In the morning, Munhee, of course was the first one to wake up. Yeong woke up last a little after noon. She seemed normal, like last night hadn’t happened. The only thing that seemed to be bothering her today is that she missed breakfast while it was still hot.

                Today we’re going to Munhee’s house. The plan is that her mom is gonna pick us up after work so we have plenty of time. My first destination: the book store. As soon as I got there I was trapped in a different world. Everything, from the soothing music to the whispered voices, faded into the background in the all consuming books. By the time I got Yeong’s text saying: “Where are you?” it was already time to go. I replied quickly with “I’m in the library “and walked to the counter to buy the book, then added “I’m leaving now.”

                Yeong and Munhee stood outside the store, waiting for me. I quietly laughed to myself when I noticed Munhee was hugging a new doll. She could be such a kid sometimes.

                “Both of you,” Yeong started, shaking her head. “I have to introduce both of you to new stores.”

                “As opposed to going to music stores every time…”I said under my breath but loud enough for her to hear. She narrowed her eyes at me and turned to Munhee. She was smiling down at her doll, rubbing the glassy eyes. Yeong placed her warm arm over my shoulders.

                “That,” She whispered loudly, indicating to Munhee,” Is what I call a lost cause. But you, Lucinda, I have to ask, how can you read all day like that?” She said, sounding amazed.

                “With my eyes,” I answered her rhetorical question with a smile.

                “Is that so? Are you really reading or are you hoping the words will magically turn into pictures, like Munhee?”

                “I don’t know,” I answered dully with a shrug. I really didn’t know how to respond to that.

                After looking through a few stores together since Munhee’s mom was running late, Yeong brought us to new stores. I hadn’t even seen those stores until now. When we finally made it to Munhee’s house it was freezing outside! We hurried into the warm magazine house.

                “Dinner will be ready in a little while,” Munhee’s mom informed us as we rushed up the stairs to Munhee’s room. Yeong immediately spread out on the bed and watched Munhee rearrange her dolls for the new arrival.

                “Is this you hobby?” Yeong asked, if her voice hadn’t changed pitch at the end I would have thought she was serious. Munhee gave her a mocking glare, almost like she had said something stupid. I couldn’t resist laughing at her expression.

                “Does anyone want to watch some TV?” She asked with a smile as she tried not to laugh.

                “Sure,” I answered as Yeong stared her down.

                After a watching TV with Munhee’s mom as she went from watching and cooking simultaneously, she had finally finished making a big pot of stew. Despite having a bad experience with stew in my youth, it was really good.

                “This taste really good,” I commented after a big spoonful.

                “Aww, thanks,” She smiled, blushing a bit. Her crystal blue eyes sparkled like Munhee’s whenever she was rewarded with something…which was often. She ran her hand through her dark hair and watched as we ate. I guess if Munhee and her mom didn’t look quite the same, they sure did act similar. I wonder if I act the same way as my mom did at this age.

                During the night, Yeong slept seemingly peacefully. She didn’t leave the house in the middle of the night…or, morning really. Once again, in my dream I was with Taemin. But by the time I woke up I didn’t remember anything. I just remember that he was there with me in the snow, and that was enough to please me.

                Before I knew it, my mom came to pick us up in front of Munhee’s house.

                “Do you guys mind helping me out at work for a little while; we’re running short on people.”

                “Sure,” Munhee answered gleefully for all of us. I don’t mind helping her; I just hope she doesn’t get fired because of it. The greenhouse at my mom’s work place always felt larger on the inside than the outside. I wish the one at home was like this. This one is much more comfortable, if anything it was too moist. But I’d rather it be moist than cramped. I walked through the aisles with Munhee and Yeong, but ended up stopping at a familiar flower. It was a rose. I felt the smooth petals as gentle as I could. Unlike Taemins’s picture, there was no darkness in the center. There were only more petals and a bud. What could be at the center of the bud? I try to open it but one of the beautiful red petals flaked off. Immediately I felt as if I had done something bad.

                “Don’t kill it,” Yeong said coming up from behind me.

                “I didn’t…” I hope. I put the petal in my jacket pocket and kept walking. Maybe, on the inside of the bud, there really is nothing but darkness. About two hours later my mom let us go to some of the stores around the area. We went into a supermarket and the first thing Munhee picked up a packet of cookie mix.

                “It would be fun to make these for dessert.” She suggested. I nodded in agreement and put it in the basket I held. By the time Yeong contributed to the basket, we mostly had a bunch of sweets. To my surprise, I was able to buy all of our stuff thanks to my birthday card. I should thank Jeremy again. How much money did he put on the card?

                Once we made it to my house, ate dinner, and attempted to find something interesting on TV for about two hours, we ended up starting a puzzle. Yeong stopped helping with the puzzle once we finished the corners. The smell of the cookies baking filled the house, they must be almost done.  Munhee quietly sipped her iced coffee as she stared intently at the almost finished puzzle. Yeong’s empty coke bottle was covering most of the pieces which would eventually bother Munhee since she wouldn’t have the courage to tell her to move it.

                “I’ll check on the cookies,” Munhee jumped up and grabbed Yeong’s coke bottle and some chip bags on the way into the kitchen. As soon as she disappeared into the kitchen a loud gasp erupted.

                “What’s wrong?” I stood and peeked in after her.

                “Her precious cookies probably burned,” Yeong said sarcastically to herself as she flipped through the channels.

                “It’s snowing! It’s snowing!” Munhee yelled, hopping from foot to foot. She ran towards the window.

                “Really?” I turned the kitchen light out and saw them floating down outside the dark window. How did she see that?

                “Yeah!” She shrieked.

                “That doesn’t mean it will stick,” Yeong sang from the couch.

                “Yeah…” She sighed; her face dropping as it practically touched the window.

                “Do you want to go outside?”

                “Can we?” Her eyes brightened immediately.

                “Sure,” I laughed, sometimes being with Munhee felt like I was babysitting. Without changing into warmer clothes, I followed behind Munhee. “Yeong, you coming?” I called from the doorway.

                “No thanks, I like having ten toes,” She said, wiggling hers at me. I smiled and walked out into the cold air. Munhee’s delighted expression was the complete opposite from Yeong’s. Yeong didn’t like the cold at all, but Munhee seemed more comfortable in it. I could get used to this, but I won’t have to. Snow never last long here. Munhee stopped running around and stared up into the sky with open. As I stared up with her, the memories of my dream returned. It was made more real by the snow that’s falling now. But it was a dream and that’s all it’ll ever be. He’s not here; he probably has better things to do than think about me for the whole break. The burning in my cheeks from the cold suddenly became unbearable. I could see that it was for Munhee to as she held her red cheeks.

                “It’s too cold, we should go inside,” I told her. She nodded and followed me into the house.