Eunwoo could get away with anything. Anything and everything. She was the only human being on the face of the Earth that could get her to do things she actually didn’t want to do. Boring things, nasty things, incredibly stupid things.

It wasn’t like Jieqiong didn’t do stupid things, she did. Eunwoo kept a list, alphabetized. They were just other stupid things, other nasty things, other boring things. And both of them always managed to drag the other along into them.

She would do anything for her and couldn’t even imagine what her life would’ve been like if she wouldn’t have been so anxious to try the cookies of the new girl that spoke weird. She thanked God for that first day whenever Eunwoo smiled at her, whenever Eunwoo kissed her, whenever she saw the brunette absorbed in a televisión show or frowning while reading a book.

Breathe, it was all Eunwoo had to do for Jieqiong to feel grateful that a superior intelligence had crossed their paths twenty years ago. Jung Eunwoo. The same Eunwoo who cried bitterly because a few weeks after meeting her, her mother changed her lunch, she didn’t get those delicious cookies anymore and she thought that meant they would stop being friends. And it would have, in normal conditions, but nothing was normal with Eunwoo. And that day Jieqiong could have been offered a billion pounds of delicious cookies or free icre cream for the rest of her life, that day she could have been offered the world in a tray and nothing, nothing, could have made her exchange it for her friendship with Eunwoo. Nothing. 

Inseparable, that’s what they’ve been since then. Either one of them was always at the other’s place, or the two of them were exploring their surroundings because Junhui, Jieqiong’s brother, had told them that a green elf lived in the forest near their house. They always had something to do on weekends, they would always come up with a reason why they had to meet. Two days being apart? Not a chance! They would cry, scream and hold their breaths until their faces turned blue. Whatever it took for their parents to give in into taking them to each other’s house. They got away with it almost every time. They were very persuasive.

Their friendship grew stronger and deeper each time. As deep as friendship between five-year-old girls could be. And they dreamed of the day they would turn eight because Junhui was eight and their parents let him go out on his bicycle with his friends. That meant they would be able to meet whenever they wanted to, since their houses weren’t that far from each other. And even if they were, they would have cycled all the way.

 

Eunwoo and Jieqiong at age 6.

Friday! Finally Friday! And it wasn’t just any Friday, her parents had let her spend the weekend at Eunwoo’s house. Little Jieqiong pinned her face and hands to the car’s window as soon as she spotted the silhouette of her bestfriend’s house. It was completely unintentional but an impatient giggle escaped her lips and it caught her mother’s attention.

“Jieqiong,” she heard Jia calling her as she turned to look at her in the co-driver seat. “I hope you remember what you promised me.” she pointed out.
“Yes, I do,” the little one shook her head. “I’ll behave.” she reassured.
“I hope Jessica won’t have to call me.” she warned again, turning back to the front.

How little faith in the mankind, mom! Jieqiong stared at the seat’s back for a few seconds, thoughtful. If she were to tell the truth, she couldn’t guarantee that Eunwoo’s mother wouldn’t have to call hers... sometimes things slipped out of her control! Even more when she was with Eunwoo. Who would have thought that having a bestfriend would be so much fun? Maybe it was fun because her bestfriend was Eunwoo... because she wouldn’t find it fun if her bestfriend was Chanwoo, for example. Buff, Chanwoo... first grade of elementary school and still mixing the clay. Grow up already!
 

A huge smile appeared on her face when she saw Eunwoo waving from the porch of her house, her friend had told her she was going to wait for her outside but Jieqiong didn’t believe her because the weather was quite cold. When Zhoumi drove the car nearer, Jieqiong was able to see that the tip of Eunwoo’s nose of was a bit red while the little girl did small jumps, impatient to have her bestfriend by her side. Jieqiong waved back, trying to break free from the seatbelt and jump from the running car but... darn it! Those things were childproof... Jia and Zhoumi knew what they were doing. She would have to wait...

* * *

“Behave yourself”, “I better don’t find out you’ve desobeyed Jessica and Tyler”, “Listen to them”. One kiss. Two kisses. Three kisses. Mom! It’s Eunwoo’s house, I won’t be dodging bullets or anything like that…Buff… motherly love. 
 

Finally Eunwoo and Jieqiong waved goodbye to her parents’ car, with Jessica in the rearguard. When the vehicle was out of sight, Eunwoo’s mother guided them inside the house and the two of them went upstairs at the speed of the light into the room of the brunette. Jieqiong left the backpack that Jia had prepared for her on her friend’s bed.
“We have to go now, Pinky… it’ll get dark soon”, said the slightly older girl as she looked outside the window. The black-haired girl ran to her side, pinning herself to the crystal as well. 
“But... are you sure you heard it?” she frowned, looking at her friend from the corner of her eye.
“I’m sure. I heard it on three consecutive days. Are you scared?” she infered, in a serious tone.
“Of course not!” the younger girl denied even though it was the biggest lie she had ever told. 
“Alright then. I am. So you’ll go first”. Eunwoo decided as she walked towards the door. “Come on!” she demanded and Jieqiong trailed behind her, swallowing . Eunwoo could get anything she wanted from her.

They went back downstairs and told Jessica they were going to play in the frontyard. The woman made sure they were properly covered and made them promise that they would not leave the enclosure. Wow, they did know how to lie... 
They went outside and Jieqiong observed her friend as the latter looked from side to side. 

“Yesterday I heard it over there” she pointed at a spot on her right. 
“But… what is it?” the younger infered, following her. 
“I don’t know… but it growls.” She informed her.
“It growls?” she tried to keep her voice steady.
“Yes. Like this…Grrrrrrr. Grrrrrr,”  she gave her a demonstration, stopping when they reached the limit of the Jungs’ yard.

The gate wasn’t very high and Eunwoo passed the turn to Jieqiong. She said she wasn’t scared so