Midnight In Paris || Ryeji (ILD book 2)

42.

It was New Years and Ryujin had just finished getting ready for Lia's party. She was meant to have already arrived but got distracted with work emails for a while and now she was late.

She drove to the party and entered it to find a crowd already there. The mansion that belonged to the Chois was filled with people, some of which she vaguely knew due to their family name. Others complete strangers, probably former school colleagues of Lia's or current co workers.

Ryujin grabbed a glass of champagne while making her way into the party, gulping it down as if the glass had contained water instead.

"Ryujin." Lia yelled out, throwing herself at her arms as soon as Ryujin had set down the empty glass.

"I see you can still pull a crowd."

Lia smiled, letting go of her and flipping her hair cockily. Chaeryeong showing up a second after behind her and smiling politely.

"Hello, Shin."

"Hi, Chaeryeong." she greeted back with a smile. Her eyes scanning their surroundings looking for someone else.

"She's not here yet." Chaeryeong offered, a smirk growing on her face. Ryujin scoffed, waving her hand as if she was crazy to think that she was looking for someone.

Soon after their interaction, Lia excused herself to go socialize, dragging along Chaeryeong. Leaving Ryujin by herself, which was fine. She simply busied herself drinking while strolling around.

Some people approached her. Some that she knew from before, some that she had never met. She shared some chuckles and polite smiles. And it was during one of the many conversations she shared with some guy she had met a handful of times before that she finally spotted the girl she had been waiting for.

Ryujin quickly excused herself, moving towards the girl in question. Grabbing two glasses of champagne on her way to her.

Yeji seemed to be glancing around when she spotted her, Ryujin taking one or two steps before smiling with a nod. A champagne glass offered towards the woman who reached out for it in acceptance.

Both of them raising their glass as a cheer before drinking some of it.

Ryujin stepped aside, standing beside Yeji as they started walking through the party together. Neither exchanging words for some time.

After what could be close to five minutes, they found themselves standing by a balcony on the second floor. Ryujin's back rested against the railing while Yeji stood in front of her, turned towards the outside of the mansion.

"You look stunning." Ryujin spoke, eyes moving along the other's body. She was wearing a dress, despite the cold weather. Not too formal but enough that you would get she was not someone who let lose in social occasions such as this.

Yeji looked down at her hand that now held her second glass of champagne, smiling slightly before she thanked her.

Ryujin smiled back.

"You always clean up nicely." Yeji spoke, now looking over her outfit.

"Are you saying I don't normally look as good?"

The older woman rolled her eyes, slapping her shoulder. "I have good taste. Of course you look good all the time."

Ryujin raised a teasing eyebrow, staring at Yeji. "So I am just your taste."

Yeji chuckled, taking a couple steps to lean over the balcony just next to her. Each turned a different direction. Ryujin stood in the same position as before, looking over to her side and quietly observing the other.

"About yesterday..." Yeji spoke, her eyes suddenly focused on anything other than her. "I do want to choose you, Ryujin."

Her heart might have started beating too fast at that. Or perhaps she became aware of how fast it had been beating all along. She felt nervous, or maybe it was excitement. Ryujin stared at Yeji who slowly met her gaze. Now standing straight and turned towards her, one hand gripping the railing she was still leaned against.

"You're not playing with me, are you?" Yeji questioned, her expression serious while waiting for a response.

Ryujin's eyes widened, she understood why Yeji would think such thing but that was ridiculous. She wouldn't. With a soft gaze, she finally turned to face the other woman and reached to cup one side of Yeji's face.

"Yeji, i'm not going to hurt you." Her voice was soft yet still deep. Whispering those words with as much reassurance as she could muster.

The woman leaned slightly towards her touch and scanned her expression looking for something.

Ryujin gulped down the rest of the champagne in her glass and moved to take Yeji's own. The two standing close to each other after she placed the glasses besides them.

"Yeji. I love you, okay? I need you to trust that." she reassured once again, her fingers brushing off the stray hairs on her face. The other had placed over Yeji's that was still gripping the balcony railing tightly.

"Yeah." The woman whispered, nodding. Seemingly trying to reassure herself with Ryujin's words.

"I was out of place to ask for you to choose me yest-"

Yeji cut her off before she could finish what she was saying. "It's fine."

Ryujin shook her head. "No, it's not. I do want you to choose me. But I also want you to choose yourself. I don't want to ask for you to leave Paris if that's what makes you happy. I just-" she stopped for a moment before sighing. "I'm just hoping you can find the same happiness here, in Seoul. With me. At home."