They don't really hang out with Yeji until another two weeks has past.
It's not that they're throwing their friendship away– it's illogical, and even Ryujin, who feels like a person who drank five bottles more than what her alcohol tolerance allows the previous night (read: absolutely fucking horrible), knows it. But Ryujin knows that it's best for her to take a break from being around Yeji.
Yeji who is always accidentally charming and is always endearing, and is always, always, affectionate.
They've noticed that Yeji has been staying in class during lunch, with her head rested on the table, which was an odd sight. Yeji has more friends than Lia and Ryujin have combined (their circles intersect) and probably would have no problem joining any single table in the cafeteria.
Ryujin approaches Yeji awkwardly, to say the least, with hesitance and a pained smile. Lia offered to do it, but Ryujin had insisted doing it herself, while Lia stands behind her. Ryujin taps on Yeji's hands, calling her name softly. Yeji's head raises, and she looks better off than Ryujin, at the very least.
"Let's eat lunch together?" Ryujin says, somewhere between a question and a statement.
Yeji eyes Ryujin for a moment, and she realizes that the pained smile on Ryujin's face means: It hurts, but I forgive you, even though it's not your fault. Her gaze shifts to Lia, who has a smile on her face too, and Yeji nods, takes Ryujin's offered hand, and smiles.
~
Things return to normal fairly easily, though Yeji doesn't talk much about Chaeryeong anymore. Lia guesses it's out of consideration.
They're huddled together on Ryujin's couch, with two boxes of pizza set on the coffee table in front of them as they watch a movie Yeji decided on. Lia is sandwiched between Yeji and Ryujin, for some reason, and Lia can't say she feels out of place, here.
Lia turns, looking at Ryujin, only to notice that Ryujin's head was already turned in her direction, except her gaze was looking past Lia. Ryujin's eyes meet hers, and her gaze changes– a little more guilty, a little less loving. Ryujin's lips part, but she doesn't say anything.
Lia gives her a smile, wistful and understanding.
She knows Ryujin wants to say: 'I'm sorry.'
She turns away, looking back at the screen, and she feels Yeji huddle a little closer.
She pretends she doesn't realize Ryujin's stare on her for the rest of the movie.
~
When Ryujin calls Lia at an odd time between 3 to 4 am with only the words: "Open up.", Lia doesn't ask any questions. She opens the window and Ryujin slips through easily, leaves barely rustling and landing softly in Lia's spacious bedroom. Ryujin has a small smile on her face, looking somewhat pained and somewhat upset.
Ryujin sits on the edge of her bed, "Pack some clothes, Lia. We're going somewhere."
"Exams start in two weeks," Lia reminds, knowing that Ryujin probably wasn't even aware.
There's a shrug, and Ryujin looks up at her, "We'll be back in time for you to study."
Lia feels an itch in her bones that makes her want to ask Ryujin to just cut to the chase and tell her what the problem was this time. She wants to tell Ryujin that she can't keep doing this to her– can't keep taking Lia away every time she's upset. But Lia's her best friend.
Lia's love wills her to take a bullet for Ryujin. She knows Ryujin would do the same for her.
But it's different– Ryujin's love for her– a kind of different that punches Lia right in the gut.
YOU ARE READING
mistakes, i can't help it | jinlia
Fanfiction[completed] She fell in love with her bestfriend. Ryujin can't say her life is falling apart, but it certainly feels like it is. She has her fair selection of bad decisions, like everyone else does. Perhaps she has a few that are worse than the aver...
