Unwanted Roommate | An Ryeji Romance

Aeri's Departure

Ryujin woke up the next morning with a strange mix of anticipation and unease swirling in her chest. The talent show was just two days away, and despite all their late-night practices and preparations, something didn't feel quite right.

The thought nagged at her as she got ready for school, casting a shadow over the excitement that had been building since their last rehearsal. Her conversation with Yeji the previous night played on repeat in her mind—the warmth of Yeji's hand in hers, the unspoken promise in her eyes. It had felt like the beginning of something new, something beautiful.

But today, that hope seemed fragile, like it could be shattered by the slightest touch.

By the time she arrived at school, the uneasy feeling had only intensified. She made her way to the usual meeting spot near the courtyard, where Lia, Chaeryeong, and Yuna were already waiting. But something was missing. Someone was missing.

"Hey, where's Aeri?" Ryujin asked, glancing around.

The girls exchanged worried glances, and a knot of dread tightened in Ryujin's stomach.

"She texted us this morning," Lia said quietly, her brow furrowed in concern. "She's not coming today."

"What? Why not?" Ryujin demanded, her voice sharper than she intended. "Is she sick or something?"

"She... She didn't say," Yuna murmured, shifting uncomfortably. "But I don't think it's that."

Before Ryujin could press further, Chaeryeong pulled out her phone and tapped on the screen, scrolling through her messages. "I think you should read this, Ryujin."

Ryujin took the phone, her eyes scanning the message Aeri had sent to their group chat that morning:

Hey, everyone. I'm really sorry, but I can't do the talent show. My parents found out about my grades, and they're making me quit the group. I know this is super last minute, and I feel horrible, but I don't have a choice. I hope you guys understand.

Ryujin's heart sank, and a wave of frustration washed over her. She clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white.

"Damn it," she muttered under her breath. "Why now? Why couldn't she have told us sooner?"

"It's not her fault," Chaeryeong said gently, placing a hand on Ryujin's arm. "You know how strict her parents are. They've always been pushing her to focus on her studies."

"I know, I just—" Ryujin broke off, shaking her head. "This is such bad timing. We've been working so hard for this, and now we're down a member? What are we supposed to do?"

The girls fell silent, their expressions mirroring Ryujin's own frustration and disappointment. They'd put their hearts into this performance, pouring every ounce of energy and creativity into perfecting their routine. Losing Aeri felt like losing a crucial part of themselves.

"We can't give up," Yuna said firmly, breaking the silence. "We've come too far to back out now. There's got to be a way we can still do this."

"But without Aeri..." Lia bit her lip, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. "We'd have to redo the whole choreography. And rearrange the harmonies. And what about—"

"I'll do it," a quiet voice interrupted.

Everyone turned to see Yeji standing a few feet away, her expression a mixture of determination and apprehension.

"I can take Aeri's place," Yeji continued, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. "I know it's last minute, but I've been at all the rehearsals. I know the choreography and the lyrics. I can do it."

Ryujin's breath caught in her throat. Yeji's offer hung in the air like a lifeline, but it also brought with it a surge of conflicting emotions. Could they really just replace Aeri like this? And with Yeji, no less?

"Yeji, that's really generous of you," Chaeryeong said gently, her gaze flicking to Ryujin as if seeking guidance. "But it's a lot to ask. We don't want to put that kind of pressure on you."

"It's not pressure," Yeji insisted, stepping closer. "I want to help. I want to be part of this with you. Please... let me do this."

Ryujin looked at her friends, seeing the uncertainty mirrored in their eyes. She knew what they were all thinking: Could they trust Yeji to pull this off? Could she step into Aeri's shoes and make their performance shine the way they'd all dreamed?

But then Ryujin thought about everything Yeji had done over the past week—how hard she'd worked, how much she'd given of herself to make their performance the best it could be. And she remembered the quiet resolve in Yeji's voice when she'd said she wanted to be part of this. Part of them.

"Let's vote on it," Ryujin said suddenly, her voice cutting through the silence.

The girls looked at her in surprise, but Ryujin held up a hand to forestall any protests. "We'll put it to a vote. If we all agree, then Yeji can join us. If even one of us says no, we'll figure something else out."

Yeji's gaze locked onto Ryujin's, something fierce and unyielding burning in her eyes. Ryujin swallowed, feeling the weight of that gaze settle over her like a warm blanket.

"All in favor of letting Yeji join the group?" Ryujin asked quietly.

One by one, the girls raised their hands. Yuna, Chaeryeong, Lia. And finally, after a long, tense pause, Ryujin.

"Okay," Ryujin said, lowering her hand slowly. "It's settled. Yeji, you're in."

A collective sigh of relief filled the air, and Yeji's face broke into a radiant smile. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "I won't let you down. I promise."

"We know you won't," Lia said warmly, stepping forward to give Yeji a quick hug. "Welcome to the group... officially."

"Yeah, welcome," Yuna added, her smile wide and genuine. "Now, let's get to work. We've got a lot to do if we want to make this happen."

The atmosphere shifted instantly, the girls snapping into action as they began discussing how to rearrange the choreography, who would take over Aeri's harmonies, and how they could adapt to this sudden change. Ideas flew back and forth, the energy in the room electric with possibility and determination.

Ryujin watched it all unfold, a strange mixture of pride and apprehension swirling in her chest. Part of her still worried about what this change would mean for their performance—for everything they'd worked so hard to build.

But as she glanced at Yeji, who was already poring over the new sheet music with Lia and Chaeryeong, that worry began to fade, replaced by something softer, something she hadn't allowed herself to feel in a long time.

Hope.

Maybe, just maybe, this could work. Maybe Yeji could step in and be the missing piece they needed. Maybe they could still pull off the performance of a lifetime.

And maybe, if they were lucky, this could be the start of something even bigger than the talent show.

"Hey, Yeji," Ryujin called out, stepping closer.

Yeji looked up, her eyes bright with excitement. "Yeah?"

"Let's kill it out there," Ryujin said, her lips curving into a smile that felt more real, more genuine, than any smile she'd given in weeks. "Let's show everyone what we're made of."

Yeji's smile widened, and she nodded, a fierce determination lighting up her face. "We will. Together."

Ryujin nodded, a surge of adrenaline and excitement flooding her veins.

"Together," she echoed.

The talent show was just two days away, and everything had changed. But for the first time, Ryujin wasn't afraid.

She was ready. Ready to face whatever came next, as long as Yeji was by her side.