English Korean

Chapter Twenty-Four

It was the last day of filming Cadillac Records and I was mainly just shots of me singing to the backing tracks. The story is about Etta James and her life to becoming famous, I am honoured to portray her in this movie as she is a role-model of mine from when I was young. Her music is filled with soul and passion and I just love it.

I finished filming Obsessed a week ago and we had a little after party for that and I still have the cast's phone numbers. We text each other quite regularly.

“What will you be doing when we have finished, Amila?” Darnell, the director of the film, asked me when we were having the wrap-up party.

“I don't know. I'll probably start working on another album but I am definitely heading back to South Korea to have some down time.” I said with a slight nod to my head. I haven't thought much about what I would do after recording.

“Oh god. They've brought out the karaoke machine.” Darnell sighed and I looked over to see a microphone stand with a little CD player connected to it.

“Amila! Come over here.” the staff pulled me over to the machine and made me stand in front of the microphone.

Everyone was looking up at me expectantly and I stood there awkwardly.

“Any requests?” I gave in and asked.

“'Be with You'!” Darleen called immediately from the back. Everyone started agreeing with her and I went to get the backing track on my phone. I connected everything up and the music started.

Ooh baby

I love the way you make me feel

It slows down time

Come in my bedroom and turn off the lights

You whisper softly in my ear

Makes me unwind

The way you touch me

Let's me know you're mine

I'd rather be with you

Because I love the way

You scream my name

And there's no other man

That gives me what I want

And makes me feel this way

I'd rather be with you because

You hustle hard to take care of me

I'd rather be with you

Boy, I'd rather be with you

I love the way you look at me

Stare into my eyes

What do they say to you

Boy, don't be shy

Tonight's the night your fantasies

Will all come true

I am your woman

I belong to you

There is nothing I won't do for you

I know my soul connected me to you

I feel so safe when I'm alone with you

I'm holding back nothin'

Saving it all for you

Baby, I love making love to you

It's like a high I can't come down from you

I'd rather be with you

Because I love the way

You scream my name

And there's no other man

That gives me what I want

And makes me feel this way

I'd rather be with you because

You hustle hard to take care of me

I'd rather be with you

Boy, I'd rather be with you

I'd rather be with you, oh yea

Boy, I'd rather be with you

I'd rather be with you, oh yea

Boy, I'd rather be with you

I'd rather be with you

Because I love the way

You scream my name

And there's no other man

That gives me what I want

And makes me feel this way

I'd rather be with you because

You hustle hard to take care of me

I'd rather be with you

Boy, I'd rather be with you

I don't want nobody else

I ain't goin' nowhere

I'm happy with you

You got me, baby

I ain't thinking about

Nobody else but you, baby

I finished off the song and there was a loud applause.

“Those raw vocals! Do you use autotune in any of your performances?” Darleen asked me when I came off stage.

“No, I want my fans to know this is my voice and there is no point in changing it.” I explained quickly.

“Amen to that.”

I flew back to Seoul, South Korea, the next day. Jiyong picked me up from the airport and we spent a steamy, private night with each other. Seunghyun kept on looking at us funny when we went to work in the morning. He kept on wiggling his eyebrows and making innuendoes.

“Mila-unni!” I heard from behind me when I was coming back from the dance studio. I will be performing with Hugh Jackman at the Oscars in February next year and I only have three months to practice.

“Ah, Minzy-ssi! How are you?” I asked with a bright smile.

“Great, Mila-unni. I was wondering if you would like to go out for a girly day with the other girls? We have a holiday allowance and we need to go Christmas shopping.” she walked along the corridor with me and explained their plans.

“Minzy, Minzy, I would love to. I'll meet you tomorrow.” I giggled and walked off with a wave.

The next day the girls and I had an amazing time. We visited most of the shops in Hongdae, I treated them to a meal and we ended up going to my apartment for a sleepover. Mama loves the girls, she did all of our hair, treated us to pedicures and we did make-overs.

“Neh, unni. What are your proportions?” Chaerin asked me when we were talking about keeping our bodies in shape.

“I'm not someone who is naturally thin so I have to work on it a lot. I aim for 89cm for my chest, 66cm for my waist and 99cm for my hips. I think I'm a bit over that right now because I am on a break.” I told them truthfully.

“Oh, you're so curvy. I didn't think Jiyong-ie would like that sort of thing.” Dara-unni commented.

“Yeah, he seems like someone who would like a thin girl.” Minzy nodded in agreement.

I felt a little hurt at what they said. That I don't look like Jiyong's ideal type.

“Well, it's what's on the inside that counts.” I shrugged it off and they made sounds of positive agreement.

Christmas soon came around and I spent the morning with mama and we opened our presents in our pyjamas. I got my presents from my friends and family as well. Mama got me a new journal, daddy got me a locket with a picture of me and Jiyong in it and Chrissie got me a joint present with Charlie of a massive Hershey's chocolate pack. Hershey's kisses, bars and a variety of different flavours of Hershey's chocolates. Izzy bought me a pair of relly nice leather heeled boots, Minah gave a scrapbook made up of all the pictures since I auditioned. There is a lot more space to fill. The 2NE1 girls made me a coupon booklet, it had little random favours that I could get from them like Bom-unni put 'drinking buddy', Dara-unni put 'shopping spree', Minzy-ah put 'a massage' and Chaerin-ie said 'girls weekend'. There are a lot more but those are the ones that stuck out to me.

Mama and I are heading over the Big Bang apartment for a little Christmas party. It's just going to be us and their families. I'm really proud of the gifts I got for the boys and their families, mainly because I don't know their families very well and went off of what they have told me about them.

When we arrived, the party was in full swing and we were the last to arrive.

“Mila-yah! We thought you wouldn't be coming.” Ha-Eun-ssi greeted me at the door with a hug. Mama and Ha-Eun instantly went away for 'mom talk'.

“Angel!” Jiyong spotted me when I walked into the living room.

“J! Merry Christmas, everybody.” I greeted everyone and shook hands with those I haven't met before.

Presents were passed around before dinner and everyone was in love with the festive cheer.

“Youngbae-ah, here's yours. Seunghyun-oppa, this one is yours. Seungri-ah, Daesung-ie, these are yours. And Jiyong-ie, this one is yours.” I was responsible for giving out Big Bang's presents while mama did everyone else.

I got Youngbae a set of new shirts so he can learn to keep them on, Seunghyun-oppa now has a pair of new pink converse shoes, Seungri-ah received a new Rihanna album, Daesung-ie has box set of a K-Drama he wanted and Jiyong-ie received a Jay-Z album and a couple of beanies and caps.

“Thank you, Mila!” they chorused and gave me a hug each.

They boys gave out their presents and I received a recipe book from Seunhyun, a new dress from Youngbae, a new set of pens and pencils from Daesung and Seungri. Then came Jiyong's present.

It was a little charm to go on my bracelet, a little disc with an engraving of when I auditioned for YG. The day our lives became intertwined.

“Oh, Jiyong-ie... I love it, I love you.” I started crying and he brought me into a hug.

“Oh, what is that hanging above Jiyong-ie and Mila's heads? Is that mistletoe I see?” Seunghyun-oppa pointed out 'subtly'. (Queue deadpan faces)

I was suddenly kissed in front of everyone by Jiyong and I felt so warm and comforted by that one kiss. He just proved to a lot of people I don't know that well that I am his and he is mine, no one can take us away from each other.

January rolled around and I was invited to sing at President Obama's inaugural ball! I am so excited, I am going to perform for the president of the country I was born in. I am going to perform 'At Last' by Etta James, the woman who I was playing in Cadillac Records. The movie wont be coming out until February but they still asked for this song.

I walked onto the side-stage, on looking the president and his beautiful wife, Michelle, getting ready for their first dance as president and first lady. The introduction to the song started and I took a deep breath in before I sang the first line.

At last my love has come along

My lonely days are over

And life is like a song

Ohh yeah yeah

At last

the skies above are blue

My heart was wrapped up in clover

The night I looked at you

I found a dream, that I could speak to

A dream that I can call my own

I found a thrill to press my cheek to

A thrill I have never known

Ohh yeah yeah

You smile, you smile

Oh and then the spell was cast

And here we are in heaven

For you are mine at last

Ooohhh ohh ohh

I blew a kiss in the president and first lady's direction with tears in my eyes and waved to everyone who was screaming.

“Thank you.” I said through my tears and blew more kisses.

That is definitely a life goal ticked off of my list.