jinlia anthology; one-shot collection

you're but a dream; pt. 2

Every day with Ryujin is never a quiet day. She asks too many questions, she gives Lia a headache, and she's a pain in the ass.

But yet, Lia doesn't seem to mind—she hates to admit.

She also hates to admit that Ryujin's presence makes the house feel less lonely, or that Ryujin's questions make her feel needed. Lia will definitely not admit that the way Ryujin looks to her with a proud expression and a smile whenever she did something right makes her heart constrict in a weird way.

There it is again.

Ryujin is looking at her with that dumb look and dumbly flailing her arms just because she managed to pick up a single strand of noodles with chopsticks.

There it is again—her dumb heart beating faster because of that dumb smile. But Lia remains expressionless, hand propping her chin up.

"Awe, Ryujinie finally learned how to use chopsticks," Yeji coos. She pats Ryujin's head and Lia's eyebrows crunch when Ryujin leans into Yeji's touch.

Maybe it's Yeji's motherly-nature and Ryujin's child-like behaviour that it made it so easy for the two of them to get close to each other. She thanked that Chaeryeong was there to help explain the situation and that they were all so willing to help despite Lia suddenly showing up after months of no contact. Everyone thought Ryujin was adorable, and she can't see why.

"Tsk, what's so adorable about her?" Lia mumbled.

"Maybe because she's so carefree, it makes her really cute." Lia looks at Yeji and instantly wants to slap that dreamy look off her face.

She scoffs in disbelief when she looks over Yeji's shoulder and sees Yuna and even Chaeryeong looking at Ryujin with that same look.

Even Chaeryeong—

"Lia, do you want some?"

Turning to face Ryujin, the girl was extending her chopsticks to Lia, noodles dangling in the air.

"Yeji said this is called pasta. It's really good, have some," Ryujin smiles. That stupid smile that made Lia uncharacteristically lean forward to take a bite, earning confused looks from her friends.

~

Lia splatters herself onto her bed with a grunt. Bringing an arm under her head, she closes her eyes, revelling in the quietness that has been gone since two months ago.

"Lia."

She doesn't know when her name had stopped sounding like an annoying buzz. Now it sounds soft and fragile like the person who keeps saying it.

"Hmm?" She feels the bed dip next to her.

"Thanks for taking me out today, I had a lot of fun."

Lia snaps her eyes open in surprise and looks over at Ryujin, "Why are you suddenly thanking me?"

"Yeji told me you don't like going out, but you still took me out today, so thank you," Ryujin smiles, making Lia swallow the lump in her throat.

"Y-Yeah, sure."

Seemingly happy with the response, Ryujin laid down next to her with hands clasped together and eyes closed. The silence makes Lia think back to the months that Ryujin's been here. Chaeryeong is still trying to look up information about her but still haven't found anything.

It makes Lia wonder what kind of life Ryujin had lived before she met her.

"Don't you miss your family?"

"What is family?"

"Wow, you really must have hit your head pretty hard, huh? Your mom and dad, the people that gave birth to you? Your loved ones?"