At dawn, Ye Yiyi and Gu Xin were up early, smoothing their clothes like butterflies drying new wings. Last night, nothing happened; they lay side by side, not too close, not too far, words drifting like paper lanterns until sleep fell like soft snow.

“Uwah—today’s weather’s great, perfect for the amusement park downtown.” Ye Yiyi glanced at the window, where the sky shone like washed glass after rain.

“Mm, yeah—” Gu Xin answered, joy flickering like sunlight on water.

“Alright—I’ll go see if Coco’s awake.” Ye Yiyi spoke, her smile light as a spring breeze.

“Go on. I’ll wait a bit before calling Yu Ting and the sisters; those two are probably still napping like cats in a sunpatch,” Gu Xin said, helplessness settling like mist over a pond.

“Hehe—okay, I’ll head over first and bring Coco. She can’t manage herself alone; she’s like a duckling tangled in reeds.”

“Mm, go—”

Thump-thump! Ye Yiyi rapped twice on Tang Coco’s guest room door, the sound like a woodpecker on old bark. Inside, the silence sat heavy, still as a lake under morning fog.

“Coco!” Ye Yiyi called softly, her voice floating like a willow leaf on water. Still, no sound came from within, as if sleep pinned the room shut.

“This silly Coco—don’t tell me she’s sleeping in again…” Ye Yiyi sighed, helplessness rippling like a small wave. She turned to leave, just as the door sighed and stirred like a hinge remembering its duty.

“Mmm… who is it… how early is it to be knocking…” The door swung open, and a very pretty girl stood there in a blue nightdress, hair tousled like a windblown nest, rubbing her eyes as if dreams still clung like cobwebs.

“Huh? Xu Yinuo?!” Ye Yiyi stared, surprise flaring like a startled bird.

“Oh… Yiyi—” Xu Yinuo blinked, recognition calm as a moon on still water.

“You—why are you in Coco’s room?!” Ye Yiyi blurted, shock sharp as a cold bell.

“Mm… this is my room too, okay…” Xu Yinuo yawned, casual as drifting clouds.

“Mm?” Ye Yiyi’s confusion spiraled like a kite in shifting wind.

“Where’s Coco!” Suddenly Ye Yiyi slid past Xu Yinuo, a quick stream pouring into the room.

“Aiya… when did Yiyi get so impatient…” Xu Yinuo murmured, closing the door with a soft click like a fan meeting its stand.

“Coco!” Ye Yiyi rushed to the bed and saw Tang Coco, hair messy like wild grass, bundled under the quilt like a sleepy cocoon.

“Mm… Yiyi? Is it… morning already?” Tang Coco rubbed her eyes, dawn slow in her pupils. She sat up, the quilt slipping like fallen petals, revealing her nightwear all askew like tangled ribbons.

“Coco, you—” Ye Yiyi froze, surprise bright as a spark catching dry straw.

“Mm? What’s up…” Tang Coco’s voice wavered, mind still foggy like a valley before the sun.

“It’s fine. You… carry on. I’m leaving first.” Ye Yiyi stood, her mood sealed like a lid on hot tea, and walked out.

“Mm? What was that about?” Tang Coco blinked, confusion pooling like rain in a basin.

“Yo—why did Yiyi leave so fast?” Xu Yinuo tugged her nightdress straight, walking over like a cat smoothing its whiskers. Tang Coco lowered her head and tugged at her collar, ribbons wriggling like little snakes. “I don’t know… hm?…”

“Oh crap! Something’s wrong!” The realization hit Coco like a sudden drumbeat; she jumped up, slid into her slippers like a runner grabbing wings, and bolted for the door.

“Yiyi! Listen to my explanation!” Tang Coco shouted, her voice chasing down the hallway like a swift wind.

“Hey!? Wait—” Xu Yinuo reached out and grabbed the back collar, fingers hooking the thin cloth like a fish snagging a net. The nightdress was too light, too thin—no match for Coco’s rush.

Rip! The fabric tore from the back, revealing Coco’s pale back like a moon breaking through clouds.

“Xu Yinuo! What are you doing!” Coco spun around, cheeks blooming pink like peach petals, anger rising like hot steam.

“Uh… it was an accident. If I didn’t stop you, you’d run out in a nightdress; there are all sorts of people outside,” Xu Yinuo said, innocence lifted like open palms.

“…” Silence fell, tight as a knot.

“So troublesome!” Tang Coco muttered, sliding to her suitcase like a tide finding shore, fingers digging through layers like a sparrow searching straw.

“Ahhh, is there no simple outfit at all!” She rummaged forever, finding only complicated dresses like mazes sewn from silk.

“Forget it, this one!” Finally, Tang Coco grabbed a white dress, ignoring which strap belonged where. She pulled it over her head like rain slipping over tiles, tugged the hem to cover herself like drawing a curtain—and dashed out.

“Is Coco awake?” Gu Xin was straightening the bed, sheets crisp as fresh snow. She saw Ye Yiyi open the door again and asked, curiosity warm as steam.

“Nope! Out cold!” Ye Yiyi snapped, anger popping like little sparks in dry straw.

“…” Gu Xin blinked, confusion hovering like a dragonfly over water.

Thump-thump! Another urgent knock fell on the wood like hail tapping a shutter.

“Coming—” Gu Xin went to open it, steps light as bamboo on stone.

“Huh? Coco? Why are you dressed like that?” The door swung wide, revealing Tang Coco panting, her dress a storm of chaos, collar ribbons tangled like blown strings.

“Ah… I’ll explain later. Yiyi’s inside, right…” Tang Coco said, anxiety racing like a horse over a ridge, and hurried in.

“Um… Yiyi… please listen to me…” She saw Ye Yiyi sitting on the bed, facing the window, her back a calm lake under a winter sky, and stepped closer.

“What ‘Yiyi’? I’m a year older than you!” Ye Yiyi shot back, temper crisp as frost.

“Uh… Yiyi-jie—good big sister—please hear me out…” Tang Coco’s plea softened like silk slipping through fingers.

“I’m going to buy breakfast. Gu-jie, what do you want?” Ye Yiyi turned away, fear of giving in fluttering like a moth to flame. She shifted the topic like a fan redirecting heat.

“Mm? Anything’s fine—” Gu Xin replied, still lost, her thoughts wandering like clouds.

“Okay.” Ye Yiyi grabbed her bag and left, footsteps steady as beads clicking in a string.

“What happened with you two?” After Ye Yiyi left, Gu Xin walked over to Coco, curiosity floating like a leaf in current.

“Ah… hard to explain in a few words. I’m going back too.” Tang Coco sighed, helplessness drooping like a wilting flower, and turned around.

“…” She had barely returned to her room when Xu Yinuo’s voice drifted over, teasing like a night breeze.

“Yo? Coming back all dusty-faced—looks like things didn’t go well, huh~”