There's always room for another

Chapter 14: 3.1 - the train

Notes:

Ready to find out who's blood it was???

(see the end of chapter for more notes)

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Act 3

3.1

"Yeah, I got it from here, don't worry." Ining nodded as she listened to further instructions on the phone, pleased when she finally got to hang up on her friend. Rolling the cricks out in her neck, Ining sighed, letting herself lean on a wall to get out of the way of a passing nurse. She managed a smile at the woman even though she felt exhausted to her very bones.

It had been a long day

(had felt like a long day ever since she'd seen Byulyi get carted off in that taxi all those months ago)

and it had seemed like the end was on the horizon earlier that week.
(Had it only been a week?)

Now, though?

Now Ining wondered how many loose ends she was going to get embroiled in.

Tapping her now quiet phone against her thigh, Ining couldn't help the sympathy that swelled up in her as she thought of the idol. She'd been through a lot the past few months, and Ining couldn't even begin to imagine what this latest incident would do to her.

(She thought of the resilience that had shone in those eyes as they'd sat opposite each other at the cafe, before.)

(She hopes that light hadn't died out yet.)

Realising she really couldn't stall any longer, Ining squared her shoulders and headed back to the waiting room. For a small town, the hospital itself was quite well-equipped, as the staff had assured her. They serviced the neighbouring towns as well, and as such, they could offer the highest level of care to the patient. Ining hoped so, for both her own mental wellbeing as well Byulyi's.

The idol was exactly where Ining had left her. Hunched over, staring listlessly at the floor. Ining had managed to coax her into washing the blood off her hands -

(Ahjumma's blood.)

(There had been so much of it.)

(Head wounds always bled the worst, in her experience.)

But Byulyi had steadfastly refused so much as a coffee to calm her nerves as they waited for further news on the older woman. Ining had decided it was best to leave her to her own thoughts as she called in with the police to see if everything else was settled. At least she had good news to share.

"Hey." Byulyi didn't respond, but Ining hadn't expected her to. "Minyoung's being transported to Seoul in the morning. They have her at the local police station for the night." Again, nothing. "She's asked for a lawyer, apparently. So it's not over yet, but it's a good start."

Byulyi's shoulders trembled as she exhaled shakily, her head lowering. "That's good." Ining winced when she heard how raspy and dry Byulyi's voice was.

"Sure I can't get you anything to drink, kiddo? They'll call us first thing when they're done with the surgery."

"No." Byulyi coughed to clear her throat. "I'm good."

You're stubborn , is what Ining wanted to say, but she held her tongue. From what little she'd seen, Ahjumma and the woman had been close, so this was probably the appropriate reaction from her. Instead, Ining lowered herself into the seat next to Byulyi, wiggling to find the most comfortable spot to take a nap. The plastic chairs in hospitals were the worst.

"You don't have to stay, you know?" Ining didn't open her eyes, not wanting to somehow unsettle the other woman. "I'm sure you have a proper bed waiting for you."