Creating US [2JIN] LOONA

Chap 12

Later that night, Heejin lay sprawled out on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her phone vibrated beside her, breaking her thoughts. Without checking, she reached for it, expecting a message from Chuu. But to her surprise, it was Ryujin.

Ryujin: "Hey, got a minute?"

Heejin sat up quickly, her heart skipping a beat. Her fingers hovered above the screen, unsure what to reply. Should she just ask Ryujin directly about the transfer rumor? The thought of Ryujin moving away, without telling her, sent a pang of unease through her chest.

After a brief hesitation, Heejin decided to keep things casual.

Heejin: "Yeah, what's up?"

The reply came almost instantly.

Ryujin: "I'm outside your house. Wanna talk?"

Heejin’s eyes widened. Outside my house? She rushed to the window, pulling the curtain aside, and there Ryujin was, leaning casually against her bike, looking up at Heejin's window.

Heejin’s mind raced. What was Ryujin doing here? Was this about the transfer? Without thinking twice, Heejin grabbed a jacket and rushed downstairs.

Her mother was still in the kitchen, humming to herself while preparing dinner. "Mom, I'm just going out for a while!" Heejin yelled over her shoulder.

"Don't be late, your favorite is almost ready!" her mother shouted back, oblivious to Heejin’s silent panic.

Favorite, my foot... Heejin thought as she slipped on her shoes and dashed out the door.

Ryujin stood under the streetlight, her hands shoved into her jacket pockets. Her short hair ruffled slightly in the breeze. She looked up as Heejin approached, flashing her a faint smile. "Hey."

"Hey," Heejin echoed, trying to mask her anxiety. She leaned against the fence next to Ryujin, her heart pounding. "So... what's this about?"

Ryujin let out a small chuckle. "You always get straight to the point, huh?"

Heejin shrugged, but her curiosity was killing her. "I mean, you didn’t exactly give me much to go on."

For a moment, Ryujin didn’t respond. She looked away, her gaze fixed on something distant. The silence felt heavier than it should.

"There's a rumor going around..." Heejin finally said, breaking the silence. She decided to just come out with it. "That you might be transferring to an overseas school."

Ryujin’s expression didn’t change, but her eyes flickered briefly. She turned her head to meet Heejin’s gaze. "I figured you'd hear about it eventually."

Heejin’s stomach dropped. "So... it’s true?"

Ryujin sighed, running a hand through her hair. "My parents want me to. They’ve been talking about it since before the accident."

Heejin stared at her, trying to process what she was hearing. "But you never mentioned it. Not once."

Ryujin’s lips tightened into a thin line. "Because I didn’t want to. It’s not something I want either, Heejin."

Heejin’s thoughts were a mess. She wanted to be mad at Ryujin for keeping this from her, but at the same time, she understood.

"Then why didn’t you say anything? I mean, we’re friends, aren’t we? You can tell me these things."

Ryujin exhaled deeply.
"I didn’t want to worry you. Plus, nothing’s decided yet. I’m still fighting it."

Heejin felt a mix of relief and frustration. She didn’t know what to say, so she just stared at Ryujin, trying to read her expression. Ryujin wasn’t the type to show emotions easily, but Heejin could see the conflict in her eyes.

"I don’t want you to go," Heejin said softly, almost a whisper.

Ryujin glanced at her, the corners of her lips turning up slightly. "Yeah, I don’t want to leave either."

For a moment, they stood there in comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Heejin was trying to come to terms with the possibility that Ryujin might leave, while Ryujin seemed to be thinking about how to fight her parents’ decision.

"Do you think you can convince them?" Heejin finally asked.

Ryujin shrugged, but there was a spark of determination in her eyes. "I’ll try. They might think it’s best for me, but they don’t get it. This is where I belong."

Heejin smiled a little, feeling a wave of reassurance. "Good. I’ll help you, whatever you need."

Ryujin’s smile widened just a bit. "Thanks, Heejin. That means a lot."

Before Heejin could say more, her phone buzzed. She glanced at it and saw a message from her mother

"Dinner's ready, sweetie! Come back soon!"

She groaned inwardly. "I have to go back inside... before I’m forced to eat the ‘favorite.’"

Ryujin laughed softly, the tension between them finally easing. "Good luck with that."

Heejin rolled her eyes, giving Ryujin a playful nudge before heading back to her house. But as she reached the door, she turned back one last time. "Hey, Ryujin?"

"Yeah?"

"Don’t disappear on me, okay?"

Ryujin met her eyes and nodded. "I won’t."

With that, Heejin went back inside, her heart feeling lighter, even though the uncertainty still lingered.

As she stepped into the kitchen, her mother beamed at her from behind a steaming pot. "Perfect timing! I’ve made your favorite dish!"

Heejin smiled weakly. I’m doomed.

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I'm back after a decade 🙇🏻‍♀️