"See you tomorrow?"
"Sure thing." Yeji waved her friend goodbye, and, now that she was at the foot of the car door, entered her brother's vehicle.
"Oooh~ Ryujin again, hmm?" Monday poked her big sister's cheek from the backseat, choosing to tease the latter just like a little sister would the instant she got in the car. "You've been spending a lot of time with her."
"You don't have to point that out, you know."
"Yes I do." Disregarding the side-eye she received, Monday continued to pry for details. "What do you two even do?"
"Study."
"Study what?"
"Lines."
"Lines? What the hell kind of class studies lines? Art?— SAN!"
"No swearing in my car. You're still a baby." He warned after slamming on the brakes, and being the oldest, she didn't hesitate to listen, even if she sent a glare in his direction, deeming that 'hell' didn't fall under the category of 'swear' words.
"Punish her, not me." Yeji complained, rubbing the back of her head softly, having no time to brace herself for the sudden brake check. "And it's not art, Monday. It's for a play."
"Oh, the one you were talking to dad about?"
"Yeah. That's the one." She sighed, grimacing at the term used to describe the man responsible for them three. "But I might pick a different role."
"Huh?" It seemed now that her brother's interest was piqued. "Haven't you been studying the same character for the past month? Why switch up now?"
"Ryujin wants to play Andie."
"So?"
"It's not like I care much about the role. I don't mind who I am, so long as I'm in the play. All parts are fun. Besides, I can see how much she wants it." She explained, but her reason didn't seem justifiable to her siblings who had a lack of knowledge on this Ryujin girl who was friends with their sister.
"Are you sure that's the reason— " Monday started, but she was quickly hushed by Yeji. Truth be told, nobody knew of Yeji's preferences in romantic interests except for Monday and Yeonjun. Luckily for her, because San was focused on safely navigating the road, he didn't think much into the interaction, knowing his sisters bickered from time to time. "Isn't it too late to switch?"
"Yeah, aren't auditions tomorrow?" The boy added in, and Yeji reckoned her siblings were right.
Still, her answer was vague, knowing well enough that her stepfather won't like her decision not one bit. "Maybe."
"Dad might get angry."
"I'm aware."
"Hey~ " Sensing the worried tone in her voice, Monday placed a hand on her sister's shoulder and peeked her head between the two front seats. "I'll talk to him with you, if you want."
"No, no." Yeji denied, not wanting to risk their old man getting upset with her too. "I can handle him."
"Well, if you won't let her, then I'll stand by to listen in, and you can't tell me no because I'm older."
"But San— "
"No. You know how he gets when he's drinking." His mocking tone quickly faded into one that was more serious. After their mother passed away, he made a promise to himself at her funeral that he would always look after his little sisters. No matter who he'd have to stand up to, he'd protect them.
Yeji stayed quiet after that along with Monday who wanted to interfere too, but she knew how the other two would get if she stepped in, letting her know without words that she should stay out of it.
*** The Next Day ***
"Hey, Yeji! Wait up!"
Yeji stopped shuffling her feet and glanced over her shoulder, briefly meeting eyes with the student calling out her name. She bit down on her lower lip, not ready to have this conversation just yet. Not after yesterday.
"Geez, you walk like the bell has already rung."
"I just want to get to class." Yeji responded, so low it was almost a whisper. She wanted to throw hints that she didn't want to talk, but to talk is what Ryujin approached her for.
"We have ten minutes, though, and I was wondering if I could talk to you about something."
"Is it important?"
Ryujin found that reply particularly interesting. Usually, Yeji was very open and jumped at any topic of conversation, and while they may not have known each other long, even she could notice the slight difference in behavior. Her stance was more of a slouch today, not to mention there was no trace of a smile. "To me, it is. But if you're busy then— "
"Go ahead."
"It's about the play."
"What about it?"
"Andie's role."
"That's kind of vague, Ryujin."
"Right. Sorry." Unsure of how to ask this, how to go about this talk, Ryujin decided it was just best to rip the bandaid off. What harm could that do... right? "Could you, maybe, back down from the part?"
"What?" Confused, Yeji's brows suddenly met in the middle. She needed clarification, no doubt. "You want me to give up the role?"
"Yes?" The youngest responded, sounding a bit uncertain. Yeji didn't sound angry, but she didn't sound happy either, not that Ryujin really expected her to, anyway.
"Why would I do that?"
"It's just, it's the first play of the year and I really want to play her part so I thought I'd ask... "
Yeji, almost allowing her feelings to get the best of her, tried her best to have clear judgement towards this conversation. She didn't like that Ryujin was asking, despite herself wanting to give up the role yesterday on her behalf. However, setting those details to the side, regardless, she knew she had to choose what was best for her. "I can't."
"Why not?" Ryujin reacted, her tone a bit more rude than she intended to sound, and it certainly caused Yeji to stand still, not walk any further. This is where things began to go downhill, where the young Shin allowed her ambition to be her ultimate downfall. "Let someone who actually wants it have it."
"Excuse me?" The brunette turned back around, understanding that this is the first time the youngest has spoken to her this way. "Who says I don't want it, too?"
"You."
"Mind refreshing my memory?"
"Gladly." Ryujin would've regretted this instantly had she not chosen to be selfish about her desires. "I recall you saying you're only in this class for fun."
"Maybe, " Yeji started. Needless to say, she wasn't fond of Ryujin's attitude, and after how yesterday played out, she wasn't about to put up with it. "But in case you didn't notice, I don't work any less harder than everyone else here, including you."
Not correlating Yeji's reference to the time they spent reviewing the script together, Ryujin felt a little fire building up inside her chest. "That doesn't make you anymore deserving."
"Oh, and you are?"
"Uh, yeah?? It's my dream, not yours." She scoffed. "I've been taking drama classes since fifth grade."
"And?" Truly not caring about that sliver of knowledge right now, the oldest sighed, wanting to be done, not get into a petty argument. "I don't know what your problem is, but I'm not giving this up. If I get the role, then I earned it."
"Fine." Ryujin uttered bitterly, and without looking back, Yeji stepped off in the other direction. The conversation verbally ended there with Ryujin throwing off a harsh glare and the latter not responding with anything else.
After auditions that same day, the results were quickly made by Miss Kim. Within just two days, the parts were assigned. A particular Shin had waited on the edge of her seat, hardly getting any sleep the night before due to anticipation, and when she arrived to school that day, she was far from happy.
As she feared, Yeji got the role.
It was silly to fight over, really, but Ryujin truly believed in first impressions. She wanted to be the one to win, and because she's so used to getting the role of her choice, this didn't sit well with her, her mind conjuring various scenarios as to why it turned out this way while she stared at the paper angrily from a distance.
"It's alright. There's always next time." Rosé gently rubbed her sister's back, then patted her shoulder a few times as a means of comfort, but neither were helping.
"It's not the same."
"Ryujin... You've only been here for like two months and you're already trying to make enemies. You don't have to win in everything." She advised, but she knew it'd take time, not words, for her sister to realize her mistakes. "This is the first play of the year and there will be plenty more. Try not to get all worked up over this specific one."
"That's easier said than done." One of the many justifications her mind had deduced as a reason was the possibility of Miss Kim picking favorites, familiarity over talent. Ryujin felt that, just maybe, auditions were held unfairly, and that not just her but all freshman were at a disadvantage.
Annoyed, she averted her eyes from the paper, peering off to her left, and when her eyes briefly met a specific cat-like pair looking back at her, she exhaled frustratingly. Yeji's features were surprisingly less attractive now, likely because of the hostility on Ryujin's side.
"She's good, but I could do better." Ryujin mumbled, making a vow right then and there that she would best Hwang Yeji in anything she does, wanting to return the insufferable feeling of losing. "I will do better."
If expressions could make a noise, Ryujin's would sound similar to a growl. She wasn't simply interested, she needed the experience, as much as she could get, unwilling to let any opportunity slip by. She deemed lead roles as her ticket into the industry, gaining favor of movie directors at the earliest age she could, having played a role in a movie once before about two years ago. Still, while this may have been one less role in her pocket, she didn't plan to let anyone beat her again, especially not Hwang Yeji.
"So this bitterness revolves around Yeji, hmm?"
"Yeah." Ryujin leaned back against the wall of lockers behind her, causally taking peeks in the brunette's direction as she spoke, kind of like she did that day of the assembly, recognizing the guy next to the latter as San. "Not so easy on the eyes anymore."
"Really? Just like that?"
"Pretty much."
"That's a bit drastic, don't you think? To stake what could have been on a minor feud?" She didn't like what her sister was saying. In fact, she wanted to end this conversation right here, right now. But Ryujin knew it'd only be brought up again until Rosé said all that she wanted to say. "She seemed really nice."
"If she were nice, she would've agreed and passed on the role."
"Alright, say that were true. What about the next play? Would you have willing passed up the part if she passed on this one for you?" Ryujin, almost ready to respond, refrained from speaking, her jaw clenched knowing exactly what Rosé intended to imply. "Didn't think so. It's hypocritical to have double standards."
"It's different for me. She just enjoys the class. You know to act has always been a dream of mine. She didn't bother to understand my side."
"Did you bother understand hers?" Rosé asked, then tilted her head and took another glance over her shoulder at Yeji. It's not like she had a soft spot for the girl. She hardly knew her as well. But from what she's heard from Lisa, Yeji was one of the kindest people her girlfriend has met. "You haven't known her for long. You should consider why she's in the class, too, even if you think you already know the reason."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means don't be selfish, Ryu. That's all."
"I'm not being selfish."
"If you insist." Knowing Ryujin well enough, she practically left the conversation at that. Of course, though, once she noticed the boy walk away, she nudged her sister's shoulder before whispering, "ᴀᴘᴏʟᴏɢɪᴢᴇ," and wandered off to go meet up with Lisa.
Ryujin refused to listen... at first.
She didn't want approach the brunette, but the further she walked away, she noticed her pace slow down. A feeling of guilt urged her to turn around, and before she realized it, her eyes were frantically scanning the area. She blamed Rosé for this, but, had it turned out well, she supposed she might thank her sister.
It took a while to find Yeji through the crowd, but to her luck, or perhaps not and too soon, Ryujin sped up her pace to match the oldest's speed.
"Yeji?" She reached out, tapping the girl's shoulder.
Flinching at the sudden touch, the brunette accidentally bumped her shoulder into the lockers beside her, possibly even a bit too hard. It ached, and she merely clenched the area as if that would lessen the pain.
"Shit! I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to scare you... " Ryujin managed out the quick apology, though aware she still had another, more important one, to deliver.
While the young Hwang was rubbing her shoulder, unexpectedly, Ryujin had gotten an intriguing view of the girl's side profile. It would've been obvious earlier had she chose to look properly, but now that she noticed, hidden under some makeup appeared to be a dark bruise on the student's cheekbone.
That wasn't there yesterday. She knew it for certain. It would've been just as noticeable. Ryujin told herself that if it weren't for Yeji's odd behavior earlier this morning before their dispute, then maybe she wouldn't have thought too much into how Yeji obtained it.
Quickly realizing where the pink-haired girl's eyes were fixed, Yeji held her hand over her cheek. "What do you want?"
"I- I, uhm... "
"Spit it out."
"Hold on, give me a chance to— " Ryujin attempted to speak, but she was having a little trouble forming her words, and the other didn't hesitate to cut her off.
"If you're going to tell me that I don't deserve the role, then just go. I don't want to hear it."
"That's not what I was going to say."
"Then talk. I have places to be."
Ryujin's lips parted and closed, a process that was repeated a few times before she decided it was no use. Yeji didn't seem willing to talk. Even if she suspected there was something wrong, she chose to leave it be, assuming the bruised cheek was nothing but an accident due to the girl's clumsy nature.
Rather than speak, once again, she let her anger best her. With a light shake of the head, Ryujin took a step back without responding, then made her way to her next glass.
Sure, she'd have to face Yeji again after this, but she figured Yeji would agree if she claimed neither would likely speak to each other on friendly terms. If anything, it'd strictly be because the class they shared required it, and that's how things went after today.
Ryujin pretended Yeji didn't exist unless need be, whereas Yeji did her best to live up to her father's expectations, even if it meant avoiding specific people. She even told herself that it seemed to good to be true in the beginning, to all of a sudden meet her crush, as Yeonjun would term it, and become friends. Besides, the way Ryujin behaved seemed to shave off most of the interest Yeji had in her, resulting in her desire to prove to Ryujin that she deserves what she gets, that she earned every spot, even when it came to their clashes while on the dance team together a few weeks later.
With resentment thriving in the air between their harsh glares, their rivalry was easily fueled, living on even after they obtained their fame—
Or, well, it did until the movie they found themselves in left them second-guessing both their self and each other.
ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴘᴀsᴛ. ɴᴏᴡ ᴡᴇ'ʟʟ ɢᴏ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴛ
🙃