Diary of a Kpop idol

Chapter 27 (2023)

I was fully ready to focus all my energy on university this year. I decided to create new routines and timetables, as I have half a semester to catch up on.

My day started at 4 a.m. with my morning routine. Afterward, I would dive straight into my studies before heading to lectures. If I had free time, I would be in the library. I usually returned home around 6 or 7 p.m., had dinner, completed any homework, and went to bed after my night routine.

On days without lectures, I either went to the company or spent time with friends. Ivan, my brother, or members Hani and Lily, who live only a few minutes away, were my usual companions. Chaeyeon lives about an hour away, so we only meet occasionally. The members and I decided to reserve the last day of each month for a get-together.

January 01

I started the day with my usual morning routine and wore an Elitéra Z logo white half-sleeve top with a denim wide-leg pants. My LV By the Pool mini bumbag.

Today was the Men's Ivy League hockey match between Harvard (Home) and Northeastern (Away). I wasn’t planning to attend, but my brother Ivan wanted to introduce me to his friends, so after breakfast, we headed to the arena, stopping by Starbucks for drinks. My current favorite is a Java Chip Frappuccino. Ivan's circle of friends is quite small.

At university, he's known as one of the best students. Despite being approached by many for tutoring, he always declines. He even fills in for professors by giving lectures to juniors when needed. Ivan is also active in several extracurricular activities like the Harvard Model United Nations, Institute of Politics (IOP), Harvard’s Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA), and Harvard Undergraduate Consulting on Business and the Environment. On top of that, he enjoys golf, fencing, and horseback riding.

His two closest friends are polar opposites. One comes from an academic family of professors but is a bit of a dandy who, despite his natural talent, isn’t passionate about studying. The other is a rich second-generation kid, more into racing and sports, but surprisingly down-to-earth. This second friend, Sean, plays ice hockey, which is why Ivan brought me to the match.

After the game, we grabbed a quick snack and chatted. I sat next to Ivan, with Sean and their other friend, Zack, across from us.

“Let me be honest, lil sis, you really can’t be Ivan’s sister,” Sean teased, looking me up and down. Although Ivan and I aren’t blood-related, I was surprised he could tell there was such a difference between us. “After all, he’s the most handsome guy in Harvard Business School, and you…” he trailed off, clearly unimpressed with my appearance. To be fair, I was in disguise—fake freckles, full bangs, a ponytail, and round glasses.

“Don’t worry about him. No matter how ugly you are, you can consider me one of your brothers,” Zack added, making me bite my lips to hold back a laugh. This outing was turning out to be quite the experience.

“Don’t regret saying that later,” Ivan chuckled, clearly amused.

The conversation shifted, and soon Sean insisted on taking us to play billiards. Ivan checked if I was up for it, and I shrugged nonchalantly. We found ourselves in a private room at a club, where Sean’s friends had gathered. When I was asked to play, everyone doubted my abilities.

To be fair, I’d never played billiards before. But after watching for nearly an hour, I picked up the rules and techniques. “I’ve never played before, but I’ll give it a try,” I said, surprising everyone with my voice. I hadn’t spoken all evening, just nodding and smiling.

“Wow, girl, your accent,” Sean commented. I quickly covered my mouth, pretending to cough. “Sorry, sometimes my accent slips out,” I replied, slipping into a French accent on purpose.

When it was my turn, I gave it my best shot, quickly sinking all the balls on the table. Everyone was astonished, and Ivan looked proudly at me.

“Didn’t you say you’ve never played before?” Zack asked, bewildered. I nodded with an innocent smile. “I have a fully functional brain,” I replied cheekily, pretending not to notice the annoyed glare from the girl I’d just beaten.

After the game, the group moved to the dance floor, while I stayed behind sipping a virgin strawberry mojito. This wasn’t my first time clubbing—I’d gone with Wyatt and Joshua years ago—but Ivan seemed to think it was. He stayed beside me, ordering a non-alcoholic drink on my behalf.

By 10 p.m., we headed back home. Sean and some of his friends were wasted, so after helping them get home safely, Ivan and I returned. I went straight to the bathroom to wash off the club’s atmosphere and was halfway through drying my hair when I heard a knock on my door.

“Yi, nanny made some late-night snacks, come down to eat,” Ivan called.

“Okay,” I replied, putting down the dryer. I headed downstairs, enjoyed the snacks, and then went to bed after my remaining night routine.

January 02 - January 11

The days went by like that of a typical university student. Waking up early, reviewing lecture materials, attending lectures, and spending extra time talking to professors or studying in the library.

For lunch, Ivan usually took me to eat at our family hotel, Hotel Elite Boston, as he had no intention of letting me dine in the campus cafeteria. I didn’t mind; it was convenient and good for time management. The Boston branch was the first in the Hotel Elite chain.

January 12

I completed my morning routine and dressed for the day. I wore a pastel pink pinafore dress underneath a white long-sleeve top, matched up with black stockings, white Dior moon boots, a Chanel Gabrielle backpack, and an Elitéra Akoya pearl accessories with a lady Cartier watch in white color.

After breakfast, I attended my first lecture. Once it ended, Professor Fed asked me and another student, Zach, to meet in his office. Zach was one of the brightest freshmen, known for his nearly perfect test scores. Although I had caught up with half of the semester’s work, the professor thought it’d be beneficial for us to know each other and help one another academically.

I had already encountered Zach in the library during my first week when we both reached for the same book. He graciously let me have it after a few seconds of silent staring. Since then, I’d often seen him quietly studying, leaving a good impression.

We grabbed coffee at a nearby café where Zach kindly paid for both of us. He asked me several questions about my studies, which I answered while sipping my coffee. He even handed me a 20-page paper to review. With a sigh, I accepted the challenge, watching as he dove into a book.

Three hours later, I handed back the completed paper, feeling mentally drained.

“Do you have any lectures this evening?” Zach asked, packing up his belongings.

I shook my head, exhausted from tackling his paper with only one month’s worth of lecture notes to rely on.

“Great, let’s grab lunch together,” he suggested, catching me by surprise. I agreed, deciding to treat him. We walked back to the campus parking lot and hopped into Zach’s car, a McLaren 720S Spider. The ash color body and orange interior are very active.

We dined at Hotel Elite, after which he exchanged numbers with me. He offered to drop me off, but I politely declined, saying my brother would pick me up. I called our driver, headed home, and changed into more comfortable clothes.

I spent the rest of the evening revising lecture notes and releasing some stress by dancing to music in my room. Afterward, I took a long, relaxing shower and went to bed early.