Icy like diamonds || Ryeji

Chapter 73

(author's note: i split this up but 👀 leave me your thoughts)

The dinner with Chaeryeong went well.

They caught up, shared stories of their break and next thing Ryujin knew, the younger of them was saying her goodbyes. Claiming to be in a rush because Lia was arriving any minute now from her family's. Clearly they had made plans to spend their first christmas together, something rather endearing in her opinion.

Her smile soon faded, as soon as Chaeryeong left their sight and they was standing on an empty street by themselves. Neither saying a word to the other.

All they had to do was walk to Yeji's car and they'd be back at the older's house in a matter of minutes. Yet Yeji didn't move, simply looking at the trees decorated with christmas lights that surrounded them. Covering the street, as far as Ryujin could see.

It was a beautiful view.

Not daring to mutter a single word, Ryujin stood besides Yeji, leaning her back against the wall behind her and quietly continuing to observe. Not the empty street but the girl standing close to her.

Yeji continued to look at the illuminated street, decorated nicely, her breath visible from how cold it was outside. But it didn't look to bother her.

Not a minute had passed before snowflakes started to fall. Earlier there had been enough snow to cover the ground they were walking on and it seems the snow wasn't done for the day.

Maybe it was a sign for them to get to the car and drive home.

But Ryujin did not take it as such.

There's playing it safe and then there's Shin Ryujin.

A smirk grew on her face, looking at the snow falling and starting to cover everything with a new layer of white. A thought forming on her mind instantly.

Without so much as a word, she moved. Her hand reaching to hold Yeji's, causing the other to turn her head as fast as humanly possible. Clearly surprised by her actions.

That made two of them.

But it was too late to back out now.

Yeji's eyebrows were furrowed, confusion more than clear on her expression while she eyed Ryujin. Yet her hand wasn't withdrawn from their handhold.

Ryujin could only consider that a small victory in the grand scheme of things but big in whatever they were.

Acquaintances? Friends? She questioned for a moment before dismissing such thoughts at that very moment.

Yeji was still staring and she needed to make her next move.

The younger girl squeezed Yeji's hand slightly, offering a small smile and hoping the other would trust her enough to go along with whatever her mind came up with next.

Once Yeji didn't break their handholding, Ryujin took it as a sign to move. Before she changed her mind.

If someone had told Ryujin just a month before that on Christmas day she would be walking around a nearly empty street in Seoul at nighttime during a snowfall while holding hands with Yeji, she would call them delusional. Yet that was exactly what was happening.

With a small but triumphant smile, she lead Yeji away from the restaurant. Away from the only signs of other people at that time of the day. And towards somewhere she had been to a few times before.

It didn't take long for them to arrive. Which was unfortunate because holding Yeji's hand was strangely comforting. And somehow familiar. Despite the fact this was not something they normally did.

As soon as they arrived, Yeji let go of her hand, looking around the location and causing Ryujin to grow concerned. Did she not like it?

"Ryujin?"

Her eyes met Yeji's gaze, bitting her lip hesitantly. She wasn't sure what Yeji thought and why she was staring at her that way. But she was starting to overthink her impulsive decision.

"We can go back if you-"

Yeji shook her head slightly, "No." Suddenly her eyes were scanning their surroundings and Ryujin wasn't sure why. Was it the fact they were on a park late at night, with no signs of anyone else being around? Did that make her uncomfortable? Scared even?

Before she could ask, Yeji started to move, making her way closer to the river flowing right in front of them. Her hand touching the snow that had fallen on the wall by it.

Ryujin observing and taking note of every movement. Her eyes glued on her as she trailed behind Yeji.

There were snowflakes all over Yeji's hair by now and as soon as she noticed, her fingers touched a strand of the other girl's hair. Making Yeji turn to her.

"Sorry." Ryujin whispered, smiling shyly. "Snowflakes."

Yeji hummed, looking attentively at her. They were still rather close due to Yeji having turned to face her. With just the right amount of effort, either one of them could feel the warm breath of the other against the cold weather surrounding them.

"We should-"

The younger girl wouldn't allow her to finish that thought, using her free hand to grab some snow from the nearby wall, taking a step back as she started shaping a snowball and smiling at Yeji.

"Don't you dare."

The snowball hit her as soon as the words came out of her mouth, Ryujin chuckling at the scandalized look on Yeji's face.

"You looked a little too hot."

Yeji's nose scrunched up, clearly letting her know that line was cheesy as can be. Just as Ryujin had intended.

But it didn't take long for Yeji to get her payback, throwing snow right back at her. Hitting Ryujin right on the shoulder.

"Thanks. I do look hot, I know."

"Isn't that big head of yours heavy?"

Ryujin chucked again, shrugging. "No. But my hand is. Want to hold it?"

Took less than a second for another snowball to hit her.

Causing her to consider it a snowball war. Both of them enjoying it far more than they would admit so.

After a few minutes and both of them being far too cold to continue, they finally stopped their battle. With heavy breathing and a smile on their faces, Ryujin felt proud that the other seemed to have enjoyed herself. Something she rarely saw her doing.

"Here, you have some-" Ryujin said before taking some snow from Yeji's shoulder, smiling brightly at her.

"Thanks, monkey."

The nickname came as a whisper and if they weren't so close she wouldn't have heard it.

"Not you too." Ryujin responded, rolling her eyes dramatically. It was strange to hear that from Yeji but somehow it was also comforting.

Yeji shook her head, scoffing before taking a step back. Starting to once again move to the wall by the river.

Ryujin trailing right behind her.

They stood there, watching the view in front of them. Though Ryujin who was standing a step behind kept sneaking glances of Yeji. Taking in how good she looked despite the fact they'd been running around throwing snow at each other.

"Beautiful." she whispered, before she could stop herself.

Yeji only humming in response.

"I meant you."

"What?" Yeji asked, turning around and looking surprised to the proximity between them. The space between the two barely existent in that moment.