A Billionaire For Hanni

Chapter 50

The next day, Hanni woke up with her heart still in stun. The serenity of the previous night, wrapped in the calm of the sea and the sweetness of Minji, seemed to escape her as the sun raised its temper over the city. The images of that intimate moment, of that connection that seemed so real, came back to her mind like waves crashing on the shore. But there was still something inside her that prevented her from being completely sure of herself. Fear, that feeling of not being ready, of not wanting to disappoint herself or Minji, continued to weigh in her thoughts.

She decided to go to the store, a refuge, a familiar place where she could think, away from the noise and confusion of the outside world. The store was like a corner of tranquility, with its shelves full of shoes and new clothes freshly made from her ideas. The clothes, hung carefully, seemed to give comfort to the so tense atmosphere, and Hanni, in her turbulent state of mind, found a sigh of relief only in touching the fabrics so delicate and thin, in exploring the new hair collections that other companies asked to sponsor through Minji's connections. Yes, Minji had bought her the building and not only made all this possible, giving her the opportunity to make her own artistic sketches and have the clothes of her dreams in her store that she and Danielle had always wanted. Minji was her genie of the lamp. When she saw her store, Minji's thought reflected through the windows, and wondered if this place could have been realized anyway without her help. And Hanni knew that without Minji, all this would never have existed. And although the store had been a discovery by Minji, Hanni considered that place as a kind of place where she could release her thoughts. Every corner seemed like a small refuge where you can get lost. She didn't expect the day to be different from the others, but her mind didn't stop turning around Minji, her feelings, her fears.

Time passed and the afternoon was almost over, the jingling of the door made her attention slip to Soobin, who looked innocently around the store as if he was looking for something to look as transparent as possible, but it was not in his nature. Hanni's gaze crossed with hers, and a knot formed in her stomach. She didn't want to have to face that situation, not now, not while she was still trying to figure out what she really felt. But Soobin, with his usual determination, did not let her escape.

"Hey, Hanni," he said, looking up, with a tense but still welcoming smile. "Can we talk?"

Hanni sighed, trying to stay calm. She stopped for a moment, observing the store, the clothes that almost seemed to take refuge under her restless gaze. "Sure, Soobin. What is it about?"

"I just wanted to ask you something," he began, his voice serious but with a slight insistence in his eyes. "I thought a lot about our conversation the other time. And... I wanted to know if you changed your mind. If now you have decided to stay with me. I want to tell you that I'm willing to do anything, Hanni. To anything."

Soobin's words struck Hanni like a cold shower. He was no longer the same person who knew. Something inside her had changed, and the thought of being with Soobin no longer interested her. She stopped, trying to articulate the right words without hurting him, but with sincerity.

"I don't want to, Soobin," she finally said, with a thread of voice. "It's not that I don't hate you, but... I'm trying to understand what I feel. And I feel that what I feel for Minji is something I can no longer ignore."

Soobin's eyes darkened for a moment, but he didn't give in. He took a step closer, as if he wanted to force her to answer. "But, Hanni, isn't it like... you're just taking your time? I know you, I know you're not someone who gets carried away by impulsive feelings. I know you too well. I'll stay all day, until you tell me you want me."

Hanni looked at him, her heart in turmoil. She didn't want to be mean, but Soobin's words seemed far away, almost unreal to her. She needed time, space, but she couldn't let him stay there and insist. It wasn't fair to him or her. At that moment, she felt the need to talk to Minji, to hear her, to look for some comfort in that sweetness that had calmed her the night before.