DOWNFALL -HIERARCHY

Chapter 22: The Truth

Narrator's POV:

Woojin and Nabi sat side by side on the bed inside Nabi's bedroom. The bedsprings creaking slightly under their weight. Nabi's head hung low, her shoulders slumped as if carrying a heavy burden. She was silent, her breathing slow and uneven.

Woojin, sensing Nabi's dejected mood, watched her intently. He could see the weight of her emotions in the hunch of her shoulders and the way she held her head down. He reached out and gently touched her hand, running his thumb across the back of her knuckles.

Nabi, feeling Woojin's touch on her hand, lifted her head slightly. Her expression was one of vulnerability, her eyes reddened from unshed tears and her cheeks still streaked with the remnants of those that had fallen earlier. She didn't pull her hand away but instead closed her fingers around his palm, seeking the comfort and reassurance in his touch.

They sat there in silence for a moment, the only sound in the room was their breathing in the still air. Woojin continued to gently stroke the back of her hand with his thumb, offering a small measure of comfort.
Nabi remained quiet, her grip on his hand still tight, as if holding on to him was the only thing tethering her to reality.

Nabi finally broke the silence, her voice quiet and laced with a hint of vulnerability. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her gaze fixed on his eyes. "I came to check on you," Woojin replied, his tone gentle yet firm. His eyes never leaving hers.

"Your parents invited me in. After all, our families are pretty close, and well... we used to be close too." His voice trailed off slightly, a hint of melancholy in his tone, as if recalling older times they've spent together.

Nabi just nodded in response, not quite knowing what else to say, her mind still grappling with her own thoughts and feelings. The silence between them returned. Woojin understood that she was lost in her thoughts. He continued to hold her hand, his thumb gently rubbing circles on her knuckles.

He didn't want to overwhelm her with questions or demands for answers, suspecting she was dealing with a lot internally. Instead, he remained quiet, providing a comforting presence beside her.

After a moment of silence, Woojin decided to break the ice by asking. "So... what were you doing earlier?" He looked at her with a concerned expression. Nabi, her mind still slightly foggy, took a moment to respond. She sighed heavily.

Instead of directly answering Woojin's question, she responded with a question of her own. "Did you know about it too?" she asked, her her voice a soft whisper.

Woojin, confused by Nabi's question, furrowed his brow slightly. He could feel her grip on his hand tighten as if she was bracing for something.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice tinged with genuine confusion. "Know about what?"

Nabi let out a deep sigh before answering, her voice shaky. "About me being the cause of my sister's accident," she confessed, and waited for his reaction, her heart skipping a beat as she anxiously awaited his response. "Did you know about it too?" she asked, her grip on his hand tightening even more.

Woojin caught off guard by the question, locked eyes with Nabi. His expression remained stoic, but his eyes betrayed a hint of surprise and realization. His mind raced with thoughts, and he felt conflicted deep within. In truth he knew about the whole situation, everything about Nabi and her family's circumstances. He didn't respond immediately, trying to process everything. After a moment, he squeezed her hand gently, silently conveying reassurance.

Nabi's worst fears were confirmed as Woojin nodded his head in confirmation. Despite suspecting that he knew about the entire situation, seeing him affirm it was still a painful blow.