How we cite our quotes: (Page number)
Quote #4
I'm laughing even though I know I shouldn't. That was the most perfectly awful experience. Poor Daniel. Observable Fact: Families are the worst. (143)
Daniel’s dad made a judgmental, racist comment about Natasha’s hair, and his brother joked about Daniel’s anatomy, so “perfectly awful” is a pretty spot-on description. Natasha deserves some serious brownie points for laughing it off.
Quote #5
For most of his childhood, there was never any doubt in Dae Hyun's mind that he would eventually take over the business. He was the eldest of three sons. It was his place. Family is destiny. (238)
Interestingly, Dae Hyun didn’t end up taking over the family business: He got married, moved to America, and started his Black Hair Care store. He conveniently forgets all this when he’s angry with Daniel for wanting to strike out on his own.
Quote #6
Red Tie gets even louder. "This is an independent record store. That means it's family-owned. You're stealing from real people. Do you know how hard it is for small businesses to survive when people like you just take stuff?" (54)
Red Tie (a.k.a. Daniel) often goes out of his way to support small businesses. Later in the book, he’ll bring Natasha to an independent coffee shop over Dunkin’ Donuts, despite the latter’s crazy deals on Munchkins. In any case, he’s sensitive to small business owners’ struggles thanks to his own parents, so he’s in no mood to watch Rob and Kelly pull a smooch-and-steal.