Unwanted Roommate | An Ryeji Romance

A Truce of Sorts

The rest of the week was an exercise in strained politeness. Ryujin kept her interactions with Yeji to the bare minimum, responding with curt nods and one-word answers whenever possible. Yeji, for her part, tried to stay out of Ryujin's way, speaking only when spoken to and avoiding eye contact during their shared breakfast and evening study sessions.

Ryujin's friends, however, seemed oblivious to the tension. They invited Yeji to sit with them at lunch, pulled her into conversations about school gossip, and even included her in their inside jokes. Every time someone laughed at one of Yeji's jokes or complimented her on her singing, Ryujin felt her chest tighten with resentment she couldn't quite name.

It all came to a head on Saturday morning.

"Ryujin, can I talk to you for a second?" Her mother's voice cut through the silence of the kitchen.

Ryujin, who had been shoveling cereal into her mouth with single-minded determination, glanced up warily. Mrs. Shin's expression was calm, but there was a firmness in her gaze that made Ryujin's stomach twist.

"Uh, sure, Mom. What's up?"

"Let's go to the living room." Her mother's tone left no room for argument.

Suppressing a sigh, Ryujin pushed her bowl aside and followed her mother out of the kitchen. As they passed by the staircase, she caught a glimpse of Yeji sitting cross-legged on her bed upstairs, headphones in, her attention focused on a textbook. The sight sent another pang of irritation through Ryujin, but she shook it off and turned her attention back to her mother.

Mrs. Shin sat down on the couch, gesturing for Ryujin to sit beside her. When Ryujin hesitated, she narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Sit."

With a sigh, Ryujin dropped onto the couch, folding her arms over her chest. "Okay, what's this about?"

Her mother studied her for a long moment before speaking. "You've been acting like a brat, Ryujin."

The bluntness of the statement took Ryujin by surprise. She blinked, taken aback. "What? I—"

"Let me finish." Mrs. Shin's voice was stern but not unkind. "Ever since Yeji arrived, you've been sulking around the house, snapping at everyone, and making her feel unwelcome. This isn't like you."

"Mom, I—"

"I said, let me finish," Mrs. Shin repeated, her gaze unwavering. "I know it's not easy having someone new in your space. But Yeji is our guest. And more than that, she's practically family. I thought you'd be happy to have her here."

Ryujin clenched her jaw, looking away. "I didn't ask for her to stay."

"No, you didn't. But that's not the point." Mrs. Shin's expression softened slightly. "I understand that it's a big adjustment. But it's only for a couple of weeks. Can't you make an effort to get along?"

Ryujin's shoulders slumped. "I am getting along. I'm not being rude or anything."

"Not being actively rude isn't the same as being kind," her mother pointed out gently. "Yeji's doing her best to fit in. She's been nothing but polite and helpful, and you've been pushing her away."

"I just..." Ryujin trailed off, struggling to find the right words. How could she explain the complicated swirl of emotions that bubbled up every time she saw Yeji? How could she articulate the jealousy, the frustration, and—worst of all—the strange, unnameable longing that simmered beneath it all?

Mrs. Shin sighed, reaching over to rest a hand on Ryujin's knee. "I know it's hard. But please, try. For me. And for Yeji."

Ryujin glanced up, meeting her mother's gaze. There was a quiet plea in her eyes, and it made something twist painfully in Ryujin's chest. She didn't want to disappoint her mother—didn't want to be the source of conflict in their home. But it was hard. So hard.

"Okay," Ryujin muttered finally, dropping her gaze to the floor. "I'll try."

Her mother smiled softly, giving her knee a gentle squeeze. "That's all I'm asking."

With that, Mrs. Shin stood up, smoothing down her skirt. "I'm going to run some errands. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

Ryujin watched her leave, the door clicking shut behind her, and then let out a long, weary sigh. She leaned back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling.

"I'll try," she muttered to herself. "But I don't know how."

The sound of soft footsteps drew her attention, and she glanced up to see Yeji hovering in the doorway, her expression uncertain.

"Um... is everything okay?" Yeji asked tentatively. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I heard a little bit..."

Ryujin bit back the instinctive retort that sprang to her lips and took a deep breath. Try, she reminded herself. Just try.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Ryujin said, forcing her voice to be steady. "My mom just... wanted to talk."

Yeji nodded slowly, her eyes searching Ryujin's face as if looking for signs of anger. When she seemed satisfied that Ryujin wasn't about to explode, she took a cautious step closer.

"Do you... want to do something today?" Yeji asked softly. "We haven't really hung out since I got here."

The words sent a ripple of discomfort through Ryujin. Hang out? With Yeji? But then she thought about her mother's plea—about trying to make things better. And as much as she hated to admit it, maybe spending some time together wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

"Yeah, sure," Ryujin said, surprising herself with how easily the words came out. "We could, I don't know, go to that new café down the street? The one everyone's been talking about."

Yeji's eyes widened slightly. "You mean the one with the bubble tea and pastries?"

"Yeah, that one." Ryujin shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "It's whatever."

To her surprise, a genuine smile bloomed across Yeji's face, lighting up her features in a way that made something in Ryujin's chest tighten.

"Okay," Yeji said softly, her voice almost shy. "I'd like that."

They got ready in a comfortable silence, slipping on shoes and jackets before heading out the door. The walk to the café was quiet but not awkward; they didn't speak much, but the tension that usually crackled between them seemed to have eased, replaced by a tentative, fragile truce.

When they arrived at the café, it was bustling with people. The sweet scent of baked goods and the soft hum of conversation filled the air. They found a small table by the window and sat down, glancing at each other over the menu.

"Um, I'll get the taro bubble tea," Yeji said after a moment, her fingers tapping nervously against the table.

"I'll have the matcha one," Ryujin added, handing her menu to the server.

As they waited for their drinks, Ryujin found herself studying Yeji. The girl seemed... different, somehow. More relaxed. The usual tension around her eyes was gone, replaced by a softer expression that Ryujin had rarely seen before.

"Why are you being nice to me now?" Yeji asked suddenly, her voice barely audible over the café's noise.

Ryujin blinked, caught off guard by the question. She opened her mouth to respond but found herself at a loss for words. Why was she being nice? Because her mother had asked her to? Because she felt guilty for making Yeji feel like an outsider?

Or was it something else entirely?

"I..." Ryujin hesitated, then shrugged. "Maybe I just got tired of being angry all the time."

Yeji's lips curved into a small, almost wistful smile. "Yeah. Me too."

Their drinks arrived, and they sipped in silence for a while, letting the flavors and the atmosphere fill the gaps in their conversation. It wasn't perfect—it wasn't a sudden fix to all their problems—but it was a start.

A truce. A chance to build something new. Something better.

And as they sat there, side by side, in the cozy warmth of the café, Ryujin allowed herself to hope—just a little—that things might finally be looking up.