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It's a Saturday night. Chaeryeong steps out of the crowded house, sighing as she closes the sliding door, blocking out the voices belting out the lyrics of Breaking Free and the smell of strawberry lemonade beer and vodka.
"Let me guess, you don't wanna be here either?"
Chaeryeong jumps at the unfamiliar voice, and turns around to see a pink haired girl facing her. Pretty. The girl has a mysterious aura about her, but she doesn't look out of place at all.
"Either? You look like you fit right in," Chaeryeong tilts her head just so slightly.
"Perhaps. The noise bothers me, though. I'm here only because one of my friends dragged me along."
"Oh. It is loud in there, I guess, " The two wordlessly walk to the poolside and sit on the lawn chairs.
"What do you like to do?" Chaeryeong is intrigued by the shorter girl.
"Nothing much," Ryujin doesn't really like sharing about herself. Everyone knows that, but maybe this brunette has never heard of her before. The girl is pretty, though. She has a little beauty mark on her nose. Cute , Ryujin thinks.
"Oh, surely there's something you do in your free time. I like dancing, " Chaeryeong isn't fazed by Ryujin's clipped reply.
Amused by the other girl's persistence, Ryujin smiles and gives in, "I play the guitar sometimes," As she smiles, whisker dimples appear on her cheeks, which Chaeryeong finds immensely endearing. The guitar... is Ryujin perhaps in the band? Chaeryeong doesn't ask, though. Or rather, she doesn't get to ask, because the next thing she knows, Ryujin has stood up and seems to be asking her something.
"Sorry? I didn't catch that."
"I was asking whether you wanted to join me in the pool." Chaeryeong raises her eyebrows in amusement. Ryujin must be too drunk to think properly.
Upon seeing the other girl's face, Ryujin laughs, "I'm sober. I do this all the time when Yuna hosts, she really doesn't mind." The pink haired girl dives in after taking off her shoes, and Chaeryeong stands by the pool, hesitant.
"Come in, you're no fun," Ryujin rolls her eyes and swims away. Chaeryeong doesn't know what compels her to kick off her sandals and jump in. Maybe it's the tiny voice at the back of her head, telling her the pretty girl seems like someone who would be lots of fun to hang out with. Or at the very least, it'll be better than going back into the living room, where people have probably started passing out already. But Chaeryeong regrets it a little the next second, because who gave the water the rights to be this cold in the middle of August? She shrieks, and it catches Ryujin's attention.
"Everything alright?" The girl's voice is one of concern, and not a teasing one, much to Chaeryeong's surprise.
"Yeah, the water is just cold,"
"It's 11 pm and we're in an outdoor pool, what did you expect?" Ryujin laughs and splashes the brunette with water. So much for not teasing.
It's three in the afternoon on Sunday, and far too hot to be out in Chaeryeong's opinion, but her sister thought it would be the best idea in the world to drag her out to the fair, because it's the last weekend they'll be here, and apparently not coming would be a crime. To add salt to the wound? Chaeryeong is third wheeling. Sakura is nice, but still. Chaeryeong is convinced she's just here to be the couple's personal photographer, only she isn't getting paid for it.
The lovebirds are off to go on some scary rides, so Chaeryeong is on her own, at least for a while. She passes by the carousel, where a long line of kids are chattering away, waiting for their turn. Then she spots cotton candy hair flying with the wind.
Wait, isn't that the girl from the party? The carousel goes another round, and this time Ryujin, sitting on a horse with a saddle that matches her hair, sees Chaeryeong, flashing the brunette a grin, whiskers showing, then continues talking to the girl beside her. Chaeryeong melts, and she'd love to wait until the ride is over and talk to the pink-haired girl, but her phone is ringing and it’s Chaeyeon, probably wondering where she is. Plus, she wouldn't want to intrude on the girl's outing with her friend... or is it a date?
It's lunchtime on Monday, and Chaeryeong is lonely. Yuri isn't in school today, and she isn't in the mood to third wheel with Yeji, her next-door neighbor, and her girlfriend, Lia.
"Hey," a familiar voice creeps up behind her, and Chaeryeong lets out a scream in response.
"Oh, I didn't mean to scare you," Everyone is staring now.
"Sure you didn't," Chaeryeong rolls her eyes.
They walk to the pond and sit on one of the benches. Chaeryeong takes out two sandwiches, handing one to Ryujin. The latter looks at her, seemingly questioning why she has two sandwiches in the first place.
"I packed the second one for Yuri, but she isn't here today," Chaeryeong says, as if it's self-explanatory.
"For… who?"
"Yuri. My best friend. She's on some trip for her art elective, but conveniently forgot to tell me. But enough about her. What's your name?"
"Lee Chaeryeong, do you really not know my name?"
Chaeryeong shakes her head, puzzled. Is she supposed to know who the girl actually is? And how does the girl know who she is? Ryujin laughs.
"What's so funny?" Chaeryeong frowns. Cute , goes a tiny voice in Ryujin's head.
"Nothing. I'm Ryujin… Shin Ryujin,"
"Oh," Chaeryeong blinks twice. So this is the principal's daughter.
"Yeah. Anyway, Heejin went on that trip too. You know, the girl I was with at the fair yesterday,"
Oh. That girl.
"Are you two dating?" Ryujin laughs again. It's a pretty sound, Chaeryeong thinks.
"Nah, Heejin is straight as a stick," Ryujin gets up and throws the sandwich packaging in the trash. What Ryujin just said implies that she isn't straight… right?
"Something about you and water bodies huh? I bet you wouldn't jump into this one," Chaeryeong changes the topic.
"And who's to say that? For all you know I'm best friends with the turtles in there. Plus, you're the one who led us here," Ryujin jokes.
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
It's nighttime, and Yeji came over to Chaeryeong's house for dinner. The two are on Chaeryeong's bed.
"You didn't know who Ryujin is? THE Shin Ryujin?" Yeji is in disbelief.
"Sorry...?"
"I guess she is kinda low profile, but after being in the same grade as her for three entire years, you've never talked to her at all? Never been in the same class?"
"Well, our school is big , in case you haven't realized, Yeji," Chaeryeong rolls her eyes, "And even if we've been in the same class... like you said, Ryujin keeps to herself, so I probably wouldn't have noticed her anyway?"
"Well, you're whipped now," Yeji teases, "Won't have to be the third wheel for much longer, will you?" Chaeryeong promptly throws a pillow at the other girl, hitting her square in the face.
"It's a little strange, though. You've never known of her existence or bumped into her before Saturday, but you two just somehow met three days in a row?"
"Maybe it's fate,"
"There's no way she would've known you'd be at the fair, but lunchtime..."
"Oh please, she had no idea who Yuri is. Wait. Why did she know my name? She doesn't know Yuri, but she knows me?"
"My guess is she's liked you for a while. She isn't straight, as far as I know. Her mom ended her last relationship. Said the other girl was too rebellious. A bad influence,"
"Oh, yikes. How long ago was that?"
"At least a year ago? If you want to meet her tomorrow, she'll be at band practice,"
"So she is in the band..." A small smile appears on Chaeryeong's face, "Why do you know the band practice schedules anyway? You can't even remember the code for my locker, but you can remember that?"
"Lia's cousin Goeun is in the band and we go and watch them practice sometimes. It starts at four in the big music room, and there's always a bunch of people watching,"
"Who knew Hwang Yeji could ever be this useful?" This time it's Yeji who throws a pillow at Chaeryeong.
"Ungrateful. Have fun tomorrow, maybe ask her out?"
"Maybe," Chaeryeong is hesitant. There's a knock on the door.
"Yeji, did you not bring your phone? Your mom is asking what time you'll be back home,"
"Guess it's time for me to go," Yeji throws another pillow at Chaeryeong.
"Goodnight!" The latter yells as Yeji descends the staircase.
It's four in the afternoon on Tuesday, and Chaeryeong steps into the music room nervously. Much to her surprise, there are already a few people sitting at the back.
"You're Chaeryeong, aren't you?" Chaeryeong is approached by a pretty blonde girl. Oh. It's Heejin. She nods briefly.
"Here to watch Ryujin?" Chaeryeong nods again, and the practice starts soon after.
Chaeryeong was never very interested in the band, but now she realizes why they’re so popular among the other students. Ryujin looks so pretty up there without trying, and her voice is so nice too…
Band practice is over, and Ryujin seems to have spotted Chaeryeong. Chaeryeong wants to approach Ryujin, but what would she say? She can't just ask Ryujin out, not when she's completely unprepared and has no idea what she would even do on a date with Ryujin. Besides, what if she gets rejected? Surely she should at least get to know the other girl better first. With that, Chaeryeong leaves the room quietly.
It's been a week since Chaeryeong has seen Ryujin. She misses the other girl, more than she'd like to admit. She's at Yeji's house for dinner this time.
"Do you know where Ryujin is? I haven't seen her for a while,"
"Right. Heejin asked me to pass you this letter, and I'm assuming it's from Ryujin," Yeji hands a piece of folded paper to Chaeryeong.
Chaeryeong hasn't gotten past the first line, but she bursts out crying.
"Chae? Is everything okay?" Yeji looks at the sobbing girl in front of her.
"Ryujin... she's gone. She left for Canada," Chaeryeong whispers, "So much for fate."
Yeji is shocked. If Ryujin was going to leave, why would she suddenly get closer to Chaeryeong a week before her departure? She reaches out for Chaeryeong and hugs her, stroking her hair in a (rather futile) attempt to calm the other girl down.
"I've grown so attached to her in less than a week. Why would she do this to me?"
"Chae, why don't you continue reading the letter? Ryujin didn't write out a full page for you to only read two lines," Yeji mops up Chaeryeong's tears.
Dear Chaeryeong,
By the time you're reading this, I'm probably already in Canada. You probably have a lot of questions, and I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye properly. This was never something I wanted, or agreed to. In fact, I only knew about this in the morning of the day you came to watch the band practice.
This is a stupid and horrible way to confess, but I've liked you since junior year. I'm not sure if you feel the same way, and if you don't, the rest of this letter is probably pointless, and you can stop reading. I don't know, I thought you might, but after you leaving band practice like that I'm not too sure. I would have told you in person, but I guess you're finding out this way now. I'm useless at writing letters, aren't I?
You're probably expecting me to leave some way for you to contact me while I'm in Canada, but I'm not going to do that. I don't think we know each other well enough to go long distance, and I don't want to cause any misunderstandings or hurt you anymore than I already have.
As to whether we'll become more than friends on the future, its up to you. If you don't want to wait, or if you meet someone else, please don't hold back because of me.
I'm sorry, once again, and thank you for making my life a little better the last few years, even if you didn't know it. You'll always have a place in my heart.
Yours,
Ryujin
"I… don't know whether I want to wait," Chaeryeong says softly, "I know this isn't her fault, not entirely, but if I do end up liking someone else… that's okay, right?"
"Of course, Chaeryeong," Yeji continues stroking the brunette's hair.