It was the ringing sound of the alarm on your phone that inevitably brought you back into the land of the awake. Slowly, your heavy eyelids eventually lifted up and your blurry eyes slowly regaining their vision before the first thing you saw was the ceiling above you. As the alarm on your phone kept on going, you had to blink a few more times before your arm, blindly reaching out for your phone by the side of the bed before you turned the alarm off.
As you slowly sat back down, you couldn't help but instantly got flooded in your mind with what actually happened last night. The feeling, the joyous feeling, the euphoric sensation, they still stuck in your body as you couldn't help but smiling first thing in the morning, probably the first time ever since you stepped foot onto the land of Australia.
At times like this you couldn't even help but to think if everything that had happened last night was just a long bittersweet dream so you got your old phone immediately and the fact the your group chat with your best friends were filled with pictures of last night instantly made you heaved a long sigh in relief.
"Thank God it wasn't a dream..." You whispered out before Hanni's face took over your mind and you spent a good few minutes, back leaning against the headboard, smiling to yourself while you're reliving every thing that happened last night. That was before you got your old phone and immediately called someone.
It took a while before your call's answered. "Hello~ You're up early." Your mother's calm voice echoed in your ear. "Hi mom. Dad's still sleeping?" You asked as your mother just hummed to you. "It's still too early for your father to start his day. Everything okay there my boy? Looks like you got your old phone back on again."
"Yeah, I got it on yesterday... And I just want to tell you something..." You took a short pause. "...Hanni and I, we had a talk yesterday, more like a heart to heart conversation..." Your mother just hummed but you could tell how she's also relief to hear that. "How did it go?"
"It went great and mom... Hanni and I, we umm, kind of reconcile with each other and ended up dating now..." You told her the truth. "About time. Took you long enough." Your mother's teasing response left you chuckling slightly. "I just need to let you know about it and while we're talking now... I just want to ask for your blessing for me and Hanni. I guess that's the right to do now."
"You have both mine and your father's blessings. I am so proud and happy for you. Now there's no other reason for you not to be enjoying your life there okay?" You just nodded with a hum. "I will do my best starting today now that I have your blessings. Thank you mom. I have to go now, classes will start in a few hours."
In the end you hang up the call with your mother and breathing out a relief sigh before you went on and prepared yourself for class today. You didn't want to give Hanni a call at this hour because you wanted her to have a good rest so you got ready, had some breakfast before you made your way to University.
As you got to the entrance, you ran into Wonwoo and Hansol, the two boys in the exchange students group and you greeted them. "You're early today." Hansol greeted you back as you just chuckled slightly. "Yeah, I'm feeling great today too so a bit energetic." You shrugged slightly. "Oh right. Yesterday's your birthday right?" Wonwoo asked as you just nodded with a hum.
"Since class won't start for at least another hour and a half, let's get you a cake and we'll celebrate later with the girls." Wonwoo suggested as you just shook your hands with a chuckle. "No, no it's okay. You don't have to Wonwoo-ya."
"Nah, come on, let's get to the usual bakery and get you a slice of cake." In the end, you had to give up and went with Wonwoo and Hansol but deep in your heart, you're thankful that the people around you were genuinely great people.
Another day for Danielle as she's now on her way to the university while enjoying the cool breeze on a bright sunny Australia day just as bright as her personality. After taking a bus ride to the urban area, she then made her way past buildings and shops before she got herself into a bakery to get something to munch later on.
Taking her time picking up bakery cuisines, a thought suddenly crossed her mind as she remembered that yesterday's your birthday. Being a caring friend that she is, she's obviously still worried about your well-being so she got a slice of cake of her choice.
After neatly boxed and got all the food she wanted, Danielle then made her way out and took another few minutes of walking before arriving at the university. As she got her way up to her first class's lecture theatre, she noticed that all the exchange students from their group were gathered at the back area.
"Morning~" She greeted them as some of them greeted back while some waved at her. "And as I was saying, you don't seriously think of going to the beach without wearing a sunscreen right?" Danielle had her eyes landed on you, apparently talking with the other two boys, Hansol and Wonwoo but one thing that stood out for her was...
...you're all smile and laugh. It's actually a rare sight for her to see you like this nowadays as she vaguely remembered that the last time you're genuinely smiling and joking and laughing like this was during the first semester she had with you.
"I thought you'll be here early, we're celebrating Yongjae's belated birthday today before class..." Yuna, the only girl beside Danielle in your group said to Danielle as she just nodded before she noticed a plate of a slice of a cake on a chair next to where you're sitting.
"Why's nobody telling me this?" Danielle pursed her lips into a pout. "Oh this was a rather last minute plan by Wonwoo. He got Yongjae a slice of cake before telling us one by one when we came in." Yuna clarified as Danielle just went "Ah~".
Danielle then went over to you as you gave her a wave. "Sorry I'm late but to make up for it, I got you..." She then went into the plastic bag she's holding before handing the box with the cake to you. "I got you another cake. Happy belated birthday~"
"Thanks a lot Danielle. And also thanks again all of you. Appreciate it." You thanked your group and Danielle just as the class's about to start.
And the class went on as throughout the period, Danielle's been keeping an eye on you secretly from the side and she obviously noticed how you're more lively and somehow involved in the class learning more than usual and it got her thinking to herself. "Have my prayers' been answered..."
Classes after classes went on until it reached lunch time. "Yongjae~" Danielle got over to you as you just hummed at her while you're getting your stuffs packed up. "Do you want to grab lunch together?" She asked calmly.
"Lunch? Okay sure. Here or somewhere else...?" You asked as she's humming while thinking for a bit. "You know what, I know this one Korean restaurant just around the block from here. Want to go there?" Danielly asked.
"And you're telling me this now? Of course!" You exclaimed with excitement. "I've been missing Korean food so much you don't even know. I mean, my friend's mother does cook us Korean meals but I kind of miss the home vibe you know..."
"Hehe~ You never ask so I didn't know. Come on, we'll get lunch there. Should I bring Yuna along with us?" Danielle suggested. "Why not get the whole group together?" You added as she just nodded in agreement. After texting the other students, they've all gave a green light.
So in the end, five of you now sitting on a authentic Korean restaurant's floor while getting foods from home served freshly on the table in front of you.
While all of you were enjoying the feast, Danielle who's sitting next to you was still curious about something. "How are you feeling today?" She asked as you hummed while chewing your food then looked at her. "I'm feeling great today. Why?" You asked her back with your mouth still full of food as she just gave you a light smile.
"You're you again. You're back to being you again and I'm actually kind of relieved right now. So I guess everything's okay with you and Ha-" As Danielle were asking, your phone suddenly rang and after taking it out, a light snicker escaped your lips after seeing who's calling you. Immediately you answered as Hanni's face instantly popped up from the video call with a soft smile.
"Good morning~" Her voice greeted you as you're waving back at her slightly. "It's already noon here by the way..." You replied as she just went "Ah~ I forgot as well..." as she remembered their time zone difference. "How's your class today by the way? Did you slept well?" Hanni's way of asking you these question while sounding caring and rather cute made your heart fluttered with a smile across your face.
"Yeah, today's classes were okay. My group, the other students who also in the same exchange programme, they celebrated my birthday earlier today so I am rather in a good mood. And yes I have never slept as peaceful and as fulfilling as I did last night." Hanni could only smile in relief hearing that.
"That's great, that means there's still people who cares about you but probably not as much as me though..." She snickered as you leaned back against your seat while your eyes couldn't leave her face even for a second. "I have something to show you by the way..." She then went through the stacks of papers on her table as you're just waiting for her with a smile.
"Look at what I got here..." She then showed you a piece of paper and you focused your eyes on it and realized something... "You're joining the literature club?" You recognized the paper as the club's admission form for students as Hanni nodded her head with a proud smile on her face. "You bet I am. It's been something that I've been thinking for a while now."
"Thank God I found the club's president while I visited their last activities before the revision week. I asked them if there's a chance that I can join the club early for next semester and they granted it." Hanni explained as she placed the paper back down on her table. "So next semester I'll also be a member of the great literature club."
"You don't know how pleased that made me feel. I can't wait to hear your first poetry talk. I will not miss it for the world." You made a promise as she just chuckled lightly. "At least let me write a few more poems okay? I'm still a novice poet here." She pursed her lips into a pout. "The girl of my dream also grasping the same dream as mine. What more could I ask for..." Your replied made her snickered proudly before she's hearing grilling sounds in the background.
"You're eating lunch now?" Hanni asked as she got her phone stood up by her side as she's writing on a paper, apparently doing her revision. "Yup and guess what I'm eating..." You turned the camera to the rear as you showed her the feasts on the table.
"Oh you're having Korean food~" She let out a squeal as you turned the camera back to your face before nodding. "And they taste remarkably the same as home. It's really authentic here..." As you're continuing your conversation with Hanni, Danielle instantly noticed and the joy she's feeling at that moment was so warm.
"I'm glad my prayers were answered..." She thought to herself while looking at you and Hanni, talking and laughing with each other. "...guess you made the right choice of waiting and thankfully you got the reward that you deserved."
"Yeah me and the whole group were gathered here for lunch. Oh and guess who's next to me..." You then tilted your phone to the side as Hanni immediately saw Danielle's munching on a perilla leave before she snickered slightly then waving at Hanni. "Hi Hanni..." Danielle greeted her with an awkward snicker
"Danielle? She's also in the programme?" Hanni was surprised to see her but nonetheless gave her a wave back. "Hi~ Someone's been keeping secrets from me it seems..." Hanni teased Danielle jokingly as she just shook her head. "I apologize for not telling you but Yongjae told me not to tell you about this so I'm just doing my end of the deal. But anyways how are you? I hope you're doing well Hanni~"
"Well as you can see, right now I am feeling great and energized..." Hanni answered proudly. "...also exams are coming in fast so I need to do a lot of revision..." then continued timidly, earning herself chuckles from you and Danielle.
"Hey. I am happy for you two. I genuinely am. Maybe I can get your number and we can have a chat, how's that sound?" Danielle asked as Hanni just nodded with a smile. "Yongjae can give you my number. Just give me a text and I'll do my best to reply as soon as I can."
"Cool. I'll leave you two on your own now..." Danielle patted your shoulder before whispering "I'm happy for you two." to you.
After thanking her, your attention went back to the angel in the video call. "Are you working today?" You asked as Hanni nodded with a pout. "I already took three days off this week huhu~" She whined rather playfully. "...making money is hard..."
"Maybe if you're thinking of me while you're working will make it a bit easier?" You raised your eyebrows at her as she just snickered. "Just like when I woke up this morning and my mind's all about you."
"I guess this is what you feel everyday right? I can't even get you off my mind right now and we're apparently talking to each other now. This is something else, this feeling..." She said as she's resting her chin above her hands while her eyes couldn't leave yours.
"Hanni if I had a flower for every time I thought of you..." You whispered softly to her as her smile grew wider. "...I could walk in my garden forever." You finished with a smile as you could see the slowly flushing of her cheeks into soft red blush.
"More please~" She responded cutely as you then had to scoot over to the side slightly away from the group. "I can't really say it out loud but I'll just whisper this to you so listen carefully okay?" You replied as Hanni just hummed with her eyes closed. "How much do I love you Hanni? If love can be seen as grains of sands, my love for you would equal a universe of beaches..."
"Wow..." Was her only response as the smile on her face couldn't be more happier and wider "My best friend's a poetic romantic... How lucky I am..." Hanni's smile was so visibly happy that you could feel as if you're dreaming right now so you secretly pinched your thigh and felt it. No you're not in a dream, Hanni's yours now and you're definitely not dreaming...
Hanni continued her revisions after ending the video call between you and her as you're about to head back to University for the rest of your class today. She never felt this bright and lively for months and it's safe to say that her happy go lucky self's slowly coming back to her.
Decided to take a short break, Hanni went out of her room while humming herself some random songs and making her way downstairs towards the kitchen while checking her phone. As she made her way to their kitchen, Hanni's parents were there. "Good morning~" She greeted them as cheerful as she could get.
"Look at this girl..." Her father's teasing tone made Hanni pursed her lips into a pout while she's getting herself a glass of water. "...did everything turns out okay with Yongjae?" Hanni immediately chuckled slightly as she nodded to her father's question. "So can we safely assume that our daughter here finally found herself a real soul mate this time?" Her mother added and Hanni proudly nodded her head again.
"I found my soul mate and I got my best friend back as well..." She then went over and gave her parents a hug. "...and I couldn't have done it without my beloved parents' support all this time. So thankies~" She gave both her mother and father's cheeks a kiss before she got herself some cookies from the cabinet.
"I'm working today by the way so I'll probably be home for dinner." Hanni told her parents as she got her glass of water before she went back upstairs to her room. As she's eating a piece of cookie while settling herself on her bed, her phone suddenly rang.
Smiling widely as she's thinking that you're calling her and as soon as she saw her screen, her smile immediately faded as she saw that one name who she doesn't even want to see for the rest of her life.
Moon Junhui. And instantly Hanni's mood went into a 180 degress overhaul.
"This bitc-" Hanni had to scoff out of pure annoyance that he even had the audacity to even call her after everything that he did to her. "...go to hell." Hanni immediately rejected his call without even thinking and this time she went on and blocked his number and deleted all of Jun's related things off her phone for good. "I hope everything bad keeps going your way Jun and I only wish you the worst of luck."
As the day's reaching the afternoon, Hanni's now on her way to work at the usual café but the only difference was that today, she's all happy and go-lucky like her usual self, probably happier and livelier.
"Chaeyoung unnie~ I'm back~" Hanni greeted her supervisor/advisor/caring older sister-like figure as she clocked in for work. And obviously the older woman was a bit surprised to see this sudden boost in her mood and behaviour but nonetheless made Chaeyoung's all smile and worriless.
"Someone's all smiley today..." Chaeyoung teased her as Hanni just chuckled while wearing her apron. "Let's just say that I've found peace now..." Hanni replied as she immediately went on to refill the coffee beans on the espresso machine.
"Oh~ That's great to hear. So, want to talk about it? We have all afternoon to chat about it." Chaeyoung became a curious cat once again as Hanni's chuckling while finishing up the refilling. "Well to sum it all up..." Hanni then went on to sit next to Chaeyoung. "...me and my best friend are no longer just best friends."
"So... what, you two now are super best friends?" Chaeyoung teased Hanni yet again, earning a whine from the younger woman. "I'm dating my best friend now okay? We made up yesterday and have a heart to heart conversation and I was so happy that everything went the way I prayed for."
"What I tell you about your best friend? I was right all along~" Chaeyoung had her eyesbrows raised twice proudly as Hanni just chuckled. "And I am thankful to you as well unnie~ So thank you~" Hanni gave Chaeyoung a hug as she's patting Hanni's head. "Congrats Hanni."
As Hanni went to the counter, she checked her phone and at that point, she and Danielle had exchanged their numbers and had been texting with each other all day. She opened their chat and Danielle just sent her a photo of you that she took in their last class.
Danielle wrote "This is genuinely the first time I saw him all smiles and laughs in a long time. He looks a better person than yesterday." Hanni just smiled as she's glad that you're getting back into your old self again.
"Thanks for the picture and surely I have to thank you for everything you had done for him and for me. We couldn't have done it without your help as well. When you get back, we should hang out sometimes okay?" Hanni typed in her reply before putting her phone away as a customer's getting in the café.
"Hello welco- Mingyu oppa~" Hanni wasn't expecting Minji's brother to be visiting their café for the very first time. "...you're alone?" Hanni asked as Mingyu made his way to the front counter before humming. "Minji ask me to visit here once in a while before and now I am here."
"Oh..." Hanni made an 'O' shape with her lips before she turned over to her side. "...by the way Chaeyoung unnie, this is my friend's brother, Mingy-" Hanni was surprised to see the older lady already had her eyes locked on him with a pair of eyes that Hanni somehow knew what it meant.
And out of no where Chaeyoung walked over and took Hanni's place by the counter with the younger lady jokingly taken aback by her action. "Hi welcome~ I'm Park Chaeyoung, what can I get for you today?" Chaeyoung somehow spoken way too softly for Hanni's liking.
"Ehhh...." Hanni thought to herself as what's happening right before her eyes and to think that Mingyu's all smile and chuckles as well. And the longer they continued their conversation, the more Hanni realized... that a potential new love story is brewing between them...?
So Hanni's having a calm and slow working hours and the sun eventually went down the horizon. While she's cleaning the espresso machines, the sound of bells echoed in the café as someone's entered.
"Pham Pham~" Hanni was greeted by a familiar voice and she turned around to see Haerin and Minji by the counter. "Oh hi~" Hanni greeted her two best friends for life as she went to the counter. "What's going on?"
"Do you have time to chat? Apparently Haerin's got tea to share..." Minji whispered as Haerin's shook her head and hands timidly. "I don't have teas but I have something I found out that I wanted to share."
"Okay sure, what do you girls want to drink? I'll make them before joining you later." Hanni asked and Minji and Haerin got their drinks ordered and settled before Hanni went over and made them swiftly.
As she got to the table the two girls were sitting on, Hanni sat over across of them. "Okay what's the tea Haerin?" Hanni asked as Haerin quickly took a sip of her drink before clearing her throat.
"I umm-" Haerin suddenly leaned closer towards Hanni as Minji just followed through next to her. "...you know Hyein right? Lee Hyein from high school." Haerin said as Minji and Hanni both nodded. "Apparently she's in the same course as umm- as Jun..."
Haerin suddenly noticed the slowly fading smile on Hanni's face before she just held onto Hanni's hand to comfort her and slowly gaining Hanni her smile back. "Hyein told me that Jun was arrested yesterday night..."
"Really?" Minji asked as she's a bit surprised as well while Hanni remained silent as her expression were unreadable. "Hyein told me that speculations were flying around their faculty that Jun's been using illegal drugs while partying at a night club recently. He's now under investigation and could face expulsion from University."
"Serves him right. I should've known that guy's no good right from the moment he entered my ice cream shop that day." Minji was getting annoyed just by thinking about the guy. "Are you okay Pham Pham?" Haerin asked as she's worried about Hanni but Hanni just smiled while nodding her head.
And that probably explained why Jun called Hanni's phone earlier this morning as well and Hanni couldn't even be more thankful to herself for not answering the call and got him all blocked and everything.
"I mean. He did hurt me and almost cost me losing Yongjae. So I guess he got what he thoroughly deserves." Hanni leaned back against her seat as what she's feeling right now was exactly like what Jun had said to her before the one-month thing.
"No regrets. No remorse." Well she's definitely had no regrets for him now let alone remorse.
"Okay enough talk about that idiot, let's talk about other stuffs okay. So Yongjae's coming back in four months' time and as things stand, we have four months for us to have a ladies day out..." Minji switched the topic and Haerin's sitting by her seat, looking blank but in her head she's thinking.
"I don't know... I mean we already did Jeju and Haerin already went there during the last semester break with her families..." Hanni's racking her brain out for suggestions.
"Umm actually..." Then Haerin suddenly spoke up as Minji and Hanni's looking at her. "You got one?" Minji asked as Haerin just nodded. "Well kind of..."
"But umm... it might seem crazy what I'm about to say..." Haerin whispered to them.
So how's that for a fluff chapter? My writing's been rusty when it comes to fluffy chapters so I apologize beforehand. But hey at least Hanni and our boy here are officially dating right?
I mean you don't actually think I'm that cruel to write fluffy chapters after this just for our boy to actually be in a deep coma or something... right? I mean how cruel can someone be.... Haha not me though. Definitely not me....