Gemini (Ryeji)

Chapter 16

The older woman's brows furrowed at the request paper set at her desk. She looks back at the cat eyed beauty sitting across from her. It's a dime in a dozen to meet someone so young yet so hardworking, and she usually doesn't take request but for this girl, she might reconsider it.

"So, you're requesting to have your switch shifts from night duties to days?"

"Well, that would be ideal but even at least 3-11 shift."

"For someone who just started working for 2 weeks, you adjusted faster than most and you're doing a great job. So, what is your reason for wanting to change schedule?"

Because her lover can't fall asleep that was Yeji's only reason. But she knew no nursing manager in their right mind would take that as an excuse.

"I'm having a hard time balancing work with school."

She hardly lies but for Ryujin it's not even a choice...

*

Flashback...

Ryujin's face turned into that of a kicked puppy when Yeji just walk in without giving her a kiss. The cat eyed girl quickly pulls of her clothes and quickly changes to her scrubs.

"I...I pack you some dinner from the restaurant."

Yeji screeches to a halt when she realizes that she just walked in and ignored Ryujin.

"Thank you baby..." Yeji sneakily tries to glance at her watch, making sure that Ryujin won't see or she might think that's she's being an inconvenience. She walks over to the girl and wraps her arms around Ryujin's shoulder.

"It's your first day, I meant night on the job. I don't want you to go hungry."

Yeji kisses Ryujin thankfully. But the thankful smile turns into worry when she sees a bandage on Ryujin's palm. "Hey... what happen?"

"It's no big deal, I just cut myself while chopping some vegetables. They make me cut veggies now... I guess it's a promotion."

"I don't want you getting hurt." Yeji kisses the bandage.

"It's a little scratch..."

"Ok... but next time you need to be careful. I'll see you tomorrow." It was supposed to be a goodbye kiss. but the moment Ryujin presses her waist on Yeji's entangling the girl in her kisses, Yeji knew that saying goodbye would be much harder than she thought.

"I have to go..." Yeji pulls away hesitantly.

"I want to take you to work..."Ryujin says almost pleadingly.

"It's ok baby..." Yeji brushes Ryujin's cheek with her thumb "I don't like you riding the metrorail by yourself especially at night."

Ryujin stepped away defeated, what Yeji was saying is very true. There was no way she's getting into public transportation especially metrorails if Yeji wasn't with her.

"Oh okay... I'll wait for you..."

"I won't be home until the morning, so just try to sleep ok? I'll call you when I get to work..."

"Call me on your break too..."

"I will..."

Ryujin seeks Yeji's lips once again. One goodbye kiss turned into two, and two multiplying into more, Until Yeji got the strength to finally tear away from Ryujin.

"I have to go..." Yeji kisses Ryujin for the last time on the forehead.

"I love you..." Ryujin calls out before Yeji steps out the door.

And as nervous as Yeji was on her first day, all of it just fades away at the three words that Ryujin uttered.

"I love you too..."

Ryujin sighs heavily as Yeji stepped out of the door. Her eyes remained lock at the door, unintentionally waiting for Yeji. Ryujin sighs heavily again knowing that all this hopeless waiting will just turned into disappointment. She tears her eyes away from the door and just climbs lifelessly on the bed. Even if she tries to get some shut eyes she knew it would be pointless.

This was the start of Ryujin's sleepless night.

*

She kept on tossing and turning, she even started counting sheep, anything that could help her go to sleep. None of it worked.

It wasn't the mattress, or the humidity that was causing her to lose sleep, it was the empty spot beside her. She even swore that it won't matter if she sleeps on the pavement if Yeji is there beside her.

Ryujin didn't know how long she was just staring at the empty space, as if she's waiting for Yeji to magically appear.

It was 11 pm when her phone starts buzzing...

"Hello?"

"Hi baby..."

Ryujin never thought it was this crazy but she just missed Yeji so much

"How come you're not asleep yet?"

"I'm not sleepy" Ryujin lies even if her exact reason was she can't sleep without Yeji beside her. "So, how's work?"

"It's going good..." Yeji lies as well. She didn't want Ryujin to know how the others treat her there on her first day. No one tells her how to do things, but has no problem scolding her or worse snickering behind her back when she does something wrong. The nurses and even the other nursing aides were handing her their work and as much as Yeji wanted to say no, she knows she can't.

"That's good. So, did you eat the food I send? I chop those veggies myself."

"Oh, that's why it's so good."

Yeji's chuckle was just heavenly for Ryujin.

"You liar..."

"No I'm not lying..."

Ryujin presses the phone closer to her ear just so she could feel Yeji closer

"This is the best Chinese food I ever tasted."

"Then, you haven't gone to a lot..."

"Good point... Maybe on my next pay we could go to a good Chinese restaurant."

"UGH! Just the thought of Chinese food makes me puke already... Can we go somewhere else?"

"Ok... Where would you want?"

"Let's go Korean... bulgogi time..."

"Hehe... Okay... Korean it is..." Yeji sighs heavily as she saw what time it was "Hey... I have to go back, go to sleep, okay?"

"Oh okay..." Just when Ryujin stop feeling lonely, she starts missing Yeji again.

"I love you my baby, good night..."

"I love you too..."

"I'm putting the phone down... Go to sleep, okay?"

"Okay..." Ryujin answers like an obedient child.

"Good night... I love you..."

But before Ryujin could reply, Yeji had already put down her phone. And all of Ryujin's happiness just easily fizzled out. She laid back down on her bed and took a deep sigh...

This was the start of Ryujin's sleepless nights.

*

Yeji stares back at her phone screen, feeling a knot getting tied around her chest. Ryujin is a grown woman, yet she couldn't help but feel guilty leaving Ryujin alone at night in their apartment.

"Was that your boyfriend?"

Yeji turns around to the husky yet playful voice. She doesn't remember his name just the fact that all the older, married nurses were gushing about him. He was good looking, Yeji couldn't deny that, but he's not Ryujin.

Yeji just smiles shyly and tries to excuse herself from the break room when he spoke up again.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to listen in to your conversation like that. I just think it's sweet that's all."

"You have nothing to be sorry about."

"You were smiling the whole time you were talking on the phone. He's quite a lucky guy, making you smile like that." His lips curve into a charming smile. "I'm Soobin... I work here as one of the nurses."

"I'm Yeji..."

"I know..." He nods happily.

"Well, I have to go back to work..."

"Nice to meet you Yeji..."

Yeji smiles politely and walks away, yet the smile in Soobin's face stayed a bit longer even if Yeji was out of the room. He snickers at the thought, if he could get married woman to leave their husbands for him, how easy was it to steal a girl from her boyfriend?

*

Ryujin felt like she was half dead from not sleeping at all the night before, yet the jingling sounds of keys followed by a twist of the door knob rob any sleep she had in her.

Yeji walks in their apartment, exhausted and ready to collapse in bed when the sight of Ryujin patiently waiting for her like an adorable puppy manage to wake her up.

"You're awake?" Yeji walks closer to Ryujin, greeting Ryujin with a kiss on the hair.

"I... I couldn't sleep..." Ryujin admits, nuzzling on Yeji and finally she was ready to go to dreamland.

"Wait..." Yeji chuckles "Let me go take a shower first... You go to sleep, I'll be right there, okay?"

"Okay."

And as Yeji steps into the shower, Ryujin have pondered how on Earth did she manage to sleep all her life without Yeji beside her? And how could one night without the girl have rendered her helpless? Ryujin wished she could stay up longer to find out the answer, but the sound of the shower and Yeji humming was like a lullaby carrying her off to sleep.

*


Yeji knows that Ryujin have already fallen asleep, but the girl could hear a pin drop that Yeji have to turn the door knob carefully, wishing that it wouldn't creak.

Yeji couldn't help but feel guilty as she sees Ryujin asleep. Even in her slumber, the scrunch look of Ryujin's brows and the light snore just shows how exhausted the girl is. Slowly, very slowly Yeji creeps to the space beside her, crawling underneath the sheets before pressing a light kiss on Ryujin's forehead.

It was 5 am and while the world is slowly getting up on their feet, Yeji have her lover wrap in her embrace, ready to fall asleep.

*

Yeji tries to reach out for her phone at the bedside table but it just made Ryujin pull her closer.

"Ryu? Are you asleep?"

Ryujin fakes a loud snore before smiling still with her eyes closed. Yeji slaps the girl jokingly in the arms before yelping as Ryujin tackles her in her embrace.

"You dare woke me up from my sleep? Hmmm?" Ryujin says in her commander voice while tickling Yeji on her side.

"STOP!" Yeji screams between her fits of laughter as Ryujin mercilessly tickles her.

"NEVER!!!"

Yeji's phone starts beeping...

"Stop... Let me get my phone."

Ryujin gives Yeji a break and rolls off her. Her hand playing with Yeji's as Yeji checks her phone with her free hand. Ryujin's playfulness disappeared when she sees the smile in Yeji's face fades.

"Who's that?"

"Ummm... Nobody..."

Ryujin sits up and Yeji sputters a gulp when she saw the intense glare from Ryujin.

"Who?" One word from Ryujin and Yeji was already shaking.

"Well... school stuff that's why..."

"Oh okay..." Ryujin shrugs it off and pulls Yeji on top of her. Yeji smiles while straddling on Ryujin's waist. Ryujin matches Yeji's smile with a more playful one, tugging Yeji to come closer, earning another yelp from the girl as she finishes where they left off. This time without any clothes on.

*

"Hey Yeji..."

Yeji turns around to see Soobin chasing after her.

"Oh hey"

"You going home already?"

"Yeah... I still have classes in the afternoon... So, I needed to sleep a bit."

"Well, how about getting some breakfast before-"

But Yeji's mind already flew to the dark haired girl waiting at the step at her work. Yeji couldn't help but think how adorable Ryujin looks trying to keep those narrow eyes open.

"Ryujin?"

Tired as she was, Ryujin woke up at the sound of Yeji's voice. "Yeji?"

"You silly... did you come here by yourself?"

Yeji have been working for three days yet it didn't get any easier for Ryujin. Finally that third night, Ryujin decided to brave the metrorail and ride to Yeji's work just to pick her up after.

Yeji wasn't really very showy when in public but that moment she couldn't stop herself from giving Ryujin a kiss on the hair. "C'mon let's go home..."

"Yeji?"

Ryujin's face turn to a deep scowl at the sound of Soobin's voice and when she saw the way he was looking at her girl. She hated him even more.

"So, is this the special one that was making you smile earlier?"

"Ahhh yeah... She's Ryujin. Ryu, this is Soobin, one of the nurses here."

The look on the man's face woke Ryujin up in an instant. Soobin is rarely intimidated but when Ryujin took a step between him and Yeji, he couldn't help but take a step back.

"Nice to meet you, Ryujin..." He greets her trying to mask his uneasiness.

"You too..." Ryujin lies in a low tone.

"Well, I was asking Yeji if she wants to go for breakfast, I was wondering if you two would like to go?"

It was a no.

"No." Ryujin replies coldly.

"Oh okay then... maybe next time?"

The two highly doubt it.

"Thanks..." But no thanks, Yeji smiles politely.

Soobin can see Ryujin tugging Yeji's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Ryujin."

Ryujin quickly turns around with her hand on Yeji's, walking away with her girl. Not bothering if she replied or not.

*

"Don't worry about him." Was the first words that Yeji said when they step inside their apartment.

"Was he the one that text you the night before?" Was the first words that Ryujin uttered.

"I ummm... yes." Even if she knew that she didn't cheat, Yeji couldn't help but feel nervous.

"What did he text?"

"Nothing just hi..."

"And what did you say?"

Yeji couldn't help but feel like a convict with the way Ryujin was interrogating her.

"N-nothing...I didn't text back."

"Here I am every night, trying to fall asleep without you yet you're out there with someone"

"What?" Yeji spoke up after getting accused. "I can't believe you would think of it like that."

"I don't know..." Ryujin shrugs. "Maybe I shouldn't, maybe it's just my lack of sleep that's making me pissed."

"Well... I'm sorry" Yeji says in an almost sarcastic tone. "Sorry if you feel this way."

"It's okay... Yeji..." Ryujin replied in the same sarcastic tone as Yeji. "Everything is fucking ok!"

Ryujin flips the sheet and angrily pounces in bed, leaving Yeji standing there wondering if she should even bother fixing things.

*

Yeji purposely walks faster at the sight of Soobin but the man proved to be more persistent than he looks.

"Hey Yeji..." He chased Yeji down the hallway, and Yeji becomes the victim of the malicious glares from the other nurses.

"You receive my text?"

"I did."

"You didn't reply"

"Sorry. I was busy..."

"Why? Your girlfriend guarding your phone?" Soobin said in a playful yet taunting tone.

That statement earned a glare from Yeji.

"Don't you dare talk about Ryujin that way..."

Soobin raises his hand in mock surrender. "Sorry, didn't know you were sensitive about that matter."

"I'm not. But when it comes to Ryujin I become sensitive. So, please leave us alone."

Yeji didn't wait for an answer and hurriedly walks off, but Soobin is proving once again that he's persistent.

"Have you ever been with a man, Yeji?"

That finally got Yeji's attention as she turns around and faces him.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing... I just think it's such a waste... That's all."

And this time Yeji walked away trying to erase the bitter aftertaste of Soobin's words.

*

It was the second night that the two didn't share one word to each other. Unfortunately for Yeji, it was also her day off meaning she and she Ryujin were stuck there in their cramp apartment trying to ease the nagging echoes of silence bouncing of the walls.

As usual Ryujin climbs into bed first, and when Yeji was sure that Ryujin have fallen asleep. She would slip in beside her, wrapping her arms around Ryujin's waist and making sure she wakes up before Ryujin could catch her. But what Yeji doesn't know is that Ryujin never falls asleep until she could feel Yeji lying next to her. And the moment Yeji would pull away when she wakes up, Ryujin wake up almost instantly. Knowing that without Yeji sleep won't even be a possibility

End of flashback...


"So, who's the lucky dog that gets to taste the Happy Chinese meal you just prepared?"

Ryujin looks away from the box dinner she was making as a peace offering for Yeji and turns to the girl with those teasing smile.

"Ummm..." Ryujin didn't even know why she's saying it. "It's for my girl."

"Oh..." The mischievous smile quickly turns into a serious look. "I didn't know you have a daughter."

"Ummm... no..." Ryujin shakes her head while putting the dinner aside. "It's for my... my girlfriend."

The naughty grin on the others girls face reappear quickly at Ryujin's answer.

"Oh..." It sounded like a teasing Oh rather than an awkward Oh... "I never thought you were interested in girls."

Ryujin blushes at the thought of Yeji. "She's ummm... mad at me right now, so I'm bringing her dinner."

"Well, maybe that will work or maybe you should go with the traditional flowers."

Flowers? Why didn't Ryujin thought of that?

*

Ryujin peeks her head inside their apartment and sees Yeji on the table, maybe studying. Ryujin tiptoes carefully, although she was pretty sure that their creaking door probably announces her arrival.

"Yeji?"

Ryujin peeks and sees Yeji sound asleep, her head resting on her books as the girl fell asleep while studying.

And Ryujin couldn't be more in love than she is this very minute.

She presses a soft kiss on Yeji's hair before slowly carrying the girl.

"Ryu?"

Yeji woke up on Ryujin's embrace as the girl lift her up to their bed.

"What time is it?" Yeji asks groggily...

"Why? Do you have to work?" There was the obvious disappointment in Ryujin's tone.

Yeji shakes her head happily. "I work during days now"

"R-really?" Ryujin couldn't hide her excitement...

"Yes. It's 12 hour shifts and the nursing manager work out a schedule with my classes so yeah..."

As the two were locked in their embrace, they simply wondered. What were they fighting about again?

The two girls unconsciously sighs in relief at the same time. Ryujin was the one who wrap her arm around Yeji's waist, pulling the girl closer. Yeji lays her head in Ryujin's chest, hearing those fast heartbeats slowing down in pace. Yeji looks up and sees Ryujin already ahead of her in dream land and very carefully, Yeji presses a kiss on Ryujin's lips before snuggling closer on Ryujin's chest.

Ryujin presses a kiss on Yeji's hair, taking in with her every senses everything about Yeji. Her look, the sound of her laughter, the way her strawberry scent lingers, the taste of her mouth and of course just the way she made Ryujin feel.

Ryujin took everything, carrying her thoughts of Yeji to dreamland...

And with Yeji in her arms and present in her dreams, this was the end of Ryujin's sleepless nights.


TBC