The house was ugly and the graffitied walls did not help. Vines grew up the side of the house, covering an entire window. The gray paint was chipped and a few windows were broken. The previous owner had wrecked the house because it was foreclosed but at least Seungwan got the home for a good price. 

It was her first home. She wasn’t planning on moving into a house, but she couldn’t pass up the chance to live in a nice neighborhood close to her work. It was so unlike where she used to live. A perfect place for a fresh start.

She pulled into her driveway and chuckled at how her house stood out like a sore thumb. In between standard suburban housing stood her tall, old, Victorian. 

The house was not better on the inside. The floors and walls had holes. Cobwebs and graffiti-covered surfaces. 

Seungwan could make out one of the spray-painted sentences, “ my life.” She agreed. 

It didn’t take her long to unpack. She didn’t have a lot of stuff, and the stuff that she did have, she lost in the breakup. 

When all of her stuff was at least inside the house Seungwan sat down on the one piece of furniture on the first floor, an old green crushed velvet sofa that the previous owners left. She tried to make herself comfortable, but her old guitar that leaned against the wall haunted her. 

She didn’t even know why she kept that old thing. She had smashed it and the only thing that held the guitar together was the strings. It was unplayable. But she still took the effort to move it to her new life. All it did was remind her of the past.

She stood up and picked up the guitar and gently placed it into the coat closet. 

Bang. 

Bang.

The sound startled Seungwan. It sounded like someone was attacking her front door.

She walked to a window that overlooked the street. There on the sidewalk was a teenaged girl in a wheelchair with two bright pink casts on her legs, throwing rocks at her front door. 

Seungwan took a deep breath and opened her door. Unfortunately, at the same time a rock came flying at her leg. “!” She screamed in pain. That would leave a bruise. She took a few seconds to compose herself. “What are you doing?”

“Throwing rocks at your house.” 

Seungwan just gave her a look.

“There’s no way for me to get to your front door.”

Seungwan looked down. That was correct. Her house was raised, and she did have a few steps leading to the deck. “Okay, but why did you want to knock on my door in the first place?” Young people are not known for being friendly neighbors.

The girl sighed, “I’m bored.” She looked down at her wristwatch. Seungwan didn’t know teenagers still used wristwatches. “Normally at this time our crazy neighbor goes on a jog. It’s strange though she should be out here. She follows her schedule exactly.” She laughed, “I swear she probably has Yerim annoys me, Five-twenty-six on it.” 

She made Seungwan confused and a bit scared. “Oh uhh well why don’t you go bother her.” 

The girl shrugs and wheels herself over to the yellow ranch next door. The foundation is not raised much, so she easily knocks on the door.

Seungwan should stop looking. She wanted nothing to do with the girl, but still, she was intrigued. 

She watched a beautiful woman answer the door. She was small and in casual but classy clothes. Her black hair cascaded down her shoulder perfectly. Seungwan couldn’t tell from where she was standing, but it looked like the woman was crying. 

Their conversation ended, and the girl returned to her house. “She’s pretty isn’t she.”

Seungwan felt her cheeks heat up, “huh.” 

She’s not ready to like someone. Especially someone she doesn’t know. She’s been out of high school for years. She can’t obsess over the pretty girl who had no idea she existed anymore. 

“By the way, I’m Yerim. I live right over there.” She pointed to the house across the street from Seungwan’s. Then She stopped talking and just looked at her like she was waiting for something. 

“Oh, I’m Seungwan.” 

She then wheeled herself back home.

++

Seungwan answered the door to reveal her bright-eyed neighbor from the yellow house next door. Her smile, though seemingly fake, stretched from ear to ear and she held a dish in her hand. She was even prettier up close. “Hello, I’m Joohyun. I live right next door to you.” She pointed to her house. “I  just thought I would welcome you to the neighborhood with a homemade plate of cookies.” 

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Seungwan.” She grabbed the plate from her extended hands. “I really appreciate this thank you.”

“Like a good neighbor, Joohyun is there.” A voice came from behind Joohyun. 

Yerim was on the sidewalk trying to hold in her laughter from her joke. 

Joohyun’s watch buzzed. “I have to go. It was nice meeting you Seungwan.” She blurted as she speed-walked away.

Yerim was still there. Seungwan wondered why she even was there. “Do you not have any friends?” 

“That’s rude,” Yerim fired back, “and yes, I have friends. I’ve just been grounded from hanging out with friends and leaving the cul-de-sac for the summer.” She frowned. 

“Why?