?The door creaked open, and both Micheal and Jasmine tensed. This was it. The moment they had been training for—weeks of sleepless nights, relentless sparring, and pushing past limits all led to this. Micheal took a deep breath and stood, his fists clenched at his sides. The exhaustion in Jasmine’s eyes was replaced by a mix of excitement and anticipation as Aki stepped inside.

  ?

  ?He raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking between them as he set his sword down. “Did I miss something? You two are actually within sight range and not trying to kill each other? Or has Mitsuki drugged my drink again?” His voice was flat, tinged with confusion.

  ?

  ?Before Micheal could respond, another head peeked out from behind Aki, stretching lazily.

  ?

  ?“Oh hey! Micheal! Did you miss me?” Mitsuki’s smirk was unmistakable.

  ?

  ?Micheal stiffened, eyes widening. He hadn't seen her in so long, and the suddenness of her presence threw him off balance. Jasmine, beside him, tensed, her lips pressing into a thin line. Aki, on the other hand, remained impassive, though his confusion lingered.

  ?

  ?“Mitsuki insisted on coming along,” Aki said with a tired sigh. “She wouldn't shut up about it.”

  ?

  ?“I just wanted to see my best friend~” Mitsuki chimed in.

  ?

  ?Micheal’s face flushed. “I’m not your ‘best friend’!” he snapped.

  ?

  ?Mitsuki gasped, placing a hand dramatically over her heart. “Ah, you wound me! I thought we were getting along so well.”

  ?

  ?Jasmine’s patience visibly snapped. “Excuse me,” she cut in, her tone sharp, eyes narrowed. “Who exactly are you?”

  ?

  ?Mitsuki smirked at her, sensing the tension. “Oh, nothing important. Just an acquaintance of your boyfriend, Micheal.”

  ?

  ?Jasmine sputtered, turning red. “He’s not my boyfriend!”

  ?

  ?Aki rolled his eyes and stepped between them. “Enough,” he muttered before turning to Micheal, his gaze sharp. “Now, are you going to tell me why you’re standing there like you’re bracing for war?”

  ?

  ?Micheal swallowed hard. His body was already wound tight, ready to move. Being humiliated in front of Jasmine would have been bad enough. Now, Mitsuki was here too. Still, he forced the words out. “I... I want to give it another shot.”

  ?

  ?Aki’s lips curled into an amused smirk. He cracked his knuckles, rolling his shoulders as he stepped forward. “So desperate for another beating, huh?”

  ?

  ?Jasmine stepped back, her anxiety barely concealed, while Mitsuki’s grin widened in amusement. “Oh, this should be good.”

  ?

  ?Micheal steadied himself. He had trained for this. He had studied Aki’s moves. This time, he wouldn’t go down so easily.

  ?

  ?Aki lunged.

  ?

  ?He moved like a blur, faster than Micheal could register, his fist already swinging toward Micheal’s ribs. Micheal barely managed to twist away, but the wind from the blow alone sent a shiver down his spine. No time to hesitate. Aki was already shifting, his knee shooting up toward Micheal’s stomach.

  ?

  ?Micheal saw it coming—just barely—and jumped back, his feet sliding against the floor as he tried to create distance. Aki didn’t let up. He closed the gap instantly, throwing another punch aimed at Micheal’s jaw. This time, Micheal didn’t retreat.

  ?

  ?He ducked, the air crackling past his ear as Aki’s fist whizzed overhead. He countered on instinct, pivoting on his heel and launching a sharp kick toward Aki’s midsection. Aki twisted, dodging most of the impact, but Micheal saw it—an instant of surprise flickering in his opponent’s eyes.

  ?

  ?Aki’s smirk faltered. “Huh. You’re not as slow as before.”

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  ?

  ?Micheal didn’t answer. He pressed forward, launching a flurry of strikes—punches, kicks, anything to keep Aki on his toes. Aki deflected them with practiced ease, his arms moving like an impenetrable shield. But Micheal wasn’t stopping. He wasn’t letting Aki control the fight.

  ?

  ?Aki dodged left, and that’s when Micheal saw it—an opening. Without thinking, he surged forward, his fist flying.

  ?

  ?His knuckles collided with Aki’s cheek.

  ?

  ?Aki stumbled back a step, a thin trail of blood sliding down from the corner of his mouth. The room went still.

  ?

  ?Micheal’s breath was heavy, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. He stared at his clenched fist in disbelief. Did he really just—?

  ?

  ?Aki wiped the blood from his lip with his thumb, then looked up at Micheal. He wasn’t angry. He was grinning.

  ?

  ?“Now that,” Aki murmured, stretching his neck, “was interesting.”

  ?

  ?Micheal turned toward Jasmine. Her eyes were wide, stunned—but then, slowly, a smile broke across her face. She gave him a small, shaky thumbs-up.

  ?

  ?He exhaled, chest rising and falling, as the reality sank in.

  ?

  ?He had done it.

  ?

  ?For the first time, he had landed a hit on Aki.

  ?

  ?

  ?His happiness didn't last long however, Micheal barely had time to register the impact before Aki’s fist slammed into his ribs, sending him hurtling backward like a ragdoll. He hit the wall with a sickening crack, the force rattling his bones. His vision blurred, a sharp pain flaring in his chest as he coughed up blood.

  ?

  ? Aki wasn’t done.

  ?

  ?“Come on,” Aki called, rolling up his sleeves as arcs of lightning crackled across his fingertips. The usual stoic mask was gone—his lips curled into a smirk, his eyes gleaming with something that almost looked like excitement. "You're doing so well. Don't give up now."

  ?

  ?The words weren’t mocking. They were encouraging. And that made it all the more terrifying.

  ?

  ?Gritting his teeth, Micheal forced himself to his feet. His breathing was ragged, but the thin flames he’d spent weeks trying to master flickered to life across his knuckles. He tightened his fists. The heat pulsed beneath his skin, steady, controlled. He wasn’t out yet.

  ?

  ?For a second, there was only silence. A pause. A sharp inhale.

  ?

  ?Then Aki moved.

  ?

  ?He was a blur, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. Micheal barely had time to react before a fist streaked toward his face, crackling with raw energy. He twisted, throwing himself backward onto his hands, flipping away just as Aki’s knuckles grazed past his nose. The shockwave of the near-miss sent dust scattering.

  ?

  ?But Aki was relentless. He pivoted, launching a knee toward Micheal’s ribs. Anticipating it, Micheal dodged sideways, but Aki was already there, twisting mid-air. A heel slammed into Micheal’s stomach, sending him stumbling, the breath knocked from his lungs. He barely had time to recover before Aki was in front of him again, a fist flying at his chest.

  ?

  ?Micheal reacted on instinct.

  ?

  ?He ducked—just barely avoiding the strike—and in the same motion, drove his fist upward. His knuckles connected with Aki’s jaw in a clean, powerful hit. The impact sent Aki stumbling back a step, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.

  ?

  ?Micheal’s eyes widened. He did it. He landed a hit. Again. His heart thundered in his chest as he stared at his clenched fist. Then up at Aki.

  ?

  ?For the first time, Aki looked surprised. But not angry. Excited.

  ?

  ?Before Micheal could process it, Aki moved again. Faster than before. He seized Micheal’s leg mid-step, yanking him forward before slamming him into the ground with bone-crushing force. The air fled from Micheal’s lungs as pain exploded through his back. He gasped, but he couldn't afford to stop.

  ?

  ?Gritting his teeth, he twisted, slamming his foot into Aki’s ribs. The hit connected, forcing Aki back. Taking the opening, Micheal surged forward, throwing a flurry of punches, each one backed by flames. Aki deflected most, his arms coming up in a fluid defense, but Micheal pressed on, refusing to let him breathe.

  ?

  ?Then he saw it—an opening.

  ?

  ?Ignoring the throbbing in his skull, Micheal pulled back, then drove his forehead straight into Aki’s. Pain lanced through his head like a lightning strike, but it worked. Aki’s guard slipped for the briefest second.

  ?

  ?Micheal didn’t hesitate. He reeled back a fist, aiming straight for Aki’s face.

  ?

  ?But his body faltered.

  ?

  ?The lack of air, the exhaustion, the sheer toll of the fight—it all caught up to him at once. His vision blurred, his strength drained in an instant. He collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath.

  ?

  ?A beat of silence.

  ?

  ?Aki stood over him, wiping a trickle of blood from his forehead. He smirked, shaking his head in something between amusement and approval.

  ?

  ?“Not bad, kid,” he said, stepping back. "Maybe you’re not completely useless after all."

  ?

  ?Jasmine rushed forward, her hands immediately going to Aki’s face. "Oh my god, you're bleeding!"

  ?

  ?Aki chuckled, waving her off. "Relax. It’s nothing."

  ?

  ?Micheal, still catching his breath, shot Jasmine an indignant look. "Hey! I’m hurt too, y’know!"

  ?

  ?Jasmine barely spared him a glance, though a smirk tugged at her lips. "Yeah, and? You’re already getting forgiven, aren’t you? Don’t expect me to fuss over an injured racist."

  ?

  ?Micheal frowned, but relief washed over him at the word ‘forgiven.’

  ?

  ?He exhaled, shaking his head. "God, you’re insufferable."

  ?

  ?Jasmine rolled her eyes but didn’t bother hiding the small smile playing at her lips.

  ?

  ?Mitsuki stretched, letting out an exaggerated yawn.

  ?“Boooring… Knox does it better,” she teased with a smirk.

  ?

  ?Both Micheal and Jasmine turned to glare at her—Jasmine looking particularly offended. Aki only chuckled, shaking his head.

  ?

  ?“She’s not wrong,” he admitted. “Real fights are a lot more intense. But for a beginner, you did well.”

  ?

  ?Micheal felt a mix of gratitude and disappointment. He appreciated the acknowledgment, but the reminder that he was still leagues below actual fighters stung.

  ?

  ?“He’s still twice the fighter you’ll ever be,” Jasmine snapped at Mitsuki, her irritation bubbling over.

  ?

  ?Mitsuki’s smirk didn’t waver. If anything, it widened as she tapped her chin, feigning innocence.

  ?“Oh wow… You’ve got yourself a little guardian angel, huh, Mikey?”

  ?

  ?Heat crept up Micheal’s neck, but he wisely kept his mouth shut, unwilling to get caught in their brewing argument.

  ?

  ?Jasmine’s glare sharpened. “And how exactly are you and Micheal ‘acquainted’?”

  ?

  ?Mitsuki’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “Oh, let’s just say we share a very… intimate history. Right, Mikey~?”

  ?

  ?Jasmine bristled, something unfamiliar and unwelcome twisting in her chest. She didn’t like it.

  ?“Stop being vague! Just say it already!”

  ?

  ?Mitsuki giggled. “So impatient~ But I’m not sure he’s ready for you to know yet. I’ll let him do the honors.”

  ?

  ?Jasmine snapped her gaze to Micheal, seething, and he suddenly felt very small. Just as the tension threatened to boil over, Aki casually draped an arm around Micheal’s shoulders.

  ?

  ?“Relax. The kid’s exhausted. This conversation can wait till tomorrow.”

  ?

  ?“Aww, but where’s the fun in that~?” Mitsuki pouted.

  ?

  ?“Zip it, Mitsuki,” Aki snapped, sharper this time.

  ?

  ?Mitsuki huffed but backed off, pouting dramatically. Jasmine clenched her jaw but finally, reluctantly, nodded. Micheal shot Aki a grateful look as he let himself be led away, relieved to escape Mitsuki’s game—for now.

  ?

  ?

  ?

  ?