Chapter Text
Four girls. Two videos. One week.
It’s not a hat trick, but it’s close.
They’ve done it before. They’ve done it again. And Ryujin can’t help but wonder when’s the next time they’ll have to step up to the plate like this.
Hands on the front of her thighs for support, she watches as the crew in front of her starts to tear down all the gear they had set up for the shoot. She looks at the producers, half of whom have left already, and the other half still talking to Yeji.
It’s weird, knowing that Yeji was the one that dragged them into this monster of a shoot, but also knowing that there was no one else but her that could’ve pulled them through as well.
“I can’t believe it’s finally over.”
Ryujin turns around to see Chaeryeong, hands on her waist and back arched into a satisfying stretch. It reminds her of all the joints in her own body, still screaming after all the work they’ve put in today.
“Don’t say that, you’re gonna jinx us,” Yuna bemoans as she approaches.
“How? We’re already done with the video.” Chaeryeong continues to stretch, the nonchalance of her replies posing a solid front to Yuna’s worry and superstition.
“I guess…” Yuna bobs her head, possibly going over what kind of crazy scenarios could happen if their luck does go sour, but then her eyes light up in excitement. “We should celebrate then!”
Ryujin perks up at the idea. They always go out together after days like these, but rarely do they tack on the word “celebration.” After all, if they were to grandstand after every time they filmed something, it would dilute and take away the meaning of the word. But with her heart still pounding in her chest and her muscles still aching, Ryujin can’t help but feel that there’s nothing more warranted than a celebration.
Chaeryeong nods as the idea takes root in her head. “We do deserve it,” she says, “but where?”
“I know.” There’s a certain smugness as Yuna takes a step forward, hands behind her back, as if she had been holding onto this for a while. “There’s a new restaurant down the street that everyone’s been talking about. We should go there!”
Ryujin’s familiar with the place, at least in the same sense as Yuna is in that she’s also heard about it. But, the moment that Chaeryeong opens her mouth and she doesn’t hear an affirmation come out, Ryujin knows that it’s better to step away now while the two hash things out.
“I was thinking maybe…”
Chaeryeong’s words fade out in her ears as Ryujin turns around. She’s surprised to see that it’s just the four of them in the room now – the producers must have left during their little celebration conversation. She keeps turning until she sees Yeji, having snuck off into a corner of the room. From the phone in her hand, it looks like she’s taking pictures for their social media accounts. She watches for a moment before floating on over to her.
“Ryujin, I’m gross, don’t!” Yeji protests as Ryujin snakes her arms around her waist and leans her chin onto her shoulder. She knows Yeji doesn’t mean it. Even though her tone is full of objection, there’s nothing that conveys that in how readily she leans back into her or how Yeji spreads her feet so that her shoulder sits at an easier angle for Ryujin to perch on.
“I’m gross too,” Ryujin says as she presses her sweaty cheek to Yeji’s. “Just take the picture already.”
Yeji does. Then she takes another. And then another. They go through a series of poses and expressions – some silly, some more serious – before Yeji finally lowers the phone, signaling the photoshoot as over.
As Yeji starts to weed through their pictures – adding filters, hashtags, etc. – Ryujin decides to lay claim to this moment and buries her face into the back of Yeji’s neck.
Neither girl was joking earlier – they are both a bit gross right now – but she doesn’t mind the way Yeji’s orange strands stick to her forehead or the smell of salt and conditioner that fills her nostrils. All of it spells out Yeji to her, and it’s a word she’d read everyday if she could.
She doesn’t know how long she’s like that until she hears the click of Yeji’s phone. Peeking her head out, she sees that Yeji’s taken another photo of them – Yeji gazing ever so lovingly at the girl planted in her neck.
“Cute.” Ryujin chuckles. “A bit too scandalous to post though, don’t you think?”
Yeji shakes her head as she looks down at her. “This one’s just for me.”
Ryujin looks at her, the smile on her face already curling into a smirk, when a cough from the other side of the room pulls their attention away.
“You guys ready?” Chaeryeong’s looking towards them, but not at them – possibly scarred from the several times she’s went to get them for something and they’ve forgotten to lock the door.
“Ready for what?” Yeji asks.
“We’re gonna celebrate wrapping the video!” Yuna answers. “We’re getting dinner at that new restaurant down the street!”
Ryujin looks over to Chaeryeong, the hint of a pout on her face, as it seems like she lost the war on where they were going to get grub.
“Oh, I hear that place is really good,” Yeji adds. “Let’s go!”
Yuna smiles and cheers before turning around and heading towards the door. Chaeryeong follows behind and Ryujin and Yeji stay back, their shoulders knocking into each other as they walk side-by-side out of the room.
Once they get into the car, Chaeryeong defers them to backseat so she doesn’t have to look at their flirting before dinner. Yeji flushes a bit at the statement, but they both slip into the back with no reservations, their hands finding each other immediately once they buckle themselves in.
Their hands don’t leave each other’s until they get to the restaurant and they have to unbuckle.
The restaurant isn’t exactly what they have in mind when they get their eyes on it. They’re a few blocks away from the main street and the exterior is unassuming to say the least. If it wasn’t for the fact that there are people coming in and out of it, Ryujin wouldn’t have been able to spot it at all.
But that opinion changes when they walk inside. The lighting, the music, even how the tables are spaced out – it’s all been tuned to the perfect ratio to not be obnoxious but still seem high-energy and inviting.
“We’re drinking, right?” Yuna asks as they’re led towards a booth in the corner of the restaurant.
“Wouldn’t be a celebration without drinks,” Ryujin notes, a smile on her face. She forgets sometimes that Yuna’s the youngest of them, but it’s fun to see that she still enjoys the novelty that is public drunkenness.
As Ryujin takes a seat across from Yeji – Chaeryeong first in the booth and beside her – she’s wondering what the older girl will have to say about the drinking proposition. It’s not that Yeji’s a party-pooper, but she is the one most cognizant of their public image and how alcohol might skew that one way or another. That’s why she’s a bit surprised when Yuna asks the server for a bottle of soju and all Yeji has to say is that she’d prefer the yogurt-flavored one.
With that settled and the four of them seated, they can finally start thinking about food. The first thing they decide on – even without looking at the menu – is an order of gopchang. As the years have gone by and they’ve eaten out almost every week of their lives, they’ve discovered there are few things better than alcohol and intestine in the same meal.
After that easy decision things get a little bit more contentious. Yuna’s asking for someone to split the corn pizza with her and Ryujin’s pointing out that she’s just doing that so she doesn’t feel bad when she eats the whole thing by herself. There’s not a lot of arguing after that, but there are a lot of pointed looks and pushed-up outs.
Thankfully, the server is quick to return with their alcohol. Yuna takes the bottle and pours out a shot for each of them before raising her glass in a toast. She looks at everyone, takes a breath, and then fizzles out instantly.
“Wait, what are we cheers-ing for?”
“Us?” Yeji floats the idea before them.
“We are pretty amazing,” Chaeryeong points out.
“How about,” Ryujin starts, “ the fact that we kicked some ass this week and finally get the chance to relax?”
“I like the sound of that.” Yeji gives her a sweet smile while the other girls offer their agreements as well.
And so the four girls cheer, content in knowing that though there will always be weeks of work ahead of them, that this one can at least be laid to rest.
There’s a loud clack as they bring their empty glasses back down to the table. Ryujin goes to wipe her mouth and the tang of the soju is still heavy on her tongue when Yuna decides to start round two.
“Wait,” Yeji says as Yuna reaches for her glass. “Before we get too drunk, I want to say something.”
The three of them turn to Yeji, quiet and still, as they wait for her words. Ryujin can see the way her gaze moves over them, as if remembering every interaction they’ve shared with each other this week.
“Thank you…” she takes a breath “...for everything you’ve done.” There’s a warmth in her words that settles on Ryujin’s skin, joining the slight buzz she’s already starting to feel due to the empty stomach and empty shot glass.
“I know this week was stressful, but I’m proud of you all for working hard and always doing your best.” The sentence starts and ends with Yeji’s eyes on Ryujin, but Yuna’s the first one to speak up.
“We couldn’t have done it without you, unnie.”
Yeji almost laughs at Yuna’s bright smile and earnest remark before she starts pointing the acclaim back at her. That’s when they start exchanging and passing along praise from one girl to another – notes like how Chaeryeong nailed the transition from the chorus to the verse or how bad-ass Ryujin looks when the song ends. It leaves them all feeling humbling, but also recognized – egos in check, but also checked off.
A wave of “oohs” and “ahhs” interrupts their group gush as the server arrives with their food and places it on the table. The clinks of plates and silverware as they move things around serve as the backdrop to the comments they make to each other about the best way to divvy things up and who gets what first.
But then, then all the sound seems to drop out as Yeji’s phone starts to ring. Yuna’s face falls. Ryujin puts down the plate she was holding. Chaeryeong just looks on in disbelief, adding in a “They can’t be serious,” as Yeji pulls out her phone.
Ryujin goes to pour herself another shot as Yeji turns to the side and answers, hand over her mouth. As she picks up the glass, Ryujin watches her from the side of her eye. Yeji’s talking too quietly for any of them to hear, but the look on her face is enough to tell them what’s going on.
The conversation is short and Yeji looks grim when she hangs up and turns back to them.
“I need to go back to the studio. There’s some promotional stuff I need to film before we can put out the videos and–”
“They couldn’t have asked you that before you left?”
They all turn to Ryujin when she speaks, the sharpness of her voice cutting through the restaurant ambiance.
She shares a look at Yeji, one that feels like it could last forever before Yuna comes in with a question.
“Should we wait for you?”
“Oh, no,” Yeji replies. “They said it wouldn’t take too long, but you should eat while the food’s still hot.
It’s funny, how Yeji’s pressing them to eat while she’s taken almost every chance she can this week to not.
“Have some before you go back.” Ryujin holds up a spoon full of rice and pork belly to her. It’s honestly impressive how much she managed to pile on in such a haste.
Yeji nods and leans forward to take the bite from her. She’s about to pull back when Ryujin impressively manages to gather up another spoonful for her.
“You should have another drink too.”
“Chae!” Yuna looks at the girl across from her with shock.
“What? I wouldn’t want to be sober if I had to go back to work like this.”
Ryujin manages to feed Yeji three things of rice before the girl stands up and steps away.
“I’ll see you all back at home.” Her eyes go to each one of them, as if offering up a small apology. “Don’t stay out too late, huh?” She forces a smile and tries to add some levity to the situation, but they all watch as Ryujin comes in to shoot it down.
“Same goes for you.”
Yeji nods, meek, before ending the night with a small bow before she turns around.
“Be safe, unnie,” Yuna calls out as they all watch her leave.
As the sound of the car outside starting up joins the music and chatter of the restaurant inside, Ryujin’s the first to turn her attention back to their food. She’s also the first to grab for the bottle.
She’s quiet as they eat. As they pay. As they get back in the car and head home. In the backseat by herself, she finds herself constantly glancing at the plastic bag containing their leftovers the entire ride.
Ryujin doesn’t perk up until they pull up to their dorm. The driver goes outside and opens up the door for them. Chaeryeong and Yuna exit promptly, but they all turn back to look at her when she doesn’t.
“You guys head in,” she says as she wraps her hand around the plastic of the bag. “I’m gonna head to the studio and see what our glorious leader is up to.”
“Ryujin–”
“Chae, it’s fine. You know how it is.”
“Actually…” It’s the driver – Siwoo. “Ms. Hwang said to not let anyone back at the studio tonight.”
“What?” Ryujin blinks and leans forward.
“Well,” he gulps. “Her intent was that all of you arrive safely back at your dorm and rest. She said that, as the leader, it’s her duty to make sure none of you overwork yourselves after everything that’s happened this week.”
Ryujin’s speechless as she looks on at him. She lets Chaeryeong unwrap the plastic from her hand and says nothing as Siwoo is instructed to deliver the food to Yeji. She doesn’t even fight as Chaeryeong helps her out of the car and closes the door behind her.
As Siwoo drives off, Yuna and Chaeryeong are standing in front of her.
“Do you want to–”
“I’m fine.” Ryujin doesn’t look at either of her friends as she squeezes in-between them to make her way towards their dorm. “I’m going to shower. I’m going to go to bed. And then I will wake up tomorrow and everything will be better.”
Yuna and Chaeryeong don’t get in her way. They watch her from afar, but it’s not the first time Ryujin’s been like this, so they trust her at least, but Ryujin doesn’t feel their eyes off of her until she’s back in her room in her pajamas.
She goes to her desk, not wanting to stew in the malaise that her bed would provide her. Reaching for her phone, she opens up her conversation with Yeji and she thinks about what to text her.
Several deep breaths later, she compromises on a simple request to message her once she gets the food.
She knows how dangerous it is to wait for something like that while the food gets delivered, so she falls back on what she normally does when she feels like this.
🐱: you up??
🍯: 🦥☀️
It’s not that late – definitely too late to work – but it’s not that late, so she shouldn’t be surprised that Lia’s up. Still, there’s a part of her that maybe wishes Lia hadn’t answered, that she could retire to her bed and just feel awful for the rest of the night.
Thumbs flexing in front of the screen, Ryujin wonders the best way to distract herself.
🐱: whats the word of the day
🍯: victual
Ryujin brings the phone closer to her face as she looks at the word. It’s something she hasn’t heard before, and definitely hasn’t seen in text. First “magniloquent,” then “magnanimous,” now this?
🐱: and that means…
🍯: victual – verb. : to supply with food
🍯: did 🦊 not use it today?
🐱: you have to stop giving 🦊 these
🐱: seriously
🍯: ??
🐱: she isn’t allowed to be smarter than me
🐱: that would ruin my life
🍯: it hasn’t before
Ryujin laughs. It’s the first time she’s felt at ease since before dinner started.
🐱: can you facetime?
It’s instant – the moment the message sends is the moment Lia’s face pops up on her phone. Ryujin answers and she’s greeted with a rather cozy looking Lia tucked into the corner of her bed.
“Howdy.” Lia’s audio cuts out in the middle of the greeting and the screen goes black, but it all fixes itself a moment after.
“Hey,” Ryujin says with a smile. “Bit early for bed, don’t you think?”
“Tell that to her.” Lia points her phone down at her lap to show Bella sleeping before angling it back up to her face. “I’ve been stuck here for an hour.”
The second laugh comes out easier and louder with Lia on the phone. It’s hard to not be able to just knock on her door and come in to talk like they used to, but this is enough for now.
“That’s the price of having a pet,” Ryujin laments. “By the way, did Yuna or Chae talk to you about their dogs vs cats thing?”
Lia huffs a breath as she nods. “Yeah.”
“I’m guessing you said dogs.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “I said birds.”
“Birds?”
“Yeah, they can fly.” Lia says it like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “Isn’t that so cool?”
The smile feels good on Ryujin’s face as she settles into the conversation.
“I’m guessing you said cats?” Lia inquires.
“Nope.” Ryujin pops the “p” in the word before continuing. “Dragons.”
“I never should have shown you that movie.” It’s Lia’s turn to laugh, her video shaking in response.
Hearing it, seeing it – it’s almost enough to pull Ryujin out of the dumps before Lia knocks her right back in.
“But speaking of dragons…I hear ours is doing that thing where she stops taking care of herself to focus more on work again?”
“How’d you know?” Ryujin’s face falls and it’s almost as if the smile that was just there had never existed.
Lia answers, but it gets caught up in the digital scramble. Ryujin only catches the end of it, her saying “How are you handling it,” but she goes on regardless.
“You know.” Ryujin looks to the side, not making eye contact with her. “Like usual.”
Lia looks at her in a way that reminds Ryujin of Chaeryeong.
“Really? ‘Cause she told me you sat on her.”
Ryujin angles the phone face down towards the desk as she mouths a small “Fuck” before turning it back towards her.
“She snitched on me?”
“We talk.” Lia shrugs. “About you. About her. Y’know, she doesn’t exactly love it when she goes into turbo-work mode either.”
“Then why does she keep doing it?” Ryujin’s exasperated as she runs a hand through her hair. “We were literally about to eat dinner tonight when they called her in and she had to go back to the studio.”
It’s the first time Lia’s quiet tonight and all that does is allow Ryujin to spiral.
“Then afterwards, when I tried to go bring her food, Siwoo said she told him that I wasn’t allowed?” Ryujin sighs. She groans. She wants to scream but she doesn’t, so she keeps on talking. “That means she knows what she's doing and she just doesn’t want to deal with the consequences or come face-to-face with the fact that it’s affecting the people around her.”
Ryujin looks at the screen and Lia’s just letting this all happen. She’s watching her, an expression on her face that Ryujin reads as permission to keep going.
“I just want to not be worried. Is that too much to ask?” Ryujin looks at her desk and the photos she has of them together. “At least when I’m there, I can check in and make sure she’s okay. But right now, I’m stuck in my room and waiting for her to text me if she got some leftover rice cakes and pork belly.”
Ryujin stops talking and it takes her a few seconds to realize it’s been a while since Lia has. She looks at the phone and she sees the same expression from earlier.
“Lia? Anything to say?” She shakes the phone as if to jumpstart her friend on the other line. “I kinda shat out my heart and everything, so…”
There’s no response from her and nothing from the phone either until the screen grays out and she’s told that the connection between them is unstable.
“Fuck.” She lets the phone slip out of her hands and onto the desk as she knocks her head back against the headrest of the chair.
Closing her eyes, Ryujin continues to wallow in the words apparently only she heard. But then she realizes how not true that is. Everyone’s heard it from her at this point, and in the same she continues to deal with Yeji’s shortcomings everytime they come up, the group also continues to deal with hers.
And it’s not just her (justifiably) complaining about Yeji’s lack of self-preservation, but the snark and the attitude and her admittedly comparable lack of self-preservation as well.
“Fuck…”
Her phone goes and she’s thankful she has something to stop her train of thought in its tracks. She takes a breath and reaches for the phone, expecting Lia and a message about her shoddy connection.
🐺: Food!! 🥘😋
🐺: ✨ Thank you so much! ✨
🐺: Love you!!! 💜🖤💜🖤💜
Ryujin wants to laugh.
It’s almost comical, the texts Yeji sends her. If Ryujin didn’t already know that Yeji was working, she’d be able to decipher it from the messages. It’s the same way she types on Bubble – the overarching positivity that seems to emanate from every one of Yeji’s pores.
Though, to be fair, it’s not that much different than the ways Yeji communicates in any other aspect of her life.
Scrolling down, Ryujin sees the picture attached to the last message. It’s Yeji in the break room – the same one she had avoided the other day – and she has all of the food they sent over laid out in front of her. It looks like she’s set up for a mukbang, and before Ryujin can send her a message about it, she gets another idea.
Ryujin texts Lia real quick before she starts another Facetime, but this time it’s with Yeji.