Enchanted (Bbangsaz)

30

Minji arrived at Hanni's home a little earlier than expected, greeted by the soft glow of the kitchen light and the delicious smell of something cooking. Hanni was standing by the stove, humming softly, and the sight made Minji's heart skip a beat. She leaned against the doorframe, watching for a moment before Hanni noticed her.

"Oh, you're here!" Hanni turned with a wide smile, quickly setting down the spoon to rush over and give Minji a hug. "You're just in time to help."

Minji laughed, hugging her back. "Thought I was just here to look cute and make you laugh."

"Nice try," Hanni said, pulling her over to the kitchen counter. "There are veggies to chop and a sauce that desperately needs stirring. You're on duty, Chef Kim."

With a grin, Minji took her place beside Hanni, picking up a knife and getting to work. They fell into an easy rhythm, with Hanni showing her where everything was and Minji quickly getting the hang of their small cooking operation.

"So," Minji said, as she sliced some carrots. "I'm finally wrapping up the drama. Last shoot's next week."

Hanni looked up, excitement sparkling in her eyes. "Finally! Does that mean you're going to have a little more free time?"

"Hopefully a lot more," Minji said, glancing over with a smile. "And now that I'm free, you'll be seeing a lot more of me... unless you're getting sick of me already?"

"Never," Hanni said, bumping her shoulder playfully. "Just wait till you're free; I'll be keeping you around so much you'll need a break from me."

"Oh, I'm holding you to that," Minji laughed. "By the way, speaking of family dinners... Jennie is not-so-secretly upset she hasn't met you yet."

Hanni snickered, rolling her eyes. "Jennie sounds almost worse than my dad."

"She might be," Minji admitted, laughing softly. "She's convinced I'm hiding you from her."

"Well, after my album promotions finish, we can have another dinner—this time, with Jennie and your mom," Hanni promised, reaching over to squeeze Minji's hand. "I want to meet them, too."

Minji's eyes softened, and she squeezed Hanni's hand back. "They'll love you. Jennie might try to give you a mini interrogation, but my mom will absolutely adore you."

The two shared a warm smile, the gentle clinking of dishes filling the space as they returned to cooking. The kitchen felt cozier than ever as they continued chatting about future dinners, their schedules, and how relieved they both were to have more time together.

As they finished arranging the plates and cutlery, Minji looked up with a thoughtful smile. "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about the meeting today at the company."

Hanni glanced over with curiosity as she finished folding a napkin. "Oh yeah? What was it about?"

"Jennie wants to sign Haerin," Minji said, unable to hold back the little grin of pride she felt for her friend. "She's been watching her performances and thinks she'd be an amazing addition. Apparently, she's been quietly planning it for months."

Hanni's eyes widened. "Wait—Haerin? That's huge! She's really incredible, Danielle says she's more amazing than it seems to be."

"Exactly," Minji said, nodding. "Jennie's been keeping an eye on her, seeing how her company hasn't really been doing her justice. She wants to give her the kind of opportunities she deserves."

"That's actually amazing," Hanni said, smiling warmly. "And I mean, Haerin would get to work with you too. That must be exciting for both of you."

"It really is," Minji agreed, her eyes brightening. "I mean, Haerin's one of the hardest workers I know. And Jennie's right—she has so much potential. It's time she got the spotlight she deserves."