THE RHYTHM OF US: RYEJI

Chapter 6: Sudden Guest (Not So Coincidental)

Yeji's POV

Lia and I strolled through the convenience store, a cart filled with household essentials and a few treats. Lia had invited me to help her shop for items she needed for her new condo unit. It was an exciting time, and I was more than happy to lend a hand.

As we browsed the aisles, my eyes lit up when I spotted a display of candy. Without hesitation, I began loading various candy options into the cart.

Lia watched with a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Yeji, why do I need so much candy for my new place?"

I grinned mischievously at her. "Because I'll be coming over a lot."

Lia chuckled at my response and gave me a playful nudge. "Fair enough."

I couldn't resist the temptation of the junk food section, so I ventured off to gather an assortment of snacks. The cart soon contained chips, cookies, and other indulgent treats.

When I returned to Lia with my loot, she looked at me in mild horror.

"Why are you buying so much junk food?" Lia asked, her eyes wide.

I shrugged playfully. "Don't worry, Lia. I'll buy these for myself. I'll just put them in your cart."

Lia laughed at my cheeky response. "And then I'll forget, and I'll end up paying for them."

I joined in her laughter, knowing that our shopping trip was not just about the items we bought but also the fun we had together.

Lia and I continued our shopping, but her curiosity about someone seemed to linger. She couldn't resist asking, "Um, is Ryujin dating someone right now?"

I was a bit confused by the question. "Ryujin? You mean my best friend? Why are you asking?"

Lia hesitated for a moment before replying, "Um, nothing. I'm just, let's say, intrigued."

I decided to share some insight into Ryujin's dating habits. "I wouldn't really call it a relationship. She tends to change quite frequently and has been with various people. As for whether she's with someone right now, I honestly don't know. But I don't think she is at the moment."

Lia's curiosity didn't stop there. She probed further. "Well, have you ever considered being in a relationship with her?"

I chuckled at the thought. "Oh, no, no, no, definitely not. Ryujin and I are best friends, and I'm straight...."

Lia nodded in understanding but couldn't help but ask another question: "So would it be alright if we..."

I interrupted her, realizing where her line of questioning might be headed. "Lia, do you like Ryujin?"

Our conversation took an intriguing turn when Lia hesitated and then admitted, "She's interesting, and I'm interested."

I didn't say anything in response, leaving Lia with her own thoughts.

As we arrived at Lia's new place, she surprised me by asking, "Can I call Ryujin to come over?"

I was a bit taken aback by the request. "I didn't know you were this close now."

Lia explained with a smile, "We saw each other last night at the bar and exchanged numbers. So this should be a nice visit, am I right?"

I hesitated for a moment, processing the situation, and then finally replied, "That would be cool. Yeah, why not?"

As we were busy chatting and putting groceries away, the doorbell rang, prompting Lia to exclaim, "It's probably Ryujin."

She skipped her way to the door and swung it open, revealing Ryujin holding a basket of fruits.

"Hi, I'm glad you called me," Ryujin greeted.

Lia smiled warmly, replying, "Yeah, of course. Kind of missed you."

Ryujin couldn't resist teasing Lia a little. "Kind of only?"

From behind, I chimed in, "Stop the flirting. It's making me gag."

Ryujin's eyes widened as she turned to see me. "Oh, my God, you're here."

I smirked, teasing her further. "Yeah, you didn't see me because you were busy flirting."

Ryujin stuttered, clearly caught off guard. As I walked further into the house, she rushed over and gave me a back hug, saying, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

Lia made her way to the refrigerator once again, glanced over, and remarked, "You seem really, really close, aren't you?"

Ryujin playfully teased, "Well, it's because this girl right here doesn't want me to be friends with anyone but her."

I quickly exclaimed, "Hey, that's not true!"

Ryujin laughed heartily and walked over to Lia, reassuring her, "Don't listen to her."

In a playful retaliation, I tossed some candies at Ryujin, and she effortlessly caught them, chuckling. "Yeah, candies. Very Yeji. I'm sure, Lia, Yeji's the one who bought these candies, am I right?"

Lia confirmed with a smile, "Definitely."

Ryujin then offered her assistance, asking, "How can I help you?"

Lia replied, "Your presence is enough."

Ryujin grinned, acknowledging the sentiment. "I know, I know. But let me help."

Meanwhile, I couldn't resist the temptation any longer and dramatically opened a bag of my new junk food, causing them to turn and look at me. Ryujin couldn't help but ask, "The hell is that?"

I shrugged casually. "Nothing. Just opening my junk food."

Lia shared her exciting news, saying, "Oh, um, guys, my family's planning a vacation, and I'm inviting you to come over."

Ryujin eagerly exclaimed, "Ooh, a vacation? I love that!"

Curious, I asked, "To where?"

Lia explained, "It's a private resort, so if you're up for it, just say yes."

Ryujin wasted no time, repeating, "Yes, definitely, I'm in, I'm in, I'm in."

I inquired, "Is it just us?"

Lia clarified, "No, um, Chaeryeong will also come, and you're welcome to invite your friends too."

Ryujin added, "Oh, that's great. My cousin really wants to go on vacation. She's been forcing me into it."

I raised an eyebrow, asking, "Yuna?"

Ryujin nodded, replying, "Yeah, Yuna. She's coming over, and she wants to have a vacation."

I laughed and nodded in understanding. "Well, this would be nice."

Lia encouraged us to invite our friends, saying, "All right, then she should come. And Yeji, would you like to invite Minho?"

I hesitated briefly and replied, "Um, should I invite him?"

Lia reassured me, "Yeah, you should."

Ryujin chimed in, "But it's also all right if he doesn't come. I mean, he's the only guy."

Lia assured us, "Oh, no, my cousin I.N. will also come. So it would be nice to have two boys to hang out with."

Excitement filled the room as we discussed the upcoming vacation plans.