The sun was barely rising over the Valley, and Sam LaRusso could already feel the weight of the day pressing down on her shoulders. She was no stranger to pressure - with everything that had gone on it the Valley, trying to live up to her dad's legacy and her feud with with Tory it all taught her how to carry the weight on her shoulder.

But ever since the merger between Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang, everything felt different. Strained. The peace she was fighting for came at a price no one was ready to pay.

She was distracted as she approached the dojo. Her mind drifted to Miguel, who was distant with her since their breakup. When they had first started training together again, she'd felt a flicker of hope. But every time she tried to get close to him, he'd pull away, leaving her feeling like they were stuck in an endless loop of almosts and maybes.

It didn't help that everyone at school had been buzzing about Kai's accident - news had travelled fast about how he'd nearly died and lost his memory and even though so much time had passed, there were still the occasional whispers.

From what Sam knew, he was happy and content in Japan. It hurt her knowing that he was probably better off without her and that she brought him so much pain.

At the dojo, students filed in, some wearing Eagle Fang shirts, others in Miyagi-Do's traditional white gi. The two teams trained side-by-side, but there was still an unmistakable division in. Eagle Fang students were loud and cocky, practicing their more aggressive moves. The Miyagi-Do students, quieter and more focused, found themselves watching the Eagle Fang crowd with guarded eyes.

Miguel was already there, working with Demetri on a sparring routine. Sam took a deep breath, steeling herself, and approached them.

"Hey, Miguel." she greeted, her voice soft.

He looked at her, his expression neutral. "Sam."

An awkward silence hung between them. She wanted to tell him she missed him, that she still thought about him. She was conflicted, she missed Kai and she missed Miguel. The absence of Kai made her long for the other boy.

The way Miguel looked at her - a mix of distance and hurt - made the words die on her tongue. She could still feel the sting of their breakup, how he couldn't be with her knowing her feelings for Kai were still there. She tried to break the tension with a small smile.

"I was thinking...maybe after practice, we could go get some food. Catch up?"

Miguel's face softened, but only for a moment. He shook his head. "I don't know, Sam. I don't think that's a good idea."

Across the world in Okinawa, Kai was reaching the end of another gruelling day of training. His rehabilitation had been brutal and his recovery was called a miracle so he didn't want to waste the chance he had. He had been given a gift, the gift of being able to still be at his best despite such a severe accident. He wasn't going to waste this, it made him want everything ten times more and become the best he could be.

His mind was still a blank slate, missing the memories of America, but it didn't bother him. Although times there was this nagging in the back of his head, a feeling that something wasn't right, his karate distracted him and put him at ease.

Him and Takeshi had been training with his Sensei as well as coaching the younger kids. Takeshi spent most of his free time now checking up on Emiko. She was adjusting to what the world was like today and still couldn't piece together what had happened in the six years she was gone. Emiko remembered pieces of her life before, but those memories in between seemed to hover just out of her reach.

Emiko sat by the edge of the training hall, watching Kai and Takeshi go through their drills. The rhythm of their movements, the sound of their fists and feet hitting the training dummies, created a steady beat that filled the room. She hadn't asked them to stop, didn't want to interrupt, but she couldn't help the way her chest tightened as she watched them.

Sometimes her own memories came back in fragments, each piece sharp and bitter. She didn't remember everything - not the faces, not the names. But she remembered the fear, the loneliness, the cold. And she remembered a voice, soft but menacing, whispering words she had tried desperately to forget.

Sensei Yazuko approached her, speaking to her in soft, calming Japanese. "Are you doing okay, Emiko-san?"

Emiko managed a small nod. "I am...better. I think."

Her gaze flicked to Takeshi, who had noticed her from across the hall and was watching her with a quiet intensity.

"It's good to see you here again, Emiko," Takeshi said softly, coming to sit beside her after finishing his set. "You look...better today."

She hesitated, then nodded. "It's been...a lot. Hard to piece it all together."

Takeshi gave her a sympathetic look. "You don't have to remember everything at once."

Emiko smiled. It was reassuring to hear.

One day in Okinawa, Kai and Takeshi received exciting news. They had been invited to a training camp with Japan's Junior National Team. The two had stirred up a lot of interest at competitions and a representative had gotten in contact, inviting them to a week-long intensive camp. It was in mainland Japan though, meaning the two would have to take a plane.

"Will you be ok Sensei?" Kai asked Sensei Yazuko, unsure about leaving the man who he considered a father-figure.

He nodded. "Go Kai-san, I will be fine."

Takeshi, too, was reluctant to leave his father but they also realised it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. So they packed their bags and got on a flight and met with their guide for the week.

The training camp was held in a remote area on the outskirts of Tokyo, nestled in the forested mountains. Kai and Takeshi arrived at dawn, stepping out the car to find a handful of young athletes already warming up on the grounds outside the training facility.

The two of them had been introduced to the other students as representing Tiger Claw, the most esteemed dojo in Okinawa. A few of the boys nodded with respect, while others looked on with wary glances, sizing them up. Most of the students here were from the mainland and knew about Tiger Claw's reputation, so there was a certain expectation hanging over their heads.

After a brief introduction by Sensei Osaka, a tall man with a commanding presence and a voice that could silence a crowd, the students were directed into their first training session. The initial drills were standard but relentless - kicking exercises, stretches, strikes, each executed with a precision that the sensei scrutinised closely. Sensei Osaka walked through the ranks, occasionally stopping to correct a stance or offer a single, gruff word of advice. He paused before Kai and Takeshi, his gaze sharp and unyielding, and nodded once before moving on.

That single nod felt like approval and a challenge all at once.

Kai felt the need to prove himself worthy, he felt he had to work ten times harder than everyone else because of his background. To some, they still saw him as the foreigner, despite himself growing up in Japan for the majority of his life.

By the second day, it was clear that this camp was unlike anything either of them had experienced before. Days began with sunrise conditioning runs through the woods. The mid-mornings were devoted to Kata, each movement dissected and repeated until muscle and mind melded into perfect harmony.

In one particularly gruelling exercise, they were told to hold horse stance for what seemed like an eternity. Legs burning, backs straight, fists clenched tightly, Kai and Takeshi gritted their teeth as the minutes ticked on. They watched as a few of the weaker students gave out, collapsing or crying in frustration.

Takeshi whispered to Kai between breaths. "You're not giving out on me, are you?"

Kai shot him a fierce look. "Only if you do."

Sensei Osaka approached, his expression unreadable, but there was a glint of approval in his eye. "Tiger Claw boys...let's see how you spar."

He gestured for Kai and Takeshi to take positions.

They bowed and faced each other, the tension mounting as they prepared to spar in front of the entire camp. Kai settled into his stance, his focus narrowing until Takeshi was the only thing he saw. They exchanged swift, powerful strikes, neither giving an inch, moving with the familiarity of two people who had trained side by side for years.

In the brief hours they had off, Kai took the time to explore the campgrounds. One evening, after the final training session of the day, he walked to a small clearing by a creek that ran through the edge of the camp. The quiet murmurs of water flowing over stones brought him a sense of calm, and he found himself lost in thought.

It was in this quiet moment that he heard a voice, soft and curious. "Are you hiding out here, too?"

Kai turned around, startled. He wasn't expecting to hear English in a camp surrounded by students born and bred in Japan. He found a girl standing behind him, she looked his age if not slightly younger. She had dark hair that framed her face and an easy, relaxed smile. She was dressed in a training jacket that matched the students', but it hung loosely on her.

She stepped closer and offered a hand. "I'm Rae."

He shook her hand, his grip tentative but curious. "Kai. You're...here with the team?"

Rae shrugged, her grin widening. "Kind of. I'm here with my brother. Masahiko - have you met him?"

Kai shook his head, though the name sounded familiar. "Haven't had the chance. But I'm assuming he's the captain that keeps everyone in line?"

Rae laughed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, that's him. He's a little overprotective, but he means well."

"You speak English?" Kai asked, his curiosity getting the best of him."

Rae nodded. "My dad...he's American. You speak Japanese?"

"Yeah...I've grown up here. Just my parents are from America." Kai replied with a small smile.

They sat by the creek, talking about everything from the strict training at camp to the difference between life on the mainland and in Okinawa. Rae's quick wit and easy laughter made Kai feel lighter than he had in days. The evening wore on, and before long, they'd forgotten the time.

As the night deepened, Kai finally stood up, brushing dirt from his uniform. "I should head back before I get in trouble."

Rae smiled, a bit mischievously. "Yeah, you don't want Sensei Osaka on your bad side."

They parted ways, but as he walked back to the cabins, Kai couldn't stop thinking about Rae - her smile, her laugh, the way she looked at the world with an open heart.

The next few days at camp were even more demanding. Sensei Osaka introduced them to intense sparring drills, where they faced off against some of the best fighters. Kai and Takeshi held their own, but the skill level of others was high, and they each took a few bruises as they underwent the relentless sparring.

Every evening, whenever he got the chance, Kai found himself wandering to the creek. Rae was usually there, waiting for him with a smile, and they'd talk until the stars came out. She told him about her life - her love for running, her plans for school, and her family. He sensed there were parts she left out, but he didn't press her.

It was almost the favourite part of his day, she was so easy to talk to and it felt like she filled a hole that Kai didn't even know what there. But trouble began on the fifth evening Kai was there, the two were by the creek as usual - lost in conversation.

As they chatted, Rae's older brother, Masahiko, appeared, his expression darkening as he watched the two of them.

"Imouto, I've been looking for you-"

He stopped when he saw Kai sat next to his sister.

"What are you doing Gaijin?" he spat out, emphasis on the last word calling Kai a foreigner.

Kai stood up, facing him. "We're just talking."

Masahiko's jaw clenched, his fists curling. "What are you doing alone with her?"

Rae quickly moved between them. "Ani, stop it. We're just friends."

But her words only seemed to anger him more. In one swift motion, Masahiko shoved Kai back, and before Kai could react, he was hit with a powerful blow to his side. Kai staggered, regaining his balance just in time to dodge another swing, but Masahiko was fast - stronger, too - and with every strike, Kai felt the impact reverberate through his body.

"Stop it!" Rae shouted, her voice pleading as she tried to pull her brother away. "Ani, please!"

Masahiko ignored her, his gaze fixed on Kai, who was now on his knees, a bruise swelling on his cheek and a trickle of blood from his lip. Masahiko finally stopped, his chest heaving, his expression a mixture of anger and frustration.

"Stay away from her." he growled before turning and storming off, leaving Rae frantically checking Kai's injuries.

As Rae helped him sit up, she looked at him, her face pale with worry. "I'm so sorry, Kai. He...he's protective because of everything with our family. We're half-siblings...my dad...he wasn't a good man, and Masahiko's always felt like it's his responsibility to keep me safe."

Kai wiped the blood from his mouth, giving her a weak smile. "You don't have to apologize. It makes sense...he's just looking out for you."

They sat in silence for a moment before Rae reached out, her hand resting gently on his bruised cheek. "I'll talk to him. He's got a good heart, he just...sometimes it comes out in the wrong way."

Kai nodded, feeling a warmth in her touch that eased the sting of the bruises.

They stayed there, the quiet of the forest settling around them, and though Kai knew his time at the camp would soon be over, he couldn't shake the feeling that something in him had changed.

That meeting Rae had made him wish he didn't have to go back.