"How is your head?"
Minji's pressing a cold water bottle on Haerin's head who's resting on top of the table of a convenience store. They stopped walking for awhile to rest, Haerin is in shock by what happened, she kept thinking it was just a random memory from a movie
But Minji's face was vivid from that memory. How come it came from a movie?
Minji avoided her piercing gaze, "Why are you staring at me like that?"
Haerin sighed as an answer.
"Spill the questions you have for me," She mumbled
Minji swallowed, she put the bottled water down and fixed her posture, intertwining her hands together as she fidgets.
Haerin observed her, and waited, and waited. But the questions didn't come.
"Are we going to stare at each other 'til tomorrow or what?" She uttered nonchalantly
Minji groans, she messed her hair in frustration while mumbling the words, "Should I even ask you this?"
"Try me," Haerin responds
Minji fixed her gaze on Haerin, she bit her lips before looking away, she breathe deeply, gathering courage
"How do you know when you like someone?!" She yelled out of nervousness
All the other customers inside the store stared at them, Haerin didn't flinch but Minji would want the world to end right now
"Don't scream I'm right infront of you," Haerin deadpanned
Minji scratched the back of her neck
"I don't know, it's really not that hard." Haerin returned
"So when you like someone, you just know?" Minji began to bit her nails
Haerin nods, "Yeah, think of it like a gun being pointed to your head and the first person that comes up is the person you like,"
"That shit's scary, why do you imagine things like that?" Minji leaned back
Haerin shrugs, "Who is this about?" She finally asked the right question
Minji's ears reddened instantly, there was a tint of pink forming in her cheeks and she felt like burning that she had to look away from Haerin so she wouldn't noticed, however, the latter notices every little thing so it's no use
"There's a girl in my chemistry class," Minji's lips twitch a little
Haerin rolled her eyes, "There's always a girl in a chemistry class,"
Minji continues, ignoring her remarks, "We just started talking recently... no wait, we bicker a lot more than talking, I don't think there's been a day where we converse normally without annoying each other,"
"Sounds like everything is going pretty well. Like there's a lot of chemistry between you two," Haerin retorted in a monotone voice, she sounded like she's not interested but truth is she's invested
'Cause by hearing Minji's thought herself, maybe, she can see a glimpse of how Danielle thinks too. They're friends afterall.
"Why do I feel nervous? Does that mean I like her?"
Haerin squints her eyes, "How much do you know about her?"
"I know she's my age, and that she's in chemistry class, and she's pretty attractive and pretty annoying too," Minji replied without giving away everything so the person she likes wouldn't be so obvious to Haerin
"And?"
"And I smile when she's happy," Minji chuckled nervously
"That's the corniest shit you've said," Haerin scoffed
She though she would be hurt knowing Minji likes someone who's obviously not her but somehow she felt relieved to know.
"Let me guess, you guys are friends, right?" Haerin pointed her finger at Minji, the latter nods hesitantly
"Do you think you have a chance with her?" She added
Minji rests her chin on her palm as she thinks, "I don't know. She's always being playful, I don't think she likes me that way,"
"How would you know if you don't ask her?"
Minji exhales exasperatedly, "I'm scared,"
"We all fear something, don't worry. Hanni will like you," Haerin pats her back
"How do you know it's—"
"Were you two talking about me?" Hanni jumps out of nowhere, wearing a wide grin over her face with her hands on the sides
She pulled Minji away, yanking her out of her seat making the girl scream on their way out
Haerin's eyes followed them as it slowly land on Danielle, slowly approaching where she sat, and plopping herself down where Minji was occupying earlier
They stare at each other without saying a thing.
Haerin puts her hand over her arteries, feeling the beating of her own heart. It has the slow, melancholy pulse of a strange ballad
One you would slow dance to a burning house, one you would hum to a right-place, wrong-time kind of lover.
It's one that you can't wait to end.
"Is one week enough time?" Danielle asked, unlike then she's wearing a small smile, eyes expressing nothing
Haerin fixated her gaze on the floor instead of Danielle's
There was silence where she tried to think of ways to dodge the question because even she doesn't know if it's enough time.
Instead she says, "I've always been afraid of people leaving me, so, before they ever do, I'll leave first,"
"I know that... you're very true to your words, that's why you left me first." Danielle's smile faltered a little
And as they gaze at each other. Haerin couldn't understand the feeling of a wound so deep, cut to her very core. She felt nauseous, a tear fell from her eye but she don't understand why. Or what is happening.
Danielle wiped her tear away, she smiled, her smile has always been spectacular, the kind that makes you think of poetry and serenity, a rainbow that you unexpectedly saw one day. This smile however was not like that. It was tighter, strained and excruciating.
She looked like she's holding back tears, but she didn't cry.
"Am I the one at fault for wanting to relive the best memories?"
YOU ARE READING
hindsight | haerin x danielle | daerin
Fanfiction"How much pain do you have to go through before giving up is okay?"
