Icy like diamonds || Ryeji

Chapter 81

"He likes you." Ryujin stated, not too loudly when she scooted to sit beside Yeji.

Yeji looked up at Ryujin, smiling slightly and continue to pet the cat.

"I guess so."

Ryujin smiled to herself, looking at the sight and quickly taking a photo of it. Looking over before posting it to her instagram account. Surely it would raise some eyebrows from her family. More specifically her parents who she had requested to cancel the engagement.

Surely her parents would be randomly checking in on her soon and pretending to randomly think to ask about Yeji.

"Favorite movie?"

Ryujin looked at Yeji who was now looking at her expectantly, the cat still on her lap.

"What?"

"Oh, come on. Don't make it a whole thing. I just thought we could finally get to know each other better."

She tried. Ryujin really did try her best not to make it a thing. But the moment Yeji had randomly asked her a question, looking to know more about her, it had already become a thing.

"Perks of being a wallflower."

"Why?"

"You do follow up questions now too?"

Yeji rolled her eyes, "Shut up. Can't you just answer?"

She chuckled, humming while thinking it over. "I'm not really sure. It's just a nice movie."

Yeji only nodded, looking at the cat and petting it again.

"Favorite song?"

Just on cue, the cat walked away. Making Yeji watch it walk away and proceed to sit leaning back against the wall, right next to Ryujin.

"Depends on the moment."

"The moment? Not your mood?"

"Both, I think."

Ryujin hummed. "What would be the song for this moment?"

Yeji shrugged, "Right now, just sitting here at the cat cafe. Or today with you?"

Neither were looking at each other, Ryujin choosing to focus on anything but the other girl. "Today. With me."

The response wasn't immediate, taking a little while to come and leading to an impatient Ryujin anticipating it.

"Ask me at the end of the day."

______

Ryujin was ready to get behind the wheel when Yeji approached her. Making her stand by the door and stare at the girl in question. Yeji's hand reaching for the car keys, "I have something to show you."

Wordlessly, Ryujin gave up the keys and moved to the passenger side. Whatever it was, she was excited for it. It's not like the other would often show her anything. Much else unprompted like that.

They didn't speak during the car ride but Ryujin thought sometimes not speaking was nice. Sitting beside Yeji while she drove and music played to fill the silence was starting to feel way too comfortable. Ryujin could get used to it.

"I've been hesitating to do this."

"Do what?"

Yeji sighed, her fingers tapping the steering wheel once she parked the car. Looking at Ryujin finally.

"I never showed you my art."

It only took the mention of Yeji's art for Ryujin to grow excited. She has yet to see it and had been impatiently waiting for the opportunity. Finally, it would be happening. Although it might have seemed like such a casual situation, it meant a lot to her. Clearly Yeji had been hesitating to show her that for a reason and Ryujin could only guess it had something to do with how personal it is. That meant that finally Yeji had decided to let her in. Or at least she had a foot on the door.

They walked into a building, one she had never been with but seemingly less modern than Yeji's house. Still looked expensive though, as expected.

"Look." Yeji said, hand on the door knob and looking back at her. "Just..." Whatever she had been planning to tell her seemed to leave her mind once the first word came out. Yeji simply sighing and opening the door for her to enter first.

"It's a little..."

"Wow. It's so cool."

Yeji looked taken back by the comment, chuckling behind her. "I was going to say messy."

Ryujin looked around closely and shrugged it off. Sure there was some mess but that only made the studio look cooler. She can tell Yeji spent quite some time there.

"I actually haven't been using it much these days. Kind of made it a habit of making art at home."

"You have a studio at home?"

Yeji nodded. "It's smaller and far messier, actually."

"You have to show me that one someday." Ryujin stated, smiling before she moved towards the objects laying around.

"Maybe someday."

Yeji trailed behind her, following the shorter girl as she explored everything.

"You're so good." Ryujin was in awe. It wasn't surprising that Yeji would be good but it was still very impressive.

"Those are just first drafts actually. Ideas. Rejected projects."

Looking to her side, she eyed Yeji curiously. Noticing how nervous she looked. Her fingers playing with random objects nervously. It was endearing.

"They're still amazing."

Yeji only hummed.

"Show me a complete painting." Ryujin requested, leaning against one of the tables on the studio.

The older girl looked like she had been caught doing something wrong, making Ryujin's eyebrow raise in curiosity.

"Actually, there's a reason why I brought you here."

"Are you going to ask me to pose for you? Titanic style?" Ryujin joked, mostly out of nervousness. Yeji's hesitation making her feel a little awkward.

Of course, the joke earned an eye roll from the other. "Shut up before I regret this."

"Fine. Enough with the mystery. What is it?"

Yeji started to walk towards her, getting way too close and making Ryujin tense up. She looked so determined that the younger girl wasn't sure what to do or what would be happening next. Suddenly feeling awkward again, Ryujin decided to crack a joke.

"You brought me here to make out?" A smirk playfully appearing and causing Yeji to look at her like she was crazy. Pushing her lightly aside a moment later.

"You're in the way, actually."

With a laugh, Ryujin moved to see Yeji reach out to a canvas that was behind her. The painting turned to the wall until Yeji picked it up. Showing her why the other had brought her there and why she had hesitated so much to do so.

Ryujin could tell what it was right away. A very detailed painting of the view from when they ditched school to sit together in one of her favorite spots in the city.

"I was going to give you this for Christmas but I thought maybe it would be too much."

"Too much?"

Yeji nodded, observing as Ryujin reached to hold the painting and inspected it.

"I didn't want you to think anything of it."

Then, without much thought behind her words, Ryujin spoke again. "What if I did?"

Yeji didn't respond.

"Would I be wrong?"

"No."