【Episode 3 – Memories of the Future】
154 Bleecker Street, New York.
Peculiar Pub.
"I heard the beer is good here."
Every year, roughly 9,000 applicants from about 300 universities apply to NYU Law School.
About 450 of them receive acceptance notices.
They come not only from every state in America, but from all corners of the world.
Some are students who came straight after graduating, but quite a few came after working as well.
In particular, there were noticeable numbers who had already obtained their attorney qualifications in their home countries, worked for several years, and come with the support of their law firms.
"Donguk hyung was that kind of person."
He had worked at a Korean law firm for six years and had entered NYU this time on a sabbatical.
Usually in such cases, one enrolls in the one-year LLM (Master of Laws) program, but uniquely, Donguk hyung had entered the JD (Juris Doctor) program.
Since working in New York had been his lifelong dream, he had said he might not go back—though he hadn't told his law firm yet.
"There's a lawyer named Patrick at our firm who graduated from NYU, and he told me about this place. He said he came here a lot."
"Ah."
"What do you guys want to order? I'm a bit hungry, so I was thinking of ordering some food too."
From then on, this hyung would treat us to many things.
Truly, he was a hyung to be grateful for.
"I was going to try this. Brooklyn Lager."
"Me too."
"Really? Then should we get a pitcher of that? What about you, Heon?"
The four of us had met at Orientation Bar Night (the law school freshmen night).
As if to prove we were Korean, at first we each stood awkwardly in our own corners. Then Donguk hyung first asked me if I was Korean, and then Sein pulled over a kid who had been standing alone, saying he looked Korean.
Michael (Youngjae), who had been nearby, approached when he heard us speaking Korean.
Among the total of 439 students entering in 2012, there were nine Koreans.
We four were the only ones for whom Korean was more comfortable than English.
Including Yunjeong from the LLM program, whom we would meet later, we five were "us."
"I'll just have water… No, I'll drink the same thing too."
"Okay. Then one Brooklyn Lager pitcher to start. Hello. Excuse me."
As soon as Donguk hyung finished ordering in awkward English, the waitress winked and disappeared, returning in less than five minutes carrying four glasses and a pitcher filled with beer.
Hyung quickly picked up the pitcher, poured it into the glasses, and handed them out as if distributing rations.
"Let's just be comfortable with each other. When I was in Seoul, I hated having to drink while reading the room at company dinners. This is New York. So let's drop the formalities. Like friends. Okay? Ah, if you want, you can just call me by my name. Hey, Donguk! I'm easygoing. But my English is a bit lacking, so help me out a lot."
I didn't know it well back then, but I do now.
That there aren't many people like this among those who went to school and worked in Korea.
Though he had asked for help in words, the times hyung actually asked for something could be counted on one hand.
He always tried to figure things out on his own first, and it was only to the extent of confirming whether his understanding was correct.
Rather, I received a lot of help from him the following year.
This time, it would be different. It was my turn to repay hyung.
*Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.*
'Keh—it really has been a while since I had beer.'
Delicious!
"Heon, you still haven't found a room?"
Michael asked.
"Yeah."
"You still haven't found one?"
"Yes."
"Ah—if my wife weren't coming next week, you could stay with me."
Donguk hyung was a married man.
He had a wife who was an amazing cook.
"No, it's okay."
"Goodness, the semester has already started; you need to find a room quickly."
"I'll find one soon, I guess."
There was something that wasn't easy even the second time around.
Finding a room in New York.
"Hmm… Heon, I have a friend who has an extra room… If you want, should I introduce you?"
The last time, I had gone into the house of a friend that Sein introduced me to.
It had been the house of a guy Sein knew. The apartment was good, and the rent wasn't bad either.
But he was a wild person.
Almost every single day, friends came and went for parties.
There were times when the police came because the neighbors reported it.
Thanks to that, I ruined my final exams.
At the time, I was in a hurry and completely clueless, so I went in.
Regarding this, Sein apologized to me later, but hearing it again now, it wasn't something she needed to apologize for.
Sein had also hesitated a lot before bringing it up because I looked desperate.
"Thanks. I'll look around more, and if I can't find anything, I'll ask you again then."
"Sure, got it."
NYU Law School had two dormitories: D'Agostina Hall and Haydn Hall.
Both were high-rise apartment buildings.
D'Agostina Hall was across from the law school, and Haydn Hall was three blocks away; both were within walking distance.
Sein and Michael had rooms in Haydn Hall.
Honestly, it would have been nice if I could have gotten into one of them, but I couldn't afford it.
Besides, it was already too late to apply, so it wasn't even an option.
"It'll work out somehow. It will. But if you really can't find one, tell me. I'll talk to my wife. It might not be for long, but you should be able to stay for about a month."
Grateful people.
They were the ones who worried with me and comforted me when I said I had to take a leave of absence the following year.
"Thank you."
"What are you thanking me for? This is all fate, isn't it? It's not easy to meet like this. We were scattered around the world and ended up meeting in New York like this; we Koreans should help each other if we can."
I really had to find a place quickly.
"Hyung."
"Yeah?"
"By any chance, do you invest in stocks?"
That was true, but first, there was something slightly more urgent than that.
***
Vanderbilt Hall, Room 312.
Professor James Madison's office.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Yes."
"Hello, Professor."
"Hello. Ah! You're that student from the University of Toronto who presented during Professor Lindberg's first-year Criminal Law class! Your name is Heon. Am I right?"
"Yes, that's right. I'm sorry. I know it's not your office hours, but I came to see you anyway."
In North American universities, students can usually only meet professors on designated days during set office hours.
"Not at all. Come in. What brings you here?"
"It's nothing in particular. I came to ask if you might be looking for a student research assistant."
"Ha! How did you know about that, Heon? I was actually planning to post an opening on Handshake, the NYU job recruitment site, around next week."
Memories of the future were useful.
As long as I avoided reckless investments, time was on my side.
An Unexpected Roommate
"Jake, I'm sorry to ask this, but can I stay here a bit longer? I haven't found a place yet. I'll find one as soon as possible. I need about two more weeks. I'll pay rent, of course."
"Hmm. Sure. I'll talk to Tony about it."
He was also sharing a two-bedroom apartment with a roommate. Tony was his roommate.
"Forget about rent."
"No, I should pay. I'll be here for about a month."
"Don't worry. Take your time finding one. Tony might look gruff, but he's fine. If you talk to him properly, he won't mind much."
"It's because I feel bad imposing on you."
"What do you have to feel bad about? Over something like this."
"Thanks."
I had been impatient back then.
Burdening Jake had made me feel sorry, but more than that, it unsettled me that school had started and I couldn't properly unpack my things.
That's why I had rushed into the house of the person Sein introduced me to.
I did need my own room, of course, but I planned to take about two weeks to look around.
"What's this?"
Before leaving the room, a brochure introducing the company Netflix (Netflicks Inc.) on his messy desk caught my eye.
"Ah, that? A friend I used to work with recently moved to that company. He gave it to me saying they were hiring, and to send in my resume if I was interested."
Jake answered.
Had a brochure like this been lying there back then too?
Even if it had been, I probably wouldn't have known to look into it.
"This is a good company."
"Really? How do you know?"
I know.
"If where you are now isn't great, it might be good to move. If you can get something like stock options, take them no matter what."
Because I've lived through it.