Unwritten Chords Of Love

Chords of Confusion

The next few days of school felt like a whirlwind. Hanni had never been one to shy away from making friends, and her first day had already given her a boost of confidence. But something about that brief encounter with Minji lingered in the back of her mind, making her heart race every time she thought about it.

She couldn't stop replaying the moment when Minji had smiled at her, the way she'd said *"I love you too."* It had sounded so natural, almost as if it was something she said to everyone. But then again, Minji didn't seem like the type of person to throw those words around carelessly. Hanni had *felt* the warmth in Minji's voice, the sincerity.

The only problem? Hanni wasn't sure if Minji had meant it the way she did.

The more Hanni thought about it, the more confused she became. The love she had for Minji wasn't just admiration for her talent—it was something deeper, something that fluttered in her chest like a thousand butterflies. Was that what Minji had felt? Or had she meant it the way someone might tell a child they love their energy or enthusiasm?

The line between friendship and something more was blurry, and Hanni wasn't sure which side she was on.

During lunch on the third day, Hanni found herself looking for Minji again. She spotted her near the cafeteria's outdoor seating area, leaning against a bench with a couple of her friends. There was an easy laugh in the air, the kind that made Minji seem like she was always in her element, at ease with everything around her.

Hanni hesitated for a moment, trying to decide whether or not to approach her. She had a million questions—questions about love, about Minji's intentions, about what it all meant—but she didn't want to seem too eager. She didn't want to be the kind of person who made everything weird.

But before she could turn away, Minji spotted her from across the courtyard and waved. "Hey, Hanni!"

Hanni's heart skipped a beat. She quickly waved back, her nerves scrambling. *Okay, here we go.*

"Hey, Minji!" Hanni called out as she walked toward the group, trying to sound casual despite the way her stomach was flipping. "What's up?"

"Just hanging out," Minji replied, leaning back with a relaxed posture. "You settling in okay?"

"Yeah, definitely! Everyone's super nice here." Hanni smiled. "I'm just—uh, still getting used to everything. It's a little overwhelming, you know?"

Minji nodded in understanding. "I get it. Freshman year can be a lot. But you seem like you're handling it just fine."

Hanni laughed nervously, but the compliment made her cheeks warm. She glanced around, trying to think of something else to say. The silence stretched on for a few beats before her brain decided to make her blurt out the question that had been eating at her for days.

"So, about what you said the other day..." Hanni began, her voice faltering a little. "When you said you loved me?"

Minji blinked, clearly surprised by the sudden change in tone. "Oh, uh, yeah. I did."

Hanni's heart beat a little faster, but she tried to stay calm. "I just... I guess I was wondering, like, what you meant by that?"

Minji tilted her head, clearly trying to understand where Hanni was coming from. "What do you mean?"

Hanni shifted her weight, feeling awkward but determined to understand. "I mean, when you said 'I love you,' it sounded like... well, it sounded like you meant it. But I didn't know if it was like... like, just being nice? Or something else?"

Minji chuckled softly, her eyes softening with a mixture of amusement and understanding. "Ohhh, I get it now." She pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "No, it wasn't anything romantic, if that's what you're thinking."

Hanni felt a sudden jolt of disappointment, but Minji quickly added, "It's more like... I love your enthusiasm. You're so full of energy, and it's hard not to love that. You remind me of a younger version of myself when I first started here—excited about everything, eager to take on the world. It's refreshing."

Hanni blinked, processing the words, and then a small smile tugged at her lips. It wasn't the love she'd been hoping for, but there was something sincere about it. Something warm, like a hug without the physical touch.

"Oh," Hanni said, her voice a little lighter. "So, like, you love me as a person, not in a... *crush* way?"

Minji laughed again, a musical sound that seemed to come from deep in her chest. "Exactly. I think you're really cool, Hanni. And I think we'd get along great. But not, like, *that* way."

Hanni nodded slowly, feeling a strange mix of relief and disappointment. The fluttering in her chest hadn't gone away, but it wasn't exactly the same feeling. She wasn't sure what it was—maybe it was admiration, or something more—but it definitely wasn't what she'd imagined it would be when she first looked at Minji.

She took a breath. "Okay, that makes sense. Thanks for clearing that up."

Minji smiled warmly at her. "No problem. I'm glad we could talk about it."

There was a pause, a brief moment of comfortable silence before Minji's friends called out to her. "We're heading to class, Minji. You coming?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" Minji turned back to Hanni. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Sure!" Hanni replied, giving her a smile that felt a little less uncertain now.

As Minji walked away, Hanni stood there for a moment, watching her go. The weight of the conversation sank in, and she realized something important: the love Minji had for her wasn't the kind of love she'd been imagining. It wasn't the spark of romantic affection that she'd hoped for.

But that didn't mean it wasn't real.

Hanni had always been the type to dive headfirst into things, to chase after what she wanted with everything she had. But now, for the first time, she found herself standing still—waiting, thinking, and trying to understand what kind of love she was feeling. What kind of love there was to feel.

The truth was, she didn't have all the answers. And maybe she wouldn't for a while. But that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy the music—whether it was loud and fast, or quiet and soft.

And, for now, she was okay with that.