you're annoying | ryeji

TWENTY-SIX

chp. 26

"Shinnie."

"Yeah?" Ryujin exhaled, finding no energy to lift her gaze from the ground and meet the girl that was speaking to her. Just like this morning, she found herself distracted, by the same brunette as well.

"I got you a drink," Isa held out her hand, occupied by an iced americano. "Thought it might cheer you up from whatever kind of dark cloud is bothering you."

Ryujin managed to chuckle at her lighthearted words, feeling the effects of them right away. She nodded as a thanks and accepted the drink, taking a long first sip, humming when she swallowed. "Thank you, Isa. Where's Sumin?"

Isa frowned jokingly. "Are you that eager to get rid of me? I bought you a drink." She gently punched the purple-haired on the arm, a crack of a smile revealing itself.

"No-no, it's not like that at all. I was just wondering since, you know, she's your plus-one and all."

The others eyes narrowed slightly for a moment, as if she was examining Ryujin, before answering. "She's with the others. Speaking of plus-ones, if you don't mind me asking, where did your plus-one go?"

Like an arrow to the heart, Ryujin's expression immediately fell once she realized who she was referring to. "Busy," she muttered under her breath, averting her gaze from the the cherry haired. "Hanging out with someone else."

At her words, Isa's mimicked the other, her gaze emitting sympathy and a little of something unreadable. "Do you want to talk about it..?"

Sighing, Ryujin shook her head and eventually raised her heavy head to meet Isa's concerned gaze. Why do I keep seeing that look? "Thanks, but I'm alright. You should catch up with Sumin."

Isa took that as a hint to go and give her space, and she intended to do so. However, before she left the sulky Ryujin by herself, she had a question. "Hey, Ryujin... What do you think about coming to a PC cafe with me tomorrow?"

The purple-haired was taken aback from the offer, mainly because she originally didn't want to have any plans tomorrow. The only thing she wanted to do was lock herself in a room until her feelings faded away, but now she had a choice. Would she willingly face the harsh reality that she was experiencing by herself, alone? Or should she disconnect from the world that is Hwang Yeji and instead, allow herself to have fun with Isa?

"Chaeyoung~ We're getting ice cream, hurry up!" Sumin called out from afar, bringing Ryujin back to reality.

Isa smiled at her friend in response, then turned back to Ryujin with a wider grin. "You don't have to answer now. Just to let you know, I'll be there at 4." And without awaiting a verbal response, she left, catching up with her friends.

As she watched the girl leave, a sigh came out of her lips unknowingly. Why was she so troubled? It was a friendly hangout, platonic, yet it was so hard to grasp. Was it because Ryujin knew that nothing and nobody would be able to divert her focus from Yeji? Or was it because she could tell that Isa wanted to hang out with other intentions?

At that thought, Ryujin suddenly came to a realization. If she agreed to hang out with Isa, would she accidentally give the latter hope? She didn't have any plans on leading someone on, especially not someone as sweet as Isa. Ryujin shook out her thoughts and deemed that she was thinking too much. Yeji's leave had taken a toll on her mind, causing her to delve into unnecessary things.

While she was lost in her mind full of worries, she failed to notice the girl that had slowed down her pace to catch up with her. Though it didn't last long as she felt a burning pain on the back of her head.