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Later that night, I find Alastair alone. 

“Hey, kiddo.  Has Savannah been bugging you for a long time?”

He rolls his eyes.  “Ever since the first day of school.”

“Do you realize that she likes you?”

His face floods with surprise.  “What?”

“She wants to be your friend, but she doesn’t know how to tell you that.  So, to get your attention, she pesters you.”

A thoughtful expression replaces the surprise.  “Really?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Huh.  Who knew?  I’ve been trying to get her to leave me alone for three months!”

“Has she gotten you into trouble with your teacher?”

A sheepish look crosses his face now.  “A couple of times.”

“May I make a suggestion?”

“Okay…”

“Try talking to her.  Just be nice to her.  Maybe offer to help her practice her lines.”

“Give her what she wants?” he asks incredulously.  His eyes have flown wide.

“I think she really likes you, Alastair.  After she got in trouble with Mrs. O, I saw Savannah glance at you.  She was disappointed that you weren’t paying attention to her.”

“You’re sure she wasn’t just mad that she got into trouble?”

“I’m pretty sure.  Yes.”

I know I’ve given him a lot to think about, so I ruffle his hair and walk away.  I seek out Everett next.

“So, Everett, tell me about this Allie girl.”

He shrugs.  “Her real name is Adelaide.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.  She was named after her two-greats-grandmother.”

“How do you possibly know that?”

“She told me.”

“Does she talk to you a lot?”

He shrugs.  “I guess.”

“Do you like her?”

“How can I?  No likes her.”

“Yeah.  I can see where that would complicate things.  Don’t sweat it.  You’re eleven.  Crushes come and go.  You’re right to preserve your lifelong friendship with No over a friendship with a cute girl.”

I pivot away from him then, but his voice turns me back around. 

“Mommy?”

“Hmm.  Do you really think she likes me?”

“Yeah, but…”

“What?”

“What do I know?  I’m just your mom.”  I give him a tiny smile before heading for the kitchen.

––

Tuesday afternoon finds me at pageant practice again.  Mrs. O greets me as I enter the auditorium.  A handsome young man is standing next to her.  As I climb the stage towards them, I do a double take.  Does every boy in this school system resemble a member of BTS?  For a younger version of Yoongi is staring back at me.  I never knew we had such a heavy Korean population here in our town.  Where have I been all these years?

“Mrs. Franklin,” Mrs. O greets me cheerfully.  “Let me introduce you to Yoon Gi, our pianist for the pageant.”

I stare in utter shock at him.  Is it really Yoongi?

“He missed rehearsal yesterday, but he’ll be here every day through the performance.”

“Are you visiting the area?” I ask.

Clearly baffled, he simply stares at me.

“Yoon Gi attends the high school with your children.  But he’s a senior.  That might explain why you haven’t met him.  Yoon Gi is a new transfer student.”

Of course, he is.  Briefly, I glance around to see if Jin, Namjoon, Jimin, and Hobi are hiding somewhere behind the props.  But we seem to be alone.  Still, I keep an eye out for any renegade members of BTS.  They seem to be invading this parallel universe one by one.  I wonder where the next one will crop up.

I don’t have long to wait.  Half an hour later, a man walks into the auditorium.  He approaches the stage.  As he calls out to Mrs. O, my attention is drawn to him.  I squint as I try to focus more clearly on his face. 

Namjoon?

“Mrs. O!” he calls again.

She turns around.  “Oh, Mr. Baxter!  Did you bring the new sheet music for Yoon Gi?”

“Yes, I have it right here.”  He strides forward and holds it up towards her. 

She bends over to receive it.

“Are you sure he can learn this whole song in just a few days?” he asks.

She glances at the transfer student, who is now seated at the piano playing a stirring and complicated version of We Three Kings.  “Yes, I’m sure.”

Now I really am expecting Jin, Jimin, and Hobi to appear.  But unless they are the three kings stepping onto the stage right now, it seems I’m to be disappointed.