String to my heart ♪ Mark Lee

♪ 62

At the end of the cold rain, on the blue sky
I look at the rainbow light that is particularly clear

♪

The restaurant lights glowed warmly like they were pretending it was dinner where everyone knew it was late for one, it was their usual spot. Same chairs, similar voices, the empty chair where Hannah should've been kept screaming louder than the cutlery.

"She's ghosting us, isn't she?"

"No, she went for composing. Watch her come back being all famous."

"At this point she'll basically be an idol herself."

"She'll come on her mum's anniversary as always."

Night folded into silence, they stood where they did a day before their laughter thinning into silence when someone spotted her.

"Hannah!"

They ran over to her, words tripping over each other.

Where were you? We missed you. We have so much to tell you.

Then they noticed a tall figure beside her, face hidden behind a mask.

"Who's that?"

She answered easily like it was nothing.

"Mark"

The mask came off.

One of them screamed, then another, then all of them lost it. Hands everywhere, voices everywhere. Someone showed her without meaning to.

The ground disappeared. Cold rushed up. Water swallowed her while they screamed her name out.

"HANNAH!"

Hannah woke up, gasping.

Her phone was buzzing again and again. 

Their voices felt close like they have followed her out of sleep. Someone called her name in real life too, maybe mom, maybe dad, maybe one of her brothers but it sounded unreal.

The room smelled faintly of last night's drinks and unfinished conversations while her head throbbed. 

Mark didn't notice, he was on a call his voice low and focused. Probably with his manager, it was like the world beyond the call didn't exist to him right now. She was used to it, he was always like that whenever he got a call. 

She sat up slowly and looked outside, he hadn't noticed her wake up.

Hannah swung her legs off the bed and walked unsteadily towards the window.

She opened the curtains and her breath caught.

They were there.

Standing across the street, exactly like the dream but real. Real faces and one of them looked up.

Their eyes met.

Hannah staggered back a step.

It wasn't a dream anymore.

Her mind spiraled ahead of her heart.

What do I say? What do I explain? What about Mark?

Outside, her friends started walking towards the building.

and Hannah knew, this was the last day things could stay unsaid.

♪

Hannah thought she had time.