Yes, Boss | A Ryeji Rivals Romance

The Kiss

The tension had built to an unbearable peak.

It had been days since the boardroom showdown, and the energy between Yeji and Ryujin was growing more intense with every passing hour. Neither of them had spoken directly about their increasingly personal rivalry, but it bled into everything they did. A lingering look across a crowded room. A sharp, competitive comment exchanged in meetings. Even the most mundane moments were charged with something dangerous—something neither of them could seem to control.

Yeji hated how much space Ryujin occupied in her thoughts. It was distracting, consuming, and every time she tried to focus on work, the memory of Ryujin's lips, her touch, the heat that flared between them, crept back into her mind. She wasn't supposed to feel this way, wasn't supposed to lose control like this. Especially not over someone like Ryujin—her rival, her competition.

And yet, every time she saw her, every time they crossed paths, the pull was undeniable.

Tonight, however, was different. They were both at a company function—another event where the top executives mingled, exchanged pleasantries, and discussed future projects over expensive cocktails. But instead of immersing herself in the polite chatter of the room, Yeji found herself standing on the edge of the rooftop terrace, looking out at the city below.

The night air was cool, the lights of Seoul twinkling like stars, and for a moment, Yeji allowed herself to breathe, to push away the constant pressure that came with her career. She needed this moment of calm, a brief reprieve from the chaos that had been swirling around her.

But even as she stood there, trying to center herself, she could feel it again—that subtle shift in the air, the familiar presence that had become both a source of frustration and desire.

Ryujin.

Yeji didn't need to turn around to know she was there. She could feel it, the way her heart picked up speed, the way her skin tingled with awareness. She hated that Ryujin had this effect on her, hated that she couldn't seem to shake it no matter how hard she tried.

"Beautiful night, isn't it?" Ryujin's voice was low, smooth, and too close for comfort.

Yeji's grip tightened on the railing, but she didn't turn around. "What do you want, Ryujin?"

Ryujin stepped closer, her footsteps soft against the rooftop tiles. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

Yeji exhaled sharply, her annoyance flaring. "I'm not in the mood for games."

"I don't think this is a game anymore," Ryujin said quietly, and the seriousness in her tone caught Yeji off guard.

Yeji turned then, meeting Ryujin's gaze. Her expression was unreadable, but there was something different in her eyes tonight. Less teasing, less playful. More intense. More real.

For a moment, they stood in silence, the city stretching out below them, the sounds of the party muffled behind them. Ryujin's eyes never left Yeji's, and that same electric tension hummed between them, the air thick with unspoken desire.

"I don't know what you think this is," Yeji said, her voice softer now, almost uncertain. "But it's not going to happen."

Ryujin raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Are you sure about that?"

Yeji's pulse quickened, her heart pounding in her chest. She hated how easily Ryujin could get under her skin, how effortlessly she could make her feel so out of control. But more than that, she hated how much she wanted her.

Ryujin took another step closer, her body now mere inches from Yeji's, her gaze never wavering. "I think you want this just as much as I do."

Yeji's breath caught, and she could feel her resolve crumbling. "I can't."

Ryujin's voice dropped lower, her words a quiet murmur that sent a shiver down Yeji's spine. "Then stop me."

Before Yeji could respond, Ryujin reached out, her hand slipping around Yeji's waist, pulling her closer. The contact sent a jolt of heat through Yeji's body, and she instinctively leaned into it, her heart racing.

For a moment, Yeji froze, her mind screaming at her to stop, to pull away, to remind herself why this was wrong. But as Ryujin's other hand slid to the back of her neck, her fingers gently brushing against her skin, every thought, every logical reason for resisting, evaporated.

And then, Ryujin kissed her.

The kiss was soft at first, tentative, as if Ryujin was waiting for Yeji to push her away. But when Yeji didn't, when she found herself leaning into the kiss instead, Ryujin deepened it, her lips pressing more firmly against Yeji's, her hands tightening around her waist.

Yeji's mind went blank. The only thing she could focus on was the way Ryujin's lips felt against hers, the heat of her body, the way everything else seemed to disappear in that moment. There was no company, no competition, no boardroom battles. Just Ryujin. Just this.

She kissed Ryujin back, her hands gripping the front of her blazer as if to anchor herself to something real, something solid. The kiss grew more intense, more desperate, all the pent-up frustration and desire they had been denying for weeks pouring into the moment.

Ryujin's hand slipped up Yeji's back, pulling her closer, and Yeji couldn't help the soft gasp that escaped her lips. It was overwhelming—the heat, the intensity, the way Ryujin's touch seemed to ignite every nerve in her body.

But then, just as quickly as it had begun, Yeji's mind snapped back to reality.

She pulled away, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her heart pounding. "I... we... this can't happen."

Ryujin's chest was rising and falling just as quickly, her eyes still dark with desire, but she didn't push. She stepped back, giving Yeji space. "Why not?"

Yeji shook her head, her voice shaky. "Because this isn't... I can't let this get in the way."

Ryujin's gaze softened, her voice quieter now. "Yeji, I know this is complicated. But you can't keep pretending you don't want this."

Yeji swallowed hard, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. She did want this. She wanted Ryujin. But the risks... the consequences... it was too much.

"I don't know what I want anymore," Yeji admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ryujin stepped closer again, but this time there was no teasing smile, no playful glint in her eyes. She looked at Yeji with a seriousness that made her heart ache. "I do. And I think you do too."

Yeji met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. For the first time in a long time, Yeji didn't have all the answers. She didn't know how to navigate this, how to balance her desire for Ryujin with her ambition, her need for control.

But as she stood there, with Ryujin looking at her with such raw intensity, Yeji realized that maybe, just maybe, she didn't have to figure it all out right now.

Maybe, for once, she could let herself feel.

"I can't promise anything," Yeji whispered, her voice trembling.

Ryujin smiled softly, her hand reaching out to gently brush a strand of hair away from Yeji's face. "I'm not asking for promises. Just honesty."

Yeji exhaled shakily, her heart still pounding, but she nodded. "Okay."

Ryujin's smile widened just slightly, and for a moment, they stood in silence, the city lights twinkling around them, the world below feeling so far away.

And in that moment, Yeji let herself believe that maybe, just maybe, this wasn't the end.

It was only the beginning.