Rent [Yeonji]

Chapter 036

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

>>>Realization<<<

Yeji paced around the room nervously, for her results were going to be released anytime soon. Yeonjun watched her in amusement, having brought his laptop to her house to look at his results with her.

"Yeji sit down, you still haven't fully recovered." Yeonjun scolded the younger lightly, making her stop in her tracks before she turned to face Yeonjun. She looked at him guiltily before sitting next to him, putting her laptop on her lap.

The past few days had been a bit rough for Yeji. Because she already suffered from malnutrition, her stomach pangs were horrible, and whenever she attempted to eat something, about 80% of it resurfaced from her mouth. Other than soup and bread, she hasn't eaten anything ever since.

Thankfully, Yeonjun was monitoring her situation and was trying his best to get her a speedy recovery. Kimi had visited the pharmacist on her behalf, and Xiaoting had sent over some Chinese herbal tea that would help ease the pain.

Yeonjun had totally banned everyone from visiting her, excusing himself by saying that she needs rest and they ought not to disturb her. Truth is, he's been hogging her for the past three days.

"It's nearing 10 am soon. Do you want to log in now?" Yeonjun asked gently, lacing his fingers with Yeji as he sent him an encouraging smile. Yeji let out a shaky breath before offering a weak smile, proceeding to open her email to click on the link to the exam results.

"Holy- I got an A for my film project! I can start training to become a director with this result!" Yeonjun exclaimed excitedly as he shook his laptop gleefully. He couldn't care less about the C he got for history, he's not going to be a historian anyway.

His excitement slowly died down observing Yeji's frozen state. He slowly peeked over to her screen, eyes widening at the A* for her major, and the As for her other two courses.

"Babe, congrats!" Yeonjun yelled as he engulfed Yeji in a hug, pecking the top of her head in excitement. Yeji laughed heartily, burying her head into his chest as she gripped tightly onto his shirt.

The year had been one whole hurricane, what with the love triangle and reunion with her family, but she did it. She overcame the challenge, with probably one of the best results she's had in a long time.

Yeji pulled away from Yeonjun before turning to her computer again, to read the additional comments, Yeonjun doing the same. They observed about a second of silence before a scream left Yeji's lips.

Yeonjun looked up at Yeji in bewilderment, who had jumped out of the bed in shock. He stared at Yeji, curious, as she jumped up and down, barely containing her excitement.

"Guess which bitch's essay got chosen to be published in the next cohort's model answers." Yeji flexed, flicking her brown hair proudly as she danced around. Yeonjun chuckled at Yeji in disbelief, astonished by the prodigy standing in front of her.

While Yeji celebrated her victory, Yeonjun pulled her laptop toward him to read what the notes actually said. It was just like what she said, excluding the curse word. Her work was chosen for next year's cohort to analyze and use to study for their own exams.

"Wait, you missed something." Yeonjun hummed as he noticed that he could still scroll down as there were a few more lines of comments. Yeji stopped dancing as she looked at Yeonjun in confusion.

"Yeji...you're giving a speech during graduation." Yeonjun's eyes widened slightly seeing the paragraph that had informed her about the entrusted duty of giving an inspiring speech at the end of the term.

"Say what now?" Yeji frowned in confusion, snatching back her laptop as she sat next to Yeonjun, skimming through the newly discovered paragraph, her eyes widening with every word she read.

A breath of amazement left her lips as she looked away from the screen, surprised by the fact that she, out of all the top scorers in the cohort, was chosen. She wasn't even graduating that year!

"Yeonjun...What do I do? I've never given a speech before. Oh boy, I-" Yeji started to panic, overthinking the situation already. Yeonjun sighed slightly seeing his girlfriend freak out. Getting her out of her trance, he pulled her in for a kiss, feeling her tensed muscles relax at his touch.

"No matter what you do, you know you're going to slay. I don't know anyone else near your level." Yeji shyly smiled as a tint of red coated her cheeks. Yeonjun cooed at her slightly, making her embarrassed as she leaned on his shoulder, exiting the tab where her results were shown.

"When are you going to tell your family?" Yeonjun hummed, playing with Yeji's hair as her head was on his lap, concentrating on the laptop screen in front of her as she drafted her speech.

"When they call me. I just want to take it easy right now before all the excitement comes in and wears me out." Yeji hummed back, offering Yeonjun a smile to which he booped her nose. The couple laughed before returning to what they were originally doing.

>>>

Soobin got off the sofa at the sound of the doorbell, being the only person in the house. Beomgyu and his father still had work, and Yun-jae still had high school.

"Kimi...Chan?" Soobin dragged out her name unsurely, having opened the door to be greeted by the gorgeous face of the Japanese girl. She offered a small smile and a bow before Soobin let her into the house.

"What brings you here?" Soobin asked politely, putting the plate of grapes on the counter for the guest. Kimi grabbed a stick and poked a grape, popping it into her mouth before deciding to answer his question.

"Yeji," Kimi said simply, and Soobin had to bite back a sigh at the oh-so-familiar name. He shifted around uncomfortably as Kimi took another grape.

She knew all too well how uncomfortable Soobin was feeling right now. It was how she felt when she talked to Yeji, seeing the roses that Kimi had gifted to Yeonjun in her hands.

She figured Soobin would trust someone who had experience.

"Let me tell you something." Kimi hummed, leaning onto the counter as she gestured for Soobin to lean in closer too. He obliged rather reluctantly, letting Kimi say what she wanted to say.

"I used to have a crush on Yeonjun," Kimi revealed without a single trace of hesitation, letting that sink in before she continued with her story. She saw the way Soobin's eyebrows furrowed at the phrase 'used to'.

"You know how I overcame it?" Kimi hummed slightly, making Soobin shake his head slowly. He was intrigued by how someone could forget a crush that easily, especially if the crush was Yeonjun.

"Let go. It was hard at first, but it'll get easier after a few days." Kimi offered an encouraging smile to the boy, who only stared at his fingers to prevent himself from breaking into tears.

"For these few days; just be self-biased, self-centered, whatever you want to call it. Your main focus for these few days is you. Not your feelings, if you get what I mean?"

Soobin nodded his head mindlessly, his lip wavering dangerously as he blinked away the tears, ashamed to be crying so easily like that, like a fragile weakling.

Soobin looked up to face Kimi, who had placed her hands on his. She gave him an encouraging smile as she pat his hand lightly a few times.

"It's okay to be hurt, Soobin. It's totally normal."

Soobin sniffled as he wiped the tears that had stubbornly rolled down his cheeks, despite his efforts to show he wasn't affected. Clearly, he was.

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~Viky
☕🎶🌸