Icy like diamonds || Ryeji

Chapter 53

They had been spending time together.

Kind of.

Yeji was present while Ryujin spent time together with Lia. That was a better way to put it.

Lia had invited her over, having organized a party to celebrate her new drama finishing filming. Ryujin was happy to celebrate this with her best friend but for some reason the knowledge that Yeji was there made her nervous.

This party wasn't as fancy or uptight as the ones they had gone to together before. Most people were their age or only a few years older. They were drinking alcohol that didn't cost more than a paycheck and they were surely talking about anything but business.

It was almost like being back in France.

Almost.

Because she still had a reputation to uphold and these were still, mostly, important people.

Ryujin hadn't known Yeji would be there. She hasn't expected it.

Not until she saw her. It must have been after her third drink. Or was it fourth? She wasn't sure but Ryujin knew that she wasn't completely sober. That's when she spotted those cat eyes from across the room.

She wasn't even looking at her. Probably hadn't even noticed her presence. Yet Ryujin felt nervous in an excited way. That feeling was something she had grown used to. The feeling that only Yeji seemed to provoke.

Neither approached the other. Nor did their eyes meet, although Ryujin kept stealing glances throughout the night.

A few people came up to her, making conversation and some clearly trying their luck. It was hard to give them attention or even consider them an option but she tried her best to show interest.

She had to move on and what better way to do it than with someone she met at a party.

Ryujin sighed, downing the rest of whatever it was she had been drinking. She hadn't expected to be going back to flirting with random people at parties. Thought she left that behind in her teens. Yet there she was.

Some of those girls who spoke to her were attractive, she wouldn't deny that. And she might have exchanged numbers with one or two of them.

But did she think it would be something that lasts? Unlikely. Then again, maybe she wasn't looking for something that lasts.

Eventually another girl started talking to her. She didn't know how but next thing she knew, they were laughing and an hour had passed.

Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the girl but there's something to be said about those moments. When you're enjoying yourself so much that time flies by.

They eventually moved to the balcony of the apartment, it overlooked the entire city and it was a view worth the money it surely costed.

"It isn't often I find someone I can talk to for long without realizing time is passing by." she admitted, smiling at the girl before looking at the view again. Her arms resting on the railing and checks against her hands.

"That's true." The girl smiled back at her but then turned to rest her back against the railing and continued talking. "Normally I'd ask you on a date."

"Why won't you?"

"You don't know?"

Ryujin shook her head.

"It's true we spent the past however long speaking and I had fun. Don't get me wrong. But there was one recurring subject."

"What?"

The girl chuckled, shrugging it off. "It's fine with me. We all have that someone we just can't get over."

"I don't."

The other stared right at her.

"You don't? Not the cat eyed girl that is cold as ice but with a smile that you could look at all day long? Not the girl that dances while cooking and eats like she's an unsupervised child? Not the-"

"Okay. Okay. Stop."

She sighed, shaking her head.

"It's fine. I had fun."

Ryujin smiled at her but felt terribly ashamed. She hasn't realized that most of the time Yeji had been the subject.

"Is the cat eyed girl perhaps a tall brunette who is at this party?"

"Yes, why?" Ryujin's gaze was still focused to the view while the other had been turned to the apartment.

"I think I have to go now. You have my number."

Ryujin was confused and looked her way, only to find the girl staring at something. Or rather someone.

Yeji. Standing by the balcony door, waiting for the opportunity to approach her.

Why?

Why was she everywhere all of the sudden?

Why was she the one approaching her these days?

Why did she suddenly want to be civil to each other?

Ryujin didn't move nor did she speak. Instead she froze in place, observing Yeji walking up to her.

There was no greeting, no smile, no anything. Yeji simply leaned against the railing and looked out at the view.

"Sorry to interrupt your flirting."

"I wasn't." Ryujin responded way too quickly, causing the other to look amused about it. "I wasn't flirting." she whispered again, looking away from Yeji.

"I wanted to apologize."

"What?" she almost yelled out the word, shock couldn't even begin to describe how she felt hearing those words being spoken by none other than Hwang Yeji. Causing the girl to flinch before shaking her head. Probably silently judging her for it.

"I gave you a hard time and it wasn't fair." Yeji admitted, avoiding their eyes meeting. "I'm sorry."

"Well, sometimes you had a reason to."

Yeji hummed. "Sometimes I did."

"Thank you."

"For?"

"Apologizing." Ryujin answered with a smile. Placing her hood up and sticking out her ears. It was the most comfortable this way. That's how she preferred it, ever since she remembered.

Yeji looked at her and raised an eyebrow at the sight, shaking her head a moment later. "Never change, Ryujin."

As soon as the last word came out of her mouth, Yeji walked away. Leaving a very confused Ryujin staring at where she had stood last.