MAMA MY HOME

“Threads of the Heart”

Ayan’s Dressing Room – Later

Ayan, finally done with her hectic schedule, stretched her arms as the door opened. Hanuel walked in, her face wearing an unmistakable frown.

Ayan (smiling instantly): “My babe! You came.”

Hanuel dropped her bag onto the chair and flopped into it dramatically.

Hanuel: “Don’t even start. The receptionist downstairs almost called me an outsider… then this tall guy with sharp eyes and perfect hair showed up—acting all calm, like I’m the rude one.”

Ayan tilted her head, already guessing.

Ayan: “Tall… sharp eyes… perfect hair? Wait—are you talking about Chang Wook?”

Hanuel threw her hands up in frustration.

Hanuel: “So that’s his name! Ugh. Yes, him. Mr. Calm-but-Annoying. He looked at me like I was some… lost stranger.”

Ayan giggled, covering her mouth, her eyes sparkling.

Ayan: “Hanuel, he’s actually really nice. He didn’t mean it like that.”

Hanuel rolled her eyes, leaning back in the chair.

Hanuel: “Nice? Please. He needs to work on his face. Anyway—forget him.”

Then, leaning forward, Hanuel’s expression turned serious, almost sly.

Hanuel: “Do you know my brother likes you?”

Ayan froze, laughter dying instantly in her throat.

Ayan: “…What?”

Hanuel smirked, crossing her arms confidently.

Hanuel: “Don’t play dumb, Ayan. Euntak. I can see it. The way he looks at you? That boy is gone for you.”

Ayan’s breath caught. Her smile faded, replaced by a storm of emotions she didn’t know how to name—surprise, confusion… maybe even a flicker of something else.

Ayan’s Dressing Room – After Hanuel Leaves

The room grew still after Hanuel stormed out, her perfume and laughter lingering in the air. Ayan sank onto the couch, hands clasped tightly on her lap.

Her mind replayed Hanuel’s words like an echo: “Do you know my brother likes you?”

Ayan whispered to herself, barely audible:

Ayan: “Euntak… likes me?”

She shook her head quickly, almost scolding herself.

Ayan: “No, that’s impossible. Hanuel always exaggerates… she’s just teasing.”

But the more she tried to dismiss it, the more her heart betrayed her. Memories surfaced — how he would occasionally check up on them, just making sure they were okay, the quiet protectiveness he never made a show of.

Her chest tightened. She leaned back, pressing her palm against her heart.

Ayan (whispering again): “Why does it feel… like she might be right?”

The weight of the thought overwhelmed her, and she covered her face with both hands, torn between disbelief and a strange fluttering warmth she didn’t want to admit.

Ayan (muffled, almost like a prayer): “Hmm… Euntak?”

The silence of the dressing room wrapped around her, leaving her with nothing but her heartbeat — loud, fast, and undeniable.

⸻

Scene: Outside the Broadcast Building – Evening

The night air was cool, city lights flickering in the distance. Ayan stepped out, wrapping her arms around herself. She hadn’t expected anyone to be waiting.

But there he was.

Euntak, leaning against his car, hands in his pockets, eyes lifting the moment he saw her.

Ayan (startled): “Euntak? What are you doing here?”

Euntak (calm, steady): “Waiting for you.”

Ayan blinked, her heart already uneasy from Hanuel’s words earlier. She walked closer, trying to keep her voice light.

Ayan: “You should’ve called. I… I could’ve finished earlier.”

Euntak (soft smile): “I didn’t mind waiting.”

There was a pause. The kind that carried weight. Ayan’s eyes darted away, the silence pressing on her chest.

Ayan (nervously): “So… why are you here?”

Euntak’s gaze didn’t waver.

Euntak: “Because if I don’t say it now, I might never get the courage again.”

Ayan froze, her breath catching.

Ayan: “Say what?”

He stepped closer, his voice low but firm.

Euntak: “That I like you. More than a friend. More than Hanuel’s best friend. I’ve liked you for a long time, Ayan.”

Her eyes widened. Her heart raced so loudly she swore he could hear it.

Ayan (shaking her head quickly): “Euntak, don’t… don’t say that. You’re Hanuel’s brother. She’s my best friend. This… this can’t—”

Euntak gently cut in, his tone calm but determined.

Euntak: “I know it’s complicated. But feelings don’t wait for permission. I can’t keep pretending I don’t feel this way about you.”

She looked at him, torn between the warmth in his eyes and the storm of thoughts in her mind.

Ayan (voice trembling): “Why me, Euntak?”

Euntak (without hesitation): “Because you’re you. And that’s enough for me.”

The air stilled. The unspoken hung between them — her silence, his truth.

Ayan’s lips parted, but no words came out.

✨ [Six months later] ✨

Ayan and Euntak’s bond had quietly grown, from late-night talks that lasted until dawn to small, shared moments that no one else could see. What started as a careful friendship had blossomed into something deeper.

And then, one day… they stopped hiding it. The whispers, the glances, the small smiles — all confirmed in public. Everyone knew now: they were officially dating.