Ryujin was on her way home when she saw Lia leaving the school grounds. 

"Hey Lia, are you heading home?" Ryujin approached the cheerleader hastily.

"Yeah, how about you?"

"W-We got a rest day today from basketball practice, so.." Ryujin stuttered, feeling the butterflies in her stomach.

"I see... Well, um, I saw the game. You played really well. I didn't know you were that good at basketball." Lia said enthusiastically. 

Ryujin felt her cheeks burning with Lia's complements. Finally, the older has noticed her skills. It was thanks to Yeji that she was able to play confidently at that time.  

"Thank you, I-I still need more practice, though. Um, can I walk you home?" Ryujin asked boldly, taking the opportunity while Chaeryeong isn't around Lia. 

"Sure, let's go." Lia linked her arm with Ryujin's, and Ryujin's head is all over the place. She doesn't know how to react appropriately to the little advances Lia made. 

'This feels right.' Ryujin thought as they walked together quietly.


 

~


 

Lia broke the silence with a question, "Are you and Yeji a thing?" 

They were almost halfway to their destination, and Ryujin had to stop in her tracks.

That was unexpected. It wasn't like Lia to be curious about her relationship with anyone. 

"No, we aren't like that. We're just good friends." Ryujin's answer made Lia chuckle, remembering the words that she used talking about Chaeryeong with Ryujin. 

"So I guess good friends do those kinds of things." Lia bluntly refers to the kiss she witnessed at the gym.

"I don't think you're so opposed to the idea of two 'good friends' sharing a kiss." Ryujin's tone became serious, getting Lia's full attention. 

"Minnie, she's one of your 'good friends' too, right? Same with Chaeryeong, and people from other schools as well, right?"  Ryujin continued spouting all of what she knows about Lia. 

The older girl felt a lump in . She didn't know what to say.

"Listen, I've liked you since middle school. You literally seem so perfect—you're kind, smart, talented, not to mention you're gorgeous. I guess that's why so many people want to be with you." Ryujin started. 

Lia has still yet to break her silence.

"I find it crazy that the moment I came to know your true personality— your impurities, your obsession with gaining attention, and the way you play people so that you'd have them wrapped around your finger— I still managed to like you, a lot." Ryujin breathed out, "And maybe even more so now." 

Ryujin's words made Lia speechless. She didn't know Ryujin knew that much about her. The worse part was that Lia knew that she had done worse than what Ryujin had mentioned, and hopefully, Ryujin never thoroughly knows everything about her. 

Lia took Ryujin by surprise when the older girl pulled her close and clashed their lips together. Ryujin couldn't exactly comprehend what was happening but, Lia's lips sure are soft. 

Her lips tasted like sin, and Ryujin isn't sure why she liked it so much. 

Lia pulled away from the kiss and looked Ryujin straight in the eyes.

"That's what you wanted, right?" 

Ryujin was still dazed from the lip-locking and stayed silent.

"Can you keep everything you know about me a secret? Especially to Chaeryeong." It sounded like a plead. 

And Ryujin felt a stab in her chest at the mention of Chaeryeong. After all, Lia still wanted to play the role of the sweet, innocent, perfect girl in front of Chaeryeong. 

Ryujin was hurt. It felt like her confession was for nothing. Like Lia didn't care about her feelings. But, she still likes her, so she forces a smile.

"Don't worry. I won't tell her." 



 

~


 

Today is another day at the practice, and everyone is at the bench preparing for today's drill. Ryujin approached Yeji, who is tying her hair into a high ponytail. 

"Yeji, after the practice, can we check out this new café that opened up nearby?" Ryujin suggested excitedly, "I passed by it when I was heading to school, and I just thought that you'd probably like it there." Yeji couldn't help but smile as she saw the sparkle in Ryujin's eyes when talking about food. 

"Sure, but in one condition, you must stay focused during practice," Yeji stated strictly.

"Fine, fine." Ryujin was so happy that she pecked Yeji's cheeks in front of everyone, gaining lots of curious looks from the team. 

Yeji felt her cheeks burn up at the unforeseen kiss and the shift of everyone's attention. It was so sudden, and she was caught so off guard. She glanced at Ryujin, who seemed to be oblivious of the fact that there are now many eyes latched onto them. 

"What the hell were you thinking?" Yeji whispered so that only Ryujin can hear her, "People were looking."

"What's wrong? It was just a peck on the cheek. They probably thought it was nothing." Yeji just shook her head in defeat. The older girl is left wondering why Ryujin suddenly flaunted their 'relationship' and said that they 'didn't need to hide' after Lia caught them.

Her eyes wandered, and she noticed that Chaeryeong was also looking at them.

'Well, as if anything would've changed. Chaeryeong still thinks of me as family anyway.'


 

~


 

"You want to go home together today?" Chaeryeong sat beside Yeji on the bench while everyone was in the locker room. 

Yeji looks at Chaeryeong, the answer should be easy for Yeji, but this time, it's different. She promised Ryujin that she would go with her to the new café she found. 

"I'm sorry, Chaeryeong, I already have plans," this was the first time Yeji rejected an opportunity to hang out with Chaeryeong, but she felt that she made the right decision. 

"With Ryujin?"

"Yeah." 

Chaeryeong felt that what Ryujin and Yeji have is way more than a friendship, especially after witnessing the scene earlier with Ryujin casually leaving a peck on Yeji's cheek— it was so casual that it seemed like such a normal thing for the pair. 

As much as she doesn't like Ryujin for Yeji, it's not Chaeryeongs's place to intrude and tell Yeji who she's allowed and not allowed to hang out with; they're are just childhood friends after all. 

She stood up from her seat and released a defeated sigh, "Take care then, and don't stay out too late." Chaeryeong reminded, as if she was Yeji's strict parent.

"Alright, thanks." Yeji nodded and chuckled lightly.


 

~


 

Ryujin and Yeji met up after practice and made their way to the new café. They entered the cute little tea shop and sat facing each other. From the moment they took a seat, Ryujin didn't hesitate and ordered almost everything on the menu like an excited kid. 

"Are you sure you can eat everything you ordered?"

"How will we know which tasted better if we don't taste everything." 

Yeji just shook her head. Maybe that's the reason why Ryujin wanted her to tag along— so that it would be less embarrassing for her if she's eating alone. 

The moment the food came one by one, Ryujin started to devour everything on the table. Yeji was eating little by little. 

"Eat slower, you're not in an eating contest," Yeji reminded the younger girl, failing to hide the smile creeping up on her lips.

They were chatting while eating when a familiar face entered the café. Yeji was the first one to notice since she sat facing the door of the café. 
 

It was Lia.
 

She had her arms linked with the person beside her and kissed her on the lips. And Lia didn't seem to notice the pair.
 

But Yeji saw it all. 
 

She glanced at Ryujin, and she saw that Ryujin is also looking in Lia's direction. Yeji couldn't help but feel sorry for Ryujin, but at the same time, she was surprised by what she had witnessed. 

When Lia and the unknown girl settled at one of the chairs far from them, Yeji placed her hand over Ryujin's, "We can leave this place if you want." 

"It's okay," Ryujin said in a surprisingly calm manner. Yeji's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Don't worry, Lia's just that kind of girl," Ryujin shrugged.

"What? You knew she's been seeing other people while hanging out with you and Chaeryeong?" Yeji raised her voice slightly, still couldn't believe everything. 

"Calm down, she might hear you." Ryujin hushed the older girl, "Please keep it a secret, Yeji. I'm begging you," 

There was a knot in Yeji's stomach. She couldn't understand what she was feeling at that moment. She feels her temperature rising out of anger. She couldn't believe that Ryujin is asking for her silence to protect Lia. 

Maybe Ryujin does love her that much. She took another glance in Lia's direction. She's laughing in such a flirtatious way, making Yeji's blood boil. 

 

Now she knows what she's feeling.


 

Resentment.