Two weeks to the day we had our meeting, Mi Sun got a phone call. Mi Hi, Eun Kyung and I were in the room when her phone rang, but Hyun-Ae was visiting her cousin that day and wouldn't be back until later that evening. 

     "Annyeonghaseyo," she answered. "He-hello? Who is this?'

She looked a bit puzzled, and we were all surprised at her next statement.

     "Ah, hello, Jungsoo Oppa. How are you?"

She went out to take the conversation, almost knowing our reactions might be heard in the background.

     "Man," Mi Hi said. "We almost got in on the conversation."

"It is not polite to eavesdrop," Eun Kyung reminded.

     "Oh, Eun Kyung. The faithful, correcting unnie," I said.

"Well, when Mi Sun is busy, I have to become the one who keeps you all in check," she smiles.

     Eun Kyung is probably the most mature member of our group. She seems to be like the older sister who keeps her younger siblings in line, even though Mi Sun is the oldest in the band. Mi Sun keeps us in check somewhat, but she's more laid back, where as Eun Kyung is stricter and quiet, but when she does speak, hang on to what she says. It's always very useful and well thought-out. Mi Sun is more outgoing, almost like an older Mi Hi, but not quite. Eun Kyung is 26 internationally, and Mi Sun is 28 internationally, but maybe I'll do the math for you as to how old they are in Korea sometime. 

     But that's another point for another time...

"So, Maggie," Mi Hi says, "The way you said that, it doesn't seem like you're that interested in Mi Sun's conversation."

     "Well, it isn't like I'm not, but if anything, it's her business, and we don't need to snoop," I said.

"Well put and very wise, dongsaeng," Eun Kyung said.

     "Kamsa hamnida, Unnie. I always try not to snoop," I said. "And anyway, he may just be updating her. It's not like he'll have a definite answer to our plan yet," I said.

     "Aw, Maggie, you know I'm not very patient," Mi Hi said. "But for the sake of all this, I will wait."

"And for that, I am proud of you."

     "That's noona to you," she says.

"Whatever. So, you were born in January, before March, and I was born in April, after March. You have 3 months on me. You told me I could drop the honorifics, anyway."

     "When was that?"

"A month ago. I even have it in writing and on film."

     "You don't let anything slip, do you?" she says.

"Plus the fact that my photographic memory chooses to remember anything that comes my way, random or not, don't say anything around me that you don't want me to remember and/or use against you," I reply.

     "Photographic memory, huh?" Eun Kyung asks.

"Yep."

     "In that case," Mi Hi says, "Check out this picture of the guy and his cat in Jump Girls t-shirts that are two sizes too small!" she cries.

I cringe. "You know how to torture me, don't you?" 

     "Mm hm," she smirks.

"I thought that picture creeped you out anyway."

     "It does, but it's also great for blackmail, especially for people who have a hard time un-seeing things," she says while making an evil face.

Be warned: aegyo can be very cute, very annoying, or very evil. And in this case, Mi Hi used the evil kind. 

     I think you could call it sinister. 

"I wonder how Hyun-Ae's trip is going," Eun Kyung says, changing the subject. 

     "I hope it's going well," I say. I also give her a look as if to say, "Thank you".

She knods knowingly. 

     Mi Sun comes back into the room. 

"That was Jungsoo," she says. "He called me to tell me that he ran everything by his manager and the company, and," her smile widens. "They're totally on board!" she cries.

     We all jump up, squealing and cheering. Even Eun Kyung is more excited than usual. 

"We have to call Hyun-Ae!" Mi Hi says.

     "Let's not interrupt her visit," Mi Sun says. "But she will be so excited."

We could all hardly wait for Hyun-Ae to return. She would be so ecstatic. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     Around seven o'clock that night, Hyun-Ae got home. 

"You look tired," Mi Su said, but still with a huge grin on her face.

     "Yeah," Hyun-Ae said. She looked around at all of us, and we all had almost plastic-looking grins on our faces.

"What's got you all so wound-up?" she asks. 

     "You know that idea Park Jungsoo and I had worked out?" Mi Sun says.

"I do."

     Mi Sun's grin widens. 

"He called back today, and everyone at the company is on board," she says.

     Hyun-Ae's tied face suddenyl is brightened with a huge smile. 

"Hullyunghan (wonderful)!" she cries. "I didn't expect him to be able to reply so early."

     "I suppose they all liked the idea so much that they finalized it quickly," Mi Sun tells her.

"Great.  So, when is everything going to kick off?"

     "You never did specify earlier, noona," Eun Kyung says. "If you wouldn't mind, but'ak hamnida (please)."

"Oh, that's right. I'm sorry. Jungsoo told me that we will meet at the SME offices at eight o'clock in the morning, where we will meet their manager and their boss. Obviously, our manager and boss are fine with this idea, too, so they will be coming with us. We will have a meeting, discuss what will happen, starting with recording a song. We're starting small."

     "This is awesome," I said. "And to think I was going into theology. Dodged a bullet there," I said.

They al looked at me strangely.

     "Oh, sorry. I meant I avoided a potentially bad situation. Euphamism again."

"Okay girls, so are we ready for this?" Mi Sun asked.

   "Ye!" we all replied.

"Remember, be professional, and let's not stress or get overly-excited about this,"  Eun Kyung said.

     "And let's get enough sleep so we're ready," Hyun-Ae said.

"Sounds good to me," Mi Hi replied.

     Everyone laughed, as usual. 

Turns out my euphamisms from the states are more strange than funny here...

     But that's beside the point.

I'm pretty sure we all may have not slept as much as we should have that Thursday night, exceot for Hyun-Ae, who was exhausted from her day trip.

     I'm not a fan of Mondays, but this was one Monday that could not come fast enough for me.