HER /ryeji

seventy

Yeji took her time looking at the message her mother had sent. She wonders what sick game her mother is up to again? With a sigh escaping her mouth, she brings her fingers up to massage her temples in stress while the first thing in her mind is about Ryujin.

"I'm going to get something from the vending machine, do you guys want anything?" The cat eyed model asks the siblings in front of her.

Both of them shakes their heads with a smile on their faces, prompting the cat eyed female to nod before leaving the model workshop room with her phone tightly grasped into her hand.

Upon closing the door of the room, she immediately dials her mother's number.

"Hello?" The other line answers the call.

"What do you mean you want to publicly announce our divorce?" Yeji questioned the woman, wondering what she wants out of it. "What if Ryujin gets affected because of it?"

"The only person getting affected because of the announcement will just be you, Yeji." Mrs. Hwang calmly speaks, creating irritation up in Yeji's throat. "As I said before, you are no longer my daughter anymore. I do not even know who you are anymore, Yeji."

The blonde scoffs silently, her eyes starting to well up in tears. "You're going to throw away your own blood because I decided to settle for divorce? You are afraid of losing money and by throwing me out, you think you will be content?"

"My own daughter, who I raised with all my might went against me." The older woman sounds exasperated, as if she is the one who going through a divorce. "And you think you have the right to mention mom? That is an extremely sick and unreasonable outburst."

Yeji knows the method her mother is using against her. Speaking only with formalities; the only relationship that the daughter and mother duo has hence why Yeji prefers formality as her own wall because even though it is used as a tactic, that is the only thing the female model is accustomed to.

Yeji feels heavy; heavy with the feeling of abandonment, shallow, and betrayal. "Mom is only in this mess because you're the monster, mother."

"Hwang Yeji, you listen to-"

Pulling her phone away from her ear, Yeji takes a seat on the ground with her back against the wall. She can't help but hug her knees against her chest, burying her head in as she silently sobs about what just happened over the phone.

***

Ryujin groans, throwing her head back in agony as she slams the clay down in frustration.

"Woah there, sweet thing! Treat the clay gently, babe." Beomgyu comments, walking past the ash-gray haired while pushing the trolley with more pounds of clay on it.

The artist sends a glare towards the male. "Stop calling me that!"

"Seriously, it's creeping ME out." Aeri comments, tying her apron around her.

Beomgyu rolls his eyes, feeling unappreciated by the females as he motions at himself. "One day, you'll all realize you want all of this."

Not wanting to hear any of this anymore, Ryujin wipes her hands dirtied by the clay onto her apron before taking it off and walking out of the art studio. She searches for the nearby vending machine to grab an energy drink in order to survive the long day with Beomgyu bothering her.

Upon turning on the corner of the hallway, the artist stops in the middle of her tracks at the sound of a few sniffles. She hesitates whether she should buy her energy drink or not. Ultimately deciding on the option of buying the drink, she carefully walks.

She wonders who it is.

"Yeji?"

Hearing her name getting called, the model brings her head up. Ryujin feels like her legs are going to give out on her at the sight of her partner looking disheartened yet so beautiful. How is it fair for the others in this universe when Hwang Yeji, perfect and wonderful, is walking around so freely yet selflessly?

"A-are you okay? What happened?"

The cat eyed lets out a small noise in reassurance, sniffing before wiping the tears away with the back of her hand as she gets back up from the ground. "I apologize for you having to see me like this."

Ryujin's brain doesn't work fast enough, the gears aren't turning, and her mind does not know how to think well either. However, at the sight of Yeji trying to run away, Ryujin feels the need to hold her back by grasping the wrist of the females' tightly.

"Yeji, you kind of look like a mess right now." Ryujin truthfully admits. "Soobin and Jisu will wonder what happened and you will probably make up some sort of lie that sounds either too fake or too serious, otherwise it'd be in between."

The blonde-haired model couldn't help but let out a small smile at the truth coming from her arranged partner.

"I know we're in a rocky patch especially since I acted impulsively yesterday but I'm here if you need anything or anyone to talk to." The younger lets out a smile, even though she knows that Yeji would not be willing to possibly open up wit-

"-Sure, I'd like that." Yeji smiles gently. "Could I borrow you now?"

Of course; anything for you.

The ash-gray haired nods immediately.

***

"My mother and I aren't in a well relationship right now." Yeji looks down at her hands cupping the warm mug of coffee.

That's impossible. Everyone looks up to the Hwangs' because of how perfect they are. Happy, rich, and successful husband and wife with their one-of-a-kind well-known daughter.

"Actually, we've always been like that." The older cannot remember a time when she was truly herself around her mother, perhaps she just felt it was off without mom. "Everyone thinks we're the perfect family, two successful adults who managed to raise a successful model. Sounds perfect for the headlines."

Ryujin can't help but to reach across the table to reassuringly put her hand on top of the other's hand.

"There's so much more secrets in my family." Yeji quietly says, looking down at her hand encased in the artist's hand. "I'll tell you another time."

The art major smiles sadly in response.

It's an air of silence around them.

"When are you leaving for Paris?" Ryujin asks, she already feels like she cannot breathe and suddenly the air around her is tightening around her.

Yeji feels Ryujin's hold on her hand tighten. "Soon."

"Promise me you'll eat more?" The younger asks, telling herself not to break down in front of her wife.

The cat eyed model nods, reassuring her partner. "I promise."

"I hope you'll take care of yourself more too, Ryujin." Yeji smiles gently, patting the younger's hand.

Ryujin blinks once with her eyes. "I'll try, Yeji."

"Good." The older grins. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to contact my parents. Even though they're a little over the top, don't hate them too much."

The artist cannot help but realize that Yeji is an amazing human being. All her life, she went on from hating this human being to loving her. She concludes that the female is compassionate for a lot of things, even her parents. Here she is, getting screwed over by her parents and yet; she tells her to not hate them too much because Yeji always tries to find the good in everyone.

Even if it looks like she isn't trying.  

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