"Baby? It's time to wake up."

"I don't wanna."

"You have school to go to."

"I know."

"Don't you want to meet with your friends?"

"I do."

Umji whined as her mother lifted her out of bed, placing her small feet in the cold hardwood floor. Shivering, she curled in on herself, rubbing her arms to try to generate some warmth.

"I also have something to discuss with you Yewon ah."

"Mm?"

"Brush your teeth and get dressed first."

Her eyebrows were drawn together in concern, her mother usually saved that tone for important talks, such as the time she got caught being bullied. What was wrong now? She wasn't getting bullied anymore, rather, they just bothered her sometimes and she had even started making friends with her classmates, approaching them with help for their classworks.

Brushing her teeth with half lidded eyes, she made eye contact with her sister as she spat out her toothpaste. Her sister made a funny face, sticking her fingers in and stretching it sideways, going cross-eyed. Laughing, Umji started to choke on the toothpaste. Her sister quickly apologized and patted her back as she spat the toothpaste out.

"I didn't think you'd laugh that hard, sorry."

"Hehe, it's fine unnie."

Her sister just pet her hair softly, running a comb in it for her, taming her bed hair. Finishing up freshening up, Umji skipped into her room where her mother waited to help her get into her school clothes.

"So, Yewon ah."

There was the tone again, was it time to talk seriously? Umji furrowed her eyebrows again, giving her mother her full attention.

"I've been, thinking."

Umji nodded, her arms moving to get her jacket on after tugging her shirt over her head.

"The environment you have at school, daycare and what not."

"What about it?"

"I don't think, you should stay there. We were recommended this neighborhood, but you've met the police more than I have in my lifetime."

"Mom, it's fine."

"It isn't fine, the kids you're with, they aren't fine either."

Umji frowned. Was her mom saying that her friends were not normal?

"What do you mean they aren't fine? They are, or they will be. They just need a little help. Didn't you say to offer hands where needed? Mom? Whatever you're saying about my friends, I don't appreci....appreci..? Appreciate? Was that the word?"

Holding her chin in thought, she sounded out 'appreciate' a few times.

"Yea, yea. I don't appreciate you judging them like that!"

Despite her daughter's angry outburst, Umji's mother just smiled and patted her head lightly.

"That's a good girl."

"Huh?"

"I was worried, that maybe you might have developed some narrow minded thoughts about society because of what happened to your friends, but seeing you defend them, yet not slander anyone else, just makes me proud."

"What does slander mean?"

"Nothing good Yewon ah, come on, let's get you to school."

"Okay?"

Holding her mother's hand, Umji just followed, not quite sure what had just occured. Taking her seat next to her sister in the car, she held her hand tightly.

"Unnie, if your friend asked you, how to treat adults, how would you answer?"

"I would say, 'with respect'. Why? Why would anyone ask that? It's basic knowledge."

"SinB doesn't have a lot of this basic knowledge, she wasn't raised by good parents so she's at an orphanage now."

"Eh? That's what happened in the end?"

"Did I not tell you? I thought I did. Maybe I just told mom. Sorry unnie."

"It's fine. Is she happier now?"

Umji hummed, her hands toying with her sister's much longer fingers.

"Hmmm, she's been trying to explain this feeling she gets with one of the caretaker's friends, but I can't figure it out."

Her sister smiled, rufflign Umji's hair a little, she pressed a kiss to her crown.

"Yewon ah, that's something she needs to figure out."

"Huh?"

"She can ask you, consult you, and ask your opinions, but that's her relationship."

"I see."

Their car pulled up to Umji's school, she quickly hugged her unnie once more before getting off the car.

"Don't think to hard for her! She'll need to learn eventually!"

"That, I understand very well, thanks unnie."

Just like the chopsticks, Umji was going to let SinB figure out what kind of relationship she wanted with Jessica.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Eunbi ah!"

"Good morning."

"Morning! I see you brought your snack today."

"Mm, it's animal crackers, but don't you think the pink and the white taste the same?"

SinB handed Umji one of each. Tasting them, she nodded, they did taste the same.

"I think it's just food coloring, its all just white chocolate."

"Really? I didn't know you could color chocolate."

Umji laughed a little.

"There's a reason why its called food coloring and not dye!"

SinB hummed, biting the head off a crocodile shaped cookie. Sitting peacefully under the shade of their tree, the two children watched the clouds together.

"You know?"

"Hm?"

"Jessica unnie said she's leaving tomorrow."

"Eh?"

Umji sat up to look at SinB properly, was the other upset? Not detecting any sad emotions coming from her, Umji was confused. Wasn't the other missing the young adult just yesterday?

"She said she'd come back, but she didn't know when."

"You're not sad?"

"No, it gives me time to think, doesn't it?"

"Think about what?"

"I know I asked you about what to do, but I also know that I need to figure it out myself."

Umji held SinB's hand warmly, listening attentively.

"So, when she's away, I'll grow."

"Of course you'll grow? No one's telling you not to?"

"Aniya! Not like that, but as something else, I haven't figured out that part yet."

Umji nodded, brushing SinB's messy bangs out of her eyes.

"You should take care of your hair more."

"Huh?"

"Comb it at least Eunbi ah."

SinB just shrugged her off, she didn't have that time in the morning, she tended to oversleep nowadays. Umji leaned her head on SinB's shoulder, watching as the other played with the chocolate covered animals.

"Hey Eunbi?"

"Yea?"

"Can we talk about my problems today?"

"You have problems? Is it the bullies? I'll teach them a lesson they'll never forget."

SinB pumped her fist into the air strongly. Chuckling, Umji pulled SinB's arm back down.

"Mom was getting worried about my environment."

"Huh? You own land?"

"Huh?"

"Environment, nature, this green stuff."

"Ah, no, no, not that environment. Like, my surroundings. She was thinking whether or not to move me to another school."

"What? No! You can't leave me!"

"I know right? That's what I told her, that there was nothing wrong. I just happened to make friends with the local police force and my friends needed a little help, that's all."

"That's all. Yea."

SinB sat back down against the tree, a little sad. Umji noticed and pulled SinB's chin to look her in the eyes.

"Now, why are you sad? You're not moving schools."

"No, but we're friends with the police because of me."

"No it isn't."

"Yes it is, if my parents just-"

"No, it isn't. Listen to me, nothign is your fault. Well, except for being stubborn for not usin gyour chopsticks."

"Hey!"

They giggled the rest of their break away.

==================

hm~hm~