"What's on the agenda for today?" Yeji asked as she finished up her eggs benedict and slumped on the backrest, patting her stomach.
The pleasant aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the cafe, the most ideal way to start their day. Though, it was the afternoon and they struggled to get themselves out of bed after binge-watching an emotional kdrama.
Ryujin paused for a moment, taking a sip of her coffee before responding. "I need to go pick up some stuff." She placed the mug back on the table, "Actually, I think it's better for me to go alone."
"Why?" Yeji furrowed and leaned on the table, confused. "Where are you going?"
The hitman sighed, carefully picking her words, "I left my stuff behind at my old apartment, so I need to go get some... weapons."
The photographer's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Weapons? What for?" Yeji leaned in closer, her voice dropping down to a whisper, "Are you killing again?"
Ryujin shook her head, biting the side of her mouth, "I'm not, but I have to take precautions." She took a deep breath, "I can't let them get to you, or the others. So I need to be prepared."
"Let me come." She said, her voice steady, placing her hand on top of Ryujin's. "I want to see what you do."
No. This was her world, one that she didn't want her to be involved in. The thought of having Yeji a part of the dangerous world she was living in made her heart race.
"Ryujin, I promise that I won't leave your side. I just want to take a glimpse." Yeji smiled affirmatively, her thumb caressing the bumps of her knuckles.
"Fine." The hitman breathed out anxiously, "The moment that there is danger, you follow me. Okay?"
Yeji held two fingers up to her temple with a childish grin, "Yes ma'am."
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"Yeji, stick with me. And don't say a word, understood?"
"Gotcha."
Ryujin tapped her knuckles against the rusted metal door of the dilapidated warehouse. The sound echoed through the desolate building, raising fear and uncertainty for the cat-eyed woman.
"Maybe I should just wait here." Yeji whispered into Ryujin's ear, feeling her confident facade drift away.
"Too late, I can't leave you out here-"
The door creaked open, revealing a burly guard in worn clothing. His eyes swept over Ryujin and Yeji, and a hint of suspicion flashed across his face. "Joanne."
The hitman nodded, "Just here to pick up my package."
"Who's this?" The guard grumbled, nodding towards Yeji who stood a few feet behind the dark-haired woman. "Haven't seen her around before."
Ryujin's voice was steady as she replied, "Don't worry about her, she's with me."
At her words, Yeji stepped slightly forward, offering a shy wave as a small tentative smile tugged at her lips. "Hi."
The hitman quickly looked over her shoulder, surprised and slightly annoyed that Yeji didn't follow her instructions. The guard exchanged a quick glance with Ryujin before stepping aside to allow them entry. As they walked past the man, Yeji waved him a sheepish farewell before following her girlfriend.
"You're like a child, Yeji." Ryujin mumbled, holding her hand as they navigated through the halls. "Stay close."
The interior of the warehouse was a whole new world for Yeji. Dimly lit, it seemed to exude an aura of secrecy and hidden dealings. The pungent scent of metal and sweat lingered in the air as they eventually made it to the main room. The hum of machinery and the loud banging of metal against metal filled the air. Ryujin's grip on Yeji's hand tightened, navigating through the maze of equipment and tools.
Finally, they made it to a workstation with a tall, muscular man grinding a piece of metal- sparks flew onto his arm which was covered with burn scars. As Ryujin took a step forward, the man suddenly pointed the knife towards her neck. Yeji's gasp was instinctual, shocked at the immediate danger in front of her.
Ryujin's eyes remained locked onto the man's, a unfazed smirk crept on her face as they both began to chuckle. The tension that had filled the air immediately evaporated as he lowered the blade, placing it down gently on his bench.
"Chan, you're still the same." The hitman remarked with a playful grin, punching him on the arm as he continued to laugh boisterously.
"You too, Shin." He said, gasping for air. "Well, except for that thing on your face, must've been painful."
Ryujin's lips formed a line as she looked down at the ground, "It was..."
"But hey, chicks dig scars."
Chan's attention shifted over to the unfamiliar woman behind his regular client. "And you brought a friend."
"She may or not be my girlfriend." Ryujin replied, giving a slight shrug which earned a loud gasp from him.
"Girlfriend?" Chan placed his hand on his chest, eyes darting between the two. "I thought you were going to die alone."
She held her girlfriend closer to her, "Me too."
As the laughter subsided, Chan quickly wiped his hand on his ripped pants and extended it out towards the cat-eyed woman. "I must've frightened you earlier, sorry about that. I'm Chan."
The conflicted photographer quickly shot a look at her girlfriend who nodded slightly, affirming her that she was able to interact with him.
She returned the gesture with a nervous smile, "Yeji."
"So, you won Ryujin's ice-cold heart. You must be really persistent." He joked, receiving a glare that pierced through his muscular body.
Yeji chuckled a little, "It took some time. She's actually a big softie-"
"So." Ryujin clapped, bringing the conversation back on track. "You got my stuff?"
Chan snapped his fingers, "Yep, give me a second." He promptly spun on his heels and headed over to grab a sliver briefcase off the shelf.
The photographer leaned over to Ryujin, "I really like him."
The hitman crinkled her brows at her, shocked by the sudden comment, "What do you mean by that?"
"Here we go!" The man placed the briefcase on his workbench with a huge grin on his face. "Care to open it?"
Yeji quickly looked at the case, signalling Ryujin to open it. "Go on."
As she flicked the clasps off, the briefcase opened to reveal an array of lethal weapons, each meticulously organized and gleaming in the dim warehouse light. Yeji's eyes widened slightly at the sight, her eyes falling on the guns of various calibres lying beside lethal knives, each item meticulously maintained and ready for use.
With practised precision, the hitman examined each weapon, her fingers moving with a familiarity derived from years of experience. She checked the mechanisms of the guns, ensuring they were clean and loaded, while the blades received a thorough inspection to ensure their sharpness.
"Handcrafted the knives myself." Chan leaned on the bench, watching Ryujin examine the edge of the blade with her thumb. "I knew you were in need of an upgrade."
Ryujin hummed in acknowledgement, there was a reason she kept coming back to Chan for her weapons. He was reliable. Whenever she lost her knives during a mission, Chan was always ready with an arsenal of weapons, each one better than the last.
"Could I try it out?" She asked, holding the blade at its handle.
Her request was granted with a nod from the man, a knowing grin crossing his face as he knew that she was deadly accurate with her knives. Ryujin's fingers wrapped around the hilt of the blade, its weight unfamiliar in her hand. Without aiming, she released the blade as she turned around, the knife spinning through the warehouse.
A satisfying thud resonated through the air as the knife embedded itself firmly into the mannequin's head. Yeji watched in awe, left speechless at her girlfriend's skills and the fact that she threw the blade without hesitation.
The hitman turned to Yeji, her smile tender and reassuring before looking back at Chan, "It's lighter than the others."
Chan's smile gleamed, proud of himself, "Yeah, I experimented with a bunch of metals and found a steel that is both light and durable."
"Ryujin!!"
The three whipped their heads to the voice echoing through the warehouse. A tall, blonde woman walked over to the mannequin and pulled the knife out of its head and pointed it at the hitman.
"Stop throwing knives at my boyfriend!" She yelled sternly as she made her way over to the group hanging around at Chan's bench.
"Boyfriend?" Ryujin raised her eyebrows, amused. "Didn't realise that you had a thing for inanimate objects, Somi."
Somi chuckled before handing the blade back to the hitman, "What happened to your face?"
"Let my guard down."
The tall blonde tutted in disappointment, "What have I told you?" She shook her head and shifted her gaze to her side, "Haven't seen you around before."
Somi's eyes narrowed as she studied Yeji, her scrutiny a mixture of curiosity and assessment. She extended a hand towards Yeji, "Somi."
Yeji returned the handshake with a nod, "Yeji."
She looked back at Ryujin with a smirk, "Wanna spar for a bit?"
Ryujin's gaze flickered between the two, unsure if she wanted her girlfriend to witness her partaking in violence. "Is it okay with you?" She asked Yeji, knowing that she was curious and intrigued to see her in action.
The cat-eyed woman nodded, feeling nervous to see her girlfriend get hurt. Turning back to Somi, Ryujin's lips curved into a half-smile, "Bet."
As they moved towards the ring, the atmosphere was filled with anticipation. The hitman could feel the weight of Yeji's eyes on her, the concern she had for her. She pulled her close to her and whispered, "Somi and I have been training together since I got into this field. I won't get hurt, okay?"
"You better not, I don't feel like dragging your body back home."
Ryujin chuckled as she slipped off her jacket and her shirt, revealing the toned muscles that had been honed through her vigorous training. The cat-eyed woman choked a little, witnessing such a sight that took her breath away.
"Heads up!" Somi threw a set of hand wraps towards the hitman before heading over to her corner of the ring.
Yeji's eyes fixed on Ryujin as she meticulously wrapped her hands. The sound of the black fabric being wound around her knuckles was almost soothing, mesmerised by the accuracy and pace. As Ryujin finished wrapping her hands, she looked up and caught her girlfriend's gaze. There was a softness in her eyes, a silent promise that she would walk out of that ring unscathed.
Soon, the hitman ducked over the ropes and into the ring, a place that she was very familiar with being in. Somi tightened up her hand wraps and headed over to the middle of the ring with a confident smirk on her face.
"Ready?" The blonde asked, her stance confident and prepared.
"Always." Ryujin nodded, her focus narrowing as she settled into a familiar stance.
Chan stood beside the worried photographer, "They've been sparring for a really long time now, she'll be alright."
Yeji gave a slight smile as she took a deep breath to calm herself down. "I know."
The first strike was a blur of motion, Ryujin swiftly dodged the first attack and landed a blow onto Somi's arm. The two women danced around each other, their movements fluid and precise.
"Keep your arms up, blondie." Ryujin taunted, tapping the other's elbow.
"Shut up." Somi laughed as she threw another punch towards the hitman's side, resulting in a soft groan.
As the spar continued, the exchange of blows intensified, each strike was perfectly timed and accurately landed, knocking the wind out of Somi. Ryujin's movements were quick and controlled, her attacks and defence came to her through the excessive training that became muscle memory. Somi's counterattacks were equally fierce after spending years studying the other's techniques and strategies.
Throughout the match, Yeji's heart raced with a combination of emotions. She felt pride in watching Ryujin hold her own, her skill and determination evident in every move she made. At the same time, she could only imagine how she would perform outside the ring, the fatal attacks that she was capable of executing.
Time seemed to fly by faster than Yeji had anticipated as the fight came to an end.
"Well that was fun." Somi panted as she placed her arm around Ryujin's shoulder, walking back towards Yeji and Chan.
"Agreed." Ryujin smiled as we ducked back under the ropes and sat beside Yeji.
The cat-eyed woman instinctively wrapped her arms around her, pulling her in for a warm embrace. The scent of sweat filled the air, but to Yeji, didn't mind it at all.
"Are you okay?" Yeji murmured, her voice soft against Ryujin's ear.
The hitman pulled back slightly, meeting Yeji's worried gaze with a tired yet playful smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. Were you scared?"
Yeji's fingers brushed a strand of damp hair from Ryujin's forehead, "Shitting in my pants. But you looked really good up there."
Whiskered dimples emerged on her cheeks as she chuckled softly, "This is what I've always known."
Her smile was tender as she leaned in to press a gentle kiss on Ryujin's lip before resting her head on the crevice of her neck. "Let's go home."
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After the intensity of the day, the tranquillity of their apartment felt like a refuge. Ryujin stepped out of the shower, her hair damp and tousled, and settled onto the couch next to Yeji.
Yeji placed her head onto her girlfriend's shoulder with a smile, her eyes tracing the droplets of water that still clung to her skin. "Feeling better?"
Ryujin leaned back against the cushions with a content sight, "Yep. Feels nice to be home though."
The cat-eyed woman chuckled softly, her fingers idly playing with the hem of Ryujin's shirt. "You were really hot back there." Her smile became lust-filled as her fingers wandered underneath the fabric. Watching you fight... the sweat dripping down your face..."
The dark-haired woman's eyes widened as she felt Yeji's touch against her skin, "Oh really?"
Yeji hummed, "But I think..." Her voice was deep and sultry as she locked eyes with Ryujin's. "I think I can beat you any day."
Ryujin's heart frantically thumped in her chest, "You think?" She smirked, feeling the air around her heat up.
"I can."
The hitman's arms were pinned behind her, earning a loud gasp that was immediately muffled by a deep and passionate kiss from Yeji while she straddled her.
"And I will." She whispered out, catching her breath before her lips trailed down to Ryujin's neck.
Ryujin let out a soft moan, feeling Yeji's wet kisses make contact with her sensitive pulse point. "Yeji..."
Her hands explored all the dips and curves of the hitman's perfectly toned body, causing rippling sensations along her soft skin. A sudden inhale passed through her lips as she felt her girlfriend's delicate fingers on her breast.
"I'll win."