Spring break was almost over and my mom wanted to go to the beach before I went back to school. So that’s what we did that Saturday afternoon. My mom asked Jose’s family if they wanted to come. Of course I had to translate the invitation to the beach. They said yes so my mom and I waited for them.

“Did you bring food or do we have to stop?”  I asked.

“We’ll see what the guests want to do.” She replied. “At least put on a longer shirt till we get there!”

“It’s my cabi bathing suit!” I replied.

“Now Jung Eun Kyung!” She yelled. I sighed putting a sleeveless hoodie over me and zippered it up till my belly didn’t show.

Jose walked outside without a shirt on. My mother did not approve.

“Put a shirt on! You look like a male stripper!” She commanded in Korean which Jose did not know. So I translated.

“She said put on a shirt you look like a male stripper.” I translated tossing him one of my brother’s shirts.

Yes I have a brother but he doesn’t live here anymore. He works as an SM manager. He told me about a new Chinese-Korean band called EXO coming out next January and debuting in April. It’ll be a long time before they come out since it’s only April. His name is Daeho Jung or Jung Daeho and he’s 29 now he’s been living and working in S.K since 2000.

“Well.” He paused putting on the shirt. “That was very nice.”

“I guess so.”

We finally took off to the beach. Jose and I sat next to each other giggling about school and stuff. His little brother Darius tried to speak to me in Korean. Just like his Hyung he loves Korean girls.

“I love you just the way you are.” He said in fluent Korean. “How was that?”

“That was very fluent with an Flippno accent.” I credited him. “Are you going to go to Korean one day?”

“Yes. I’m going to find a lovely Korean girl and bring her here.” He said.

“You’ve got quite some time before that Darius. You’re 14.” Jose replied

“I know but I know Korean.” He pouted.

My mother insisted we’d get lunch on the beach which we did. My mother was happy when she found Kimchi at a little Korean food market on the boardwalk. The lady in the store and my mom chatted it up about living in Korea and their lives. I overheard my mother talking about moving back to Korea. She says that a lot but it never happens and I really hope it doesn’t happen. I love living here but I’d like to live there as well to see how it’s like living in my country. I’ve visited Korea tons of times both for fun and education on my culture. My mom drags me there every December to teach me more about the Korean life style in Korea.

When we're there my brother Daeho invites us to his house to stay. He lives in a nice house with his wife and three children. Due to my brother working in SM we got free concert tickets and backstage passes. I’ve met SHINee, Super Junior, SNSD, and F(x). All very lovely and kind people in person. Yuri and I feel like we’re twins because we look a lot alike but we’re not because she’s older.

I’ve also met Soryoung and Daeryoung of Tasty. Man they’re so nice and adorable. I still want to meet U-kiss so badly. That’s my goal this winter when I go to South Korea. I always brought Jose a K-pop CD or poster from Korea because I always got them cheap.

I found a few friends at the volley ball court so I decided to join. There’s Jack who’s half Vietnamese and half black. We all call him Jack the blasian for that reason. There’s Katelyn who’s full Chinese and nicknamed Panda. Catherine and her brother Tommy who’s fully Dominican and hates it when people mistake her for other Spanish heritages. I took off my hoodie playing it next to Katelyn’s. We played volleyball professionally and yelled at each other.  

They each like a K-pop band and a few others. I loved how all my friends respected K-pop. I would sing them translations to K-pop songs when they asked.

“You know Emiko noona you should be a K-pop star.” Tommy suggested.

“I already am going to be. My mom’s making me she said this December when we go to Korea she’s going to make me audition.” I told him.

“I’ll give it a try too.” Katelyn said. “I’m Chinese and I’ve seen a lot of Chinese people in K-pop. Plus I want to be the Tasty twins so badly.”

“I did last time I went. They’re so nice to fans.” I told her.

“Lucky! You definitely have to bring me with you to Korea in December. I’ll just hide in your luggage till we get there and then we can go meet the twins.” Katelyn said.

“If they’re in Korea which I bet they should be.” I stated. “You want to marry them don’t you?”

“Hell yeah!” She cheered.

“Let’s go get some food. I’m starving and thirsty.” Tommy shouted as he walked to the boardwalk.

“I’m getting hungry again.” Jose added.

“I wanna go bogie boarding.” Catherine decided.

“You ladies go bogie boarding. We men will meet you on the beach with drinks.” Jack replied. Soon realizing we didn’t have bogie boards we had to go to the surf shop and buy some. We met up with our parents who found each other. Katelyn’s mom and my mom were talking to each other in Mandarin. They agreed to hold our stuff while we played in the warm water.

~Flash back interrupted~

“Eun Kyung!” Dongho shouted. I finally snapped back into reality.

“Oh sorry I was having a flash back.” I replied holding his hands giggling. He giggled leading me to the car. “Oh we’re leaving already?”

“You’re yawning.” He told me. “Should we take a nap together?”

“Of course we should.” I replied walking with him. We lied down on his bed cuddling up together.

~Flash back continues~

I could definitely see a bunch of boys staring at me while I was walking. I didn’t like it. The whole thought of dudes staring at me when I was in my bikini. One of them actually came up to me.

“Hey girl, want to come to my place and derp?” He said ually. I was going to chew him out but I decided to take my mother’s advice and act like I didn’t know English. So I spoke Korean to him and he looked at me weirdly. Jose soon saw the boy still hitting on me and came up.

“Back off man she has a boyfriend.” He defended me. He wasn’t really that strong but he had a two pack coming along. He pretended to speak Korean to me and I just replied in Korean.

“He doesn’t have to know.” The boy argued

“I am her boyfriend now back off.” Jose yelled. The boy just backed off to tell his friends that Jose was my boyfriend.

“Thanks Jose oppa.”  I said.

“No problem Eun. By the way did I say anything in Korean?”

“Then maybe Kobe runs in and everyone.” I joked.

“Really?” He laughed

“No.” I giggled. He gave me a sad look then returned to the Ocean to play football. The girls and I continued chatting about school and clothes because we’re such girls sometimes. “Hey mom.”

“Yes Jung?” She answered.

“I took your advice about speaking Korean to strangers just like you told me.”

“Good Eun Kyung, Now remember no matter where you live I always want you to be able speak Korean fluently.” She demanded.

“Yes mom.” I replied.

“It is your mother tongue and you will pass that on to your kids whether their father is Korean or not. If he’s not then tell him to deal with it or better idea for a non-Korean husband marry Jose. He’s the kind of guy I want to be your husband and if your father was still alive he’d approve.” She demanded. “I want you to get a good man who will care for you like your father did for me. If Jose wants to marry you then he’s got my permission to do so but still I’d rather you marry a Korean boy and keep passing the full Korean trait to every generation of the Jung family.”

“I will umma I promise. It’s also a good thing you forced me to take Tae kwon do and Wushu for 12 years. You may be very controlling but I know you do it because you care for me.” I thanked her for all she’s done for me. She smiled and hugged me.

“My mother did it to me and I promised her I’d do it to you and your brother and you and your brother will do that for your kids. Like make them speak Korean to strangers until you know they’re safe.”

“I honestly don’t know how Jose managed to still try to talk to me when you told me to speak Korean to him. Until that day I accidently spoke English to him and that’s how we became friends.”

We stayed at the beach until sunset before riding home. We would have gathered around and had a picnic but Katelyn lives in Hamilton and Jack lives a half hour away. Catherine and tommy lived close but their mom wanted them to stay in. Jose and his family went home so it was just me and my mom like it had been since my brother left.

“I’m going to make Kimchi and Sushi. Do you want some umma?” I offered

“Yes.” She sat down in front of the TV and her Korean dramas. My favorite one is Flower boy ramen shop.