Autumnal Equinox (JinJi)

Ten

You Make My Dreams

Jisoo was excited when August ended and Boyoung Unni's wedding finally rolled around. She loved weddings and parties and she especially loved that a girl she had idolized and thought of the cool big sister that her parents never gave her was finally getting married.

The Parks had a small, intimate ceremony in the morning with just hers and Yoshiki's immediate family, who had flown all the way from Tokyo. Boyoung and her new husband were planning to fly back the following week so they could have another ceremony with the rest of Yoshiki's clan.

So it was late in the afternoon by the time Jisoo walked into the hall at the hotel where the reception was being held. She was a little late, though. Mostly her fault for waking up late and then forgetting that she still had to make sure her grandfather had dinner since her parents would be out of town tonight. Then she hurriedly got ready, telling her grandfather not to expect her back until later that night. She didn't realize she had left the still-broken door leaning against the side of the house when she left.

Bundles of wisteria and round white lanterns dangled from the ceiling, illuminating the hall with a soft, romantic glow. Tables had been set around a dance floor and were covered in white linens and centered with short vases overflowing with wild roses, lit by strings of fairy lights. The effect was whimsical and otherworldly. A midsummer night's dream of a wedding.

"Jisoo!" called out a beautiful young woman in a sparkling white gown. Jisoo rushed over to Boyoung Unni and wrapped her arms around her.

"Oh my god, I am so psyched that you could make it!" Boyoung said, crushing the younger girl to her chest.

"Congratulations," Jisoo said fondly. Beside them, a tall, tuxedoed groom with a man-bun clear his throat. Jisoo remembered her manners.

"Oh, hello," she said nervously, pulling herself from Boyoung's embrace. "I'm Kim Jisoo, I've heard so much about you."

"I've heard about you, too," said Yoshiki, giving her a firm handshake and a warm smile. "I heard you stole the show from Cinderella in the third grade."

"And I heard you're stealing the show again," Boyoung said. "From your mom this time. How's the program going?"

"Oh, it's coming along just fine, I think," Jisoo said. "The kids don't want to die every time they show up for rehearsals anymore, so I think we're making progress."

"Ugh, I can't wait to see it," Boyoung said, gripping Jisoo's hands. "I'm so glad you could make it, I missed you so much! And you've gotten so pretty! Five years away from home and you went from a five-and-a-half to a ten, damn girl!"

Jisoo did dress up a little, it was a wedding after all. She had unearthed a periwinkle dress from the giant luggage bag that she had yet to unpack and put her mother's steamer to good use before showing up. She curled her hair and let it fall over her shoulders like it naturally would. She was satisfied with her appearance when she left the house, but still, Jisoo swatted at Boyoung's compliments like flies.

"You're the bride here," Jisoo said. "No one's allowed to be a ten tonight except you."

"Huh, guess you're right," Boyoung said. After exchanging their pleasantries, Jisoo headed into the hall and quickly found her table. She was sitting with a few of Boyoung's college friends and some of the Parks' distant cousins.

Jisoo befriended them easily enough, learned about a recent trip they made to Las Vegas and a new baby in the family. She casually mentioned having spent time in Los Angeles and they prodded her for stories of what life was like on the Golden Coast. The only story she could tell that would satiate their hunger was an anecdote about the time she accidentally stole Joe Jonas' smoothie at a Jamba Juice and a thirty-second encounter with B. D. Wong at a photo shoot, which was only because she was taking care of lunch for the crew and needed to know if he had any food allergies.