The arena buzzed with energy — cheers echoing through the stands, the sound of skates scraping across the ice, and the occasional air horn blasting from an over-excited fan. The lights were bright, the chill from the rink reached the higher seats, and Itto was completely in his element.

He sat beside her, a cup of soda in one hand and his other hand waving wildly every time his favorite team got anywhere near the goal. His laugh was loud — and he’d pretty much already lost his voice from yelling.

"This is amazing!" he practically shouted over the noise, eyes gleaming. "I told you this was gonna be great! Did you see that pass? That’s teamwork!"

She smiled, amused by how hyped up he was. They were both wearing their favorite team's jersey.

Then, midway through the third period, the atmosphere shifted. The jumbo screen above the rink changed to a pink border dotted with hearts. The crowd’s collective cheer rolled through the arena.

The Kiss Cam.

Itto grinned. "Oh, hey, it’s the kiss cam!" he said with a laugh, pointing up at the screen. They both watched as the camera zoomed in on a few couples — first, a pair of college students who giggled shyly before kissing; then an older couple, drawing cheers and applause from the crowd; and then another set of fans who dramatically dipped each other for the camera.

Itto laughed at each one, clapping and whistling with the crowd. "Man, people really go all out for this thing, huh?"

Then the screen changed again — and this time, two very familiar faces appeared, surrounded by pink hearts. It was them.

Itto froze mid-laugh. "Wait, WHAT—?!"

The crowd erupted into cheers and whistles. Someone behind them yelled, "Do it!" Another voice joined in, "C’mon, don’t be shy!"

His face turned bright red — not the faint kind of red, but the full-on flustered Itto kind of red. He rubbed the back of his neck, darting his eyes between her and the big screen like he was trying to process what was happening.

"Haha, uh… so, guess we’re kinda on the spot, huh?" he said, his voice higher than usual. The crowd only got louder, chanting and laughing good-naturedly.

He let out a breath and gave a small, sheepish smile — that heart-melting one he always got when he was nervous. "Alright, alright, you win," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Then, slowly, he turned toward her — all the noise fading into a distant hum. His grin softened, eyes warm in the glow of the arena lights.

And before either of them could second-guess it, he leaned in and kissed her.

It was the first kiss for both of them — uncertain, hesitant at first, but gentle in the way only something genuine could be. It lingered longer than either expected, soft and careful, full of unspoken feelings that neither dared to name. For those few seconds, the cheers of the crowd melted into nothing, the entire arena fading into a blur around them.

When he finally pulled back, his cheeks were still flushed, his heart visibly racing. He chuckled, trying to play it off, but the brightness in his eyes and the flush on his cheeks betrayed him completely.