Metro {DAERIN}

Chapter 8

The evening was tranquil and the streets of the apartment was peaceful. Out here you could see the tiny dots of the shining stars that people always longed to see, but couldn't because of air pollution. Hanni was approaching her apartment, readying herself to be energetic in the face of Haerin and Danielle. She was exhausted and she could feel her body breaking down but she would do anything to make sure Haerin led a comfortable life.

Approaching the door number 277, it suddenly burst open. A flustered looking Haerin stopped abruptly upon seeing her older sister. But her look of shock soon turned into relief. Once Danielle left, Haerin decided to keep an eye on her from the window and from what she saw, her friend was heading for pier. She waited for a bit, constantly dialling Danielle's phone in a flurry of anxiety and desperation. The 50th time was the last straw for her.

Haerin grabbed Hanni by the wrist and they both ran, Haerin leading her clueless older sister behind her. The wind whipped sharply against their faces, the buildings melting behind them as they passed. All that was on Haerin's mind was Danielle. She couldn't and she wouldn't let Danielle die. The girl had so much to offer, so much to share and so much to live for. She was not going to let Danielle throw her life away. Haerin needed Danielle as much as Danielle needed Haerin.

It was pithc black around the pier now, only a few lights installed on the boardwalk provided them with incomplete images of their surroundings. Haerin ran around, calling Danielle's name, looking around in the water but making sure to stay far away from it. Yes, Haerin had a fear of water. She started avoiding pools, lakes and oceans when she nearly drowned in a pool when she was 5. It was an innocent mistake out of curiosity, but Haerin being a sensitive introvert, she was scarred for life.

"DANIELLE!!! PLEASE DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE DEAD!!" Haerin shouted again, her voice growing hoarse from all the shouting and pleading. Her eyes suddenly caught sight of a shadow in the depths of the water. It wasn't a fish, it was too big to be a fish. Haerin squinted in its direction and joy and hope filled her heart in an instant. It was a human figure. Haerin spun around and ran to Hanni, grabbing tightly onto the older girl's sleeves, begging with her teary eyes and weak voice.

"Unnie, please save Dani! Her backpack is here, it must be her!!" Haerin sobbed, tugging viciously at the sleeve of Hanni's shirt. Hanni caught sight of the bag on the floor, letters scattered around it, and then she followed the direction Haerin's watery eyes were looking in. Hanni gently took Haerin's hand off her sleeve and dropped her bags onto the floor. She gave Haerin a quick warm reassuring smile and a pat on the head, before diving without hesitation into the ocean.

Haerin watched as Hanni swam skilfully. She quickly pulled out her phone to call the hospital. Her hands were shaking and her breathing was unstable. She felt so useless in this situation as she sent her shaky pleads to the hospital to save her friend. Hanni climbed onto the pier, Danielle on her back and she gently placed her on the cold wooden boardwalk. Haerin ran towards Danielle, shaking her and shouting at her to wake up. She swore she had never shouted so loud in her entire life. And she had never ran at lightning speed before either. It was all because of Danielle. This was her immense care for Danielle.

"Haerinie, calm down, you called the ambulance right? I'll do CPR so we can make sure she's breathing, it'll be ok," Hanni said softly, patting Haerin's head while getting ready.

The hospital. Both Haerin and Hanni hated the hospital more than they could possibly describe with words. The echoes of that night still whirled around them in the hospital halls. As they waited for news about Danielle, Haerin struggled with the pit that was still growing in her stomach. Guilt was all she could feel. Anxiety was all she could feel. Seconds into minutes, but felt like hours for Haerin sitting on that cold bench in the hospital. She wondered what had caused Danielle to take the jump. It was definitely that phone call. But that thought seemed horrible to Haerin. How horrible could Danielle's parents be that they would drive their own daughter to the edge of the pier?

Haerin's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the doctor. Before they could even say anything, he let the words escape.

"She's stable," he said reassuringly. Haerin felt an immense weight being lifted off her shoulders. That was all she needed. Just a little bit of good news in her day. 

"She'll wake up soon, you may go visit her," he then walked away, leaving the siblings to scramble hastily towards the room.

BAM! The door opened and they were met with a confused and horrified Danielle, she seemed especially horrified at the sight of them.

"DANI!!" Haerin shouted, jumping and engulfing Danielle in a tight hug. To Haerin, it was like trying to contain air in a jar. You had to be very careful otherwise it might escape through even the tiniest of gaps. Danielle didn't reciprocate the hug however. She pulled away and looked up at Haerin with teary eyes.

"Why?" she asked quietly, making Haerin both confused and concerned.

"Why what?" Haerin said just as quiet.

"Why did you save me only to break my heart?!" Danielle raised her voice, placing her hand on her chest as she did so. Haerin was beyond confused and dumbfounded. 

"What do you mean break your heart Dani??" Haerin asked, her voice shaking with emotion.

"You'll leave me after I tell you what was said on that phone call. If I died then I wouldn't have to see you leaving me! Why did you save me?!" Danielle protested, she was now standing and it appeared she didn't realise it because she looked confused when Haerin took a step back.

"What was said on the call Dani?" Haerin asked seriously. 

"I told you, you'll leave me if I tell you," Danielle shot back stubbornly.

"You tell me everything without trouble Unnie, so why can't you tell me this? Is it about my parents' murder? Does your Mum know something?" Haerin calmly stated, trying to coax it out of Danielle. She thought maybe it would get the truth, but she didn't expect what happened next. The older girl only went silent at the theory, looking down and slumping back onto the bed, fiddling with the sleeves of her hospital gown. This was a silent yes to Haerin's question so she continued pushing.

"What does she know Dani?" Haerin asked, her voice dead serious. Not a single sparkle in her eyes could be seen like usual, and this scared Danielle but she tried to keep her composure.

"I'm not telling you," Danielle scoffed.

"It would help me bring their killers to justice, do you not want to help me Danielle? I thought you're my friend, that hurts," Haerin sighed, on purposely calling her friend by her full name. This seemed to catch Danielle's attention because she turned abruptly, looking panicked and guilty. Haerin knew she wasn't being very nice but this was the only way she was going to get to the bottom of this.

"They...killed your parents," Danielle whispered.

"What?" Haerin asked in disbelief.

"I said my parents killed your parents," Danielle said boldly this time, looking Haerin straight in the eye, tears filling her vision. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Hanni leaning against the closed door, with an unreadable expression on her face.