Secrets of Attraction

Three: SUZY

Yearbook was mostly painless, except when we had our bimonthly deadline meetings, Park Bogum, editor in chief, liked to call them "socials" to make them sound more fun, but they were really just deadline check-ins with fried chicken and Soju. The yearbook office was a forgotten room in the basement of the Union. On any given day, the heat either blasted or was non-existent, and the awful fluorescent lighting made made everyone looked like zombie apocalypse survivors. At least we didn't have to share with another club.

We sat around a long table, noshing on cookies and waiting for Bogum, who was busy staring at his bulletin board of multicolored Posit-its with the same concentration you would expect from a warlord devising a plan of attack. I entertained myself by continuing a mehndi-inspired floral design I'd started earlier in the day on the back of my hand with a dark brown pen.

I was officially on design staff and didn't need to be at both monthly editorial meetings, but it was cool hanging out with Yoona and Stephanie. The three of us were in the running for editor positions next year when we were seniors. Aside from looking excellent on my resume, being in charge of design was something I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into. I figured an interest in every facet of production would help my cause.

Bogum grabbed a neon-blue Post-it and planted it on the desk next to me.

It had  CJ E&M Dance written in bold letter.

"What's this?" I finished the vine on my hand with a spiral and looked up.

"Park Sodam was originally supposed to handle the CJ E&M Dance section, but she's going on a family trip. I need you to take photos for the layout."

Stephanie covered her mouth but failed to conceal a quickly growing smile.

"This is your doing," I said, pointing at her. She had already tried to rally both Yoona and me to go to the dance since we was working it for Spirit Club.

"No, swear," she said, raising her right hand. "I'm writing the copy for the section. Although, I thought Yoona could help too - there should be a sidebar with the history of the dance, don't you think?"

Yoona glared at Stephanie over her laptop. Once something was said in front of Bogum, there was no turning back.

"When is this?" I asked.

"Next Friday." A chorus of voices around the table answered.

"I don't get the whole CJ E&M thing; I mean, technically, isn't all the dances a CJ E&M dance?" Yoona asked.

"True, but still - we need this. Between winter and midterms, this dance is the only social event until Spring Fling. It's way better than some Valentine's BS with balloon hearts," Bogum said. "Maybe you could somehow work that angle in the copy. Stephanie, how were you thinking of incorporating the theme?"

Stephanie  shuffled through a couple of the pages in the notebook, stopped at one and put her finger on it. "I was thinking 'On the Edge of . . . Romance?"

"Too banal," Bogum said, waving her hand. "Dig deeper, what were you going to write about? I want it more than just the basic 'There was a band and cupcakes.'"

"Of course. I panned on interviewing couples to see how they felt about the dance, if a girl asking a guy to a dance was even that big of a core-shaker anymore. And I know some girls are making it a girls' night, so that would be interesting to include too."

Core-shaker? I mouthed to her across the table. Stephanie pretended not to notice so she wouldn't lose face with Bogum, who took the yearbook's theme, "On the Edge," seriously. The faculty had given us some trouble, thinking it sounded neurotic or like some veiled drug reference. Bogum assured them "On the Edge" was positive and meant being on the forefront. I didn't always understand Bogum's vision, but the challenge of figuring it out was kind of fun.