Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I bounced my leg in the cab ride over the bridge, looking out to the dark water. I had my phone in my hand, hoping my screen will light up with Jamie’s name. Every now and then, I would try to ring him again, hoping he’ll answer and tell me he’s at home. Nothing. I leaned my head back in the seat, closed my eyes and finally let the tears fall down on my face. I hate that I wasn’t closer when I got his call. I hate that I didn’t pick up sooner. He called for help. God knows why he needs help, but I’m scared to find out what the actual fuck happened.

Please Jamie, please be okay.

The traffic was heavy and I was growing impatient. 106th street, 105th street. I couldn’t stand sitting in this car anymore now that I was back in the city. I don’t even remember hopping out of the car, I just did, and started running down the blocks. People turned their heads when I would run by, I mean I can only assume why were but I can’t clearly say; I don’t remember seeing anything in front of me while I ran. By the time I got to 96th street, I hopped on the nearest train to head downtown.

I feel absolutely dreadful knowing that something happened to Jamie. What the fuck am I suppose to do if it’s worse than expected? He doesn’t know how to navigate the streets of the city; for fuck’s sake, he’s only been here for 2 and a half months. What the fuck was I thinking to let him go about his day without checking in on him? Ask him if he’s doing okay? Tell him that I hope he was having a good day at work.

I don’t remember when it was finally my stop, but I raced out of the train station and into the streets of Manhattan. I just have to make it home, he’s probably home; his phone died but he’s home and charging it but he’s home and everything is going to be completely fine.

I opened the door of my apartment building and headed straight to the elevator. I pressed the button what felt like 100 times until it finally reached the lobby. Once it got to my floor, I power-walked passed a family heading the elevator as I went in the direction of my apartment. Pulled my keys out of my bag and put them into the door and turned, I opened the door slowly.

I wish I came home to him. I wish I saw him sitting on the sofa reading a book or working on a case file as he looked up and smiled in my direction, like he has for the last couple of months. I wish I was able to hug him, feel him in my arms, smell his cotton-scent cologne and felt his lips kiss the top of my head.

I didn’t get any of that that day.

“Jamie?” I called out to the apartment. Nothing seemed like it was moved or touched since this morning. I walked to all the rooms in the apartment; he wasn’t anywhere in there. I began to panic, where the fuck would he be? I waited for what possibly felt like hours for him to hopefully come back home. He never did.

I don’t remember when or how I got there, but I began to bang on Ari’s front door of her apartment. Quickly after, she opened it; she looked extremely confused.

“Grace?” Ari answered. I felt the knot forming in my throat; I wanted to cry. I wanted to know where Jamie was. I wanted to hold him, kiss him, let him know that I…

Ari must’ve known how panicked I was, because she instantly looked at me with worry written across her face. She immediately looked into her apartment and gestured me to come in. I walked straight into the apartment.

“Are you alright?” The sound of Ari’s voice brought me back to reality, and I quickly turned around, taking in a deep breath. I needed to gather my thoughts.

“Have you heard from Jamie?” I asked. Ari looked confused.

“No? I last spoke to him at the job, but that’s it.” Ari recalled. I began to hyperventilate. I feel my chest closing in, I couldn’t breathe, and Ari immediately knew something was not right.

“Grace,” Ari started. “What happened?”

I couldn’t hold it in anymore. The words came out faster than I can regulate them.

“It’s Jamie, he’s–” I literally couldn’t get the words out.

“Grace, breathe.” I mimicked Ari’s deep breath technique to calm down. When I was able to get my breathing in control, I continued the thought I was having.

“Jamie called me. I couldn’t hear much, but he wasn’t okay. He said he needed help and I couldn’t get to him on time because I was out of the city visiting Max’s family and now I can’t get a hold of him and I don’t know where he is!” I gasped for air trying to get the story out.

“Is he back at your apartment?” Ari asked.

“I checked. Nothing. I just–” I took a deep breath and felt the tears forming in my eyes. “What if something happened to him, Ari? What if he got himself in some deep shit and now nowhere knows where he is? He’s my fucking responsibility and God Forbid if he’s hurt someone in the city, what am I going to tell his family if something horrible happened?!”

“Grace,” Ari calmly said. “Jamie is a grown ass man. He’s able to take care of himself.”

“He’s only been here for 2 and a half months! He doesn’t know just how fucked up being in the city can be, especially for someone that doesn’t know anything about the city in general! It’s my fault if anything bad happened to him, It’s my fault that I didn’t let him know the bad parts of the city or that there’s just certain things that he can’t do! What the fuck if he’s dead, Ari?” I pleaded.

“Stop it.” Ari sternly said. She was annoyed not at the situation, but the fact that I kept blaming Jamie’s disappearance on myself. “You can’t hold his hand throughout his time here. He chose to come live here. Anything he does doesn’t fall on you.”

I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that Jamie is okay and anything that he does is on him, not on me. But I can’t help but still put that blame on myself. He came back here for me. He came back to the states because he wanted to see me again and I can’t help but feel like whatever is happening to him is my responsibility. Fuck Jamie, where are you?

I immediately start crying out of desperation. “Ari… please…” I pleaded. I don’t remember the last time I heaved when I cried. I felt like my heart was breaking. I felt absolutely helpless. I felt like I was incapable of doing anything right. I felt like no matter what, the people closest to me always end up getting hurt. I was scared for Jamie. All I wanted was to see Jamie and hold him and fall asleep next to him.

For fuck’s sake, I love him.

The next thing I knew, Ari was holding me in her arms, trying to calm me down. She was rubbing small circles on my back as I cried in her lap I felt like I couldn’t stop. Eventually I did, because I don’t rmember when I finally passed out on Ari’s couch. She shook me awake, trying to get my attention.

“Grace, bb?” Ari gently said. I looked up at her with groggy eyes. “Do you want to see if he made it home?” I sat up slowly and nodded my head. She grabbed my hand to help me up. I gathered my stuff and waked out of the apartment with Ari and her boyfriend, Dean.

We got back to my apartment building in about 15 minutes. Dean pulled up in front of the building, and Ari got out of the car with me before I headed inside. She called out for me as I was about to open the front door of the building.

“Grace,” Ari called me. I turned around as she walked up to me. She didn’t say anything at first; it was like she was trying to gather her words as efficiently as possible. That’s how Ari was; she was a tough bitch and she gave out some of the toughest love I got from a friend, but when she knows I need some reassurance. she’s still able to hold me up and help me when I simply can’t do anything. This was one of those times.

The other time was when Max and I first broke up. I remember banging on her door, heartbroken and crying. It took me days to get out of her apartment, but she understood that I needed the extra time to get my thoughts together. Now that I come to think of it, Ari got me through some of the toughest times in my life. Maybe that’s why she’s so good to get me through the bad times, like today.

“You know Jamie loves you, right?” I wasn’t expecting her to say that. She knew that was well, because I didn’t say anything back to her. Ari faintly smiled at me. “He wouldn’t disappear because of you, and he’s probably okay. Don’t blame this shit on yourself.” Ari hugs me before looking back at me.

“Text me if anything, babes.” I nodded my head and began to open the front door once more.

I turned the key into the front door of my apartment, hoping to finally catch my breath after going hours of not doing so. I turn the doorknob and slowly open it. I open my eyes ad see the inside of my apartment.

Jamie’s here.

Sometimes, I wonder if I should’ve listened to Mina when she first told me that something’s aren’t what they seem to be.

“Jaemin,” Mina said over dinner one night a little over a year ago. “Are you sure you want to go to the States for this case?”

“I don’t really have any other chose, Noona.” Mina would raise her eyebrows when she didn’t agree with me on something. I would look at Lia, mimicking the expression as well. Sisters, man.

“We just worry about you, Jaemin-dongsaeng.” Lia chimed in. I smiled at my older sisters to reassure them that I would be alright.

“It’s only for a couple of months,” I started. “Besides, I think it would be good for me to explore a bit. It’s New York City.”

“Is that the fancy place in America?” Lia asked.

“It’s like Seoul, but just in America. A lot of lights, busy streets…”

“And people who are dangerous.” Mina added. I rolled my eyes at the comment.

“It’s a company case, Mina. I’m not going to be the only Korean walking the streets of New York City.” I stated.

“I’m just saying, Jaemin. Some things are not what they seem.” Mina said.

I sat at my case going through the case files over and over again. I held my head in my hands in exhaustion; nothing in this case is coming together the way the team wants it to and it just makes me worry that this might be the case I don’t win. The first case in the states, and I can’t solve it for the life of me.

I lean back in my chair and take in the office. Little by little, I’ve been making it more of my own. I have pictures of my life in Korea: Mina-noona, Lia-noona, Eomma. and then I have pictures of my life here in the States: Grace and little bean. I smile to myself, suddenly feeling a sense of guilt for not being around as much as I would like to. It makes me wonder if Grace feels like this when she’s active on a case; wants to be with the people she loves but she literally can’t because a case eats her up alive.

My eyes quickly scanned the person at the door. It’s Ari, Grace’s closest friend. She knocks and opens the door.

“Hey there,” Ari greeted. I smiled and greeted her back with a wave of my hand. She checks her watch for the time and looks back up.

“You’re not about to do overtime and stay here all night, man,” Ari stated. “You people gotta learn how to turn it off when it’s time to go.”

I smiled and cocked my eyebrows up. “Does Grace get this same message on her days on a case?”

“Pretty much, but they are way meaner.” Ari confidently smiled.

“May I help you with anything, Ms. Johnson?” Ari laughs; I’m assuming because of the name change.

“I’m just here to tell you that you’re off and you can get the hell out of here and go home to your woman.” Ari said in a sassy manner.

I don’t know if she noticed just how red my face got when she spoke about Grace like that. It was hard to explain what Grace and I were; nowadays we’re just so busy and just tend to meet up at night on the sofa to be in each other’s company. More like friends than anything else.

“Also,” Ari continued and nodded her head in a direction across the room. “Do you mind taking that with you when you leave? It’s Grace’s stuff from her office; I figured since you two live under the same roof, you can bring her her shit she left behind.”

I looked at the box on the floor across from me. At first, I was confused. Why would she just leave her things here? Why are they even in a box? I looked back at Ari, who’s expression quickly changes as soon as she sees mine.

“What’s going on with Grace?” I sternly said. Ari takes in a deep breath and looks more annoyed than worried.

“Now I’m the bad guy for telling you something that she should’ve told you ages ago.” Ari defensively says.

I’m in complete shock. So many different things are running through my head. When did she leave the firm? Why did she leave in the first place? How is she going to support herself and Willow? Why would she leave the one thing she loved doing the most? Why wouldn’t she just tell me?

I don’t remember when the pieces started to be put together. All I remember is taking Grace’s box of things and walked to my car at the end of the work day. I remember looking at the box in the back seat. I remember seeing the case file that I tossed into the passenger’s seat. I remember looking into it and finally driving uptown towards Harlem.

Harlem doesn’t look like the rest of the city. I know that The Bronx is just a couple of train stops up North, and this isn’t the safest neighborhood to be in, but a case was a case and I just needed a distraction from everything circulating in my head.

I remember getting out of my car and walking towards some sort of building. I remember being so caught up in the details that I didn’t realize someone had stopped me on the street. I looked up to see this guy, who was asking me for the time. Stupid me went to look at my watch and all I felt was something hit my face extremely hard.

Everything else is a blur. I saw multiple feet on the pavement. I felt the ringing in my ears when I hit the ground. I saw blood and then felt my stomach being kicked in by a boot. I gasped for air, trying so hard to regain some normal breathing.

Mom hugged me when I was leaving her house the night before I was set to leave Korea to go back to America. She looked at me with sad eyes, but she smiled every time I would catch her looking sad.

“Eomma,” I gently began. “Will you be okay when I’m away?” My mother nodded her head, hoping she could believe herself in the process of convincing me she will be.

“Of course I will be okay. No matter where you go, you’ll always find your way back home.” She smiled as she said that and a part of me regrets feeling like this will be the last time I’ll be in Korea in a long time. I hope she understands that home for me is in another country, and I have to go after that home.

She hugs me and I could sense her not wanting to let go. She looks up at me, happy that I’m going after what I want despite how life-changing it could be. She takes a deep breath and shoos me out of the house playfully.

You’re going to be late for your flight; I’ll talk to you when you land.” I smiled back at her and left her house that night.

Everything was a blur after a while. My watch was not on my wrist, and my bag was tossed all over the sidewalk. My glasses were split in half. I couldn’t see much. I just remember taking my phone out of my pocket; it was also pretty cracked and damaged. I called Grace and there wasn’t an answer. I don’t remember how many times I called her, and every time I tired to get through, I couldn’t remember what was going on around me. I faintly heard her voice.

I don’t remember what I told her. I don’t remember even hanging up the phone. It was just darkness.

“Jamie,” I heard her voice and smelled her freshly-washed shampoo. I opened my eyes and saw her looking down at me. She tassled my hair. “We gotta get up.”

I smiled and held her close to me. “It’s too cold to get out of bed today.” I said. Grace placed her hand on my chest and looked me in the eyes.

“I know, but who else is going to run this city?” Grace jokingly said. She got up from the bed and stood on it with her hands on her hips in a superhero stance.

“We got to serve justice in this city!” She said out loud. I quickly get up and grab her by her legs and bring her down to bed, she laughs as I tickle her.

“Okay, okay , okay! You win! We’re back in bed.” Grace said in defeat. I smiled at her and stared. If anything, she won.

If anything, I lost.

Mollie pulls down her dress when she sits on the living room couch. She watches Willow walk into her direction with a toy in hand. The biggest smile is now on her face and she starts to play with Willow.

The women in Max’s family, his aunt and grandmother, come into the living room area with Max trailing behind her. In the slightest moment, Willow walks towards Max, who then picks her up and sits down with the rest of the ladies.

Katie: It’s so great you can make it here today, Grace.

Grace: The pleasure is all mine, Katie.

Katie smiles and looks over to Eleanor, Max’s grandmother.

Eleanor: Max has told us that you still work at the firm.

Grace: *hesitant* Uhm, yeah…

Eleanor: Is that why you stayed in the city?

Grace looks at Max, who also looks just as uncomfortable as she does. Willow makes a squeal and the attention is now on Willow. Grace is grateful she can avoid the awkward conversation.

Katie: Willow has grown so much in such little time.

Max: I know. It seems like the more pictures I send of her to you guys, the more she changes.

Max sets Willow down, and then walks over to Grace once more. Grace smiles.

Eleanor: She’s starting to look so much like you, dear.

Grace looks up at Eleanor and smiles at the comment. She looks back down at Willow, who sits right in between Grace’s legs and plays with her toys.

Katie: *to Max* Emily was very happy to see those pictures of Willow when you visited. She wanted me to print a photo out for her so she can keep it in her room.

Max: Yeah, that would be nice. Once Willow is a bit older, it would be nice to fly out there again and introduce her to Mum.

Grace listens in on the conversation. She knows Max well enough to know that he doesn’t like to speak about his mother; he never really did when they were together. She knows that talking about his mother is a sore spot, and Grace never wanted to push him to talking more about her, but this doesn’t seem like the case. She’s actually pretty happy for him that he’s able to talk more about her, for the sake of their daughter.

Eleanor: She would love that. *to Grace* How’s your family been doing?

Grace: Everyone’s doing well–

Eleanor: Do they still live in the city as well?

Grace: *annoyed* They do live in the city…

Max: Nan, let’s go into the kitchen and start preparing some food for dinner.

Eleanor: Of course, dear.

They both get up and walk towards the kitchen. Grace is left in the living room with Katie, who sits there and doesn’t say much. Grace tries to at least be cordial and start up a conversation.

Grace: How are you and your mother liking New York so far?

Katie: We like it. We tend to sometimes go into the city to do more of the tourist things, but on most days, we stay in the area.

Grace nods her head. Her phone vibrates but doesn’t answer it right away. She instantly gets distracted when Katie picks up the conversation again.

Katie: How are you and Max doing?

Grace: *pauses* We’re doing good!

Katie: Eleanor doesn’t know that you and him are not living together. He told me already.

Grace doesn’t know what to say, so Katie does the talking instead.

Katie: Max mentioned that you guys co-parent and that you still live in the city… Of course not out of spite, just to just let us know what’s going on between you two.

Grace takes in the new information and watches Willow play with her toys.

Grace: We decided that things were better off this way, especially for Willow.

Katie: It’s a shame that you and Willow didn’t come to England when Max was visiting. His mum was really excited to meet the young one.

Grace tries to hide the guilt she feels, and quickly composes herself.

Grace: Like Max said, perhaps when she’s older, she will visit.

Katie ends the conversation there. Grace shifts in her seat; her phone continues to vibrate in her bag on her side, she doesn’t answer. Katie starts up the conversation again.

Katie: I don’t mean to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do…

Grace: *annoyed* Then please don’t. Max and I know what we’re doing and this is the best for all of us.

Katie: I’m just trying to help.

Grace: We didn’t ask you to.

Katie: You guys are still planning to get married, right?

Grace is now confused and visibly annoyed and her phone is still vibrating in her bag. Before she ultimately decided to get up to leave, Max and Eleanor come into the living room with snacks in hand. They offer the women sitting in the living room.

Max: So, what’d we miss?

None of the women say anything in response. Max senses that something went wrong while he was away.

Max: Grace? Katie?

Katie: *to Eleanor* Did he tell you yet?

Eleanor: Tell me what?

Max: Auntie–

Katie: The wedding is called off.

Eleanor: *confused* What?

Katie: They aren’t even together. That’s why they don’t live together.

Max: Auntie, that’s enough.

Katie: You should’ve told us the truth, Max. And the fact that I had to find out through Grace?!

Grace widens her eyes as Max looks straight at her.

Grace: I wasn’t aware that you told them everything, Max.

Max looks at Grace, not knowing what to say or do in this situation. Grace gets up from her seat, and gathers her bag.

Grace: I din’t know what is going on here, but to set the record straight, Max and I are not together. We aren’t getting married, and we live in different places because we aren’t together anymore. We co-parent Willow, we are still very much in each other’s lives, but there will not be a wedding or us “getting back together”.

Silence is in the room until Grace’s phone again vibrates in her bag.

Grace: If you can excuse me, I need to answer this call.

Grace walks out of the living room into the foyer and looks in her bag. She doesn’t understand who keeps calling her. In the middle of her search, Max comes into the foyer.

Max: Grace–

Grace turns around, she looks annoyed at Max.

Grace: Seriously, Max? You couldn’t be honest with your family about what’s going on?

Max: I told them we weren’t living together when they first came; I didn’t realize they would translate that as in us taking a break and that the wedding was still on!

Grace: We don’t live together! Wouldn’t the next sensible thing to ask was “oh, what’s going on with you and Grace?” I’m tired having to be the bad guy in situations because you refuse to man up and tell it how it is.

Max: *annoyed* Well I apologize for not wanting to have this conversation in front of our daughter who’s beginning to wonder where the hell you are half of the time.

That catches Grace off-guard.

Grace: What?

Max: She asks about you, Grace. She’s growing up and she’s starting to wonder why you aren’t around. How the hell am I suppose to explain to Willow in front of my family that you’re not coming home tonight; that this isn’t your home?

Grace takes everything in and once again, he phone begins to ring. She grows frustrated and begins to dig in her bag for her phone. She successfully finds it and answers.

Grace: Why the hell are you calling me for? Who is this?

Grace hears coughing in the back. She takes the phone away from her ear to finally see who’s the person she picked up. It reads “Jamie.” She puts the phone back to her ear.

Grace: Jamie?

Jamie: *barely audiable* … dowa… dowa… hel–

The line disconnects. She looks at her phone; no bars are available. Grace tosses her phone in her bag in a frenzy.

Grace: I gotta go.

Max: *annoyed* Of course. Choosing something else other than your daughter, classic Grace Ashmore.

Grace: I don’t know when or if we will ever be on good terms for the sake of Willow, but just know that you’re unwillingness to communicate with the people around you because you’re afraid they’re gonna think of you differently, is only going to hurt Willow in the end. And until Willow is old enough to understand that we love her despite what and where her parents are, we have to stand up for her, so no one does the job that we need to do.

Grace leaves the house in a hurry. Max just stands there with his hands on his hips.

It’s leaning towards the end of August and going into September. Everyone’s summer is coming to an end, kids are going back to school, vacations are not being taken as often, but the weather is still hot as ever.Grace wakes up one morning and stretches. She looks to her left and sees that the bed is empty. Again. Grace sighs and begins to get out of bed.

She rubs her eyes in exhaustion and looks around the room. She grabs her phone to see a message from her mom.

Mollie: Important meeting with the investors later today. Make sure you’re on time.

Grace tosses her phone on the bed and gets up. She looks at herself through the mirror, she’s noticed she’s lost a bit of weight by the way she’s constantly having to pull up her pajama pants. She goes to sit back down on the bed, taking in a moment before starting her day.

Across town, Jamie is sitting in a conference room with a bunch of other attorneys; he looks around while each of them talk about the case he’s working on. He rubs his eyes in exhaustion, and quickly blinks to snap out of it.

Attorney Carson: This isn’t just a case that’s easily solvable through some evidence. The perpetrators are violent people, and they committed a heinous crime against a young woman walking home just blocks away from her friends house.

Jamie continues to listen along to the debriefing until Attorney Carson looks at him. He then straightens in his seat.

Attorney Carson: Mr. Kim, did you speak with the detectives who worked the case?

Jamie: *shuffles in his files* Yes, they provided us with some of Joseph Mendez’s background information…

Jamie searches for the paperwork and pulls it out.

Jamie: Mr. Mendez seems to be the ringleader of these group of men in upper Manhattan. They linked him to a couple of burglaries and assaults within the last year, something that seems to be common in these group of men.

Attorney Carson: Any evidence of this gang he’s a part of?

Jamie: Nothing concrete, but they are trying to link a back tattoo to the Los Lobos street gang.

Attorney Carson: Alright. Proceed to keep working with the NYPD to gather some insight on the case, meeting adjourned.

The rest of the force gets up to leave the conference room while Jamie still sits there, reading the case file over and over and over again.

—

A little later in the day, Grace is seen dancing an energetic piece. Her mom, Mollie, stand in the sidelines to count beats. Once the song is over, Grace stops dancing and places her hands on her knees to breathe.

Mollie: Okay, okay, not bad. You’re really making good progress. *gets up from seat* Let’s review some positions.

Grace: *sighs* Do we really need to?

Mollie: Yes, we do. How do you expect new dancers the terminology if you don’t remember it?

Grace sighs and walks in front of her mother. Her mother begins to call out some terminology, in which Grace listens and gets in position.

Mollie: So I heard back from your aunt about the business; everything should be ready to be handed over to you in a month.

Grace: *shocked* A month?!

Grace loses her balance and stumbles in place.

Mollie: Yeah? Grace I told you that the deal was closing in. Are you not ready?

Mollie calls out another position, in which Grace takes a moment to remember the position for it.

Grace: I know, but, I thought I at least had like another couple of months to be ready.

Mollie: You’ll never be fully ready with a passion, Grace. You will nitpick every little detail until you burn yourself out and you just have to accept that your best is enough.

Grace gets out of the position and stands there.

Grace: *in thought* I don’t think I’ll ever be enough.

Mollie: *notices* In dance, or is there something else going on?

Grace doesn’t say anything. Instead, her phone rings in her bag on the bench in which she walks over to answer it. Mollie shakes her head and steps out of the rehearsal room momentarily.

Grace: Hello?

Max: Hey Grace, are you still coming over tonight for dinner?

Grace: Fuck, that’s tonight?

Max: … it’s in an hour, Grace.

Grace holds her head, frustrated.

Grace: Yeah, I’ll be there.

She hangs up the call and moves immediately to her messages. She frowns after tapping Jamie’s name.

Grace: I’ll be running late today. Sorry for the late notice.

She waits a moment to see if Jamie would respond. He doesn’t. She rolls her eyes and puts her phone back into her bag.

Grace: I have to get going. I promise Max I would help with Willow.

Mollie doesn’t say anything. Grace walks out of the studio to head home and start getting ready.

People walking in hallways with files in their hands, Jamie opens the front door of the firm and walks into the lobby. He looks around, taking in the environment before heading to the front desk. He looks towards the receptionist, Mai, who proceeds to look up at him when he approaches the desk.

Mai: Good Morning, how can I assist you today?

Jamie: *whispers* It’s my first day here, uhm–

Jamie struggles to find the words until Mai intervenes.

Mai: I’ll ring Mr. Carter for you.

Jamie quickly bows and regrets it instantly. Mai looks visibly confused. A few moments later, a man is coming out of the elevator and walks to the front desk.

Mr. Carter: Mr. Kim?

Jamie: It’s a pleasure to be here, sir.

Jamie extends his arm out for a handshake, but Mr. Carter doesn’t accept. Jamie quickly puts his arm back to the side and proceeds with the conversation.

Jamie: So Sir, I–

Mr. Carter: You’ll be going to the 15th floor, fourth door on your left. Get yourself adjusted and situated and be present for the debriefing later this afternoon. I’ll see you soon.

Mr. Carter walks away in a different direction and Jamie is left there, a bit speechless. Mai breaks the silence.

Mai: The elevators are to the right, Sir.

Jamie: Thank you.

Jamie walks away from the desk and proceeds to the elevators to go up to the 15th floor.

—

Jamie opens the door to an empty looking office. He looks around, and sets his bag on the empty desk. He walks around the desk to see a closed box on the floor next to a bookshelf. He looks at it until a knock is heard on the door. A young woman comes into the office.

Lucia: Hi, I just wanted to hand you over these files for the meeting later on.

Jamie: Thank you…Can I ask what’s the meeting about?

Lucia: It’s a meeting about the upcoming case you’ll be assigned for.

Jamie widens his eyes in shock.

Jamie: Are you sure? It’s only my first day here.

Lucia opens the file and looks into it.

Lucia: If I’m not mistaken, I was directed to give this file to a person named… Jamie Kim…

Lucia hands over the file to Jamie. Jamie looks down at it and back up to Lucia.

Lucia: We’ll see you in the meeting in about an hour.

Lucia walks out of the room. Jamie sits down at his desk and places the file on it. He’s still in shock that he’s about to dive into a case the first day on the job.

Across the city…

A woman is heard counting loudly in a rehearsal room, staring intently at the people who are watching themselves in a mirror. There are a room full of dancers dancing to choreography to an upbeat song. In the crowd of dancers stands Grace, who is surprisingly keeping up with the moves given to the group. To hype the dancers up, the instructor yells out key points of the dance for emphasis. Once the song is over, the dancers catch their breath.

Instructor: Okay everyone, thank you for your time. Number 4, 5 12, 14, 16, 24, and 25 please report to the lobby.

Grace looks down at the number on her chest: it’s 16. She looks back to see the other called dancers walk up to the instructor. The instructor begins to talk to some of the dancers during the break. As Grace walks towards the instructor, her phone vibrates. It’s a message from Ari.

Ari: Saw your lover boy at the firm today.

Grace rolls her eyes and backs out from the message. She looks up when she notices the instructor looking in her direction.

Instructor: Grace Ashmore?

Grace places her phone back into her hoodie pocket.

Grace: Yes?

Instructor: Can I speak to you privately?

Grace and the instructor head over to the front door of the studio room to talk in private. When they are outside, the instructor turns around towards Grace.

Instructor: I wanted to pull you aside to discuss a couple of things since you are one of the newer people here at the studio…

Grace doesn’t say anything back, she attentively listens.

Instructor: Have you ever danced before?

Grace is taken back by the question at first.

Grace: Uhm, yes; growing up and into college.

The instructor looks visibly surprised.

Instructor: I find it hard to believe that you’ve had so much training, Ms. Ashmore. Excuse me for my critique, but your technique is subpar and your footwork has little to no correlation. Maybe the type of dance you learned was just “trendy” and “viral”, I don’t know. I’m sorry dear, it’s just not going to work.

Grace: Wait what?! Ma’am, I studied at Julliard on a partial scholarship. I didn’t just pick up dance from the internet. I trained for years, what are you saying?!

Instructor: Perhaps your technique and footwork were the things that held you back from getting the full scholarship to Julliard.

Grace is furious.

Grace: If you think running your studio requires you being a bitch to your dancers because you’re on this high horse of power that means absolutely fucking nothing in this world, then by all means, I want no parts in it.

Grace walks to open the door to the studio to grab her things before the instructor says something else to her.

Instructor: You talk like you’ve run a successful business before, dear. I am simply trying to better you.

Grace turns around and looks at the instructor one last time.

Grace: You talk like you’re the only dance studio to exist in this world. There are other people that help me become a better dancer.

Grace enters the rehearsal room to get her things.

Later that night…

Grace enters the apartment door with her duffel bag. She drops it near the front door, thinking she’s home alone. She’s surprised to see Jamie walk on of the bedroom. He looks exhausted.

Grace: Rough first day?

They both step over to the sofa and sink into it.

Jamie: I’m already assigned to a case.

Grace: Really? That’s not even fair, but I’m not surprised they would do that. They’ll do that to you.

Jamie places his head on Grace’s shoulder.

Jamie: I’m surprised you’re not back yet. I was hoping I’d see you today.

Grace: Yeah. I’m not needed for a case so I’m just on a break.

Jamie: I’m shocked they didn’t give you this case they gave me.

Grace: *annoyed* They give the newbies cases to get something under their belts at their firm so that they can overwork them to death. Trust me, I was one.

The room is silent. Grace takes in a deep breath.

Grace: I’m sorry, I didn’t have the greatest day.

Jamie: What did you do today?

Grace takes a second to think.

Grace: I went to work out. Let’s just say there were some women that weren’t nice.

Jamie lifts his head up and has Grace lean on him. Her head is now on his lap; he runs his hands through her hair. It calms Grace down instantly.

Jamie: We should go to the cafe tomorrow, I haven’t been back since I’ve been here.

Grace: It’s been a couple of months since I’ve been there.

Jamie looks down at Grace.

Jamie: You, Gracie, making your own coffee? Who are you and where’s jagiya?

Grace: *looks up at Jamie* You call me that a lot these days. What does it mean?

Jamie pauses for a moment.

Jamie: It’s just a nickname, it’s hard to translate in English…

Grace leaves it at that, and in a way Jamie is relieved she doesn’t dig deep into it.

Grace: Gamsahabnida.

Jamie: Mwo? *corrects himself* What?

Grace: For just letting me be… here.

Jamie smiles and continues to play in Grace’s hair and sit in silence.