Later that afternoon, Roseanne slipped out of her apartment. Jackson had been patrolling the hallway outside, presumably at Lisa's orders, but even bodyguards needed to use the bathroom now and then. As soon as he took a break, Roseanne made her move.
Soon, she was sitting in a hired Uber carrying her from the Black Diamond Building to a high-rise in a revitalized part of town.
Just ten years ago, the same neighborhoods had been all run- down brick buildings, low-income apartments, and grungy taverns that appealed to the local blue-collar crowd. By the time she was old enough to explore the area by herself or with friends, gentrification had taken over, as it had most of Seoul. The dingy apartments and raucous taverns were gone, replaced with newly constructed high- rise 'luxury' condos, as well as boutiques, salons, and the occasional restaurants.
Hana's address brought Roseanne here, to one of the newest buildings in town. A large but elegant sign hung out front offering three months rent-free, as well as move-in bonuses to anyone willing to take a chance on the neighborhood. When her Uber driver asked if this was where she meant to go, Roseanne merely nodded and let herself out onto the sidewalk.
There was no doorman. No concierge. The manager's office was closed to tours and calls that day. Roseanne felt like she was stepping into an unfinished building. Would she need a hard hat? Would security appear and tell her to get lost?
Nevertheless, she entered the elevator. As she rode up to the penthouse, she squeezed her purse, feeling the shape of the canister of pepper spray inside. Lisa had taught her how to use it. It was Roseanne's backup plan if things went south.
Grip it in your fist. Flip up the top. Press down with your thumb. She repeated the instructions in her head over and over until the elevator doors opened. She was both relieved and anxious to step out into the hall and see the name 'HANA JEONG' written on a small gold plaque on the door.
Before she had a chance to knock, Hana opened the front door to the penthouse.
"Roseanne, so lovely to see you." She offered a handshake and an air kiss, both of which Roseanne stiffly accepted. "I hope I wasn't too hard to find. I was able to get in early and got a great deal on this place. Come in, come in. Don't let the unfinished units downstairs frighten you. It's perfectly safe."
Roseanne stepped into Hana's penthouse suite. It was like stepping into the city-based home of one of her mother's middle-aged friends. She let out her pent-up breath. Being surrounded by houseplants, tasteful paintings, and expertly selected furniture sets was much more familiar than the bare bones downstairs.
"Have a seat. Sorry I don't have everything unpacked. I've been flying back and forth for the past few weeks to solidify my move." Hana gestured to a small sitting area by one of the windows overlooking Han River.
"Where did you move from?" Roseanne asked as Hana entered the nearby kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine from the rack.
"Oh, Ulsan. Well, I grew up in Ulsan but spent most of my career in Jeolla, so it feels like I've moved from both places." Hana poured a glass of wine for herself. "Moving to Seoul is the big change I've needed for a long time. Do you want some wine?"
"Uh, no thanks. Water is fine."
Hana grabbed a clean glass from another cupboard and filled it with filtered tap water. "The water is exquisite here. As far as culture shock goes, I wasn't expecting that."
Hana, in her off-white linen pantsuit and short but bouffant white hair, was a picture as she sat down across from Roseanne. Roseanne sipped her water. She looks like Helen Mirren crossed with Judi Dench.
