Love in the Web | daerin

xxi

The cemetery was eerily quiet under the somber gray sky, a thin layer of frost coating the ground like a blanket. Haerin walked slowly, her steps feeling heavy, as she made her way towards the gravestone. The air was crisp, stinging her cheeks and numbing her fingertips as she held a small bouquet of carnations.

She reached the large grave, staring at it intently. Haerin's breath formed misty clouds in the freezing air as she knelt down in front of the grave, gently brushing away fallen leaves and snow to reveal a smooth marble headstone. The cold seeped through her coat and chilled her bones as she sat there.

The memories of happier times were hazy, like distant echoes of a time long past, but the ache in her heart was as sharp as ever. Haerin had faced countless battles, both as Spidergirl and as herself, but nothing compared to the pain of loss.

"Hi. It's me, Haerin." she whispered, her voice barely audible above the rustling of the bare branches and chirping of the birds.

Haerin traced the letters engraved in the slab of stone with her finger, 'Soyeon Kang & Hyunwoo Kang'. The engraving was simple yet profound, bearing the weight of her parent's names and the years they had lived, too short and abruptly ended by tragedy.

"Mom, Dad." Haerin said, her voice trembling. "It's been twelve years, and yet it feels like yesterday."

Old memories flooded her mind— her mother's warm smile, her father's strong embrace, and the sound of their laughter that echoed through their now abandoned home. Tears welled up in Haerin's eyes, blurring the text that was engraved into the stone. She reached out to the cold surface, longing for the warmth of their presence.

Haerin stayed there for a while, lost in her thoughts and the bittersweet ache of longing. The world around her seemed to fade into a haze as she grieved for the years stolen from them, the memories they would never share again.

"Soobin and Harua miss you guys a lot. They couldn't come to California though. They're busy with stuff in New York, I hope you guys could understand." Haerin murmured, her breath caught in her throat. "I miss you guys too. Every single day."

Haerin took the bouquet of carnations—her mother's favorite flowers—out of her hands and placed it in the middle of the grave as a small gesture of love and remembrance. She moved it around until it sat perfectly.

"Can't you believe it? I'm a senior now. I have only a few months left before I'm heading off to college." A small smile tugged at Haerin's lips. "I wish you guys were here with me to celebrate."

"I wish I could remember more about you both. Uncle Ben and Aunt May tell me stories so I don't forget you guys. Uncle Ben and Aunt May have been amazing. They've taken care of us, loved us like their own. But there's always been this hole in my heart where you guys should be. I think about you both everyday, wondering what life would have been like if you guys were still here."

The tears fell freely now, mingling with the frost on her cheeks as Haerin allowed herself to grieve openly. The pain of loss was a heavy burden, a weight she carried with her every day, no matter how she tried to bury it beneath her responsibilities and duties.

"So much has happened in just a year." Haerin said, wiping away her tears with her hand. "It's too much for me to handle. I wish I could talk to you guys. I need your advice so much."

"I wish I could have said goodbye," Haerin confessed, her words choked with emotion. "I wish I could have told you guys how much you mean to me."

The cemetery was silent, the only sounds caused by the occasional movement of leaves through the cold wind and the birds. Haerin bowed her head, her heart feeling unbearably heavy. She wishes she could go back in time and prevent the death of her parents.