Your Ribbon

9

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

"Please say something..."

Everything's too much for me. There's too much going on this day- I just want everything to be the same again. But then it turned out Minji isn't real, just a little girl's soul who I became friends with.

"I still don't understand," I whispered.

"The ribbon you tied on my hand, I think that's why I'm here now"

I looked up at the other girl. Every part of her looks real. Everything about her face, her body.

I feel something around me again. The colors reappear as if I've been living in darkness. When I look at her, I want to run away, go really far because she makes me feel my life has been nothing until now.

I hear fate whispering in my ear that it had to happen this way. But why does it hurt so much? Why me?

Because I tied a ribbon on her hand? Because I got a shell from her? I just don't get it...

"How did you die?" I asked as the pain fell from my eyes again.

Minji smiled as I saw the disappointment and suffering appear in her eyes.

What did they do to her?

"After I was released from the hospital and went home, my father made sure I didn't go back this time," she whispered.

As if my throat had been squeezed I felt sick. My heart raced and the pain in my chest spread through my whole body. I was physically hurting after that sentence left the other girl's mouth.

"How old were you?" I asked.

"9"

As soon as I heard the number, I put my head down and started sobbing again. How can anyone hurt a child?

"Hanni-"

"Why?" I asked. "Why did he do that?"

"I don't exactly know why... Probably because my mother got sick after I was born," she answered in a whisper. "This is the most logical reason"

"But it's not your fault," I raised my voice. "How can anyone beat a small child to death?! A little girl..?"

I shouldn't be angry because it's none of my business. But it's like I feel her emotions too. That huge anger, disappointment and sadness.

"I've already forgave my father and-"

"You shouldn't have"

"I know... I know, but he drank a lot and wasn't himself anymore. I'm sure if he hadn't been drinking he wouldn't have hit me. He acted on his emotions and that's probably why he blamed me... for everything."

"That's not an excuse for what he did..."

Minji remained silent this time.

"If this happened so long ago, where have you been all this time?"

"Here," she answered quickly. "I mean, not here, but in the city. Mostly in the cemetery and I was just, you know, I was just waiting... Just in case someone would come and visit me, but no one came"

I slowly raised my head and looked at her again.

"My grave grew older and the plants started to grew over it, while I sat in front of it in silence and waited. But then something, a feeling led me to the city. More precisely, to a house"

"Why here?"

"Because of you... Because believe it or not, we are connected. It could be because of the ribbon you tied on my hand or the little shell I gave you. Call it whatever, fate or accident. Something wants me to be here with you."