I Used To Be Alright

Chapter 30

Not hers – Yeji's.

"Yeji-ah. Hey."

Yeji turned her attention to the girl – temporarily forgetting Ryujin in front of her.

Something about a lesson that she missed, asking for notes. And... time? Asking for help from Yeji and asking to meet her somewhere.

"Saturday? Let me recall if I have somewhere to be on Saturday."

Yeji opened up the calendar app on her phone and checked.

Just as she's about to answer, Ryujin wasn't able to control herself and butted in.

"We have somewhere to be."

She smiled timidly and turned her attention to the classmate.

"We do?" The feline eye answered confusedly.

"Yes. I got us tickets to that temporary exhibit and forgot to tell you."

Yeji's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

Ryujin lied.

"Yes."

"Oh. It seems like Saturday is a no for me, Soyeon-ah."

The girl nodded and bowed her way out of the cafeteria.

Yeji steered, shifted her focus on her, and smirked.

"You've never been a good liar, Ryuddaeng."

Her brows crossed.

"W-"

"Even when you were still so closed off, you couldn't lie without giving up a hint."

She paused.

"I consider this a good thing."

Ryujin only nodded.

"So... what's wrong? You've been so distracted recently. And why not let me help a colleague out? Is there a crime you want to confess to me on Saturday?"

Ryujin bowed her head and sighed.

"You're right. There were no tickets left. I tried for three days."

Yeji chuckled and walked towards her side of the bench to sit beside her, held her arm softly and met her eyes.

"So what's up? Are you alright?"

Ryujin gulped. Despite being with her everyday, she still gets nervous whenever they're this close. Something that she has never thought of feeling – ever – had she continued her carefree life of wasting her days with people she cannot even remember the names of.

But everything's different now. She would give up all her memories of the past just to get another chance.

"I- I am alright. I'm just not comfortable with you hanging out with that Soyeon."

"Soyeon-ah? Why, what's wrong with he-"

"Or anyone else." Ryuin cut the brunette off. "At least not any of those who clearly like you."

Yeji paused and gave her an amused look.

"Hmmm."

Another pause.

"I see."

She waited until Ryujin was looking at her before continuing.

"Why don't you do something about it, then?"

The brunette's eyes grew wide and her heart almost leapt out of her chest as Yeji smirked at her playfully and stood up as if nothing happened. As if she didn't just drop the biggest opening, the chance that Ryujin has been waiting for, for months.

The feline eyed grabbed her bag and started to walk away.

"See you after class?"

Ryujin was frozen in place and could only nod.

There was no way that she misheard or misinterpreted any of that.

Despite feeling shaken up because of the interaction, the brunette forced herself to stand up and walk towards her building – a huge smile plastered on her face, and not a care in the world with whoever sees.