itzy oneshots

ryuryeong : only in the night...

published january 1, 2025. 2980 words
au
ryujin pov.

Groaning from numbness, I wake in the middle of the night. The unbearable pain had knocked me out early, but now I'm forced to face a congested throat, a pounding headache, and my girlfriend missing from bed.

"Chaeryeong?" I call out, my voice croaky and weak, sounding as stuffed as I feel. "You alright?" I ask while I heave myself upright.

The bathroom was dark, as was the rest of the room, but a faint light seeped from under the door, suggesting something was on. Maybe she was up for a midnight snack.

"Baby." I stand up and open the door, finding the kitchen light shining brightly. There she was, my girlfriend, dressed to perfection in a dress, standing quietly in the glow.

She had a purse slung over her shoulder, heels on, phone in hand, and a strong, intoxicating perfume that filled the room.

She must have not heard me.

"Chaeryeong?" I mumble and approach her slowly. "Chaeryeong, what are you— Why are you all dressed up?"

She turns around, reacting lightning-fast off one of my footsteps. "Oh, Ryujin," she peeps. "What—what are you doing awake? You should head to bed. You're sick." She steps closer and directs me back to our bedroom, ignoring my questions.

"No, I'm asking you something, Chae." I remove her hand and face her. "Why are you in a dress, why do you have makeup? Where are you going?"

"Um, I'm not going anywhere. I just wanted to dress up."

I raise a brow and hold her hands, locking onto the conspicuous glint in her eye. "In the middle of the night?" I instantly glance at her phone, her ringtone loud and proud. "What's that?"

"Nothing, Ryu. You're worrying too much. Come, come to bed, baby." She lightly nudges us into the room, but I resist.

"I'm not so sick I'm dumb. You're going out to see someone? Hmm?" I notice the act on her face disappears. "You just can't be honest with me, babe? Cheating on me?" My voice cracks as I speak, persistent stabs lodging into my neck.

"Ryujin..." She holds my face gently, drawing me closer, her eyes gawking my chapped lips from breathing through my mouth.

"No, no. Whoever it is, go. I don't— I can't. I'm not feeling well, and I can't handle it." I drop my chin and resist her affectionate touch, absorbing it like it's venom. "I'm not dumb," I repeat.

"Ryujin, I'm sorry. I just— I don't know. There's nothing going on. I don't even know what I'm..."

"You don't know what you're doing? I don't know either. You want to convince me that this means nothing, but you're going somewhere?"

"I'm sorry, and I promise you I love you, Ryujin. I love you so much. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It's not even what you think."

"Then how was it supposed to be? I'm—"

She presses her lips onto mine despite my fever, taking me into a hug and trapping me against the wall.

"Stop that," I muster in between our lips, trying my hardest not to reciprocate. "You'll get my symptoms..."

"I know. I..."

"Tell me what's going on. Do you not love me anymore?"

"I do love you."

"Have I not been the best for you?"

"You've been great to me, baby."

"Then why?"