Why She Matters

After the Storm

Haerin's POV

I woke up, staring at the ceiling in my room, my mind racing. I couldn't stop replaying the moment when Danielle kissed me. The feeling of her lips on mine kept coming back, making my heart race all over again. It was like a scene stuck on repeat, leaving me confused but excited at the same time.

I couldn't sleep at all after that moment. The clock read 5:10 in the morning, and I was still wide awake, staring at the wall. Thoughts of Danielle and that kiss kept swirling in my head, making it impossible to drift off. All I wanted was to get some rest, but my mind wouldn't let me.

Thank goodness it was Saturday! No classes meant I could finally relax, even if I hadn't slept a wink. I rolled over in bed, feeling a little lighter knowing I didn't have to worry about rushing to campus or sitting through lectures. It was a day all to myself, and I planned to make the most of it, even if my mind kept drifting back to that kiss.

After laying in bed for what felt like forever, I finally decided it was time to freshen up. I got up, splashed some water on my face, and threw on a comfy sweatshirt. Once I felt somewhat awake, I headed downstairs to make myself a cup of coffee. The warm smell of brewing coffee always had a way of making my mornings feel a little better.

I was too lazy to go out, so I decided to order food. It felt like the easiest choice for a Saturday. I pulled out my phone and started scrolling through the delivery options, already craving something good.

After I placed my order, I opened Instagram to kill some time. That's when I saw Danielle's post a picture of a stunning beach. The sun was shining, and the waves looked so inviting. I couldn't help but smile, imagining her enjoying the day by the ocean.

I quickly liked the photo and scrolled down to check the comments. That's when I noticed a guy flirting with her. His compliments were all over the place, and my stomach twisted a bit as I read his words. It felt like a punch to the gut, seeing someone else trying to catch her attention.

What a day to ruin my whole mood. Just when I was starting to feel good about everything, this guy had to come along and throw me off. I tossed my phone onto the couch, trying to shake off the irritation, but the knot in my stomach wouldn't go away.

Danielle's POV

I sat on my couch, going through my students' work, but my mind was elsewhere. I couldn't stop replaying the moment I kissed Haerin. Her lips felt so soft against mine, and I remembered how I had to tiptoe just to reach her. It was a perfect, stolen moment that kept drifting back into my thoughts, distracting me from everything else.

Suddenly, my phone rang, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen and saw a notification that Haerin had liked my post. It was an old photo from a day at the beach, one I had almost forgotten about but decided to share anyway. Seeing her name pop up made me smile, and I felt a rush of warmth at the thought that she was thinking of me, even just for a moment.

Suddenly, Hanni popped up out of nowhere and asked, "Who are you texting? Why are you smiling like that? I've never seen you smile like that before, hmm?" Her playful tone caught me off guard, and I felt my cheeks heat up. I quickly tried to play it cool, not wanting to let on that it was all because of Haerin.

Then Hanni plopped down next to me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You won't believe who I just met!" she said, barely able to contain herself. She told me about the girl who bumped into her last time and broke her phone. The girl apologized again for that incident and invited Hanni to lunch to make up for it. "And she even asked for my number!" Hanni added with a grin. "Honestly, she's really cute!"

"Oh? What's her name?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. "I think it's Minji," Hanni replied, her eyes lighting up. Suddenly, I felt a rush of anticipation. "Can you show me a picture?" She quickly pulled out her phone and scrolled through her photos. When she finally turned the screen toward me, my heart raced it was Minji, Haerin's friend! I couldn't believe it.