Threads of Fate (Catnipz)

A Wave of My Hand

Haerin's throat tightened as she listened, her own guilt and fear reflected in Minji's words. For the first time, she saw Minji not as the enigmatic, untouchable figure she had imagined, but as someone who had once been just like her; someone who had loved, lost, and been left behind.

Minji's eyes softened, her voice lowering to a tone that felt almost nostalgic as she continued, "The girl you remind me of... she was from my village. She wasn't just anyone. She was beautiful, kind... a caring soul. Perhaps the only friend I ever really had."

Haerin glanced at Minji, noticing a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips, though it was laced with melancholy. It was as if speaking of this girl brought back memories both sweet and bitter.

"She was different from the others," Minji said, her gaze drifting to the ground. "While most people in the village were caught up in their own struggles, she always found time to help. She'd patch up nets for the fishermen, take care of the children while their parents were out at sea... and she never asked for anything in return. It was like she carried this light with her everywhere she went."

Haerin tilted her head slightly, her curiosity piqued. "Were you two close?"

Minji's faint smile grew wistful. "As close as two people can be in a world as small as ours. She was the only one who didn't look at me like I was just another pair of hands for the boats. She saw me. Really saw me. I think that's why I cared for her so much. I... loved her. In a way I didn't fully understand back then."

Haerin's chest tightened at the vulnerability in Minji's voice. She had never imagined this stoic, seemingly untouchable grim reaper could have once felt something so deeply.

Minji's gaze drifted to the horizon, her voice carrying a quiet heaviness as she spoke. "I watched her mourn me, you know. Just like how you're watching your sister cry. It's a strange feeling... to see someone you love breaking apart because of you, and there's nothing you can do to hold them, to tell them it's okay."

Haerin's breath hitched, her hands tightening into fists as the image of Hanni's tear-streaked face flashed through her mind. She wanted to say something, anything, but the lump in her throat made it impossible.

Minji continued, her voice soft but unwavering. "She cried for days. Weeks. Every time she walked by the shore where we used to sit, every time she passed the little market where we'd laugh at the old men arguing over fish prices... it broke her a little more. And I stood there, watching, powerless. I've never felt more helpless in my entire existence."

Haerin finally found her voice, though it came out in a whisper. "You cared about her a lot."

Minji nodded, her expression distant, as if the memories were playing out right before her. "More than anything. More than my own parents, even. Because while they were caught up in their own bitterness, their own struggles, she was different. Her soul... it was pure. Untouched by the cruelty of the world. She gave me a reason to believe in something better."

She paused, her fingers curling around the edge of her coat as if grounding herself. "She wasn't just a friend, Haerin. She was my home. The only thing that made the world feel less heavy. And when I saw her break because of me... I swore I'd never let anyone else go through that kind of pain."

Haerin's chest tightened, her own guilt and grief bubbling to the surface. "But you couldn't save her," she said quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

Minji shook her head, her eyes shadowed with regret. "No. I couldn't. And I still carry that with me, even now. But it's why I'm here, Haerin. Why I'm telling you this. You have a chance to stop this cycle of pain. To let Hanni grieve, yes, but also to let her heal. To give her a chance to find her own strength without you."