I lean back to meet his gaze. “I take back what I said earlier.” He frowns, his arms tensing around me. “We’ll have to be apart sometimes. After all, I’ll want to visit Hyeri and go on walks with Nari in the city. And it’s not healthy for your other friendships if we’re together all the time. What about Kirin and Namgi?” A thought occurs to me. “Did they lose their memories as well?”
“They didn’t,” Shin says, “but were afraid that telling me of you would reverse the effects of the wish.”
“Thank goodness for the goddess, then. She’s afraid of nothing!”
Shin wraps me in his arms, his heart beating fast. “Mina, I’ve missed you so much.”
He pulls back only to lean forward for a kiss. There’s a loud cough behind us.
I hunch my shoulders, turning to face my whole family, standing only a few feet away with huge smiles on their faces.
Joon is the first to approach, taking me into his arms. I close my eyes, trying to burn this memory into my mind, this feeling of being in his arms one last time.
“To think,” he whispers, “this all began because you were chasing me. I will miss you, Mina, my favorite sister.”
I scoff. “You only have one sister.”
“Yes, and she is the bravest person I know.”
Then, one by one, I say farewell to my family. Sung, Soojin, and Mirae. Grandmother. I hold her the longest. This will be the last time I see them, maybe forever. Even when they pass on, many years from now, they might go up the river into heaven. They might take the river into another life.
Shim Cheong is last. She sweeps me into her arms. “Mina,” she says. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”
“No,” I say. “The truth is, you’re the one that I am most thankful for.” She starts to protest, but I hold her close. “Your story has been told over and over again, by everyone but you. I might have jumped into the sea to save Joon, but it was your hesitation that gave me the courage. With everyone and everything pushing you toward the Sea God and a fate not of your choosing, you looked back to what you wanted. And because of that, to me, you are the Sea God’s bride. The girl who, by saving herself, saves the world.”
I hold Cheong for a moment longer, then step back.
“Mina.” Shin waits, holding one hand out toward me.
I take it, and with a smile, I tell him, “Let’s go home.”
Acknowledgments
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is truly the book of my heart, and I am so grateful to everyone who has come along with me on this long and most rewarding of journeys. To my agent, Patricia Nelson, whose unwavering belief in Mina’s story gave me the courage to see through the hard times and to truly appreciate the good times. To my editor, Emily Settle, never in my wildest dreams could I imagine a more perfect editor for Girl than you.
To my genius cover designer, Rich Deas, and wildly talented artist, Kuri Huang—thank you for creating the most beautiful cover an author could ask for.
To the team at Feiwel and Friends, especially Starr Baer, Dawn Ryan, Michelle Gengaro, and Kim Waymer: It’s an absolute dream come true to work with all of you. And to the team at Hodder, thank you for welcoming my book with such warm enthusiasm.
I finished the first draft of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea while attending Lesley University’s MFA program, and an unforgettable moment for me was reading aloud the first chapter at graduation with all my mentors, family, and friends in the audience. Thank you to the incredible faculty at Lesley, particularly Susan Goodman, Tracey Baptiste, Michelle Knudsen, Jason Reynolds, and David Elliott, as well as my extraordinarily talented and hilarious cohort: Stephanie Willing, Devon Van Essen, Candice Iloh, Michelle Calero, and Gaby Brabazon.
To the readers who gave feedback early on, I am forever grateful: Cynthia Mun, Ellen Oh, Nafiza Azad, Amanda Foody, Amanda Haas, and Ashley Burdin. This book would not be what it is today if not for you. To my critique partners: Janella Angeles, Alex Castellanos, Maddy Colis, Mara Fitzgerald, Christine Lynn Herman, Erin Rose Kim, Claribel Ortega, Katy Rose Pool, Akshaya Raman, Meg RK, Tara Sim, and Melody Simpson. I’m in awe of all your talent and so honored to be a part of this group of writers! And to my dear friends: Karuna Riazi, David Slayton, Michelle Thinh Santiago, Veeda Bybee, Sonja Swanson, Lauren Rha, and Ashley and Michelle Kim—your support has meant the world to me.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is about a lot of things, but to me, it’s first and foremost about family. To mine: the AZ Chos, Como Helen, Uncle Doosang, Adam, Sara, Wyatt, Alexander, Saqi, Noah, Ellie, and Zak; the FL Chos, Como Katie, Uncle Dave, Katherine, Jennifer, Jim, and Lucy; the DePopes, Como Sara, Uncle Warren, Christine, Kevin, and Scott; the Goldsteins, Como Mary, Uncle Barry, Bryan, and Josh; Heegum Samchon and ; Heemong Samchon, Aunt Haewon, Wusung, Bosung, Minnie, Josiah, and Ellie; Heesung Samchon, , Boosung, Susie, and Sandy; Emo, Emo Boo, Chuljoong Oppa, Nahyun, Bokyung Eonni, and Seojun. And to Toro, the best boy! I love you all so much.