Love in the Web | daerin

xvii

Haerin and Danielle left the hospital and were on their way home. Even though Hanni was fine, the recent event had left an even more palpable weight on both their hearts. They held hands tightly, a silent comfort in the face of uncertainty.

"Hanni's going to be okay, baby. I know it." Danielle said, trying to cheer up the mood. The whole car ride was silent, none of them daring to say a word.

Haerin nodded, though her eyes were distant, "Yeah. I hope so. It's just... hard."

Danielle squeezed Haerin's hand, "We're doing everything we can, babe. Hanni's strong, she'll pull through."

Haerin's mind was in a whirl of thoughts. Hanni wasn't getting any better; she was getting worse. Haerin started thinking of the worst possible outcomes and it left her feeling anxious.

They finally arrived at their apartment and Danielle parked her car in the parking lot. The winter afternoon was cold, a gentle breeze brushed past them as they walked to their house. The streets of New York bustled with life, contrasting to the sterile, quiet atmosphere of the hospital they had just left. The city's energy was both comforting and overwhelming.

Inside the apartment, Danielle tried to lighten the mood. "How about we make lunch together? Something simple. I think we could both use a little distraction."

Haerin managed a small smile, "Yeah that sounds good. What do you wanna eat?"

Danielle thought for a moment, "How about pasta? It's easy to make, I can help you through it if you don't know how to make it, so you don't add any eggshells like last time." Danielle joked.

Haerin's face flushed red. "Hey! That was one time, and it was an accident."

"I'm just kidding." Danielle giggled at the girl's reaction— finding her adorable and how flustered she easily gets.

"Alright, let's make pasta." Haerin smile widened slightly, "I'll run down to the grocery story and pick up some ingredients real quick. We're kinda running low on food and Soobin forgot to buy stuff."

Danielle nodded, "Okay, be quick and stay safe, alright?"

"I will." Haerin promised, giving her girlfriend a kiss before heading out the door.

As Haerin walked to the nearby grocery store, the familiar sound of the city filled her ears. She tried to clear her mind, focusing on the simple task ahead. The store was only a few blocks away, and she quickly gathered the necessary ingredients: pasta, tomatoes, basil, garlic. She was just about to check out when she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.

Inactively, she turned, scanning the store. At first, everything seemed normal. People were going about their business, unaware of the sudden tension in the air. But Haerin's senses were heightened, she knew something was wrong. She had goosebumps all over, and her ears rung loudly.

Leaving her basket, she slipped out of the store, her eyes darting around the long streets. She hadn't noticed anything out of the blue. Just as she was about to continue checking out her items, a deafening explosion erupted in the distance.

Haerin's instincts kick in instantly and she sprinted to the source of chaos. Smoke billowed into the sky a few blocks away, accompanied by the distant sounds of sirens and panicked screams. Haerin ducked into the nearest alleyway and pulled out her suit from her backpack. She slipped it on and crawled onto the rooftop of a building.

Haerin reached the rooftop and surveyed the scene below. Several cars were ablaze, their wreckage strewn across the street. In the center of the destruction was a figure, riding a hover-bike and throwing bombs at random areas. She knew that figure all too well— it was Mirage, the person she hated the most.