What Happened to us?

After their trip to the aquarium, they went home and decided to order food instead of cooking. Once they finished dinner, Hanni suggested watching a movie together.

"Hm... What do you wanna watch?"

"Actually... is there anything you’d recommend?" Hanni asked as they sat on the couch, facing the large TV, now wearing PJs.

Minji thought for a moment before a smirk appeared on her lips. "Marvel."

"Oh right! Where should we start?"

"You know what, we should search it on Google. You’ll see how many movies you’ve missed—forgot, I mean. Let’s watch them in chronological order."

"Alright."

"By the way, Iron Man dies."

"WHAT!? NO FUCKING WAY!!!?"

---

They were halfway through the second movie when Hanni realized Minji had fallen asleep. The older woman was lying down with her feet still on the floor, unable to stretch out fully since Hanni was beside her. Seeing this, Hanni stood up and carefully lifted Minji’s legs onto the couch, adjusting her position before covering her with a duvet.

She smiled softly, watching Minji sleep peacefully, her chest rising and falling in steady breaths.

Hanni couldn’t help but kneel down and gently brush away a few strands of hair that had fallen over Minji’s face. Her touch was featherlight.

She stared at her for a moment, acknowledging the growing warmth in her chest before deciding to ignore it—too tired to deal with an existential crisis right now. Despite their long day, she still had energy left, unlike the woman fast asleep in front of her. She giggled quietly to herself.

Cute.

Standing up, she moved to another chair with a smile and continued watching the movie.

---

The loud crashes and explosions from the film echoed in the dark room, the flickering light illuminating both sleeping women—until one of them stirred.

Minji’s eyes fluttered open.

Argh. What time is it?

3:14 AM?

Oh, I fell asleep.

Yawning, she groggily stood up and turned off the TV before shifting her attention to Hanni, who was curled up on the sofa chair.

Minji let out a small, sleepy smirk before shaking her head. Without hesitation, she bent down and effortlessly carried Hanni in a bridal-style hold.

---

"You’re lighter now..." Minji mumbled as she carefully placed Hanni on her bed, tucking the blanket just below her chin.

For a moment, she simply stood there, staring at her fondly—until a sudden weight pressed against her chest. She blinked, the uneasy feeling spreading over her.

I miss carrying you.

It was the last thought that crossed her mind before she quietly left Hanni’s room… or rather, their room.

"Argh... What time is it?" Hanni stirred, mumbling before she reached for her phone.

"9!?" Immediately, she stood up and ran unsteadily down the stairs, only to be greeted by mere silence.

No one's around.

She left already.

Fuck.

Why didn't I wake up?

Damn it!

I shouldn't have watched movies the whole night!!!

Oddly nervous, Hanni swiftly took out her phone to text Minji, only to see she had already left messages.

I didn’t wake you up. You slept late.

I didn’t get to cook either.

Just order some food.

Okay. That was cold...

Is she mad?

Fuck it...

Hi, good morning.

Are you mad?

I'm sorry the alarm didn't wake me up.

After an hour of no reply, Hanni managed to take a bath and was now eating, staring at her phone, anticipating.

*Ting*

She quickly grabbed her phone.

I'm not mad. Have you eaten?

You're going to your bookstore, right?

She let out a relieved sigh, but a stubborn fear still crept up on her.

I'm currently eating.

And yes, I'm going to my store.

She halted, fingers hovering over her keyboard, wondering what to text next. A part of her wanted to know if she had disappointed Minji—especially after saying she’d cook for her, yet... here they were.

Eat well.

And take care.

That was Minji’s reply.

She stared at it for a while, wondering if she should add another question—just to keep the conversation going.

Weirdly enough, she wanted to talk more.

I'm sorry. I'll make up for it. I'll cook when you get home.

She decided on this, nervously biting her fingers as she hit "send."

It's fine. I'll be late.

You eat first.

Another pang hit her chest.

I'm going to eat alone again?

After minutes of debating what to reply next, she gave up with a sigh and put her phone down.

---

The warm amber glow of the city filtered through the tall windows, casting elongated shadows against the sleek, minimalist walls. The scent of fresh coffee still lingered in the air, but it was soon overpowered by the rich aroma of red wine.

A light knock on the door broke the stillness.

"Miss Kim, Miss Kang is here," her assistant announced, peeking through the doorway.

Minji exhaled softly, setting her pen down. "Let her in."

The door opened, and Haerin stepped inside, her sharp eyes scanning the office before landing on Minji. The air between them felt thick with unspoken words.

"Haerin-ah."

"Unnie," Haerin greeted, her tone unreadable.

Minji studied her for a brief moment before gesturing for her to sit down. Then, she turned away, walking toward the cabinet. "Hm, what brought you here?"

"I had a meeting with a client nearby and decided to pay you a visit," Haerin replied as she sat in front of the desk, shifting her weight slightly.

"Hm, I see…" Minji murmured, reaching for a bottle of wine and grabbing two glasses without hesitation. The faint clink of glassware echoed through the office.

"I don’t want a drink," Haerin stated, watching Minji’s movements carefully.

"A few glasses won’t get you drunk, Haerin," Minji countered smoothly, pouring the deep crimson liquid into one of the glasses. "Besides, this is to accompany us while I answer your questions."

Haerin’s brows furrowed. "What?"

Minji turned to face her, sitting back down as she handed Haerin a glass. "I know you, Kang Haerin. If you don’t get your answers by observing, you’ll ask straight up. So, shoot."

Haerin scoffed lightly, swirling the untouched wine in her glass. "I can’t visit just to check on you?"

"You can," Minji said, a small, bitter smirk playing on her lips. "But I don’t think you’d last long staring at my face."

Haerin’s fingers tightened slightly around the stem of her glass, her face hardening. "You’ve really changed, Kim Minji."

Minji let out a quiet chuckle, taking a slow sip. "That’s the only constant in this world, Haerin. Not even love lasts."

Haerin straightened, determination flickering in her gaze. "I'd like to prove that wrong. I’ll marry Danielle and start a family with her."

Minji studied her for a beat before nodding with a small smile—one that seemed genuine for a moment. "I know… Please do prove me wrong."

She lifted her glass in a quiet toast before taking another sip. "To your future wedding."

Haerin raised hers as well. "To my wedding."

A beat of silence settled between them, the weight of their past and present pressing into the air.

Everything had changed.

". . . So," Haerin started, her voice quieter this time, "how’s Hanni?"

Minji barely reacted, setting her glass down. "Hm, she’s doing fine."

"Fine…?" Haerin narrowed her eyes. "Are her memories coming back?"

Minji remained silent, picking up her glass again and taking a slow sip before answering. ". . . No."

Haerin exhaled through her nose. "And what are you going to do if they don’t come back?"

Minji didn’t even hesitate. "Divorce."

Haerin scoffed lightly, a mocking smirk appearing on her lips. "Divorce? That’s it? And what if she doesn’t want to?"

Minji’s eyes flickered with something unreadable before she leaned back, resting against her swivel chair. "I guess Hyein didn’t tell you about our conversation back then."

"No."

"Hm…" Minji let out a breath, swirling the wine in her glass. "At some point, I need to free myself, don’t I?"

Haerin watched her closely as she continued.

"Just a little bit… I believe I deserve some freedom, too. And she does as well."

Minji set her glass down and leaned forward on her desk, her voice quieter.

"She deserves better… I couldn’t give that to her. Freedom is the least I can give, Haerin-ah."

Haerin’s lips parted slightly, but she remained silent.

Minji took another sip, staring at the deep red liquid as if it held all the answers. "I’m just helping her. Helping her adjust to this new life. Making her independent until she can stand on her own."

"But what if it backfires?" Haerin asked, leaning forward slightly.

Minji blinked. "What do you mean?"

"What if, instead of making her independent, she becomes even more dependent on you?"

Silence stretched between them.

Minji swallowed, shaking her head. "No, I don’t think so… You know Hanni. She’s an independent person. She just needs someone for now."

Haerin pursed her lips.

"Okay," she said after a moment. "Well… what if she remembers?"

Minji’s hand stilled around her glass.

". . . Then she’ll be the one to end it."

Haerin frowned. "And why would she end it if she remembers? Wouldn’t that make her stay?"

Minji’s jaw tightened slightly. She exhaled, setting her glass down more firmly this time.

"Haerin… There’s more beneath the surface," she murmured. "We weren’t a perfect couple. We argued. Had our ups and downs."

"I never claimed you to be," Haerin replied. "Of course, relationships don’t last without those."

Minji let out a small, humorless chuckle. "No… It’s the ups and downs where we got stuck in the hole, Haerin."

Her voice softened, almost distant.

But the flickering sadness in her eyes was evident.

"It was a phase of our relationship that made us question if it was worth holding on to. If she remembers… she’d be too tired to go through it all again."

Haerin leaned back in her chair, her gaze hard.

"Let me get this straight," Haerin's voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it, sharp enough to cut through the silence. "If her memories don’t return, you’ll still end things. And if they do return, you believe she’ll be the one to end it?"

Minji exhaled through her nose, pouring herself more wine before answering. "Correct."

Haerin's expression darkened. Her gaze flickered toward the half-empty wine bottle between them, then back to Minji. “But you can’t even answer me when I ask: what if her memories don’t come back, yet she still wants to stay? And what if she remembers, but she still chooses you?”

Minji lowered her glass onto the table with a soft clink, her fingers lingering around the rim. Her face remained unreadable, but her eyes—those damn eyes—spoke volumes.

"I'll make her not want to stay."

Haerin inhaled sharply, her jaw clenching. "Minji… just why? Why is it so hard for you to stay?"

Minji finally looked at her, and for a moment, something flickered in her eyes—something that almost looked like devastation. Almost. But then, she straightened, her features hardening once again.

"I need to be free, Haerin. I can't love her anymore."

The words settled heavily between them. The finality in her tone, the way she spoke as if it were a fact—it made Haerin’s stomach twist.

A bitter chuckle left Haerin’s lips as she stood up. Fixing her coat, she spoke in a low voice laced with disappointment.

"You should've done that before."

She turned her back, walking away. But before she could reach the handle, Minji spoke.

"And if you suddenly fell out of love, would you let her go?"

Haerin halted, her hand hovering over the door. With confidence, she replied before grabbing the handle, "That will never happen."

She didn’t wait for Minji to respond. The sound of the office door clicking shut echoed through the room.

"That's what I thought, too," Minji mumbled to herself, now alone.

"Hanni, baby?" I asked the girl lying on my chest, busy playing Minecraft.

"Hm?"

I set my book down before continuing. "If you fell out of love, would you leave me?"

"Pft. That will never happen, loser."

I chuckled, my chest vibrating against her head. "I'm serious."

"I'm serious, too." Her voice was playful but carried a hint of honesty.

"Then do me a favor. If you ever fall out of love, just tell me the truth, okay?"

Even though I couldn't see her, I knew her eyebrows were furrowing as she nudged my side. "Why are you suddenly being like this?"

"I'm just asking. We've been together for six years now. What if—"

"No. I won’t fall out of love. Never."

"I—"

"And you? If you fell out of love, what would you do?"

"Hm... That will never happen, either."

"Exactly. You can't live without me anyway."

I could only laugh.

Because yeah, she’s right.

I can't live a day without this girl.

"Now, how will I live?" Minji whispered to herself as memories from the past haunted her.

Again.

*Ting*

Her attention was stolen by a phone notification. She pulled it out of her pocket.

I GOT CUSTOMERS! THEY EVEN ASKED HOW I WAS!!! THEY EVEN SAID THEY MISSED ME!!!

THEY'RE GIRLS, BTW.

HIGHSCHOOLERS!

They said they're my regular customers!!!

THEY'RE SO CUTE, MINJIIIII

Minji chuckled at the multiple messages Hanni sent, momentarily distracted from her destructive thoughts. She then replied:

That's good!

Take good care of them!

---

"You’re home! I cooked you something!" Hanni excitedly greeted her when she heard the door open.

Minji stepped inside, her posture tense, exhaustion weighing on her features.

And… a slightly red cheek?

"Hey. I'm back… I have no appetite, Hanni." She answered indifferently, coldly walking past Hanni. The intoxicating smell of alcohol on Minji's clothes reached Hanni's nose.

Oh.

Is she drunk?

"Bad day...?" Hanni asked, watching Minji’s defeated figure walk to the guest room—her room.

"Mhm."

Without sparing her a glance, Minji shut the door behind her, leaving Hanni standing alone in the kitchen.

She stood frozen for a moment, her excitement quickly dissolving into a stinging ache that settled in her throat.

She had been so excited to tell Minji about her day and her interactions with her customers.

But now, she could only blink and swallow the pang in her chest—the sudden sting in her eyes.

Why am I overreacting?

Geez, Hanni.

This is so not you.

Slowly, she sat at the dining table, serving herself the meal she had carefully prepared. She didn’t even get the chance to tell Minji that she had been waiting to eat with her.

---

After finishing her meal, Hanni curled up on the couch, hugging her legs to her chest. The soft glow of the television cast flickering shadows on the walls as the movie she had dozed off to yesterday played in the background.

Her thoughts drifted—half-present, half-absent—caught between the film and the dull ache in her chest. Minji’s indifference replayed in her mind, gnawing at her.

She let out a quiet sigh, trying to focus on the screen. Maybe distraction was the only way to push the hurt away.

An hour passed. The only sound in the room was the occasional dialogue from the movie. Then, she heard movement behind her.

Her body tensed slightly, a flicker of anxiousness settling in. The room was dark, save for the dim light from the TV. Swallowing, she took a cautious peek—only to see Minji at the dining table, silently serving herself the food Hanni had made.

A quiet breath of relief slipped past her lips.

I thought it was a ghost.

She quickly turned her attention back to the movie, ignoring the sudden warmth blooming in her chest. A small, involuntary smile threatened to creep onto her lips, but she masked it well, keeping her expression neutral.

What am I even smiling about? She completely ignored my feelings.

FEELINGS LIKE EFFORT! I COOKED FOR HER, AND SHE DIDN’T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE IT!

THAT'S THE FEELING I MEANT.

Annoyed, she shook her head and forced herself to stay focused on the screen, pretending not to notice the deliberate movements getting closer.

Then, Minji sat beside her, plate in hand.

Hanni could feel her presence, the air between them heavier than before.

Minji said nothing. She simply started eating.

Hanni remained still, keeping her gaze locked on the television, pretending to be unaffected. But her senses betrayed her—she was suddenly hyper-aware of Minji’s every movement. The soft clink of her fork against the plate. The slight shift in her posture. The quiet, almost hesitant presence lingering beside her.

She took a steady breath, willing herself not to read too much into it.

And yet, the ache in her chest softened—just a little.

---

When Minji finished her meal, Hanni thought she’d go back to her room. But after taking a sip of water, she sat beside Hanni again.

"You’re not going to sleep yet?"

"No. Because you’re going to fall asleep here again."

Oh?

"And so what? The couch is huge anyway."

Minji didn’t answer and just continued watching.

After another hour, Hanni hadn’t felt any movement beside her, fully engrossed in the movie. She was completely invested in the scene—until a sudden thought made her glance to the side.

Minji was asleep, her head tilted back against the couch, her neck stretched at an uncomfortable angle.

That’s going to strain her neck for sure.

Hanni inched closer, intending to fix Minji’s position, but the moment she got nearer, her eyes were drawn to the sharp lines of Minji’s slender neck—specifically, the unexpected visibility of her Adam’s apple.

She swallowed hard.

How can a woman even have an Adam’s apple? And is it possible for a neck to be… attractive?

Ew!?

Hanni, did you hear yourself?!

Is this your kink now or something?!

Mentally slapping herself, she shook her head, clearing out the ridiculous thoughts. Focusing back on Minji, she finally closed the distance between them and gently guided Minji’s head to rest on her shoulder.

A soft smile formed on her lips before she erased it immediately when realization gnawed at her.

Ehm. I wanted to sit on this couch, that’s why I didn’t fix her position or let her sleep here. I know could’ve sat on the sofa chair but yeah...

It’s not because I want her to lean on me—definitely not that.

Wait, why am I even talking to myself?

For fuck's sake, Hanni…

"Good morning! I cooked us breakfast!"

That was what Minji greeted with right after sleepily standing up from the couch.

Walking groggily, eyes half-asleep and barely open, she mumbled in a hoarse voice, "Thank you, baby."

And then—Minji instinctively pecked Hanni on the lips, completely forgetting their present situation—acting purely on muscle memory.

Hanni immediately froze.

And as if nothing had happened, Minji walked over to the kitchen to grab herself a glass of water, yawning.

Hanni, on the other hand, remained frozen in place, her cheeks turning red, eyes wide—until her whole face burned as the softness of Minji's lips still lingered on her skin.

The sound of her heart was deafening. Almost as if everything had gone quiet—except for the thunder in her stomach and chest.

She could feel her whole body slowly starting to heat, as if there were a boiling pot inside her ribcage.

From her stomach to her ears and neck, warmth spread like wildfire.

Suddenly, she became hyper-aware of her entire existence—from the pulsating nerve on her temple to the twitching of her lips.

What the fuck...was that?

"Baby, I think I drank a few yesterday. My throat kinda sting—"

Minji froze mid-sentence when she finally turned her attention to Hanni.

Probably realizing what she had just done, her heart dropped.

She swallowed hard.

"Wait fuck. . . What have I done?"

She mumbled to herself.

End of Chapter 11.