Till the End of Time [Bbangsaz & Daerin]

13 | Signs

| Arriving at Minjis House |

The return journey was also difficult, as the route itself unfortunately didn't get any shorter. Hanni took the wheel for a long time and didn't mind, but she wasn't the one who got everyone back in the end. About halfway along, Minji decided to take the lead again. Not because she didn't trust the smaller girl, but simply because it made her feel better and she wanted Hanni to be able to rest. Letting Hanni take the wheel was just a small moment of weakness... a weakness she was reluctant to admit and even more reluctant to let others see. For the rest of the journey, they were both silent and didn't say a word to each other. Hanni didn't fall asleep either. Her eyes kept wandering over to Minji, wondering what was going on in her head. It was hard to read her, she really wasn't an open book, like a certain person in the back seat. But the more she looked over, the more Hanni caught herself wondering why... was it perhaps because of her past self? But when she looked in the rear-view mirror again, she realized that she had never taken her eyes off Minji. That loving and at the same time sad expression in her eyes, it wasn't easy for Hanni not to feel sorry for her. The love of her life so close and yet so far away... how would she cope if their roles were reversed? Was it perhaps really her destiny to meet her?

When they reached their destination, the car slowly came to a stop. Minji switched off the engine, but did not get out immediately. Hanni looked over at her and watched her stare ahead for a whole minute. At some point, Minji's gaze fell into the rear-view mirror, she was watching Danielle sleeping in the back seat and at that moment her eyes and Hanni's past self met. The loving expression disappeared from Past Hanni and only sadness was left, Hanni felt how this sadness affected her and when she saw the tears on her face, she had to fight with her own. Minji then turned her gaze away and got out of the car, leaving both Hannis in the car and opening one of the rear doors. She lifted Danielle out of the car and carried her in her arms, careful not to wake the woman in the process. While Hanni finally got out of the car, she followed the other to the front door and watched her try to open it while she had her hands full with Danielle. Carefully, Hanni reached for the key after Minji tried to reach into her jacket pocket, earning a quick glance from her. At first, Minji wanted to take the key back, but Hanni was quicker and unlocked the door, opening it wide enough to give her enough room so that Danielle wouldn't bump into anything.

Without further ado, the two of them wandered through the house and up the stairs. Hanni helped them wordlessly and opened the door to Minji's bedroom, letting her go first. Minji stepped inside and gently laid Danielle down on her bed. She at least took off her jacket and hung it over the chair in the room and when she turned back to put the blanket over the younger girl, she realized that Hanni had already taken care of it. Their eyes met briefly, but it was Minji who turned hers away first this time: "...you should lie down too." The bed was big enough and even with another person it was much more comfortable than sleeping on her couch. Minji left the room, leaving Hanni alone with Danielle as she quietly closed the door behind her and disappeared. Hanni was still looking at the door, to be honest, she wasn't a bit tired at the moment and she also wondered if Minji had gone to sleep herself? She wasn't sure, but she didn't want to be intrusive either, so she decided to lie down to try and sleep as well.

It was easier said than actually done. How could she sleep in peace when she knew that her friend was in danger? She didn't know how Danielle could sleep so deeply next to her. Hanni rolled over several times, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep, but it just wasn't working. She opened her eyes again and suddenly looked into the face of Danielle, who was lying right in front of her. It was dark in the room, but she could make out faint features on it and Hanni realized sooner than expected that she was probably not slumbering as peacefully as she had first thought. Danielle wasn't tossing and turning, but the worry was evident in her facial expression, coupled with the watery, closed eyes that occasionally shed a tear. She couldn't watch for long, so she turned back to the other side and closed her eyes. This went on for quite a while, to no avail, because Hanni couldn't fall asleep at all. At some point, she decided to get up from the bed, because she couldn't force herself to. She was also starting to get thirsty, surely Minji wouldn't mind if she helped herself from her fridge?