26. The Same Person

“Starla?” someone called from the side, breaking the silence. The voice wasn’t Ha-neul’s deep tone but a woman’s voice that she knew very well.

“Luna?” Starla frowned in confusion when she saw Luna there. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m meeting someone here,” Luna replied with her characteristic smile. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were going to the beach with your crush?”

“Luna, stop it! He’s not my crush, we’re just friends!” protested Starla, occasionally glancing back to make sure Ha-neul wouldn’t hear their conversation.

Luna chuckled, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “Okay, whatever you say. But seriously, I’m glad you made time to come here. This place is really great for healing, right?”

Starla nodded, a warm feeling filling her chest. “Yeah, exactly. This place always makes me feel at peace.”

Luna looked at Starla with understanding, her smile widening. “Especially when you come here with someone special, right?”

“You’re so annoying!” snapped Starla, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Luna laughed harder, enjoying the moment of teasing her friend. “So, where’s the guy? I don’t see anyone here,” she asked, glancing around the room.

“He’s in the bathroom,” answered Starla, her voice slightly irritated. “Enough, don’t keep bothering me or your boss will get mad at you!”

“He won’t! He’s really nice. But actually, he isn’t here yet. I think he hasn’t arrived,” Luna shook her head, her smile undimmed. She stood next to Starla, facing the sea, enjoying the gentle breeze that caressed their faces.

They fell silent, enjoying the calm for a moment. The sound of the waves softly hitting the shore and the whispering wind made the atmosphere even more serene. Starla glanced at Luna and smiled, feeling grateful to have a friend like Luna who was always there at important moments.

“You know, Luna,” Starla said suddenly, “sometimes I feel like my life is too busy and hectic. But when I get here, all of that disappears. This place really makes me able to breathe again.”

Luna turned, looking at Starla with a gentle gaze. “I understand, Star. Sometimes we need a place like this to recharge, to remind us how beautiful life really is.”

Starla nodded, taking a deep breath of the fresh sea air. “Maybe we should come here often, so we can always remember that there’s a place that makes us feel at peace.”

Luna smiled and hugged Starla tightly. “Deal, we’ll come here often. Promise?”

“Promise,” Starla replied with a smile.

As they stood there, enjoying the mesmerizing view of the sea, Starla felt that in this place, with her friend, she could face anything that came her way. In this place, with the gentle sea breeze and the soothing sound of the waves, she found the peace she had been seeking. And in that moment, she knew that their friendship was a strength that would always keep her strong.

“Starla?” Starla turned her gaze towards the source of the voice and smiled when she saw Ha-neul there. His eyes sparkled with warmth that never faded.

“Min-joon?” Luna said in surprise when she saw who the man behind her and Starla was.

“Oh, Luna has already arrived,” said Ha-neul, pointing at Luna with a friendly smile.

“Luna, this is Starla,” the man introduced Luna to Starla. “And Starla, this is Luna.”

“Wait a minute,” Starla interrupted, her eyes wide with astonishment. “Is the coworker you mentioned Luna?”

“Oh, so you two already know each other?” Ha-neul asked in a confused tone.

“She’s my best friend,” Starla replied with a wide smile on her face. “We’ve been friends for a long time. It’s a small world, huh?”

Ha-neul chuckled softly, his voice warm and soothing. “Sometimes the world is full of surprises. It’s great to know you two already know each other. This makes our meeting here even more special.”

“But wait,” Starla interjected, halting their conversation. “Who is Min-joon?”

Suddenly, Ha-neul laughed louder, his voice echoing in the calm air. He invited them back to the spot where he and Starla had been sitting, but this time Luna joined them. “Min-joon is the name people know me by as the president director of Byeol Music. That’s why Luna knows me as Min-joon.”

Starla frowned, looking both confused and surprised. “The president director of Byeol Music? Why didn’t you ever tell me, Ha-neul?”

Ha-neul smiled, his eyes radiating gentleness. “I didn’t want my identity as the president director to affect our friendship. I wanted you to know me as Ha-neul, not as Min-joon, the president director.”

Ha-neul chuckled again when he saw Luna and Starla still stunned by his information. “I want everyone to know me for who I am, not based on my position.”

Starla laughed softly, her awkwardness slowly melting away. “I understand now. This explains why you always have brilliant ideas and are so knowledgeable about music.”

Ha-neul, who had been smiling all along, finally spoke. “I think this is the perfect opportunity for all of us to enjoy time together beyond work. This place is amazing, and now it’s even more special because you’re here.”

Starla nodded in agreement. “Absolutely. I feel like this place will become an unforgettable memory for all of us. Let’s make the most of our time and enjoy this moment.”

Unlike Starla and Ha-neul, Luna had been silent, listening to the two talk. They laughed together, sharing stories and jokes, while Luna listened with a heavy heart. She should be happy because she finally met someone who could make her smile again. Min-joon, or Ha-neul, was someone she had admired in silence, someone who always made her heart race whenever she heard his name.

But on the other hand, she realized that the person she had admired and liked all this time was the same person who made her friend Starla always smile happily. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions; there was admiration, but also a bitter feeling she couldn’t ignore.

Luna sighed softly, trying to calm her restless heart. She watched Ha-neul and Starla talk, their laughter so genuine and full of happiness. There was nothing more joyful than seeing her friend happy, but why did her heart feel so tight, so hard to explain?