Today,
Hanni has some really important errands to run somewhere and Haerin wasn't allowed to go with her.
"I'm coming too." Said a determined Haerin.
"I'm just going on a walk. I'll just be checking on the other house while I'm at it so I'll be going by myself." Hanni said trying to keep Haerin inside the house.
"I'm gonna come too." Said Haerin not really bothered by anything.
"There's still something i want you to do here, Haerin. Right Danielle?" Said Hanni signalling Danielle.
Danielle too understood the assignment and quickly intervene , "That's right. I appreciate it if you could help me out, Haerin."
Haerin badly wants to go with Hanni and clings onto her, "Help out?"
"Please Haerin." She pleaded.
"Fine. Well, if you say so. But i still wanna be with Hanni." Said a grumpy Haerin.
Hanni kissed Haerin on the cheek and proceed to take off.
"Thanks Haerin, then I'll be gone for a bit."
Haerin too happily see her off.
"So easy hehehe." Danielle thought to herself.
"So what should i help you out with?" Haerin asked.
"I'd like you to help me prepare for a party."
"A party? Like the one i went to the other day? What's different about this one?" Haerin curiously asked.
Danielle turns her head and sweetly smiled at Haerin, "We hold it every summer. It's a birthday party for Milady's mother, Lady Winter. It was something she came up with while she was still alive." Said Danielle looking at the clear blue sky and reminiscing about the good old days and continued to explain ,
"Since i have the chance, i want people to have fun memories of me." said Hanni's mother while she was alive.
"I want the day i was born to be remembered rather than the day i die." She added.
After the explanation, Haerin herself went to see Winter's grave.
Haerin looked at the carvings of the grave for quite a moment, "Winter..."
...
The next day,
The party was held very well with numerous people attending it.
As per Hanni's mother, Lady Winter's wish, all people were spending their time enjoying the party instead of feeling remorse. Hyein himself, though remembering his wife was trying his best to keep himself happy.
Hanni too was greeting the people attending.
But inside the house, one person wasn't feeling like they belonged there and was distancing from everyone else.
"Haerin?"
"Hmm?"
"I've brought some food from outside. Would you like some tea?" Danielle said.
"Milady was worried about you. She felt bad for leaving you on your own."
"Nothing can be done about that today. I can't go showing up in front of everyone after all. Even if someone told me to.
Besides, a birthday party for Hanni's mother is something that doesn't concerns me." Said Haerin.
"Let's talk for a bit." Danielle said and take a knife that was left on the bread.
"You're a monster Haerin, so your body is more robust than a human's, right?"
"Yeah, i guess?"
Then, Danielle points the knife to her hand and slice her hand wide open.
"He....hey, what are you doing Danielle?" Haerin asked worriedly.
Blood rapidly rushed from the wound but after a few seconds, it slowly healed itself and became as good as new.
"I'm sure, that you had a vague notion about this Haerin....
I'm not a normal human. This body's healing properties....are most likely more powerful than your's, Haerin.
Naturally, most injuries will heal up if I'm given a day. And as far as i can tell, my body doesn't age or deteriorate either."
Haerin was left shocked and just looked at Danielle with wide eyes.
"To put it in Doctor Yeji's term. It's like I have a one day cycle, that constantly reverts my body to what it was like yesterday." Danielle added.
Haerin takes a few moment to process the situation and confirms her suspicions , "It's just like you said, Danielle. I always thought there was something off about your body time but, are you immortal or something?"
"Yeah, that's right...
Simply put, even if you snap my head off. The injury wouldn't be enough to able to out turn the healing process. I wanted to know why i had this body as i seemed to have lost my memories of the past. But more than that...
I was scared. I thought about stuff like what I'd do if everything up until now were to someday vanish, or if i were to suddenly age and deteriorate right there on the spot or if a war broke out and i was recruited as a weapon. All kinds of things."
Danielle continued, "Because of my long life, i would move from place to place. As i spent time with people on each location. There would eventually come times where i wanted someone who would brighten up my heart....
A 'friend' i could trust in.
But, i knew that the moment i said anything. That 'friend' would stop looking at me as 'Me'."
Danielle took a deep breath and continues, "I understand how that feels.... But, i guess, that's not enough to make me feel sad. And also, as i keep moving from place to place. I found myself working at a hospital."
THAT'S WHEN I MET LADY WINTER.
[ - "Danielle huh? I'm looking forward to working with you." Said a cheerful Winter.
WAITING TO GIVE BIRTH AT THE HOSPITAL, THERE WAS A BRIGHT AND CHEERFUL WOMAN.
"My name is Winter...
My body is pretty weak so i might cause you a lot of trouble." Winter said.
"This is a hospital. It's a place where that kind of bothering is fine." Danielle replied back kindly.
"Hehe~ i guess so. Then I'll bother you without holding back." Winter said laughing at Danielle.
SHE WAS A MYSTERIOUS PERSON.
SHE RELIED ON ME WITHOUT ANY RESTRAIN. IT FELT LIKE SHE WAS TELLING ME IT WAS OKAY TO DO THE SAME.
AS I SPENT MORE TIME WITH HER. I ENDED UP TALKING ABOUT MYSELF AGAIN.
"Immortal...ity?" Winter said surprised.
"I wish i could share just a few years of my long lifespan with you." Said a broken hearted Danielle, "Before coming to this hospital, i told a 'friend' about it and it troubled her." Danielle hurtfully said, "She was reminded of her mother. It was just a few days earlier that she was heartbroken upon hearing how long her mother had left to live. It wasn't something that could be helped."
"Are you...sure about that?" Winter interrupted.
Danielle looked at her with a surprised expression.
"Ehermm... I get it. I get how that heartbroken friend of yours felt, but...
Whether it's long or short... Your life is your own."
AFTER THAT DAY, SHE BECAME MY FRIEND OR MORE LIKE A SISTER TO ME.
ONE DAY, I WAS TRYING TO USE MY POWER TO TRANSFER MY LIFE FORCE TO WINTER, BUT I WAS CAUGHT BY SOME WITCH HUNTERS AND I WAS BADLY WOUNDED.
"I probably don't have that much longer to live myself, but... I don't think in the slightest about wanting your lifespan, Danielle." Winter said while hugging the crying Danielle, "More importantly, Danielle, would you like to come to my house as a live-in maid?" Winter excitedly said.
"A maid?"
"Having to move all around places while hiding your identity is a pain, right? It's fine if that doesn't bother you, but.. wouldn't it be easier working somewhere that knew about your circumstances?
You're alive so you as well enjoy it." Said Winter smiling at Danielle.
AFTER THAT, I BECAME A PART OF THE PHAM FAMILY AND A SISTER TO LADY WINTER. ]
"After that, a monster attacked the town." Danielle continued her story not realizing what she had said and that Haerin was right beside her.
"Ugh!" Haerin's ears immediatly dropped down.
"Sorry, that sounded a bit mean, doesn't it?" Danielle quickly apologies.
"It's not that she was open-minded or generous or something like that.
I'm sure that Lady Winter would have taken a liking to you too, Haerin." Danielle said smiling at Haerin.
...
At the party,
"Oh?Danielle. Is Haerin around? Jisoo wanted to see her." Jennie asked.
"Yes, she's around...
But, I'd like for you to leave 'the two of them together' alone for now." Danielle said smiling, it wasn't sad nor happy.
Hanni and Jennie just looked at Danielle feeling lost.
While at the graveyard,
Haerin was there, meeting Hanni's Mother. Word's weren't escaping her mouth, she just kept on staring at Winter's grave as if looking at Winter herself and deeply apologize through her thoughts.
She finally snapped out of it when she sees Hanni, "Hanni!?"
"We're you taking with my mother?" Said Hanni holding Haerin's hand.
"Yeah."
"Did she say anything?" Hanni asked.
"Not telling." Haerin replied and proceed to went back to the party, holding Hanni's hand tightly.
Meanwhile, someone was watching the two depart off while sitting upon the grave.
"Ahh! It feels like I've gotten yet another cute daughter, but a daughter-in-law sounds also nice...
I bet Danielle, also isn't feeling lonely anymore." She said and looked at her loved ones enoying the party she had created a long time ago, and smiled happily before vanishing into thin air.
...
A/n : Does anyone knows who that woman looking at them might be?
You can comment your thought about it and I'll give the answer.😁