The sun that usually warmed the city of Loonaville was distant and dull, covered by gray clouds and laden with rain in the sky. It no longer glowed and the heat that prevented the orphans from the orphanage like me from dying of hypothermia came from the only heater in the house, located next to the television, also unitary in its kind. I knew that the day would not be rainy entirely because, here, it was always like this. Mornings and early mornings were always the worst parts of the day, but the weather would calm down later.

One of the older girls whose name I didn't remember and didn't even care to learn tried very hard to tune the antenna since we didn't have closed channels, so that the image of the cartoon would be at least clear and the other children could get together and distract themselves that Saturday morning.

Yeojin brushed her hair, passingthe forks of the comb repeatedly through her strands while sitting on the floor with her legs crossed right in front of the air vent. The sweatshirt I had taken from JinSoul a few days earlier and lent her this morning was not enough to warm her cold, but she was a good girl and didn't complain about it, especially because she was the only one there with a coat that was either worn or old.

"I made tea," I announced, crouching down to leave the metal tray with the mugs on the floor. As we did not have funds to make hot chocolate for twenty-three girls and we could not run out of hot liquid or we would start to shake, the available choice was always tea and I was in charge of the task of knowing how to differentiate the herbs in Grimes' garden due to my several hours of punishment.

When I saw that all the girls had gotten their drinks, I left and walked back to my bedroom as Choerry had ordered. To say that she was very nervous about my date with JinSoul was still an understatement. She had forced me to wake up earlier than usual so that my routine wouldn't disturb her plans and gathered all of our best clothes on top of her mattress to choose what I would wear. I let her because I didn't want to ruin her fantasy.

"Take the towel off your head, Jungeun," she instructed, staring at the pieces in her hands.

"My hair is still wet. Hypothermia is not the way I intend to die, Choi Yerim."

"Christ, you're the hyperbole itself," she rolled her eyes and I found myself regreting for having helped her study for her English test. "Close the door please."

Even though I was upset, I did so, approaching her and picking up the fabrics she had thrown at me. I could see a dark jeans and a white tank top with something written in black. I put them on and accepted the red belt that my friend offered me, putting on the pair of short boots soon after. Yerim pulled the towel off my head and ignored the cursing I addressed to her, hitting the space next to her after sitting on the bed.

"I will die of cold, Yerim," she ignored me again and started to comb my threads, untangling them with care and dedication.

"You could tell me how you feel about it. You know, the date, JinSoul... Do you like her? Honestly, Lip, please. This is important to me."

My date and my feelings are important to her. Sure

Seeing how blindly she placed her hope in me, I told myself to swallow the pride that told me not to say a word to her — feelings were never an easy matter since I often avoided and repressed them — and I took a deep breath to sum up the confusion my head created.

"I'm trying to figure it out, Yerim. I mean, JinSoul isn't exactly my favorite type of girl. If I was looking for someone, she wouldn't even be my third choice."

"Then why did you agree to go out with her?" Her movements stopped for a few seconds. "Lip, you're not forcing yourself on this because of me, are you?"

"Nobody makes me do anything, Choerry. That will never change,” I scolded her sternly, but at that moment I doubted my own words. I never imagined going out with the prom queen, after all. "I like how I feel when I'm around her and how she makes me feel about myself. I think that's it. JinSoul is not as bad as I thought she was. She's pretty and attractive and can keep me in conversation without making me throw up. Sometimes actually, but this is already a victory to consider. Apart from looking like she was taken out of a fairy tale, she pushes me out of my comfort zone, just like you, but in a way... I don't know... Different, maybe? I'm curious about that."

"Are you saying she messes with you?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Yerim remained silent for the next few minutes and chose to leave my hair — still wet — loose, which frustrated me a lot.

"I'm so happy about it, Lip! But changing the subject. I was thinking here... Have you ever thought about dyeing your hair? I bet you would look beautiful blonde."

"Now I'll be the one to pretend not to hear you!" I announced with sour humor and feeling my ego slightly attacked. That was a princess thing, not a me thing!

"Jungeun unnie, she's here, she has arrived!" Yeojin shouted, entering the room as excited as Yerim as soon as she heard the news.

"Go, get out of my sight!"

"Yerim, I need a coat!" I protested, trying to get her to stop pushing me out of the orphanage.

"Trust me, it won't be necessary," she pushed me out for once, quickly closing the door behind me and I knew that her face, along with Yeojin's, would be glued to the living room window to spy on me.

Jung JinSol's car was parked in front of the metal grille; the closed, dark windows would not let me see the inside. I saw the driver's seat door opening and closed it with my arms at the same time, preventing the blonde from leaving and doing that 'oh, let me get out and open the door for you and bla bla bla' thing — I can open my own door, duh —, quickly entering and sitting beside her, putting my hands in a hurry on the air outlet where the warm air harmonized the environment.

"Hey," she cheered.

"Hey," I returned. I was obstinate not to let us fall even a second into the awkward silence that the strangeness among young people cause. "Yerim didn't let me get a coat, I'm freezing. We're going to a somewhere warm, right?"

"I know, I was the one who told her to do it," I looked at her for the first time that day. JinSoul had her long blond hair tangled in its natural undulations, the locks behind her ears held by dark barrettes; she wore a black long-sleeved blouse that ended its length just before the navel, where her dark blue skirt began. A beige pantyhose warmed her legs and made her more elegant than she normally was, but it wasn't this detail that made me smile with satisfaction.

Jung JinSol was not wearing makeup. Lip gloss, eye pencil, mascara; absolutely nothing. Much insistence from Chaewon and Olivia had been necessary for the fact, I was sure of that.

"You have never been as beautiful as you are now," the internal panic began when I realized that such words had left my mouth, and I fought to keep my cheeks from showing how dull it had become.

JinSoul, on the other hand, had to look at her own hands to escape her embarrassment.

"Thank you," she whispered. I watched her take a deep breath and turn her body back so fast that I barely noticed the package she placed in my lap. "I owed you for the slumber party."

In fact, I had been promised a reward for my presence, but I had lost interest in it long ago. I didn't let her know that, though, so it shouldn't have been such a surprise for me. I unwrapped the gift and opened the box; there was a black jacket inside of it, very stylish, really preety. I didn't need to ask about the price to know that she had paid a high number for iy.

'It's synthetic leather. Choerry said you weren't a big fan of products that exploit animals for its making. But it is very hot, I promise," she guaranteed, still avoiding looking directlyat me.

"I appreciate it. It's beautiful," I put it on her while JinSoul tossed the torn package on the back seat. "You didn'tt answer me, though."

"Oh yes, of course! You never went to Orbit, did you?"

"You're asking an orphan from the Loonaville orphanage if she has ever been to the most expensive and famous restaurant in the city. You know the answer pretty well, Jung JinSol," I tried hard not to look thick, which was difficult due to my habits.

"Okay, please forgive me, I was just checking. There's a special promotion today, it's the 9th anniversary since the inauguration and they're rotating pizza and chocolate," she explained, disconcerted.

"Why isn't the car moving yet, Jung JinSol?"

+++

I have never eaten so much in my life and JinSoul, at the same time that felt scared of how much my stomach could take, felt encouraged to continue eating and that, I have to admit, made me want to end all the food of the restaurant just so she could accompany me. However, we are all human and I reached my limit with one last piece of chocolate pizza — I never even thought that such a thing existed before, but, from the moment the melted candy touched my mouth with the fermented dough, nothing in the world could replace its favorite food post in my rank. My desire was to marry its inventor. The guy should at the very least be rich to this day.

Because my mouth was busy, we didn't talk much and that's why I felt affected for being such a bad company. To be honest, the feeling only reached me when I saw the high number in the bill that the blonde princess had to pay, although she did not show any kind of regret nor did she mshow herself affected by it. That was the month's market for the entire orphanage. So, without thinking, I grabbed her hand and asked her not to meet the girls yet and do something together instead.

JinSoul surprised me. She knew that I was in no position to dictate where we would go and she could have taken me anywhere, knowing that I would not complain for a long time. But she has good taste, after all, and her car parked in front of Loonaville bay, on top of the cliff. Yellowed earth and small grass made up the city's highest point. We were the only ones in that desert of height and beauty, but the view won over all the beautiful places I had ever seen in my life.

My list of favorites was starting to fill up with things I had experienced with Jung JinSol, I noticed.

The song Reflections by The Neighborhood played on the car's radio and the feeling of calm invaded me. There was no longer the pressure to go to college on my shoulders, or the responsibility to look after Yerim and Yeojin, not even the allegiance to Haseul and her boss and her damned criminal tasks. I only felt the music, the warmth of the sun setting in front of us and the breath of the tall blonde who was sitting beside me on the hood.

With gratitude for the lightness in my mind, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, a gesture that attracted JinSoul and made her look at me; her arm, crossed in mine, moved so that her hand would squeeze mine.

"What's in your mind?" She asked.

"I..." I was never the most open person in the world and that was always stamped on my face, in my actions. Even in my thoughts. But lately, with Yerim insisting that I get involved with the girls, with JinSoul in my life... I was faced with the possibility of security. And I wanted to try to feel safe with the city's princess, as ironic as that might sound. "I'm thinking I can get used to it."

JinSoul's smile was automatic and she left a kiss on my cheek. It so sudden that it almost made me pull back, but she had been forcing me to open up to physical contact for a long time now, so I think I should have gotten used to it.

"Does that mean you already consider me your friend?"

I rolled my eyes and lay on the car window. She followed me and I, with some usual brutality, put my arm around her, pulling her towards me. "No, JinSoul. It does not mean that you're a friend to me."

For the first time, the blonde looked at me and completely understood the meaning of my words. Her hand reached my face and held it for a few seconds. Her big brown eyes never left mine and this was the time I needed to tell myself that everything was fine, and then I allowed my body to act as I wanted. I came closer and kissed her. JinSoul was already waiting for the act; she had been yearning for it for some time, I knew it, but still, she froze — I think that out of anxiety. A paralysis that only lasted until my hand left hers to meet her waist, squeezing it in the cold of the approaching night, the sun's rays moving away from us and taking my doubts about this insistent and irritating girl away.

I knew I could give Jung JinSol a real chance of a maybe now, and so I would.

But our moment didn't last long because soon the blonde's cell phone rang and, remembering our commitment, I let her go from my grip.

"I know, Chae. We're on our way,” she replies to the growls that Park Chaewon let out over the line. She was standing away from me after I with her friend still in her ear. "I promise we'll get there in time. Buy our tickets, will you? Love you."

"Let me guess: someone is upset with us?" I asked in irony. Of course, the later program pleased me, especially with the presence of Yeojin, but I feared that, on an impulse, I would be slow to allow any personal and open moments like the ones we had today happen again.

JinSoul smiled awkwardly and I took advantage of her gesture to get off the hood of the car. "I'm sorry."

"It's getting cold," I ignored her words. "Let's get out of here."

We got in the car and headed for the city cinema. The blonde had told me that Chaewon and Hyejoo had bought snacks and sweets to eat during the film, and that they were already with Yerim and Yeojin and our entrance tickets. Chaewon, in particular, was slightly irritated because, due to our delay, we would have to catch the next session and we were greeted with slaps from his small hands. I barely felt them, but JinSoul pouted his lips in a big pout.

"You'll make my skin purple if you keep hitting me like that, Chaewon!"

"Good, then you'll have a reminder to not keep me waiting ever again!"

"Enough you two, we have children on board," I interrupted pointing at Yerim and Yeojin. Yerim, in particular, looked at me indignantly and took my arm from her shoulders hard.

"I'm not a child, Kim Jungeun!"

"Whatever," I replied as I rolled my eyes and offered my hand to JinSoul. She grabbed it excitingly. 'Yeojin, this is Jung JinSol."

Yeojin, with hwe typical weird hairstyle that made her look, at least to me, like a frog, smiled mischievously. "I've heard of you."

"Hello, Yeojin. I've heard of you too. Lots of good things, promise you. Are you looking forward to watch the movie?"

"You don't have to lie to me, I know that Jungeun unnie speaks ill of me behind my back," her speech made me roll my eyes for the second time. "But I am! I never went to the cinema, you know? And Hye bought me a Happy Meal!"

"Hey, hey, kiddo. Don't you dare to go dare to go all friendly to her when you're an actual nightmare," I intervened. Out of provocation, Yeojin grabbed Hyejoo's waist, who didn't seem to be understanding the situation, and showed me her tongue.

"She's a lot nicer than you!"

Chaewon transmitted the message to her girlfriend and the brunette immediately grabbed the child in a tight hug. I tried not to puke at it.

"Guys, the movie is going to start," Yerim recalled. She took advantage of the girls' movement to approach me just to whisper in my ear. "You have a lot to tell me."

I chose to ignore her extreme curiosity and accompanied them into the film room. I only found out what we were going to watch when the first scene started: it was Aladdin, the live action, and Naomi Scott's acting, voice and appearance left me glazed throughout her life, which made the blonde beside me extremely frustrated. I'm sorry for her, but I would never use an opportunity to watch a movie at the cinema to exchange affection and kisses, and Chaewon seemed to understand me completely because she didn't even turn once for her girlfriend, who was too busy coddling the glassy eleven-year-old anyway. 

It was a pleasant experience and one that I would like to repeat, even though I haven't reached the point of saying it out loud. Choerry did it for me.

"I loved! I really loved it!" She screamed as the credits started to go down. "We have to do it again!"

"I want it too, unnie! I want it too!" Yeojin spoke.

Don't get me wrong, but the whole situation started to bother me. It didn't before, I know, because I didn't give a damn how much they spent on us. They are all rich, after all. However, if Yerim wanted our friendship to last so badly, she had to understand that she couldn't be banked like that every time. One time or another, they would end up  bothered by it.

"Actually, I was thinking about going to my house next weekend. Swim on pool, eat some ice cream..." Hyejoo said, looking only at Yeojin and making it clear that only her reaction counted. I made a mental note to question JinSoul about that sometime, Olivia's fixation with children.

Yeojin screamed in excitement because, of course, none of us have ever entered a pool before — actually, I have because I wasn't born an orphan like my two roommates, but it didn't matter to bring it up. I even tried to take her to the municipal club when she was younger, but it was always full and Yeojin discovered to be quite claustrophobic. That is, goodbye bikinis.

We were kicked out of the theater by the employees who wanted to clean it and we were in their way. JinSoul offered to give us a ride to the orphanage and, for a brief moment, Hyejoo countered by wanting to be the one to leave Yeojin at home, although it didn't make any sense due to the larger space in the blonde's car and the fact that Olivia still had to leave Chaewon at her home. She lost the discussion with a sulky expression and dramatized too much while saying goodbye to the youngest.

On the contrary, I watched the scene too bored and already beginning to feel some sleep. Yerim snuck up to me and hugged me from behind. Before I could separate or question the act, she turned my body discreetly across the street, where a shadow watched us from afar with the hood covering her hair and the cigarette in her hands.

Jo Haseul.

.

"I hope you have a good excuse for that," Choerry whispered, but I knew she was happy with the situation because I knew her. Her hatred for Haseul could break any logical thinking she might have.

Unfortunately for her, I always had a plan B.

"Hyejoo, I think it's better for you to take us home. Yeojin and Yerim are in need of some medicine, if you don't mind visiting the pharmacy."