Chapter 23

Haris Goes Missing

Hani was lying on her bed with Haris beside her when her phone started ringing. It was from Baekhyun.

She picked up the call and Baekhyun chatted with her for awhile. Haris, who was initially resting and being all quiet, started growling at the phone.

"Hani?" Baekhyun asked.

"Yes?" Hani said, picking up her nail clipper and began clipping her nails into the dustbin. She balanced her phone by squeezing it between her neck and shoulder. 

"Who am I to you?" Baekhyun's voice came out slightly nervous though he tried to make it sound like a casual question.

"You? You are my friend, of course!" Hani replied, picking up the nails that did not make it into the bin.

"Then what about Kris?" Baekhyun's voice cracked. Usually Hani would laugh when Baekhyun cracks his voice, but this time she didn't.

Hani paused for a moment, putting the nail clipper down. She finally held the phone with her right hand. "Kris? Uh...I guess he's my friend too."

"That's all?" 

Hani glanced at Haris and then back at her trimmed nails. "Yeah I think so." Her voice sounded strangely disappointed, like she doesn't want it to be this way.

Baekhyun seemed have gotten the answer he wanted. Satisfied, "That's great then. Goodnight Hani, I'm hanging up."

"Oh okay goodnight Baekhyun."

Once he had hung up the call, Haris stopped growling. Hani eyed Haris and laughed, "Aish, you really don't like Baekhyun, do you?" Haris looked at her, almost as a sign to say that she agrees. 

"But I don't get it. Baekhyun is nice, isn't he? He is good looking and well-mannered. He's great to be around with...yeah." Hani trailed off, her mind now on someone else. She stretched out her hand to pat Haris, "You miss Kris, don't you?" Haris laid on her feet.

"Kris lives on his own, all by himself. He has another home, but I don't think he stays there." Hani explained, almost as though she is telling a bedtime story to Haris.

"It would be great if he has someone. Maybe a dog would be fine too. Just like how I have you, Haris. Hmm...if Kris has a dog, what would be its name? Krini? Ahh it doesn't sound right. Maybe he can't have a dog then." She laughed.

She glanced at the jacket that was hanging on her wardrobe. It was the jacket that Kris draped on her when he rescued her that night. It looked so out of place in her wardrobe. Not in a ugh-you-don't-fit-in way, but in a you-are-in-the-spotlight. The rest of Hani's clothes are so dull-looking and plain. And they look like they don't cost more than ten bucks. And there's Kris jacket. The one that stood out among the rest of her clothes. The most precious. How can she return it to him? No way.

Hani got up from her bed and dressed herself. She twisted the doorknob opened and walked out of the door. She was close to locking it when her phone rang. She rummaged through her bag for her phone. It was from Baekhyun, again.

"Hey Baekhyun, why did you call me again?" She answered the call and walked off, distracted.

"Oh you've got a job to introduce to me? Really? That's great! I'll meet you now?" Hani happily skipped off.

After a tiring day of trying out the job that Baekhyun had recommended, Hani was exhausted. It was a waitressing job at a seafood restaurant. The restaurant is always bursting with customers, and there was a queue of customers trying to get in at all times. Because of that, they are short-handed. It was almost impossible to rest for Hani.

Dragging her tired legs home, Hani's shoulders were slouched and her hands were aching. One more day working at that seafood restaurant will draw her nearer to her death. She felt as though she had already lost ten years of her life and shortened her lifespan on planet earth.

When she reached her doorstep, she shrieked in horror. Her door had a small gap and was unlocked.

"Oh my god! Why is my door opened?!" Hani started to panic, thinking of all the possibilities. Did someone break opened my house??? Oh my is the thief still inside? What exactly happened??

Thinking that her house have been broken into, and that the thief was still in her