Minha| forever yours

Hannie and Minha had been inseparable since second grade. They had grown up together through awkward school years, family problems, changing friendships, and every embarrassing phase imaginable, so by the time they arrived at college, their friendship felt almost more like family than anything else. Now, Minha is nineteen and Hannie is eighteen, both starting their freshman year at the same university and sharing a small apartment near campus. Minha has always had a naturally confident presence. She has long brown hair, a polished and feminine sense of fashion, and usually dresses in pretty outfits that make her feel put together. Beneath her elegant appearance, though, she has a bit of an attitude and isn't afraid to speak her mind. She's also stronger than she looks, something most people don't realize until they see her effortlessly carrying heavy boxes or standing up for someone. Hannie couldn't be more different. She loves colorful Y2K-inspired outfits, vintage accessories, little skirts, oversized jackets, and anything that reminds her of the early 2000s. Despite how expressive her style can be, Hannie struggles with severe self-consciousness and social anxiety. She often worries about how other people perceive her and has a difficult relationship with her appearance after undergoing a breast reduction, frequently getting caught up in comparing herself to other people or believing that everyone is judging her. Minha notices how hard Hannie is on herself and slowly becomes determined to help her realize that confidence doesn't mean suddenly loving every part of herself—it means learning that she deserves to exist comfortably without constantly criticizing herself. Throughout their first semester, Minha encourages Hannie to participate in small things she would normally avoid, like ordering food by herself, talking to classmates, joining campus activities, or wearing an outfit she loves without changing it at the last minute. Hannie doesn't magically become confident overnight, and there are plenty of setbacks, but having Minha beside her makes things easier. At the same time, Hannie helps Minha realize that always appearing confident doesn't mean she has everything figured out either. Their friendship becomes stronger as they navigate roommates, difficult classes, homesickness, new friendships, and the intimidating freedom of college together. Their story ultimately becomes about two lifelong best friends growing into themselves while learning that confidence isn't about fitting a certain appearance—it's about becoming comfortable enough to be yourself. The truth is Minha has had a massive crush on hannie since the 9th grade when hannie covered her body when she was having a wardrobe malfunction giving Minha her hoodie.

[prompt #1]

I had been looking forward to college for months, but standing beside Hannie on our first day, I could tell she was much more nervous than I was. I watched her fidget with the sleeves of her Y2K-inspired outfit while she nervously looked around at all the unfamiliar faces. I knew that look immediately; I had known Hannie since we were eight years old, and I could practically tell what she was thinking without her saying anything. While I had no problem walking up to people and starting conversations, Hannie seemed terrified that everyone was staring at her. Instead of leaving her to deal with it alone, I stayed close beside her throughout orientation, occasionally making stupid jokes just to get her to smile. College was going to be different from everything we'd known, but I promised myself that Hannie wouldn't have to face the unfamiliar parts alone.

[prompt # 2]

I found Hannie standing in front of the mirror for what felt like the hundredth time, changing her clothes and criticizing herself under her breath. She had already gone through several outfits, and I could see how frustrated she was becoming. I hated watching her talk about herself that way, especially because I knew how much her body-image struggles affected her. I didn't want to simply tell her she looked pretty and expect everything to magically disappear. Instead, I sat beside her and reminded her that she didn't owe anyone a certain appearance. I told her that she should wear the outfit she actually liked instead of the one she thought other people would approve of. Eventually, she picked her favorite Y2K outfit, though she was still nervous. I smiled at her and told her that confidence didn't have to mean feeling perfect—it could simply mean walking out the door despite the doubts in her head. Seeing her take that small step made me proud.

[Prompt#3]

A few months into freshman year, I started noticing little changes in Hannie. They weren't huge, and she still had days where her anxiety got the better of her, but she was slowly becoming more willing to put herself out there. One night, we sat together in our apartment after a long day of classes, talking about everything that had happened since we were little kids. I realized how strange it was that the girl I'd known since second grade was now sitting beside me as a college freshman, trying to figure out who she wanted to become. Hannie admitted that she still struggled with how she saw herself, but she also admitted that she was starting to believe she could be more than her insecurities. I told her I was proud of her—not because she had suddenly become confident, but because she kept trying even when things were difficult. As we talked, I realized that I'd spent so much time trying to help Hannie become more confident that I'd forgotten she had been helping me grow too. Maybe that was what our friendship had always been: neither of us fixing the other, just reminding each other that we didn't have to figure everything out alone.

[prompt #3]

I had always been protective of Hannie, but lately I was starting to realize just how possessive I could become when someone else got too close to her. Hannie had been my best friend since second grade, so I was used to being the person she came to first whenever she was nervous, upset, excited, or simply needed someone to talk to. For years, being by her side had felt completely natural. But now that we were in college, there were suddenly so many new people around her, and I couldn't help feeling strangely threatened whenever someone seemed particularly interested in becoming close with her. I hated the feeling of jealousy that settled in my chest whenever I saw Hannie laughing with someone else, especially when they seemed to understand her quickly. I would find myself walking over and joining the conversation, casually standing beside her or making some sarcastic comment just to remind myself that I was still there. Sometimes I'd save her a seat before anyone else could, walk her home after class, or find an excuse to spend more time with her, all while pretending I wasn't doing it because I was jealous. The worst part was that Hannie usually had no idea what was going through my head. To her, I was just being Minha—the same protective, slightly bossy best friend she'd known for years. But deep down, I was terrified that someone would eventually become more important to her than I was. I'd spent so many years hiding my feelings for her that I didn't know what I would do if someone else got the courage to tell her how they felt before I ever could. I knew Hannie deserved the freedom to make her own friends and relationships, and I would never want to control who she spent time with, but that didn't stop the jealousy from appearing. Eventually, I had to admit to myself that my possessiveness wasn't really about wanting to own a place in Hannie's life—it was about being scared of losing the person I'd secretly loved for years. If I wanted to stay beside her, I had to learn to trust her instead of letting my fear control me, even if admitting that was one of the hardest things I'd ever done.