The first time Joohyun went to Jieun’s house was for the latter’s birthday in early May. As the little girls requested to spend more time outside of school with one another, their mothers unintentionally grew closer due to phone calls back and forth trying to work something out. Jieun’s mother Hyemi learned from Joohyun’s mother Bora that the girl’s father was in and out of the picture, coming and going as he pleased, doing the bare minimum to provide for his family. Hyemi had reserves about letting her daughter hang out with a child from a broken home, but Jieun was too innocent to understand the situation. Regardless, the two women arranged for Hyemi to pick both girls up from school on Friday and drive Joohyun home Saturday evening. The two girls held hands as they walked down the hall after their teacher dismissed class for the week, already planning their time together in great detail.

The added weight of a spare change of clothes, house shoes and toothbrush in Joohyun’s backpack cemented the fact that she was really going to spend the night at a friend’s house for the first time ever. When her birthday came, Jieun ended up not staying because her mom said so, no further explanation given. But as the girls reached the building’s parking lot, they spotted Jieun’s mother’s car, meaning that this time a sleepover was for sure happening. Joohyun swung her hand that connected with Jieun’s as she led the other girl into skipping across the warm concrete. They approached the car and Jieun opened the door and got in, scooting across the seats to leave room for Joohyun to climb in after. Hyemi greeted the girls as she watched them click on their seatbelts and began asking them what they wanted for dinner. Joohyun watched as the elementary school scenery faded, the feeling of leaving in a car rather than a bus for the first time creating a new sensation that added to the significance of the moment.

Hyemi kept driving and occasionally asking the girls a question or two, more so leaving them to giggle over their own conversation. Once the car entered the neighborhood, Joohyun watched as the nice houses rolled by, their exteriors pretty and the people walking along the sidewalk even prettier. It was different than where she lived where people only ran down the pavement usually with someone chasing behind them, and it never involved a game of tag. The car turned into a driveway and Joohyun looked at the light green two story home and noticed the white picket fence that bordered the backyard.

“We have a pool! You can borrow one of my bathing suits and we can go swimming,” Jieun said excitedly as if it was a crucial piece of information that she couldn’t b