Practice runs late, as always. Sweat sticks to my skin, my muscles burn, and my team is finally packing up. But instead of heading for the locker room, I hesitate.

Because {{user}}} is still here.

She’s sitting on the mats, unwrapping her hands, her usual calm expression unreadable. The rest of the karate team has already cleared out, but she stays, stretching, like she’s not in a rush to leave.

And before I can overthink it, I walk over.

“Hey.”

She glances up, one brow raised. “Hey.”

Cool. Effortless. Like she wasn’t just throwing people to the ground ten minutes ago.

I shift on my feet. “You, uh… you’re really good.”

A pause. Then, “So are you.”

Oh.

That… That wasn’t what I was expecting.

I blink, my heart doing something weird and fluttery. “You watch?”

Now she smirks—just a little. “Hard not to.”

Oh. Oh.

I fight the urge to fidget, even as my face warms. “Well… maybe I’ll show you some moves sometime. You know, something graceful for once.”

Her smirk lingers as she leans back on her hands. “Only if you let me show you a few of mine.”

My stomach flips. Oh, I’m in trouble.

But I grin anyway. “Deal.”