Buttercup Love - Ryeji

Cheer Up, Chief

"Unnie, are you feeling fine?" Yuna asked while looking at her big sister with a concerned look.

Ryujin slowly stood up and smiled. "Yep. I'm feeling fine thanks to my friend." Ryujin said and let out a giggle while thinking about her friend who cheered her up.

Yuna sighed in relief. "That's good to hear, Unnie. Let's eat and get ready for school." Yuna said and walked her way to the dining area.

"Alright!" Ryujin shouted in joy and followed her younger sister.

When the two arrived to the dining area, they sat down as they are ready to taste what their lovely mother cooked for them.

But the smile on Ryujin's face dissolved into a confused look as she noticed that her parents don't look happy at all.

"Mom? Dad? are you guys ok?" The short-haired girl asked.

Ryujin's mother sat down on a chair and stared at Ryujin. "Shin Ryujin, your teacher called us yesterday."

Ryujin let out an awkward smile at her parents. "Y-yeah. I was sick, but don't worry, I'm feeling fine now."

"It's not that, Shin Ryujin." Her father said and crossed his arms. "Your teacher told us that you haven't been paying attention to class lately. Did something happen? are you getting bullied?"

"N-no. I-It's just a little hard for me."

"That's always your excuse, Shin Ryujin. What if you fail and not go to college? what will you do?" Her father asked and a little bit of anger is seen on his face.

Ryujin stopped eating and faced the floor. "I-I'm sorry. I'll work hard next time."

Her father slammed the table with his hand out of frustration. "That's always your excuse! you always say that and end up failing. Why can't you be like Yuna? Yuna is smart and hardworking. You're such a disappointment!"

Tears started to form in Ryujin's eyes as she felt her father's words stab her fragile heart. "I-I'm... I'm g-gonna t-try harder." Ryujin weakly said while looking at her parents.

"I never asked for a stupid daughter." Her father said without hesitation.

"Dad, calm down." Yuna said while looking at her father.

Ryujin slammed the table with her hand and stood up from her seat. "Well... I never asked to be born!" Ryujin yelled and picked up her bag.

Yuna let out a worried look at the short-haired girl. "U-unnie. Finish your food."

"No!" Ryujin yelled and walked her way to the door.

As Ryujin stepped outside of her house, she started wiping her tears and fixing her hair. Ryujin's eyes widened a little bit as she successfully cleared her vision.

"H-hwang Yeji." Ryujin weakly said to the cat-eyed girl who is just staring at her.

Yeji slowly walked towards Ryujin while giving her a worried look. "H-hey, are you-"

"What? are you gonna call me stupid too?!" Ryujin yelled out of frustration and ran away from Yeji.

Yeji let out a confused face. "I just want to-" Yeji paused when she saw a girl on a bike stop in front of the short-haired girl.

"Chief, are you okay?" Chaeryeong asked while looking at Ryujin.

Ryujin didn't give her friend a reply and sat down on the extra seat on Chaeryeong's bike. "Ryeongie, take me to school."

Chaeryeong let out a big smile. "Alright, Chief." Chaeryeong said and started biking.

--

"Shin Ryujin, the girl who eats the most in our group, is not eating at all. Something is definitely wrong." Hyunjin said while sitting down besides the short-haired girl.

Heejin walked towards her friends while holding a plate of food. "Ryujin, did something happen to you? you look so sad today. You're still not sick, are you?" The rabbit asked.

Ryujin rested her head on the table. "Nope. I'm fine." Ryujin said with no emotion whatsoever.

Chaeryeong clenched her fists. "Did Hwang Yeji do something to you?"

"N-no. I told you, it's nothing."

Chaeryeong calmed down a little bit and grabbed her chopstick and picked up a piece of chicken. "Shin Ryujin, eat now." Chaeryeong said while trying to feed the short-haired girl.

Ryujin smiled at her friend. "Alright." Ryujin said and slowly opened her mouth.

After successfully feeding the dramatic Ryujin, satisfaction is seen on Chaeryeong's face. "Good job, Ryujin." Chaeryeong said and gave Ryujin a pat on the head.

"Really good, Ryeongie." Ryujin said to her friend and smiled while chewing.

But the smile on Ryujin's face dissolved into a jealous look when she saw Yeji talking with Lia.

"Why are you sad again, Chief? here, you can have all my chicken!"

--

"Yeji, are you okay?" Lia asked while giving the cat-eyed girl a concerned look.

A sad look formed on Yeji's face when she saw Ryujin laughing and having fun with Chaeryeong.

Seconds have passed and Yeji is still staring at them so Lia decided to snap her fingers making Yeji snap out of her little jealousy.

Yeji looked at Lia and forced a smile. "Y-yeah, I'm okay."

Lia chuckled at the cat-eyed girl. "Alright. Help me with this question, Hwang Yeji."

--

Classes have ended and Ryujin is still a little sad about what her dad told her earlier.

Ryujin placed her hand in her pocket to grab her phone so she can call Chaeryeong but, she's having second thoughts with that idea. 'Ryeongie is probably busy right now.' Ryujin thought to herself and continued walking.

Ryujin faced forward and she stopped walking as her eyes widened a little bit. "H-hwang Yeji."

The cat-eyed girl walked towards Ryujin. "What's wrong with you today?" Yeji asked in an emotionless tone.

"Nothi-"

"Chief!" Chaeryeong yelled while biking her way to her friend.

Ryujin looked behind her and a big smile formed on her face. "Ryeongie." Ryujin called her by her nickname making Yeji a little jealous.

Chaeryeong drifted in front of Ryujin and stopped. "Chief, hop on. I'll take you to the skies!" Chaeryeong shouted in joy.

Ryujin walked closer to her friend and sat on the extra chair on the bike. "Let's go!" Ryujin shouted out of excitement.

"Alright!" Chaeryeong said and started biking.

"Bye, Hwang Yeji!" Ryujin shouted to the cat-eyed girl while waving her hands.

"O-okay." Yeji said while weakly waving her hand.