Love In Convenience

4. ASSIGNMENT UNDERSTOOD

HANNI POV

I ran.

I don't know why, but my legs just wouldn't stop. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might break free from my chest. I didn't even bother to grab my bag from the classroom, still clad in my gym uniform as I sprinted through the streets. Before I knew it, the convenience store was in sight, but my legs kept moving, carrying me further and further away from the scene.

I wanted to stop—I really did—but my body wasn't listening. What is wrong with me?

My breath came out in shallow gasps, each one sharp and painful. Am I having a heart attack? The thought sent a wave of panic crashing over me. My pulse was erratic, my mind spinning.

Wait... no... don't tell me... I'm falling for her?

That single thought froze me mid-stride, and the world seemed to tilt beneath me.

Suddenly, my foot caught on the uneven pavement, and I went sprawling forward, landing flat on my face. Groaning, I propped myself up on my elbows, my body aching from the impact.

As I sat there, trying to catch my breath, my fingers absentmindedly brushed against my lips. The memory hit me like a lightning bolt: the feeling of her lips on mine. My stomach churned, not with nausea, but with something strange—something warm and fluttery. It was as if tiny fireworks had gone off inside me the moment we kissed.

I bit my lip, my cheeks growing impossibly warm. My mind screamed at me to dismiss it, to brush it off as an accident, but my body wouldn't let me forget.

That kiss—it had left me breathless, vulnerable. And now, here I was, sitting on the ground, completely undone by a single moment.

3RD PERSON POV

Haerin walked toward the convenience store, a subtle mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling in her chest. It was her first day on the job, and though she had always been calm under pressure, there was something about the unknown that left her slightly on edge.

Her thoughts barely lingered on the earlier incident. To her, it was nothing more than an unfortunate mishap—hardly worth a second thought.

Pushing the door open, the familiar jingle of the bell greeted her. Haerin's gaze swept over the store until it landed on someone standing near the cash counter.

It was Hanni.

The latter wore a sleeveless blue jacket over a crisp white shirt, her sharp features softened by the faint flush on her cheeks. Hanni's eyes were locked on Haerin, staring with an intensity that seemed out of place.

Haerin raised a brow, unsure what to make of it, but she walked toward her regardless. Each step brought her closer, and with every inch of distance she closed, Hanni felt her heart sink deeper into the quicksand of her emotions.

"I'm here," Haerin said, her tone neutral as their eyes met. "What do I need to do?"

Hanni broke the eye contact almost immediately, her breath hitching as she dropped her gaze to the floor. Her hand instinctively flew to her chest, where her heart threatened to break free.

"M-Mom is in the storeroom," Hanni stammered, barely able to form the words. "Ask her."

Haerin tilted her head slightly, unimpressed. "Alright, idiot. Not like you'd be smart enough to tell me anyway," she muttered with a roll of her eyes before walking away.