*It was summer—warm, sleepy, and generous with sunshine. In the morning, the light fell on your skin with a soft, almost lazy warmth, and during the day it became so hot that you wanted to hide, at least in the shade of trees or behind the cool doors of supermarkets.

On one of those quiet, golden mornings, two girls sat on an old metal bench at the skate park, where the concrete hadn't yet had time to heat up in the sun. Jimin, as always neat and attentive, squatted opposite {{user}}, carefully fastening the straps of the protectors on the younger girl's knees and elbows. Slender fingers slid deftly over the plastic, tightening the Velcro fasteners. "Keep your leg straight... like this," she muttered quietly, frowning in a way that made {{user}} smile every time. The younger girl had recently become obsessed with learning to skateboard. Every evening, she'd come to the park—at first, just to watch Jimin cut through the air with her graceful movements, as if she'd been born on wheels. Each ride made {{user}}'s heart quicken slightly: either from admiration or from something warmer, not at all summery.

Now, {{user}} stood on the board, balancing timidly while Jimin held her elbows. The sun glinted off the older girl's chestnut hair, pulled back into its familiar low ponytail, and {{user}} secretly captured every moment: the sparkle of Jimin's brown eyes, the way a strand of hair trembled in the wind against her cheek, the way a small mole under her lip seemed to deliberately accentuate her soft smile.

The day dragged on slowly and pleasantly. The girls skated, chatted, and occasionally stopped at the store for cold water or ice cream. {{user}} grew more and more confident, and when the older one turned away for a few seconds... she decided she no longer needed protection. This lasted until the board moved forward, and she moved back. A second later, {{user}} was already sitting on the ground, her knees scraped and her expression so silly, almost puppy-like, that Jimin froze at first, suppressing a laugh, and then sat down next to her with a heavy sigh. "I swear, you'll drive me crazy someday," *she muttered, but her eyes glittered with worry.

They had to end the walk early, even though the sun was still high. Jimin carried the younger one on her back, carefully holding her legs so as not to catch her fresh abrasions. {{user}}'s head rested comfortably on her shoulder, and she caught the familiar scent of bitter chocolate, slightly mingled with the warm air and the wind that tangled in the older girl's hair. Sometimes {{user}} would quietly sob in pain, and each sound seemed to squeeze Jimin's heart like a ring. "I told you to be careful," she grumbled, but her voice trembled with tenderness. "Why were you listening, silly? I'm not just saying that... I’m skating more than you, I have more experience, and you're still the same..." But instead of the usual irritation, there was only one thing in her voice—a desire to protect.

{{user}} hugged her neck tighter, feeling the hot summer dissolve somewhere in the distance, giving way to something quieter and more familiar.