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THE DENSE CLOUDS BLANKETED THE HARSH SUNLIGHT, casting a dull over the crowded roads as y/n l/n and Kwon Jae-sung trudged back to their hotel, the adrenaline from their earlier escapades finally ebbing away. The humid air helped soothe their frayed nerves, though the girl still looked like she was recovering from... certain traumatic sights.

As they walked in silence, Kwon broke it with an offhand remark, his tone laced with mock thoughtfulness.

"Interesting date, huh?"

Y/n stopped mid-step, staring at him like he'd just grown a second head. "You think this was a date?!"

The boy shrugged, his lips curving into an infuriatingly casual grin. "Oh, absolutely. After all the effort it took to get you, every day's a date day now."

Her jaw dropped, and she swatted his arm, her face a mix of incredulity and annoyance. "Effort to get me?! Wouldn't have happened if you didn't fuck up in the first place- Also, what's with every day being a date day? This isn't some rom-com, Kwon!"

He held up his hands in mock surrender, his grin widening. "Fine, fine, call it what you want. But between the dramatic chases, the secret rendezvous, and the... uh, unforgettable visuals we witnessed today, this has all the makings of a rom-com classic."

Y/n groaned, rubbing her temples. "You're unbelievable. A rom-com? Really?"

Kwon nodded solemnly. "Yeah. Except ours comes with martial arts, danger, and old people nudity. We're breaking new ground here."

She rolled her eyes so hard she thought they might get stuck. "For the record, if this was a date, it's the worst one I've ever been on."

"Oh, come on," he teased, leaning closer. "Not even the part where I saved you from vomiting all over yourself?"

"I wouldn't have needed saving if I hadn't looked at—ugh, stop reminding me!" she snapped, shoving him lightly.

Kwon just chuckled, his carefree attitude only fueling her exasperation. "Admit it, though. You'll remember it forever."

"Yeah," y/n muttered under her breath, "as the night I nearly died of secondhand embarrassment."

They continued walking, the girl grumbling under her breath while Kwon's amused chuckles filled the air. For all her protests, though, there was a faint, begrudging smile tugging at her lips.

"Worst date ever," she repeated, just loud enough for him to hear.

Kwon glanced at her sideways, his grin turning soft, almost genuine. "Maybe. But it's ours."

That shut her up for a moment. Just a moment.

Then, predictably, she rolled her eyes again and muttered, "Still doesn't count."

The lobby was quiet in the noon, the soft hum of a cleaning machine echoing faintly as y/n and Kwon pushed through the hotel doors. Yoon and Tory were standing near the couches by the entrance, chatting about something that seemed to have upset the blonde, her face red. The boy's arms were crossed, his demeanor calm as usual as he lent her a listening ear. 

Tory leaned against the armrest of the couch, her fingers drumming idly as Yoon began talking. However, the moment the two spotted y/n and Kwon, their eyes widened, and a playful smirk passed between them.

"Look who decided to join us!" Yoon teased, his eyes flicking to the couple's clasped hands. "And holding hands? Is this a morning stroll or...?"

Tory raised a brow, her lips twitching. "Morning stroll, huh? Looks more like a... morning run." Her gaze swept over their disheveled state—the tousled hair, sweat-soaked shirts, and flushed faces. 

Kwon let go of y/n's hand immediately, muttering under his breath, "I hate them."

But before Tory or Yoon could get a word in edgewise, their teasing expressions melted into concern as they stepped closer. Yoon's brow furrowed, his playful smile vanishing. Tory's eyes darted to the y/h/c-haired girl's face, zeroing in on the nasty bruising and the cut near her cheek.

"Y/N!" She exclaimed, rushing over. "What the hell happened to you?"

Yoon's voice rose in panic. "Jae-sung, where were you? I haven't seen you since last night! And now this? What were you two doing?" He gestured between them, his tone growing more frantic.

"It's a long story," Kwon replied flatly, running a hand through his hair as though trying to delay the inevitable explanation.

"Long story? That's all you're giving us?" Tory snapped, her attention shifting to her friend. "And you—don't just stand there. Are you okay? That looks bad." She motioned toward the injury, her sharp tone betraying the worry underneath.

Y/n waved her off with a sheepish smile. "It's not as bad as it looks, I promise. Just a little scratch."

Tory's hands went to her hips, her eyes narrowing. "A little scratch? y/n/n, it looks like someone used your face for target practice. Who did this?"

"It's fine, Tory," the girl insisted, though her voice wavered slightly. "Really. It looks worse than it feels."

Yoon wasn't having it either. "What do you mean, it's fine? Did someone attack you two?" He turned to Kwon, his voice rising. "Why didn't you stop it? Or at least call me? What were you thinking?"

Kwon held up his hands, his voice calm but firm. "Relax. Everything's under control."

"Under control?" Tory echoed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "She's got a bruise the size of Korea, and you're sweaty like you just ran a marathon. What's under control, exactly?"

Y/n sighed, her head dropping. "Can we just not? I'm tired, I'm starving, and I'd rather not rehash every detail right now."

Tory didn't look convinced, but she softened slightly. "Fine. But you're eating something. You look like you've been through a blender."

"We were going to eat anyway," Kwon muttered. "Not like it's your business."

Yoon shot him a glare. "It's very much our business when you two sneak off and come back looking like this. And I'm pretty sure Tory and I have earned an explanation."

"Fine," Y/N relented with a groan. "You'll get your explanation over brunch. Let's just go."

The four of them headed toward the hotel dining area, though Tory and Yoon made it clear they weren't there for the food. Kwon seemed to take their protective interrogation in stride, but y/n could feel the blonde's eyes boring into her as if trying to uncover the truth just by sheer willpower.

"So," Yoon said as they sat down at a table. "Start talking."

"It's a long story," Kwon reiterated, already reaching for a cup of coffee.

"We've got time," Tory replied, crossing her arms and fixing them with a pointed look. "Start from the beginning."

Y/n glanced at Kwon, who shrugged like it was all up to her. She sighed, bracing herself for what was sure to be an exhausting retelling of the night's events. "Okay. But don't freak out..."

The table buzzed with quiet chatter as plates of steaming food were set before them. y/n reached for her cup of coffee, her movements slow and deliberate, while Kwon dug into his plate like he hadn't eaten in days. Tory and Yoon sat across from them, their expressions expectant, but y/n decided to break the tension with a question that had been bugging her.

"Hey, Tory," y/n began, her fork hovering over her plate. "Does the name Terry Slither mean anything to you?"

Tory froze mid-sip of her drink, her face scrunching in confusion. "Terry... Slither?" she repeated, eyebrows raised. "What kind of name is that?"

Y/n shrugged, nonchalant. "I don't know. It's what came to mind. It sounded... right. Kinda sneaky."

Kwon snorted, shaking his head. "Of course it does."

The blonde placed her drink down, her expression shifting as realization dawned. "Wait—do you mean Terry Silver?"

Y/n tilted her head, still unsure. "Silver, Slither... same diff."

Tory's eyes widened slightly. "Yeah, I know who that is. He's the guy who got Kreese arrested back in the Valley. Real snake. No pun intended."

Kwon, who had been idly chewing, suddenly looked up. "Sensei Kreese? Arrested? For what?"

The table fell silent for a beat before Yoon scoffed, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. "How are you only realizing this now?" he asked, his tone dripping with amusement. "We've trained under him for months. You really thought he was squeaky clean?"

Kwon frowned defensively. "I don't ask for people's résumés before training with them, okay?"

"Maybe you should start," Yoon replied with a dry laugh. "Might save you from ending up in these kinds of situations."

Y/n chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Focus, you two. Anyway, that Terry guy—Silver, Slither, whatever—he was definitely behind the ambush last night."

Tory leaned forward, her face growing serious. "Ambush? What ambush?"

Y/n and Kwon took turns filling in the gaps, slowly recounting everything they had overheard and experienced—the man with the long hair, the arguments between the senseis, and even the mysterious figure who had been orchestrating it all. Tory and Yoon listened intently, their expressions shifting between shock, confusion, and frustration.

When they got to the part about the dark alley, Yoon's expression darkened. He turned sharply toward Kwon, his voice switching to Korean. "Are you out of your mind?" he began, his tone scolding. "Do you know how dangerous it is to wander into dark alleys in a foreign country?"

Kwon sighed, already bracing himself. "Bruh, I—"

Yoon wasn't done. "You could have been hurt. Or worse—arrested! Do you know what would've happened if the authorities found you waving around a crowbar like some thug?"

"Do-jin..." Kwon tried again, but his comrade wasn't having it.

"You're reckless," The boy continued, his voice rising slightly. "You don't think things through. You're lucky nothing worse happened. What were you even thinking?"

Y/n, who had been quietly following the conversation, caught enough of the scolding to step in. Switching to Korean as best as she could, she interjected, "Kwon did a good job protecting me."

Yoon paused mid-rant, his eyebrows lifting in surprise as y/n continued. "I mean it," she said, her voice soft but firm. She glanced at Kwon, offering a small, grateful smile. "I don't know what would've happened if he hadn't been there. So... thank you."

Under the table, she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Kwon blinked, clearly caught off guard, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He squeezed her hand back lightly, his earlier frustration melting away.

Tory, who had been watching the interaction with a raised brow, finally broke the silence. "Okay, that was... kind of sweet. Gross, but sweet. Even though I have no idea what the fuck you're all talking about."

"Agreed," Yoon added with a smirk, his earlier anger diffused. "But don't think this gets you off the hook, Jae-sung."

Kwon rolled his eyes, muttering, "Yeah, yeah. Thanks, YoOnIe."

"Don't call me that," Yoon retorted, though his tone was more amused than annoyed. That name was specifically reserved for y/n. "Now, let's go back to the important part. What exactly did this Terry guy want?"

"World domination, probably," y/n muttered, stabbing her food with unnecessary aggression. "The guy gives off major cartoon villain vibes."

Kwon snickered, shaking his head. "And he's supposed to be a karate master?"

Tory nodded, her expression serious again. "Don't underestimate him. Silver's dangerous. If he's involved, things are about to get a whole lot messier."

"Fantastic," the y/h/c-haired girl deadpanned. "Because things weren't messy enough already."

The group fell into a companionable silence, the weight of the conversation sinking in. But despite the heaviness of the topic, there was a sense of solidarity at the table—a feeling that, whatever was coming, they'd face it together.

As the group mulled over their next steps, Tory was the first to speak. "If Silver's involved, this isn't just some dumb rivalry anymore. He doesn't do 'simple.' He plays the long game—and dirty." Her tone was serious, a stark contrast to her usual snark.

Y/n nodded, her brow furrowed. "He's definitely got something big planned. No one puts that much effort into ambushes and bathtub villain monologues unless they're scheming something nasty."

Kwon tilted his head, still trying to process. "So... what do we do?"

Yoon, ever the pragmatist, leaned forward, his voice low and urgent. "We stay alert. Study our opponents. Never let our guard down. Walls have ears, remember?"

Just as the last words left his mouth, a familiar, sharp voice cut through the air behind them. "Indeed, they do."

The group froze mid-breath, heads snapping around like deer caught in headlights. There stood Sensei Kim, her piercing gaze locked onto them, her arms crossed. "Speaking of walls," she continued coolly, her eyes narrowing at Kwon and y/n. "A word?"

The two of them exchanged a wide-eyed look, each silently screaming the same thought: Was it too late to run?

Kwon swallowed hard. "Uh... is this, like, optional?" he ventured, his voice slightly shaky but laced with forced humor.

Kim's eyebrow twitched, though her expression remained ice-cold. "Did that sound like a request?"

"Definitely not," y/n  muttered under his breath before plastering on an unconvincing smile. "Of course, Sensei. Lead the way."

As they got up, Tory and Yoon exchanged amused looks. "Good luck," Yoon whispered, clearly enjoying their predicament.

Tory leaned back in her chair, smirking. "Try not to get yourselves killed."

Y/n shot her a glare, muttering, "No promises," before reluctantly following Kim out of the dining area, Kwon trailing close behind.

"Any chance she just wants to compliment our teamwork?" y/n whispered as they walked.

Kwon shrugged. "Maybe we're just overthinking again. Maybe she just wants to strategize for Monday's events."

As they turned the corner, y/n sighed dramatically. "We should've run."

Kwon gave her a sidelong glance. "You first, Usain Bolt."

"Hey, I'm faster than I look," y/n shot back.

"Sure, and I'm Anna Pavlova," Kwon replied dryly, earning a glare from her just as Kim stopped and turned to face them, silencing their banter instantly.

This wasn't going to be fun.

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