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"WOULD YOU TWO SHUT UP ALREADY?" Sensei Kim's sharp voice cut through the din, her words as sharp as the glare she leveled at y/n and Kwon. "I didn't realize I was babysitting children instead of training fighters."

Y/n immediately went quiet, her lips pressed into a thin line, though her eyes still burned with indignation. Kwon, however, couldn't resist one last dig.

"She cheated," he muttered, slouching back in his chair.

"Yeah? Cry me a river," y/n snapped, glaring at him.

"Enough!" Kim slammed her hand on the table, her expression cold and unyielding. "If you both spent as much time training as you do bickering, you wouldn't be so embarrassingly mediocre."

Kwon flinched slightly, but y/n's glare didn't waver. She wasn't about to let Kim's words get under her skin. Not tonight. Not when she knew for a fact that she was anything but mediocre. 

The team dinner was held in a posh banquet hall, the long tables crowded with dishes of rice, grilled meat, and side dishes. Most of the Cobra Kai students were chatting and laughing, still riding the high from earlier. But at the head of the table, y/n l/n and Kwon Jae-sung's argument had become the entertainment.

The girl had arrived late, her hair slightly damp from a quick shower and her expression smug. She'd been unpacking in her new room, the one Kwon had accused her of "stealing."

"It wasn't cheating," she hissed at him, ignoring her Sensei's earlier warning. "It was strategy."

"Strategy?" Kwon scoffed, leaning forward. "You jumped off Do-jin like he was a fucking springboard!"

"It's called teamwork, genius." y/n smirked, reaching for a bowl of rice as if the matter were settled.

"You knew the rules," Kwon shot back, his voice rising slightly. "You want the room, you win it fair and square. That wall was my victory, not some circus trick!"

Y/n rolled her eyes, taking a deliberate bite of rice before replying. "And yet, I have the room. Funny how that works."

Kwon's jaw clenched, his grip tightening around his chopsticks. His mind flashed back to the scene after his victory earlier that day.

*flashback*

Kwon had barely come down from the high of beating Robby when y/n approached him, hands on her hips and a determined look in her eyes.

"Give me the keys," she demanded.

Kwon raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "What?"

"The room. I want it," she said, her voice firm.

He tilted his head, the smirk creeping back onto his face. "You want the room?" He pulled the key card from his pocket, dangling it tauntingly in front of her. "Then you know the rules. You want it, you win it."

Y/n crossed her arms, glaring at him. "Kwon, come on, man. I'm not staying with Tory anymore. I deserve that room more than you do."

"Deserve it?" He chuckled, leaning in slightly. "Why? Because you can't handle your precious privacy being invaded? Not my problem."

She narrowed her eyes. "That's not the entire reason, but fine. What's it gonna take?"

He smirked, stepping closer. "I mean, we could share."

Y/n recoiled, her glare hardening. "Not in this lifetime."

"Then you know what to do." He gestured toward the wall, where his record-breaking mark still stood tall and proud. "You want the room, beat me. Or, you know... share. They say the nights get awfully cold here, and I don't mind a little heat."

For a moment, y/n hesitated, her face burning as his hot breath hit her ear. She knew how ridiculous it was to even try the former. But then, an idea sparked in her mind. Her lips curled into a mischievous smile.

"Deal," she said, turning away.

Kwon blinked, caught off guard by how quickly she agreed. He watched as she walked over to Yoon and whispered something in his ear. The boy raised an eyebrow at her, then glanced at Kwon before nodding.

"What the—what are you doing?" Kwon called out, suddenly suspicious.

Y/n didn't answer. Instead, she took her position far from the wall, crouching slightly for a running start. Yoon, meanwhile, moved to a spot near the wall and got down on his hands and knees, positioning himself like a makeshift platform.

"Yah, what the hell?!" Kwon barked in Korean, but it was too late.

The y/h/c-haired girl let out a sharp cry as she charged forward. Her steps were quick and precise, her form impeccable as she launched herself at Yoon. Using his back as a boost, she propelled herself into the air, twisting mid-spin to execute a flawless 540 kick.

Her foot struck the wall with a resounding thud, leaving a mark just an inch above Kwon's.

The crowd erupted. Cheers, gasps, and laughter filled the room as y/n landed gracefully on her feet, brushing her hands off as if it were no big deal.

Kwon stared at the mark in disbelief, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

"Looks like I win," y/n said smugly, holding out her hand for the key.

Kwon glared at her, his face a mix of frustration and reluctant admiration. "That's cheating."

"It's winning," she shot back, her grin widening.

*end of flashback*

"You're just mad you didn't think of it first," y/n mused, snapping the raven out of his thoughts.

"I'm mad because you're an insufferable maniac," he retorted, his voice low and heated.

"Enough," Kim barked again, her patience clearly wearing thin. "If you two don't stop acting like spoiled brats, I'll make sure you're both sleeping in the hallway tonight."

Y/n fell silent, though her smirk didn't waver. Kwon muttered something under his breath, stabbing a piece of meat with his fork.

From across the table, Yoon leaned over to Kwon, his voice barely above a whisper. "You gotta admit, it was clever."

Kwon shot him a withering glare. "Whose side are you on?"

Yoon smirked, leaning back in his chair. "The winning side."

Kwon groaned, turning his attention back to his food.

Meanwhile, y/n quietly celebrated her small victory, her smile lingering as she dug into her dinner. For all his complaints, Kwon couldn't deny one thing: she had played the game and won. And that, no matter how much it annoyed him, was something he couldn't take away from her.

As the tension at the dinner table simmered, the doors to the banquet hall creaked open, and in strode John Kreese, flanked by a couple of sleekly dressed individuals holding glossy business portfolios. His presence was magnetic as always, commanding attention without a single word. Even the loudest of students quieted down, and the air grew thick with anticipation.

Kreese sauntered to the head of the table, his sharp gaze scanning the room. "You know," he began, his voice calm but laced with authority, "as silly as your little rivalry is, it seems to have done something worthwhile."

Y/n and Kwon immediately straightened in their seats, though the scowls they exchanged didn't go unnoticed by their senseis.

Kreese smirked, turning to the suited individuals behind him. "Thanks to your antics earlier—your little display of wit, skill, and teamwork—it seems we've caught the attention of some very important people."

One of the suited individuals stepped forward, a tall woman with sharp features and a confident air. She addressed the room, her voice smooth and professional. "I'm Mirabelle Vázquez, representing Apogee Sports Network. We've been watching the Global Martial Arts Showcase closely, and I have to say, your performance today stood out. The chemistry between your fighters, the balance of raw skill and creative strategy—it's exactly what we're looking for to represent our brand."

The students murmured among themselves, excitement brewing. y/n exchanged a quick glance with Kwon, her brow furrowing. Chemistry? She barely stopped herself from snorting. (Though what the woman really meant was y/n's coordination with Yoon.)

"I'm also thrilled to announce," Mirabelle continued, "that Apogee Sports, along with a few other sponsors, has decided to fully sponsor Cobra Kai's membership at Iron Heights Gym, one of the most exclusive training facilities in the world."

The room erupted. The students cheered and clapped, their earlier tensions momentarily forgotten. Even Tory, who rarely showed outward excitement, allowed herself a small smirk.

Y/n blinked, surprised. Iron Heights Gym? She'd heard of it—a state-of-the-art facility with Olympic-grade equipment and a reputation for training some of the best athletes on the planet.

Kwon leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his smirk unmistakable. "Guess my antics aren't so stupid after all," he drawled, loud enough for y/n to hear.

The girl rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small tug of a smile. "Don't get too cocky. If it wasn't for me, we wouldn't have caught anyone's attention."

Kreese, overhearing, interjected. "Don't flatter yourselves. It's not just about the two of you—it's about what Cobra Kai represents: strength, strategy, and the willingness to do whatever it takes to win. That's what these sponsors see. That's what they want to back."

Kwon leaned closer to y/n, his voice low and teasing. "Still sounds like me."

"Blah blah blah," y/n muttered. "You'll need your own sponsorship for a new ego."

Mirabelle Vázquez cleared her throat, bringing the attention back to her. "We're also excited about how this sponsorship aligns with what we see as a growing trend: female empowerment in martial arts." Her gaze flicked briefly to y/n, and a faint smile crossed her lips. "Miss y/n l/n, your ingenuity earlier today was a perfect example of that. Creative, fearless, and effective."

The other students turned to look at y/n, and for a brief moment, she felt the weight of their stares.

"Don't let it get to your head," Kwon whispered, leaning back with a cocky grin.

Y/n smirked, leaning slightly toward him. "Too late."

Kreese gestured for silence once more, his expression a mix of pride and his usual sternness. "This sponsorship is a chance for us to prove that Cobra Kai isn't just the best—it's unbeatable. But this doesn't mean you get to relax. If anything, it means you work harder. At Iron Heights, you'll have no excuses. No distractions. Only results."

The students nodded, their earlier excitement tempered by the seriousness in Kreese's tone.

As Kreese's words sank in, Kwon leaned toward y/n one last time, his voice low enough that only she could hear. "So... since we're now sponsored stars, does that mean you'll finally consider sharing our room?"

Y/n rolled her eyes, unable to suppress a grin. "Not a chance."

Across the table, Lee snickered, catching the exchange. "You two really need a referee."

Kwon and y/n both shot him a glare, but before either could respond, Kreese clapped his hands, dismissing everyone. "Enjoy your dinner. Tomorrow, we train like champions."

The room buzzed with energy as the students returned to their meals, already envisioning the possibilities that Iron Heights Gym would bring. y/n and Kwon, despite their constant bickering, couldn't help but feel a shared sense of pride. 

For better or worse, their rivalry had just put Cobra Kai on the global stage.

The rest of the evening unfolded under Sensei Kim's sharp, focused leadership. She commanded the table with her usual precision, steering the conversation to what truly mattered: strategy. Her voice cut through the lingering chatter as she dissected the performances of previous years' competitors, pointing out patterns and weaknesses with cold calculation.

"Defending champions thrive on their arrogance," she remarked at one point, her gaze darting toward Kwon as a subtle reminder. "But arrogance is only an advantage if it's backed by discipline. Lose that, and you're already beaten."

The team listened intently, taking in her words as she laid out plans for neutralizing their strongest opponents. No detail was too small—Da-eun scrutinized everything from footwork to preferred techniques, sketching counters and contingencies as she went. y/n found herself nodding along, her mind already racing with possibilities.

Kwon, though still simmering with unspoken emotions, appeared focused, occasionally throwing in a comment or nodding in agreement. Even he couldn't deny the necessity of the methodical approach, especially after witnessing firsthand the level of competition earlier in the day.

Dinner dragged on as the team plotted and planned, their discussions ranging from tactical adjustments to mental strategies for maintaining composure under pressure. Every move, every counter, every angle was analyzed with almost surgical precision.

By the time the plates were cleared and the banquet hall emptied, the team's heads were buzzing with the weight of the night's discussions. As they left the table and began the walk back to their rooms, there was an undeniable shift in the atmosphere—one of unity, focus, and quiet determination.

The games had begun, and Cobra Kai wasn't just here to compete. 

They were here to conquer...

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