My Girl, Hwang Yeji | Ryeji

Chapter 18

"You don't have to keep it from me...promise me now, you won't keep it from me anymore because finally— I am your girl now, Ryujin." Yeji stated.

Here I am again, finding myself hugging my knees on the corner of balcony, looking so ashamed while crying. How can I deserve someone like her? This is too much...she don't deserve to see me like this. Yeji shouldn't see me like this...

"Will you put this moment in our story? You look pretty horrible...I'm sure your readers would laugh, darling." Yeji sat across me, still holding the box, probably containing her gift for me. "Please open my gift for you...you need to see this before you run out of tears." she put her palm on my hand that's gripping on my knees but I witnessed how it loosened and how she took my hands just so I could hold her present.

Yeji told me before that I was magical but little does she know— that among us, she's more magical, my little growing miracle.

I slowly opened the box...there were bunch of papers and a cute monkey stuffed toy. The papers I used to write my four lined poems for her. "I wrote responses for your poems...let's keep that together afterwards but for now, I want you to keep it and read it on your own later when I'm not around." Yeji stated which made me even cry. And this stuffed toy...this...

"That stuffed toy— you rejected it years ago but it's fine, I kept it for long never thinking that I'll be given a chance to give that to you for the second time." she said and this time, I buried my face on my knees with my hand, slowly putting down the box on the floor.

Why...why is she making me cry in every instances? Why is it so easy for her to make me so overwhelmed of happiness?

"I can finally tell you this— Shin Ryujin, my darling, I love you so much." Yeji's hand strokes my hair down.

How could she? My hair was a mess. I haven't even taken a bath and my knuckles were bleeding...how can she act like this to a shitty person like me? To a 15 year old girl who's losing her sanity already? Why...do I deserve someone like her?

"You're so fine, darling...my Ryuddaeng looks very cool..." she said as if she heard my thought. I immediately pulled her in a hug not knowing what to say.

I'm so happy...so happy that I couldn't describe it by words. But as the same time I feel ashamed for being happy because I don't think... someone as freak as me deserve this kind of present from above. He gave me Yeji...did He give Yeji because He knows that I'll go through this all?

Should I consider Yeji...

"Should I consider you as my dearest miracle? More than...more than just my girl..." I mumbled.

"If I'm a miracle for you, then consider me. I would be glad, darling."

Was I lucky or unlucky? I don't know where to put myself because Yeji came...it was fine at first, right? Me, a kid, getting along with Chaeryeong, Yuna, Heejin and other classmates as well. A stubborn kiddo but someone who's afraid to hurt somebody else. A kid who looked up to her dad that much...who loved her mom's braised beef, who would play with his cool brother all the time when it's vacation month.

Until I realized...it was Yeji who's left in me. Because I lost my friends for my ego. I lost myself just so I could fit myself in a group of friends that I shouldn't belong in the very first place. I ruined my relationship with my mom...because it doesn't feel that way anymore, my hatred is consuming me up until now. There was no hero, no dad...it was just a pure imagination. My cool brother left me because we're different from one another.. I'm a girl and he's a guy after all— I couldn't stay sticking beside him.

But at least, there's Yeji, right?

"Here, wear this..." Yeji handed me a gift wrapper which she took from her hoodie's pocket.

"You've been keeping that one inside?" I asked in amazement, while drying my hair with a towel.

"Yeah...it's a sweater so it didn't take much space." Yeji scratches her nape when I accepted her gift.

I let the towel fall off my shoulder as I open the gift. It's a sweater she said, and it really was. It's a white sweater with a drawing...a cat in a pink hood with a monkey in a purple hoodie. There's also Hatt and Tuk written above their head...a cat and monkey laying on a grass...

"I really asked for a personalized sweater last year to prepare for this day..."

"I love it..." my eyes became watery again with my eyes pierced on the sweater. "Can I wear this forever? I'm willing to wash myself in the washing machine just to wear this everyday..." I said that's why Yeji laughs.

"That drawing is permanent but the colors might look pale if you'd keep on washing it." Yeji stated.

"I'm gonna wear it now!" I excitedly said while running to the bathroom. I quickly removed my robe the moment I went inside the bathroom.

The sweater is so lovely...I can't believe that I'll be wearing something like this.

When I finally wore it, I watch myself on the mirror as I turn around and run side to side wearing the sweater that Yeji gave. This is so cool.

"Yeddeong-ah!" I shouted.

Yeji came hurrying, a smile formed on her lips when she saw me smiling from ear to ear while looking on the mirror.

"Look at me! I look so cool!" I faced her while holding up the sleeves of my sweater, "I look way cool with this rather than having a piercing with a braid on the side, and a cigarette on my finger." I stated while looking at her intently.

I'm more than just I am with Yeji tho...that's why her gifts are magical too.

What should I do to keep her by my side?

—🍃