Saved Me; Ryeji FF

twenty two.

The scent of freshly made seafood pancakes filled the air, and the clinking of utensils could be heard as she moved around the kitchen. After placing the pancakes onto a plate, Yeji carefully scooped the rice into a small bowl. Meanwhile, the hitman sat on the balcony as the gentle breeze rustled through her dark hair while she stared out into the distance, lost in her thoughts.

Ryujin indulged herself in the warmth of the sun, letting in a sense of comfort and peace that she hadn't felt in a long time. The rays of sunlight gently caressed her skin, and for a moment, she closed her eyes, allowing herself to bask in its soothing embrace.

Her thoughts swam to Winter. She couldn't help but wonder why she had chosen to come after her alone. Ryujin knew that she had her reasons. From what she could gather, her motives were heavily impacted by love. Perhaps, Winter made it a personal mission to take Ryujin out in hopes of regaining Karina's attention back.

"Hey." Yeji uttered softly as she stepped onto the balcony with a tray of food in her hands.

Ryujin looked up at her, offering a small smile as she shuffled over on the bench, making room for the photographer.

"I didn't have much in the kitchen, this is all I can offer." She placed the tray down on the small table in front of them and handed Ryujin a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks.

"It's fine, thank you." Ryujin replied, looking at the home-cooked meal in front of her.

Taking a piece of the pancake and placing it in her bowl of rice, she immediately dug into the food. Yeji watched as the hitman took a bite, resulting in a look of satisfaction washing over her face.

"You haven't eaten properly, haven't you?" the cat-eyed woman asked, bringing a small chunk of rice up to her mouth.

"I haven't had an appetite since I left." the dark-haired woman uttered, her tone lowering just enough to hear between them.

They sat in comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Yeji could tell that Ryujin had been through a lot, and understood that she required some space.

"Ryujin." Yeji spoke, almost whispering, as if she did not want to scare off the girl sitting beside her. "What happened during the time we were apart?"

Ryujin placed her bowl on the table, eyes softening with her tongue pressed against her canine tooth. She spent a good minute pushing down the pressure rising within her chest, drawing in more fresh air, thinking that would help clear her mind.

"I stayed in my old apartment."

The cat-eyed woman stared at the girl in silence, listening attentively. She couldn't imagine how lonely she must've felt locking herself behind a closed door because of who she was. And she also blamed herself for being the root of all the aftermaths.

"What happened last night, Ryu?"

As Ryujin looked into Yeji's concerned eyes, she took a deep breath, "There is this group of women after me."

"Why?"

The hitman explained her past with the group's leader, and how she was hellbent on getting revenge for not reciprocating the same feelings, hence, her team coming after Ryujin. She then went on and explain how she had been followed back to her apartment, and how Winter had attacked her. And the chaos that had ensued between them. Ryujin didn't hold back any details, including the fact that she decapitated the hand of the armamenter.

The events leading up to the previous night were messy and there was a mix of shame, guilt, and vulnerability lingering in her brain while recounting the violence she had caused and left inside the apartment. She noticed that Yeji was trying to hide the disgust and shock on her face, her lips were slightly parted after having to collect the horrifying news in one sitting.