Korean

Su-a's desk at the publishing house in Hapjeong after nine, Eli with two coffees: if you come after nine the door is locked, four hundred pages by the end of November, if you work every night you'll get ill, if I don't the book won't be done, when it's done let's walk the river all Sunday, when it's done I'll sleep all Sunday, if the coffee goes cold I'll bring another, if you bring another I'll finish a chapter.

A cafe in Hongdae at Saturday noon, the barista waiting: two Americanos, one and Su-a as she likes, I wish the deadline were in January, I wish you'd eat lunch first, I wish there were two of me and one sleeping, I'd be glad if you ordered since there's a queue behind you, a hot chocolate and I wish it were the weekend, it is the weekend and I wish you knew.

Mrs. Park's stall at Mangwon market on a Saturday morning: Eli, is Su-a eating, she has to finish the book, then she has to eat well so take these, how much do I have to pay, I take no money and you have to carry them upright, do I have to bring the tubs back, on Sunday with Su-a, then I have to carry Su-a too, you have to eat a rice cake.

Eli's flat by the river at two in the morning, Su-a on the phone and stuck on one sentence: are you asleep, I was so what's wrong, one sentence two hours and it still sounds like English, in your place I'd just sleep, in my place you'd have cried an hour ago, in your place I'd read it slowly, in your place I'd give no advice at two in the morning, in your place I'd eat Mrs. Park's rice cake, in my place you'd have eaten it at nine so good night.

The publishing house in Hapjeong at noon, Eli at the door with lunch boxes as the chief editor comes out: the printer wants it on the twentieth, I'd rather work from home, who is this lunch-box young man, I'm Eli and I only brought food, mine too and better to eat, I'd rather you went home, I'd rather carry the bag, leave the bag and go.

Vice-principal Oh's office before science week in December, Ji-yeong beside Eli: would you teach a class in Korean, in Korean and is it all right if I make mistakes, mistakes are fine but sleeping is not, may I sit at the back, you may sit, may the students laugh, they may laugh and Thursday, Thursday is fine and may I use the science room, you may but fire is not allowed.

The staff room after school, Ji-yeong coaching Eli for his class in Korean: if you want them to listen start with a question, what question, like this and why does the balloon grow, if I want them quiet, lower your voice, if I want to practise now, I'll be the worst student, if you want to be the worst sit at the back and yawn.

The Kims' kitchen on a Sunday, vinegar, baking soda, a bottle and a balloon, Grandma watching Eli rehearse with Min-jun as the student: I don't know whether this is science or cooking, I don't know whether it will grow so watch, I don't know what you two are doing, a lesson and I don't know whether they'll understand, speak loud since quiet is forgotten, I don't know whether your Korean is enough, I don't know whether yours is, wipe the table both of you.

The science room on Thursday, Eli's first class taught in Korean, a second-year girl asking, Vice-principal Oh at the back: everyone, today is in Korean, teacher why is the balloon growing, it's gas and I brought two in case it bursts, in case it bursts I'm moving back, smell it in case you don't believe me, I was afraid I wouldn't understand, I was afraid too, forty-five minutes exactly and well done.

The corridor after Eli's class in Korean, then the cafe, where Su-a arrives with a big bag: you should have spoken slower, yes I should have spoken slower, you should have brought one more balloon, I should have written the hard word on the board, Su-a why the big bag, my book and the first copy came, you should have said so first, I should have slept in November and now I will.

The Kims' table in February with flowers on it, Min-jun just graduated: you graduated so what now, now the job hunt, whether a big company or a small one start, whether he eats or not he's thin, whether I eat or not I need a suit, whether it works out or not lunch is on me, American or Korean eat, and toast or no toast pour the tea.

Min-jun's room with a laptop and two blank pages, Eli on the floor: to apply I need a self-introduction letter, to write two pages say what you did, the army and university, to say more say what you learned, I learned to get up at six, write that and to get an interview write it short, to write it short help me, and to cut read it aloud.

A suit shop in Hongdae with Min-jun in front of the mirror and Eli on a stool: an interview so don't wear the shiny one, I like the shiny one, don't and you'd better not look like a singer, navy and don't wear brown shoes, does it have to be this tight, don't eat lunch before the interview, don't listen to that and eat, and you'd better not choose the tie yourself.

The Kims' living room turned into an interview room, Eli behind the table as the interviewer and Ji-yeong with a notebook: please introduce yourself, if you give me the chance I will learn fast, if we hire you what will you do first, if you hire me I will memorise everyone's name, if the work is hard what will you do, if it's hard I will ask and still do it, if you smile like that you'll pass, and if I pass lunch is on me.

The Kims' table at dinner with Min-jun's phone on speaker in the middle, the interviewer from Yeouido on the line: you've passed and start in April, may I answer tomorrow, by tomorrow otherwise it's the next person, then I accept now, if you don't bring the papers there's no contract, greet them properly otherwise it's embarrassing, thank you very much and I'll come on Monday, and eat a bit otherwise you'll collapse.

The Kims' table on a Sunday evening in April, Ji-yeong's fiance Do-yun at the table for the first time: I'll take good care of her so please give your blessing, she does fine alone so what will you do, I'll cook on weekends so it's fine, I'll send side dishes so make just a little, I'll say yes so eat before it's cold, you'll help at the wedding so learn to bow, I'll practise every night so please teach me, and I'll teach you so let's do it together.

The desk of a wedding hall in Mapo with the clerk's folder open, Ji-yeong and Do-yun choosing, Eli beside them: in the event of rain we shoot indoors, and in the event of more than two hundred guests, in that event we open the second hall, in the event of a date change, in the event of a second one there's a fee, and in the event of foreign guests, we print an English leaflet so don't worry, and in the event of a wrong bow nobody will know.

A hanbok stall under the roof of Gwangjang market, Mrs. Park and Eli with the shop assistant: as long as it fits the colour doesn't matter, as long as it's not pink, as long as you tie the trousers well you can sit, how do I tie them, as long as you tie the cord at the front it's fine, as long as he can bow we'll buy it, as long as nobody films me, and Min-jun will film because he's my son.

The Kims' living room with Min-jun standing by the television as the wedding host, Eli and Ji-yeong on the sofa as the guests: guests we ask that you please be seated, say it louder and again, we ask that you please welcome the groom, you said groom like shoe so again, we ask that you please welcome the bride, we ask that you please stop because I'm crying, we ask that you please turn off your phones, and we ask that you please practise more.

Eli's flat by the river the night before the wedding, Ji-yeong on the phone and Su-a at the table listening in: what if I cry during the bows, then Do-yun cries too and it's fine, what if Min-jun forgets his lines, then I'll read them instead, what if it rains, then we shoot indoors so how about sleeping now, what if Ji-yeong doesn't sleep, and what if you're right so good night.

A wedding hall in Mapo in May, Min-jun the host, Ji-yeong and Do-yun in traditional dress bowing to the parents, Eli bowing with the family: bride and groom the bow to the parents, live well both of you and be happy, congratulations and may you be happy, you bowed better than Do-yun, congratulations to you too and it's over, please go to the dining hall, take off the traditional dress, and I hope there's another Sunday like this one.

The Kims' table on the evening of the wedding, the couple gone to Jeju, one glass each and tea for Grandma: one glass each and to the bride and groom, to my granddaughter and the groom too, to the host who didn't forget, to the host who forgot the phones, to Mother and Father, to Eli who bowed in traditional dress, and to Min-jun's first job, to whoever's next, and drink then wash the dishes.

Vice-principal Oh's office in June, the third-year contract on the desk, Ji-yeong beside Eli: a third year so will you sign, yes and what do I have to do, you'll have to extend the visa yourself, you'll have to book before August, you'll have to take a photo too, will I have to go again to get the card, you'll have to go twice and here, and I'll have to buy a pen first.

Eli's flat by the river, Su-a at the laptop on the immigration office's booking page: you just have to pick a date, there are no dates, then you just do it again at nine tomorrow, and the papers, passport contract photo and that's all, what if the photo is old, it's fine if it's from this year and is it, it's from Minneapolis, then you just have to take a new one and let's go together.

A photo studio in Mapo, the shop assistant behind the camera, Su-a on the bench: a visa photo so don't smile, if I'd known I'd have worn a white shirt, if you'd come this morning there'd have been no queue, if you'd listened we'd have come this morning, if you'd told me the reason I'd have listened, if you'd smiled we'd have taken it again, six copies and ten minutes, and if I'd known I'd have brought coffee.

The immigration office, number forty-two called to window three, the officer behind the glass, Su-a on the bench: how may I help you, I've come to extend my visa, the letter has no seal, if you'd tell me I'd be grateful, the school's seal by Friday, I'll come back on Friday, if you'd fill it in I'd be grateful, and from the bench if you'd buy me lunch I'd be grateful.

The school's office on a Friday afternoon, the clerk at the counter, Vice-principal Oh in a meeting, the immigration office closing at six: it's with the vice-principal, even if you wait it's a meeting till four, even if it's four I'll wait, even if I'm in a meeting it's one minute, even if it's small it's important, next year say so first, even if the traffic's bad I'll be there by six, and even if you run take the subway.

A coffee shop in Hongdae after work, Min-jun in his navy suit, the youngest in his office, Eli with two weeks to wait for the card: two iced Americanos, one and how about calling, better not and how about your boss, nice but I'm the youngest so I make the coffee, you'd better make it well, how about you teach me, you'd better ask the barista, and you'd better buy a coffee first.

Window three again, two weeks later, the officer with a new residence card, Su-a on the bench: your card valid until next August, thank you and one year, within fifteen days you must report it, then what about travel, you must come back before August, if I don't lose it is that enough, yes and next number forty-three, and from the bench you must frame it.

Eli's flat by the river on a July evening, his parents on the phone from Minneapolis in English, Su-a beside him telling him what to say: Mom asks if it's really a third year, it's not an if and you have the card, Dad asks if they may come in the autumn, not if they come but when they come, when they come is the family okay with it, when they come Mrs. Park will cook, Dad asks if I translate, do it in Korean because I want to hear it too, and when you come I'll translate.