Enchanted (Bbangsaz)

41

After Minji's first weeks in New York, Hanni and her had been barely find time to talk, both of them had  found a brief window to reconnect. Minji had just finished an exhausting day filled with photoshoots, meetings, and creative sessions with the Calvin Klein team. Despite her high energy and enthusiasm for the work, she couldn't shake the hollow feeling in her chest. It had been a while since she had last seen Hanni's face, heard her voice, or shared even the smallest moments with her.

The time difference between New York and Seoul hadn't been helpful either. When Minji was finally free from work, Hanni was usually in bed, resting to prepare for another grueling day of rehearsals. They both had tried to FaceTime as much as possible, but it was rare that they ever had a full conversation without distractions. Minji knew Hanni was working hard, but sometimes, she just wanted to hear her voice without the distractions.

On the nights she couldn't sleep, Minji would scroll through her phone, flipping through the old texts from Hanni, looking at photos of them together, and just wishing she could be there beside her. Hanni would often send her texts at all hours, trying to make the time zones work, but more often than not, Minji would miss them. The guilt and frustration piled up—she felt like a terrible girlfriend, unable to give Hanni the attention she deserved.

Tonight, Minji had promised herself that she wouldn't let another night go by without talking to Hanni properly. So, despite the exhaustion settling into her bones, she dialed Hanni's number, holding her breath, hoping Hanni would pick up.

The phone rang twice before Hanni's face appeared on the screen. Minji let out a relieved sigh, her heart fluttering at the sight of her girlfriend's smile.

"Han," Minji greeted, her voice soft but filled with warmth.

"Hi, honey" Hanni's eyes lit up. "I was wondering if you'd call tonight."

Minji smiled and leaned back against the bed's headboard, allowing herself to relax a little. "Of course I'd do it, I've missed you."

"I miss you too," Hanni replied, though there was a subtle sadness in her voice. "How's everything? Work still crazy?"

Minji chuckled, running a hand through her hair. "You have no idea. But I'm surviving. Just long hours, you know? And I feel like I haven't had a second to breathe. I don't know how people do this kind of stuff every day. It's exhausting."

"I can't imagine." Hanni gave a sympathetic look. "I mean, I'm busy too, but... I don't know, you seem like you have more of a whirlwind going on."

"Tell me about it." Minji let out a dramatic sigh. "The whole thing is a blur—fashion shoots, meetings with designers, and then the creative team bombards me with ideas every other hour, so I have to find out a way to make everything fit with my own perspective. I never imagined that it could be so stressful... But, you know, I can't complain. It's a dream. Just not a restful one."

Hanni laughed softly, her eyes narrowing with concern. "I just wish you had time to rest. You need it."

"I'm fine." Minji reassured her with a smile. "I'm just trying to keep it all together. What about you, though? How's the tour prep? Are you getting enough sleep?"

Hanni bit her lip, looking down for a moment before responding. "I'm getting there. It's been... tough. The rehearsals are draining, and I haven't been able to do much else. I want to be able to give a perfect show, so that got me a little anxious. I feel like I'm living in the studio or the practice room. I'm lucky if I even get a few hours of sleep between sessions."

Minji frowned, leaning closer to the screen. "You need to take care of yourself, okay? I can't be there to physically take care of you, but you've got to take breaks."