99: Chapter 99 Courage Above the Clouds

The morning light in New Zealand is truly piercing, dyeing the lawn of the skydiving center a warm gold.

The sea breeze blew in, brushing past Choi Sulli's panicked eyes, making her subconsciously tighten her grip on Liu Zijun's cuff.

According to the original plan, this morning's skydive was Krystal Jung's exclusive itinerary, with Luna accompanying her—to complete the high-altitude skydive on her bucket list.

Meanwhile, Choi Sulli and Amber Liu were supposed to follow a guide to a nearby bay for diving; everything had already been prepared.

But early in the morning, f(x)'s two maknaes started their usual routine of bickering and bonding.

In the end, Choi Sulli said she also wanted to come along to watch the skydiving, and Amber Liu also expressed a desire to try it.

The production team adjusted the schedule on the fly, and eventually, everyone decided to come to the skydiving center.

However, as soon as Choi Sulli arrived at the skydiving center, she got a bit cold feet, tugging at Liu Zijun's hand and shaking it gently, her voice soft and sweet.

"Oppa, just thinking about skydiving is scary, right? But Krystal is going to jump, and I want to watch her..."

Just as Liu Zijun was about to offer some comfort, Krystal Jung, standing nearby, had already put on her skydiving suit; the red gear made her skin look even fairer.

Her cool face originally showed some fear, but seeing Liu Zijun watching from a distance, she forced herself to suppress the worry and fear in her heart.

Hearing Choi Sulli's words, she turned her head to glance over, her tone carrying a hint of tsundere.

"Seol-ri, if you're scared, don't join in the fuss. Wouldn't it be better to just go diving quietly?"

Provoked by her, Choi Sulli's cheeks instantly flushed red. She subconsciously shrank behind Liu Zijun, yet she still stubbornly raised her head: "I'm not scared!"

Krystal Jung raised an eyebrow.

"Then why aren't you hurrying to change into your gear?"

These words were like lighting a fuse. Choi Sulli bit her lip and tightly hugged Liu Zijun's arm: "Fine, I'll jump! As long as Oppa is with me, I'll dare to!"

Liu Zijun was stunned for a moment, looking down at the girl in his arms whose eyes were full of reliance; his heart felt both soft and helpless.

He knew Choi Sulli was timid, let alone doing a high-altitude skydive.

He raised his hand to ruffle her short hair, his voice gentle.

"Sulli, don't force yourself. If you really want to jump, I'll accompany you. Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Choi Sulli nodded, as if she had made a very big decision.

"Oppa! If you accompany me, I'll dare to jump!"

Beside them, Amber Liu's eyes instantly lit up: "Wow! Is this coward Sulli going to jump too? Then I want to try it together as well!"

Luna hesitated for a few seconds before nodding along: "I'll try too! I survived bungee jumping, so I should be able to handle skydiving!"

Only Victoria Song crossed her arms and shook her head decisively.

"You youngsters go ahead and play. I don't want to risk my life. I'll cheer for you from below."

Her tone was categorical, her eyes full of a 'don't want to die' expression, making everyone laugh.

This woman—when it came to dangerous activities, she absolutely would not touch them.

The skydiving center staff soon came over to check everyone's physical condition. After confirming they met the requirements, they began explaining the precautions and key movements.

Everyone had originally thought that Liu Zijun would also be skydiving with an instructor.

To their surprise, Liu Zijun produced a pre-prepared electronic skydiving certification. After the staff verified it, they agreed for him to be Choi Sulli's skydiving partner and lead her through the jump.

Han Jaeran and the others were stunned. They double-checked many times and only agreed after ensuring Liu Zijun was capable.

They hadn't expected Liu Zijun to have a skydiving certification, and one that was even more advanced than the instructors'.

"Just follow my instructions in a bit. Don't panic in the air, just maintain your balance."

Liu Zijun helped Choi Sulli arrange her gear and safety harness. Seeing the little girl's face full of regret and panic, he gave her palm a firm squeeze.

Choi Sulli nodded, her eyelashes trembling incessantly and her palms covered in sweat. She truly regretted it—how could she not resist Krystal Jung's provocation?

She forced a smile onto her face: "Yeah, I believe in Oppa."

Seeing that she was being handled by Liu Zijun, although she felt a bit more at ease, she was still scared.

The head PD got excited and stepped forward, saying, "Mr. Liu Zijun, we might not be able to completely edit out the skydiving footage later. We'll broadcast your face in the role of a skydiving instructor, is that okay?"

Liu Zijun nodded, indicating it was fine.

Krystal Jung was assigned an experienced local instructor who patiently helped her adjust her gear and explained the details of the movements.

She remained calm throughout, but when the instructor mentioned the weightless sensation during the freefall phase, she subconsciously glanced toward Liu Zijun and Choi Sulli, a hint of hard-to-detect worry flashing in her eyes.

Can he really do it?

Amber Liu and Luna were equally terrified and nervous, following their respective instructors to perform the preparations seriously, letting out occasional exclamations.

It was soon time to board. The small plane roared as it took off, slowly climbing.

In the cabin, Choi Sulli and Liu Zijun were tightly strapped together; she was nestled entirely in Liu Zijun's arms.

Her hands gripped Liu Zijun's hands deathly tight, her face pale.

Liu Zijun kept holding her hand, gently rubbing the back of it with his thumb, and comforted her in a low voice: "Don't be afraid. In a bit, I'll hold you tight, just like I usually do, and I won't let you be in any danger."

Krystal Jung sat in front and would occasionally look back at Choi Sulli. Seeing her so scared that her whole body was tense, her lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing, only quietly tightening her grip on the instructor's hand.

The two girls behind were the same, their eyes filled with nervousness.

The plane climbed to a high altitude, and the cabin door was opened, letting the biting wind pour in instantly.

Outside were deep blue skies and pure white clouds; below were rolling pastures and winding bays, the scenery so magnificent it was breathtaking.

But the four girls were in no mood to appreciate this beauty; instead, they were even more terrified.

"Ready?" The instructor patted Krystal Jung's shoulder.

Krystal Jung took a deep breath and shook her head.

The instructor didn't rush her.

Seeing Krystal Jung's fearful state beside him, Liu Zijun suddenly reached out and gave her head a gentle pat.

"Little Iceberg, just imagine you're a free bird and enjoy the process. Leave everything to Jorson; nothing will go wrong."

"Also, Sulli and I are right behind you. We'll jump with you."

Krystal Jung turned back to give Liu Zijun and Choi Sulli a steady look, nodded, and then was led to the cabin door by the instructor.

Liu Zijun said similar words to Amber Liu and Luna, telling them to relax their bodies and trust their instructors.

The two girls' nervousness clearly subsided a lot.

Krystal Jung looked back at everyone in the cabin. Seeing Liu Zijun's encouraging gaze, a flash of determination appeared in her eyes, and then, after the instructor counted to one, she was instantly taken down in a jump.

"Wow! Krystal jumped!"

Amber Liu shouted excitedly, her eyes fixed on the window.

Immediately after, Choi Sulli's entire body was visibly trembling.

Liu Zijun held her tightly from behind, his chin resting on the top of her head, and said in her ear, "Jin-ri, trust me. After you jump, you'll find that this is the most beautiful scenery in the world. Ready? 3, 2, 1, jump!"

Liu Zijun took Choi Sulli and leaped out of the cabin together.