I raise my can of soda, as I'm the only one here who's too young to drink. Everyone else at the party is drinking wine, or in my father's case, downing shots when Mom isn't looking. My father is going to be raging drunk once it's time for him to give his little speech at the end of the party. My father is CEO of CAA, or Choi Arms Association. Basically, anything with a barrel that shoots something, my father sells. This little get together right now is for the investors or whatever. I don't care, I'm just being forced to go to 'support my father in his endeavors'.

Anyway, I raise my soda can in a toast. For what, I don't know. I'm just going along with the flow so I can finally have a drink, because I haven't had anything to drink all day!

"To the investors, the employees, and to everyone who has helped to make this company a success!" My father announces, raising his glass of wine.

"Cheers!" the guests all raise their glasses as well, clinking them together, all smiles and happiness. I happily take a sip of my soda. The carbonated beverage with the slight cherry aftertaste flirted with my tastebuds. I try to refrain from downing the whole thing in one gulp, but instead take small, lady-like sips - do they seriously expect me to take lady-like sips if I'm drinking from a can? Really? - as I walk through the room, smiling at the people, looking for my mother. Soft classical music is playing in the background, a nice compliment to the sounds of hundreds of hushed conversations that filled the room.

I see a pair of women, both friends of my mother. We make eye contact, and they wave me over.

"Na-Ji!" The first woman, Oh Sun-Jung, calls to me, using the nickname she has for me that I hate.

"Hello Mrs. Oh!" I bow politely, biting my tongue to keep from correcting her on my name. I turn and bow to the second women, Lee Min-Ji. "Hello to you as well, Mrs. Lee. Are you both enjoying the party?"

"Oh, yes, Na-Ji, we're both enjoying ourselves very well!" Mrs. Oh says, giggling and sharing a look with Mrs. Lee. They both giggle some more, before composing themselves, and asking me, "How's your school going? Are you doing well?" Typical conversation that I seem required to have with adults.

"School is going well for me, thank you." I respond with a smile. "I'm almost done with my school year, and I've been studying very hard for my final exams."

"Oh, it's not too stressful, is it?" Mrs. Lee asks, coloring her tone with concern. "Stress isn't good for young souls like yourself!" I'm fifteen. Stress is perfectly normal at my age. If I was three, then it would be concerning. I think dryly, but I respond in perfect politeness,

"It's not too stressful, no. I'm excelling in most of my subjects, so for those subjects I'm just reviewing the old stuff from the beginning of the year that I'm a little rusty on. I have a lot of trouble with English, specifically learning how to read and write in it. So in order to help with that, my mother has started taking me to a tutor. He's from America, and has been helping me study after school."

"Wonderful!" Mrs. Oh exclaims, before something beyond my head catches her attention. "Oh, I'm sorry my dear Na-Ji, but I have to go attend to someone else at the moment. Ta ta!" With that, she turns and walks around me with Mrs. Lee, arm in arm. I blink a couple of times, take another sip of Cherry Coca Cola, and resume my efforts to find my mother. I search for several minutes, to no avail. I finished my cherry soda, and was now looking for a recycling bin. If I happened to find my mother along the way, great.

I find a recycling bin a few minutes later, after I've worked my way back to the bar, where I find my father ordering another shot of vodka. I throw my can in the bin, and debate whether I should make my presence known to my father. Our conversations are few and far between, and we normally never exchange more than basic greetings. I take a step up to him, reaching out my hand to touch his shoulder.

I was going to do it. I was going to get my father's attention, and we were going to exchange greetings, and maybe we would sit next to each other, me sipping soda, and my father taking those stupid god-forsaken shots. He and I were going to engage in the closest thing to familiar intimacy we could, and no one was gonna interrupt us!

I took a deep breath to calm myself. I wasn't supposed to get that emotional! I need to keep cool...

I lower my hand, and look around for someplace to go. I see the sign over the door to the hallway that leads to the bathrooms. I make my way to the hallway, weaving through all these annoying grownups who are more plastic than organic. There are too many people here... I think grumpily. Then, proving my point, a man steps out in front of me, his head turned the other way as he spoke to another man. I collided with him, and according to stupid Issac Newton, I bounced back down to the floor.

The man turned to look down at me as I landed on my on the floor. He laughed for a split second, before his faced turned concerned. He reached a hand down to help me up, which after I had finished glaring at him, I took. He pulled me back to my feet.

"Are you ok, young lady?" he asked as I dusted off my dark blue dress that draped over one shoulder.

"Yes, thank you sir. I'm fine." I answer, giving him a little bow. "I didn't see you. I'm sorry I bumped into you."

"It's perfectly fine!" his friend said cordially. "What's your name, miss? You seem a little young to be here!"

"My name is Choi Ji-Na." I tell him, bowing fully as I introduce myself. "My father is the CEO of CAA." The men's faces light up in recognition.

"Oh! Na-Ji!" the man I bumped into exclaimed. How is it everyone knows my nickname? "We're business associates of your fathers, and he talks about you all the time!" I noticed the pause between the words 'We're' and 'business'. But I thought nothing of it, and continued with our conversation.

"Oh, does he?" I ask in friendly surprise. "Maybe that explains how everyone here knows me by my nickname!"

"Is that your nickname? Your father calls you by it so much that we assumed it was your real name!" the first man explained.

"People use it like it's my real name, trust me!" I laugh a little to further the lighthearted atmosphere.

"Do you not like it?" the second man inquired, tilting his head to the side.

"My family came up with that nickname for me, and I would appreciate it if only family used it." I said. "Sorry, sirs."

"Oh, no, it's fine! We understand!" the second man assured me.

"But please, don't call us sir." the first man told me. "Makes us feel old!"

I laugh. "Well, trust me, you don't look it!"

"Oh, really? How old do I look, then?" the first man asked, a twinkle in his eye.

"Hmmm..." I put my hand to my chin, miming being in deep thought. "Not a day over twenty one!"

The first man laughed again. "I'm twenty three!"

I make my mouth go into a little O, and put on my best shocked face. "No way, sir!"

"Hey, hey!" he scolded me. "No 'sirs'! Call me Eli!"

"And you can call me Kevin!" the second man told me his name, smiling.

"Alright then! Mr. Kevin and Mr. Eli!" I call them by their names.

"No, just Eli please. No Mr." Eli said. I nodded, and asked,

"I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?"

"It can wait!" Eli winked. "A beautiful young lady such as yourself always comes first!"

I blush madly. "Now, now! If you have business to attend to, I shouldn't keep you from it!"

"No, it's ok! Our business can start later, can't it, hyung?" Kevin asked Eli. Eli nodded, and Kevin whipped out his phone, typing away madly at the keyboard on the screen.

"If you're sure...?" I confirm with Eli.

"Yes, we're sure." Eli nodded, then clapped his hands. "Come on! Let's go find a place to sit!" Eli grabs a hold of Kevin with one hand, who is still texting, and holds out his other hand for me to take. I hesitate. "C'mon! I don't want to lose you in the crowd!" He winks at me, "Or have you bump into another man!" I smile, and take his hand, allowing him to lead me through the crowd.