Don't tell me bye bye (mystery/ thriller)

Chapter 21

We squelched back through the woods and I think it's the first time I've been in Rose's company and she's not had anything to say. Our escape from the moths wore us both out; we could barely wave a hand as we said our goodbyes. It's so late, I'm hoping everyone is asleep and the darkness of the hallway suggests that my wish has come true. I walk towards the stairs and hear movement from the living room. A lamp flicks on, revealing Jin stretching in an armchair.

"Y/n?"

My shoulders slump, one foot poised at the bottom step. "Yeah, it's me. Hi Jin." "Can we talk a minute?"
"I'm kind of tired."
"It won't take long. Please, come and sit down."

I slope into the living room and flop down onto the sofa, jumping up again when I remember that I'm drenched in river water.

Jin looks me up and down. "You're soaking wet." "Yeah. Kind of."

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" His face suddenly crumbles, his eyes flashing with concern behind his glasses. "Oh my God, Y/n, you didn't try to do anything stupid did you?"

"What?" I frown at Jin, then I realise he's thinking back to my first night here, and what Tae did on the bridge. I shake my head. "No, no, of course not."

He leans forward and grabs a fluffy towel from the top of a washing basket by the sofa and throws it to me. I catch it and rub it against my hair, then wrap it round my shoulders.

"Fine. Fine. As long as you're okay." He takes his glasses off and rubs the top of his nose. "Look, Y/n, I know that you must be feeling very betrayed by your mum."

I take a deep breath. I really don't have it in me to talk about this, but I know he needs it. I nod. "You must too."

"Let's not worry about how I feel, Y/n. I just need you to know that your mum is very...regretful about what's happened. We've been talking pretty much all night."

A reserve of energy makes me sit up straight. "What did she say? Did she tell you anything else?" Jin shakes his head. "Nothing that she didn't say earlier."
I slump back down and notice a sleeping bag rolled up next to me on the sofa. I turn back to Jin. "Are you...are you sleeping down here?"
"Don't worry about that."
"No, Jin, I can't take any more secrets. Are you and mum are okay?"

Jin, who picked ten year old me up off the pavement after I'd tripped over my roller blades more times than I can count on my fingers and toes, senses the tears approaching in my voice. "No, no, Y/n, nothing like that. I'm just down here to clear my head, I promise. Look, your infuriatingly stubborn mother, for whatever bizarre reason, did what she thought was best for you at the time and now it's blowing up in her face. I know it's going to take a lot for you –and for me - to understand that, and we probably never will, not fully, but for now we need to try to live our lives, under this roof, because we're family and that's what family does. Does that sound like something we can do?" I take a deep breath, stand up, and walk over to Jin.

"I guess so," I say, so weary from the most upside down day of my life. "She lied though, Jin. I never thought my mum would lie to me. And those notes? I still don't get it."

"I'm right there with you, Y/n, but we'll work it out. It'll just take some time." He stands up and smiles at me. "Now, go get yourself showered and get to bed."

"Thanks, Jin."

Jin puts his arms around me and plants a quick kiss on top of my wet head, and I smile as I feel him grimace and wipe his mouth which probably tastes of fishy river water. I put my arms around his waist and press my cheek against his creased shirt and sink into him. I hadn't realised it, but I really, really, needed this hug.