Rent [Yeonji]

Chapter 015

[This photo is not mine; credits to the owner🥺]

>>>Recognition<<<

Yeji shook her head, averting her eyes from the scene. She placed her hand on Soo-jun's shoulder and veered her away, trying to be out of Yeonjun's sight but to no avail for he spotted them.

"Yeji!" Yeonjun called out, to which Kimi turned around to reveal her red, puffy eyes. Yeji forced a smile, tucking a hair strand behind her ear as she looked at the duo in awkward tension.

"You guys can continue...I-I'll bring Soo-jun to my house for the tutoring session," Yeji muttered, grabbing Soo-jun's arm, gripping it tightly, to which Soo-jun looked at her in concern, her eyebrows creased together.

Yeji clenched her teeth as Yeonjun grabbed her wrist, pulling her away from the other two, leaving them in awkward silence. "Don't take it the wrong way," Yeonjun said firmly, squeezing Yeji's arms assuringly. Yeji shook him off, a mixture of disappointment and anger bubbling in her, but yet she remained calm.

"Who am I to take it the wrong way? Sure, we kissed like once, but I'm not your girlfriend. You can hug anyone you want." she mumbled insecurely, looking away from Yeonjun. Though Yeonjun was a bit saddened that Yeji thought of herself as unimportant, he couldn't help but feel annoyed. For what, he didn't know.

"You are taking it the wrong way though. Don't hide it." Yeji scoffed as she looked at Yeonjun boldly, which melted away when she focused on his facial features and she lost her confidence again.

"Come on, be your snarky self!" Yeonjun exclaimed impatiently. "What do you want from me Yeonjun? I'm trying my best to keep cool, but do you want to see me burst into tears because of you? I'm sorry I'm not as pretty as her, as approachable as her, but I grew up this way. Old habits die hard and you should know that." Yeji pointed at Kimi, who was busy wiping away her tears with her sleeve. She cleared her dry throat before walking away toward Soo-jun.

"Yeji-" Yeonjun started, to which Yeji cut him off as she turned around to face him again. "You know what I regret, Yeonjun? I regret ever showing you my weak side. I wished I never cried in front of you like that. I wished I just manned up and kept it bottle up so I wasn't so vulnerable to you."

Yeji let out a frustrated sigh before running a hand through her hair and locking eyes with Yeonjun, her eyes hardening. "Help me tell Soo-jun we'll reschedule the tutoring session. I need to get myself in check." Yeji began walking away but stopped in her tracks before turning to Yeonjun.

"Listen to your father's advice; he knows best." and with that, Yeji walked away firmly, leaving Yeonjun there in his desperate state.

>>>

"U-til!" Yeji called out, running down the steps of the majestic university as she spotted her best friend walking home begrudgingly. U-til turned back, offering a soft smile as he saw Yeji's eyes trained on her feet as she rushed down the steps carefully, balancing herself with her arms out.