A Mistake to Live With - Ryeji

Backtrack

"Where do we even start?" Yuna asked, the seven back in Ryujin and Yeji's living room. The blinds were closed and their cell phones were in a separate room.

"I know this may sound risky, but we should go back to our old apartment. See if anything or anyone could give us an idea of what's going on." Chaeryeong said, everyone nodding in agreeance.

"Alright, we'll need disguises then." Sana spoke, a bit excited they'd be going somewhere, but also incredibly nervous due to the destination.

"And someone to keep an eye on local authority communications." Ryujin said, looking towards Lia and Rosé who looked at eachother.

"We need fake passports and ID's, which we can also handle." Rosé said, referring to herself and Lia who already got up and grabbed their laptops from the other room.

"Cover story?" Yeji asked, Ryujin turned to her and smiled.

"Well, Lucy, it seems we're looking for a new apartment while we help our parents move houses." She said, Yeji smiling back at the idea. The others nodded, discussing their own little covers while Lia and Rosé got to work.

"Hey Ryu, wanna spray paint your car?" Yuna said, walking up with a bucket full of cans.

"Black, I like black." Ryujin said, standing with a smirk while she walked out to change the red of her car with Yuna. Everyone was preoccupied, except for Yeji, Chaeryeong, and Sana who would be useful for conversation when they got there.

"Things will be different when we get there." Chaeryeong said, moving to sit next to Yeji, Sana following suit.

"Yeah, I'm a bit worried to see what happened to my company, and the people that worked there." Yeji sighed. "I abandoned everything, and everyone who worked there."

"Don't blame yourself for this, Yeji. You do like this kind of freedom more than business don't you?" Sana said, the two looking at Yeji with worry.

"I do, definitely. It's just, some things are hard to live with you know?" Yeji said, the two humming in response. "I've never felt more home anywhere than here, but going back to that place is going to awake some emotions. I'm scared of that."

"It's alright, we'll get through it." Chaeryeong patted her back. The three then got up to grab drinks and sit outside to watch Ryujin and Yuna working on the Corvette from the balcony. Yeji stared down at the two getting a little filthy while they joked around. Ryujin looked so happy, so in her element and Yeji loved watching her like that. Honored to know she could make Ryujin feel like that too.

"She really is something." Sana said, startling Yeji who was zoned out for a bit.

"Yeah." Yeji replied, shaking her head to pull her from her trance. Chaeryeong chuckled.

"It's okay to keep staring at her, she's yours you know." Chaeryeong said, watching Yeji flush.

Yeji thought about Ryujin a lot. She was such a bad influence when she first met her. So many things about the younger screamed stay away before she couldn't. She was manipulative in the most attractive of ways, she was a killer, she was damaged up top and her actions worked off those emotions. Yet, Yeji found comfort in her, and Ryujin seemed to heal with Yeji. It was dangerous from the day she picked her up off the curb, and yet, she doesn't regret a thing.

She finally responded to Chaeryeong, upon realizing it's quite the opposite.

"I think you have it backwards, she owns me... and I wouldn't have it any other way." Yeji's eyes clouded for a moment, and Chaeryeong couldn't debate that. Ryujin had a way to get what she wanted, and she wanted Yeji. That was the original plan after all, to make Yeji hers and take everything she had. Ryujin could say she was Yeji's all she wanted but really Yeji was just in too deep she gave herself up to Ryujin.

Cruelty at it's finest and Yeji, knowing this, still couldn't leave the younger. Especially not now, not after what they've been through. And not after their vows under the sunset.

"I see you up there." Ryujin teased up to the balcony, the three smiling sweetly down at her. None as sweet as Yeji's though. Everyone could feel a sort of peacefulness for a moment. They were like a team, were a team, reuniting. It felt good, but it felt risky.

Nobody really kept track of the hours and days. It took a week before they were ready, all on the way to the airport where a private jett, or plane due to the size was waiting. They did need their van and cars on it, so they needed the space.

"Ready?" Yeji said to Ryujin as they buckled up for takeoff. The raven-haired looked over, a bit sweaty and her hand clenching Yeji's hard with anxiety.

"Mhm." Is all she said before her eyes closed while they started to move. Ryujin wasn't too fond of flying anymore, she was okay after the turbulence, but now she had to worry about what comes after the flight. That sparked a whole new form of nerves to flood her system.

The seven of them talked casually throughout, and when they landed they made sure to keep a bit of distance from each other at the airport. No need to rise suspicion. Their disguises seemed to work well, not one person recongized them as they got into their cars and drove towards the haunting apartment.

"Here we are." Ryujin said as the others got out of their vehicles. They just stared at it for a bit before taking big breaths. She was to go inside with Yeji, see if the owners, if there were any, would let them look around. The others got into the back of their technical van.

The steps were grueling, and they took their time, making sure the cameras on their glasses worked well and how they were supposed to.

Alas, they were in front of the door. Breathing was shaky from the both and with one knock the door creaked open.

"It's... abandoned?" Yeji said, wondering why the door wasn't even functional anymore. It was a nice apartment, the landlord could've easily fixed it up. She found out soon enough. Dust, deteriorating structres, open chests and broken furniture everywhere.

"I guess the Cycle got here before us." Ryujin said, walking further in and looking at torn photos and pictures. There was caution tape on the ground, meaning whoever was here trespassed on whatever investigation was going on. "There has to be something." She said, walking to the bedroom and lifting up the carpet. Yeji was looking in the kitchen, checking certain stashes Yuna was telling her to over comms.

"After five years you think people would've given up." Yeji said with a sigh, eyes widening when Ryujin walked out with a medium sized box.

"I kept surveillance hidden in here, there should be a device in this box that backed up all of what was captured from the cameras." Ryujin said, undoing the dusty latches.

"You mean to tell me now that you had hidden cameras?!?" Yuna said, panicking and wondering how much stuff is on whatever device Ryujin has.

"Mhm. Not in the bedrooms or bathrooms though." Ryujin said, eyes sparkling when she saw a small, and somewhat flat box with a winking blue light in the container. "Lia, you think you can check what's on this past the date we escaped?"

"Of course."

"I don't mean to bust your bubble or anything, but just by tapping into some radio feeds, it seems like your dad is back in control of the company." Rosie said, nervous. Ryujin gave a sympathetic look as Yeji tensed.

"I don't care what he's doing." Yeji said, fist clenched as the two started to walk out of the apartment, not wanting to be there longer than necessary. She noticed a photo nailed on the wall. It was of her and her father at the ceremony when she became CEO. She shivered, wondering how and why it was at Ryujin's apartment, and why it was the only clean object. She brushed it off as nothing and ignored it.

"His entire goal is finding you, it's weird." Rosie said, worried about him. Worried about his intentions and his crazed voice.

"He has nothing on us anymore. Thanks for the update though." Ryujin said, leading Yeji down the steps carefully. She put the box in her inner trenchcoat pocket.

They ended up driving around mindlessly, eventually coming to Sana and Rose's old garage. Nobody occupied it, and it was in good condition still. They all felt strange though.

Something was off.

They were followed.