Yeji was so absorbed with the topic she was studying that she didn't notice Ryujin's arrival.
The other girl stood and appreciated the view for a couple of seconds before saying hi.
"Ahem."
Yeji looked up with the same poker face and ushered Ryujin to sit.
"I'm glad to see you, too." The other girl grinned at her. Yeji finds it amusing that her snub behavior hasn't rubbed off on Ryujin. She's always still so... happy to see her. Whatever the reason may be.
She closed her book and put it inside her bag.
"I didn't perceive you as someone who's so focused on her studies. You're almost like a nerd." Ryujin teased.
"Less talking about me. More talking about what you want help with." Yeji finally spoke.
"So... what is it that you're so keen on learning about the casual scene?"
Ryujin shrunk to her chair a little - obviously taken aback by Yeji's straightforward question.
"Um... I don't really know. I'm not sure. I'm hoping you can lead the conversations from here? If that's okay." The earlier answered honestly.
Yeji could see that she's uncomfortable, which is new. She must've stepped forward despite her doubts and Yeji grew curious why she wanted her help so bad.
"Alright" Yeji started in a softer tone. "You said you haven't met anyone worthy enough to be in a relationship with, right?"
"That's not-"
Yeji cut her off before she could argue. "So you want to see if you can do casual and experience things?" she airquoted the last part as she remembered Ryujin using that exact word.
Ryujin nodded.
They spent the next hour with Ryujin asking questions and Yeji answering them.
Yeji learned that Ryujin have almost zero experience in physical or emotional relationships. She has kissed a boy before, but only because she was forced to. Some kind of highschool game or something. And she didn't even enjoy it.
She only recently accepted her sexuality, too. It was hardest to admit it to herself but her parents are pretty understanding about it.
When Ryujin was done with her line of questions, it was Yeji's turn to ask.
"So, who's the girl?"
Ryujin gave her a confused look.
"You've lived 21 years of your life without anyone except for family and friends. And suddenly, you became curious about intimacy. There must be someone."
Ryujin's eyes grew wide and she felt her heart beating out of her chest.
It's you. Hwang Yeji. It's you.
She couldn't think of anyone else and the same words were repeating in her head.
"Woah. You look scared. She's either someone I know, or someone you're not supposed to be with. So you don't have to tell me. I don't wanna get tangled in all that. I wish you luck, though."
Yeji started to gather her things and leave. She stood up and glanced towards the other girl who opened a Taxi App on her phone.
"Where do you live?"
It took a second for Ryujin to realize that Yeji was talking to her.
"Uh... I live on the 8th, near that bar."
"You okay with hopping off at that convenience store on the 7th? I have to be somewhere in 10 minutes and can't drive out of the way."
There was a pause.
"I don't-"
"You're riding with me. Gosh. Come on, I'm following a schedule."
Yeji started to walk outside and Ryujin scrambled to gather her things and catch up to her.
As they walked around the parking lot, Ryujin saw Yeji approach a gray Bentley that looked lowkey but expensive. Because one of her friends is a car enthusiast, she also knows a thing or two about them. The Flying Spur costs around the amount that a normal student couldn't afford.
She goes to SU, after all, so her family must have money. She thought.
They entered the car and Ryujin was greeted by the smell of vanilla and roses.
The car was surprisingly clean, too. In the dashboard was a picture of Yeji and Chaeryeong in a scenery one typically only sees in movies.
"So what school do you go to?" Ryujin was surprised by the question.
"Oh we're asking personal questions now?" She teased. She loves seeing the cat-eyed girl huff and lightly purse her lips when she's annoyed.
"Never m-"
"I go to Yonsei U." Ryujin cut her off and grinned at her.
Yeji didn't ask anything else after that so Ryujin took the time to look around the car.
"You listen to Niki? I love her music!" she commented as she saw a paused track on the car's sound system screen.
"What's your favorite song?"
Yeji was silent for a minute but still answered the question with a low voice, "I like La La Lost You."
Ryujin smiled excitedly and continued the conversation from there. The next 10 minutes of the drive was spent with Ryujin asking Yeji questions and patiently waiting for her answer. And although the other girl didn't ask anything after her question about school, it was a progress that Ryujin was happy with.
It would be awkward to not talk to her if they're gonna see each other every week, she told herself.
She was dropped off at the agreed convenience store and the cat-eyes girl didn't say another word before driving away.
When Yeji got to Minju's place, the TV was already turned off, meaning she might have gone to her room already.
She lightly knocked on her room's door but no one answered. When she entered, she saw Minju already sleeping in her everyday clothes - she must've been waiting for her. She usually comes over every Friday afternoon after classes but Yeji was held back by a certain meeting at a coffee shop earlier.
Damn, I really was looking forward to tonight. She thought. It was a rough week, after all.
She turned to leave when she heard Minju steering.
"Yeji-ah, why don't you ever stay over", she said faintly but Yeji was able to hear it. She's sleep-talking.
"Yeji-ah".
She was taken aback by the endearment in her tone that she paused in her tracks for a few seconds before continuing her way out of the apartment.
She pulled out her phone and sent the other girl a quick text.
Got caught up in something today. See u sometime next week?
She pressed send and drove home feeling a lot more exhausted than usual.
She put on her playlist and ran a hot bath as she listened to Niki - unconsciously singing along to a certain girl's favorite song.
*
The routine with Yeji and Ryujin meeting every week went on for another month. Somehow, Ryujin felt that the cat-eyed girl had warmed up to her due to her constant greetings and teasing. She laughs at some of her jokes, too. And often replies to her text messages - even the personal ones.
Ryujin realized that Yeji isn't that bad. Afraid of human connections, yes. But her nature of caring about people slips up once she warms up to you. She could also tell when the girl tries not to care too much or when she feigns annoyance to get away from possible soft conversations or confessions.
She even sometimes shares links to videos that she knows would make Ryujin laugh - although she wouldn't admit it.
"It's a group text", she would always say. But she knows that she doesn't have lots of friends she shares memes or funny videos to.
She's also very careful in sharing things about her personal life but Ryujin has learned that she has never had a relationship before, too, despite her many experiences in flirting and being with people physically. She didn't talk about her family at all and Ryujin didn't press it.
"So has she replied to your invitation yet?" Yeji asked as Ryujin was finishing the rest of her coffee.
"She did! We're meeting at 6PM this weekend. I'm so ecstatic."
Ryujin feigned excitement as the other girl asked for updates on her making a move towards the girl that piqued her curiosity in exploring.
The truth is, there wasn't anyone. But Ryujin was taken aback by Yeji's sudden interest in how she's moving forward with it that she invented a whole imaginary person as "the girl" and someone she's looking into asking out on a casual meeting with.
The other girl seemed to have developed a certain interest in helping her out more - knowing that she has someone to actually apply all the learnings to. So Ryujin decided to lie. And now she cannot go back.
"So you're taking her to that festival?"
"Yeah. She likes attending music shows, too. I think it'd be less awkward - knowing that it's not anything serious, and all."
The lies just kept on piling up. And Ryujin had no problem with it - until today.
"Great! I'll be there, too. I want to check out newer artists so we might run into each other."
"Y-you're watching that, too?"
"Uh-huh."
Ryujn gulped, the other girl oblivious to it.
"But who knows, it's a big crowd. Enjoy, though. And I hope it goes well for you", Yeji genuinely smiled.
"I also think that my work here is almost done." She stood up and grabbed her coffee. "As much as I love getting free coffee, I do have some things to spend my time on. I guess I'll see you around?"
Confusion and shock was seen on Ryujin's face when she realized what the other girl was saying. She shrugged and smiled, anyway.
"Yes. Great help, Yeji-ah", she pushed her luck since there might be another time that they'll be able to talk to each other like this.
"Yeji-ah?" The other girl chuckled.
"These meetings were surprisingly... not boring, Ryujinnie."
She winked and walked away, leaving Ryujin dumbfounded - heart pounding like crazy.
"Ryujinnie", she whispered as she tried to hide the huge smile on her face.
Officially ended "meetings" with Yeji.
She pulled out her phone and texted Lia.
Bad news, though.
I need to find a date for the festival.
And I might have developed an even bigger liking towards her.