𝑯𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝑰𝒔 𝑶𝒖𝒓𝒔 ✓

Chapter 11

SHE made her way towards the front door, wincing at how loudly the doorbell was ringing. Her wedge heels clunk beneath her, but the sound was quickly drowned by the repetitive sound of rings. She huffed in annoyance and rolled her eyes, wondering who it might be at that time of the night.

It was ten o'clock, after all.

She quickly reached for the doorknob and twisted it open in one swift move, her eyes wandering to the small screen beside the door that had a view of whoever was standing outside.

She spotted the long, black and yellow hair, the slim figure and the bright smile. The person also had a large box attached to their hands.

She returned the smile and opened the door, revealing her other best friend, Wooyoung.

"Hey!" She greeted before taking the box from the younger boy and engulfing him in a tight hug. "Thank you so much for stopping by!"

"Of course, noona!" He responded cheerfully. "I would do anything for you!"

After holding him in her arms for a few moments, she gently shoved him away and rested her palm on his bicep, inviting him through the door.

"Come inside."

He muttered a small 'thanks' before entering and closing the front door behind him.

"So," Wooyoung began after being led to the couch, "how have you been holding up?"

She hurried towards the kitchen, to the storage room. "Before I answer that, what would you like to eat?"

"Um, anything?"

She huffed and reached for a bag of pretzels, zoo animal crackers and a giant bag of Lay's. She then reached for two packets of Oreos and hurried towards the living room once again.

"So I was holding up great, I had everyone whisper about me at work and all the looks and all," she bit her lower lip in dismay, "yup. Great."

He sighed and nodded. "I know it's hard, Mal... But they're going to find him soon, I just know it."

She handed him the bags of snacks and sat down with a soft whoosh on the couch beside him.

"Zoo animal crackers?!" He exclaimed in enthusiasm. "You are a saint. Thank you!"

After opening the bag and putting a cracker in his mouth, he let out a moan of satisfaction and turned to her once again.

"And what else?"

She shrugged, "one of my co-workers keeps talking shit about Hyunjin and sometimes I just want to punch him in the face."

He turned to her with his mouth full, suddenly alert.

"But you can't do that."

"I'm aware," she replied, "but ever since Hyunjin went missing, I've gotten less and less patient, and people are just not helping, you know?"

He hummed in reply, shoving another cracker into his mouth.

"And it just hurts to think about him when I know he's not in the same room as me. It hurts a lot."

She stopped to look at Wooyoung, who was opening the bag of Lay's. He directed the bag towards her and nodded, allowing her to shove her hand inside and take a chip.

"Thank you- and you know, when you're going through that and people keep testing you, you just need to find patience in you but I can't."

He nodded, crunching a chip under his teeth. "I know, but you also need to be patient for his return, Mal. Did the police tell you where he might be, by the way?"

She shook her head.

"Only that he was kidnapped and that they were trying to find a lead," she answered, rubbing her temple with her fingers. She looked up with a serious expression. "But they didn't find anything. It's like he just vanished."

The sentence had managed to bring her into tears.

"I just want to know where he is."

Wooyoung stopped chewing on his chips and nodded sadly, "me too, noona. All of us, actually. But something just tells me that clues are going to pop up and he'll come back home soon."

She closed her eyes at that and silently prayed.

She knew that this was all she wanted at that moment.

She hoped, with all her might, that Wooyoung was right.

And a part, deep inside her, told her that he was.

But at the same time, and no matter what she did, she couldn't shake the dark feeling inside the pit of her stomach away.

She was worried.

"Mal," he called, noticing how awfully silent the girl had turned. She turned at the sound, blinking to adjust her vision.

Then, she stretched her arms out to engulf the boy in a tight hug. He frowned and returned the hug almost immediately, letting go of the bag of chips in his grip.

"It will be alright, noona." He assured, closing his eyes to enjoy her presence. She did the same and sunk her fingers into his soft hair.

"I know, Wooyoung," she replied in a small, soft tone, "I hope so."

❆

After cleaning up the living room, she sighed and sat down on the couch once again, this time alone. She glanced at her phone, which was on the small coffee table in front of her. Her mouth went into a straight line as she reached for it, opening it to scroll through her contact list.

And after reaching her destination, she pressed the contact info she wanted, and waited for any sign of life. She wondered if her two mothers would be awake at that point, but immediately remembered the time difference between the two countries.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three rings.

"Hey, honey?" Her mother's kind yet strict voice echoed through the speaker, making her faintly smile.

"Hey, mum..."

"I saw the news," the woman began, rubbing her temple in distress, "I'm so damn sorry. I really wish we could do something, but I keep remembering that we're in a different country on the other side of the world."

"It's okay, mum." Mal answered, tears already filling her eyes, "Rajwan has been there for me. I know you're busy too, so don't worry about me."

The woman shook her head.

"I'm so sorry I'm not there, baby. I'll call you everyday from now on to check on you, okay? I'm here for you, if not physically, then emotionally."

The words made the girl let out a weak smile.

"I know, mum."

But if only her husband was there for her too.