Sonder | DAERIN

Chapter seven

Haerin's POV

"What could you possibly need the attic redecorated for?" I said going up the stairs.

Sometimes I forget how long it can take to remodel a whole house. I thought we were making progress since we just got the entire outside done and we started on the kitchen already, but I forgot this giant house had a basement and attic, one of which Danielle wants to turn into I don't know what and the basement into an extra room but also be like a chill room.

"A sex dungeon," Danielle responded, her face deadly serious, making my eyes widen, and it was then that her facade broke into laughter. "I'm just kidding."

"Oh, I didn't doubt you were," I muttered, looking around the dusty room. It wasn't dark at least, having two windows on each side of the ceiling.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I turned my head to see Danielle with her arms crossed, waiting for me to answer her. "Nothing," I shrugged.

"No, no, you meant something with that," she walked to stand in front of me when I ignored her. "What was it?"

"You just... don't seem like the kind to do anything wild in bed." I tried to explain my thoughts best I could, regardless Danielle seemed to have taken offense.

Oh well, she asked, and I wasn't gonna lie.

"You are saying I'm bad in bed?"

"I wouldn't know." I looked around the empty room and back at her, "I just meant boring."

Danielle got closer to me, I looked down at her. Her dark curls were tied in a messy bun, and her light brown eyes stared at my darker ones. I remember when she used to have a piercing on her nose during junior and senior year; it looked good on her, I don't doubt that it still would.

"You are right, you wouldn't know." She grabbed my chin with two fingers; her voice was low as her eyes studied my face. I felt my breath hitch before she backed away.

I rolled my eyes, "Anyway, what do you really want up here?"

"An art studio."

"You couldn't use one of the rooms downstairs for that?" I walked to one of the windows.

"I'm married, at some point I'm going to have children, and I don't feel like moving my stuff from one of the rooms when that happens." Danielle stood next to me watching the outside.

"You are already thinking about children?" I tried not to frown, but I failed. It's always strange to see someone my age thinking of or having kids.

I'm twenty-seven, but I would feel like a fucking teen mom.

"Shouldn't I? Beomgyu does, and I understand why." Danielle looked at me.

"In what century are we, Danielle? If you don't want kids yet, then he has to deal with it." Since when do I give advice to Danielle? Or talk to her this much.

"Doesn't matter; I'll have them at some point, so the art room will be here." She extended her arms towards the empty space.

"I'll have it ready for you then. I will start it next week though; I need to help the rest downstairs in the kitchen."

"Oh, of course, take your time." Danielle stood there awkwardly; she looked like she had something that she wanted to say but was holding back.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's nothing really."

"You are the boss, Mrs. Choi; you are free to ask anything." I teased her.

"Don't start with that shit again, Haerin."

"Then ask." I looked at her expectingly.

"Did you come back to Eugene after moving?"

I leaned against one of the walls, "I did."

"Did you happen to ever... see Hanni?"

I was surprised by the question; out of everything that she could probably ask me, that was the last thing that could've crossed my mind. Asking about Minji was more of a possibility, but I didn't see Danielle capable of that either.

"Hanni? You haven't come back to Eugene?" I asked before giving her an answer.

"I did... and I talked to her; well, I didn't really—she just yelled at me and told me never to show my face again." Danielle explained.

That peaked my interest; I didn't know they hated each other.

"Why? What did you do to her?" I don't know little to nothing about Hanni and Danielle's relationship during or after high school; I wasn't friends with either of them.

"We had a fight before graduation; I was... terrible or more like horrible to her. I took way too long to apologize, and Hanni can hold a grudge, but I still care about her. So I just... wanted to know how she is doing if you happen to know." Danielle kept the reasoning behind their fight vague. I wanted to be nosy and ask what was the reason for their fight, but I restrained myself.

"Oh, then you are in for the surprise of your life." I chuckled, and she looked at me in confusion... and a bit of uneasiness in her eyes. "Hanni is fine; she's more than fine, actually. She's been dating Minji for more than a year; the both of them even moved in together already."

"Excuse me what? Hanni is dating who?"

I laughed, "See that's how I reacted too."

"Since when do they even like each other?" Danielle scratched her neck.

"I have no fucking idea really; I was flabbergasted... but I also have never seen Minji so in love with someone, not even with me." Seeing Minji happy and in love brought genuine happiness to me as her best friend... but a tiny part of me was hurt because I knew that she never loved me as much as I did her in that way.

It was more one-sided than Minji ever realized.

"I'm sorry." Danielle suddenly said.

"Why?"

"For ruining you two, I never apologized to you. I did to Minji, but not to you. I fucked up many times, especially there, I hurt you. So this might be a little too late for an apology, but I am really sorry, Haerin." Danielle walked closer to me; she was begging me with her eyes to believe her, that she actually meant it.

My resentment towards finally hearing what it unknowingly needed. Doesn't mean we will be best friends now, but maybe I can do a bit more than just tolerate her.

Won't stop me from annoying her though.

Having an actual conversation with Danielle will never not feel entertainingly awkward.

"I believe you. I appreciate the apology; it is all good." I said, making her release a breath of relief. "I should really get back to work now; we've been up here for quite a while... don't want them to think I'm fucking the Mrs. in the attic."

"Why would anybody think that?" Danielle looked at me like I was joking. Which I was not really. "Oh my god, have you fucked with someone you've worked for before?!"

"I would love to answer that, but there's this thing called 'employee confidentiality,' so." I laughed as Danielle's mouth fell open.

"You are unbelievable."

"That's what they all say." I wiggled my brows.

She rolled her eyes, "You know I was going to say it was actually nice to talk to you."

"But.."

"But I changed my mind."

"Here to serve you." I smirked. "Now I'll go back to work."

"Yes, please do, go." Danielle waved me off with her hand.

"As you order, Mrs. Choi." I said going down the stairs, hearing a faint 'fuck off' as I went.