Unwritten Chords Of Love

A Song for the Heart

The autumn air had a way of carrying a certain quiet energy, like the season itself was holding its breath. Hanni couldn't quite explain it, but every step she took across campus seemed to carry a new sense of awareness. Maybe it was the crisp chill in the air, or the way the trees swayed above her like they were holding a secret she hadn't quite figured out. But whatever it was, it made her feel like she was standing at the edge of something.

Something *new*.

The band had been practicing nearly every afternoon after school, getting ready for their first big performance of the year. The energy around them was infectious—everyone was either working on their part or figuring out the finer details of the setlist. Minji had stepped into a kind of leadership role, effortlessly guiding the group with a combination of sharp focus and a warm sense of camaraderie. Hanni loved watching her in action, especially when Minji gave a playful side-eye to her bandmates, or flashed that soft, knowing smile that always made Hanni's heart skip.

But still, there was something that lingered in Hanni's mind, a question she hadn't been able to shake off: *Where did she fit in all of this?* She was always around, always part of the group, but never quite at the center. She was the enthusiastic freshman, the one who brought energy to the practice, but she wasn't a musician—she didn't share that deep bond Minji had with the rest of the band. And for the first time since meeting Minji, that difference felt like something she couldn't ignore.

The truth was, the longer Hanni spent around Minji, the more complicated her feelings seemed to become. There was the easy friendship—the kind where they traded stories and laughed over inside jokes. But there was also a deeper undercurrent, a magnetic pull Hanni couldn't quite define. She wasn't sure if it was the closeness of their moments, the lingering glances, or just the way Minji made her feel *seen* in a way she had never felt before.

One day after practice, as the band members packed up, Minji turned to Hanni and caught her looking a little lost in thought. "You good?" she asked, her voice gentle but curious.

Hanni hesitated, then nodded, though she wasn't entirely sure she believed herself. "Yeah, just thinking about stuff," she said, forcing a smile. "You know, the usual."

Minji tilted her head, sensing something was off. "Anything I can help with?"

Hanni bit her lip. Part of her wanted to talk about the tangled emotions that were slowly unraveling in her chest, but another part of her was afraid of making things awkward. They were friends, yes, but the idea of turning that friendship into something heavier... that was terrifying. She wasn't even sure what she wanted it to be.

"Actually," Hanni said after a long pause, "I've been thinking a lot about love, and... how I feel about you." She winced inwardly, the words coming out before she could stop them.

Minji raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on her lips. "Oh?"

"Yeah," Hanni said quickly, trying to explain herself. "I mean, it's not like I'm in love with you—like, romantically. But I... I don't know. There's something about you that makes me feel *so* much. It's like... like a melody I can't quite figure out."

Minji chuckled softly, her expression both amused and understanding. "You're a bit of a poet, Hanni."

Hanni laughed nervously, her cheeks flushing. "I guess. But, seriously, I've been trying to understand what this *feeling* is. I don't know if it's just admiration or if it's something deeper."

Minji's smile softened, and for a moment, she looked more serious than Hanni had ever seen her. "I get it. It's not always easy to sort out those kinds of feelings. But I think it's okay not to have everything figured out right away." She stepped closer to Hanni, her voice quieter now. "And I think it's okay if the kind of love you feel isn't one that has to be defined. Maybe it's just... the kind that exists in the space between us, in our friendship. And maybe that's all it needs to be."

Hanni nodded, her heart beating a little faster, but this time, it didn't feel unsettling. It felt like a warm light turning on inside her. Minji wasn't pushing her to figure everything out. She was just *being*, in that quiet, steadfast way she always had been. She was giving Hanni the space to breathe, to feel what she needed to feel, without rushing her.

"You're right," Hanni said softly. "I think I've been trying to make everything fit into a box, and it doesn't really work that way, does it?"

Minji shook her head, her smile returning. "Nope.
Sometimes, you've just got to let things unfold. Love comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and maybe we're just at the beginning of figuring out what ours looks like."

Hanni smiled back, and for the first time in weeks, the knot in her chest loosened. She didn't need to rush. She didn't need to have everything figured out. Maybe love wasn't just one thing. Maybe it was a collection of moments—shared looks, gentle words, the music that played between them.

That evening, as Hanni made her way home, she felt something shift in her. She no longer felt the pressure to define what she was feeling. Maybe it was okay to just *be*—to exist in the friendship she had with Minji, to let her feelings grow at their own pace. For the first time, she felt like she didn't have to force it. She could just be a part of the rhythm, one note in the larger song.

The next afternoon, the band gathered for their final rehearsal before the performance, and as always, Hanni stood by the stage, her eyes on Minji. This time, when their gazes met, something was different. It wasn't that fluttering, anxious energy Hanni had once felt—it was something quieter, more grounded. She realized she didn't need anything more than what they already had.

As Minji played a riff on her guitar, Hanni couldn't help but smile. The music filled the room, and for the first time in a long while, Hanni felt that sense of belonging, of harmony. There was no rush. No need to figure it all out.

She was part of something beautiful, something bigger than herself. And in that moment, that was enough.

***

The night of the performance came faster than expected. The lights were dimmed, and the hum of the crowd filled the air as the band took their place on stage. Minji caught Hanni's eye just before they started, and Hanni gave her a thumbs-up, her face lighting up with excitement.

The first note rang out, followed by the steady beat of the drums and the smooth strum of Minji's guitar. The crowd cheered, and Hanni couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. She wasn't the one up there on stage, but it didn't matter. She was part of something that felt *real*, something that resonated deeply within her.

As the band played, Hanni stood at the edge of the crowd, her heart full, her spirit light. There was love here—love for the music, for the people, for the connections that bound them all together.

And maybe, just maybe, that was the most beautiful kind of love there was.

The song played on. And this time, Hanni was ready to listen to every note.