Can't Get Out | Ryeji

Chapter 48

"Not much now." I said. "My human painkiller is here." I uttered and placed my arms around her with her head now on my chest.

"Idiot." She joked. "What else changed?"

"Hmm?" I hummed. "My face, maybe?"

She turned her face to me and examined my face, touching some features of it which something that made my heartbeat go crazy. "You lost a lot of weight. Are you even eating?" 

"Sometimes, my sched don't match that I only eat during dinner in a day." I said and saw how Yeji pouted angrily, which I found cute. 

"I'll feed you now."

"Your lazy when it comes to cooking." I teased and she glared at me. I giggled with her reaction. "I'm joking."

She faked a laugh. "Funny."

"But you know what didn't changed?" I said and was nervous if I should continue what I'm going to say. Yet, I wanted her to know.

"What?"

"My feelings for you, Yeji." I said and looked at her dearly. 

I panicked because Yeji was stunned and gave me a blank reaction, as if she hadn't expected my response. 

She cleared her throat and looked away but still has her head on my chest and my arms around her. "Sorry." I said. "I just.. want you to know that I guess."

"No-no." She was stuttering. "You- you just always got me with your way of words." She honestly said and it made me smile. 

"You, what changed?" I asked. "I heard someone was courting you and you allowed that someone."

"Jealous?"

"Yes."

I wasn't this bold and honest, but then I realized how Yeji is the one who always pushes me to break the wall around me and do things I don't usually do.

"He's just a friend."

"He's courting you."

"I made it clear to him right after our first date." Yeji countered.

"How many dates did you have?" I asked. 

"Hmm, maybe we should count the days that you were gone?" Yeji said and started counting with her fingers. I know she's now teasing me because of the tone of her voice.

So I pouted and didn't answer. 

She later on turned her face on me and cupped my cheeks. "You're so cute." Yeji said. "We just went on a few dates. He fetches me from work even when I told him not to. What do you think the reason why I'm here, huh?" Eventually, my pout turned into a smile because of her. 

"Let's go to sleep?" I asked and stood up. 

"Together?" Yeji said and placed a pillow on her chest in a joking manner. "I'm not yet ready for mature roles, Ryujin. Let's take it slow." 

So I played along. "Remembering our first date, I think slow is not on our dictionary, Yeji." I said. "And, I've seen it all. No need to be shy."

It was a joke that made her cheeks became red and she threw the pillow to me which I caught and placed on the couch. 

"Dumb. I'll just sleep on my room." She said and went to her door with a blush on her face.

Of course I followed her and stopped her from opening the room. "I'm joking." I said. "Your room or my room, Ms. Hwang?" I asked. 

She then gave me a smile before answering. "Mine, please."

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

After brushing our teeth together, we're now on Yeji's bed lying side by side, facing each other, with our hands on each other's waist. There was silence, but a comfortable one.

"Did it hurt you a lot?" I asked. 

"Hmm?" 

"You." I uttered. "With me not around."

She looked down and gave me a sad smile before answering. "Yes."

"I'm sorry." I said. I cupped her face and tucked her hair behind her ear. 

"It hurt a lot." Yeji replied. "I already said it a lot of times to you but it really made me question my worth."

"You are worth it."

She now turned her face to me and gave me a sad smile. "It didn't seem like it when you just left without a word, Ryujin."

"I'm really sorry."

"I won't say it's fine." She said and chuckled, but I felt the pain. "But forgiveness will be a process. And you need to heal too, Ryujin."

"Are we not going to do it together?" 

"Who says we're not?" She chuckled.

"So you're not closing any doors for us?" I asked her. 

"I waited for you." Yeji said before leaning her head towards my chest and pulling me in for a hug. "And you came back. Closing the doors was never part of the option."

I smiled and kissed her forehead. "I love you." I said. I thought it was a perfect moment to say it even when she doesn't say it back yet. "You don't have to say it back."

"Thank you." Yeji mumbled and hugged me tighter. "You smell so good."

I giggled and kissed her forehead again. This time, I gave it a lot of kisses. 

"What are we going to do now?" Yeji asked. 

"Hmm?"

"The marriage news." She continued. "I honestly don't know what to do. I didn't check any notifications on my phone ever since I got here."

"Why?"

"All I could ever think about was you earlier." She honestly answered. "I don't want you to be hurt with lies." She said and it made me smile.

"Do you think we can stop it?" I asked her. "The marriage."

"I'm not going to marry anyone, Ryujin." She said. "Unless it's you."

My smile grew with her answer and I couldn't reply to her statement. 

"You do realize my head is right in front of your chest and I feel it beating like crazy right now?"

I giggled with her words. "Couldn't help it." I said. "We should prepare ourselves, you know?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm scared of your father, Yeji." 

"I am too." She said. "But even if I lost my position from his company, I don't mind. I already saved a lot of money, we can go somewhere far-"

"Chill," I said and hugged her tighter. "We'll fight it together. You're not alone."

"Can you promise me this time, you'll never leave?"

I pulled away from our shared hug and looked at her dearly. I can see on her eyes the fear and worry. 

"I will never leave this time." I assured and kissed her forehead much longer this time. "Never."