It was still drizzling, and the group huddled under a green-and-white-striped awning on Brook Street while Sunmi stood inside a phone booth frantically calling other hotels.

“Imo looks like a soldier in a sentry box in that red booth,” Jiyong observed, rather thrilled by the strange turn of events.

“Mom, what are we going to do if we can’t find a place to stay tonight? Maybe we can sleep in Hyde Park. There’s an amazing weeping beech in Hyde Park called the upside-down tree, and its branches hang down so low that it’s almost like a cave. We can all sleep underneath and be protected—”

“Don’t talk nonsense! No one is sleeping in the park. Imo is calling other hotels right now,” Eunjung said, thinking that her son was getting far too precocious for his own good.

“Oooh, I want to sleep in the park!” Jihyo squealed in delight.

“Ji, remember how we moved that big iron bed at Halmeoni’s house into the garden and slept under the stars one night?”

“Well, you two can sleep in the park for all I care, but I’ll take the big royal suite, where I can order club sandwiches with champagne and caviar,” Tony said

“Don’t be ridiculous, Tony. When have you ever had caviar?” his mother asked.

“At Bobby’s house. Their butler always serves us caviar with little triangles of toasted bread. And it’s always Iranian beluga, because Bobby's s mum says Iranian caviar is the best,” Tony  declared.
“Rose Zhang would say something like that,” Miyoung muttered under her breath, glad her son was finally away from that family’s influence.

Inside the telephone booth, Sunmi was trying to explain the predicament to her husband over a crackly connection to South Korea.
“What nonsense! You should have demanded the room!” Song Jae Suk fumed. “You are always too polite—these service people need to be put in their place. Did you tell them who we are? I’m going to call up the minister of trade and investment right now!”

“Come on, you’re not helping. I’ve called more than ten hotels already. Who knew that today was Commonwealth Day? Every VIP is in town and everyone is booked solid. Poor Jihyo is soaked through. We need to find someplace for tonight before your daughter catches her death of cold.”

“Did you try calling your cousin Alastair? Maybe you could take a train straight to Surrey," Jaesuk suggest