Managing you || Ryeji

Chapter 22

Yeonjun was born into a rich family. She was born into a poor one. He went to fancy private schools. She had gone to public ones that left much to desire. Somehow, they had become childhood friends.

It wasn't actually as surprising as it sounded. Ryujin's mother worked for Yeonjun's family until they went to college. As his caretaker. Seen as both his parents weren't around that often. No doubt busy with work.

Sometimes Yeonjun would make the mistake of calling her mother, 'eomma' and it quickly turned into an inside joke between them.

If anyone asked, Ryujin would have said that he was like a brother. She might even have once secretly considered him her own brother, no blood relation was necessary in her opinion.

Even though they never went to the same school, they were always around each other. Either Ryujin would go to his place with her mother or he would go over hers. Sometimes, mostly when they were old enough, they'd make plans to pick the other up from school and go hang out together.

"Dad wants me to become his successor."

Ryujin frowned, his father's job had always sounded boring to her. "Really?"

He hummed, busy eating his ice cream.

"Are you going to?"

Yeonjun shrugged. "I don't have a choice."

That was the first time she encountered that way of living. The same mentality Yeji's parents had. Where the kids don't have a choice and their parents live through them. Deciding everything they do without a care about their happiness.

It bothered her. Even back then.

Her own mother didn't allow her to follow her dream of becoming a trainee either, but the logic behind it had been completely different. She simply wanted Ryujin to have a childhood. To experience life before dedicating herself to following her dream.

She knew that her parents would be supportive of whatever she decided to do. As long as she was happy doing it.

Ryujin couldn't imagine not thinking that way.

'What kind of parent only thinks of themselves?'

Many would likely choose to have a wealthy family over a poor one. But if you ask Ryujin, she would tell anyone that not only would she never hesitate to choose her poor family. But she was proud of the parents she had.

She considered herself lucky.

In college, Yeonjun and her still talked. Maybe not as often as they once did, but they were friends. She still considered him a brother, he still called her mother 'eomma'. But they had their own friends. Yes, for the first time she had friends and that kept her busier than before because they were also her dance crew who she spent most of her time with. And then there was Yeji, who she spent the rest of her free time with.

But, whenever she fought with Yeji, there was one person who she would turn to. Yeonjun.

They never really spoke about it. She would just show up at his very fancy and expensive apartment that his parents had bought and he would let her in, without so much as a question.

They were always that naturally comfortable with each other.

So instead of running towards her other friends who were also friends with Yeji, or her parents who lived relatively far away, she turned to the guy who was like her own brother.

Imagine her shock had she known that Hwang Yeji, her girlfriend, would one day be cheating on her with none other than Choi Yeonjun, her fake brother and childhood friend.

Yeah, that one hurt like hell.

Out of all the billions of people she could choose. Him.

After all the years that had now passed. Still him.

Betrayal didn't begin to describe how Ryujin felt about it.

She was heartbroken in more ways than one.

Both of them had stabbed her in the back and both of them left her to heal herself as they went to live together in America.

But boo freaking woo, Yeji is sad because Ryujin isn't nice to her even after four years.

Well, Hwang Yeji can kiss her ass. And so can Yeonjun.

Pardon her language.

If someone were to add a photo representing betrayal to the dictionary, they should use one of the two of them.

This one was a magnificent moment for the word, it shall remain as one of the biggest and most hurtful betrayals of all time. As far as she is concerned.

Why does everyone expect her to forgive such thing? Especially when neither of them have ever truly apologized for what they have done.

Time does not heal all wounds.

It shall not heal this one.