Ryujin tries to listen to what her assistant was saying about the current happenings with her family business. However, her mind wasn’t present.

Her mind was filled with one person.

Jimin.

Her Jimin.

She remembers that night. How her Jimin still looks so ethereal. How her Jimin still uses the same perfume. How her Jimin’s warmth is the only thing she wants. How her lips were still soft.

She really missed it.

She really missed her.

Her Jimin.

However, she also remembers how her Jimin’s emotions were high that night. From rage to anger, to frustrations, Ryujin felt all of it. After all, it was directed to her.

She was the reason.

She really didn’t expect the night to end up that way. She knew that Jimin would be surprised. But she thought that once she talks it out with the raven-haired girl, then everything will be alright.

But she was wrong.

She never took into account how much she must have hurt Jimin before. How much pain she had caused to Jimin’s heart that the other girl willingly gave to her. She didn’t know she wasn’t the only one hurting at that time.

Jimin...

“...and that’s the current updates of the company.”

Ryujin sighs in relief hearing those last words. She looks at her assistant in front of her, “thank you for the update, Sieun-ah. That would be all.”

“Ah, Ryujin sshi,”

“Yes?”

“Park-nim wants me to inform you that your papers for your transfer to your new university have been fixed, and he might visit you soon for the signing.”

She groans, “tell him to send it instead. He doesn’t have to come here.”

“Will do.”

“Also, tell him not to disturb me. He knows it's my break before I fully start doing my responsibilities.”

Her assistant bows at her and leaves her room. 

She couldn’t believe that even during her break, she needs to be in the know of whatever is going on in the business. Hell, she doesn’t really care. She only accepted this job to pay off her debts in the US. Thinking about it makes her brain hurt.

It still hurts her pride that she needed to beg for her father’s help so that she could come back home. All her efforts to be independent were gone to waste. She felt like she disappointed her mother.

She clenches her fists even just by remembering it.

Ryujin snapped from those thoughts when she heard her phone ringing. She picked up the call and sat comfortably on her couch.

It was Yejin.

“I didn’t expect you to call,”

“I have good news.”

“Good news, huh,” she curiously said. “What would that be?” Yeji smiled at her, “believe me, you’re going to like this,”

“Shoot.”

“Remember the fat guy from high school,”

“Ji, I don’t have time to do some memory games with you,” Ryujin groaned, “who are you referring to?”

“I think his name was...uuhhhh..Sungjae? Minjae? Or Youngjae? I forgot. Anyways, he mentioned Minjeong’s-”

“Yeji, I told you not to mention that name again,” Ryujin says harshly.

“Sorry, my bad.” The other girl on the line apologizes, “so, about her...”

Ryujin wasn’t actually interested in what Yeji was talking about until she realized the implication of what her friend was saying. It was indeed good news for her. She couldn’t help but smile, “...when will that happen, Yeji?” She asks.

“From what I heard, once they meet and everything is approved, it will be soon.”

Ryujin couldn’t help but smirk, “the sooner the better. I want her out of this place.”

“I knew you would like this news,” Yeji chuckled, “for sure, that blondie will bite. After all, this is a big offer. Once she’s out of the picture-”

“-I will have Jimin.”

“Yep.”

“I can’t believe this. It’s as if fate is on my side for once.” Ryujin chuckles, “even after what happened, I knew I would get Jimin back to me.”

Suddenly, a knock was heard on her door, “yes?” she answers.

“Ryujin-nim, you have a guest,” says her maid. Ryujin was confused as she didn’t know anyone would visit her today, “who is it?”

“Lia, Ryujin-nim.”

“Aah,” she couldn’t help but relax as she heard her best friend’s name. “Let her in.”

“Yeji, let’s talk later. Lia’s here.”

“Sure.” As she turned off her call with Yeji, she looked up to her best friend. However, her friend had an unreadable expression on her face. “We need to talk,”

Ryujin noticed the seriousness of Lia’s voice, but she remained calm. “You have my full attention.”

Rather than talking, Lia was pacing around her room. “Lia,” she called out. When her friend looked at her, “Is everything alright?” Her friend only looked at her straight, it was then when Ryujin noticed. “You looked angry,”

“What do you think?” Lia snapped.

She could only sigh, “What is this about? If this about what happened that night-”

“It is about that night, Ryu. Not just that night, but all of this.” Lia points out, “Ryu, don’t you think you're going too far?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying that Jimin is hurting, Ryu. My friend, our friend is hurting because of all of this. Of what you did,” Lia sighs, “All of these lies, she’s hurting the most.”

Ryujin looked away. She knew her best friend was right, but she couldn’t acknowledge it. No.

“Ryu,” she heard her friend say, “I told you before that if she’s hurt by all of this, I will personally tell her the truth.”

“Lia,” she tries to grab her friend’s arm. “Don’t even, Ryu,” Lia moves away from her friend. “We both know she deserves to know the truth.”

“Hey,” Ryu grabbed Lia’s arms and calmed her down, “I didn’t want what happened too, Lia. All I wanted was to talk to her, explain my side and fix everything. But...”

“Please Ryu,” Lia gets away from the blonde-haired girl, “I heard from Yuna. What really happened when you guys broke up.”

“You knew that already.”

“Your side, yes. But Jimin’s,” Lia looked at her badly, “I can’t believe you did that to her.”

“I was in a bad place, Lia. You know that. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“Still, Ryu,” Lia sighs, “I don’t blame Jimin for her actions that night. After what you did to her, of course, she will react that way.”

Ryujin was silent. She knows she ed up.

She knew she made a huge mistake.

Not just any mistake.

She broke Jimin.

Her Jimin.

The girl she admired from afar before. The girl she loved so deeply.

She destroyed her, and their relationship.

She knows that, but she doesn’t want to acknowledge it, because that would mean her chances to get her back will be slim to none.

She suddenly remembers Jimin’s cries from that night, her begging, begging to let her go.

It broke her.

She doesn’t want to see Jimin like that. She doesn’t like that she was the cause of it.

But she also doesn’t want to let her go. No, I can’t. 

Not to her.

“Don’t you think,” she hears Lia sigh, “don’t you think it’s time, Ryu?”

“Time for what?”

“To let go. Of Jimin.”

Ryujin clenched her fist, “you know I can’t do that.”

“Ryu,”

“No, Lia, ” Ryujin doesn’t want to be angry at her friend, after all, she knows Lia was only concerned for her and Jimin, “I will never do that. Never.” She turned around and was about to walk out when

“Let her be happy with Minjeong, Ryu,” Lia expressed, “You know that’s the right thing to do.”

“Is it?” Ryu snaps back, “Is it the right thing to let her go? Let her go to Kim fcking Minjeong?? Because that will never sit well with me.”

“Why?” Lia counters, “Don’t tell me this is because of your issue with Minjeong again? Gosh, Ryu. I thought you’re over this already.”

“I was. Until...”

“Until what?” Lia then realizes the connection, “don’t tell me...” She scoffs, “Is this the reason why you want Jimin back so badly now because of your one-sided feud with Minjeong?” Ryujin clenched her jaw. She’s not talking.

She won’t. After all, if she opens then she will regret it. Cuz, it was the truth.

Even during that night, Jimin accused her of the same reason.

Was it really obvious? My one-sided feud with Minjeong? Maybe.

She doesn’t want to admit it allowed but yes, that was the reason.

She doesn’t want MInjeong to win. 

She got everything already, I won’t allow her to get Jimin, too.

“You don’t understand...”

“What else do I don’t understand, Ryu?” Lia scoffs, “if you’re referring to your jealousy of her then yes, I don’t understand. Ryu, it’s been years and it's too petty.”

“I don’t care!” Ryu exclaims, “I don’t fcking care if it's petty, why can’t she suffer too?”

“You don’t know that, Ryu. Minjeong must have suffered too,”

“Yeah, well, it’s not enough.”

Lia could only shake her head, “It’s not Minjeong’s fault that your father used her against you. To compare you both. It’s also not her fault if her family tolerates her going to Arts.”

“She represents everything I wanted to be, Lia,” Ryujin couldn’t stop herself from being angry, “all these years, Appa never fails to slap me in the face how perfect Miss Kim Minjeong is. How it would have been nice if she was her daughter instead. But he got me. A bastard. A daughter of his mistress.” 

“And what?” Ryujin scoffs, “she gets a free pass to do what she loves? Unlike me? I want to do what I want too, Lia. I want to dance. I want to perform. But I had to go through hell to reach it, while she’s supported.” She scoffs as she remembers everything she went through. 

From all the insults and hardships her dad put her through to every struggle she went through.

Due to the nature of her family business, they have a lot of collaborative projects with the Kims. Through this connection, she was aware of Minjeong even when they were young. Her father also made sure to make her remember who the blonde-haired girl was.

She used to admire the blonde-haired girl. She aspired to be her.

But her hatred for her father and the constant comparison, Ryujin couldn’t help but develop immense jealousy over Minjeong.

Then Jimin showed up.

It was love at first sight.

During their middle school years, she would observe the raven-haired girl from afar, admiring her from afar.

But she was Minjeong’s best friend.

This adds more to Ryujin’s jealousy. Why is it always her!?!?

Then high school came, everything changed. 

The moment she saw an opportunity, she grabbed it.

She befriended Jimin and became close. But she knows she wasn’t enough. Ryujin was already the one beside Jimin, the one who’s always there for her, and yet...it wasn’t enough. After all, she sees Jimin sneaking glances at a certain blonde-haired girl from afar. Her again.

Then the letter happened.

She didn’t mind the letters at first, cuz even Jimin was annoyed by them. However, she saw the change. She witnessed how Jimin became livelier, happier, and couldn’t help but smile every time she talked about the letters.

It made her heart boil in jealousy. 

Her presence in Jimin’s life wasn’t enough. She wasn’t enough to make Jimin happy.

It needed those damn letters. Those letters made Jimin happy and not her.

It didn’t help when she knew it was the girl she hated the most, the root of all of her negative emotions, Minjeong, who sent the letters.

It’s always her. Her!

So she did what she did. 

Interfered between the two ex-friends and lied to Jimin. Pretending to be the sender, just for her to be the one Jimin to choose.

She knows it was wrong, but it also felt right.

She was enough. For Jimin, she was enough.

And for the first time, she won.

She won against the blonde-haired girl.

However, because of her stupidity and her not being able to handle her emotions, she hurt the girl she loves. The girl who’s been there for her. Supported her.

She hurt her.

Now, she’s back to square one. She forced a chuckle, “Yet, I am back here. I had to let go of my dreams just to reach another,”

Jimin…

“And now, Jimin...” She just wants her girl back.

Especially from her.

She looks at her best friend entirely, “I can’t just let her go. To her.”

“We both know Jimin was never yours, Ryu,” Lia spoke slowly, “no matter how much we change it, it’s a fact that we lied to Jimin and you stole her from Minjeong.”

“And I can steal her again.”

“Ryu!”

“If you have nothing good to say. Just leave.” Ryu looked at Lia coldly, “don’t make me ask the guards to drag you out.”

Lia clenched her jaw in disappointment. She only wanted to knock some sense at her friend, and maybe, just maybe, could ease the guilt she was feeling for lying to her dear friend, Jimin, for many years.

“I’m trying here, Ryu,” Lia sighs, “but if that is what you want then so be it. I will let you be.”

“But remember this,” the blonde-haired girl looked up at her friend, “if Jimin starts to ask questions, I will not hesitate to tell her the truth.”

“It’s not like there is still a truth to tell,” Ryujin stares at her coldly, “we destroyed the letter, remember?”

Lia looked away and spoke quietly, “you never know.”

She left the room.

Out of frustration, Ryujin flipped the nearest table, and all of the things on top of it were on the floor. She was angry.

She hates it.

She hates that Lia was right.

But at the same time, she doesn’t want to admit it.

I can’t. I can’t let her win again.

She just can’t.

After everything she’s been through, all she wanted was to be enough. To end up at the top. To win.

Against Minjeong.

She won before.

She wants to do it again.

She will get Jimin back.

---------------

“Why do you have this?” Jimin’s cold words made Minjeong unconsciously shiver. The last time she heard Jimin talk in this tone was when she was about to reveal about the fake dating thing.

But this was different.

It was colder.

Distant.

Minjeong gulped. She tried to open to speak, but no voice could come out. She clenched her fists in frustration.

She can’t be like this now.

She sees Jimin again. Her face was distant.

Cold.

She doesn’t understand why, but it must be because the letters were that important.

Not just to her, but to Jimin as well.

Minjeong had been trying to imagine different scenarios on how she’s going to admit to Jimin she was the sender, but she never expected it would come to this.

Yizhuo was indeed right, there is no exact right timing to do this.

But she needs to.

Now.

She needs to tell her the truth.

She breathed in, “Jimin,” she spoke slowly. “Let me explain...”

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