Chapter 28

            Yesterday has proved effective and efficient.  The members of Hurricane Pop and their management team knew the Hong Kong International Airport inside and out.  After lunch, they thoroughly toured the Asia World Expo, learning of every backstage entrance and secret hallway.  Some members would be stationed as fans in the crowd.  Others would act as the Expo’s staff backstage.  Everyone found excitement in this strange mission the Captain led.

            But Girls’ Generation was scheduled to arrive tomorrow, giving Hurricane Pop one free day in Hong Kong.  To everyone’s surprise, the Captain purchased tickets for Geummi, Ellin, Choa, Soyul and Jina to go to Hong Kong’s Disneyland nearby.  The members acted reverted back to their inner child as the Captain drove them to one of the happiest places on earth.

            “I can’t believe we’re actually going to spend the whole day here!” Soyul cried in delight as they stood in front of the ticket booths.

            “I had a friend who could get us discount tickets,” the Captain explained as if he feared they would develop an unrealistic view of his generosity.  “I was just going to go over the plans with you again today, but that wouldn’t have been really efficient, and I figure you deserve a little rest.”

            “Aren’t we going in?” Ellin asked pleadingly, taking hold of the Captain’s arm.  “You have our tickets already, right?”

            “Yeah, I’m just waiting for someone…”

            The Captain took out his phone and made a call as he looked down the road that led to the drop-off area.  Meanwhile, the girls asked for a map from the ticket booth and began to plan out their day.

            A taxi drove up to the drop-off area, and the Captain grinned.  Jina and the Hurricane Pop members became intrigued and tried to peek into the windows of the care.  Serang exited first, giving a casual wave to them before making room for another person to exit.  Choa’s jaw dropped as she saw who was in the taxi.

            “Minseon-ah!” Geummi called brightly, rushing over to a tired Minseon.  Ellin, Soyul, and Jina followed her enthusiastically, and all four girls quickly embraced Minseon.

            “Unnie, how are you so awake?” Minseon asked wearily, resting her head upon Geummi’s chest.  “I’m so tired.”

            “Minseon unnie, I can’t believe you’re here!” Soyul exclaimed

            Still in awe, Choa finally made her way over to Minseon.  “Minseon-ah…You’re here?”

            “With these last minute plans, I thought Minseon would like to join us,” the Captain told cheerily.  “Fortunately she was available.”

            “I woke up at five in the morning for you to just stand there?” Minseon asked Choa as the other members finally released her.  “Come here, unnie.”

            “Minseon-ah,” Choa beamed, pulling Minseon into her arms.  “I’m so glad you’re here.”

            “Geummi-yah, here are your tickets.”  The Captain handed an envelope to Geummi before stepping toward the taxi.

            “You girls have fun,” Serang called.

            Serang and the Captain entered the taxi and drove off, leaving Minseon and the Hurricane Pop members in pure glee.  Choa couldn’t bring herself to let go of Minseon, though Minseon’s displeasure was becoming obvious.

            “Are we going to have fun or just hug here all day?” Minseon grumbled.

            “But this is fun,” Choa smirked, squeezing her sister tightly.  “Thank you for coming, Minseon-ah.” 

            “Don’t worry, unnie,” Soyul requested earnestly.  “Disneyland will wake you up real fast.  And I bet the food is delicious.”

            “Ah, I haven’t eaten in so long,” Minseon sighed, wiggling out of Choa’s hold.  She put her arm around Soyul and began leading her toward the front gates of Disneyland.  “Come on!  Let’s eat!”

            “Are you happy, Minjin-ah?” Geummi whispered as they followed Minseon and Soyul.

            “It just makes me think…maybe there’s a better chance that she’ll join us.”

            Minjin couldn’t hide her exhilaration as they finally entered Disney Land.  Just beyond the front gates waited a ridiculous and wondrous world of imagination and enjoyment.  They were greeted by several Disney characters, and Soyul ducked behind Minseon as Goofy waddled up to them.

            “He’s sort of scary in person,” Soyul insisted as they scurried away.

            It was lunch time, and Minseon was effectively leading them to the nearest restaurant.  Soyul’s childish nature appeared to be in peril as she was torn between the impressive rides and the delicious food.  But no one was disappointed when Minseon chose a rustic restaurant that served bread bowls and sea food.

            “Whoever invented these things deserves a prize,” Jina suggested as they walked by a family that ravenously enjoyed their soups and bread bowls.

            When the girls finally sat down to enjoy a meal, Minseon was too enthralled with her food to talk with anyone.  Still, Choa sat beside her and smiled at her every so often.  Jina and the rest of the members could feel Choa’s excitement as well, and everyone was so pleased with Minseon’s company.

            “I hear It’s A Small World is a classic ride,” Geummi suggested after they finished their meal.  As soon as Geummi spoke, Soyul was leading the entire group to the fun, lighthearted ride, eager to experience it for the first time.  When they reached the ride, they breezed through the short line and paired up in order to fit into the boats meant for two.  Soyul immediately chose Geummi as her partner, and Ellin chose Jina, allowing the twins to be reacquainted with one another during the ride.

            “Ah, look at these little dancing children,” Geummi squealed as their boats began to move through the ride.  “My Hyekyeong-ah could be one of them.”

            “Unnie…use my stage name,” Soyul blushed.

            Of the three boats used by the Hurricane Pop members, Choa and Minseon rode in the boat at the end of the group.  Choa tightly gripped Minseon’s arm and rested her head on her shoulder.

            “I can’t believe you’re here, Minseon-ah,” Choa grinned happily.  “Thank you for visiting.”

            “I thought you might feel lonely out here,” Minseon sighed.  “But it appears I was wrong…”

            “Yeah, I get along well with all the members.  We’re really like family.”

            “I wasn’t talking about the members,” Minseon smirked.  “Unnie, you have the same glow on your face from when you started going out with that tall, skinny boy during Junior year.”

            “What?”  Choa felt her cheeks already turning red, but she realized the dark ride would hide them well.  “What do you mean?”

            “Are you…seeing someone here?” Minseon asked curiously.  “Unnie…are you infatuated with that handsome manager oppa who picked me up from the airport?”

            “Dohyun?” Choa whispered, glancing quickly over at Ellin.  “What?  Not at all.”

            Minseon eyed Ellin as well as an amused smile grew upon her face.  “You are!  You totally are!”  She lowered her voice suddenly and leaned closer to Choa.  “And Minyoung unnie likes him as well.  You’re going behind her back.”

            “You make it sound so devious,” Choa replied in frustration, closing her eyes tightly.

            “I was right!” Minseon cried with a loud laugh.  The loud singing of the mechanical children around them effectively drowned out Minseon’s voice.  “You totally have a thing with him.”

            “It’s not…it’s not a thing,” Choa insisted.  She leaned back in her seat, attempting to enjoy the boat ride.  But Minseon wasn’t done prying, and she was soon cuddling up to Choa, waiting for more dirt to be spilled.

            “Unnie…how did you two meet?”

            “Ugh, Minseon-ah…All of us met him a few days ago when the Captain brought him in to accompany us to Gangzhou.”

            “So things are happening quite quickly,” suggested with a devilish smile.  “I suppose the two of you have had some sort of encounters since then for you to be so enamored with him.”

            “How do I seem so enamored by him?” Choa questioned in surprise.  “I’ve kept my cool pretty well.”

            “It’s a twin thing, unnie.  Just spill the stories.”

            “We haven’t had any ‘encounters’ as you call them,” Choa explained.  “We only chat from time to time in between schedules.  I guess…the only ‘encounter’ we’ve had would probably be…Well, we had dinner together last night.”

            “That is definitely an encounter!” Minseon exclaimed excitedly.  “A scandalous encounter.”

            “Minseon-”

            “What did you two talk about?”

            “We just discussed our itinerary for tomorrow,” Choa sighed.  “That’s why we had dinner together.  We were scoping out restaurants that Girls’ Generation might go to.”

            “Oh, come one, unnie,” Minseon smirked wickedly.  “He must have said something to make you this happy.”

            “He said nothing.”

            “Ugh, why didn’t they teach us telepathy at that useless academy?” Minseon grumbled, folding her arms and leaning against Choa.  “I wouldn’t have hated it so much.”

            “Minseon-ah…Should you really joke about the Academy like that?” Choa asked quietly.  “You know how much it hurt us.”

            “How do you think I make it through the day, unnie?”  Minseon forced a smile, though a broken frown quickly overtook it.  “Our psychologist would call it a coping mechanism, wouldn’t he?  I suppose he’s right…”

            As Choa watched her sister’s cheerless eyes, she desired nothing more than to go back in time and save them from their damaging fate.  She figured she could settle with a small distraction for now.  “…Dohyun said I was visual material.”

            Minseon’s eyes lit up quickly at Choa’s words.  “Visual material?  Unnie, he’s totally head over heels for you.”

            “I hope you’re right, Minseon-ah,” Choa laughed.

            “Actually, I was just kidding.”  Minseon ran her fingers through her hair in a carefree manner.  “If he thinks you’re visual material, certainly he’ll be absolutely love struck when he sees me.  He’s been in the dark for too long.”

            “You’re ridiculous, Minseon-ah.”

            The cold, clammy atmosphere of It’s A Small World suddenly got to Minseon, and she shivered slightly.  Choa wrapped her arm around her sister and pulled her close.

            “Minseon-ah, why don’t you join Hurricane Pop and actually become the visual?” Choa insisted with a grin.  “You’d have to compete with Ellin and I, but it would be fun.”

            Minseon chuckled quietly.  “You can’t convince me, unnie.  The idol life is just not for me.”

            “There’s a big chance we won’t even become popular idols,” Choa admitted.  “We could just have fun and perform together.”

            “While stalking Girls’ Generation,” Minseon laughed.  “No thanks, unnie.”

            Holding her sister tight, Choa decided to give up for the day.  At least she was given this time to spend with her sister at Disneyland.  She felt renewed and encouraged for whatever tomorrow would bring.  It was a treat she couldn’t take for granted.

            “Hyekyeong-ah!” Minseon called suddenly.  “Isn’t that her singing and dancing on that platform over there?  I didn’t even see her leave the boat!”

            “And no one will see me push you out of your boat, Minseon unnie!” Hyekyeong shouted impishly.