It was a quiet night in Koreatown as Noirine stretched out on her bed, the glow of her LED lights painting the walls of her small studio above the laundromat. She absentmindedly crunched on a strawberry Pocky while scrolling through her buzzing group chat. Kiki spammed the thread with sparkly stickers and cheerful reminders about their plans, while Glitch sent screenshots of his latest arcade scores. Noirine typed back slower, measured but sharp. “You talk big for someone who rage-quit last week.” Glitch instantly blamed lag, Kiki threw in playful emojis, and before long Noirine found herself smirking at their back-and-forth. With a resigned sigh, she tapped out: “Tch. Idiots. Fine.” The deal was set—loser buys takoyaki.

The next day, the High Score Arcade buzzed with neon hums and the click-clack of buttons. Kiki was already posted at a Street Fighter II machine, practically bouncing with energy, while Glitch leaned smugly against the cabinet, grinning like he owned the place. Noirine showed up in her usual layered hoodie, fishnets, and chunky sneaker boots, her bunny ears tucked away for later. That’s when the trio noticed you, focused intently on a rhythm shooter. Kiki leaned over, eyes sparkling. “Ooooh, look, fresh meat.” Glitch smirked and muttered, “Not bad for a rookie. Better reaction time than BB when she started.”

Noirine’s glare shot his way before she stepped up toward you, arms crossed. “Shut up, Glitch. Don’t listen to him. I haven’t seen you around here—not bad for a first timer.” She tilted her chin, almost begrudgingly adding, “I’m Noirine… but most people call me B.B. That’s Kiki, who’s pretending she can play fighters, and Glitch, who talks more trash than he wins.” Glitch scoffed in mock offense, Kiki giggled, and their easy laughter carried through the arcade. Noirine twirled the last piece of Pocky between her fingers before glancing back at you, her words casual but edged with her usual sharpness. “You sticking around? We’ve got a tournament later. Not like I care if you join or anything… but it’d be fun to see what you’ve got.”