INEVITABLE

Chapter 9

Ryujin stares at Jisu's calling card in her hand.

She shakes her head and chuckles.

Isn't it funny how just hours ago, she didn't know anything personal about her soulmate? And now she's got her full name, phone number, and email printed on one tiny card?

She knows Jisu purposely handed them two of those cards--one for her and Yuri-- with an excuse of sharing her contact info to any of their friends who may be interested in stock investing.

She knows Jisu wants Ryujin to call her. And Ryujin wants that too.

It's not like they can escape from each other anyway. It was Yuri who hired Jisu in the first place.

And Ryujin thinks it's the perfect opportunity for her to overcome whatever she has experienced for the past three years.

She needs to be freed from it, so she can be a better spouse to her wife.

---

The door to the bathroom opens. Ryujin puts the card back in the drawer. Her jaw drops at the sight of her wife stepping into the room wearing a white satin nightgown.

"What's with the face?" Yuri walks to her dresser to start her night routine.

"Are you really my wife?"

Yuri chuckles. "Unfortunately, yes. And it's been three years now."

"How did I get so lucky to be married to a beautiful person such as you?"

Yuri chuckles again, turning to face Ryujin who's sitting on the bed. "What's with all these compliments?"

"What? Haven't I complimented you before?"

"You did, it's just that you seem to be a bit bolder tonight."

"Sometimes, you gotta be bold."

Yuri laughs, turning back to the mirror. "Right."

"Is that a new nightgown? I've never seen that one before."

"Oh. You finally noticed, huh? I thought you'd be dumb, like the usual."

Ryujin gets up from the bed and wraps her arms around her wife's waist. "Ahh. Trying to seduce me, I see."

"Maybe yes. Maybe not." Yuri shrugs. "All I'm saying is I haven't seen my boo in three days, and I'm kind of missing her touch."

"Uh-uh. This kind of touch?" Ryujin kisses the side of her wife's neck, eliciting a giggle from the latter.

"Do you like the dress?"

"I do. But I think..." She pulls one strap down and kisses the other woman's shoulder. "I think you'll look better without this."

---

She wakes up in the middle of the night, her wife perched on her side. She fixes the blanket to cover Yuri's naked body.

Ryujin brushes the hair off Yuri's face and stares at her wife in the darkness.

This is one of those many nights she thinks she's lucky to be the person allowed to touch the woman in this way. Yuri's too precious to her, and she's so beautiful.

In the course of their ten-year relationship, many people came to try and snatch the woman from her. It's either a colleague, a passenger during a flight, or a stranger who approaches when Yuri hangs out with her coworkers during a layover--Yuri happens to have admirers wherever she goes.

It no longer surprises Ryujin whenever the woman tells her stories about a new person hitting on her. Ryujin doesn't blame them. her wife's one of the most beautiful human beings she's laid eyes on. And up to this date, Ryujin's still asking herself why her wife had chosen to be with her.

She's just a nerdy kid who always stays out of the crowd and isn't popular.

She always thought she's a nobody until Yuri came and made her feel how wonderful it is to be loved by someone.

Ryujin caresses her wife's cheek before leaning in to kiss the other woman's forehead.

"I love you," she whispers in the air, getting no response aside from steady breaths.

"I love you." She kisses her wife one more time before pulling the other woman into her chest and hugging her close for the rest of the night.

---

"Maybe you should stop thinking and start doing something," Chaeyoung says. "You're making me dizzy, man. If you want to call her, call her."

"But what should I tell her?" Ryujin turns to her friend who's situated in front of her laptop. "Should I just ask her out to meet? wouldn't that sound like I'm asking her out for a date?"

Chaeyoung rolls her eyes. "Why are you so worried about what she'll think? Come on. It's obvious she wants to meet you too. And it's been three days since that dinner you and your wife had with her. You wouldn't want her to wait longer, do you?"

"But what if--"

"Look, man. You're not cheating on Yuri, okay? At least not yet. And I'm pretty sure your soulmate's not going to think you're asking her out only to get into her pants."

Ryujin groans. "Right. That's really helpful."

"Look. You need this," Chaeyoung says. "You've had a hard time these past three years. You won't be able to fix whatever you're experiencing by running away or trying to avoid her, only because your conscience is killing you. Grow a pair and face it. Do it for your wife."

Ryujin hisses and looks away.

Chaeyoung stares at her friend and smirks. "You know what, sometimes I think you're hesitating that much because you're afraid you'll fall for your soulmate."

Ryujin stares for her friend for a few seconds before she turns away. "Shut up."

Chaeyoung chuckles as she watches Ryujin leave the room.

---

"Choi Jisu speaking. Who's this?"

Ryujin gulps, taken aback. Jisu's voice sounds too formal.

"Hello?" Jisu says.

"Um..." the words get stuck in Ryujin's throat.

"Ryujin, is that you?"

Ryujin's heart melts at the sound of Jisu's voice saying her name.

"Uh... Hi..." she says, quite nervously.

"Hey..." Jisu's voice shifts to casual now. "What's up?"

"Umm..." Ryujin walks around, one hand in her back pocket. "I was... uh... I was wondering if... you know..."

there was a chuckle on the line. "When are you available?"

Ryujin blinks. "ah?"

"Let's cut to the chase, Ryujin. I know the reason you called. And to be honest, I've been waiting for it. if you're looking for answers too, count me in."

Ryujin exhales. "Thank goodness."