Chapter 37

Aisha Kim

Background Music

I'd love to fill you in on what happened when Minha announced that she was going to have a baby, but you already have an idea, right? The typical 'omo! I'm so happy for you!' 'Do you want it to be a boy or a girl?' 'When are you going to have the baby?' Happened, as well as few of the Exo boys snickering and muttering, "They had the y times." (Three guesses which boys said that. You don't need them. Promise.)

So, that was the glorious occasion. And it explained so much! Minha had been a bit unpredictable and had weird food cravings (mostly American food...which was even stranger since she didn't care much for it anyway.) Of course Jewelz was excited! We could see the cute boy or girl pretty much any time we wanted to. We all hoped it was a girl. Minha explained that she knew right away that she was pregnant, she just wanted to wait a while to make anything official and to surprise us. It was her first child and all that.

Now back to real time. It's been a few weeks since that announcement, and the media has been buzzing about it, so I decided today would be the day I make a YouTube video about new life under YG. We had, after all, been officially under their label for a month. Since practically the world knew about my stain which now didn't even look like a stain anymore, I didn't bother to put on my masks or makeup as much. Yes, people still aren't used to it, but after a while, I simply didn't care anymore. I'm under a new company name and I have my Jongin back, and that's all that really matters to me.

I woke up exceptionally early for this occasion and got myself all cute (black skinnies, converse, green button up which matched my eyes), and got ready to film while the other girls slept away. I waited for Sage to get there, knowing that she'd love to creep on her friends. Plus it gave her an oppurtinuty to pick on Minji. Those two...I can't tell if they're friends or enemies anymore...they switch between the two so much I guess I should just stop trying to keep up.

I was surprised that so many people wanted me to do "A Day In The Life of A Jewelz Member," when I posted to twitter what video I should do under YG, that one was the most requested. Fan service here we come. Sage walked in quietly and almost scared me half to death. The only bad news about Jewelz living together now is that Sage couldn't be there with us like we used to, when there was SunJung, HeeYoung, Sage, and I under one roof called my house and Minji had an apartment.

"Ready to do some sneakin'?" Sage asked softly, careful not to make noise. We're so dead. But it's so worth it. I nodded and grinned. She took the camera and began recording.

"Hello, Gems! It's Pearl, and today's a special episode. It's my first recording under YG!" I signed, resorting to that in case a girl decided to wake up while we were filming. "Anyway, I'm going to just show you a brief tour of our dorm, and then once everyone wakes up I'll film whatever comes next!" I beckoned Sage to follow me to mine and SunJung's bedroom. I realized I wouldn't be talking much unless I wanted to dish out some stuff on my girls.

I'm pleased with my side of the dorm. It's very tidy and everything has a place. The camera captured my heirloom sitting on the little table along with a recent picture of Jongin and I beside my made bed which had a pastel striped comforter over it. The scrapbook was set on the bed. I showed them my drawers that were underneath my bed which held all my clothes that were folded. Naturally my wall was covered in band posters I enjoyed as well as a collage of photos that had been taken throughout my life. My small desk was piled with college books, but at least my homework was done.

SunJung's side of the room was a different story. She did tell a few interviewers in the past that she was a bit messy, but no one seemed to believe her. Maybe because she was shameless about it. Well...now they would. Her dirty clothes were in a heap instead of the laundry basket and some of her drawers were hanging out. Her desk was no where to be seen underneath the piles of papers and books. Her wall was also full of popular R&B and Hip Hop musicians as well as american rock bands her dad likes. She lay, sleeping peacefully, tucked up like a burrito in her vibrant rainbow-and-zebra printed comforter. I giggled. Her phone alarm went off and she groaned, searching for the phone on her nightstand. I motioned for Sage to leave the premises. Sometimes SunJung's a bit moody in the morning.

We went down the hall and to HeeYoung and Minji's room while still trying to be quiet. Personally I'd forgotten what their room looked like, but it was clear that HeeYoung was also her organized and tidy while Minji wasn't. It was still better than SunJung's...

I didn't expect Minji's side to be so...bland... in color scheme. It was a simple cream and white. The wall she claimed as hers didn't have posters at all on it, only a simple poem written in Chinese. I honestly learn new things about my girls every day. Minji looked like she hadn't moved from her sleeping position at all. Her nightstand had a picture of the five of us at Disneyland which warmed my heart. A couple of books on English speaking were on the floor as well as a few notebooks. Her drawers were shut but there were clothes leaking out slightly. I poked her cheek and she didn't even flinch. She slept like the dead. How come I didn't notice this while we were on tour?

I made up the reasoning. It was because we were so busy all the time I didn't pick up on anyone's sleeping behaviors. I did realize that I get up first. Either it's me or SunJung and Minji is always the last. Plus...we never lived together so tightly before. This is new for everyone.

HeeYoung's side had her Gucci bags tucked away safely under her bed. Her drawers were shut, but I saw on her desk she had a few mangas and anime DVDs. Those types of things weren't really my thing. Her wall was halfway filled with Jpop and Jrock bands, the bands around here, and other fandom references. She was snuggled up with a Hello Kitty plush I'm pretty sure Tao got her when we were in Tokyo, tucked under light pink bedsheets and comforter. Her phone began to play a cute little song that sounded familiar.

"Oh my beautiful target...you zoom zoom my heart like a rocket!" It sang.

"She likes B1A4?" Sage asked.

"Apparently." I giggled. We left the room as HeeYoung woke up and went to the kitchen. SunJung was busy making breakfast and it smelled amazing.

"Good morning, Unnie!" Sage and I chirped. SunJung jumped with surprise and turned around to see that we were filming.

"'Morning, mischief makers. Giving the Gems a tour?" SunJung asked. We nodded. "Wish you would've told me sooner. I don't look too hot in these pjs." She looked down at her big shirt and pajama short shorts she had slept in.

"They like it when we're all natural." I reasoned.

"Well, HeeYoung's awake. Sorta." Sage said. "And we filmed the rooms."

SunJung's face lit up. "Heck yes! That means people will actually believe me when I say I'm messy! Have you shown them the shoe closet? It's worse there." She laughed. Sage went out of her way to show the shoe closets that were where the entrance was. I waited to hear her laughter and sure enough it came. She even snorted a little.

HeeYoung came walking in, fully dressed and beautified, humming the B1A4 song. Not going to lie, those boys, plus most of their songs, were adorable. I can see why she'd like them. She went over to SunJung to help with breakfast. When she saw the camera she did an aegyo wave and fixed up the coffee machine since her and Minji like coffee. I'm personally okay with just drinking milk.

"So, what are we doing today?" I asked, trying to find something useful to do in the kitchen.

"I'm pretty sure the boys will be getting in touch with you later to do something in the evening. When Minji finally gets around we'll need to get to rehearsal. We're getting our first music pieces to work on for our next album." SunJung answered. "Pass me the salt."

I tossed her the salt which she caught successfully. "Sounds like a plan!" I said.

Minji came walking in drowsily in her pjs, automatically noticed the camera, and groaned. "Aigoo, it's too early for filming."

"Nope, not at all!" HeeYoung said happily. She poured Minji a cup of coffee and plopped in two creams and sugar. Minji swirled it around gratefully and patted HeeYoung's head.

"Thanks, Lill' Jappy. What's Miss America doing up so early?"

"Helping." Sage said simply. Minji looked up at the ceiling as she drank her coffee. SunJung finally finished making breakfast and we paused the recording so we could eat and so the two could get ready in privacy. When that was said and done I cleaned the dishes and off we hopped to the practice rooms, but not without making a fuss. HeeYoung insisted on making us learn her favorite B1A4 songs as we went along.

"Think we can sneak off to find Exo?" SunJung asked, breaking off HeeYoung's complaint that we still weren't singing the specific song right. I shrugged.

"Their dorm is on the other side of the lot. It sort of prevents making the 'boom boom jiggity,' ya know what I'm sayin'?" Minji practiced her English. Sage, SunJung, and I began to laugh while HeeYoung looked bewhildered.

"I need to learn English..." She grumbled. Minji patted her head.

"It's okay, Lill Jappy. We can all teach you English while you teach us more Japanese!"

"And Chinese." Sage added.

"Yah! One language at a time." SunJung groaned. "It'll make my brain explode if I learn more than one language at once!"

"Anyway..." I giggled, "We're almost there. Should we film us practicing new moves? The Gems did say that they wanted to see how our new life was going." The three girls nodded as we finally made it to the spacious practice room.

"Annyeong sleepyheads!" came Minha's cheerful voice. Her and Sooyoung were in the room waiting for us. We all seemed to yawn on cue, causing both women to laugh. "We've got a busy morning ahead of us." Sage recorded Minha and Sooyoung waving at the camera happily. Minha, despite the fact that her bump was still small, had that sort of glow to her already that you see in expecting mothers. Sage stopped recording and began to do the diligent job of being the manager's assistant.

We began working on our new choreography for our first music video under this company. It was considerably easier then what we were used to, partly because Sooyoung was the one that actually came up with it instead of someone else teaching her and then her teaching us. She's so talented. Minha gave us a run down about what the music video was to be about, which in truth reflected us perfectly. Our past videos made us seem...too perfect. This plan is showing that we're just typical girls that work hard. We have our attractive moments, our not so appealing moments, and our dorky moments as well.

HeeYoung's serious and sudden B1A4 obsession was slowly seeping into Sooyoung. We realized this when we were given a break and HeeYoung decided to jack the stereo. She set up my camera as well. She blared their songs and began dancing around like an idiot, that is until Sooyoung told HeeYoung the news that she knew the dance routine to "Lonely."

So guess who knows that dance routine now?

All of us.

"This doesn't look like Jewelz's style." We all heard a familiar voice say. We turned around to see Kris leaning in the doorway like Mr. Suave, along with the other Exo M members peeping around the entrance.

"It's not." Minji complained. "It's HeeYoung's."

"Yah! Min-Unnie, be nicer!" HeeYoung swatted Minji's with her scarf that she was dancing with. "You know you like it."

"Maybe a little." She grinned.

"Bunny!" Tao exclaimed, running into the practice room and scooping up HeeYoung. She giggled profusely and waved the scarf in his face. Bunny? Why is he calling HeeYoung, Bunny? Oh gosh...are they at the pet name stage already?

"Panda!" She cooed. All of us simultaneously started making barfing noises. Lovey-Dovey at its finest.

"Anyway, what brings you boys to our lair?" SunJung asked, taking a ponytail holder off her wrist and tying her puff up with it. The two lovebirds stopped being goopy and began to pay attention.

"We wanted to know if you girls wanted to spend an afternoon with us in Seoul. You know, see the sites and what-not." Lay said with a smile.

"Hmm....don't you remember what happened last time we did that?" She asked. "The sasaengs attacked."

"We remember, but this time it'll be different." Xiumin said. "Plus, it's just us. The K members have something else to do today."

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bummed about not seeing Jongin today. This opportunity did, however, give me a chance to hang out with Exo M more. Maybe I could playfully threaten Luhan. It's part of the best friend code; the said best friend can playfully tease/taunt/get on the boyfriend's nerves. I intend on using it. Gosh...we've been so busy I haven't been able to properly do that.

"Where's Sage?" Luhan asked, walking into the room to see if she was there.

"Working." I stated, smirking. Excellent that she was, the best friend teasing shall commence. I shall need to keep my camera with me during this golden oppurtinuty.

"Oh."

I smirked. Now I shall take the moment to be thinking of ways to tease the poor boy. Where to start...the possibilities are endless..."Excellent." I rubbed my hands together evilly.

"Aisha...are you okay?" He asked cautiously.

"Why yes, yes I am." I said.

SunJung shrugged. "Sure, we can go out. Once Minha gets back we can ask."

"When will she be back?" Lay asked.

"When will who get back?" Came Minha's voice from down the hallway. Minji stuck her head out, almost head-butting Kris in the chest.

"Umma!!!" She cheered gleefully. I stuck my head out as well, watching her make her way back to our practice room.

"What do you girls want this- oh hello boys!" She cut herself off. The boys bowed and said their "Hello Minha-Noona"s.

"When will we get our free time?" HeeYoung asked from inside the room. Tao came into Minha's view with HeeYoung on his back. Minha looked at her tablet which had the schedule pulled up.

"It looks like around three-ish you get a break