The entire cafeteria felt like a stage. Every gaze was fixed on Asuka and Lili, as if the air had become too heavy to breathe.
Asuka sat beside Kaido, leaning slightly forward. Her clenched fists rested on the table, and the sharp glare she aimed at Lili revealed how irritated she was.
Lili didn't lose her smile. She adjusted her blonde hair with a slow, calculated motion and gave Asuka that provoking look — the kind one uses when watching a child throw a tantrum.
"Mon dieu… Asuka, always so rough. Are you jealous, perhaps?"
Her voice slid through the silence of the cafeteria like silk dipped in poison.
Asuka leaned even further forward, the wood of the table creaking under the pressure of her arms.
"JEALOUS?!" she spat, each syllable sharp. "Don't flatter yourself, Rochefort. I can't be jealous of someone I've beaten so many times."
A murmur swept across the tables. Everyone knew they were witnessing something dangerous — and far too thrilling to look away.
Lili placed one hand on the edge of the table, leaning forward with feline slowness. Her blonde hair cascaded like a veil over her shoulders as she moved closer. In a teasing gesture, she rose slightly, almost on top of the table, so she was at the perfect height. Her perfume wrapped around Kaido like an invisible trap.
"En fait…"[1] she whispered, with the most hypocritically innocent smile in the world. "I was just having a friendly chat with Kaido…"
Before he could react, her lips brushed his cheek — a quick, light kiss, but packed with intent. Smack! Barely audible, but enough to set the entire cafeteria ablaze.
A chorus of whistles, nervous laughter, and gasps filled the room.
Asuka froze for half a second. Her eyes widened, her cheeks flushed — and then came the explosion.
"NANI?!" she yelled so loud the entire cafeteria went dead silent. "You… you stuck-up brat!"
Her hand shot up as if to grab Lili by the collar, but she stopped at the last second, her body trembling with anger. Instead, she spun toward Kaido and — smack! — landed a clean slap to the back of his neck.
"BAKA!!" she growled at him. "You just sit there grinning like an idiot and let that maniac do whatever she wants?!"
Lili let out a soft, elegant chuckle — "Heh, si facile…[2]" — and rose with the grace of someone who'd just won a battle without even trying. With a delicate twirl, she turned her back and crossed the cafeteria like it was a runway, every gaze following her — split between shock and amusement.
Asuka took a deep breath, still flushed, her fist clenched on the table. She couldn't look Kaido in the eye, but his cheek still burned — from both the slap and the kiss — and the heavy silence between them spoke louder than any words.
"Calm down, Asuka…" Kaido said defensively, a hint of nervousness in his tone. "That was just her messing with you."
She immediately turned to him, eyes blazing, and shoved his shoulder hard enough to nearly tip his chair.
"AHO!!" she snarled, her voice shaking with anger and embarrassment.
Crossing her arms tightly, she tried to hide the blush creeping from her neck to her ears. Her foot tapped impatiently on the floor, revealing just how torn she was between rage and something she didn't want to admit.
"Tch… you really don't get it, Kaido." She huffed, looking away. "If you let yourself get swept up by cheap tricks like that, you'll end up looking like a complete fool."
She grabbed his tray — still half full — and dropped it back in front of him with a thud.
"Eat before I kick you."
Despite her harsh words, the way she stayed by Kaido's side — even burning with shame and anger — showed it wasn't just rage. It was her way of protecting him, tangled with feelings she didn't want to face.
Some students were still peeking and whispering, but no one dared to get involved. One thing was clear: after this, everyone in the cafeteria knew — there was fire between the three of them, and Lili had just added more fuel.
. . .
The cafeteria was almost empty when Kaido and Asuka left together. Each carried their lunchbox — silent remnants of a lunch that had ended… unexpectedly. Their steps echoed through the wide hallway, the silence between them thick and almost tangible.
Asuka walked ahead, hands shoved into her jacket pockets, lunchbox dangling from one finger. Her head was slightly lowered, and from time to time, she kicked at the air, as if venting her frustration on the empty space.
They eventually stopped in a quiet corner by the windows overlooking the courtyard. The afternoon light spilled over her face, highlighting the flush still lingering on her skin — a color hard to hide, even for someone as proud as her. Leaning against the wall, arms crossed, Asuka sighed and finally broke the silence.
"Tsc… how embarrassing." she muttered, turning her face away. "Everyone staring like it was some kind of show…"
She shot him a sidelong glance.
"And you… letting her kiss you like that. Kuso baka(damn idiot)!"
Kaido sighed, folding his arms too.
"Hey… I didn't do anything! She's the one who decided to mess with me."
Asuka let out a loud huff, looking away with an impatient sigh.
"That's exactly the problem, aho!" she barked. "If you don't react, she'll keep thinking she can do whatever she wants."
Kaido raised an eyebrow, slightly amused but not mocking.
"What do you want me to do then? Throw her with a judo move in the middle of the cafeteria?" he replied, calm but with a playful glint in his eyes.
For a moment, her face faltered — rage almost giving way to a laugh — but Asuka held her pose, turning away stubbornly.
"Kaba…" she muttered, crossing her arms again and pretending to be cold.
Kaido stepped closer, his voice softening naturally.
"I just wanted to understand... why she's so interested in you."
His words made Asuka look away. Her tough facade cracked for a fraction of a second. But true to herself, she huffed, lifted her chin and muttered:
"I just don't want you to get hurt because of her stupid games…" she said, voice low and irritated, as if the words had slipped through her teeth.
Realizing what she'd just let out, she quickly turned away, lifted her chin, and tapped his forehead lightly.
"But don't think that means anything, got it?"
Kaido blinked, slightly thrown by her sudden shift. The faint smile that had been forming died halfway, replaced by an uncertain expression. "Means anything?" he thought, unsure if she was talking about herself… or the situation with Lili.
Asuka looked away, cheeks still flushed, trying hard to keep her proud posture.
. . .
The late afternoon bathed the Kazama Dojo in warm golden light, the rays cutting through the windows and reflecting on the polished tatami. Several members were training: some focused on katas, others sparring with controlled precision, feet sliding smoothly as their breaths echoed rhythmically through the air.
In the center, Kaido and Asuka — now in their dōgis — were already exchanging light but serious blows, understanding each other without words.
Asuka moved first, twisting her hip to launch a quick kick. Kaido blocked with his forearm, the impact vibrating through his body. He countered with a side kick, but she dodged nimbly, spinning her body.
Seizing the distance, Kaido lunged forward, aiming a sharp elbow strike. Asuka blocked with the palm of her hand, the dry sound echoing across the tatami. In the same motion, he swung a side punch.
She caught his fist firmly with her other hand and countered with a solid kick to his abdomen. The impact pushed Kaido back, forcing him to take two steps to regain balance.
"Tch…" Kaido brought a hand to his stomach, letting out a breath through clenched teeth.
Asuka adjusted her stance, a teasing smile curling at the corners of her lips.
"Heh… Kawaī sō[3]! Are you still sore from fighting the princess?"
He shot her a sidelong look, narrowing his eyes with a crooked grin.
"That? She just got lucky."
"Lucky?" Asuka spun lightly, ready to move again. "She went through you like a training cone… aho!"
Her eyes sharpened as she dropped into a defensive stance.
"If you really want to put someone like Lili in her place… then stop playing around, Kaido. Train seriously."
Kaido surged forward with a flurry of strikes — punches, spins, a sweep attempt. She read each movement like an open book, dodging with precision, blocking firmly, and countering effortlessly. The small smile on Asuka's lips betrayed the fun she was having.
Panting, Kaido stepped back and raised his hands.
"I give up…" he said between breaths.
Asuka placed a hand on her hip, pride gleaming in her eyes.
"At least you lasted longer today," she declared triumphantly, a smile of victory on her face.
Kaido narrowed his eyes, pretending to focus, then shouted:
"Secret weapon!!"
With a sudden leap, he lunged at her before she could react. Asuka stumbled back — "Eeeh?!" — and suddenly she was on the floor, Kaido mercilessly tickling her sides.
"K-Kaido!! Heh-heh!! Ha-ha-ha!! Yamete!!"
Asuka twisted and laughed uncontrollably, trying to push him off to no avail. Her laughter came in waves, infecting the entire dojo.
The other stopped training, watching the scene, and soon their laughter joined in. All the tension from the spar melted away, replaced by a warm, playful energy. Kaido and Asuka rolled across the tatami, laughing and pushing each other like kids, their serious training dissolving into pure, unguarded joy.
[1] In fact…
[2] so easy
[3] poor thing