Promise Me | Daerin

Chapter One

"Are you scared, Minji?"

Kang Haerin licks her lips excitedly, the late February chill clinging to winter's weather as she shrugs the jacket closer to her body for warmth. Kim Minji swallows nervously and gazes down at the water that's waiting for them at the bottom.

"It's what I have to do, right?" she breathes, eyes blown with adrenaline as she steps closer to the edge of the long cliff they're standing on the edge of.

The rapids from Han River look intimidating from up this high, but Haerin pulled it off years ago, and she knows Minji will be just fine.

She's not scared.

Her pale face indicates differently for Minji.

"Yeah...if you want to hang out with us, anyway. The time for melding with the crowd is over, Kim, no more mopping with your earphones blasting that depressing music. Time to live a little!" Haerin grips her shoulder, squeezing it before she swipes the hat she's wearing on her head off with a grin and a chuckle. Minji's returning smile is weak, wavering in her fear as she looks down at the crowd of people waiting for her just to the left of the cliffside they're standing on, twenty five feet below them with their cheers echoing out in the night sky.

"Don't be a pussy, Kim!" Haerin hears Kyujin yell, her loud cackling echoing out seconds afterwards before Rei Naoi yells out as well.

"Jump already! My legs are giving out and my hair is turning gray waiting for you!" Rei shouts loudly, and Haerin represses a laugh and pushes Minji forward just a little, watches as her feet scuffling against the ground causes a few loose rocks to fall over the edge and make that long descent down into the water.

She'll be joining them in a few moments.

"You ready?" Haerin whispers, taking that step forward with her, calming her down into this false sense of security that she's jumping with Minji even though she has absolutely no plans to.

The first time was terrifying enough, she's not that stupid to do it again.

Minji lets out a small whimper before she closes her eyes, takes a deep breath in and nods.

"On the count of three?" Minji croaks out, voice trembling, and just for a second, Haerin feels some semblance of guilt, considers calling the whole thing off, but as always, she pushes it aside and gives Minji a charming smile and a nod.

Kang Haerin isn't a coward. She doesn't back out.

"On the count of three, dude. Let's do it. one..."

Minji lets out a shaky breath, her whole body trembling violently as Haerin watches her carefully.

"two..." her knees bend, ready to propel her forward-

"THREE!"

Minji jumps.

Haerin stays behind.

She watches Minji's body fall, her arms flailing wildly as Haerin bursts into laughter watching her, her scream echoing out in the night sky before she hits the water and it splashes around her from the impact.

She claps, cheering loudly as Kyujin and Rei cheer as well, in disbelief that Kim Minji who stuck to herself like a fly on the wall at Seoul High School had actually done the jump that brought her into the inner circle of their friend group.

She grins down at her two best friends, giving them the thumbs up as Young-jae prepares the jacket they'll be putting on Minji's body once she resurfaces.

A minute passes by.

Then two.

Minji's body doesn't come up from the water, the ripples fading from the impact and becoming still once more as Haerin's smile slowly fades and panic quickly takes over.