OUR HEARTBEAT [BEOMJUN] ✅

fourteen

“It’s our favorite day of the week,” Sieun said into the mic after we’d finished giving our opening lines.

“Speak for yourself,” I said.

Sieun laughed. “Beom loves all of you, he just has a hard time showing it. But it looks like you guys love us, too, because I’ve been told four callers are waiting on the lines.”

Sumin patched the first one through.

“You’re on Not My Problem,” Sieun said.

The caller came in fast. “My parents favor my younger sister, and I don’t know what to do about it. They are constantly comparing me to her. Asking me why my grades aren’t as good as hers, why I don’t dress as nicely as her, why I don’t want to wear the style of makeup she wears. It’s frustrating and I don’t know how to make them see me as my own person.”

“Have you told them that it frustrates you when they do this stuff?” Sieun asked.

“They get defensive, say that’s not what they’re trying to do. That they are just pointing out things that I can improve on.”

“By using your sister as the measuring stick?” I ask.

“Exactly.”

“That is frustrating,” I said.

“I think she wants real advice, Beom,” Sieun said, “not just an agreement.”

“Oh, right, I’d almost forgotten why people call in.”

The girl laughed a little. “It’s actually nice to hear someone agree with me. I’m so used to having to defend my side against people who don’t.”

“Your friends don’t agree with you?” Sieun asked.

“I don’t really talk to my friends about family drama.”

“Well, there’s your first piece of advice from me,” Sieun said. “You need to vent more. It helps.”

“I agree with Sieun. Venting is validating. Whoa, that was a lot of Vs.” I was learning to just say whatever came into my head. It seemed to work well for the other podcast hosts I’d been listening to lately.

“And just keep trying,” Sieun said. “Hopefully your parents will hear you.”

Advice. Advice. Come on, Gyu, you can think of actual advice, not just snark. “Write a letter,” I blurted out. “Sometimes, when someone can read something, without being able to interrupt, they process it better. They don’t get as defensive.”

“I haven’t tried that one yet,” the caller replied. “I think I will.”

“Good luck,” Sieun said. When the caller hung up, Sieun gave me a little nod. I wasn’t sure if that meant she approved of my input or what, but it seemed encouraging.

Sumin put the next caller through.

“Caller, you’re on Not My Problem. How can we help?” Sieun asked.

“I’m a vegetarian,” the caller said.

“Is that the problem?” I asked.

“Well, it’s part of the problem. I get that people can’t make special accommodations for me all the time. But whenever my friends and I go out, they want to go to Burger Palace. You know, the place that only sells burgers?”

“They sell fries, too,” I said.

“I would know. That’s all I ever get. And I don’t mind tagging along with them week after week, but every once in a while, I’d love it if they wanted to go somewhere I want to go. Every time I suggest a new place, they turn their nose up at it and say that I can meet them at Burger Palace with my special food.”