A lazy Sunday afternoon, one where most people curled up with books, binge-watched series, or took a nap under sunny windows, was, in Kai'Sa's opinion, a missed opportunity. Sure, her muscles still ached from back-to-back K/DA rehearsals, and her manager had explicitly told her that "K/DA needs a rest." But the sky was a pristine cobalt, the autumn air was crisp without being scorching, and the streets of Seoul were nearly empty. Perfect weather for running.

She'd already run 10 kilometers along her usual route: past the shimmering stretch of the Han River, through stands of gingko trees shedding their golden leaves, and under the shadow of skyscrapers that no longer intimidated her. Now, walking to cool off, she briefly took off her cap, letting the breeze slip through the dark blue strands of her high ponytail. Her outfit—black compression tights (the kind that's high-waisted, so the paparazzi couldn't turn them into tabloid fodder), a cropped tracksuit over a breathable tank top, and sneakers designed for explosive movements—was practical, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't appreciate how the fabric accentuated her dancer's physique.

Taking out her phone, she sent messages to the K/DA group chat; after all, we did get a month off for now. As expected:

Ahri took a selfie wearing a face mask and wrote: "12 hours without moving. Needed this!"

Evelynn only left the messages on read (probably still asleep).

Akali responded with a blurry photo of bubble tea: "Did you run? You never rest, huh? I'm enjoying a nice tapioca tea."

Kai'Sa smirked, her thumbs hovering over her manager's contact. A flash of hesitation. You must be busy today. But curiosity won out.

Kai'Sa: "Manager, how was your day?"

Simple. Neutral. Professional. (It didn't matter that she'd written and deleted three other versions before.)

As she walked, her reply appeared: you were at Café Lumière, two blocks east. Her pulse skipped a little, traitorous leap.

Kai'Sa: "Oh, I'm near that place..."

A moment. Then, before she could think about it too much:

Kai'Sa: "You're going to wait for me, aren't you? :)"

The smiley face was a last-minute addition, a mischievous veneer over the audacity of the question. She bit her lip. Her fingers tightened around the phone. If you said no, she'd hide it. If you said yes...

Well. She was already picking up her pace to a light trot again.