Love-ish~~ | | Hwang Hyunjin

21. The Misunderstanding

Ryujin had been holding it in for too long.

The silence. The unanswered texts. The way Kari used to laugh with her over the dumbest things, but now barely even looked at her, always buried in books, always competing with Hyunjin like nothing else mattered. On top of that, Ryujin's parents always compare her grades with Kari's grades. Kari was unaware of it. Ryujin never seemed to care about the comparison. But during the last year of their middle school, Ryujin felt like she wasn't needed by Kari anymore.

"You know," Ryujin started, voice cold, "if you didn't want to be friends anymore, you could've just said so."

Kari blinked at her, confusion flickering in her eyes. "What?"

"For months, I've been standing here, watching you, feeling like I'm just in the way. Like I don't belong here anymore."

Kari's expression softened. "You were never in the way."

Ryujin let out a bitter laugh. "Then why does it feel like I am?" She shook her head. "You're always studying, chasing your dreams and I get it, Kari. I really do. You have things to prove. But where does that leave me?"

Kari exhaled sharply. "Ryujin, I never left you behind. You're the one who started pulling away."

"I kept texting. I kept calling," Kari continued, her voice steady but pained. "I asked you to come study with me, to hang out. But every time, you said no. And I-I didn't want to push you if you didn't want to be around me."

Something inside Ryujin twisted, but she forced herself to ignore it. "I just... I didn't want to be another thing holding you back."

Kari frowned. "You never were."

Ryujin hesitated, and for a second, Kari looked like she was waiting for her to say something to stay to fix this. But Ryujin couldn't.

She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "Maybe you just don't understand what it's like to feel like you're not enough. Never enough for your parents and your friends. Because you've always been that person waiting for others' validation."

"What? That was rude."

"I meant it to be rude. Kari, have you ever done anything for yourself? I'm honestly so tired of you." Ryujin sighs. "And honestly? I don't think I want to keep trying to be enough for you."

~

I dragged, gripping her tighter.

For a moment, she resisted. But then, with a sharp breath, she let me pull her away. Neither of us spoke as we walked fast, urgent until we were far enough from Jaejoon's gaze. Only then did I let go, spinning around to face her.

"What the hell were you thinking?" My voice was shaking, more from panic than anger.

Ryujin exhaled sharply, shaking out her wrist like my grip had hurt. "I was thinking that someone needed to put him in his place."

I stared at her. "You went to fight him. Alone. It is dangerous."

Ryujin crossed her arms, eyes sharp with frustration. "You know what's more dangerous?" she questioned angrily. "Jaejoon stalking you and scaring you! And you're just letting him do it."

"How did you-"

"I heard your conversation with Jeongin and Hyunjin earlier...didn't mean to eavesdrop."

I opened my mouth to argue, but she wasn't done.

"You're letting him scare you, and you're not even telling your parents," she continued. "How long are you going to hold all of this in?"