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AS THE GIRL STEPPED INTO THE TAPAS BAR IN THE LIVELY BEACH DISTRICT, the atmosphere hit her like a warm wave. The air was rich with the aroma of sizzling garlic and herbs, mingling with the faint saltiness drifting in from the ocean just beyond the open patio doors. The space was alive with vibrant energy, Spanish guitar and upbeat rhythms pouring from the speakers, setting an infectious tempo that had a small group of teens swaying on the makeshift dance floor near the center of the room.

Fairy lights crisscrossed the ceiling, their golden glow reflecting off the eclectic mix of colorful tiles on the walls and the polished wooden tables scattered throughout. A bartender was expertly pouring non-alcoholic sangrias, garnished with fresh fruit, into frosty glasses for a group laughing by the counter. The vibe was lively yet relaxed—spirited, but not overwhelming, like the perfect balance for a teenage crowd.

Most of the Sekai Taikai competitors were here, their faces familiar in the sea of strangers. Groups had formed, some clustered around high-top tables chatting animatedly, while others leaned back in their chairs on the patio, enjoying the view of the ocean lit by the moonlight.

Y/n let her eyes wander over the crowd, feeling a mix of curiosity and nerves. She scanned for Robby's familiar frame, her fingers already hovering over her phone to text him when her gaze landed on him.

There he was, sitting by the counter, his shoulders relaxed as he leaned slightly toward Samantha Larasso, who was perched on the stool beside him. They were talking, their expressions easy and comfortable, Sam's laugh ringing out above the hum of conversation.

Y/n froze for a moment, her phone slipping back into her pocket as a pang of something sharp and unwelcome twisted in her chest. She hadn't expected to feel anything seeing him there—especially not sitting with Sam—but there it was.

She approached the counter with a mix of reluctance and resolve, her steps slower than usual, her expression set in that familiar grumpy mask she wore when her emotions threatened to get the better of her. She wasn't exactly thrilled about walking up to the two Miyagi-do captains together, but a part of her knew she had to face her demons sooner or later. The tension in her shoulders betrayed her unease as she threaded her way through the bustling crowd, the upbeat music somehow doing little to soften the knot in her chest.

Miguel's words from earlier echoed in her mind.

"Please, y/n/n," he had said, his voice sincere over the phone. "Talk to Robby. He'll explain everything."

Robby noticed her first when she reached, his face lighting up with a small smile. He nudged Sam, who turned, her expression instantly hardening.

"Y/n," Robby greeted warmly, his tone carefully neutral, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of relief.

"Robby," y/n replied, her voice guarded. Her gaze flicked to Sam, who sat stiffly, her arms crossed. "Samantha."

"Y/n," Sam returned, her tone cool but polite enough to avoid outright hostility.

Robby gestured to the stool next to him. "Miguel said you'd come. Sit down. We've got a lot to catch up on."

Y/n hesitated but slid onto the stool, her movements tense. "Miguel said you'd explain. So, start talking."

Robby exchanged a glance with Sam, who sighed, clearly reluctant but willing to play along.

"Alright," Robby began, leaning forward slightly. "Where do we even start?"

"Maybe with what happened after I left," the girl said, her tone sharper than she intended.

Sam snorted softly, earning a glare from y/n. "You mean after you bailed on all of us?"

"Sam," Robby warned gently, shooting her a look.

Y/n's jaw tightened, but she bit back a retort. "Yeah, sure. When I bailed... after kicking all of your asses."

Robby exhaled, his expression softening. "Okay. A lot happened, y/n. More than I can explain in just one night. But I'll give you the highlights."

He started with the aftermath of the school fight—the fractured friendships, the way Cobra Kai had grown under Kreese's leadership, and how tensions between the dojos had only escalated.

"I ended up with Cobra Kai for a while," Robby admitted, his voice quieter. "After everything with my dad, I didn't feel like I had anywhere else to go."

Y/n's eyebrows shot up. "You? Cobra Kai?"

He nodded, his expression clouded. "Yeah. It wasn't my proudest moment, but Kreese knew how to get into my head."

"And into everyone else's," Sam added bitterly. "He turned it into something toxic. Even worse than before."

Robby continued, recounting his time in juvie and the fights he'd been drawn into. His voice faltered slightly as he described the isolation he'd felt, the anger that had consumed him.

Y/n's expression softened despite herself. "Robby..." she started, but he shook his head.

"It's fine," he said quickly. "I got through it. But things didn't get any easier after that."

He explained how Kreese had manipulated the Cobra Kai students, pushing them further into aggression and fear. Sam picked up the thread, describing the escalating rivalry between the dojos and the All Valley tournament that had followed.

"Miyagi-do and Eagle Fang teamed up," Sam said, her tone lighter as she spoke of the unlikeliest of alliances. "Johnny and my dad actually worked together. Can you imagine that?"

Y/n blinked, struggling to process the idea. "Lawrence and Larusso? Working together? You're joking."

Robby chuckled softly. "No joke. It was weird at first, but it worked. Mostly."

The stories continued, each one more shocking than the last. Sam spoke about her struggles with PTSD after her fight with Tory, her voice steady but her eyes betraying the lingering pain.

Y/n couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt hit her as she knew she was the one to help Tory do so...

Robby shared how he'd eventually reconciled with his father, finding a sense of belonging he hadn't felt in years.

Then came the revelations about Terry Silver's return and Kreese's betrayal. y/n's head spun as they described Silver's manipulation, the fights that had spilled out into every corner of their lives, and the eventual showdown that had led to Cobra Kai's downfall.

Y/n sat back, her mind racing to process everything they'd told her. The world she'd left behind had changed in ways she could hardly comprehend. Everything was so dark...

"So, that's it?" she said finally, her voice tinged with disbelief. "You all just moved on, just like that?"

Robby shook his head. "It wasn't that simple. It took a lot to get to where we are now. And not everyone made it through unscathed."

Sam nodded, her expression softening. "But we're here. And you're here too. That's what matters."

Y/n looked between them, her walls cracking ever so slightly. "I don't know what to say."

As the girl leaned back in her seat, staring at Robby and Sam as the weight of everything they had just told her pressed down on her chest like a boulder. She felt like the world had tilted on its axis, leaving her struggling to find her footing.

"You're telling me Miguel went to Mexico—alone—to find his father?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. "And you and Johnny followed him in FBI t-shirts?"

Robby chuckled, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah. It was dad's idea. He thought it'd make us look more 'official.' And also it was the only thing we could find."

Y/n blinked, momentarily dumbfounded. A laugh escaped her, sharp and unexpected. "I—okay, that's insane. Miguel running off to find his dad is one thing, but you guys showing up like that? That's next-level ridiculous."

Sam cracked a small smile, though her eyes remained wary. "It's kind of typical for Johnny, though. He has this... unique way of doing things."

"Clearly," y/n muttered, shaking her head. But even as she laughed, the humor couldn't completely distract her from the gnawing unease in her stomach.

She turned to Robby, her brow furrowing. "Why Mexico though? I thought Miguel was Ecuadorian."

"He is—well, half," Robby explained. "Turns out his dad is Mexican. Miguel didn't know much about him, just that he wasn't a great guy."

"Not a great guy," y/n repeated slowly, her voice thick with irony. "Right. So Miguel decided to track him down on his own? What was he thinking?"

Robby's smile faded, his expression turning serious. "He wasn't thinking. He was hurting. He needed answers, and he didn't feel like he could talk to anyone about it. That's why we went after him. Johnny couldn't just let him go through that alone, and frankly... I can understand the feeling."

Y/n nodded slowly, trying to process the revelation. She couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Miguel had been her closest friend once, and yet she hadn't been there when he'd needed her most.

But before the guilt could take root, another detail hit her like a freight train. She frowned, leaning forward. "Wait, did you say Johnny and Carmen are having a baby?"

Robby nodded, his expression softening. "Yeah. It's weird, but it's also... nice. Miguel and I are literally brothers now."

Y/n blinked, her brain struggling to catch up. "Brothers," she repeated, the word tasting foreign on her tongue. "You and Miguel. Brothers. Girl brothers..."

She let out a humorless laugh, running a hand through her hair. "I... wow. That's a lot. Uh, congrats?"

Robby gave her a faint smile. "Tell me about it."

Y/n shook her head, still reeling, but before she could fully process that bombshell, another, darker thought crept into her mind. Her expression turned somber as she looked at Robby.

"You said Kreese escaped from prison," she began, her voice quieter now. "Is that... is that true? He really escaped?"

Robby and Sam exchanged a glance, the air between them heavy.

"It's true," Robby said eventually, his voice steady but grave. "He was arrested after everything with Terry Silver, but he didn't stay locked up for long. He... found a way out."

Y/n swallowed hard, her stomach churning. The man who had taught her everything she knew about fighting, who had shaped her into the person she was today, was a criminal. The realization sent a ripple of doubt through her, making her question everything she had believed in.

She forced herself to ask the question that had been gnawing at her. "And Sensei Kim? She... she hurt Tory?"

Sam's expression hardened, a flash of anger crossing her features. "She didn't just hurt her," she said sharply. "She broke her hand. During training. And she didn't care—she just kept pushing her, taunting her about it, making it worse."

Y/n's breath caught in her throat, her mind reeling. Sensei Kim, the woman she had admired and respected, was capable of something like that? It was almost too much to process.

"No wonder Tory's been acting the way she has," y/n murmured, her voice barely audible.

Sam nodded, her tone softening slightly. "It's not an excuse, but... yeah. She's been through a lot."

Y/n's gaze snapped to Sam, her eyes narrowing slightly. "And you? You're best friends with her now? After everything?"

Sam flinched but held her ground. "We're not best friends... that spot will always be reserved for you," she said assuringly. "But we've come to an understanding."

"An understanding," the girl repeated bitterly. "After she broke into your house, your mom got her fired, you harassed her at work, you fought her at prom, she won the All Valley, and her mom died after your mom paid for her therapy and medical debt...? That's what it took for you two to bury the hatchet?"

Sam's jaw tightened, but there was a flicker of guilt in her eyes. "It wasn't that simple," she said quietly. "It took time. And a lot of mistakes on both sides."

Y/n stared at her, the weight of everything pressing down on her. She didn't know what to feel—shock, anger, sadness. It was all too much.

She turned back to Robby, her voice barely above a whisper. "What the hell happened to all of us?"

Robby reached out, his hand resting gently on her arm. "Life happened," he said softly. "But we're still here. That's what matters."

Y/n looked at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to feel the weight of it all—the pain, the loss, the hope. And for the first time, she didn't feel completely alone.

But the girl barely had time to process Robby's words when a voice behind them chimed in unexpectedly, startling her out of her thoughts. 

"Well, if we're sharing life updates, I guess now's a good time to mention that I'm going to MIT!"

Y/n turned sharply to see Demetri standing there with a wide grin, holding a bright pink mocktail in his hand. He raised the glass slightly, as if to toast his own announcement.

"Wait—what?" y/n stammered, completely caught off guard. "When did you get here?"

"I've been here the whole time," Demetri said matter-of-factly, sipping his drink. "You guys were just so riveted by your own drama that you didn't notice me standing here, patiently waiting for my turn to shine."

Eli, standing next to Demetri with his arms crossed, looked like he was ready to combust. He rolled his eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn't get stuck. "Oh, please, Demetri. Nobody cares about your stupid MIT announcement. Why don't you just get a tattoo that says, 'Look at me, I'm smart,' and be done with it?"

"Wow, Hawk," Demetri shot back, his grin never faltering. "Way to be a supportive friend. You'd think a guy who peaked at the All Valley would be happy for someone who's actually going places."

Eli's eyes narrowed, his nostrils flaring. "Oh, I peaked? Says the guy whose biggest achievement is a high score on Roblox trivia night."

"It was Minecraft, actually," Demetri corrected smugly. "And excuse me if my achievements don't involve breaking people's noses for fun."

The two continued bickering as they collected their drinks from the counter, their voices growing louder with each barb.

"MIT doesn't even care about personality, clearly," Eli growled as they began to storm off.

"And yet they still didn't pick you," Demetri retorted, raising his voice just enough to echo dramatically across the bar as he followed his friend.

The entire group watched in stunned silence as the pair disappeared into the crowd, still hurling insults at each other.

Y/n blinked, turning back to Robby and Sam. "Did... did that just happen?"

Sam sighed, rubbing her temples. "Unfortunately, yes. They've been like that all month."

Robby shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Classic Binary Brothers. Some things never change."

Y/n let out a soft laugh despite herself, the absurdity of the moment cutting through the heaviness that had settled over her. "Well, at least they're consistent."

The three of them shared a brief, almost relieved glance, the tension easing ever so slightly. But deep down, y/n knew she still had a lot to process—and a lot more questions to ask.

As the conversation finally eased into something friendlier, the bar door swung open. 

Kwon walked in, flanked by Tory, Yoon, Park, and Lee, their presence commanding instant attention. Sam stiffened, her expression darkening at the sight of them. Without a word, she stood, grabbed her bag, and left, her departure as sharp and final as a slammed door.

"I'm gonna get some air. It was... nice to meet you, y/n."

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