Hershe (Ryeji ver.)

30 - Missed

"Were you the one who just called Ryujin?"

Ryujin shifted her eyes to Yeji who's as speechless as her. She doesn't know if she's hallucinating or not, but Yeji's eyes were on her and Yeri's linked arms.

"Yes," said Yeji.

Yeri's grip on Ryujin's arm tightened. "So, you're the one Ryujin is going out with today?"

Ryujin swallowed. Admitting something like that might give the intern a wrong idea about them.

"Yes," came Yeji's response.

Yeri looked back and forth to Ryujin and Yeji, slowly disentangling their arms.

"We're supposed to talk about our new project," continued Yeji in her authoritative tone. "It's not like what you're thinking, Yeri. It's a business meeting, not a date."

"I'm sorry." Yeri bowed.

Ryujin felt relieved knowing they could get rid of Yeri now.

"But if it's about a task can I still tag along so I could learn more, Ms. Yeji?" Yeri, who seemed to have found another way to include herself in, asked them.

Ryujin takes in a deep breath.

"Sure. But on one condition..." Yeji walked towards them. "We should bring along Taeyong too."

"Me?" Taeyong pointed at himself.

"Yes. You're an intern too, right?" asked Yeji. "You'll get something out of this so you should tag along."

"Oh. Okay."

Ryujin puffed her cheeks.

Great. Her date has just been ruined.

---

Ryujin is utterly disappointed.

She's been missing Yeji so much that she mustered all the courage to finally ask the girl out. It is her way of gauging if something is wrong with the two of them, or if something has really changed.

Although she has no plans of confessing, Ryujin hoped that the night would end like how their nights ended in Haeundae: full of laughter, teasing, and just pure sweetness. However, all of those expectations are far from what's happening.

Instead of waiting alone in her car for Yeji, they are now walking together in the parking area along with two chaperones.

To make it worse, Yeri is walking ahead of them aiming for the front seat.

Ryujin smacked her own thigh due to frustration. What could be worse? Having two chaperones with them while her supposed-to-be-date will sit at the back?

Just as she thought, when she unlocked the car with her remote, Yeri grabbed the door to the front seat.

"Back seat," said Yeji, approaching the car. "You better sit beside Taeyong."

Ryujin tried to repress a smile while. Yeri didn't object and went to the back seat immediately.

Sometimes Yeji's bossy aura has its perks.

"So, where to?" asked Yeji after she shut the door on her side.

"Craving for anything at the moment?" asked Ryujin.

"Not really. Can we just eat somewhere near so we could go home right after?" said Yeji, busy buckling her seatbelt.

"Oh. Yeah. Sure." Ryujin pushed down the handbrake after starting the engine.

Great. This is just great.

---

They had their meal in a Japanese restaurant.