THE PRINCE (Ryeji fanfiction)

CHAPTER 2

Jeong and Chaeryeong arrived at Ryu's mansion. They're currently still chilling at the lounge area upstairs with Yeji. It's been two weeks since Yeji constantly checks on Ryu. Still, no words from him.

"let me try." Jeong stands up. "is the door locked?"

"I don't know. probably." Yeji replied.

"alright. I'm gonna break it if it is." Jeong cracked his knuckles, acting like he's about to fight someone.

"please don't." Chaeryeong said with a smile, joking around with her boyfriend.

Jeong takes a deep breath, standing before the door. He then abruptly opens the door. It is unlocked, luckily.

Ryu is laying on his bed, unbothered, playing with his Nintendo Wii.

"you're about to get fucked, for real." Jeong runs to the bed and lay himself on top of Ryu's stomach.

Ryu let out a groan. Not that he's hurt but Jeong irritates him. he throws his console on the nightstand.

"don't give me that look." Jeong turns his head, looking at Ryu. "c'mon. I know you miss me." Jeong gets up and sit properly on the bed. Jeong raised an eyebrow. "so this is what she meant by you giving her a silent treatment. It won't get to me, dude. Chae does that often."

Ryu sits up, looking at him.

"you have something to say didn't you?" Jeong gave him a sly smirk. "your mouth gets itchy, throat dry, heart heavy. I know what that felt like." Jeong shrugs. "well, not as bad as what you have. My dog died. You know, I literally shut everyone out just because of a dog. It's pretty understandable that you act like this." he sighs, setting aside all the jokes that he had in mind. "since no one won't give you a hard slap to get you out of this cave that you made, I'm gonna say this to you. please, listen first, then, you can get mad at me... for telling the truth."

Ryu huffs. That's not what he needs right now.

"you have a life, Ryu. A future, brighter than some people in the world. Do you think your sister wanted you like this? I know for a fact that she won't be happy with you if you keep doing this." Jeong can already see Ryu's angry gaze. "hold on. I'm not finished. Look at your mom. When's the last time you talk to her? you think she's not sad? Do you think she's not working her ass off for your agency? You're the one that supposed to be there, running agencies, and other things. she's getting old, Ryu, and believe me, seeing your parents getting old and weak is way harder than watching them go. Don't you feel a little guilty?" he paused to let him think. "now, think about yourself. I mean, look at you. where's that charming Shin Ryujin? The prince of modelling, visual king, whatever it is that the world called you." Jeong placed his hand on Ryu's leg. "if you can't do this for yourself, do it for Yuna. For your father too, even better. Get up, get out, and face it. No one had the guts to say these to you, Ryu." Jeong decides to lighten up the mood a bit. "not to be romantic or anything but I miss you. we all do. I don't think I need to say this but you already know that we're still here."

"I know." Ryu lowers his head.

"you talk! Holy shit!" Jeong stands up then sit again. "whoa..."

"do you think I didn't think about all that you said?" Ryu's eyes starts to water. "do you think it's easy?"

"I'm just-"

"do you think that with you saying those will change the fact that Yuna is no longer here?" Ryu leans closer to him. "I do have a life, Jeong. All my life, I've been working as hard as I can to make my family proud, have a name all over the world. But what do I get in return? No. what do I have to give to reach this point? My father, my sister. Then what else? Do you think I already forget how it feels when he left? If you think I'm healed, you're very wrong... dude." His cheeks reddens, also wet with his tears.

Jeong lost all his words.

"she had a dream." Ryu calmed down, leaning on the headboard. "a dream that I'm sure that I can get for her. nobody ever care about that. but, I do care. I will give her my all." Ryu scoffs. "cruel, isn't it?" Ryu looks at him. "no one to blame, nothing to do to get her back, even my mother thinks that her little painting hobby is a joke." Ryu cries even more. "she's the only one I have left, Jeong. You won't get it."

"I'm sorry to drop all that."

"don't be. My brain is still working perfectly. I know why you said that." Ryu then lowers himself, covering himself with a blanket, back-facing his bestfriend.

Jeong stands up, finally leaving him. once he steps out of the room, he realized that he too, shed some tears. It hurts to see him like that. he hopes that Ryu will get better with time.

"did you just cry?" Chaeryeong noticed.

"yes." Jeong pouts, running towards Chaeryeong and hug her. "he did say some things."

"I'm glad." Yeji responded. She can't imagine what he said to make Jeong cries. If she's the one that's in the room, maybe she'll cry harder and even scared.

"I'll tell you what he said."

-

Even after that day, Ryu still hasn't come out. the month has changed and the only thing changed about him is he starts going to his acting and modelling school again. He has a year left to finish it before fully taking care of companies and agencies that his family has across the US that will all be his eventually.

"I'm happy that you're willing to come out again." Nayeon said. A rare occasion of dinner with just the two.

Yuna is gone at the worst time possible. Just when they can spend a simple time like this, she's no longer with them. He sometimes wonder why his mother rarely does this, as if she forgot she has kids.

"I'm almost sixty." Nayeon looks at her only son. "after my last movie, I will retire."

Ryu nods in respond. Just that.

"you will be handling our agencies. We already prepare everything for you so all you can do is monitor them from your phone, laptop, dad's computer, whatever you like." Nayeon smiles at him.

"can we not talk about work for once?" Ryu looks up.

"those are important, Ryujin. For your future." Nayeon sighs.

"look at us. please. this is the first time in years that we eat together and you still wanna talk about work?" Ryu snapped suddenly. He takes a deep breath to ease himself. "I'm sorry."

"no. I'm sorry. I haven't been able to get close to you... for years."

"forget it."

"before I'm gone, I promise-"

"please, don't say that." Ryu's eyes starts to water. there's no way he can think about another person that he loves passed away.

Nayeon's motherly intuition gets her up her seat, walking towards her son, and wrap him in a loving embrace. Ryu starts crying in her arms, wetting her shirt.

"please don't leave." Ryu said still sobbing. "I'm begging you."

"I'll stay as long as I can, boy."