Letters and Latte | Ryeji

25 - Christmas

Winter could be also defined as hibernate season, and that's what Ryujin exactly did.

She had been sleeping extra late, watching Netflix all day and night, eating once a day, and waking up late. It was a cycle since hell week approached its surcease and Yejoon was bustling at his work. Ryujin had been alone at home, probably not the best winter season for her.

Ryujin disdained her brother's suggestion, she didn't want to be a source of lugubrious parcel while Yejoon conciliated at his duty. Hence, the oldest Shin acceded with a troth, saying he would bring Ryujin to somewhere she wanted after everything at his work eluded in his arrangement. It was a promise.

He also allocated a money for Ryujin's wants and needs for several weeks he was away. It was a sufficient amount of money. Ryujin wasn't fascinated. She would still be all by herself even if she had the superficial things with her.

Once again, Ryujin was revived quite late for Christmas evening. Slowly, she threshed her dreary figure out of the thick blanket, letting out a prolonged yawn. She switched off the lampshade nearby the bed, rubbing her eyes and yielding another an indolent yawn. She trudged real slow to her closet, not caring if the bed was made and went right away to the shower room. Ryujin preferred cold water despite the freezing weather. It already transmuted into a pattern, before heading downstairs to have her meal for the day.

In the kitchen, as usual, it was empty. It was a foreseen event, of course, whenever she was unaccompanied at the household. She had a box of Hawaiian pizza and barbecue wings delivered yesterday, and tonight's food was unprecedented. Ryujin was jangling the idea of having sushi or cave out in the cold and search for a nice restaurant. After all, it was Christmas nightfall. It was a little special. Still, she couldn't decide and a door bell caught her divided attention.

"Hello," a bright greeting astounded the pink haired girl, concealing her frown realising it was someone who didn't deserve the awful expression. "I thought nobody was home, the lights were off." Yeji curved her lips up while holding a plate across her chest and trailed off her eyes over her neighbour from head to toe. She conceived the gloominess of Ryujin.

"Uh, sorry. I just literally woke up, and yeah." Ryujin then timidly mumbled. "Is that for..."

"Yeah, my mother decided to send some to you and for your brother. Where's Yejoon?"

Ryujin was torn between telling the truth and prevaricating her counter response. "Are you all by yourself, Ryujin?" The cat eyed girl softly asked.

"Uhm, yeah but it's not really important—"

"It's important to me. Let's go." Yeji used her other hand for a contact with Ryujin's wrist, hauling her outside of their yard and locked it herself. "Oh my God, Ryujin—the keys."

The pink haired girl chuckled, flaunting a glimpse of her whiskers. "Be thankful there's a duplicate key inside our mailbox. Is that heavy?"

"Not really, it's just a sliced off glazed ham." The white ceramic plate seemed hefty even though the meat was slivered in refinement. "Why didn't you text me?"

"Why?"

Yeji averted her gaze on her, puckering her lips forward. "It's not as important as Seollal. Yejoon has job. I've been lone for quite time."

"But, employers should send their employees to day off during Christmas day. It's our public holiday and he's at work."

"Yejoon isn't just a simple employee, he's a hotel manager. I'm sure you know that job."

Little did they know, their hands were slowly conveying their own shift, as if they had their own profusion of neurons transmitting what they were supposed to do, interweaving their warm yet frigid fingers into one, completely oblivious of the act. "Uh, Yeji, did I hold your hand first?"