hong aeji lived a simple life in california with her parents and older brother.
however that simple living quickly changed when her brother was scouted to be in one of the world's next biggest kpop groups.
this is hong aeji's diary, where she keeps...
"hansol. he hasn't shut up about you since the day you and shua walked in."
7/2/2015
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"say the name, seventeen!" the boys all screamed together after seungcheol did his speech.
"last stage let's get it!" dk said in english, causing others to repeat him and laugh along.
i went over to my brother, wrapping my arms around him and giving him a long hug. "good luck josh!"
"thank you ji." he smiled, "it's really nice having you here."
"you know i love it here! and i love all the boys too."
"well they all love you, you should think about staying here full time." he said.
bomb dropped.
live in korea? with my brother and his 12 band members? at 17?
leave america behind? all my friends, my parents? my dream university?
i pushed all those thoughts aside for josh's sake, just nodding my head. "go kill it!" i said before letting go of him.
i walked around the group, telling them each good luck.
"bag of luck hong aeji!" wonwoo yelled out as i threw a fighting sign his way.
i looked over to my side, seeing hansol fiddling with his mic pack.
"hey," i said, grabbing his arm gently.
"i'm sorry if what i said last night freaked you out-"
"oh my god hansol!" i laughed quietly, my hand moving down to grab his. "no need to apologize. good luck- vernon." i smiled before i squeezed his hand and walked to my spectator spot.
and that performance concluded the promo of the first (but certainly not the last) title track.
"jihoon please!" i begged him, "what does he say about me?"
"aeji, it's hard to talk about it without anyone listening." he replied.
"ok then let's go into the studio!"
"can you sing?"
"uhmm?"
"you have to sing something to go into the studio. not just anyone goes in there, you know." he smiled, knowing i was going to do exactly what he wanted so he would tell me more about hansol. "shua told me you've written songs before." i gave him an alarmed yet confused look. "listen i know a lot of secrets around here, i'm like the secret keeper."
interesting. "if i sing for you will you tell me more secrets?" i negotiated.
"maybe. let's go."
i followed him into the studio, shutting the door behind us.
"so why do you write music?" he asked.
i shrugged. "i don't know, josh was always a singer so i kind of followed him. it's just a side thing. i'm more of a.. fashion person." he nodded over to the sound booth and handed me a sheet of paper. "here, go sing this. it's for our next album. i wanna test some background vocals."
as much as i hated jihoon, or woozi, for making me sing for him back then. it might be one of the best things that happened to me.
like i said then, singing was always a side hobby for me while my brother took it seriously. i could never see myself doing it professionally...
"hong aeji i've known you for 2 years and you waited this long to tell me you can sing?!" jihoon practically yelled into the sound booth when i took the headphones off.
i exited the booth, handing him back the sheet of paper he gave me. "hush! this is josh's thing not mine!" i said as i sat down on one of the couches behind him. "now spill it pinkie."
he shot me a death glare before he began to tell the story, "it all started the first day shua became a trainee. i was in the soundproof room with the piano and he came in, started talking about how the new kid's sister was so cute." he paused to laugh, "i had to remind him i was 17 and you were 15, so i didn't even wanna talk about it with him. you're a little sister to me obviously."
"that's it?"
"no, no. you stayed for a few months and i just noticed everything. the way he looks at you, always tried to be around you. then you left and that kid was always on his damn phone, one day i looked over and guess who he was texting?"
"me?"
"correct aeji-ah. then shua told us you'd be staying this summer. vernon's face lit up- like headlights were staring him in the face. that's when he came back to me, he told me i'm the only person he's told about his feelings towards you. and you know being told something and then seeing it are two completely different things. i'm honestly shocked the other guys haven't caught on about anything."
"so you're the only one who knows...?"
"mhm, and well i guess you do now too."
i nodded, still in shock. "that was... a lot."
"im sorry aeji.. i didn't mean to overwhelm you." jihoon looked at me with a sad expression, feeling a bit guilty.
"no it's not your fault! i guess i've always had small feelings for him too i just... never trusted in them because of my brother and the fact i have to go back to america soon." i admitted to him. "you really are the secret keeper, aren't you?"
"yea... except for one thing..." he said, gaining a smirk on his face before he busted open the studio door. "yah! hong aeji can sing!" he screamed, gaining the other members attention.
