Love Next Door

21

The return

The morning mist had long since faded, but the air remained cool and damp as the rain subsided, leaving behind wet streets glistening under the soft, cloudy light. Yeji stood awkwardly in the middle of the path, her bag hanging limply in her hand, her heart pounding a little too fast. She stared at Daniel, who stood smiling as if nothing was out of the ordinary, while Ryujin, soaked through and still holding her bag like a weapon, looked somewhere between annoyed and confused.

"Daniel," Yeji finally said, her voice tight, "What are you doing here ?"

Daniel's smile widened as if he had been waiting for that question. He took a step closer, ignoring the tension in the air. "I'm here for you, Yeji. I came back to win you over."

The words landed heavily between them. Yeji felt her stomach twist uncomfortably, and her eyes flickered briefly to Ryujin, whose expression had darkened instantly at Daniel's declaration.

For a second, Ryujin just stood there, drenched in rain, eyes hardening as she clenched her jaw. The awkwardness radiating from Daniel only made the situation worse. She wasn't sure what bothered her more—the audacity of Daniel, or the uncomfortable tension suddenly sitting between her and Yeji.

"Win her over ?" Ryujin echoed dryly, her tone flat with barely concealed sarcasm. "That's a bold move."

Yeji gave Ryujin a look that was half-pleading, half-annoyed. She was already overwhelmed and Ryujin's sarcastic jabs, as much as they usually amused her, weren't helping right now. "Can you not ?" she muttered under her breath before turning back to Daniel.

Before anyone could say anything more, Yeji's parents, having heard the commotion, appeared at the door of their restaurant. Both of them looked taken aback to see Daniel standing there, as if the past had come back to knock on their door without warning.

"Daniel ?!" Yeji's mother said, clearly shocked. She exchanged glances with Yeji's father, both of them unsure of what to make of the sudden return.

Daniel greeted them warmly, bowing slightly, looking every bit as composed and earnest as ever. "I thought I'd come by, say hello... and maybe see if I could win Yeji's heart again."

Yeji's mom blinked, her surprise turning into quiet concern, while her father frowned slightly, clearly not sure how to react. Ryujin, standing a little off to the side, crossed her arms and clenched her teeth. Her fingers drummed impatiently against her soaked hoodie.

The atmosphere grew more suffocating by the second, and Ryujin couldn't help but feel like she was in some kind of bad drama. The idea of Daniel coming back, acting like the hero who was going to "win Yeji over," stirred something bitter and uneasy inside her, though she would never admit it. She quickly glanced at Yeji, trying to gauge her reaction, but Yeji's face was carefully unreadable.

"I... uh, I don't think that's necessary," Yeji finally said, her voice quieter than before. She rubbed the back of her neck, clearly uncomfortable with the entire situation.

"Don't be like that, Yeji," Daniel said with an easy grin. "I've been thinking about you a lot, and I just wanted to give things another shot."

Ryujin nearly rolled her eyes at how tone-deaf Daniel seemed. Who says stuff like that with zero awareness ?

Yeji's parents remained silent, but their confusion was palpable. Meanwhile, Ryujin, frustrated by the whole exchange, shifted uncomfortably. She hated being in situations like this, especially ones where she wasn't sure what to say or do. She hated the tight knot forming in her chest, hated how Daniel's presence immediately threw everything off balance.