Not Available | Daerin

Chapter Six

It's the sound of a phone ringing that wakes Haerin up.

The second she's stirred to consciousness by the shrill, obnoxious ringing, her head pounds painfully, and she groans and slaps a hand around, trying to find her phone to shut it off-

"Hello?"

The ringing stops.

Someone answered.

It's not her phone ringing.

"Yeah, you did wake me...don't be silly, it's fine. Listen, I can't come in today, Winter, I'm sorry...no, a friend of mine isn't well, so I'm taking care of her. I messaged Yoo-jung last night. She's happy to help out in my place, so message her if you need help with anything, okay?...thank you, I'll see you tomorrow. bye."

She feels someone shift beside her before a breathy sigh echoes in her ear, and Haerin clutches the blankets and pulls them closer, the smell of Celine perfume hitting her nostrils and making her head pound-

"Haerinnie did I wake you?"

Dani's voice is soft in her ear, but Haerin finds herself licking her dry lips, the back of her throat burning with lack of hydration and the taste of tequila as she clears her throat and nods once.

"Yeah..." she manages to croak out. Dani sighs and rubs her hand up and down Haerin's arm, and a shiver runs up her spine for reasons she can't even explain.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to put it on silent. Go back to sleep, you need to rest."

The memories of last night slowly start to piece together in the now sober mind of Kang Haerin, and she finds tears immediately brimming her eyes as she remembers how she had a complete and utter mental breakdown in front of the woman lying right beside her.

She was hysterical, God, crying and spluttering like an idiot about her dead parents like a hundred other people in Seoul didn't have the same problem, like she was useless to grief and all it's suffering...

How could she just let go like that?

I'm never drinking again.

She feels horrible. Her head is aching and her wrist is throbbing painfully, and she runs her tongue over the cut on her lip anxiously before she purses her lips. She told Danielle everything...she told her about her parents, about what she did, oh god...

And yet...Dani was still here. Dani was still laying beside her, still running a hand up and down her arm comfortingly like last night hadn't scared her off one bit.

Why hadn't it? Haerin was just some girl she slept with who had spent the night crying in her arms, how was Danielle not freaking out right now?

"Dani..."

"Shh, it's okay, Haerin. Get some rest." she murmurs, her voice still thick with sleep as she sighs tiredly. Haerin frowns and finds herself finally turning to look Dani in the eyes.

She's got her elbow propped up with her head resting on her hand, a lazy smile on her face as she gazes down at Haerin with nothing but care shining in her eyes.

Haerin finds herself swallowing thickly as she wipes away her stray tears and shakes her head.

"I don't want to rest. I want to apologize for last night-." she starts, but Danielle suddenly raises a finger and presses it to Haerin's lips to silence her.

"Shh. I won't listen to your apology, Haerin. It's utterly unnecessary. You did nothing wrong. How are you feeling?" Dani asks softly, concern taking over her breathtaking features as she chews down on a bare bottom lip anxiously. Haerin simply takes a moment to stare at her before she sinks back into the couch tiredly.