String to my heart ♪ Mark Lee

♪ 70

You call, I run
Dark days, and find the sun
I don't care how far
Just wait, dawn

♪

The apartment went unusually quiet after the call ended.

Hannah stared at her phone screen till it automatically switched off after the line disconnected, almost like she expected it to light back up again with a call or a message from him.

Nothing.

Her chest felt unbearably tight.

They've disagreed before but this?

How can he hang up?

That stung differently.

Especially when she wasn't trying to fight, she just wanted answers but he shut her down behind those irrelevant answers.

Hannah pressed her palm against her face, hard enough to blur the building pressure.

A shaky breath escaped her.
"Seriously?"

Her one voice sounded small and that annoyed her even more.

By the time she pushed open Jihye's bedroom door, her eyes were already red by holding it in.

Jihye looked up instantly and froze.

Because Hannah was always the strong one, Jihye was the one who would often go for help.

Jihye sat up immediately.
"Babes, what happened?"

Hannah shut the door behind her and leaned against it for a second before speaking.
"He hung up the call on my face."

Jihye blinked,
"What?"
"In the middle of the conversation." Hannah laughed, but it sounded painfully fake.

Jihye's expression shifted into concern.

Hannah walked further into the room slowly, her hands clutching the sleeves of the oversized hoodie which wasn't hers.

It was his's.

"I was already upset because of that article," she swallowed hard.
"I don't even know why I'm this upset." Hannah muttered in frustration, tears started escaping her eyes.

Jihye got off her bed immediately and without saying much, she pulled Hannah into a hug.

And that did it.

Hannah broke down, not loudly or dramatically, just silent tears falling against Jihye's shoulder while her breathing shook unevenly.

Jihye's heart ached painfully, she couldn't see Hannah who has always been strong break like this. This was serious now.

Hannah was the type to cry in private if she had to, the one to disappear first and process things later, seeing her unravel openly like this felt wrong like watching the glass break.

"It's okay," Jihye murmured softly, caressing her back.
"Let it out first."

The room stayed dim except for the bedside lamp glowing warm against the walls. Coco who had been sleeping near the foot of the bed got up and wandered near Hannah before rubbing its head on her leg like a fluffy emotional support land cloud.

Hannah broke the hug first, covering half of her face with her palm.

Jihye handed her tissues and caressed Coco's fur.
"See your mom is crying, give something to Mumma."

Coco immediately went out of the room and came back running with his favourite toy clutched between its mouth and he kept it in front of Hannah and sat in front of her.