8 Years [ENGV]

#23

JISOO

Almost a week without Hae-in and I already wanted to go crazy. An absurd anxiety was consuming me and, perhaps, it was because we couldn't communicate properly due to the time difference. Haeji seemed better that weekend, maybe because I didn't show any discomfort with her saying that I was her mother to all her classmates — I really was, and I was more than happy to be recognized as such.

I held back my curiosity about what story she told at school, but I was afraid to ask her, and she thinks she had done something seriously wrong.

On the way to school, she told me that now all the girls want to get closer to her since they found out about Hae-in and me. I replied that it was normal, Hae-in and I are famous worldwide, it was natural that people would be curious about her and want to get closer, even if they were children. My advice to treat everyone well and not with distinction or feel superior in any way. However, it would be better to remain friends with those she was already friends with before everything, because they were the ones who got closer to her without any interest.

She waved with a smile and got out of the car, grabbing her backpack and running into the building. I watched her identify herself and enter, and even though it was difficult due to the glass of the building and children walking around, I managed to see some girls approaching her, looking excited. She greeted them and they followed her. — The scene seemed harmless, but I was curious about the topic of that conversation.

♡

Mornings without Haeji and Haein left the apartment empty. If it weren't for Lisa, I would spend long hours flipping through the TV channels, feeling bored and lonely. We were in the living room, watching some random variety show on TV with a new K-pop group — the members were much younger than I was when I debuted, they looked like they were about 14 or 15 years old, which made my heart sink a little. The industry is cruel, as much as I love what I do, I couldn't say that everything was wonderful. Tons of money, sponsorship, travel, rehearsals, everything had its price. I was paying a price for my decisions at that very moment.

I started to think about what I would do if Haeji one day showed a desire to become a K-pop artist. For sure, I would support her, of course, but I would be worried. I would follow everything closely so that nothing would happen to her, so that the negativity wouldn't let her fall.

But my thoughts — about a possible future where Haeji follows the same path as me — were interrupted when my cell phone rang. I frowned. It was from Haeji's school, and for them to call, something serious must have happened. With my heart racing and worry filling me, I answered immediately.

"Miss Kim Jisoo?"

"Yes!"

"We need you to come to school immediately." I frowned and felt a tightness in my throat, I cleared my throat trying to get it out.

"Is Hae-ji okay?" I asked. Lisa had been paying attention to the program until then, but when she heard Haeji's name, she turned to me, worried.

"She got into a fight."

"A fight?" I was getting more and more confused. Lisa frowned, still with her worried look.

"It would be better if you came to school so we could talk better." And so, the call was ended, without goodbyes, something strictly formal.

"Is Haeji okay? What's this story about a fight?" Lisa was already standing up. I shook my head, trying to remember how to command my legs to walk and do something.

"I don't know, they said I need to go to school." I say, finally managing to do something, walking to my room and picking up the bag hanging there and checking if everything was inside.