Jisu was the one deciding she would give Ryujin time. Still, she didn’t expect that after four days, she still didn’t get an answer.

Friday went by, the weekend went by, where Jisu had some fun watching Chaewon and Hyeju playing Mario Kart on stream. For those moments, she managed to forget about Ryujin, laughing and squealing at how cute they looked. That was, until Ryujin showed up in the chat box, and everything came crashing down on her again.

It was Monday now, classes were over, and no sight, no word from Ryujin. Jisu knew she didn't act well, but they still had agreed on helping each other with their projects. She was glad she managed to take all the measurements she needed, so she could start working on the clothes in that same Monday's class. But Ryujin had just two weeks left for her project. For sure that she still needed to take more pictures. But how would she, when she didn't answer Jisu?

Jisu didn't feel like going back to her dorm after classes. Nor she did feel like being with her friends. So, she walked. All the way to the riverside, and by the river from there. She wasn't sure she did it on purpose, to go to the place where she had watched the sunset before with Ryujin, but she was left thinking it could only be destiny.

Because Ryujin was already there. Sitting on the exact same spot they have been, on the steps that lead to the water, airpods on her ears, eyes ahead at the city skyline on the other side of the river.

Jisu walked over, sitting next to her without a word, and stole her left aipod from her ear. Ryujin jerked her head in her direction, eyes growing big as she met hers. Jisu still didn't say anything, and put the airpod in her left ear, curious to know what she was listening to. And her heart skipped a beat, because she was listening to Coastal Love, by Honne. The song that played when Jisu... when Ryujin stormed outside.

"I love this song so much," Jisu said.

"How did you know I was here?" Ryujin asked.

"I didn't. I didn't feel like going home, so I took a walk, and ended up here." She paused. "Do you... wanna talk about what happened? Or do you want me to leave you?"

"No. You can stay."

Jisu nodded and sang along with the song as she stared ahead. When it reached the end, Jisu took out the airpod to give it back, and Ryujin stared at her with parted lips.

"I didn't know you could sing so well," Ryujin said, grabbing the airpod and removing the other one, stuffing both in her bag.

"Oh, it's nothing special. But thanks. You sang really well too."

"Do I?"

"I heard you when we were... back in my dorm."

"Right."

The atmosphere felt awkward now without the music. Like there were so many unspoken words from both.

"Ryujin, I'm sorry for what happened. I misunderstood the situation and made you uncomfortable."

"And I'm sorry for leaving like that and not answering your text."

"Oh, you saw it."

"I did. I just... didn't know what to answer. So, I didn't."

"Just say what's on your mind. What was back then, what is now. If you want to, of course. I don't wanna force you to do anything."

"There's so much I don't know where, how to start."

"Take your time."

Ryujin nodded, fidgeting with her hands on her lap.

"I can start, if that helps you," Jisu added.

"Sure."

"I know we agreed to help each other with our projects, and the times we've been together were exactly for that, to work together. But I just couldn't help it. You're really pretty and every time I tried to flirt, you seemed to respond, so I grew expectations when I shouldn't. Back in my dorm, I got the feeling I wasn't the only one that... wanted that, so I went for it. But I was wrong, and put you in such an awkward situation-"

"It's not like I didn't want to."

"W-What?"

"I freaked out. I was conflicted. Because I did want it too, kinda, but... but I don't know if I should. Or if I can."

Jisu blinked, all that info floating in her mind as she tried to grasp it and make sense of it.

"I... I don't understand," Jisu said. "I scared you, is that it?"

"Not quite. It's more like... I'm the one that's scared." Ryujin dropped her head.

"Of what?"

"It's complicated."

Chaewon's words rang in Jisu's mind. Maybe Ryujin will open up to you too.

"I know you don't owe me anything, and I'm in no way to ask, but if you want to talk, I'm here to listen." Jisu laid a hand on top of Ryujin's.

Each day that passed, the earlier the sunset was getting and the chillier the weather became. The sun was on its way to the horizon already, its warmth no match for the breeze of the late afternoon. But when Ryujin grasped her hand back, hard, it was as warm as a summer day.

"I had a girlfriend back in high school," Ryujin said, her shoulders tensing. "She was in my class in the second year, and we clicked really well. So well that we started dating a couple of months after. It was a great relationship, really." A small smile appeared on her lips for a moment. "We got along super well, we had chemistry, we shared interests, aside from gaming, but she always said she didn't mind. Everything was always good, way too good to be true, you know. Even if we argued about something, which was super rare, it never lasted long, and we would always talk things peacefully. It was like the perfect relationship everybody wished they had."

Ryujin never let go of Jisu's hand, and she sensed the bad part was coming up soon, so she intertwined their fingers, their locked hands comfortable resting on Ryujin's lap.

"In the third year, she moved to another class, but we still met every day, either during lunch or after classes, hung out on the weekends, studied together. It really didn't affect much." Ryujin paused and took a deep breath.

Jisu squeezed her hand, silently encouraging her, telling her she was listening and there for her.

"I was in the photography club. There was this guy that had joined in the third year, he was younger than me, yet, he thought he could order everyone around. Every time I said something, he would dismiss it, just to suggest it himself a minute later. He got so ing much on my nerves that one day, I exploded. I yelled, and I was so pissed that I kicked a chair, but... the chair fell, hit a tripod, making it also fall and break an expensive camera."

Jisu gasped. "Oh no, Ryujin. That... that's awful."

"It was pretty bad. But like, I know I was wrong and it was my fault, but I took responsibility for what I did and I paid for everything I damaged or broke. But still... what I did spread like wildfire. You know how high school students are. Literally the next day, everyone was throwing me weird looks, or avoiding looking at me at all, like I... I don't know, like I was suddenly going to jump on them and bit their heads off. And then I heard what they were saying. That I broke it on purpose, that I grabbed the camera and smashed it on the ground, that I threatened the poor guy that I would break the camera on his face, like that. There were multiple versions, and I'm sure people didn't even know which one was true. That in fact, none of that was even true."

There wasn't a single thing Jisu could say. Her chin hung low, her heart clenched so hard it hurt on her chest.

"Not only that, but suddenly, I was a , an aggressive person everyone should avoid, or else they would meet the same fate of that poor camera I broke. And if all of that wasn't enough, my..." Ryujin stopped, eyes staring at the void, and a dry chuckle sounded from . "My girlfriend broke up with me."

"What?!" Jisu frowned. "She... when you needed her the most? When you needed her support to go through that bull you were already in?!"

"Yeah. She told me I spent too much time gaming, that I became aggressive when I did so, and that I yelled when there was no need, and that it was... scary when I got angry. She held so many grudges against me, for things I didn't even remember doing, or like everything had to be my way, if I was busy playing, it had to be that way, but if I wanted to be with her, she had to abide to be with me. But she never told me any of that!” Ryujin gripped Jisu’s hand. “She kept it all to herself when she always told me things were fine, just to throw everything to my face in the end. She stopped talking to me altogether after that. I guess that she also didn't want to be known as 'that dangerous girl's girlfriend'."

Ryujin's eyes gleamed under the sunset. Jisu scooted closer, cupping her cheek with her free hand and wiping the corner of her eyes before the tears could fall. "I'm so sorry, Ryujin. You didn't deserve any of that."

"Ever since that happened, I wondered who I was. Was I really an aggressive person? I know I rage a bit when I play, I always did, and it was worse back then. Hyeju used to tell me to calm down when we played, but it was the way I released it. I don't think I was a generally bad, aggressive person, but that got me wondering. Maybe I was, and I didn't even notice. Maybe I was scary, and I didn't know. And for a long time, I questioned myself. The kind of person I was. So I started to hide myself, to contain everything, to always feel calm, but to a point where I became lethargic. It was as if I forced myself to stop feeling . If I didn't feel anything, I wouldn't feel angry, right?" Ryujin sighed. "I gained serious trust issues, like, how can I believe what people tell me, when I trusted with my whole heart that I was a nice girlfriend and everything was fine when it wasn't?"

"I can't even imagine how that must feel like."

"Still, I'm lucky that Hyeju never left my side. We grew up together, there's no one that knows us better than we do each other. Yerim and Chaeryeong as well, we were from the same class all throughout high school, and they've been my friends since. I even stopped playing after that happened, but Hyeju put sense in my head, like I didn't deserve to just stop doing something I've always loved because of that. Because of her. I really am lucky for having Hyeju."

"You deserve friends like that. I'm glad they stayed by your side despite all of that crap and saw you for who you are, and not for an accident."

"Yeah." Ryujin sniffed. "But I couldn't get rid of the rumors. They followed me all the way to college."

The pieces came together in Jisu's mind. "That's why somewhere wrote that on your flyer! And people were throwing us looks when we left the editing room! Because... because they also think that."

"Oh, you... saw what was written on the flyer?"

"Yeah, it was already there when I took one of the papers. I wondered if it could have been a prank from a friend, or someone jealous, because I mean, I get why people would be jealous of you."

Ryujin irked an eyebrow. "Why?"

Jisu looked at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You're super cool and pretty, and your work is amazing. I thought it could be something like that. I never imagined... it was because of this."

"I thought, and hoped, that you had taken the paper and contacted me before someone wrote that on the flyer. But even with that, you still chose to contact me."

"Yeah. Like I was going to be influenced by someone writing Ryujin's a ." Jisu scoffed, shaking her head. "And then I saw how they're so terribly wrong."

A small smile made its way to Ryujin's lips, as she stared down at their still interlocked hands. "Thanks. For giving me a chance. I thought no one was going to contact me, even when I said there would be a paid reward. Because everyone at the photography department already knows about the 'dangerous Ryujin'."

"Dangerous... Dangerously cool."

Ryujin let out a chuckle, but that soon grew into a louder laugh.

"I'm serious!" Jisu frowned at her.

"It's not really my intention to look that cool, but I'm glad you think that. Maybe it's my constant resting face."

"You mean, your constant beautiful face."

"Is this a 'compliment Ryujin' challenge or something?"

"S-Sorry, I just... want to cheer you up. And I'm stating facts only."

Ryujin faced her, staring right back at her eyes. "You're beautiful yourself, Jisu. Your eye smile is just... the prettiest."

Jisu flared her nostrils, her face warming up. "See, that's why I thought..." She heaved a sigh. "You were just being nice."

"No, it's not like that. I know I've told you that before, and now I see how that could read as responding to your flirting, but it's not like I said that just to be nice to you. I meant it. But let me explain. Ever since I opened the door, that first day when you met me at the editing room, that I was like... oh , you know."

Jisu laughed. "Same as me, then. You opened the door and I was like, oh god, this is Ryujin," she said, eyeing Ryujin from head to toe.

"Exactly. So I forced myself to act as natural as possible, to not show how nervous I was, to not show anything at all. Also to try and trick myself. If I convinced myself that I didn't feel a thing, that it wasn't a big deal, that I just had to act casual around you. So I responded to your flirting, convincing myself it wasn't anything. Then at your house, when I took my sweatshirt out... it was the same thinking. This is merely professional, she just needs to take my measures for the outfit, there's not a problem if I just take it out so it's easy for her. But it backfired, and hard."

"But..." Jisu tried to wrap everything around her head and find the words. "If you forced yourself to not feel, it's because... there's something there, right? Or else you didn't have to force."

Ryujin gave her a weak nod. "Yep. Correct. I tried, I really tried, but of course it didn't work. So when you were that close to me, I just lost it. I'm... I'm still afraid, after what happened with my ex. Afraid of liking someone, of all of that."

"It's unfair, Ryujin." Jisu's own eyes stung. "That's so unfair. You don't deserve that. I may not know you that well yet, but you're anything but bad or dangerous. All of that because of an accident! As if people don't get angry as well! Everyone gets angry, you didn't act your best in there, but it's not like you did that on purpose, and you even paid for everything! When there are real bullies out there, and lots of times no one does a thing, but suddenly everyone gave a about you!"

Ryujin shrugged. "That's how things are."

"It !" Jisu balled her fists, wrapping her fingers hard around Ryujin's hand, and her eyes got cloudy. " them. You're the one still suffering, not them!"

"Hey," It was her turn to clean Jisu's tears away. "why are you crying?"

"Because it's unfair." Jisu pouted, sniffing.

Ryujin smiled at her and leaned forward, letting her forehead hit Jisu's shoulder. "Stop it... or else it's even harder to stop myself."

Jisu's heart hit so hard she felt it in her eardrums. "Why do you have to stop yourself? You don't really have to."

"Do you like me?"

"I do like you, Ryujin. And I know I could like you even more."

"Even after knowing about this? About what I did? About my anger issues?"

"I'm angry myself, so much that I could punch each and every one of those that made you suffer like this. Anger doesn't need to define one's character. Yes, there are people who are a ball of anger, with all the other emotions hidden in the center. But you're not like that, Ryujin."

"How do you know? We've been together just a few times."

"Enough to know that you're not like that. If you were, even in the few times we were together, you would have shown. Chaewon did say you raged while gaming, but that was all. She did tell me you and Hyeju were great friends, and that you seemed cool, just by what she saw of you during Hyeju's streams."

Ryujin straightened her back to face her. "You know, I really wanted to keep our relationship professional, like two students helping each other with their projects, and that was all. Because ever since all that happened, not only I just couldn't talk to anyone, but I didn't want to. I think that everyone will end up stabbing me in the back, so, why bother trying, you know?"

Jisu gulped. "There's a but, right?"

Ryujin laughed. "Yes. But then you're like this, and I just opened up to you, something that I haven't done in... no, actually, I've never done. The ones that know this are Hyeju, Yerim, and Chaeryeong. The ones that stayed by my side. I've never told this to anyone else, in fact. So I guess I can't really just keep my relationship with you professional."

A relieved exhaled escaped Jisu's throat, as her shoulders relaxed. "Where do we stay, then? You tell me what makes you feel comfortable."

"See, you're... you're too kind. Too good to be true."

"Ryujin..." Jisu sighed. "I'm just me, trying to make you feel liked and trying to make you see that you can trust me. That I won't stab you in the back."

"How can you promise that? How do you know what can happen in the future?"

"I can't. But neither can you. If you don't give yourself a chance, you won't ever know. I'm not forcing you, that's what I'm trying to make you see. I wanna do things in a way that makes you comfortable."

Ryujin clenched her jaw, her turn to grip Jisu's hand around her fingers. "I'm sorry. I'm being unfair to you too. See, I just ruin everything."

"Ryujin." Jisu let go of her hand after all this time, so she could cup both her cheeks and force her to meet her eyes. "You're not ruining anything. You're hurt, and you're still carrying those scars with you. I understand why you're afraid when you went through that. But I want you to know that I'm here, and that I like you, and that I also don't want our relationship to be just professional. I want us to be friends, to hang out, to talk about stuff, to listen to music together, and if it evolves from there, well, great. If not, that's okay."

They held each other's gaze in silence, and Ryujin nodded. "Okay. Let's keep doing what we do. Meet to work on our stuff, talk and hang out and all. Actually, if there's one good thing that I took from these days, is that I managed to take a few nice pictures."

Jisu's face lit up. "Oh, let me see!"

Ryujin reached for her bag and took out her camera. A few clicks later, she sat closer to Jisu and turned the small camera screen at her. Jisu looked in awe as she showed more pictures, all of empty places. Where they were, but with no one around. It felt like a completely different place. How did Ryujin manage to photograph that place with no people around? It was dark, so maybe she went there either super late, or super early. Another pic, one of a children's playground, also deserted.

"Guess you were feeling... sad," Jisu said. "Empty."

"If that's what the pictures make you feel, then I did a good job."

"It's exactly that."

"I channeled that energy into the photographs. I'm glad it worked."

"I'm sorry you were feeling like that."

"It's not your fault. I was the one leaving and not saying a word. But it's okay, let's not dwell on that. I'm happy you found me here and we could talk."

Jisu smiled. "Yeah, me too. Honestly, I couldn't stop thinking about you this whole time. Or ever, since we met."

The click of the camera made Jisu sigh, but giggle. "Again?"

"Uhum." Ryujin checked the picture. "I missed you too."

Maybe Ryujin said that on purpose for Jisu to smile wider, shyly, so she could take a couple more pictures.

"What about those pictures, what are they supposed to make people feel?"

Ryujin looked at them, deep in thought. "Hope."

The sun had already hidden, the sky darkening by each minute. Still, it wasn't cold.

"You left your beanie in my dorm, you know?" Jisu asked.

"Yeah. It's still there, I suppose?"

Jisu chuckled. "Of course. Perhaps I held on to it for some time when you left..."

Ryujin widened her eyes and burst out laughing. "Why? Do you like it that much?"

"I felt like I was the main character of a drama, holding on to the only thing that they had left after a breakup or something." Jisu laughed along. "And yes, I like it a lot."

"You can keep it, then."

"What, no! It's yours."

"I have more beanies at home. A whole collection."

"Yet, you always use that one."

"Yeah, true. It's my fav."

"Exactly, that's why I can't keep it."

"What if I want you to keep it because it's my fav?"

Jisu opened to refute the argument, but how did one fight against that? She pouted instead. "But I don't wanna stop seeing you with it."

"I'll just steal it from you, then."

"You can't steal what's yours!"

"What are you talking about, it's your beanie."

Jisu threw her hands in the air. "Okay, I give up, you win."

Ryujin smiled at her, and her phone rang from her pocket.

"Let me guess, Yuna about to ask you to bring a mocha bread on the way home?" Jisu peeked at her phone as Ryujin took it to her ear.

"I think you're right," Ryujin whispered before accepting the call. "Hey, Yuna. Let me guess, mocha bread?" Ryujin stared at Jisu, her lips holding a laugh. "Of course I know you so well, you're my little sis. Acting weird? I'm not! Alright, alright, I'm going! Bye."

"She said you're acting weird? Why?" Jisu kept on laughing.

"Because I called her little sis, and I don't really call her that anymore. She seemed embarrassed, but I think she likes it. Maybe I'll start calling her that again."

"It's cute! Also, see, you're so soft. And cute. How can you be so cool and cute at the same time?"

"I don't know, you tell me, you're the one that sees that." Ryujin shrugged it off, but even under the street lights that now lit up, Jisu could see the color change in her face.

Jisu stared at her, her lips parted, while Ryujin grabbed her camera and took a few pics of the river and the city on the other side, now that the dark sky had conquered over the sunset. How could people say such horrible things about Ryujin, when she was... the way she was? For lack of better words, because Jisu didn't know how to describe her.

"I should get going," Ryujin said, meeting her eyes. "Jisu?"

"Y-Yeah, let's go."

"Were you staring at me?"

"Yeah. I tend to stare at beautiful things."

"Okay, should I just get used to you saying those things, or are you feeling inspired today?" Ryujin stood up.

"I'm sorry, I can stop if it makes you uncomfortable." Jisu followed, fixing her clothes.

"It doesn't. I just need to know so I can practice how to react and such."

"Then yes, I may say stuff like this often. As long as you want to hear it."

"Alright, noted." There was a pause, the kind of silence between two people waiting for the other to say something before leaving. "Thank you, Jisu, for listening to me and giving me an opportunity."

"Thank you for trusting me and telling me all about that, despite how hard it must be."

"It actually wasn't hard talking about it with you. I just felt like I could trust you."

"I hope I can keep making you feel like you can trust me."

"If you keep being like that, I don't think I have any other option."

"Like that? Like what?" Jisu smirked.

"Well, you know." Ryujin gulped.

"I don't."

Ryujin glared at her, but when Jisu gave her the puppy eyed look, Ryujin rolled her eyes. "Too good to be true."

Jisu beamed, content with her answer. "Alright, you can go now, before Yuna calls you again. Call me if you wanna meet during the week. Oh, by the way, I started the outfit today!"

"Already?"

"Yeah, since I could actually take all your measures. I'll send you pics of the progress next time."

"Please do, I wanna see it. Well then, yeah, I should go. I'll call you during the week." Ryujin smiled and waved. "Bye."

But as she turned, Jisu reached for her wrist, making her stop and look back.

"Can I give you a hug?" Jisu asked.

Instead of an answer, Ryujin took a step closer and engulfed Jisu's smaller body around her arms. Jisu's cheeks warmed up that same second, so she hid her face in the crook of her neck and circled her arms around Ryujin's torso. And as she inhaled deeper, the same scent filled her nose. Not an expensive perfume, but Ryujin's own scent.

"You smell so nice," Jisu mumbled. "Like berries."

"Berries?" Ryujin chuckled. "Thanks. You smell good too. What's that perfume?"

Jisu pulled away, but held on Ryujin's shoulders now as she stared her dead in the eye. "I'll keep you wondering." Tip toeing, Jisu planted a kiss on Ryujin's cheek. "Bye, Ryujin."

And she had to hold a giggle when Ryujin seemed to have turned to stone. Jisu winked and flashed her a smile before turning to leave.

---

A/N: ... sniff. I love this chapter... I really am a er for past reveals and like that lmao

I'm serving yet another huge dose of fluff for the next hyewon chapter, so, get ready!!! 

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