Shin Ryujin is a successful solo artist, best known in her home country, South Korea.
Hwang Yeji is her new manager, who happens to also be Ryujin's ex girlfriend.
Ryujin tried her hardest to focus on her dancing but having Yeji in the same room as her made it nearly impossible to completely immerse herself as she often did.
Instead, she kept making mistakes. Being half a beat too late or too fast, forgetting a step or looking too stiff.
Yeji wasn't even paying attention. She was simply working out their schedule for the next few days and using her phone.
How could someone who didn't even care to pay attention to her, distract her from everything she was doing?
"You should eat." The other spoke, after however many hours of practice had gone by in silence.
Ryujin rolled her eyes. "I'll eat later."
"It's already 3pm and you have yet to eat. I bet you didn't even have breakfast."
She scoffed, going back to dancing.
"I can't manage someone who's dead. What would you like to eat?"
She wanted to argue but arguing meant speaking for even longer to Yeji, so she settled with letting her go pick up food.
They ate in silence, each sitting on either side of the practice room couch. She decided to put on her AirPods and drown out the awkwardness with music.
'I hate this so, so much.'
The other got a call and Ryujin immediately looked over, raising her eyebrows curiously. Why was she even curious about who was calling Yeji?
Whatever.
Ryujin busied herself with the food the other had brought her, filling her mouth far too much. It was one of her worst habits.
For a second she thought she had caught sight of the other looking at her but once she looked in her direction, she noticed that Yeji was busy talking on the phone while looking at the ground.
'I'm going crazy already.'
The rest of the day went by slowly. Silently. The only noise filling her day was music. The ones she played while dancing and the ones she listened to while working out.
During those long hours, Yeji stayed by her side. Not saying a word unless spoken to.
Not that she spoke to her often. She only really did so when she asked her to pick up something to drink or eat.
The rest of the time Yeji seemed focused on their scheduling. And she overheard her trying to get Ryujin on some variety shows and magazine spreads. Judging by the few words she actually paid attention to, whenever the other would be on the phone.
"Do you need me to call the car for you?"
"No. I can do that myself." Ryujin gestured towards the door, avoiding looking at the other woman. "You may go now."
"Alright. Good work, boss. I'll see you same time tomorrow. I'll bring the americano." The other flashed her a big smile and Ryujin had to keep herself from scoffing at the sight.
'I really hate how she can smile at me like that. The guts of this woman.'
"Don't be late."
The other only looked back and nodded, walking away from her.
Well, day one of however many there would be is over.
She went directly to her apartment. It was already night time by the time she got home, as per usual.
This was a ordinary day for Ryujin. Waking up, working, getting home, sleeping. Repeat. That's how it always went. With the exception that this time around she also had to deal with Yeji being around. Something that made her feel uneasy and kept distracting her.
Ryujin doesn't entirely know how it happened. One moment she was taking a bath, scrolling through social media. The next she was looking up Hwang Yeji.
Private. Of course. She didn't expect anything else from Yeji.
That should have been it. The moment she saw the other's accounts were private, she should have left it alone.
But Ryujin was nothing if not stubborn and persistent.
'I should stop.' She said in her head, typing in the information to create a new account.
'I hate myself.' She chose a username.
'Why am I doing this?' Selected a photo for the account.
Done.
Following request sent.
'I have to be the most ridiculous person ever.'
Ryujin spent the next few hours refreshing the profile every few minutes, until she drifted to sleep. Her hand still holding her phone with Yeji's profile still open.
Ryujin sighed, unlocking her phone and being met with Yeji's profile. Still private. Was her new account that obviously fake that Yeji didn't even accept her?
She quickly went and opened the other's texts, rolling her eyes as she read them.
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'She's so annoying.'
Quickly typing a response she threw her phone back onto the bed, moving to get ready for the day.
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"I should have breakfast today. Just so she doesn't annoy me about eating." She said to herself, grabbing a piece of fruit before heading out.
Without even noticing Ryujin had already started to make changes in her life because of Yeji.
(Author's note: which would you prefer the next chapter to be, a throwback chapter or Ryujin seeing what's on Yeji's social media)
