Lost Connection

Chapter 13: Do I Like You?

Haerin was on a mission, racing against time to get to the studio pronto. Power-walking with determination, she rifled through her bag frantically, where the heck was her phone?!

She was nearly there when she collided with someone—or wait, was that Minji? Haerin scoffed, not quite believing her luck. Minji shot her a tight-lipped smile and breezed past. Haerin glanced back as the girl strolled away, expecting the usual eye roll or a grimace hidden poorly. To her surprise, Minji seemed content, maybe even amused. Haerin shrugged it off and marched into the building; there was an interview to be done, after all.

Seated in front of the camera in a pristine white space, Haerin shared the stage with a Japanese interviewer and her diligent translator. Perched on a modern chair that resembled more of a sleek block, she fielded a series of straightforward questions. Inquiries like, "What got you into vlogging?" and "Was this always your dream?" flowed easily from the interviewer's lips.

However, when asked about regrets, Haerin hit a pause button in her responses. The lens inched closer, capturing the subtle discomfort in her eyes. She spoke honestly, admitting, "I have one regret. That was abandoning one of my good friends. I didn't really stay in touch and forgot about her. If I could go back, I'd be more considerate, or maybe even take her with me."

The Japanese interviewer, vibrant in colorful attire, chimed in, "Wow, this must be a real close friend." The Korean translator echoed the sentiment, and Haerin, her thoughts momentarily drifting into the past, nodded. "We were... really close," she said, snapping back to the present with a smile as the crew signaled the end of the shoot.

With the cameras off, the crew applauded, and Haerin gracefully bowed in gratitude. "That's a wrap, guys," declared the camera guy. As she made her way out, Haerin exchanged a few words with the considerate director. "I'll email you," he promised, and she nodded in agreement, bidding farewell with a wave.

However, as she reached into her bag for her phone, it became painfully clear that it had once again vanished. Haerin sighed, Opting for a strategic pause, Haerin set her bag down and delved into its contents. The frantic search yielded no phone, a minor inconvenience overshadowed by the discovery of an unexpected note. Scribbled on a piece of paper, it delivered a cryptic message: "Want your phone? Admit you're in love with me."

Haerin's brows furrowed in confusion. The playful demand danced on the edge of teasing and perplexity. Yet, there, at the corner of the note, were coordinates. A quizzical expression painted her face as she tried to decipher the puzzle. Was her phone being held for ransom?

Haerin crumpled the mysterious note, stuffing it into her pocket with a frown. Opting for a return to her grandparents' house, she found herself disconnected from the constant hum of technology. Stripped of her phone, she faced a type of silence that pushed her to confront her internal turmoil.

Her ambitions as a journalist clashed with the bittersweet memories of Minji. Despite having a girlfriend, Minji was always in her brain and she takes the blame no matter who's wrong or right, invading her thoughts and disrupting the narrative she sought to craft in her journal.

Frustration surged within her as ink on paper failed to capture the storm raging in her mind. The room echoed her discontent, a battleground for the war between career aspirations and unresolved emotions.

In this moment of internal chaos, her grandmother entered, offering a hug that held both understanding and a hint of tough love. Without words, she conveyed a message: confront the demons within. A few tears escaped Haerin's eyes, but the moment was brief. Her grandmother, the embodiment of resilience, brewed a cup of tea, a remedy for physical and emotional chill alike.