Saved Me; Ryeji FF

twenty four.

As the plane taxied down the runway, Ryujin could feel her heart racing. Her fingers nervously tapped against the armrest, and her gaze fixed out of the window as the aircraft gained speed for take off.

Beside her, Yeji sensed Ryujin's unease. She reached over and gently placed her hand on Ryujin's, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "You okay there?"

Ryujin managed a faint smile, "Yes... No... Maybe so?"

"So, a hitman that's scared of planes... Never would have expected that." The cat-eyed woman chuckled, hoping that light teasing would take her mind off the rumbling of the plane taking off.

"I'm not scared of planes, just the idea of having my life in someone else's hands is scary." The dark-haired woman defended herself, telling a half-lie to avoid Yeji in believing she was a chicken shi-

"Chicken shit." Yeji crackled louder, "I'm joking, I get it."

Behind the pair, they could hear the loud laughter and excitement coming from the younger Shin and frantic hushes coming from Chaeryeong and Lia. As the plane began to lift off the runway, Ryujin gripped tightly onto the armrest and Yeji's hand.

"Did you know that lobsters can taste with their feet?" The photographer asked spontaneously with a playful glint in her eyes.

Ryujin blinked, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected topic. She shifted her attention to Yeji, intrigued by the sudden conversation starter. "What?"

She nodded, with a smile tugging at her lips, "Lobsters can taste with their feet."

The startled hitman couldn't help but to chuckle at the randomness of Yeji, "Seriously?"

"Yep. They have these tiny hairs on their legs that allow them to detect chemicals in the water. Well, not 'taste' like our taste buds but like in a sense, they can 'taste' the environment with their feet." Yeji said with her eyes filled with amusement.

"And how did you acquire such knowledge?" Ryujin raised her eyebrow.

"Tiktok. Seriously, imagine if we can taste our environment with the hairs on our legs. Or even better, with our toes"

"I think you need to put your phone down, Yeji." The hitman grinned, feeling the tension in her chest starting to ease. "But imagine tasting the sweat on our feet-"

"Eww, stop. GAHHH!!" Yeji shook her head dramatically, trying her best to get the imaginary taste out of her mouth.

By the time Yeji recounted her third fun animal fact, they were soaring in the air. Ryujin didn't notice that they were floating in the clouds, finding herself genuinely engrossed in the conversation. Yeji's animated storytelling and enthusiasm for sharing odd facts were contagious, which brought comfort as they chatted.

As the plane began its descent to their destination, Ryujin looked out of the window and saw the cityscape below. Her eyes widened, fascinated by the cityscape and landmarks that she remembered in her high school textbooks. She couldn't possibly fathom that there was a world outside of Seoul, the city that was all she had known her whole life.

"Welcome to Sydney, Shin Ryujin." Yeji whispered with a smile plastered to her face.

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The group stepped out onto the train platform, and the bustling energy of the city surrounded them. Walking through the vibrant nightlife of Sydney, Ryujin found herself encapsulated by the kaleidoscope of cultures, and the distinct architecture all around her.

Lia and Chaeryeong took the lead with their eyes glued to their phones, following the navigation to their hotel as Yuna sprung around, taking photos of everything around her. Soon, they arrived at their destination. The hotel they had booked was nestled in a prime location overlooking the Sydney harbour.