Quietly Yours

The Top Floor had mostly settled down for the night by the time I finally made it back to my room. Somewhere outside, I could still faintly hear Yuna laughing loudly at something while Chaeryeong unsuccessfully tried to calm her down. Meanwhile, somebody was playing music quietly from another room down the hall. Surprisingly normal considering the increasingly catastrophic sequence of events that have just occured.

I leaned back against the headboard afterward before glancing down toward my phone again, opening the last message I got from Yeji.

YJ: I’m coming to your room later. Don’t fall asleep first :)

Somehow just reading it again immediately made something in my chest loosen. Then suddenly— another notification appeared across the screen. Different contact this time. Jihyo. Interesting. I opened it immediately. “Are you free for a quick video call? John’s here too.”

Excellent. Parental supervision. I sent her a reply. “Do we have to include John?” an instant reply suddenly pinged before I could get up to turn on my PC “You hurt his feelings…” hilarious.

A few minutes later, my PC rested open on my table while the video call connected successfully. And unfortunately— both of them were already staring at me like emotionally intelligent vultures. “Why do you look exhausted already?” Jihyo asked immediately.

“That sounds emotionally invasive.”
“It’s Ben, that is his resting face.” John added helpfully.

I rubbed lightly at my forehead afterward while Jihyo narrowed her eyes slightly at the screen. “Just a bit tired from… recent events.” Meanwhile Jihyo looked seconds away from developing a migraine already. “Anyway,” she continued before John could worsen the situation further, “we just wanted to check how things were going after the comeback schedules.”

I leaned farther back slightly afterward. “Honestly? Better than expected.” That part at least wasn’t a lie. The schedules themselves had gone smoothly. The members looked happier overall. More stable too. Which honestly made the emotional complications significantly harder to justify professionally.

Jihyo seemed to notice the shift in my expression afterward too.

“You’re overthinking again.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that.”
“It’s not without merit, try smiling more.”

Then eventually John leaned slightly closer toward his camera afterward while narrowing his eyes suspiciously. “You look weirdly happy though?”

“I don’t look happy.”
“You absolutely look happy.”
“That sounds emotionally fabricated.”
“That sounds like denial,” Jihyo added calmly.

Great… Professionally cornered by two emotionally evolved psychopaths. Then before I could continue defending myself— the door behind me quietly opened. Softly enough that I barely noticed at first. But then suddenly— a figure suddenly appeared on my side, carelessly placing themself on my lap while I was sitting in the chair, not noticing I was talking to someone on the PC.

Ah. Excellent timing. Very professionally survivable situation. I froze instantly. Because apparently it was Yeji and had decided subtlety was no longer a priority tonight. “You’re still awake,” she murmured softly against my shoulder afterward before resting her chin lightly there “Good”. Meanwhile— the silence from the PC became catastrophic.

Yeji however remained completely unaware for approximately two more seconds while hugging me comfortably giving John and Jihyo a good show, those two were suspiciously quiet.  “I missed you, Benjie…” she muttered quietly afterward. “The gala was exhausting.” Then finally— she noticed the PC. Yeji’s eyes slowly widen to the realization that both John and Jihyo saw and heard everything.

 Because now Jihyo was staring at the screen with visible secondhand embarrassment, John looked spiritually vindicated, and Yeji had gone completely motionless against my back.  Outstanding. Then eventually John spoke first “…Well.” Nobody answered. Then Jihyo immediately covered part of her face with one hand afterward while visibly trying not to laugh “We’re going to end this call now”. Jihyo left the call before I could defend myself.

Yeji meanwhile looked seconds away from evaporating from existence entirely. Honestly it was a very cute reaction. Then finally before disconnecting, John pointed toward the screen once more “Use protection”.  The call ended instantly afterward. Then slowly— Yeji buried her face into my chest while groaning softly in embarrassment “…I hate both of them.”

The room stayed quiet for another few seconds afterward while Yeji continued hiding her face against my chest like complete bodily disappearance was still a viable survival strategy. Unfortunately for her it was not. I eventually let out a quiet laugh beneath my breath before lightly running one hand through her hair afterward.

“They’re never letting us live that down.”
“I’m aware,” Yeji muttered into my shirt immediately.
“That sounded emotionally defeated.”
“That’s because I just accidentally gave Jihyo unnie and John a live demonstration of my attachment issues.”

I felt her laugh quietly against my chest afterward despite the embarrassment still actively consuming her alive. Then eventually Yeji tilted her head slightly upward afterward before narrowing her eyes at me suspiciously.

“…You think John was serious?”
“I refuse to comment on that without context.”
“The protection comment.”

I rubbed lightly at my jaw afterward. “That unfortunately sounds exactly like something he’d say seriously and as a joke simultaneously.” Yeji snorted softly afterward before finally relaxing more comfortably against me now, one arm loosely wrapped around my waist while the earlier embarrassment slowly faded. “You make a fair point.”

Then eventually “…How was Ryujin?” That sounded like a very dangerous question. Not because of jealousy. That was the important part. Yeji’s voice hadn’t carried accusation, insecurity, or resentment. Just honest curiosity. I looked down toward her quietly afterward.

“She’s adjusting.”
“That sounds evasive.”
“That’s because the full answer feels professionally catastrophic.”

Yeji laughed quietly at that. Then eventually she shifted slightly in my lap afterward before speaking again. “She likes you.” Interesting. Very direct observation.

“I’m aware.”
“No.” Yeji shook her head lightly afterward. “I mean she really likes you.”

Truthfully, she wasn’t wrong. Ryujin might refuse emotional labels, relationship structure, or softness. But the attachment itself? That was becoming significantly harder to ignore. I exhaled slowly afterward while Yeji watched me carefully now.

“You’re thinking too hard again.”
“That sounds familiar.”
“That’s because you do it constantly.”

Then eventually Yeji’s expression softened slightly afterward “…I knew something like this was probably going to happen eventually”. There it is. The emotionally devastating honesty. I stayed quiet while Yeji continued absentmindedly tracing small patterns against my shirt now. “I think part of me already accepted it after everything with us happened,” she admitted quietly. “It still feels weird sometimes.” Then immediately afterward “But I don’t hate her.”

“She makes you happy too,” Yeji added softly afterward before finally looking back up toward me again. “Just differently.” That somehow landed significantly harder than expected. Because she understood it completely. Not every detail. Not every complication. But the emotional shape of it? Absolutely yes.

Then suddenly— Yeji shifted slightly in my lap afterward before the corner of her mouth curved faintly upward “…Although”. That word alone immediately felt threatening. I narrowed my eyes slightly.

“That sounded ominous.”
“Maybe a little.”

Then before I could ask further— Yeji stood slowly afterward before taking a few steps back from the chair. And only then did I finally notice the subtle nervousness in her expression. Because Yeji almost looked… shy. Then finally she spoke again quieter this time. “I bought something during the gala trip”. I leaned farther back slightly while watching her carefully now.

“That sounds financially dangerous.”
“It wasn’t THAT expensive.”
“That sounds like a lie already.”

Yeji rolled her eyes softly afterward before looking away for half a second “…It was supposed to be a surprise later.” And then slowly— Yeji reached for the hem of her outer shirt afterward. “…But after hearing about Ryujin…” She bit lightly at her lower lip before laughing softly at herself. “I suddenly don’t feel very patient anymore.”

Yeji stood a few feet away, the dim light of the room catching the nervous flicker in her eyes, her knuckles white. She didn't pull it up immediately. Instead, she lingered there, the fabric bunched in her grip, her gaze flickering from my eyes to the floor and back again. The confidence she had displayed seconds ago—the daring "although"—was evaporating, replaced by a fragile, endearing hesitation.

"You're shaking," I noted.
"I'm not shaking. I'm... vibrating with anticipation," she countered, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her.

She took a sharp breath and lifted the shirt in one fluid motion. Underneath, she wore a set of midnight-black lace that looked like it had been designed specifically to ruin my composure. The bra was a delicate plunge, barely containing the soft swell of her breasts, the lace tracing the curves of her pale skin with surgical precision. Matching panties sat low on her hips, a sheer sliver of fabric that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. The contrast of the dark lace against her creamy skin felt like a physical blow to my chest.

Yeji let the shirt fall back down, but she didn't let go of the hem. She looked up at me, her eyes wide and searching, a flush creeping up her neck to stain her cheeks a deep crimson. The seductive persona had completely collapsed, leaving behind the girl who loved me with a terrifying, honest intensity.