"All right! It's almost time to leave, girl!"
Hina's voice rang out from outside my door, followed by a light knock.
"I'm coming!" I called back.
I glanced around my room in a hurry. Well… I guess this was goodbye for now. Not just to this room, but to our beloved Bonnie dorm as a whole. With a small sigh, I pushed my two suitcases out into the living area.
Everyone from Bonnie and Hina were already waiting by the sofas. Out of nowhere, Himari, Hina's younger sister, appeared behind me and gently draped a thin chiffon shawl over my shoulders.
"Thanks, Himari!" I quickly held one side of it and smiled at her.
"It might be a little chilly outside," she said softly, patting my shoulder.
"Mimi… does this mean we won't see each other for a whole month?" Vani suddenly rushed over and hugged me tightly, almost knocking me off balance. "Uuuhuuu."
Liv, perched on the armrest of the sofa, pouted. "Hey, it's not like we won't see her at all!" She waved at me. "You still have to video call us every day, okay, Mimi?"
"Even so," Vani sniffed dramatically, squishing my cheeks with both hands, "I'm gonna miss these soft, squishy cheeks sooo much!" She shook her head back and forth, half crying, half being ridiculous, and somehow extremely cute.
"Have you packed everything, Mimi?" Hina stepped closer and reached for one of my suitcases.
Before I could answer, Liv spoke up, "I think so. Yesterday I saw Sun and Vani checking her luggage too."
Birina shot Sun and Vani a suspicious look. "Checking luggage? Or chatting and distracting the poor girl?"
"Haha," Sun scratched her head awkwardly. "Vani wouldn't stop rambling about that Prince Patrick guy, so we probably only helped a little."
Vani immediately stuck out her tongue. "Hey, you were totally into it too! And what was that again? Something about conversation skills that make girls and guys fall instantly, and how to lock onto your target… bleh."
"That was practical advice for the upcoming battle," Sun defended herself.
"So basically, you didn't help Mimi at all," Birina sighed, shaking her head. "I knew it! You two…"
"Don't worry," Hina said calmly. "Himari is coming along. She's prepared all the medicine, backup cosmetics, outfits, and accessories from designers and brands."
I turned to Himari right away. "Yes, thank you so much, Himari. That's why I only packed some comfortable clothes and a few nightdresses."
"For this project, each participant is only allowed to bring one companion," Hina explained seriously. "The production team will provide makeup artists, hairstylists, and stylists, so that's a relief. Himari will focus on staying close and supporting Mimi as much as possible. If anything happens, contact me immediately."
"Got it, sis!" Himari replied with a playful wink.
"Oh! Right!" I suddenly said. "I almost forgot. I need to do this before leaving."
I quickly pulled out my phone and switched to the front camera, recording a short video while waving brightly.
"Hi, my lovely Bone girls and boys! It's Mimi here! I'm heading out early to a secret island to film A-List Escape. If you're watching this message, I'm probably already filming the show. I don't know when it'll air yet, but please stay tuned, have fun, and cheer loudly with the other Bonnie members at today's fan sign! We'll see each other again soon. I promise!"
After finishing, I sent the video to Hina on WhatsApp. "Hina, could you please arrange to play this message for Bone during the fan sign this afternoon?"
"Of course. Leave it to me," Hina replied.
Vani hugged me again. "Ugh, our Mimi is way too sweet. She loves the fans so much!"
"Come to think of it," Birina said sadly, "this is the first time Bonnie's fan sign will be missing a member. A lot of fans are going to be upset that our dancing machine won't be there."
"But I believe our dear Bone will always be cheering for Mimi," she continued. "So go all out, have fun, and stir things up on that dating show, Mimi!"
"Yeah, will do my best!" I clenched my fists, full of determination.
"Make sure you lock onto Prince Patrick so you don't disappoint the fans who are shipping you day and night!" Vani sang out.
"Oh, please," Sun nudged Vani lightly. "You're the one doing most of the shipping."
Everyone burst into giggles.
Hina clapped her hands twice. "Alright, girls. It's time for Mimi to go."
She and Himari helped push my suitcases toward the door. The Bonnie members gathered around me for one last goodbye.
They hugged me tightly, kissed my cheeks, and sniffled.
"Take good care of yourself!"
"Call us whenever you can!"
"We're gonna miss you so much, baby!"
Hina hugged both Himari and me. "I'm counting on you, Himari."
Himari gave a playful two-finger salute. Together, we waved goodbye to Hina and the Bonnie girls, then turned and headed off.