Heart and Seoul by Jen Frederick

Author:Jen Frederick [Frederick, Jen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2021-05-25T00:00:00+00:00

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• • •

“GET OFF EARLY?” I ask, raising my voice slightly to be heard over the din of people in the metro station. Yujun had decided not to wait outside, but met me at the turnstiles. It was our compromise because, again, he wanted to pick me up and, again, I refused.

Yujun glances down at his jeans, ripped at the knee. “It’s casual day.”

“Is it Friday?” The days have run together like a watercolor painting in the rain and I’ve lost track.

“It is. Most Koreans don’t have casual day, though. Eomma implemented it a few years ago. We have a lot of Western influences at our office.” He gestures for me to get on the escalator in front of him. Tucked under one arm is a paper bag. I eye it curiously.

“Like what?”

“It’s not hierarchical. Remember the sunbae lesson? That’s how it is in most companies. Age and when you entered the company are strictly observed, but at IF Group, we treat everyone the same.” I can tell he’s very proud of this. “We have an anonymous suggestion box and everyone puts their ideas on how to improve the company in it. Every Friday we meet to discuss the suggestions.”

“If it’s anonymous, don’t you get a lot of people leaving bad comments about their coworkers?”

Yujun’s eyes flare in surprise. “No. Do you have a lot of bad coworkers?”

“Some. I mean, you can’t get along with everyone.”

“That’s true,” he acknowledges, “but even if you have complaints, those should be discussed because the workplace is one where you spend many hours. If there is something I am doing that creates conflict, I would want to know so that I can adjust my behavior.”

I wonder if there’s such a thing as being too good a human being. “We’re a lot more selfish in the West.”

“Independent,” he clarifies. “You’re more independent.”

Of course he spins it into something positive. “Did you have any suggestions today?”

“Someone thought we should paint the walls a color other than white.”

“Was that someone you?”

He bursts out laughing. “Me? Why me?”

“You don’t seem like someone who likes white.”

“I love white. My apartment is white.”

“All white?” I don’t believe him.

“There might be some yellow pillows, but that’s because Eomma forced them on me,” he proclaims.

“You’re wearing yellow right now.”

“It’s more of an off-white,” he says, plucking at the front of his pale lemon button-down with its rolled-up sleeves.

“Only if you’re color-blind,” I tease.

He stops in front of a row of bicycles and waves his wallet in front of a sensor. “Are you saying that yellow isn’t my color?”

“I don’t think there’s a color in the Pantone catalog that would look bad on you,” I reply as he rolls a bike out of the rack.

Slightly pink in the cheek, he holds it out for me. “Is that right?”

I smile at his mild embarrassment over my compliment. Yes, I decide, Yujun is too good and too pure and I hope he’s always like this forever because the world needs people like him.

“Are you going to tell me about the river?” I say as we pedal along the wide boulevard.

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