Secrets on Melody Street (Jenlisa)

5

Being a housewife in our community means you have to keep a tight knit group of close friends if you want to survive. Nobody wants to be an outsider. Everyone wants to blend in and belong.

Within the first 24 hours of Jae and I moving into our house, I was inundated with calls to lunches and group yoga. They wanted to scope out the fresh meat,see if we'd be threats or outcasts. I get it, I would've done the same. I quickly began to understand how things worked around here, there's a hierarchy and a pecking order,one you must take into account, if you want to establish your family's rank in Hannam.

I was fortunate enough to be adopted into Jisoo and Rosé's clique.

At the time Rosie was the last newcomer to the area, so she remembered how it felt to feel out of place in the dog eat dog world of stay-at-home moms. Jisoo was more experienced than us as she'd been a resident here for a while. She'd moved here with Bobby 4 years prior, got married to him real young too, at 18, and they lived on Melody for 5 years before she fell pregnant. Bobby and Chu had trouble conceiving until they tried IVF for the first time and were gifted with twins. It was perfect timing that the 3 of us were all pregnant at the same time, so it helped us get closer.

They taught me everything I needed to know about this neighborhood in order to settle in. Pretty soon Jae and I started receiving invites to the popular dinner parties, hung out in the best social circles and,in turn, founded our reputation as a respectable and good-natured couple. The girls were always ready to help guide me when I was struggling with marital issues or with being a first-time mom. I still believe Jisoo's wonder-woman for bringing up two children while working full time as a script editor from home. She's one of the few women with kids under 12 that didn't quit her job to dedicate her life solely to housework and child-care.

My Mom personally thinks Jisoo is too straightforward, her parenting techniques too modern and her twins way too out of control. She's an overall a bad influence in my mothers eyes, but I know Chu has qualities I could only hope to possess one day.

We were hanging out in Rosé's conservatory, nibbling on Caesar salads whilst the children played in the backyard. The three of us were comparing outfits for tomorrow night's dinner at Nayeon's. Jisoo managed to get her hands on this gorgeous Dior pantsuit that's hot off the runway and Rosie was swiping through the photos, open mouthed.

"Daebak Jisooyah, this is gorgeous. You might give Nayeon a run for her money if you wear this."

"Please, that woman will be adorned in Swarovski crystals tomorrow, I'm sure of it. She never fails to pull out all the stops."

"Remember when she had the audacity to wear white to Tzuyu's wedding? Poor girl was humiliated on her special day. If that had happened to me, best believe I would've had her thrown out." Rosé's jaw clenched at the memory and I had no doubt in my mind that she would have done just that. Chipmunk doesn't play around.

"Shit yeah, that was a new low, even for her."

We sighed, simultaneously shaking our heads at Nayeon's lack of shame.

I was just about to get my phone out to show them the outfit I'd be wearing, when I saw the notif at the top.

Jennie (1 missed call)

"I just need the loo for a second, be right back." The girls nodded, too busy swapping rumours to pay much attention when I headed inside and made a beeline for one of Rosé's 6 bathrooms. It rang twice before she picked up.

"Hey Jen."

"Hi yourself." My tummy did flips at the sound of her voice.