“Oh my god! She looks so cute!”

    I winced at the high pitched squeal that undeniably came from Chorong, and I turned, ready to reprimand her, when I found myself frozen in place, my mouth gaping open like I was some kind of fish.

    “I do not understand why I must have bear ears. I am not a bear,” Seulgi said, childish confusion clouding her expression. Then, she seemed to realize that I was staring at her. “Irene? Are you alright?”

    Blinking out of my daze, I quickly nodded, heading towards the doors. “Y-Yeah. I’m fine. Let’s go. We’re done here, right?”

    “Ah-ah-ah, nice try, Irene,” Bomi said, grinning at me mischievously with a pair of mouse ears on herself. She was holding a headband with bunny ears attached to them.

    I immediately began to retreat. “H-Hey. I-I’m on your team Bomi. You can’t backstab me like this,” I pleaded, looking around for any escape routes. “And we’re not little kids anymore! I-I’m older than you!”

    Then, I heard a deceivingly soft voice right behind me, and before I could turn around, Chorong grabbed me by the shoulders. “Not older than me, though. Do it, Bbom.”

    I felt the headband snapping into place on my head, and I immediately admitted defeat in my head.

~~

    I had to admit that it was nice coming out to the amusement park for the first time in a while. Little kids ran around the place, their childish voices calling out joyfully, and wearing those god damn headbands. Chorong was wearing a pair of fuzzy cat ears, and that aided in my effort to boost my self-esteem, but thinking about how ridiculous I probably looked with white and pink bunny ears sticking out the top of my head, I felt like slamming my head against a pole again.

    “Irene. Why are we in a world full of monster contraptions?”

    “What?” I turned to see Seulgi looking at the large roller coaster just above us with caution, agitation obvious in her eyes, red and black clashing against each other as if the colors were having a battle of their own.

    “Woah. What the - your eyes change color?” Bomi said, suddenly stopping and staring at Seulgi with wide, mystified eyes.

    I felt the immediate tension from the girl beside me. “Yeah, it’s something she was born with,” I said nonchalantly, hoping Bomi would catch on that this was a sensitive topic.  

    Bomi continued staring, but Chorong - being much quicker at catching onto things - smacked Bomi on the back of the head, jerking her arm. “Idiot! Staring is rude!” Chorong yelled, as if she were talking to a little kid. She pulled Bomi with her towards a vendor, still reprimanding her for her lack of manners.

    “Thank you.”

    Confused, I turned to see Seulgi smiling at me, all traces of past agitation gone, bear ears making her look like the amount of cuteness she was exuding should be illegal. I cleared my throat. “Yeah. Whatever. Anyway, think you can handle these “monster contraptions”? They’re scarier than cars,” I said, giving her a mischievous, lopsided smile.

    Seulgi seemed to realize that I was teasing her this time as she narrowed her now calming golden eyes. “I am not afraid.”

    “Oh really?”

    “Yes.”

    “Prove it. Let’s go on that one,” I said, pointing at the ride that Seulgi had been fearfully staring at only a minute ago.

    Seulgi hesitated, before I saw that steely grey momentarily flash behind gold, as she nodded. “Okay.”

~~

    I stumbled out of the ride, gasping for breath as my head reeled. Worst mistake of my life.

    “That was fun! Monster contraptions are not scary!”

    “Finally, someone in this group who appreciates rides! I mean look at these two!” Bomi said, chuckling.

    Chorong was right beside me, looking like she was about to pass out. I’d initially thought that Seulgi would chicken out, but I’d realized how wrong I was when the ride started, and she began to laugh. I’d always been terrified of rides, and I still don’t know what had driven me to challenge Seulgi like that. I suddenly felt the weight of a now-familiar headband gently taking its place on my head, and I looked up with fire-spitting eyes, only to see Seulgi looking down at my hunched form with a bright smile and bear ears on her own head.

    “That was fun, Irene! It is not like your monster contraption.”

    “Oh really? That’s great,” I muttered sarcastically. I straightened up, feeling recovered enough, and turned towards Bomi and Chorong, only to find Chorong with a hand over , eyes wide.

    “Oh god, I think I’m going to throw up.”

    “No! Not here!”

    “Chorong, no!”

    “Ew. This is all your fault, Irene.”

    “Hey!”

~~

    “Do you guys want to go on the ferris wheel?” I asked, looking up at the only ride that I was willing to go on