Words Unspoken

Anger

Danielle was in the middle of setting up her canvas inside her art room when she heard a knock.

Probably one of their housemaids. She sighed when the door was begrudgingly hit again. Danielle tidies up her nightgown and securely wrap a robe to cover her body before walking to the door.

It was a rare occurrence for their servants to call up to her, especially since it was almost midnight. She can't just sleep so she decided to practice painting for a little while.

Upon opening the door, the heiress of the Marsh household narrowed her eyes. "For what reason did you have for knocking at my room at this time of the night, Lumi?"

Lumi is one of her personal handmaidens. The woman was now in her twenties. With solemnity and poised composure, there was no doubt that she was no ordinary servant. Their clan, the Duncels, was an old noble clan that was hugely indebted to their ancestry.

According to what she heard from her mother, every firstborn Duncel woman in their generation is bound to serve the different households of the Marsh clan. And that is how she got Lumiel as her handmaiden when she turned eight years old.

Lumiel looked at her with serious eyes and Danielle noticed the book that she was holding. The handmaiden held out the book to her, "I believe Lady Rin wishes to give this book to you."

It's from Haerin. She became known as Rin among the members of their household as it was Danielle's mother's monicker for her.

Danielle felt a sudden gush of excitement. It's been a while since Haerin gifted her a book. She's been waiting for Haerin to buy her a new one ever since.

"Pardon me for my tone, Lumi. Thank you." She accepted the book and immediately went into her room. The unpainted canvas remained still in her art room, completely forgotten by the young girl.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Danielle is quite familiar with the book. It was what Haerin's been reading last time, along with another book that is about the extraterrestrial world.

She opened the book and as expected, it was fully annotated. Haerin developed a habit of recommending her a book whenever she finished one. Once Danielle finished reading the book that Haerin gives to her, the both of them would talk about it. She would tell to Haerin what her favorite scenes are and Haerin would also give hers to Danielle. It was one of those times when Danielle could witness the president's eyes gleam with so much interest and hear her words that were laced with enthusiasm.

Danielle feasted her eyes on the annotations and short exegesis on the pages and admired the immaculate handwriting of the woman she adored the most. She feels her heart beat irregularly again.

Haerin was the only one who have the authority to lord over her erratic system. And she always had that power since they were kids.

If Danielle would be honest, she didn't know when it started. She can't explain how the feelings of veneration interspersed with intimidation bloomed into an attraction she never thought she would ever need and wanted.

And she couldn't also fathom how the look of reverence for the other turned into a gaze of the sanest kind of madness. It is as if Danielle June Marsh is walking on invisible threads, trying to find the end of everything in between, wishing that Kang Haerin was there, waiting for her just like she waited for the girl all this time.

Danielle is in love.

When Danielle flipped in the middle of the book, she came across a note.

"Forgive me for not being able to fulfill my promise last time, June. When I clear my schedule, I'll make it up to you."