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THE WALK TO THE DOJANG WAS QUIET THAN USUAL... the kind of silence that felt louder with every step. y/n glanced at the tiled floor as they walked, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her gi top. There was a knot of unease tightening in her chest, and no matter how hard she tried to shake it, it stayed firmly in place.

Something about tonight felt... wrong.

She stole a glance at Kwon out of the corner of her eye. He was walking beside her, his usual arrogance oddly subdued. His hands were shoved into his pockets, his jaw tight. He wasn't saying anything either, which was rare. Normally, he'd be filling the air with his cocky quips or teasing remarks, but tonight he looked like he was lost in his own thoughts.

Her gaze dropped back to the forest floor as she tried to sort through her own emotions. The cryptic phone call with Sensei Kim, the mysterious sixth member, the possibility of sparring with someone new... it was all swirling around in her head, refusing to settle.

"You're quiet," Kwon said suddenly, his voice breaking the silence. It wasn't his usual teasing tone—it was softer, almost tentative.

"So are you," she shot back, her voice a little sharper than she intended.

He chuckled lightly, though it lacked his usual edge. "Guess we're both off our game tonight."

Y/n sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's just... I don't have a good feeling about this. Kim wasn't happy about the sixth member joining. And now Kreese is back, which means things are going to get even more intense."

Kwon nodded, his expression thoughtful. "From what you've mentioned, she did sound a bit off... But I don't see what Sensei Kreese has to do with this."

The girl opened her mouth to say something, but paused. Just because she didn't trust the old man didn't mean Kwon had to be involved in their conflict. After all, to share her concerns about John Kreese would also include sharing her own past to prove her points, and the last thing she wanted was a therapy session.

Instead, they lapsed into silence again, the sound of their footsteps echoing faintly in the woods. Kwon glanced at her, his brows furrowing slightly. She looked... tense. And he couldn't blame her—the day was shaping up to be anything but normal.

But there was something else lingering between them, something that had been hanging in the air ever since that night at Chiri-san. The kiss.

It had been a fleeting moment, but it had set something off inside him that he hadn't been able to ignore. And judging by the way she avoided his eyes whenever they were alone, he knew she hadn't forgotten either.

Kwon cleared his throat, searching for the right words. "Hey, uh... about earlier."

"Earlier?" she repeated, glancing up at him.

"Yeah," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "At the library. When you were... you know, grading my work and..." He lifted his bandaged arm in the air.

Y/n's cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked away. "What about it?"

He hesitated, his usual bravado faltering. "I just... I wanted to say thanks. For, uh, worrying about my hand and all that."

She frowned, glancing back at him. "You don't need to thank me. I was just--"

"Caring?" he interrupted, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Her frown deepened. "Don't twist my words."

"I'm not," he said quickly, his tone more serious now. "I mean it. You didn't have to, but you did. And... it meant something."

The girl blinked, taken aback by the sincerity in his voice. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. This wasn't anything like the Kwon she knew.

"Look," He continued, his voice lower now, "I know things have been... weird. Ever since the trip."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, and she felt a familiar warmth creeping up her neck. "Weird?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah," he said, his gaze dropping to the floor. "And I don't want it to be. I don't like... this." He gestured vaguely between them. "Us being all awkward and not talking. It's not us."

Y/n's chest tightened, and she swallowed hard. He was right—it wasn't like them. They'd always been able to talk, even if it was mostly bickering or bantering. This silence, this tension... it was new, and it was unnerving.

"I don't like it either," she admitted softly.

He looked at her then, really looked at her, and for a moment, the tension eased. There was something in his eyes—something raw and unguarded that made her breath catch.

Before he could say anything else, she spoke up, her voice trembling slightly. "Kwon, about that night... I--"

"Don't," he said quickly, cutting her off.

She blinked, startled. "Don't what?"

"Don't overthink it," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "We were both in the moment. We don't have any regrets. That's all."

The girl felt a pang of something she couldn't quite name—disappointment, maybe? Or relief? She wasn't sure. "Is that really what you think?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

Kwon hesitated, his jaw clenching. "No," he admitted, his voice barely audible.

They stopped walking, and y/n turned to face him, her heart pounding in her chest. "Then what do you think?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but the words caught in his throat. How was he supposed to explain it? How was he supposed to tell her that she'd been on his mind every day since that kiss? That he'd been replaying it over and over, trying to figure out what it meant?

Before he could say anything, they rounded the corner to the dojang, and the sight that greeted them made both of them stop in their tracks.

Sensei Kim and Kreese were standing in the corner of the room, their heads bent close together as they spoke in hushed tones. There was an urgency in their body language, a seriousness that made the air feel heavier.

Y/n's unease returned full force, and she glanced at Kwon, who looked just as unsettled. Whatever they were discussing, it wasn't good.

"We're late," Kwon muttered, his voice low.

"No," y/n said, her eyes fixed on their two senseis. "We're right on time."

The moment the two captains stepped into the dojang, the quiet, urgent conversation between their senseis came to an abrupt halt. Both of them turned their heads toward the pair, their expressions unreadable but heavy with authority. Kim's sharp gaze flicked over them like she was assessing every detail of their presence—late steps, subtle tension, everything. Kreese, on the other hand, crossed his arms, his imposing figure radiating something far darker.

"You're here," Kreese said simply, his gravelly voice filling the room. "Good. Get into position."

Y/n and Kwon exchanged a brief glance before moving to join the others, who were already standing in neat lines across the mats. The atmosphere in the room was thick, charged with something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Kreese watched them like a predator surveying prey, his presence dominating the space in a way that made it impossible to relax.

Before anyone could begin the usual warm-up drills, Kreese stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back, his steel-gray eyes scanning the room. "Hold it," he barked, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "Before we start, I have something to say..."

The room stilled completely. All eyes were on him now, and y/n felt a shiver run down her spine. Kreese had a way of commanding attention, not just with his words but with the weight of his presence.

"This isn't just training anymore," he began, his voice low and deliberate, carrying a dangerous edge. "This is war."

Y/n's stomach tightened as she fought the urge to roll her eyes at his overdramatic war speeches she never really missed. His words were always intense, but there was something about the delivery of this one—something heavier, darker.

"The Sekai Taikai isn't just another tournament," he continued, pacing slowly in front of the group. "It's the pinnacle of martial arts. The best of the best. It's where warriors are forged, where the weak are broken and the strong rise to the top. Every punch, every kick, every drop of blood, sweat and tears you've shed until now—it's been leading to this."

His voice rose slightly, filling the room with a palpable energy. "But don't think for a second that this is enough. The competition out there won't care how hard you've trained. They won't care how many times you've won before. They'll be looking to crush you, to humiliate you, to leave you dying on the mat. That's what you're up against."

Yoon's breath hitched as he glanced at the girl, who was standing rigid beside him, her jaw tight. Kreese's words weren't just meant to motivate—they were meant to instill fear. And they were working.

Kreese stopped pacing, turning to face the group fully. His expression was cold, calculating. "That's why we don't just need fighters," he said, his voice dropping to a menacing growl. "We need warriors. Soldiers. People who are willing to do whatever it takes to win. No mercy. No hesitation. No weakness."

The words hung in the air like a threat. Everyone's heart was racing, some out of sheer excitement, others out of fright. 

Park and Lee exchanged glances of faux-confidence between each other. Yoon remained calm and collected as usual. Kwon was determined and eager to prove himself to the world. And y/n's mind was spinning with questions she didn't dare voice. 

"And that," Kreese said, his tone shifting slightly, "is why we've made an addition to this team."

Incoherent murmurs spread across the dojo like wildfire, their puzzlement intensifying. The y/h/c-haired girl felt Yoon shift beside her, his body tense with the same unease she was feeling. It was comforting in a way that everyone seemed to sharing the same emotions. But it was also rattling to know that even someone as composed as Do-jin had been unnerved.

Kreese's lips curled into a faint, almost sinister smile. "This person isn't just any fighter. They're a weapon. Ruthless. Focused. Hungry. Exactly what this team needs."

Y/n's fists clenched as she tried to make sense of his words. "A weapon? Ruthless? Who could he possibly be talking about?" Her teammates began discussing among themselves in Korean.

Kreese paused, letting the suspense build, his eyes glinting with a dangerous light. "This fighter," he said slowly, deliberately, "has faced more battles than most of you can imagine. She's fought through pain, through loss, through betrayal—and come out stronger every time."

Y/n's breath caught at that single word. She.

Her mind raced with questions. She? Who is she? Why is she joining now, just days before the Sekai Taikai? Where has she been? 

Kwon leaned slightly toward her, his voice barely above a whisper. "Did he just say 'she'?"

Y/n nodded, her thoughts spiraling. A cold sense of dread crept over her as her imagination filled in the blanks. She glanced toward Kim and Kreese, who were still standing at the front, their body language guarded but commanding.

"Wow, looks like you really need your A-game on tonight if you still want your captain spot..." He snorted, earning a sharp elbow to his gut. "...fuck you."

"And now," Kreese continued, his voice rising slightly, "she's here. Ready to show the world what it means to fight without fear, without limits. She's the edge we need, the weapon we've been missing."

The room was deathly silent. y/n's pulse thundered in her ears as she tried to process his words. Who was this girl? And why did Kreese speak about her like she was some kind of unstoppable force? Why did he not give her the same intro when she made the team? This wasn't fair...

Finally, Kreese turned slightly, his gaze flicking toward Kim. She gave him a small nod, her expression unreadable but tense. Together, they stepped aside, revealing the figure who had been standing behind them all along.

Y/n's heart stopped.

A blonde girl stepped forward, her movements sharp and deliberate, her gaze cold and unyielding. She was dressed in a gi that wasn't theirs, the crisp white fabric almost glowing under the harsh fluorescent lights.

It wasn't just any blonde girl.

...It was Tory fucking Nichols.

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