103│Bbangsaz

3. Latecomers

Hanni's POV:

Was it bitchy and overprotective of me to threaten that Minji girl like that? Probably. But I only did it for Dani. Me and Danielle have been friends for longer than I can even remember. She's been the only reason that I've been smiling lately. The entire school knows me as the bright and always cheerful Hanni, but I wasn't always like that. Dani really changed me with all her positive vibes, and everyone around her agrees that she has a beautiful personality.

Now, why am I so protective over her, you may ask? The reason is that Danielle seems to get attracted to people quite fast, and that is exactly what happened with the girl at the park yesterday. Danielle spoke about Minji as if Minji was the most attractive person to ever breathe on this earth.

Last night, I had to listen to Danielle fantasize over Minji for hours, and the girl was even swooning over the way Minji texts? She said word for word, "The way that she is so formal and plain on text just makes her even more attractive." Like what? And Dani even said, "Did you see the way she smiled at me? She wants me so bad." And this might seem bad to other people, but it's a routine for me.

I am used to Danielle having crushes on random people, here and there, but the worst part about Danielle having a crush on Minji is that, sadly, Minji goes to our school. That just means that there will be even more interactions between the two, and the last thing I want is Danielle dating someone during the last year of school.

She can obviously do what she wants, but I don't want her to get hurt by some idiot like she did before. She's gotten her heart broken, and I think seeing her like that broke mine too.

Most people think that I like Danielle romantically because of how overprotective of her I am, but it is very obvious that I don't swing that way. I've always been straight and never even thought of being with a girl romantically. Dani insists that I'm in denial stage and I need to accept the fact that I like women, all this because she saw posters of Zendaya and other female celebrities in my room when we were younger.

Flashbacks

Danielle ran into my arms while tears were streaming down her face. She looked terrible. I wanted to ask her what happened and who made her cry, but this was not the moment. She did not need my questions at the moment; she needed someone to be there for her, and I'll be there.

We cuddled on the sofa for hours until Dani's sobs finally started to quiet down. I was about to pull away and ask her what happened, but she just pulled me in closer and buried her head on the crook of my neck before speaking.

"She left me," she said in a barely audible voice. I knew who she was talking about, but I didn't even want to think about her. The mention of her name disgusts me.

"It's okay. I'm right here. You'll be okay, and I'll always be here to make sure of that, Dani," I said to her as she sat straight and looked at me.

"Thank you, Hanni, for everything. But I knew that she didn't have the best reputation. She was known for being a player, and I was blinded by love and didn't care. It was my fault, and I need to accept that."

"You know I loved her. I loved Yujin with all my heart. I just don't understand how she could cheat on me like that," Danielle said as another stream of tears started pouring down her now swollen eyes. I pulled her closer and let her cry again until she fell asleep.

This is going to be the last time I see my best friend like this, I thought to myself.