Don't Wait Too Long | Ryeji (reworked)

prologue

- 26th of June 2014 -

Ryujin pulled back the curtain of the living room window hoping to see any trace of her father. Instead she just saw a couple of streetlights and illuminated shop signs. She mindlessly traced her index finger over the reflections of raindrops that had fallen onto the window.

Her skin gradually covered themselves with goosebumps from the cool touch of the glass. She sensed a subtle breeze that snuck its way in through the tiny crack on the window.

She used to hate being left home alone but now she had grown used to having to look after herself most nights. Whether it was eating instant noodles for dinner or making sure her father managed to get himself into bed after arriving home late at night. Ryujin learnt to fend for herself.

She doesn't remember much from when her mother died. Yes, she found her face down on their kitchen floor one morning. Ryujin was too young to understand the whole concept of death. She thought it was weird that her mother had warm red liquid pooling out around her body.
But that didn't stop her from cuddling her mother and waiting for her to eventually wake up. She tried her best to keep her mother's cold body warm with her own body heat.

Unfortunately she never did "wake up" and the rest was just a painful blur.

Inevitably, Ryujin's father changed since the loss of his wife. He was no longer the happy-go-lucky man she once remembered. He rarely told his cringey dad jokes and barely showed his daughter any affection. He started to work longer shifts at the fishing dock and stayed out all night drinking and gambling. He constantly wasted away his weekly earnings trying to forget. Unfortunately his stupid actions helped to numb his never ending pain and suffering.

Due to his addictions, the Shin family were usually behind on bills and rent. Once in a while Ryujin's father would come home with some takeout and a bright smile that felt unrecognisable. It was obvious he had won somewhat big that night from gambling.

Or so that's what Ryujin liked to believe. Her father wasn't stupid enough to find a different way to gain instant cash.

Again, that's what Ryujin had told herself.

He'd proudly serve the takeout, Ryujin's favourite, Jajangmyeon. It never tasted twice as good as her mother's cooking but it was the closest thing that made her feel like her mother was still there.

After Ryujin showered, she left the small apartment and walked down the single flight of stairs that lead to the street outside her building. She sat down on the curb and rested her chin on top her knees waiting for her father.

The thought of her mother scolding her for sitting out in the light rain with wet hair crossed her mind. One half of her lips turned up into a sad smile from the thought. She could still hear her mother's scolding tone.

After a while Ryujin heard faint sounds of shuffling feet cautiously approaching her. The other half of her lips turned upward into a full smile knowing whose footsteps they belonged to. She felt the warm presence of the person sit down next to her. And soon after they rested their head against Ryujin's shoulder.

Hwang Yeji.

Ryujin subtly turned her head to the side to catch a glimpse of the girl beside her. She could tell the girl was tired due to the bags under her eyes.
Those pair of feline-like eyes that could catch anyone's breath. Ryujin assumed the tiredness was from all that studying Yeji would do after school.

She always worked hard at school though Ryujin never took much interest in her own studies.
She barely had many interests.
Not even graduating in a few years was enough of motivation for her to try and improve her grades.

Ryujin and Yeji were complete opposites yet they complimented each other way too well. Ryujin knew when Yeji stole a couple of her pepero sticks in the first grade that they'd become best friends.

And there they sat, together in their usual comfortable silence. Ryujin was never much of a talker but Yeji liked that about her. She'd try to imagine the thoughts that would come across Ryujin's mind instead of forcing any response out of the girl.

Other than Yeji, Ryujin was also close with a boy named Bang Chan. But he preferred to go by "Chris". Being an only child Chris made Ryujin feel like she had an older brother. It was nice to have someone care and watch out for her because she barely had anyone to do so other than herself.

"You're way too cold!". Yeji whined when she grabbed a hold of Ryujin's hands. Any time Yeji spoke she never expected much of a response from Ryujin. But again, it never bothered her.

Ryujin admired the sight of seeing Yeji trying to warm her freezing hands. For some reason whenever Yeji would make physical contact with her, her heart would flutter and her cheeks would redden up. It made Ryujin feel stupid and confused. She always succeeded into burying those feelings because they felt foreign and wrong.

"Where's your dad?". Yeji then asked after some more comfortable silence. She felt Ryujin's shoulders shrug up once.

"It's been a couple of days since he's been home". Ryujin softly replied as she stared up at the flickering street light above them. Even for her estranged father, not coming home wasn't in his usual routine of "escapades".

Of course a small part of Ryujin worried about his whereabouts. She tried to put her mind at ease that he drunkenly fell asleep somewhere on the streets of Seoul.

Ryujin closed her eyes in embarrassment when she felt her stomach grumble. She had feared it was loud enough for Yeji to hear. And she was right.

Yeji quickly stood up and tugged at the other girls arm. At the same time Ryujin looked at the her questioningly.

"Mum made a lot of food tonight and there's heaps of leftovers, come on!". Yeji explained pulling at the other girls arm again.

Ryujin quickly gave in and followed closely beside her best friend. Yeji's mother wasn't a chef but she could definitely cook. Ryujin felt her tongue beginning salivate at the thought of her homemade kimchi fried rice.

They approached Yeji's apartment building that was only two building doors down from where Ryujin lived. She always felt out of place going inside because it was much fancier looking than the run down dump she lived in.

"Ryujin?". Yeji stopped in her tracks and turned to face Ryujin.

"Mm?". Ryujin questioned the feline eyed girl in front of her. She tried not to falter from the close eye contact they held.

"I'll always take care of you". Yeji answered and threw a smile back at Ryujin before opening her front door.