Chapter 80.2

Chapter 80.2

Miki from Japan, Minghua from Taiwan, Lucito from Peru, Maya from Kyrgyzstan, Patrick from Germany, and herself.

Three guys and three girls spread a blanket on the grass and devoured three large New York-style pizzas, each slice as big as a person’ face.

Some tossed frisbees nearby; others played board games. Since they’d been grouped together after a level test, their English skills were roughly similar and they could speak comfortably.

As they chatted and laughed, a loud ringtone interrupted. Miran quietly pulled her phone from her backpack. It was a small black flip phone with a “StarTac” logo that fit perfectly in the palm of her hand.

She’d thought New York would be more advanced than Korea, but surprisingly not many people used receivers or pagers. Every time she took it out, she felt a little embarrassed because people around would stare at her.

Andre, worried about her wandering New York without knowing the city or speaking English well, had insisted she take the mobile phone, claiming it was affecting his work efficiency. The only number saved was his, on speed dial 1.

Unfolding the phone, the gray LCD screen glowed neon green.

“Hello?”

— Where are you?

Without so much as a greeting, Andre abruptly asked from the other end of the line. Miran chuckled.

“Andre, are you from Busan by any chance?”

— What are you talking about?

His tone was flat, as if she’d said something silly.

His habit of saying only what was necessary reminded her of her male classmates from Busan—minus the accent.

Judging by the way he spoke English just as his Korean, his bluntness was simply part of his reserved personality. He was naturally taciturn, speaking only when necessary. He rarely explained or justified his actions, likely because his position didn’t require it. He was strangely rude, yet it was difficult to find fault with him. He never showed off what he had, but his every action exuded an air of arrogance.

He seemed like someone who’d never forced a fake smile to please others or softened his words to spare someone’s feelings.

Yet Andre was very kind to Miran. She had a vague sense that she was receiving special treatment.

“I’m at Bryant Park for a picnic.”

— With who?

“The friends I told you about—Miki, Lucito, Maya, Patrick, Minghua. We ate pizza and played frisbee and board games.”

— When will you be done?

“Hmm… maybe thirty minutes to an hour? Not sure yet.”

— …Should I come pick you up?”

“I’m okay, I can get back on my own.”

She’d recently learned his office at Columbus Circle was just a five-minute drive away. It already felt bad that he, a busy man, spent time every morning driving her to school fifteen minutes away. She couldn’t ask him to come the opposite way to pick her up after work.

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.

— Alright, then.

The call ended before Miran could say goodbye.

‘Is something wrong at work? He sounds off…’

She tilted her head, then shrugged.

These days, Andre wasn’t as scary as he was before. She even learned a few ways to cheer him up.

Miran put her phone into her bag and gathered her things. She’d had enough fun for now. She wanted to arrive home before Andre and surprise him.

[Sorry, my friends! I have to go. See you tomorrow!]

Ignoring their protests and loud farewells, Miran boarded on the now-familiar D train to Columbus Circle.

In the rattling subway car, she recalled what had happened a few days earlier.

Over dinner, she’d chattered about this and that as usual. Otherwise, Andre’s silence would make the meal stiflingly quiet.

“Oh, by the way! I got this T-shirt at a shop on your ancestral street. Seunghyuk oppa said it’d be fun and took me there, but it turned out to be Lafayette Street.”

She stretched the T-shirt down with both hands. Since she had her head lowered, she didn’t see Andre suddenly furrow his brows.

“There, I saw this guy riding a skateboard, hanging onto a truck, then jumping over a guardrail like he had wings. It scared me half to death! This T-shirt was a souvenir Seunghyuk oppa bought for me from a store called Supreme. It’s a pretty trendy place even though it just opened. Oh, shoot, I completely forgot I promised to buy Seunghyuk oppa dinner!”