Made in Korea

by Sarah Suk

  “I’d be happy to mentor you for your K-pop business!” Mr. Reyes said, beaming over his venti americano. “I’ve mentored quite a few student businesses in my time. I had one student who liked to sell her own bubbles. Made them from scratch with soap.”

  Whoa. That was much faster than I was expecting. “Thanks, Mr. Reyes,” I said. “I mean, this is all hypothetical, of course. I was just wondering for if I wanted to do it.”

  “Certainly. You can use my room Monday mornings to sell if you’d like.”

  Mondays? Those were V&C selling days. “Um, are any other days a possibility?”

  “No can do. Other days I’m not in that early, or there’s choir practice going on. But Monday morning is all yours.”

  Band-class students started to trickle in, and Mr. Reyes smiled, raising his Starbucks cup to me. “We’ll talk more later. For now, let’s get those warm-up scales going!”

  The third: Kristy Lo.

  “Psst. Wes.”

  I looked up from my sheet music to see Kristy Lo, the pink-haired girl, waving at me from the flute section. Only now her hair was more orange than pink, like an ombré sunrise. Mr. Reyes was working with the percussion students at the back of the room. The rest of us were supposed to be studying our music, but I was pretty sure the second saxophone player, Aubrey Mills, had fallen asleep in the chair next to me.

  “Will you be selling any more Crown Tiger merch?” Kristy asked in a loud whisper.

  Everyone around us perked up at her question, their eyes immediately turning to me.

  “Maybe.” I smiled nervously, suddenly paranoid that Kristy had mind-reading abilities and knew exactly what I had been contemplating. “I don’t know yet.”

  “Because I told a bunch of people about the lip-balm sale, and they’re so choked they missed it. They told me to text them ASAP once I hear about your next sale.”

  “Ah, Wes, telling everyone that you’ll be using the band room on Monday mornings for your business, are we?” Mr. Reyes said, reappearing from the back of the room. My eyes widened in alarm and I was about to protest when he wagged his finger, making a tutting sound with his tongue. “Right now is rehearsal time, not business-promotion time. Though I do admire your hustle.”

  Kristy’s phone was already in her hands, her fingers flying across the screen, while the rest of the eavesdropping students burst into excited whispers. She grinned, flashing me a big thumbs-up as I sat completely stunned in my seat. “I just let everybody know. This is going to be so great!”

  “All right, all right,” Mr. Reyes said, waving his conductor’s baton in the air. “Let’s get back on track everybody. From the top!”

  Um. What just happened?

  The fourth: Pauline, again.

  “I heard about your new business. K-pop, huh?”

  I looked up from my locker to see Pauline standing next to me, wearing a denim jacket over a jumpsuit patterned in turtles. Kristy’s text had just gone out a few hours before. News had traveled fast. “Ah, yeah. Well, kind of. It’s a long story.…”

  She tucked her thumbs under the straps of her backpack, rocking back on her heels. She looked nervous. “I could help you.”

  I paused. “Help me? Like a business partner?”

  She nodded. “Exactly like that. Administrative stuff, tracking sales, helping you with school rules you might not know. That sort of thing.”

  “I mean, that would be amazing. But why would you help me?”

  “I need more extracurriculars for my college applications,” she said. She dropped her gaze from mine, scuffing the floor with her shoe. “And, also, my dad. When I told him there was a new kid at school selling K-pop merch, he got so excited. He’s always wanting me to get more into Korean culture. He keeps hounding me about it, and he won’t let me volunteer at the aquarium unless I also do something Korean-related. Sorry.” She lifted her eyes up, an apologetic frown on her face. “I hope it doesn’t feel like I’m using you.”

  “I don’t feel that way at all. If anything, I feel like you’re doing me a huge favor.” I had been so hesitant about tackling this whole business thing, but maybe with someone to navigate it with me, it wouldn’t be so overwhelming. There was still one thing holding me back, though. “I have to ask. Do you think this is a good idea? It feels weird. I don’t know, like I’m copying V&C or something.”

  “Hmm.” She considered this seriously, taking her time to answer. “K-pop is different enough that you could make it work,” she said finally. “There might be some overlap in your buyers, since a lot of your products are from a K-pop beauty line. But it’s a free-for-all at Crescent Brook. No one can stop you if you follow the rules.”

  I nodded slowly. That made sense. “All right,” I said. “Let’s give this a try.”

  We shook hands.

  It was so strange how everything had come together. I stared at Pauline now, standing before me in the band room, cash box in her hands, with our first day of sales behind us.

  “Here’s all the money we made today,” she said, passing the cash box over to me. “I took my cut already.”

  “Are you sure we can’t split it more? You’ve helped so much.”

  She shook her head. “You source all the products and do the majority of the work. I’m just here to help with some side things. It’s the experience for me that’s worth it. Besides, thirty percent is already more than enough.” A smile lifted the corners of her lips. “My dad said if I keep this up, I can volunteer at the aquarium.”

  I smiled back, genuinely this time. “That’s great, Pauline.”

  “Let me know when you want to have our next sales day,” she said. The first bell rang, and she waved, heading out of the band room. I held up a hand to wave back, but she was already gone, leaving just me, the students trickling in for class, and my cash box full of money.

  * * *

  My eyes were starting to glaze over as I stared at the whiteboard where Mr. McAvoy was writing the day’s warm-up math problems. I took my glasses off and polished them with the edge of my T-shirt, as if cleaning them would help me focus more. I had no idea how I was going to sit through calculus when my mind was still whirring from this morning’s sale, and the look on Valerie’s face. I had no idea what to make of her still. She was difficult to read, but clearly sensitive when it came to her business. I didn’t want any enemies, but I was starting to worry that maybe I had just made one.

  “Is this seat taken?”

  I looked up to see Charlie standing at the seat next to me, backpack draped loosely over one shoulder. He grinned and scraped the chair back before I could answer, taking a seat.

  “Great. Thanks, man,” he said.

  “Uh, sure.” I awkwardly shifted my binder over to make room for Charlie as he spread out his notebook, textbook, and water bottle on his desk. My shoulders tensed, on guard. Something told me he wasn’t sitting next to me because he wanted to be friends.

  Mr. McAvoy’s marker squeaked across the whiteboard as he finished writing his final problem. “All right, everybody, who wants to volunteer for our morning math warm-ups?” he asked enthusiastically. The entire class groaned.

  Charlie leaned over to look at me, propping his chin in one hand as he examined the side of my face. I tried to look straight ahead, focusing on Matt Whitman’s back as he got up to volunteer for a question. My eyes darted over to Charlie. He was still staring. He wasn’t as scary as his cousin, but still, his stare was unnerving.

  “Can I help you?” I whispered so Mr. McAvoy wouldn’t hear.

  “I was just taking a second look at you,” he whispered back. He narrowed his eyes. “I thought you looked like a pretty honest guy when we first met. But seeing as you totally ignored Valerie’s and my warning, I’m having doubts. What’s up with your business, Wes? You really want to be our competition?”

  My eyebrows shot up in surprise. I hadn’t expected something so direct. I opened my mouth and then closed it again. How did you answer a question like that? I tur
ned back to the front of the classroom instead, where Mr. McAvoy was fixing Matt’s mistakes with excited flourishes of his red whiteboard marker, my leg nervously jittering beneath my desk.

  “Okay, you don’t want to talk about it—that’s cool.” Charlie stared straight ahead at the whiteboard as well, his face impassive. A moment later, he cleared his throat and whispered, “Just answer this one question for me.”

  His tone was different now, less offensive, more uncertain. I paused for a moment and then gave a slight nod.

  “Are you and Pauline dating?”

  “Huh?” I gave him a sharp look and then quickly looked ahead again. “No!”

  “No?” A visible look of relief crossed his face. “Okay, cool. I mean, it’d be fine if you were, obviously. She can date whoever she wants. But that’s cool, that’s cool.” He paused, and when he spoke again, his voice was back to being all business. “Are you going to keep selling together?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. Yes.”

  “So you’re really keeping this business going even after what Valerie said?”

  “Maybe.”

  “What about at the Halloween Market?”

  “The what?”

  “Oh. Never mind. Forget I said anything. One last question, then.”

  I was getting flustered. We were going to get in trouble if he kept talking to me like this. “What?”

  “It takes one hour for Cameron to mow the lawn. It takes Tim thirty minutes to mow the same lawn. How long will it take Cameron and Tim to mow the lawn if they work together?”

  I stared at him. “Huh?”

  “You don’t know? Well, you better think fast. Mr. McAvoy!” Charlie raised his hand, waving it in the air. “Wes would like to volunteer for the next question!”

  “Excellent, Wes,” Mr. McAvoy said, beaming. He held out the whiteboard marker. “Why don’t you come up here and show us how it’s done.”

  Oh God. I got up from my desk, looking back at Charlie as I did. He gave me an angelic smile, leaning back in his seat and leisurely folding his hands behind his head.

  * * *

  That night, I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling and listening to music. I had a lot to think about, and there was nothing like instrumental jazz to help clear my head. Something about the smooth and silky rhythm helped line up my thoughts, like they needed a melody to flow to in order for me to make sense of them.

  Was this whole business thing a good idea? I had obviously crossed a line with V&C. Was it worth it?

  Yes. The answer came immediately. Selling things at school was a huge opportunity. From today’s sale alone, I was one step closer to getting my saxophone fixed and my application fees covered. One giant $112 step to be exact. At this rate, I would definitely be able to save up enough by December. But… Valerie’s face flashed through my mind. I sighed. Maybe there was another way I could make the money, without stepping on anyone’s toes.

  I scrolled through my phone to see if anyone had gotten back to me about my job applications. Nothing yet. But I did have one new email.

  My fingers froze over the screen.

  It was from Uncle Hojin.

  I glanced at the door as if Dad would suddenly burst into my room and catch me red-handed. No sign of him. Obviously. That would be weird. I quickly tapped on the email.

  Dear Wes,

  Wow! So good to hear from you! It’s been so long since we’ve done these emails. I don’t know why we stopped. They really make my day.

  I’m so happy to hear that you are thinking of pursuing music. I’ve always thought you had something special in you when you played. You asked me if I’ve ever regretted my decision to do the same. Hmm. What can I say, Wes? When you choose the path of an artist, nothing is promised, but everything is possible. I have never regretted opening myself up to those possibilities, even when they were unclear. Your dad was always worried for me because of that uncertainty, but for me, it was simply a calling I couldn’t ignore. Difficult? Yes. Regret? Never.

  I hope you are happy and healthy, Wes! What else is new? What are you listening to these days?

  Uncle Hojin

  PS. Of course I’ll keep your email between us. Your secret is safe with me!

  Something like hope took root in my heart at Uncle Hojin’s words. It was exactly what I needed to hear, but at the same time I wondered if I should delete his email and pretend I’d never seen it. It felt like I was betraying Dad somehow to commiserate with Uncle Hojin over this.

  And yet. I stared at my desk, where I had put my cash box. Next to the cash box was a stack of college brochures that Dad had left in my room, colleges with the most amazing and reputable science programs. Just the sight of those brochures made me want to take my saxophone and run as fast as I could. Dad would want me to apply to those schools soon. How was I supposed to tell him that not only was I not going to do that, but I was going to apply to a music school instead?

  And yet and yet.

  Valerie’s face flashed through my mind. I thought of how I could barely get the words out to explain myself when she was glaring at me with those angry eyes today. Her confrontation had made me seriously consider giving up on this business thing, and it was only day one. If I couldn’t even stand up to Valerie Kwon, who I barely knew, how would I ever be able to stand up to my parents?

  Nothing is promised, but everything is possible. The words made my heart beat faster. Everything is possible. I wanted that. I wanted everything, even if there was a chance I’d end up with nothing.

  I closed my eyes and let the music seep into my skin. The sounds of the piano-saxophone instrumental soothed me, but, more than that, they gave me courage to do what I had to do for myself. Open up to the possibilities.

  I opened my eyes and texted Pauline.

  Me: Hey. What can you tell me about the Halloween Market?

  Thursday / October 31

  Pauline had said that Halloween night at Crescent Brook High was a big deal, but I hadn’t realized just how big it would be.

  I walked into the courtyard, where students were putting the finishing touches on the outdoor carnival. There were rows and rows of game stalls, including a dunk tank, balloon darts, and a whack-a-mole game with spooky ghosts instead of moles. The aroma of caramel apples and candy corn filled my nose as I walked by the sweets stands, followed by the savory scent of grilled cheese and shawarma wraps as food trucks began to roll into place.

  The entire carnival was lit up with strings of lights and candlelit jack-o’-lanterns. The doors of the school building, on the other hand, were strung with spiderwebs and caution tape. The first floor had been converted into a haunted house for the evening. I made a mental note to check it out later. But first I had to go to the marketplace.

  I passed by people dressed up as everything from Kermit the Frog to the Jonas Brothers. Lisa Carol, who was wearing a Supergirl costume, waved at me from the other side of the courtyard, where she was lining up pumpkins. I waved back, tugging uncomfortably at the collar of my cape. I hadn’t worn a Halloween costume in years, but Pauline had insisted it was mandatory. A quick trip to the mall and a dollop of hair gel later, I was maybe the world’s worst vampire. My fake fangs kept jiggling around in my mouth, and I was pretty sure I’d never seen a vampire with glasses before. I smoothed out the white collared shirt I’d borrowed from Dad and tucked into a pair of ripped black jeans, hoping I blended in well enough.

  The marketplace was at the end of the carnival, a series of tables covered in orange tablecloths and bowls of candy. Sweet treats to entice people to shop while they trick-or-treated. A few students who had signed up for the marketplace were already there, setting up their tables, while Ms. Jackson, my social studies teacher, supervised and directed everyone to their places. She was dressed up as Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story.

  “Wes, you’re at table number seven,” Ms. Jackson said. “Remember, whoever makes the most sales by the end of the night wins the Halloween Market ribbon! Good luck!”

/>   “Thanks, Ms. Jackson,” I said, making my way to my table. I took off my backpack and started setting up the products I had. More Crown Tiger lip balm and face masks. It would be my first sale since that day in the band room. I had to think of a way to get products faster, and more of them at once, too.

  I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t notice someone appearing at the table next to me until they cleared their throat. I looked up and froze.

  Valerie stared back at me, Minnie Mouse ears on her head. She wore what looked like a vintage red velvet dress with fishnet stockings and cherry lipstick. Without even thinking, my eyes flicked down to her legs and then back up to her eyes, my face burning. Oh God, seriously, Wes? She already hates you. Do not check out her legs and freak her out even more.

  “Hi,” she said.

  “Hi,” I managed to say back.

  “Looks like we’re neighbors.”

  “All right, everyone, people are trickling in,” Ms. Jackson said, clapping to get our attention. “Finish setting up and get ready! The marketplace is always a hot spot on Halloween night.”

  Valerie and I stared at each other. I swallowed hard. The air was charged between us, silent static like the moment when the conductor raises his baton, right before the music begins. The moment that says, Hold your breath. The show’s about to start.

  Ms. Jackson lifted her arms, the wings of her astronaut suit rising with her.

  “Let the sales begin!”

  CHAPTER FIVE VALERIE

  Thursday / October 31

  I’d already known Wes would be at the Halloween Market before I got there. Not just because fate is cruel, which it definitely is, but because I’d seen the list of marketplace vendors on Ms. Jackson’s desk during our mentorship meeting yesterday. I didn’t mean to see it. It was literally just sitting right there next to her WORLD’S BEST TEACHER coffee mug. How was I supposed to resist?