Changed Heart // MY

3

Yeona sighs as she dangles her legs over the fire escape, looking at every car and person who comes in and out of buildings around her with an amused look on her face. She was used to having quiet neighbors and didn't expect the place to be as quiet as it was. She found herself starting to miss her nightly adventures with Ji and shook her head, wanting nothing more than to go back to the way things used to be, minus her father. She sighs and turns to look back into her room, noticing the bland brick wall right next to her window. She smiles slightly, getting up to get her duffel bag from inside, looking for her cans of spray paint and protective wear. She puts a mask on, going back outside to start shaking the cans as she begins to spray.

She didn't really know what she was making but she knew that it was an accurate representation of her best friend. She puts the cans down as she scoots back from the wall to admire what she had made, seeing a small monster with caramel brown eyes and cropped light brown hair. The more she looked at it, the more she realized that Ji was the only friend she had ever known in her entire life. She blinks as she takes off her mask, throwing it on top of the open bag that was back inside of her room. She takes out another cigarette and lit it, taking a drag before holding up to the creature she had made on the wall.

"Here's to you, Ji." She sighs.

"Who's Ji?" Hee-Chul's voice asks from inside of her room.

"No one." She sneers.

"Look, if we're going to be living together then you need to open up to me, Yeona." Hee-Chul says.

She glares at him, shifting her body to dangle her legs from the edge of the fire escape once again. She sighs and closes her eyes, trying not to open herself up just in case this dipwad decides to turn his back on her.

"Ji was my best friend," She starts, "He was the only one who was ever there for me and the only one who could really understand me."

There was a beat of silence and she looked behind her to see him sitting on the window sill, deep in thought.

"I'm sorry you had to move away from him, but it's for the best." He says.

"Is it? Is it really? Who the fuck wants to be friends with the daughter of a murderer?" She asks, feeling anger rise up in her body.

"Don't cuss. Look, your new school starts tomorrow, give it time and a chance. I know no one can replace your best friend, but can you at least try?" He asks.

"How about no." She scoffs.

"Alright, fine. Dinner's here." Hee-Chul says as he stands up, trying his best not to scoff back at her.

She doesn't say anything as she stares at the painting, not wanting to move from her spot.

"How long has that been there?" Hee-Chul asks, snapping her out of her thoughts as he points to the wall.

"I made it, there a problem with it, officer?" She asks, slightly challenging him to lose his professionalism.

"Still doing this huh? Make sure no one catches you." He says, going back into the room.

She stares at the spot he was just at before turning her gaze to the painting again, slightly smiling at it.

"So you can smile." He says.

"Everyone can smile, you just need the right person to bring it out." She says, scowling at him, thinking he had left her alone.

She shifts her gaze back to the picture that represented her best friend, knowing that it was practically impossible to ever see him again. She sighs, getting up from her spot on the fire escape to go inside to eat, seeing Hee-Chul on the couch with sushi on the coffee table.