"They just... fly?" she asked, watching a plane take off.
"Yeah," Jiang said through a mouthful of fries. "It's pretty normal here. We don't need magic to get around, just these big metal tubes."
Aylin chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Your world is so strange."
They ate in relative silence for a while, the hum of the airport around them creating a peaceful, if not surreal, atmosphere. Jiang watched Aylin as she tried her food, her expression shifting from curiosity to satisfaction.
"This is good," she said, sounding surprised. "I didn't expect it to be so... flavorful."
Jiang grinned. "Told you. Airport food can be decent if you know where to look."
Aylin gave a small nod, taking another bite of her sandwich. "Your world... it seems disconnected from itself. Everyone is here, but they're not really together, are they?"
Jiang leaned back in his chair, thinking for a moment. "Yeah, I guess that's one way to put it. Everyone's focused on their own thing, going somewhere, doing something. There's not much unity in places like this."
"In my world, we're forced to be together," Aylin said, her gaze distant. "Survival demands it."
Jiang looked at her, sensing the weight behind her words. "It must be hard. Constantly on the edge like that."
"It is," Aylin replied quietly. "But it's all I've ever known."
The conversation drifted into a comfortable silence, the kind that comes with shared understanding. They finished their meal, and Jiang stood up, stretching his arms. "Well, we've still got some time. Wanna walk around? See more of the airport?"
Aylin looked around, her curiosity still piqued. "Why not? Might as well see what your world has to offer."
They wandered through the terminal, passing by various shops and kiosks, most of which were selling overpriced souvenirs and snacks. Aylin's eyes were wide with interest as she stopped occasionally to look at the items on display.
At one point, she paused in front of a shop selling travel gadgets and electronics. "What are these?" she asked, pointing to a shelf filled with headphones, power banks, and travel adapters.
Jiang stepped beside her, smiling. "Those are things people use to stay connected. Headphones for music, power banks to charge their devices, adapters for different countries."
Aylin picked up a pair of noise-canceling headphones, turning them over in her hands. "Your world is so obsessed with staying connected, yet everyone seems so... isolated."
Jiang chuckled. "Yeah, it's one of those weird contradictions. People like being alone, but they also hate being disconnected."
Aylin set the headphones back down, her gaze lingering on the shelf for a moment. "I wonder how different things would be if we had this kind of technology in my world."
"Maybe it'd make things easier," Jiang said thoughtfully. "Or maybe it'd just make things more complicated."
Aylin gave him a sideways glance. "You always seem to have a foot in both worlds, don't you?"
Jiang shrugged. "I guess that's just how I am. Always trying to balance things."
As they continued walking, Jiang spotted a lounge with comfortable seating and a quiet atmosphere. "Hey, let's sit down for a bit," he suggested.
Aylin nodded, and they found a quiet corner with a couple of armchairs. Jiang pulled out his phone to check the time. "We've still got a bit before boarding."
Aylin leaned back in her chair, her eyes closing briefly. "It's strange... to have time to just sit."
Jiang smiled softly. "Yeah, I imagine you don't get much downtime where you're from."
She shook her head, her voice softer now. "No. There's always something to fight... something to run from."
"Well, take it in," Jiang said, stretching out in his chair. "This might be one of the few chances you get to just... chill."
Aylin opened her eyes, giving him a curious look. "Chill?"
Jiang laughed. "It means relax. Take a break."
Jiang chuckled softly. "Yeah, it's a rare luxury, especially for us right now." He glanced at his phone again, checking the time. "We should probably head toward the gate. Boarding's going to start soon."
Aylin nodded, her body still relaxed, but there was an alertness in her eyes as they stood and made their way toward the gate. The quiet moments had given her a chance to settle, but the weight of their mission still loomed over them.
As they boarded the plane, the tension began to shift again. Jiang showed their tickets to the flight attendant, who gave a nod and waved them through. They found their seats near the middle of the plane—nothing fancy, but enough room to breathe.
Jiang settled into his seat, glancing out the window as the plane began to fill up with passengers. Aylin, sitting beside him, was still taking in everything, her gaze wandering around the cabin with a mixture of curiosity and caution.
"Does it always feel this... confined?" she asked, her voice low.
Jiang nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. It gets a little weird when the plane takes off, but you get used to it."
Aylin glanced at him, clearly intrigued but not entirely comfortable. "Your world's way of flying is... strange."
Jiang grinned. "You're telling me. Just wait until we're in the air. It feels like you're floating, but in a big metal tube."
Aylin gave him a look that said she wasn't fully convinced.
The plane taxied down the runway, and soon enough, they were airborne. The gentle hum of the engines and the occasional murmur of passengers filled the air. Jiang leaned back in his seat, finally starting to feel the weight of everything ease off. The journey to Rome was underway, and for the first time in hours, he could breathe.
Aylin, however, still seemed unsettled. Her fingers drummed lightly on the armrest as she glanced out the window at the clouds below. "I don't like this... being trapped in a confined space, surrounded by so many people."
Jiang gave her a reassuring smile. "Hey, it's all good. We're just flying, and no one's going to bother us. Try to enjoy the view."
Aylin gave a hesitant nod but remained tense.
As the flight progressed, Jiang dozed off for a bit, the exhaustion of the day catching up to him. But just as he was slipping into a light sleep, a sharp ping echoed in his mind.
[System Notice: Human form will expire in 10 minutes.]