Ubi Amor, Ibi Dolor

𝕹𝖊𝖒𝖔 𝕾𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝖁𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖔 𝕰𝖘𝖙

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𝐍𝐨 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭

-

The night ended with Yeji bringing Ryujin to her house, she wanted Ryujin to stay the night there instead of her bungalow. Ryujin wanted to object, but she didn't.

She walked into the familiar bedroom with Nabi, setting her bag down on the floor and crossing her arms, feeling out of place.

"Ah mwoya! Make yourself at home, you act like it's the first time you've been here!" Yeji whined; nudging Ryujin hard. "Aish. I need fresh air. Wanna smoke with me outside?"

"A-Aniya. I don't like smoking." Ryujin respectfully declined, earning a cackle from the other, who found her box of cigarettes and Hello Kitty lighter.

"Still stuttering around me. Is it because you're filled with me? Full of butterflies?"

"Maja."

"Fucking cute... come with me outside then."

They went outside, near the pool, where Yeji lit her cigarette. Ryujin thought that even though she was slowly killing herself with drugs, she still looked pretty while doing it. She looks pretty while doing anything.

"Sibal, the pool is so dirty..." Yeji cursed, cringing at the water. So, she stared at Cherry again, something she never get tired of doing. She read Cherry like a dictionary filled with only the words she knows. She knew Ryujin was only thinking about her homework.

"I'll take the blame for your missing assignments tomorrow, okay? All my teachers bias me and anyone that I bias. Don't worry, my cherry. Worrying will turn you from ripe to moldy and rotten."

Ryujin nodded at first but froze at sudden noise and laughter from not too far away. She stopped nodding and looking to her right in the direction of the noise.

She saw a small group of businesspeople under a gazebo in the backyard, they were grilling meat about to have a great meal. Yeji noticed Ryujin look that way and answered to cure her curiosity. "Ah, my father and his business meetings. Regular businesses don't do shit like this so late, but for sex motels I guess there's a difference."

The laughter, the sound of burning flesh, somehow made Ryujin's burns begin to ache again. She couldn't look away, but it's not like she was staring at the meeting. She was stuck in her head, stuck in that day after school in her bedroom. Everyone single one of them laughing while Yeji burned her over and over again, laughing as well.

Her breathing got heavier, only because it felt like her lungs froze too, unable to expand and let her breathe. Her chest felt heavy, as if her heart doubled in size and was about to beat out of her chest.

Yeji gave her a doubtful looked and waved the cigarette in Ryujin's face, "Ya, wae geurae, you moron. Did you even hear me?"

Yeji got no response, so she grabbed Ryujin's arm suddenly, and all Ryujin felt was another burn on her skin that used to be free of scars. All there used to be were birthmarks that symbolized beautiful and nice things. Now they're covered and even burned away.

In a panic, Ryujin pushed Yeji's arm away with strength she didn't want to use against Yeji. It made the brunette fall into the pool behind her and it yanked Ryujin back into reality, her mind was back, but her breathing and sweating was still prominent.

"Ch-choisongeyo." Ryujin stuttered as Yeji came up to the surface. With a grumble like a deep voiced monster, she got out of the pool and gave Ryujin a look she had never seen before. It wasn't a good thing either.