Home; I Found With You // Ryeji FF

cold war.

"Slept well last night?" Chaeryeong asked, stirring the pasta in her soup.

The scene at the dining table reflected the diverse sleep experiences of each member. Yuna and Chaeryeong, having gone to bed early, enjoyed restful, quality sleep. Lia, on the other hand, had developed a habit of wandering into Seulgi's room in the middle of the night, claiming her room was too cold. Seulgi quickly learned that Lia often suffered from sleep paralysis, and had become adept at helping her through those episodes.

"Amazing," Ryujin answered simply, casting a subtle glance at Yeji, who was softly smiling, her cheeks tinged with a rosy blush.

"You guys came home late, didn't you?" Yuna asked, giving the couple a sidelong glance.

"Yeah, Ryujin decided to take the scenic route home," Yeji mumbled, her voice trailing off. "It was... nice..."

Chaeryeong smiled softly. "Lieut mentioned that you two stayed up late, too..."

"We just warmed up by the fireplace..." Ryujin began, her voice shaking with nervousness. She focused intently on the soup in front of her, avoiding the curious gazes directed at her.

Lia shot Seulgi a knowing smirk before turning her gaze to the cat-eyed woman. "You guys know the walls are thin, right?"

Ryujin immediately choked on her soup, coughing loudly and spluttering. Her face turned a deep shade of red, both from the coughing fit and the embarrassment.

Yeji wasn't far behind, her cheeks flushed as she tried to hide her mortification behind her hands. Her ears, bright red, betrayed her efforts. Her reaction only added fuel to the laughter that erupted around the table.

Through her hiccups of laughter, Lia turned to the couple, "I warned you guys already that we can hear everything around here!"

Unable to contain her embarrassment, Yeji buried her face into Ryujin's shoulder, seeking refuge.

As the laughter finally subsided, Seulgi stepped in to save the couple from further teasing. "There was heavy snowfall earlier this morning, so we need to clear the driveway and check for any damage to the house—especially the roof," she said, shifting the focus to something more practical.

Thankful for the change in topic, Ryujin nodded as she patted Yeji's head that was still nudged in her shoulder.

"Do we have shovels?"

Chaeryeong hummed as she finished her soup. "There are a couple in the shed."

Lia smirked at the lieutenant. "Of course Seulgi has some. Before the apocalypse, she was a serial killer—"

"You're not sleeping in my room anymore."

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Chaeryeong, Yuna, and Seulgi opted to climb up to the roof to clear some of the powdered snow—just in case it would cause the roof to cave in—while Lia, Ryujin, and Yeji stayed on the ground to shovel out the driveway.

It was midday, and the warm glow of the sun made the snow shimmer beneath their feet. Over the span of being together, Yeji had noticed that Ryujin was sensitive to light, always squinting whenever it got too bright.

"Ryujin," Yeji called out from across the front yard.

The younger woman immediately perked up, looking back at her with hooded eyes.

Though nature's brightness seemed to incapacitate her, Yeji couldn't help but find Ryujin adorable. She made her way over, hoping to make it easier for Ryujin to see her.