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Back This Time Will Be Different Save as PDF
Chapters (77)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. A Series of Screw-ups: The Chisaki Joan Katsuyama Story, Part I
  6. 3
  7. The History of My Beef with Brynn Foer-Preston
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. The History of the Katsuyama Family, Part I
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part I
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part II
  20. 13
  21. The History of the Katsuyama Family, Part II
  22. 14
  23. 15
  24. 16
  25. 17
  26. 18
  27. 19
  28. The Complicated History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Imaginary Relationship with Her Nonexistent Dad
  29. 20
  30. 21
  31. 22
  32. A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part III
  33. 23
  34. 24
  35. 25
  36. A Brief, Backward History of the McAllister Family, as Paraphrased from the San Jose Mercury News
  37. 26
  38. 27
  39. 28
  40. A Quick and Eerily Relevant History of Asians in America
  41. 29
  42. 30
  43. 31
  44. 32
  45. 33
  46. 34
  47. 35
  48. 36
  49. A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part IV
  50. 37
  51. 38
  52. 39
  53. 40
  54. 41
  55. 42
  56. 43
  57. 44
  58. A Series of Screw-ups: The Chisaki Joan Katsuyama Story, Part II (Or Maybe It’s a Prequel)
  59. 45
  60. 46
  61. 47
  62. 48
  63. 49
  64. 50
  65. 51
  66. 52
  67. 53
  68. The History of the Katsuyama Family, Part III
  69. 54
  70. A Note from the Author
  71. Index of Flowers and their Meanings
  72. Acknowledgments
  73. About the Author
  74. Praise for This Time Will Be Different
  75. Books by Misa Sugiura
  76. Back Ad
  77. About the Publisher

She continues, “So he’s got this huge water polo tournament this weekend, right? Like the coaches for the national team are going to be there and everything. So I want to get him something special for good luck, you know? Like, kind of unusual, but not weird. Not too feminine, either. He’s such a guy’s guy.” She rolls her eyes and gives me a confidential smile: Boys, amirite? “I want it to be, like, totally spectacular. Cost is no object when it comes to the really important stuff, right?”

I smile. Be nice. We need her. She’s about to drop some serious cash.

“Anyway, my parents are helping pay for it,” Sabrina continues. “They, like, love Shane. They’d probably be sadder than me if we ever broke up.”

“Okay, let me think.” I mentally scroll through a list of appropriate flowers. “Um, how about . . .” I’m about to suggest primrose lilacs for confidence, but they’re totally out of season—it’s nearly Christmas, for crying out loud—and super pricey, but she said she was willing to spend lots of money, right? Then Sabrina, who’s been scanning the shop while I think, holds up her hand to stop me.

“No, wait! Sunflowers! They’ll be perfect. Because he’ll be in the spotlight, like having his face to the sun, right?” Not the best choice; apart from being summer flowers like lilacs, sunflowers denote pride and pointless adoration. Though given who’s buying them, maybe they are the right choice.

But I’m a professional. So I ask, “Are you sure? I mean they’re impressive and all, but if you’re looking for symbolism, I’d recommend these.” I take her to a bucket of cream-colored primrose lilacs. “They communicate confidence. And you could combine them with some white heather for good luck and add a palm leaf or some bay leaves for fame and victory. I could make it look really nice, and I guarantee you it’s unique.”

Sabrina wrinkles her nose. “No, I think I’ll stick with these. Use all of them! I’ll tell him I bought out the store. Won’t that be romantic?”

I hesitate. “I guess . . . Are you sure you—”

But I’m interrupted by a low “Doooo iiiittt” from Owen.

I try to motion discreetly for Owen to shut the hell up, but it’s too late. Sabrina takes Owen’s encouragement and runs with it. “Okay. I will. All the sunflowers!”

Oh. Well, alrighty then. “It’ll be impressive, that’s for sure.” I try one more time to add a flower that makes sense. “How about tiger lilies? Those stand for passion and, like, the good kind of pride.” They’re out of season, too, but I mean. If money is no object . . .