Gemini (Ryeji)

Chapter 15

Lately, Yeji had been haunted by nightmares... Bills, bills, the flooding of bills were starting to drown her. Yeji could only gulp as she has in her hand another bill screaming at her to get paid.

"Yeji?"

Ryujin yell from the bathroom, woke Yeji up from her living nightmare.

"Yes Ryu?"

Ryujin peeked out of the bathroom adorned with a frown on her face.

"We don't have any more cotton buds..."

Yeji could almost cower as Ryujin added another expense to her list.

"Ok..." Yeji manages to force a smile "I'll buy one after work..."

"Ok..." Ryujin went back in the bathroom before peering out again "Yeji?"

"Hmmm?"

"I love you..."

And suddenly Yeji forgot what she was worrying about. She turns to the girl, Ryujin's face has the look similar to a child who's begging for attention.

"I love you too..." Yeji smiles

"Give me a kiss..." Ryujin's pout adorably, waiting impatiently for a kiss. Yeji drops the bills on the table and walks over to the girl, cupping Ryujin's cheek before laying a kiss on her nose.

"HEY!" Ryujin says disappointingly making Yeji giggle and kisses Ryujin on the lips to appease the girl.

One kiss and they wonder, what was it that they were worrying about again?


*

"I'm guessing the one and only, Winter, doesn't know how to keep her end of the bargain."

Winter could only snarl as she sees Yeonjun flashing his so called disarming smile at her.

"I wanted Yeji, but I see she's still all over Shin..." Yeonjun says bluntly.

"Just give it up, Yeon... you're no match for Ryujin."

But before Winter could walk away, Yeonjun holds a firm grip on Winter's arm.

"Then maybe you should keep me company." He whispers. "What you think of that?"

"I don't... cause I'm not interested."

"Pffft... How could you not want me?" Yeonjun raises his brow "You're not into chicks like your cousin, right?"

How could words that come out from a douche like Yeonjun, affect Winter like this?

Then out of nowhere, Winter walks closer to Yeonjun, freezing the lanky guy in his state.

"Then, let's get out of here..."

*

Ryujin throws the folders on the backseat and growls in frustration...

"There... there..." Lia calms her bestfriend...

"They say they would just call me, they always say that but it's like two weeks already and no one is hiring me!"

"Well... they would want someone who has experience" Lia reasons out calmly.

"How could I have experience when no one is hiring me?" Ryujin lashes out before sighing in defeat...

"Sorry about that buddy...If you want, I could treat you out for dinner... Food always make things better, right?"

Ryujin just hums absentmindedly to Lia's offer. The city becoming nothing more but a blurred vision as the car runs the street.

"You know it's our 6 months anniversary this Saturday." Ryujin finally spoken up.

"Wow... 6 months?" Lia says in disbelief "And you guys have been in more crap than a friggin Korean drama"

"I know..." Though what Lia said sounded absurd, Ryujin couldn't help but agreed to it. "I would have wanted to take Yeji to this restaurant..."

Lia gives out a low whistle... "That place? It's like the priciest place in town!"

"Yeah... tell me about it... But I wished I could have given Yeji that life, before we ended up to this..."

"Well... if it makes you feel better, you two have lived in a pricey apartment."

No, it doesn't make Ryujin feel better. But who was she to lash out to her bestfriend about that, when the girl only wanted to help?

"I used to think that I was invincible Lia..." Ryujin quietly admitted "That I could have anything I wanted and that nothing was ever going to defeat me..." Ryujin could only sneer at that foolish notion. "Look who I am now? I can't even treat my girlfriend out to a decent date."

Lia sits quietly, not knowing the right respond. And as she glances back at her bestfriend looking out of the car window again, Lia realizes that Ryujin wasn't looking for a respond. She just needed someone that would hear and listen to what she was about to say.

And the whole car ride was quiet as Lia kept Ryujin company at her lowest point.

*

"I didn't know a cheesecake was that easy to make..." Yeji's eyes beamed as Giselle carefully pulls out her cheesecake masterpiece from the fridge.

"You want to taste?"

Yeji nods too innocently and Giselle couldn't help but laugh, making sure to give the girl a huge slice.

"Mmmmm..." Yeji says eagerly as she takes one forkful of the cake. "I'm sure Ryujin would love this..."

"Hehe... that's pretty sweet of you to try to make her one for your anniversary."

"I felt like were worrying so much about our practical stuff these days, for one night I wished we could just forget about all that and just have fun."

Giselle hated to be a pessimist but she needed to help the girl face reality. "But, the money you earn here isn't enough for both of you."

"I know." Yeji admitted sadly. "I got offered a job at a nursing home, they knew I was a nursing student and since I got good grades they offered to pay for my nursing aide license exam and I passed it."

"WOW! Ryujin must be so proud of you..."

Yeji looks away in embarrassment. "I... I didn't tell her."

"What?" Giselle looks at the girl in confusion. "Why not?"

"Well... I got offered the night shift which is like 7 pm to 7 am. I don't know how Ryujin would react to it yet."

"Did you take the job though?"

"I had to." Yeji says with a bit of bitterness. "I enjoy working here but it's not going to be enough. At least if I took that job, I wouldn't have to worry so much about how we're going to pay our bill or is it enough for us to get a decent meal."

"What are you going to do about school?"

Yeji knows the answer but didn't know how to quite say it. "I decided to just finish this semester and just work after."

"Yeji..." Giselle could only utter the younger girl's name in worry. There was so much she wants to say to Yeji, things like thinking her decision through, or taking care of her future first before worrying about her and Ryujin now. But Giselle just nod knowing that Yeji have made her decision. "Well, Yeji if you need help with anything tell me, ok?"

"I will..."

*

Oh... this would definitely top the list of one of her most awkward moments, being chosen as president and vice president of their school government practically meant spending a lot of time together. But Karina could only look, Ryujin was just a few feet away from her but it might as well be a crater separating them as Ryujin didn't even act like Karina was in the room with her.

But Karina was rather foolish and chosen to speak first despite knowing the consequences of getting shot down by Ryujin.

"How you been, Ryujinie?"

"Good..." Ryujin said without even flinching away from the paperworks.

"Well that's good. Winter told me what happen, I'm sorry about what happen between you and your parents."

Ryujin just shrugs and continued working...

"Must have suck being poor, huh?"

Karina jumps up at the sound of Ryujin's fist slamming on the table.

"You don't have any good thing to say then shut it." Ryujin says in a low growl.

"Here, I am trying to sympathize with you and yet you act like this."

"Don't even think about it Rina, we both know you're probably enjoying this."

Karina snickers in delight "I think I am..."

Ryujin says out a low growl before going back to her paperworks. Then, a thought came to mind, she doesn't need to do it around Karina. But as Ryujin started gathering her things, Karina spoke up.

"You know Ryujinie, if you stay with me you don't have to stay poor like this, I could give you the best things in life, all you need to do is choose me."

"You don't love me, Karina, you just think you do... none of these girls do, but Yeji she does. So why would I give up a perfect love for something superficial like yours?

Karina hated being corrected especially when it comes to her own feelings.

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW IT'S SUPERFICIAL?! YOU ARE NOT ME!!! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL!!!"

"Do you love me enough to stay with me? When the life that you have, had been taken away from you? Do you Rina?"

Karina haven't thought of that but she answered Ryujin unsurely. "Y-yes?"

"Pfft... We both know you won't."

"How would you know?"

"You know what, Karina don't do this..." This time there was no anger in Ryujin's voice, it's almost sound like she's pleading at the girl.

"Do what?"

Ryujin steps closer to Karina and looks at the girl straight in the eye. "I don't love you, Rina but I care about you as a friend... Please don't ever mistake that for love, because it's far from it. I don't think I will even think of being in this situation if it was with somebody else. But it's Yeji... and I could deal with having no light, or having to live in this God damn heat, Hell... I'll probably deal having nothing to eat, but just the thought of Yeji hurt and I die a little bit inside..."

Karina couldn't help but die a little bit inside at Ryujin's confession.

"Just let go, Karina and there would be someone who would love you as much."

Karina's self loathing was interrupted by the buzzing of Ryujin's phone.

"Excuse me, Karina... I got to take this."

And as Ryujin walk out of the room to receive the call, Karina was just left there mourning for a loss that wasn't even hers.

*

"A dishwasher?"

Ryujin asks again to confirm, not because she didn't hear the guy but because she was making sure that the balding old man knows what he was saying. When she saw the hiring position at the store window she didn't imagine it to be for a dishwasher.

"I'm sure you know how to wash dishes."

"Ummm..." Ryujin have never washed a dish in her whole life, even now in their situation, Yeji would be the one to take care of it.

"Look, kid... with how fucked up the economy is, you should be thankful that I'm hiring you."

"B-but... could I just be a waitress or something?"

"I admit you're a pretty girl and customers might like to look at you but I'm not going to put someone up there who's not even sure what kind of food we serve. If you work as a dishwasher, you get to see how the food is made and stuff. Then maybe you could work your way up to waitress."

"I....I guess..." Ryujin could only agree. Ryujin always dream that she would never have to look for a job, she knows she was inheriting her father's business but look where she is now? A dishwasher in a low class Chinese restaurant.

"So, what do you say kid?"

Ryujin wished she could tell the guy no, but she was at a lost right now and dishearteningly answered "Yes. I'll take the job. Thank you."

*

Winter didn't know why sleeping with Yeonjun felt more like she's nothing but a cheap call girl. She dabbles at her guesses, probably because she was faking it the whole time and most probably because she was doing it to shut down something about herself.

Everyone is just making love for their own pleasure, right now, who even makes love for the sake of love?

Love? How Winter detests that word, but yet her eyes drifted back at the girl working in the counter, Giselle. So, did it help? Did sleeping with Yeonjun shut that nagging emotion inside of her?

It doesn't feel like it, it was still there...

"Winter..."

Winter have never liked interruptions until now.

"Karina..."

Winter used to be a master at reading expressions, that what makes her so scary because the things you try to keep hidden is the things that Winter will expose you. But right now, Karina's face was a mixture of emotions and Winter have no idea which expression does Karina have.

"I don't know how to say this, Winter but... ummm... I'm backing out."

"W-what? What does that mean?"

"I don't want to be part of this destroy Ryujinie's relationship plan anymore. I'm... I'm going to let go."

"Oh..." Winter sneered "You're doing the martyr's way and finally giving up."

"I was fighting a losing battle."

"Still... you fight until you get what you have."

"No. I would fight if I knew I had a chance Winter, but I never had, Ryujinie never gave me a chance. I'm so stupid..." Karina chuckles while she tries to stop the tears that are brimming in her eyes from falling. "I was holding on to something that I don't even have."

"Don't even have?"


The things that we don't have are things we want the most...


"Why don't you let go too?"

"Huh?" Winter looks at Karina in confusion "Let go of what?"

"Of this hate you have for Hyunjin. Of trying to destroy his sister just because you know she's the person he loves the most. Why don't you close that page in your life Winter, and just let go."

Winter grits her teeth, she hated being nagged at especially when it comes to what she feels.

"Fine! You think you're so strong because you're letting go? You're not. You don't let people win against you."

"I'm losing myself because I'm holding on to someone that I don't even have. Nobody is worth all this hurt Winter, especially someone who doesn't even care that they're hurting you. But you know what? I'm not going to push you... if you think getting your revenge on him is what will make you happy, then go for it. But I wished you know, Winter. That whatever he did, or whatever he put you through. If he hurt you like this then he was not worth holding on to."

Karina stands up and walks away from Winter.

And yes letting go hurt Karina like hell, but loving Ryujin felt like hell as well. Yet, Karina smiled knowing that for once in her life, she didn't let what other people think dictate her, finally she made a decision on her own.

And as hard as it was, Karina was finally free to move on.

*

Pruney... Ryujin looks at her pruned hands and groans in disgust. She would need to douse her hands in a bottle of lotion to make it smooth again. She spends almost the whole entire night washing those dishes and those crappy thing that they called gloves didn't even work. who would have thought that it was that hard?

She works for four hours, with crappy pay but is it even worth it?

Ryujin stares at their apartment door. It was only a few more minutes before their anniversary and Ryujin stares back at the small paper bag that she had for Yeji. She couldn't even afford to buy her a big gift since she basically have no money. She have to borrow from Lia just so she could be able to give her something.

Ryujin looks back in worry as she sees a their apartment lighted up with candle.

"W-what happen? Did they cut off our light?"

"What?" Yeji chuckles... "No... I'm ahhh... trying to make it more romantic by candlelight. Happy anniversary."

Yeji have said it so gleefully that Ryujin had simply forget the reason why she was worrying in the first place.

"Happy 6th month anniversary."

Yeji was about to take Ryujin's hand but the girl embarrassingly stuff her hand back in her coat's pocket. Yeji noticing Ryujin's reaction, quickly steps closer taking Ryujin's hand out.

Ryujin's soft hands smelled of detergent, it was rougher than what Yeji was used to holding.

"Umm... I found a job." Ryujin tries to say happily, even if she has to convince herself that.

"Really?"

And Yeji smiles painfully, Ryujin didn't need to tell her what job she had, it was obvious from the girl's hands. Yeji lifted Ryujin's hands to her lips, brushing her lips gently on those hands.

"I feel so much better..." Ryujin confesses before she wraps her arm around Yeji's shoulders. The two just smiled at each other. "You make every crap in my life just worth it."

Yeji chuckles. "You're such a romantic. Oh by the way, I want you to taste this."

Yeji motions Ryujin to sit down, Yeji lifted a fork to Ryujin's mouth and she couldn't help but smile proudly as Ryujin's eyes gleamed at the cheesecake.

"Is it good?"

But Ryujin answers Yeji with a kiss, letting Yeji taste the delectable sweet in her mouth, before she smiles teasingly. "What do you think?"

Yeji looks away to hide her blush. "It's.. it's good... I made it for you."

"You did? I'm impressed."

"Hehe... Giselle helped me though." Yeji kissed Ryujin's forehead before leaning hers against it. "For tonight, Ryujin, I just want you to forget everything. Just make this night about us."

Yeji started her gift by pressing a kiss on Ryujin's lips.

*

It was a game of push and pull whenever Ryujin and Yeji make love.

Ryujin would hide her smile by nibbling at the soft flesh on Yeji's neck. Simply enjoying the sound that Yeji would sputter everytime she would touch her. At the start, Yeji might think that she was winning as Ryujin would take her gentle and slow. She would only let go of a few sensual moans accompanied by breathless I love yous...

But Ryujin perfectly knew how to take all of the innocence out of Yeji and in one motion. Ryujin would quickly push Yeji to the edge. It was almost like both of them have been possessed, pulled into a world where only they would know. The gentleness was replace with aggression, the sweetness with lust and the soft moans have grown to an almost scream...

And Yeji for countless of times would have like to scream to her lover to slow down, but it's like her mouth has a mind of its own when the only word that comes out of her was the word more...

In the game of push and pull, nobody wins, for they end up losing their sanity, their emotions and their selves to their lover.

And in the game of push and pull, nobody lose, because there was no feeling that would ever feel greater than getting lost in each other's arms.

*

Ryujin stretches her body out satisfyingly before quickly latching on to the warmth beside her. Yeji chuckles as she felt Ryujin nuzzling through her hair.

Yeji turns around and smiles as Ryujin always have that goofy lovesick grin after the night.

"Good morning..." Yeji greets her with a cute yawn.

"Morning..."

"I have a gift for you..."

Ryujin quickly got on top of Yeji... but was disappointed when Yeji started laughing and hit her on the arm.

"No, you perv... Wait..."

Yeji got out of bed and Ryujin just watch admiringly at Yeji's body moving gracefully even if she's just walking.

Yeji turns around and hands Ryujin a paper bag.

"Happy monthsary."

"What's in it?" Ryujin tries to peek inside and finally digs her hand in. She couldn't help but smile as she saw Yeji's gift.

Her saloon brand shampoo and conditioner with a ribbon tied on the neck of the bottle.

Yeji smiles embarrassingly "I know what you might think Ryu, but I..."

Ryujin kisses Yeji on the lips...

"I love it."

Ryujin then got out of bed and quickly picks up her gift.

"I got you something too..."

Yeji smiles got brighter as she pulls out a little Tuk from the bag. Ryujin couldn't help but feel embarrassed, before she would give those random chicks she had expensive gifts yet she couldn't even give the one she loves a decent size plushy doll.

But for Yeji it doesn't matter, she tilts Ryujin's chin so she could stare in those hopeful worried brown eyes.

"I love it..."

"You do?" Ryujin says doubtfully. "It's kinda small so it's not that huggable."

"I don't need a big one either."

Yeji set the plush aside and wrap her arms around Ryujin's neck, pulling the girl to the bed on top of her.

"I already have you."

The girls smile through their kiss as Ryujin's hand starts roaming Yeji's body. And Ryujin leans closer to take all of Yeji. Ryujin have been in that place before countless of times but Yeji still couldn't help but felt like it's her first time whenever Ryujin would touch her. It was exciting, nerve wrecking and above all addicting.

And they confess their love to each other the best way they know how...

By making love...


TBC