Chapter 6: Whispers in the Dark

The night air was filled with the soft hum of crickets and the distant chatter of the group as they made their way back to their dorm. Yeji couldn't shake off the feeling that Ryujin's confession had left her with. She had always known that Ryujin was a bit of a people-pleaser, but she had never realized the extent of it. The kiss in the photo booth had been a publicity stunt, but a part of Yeji wondered if there was more to it than that. As they entered the dorm, Yeji excused herself, citing exhaustion, and made her way to her room. She couldn't help but replay Ryujin's words in her head, wondering if she had been lying to herself all along. Was Yeji just a prop in Ryujin's game of fame? The room was dimly lit, with only a faint moonlight filtering through the curtains. Yeji flopped onto her bed, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside her. She couldn't sleep, her mind racing with thoughts of Ryujin and the kiss they shared. Just as she was drifting off, her phone buzzed with a text from Ryujin. "Hey, can we talk?" Ryujin asked, her voice hesitant. Yeji's heart skipped a beat as she typed out a response. "What's up?" "I was thinking about what I said earlier," Ryujin wrote. "About the kiss being a publicity stunt. I didn't mean to hurt you, Yeji. It's just... I don't know, I feel like I've been living in this bubble, and I don't know what's real anymore." Yeji's eyes widened as she read the message. She hadn't expected Ryujin to open up like that. She typed out a response, her fingers trembling slightly. "Meet me outside. I want to talk." The two girls snuck out of the dorm, finding a quiet spot in the courtyard. The night air was cool and crisp, filled with the scent of blooming flowers. Ryujin looked nervous, her eyes darting around the courtyard. "I'm sorry, Yeji," Ryujin said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know I said it was a publicity stunt, but... it's not entirely true. I did it because I wanted to see how you'd react. I wanted to know if... if you felt the same way." Yeji's heart skipped a beat as she processed Ryujin's words. She had been so focused on being hurt that she hadn't considered the possibility that Ryujin might have actually felt something. "Why did you do it, then?" Yeji asked, her voice soft. Ryujin took a deep breath, her eyes locking onto Yeji's. "Because I've been feeling it for a while now. The way you look at me, the way you touch me... it's like my heart is going to stop. I wanted to see if it was real, if you felt it too." The air was thick with tension as Yeji processed Ryujin's words. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her palms growing sweaty. She took a step closer to Ryujin, her voice barely above a whisper. "I felt it too." Ryujin's eyes widened, a soft gasp escaping her lips. Yeji's heart skipped a beat as Ryujin's face inches closer to hers. The night air seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them, suspended in a moment of truth. As their lips met, the world around them melted away, leaving only the gentle rustle of leaves and the soft beating of their hearts. Shinwon, watching from her window, smiled to herself, knowing that she had set off a chain of events that would change the course of their lives forever.