Roses and Thorns (Jinlia)

Chapter 11: Secrets Between the Raindrops

Today marked the midpoint of the weekㅡTuesdayㅡunder a gloomy sky thick with ominous clouds. Dressed in her school uniform, Jisu flicked on the TV, eager to catch the latest weather update. If a typhoon was brewing, the last thing she wanted was to be stuck at the university.

The weather forecast flashed just in time, predicting class cancellations due to the storm. But as she watched, her initial hope faded; only classes for kindergarten to senior high school were suspended. College students like her? Not a chance.

Jisu rolled her eyes in frustration. Figures.

With a heavy sigh, she reluctantly packed a change of clothes, preparing for the inevitable downpour she’d face on her way to campus.

Just as she switched off the TV, her phone blared to life, vibrating insistently in her pocket. Making a mental note to silence it later, she answered the call.

“Hello? Who’s this, and how did you get my number?” Jisu demanded, skipping any pleasantries.

“Chill, eonni,” came the laid-back reply. “It’s Shin Yuna.”

“Oh.” Jisu’s tone shifted from suspicion to surprise. “What’s up?”

“Auntie just canceled classes because of the crappy weather,” Yuna informed her, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Jisu exhaled in relief. “Thank goodness for that,” she muttered, a small victory amid the morning chaos. “Was that the only reason you called?”

“Not exactly,” Yuna said quickly. “I’m standing outside your house.”

Startled, Jisu dashed to the door, flinging it open to find Yuna grinning at her from the gate.

“Get in, quick!” Jisu urged, pulling Yuna inside to escape the approaching storm.

Yuna, already in her final year of college at an impressively young ageㅡhaving accelerated her studies multiple timesㅡstood before Jisu, completely dry despite the ominous weather.

“What brings you here?” Jisu asked, giving Yuna a quick once-over to ensure she hadn’t gotten drenched. “If you’re looking for my mom, she hasn’t been back since yesterday.”

“I’m actually here for you, not her,” Yuna clarified, shaking her head. “Ryujin eonni filled me in on a scheme. Have you heard about it?”

“The whole ‘pretend-to-be-cousins’ plan?”

“That’s the one.” Yuna nodded. “And she’s assigned me a taskㅡ”

“ㅡto keep tabs on my best friend?” Jisu interjected, already guessing where this was headed.

“Exactly. I just need to pick up some basics about her,” Yuna explained, flashing a convincing smile.

“Why not just go straight to her?” Jisu asked, folding her arms.

“Well, with this downpour, paying her a visit is out of the question,” Yuna said, glancing at the window where the first raindrops were beginning to splatter. “So I figured I’d ask for your help instead. Don’t worry, I just need a quick rundown so we can pull off this plan smoothly.”

Jisu’s main concern was for Chaeryeong’s well-being. She had reluctantly agreed to Ryujin’s scheme, hoping it might nudge her friend into more social interactions and ease her aversion to people. But if there was even a hint that Chaeryeong might get caught in the crossfire or put in any danger, Jisu was ready to scrap the whole operation.

“Don’t give me that wary look, eonni. I swear I’m not up to anything shady,” Yuna assured, raising her hands in mock surrender. “I’m just following Ryujin eonni’s instructions.”

Jisu waved off Yuna’s concern with a nervous chuckle. “Oh, it’s nothing like that.” Her reassurance seemed to ease Yuna, who broke into a wide grin.

“That’s a relief!” Yuna beamed, before pulling out three sticky notes from her pocket. Not those again, Jisu thought, convinced the saga of the mysterious notes left at her gate had ended days ago. Apparently, she was wrong.

“Found these outside your place,” Yuna said, handing them over. “Figured they might mean something, even though they’re blank.”

Jisu inspected the sticky notes, frowning. They were indeed blank, but she had a suspicion that whoever left them had used a special penㅡone that only glowed in the dark.

She caught up with Yuna, who had already made herself comfortable on the sofa. “Alright,” Yuna said, leaning back with an air of casual curiosity. “Before we get into the details, hit me with her full name.”

“Her name’s Lee Chaeryeong,” Jisu began, settling into the chair across from her. “She’s an Architecture major, like me. We’ve been inseparable since we were kids, especially after her parents divorced...”

──⇌••⇋──

Stay safe. Rough weather’s on the horizon. Stay indoors.

Is everything okay with you? Seems like you're all by yourself in there.

Bundle up in warm layers to avoid catching a chill.

Jisu decided to push thoughts of the mysterious notes aside, leaving them scattered on her desk. She made her way back to the living room, where Yuna waited.

“Back so soon?” Yuna greeted her with a warm smile as Jisu approached. “Hope you don’t mindㅡI turned on the TV to pass the time.”

“No worries. Make yourself at home,” Jisu replied, waving off the concern.

Yuna patted the empty spot next to her on the couch. “Join me over here,” she invited. Without hesitation, Jisu sank into the seat beside her, feeling unexpectedly at ease around Yunaㅡa stark contrast to the guarded tension she often felt in Ryujin’s presence.

“Mind if I ask you a few things?” Yuna’s tone was casual, but there was a glint of curiosity in her eyes.

“Sure, fire away,” Jisu answered, leaning back into the cushions.

“How did you first cross paths with Ryujin eonni?” Yuna asked, catching Jisu off guard. The mention of Ryujin sent a flicker of surprise across her face. “I’m curiousㅡhow did you get to know her?”

Jisu hesitated, scratching the back of her neck as she searched for the right words. “Uh... it was pretty random, actually. I stumbled upon this hidden spot on campus and found her there. I didn’t know who she was, so I just straight-up asked for her name. That’s when she told me she was Shin Ryujin.”

Yuna leaned forward, eyes narrowing with interest. “Did you believe her right away?”

“Not really,” Jisu admitted. “I was skeptical until I had to visit the President’s Office to pick up a prize. That’s where I saw the resemblance between Ryujin and the President. Ryujin showed up, too, and that’s when her mother officially introduced us.”

“Huh,” Yuna murmured, her brow furrowing in thought. “But why did my aunt even bother introducing her to you? Growing up, Ryujin eonni never interacted with anyone besides me, my mom, and her own mother. She refused to leave the house, hated the idea of staff around, and homeschooling was a nightmare until she finally adjusted to a private tutor. She has always been fiercely anti-social.”

Jisu blinked, clearly taken aback. “Is it really that big of a deal?”

“Absolutely, eonni,” Yuna insisted, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. “Ryujin eonni’s aversion to people is no joke. She loathes crowds, hates even the idea of socializing, and yet somehow... she’s letting you in. I just don’t get it. How did you manage to break through her walls? What is it about you that made herㅡand my auntㅡdecide to bring you into their world?”

Jisu fell silent, her mind spinning with questions of her own. The enigma of Shin Ryujin was deepening by the minute. Who are you really, Shin Ryujin?