"Between the Lines"

Ryujin sauntered through the hotel lobby, her sneakers squeaking on the polished floor as she caught up with Yeji. The rest of ITZY was busy in the lounge, unwinding after a long day of performances. Ryujin's eyes scanned the area, taking in the other members chatting and laughing together, before settling on Yeji. "Hey, tough girl," Ryujin said with a smirk, sidling up next to Yeji as she sipped on a bottle of water. Yeji playfully rolled her eyes. "What's up, Ryujin? Don't you have somewhere to be?" Ryujin shrugged. "I'm taking a break. We can sneak in some alone time, just the two of us." As they continued talking, it became clear that Lia had taken the liberty of arranging their rooms for the night. She had strategically placed Ryujin and Yeji next to each other, with the rest of the members spread out across the remaining rooms. Ryujin turned to Yeji and whispered, "Hey, you think we can sneak out of here and grab some late-night snacks?" Yeji snickered. "I think Shinwon would have something to say about that." Ryujin chuckled and nudged Yeji's shoulder. "Oh, come on. We can sneak out. No one will know." The two of them continued to banter back and forth as they walked to their rooms, making plans for the night ahead. Yeji flopped onto her bed, yawning. "I'm so tired, Ryujin. Can we just chill tomorrow?" Ryujin collapsed onto her own bed, grinning mischievously. "Only if you want to get into trouble." She watched Yeji with a playful glint in her eye. Yeji chuckled and playfully hit Ryujin's arm. "What kind of trouble?" Ryujin leaned against the doorframe, a sly smile spreading across her face. "The kind that gets us in hot water with Jiwon." Yeji laughed and shook her head. "You know I'm not going to fall for that." But Ryujin just chuckled. She knew Yeji couldn't help but be drawn in. As they began to get ready for bed, Ryujin snuck over to Yeji's side of the room and playfully tousled her hair. "Goodnight, Yeji," Ryujin said softly, her voice low and flirtatious. Yeji's eyes fluttered closed as she brushed Ryujin's hand away, her heart racing. "Goodnight, Ryujin," she replied, her voice light and playful. The next morning, Yeji woke up to find Ryujin sitting on her bed, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Morning, sunshine," Ryujin said, stretching out her arms and yawning. Yeji rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the sleep. "What's up, Ryujin?" "Just getting ready for the day," Ryujin replied with a grin. "I was thinking, we should get breakfast together. Maybe Lia and Shinwon can join us?" Yeji nodded, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "Sounds like a plan." As they made their way to the hotel restaurant, the easy camaraderie between them was clear. Ryujin playfully nudged Yeji's shoulder, and Yeji responded in kind, their banter flowing easily. But beneath the surface, Yeji couldn't shake the feeling that Ryujin was pushing her boundaries, testing the limits of their friendship. And Yeji wasn't sure if she was ready to back down. Ryujin grinned at Yeji, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Hey, you want to grab some ice cream later? I heard they have a new flavor at the shop down the street." Yeji raised an eyebrow. "You're going to get us in trouble one of these days." Ryujin chuckled. "That's the plan." Their conversation was filled with inside jokes and light teasing, but there and then, Yeji caught a glimpse of Ryujin's expression – a fleeting look of genuine interest, and maybe even something more. Immediately, Yeji pushed the thought aside. Ryujin was just joking around. They were just friends. For now, at least.