Sentience

49

Grabbing the side rail at the ledge of the rooftop, Changmin stared far, viewing the laid-open scenery, letting the breeze hit his skin and mess with his hair. Downstairs, on the specific floor, there was a heated discussion took place, and he was told not to interfere.

But he stayed because he wanted to know the update, although the outline was already known.

That, Sunwoo was giving his statement about the case to the police, and his eldest sister was summoned by him to the hospital to be Belle's representative.

Sunwoo was aware of Mother's condition. Even while Belle and Brianna were still living with her, he often heard from his parents and also other neighbours that the girl's mother was depressed as the post-divorced. There was also a rumour that Brianna knew about it and that had been the reason why she protected Belle at all costs.

Perhaps, that was why Mother could only remember Brianna. Because in her memory, her interaction with Belle was too limited.

When the girls left the house, the aggressiveness became more prominent. Mother stayed at the playground every day, allegedly waiting for her daughter to come back, but at night, when she returned home, she would yell and cry, expressing her frustration for not being able to find her daughter.

Daughter; because she forgot that she used to have two.

Sunwoo said that was what he told Belle at the playground. He was worried about any consequences if Belle chose to live there again. But, the girl told him that she would be fine, she wouldn't leave her mother alone again.

"No matter what is her condition, she's still my mother," she told Sunwoo.

It was strange that the night Belle spent in her mother's house, the woman acted right. No yell, no cry and no chaos. Sunwoo was sure that it was peaceful because he had been alerted behind his wall. But, still, he regretted that he still let Belle sleep in that house.

His offer to take Belle for a morning run was supposed to be started at 7 a.m. However, when the girl told him that she was unable to join because Changmin would come early, Sunwoo decided to leave at 6 a.m.

He wasn't supposed to change his mind, didn't he? If only he stayed true to his plan, he might have listened to Belle's desperate knocking against their shared wall, asking for help. He might have come early to save her without her developing any injuries and that they could've thought of something to handle the situation.

"I feel like I'm 10 years older than my actual age," the remark echoed along with a heavy sigh, a demeanour parked next to Changmin by the railing. Sunwoo glanced over at him, poking his tongue through his cheek before he said, "Please don't make any ambush like that to me again. I have a poor heart. The officers were questioning me nonstop like I was a criminal! I swear I can't even think well right now."

Changmin chuckled before he shrugged. "Thank you anyway, because you agreed to this plan."

At that, Sunwoo seemed to be smirking. As he turned his body around to lean against the railing, his eyes never left Changmin. The stare seemed to be playful but Changmin couldn't get any hint from it.

What is he trying to imply? He thought.

"You know... I talked to Arabelle earlier," Sunwoo informed which made Changmin flinch, face fell. "Ah... that is the reaction I want to see."

"You met her? She... wanted to see you?" Changmin was in disbelief. Why did she refuse to see me but not Sunwoo? He wondered. And when Sunwoo nodded with a hum, he unknowingly questioned, "H-How?"

Sunwoo shrugged.

"That's not the point," The boy then turned his body again, facing the view. "I asked her why she didn't run out of the house when her mother was uncontrollable. What made her think to settle everything out alone?"

"And?"

Sunwoo bit his lower lip, recalling the girl's answer to his curiosity. He was amazed, but at the same time, there was a surprise that he was unable to condone just yet about Brianna's passing. He just found out today that the older was no longer in the world.

"She said, if she ran out, everyone in the building would find out that her mother was trying to kill her. She didn't want that to happen because Arabelle wanted to take care of her mother, helping her get better," Sunwoo sighed. "Arabelle wants to be like Anne; she wants to be a responsible person like her sister."

Right there, Sunwoo was expecting to see Changmin sigh as well. Or maybe complaining about how insane it was, just like his mindset. But, his wish didn't come true when the other boy chuckled, drawing deep his dimple next.

"That sounds truly like Arabelle," Changmin remarked. "She idolized Brianna the most."

"You..." Sunwoo spoke up, staring straight at Changmin's face, one brow raised. "Surely know her a lot."

"We have no secrets together."

"Oh..." Sunwoo sounded intrigued. "Then, what are you two?"

"Friends. Best friends."

It amazed Sunwoo once again. Not at the confidence Changmin ejected in his stance but at the dumb answer he gave.

He had come this far just to find a little thing that could be used to prove her innocence. He even came knocking on a stranger's door, trying his best to convince the person to come forward to the police. After all that, he just said that they were best friends.

"Insane..." Sunwoo muttered but audible for the other boy to hear.

"Why?" Changmin obliviously questioned, his eyes blinking profusely.

"Nothing," Sunwoo then tilted his head. "Arabelle is too pretty to be wasted..."

Neither did Changmin know why the latter suddenly said that. How could the idea spark inside his head? And the look on his face right now was confusing, like he really was thinking about something.

Something about Belle.

"You..." Changmin started, fiddling with his fingers. For some kind of reason, he was hesitant to continue; he was scared of anything he might hear. "What was your past with Belle?"

Instantly, Changmin regretted it. He regretted he asked that. If Sunwoo said that he and Belle did have feelings, Changmin would need to put a barrier in their friendship. And how should he do that? Even 3 days without her already felt dreadful, he couldn't imagine his days sending her to see her boyfriend.

But, maybe he could talk it out to Sunwoo. That Brianna trusted Belle to him, asking him to take care of her. And that Sunwoo needed to understand their close bond.

"We were merely classmates."

Huh? Changmin flinched at the sudden remark while creating his own assumption.

"And I already have a girl. How can I date her?" Sunwoo smirked, sending a hidden message behind it, though he doubted Changmin would receive it well.

Oh...

Then, Ji Changmin found his smile slowly drawn on his face. The one which he was surely portraying relief that he still got the chance to spend as many days together with his best friend.