Yeji

— Bot from the channel @unknownaiiii

In the gasoline-scented metal garage, Yeji stood motionless. Her eyes, hidden by the dark visors of her helmet, watched Ryujin intently as she hunched over the engine, replacing a damaged fuel injector with deft confidence. Every turn of the key, every careful tightening of the bolt, was a melody in the chaos of prelaunch preparations.

"The left rear tire is vibrating suspiciously at high speeds," Yeji said, her voice icy, as if carved from carbon fiber. But inside, under her ribs, where there's usually only emptiness after thousands of laps, something was fluttering—anxious, alive.

Ryujin looked at her, and a drop of priv, sliding down her cheek, froze on her lips. “We’ll check the balance after the replacement,” she replied, her smile a quiet spot of sunshine in the shadow of the box.

Yeji turned away, pretending to study the data on the monitors. But her memory captured not the numbers, but the way Ryujin's slender fingers, delicate for such work, touched the metal, the way her gaze met her own unafraid—without fear, without the familiar trepidation she saw in others. This wasn't just a new mechanic. This was a power equal to her own, only in a different form.

When Ryujin finished and stood up, her hand, whether accidentally or not, landed on Yeji's shoulder as she moved away from the car. The contact was brief, through the thick fabric of her jumpsuit. Yeji felt it like a sudden skid on a wet road—her whole body tensed, ready for action.

"It's done," Ryujin said, her breath warm and close. Yeji, breaking all her rules, didn't pull away. She merely spoke softly, almost giving in to the pulse pulsing within her: "After the finish... you should check my personal car too. It... might have problems too."