Saved Me; Ryeji FF

eight.

"My mom died when I was young." The photographer suddenly mumbled out, removing her cigarette and holding it between her fingers. "She had lung cancer. When we found out, it was too late. Stage Four with no hope of recovery."

Ryujin looked over at the cat-eyed woman. Yeji held the cigarette upright, with the lit end pointing to the grey sky.

"She fought long and hard to cherish every moment with us. Making unforgettable memories in hopes to replace the painful ones as it came." Ryujin watched as the glow of the ember slowly burned down. "Everything good withers away and is left with the ashes of what used to be."

"After she died, we didn't know that the cancer was genetic." Yeji looked away, placing the cigarette back in her mouth to take another puff. "Took my brother a year later."

Speechless, all Ryujin could do was take another sip of her coffee. "How about your father?"

Yeji suddenly took a sharp intake of air, as if all the oxygen in the world disappeared for a second. Her eyes darted all around while she blinked rapidly, trying to hold back her tears from reopening a wound that was not yet healed.

"I'm not ready for that." She whispered beneath her breath.

The dark-haired woman nodded and flicked out her cigarette over the balcony. As she went to leave Yeji for her personal space, a sudden commotion erupted from inside the apartment.

"Don't leave the DAMN DISHES IN THE SINK, SHIN YUNA!!!" Chaeryeong's voice muffled through the closed glass door, hands flying to convey her message across to the younger girl.

"WHY SHOULD I DO THE DISHES WHEN THERE IS ONLY FIVE PLATES TO CLEAN!!" Yuna screamed back.

"YOU WANT THIS PLACE TO BE INFESTED WITH COCKROACHES?! FINE, LET THEM CRAWL INTO YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU SLEEP!!"

The cat-eyed woman chuckled to herself as she wiped away her tears, "Regular occurrence?"

"Yes."

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Miraculously, the kitchen didn't burn down with the constant bantering with her best friend and her sister. The four of them set up the dining table with an array of side dishes and a pan of kimchi fried rice. As they placed the utensils on the table, an exhausted blonde made her way out of Chaeryeong's bedroom.

"How did you sleep, Jisu?" Yeji asked as she took a seat beside Ryujin.

Lia groaned and slumped onto the chair, leaning onto Chaeryeong. "We don't talk about it."

"Is-Is that a hickey?!" The younger shin gasped, covering her mouth, and pointing at the purple bruise on Lia's collarbone.

Chaeryeong choked on her water and covered up the bruise with her hand, "You're seeing things."

Ryujin couldn't help but to laugh at her best friend's horrible lie, causing Yeji to look over and laugh with her.

"Changing the subject. Ryu, are you going out with Yeji today?" The blue-haired woman asked as she zipped up her girlfriend's jacket.

The dark-haired woman wanted to stay at home and rest up from last night's fiasco, yet she surprisingly felt the urge to be around Yeji.

"Perhaps."

The photographer grinned with the spoon in her mouth. "I can't wait to ride your bike again."

"And you, Yuna?" Chaeryeong asked, filling a bowl with rice and handing it to Lia.

With her mouth full, she mumbled about needing to revise for the upcoming semester. As Chaeryeong scolded Yuna for talking with her mouth full, Yeji leaned over to Ryujin.