Manual Of The Forbidden - Ryeji

Chapter 9

She hadn't kept track of the days on a calendar, but it had been more than two weeks since I had arrived in England, and with that, the friendship was growing along several paths. Chaeryeong had become a very understanding and kind person to me; even when I invited her out, she showed excitement and willingness. Now we met for coffee whenever we wanted, or if not, we simply talked in the hallway before entering our respective apartments. I had also discovered that she had a poet's spirit.

With Yuna, it was different; there was a lot of trust because I was the only person who had discovered her secret, and now, sharing things with each other was part of casual conversation between us. She was very attentive and always asked me about Lia. When we went out for a walk, we never ran out of things to talk about, and at the end of the day, we ended up sharing little secrets.

Winter was another person with whom I had formed a beautiful friendship in less than a week; her simplicity and friendliness had been fundamental to this. She was very lively, and no matter what she told me, she always brought a smile to my face. Besides, I had made it a habit to go to her family's business to develop my photographs. She was only eighteen years old, but her mind was so mature that she seemed even older than me.

Ryujin, that was a very different case from all the others. She had become a great friend; the time we spent together was much greater than with anyone else because every night at seven, she rang the doorbell, and we spent an hour laughing, talking, and sometimes playing with the deck of cards that Lia had kept from her father. Yes, the friendship between her and me was growing more and more; but along with that, a strange excitement grew too when I saw her, a strange warm sensation in my stomach, and a palpable enthusiasm when I heard the doorbell ring every night.

But only until Lia finally arrived, because afterward, all I could feel was the displeasure and discomfort that flooded the little beast inside me, pacing discontentedly back and forth until it forced me to leave the same place where my two friends were.

I glanced at the black cat-shaped clock that Lia had found and hung on the wall near the kitchen; it was only half past four in the afternoon, and I had already finished my chores for the day, so I decided to pay Winter a visit to print the latest photographs I had managed to take on the last outing with Yuna. As I left the apartment, I met Chaeryeong's beautiful smile, welcoming me in the hallway outside her own apartment.

—Are you going somewhere?— she asked.

—Yes, to the Kim's photography lab.—

—Oh, do you want me to accompany you?— she offered.

—If you want, I would love that.—

So, we walked together to the lab. The weather was getting colder, and wherever you walked, you could hear Christmas carols playing due to the musical ornaments placed in the shops or in the different houses. It was always a delight to walk through these streets in such a beautiful time of year.

I glanced quickly at Chaeryeong, whose nose had reddened due to the cold, but still, she looked truly beautiful. Lia insisted that Chaeryeong was attracted to me, and I had to admit that, physically, Chaeryeong attracted me too; however, it was as if my eyes had been blinded by a meteor and could no longer see the stars in the sky.

Chaeryeong looked at me and offered a warm smile before turning her gaze ahead. Of course, Chaeryeong could shine like a thousand stars in the sky, but Ryujin was the complete meteor.

When we finally arrived, the place was as empty as the first time I had set foot there, and in the background, Winter's voice sounded irritated. Chaeryeong gave me a look of absolute confusion, but I returned a reassuring smile because it was just Winter being herself, fighting again with the printing machine.