Another Fairy Tale /Ateez

Chapter 33 - The Return

The waves are stopping and the sun's setting
I open my eyes and look around
I feel like you're here and I go away
Let's keep on walking together, cheers In this rough world, if we are together

- Thank U, Ateez

Rory looked at Danbi with tearful eyes. "It's time to say goodbye right?" 

The past months Rory had wished to be able to say goodbye to Danbi at least, but now that she could, she didn't know what to say. But a feeling inside of her told her, she didn't have to say anything. 

"Rory.", Danbi said and stepped closer, her voice close to breaking. "You've suffered a lot. I'm proud to be your friend. But now it's your turn to be happy, like Hongjoong said, and for once put yourself first. Enjoy the life you've been given and take the chances. The world has given you so much sorrow and pain, it's time for fate to give you what you deserve." 

"But you deserve to live as well." 

"Maybe.", Danbi said with a sad smile. "I will live, in you, in Seonghwa, in the boys. As long as you remember me, I can't die, right?" 

"I could never forget you.", Rory cried and hugged her best friend. The two women held onto each other, like they did dozens of times in their childhood before. Their bond was stronger than anything else and Danbi knew there was no other person in the world she could wish for to be her friend more than Rory. 

"I know." 

It got silent between the two and Danbi's eyes fell onto the hairband around Rory's wrist. "Look at it." 

"Huh?", Rory asked confused and followed Danbi's gaze. When she realized what her friend was talking about, she took of the hairband and held it tight. After reading the name, Rory gasped. "What?" 

"My name was on there before.", Danbi explained with a proud smile. "But now you've fought for me. You've given me what I wanted, a last meeting with the people I love most in this universe. Now it's time you save yourself." 

Rory looked at her own name on the hairband, still in shock. Then she handed it to Danbi. "Will you give it back to Xion, please?"

"I'll make sure they all arrive safely." 

With shaking hands Rory slowly walked to the river. The cold water around her feet didn't feel scary anymore, almost comforting. Smiling sadly, Rory turned to Danbi. 

"Tell the other's I'm sorry, okay?" 

Knowing who Rory meant, Danbi nodded. "They aren't angry at you for surviving, Rory. You didn't just save the boys here, you somehow saved us all. We can finally find peace thanks to you." 

Once again tears rolled down Rory's cheeks and she was almost too scared to ask. "Did- did you feel any pain?" 

Now Danbi was glad the long white robe hid her scars. One look at Rory told her she had them as well. "Not less or more than you did." 

"Giggles?", Rory asked and Danbi's heart skipped a beat at her nickname. Oh god, how she missed being called like that. 

"Yes?" 

"Don't ever leave me again, okay?" 

A smile appeared on Danbi's lips as she watched Rory getting surrounded by the petals. "I never did." 

At first Rory was scared when the petals came closer and closer but the moment the soft wind touched her skin, she relaxed and closed her eyes. I survived, she thought and had to think back to the day it had all started. Suddenly Rory knew what to wish for.