Manual Of The Forbidden - Ryeji

Chapter 8

—Beast, wake up!— Lia had the habit of waking me up with knocks on the door, so it was nice that she was going to work.

I mumbled into the pillow and then realized that the annoying knocks on the door wouldn't stop until Lia saw me with my eyes open. I rubbed my fists into my eyes and started to wake up, then let out a big yawn.

I stood up lazily and opened the door; Lia was in the kitchen looking for something in the fridge. She looked at me.

—Put on something nice, something red, Yuna likes red,— she said.

—You're crazy,— I muttered and turned around to get dressed.

—If you want Yuna to like you, listen to my advice,— she shouted from the kitchen.

—I don't want Yuna to like me, I don't even know her!— I complained as I walked out of my room again, incredibly amazed at Lia's effort to set me up.

—Just get dressed, will you? They'll be here any minute.—

—You're evil,— I glared at her.

—But that's why you love me,— she stuck out her tongue and I was forced to laugh.

—Silly,— I said, but yes, that's why I loved her.

Of course, I chose a blue blouse and dark jeans, just to contradict Lia. A few minutes later, the doorbell rang, and the beast, whose existence I had forgotten, jumped with excitement. I tried to ignore it because I knew exactly who that feeling was for.

I left my room only when the voices murmuring in the living room became audible, and although my eyes went directly to Ryujin, they quickly turned towards the face next to her. They were physically very different, Yuna was a little taller, just a little, and her hair, although the same color, was longer; she was slightly less pale than her sister and made her chocolate eyes stand out, which, unlike Ryujin's, had only hints of hazel tones.

When she smiled, her cheekbones rose noticeably.

—Hello,— I muttered.

—Yeji, this is Yuna,— Lia said, pushing me by the elbow towards her.

I extended my hand to greet her.

—Hello,— she shook my hand.

At that moment, I wondered if it was possible to feel mentally divided, as part of me was attentive to Yuna, but the other had a keen eye on Ryujin.

—Well, now that you've met, where are we going?— Lia asked, full of enthusiasm.

—Do you want to have breakfast at...?— Ryujin's voice rose among us, and somehow, watching her speak was even delightful, so much so that I stopped hearing the voices of others, and gradually even Ryujin's voice, but my eyes were fixed on her face and the way she would retract one corner of her lips when she spoke.

It was hypnotizing to watch her until suddenly her lips stopped moving, but her eyes looked at me. In fact, everyone else's eyes fell on me too. Slowly, the sounds returned to my ears, and like the flash of a light bulb when you flip the switch, my brain activated all its senses again, and I forced myself to react.

—Hwang!— Lia shook me.

—Eh?— I babbled, terribly confused.

—We asked if you agree to go to a little café bar, then we can have pizza in the afternoon,— she explained.

—Yes, that's fine.—

How long had they been talking? How long had I been looking at Ryujin? I had to stop whatever was growing inside me before, like today, it left me exposed.