The Flowers of Keiwha
Page 34
the layout of the streets, the Gwak clan (PRINCESS’s boyfriend’s extended family) met up in sequence that decided that they would accept PRINCESS’s demands for an apartment in hopes of an ultimate alliance. Boyfriend had to serve two years’ in the K.A.; after that, the middle-class PRINCESS would be brought into the slightly upper-classish Gwak family, which now having a Japanese wing, could hope for more of a business compatible connection. The way it unfolded was unpenetrable to the Western mind: with simultaneous language in Korean and Japanese, unfolding Kansai-ben and upper-class Korean language, three or four insults and compliments were encoded in precise usage patterns and pauses between syllables that are impossible to represent here. But, for example, the half-millisecond pause before
"New Zealand university” (in Korean)
Was one defense mechanism the inferior culture could offer to the elite commentary offered by PRINCESS’s older brother, who was in town for business.
It would be possible, in one sense, to attempt this impossible feat, to just record for whatever posterity’s sake that infinitely complicated speech mechanisms by which that most serious of societal mechanisms, the marriage, was carried out. But that would be detraction, ultimately, from the final course of events, 2/1, the program at large, Keiwha drawing to a close in its final week with oral tests and then written. The program directors showed their hand: each question was designed to draw inferences about the class dynamic at large, such information then be unfolded into further class instruction design and the survey, being written out in Japanese and English, offering obvious identifying characteristics about each teacher and class. The Japanese family questioned the Koreans’ ancestry; the Koreans commented on how cheap the material of PRINCESS’s handbag and sweater were, but all of this was taking place under three layers of politeness, such that nobody looking on could have any clue whatsoever what was happening. Beneath mandarin like faces, the brokers of each family made their decision and then the date was fixed.
"Our family, being of ancestry line XYZ and distinguished lineage ABC, does most respectfully exist in the four thousand year neighborhood of G---, located on the I line…”
"Duty being what it is to our extended corporate ties to MNO chaebol/conglomerate, we do deign to…”
"Presumption being made, the assumption would be that such offer, having been considered in all possible lights, can only lead to…”
Yet this was of course exactly what didn’t happen; it was all self-denial and self-family depreciation, underneath of which was only the malice and hopes for improvement. The deal was closed.
Keiwha year two, meanwhile, proceeded unopposed. Socialnode finally knit together her last contact, her excessive desire to be Miss Human Resources finally started sapping her energy and she took off for a sauna to bake in 110 degrees, as tourists from her country and mostly Korean families sweated into sauna-provided clothes. It was hot; these ‘jimjjilbang’ were great institutions, yet she would never stay in one overnight, that would be untold. Though ICEPRINCESS would be queen always of the appropriate knock-kneed pose at any given moment and Rockstar had clearly won basic aesthetic victory, program victory would actually appear in the end from Boy-4.
"Some of us are going out tonight; last night of the program. Meet up at the main gate.”
Such was the laconic text he sent around, to twenty or so names who generated another forty or so followers. Ultimately a full third of the program was assembled at the gate, just in time to catch TUSK being dropped off by G.14 in a government car. (Both sides pretended not to see each other.)
"Guess he’s all sizzle and no steak.”
"A looker-on.”
"Still he’s cute…” and some girls did giggle.
It was odd. Boy-1, he of the elite background and best possible looks, was the obvious candidate to be final social leader, but in the end, the group of sixty, a little socially low, a little chubby, gathered around the sort of noisy Boy-4; and Boy-5, nerd and computer programmer, would have no chance whatsoever. So the fifty or so girls took off for a local grilled meat place, and though this was far less in terms of complexity than the previous year (involving three distinct groups, Japanese, European, American), still it made for the only appropriate ending for a monocultural session, one in which the program director folded her hands and felt smug. She signed off on the class leader choices and thought about aesthetics as well, pleased at financial outcomes if not at a lack of dramatic events.
Classroom outcomes: 1/3 coalesced around charismatic and well put together Sayuri; 1/5 class of THETA, Roughcut, and Leaf-3 was bemused at final attempts of flirtation by multiple boys. 1/1, as could be expected, went nowhere and 1/2 was possibly saved by the cheerfulness of its South American contingent; 1/6 had no drama to report.
2/1 saw the division between dynamic poles BARBIEDOLL/Farhome and ICEPRINCESS/Rockstar. It was interesting how both had elements of the other within them; BARBIEDOLL was the quintessential Tokyo mod rocker yet the beta group had the actual rockstar. BARBIEDOLL may have been ultimately socially most prominent yet Rockstar was the most distinctive “famous for fifteen minutes” individual, whose eventual subordination of the Nerdgirl coalition earned some kind of honors; Nerdgirl group of 4 was not entirely contemptible, because they clung to their own ways and would always vote LDP come what may. 2/1’s final possible group GOAT + out of class IOTA remembered nothing about their abuse by U.S. government agencies or agency; one of the affects of Rophynol is selective amnesia, and though they wondered why they were so sore, they felt no residual ill will. In fact, they had certain fantastic dreams that week, a result of REM suppression by drug-induced sleep and then the rebound affect; some vision of a sunglass-clad Special Forces officer picking them up and flying them to their dormitory in a very quiet helicopter. And GOAT actually closed the deal with the coffeeshop smiler; they officially became a number, the only one of the program.
AJ-4, 5, 6 were friends, but possibly not to remain in touch after the program. AJ-4 was tall and had her daughter; easy-going. AJ-5 was true grandmother.
2/2, undiscovered territory, saw the earlier departure of first the masculine faced girl and then GREENEYES. Masculine-faced girl, with much male hormone, liked technical things, but felt had to some degree. There were complains: length of program, usage of classtime to do cultural speeches or whatnot. The program was accepting that it was increasingly a shopping and tourist boondoggle rather than serious academic inquiry, although both forces existed. Older British woman saw her husband arrive; they had discussions about a marriage as well in their extended family, and cultural/political anger would simmer but not erupt; the marriage was stable.
3/1, 3/2, and 4/1 and 4/2 populated by older students and more advanced speakers of language, did have one bright faced younger girl who was quite esoteric in her class representative speech, making some interesting points about history that took into account all perspectives. Here was true undiscovered territory, for only in the complexity of language could true political discourse begin. All else was fluff. 4/2 had one eavesdropper; he could be seen as well from the top floor of the new building, sipping coffee, thinking. Only once did he skulk off into a bathroom guiltily; it was just a coincidence of time and space.
The final week could be divided along cultural/linguistic lines. Something had had happened with regard to the Chinese group, which may have coincided to some degree with concurrent longer-term programs involving Malaysians or Cantonese and the young Anan, peppy nineteen year old, made it her point to go out to meet all sorts of random people, white fur hat bobbing, but this wasn’t the real wrap-up: it was more esoteric.
THETA walked forward. “You know, you just gotta be what you gotta be!”
She was an artist; the last one to close out this ornithological field report, visual rather than musical or literary, a bright dresser, a wearer of embroidered patterned skirts and bird-like, bemused, a hint of a laugh always on the lips as she explored the visual situation unfolding before her. She had been pr
esent at the first conversation with IOTA and GOAT. It was perfect timing.
"Wha! You speak perfect Japanese!”
She crouched; that is, she literally crouched forward agog at hearing the fluidity of the conversation unfolding; it was some sort of important lesson on what a language sounded like to a native speaker when it was learned well rather than merely correctly. THETA was keen on TUSK after this moment.
"GOAT is kinda overstating her position because, you know, we both dress distinctly, but I improvise something differently while GOAT has the small doll outfit everyday. It’s a nice dress, but it means she’s conservative, you know; she just wants to live in doll world forever.
"It’s possible painters are the worst possible commentators on things. We see everything in visual terms, which means that by definition we aren’t people-people. In fact, maybe we’re the worst to comment on things. But being a painter means taking your own path; finding your own way in the world.
"Things come from within! The answer lies within!”
THETA, more than anyone else, stood out from the crowd; although she was self-involved and individualistic. Between her and ICEPRINCESS, it would be hard to say who exhibited higher qualities, yet