CHAOS IN YOU || RYEJI

54.

The day went by quickly, Ryujin having taken Yeji to the train station once the nighttime came. Although she did protest and attempt to coerce Yeji to skip her classes and spend the night with her. It was hard to resist but Yeji managed. Barely but that was beside the point.

Since then, they had texted nearly every day. But they hadn't seen each other in what would now be months.

To say Yeji missed the other was an understatement.

By the time she was meant to go back home, she hadn't spoken with Ryujin for some time. Weeks having passed since the last text message she received. Figuring the other had been busy Yeji dismissed any worries over the behavior. Surely the silence would change now Yeji could visit Ryujin or the other could show up.

Yet such thing didn't happen.

Yeji attempted to go to Ryujin's apartment but got no response from the other side, texting and calling having resulted in nothing as well. It was odd, since the older girl hadn't acted any different than usual last time they had spoken.

It wasn't until she questioned Hyunjin that she received a reason for the sudden disappearance.

"Didn't you see it on the news?"

Yeji tilted her head, looking at him confused about how the news related to Ryujin's sudden silence.

"Ryujin's father was murdered. Brutally."

"What?" Yeji let out, too loudly. Shock clear in her expression, leaving Hyunjin staring at her suspiciously.

He sighed. "Look, Yeji. I know you'll want to comfort her but don't. Keep your distance. Please."

"Why would I avoid her while she's grieving? I'm sure she needs a friend." Yeji scoffed, waving her hand in dismissal.

Her brother only sighed. "God, you're insufferably stubborn. I don't want you to hate her but if you keep up with this weird obsession with my friend I'll have no choice but to deliver the bad news. Just keep your distance, will you?"

"Really?" Yeji yelled, pushing her brother. "You keep preaching about safety and claiming I shouldn't be her friend and that I should keep a distance but you're always around her. I'm starting to think you're the one obsessed with keeping her away from others."

"You don't know anything, Yeji." Her brother yelled back, his fingers rubbing his temple before taking a deep breath. "I'm not keeping her from others because I don't want to share her. I'm keeping her away so you don't end up like them." Hyunjin said as he opened an article about two dead bodies found in their hometown.

Yeji only staring at the phone screen in horror, eyes widened and thoughts racing through her mind.

"What?"

Hyunjin scoffed. "Stay away. That's the last time I warn you."

And with that, he walked away. Leaving a confused Yeji behind.

Of course she immediately looked up the articles about the dead bodies. Finding the details in a multitude of media platforms. Apparently, it had been the talk of the town for a while now. Of course, it wasn't surprising as nothing ever seemed to happen there.

Yeji grimaced as she read the description of the speculating theory of how the men had died. Gruesome didn't begin to describe it.

Then she reached the last update on the case, the police having informed the media they had taken in the prime suspect.

Shin Ryujin.

(author's note: short chapter and yes we are approaching the end)