"My house next!" Mina announced, bouncing on her toes. "We have a swing! And a sandbox! And my mom makes the *best* cookies!"
"Better than Zayne's cook?" Jihoon asked, scandalized.
"Different kind of good!"
"I'm in," Jisu said simply.
Nana clapped her hands. "Let's go! Come on!"
They all headed for their bicycles—except Nana, who had pedaled approximately seventy-three miles today (probably) and was *exhausted.*
She looked at her pink bicycle with the frog basket.
Then at Zayne's pristine silver one.
Then at Zayne.
"Zayne," she said sweetly.
Zayne, who had learned to recognize that particular tone, immediately looked suspicious. "...What?"
"Can I ride with you?"
"You have your own bike."
"But I'm *tired.*" She gave him her best puppy-dog eyes, lower lip jutting out in a pout that could make grown adults cave. "Please?"
Zayne's resolve lasted exactly 2.5 seconds.
"...Fine."
"YAY!"
Before he could explain that she should sit carefully or perhaps hold on gently, Nana had already scrambled onto the back of his bicycle and wrapped her arms around his waist in a vice grip.
A death grip.
Zayne made a strangled sound. "N-Nana—"
"Okay, I'm ready! Let's go!"
"I can't *breathe—*"
"Oops! Sorry!" She loosened her hold slightly. "Better?"
Zayne's face was the color of a tomato. His ears had progressed past red into some kind of infrared spectrum invisible to the human eye.
"...Fine," he squeaked.
Jihoon, watching this entire exchange, grinned like a demon. "Aww, Zayne's embarrassed!"
"Shut up," Zayne muttered.
"His face is SO RED!"
"Jihoon, I will leave you here."
"You wouldn't!"
"Try me."
Mina giggled. "Come on, let's go before Zayne explodes!"
Zayne took a deep breath, tried to ignore the way Nana was humming cheerfully behind him, and started pedaling.
It was possibly the most stressful bicycle ride of his life.
Every time he hit a bump, Nana would squeeze tighter and squeal "WHEEE!" like they were on a roller coaster. His heart was either going to stop or break his ribcage trying to escape.
By the time they reached Mina's house, Zayne was fairly certain he'd lost three years off his life expectancy.
Mina's house was smaller than Zayne's mansion but infinitely cozier.
Flower boxes hung from every window. The front garden was a riot of colors—roses, sunflowers, daisies growing wherever they pleased. A tire swing hung from a large oak tree in the front yard, swaying gently in the breeze.
"MOM! WE'RE HOME!" Mina shouted, bursting through the front door.
A warm, round-faced woman appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on her apron. Her eyes crinkled when she smiled.
"Oh my! You brought friends!"
"This is Nana, Jihoon, Jisu, and Zayne!" Mina rattled off introductions at lightning speed. "Can they stay? Can we have snacks? Can we—"
"Yes, yes, and yes," Mina's mother laughed. "Come in, come in! I just made cookies!"
The promise of cookies galvanized everyone into action.
They piled into the cozy kitchen, where a plate of chocolate chip cookies—still warm, gooey in the center—sat waiting. Jihoon's eyes actually *sparkled.*
"Take as many as you'd like!" Mina's mother set out glasses of cold milk. "Oh my, you're all so precious!"
Her gaze lingered on Zayne.
He sat quietly at the end of the table, hands folded in his lap, posture perfect. His hazel eyes were striking against his dark hair, and despite being only ten years old, his features already hinted at the kind of face that would break hearts someday.
He looked... different from the others. More refined. Almost ethereal.
Mina's mother blinked. "What a handsome young man!"
Zayne's ears went red again. He stared intensely at his cookie.
Nana, who had been mid-bite, paused. She squinted at Zayne, tilting her head like a confused bird.
Then she leaned closer.
Closer.
Way, way too close.
Her face was maybe three inches from his, scrutinizing him like he was a particularly interesting bug.
Zayne froze. His brain short-circuited. The cookie in his hand trembled slightly.
"Hmm," Nana said thoughtfully.
"...Nana?"
"YEAH!" she announced suddenly, turning to Mina's mother with a bright grin. "He's super handsome! Way more handsome than Jihoon!"
"HEY!" Jihoon threw a crumb at her.
Mina's parents burst out laughing.
Zayne looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.
"Thank you?" he whispered, unsure if he was supposed to respond to that.
Nana patted his head like he was a particularly good dog. "You're welcome!"
She had absolutely no idea why Zayne looked like he was dying.
After snacks—and after Jihoon accidentally knocked over his milk (twice)—they headed to the backyard.
It was perfect.
A wooden swing set stood in one corner. A sandbox (currently occupied by a very judgmental cat) sat under a tree. The grass was slightly overgrown but soft, perfect for running.
"Let's play Bandits and Police!" Mina declared, grabbing a stick from the ground and brandishing it like a sword.
"I call Police!" Nana shouted.
"I'm a Bandit!" Jihoon announced.
"Me too!" Jisu grinned.
Everyone looked at Zayne.
He was already heading for the bench, clearly intending to sit this one out.
"ZAYNE!" Nana grabbed his hand, tugging him back. "You have to play too!"
"I'll just watch."
"Noooo! It's not fun without you!"
Zayne hesitated. The truth was, he didn't really know *how* to play games like this. He'd never had friends before Nana. Before her, his days were filled with piano lessons, tutoring, and silence.
But Nana was looking at him with those big, hopeful eyes.
"...Okay."
"YAY! You're a Bandit with me!"
And just like that, Zayne was part of the chaos.
The game devolved immediately.
Jisu dove into a bush and refused to come out, claiming it was her "secret hideout." Mina kept changing the rules mid-game ("No wait, now the Bandits can FLY!"). Jihoon started poking people with his stick until Nana threatened to arrest him for "assault with a deadly weapon."
Zayne, to his own surprise, was good at this.
His long legs meant he could run faster than everyone else. He darted between trees, dodged Nana's attempts to tag him, and even helped Jihoon escape when Mina cornered him.
Nana, as the shortest and slowest, was getting increasingly frustrated.
"ZAYNE! STOP RUNNING!"
"That's not how the game works!"
"I CAN'T CATCH YOU!"
Zayne glanced over his shoulder. Nana was huffing and puffing, her cheeks red, her hair a complete mess. She looked adorable.
Something in his chest twisted.
He slowed down.
Just a little.
Then, very deliberately, he pretended to trip over a rock.
"Oh no," he said flatly, lying on the grass. "I have fallen. I cannot move."
Nana's face lit up like fireworks. "I GOT YOU!"
She threw herself on top of him, triumphant. "You're under arrest!"
Zayne, now covered in grass stains with a seven-year-old sitting on his stomach, thought that this was possibly the best day of his life.
"You got me," he said solemnly.
"YES!" Nana pumped her fist in the air.
Jihoon squinted at them from across the yard. "...Did Zayne just let her win?"
Jisu, emerging from her bush, smiled knowingly. "Yup."
"That's so sad."
"That's so cute," Jisu corrected.
By the time evening rolled around and parents started calling everyone home, Nana was half-asleep.
"Come on," Zayne said quietly, crouching down in front of her. "I'll take you home."
"'M tired," Nana mumbled, already climbing onto his back without waiting for permission.
Zayne stood carefully, adjusting her weight. She was warm against his back, her breath soft against his neck. Her arms looped loosely around his shoulders.
He walked his bicycle instead of riding it, one hand steadying Nana, one hand on the handlebars.
The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. The neighborhood was quiet except for the distant sound of crickets.
Nana's voice was barely a whisper. "Today was fun."
"Yeah," Zayne agreed softly. "It was."
"You're not lonely anymore, right?"
Zayne blinked.
He thought about his empty house. The way his parents were always gone. The way silence used to fill every room.
And then he thought about Nana showing up every single day. About Jihoon's terrible jokes. About Mina's energy and Jisu's quiet smiles.
"...No," he said. "I'm not lonely anymore."
"Good," Nana mumbled sleepily. "Because you're stuck with me forever."
Zayne smiled. "Okay."
He meant it.
They said their goodbyes at the corner where everyone split off to their respective houses.
"See you tomorrow!" Mina waved enthusiastically.
"Bye, Zayne!" Jisu called.
"Don't let Nana climb any more fences!" Jihoon added helpfully.
Zayne just shook his head, still carrying a half-asleep Nana on his back.
When he finally made it home to his enormous, empty mansion, he helped Nana's parents collect her from his back. She barely stirred.
"Thank you, Zayne," Nana's mother said warmly. "You're such a sweet boy."
Zayne nodded, suddenly shy again.
He watched them bicycle away, Nana slumped against her mother's back, and felt that familiar pang of loneliness start to creep in.
But this time, it was different.
Because tomorrow, Nana would come back.
She always came back.
.
.
.
.
.
❄️❄️❄️
Later that night, alone in his room, Zayne sat at his desk.
The stone Nana had given him weeks ago sat in front of him. The gray one with the white stripe. The "magic" one.
He picked it up, turning it over in his fingers.
Then he pulled out a piece of paper and started writing.
Dear Mom and Dad,
I know you're very busy with work. That's okay. I understand.
I wanted to tell you something, though. I'm not lonely anymore.
I made friends. Her name is Nana. (And also Jihoon, Mina, and Jisu, but mostly Nana.)
She gave me a magic stone on my birthday. We play every day. Today we went to Mina's house and played Bandits and Police. I was a Bandit. I let Nana catch me because she couldn't run fast enough.
I think she's my best friend.
Love,
Zayne
P.S. - She's really loud and climbs a lot of things she probably shouldn't climb. But that's okay. I'll make sure she doesn't fall.
He folded the letter carefully, placed it in an envelope, and left it on the hall table for the housekeeper to mail.
Then he went to bed, the magic stone clutched in his hand.
For the first time in a long time, Zayne fell asleep smiling.
.
.
.
.
.
❄️❄️❄️
To be continued.