Serenade [Daerin]

Know You Better, Like You A Little

Haerin lifted her plate, she looked at Danielle who was pensive, "Are you done eating?" she asked, Danielle realized and nodded, Haerin lifted the girl's plate, "It's okay I'll wash it, you already cooked Haerin." Danielle said, Haerin chuckled, "Relax Danielle, I'm enjoying cleaning up.", "You have an extra online class tomorrow, is there any assignments?", Haerin shook her head, "I already finished them last week." she said while walking towards the kitchen.

Danielle cleaned the table, there was no food left, Haerin was really good at estimating portions. The girl then went to the living room and sat on the sofa, turning on the TV.

20 minutes later.

Haerin had finished washing the dishes and cooking utensils, she also cleaned the kitchen, she then washed her hands and headed to the living room, her brain was busy thinking whether she should prepare environmental or engineering materials for the scientific competition.

"Do you want to watch a movie?", Haerin stopped her steps and turned her head, Danielle looked at her while hugging the sofa cushions, Haerin nodded, well maybe it wouldn't hurt to take a day off from studying. Haerin walked over to Danielle and sat next to her, "What do you want to see?".

Danielle picked out a movie on the TV screen, "There's one movie I'm curious about, but it's not a new movie, do you know Evil Dead?" she asked, Haerin shook her head, she wasn't a movie fan, the last one she watched was The Dark Knight.

"Haewon said it's very scary, do you like horror movies?" Danielle asked again, Haerin scratched her temple, "Let's just watch it." she said.

+++++++++++++++++

Danielle's eyes glanced at Haerin, the girl was restless from 10 minutes ago, sometimes her eyes roamed everywhere, avoiding the TV screen, and then she asked Danielle what happened to the people in the movie.

"Haerin, I won't tell you about it every minute, you have to watch it." Danielle's patience was wearing thin.

"I can't! I don't understand why that girl had to cut her mouth with a piece of broken glass!", Haerin squeezed her knees, "She was possessed by a demon, that's why. It's just a movie." Danielle rolled her eyes, "I'll turn it off if you're scared, or do you want to watch something else?"

Haerin glanced at the TV again, she wrinkled her nose when there's a scene of a girl cutting her own hand with a meat saw, "It's okay, you want to watch this anyway." she mumbled, Danielle let it slide.

It had been 10 minutes and now Haerin didn't want to look at the TV screen, Danielle paused the movie, "Let's watch something else." she said, "No!" Haerin held Danielle's hand, the girl raised her eyebrows, "Umm..no, I'll watch." Haerin said again while pulling her hand, she then changed her posture to facing the TV, her face was tense, Danielle wanted to laugh at the sight.

"Will you calm down if you hug a pillow?" asked Danielle, Haerin shrugged her shoulders, "Do you want a snack?", "I won't put anything in my mouth when I watch a movie like this." Haerin muttered. Danielle looked at the girl, "Will you calm down a bit if I hold your hand?" she asked carefully.

Haerin didn't answer, but she slightly extended her hand to Danielle, her palm was wide open, Danielle glanced at it, the hand was bigger than hers, the fingers were long and slender. Danielle slowly grasped Haerin's hand, and her whole pulse immediately sing happily.

The grip felt so right, Haerin's hand that immediately wrapped around her hand felt so perfectly fitted. Danielle thought if that hand blended perfectly in her hand then what if that hand was holding another part of her body...

No! Stop it! What were you thinking?!

Danielle shook her head, she glanced at Haerin, the girl was still staring at the TV, waiting for her to continue the movie, her fingers clasped Danielle's fingers tightly but not to the point of hurting her. Danielle then pressed the play button.

Haerin seemed calmer, she only slightly looked away if there was a sadistic scene, there was one time Danielle caught her and Haerin just grinned, she looked like a kitten, Danielle chuckled.

They were still holding hands when the movie was ended, Haerin gently withdrew her hand and muttered something that sounded like she'd rather be watching Discovery Channel.

Haerin glanced at the clock on the wall, it was 21:46 pm, she looked at Danielle, "You have to take a shower, we have to treat your wound, I'll wait in the bedroom." she said, Danielle nodded, she turned off the TV and headed to her room.

22:29 pm, Haerin's room.
There was a soft knock on the door, Haerin put on her t-shirt and walked to the door, she opened it, Danielle stood in front of her hugging her pillow, she was wearing a light violet silk night gown. Danielle handed the medicine and the plastic bag of cotton to Haerin who quickly took it.

The girl entered the room, she placed her head pillow next to Haerin's and then stood by the study table, Haerin closed the door and approached her.

Haerin's eyes noticed the wounds on Danielle's face and neck, she then applied some medicine to a cotton swab and began to apply it carefully to the wounds. Danielle looked at Haerin's face, the girl looked very serious, she looked at Haerin's eyes, to her nose, and her lips, they were arranged perfectly on her small face.

Danielle jumped slightly in surprise when the cotton swab touched her neck, "I'm sorry, does it hurt that much?", Haerin asked with a guilty look, Danielle chuckled, "No, I'm just surprised, you can continue." Danielle said. Haerin continued to treat Danielle, and Danielle returned her attention to the girl.

Haerin's face was serious again, her eyebrows furrowed and sometimes went up, sometimes she immediately looked at Danielle if she rubbed the wound that was still slightly open, making sure Danielle wasn't in pain, and always asked, "Does it hurt?", She's so full of concern.

Haerin threw the used cotton into the trash can next to her study table, "Done, wait for them to dry and then we'll sleep ok." she smiled, "Thank you." Danielle said, she sat on the edge of Haerin's bed and opened her cell phone. Haerin sat in her study chair and opened her laptop, she had to make a study report to be submitted to Professor Woo tomorrow afternoon.

23:02 pm.
Haerin looked at Danielle, " Is it already dry?" she asked, Danielle nodded, "Yes, from a while ago.", "Why didn't you tell me?" Haerin saved the report and turned off the laptop, she then stood up, "You seemed serious." Danielle said, "It's just a report, I can finished it tomorrow morning."

Danielle lay down on the bed, Haerin turned off the lights, the room became dark, Haerin then turned on the reading lamp on her study table and made her way to the bed, she lay down next to Danielle, their shoulders touched. Danielle chuckled, "Why is this bed smaller than mine." she said, Haerin laughed, "I can sleep on the floor.", " No you won't."

They went silent, Haerin didn't understand why the atmosphere around them suddenly felt so intense and thick, it felt strange that there's someone else in her bed. Haerin closed her eyes, she would try to sleep instead.

"Haerin.", "Yes?" The answer came out of her mouth as fast as lightning, Haerin closed her eyes, what's wrong with her. Danielle chuckled, "Are you sleepy already?" she asked.
"Umm, a little, but it feels strange to have someone else in my bed."
"You think that way?"
"Maybe it's because I'm used to sleeping alone."
"Should I move to my..."
"Oh, no..ah, it's fine." Haerin answered awkwardly.

They went silent again.

"Do you mind if I want to be hugged?" Danielle asked cautiously.

Silence.

Danielle lay awkwardly, why Haerin is silent? Was she wrong? Did she sound aggressive and make Haerin uncomfortable? Why didn't Haerin answer her? Danielle turned her back to Haerin, she closed her eyes, this was so embarrassing!

She gasped when an arm slipped under her pillow, Haerin pulled Danielle's body into her embrace so that her back was against Haerin's chest, Danielle could feel the girl's heart beating, and she was amazed at how quickly she felt comfortable and protected in Haerin's arms, how her body melted into her.

Haerin's other arm then wrapped around Danielle's waist, "Is this okay?" she asked softly, Danielle didn't answer, she raised her head slightly and pulled her head pillow, throwing it on the floor.

Danielle then rested her head on Haerin's arm and placed her hand over Haerin's, her fingers burrowed into the hollow of the girl's fingers, "Yes, this is perfect." Danielle smiled.