Pretend (Ryeji)

Chapter 19: Bad Day

When San invited Ryujin to meet up, she politely declined the offer. He came off a bit too eager, and she didn't wish to give him false hope considering she's testing the waters with his sister. The only reason she needed to talk with him is because she had a few personal questions regarding Yeji. She didn't want to bother Chaeryeong every single time she desired some assistance. She thought about calling Yuna, but that likely wouldn't help, and she didn't want to phone Lia, who would assumably tell Yeji whatever she tells her. Ryujin even contemplated acquiring Yeonjun's help as an option, although she soon hit the brakes on that notion supposing Yeonjun would merely do the same as Lia.

The blonde never met up with San, kindly declared she was too busy and left the conversation there, never collected the opinions she wanted. Instead, she relied purely on herself, thought it'd be sweeter if the idea came from her, anyway.

Impulsively, an hour after compiling little ideas and setting them up, she texted her co-star. She didn't anticipate a quick answer, considered dilly dallying at a nearby store or park in order to collect her thoughts because there was no deleting the text when it's already been seen.

The term "read" actually left her a bit worried for a few minutes before Yeji finally responded, and she's glad to see the conversation went really well. Initially, she didn't have full faith since Yeji was behaving a bit distant on set yesterday. The redhead wasn't rude or anything, she just didn't talk much, and that stimulated Ryujin's desire to act.

When she looks through their photos together, her smile never lasts long, and for an acceptable reason, too. She realizes that they've been hanging out more than they ever did before, but it's generally because they have free moments to do as they please when they're in the same area due to their job. It's never on their own time, and she prefers to change that.

It was strange to be at Yeji's front door with feelings of anticipation rather than that of annoyance or resentment. It's certainly new for her to want to eagerly knock on the door and hurry back to her place in hopes that her co-star will enjoy what she put together, silently praying the simplicity behind it would come across as charming, perhaps even "annoyingly cute" since that's what Yeji claimed to like about her.

Yes. Unaware of it at first, Ryujin clung on to that unusual response like it was her lifeline, and she didn't notice she was until she recognized the difference between a happy Yeji and a nervous Yeji yesterday. She can tell something's holding the woman back, and she wonders if the latter will be up to give at least a few answers tonight. She even yearns to receive another compliment because somehow, someway, coming from Yeji makes the words mean a lot more than they would coming from others.

"Where are we going?"

"To my place. I hope you don't mind."

Yeji immediately averts her sights toward, well, quite literally anything other than the driver right now. Ryujin's comment certainly was innocent but she can't help but blush at the words like a hysterical child, and she hopes the blonde is too focused on the road to notice how her response affected her.

Her cat-eyes steal glances every once in a while, though. She doesn't often take the time to appreciate the young Shin's beauty, too distracted by other things to soak it all in. She shamelessly admits to herself how badly she would like to get a closer look. A part of her even wants the other to suggest they rehearse just so she has an excuse to be close. However, plans haven't been discussed, and she wouldn't like to impose on Ryujin's.

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"Your place is nice. The layout is very different from mine."