Love You Goodbye (ryeji)

14

Yeji stepped into their condo, her eyes scanning the room.

It looked the same as always, but tonight felt different.

Something was gnawing at her—a suspicion that had been growing like a thorn in her chest.

Setting her bag down, Yeji moved toward the couch and grabbed Ryujin's coat from the armrest.

Her fingers trembled as she rummaged through the pockets, searching for... something.

Anything.

A clue.

A sign.

Her search yielded nothing—just a crumpled receipt and a few spare coins.

She moved to the coffee table, flipping through the magazines and papers.

Her heart pounded as she checked the drawers in the living room, then moved to their shared bedroom.

The closet was next.

She sifted through Ryujin's clothes, inhaling sharply when she found a faint perfume scent that wasn't hers.

But no matter how hard she looked, there was nothing.

No lipstick-stained collar

No strange notes

No phone messages—just emptiness that mocked her efforts.

By the time Yeji sat on the edge of their bed, her hands fell limply to her lap, her chest tight with frustration and defeat.

The sound of the front door unlocking made her jump. She stood up quickly, smoothing her clothes as she braced herself.

Ryujin stepped inside, looking tired as she removed her shoes. She barely acknowledged Yeji's presence before tossing her coat onto the armrest of the couch, just as she always did.

"Hi," Yeji said softly, forcing a smile despite the storm brewing inside her.

Ryujin didn't even glance at her. "Hey," she replied curtly, her tone cold and distant.

Yeji clenched her fists, watching as Ryujin walked to the couch and slumped down, pulling out her phone.

The coat, crumpled and tossed aside again, caught Yeji's attention. Something inside her snapped.

"Ryujin," Yeji started, her voice sharp. She picked up the coat and held it up. "How many times do I have to tell you to put your coat on the rack?"

Ryujin glanced up, her brows furrowing in irritation. "Just leave it there on the sofa. I'm going to wear it tomorrow anyway."

Yeji's lips pressed into a thin line. She tossed the coat onto the couch.

"It's not that hard to hang your coat, Ryujin. Why can't you just do it?"

Ryujin sighed, rubbing her temples. "It's just a coat, Yeji. No big deal. Why are you making this such a big thing?"

"No, it's not just a fucking coat, Ryujin!" Yeji snapped, her voice cracking.

Ryujin sat up straighter, startled by the sudden outburst. "Please, Yeji. Not now. I'm tired, okay? Can we not do this tonight?"

Yeji laughed bitterly, her emotions spilling over. "Oh, you're tired? Well, guess what? I'm tired too! Tired of waiting for you. Tired of feeling like I'm not enough for you anymore!"

Ryujin frowned, her patience wearing thin. "What are you even talking about? I work all day, Yeji! I'm doing this for us, for you!"

Yeji's eyes filled with tears. "For me? Don't act like you're doing me a favor, Ryujin. You're never here. When you are here, you're not really here. You don't talk to me anymore. You don't even look at me like you used to."