A Thousand Purple Stars (JinJi)

Night Sky

"Rose, are you serious?" Jennie said, hopping over a moss-covered fallen log and heaving her breath. "Every single rock? Seriously?"

Rose was dressed in name-brand hiking gear and was perched on top of the sixth really big rock that the girls had crossed on their way up the mountain. She had just dyed her hair a strawberry champagne color and even curled it, knowing full well that they were going on a camping trip and not to a summer at the Hamptons.

"Just one more!" she shouted and then gestured for Lisa, who was holding her phone, to take a step back. "Get the whole forest in the shot, I want it to look super nature-y!"

Jennie groaned and slowed to catch her breath. Sweat stuck to her forehead and she fanned herself with her hand. "Jisoo, how much further to do have to go?"

A little further up the path, Jisoo was covering her phone screen, trying to shield it from the sun and she figured out just where the hell they were. Down at the base of the mountain, a park ranger told them that if they just followed this path, they would get to the camping grounds in about two hours. That is, if they hiked at a steady pace and didn't stop to take pictures every time they passed a giant boulder.

"Um, I think another mile?" Jisoo said. She took her cap off her head and fanned herself with it. "Or, maybe two? Three?"

Jennie marched over and took Jisoo's phone from her hand. They both started zooming and un-zooming the map only to later find out that their mobile signal had cut out about half-way into their hike and it wasn't loading anymore. They had to break out a paper map, and they spent another few minutes trying to figure out how to use it.

"This is fun!" Rose chimed, climbing down from the giant boulder. She twirled like a ballerina, throwing her arms around. "Ah, the air smells so fresh, we're hiking and doing cute friendship things. This was such a good idea."

"It'll be even better once we figure out where we're supposed to set up camp," Jisoo said.

After that heart-to-heart with her father, Jisoo decided that she was going to reclaim her time and reclaim her dream. No more moping around and feeling sorry for herself and her lot in life. She was turning a new page. And the first thing she wanted to do was climb this mountain that she'd lived beneath her entire life. For once, she wanted to be on top of it.

Getting her friends on board wasn't part of the plan, but it was a pleasant improvisation. She had gotten them all on the phone in a four-way call so they could catch up. Jisoo just happened to slip he plans to go camping into the conversation, and soon it turned into a girls' trip. She was beyond happy to see them all again, but she was reminded just how chaotic things could be when they were all together. Not that she minded too much. If she was going to get lost in the woods, she'd rather be lost with her friends.

Lisa took to the hiking pretty well. She was always the sportier one of the four, and she'd already saved Jennie from a garter snake twice (though she insisted they were harmless) and pulled a branch clean off a tree to use as a walking stick. She was also the one constantly calling back to the rest of them to hurry up while she attacked hills and rocky paths with perfect ease.

Jennie was trooper, even though they could all tell she wished they had decided to go to Jeju Island or something. She wasn't a very outdoorsy person, but she kept up with the hiking alright. All those hours she spent at soul cycling classes probably helped with her stamina.

Rose was doing surprisingly really well for a bourgie rich girl who wore her most expensive yoga outfit for the hike. She didn't even look tired at all, hopping from one big rock to the next, taking selfies and vlogging.

Jisoo's father insisted that she take their family dog, Dalgom, with them. For protection, he said. But about fifteen minutes into the hike, the damn pup was already exhausted. Jisoo had to carry him the rest of the way up. He looked at her with sad, judging eyes while she and Jennie tried to figure out their map.