Saved Me; Ryeji FF

eleven.

Yeji returned to the table and handed the other a mug of warm hot chocolate. The gentle flicker of candlelight cast a soft glow on their faces, illuminating their smiles on their lips.

Conversation flowed effortlessly between them; they spoke about their friends. How Yeji met Lia when they bumped into each other in the hallway during high school. With every word exchanged, Ryujin found herself noticing more and more details about Yeji. The way Yeji's eyes would brighten up every time she spoke about her friends, and her stuffed animals and every time she looked over at her.

In the solace of the night, Ryujin made a silent vow to protect Yeji's heart, even if it meant shouldering the weight of her secrets alone.

"I think it's time to call it a night." Yeji said while stretching her limbs.

Ryujin didn't want the night to end but agreed to let the cat-eyed woman sleep.

After expressing their good night, Ryujin threw herself onto the couch and tried to fall asleep.

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Gasping for breath, Ryujin jolted upright from the couch. A knock on the door startled her awake. Disoriented and shaken, she scanned her surroundings, realising that she was not in her apartment. Another knock on the door caught her attention. She quickly got up from the couch and looked through the peephole. There was no one.

As she walked away, another knock on the door caused her to turn back around. As she opened the door, her eyes widened in horror. There, standing before her was Yeji's father- covered in blood.

"Youngjae?!" Ryujin whispered in shock.

Before she could react, he forcefully pushed his way into the apartment, causing Ryujin to stagger backwards. Time seemed to slow down as a surge of panic coursed through her veins.

"I can't let anyone hurt my daughter." The dead man's voice echoed throughout the apartment.

Youngjae took a hold of her throat, causing her to gasp for air. Her body froze in fear as Yeji's father raised a knife, his eyes filled with a cold determination.

In an instant, the nightmare shattered like fragile glass, and Ryujin shot up from the couch. Her hand trailed up to her neck as she gasped for air. The remnants of the nightmare slowly faded, she glanced around, assuring herself that she was safe. Taking a deep breath, she took her belongings and left the apartment.

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Ryujin threw the hood over her head as she walked through the empty streets in the early hours of the morning. The vivid nightmare continued to shake her to her core.

In a dimly lit alley, a figure emerged from the darkness. Ryujin continued to lose herself in her own torment to realise the person was coming right towards her. In a swift movement, she was taken into the alley.

Her back impacted the brick wall painfully, letting out a grunt as she made eye contact with the assailant.

The figure took off her hood, before taking off her mask.

"Karina?"

The leader took a step back, "You've improved, Ryujin."

The other snickered before glaring daggers at her, "Are you going to kill me now?"

"No. I'm giving you one last chance. Join us."

"And if I don't? Then you'd kill me?" Ryujin leaned on the wall, watching the other pace frantically around.