In The Dark (SNOWDROP)

"don't shoot me"

❄︎ — chapter 23 — ❄︎

The car ride through the city illuminated by the moon and fluorescent street lights was uncomfortably silent and tense. Jang Hanna was at the wheel as usual, but she was so out of it that she wouldn't be surprised if she got pulled over by a cop for distracted driving.

"Did you talk with Eomma?" Hanna asked as as she pulled out of the driveway. Lee Kangmu was acting strange. She still didn't know how much he'd heard of her conversation with her father, and the uncertainty was eating at her nerves. He'd heard something, and he wasn't reacting well. Hanna was used to being able to read his emotions, especially when he was alone with her. His coldness scared her a little.

"Yes," Kangmu said plainly. Hanna waited for him to elaborate, but he stayed quiet.

As she drove, Hanna's mind was slowly going crazy with worst-case scenarios with exactly how much Kangmu had overheard. Maybe he'd interpreted something wrong. Maybe he thought that Hanna was being won over by her father's justification for his actions.

She drove through the city she knew like the back of her hand, automatically finding the way back to her apartment. Kangmu got out of the car, and she hurried after him towards the door. It wasn't that late at night. She had plenty of time to talk to him.

Kangmu didn't seem in the mood to talk, though. He immediately went into his room, hanging his coat in the closet. Hanna left her small bag on the couch and waited in the open doorway of the guest room as he took an abnormally long time hanging his coat.

Finally, he couldn't ignore her any more.

"What do you want?" He asked, sliding the closet door shut.

The sharpness in his voice startled her.

"I want to know what's wrong," she said calmly, not wanting to escalate the situation. Normally, Kangmu was the cool and collected one between them, but it now seemed like the roles had switched. He seemed agitated, like a cornered wild animal.

"What's wrong?" Kangmu echoed. "You don't know?"

"That's why I'm asking," Hanna said dryly. When he didn't respond, she sighed and walked inside the room, taking his hand.

"Come on."

"Where?" Kangmu asked.

"You said we could finish looking through my photo album," Hanna said. "It's not too late, anyway. You're not tired, are you?"

"Actually, I am a bit tired," Kangmu said, pulling his hand away. "We can look at the photo album another time."

"All right," Hanna agreed, trying not to let her voice betray the confusion and hurt she felt. "Do you want to sleep in my room?"

"Didn't you say we shouldn't make sharing a bed a habit?" Kangmu asked. "I'll sleep here. Alone."

"Okay..." Hanna moved towards the door like she was about to leave. He sat on the bed, waiting for her to go. She stopped just as she was about to step out.

"Are you sure you want me to leave you alone?"

The truth fell from Kangmu's mouth before he could stop it.