Stay With Me

Angel Wings

"Jennieyah" Her mother rushed into the room and hugged Jennie.
"Are you alright baby?" She asked her while stroking her back gently really worried.

She couldn't believe her daughter had been through something like this. She could never imagine that being popular could bring  such danger in their lives.

"I am fine Umma don't worry" Jennie answered her and gave her a sad smile. She knew her parents were worried and just wanted to try to put them at ease.
"Your father will be here in few minutes dear. He is talking with the inspector outside."
"Girls, how are you holding up?" Jennie's mother asked Jisoo and Chaeng  who were sitting near her daughter's bed and approached them to give them a warm hug.

Before the girls could answer her question, the door opened and Jennie's father with a man in a blue suit let themselves into the room.

"Hello girls, sorry to interrupt" the unknown man said.
Jennie's father went towards his daughter and took her  in a really tight hug, like the one,he used to give her when she was still a kid and afraid of the darkness.

Jennie gets scared very easily. When she was a small kid, she couldn't sleep at night because she thought there was a monster in the closet. She was always calling her dad to check it for her. Her dad, like a proud father, used to tell her that there was nothing in the closet, but fear. And the fear wasn't made of anything, it was just fear! Not even that!
He used to tell her that she had to face it, that she had to open the door and the monster would disappear.
In real life tho, you face your fears, you open that door and there are a hundred doors behind them and the monsters are all real. Either those doors have names or they are states. Danger is  a fact in real life. Jennie and Lisa lying on the hospital's beds were the biggest proof of it.

Jennie smiled at her father and recalled the nights he used to take her in a bear hug like that and make her fears go away. As much as she wished the same thing to happen right now, it was not possible at all.

"Girls, I am Imcheol- Ryung and I work for Seoul's metropolitan police department as a detective. I'm the head detective in your case."  The man introduced himself and bowed to the girls.
"I am so sorry for what you have been through today and especially for you Ms. Kim, I will do my best to catch this guy.
But I really need your help to do so."

"Sure inspector. Anything to catch this monster. And please call me Jennie" Jennie told him. She would do anything in her power to stop the man who shot Lisa.

"Baby, I don't think you are ready yet" Her mother told her. She knew her daughter was still in a very fragile state and she needed to rest both physically and mentally before she could give her statement to the police.

"Ummaaa, I want to help. I need that. He needs to pay for what he did to Lisa." Jennie stood up for helself and Lisa.

"I am sure detective my daughter will help you, but it's already late now, just give her a little more time to recover and tomorrow you can have her statement." Her father added to support his wife's words. Truth to be told Jennie wasn't ready yet. Pushing her self to recall that night's events could jeopardize her health and both her parents didn't want to watch their daughter collapsing once again.

The inspector didn't argue with them. Jennie's testimony was crucial for their investigation because, she might have noticed things that would help them identify the guy. But he knew that Jennie's health was not in a good state right now. He opted to let her rest for just a few more hours. Then he could take her statement.

"Ok then, let me inform you that both Ms. Kim's and Ms. Manoban's room are well guarded by police officers. We also have officers guarding all the exits of the hospital. You have nothing to worry about."
"Thank you so much detective!" Her father thanked him and guide him to the exit as Jennie had to rest.
Jisoo and Chaeng were silently watching the whole scene.
"Goodnight, inspector"
"Goodnight to all." He said and bowed again before he exited the room.