Home sweet, not home

I sighed, "Okay…" and hung up the phone.

---

When Rika's parents died, she lived with Frey's family for a week, needing somewhere to stay until the funeral, and a relative was designated as her new guardian. During that time, she was depressed, because who wouldn't be in that situation? Long story short, Rika and Frey got into an argument because Frey said, "You can't keep moping around; look on the bright side. We finally live together, like we used to say we would after high school, and now I have you all to myself and won't have to share you with your parents anymore." Rika immediately snapped back, stating that Frey must be happy that her parents died.

Rika and Frey had been friends since kindergarten. Frey used to make similar jokes in the past about having to share Rika, but they became less frequent when she confessed to Rika in 7th grade. Rika turned her down gently, stating that she was straight but that she wanted to stay friends, which Frey calmly accepted with a few tears. She was fine the next day; she already knew that that would be Rika's response.

They continued to argue back and forth, with Rika taking her frustrations out on Frey by blaming her, and Frey defending herself and apologizing for her joke. They kept arguing until Frey's parents stepped in. Rika and Frey hadn't talked since.

---

As I hung up, I was already boarding a train to take me to Frey's area. The train was pretty much empty, besides a few office workers and a little old lady. I sat down next to the old lady and heard a sweet, aged voice. "It's a little late to just now be on your way home; did you go to the Lunar New Year parade?" I looked at the old lady and smiled. "Yeah, it was pretty, but there were too many people, and it was really loud. So I decided to go home."

The old lady chuckled softly. "I know what you mean, dear. Sometimes it's nice to enjoy the festivities from afar." I nodded in agreement, grateful for the pleasant conversation during my journey. "You young folks like playing games, right?" I was a little confused about the sudden change in topic but decided to answer anyway. "Yes, most of us do. But recently, I haven't had the time to play any games that aren't mobile." The old lady smiled. "Good, good. There's this game I found; you have to sign up for it online, but it's honestly really fun. I and all my girlfriends have been playing it. It's for mobile. Apparently, if you play this game, you get a head start on something."

I was intrigued by what the old lady said. "What's the name of the site where you signed up?" The old lady paused for a second, trying to think. "Technically, it is online, but you have to text a number first. The number is XX2-XX9-XX30." "Okay, I saved the number." I was a little confused but decided that if a group of grandmas went through the process, I could too. "Okay, when you're ready, text headstart. Then follow the steps from there. I won't deny that some of the things you're asked to do for registration are weird, but the game's fun, and the missions are… interesting. One of them asked me to record myself baking a cake using the recipe it gave me, then eat it, like the whole cake. Luckily, the cake wasn't too big, and it tasted good. The recipe, on the other hand, was weird and a little complicated." I chuckled a little, thinking about it. "Okay, thank you for the info, miss. When I have a chance, I'll sit down and register."

The grandma smiled. "Make sure you do it soon; the game has a limit to how long anyone can play it. The servers shut down in a week." "Then I have to sign up first thing tomorrow, thank you. Oh, this is my stop. I hope you have a wonderful night, Granny." I grabbed my stuff, got off the train, and began walking towards Frey's house. As I walked, I couldn't shake off the feeling of excitement about trying out the new game before it was too late. I made a mental note to set aside time the next day to register and start playing. I was a completionist, and completing this game within a week was a perfect challenge.

As I approached Frey's house, my excitement vanished, and I became really nervous as I stood in front of her front door. Did Frey really want to see me? If she didn't, where would I stay? I had enough money to rent a room for a few days, but what about food? Would I starve or become homeless? What if my grandma found me? What if— Suddenly, Frey's front door opened. Frey and I stared at each other for a few seconds. Without even realizing it, I began to cry, and seeing this, Frey smiled, tears streaming down her face. "What took you so long? You said you'd be here in an hour, but you're 5 minutes late."

I couldn't believe Frey was actually there, standing in front of me. I wiped away my tears, managed a weak smile, and chuckled lightly. "I got lost," I said, trying to lighten the mood. Frey giggled. "Don't give me that bullshit. This was practically your second house; there's no way you got lost. We have a doorbell cam; your ass was hesitating on my porch." My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I realized I had been caught. "Okay, fine, I was nervous," I admitted, feeling relieved to finally be face-to-face with Frey after so long. The two of us embraced, laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

"Rika, no matter what happens, you're always welcome here, even if we fall out. My parents will kick me out before you. If there's nowhere you feel like you belong, just always know that you can belong here. And my offer from 7th grade still stands~" I giggled. "And my answer is still the same." Frey gasped and began to act hurt and distraught. "Rejected, again?! Woe is me." I rolled my eyes, knowing Frey was just being dramatic as usual. Despite the teasing, I felt grateful to have such a loyal friend by my side.

As we walked into the house, a pretty middle-aged woman walked out of the kitchen. "Frey, who was at the door? Was it someone we kno—" As soon as Frey's mom laid eyes on me, she began to tear up. "Hi, Mrs. Rosenberg." Mrs. Rosenberg ran and hugged me before I could react. "Rika, it's been so long! I've missed you," Mrs. Rosenberg said, her voice filled with emotion. I smiled, feeling touched by the warm welcome from Frey's mom. "It's only been a little less than a year." "But it feels like a lifetime," Mrs. Rosenberg replied, still holding onto me tightly. "You're always welcome here, dear." I felt a sense of belonging and gratitude. "And if you ever get into a fight with Frey, you have my, no, our full permission to kick her ass. And if she fights back, we'll kick her out of the house."

Frey looked hurt, but she knew it was true because she'd probably do the same thing. "Where's Mr. Rosenberg?" "My dad is at work," Frey said as she was trying to pry her mom off me. "Mom, can you let my friend go? Something happened tonight, and I want to find out the details... in private." Mrs. Rosenberg sighed and returned to the kitchen before peeking her head from the other side of the wall. "Would you like to eat dinner with us, Rika?" I immediately answered, "Did you have to ask?". Frey dragged me upstairs into her room and began interrogating me.