HER /ryeji

sixteen

Yeji lets out another frustrated sigh after another, hitting the tennis balls over the net. Her arms letting themselves automatically go after a whole workout with them in the last span of 2 hours. With another part-less sigh, the tennis player's feel herself giving in at the weak hits she's been exploiting.

And she doesn't seem to know that through the windows of the campus's indoor tennis court stood Ryujin, currently peering through with a look of concern and curious.

The infamous swings that Yeji is normally known for is nowhere to be found. Every point of it was weak and its upsetting the cat eyed girl. Picking up another ball from the launcher, Yeji grips onto it tightly before throwing it up in the air. Her right hand lifting up her racket, normally hitting it but she stops and stares at the ball falling straight down towards the ground.

Motionlessly, the racket drops right next to Yeji's side. The player's grip on it tightens even more and the brunette player knows her hand would have some scuff marks after the day was over. She feels overwhelmed.

"I keep getting it wrong, I need to be perfect."

Ryujin tightens up her hands into fists at the sight. Wanting to walk into the room but something is holding her back. Maybe it's the fact that Yeji is in love with that dumb boy or maybe the artist is scared of admitting her feelings for the tennis player.

All Ryujin knows about herself is the pure idea of being interested into the model. Not being in love.

However, the second Yeji falls down to the ground in shock, the pink haired girl forgets about what's holding her back as she barges in.

"This looks familiar. " Ryujin's mind travels back to the young 10 year girl who would sit with her knees against her chest.

Walking ever so gently to where the cat eyed girl is sitting at. "I remember when kids would make fun of you for looking scary."

The older doesn't respond, however she's listening.

"Crying at how the others would make fun of your eyes," The pink haired takes a seat, slightly her eyes sneak a glance at the older and a young 10 year old Yeji pops up in her head. "In the art room, right under the specific window."

Ryujin knows that ever since that day when she saw Yeji, she had always found a passion for the arts since then. "It's funny because difference between the past and now was that the young and 9 year old Shin Ryujin fell in love with the 10 year old cat eyed girl."

Yeji turns to look at the younger sitting next to her for a second before turning back to look at the net in front of her.

"You know, you're already a great player." Ryujin reaches out to pick up a nearby ball on the ground, rolling in it her hand. "You've always been like that in high school. Always being hard on yourself."

The brunette barely lets out a dry laugh. "What? You've been eyeing me at charity events or something?"

"How could I not?" The younger responds, way too quick. "You're a pretty girl and I'm always bored of those events so I look at pretty people."

Yeji intensely stares at the loose holes in the net, wanting to beat herself up for resembling the holes. "I'm angry at the fact that I feel sorry for myself."

"Quite often I would feel sorry for myself, thinking why I would keep everything to myself." Yeji looks down at her feet. "Why am I struggling alone by not expressing how I truly feel?"

Ryujin rests her cheek against her knee while staring up at the older, her ears all perked up for listening.

She inhales from air before continuing. "And it makes me feel awful because the team deserves someone better than this. Someone who cares about them not someone who feels sorry for themselves. "

"I've always held myself back from letting these feelings go but if I'm like this everyday than I always end up feeling tired everyday." Yeji feels herself choking not only on her words but looking and breaking down into a complete mess, especially in front of the younger. "And this feeling holds me down to the point where I want to sink so small."

Ryujin feels her heart thumping loudly and fast. "For purposes, you're an amazing captain."

"How could someone that gets up early out of their time and leave late to help others with what they need help with end up not being a good leader?" The younger says, looking through Yeji's eyes when she brings her head up. "And from what I saw, everyone always enjoy coming to practice because of you."

How could someone look the prettiest even when they're crying?

"So please don't cry." The pink haired brings her thumb up to wipe the model's tears.

To Ryujin, the cat eyed girl has always shined the brightest to her. In this moment, she's shining even more bright and the artist feels a sense of beautiful lying in this endlessly scene.

"There's a reason why the team made you captain."

***

Ryujin looks over at the older, sleeping on the bleachers after a very long crying session.

"At the end of the day, everyone needs to get a good rest at some point in their day." She mutters while softly looking at the features of the model.

"Am I interrupting something?" A voice startles the pink haired, causing her to pull away and sitting back down on the ground.

Ryujin panics, turning to see who it is. "Oh, hi Hyeju..."

"I didn't know you two had a thing going on." The transfer motions with her eyes, pacing them back and fourth between both Yeji and Ryujin.

The basketball player abruptly stands up. "Oh, no we're not dating."

"Good." Hyeju smiles. "Care to grab some breakfast with me?"

Ryujin looks back down at Yeji.

"I'm sure Yeji will be fine."

The pink haired unsurely and slowly nods, grabbing her phone and glancing over at the tennis player before leaving the room.

***

After walking Hyeju to her next class, Ryujin wasn't bothered to attend her next one. Instead, she finds her feet walking on its own free will to the indoor tennis court. With some tea and a bagel from the school's cafe, the pink haired walks towards the athletic department.

The white walls immediately inviting her in and she smiles down at the ground.

Upon reaching there, she sees through the window Yeji sitting up with someone's jacket over her. About to head into the room with her hands already on the doorknob, Ryujin stops at the sight of the specific tall male, who hands the tennis player a pastry with a smile on his face before taking a seat right next to the brunette.

Piecing her clues together, the bagel in the artist's hand seems to get smothered. "At the end of the day, he always end up being her knight in armor."

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