The afternoon heat hung heavy over Tokyo as Lena and Kaito left the park and walked into a quieter side street lined with small shops.
The sidewalk was narrow, shaded by overhanging signs and the occasional tree.
They walked close, their conversation easy after the soft moment on the bench. Kaito carried a light shopping bag already, and Lena's hand brushed his every few steps as if testing whether the new closeness was still strong between them.
"We should grab something to eat," Kaito said, nodding toward a small convenience-style store with a glass front and rows of neatly arranged snacks visible inside. "You barely ate after training so we should get a snack."
Lena shrugged, still thinking about the warmth from their earlier conversation.
"Fine. But if they have those spicy rice crackers, I'm taking them all."
They stepped inside. The air conditioning washed over them, cool and faintly scented with packaged food which made Lena sigh with relief.
Lena wandered down an aisle of drinks and snacks, scanning the shelves while Kaito examined a row of onigiri. For a few minutes it felt ordinary—two people killing time, talking about nothing important.
Then Lena's eyes lifted toward the entrance. Ava Morales walked in with two friends trailing behind her.
The sight hit Lena like a sudden drop in temperature. Her body went still. Ava looked the same as she had in every memory Lena tried not to revisit—tall, sharp-featured, dark hair pulled into a sleek ponytail, posture that held the kind of confidence that bordered on sheer arrogance.
She wore a fitted black training top and joggers, a small duffel bag slung over one shoulder. Her friends laughed at something she said, the sound bright and careless. She always seemed to become the attention of the room with her loud presence.
Lena's mind flooded with the old tournament. She remembered the exact moment she got caught off guard—the slight miscalculation in her grip, the way Ava had flowed into the throw, the hard impact of the mat against her back. The crowd had roared for Ava.
Lena remembered the way Ava had jumped up, arms raised, bouncing on her feet and shouting while Lena still sat on the mat trying to catch her breath.
The way Ava had looked down at her with that smug little smile, as if the silver medal around Lena's neck was a personal victory lap. Lena had hated that more than the loss itself. She had always despised people who turned a single win into their entire personality.
Her hands curled into fists at her sides. Ava's gaze swept the store and landed on her. Recognition sparked, followed by a slow, deliberate smile.
She said something to her friends and started walking over, her steps unhurried and purposeful.
"Well," Ava said, stopping a few feet away. Her voice was light, almost playful, but the edge underneath was an unmistakable mock. "Lena Schneider. Didn't expect to see you shopping in Tokyo." Her eyes flicked to Kaito, lingering with open interest. "And who's this?"
Lena's jaw tightened. Before she could answer, Ava continued, tone dripping with mock curiosity. "Are you two… dating?"
The question hung in the air like a challenge. Lena felt heat rise in her chest—anger, pride, something fiercely protective. Without thinking, she reached out and took Kaito's hand, lacing her fingers through his.
"Yes," she said clearly. Kaito's grip tightened in quiet agreement. "Yeah. We are."
Ava's smile widened, but it didn't reach her eyes. She shifted her attention fully to Kaito, tilting her head.
"Interesting. You're cute. You know, if you ever get bored of… whatever this is—" she gestured vaguely between them, "you should look me up. I could show you a better time."
Kaito's expression didn't change much, but his voice came out cool and flat. "I'm not interested in people who make it their whole personality to be a bitch."
The words landed cleanly. Ava's smirk faltered for half a second—just long enough to show the hit—before she recovered.
She gave a soft, dismissive laugh and waved a hand as if brushing away something unimportant.
"Whatever. I'm above wasting time talking to either of you anyway." Her gaze slid back to Lena, sharper now. "I'll see you at the tournament, Schneider. Try not to freeze up this time."
With that, she turned and walked away, her friends falling in behind her. The automatic doors slid shut, leaving the store quieter than before.
Lena stood still for a moment, Kaito's hand still in hers. The anger hadn't fully left her body; it sat under her skin like a heat refusing to leave. She exhaled slowly and tugged him toward the register.
They bought a couple of drinks and a bag of the spicy rice crackers she had mentioned earlier, then stepped back out into the humid afternoon.
They walked in silence for half a block before Lena spoke. "Thank you," she said quietly. "For going along with me when I said you were my boyfriend."
Kaito glanced at her, still holding her hand. "I wasn't going along with anything."
Lena stopped walking. She turned to face him fully, searching his expression. "What?"
"I was being serious," he said simply. "We kissed. We spend almost every day together. We do the things couples do. So… yeah. That makes us boyfriend and girlfriend."
A faint blush rose across Lena's cheeks. She looked down for a second, then back up at him. "You're right."
Before she could overthink it, she stepped closer and kissed him.
Kaito met her halfway, one hand settling lightly at her waist as he kissed her back. The street around them continued its ordinary rhythm—passing footsteps, distant traffic, the low hum of the city—but for a few moments. A few slow moments that felt like all the warmth in the world had just surrounded them—it all faded into the background.
When they finally pulled apart, Lena's voice was softer than before.
"Okay," she murmured. "Boyfriend."
Kaito's smile was small and genuine. "Girlfriend."
They started walking again, hands still linked, the bag of snacks swinging lightly between them as they walked to Lena's airbnb.