Home; I Found With You // Ryeji FF

don't lose your fucking head.

note: don't mind the chapter title, i'm just losing my mind heh

Yeji felt like she was losing her mind.

It had been two weeks since Ryujin woke up, gradually getting better with each passing day. She was relieved to see the girl back in her old self, cracking jokes, bantering with Yuna and Lia, and taking on easier tasks that Seulgi had assigned her.

The lieutenant would suggest simple chores for Ryujin—washing dishes, short patrols around the cabin, and occasionally cleaning their cars in detail. But Ryujin was insistent on pulling her own weight. She moved boxes from the attic downstairs for them to search through, cleaned firearms they found during their scavenging in an abandoned police station nearby and even helped Seulgi with car mechanics.

Things seemed to be going well, except for one. Well, maybe not just one, but a multitude of things that were driving Yeji to the brink.

The younger woman seemed to be emotionally avoiding her, and Yeji had no idea why.

One moment, Ryujin would joke around with her, words filled with warmth and lightheartedness that Yeji believed was genuinely heartfelt. But the next, she'd receive cold, short answers that left her feeling adrift, and unsure of where she stood on this road with no direction ahead.

It felt like juggling two sides of Ryujin, never sure whether she'd end up with laughter or hurt.

Walking into the living room, she found Ryujin at the dining table with her headphones on, sharpening an axe with a grinding stone they found in the attic. Yeji stood there, uncertain which side of the girl she would encounter today. Despite her apprehension, she knew she wanted to talk to her.

With a sigh escaped, she made her way over and took a seat on the edge of the table.

"Wanna try one more?"

Embracing whatever she was gonna receive in return, Yeji asked, sliding her machete across the surface.

Ryujin jumped slightly at the sudden appearance of the woman. With the music still going on, she pulled off her headphones and hung them around her neck.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Can you show me how to use that?" Yeji nodded toward the sharpening stone, her nerves betraying her with sweaty palms.

A small smile tugged at the younger's lips. "Sure," she replied, reaching out for the blade.

The cat-eyed woman observed as Ryujin meticulously wiped down the blade before tending it to the sharpening stone.

"How are you feeling today?" she inquired, hoping for something more than just a simple answer.

"It doesn't hurt that much compared to yesterday," Ryujin replied, shrugging her left arm with a matter-of-fact tone while she began to run the blade against the stone.

Well, at least she is willing to talk to me today.

"How's your shoulder?"

"Not that bad at all," Yeji replied, near mumbling.

She could feel the awkwardness settling between them like a heavy fog. So she tried to think of anything else to say, anything to break the ice.

"Um... how about the weather?" she blurted out, regretting the mundane choice of topic immediately.

At that question, Ryujin glanced up from the machete she was sharpening, a curious look hovering in her eyes. "... the weather?"

"Yeah, you know. It's been cold lately... and like, Seulgi thinks it's gonna snow soon," Yeji muttered, mentally kicking herself in the back for the lame attempt to communicate.