Morning did not arrive loudly.
It drifted in through thin curtains, softened by the gray-blue light of a city that had decided to rest for three days. June woke to the sound of someone else's alarm down the hall, distant and annoyed, and the faint hum of traffic that never truly slept.
She stayed in bed longer than usual.
There was no class. No lab. No bell waiting to slice the morning in half. That alone made the day feel unstructured, slightly dangerous, like time had been loosened.
Her phone buzzed.
Kitty:you awake or pretending not to be
June smiled faintly and typed back.
June:awake. regretting existence. why
Kitty:girls only. cafe near the river.ten minutes. no boys allowed.
June stared at the screen for a second longer than necessary.
June:define "boys"
Kitty:anyone with opinions about our livesespecially xh
That made June laugh out loud, the sound quiet but real.
She rolled out of bed, pulling on a hoodie and jeans without thinking too hard about it. The mirror caught her halfway through brushing her hair, eyes still sleepy, face bare. She looked younger like this. Less guarded.
That bothered her more than it should have.
By the time June reached the street, the air felt different from Day One. Less excited. Less planned. People walked slower. Shops opened lazily. The holiday had settled into its second day, the part where novelty faded and honesty started creeping in.
Kitty was already at the cafe, sitting outside with NC and Jihye, hands wrapped around a mug like it was a lifeline.
"You look like you fought your pillow and lost," Kitty said as June sat down.
June shrugged. "It was aggressive."
NC smiled. "We almost ordered for you."
Jihye slid a menu over anyway. "You need sugar. Or caffeine. Or both."
June glanced at Kitty. "You called this meeting."
Kitty took a sip, eyes on the river beyond the railing. "I did."
There was a pause.
Girls-only silence had a different texture. It was not awkward. It was anticipatory.
Kitty finally spoke. "Yesterday felt loud."
NC nodded immediately. "Too many people. Too many plans."
"And today," Jihye added, "feels quieter. Which means thoughts start talking back."
June exhaled slowly. "That's exactly what I didn't want."
Kitty smiled, not teasing. Understanding. "Too bad."
They ordered drinks. Something warm. Something sweet. Comfort disguised as choice.
For a while, they talked about small things.
About how the city felt emptier during holidays. About a couple arguing across the street. About a street performer playing the same sad song twice.
Then, inevitably, the conversation tilted.
NC leaned forward. "So. Yesterday."
June looked down at her cup. "Which part."
"The part where you disappeared for half an hour," NC said gently.
Kitty didn't look at June. She traced the rim of her mug instead. "I noticed too."
June hesitated.
Girls noticed things differently. They didn't miss pauses. They catalogued them.
"I needed air," June said. "The palace, the crowd, the noise. It felt like everything was… watching."
Jihye tilted her head. "Or waiting."
June's fingers tightened slightly. "Maybe."
Kitty finally looked up. "Did something happen."
June met her gaze. Held it. Then looked away.
"No," she said. Then corrected herself. "Nothing dramatic."
NC winced slightly. "That usually means something emotional."
June huffed a short laugh. "I just realized how much I wanted to win."
Silence again.
Kitty's voice was soft. "And that scared you."
June nodded. "Yes."
She didn't add the rest. She didn't need to.
Kitty didn't push. Instead, she said something unexpected.
"When I was younger," Kitty said, "I used to believe if I wanted something badly enough, it would come to me eventually."
Jihye blinked. "That sounds like confidence."
"It was control," Kitty replied. "Or the illusion of it."
June watched her carefully now.
Kitty continued. "Then one day, someone I thought would wait for me didn't."
June felt a flicker in her chest.
NC noticed. Of course she did. "Is this about XH."
Kitty didn't deny it. She also didn't confirm immediately.
"I told him once," Kitty said slowly, "that we should just be friends for now."
June stiffened, barely.
Kitty went on. "I thought I was being smart. Giving myself time. Playing the long game."
Jihye frowned. "And."
"And I didn't expect the board to change," Kitty said. "I didn't expect someone else to arrive."
She looked at June then. Not accusing. Just honest.
June swallowed. "I didn't come here to take anything."
"I know," Kitty said immediately. "That's what makes it complicated."
NC let out a breath. "Wow. This is healthier than I expected."
June laughed weakly. "Don't get used to it."
Kitty leaned back slightly. "The thing is. I don't think XH even realized he was moving."
June's eyes flickered. "He listens."
Kitty smiled sadly. "He always does."
Jihye tilted her head. "Do you like him."
The question landed cleanly. No drama. No trap.
June stared at the river. "I respect him."
"That's not an answer," NC said.
June exhaled. "I don't know yet."
Kitty nodded. "That's honest."
Silence returned, but softer now.
After a while, Kitty changed the subject deliberately. "Okay. Enough boys. Let's talk about something else before I start spiraling."
NC grinned. "Thank you."
They talked about clothes. About whether talent mattered more than presentation. About confidence as a performance.
Kitty pulled out her phone and opened a video. "This. Watch."
June leaned in. "What is it."
"Catwalk basics," Kitty said. "Posture. Chin. Shoulder alignment."
Jihye laughed. "You're coaching now."
"I'm helping," Kitty replied. "There's a difference."
June watched seriously. "I always forget what to do with my hands."
"Everyone does," Kitty said. "Open your chest slightly. Don't shrink. You're not apologizing for being seen."
June tried it instinctively, straightening in her chair.
NC nodded approvingly. "That's dangerous."
June rolled her eyes. "Don't hype me."
Kitty smiled. "I mean it. You don't need to win to matter. But if you're going to stand there, stand fully."
June met her eyes. "You're okay helping me."
Kitty hesitated for half a second. Then nodded. "Yes."
That mattered more than anything else said that morning.
They stayed longer than planned.
They walked along the river after, jackets brushing, sharing fries from a paper tray, talking about nothing and everything. About future schools. About where they might end up.
NC said, "I just want stability."
Jihye said, "I want something that scares me a little."
June said nothing for a long time.
Then, quietly, "I want to choose. Before someone chooses for me."
Kitty glanced at her. "That's fair."
The afternoon light shifted. Shadows grew longer.
They paused near a street crossing, watching a group of tourists argue over directions.
Jihye pointed across the street. "There's that tarot place."
June frowned. "Tarot."
"Just saying," Jihye replied lightly. "It's always busy during holidays."
Kitty's gaze lingered on the sign for a second longer than the others.
"Not today," she said. "Some futures don't need to be rushed."
June felt that sentence settle somewhere deep.
As they parted ways later, Kitty hugged June briefly. Not tight. Not loose. Intentional.
"Whatever happens," Kitty said softly, "I don't want us to turn into people who pretend."
June nodded. "Me neither."
They walked in opposite directions after that.
Different paths. Same day.
And somewhere across the city, the boys were having their own conversations, unaware that the girls had already shifted the ground beneath all of them.
Day Two continued.
Quieter.
But heavier.
And far more honest.