"Hana, over here!"
I turn into the flashing lights, smiling and trying not to squint. People are calling my name everywhere.
"Hana! Hana, look!"
I bring my hair over my shoulder and slightly smile at the cameras, giving them a nice girl look.
"Hana, c'mon!" I hear Erin calling me. I look back to our blocked-off path and see my group way in front of me. I catch up to them, making sure I have nice strides for the pictures. We all stop right outside of the door to the Music Core building. Smiling, I wave to the paparazzi and make a heart with my hand and Erin's before we're ushered inside by our manager, So-hee.
"Okay girls, I just need you all to sign here and we'll release the album!" The music core woman says. Dee-Dee hands me a pen and I sign the paper, adding a tiny heart next to my name. My heart is racing at the thought of our new mini album being released in less than two hours.
Once we all sign our names, So-hee points to a section of dark pink walls.
"Hana, why don't you and the girls take some pictures over there? We haven't posted anything in a while."
I nod and pull out my phone. It's the best one on the market, but it's always monitored by our company, JYP Entertainment.
"Guys, let's go over here to take pictures so we can post something before the album comes out."
They follow me to the walls and we take pictures one by one. We're not in our performing outfits, but it's still cute.
"예쁜!" I smile at Windee as she poses.
Once we all take pictures, So-hee comes around to take one of all of us together.
"Ginger, scooch in a bit."
I giggle at our Maknae as she tries to get into the frame.
"Perfect." So-hee hands me my phone. "Send them to me and I'll post them."
I nod and we prepare to go back outside.
"언니, do you have any lipgloss?" Cherry asks.
We're all fixing our hair and makeup in the mirror beside the office.
"Yes, but it's not the kind you like." I reply. I know she hates clear lip gloss, she prefers a light red because it makes her lips look "cherry", which suits her name just fine.
"Here, Cherry." So-hee hands her lipgloss in the perfect shade.
"Are we all set?" I ask, looking at all the members.
"Yeah, let's go." Windee nods.
Our bodyguards push open the doors of the building and I walk outside into the cool breeze. It's only September, but it's getting colder every day.
I knew the cameras would be waiting on us, they always are. Specifically me, though I would never say that out loud. I've gained a lot of popularity since ice's debut, and I can't help but notice that I'm the most popular member.
"Hana! Ginger! Dee-Dee! Over here!!"
We smile and wave yet again, So-hee stepping back and away from the spotlight. Eventually, we make our way to the black van waiting on us in the parking lot. I see our bodyguards pushing people back, and I take Ginger's hand, keeping her right beside me.
So-hee shuts the door of the van, shutting off all of the noise that the paparazzi was making, so now all we can hear are muffled voices. She comes around to the passenger side, gets in, and we drive off to JYP.
It's about two o'clock in the afternoon, and we've been granted a day break in celebration of our new release. I write in my journal, sitting on my bed in the dorm room that I share with Windee, and sing our title track to myself.
Can't you see
that it's not me
it's you, boy
it's you
So-hee knocks on my door four times. That's how I always know it's her.
"Come in." I tell her.
She does, and she's carrying a letter.
"That's ice's schedule for tomorrow. I printed it out, I need you to read this to the girls so they'll be prepared. You guys have a busy day tomorrow."
I nod. "Okay, thank you."
She leaves, in a hurry. She must have even more scheduling to do. If anyone is more stressed about this comeback than we are, It's So-hee. She's not much older than I am, only twenty-three, so she's like the sister I never had.
Just as I'm finishing my diary entry, Dee-Dee comes into my room.
"Erin and I are going to town. Wanna come?"
I shake my head. "I'm alright, go ahead. Be careful."
She nods and shuts the door. I set my journal and pen aside and open the envelope. Inside is a folded piece of paper.
ice schedule
6.00 am- stylist meeting in room 106
- all members will try on their first stage outfits for fitting
7.00 am- dance practice
- practice "you" choreography, ice will be performing at music bank on September 19
9.00 am- study
- ice members must do their daily work for high school
11.00 am- group reaction
- members must watch music video of "you" and react to it (room 54)
12.00 pm- spotify advertisement
- members must record an advertisement for new release on spotify
12.30 pm- make tiktoks
- members must all make tiktoks with the song "you" to promote the release
1.30 pm- lunch
2.30 pm- dance practice
4.00 pm- company meeting (only hana)
- Hana must attend a meeting in the main office, other girls go to social lessons
5.00 pm- bubble messages
- members must talk to "mice" on bubble
5.45 pm- preparation for performance
- members will go to Music Bank to prepare for their performance
7.00 pm- dinner
8.15 pm - back in the dorms
10.00 pm- lights out
I look over the schedule over and over before putting it back in the envelope. Walking into the main room, I see Ginger and Windee on the couch.
"Where's Cherry?" I ask.
Ginger shrugs, popping a blueberry into her mouth.
"I haven't seen her in a while." Windee admits.
I leave them and check Cherry and Ginger's room.
"Cherry?"
I see a lump on her bed and walk over to it. There's Cherry, asleep under the covers. I smile and tuck her in before returning to the main room.
When Erin and Dee-Dee come back, Cherry wakes up and I read the schedule to them all.
"September nineteenth is the day after tomorrow; Friday." Erin says. I nod.
"We're performing live for Mice at noon that day."
I check the time on our wall clock. "We'd better get ready for bed now. It's already six o'clock, and we still have to take showers."
When I get out of the shower, I apply lotion and oil to my body, putting certain oils in my hair, too. I do my skincare routine and change into my pajamas before joining the members in the main room.
"Hana, come watch this with us!"
I look at the TV and see our music video playing.
"We're not supposed to watch that yet!" I scold them, knowing we've all already seen it at least once. Our reactions tomorrow won't be fake, just repeated.
They laugh and I sit on the floor to watch it with them.
(1,227 words)