Metro {DAERIN}

Chapter 7

Trigger warning: Mention of suicide

A few weeks passed and today was Danielle's first day at the flower shop. Her palms were sweaty from nervousness and her heart was pulsing wildly in excitement. She was looking forward to the step to her dream job and having more time to spend with Haerin. Looking at the store as she fiddled with the handle, she pushed the door open.

The shop had dark green walls with white flowers painted on as the shop was occupied with all the different kinds of flowers Danielle could ever imagine. The green quite reminded her of Haerin considering she liked the colour a lot and it was quite obvious as well.

"Dani!" Haerin greeted from behind the counter. She handed her an apron and Danielle put it on. Haerin began showing her friend around excitedly, telling her all necessary information and tasks needing to be done throughout the day. They both served the customers skilfully as they flowed in. Danielle was just glad that she avoided Valentines day this year, considering she probably wouldn't last working in this shop on that day.

The day melted into night as the sun began to snuggle into the blanket of the horizon and the moon got up. Haerin checked the ticking clock on the wall and it was closing time already, 8 pm. The shop closed relatively early which was good news for both Danielle and her since they still had their school work to do.

Closing up the shop, they walked home, with Haerin clinging onto Danielle for dear life. Haerin was a black belt in taekwondo, but ever since that night she couldn't help the fear that engulfed her when walking at night. She wasn't even there but she felt the implications as though she was there. 

The pair got home safely as they slumped into the chairs, eating left overs from last night, chatting and doing their homework. The night was tranquil as the sound of the owls hooting and other sounds of the night filled in the comfortable silence. The sound of pen on paper and the flicking of pages was the only thing that could be heard.

Danielle was jolted from her state when her phone buzzed. It was her mum. She bit her lip in annoyance upon reading the name flitting over the screen Haerin curiously looked at her, asking 'are you going to pick it up?' with her eyes. Danielle sighed and got up, going to Haerin's room to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Danielle, how are you?" her Mum asked in her usual regal tone. She talked to Danielle like she was her business partner not so much her daughter.

"Cut it Mum, What are you calling for?" Danielle said, getting straight to the point, not wanting to waste time.

"Jeez, I'm actually calling for you," her mum scoffed. "I wanted to know what you're doing with your life, if I approve you may be able to go back to Australia," she revealed her intentions. Danielle let out a frustrated sigh. This would only lead to one thing and she didn't want to deal with it right now, but she had no choice but to cooperate.

"I'm studying art in uni and working at a flower shop with my friend," Danielle answered plainly. There was silence from the other end of the line and then a light scoff was heard as her Mum started laughing like Danielle had just said the most amusing thing in the world.

"Seriously Danielle Marsh? That bullshit again? Wow, you really were born to be useless, you weren't even meant to be born. Do you know what shit I went through with you? I knew I should've just aborted you," her Mum replied, each word stabbing Danielle in the chest. "Who's this friend of yours?" 

Danielle didn't want to answer, but she knew better than to stay silent. She knows that if she pisses her mother off then she was vulnerable to her grasp.

"Kang Haerin," Danielle whispered. She suddenly heard her Dad let out a wicked laugh as he laughed hysterically, the phone must be on speaker. Danielle bit her lip, she didn't understand what was happening but she had a really bad feeling.

"Good luck with that, she might leave you," her Dad laughed.

"What makes you think that?" Danielle snapped, losing her patience with the couple she called her parents.

"Well first of all, you're a useless piece of shit and second of all, she might not like you when she realises your family took her parents away, especially that orphan Hanni Pham, I bet the girl is traumatised, actually, why don't you finish the job and kill Hanni Pham for us?" her Dad informed, laughing like he just told the best joke in the world, or more like a killer clown.

Danielle's heart dropped to her shoes as nausea washed around her stomach. The words she just heard swirled around her head, making her dizzy. Just what was happening? The other side of the line clicked, signalling that her Mum had hung up. Their laughter resonated in her ears as she let her phone drop to the floor. A landed with a thunk as she shakily turned to the pictures on Haerin's desk. 

KNOCK! KNOCK! "Dani! What's wrong?" Haerin shouted through the door. Danielle quickly composed herself, she picked up her phone and took a few deep breaths and wiped the dry tears that escaped her eyes. She opened the door and put on a smile for Haerin. She went over to her bag and started packing up, but stopped when Haerin grabbed onto her hand.

"What's wrong?" Haerin asked with concern.

"Minji just wants me to help her with something so I need to go now," Danielle lied. 

Haerin didn't look convinced but nevertheless she let Danielle pack up and leave. She was really worried because the older girl didn't look ok, but it wasn't her right to pry for information, so she stayed silent as she waved good bye. 

Danielle ran out to the pier as she collapsed on it, crying loudly and throwing pebbles into the ocean that she found nearby. Her parents killed Haerin's parents. How would she ever be able to face Haerin again? Haerin was one of her few sources of happiness. But Danielle took away Haerin's happiness When she was with Haerin it was like time stopped. But now, she possibly wouldn't see Haerin again. Because the cat eyed girl might leave her. Danielle cried and cried as she looked at the water glistening under the stars. Adding to that, she was still just seen as a useless piece of shit to the very people who were meant to love her.  She was wrong. So she should get rid of the wrong from the world. She dazedly looked at it once the tears stopped.

She threw her backpack off as she went towards the edge, bending down to let the cool water tickle her fingers. That felt nice. Better than the heart break Haerin was going to give her. She took a few steps back, bracing herself for what she was going to do next. But she realised she needed to do something first. She pulled out her notebook and started scrawling a letter to Haerin, but she was too scared to say anything about her parents being the murderers of Haerin's parents. The girl would find out sooner or later.

Danielle stuffed everything into her bag, along with letters for Minji, Taesan, Haerin and Hanni. She left her bag there and took a breath, a breath that she hoped would be her last. A small smile appeared as she ran at the ocean, letting her body fall into the world of deep blue darkness and get engulfed by the coldness of it all. This was nice. She felt at peace knowing she could finally sleep...forever.

I'm sorry Rinrin, Min, Taesan and Hanni...Please forgive me