Seoulmate | RyeJi

✧✦fin✦✧

The sky had turned grey and everyone outside started to quicken their pace, afraid that the clouds might drizzle soon and just as predicted, fine drops of rain started to pour. It went lightly for a couple of seconds before it seemingly became relentless.

Ryujin loved the rain.

For her, it was the perfect weather to be productive and to do some studying. 

But she wasn't at home, nor she was near home. She had just gotten out of her university and it was unexpected, disapproving of the situation as she hadn't brought any parasol to protect herself from.

For crying out loud, why now?!

The short-haired woman started running while she protected herself with the leather backpack, which was no use as the pitter-patter continues to wet some parts of her white uniform, mostly over her lower body as her upper's shielded by her denim jacket. Her clothing was quick to stick to her skin, which easily annoyed her.

Sometimes she takes the train, sometimes she takes her time to get to know the city and walk all the way home.

Luck was never on Shin Ryujin's side.

She had chosen the latter and now, she's scampering from intersection to another intersection in her heels, which adds to her frustration as she's not one to use such kind of shoes. That's when she had also gotten the idea that she's bringing her sneakers next time, just so she could go home in it. 

I could even run barefoot than with these—gah! Who am I kidding??

Ryujin stopped on her tracks and had a little dilemma if she should take off her shoes. 

No, my stockings will get wet and that could be a much annoying case, she shook her head at the thought and starts running again.

Her chest was heaving up and down but she ran as if her life depended on it.

Like a marathon, Ryujin was winning. She was getting near to her apartment as she had sight of a familiar street. A huge grin appeared on her face until she just had to notice a certain person from her peripheral view.

Her heel halted and she stared.

The silver-haired woman drenched by the downpour, insouciant by the rain and the rest of the people around her in a panic state, stood there with her eyes closed, her head tilted upward as if she's welcoming the weather.

It was such a sight. She looked as if she's straight out of a webtoon.

Ryujin had stared longer, only to find herself already standing beside the woman, hovering her own denim jacket over the silver-haired woman to protect her from the rain, which she only then realized was no use.

The other must have felt her presence, as there were no more rain to welcome and she had shifted her attention to Ryujin. They both stared at one another.

"You do know I'm already wet, right?"

There was no response from the short-haired woman, still in awe by the way the other looked.

Indeed, the angel she had always perceived looked exactly like she imagined... a goddess up close.

Ryujin knew she have to reply. The girl gave her a question, why won't a word come out of her mouth and why has it suddenly felt dry?

Maybe the silver-haired woman was just breathtaking, or perhaps, maybe even too beautiful that constructing words was the toughest thing to do as of the moment.

After gathering much strength, Ryujin had finally closed her mouth, gulping down the lump that has formed in her throat. "I didn't think that," she spoke, almost like a whisper.

The other responded with a chuckle and if she were to describe how it sounded like, it felt feathery to the ears. What am I being poetic now?

"Now, you're drenched too."

"Yeah, this was a dumb idea," and yet, Ryujin remained to her position, still having her jacket over the other girl's head, even tiptoe-ing a bit as the other stood a little taller than her. The woman can't help but finally burst out from fits of laughter, an unconscious smile developing on the short-haired woman's face as well. Everything about the grey-haired woman was too angelic to describe.

"You're weird."

Although that would seem offensive to Ryujin, the woman seemed to imply that it was a good thing and it only made her smile wider. How can she even say she's weird when she's the one who's seen enjoying the rain while the world around her looks like in chaos?

"I don't know if this is just pure coincidence but we've met already."

"We did?"

The beautiful woman simply nodded, which Ryujin could respond by tilting her head in confusion, not wanting to believe what she was hearing.

Because if she conversed with the prettiest human being already, it would surely be tattooed on her mind and Ryujin may have planned in her head about how many times she's going to approach her but the lack of confidence held her from doing so. How was it possible?

"Your expression tells me that you don't remember anything from that night."

"Which was?"

"The party."

Finally noticing how weird it was to catch up right there while the sky frowned upon them, Ryujin pulled her somewhere where it's much drier, insisting to shelter outside a café, which has an awning by the entrance to shade themselves from the rain.

"This is better. You should've done this first," the silver-haired woman joked. "Anyway, maybe you're too drunk to remember but I'm Yeji," she introduced herself by extending a hand towards her. "But your friend might've told you that already. Hwang Yeji," she repeated.

The goddess has a name and she goes by Hwang Yeji.

"I-I'm Shin Ryujin," the short-haired woman hesitantly shook her hand and just as she thought, her hand felt soft that she wished she could hold it longer. The warmth felt comforting. "You're the one who helped," Ryujin muttered, trying to jog her memory and was only left embarrassed because she had to be seen in that state by the one and only woman she was hoping to interact for some time now. "Thank you..."

"No need to thank me, you have returned the favor already," Yeji muses over the denim jacket that was already slumped over her shoulders, smiling brightly towards Ryujin that have maybe, resulted into a few backflips inside the woman's chest.

"Seriously, it's nothing. In fact, it was stupid."

"Don't worry," Yeji giggled. "I find it cute, actually."

It was enough to cause a combustion in Ryujin's chest but was she, in any way, supposed to show that?

Perhaps, she did when the silver-haired woman saw how she had turned into crimson red. It was too late for Ryujin to whip her head away but she did, only for Yeji to smile over the reaction.

The pouring of the rain eventually came to a halt but the laughters and smiles didn't, as the two girls were too engrossed with one another's introduction. Perhaps, even sparked interest into getting to know each other.

"Would you rather talk over a cup of coffee?"

"I'd be happy to."