Talking to the moon

Chapter 38

Eunchae loved attention these days. She used to run from it, because attention meant bad things. But now it means praise and hugs and good things. She loved getting attention from Yunjin and Chaewon, always shyly asking for it. Chaewon was always willing to give it to her, Yunjin was a bit more shy about it.

Attention from Kyujin and her parents was also nice. Like now as she sat on the couch and Wonyoung applied a sheet mask to her face, it was a makeshift spa night, and apparently this was part of it. Eunchae's mask had an alligator on it, Wonyoung's had a horse. Yujin was trying to round up an excited Kyujin.

"Eunchae here!" Kyujin called, running up to them a dollar bill and a proud smile on her face. She thrusted it into Eunchae's hand, "For your switch. I found it on the floor!"

Eunchae took the dollar and looked at it, "Thank you." Bit giggled as Yujin scooped Kyujin up and applied the mask to her.

"You want a switch?" Wonyoung asked gently, applying a bit more of the face mask onto Eunchae, "You and Kyujin could play together then."

Eunchae nodded, "I'm saving my money for one. I only have five dollars now though, it's going to be a while."

"Why don't you just ask Yunjin or Chaewon to get you one?" Kyujin asked, squirming a bit as Yujin finished applying the sheet mask onto her face. Her's was a panda, it suited her. "Or Santa? Santa gave me mine last year."

"It's a lot of money. What if I ask Yunjin and then she doesn't have enough money for food?" The thought of asking Yunjin for something like that seemed a bit weird. Yunjin gave her food and clothes and cuddles, even a bed. Those were all things Eunchae really never had before, her clothes were all old and had holes in them given to her by the nice old lady that lived down the street, Kyujin gave her food at school before that her mommies friends would give her food sometimes telling her to eat with her hands and in a certain amount of time, her mom never cuddled her she was always busy or sick, and she never slept in a bed before sleeping over Kyujin's house instead just in a suitcase that she could zip up when people got too loud outside, she knew they could unzip it if they wanted to but it still felt like a little bit of security. How could she ask Yunjin for things when she already gave her so much? And Chaewon, Chaewon always gave her toys and books but she never asked for it. "Plus Santa has never visited me. I must be on the naughty list."

"How could Santa not visit you?" Kyujin questioned, "He even visits Yeri, she should be on the naughty list."

He even visited Yeri? How could he visit Yeri but not her? Maybe she really was bad. Maybe Yunjin was wrong. She really wasn't good. Mr.Viper had always told her she was bad and deserved what she got, maybe he was right-

"Your mom must have forgotten to send him a letter telling him that you moved." Yujin cut through Eunchae's mental spiral, "We almost forgot to do that when Kyujin came with us."

"Huh?" Eunchae had never heard of that, telling him that you moved? Wasn't he magical and supposed to know these things?

"Yeah, when you move you need to tell him. Think about it, there are billions of people in the world and you think Santa and his elves can keep track of every single person?" Yujin had a point. "Maybe you should tell Yunjin that she needs to send him a letter and I have a feeling he'll come this year."

"You've been so good this year." Wonyoung joined in, "You've been so good for Yunjin and Chaewon, at the trial, with your therapist, and in school. Even here, you're always polite. He's going to come this year, I promise."

Eunchae didn't see the sad glance Wonyoung and Yujin exchanged as she looked down to think about it. They were going to have to include her on their Christmas budget this year, maybe they would even talk to the rest of gay squad to buy her a few things, they would they adored her.