Hot Chocolate || RYEJI

8

Ryujin isn't familiar with jealousy.

It's one thing to empathize with a character in a movie or a book, and another to experience it. She knew that it wasn't going to be a pleasant experience, but nobody told her that it'd be this agonizing to witness it at first-hand.

The image was just Yeji smiling up at a guy while he walked her to her first class. The thing is— Ryujin was initially on her way to greet the brunette angel like every other morning, but that was until someone shouted Yeji's name before the girl could even see her.

Since her accompanied walks each morning have become one with her daily routine, it felt quite weird for Ryujin to walk through the corridors by herself. Chaeryeong had supposedly arrived early and is now in the art room, probably with Yuna, so she had no other choice than to go alone.

The first lecture is difficult to sit through, the second is just as hard. However, when her lunch time finally approaches, Ryujin is surprised by a particular angelic cat-eyed girl outside of her classroom.

"I didn't see you this morning," Yeji chimes the moment they're within close proximity. "Did you come late?"

Ryujin finds it hard to maintain their eye contact today. "No, I was on time."

A question mark practically pops up over the brunette's head. "Really? I didn't see you."

"Sorry," Ryujin apologizes blandly, as if she was a petty child being reprimanded by her mother, "You got to class safely, though. Right?"

The way Yeji's lips curves into a small smile nearly makes her crumble on the spot. "I guess you can say that."

And so, due to that mesmerizing little smile, Ryujin hesitates when she says the next words, "Did someone else walk you?"

"Uh, yeah! I was actually waiting for you but one of my classmates came and said that there were a bunch of students surrounding some exhibition in the main hall, so I went to check it out with them." Yeji's explanation is light, almost as if she sensed any underlying tension.

"I see." Ryujin keeps quiet when they cross the quad because this is where they are frequently interrupted by some of Yeji's classmates. Being friends with an angel isn't for the weak and sometimes, she's not sure if she's strong enough to handle it all. But once they exit the building, Ryujin finds her voice again. "Who was it?"

Yeji's cat eyes meets Ryujin's chocolate ones. The latter feels an immediate pull. It's immense. It's heavy. It's almost too much for her to handle, so she looks away before she bumps into a light post. Perhaps it was a wise choice, given the less-than-inviting response she anticipates.

"Just a friend."