Summer season of August [Daerin]

Chapter 6

August 16, 2013

I slightly opens the window despite of the covering curtains to hear more. Now, I can loudly hear Danielle's blabber from her room.

"Everyone has their own skies. I was taught that it's either you were born with a natural color of your sky or someone painted it." Danielle stated. By her voice, I know that she's in front of her window but I don't wanna show up because it would be embarrassing. Is she preparing for something? Or just talking to herself?

"People who grew up in abusive household may have dark skies but in the name of fate and destiny, that dark sky would somehow change if it'll be painted by the right person. Some people have their skies painted with bright colors too but again, we don't know if fate will change it into darker one "I heard her gasped and in quick second, "HOLY COW..." an emphasized word yet not too loud coming from her.

"Why are you so loud up here, Dani? Are you preparing for a declamation or what?" it's Jiwon unnie.

"At least knock on the door, you're making me have a sudden heart attack unnie."

"Why won't you at least lower your voice? I heard that Haerin's home so she might hear you in her room since there's just a small gap between our houses." Jiwon stated, "She may be sleeping by now and you're being too loud. Do you think she'd love to hear a voice like that huh?"

"Fine fine...shut your mouth. Do you think she'd love to hear a voice like that huh?" Danielle sarcastically said that made me secretly smile.

Painted sky she say?

Different colors of the skies. There's a sky in every people's head then. Above, there is, invisible, but different. I wonder what's above mine.

"Haerin-ah!"

I'm astounded because of what I heard. Did Danielle call me?

"I know you're there. I saw your hand sneaking to open the window." she stated which left my ears burning hot.

So she...she saw it?

When I finally swallowed the lump on my throat, I cautiously puts the curtain on the side, I don't know what to say now that I'm seeing her face. She's brightly smiling at me with her arms resting on the guardrail of her window.

"Hii! Can you still remember the last dinner we had? I talked a lot back then, right?" she stated but I couldn't utter a word. Feels like my mouth had been stapled.

"My memory's too good! I can still remember every inch of interactions we had but you haven't utter a word aside from the first play we had when we were young." she said, sounding so talkative. "Have you been watching me from the window of your room?" Danielle let out a silly smile that brought me biting my lower lip to prevent myself from showing how embarrassed I am, "I'm just kidding! Haneul kinda told me that you're always sitting next to the window."

"How was it to be homeschooled and to travel the world at a young age?" Danielle asked.

I gripped on the curtain not knowing what to say.

No...I know what to say but I don't know how to open my mouth.

"It's probably great, right? I know I'm right. You're so amazing, Haerin-ah."

"Isn't that a sketchbook near your bed? Can you show me some of your works?" she asked. It took me a second before finally nodding and getting up from where I'm seated to get my sketchbook.

I feel so great because eventhough I don't respond to her with words, she still talks to me with the excitement that I couldn't give back.

I went back to my seat with the sketchbook on my hand. I could feel the lump of my pencil in between the pages of the sketchbook. There's a peeping page too, it's prolly a drawing that I ripped from the pages.

"Open your window widely so I can see it clearly." Danielle said before I could even open my sketchbook. I shyly nods again and does what she said.

I opened the page of the sketchbook where the peeping paper is place and before I could even grab it, a strong wind blew it away. The sight of a girl peeked through my sight as I watch the falling paper.

Oh no...

It's a drawing of Danielle that I ripped apart to keep in my secret notebook so Haneul won't see it.

"A scratch?" Danielle asks, prolly didn't see the drawing. I slowly nodded while still looking down and my heart beats fast when Haneul showed up in the front door.

She took a step the moment it fell on the ground.

She looked up to me and found Danielle at the same time that's why I quickly pulled the curtain to cover the window.

"Hey Haerin-ah! What's wrong? Are you scared of Haneul-ah?"

I hugged my sketchbook. I hope she won't recognize the girl on that paper...

And if so...nothing's wrong, right?

is Danielle disappointed?

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