This section of the novel further develops the Complex Family Dynamics that both Kate and Nate must navigate, for although their individual situations are very different, they both struggle to communicate their genuine feelings to their respective parents. The issue of Navigating Cultural Identity makes this task even more challenging for Nate, whose parents display behavior that exemplifies the “Kim family rule” that exempts parents from apologizing or explaining themselves to their children. For example, when Nate overcomes his fear of heights to brave the ladder and deliver water to his father, he isn’t surprised when his father shows no appreciation. As a Korean immigrant to the United States, Nate’s father holds traditional Korean family values that do not acknowledge Nate’s phobia of heights; his father only understands the duty that a son must show to a father by bringing something when asked. Later, Nate claims that his father “refused to look at [him]” because Nate’s fall from the ladder “brought shame” and has proven that he is “soft” (146-47). Similarly, when Nate’s mother casually insults Nate’s clothing, he notes that she doesn’t apologize. These interactions reflect the inevitable cultural clash that ensues as Nate tries to reconcile the different aspects of his multicultural identity: his family’s traditional expectations and his American-oriented ambitions and outlook. Within the dynamics of his family, he must meet his parents’ expectations while expecting nothing in return and refraining from voicing any complaints or concerns.

Although Kate’s home issues are different, she also battles with parental expectations that do not match her own inclinations. She claims that her father speaks to her the same way he speaks to clients, and she wonders if he realizes that she is “his daughter, not a business investment” (159); this issue comes to a head when he demands that she take a gap year in Asia. To further highlight the disconnect between father and daughter, he repeatedly shuts her down and even uses her full name, “Katherine,” as an emphatic note to make his point seem final, which pushes Kate even further away. This dynamic demonstrates the understated violence that lurks beneath the surface of Robbie Anderson-Steele’s behavior, as his wealth and power make him feel entitled to manipulate people. In Kate’s case, he also believes that his status as her father gives him the absolute right to dictate the course of her life. He claims to want her to have the best future, but from Kate’s perspective, he is domineering and oppressive. Kate’s fear that Nate displays some similarly problematic traits becomes a central concern as both characters embrace their own sense of agency to work on Cultivating Aspirations and Dreams that transcend the expectations of their families.

While the author does provide foreshadowing that Nate at least has the potential to choose a path similar to Robbie’s, these fears are eased by depictions of his kind treatment of Lucy in this section. Lucy has some characteristics in common with Kate, as both are creative, colorful, and emotional and have been accused of being too “soft.” When Lucy presents Nate with her birthday gift to him—play money for ice cream cake and a drawing of the two of them enjoying the cake—Nate sheds tears of joy, and his narration reflects the depths of his emotion, as he states, “I laughed and wiped my eyes with the palm of my hand. Thunder crashed again, drowning out the sound of my heart exploding into pieces. Sometimes I liked being a big brother” (173). His tenderness toward his sister implies that his emotional maturity exceeds that of Robbie, so there is still hope that he will not choose a path that leads to a cold, lonely, and manipulative adulthood.

Additionally, as the much-anticipated competition begins, the author makes it a point to symbolically leave the status of Nate and Kate’s growing relationship open; even their team shirts display the acronym “TBD,” a whimsical detail that is designed to represent their narrative potential. At this point in the narrative, they could end up being friends, romantic partners, or even enemies, and just as their status as victors or losers of the competition is still unknown, their larger fate is yet to be determined. In a way, both characters are trapped in their own real-life version of an escape room, and they must work together to find the clues in their own lives that will ultimately lead to their release from the situations that they find frustrating or oppressive. Just as in the zombie-themed escape room where the two work, the only way to succeed at engineering a successful escape is to pool resources and work together.