Amber had been thinking of that hippo girl for about three days now. She didn’t see that girl ever since that incident. She turns on her music player and lazily flopped herself on the bed. “There’s nothing to do.” She said as she shuffles her Rubik’s cube. Her friend Min is on vacation with her family, there’s no one who will accompany her. Meanwhile, she heard their doorbell rang. She thought that maybe it’s one of her mom’s or dad’s friends who always come over to talk about business. She gets out of her room and tiptoed towards the stairs. She sat herself at the stair and bends down to look at the guest downstairs but careful not to be noticed. As she peeked through a small space in between the steel bars on their stairs, she gasped as she saw the hippo girl sitting on their couch at the living room. “What is she doing here?” She again moved forward to see what the situation happening downstairs.

“Mrs. Jung, welcome to our neighbourhood.” Amber heard her mom.

“I’m glad to have such a good and hospitable neighbour like you Mrs. Liu. Ah! This is my daughter, Krystal Jung.” Mrs. Jung introduced her daughter to Mrs Liu. Amber saw that the girl smiled and greeted Mrs. Jung.

“Hmm. So her name is Krystal.” Amber mumbled to herself.

“Aigoo, what a beautiful daughter you have.” Amber’s mom complimented her that causes Krystal to blush a bit.

Amber snorted. “Psh. Beautiful? Mom’s vision is really getting worse!” Amber said loud enough for Krystal to slightly hear it. Krystal suddenly looks at the stairs where Amber is hiding. She noticed her eavesdropping and immediately flashes her deathly glare at her. Amber being caught, she loses her balance and eventually falls down the stairs with her first landed on the floor.

 “Ouch!” Amber said while touching her .

“Amber, are you alright? Are you hurt?” Her mom rush immediately to aid her.

Amber slowly nodded. She looks at Krystal and when the moment their eyes met, Krystal pokes her tongue out.

“Omo, is she okay?” Mrs. Jung asked with concern.

“Yes. My kid here is very strong even though she’s very skinny. Amber’s mom dusted off some dirt at Amber’s shorts. “Amber, why don’t you introduce yourself?” Mrs. Jung said.

Amber gazed at Krystal who is looking at her with poker face that seems to be uninterested. Amber clears before speaking. “Hi Mrs. Jung, I’m Amber Liu. It was nice to meet you ma’am... and your daughter.” Amber slightly glared at Krystal who also glared in return.

“Nice to meet you too, Amber.” Mrs. Jung flashes a smile. When she saw that her daughter is not responsive at all, she slightly elbowed Krystal. “Soojungie, why don’t you introduce yourself also? You and Amber can be friends; you can play together here in our neighbourhood.”

Krystal let out a sigh and stood up. “My name is Jung Soojung, but you can call me Krystal. Nice to meet you Mrs. Liu and...” Krystal looks Amber uninterestingly “... your daughter too.” Amber rolls her eyes.

Amber excuses herself because she didn’t want to hear some adult conversation and also she didn’t want to be with Krystal either. She went to their back door with her sketch pad and pencil and went straight near a tree not far from a small river. She positioned herself on a rock and began sketching her tree house. Amber really wanted to build a tree house so that she will have a place to stay that she can call her own.

“What are you doing, toothpick? Krystal said as she peeked over Amber’s shoulders to look what she’s doing.

Amber was taken aback. She immediately covers her sketchpad, turns around and looks at Krystal. “It’s Amber. My name is Amber, hippo.”

“No need to hide it, I already saw it. And oh yeah, Krystal is the name, toothpick.” Krystal said.

Amber snorted. “Whatever. Mind your own business will you?”

Krystal just hummed in response. Amber moves away from her and found another spot to draw her desired tree house. Being new to the neighbourhood, Krystal walks around the place but not far away from Amber because she didn’t want to get lost. Krystal is starting to get really bored. She started picking some stones and began tossing them towards the small river. She tried to play stone skipping. She’s starting to get frustrated because all the stones failed. With only one stone left on her hand, she took a deep breath and directed her attention to the water. On her last try, she succeeded.

“Ohmygod. I did it! I made that stone skip! Did you see that?!” She turns her gaze to Amber but unfortunately Amber isn’t looking at all. She is currently so immersed in her drawing “Aish. Toothpick has no sense of fun at all.” She mumbled.

Suddenly she heard her stomach growling. “Gosh. I’m so hungry.” Krystal tapped her tummy. As if it was destiny, she found a mango tree not far from her position. Mango is Krystal’s favourite fruit; she can live by just eating them all. She started jumping with her arms reaching towards the hanging fruit but she can’t. Her height is not enough and her arms are too short and because Krystal is a chubby kid, she became exhausted immediately. She really wanted to eat that ripe mango. She wanted Amber to help her but she knew that they are not really in good terms.

She sit on a rock for a while and think of a plan. “How will I get Amber’s attention? Hmm.” She said as she places her index finger on her chin.

Meanwhile, Amber was suppressing her laugh when she saw Krystal desperately wanted to grab that mango from a tree. “She could have just climbed the tree. It’s very obvious that you can’t get it by just jumping and reaching her hands like that.” Amber shakes her head. She really wanted to help her but she wanted Krystal to approach her first.

“AHHHH!” Amber heard Krystal screaming.

“Krystal?!” Amber came in rush for her. She saw Krystal holding onto her arm while hanging her head low. “Are you alright? Are you hurt somewhere?” But Krystal didn’t move a thing. Amber is really in panic right now, she didn’t know what to do. “Come on; let me take a look Krystal. Please.”

Krystal slowly looks at her and saw Amber in worried look. Krystal slowly smiled “You should see your face right now. It’s epic.” She pointed and laughs. Krystal gently stood up and dusts off the dirt on her skirt.

“Wait. You’re not hurt?!” Amber said.

“No toothpick, it was only a joke. But hey I got your attention right?!” Krystal smiled.

“YOU WHAT? I was worried about you okay? I really panicked for you. That was really a bad joke Krystal. What if you get really hurt? Don’t do that again.” Amber said and turned away. Krystal felt guilty about it. All she wanted to do was to get Amber’s attention but she didn’t know that it will turn to a really bad joke.

Krystal walks towards Amber and sit beside her. “I’m sorry Amber. I won’t do that again.” Krystal sincerely said but Amber give no response at all. She just continue doing some rough sketches on her notebook. Krystal let out a sigh and walks away. She sits on a big rock not far from Amber’s. She turned around with her back facing Amber. Krystal hugged her knees and buried her face in between it. Her stomach growled again “Yah. Stop being so noisy.” She said while pointing her tummy.

Amber sighed. She closes her sketch pad and looks over at Krystal and looks at the mango tree. She stands up and began walking towards the big tree. She started climbing the mango tree. She cautiously takes her step so that she won’t fall. She smiled as she successfully pulled out a bunch of mangoes on her hand. When she’s ready to get down, she accidentally slipped and she fall down.

“AHHH!” Krystal heard a loud thud and scream. At first she thought that Amber was just playing with her, knowing that the girl loves to put up pranks.

“It’s alright toothpick, make fun of me.” Krystal mumbled. But Amber keeps on screaming and that’s the time Krystal came for her. Krystal saw Amber’s bleeding knee. “Amber, are you alright? Can you stand up?” Amber just nodded. Krystal assisted her towards the nearest rock and let Amber to sit there.

“It’s okay; it’s just a small cut I guess.” Amber said but Krystal didn’t listen. She gets her handkerchief and carefully places it on Amber’s knee.

“There. That should do it.” Amber didn’t know why her feelings are different know. She didn’t know why but when Krystal came running for her, she felt something funny on her stomach. Being strong, Amber usually self treating her wounds whenever she got one, but when Krystal does it she felt like someone cares for her.

Krystal looks up and saw Amber smiling holding a bunch of mangoes. “I bet our really hungry.”

Krystal smiled in return which makes Amber to blush. “Thanks, Amber!” Krystal hugged Amber very tight.

“K-krystal...”

“Hmm?”

“C-can’t b-b-breathe. Ox-oxygen!” Amber tapped Krystal’s shoulders.

“Oh sorry...” Krystal let go of the hug. “So uhh, are we friends now?” Krystal shyly asked.

Amber just nodded and smiled. Krystal sat beside Amber and began to eat the mangoes together. Unconsciously, Krystal leaned her head on Amber shoulder. “Before I thought that you’re an oppa.” Amber just chuckled and shakes her head.   

“Amber?”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing. It’s just... this feels so nice.” Krystal whispered but loud enough for Amber to hear. Amber just smiled and lean her head on Krystal’s.