After that deadly cuddle session, Nabi finally, reluctantly, released Areum since it seemed as if she wasn’t breathing. Areum fixed her hair as she glared at Nabi with her usual cold eyes.

 

Nabi slightly flinched at her gaze and scooted to the corner of the couch, with her knees to her chest and her pillow in between. When did that pillow became yours? Areum rolled her eyes.

 

“So...uh am I sleeping over or-” Nabi started.

 

“No, get out of my house,” Areum growled.

 

Nabi giggled and got up to gather her things - her shoes and backpack - and waited for Areum at the door, the pillow still hugged closely to her. Areum went back inside, eyeing the pillow in Nabi’s hand closely (hey, that pillow was hers!), before she came back out. Areum had on a white sports jersey-style sweater with matching white gym shorts.

Areum also lent Nabi some clothes since hers were all messed up because of the queenka. “Just wear this,” she said.

 

Nabi glanced at the clothes and then at Areum before walking to the restroom to change. Wait, she thought as she looked confusingly around the house. “Where’s the restroom?”

 

She could hear Areum sigh behind her. “Walk down the hallway then turn left. It should be the first room you see.”

 

“Okay!” After quickly changing, Nabi came out with a black hoodie and shorts. “These are quite comfortable… but do you have basketball shorts?” (Wowowowow so ungrateful that Nabi.) (....she’s literally you.) (....MOVING ON!) (You’re such an idiot….)

“Just… it’s temporary, okay? Change back home,” Areum’s eyes twitched in annoyance. “Now let’s get you back to your house.”

 

The two trudged down a familiar path - of course it was familiar to Areum but it was also for Nabi, surprisingly - and Nabi pointed out, “Hey, I know this road! I live literally across from you!”

 

“Really? Then why didn’t you say anything before?”

 

Nabi laughed, “‘Cause, I wasn’t paying attention before. But I am now!”

 

Areum mentally facepalmed as she glared over to Nabi. This girl....

 

“So we just have to turn here, here, and here.” Nabi explained.

 

“Where is here, here, and here?”

 

“Like, you turn at this corner, and then walk down the street, and then you turn right. You walk down that street and then turn right again. My house should be the first thing you see!”

 

Areum followed Nabi, who was skipping and smiling brightly (what was she even smiling at?), before they turned at the corner and then turned right.

 

“Thanks for walking me home Areum!” Nabi thanked cheerfully as they turned right again toward her house.

 

“It’s not that far so I don’t mind,” Areum shrugged as she observed Nabi’s house.

 

Nabi started to become embarrassed of her own home. Nabi wasn’t extremely poor, middle-class at most, but compared to Areum, she was a peasant. Nabi had a modest one-story house with a two-car garage and a beautiful front yard. As the two were approaching the gate, two middle-aged adults, Areum assumed they were Nabi’s parents, ran up to Nabi.

 

“KIM NABI!” her mother screeched as she pulled on Nabi’s ear.

 

“Ow ow ow ow ow mom stop!” Nabi pleaded, trying to pry her mom’s hand off her slowly-turning red ear.

 

“Did you know how worried we were?” her father intruded, crossing his arm.

 

“If you guys let me explain-”

 

“YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE!” her mother yelled at her yet again.

 

Nabi's father finally noticed Areum awkwardly standing looking at the scene in awe.

 

“Yeobeo, who is this?” the father asked his wife.

 

She finally let go of Nabi's ear to eye the stranger. “Oh I'm so sorry! I'm Kim Nayoung, Nabi's mother, and this is my husband, Kim Heejoon,” Mrs. Kim introduced politely. “This must be your friend, Nabi?”

 

Nabi nodded, “Mom, dad, this is my friend Areum. I was at her house earlier today.”

 

“A-annyeonghaseyo. I'm Hwang Areum,” Areum introduced, giving a ninety degree bow.

 

“H-Hwang Areum?!” the father exclaimed. “The heiress to Hwang Oil Productions?!”

 

“Ah, yes…” Areum replied awkwardly.

 

“WAIT, WHAT?!?!” Nabi yelled out, surprised.

 

“Oh Nabi, you should’ve told us you were with your friend hehe,” Mrs. Kim said, suddenly becoming gentler. “You’re very pretty Miss Hwang. Obvious for an heiress.”

 

“Ah gomawo. You can just call me Areum, Mr. and Mrs. Kim.”

 

“Alright, so Areum. Would you like to come in for dinner?” Mr. Kim suggested.

 

“Uh no, we don’t need to invite her…” Nabi laughed nervously, suddenly intimidated by Areum’s social position. What were the chances of having a friend that was a heiress to a company? Much less her first friend since a long time?

 

“I’m fine, thank you sir. I’ll just head home now,” Areum agreed.

 

“Oh please, I insist,” Mr. Kim countered. “You can hang with Nabi a little more. Unless, of course, your parents are waiting for you at home.”

 

Areum’s face visibly darkened at the mention of her parents, not going unnoticed by Nabi, “No...no they’re not waiting. I… I can stay for dinner.”

 

“Oh great! Come on in,” Mrs. Kim ushered the girls inside.

 

As soon as they stepped in and took off their shoes, Nabi tugged onto Areum’s arm, “Come on, let’s go to my room.”

 

Nabi led Areum over to where her room was, which was down the hallway. It had a desk and bookshelf in front of the right wall and a bed in the left corner. There wasn’t much extravagance and was quite simple - much like Nabi herself, Areum took note - but it seemed warm and family-like. Areum enjoyed it.

 

The other jumped onto her bed and bounced on top of it a few times, laughing loudly. When she calmed down, she looked over to Areum, who was just standing there. “Sorry about my parents,” Nabi said as she rubbed the back of her neck. “They get like that sometimes.”

 

“Nah, it’s fine,” Areum assured slightly envious but quickly pushed that thought back.

 

“Yeah well, I hope you like the food. My parents are pretty good cooks but then again it’s probably nothing compared to 5-star personal chefs right?” Nabi teased, a crooked smile on her face. How can she smile and laugh for 24 hours straight? Doesn’t that hurt your face? Areum thought.

 

“Well, it’d be nice to have a home-cooked meal for once,” Areum muttered under her breath.

 

“Hm? What did you say?”

 

“Nothing nothing.”

 

Nabi was suspicious but didn’t press on further, as she had just met Areum. She opened to say something else, but a loud voice interrupted her.

 

“NABI! AREUM! DINNER’S READY GIRLS,” Mrs. Kim hollered from the kitchen.

 

“OKAY!” Nabi yelled back. “Let’s go. My parents don’t like it when the food gets cold.”

 

Areum followed Nabi to where the dining room/kitchen was to see a huge assortment of home-cooked Korean food. The strong scent of delicious food spread through all of Areum’s sense, and she couldn't help but drool slightly.

 

“I tried my best with this dinner,” Mrs. Kim smiled proudly. “I hope you enjoy it.”

 

“I will,” Areum answered. Mrs. Kim still had her smile on (this must had been how Nabi got her smiling habit) as she placed the dishes onto the table before pulling her chair on and sitting down on it. Everyone else followed suit.

 

Areum eyed the food hungrily, or rather longingly, as the Kim family went silent to appreciate and thank God for the food (which took awhile), and started to eat practically everything she saw when the family told her that she could eat now. Nabi’s eyes widened at the rate Areum was eating.

 

“Aish, and you don’t even gain any weight from eating like that,” Nabi complained as she patted Areum’s flat tummy.

 

Areum stuck out her tongue mockingly and continued to eat at a ridiculously fast pace, only stopping to look up at the parents. They only chuckled at her amusing behavior and urged her to keep on eating as much as she wanted. Who was she to refuse such a delightful request?

 

She noticed how the family was eating happily together and every once in a while exchanging a few words, but otherwise it was silent. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, it was a somewhat comfortable silence.

 

The one where you could actually appreciate the clanking of chopsticks on the plates, or the quiet eating sounds that always seemed to make noises no matter how much you tried to stop it. It was that kind of silence.

 

There was also no tension between the three even though Nabi was just scolded for coming home late. Areum enjoyed the chemistry they had since it was a nice change compared to how she and her parents ate, if they ever even ate together at all.

 

“So how did you two meet?” Mrs. Kim asked curiously.

 

“O-oh about that eomma-” Nabi replied, slightly frightened.

 

“We sat next to each other at the library, in the quiet study section. We ended up talking after school,” Areum said as Nabi looked over at her gratefully for the white lie.

 

“Ah I see. Nabi, next time tell us before you go off. Arraso?” Mr. Kim, firmly yet softly, reminded his daughter.

 

“Ne, appa!” Nabi playfully saluted.

 

Areum smiled at the warm sight of the happy family. Laughing and talking with each other without someone punching and a window shattering (long story).

 

Nabi’s family was a beautiful contrast to hers. A very much welcomed change.

 

THE NEXT DAY

 

Areum woke up (before school started for once) and stared blankly at the white ceiling. Why did I wake up early again? Oh right. She flung her clean, white blanket from her body and tried her best to wash up and change without falling asleep right in the bathtub.

 

Areum’s room was actually much like Nabi’s but it had much higher quality furniture than Nabi as she was hella rich. The entire bedroom was a spotless white. Walls, beds, sheets, curtains, carpets, everything was white! The only thing that wasn't white was the hardwood floor that was as cold as ice when Areum stepped on it. Well, white isn't a bad color, right? White seems pure and angelic…..actually it's very odd for someone like Areum to have a pure looking room.

 

It was hard for the tired girl to not fall asleep in the midst of her morning routine since she always came to school during third or fourth period if the school was lucky.(This is very true, I used to not go to school….ever. Now I do but I just sleep in class and wing it on test....stay in school kids. - your author who's a very responsible student) Well, why should she right? Her parents were rich and could provide anything for her. Well, they had to provide for her no matter what. It was their way of showing “love” to their “precious” daughter.

 

Areum sadly shook her head and pushed those dark thoughts back. Aish, why do I even care? Areum thought as she finished tying the bow to her uniform. Areum rushed downstairs when she realized that she would be late but paused while on the last step and chuckled at herself. Me? Caring about being late? What have you done to me, Kim Nabi? Areum thought to herself.  

 

She didn’t bother with breakfast since she would be late to scho - who was she kidding; she was just too lazy since she fired all those bothersome chefs and her parents….well they’re “busy” -  and walked down the street, however, to the opposite direction where Nabi’s house was. Let’s pick up Nabi, that troublesome girl.

 

Meanwhile, Nabi woke up groggily due to the loud beep beep beep from her annoying alarm clock (who even thought of making an alarm clock in the first place?) and slammed her hand on top of it to turn it off.

 

When there was only silence, she rubbed her eyes sleepily as she hissed at the bright light shining through her window. Did she ever said how much she hated waking up in the early morning to feel the hot, unavoidable glare of the sun on her face?  

 

Well, to put it bluntly, she hated it; she hated the sun and its hotness. Especially in the morning. It must had been a curse placed upon her by the morning god.

 

Yeah, that must had been it, she thought. Even the morning god is mean to me. She glanced out the window, huffing and pouting at the subject of her dismay. I wish the sun was never invented! She paused for a second. That doesn't sound right. The sun was not invented... Nabi smacked herself on the head. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

 

Well, what a great way to start a new day, Nabi! Congratz! She sighed as she rolled herself out of her bed, landing down on the floor harshly on her back with her blanket draping over her like a cloak. Ow, that hurts. I shouldn't have done that, she thought miserably as she rubbed her aching back.

 

Putting on her glasses, she slowly pulled herself up and fixed her bed so she won’t get killed by her mom before she opened the door, put on her uniform and of course, her red and black long socks in her hand. At a snail like pace, she staggered herself out of the door and to the restroom, thankful that it was close to her and not like a million steps away.

 

She washed up and quickly got dressed, yawning tiredly and complaining about the sun as she did so. She trudged to her dining room to eat up the breakfast her parents left out for her, it was two sunny-side up eggs and rice.

 

While eating, she glanced over to a neatly wrapped box - her mom was so neat and organized unlike her daughter - and opened it. It was some meat left from yesterday and rice. She was your typical Asian family.

 

Because time was passing by, she rapidly swallowed the last bit of egg and the chunk of rice before grabbing the lunchbox . Nabi slipped on her socks and shoes and bolted out the door to see Areum standing outside her gate.

 

“Areum? What are you doing here?” Nabi asked.

 

“Did you really think I would leave you to go to school alone after what happened with that ? I’m sure she told the other es too.” Areum reasoned.

 

“Oh I see. Well, let’s go then!” Nabi happily exclaimed, linking her arm through Areum’s and walked - or in Areum’s case, dragged - to school.

 

After a moment of silence, Nabi said, “I really really hate the sun!”

 

“Why?”

 

“It’s so sunny and hot and bright! I don’t like it.”

 

“Really? I don’t like the sun but I don’t hate it either.”

 

“I guess that makes sense, but the moon is way better!”

 

“The moon?” How did the topic moved from the sun to the moon? Areum thought.

 

“Yeah! The moon! It’s so calm and soothing. It doesn’t glare in my face like the sun!”

 

“Okay…”

 

“And.. . and it’s way cooler! Well, it is cool, but it’s also the other cool. You know what I mean?”

 

Now Areum was just staring dumbfoundedly at Nabi. “Nabi, I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

 

“What? Uhh… well... simply put, the moon is better than the sun!”

 

“... Then why didn’t you just say that in the beginning?”

 

“Uh… I don’t know!”

 

This time the ulzzang didn’t bother stopping herself from facepalming. “Just… let’s go.”

 

As the two girls entered the school gates, immediately whispers could be heard all around. At first it started as the usual “Honestly, Areum thinks she’s so much better than us” from girls, and “Yo dude, I’d hit that” from guys.

 

However, as Nabi kept listening in she could hear the students start to whisper about why she was with Areum. Well, a nerd with a rich ulzzang is not exactly common is it? Nabi thought. Nabi easily tuned out the whispers, she had been doing this since she was born (she was exaggerating), but fear filled her eyes behind her glasses as she saw the queenkas.

 

Areum felt Nabi suddenly tense up next to her and quickly noticed the queenkas with their usual look: a poodle’s fur on their head that they always keep saying it’s a “high-fashion” style and disgustingly perfect manicured nails.

 

The queenkas glared at Nabi and started to come at her until they noticed Areum. The girls were intimidated when the ulzzang’s supposed to be warm-looking eyes turn cold and fierce in seconds and immediately backed up. Areum put on a triumphant smirk on her lips as the two girls walked into the school doors.

 

“I’ll see you at lunch, Areum!” Nabi said excitedly.

 

“Yea yea I’ll see you then,” Areum said absent-mindedly as she headed to class. Areum immediately looked around the corner to make sure that Nabi made it into her class safely and sighed in relief when she saw that she was fine.

 

Areum started back on the way to her class but walked straight ahead instead of turning to the left where her classroom was located. She had something better to do than to sit in a classroom and listen to a teacher babbling on about things she probably will never use in her life.

 

Ignoring the fact that the other classrooms’ teacher could see her walking in the hallway, she headed up the stairs to the second, third, and finally the fourth floor. She reached the end of the hallway where large, blue double doors greeted her. How many times had she seen this door in the past couple of years? Who knew.

 

She pushed it open to reveal a large abandoned gym. The school built a newer, cleaner gym in a separate building so now no one used this gym anymore. Plus, it was class time. Hardly anyone was outside of their classrooms. That was probably why Areum walked in confidently without a single thought of someone catching her or catching what she would be doing but, then again, everyone was terrified of her parents.

 

Areum walked over to the area under the bleachers and pulled out a couple loose floorboards. Under those boards was a dock where you can connect to your phone, a couple of journals that looked similar to the one Nabi stole, a pair of fancy shoes, and even an extremely small, portable piano. Areum pulled out the shoes and dock and walked over to where the middle of the gym was.

 

She set down the two items and walked over to the bleachers and set down her bag, blazer, and shoes that she had taken off on it. She walked back to the center and slipped on the newer, more comfortable shoes and inserted her phone in the dock.

 

Of course, she had to stretch first. After testing out her flexibility - it was alright - with a few exercise, Areum scrolled through her phone until she found something she seemed content with. She pushed a couple buttons and soon music filled the large room. She nodded her head to the music until she suddenly started dancing to the song.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlqWRSfhgQY. Her moves were extremely advanced and difficult for just a random person to do. However, Areum’s eyes twinkled with delight, showing that she enjoyed the tiring dance. The rest of the morning continued on for Areum just like that, with only the sounds of music, the squeak of her sneakers, and the sound of tired pants.

 

Nabi, on the other side, was anxiously waiting for lunch to start for the first time. Even though Nabi would never say this to Areum, it was the first time she would be having lunch with a friend.

 

She was always huddled up in the library, studying her off (with her occasionally dozing off because there was no way that she could sit still and focus on one thing without falling asleep), and didn’t have any time to make many friends. It was hard too that people in the school didn’t really like a nerd.

 

She finally smiled when lunch bell rang and students flooded out of the class to meet up with their friends. Nabi grabbed her lunch and headed out until she was encountered by the queenkas. Nabi rolled her eyes in annoyance. The queenkas blocked her way out so she was trapped inside the class.

 

“Well well, look at what we have here!” the leader of the queenkas, Chaeun, said. “The nerd finally has a friend to play with. Must feel nice huh?”

 

“Get out of my way,” Nabi said.

 

“Don’t act tough with me! You’re just lucky you somehow became friends with Areum. If you weren’t then you’d be dead already,” Chaeun threatened.

 

“Well, I’m pretty sure Areum wouldn’t like if I meet up with her late for lunch now would she?”

 

The girls looked like they were about to rip her head off because she talked back to them, but they still allowed Nabi to get through so she could meet up with Areum. Even they knew when to back down.

 

Nabi smirked happily as she dashed down the hallway and arrived at the cafeteria, looking around for Areum. She was disappointed when she didn’t see her anywhere. She decided to check her classroom to see if she accidentally fell asleep and never woke up.

 

However, when she checked, Areum wasn’t anywhere in the room. Where could she be? Worrying that Areum might had ditched school again, Nabi searched the entire school until she came up to the practically abandoned fourth floor.

 

She decided that Areum could’ve hid up here to sleep, if she wasn’t at home already. As Nabi was searching, she heard music coming from the end of the hallway. Is that EXO Wolf? That’s odd, Nabi thought.

 

She cautiously opened up the doors to the gym - who knew who could be in there? - when she saw that Areum was in the middle, dancing and singing to Wolf by EXO perfectly. Nabi’s jaw dropped at the sight. Aish, and she’s the one who said she was talentless, Nabi scoffed.

 

She sneaked off onto the bleachers to continue watching Areum dance (it seemed like Areum didn’t notice her) and gaped in awe as she heard Areum hit the high note perfectly even though she was dancing powerfully.

 

When the song ended, Nabi forgot the fact that Areum didn’t know she was there and clapped happily and cheered loudly. Areum turned to where Nabi was and widened her eyes in shock which soon turned into anger.

 

“YAH WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” Areum yelled angrily.

 

“I was looking for you when lunch started and then I found this room!” Nabi answered calmly, a smile still on her face. Sometimes I really want to smack the smile off of your face, Areum hissed in her head.

 

“,” Areum swore under her breath. She forgot that the bells didn’t work in the gym anymore, but then again, she never ate lunch with anyone.

 

“Come on! Let’s eat!” Nabi announced.

 

The excited girl pulled out her lunch and started to eat when she saw Areum didn't have any lunch.

 

“Areum? You don't have a lunch?” Nabi asked.

 

Areum shook her head, “Can't cook.”

 

“Don't your parents prepare anything for you?” Nabi asked.

 

Areum hesitated but then shook her head.

 

“Chefs?”

 

“Fired them.”

 

“Oh I see,” Nabi said. “Here.” The girl held out her food with an extra set of chopsticks.

 

“No, it's fine just eat,” Areum tried to insist.

 

“Aish, eat it or else I won't eat!” Nabi argued, puffing out her cheeks like a child.

 

Reluctantly, Areum took the chopsticks and ate some of the food Nabi shared with her. It was delicious, Areum noticed. The two ate in comfortable silence while exchanging small talk every once in awhile.

 

“So, why didn't your parents make you anything?” Nabi asked. From the way Areum tensed up, Nabi could tell she hit a nerve.

 

“They're just...busy. You know companies and stuff,” Areum replied hoping to get Nabi off her back.

 

Nabi didn't really believe what Areum said but decided to bring up that topic later. They continued eating in silence for a while until Nabi suggested something.

 

“AREUM!” Nabi yelled, excitement clearly in her eyes even though they were hidden behind her glasses.

 

Areum jumped at the sudden scream of her friend.

 

“Ugh what?”

 

“We should make an idol group!”

 

“....no,” Areum replied coldly.

 

“Come on! You were the one who convinced me to try to be a rapper! You should do it with me,”

 

“I. Can't.” Areum insisted.

 

“Then let's just try and if it doesn't work out, which it will work out, then we'll go back to our normal lives, like you said,” Nabi compromised. “And with your awesome singing and dancing and my raps then we'll be the best group ever!”

 

Areum pondered on the topic a little more before answering, “Fine.”

 

“YAAAAAAAY!”

 

“Shut up. You're too loud.”

 

Nabi ignored her comment and continued on eagerly “What should we call ourselves?”

 

Areum sighed, “I don’t care.”

 

“Hmmm how about...RED!” Nabi exclaimed in eagerness at the mentioning of her favorite color.

 

“....no”

 

“What about... BLACK?” Nabi suggested.

 

“Are you serious?”

 

“RedBlack, or RB for short!”

 

“Oh. My. God.”

 

Nabi gasped and gaped at Areum as if she cured cancer or something. “We should be called O.M.G.!”

 

Areum considered the name for a second, “Yeah, I guess. At least it’s not Red. Or Black. Or RedBlack.”

 

“What? I think RedBlack is good! But I think O.M.G. is good too! So, yay! From this point on we are O.M.G.!”

A/N:  YAAAAY CHAPTER IS RELEASED!!! O.M.G. has finally formed and the girls are best friends!!!!!Even though they like....just met.....but whatever! Also, for people who don't know, whether you are not from America or are not familiar, today is the day the 9/11 terroist attack happened so I'd like to honor that as well as honor the 2,977 people who died on that day, not including the attackers responsible.