Ten year old Nayeon is scared of the dark by herself, those stories and myths that her auntie hadn’t helped her at all. From, The Wailing Woman, The Hitchhiker, The Demon Hello Kitty, and a whole bunch of other nightmarish themes of stories that haunts her every night.  She can’t help but be anxious about why her newly acquainted friend, Mina, is running late tonight. 

 

They had met several weeks ago as Mina’s family welcomed the Im family of their relocation of moving into their new house in the same neighbourhood. Nayeon’s parents were the first ones who got out of their vehicle as Nayeon stayed behind them fiddling with her knuckles as she had nothing left to fidget with. 

 

Friendly pal Myoui Mina came to her way as she welcomed Nayeon with a waiting hand, “Pleasure to meet you, new neighbour! My name’s Myoi Mina, you can call me Mina.”

 

Nayeon, not bothering to introduce herself, continued to fiddle along the way. 

 

Mr. Im excused himself from the friendly interaction between Mina’s parents as he figured her own daughter’s antics on meeting new people as well as Mina had been waiting for a hand to shake for a little while longer. 

 

He patted his little daughter’s head as he looked at Mina who already brought her hand down, “My apologies, Nayeon isn’t fond of socializing in terms of first meetings as she tends to be quite shy but I assure you, she’ll come by.”

 

Mina nodded as she takes up her hand again to meet a proper handshake to Mr. Im. 

 

Mr. Im gave her an apologetic smile as he wishes for the pair to be good friends in the future.

 

Fortunately, the future apparently became near as Nayeon decided to make up a proper greeting to befriend Mina. 

 

The little girl had never thought of making the first moves at all. She finds it excruciating and exhausting to enable her social battery and yet she finds herself bargaining.

 

Bargaining you ask? 

 

Nayeon brought her fist up to knock on the Myoi’s household door as she couldn’t find the words to practice her friendly speech in mind. 

 

“ Hi. No. No. Hello sounds a bit more friendly. Hello, I’m Im Nayeon!” Okay cool that sounds lit.

 

At last, Nayeon is satisfied with her speech . She was about to knock on the door but Mina beat her to it by opening the door with a smile. 

 

“Hi!” 

 

“Hi.” Why did I say hi ??? !!! instead of hello ??? !!! Speech failed. Mission abort. This is malfunctioning.

 

Mina who had been waving her hand to the Nayeon who still has her fist stayed in the air. She thinks the other girl is having second thoughts of going to her house. 

 

Nayeon who turned around quickly as she was about to walk out of this awkward second meeting of theirs, Mina followed. 

 

“I kinda saw you outside our door incoherently rambling and I thought that you are in need of some help since you have your fist up???” The bubbly girl inquired.

 

“Hello, I'm Im Nayeon.” The speech is complete. Mission not so failed but mission accomplished. This is functioning.

 

“Hi--? I’m Mina.” 

 

“I have come here to befriend you, Mina. And I was supposed to knock on your door to say my speech. The Hello, I’m Im Nayeon is my speech to make it up from our first meeting a week ago. But then you surprised me with your sudden smile. I came to the conclusion of losing my words.” I think my speech ended up better after all! 

 

“Let’s be friends then, Nayeonnie!” 

 

“Nayeonnie?” 

 

“Nayeonnie will be my new nickname for you as I find you and your bunny teeth cute.”

 

“Then, I shall call you Minari!” Nayeon never thought she’d make a new friend after a week.

 

So, how did they end up having sleepovers each and every night? 

 

In the afternoon where they properly befriended each other, they took a stroll all around the neighbourhood as Mina assisted to give Nayeon a tour. While the sun is about to set and the evening is near, Nayeon purposely admitted,

 

“Minari, I’m scared of the dark. It’s my worst nightmare to be alone in my bedroom at night, I usually check all the cabinets, drawers, and under my bed because I grew a fear of horror stories.” 

 

Nayeon started to tear up and panic as she couldn’t handle the thought of  being alone in her bedroom every night.

 

Mina, who was about to point out a nearby playground, heard Nayeon ranting as she pulled her in for a hug. The bubbly girl couldn’t find any words of comfort as she decided to cradle the taller girl instead. 

 

Nayeon, has experienced being hugged from her parents but other than them, she hasn't had any single drop of affection or hugs from any of her old friends back from her old town. So, then, it feels all too new to her. She embraces Mina back to immerse herself from the newly found experience. 

 

After a minute or two that felt like a lifetime hugging beneath the sun setting, the pair broke apart from their embrace. 

 

Mina wiped the tears off of the beautiful girl’s face as she brought her handkerchief out to also wipe off the snots of her face. She laughs, “Has anybody told you how cute you are?”

 

“Even with the snots all over my face? Not a single soul, Minari.” Nayeon felt her face burning but she didn’t mind it at all. Maybe her cheeks got sunburnt from all the walking they did.

 

“Well, take note that you’re cute Nayeonnie.” She boops Nayeonnie’s nose. 

 

“I have a favour to ask you, Mina. It’s embarrassing and it’s too early for a new friend to ask, I’m your new friend, and you’re my new friend, and and, this favour that I’m about to ask you is too surreal and, you might even unfriend me for this but--” 

 

“You’re rambling Nayeonnie, inhale and exhale, and breathe!” Mina rejoiced.

 

“It’s just that, I want you to have a sleepover at o