Solar really enjoyed scary movies even though she was terrified of them, but she found that the fear that she got from the screen was nothing compared to something happening in real life. She has probably never been more scared than the moment she faced at 4’oclock in the morning when she heard a tapping at her window. At first, when she woke up, she was too out of it to even realize where it was coming from. After looking around in a daze, she realized the sound was coming from her window. Once she realized, with a squeak of fear, she pulled the covers over her head and prayed that it would go away.

It didn’t. If anything, it just kept getting more insistent. So Solar had to make a choice. it up and check what’s up, or deal with the noise and possibly risk waking her aunt and uncle too. She chose to be brave. She just hoped she wouldn’t regret it.

She took one deep breath and rolled off her bed. Please don’t be a murderer. Please don’t be a murderer. Please don’t be a-

“Moonbyul!” Solar said a bit too loudly into the early-early morning. The sun wasn’t even up yet; you could just see the few rays breaking the horizon. Moonbyul didn’t look at all fazed by Solar’s loud yell. She just continued to grin.

“Don’t be too loud, Sunshine. But it is a nice morning, isn’t it?”

“Did you just call me ‘Sunshine’?”

“Yes, do you like it? I can continue doing it if you’d like.” She said with a twitch of her brow like it was a serious inquiry rather than just another one of her ways of teasing.

Despite Solar’s offended tone when she asked, she paused a second to consider Moonbyul’s offer. No, it wouldn’t do. Not now anyway…

“Don’t. And I’d hardly call it morning. Look! No sun!”

“Yeah, well that’s what an early morning looks like. Embrace it.” Moonbyul said and spread out her arms with a deep breath.

Finally, Solar realized the state of things. What was Moonbyul doing at her second story window?!

“What are you doing up here?” Solar moved Moonbyul aside and poked her head out. Moonbyul was standing on one of those long painter’s latter’s.

“Watch yourself. Do you want me to fall off and die?” She pouted once she realized who she was talking to. “I put a lot of work into this, so please don’t say yes.”

“No, but only because I’d be responsible and the guilt of murder would eat me alive. Are you coming in or what?”

“Yes!” Moonbyul pushed Solar aside and flipped herself in, falling on the floor in the process. She stood back up and dusted herself off with a satisfied smile. “I’m amazing.”

She looked at Solar for a moment with her hands on her hips like she expected something, but Solar had no clue what it was so she stood there with a dumb expression tugging on her pajamas a bit awkwardly.

“Are you going to get dressed today? Or do you plan on going out like that?”

“Why do I need to change? I still have time.” Seriously, like hours.

“No you don’t. We have to go soon. Really soon. Hurry up.”

“Why? We can’t go somewhere at this time.”

“Um, yes we can. Please hurry. I don’t want to miss it. I’ll drag you out like that if I have to.”

“Was this the plan you realized at my door yesterday? Because I must say I do hate it, and if this is the price for being late, I can assure you it won’t be happening again.” Solar said as she turned, giving in and getting her clothes from her dresser.
“That’s good to hear, but all I can say is that you only hate it for now. It could get better, or maybe worse. You’ll have to see.” Moonbyul said jumping onto Solar’s bed and laying back.

“How could things get worse?” Solar muttered pulling a shirt over her bed head.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. Listen, if things get worse from here, I’m going to kill you.”

“After I do the courtesy of waking you up on time for school this is how you treat me.” Solar turned from her mirror and threw the brush she just finished using at Byul who just laughed in return.

“Don’t start with me, loser. But I’m ready, I guess. I’ll just go bare face today because you couldn’t do me the courtesy of at least letting me get ready properly.”

Moonbyul lifted herself up on her elbow to take a look at Solar.

“You look just as good as any other day, and that’s just an honest opinion. You have a pretty face.” She pushed herself up all the way and grabbed Solar’s arm. “Anyway, we better get going.” She said and started pulling Solar to the window.

“There’s no way you can make me go down from there. Let’s just use the front door. My aunt’s probably already up anyway.”

“This early? How does she get her beauty sleep? Well I guess she manages just fine considering…”

“Considering what?” Solar gave Moonbyul a warning look, but Moonbyul did not heed the suggestion.

“How beautiful she is, of course.” Solar turned and smacked her arms.

“Shut up and be quiet. I still don’t want to be loud.”

“Alright. Geez.”

Right before Solar opened the door, Moonbyul pulled her back. “Wait! How am I supposed to explain how I got in here?”

“Tell her the truth.”

“What? I can’t do that.”

Solar pulled her back and opened the door. “Well, it’s your problem, not mine.”

They made it down the stairs safe, but just as they were about to pass the kitchen, Yoona called out from the kitchen.

“Morning, Solar. Morning, Moonbyul.” Her head was down as she stirred sugar into her cup of coffee.

“I snuck in through the window!” Moonbyul blurted wide eyed.

Yoona raised her eyes with an amused smile on her face. “I’m aware. When I heard that knocking I had to check out what it was, I expected to see a woodpecker, not our good little neighbor Moonbyul.”

“I’m not little…”

“Of course not.” Yoona chuckled and turned around to get the toast that popped out of the toaster. “Don’t you dare get my niece into any trouble, you hear?”

“You’re not mad?” Solar asked incredulous.

“Not unless I get a call from the cops. Will I get a call from the cops?”

“No, you won’t I swear.” Moonbyul answered. Grabbing Solar’s hand again as she moved her towards the door.

“Then have fun and stay safe.”

The way Aunt Yoona reacted to the situation made Solar feel something she never felt before. She felt cared for and seen, and yet at the same time she felt free. Is that what real parenting is like?

“So now that we’re out and walking, where do you plan on taking me?”

“It’s nothing that special, I admit. I just wanted to show you the only cool place within walking distance of our house. But you’ll like it, I promise.” Moonbyul turned to her and gave her a sweet smile. There was more behind it than Moonbyul’s usual grease. Just enough to push Solar closer so she could latch their arms together.

It turned out to be a lake. Or maybe not a lake. It was small, so Solar wasn’t sure if it would qualify as one. But it was nice, serene. Plus, Moonbyul did more than just bring her to the lake. There was a picnic basket and a blanket waiting for them.

“Woah,” Solar skipped over to the wicker basket and kneeled down opening the lid. She’s never actually seen one of those things in real life before. “When did you get this out here?”

“I made a stop here before knocking on your window. You don’t have to say it. I’m great.” She grinned and sat down next to her.

Solar looked at her amazed. Why would she do such a thing for her? It seemed like a lot more than she deserved.

“What? I can do nice things, you know?” When Solar didn’t move she laughed and pulled her so she was sitting on her . “Come on. The sun’s going to be rising, and you’re going to miss the best part.”

Solar knocked herself out of it and made herself comfortable. She was still shocked though.

“What’s the best part?” She watched Moonbyul pull out cut up fruits and premade yogurt with granola. It all looked delicious.

“Dig in.” Moonbyul handed her a spoon before answering. “The sunrise.” She finally said. “Have you ever seen a sunrise properly? It’s amazing.”

Solar couldn’t say she had, so she shook her head.

Moonbyul smiled. It almost looked sad. “I’m glad to be the one to show you it.”

It wasn’t long before the birds started chirping, and soon after the sun was coming out over the horizon. Solar watched as the landscape around them lit up, glowing beautifully in orangish light. It was truly one of the most beautiful things Solar had seen.

Just when Solar’s heart was about to burst from the thought of everything Moonbyul had done for this morning, the girl next to her covered Solar’s hand with her own.

Solar turned to look at her, not even managing to keep the tears from her eyes. What the heck was happening?

Moonbyul cleared , nervous about what she was about to say. But she it up and reached out her other hand to wipe a tear that escaped.

“Listen, we may still be sort of new to each other, but I already care for you a great deal, and I can see sometimes that you’re having a hard time. So I wanted to bring you out here and tell you that, whatever it is, you can feel free to vent to me.”

“Because there’s something about this place that lets you talk, and helps you feel better. I know because it did the same for Wheein. I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but she ran away once. She came to me when she did, and I took her here too. After our talk, she felt better. She was able to go home and face things head on.”

“I guess, I’m trying to say that we all have problems, you know? But we don’t have to keep them to ourselves. I’m a great listener. So if ever you’re feeling talkative, I mean especially so, bring me hear and I’ll be all ears.”

If Solar ever thought there was something going on between Moonbyul and Wheein, she had more reason to believe it. But it didn’t matter because whatever it was, it didn’t change the fact that Moonbyul was good. And she knew that no matter what, she could count on Moonbyul as a friend.

She just couldn’t open up just yet. “I’m just worried about being called “new girl” for the rest of my high school years.” She said unable to come up with anything better at the moment.

“Ah, don’t worry.” Moonbyul scooched over and pulled her into a hug, understanding that she wasn’t ready. “I’ll call you by your name. Outside of school, of course. I do have an image to uphold, you know.”

Solar laughed into Moonbyul’s shoulder, glad she didn’t push. “What image? Greasy loser?”

_____

This the same as before i just took a bit i didn't like out and i'm writing a new chapter