Chapter 14

"I'm sorry guys. But I think Dani has already ended everything. She told me it was over."

"What?" All of them said at the same time.

"She said that it was her real face and it's better to end everything."

Belle remembered how Dani looked desperate at that time. She almost looked like she was pleading, but the terrifying expression on her face overlapped. So it looked more like an illusion.

For a long time, they were speechless in front of her. Belle is recalling that scene. But the thing that left a big impact on her were Dani's last words before leaving. It keeps ringing in her ears. She recounted to them what happened.

"I never told you because I assumed she said it on the spur of the moment, but now that I think about it... it makes sense. Where is she now? It's been weeks! Perhaps she returned to America?"

She just said one of the things they're most afraid of. Dani was completely silent about herself. They had the impression, though, that she was on her way somewhere. She establishes boundaries with things and, most importantly, with people. That's why they think that perhaps... she'd soon return to her family.

"That's not true. Dani told me she would not go back." Kenneth broke the silence and tension with his confident tone. He recalled her appearance on that particular day. He observed that something was peculiar about her while they were on the beach, so he asked casually and did not really expect that he would receive an answer.

"That's impossible. I will never go back there."

At first, he's confused because they had assumed that's the case and Dani is just not telling them about it. But Dani said it in an affirmative voice and she looked a bit offensive.

"I agree with him. She's definitely cold sometimes, but she's not a jerk. She would not leave without telling us." Eugene said his opinion. He steeled his voice because he knows that everything Dani says, Belle would wholeheartedly believe.

Meanwhile, David is listening in on their talk but constantly checking his phone to see if Dani has responded. He silently laughed because he had a lot to say and ask but could only send a simple message like 'Where are you?' so he couldn't help but mock himself.

I don't know where to start. If I tell her the things I wanted to say, it will just cross the line that she has set up herself. She would not like that. She's very secretive. But why did she say that kind of thing to Belle? He can't understand it.

"Hey guys, want to check her room?"

David turned his head and saw Jun beside him grinning like a devil.

"You're crazy," Kenneth commented.

"But you're not opposing me." Jun chuckled.

David agreed. "It's a good idea. We can see if her things are still here or not. It's better than assuming things."

"I also agree." Eugene stood up and went ahead of them.

Jun clicked his tongue and whispered to him as they followed Eugene. "Look at this guy, leading us to Dani's room... right, David?"

"There's nothing new here," Eugene said, while observing the surroundings.

"Wow, you're right! Even the dust is not touched. As expected of Dani!"

Belle exclaimed with delight. Her high-pitched voice became significantly louder in the enclosed space with no artificial ventilator. Kenneth tapped her on the forehead with his finger.

"Ouch!"

"Very easy to read," David said, with a slight smile on his face.

"All her things are still here. Oh look! This one I gave it and this one too... she got addicted to its smell..."

With a smile on their faces, they listened to her endless rumblings while looking around. Seeing there was nothing wrong in her room and everything looked the same as usual, they felt relieved somehow. David decided to send a message again.

'We are waiting for you'

'Come back soon'

Ting... Ting...

Ting... Ting...

Suddenly, they heard a sound. They looked at each other with confused expressions.

"What's that?"

"Wait."

David gestured and typed fast on his phone.

Send.

Ting... Ting...

"I sent a message to Dani."

"So, she left her phone!?"

They looked ate ach other with same idea on their minds. They took out their phones and sent text messages at the same time.

Ting... Ting...

Ting... Ting...

Ting... Ting...

The message tone is playing in the background, but Dani's phone is nowhere to be found. The sound comes from her bed, but there are no visible traces. It was until Eugene and Kenneth took a step forward before lifting something up. The phone is hidden beneath the bed.

Why didn't she bring her phone and only left it here? They asked, trying to make sense of Dani's actions.

"Well, at least we know now that she's not purposely ignoring us," Eugene said with a shrug.

"Even when we can't figure her out sometimes... we all know that for all the things that she does, there's always a reason." David also pointed out.

"So, what's the plan?"