OUR HEARTBEAT [BEOMJUN] ✅

thirty-one

I saw my parents standing toward the back of the already-full audience. They’d come. My nerves, which had finally kicked in as more and more people filled up the roped-off area in front of us, ramped up another degree. My mom waved. Sieun and I would start in ten minutes. I took a deep breath and waved back.

Sieun and I were sitting side by side on the makeshift stage, behind a long table set up with microphones and headphones. Ms. Lee and a couple of kids from the production crew stood off to the side, preparing the equipment.

Arin rushed around the stage and to the backside of the table to join me, her eyes wide. I bit the insides of my cheeks. Now wasn’t the time to say anything. But Arin apparently thought now was the perfect time because she leaned close to my ear and whispered, “I need to talk to you.”

“After” was all I could say.

“Please. I need my best friend.”

I sighed and stood, walking off the back of the stage with her. She dragged me behind the row of carnival games forty feet away. It was darker and quieter. I was about to open my mouth to tell her I saw what had happened when she said, “Soobin kissed me.”

I wasn’t sure what to say back. The kiss had looked very much mutual to me.

“I’m sorry,” she added.

“What? Why are you apologizing to me?” I asked. Yeonjun was the person she needed to be talking to right now.

Her face was flushed. “Because Soobin was your date tonight and I thought you liked him and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“You know I don’t like him.”

“I thought he liked you and that he was going to charm his way into your heart.”

“So you don’t like Soobin?” I asked.

“I like Yeonjun. You know that.”

“I saw you and Soobin kissing. On the Ferris wheel. You were into it, Arin.”

Her mouth dropped open. “I was not into it. I was surprised! Did Yeonjun see?”

I wished he had. “No,” I said softly. “I need to go. We can talk more about this later.”

Arin grabbed my arm before I could turn away. “Are you mad at me?”

Yes. “I don’t know.”

“So you do like Soobin?”

“This has nothing to do with Soobin.”

Her brow wrinkled in confusion. “It has everything to do with Soobin.”

“Later, Arin.” I walked away and back to my seat.

Siein took one look at my face and said, “You better get past whatever drama is happening in your life right now and get your head into this.” She nodded toward the crowd.

She was right. I had to try and forget about everything right now. I needed to focus.

“Gyu! Gyu!”

I turned at the sound of my name. My cousin Liz was weaving her way through the standing crowd, dragging a girl and boy behind her.

“Hi,” I said with a smile.

“You remember my friend Leeseo.” Liz raised her left hand, which held Leeseo’s hand.

I nodded. “Yes, hi again.”

“We’re excited to listen tonight. It’s fun to see this live,”Leeseo said.

Liz raised her right hand, which held the boy’s hand, and said, “And this is my friend from school, Saerim.”