Unmarked

“I’m telling you she hates me!”, you shout through the closet door trying to make your point.

“She doesn’t hate you, Jamie!” Ryujin shouts back. 

“Then why does she act like it?” you say, swinging the bathroom door open. There, you see Ryujin, your girlfriend, brushing her teeth with an oversized shirt on. No, nothing is under there.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about.” she says with the brush still in her mouth.

“Yes you do! You’ve seen it!” The determination in your tone is strong, you aren’t going to back down from your point. “When I scored that goal two nights ago, it was literally only four of you cheering on the stands! Yeji stayed seated and barely clapped!”

“She was just tired from her solo rehearsals.” Ryujin immediately retorts. “She’s taking it super seriously since her performance might affect ours. Don’t give it another meaning.” She matched your tone with seriousness.

“Okay that I can understand.” you reply a little more unsure now, “But the other times when we hang out with the rest of the group. She’s either always on her phone or immediately axing any conversation I try to start with her.”

“She takes a while to warm up to people.” Ryujin argues, before taking a few steps towards you. “We’ve only been together for a few months, and most of the time you were with me. Not her. So, just give her some time to get to know you better, okay? I’m telling you right now. She doesn’t hate you.” She says as she squeezes your cheeks with one hand, directing you to look at her.

“Alright. Fine.” You finally relent. You can see the sincerity in her eyes when she says the last sentence. Ryujin fully believes that Yeji doesn’t hate you. So you have to trust her judgement. “Where are we meeting up with them tonight? Is it that bar again? Strobelight?” You ask, trying to move the conversation along to a less awkward topic. She laughs at the last thing you said.

“Spotlight, dummy.” Ryujin corrects.

“You’ve only taken me there once! How was I supposed to remember the name of a secret bar for idols?” you argue.

“God, not another argument. Just hurry up and get dressed. We’re gonna be late.” She says before heading to shower.

That was probably the most tedious security entrance check you had to go through. It basically rivaled airport security. So many hurdles to pass through just for them to hand you a piece of tape to cover your phone camera with. You understand it though. The stature of the bar’s patrons probably require stricter security. But damn did they go overboard. 

Anyway, after all that, you find yourself in a booth with Ryujin and the rest of Itzy. Tonight’s meetup was the celebration of the success of their Born to Be tour opening in Seoul. Ryujin dragged you along, with the others’ permission of course. You’re sitting at one end of the booth, playing with the beer bottle in your hand and Ryujin beside you. She’s busy talking with Yuna, Chaeryeong, and Lia about the next stops and what they hope to achieve. On the other end, however, is Yeji. She looks a little disconnected from reality. Her eyes are lost in the cocktail in her hands, the swirling colors reflecting in her pupils. In all honesty, she confused you. You have no idea how someone who looks so angelic, so innocent, but yet can turn into an ice queen the second she sets her eyes on you. How someone with eyes full of emotion can suddenly become devoid of them the moment she hears your voice. You get lost in your thoughts before finally being brought back to reality from hearing the conversation of the other four girls.

“Hey you two!” Lia gets your attention. “Bring in your drinks for a toast! To an amazing start of a successful tour!” Lia shouts.

“And to Lia-unnie’s successful recovery!” Ryujin adds at the last second. You all cheer before taking a big swig of your drinks. Except for Yuna, who seems to have downed her drink in one gulp.

“Unnie, we’re really going to miss you on the tour. Please rest well on your break so we can perform together again soon!” Yuna is basically clinging to Lia. She has her locked in a vice grip hug, squeezing the older member. Ryujin and Chaeryeong, would have helped, but they are too busy laughing at their tipsy maknae.

“Looks like our maknae’s had one too many drinks already.” Ryujin jokes. 

“Why does she always get so clingy, with me specifically, every time she’s drunk?” Lia complains.

“She isn’t wrong, unnie.” Chaeryoung interjects. “We really are going to miss you on this tour. It feels weird not having you around.”

“It’s only temporary, girls. I’ll do my best to get healthy again and complete the group. I promise.” Lia assures them.

“And we promise to do our best on the tour.” Ryujin adds. “We’re gonna make sure those suits on the board give us the new contracts we deserve.“ The three girls cheer in agreement before bringing in their drinks for another toast (Chaeryeong having to do double duty, helping Yuna bring her drink up too). You bring in yours as you form a soft smile, seeing the four of them happy like that warms your heart after what they’ve been through. What shocks you is the smile that forms on Yeji’s face as she looks on her celebrating members.

You can feel yourself loosening up after seeing Yeji smile, finally being comfortable as all six of you start to down your drinks. However, the peace is temporary for you as you notice Ryujin staring over at the bar. You follow her gaze to a beauty sitting on one of the bar stools, eyes already looking at Ryujin. 

You recognize her.

Another idol.

Isa from StayC. 

One of Ryujin’s other girls. 

She flashes her cat-like smile at Ryujin. You don’t have to look at your girlfriend to know she is beaming one back. When you look towards her, you see her take another sip before leaning in to kiss you on the cheek. What you thought was a sweet sign of reassurance was actually the complete opposite. 

“I’m gonna go say hi, okay?” Ryujin whispers to you before she stands up. You don’t object. You can’t. You don’t really have the right to. She slides out of the booth before making her way towards the bar. She doesn’t even sit down before she starts doing her thing. She leans in and kisses Isa on the cheek, exactly how she did to you. You’re too far to hear, but you know she’s already working her magic, making Isa’s cheeks redder than a tomato.

“There she goes again.” Lia says from across the table.

“I didn’t know she had a thing with Chaeyoung-ie.” Chaeryoung adds.

“Honestly, unnie…” You jump slightly when Yuna holds your hand. “... it’s really cool that you’re okay with this setup. Other idols were fine with it when Ryujin-unnie proposed it, but you’re the first outside the industry to accept her… quirky relationship.”

You can do nothing but smile and nod. The exact opposite of your true feelings. An open relationship isn’t really on your bingo card. But are you absolutely too smitten with Ryujin to turn it down? A hundred percent.

“Ooh that beer went right through me.” Chaeryoung suddenly exclaims. “I’m gonna head to the restroom. Anyone else?”

“Now that you mention it, I kinda have to.” Lia says.

“I’m coming too! I need a touch up on my makeup after crying.” Yuna exclaims.

One by one, Lia, Chaeryeong, and Yuna scooch out of the booth before heading to the bathroom, leaving you alone with Yeji.

Great.

The soft smile she wore earlier fades back to a stone-cold poker face as she continues to stare at her drink. Calling the situation awkward would be an understatement. You dreaded being alone with anyone, even more so with a person who’s been cold towards you the entire time you’ve known her. Still, for the sake of Ryujin, you do your best to be friendly. That means trying to strike up a conversation.

“Hey, so uh… big tour coming up huh?”

She nods. Doesn’t even look towards you. A reaction you’ve seen countless of times.

“So Ryujin says you have your solo coming up as well. Are you doing okay? I hope it's not too much stress.”

“I’m fine.” 

Wow. Two syllables this time. You’re flattered. Though her next actions feel like taking a penalty kick straight to the gut. She brings out her phone to finally put an end to this sorry excuse of a conversation. A mercy kill.

The awkward silence lasts forever, until the three girls come back from the restroom.

“So that guy Nayeon-unnie is kissing–” Yuna asks as she slides back into the booth.

“Her ex.” Chaeryeong confirms.

“The one that broke up with her before her solo debut?” Lia asks just to make sure.

“Mhmm. Same guy. I heard from the rest of the Twice-unnies that they had a bad break up.” Chaeryeong adds.

“Doesn’t look like it from here.” Yuna says as she sideeyes the bar. “At least, not from the way they’re trying to swallow each other whole.”