***
The warm glow of the evening sun streamed through the window as Min Soo stirred awake. Blinking a few times, he stretched and muttered to himself, "Did I forget something?"
A flash of memory hit him—his promise to play games with Hanni. His eyes widened. "Oh no!"
Sitting up quickly, he sniffed his shirt and immediately recoiled. "Ugh… I smell like dried fish," he muttered, grimacing. Without wasting time, he grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom.
After a quick but refreshing shower, he dried off, dressed in casual clothes, and stepped out of his room. His mother was on the sofa, engrossed in a drama playing on the TV.
"Mom," he said, slipping on his sneakers, "I'm going out to play with Hanni."
His mom turned her head slightly and smiled. "Go ahead, but don't come back too late, okay?"
"Yes, Mom," he replied, opening the door. "I'll be back before seven."
At Hanni house
Min Soo stood in front of Hanni's house, a modest two-story home with a small garden out front. He pressed the doorbell and called out, "Hanni, are you home?"
A moment later, he heard footsteps approaching the door. When it opened, he was greeted by a woman who looked to be in her late thirties, with a warm smile and kind eyes.
"Oh, it's you, Min Soo," she said. "Come in and have a seat on the sofa. I'll call Hanni—she's upstairs in her room."
"Thank you," Min Soo said politely, stepping inside.
As he sat on the sofa, he took a moment to observe the cozy living room. Family photos adorned the walls, and the scent of freshly baked cookies lingered in the air.
From the stairs, he heard light, quick footsteps descending. Hanni's voice rang out playfully, "No need, Mom! I could smell Min Soo even from far away!"
Min Soo raised an eyebrow, amused, as Hanni appeared at the foot of the stairs, a wide grin on her face. "You smell fresh today, though. Finally took a bath, huh?" she teased.
He scratched the back of his head, chuckling nervously. "Yeah, yeah. Very funny."
"Come on," she said, motioning for him to follow. "Let's play in my room."
As they entered her room, Min Soo's eyes wandered, taking in the decor. The walls were painted a soft pink, with shelves lined with books, games, and small figurines. A large pink bunny plushie sat on the bed, its floppy ears giving it a playful charm.
Wow… what a cute room, he thought, though he kept his observations to himself.
Hanni flopped onto the floor in front of her sleek PS5 setup, grabbing two controllers. "Come on, sit here," she said, patting the space next to her.
Min Soo sat down, still scanning the room. "So, what game are we playing?"
"Elden Ring," Hanni replied, her face lighting up with excitement. "It's the game you wouldn't stop talking about!"
Min Soo stiffened slightly. Right… Min Soo liked this game. Hope I'm decent at it.
Hanni handed him a controller and booted up the game. The opening cinematic played, and she leaned forward eagerly. "Okay, let's see if you still got it. Don't blame me if I'm better than you now!"
He smirked, the competitive side of him kicking in. "Better than me? We'll see about that."
As the game loaded, the room was filled with the sounds of swords clashing, enemies roaring, and Hanni's lively commentary.
"Careful! Dodge, dodge!" she shouted as Min Soo's character narrowly avoided an attack.
"I know, I know!" he replied, his focus intense.
Despite the initial awkwardness, Min Soo found himself getting into the game. Hanni was skilled, her character moving fluidly through the treacherous world of Elden Ring, while Min Soo did his best to keep up.
"You're not bad," she said, grinning. "For someone who smelled like dried fish a few hours ago."
"Will you let that go already?" he groaned, though he couldn't help but laugh.
After a particularly tough boss fight, they both put down their controllers and stretched. Hanni glanced at him, her usual teasing tone replaced with something softer.
"You've been kind of different lately," she said. "Not bad—just… different."
Min Soo froze for a moment, unsure how to respond. "Different how?"
"I don't know," she said thoughtfully. "You seem more… thoughtful. Quieter, maybe. It's not a bad thing, though."
He hesitated, then smiled faintly. "Maybe I'm just… trying to change a little."
Hanni tilted her head, curious, but didn't press further. "Well, whatever it is, I like it. Just don't change too much, okay?"
"Don't worry," he said, picking up his controller again. "I'm still the same guy who's going to beat you in this next round."
"In your dreams!" she laughed, diving back into the game.
As the clock struck 6:30, Min Soo glanced at the time and stood. "I should head home. I promised my mom I'd be back before seven."
"Aw, already?" Hanni pouted.
"Don't worry," he said, grinning. "We'll continue this next time. I'll let you practice so you don't embarrass yourself again."
She stuck out her tongue playfully as she walked him to the door. "See you tomorrow, Min Soo."
As he stepped out into the cool evening air, Min Soo couldn't help but smile. For the first time in years, he felt like he belonged somewhere.
Maybe this new life isn't so bad after all.
***