Saved Me; Ryeji FF

thirty eight.

"I forgive you, Ryu." She interrupted, placing her hand on her shoulder. "You didn't know. It's okay."

The weight felt a little lighter after absorbing her words, she took her hand off her shoulder and brought it to her lips. "Thank you, Yej."

She turned to face the stone again and kneeled down. "I'm so sorry." She whispered with sincerity, catching Yeji off guard. "I didn't know who you were, but Yeji told me what kind of person you are and for that, I've been living with regret."

Yeji's hand on her shoulder squeezed gently as Ryujin continued with her apology. "I promise you, I'll do everything in my power to make amends, to protect Yeji, to care for her and to love her unconditionally for as long as I'll live."

The photographer's eyes soften, her heart heavy but filled with a sense of understanding. She knew that Ryujin couldn't change the past, but having Ryujin kneeling in front of her father's grave and seeking redemption meant more than words could express.

As Ryujin got up off the grass, she immediately pulled her in for a hug. "If I know my father, he would forgive you."

After a quiet moment, Yeji pulled away and took Ryujin's hand to the grave beside Youngjae's. "My mom and brother are also here."

Standing beside Yeji at the graves of her mother and brother, she couldn't imagine the depth of pain and suffering that she had endured. To lose not just one, but all her family members was a tragedy of unfathomable proportions. As she bowed down, paying her respects, a heavy lump formed in Ryujin's throat as her heart ached for Yeji.

When the sun began to set behind the trees, casting long shadows over the rows of tombstones, they headed back to the parking lot. Yeji spoke with a fond smile, reminiscing about her relationship with her brother.

"God, Hyunjin and I were inseparable." The cat-eyed woman started with her voice laced with nostalgia. "Growing up, we did everything together. Making up random songs that we used to perform for our parents, playing board games that resulted in one of us crying to our mom when we lost, staying up late at night under the covers watching animes when we weren't supposed to."

Ryujin listened intently, her heart swelling with warmth as she watched the twinkle in Yeji's eyes light up.

"One summer, when we were about twelve, we snuck out of our house and ran to our nearby park. It was our favourite place. We'd sit on the highest point of the slide, sharing secrets, and our plans to live together when we grow up as we watched the stars at night. Hyunjin always said that he would look out for me no matter what."

The dark-haired woman squeezed her hand in a silent understanding. "Take me to that park."

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Arriving at the park, they found it bathed in the soft hues of the setting sun. The air was filled with the gentle rusting of leaves and the distant laughter of children playing. Ryujin watched Yeji from the corner of her eye, appreciating the way the sunlight played with the strands of her brown hair, creating a halo of light around her.

The photographer led her girlfriend to a secluded spot near the park, beside a bush of blooming flowers. They sat there, hand in hand, sharing stories of their childhoods as they watched the stars emerge in the darkening sky. Soon, the children left their parents, leaving the park vacant for the couple.

They swung on the swings, taking turns to see who reached the highest. The wind rustled through their hair and their laughter filled the air, Yeji felt like she was transported back to her youth as Ryujin experienced the childhood she wished to have.