Ryujin was deep in her sleep when her phone suddenly rings.

She groaned, muttering some curses (some of them directed at herself for not muting her phone before she went to bed), as she’s blindly searching for the ringing phone, too lazy to open her eyes.

“Hello?” Ryujin’s groggy voice can be heard echoing in her dark bedroom.

“Oh did i wake you up? Sorry, Ryuddaeng-ah.”

“First, i know you’re not really sorry. And second It’s late. Any normal people like me surely will be sleeping at this hours.” Ryujin sighed. “But anyway, what’s up? You okay?” No matter how annoyed she is, she just can’t really be mad at the caller.

“Hehe sorry sorry. But i’m not okayyy. I really need youuu~” The caller cutely whined with her kid-like voice. And Ryujin’s hearts stopped for a second there.

“I’m bored. And couldn’t sleep.” The caller finished on her words.

‘Ah. Should’ve known.’ Ryujin inwardly thought.

And just like that, the caller broke her heart all over again.

Nothing new. She berated herself for still able to feel disappointed. At this rate, she should have been numb or at least get used to the pain. But sadly she’s not.

It’s hard when the person who’s your heart beats so loud for is the same person behind your silent cries.

“Do you want to have a night ride with me?” The caller asked, now talking with her normal voice that always sounds melodious in Ryujin’s ears, though she will never admit it out loud to the voice’s owner.

“Unnie.. Are you insane? It’s 1 AM right now!”

“So what? Just like age, it’s just a number.” The caller giggled.

“You’re crazy. And i’m crazier because i always let you to drag me into your crazy world. Pick me up in 10 minutes.” Ryujin sighed as she gets up from bed.

Her sleepiness is long gone by now.

Ryujin starts to looking up for some hoodie and pair of comfy training pants inside her wardrobe when the caller speaks again,

“Just come down when you’re ready. I’m already in front of your house.”

Ryujin swears she can perfectly see the mischievous smile on the caller’s face right now in her head even without actually seeing it.

“Should’ve known.” Ryujin muttered.

***

“Ryujinieeee~~~” A pretty girl in black long straight hair, with sharp face and cat-eye-like eyes cheerfully greeted Ryujin when the younger girl get inside her red SUV car.

“Yeji unnie.” Ryujin greeted back flatly, unenthusiastically. Sending a death glare at the older but unfortunately it doesn’t affect her at all. Yeji’s grin is still intact as she leaned forward to pull Ryujin into a tight bear hug.

“I missed you.” Yeji sighed as she buried her nose in Ryujin’s shoulder.

“Don’t be crazy. You just saw me yesterday.” Ryujin nonchalantly replied, trying to show the annoyance in her voice. Trying to acted cold toward the older girl who’s still hugging her tightly. But in the end she found herself slowly wrapping her arms around Yeji, hugging her back.

They hugged like that for a few minutes more before the younger out of the two decided to wriggle herself free from Yeji’s embrace. Afraid she might get too comfortable with it when she knows she shouldn’t.

“So, where to go?” Ryujin asked, fastening her seatbelt.

Out of habit, she looked at the seat beside hers and found Yeji who’s still not buckling up her seatbelt. Wordlessly Ryujin leaned over to help the older, fastening her seatbelt for her.

Yeji just smiled gratefully at that.

“Thanks! And.. I don’t know. I don’t really have a place in mind. Should we just drive around?”

“’kay.”

With that Ryujin spent almost 2 hours driving aimlessly on the almost empty road in Seoul with Yeji, listening to the older’s random stories, listening to her rapping so passionately when they both knows how Yeji doesn’t have any talent in rapping, and how the older purposely singing off tune at the top of her lungs before she burst out into laughters, with Ryujin following suit shortly after. This duo dumb and dumber..

Ryujin knows she will be in a big trouble if her mom ever found out that she’s not sleeping in her room right now.

She also knows she will look like a zombie in the school tomorrow morning. Can’t concentrate on what her teachers would say because she will be too sleepy to listen, and probably choose to sleep on it instead.

She knows Yeji is a bad influence for her. But if she can see Yeji’s smile, if she can hear Yeji’s laugh, if she can feel Yeji’s warm touch, all of those sacrifices she made would be worth it.

Ryujin often wonders, how can such a smart girl like her, who’s always excelled in both academic and non-academic thingy, like she’s always get a good mark in class, good at sport, she’s fast, agile and strong. She has a talent in dancing and singing. People always both praised and envied her for her skills and achievements.

Yet when it comes to Yeji, she can be the dumbest person in the world who can no longer differentiate what is good and what is bad. Who’s willing to throw everything away just to be with that troublemaker that she really cares about. Who knows nothing but Hwang Yeji.

With only one hope.

That one day Yeji would finally see how much Ryujin loves her and willing to loves her back in the same way Ryujin does for the older. Even just for a bit.

***

“Ryujin-ah!” Hearing her name, Ryujin turned her body around, just to see a familiar pretty face smiling at her as the person jogs toward her.

“Oh? Lia unnie! Hi!” Ryujin smiled back, putting her hands inside her hoodie’s front pocket as she waits for Lia.

Lia. And there’s Choi Lia. Another close unnie in Ryujin’s life. Compare to Yeji, Lia is a very proper person. And surely less troublesome.

“Yah, something happened? You look tired. And it’s still noon!” Lia looks worried. She naturally stretched out her hand to hold Ryujin’s hand, pulling the younger closer to her. Probably afraid she would collapse or something if the wind suddenly blows too hard.

“Hehe i’m fine, unnie. Just sleepy.” Ryujin said as she stifled a yawn.

“Pabo, were you binge watching some dramas again until dawn? I told you it’s not good for your health if you keep losing your sleep.”

“Nah. Just get kidnapped by your annoying cousin.” Ryujin feels so sleepy so she closed her eyes and leaned her body against Lia’s. And Lia readily put her arm around Ryujin’s body, supporting her.

“Hwang Yeji?” Lia asked.

“Who else? Hoam~” Ryujin stifled another yawn.

“Haish that rascal! I should talk to her and give her a piece of my mind. She can’t just come to you whenever she wants and do whatever she pleases. I will look for her!” Lia tried to gently pry Ryujin’s off her, and planning to hunt her cousin down. They are studying in the same school, just different class. So it should be easy to find her.

“Hey hey. No need to be that mad. It wasn’t Yeji unnie’s fault. I was the one who was willingly get inside her car.” Ryujin explained as she grabs Lia’s arm with her quick reflex, trying to stop her from searching for Yeji and probably kill her.

She knows how much Lia cares for her and cherishes her. And she often become so protective of her because of that. And she’s indeed feel grateful, for having Lia in her life. She already sees Lia as her own big sister that she never had. She only has a younger sister, Yuna.

“Can you please be not too soft-hearted with her? Please!” Lia desperately requested.

“Okay okay, unnie. Arasseo. I’m sorry.” Ryujin softly caressed Lia’s arm, hoping to calm her down.

“No, don’t apologize. It’s not even your fault.”

“Unnie, i’m hungry. Let’s just go to canteen and eat. Please?” Ryujin pouted, purposely using her very rare shown aegyo, because her aegyo usually will always work its magic on Lia.

“I know what’s your trying to do, Shin Ryujin.” Lia sighed.

“What? I’m just hungry. And Chaeryeong is waiting for me there. We should not make her wait alone for too long. Let’s go.” Ryujin holds Lia’s hand and intertwined their fingers together out of habit, and pull the older girl to walk with her to the school canteen.

Of course Lia just obediently follow the younger’s pull. Her anger vanished in instant.

Her earlier thought to hunt Yeji down is also vanished.

Replaced by the image of how perfect her hand molded with Ryujin’s hand. And the way Ryujin pouted so cutely at her earlier, she just can’t help but to smile like a fool by herself.

***

Ryujin tried her best to get to the school canteen as fast as her legs could bring her, dragging the poor Lia behind her.

She doesn’t want Chaeryeong to nag her for making her to wait alone too long. Chaeryeong is such a kind, sweet and reliable friend. But she can be quite scary when she’s angry.

“Chae—“ Ryujin almost called out her friend’s name but she stopped midway as her eyes landed on her friend’s figure and the person who sits across her. The two currently busy talking and laughing with each other. They seem to have fun.

Quietly Ryujin and Lia made their way toward Chaeryeong’s table.

“Oh, you’re finally here.”

“Yeji unnie.” Ryujin greeted back.

“Hi, Ryuddaeng. And my beloved cousin, Lia Lia Juliaa~” Yeji brightly smiled at the two. Her eyes vanished as they curved into crescent shape. But Yeji’s smile turned into a frown when her eyes landed on Ryujin’s hand that still clasping with Lia’s.

“Yah yah yah, Lia Julia. Hands off. Ryujinie is mine.” Yeji quicky stood up from her seat to separating the two. Childishly standing in between the two and pulled Ryujin’s hand away from Lia’s grip.

“Yah you crazy brat!” Lia tried to hit Yeji but failed because Yeji quickly avoid it. So Lia tried again, this time using her leg to kick Yeji. Good for her, this time her kick successfully landed on Yeji’s leg.

“AW YAH!” Yeji shouted in pain.

“Serve you right. I should have kicked you harder. For kidnapping Ryujin last night. Look how sleepy she is today!”

“Oh?” Yeji quickly turned her head toward Ryujin who has been quiet all this time, watching the two cousins bicker from the side.

“Ryuddaeng-ahhh. Mianhae. Unnie is sorry.” Yeji pulled Ryujin into her embrace, patting and caressing the younger’s hair. “Should i help you to run away from school today? C’mon. Let’s do that. Unnie will drive you home so you can have some sleep.”

“YAH HWANG YEJI DO YOU WANNA DIE?!” Lia slapped Yeji’s shoulder hard.

“OUCH! STOP ABUSING ME!”

The two ready to fight again. But before anyone get killed, Chaeryeong and Ryujin quickly run to the two and hold them away from each other.

“Unnies, please stop it.” Chaeryeong who’s back hugging Lia said as she tried her best to keep Lia still.

“People start to looking at us weirdly. C’mon you two.” Ryujin sighed. Since she’s very strong, despite Yeji being the taller one with around 5 cm height difference, she’s still can keep the older still with ease.

“Fine fine.” The two finally calmed down.

“I need to meet my friends now.” Yeji said.

Yeji give a quick hug to Ryujin, Lia and lastly Chaeryeong.

“Chae-chae, since your friend is already here, i’ll take my leave, okay? Just ring me up whenever you need someone to accompany you. I don’t want you to be lonely.”

“Ne, unnie. Thank you for accompanying me. Thanks to you i didn’t look too pitiful as i waited alone here.”

“Haha sure sure. My pleasure.” Yeji ruffles Chaeryeong’s hair and cutely grinned at her.

Seeing that Ryujin starts to feel something poking her heart. It stings. Suddenly the air around her become kind of suffocating. So she turned her face away, refusing to look at the scene any longer.

“Jealousy . And it’s er because you know there’s nothing you can do about it. You don’t even have any right to feel that in the first place. So get your together, Shin Ryujin.”  Ryujin reminded herself.