Haerin's POV:
I'm awoken the next morning to a set of knocks at the door.
"Who is it?" I say, not fully conscious.
Hyein then opens the door, the light from behind her shining into my eyes.
"Seoyeon is downstairs." she says with an annoyed expression.
That gets me sitting up instantly, "What?" I say, rubbing my eyes.
"She said, 'I need to talk to her.' " she groans.
"I'm coming down." I sigh.
I quickly freshen up, changing out of my pajamas and into a casual outfit.
A black crop top with low waisted 90's jeans.
I then run downstairs to see Hyein and Danielle by the front door.
"Seoyeon, you don't 'need' anything, just leave her alone." I hear hyein say, but I can't see Seoyeon behind the door.
"I'll talk to her." I tell them, and they move away.
"What do you want?" I ask, holding the door so she doesn't walk in.
"Hi." she smiles when she sees me.
"Seoyeon, if you only came here to harass us then I'm going to personally drag you to your car." I say, not having it anymore.
"Well, I need to deliver something. This letter I got at my door, it mentions you, and it's a little weird." she frowns before digging out a folder letter from her back pocket.
She hands it to me and I take it confused.
"If the letter is about how much you wanna be friends then please take it back." I say, handing it over but she shakes her head.
"It's not, I promise. I have no idea who it's from, but I also wanted to invite you out."
I groan, "Please, listen to me; I don't wanna be friends again!" I announce closing the front door afterwards.
"Sheesh, she was obnoxious." Danielle says when I walk into the living room with them.
"What's in the letter?" Hyein asks.
"I'm not sure I know anyone who'd send me a letter, to someone else." I say sarcastically, opening up the flap of the envelope.
I take the paper out and unfold it.
Danielle takes the envelope, and turns it over, "That's weird, no stamp or address." she says.
I begin to read the letter;
"Dearest Seoyeon,
Please warn your very good friend Haerin to be very careful about who she's around.
Thank you."
"Is this a joke?" I say after reading, handing it to the girls to read, "Is she trying to scare me to be friends with her?"
When they're done reading it, they both look up at each other, "I think Seoyeon wrote this?" Hyein says.
"Of course she did! It's like her." I say, sitting down on the couch.
"She said she didn't, though." Danielle says.
"What else could it be? An admirer?" I scoff.
"Be a little more self-aware about this Haerin." Hyein and Danielle sits by me.
"Yeah, don't dismiss this so easily, this is almost a threat, I'm not sure if Seoyeon wrote this or not." Danielle adds, I look up at her.
"What else could it be, then? Is someone trying to murder me?"
Why is this making me so angry?
I see Danielle's eyes shift to Hyein's, "I'm just saying, be more paranoid." she says then.
Kazuha walks down the stairs, ruffling her hair as she yawns, "Morning." she mumbles.
"Look at this." Danielle stands up to show her the letter, and I roll my eyes.
Kazuha takes it and stares, before looking back up at Danielle with more awareness.
"Who is this from?" she's suddenly frantic, walking up to me for an answer.
I shrug, "Someone I'm not friends with anymore."
"Haerin, this-" she cuts herself off.
"What! Why is this such a big deal to you! I wouldn't put this past her." I say.
"People don't blackmail others so bluntly Haerin, it's against the law." Kazuha argues, "Don't be so oblivious."
"But I don't know anyone who would want to hurt me! I'm eighteen!" I defend.
"But who else are you constantly with! Us!" Kazuha yells.
"This has nothing to do with you." I sigh.
"Oh my God Haerin, it clearly does." Hyein groans, frustrated.
"Then what am I supposed to do?" I ask.
"You're not going to school tomorrow." Kazuha declares.
"What! That's ridiculous, stop being so overdramatic."
"She's right, and while you're at it, figure out if it's really Seoyeon or not, I'm sure it isn't but since you think she did it then try." Danielle says.
"Fine." I give up.
~
I'm back in my room, her phone number is still on my phone.
I unblock it and press on it before I decide to back out, Danielle, Kazuha and Hyein all watching me on my bed.
"Haerin?" her voice starts through the line.
"Hi, the letter you gave me, do you perhaps know who it's from?" I ask, looking at Kazuha to make sure my question was okay, she nods.
"Nope, not at all. It's the end of the week so it came with all our emails." she answers.
I shake my head at the girls, but Danielle starts mouthing words and gesturing with her hand.
"Put her on speaker." she whispers.
I follow, "Okay, did you write it?" I ask, my phone held up.
"What? No, why would you say that? I know we aren't on good terms but I'm not gonna do something illegal for it."
"Seoyeon, promise me that you have nothing to do with the letter." I ask, desperate and genuine this time.
I wouldn't know how to react if it really came from her.
"Haerin, with all my heart, I promise, this is way out of line." she says, "Even for me." she adds with a hint of sorrow.
"Thank you." I finish, ending the call.
"Well, now that we know that, we have to keep an eye out." Kazuha concludes, leaving the room.
"Does this have anything to do with your brother?" I look at Danielle.
She quickly glances at Hyein, "Probably." she mumbles, and leaves too.
"This is all too much." I go and sit at the foot of my bed by Hyein, "You were dealing with all of this at school, too?" I ask.
She shrugs, "Yeah, but I wasn't that involved, they'd only share minor details, but now we're closer to graduation so they're giving me more of the experience." she explains.
"You're joining them after high school?" I ask, laying down on my bed.
"Yep, my father wants me to work for Leeseo's father." she answers.
"What does Leeseo's father do?" I ask.
"He manufactures medical equipment for hospitals." she falls on the bed as well.
"Woah." I say, my eyes on the ceiling.
~
I sleep in the next morning, thanks to the fact that I was forced to stay at home.
I head downstairs to eat some breakfast, but Leeseo is already in the kitchen with Hanni.
"Hanni? Cooking? That's funny." I say when I walk into the kitchen.
"Good morning to you too." Hanni replies.
"We're making omelettes for everyone." Leeseo says, moving the pan around over the blue fire on the stove.
"Thank you." I gleam, getting a water bottle out of the fridge.
"You seem fairly relaxed for someone who got a weird warning in a letter." Hanni raises a brow.
"I think it's the fact that I live with seven women." I say before opening the water bottle and taking a sip.
"And how are you so sure about us being able to protect you?" Leeseo asks.
"I'm not dead yet, am I?" I say.
She nods, turning back to the eggs in the pan.
Hanni goes to wash her hands, wiping them on a cloth, "Breakfast is ready." she then says.
~