Eternity [ryeji]

Chapter 20

Ryujin doesn’t even realize she’s holding her breath until Yeji nudges her. She coughs and inhales deeply before exhaling through her mouth in an effort to calm herself down.

“Dad doesn’t bite,” says Yeji.

“I know that but his bark is also scary.”

“You act as if you never met the parents of the person you’re dating before.”

“I only met a few and they were all mortals. I am not scared of mortals.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Well, for starters, your father has more experience than me. He knows things about me, about our kind, that I don’t even know. Secondly, he still has that family heirloom thing in his possession.” Ryujin rubs her neck anxiously.

“Don’t be silly. He won’t use it on you.”

“You’ll never know.” Ryujin’s eyes catch sight of the man walking through the large glass doors and she takes a step further away from Yeji by reflex.

Yeji notices Ryujin’s reaction but doesn’t have the time to protest since her father has spotted them and is now walking towards them.

“Hi Dad,” she says, giving him a hug.

“Hello Princess. How are you?” he replies, warmly returning his daughter’s hug.

“I’m good if you stop calling me princess.”

He grins then shifts his eyes to the nervous Ryujin who bows at him politely.

“Good morning, Sir.”

“Good morning, Ryujin.”

His tone turns cold when he addresses her and she realizes it.

“How was your flight?” she asks.

“It was okay.”

He only has one luggage and a laptop bag with him and when Ryujin offers to help him, he declines, telling her to just lead the way to the car while he keeps Yeji by his side.

Ryujin gets the hint and turns on her heels, walking towards the car park ahead of the two.

“Dad, be nice,” warns Yeji, lowering her voice.

“I am being nice.”

“You’re being scary.”

“Consider it a test. If she can’t handle me then she doesn’t deserve my daughter.”

Yeji rolls her eyes. “Here we go again. You do realize that this is the primary cause to all the sneaking out I did back in high school, right? And to all those secret boyfriends I had?”

He looks at her in shock. “Excuse me?!”

Yeji grins at him then quickens her steps, catching up with Ryujin. “Ryuddaeng! Wait up!” She pulls her by the hand, effectively slowing her down.

“What?”

“You’re not running a marathon,” states Yeji, holding Ryujin’s hand as she waits for her father to catch up.

Soon, the three of them are walking side by side with Yeji in the middle, Ryujin to her left and her frowning father to her right.

The entire drive back to Yeji’s apartment is filled with conversations between Yeji and her father – most of it in English.

Ryujin just quietly sits there, doing her duty to bring her passengers safely home. She only replies or joins in when Yeji or her father directly addresses her.