Starlight Haven - [BBANGSAZ & DAERIN AU]

11.) Truce

Hyein stepped into the office, her heart racing with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. But that feeling was immediately replaced by a nauseating feeling. The air was heavy with tension, an almost palpable energy that seemed to emanate from the two couples seated on opposite sides of the room. She found herself in the midst of a silent battle, a tug-of-war between two families, both vying for the privilege of having her as their own.

As she glanced between the two families, her heart sank with the weight of the decision that lay before her. Caught between two families that had shown her love, she struggled to wrap her head around the fact that she would be the one to choose between them. 

Panic tightened its grip on her heart as she considered the magnitude of her choice. She had formed deep connections with both families, and the idea of choosing one over the other seemed impossible. The fear of regret loomed large, a shadow that threatened to cloud her judgment and mire her in uncertainty. How could she possibly decide? Both families had touched her life in meaningful ways.

As Hyein grappled with her internal turmoil, she became aware of the intense gazes that were fixed upon her. The couple's eyes bore into her, their expressions a mix of desperation and determination. It was as if they were trying to convey their unwavering devotion to her through their looks alone, silently pleading for her to choose them but their gazes quickly shifted to each other, animosity and resentment burning in their glares.

The supervisor's voice cut through the tense silence, breaking Hyein from her thoughts. "As you both have not come to a conclusion, I propose this," she began, her tone measured and firm. Hyein's attention snapped to the supervisor, her heart pounding in her chest as she awaited to hear the resolution that would determine her fate.

The proposal laid out before her was both unexpected and daunting. A three-year trial period during which she would alternate between the two families on a monthly basis. 

Both families recoiled at the suggestion, their expressions mirroring a mix of disbelief and distaste. The unison of their thoughts was palpable—this was not the resolution they had anticipated, not the clear-cut answer they had hoped for.

Hanni's lips parted, a protest ready on her tongue, but the supervisor's unwavering gaze silenced her. "It's either that or Hyein chooses right now," she stated firmly, her resolve unyielding. The weight of the decision was heavy, and the tension in the room seemed to amplify with each passing second.

The families exchanged glances, the frustration evident in their eyes. Both sides were thinking the same thing, their disbelief reflected in their expressions: "This can't be real, what kind of solution is that?" They had expected a straightforward resolution, not a proposition that challenged their sense of certainty. Protests and objections bubbled up from both families, their voices overlapping as they tried to voice their concerns. But the supervisor held her ground, her resolve unwavering as she maintained the gravity of the situation.

After moments of heated discussion and protest, both families eventually conceded, albeit begrudgingly. With pens in hand, they signed the contract, sealing the fate of the coming years. Hyein's future had been determined, yet the journey ahead remained uncertain.

As the room settled into a tense silence, the question that lingered was where Hyein's journey would begin. The weight of that choice hung in the air, a reminder that while a resolution had been reached, the challenges and emotions that lay ahead were far from over. And as Hyein looked between the two families, both couples awaiting her decision with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, she found herself at the crossroads of her life, faced with a choice that would shape her destiny.