Reluctant Hero ✔️

Twenty

Beep...

Beep...

Beep...

"Hyein, I'm going to go check on Haerin and Dani."

The younger girl just nodded, continuously staring at her older sister who was unconscious on the bed, her heart rate normal although it didn't help the two girls' worry with the plethora of bruises and cuts alongside the thick bandage around her head.

Hanni watched with a frown at Hyein aimlessly picked at a cut that was scabbing on her hand, heading outside the hospital room in silence.

She squinted from the bright light of the hallway, returning back to dim lighting as she quietly entered the room next door.

"Danielle?"

The girl that sat on a stool next to the bed had a far-off tone as she continued to stare at the patient.

"Hm?"

Hanni walked over, resting a hand on her shoulder as she struggled to not look over at her best friend.

Bandages all over, an oxygen mask keeping her breathing, her heart beat frighteningly slow...

"You should go home, it's getting late."

Danielle looked up to meet the older girl's eyes, "but-"

"And take Hyein with you, she won't budge from Minji's side but I can tell she's trying not to fall asleep. I'll take care of Haerin for you okay? And Minji too, I'll go back and forth between them."

"What about your parents?"

Hanni lightly chuckled, scratching her head as she tried to joke around to lighten the mood.

"Thank God they're still in Vietnam right now or they'd have stormed the hospital after hearing what ha-"

"HAERIN."

The two girls jumped as a man and woman barged in, the two seniors quickly pulling away from the bed to let them through.

"Oh my Lord Haerin-ah..."

The woman held Haerin's hand as the man muttered her name softly under his breath.

Danielle's eyes widened, 'Haerin's parents...'

And suddenly a heavy feeling of dread rested upon her shoulders.

'It's my fault she's in the hospital.'

Haerin's parents glanced over to see Hanni and Danielle awkwardly standing there, staring at them.

The mother immediately was in front of Hanni, "oh Hanni-yah..."

She gave the girl a hug, "thank the Lord you are alright... You aren't hurt are you?"

The two shared a quick embrace before pulling away, the Vietnamese girl smiling.

"No I'm fine Imo, really. Thank you though."

"Did you know about all of this? I saw on the news that Haerin was fighting that monster with some sort of sword and shield and dear God we were so worried."

Hanni looked away at that, "sorry Samchun we did... But Haerin didn't want to tell you guys."

As they kept talking, Danielle took a step back, feeling out of place.

Hanni was practically Haerin's family, as seen from her calling Haerin's parents "aunt" and "uncle."

The older woman glanced over to meet Danielle's eyes as she looked up again, the girl's eyes widening from their eye contact before she dropped her gaze quickly down to her shoes.