The air outside was frosty against her face. Yoona dug her hands into her pockets, trying to hide the panic that surely painted itself against her face. She was only fifteen, and not supposed to be out at such a late hour. Anything could happen.

With her dad working late shifts and her sister moved out, it was all too easy. She could slip out unnoticed, knowing for sure that she would be back before her dad. So long as she wasn’t kidnapped, or murdered, that is.

Just a few blocks away was the park. Her park, really, seen as nobody else ever seemed to be there. It had always been her favourite place to go, though, and she could always see the beauty in its ancient tree trunks.

Below one particular, large willow tree she took a seat on the worn out bench, its paint peeling and fading. Nobody else was around, probably partly because it was so late. Yoona perched at the edge, sighing and resting her chin in her palms. Why was the world such a dull place?

“Hey!”

A voice from behind startled her, causing her to leap into the air and spin around. She couldn’t see anyone for miles.

There came laughter from beside the tree, and a few moments later a girl stepped out of the shadows with a manic grin. She stumbled, clutching her stomach. In one hand, she held a tall glass bottle full of some sort of crystal blue liquid.

“I’m Yuri,” the girl said between laughs.

“Are you drunk?” as the girl, Yuri, almost toppled over, Yoona reached out instantly to help her into a seated position on the bench.

“May-maybe a little,” she hiccupped, weakly holding the bottle to her lips to take a large gulp.

Yoona took a step back. She didn’t really know how to handle social situations, truthfully, especially not when it came to alcohol.

“You know what? You remind me of my friend Jessica,” Yuri looked into the distance, as if recalling a memory. “She’s not too good with people. A bit cold.”

“I think you should stop drinking that now…” Yoona drew a deep breath and then held out her hand to take the bottle away. Yuri swiped her hands away, holding the bottle close to her chest.

“Mine!” she pouted, the bottle’s neck.

“You’re going to be ill!”

“I don’t care!” Yuri groaned, laying her head back to look up at the stars. She giggled. “I like drinking. Do you like drinking? What’s your name, anyway?”

“Yoona,” she shook her head and attempted to neaten her hair, straightening her back and regaining some composure. “My name’s Yoona and no, I don’t like to drink alcohol.”

“Ha,” Yuri took another gulp. “Why’re you here, then? You a hobo, Yoona?”

“No…” Yoona narrowed her eyes. “I live just down the road, but I… I like to take walks.”

“At night?” Yuri’s eyes widened. “At this time, Yoona? A pretty girl like yourself, you’ll get .”

“I-but-” Yoona frowned. “You think I’m pretty?”

Again, Yuri laughed. “That’s what you got from that, Yoona?”

“You kind of overuse my name, you know.” Yoona sighed, tentatively taking a place next to the drunken girl on the bench. “If you’re so worried about me getting , why are you out here on your own?”

“I’m strong, you see,” Yuri pulled back her sleeve and made a fist. There was next to no change in her arm, but she was nodding. “Nobody can get anywhere near me! I’ll-I’ll knock them into the gut-gutters!” She hiccupped.

Yoona laughed, tipping her head back and wide open.

“You look like an alligator,” Yuri commented, cocking her head to the side. “Yup, just like an alligator. Alligator Yoong!”

“I do not!” Yoona crossed her arms.

“Now you just look moody, Alligator Yoong,” Yuri smirked, going to take another gulp of her drink. However, the bottle was clean empty. She groaned, hitting her palm against her forehead. What she did next made Yoona’s heart take a run off a cliff.

Smash!

The bottle went straight to the floor, colliding with a crash. Glass scattered everywhere, close to cutting the two of them, but thankfully the shards went elsewhere.

“You’re insane!”

“I’m drunk,” Yuri grumbled, her head. “I feel like that smash went right through my head. I’m an idiot, aren’t I, Alligator?”

“Well-”

Yuri cut her off with laughter. “I think I should go home, you know. If I stay any longer, you’ll see me puke. You don’t want to see me puke.”

“Uh… Okay, then I’ll-”

“Nice t’ meet ya’, Alligator.” Wiping , Yuri rose from the bench with a wobble.

“Do you need any help getting home?” Yoona held her arm, steadying her before she could topple over into the garden of glass.

“No, I’ll be fine,” Yuri assured her, reaching out a hand to pat her on the head. “I usually am. See you another time, Yoona.”

Before Yoona could muster the words ‘when?’ or ‘where?’, the girl was gone. She rubbed at her eyes, suddenly overcome by drowsiness. Yeah, it was time to go home.