A/N: Some coarse language. Mainly features twelve-year-old Jinah, Minjung, Miyu, and Liha, with Jaein and Yooni, and a cameo of Miss Park and Berry.

“.”
          “Don’t swear, it’s not ladylike.”
          Jinah scoffed. “You sound like Miss Kim. She got a lot more cranky this year, you know? Gosh, she was so much more nice four years ago…” Jinah combed her hair through recklessly and carelessly while Minjung brushed her long brown hair slowly and carefully. Minjung was a precise person in this area. Not with homework, of course. She enjoyed procrastinating. Jinah was the opposite – although she couldn’t care less about her outer appearance, she did about her academics. She smiled to herself, remembering the final line of her favorite luxury novel she read about a thousand times: ‘It doesn’t matter how much makeup you put on your face; you can’t attain true beauty unless you possess a loving, kind heart.’ The main character and her lover were so perfect for each other. The way they were able to put first impressions, prejudices, and history aside was admirable. Their feelings for each other were genuine. The way they trusted each other was pure, and the way they loved one another and found happiness in the other was beautiful. Jinah really wished she could find someone like the lover. For a guy like him, she’d put her pride aside within the blink of an eye.
          Minjung poked Jinah’s cheek. “What are you doing, grinning like that?” she  usually-passive-faced friend.
          “I’ve been thinking,” Jinah put her comb back in its case and she put it by the sink. “I read this somewhere: ‘It doesn’t matter how much makeup you put on your face; you can’t attain true beauty unless you possess a loving, kind heart’. Isn’t that fascinating?”
          Minjung nodded. “Sure.”
          Jinah frowned. “That’s it?”
          “Well it sounds nice and fancy…wait, didn’t you get in trouble for reading that book last year?” Jinah nodded. “And you still read it?” Jinah nodded again, and Minjung chuckled. “You’re so stubborn. But come on, Jinah. This is DE, not some fantasy utopia. Even if you’re a good-hearted person, if you’re unappealing, who would want to get to know you?”

          “Well what if you’re gorgeous but you have a ty personality?” Jinah argued.
          Minjung shrugged. “That would be unappealing too. But at least you’d be chosen by a trash gang or something, right?”
          Jinah scoffed as she straightened her uniform. “Pathetic.”
          Minjung smiled a bit at her friend. Jinah’s faith and morals never wavered. Even in a time period like DE, Jinah was an honest person and was fair. She didn’t succumb to the current culture. “Perhaps. But it’s DE, what do you expect? A charming boy to come to you and sweep your feet off? Even if someone like that came to you, I doubt you’d let him in. You’d probably scare him away with your scary-as- glares. Honestly, if looks could kill, man, you’d be a serial killer…”
          Jinah laughed. “You’re right. It’s DE, what am I thinking? And it’s not like someone as pure and perfect as the character would want me anyway and no, you are not allowed to deny me. There’s no time anyway…so let’s go get some breakfast. I’m starving, aren’t you?”
          Her friend frowned. “We’re going to be late.”
          “Who cares? We’re already late. This isn’t the first or the last time we’ll have to endure the stares.”
          Minjung sighed. “Don’t forget Jaein and Yooni. Couldn’t we just skip breakfast this once?” she curled her eyelashes and applied mascara. Minjung was into these things – makeup, dressing up, being pretty. Jinah thought Minjung was pretty without makeup too. Minjung was a very nice person after all.
          Jinah snorted. “Let the trashiest gang choose them at the ceremony, and – no. I’m hungry. Besides, skipping breakfast is unhealthy. It’s bad for your skin.”
          Minjung caught the bait. She glossed her lips hastily and linked arms with Jinah. “Let’s go get some of that breakfast that is supposedly so healthy and important.”
          They quickly ate fruits and toast and went to class under two minutes. They suffered through the typical and expected silence. To Jinah, it wasn’t even embarrassing anymore, but Minjung blushed. She was louder and more outgoing than she was four years back, but shyness was in her nature. She was still the timid girl when it came to situations like this. Jaein looked at them up and down and whispered things to Yooni and the two giggled. Even more to their misfortune, their instructor was Miss Park. Both girls had forgotten it was Wednesday – Miss Park always taught on Wednesdays. She issued them a record. Minjung was sour throughout the whole day while Jinah didn’t care about the record. Not anymore anyway. She already had three, and now four, which was a lot. She had given up on a clean record years ago. Minjung had one record, and now two. If Jinah was late, Minjung was late. The two were inseparable.
          As her day progressed, however, Jinah’s day got worse. The sudden news of Jaein’s record now being speck-clean was the hot topic during lunch, when they had rice and seaweed soup, Jinah’s least favorite meal set. The rumor spoiled Minjung’s mood further. And when they found out it was true, it didn’t help. Girls crowded around Jaein, and Jaein was proud to confirm the rumor for them. She said it extra loud so that even the disinterested Jinah and Minjung could hear, two tables away. “My last record was three years ago and before fifteen. Also, since the record was at such a young age, Miss Park requested a clearing, and the Headmistress accepted. Isn’t that great? I only had two records – one four years ago, one three years ago. They were also quite trivial. Anyways, you guys should try for a clearing too. Don’t be late for class, unlike certain clumsy and mindless people…”
          Jinah slammed her spoon down and glared at Jaein’s direction. Jaein and Yooni noticed it and they crossed their arms, waiting for Jinah’s reaction. Jinah had enough. “If you want to tell me something, say it to my face. Don’t be such a bothersome coward and say it like that, you .”
          A few girls gasped, but they shut up when Jinah’s glares met them. ‘Dumbmass’ was one of the worst insults at Callidum since this was the “smart” dwelling. But Jinah was positive they wouldn’t report her to a Miss – only a few girls did that at this age. Plus, at twelve, swearing wasn’t exactly a rare event. Jinah, her appetite gone, put her tray aside and walked out of the meal area. Minjung put a huge spoonful of rice, took a last sip of the soup, and topped her final bite off with a large piece of kimchi as she set her own tray aside and followed Jinah.
          When Jinah noticed Minjung walk into their lodge room, she frowned. “Go finish your lunch.” At twelve, the girls shared a lodge room instead of having individual dwelling spaces so that they could have more social interaction experience. At fourteen, the girls went back to their individual dwelling space so that they are provided with privacy and proper personal space.
          “I’m not going back in there without you and I know you won’t go in there again until dinner,” Minjung responded matter-of-factly as Jinah opened a book. Minjung sighed, for she knew Jinah would be silent until she calmed down, which meant reading for hours. So, knowing she had nothing to do for the next few hours, she reluctantly opened her notebook to do some homework.
          Dinner came slow for Minjung, fast for Jinah. Minjung stretched her arms as she gladly closed her notebook. Jinah mouthed the last few sentences before marking the page. The two left and so did their two other roommates, Liha and Miyu. Liha had been reading a luxury novel while Miyu took a short nap. At the meal area, the girls sitting down were talking while others were waiting in line. Jinah took a tray and pushed it along as the lunch ladies gave them dishes of food. They went to a table and started eating. On the other side of the room, a few girls including Yooni, were laughing at whatever Jaein had said, which probably wasn’t even funny. Up until three years ago, everyone was scared of Jaein to death. At nine however, Jaein smartened up and befriended a few. They were afraid to decline her offer to sit and eat lunch with her, but later on, they started to enjoy being around Jaein. But not everyone – people held grudges and not everyone was exactly forgiving. Jaein, however, never made an attempt to befriend either Jinah or Minjung. After awhile of eating, the girls heard a shriek and a loud gasp. It was the nosy and noisy girl, Berry.
          Jaein snorted. “What does that little girl want?”
          Berry was only a year younger, but Jaein talked about her like she was five. Berry was very boisterous and quite obtrusive and really annoying. But her reason for making such a scene made up for it for Jaein and Yooni. “Army boys!” Berry exclaimed. Everyone got up and rushed to the nearest window.
          Jaein and Yooni pushed their way through the crowd shamelessly. Minjung swallowed her food forcefully and tugged at Jinah’s wrists, excited to see the boys like almost every other girl. “Come on, Army boys! They’re our age this year!”
          Jinah groaned, disinterested, and continued to eat. But when Minjung hauled her up, she had no choice. Jinah grabbed an apple and let Minjung drag her to the windows. They had a somewhat decent view of outside. It was pouring rain but it wasn’t foggy yet. Yooni’s jaw dropped. “, wow, they’re hot!”
          Minjung stared blankly and slowly, dangled open too. “Jinah, they’re actually really hot. Oh, come on, look! It’s your only chance! Next year will be a year younger…”
          Jaein giggled and she did something stupid. She always did stupid things when cute boys were around. She opened the window and yelled out, “Hey, blondie! I’ll see you at the ceremony, yeah?”
          The girls around her cooed and giggled at Jaein’s bravery. But, to Minjung’s amusement, the blonde hardly glanced at Jaein’s way. Some boys gave her an obscene gesture at her while others laughed. A few boys were staring at her face. Jaein wasn’t ugly, and that not-ugly-girl with an ugly heart waved at them.
          Jinah rolled her eyes. Outside, she saw boys suffering. They were tired, under the rain, cold, and their steps looked excruciatingly heavy. They were trudging in the mud. Wet, cold, and dirty – how the boys lived seemed to be just as bad as the girls’, only in a different way. Did boys mistreat each other too? Jinah bit into her dessert – an apple. Whatever the case, it was DE. They were always told that. In the DE, it isn’t all about pleasure. In fact, it’s hardly about pleasure. Oh, the world was so corrupted. How did it end up like this when the 2010s were so beautiful? That was the time period the two characters lived in. Is it impossible to find someone like him in this era? Jinah looked away and went back to her table. Then again, did someone like the main character exist? She was so kindhearted, so patient…

          Jaein cooed, “Aw, he’s playing hard-to-get. How cute.” She turned to the rest of the girls with a more serious face. “He’s mine, got it? You see a blonde, you stay away. The best-looking one is mine.”

          ”Ooh, second good-looking one’s mine!” called Yooni, and all the girls began to giggle again. They went back to their tables to eat.

          Miyu sighed. “I can hardly see their faces. Looks like you’re right, I do need glasses, or contacts…”

          ”Mm.” Liha was hardly interested. She kept reading her luxury novel. When the ceremony came, she’d start to look at the boys. It was useless now. She knew boys were stupid and forgetful, it wasn’t like they were loyal or sincere either. They’d forget about her the next day and it wouldn’t matter at the ceremony. It would be waste of energy and effort. So she put her energy and effort into reading.

          Boys hardly passed by the dwellings. The last time they saw a bunch of boys were last year, on this same date. Every year. It was the day when the boys transferred from their home space to the Army. To show that they are capable of growing up and being independent, they carried their own luggage and went to the Army by foot. It took them three days to get to their destination. It was a harsh journey that every boy must take. If they failed to reach their destination, they’d immediately fail and be sent away to the Factory and work as slaves for the rest of their lives. Their pride was also on the line. Anyone that didn’t make it was looked down upon.

          Jinah had already finished her homework, and since Minjung was tired, Minjung slept early. Liha continued to read her luxury novel while Miyu bounced a ball. They weren’t allowed to bounce balls in their lodge rooms or past six, but Miyu didn’t care. She had two records, an average amount. She puffed her cheeks out in pure boredom. “Hey, Liha, wanna play a game?”

          Liha mumbled, “No, thanks. You’re welcome to continue entertaining yourself with that ball though.”

          Miyu rolled her eyes. “How boring.” She bounced it some more. “Jinah?”

          Jinah looked up. “Yeah?”

          “Are you bored?”

          “Well I’m on my bed doing absolutely nothing. How’s that for an answer?”

          Miyu grinned. “Let’s play a game.”

          “What game?”

          Miyu looked around. She knew it was around ten. “We can’t go to the courts, so a sport game is not an option. It’s almost bedtime so we only have an hour, so nothing too complex. TV and all the representatives are probably patrolling the lounge area so everything out of this lodge is impossible,” Miyu analyzed and organized her thoughts like a true Callidum girl. “All the others girls are probably brushing their hair or talking about the Army boys today. How about a board game?”

          Jinah snorted. “Not interested.”

          “Okay then,” Miyu drawled. “Let’s play the truth game.”

          Jinah raised her eyebrows at the interesting title. “Truth game?”
          Miyu nodded. “Yeah. We throw questions at each other one at a time and you have to answer honestly. Hesitate and you lose. Lie and you lose. You lose a point each time you make a mistake, and gain one when the other makes a mistake. You start with three points. Loser has to answer an extra question, and it can be as personal as you want. Well, any of the questions can be as personal as you want. Nothing leaves this room. Round ends when either one of us reaches six or zero points.”

          Jinah sighed. It sounded like a boring game. Ten isn’t such a terribly early time to sleep, she thought. It’s not like she was as energetic as she was in the afternoon anyway, so she could use some extra recharge time. She lifted her blankets and slipped under it. Just as she was about to turn her lamp light off, she said, “Not interested.”

          “Are you really not interested, or are you just scared?” Miyu challenged.

          Jinah narrowed her eyes at the girl. Was she threatening her, or even underestimating her? No one underestimated Shin Jinah. They’d regret it later, and very soon. “Fine.” She got out of her covers and sat on top of her bed. Miyu, grinning, crossed her legs on her bed, which was directly next to Jinah’s, on the opposite side was Minjung. What exactly did Miyu want to know about her, anyway? “Hit me up.”

          “How was Caritatis?” Miyu decided to go easy first.

          “Terribly tedious. How is…what are your two records?” Jinah asked.

          “I was late twice,” Miyu replied. She decided to ask something that she had been wondering for awhile now. ”What’s up with you and Jaein?”

          “Weren’t you in the washroom four years ago?”

          “Mistake – you can’t ask questions, it’s not your turn. Four points for me, two for you. So, your answer?”

          Jinah gritted her teeth. Two can play at this game. “You just asked a second question; guess we’re back to three points each. Anyways, Jaein decided to go mode on me when we were eight. She continued to stay in the mode to this day. Is there more you’re expecting?” Jinah just realized she asked a question, but it seems as if Miyu didn’t notice, or didn’t care. Either way, Miyu didn’t mention anything about points.
          Instead, Miyu grinned. “You’re catching onto this game. Okay, your turn.”

          “Least favorite Miss?”

          “Miss Park. You?”

          “Same. Favorite book genre?”

          “Romance and fantasy. You?”

          “Anything. Um, favorite meal?”

          “Everything. Ideal type?”

          “Huh? Of what?” Jinah raised her eyebrows. Then she quickly added, “That’s a question but it’s so that I can answer your question accurately, so that doesn’t count.” It sounded more like a declaration than an explanation, but Miyu didn’t seem to care.

          “I know. I meant your ideal type of a guy. What’s your ideal type of guy?”

          Jinah frowned. “My ideal type of a guy? You mean like, what type of guys attract me?” Miyu nodded, and Jinah thought about it. What type of guys did she like? She immediately remembered the male lover in her favorite luxury novel, but he wasn’t real. And this was DE. No one let her forget that. “How would I know? The only guys I see are the yearly Army boys, and I don’t even know them, so how can I possibly be attracted to them? I don’t even know how real guys are like…”

          ”So you look into the personality, hey? How about characters in books? I don’t know, make something up. In your opinion, what would a perfect guy be like?”

          Jinah felt heat creep onto her cheeks. She didn’t know why, but this felt like an awfully uncomfortable and personal question. “I don’t know…um…nice? I don’t know, why do you want me to tell you?” she frowned. She hated not knowing, not understanding. And right now, she didn’t know what Miyu's intention was, what her motive behind the question was – heck, she didn’t even know how to answer the question.

          Miyu sighed. “Let’s forget about points. You’re asking too many questions anyway, it’d be no fun to end this game too quickly. I’ll tell you my ideal guy, someone I’d like to have in my future gang, and then maybe you’ll catch on. You probably will. You always do.” Miyu scoffed at the end, so Jinah didn’t know if it was a compliment or an insult, so she didn’t say anything. Fortunately, Miyu wasn’t expecting an answer. “My ideal type of guy…hot.” She her lips, and suddenly, she looked like a Verax girl – Verax girls had that glint in their eyes and you knew they were going to say something either offensive or unpleasant. Jinah thought that was pathetic. She didn’t think that Verax’s ideals and values were pathetic, but how the first thing Miyu looked in a guy was their looks; that was pathetic. Shouldn’t personality be more important? “Dominant, strong, smart, athletic, attractive, rich, and has a y voice. Okay, your turn.”

          Jinah knew she was probably quite pink in the face right now. “Is that really it?”

          Miyu shrugged. “Yeah. Now stop asking questions and answer me – what’s your ideal type of guy?”

          Jinah blinked. She was still lost, but she talked. Improvisation was a gift of hers. “Kind. Kind and intriguing – but not by looks, by the way he talks. You know, what he says. Interesting and unique, different from the rest. Someone with insight, someone who thinks, someone who is patient and caring.” Slowly, bit by bit, she began describing the male lover, and there were traces of a smile playing on her lips, though not fully. “Someone who is willing to give up everything for what they believe in and are passionate about. Someone who can lead others in a non-violent way, someone –” she stopped short. “This is DE,” she thought aloud bitterly. “This is impossible. This is useless.”

          Miyu raised her eyebrows and then crossed her arms. “Seriously?”

          “What? It’s true. What do you expect, a Prince Charming to appear out of nowhere in a time period like this? Grow up, Miyu.” Jinah’s words and voice was harsh, but that's not what made Miyu raise her eyebrows and question Jinah’s answer.

          “You didn’t mention good-looking once.”

          “I’m not like Jaein, thanks.”

          Miyu chuckled. “You must really hate her.”

          “I just don’t forget things. It’s not like Jaein helps me forget about it anyway,” Jinah said. She was expressionless, but her voice was venomous, hiding the hatred for Jaein underneath it all. She couldn’t understand why Jaein was being so mean to her, not that she cared. She was hating on Minjung too, and dragged Yooni into this. That was what bugged Jinah – what did Minjung have to do with Jaein’s hate for who-knows-what towards her? Jaein, that little brat.

          “Well, that makes the two of us,” Miyu answered. “I don’t forget things easily either.” She stretched her arms. “That was round one of the truth game. What time is it?”

          Jinah checked her black digital watch. “Ten thirty.”

          Miyu yawned. “Eh, not too late. You up for another round?”
          Jinah shook her head. “I have AI training tomorrow. I should rest up.”

          Miyu nodded somewhat thoughtfully. She really could care less about how Jinah did at the AI, but she had her pride. She didn’t need Jinah for entertainment anymore. She was getting sleepy too. “Army Institute training must be hard,” Miyu said, but Jinah knew it wasn’t out of sympathy. It was out of boredom.

          Jinah let out a noise of nonchalance before she slipped under the blankets again. She turned her lamp light off and then shifted to the other side so that Miyu wouldn’t be able to see her face. She did have AI training tomorrow, but she always managed even if she slept at two from reading luxury novels. She just didn’t want Miyu to pry further into an area she wasn’t comfortable with… or hardly understood about. Miyu said goodnight and Jinah didn’t answer her. What’s your ideal type of guy? Miyu asked inside her head again. Jinah scoffed mentally. What kind of question was that? Was it even important? Besides, how would she know?

          Jinah held onto her blankets tighter and then relaxed. Who cares, it’s not like it matters. Looks matter more than personality.

          How much she wished so.