(author's note: reminder this uses korean ages so here are their ages.
currently:
-yeji 21 in korean age, 20 international
-ryujin 20 in korean age, 19 international
throwback chapters like this one and the previous for ryujin
-yeji 12 korean age, 11 international
-ryujin 11 korean age, 10 international)
She was 12 the first time she had a crush.
Yeji didn't know anything about crushes or relationships. The little that she did know about couples came from her parents and they weren't exactly good examples.
"Hyunjin, what is it like to have a crush?"
her brother was laying with her on their garden, both tired after running around playing.
"I'm not sure but people say it gives you a fuzzy feeling."
"Fuzzy?"
He hummed, picking up grass and throwing it up.
"Like tickling in your belly."
"Oh."
Yeji thought about it, thinking back to that day and how she felt about it.
"And what if your heart feels like it's beating faster?"
"That means you're in love. I think." her brother explained, turning on his stomach and looking at her.
Yeji thought about it again. Imagined that time days ago, closing her eyes and smiling to herself. Once she opened them again she looked at her brother and smiled. "I think i'm in love then."
"You're too young for that. Mom and dad say even i'm too young." her brother dismissed her confession, giggling at it as if it were a joke. But she wasn't joking.
Yeji huffed, sitting down immediately and crossing her arms stubbornly. "You just said it yourself. If you feel that then you're in love."
"It doesn't count when you're 12, I think."
"Then it will count when i'm older."
Hyunjin rolled his eyes, sitting down in front of her. "You'll stop feeling that by then."
"I won't."
"Yes you will."
"No, I won't."
"Yes-"
Yeji pushed him hard. "Stop it." Getting up and walking away determined to prove him wrong.
She wasn't even sure where to start her quest. And she knew it was a bad idea anyways. Her crush is a girl and that in itself would probably be a problem. Not to mention she didn't even know her name.
Why had she been cautious and refused to give the other her name? Regret came over her the moment she had walked out of the apartment complex but by then it was far too late to go back on her word.
Since then all she could do was think about the girl who had danced with her that night despite the fact they probably looked ridiculous doing it. The girl who had given her the plushie she cherished the most. The one with the cute whisker dimples and ears peaking from the hood of her sweater.
For days she daydreamed about her. Wondering what her name was, what school she went to, what she was doing in that very moment.
One particular day she got permission from her parents to go with her brother to get ice cream, insisting she take her backpack with her saying she had some reading to do. Her brother was clearly suspicious, side eyeing her as she lied through her teeth.
But there they went, Yeji smiling happily with her backpack, prepared to put her plan in place.
As soon as they arrived to the ice cream shop, she voluntarily offered her ice cream money to her brother, making him immediately know she was up to no good.
"What is this for?"
"I'm going to find her." she stated determined to do as she said. "You can have my money if you keep my secret."
Hyunjin thought about it for a second, and then two and three. Yeji was growing impatient by the time he spoke again. Grabbing her money and placing it on his pocket, he smiled. "First you tell me who you're going to find, then I'll think about keeping your secret."
Yeji rolled her eyes, annoying by his response but knowing she would have done the exact same thing. "Fine."
It didn't take long for her to tell him all about her little escapade in the middle of the night and how she had run into the girl who came to become her crush.
"You like girls?"
With everything on her mind, she hadn't even thought about how he might not be okay with that or how she couldn't just blurt that out.
"I think? I like this one."
"You also knew her for a couple of hours."
Yeji kicked him under the table, making Hyunjin wince in pain. "Fuck."
"Language."
"You're the one who curses the most."
"And?" Yeji said, smiling before getting up. "Are you coming with?"
Hyunjin thought about it for a second but got up from his seat too. "Where do we start?"
Yeji smirked, opening her notebook with everything she remembered about the girl in question and the time they spent together.
"Here." she pointed, a sketch of a building on the page she pointed to. "I remember the area so it shouldn't be too difficult to find."
"Let's not waste time then."
It took them longer than they thought to reach their destination. Mostly because they had to walk and a 12 and a 13 years old do not walk as fast as they presumed.
Both were panting by the time they spotted what could very well be the building in question. Though it was difficult to tell since the drawing was made from Yeji's memory. Not only had she mostly paid attention to the girl, it had also been night time. Her memory was hazy about such details.
"Should we ring the doorbells?"
"I guess." she responded, shrugging and starting to slam every button available.
Nothing.
They peaked around, walked the area and saw nothing.
"I think your girl moved. You must have scared her off."
"I think you'll get kicked again if you keep fucking talking."
"You kiss her with that mouth?"
She slapped his arm, making him hold it and stop talking.
Wait.
She had said her family owned the complex. Yeji's eyes suddenly widened as she excitingly ran to the front of the building. Pointing at the construction notice.
"Look."
"Yeah, what about it?"
Yeji sighed, continuing to point. "That's her family's company."
"Shin." her brother read out.
"That must be her family name."