The Price Of Redemption

17.

Soobin lay sprawled on the cozy couch of their living room, comfortably dressed in his pajamas, enjoying the lazy Sunday. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling, his mind wandering. Across the room, his father, Taehyung, was meticulously dressed as always, even on a weekend. Business didn't stop for him, not even on Sundays.

"You did invite her to the engagement, right?" Soobin asked, his voice casual, but there was a flicker of curiosity in his tone.

"I did," Taehyung replied, his focus sharp as he adjusted the cufflinks on his suit. Soobin's gaze didn't move, still fixed on some invisible point on the ceiling.

"Gosh, she was so pretty. What would it be like to pull someone like that?" Soobin mused aloud, his voice tinged with admiration.

Taehyung paused for a second and let out a controlled sigh. "Don't lose focus, Soobin. Dani is getting engaged to you," he said, his tone firm, trying to ground his son in reality.

Soobin shifted, a grin forming on his face. "It's just an act, Dad. Once this is over, maybe I'll ask her out for real," he said, the spark in his eyes betraying his youthful excitement.

Taehyung didn't indulge his son's fantasies. Instead, he straightened his jacket. "Go pick up Dani. I've called the tailor to take her measurements," he said, already shifting his attention to the next task.

Soobin's playful mood didn't waver. "Dad, seriously? You should ask Haerin to handle that. Isn't that why we're involving Dani in this whole mess in the first place?" He chuckled as he stood up, slipping into his slippers, and made his way upstairs to find his sister.

In Haerin's room, she lay sprawled on her bed, deep in conversation over the phone, her voice monotone and uninterested.

"So, you're telling me there was some helper present at the scene?" Minji's shocked voice crackled through the speaker.

"Yeah," Haerin replied lazily, shifting her position on the bed. "Though I've no idea where she disappeared to. Never saw her after that night."

Minji hummed, trying to piece the puzzle together. "So how do we find this person?"

Haerin let out a heavy sigh. "I've got a plan. If it works, we might get something useful."

There was a pause on Minji's end before her tone shifted, hesitant. "Can I ask you something, Haerin?"

"Yeah?" Haerin's voice remained uninterested.

"You never go out or hang around with people. So... where were you that night?"

Haerin felt her throat tighten, her heart skipping a beat. "I was... at a friend's house," she muttered, her voice faltering.

"A friend? But you always said you didn't have any."

Before Haerin could respond, a knock at the door interrupted the tense moment. She ended the call and got up, opening the door to find Soobin grinning mischievously.

"My dear sister, took you long enough to open the door," he teased, leaning casually against the frame.

Haerin rolled her eyes, her patience already thin. "What do you want, Soobin?"

Soobin chuckled. "Me and Dad are busy, and Dani has an appointment with the tailor for her measurements. So, you have to go."

Haerin frowned. "Why do I have to do it?"

He smirked devilishly, wrapping an arm around her, which she quickly shrugged off. "Because we're busy, Kitty Kang. Besides, maybe Dani's bright energy will rub off on you." He tossed the car keys to her and sauntered away, laughing.

Dani sat in the lounge, nervously adjusting her makeup, her reflection staring back at her from her phone screen. She wanted to make sure everything was perfect. The bell rang, pulling her out of her thoughts. She rushed to the door only to find Haerin standing there instead of Soobin.

Haerin stood silently, her cat-like eyes scanning the inside of the house with a blank expression. "You came?" Dani asked, trying to hide her surprise.

"Yeah. Soobin and Dad were busy," Haerin replied, awkwardly scratching the back of her neck.

"Busy? On a Sunday?" Dani raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.

Before Haerin could respond, Dani's mother, Rose, appeared, her face lighting up when she saw Haerin. "Haerinnie!" she exclaimed, rushing over to embrace her. Despite smelling faintly of dish soap, Haerin smiled warmly and returned the hug, genuinely touched.

"Nice to see you again, Aunt Rose," Haerin said softly.

Rose beamed, hugging her tightly once more. "Oh, it's always a joy to see you, dear. Why don't you come inside for a bit?"

Dani quickly intervened, her face flushing with embarrassment. "Mom, we need to go!" She pulled Haerin by the hand, and with a quick bow, they left.

As they reached the car, Dani let go of Haerin's hand and headed for the back seat. Haerin stopped, shooting her a side-eye. "Do I look like your driver?" she asked, pointing at herself with a hint of annoyance.

Dani blinked, suddenly realizing her mistake. "Sorry... I didn't mean it like that." She quickly climbed into the front passenger seat, mumbling apologies.

The car ride was quiet but not uncomfortable. There was a strange sense of calm between them, as if the invisible tension had somehow dissipated. Dani kept sneaking glances at Haerin, who was focused on the road, her expression unreadable.

The silence broke when Haerin's phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, she placed an earphone in and answered. "Yes, Hanni?"

A bubbly voice echoed from the other end. "Haerin! I was missing you!"

Haerin stiffened slightly, uneasy talking in front of Dani. "I'm busy right now. We'll talk later."

But Hanni's voice turned more serious. "Where are you?"

Haerin glanced at Dani, who was staring out of the window, pretending not to listen. "I'm... meeting some old friends."

"But your bike is still at home," Hanni remarked suspiciously.

Haerin felt a chill crawl down her spine. She quickly pulled the car to the side of the road. "How do you know that?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.......