Third chapter

Ryujin was, as usual, in her dorm room. It was the beginning of November, which meant that the awards ceremony, which was always held at the end of the year, was just around the corner. She didn’t meet Yuna that day, but she had chatted with her. It was something that was never missing in her day-to-day life.

Ryujin was happy. She met with Yuna at least twice a week, sometimes even three or four times. They always did the same thing: they would meet, make sure no one would come to interrupt them and chat, making sure to always practice a choreography. Yuna once asked if it was really necessary.

“It is,” Ryujin replied. “It would be strange to leave here fresh as a daisy, don't you think?”

So, they practiced all the time. Although it was fun, the main attraction for Ryujin was being with Yuna. Talking to her, telling her about her day and having Yuna tell her about hers, hugging her, caressing her hair and inhaling her fragrance. And kissing her, of course.

At first, there was some awkwardness in her meetings with Yuna. It was as if the two were meeting for the first time, again. But it didn't take many afternoons for that feeling to disappear. They went back to being the friends they had always been, but with the added bonus of their clandestine relationship.

“I'm bored,” Yeji's voice brought Ryujin out of her reverie. “I didn't think I was going to say it, but here I am.”

“Lots of free time but little freedom of movement,” Ryujin said, distracted.

Yeji grunted.

“That's right. I could join you one of these days to practice with Yuna.”

The comment brought Ryujin's attention back. She wouldn't mind if Yeji went once or twice. It would please her, in fact. She just hoped Yeji wouldn't want to go to all their meetings, as Ryujin and Yuna would have to pretend.

“Erm, sure,” Ryujin replied. “We could use your help practicing.”

Yeji nodded and went back to her computer.

“I'll go to the practice room tomorrow,” Ryujin reported.

“Again? You've been there three times this week.”

“Yeah, but there's not much else to do, y’know?” Ryujin said, casually.

“Well, have fun and the usual. I'll join you two another time.”

---

Hwang Yeji considered herself an observant person. She kept an eye on everything her members did, and was careful about her own actions. She liked to be informed about relevant events and always insisted on being told as soon as possible when they had to prepare for a comeback. She also liked to pay attention to details.

It was Yeji's boredom, combined with her free time and her eye always on the ITZY members, that made her notice the details of Ryujin's outings. When she met twice a week, it seemed totally normal to Yeji. Ryujin liked to dance to songs from other groups and having Yuna accompany her pleased Yeji. It strengthened their relationship. However, when the older Shin started going three, four or even five times a week to practice, Yeji found it strange. Yeji didn't know Ryujin liked dancing that much, especially when they were free. Ryujin preferred to stay in the bedroom watching a series or playing video games, or going to visit her parents' house. The latter wasn't possible since the people upstairs told Yeji that they had to stay in the dorm in case something came up, but there were the other activities.

If it was Chaeryeong who went dancing every day, Yeji wouldn't have even noticed. Or herself, although she didn't feel like it this vacation. Not being able to visit her parents, whom she hadn't seen for so long, made her very sad. She had to spend her days hanging around JYP or going out when she could for a walk in the park. So she watched. She watched Ryujin smile at her phone often, and noticed her enthusiasm to go out to meet Yuna.

One day Yeji decided to let it slip that maybe he would accompany them to their meetings.

“Erm, sure. We could use your help practicing.”

Perhaps it was Yeji's imagination, but the leader thought she saw Ryujin's body tense up at her comment.

The next day, she slyly watched Ryujin in the morning. Yeji could tell she was impatient, judging by how she would pick up the laptop to look at it and within minutes put it down to look at her phone. Then she would put the device down and return to the laptop. She would repeat the strange process until she left at half past twelve. Yeji noticed these details and stored them in her memory. The next two times Ryujin met with Yuna, she did the same thing. Get impatient and leave early.

Part of Yeji told her that she was just bored to death and making up stupid things to entertain herself, but another part, the idle leader part, told her that she would have to check out what was going on. Just to make sure everything was going well.

So it was that Yeji decided to follow Ryujin the next time she went out. She wouldn't tell Ryujin anything, of course. She would just follow her without her knowing.

That day was Monday of the second week of November. Ryujin was impatient again in the morning, the sign Yeji associated with going out that day.

“I'll go to the cafeteria today,” Yeji said.

Ryujin looked away from her phone to look at her from her bed.

“Yes?”

“Yeah,” Yeji said cheerfully. “They're already allowing more people in the place and I plan to be there to have my favorite drink. It's been a long time since I've done that.”

“Ah, that's perfect,” Ryujin said as she gave Yeji a thumbs up. “Have fun.”

Yeji left the room at twelve o'clock, half an hour earlier than Ryujin used to leave. She walked out and crossed the hallway in the opposite direction of the practice room to avoid running into Ryujin by accident. She waited looking at her phone, attentive. She heard the sound of the dormitory door opening and closing, then footsteps walking away.  Ryujin poked her head out and started walking as Ryujin crossed the other corner. That was what the crossing consisted of. Yeji always kept a full aisle of distance between the two so Ryujin wouldn't hear her footsteps.

When Ryujin reached the hallway where the practice room was, Yeji waited to hear the door open and close. Hearing the latter, she peeked out. No one was there. However, she hid behind the corner again. Yuna would come around the other side at any moment. Yeji knew that because that direction was Yuna and Jisu's bedroom. Besides, Ryujin always left early.

She heard footsteps coming from the other side. Yeji put her phone away, tense. She heard a door open and close, most likely the practice room door. She peeked her head out and saw no one. She began to move quickly, but cautiously. Yeji took a quick glance both ways and crouched in front of the door, feeling stupid. It seemed horrible to her to suddenly spy on her friends like this.

Straining her ears she registered laughter, followed by words.

“...I missed...” Yuna's voice.

A restrained giggle.

“…Yeji didn't…?” Yuna again?

“No,” Ryujin's voice sounded clear. She was near the door. A of panic ran through Yeji and she felt like jumping up and running out of there, but she forced herself to stay. “She went to the cafeteria.”

An indistinguishable murmur.

“I'd like her to come over sometime,” Ryujin said.

“… talk… so much freedom…”

“Without so much freedom?" completed Yeji in her head. “Talk without so much freedom?”

“Come on,” Ryujin said and Yeji heard footsteps walking away. Instantly, Ryujin's voice quickly faded away. “…pamper you…”

A series of indistinguishable words and laughter followed. Yeji decided that was enough and walked away with her heart racing, thinking about what little she heard.

“Pamper you?” Yeji muttered, “Yuna? Pamper her? Or…?”