A Billionaire For Hanni

Chapter 45

Minji closed the door behind her with a sharp slam, the sound echoing through the entire villa. The evening had been a disaster, and every step into the house seemed to weigh heavier on her chest. The dim light in the living room illuminated Sakura, seated on the couch with a cup of tea in her hands. The girl looked up, startled by Minji's abrupt arrival.

"You parked the car in the garage," Sakura said, setting her cup down on the table. "What do you think about what happened tonight ?"

Minji stopped in the middle of the room, her hands still clenched into fists. Her breathing was uneven, and her face betrayed a mix of anger and frustration. "What I think ?" she repeated, with a humorless laugh. "It was a nightmare."

Sakura stared at her, concerned. "What?"

Minji took a step forward, her eyes blazing with suppressed rage. "I should never have brought you there. I shouldn't have even considered it! It was all a mistake."

Sakura stiffened, her brows furrowing. "A mistake? Was bringing me there a mistake, or am I the mistake?"

Minji turned away sharply, trying to calm the storm of thoughts in her head. "That's not what I meant... You're not the problem. I am. I'm angry—at myself, at... Hanni. All of this... it's tearing me apart."

Sakura remained silent for a moment, trying to decipher the tumultuous emotions Minji was trying to suppress. "If you're angry with her, why are you taking it out on me?" she finally asked, her tone calm but firm.

Minji turned suddenly, her face a mask of unresolved conflict. "Because I can't stop thinking about her, even when I'm with you! And it's driving me insane. It makes me feel like I'm doing everything wrong."

The confession hung heavy in the air, like a weight too large to ignore. Sakura lowered her gaze, trying to hide the pain that flashed across her face. "And you thought bringing me there would fix something?" she asked, a hint of bitterness in her tone. "That being with me would erase what you feel for her?"

Minji ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. "I don't know, Sakura. I don't know anything anymore. I thought that if I just moved on, if I tried to live... maybe the pain would go away. But it hasn't. And now I feel like I'm dragging you into this mess with me."

Sakura stepped closer, her gaze steady. "Dragged me in? Minji, I'm here because I chose to be. But if what you feel for me isn't real, if I'm just an excuse to run away from your feelings... then there's no point in continuing this."

Minji shook her head, her eyes filled with emotion. "I don't want to lose you. But I don't know how to stop feeling her in my head, in my heart. She's like a shadow I can't get rid of."

Sakura moved even closer, looking at her intensely. "Do you know what the problem is, Minji? You don't really want to let her go. And until you do, you'll never truly be with someone. Not with me, not with anyone."

Sakura's words were like a slap, but Minji didn't have the strength to respond. She stood there, frozen, her breathing heavy, until Sakura placed a hand on her cheek—a touch both gentle and firm.

"I loved you," Sakura whispered, her voice barely audible. "And part of me hoped you could love me too. But now... I'm not so sure there's any room for me in your heart."

Their lips met in a desperate kiss, laden with unresolved emotions. Minji pulled Sakura closer, as if she could quiet the chaos inside her in that moment. The kiss turned into something more intense—a dance of desire and frustration that led them toward the couch.

---

The following morning, sunlight filtered through the half-open curtains, filling the room with a deceptive warmth. Minji woke up to the sound of Sakura's footsteps as she silently got dressed. For a moment, Minji hoped that the night had solved something, that the distance between them had lessened. But Sakura's face told a different story.