Enchanted (Bbangsaz)

44

The celebration had been in full swing, Hanni surrounded by friends, staff, and the people who had helped make the concert a success. Laughter echoed throughout the space, music playing softly in the background, but despite the outward joy, Minji remained distant. She tried her best to act like everything was fine, plastering a smile on her face whenever anyone looked her way, but Hanni knew her better than that. Minji's quietness was different tonight—it wasn't the usual calm, but something more. Something heavy.

Hanni couldn't shake the feeling that Minji was upset. She watched her closely, noting how she would sit off to the side, talking only when necessary, her eyes flicking to Hanni occasionally but quickly turning away. It made Hanni's chest tighten, unsure of what to say or do. She wanted to fix it, but wasn't sure what needed fixing.

By the time the celebration had died down, Minji had barely spoken two words to Hanni, and the ride back home felt suffocating. The car was filled with a deafening silence, neither of them daring to break it. Hanni glanced over at Minji, her hands gripping the steering wheel, jaw clenched. She could feel the unease between them, but didn't know how to address it without making things worse.

"Minji..." Hanni began, her voice quiet but full of concern. "What's going on? You've been so quiet tonight. Are you okay?"

Minji didn't look at her. "I'm fine," she muttered, but Hanni could hear the tension in her voice.

The drive felt endless. The headlights from passing cars were the only light in the darkened streets, and Hanni couldn't stop replaying their earlier conversation in her head—the one about Jake. Every time she tried to push it aside, the image of Jake's smile, the way he'd looked at her in the dressing room, kept resurfacing. She couldn't deny that there was something there. Something small, but enough to make her question everything. She hated it. She hated feeling this way. She hated not knowing what she felt for Jake, but also, she hated the thought of hurting Minji.

Finally, they reached Hanni's place. The car came to a stop, but neither of them moved for a while. The stillness felt overwhelming.

"Minji," Hanni whispered, her voice breaking the silence, "I'm sorry... for what happened earlier."

Minji took a deep breath, turning her head to face Hanni. Her expression was softer now, though the sadness remained. "You don't have to apologize, Hanni... I'm not mad at you." she replied quietly. "It's not about you. It's about me. I'm the one who's been... distant."

Hanni frowned, her heart aching. "What do you mean?"

Minji swallowed, the insecurity in her eyes cutting through Hanni like a knife. "I've been thinking about... about you and Jake," Minji confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I saw the way he looked at you, and I don't know... it makes me feel like I can—... I can lose you... Like maybe you feel something for him that you don't feel for me."

Hanni's breath caught in her throat. The way Minji spoke, the vulnerability, the hurt—it tore her apart. She couldn't lie. She couldn't ignore what had happened in the dressing room. She had felt something, even if it was small, even if it was fleeting. But the thought of hurting Minji, of making her feel like she wasn't enough—it made her stomach churn.

Minji's voice cracked as she continued. "I just need to know, Hanni. Please... even if it's just a tiny bit... do you feel something for him? I can take it. I just need to know the truth. I can't keep agonizing over it."

Hanni's heart pounded in her chest. She opened her mouth to say something, to tell Minji the truth, but the words wouldn't come out. She didn't want to hurt her. Didn't want to make things worse.

Finally, Hanni forced a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "No, Minji. I didn't feel anything. It was nothing."

Minji studied her for a long moment, searching her face for any sign of dishonesty. For a second, Hanni thought she saw doubt flicker in her eyes, but then Minji nodded slowly, as if accepting Hanni's answer.