“Don’t you dare!” Eunha squealed. She ducked just in time to dodge the rain of mini marshmallows SinB had thrown at her. “Oh no, the marshmallow monster!” she cried dramatically.

SinB mockingly roared, pressing two giant marshmallows to her eyes. She only managed to growl and roar for a few seconds before she dissolved into a fit of giggles. She hunched over, laughing so hard that she dropped the marshmallows.

“You wasted two perfectly good marshmallows,” Eunha playfully scolded in between her own giggles. “Now the marshmallow gods will punish you.”

“Not the marshmallow gods!” SinB exclaimed before falling into another round of laughter.

Eunha laughed with her and thanked the house elves as they handed her two more mugs of hot chocolate. This was why she loved the kitchens so much. Not only did it have plentiful food with kind help, but it was also one of the only places Eunha and SinB could truly be their weird, goofy selves without fear of ridicule.

It was mid-October, and this was the first time Eunha and SinB had gotten the chance to hang out in the kitchens. Eunha didn’t count the last time, since SinB had a breakdown, and they hadn’t really had fun. This was different. This was just plain silliness. In the kitchens, it was just the house elves who already knew what they were like, and even better, they were nice enough to let them know when someone was coming, so they could get themselves under control. It didn’t happen often though; Eunha wondered if the house elves spread nasty rumors about the kitchens to keep others away. If they had, Eunha was eternally grateful.

Even in their room, Eunha and Sinb couldn’t be completely themselves. While no one dared to even come close to their room, they could still hear through that ridiculously thick door. Back in first year, they had been playing around when an older Slytherin had scolded them for acting so ridiculously, telling them they were shaming the house. Needless to say, after that, Eunha and SinB had sought out a new place to hang out and found the kitchens by chance.

Eunha had never been more thankful.

“How’s your potions essay going, by the way?” SinB asked as she tossed a few marshmallows into her hot chocolate.

“I’m almost done, but could you look over one of my theories for me?” Eunha answered. “I feel like it’s missing something.”

“Sure,” SinB shrugged. “As long as you look over my charms essay. I swear I always mess up the concepts in that class.”

“Deal.”

Eunha clinked mugs with SinB and took a long sip of hot chocolate. Those house elves sure knew what they were doing. She could never replicate this drink, no matter how often she tried.

“How’s your plan with Yerin going?” Eunha felt obligated to ask. She did not approve of SinB’s plan in the least, but she felt like it was her duty as best friend to see how it was doing, or rather, how SinB was doing.

SinB smirked, cocky and gorgeous in a way that had most of the younger years tripping over themselves to see. While SinB was oblivious to the way others looked at her, Eunha wasn’t and she made sure no one got any ideas toward her best friend.

“It’s going well,” SinB told her happily. “I forgot how fun it is to have someone to flirt with, not to mention it’s even better since it riles her up so much.”

Eunha smiled weakly, trying to ignore the warning bells going off in her head. She recognized that smile all too well. It was the same look SinB had back when they were twelve years-old. She was falling for Yerin again, and Eunha was sure it wasn’t going to be as easy to get over as it was when they were younger.

“Just be careful, okay?” was all Eunha could think to say without getting SinB defensive.

SinB smiled again, softer this time, and laid her hand over Eunha’s. “Don’t worry so much. You’ll get wrinkles before you’re thirty, and then what’ll you do?”

“Marry you for your money obviously,” Eunha teased.

“My mother would love that,” SinB laughed. “Did you know she asks about you in almost every letter I get? You’re like a second daughter to her. If we were into each other like that, she’d be overjoyed that she could officially have you as a daughter.”

Eunha blushed and shook her head. “If only.”

Sometimes, especially when she was younger, Eunha desperately wished she would fall in love with SinB.

They had met when they were eleven years-old. SinB hadn’t hit puberty yet, so she’d been shorter than Eunha at the time. She was scrawny and scowling, but somehow Eunha gathered the courage to ask if she could sit with her on the train. SinB had shrugged and looked out the window. They’d sat in silence for half the ride when SinB suddenly asked her what house she thought she’d be sorted into. It was Eunha’s turn to shrug.

Eunha hadn’t understood the weight of SinB’s question, until the Sorting Hat had yelled Slytherin. Instead of being greeted with cheers like all of the other kids, Eunha heard booing and curses. She had kept her head down and practically ran to the Slytherin table. She was walking to find a seat when a hand caught her wrist. When she looked, Eunha saw SinB’s solemn eyes. SinB said nothing though and simply patted the seat next to her. Moving her hand to grasp tightly onto SinB’s, Eunha sat next to her and tried not to cry.

Eunha and SinB were two of four Slytherins sorted that year and the only girls. Everyone else went to Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.

After that, Eunha couldn’t help but stick by SinB’s side. She’d been sure SinB was annoyed by her sudden attachment, refusing to go anywhere without her. Eunha hadn’t been able to help it though. Whenever she got caught walking alone in the halls, the other kids would throw things at her and shout cruel words. They never tried it when she was with SinB, until Halloween that first year.

SinB had been walking down to breakfast, Eunha following her like a shadow. The two of them were almost to the Great Hall when something suddenly fell from the ceiling. It was only SinB’s quick reflexes that saved Eunha from being doused in a green goo that reeked of rotten eggs.

A group of Gryffindors appeared from around the corner, groaning about how close they’d been to getting Eunha and Sinb. Eunha had recognized the leader as Kwon Hajoon, a boy who’d been sorted with them.

Hajoon swaggered up to them and sneered, “Why can’t you just go where you belong?” He paused and smirked at his friends before saying, “In the trash like that rotten goo.”

“Please leave us alone,” SinB said politely. “We just want to go to breakfast.”

“Did you guys hear that?” Hajoon laughed. “The little snake said please.”

SinB had tried to walk around him, but Hajoon blocked her way with a cocky grin.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Hajoon said. “We’re not done with you yet.”

“We just want to go to breakfast,” SinB repeated, her voice cracking. She glanced to Eunha, and Eunha saw the fear in her eyes. “Please.”

Hajoon noticed Eunha now that SinB had looked at her and laughed. “The snake’s got a little girlfriend!” Hajoon crooned. “How disgusting! Well, if you won’t back down, I guess I’ll have to do something to her, huh?” Hajoon slapped Eunha before anyone could react.

Eunha cried, feeling the sting from the hit. She held her rapidly reddening cheek and felt tears streak down her face. She tried to run, but Hajoon grabbed her arm tight enough to cause bruises. He was almost a foot taller than her and much stockier. Eunha had never felt more defenseless.

Suddenly, SinB tackled him from the side, not hard enough to knock him down but enough to surprise him and force him into a wall. Eunha stared in shock and cried out when Hajoon punched SinB, spitting out curse words.

“I should’ve known snakes were more trouble than they’re worth,” Hajoon spat, calling his friends to follow him as he walked away.

As soon as they were out of sight, Eunha ran to SinB’s side. She tried to help her up, but SinB waved her off and merely told her to follow her. Eunha did so, unsure of what else to do. The two of them had walked back to their room, and somehow SinB had known a route that let them avoid everyone else roaming the halls.

Once they got to their room, SinB locked the door. She disappeared into the bathroom and came back with two ice packs, one for each of their faces. She sat down next to where Eunha had sunken down onto the floor. They sat there for a long time in silence, until SinB looked at Eunha.

“They don't care who we are. They only about our house,” SinB said, voice hoarse. “Trying to prove them wrong just gets you more scorn. It gets you called fake and a liar and a cheat. Fight back.”

Eunha couldn’t look at her. She’d known when she saw the hit that SinB would have a black eye at best. “I can’t,” Eunha whimpered.

SinB sighed and said, “I’ll fight back as long as you have my back, Eunha. Can you do the same for me?” When she didn’t answer, SinB said quietly, “We only have each other, Eunha.”

At this, Eunha had cried and nodded, hugging SinB tightly.

SinB had been her protector from the beginning, and Eunha her rock. They relied on each other when it felt like there was no one else who cared. Eunha had thought about how easy life would have been if SinB was the love of her life. They knew each other like no one else, trusted each other deeply, and cared so intensely.

But watching as SinB tossed a marshmallow in the air in an attempt to catch it in , Eunha knew they were only ever meant to be best friends, sisters, comrades-in-arms.

Noticing Eunha’s stare, SinB let a marshmallow bounce off her cheek and asked, “What, do I have something in my face?”

“Just remembering how we met,” Eunha told her honestly. She smiled and added, “You were pretty short.”

“Well, I'm the taller one now, so who really got the short end of the stick?”

“Was that a pun?”

SinB grinned sheepishly. “A pretty bad one, but yeah.”

“Why do I stay with you?” Eunha sighed dramatically.

“For my amazing personality and killer looks,” SinB joked.

Eunha just shook her head and smiled. “Yeah, that's part of it, but you're much more.”

SinB wrinkled her nose and threw a handful of mini marshmallows at her. “Stop being gross.”

“I'm complimenting you!” Eunha exclaimed.

“Tell me how pretty I am.”

“You're very pretty,” Eunha said dutifully before dissolving into giggles. SinB laughed with her, and Eunha felt content for now.

A/N: An update to celebrate Gfriend's solo concert! I want to cry because I'm so proud.