Annie is a charming Korean American girl who just graduated from college. It was her dream to work in Wall Street all her life. She gets into Lehman Brothers with the help of her best friend, Daniel, but work is demanding and tough. Senior Bankers...
"Mister Sohn. Umm... how are you? Is everything ok with Mister Nam? "
Why was Juhyuk's secretary calling me? Is Juhyuk breaking up with me through his secretary?
"No, it's nothing like that. I'm actually at the airport. Can we meet tomorrow, say around 6?"
"Ne," I gave him a curt yes in Korean, like a nervous student getting disciplined in a Korean high school. He had an authoritative tone in his voice. Needless to say, the intimidation tactic worked on me.
"That should be fine." I cleared my throat and this time answered in English.
He seemed taken back a little.
"Great, there is a lounge on the first floor of St. Regis. It's very private. You do work on Park Avenue? " He spoke in English with a slight hint of an accent. I guessed he had studied in the US.
"Yes, that's right," I replied again in English, playing a game of language ping pong with Hojun. I felt as though the dynamics had changed. I had the advantage now that we had changed to our conversations to English. I wasn't familiar with formal vocabularies in Korean and I didn't want to risk using the wrong words or stuttering, showing my weakness to this man. I assumed he was trying to find whatever excuse to undermine my character, dismissing me as a "self-centered American" who just didn't understand the subtle intricacies of the mother country.
When he hung up, I took a deep breath and leaned back in my chair, something I did when I wanted to think hard about something.
What could Hojun possibly tell me? There were so many questions to be answered. Should I call Juhyuk to find out? Nah, I decided not to bother him.
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Pacing through Fifth Avenue, I passed department stores lined up along the famous shopping district, showcasing dazzling, luxury goods on the first floor seducing tourists and pedestrians. It was November, still early for holiday shopping yet the street was bustling. I arrived at St Regis exactly 10 minutes early, 5:50 pm.
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John Jacob Astor built his famous hotel in 1904 in the style of the beaux art architecture with his old money opulence, reflecting the charm of the gilded age. Normally, I would be excited to visit such a hotel, but that day, my footsteps felt heavy.
