Chapter 5

Aisha Kim

So, a few weeks went by after my stepmother being abusive and for some reason I still couldn't get a hold of SunJung or HeeYoung which really bothered me. Did I do something wrong? But all that doubt went away when they met with me to pick up Sage from the airport. SunJung and HeeYoung did look noticeably thinner than the last time I saw them. But a healthier thinner, which was never a bad thing.

Sage was a bubbling ball of happiness as the four of us drove to my house, telling us about her crazy experiences and the part time job she took working in a shopping mall which she made sound very unappealing.

"So me and my cousins Josh, Tina, and Spencer wanted to see who could make it down to this big ol' creek in their backyard. Now mind you there is this huge forest on both sides and its kinda clear kinda not. So we got on our four wheelers and it was boys against girls, as always." Sage rolled her eyes. "And we totally coulda beaten them if Tina hadn't hit a tree. Anyway, we hit an ol' tree and we both went flyin', and ya know what? We actually landed in that creek before the boys did, but because we crashed we were 'disqualified'. Now how in the Sam heck is it right to disqualify a crashed couple of girls??"

I had to explain to HeeYoung and SunJung what a four wheeler was but eventually gave up. I'd just have to show pictures when we got to my place. Plus it was difficult for HeeYoung anyway since she was driving and didn't know much English. I got out of the car first and made sure that the Wicked Witch of the West wasn't home, and then signaled the coast was clear. I momentarily forgot that my parents wouldn't be home for a few days because of a Business trip of some sort. The girls helped unload Sage's bags and put it in my bedroom like always before college started up again.

"Okay, switching to Korean mode, now!" Sage said, plopping down onto the floor. HeeYoung looked thrilled for that announcement. We all sat in a circle and I showed the two girls what a four wheeler was and the two became no longer confused.

"Now is the time to announce to Aisha why we haven't been talking very much." HeeYoung said. SunJung messed with her puffy dark curls as Sage fidgeted with the end of her t-shirt.

"SunJung and I....have been trainees at SM for the past two years. Yes, you can kill us. And yes, Aisha, we were there for your live performance. Sooyoung has been training us too. You were by the way absolutely stunning. We're terribly sorry for keeping this from you guys, we were sworn to secrecy, especially SunJung." HeeYoung announced. Sage and I gasped at the same time. That's why they looked healthier. 

"Cuz I'm black, yo." SunJung switched to English for that sentence, throwing up fake gangster signs. We all laughed.

"But I don't understand, why do you get so much crap for being Half white, half Korean, while SunJung gets to flaunt how she was born?" Sage asked.

I in a breath. This was my secret, the secret that I didn't want the public to know...I took off my mask slowly and pointed to deep red and almost purple stain that circled around my left eye like a crescent moon.

"That's why." I signed. I hadn't worn my usual makeup to cover it up. There is was, the port-wine stain. That's the reason why I wore a mask. I hated it. Umma had it too, and Appa said she cried when she saw it on me when I was born. I'd been seeking treatment for it with Umma...but now I just covered it with makeup. Later I realized that wearing a mask was pretty unique.

"Oh yeah....I forgot about that...." Sage said.

"To be honest, me too." HeeYoung said sheepishly.

"You're still beautiful, Aisha." SunJung said, taking my hand. "No matter how racist or judgmental your stepmom is, never forget it." I the key around my neck again.

"Are you ever going to open that music box?" Sage asked. I looked down at the key, then shrugged.

"I'm kind of scared to. I know there's something in there. I'm just afraid of what I'd see. I think I'm going to wait until I turn 22." I signed.

"Well, that's about five months away. So we won't be waiting very long." HeeYoung said. "And tomorrow they're supposed to announce the girls in the new girl group. I hope we're picked!"

"I kinda hope you're not, not to be rude. Because then I'd have the lonely life of a foreigner." Sage said. "But then I can point to you guys and be all 'look look! There are my kick best friends!' Just promise me, that you'll take me on tour."

"We pr