The Echoes of the Piano

The Final Separation

The weeks seemed to stretch on endlessly for Haerin. She found herself retreating further and further into the silence of her own mind, the pressure of being perfect still gnawing at her from within. Every day, she felt herself slipping away from the world around her, as if the walls she had built up were finally closing in.

Minji and Hanni were inseparable. Haerin saw it every day. The way they would laugh together in the hallways, share quiet conversations in the corners of the school, and exchange glances that Haerin could no longer understand. It was as if they were speaking a language she wasn't part of anymore. And the more she watched, the more distant she became.

Her own twin sister, Hanni, who had always been her closest confidante, seemed to be slipping away, too. It wasn't that Hanni had intentionally distanced herself from Haerin—Hanni still cared deeply for her twin, but Haerin could see it. She could see the way Hanni was drawn more and more to Minji. It was as though their bond was growing in a way Haerin couldn't reach.

The pain inside Haerin was becoming unbearable. She had tried to focus on the upcoming piano competition, telling herself that winning—that proving herself as the best—was the only thing that mattered now. But no matter how many hours she spent practicing, no matter how hard she pushed herself, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was losing everything.

One evening, after yet another long and lonely practice session, Haerin sat on her bed with her phone in hand, scrolling through Instagram aimlessly. She had tried to avoid it, tried to turn off the world outside of her own music, but the pull of the social media app was too strong. She needed something—anything—to distract her from the void she was feeling.

And then she saw it.

A post from Hanni.

Haerin's heart stopped. There, in bold letters, the caption read: "i said yes " The photo attached showed Hanni, smiling brightly, her arm draped around Minji's shoulder. The two of them were standing close, looking more than just friendly. Hanni was wearing a dazed smile, while Minji looked at her with a softness Haerin had never seen in her eyes before.

The ring. The little silver band on Hanni's finger was what had caught Haerin's attention first. It wasn't an engagement ring, but it was a promise. A commitment. A symbol of something that Haerin wasn't a part of.

Hanni and Minji... they were "dating"

A wave of shock, followed by a deep, aching sadness, washed over Haerin. She could feel her breath catch in her throat as she stared at the photo, unable to tear her eyes away.

Her twin sister, the one person who had always been by her side, had crossed a line she had never imagined. Hanni was choosing Minji. Hanni was choosing to walk away from their shared past. To walk away from Haerin.

And Haerin—she felt like she was being left behind.

The room felt like it was spinning. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't understand how everything had changed so quickly. Just a few months ago, Hanni and Minji had been nothing more than acquaintances to Haerin. Then, it had been a casual friendship. But now? They were more than that.

More than Haerin could ever be.

Haerin had spent so long fighting for recognition, for validation, for her mother's approval. But now, she realized, she had been fighting all alone. She had kept pushing, trying to be better, to prove herself, without realizing that the one thing she needed was not accolades or trophies, but the love and connection she thought she still had with her twin sister.

And now, that was slipping away.

Her hands trembled as she set her phone down on the bed. The noise of the world outside her bubble felt louder than ever. She wanted to scream, but the words wouldn't come. She wanted to cry, but the tears refused to fall. It wasn't just that her sister had moved on. It wasn't just that Minji and Hanni were dating now.

It was the feeling of being utterly, completely alone.

She had spent years fighting for perfection, fighting to be the best, but in doing so, she had lost the people who truly mattered to her. She had lost herself in the process. And now, it felt like there was no way back.

Her phone buzzed again, breaking her thoughts.

A message from Minji.

[MINJI: "Hey, Haerin. We should talk. I know things have been weird lately, but I don't want things to stay like this. Can we meet after school?"

Haerin stared at the message, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and emotion. Part of her wanted to reply, wanted to explain how she felt, wanted to ask Minji for the same closeness they had shared before. But another part of her—the part that had been so hurt—couldn't bring herself to respond. How could she explain this kind of pain? How could she tell Minji that she felt like she was losing both her twin and the only person who had ever understood her?

Minji didn't know what it was like to be stuck in Haerin's shoes. She didn't understand how it felt to be overshadowed by everyone else, even the people she loved.

Haerin felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness as she deleted the message without replying. She couldn't bring herself to face the truth. She couldn't face the person Minji had become, or the person Hanni had become in relation to Minji. It was too much to bear.

For the rest of the day, Haerin wandered through her classes in a daze, unable to focus on anything. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Hanni and Minji. To their bond. To the way they were sharing a life that Haerin was no longer a part of.

After school, Haerin didn't go to the cafeteria to meet Minji, as they used to. She didn't go anywhere. She just sat by herself, in the quiet corner of the school courtyard, staring at the ground. The world around her felt muted, like she was watching everything happen through a foggy glass.

In the distance, she saw Hanni and Minji walk toward each other, laughing. Haerin's heart clenched painfully as she watched them embrace, their hands brushing gently as they spoke softly to one another.

They were so close now. So *untouchable.*

Haerin closed her eyes, the weight of everything crashing down on her. She wasn't even sure who she was anymore. Not the perfect pianist. Not the daughter who was meant to carry on her mother's legacy. Not the twin sister who was meant to share every moment with Hanni. And now... not even the friend she once was to Minji.

In that moment, Haerin realized something painful—something that cut deeper than any competition or piano piece ever could.

She had spent her whole life trying to be everything she thought she should be. And now, she didn't know who she was anymore.