Low on Serotonin

Soul Like Hers

"Dude hurry the fuck up!"

"Pro I can't find my black cargo shirt. Without it my outfit is incomplete and I've to look picture perfect today."

I am wearing black cargo pants and a raisin colored tube top. And not to forget my brand new off-white sneakers.

"Man why do you care about your outfit so much? You've got Korean skin for crying out loud!"

"Cause you know Pro my outfit gives a boost to my self esteem that had touched rock bottom 5 years ago. One's outfit is more important than one thinks. "

I am done searching in the almirah, I turn back and get scared seeing Pro with the jacket and a frown that clearly says Lets get our asses outta here!

*****

Here we are finally, five girls standing, wearing cargo pants which by the way was my idea, all ready to shake a leg on Deuces by Chris Brown. I guess I did not tell you. We have been practicing for like a month to perform at Palak and Jose's wedding Sangeet. Yes you got that right! We will be giving a hip hop performance on the day of an Indian girl's Sangeet! I wonder though, how Jose won Palak over cause Palak is the brains behind this really popular Saree brand in India and Jose is, well, Jose.

So basically the whole idea is to follow Pro. She is choreographing the entire thing. Dance is Pro's second love. Her first love is computers. She's a total tech geek and I find that supremely impressive. Partly because I don't know shit about computers. Well she's a software Engineer now and owns a consultancy firm with Archie and Nilansh which is headquartered here in the South of Pennsdale.

We are about to do the last round today when Joaquin Oppa, my elder brother, enters with his crew. He has had this same gang since forever. He was in a boarding school so you can understand how the bonds he created there last forever.

My father was a migrant from Spain and my mother was a Korean. She met him on the train to Busan and had the best nokcha with him that night, as she told us. Unfortunately, my parents died in an accident. My father left his earthly possessions to us. The four Js. Javiera, Joaquin, Joey and Jenna. We are his progeny.

Javiera is my Unnie, my elder sister and she is the matriarch of the house. Come to think of it, Javiera literally means the 'owner of the house'. She has been my mother since I can remember. Me and Joey are the twins and the youngest. Joaquin oppa is the second child and a target for Unnie's frequent rants. She wants him to act more like a man, take care of us and still be submissive. Her definition of a man is different but I have adored my Unnie for this since I can remember. My oppa still has to get Unnie's permission on where he can spend, who he can spend on and which girls to bring home. I am pretty sure he's going to settle down with the girl of Unnie's choice too!

My oppa I would say is the real man. Not by Unnie's definition. Not by the world's definition. But by mine. Coming to Joey, he gets on my nerves.

Anyway. Did I mention Nilansh is a part of Oppa's gang? The minute I see him I am reminded of his findyourmate profile and I decide to walk up to him, avoiding everybody else. Cause I know Nilansh thinks highly of me, partly because I am best friends with his sister and she keeps singing my praises in his ears and partly because...well, I don't know. Like why would such an accomplished and likeable guy like an under confident and awkward girl like me? He's surrounded by a lot of girls who are much more confident in their own self and they know what they want. And I am just...well I won't open that door or else I won't stop.

This spiral of self-deprecating thoughts stops me and I decide to check my phone instead, before Pro calls us for the final round. I see texts from Damien.