Always Been You (Ryeji Converted)

Chapter 3

Junior Year: (Present Time)

Yeji leaned back happily into her beach chair, loving the sound of the ocean in her ears and the feel of the warm sun on her skin. It was Labor Day Weekend, and Yeji was looking forward to three days at the beach before the official start of classes.

Yuna had invited Yeji and Jennie, a mutual friend from FAC, to stay at her family's house on the Cape. The guest list grew when Jennie's boyfriend Jongin wanted to join and brought along his friend Hyunjin -- ostensibly to use Hyunjin's car, but truthfully it was because he didn't want to be the only guy. Hyunjin was on the swim team with Yeji, and Jongin was in Yuna's Chemistry Lab so the five of them all got along well, which was fortunate as it was a cramped ride in Hyunjin's car as they drove up to Massachusetts.

Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, her phone started ringing. "Hey Yuna, what's up?"

"We're headed into the village. Jennie wants to give Jongin the full tourist treatment. Wanna come?"

"Nah, I'm staying put."

"Ok. We'll be back before dinner, we can go back out together. Reservation is at 7:30."

"Okay -- see you then." Yeji dropped the phone back into her bag. She stared out at the ocean and watched a cargo ship make its way steadily across the horizon. Now there's a job for you. Months and months way out there...

Yeji stared at the ocean a little while longer, and then fished out her book from her bag. "I'm going to finish this book even if it kills me," she muttered to herself. It was a novel that critics and friends had raved about for months, but it just wasn't doing it for Yeji. She was, however, not one to abandon any book once she started reading, so she plodded along, feeling a small sense of victory each time she completed a chapter.

A shadow fell across the page and she looked up, "Hey Hyunjin, you guys back already?"

Hyunjin shook his head and dropped himself onto the sand next to Yeji, "They're still out. Got too hot for me. Better back here with the breeze from the ocean."

He dipped his head to try and look at the cover of her book, "What are you reading?"

Yeji held up the book. Hyunjin grimaced, "Oh, I couldn't get into that."

"I'm struggling with it too. I'm halfway, so I am just going to push through."

Yeji went back to reading. Every now and then, she sensed Hyunjin looking at her, and then looking away again. After about five minutes of this, she finally put down her book, and said gently, "Hyunjin, if you want to say something, just say it..."

Hyunjin went beet red, "Oh. Uh, no. Nothing. I was just thinking... it's nothing. I better get back inside. I'm kinda getting burned anyway. Sorry."

Hyunjin jumped up and practically ran back to the house. Yeji felt bad. Oh shit. Was he about to tell me he has a thing for me? She checked the page number in her book and chucked it into her bag.

When she walked into the kitchen, Hyunjin was sitting at the counter, flipping through the newspaper.

"Hey, sorry about being a bit of an ass just now. I just noticed you kept looking at me, and it felt like you wanted to say something. I didn't mean to be pushy."

Hyunjin shrugged, "It's ok." Then, with a look of resolve on his face, he added, "You weren't wrong though. I... um... I just wanted to ask you what Yuna likes to do... uh, you know, on dates..."

"Oh... OH!" Yeji smiled, "Cheesy movies. Boot up one of those sports movies with long emotional arcs. That'll get her every time."

Hyunjin nodded, "Ok. Ok. I can do that. What about-"