Home Is You [Ryeji]

CH. 3

Yeji nearly jumped out of her chair in surprise when Ryujin shot through her apartment door, carrying a box of random items, settling them on her kitchen table with a huff. She was dressed casually, her blonde locks tied behind her in a low ponytail.

Yeji rolled her eyes as Ryujin's unceremonious slamming of the door behind her knocked over the little wooden chess pieces she'd been busying herself with. Scrambling to pick them up and return them to their designated spots on the board, she felt Ryujin gaping at her, her hazel gaze boring into Yeji's general direction.

She felt nervous, fluttery and unsure of herself under that gaze, and that gaze alone.

It was pathetic.

"Chess?" Ryujin scoffed. "By yourself? Seriously?"

"Hello, Ryujin." Yeji drawled in exasperation.

"Hello, nerd." Ryujin grinned, sitting across from her with a huff, eyes catching the way the light framed Yeji angelically as she clenched her jaw in focus.

"Was the art of knocking not part of your...intensive art schooling and education?" Yeji asked plainly, feline eyes glinting with humor.

Ryujin smirked. "Girlfriends don't knock."

Yeji glanced up in surprise, mouth parting slightly. "I...right." She sighed, shaking her head.

Why, oh why, did Ryujin do that to her? She was bright, the best of her class. She was more than capable of coming up with witty responses, and Ryujin was just a bubbly, funny,... beautiful, intelligent....

Focus, Yeji.

"So... I seemed to have walked in on you playing with yourself."

Yeji's jaw actually dropped this time as a crimson blush made its way to her cheeks, her now shaking hand knocking over a poor bishop.

Well, that comment was unholy, wasn't it? Poor Bishop.

Ryujin bit her lip to keep from laughing at her own juvenile joke. "You okay there, slick?" She smirked.

Yeji took in a sharp breath, steadying herself. "This game requires focus, Ryujin."

Ryujin reached over and propped the bishop back up, eyes never leaving Yeji's gaze. "Sorry." She murmured, but her voice was clearly unapologetic.

"Let's see what you have..." Yeji made a motion to rise, but Ryujin caught her wrist.

"No, Yeji..." Ryujin stifled a laugh. "That can wait. We have, like, months. Let's play."

Yeji's eyes widened in surprise as she slowly sat back down, wrist burning where Ryujin touched her. "You... know how to play?"

Ryujin rolled her eyes. "I'm not an idiot, Yeji."

Yeji immediately reproached herself mentally. "I... That's not what I meant. I... it's just... from what I gather, you were the...cool girl, in school. The socialite with fantastic art skills and no time for...menial games."

Ryujin quirked a brow, wearing a smirk. "You weren't cool? No way." Ryujin folded her arms over her chest, leaning back in her seat.

Yeji shook her head. "No one wants to be friends with the foster kid, Ryujin." She spoke like it was an old wound that had scarred over without ever completely healing.

Ryujin's very soul ached for Yeji.

She'd heard the stories. Yeji was a product of the foster system, sent from house to house until her final years of high school, where she'd forced herself to get perfect grades for scholarships to prestigious schools.