Letters and Latte | Ryeji

31 - Family

The same day felt heaven, it also felt like hell.

At least for the new couple, it felt like that.

"Honey, I thought you will come back to school? You haven't touched your rice cakes." The cat eyed girl blinked once, twice, thrice, before she was able to articulate a coherent thinking. "Or take a rest because you need it."

Student council.

Academic endeavor.

A cold fish girlfriend.

Yes, her girlfriend, Shin Ryujin.

Three things terribly knocking off Yeji's mind.

"I'm not hungry, I went home to freshen up."

"But, you don't look fresh, you look stressed." Mrs. Hwang veered the faucet off, wringing her both hands together. "Your girlfriend won't be pleased to see you like that. Why don't you doll up?"

Mrs. Hwang wasn't beguiled to the outward constituent her youngest daughter would have a kinship with another girl. Apparently, Mrs. Hwang was delighted. Some things could learn with people, not everything was actually taught at school.

"I'll be back for few papers and student council." Mrs. Hwang perched down across her daughter in their dining area, she had sanitized the kitchen sink after making Yeji a food, wandering the cat eyed girl was on her tenterhooks state.

"Only three days have passed and you two have a quarrel already?"

Yeji abruptly shook her head in motion. "I...we didn't fight. Something came up, and...it's a really personal matter."

"It's about Ryujin. If it's something about you, you'll tell me right away." Assuring her, Mrs. Hwang gave her a lopsided grin. A sigh of relief escaped Yeji's mouth. The thing about Ryujin and her father was an intricate subject. The forward striker had difficulty in conversing it to other people even to her own best friend.

"Honey, a family issue isn't just an issue. I'm glad Ryujin talks it out with you."

"I want to be there for her, but she hasn't replied to my text. I didn't see her at school the whole day." She was aware teenagers like Ryujin had to settle out her irascible issue away from the other important people in her life. "She gets easily irritated among things, she gets distant, she bugs out of her problems. I know her temper—"

"Of course, honey. Three years is a long time not to absorb the person's real behaviour."

"What?" Yeji's eyes grew wide than usual.

The old woman let out a short snicker, and inclined her arms over the table. "I took out your trash bin, remember? And as far as I remember, I don't recall naming you Lucy."

"I know, honey. I didn't intrude your privacy. Those were technically junks now. Besides, you were simply obvious for me, as your mother. And the portrait? Since when you learned painting?"

"Maybe, I was just really inspired that time."

"Or you are just so in love." She bobbed her head once, swerving her gaze on to something else. Mother's instincts were on the incredible different kind of maximum level. "You and Ryujin will be fine, I'm sure."

There was an obnoxious clank of horn caught their attention, Yeji felt a cold sweat on her skin. "That's not him."

"I haven't told him..."

"No one's rushing you. And you told about it to Yeju. Did she express violent reaction? No. Your father will still have grandchildren from your sister." Mrs. Hwang receded with the chair, striding towards the living room. "You've been brooding lately, you need to see this."