Our Little Secret [Bbangsaz]

-Chapter 5-

Minji.

Well, that answer was unexpected. Hyein and I exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between us.

Even though she didn’t know who Hanni was, the curiosity in her eyes was unmistakable. I could see the questions bubbling up inside her, waiting for the right moment to spill out.

My gaze followed Hanni as she walked out of the house, her departure stirring up a wave of nostalgia within me. It was the way she moved—her slight slump in the shoulders and the quickness of her steps—that reminded me of countless times she had chosen to withdraw when emotions become too heavy.

Whenever Hanni felt sad or upset, her instinct was to physically remove herself from whatever situation was causing her pain. It was a pattern I had come to recognize all too well.

I remembered trailing behind her every time, wanting desperately to make sure she was okay. My feet almost moved out of pure muscle memory, instinctively ready to chase after her, but then common sense kicked in.

 After the couple left the room, the atmosphere shifted. A few people at the party laughed it off, attempting to dismiss the tension like it was nothing more than a blip in their night.

Others, however, dove immediately into whispers and gossip, their eyes darting between the backyard door and Jison’s group of friends, who were still laughing about the situation.

Soon enough, music started to thump again as an attempt to drown out the awkwardness that lingered in the air. 

Hyein scooted closer to me, her eyes still fixed on the backyard door, as if expecting Hanni to reappear at any moment. “So… what was that about?” I took a deep breath, knowing to tell her the full story, I had to unravel the tangled history between Hanni and me.

As I began to share our past, the lore drop took about twenty minutes. Hyein listened intently, her reactions shifting subtly; a raised eyebrow here, a frown there, and a slight smile at the happier parts.

By the time I finished, my throat felt parched from all the talking, and I took a sip of whatever the hell was in my cup, the drink barely doing anything for my thirst.

Hyein sat in silence for a moment, absorbing everything I had just shared. Her expression was thoughtful, as if she was trying to make sense of everything.

She broke the silence after a second. “Well, that explains a lot… but I still have one question—before all of…that happened,” she says, signaling to the couch where Jinson and Hanni had their pity party, "why did she keep looking over here?” Her brow furrowed slightly, genuine curiosity etched on her face.

I sighed, shrugging my shoulders in response. “I have no clue. Maybe she was wondering who you were.”

Hyein blinked a few times, processing my words before nodding slowly. “I guess that’s fair,” she replied thoughtfully. 

Just then, her expression shifted, and she pointed toward the door with a mix of surprise and amusement. “Speaking of which, look who’s come back.”

I turned my head to see Hanni and Jison re-entering the house, hand in hand. I had a small urge to laugh, a blend of disbelief and amusement filling my thoughts. 

Part of me was wondering how Jison managed to save them, while the other part of me was wondering how stupid Hanni is. 

I know it sounds mean, but seriously? Not too long ago the guy just admitted to cheating on you. 

“Did she seriously forgive that meathead?” Hyein asked, her eyes tracking them with a mixture of disbelief and fascination.

“I guess so,” I replied, shaking my head slightly. “But then again, Hanni isn’t exactly the best at relationships.”