It seemed the particular brunette spotted her too. The moment their stares met, the room grew silent. Tension spiked dramatically. Everyone present could feel the hostility, and no one could tell if it was Yeji, Lia, or both.
This led the cat-eyed girl to question her presence entirely, even if she was aware that the girl was still in her ex's life. That much was obvious because almost every time she's seen Ryujin since their break up, Lia was beside her. If the younger was so intent on getting back with her, why keep around the girl who spawned their problems?
The question left Yeji horribly confused. It's not like she could ask right away, either. Friends had come to visit Ryujin, who happened to be the only person with an answer.
Despite a tear-stained face, her expression remained cold, her gaze sharp and piercing. A wave of rage consumed her, but she didn't think it was appropriate to give in to anger at a time like this.
The near-kiss with Ryujin seconds ago was due to a surge of emotions, but it didn't mean she could forgive and forget so easily, even if she was the one who initiated it. Actually, as the adrenaline dies and reality hits, knowing she's the culprit left her feeling guilty. Yeji's emotions were a back-and-forth, tug-of-war mess.
A reminder of Lia's arrival snapped her out of the emotional trance. The last time they talked, Lia offered an umbrella and tried to spark a conversation. However, Yeji rejected her back then, just as she intended to do now. She considered leaving, waiting for the girl to leave, and then returning, but there was no telling if Lia would leave anytime soon.
She didn't know what their 'friendship' was like, Ryujin and Lia's. Even though a strong part of her would like to accept Ryujin back after knowing everything, to have Lia around would be unacceptable. Wasn't that reasonable, though? She was allowed to feel that considering everything that happened.
One could compare her to Jiu, but the circumstances were different. For one, Lia was a long-time friend to both exes. She didn't magically pop up out of nowhere. They met her just a year after Yeji moved here as a kid, which was not too long after she befriended Chaeryeong and Ryujin. Ryujin and Jiu were friends, yes, but after some time they weren't as close.
Forgiving Lia seemed absolutely impossible. It was a painful example of betrayal. Lia had her complete trust. To suddenly switch up and act like she didn't care ripped Yeji's heart apart nearly as much as Ryujin did.
She and Ryujin had already separated the second Chaeryeong caught them when she came into the room. So, because Yuna was bickering with Jiu so loud and they could hear their conversation, it's safe to say that Hyunjin, Heejin, and Lia didn't know of what almost happened.
Thus, Yeji slid off the edge of the bed, not sparing a glance at anyone. As she walked past Lia, it felt like slow motion for everyone watching, both girl's side-eyeing one another for that mere second before Yeji stepped out the door.
As Yeji disappeared, the tension dissipated. Everyone aside from the two involved let out the breath they were holding. It remained quiet, several pairs of eyes darting towards the door and between Lia and Ryujin.
The only person with a gist of the full story was Chaeryeong, which didn't occur until recently. Yuna and Jiu hardly visited Ryujin, but they made an effort to check in every once in a while. Heejin and Hyunjin swung by often, but they only had what they pieced together over time.
Ryujin struggled to move, but her determination showed. Her limbs trembled with every attempt to slide her body off of the hospital bed. The slap of her bare feet against the cold floor grabbed everyone's attention.
Heejin rushed to her side. "What the hell are you doing??"
Jiu followed, helping ensure Ryujin would return to the bed without further injury. The cuts and worrisome bruises urged them to be careful, except the particular Shin didn't make it easy. Her weak arms fought back, flailing as fast as they could handle. The two hesitated. Restraining her would take some convincing.
