The room fell silent as the man's hand landed abruptly on the tabletop, "What do you mean she escaped?!"
The four women lowered their heads as they stood in front of their boss, cowering from facing the man's anger. All of them didn't dare to speak, until Karina built up the courage, "Sir-"
"No." Yongsun's hand tensed into a tight ball, veins strained against the skin, filled with intense anger.
"It was a simple task, ladies." He said in a calm tone, nursing a glass of cognac between lips. "Yet, it seems that none of you are capable of doing it."
"Sir." The leader repeated with a tremble in her voice, "With all due respect, you don't know how dangerous Shin Ryujin is."
"That's precisely why you all need to exterminate her. Immediately." The boss sternly emphasised the last word before finishing off his drink.
Karina took a step forward, "I've seen what Ryujin is capable of; I know her tricks and strategies. All I- I mean we need is more time."
Yongsun placed his glass on the leather coaster on the table, "How long?"
"I don't know how long, but we will catch her. And when we will, her head will be on a silver platter."
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Medical textbooks and empty shot glasses were left strayed on the dining table with a faint smell of alcohol lingering in the air. A cup of dark coffee rested in her hands, the only source of warmth in the cold morning. She leaned on the railing with the sounds of her inhales and exhales mingling with the morning hustle from the streets below creating a serene atmosphere.
Memories of the previous night floated in her mind; filled with laughter, drinking and Yeji. She couldn't remember what conversations were recalled or the jokes that were told, but all she saw was the woman sitting beside her.
The whole night, her eyes laid on the beautiful woman, mentally taking notes of how her teeth peeked out through her lips when she smiled, the addictive laughter she let out when one of the other girls cracked a joke but mostly importantly, the way Yeji would look at her with sparkles in her eyes.
A cold-hearted killer who melted under an angel's gaze.
Lost in her thoughts, Ryujin took a long drag from her cigarette, the tendrils of smoke swirled above her, dissipating into the sky. The sound of the door behind her sent goosebumps along her body, as if her senses knew who it was.
"Got a light?" The familiar voice called out behind her.
Ryujin opened her pack of cigarettes and handed her the lighter. Yeji lit the flame and brought it to the stick between her lips. As Ryujin watched Yeji light her own cigarette, she noticed her tousled hair cascading down her shoulders and a subtle glow on her cheeks.
"You never told me who gave you this lighter." Yeji mumbled, now able to fully admire the elegance of the metal object in her hands.
"My mother." Ryujin said while looking out at the view, smoke escaping from her mouth.
"Huh... She condones you smoking?"
"I started smoking when she died."
Yeji hung her head low, "Sorry."
No further words were exchanged, they dwelled in the comfortable silence that surrounded them. They stood side by side, watching the cars below pass by, showing how insignificant they were in the big world.
"My mom died when I was young." The photographer suddenly mumbled out, removing her cigarette and holding it between her fingers. "She had lung cancer. When we found out, it was too late. Stage Four with no hope of recovery."
Ryujin looked over at the cat-eyed woman. Yeji held the cigarette upright, with the lit end pointing to the grey sky.
"She fought long and hard to cherish every moment with us. Making unforgettable memories in hopes to replace the painful ones as it came." Ryujin watched as the glow of the ember slowly burned down. "Everything good withers away and is left with the ashes of what used to be."
"After she died, we didn't know that the cancer was genetic." Yeji looked away, placing the cigarette back in her mouth to take another puff. "Took my brother a year later."
Speechless, all Ryujin could do was take another sip of her coffee. "How about your father?"
Yeji suddenly took a sharp intake of air, as if all the oxygen in the world disappeared for a second. Her eyes darted all around while she blinked rapidly, trying to hold back her tears from reopening a wound that was not yet healed.
"I'm not ready for that." She whispered beneath her breath.
The dark-haired woman nodded and flicked out her cigarette over the balcony. As she went to leave Yeji for her personal space, a sudden commotion erupted from inside the apartment.
"Don't leave the DAMN DISHES IN THE SINK, SHIN YUNA!!!" Chaeryeong's voice muffled through the closed glass door, hands flying to convey her message across to the younger girl.
"WHY SHOULD I DO THE DISHES WHEN THERE IS ONLY FIVE PLATES TO CLEAN!!" Yuna screamed back.
"YOU WANT THIS PLACE TO BE INFESTED WITH COCKROACHES?! FINE, LET THEM CRAWL INTO YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU SLEEP!!"
The cat-eyed woman chuckled to herself as she wiped away her tears, "Regular occurrence?"
"Yes."
-
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Miraculously, the kitchen didn't burn down with the constant bantering with her best friend and her sister. The four of them set up the dining table with an array of side dishes and a pan of kimchi fried rice. As they placed the utensils on the table, an exhausted blonde made her way out of Chaeryeong's bedroom.
"How did you sleep, Jisu?" Yeji asked as she took a seat beside Ryujin.
Lia groaned and slumped onto the chair, leaning onto Chaeryeong. "We don't talk about it."
"Is-Is that a hickey?!" The younger shin gasped, covering her mouth, and pointing at the purple bruise on Lia's collarbone.
Chaeryeong choked on her water and covered up the bruise with her hand, "You're seeing things."
Ryujin couldn't help but to laugh at her best friend's horrible lie, causing Yeji to look over and laugh with her.
"Changing the subject. Ryu, are you going out with Yeji today?" The blue-haired woman asked as she zipped up her girlfriend's jacket.
The dark-haired woman wanted to stay at home and rest up from last night's fiasco, yet she surprisingly felt the urge to be around Yeji.
"Perhaps."
The photographer grinned with the spoon in her mouth. "I can't wait to ride your bike again."
"And you, Yuna?" Chaeryeong asked, filling a bowl with rice and handing it to Lia.
With her mouth full, she mumbled about needing to revise for the upcoming semester. As Chaeryeong scolded Yuna for talking with her mouth full, Yeji leaned over to Ryujin.
"You'll be my subject."
Ryujin creased her eyebrows, "What do you mean?"
"Your smile. You have such a pretty smile."
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The dark-haired woman stood in front of the mirror, satisfied with her outfit choice for the day- a black sports jacket covering a loose white shirt. She shifted to look at her dark ripped jeans and her black high-top converses that she stole from her best friend.
Ryujin eventually finished gawking at herself, she walked over to the closet and grabbed two of her all-time favourite motorbike helmets. Due to her profession, she owed an abundance of helmets in order to keep her identity a mystery.
After expressing her goodbyes to the other three women who were still studying at the dining table, she went downstairs to where her bike was parked. The sound of her footsteps echoed through the lobby and as she walked out, she caught sight of Yeji standing outside with her eyes fixed on the sleek bike.
Yeji's gaze was filled with awe, her fingering aching to touch the black surface. She fidgeted with the buttons on the camera, adjusting her settings to take a photo. As Yeji placed her eyes on the viewfinder, Ryujin came up beside her.
"What are you looking at?"
The photographer almost dropped her camera out of fright, "You scared the shit out of me."
"Then don't get your shit-stained pants on my bike." Ryujin said jokingly, though with her tone, Yeji questioned whether she was being serious.
Ryujin extended one of her helmets towards Yeji, gesturing for her to put it on. The cat-eyed woman observed the details, the black helmet covered in golden floral designs, similar to the one on Ryujin's lighter.
Without hesitation, she accepted the helmet, her fingers grazing against Ryujin's as their hands briefly touched. Ryujin felt her breath hitched at the contact, the electricity that coursed throughout her body.
Yeji put her helmet on and mumbled something incoherent that Ryujin didn't understand. She gently flipped up the visor to be met with Yeji's sharp eyes.
"What?" The dark-haired woman almost stuttered.
"Did I put it on right?" She said with her doe eyes peeking out the small gap.
Ryujin kept her hands steady as she could to buckle the strap beneath Yeji's chin, feeling her warmth on her fingers. Her heart began to beat outside her chest, so she immediately put on her helmet to hide the smile escaping her lips.
She hopped on the bike, to which Yeji followed right after. She wrapped her arms securely around Ryujin's waist, and a surge of warmth spread through Ryujin's body.
With a twist of the throttle, the engine roared to life, propelling them forward into the street. The wind whipped against their skin, cooling their bodies off from the heat.
As they rode past through the city, the streets turned into winding roads. The scenery transformed into majestic mountains that stood tall against the perfect blue sky. Ryujin could hear a loud gasp coming from behind her as they saw a glimpse of the sea coming ahead.
Yeji's eyes widened in awe; breath taken by the beautiful ocean stretching endlessly beside them. Feeling the intensity of Yeji's wonder. Ryujin decided to pull over, allowing them to fully immerse in the sight.
Ryujin brought the bike to a gentle stop by the seaside to which Yeji immediately dismounted to take in the mesmerising view. She quickly took off her helmet and left it on the back of the bike before speeding to the sand.
The waves crashed against the rocks beside them, the spray mingling with the mist in the air. The sound of seagulls overhead added to a playful melody to the serene symphony of the seaside.
Perched on the motorbike, Ryujin observed Yeji as she moved onto the sand with the camera in hand. The soft click of the shutter echoes in the air, each one capturing the landscape and the moment.
Yeji turned around with a smile that captivated her, "Come!!"
She hopped off the bike with the helmet and stood beside her, taking in the salty air. At that moment, Ryujin couldn't help but marvel at the way Yeji's passion ignited a radiant glow within her. The way her eyes sparkled with excitement and her features softened with concentration showed a beauty that transcended the landscape in front of them.
"I love the beach, Ryujin." Yeji said cheerfully, taking her eye off the camera to take in the scenery.
The dark-haired woman hummed and took two cigarettes out of her pocket, handing one to the photographer. She took it willingly, placing it between her lips. Ryujin took out her lighter and lit Yeji's cigarette before her own.
As she flicked through the photos on her camera, Ryujin's phone buzzed in her pants pocket. She quickly took it out and saw a notification.
[Karina: You won this round. Be careful now, Ryujin.]
A click of a shutter was heard beside her, Ryujin immediately looked over to see Yeji pointing the camera in front of her.
"Perfect shot." Yeji giggled out.
Ryujin let out an unconscious smile, which Yeji immediately snapped with her camera.
"And the perfect smile."