I reach for my phone on my nightstand, desperate for distraction, only to find a missed call from Mom.
And a text.
Shit.
Mom: Call me back ASAP.Important.Love you!
I stare at the screen like it’s rigged to explode.
I don’t want to talk about Mina’s doljanchi at seven thirty in the morning.
I debate my options.I could pretend I didn’t see it.I could fake sleep.But if Idon’trespond soon, she’ll assume I’m dead and start callingEthan.
And if Ethan gets dragged into this first, he willabsolutelycall me to demand why I didn’t intervene sooner.And if I don’t answerhim, he’ll be straight down here, bursting through my door and stealing my leftovers.
With a sigh, I dial her number and press the phone to my ear.
She picks up on the first ring.
“Anna, sweetie.Finally.I was starting to think you’d fallen off the face of the earth.”
Oh my god, you’d think I’d been ignoring her for days.
I sigh, already regretting this.“Hi, Mom.What’s up?”
“I wanted to check in about Mina’s doljanchi.I know we talked about you helping with RSVPs and the dol table, but you don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
I frown, wishing I had gotten coffee before making this call.“Wait—what?”
“Tessa and I have it all handled,” she says breezily, like this isn’t a huge revelation.“Invitations were sent weeks ago, and the dol table is already planned.I found the perfect hanbok for Mina, the baekseolgi cake is ordered, and the doljabi setup is going to besocute.Tessa has been wonderful—she made sure we got the traditional bokjori for luck and even found a silk table runner to match Mina’s outfit.”
I blink, trying to process.“Wait… that means when you came over a few days ago, you already had this stuff organized.And you’re only telling me now?”
“Of course, sweetie,” she says, like this is totally normal.“I’m telling youandEthan now so neither of you can back out by dragging your feet the way you both tend to do.Besides, did you honestly think I’d put either of you on something as important as the invites and dol table?”
I let out a slow breath, oddly impressed.“Wow.That’s...calculated.”
Momtskslike she didn’t just admit to a Taylor Swift level mastermind.“Iknewyou’d say something like that.But it’sMina’sday, Anna.We just want it to be special.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose.“Okay, so if you and Tessa did everything, what exactly do you need me for?I mean, other than to show up in full Korean garb.”
“Oh—” Her voice brightens, and I instantly regret asking.“I need you on the music.”
I sit up so fast my phone almost slips from my hand.“I’m sorry,what?”
“The music,” she repeats, like this isn’t a big deal.“You’ll be in charge of it.”
I scoff.“Mom.Mina’sone.She doesn’t care what’s playing.Hell, I could put on an endless stream of Ni Hao, Kai-Lan in the background and she’d be happier.”
“You’re right,” she agrees easily, and for a second, I think I’ve won.
Then she lands therealpunch.Because, she’s my mother.
“So I guess you and Joel can just play some music together.”
I choke.“I’m sorry,say huh?”
“You used to love playing together all the tine,” she says, like this is a fond nostalgia moment and not an absolute nightmare.“I still remember when you and Joel would practice in Ethan’s room for hours.Oh, you weresocute.You’d get all serious when he’d try to improvise, and he’d just laugh and say you were too structured—remember that?”