although // shin ryujin

i do remember

(ryujin's POV)

i do remember.

i drank so much, but not a detail was forgotten.

i remember her soft expressions and how cute she was when she's not mad at me for almost burning her house down. i remember her kind heart as she was about to let me sleep comfortably in her bed and take the couch for herself.

i remember laying so close to her.

i remember my confession, i remember every single word that i said. i remember that i was drunk, but sober enough to know whatever was coming out of my mouth was true.

and i know when she asked me if i remembered anything about last night, she was referring to what i had confessed to her, but i told her i didn't. i told her that because i wasn't ready to intentionally put it out in the open, especially when she's not even single. especially when i know the feelings aren't reciprocated, since when i confessed to her she didn't even say anything back.

i sighed, mentally kicking keeho for cheating and taking advantage of the most perfect girl to ever step foot on this planet, because if i were him, i'd never do anything to hurt her. ever.

i was lost in my thoughts as i was doing the dishes until i heard jangmi yell from her room.

"ryujin, what time do you have to leave?"

i looked at the time. i had to be at the studio in an hour. "in about an hour!" i yelled back as i heard her yelp from inside and what sounded like her struggling to put something on. finally, after whatever fight she was handling in there, she popped out of her room and grabbed her car keys.

"okay, let's go." she said, out of breath.

i quietly laughed and shook my head. she's too cute for her own good.

~

we got into the car and immediately she handed me her phone to play a song. i was scrolling through her spotify, as she was buckling her seatbelt and starting the car, until a notification popped up. being the respectful person i am, i immediately swiped up, ignoring the message. that is, until a few more came. this time, i looked at who could be texting her and saw it was keeho.

i really tried my hardest to not read them, i really did, but i couldn't help it. i mean, how could i just sit around and ignore the messages of someone who broke the love of my life's heart? i quietly scoffed, scanning the messages, cringing at his use of nicknames and lies.

"baby"
"i miss you 🥺"
"come visit"

yea, you missed her so much you couldn't wait for her and used somebody else, i internally mocked. ignoring his messages, i played a song by jangmi and instantly felt my negative emotions about keeho melt away by her sweet voice.

she looked at me with a disappointed look, "i hate hearing myself." she groaned, as she lowered the volume.

i stopped her before she could lower it any further, "hey! this is my favorite. keep it on, weirdo." i demanded while glaring at her.

she immediately gave up, as she couldn't put up much of a fight since she was driving and returned her other hand on the steering wheel.

"you know, sometimes i hate you." she said, her eyes glued on the road. "but you're cute face makes up for it." the girl finished, raising the volume of the music even louder, indicating she didn't want me to respond. i shrugged, my smile so big it hurt my cheeks as my stomach exploded with butterflies.

she thinks I'm cute~

...

we finally arrived at the studio after a long drive of blasting music. we were about 10 minutes early, despite jangmi's home being a fair distance away. we sat there, enjoying the quietness before i had to enter the loud studio, again.

"come visit me anytime you like— as long as you promise not to burn anything." she teased, turning her head to face me and placing her palm under her chin.

i laughed, "no, i'm not going to come if i can't burn anything again." i teased back, pouting.

she shook her head, "fine, visit me whenever you like, then." she replied, sighing in defeat.

i gave her a bright smile, happy to take up her offer, when i suddenly noticed how close her face was to mine. instinctively, my eyes flickering to her lips and back to her green eyes. this time, her eyes held a different gaze, one that i couldn't read.

as flustered and tempted to kiss her as i was, i turned my head away, not wanting to get carried away by wanting to kissing her and possibly ruining everything— that is, until i felt her finger turn my face back towards her, and suddenly her lips were on mine. she quickly pecked my lips, until she gently pushed me off of her and told me to get out.

speechless, i obeyed her and got out as i took my time to the studio door. once i entered, i touched my lips, replaying the kiss millions and millions of times in my head.

i thought to myself it couldn't be real, but for some reason, the taste of her still lingering on my lips, indicated it did, in fact, happen.

i smiled until my cheeks hurt. she kissed me for not even a second, but i knew that she was the only person i'd ever want to kiss, ever again.