Saved Me; Ryeji FF

forty one.

The night crept by in a slow, restless haze for Yeji. She sat alone in the living room, watching TV to forget about the anxiety gnawing at her like a persistent shadow. Every passing minute felt like an eternity, the clock's ticking echoed through the room, a constant reminder of time slipping away.

She had to fight the relentless urge to call Ryujin, but she knew better than to interfere with her work. As the first rays of dawn painted the sky with hues of pale orange and pink, her thoughts swirled in a tumultuous whirlpool. What is taking her so long? Did something happen to her? Did she- No, she couldn't have.

With a heavy sigh, she rose from her seat and made her way to the balcony. Dawn had broken, a new day had begun, and still, there was no sign of Ryujin. Her arms crossed as she leaned on the cold railing, resting her head on the metal, she silently prayed, hoping for her safe return.

As if God heard her prayers, the front door creaked open and Ryujin stepped inside. Her presence was shrouded in an eerie silence as she quietly took off her shoes. Her body was a canvas of pain, marked with cuts and bruises from her mission. Blood, both hers and Giselles, stained her clothes and face while she wandered into the apartment.

Yeji's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Ryujin, she immediately rushed back into the house and held the sides of her arms.

Ryujin smiled wearily, "I told you I would come back." She managed to say in a horse tone.

When Yeji pulled her hitman in for a hug, she winced in pain, her battered body unwilling to accept any form of physical affection.

"You're hurt." The photographer said, quickly pulling away and examining her body for injuries. There were plenty.

"It's... It's nothing, Yeji." She replied, calmly. "I'm okay."

But Yeji could see through her facade. She could see the torment etched into her eyes. All the pain, both physical and emotional that she was enduring. The best she could do was take Ryujin into the bedroom.

She gently guided the hitman to sit on the edge of the bed. "Ryujin, I need you to take off your clothes."

Ryujin nodded, cringing at the pain as she took off her jacket and bloodied shirt. It fell to the floor, revealing a tapestry of injuries, some fresh and oozing crimson, others older with scars formed. Yeji took a deep breath, trying to steady herself as she searched for the medical kit from the bathroom.

"Where is the kit?" The cat-eyed woman called from the bathroom, searching the cupboards and drawers but to no avail.

"I think it's in... Chaeryeong's room."

Yeji quickly sprinted into the medical student's room, she was surprised that everything was left exactly as it was. The exam papers covering the desk, the scattered dresses on the unmade bed, and the stained coffee mug that collected dust on her vanity. It was still there. No one had the courage to step back into her bedroom since she left; a place frozen in time.

She shook the thoughts out of her head and headed into one of the drawers, hoping that the medical kit was there. Thankfully, it didn't take much searching for her to find it. Once she had obtained the supplies, she rushed back into Ryujin's bedroom where she was waiting there with her hands clasped together.

"I'm not as skilled as Chaeryeong was, but I did pick up a few things from Lia." Yeji said softly before she began to clean and dress each wound with meticulous care.

Her jaw clenched tightly each time Yeji wiped her wounds with alcohol pads, which caused her to chuckle a little.

"Why are you giggling?" The cat-eyed woman smiled along as she focused on cleaning up the bloodstains.