The Silent Canvas (Catnipz)

|| 8 ||

At lunchtime, Haerin walked through the hallways, her eyes scanning the crowd as though she were searching for someone. She didn't notice Minji approaching until she turned around and found herself face to face with her.

Minji smirked playfully, her eyes gleaming with a teasing spark. Without missing a beat, she raised her hand and signed, "Were you looking for me?" Her movements were light, and there was a teasing edge to her expression as she watched Haerin's reaction.

Before Haerin could respond, Minji's hand found its way to her damp hair, ruffling it gently, causing a surprised flush to rise on Haerin's face. Haerin blinked, a little flustered, but couldn't suppress the faint smile tugging at her lips. She signed back quickly, her face softening. "Maybe..."

Minji's playful smile never faltered as she signed to Haerin, asking, "What's up?"

Haerin shook her head, her eyes shifting slightly as if she was unsure of what to say. She didn't seem to have anything in particular on her mind, just lost in thought as her hands dropped to her sides.

Minji, noticing Haerin's quiet demeanor, raised an eyebrow, the teasing tone in her eyes returning as she signed with a grin, "Were you just missing me?"

The words seemed to hit Haerin a little harder than Minji had expected. Her face flushed a deep shade of red, and she quickly turned to walk away, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Minji's smile softened, realizing she might have gone a bit too far. She quickly stepped in front of Haerin, blocking her path with a gentle but firm presence. Haerin's eyes widened as Minji signed again, this time slower and more reassuringly, "I was just joking around, don't take it seriously."

Haerin hesitated, looking at Minji for a long moment, still a little flustered but trying to hide the smile creeping onto her lips. She nodded, clearly a bit more at ease now, though the blush didn't quite leave her cheeks. Minji smiled, relieved to see that Haerin wasn't upset and hoped that maybe, just maybe, Haerin enjoyed her teasing a little more than she let on.

Minji gently took Haerin's hand, leading her through the hallways of the school with a sense of quiet confidence. Haerin, a bit confused but willing to follow, let Minji guide her toward an unfamiliar path. They passed through the school grounds, the air still thick with the remnants of the rainstorm, and soon they arrived at the school greenhouse.

The glass building was quiet, bathed in the soft light that filtered through the foggy panes. The faint scent of earth and greenery filled the air, but it was oddly peaceful, almost as though time slowed down in this forgotten corner of the school. The greenhouse was empty, save for the occasional plant pot and gardening tools scattered about. The students rarely came here, and so it was a perfect refuge for those who sought solitude.

Minji smiled, leading Haerin inside. She didn't say anything at first, just moved toward a small, cluttered pile of gardening supplies. Her hands sifted through the mess, pushing aside soil bags and unused pots until she found what she was looking for; a delicate daisy, freshly picked and still wet from the rain.

Minji turned around, her eyes sparkling mischievously, and without warning, she reached up to Haerin's hair, tucking the flower carefully behind her ear.

"There," Minji signed softly, her fingers moving in a fluid gesture, "You look beautiful."

Haerin's breath caught in her chest as she felt the soft, cool flower against her skin. She touched the daisy lightly, her face softening, a blush creeping up her cheeks despite her best efforts to stay composed. The gesture felt tender, almost intimate in a way that Haerin hadn't quite expected. Minji, always full of surprises, had a way of making her heart flutter, even when she didn't mean to.

Haerin smiled faintly, a quiet warmth filling her chest as she met Minji's eyes.

Minji's playful expression never wavered as she looked at Haerin, noticing the faint blush spreading across her cheeks. She reached out with a gentle hand, cupping Haerin's warm cheek and teasingly signing, "Are you flustered?"

Before Haerin could respond, Minji pinched her cheek lightly, the touch soft but enough to make Haerin's heart skip a beat. Haerin's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by the playful affection, and she instinctively took a small step back, her face deepening in color.

Minji's grin only grew wider at Haerin's reaction, her gaze playful and affectionate. "You're so cute when you're flustered," she signed, her fingers moving quickly, the words teasing but not unkind.

Haerin, feeling a mix of embarrassment and something else; a warmth she hadn't quite been able to identify, crossed her arms over her chest, looking away briefly. "I'm not," she signed back, but her gestures lacked conviction, and the small smile tugging at the corners of her lips betrayed her words.

Minji chuckled, enjoying the effect she had on Haerin. "You don't have to hide it," she signed with a wink, clearly enjoying the way Haerin tried to maintain her composure, even though it was clear she was anything but unaffected.

Haerin, trying to mask her flustered state, playfully hit Minji's arm, her fingers brushing lightly against her sleeve. Her expression shifted into one of feigned annoyance, though the small smile lingering on her lips betrayed her true feelings.

Minji chuckled, rubbing her arm in mock pain as she signed, "Hey, what was that for?"

Haerin's smile grew a little wider as she signed back, "For teasing me."

Minji grinned, clearly amused by Haerin's rare moment of playfulness. "Oh, so you're fighting back now?" she signed, raising an eyebrow in mock challenge.

Haerin simply shrugged, a playful glint in her eyes. "Maybe," she signed, her expression softening as the tension between them eased, replaced by a warm, comfortable silence.

Minji shook her head with a smile, still rubbing her arm dramatically. "You're going to pay for that later," she signed teasingly, but there was no malice in her movements, just the light-hearted banter they were slowly growing used to.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of their quiet moment in the greenhouse, Minji reached out and gently took Haerin's hand. Without a word, she led Haerin through the hallways, their footsteps echoing softly against the empty corridor.

Haerin glanced down at their intertwined hands, her heart fluttering at the simple yet comforting gesture. She didn't pull away, letting Minji guide her back toward their classroom. The warmth of Minji's hand against hers was a silent reassurance, a quiet promise that she wasn't alone.

When they reached the door of Haerin's classroom, Minji finally released her hand, her fingers lingering for a brief moment before letting go. She gave Haerin a small, reassuring smile and signed, "See you later."

Haerin nodded, her own lips curving into a faint smile as she signed back, "See you."

With one last look, Minji turned and headed toward her own class, leaving Haerin standing at the doorway, her heart feeling lighter than it had in a long time.