The day was a dream.
Gangnam boutiques. Beauty salons. Cafés with flower-shaped lattes. Laughter that wouldn't stop.
Nari filmed everything like a vlogger on caffeine. Yuri made them pose in every mirror. Minji kept the chaos contained—but only barely.
By evening, they were sprawled in the van, exhausted, shopping bags stacked to the roof. Seoul's lights streaked past the windows in golden blur.
Hana leaned her head against the glass, smiling—until the smile faltered.
A strange, rapid thudding started deep in her chest.
Her breath caught.
Not now.
She pressed her hand over her ribs, forcing a laugh when Minji nudged her.
"Excited, huh? You look like you're glowing."
"Y-yeah," Hana said weakly. "Maybe too much."
Her pulse raced faster. Her vision blurred slightly.
Yuri turned from the front seat. "You okay?"
"Just carsick," Hana lied with a practiced smile. "I'll be fine."
But her fingers were white around the seatbelt. The fear coiled tight in her stomach, unseen by everyone else.
She counted silently in her head—one, two, three, breathe.
Anything to make her heart listen.
The music swelled again, drowning her panic. Outside, the city lights kept shining, unaware of how close her chest was to breaking.