"Photography blurs the boundary between authenticity and illusion. A photograph captures a real moment in time, expressing authenticity and truth. Though, on another hand, it could be a constructed image; subjected to manipulation, framing and editing, forcing us to question the reliability of the photograph."
The lecturer turned around to his class of eager students- all taking notes in their notebooks, writing down each crucial point. Sticking out like a sore thumb, a brown-haired woman lay asleep on her desk with her hoodie covering her face.
"Hwang Yeji." He called out into the silent room.
She immediately shot right up and stood beside her desk. All her classmates turned around to the young woman with a slight grin and snicker.
"Since you're awake now, care to explain the significance of framing?" The middle-aged lecturer asked, playing with his whiteboard marker.
Yeji looked at the floor, "Framing a photograph shapes the viewer's perception and interpretation by including or excluding certain elements in the picture."
She looked back at the lecturer, "Selective framing can influence how the viewer perceives the subject and context, allowing them to create their own narrative. Blurring the line between reality and the photographer's intention."
Loud footsteps and conversations became louder outside their room, alerting them that their lesson was over. The lecturer nodded in satisfaction with Yeji's answer and reminded everyone of the final assignment that they must hand in before the semester was over.
The cat-eyed woman packed up her belongings and left the room before the teacher could scold her for falling asleep. With her backpack slung over one shoulder, she stepped out into the halls of the university swirling with students hurrying to go home.
As she approached the university gates, Yeji paused for a moment to take in the cool night air. She never expected to reach her last year of studying, it was all surreal. Yeji reached into her pocket to take out her car keys and unlocked the door.
A few of her classmates expressed their goodbyes before she got into her car. Once she locked her doors, she let out an exasperated sigh and rested her forehead on the steering wheel. Her mind was still reeling from the previous night, and how death didn't want her.
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In the dark bedroom, the only source of light was from the moon beaming onto the pull-up bars in the corner. Ryujin found solace in physical activities, it was a release- a way to channel her energy and improve her health.
Stripped down to her sports bra and shorts, she approached the 'all-in-one trainer' and took a moment to steady her breath. Ryujin reached up and wrapped her hand around the cold metal. With a quiet grunt, her body suspended mid-air with her biceps and back muscles engaged.
Ryujin's breathing grew deeper with each repetition, sweat began to drip down her prominent biceps and down her highly defined back. She relished in the burn coursing throughout her body, empowered with her strength and determination.
As she completed her last pull-up, she descended back down with grace. Ryujin threw herself back onto her bed, catching her breath. Her hand unconsciously wandered for her phone to check the time.
After a few minutes, she picked herself up and took a quick shower. Her muscles relaxed beneath the warm water, as the sweat was washed away. She stepped out of the shower and stood in front of the mirror. A small grin appeared on her lips when she saw her abs appear with each breath.
By some miracle, Ryujin managed to get dressed and drove to Chaeryeong's medical school. She leaned on the hood of the car with an unlit cigarette between her lips.
There were ten minutes left before Chaeryeong finished her exam, so she had to finish smoking and fast. Being a smoker and having a medical student as a friend, Ryujin had her fair share of scolding and violence towards her.
The lighter was flicked open with a quick movement, her thumb grazed against the flint and created a small flame. She pulled the lighter to the end of the cigarette and inhaled the smoke. Smoking was a ritual and a vice for Ryujin- a way to temporarily escape reality, but also to fill the void that lingered within her.
She shoved her lighter back into her pocket and held the cigarette between her fingers. Her eyes wandered around her surroundings. The medical school was one of the top and sought-after universities in Seoul.
Ryujin still remembered the day Chaeryeong received the letter. Tears and words of disbelief echoed in the small dining room at her friend's parent's house. She smiled a little, seeing Chaeryeong's little dance when she dropped her off on her first day of school.
A white car pulled into an empty parking spot beside her, taking Ryujin out of her thoughts. She instinctively looked over her shoulder and placed the cigarette back into her mouth.
The car was all too familiar.
Her sight was still set on the car, until the driver came out. Blood ran cold. Ryujin immediately looked away with incredulity, there was no way in hell that she was there.
"Excuse me."
Ryujin blinked several times, failing to process who was standing in the next parking spot.
"Hey, excuse me."
Eventually, she finally looked back at the woman calling out to her. Yeji had a rolled-up cigarette between her lips and gestured for a lighter. Ryujin gave a slight nod and threw it to her.
"Thanks." Yeji replied after catching the lighter.
Ryujin watched as the end of her cigarette glowed red. Why is she here?!
The cat-eyed woman closely examined the delicate floral engravings on the metal lighter.
"I like your lighter." She said out loud in a plain tone. "Where did you get it?"
Yeji threw the lighter back, which Ryujin caught with one hand.
"It belonged to someone." The dark-haired woman replied, hoping Yeji wouldn't catch on to her nervousness.
"It's nice."
They stood there in silence. Ryujin took another glance at the other, looking at her eyes. Although Yeji's body language was somewhat confident, her eyes were akin to the ones she had seen the previous night.
Still filled with hurt, anger, and sadness.
"Are you waiting for someone, or are you just standing here for the hell of it?" Yeji asked without looking at the other.
Ryujin looked back at the entrance of the building, "Waiting for someone."
The other hummed and took her cigarette out of her mouth, tapping out the excess ash.
Soon, students came bursting out of the building. Sounds of laughter and complaining about the difficult exam. Both women threw out their cigarettes and searched for their friends.
"We didn't even learn that in this semester, how were we supposed to know what 'Takotsubo cardiomyopathy' is?!" A petite blonde woman uttered to a blue-haired woman.
"Right?!"
Yeji walked over to the pair with a bright smile, "How was the exam?!"
"It was a practice exam, but it was fucking terrible." Chaeryeong answered while rolling her eyes.
Shit.
Her eyes widened as her thoughts scrambled inside her mind. How could Chaeryeong possibly know the woman that she almost killed?!
Chaeryeong spotted Ryujin and waved for her to come over. After hesitating and debating to drive back home without her, she made her way over to the group slowly.
"It's been a while, Ryujin." The blonde smiled with her eyes closed.
The dark-haired woman furrowed her eyes at her in confusion and quickly glanced at Chaeryeong.
"God, do you not remember anyone from high school?!" Her mouth dropped and held the blonde's shoulder. "Lia?! Choi Jisu?! The girl that went to Canada for three months and made it her whole personality?! You know?! She literally kept speaking English for like a week!!!"
She shook her head and shoved her hands into her jeans pockets, trying to avoid the awkwardness.
Lia chuckled and pouted at Chaeryeong, "She doesn't remember me."
"Don't worry, I live with her... I'll make sure her dumbass remembers you." She smiled lovingly and held her hand.
"Ahem." Yeji cleared her throat trying to catch their attention.
Chaeryeong and Lia looked at her gesturing at Ryujin.
"Oh right. Yeji, Ryujin. Ryujin, Yeji."
The photographer turned to face Ryujin who avoided eye contact with her.
"Nice to meet you, Ryujin." Yeji said lowly and stuck her hand out.
"Yeah." Ryujin replied and ignored the hand.
The blue-haired woman rolled her eyes again, "Dude, it's rude not to shake hands."
"I don't do physical interaction with people I just met."
"Okay." Yeji retracted her hand and stared at her with a sharp gaze.
"Uhh... It's still early and it's the weekend tomorrow... Why don't we grab something to eat?" Lia said cheerfully to break the awkward situation between the two.
"Oh, that sounds like a great idea. Gives us the chance to get to know one another." Chaeryeong replied through her teeth while glaring at Ryujin and Yeji.
Before Ryujin could interject, Chaeryeong and Lia walked ahead of them and headed to the nearby ice cream shop.
"You're not the social type, are you?" Yeji asked the others as they followed their friends.
"I don't need more people in my life." She fumbled with the lighter in her pocket, wanting nothing more than to go home.
"Uh huh... You're interesting, and boring."
Ryujin narrowed her eyes at the comment, and for some reason, took offence to it. So, she walked faster, hoping to avoid Yeji.
But Yeji matched her pace, "Am I wrong?"
"It's too much effort to get to know a person that's only in my life for a short moment."
"Well, hard to do that when our best friends are practically dating now."
What?! She observed the women walking in front of them. Their hands clasped with each other tightly with no signs of letting go.
Yeji chuckled to herself dryly, "You didn't know?!"
"No."
"You're boring, and blind. Damn, you must have a hard life."
Ryujin ignored her comments and focused on getting to the ice cream store before she threw herself into oncoming traffic.
"Look, Ryujin. Sooner or later, we need to get to know one another."
"I don't care."
"We're here!!" Lia announced gleefully, letting go of Chaeryeong's hand and running in. Yeji followed close behind her.
As Ryujin went to open the door, her best friend stopped her from going in.
"Ryujin, be nice." Chaeryeong said sternly.
"This is me being nice. I'm stopping her from getting to know me because you know how I am." She replied half sarcastically and pushed Chaeryeong's hand away to open the door.
The bright light reflected off the white walls and the display cases of the ice cream. The array of flavours could cater to any palate, each type of ice cream decorated with toppings.
They stood beside the others, looking at all the flavours to satisfy their cravings. Lia and Chaeryeong shared two scoops of chocolate and berry in a cup. Yeji chose matcha ice cream in a waffle cone and Ryujin ordered vanilla in a plain cone.
"Boring, blind and old." Yeji whispered as she walked past Ryujin.
"Whatever." She muttered to herself, licking the drips off the cone.
The group sat at a table near the front window with Chaeryeong and Lia sitting beside each other. They both lead the conversation, talking about their fond memories of their high school. Yeji would chime in with her own stories as Ryujin focused on her ice cream.
Surprisingly, at some points, she found herself listening to Yeji intensively. Ryujin watched the way she used her hands whenever she would expressively tell her stories. The dimple that appears on her cheek when she laughs, how her sharp eyes soften when she listened to Lia recalling her moments with Chaeryeong in school.
She didn't know how fast time had passed until she received a phone call from an unknown number.
Ryujin picked up the phone and placed it close to her ear.
"Ms Shin?" The unknown male voice came from the speaker.
"Depends on who's asking."
"I'm a constable from Seoul police station. I need you to come in."
Ryujin's heart dropped, she thought she had covered up her tracks well enough that there was little to no evidence to link for to any murders.
"Why? What for?" She asked, keeping her voice steady.
"Your younger sister, Shin Yuna has been arrested. We need you to come pick her up from the station."
"Okay." Ryujin hung up her phone and looked at her best friend. "We need to go."