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WHEN KWON JAE-SUNG STEPPED OUTSIDE THE BAR, the cool night air hit his face as he scanned the area. His eyes darted left and right until he caught sight of a figure in the distance near the beach, illuminated faintly by the streetlights. The slight slump of her shoulders and the determined pace of her walk told him everything he needed to know—it was y/n.

Without a second thought, he jogged toward her, his footsteps crunching against the sand before transitioning to the concrete path as he caught up.

"Y/n!" he called, his voice cutting through the sound of the waves in the distance.

She didn't stop. If anything, her steps quickened.

"Y/N!" he repeated, louder this time, as he finally closed the gap. Reaching out, he grabbed her arm gently but firmly enough to stop her.

"Don't touch me," she snapped, yanking her arm free and spinning around to face him, her expression a mixture of anger and exhaustion.

Kwon raised his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, no touching. But will you at least stop running away and talk to me?"

"I have nothing to say to you, Jae-sung," she shot back, her voice laced with venom as she used his first name. She turned to leave again, but he stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"Well, that's too bad because I have plenty to say to you."

The girl rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Of course you do. That's your thing, right? Always having something to say, always pushing, always provoking."

"Provoking? Is that what you think I'm doing?" He tilted his head, his voice rising slightly. "You storm out of the bar like someone lit a fire under you, and I'm the one provoking?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Oh, don't act innocent. You knew exactly what you were doing in there."

Kwon let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his hair. "What? Sitting at a table? Talking to my co-captain? That's my crime now?"

"You don't just 'talk,' Kwon! You play these stupid games," she shot back, her voice shaking with frustration. "You smirk, you whisper, you act like nothing matters, like people are just pieces on a board for you to move around."

"Oh, and you're so much better, huh?" His voice dripped with sarcasm. "You're the queen of mixed signals, y/n. One minute, you're looking at me like you—" He stopped himself, exhaling sharply. "And the next, you're sitting with Keene, all cozy and laughing like nothing else exists."

Her expression faltered for a split second before hardening again. "Don't you dare bring Robby into this."

"Why not? He's part of it, isn't he?" Kwon challenged, stepping closer. "You can't stand seeing me with Tory, but the second you're with him, it's all fine. Tell me, y/n, what exactly are you mad about? Because it looks a hell of a lot like jealousy to me."

Her jaw tightened, and for a moment, she said nothing, her fists clenching at her sides. Then, with a sharp inhale, she snapped.

"Fine! I'm jealous, okay?" she shouted, her voice echoing in the quiet night. "Is that what you wanted to hear? That it drives me insane seeing you with other girls? That I hate the way you looked at my best friend, the way you touched her, even if it's just to piss me off?"

Kwon blinked, momentarily stunned by her outburst. But before he could respond, she continued, her voice trembling with anger and something deeper—hurt.

"But you don't get to act like you're the victim here. You said it wasn't fair, remember? Back in the elevator? That it wasn't fair for me to walk away without giving you a final chance?" She took a step closer, her eyes burning into his. "Well, guess what? It's not fair for you to play games with me, either. To mess with my head just because you can."

His expression softened, the smugness slipping away as her words hit home.

"I wasn't--" he began, but she cut him off.

"Yes, you were. Don't lie to me." Her voice cracked slightly, but her gaze remained steady. "You think I don't notice? The way you look at me when you think I'm not paying attention? The way you act around Robby just to get under his skin? You're not as subtle as you think you are."

Kwon's mouth opened, but no words came out. For the first time, he looked unsure, caught between guilt and frustration.

Y/n shook her head, her anger giving way to exhaustion. "You can't keep doing this. Not to me, not to yourself." She turned to leave again, but his voice stopped her.

"I wasn't trying to hurt you," he said quietly, his tone lacking its usual edge.

She paused, glancing over her shoulder. "Then stop. Stop playing games. Stop pretending you don't care when you clearly do."

Kwon watched as she walked away, her figure disappearing into the distance. His hands clenched at his sides, a whirlwind of emotions churning inside him.

He let out a sigh as he walked faster, catching up to the girl, who was striding ahead like she could escape him by sheer force of will. The distant sound of the waves crashing against the shore did nothing to soothe the growing tension between them.

"Wait," he called out, his voice firm but tinged with something close to desperation.

Y/n didn't stop, her steps quickening. "Just fuck off."

"Just give me five minutes," he pleaded, stepping in front of her path. She tried to sidestep him, but he mirrored her movements, blocking her. "y/n, please."

She glared up at him, her eyes blazing with anger. "What do you want from me?"

"I just want to talk," he said, his voice quieter now. "Walk with me. Please."

"You're unbelievable, you know that?" She crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. "Fine. But don't expect me to hold back."

He nodded, relieved she wasn't storming off anymore. They began walking along the quiet streets of Barcelona, the city's beauty contrasting starkly with the storm brewing between them.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, the raven haired boy broke the silence. "I wanted to explore this place with you," he admitted softly, his gaze on the cobblestone streets ahead. "That was the plan before... everything."

Y/n laughed bitterly, the sound sharp and cold. "Oh, don't give me that. You should've thought about that before you kissed the one person I truly hate."

Kwon flinched but didn't stop walking. "I know."

"You know?" she repeated, her voice rising. She turned to face him, her arms flailing in exasperation. "You know? That's it? That's your excuse?"

"I screwed up," he said quietly, his head hanging low.

"'Screwed up' doesn't even begin to cover it!" she shouted, her voice cracking. "You lied to me. You told me you hated her. You told me--" She stopped, taking a shaky breath. "You told me you were done with her. And then you..."

"It wasn't like that," he interjected, his tone defensive but not loud.

"Then what was it like?" she demanded, stepping closer, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "What, were you bored? Was it fun for you? Or were you just trying to hurt me?"

"I wasn't trying to hurt you!" he snapped, his voice rising now. "I wasn't thinking, okay? My head was a mess, and when she kissed me, I..." He stopped himself, his hands gripping his hair in frustration. "I thought it was you."

Y/n froze, her anger momentarily replaced by disbelief. "What?"

"I thought it was you," he repeated, his voice raw. "For a split second. I wasn't... I had this weird shot," He shook his head. "I wasn't in my right mind. I know it's not an excuse, but it's the truth."

She stared at him, her chest heaving. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

"I know," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "And I don't regret anything half as much as I regret not pushing her away."

Her expression hardened again, her anger rekindling. "Do you even realize what she did to you?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked, his brows furrowing.

"What Yoo-mi did," y/n said, her voice strained with emotion, "wasn't okay, Kwon. If you were spiked or drunk or whatever, and she forced herself on you. That's..." She stopped, taking a deep breath, her voice dropping. "That's assault."

He shrugged, his face blank. "It doesn't matter. I let it happen."

"Don't say that," she snapped, stepping closer, her voice sharp. 

"I don't want to talk about it," he said flatly, his tone shutting her down.

Y/n's jaw tightened, her frustration bubbling over. "Of course you don't. You never want to talk about anything unless it's on your terms."

"Because every time I do, you throw it back in my face!" he shot back, his voice finally rising to match hers. "Do you think I don't know how much I screwed up? Do you think I don't regret it every damn day?"

"Then why did you do it?" she asked, her voice breaking.

"Because I was scared!" he shouted, his eyes blazing with emotion. "I was scared of losing halmoni, losing you, of not being enough for anybody whatsoever. And she was there, her family funded the operation yet again, and- and I was weak," He stopped, his voice faltering. "I hate myself for it, okay? I hate being so incapable. Winning is the only way I can set things right, but I'm scared even that won't be good enough for you!"

Y/n stared at him, her anger starting to melt into something else. She wanted to stay mad, to keep yelling, but the raw honesty in his voice made it impossible.

"You should've told me," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I tried," he said, his shoulders slumping. "Not hard enough, but I tried. I don't know how to fix things."

She looked away, her heart sinking. "You can't just kiss someone else and then expect me to be okay with it."

"I don't expect you to be okay with it," he said quietly. "I just... I need you to know how sorry I am. And I'll spend the rest of my life proving it to you if I have to."

Y/n swallowed hard, her emotions swirling in her chest. She still felt hurt, betrayed, and angry. But she also felt something else—a small, stubborn flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, they could find their way back to each other.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she muttered.

Kwon stepped closer, his gaze locked on hers. "This is one promise I'm not breaking."

For the first time, she didn't pull away. But she didn't step closer either. The distance between them remained, both physical and emotional, but something had shifted. It wasn't forgiveness—not yet. But it was a start.

Kwon opened his mouth to say something else, his expression softening when he noticed the flicker of hesitation in y/n's eyes. For a moment, the world around them felt quiet, their tension blending with the rhythmic honks of traffic in the distance.

But then, the stillness was shattered.

A faint rustling sound came from behind them, barely noticeable at first. Kwon's sharp instincts kicked in, and his body tensed. His eyes flicked past the girl's shoulder, scanning the dark alley they'd wandered into during their heated argument.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, his voice low, his demeanor shifting instantly.

Y/n frowned, following his gaze. "Hear what?"

Before she could finish her sentence, a shadow darted out from behind a corner. A man with long, disheveled hair emerged, his predatory grin gleaming in the dim streetlight.

"Well, what do we have here?" the man drawled, his voice dripping with malice.

Kwon immediately stepped in front of y/n, his entire posture changing from vulnerable to aggressive in a heartbeat. His eyes narrowed, and his fists clenched, his body coiled like a spring ready to snap.

"Keep walking," Kwon said coldly, his voice steady but dangerous.

The man laughed, the sound echoing eerily. "You think I'm alone?"

Two more figures stepped out from the shadows, flanking the long-haired man. One was stocky and broad, the other lean and wiry, both wearing twisted smirks as they closed in on the pair.

Y/n's heart raced, her earlier anger replaced by a surge of adrenaline. She glanced at Kwon, who hadn't moved from his protective stance in front of her.

"Stay close," he muttered under his breath, his eyes locked on their approaching attackers.

"Looks like you wandered into the wrong part of town, kids," the stocky man sneered, cracking his knuckles. 

"Or perhaps the wrong part followed you... Cobra Kai always finds its own now, doesn't it?"

The words sent a chill down their spines. Kwon and y/n exchanged tense glances, a silent question passing between them: How do they know about Cobra Kai? 

The strange men stepped closer, their eyes gleaming with unsettling confidence. Without hesitation, Kwon and y/n dropped into fighting stances, muscles coiled, ready for whatever came next.

The night wasn't over yet.

And it was about to get much, much worse.

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