She’s always been there for her, always. When they met, Eunwoo told her that best friends played together, sat together in class and told each other secrets. That was the concept of friendship for 5-year-old children. Little by little, Jieqiong started realizing that friendship wasn’t just that. Friendship was a lot more, at least hers with Eunwoo was. Even when one of the two didn’t want to play because she was angry or sad, the other one stayed by her side, trying to make her laugh by making up silly stories, and it was a success almost every time.

She owed that to Eunwoo. Well, she owed Eunwoo so many things she couldn’t count them all. Together they discovered what friendship was about and together they built the best friendship of them all. It was one of those friendships that you know is going to last forever, of those that will never make you feel alone because you know she’s going to be there. Because you know she is there. That’s what Eunwoo had given her, Eunwoo was there all the time. With her. Like that time their class was going on a school trip to the amusement park and all the kids were extremely excited, Eunwoo hadn’t stopped talking about how much she wanted to go to every single one of the attractions. She spent a week naming them all. And suddenly Jieqiong was grounded and not allowed to go on the trip because of some misfortunate events that included a fight with Junhui, scissors and her brother’s ugly hair during the night. What?! He looked handsome now! And yet, Jia and Zhoumi didn’t let her go on the trip. She would stay home that day. Eunwoo had taken it even worse than she had and refused to go on the trip if Jieqiong didn’t go with her. Jessica and Tyler had insisted, telling her that plenty of other kids were going to be there and that she’d have a great time. What world did Jessica and Tyler live in? Eunwoo didn’t know exactly but it was one far away from reality for sure. She wasn’t going to have a good time without Jieqiong but her parents would make her go anyway. So she had provoked her own “incident”. Eunwoo’s “incident” had something to do with her mother’s favourite vase and her father’s favourite guitar. The result: grounded. None of them were going on the trip and everything had gone right on their way because Jieqiong was going to stay at her grandparents’ place that day, since Jia and Zhoumi had to go to work, but something with her potential babysitters had come up in the last minute and little Jieqiong was welcomed at Eunwoo’s house. Best punishment ever.

Best friends in the good and best friends in the bad.

Eunwoo and Jieqiong at age 8.

Eunwoo held on her father’s hand as they walked towards her best friend’s house. Everybody looked serious and was dressed as if it was Sunday, but it wasn’t Sunday, it was Friday. Eunwoo was worried, very. Jieqiong hadn’t gone to school. She had asked her mom where her best friend was the moment she came through the door. Jessica had explained to her that Jieqiong had stayed home that morning because she was feeling sad, because her grandpa had died.

Pinky’s grandpa had died. She didn’t quite understand what that meant, she knew that when people died they went to Heaven but she didn’t understand how that was possible either. Heaven was way too high up. She didn’t think they made stairs that were that high, or maybe they did. Maybe they had special stairs. What she did understand was that when someone died, everybody got sad because they wouldn’t be able to see that person anymore, nor talk to them, nor anything.

Her parents had explained it to her when her dog, Mongshi, died. A car had hit him when her dad took him out for a walk and Eunwoo wasn’t able to see him again, she had cried a lot and had been really sad. And Jieqiong would be sadder because it was her grandpa who she wouldn’t be able to see anymore.

She followed her parents to the door and Tyler caressed her hair when she held onto his leg. She wasn’t sure she would know what to say to Jieqiong so the latter wouldn’t be sad. It was Jia who opened the door; she also had a serious face and was dressed like Sunday, same as her parents. She observed in silence how her mother hugged Jieqiong’s and then how her father did the same thing. They went inside the house and the little girl quickly scanned the place in search for her best friend, but she didn’t find her. Only a few people she didn’t know were there.

She had heard that the adults were going to a funeral and she didn’t know what a funeral was but she didn’t want to go because everyone was going to be really sad so it surely wouldn’t be fun. Her parents were going as well and had asked her if she wanted to stay at the Zhous’ with Jieqiong. Apparently her friend was still too young to go to that funeral thing and was going to stay home at her neighbour’s care. And of course Eunwoo agreed to stay with her friend. She was sad and Eunwoo couldn’t let her be sad alone. It wouldn’t be the right thing to do as her best friend.

Jia walked up to her and kneeled down by her side. “Hi, honey”. She greeted Eunwoo, forcing a smile.
 

“Hi”. The little girl replied, looking at her.
 

“Jieqiong is in her room, I’m sure she’d like to see you”. The woman said. “Do you want me to go upstairs with you?” she asked caressing her hair and Eunwoo nodded before taking Jia’s hand when she offered.

She followed her upstairs to her friend’s room. The door was closed and Eunwoo could see the poster she and Jieqiong had draw together. It had colours and said ‘PINKY’. The one on her door was just like that one but said ‘NUNU’.

She took a deep breath when Jia pushed the door open and she took a few steps forwards, still holding onto the woman’s hand. She saw Jieqiong sitting on the bed while hugging her favourite doll.

“Jieqiong, honey... look who came to see you”. Jia told her daughter. The little girl had been really quiet since they had given her the news the night before, that’s why Jia had asked Jessica to bring Eunwoo. She hoped the presence of the brunette would cheer her up.

Jieqiong looked up, curious about who could have come to see her. Unknown people had been coming to her house during the entire day, but no one came to see her, they came to see her mother and her grandmother, but not her. She saw Eunwoo holding her mother’s hand and the brunette waved at her with her free hand.

“Hi, Pinky”. She said out loud.
 

“Hi, Eunwoo”. The younger one replied.

Jia smiled subtly, looking at the two of them before letting go of her daughter’s friend’s hand.

“I’m going downstairs. Jieqiong... we’re leaving in a few minutes, Eunwoo’s parents are coming too. If you need anything, Mrs. Cho will be downstairs. Okay, sweetie?” she asked the little