2000

15. I promise to wait for you

She was leaving the next day, and as much as I knew that was for the best, I couldn't get it into my head, as simply being without her had never crossed my mind.

My heart broke seeing her smile, her hopeful eyes, and all the plans she made with Chaeryeong and Karina, while I'm just watching her happy.

I wanted to scream every time she said I would go with them. I wouldn't, I couldn't go with them, not now.

"You're quiet" she looked at me, making Chaeryeong and Karina look at me too.

"Just like you, little one" I got up and walked to the other side of that pantry that we now used as a meeting room.

It seemed like Yeji could read my thoughts, or knew my gestures because I just couldn't stand by her side without wanting to cry.

"Are you hiding something from me?"

"I would never do that" to tell the truth I was, I was giving her expectations because she thought we would be together after the escape, but I wouldn't run away. I had to tell her this "Have you packed her bags yet?"

"Not yet, how about you?" I swallowed, denying it then "Are going to live together in this village?"

"Do you want to live with me?"

"I like that" damn with that gummy smile, which made her small eyes disappear and made her cheeks look cuter than usual, why the hell was I so attached to her?!

"Let's live together then"

I hugged her feeling the thorns around that hug, my fingers caught in her strands letting her face rest on my chest, maybe because I knew that place would belong to her.

"At four in the morning I'll pick you up in your rooms, be ready, we can't waste time. Chaeryeong, the key?"

"This one."

"If it goes wrong, you went through the kitchen to one of the doors. When they manage to get out, they head north, understand?"

They nodded before Karina opened the small door and we all walked out. Yeji spent the day in literature and craft classes.

I passed her sometimes and only gave a small smile when she looked at me, the day slowly darkened, and I wasn't sure how to feel or think about her departure.

"It's only for her own good, nothing more" That's what I thought all along.

When night fell and everyone had retired, I walked aimlessly to her room, the last time I would do this, the last time I would put my life on the line for her, was the last time I would defend her, it was the last time

Yeji finished packing her few things, smiling that it hurt me, but I had to demonstrate that everything was okay, that everything would be okay at some point.

At some point, she looked at me curiously, a look that had penetrated me since the first time. Why was I treating everything like a goodbye? It doesn't have to be exactly a farewell, I could see it, somehow I could.

"Have you packed your things, Ryu?" I sat on her bed, smiling when Yeji sat on my lap, my smile was more than fake, it was depressing.

"Little one, can I ask you something?"

"Huh."

"No matter what happens, you will never, ever look back after you leave here. Promise me this?"

"Because you're talking like that, you're scaring me."

"Promise me?"

"I promise" she smiled holding my face between her small hands as I took possession of his waist "Why are you crying?"

"I won't be able to go with you, Yeddeong"

"Don't talk nonsense, Ryujin."

"I'm not talking" I looked down when I realized that this would be more difficult than I had imagined "I have to stay, to guarantee your safety. If I go with you, they will find us"

"I'm not leaving without you, Ryujin," she whispered.

"Yes you will, Yeji. You have to go, you can't go through project twenty-two, I won't allow that! I will never allow this."

"But—" now the pain that hovered over me, seemed to hit both of us, because his eyes didn't shine like before, and it was my fault "But then why do I have to go? So won't you go with me? You, you promised you would protect me."

"I know, little one" My voice cracked as all the tears flowed down in large quantities "I know I promised"

"Are you going to leave me alone, Ryujin?"

"No! No, I won't leave you alone, my love" I said desperately, it was my turn to hold his face in my hands. "I'm going to get out of here, we're going to be together, but not now, you need to wait until everything here calm down after your departure."

"I don't want to go without you, Ryujin" Her face nuzzled the curve of my neck, and her tears slowly fell down my skin, I felt it.

I hugged her waist, resting my forehead on her shoulder, also letting my pain show in the form of deep sobs.

"Look at me" she denied, burying her face even more in the crook of my neck "Baby, look at me please" reluctantly she looked at me, her cheeks were red along with her nose and eyes.

"When you leave here, tell me seven days right? And wait for me at the entrance of the village, while everything calms down I will visit you."

"I don't just want your visits, Ryu. I want you" I smiled drying her tears and kissing her forehead lightly.

"I want you too, Yeji"

"Then why don't you come with me?"

I silenced her with a kiss, I was already tired of trying to find an answer to her insistent question, maybe because I didn't have an answer, and if I did, I wouldn't find it, not at that moment.

Her fingers pulled my strands closer, and my hands did the same, tugging at her waist coming to meet me needier and needier.

Her head tilted a little when I decided to take control of the kiss creating a struggle between our tongues that I slowly picked up the rhythm, my hands pulling her shirt up feeling her warm skin in contact with the palm of my hand, making it light up more and more.

"Promise not to leave me?" She asked as soon as we parted from the kiss, breathing completely weak and still with a little choked voice.

"Promise, Yeji" I looked at her "Promise to wait for me?"

"I promise to wait for you"

I nodded as she pressed our foreheads together, sealing our sincere, reciprocal promise.

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