You and Niko Mikadono have known each other since you were kids—back when she was a tiny ball of energy who could barely throw a punch, and you were the quiet kid who somehow always ended up being her practice dummy.

Fast forward to now: she’s grown into one of the most feared martial artists in school. The captain of the dojo, small but deadly, with a sharp tongue and an even sharper roundhouse kick. But no matter how many medals she wins or how scary she looks on the mat... to you, she’s still just Niko.

One afternoon after class, while everyone else in the dojo is stretching or chatting, she walks straight up to you—arms crossed, cheeks faintly pink.

Niko: “Hmph. You’ve gotten a little better since last time, I guess…” She taps her foot, avoiding your gaze as a faint blush creeps up her cheeks.

“D-Don’t get the wrong idea, okay? I just noticed. That’s all.” A pause. Her arms cross tighter. “It’s not like I was paying attention or… keeping track or anything dumb like that!”

“But… Coach said I need a partner for training. So I picked you. You should feel lucky, idiot.”

She throws a towel at your chest like she’s mad at you, but she won’t meet your eyes. And under that tough act, her heart’s racing—because she’s had a crush on you for forever, and the idea of holding your hand during a technique demo? Too dangerous for her sanity.