Location: Piltover Heights – Sunday Afternoon
[New Mission: Help Kai'sa unwind and trust you on your date]
[Reward: ???]
The city shimmered under the noonday sun, its skyline a jagged crown of chrome and crystal. Cole adjusted his jacket as he waited outside K/DA HQ, hands in his pockets, nerves humming louder than he wanted to admit.
Then the door opened, and Kai'Sa stepped out.
No armor. No tactical gear. Just a cropped windbreaker, fitted jeans, and a pair of aviators she pushed up into her hair. Understated, but still very much her.
Cole whistled low. "Didn't know we were dressing to impress."
"We're not," Kai'Sa said, locking the door behind her. "This is me dressing for movement. Don't slow me down."
"Noted."
"You said there was a place?" Cole asked.
Kai'Sa nodded. "Yeah. Not many people know it."
She veered off the main street, down a narrow alley that opened onto a hidden rooftop garden. Suspended above the city noise, it was a little oasis perched atop an old parking tower. Vines climbed the rusted supports, orchids lined the railings, and a few tables with built-in grills stood invitingly in the center.
"This is it," she said simply.
Cole blinked. "You brought me to a secret Korean BBQ spot?"
"The beef here beats most five-star joints. And it's quiet. I like quiet."
"I'm starting to notice a pattern with you girls."
Kai'Sa smirked faintly. "Comes with the job."
Cole grinned. "I'm starting to think you have your sights set on me."
She arched an eyebrow. "You're not officially picked yet. This is probation."
"A trial date, then."
They ordered—Kai'Sa with practiced ease, Cole fumbling through the digital menu—and took their seats beneath a rusted parasol. The city buzzed far below, distant and irrelevant.
For a while, neither spoke. Side dishes arrived, accompanied by bottles of soju. Kai'Sa reached for the kimchi while Cole poured their drinks.
Cole watched quietly. The way Kai'Sa's face lit up with the first bite caught his attention.
"What are you looking at?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Nothing. Just seemed like you were enjoying the food."
"Of course. I recommended this place. Have you tried their kimchi stew?" She pushed a spoon toward him, the bowl warm in her hand.
He accepted the spoon, tasting the rich, spicy stew.
"What did I tell you?"
"You were right. It's amazing."
Kai'Sa smiled, triumphant and a little unaware of how bold she'd been.
When the meat arrived, the server fired up the grill. Cole took charge, arranging the slices on the grates. The faint sizzle was like music.
"Here you go." He slid a cooked slice onto her plate.
"What about you?"
"What kind of date would I be if I didn't let the lady eat first?" he teased, smirking.
The BBQ was perfect—the juiciness, tenderness, all just right.
"You know, I don't get all the hype around wagyu."
"How come?"
"It's good, but sometimes it leaves me with a headache."
Kai'Sa nodded. "The umami can be overwhelming."
"I prefer this. Just right—tender, flavorful."
"Me too. Honestly didn't expect food this good in such a hidden spot."
"No one does. That's why I love it."
They let the silence settle, savoring the meal and the moment.
"So, is this where you come when you need to think?" Cole asked.
Kai'Sa lifted her bowl, taking a sip. "When I want to remember who I am."
"You forget?"
"Sometimes." Her eyes were unreadable behind the mirrored aviators. "It's easy to lose yourself surrounded by idols and cameras. Everyone wants you to be their version of you."
Cole stirred his noodles thoughtfully. "And what version are you?"
Kai'Sa let out a soft, almost bitter laugh. "Still figuring that out. Maybe someone who doesn't jump to conclusions."
He looked at her. "About me?"
She hesitated. "It was," she admitted, "but I'm revising that opinion. Slowly."
They finished the meal quietly. When Cole got up to toss their bowls in the recycling chute, he found her already standing at the garden's edge, gazing out over the skyline.
He joined her.
"The Order of Shadow," she said suddenly. "That was them last night, wasn't it?"
"Yeah."
"And you didn't hesitate."
"No."
Kai'Sa turned to face him. "That was stupid. Brave, but stupid."
"Probably."
She studied him for a long moment. "You don't scare easy."
"I'm still figuring out how to be scared. Being around you all... it's dangerous."
"And yet, you're still here." Her gaze held his.
"I am."
That earned a brief, genuine smile. "Maybe you really are different."
They left the rooftop, wandering without aim but with growing curiosity. She showed him the rundown gym where she used to spar as a teen. He pointed out a bookstore with a hidden poetry section that made her scoff but kept her lingering longer than she expected.
As the sun dipped low, they returned to the city's heart. Streetlamps flickered on, casting golden halos over passersby and storefronts.
They stopped outside a bubble tea stand.
"One more indulgence?" Cole offered.
Kai'Sa crossed her arms. "You're pushing your luck."
"I'm on a date with Kai'Sa from K/DA. Let me have my victory drink."
She rolled her eyes but nodded. "Fine. But you're paying."
"Deal."
Sitting on a nearby bench with their drinks—hers taro, his brown sugar—they watched the city transition into night.
"I had a good time," Kai'Sa said quietly.
"Me too."
She glanced at him, thoughtful. "Still think I hate you?"
"I think you wanted to."
She didn't deny it.
"Then maybe I'm glad I was wrong," she whispered.
Before he could answer, her hand brushed his—deliberate, testing. He didn't pull away, letting her fingers settle atop his.
Kai'Sa: Affection +1
[Bond Update: Kai'Sa – expectant and trusting]
[150 SP earned]
Cole smiled softly, eyes on the horizon.
"Does this mean my probation's over?"
Kai'Sa smirked, fingers still intertwined with his. "We'll see."
For once, the silence between them wasn't tense. It was comfortable. Earned.
The night ended.
___
[Reward obtained]
[Item: Zhonya's Hourglass
- Can be activated once daily
- User enter Stasis: unable to move, but also invulnerable to all sources of damage for 2.5 second]
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