you to visit Seoul for the summer. It’s all they talk about. But that’s all right, it’s all I can talk about too.
Wishing you luck on your final exams—this postcard should arrive before then—I know you’re gonna rock it. Because you’re great at practicing.
I’m great at practicing too. Let’s practice a lot the next time we see each other.
I know we spoke just last night, and I know that whatever I tell you in this postcard you’ll have known for however long it takes for you to receive this, but I still wanted to write down the words, that I’ll say to you in person, this summer.
사랑해.
XOXO, Jaewoo
Acknowledgments
To my agent, Patricia Nelson, who I depend upon in all things publishing, and who lifts me up and challenges me to be the best writer I can be—thank you.
To the Three C’s that made XOXO possible: to Camille Kellogg, I’m so grateful for your early belief in me; to Catherine Wallace, XOXO would not be the book it is today without your brilliant notes; and lastly, to Carolina Ortiz, I’m so happy to have you on Team XOXO!
To all the people who make me look so good: to my copyeditor, Jill Freshney; proofreader, Lisa Lester Kelly; production editor, Nicole Moreno; production manager, Sean Cavanagh; and so many working behind the scenes—you are truly appreciated.
To the team at HarperTeen and Team Epic Reads, special shoutouts to Shannon Cox, Sam Benson, Keely Platte, Aubrey Churchward, Jennifer Corcoran, and Cindy Hamilton. It’s an honor to work with all of you!
To the talented artists behind my cute and romantic cover: designer, Jessie Gang; and illustrator, Zipcy. Thank you for giving me the cover of my rom-com dreams!
To the authors who showered XOXO with such beautiful words—Gloria Chao, Maurene Goo, Sarah Kuhn, Lyla Lee, Emery Lord, Emma Mills, Aminah Mae Safi, Kasie West, and Julian Winters—thank you!
To the Tree chat, who wrote together with me throughout those first turbulent months of spring and summer 2020: Akshaya Raman, Erin Rose Kim, Katy Rose Pool, Maddy Colis, and Amanda Foody. Without your daily encouragements, this book would not have been written.
To my very talented and supportive critique group: Alex Castellanos, Amanda Haas, Ashley Burdin, Christine Lynn Herman, Claribel Ortega, Janella Angeles, Mara Fitzgerald, Meg RK, Melody Simpson, and Tara Sim—I’m so honored to call you critique partners and friends.
To all the friends who continue to support me in all things, thank you: Kristin Dwyer, Stephanie Willing, Candice Iloh, Michelle Calero, Devon Van Essen, Gaby Brabazon, Olivia Abtahi, Cynthia Mun, Sonja Swanson, Ashley Kim, Michelle Kim, Ellen Oh, Karuna Riazi, Nafiza Azad, Lauren Rha, Veeda Bybee, David Slayton, and Michelle Thinh Santiago.
To my BFF, Lucy Cheng—I’m not sorry for dropping you off for classes while blasting SHINee’s “Ring Ding Dong.”
Finally, I want to thank my family: my mom, who used to bring me to the Korean store to buy CDs and the Korean rental store for VHS recordings of music shows; and my dad, who supported my K-pop addiction wholeheartedly! My cool older cousin Jennifer, who I will forever associate with H.O.T. and my silly and loving older cousin Adam, who always sends the best BTS-themed gifts! Katherine, also known as the author Kat Cho, but who I call eonni, my writer BFF, and noraebang partner—there is no one I would rather sing BTS’s “Spring Day” than with you. Sara, Wyatt, Christine, and Bryan—trips to Korea are better when you’re around. Heemong Samchon, for buying me every single Fin.K.L album when I was eleven and Heegum Samchon—I miss visiting you in LA, but visits to Korea are fun too! Bosung, Wusung, Eugene, and Daniel—I still have that G-Dragon sweatshirt. Emo and Emo Boo, thank you for all the wonderful summers spent at your home in Seoul. My loving grandmothers—even now, the sound of Korean voices on the TV gives me warm memories of watching K-dramas over your shoulders. My older brother, Jason, who began my love of Korean music in truth. And lastly, my younger sister, Camille, my K-pop concert buddy and favorite person in the world—I love you!
And to all my cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews in my very large, boisterous, and loving family: love you, love you, love you!! Shoutout to Seojun, as always.
And special thanks to Toro, my sweet pup, who must listen to the same K-pop songs on repeat while I’m drafting.
Last but not least, to all my readers, thank you! Your support means the world to me.
About the Author
Photo by Camille Oh
AXIE OH is a first-generation Korean American born in New York City and raised in New Jersey. She studied Korean history and creative writing as an undergrad at the University of California San Diego and holds an MFA in writing for young people from Lesley University. Her passions include K-pop, anime, stationery supplies, and milk tea. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her puppy, Toro.
Visit her online at www.axieoh.com.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
Books by Axie Oh
XOXO
Back Ad
DISCOVER
your next favorite read
MEET
new authors to love
WIN
free books
SHARE
infographics, playlists, quizzes, and more
WATCH
the latest videos
www.epicreads.com
Copyright
HarperTeen is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
XOXO. Copyright © 2021 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.epicreads.com
Cover art © 2021 by Zipcy
/> Cover design by Jessie Gang
Digital Edition JULY 2021 ISBN: 978-0-06-302501-1
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-302499-1
2122232425PC/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower
22 Adelaide Street West, 41st Floor
Toronto, Ontario, M5H 4E3
www.harpercollins.ca
India
HarperCollins India
A 75, Sector 57
Noida
Uttar Pradesh 201 301
www.harpercollins.co.in
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive
Rosedale 0632
Auckland, New Zealand
www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF, UK
www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
www.harpercollins.com
