It is five o'clock in the afternoon. Hannah is waiting in the living room alongside her older colleagues, who are accompanying her to see a psychiatrist. She rests her elbows on her knees and looks discreetly at Joseph. She can see that the boy is confused. Probably it's troublesome for him because he pretends to be a cold bastard all the time, teasing her, and yet he can't give up and wants to be at her side to know what's wrong with her. Hannah is sure it has to do with his past and what he went through because of his sick mother. She is sure that this is what causes him to be able to be protective of her.
Jin, on the other hand, is worried about her. He can forgive her for her past behavior and the fact that she recklessly claimed to be her deceased twin. The boy explains to himself that it's because of illness, so he can't pass by her and disregard her, especially since she's Danielle's sister. He wants to take care of her.
— I'm about to die of nerves here — the teenager says unexpectedly, nervously running her fingers over her cup of warm tea.
She sets it down on the saucer.
— Then take a deep breath and think about something else — speaks Joseph, looking ahead. — Imagine a naked Jin. — He presents his silhouette with his hand. Hannah blushes at these words. — Do you see? It's already helped you.
— So now I'm going to start imagining you without panties. It will take me more time because I don't know if I can reach something under my boxers in my mind — he replies, crossing his arms on his chest. She looks at him shamelessly, at which the boy croaks.
— That's just unsavory. Fortunately, we are not related. — Hannah does not understand his allusion. Jin only shakes his head at this. — How do you even know that I wear boxers? Could it have been revealed to you by the demonic entity with whom you sit down to tea and gossip every night?
— This entity sits in your room far more time than with me and reports to me about everything — she bites back, boldly looking him in the eye. She is no longer afraid of his demonic gaze, which this time too is highlighted with black crayon.
Jin unexpectedly gets up from the couch. He grabs the girl's hand and leads her to the room where the office is located. The teenager only now realizes that his aunt has just come outside and is waiting for her. The woman smiles in a friendly way, but it doesn't help because Hannah feels like returning the whole lunch.
— Now I will take care of her. — The psychiatrist turns to his nephew. He puts his hand on the seventeen-year-old's back and leads her inside.
*
Joseph gets the impression that the minutes are getting longer since his younger colleague entered the office. He looks around the interior in boredom, guessing that it has been richly decorated by the woman's hard-earned money.
— Does your aunt have a husband? — she turns to her friend.
— Why, did she catch your eye?
— I'm just curious if she earned everything herself — she replies, piercing him with her eyes. — Just because I like older women doesn't mean I like every woman.
— You like older women because you grew up without a mother.
— That was rude — she mutters, looking ahead. — Another person would have had his neck craned by now.
— Lately you have stopped respecting me anyway. Should I count on my fingers how many times you've yelled at me since the holidays started? — Jin pokes a stern look at him, which only makes him laugh. — But I'll turn a blind eye to that because I realize that you are just worried about Hannah.
— I'm not worried about anyone. I'm not the caring type — he burbles under his breath.
— So what are you doing here if you're not worried about her?
— I'm looking for a reason to keep nagging her. — He sends his friend a forced smile, taking satisfaction in shutting his mouth.
Jin understands that there is no point in talking to him about it, since he won't admit it anyway. It's obvious to the naked eye that Joseph is worried, but he continues to play the heartless bastard.
They both lift their faces and poke their eyes at the girl when she finally leaves the office. She looks sad, but nevertheless forces a smile. She turns to face the woman who follows her.
— Thank you, lady. I needed this visit.
— So we have an appointment, right? You tell everything to your mother and in the near future you appear at my office. — Hannah nods as she takes the business card from her. — This was just a preliminary meeting, and you can hide it, but your mother needs to know what's wrong with you. You're a minor, so she has to give her consent to your treatment, and that also involves costs. If need be, you will have to buy medication. There is no other option.
— I understand. I will talk to my mother. After visiting with you, I realized that I shouldn't hide this from her. It's not right.
The woman puts her hand on her shoulder and smiles in a friendly way.
— Don't worry. Everything will be fine. I'm glad you agreed to the treatment yourself. The sooner we start, the better the chances are that we will succeed.
*
A week later.
Hannah is sitting at the table, spooning her food. She feels Jin's caring gaze on her. She lifts her face and looks at him with sad eyes.
— It's inevitable. The most important thing for you now is treatment. You can't stay here any longer because this place affects you badly. Think about the fact that in three months I, Joseph, Tom.... all of us will graduate, and there's no point in keeping you here.
— It was with this thought that I immediately agreed to go home and attend school in Chicago. I'm just sad that it's all coming to an end and I will have to part with you. I don't want that.
The boy smiles serenely at her. He puts his hand on her hand, not paying attention to the students' interest. Hannah looks at his silver bracelet, feeling tears coming to her eyes. She would rather not start all over again. She is afraid of treatment. The girl worries about her future.
— After all, you don't go to the other side of the world, so we can all stay in touch. Besides, there are phones and computers.
— This is true, but... it won't be the same anymore. — He lifts his face and sighs loudly. — Nevertheless, I won't do anything. Your class is graduating in a few months, so there is nothing to keep me here. Mom made me realize that I should go back to Chicago, that sending me to New York was not the best idea. She is distressed about me.
— She's your mother, so it's understandable. Why did you delay so long to tell her the truth?
— Because I was afraid she would be disappointed. I would rather not disappoint her.
— Any mother who loves her child will never be disappointed with her and will do anything to help her, as long as she is happy.
Hannah nods and smiles through her tears.
— What kind of melodramatic show is this? — Joseph joins them. He is accompanied by Tom, who takes a seat next to the girl and sticks a weepy look in her eyes.
— Is it true that you are dropping out of school and returning to Chicago?
The girl looks at his sad face and nods for confirmation. Tom arranges his mouth in such a way that it looks like a disappointed emoticon.
— It's my mother's decision. I will move to one of the better schools in my city. She wants me to be close to her. It's already decided.
— My wife is going to the other end of the country. It's over — he says more to himself, knitting his fingers in his food.
— A while ago, I talked to Hannah about it and promised her that we will come to her — interjects Jin hastily, sending the girl a smile.
— You guys will. I am not going to spend money on fuel.
Joseph crosses his arms over his chest. He looks amused when everyone looks at him with offended eyes.
— First ask Hannah if she wishes your company at all — Tom says bitingly, batting his eyelids as if trying to chase away tears. Everyone can see the state he's in any way. The boy is heartbroken. — Because as soon as the vacations start, Jin and I will be at her place every weekend.
*
The teenager throws her bag on the bed and sits down on the mattress, looking around the interior with sad eyes. Although this place has caused her a lot of fear and even pain, she has become accustomed to it and finds it difficult to leave. A lot has happened here over these few months. She has met people to whom she has become attached.
What she will miss most is Jin's caring, Joseph's kookiness and Tom's humor. No one can improve her mood better than this crazy boy. He is special. Anyway... each of them has a unique personality.
She looks towards the door when a knock sounds. She's sure it's not Joseph because he walks in every time, as if he were himself.
The girl grabs the door handle and looks outside, but there is no one in the corridor.
— What is it again? — she asks herself, wrinkling her eyebrows. She gets the impression that she senses someone's presence in the room. She looks over her shoulder and opens her eyes wide when she sees one of the floorboards, jostling. In fear, she leans her back against the door, which slams under her weight.
Something incomprehensible is happening.
— Before you leave.... see what's hiding in there.
She shifts her gaze to the entity that takes the form of her dead sister. He sees her sad eyes. She looks hurt.
— What is there? — she asks in a trembling voice, feeling her heart rise to her throat. She is cold. The temperature in the room drops by a dozen degrees. It seems to her that the heating stopped working.
— The secret this room hides. And you.
Hannah rubs her shoulders and uncertainly heads toward the open board. She crouches beside it and, before reaching for the box, looks back to see where the phantom is.
She is no longer there. She has disappeared.
With shaking hands, he opens the box and looks inside. She takes out a piece of paper, on which are written the names of her older classmates. There is a black dot in the middle, with arrows going off from it. Next to Joseph's name it says: enemy/trustworthy, and Jin's arrow is decorated with a heart, a question mark and the addition: liar?
The teenager tightens her lips and, with trembling hands, tears the piece of paper. She leans over the floor and closes her eyelids from under which tears flow.
— What is this? — she asks herself, taking another sheet of paper in her hand. It is a letter that she sees with her eyes for the first time. The worst thing about it is that it has her handwriting on it.
I think I am complicit in my sister's death. I don't know because I don't remember the day she died. I have completely erased it from my memory. I don't deserve forgiveness. The burden of this guilt has made me slowly become an entirely different person. When I die, will I leave behind the same curse that reached the people living in this room after the suicide of the previous tenant?
That poor girl died in that room, and everyone claims it is cursed. Why? Because she was weak and hung herself from the chandelier? Because of this, they claim that she is still wandering around and call this place cursed? A bunch of nonsense. People don't know how the mind can sometimes be weak and destroy a person in a brief moment.
Hannah tears her terrified gaze away from the page and plunges it into the chandelier that hangs in the middle of the room. For a split second, the image of the hanging girl manifests before her eyes. A shiver runs through her.
I am also weak. I think my mind hides some dark secret. It has hidden the truth from me from that day. This secret includes him. My sister's ex-boyfriend. Jin. My sister played a game with him. She played with his feelings. Wasn't she a bitch?
Her breath quickens as she recalls that day for a split second. She sees Jin standing by his car and staring at the car containing Danielle. Her side is massacred by the truck that drove into her.
Hannah looks at Jin, and then he finds her gaze and smiles diabolically. Something disturbs her thoughts and the image from that day is lost. She can't remember anything else.
Does Jin know her from the beginning, but is he pretending and playing a game with her?
She immediately recalls his behavior and the questions he asked her. It seems as if from the very beginning he saw her as Hannah, not Danielle. As if he knows perfectly well who she is....
Is this another illusion?
I should die. So should Jin. We deserve to go to hell to join Danielle. Should we?
As if scalded, she lifts her face and with terrified eyes looks at her mother, who is just entering the room.
— Honey, what are you doing on this floor? Shouldn't you be packed by now?
Hannah hastily wipes the tears from her face and hides behind her back the piece of paper she was just reading. Her heart is beating like crazy, and she can't calm down. She doesn't understand any of this. She doesn't know what's going on.
— Already, mom — she says in a trembling voice. — I'm already getting on with it. It's just hard for me to say goodbye to this place.
She hastily slips the note into her pants pocket and, adopting a forced smile, decides to go about her business. She is devastated and doesn't understand any of this. She doesn't even remember the moment when she wrote the letter.
How is this possible?