The Pursuit of Shin Ryujin || Ryeji ff

- 6

The day after Yeji and Ryujin's conversation, Seulgi informs her family that they would be spending dinner with the Shin's. This doesn't register with Yeji for a while but when it did, she laughed out loud. When she finally regained her composure, she finds her entire family (Hongsam included) staring at her.

She realises, with great alarm, that this wasn't a joke. The Hwang's would have to spend dinner with the Shins's for at least two hours (probably more, considering how these dinners usually go).

Of course her first instinct was to ditch the dinner and watch Netflix all day. She was all ready to phone in her absence until she got a call from Ryujin.

"If you so much as think about not going to this dinner," Ryujin threatened and Yeji could just imagine the violent hand gestures she was making, "I swear to God, I will break into your house, drag you into mine and tie you to a chair for the rest of the night. Got it?"

All Yeji could do was hum, "Mhm."

So Yeji, now thoroughly terrified, had to ditch Plan A and face Plan B: spending an entire dinner with the Shin's and Haechan.

She wanted to barf just at the thought of his name. There was something about this guy that felt off to Yeji. Maybe she was just biased and he was actually a really good guy. Or maybe he was a little shit waiting to get his ass kicked.

Yeji held herself for a moment, remembering her promise. If she was going to try and rekindle her relationship with Ryujin, she had to be mature about her place in Ryujin's life. It would help no one if Yeji antagonised Haechan, so the least she could do was act civil. She could handle one night of civility if it meant respecting Ryujin.

When the family had finally dressed up, Seulgi pulled Yeji aside and said, "I don't want any shit from you tonight, alright? Sunmi is so excited to see you again after all these years so don't ruin it for her."

Yeji gave her a blank look, visibly unimpressed with her mother.

"You must have a very low opinion of me, Mum, if you think I'd ruin this dinner over petty jealousy." Yeji said, feeling her temperature rising, "Don't worry: I know my place. The dinner will be over before you know it."

Seulgi gives her an odd look but doesn't say anything else on the matter. Yeji, being used to her mother's accusations, simply walked off. They hadn't even made it to the dinner yet, and Yeji was ready to fight someone.

The drive was mostly done in silence: Seulgi and Minho talked quietly between them; Wonyoung and Hyunjin were listening to their headphones and staring out of the windows; Yeji was trying to beat her high-score on Flappy Bird, which was currently a pathetic fourteen.

When they did arrive, Yeji was the one to knock on the door. She held a box of chocolates in one hand and her purse in the other.

The door opened suddenly to reveal a small child. The child was as tall as Yeji's hipbone, and wore a white dress and flats. Her brown eyes were doe-like and she had an adorable face.

When Yeji recognised her, she shouted, "Yuna?"

The child, Yuna, gasped and shouted back, "Yeddeong?"

The two screamed in excitement and Yeji quickly bent down and hugged her. Pulling away, Yeji looked at her and said, "You've grown so big, Yuna. What are you, like, 10?"

Yuna nodded with a toothy grin, happy that Yeji remembered, "I've missed you, Yeddeong. Ryu told me you've become a musician now so that's why you don't visit anymore."

Yeji smiled sadly as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind Yuna's ear, saying, "I know, kiddo. But I'm here now."

Yuna shrugged before her eyes lit up with joy and she said, "Let me show you my room!"