INEVITABLE

Chapter 36

Ryujin steps into the bathtub and lays back, closing her eyes as the warm water relaxes her muscles.

It was yet another stressful day for her.

Stressful in a way that she feels so weak and unmotivated.

It's Yuri's day off today, which means she couldn't see Jisu. To make it worse, they had to spend the night with her in-laws to visit Yuri's grandma. Ryujin used to not care about things like this. She didn't mind wherever Yuri pulled her along. As long as they're together--that's what matters.

But tonight she feels tired like she's already had enough of it; of everything.

There's this feeling inside her chest that wants to get out; wants to be free.

And she knows exactly what she needs to do.

After the issue with Jisu last time, Ryujin swore to herself she'll take action. She's been very considerate of her wife's situation--of Yuri's grandma--taking for granted Jisu's feelings.

No. She won't let Jisu suffer like that again. She needs to put an end to it. And she needs to do it soon.

"Boo?" she hears Yuri's voice outside the door.

"Yup. In here," she shouts.

The door opens.

"Hey..." Yuri enters and sits on the side of the tub, dipping her fingers into the water. "Warm bath on a rainy night?"

Ryujin smiles. "Just relaxing."

"Mind if I join?"

"Why are you still asking me that?"

"Just want to make sure you're not in your alone mode right now." Yuri stands up and starts taking her clothes off. "Don't want to disturb your brainstorming if you're trying to come up with something."

Ryujin chuckles and shakes her head. "Come on in."

After stripping off the last pieces of her clothing, Yuri carefully dips into the water and sits on the tub, her back pressing against Ryujin's chest.

"Ahh. This feels good." she slouches, resting her head on Ryujin's shoulder. "It has been a long time since we've done this, right?"

Ryujin hums, hugging her wife back in return. "It's because I still refuse to buy a bathtub for our apartment."

Yuri giggles. "Yeah. You like doing this whenever we visit here, but you never want us to buy one."

"It's because it's expensive, and it's costly. We don't need to bathe like this every day."

"Still, it's fun to do it from time to time, don't you think?"

"True. That's why we're only doing it here when we visit."

Yuri chuckles. "You really are frugal, aren't you?"

"I'm just merely concerned about our financial standing."

Yuri sits up and plays with the water. "Funny how I sounded like Miss Jisu just now."

And Ryujin was speechless.

She swallows, thinking if she should tell Yuri tonight. Maybe she should tell Yuri tonight.

But she's reminded that they aren't alone in their unit. It would be weird to talk to Yuri about divorcing under the roof of her parent's house.

That would be a foolish move.

Ryujin closes her eyes, trying to relax again.

Yeah. Some other time would do.

"Oh. By the way." Yuri turns around to face Ryujin. "I'll be covering for a local flight tomorrow."

"Hm? I thought it's still your day off?"

"Well, one staff member had an emergency. They needed someone to cover the available slot. I volunteered because some of my colleagues covered up for me during my emergency leave when grandma got hospitalized."

"Oh. How long will you be out then?" Ryujin asks, thinking she could at least visit Jisu during that window.

"The entire morning. I'll be back by evening."

"I see. Are we still sleeping here tomorrow?"

"No. Let's just head straight home." Yuri reaches for Ryujin's hands and intertwines their fingers. "I want us to talk, like spend alone time together. A lot of things happened these past few days with my work and my family. I feel like I haven't been spending much time with you anymore."

There it is again, the guilty feeling in her chest. But, no. Ryujin has to do it.

"Sure," she says. "Let's head straight home tomorrow."

"And because of that..." Yuri gently pulls Ryujin closer. "Why don't we savor this bathtub for now?"

Ryujin knows what that smirk on her wife's face means. "Here? W​​-what if your grandma calls for you?"

"She won't. She's already asleep."

"But we haven't locked the door to your room."

"Shh. It's okay." Yuri kisses Ryujin's cheek then her ears. "We're no longer teenagers. They'd understand if we do adult things here."

Ryujin feels goosebumps on the back of her neck and her arms as Yuri continuously peppers her with small kisses.

Yuri pulls away, intertwining their hands again. She leans back on the other end of the tub.

"Make love to me tonight?" she says.

Ryujin doesn't want to do it. But she owes Yuri this, given the number of times she declined her wife only because she's not in the mood.

And thinking about the heartbreak she'll cause Yuri soon...

Right. One last time before she ends everything between them.

That's the least she could do for Yuri, after all the things she's done for Ryujin all these years.

With those thoughts in mind, Ryujin hovers over her wife and kisses her like it's their first night together.