I think it might be time I looked into getting myself a new best friend, because the one I’ve got now is seriously pissing me off. He’s gone off somewhere, with that clingy bimbo he calls a girlfriend, and left me in this crowd of people I mostly don’t know to mingle all by my lonely self. The only reason I even started coming to his family affairs was because as children we were inseparable. And it had made perfect since at the time that I would be the one friend he’d bring, as he is a boy and I am a girl. And now that we’re in our twenties, and into this whole dating bullshit, it only gets weird when one of us forgets the importance of basic communication skills.

            Like today for instance. I had to open my door this morning to find him standing in the hallway looking slightly flustered and avoiding eye contact. I didn’t get it until we were halfway to the parking lot and he says, “By the way, Jenna’s in the car.” Bastard.

            And it’s not that I don’t like Jenna—Okay, I’m lying, I don’t like her, but for once it’s not her fault. It’s the fault of that no good chicken-shit coward I call a best friend.

            And so here I stand, in a sea of Koreans, looking about as out of place as a bar of chocolate in a wheat field, and having everyone think I’m some kind of lonely spinster chick. Let me reiterate: I need a new best friend.

            At least the bride and groom look happy. Well, as happy as they can be considering we’re about ten minutes late. They stood off on the side of the room, side by side. Women were fussing over the bride and putting last minute touch ups on her colorful handok. People stopped by and chatted to them, taking pictures and smiling; waiting eagerly for this shindig to get started. And I am right there with them, the sooner we get this party rolling the sooner we can get to the reception and I can drown my sorrows in free booze.

            “Is he here yet?” I heard one of the exasperated relatives ask.

            “Can’t we just start without him?”

            “No,” Han said from beside his bride. “I won’t get married without my brother.”

            My heart gave a little jolt. As hard as it is for me to be honest with myself, I must admit I have been anticipating this day ever since the announcement. I hardly ever get to see him anymore. I smoothed my hands down my new dress. Maybe I should take another look in the mirror…

            “Evie Harper! Is that you?” I heard someone say from behind me.

            I turned. “Mrs. Seo. Hi.” She engulfed me in an uncomfortable hug.

            “I always tell you, ‘Evie, I’m your Auntie Min-Hei’. Auntie. I knew you when you were this tall.” She gestured down to her knees. “How have you been?”

            “Ah, good Mrs.…Auntie Min-Hei.”

            “How is your tea shop doing?”

            “We’re doing good. You should come by sometime, I could make some tea for you.”

            “You know I only drink Omajicha. If you have Omajicha I will come by.”

            “Of course we do! I got it just for you. You can even have the special ‘auntie’ discount.” Of course this is a lie. I’ve known this woman for twenty years and every time I see her we do this same tired shtick about some tea she misses from South Korea. Of course we both know she isn’t going to stop by. But a little white lie never hurt, right?

            “I’ll have to come by then,” She said. “Tim Kim! Is that you?” She went back to making the rounds and I went back to fuming.

            “Where on Earth is that Harley?” Someone said. My heart did another fox trot. Did I look okay? I hoped I looked okay. I mean it’s been two years and—why am I doing this to myself? Harley and I were never and will never be a thing.

            And why should I even care anymore? I already have a boy to do things with. Well, casual things as of now since I’ve only known him for a couple of months and it was only last week that he strolled into Taste Teas and asked me out on a proper date. The date that we haven’t even had yet, but still, there is a guy—sort of. And if he hadn’t have been working today, I’m sure he would have been my date/escort to this very wedding. And then I wouldn’t have to face Harley again looking like the frequently single loser I am. What the hell. If I’m going to have to play wallflower, I might as well do it right.

            I unbuttoned the top two buttons on my new dress and fluffed my hair a bit, letting the mess of black curls fall where they may. I have more than enough grace and personality to pull off a wedding, stag. I’m a big girl! I can go around and talk to people. Say ‘hey’ and ‘how you doing?’ and do a couple of those finger bang things charismatic assholes like to do so often.

            Oh, who am I kidding? I am far too lazy to pull off being the life of the party. But Henry is so getting an earful later.

            As I was standing there, delirious in thoughts of crushing him until he was flat as a pancake (Wile E. Coyote style), the very man’s mother stormed up to me in that way that only she can storm. I heard the rustle of the light pink hanbok she wore first. If I were paying attention I would have heeded the warning and hid like a baby, but I guess I’ll have to face the music sooner or later.

            “Mama Cho!” I spread my arms wide in a receiving hug. “Long time no see.”

            “I am not your mother.” I let my arms flop to my sides in defeat.  She tilted her head curiously, her eyes widening like she was expecting me to grow a second head. “Where is your date?”

            “About that—“

            A harsh scoff escaped her mouth. “I told you about the wedding months ago. I told you ‘make sure you bring a date’. A young single woman should be properly escorted to these type of things. It looks bad.”

            “I know Mrs. Cho. There’s this really cute man who’s been sort of dating me, but he had to work—“

            “Is he here now?”

            “Well, no—“

            “Then he isn’t dating you now, is he?”

            Maybe I should just deflect. “Henry, Jenna, and I decided to come as a threesome.”

            She almost rolled her eyes at that. “You mean you decided to come as a third wheel.” I’m slightly surprised she knows that phrase, but she continues the verbal spanking before I can dwell on this more. “Evie, you are not a child anymore. You are far past the age when you can get away with being cute. Why can’t anyone follow instructions?”

               You know, sometimes I forget that she really isn’t my mother. “I tried—“

            “You’re dateless. Ha Le is late! Late to his own brothers wedding. To think I raised such a child. And button your dress up. You are a nice girl, act like it.”

            “Yes Ma’am.” Well, being the life of the party was fun the whole three minutes it lasted.

            She was nagging me so hard I almost didn’t see Papa Cho slide up quietly behind, with that smile he always has, the colors of his hanbok a more subtle match of hers. A gleam in the eyes behind the square rimmed glasses he always wore.

            I cut Mrs. Cho off right in the middle of a riveting lecture on propriety and not dressing like a streetwalker in public.

            “Mr. Cho!” I said with a smile as I stepped into his open arms.

            “Evie!” He hugged me tightly. “Why haven’t you come to see me lately?”

            “Life’s been so hectic.”

            “Life is never too hectic for a baseball game. There’s one next month on the third. I can get you an extra ticket! You can be my lucky charm like old times.”

            “That sounds great. I’ll have to check my calendar though, I might be working.”

            “You kids are always working.” he said with a shake of the head. “Life’s too short to work all the time. You could at least stop by for dinner. We can play budak or maybe chess. I learned a new strategy I want to teach you.”

            While me and Papa Cho were debating baseball stats and board game strategies, with Mama Cho fuming beside him, out of the corner of my eye I finally saw him walk through the door.

            He came sauntering his tall frame into the room with his suit wrinkled, black hair a mess, and a blonde under his right arm. Well, at least somebody has a date.

            With tired eyes he announced, “I’m here! Let’s get the party started.”

            “Ha Le, where have you been?” Mama Cho said once she’d walked up beside him.

            “Sorry, Ma. I overslept.” He gave her half of a shrug. “I was finding it a little hard to get out of bed this morning.” He gave the blonde a playful squeeze.

            I felt a dagger in my heart. Or maybe it was just indigestion. Yeah, that was probably it.

            Henry chose that moment to miraculously materialize, Jenna at his side in a red dress tight enough to outline her circulatory system. Mama Cho said nothing. For some strange reason I’m the only one who gets lectured around here.

            Henry and Harley did one of those man-hug things and said their hellos.

            “Henry,” Harley said. “This is Abby. Abby; Henry.” Henry did the same with Jenna, then Harley looked at me. My heart picked up its tempo. “Hey, kid. No date?”

            My heart dropped. “No…Thank you for noticing that.” God why have you forsaken me? Did you not promise your children booze to numb life when it gets too hard? Let’s get the ball rolling, people!

            “Evie, this is Abby,” Harley said.

            “Hi.” When we shake hands I size her up. She’s tall, even leggier than Jenna; maybe even more blonde too. I’m almost stunned by how angelic her face is; lips soft and pink, eyes large and blue.

            “She’s a model.” Oh Lord, help me!

            “That’s nice.” I managed with a tight smile. No amount of fluffing or unbuttoning could help little old average me compete with a model. I might as well throw in the towel. Not that I was expecting anything…because I wasn’t. Really.

            The bride and groom walked over. Han walked easily enough but Lauren was having a little trouble moving under the folds of the billowing multicolored hwarot she wore.

            “It’s about time.” Han said; his manner playful and relaxed. “For a minute there, I thought you weren’t coming.”

            “And miss my big brother’s wedding day? Never. I overslept is all.”

            “You haven’t changed a bit.”

            “I rarely do.” They hugged.

            “Alright everyone,” I heard the brides cousin shout. “The weddings going to be starting in a minute.”

            That was our cue to head into the larger adjourning room where the wedding would take place. The room was already full of people, standing around and chatting with each other.

            As everyone filed into the room, I looked back and watched as women encircled Lauren. A woman stuck an ornamental silver rod through the bun in her hair and started wrapping a ribbon on each end. Before I was ushered through the door I saw them finish her off with a lavishly decorated crown.

            “I’ve never been to a Korean wedding before,” I heard Abby say to Harley.

            “Me either,” Jenna said.

            “You’ll like it,” Harley said. “We won’t even be here that long.”

            “Not staying for the reception?” Henry asked.

            “That’s too bad,” Abby said with disappointment. “I would have liked to stay.”

            Harley wove his fingers with Abby’s, and then kissed her hand. “If you want to stay, we’ll stay.”

            She smiled at him. My indigestion flared up. I should probably take some Tums or something.

            On either side of the aisle was a group of white fold out chairs decorated with polished purple ribbons. Our group looked for five seats, but was saved from being separated when we saw Jamie, their cousin, waving to us from a row close to the front.

            We slid in, me first with Henry beside me and Jenna on his left. Harley and Abby slide in last; one lone chair on the end of the row left vacant.

            “I saved seats for everyone,” Jamie said. “Evie, is your date in the bathroom?”

            I could only sigh. The music started and the crowd quieted. We all stood as Han and Lauran walked down the aisle together. When they got to the front they bowed to both set of parents and then faced the preacher.

            He offered solace and blessings in words I did not understand. When he stopped talking, the kiss was chaste and swift. Under an arch of white, bathed in vibrant colors; red and pink and blue and gold, they went from high school sweethearts to man and wife.

            The applause and cheers followed. The two stood for a moment to soak up the celebration. Han beamed. Lauren cried.

            Aw. Okay, it was worth the indigestion.

            And the free booze. Naturally.