GORGEOUS
Flying halfway across the world for barely twenty-four hours has its perks. Some pale imitation of a regular vacation, sans the length and the restfulness. Special stages are very much work, but there’s something about the change of scenery that keeps it fresh, makes her excited at the prospect of performing. Coming close to seven years of idol-hood and a decade of training almost necessitates ennui, but this is different, if only for the reason that it feels like an escape. A welcome reprieve, of sorts.
Everyone seems to be taking it the same way — backstage, before the show, the buzz was palpable, the energy contagious. It’s a weird reunion only seen at events like year-end shows, where everyone gets together regardless of their schedules; she’d bumped into friends old and now, faces she hadn’t seen in awhile for reasons abound. Even her manager seems to feel the same, turning a blind eye to the liquid courage she’d drunk clean before her stage — oh, the beauty of being far away from the watchdogs that lurk around the regular industry haunts back at Seoul. Upon reaching the hotel, her and their manager had separated quickly, with only half-hearted warnings to take with her the rest of the night.
A pisco sour later, she can’t remember what those warnings were.
The only person who hadn’t gotten the excitement memo was Sooyeon. Unusual, since she was usually up for anything when Mona was around. What with her unbending schedule and her natural drive, these days it meant Mona had to physically drag her away from her work to unwind. Tonight, it seems, would be no different.
(Funny, she never thought she’d be a bad influence, but here she is.)
So here she is, standing outside Sooyeon’s hotel room, knocks incessant, content with being as annoying as humanly possible until her friend responds. “You grandma, open the door already and let me in! I’ve even got a present for you. It starts with ‘Di’ and ends with ‘or’.”
It’s a low blow, but if there’s anything that gets a girl’s attention, it’s got to be that.
Chile ‘19 — @idsooyeon













