10 Years || Ryeji

5.

They continued to walk outside, despite the cold air and darkness. Somehow Ryujin preferred being alone there with Yeji than inside with those people.

"What about you, rockstar? Lots of groupies?"

Ryujin laughed, a genuine laughter at the sudden question.

Yeji looking just as amused.

"A few."

"Yeah? Got them settled on your condos?"

"No. No condos for the groupies. They're just a pit stop when on the road."

"That's gross." Yeji stated scrunching up her nose but clearly amused by her joke. Both laughing about it.

"Oh my god, Ryujin. Never had is the best song ever." Yeji said in the most annoying voice she could fake.

Ryujin laughing until their eyes met and she didn't dare look away.

Had she heard it?

Did she mean it?

"Yeah?"

"Totally." Yeji continued, chuckling afterwards.

A nervous hand ran through her hair as Ryujin suddenly moved her gaze to avoid Yeji's. Her palms sweating at the notion of Yeji having listened to her song.

"I- That song barely made it to the album actually and now, it blew up and i'm not even really sure why people love it so much."

"Maybe because you're talented, Ryujin." The woman offered, pushing her shoulder playfully.

"You haven't heard it, have you?"

Yeji opened and closed her mouth a few times, clearly surprised about having been called out.

It was fine that she hadn't. Maybe it was for the best.

"You have to understand Im not someone who really knows the latest hits and I always listen to my own playlists while driving."

"It's fine, Yeji." Ryujin smiled, placing her hands on the woman's shoulders to ease her worries. "Really."

"You know what? Bet I have heard it somewhere before and would recognize it if you play it." Yeji said with a snap of her fingers.

"It's okay. I don't mind you not knowing my songs."

Yeji nodded, finally visibly relaxing. "To tell you the truth I was only vaguely aware you were a musician. I lived abroad for some time and only came back about a year ago. It's been wild since and I haven't really got the time to know what i've missed out on."

"You haven't missed out on much." Ryujin offered, shrugging. Her mind still thinking about the older guy that would be waiting for Yeji to go back to him.

"So are you going to be his second wife?"

Yeji scrunched up her nose as if the idea disgusted her.

"We don't want to get married actually."

Ryujin gasped, amused by the answer but also genuinely surprised. Her reaction exaggerated so the other wouldn't be able to tell just how jealous she was of the guy and how happy she had been to heard that.

"You don't want to be his second wife and stepmother to his kids?" Ryujin leaned closer, teasingly. Whispering the question and raising her eyebrows as she stared at Yeji.

"No. I won't get married."

Her happiness suddenly turned into confusion as Yeji carried on. "Really? You wouldn't want to be someone's wife?" Ryujin's eyes were big as they searched Yeji's face for answers. Just for the girl to hesitate and announce that she was cold and they should get back inside.

Leaving Ryujin to wonder if she would ever change her mind about that. Then again, thinking of Yeji married to some older guy going through a middle life crisis hurt her.

Walking inside they were met with Yuna and Chaeryeong going over the photographs of their high school days. Laughing and pointing at the ones that either included their friend group or people they once knew.

Ryujin taking Yeji's hand and dragging her towards the photographs as well.

They found a few of Ryujin. One of her playing guitar, another of her with her best friends, one of some event she had attended and even a prom photo. Ryujin had gone with some girl who had a crush on her, all because she had been too scared to invite the girl who was now standing next to her. Yeji hadn't attended, as far as she knew.

Truth was, Yeji barely attended events or parties. That was one of the main reasons why nobody seems to remember she existed. The other being how introverted she had been back then. Always keeping to herself. It came as no surprise that they had only found one photograph of the girl.

Yet Ryujin couldn't help but to smile widely at the sight.

There she was. A full body photo of Yeji from back in the day, when Ryujin had first met her and how she remembered her.

She was beautiful then, but even more so now.

"You're wearing those shoes."

"I had forgotten all about those."

"Really? I hadn't. They were your thing. Sometimes I'd see those shoes in the crowd between classes and I'd immediately recognize them."

"I would have worn them every day all day long if I had been able to. I worked a whole summer just to afford them."

"They suited you."

"Please." Yeji chuckled, nudging her. "They're bright yellow shoes."

"Yeah, kinda like the sun." Ryujin smiled fondly.

Yeji cleared her throat after a few moments of what she could only describe as eye contact filled with tension.

"I looked like I wanted nothing to do with this place. Like all I wanted was to leave."

"Yeah. I'm happy for you, you know? That you did leave."

Yeji smiled.

"Back then I wouldn't have imagined i'd be coming back for this reunion. Not even over my dead body."

"Why did you?" Ryujin asked, placing a hand under her chin and turning Yeji's face to meet hers.

Yeji locking eyes with hers and biting her lower lip as she hesitated answering her question. A sight that might have affected her heartbeat.

Suddenly, being interrupted by Chaeryeong who was already having trouble walking. The woman placing a arm over her shoulders and leaning over to greet Yeji.

"No way. Is this Hwang?"

Yeji chuckled, looking at her drunk friends. "In the flesh."

"Yeji, right?" Lia asked, clearly more sober than Chaeryeong was but her cheeks flustered and showing signs of having been drinking.

Yuna the only one who seemed normal. Although she was far too distracted with the photographs to care about anything else.

"Hey, you know where we should go?" Chaeryeong suddenly spoke again. Her finger pressing against Ryujin's chest as she spoke. "To the bar."