CATALYST

TRAVIS

"You survived." Sowon grinned and handed me an envelope with cash stuffed inside. "Here you go. It's a little more than a hundred bucks. Sorry it's not more, but it was kind of slow tonight. Eventually I'll pay you weekly, but for now I'll pay you at the end of your shifts."

I couldn't believe it. A hundred bucks, right now? That was a quarter of my rent to David! Even better, it was the first money I'd made in Korea I thumbed through it in disbelief, wishing I didn't need this money and could frame it as my first big achievement here. Sowon might not think a hundred bucks was a big deal, but I felt rich. And so, so grateful. In fact, I had to turn away from her, scared I might actually tear up. "Sowon, thank you so much. You have no idea how glad I am to have this job."

"Of course. What are friends for? I hope it wasn't too terrible."

"Not at all." I'd been so busy the first few hours, the time had flown. I spent most of the time assisting Sowon behind the bar, washing glasses, refilling ice, running down to the basement to get more beer and wine, and occasionally taking food orders to tables if the wait staff was slammed. The last couple hours I'd spent helping Sowon clean up and restocking the bar, with only a quick break for dinner.

"We can take off now. My other manager is going to close up."

"Okay. What do I owe you for the shirts?" When we'd arrived, she'd given me two black T-shirts with the bar's logo on them. One I'd put on right away, and the other was folded under my arm, along with the shirt I'd worn here.

"Nothing." She laughed. "That's your uniform."

"She called goodnight to the staff that was left and we went out the back door to where her car was parked.

"Jump in," she said, opening the driver's side door of a beat-up Jeep.

"You don't lock your doors?" I went around to the passenger side and attempted to get in, but first Sowon had to throw a bunch of things that had been on the seat into the back—water bottles, coffee cups, clothing, shoes, plastic bags.

"Nah. What for?" She started the car as I buckled up. "Nothing worth stealing in here, and if someone wants this piece of shit badly enough, they can have it."

I laughed. "You are so different from David."

"Oh Jesus, his car is ridiculous. You could eat off the floor." She backed out of her parking spot. "Not that he lets anyone eat in it. And he practically has heart palpitations any time he has to ride in mine."

I couldn't resist asking more about him. "Was he always so neat and organized? Even as a kid?"

"Yep. Always kept his bedroom perfectly clean, never left his toys out, used to love washing his bike more than riding it. His friends would be like, 'David , it's called a dirt bike! It's supposed to have dirt on it!'"

I laughed, picturing that gap-toothed, dark-haired boy I'd seen in the picture over the fireplace scrubbing away at his spokes. "I can see that."

"He's such a good guy, but he takes himself so seriously sometimes. Always has."

"But he's so successful. He's got that beautiful house, and a good job, a great car. He takes such good care of everything. He's so generous to everyone. He seems perfect to me." For a second, I thought I'd said too much, but Sowon didn't seem fazed.