The tow truck rumbled through the streets; the driver informed them that the car would be taken in for repairs. Ryujin leaned on the window, losing herself in the passing streetlights. The glow cast fleeting shadows across her face. Her breathing hitched when Yeji leaned on her shoulder, dozing off from exhaustion.
Conflicting emotions tugged at her heart, a constant reminder of the irreversible act she committed. The weight of her secret grew heavier. Yeji groaned a little as the tow truck ran over a speed bump. Ryujin smiled a little, moving herself closer to the other for more support.
As the tow truck rolled to a stop in front of Yeji's studio apartment, she turned to see Yeji still asleep on her shoulder.
With a heavy sigh, she whispered in her ear. "Yeji, wake up."
Yeji mumbled and leaned closer to Ryujin's neck, "I don't want to."
Ryujin quickly glanced over to the driver who was waiting impatiently for them to leave and gave him a sheepish smile. She opened the door and slowly stepped out and carried the cat-eyed woman in a bridal carry.
After thanking the driver, she made her way to the entrance of the apartment building. "Are you awake yet?"
"No." Yeji glanced at the dark-haired woman with half-opened eyes.
She rolled her eyes and let Yeji down gently. After a loud yawn, she went into her pocket to fetch out her keys and opened the door.
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As Ryujin stepped foot into Yeji's studio apartment, her eyes captured the mess. Photography equipment was scattered across the room, photos scattered across the coffee table, cameras on the couch and bottles of alcohol on the floor.
While Yeji disappeared into her bedroom, Ryujin walked around the apartment, absorbing the atmosphere. Her gaze drifted over the photographs framed on her shelves, photos of beautiful sceneries, animals, and the cityscape.
She stopped in her tracks when she saw a framed photo- Yeji's family. Ryujin's gaze lingered on the image, her heart heavy with the knowledge that she had taken Yeji's last family member, altering the course of her life forever.
Yeji returned with a set of warm clothes for Ryujin. "I can sleep on the couch tonight."
"No, it's okay. I'll sleep here." Ryujin replied while taking off her jacket.
The photographer immediately noticed the bandage wrapped around the other's arm, "What happened?"
She glanced down at her arm and shrugged, "Nothing major."
"It's bleeding through, let me rebandage it."
Before Ryujin could stop her, Yeji sped into her bedroom to grab her supplies and came back out, ordering her to sit at the dining table.
Yeji sat beside Ryujin, gently taking a hold the of her arm. She carefully unwrapped her arm, revealing the stitches and the dried blood surrounding it.
"Does it hurt?" She asked softly while wiping the wound with antiseptic.
Ryujin smiled a little, "No, not really."
In the midst of their shared silence, the tenderness and concern that emanated from Yeji brought her solace. As Yeji skilfully rebandaged the wound, Ryujin took her hand.
"Thank you, Yeji."
The cat-eyed woman gave a soft, reassuring smile, "You need to be more careful, Ryujin."
She got up from the dining table and threw the supplies into the trash, "Hot chocolate?"
Ryujin nodded and spotted a tall, red candle in the centre of the dining table. She reached into her pocket and alighted a flame, lighting the candle.
Yeji returned to the table and handed the other a mug of warm hot chocolate. The gentle flicker of candlelight cast a soft glow on their faces, illuminating their smiles on their lips.
Conversation flowed effortlessly between them; they spoke about their friends. How Yeji met Lia when they bumped into each other in the hallway during high school. With every word exchanged, Ryujin found herself noticing more and more details about Yeji. The way Yeji's eyes would brighten up every time she spoke about her friends, and her stuffed animals and every time she looked over at her.
In the solace of the night, Ryujin made a silent vow to protect Yeji's heart, even if it meant shouldering the weight of her secrets alone.
"I think it's time to call it a night." Yeji said while stretching her limbs.
Ryujin didn't want the night to end but agreed to let the cat-eyed woman sleep.
After expressing their good night, Ryujin threw herself onto the couch and tried to fall asleep.
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Gasping for breath, Ryujin jolted upright from the couch. A knock on the door startled her awake. Disoriented and shaken, she scanned her surroundings, realising that she was not in her apartment. Another knock on the door caught her attention. She quickly got up from the couch and looked through the peephole. There was no one.
As she walked away, another knock on the door caused her to turn back around. As she opened the door, her eyes widened in horror. There, standing before her was Yeji's father- covered in blood.
"Youngjae?!" Ryujin whispered in shock.
Before she could react, he forcefully pushed his way into the apartment, causing Ryujin to stagger backwards. Time seemed to slow down as a surge of panic coursed through her veins.
"I can't let anyone hurt my daughter." The dead man's voice echoed throughout the apartment.
Youngjae took a hold of her throat, causing her to gasp for air. Her body froze in fear as Yeji's father raised a knife, his eyes filled with a cold determination.
In an instant, the nightmare shattered like fragile glass, and Ryujin shot up from the couch. Her hand trailed up to her neck as she gasped for air. The remnants of the nightmare slowly faded, she glanced around, assuring herself that she was safe. Taking a deep breath, she took her belongings and left the apartment.
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Ryujin threw the hood over her head as she walked through the empty streets in the early hours of the morning. The vivid nightmare continued to shake her to her core.
In a dimly lit alley, a figure emerged from the darkness. Ryujin continued to lose herself in her own torment to realise the person was coming right towards her. In a swift movement, she was taken into the alley.
Her back impacted the brick wall painfully, letting out a grunt as she made eye contact with the assailant.
The figure took off her hood, before taking off her mask.
"Karina?"
The leader took a step back, "You've improved, Ryujin."
The other snickered before glaring daggers at her, "Are you going to kill me now?"
"No. I'm giving you one last chance. Join us."
"And if I don't? Then you'd kill me?" Ryujin leaned on the wall, watching the other pace frantically around.
"Ryujin. I'm here as an old friend. I don't want to kill you if it's unnecessary." Karina looked at the floor. "I don't want you to become my enemy."
"That manipulative shit doesn't work on me." The hitman chuckled while crossing her arms.
"I'm serious. After everything we've been through, you just want to throw it all away?"
"Yes." Ryujin walked closer to the leader and whispered into her ear. "To be quite frank, I never loved you, Jimin. I never did, and I never will."
She patted her shoulder before leaving the alley and hopping into a nearby cab. Ryujin looked back through the rear window; she could see Karina's fists clenching.
The game had begun.
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Ryujin eventually made it back to her apartment. Her eyes fell upon her sister, fast asleep on the couch. A gentle smile tugged at Ryujin's lips as she approached, careful not to wake her up. She gently lifted Yuna into her arms and carried her into the bedroom.
Once she threw the covers over Yuna, Ryujin walked back out to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. As the coffee brewed, its rich aroma filled the air. After pouring out the dark liquid into her mug, she took a seat at the table, cradling the warm mug between her hands.
As she took a sip of the dark coffee, a sudden rush of memories surged through Ryujin's mind, carrying her back to a different time- a time when her path intertwined with Karina's.
Ryujin sat on the rooftop, legs dangling off the edge of the building. The city lights twinkled below, casting an ethereal glow upon the urban landscape.
"Heads up" Ryujin turned over to have a can of soda thrown at her. "Thanks."
Karina took a seat beside her and opened her can of beer. "I never understood why you never drink."
"I just don't like it." She answered with a white lie.
Karina broke the silence, "Ryujin, what if we leave this group together?"
"Why?"
"Imagine us, free to do what we want."
She furrowed her brows, "What do you mean?"
"You know, we won't have anyone tell us what to do. And can also get closer." She moved closer, smiling at her. "I really do like committing crimes with you, Ryujin."
Ryujin's gaze softened as she turned her attention to her, "Karina..."
"We could run away together, create a life where we are not bounded by society. Don't you want that?" She grasped onto Ryujin's wrist.
"Karina..." Ryujin took a hold of her hand and pulled her off her wrist. "No."
She watched Ryujin get up from the edge and walked back to the door, eyes glistening with unshed tears, "Why, Ryujin! I thought that that's what you wanted."
The dark-haired woman turned back, "That is what I want, but my heart doesn't belong to you."
Ryujin took another sip of her coffee, vividly remembering the heartbreak she caused upon Karina. She never really understood why she rejected her, but she knew that she never loved her romantically.
Ever since that moment, she contemplated whether she was capable of love. Since then, she never sought out to find love, that was until she found Yeji.
Yeji. The name that echoed through her mind, bringing with it a cascade of emotions. The difference between Karina and Yeji was that her heart resonated with someone who was the complete opposite of her. It was Yeji who had captured her heart, who had ignited a flame that burned brighter than any she had known before.
The bedroom door creaked open, revealing a severely hungover Chaeryeong coming out of her room.
"How was your nigh-" Ryujin asked before her cup of coffee was stolen.
Chaeryeong gulped the whole mug before placing it back on the table, "I'm thirsty."
"I could tell." The dark-haired woman joked as she watched Chaeryeong take a seat beside her.
"Were you thinking?"
"Kind of."
The med student propped her head up with her hand, "What about? Yeji?"
Ryujin furrowed her brows, "Are you a mind reader?"
"I know you a bit too well, Ryu." She chuckled a little. "What's going on?"
"I don't know, Chaer..." She rubbed her face with her palms.
"Are you developing feelings for her?" The dark-haired woman immediately whipped her head to her. "Again, I know you too well."
"I think I'm scared." Ryujin mumbled into her palms.
"Why?" Chaeryeong gave her full attention, ignoring the pounding headache.
"I am scared for when she finds out who I am." Her words stumbled from her lips.
Chaeryeong offered a gentle nod, "Ryujin, beneath your hard exterior and your fucking high walls that you built for yourself. You're worthy to be loved, and to love someone. You're already opening up to her, not many people have ever done that."
"But Chaer, what happens when she finds out my sociopathic traits, my past and the darkness within me? What if I scare her away?" Her voice wavered with concern.
"There's only one way to find out, if Yeji truly cares for you, she will see beyond the darkness and stick by you." Chaeryeong smiled and held onto Ryujin's hand. "It's okay to be vulnerable, Ryu. It's what comes with love.
At that moment, Ryujin realised that this newfound admiration for Yeji was not a curse, but an opportunity for her to seek for growth and transformation. She needed to confront her inner demons and shield her from the truth of her father's killer.
Note:
"IF YOU COULD SEE THAT I'M THE ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS YOU BEEN HERE ALL ALONG, SO WHY CANT YOU SEEEEEEE YOU BELONG WITH MEEEEEEEEEE"
not me blasting tay swift on my sick day heh