Saved Me; Ryeji FF

thirty eight.

True to her promise, Ryujin made a conscious effort to come home earlier, spending more time with Yeji and trying to be present in their relationship. The late nights and mysterious disappearances became less frequent, and they both began to cherish the simple moments they shared at home.

They cooked dinner together, Yeji sometimes experimenting with new recipes, and other times taught Ryujin how to cook her comfort food. They curled up on the couch, binge-watching their favourite K-dramas, and sometimes inviting Yuna and Lia over for a hang-out session or just to try out Ryujin's attempts at making a three-course dinner.

Weekends were now dedicated to adventures, exploring the city or taking short trips to nearby places. They discovered new cafes, hiked in the mountains, and watched sunsets by the beach. The hitman found herself relishing these experiences, taking a break from the chaos of scouring the industrial area for any signs of Aespa.

Some days, Ryujin would arrive home in the afternoon only to find Yeji missing, a sense of worry would gnaw at her heart. She'd call her phone, anxiously waiting for it to be answered, hoping for an explanation.

Eventually, she would pick up the call and notify her that she was either busy with finalising her final assignment or hanging out with some of her classmates. As much as she understood Yeji's need for independence and her own life outside of their relationship, she couldn't shake that instinctual need to protect the woman she loved the most.

Against her better judgment, she opened up a tracking app on her phone that she had Yeji to download to have her location at all times. (She also forced Yuna and Lia to download the app but the only places they frequented were at home or at uni.)

Ryujin's heart raced as she found Yeji at a location she didn't recognise. Before she knew it, she was already on her motorbike, riding through unfamiliar streets with worries for Yeji's safety gnawing at her.

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A cemetery?

She parked her bike at a distance, hidden behind a line of trees as she watched Yeji step out of her car and enter the cemetery with a bouquet in hand. Her heart sank at the sight, she had forgotten what day it was.

Gingerly, Ryujin followed Yeji into the cemetery, trying her best to stay out of sight. The photographer navigated herself around the countless gravestones as if she had memorised the place like the back of her hand.

The hitman watched from behind a tall tombstone when Yeji stood in front of a grave, her posture heavy with grief. Unable to resist the longing to be there for her girlfriend, she finally stepped out from behind the tombstone and approached slowly. As she drew nearer, she could see the tears glistening in Yeji's eyes as she gently brushed the gravestone.

"Yeji." Ryujin whispered softly, placing her hand on her shoulder.

The cat-eyed woman quickly turned to see Ryujin standing beside her. "Oh hey, I didn't know you came."

"You should've asked me to come, Yej."

"I didn't think you would want to." She replied, wiping away her tears.

They stood there, the cemetery cloaked with the silence of the evening, the wind gently carrying the falling leaves down to the grass. The world seemed to stand still as Ryujin dwelled with the heavy weight on her shoulders. It was a burden that she had carried ever since she had known Yeji. Her gaze remained fixed on the stone, etched with the name of the man she had killed, the man that Yeji loved with everything she had in her.

"It must be hard for you to stand here, isn't it?" Yeji asked, her eyes still wet from tears as she sensed her girlfriend's inner turmoil.

"It is, but it must also be hard for you too." The hitman replied, closing her eyes for a moment before looking back at her. "I still don't deserve your for-"