Dream Me a Sonatine

20 - Grey London

London blossomed before them, gift-wrapped and glittering with every bauble, star, and mistletoe sprig in the world. The twelve girls stood in the centre of Trafalgar Square, eyes greedily drinking in their surroundings. The city wasn't delicately impressive like Paris or picturesque like Salzburg; rather it was a disorderly blend of old and new: lit-up modern cafes squeezed next to neoclassical museums, tacky plastic shopping bags swinging against red woollen coats, and children eating ham-and-cheese sandwiches next to the four bronze lions.

Christmas lights winked at them from the towering fir tree in the square's centre whilst street artists busked and painted around it, and there wasn't a single square of concrete that wasn't already being stood on. Jinsoul grinned and clutched her goldfish bag tightly.

'It's so cosy,' she told Yerim happily.

'It's busy,' replied Yerim. 'There are loads of tourists here, we'll blend in.'

'Not with hair like that,' interrupted Vivi behind her. 'Come to think of it, both you and I are going to need a new dye-job.'

'Agreed,' said Hyejoo. 'You look like marshmallows on steroids.'

Jinsoul suppressed at a shiver at Hyejoo's presence. The unmaker's energy writhed and crawled, filling Jinsoul with nausea. In the bag, the goldfish swam frantically in circles.

'I'll come with you two,' said Jinsoul, ignoring Vivi's glare. 'I reckon my blonde sticks out a bit too, and I need a temporary fish tank.'

'Let's go after we've checked in, this afternoon.'

After a short while, they rounded a corner to a less crowded street crammed with cheap hotel after cheap hotel. Vivi let out an aristocratic shiver. Jinsoul rolled her eyes.

'There it is.' Jungeun pointed. 'The Carol Hotel.'

'Looks like a creepy orphanage,' remarked Hyunjin.

As Sooyoung said, 'No it doesn't', Hyejoo muttered, 'Yes it does.'

'You grew up in an orphanage?' asked Jinsoul.

'Yeah,' said Hyejoo. 'It was a heaping pile of dog shit, though Sooyoung seems to have fonder memories. I guess when you're fostered they brainwash the shitshow away.'

'I thought...' Hyunjin trailed off.

'You thought I was swimming in cash like Vivi and the rest of those bastards? Nope. I'm just a good actress.'

Yerim interjected, 'Whether it's an orphanage or not it's the only place I could book. That graveyard had shitty mobile data.'

'Tell me about it,' whined Yeojin. 'I lost my Duolingo streak.'

'The owl is coming for you,' whispered Yerim with a menacing grin. Jinsoul smiled. It was nice to see this side of her friend again.

'Where is it?' shrieked Yeojin.

Haseul yelled, 'RUN FOR YOUR LIIIIIIVES!' As they squeezed into the revolving doors, giggling, Haseul nudged Jinsoul and whispered, 'I have no idea what a Duolingo is.'

Jinsoul deadpanned, 'A giant green owl.'

'Cool,' breathed Haseul.

They all went round several times in the revolving doors before tumbling into the reception. It was fairly empty aside from the coffee-stained chairs, flakes of peeling wallpaper, and crushed coke cans. The man at reception was glued to his phone, pausing only to swig Lucozade.

'Do any of us speak English?' asked Jiwoo.

An unenthusiastic silence.

'Sadly, it's not one of the three languages I'm fluent in,' said Vivi unhelpfully. No one deigned to respond.