Minju's POV:

Hyewon was set to come back today and I've been busy for the last few days since the announcement of my upcoming drama. I was also hammering out some deal with a different Entertainment Company, I spoke on behalf of Hyewon and I. JYP-A was the last meeting I had today, the division of JYP for Actors. It was tiring to hammer out a deal with them especially because Hyewon and I wanted to come out and be represented together, my contract was expiring this year, I dealt with it personally with Urbanworks. So far there are only two who wanted us both. YGX and SM are the two companies who wanted us and are currently fighting over us. We still wanted to talk to other Entertainment Companies. It was already half the day and I was baking a cake and preparing all the food that Hyewon loves such as Takoyaki, Sukiyaki and Cheese Galbi. I was also preparing Miyeok-guk as no Korean Birthday would be complete without Miyeok-guk.

Unlike Hyewon, I was cooking by myself and the rest of the Korean Members of IZ*ONE were preparing decorations for Hyewon's Birthday. Chaewon and Sakura Unnie were busy promoting their debut in Japan. So as IVE and Yena Unnie. Yena Unnie was coming back with a new bop called Smartphone. I can't wait for our WIZ*ONEs to hear it, they're going to love it, she was going to come back by the end of July to early August. We're also appearing together on some of the other Music Festivals around Korea. It's going to be chaotic again with Yena Unnie. She likes to bug me a lot and ever since IZ*ONE, she liked to play with me and often would make me say embarrassing things. Famous line was 'Chongseo Jumaji' she would always bring it up inconspicuously and at the most opportunistic time. WIZ*ONEs all know how much I hated that line but almost all my members would always bring that up.

It was only Yuri, Chaeyeon and Eunbi Unnie who came here to help me prepare for Hyewon's Birthday. Like the other years, she always went on a solo trip with her Middle School and High Schoolmates. Prior to her transferring to Hanlim, she was going to a normal school. Then the rest of her time was spent at her family's home before finally coming back on the day of her Birthday. July was a big month for me as I was announced as a cast of a historical webtoon drama. I also have MUCORE and other magazine shoots. I had a lot of shoots for brands and magazines among other things. WIZ*ONEs have gone crazy back in June as Hyewon and I posted a photo separately on Bubble that had a filter of Blue Hearts over our heads. She was vocal to our WIZ*ONEs, Hyemdan and MongMinators about us going on dates. So far nobody has suspected us to be dating save for some internet sleuths who liked to speculate about us dating, 'delusional' fans are always the ones who guesses things correctly.

But none of them ever asked me on Bubble for anything regarding Hyewon and I. I was merely waiting for Mingdans to ask me about Hyewon. So far it is only Chaewon and the other members they asked about. I've been sending Hii-chan and Nako-chan some Korean Snacks they both love. Other Korean members have done the same, they often sent both kids snacks and other Korean Products such as Beauty and Health Products. Yuri also sent Hii some socks and snacks and other Beauty products because of Hii's post about a sock that had a hole on it, Yuri commented that she would send her some socks and a few weeks later Hii posted about the package she received. The end of July is something even bigger than the start of July. Because Hii was gearing to visit Korea for a Schedule with Eunbi Unnie and Chaen Unnie. Hii already reached out to me in advance and she said she wanted to visit several bakeries around Seoul and if I could take her there. I agreed of course, nothing I wouldn't do for Hii and Nako, I just needed to go around my schedule for shooting ads, I was too occupied with the start of my filming for Joseon Ban Live Action Adaptation, I made it a point to go on the first available Monday I had to myself, Hyemu couldn't join us on that day as she was also busy filming her Live Action Adapatation of Seasons of Blossom. Where she will play as the Queen Bee of the School in the present time the story was set to happen. 

Everything had to be done in advance and Hii bless her heart understood my conundrum with scheduling. She understood I was going to be busy in August, she agreed to go on the first Monday before she comes back to Japan. The visit was not even a week, it was just for a short time, like right after we visit the bakeries she wanted to visit, she's supposed to leave the following day. I was her last stop and last person she would see before she goes back to Japan. Nako was also preparing to be a host of an Idol Star Search show, similar to Produce 48 but for boys. The format is really similar to ours and it would be hosted soon, she was picked as the host of that show and it would require her to travel to Korea soon. I already asked her what she wanted to do when she comes, I was their Korean Onee-Chan, Nako told me that she wanted to eat at the restaurant she and Hyem used to visit for breakfast when we had schedules, she also wanted to come and stay with Chaeyeon for two days and she will then come to our house and spend the rest of the days there, possibly Chaeyeon will be coming too. If she isn't busy, because she's preparing for her upcoming Solo Debut as an Idol Star. It has been a long time and everyone from IZ*LAND was waiting for her to finally debut. 

We were of course the first people to know about her plans, more than her own family, she told us first. Everyone of us fully supported her and cheered her through the last year. She wanted to initially focus on her dancing and refine herself as the dancer of the 4th Generation of K-Pop. She may have wanted to become just a dancer but she expressed to her company that she misses Feathers and wanted to debut as a soloist after a long time she was stuck on a limbo. Honestly good for her for taking her time, because her debut might be overshadowed by LE SSERAFIM if she debuted same time as them. LE SSERAFIM was from a big company, plus the recent Kim Garam Bullying Scandal has put their group in much pressure. Now they are also being accused of manipulating the charts for their first win with Garam in the picture. Kku Unnie told us that Kim Garam was the most disrespectful person she has ever worked with and she was so upset by the treatment of her members. She was irked of Kim Garam and her behavior that they just decided to do another practice when Kim Garam was resting, so far, Garam was put on hiatus by HYBExSouMu making them have all the time to practice the five member formation, she sent us videos of the practice and asked us to evaluate it and to be honest, they looked good as a five member group, Kim Garam seemed to be hogging the space meant for each member, it seemed so crowded when they were still performing as a six member group.

IZ*ONE was a Twelve Member Group but we all shined on stage and we looked good, each one of us got the details right, the whole group dance choreography, we weren't getting on each other's way. You can tell just by looking at Garam that she was trying hard to attract attention to herself. Despite her being in the center of a controversy. Bullies have no place in the K-Pop Industry, it was such a bummer that Kku Unnie and Chaewon Unnie had to work double time to clean up the controversial mess this Kim Garam has started or left them with, whatever the decision will be from HYBExSouMu. I worried for both Unnies as they didn't deserve their re-debut to be marred with such a controversial person. I could only hope that Kim Garam would either leave the group or be proven not guilty once and for all. So that my Unnies who were working hard all this time could finally breathe easy and not have to get affected by allegations. I just want everyone of IZ*ONE to re-debut and find their own paths. Just like Hyem and I decided to continue being an actress, I hoped everyone of IZ*ONE would find their happiness too, we've all grown to be like a real family, so I would feel bad if ever I would find out that every one was having a hard time, especially my Unnies and the other half of the Maknae line. They all deserved their spotlights and quite honestly, I chose to become an actress again because at least I don't hear comments about how lacking I am, the Idol Industry was glitz and glamour, it was good until we lasted, but also dark with their unrealistic beauty standards. I have long learned to love my body, my capabilities as a singer, actress and model. Everything about myself, I have long learned to love and be more ki