Enchanted (Bbangsaz)

58

Hanni sat on her couch, staring at the dim glow of her phone screen. Her apartment was quiet, too quiet, the kind of silence that seemed to echo her thoughts back to her. The ache in her chest hadn't dulled—it only seemed to grow sharper with each passing hour. The words Minji had said, the look in her eyes as she walked away, played on an endless loop in her mind.

She needed an anchor, something to ground her in a moment where everything felt like it was slipping through her fingers. Without overthinking, she opened her contacts and scrolled past familiar names. Her finger hovered over one in particular.

Mom

The phone barely rang twice before her mother's warm, lilting voice came through. "Hanni? Oh, sweetheart, it's so good to hear from you!"

"Hi, Mom," Hanni said softly, her voice catching slightly.

Her mom paused, the silence on the other end heavy with unspoken understanding. "Darling, you sound tired. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Hanni replied quickly, too quickly. "I just... I missed you. I wanted to hear your voice."

Her mom didn't push, though Hanni could feel her quiet concern. "Well, I'm here, love. Why don't you tell me what's been going on? Or," she added with a gentle laugh, "would you rather I prattle on about what's been happening at home?"

Hanni closed her eyes, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips despite the heaviness in her heart. "Talk about home," she murmured.

"Oh, where do I even start?" her mom said, her voice carrying the familiar warmth that had always made Hanni feel safe. "Jasmine has been keeping us all on our toes, as usual. She's decided that Millie and Mia need to have wardrobes now. She's been sewing little outfits for them—yes, sewing, if you can believe it—and forcing them to model for her."

Hanni let out a soft laugh, the image of her little sister bossing their dogs around bringing a bittersweet comfort. "Jas? Sewing? She barely liked arts and crafts when I was there."

"Exactly what your dad said! But oh, she's determined this time. Millie's latest 'look' is a raincoat made out of an old tablecloth, and poor Mia has been saddled with a tutu. Jasmine claims it's couture, but I think the dogs are plotting their escape."

Hanni couldn't help but laugh, the sound cracking slightly as it mixed with the lump in her throat. "I can't believe she got Dad to go along with it."

"Well, you know your father," her mom said fondly. "He grumbles about it, but he's been helping her cut fabric in the evenings. He even modeled one of the little capes she made. He looked utterly ridiculous, but Jasmine insisted it was 'inspirational.'"

"That's so Dad," Hanni said, a genuine smile spreading across her face before it faltered, her thoughts drifting back to the present.

Her mom must have sensed it, her tone softening. "We've all been missing you, love. Jasmine keeps asking when you'll visit. And Millie and Mia—they still run to the door whenever they hear a car pull up, hoping it's you. Even your dad—though he'd never admit it—has been asking if you've called lately."

Hanni's heart twisted, the longing to be back home hitting her like a wave. "I miss you guys too," she whispered.

There was a pause, filled with a quiet understanding that only her mom could provide. "You know," her mom began gently, "missing someone doesn't always mean they're far away. Sometimes, it's about feeling disconnected from what you need."

Hanni's breath caught, the weight in her chest growing heavier.

Her mom didn't wait for her to respond. "It's okay to feel that way, sweetheart. Life can pull us in so many directions, and sometimes, it's hard to know where we're supposed to be. But home is always here, Hanni. Whether it's in this house or in your heart, you'll always have a place to come back to."