The Price Of Redemption

4.

2018:

The room was still, the only sound being the steady rhythm of Dani's breathing as she slept, lost in a dream. Suddenly, her phone buzzed angrily against the nightstand, breaking the silence and causing her to groan in frustration. She reached blindly for it, her hand fumbling in the dark until she managed to grab it. Without checking who it was, she answered, her voice heavy with sleep.

"Hello?" she murmured, rubbing her tired eyes.

"Open your window."

Dani jolted upright at the familiar voice. "Haerin?" she asked, her heart skipping a beat as she scrambled out of bed and rushed to the window. She unlocked it and pulled it open, only to gasp in shock, clutching her chest.

There, balancing on a ladder with a huge grin, was Kang Haerin, her cat-like eyes sparkling with mischief in the moonlight. "Kang Haerin! You scared the life out of me!" Dani scolded, still catching her breath.

Haerin chuckled softly, her crooked teeth flashing in the dim light. "What are you even doing here? It's the middle of the night!" Dani asked, still bewildered as she leaned out the window to take a closer look at her best friend.

"I was on a late-night walk and thought I'd drop by," Haerin answered nonchalantly, though her grin gave away the playful mischief behind her words.

Dani raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. "You live on the other side of the city, Haerin. Do you really expect me to believe that?"

Haerin tilted her head, her grin widening. "Okay, fine. I wasn't able to sleep, so I figured you could help me out with that." Her eyes twinkled mischievously as she flashed her infamous crooked smile.

Dani rolled her eyes, letting out a small laugh. "If my neighbors see this, they'll think we're acting out Romeo and Juliet in the middle of the night."

"Not a bad idea!" Haerin said, clapping her hands with excitement. "Maybe a little playacting will help me fall asleep."

Dani smirked, leaning a little closer to Haerin. "Well, in that case, I wouldn't mind playing a little." Her voice took on a teasing tone, her eyes dancing with amusement.

Haerin's gaze darkened with playful intensity. "You know what happens after this scene, right?"

Dani's breath hitched. She knew exactly what happened after this scene. Her heart began to race as she nodded, feeling her cheeks heat up under Haerin's smirking gaze. Her eyes flickered down to Haerin's lips, drawn in despite herself.

Seeing Dani's flustered expression, Haerin's smirk deepened. Slowly, Dani leaned in, closing her eyes, anticipating the moment their lips would meet. But just as she was about to, she felt a gentle pressure on her lips—not from Haerin's mouth, but her hand. Dani's eyes flew open in shock, only to see Haerin's eyes shut in mock sincerity, acting as if they were truly sharing a kiss.

Dani pulled back, utterly stunned. Haerin burst into laughter, her hand falling away as she winked at Dani. "You should've seen your face!" she teased, climbing back down the ladder swiftly.

"Where are you going?" Dani whispered loudly, trying to mask her embarrassment.

"To get that good night's sleep you helped me with," Haerin called out, running off into the night and waving over her shoulder. Dani stood there for a moment, still flustered and bewildered, watching her best friend disappear.

2024: