Ryujin's POV
"Heard what happened," Lia said as she sat across from us.
"What the hell happened, unnie?" Yuna chimed in, a mix of concern and intrigue in her voice.
"Ask Chaeryeong," I interjected, a sly grin playing on my lips.
Chaeryeong hesitated, her mouth opening and closing in a dance of uncertainty. Before she could articulate a response, Lia, with an air of mischief, took charge.
"Chaeryeong just punched Minho," Lia declared, a proud expression illuminating her features. "I didn't get the chance to tell Yeji, though; she wasn't in class."
"Yeji's absent?" I questioned, a ripple of concern surfacing in my tone.
"Yeah, didn't see her all throughout the day," Lia confirmed, her gaze lingering on Chaeryeong.
A question hung in the air, waiting to be addressed. Sensing the unspoken query, Chaeryeong turned to Yuna.
"By the way, why are you here, Yuna?" she inquired.
Yuna, nonchalant and candid, replied, "No need to ask. Why did you punch that guy? He seemed nice, from my memory."
"He was about to punch your unnie; how is that nice?" Chaeryeong justified her actions with a hint of defiance in her stance.
"What?" Lia and Yuna chorused simultaneously, their eyes widening in disbelief.
"I kinda pushed his buttons," I admitted with a mischievous glint, adding a layer of intrigue to the unfolding tale.
"Nah, he's going to hell; I'll make sure of that," Lia declared with a determined nod.
"I thought you heard what happened," Yuna observed, directing her question at Lia.
"I heard Chaeryeong punched Minho, and I was all fine with that info. Didn't know the reason," Lia casually disclosed, a hint of indifference in her tone.
"You liked that I punched him; you're not even curious about the reason?" Chaeryeong probed, seeking confirmation.
"Exactly," Lia affirmed, a playful smirk gracing her lips.
"Wow," I couldn't help but comment. The dynamics of this conversation are unfolding in unexpected ways.
"That's something," Yuna added, her eyes dancing with amusement.
"Now, I'm curious why you're here," I addressed Yuna, my curiosity piqued.
"Unnie, not important. How did you push his buttons?" Yuna redirected the attention, her intrigue evident.
I gestured with my hand, mimicking the action of pushing a literal button, and they all rolled their eyes at my theatrics.
"Not ready for this," I admitted, and they all nodded in understanding. I will always love them for respecting my silence and still standing by my side.
"But why are you here, though?" Lia redirected her focus to Yuna.
"If I'm not mistaken, this is a public cafe," Yuna nonchalantly replied.
We nodded in acknowledgment. "Alright," she sighed. "I'm leaving; flights tomorrow," she announced, a subtle tension accompanying her words.
My throat tightened; her departure marked the realization that I needed to share my news. I was going away too, and I hadn't told them.
"What? Why?" Lia exclaimed, her confusion etched across her features.
"I mean, Christmas," Yuna explained, casting a thoughtful glance in my direction. Subtly turning my head, I signaled that, no, I still hadn't shared the news.
"Oh, okay. I thought you weren't coming back." Chaeryeong smiled.
I released a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of their assumptions press upon me, intensifying the gravity of my unspoken decision.
While I could have simply told them the truth, I preferred to talk to Yeji first. I was aware that she might feel betrayed if she wasn't the first to know.
As we pondered in the cafe, I.N. strolled in, breaking the moment with a casual greeting, "Hey, guys."
Yuna, ever the inquisitor, questioned, "Why are you here?"
"If I'm not mistaken, this is a public cafe," I.N. retorted, echoing Yuna's words from earlier.
"OH," Yuna exclaimed, and our group erupted in laughter at the playful banter.
Soon after, Hyunjin entered, offering another greeting, "Hey, everyone, good morning."
"I didn't know this was a reunion," Yuna playfully teased.
"Who are you?" Lia inquired.
With a good-natured smile, Hyunjin introduced himself, "Hi, I'm Hyunjin, Yeji's brother."
"Do you know where Yeji is?" Chaeryeong asked.
"She's at home; no worries," he assured, his gaze briefly meeting mine before he turned his attention away.
"Wait, aren't you a famous dancer too?" I.N asked, a spark of recognition in his eyes.
Hyunjin chuckled. "Yeah, you could say that."
"Whoa, I need a picture with you later!" I.N. exclaimed, excitement evident in his voice.
"No way, this is happening. He'll be so full of himself because somebody noticed him," I teased, giving Hyunjin a playful nudge.
"Hey, I'm not like that. That's my sister," he defended, earning a playful slap on the arm from me.
"She's not like that," I retorted.
"I know, I was joking," he laughed. Shifting the conversation, he said, "By the way, guys, my birthday's coming up. I'm inviting you all."
"I won't be there when that happens, so in advance, happy birthday," Yuna quipped.
"Why? Where are you going?" Hyunjin inquired.
"Just back home, to our province. Don't miss me too much," Yuna replied, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
"We won't," I.N. teased.
If I'm not mistaken, his birthday is in 5 days, so I still have the chance to be there.
As their banter continued, I discreetly pulled out my phone. Should I message Yeji? Ask if she's okay, inquire about her absence, and check if anything's wrong. The dilemma lingered, and after a moment of hesitation, I closed my phone again.
I was the one harassed by Minho; shouldn't she be concerned at least? But the fact that she's not here tells me she doesn't know.
I'm an overthinker, and I'm acutely aware of that.
Opening my phone once more, I gathered the courage to send a concise message to Yeji.
Hi
As my nerves heightened, I swiftly stashed my phone back in my pocket, trying to divert my attention from the impending response.
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A/N: I know, I know, nothing's actually happening between them in this chapter, but I want some filler chapters before something actually happe-
I'm going to post the next chapter tomorrow, probably.
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THE RHYTHM OF US: RYEJI
قصص الهواةWRITTEN IN ENGLISH (GXG) "The Rhythm of Us" is a captivating story of friendship, tension, and the delicate dance between loyalty and love. Follow the journey of Yeji and Ryujin, best friends since freshman year, as they face the challenges of thei...
