Hot Chocolate || RYEJI

16

"You're meeting the parents already?!"

Ryujin heaves a sigh as she tucks her phone between her shoulder and her ear. "It's not like that, Ryeong. I'm going as her friend. Besides, I have no plans this summer anyway."

"She has Yuna though. Actually, can you tell her that Yuna's been whining to me about how her 'eonni' is betraying her? Next time, extend the invite to us too! Remember when we used to go on week long road trips?"

"Yes, I remember. I'll tell Yeji about it, don't worry. Maybe not this time, though." Ryujin winces after accidentally jamming her finger when closing a drawer. She uses her other fingers to zip up her filled suitcase. "I've got an angel to meet and a flight to catch. Text you when I get back."

"Keep your hands to yourself!"

"And you keep the door open."

Ryujin hears a single snort before the line disconnects. It's evident that her best friend and Yuna's got something going on, she's not dense when it comes to her friends. Maybe when it comes to her own situations, but never Chaeryeong; the latter is easy to figure out. She just hopes that it works out for her.

Approximately two hours later, Yeji and Ryujin are boarding the plane. Both of them have had a fairly tiring morning. With the early booked flight and their last-minute packing that they both unfortunately performed, it's clear that they would knock out the second the plane calms in the air.

The flight didn't take as long as it seemed. Ryujin opens her eyes to the obnoxious shuffling of the others around her and when she glances to her side, she already sees Yeji stuffing her laptop in her hefty bag.

"Oh, hey. We landed," the brunette says after sensing Ryujin's gaze. She rises to her feet and retrieves their bags from the overhead cabinets, handing Ryujin's to her. "Are you mentally prepared? My parents decided to be over-the-top and sent a driver here to pick us up."

Ryujin rubs her eyes and chuckles, tidying herself up before standing up, swinging her bag strap over her shoulder. "I'm not sure but the sleep sure prepared me. Do your parents do this every year?"

Yeji lifts a brow. "Send a driver?" When she gains a confirming nod in return, she shakes her head. "No, they always lecture me about how being an adult means being able to book a taxi beforehand. What's different this time is that I'm bringing someone special home."

As Ryujin bumps into Yeji while they proceed to leave the plane, a playful grin appears across her face. "I'm special?"

The taller nudges her back, laughing. "You wish! Just someone they haven't met yet."

They make their way through the airport, greeted by the balmy air of a new city. Ryujin feels a mix of excitement and nerves settling in. She's not quite sure what to expect when it comes to Yeji's family. From what she's heard over the past couple of days, they're a heavy load. Even though the feline-eyed doesn't have any siblings, she has an immense amount of family friends and provoking cousins, which leads to Ryujin praying that she doesn't get on any of their bad sides. According to the brunette, her cousins are far more intimidating than her parents.

"Dang it, she wasn't lying," Yeji murmurs when they exit the airport. She finds a placard with her name and waves at the driver, subtly poking Ryujin for her attention.

Snapping to reality, Ryujin lifts her gaze and spots a middle-aged man in a sharp suit, who nods at the brunette's greeting and leads them to a sleek car parked nearby.

"Wow," Ryujin whispers. "You didn't tell me your parents were loaded."

"Not really. They have a flair for the dramatics," Yeji chuckles, soon giving a reassuring smile to the shorter before their suitcases are taken out of their grasps.