Chapter Text
2 A.M. That was the first thing Ningning saw after her phone rang twice. Her mind was foggy. Irritation kicked in, she was supposed to be on break for a week.
Ningning was the Executive Director of Data Analytics at her company, a pretty high position for her age, but her skills had always had her back. Her support system was the best too: Giselle, her three-year relationship, the love of her life, someone might say — was always there, supporting her, and maybe even helping her develop her skills, since she was an expert and the CEO of a close, friendly company.
Her friends had also played a crucial role in her becoming executive director, especially Danielle. Danielle and Ningning’s friendship might appear detached or complicated to other people, but to them it was nothing like that. They were childhood best friends, and their bond could be described by the sentence: “No matter how far apart they grow, they’ll always be there if the other needs it.”
The thing was, Danielle was not herself these days. Ningning could easily detect the fake smiles, the whole “I’m okay, I’m just tired from work’’ act. She could see through every excuse, every white lie, everything.
She knew Danielle had secrets in her heart, but what Danielle didn’t notice was that they were harder to hide than she thought.
Before Ningning could move to go back to sleep, since her phone didn’t ring again, a soft, sleepy voice filled with concern broke the silence.
“Baby, I think you should check it. What if it’s something urgent?”
Ningning paused for a bit and turned to face the pink-haired girl. Exhaling softly, she placed her hand on Giselle’s cheek and caressed it gently.
“You’re always right, you know that?” Ningning sighed, brushing a strand of pink hair off Giselle’s face. “I’m sorry, love. I’ll check it.”
Giselle gave her a soft nod and waited patiently to see what the call was about. As Ningning grabbed her phone from the nightstand, one name came across her screen…
Kim Sejeong.
Her train of thought was long, messy, and anxious.
Oh my god, something bad happened… but why would she call me? We’re not even that close.
She could call her best friends.
What if she’s in danger?
What if she’s pranking me? But wait — she’s not like that. What if she—
The phone flew from her hands before she even realized and landed in Giselle’s lap. She didn’t waste another second before picking up the call.
“Hi, this is Giselle speaking. What’s up, unnie?”
Ningning leaned back, watching Giselle handle the situation. Her girlfriend’s sleepy, slightly irritated expression changed within seconds; now she looked worried, tense. Ningning couldn’t hear the other side of the call, but Giselle’s last words didn’t help her relax.
“We’ll be there soon.”
When the call ended, silence filled the room. Giselle didn’t turn. Silence stretched between them as her eyes fixed on nothing, her mind clearly somewhere else, probably trying to put her words in order, or at least, that’s what Ningning thought.
“Can you plea—”
“It’s about—”
Both of their mouths opened and closed at the same time. Ningning lowered her head and nodded for Giselle to continue. It had only been three minutes since the call ended, but it felt like hours.
Then she felt cold hands cup her chin, lifting it up. A rush of dread spiked through her. Giselle’s expression said it all; sympathy, sadness, and care. Her head began to buzz, her eyes shot open, fear rushed through her veins.. She already knew the next words wouldn’t be good.
“It’s Danielle. And we should go get her. Now.”
Ningning barely managed to respond before they both jumped into action. They moved in sync, got dressed, grabbed the keys, and were out the door in five minutes.
Once they reached the car, Giselle caught her arm. The touch grounded her, pulling her back from the dizzy panic of the last fifteen minutes. Ningning leaned against the car, looking at Giselle with an unreadable expression.
“Listen carefully, okay? Don’t yell. Just be there. She’s really drunk… and talking about a cat-shaped person.”
Her pulse hammered in her throat. Haerin. Of course. Tonight had the mark of a coward. A soft kiss on her forehead pulled her out of her head and back into the moment.
“Spineless. That’s what Haerin is. Let’s just go. You’re right, I shouldn’t lose my temper. Thank you.”
Giselle studied her for a moment, then hurried to the passenger side. They got in and started driving. Ningning’s knuckles turned white from how tightly she gripped the wheel. The silence was comfortable but not gentle. Giselle could feel that much. Then, over the hum of the car engine, a weary yet soft murmur broke the quiet.
“When you’re like this, it’s impossible not to start my vows with the words ‘you are my anchor.’”
From the other side came a soft inhale, followed by a smile full of love. Her eyes widened slightly at the words, her lips parting for just a moment. Even in that quiet, fleeting moment, Ningning made her feel seen — cherished — and most importantly, loved.