Home; I Found With You // Ryeji FF

how do you live with it?

The bedroom was filled with soft snores as Yeji quietly grabbed a chair from the other side of the room. She dragged it gently across the white tile floors to keep a watchful eye over the younger woman. Small bandages adorned most of Ryujin's forehead, barely covering the wounds. The lieutenant had mentioned that she was fortunate to have only sustained a concussion rather than severe head trauma.

Yeji gazed down at her fingertips, blood dried between her nails. She clenched her hands tightly as her breathing hitched. This marked the first time she had grappled with a life-or-death experience. Although she had been involved in many before, this one was at the hands of a person rather than a rotting corpse.

Counting her blessings, Yeji acknowledged that Chaeryeong and Ryujin were there to bear the brunt of the captors' violence. However, a haunting thought lingered: What if she hadn't made that split-second decision to take another person's life? The fear of losing Ryujin again weighed heavily on her mind.

She glanced back at Ryujin, who was resting beside her. That beautiful, pure face had endured so much. Yeji reached over, gently tugging the stray hair that obscured Ryujin's soft features. The sleeping woman pouted slightly, adjusting herself in bed. Yeji chuckled to herself at the endearing sight.

A small bead of sweat dripped down the side of Ryujin's cheek, catching Yeji's attention. As if it were an instinct, her hand gently cupped the side of Ryujin's face, wiping away the drop of sweat with her thumb.
"Feeling hungry?"

The cat-eyed woman was startled, returning to her seat with a blush creeping up her cheeks.

"No, I'm fine," Yeji responded softly, being cautious not to disturb Ryujin's sleep. However, her protesting stomach contradicted her words.

"Your stomach seems to disagree," Chaeryeong whispered teasingly, leaning on the doorframe and stealing a glance at the sleeping woman. "She won't wake up anytime soon. I think you can spare a moment to grab some food."

As Chaeryeong exited the room, Yeji looked back at Ryujin, her lips forming a line. "Don't wake up before I get back, Ryu..."

With heavy feet, she walked out of the bedroom and downstairs to the kitchen. Chaeryeong was already seated beside Yuna, firmly insisting to the younger that the bruises on her knuckles were not causing any pain. Seulgi stood behind them, stirring the pot of beef stew and potatoes. Sensing a presence behind her, the lieutenant looked over her shoulder with a soft smile.

"Yeji, take a seat at the table. Dinner's almost done," she said in a light tone before scooping portions into bowls.

Yeji smiled back as she sat down opposite the other two, observing their playful bickering. Yuna, however, cast a judgmental glance at her, sizing her up from top to bottom. The cat-eyed woman couldn't quite fathom why the young soldier consistently assessed her or behaved coldly towards her.

Then again, she remembered acting similarly toward Ryujin when she first arrived at the homestead. Finding humor in the realization, she acknowledged that she was now experiencing her own previously dished-out treatment.

Breaking the tense silence, Chaeryeong spoke up. "How are you feeling, Yeji? Are you holding up okay?" Her tone was warm and concerned.

"Yeah, I'm just relieved that we're safe now," Yeji responded, nodding subtly with each word.

"You're fortunate that we found both of you in time," Yuna muttered, still maintaining a stern gaze.

"And you're welcome to stay with us for as long as you need," Seulgi interjected, placing the bowls on the table in front of each person. "The girls briefed me on what happened. It must've been a terrifying experience for both of you."