Genre: Fluff, Slice of Life, Summer

Summary: Hidden in the heart of the desert lies the small town of Winslow. The once energetic and bright town has lost it’s life and now is on the brink of joining the plethora of ghost towns nearby. Unfortunately, this dusty town has become Kim Minjoo’s new home.

A city girl, used to the luxuries and convenience of the bustling cities, must now learn the ropes of this beat-down town.

For Yujin, the town has been her home for as long as she could remember. The once cheery child grew into a miserable teen, feeling disconnected and unwanted. She wants to escape and explore what the rest of the world has in store.

Word Count: 2152

Hashtag: #JinjooFiestaS2_Oasis

Oasis

          The dry, desert heat bounced off of the red sand, creating ripples in the barren land. Minjoo’s gaze was focused outside of the window, watching the sparse clouds move across the shining blue sky. Plumes of dust followed the Kim’s car as they drove down the seemingly endless road, heading towards a small rural town in the middle of nowhere. 

          A lone, green sign came into view, reading ‘Winslow City Limit.’ Ahh… So this is my reality now, the former city girl in the backseat huffed out a sigh, resting her head on the edge of the car window. 

          The car began to slow as it rolled into the bumpy drive of a beat-down gas station. As soon as the car was parked, Minjoo swung open the car door and promptly approached the building to escape the scorching heat. Her eyes scanned the small interior of the gas station before landing upon the person behind the counter. 

          The girl was dressed in the depressing, blue vest of her workplace. She had mid-length, brown hair with a sharp nose and prominent jawline. Her puppy-like eyes were focused on a magazine, only caring enough to take a glance up at the incoming customer.

          I guess not everyone looks like a hillbilly here, Minjoo thought, taking in the cashier’s features as she browsed through the variety of snacks in front of the girl. She finally decided on a pack of jellies, tossing them onto the counter. With a sigh, the tall girl put down her magazine and picked up the pack of jellies, scanning them. Minjoo's gaze shifted to the girl’s name tag, Yujin… 

          “That’ll be two dollars and ten cents,” Yujin’s voice cut off Minjoo’s thoughts. She ran a hand through her hair before reaching into her purse and pulling out a crisp five dollar bill, sliding it across the counter.

          “You can keep the change as a tip or something,” Minjoo nonchalantly spoke as she took her jellies. Yujin analyzed the customer standing in front of her. She had a chic style, something rarely seen in the small town. Her wavy hair laid neatly on her shoulders, perfectly framing her small face. 

          “You’re not from here, are you?” The cashier asked, a quizzical expression on her face. 

          “No. My family decided to move out of the city and come here.” Minjoo grudgingly replied.

          “Oh. That .”

          “Are you from here?” Minjoo asked, only realizing the stupidity of the question after it came out of .

          “Born and raised, unfortunately,” Yujin gave Minjoo a smile, however, one could tell it was sarcastic, “There’s nothing here. Not sure why you moved.”

          “I’m not sure either,” She shrugged. “By the way, my name is Minjoo. I hope to see you around, Yujin,”  Minjoo wore a smirk as she headed towards the exit.

          The city girl had a satisfied smile on her face as the Kim’s car took off, heading into the heart of Winslow.

… 

          Minjoo roamed the bare streets with her head down, focused on the ‘No Service’ symbol on her phone. A week had passed since she first moved into the town and the girl was still getting acclimated to her new environment.

          The full force of the sun beat down on her as she walked the sidewalks in an attempt to find service. Ahh seriously, what am I supposed to do, Minjoo let out a grunt of frustration, sweat beginning to form on her brow. 

          Underestimating the deserted town, the former city girl paid no attention to the obstacle ahead until she collided with it. The object gave in, moving with Minjoo, causing her to stumble forwards and lose her footing. With her eyes sealed shut and her phone in a death grip, she prepared to fall onto the boiling concrete below. Surprising to her, she felt an arm reach around her waist and save her from her impending doom. 

          “Watch where you’re going,” Minjoo heard a familiar voice say as she quickly regained her balance. The person retracted their arm and Minjoo whipped around to see who they were. 

          “Sorry, Yujin,” She flashed a nervous smile at the tall girl, recognizing her distinct face immediately and deciding that she shouldn’t curse out the only person she knew in the wretched town. “Thanks.”

          “What are you doing? It’s hot outside,” Yujin questioned. 

          “Nothing,” She replied, scanning the girl standing in front of her. Dressed in casual attire instead of the sad uniform of her job, Yujin looked more energetic; however, her bland way of talking negated any energy she emitted.

          “What are you doing? It’s hot outside,” Minjoo mimicked.

          “Nothing,” Yujin said, wearing a straight face as she began to walk away.

          “Wait,” She called out to the girl, “Do you want to do something then?” 

          Yujin pa